1894 
3i3 
T 
h is stock. His houses are warm, the roosting apart¬ 
ment is kept covered thickly with sawdust, which 
mixes with the droppings, absorbing all odors and 
making all sweet and clean. The feeding rooms are 
kept covered, I should say, six inches deep with buck¬ 
wheat hulls. It makes a fine, dry, clean fioor and will 
last for months or years even without changing. The 
grain is mixed with it and thrown into a large pile in 
the center. The hens do the rest. It will take them 
a day or so to scratch them down level and get the 
grain. It struck me as a capital idea. His birds are 
models of health and vigor. The drinking fountain is 
always full, so that practically the thing runs itself. 
Mr. C. is full of resources and his labor saving devices 
are, he says, a necessity with him. His Orphan potato 
(so dubbed I take it, because it stands alone and un¬ 
rivaled), originated with him, and he has been care¬ 
fully testing it for the last five years, until he has be¬ 
come so thoroughly satisfied of its superiority, that he 
has decided to send it out into the world to make its 
own appeal for favor solely on the ground of intrinsic 
worth. He will plant this year a new variety of eight- 
rowed yellow corn, which he claims will yield over 
100 bushels to the acre. He is scrupulously careful in 
introducing anything new, and guards his reputation 
with jealous care. He showed me a new variety of 
oats, that he is satisfied is a fraud, but for which he 
had had requests at a high figure ; but he would sell 
none of them. He raises some small fruits for local 
markets. His bushes are kept low, stocky and branch¬ 
ing, and he says that he would give up the business if 
he had to stake and train as described in a late Rukal. 
Mr. C. has a pleasant home, where his good wife vies 
with him in hospitality and cordiality D. c. 
Homer, N. Y. 
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writer to Insure attention. Before asklnf? a question please see If It is 
not answered in our advertlslnR oolumns. Ask only a few questions at 
one time. Put questions on a separate piece of paper.] 
Silo Talk From Talcott. 
C. A. S , Whitehall, IFis.—How does Mr. Talcott con¬ 
struct a silo for 10 cows to hold feed for the whole 
year? 
O, B. B., Ellaworih, Me .—I notice in H. Talcott’s talk 
about the silo, that he recommends a single thickness 
of dry, matched boards for the walls. If sueh'a wall be 
made close enough to be tight when dry, what is to 
hinder it from curling out of place when moist ? 
J. C. Z., East Norway, Kan .—Will Mr. Talcott tell 
how he gets ensilage out of his silo with the boards 
upright ? If he uses side doors, how does he make 
them tight ? 
Ans.—F or a silo 20 feet deep that will hold ensilage 
enough for 10 cows one year, I would build three 
square silos, side by side, 10 x 10 feet square, and 20 
feet deep. These will hold 120 tons of green corn en¬ 
silage, 40 tons apiece on the basis of 50 cubic feet of 
ensilage to the ton. Don’t build larger silos than this 
for 10 cows, and it is better to feed 15 cows from this 
size to keep the ensilage in the best condition. Put 
weights on the two silos on top of the straw and chaff 
covering, by laying down plank first and then put on 
stone, or barrels of sand or earth, about 100 pounds to 
each square foot of surface. The silo fed from first, 
does not need any weights at all. If the ensilage is 
moist enough when the silo is filled, so that it will 
soften the whole mass and cook it all up perfectly, 
the ensilage will last the entire year in good condition. 
Put on water if it is a very dry time, because if the 
ensilage is not moist, it cannot possibly be made to 
pack air-tight, and dry mold will be all through it. 
One should never make a silo ceiling of so thoroughly 
seasoned lumber that it will swell up and huff out 
of place. Narrow boards, none over four inches wide, 
if not driven together very tight, will stay smoothly 
in place when swelled water-tight. If as narrow as 
this, the boards will not shrink out of the matching 
when the silo is empty and the lumber gets dry. 
The above size for 10 cows, also hits the man from 
Maine, but he should keep a few more cows. There 
is no doubt in my mind that Dungaul White Prolific 
corn will make the best ensilage for Maine, and it is 
as large corn as will mature fit for good ensilage in 
that State. In building silos, I leave a door space two 
feet wide from bottom to top of the silo, no matter if 
cross ties or beams go through this space. I have this 
opening next the feeding alley or barn fioor. I then 
make little short doors, three to four feet high, out 
of the same ceiling lumber as the silo, have two 
cleats just two feet long to each door and nail the 
boards on these cleats of 2x4 stuff—letting the top 
cleat of the door project one inch above the top of the 
door boards. I make the door boards project over 
Hfi RURAL NEW-YORKE 
each side of this open space 13^ or 2 inches, so that the 
door is 27 or 28 inches wide—with the bottom cleat 
down to within one or two inches of the bottom, the 
lower door being put in place first and some finely cut 
ensilage piled up against it to hold it in place. The 
cleats being on the outside will not let the door slide 
out of place sidewise. The pressure of the ensilage 
in the silo will crowd the smooth door ceiling against 
the smooth side ceiling tight. When the ensilage fills 
up to the top of this first door, I set another door on 
top of the first one. The top cleat of the first door 
projects one inch above the door, and the bottom of 
the second door will then press against the top cleat 
of the first door, while the sides of the second door 
will press against the side and the pressure of the 
ensilage with the door so placed to fill the whole space, 
will keep it all reasonably air-tight. No great loss 
ever occurs. Many men use short matched boards 
about one foot wide to fill up this door space, and then 
take one at a time out as they feed the ensilage, but I 
like doors the best, for we can always find them when 
needed. h. talcott. 
The Work of Ourculio. 
Subscriber, Campville, Conn. —I have four or five 
plum trees of a large, black variety ; I do not know 
the name. They have borne little fruit since they 
were set 10 or 12 years ago, although they have 
bloomed extensively every year. The fruit hangs on 
the tree until it is about the size of small peas and 
then drops off. What will make it mature ? 
Ans. —This is a case of curculio, we guess. The 
trees must be rapped with a mallet in the early morn¬ 
ing when the insects are not disposed to fiy. The 
latter are caught on a sheet spread below, and 
destroyed. Spraying the trees with Paris-green has 
been found effective in some cases. 
Chlorine in Fertilizers ; Dried Blood. 
J. P., Wawa, Pa, —I see chlorine given in a set of 
analyses of fertilizers. How does it affect their value? 
Why not print in The R. N.-Y. an analysis of dried 
blood ? What does it contain of value or otherwise— 
besides nitrogen ? 
Ans. —The object of knowing the amount of chlor¬ 
ine in a fertilizer is to determine the source from 
which the potash is obtained. Muriate of potash and 
kainit contain considerable chlorine, while the sul¬ 
phate of potash does not. Therefore, if the analysis 
shows no chlorine present, it is safe to assume that 
sulphate has been used. The chlorine injures the 
quality of such crops as potatoes, beets, tobacco and 
some kinds of fruits. In 100 pounds of dried blood, 
there are on the average 13 pounds of water, 11 of 
nitrogen, 2 of phosphoric acid, small quantities of soda, 
potash and lime and 70 or more of organic matter. It 
is valued almost entirely for its nitrogen. 
Strange Action of Q-rape Vines. 
K. H. B., Bridgeton, N. J .—1. I have, among a num¬ 
ber of other grape vines, two that puzzle me. Both 
are Niagaras ; one is grafted upon an Eldorado root, 
and the other upon a Concord. The former has been 
grafted five years, the latter three. Every spring 
they begin well and grow from 3 to 18 inches; then 
they wilt down and do nothing more for the rest of 
the year. Bordeaux Mixture does not do any good. 
Not one of many other vines acts in this way. Can 
you suggest a cause and a remedy? 2. Will it not soon 
be time to send out the Rugosa roses which were 
promised as premiums ? 
Ans. —1. We have no theory to account for the 
peculiarity of the vines. 2. The propagation of the 
Rugosas is going on slowly from necessity. We can 
not say when they will be ready for distribution. 
To Grow Hubbard Squash. 
Subscriber, Filion, Mich. —1 have nine acres of old sod 
which I purpose to plow May 20, fine and plant to corn 
with Hubbard squash seed in every fourth hill. I in¬ 
tend to cultivate close to the roots till the corn gets 
quite large, then narrow the cultivator so that it will 
not go near the roots of the corn. Am I right, or 
would I better plow the ground as soon as fit and keep 
cultivating until planting time, which is about June 1 
here ? How will Hubbard squashes do on sod ? What 
are the methods of growing them ? 
Ans. —Better keep the Hubbard squashes out of the 
corn field. Better results will be attained by plant¬ 
ing them separately on a part of the field. It would 
be fully as well to plow the ground as soon as practic¬ 
able, and cultivate occasionally until planting time. 
Hubbard squashes will thrive on almost any kind of 
good land except heavy clay, though a warm, loose 
soil suits them best. They will do well on a newly 
turned sod, being less subject to the attacks of insects 
in such locations. The squash vine is a gross feeder, 
and will appropriate almost anything in the shape of 
manure or fertilizer. Coarse manure seems as good as 
any. Chemical fertilizers, applied in the hill and 
thoroughly incorporated with the soil, to give the 
plants a quick start, are excellent. The soil should be 
thoroughly prepared. The hills should be from 8 to 10 
R. 
feet apart each way, the latter the best distance with 
the Hubbards. On Long Island, the market gardeners 
usually plant eight feet apart, both for Hubbards and 
Marrows. Here, too, they do not plant until well into 
June, to avoid the Striped beetles. As Long Island is 
less subject to early fall frosts, the planters here can 
delay planting later than farmers in many parts of 
the country. The surface should be thoroughly and 
frequently stirred, as long as possible without disturb¬ 
ing the vines. The plants should be thihned to about 
two in a hill when the runners start. Sometimes the 
Squash borer commits great havoc by boring into the 
vines near the roots, causing them to wilt and die. If 
the latter are examined carefully, the borers may 
sometimes be discovered and dug out before much 
damage is done. Covering several joints of the vine 
with soil will cause them to take root and thus some¬ 
times circumvent the work of the borer. The principal 
varieties of squashes grown for the winter market are 
the Hubbard and Marrow. 
The Use of Kainit With Fish. 
W. J. Q., Long Beach, Minn. —1. Would it do as well 
to put fish in a deep furrow, put kainit on them and 
throw two furrows on them, as it would to compost 
them ? 2. Would The R. N.-Y put fish in a pit or on 
top of the ground ? How much kainit should be used 
to 1,000 pounds of fish ? 
Ans. — 1. The plan of using the fish and kainit in the 
furrow would answer fairly well for corn, but we 
think it will pay better in the end to make a compost. 
This will give you a better and finer manure that can 
be broadcasted. A good pit is the best place in which 
to make such a compost, though a well-made pile on 
a location that will not allow drainage from the bot¬ 
tom will answer. 2. We would put the fish in layers 
with muck or black soil between, scattering the 
kainit at the rate of about 200 pounds to the ton of 
fish as the pile is made up. If it can be done cheaply, 
the pile should be forked over several times. If in a 
pit, the mass may be kept moist—if possible, let the 
liquid manure run into it. 
A Horse-Power on a Dairy Farm. 
W. T. C., Albion, Ind —If Mr. H. P. Carll, of Long 
Island (see “ A Pound of Butter,”) has a tread power 
that has the capacity to run a cutter that is kept full 
of corn fodder, I would like to know : 1. What power 
is used ? 2. What is the size of power, and how many 
horses does it take to run it ? 3. What is the number 
or size of the cutter ? 4. What length of fioor is 
necessary to set the power and cutter both on the 
same fioor ? 
Ans. —I have a horse power that will run a cutter of 
any great capacity kept continually full of corn. But 
I have a Keystone level-tread power for one horse 
and a No. 12 Smallev cutter which work to my satis¬ 
faction for cutting small quantities of fodder. To 
work these, a floor space of 14 x 20 feet is required. 
For filling the silo, I put a ten-horse power engine be¬ 
hind this cutter running a 20-foot elevator, and with 
this we can cut five or six tons an hour if we wish. 
H. P. CARLL. 
A Horse With a Bad Wart. 
C. TF. A., White City, Kan. —I have a valuable mare 
with a large wart, which has become raw, on her 
throat, so situated that the collar hurts it and makes 
it bleed. I can use her only for single driving. What 
besides burning it off with caustic, will take it off ? 
Ans. —The surest method in this case would prob¬ 
ably be to cut it out. Carefully cut the skin from 
around the wart, then dissect out the latter, making 
sure to remove all diseased tissue. Finally, it may be 
treated as an ordinary wart, or, if desirable, two or 
three stitches may be taken to bring the skin together. 
A two-per-cent carbolic acid wash will be the only 
dressing necessary, to be applied night and morning. 
F. L. K. 
Will Eight and Twelve-Rowed Corn Mix P 
C. E. C., Peruville, N. Y. —Would 8-rowed and 12- 
rowed corn mix if planted together ? That is, if a 
stalk had two ears on it, would one be 8 and another 
12-rowed ? The 12-rowed is always filled out over the 
end, but the eight-rowed is the better yielder. 
Ans. —No, we think the number of rows on the 
same plant would not change. We often find ears on 
the same plant with a different number of rows. But 
if varieties of different rows be planted together, they 
will cross and the number of rows be changed. 
Lump on a Colt’s Leg. 
J. A., Mijjlintown, Pa. —I have a nine-months-old 
colt. When three months old a small lump appeared 
right over the stifle joint. It felt like air or water. 
Our vet, who never had any learning, only experi¬ 
ence, said it would all come right, but it is there yet. 
The colt isn’t lame, and is growing finely. Will the 
bunch ever go away ? Can it be removed, and how ? 
Ans. —It is quite probable that the lump will disap¬ 
pear after a while without treatment. Try painting 
it once daily with the compound tincture of iodine, 
until the skin is blistered, then paint once or twice a 
week. F. L. K. 
