568 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
September 8 
possible. Here that necessity does not exist. I realize 
that fodder corn would not keep in the field as well 
as this did, every year, especially in the East, where 
the climate is moister; but a cheap cover could be 
provided convenient to the feed cutter, where it could 
be stored until dry enough to cut and put in the mow. 
It might be shucked either before or after being put 
under this cover. This would be very convenient, 
especially if the mow would not hold the whole supply. 
After giving considerable study to this question, this 
is the best solution I can find. Some of my neighbors, 
though, have solved it differently. They leave the 
stalks standing in the field, and then turn cattle and 
horses into them and keep them there till the stalks 
are as bare and smooth as hoe handles. Another neigh¬ 
bor has taken an advance step. He cuts and shucks 
his corn stover as I do, but to get it eaten, he scatters 
it on the ground in the field and turns his cows out 
every day. This might possibly do for horses, but it 
certainly is not profitable to treat cows that way. 
It seems to me undeniable that corn stover must be 
fed in the barn. It certainly has to be cut if fed 
there, but to be cut economically, it must be done by 
horse power. Cut in inch lengths, and do not try to 
make the cows eat it all, but use what they leave for 
bedding. If this feed is all in the second story, as 
mine is, have a chute two feet or more square, lead¬ 
ing down to the feeding fioor. The stover packs so 
closely that it will not run into this, but it is con¬ 
venient to throw this full and use as wanted. This 
feed is most excellent for horses, entirely displacing 
Timothy in my stable. Indeed, I shall feed no 
Timothy while corn stover can be obtained so cheaply, 
any more than I shall feed wheat while corn is 25 
cents a bushel. k. b. watson. 
Iowa. 
WHAT I KNOW OF THE COLUMBIAN DAIRY 
TEST. 
From the Standpoint of a Guernsey Breeder. 
Part I. 
What I know about this Columbian test, I place be¬ 
fore you, and leave you to judge of its fairness. Jersey 
influence, Jerseyjpolitics and Jersey money, went there 
to win “ by hook or crook.” There were but 5,000 
head of Guernseys to select from against 65,000 Jer¬ 
seys. Fifteen Guernseys were all that should have 
been required of that breed in comparison to the Jer¬ 
seys. The representatives of the Guernseys at Chi¬ 
cago endeavored to have this number as the limit for 
this breed, as under the rules, other breeds of lesser 
number were allowed their proportion. He attended 
the meeting for revising and completing the rules, and 
obtained the concession asked for, and so reported to 
the secretary of the club; but, after he left the 
meeting, they changed back to 25 head. After the de¬ 
cision to send Guernseys to the test, after the club was 
committed. Secretary Norton received word that the 
oiiginal rule requiring 25 head would be insisted upon. 
The same influence that secured the adoption of the 
rules overruled the promised change. Truly it is said, 
“ Whatever defeat was suffered at Chicago was more a 
defeat of the breeders than of the breed. ” And now be¬ 
hold one of the most astounding outrages boldly foisted 
into this test. The scale for judging the butter gave 
to flavor 55 points, grain 25, solidity 10, color 10; total 
100. After the test began, this scale was changed, 
throwing out completely the color points (one-tenth of 
the whole), and requiring artificial coloring stuff to 
be used. Well knowing the great advantage the 
Guernseys had over every other breed on this score, 
the Jersey breeders resorted to this makeshift to be 
even with them, and indeed gain by weight of arti¬ 
ficial matter in their butter, and, shame to the Guern¬ 
sey breeders, they allowed it. Thus was broken con¬ 
tract No. 2 with those who had expected, at least, hon¬ 
est usage before the public, even though they might 
expect trickery behind the barn doors. They had en¬ 
tered for competition with 15 head to compete on a 
sdhle of 100. They were met with a demand for 25 
head and a scale of 90. Ten most important points 
dropped (points favorable to the Guernsey and unfav¬ 
orable to the Jersey.) Why did they not drop also the 
solidity, 10 points? They might with equal justness, as 
the temperature in the room in which the butter was 
made was 15 degrees higher than is ordinarily main¬ 
tained in the creameries, and consequently, the butter- 
maker says, it was impossible to make as good a showing 
in grain and solidity. This was a benefit to the Jersey, 
as the exceeding richness of the Guernsey butter is 
more sensitive than the cheesy quality of the Jersey, 
and so those 10 points were maintained. But the 
peculiar scientific manner of computation was doing 
credit, not to the butter, but to the skill of the butter- 
maker, who could flavor, color and manipulate, not 
only the product of living cows, but that of defunct 
and retired animals which, by the intricate regulations 
of the Columbian test committee, were allowed to 
be estimated and counted in all the same, as if really 
they lived and performed tbeir part! 
As per rule No. 10 of the Dairy test, “No cow 
shall be substituted for another during the continu¬ 
ance of the test. In case a cow dies or is dropped from 
a test in accordance with Section 9, the breed to which 
she belongs shall be credited with or debited in deter¬ 
mining the awards to breeds, in the following manner: 
The average value for her milk for the past three days 
of the 10 days immediately preceding the day on 
which she was dropped shall be credited daily to the 
breed to which she belongs, . . . and such credit 
to begin with the eighth day after she was dropped, 
and to continue to the end of the test in which the 
sickness occurred.” The test begins with a certain 
number of animals, one falls sick or dies; never mind, 
her butter is “estimated” under the rules (flavor, qual¬ 
ity, quantity, artificial coloring). All added to the 
scoring. Force them right along, then, to the top 
notch, and let them collapse. They are insured to 
beat the record by computation in the test, able to go 
right along dead or alive, at the same high pressure 
rate. So much in one day, in thirty days, thirty times 
as much. Simple, isn’t it ? Requiescat in pace, thou 
champion of the Columbian race. Although “Under 
the Daisies,” thy name is enrolled among the immortal 
ones, and thy computed works are as good as real, and 
better ; the good they never do lives after them. 
S. B. TABEB-WILLKTS. 
A WORD ABOUT THE COTTON CROP. 
We have the prospect of the largest cotton crop 
that we have ever made. I say prospect, for the 
reason that the crop is by no means out of danger, 
and as we are now having excessive rains, causing 
the plant to drop its fruit, and may have worms later, 
the crop may fall far short of our expectations. It 
is always an uncertain crop, and the grower never 
knows what he will make until the crop is gathered. 
Should the crop be all that we expect, there is little 
money in it for the farmer at present prices. But, 
make or lose, we shall continue to raise it, for there 
is a fascination about it that we cannot resist. From 
the day the plant first appears above ground until 
the bales are packed and sold, it is watched with 
anxious care. Its dark-green foliage is pleasant to 
look upon, and the creamy white blooms that open 
in the morning and, as the day advances, are tinged 
with pink, and on the morrow turn to violet, and 
then with a twist and a fold drop to the ground, 
leaving a bright-green boll, are things of beauty. If 
it rains in the corolla, honey or some sticky fluid 
causes the petals to adhere to the young boll until 
both fall to the ground together. Hence showery 
weather for a few weeks does much damage, for not 
only the blooms and young bolls, but the half-grown 
bolls and squares, fall off. 
At this season of the year cotton is in full bloom, 
and nothing is more beautiful, at least to a Southern 
eye, than a cotton field tossed into waves by the Gulf 
breeze. The white blooms are not unlike the crest of 
a wave, and the others with a roseate hue such as 
waves catch from the setting sun. One inducement 
to raise cotton is that it always brings cash, if but 
little of it. If a man raises his own supplies, and 
plants only just enough cotton to give his hands work 
when not needed in other crops, he makes something 
by the operation. But a crop that brings from 
$30,000,000 to $50,000,000, must make money for some 
one. C. C. L. DILL. 
SHADING YOUNG CLOVER. 
FEEDING RYE IN THE FIELD. 
Usually, in the small grain fields where the corn 
shocks stood, the clover gets a good start and retains 
it throughout the season; especially is this true of the 
wheat fields. Years ago, before I thought of shade or 
a mulch being a benefit to young clover, I noticed in 
fields sown to rye and not harvested, that soon after 
the rye became straw broken, the clover would make 
its appearance growing up through the broken rye. 
This year I have a field of rye in which the clover was 
very small before the rye ripened ; but now that the 
rye has been breaking down for nearly two months, 
and the pigs have been running through it, the clover 
has begun to assert itself. While the rye was growing, 
it drew heavily on the soil moisture, but after it was 
matured, it became a retainer rather than an absorber 
of moisture, acts as a mulch, and does not become a 
smothering agent. It is well known that thick fallen 
wheat will smother out the young clover, and people 
unacquainted with the nature of rye, and knowing 
the vast quantities of straw that it grows, are likely 
to assume that it is a poor protecting crop for clover. 
I have never known it to lodge in such a manner as 
to kill young clover. When the straw breaks from 
ripening, it does it in a way peculiar to itself. It does 
not break at the ground, but 15 to 18 inches high, and 
remains in th?it position till the stock run it down, or 
the weather beats it down. 
Recently I have noticed how strong and fresh the 
young clover looks in the rye. Where the rye was 
very thick and but little clover could be seen before 
the rye ripened and for some time after, the clover is 
now coming in, in fine shape. Another fact that is 
very noticeable, the clover looks so much fresher, 
stronger and larger in the rye than it does where the 
corn shocks stood. The latter shows the effect of the 
drought very plainly. The rye acting as a sheltering 
agency to the young clover, also retains the moisture. 
It is also one of the best of nitrogen traps, helping the 
clover to secure this most necessary food for its proper 
development. Under the sheltering influence of the 
young volunteer rye the coming winter, it will hardly 
be possible for the clover to winterkill. Our greatest 
fear now is that the volunteer rye will be so thick and 
rank in the spring, that it will hold the clover in check. 
I am growing Mammoth clover for pasture and the 
seed crop. If I can pasture this volunteer rye and 
clover till June 10 or 15, and keep the rye down close, 
I hope to get all the benefit of the shelter for the 
clover, as well as a heavy mulch to force the clover on 
to maturity after the stock is taken off. If the rye is 
not eaten down to prevent jointing, I shall run the 
mower over the field and destroy what would other¬ 
wise perfect itself. My theories and expectations in 
regard to developing the best possible crop of clover 
seed next summer, may not materialize, but I know 
that in working in this direction, I am getting great 
quantities of pasture as I go along. On parts of this 
field where the rye was the lightest, rag weed is mak¬ 
ing a heavy growth. While some think it does no in¬ 
jury to young clover, I know that clover makes 
scarcely any growth under its shelter. Knowing that 
it is a robber, I have the mower in the field clipping it 
off. Wilting and decaying on the ground, it will give 
the young clover just the shelter it needs. 
Ross County, Onio. john m. jamison. 
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writer to Insure attention. Before asking a question please see If It is 
not answered In our advertlBlUK columns. Ask only a few questions at 
one time. But questions on a separate piece of paper.] 
Clover Mite Working: on Baspberries. 
G. W. B., Sheridan, Wy —I send a small box contain¬ 
ing a sample of raspberry leaves as they appear in 
our grounds. There is a minute insect working on 
the under sides of the leaves, and on the stalks, that 
appears to suck the j nice of the plant and leave it as 
though stricken by drought. These plants have had 
plenty of moisture by irrigation, and a part of the 
field (about two acres) looks well and has borne a 
heavy crop. There is no indication of anything wrong 
with the roots or any holes in the stalks. The insects 
are on the fruit, but do not appear to eat it, though 
they may suck the juice, as the berry gradually dries 
up. I believe the insects are hatched in the ground 
and gradually work up the stalk to the leaves. What 
are they and what can be done to destroy them ? 
An 8.—The specimens reached me in a dry, dilapi¬ 
dated condition, but I found on the under sides of 
many of the leaves, large numbers of minute egg 
shells and the dried dead bodies of a mite which is 
probably the Clover mite (Bryobia pratensis), that is 
very widely distributed and which attacks a great 
variety of trees as well as clover. This mite is probably 
the cause of the injury done to the raspberry canes and 
leaves. It is not a true insect, having eight legs instead of 
six, but is a near relative of the common and well-known 
Red spider which often tests the patience of the house¬ 
wife who loves flowers. This Clover mite often occurs 
in immense numbers, completely overrunning fruit 
trees, and doing considerable damage. In northern 
latitudes, the winter is passed in the egg state. I have 
received pieces of pear bark from Colorado completely 
covered with the minute, light blood-red eggs. The 
mites emerge during March and April usually, and 
continue working all summer in successive broods. As 
it occurs in such great numbers and mostly on the 
under sides of the leaves, it is proving a hard pest to 
combat. The only thing that has been recommended 
is to spray with kerosene emulsion diluted seven or 
eight times, to which may be profitably added two or 
three ounces of sulphur to each gallon of the dilution. 
In the fall these mites often invade houses, where 
they remain in swarms about the windows all winter. 
They probably do lo harm in the house, but are a de¬ 
cided “inconvenience.” Where this occurs, treat the 
lower portions of the buildings and walls outside with 
the emulsion of pure kerosene in the fall, repeating 
frequently. Or the mites may be destroyed in the 
house by spraying with benzine, which may be used 
freely without danger if care be taken that no fire is 
present, as the benzine vaporizes rapidly and is highly 
