1891 
205 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
that if this country had consented to such a treaty, no 
trouble would have been raised about the fishery question, 
and the United States would not have paid over to the 
Dominion $5,000,000 in settlement of the alleged fishery 
losses of the latter in former times. The resolute persist¬ 
ency with which this country has refused to enter into any 
negotiations for a reciprocity treaty with the Dominion 
on the basis of the treaty of 1854, or, in other words, for 
“ restricted reciprocity,” leaves little doubt that no such 
treaty as that promised by the Conservatives can be se¬ 
cured from the United States on any conditions. This 
country would, however, doubtless consent to an unre¬ 
stricted reciprocity treaty with the Dominion, by which 
the trade in all commodities between the two countries 
should be as absolutely free and unrestricted as that now 
existing between the various States in the Union, on con¬ 
dition that the Canadian tariff against other countries 
should be in harmony with that of the United States. 
This proviso would be necessary to prevent the importation 
of goods from other countries into the United States 
through Canada at lower import duties than those 
charged at the American ports of entry; in other words, 
it would prevent the introduction of dutiable commodi¬ 
ties through the back door on better terms than they 
could be introduced through the front door. There is no 
great craving in this country fur even such a treaty ; in¬ 
deed, it would probably be opposed—certainly it would be 
disliked—by American farmers in the States along the 
frontier, as after such a treaty had come into force their 
products would have to compete with similar commodities 
raised in Canada. Still there is little or no doubt that the 
United States, as a body, would consent to enter into free 
trade with Canada on the above indispensable condition. 
On the whole, American farmers would probably be losers 
by such a treaty; but American manufacturers would 
certainly be gainers, just as the case would be the reverse 
across the border. 
Title by Adverse Possession. 
S. L. H., Herkimer County, N. Y.— A buys a farm from 
the heirs, one of whom cannot be found. After a number 
of years the other heirs claim his share. Can they get it 
after A has eDjoyed peaceable possession for 20 years? 
Ans.—A s we have frequently stated, long-continued pos¬ 
session of real estate is, in some cases, allowed to ripen into 
a valid title, on the ground that the real owner ought to 
bring suit to determine the question of title before a proper 
determination of the suit has become difficult or impossi¬ 
ble through lapse of time. The first requisite for gaining 
title by possession is that the holder of the land should 
openly and notoriously claim it as his own. “ An open 
possession and a whispered claim are not enough, or any 
claim which appears to be likely not to reach the ears of 
the true owner.” Mere possession unaccompanied by a 
claim of right never ripens into a valid title. In the case 
put by our inquirer, the absent owner, if he should return, 
or his heirs can, by a proper decree of the court, gain pos¬ 
session of his share of the real estate. 
Taking Land for a Highway. 
S. T. L , Lackawanna Comity, Pa.—A new road runs 
along the line of my farm but stops at one corner of it, 
where its straight course is blocked by a small lake. Can 
the authorities compel me to allow the road to be con¬ 
tinued through my land around the lake ; and, if so, am 
I entitled to pay for the land taken ? 
Ans.—U nder proper legal proceedings you can be forced 
to give a right of way ; but by way of compensation you 
are entitled to the value of the land taken, together with 
fair damages, less any benefit arising to you from the 
location of the road. 
Pollution of a Stream, Etc. 
J. E., Luzerne County, Pa— Thecoal mine owners here¬ 
abouts are about to tap the mines and let large quanti¬ 
ties of sulphur water into a clear stream which will then 
overflow its banks at high water. If this is done, from 12 
to 14 acres of my farm will be rendered worthless. Have 
I any redress ? Can anything be done to prevent them 
from causing the injury ? 
ANS.— Every owner of land through which a stream of 
water flows, is entitled to the use of the water in its 
natural state, and any one who renders the water un¬ 
wholesome, offensive, or unfit for the purposes for which 
it is ordinarily used is liable to an action for damages, un¬ 
less he has acquired, by grant or prescription, an adverse 
right against the lower or adjoining owners. Fouling the 
stream with any obnoxious substances would be such a 
wrong. Moreover, an action for damages is not the only 
remedy for the unlawful pollution of a stream, as the in¬ 
jured proprietors may obtain further relief by injunction, 
if the evil is continuous. Damages can also be obtained 
for any injury done to the land of the riparian owners 
by causing the stream to overflow to an unusual extent. 
All aggrieved parties should combine to defray the expenses 
of a lawsuit in proportion to the relative interests in¬ 
volved; for in such cases one decision usually applies to 
all the persons similarly aggrieved. 
Lawn Mixtures; Use of Lime. 
E. H. B., Wellsvllle, Pa. —I wish to turn an acre or more 
of land into a lawn. What seed would be advisable ? Is 
there a lawn seed called “ Central Park Lawn Seed ?” 
Where can it be had ? I am applying 50 bushels of lime 
to the acre. Would an addition of barn yard manure be 
advisable on the same fields ? Some think the effect 
would be deleterious. 
Ans.— We should use either Red Top seed alone, or a 
mixture of Blue Grass and Red Top—half and half by 
weight. The Red Top will sprout as soon as Timothy ; 
the Blue Grass is tardy. Why buy expensive lawn mixt¬ 
ures T They cost twice and even thrice as much as the 
above kinds and are no better, if as good. This bit of in¬ 
formation, dear sir, which is given from actual experience, 
ought to show readers that experiment grounds, in con¬ 
nection with farm papers are an excellent appendage. 
“ Central Park Lawn Seed,” however, can be obtained 
from any of the seedsmen who advertise in The Rural. 
We do not approve of the use of lime unless the land is 
rich or, if not so naturally, well supplied with farm 
manure. 
Improving a Plum Orchard. 
E.P.N.,Nichols,Conn. —I haveaplumtree which blossoms 
and sets fruits which grow to the size of No. 2 shot, then 
drop from the tree ; they do not seem to be stung by the 
curculio, but appear to drop from lack of vitality. Would 
grafting with some other kind help the matter ? There 
are no other plum trees near it. If so, what time and kind 
of grafting would be best ? 
Ans. —If the soil is good and suitable for plums, and it 
is certain that the dropping is not due to insects, and the 
tree appears healthy, it can easily be changed by grafting 
or budding with a better sort. It is possible, in this case, 
that the flowers of the tree are imperfect, and that plant¬ 
ing a perfect flowering variety near it, or budding or graft¬ 
ing a perfect flowering sort into some of the limbs, might 
result in a good crop. Our native plums are often de¬ 
fective in this way ; but we have not observed the same to 
be true of Prunus domestica. As to the kind of grafting, 
when grafting is chosen, any kind will do ; but budding 
is better than grafting for stone fruits, as a rule. Graft¬ 
ing the plum is best done early, before the buds have be¬ 
gun to swell. If the variety is Marianna, it is highly 
probable that imperfect pollenation is the trouble. 
Fertility In Skim-MIlk and Buttermilk. 
W. W., New Alexandria, Pa.— 1. Is there any plant food 
in buttermilk or sweet milk ? 2. Would it be injurious to 
cows to give either as drink or mixed with their feed ? 
3. Which is the better for fowls, buttermilk or sweet 
milk ? 
Ans.— 1. We suppose you mean sweet skim-milk. In 
that case a ton of these substances would contain fertiliz¬ 
ing matter as follows : 
One Ton One Ton One Ton 
Sklni- nutter- Potato 
milk. milk. Manure 
Nitrogen.pounds.... 14.85 10.60 85 
Phosphoric acid... ,, .... 6.82 8. 249 
Potash. 3.7? 1.80 135‘. 
Skim-milk is nearly 90 per cent water. 2. We should not 
feed the buttermilk to cows, but the sweet skim-mllk is 
excellent mixed with grain. It would probably give 
better results mixed with corn meal and fed to pigs. 3. 
There would be little difference with the fowls ; in either 
case we should mix it with ground grain. We know a 
farmer in Orange County, N. Y., who uses nearly all his 
skim-milk as a manure, pouring it on his grass land. 
Stock for Grafting. 
A Subscriber, Agassiz, B. C— 1. What is the best stock 
on which to graft the Gibb Crab ? Will wild crab stock 
answer ? What method of grafting had I better use ? 2. 
I can get scions of Prunus Pissardi. I wish to use them 
to form a hedge; what stock had I better use ? Will 
they grow on imported plum stock ? I have been told 
that the Pissardi will not take on dormant wood and that 
it will be necessary for me to plant stocks and have them 
growing before the scions will grow; is this a fact ? 3. I 
have but one quince tree and wish to grow a few more. 
The one I have Is a dwarf; can I use wood to grow good 
standards, by growing from cuttings ? If so, when had I 
better cut and plant or insert my cuttings in the soil to 
secure the best results ? 
Ans. —1. The Gibb Crab can be grafted successfully on 
other crabs, or on the Russian apples ; and probably upon 
our common apples, though I have not tried it on these. 
The greater difficulty is the other way. I have never 
found the Siberian Crab a good stock for apples, as the 
union is imperfect, and the tree short-lived. A letter re¬ 
ceived in the same mail with this inquiry, from Silas 
Richardson, Canaan, Me., says: ‘‘I have grafted two- 
thirds of my 215 Transcendant Crab trees to death. I be¬ 
gan in 1871, and if I had had the advice you gave (in The 
Rural New-Yorker) in 1877, (not to graft apples on the 
crab) I might have been several hundred dollars better off.” 
2. I should have no hesitation in using any of our native 
plums as a stock for the Prunus Pissardi, though there is 
probably a choice in them. I have never tried to root- 
graft it; but the scions can be kept packed in damp saw 
dust, in an ice-house, until the stocks start growth. But 
budding is much better for these fruits as a rule. 3. The 
wood from a “dwarf” quince Is nob necessarily more 
difficult to root, but there is a difference in varieties with 
quinces, as to the ease with which cuttings will take root. 
It is better to pack the cuttings in moist (not wet) sawdust 
or earth, in order to get them callused before planting. 
Moist soil for planting is preferable eastward, but prob¬ 
ably in British Columbia the climate is sufficiently cool 
and moist for quince cuttings, without being very partic¬ 
ular in the choice of a spot for them. When set, firm the 
soil strongly about the cuttings, especially at the bottom. 
[dr.] T. H. HOSKINS. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
Patent Fences— S. L. R„ Williamsburg, Md.—There are 
such a multitude of patents on fences, that we cannot tell 
whether a patent has been issued on a “fence made of ordi¬ 
nary galvanized wire and fence rails,” the fence being 
“ straight and the rails wired to the stakes.” Such a patent 
would hardly be valid; and those who claim royalty or sell 
“rights” under it, should be made to exhibit the patent 
and the claims made under it, before any attention is paid 
to their demands. No patent-right rascal without proper cre¬ 
dentials should secure a moment’s attention. Farmers in 
each neighborhood infested by patent sharks should com¬ 
bine against their exactions. Once they have learned the 
number of the patent, they can readily learn its character 
by application to the Patent Office at Washington, which 
will furnish a copy of the whole patent for a small fee. 
Beet Sugar Machinery —J. M. B., Buruwood, Pa. Re¬ 
garding the amount of sugar in “a bushel of sugar beets.” 
American-grown sugar beets average from 10 to 14 per cent 
of sugar, as shown by the analyses made at different ex¬ 
periment stations. Not all of this sugar is extractable by 
ordinary procesess any more than it is possible to get all 
the fat out of milk by setting it in pans. Beets vary in 
density and size so that a given weight makes a fairer es¬ 
timate than a “bushel.” Large and very expensive ma¬ 
chinery is required to make beet sugar, It can be prof¬ 
itably made only on a large scale, backed by plenty of 
capital. The Louisiana planters are now discussing the 
economy of making sugar from cane on a small scale. A 
bulletin on the subject is issued by the Louisiana Experi¬ 
ment Station (Baton Rouge). The H. Dudley Coleman Ma¬ 
chinery Co., New Orleans, makes a small cane mill; but we 
know of no manufactured apparatus for making beet 
sugar on a small scale. If any exist we will thank our 
readers for any information on the subject. The Agri¬ 
cultural Department at Washington has issued a pam¬ 
phlet on “The Sugar Beet,” which will be sent on appli¬ 
cation. The bounty will not be paid for this spring’s 
sugar. 
Cdnned Strawberries and Jellies. —S. B., Webb’s Mills, 
N. Y.—The Wilson Strawberry will probably best retain 
its form, flavor and color when canned. The Manchester 
is also good. To prevent strawberries from rising to the 
top of the can, invert the can. To prevent mold from 
forming on jelly after the tin tops are put on, cover the 
top of the jelly with melted paraffine. The Enterprise 
cherry pitter, made by the Enterprise Manufacturing Co.. 
Philadelphia, is a good one. We do not know which is 
the best. 
Value of Horse Bedding.—W. A. A., Winchester, Ind.— 
There would be slight difference in chemical composition 
between horse manure where straw was used for bedding 
and that containing sawdust for that purpose. The strawy 
manure will be easier to fork and the straw will probably 
rot sooner than the sawdust, but the latter will absorb 
more of the urine and will retain more moisture and prob¬ 
ably be less apt to “ fire-fang.” 
“ Phosphate ” For Potatoes.— S. W., Sandy Ridge, Pa. 
—For the crop in your young orchard which has never 
fruited and in which you will plant potatoes—heavy sod 
plowed last fall—we should use the high-grade fertilizer 
which costs about $40 per ton. This would also help the 
trees. Very llkely.you will find less rot in the crop than 
if manure were used. Don’t use “phosphate” or purchase 
any manure sold under that name. Real phosphate fur¬ 
nishes but one of the ingredients which the potatoes will 
need. Use the farm manure in the garden. 
Strawberry Soil and Fertilizers.— L. J., Allauworth, 
Canada.—Your soil—“clay loam with clay at the surface” 
—is not the best for strawberries. Wo should prefer a soil 
of a more loamy nature. For fertilizer, use unleached 
ashes and raw bone flour, broadcast. Tnree feet apart is 
the best distance. For varieties try Sharpless, Bubach, 
Parker Earle, Downing. Two crops before plowing under 
would be our choice. 
Ashes For Borers: Asparagus Seeds.— P. A. L., Odell, 
Ill.—A mixture of wood and coal ashes put around fruit 
trees will not have the least effect in keeping borers out. 
To save seeds of asparagus, save the berries as soon as 
ripe. Wash out the pulp. Prepare a bed in early spring 
and sow the seeds in drills a foot apart. 
Two Forms of Phosphoric Acid.— H. V. T., Harrington, 
Conn.—In corn raising, it will pay,you to use two forms of 
phosphoric acid: say dissolved bone black and raw bone or 
Thomas slag, the first for immediate and the other for later 
effect, the dissolved bone being most soluble. J. Campbell 
&Co., New York furnish Thomas slag. 
Cheap Wash For Buildings.— F. L. F., White Marsh, 
Va.—A good stone color wash for buildings can be made 
by adding dry raw umber to ordinary outside whitewash. 
After the lime wash has cooled ready for use, the raw 
umber can be added to make any desired depth of shade. 
The umber should be moistened with water and strained 
through a piece of cheese cloth into the lime to prevent 
streakiness. For a wood color yellow ochre can be used 
with umber. If a little linseed oil be put in the wash it 
will stand the weather better. 
Small Fruits in Orchard.— E. L. B., Lowell, Mich.—In 
your young plum orchard of “trees 18 feet apart on good 
soil, well drained,” it will answer to set raspberries be¬ 
tween the rows of trees, but in an old orchard it will not 
pay. The trees during dry periods will rob the berry 
bushes and the crop will be small. For varieties, Cuth- 
berb is the best red. Golden Queen the best yellow, Hil- 
born is an excellent black. We do not know the Gladstone 
Plum from experience as yet. Mr. Chas. A. Green is good 
authority. 
Rye Straw. —A. S., Fort McTavish, Tex.—Rye may be 
sown from September 1 to October 15, in most seasons, the 
earlier the better. To make the most of the grain and 
straw, “rye should be cut with a reaper or cradle, and 
bound so that the straw is straight and unbroken.” We 
doubt if “ mowing machine and horse rake ” will leave it 
in proper shape. The straw is sold in straight, tight 
bundles of about five pounds’ weight. Most of it is 
tbrashed by hand, but a thrashing machine, made by the 
Trenton Agricultural Works (New Jersey) is said to leave 
the straw straight and whole. 
Manure Conveyers— C. S. M., Atlanta, Ga.—We do not 
know of a firm making machines for taking manure from 
the barn. We have seen one or two home-made contriv¬ 
ances, one carrying a car on the principle of a track hay 
carrier, the other a large scraper just fitted to the mauuie 
gutter, hauled along by horses. 
