THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
53 
closely on a cold day, and the house has been opened 
some time previously, to get as cold inside as possible, 
the ice may be kept for two or three years. ir. s. 
Something About Condensed Milk. 
J. L.M., Wintersvllle, Ind. —What is condensed milk? 
How is it made ? For what is it used ? How is it 
used ? Is it really condensed ? Is it to be distended 
again before using ? What is the difference between 
condensed milk and evaporated cream ? What is the 
value, as food, of such milk compared with whole milk 
fresh from the cow ? Is it pure ? Clean ? Palatable ? 
Wholesome ? Who makes it ? Is there any particular 
difference in the different brands, as the St. Charles, 
Highland, Eagle, Peerless and Crown ? 
Ans. —During the past few years, we have had 
several accounts of visits to condensed milk factories. 
The process of condensing milk is quite simple. The 
first necessity is absolutely clean and pure milk. This 
is heated almost to the boiling point to kill any dis¬ 
ease germs that may be present. Sugar is then 
added, and the milk passed into vacuum boilers or 
pans, where it is evaporated and then cooled and 
poured in the form of a thick paste into the cans. It 
is, therefore, milk with a large part of its water 
driven off by evaporation with sugar added. It is 
used in various ways. Some persons add warm water 
to it and use it as infants’ food or as ordinary milk, 
while others use it as it comes from the can for coffee 
or for cooking. Cream may be evaporated in much 
the same way, leaving a thicker and fatter product, 
as it contains no other milk solids than the fats. As 
to its food value, if one were to add as much water to 
the condensed milk as was driven off by evaporation, 
he would have just as much actual nutriment as he 
had before—more in fact considering the added sugar— 
but it is not so palatable as the original milk and does 
not fully take its place. The milk loses nothing in 
food value by condensing, but no artificial mixture 
can be as satisfactory as the natural product. The 
process is clean and the product pure and wholesome. 
The Anglo-Swiss Company control two large factories 
in this country, and other companies do more or less 
business. We do not understand that there is any 
great difference in the different brands. Some may 
be more fully evaporated and contain more sugay than 
others. Ordinary milk, containing 87% per cent of 
water, 3% per cent each of muscle-makers and fats, 
and five per cent of fat formers, would be evaporated 
so that the condensed article will contain 20 per cent 
of water, 10% of muscle-makers, 13 of fat, and 54 of 
fat-formers. 
Curing Mange On a Dog. 
T. D. T., LehUjhton, Pa. —What will cure mange on a 
dog ? I am using nitrate of potash and sulphur ; that 
will do it, but 1 would like a local application to 
hasten the cure. 
Ans. —To one pint of cotton-seed oil, add one gill of 
kerosene, one ounce of sulphur and one ounce of snuff. 
Shake thoroughly before using, and rub with a sponge 
or flannel, all of the sulphur and snuff into the skin 
possible, touching every part except about the eyes. 
Let the dog remain in a protected place until the oil 
dries. Two applications of this will usually cure the 
mange. 
“New Fodder Plant; ” Best Early Potatoes. 
C. O. M., Richardson , N. C. —1. I notice the adver¬ 
tisement in some of the seed catalogues for 1895, of 
the “ New and wonderful forage plant, Saealine.” 
What of it? Can The R. N. Y. or some of its readers 
tell something of it? If half as good as represented, 
it is indeed “wonderful.” 2. Is the grass known 
South as Marsh grass—on the salt marshes—fit for en¬ 
silage, or is it better cured for winter hay ? It is a 
favorite pasture for horses (marsh ponies) and cattle 
when green. 3. 1 wish to plant two acres to potatoes 
(my first for market) for early market. What variety 
is best? My land is light and sandy." The crop two 
years ago was sweet potatoes, well manured and fer¬ 
tilized, the ground was then seeded to wheat without 
manure or guano, then to field peas, without manure 
or guano. The vines and weeds have been turned 
under since frost. 
Ans. —1. Saghalin (why Saealine ?) comes from the 
Saghalin Islands—between .Japan and Siberia, in the 
sea of Okhotsk. It belongs to the Huckwheat family, 
and is a hardy, herbaceous perennial, like asparagus. 
The young shoots quite resemble those of asparagus. 
The leaves, however, are large, broadly ovate and 
acuminate. The plant closely resembles the well- 
known Polyganum cuspidatum or P. amplexicaule, 
which blooms in the fall. The stems grow from 8 to 
10 feet high, and the rootstock travels everywhere. It 
is a plant of wonderful vigor, and would soon take 
possession of almost any space allotted to it. It will 
grow anywhere—among rocks, in dry soils, in wet 
soils. It may have a special value, therefore, for hill¬ 
sides and arid lands, as well as for those which need 
draining. We are told that horses, sheep and cattle 
are fond of the leaves and stems, both dry and fresh, 
though, we would suppose the dry stems to be alto¬ 
gether too tough to be relished by any animals. Ac¬ 
cording to analysis its nutritive qualities ai’e as high 
as those of clover. 2. We would say not as compared 
with other fodder plants. 3. It is absui'd for any one 
to say which is the best potato for a given soil. Noth 
ing but a trial of the many excellent kinds in the 
market could determine that. We would mention the 
following as among the best earlies: Early Maine, 
Early Ohio—often a light yielder—Early Sunrise, New 
Queen, Thorburn, and Beauty of Hebron. 
Irrigated Potatoes for Seed. 
J. J. F., Wilcox, Neb. —Will potatoes raised by irri¬ 
gation, be good for seed ? I have been told that they 
will not produce tubers if planted. 
Ans. —Certainly they will. One might as well claim 
that fowls hatched in incubators and grown in brood¬ 
ers. will not breed. We expect to test such seed pota¬ 
toes this year. 
Mistaken Idea of Phosphoric Acid. 
J. W. K.. Jones' Mills, Pa. —Has phosphoric acid the 
same effect on land as lime ? How much phosphoric 
acid would be necessary to produce the same effect as 
100 bushels of lime ? We have a fair quality of lime, 
but it is rather expensive—$1 per perch quarried and 
10 bushels of coal to burn a perch. The coal and lime 
must be hauled from two to three miles. 
Ans. —No, there can be little comparison made 
between the two. Phosphoric acid is the form in 
which phosphorus is supplied as a food to plants. 
Its effect on the soil is not worth considering when 
applied in ordinary quantities. The chief reason for 
applying lime is not so much to feed plants directly, 
as to “sweeten” the land and act on it mechanically 
and chemically. One might almost compare the two 
to milk and water. We use the milk for food only, 
while the water is not only used inside the body, but 
outside as well for washing—which is really a mechan¬ 
ical operation. We would not buy phosphoric acid 
for its mechanical effect on the land any more than 
we would pay six cents a quart for milk to wash in. 
Theoretical Treatment of Two Fields. 
E. D., Markle, Ind. —I have two adjoining fields of 
3% acres each. The soil in each consists of one-third 
black land, the rest a slightly gravelly clay and loam 
with clay subsoil. Natural fertility equal. The crops 
in the first field were rye plowed under in the spring 
of ’93, and the field planted to sweet corn ; wheat 
followed the corn, and it was seeded to Alsike clover 
last spring. The clover is a fair stand ou the clay 
portions, but the fallen wheat smothered it out in the 
low, black soil, which is now covered with a rank 
growth of wheat. In August there were spread over 
the field, 1,200 cubic feet of unleached, white oak 
ashes. Since then, 1 have been applying fresh stable 
manure to the clay, at the rate of 10 cords per acre. 
The clay portion has a southern slope toward the 
black land, of 10 feet to the 100. The crops in the 
second field have been clover in ’93, the sod planted 
to corn last spring, and rye sowed in the corn in 
August. The slope is similar to that in the first field, 
except to the north. I have ashes enough to c over 
the black soil at the rate of the first field, and am now 
top-dressing the clay part of the field with manure 
hauled direct from the barn—sawdust bedding— 
spreading from the wagon over the rye about one-half 
inch deep. I can get about 30 cords more manure, 
and three tons of ashes for the hauling one mile, and 
intend to complete manuring both fields during the 
winter as fast as the manure is made. I aim next 
spring to plant one field to Mastodon dent corn, and 
the other field to potatoes—Early Ohio, Beauty of 
Hebron, and It. N.-Y. No. 2. Notwithstanding the 
drought, the second field yielded 75 bushels of ears 
of corn per acre. 1 have also raised this season on 
clay similar to that in these fields, and treated to 
manure and ashes, 100 bushels per acre of the kinds 
of potatoes named. 1 What suggestions can The It. 
N.-Y. offer in regard to fertilizers? 2. How, when 
and where shall I apply the rest of the manure and 
ashes? 3. In which field shall I plant potatoes ? 
Ans. —Of coui-se we can do nothing but suggest in 
a case of this sort. Generally speaking, we would not 
plant potatoes on the low, black land, if it is of the 
character we suppose it to be. Such land is better 
corn land in every way, and in case of a late, wet 
spring, the corn crop can be planted later than pota¬ 
toes. The best place for the ashes is on the black 
land. Ashes have an excellent effect on such land, 
especially when corn is to be grown. If it is so that 
you cannot plant corn on all the black soil and take 
the best portions of both fields for the potatoes, we 
would prefer the field containing the clover for the 
corn. For the other field, which had corn last year, 
we would put the ashes on the black soil, and broad¬ 
cast the mauure as fast as it accumulates. Early 
in spring, plow under the rye and roll it down if pos¬ 
sible. Make the furrows for potatoes across the plow¬ 
ing. For many reasons, we would prefer to use the 
clover sod for fertilizers, but would hesitate to grow 
two crops of corn in succession. 
Early Melons and Sweet Corn. 
G. K., Carey, 0. —1. What is the earliest variety of 
muskmelon that has size enough to be profitable for 
local market? Does The R. N.-Y. know anything 
about the Jersey Belle melon ? 2. How does the Early 
Vermont sweet corn compare with the Cory in earli¬ 
ness and size ? 3. Is there any variety of mango pep¬ 
per that is as productive as the Sweet Mountain and 
not so closely related to the Cayenne in hotness ? 4. 
Can the Dwarf Champion tomato be excelled by any 
other variety in earliness, size and pi’oductiveness ? 
Ans. —1. We would choose between Extra-early 
Hackensack, Long Island Beauty and Champion Mar¬ 
ket, for market; for home use, the Banquet, Emerald 
Gem, Golden Netted Gem, and others of the small 
kinds. No, we know nothing of the Jersey Belle. 2. 
By some accident, we missed trying this new variety 
as we intended to do last season. The introducers, 
Frank Ford & Sons, say that it is 10 days earlier than 
Cory ; the kernels are larger and sweeter, the cob, 
which is white (the Cory cob is red) is over six inches 
long, and always well filled to the tip. 3. Try Large 
Golden Upright. 4. Perhaps not, the size being one 
condition. We would advise you to try Fordhook 
First, introduced by W. Atlee Burpee & Co. 
Some Little Known Fodder Plants. 
F. V. C., Julietta, Ind. —1. Have Italian Rye grass 
and Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylou) any value as a 
hay crop or for pasture ? Are they annuals or per¬ 
ennials ? 2. What is the value of Johnson grass 
(Sorghum halapeuse), Branching doura, Teosinte 
(Euchloena luxurians), as roughage for milch cows in 
winter ? How are they cultivated, and will they per¬ 
fect themselves in central Indiana ? 3. Should un- 
leaclied, hard-wood ashes be applied as a fertilizer for 
potatoes, in the fall or spring ? If in the spring, be¬ 
fore or after planting ? 
Ans.— 1. Italian Rye grass is an annual. It is tender 
in the North. It needs a cool, moist climate, and, 
hence, has not made much headway in this country. 
It is not so nutritious as Timothy. Bermuda grass is 
a perennial, hardy only in the South, say, south of the 
Ohio river. It is not much harmed by either heat or 
drought. As it thrives when other grasses are parched 
aud brown, its great value is for summer pasture. The 
growth is rather low for hay, still, by the use of fer¬ 
tilizers, upwards of 10 tons have been cut per acre, the 
aggregate of several cuttings. Further south, it is 
valuable for winter pasture. 2. Johnson grass is a 
perennial, not hardy where severe frosts occur. Its 
main value is for hay in portions of the country where 
drought causes finer grasses to die out. It must be 
cut early to make good hay. Later, the hay becomes 
so coarse and tough that stock do not care for it. The 
great objection to both Johnson grass and Bermuda 
grass, is the difficulty of getting rid of them if one so 
desires. Teosinte (Euchloena luxurians) is a magnifi¬ 
cent annual, much resembling Indian corn, but the 
leaves grow much lower and the plant suckers pro¬ 
digiously. Raised at the Rural Grounds when first 
introduced, it was found that it could be cut twice, 
and the new shoots after the second cutting, were far 
more numerous than the first. It stands drought bet¬ 
ter than corn. The stalks are comparatively tender, 
so that cattle eat them almost as greedily as the 
leaves. It does not mature seeds in this country ex¬ 
cept, it may be, in some parts of Florida or Louisiana. 
Branching doura was introduced by The R. N.-Y. some 
15 years ago. It is more valuable than corn for hay 
in that it will stand drought better and make an im¬ 
mense second growth after being cut. It does not seed 
freely north of the climate of South Carolina, and 
sometimes fails even there. There can be no doubt 
of the value of any of these plants for milch cows. 
3. Unleached ashes, if applied in the spring, often 
cause scab. 
Fighting the San Jose Scale. 
II. A. H., Marlboro, O .—Is there a remedy for the 
San Jose insect ? If so, can a tree be restored to per¬ 
fect health after being thoroughly infested with the 
scale ? 
Ans.—M r. Slingerland has recently written about 
remedies for this pest. Here is a letter from a friend 
in Idaho : I see in recent R. N.-Y.’s that you are hav¬ 
ing considerable of a scare over the San Jos6 scale. I 
do not consider it half so hard to combat as the Cod¬ 
ling moth. My lot of trees was very badly infested 
with it last year, but one thorough application of the 
“ lime, sulphur and salt wash,” applied while the 
trees were dormant, has completely rid the trees of 
them. So far this year, I have not found one live 
scale. s. a. i. 
The Aminia Grape; Plum Stock. 
J. A. McG., Hillsboro, 0. —1. We have grapes which, 
I think, are Rogers 39—Aminia—but 1 can find no 
description of this variety. They are a little smaller 
than Concord, ripen from the middle to the last of 
August, and are very good. The vines are easily 
propagated and are rapid growers. 2. Which is best 
for plum stocks, Mariana or Myi-obolan ? 3. Are the 
stocks of Mariana from cuttings or seed ? 
Ans.— 1. You will find a description of the Aminia 
in the Bushberg catalogue, Bush, Son & Meissner, 
Bushberg, Mo. All that you say corresponds with the 
true Aminia. 2. Mariana. Alyrobolan is a more 
dwarfing stock. 3. Cuttings. They root readily. 
What Temperature Will Kill Burbank Plums ? 
J. H. C., Bradford, Mass .—On page 827, December 
29, II. O. Mead writes that he would advise caution in 
planting the Burbank where the cold goes to 20 or 
below. Does he mean just as it reads, or does he mean 
20 below zero ? 
Ans.—I t should read 20 below zex’o or lower. As we 
live in a location where peach and other buds kill at a 
less temperature than in some other parts of the 
country (from sudden changes or other causes), per¬ 
haps a better test of hardiness would be, that they 
will endure a number of degrees more than the peach. 
The only full bloom I had this season was from those 
buds set in peach on a dry and sandy knoll. Every 
peach bud, Crawford’s Eax-ly, was killed on land 20 
feet lower. The buds were killed on bearing tx-ees 
which bore a cx*op of fruit in 1893. H. o. mead. 
Worcester County, Mass. 
