25o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
April 21 
Feed the 'Warni Maah at ITl^ht. 
11. S. Burdick, Romk, N. Y.—I cannot 
get as good results in cold weather by 
feeding hens warm, soft feed in the morn¬ 
ing. The food is better if steamed or 
cooked, and four hours is long enough 
for that—when scalded and covered over¬ 
night, morning finds the mass fermented 
and sour. I do not like sour feed for any¬ 
thing as well as sweet food. This is one 
objection. Then if soft, warm feed be 
fed in the morning, the birds are just off 
the perches, where they have sat inac¬ 
tive for 12 hours or more. The soft feed 
is easily and quickly eaten without any 
exertion. The fowls being satisfied, hud¬ 
dle together in the warmest place they 
can find and wait till hungry before look¬ 
ing for food again, which will be at, say, 
10 to 12 o’clock. Then, if fed grain in 
the litter, there are at most but four 
hours for labor, when they should have 
their full evening meal before they go to 
roost again, at from 4 to 5 o’clock in cold 
weather and short days. After some 
years of experience, I feed the soft feed 
at night the last thing before the hens 
go to roost. I mix and scald the feed be¬ 
fore I eat my dinner, being careful not to 
get it too wet; mix thoroughly and cover 
well with a double piece of old carpet to 
keep in the steam. By 4 o’clock, this is 
thoroughly cooked, and, unless I have 
used something sour, the mess is sweet, 
and cool enough to feed. I set the mixed 
grains for the next day’s feed in the oven 
of the kitchen range overnight, leaving 
the door open. In the morning I feed 
this warm, not hot, in the litter, not feed¬ 
ing so much that it will not have been 
found and eaten to the last kernel by 
noon. After dinner, I throw more grain 
in the clean litter, and keep the hens ac¬ 
tive all day, with a keen relish for the 
evening meal, which I scalded at noon. 
By this plan of feeding, the birds are 
kept at work during cold weather, and 
keep in excellent health, if in a suitable 
house. I supply the necessary green 
food, cabbage, crushed turnips, beets, 
potatoes, etc., or cut clover, or lawn 
grass properly cured—any or all of these 
will do, fed with common sense. It is 
no trouble to have hens healthy and lay¬ 
ing well all winter. Of course, they have 
grit and a dusting place. 
Some Prolific Bartletts. 
Mbs. a. D. L., Miixersport, O.—The 
question is asked, “ Who knows of an 
orchard of Bartlett pears that always 
bears good crops without other varieties 
to fertilize their flowers ? ” When we 
bought this place, 20 years ago, there 
was a small orchard of Bartletts, but no 
other variety. They have borne large 
crops and fine fruit, excepting two or 
three years in that time. 
Old Evidence for the Silo. 
G. S. P., Winslow, Mk.—I n an old 
book, “ The Farmer’s Library,” pub¬ 
lished in 1825, after a table in which the 
amount of dry fodder for 100 pounds of 
green, is given, including grasses and 
corn, the following comment is made: 
“ It appears from the above experiment 
that on 800 pounds of those vegetables 
on which we usually keep our cattle in 
the winter, there is a loss of 5693^ pounds 
of their weight by drying it for a state 
of preservation, and when we consider 
the great prevalence of water in the 
composition of vegetables we are led to 
conclude that this loss consists of those 
substantial aliments which are essential 
to the support of animal life.” I quote 
exactly, and herein we find a substantial 
argument for the silo. From my own 
observation, I have been led to conclude 
that corn fodder loses in drying much 
more than its water, from actual test by 
tasting, it appearing that corn fodder 
kept through the winter loses about all 
its sweetness and palatability. This dis¬ 
covery, for it was such to me, had more 
than anything else to do with converting 
me to a belief in the silo, as the only way 
to preserve all the good there is in our 
fodder. 
An Experience with Asparaens. 
W. M. P., Rockford, III.—Had I read, 
a few years ago, the article on aspara¬ 
gus culture in a recent R. N.-Y., or had I 
known the facts there given, I would 
have saved money enough to pay for the 
paper the rest of my natural life. As it 
was, I have been taught by dear experi¬ 
ence. I learned one thing last summer 
that may be of some benefit to others. 
During the cutting season, my asparagus 
bed became covered with a green carpet 
of weeds, springing from the myriads of 
seeds contained in the barnyard manure. 
The market becoming somewhat glutted, 
during a hot, moist spell, in a fit of des¬ 
peration one hot day, I cut the bed down 
rather close, so that the remaining shoots 
were not more than three or four inches 
high. Then, in the middle of the day, 
when the stalks were somewhat wilted, 
I put on my two-horse team and sloping 
tooth harrow, expecting that every 
stalk would be sacrificed. What was my 
surprise to see them dodge between the 
teeth of the harrow, hardly one becom¬ 
ing broken. The result was a clean bed 
the next morning. I repeated the exp = ri - 
ment every two or three weeks after that 
during the cutting season. 
Sell Yonr Own Berries. 
W. H. A., Naples, N. Y.— J. H. E. 
Schultz, page 167, had his eyes open when 
he asked The R. N -Y. for advice about 
picking and marketing the strawberries 
on that three-quarters of an acre. He 
realizes what a great many people do 
not, that it is easy enough to grow straw¬ 
berries, but the marketing—“Aye, there’s 
the rub.” The advice in regard to per¬ 
sonal supervision of the picking is all 
right. But what about Mrs. S.? Why 
can’t she oversee this part of the work 
and let Mr. S. give his whole attention 
to marketing ? If this plan wil 1 not 
work, then hire a shrewd, trusty man or 
woman to attend the picking. Never hitch 
yourself up with a commission man. Stick 
a pin there. You don’t need his services, 
advice to the contrary notwithstanding. 
Let Mr. S. tell his farmer friends to stick 
to their skepticism. Exceptions are in 
order, but it is always safe to follow the 
rule which is printed in italics. His 
strawberries will sell themselves if he 
carries them to market. Stick a “straw- 
berries-for-sale ” sign on his front gate, 
advertise, make a noise and it’s dollars to 
buttons that he can’t fill his orders. 
wrltlnK to advertlsera please always mention 
JBl BUBAL. 
Salt Rheum 5 Years 
In the form of a running 
sore on my ankle, four 
physicians failed to cure. 
I then commenced taking 
Hood’s Sarsaparilla, and 
using Hood’s Olive Oint¬ 
ment, and at the end of 
two years I was com¬ 
plete! y cured, and 
have had no trouble 
with it since.” Simeon 
Staples, East Taunton, 
Mass. Hood’s Sarsaparilla CURES 
Hood's Pills cure liver ills. Jaundice, bil¬ 
iousness, sick headache and constipation. 25o. 
Agents Wanted. 
VEHICLES, etc. at 
HALF PRICE. 
' 9 Catalogue free. 
BHEWSTEK CO., Holly, Mich. 
n I AVAI U If you know of any one who wants 
D I V I ULU a wheel, why not take the agency 
for the Pansy. One wheel should sen a dozen 
wherever Introdnced. For terms write to 
E. C. GORDON, Rushford, N. Y. 
ANGORA 
Kittens, with beautiful long 
hair; very handsome. !S5, 
boxed. R. K. JAMBS & CO.. 
Box 2065, Boston, Mass. 
Items of interest, criticisms, or corres¬ 
pondence of any kind intended for, or sug¬ 
gested by, this column, should be addressed 
to Ruralisms. 
Have you a plant of the following? 
Desmodium penduliflorum. It is lovely 
when in bloom (September.) Its lithe, 
pendulous branches are wreaths of pur¬ 
plish, pea-shaped flowers. Magnolia 
stellata is the best of the early-flowering, 
low-growing, hardy magnolias. It is a 
mass of white in early spring—April. In 
May the comparatively new Xanthoceras 
sorbifolia (we would give it the familiar 
name of Hyacinth shrub) blooms. It is 
very hardy and beautiful, and blooms 
the second year. It is easily raised from 
seed. Possibly this might be crossed with 
bladder-nuts, horsechestnuts or maples 
Have you a White Fringe—Chionanthus 
Virginica? You ought to have one—its 
white slender flowers are so different 
from others. Do not forget to procure 
some of the new lilacs—notably Presi¬ 
dent Gr6vy, with its large, double flow¬ 
ers. Spiraea Bumalda is, in our opinion, 
one of the prettiest—if not the prettiest 
—of the- genus. Have you a little assort- 
(Continued on next page.) 
FOR CL 0 TME 5 . 
THE PROCTER & GAMBLE CO.. CIN’TU 
PatMiKtc i.sb:hrl,»trra» 
Ua--1. * » Mor—. 
Threshos Grain, Rice, Flax, Millet and Grass Seed. Folly 
Warranted. Feed and Ensilage Ontter8,Feed Grinders.io 
& SONS, JUanadale, fa., V. S. jt. 
Getting 
is often equivalent to 
getting ill. If loss of flesh 
can be arrested and dis¬ 
ease bafiled the “weak 
spots ” in the system are 
eradicated. 
Scott’s Emulsion 
is an absolute corrective 
of “ weak spots.” It is a 
builder of worn out failing 
tissue —nature s food that 
stops waste and creates 
healthy flesh. 
Prepared by Seott A Bawne, Ohemista 
New York. Sold by druggists everywhere 
MACHINERY 
Hydraulic, Knnckle Joint and Screw 
Presses, Graters. Elevators, Pumps, 
etc. Send for Catalogue. 
BOOMER & BOSCHERT 
PRESS CO., _ _ 
U8 W.WaterSt.. SYRACUSE, N.Y, 
nn ||M|||p MACHINERY and SUPPLIES. 
UHUnlllUD. G. Trench Co., Chicago, Ill., and 
Famham, N. Y. Mention this paper. 
|>.00 FOR A 
Ol^ MACHINE 
to weave your fence a 
23 Cts. per Rod. 
10 No. 11 Gal. wires.Cross 
wires No. 12, % in. to’ift. 
apart. Weaves 30 rods a 
day. Agrenta wanted. 
Catalogue free, address 
CartcrWlreFcnceM oh .Co. 
Box SO, Derby, Ohio. 
CCMOCC Combination SUel and TT’trc and all 
■ CllUCd Steel. We make a variety of metal 
farm fences, cheap, durable aud harasome. Also 
ornamental lawn lecces. Wnte lor illustrated cata¬ 
logue, mailed free. AGENTS WANTED. 
Keystone Steel Fence Co,, Girard Big. l>hllo.,l'«. 
THE GAfiRETT FICKET AKO 
WIRE FENCE MACHINE 
Weaves to the pu^la. A uuiver.val 
f&vurite. ThouRaudslu uie. Guar* 
auteed. Freight paid. Agenta 
are reporting big Bales. Machines, 
Wire, ete., at wholesale direct 
from factory to Farmers. 
Catalogue free. Address the man¬ 
ufacturer. S. H. GAKKETT, 
MANSFIELD, OHIO. 
on Rode Fence for 0JQ QQ 
OU Men Wanted to OlO.OU 
put up fence anl sell fence tools. 
Big wages. Write T. J. ANDRE- Wauseon, Ohio 
HARNESS & 
Einfirsy Harness, #4.96 and 
upwards. Double Harness, 
#14.7.6 and upwards Hiding; 
.Saddle, #1.96 and upwards. We 
will sell everything pertaining to the 
Harness ousiness direct to ihe consumer at factory 
prices, illustrated Catalogue sent free. 
NATIONAI. llARNESiS CO., 
316 Walnut St., Cincinnati, O. 
PUMPING HUKbL UAKI UKtAl 
VARIETY 
, SPRINKLERS 
- WIDE a NARROW -pRES 2 h 4 WHEELS, 
NEW'YORK OFFICE HARDWOOD.STEELAXLES,BEST&CHEAPEST. 
N9 4 STONES! HOBSON & C0.,Tatamy, Pa. 
ARE YOU 
^LOOKING HftY CARRIER 
’ FOR A OUUi) 
with the latest and best improvements. 
Hay Forks and attachments. It will pay 
you to write for Catalogue and low in 
trodueing prices. Address 
Agents 'Wanted. THE COMMON SENSE 
WAGON RACK! 
Best combination Uay and 
Stock Back ever Invented. 
Durable, strong, cheap. Cir¬ 
cular free. 
TECUMSEH RACK CO., Tecumseh, Mich. 
Fertilizers Unprofitable 
■Very often on account of a deficiency of Potash. 
Farmers, avoid these and secure paying yields by 
selecting brands containing high percentages of 
Potash, or apply Potash Salts, such as Muriate of 
Potash, Sulphate of Potash and Kainlt. For In¬ 
formation and pamphlet address 
GERMAN KALI WORKS, 93 Nassau St., N. Y City 
BEFORE BUYING 
Send 2c stamp for 
Catalogue of 
Oak Hand Made 
sulteverybody and 
approval. 1 1 costs 
know where you 
your money. 
NEW HARNESS 
80 page Illustrated 
difiei'entstyles Pure 
Harness. Prices to 
shlpiied subject to 
but a 2c stamp to 
get best, value for 
KING <& CO. Mfr*. w ChurchSt.Owego,N.I. 
THE IMPERIAL SEAT. 
Something: New! 
A Third Seat to be attached to the 
seat rah of a buggy beneath the cushion, 
'three persons made as comtoitabie as 
two In a single buggy. The socket always 
remains fastened to the seat rail, and 
does not show when the third seat Is 
not In use. Price, oil flnUhed, $t.5o; 
Seat with rail, /or child, $2.00. 
IMPERIAL BIT & SNAP CO, Racifle, WiS. 
Our 1894 PERKINS’ STEEL 
GALVANIZED POWER and 
--— PUMP- 
PERKINS ING 
MILL 
WITH GRAPHITE BOXES AND STEEL 
TOWER. Prices satisfactory. 
Warrant covers all points. In- 
ve.stigate before buying. Cata¬ 
logue free. 
PERKINS WIND MILL CD., 
181 Bridge St., Mishawaka, lad. 
