1895 
161 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
tion with sulphur. The ammonia in the manure is in 
the form of a carbonate, which is a form that will 
readily pass away as a gas. When plaster is added, a 
chemical change takes place. The plaster breaks up, 
and the sulphur in it unites with the ammonia to form 
sulphate of ammonia, in which form it is securely 
held. So that while it is true that the plaster will 
“liberate the ammonia,” it will at once lock it up 
closer than ever, in the form of a sulphate. There 
was a time in the history of American farming, when 
plaster was largely used on the soil like other ferti¬ 
lizers. It is now generally believed that the best place 
for it is in the stable or yard to hold the ammonia in 
the manure. It is very useful for this purpose—more 
so than as a'direct fertilizer. 
A Troublesome New Plum Pest. 
J. It. E., Industry, Pa .—I send twig's of Damson plums, which 
you will find infested with minute galls at the bases of the buds. 
My orchard of 400 trees, is all affected, as well as all trees in this 
section. Will a thorough spraying with kerosene emulsion, in 
February or March, before the sap rises, be of any benefit in de¬ 
stroying them ? The trees are thrifty and vigorous, and free from 
black knot; but, although of sufficient size and age, have never 
borne a crop. 
Ans. —The galls clustered around the bases of the 
buds were a complete surprise to me. I had never 
seen or heard of anything like them. Many of the 
galls are shown natural size on the twigs at Fig. 54. 
They are now of a dark brown color, with a slight 
i*eddish tinge ; this reddish color is doubtless more 
noticeable during the growing season. The galls are 
apparently usually clustered about the bases of the 
buds, and sometimes occur around the base of a short 
new shoot, as the figure shows. None occurs on the 
body of the larger branches, or on the trunk. If one 
of the gails be carefully cut through with a sharp 
knife, an interior cavity is revealed which is now 
packed full of exceedingly small (invisible to the 
naked eye), whitish creatures, known as mites. The 
fleshy portion of the gall, between the cavity and the 
outer shell or skin, is of a dark magenta color. In 
the top of each gall, may usually be distinguished a 
small slit-like opening or depression, through which 
the mites doubtless pass in and out. 
A search through the literature, revealed the fact 
that a similar, if not the same, Plum-twig Gall-mite 
was first observed in Austria in 18(58. I think it is 
now quite common in Germany and other parts of 
Europe. The mite was not definitely described until 
about four years ago, when a German named it Phy- 
toptus phloeocoptes, and gave a good figure of the 
minute creature ; the object in the illustration beside 
the twigs, is a photographic reproduction of this figure 
of one of the mites found in these galls. Remember 
that this figure is about 450 times as large as the mite 
itself. 
In 1888, Dr. Riley received what was probably this 
same gall mite, from a correspondent at Marlborough, 
N. Y. Subsequent correspondence brought out the 
fact that the galls sometimes occurred along cracks on 
a main branch, and were sometimes so closely con 
nected with black knot as to indicate a possibility 
of their having some vital connection with the dread 
fungous disease. There is no possibility, as Dr. Riley 
said in answer, that the galls can have any connection 
with the black knot, and J. R. E.’s statement shows 
this. In 1891, Dr. Riley recorded what was doubt¬ 
less this gall mite as injurious to Damson plum trees 
at Berlin Cross Roads, O. These are the only references 
I have found in American literature to this compara¬ 
tively new pest of the plum. 
J. R. E. writes me recently that no varieties of plums 
in his section are free from the galls; he mentions the 
Damson and Yellow Gage especially. When I found 
that the mite was probably a European pest, I 
thought that it might have been introduced into that 
locality on imported plum stock. But J. R. E. writes 
me that his trees “were grown in the vicinity, and 
are known as sucker-growth trees.” lie first noticed 
the galls about four years ago, and he says that they 
have multiplied very rapidly since. The fruit borne 
by the infested trees, is usually inferior in size, due, 
doubtless, to the constant drain on the sap by the 
mites. 
These mites have attained the rank of a very seri¬ 
ous pest in J. R. E.’s orchard, as the specimen twigs 
in the figure show. They will prove diflQcult to fight, 
as they seem to be completely protected in their thick- 
walled homes. They may live in these galls during 
the whole year. However, there is probably a time 
when they leave these galls now on the twigs, and 
form new galls on the newer growth. I found old 
deserted galls in a ring below some of the galls that 
are now full of mites. Thus there is a slight chance 
that the creatures may be hit when they are migrat¬ 
ing. I hope that there is some more vulnerable point 
than this, and I believe that such will prove to be the 
case when the full life history of the mite is known. 
I shall take pains to watch the pests, with the corres¬ 
pondent's aid, during the coming season. Meanwhile, 
the only recommendations I can make are to prune as 
thoroughly and as closely as possible this winter, and 
burn all prunings. This will kill millions of the 
mites as each gall must now contain at least a thou¬ 
sand of the creatures. As an experiment, I would also 
suggest that several trees be sprayed with kerosene 
emulsion, made according to the formula which I have 
given several times. (See article on plum scale in R. 
N.-Y. for November 10 , 1894, page 711), and dilute 
with only two parts of water. This is sure death to 
the Pear-Leaf Blister mite, a similar creature, which 
hibernates under the bud scale. And the emulsion 
may penetrate the galls and kill this Plum-twig Gall- 
mite. It is worthy of a thorough trial on four or five 
trees. I hope that the correspondent will try the 
emulsion this winter, and let me know the result in 
the spring. Literally drench the trees. There is no 
danger of injuring the buds with that dilution of the 
emulsion. I hope that we can soon corner this new 
pest, and I believe that we can when we know more 
about its habits, and have made a few preliminary 
experiments to find out what not to do. 
M. V. SI. INGE III. AND. 
Parasites in Young Sheep. 
L. D. II., Excelsior, Wis .—My yearling ewe lambs droop for a 
week or 10 days with seeming difficulty of urinating. They do not 
seem to be in any pain, and eat very little. I opened one as soon 
as it died, and found it full of water inside the skin. The small 
intestines were also full of the same, but the bladder was empty. 
The liver was very hard and of a dark straw color without spots. 
As soon as the sheep was dead, the wool pulled off very easily, 
leaving the skin perfectly clean. 
Ans.—T he watery condition described is dropsical, 
due to the anaemic condition of the sheep, which is 
A NEW INSECT ON PLUMS. Flo. 54. 
probably caused by internal animal parasites or 
worms. Allow.the lambs nothing to eat for 12 hours, 
after which drench each with the following mixture : 
Four ounces oil of turpentine and one pint raw 
linseed oil to be thoroughly shaken together. This 
quantity will make 10 doses. Repeat the dose on the 
third or fourth and eighth days. If not already given, 
a moderate grain ration should be allowed, to consist 
in part of wheat bran or ground oats, with middlings, 
corn meal or ground wheat. As a general tonic, mix 
one pound of common salt with one-half pound of 
powdered gentian, and one-fourth pound each of 
finely powdered nitrate of potash and sulphate of 
iron, and give about two teaspoonfuls once daily to 
each lamb, by feeding with the grain ration, f. l. k. 
To Dry Off a Cow. 
E. D. G., Ashburnham, Mass .—My small grade Jersey cow, three 
years old last September, dropped her first calf last April, and Is 
due to calve March 20. She is giving over eight quarts of very 
rich milk daily, and is rather thin in flesh. I feed her in the 
morning, one quartof corn meal and one quart of cream gluten 
meal mixed; at 9 a. m., a feed of rather poor quality meadow hay. 
At 4 r. m., she is watered, and fed Alsike clover hay, and at 8 r. m., 
she is given one quart of cotton-seed and one quart of corn meal 
mixed. She seems to be in good condition, has a first-rate appe¬ 
tite, and is already shedding her old coat. What shall I do, take 
away her grain and put her only on poor hay and try to dry her 
off? Or, keep up the feed or part of it? From experience with 
her mother and grandmother, I am sure that I will not be wholly 
successful if I attempt to dry her off. But will I spoil her if I 
continue my present course ? Some say that cows milked all the 
time will soon play out, but I have cows that would have to be 
kept on poor feed and short allowance to get them thoroughly dry 
three or four weeks before calving. 
Ans. —Reduce the grain ration at once, and lighten 
the ration by substituting wheat bran or middlings 
for at least half of the cotton-seed or gluten meal. 
Or discontinue the cotton-seed and gluten meal 
altogether until after calving. Milk only once daily 
for a few days, and then discontinue milking regu¬ 
larly- Watch the udder closely, and milk out only 
just enough as often as may be necessary (once daily 
or every second or third day) to soften and prevent 
the udder from caking. In this way, endeavor to dry 
her off. If you find that you cannot discontinue 
regular milking without danger of the udder caking, 
then continue the milking through to the calving. 
While it is the general opinion among dairymen that 
cows will do better if allowed to go dry for at least 
three or four weeks before calving, it will not ruin 
them if they are not allowed to run dry. It is an 
extra drain upon the system, which can be made up in 
part after calving by extra feeding. F. L. K. 
Inflammation of Udder in Cow. 
W. S., Johnsons, N. Y. —My cow is fed 10 pounds daily, half of 
wheat middlings, half buffalo feed, and plenty of mixed hay. At 
one milking the teats will show considerable heat, and at the 
next the milk will be full of small lumps ; the fever soon passes 
off, but the milk remains lumpy. Usually the udder will contain 
a hard lump. Sometimes only one teat is affected, but often the 
whole udder, which spoils the cow for milk. I have had a number 
of good cows ruined in this manner in the last five years. Change 
of feed, salts, and various remedies, produce but little effect. 
What is the remedy ? 
Ans. —The trouble is due to inflammation of the 
udder, or of the milk ducts. Such inflammation may be 
due to a variety of causes, such as rough handling in 
milking, lying with the udder on the edge of a board or 
other projecting hard body ; exposure to cold or stand¬ 
ing in a-cold draught; over-feeding, especially on foods 
rich in albuminoids ; or it may be due to a contagious 
or septic infection of the ducts. It would be well if a 
personal examination of the cowand the surroundings 
could be made by a competent veterinarian, to dis¬ 
cover, if possible, the probable cause. Milk carefully, 
and after each milking wet the udder with camphor¬ 
ated ointment. If this fail, try rubbing with iodine 
ointment. Give once daily on the feed, two teaspoon¬ 
fuls powdered nitrate of potash and one teaspoonful 
chlorate of potash. f. k . 
Sick Pigs> Indigestion in Cow. 
M. II., Sanilac County, Mich. —1. What is the matter with my 
hogs ? I have seven in one pen, 10x20 feet, in an underground or 
bank barn; they are about six months old. I feed them wheat 
chop and shorts. I have also raw turnips. The first bite some of 
them take they fall back, stiffen out and seem to be in a fit. 2. My 
cow got in the garden early last fall, and ate the cucumber vines. 
The next morning she was bloated, ever since then has bloated 
more or less, and will grunt after eating a hearty meal or drink¬ 
ing a quantity of water. I tried to fatten her, but as soon as I 
put her on hay and grain, she bloated again. She is in fair shape, 
but to-day she can not get up on her feet. 
Ans. —1. Shake well together one-half pint castor 
oil and four tablespoonfuls of oil of turpentine, 
drench each of the remaining pigs with one-sixth of 
this mixture, giving the medicine after the pigs have 
been without food or water for at least 12 hours. Re¬ 
peat the dose in 10 or 12 days if there is any improve¬ 
ment from the first. 2. The cow is suffering from 
chronic indigestion. If she is old, and cannot get on 
her feet, treatment will probably be of little or no 
avail now. But if the cow is young, give one pound 
of Epsom salts with two ounces of gingeras a drench. 
Follow with rectal injections of two to three quarts of 
warm soapsuds every four hours, until the bowels 
are freely purged. Then give one of the following 
powders on the feed, or as a drench, twice daily: 
Sulphate of soda one pound, powdered nux vomica 
two ounces, Jamaica ginger one-half pound, carbonate 
of ammonia two ounces, mix and make into eight 
powders. F. l. k. 
A Horse With the Grapes. 
II. S. W., Wynnewood, Pa.—My eight-year-old horse has a disease 
known to veterinarians as the grapes. What should be the treat¬ 
ment ? 
Ans. —Grapes is an aggravated form of grease heel 
in the horse, in which there is acute inflammation, 
with a fungoid growth or rapid increase in the papil¬ 
lary structure of the skin of the heels. These growths 
may be eaten down by repeated applications of strong 
carbolic acid or other caustic, care being taken not to 
get the caustic on the adjacent skin. They may also 
be burned down with the hot iron ; after which dress 
with a solution of sulphate of zinc or carbolic acid, 
two drams to each pint of water, or one dram of each 
may be used to a pint of water. A purgative should 
usually be given at the outset to open the bowels, as 
five to eight drams of best aloes, according to the size 
and condition of the horse, with one ounce of Jamaica 
ginger, in a ball or as a drench. This should be fol¬ 
lowed by a restricted, laxative diet; mashes or green 
food once daily. One dram each of iodide of potash 
and sulphate of iron, may be given to advantage on 
the feed twice daily for a week, then omit for a week, 
after which repeat as before if desirable. In obstinate 
eases, a course of arsenic is sometimes more beneficial; 
or it may be alternated with the iodide and iron. The 
dose of the arsenic is one to two tablespoonfuls of 
Fowler's solution of arsenic, to be given once daily in 
the drinking water or on the feed. Sometimes the 
grapes becomes very obstinate and will not yield to 
ordinary treatment. In such cases it is better to em¬ 
ploy a competent veterinary surgeon, if possible, to 
personally treat the disease. F. L. kilbobne. 
