1891 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
A MUCH GRAFTED TREE. 
On page 297 of last year’s volume we gave a brief ac¬ 
count of two notable trees growing at Newburgh, N. Y. 
One, a pear tree, was planted in 1840. The owner, Mr. E. 
H. Clark, was an invalid, and found amusement in busy¬ 
ing himself in making his little home place (50 x 100 feet) 
as productive as possible. He had, at the time of his 
death, 221 varieties grafted on this one tree, most of which 
have grown fruit and are now bearing. They range from 
earliest to late and give a complete succession of fruit. 
Mr. Clark had but one apple tree—a seedling from the 
roadside, yet he nearly always took the fruit prizes for the 
best collection of varieties. Probably 250 grafts have 
been inserted in this tree, and there are now at least 200 
bearing varieties on it. Mr. Clark was a neighbor and 
friend of Chas. Downing, and many of the grafts sent to 
the latter for trial found their way to this tree. Mrs. M. 
W. Mead, the present owner of the place, sends us a photo¬ 
graph of the tree, from which our engraving, Fig. 65, is 
made. At the season of ripening, this tree presents a re¬ 
markable appearance, showing all the shades of color 
known to the apple. Besides his two trees, Mr. Clark had 
grapes and all sorts of small fruits, and kept a cow, bees 
and poultry. The products of this little city lot farm 
were remarkable for quality, quantity and variety, and 
are of special interest just now when the “ possibilities of 
an acre ” are being so actively discussed. 
ROLLER FOR SLED CORN CUTTER. 
As stated in a former note to the implement department 
of The R. N.-Y. the greatest objection to the sled cutter 
seems to be the heavy draft of the machine caused by the 
friction between the ruuners and the loose, dry soil. The 
writer having heard of a very successful improvement 
made on one of these sled cutters by which this objection 
as to draft was entirely overcome, while the working of 
the machine was in no way interfered with, got a descrip¬ 
tion of it for The R. N.-Y., which is as follows: The 
wheels and axle of an old two-horse walking cultivator 
were taken to the blacksmith who so bent the arch that 
when attached under the platform back of the knives.it 
supported the rear end of the sled on the wheels. The axle 
was so lengthened as to cause the wheels to run outside of 
the rows that were being cut. The front end was sup¬ 
ported by a roller a foot long and 10 inches in diameter, 
which was attached midway between the runners. There 
is not a great amount of weight on the roller on account 
of the upward draft of the horse, and the men standing 
nearly over the rear axle. If raising the sled sufficiently 
for the runners to clear the ground causes the corn to be 
cut too high, a strip two or three inches wide can be taken 
off the bottom of the runners. In the sketches shown here¬ 
with, Fig. 66 is a side view and Fig. 67 a front view. 
Nemaha Co., Kan. G. F. pettit. 
“SPORTS” AND NEW BREEDS. 
How Readily They Follow Demand. 
The frequent occurrence of the so-called “sports” in 
poultry demands consideration at the present time; not 
that breeds do not more or less revert to the original char¬ 
acteristics of their ancestors, but because the number of 
“ sports ” seem to keep pace with the demand for them. 
There is something curious about “ sports.” From the 
time of the introduction of the Plymouth Rocks as a dis¬ 
tinct breed to within a few years back, no one accused 
them of throwing entirely white progeny, although for a 
decade the males were much lighter than at present; but 
after a lapse of 15 years after the type had become fixed (or 
was supposed to be) in all its characteristics, including 
color, the breed became so widely distributed as to call 
for something new, when, lo 1 its members began to 
“sport”—and the White Plymouth Rock was evolved 1 
There was a demand for a white breed of Plymouth Rocks, 
and with strange uniformity the breed began to “ sport ” 
in Maine, and the disease quickly spread to other yards. 
The Black Langshan had remained black from the time 
or its first importation by Mrs. Sargeant, and had bred 
true to color for about 15 years without “ sporting ” even 
a white feather on the toe barring it from the show-room, 
yet suddenly, when something new in the Langshan line 
was required, these birds began to “ sport,” and “sported” 
lively after they had once begun, for not only are there 
whites, but blues and mottles. 
The Silver Wyandotte, which really showed a disposition 
at one time to display all colors, remained at least within 
decent bounds for eight years, during which time its mem¬ 
bers had supplied the demand, but forgetting loyalty to 
themselves, they gave way to the popular demands for 
something new, and began to “sport,” and so earnest did 
they become that they sported White, Black and Golden. 
The Rose-comb Leghorns have all along remembered 
their source by throwing single combs at times, and the 
Black and White Minorcas have settled the dispute over 
the color source by dividing honors, both throwing mot¬ 
tled progeny. The same is true of the Javas. 
One enterprising breeder compelled his single-comb Ply¬ 
mouth Rocks to hold on to the color but made them wear 
pea combs, and now it is reported that some of the Whites 
are in future to be also graced with the pea combs. 
While it is true that a breed may, as a freak, produce 
something entirely different from the characteristics of its 
members, or something for which “atavism,” gets the 
credit, yet the almost contemporaneous and spontaneous 
production of new breeds so long after the originals were 
established, gives sufficient reason for supposing that 
many of the so called “sports” are the results of deliberate 
breeding, by crossing with foreign blood, as well as in- 
breeding and out-breeding to obliterate damaging evidence, 
to say nothing of the possibilities due to a low fence, 
broken panel, high flying, and other means of clandestine 
association of different breeds, unknown to the owners. 
I do not infer that there are no “sports” among some 
of the breeds, but I do affirm that it is difficult to detect 
the true “ sports ” from the “ manufactured” birds of the 
same family, and I do not believe that any man ever 
secured a pure white bird directly from a genuine Black 
Langshan flock. If “sports” came, it was because the 
breeder knew nothing of the original sources of his birds. 
There is no doubt that the new breeds will become fixed 
in type and characteristics, and they will no doubt prove 
valuable acquisitions to our older breeds. Being in the 
staudard, they are now accepted, but It will ba but a short 
time before the Langshans will “sport” buffs, (which the 
Leghorns did after 30 years as a breed), and the Plymouth 
Rocks “sport” blacks (if the Java will get out of the 
way), and the Pekin ducks mottles. As soon as the de¬ 
mand comes for something new in any breed, the “sports” 
will surely be on time. p. H. JACOBS. 
Atlantic Co., N. J. 
HORTICULTURAL HINTS. 
E. P. POWELL. 
I notice that several of the spring catalogues bring 
prominently forward the Perennial Phlox. I have kopt 
fairly well abreast of progress in this flower, and heartily 
indorse the efforts to popularize the growth of the best 
sorts. It is a very showy, yet very refined and delicate 
flower. If grown rightly it is exceedingly floriferous, be¬ 
ing in continuous bloom for three months. If you choose 
to prolong the bloom,transplant a bed of them early In the 
spring for early bloom and let the rootlets come up in the 
old bed for later bloom. After blooming, cut back the 
stalks to the ground and you will get a good deal of second 
bloom. Among the best of late introduction are Paul Bert, 
Cyclone, Regulus, P. Bonnetain, Darwin, Deliverance, Gen¬ 
eral Breart, M. Marey and Arago. The latest introduc¬ 
tions are said to be of extraordinary beauty, including 
Aurore Boreale, Diplomate, Gold Leaf, Croix du Sud, 
Eclaireur, Richepin, Liberty, and many more, varying 
from orange and red to lilac and purple. 
The phlox has but one drawback in culture; that is, it 
cannot endure dry weather. This trouble can be obviated 
by mulching with cut grass, chip waste, tan bark or saw¬ 
dust, which keeps it cool and moist about the roots. Be¬ 
sides this, the plants multiply very rapidly and must bo 
divided as often as once in two years in order to produce 
the finest panicles. 
I always make a specialty of nasturtiums. I believe 
that In all our list of annuals nothing is finer than 
the “sturtions” of our mothers. They are good in all situ¬ 
ations and all soils not too rich. I grow them in hollowed 
Sled Corn Cutter: Front. Fig. 67. 
walls of stone, as screens, masses in beds and as borders. 
I want handfuls of them all the year. The odor is delicious, 
spicy and wholesome. The dwarf sorts are best for bed¬ 
ding and bordering. Of these Cloth of Gold and Chaim- 
leen are good assortments. Empress of India, Lady Bird 
and King Theodore are fine sorts. But whatever else may 
be said favorably of the nasturtium, Its best point is that 
it purifies the atmosphere by breeding ozone. It is one 
of the flowers that do good to a tired or sick person. 
One of the most exquisite vines for the window or for 
shaded out door growth is Clerodendron Balfouri. It is 
a creamy white ball burst open to show the most brilliant 
scarlet heart. It blooms early and profusely. 
If you have never yet planted montbretias, I advise you 
at once to try them. They will delight you. The Crocos- 
miseflora variety is of a rich orange-red, borne on spikes 
about as tall as a gladiolus. The leaves also as well as the 
i83 
bulbs resemble those of the Gladioli. It is hardy and yet I 
dig the bulbs each fall for fear of loss. I keep them dry 
with dahlias. It is one of the most satisfactory of the 
newer bulbous plants. 
Another very flne thing is Hyaclnthus candicans. It sends 
up enormous stalks loaded with pure white, ball shaped 
flowers. The leaves resemble those of yuccas. The bulbs 
can be obtained at a low cost, and the recompense will 
satisfy all flower lovers. 
I am confident that the new Marguerite Carnations 
are a great acquisition even if they turn out to be only the 
old Clove-scented Carnation. I once possessed a strain of 
this, that surpassed, all in all, every flower on my lawn, 
roses only excepted. By wretched carelessness I lost my 
stock, seed and all. For a perfect bouquet give me clove- 
pinks. 
NATURE OR ARTIFICE IN THE HORNLESS 
WORLD. 
ROBT. C. AULD. 
In a recent issue of The Rural New-Yorker there is 
an editorial paragraph in which we are told, in reference 
to the practice of dishorning in the West: “A curious 
feature in this connection is the fact that many of the 
calves from dishorned bulls are either hornless, or with 
merely abortive stubs in the place of horns. The facts re¬ 
garding these crosses come to us from sources so thoroughly 
reliable that they cannot be doubted. It will require but 
a few generations of horn cutting to produco a polled 
breed.” A writer in the New York Tribune some years 
ago also said : “ There have been hornless calves descended 
from dishorned cows.” 
In response to The Ruka.l’s Invitation to add what I 
can to the discussion of this subject, I may say that a good 
deal of light is sometimes thrown on such a question as this 
by investigating similar variations in other animals. 
Prof. W. H. Flower, F. R. S., in his book “Fashion in 
Deformity,” gives it as his opinion that polled cattle, etc., 
have arisen from some accidental occurrence. “ Besides 
these and many other modifications of the form given by 
Nature, practiced upon the individual animal,” says he, 
“selective breeding through many generations has suc- 
ceededin producing inherited structural changes sometimes 
of very remarkable characters. These have generally orig¬ 
inated in some accidental, perhaps, slight, peculiarity, 
which has been taken advantage of, perpetuated and in¬ 
creased. In this way the race of bull dogs with their 
shortened upper jaws, bandy legs and twisted tails, has 
been developed. The now fashionable ‘ dachshund ’ is an¬ 
other instance. In this category may also be placed polled 
and humped cattle, tailless cats of the Isle of Man and 
Singapore; lop-eared rabbits; tailless, crested, or other 
strange forms of fowls; pouter, tumbler, feather-legged, 
and other varieties of pigeons, and the ugly double-tailed 
and prominent-eyed gold fish which delight the Chinese. 
Thus the power which, when judiciously exercised, has 
led to the vast Improvement seen in many domestic species 
over their wild progenitors, has also ministered to stranger 
vagaries and caprices In the production and perpetuation 
of monstrous forms.” 
Haeckel, the celebrated German scientist, tells of a bull 
which had lost its tail by accident and which begot en¬ 
tirely tailless calves. Ranchmen have published partic¬ 
ulars of cows with the peculiar marks of their owners 
producing calves marked exactly in the same way. I 
know of two cases of cattle (purebred) producing tailless 
stock; but these were sent to the butcher as soon as prac¬ 
ticable, so we have no evidence of their “natural” peculiar¬ 
ity being reproduced. A well-known writer in the defunct 
National Live Stock Journal also mentioned the history 
of “ a remarkably flne heifer calf, wanting altogether a 
tail,” * * * “as if it had been sliced off with a razor.” On 
the delivery of the calf the owner expected a twin to fol¬ 
low which would have two tails ; but none camo. 
I have recently had cause to examine into the origin of 
the word Collie, the name of the Scotch shepherd’s dog, 
and also of the bobtail dogs. The opinion of Mr. Rawdon 
Lee, the distinguished author of the recent work on “ The 
Collie,” is that the bobtailed sheep dogs were originated 
in consequence of the operation of the forest laws, which 
rendered it imperative for Englishmen to curtail all dogs 
of a non-sporting kind so as to render them exempt from 
the tax. On the other hand, Dr. Edwards Ker, the 
champion of the bobtailed breed, is not of this opinion ; 
but holds that some dogs were “ born so” naturally, and 
that breeders eagerly seized on this characteristic tendency 
to perpetuate it, for a similar reason. Coming to the 
word “ Collie” Itself, it would appear, if we took Henslow 
Wedgwood’s view of its derivation, that it was derived 
from a source whence it got its application to the sheep 
dog whose tail was usually cut short, and on that account. 
But the Collie to-day is not a bobtail. Mr. Lee gives in¬ 
stances where fox-terriers of his breeding, whose tails had 
been cut off, produced, in some cases, progeny without tails. 
I might here refer to many other cases alluded to by Prof. 
Flower—more particularly to the tailless cats and rump¬ 
less fowls. Were such originated from artificial practices? 
And what of the docking of the tails of horses and sheep, 
of the trimming of the ears of dogs and of the combs of 
poultry ? No cases that I know of have been recorded of 
curtailed horses or sheep ever being born. The practice 
has been going on for generations, too. 
Coming to cattle themselves, the late Mr. Frank Buck- 
land, the popular naturalist, in referring to this subject, 
gave it as his understanding that the original meaning of 
the English word “ polled ” (as applied to cattle) was “ a 
beast out of whose head the horns had been cut.” But he 
goes on to show how impossible this would be—resulting, 
in his opinion, in the bleeding to death of the animal, be¬ 
sides inflicting horrible pain. He then shows that some 
cattle are naturally hornless, and that from such, the vari¬ 
ous polled breeds have been produced. 
(To be continued.) 
