1895 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
825 
and the man who tries it will find that his colt will 
be a ‘ Jack of all gaits and master of none.’ ” 
“ Is the Hackney action a desirable characteristic ? ” 
“It is in its purity ; but where it is stimulated, or 
formulated, rather, by devices, it is a very wearing 
exercise; it takes a remarkably strong constitution to 
endure it, and it is but a palpable counterfeit, to 
boot.” J. L>. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the name and address of 
the writer to insure attention. Before asking a question please 
see whether it is not answered in our advertising columns. Ask 
only a few questions at one time. Put questions on a separate 
piece of paper.] 
VINES FOR A RUSTIC ARBOR. 
For an open rustic or other arbor about 8 feet in diameter and 
12 feet to the peak, what five hardy vines would you choose ? The 
arbor’s location is a conspicuous one.in the home grounds. 
THE ANSWERS. 
To run up to the peak, over the outside roof, I would 
plant the trumpet vine, or Chinese wistaria. After it 
had reached the peak and spread over the roof, the 
branches of the trumpet vine should be cut in almost 
close every winter or spring. The Akebia would also 
cover the space and hold its leaves longer ; but it lacks 
the body of either of the other two. Hall’s Japanese 
honeysuckle would do well to train as a screen up the 
sides of-the arbor, but not so well over the top of it. 
Set'a strong plant of Clematis paniculata at each side 
of the entrance to the arbor. The purple Clematis 
viticella might be planted in the gaps between the 
large vines, and if there is still a big, bare place to 
cover, the Chinese yam, Dioscorea Batatas will fill it 
up. Altogether, the Chinese wistaria around the eaves 
and over the roof ; Hall’s Japanese honeysuckle to 
cover the sides up to the eaves, and a couple of plants 
of the Japanese Clematis paniculata at the door, 
should make vines enough about an arbor of that size. 
WILLIAM FALCONER. 
My choice of vines for such an arbor would be as 
follows, named in the order I prefer them : Akebia 
quinata, Lonicera brachypoda, rose Gloire de Dijon, 
Clematis paniculata and Virginia creeper. Should it 
be where the rose named is not hardy, I would use 
instead Vitis heterophylla variegata. A few words 
about these vines; the Akebia is rapid growing, 
hardy, has pretty, five-parted leaves, sweet-scented, 
plum-colored flowers in early spring, and is very 
nearly evergreen in this latitude. The Lonicera is the 
well-known Japanese honeysuckle, than which a more 
useful vine does not exist. The rose is a Tea, climb¬ 
ing, quite hardy here, and, like all Teas, blooms all 
the time. The flowers are flesh-colored. Its hardi¬ 
ness is not generally known, or it would be more 
planted. Clematis paniculata is much like the well- 
known flammula, bearing great quantities of its clus¬ 
tered white flowers ; but it is of rather faster growth. 
The Virginia creeper is the old favorite, Ampelopsis 
Virginica. Vitis heterophylla variegata is from Japan. 
Its foliage in early spring is often of three colors, 
green, white and crimson. These colors are not so 
pronounced later in the season, but, instead, in 
autumn, the vine displays clusters of berries of the 
prettiest blue color. Joseph meehan. 
I would recommend the planting of the following 
vines : Akebia, Chinese honeysuckle, Golden Varie¬ 
gated Japanese honeysuckle, Clematis paniculata, 
Virginia creeper. Trumpet creeper and Wistaria are 
rather too free-growing for such a small arbor. 
EDWARD HICKS. 
I would choose Wistaria Chinensis, Tecoma prse- 
cox, the new improved trumpet vine; Aristolochia 
sipho, Dutchman’s pipe ; Clematis paniculata, new 
and superb ; Lonicera Halleana, Everblooming honey¬ 
suckle. H. A. SIEBRECHT. 
SHALL WE HEAT THE HENHOUSE? 
Is it safe and profitable to heat a henhouse by a small-sized oil 
stove, where less than 80 hens are kept? Please tell us why this 
plan is or is not practicable. 
No! And Some Good Reasons Why. 
I have had no experience with warming a poultry 
house, especially with an oil stove; but some little 
observation, and a careful study of conditions, impel 
me to say that artificial heat in a poultry house is 
injurious. The artificial temperature debilitates the 
fowls and prepares them to take cold when exposed 
to outside air, or through an accidental dropping of 
the temperature through neglect to keep up the fire 
or the flame of the oil stove. The latter especially, 
owing to the supercombustion of the oxygen in the 
air, I would think very injurious. I have many times 
advised against it, and would advise any one not to 
attempt it. Plenty of food, and plenty of exercise, will 
keep the fowls well warmed up. A. f. hunter. 
I tried a small oil stove in one of my houses last 
winter, in which I had some hens that had taken 
cold; it ran all right for two or three days, then I 
happened down there out of season, and just in time 
to save my henhouse, for the oil stove was on fire. 
This is a decided objection to oil stoves; they are 
treacherous things. Besides, when hens are well, 
and the houses fairly well made, I think that they 
are jnst as well without heat; for with heat at night 
and the houses all shut up, they are likely to get 
sweaty, and when the house is opened in the morn¬ 
ing, and they come out, they are very likely to take 
cold. I prefer a good, warm house, without any 
other heat than what their bodies will furnish. 
JAMES H. SEELY. 
It is an excellent plan to warm the poultry house, 
as less food will be required, and the fowls will be 
less subject to diseases due to dampness ; but the ob¬ 
jection is to the irregularity of such warmth. A tem¬ 
perature just above the freezing point—about 40 de¬ 
grees above zero—is sufficient. If kept too warm, 
there is liability of the fowls “ taking cold ” when 
they go outside. A house that is made tight, is some¬ 
what warmed by the animal heat of the birds. It is 
practicable to warm a small house, but the cost is 
quite an item in comparison with the number of 
fowls. All poultry houses should be lathed and plas¬ 
tered, and no heat is necessary. A stable lantern, 
hung up on a cold night, will raise the temperature 
sufficiently. p. h. Jacobs. 
I never thought well of artificial heat in breeding 
houses, for either hens or ducks. The tendency is to 
make them tender, and they are averse to running 
out in cold weather. In all my experiments, I could 
see no advantage in it—but, rather, the reverse. 
JAMES RANKIN. 
Personally, I have had no experience in heating 
poultry houses with an oil stove, though 1 know of 
several instances where it has been done. In a build¬ 
ing pretty well ventilated, I would not hesitate using 
it if the lamp is well cared for ; but I have known in¬ 
stances where the smoking of the lamp caused the 
death of a whole coopful of chickens. The building 
was closed tight, and the poisonous fumes of the 
lamp resulted fatally. I, therefore, think it quite 
risky to heat a poultry house in that way. My ex¬ 
perience is that a warmly-built poultry house, prop¬ 
erly ventilated, needs very little artificial heat. The 
only time we ever have occasion to use it in our ex¬ 
tensive building, is in very damp weather to dry the 
air. We find that our fowls will stand plenty of pure, 
cold air, while damp and impure air always results 
disastrously. geo. j. nissly. 
Michigan. 
Actual Experience With a Stove. 
Five years ago I put a coal stove in one of my hen¬ 
houses to heat and dry up the moisture in it, but with 
poor results. I set the stove in the center of the 
building, and as soon as the chickens felt the heat 
they got drowsy, droopy and lazy; they would crowd 
towards the stove. I left the stove in the house two 
weeks, my chickens became pale and sickly, and I 
concluded to take the stove out. In about a week 
my chickens began to pick up and to look better. I 
don’t think that an oil stove would do in a henhouse; 
there is too much dust, and the stove would soon 
begin smoking. Dust would fill up the air holes in 
an oil stove. Such smoke is very injurious to chick¬ 
ens. I use an oil stove in my brooder house part of 
the time, but it requires lots of care to keep it from 
smoking. My opinion is that a henhouse can not be 
heated successfully or profitably; the change from a 
warm house to the air outside is too great for a hen; 
even in spring, hens take cold very easily. 
JOSEPH FISHER. 
Alfalfa; What are “ Floats ” ? 
W. I. D., New Zealand. —1. Is lucern a successful crop in New 
York State ? What are the best artificial manures to use for it 
and quantities per acre? 2. What are “ floats ” ? 
Ans. —Lucern or “Alfalfa” is not largely grown 
in New York State. Most farmers believe that Red 
clover is, on the whole, better suited to their needs. 
We often find farmers here and there who grow 
Alfalfa successfully. Some years ago the New Jersey 
Experiment Station conducted some useful experi¬ 
ments with Alfalfa; but since Crimson clover has 
become popular Alfalfa is not reported so much. 
Generally speaking, a fertilizer high in potash and 
phosphoric acid, and with little nitrogen, is most 
economical for the clovers. Wood ashes of good 
quality at $8 per ton, are good, or muriate of potash, 
and dissolved South Carolina rock—four parts rock 
to one of potash. 2. “Floats” is a name given the 
raw phosphate rock when ground into a fine powder 
and not treated with acid. We do not advise the use 
of “floats,” or of any insoluble form of phosphoric 
acid except, possibly, on the buckwheat crop. Bone 
or dissolved rock will give surer and quicker results. 
A Little Strawberry Talk. 
J. W. II., Payne's Depot, Ky. —1. Will fertilizers applied in tlie 
spring to strawberry plants give me a better crop of berries? If 
so, what kind, and how should they be applied? 2. What variety 
do you consider the best for a new market, an early, mid-season 
and late variety. I have fruited Haverland, Crescent, Bubach and 
Gandy, and don’t want any better mid-season berry (for pro¬ 
ductiveness) than Haverland; but I would like to obtain a produc¬ 
tive earlier berry, and a more productive late one than the 
Gandy. Besides the above, I am growing this year, Boston 
Daisy, Marshall, Warfield, Beverly, Greenville, Childs, Timbrell, 
Noble, Brandywine, Splendid, Jucunda, and Parker Earle. 
Ans. —1. Yes, we would prefer to use fertilizers early 
in the spring. Say, three parts fine bone to one part 
of muriate of potash. 2. Eleanor was sent to the 
Rural Grounds for trial in the fall of ’94 by the Lovett 
Company. In so far as we may judge, the variety is 
not only very early, but productive and of fair size. 
Aside from this, Shuster, Beder Wood and Rio have 
given us the best satisfaction for very early berries. 
Our friend is already trying all the late berries that 
we would recommend. 
Fresh Fish for Poultry. 
S., New Haven County, Conn. —1. How will fish scraps (heads, 
fins, tails, entrails, etc.) such as are left from dressing whole 
fresh fish at fish markets, compare with green cut bone or meat 
scraps as a ration for laying hens or young pullets not yet lay¬ 
ing ? 2. Will cooking the fish scrap improve it in any way for 
feeding fowls ? 3. How much should be fed to 25 fowls, per day ? 
4. If the scrap is a little tainted, will it harm the fowls if the fish 
is cooked ? It is not easy to get it strictly fresh, as it spoils easily 
in warm weather. 5. What is the analysis of fresh fish, such as 
halibut, cod, haddock, etc. ? 
Ans. —Theory is not of much value in such a case. 
Who can give actual experience in feeding fish to 
poultry ? Our own opinion is that the fish will not 
fully take the place of meat. We would prefer to 
feed it cooked, and would not care to risk feeding 
tainted fish, except in a small way, as an experiment. 
We shall be pleased to 7c now about these things. Here 
are some analyses of different kinds of fish, and some 
meats for comparison : 
POUNDS IN 100. 
Muscle- Pure Fat- 
Water. makers. fat. formers. 
Herring. 69 18*4 11 .... 
Salmon. 67 24 15 .... 
Blue fish. 78 19 1 54 
Haddock. 81 16*4 14 •••• 
Cod. 83 16 54 
Halibut. 75 18 5 .... 
Perch. 79 19 'A - 
Porgy. 75 18*4 5 — 
Beef liver. 69 20 5(4 3*4 
Beef heart. 56 16 26 - 
Beef kidney. . 75 17 5 1 
Beef neck. 62 19*4 17*4 .... 
Beef ribs. 48 15(4 35*4 .... 
Sirloin steak. 60 18*4 2054 •••• 
It will be seen that fish contains but little pure fat, 
and practically no fat-formers. This question of se¬ 
lecting food that will give cheap muscle-makers in a 
hen’s ration, is a very important one, and we expect 
to take it up in some detail under Primer Science in a 
few weeks. 
Whisky and Alcohol from Potatoes. 
C. <fe B., Waupaca, Wis. —1. Is alcohol made from potatoes ? 
2. What is the process, and where are any distilleries of this 
kind? 3. About how many bushels of potatoes for a gallon of 
alcohol ? 
Ans. —1. Alcohol and potato spirits may both be 
prepared from potatoes, and are manufactured in 
large quantities from them. 2. There are different 
processes by which the potatoes are prepared for 
mashing and distillation. Perhaps one of the simplest 
is to place the potatoes in a cask after they have been 
washed carefully, and steam them under a pressure 
of about three atmospheres, until the starch cells are 
thoroughly broken up. This mash is then made into 
paste, and fermented by the addition of yeast, in a 
very similar manner to the fermentation of grain for 
the manufacture of spirits. Another method is to 
reduce the potatoes to a pulp, separate the starch, 
treat the starch with an acid which will convert it 
into a compound which may be readily fermented, 
and from this proceed with the fermentation and dis¬ 
tillation. I know of no distilleries in this country en¬ 
gaged in the manufacture of spirits from potatoes, 
although the industry is largely and profitably en¬ 
gaged in in Germany, France and England, and all 
the conditions of successful operation are thoroughly 
understood. The mash, after distillation, may be used 
as cattle food. 3. Where skillfully handled, 100 pounds 
of potatoes will produce about 9% quarts of potato 
spirits, containing about 50 per cent of alcohol. That 
is considered good results, and they may be arrived at 
without difficulty. Of course, if alcohol is desired as 
the final product, the spirits will have to be subjected 
to further treatment, as is done in distilling. They 
have stills so constructed that the operation is contin¬ 
uous from the time the mash is introduced into the 
still, until the product comes out as alcohol. Potato 
spirits is a very mean kind of whisky, containing a 
large percentage of fusel oil and volatile products, 
which give it a peculiar flavor unless it is subjected 
to the refining process. JOHN a. myers. 
West Virginia Experiment Station. 
