1895 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
181 
venience of cultivation and harvesting. Do not broad¬ 
cast. The crop should be kept free from weeds. The 
fact alone of its being planted in hills rather than 
drills, or vice versa, will make no difference in the 
yield ; the number of stalks per acre being the real 
detei'mining factor. Plant in rows the same distance 
apart as is usual with you for a field crop of grain, 
and at the rate of one grain every six inches in the 
row. Your land should be fairly well suited to all the 
crops you mention. 
If you can sow your buckwheat any time in June, 
you probably could turn under a fair crop early in 
September. The Crimson clover sown immediately 
thereafter in your latitude would be as likely to catch 
as at any other time. If you care to have peas and 
oats mature a grain crop, or even if not, if Crimson 
clover does well in your latitude, which is still an 
open question, you would do well to follow the oats 
and peas directly with Crimson clover. You v\ould 
thus save one seeding and preparation of soil, and 
have all the time for growth of a leguminous crop— 
the best kind to improve your land. Buckwheat is 
not particularly valuable as a fertilizer, except in the 
way of adding humus to the soil to improve its physical 
condition. If you do not care to risk the clover, sow 
rye at the same time and plow under the following 
spring. F. p. s. 
Ohio State University. 
Grass Sown With Peas and Oats. 
T. McD., Morrisbury, Out. —In sowing peas and oats Tin: R. N.-Y. 
recommends plowing the peas under four to six inches deep, 
and sowing the oats on top after the peas germinate. What 
would be the chances of securing a good stand for meadow by 
seeding with the oats ? In such case, what quantities of peas and 
oats would you recommend ? Of the several native grasses, what 
kinds are most suitable under such circumstances 'i What quan¬ 
tity would be most likely to do well on good rich, well-drained 
soil? Would clover, or combinations of clover, be most suitable? 
If so, in what quantities? I have the Canada field pea, Egyptian 
Mummy and Parisian Blue, all of which differ in their habits of 
growth, and shall use the variety you recommend. Is there any 
distinction between Crimson, Giant Incarnate, and German Mam¬ 
moth clovers ? 
ANSWERED BY PROF. I. P. ROBERTS. 
In most climates where the sun is not too hot, seed¬ 
ing with spring grain is often quite as successful as 
with winter grain. Care should be taken to seed light 
with the grain in order to give the young grass air 
and sunlight. Then, too, pains should be taken to 
get the spring crop in early. Three pecks of peas and 
1 bushel of oats per acre, would be thick enough if 
grass seed is to be sown with them. Timothy is one 
of the hardiest, if not the hardiest, grass that we have. 
It not only germinates easily and certainly, but is 
enabled to stand both cold and drought to a degree. 
It loves a rather rich, moist soil. Some of the legumi¬ 
nous plants, particularly Medium clover, should 
always find a place among the grasses. One is a 
nitrogen consumer the other a nitrogen producer. 
Six quarts of Timothy seed, and four of clover, three 
parts of which should be Medium, undone part Alsike, 
would make a very liberal seeding for the meadow. 
That variety of peas and oats will be best, if one of 
the chief objects is to secure a good meadow, which 
has the fewest leaves and shades the ground the least. 
Trifolium incarnatum is an annual leguminous plant, 
and does best when sowed in early fall. This variety 
of clover is known throughout the entire Middle and 
Southern States as Crimson clover, and the names men¬ 
tioned are not common or appropriate to the variety. 11 
is just possible that 1 ‘German” and * ‘Mammoth” clovers 
may be another variety of Trifolium incarnatum. The 
only safe way is to buy the seed by its true name, and 
hold the seedsman responsible for the variety being 
true to name. 
English Rye Grass for Pasture. 
M. M. V., IF. Liberty, IF. Va .— Wiiat is the value of English Rye 
grass for pasture and meadow compared with other grasses ? 
What as to permanency ? 
Ans. —As a pasture grass, it has few superiors, 
especially for the South. It is said to give a fine 
flavor to butter and cheese. In the South, it is a per¬ 
ennial ; in the North an annual, producing about two 
tons of hay per acre, and an aftermath for pasturing. 
Two New Forage Plants. 
J. C. H., Fairview, Ga. — 1. Are Hungarian Brome grass and Sag- 
halin valuable forage plants? 2. If the latter had a good stand on 
land and I wished to destroy it and work in some other crop, could 
it be done ? 
Ans. —1. Not much seems to be known of Hungarian 
Brome grass in this country. It is the principal forage 
grass in parts of Hungary, and thrives on soil too 
poor for many other grasses. It resembles the better 
known Rescue or Schrader’s grass, except that this is 
an annual and the other is supposed to be a perennial. 
The Hungarian, it is said, is preferred to any other 
grass in parts of California. We have a report that 
says that four tons of hay per acre were cut in October 
from seed sown in February. It grows about two 
feet high. It is valued in some parts of Iowa. 2. We 
have already several times told our readers all that 
we know, and about all that is really known, of 
Saghalin (Sacaline). We would not advise our friend 
to plant it except in an experimental way. It is very 
difficult to eradicate when once established. It may 
have a special value for land too wet or too dry for 
other forage plants. 
What Became of the Salt ? 
IF. E. M., Brookton, N. Y. —I always learn something new and 
valuable every week from The R. N.-Y. I had always supposed 
that salt was very soluble. On page 103, I learn that it is not; that 
it may be scattered upon damp clover hay as it is placed in the 
mow, the hay left in the mow indefinitely, and the salt shaken out 
of the hay any time that is desirable. I have sowed salt upon the 
ground in the latter part of the afternoon, in such quantities that 
the ground looked quite white. The next morning, although it was 
quite dry weather, not one grain of that salt was to be seen. What 
I wish to learn now is, who or what was it that waltzed over that 
ground and shook out that salt or otherwise disposed of it ? 
Ans. —Yes, yes, salt is very soluble. Now just think 
a moment and see what becomes of the salt when it 
dissolves. Boil salt water so that you drive off all the 
moisture, and there is the salt again. You can’t drive 
the salt away in steam or as gas ; and, therefore, 
when the moisture dries out of that hay, what is there 
for the salt to do but to take solid form again, and 
shake out of the hay ? While the salt you put on the 
soil had disappeared from sight, it was not destroyed. 
If you could have leached that soil and boiled down 
the leachings, there would be your salt again. 
Points About Fall Plowing. 
A. C. L.. Blooming Grove, Ind.— The R. N.-Y. advised farmers 
by all means to plow our sod in the fall. T. B. Terry was here at 
our farmers’ institute this winter, and he warned us, by all means, 
not to plow our sod until spring. I would like to know which is 
right. 
Ans. —We think Mr. Terry has some of the right, 
and he will probably say The It. N.-Y. has some of it 
too. In other words, this is a question that will not 
stand any ironclad, “yes or no” answer. It depends 
upon the kind of soil, the crop to follow it, inamire 
to be used, etc. If we had a tough, hard sod like an 
old pasture, we would have plowed it last fall, and 
left the furrows standing up to the weather. The 
frost and cold of this hard winter would have given 
these tough roots a better working than any tool we 
know of. If we were to plant corn on it this spring, 
a working with the Cutaway, disc or spring-tooth, 
would fit the land. For potatoes we would plow again, 
and call last year’s plowing time well spent. On a 
sloping sod, on which we wished to use manure, say, for 
this year’s corn—we would not, as a rule, plow in the 
fall, but haul the manure on this sod as fast as made, 
and plow it all under in the spring. This would give 
less waste of manure, easier hauling for the teams, 
and quite a growth of grass to plow under for the corn. 
Our opinion is that in a winter like the past, the action 
of frost on our upturned sod is of more value than the 
extra spring growth. We have always been careful 
to say that fall plowing is not a sufficient preparation 
for the next spring’s crop of potatoes. We would al¬ 
ways replow for that crop. 
Bean Straw and Feeding Lambs. 
V. II. IF., Charlotte, Md .—We raise a good many beans. The 
straw is used largely for feed, principally for sheep, although horses 
and cattle eat them greedily. I am raising hothouse lambs, and 
am feeding the ewes bean straw in the morning, wheat straw at 
noon, clover hay at night, roots, all they will eat clean at 10 o’clock 
in the morning and at four in the afternoon. For grain, I feed 36 
pounds a day of the following mixture : Two parts, by weight, 
corn meal, two parts oatmeal, or ground oats, two parts wheat 
bran, and one part new process oil meal. The lambs have a 
trough filled with two parts oil meal, one part wheat bran and 
one part oats, that they can run to at all times. Can you suggest 
a better combination, using the same or part of the same feeds ? 
What is the feeding value of Alsike clover ? Is it as good for the 
land as Red clover? The Michigan Agricultural College speaks 
very highly of spurry and the flat pea. What is The R. N.-Y.’s 
opinion of them? Are any of the new millets superior to the 
Golden millet or Hungarian grass, for hay ? 
ANSWERED BY GEORGE C. WATSON. 
Of the coarse fodders, nothing exceeds in value, 
well-cured clover hay for sheep. Bean straw may be 
substituted in part to very good advantage, however, 
but it is not thought that bean straw can take the 
place of clover hay where it forms a principal part of 
the coarse fodder. Alsike and Red clover have about 
the same feeding value, and a chemical analysis shows 
them to have about the same nutritive ratio. The 
following table gives the chemical analysis of Alsike, 
Red clover, bean straw and bean hulls or pods : 
Carbo- 
Protein. Fiber. hydrates. Fat. 
Alsike. 12.8 25.6 40.7 2.9 
Red clover. 12.3 24.8 38.1 3.3 
Bean straw. 9.9 33.6 31.8 1.5 
Bean hulls. 10.6 35.2 30.3 1.5 
It will be seen that the bean straw contains somewhat 
less of the protein or albuminoids than the clovers, 
but because the bean straw is relished by the sheep, 
it can be fed in moderate amounts to good advantage. 
In some respects, Alsike is inferior to Red clover for 
improving the mechanical condition of the soil. The 
Red clover has a much longer tap root than the 
Alsike, and on this account the heavier soils are 
improved more, mechanically, by the growth of this 
plant than they would be by the growth of Alsike. 
So far as the merits of the two plants are compared in 
the gathering of nitrogen, it cannot be said that one 
is superior to the other. 
If the sheep are provided with warm quarters, it 
would seem best to add four parts of bran to the grain 
ration instead of two. If, on the other hand, the 
stables are not warm, it would seem that the ration 
ought not to be changed so far as the grain is con¬ 
cerned. In regard to the grain for the young lambs ; 
that mentioned will answer admirably for a part of 
the feed. Young lambs will eat considerably more 
grain if they have a variety. They will eat well of 
one kind of grain for a day or two or, perhaps, three 
days, and then if they can have a change, their food 
is relished better than would have been the case had 
they been given one kind of grain all the time. If 
ground feed be given, and a little sugar sprinkled on 
it from time to time, they will eat more than they 
would without the sugar. This is particularly true of 
young lambs just learning to eat grain. In raising 
hothouse lambs, it is the extra few pounds of fat that 
give the greatest profit ; so anything we can do to 
make these lambs enjoy life, and get them to eat more 
food, will tend toward this end. Spurry is highly 
spoken of by some experiment stations, and quite 
severely condemned by others. In some places it is 
considered an objectionable weed. Probably there is 
no kind of millet or Hungarian grass that is superior 
to the one mentioned. 
Early Tomatoes. 
Maryland. —I think the statement of W. S. Bacon, page 84, is a 
“ little off” In regard to cold frames. He says that he picks ripe 
tomatoes, raised in boxes in his greenhouse, about June 20, and 
that plants from cold frames do not ripen fruit much before July 
4. My plants all come from cold frames, and I picked ripe toma- 
toos last year June 18, and was selling in crates June 22. This 
was the Conqueror. 
Ans. —You evidently overlook the difference in lati¬ 
tude between your place and New Jersey. Try Mr. 
Bacon’s method and see if you do not gain two weeks 
or more. Mr. Bacon sold his first tomatoes J une 20, 
but really picked ripe ones several days previous. 
Will Hog Cholera Return ? 
J. L. G., Hughey, Penn.— Last spring, I lost nearly all my hogs 
with cholera. I shall be compelled to put my hogs on the same 
range this spring. Will I be safe in carrying many, or would I 
better thin them out pretty well before I put them out ? What can 
I do to prevent the return of the disease again this year? Is there 
any danger provided no diseased hogs are brought in ? 
Ans. —If there has been no disease on the range 
since last spring, there will be very little, if any, 
danger in turning on to it this spring. However, it 
would be a wise precaution not to carry too large a 
number this season. There is probably nothing you 
can do to prevent the disease, beyond making sure 
that no infected animals are introduced, or that your 
animals do not come in contact with diseased animals. 
Should the disease again make its appearance, try the 
remedy advised by the United States Bureau of 
Animal Industry, which is given on page 105. f. l. k. 
Mange or Itch on Cattle. 
W. II. C., Logan's Ferry, Pa .— Last fall, before housing my 
stock, a heifer was put in my neighbor’s stable for a few days. 
Soon afterwards, she seemed nearly crazy with itch, and has 
rubbed the hair off in many places. I could find no insects, but 
rubbed her with sulphur. A cow in the next stall has also begun 
to manifest the same symptoms. What shall I do for them ? 
Ans. —Your cattle are evidently affected with the 
mange, in which the parasite is very small and diffi¬ 
cult to see without the aid of a magnifying glass. 
Scrub the affected portions of the animal with a 
strong suds of soft soap and warm water, breaking up 
and removing the crusts and scabs as far as possible. 
Then apply the following mixture with a sponge or 
brush : Creolin and oil of tar, of each one ounce ; soft 
soap, one-half pint; sulphur, one-half pound ; alcohol, 
one pint; mix and shake well together. V/ash off 
with the soft-soap suds in two days. Repeat this 
treatment on the sixth day, to destroy any remaining 
parasites that may have hatched since the first appli¬ 
cation. The stalls where the affected animals stood, 
or preferably the whole stable, should be white¬ 
washed with freshly slaked quicklime, to which add 
one pint of kerosene to each two gallons of white¬ 
wash ; or it should be scrubbed with a solution of 
strong commercial sulphuric acid, one-half pint, water 
two gallons. F. L. k. 
(Fanners' Club continued on pa/jes 1!)4 and 105.) 
