520 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
August 3 
They have a capacity for making 50,000 quarts daily, 
and are constantly increasing the output. Its rep¬ 
utation is shown by the fact stated by Mr. Crane, 
that the best people after once having used it, always 
requested their caterers to use no other. The ice 
cream trade is heaviest in hot weather, just when the 
supply of milk is largest, the price of butter lowest, 
and the surplus largest. The books show sales of ice 
cream last year as follows : 
1894. 
May. 8157.77 September.82,682.84 
.Tune.2,870.20 October. 1,530.98 
July.5,863.50 November. 1,769.77 
August.3,w0.56 December.'.. 2,123.81 
Immense cold storage rooms afford ample facilities 
for storing cream and butter. About 14 tons of ice 
are used daily in summer. Mr. Crane said that they 
intended putting in machinery to make their own 
ice. This can easily be done, for they have put down 
an artesian well 1,000 feet deep, which furnishes an 
almost inexhaustible supply of the best and purest 
water. The building occupied was built for other 
purposes, but has been remodeled and changed, and 
the interior fitted up with modern apparatus until it 
is about as convenient as it is possible to make it. 
All lifting is done by steam power, and by means of 
cars, tanks and pipes, systematically arranged, the 
labor required is reduced to the minimum. 
1 asked Capt. A. A. Slack, the treasurer, how prices 
received by the farmers under this system, compared 
with those received from the dealers. He said that, 
upon the average,they had received about one-half cent 
per quart net more than the price received from the 
dealers before the association was formed. He said that 
when they first organized, the dealers all predicted 
failure ; but as they had held together for three years, 
had been continually growing stronger, and becoming 
more firmly established, and as the creamery was 
better equipped than ever before, he didn’t fear the 
fulfillment of these predictions. There have been 
defections fi’om the ranks. The prices allowed farm¬ 
ers for their milk have been liberal—too liberal, some¬ 
times—and assessments have been necessary. When 
these were enforced, some weakened and dropped out. 
Mr. Crane told me that several who had done so, 
wished to be reinstated. This seems to be the great 
trouble in all such movements—there are plenty who 
are willing to join after the success of an undertaking 
is assured, but wish to be excused at the critical time 
when their help is most needed. Others, too, stay 
out, let others do the fighting, and then profit indi¬ 
rectly by the labor and expenditures of others. It’s a 
cowardly way to do business. f. it. v. 
<3[Every query must be accompanied by the name'.and address of 
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piece of paper.l 
Points on Silo Building. 
P. J. II., Dover, Pa.. —I intend to build another silo. I have one 
which has been filled now four times. I thought that I had No. 1 
White pine lining, but it is just rotten in some places, f have the 
floor cemented, and the ensilage was always good excepting on 
the floor. On two sides, I have a stone wall, and it is plastered 
with lime mortar about eight feet below, and there the ensilage 
is always spoiled. 
ANSWKHED BY GKO. C. WATSON. 
Silos have been constructed in many different 
forms, of different kinds of material, and each form 
seems to have advocates among the practical dairy¬ 
men of the country ; yet, notwithstanding the great 
variety of forms and material recommended, nearly 
all agree that certain points in the construction are 
essential, and should be adhered to if efficient and 
durable silos are to be constructed. Formerly, more 
silos were constructed of brick, stone or grout than 
at the present time ; this heavy and expensive struc¬ 
ture of the old silos, has largely given way to the 
cheaper, lighter wooden silos of modern times. 
In constructing a silo where the principal part of 
the structui-e is wood, cure should be exercised that 
the walls may be prevented from decaying. This is 
particularly likely to occur at the bottom of the side 
walls, at the point where the greatest moisture and 
poorest ventilation occur. In constructing a wooden 
silo outside, which is not to be inclosed v\ ithin a build¬ 
ing, some provision to guard against frost will be 
necessary. If a hollow wall is constructed for the 
purpose of making the silo warmer, the durability is 
likely to be diminished, unless ample provision be 
made for ventilating the space between the two walls, 
except, perhaps, during the coldest weather. If a 
hollow wall be built, it will be necessary to use up¬ 
right studding in order perfectly to change the air 
between the two walls. It will be necessary to pro¬ 
vide openings on the outside of the bottom of the wall, 
and also to have the air space between the two walls 
open at the top, or so that it can be opened and closed 
at will, if thorough ventilation is to be secured. 
If a wall of masonry is to be constructed to the 
height of one or two feet on which to place the sills 
of the wooden structure, rotting is less liable to occur 
than if the bottom of the wooden wall extends to the 
bottom of the silo where there is the greatest amount 
of moisture. 
Where the silo is built within an inclosed building, 
a single wooden wall built in the following manner 
will prove cheap and efficient: Use 2x4 or 2x8 scant¬ 
ling, somewhat longer than the sides of the silo, a 
scantling being placed on each side of the silo in such 
a manner that the ends of the scantlings overlap each 
other. These ends are to be fastened together with 
bolts or spikes. Successive frames of this kind may 
be made and placed one above the other. The inside 
of these frames is to receive the boarding which is to 
form the walls of the silo, and may be put on in the 
following manner : The boards should be put on 
vertically in two courses ; the outside course may be 
of rough boards, the inside course should be surfaced. 
These courses should be so put on that the boards of 
one course w ill cover the joints or cracks between the 
boards of the other course Between these boardings, 
should be placed one or two thicknesses of heavy 
tarred building paper. 
A Water Motor in the Dairy. 
W. E. 8., Middleburgh, N. 7. —I have a living' spring 1,200 feet 
from the house—60 feet elevation. Will the water brought through 
an inch pipe from this spring give me sufficient power to run a 
water motor that would be large enough to propel a separator 
with a capacity of 350 pounds of milk per hour? 1 wish to use 
the same power to churn with. 
Ans.—I t should be very plain that so many elements 
of uncertainty enter into this question that any pre¬ 
cise answer is impossible. The discharge of water 
under (30 feet head through an inch pipe is equal to 
about three-tenths of a cubic foot per second, at a 
velocity of 62 feet per second. This will afford a little 
over two horse power. Under the same circumstances 
1%-mch pipe w 7 ill supply nearly five horse power, and 
a two-inch pipe 8>£. But the loss of power by fric¬ 
tion in the pipe is to be considered, and this varies as 
the d’ameter of the pipe, being greatest in the 
smallest pipe, so that if the supply of water is suffi¬ 
cient to fill a four-inch pipe, and the pipe is perfectly 
smooth inside, the one-inch orifice in this pipe at the 
outlet might be expected to furnish the power above 
mentioned. But if the w'ater is not sufficient to supply 
such a pipe, a reservoir might be made at the spring 
to collect the water, and each one inch running a day 
and a night, w'ould supply a five-inch pipe for an 
hour. It might be suggested to make such a reservoir 
at the spring, and convey the water to the milk house 
in a four-inch wooden pipe of sufficient strength to 
resist the pressure at the lowest part, and put a one- 
inch nozzle in this to run the motor, which might be 
run with less than the full supply, and thus for a 
sufficient time. n. s. 
Feeding Butter Fat into Mi/k. 
O. W. II., Rochester, Mass. —Can extra butter fat be fed into 
milk? I have a man in my employ who relates the following: 
Two years ago, he acted as cream gatherer for a creamery. 
Among the herds of cows was one of fine Jersey grades, which 
averaged about 16 spaces of cream in Cooley cans. Upon the side 
of the mountains, was a large pasture upon which had been 
burned some years before, 50 coal pits, more or less. These pit 
bottoms were now a thick mass of White clover in full bloom. No 
stock had been there that season until these cows were turned on 
in June. They fed almost wholly upon this clover, which gave a 
marked increase in the amount of milk, but th e per cent of cream 
was the most remarkable feature. Instead of 16 spaces, it rose to 
21, and continued about there so long as the clover held in good 
quantity. As the cans were not made to measure so many spaces, 
it was necessary to draw a portion of cream before the last 
could be measured. 
Ans. —Farmers and dairymen often say that certain 
feeds give richer milk. These opinions are usually 
based on observation, rather than on exact analysis. 
The scientific men who have made many investigations 
of this subject, generally agree that each cow has a 
pretty close standard of “ richness” for her milk. In 
perfect health, her milk will vary but little in its per 
cent of fat. Changes of temperature, fright, illness or 
pregnancy, may change this proportion of fat, but 
food does not appear to in these experiments, which 
were very carefully conducted. We regard the 
“space'’ system of measuring cream, as a poor method 
of estimating the actual fat. We have no doubt that 
some feeds will give a thin “ cream,” and thus give 
more bulk in the measure ; but that would not mean 
that the milk is richer. 
“ All About” Cultivating the Rose. 
E. S., Bristol, E. I. —Can roses be taken up in the fall ? At what 
time ? Please tell “ all about” growing roses. 
Ans. —The following statement is given by one of 
our most experienced rose growers : Select a sunny 
position. Old sod or grassy turf when cut up, makes 
the best soil for roses. Mix well with such soil one- 
third old, well-rotted and decomposed manure—cow 
manure preferred. The soil, when mixed, should be 
from 18 to 24 inches deep. Any good rich garden soil 
is also good with the same proportion of manure. The 
ground should be well drained. Dig out a space of 
about 18 to 24 inches square by about two feet 
deep. For every plant, fill in at least 8 to 10 inches of 
stone or brickbats, the larger stones in the bottom 
and the smaller ones on top. Cover the stones with a 
layer of sod or grassy turf, grass side down, in order 
to keep the soil from washing into and clogging up 
the drainage, then fill up with the prepared soil, firm 
this fairly well so as to avoid settling, then plant the 
rose. Should the ball of earth on the plants be dry 
or baked hard, dip and soak it thoroughly in water so 
that it becomes soft and pliable. Plant a little deeper 
than the plant had been in the pot. Be careful when 
softening the ball not to break any of the roots. Firm 
the soil fairly well when planting, then give the plant 
a thorough good soaking. If the ball be moist but 
stiff when received, simply loosen and soften it. While 
preparing the soil, put the plant temporarily in soil 
in a shady spot so as to keep it from drying or wilting. 
Should the weather be dry at any time, give occasional 
good waterings with a soft spray ; this should be done 
shortly before or after sundown. When the warm 
weather sets in about July, put on a heavy mulch of 
half-rotted cow manure, covering the entire space to 
a depth of fxom 7% to 2 inches. A light spraying or 
syringing every evening during hot weather, is of 
great benefit. 
If you wish only extra large flowers, pinch off all 
the smaller or side buds, lettiug only the main or 
large buds come to bloom. If you desire to leave the 
rose out all winter, make a mound all around it in a 
sort of pyramid shape, say 10 to 12 inches high by 
about 18 to 20 inches wide at the base, leaving a trench 
around the mound ; then cover the mound with litter 
or strawy manure, leaving the top stem exposed. 
(Should you prefer taking it up. lift it carefully with 
all the roots and put it into a cold frame or bury it 
completely, laying it on its side in high ground free 
from water. [Should you desire to bloom the plant in 
the house or conservatory during winter, put it care¬ 
fully into good fresh loam, and rest it for a few weeks 
in a cold frame, keeping it somewhat dry but not to 
shrivel the wood. But in this case it would Vie better 
if potted in good rich soil. When you receive the 
plant, put it into a 5-inch pot, and then plunge the 
pot up to the top of the rim in the same sort of posi¬ 
tion with perfect drainage underneath. Then mulch 
in dry and warm weather with manure, and water 
every evening except when it rains. In this case, the 
plant will require repotting into a larger pot and 
fresh loam in August, when it will be ready for win¬ 
ter blooming, giving water carefully. If planted 
out, either lifting or mulching should not be done 
until after the first frost, about the end of October or 
early in November. 
The Culture of Water Cress. 
J Q. S., Norristown, Pa. —How should I make a pond for water 
cress, and how plant and care for it? I have a never-failing- 
stream of spring water. 
Ans. —This plant, which belongs to the cabbage 
tribe, has very different habits from others of its 
family. It is an aquatic, and is a spreading, low- 
growing plant, which roots freely at each joint. It is 
a valuable small crop plant, being salable in the mar¬ 
kets at very profitable prices, and is of the very easiest 
culture. Indeed, it is one of the commonest of wild 
plants growing in many clear brooks, where it seems 
to be native to the locality, although it is said by some 
botanists to have escaped from cultivation. This, how¬ 
ever, is questionable, for it is found all along the 
Blue Ridge .Mountain country from North Carolina to 
Pennsylvania. It is, however, cultivated to some ex¬ 
tent near the large cities, where it sells for use as a 
salad or for garnishing dishes, at such prices as to 
afford very good profit to the growers. It is, in such 
cases, grown in artificially-made beds, usually dug 
in low, springy ground, as a swamp, in the broad 
draius of which it may be cultivated with the greatest 
case. The method of culture is as follows : The bot¬ 
tom of the beds should be clear sand, but it will grow 
in the swamp muck quite as easily, with the single 
objection that the leaves and stems are not so clean 
or freshly green as when grown on a clean, sandy 
bottom. The seed is sown by mixing it with clay in 
balls and dropping these two or three feet apart in 
the shallow water. Or cuttings of the plants may be 
treated in the same way, which is adopted to prevent 
the sowing of the plants from being made unevenly, 
one of the requirements of the culture being a thick 
mat of herbage that may be cut by shears a little 
under the surface of the water, in smooth bunches, 
that will pack neatly and smoothly in the small bas¬ 
kets in which the vegetable is sent to market. The 
seed sowing requires a full year to get a crop, but the 
cuttings sown late in the summer may be cut for a 
crop in the winter under the right treatment, or in 
the next spring. The ditches should be six feet wide 
and as long as may be convenient. The plant spreads 
with great rapidity, and the second year the beds will 
have become a dense mat which may be shorn off to 
