visited it at the proper season. The habit 
of the tree also seems modified, and, I think, 
improved, being more compact; the wood 
is much harder, though it does not seem to 
differ in structure. The tree may be fifty 
years old—probably more.” 
Slrborintltural 
skill in curing the sick, I should be inclined 
to give some attention to Charles Yard- 
ley's “ Wild Tea,” if it is learned that by 
this he means the common “ Wintergreen.” 
—L. M. B., Ionia , Mich. 
APPLE AND CHEERY SEEDLINGS, 
HYGIENIC NOTES AND QUERIES 
Will you please inform me, through the 
columns of the Rural New-Yorker, how 
to raise apple and cherry seedlings, f tind 
that I can obtain more reliable information 
through your paper then elsewhere. B. 
Caywood, Herndon, Fu. 
The most common method of raising apple 
seedlings is to procure fresh pomace from 
the cider mills and wash out the Beed. If 
the pomace is not fresh, hav- _ 
ing remained several days in F 
a large heap, and begun to fer¬ 
ment, the seed will be of lit¬ 
tle value. The seed may be 
spread out and dried, if it is r ... 
desirable to transport them to {££&&&§& 
any other locality; but the 
longer time they remain dry 
til ; less likely they ure to ger¬ 
minate. The best plan is either iVgjgfjgjgiS 
to sow them immediately, or 
mix with moist sand and sot 
away in some cool pluce until 
spring, and then sow in broad 
drills, covering about an inch 
deep with line, rich soil. Wo 
would never incurthe expense 
of sowing apple-seeds pur- j:'•T, 
chased at seed-st ores, or else- (■' 
Frosted Feet.—In RuralNew-Yorker, 
Feb. 3d. Katie S. wants to know what is 
good for frosted feet. I am not learned as 
to science; but an accidental application of 
grafting wax to my horribly itching feet, 
about ten years ago, charmed not only the 
parts frosted, but in addition my whole 
nervous system in five minutes. I never 
Coniferous and Evergreen Seed.— 
What length of time does coniferous and 
evergreen seed preserve its vegetating prop¬ 
erties? Is there very great risk iu getting 
good seed? —Saml. Boxeham. 
The seeds of most evergreens will retain 
their vitality several years, if stored iu a 
36th of February last. For a 
! > r h effort, it was a reninrka- 
BaaJwgMl M fcl ble success, as an exhibition 
and financially. Its whole 
management would throw into 
•.he shade the boa,ted ability 
of a society w it hin the bound¬ 
erories of our State. The coops 
f ■ ' "' c ' re oil alike, and of uniform 
ize; wide passageways were 
left between, for the visitors 
•ijjto pass and re pass with coin- 
fort.. One thing which pnrtie- 
ularly attracted my attention 
w r as the easy, quiet and meth¬ 
odical way things were man- 
aged. No shouting, no bust- 
lin K> uo hurrying to and fro, 
no Patching tip and throwing 
down coops, no fowls being 
^h'd from view by a lot of im- 
| ported, sickly birds beingplac- 
^ ed alongside of them. Each 
officer and aid seemed to have 
his duties assigned him, and to 
fully understand and attend 
to them. The officers, from 
7 -" / l. the President down, were con- 
-t immllyon hand, ready to an- 
£ swor and settle all doubts and 
difficulties. The fowls received 
the most constant and careful 
\ attention, and their comfort 
was looked after in every re¬ 
spect. The doors of the coops 
were very nicely covered wit h gravel, and 
kept scrupulously clean. Soft feed was 
provided for their morning’s meal, grain 
and vegetables in the evening, and occa¬ 
sionally meat and ale,when the fowls showed 
fatigue. 
I always knew the West had fine fowls, 
but was not prepared to meet so many good 
birds across the Mississippi. A Western 
gentleman remarked to mo that “our East¬ 
ern breeders must not expect we shall put 
up with any other than first-class birds. 
Vulture-hocked Cochins and Brahmas do 
not pass muster here. There is a certain 
fancier in your neighborhood who sells out 
too often for our taste and credulity; and 
what perplexes us more is how he can have 
a few more fowls’ eggs to spare from the 
same stock.” 
The principal exhibitors and winners 
were B. NT. Pierce, Char. Drew, E. W. 
Pattiso.v, I. C. Hatch, C. L. Gilpin, D. L. 
Wiluur, N. H. Todd, I. C. Long, A. B. 
Neill &i Co. I cannot,close without thank¬ 
ing my St . Louis friends for their generous 
and hospitable reception. 
Isaac Van Winkle. 
Greenville, N. J. 
FOX-HOUND.-(Pa 4 e 195.) 
think of the circumstance but gladness and 
joy follows. I was root-grafting late in the 
evening, and in my rage stripped my feet, 
applied the wax to the affected part; the 
air was at once excluded and quiet restored. 
On going to bed I repeated the coating, 
slipped on an old sock; repeated the same 
next evening, and passed two winters with¬ 
out any return of the trouble. T ha ve never 
known it to fail since, when well applied. 
Two years ago, Capt. Patton of our town 
was confined to his room, feet covered with 
cloths or moccasins. I gave him a ball of 
the wax, told him what it had done for me 
and others. Suffice that ho asked me yes¬ 
terday how it, was made, as his feet had not 
troubled him since the first application till 
this week. lie said his feet felt so good he 
refused to take off his waxey socks until 
they were worn out, and no amount of 
money would compare with the comfort and 
ease lie took. I use three parts resin, two 
of beeswax, and one of tallow, melted and 
well stirred together, poured in cold water, 
and worked into a ball by hand.—W. W. 
Tjlpton, Coffey Co., Kan. 
proper place—one that is not too moist or 
too warm. As a rule, however, it, is not best 
to trust seed that are more than two years 
old; if recently gathered, so much the bet¬ 
ter. There are some species of Pine, the 
cones of which remain closed until subject¬ 
ed to heat or moisture; the seeds being her¬ 
metically sealed, therefore, will reiaiiitUgir 
germinating powers for a dozen or “more 
years in this position. We have Ulkoii seed 
out of cones of Cedar of Lebanon, that had 
been iu our cabinet for ten years, and they 
germinated as freely as though freshly gath¬ 
ered. We do not think you would run much 
risk in purchasing evergreen seeds from any 
of our well known seedsmen. 
Chestnuts iu Northwestern Mo, —In 
the Rural New Yorker, Jan. 30th, you 
wished to know of the possibility of grow¬ 
ing tiie Chestnut tree in Kansas. My obser¬ 
vation of Chestnut growing only applies t,o 
this county, which is only separated from 
Kansas by the Missouri River. There are 
several enterprising farmers here who have 
fine specimens of the Chestnut growing on 
their farms. It is found that t he soil and 
climate are suitable for their growth, which 
is very rapid, exceeding that of many of 
our native forest trees, I think that the 
Chestnut can be grown here upon the prai¬ 
rie lands to a great advantage and profit. 
These remarks will apply equally as well to 
Northeastern Kansas and Southeastern 
Nebraska, as to Northwestern Missouri, as 
the soil and climate is about the same. —m. 
ARBORICULTURAL NOTES, 
How tlie South Americans Make 
Fruit Trees.— Darwin, in his “Natural¬ 
ist’s Voyage” (1871), says:—“In Chiloe, the 
inhabitants possess a marvellously short 
method of making an orchard. At the low¬ 
er partwf almost every branch, small, coni¬ 
cal, brown, wrinkled points project: these 
are always ready to change into roots, as 
may .sometimes be seen, where any mud has 
been accidentally splashed against a tree. 
A branch as thick as a man’s thigh is chos¬ 
en in the early spring, and is cut off just be¬ 
neath a group of these points; all the small¬ 
er brunches are lopped off, and it is then 
placed about two feet deep in the ground. 
During the ensuing summer the stump 
throws out long shoots, aud sometimes even 
bears fruit. I was shown one which had 
produced as many as twenty-three apples, 
but this was thought very unusual. In the 
third season the stump is changed (as 1 have 
myself seen) into a well-wooded tree, loaded 
with fruit.” 
Grafting the Ash upon the Oak.— 
Alfred Gruueon writes the London Gar¬ 
den that last summer he found a fine young 
Ash which had been grafted on an Oak. 
He says:—“This had been done about two 
feet from the ground, and the line of sepa¬ 
ration was sharp and distinct between the 
two barks, although the charact er of the ash 
bark was slightly changed, seeming more 
rigid and unyielding than the ordinary con¬ 
dition; while both bark and wood had ac¬ 
quired the astringency of the oak. and when 
put in water, tinted it blue; and while the 
common oak trees were full of fruit, this 
was entirely destitute. Whether it ever 
blossoms, I cannot say, as I have not yet 
Ringworms and Frosted Feet.—In the 
Rural New-Yorker of Feb. 3, a euro is 
wanted for frosted feet; also for ringworms. 
Here it is:—Take of carbolic acid, (liquid,) 
one part, oil of any kind, two parts; apply 
evening and morning a few times; shake it 
up when you use it . It. is good for burns, 
will keep out erysipelas, proud tlesh and 
gangrene from old sores, and to relieve neu¬ 
ralgia pains iu the face, it is extra. Perhaps 
a lit tle more of the acid should be added for 
neuralgia, so as to make it a little pungent; 
but the clear acid will blister. Try it; try 
it. In two instances I have known ring¬ 
worms cured that covered much of the neck 
and one side of the face.— David Landox, 
Jackson Co., Mich. 
POULTRY NOTES AND QUERIES 
Iloudan Fowls.—“A Farmer’s Wife” in 
Indiana writes us that she does not agree 
with those who regard Houdans “subject 
to disease, poor winter layers, hard to raise, 
&0." She has had them for three years, 
given them a good, fair trial, and “would 
not discard them now. Ours sit occasion¬ 
ally; and as layers, they hold their own 
aguinst any fowls with which I am ac¬ 
quainted, not excepting the Poland; and, 
on an average, they will weigh as much as 
the Brahmas, and are so much better for 
the table.” 
Treatment of Grafts, — Please give me 
a little advice in regard to the care of pear 
grafts. Last year 1 set some, and now I 
want to know whether they shall be pruned 
or allowed to remain as they are. Shall I 
allow them to bear as sooii as they will 
naturally, or should the first fruit be re¬ 
moved.—A. J. L., Pawtucket, R. 1. 
If the grafts have made a vigorous growth 
— say two or more feet iu length — shorten 
them at least one-half. This will make 
them throw out strong lateral shoots and 
prevent breaking out by the wind. The 
grafts should not be allowed to bear fruit 
unt il they are at least two or three years 
old. If permitted to produce much fruit 
before they are well established, or firmly 
united to the parent stock, there is danger 
of not only checkiug growth, but breaking 
off the junction with the stock. 
Crossing Brahmas witlx Leghorns.— 
Your correspondent, R. E. N., speaking of 
crossing the Brahmas with Leghorns, speaks 
of the Leghorn cock and Brahma pullet. I 
should like to ask R. E. N. if the Brahma 
cock and Leghorn pullet would not cross as 
well ? As I have a fine lot of Leghorn pul¬ 
lets, I should like to try the experiment.— 
S. A. D., Newark, N. J, 
Remedy for Hoarseness Wanted.— 
My little boy, Eddy, now past six years 
old, has been afflicted with hoarseness ever 
since he was about three mouths old, it 
having commenced with a severe cold. 
Medical aid, thus far, lias failed to relieve 
him. Will any of the numerous readers of 
the Rural New-Yorker, for the benefit of 
this, and perhaps many other cases, give, 
through its instructive columns, a safe aud 
efficacious remedy for the above-named 
complaint?—A. J., Waltham, Mass. 
What Ails the Hen ?—We have a hen 
that is in the habit of backing up. especially 
when she is picking up food. She will 
crouch down and back up several feet. I 
would like to ask what is the cause of it, 
and if there is any remedy? Otherwise 
than that the hen appears healthy.—W. H. 
B., Ithaca, N. 1\_ 
Inquiries for Poultry Advertisers.— 
An Iowa correspondent asks where he can 
get Japanese Bantam fowls. 
Wintergreen as a Cancer Remedy.— 
I heard, bj' way of an old gentleman who 
used to practice the Thompsonian system, 
that Wintergreen is a powerful remedy for 
cancers. 1 do not know how it was used, 
but, from my knowledge of him, aud his 
Osage Orange in Vermont.—Will you 
please inform me if the Osage Orange will, 
or will not, thrive in the lower part of Ver¬ 
mont ?— Inquirer, Pownal, Vt. 
No. The Osage Orange is too tender for 
any locality in Vermont. 
