296 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
May 12 
gets over it. Three acres of tobacco are considered 
a good day’s work, as it takes quite a good deal of 
time to fill the tank, etc. l. j. c. 
Baldwinsville, N. Y. 
A CROP OF ENSILAGE CORN. 
On page 114 of The R. N.-Y., F. E. P. asks so im¬ 
portant a question about planting ensilage corn that I 
feel in duty bound to answer. First let me say that 
locality has everything to do with the proper distance 
apart to plant corn. In Maine, Vermont and New 
Hampshire, corn will do fairly well if planted in hills 
only three feet apart each way, while in Alabama the 
rows of corn should be from 43^ to 5 feet apart and 
the single stalks from three to four feet apart in the 
row. From these extremes, one may readily see that 
the practical farmer must experiment for himself on 
his own farm and learn the proper distance apart to 
plant to produce the greatest results. I found on my 
Ashtabula County, O., farms more than 20 years ago, 
that the best results could be obtained here by plant¬ 
ing in rows three feet and ten inches apart with the 
kernels of corn 12 inches apart in the row. I use a 
Farmers’ Friend drill corn planter to do this work, and 
have for a great many years planted in this manner. 
T also use from 1.50 to 200 pounds of commercial fer¬ 
tilizer per acre to start the corn. I spread evenly 
with a manure spreader 10 wagon loads of stable 
manure on every acre of clover sod ground I plant to 
corn, and in fact I do not use any other kind of corn 
ground but clover sod. I put my farm in that rotation 
of crops over 20 years ago. 
I plow this corn ground every spring, early in the 
month of May, and with only one exception in 20 
years, my corn has been planted from May 20 to 30. 
I plow fully six inches deep by actual measure, usually 
using three horses for my farm is clay land. I do the 
greater part of my cultivation before I plant my corn. 
When the ground is as fine on top as an onion bed, I 
mark my rows the distance apart above stated and 
then plant my 10 acres of Southern white ensilage 
corn, (the B. & W. corn, as foolishly named by dealers 
in the Northern States) with my planter drill. In 
three or four days, before the corn comes up, I harrow 
the field with a 60-tooth fine slanting tooth harrow. 
As soon as the corn shows above ground I harrow 
again. When it is up from three to four inches high, 
I cultivate it twice in a row and hoe once. The next 
week, I use a shallow-running cultivator that just 
skims the ground, and cuts down all grass or weeds 
that may have started, and it also throws a very light 
covering of soil between the stalks of corn now up in 
plain sight in the row. This shallow cultivation is 
given from three to four times after the first and only 
hoeing. I never permit deep cultivation under any 
circumstances. I would not cut off the feed roots or 
brace roots of my corn for anything in the world after 
they once get started. I would not give any man 10 
cents per acre to warrant me 20 tons of ensilage feed 
per acre, because I know from eight years’ experience 
that I will have more than that. The whole field will 
stand from 12 to 14 feet high, the stalks of corn will 
be from one to two inches in diameter, and there will 
be more stalks with three good ears of corn on them 
than any man can find stalks with only one ear. 
Test the seed corn before planting ; never do guess 
work. Hand-pick it all over; I do mine, and four 
quarts of good seed will plant an acre. Throw out 
the broken kernels; throw out the smallest tip kernels 
that are liable to plant two seeds in a place ; in short, 
do good work, perfect work, such work as is wanted, 
and yours will be a bountiful crop and harvest. 
HENRY TALCOXT. 
FLAVOR IN EGGS. 
IS BREED OR FEED RESPONSIBLE FOR IT? 
Several English authorities have been quoted of 
late as saying that the eggs from different breeds of 
poultry differ greatly in flavor—even when fed on ex¬ 
actly the same food. Stephen Beale claims that the 
Black Langshan stands at the head in this respect, 
and on the same food will lay a far better egg than a 
Black Spanish, for example. This question has been 
submitted to some of our American authorities, with 
this result: 
There Is Nothing In It. 
I doubt if there is a man living who can distinguish 
the eggs of fowls, especially of the different breeds, 
by eating them. Such claims axe based on supposi¬ 
tion only, and each admirer of a breed will make the 
claim for his breed. In fact, not even two hens in 
any breed are similar, or lay eggs exactly alike. The 
non-sitting breeds, as a rule, lay white-shelled eggs, 
but aside from the color of the shells, eggs differ but 
little, though it is admitted that the food may affect 
the quality some, as well as the flavor. As to which 
breed lays the best or poorest eggs, it cannot be de¬ 
termined. The breeders of Brahmas have endeavored 
to claim the highest honor for that breed; but other 
breeders rebelled. The as®ertion of Mr. Beale in re¬ 
gard to Langshans and Black Spanish will not bear 
the test of demonstration by placing eggs on the 
table before experts who may not know the source 
whence they were obtained. p. h. Jacobs. 
The Part Fat Plays In Eggs. 
I find no difference in the quality of eggs from the 
different breeds of fowls, providing they are fed with 
a view to producing a fine-flavored egg. The yolk of 
an egg is composed largely of a yellow oil which the 
hen cannot furnish unless she is in good condition. 
The Spanish, Minorcas. Leghorns and other light 
breeds, being very active, do not take on fat as read¬ 
ily as the more indolent breeds—the Langshans, 
Brahmas, etc., and require a more fat-forming food 
in order to produce the same quality of egg. 
JAMES H. SEELY. 
There is Something in It. 
I think there is a difference in the flavor of eggs due 
to the breed. The Mediterranean class, which in¬ 
cludes the Black Spanish, the Minorcas, the Andalu¬ 
sians, Anconas and the various Leghorns, produces 
eggs with the least flavor, the game fowls with the 
best, and the Asiatics and American breeds, those 
which are about midway between. This, I think, is 
true when the fowls are fed alike. Theie is, however, 
a greater difference in the flavor of eggs produced by 
difference in food, than is due to difference in breed. 
H. S. BABCOCK. 
Never Been Able to See It. 
In my experience, I have heard many theories ad¬ 
vanced about the eggs from some breeds of fowls 
being of better flavor than those from other breeds ; 
that some are richer than others, and that brown- 
shelled eggs are richer than white-shelled. I have, at 
times, questioned the ladies of my family, and endeav¬ 
ored to ascertain the facts; but, really, I have never 
yet satisfied myself that one egg is better than an¬ 
other. We know that when a cow is fed grain, she 
gives better milk than she would without grain, and 
I think that hens fed on rich food will lay richer eggs 
than if made to scratch for a living, but I have no 
evidence to prove it. p. williams. 
It Is a Question of Feed. 
I do not know what differences there may be in the 
flavor of eggs from different breeds of hens in Eng¬ 
land, but in this country I have never been able to 
detect any difference in the eggs from hens fed on the 
same food, no matter what the breed may have been. 
I am perfectly ready to admit that there is a great dif¬ 
ference in the flavor of eggs, but this is due to the 
food eaten by the hens. If hens are fed wholesome, 
nutritious, clean food, the eggs produced by them will 
be of good flavor and the contents of the shell com¬ 
paratively firm. If, on the contrary, the hens are 
allowed to pick up their food about the fields or in the 
nameless filth of the barnyard, it is not too much to 
say that they are of bad flavor. If any one is inclined 
to think that the food given hens does not affect the 
flavor of the eggs, let him feed his hens on onions for 
a day or two. In my opinion, the breed does not make 
any difference ; feed makes all the difference imagin¬ 
able. _ HARRY CAREW. 
[Bverr query must be sooompanled by the name and address of the 
writer to insure attention. Before asking a question please see if it is 
not answered in our advertising oolnmns. Ask oniy a few questions at 
one time. Put questions on a separate piece of paper.] 
CULTURE OF THE APRICOT. 
WHY IS IT A NEGLECTED FRUIT ? 
1. What is TOur experience in growing apricots ? 
2. Which are the best varieties ? 
8. How far north will they succeed ? 
4. What about the new Russian varieties ? 
6. Why are not apricots more generally cultivated ? 
Not An Apricot Country Here. 
My experience with apricots is very limited, and I 
would not attempt to name the best varieties. Accord¬ 
ing to my observation, none of them succeeds further 
north than the hardier peaches, except, perhaps, the 
Russian varieties. The latter I have had growing 
here for five or six years, and they have survived the 
winters, but neither fruited nor bloomed ; there was 
also considerable killing of the smaller limbs, and 
injury in the forks of the branches. Still, the trees 
increased in size, and became quite large ; and I think 
they might be grown successfully on the islands of 
Lake Champlain, or, in fact, anywhere that our 
hardier pears succeed. I refer to the trees ; but as to 
the fruit, I conclude that no apricot trees have ever 
been productive of much fruit on the Atlantic slope, 
except in very sheltered and otherwise favorable 
spots, and in exceptional seasons as regards spring 
frosts, or chilly weather at blooming, and afterwards. 
In short, our side of the continent is not an apricot 
country. t. h. hoskins. 
Northeastern Vermont. 
From the Cold Northwest. 
1. My experience has been very unsatisfactory thus 
far. I never have succeeded in raising a single speci¬ 
men of the fruit, in this part of the West. The trees 
seem slow in coming into bearing. The fruit buds 
are too tender for our severest winters, and after a 
mild winter, they are sure to bloom so early as to be 
caught by severe frosts. Besides, the trees seldom 
survive longer than three to seven years. The same 
is comparatively true over all Minnesota, Wisconsin, 
and the Dakotas. 2. I do not know that there is any 
best variety for this region. 3. I do not think they 
will succeed north of central Iowa except on the 
Pacific coast or western slope of the mountains. 4. The 
Russian varieties have not been tried long enough to 
determine their merits. Prof. Budd, in a report to the 
Iowa State HorticulturarSociety, page 88, Transactions 
for 1890, says: “ At present, we do not propagate any 
of the South Russian apricots. Those we have fruited 
are small in size, rather low in quality, and the trees 
are not hardy.” 5. Why apricots are not more gene¬ 
rally cultivated here is fully answered above, but why 
so delicious a fruit is not more generally cultivated in 
districts where it succeeds well, is more than I am 
able to explain. j. s. Harris. 
Minnesota. 
The Curculio Stings Them Out. 
We have had no experience in fruiting apricots. 
We grow the trees in the nursery quite largely. The 
trees will grow well here, but the fruit is stung by 
the curculio tho same as plums, and this causes it to 
drop before ripening. If the trees are jarred or 
sprayed with poisonous solutions, they can be raised 
as easily as plums. We think they will grow where 
peaches and plums grow, and as far North. Of the 
old varieties, the Breda, Moorpark and Early Golden 
are the best. The Harris is now receiving very com¬ 
mendable reports, and is no doubt a good variety. 
The Russian varieties are considered more hardy, but 
the fruit we do not believe to be as good as the varie¬ 
ties above named. Their uncertainty in bearing on 
account of the curculio is one reason why they are not 
planted more extensively. The trees will grow finely 
and blossom very full every year. If care be taken 
to destroy the curculio, they can be raised as readily 
as plums. STEPHEN hoyt’s sons. 
“Just as Hardy as the Peach.’’ 
It is surprising that apricots are not cultivated more 
than they are. We doubt whether they are hardy 
enough to be grown successfully farther north than 
this latitude. We consider them fully as hardy as the 
peach. The best varieties we are hardly able to name, 
as we believe some of the choicest have not been 
tested sufficiently to determine their merits. The 
Peach, St. Ambroise, Alberge de Montgamet, and 
Moorpark, also Early Moorpark are choice kinds 
which have been tested and are grown to some extent. 
The fruit of the apricot is very liable to injury from 
the curculio, but if the trees are jarred regularly, this 
obstacle can be overcome. We believe that this fruit 
deserves more attention than it has hitherto received. 
ELLWANGER & BARRY. 
Will Not Do In Iowa. 
The commercial apricots do not prove hardy enough 
for profitable culture anywhere in Iowa. The Russian 
apricots are hardier in tree, but they blossom so early 
that the spring frosts usually prevent their bearing 
fruit. As to quality, some of our native plums, such 
as Wyant and Forest Rose, are better and larger in 
size. The best variety yet tried is the Shense. This 
was grown at the Iowa Agricultural College from pits 
received from Shense in Northwest China. The tree 
is hardier than any of the Russian apricots and in size 
and quality it would rate as “fair” even in California. 
This is grown in Nebraska under the name of 
“Acme,” but its prior name, given by the originator 
is “ Shense.” j. l. budd. 
Can’t Stand Free Trade With the Weather. 
1. Many years since, I fruited the Black and the 
Breda apricots, worked on plum stocks, and trained 
against a south wall, in which situation they proved 
very satisfactory for a number of years. I have since 
tried a number of other varieties, in open ground, on 
peach stocks, which have grown and bloomed freely, 
but have failed to fruit, apparently from lack of hard¬ 
iness, or possibly from unfavorable weather after 
blooming. 2. So far as my experience goes, as well 
as from general reputation, the two already named 
are believed to be among the hardiest and therefore 
best for a trying locality ; though others of which I 
am not qualified to speak, are reputed to be more de¬ 
sirable for market purposes. 3. In the Michigan fruit 
belt, and doubtless in other similarly favorable local¬ 
ities ; if protected from the cold storms of early spring, 
