1894 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
647 
is any other available commodity suitable for makingf 
roads, we farmers would like to hear of it, as those of 
us at any rate who live in this quarter of the globe 
doa’t feel like treading on air these times, f. a ii. 
Woodland, Washington. 
POTATOES THAT STAND THE DROUGHT. 
WHAT TO DO IN ANOTHER DRV YEAR. 
In this past season of terrlb e droncht, what vailetles of potatoes 
have done best with you? What varieties would you name as bestfor 
dry weather ? If you knew that next year would be as dry as this one 
has been, what course would you pursue to obtain the best possible 
crop ? 
A Discarded Variety Leads. 
In several potato-producing localities along the 
banks of the Ohio River, is a potato locally known as 
the “ Champion Rose.” It is a long, white variety, 
often with a blush at the seed end. The form is not 
regular, and the stsm end is frequently pointed. The 
quality is fair, and the appearance makes it a pretty 
good seller in market. Ten years ago, I obtained a 
barrel of seed, and have planted sparingly of the 
variety ever since. It has been discarded pretty gene¬ 
rally in some places on account of a developed tend¬ 
ency to rot, and I have been afraid to plant largely on 
this account, although it has usually kept well with 
me. It is by far the best variety for resisting drought 
I ever grew. Last fall I decided to risk this potato 
for the main planting, and saved 200 bushels of the 
finest for seed. During the winter, the tubers began 
to show some damage. Two neighbors who had 
bought 50 bushels each for seed planted them, and re¬ 
gretted it afterwards, as the stand was poor. I planted 
six acres, stopped in disgust, and bought Michigan 
stock at a big price. On account of ability to resist 
drought, these three fields of Champions on three 
farms are giving better yields than those planted with 
the finest appearing Michigan stock. As I said, the 
Champions made a poor stand—seemed so poor that 
we were tempted to plant the fields in corn—but my 
field is giving me 100 bushels of nice 
tubers per acre, when we have had only 
two regular showers since June, and the 
temperature has been torrid. The soil 
was not strong, but part of it had had a 
good coat of cow peas, and I gave the 
best cultivation I knew under the circum¬ 
stances. The drought and heat have 
been so terrible that the average yield 
of potatoes in this locality is not over 30 
bushels per acre—the greatest failure 
known. My Southern “ second-crop ” 
seed was plaited earlier, and these are 
yielding no better than the Champions, 
although I do not regret planting eight 
acres with it, as the potatoes were ready 
for market early, and were fine. Those 
left in the ground until fall have rotted 
some. I am done with Early Hebron. 
Late Hebron stand drought well, but must 
have late rains to make a crop, and are a total failure 
in this locality this year. I discard the Morning Star 
this year. Champion Rose and Southern “second-crop” 
seed are best for dry weather; chiefiy Champion, as 
there was little benefit in having an extra early crop 
this year, the late crop being a failure. 
“ If you knew next year would be as dry as thisohas 
been, what course would you pursue to obtain the best 
possible crop ?” That is the question I have been 
studying all through this digging season. In the first 
place, I would have the courage of my convictions and 
plant early. Four years out of five, the earliest 
planted are the best, and usually the fifth year like¬ 
wise. Warm, dry weather came extraordinarily early 
this season. I planted the eight acres of “ second- 
crop” seed, and three-quarters of an acre of Champ¬ 
ions, and then waited for the almanac to show that 
spring was near at hand. Then came a blizzard that 
was harmless to potato seed rightly planted, and bad 
weather delayed all the other planting. By close 
observation and comparison, I know that had I pushed 
the planting in that week of fine weather, using only 
Champions, I would have had an average yield of 25 
bushels per acre more than my Champions, being later 
planted, are now giving me. >I would hire extra teams 
to make the seed bed a little better. I used a 20-inch 
disc, and had the soil loose, but a little more fining 
would have increased the soil’s capacity to hold mois¬ 
ture. I would plant two good eyes every 15 inches in 
the row instead of 17if I knew such a drought were 
coming. I would stick to the shallow, level cultiva¬ 
tion. Especially would I want every acre planted 
with the Improved Robbins planter, as in hand-plant¬ 
ing some seed would be left too near the surface. 
Although the vines about filled the middles when the 
rains stopped in June, I should have kept the Planet 
Jr. going until August, risking any injury from 
tramping of the vines. Finally, if I indulged in 
idle wishing, I would wish that I had more 
vegetable matter in the soil to increase its capacity 
to hold moisture. alva ages. 
Some Notes from Kansas. 
Early Ohio, from Northern or second-crop seed and 
Early Rose from second-crop seed also did well. 
Empire, Omaha Market, First and Best and Freeman 
amounted to but little. Second-crop seed gives only a 
few potatoes to the hill, whatever the variety. Early 
Ohio sets sparingly under all conditions. One mer¬ 
chantable tuber is worth a handful of culls, and there 
is no way of getting a full set of potatoes to market¬ 
able size in very dry years. In reply to the last ques¬ 
tion, my answer would be : Plow in the fall and again 
in the spring, plant early, cultivate thoroughly. I 
would plant second crop Early Ohio or Early Rose if I 
could get them. In any event, if I knew the season 
would be a duplicate of this one, I would plant an 
early variety that “ sets light.” edwin taylob. 
Potato Culture in tire Northwest. 
I think the Early Ohio has stood the drought the 
best in this section. I would plant it in preference to 
any other variety with which I am acquainted now, 
either for a wet or a dry season. In preparing for a 
season of drought, I would, in this country, summer- 
fallow the land the preceding season. I would then 
plow in the spring as soon as the soil was in condition 
to work, and plow every inch of the ground, harrow 
very lightly and plant with an Aspinwall planter just 
as soon as possible after plowing. I would harrow 
ouce a week, or oftener, until the potatoes came up, 
then cultivate once with the shovels turned to the 
rows, and cover the potatoes with earth. I use a 
Bicycle cultivator with weeder attachment, and then 
work the potatoes as nearly level as possible. If I 
lived in a clover country, I would take a clean clover 
sod and treat it the same way, or if in a corn country, 
I would take a clean corn stubble and treat the same. 
I would consider either one as good as the summer- 
fallow. I am digging my Early O'aios; crop light, 
about 125 bushels per aere of prime potatoes. The 
A Typical Chkshike Sow. Fie. 171. 
land had been cropped with wheat for 10 years, and 
no manure or fertilizer used. I had 8 }^ pounds of 
Carman No. 1 from the five eyes sent me. Some Car¬ 
man vines were four feet long. 
Minnesota. Qeo. w. bilsbobbow. 
BRISTLES FROM A HOG MAN. 
VIEWS OF A CHESniBK BBEEDEB. 
Others Tried, but Cheshires Chosen. 
In a recent conversation with Mr. E. W. Davis, the 
man who has done so much to improve and preserve 
the characteristics of the Cheshire hog, the following 
points were brought out: 
Mr. Davis said ; “ I was prejudiced in favor of Berk- 
shires, but after feeding a few of these white hogs, I 
found them much better.” 
“ In what respect ? ” 
“ They seemed to make a better growth for the food 
consumed, and from the shape of the bone, always 
look well.” 
“ They are rather fine boned, are they not ? ” 
“Yes. Fine ear, htir, shape and bone make a 
pretty pig. A fine bone, however, is no sign of weak¬ 
ness. A bone an inch thick from a trotting horse has 
been found to be much stronger than one two inches 
thick from a Percheron. Fineness of tissue in meat 
and bone makes an ideal hog, when accompanied by 
a strong constitution and feeding capacity.” 
“ How does it help ? ” 
“There is less loss of offal in dressing, and the 
quality of the meat is better. Coarse-grained meat 
and large bones are no sure signs of sound systems.” 
“ What was your ideal of a model hog, and how did 
you go to work to get it ? ” 
“ I wanted a hog with a short nose and leg, small 
head, long body, good shaped parts to cut up, one 
that looked well, was an easy keeper and fit to kill at 
any time after it would weigh 100 pounds. The sow 
shown at Fig. 171 is a good model.” 
Go to the Sow for a Starter. 
“I see you have just such hogs here—now tell me 
how you got them.” 
“ I fortunately found a sow of extra merit, which 
seemed to have the power to farrow pigs like her¬ 
self. I bred her to an average boar. When the dam 
is very superior, and it is her qualities you want, the 
male should not be deficient, or too potent. She was 
turned to a second boar, and the best pigs from the 
two litters were bred, thus securing a large par cent 
of her blood.” 
“It is common talk that the bull is half of the 
herd !” 
“ He may be in one sense, as he is the sire of all 
stock born and in this way affects all members or the 
general average ; but I was after a new, superior 
type, and this sow could give it. When a boar was 
found that seemed to affect the type but little, he was 
used as long as possible.” 
An inspection of the herd showed great length of 
body, some six and seven feet long, and a decided 
similarity in shape which seemed to prove the asser¬ 
tion, “My pigs are so firmly fixed in type that not more 
than two in a hundred are unsuitable for shipment.” 
How to Select a Breeder. 
“ Will you describe a good dam ?” 
“ There are two kinds of females ; one is a prize 
winner, fleshy, compact, trim every way, looks like a 
fashion plate. The fatter she is, the better she looks. 
I went down to the stockyards at Chicago and could 
not find one as fat as the ones we had to compete with 
in the show ring. One must feed heavy to win prem¬ 
iums, but the system is all wrong. A fat sow that 
keeps growing poorer, gives weak pigs. A good sow 
will be thin after weaning the pigs, and as soon as 
served, should begin to grov. She should continue to 
grow and be in prime condition when she farrows. The 
slab-sided sow with a big udder, that never sees the 
fair ground, or is fattened, is the one 
that raises the pigs.” 
“Do you have much trouble with the 
sows killing or eating the pigs ?” 
“ I never have a sow eat a pig; that 
comes from improper feeding. A young 
sow rarely kills one, for they are very 
gentle and fond of their young. The 
pen must be clean, the litter short, 
like cut straw or chaff, and a railing 
around the side.” 
‘ ‘ 11 ow is that fixed ? ” 
“ A round pole is bast; a board will 
do. Some blocks are nailed to the floor 
and sides, so that a pole laid on them 
will be about eight inches from both 
side and floor. If the sow’s side strikes 
the pole, the space secured saves the 
pigs.” 
“ How large should the pen be ? ” 
“ There should be plenty of room to turn in.” 
“ What will kill hog lice ? ” 
“ Clear kerosene rubbed in with a rag. I am never 
troubled with them if the service boar is watched. 
Where the farmers are bringing in the scrub sows, 
one has to be vigilant.” 
Feed and Care for the Sow. 
“ Would you feed a broDd sow corn ?” 
“No. A sow shut up all winter and fed corn, will 
have poor pigs in the spring. A daily ration of wheat 
bran, with mangels or turnips, with a warm pen and 
dry bed, will be all that is required.” 
“Would you advise keeping brood sows on grass 
alone in summer ? ” 
“They will keep pretty well, but they do not get 
enough bone material. Greens are good for a change 
of diet, but one could hardly work on them with 
nothing else.” 
“ What would you give them ? ” 
“ Fine bran or middlings, with but little flour in it, 
is good.” 
“ Do you feed young pigs ? ” 
“ The first two weeks there is usually plenty of 
milk, and they will not hunt for food. A few kernels 
of wheat will be noticed as quickly as anything.” 
“ But the sow will eat it all up,” I remarked. 
“ Cut a small hole into the alley, and have a very 
low trough for them to feed from. They will eat 
more, and suck the sow less, until she refuses to 
suckle them or they are taken away. A sow may be 
ruined by taking away all of her pigs at once, if they 
have not been fed. Her udder will cake and hurt—it 
is positively cruel.” 
“ What is the best food for pigs ? ” 
“Milk; next, fine bran, with an occasional ear of 
corn. Oil meal, if fixed right, is good. Pour boiling 
water on it and let it stand overnight.” 
“ What is the best age to ship pigs ? ” 
“Yeung pigs about 10 weeks old stand shipment 
well, and the express charges are less, The critical 
