874 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
APRIL 23 
to overbear, and, while good cultivation and 
careful pruning tend to leeeen this difficulty, 
yet there are few cases where thinniDg, to a 
greater or lees extent, mav not be advanta¬ 
geous. His own practice is to thin twice, or 
even three limes, The earlier the work is com¬ 
menced after the fruit is well set, the better. 
The few growers who eeud the fruit to mar¬ 
ket in first-class style reap their rewaid in fair 
prices and a good reputation. The California 
growers and shippers seem to have attained 
great perfection in packing. 
In 1848, just 33 years ago. when ocean voy¬ 
ages were longer than they are now. President 
B ury took some barrels of Northern Sty and 
Melon Apples to show our friends in Europe. 
These varieties were then but recently intro¬ 
duced, and comparatively rare. He distributed 
them am >ng the loading pomolc.gisls in Eng 
and, France and Belgium, and all declared 
they were the finest apples they had ever seen. 
Tiny werc6cnt to New York by rail and mode 
a long ocean voyage—13 or 14 doys. They were 
sent by rail from Liverpool to London, then 
packed in baskets and sent l y express todif 
ferent places in France and Belgium, and in 
every case were received in perfect order. He 
brought some back with him quite sound, in 
March, although he was 21 days on ihe water. 
This sbowg how easy it is to transport apples 
long distances, if of flue quality and well 
packed. 
The shipment of American apples to Eu¬ 
rope i? destined to be immense. But if our 
growers and shippers desire to secure the best 
results for themselves and the consumers they 
will at once determine upon a tborongh system 
of selecting and packing. This applies with 
equal force to onr home markets. Winter 
pears sent to N iw Turk this present Winter, 
about ihe holidays, well selected and ricelv 
packed In half-bushel boxes, sold readily at 33 
and 34 the. box. With less care and ta6te in 
selecting and packing, such pearR might not 
have sold lor more than 33 or $4 per barrel. 
Mr. William C. Bakrt, of the committee on 
native fruits, after speaking of the Melon 
Apple said that another apple equally valuable 
aiid nearly as difficult to obtain, Is the Jona- 
th in. It is one of those slende:-growing sorts 
which find no favor with nurserymen. But it 
seemed to him that the peoplecannot afford to 
dispense with such a valuable sort. It is of 
medium size, roundish-ovate form, skin of a 
light yellow color, nearly covered with light 
red, deepening to a rich crimson, then to a 
dark purple; flesh, white, tender, juicy, with 
a pleasant sub acid ilivor; it has all the quali¬ 
ties which constitute a perfect dessett apple. 
And this, one of our best Winter apples, can 
hardly be obtained in the market. 
For those who sre engaged In sedentary pur¬ 
suits. or who suffer from iudigestion, apples of 
fine quality are invaluable, and they should be 
used dally in every family, and at every meal 
in some form or another. 
The Amber Q men is claimed by the origina¬ 
tor, Mr, N. B. White, Norwood, Mass., to be 
the richest and best flavored grape ever pro¬ 
duced. It is described as a 6troDg grower, 
with thick leaves, bunch large, amber-colored 
but growing darker as It becomes riper. En¬ 
able in August aud lasts through September. 
Speaking of the Niagara, Premies. Duchess 
and Pocklington as promising white grapes, 
he said that they possess important qualifica¬ 
tions which have long been sought in white 
grapes, such as vigor, hardiness and product¬ 
iveness. With five fine vaiietles like the 
above, and more to come 60 on, grape growers 
will sure'y be able to satisfy a long felt want. 
Oleomargarine and the Daiht Interest. 
—The value of the milk, cheese and batter 
produced in this country in 1875 was between 
345,000.000 aud 350 000 000, according to the 
statement made thB other day l y F. D. Moul¬ 
ton before the Assembly Committee investigat¬ 
ing oleomargarine in this city. Oleomargar¬ 
ine was ft st. introduced surreptitiously, and is 
now sold by the dark-lantern method. For 
nearly ten years the dairymen have had to 
contend with this secret foe. Luwb have been 
evaded and openly violated to damn the repu¬ 
tation of American batter abroad. Last year 
28 000.000 pounds of butter and 25 000 000 
pounds of oleomargarine were exported. But. 
for the oleomargarine onr exports of butter 
would have been between 50,000.000 and 60 - 
000 000 pound*?. England imports 350 000 000 
w mb of butler aunaally, and of this 345 000,- 
000 comes from elsewhere than here, giving 
us only about 10 per cent, of the trade She 
imports 825 000 000 worth of cheese, and of 
that, 315,000 000 worth, or aoout 75 percent, 
goes l : m the United States. We can make 
better t tier and cheaper batter than other 
nations, ar 1 . but for this oleomargarine fraud, 
we should 6ui *dy the markets of England. 
Mr J. J. Thov is has the following to say, 
In the Albany Cultivator, about the comparative 
quality and value of the four now white grapes, 
Duchess, Pocklington, Prentiss and Niagara. 
Without having had an opportunily of exam¬ 
ining them critically side by side, he would 
place the Duchess first in quality, a drawback 
being its one-rourth foreign blood, and the 
fear that this intermixture may posslblv irjure 
the foliage in future. Next in fl ivor would be 
the Premiss, a strictly native sort, of excellent 
quality, but not rqual in this respect to the 
Duchess. The Niagara, although one notch 
lower In flivor, is larger, finer in appearance, 
a prodigious grower aud bearer, and, on the 
whole, has an unusual number of excellent 
points not found combined in any other varie¬ 
ty. The Pocklington is still larger aud per¬ 
haps more showy ihao the Niagara, but. a notch 
farther down in qualify at the usual time of 
ripeniDg. It is said, however, that if allowed 
to hang several weeks it becomes excellent. 
These four sorts all stand high, and are all 
eminently worthy of trial. 
Professor Johnson gives the following 
analyses as between New Process Flour from 
Minnesota Spring wheat, and fine flour from 
W 
entire wheat W W brand. 
W 
Water. 
A*h. 
Albuminoids. 
Crude Fiber. 
Nitrogen-free extract 
Fat.. 
Ash... 
Albuminoids. 
Crude Fiber. 
Nitrogen-free extract 
Fat... 
New 
Entire 
Process. 
Wheat 
. 12.79 
1269 
. 0.50 
1.44 
. 12 81 
14.12 
. 0.07 
122 
. 78.14 
08 32 
. 1.19 
2.01 
Water free. 
New 
Entire 
Process. 
wheat 
. .57 
l.i-fi 
. 14 12 
18.20 
. .08 
1.89 
. 83.80 
78.41 
. 1.S7 
2.23 
100.00 
100.C0 
The Prairie Farmer takes this view in refer¬ 
ence to glucose: “If the farmer, haviug sold 
his corn to the highest bidder, has no respon- 
slbllfiy in the turning of it into whisky aud 
the sad conseouences that follow the use of that 
article, why should the farmer feel any more 
concern over the circumstance that his corn Is 
nude into glucose, which may or may not con¬ 
tain free sulphuric acid, and which may or 
may not be used in the adulteration of cane 
sugar, sirup, and confectionery? With igno¬ 
rance and prejudice removed, and with com¬ 
mercial processes properly regulated, there is 
no reason wLy there should be rivalry between 
cane sugar and glucose, any more than there 
is now between tea and coffee, or butter and 
cheeae.” 
Mr. Ch4s. A. Green, in the New York Tri¬ 
bune, says that farm bells are manufactured 
from cheap metal, and such a one as he has 
just put up on his house-top—without help, in 
an hour’s time—weighs thirty or forty pounds, 
costs f 5, and does not necessarily require a 
cover. There it swings on cast-iron bearings, 
connected with the kitchen by a light wire, 
which passes down the chimney side, without 
making any hole iu the ruof. There are sev¬ 
eral reasons why these bell9 are desirable on 
farms. 1. The workmen are often prevented 
by winds or distance from heating the dinner- 
horn or hand bell. 2. It sounds cheerful and 
neighborly to hear the bells clang out over the 
country. 3. By a series of signals previously 
arranged, either the errand bey, the proprie¬ 
tor, or all hands can be brought to the house 
in a few moments. 4. In case of fire, or any 
calamity—in case of tramps making themselves 
offensive when only the women are present— 
the bell can call together the whole neighbor¬ 
hood in a few moments. Mr. Green knows of 
a case where the farm buildings caught fire, 
and were saved ly the prompt alarm of the 
bill. Such bells, we would add, might be use¬ 
ful in giving an alaim at night, in case of bur¬ 
glars or fire. 
London purple —Professor Johnson 6ays 
that this cheap substitute for Paris greed has 
been reported to be efficacious as an Insecti¬ 
cide. A sample sent ly P. M. Augur, E : q , 
was found to contain 47 3 per cent, of arsenic 
acid. The complete analysis by Professor Col¬ 
lier shows the arsenic acid to be united to 
lime. Thearsenateof limeisstiffldentlysoluble 
in water and in the digestive fluids of animals 
to act as an effective poison. The London 
purple may therefore be regarded as fairly the 
equivalent of Paris-green for destructive pur¬ 
poses. 
Seldom is a mistake made in estimating 
the disposition of those who delight in 
fine orchards, gardens, rural walks, and 
the culture of elegant shade trees and 
shrubbery. A rural residence, tasefully plan¬ 
ned and adorned with floral beauties is gen¬ 
erally the abode of refinement and intelligence. 
—O. 8. H. 8.Mr. Harris, In the Fruit 
Recorder, says a strong word for asparagus 
culture, showing that from a bed of SO feet 
square, be has had all his family needed, and 
sold therefrom $20 per year for the last ten 
years.Really, there is no vegetable 
so overlooked by farmers in general as 
asparagus, and we hope our present Seed 
Distribution may help to work a chuDge. 
Mr. Thorne, of the Ohio State University, 
finds the ash of corn cobs fully as valuable 
a fertilizer as sulphate of potash. Our far¬ 
mers, he says In Farm and Fireside, should 
consider this, as large quantities of this ash are 
yearly being made by the commercial shipping 
warehouses of the West, whose engines are 
fed chiefly, if not altogether, upon corn cobs. 
.You would save yourself and others 
a great many useless heartburnings if you 
would manage to keep your eyes open to the 
virtues of your friends and look at their 
faults with your eyes shut.It is a 
pretty serious thing to break an old friend¬ 
ship, for, like old china, it can never be made 
quite whole again. A broken friendship may 
be soldered but it will always show the crack. 
——-—- 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS. 
How to Treat'the SopiIii of the Free Dlairibu- 
tlon of ihe Kural New-Yorker. 
(Second Publication.) 
White Elephant Potato —We would ad¬ 
vise to cut the potato so that there shall be but 
one eye to a piece and so that each eye shall 
have as much flesh as possible. These pieces 
we should plant in rich, loamy soil not less 
than one foot apart. Iu case of threatened di y 
weather, a mulch of leaves, straw or manure 
would be found serviceable. 
Washington Oats.— These had better he 
sown thinly in drills of prepared soil. Each 
plaut should have plenty of room so as to 
tiller aud to produce the best yield. 
The Rural Branching Sorghum. — The 
R. N -Y , contrary to its wont, has praised this 
sorghum almost unqualifiedly as a fodder 
plaut,. And our faith is as strong now as at 
any previous time. We have tested it for 
three years and the results have been such 
that we prefer it to any other forage plant 
which we have ever seen or tried. The early 
growth of the. Branching Sorghum is disheart¬ 
ening. AU who try it would, if not cautioned 
to suspend judgment, consider it a failure one 
month after it appears above the ground. It 
then gives no promise of the splendid growth 
which shortly thereafter takes place. When 
it attains the bight of five feet, and a half-dozen 
or more leafy stalks are cut from each seed 
and every stalk continues to grow as if no in¬ 
terruption had occurred, its real value begins 
to break upon the cultivator. 
It is of the first importance that the prepared 
plot be fuse and be kept free of weeds. If 
otherwise, those unfamiliar with its slow ger¬ 
mination aDd its resemblance to grass, would 
pi obably be unable to distinguish the rows. 
Prepare the soil as for corn—the mellower the 
better. Sow the seeds from one inch to one 
foot apart in drills four feet apart. Press the 
soil over the seeds and cover half an inch 
deep. If sown but one inch apart, the plants 
at the first hoeing should be thinned out so as 
to stand not less than 18 Inches apart. This 
thick sowing would thus Insure aR even stand, 
but where, as in the present case, it is desir¬ 
able to raise as many plants as possible, the 
seed supply being very limited, six inches 
apart might be better, in which case it would 
be necessary to destroy fewer yonug plants. 
Another method is to plant four BeedB in a 
place—a flat hill, if the expression is allow¬ 
able—these hills to be two feet apart, all but 
one plant to be destroyed at. the first emtiva 
tlon. We advise our friends not to sow before 
late May or even June 1st for this climate. If 
lu late Summer those who raise this sorghum 
will make the trial of plaeiug equal quantities 
of this and corn stalks and leaves before their 
horses or cattle, they will ascertain that the 
sorghum will be eaten first. For ensilaging 
purposes we should suppose it would prove 
far more valuable than corn, while we are in 
hopes that the sorghum industry may find in 
this a rival of the several canes now employed 
for the production of sirup and sugar. 
The Argenteutl Asparagus. —Our friends 
are advised to prepare small plots for this 
asparagus thoroughly. Select a rich, loamy 
soil if possible. If not, make it rich by the 
addition of well-rotted manure. Work it over 
several times with hoe and spade. Sow the 
seeds six inches apart in the drills—the drills 
12 inches apart. Compact the Boil over the 
Seeds and leave the surface smooth and mel¬ 
low. Let it be borne in mind that asparagus 
seeds are often slow to germluate—requiring 
sometimes a month or more. Attend to this 
seed-bed—Keep it free from weeds aDd the 
plants may next 8pring be set in their perma¬ 
nent teds and cuttings for the table be made 
the year after. 
Giant Dutch Purple Asparagus.— Same 
instructions in every respect as for the French 
Argenteuil. 
Piootees, Carnations and Chinese Pinks. 
- Thesemay be sown,as soon as received,in box¬ 
es, pans or flower pots. It does not matter so 
long as a thorough drainage is provided for. 
Use for this purpose plenty of broken flower 
pots—or bits cif charcoal, or even pebbles or 
small stones will answer. Fill with rich 
fibrous soil, euch as that from decayed sods, 
and add a liberal proportion of sand. Mix 
thoroughly. Sow the seeds at least an inch 
apart (two Inches would be better); compact the 
soil by pressing the bottom of a flower pot upon 
it and cover to the depth of an eighth of an 
inch. Again press the soil—but gently and 
evenly. Piace In a temperature as uniform as 
possible; avoid hoi sunshine, aud cover with 
panes or pieces of glass. Later these seeds 
may be sown jo the open ground. In this case 
we would advise sowing in pots or boxes, as 
above explained, aud plunging them in the 
ground until the rim of the pot is on a level 
with the surrounding soil, using glass to cover 
as before. Again, the seeds may be sown in 
late May in a well prepared, out-of-door border 
where the plants are to grow. In this case the 
percentage of loss, of course, will be greater. 
We may be excused for insisting that the 
seeds ot this prcsuut seed-distribution are 
worthy of especial care. They are, in so far 
as we may judge, the best of their kinds. The 
White Elephaut, we believe, will prove as a 
lite potato all that the Beauty of Hebron (pre¬ 
viously sent out by the R. N.-Y.) has proven as 
an early potato. It is now offered for sale 
but cannot be purchased for less than one dol¬ 
lar per pound. The Rural Branching Sorghum, 
whatever It may prove in different climates 
and soils, has cost us $25 per hundred pounds. 
The asparagus seeds have coBt ns to import 
$175 per hundred pounds. The pieotees and 
carnations have cost us to import from $10 
per pound (the lowest) to $150 per pound (the 
highest). Iu making these distributions it is. 
as has often been stated before, no part of our 
plan to offer the seeds in large quantities. Our 
object is merely to introduce new plants for 
the farm and garden which (wLbout cost to 
our readers) give the best promise of proving 
superior to well-known kinds ; aud we may 
call attention to our previous distributions to 
6how that thus far we have been as successful 
as could reasonably have been expected. 
RURAL 8PECIAL REPORTS. 
Ga., Atlanta, Fulton Co., March 31.—Our 
Winter has been long and severe. The season 
is two weeks later than usual and we are still 
having frost aud cold weather. While I write 
it is freezing; peaches are nearly through 
blooming: we are afraid they will be killed, 
although the young fruit doesn’t seem to be 
injured, it is feared that it is hurt in reality 
and that it will drop off when half-grown. 
Farmers have begun to plant corn iu spite of 
the cold weather. Crops are looking well, 
though some have suffered from the heavy 
raiu6 which washed some fields considerably. 
Butter is worth 25c. per pound; eggs, 20c. per 
dozen; buy $28 per ton. Labor is higher; 
“hands” that could be got for $8 per month 
last year dow command $12. c. d. 
Iowa, Oikaloosa, Mahaska Co., April 3 — 
We have had a very severe Winter commenc¬ 
ing about the middle of November. To-day it 
has been snowing ail day; there are many 
drifts six feel deep at the present writing. 
Winter wheat has a bad appearance ; the top 
is entirely dead ; I speak of my own. It will 
be two weeks at least before seeding can begin. 
Hay is scarce at $15 per ton ; corn, 25c.; pota¬ 
toes, 75c.; butter, 20c. We are haviug a 
creamery started iu our place with a capacity 
of 500 cows—a new thing for our coun 1 y. a. b. 
Kan., Parsons, Labette Co., April 2—Day 
before yesterday the temperature was 14 deg. 
above zero, and yesterday aud to d ty it is 
freezing, with violent northwest wiud6. All 
reports that the season is not later than 
usual in these southwestern latitudes are 
not true. The usual time to herd 
cattle on the prairies commences on the 
first of this month. There Is not a piece of 
verdure on them to-day. They are bleak and 
brown except where burned, and there they 
are black. It Is considered desirable to get all 
seeds in the ground early, but in 1875 the sea¬ 
son was late and grasshoppers also prevented 
planting till very late and the btst corn crop 
for 10 years was raised that season. It seems 
to ua that the season through will 6imply be 
later—that our rains and heat will appear as 
much later as the season opens late. We have 
had unusually high March winds and dust 
enough for common countries. To illustrate 
the great difference in the climate of Kansas" 
aud Iowa, I may state that a gram firm in 
Iowa has not been able to ship a single car¬ 
load of corn of the last crop dry enough to in¬ 
spect No. 2, while not a single ear from this 
place has failed to inspect No. 3 Our wheat 
crop npto the 81st of March was in an excel¬ 
lent condition, but the weather of the past two 
days will have been more trying than the pre¬ 
vious Winter. Corn here is 28<®30c.; wheat, 
(Winter only raised here) 85c ; oats, 20 po¬ 
tatoes, 50c.; batter, 20c.; eggs, coal, 13e. 
for 80 pounds. Not more than five per cent, 
of Spring plowing has beeu done. j. b. 
Mich., Watson, Allegan Co., March 28 —We 
have passed through one of the most severe 
Winters we have had for some time, having 
had continued sleighing from the middle of 
November last until last week. It has given 
business a " boom” that it has not had before 
in some time. Every wooded Dook has been 
scoured and old logs that had lain for years, 
