jilTIVl 
FES.  as 
j[J-ariii  (gfonoiiij). 
SUGGESTIONS  ABOUT  MANUEES. 
Tin:  fanners  of  tliis  country  have  much  to 
learn  from  the  market  gardeners.  These  last 
have  devoted  far  more  time  to  experimenting 
and  have  made  careful  and  minute  tAts  of  facts 
in  the  liue  of  their  husuiess  which  the  groat  ma¬ 
jority  of  farmers  cannot  afford.  This  is  esjjeeially 
tnio  with  regard  to  manures,  and  as  these  are 
equally  uecessary  in  fanning  and  gardening,  the 
interchange  of  iafonnation  cannot  fail  to  prove 
valuable.  We  would  have  all  farmers  purchase 
and  carefully  study  such  standard  works  as 
Hknoerbon's  Gardening  ♦or  Pi-oflt,”  together 
with  tlie  numerous  manuals  and  catalogues  issued 
by  gardeners  and  seedsmen.  Anyhinking  farmer 
will  find  much  in  all  these  which  he  ean  make 
available  in  his  own  business.  From  the  ’*  Gar¬ 
den  Manual"  (issued  by  J.  B.  Hoot  of  Kockford, 
Ill.,)  we  copy  the  following  practical  and  sug¬ 
gestive  ideas  about  iho  use  and  action  of  ma¬ 
nures  : 
Hen  manure,  when  mixed  with  enough  soil  to 
work  fine,  has  special  fitness  for  the  onion  mop. 
as  it  can  he  ajiplied  to  the  surface  where  wanted, 
has  no  weed  seeds,  and  is  exceedingly  valuable, 
being  little  less  than  guano. 
Leached  ashes  have  an  especial  value  on  sandy 
soils,  and  produce  most  effect  on  onions,  pota¬ 
toes,  corn  and  the  root  crops.  Then’  value  is 
lasting,  and  tiie  effect  of  a  liberal  application 
wiU  be  noticed  fur  years,  and  if  not  to  be  hauled 
more  thau  throe  miles,  their  use  is  profitable. 
Uuleached  ashes  have  a  most  marked  effect 
when  applied  hroadcAst  over  onions  pertly  grown 
— in  fact,  it  is  one  of  tlio  most  valuable  special 
mamu'CH  for  this  crop,  and  is  worth  for  this  pur¬ 
pose  twice  the  amount  paid  by  soap  makers. 
For  all  garden  crops  they  are  valuaale  ;  potatoes, 
turnips,  lieets  and  jicas  deiiving  most  ):)eneflt 
next  to  onions. 
Lime  is  of  most  value  on  rich,  old  soils,  its 
effect  being  to  unlock  and  release  fertility  al¬ 
ready  in  the  soil,  hut  inactive  or  insoluble.  Hence 
upon  poor  soils  it  may  sometimes  do  more  harm 
than  good  ;  but  used  uix)u  rich,  old  garden  soils, 
its  use  occasionally  w'ill  produce  astonishing  re- 
Bulls. 
Superphosphate  of  lime  produces  a  very  quick 
effect ;  end  besides  tlie  fertility  it  adds  to  a  soil, 
the  rapid  develojnnent  it  aids  in  plant  life  ena¬ 
bles  the  roots  to  lay  hold  of  much  food  they 
would  not  otherwise.  In  the  garden  it  is  of  es¬ 
pecial  value  to  hasten  growth  while  plants  are 
still  small  and  unable  yet  to  reach  coarser  ma¬ 
nures,  and  also  to  touch  up  and  bring  forward 
any  ijoiiions  of  crops  which  seem  to  need  further 
help.  While  dejiending  chiefly  on  stable  and 
green  manures,  yet  we  always  find  profitable  use 
for  more  or  lees  superphosphate. 
In  the  garden,  land  plaster  is  exceedingly  va¬ 
riable  in  its  effects.  Some  of  the  most  marked 
benefits  from  its  use  have  been  noticed  upon 
vinos  dining  a  drouth.  If  applied  over  the  sur¬ 
face  of  the  hill  and  vines  during  a  di-outh  so  se¬ 
vere  that  the  leaves  di'oop  at  midday,  they  will, 
n  a  couple  of  days,  show  no  signs  of  di'ooping 
but  exhibit  unusual  vigor.  Wliilo  in  this  section 
we  sometime)*  use  it  without  any  perceptible  ef¬ 
fect,  in  Michigan  it  tells  wonderfully  upon  clover 
nd  generally  upon  other  crops. 
Bi-ewers’  siient  hops  are  in  some  places  so 
abundant  as  to  be  an  iraimrtant  feiiillzer,  gene¬ 
rally  one  load  being  equal  to  two  of  stable  ma¬ 
nure.  But  I  have  found  them  most  valuable, 
when  well  rotted,  for  raking  into  tlie  surface  of 
seed  beds  in  which  are  raised  cabbage,  celorj’  and 
other  garden  plants,  since  they  retain  moisture, 
keep  the  surface  loose  and  light,  and  in  everj- 
way  favorable  for  tlie  successful  gi-owtli  of  plants, 
lu  like  manner  it  is  excellent  for  any  plot  where 
you  wish  a  most  vigorous  growth — those  vege¬ 
tables  for  the  Fair  you  know — since  it  furnishes 
abuudaut  fertility,  while  it  keeps  the  soil  in  the 
best  condition  for  gi-owth. 
- - - 
HOW  CLOVEE  FEETILIZE8. 
It  is  a  well  known  fact  that  clover  has  the  sin- 
gulai'  property  of  being  able  to  exti-act  from  the 
atmosphere,  without  the  aid  of  manure  or  stimu¬ 
lants,  nitrogen  sulUclent  for  its  own  proper  growth 
and  uonrishment.  The  straw  and  roots  of  the 
clover  contain  a  hirge  amount  of  nitrogen,  and 
these,  when  plowed  down,  are  therefore  ns  val¬ 
uable  to  tlie  next  crop  sown  as  a  copious  supply 
of  guaUO. 
Thk  above  paragraph  is  floating  tlmough  our 
exchanges  witiout  credit,  and  wo  don't  just  now 
know  where  it  originated.  It  is  a  good  illustra¬ 
tion  of  the  facility  with  which  theories  poidtively 
stated  find  acceptance  as  if  they  were  principles 
established  by  scientifle  research.  Let  us  exam¬ 
ine  the  statements  in  detail. 
It  is  not  "  known”  that  clover  does  or  can  de¬ 
rive  from  the  atmosphere  all  the  nitrogen  needed 
for  its  own  growth.  Only  a  few  years  ago  scien¬ 
tific  men  denied  that  plants  absorbed  nitrogen 
through  their  leaves.  Later  investigations  al¬ 
most  prove  that  this  is  a  mistake.  It  is  now 
probable  that  all  plants  have  the  power  of  ab¬ 
sorbing  some  ammonia  or  uiU'ogcn  from  the  at¬ 
mosphere  and  alBOpnibable  that  clover  and  other 
broad-leaved  jilants  possess  this  [)ower  in  greater 
degree  than  narrow-leaved  jihints. 
But  clover  also  undoubledly  derives  some  and 
probably  many  of  the  elements  needed  for  gi  owth 
from  the  soil.  Its  long,  deep  roots  strike  into 
the  subsoil  and  bring  up  fertilizing  elements. 
to  buy  a  di-ill  expecting  to  work  up  manure  made 
on  the  farm  flue  enough  to  use  it. 
(Duv  llrmiitm  ^^vticles. 
HOLBEOOK’S  EEGULATOB  SEED  DEILL. 
This  driU  is  an  inseparable  companion  of  the 
ROOK’S  KKW  liKO  UKA-TOR  SEEO  DRII..K. 
potash,  phosphate  of  hme,  and  possibly  nitrates 
that  have  been  washed  downwai'd.  By  loosening 
the  subsoil  clover  nxits  undoubtedly  jiromote 
fertility  is  anotlicr  way,  by  enabling  it  to  absorb 
the  niti'ogen  always  present  in  the  at  mosiiliere. 
It  is  possible  that  it  is  mainly  thus  that  clover 
makes  the  soil  Icrtilo. 
However,  we  may  differ  as  to  tlie  rea.sou8  and 
the  means  by  which  clover  uiuichcs  tlie  soil,  there 
cun  be  no  question  (hut  it  does  do  so.  Tlie  prac¬ 
tical  fact  is  indisputable  that  good  fanners  do 
and  sbotUd  sow  as  much  clover  as  possible  for 
the  benefit  of  their  farms.  The  wliy  and  where¬ 
fore  need  not  trouble  anybody  niiich  until  we 
learn  enough  facts  to  answer  all  questions  satis¬ 
factorily. 
- »  ♦  ♦  — 
DEILLING  FEETILIZEES  WITH  GEAIN. 
Eds.  Eubai,  Can  the  attachment  for  fej-til- 
izers  on  the  Farmer’s  FavorUe  Grain  Drill  sow 
or  disUiliutc  manure  made  on  the  farm,  or  can 
the  manure  be  jirepared  so  us  to  lie  sown  by  it 
to  a  certain  satisfaction?  Does  i(  iliup  tJie  fer¬ 
tilizer  in  the  row  on  tJic  wheat  sown,  so  ns  to  be 
covLM-ed  by  the  same  soil  as  the  grain  sown  ?— A. 
H.  Morgan,  Fori  UoUins.  Colorado. 
It  is  impossible  to  drill  any  fertilizer  with  seed 
unless  such  fertilizer  is  finely  pulverized.  Mo.st 
manures  made  on  tlic  fann  are  too  bulky  and 
coarse  to  be  dialled.  Even  guano  or  siqierphos- 
phate  has  often  to  be  run  tiuough  a  sieve  to  en¬ 
able  the  diill  to  work  well.  Most  barnyard  ma¬ 
nures  are  also  too  bulky  in  ju'oj^jrtion  to  their 
sti'englb,  to  make  them  woj  th  applying  in  such^ 
small  quantities  as  is  jHissible  with  a  drill.  Hen 
manm’e,  heated  just  enough  to  cvapoioite  its 
moisture,  and  then  dried  and  pulverized  or 
mixed  with  gyjismu,  could  be  drilled  with  seed 
and  would  produce  a  good  effect  j  but  even  this 
we  should  prefer  to  use  in  some  other  way.  A 
small  handful  could  be  chopped  in  a  hill  of  com 
at  planting  time  with  half  the  trouble  needed  to 
tit  it  for  (hilling  in.  The  fertilizer  and  the  seed 
fall  through  the  same  tulic  and  are  covered  by 
the  same  soil.  Tlie  seed,  however,  rarely  coinos  , 
ill  direct  contact  with  the  manure,  but  is  always  | 
very  close  to  it.  ; 
gardener  and  fanner,  and  is  probahlymore  widely 
known  tlian  any  other  implement  of  its  kind. 
Various  iniproveineuts  have  recently  been  made 
which  must  still  furUier  commend  it  to  popular 
use.  One  of  these  is  the  Open  wliitc  seed  con¬ 
ductor,  wiilcli  no  other  drill  is  autliorized  to  use. 
Tills  enables  Hie  operator  to  know  at  all  times 
whether  the  drill  is  sowing,  and  also  to  judge 
pretty  closely  tlie  amount,  thus  often  preventing 
bed  “bolts,”  missing  fiie  seed  where  the  gar¬ 
dener  sujiposeB  it  is  being  distributed.  The 
Holbrook  DriU  is  not  liable  to  gel  out  of  order, 
and  is  sure  to  give  perfect  satisfaction  in  every 
resiiect.  Its  price  is  $12.  We  wiU  send  one  for 
8  subscribers  to  the  Rural  at  $2.G5,  or  for  18  at 
$2.15  each. 
- ♦♦♦ - - 
THE  ESTEY  ORGANS. 
The  increasing  wealth  and  intelligence  of  oim 
people  is  most  strongly  shown  in  the  number  and 
variety  of  articles  widely  distributed  which  min¬ 
ister  to  taste  and  scstlietic  enjoyment.  We  have 
))ass(al  the  hardening  and  materializing  era  of 
oiir  civilization  and  entered  on  that  in  which 
our  mural  and  intellectual  forces  will  assert  theii' 
riglitliil  predominance.  Among  the  influences 
which  will  mold  the  future  of  our  country, 
musical  taste,  ministering  to  ideas  ot  beauty  as 
well  us  of  comfort,  and  endearing  stUl  more  tiie 
memory  of  Home  and  its  pleasm’es,  must  he 
prominent,  luid  probably  nothing  has  done  more 
to  encourage  tiiia  than  the  popularization  of 
imisio  by  means  of  reed  organs.  There  are 
many  different  manufacturers,  each  making  va¬ 
rious  styles,  and,  despite  hard  times  and  panics, 
the  demand  for  all  continues  with  but  little 
abatement.  If  money  is  hard  to  get,  more  peo¬ 
ple  have  learned  its  better  uses,  and  arc  devotihg 
it  to  educating  the  nobler  faculties  of  the  soul 
rather  than  to  merely  sensual  enjoyments,  or  to 
dwarfing  tlie  mind  by  making  it  the  slave  of  a 
miserly  passion  for  money  and  worldly  goods. 
Prnniiiierit  among  these  iiisti-uments  of  musi¬ 
cal  education  are  those  made  by  the  Estey 
'FHE  ESTEY  ORG-AN. 
Om'  own  practice  has  been  to  not  nse  more 
than  200  lbs.  of  superphosphate  per  acre.  This 
driUed  with  the  seed  wiU  give  as  much  advantage 
to  tlie  crop  as  400  or  possibly  500  Iba.  of  ferti- 
lizei-8  sown  broadcast.  Perhaps  in  Colorado 
superphosphate  may  not  be  needed.  Let  oiu‘ 
correspondent  hire  a  dial!  with  fertilizer  attach¬ 
ment  instead  of  buying  one.  If  it  brings  good 
results  he  may  feel  safe  in  buying  not  only  a 
drill  but  fertilizers  as  well.  It  wiU  not  pay  him 
Oi'gan  Co.  of  Brattleboro,  Vt.  They  are  finely 
modeled  in  wood  which  has  been  thoroughly 
seasoned,  standing  the  vicissitudes  of  any  cli¬ 
mate,  and  tJiis  is  a  vei-y  important  point,  for  on 
it  depends  the  durability  of  the  delicate  interior 
works,  which,  with  badly-seasoned  wood,  are 
sure  to  wari>  and  he  seriously  injured.  The  in¬ 
terior  musical  arrangements  have  by  successive 
improvements  been  brought  as  near  perfection 
as  possible,  giving  forth  tones  clear,  rich  and 
sweet.  We  can  unhesitatingly  recommend  these 
organs  to  lovers  of  sweet,  rich  music,  and  with 
this  view  we  have  placed  one  of  them  among  our 
list  of  Extra  Premiums  to  Agents  who  do  the 
best  work  for  tlie  Rural  New-Yorkt.r  previous 
to  the  let  of  March  proximo.  These  Extra  Pre¬ 
miums  are  in  addition  <o  our  very  liberal  Specific 
Premiums,  and  should  stimulate  to  increased  en¬ 
deavors  to  obtain  some  of  the  valuable  prizes 
offered. 
Ilisrirnltiu'C. 
SALMON  FISHING  ON  THE  NOYO  RIVER. 
E.  J .  Hooper  of  San  Francisco,  writes  to  the 
Forest  and  Stream  about  salmon  fishing  in  Cali¬ 
fornia.  The  Noyo  river  is  about  two  hundred 
miles  north  of  San  Francisco:— “Oiir  mode  of 
warfare  in  tliese  waters  at  this  season  was  with 
the  large  red  and  silver  sjionn  bait  anued  with  a 
triangle  of  hooks,  trolling  witli  rcjd  and  reed  from 
tho  boat’s  stern.  One  of  us  rowed  aluunately 
while  the  other  fished.  Our  boat  was  rather  too 
heavy  to  row  very  fast,  whlcli  we  found  the  best 
way  to  entice  the  fish  to  our  Hjiiuning  spoon  bait. 
The  fij  st  day  or  two  we  only  took  seven  fish,  but 
we  soon  discovered  what  was  the  most  killing 
spoon,  which  was  a  rather  large  oiie  witli  much 
red  about- -tliat  is,  one  side  of  the  sjxxin  red 
with  a  small  hunch  of  red  worsted  between  the 
triangle  of  hooks.  In  seven  fisliing  days  at  this 
point  we  cajitnred  seventy-three  salmon,  weigh¬ 
ing  in  all  6483^  jiounds,  and  averaging  8% 
pounds  each.  Tliey  were  of  tlie  hook-bill  species, 
of  good  game  qualties,  but  inferior  for  the  table 
compared  with  the  Sacramento  river  salmon,  be- 
I  ing  rather  dry  and  not  so  tender  in  flesh.  Their 
avei'age  weight  is  also  far  from  Ijeing  as  large, 
as  the  biggest  we  took  was  only  tliirteeu  pounds, 
while  the  finer  shajjied  and  mucli  better  flavored 
Hacraineiito  quinnat  species  average  273^  jiounds 
each.  Neither  is  the  hook-bill  kind  so  handsome 
in  the  mouth  and  head  as  the  Kan  Francisco 
market  salmon  from  its  bay  uud  tributaries.  The 
hook-bill  has  its  upper  jaw  projecting  under  its 
lower,  both  jaws  being  armed  at  their  ends  with 
tushes  or  teeth,  wliich  are  much  larger  in  the 
males,  as  are  also  their  hooked  bills.  Toward 
winter  the  liner  and  more  pi-rfect  Sacramento 
sort  aijjjear  in  the  northeni  rivers  after  the  hook- 
bills,  as  do  also  tow  ard  spring  the  still  more 
valuable  salmon  trout,  that  are  longer  in  their 
bodies,  more  delicate  and  nice  in  their  flesh, 
I  which  is  of  a  much  liglittr  red  coli.r.  I'hey  yery 
\  much  rcHcinble  tlio  best  specimeiw  of  our  salmon 
in  their  silvery  luster,  but  tlieJr  heads  are  slight- 
j  ly  smaller,  and  the  sliaia;  of  their  tails  is  nearly 
square  compared  with  Uie  forked  ones  of  the 
former.  These  saliuon  wjl)  only  take  the  Uy  in 
the  spring  of  the  year,  as  we  were  informed  and 
found  by  oui-  own  exix-rienee.” 
* - - 
TREATMENT  OF  GOLD  FISH. 
Havino  been  frequently  asked  for  advice  in 
the  management  of  gold  fish,  will  you  kindly 
allow  me  to  inform  the  ladies  who  read  your 
paper  tliat  rice  paper  is  the  best  food,  with  a 
crumb  of  raw  moat  now  and  tiien,  minced  as 
small  as  meal  seeds.  A  piece  of  the  rice  paper 
the  size  of  a  four  penny  bit  for  everj’  fish,  cut 
small,  once  a  day  in  summer,  and  every  other 
day  in  winter ;  fresh  water  every  second  day  in 
summer,  and  thrice  u  week  in  winter,  in  frost, 
the  water  should  t>o  drawn  from  tlie  cistern  and 
allowed  to  stand  a  while  in  a  room  where  there  is 
a  fii'C  in  it  before  placing  the  fish  in  it,  ;  this 
takes  the  chill  off  the  water,  which  might  kill  the 
fish.  If  the  fish  becomes  moldy,  it  may  be 
taken  off  by  a  gentle  touch  of  a  little  bit  of 
sponge,  or  soft  muslin  cloth.  The  globe  should 
never  stand  in  the  sun. 
The  following  paragraph  appeared  more  recent¬ 
ly  in  the  Scientific  American : 
For  each  quai  t  of  water  only  one  fish ;  as  gold 
fish  cannot  thrive  if  crowded.  Do  not  change 
the  source  of  water,  wiiether  from  well  or  hy¬ 
drant.  In  summer  renew  it  daily,  in  winter  only 
every  second  or  third  day.  Shallow  glass  dishes 
should  not  be  used  They  should  be  deep,  and 
kept  iu  the  shade,  strong  light  and  a  heated  room 
being  detrimental  to  the  fish.  The  bottom  of 
the  globe  should  he  covered  with  smooth  giavel 
to  absorb  the  excrements  and  keep  the  water 
clean.  Iu  changing  the  water  for  cleaning  the 
globe,  take  out  the  fish  with  a  flue  net.  but  never 
with  the  hand.  Do  not  feed  them  with  bread  or 
cake,  or  any  food  containing  tannin,  but  give 
them  wafers,  and  eggs,  flies,  yelk  of  eggs,  water 
cross,  iSo.,  hut  only  once  in  uiree  or  lonr  days, 
and  then  sparingly.  In  the  months  of  November, 
December,  January  and  Fehiirary  the  fish  should 
uot  he  fed  at  all,'  as  this  is  their  hyhoiaiating 
season,  and  food  iii  tins  season  is  luuiatural.  In 
March,  April  and  May  they  should  be  fed  little. 
- - 
The  Voracity  ok  Pickerel.— According  to  M. 
Peupion,  who  has  been  practically  invest^ating 
the*;  subject,  a  pickerel  will  eat  47  pounils  and 
four  ounces  of  fish  per  pound  of  its  own  w'eight 
per  year. 
