1895 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
649 
years ago ; we bolted it together with a rod three or 
more feet long. The nuts have grown into the tree, 
and we have had no trouble with the split since, 
although we have had some terrible gales many times 
since. If the bark of the other tree is sound, and no 
decay has commenced, let it alone, and the parts will 
fill up in time, so that there will be no cavity. If 
there is now a decayed place, cut out the part to 
sound wood and bark all around, and cover with a 
thick coating of wax as above. If you can keep the 
wound air and water-tight, Nature will soon cover 
the parts with new wood and bark. edwin hoyt. 
Peach Culture in Nova Scotia. 
F. L. N., Brooklyn Corners, N. S. —What varieties of peaches, 
plums and pears, will be most likely to succeed with us here ? 
Ans. —Our experience in growing peaches in Nova 
Scotia, up to the present time, is comparatively lim¬ 
ited, and we can only recommend varieties as suitable 
on the basis of their having done well in other locali¬ 
ties having a somewhat similar climate. In the first 
place, it is desirable to plant early-ripening varieties. 
In the second place, kinds which are hardiest in the 
fruit bud, should be set out in preference to others. 
I have been advising the planting of such kinds as 
Crosbey, Hale’s Early, Hill’s Chili and Early Rivers. 
Whether these will prove the best varieties for market 
purposes or not, is a matter that can only be deter¬ 
mined from actual trial ; but from my present knowl¬ 
edge of the conditions existing there, I think that 
they are the most suitable varieties to plant. Of 
course, the remarks I have made refer to the Annap¬ 
olis Valley, as outside of this district I do not think 
it wise to plant peaches in quantity. I have much 
confidence in the Japanese plums, and would plant 
them quite fearlessly. I think that Burbank and 
Willard are two of the most suitable varieties for that 
district. Seckel, Flemish Beauty, Bartlett, Louise 
Bonn6 and Anjou have all grown in that province 
with a fair degree of success, and I do not know of 
other varieties which are more suitable. 
Ontario Experiment Station. joiin ckaig. 
Something about Hothouse Flowers. 
G. R. R., Maine. —1. At what time should I sow pansy and ver¬ 
bena seeds for early spring flowering ? 2. At what time carna¬ 
tions? 3. Also heliotropes for winter flowering ? There is quite 
a trade in Eastport for these plants and cut flowers, and I would 
like the best method of handling. 4 What book will give me the 
best information on the above? 
Ans. —1. Pansy seed should be sown as soon as pos¬ 
sible now, or better still for a beginner, buy the little 
plants already started for 75 cents per 100 or $5 per 
1,000. According to Peter Henderson’s Practical 
Floriculture, verbena seed should be sown about 
February 1 ; personally I know little about verbenas, 
but presume that seedlings, in this case, would not be 
so satisfactory for spring flowering as cuttings started 
in October. 2. The carnation of commerce is never 
grown from seed except in the production of new 
varieties, but from cuttings rooted in sand at any time 
from November to April in this locality. In Maine, 
the propagating season could be prolonged. G. R. R. 
can either buy cuttings already rooted in winter or 
spring, or at less expense could secure field grown 
plants this fall and propagate his own. The best 
kinds here are Lizzie McGowan (white), Portia (scar¬ 
let), Thos. Cartledge (carmine), Wm. Scott (pink), 
Daybreak (light or flesh-colored pink), Anna Webb 
(crimson), Buttercup (yellow penciled with crimson). 
These are all standard varieties here, and there are 
many others of great value, though not really neces¬ 
sary for a beginner. 3. I have had no experience 
with heliotropes. Henderson recommends propagat¬ 
ing from cuttings in October. 4. Practical Floricul¬ 
ture by Peter Henderson, price SI.50 in cloth, is a 
standard work, and covers general plant culture. 
How to Grow Cut Flowers by M. A. Hunt, $2 cloth, is 
more up-to-date and treats more especially of florists’ 
plants for cut flowers, such as roses, carnations, 
violets, chrysanthemums, etc. These books may be 
purchased of The R. N.-Y., and will be sent postpaid 
for the prices named. c. P. B. 
Chester County, Pa. 
Various Bad Bugs. 
F., Johnson City, Tenn .— 1. My cucumber vines, after growing 
luxuriantly to full size, being full of bloom and a number of fully 
developed cucumbers, began to die, and slowly but surely every 
vine died. They were planted in a bed of old tanbark, every hill 
dug out 15 inches deep, two feet in diameter and filled with good 
loam and well rotted manure. There were a good many striped 
squash bugs about, but they never did harm other years, after 
the plants were grown. There was a brown, black-spotted bug, 
about the size of a potato beetle on them, but I kept them well 
picked. What was wrong ? 2. Late cabbages here are literally 
eaten up by green worms, small brownish colored worms, and a 
large red bug, peculiarly spotted. What can be done ? 
Ans. —1. I cannot tell what was wrong with the 
cucumber vines. I would need to be an eye witness 
before I would care to hazard a guess. 2. The worms 
on the cabbages can be killed by the use of pyrethrum 
powder, or liberal doses of hot water, as hot as the 
plants will stand. Kerosene emulsion will also be 
effective. The “peculiarly spotted red bug” is prob¬ 
ably the Harlequin Cabbage bug, sometimes called 
the Calico Back. I know of no way to kill it on late 
crops except to hand-pick it. Early in the season, it 
can be trapped by sowing mustard or radishes upon 
which the bugs will congregate first, and then spray¬ 
ing these plants with pare kerosene, of course expect¬ 
ing to kill the plants also. m. y. s. 
Treatment of Asparagus. 
F. H., Onekama, Mich. —Would it injure asparagus plants to 
strip them of leaves and seeds before the seeds mature sufficiently 
to germinate ? At what stage does the asparagus seed attain 
fertility as indicated by its appearance ? The seeds are great 
pests, and I wish to destroy them all this fall. 
Ans. —Our opinion is that asparagus plants should 
be permitted to grow until frost kills the foliage, as 
upon this growth and maturity will depend the vigor 
of the shoots next spring. The asparagus plant is 
weakened by spring cutting, and it must be given its 
season for recuperation. We do not know just how 
green the fruit may be and yet contain viable seeds, 
but we fancy that seed from even green berries will 
germinate. 
Golden Japanese Mayberry. 
A. T. R., Pembroke, N. H. —Do you know anything about Childs’s 
Golden Japanese Mayberry ? Would it be a market berry for 
New Hampshire? 
Ans. —The entire history of this plant has been 
printed in The R. N.-Y., the first full account that 
appeared in print. It is a seedling of a Japan rasp¬ 
berry, Rubus palmatus, crossed, perhaps, with Cuth- 
bert. Mr. Luther Burbank, of California, is the origin¬ 
ator. We purchased a plant cf John Lewis Childs in 
April of last year. It made a healthy growth of about 
a foot. This was killed to the ground during the 
past winter. A single feeble shoot started last spring 
which, we think, was killed by cultivating too close 
to it. While this young plant was nearly killed by 
the winter, it is quite possible that older plants may 
be hardier. 
A Fight with a Weed. 
II. T. M., The Ridge, Ont. —Purslane has invaded my onion patch, 
and I am partly beaten. One compensation, I am feeding it to 
my hogs and they are thriving. Is it an exhaustive plant ? Is it 
nutritious? I am thinking of plowing the patch, manuring 
heavily, putting in potatoes next season, and then seeding down 
to clover. Will that be a good plan ? 
Ans. —Purslane or “ pussley,” as most farmers call 
it, is eaten in many parts of the country as “ greens ” 
in place of dandelion or spinach. “ Pussley ” greens 
and tansy pudding, were considered table delicacies 
when the writer was a boy. Continuous culture and 
a crop that completely shades the ground, have kept 
this weed in check on our grounds this season. With 
clean culture of the potatoes, your plan should succeed. 
Potash with Packing-house Manure. 
T. G. R., Ohio .— I can buy packing-house fertilizer for $17 per 
ton, with the following analysis: Ammonia, 7 per cent; phosphoric 
acid, 16, equal to 35 bone phosphate. As will be seen, it is de¬ 
ficient in potash. Will it pay to buy the potash and mix? If so, 
in what form is it the cheapest to buy, and how much should be 
mixed with a ton to make, say, from three to four per cent potash? 
Ans. —That is a cheap source of nitrogen and phos¬ 
phoric acid. We w ould use muriate of potash with 
it. By adding 200 pounds of the muriate to 1,800 
pounds of this fertilizer, you will have a good mixture 
for grain or grass crops. You will need more potash 
for fruits or potatoes It is not necessary to mix the 
potash with the other’unless you find it more con¬ 
venient to do so. You can just as well apply them 
separately. 
Cow Peas for Potatoes. 
G. M. A.. Tamaroa, III .— Would cow peas lose any value by lying 
on the ground till spring, and then being plowed under for pota¬ 
toes ? Or should they be plowed under green this fall ? 
Ans. —We would let the cow peas ripen before 
plowing under. Spring or fall plowing would depend 
on circumstances. For potatoes in a reasonably cold 
climate, we would prefer plowing under the peas this 
fall, and cross-plowing in the spring. 
A Good Flock of Hens. 
Several Readers.— Will J. W. tell us more about the flock of hens 
described on page 616? 
Ans. —I have kept hens for a good many years, al¬ 
ways with some profit, and always, the more care the 
more profit. About one-half my fowls are Leghorns, 
and the rest a cross between Leghorns and Brahmas 
or P. Rocks. I would prefer all Leghorns ; but, as I 
raise some broilers, I cross them to get more size. I 
feed for eggs a mixture of grains. I use four parts 
fine bran, or coarse middlings, four parts corn meal, 
four parts ground oats, one part oil meal, and two parts 
ground meat, beet, blood and bone, and mix well. 
When I can get barley meal, I use two parts barley 
and two parts oats. This is for winter. In warm 
weather, I use half the quantity of corn meal, and 
more light feed. This is varied somewhat, according 
to the weather and price of feed. In the morning, 
when there is no grass, I boil and mash six or seven 
quarts of potatoes for 225 or 230 hens, and mix with 
as much of the meal as they will eat clean ; the quan¬ 
tity will vary with the weather and the condition of 
the flock. I moisten with hot water or milk in cold 
weather, and mix cold in hot weather ; this feed is 
usually salted a little, and in winter a little red pepper 
is added about twice a week. Sometimes the potatoes 
are left out, and a peck of clover leaves and hay seed 
used. At noon, when they are confined on account 
of the weather, I give a little wheat or buckwheat to 
keep them at work ; at night, corn and wheat—the 
colder the weather, the more corn. For green food, 
I give cabbage and turnips about every other day in 
winter. I keep from 40 to 45 in a flock, and they run 
at large when the weather is fine and the ground 
bare. With this treatment, they average from 146 to 
158 eggs each a year. j. w. 
Steam and Water Pressure Compared. 
F. II. L., Northampton, Mass. —How does a water pressure com¬ 
pare with steam in a boiler ? I have been told that one pound of 
water Is equal to two pounds of steam in testing boilers. 
Ans. —No definite rule can be laid down ; experience 
can best decide in particular cases. However, the 
practice with lai’ge boiler manufacturers, is to test 50 
per cent over the steam pressure ; that is, a new 
boiler designed for a working pressure of 100 pounds, 
would be subjected to a hydrostatic or water pressure 
of 150 pounds. On boilers in use, personal inspection 
combined with a hammer test, are as important as the 
water pressure. Excessive water pressure is detri¬ 
mental, as it is liable to start a weak point which 
might give way under a much reduced steam pressure. 
A Lame Horse. 
D. E. N., Banister, Va. —My horse has been lame for a month, 
In the left shoulder just at the point of the shoulder. He walks 
as though that leg was shorter than the other. 1 don’t know just 
how it was done ; a boy rode him off from home ; the horse was 
all right then, but was lame when he returned. The boy said that 
he started to go the wrong road, he pulled him shortly and sud¬ 
denly, and he began limping from that. The horse was galloping. 
Most people call it jammed. The place is swollen very much. He 
is turned to pasture, and is not used, but improves very slowly. 
Will he get over it or not ? He is about six years old. What is 
the best treatise on the horse ? 
Ans. —If the lameness is really in the shoulder, the 
horse will drag that foot, and will give it an outward 
swing in bringing it forward, instead of bringing it 
straight forward. He will also be unable to step over 
a bar placed 12 or 14 inches from the ground, or, at 
least, will do so with difficulty. Otherwise you will 
have to look elsewhere for the lameness. The horse 
should recover with rest and treatment. If there is 
still heat or much tenderness to pressure over the 
joint, bathe daily with soap liniment. If not, apply 
a blistering liniment, of equal parts of sweet oil and 
strong aqua ammonia, well shaken together. One or 
two applications, if freely made, will blister. It may 
be necessary to repeat the blistering. The best treatise 
for a farmer on the diseases of the horse, is The 
Farmer’s Veterinary Adviser, by Dr. James Law, of 
Ithaca, N. Y. Another excellent work is The Special 
Report on Diseases of the Horse, issued a few years ago 
by the United States Department of Agriculture, to 
be obtained through your Congressman if the edition 
is not already exhausted. K. l. kilbornk. 
Injury to Horse’s Fetlock. 
F. W. S., Rome, Ala .— A few weeks since, my horse snagged him¬ 
self on the fetlock joint; it bled very profusely for a little while. 
I examined it, but could find no trace of a splinter. The wound 
has now healed. A few days later, I found him very lame; his 
leg from the knee down to the pastern, is very much swollen. I 
have done everything in my power to give him relief, but he does 
not improve. We have no veterinary in this county, and I am at 
my wits’ end. 
Ans. —Probably an abscess was forming which 
should be opened, if it has not already come to a 
head and opened itself. A swelling of this kind should 
be watched, and if a very tender place is found which 
fluctuates, or feels soft on pressure, showing the pres¬ 
ence of pus, it should be freely opened at once; tak¬ 
ing care that you do not open too near a joint or large 
blood vessel. When the abscess has been opened, 
syringe out daily with a two-per cent solution of car¬ 
bolic acid, and otherwise treat as an ordinary wound. 
F. L. K. 
Chronic Founder in a Horse. 
C. L. II., Canton, Pa .— I have a horse which was foundered when 
young, and has very flat front feet. He weighs 1,200 pounds, and 
is a very handsome animal. He lately hurt his foot, and every 
one says that I will have to kill him. He is 14 years old and per¬ 
fectly sound in every other way; is in pasture, but does not touch 
his lame foot to the ground, and has been this way for two weeks. 
He is always tender footed; the shell on his sole seems very thin 
and tender, and his foot spreads badly. Can I do anything for him? 
Ans. —If possible, the horse should have received 
the personal attention of a competent veterinary sur¬ 
geon. The bruise probably resulted in suppuration, 
in which case, an opening of the sole of the hoof was 
necessary. If not already evident, have the foot ex¬ 
amined for suppuration, and if found present, a free 
opening of the sole should be made. Syringe out with 
strong carbolic acid, and apply a pine-tar dressing. 
After suppuration ceases, have the fore feet shod with 
bar-shoes, beveled on the upper surface so as to pre¬ 
vent its touching the sole, thus throwing all the 
weight on the wall and frog. F. l. k. 
