1895 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
457 
has been learned that early seeding is best—July and 
August. 
A soil adapted to the clovers, need not be rich to 
produce a good crop of the Crimson, but rock and pot¬ 
ash will push it better and cheaper than manure. No 
farmer should be discouraged by one or two failures. 
He will soon discover his mistakes, and profit by 
them. The Crimson will always be credited with a 
larger number of successes than any other member of 
the clover family. With all conditions favorable, 
eight pounds per acre is often sufficient seed ; but 12 
to 15 is the average, and if conditions be unfavorable, 
and seeding late, 20 pounds would be better. 
My huller is rubbing out the seed now, and in every 
direction, are other hullers busy with the same work; 
but the Delaware crop will be quickly distributed, 
and then the old, imported seed will be sent to con¬ 
fiding purchasers. Many a “seed warehouse” stocked 
up with that unreliable article last winter, at very 
low prices, in anticipation of the great demand of 
this season. Let America grow her own clover seed. 
Any farmer who has the Crimson growing, can save a 
patch to ripen, knock off the heads (it is done with 
the lightest touch), and sow his seed in the chaff, 
without the expense of hulling. This is Nature’s mode 
of seeding, and the most certain of all. It is not cex*- 
tain that Delaware will long be a factor in the Crim¬ 
son clover seed market. Our farmers are every year 
becoming more convinced of the value of the crop for 
plowing down and for hay, though wheat or buck¬ 
wheat follow the seed crop very nicely. 
Saving Crimson Clover Seed. 
E. B. S., Bowling Green, Ky. —I have a small patch of CrlmsOn 
clover and wish to save the seed, but have had no experience. 
How shall I do it ? 
Ans. —To save the seed from a small patch, you 
may proceed about as follows : Cut the clover as soon 
as the seed is fully ripe. Gather into small cocks. 
As soon as perfectly dry, haul to the barn floor, and 
beat or tramp off the seed in the haulm. Shake out 
and separate the straw. Throw up a forkful of the 
hay and strike it with the fork while in the air. This 
will shell the seed out. Then sow the seed in the 
chaff by hand. The seeds cannot be separated from 
the haulm except by a machine made expressly for 
the purpose. 
What Potash for Clover ? 
L. R. V., Bedford, N. Y. —I have one field which I seeded with 
oats one year ago; on account of the drought, there is no grass 
on it. It is dry and gravelly. I wish to seed it to Crimson clover 
this summer, and plant to corn another year. The Delaware 
people recommend potash to sow with it, and I am quite sure 
that my whole farm needs potash. What shall I get, and how 
much per acre ? Where can I get White Guinea hens or eggs ? 
Ans. —We would use muriate of potash—about 200 
pounds per acre—used on the clover. The Pine Tree 
Farm, Jamesburg, N. J., sells Guinea fowls. 
The Plum Curculio on Apples. 
A. L. J., Canada— Our fruit growers are very much alarmed at 
the appearance of the curculio in the apple orchards. At first it 
affected only early apples, but is now extending its ravages to the 
Fameuse and other tender and later fruits. The Bordeaux Mix¬ 
ture has no effect upon it, and as the mischief is done as soon as 
the apple is formed, it is hard to get at the depredator. Is there 
any remedy that will help in future years? Poultry are of no use, 
as the plums in the yard where they congregate are badly stung, 
and this has caused us to lose faith in that much recommended 
remedy. 
ANSWERED BY M. V. SLINGERI.AND. 
The Plum curculio has been known to breed in 
apples for upwards of a quarter of a century, but it is 
only within the last few years that it has worked upon 
them to any serious extent. This year, the plum 
crop is light in most localities, and so far as I have 
observed, the curculios are thicker than usual, and 
have turned their attention to all varieties of apples 
with the result that apples now bear more of the 
characteristic crescent marks than I ever saw before ; 
one apple now lies before me with no less than 20 
crescents on it. There is no question that the Plum 
curculio is fast acquiring the reputation of being the 
most destructive and the hardest to combat of any of 
our insect foes in orchards. In recent years, peaches, 
cherries, apricots and prunes suffer equally as much 
as plums, and it looks as though the apple would be 
added to the list. There are now two methods of 
fighting this pest. Some claim that they save their 
plums by spraying frequently, once a week, with the 
arsenites. There is no doubt that the curculios do 
feed on the foliage early in the spring, and would 
thus be poisoned by the sprayed foliage ; but I do not 
know that there is yet sufficient evidence to show 
that this method can be made uniformly successful. 
I know of many instances where it has failed, and 
many of our largest plum growers in western New 
York now use the second process—the jarring method. 
This process is familiar to all, but many do not use it, 
thinking it is too expensive. The most successful 
plum growers in our State, have jarred their trees at 
least once a day this spring, and have no doubt that it 
pays. It is a success beyond a doubt. I expect to 
ransack the literature on this insect during the sum¬ 
mer, and collate all the published evidence pro and 
con on these two and other methods of fighting it. 
This will be put in the form of a bulletin to be issued 
from the Cornell Experiment Station sometime before 
next spring. At present, I strongly favor the jarriug 
process, and shall give reliable data in the bulletin on 
its expense. 
Feeding Whey to Hens. 
IT. C., McKean, Pa. —My hens have their feed mixed with whey, 
and have it by them all the time for drink. Is it all right ? Is it a 
good idea ? 
Ans. —There can be no doubt that whey is perfectly 
safe to feed to poultry, either for drink or for mixing 
their soft feed. It will be necessary, however, to take 
additional precautions to keep the drinking fountains 
clean. One of the difficult problems in poultry keep¬ 
ing, is to insure cleanliness, and whenever whey or 
milk is fed, there is greater danger of the drinking 
fountains or water dishes becoming foul. Whey con¬ 
tains so little nourishment, that only slight benefits 
may be expected from its use. An average analysis 
gives about .27 per cent fat, .81 per cent of nitrogenous 
compounds, and 5.8 per cent sugar, ash, etc. It will 
be seen that the nitrogenous compounds which make 
milk so valuable as a poultry food, are quite deficient 
in whey. g. c. watson. 
Metal Roofs and Cement Floors. 
J. W. II., Hartford City, Ind. —1. What are the comparative 
merits and cost of iron, steel, and slate roofing? Can any of 
them be said to be permanent ? 2. Would Tue R. N.-Y. recom¬ 
mend cement Horn’s for barns as described by recent correspond¬ 
ents ? Would not such floors be nearly as cheap as wooden sills 
and flooring ? 
ANSWERED BY PROF. I. P. ROBERTS. 
1. The cost of iron and steel roofs is variable, due 
largely to the amount of metal used and the quality 
of the material. A light steel roof may be put on at 
slightly more cost than one constructed of first-class 
shingles. The expense of keeping these roofs painted, 
is quite large, and in this they are objectionable. The 
iron becomes very heated, and the surface being ex¬ 
posed to the direct rays of the sun, the attrition of the 
water results in carrying not only the oil, but the 
solid matter of the paints bodily off of the roof. If a 
steel or iron roof be selected, the material should be 
paiuted on both sides before it is used. A good slate 
roof costs nearly twice as much as a shingle roof, but 
if well put on, requires little or no expense after¬ 
wards. If the pitch is at least one-third, there is no 
reason why such a roof may not last for hundreds of 
years without any expense, except for mending a 
broken slate now and then. In the long run, a slate 
roof is to be preferred to shingles, iron or steel. The 
paints of the present day, considered from the old 
standpoint, are nearly all adulterated, and, therefore, 
inferior, and remain but a short time with sufficient 
body fully to exclude the dampness. If not kept thor¬ 
oughly and frequently painted, rust holes form, and, 
when once started, it is but a little time before a leak 
is formed. 
2. Cement floors are much more desirable than those 
made of wood, and may be constructed at slightly 
more cost than wooden ones. They are far more dur¬ 
able, and are more satisfactory in almost every way 
than those made of boards or planks. It is supposed 
that the questioner understands fully how to make a 
cement floor, that is to say, the principles involved. 
The details may vary widely, yet cheap and desirable 
floors may be secured. The method of construction 
depends quite largely on the material which is at 
hand, and the use to which the floor is to be put. Two 
things must always be looked to if a permanent and 
good floor is to be secured. The foundation must be 
solid and immovable. Whether it be formed largely 
of earth or of gravel, stone or broken brick, the sur¬ 
face must be made hard, virtually as hard as stone 
for one or two inches. This can be done only when a 
liberal amount of first-class cement is mixed with 
sharp, clean sand, or better, with moderately fine 
ground granite rock. If of the latter material, it is 
then called a granilithic floor, which is now used in 
dairy houses where the wear is severe, and where it 
is constantly being attacked by the acids of the sour 
milk. 
A Pipe That Won't Work. 
R. S. L., Washington, D. C .— I was always taught, and believed, 
that water would run down hill, but now after some rather costly 
practice in piping water, I am inclined to the belief that water 
will not run down hill perforce. I wish to pipe water from a well 
to my barn, a distance of 500 feet. Can I do so without a break 
or air chamber midway in my 1%-inch pipe ? The fall or head is 
about 10 feet. In my past piping of about 400 feet with eight 
feet fall, air would accumulate in the pipe, and reduce the flow at 
the tank to a mere thread. Had there been an upward curve the 
stoppage could have been cured by drilling a small hole at the 
highest point; but my pipe was apparently of uniform grade, 
without elevation or depression in any point. 
Ans. —This question implies that the pipe already 
laid and referred to, is not a siphon ; that is, the 
upper end does not bend down into the well as one 
would naturally suppose. If it is in any sense a 
siphon, by which water is drawn to the top of the 
well, and then flows downward, a hole in the highest 
point of the pipe to let out the confined air, would 
not be successful. It is probable that not enough 
provision has been made for the friction of the water 
in the pipe, which is quite considerable when one so 
small as 1^ inch in diameter is used. If the lower 
end of the pipe is contracted so that the air will not 
work backwards into the upper curves of the pipe as 
now laid, and a small suction pump is used at the 
lower end to relieve the pipe occasionally should it 
flow sluggishly, the whole trouble would be corrected. 
The same remarks are applicable to the pipe which is 
to be laid. If it were not for the increased expense, 
a larger pipe than the one named would be prefer 
able, and would be likely to give less trouble; but in 
any case the difficulty may be overcome if the instruc¬ 
tions given are followed. I. p. r. 
What Makes the Cream Bitter ? 
M. J., Beaver, Pa. —What causes cream to acquire a bitter taste 
after standing from 24 to 36 hours ? My cows are Jerseys, on Blue 
grass pasture, with two quarts night and morning, of chopped 
wheat and bran, half and half. The milk is rich and good. I 
strain in crocks, in a good, clean spring-house, have everything 
pure and sweet; yet the cream becomes strong and very bitter, so 
much so, that the butter is not fit to eat. The skim-milk has no 
bad taste, the cream alone seems to take the taste. For more 
than a month, the cream has been bitter, and it does not improve. 
My butter is hard to churn—takes two hours or more and it does 
not separate from the buttermilk; it is in fine particles floating 
through the milk, and will not adhere. I have tried all methods 
for gathering the butter, but a good part of it is left in the butter¬ 
milk. What is the best temperature for the cream when begin¬ 
ning to churn ? 
Ans. —In all probability, the bitter taste in the 
cream is caused by the growth in it of some of the 
ferments that attack the albuminoids of the milk, 
many of which cause a bitter taste to develop. Gen¬ 
erally they grow rather slowly, and at a temperature 
lower than those that produce lactic acid or souring. 
Their growth is also interfered with and hindered by 
the rapid growth of the lactic acid germs, though 
many of their germs are not so easily killed as are 
those of lactic acid. The treatment that I would sug¬ 
gest would be to take especial pains to kill these 
germs, and afterward to expose the cream to condi¬ 
tions favorable to the production of lactic acid. All 
vessels and utensils should be exposed to boiling 
water or steam for at least five minutes. It is entirely 
insufficient merely to pour boiling water from one 
vessel to another. Care should also be taken to pro¬ 
duce a good sharp acid in the cream within 24 hours 
after it is set to ripen. This may be done by the addition 
of a “starter” in the form of clean sour skim-milk, 
but ordinarily it will be sufficient to heat the cream to 
70 degrees or even 75 degrees F., and then hold it 
where it will not fall below (50 degrees for 24 hours. 
Churning should be done as often as every other day. 
It is evident that the churning is done at too low a 
temperature. The temperature should be such that 
the butter will break in from 45 minutes to one hour. 
In all-probability, if more care be taken to get a good 
development of lactic acid, it will be found that there 
will be little need for churning at a higher tempera¬ 
ture. IX. if. WING. 
Bone and Potash for Strawberries. 
B. R., Meshoppen, Pa. —What is the best form of potash to mix 
with fine ground bone flour for strawberries ? Some growers 
recommend wood ashes, but there is such a small amount of pot 
ash in them. Which is the better time to apply it, spring or fall, 
to be cultivated in between the rows ? 
Ans. —Use one part muriate of potash to three parts 
of the fine bone. This makes an excellent fertilizer 
for strawberries—cheaper than wood ashes. You may 
use all the way from 500 pounds to a ton per acre. 
We prefer to use it in early spring broadcasted, and 
then well cultivated or hoed between the rows. 
Something about Onions. 
M. P.' P., Tyndall, S. I).— 1. Is it necessary to thin onions? 2. 
Which method will raise most bushels per acre, thin or thick ? 
3. Which sell better, large or small onions ? 4. If the ground is 
hard, is it best to loosen it around the bulbs ? 
Ans. — 1 . No, unless they are very thick. Onions 
grow with the bulbs mostly on top of the ground, so 
that they crowd each other out of the row, and some¬ 
times grow nearly on top of each other. They may 
stand much thicker than vegetables which grow 
almost wholly in the ground. 2 . Those moderately 
thick. 3. In this market, medium-sized ones, unless 
it be some of the white sorts for pickling, for which 
purpose very small ones are desired. 4. Yes, enough 
to break the crust without disturbing the roots. The 
surface should be kept well stirred and loose. 
Killing the Canada Thistle. 
II. C. W., West Jefferson, 0.— What is the best method for 
destroying Canada thistles ? I had a patch 20 feet square, 15 
years ago, and have been trying to exterminate them ever since, 
with little success. They are now scattered thinly over about five 
acres of ground which has been in cultivation most of the time 
with corn, wheat and clover. I have cut them close to the ground 
and then put salt on the roots. This will kill some of them, but 
not all. They are the worst pests on the farm. They are on one 
or two of my neighbors’ farms, but there are not many, however, 
in central Ohio. 
Ans. —This is one of the worst weeds with which 
the farmer has to contend. Even though it be not 
allowed to seed, its creeping roots spread very rapidly, 
especially in loose soil. It should never be allowed to 
seed; this will cut off its spread by means of its 
seeds. Thorough cultivation, never allowing the 
plants -to make any considerable growth above the 
surface, will eventually choke them off. Flow the 
field shallow after harvest, by cultivation or other¬ 
wise keep them from showing above ground before 
winter. Plow deep late in autumn. In spring, culti¬ 
vate well, and plant to some hoed crop, and do not 
allow the thistles to get above ground. Keep up this 
thorough work through the summer, and there should 
be very few left. August plowing, followed by thor¬ 
ough cultivation and this by rye to be cut early in 
spring, and then the ground to be planted to corn, is 
also recommended. The main point is to smother 
them by not giving them a chance to breathe. 
