MOORE’S  RURAL  NEW-YORKER. 
JAN.  a 
S|t  (iSarkii, 
SHALL  WE  CULTIVATE  TKUFFLE31 
Fob  tbousanda  of  yeai-ts  Iho  “Truffle”  has 
been  conaidered  one  of  the  groateat  of  delicacien 
among  epicures,  and,  even  at  this  day, 
it  Commands  about  liil  per  pound  in 
the  European  markets.  Wo  pi’esumo 
that  moat  of  our  readers  know  that 
Die  Truffle  of  commerce  is  a  species  of  mushroom 
which  grows  underground,  and  usually  among 
the  roots  of  certain  sijodes  of  oaks.  It  is  found 
in  various  parts  of  Europe,  also  in  Japan  and 
the  East  Indies,  flourishing  generally  In  hght, 
dry  soil.  It  is  somewliat  of  an  irrogulai',  rouud- 
ish  form,  with  a  coarse,  rough  skin,  the  imier 
part,  or  flesh,  being  of  a  whitish  color,  jrossoss- 
iiig  an  agreeable  fragrance,  and,  when  cooked,  a 
delicious  flavor,  besides  lacing  considered  very 
wholesome  food. 
The  common  Truffle,  (S'uber  cibarium),  as  we 
li.ave  said,  grows  entirely  underground,  showing 
no  surface  signs  of  its  presence,  even  in  locali- 
tiiH  where  must  abundant ;  conHCcpiently,  to  find 
the  tubers  is  no  easy  task,  without  the  aid  of 
some  animal  with  a  more  acute  w^ont  than  man. 
Happily,  however,  for  the  Truffle  hunter,  he 
rearUly  finds  an  assistant  in  the  swineherd,  for 
hogs  are  very  fond  of  those  tubers,  and  <sin  scent 
them  while  buried  several  inches  in  the  earth, 
and,  by  proper  training,  a  pig  is  soon  taught  to 
as.sist  his  master  in  Booking  out  those  hidden 
treasures.  Dogs  liavo  also  been  taught  to  point 
out  the  spots  whore  tlie  Truffles  are  hidden. 
Althougli  Uiis  plant  ha.s  been  so  Icmg  known 
and  extensively  used  as  a  food  for  man,  its  hab¬ 
its  in  regard  to  propagation  siill  remain,  in  a 
great  measure,  a  mystery,  but  it  is  supposed  to 
multiply  In  a  similar  manner  to  tlie  common 
tuushroojn.  There  is  jirohably  a  minute  myceli¬ 
um  whlcli  spreads  through  tlio  soil,  utid,  at  cer- 
t.iin  periods  id  growtJx,  the  tuber,  or  tniflie,  is 
dovoloped  tlicrofrom.  Many  tlicorios  have  been 
advanced  in  regard  to  the  origin  of  the  Truffle, 
and  we  notice  in  a  late  namV>or  of  tho  I’ruetieal 
Magazine  that  M.  IUvkl  of  Montagmic,  Depart¬ 
ment  of  the  Basser-Alisis,  says  it  is  caused  by  the 
sting  of  a  particular  kind  of  fly,  which  pierces 
tlie  roots  of  certain  Hi>ecio8of  oaks,  cauaing  them 
to  produce  tlie  luliers  in  a  similar  maimer  as  galls 
are  ju'odiiccd  on  tlie  twigs  and  braiiches.  But 
the  stnieture  and  properties  of  tho  Truffle  are 
cluite  distinct  from  any  trim  gall  which  is  known 
as  being  caused  by  the  sting  of  an  insoct ;  there- 
foi’o  we  mu.st  conclude  that  Mi'.  Havui/s  theory 
is  as  wide  of  the  mark  as  scores  of  otliors  ad- 
vani'cd  in  years  past.  Htill,  while  his  theories 
are  vague  and  unsatisfaelory,  his  practical  ox- 
jierimonts  and  observations  are  both  interesting 
and  Talualile.  Ho  found  that  the  Truffle  was 
moie  abundant  near  tiio  roots  of  the  Pubescent 
O.ilc  (iS'irrcn.s  pubitecam)  than  elsewhere,  al- 
thongli  found  sparingly  about  tliose  of  the  7'obur 
and  Umigimra.  M.  lI.ivF.i.  claims,  that  from 
throe  and  a-lialf  acres,  planted  a  few  year  since 
with  the  first  named  Truffle  Oak,  ho  has  ah'Ciuly 
obtained  some  live  Inmdrod  pounds  wortli  of 
truffles,  and  ho  values  tho  annual  crop  at  about 
one  liuiidred  pounds,  or  five  ijimdred  dollars.  It 
is  also  said  that  near  Montagnac  there  was.  in 
1857,  fifteen  hundred  iw;res  planted  with  those 
Truffle  Oaks,  and  doubtless  tho  plantation  has 
largely  extended  since. 
Now,  as  the  oaks  referred  to  will  thrive  in  our 
elimnto,  why  cannot  we  introduce  the  Truffles 
along  with  tliom,  adding  anoUier  valuable  food- 
plant  to  our  already  very  extended  list  ?  It  is 
(juite  in'obabJc  that  tho  climate  of  the  Middle 
HUtos,  or  tliat  of  the  mountaiuons  regions  of  the 
Houtboni,  would  be  better  adapted  to  the  culture 
and  development  of  this  esculent  than  the  more 
northern ;  but  this  question  needs  to  ho  settled 
by  expovlonco.  -As  a  high,  dry  and  rather  iwor 
soil  is  said  to  bo  the  kind  in  which  the  Tmfflc  and 
'rriiffle  Oak  succeed  best,  wo  should  experience  no 
ditViculty  in  supplying  tho  proper  requisites  for 
extended  culliu-o  without  interfering  with 
other  products.  It  Is  also  quite  probable  that 
some  of  our  native  species  of  oali  might  lie  con¬ 
genial  to  the  Truffle  plant,  if  the  latter  wero  once 
introduced  and  planted  in  close  proximity  to  their 
roots.  But  tho  true  Truffle  Oak  of  Europe  can 
he  obtaincil  at  foreign  nursorica  for  about  5(2  per 
tliousand  for  one  year  seedlings ;  there,  it  would 
not  be  ailvisable  for  one  attempting  the  produc¬ 
tion  of  Tnifflcs,  to  exiierimont  very  extensively 
with  other  siiedoa. 
Our  conclusion  is,  that  tho  man  who  sliall  first 
produce  the  true  Truffle  in  America  may  lie  pretty 
certain  that  his  name  mil  go  down  to  posterity  as 
one  who  did  not  live  “  all  in  vain,”  even  if  no 
great  amount  of  money  was  made  out  of  the 
experiment. 
- 4  ♦  » - 
CHARTER  OAK  LAWN  MOWER, 
they  had  never  dreamed  of  having  a  lawn.  Still 
there  are  many  more  who  have  not  lawn  mowers 
hut  want  them,  besides,  not  a  few  who  need  such 
an  implement,  hut  have  not  yet  learned  that  they 
want  it.  To  enable  all  such  to  be  accommwlated 
cheaply,  we  put  the  Charter  Oak  Lawn  Mower 
(see  cut)  in  the  Rubal  Premium  List  for  20 
copies  at  5'2.65,  or  35  at  •?2.15  each.  We  will 
With  inoroased  attention  to  homo  adornment, 
liawn  Mowers  have  come  in  demand.  Tliey  arc 
now  used  by  liundrcds  of  fanulios,  who,  20  years 
ago,  had  novor  known  of  such  a  thing,  as  indeed 
also  furnish  a  Croquet  Mower,  cutting  9  or  12 
inches  in  width,  very  convenient  for  trimming 
grass  on  croquet  grounds,  for  16  subscribers  at 
$2.66,  or  30  at  $2.16. 
A  START  IN  MARKET  GARDENING. 
Ei>b.  RoBAi : — Some  eight  or  nine  years  ago  I 
was  a  subscriber  to  the  Rubal  New-Yobker,  but 
1  never  read  it  with  the  interest  I  do  now.  I  am 
now  ialutig  it  from  the  news  j-oonj.  I  have 
bought  twelve  aci'cs  of  good  creek  land,  adjoining 
tho  corporation,  for  a  imu-kct  garden.  About 
one  acre  of  high  land  overlooks  tJie  garden.  It 
is  a  favorite  business  spot.  I  am  sotting  this  to 
trees  and  grapes.  1  set  them  this  fall.  1  would 
inquire  if  gra]iOs  will  not  do  well  on  ilry  creek 
hottouis,  as  wild  grapes  gi'ow  in  swamps. 
Tliis  fall  I  .sot  one  acre  to  strawherrios  in  the 
bottom  laud,  and  tJ«o  best  varieties  of  rasjiberrios 
and  blackherricH  I  could  got.  1  projiose  having 
a  Honey  Locust  hedge,  and  have  planlrsl  two 
busliols  T/Ocust  boans.  I  slielled  about  one  pint 
and  iilanfod  the  bulanoo  in  the  pod.  I  can  get 
tho  beans  in  sight  of  the  garden.  I  prefer  this 
kind  of  hedge,  as  if  is  a  native  of  Gils  eonntry 
and  will  not  freeze  out.  I  want  to  know  If  they 
will  come  up  in  the  spring,  or  will  they  lie  in  the 
ground  longer. 
1  have  a  swale  of  about  one  acre  which  I  have 
sot  apart  to  cranberry  vines,  and  also  planted 
Bomo  CajM  Cod  waiiherries.  I  am  experiraont- 
ing  on  the  betries.  I  have  always  been  inclined 
to  fniit  growing.  I  like  to  graft,  and  work  at 
such  businoBH  as  trucking.  I  cut  a  ditch,  and 
brought  a  spring  nm  close  to  the  building  siiot, 
and  I  •will  want  to  know  something  about  a  fish 
pond  after  awhile,  but  I  am  not  quite  ready  for 
tluil  yet.  I  want  to  make  the  garden  a  credit  to 
the  little  town  of  Anhnrn,  I  will  take  your  i>a- 
per  from  the  news  room  to  Jaimai'y  first,  and 
then  subscribe  for  tho  year,  I  could  not  do 
without  it  now ;  it  has  benefited  mo  already. 
Aubui’n,  Ind.,  Dec.  13,  18T5.  g.  s.  m. 
SAWDUST  FOR  WALKS. 
In  tlio  extensive  wild  garden  adjouiing  Uu- 
well-kept  pleasure  grounds  at  Oadland,  near 
SouUiamjiton,  the  gardener,  Mr.  Harnett,  haw 
used  sawdust  as  a  dressing  for  the  pathways 
cut  out  amongst  tho  heath  and  trees  in  the  wood¬ 
land.  Tho  ti'ansition  from  smooth  mown  lawns, 
briglit,  clean  gravel  wallis,  and  brilliant  flower¬ 
beds,  on  the  one  side,  to  the  adjuncts  of  this 
wild  garden,  is  both  pleasing  and  refreshing,  and 
seems  H]x:cially  enticing  when  tlie  sun  sheds  a 
tropical  heat,  and  quietness  and  sohtude  are 
most  appreciated.  The  walks  ai'c  firm  and  yet 
soft  to  the  treoil ;  tho  sawdust  soon  becomes  of 
a  neutral  tint,  closely  allied  to  the  cnished  di'ied 
leafage  of  tJie  Beach,  which  here,  so  much 
abounds.  Weeds  seldom  grow,  and  Ihese  are 
easily  kept  iji  check  iviGi  the  hoe,  and  a  light 
sweeping  with  a  broom  keeps  all  clean  and  neat. 
— 71.,  in  the  Oardeners'  Chronicle. 
- 4  4 - 
HOT-BED  FOR  SWEET  POTATOES. 
The  following  plan  for  preparing  a  hot-licd 
is  a  good  one Dig  out  a  space  as  largo  as  the 
bed  is  wanted  ton  inches  deep,  and  filled  with 
decayed  leaves  of  wood.  Upon  this  put  eight 
inches  of  fresh  stabh*  manure.  Pound  down 
well,  and  cviver  this  with  tlu'ce  inches  of  rich, 
well  pulverized  dirt.  I-et  it  stand  until  the  first 
heat  passes  olf,  which  perhaps  will  take  a  day  or 
two,  oiring  to  the  weather.  Put  tho  sweet  pota¬ 
toes  on  the  surface  of  this  layer  of  dii't  and  cover 
with  two  Inches  of  soft  chip  matnu'o. 
•  ^‘iflii  tjro|)s. 
CORN  CULTURE. 
Now  that  a  good  corn  crop  has  been  raised  and 
a  good  deal  of  interest  luamfosted,  more  experi¬ 
ments  having  been  made  the  past  year,  owing  to 
more  reading  having  been  done  by  the  farmers 
than  usual— wJuch  is  no  doubt  tho  fact,  and  an 
I  encouraging  one  too— wo  propose  to  give  such 
items  of  interest  and  tine  principles  of  the  cul¬ 
ture  of  a  crop  so  important  to  the  fanners  of  the 
West.  The  following  is  by  John  Elliot  in  the 
Ohio  Fai-mer ; 
According  to  promise,  I  send  you  an  account 
of  my  corn  crop  this  year,  with  method  of  culti¬ 
vation.  My  farm  consists  of  one  hundi’ed  and 
seventy  acies  of  high  rolling  laud,  situated  in 
Chippewa  townsliip.  Wayne  county,  Ohio,  ad¬ 
joining  tho  Medina  comity  lino,  and  1  have  lived 
upon  it  fifty-two  years. 
The  first  piece  of  com  I  shall  mention  was  a 
field  that  has  been  under  cultivation  over  fifty 
years.  It  is  free  from  stumps  and  is  more  clay 
than  sand,  ]  maiuu'cd  fom'  acres  in  1873,  and 
planted  in  tobacco.  In  1874  1  took  off  it  a  good 
crop  of  sound  corn.  I>ast  spring  1  plowed  five 
inches  deep,  harrowed  smooth,  marked  rows 
tliroo  fe<>t  apart  and  drilled  m  the  com,  twelve 
inohos  apart  in  tho  row.  It  was  planknl  May 
1801,  was  cultivated  throe  times  and  hoed  once. 
I  went  through  it  and  carefully  pulled  off  all  the 
suckers  and  stolks  whore  they  happened  to  be 
more  tlian  one  in  a  place.  I  harvested  about  the 
middle  of  October  and  measured  640  bushels 
from  tlie  four  aei'es,  or  160  bushels  of  ears  j>er 
acre  of  good  sound  corn. 
I  had  another  field  of  seven  acres,  clover  sod, 
that  had  been  under  cultivation  eight  years.  It 
was  encumbered  witli  a  good  many  stumps,  aud 
never  had  any  manure  or  fertilizer  of  any  land, 
except,  what  it  obtained  from  a  lot  of  sheep  that 
ran  on  it  for  Uiree  years.  It  was  plowed  and 
cultivated  tlie  same  as  the  other,  and  it  j'ieldcd 
135  basliols  jier  acre.  Many  of  Uie  ears  meas¬ 
ured  eight  and  nine  inches  in  ejrcuiiifijreiice,  and 
my  hired  man  picked  up  one  ear  twelve  inches 
long,  aud  containing  over  1,100  grains,  tho  grains 
measuring  half  an  iueb  in  length. 
Tlio  land  for  corn  must  Ix'  (hy.  Corn  delights 
in  loose,  dry,  warai  soil.  If  it  Is  sookei^  with 
water,  all  the  sunsliine  of  tho  hottest  summer 
cannot  make  it  wann,  and  all  tho  manure  that 
can  ho  put  on  it  cannot  iiuike  it  yield  a  good 
crop.  To  raise  a  good  corn  crop  one  must  have 
good  ground,  well  prepared,  good  seed,  early  aud 
good  and  careful  cultivation,  and  the  weeds 
must  be  kept  down  the  summer  through.  I 
prefer  to  plant  in  drills,  because  it  Hocures  a  more 
even  disU’ihutioii  of  the  crop  ever  the  ground,  so 
that  each  plant  secures  its  share  of  the  soil  aud 
sun.  The  growUi  Is  more  even  and  the  ears 
more  perfoetlf  set  and  hotter  filled.  In  cultivat¬ 
ing  I  use  the  boo  to  keep  down  tho  woods. 
If  you  would  have  good  corn,  the  greatest 
pains  must  bo  taken  witli  the  seed.  It  must  bo 
corofully  selected.  Some  Larmei's  lose  huiuheds 
of  husliels  cverj'  year  by  carelessness  in  this 
partiouliu'.  If  j'on  have  not  good  seed  of  your 
own,  buy  it  even  at  an  exorbitant  jirico.  You 
will  make  money  in  tho  end,  for  it  is  labor  and 
vexation  to  re-plant  corn,  and  the  re-plant  rarely 
amounts  to  anything. 
My  com  is  tlio  yellow  gourd  seed  and  has  from 
sixteen  to  twonty-four  rows  on  an  oar.  I  have 
had  it  for  years,  and  have  improved  it  aud 
brought  it  up  to  the  present  standing  by  care¬ 
fully  selecting  the  best  ears  every  year,  at  husk¬ 
ing  tinit!,  My  plan  is,  when  husking,!  find  an 
ear  that  suits  mo,  to  leave  a  few  husks  on  it  and 
put  it  by  itself.  After  I  am  tlirougli  husking,  I 
go  over  tho  whole  lot  again,  rejecting  all  that  arc 
not  filled  up  to  the  end  of  the  cob,  and  that  have 
not  Huffioient  depth  of  grain.  Then  1  put  away 
in  tho  garret,  out  of  the  way  of  mice,  till  wanted, 
Let  tiK^  adil  that  I  iK'ver  select  seed  from  a  stock 
that  Isiiirs  t  wo  or  more  ears.  Hero.  I  supposo.  I 
sliall  difi’er  from  many  of  onr  best  farmers,  hut  I 
can't  help  that.  l\Iy  theory  is  derived  from  elosc 
observation  for  many  years.  I  would  ask  nil 
who  differ,  go  into  your  field,  any  year,  select  a 
dozen  ears  from  stalks  that  grow  more  than  one, 
and  a  dozen  from  stalks  that  hcai'  but  one,  shell, 
measure  and  compare,  and  then  be  convinced. 
BROOM  CORN. 
Broom  Cohn,  like  Indian  corn,  thrives  best  in 
rich,  alluvial  soil,  and  the  land  is  prepai'cd  in  all 
respects  as  for  tho  latter  crop.  I  use  a  horse- 
(h'ill  making  two  rows  nud  marking  tho  tliird, 
wliich  serves  ns  a  guide  on  the  return.  One 
bushel  of  seed  plants  about  14  acivs.  \Vlien  the 
cNirn  is  up  about  two  inches  I  go  through  the 
rows  with  a  horse-scraper ;  that  cuts  the  weeds 
and  scrape.s  the  eartli  from  tlie  com.  after  wliich 
the  field  hands,  using  a  light  Ikh;,  scrape  tho 
earth  from  the  corn,  at  the  same  time  Uiinniiig 
it  out  when  too  thick.  After  this  the  labor  is 
mostly  performed  with  a  horse  and  oiiltivator, 
going  thi'ough  five  or  six  times,  concluding  with 
a  liilJer  that  throws  the  earth  up  to  tho  roots.  In 
this  valley  it  requires  about  90  days  to  mature. 
After  the  bnish  is  in  condition  it  i.s  bent  down  so 
as  to  he  cut,  leaving  a  stem  about  seven  iiiches 
I  long,  after  which  the  work  is  sininltaneous  of 
I  cutting,  handing  to  the  scraper,  assorting, 
scraping  and  placing  upon  drymg  poles  in  open 
sheds  of  15  to  21  tiers,  according  to  tho  bight  of 
the  shetL  When  baled  for  market,  two  lengths 
are  placed  with  butts  out  wnd  fiUed  in  the  middle 
to  jiresfirve  a  goo<l  shape,  and  pressed  in  a  ma- 
chhie  for  tho  puqioHc,  holding  about  275  lbs., 
with  four  bands  of  No.  10  annealed  wire. 
Prime  green  brush  bears  tho  liigheat  price. 
Green  hurl  stalks,  liraided,  will  work  itself  iqi  if 
there  is  sufflclcnt  small  brush  to  work  up  the 
long,  and  Red  is  ripe  when  cut.  Land  well  ciU- 
tlvated  and  adapted  will  yield  one  ton  to  three 
acres.  After  tlie  brush  is  cut,  and  before  frost, 
I  we  )»low  under  the  stniuhng  stalks,  and  the  fol¬ 
lowing  spring  gang  tlie  land,  followed  ivitli  har¬ 
row  and  roller.—//,  li.,  Mount  Mon-is,  N.  1'.,  in 
Tinbune. 
- 4-*-4 - 
j  EFFECTS  OF  TREES  ON  CLOVER. 
I  Home  species  of  trees  seem  to  be  specially  in¬ 
jurious  to  vegetation  beneath  their  shade,  and  of 
,  those  tho  butternut  and  hickories,  or  walnuts  are 
conspicuous  examples.  The  fact  is  fiequently 
nohxl  that  clover,  corn  and  hoed  crops  arc  espe¬ 
cially  liable  to  injury.  We  have  often  seen  clover 
,  killed  outright  ai'ound  a  butternut  tree  for  a  dis- 
,  tance  equal  to  tho  extent  of  its  branches,  and 
also  presimiubly  of  the  underground  branches  or 
roots.  At  the  sumo  time  clover  will  thrive  imder 
apple,  pear  or  other  fruit  trees  whore  the  groiuid 
;  is  not  unsuitable,  and  tho  failure  under  butter- 
mil  and  walnut  trees  suggests  the  query  whether 
I  it  is  causod  by  the  roots  of  ono  kind  of  trees  ox- 
j  haustuig  the  moisture  near  the  surface  while 
j  the  oUiers  draw  it  from  tlie  suhsoil,  or  whether 
'  it  may  not  result  from  the  direct  injurious  effects 
of  the  drippings  of  water  from  tho  leaves  and 
j  branolics.  Many  farmers  believe  lliat  butternut 
;  and  walnut  leaves  jxiison  tho  soil  for  certaui 
J  kinds  of  crops.  In  order  to  test  this  question  we 
are  instituting  experimonts,  taking  butternut 
loaves  and  spreading  them  on  a  few  feet  square 
j  of  clover  to  note  tho  effect  next  summer.  If  tho 
loaves  ai'e  really  jioisonous  to  vegetation  the 
effect  will  be  seen  away  from  Uie  trees  as  well 
as  near  them.  Our  guess  is  that  tlie  butternut 
I  roots  exhaust  the  subsoil  moisture  worse  than 
,  the  roof  s  of  other  trees.  Butternut  makes  a 
poor  slisdc,  and  this  tends  to  keep  tho  land 
1  di'yer.  Wo  noticed  last  fall  tliat  young  clover  of 
last  season’s  growth  grew  quite  well  under  a  hut- 
h-ruiit  tree.  Tho  bail  effect  seems  not  to  be 
I  maiiifi'xu  d  till  the  second  year,  by  wliich  time 
tho  clover  roots  sliould  strike  the  subsoil. 
'  This  subject  is  well  wortliy  of  attention  and 
j  investigation.  Clover  is  so  uiiportant  and  al- 
I  most  nocossory  as  a  renovating  crop,  that  any¬ 
thing  wliich  dcti’aetrt  from  its  giowth  is  a  great 
'  loss,  ami  it  is  highly  important  that  wo  should 
j  know  whoroin  the  injury  consists.  We  ai’e 
I  entirely  convinced  that  fields  kept  mainly  for 
j  tillage  should  bo  cumboi'od  with  few  or  no  trees 
j  and  especially  that  those  kinds  most  iujuriouB  to 
tilled  crops  or  clover  should  ho  removed.  They 
;  are  us  much  worse  t  han  rocks  in  a  field  as  a  con- 
I  tinned  injiu'y  is  worse  than  an  inconveuienoc. 
j  By  making  the  soil  less  productive,  trees  in  culti¬ 
vated  fields  hoeonie  one  of  the  worst  obstacles  to 
'  good  and  successful  farming. 
MANURING  POTATOES. 
Ed.  Ruuaj.  ; — Being  a  Hubscriber  to  your  valu¬ 
able  paper,  I  take  the  liberty  of  asking  u  ques¬ 
tion  which,  if  you  will  answer,  will  benefit  seve- 
I  rul.  I  have  fre.sh  stable  nianuro  and  partly 
I  rotted  stable  manure,  and  can  get  pulverized 
I  charcoal  in  limited  quantities.  Bhould  they  he 
used  together  to  manure  in  the  hill  potatoes  at 
1  Iho  time  of  ifianfing  or  sepai'atelv?  Jno.  J. 
■  IIai.l,  Eureka.  NfV. 
The  fresli  stable  manure  will  do  better  ap- 
ifiied  broadcast  on  the  siU'faco  of  the  gi'ouud 
this  fall.  The  rains  and  snows  of  winter  will 
mix  its  fertilizing  ju-oiierties  in  the  soil,  and 
I  with  little  loss.  If  applied  ilireetly  to  the  hill, 
fresli  mil II urc might  cause  potatoes  to  rot.  Bmall 
quantities  of  rotted  stable  manure  with  charcoal 
can  doubtless  be  used  in  tho  hill  ivith  benefit  to 
j  the  croj).  We  inoliue  to  the  belief  that  charcoal 
I  is  a  preventive  of  rot.  At  any  rate,  it  can  do  no 
liiu-t,  and  is  a  valuable  absorbent  of  ammonia. 
Good  Corn. — The  Husbandman  says: — Geo. 
C.  Hill  of  Burlington,  I’a.,  presents  the  Elmira 
Farmer, s'  Club  witli  several  fine  samples  of  corn 
on  the  ear.  He  raised  diiruig  the  past  season  247 
bushels  of  shelled  corn  from  two  and  one-fourth 
acres,  Tho  corn  was  planted  on  the  7th  of  May. 
Tho  land  was  nmniu-ed  this  year  and  last.  This 
piece  of  laud  was  jilantcd  to  Corn  in  1869,  oats 
hi  1870,  wheat  and  l>uckw)ioat  in  1871,  oats  in 
1872,  coni  ill  1873,  1874  and  1876,  There  are 
probably  fifty  samples  of  coni  iii  tlie  Club  Hall, 
imt  those  proseuted  by  Mr.  mil  are  tho  finest  in 
the  lot.  Some  of  the  ears  are  15  inches  long, 
and  ore  plump  and  sound,  almost  jierfect. 
