307 
MAY 7 
THE 
MEW-YORKER. 
I have watched his course pretty closely for 
the last two years, and from my stand-point 
I can see no reason why a change should be 
desired. 'Tis true, there have been many 
things done by Gen. Le Due, that I would not 
have done, or perhaps would have done differ¬ 
ently ; but it is a mooted question whether 
either would have been an improvement on 
the present administration of the Department. 
I hope the President will not be induced to 
make a change, merely to gratify the aspira¬ 
tion of political office-seekers, and especially 
of the individual who thinks himself so em¬ 
inently fiited for the position. A passion for 
flowers has taken possession of many of our 
people in the last few years, and ere long we 
shall be able to vie with Florida for the name 
of “The Land of Flowers.” The yards of the 
residents along the streets of Waco are a per¬ 
fect wealth of bloom, and their fragrance per¬ 
fumes the very air we breathe in passing by. 
My yard is now a perfect blaze of blooming 
flowers of various kinds, from the rose, ihe 
“ Queen of Flowers” to the modest mignonette. 
I have the haudsomest phloxes I have ever seen 
anywhere, and the greatest variety of them. 
I think I have a novelty in one plantthat bears 
two separate and distinct kinds of bloom. Oae 
is a deep purple, with a dark center, and the 
other is white with light purple center; and 
they do not change to these colors, but open 
up as such. 1 have also petunias that have 
a solid deep purple bloom, and whiie-lud- 
pink stripes on the same plant. Are these 
things common? [Quite. Eds J I received a lot 
of roses a few weeks ago from Louisville, Ky.. 
and among them was the “Countess of Ox¬ 
ford” bearing a full bloom, packed in the box 
with a large lot of others. I planted it in a pot, 
and it never lost a leaf, and the bloom remained 
fresh and fragrant for eight days. This rose 
attracted a great deal of attention, and its safe 
arrival must be regarded as a great and note¬ 
worthy feat in the packing and shipping of 
plants; and it goes to show that when plants 
are packed by parties who know the wants of 
the different varieties there will be no losses 
in plants received from abroad. The fact 
is. I received at the same time about 100 
roses in a box. uud have not lost a single one, 
and but few of them dropped their leaves. I 
attribute it to the manner of packing, but it 
may have been owing to the vigor of the plants. 
We had our first mess of strawberries a few 
days ago, but I fear the freeze last night will 
put an end to that luxury. a. s. 9. 
Texas, Dallas Co., April 10 —We are getting 
fearfully dry down here. No rain since the 
18th of March. We are needing a shower very 
much at this time ; more rain aud less frost is 
what we want. On the 14th inst. we had a 
hard frost and the fruit was all killed, even to 
grapes which, being out, were killed. Corn, 
too, was killed to the ground and some cotton 
was up and got bitten. My Washington Oats 
were up and looking very well, about half the 
plot was killed. None of my other Rural 
seeds were up. I think the White Elephant is 
too late for this climate ; none but early pota¬ 
toes will do auy good here. Our prospects are 
rather gloomy at this time for a crop of auy 
kind. n. n. 
Texas, Dayton, Liberty Co., April 14 — Spring 
is very backward, and yet most of tbe corn 
planting was done ten days ago, while a 
few are even planting cottou. One of my Ru¬ 
ral Distribution magnolias has come up after 
lying in the ground a year. It is now about 
six inches high. In the same plot is an ash 
that has grown wonderfully, and is now in full 
leaf. Last season it grew seven feet. I fancy 
it must have got mixed up in your seeds some¬ 
how, as there are no ash trees within miles of 
my residence. q. q. 
Va,, Wythe Co., April 18.—High wind still. 
We never had so much cold wind in April. 
The growth of grass is checked and catile own¬ 
ers are anxious about feed. We are still feed¬ 
ing in stanchions on cut fodder. Vegetatiou 
is backward, and there has been but little 
weather suitable for plowing. Corn-planting 
will be much delayed. However, we have im¬ 
proved eveiy moment and have much plowing 
done, potatoes planted, fences made, and or¬ 
chards pruned. Peas, onions and radishes are 
growing, hyacinths, narcissuses, aud Crown- 
Imperials blooming, cherry, lilac and Bpiiaia 
buds swelling, and, altogether, there are some 
signs that Spring may come in May. We hope 
to derive one blessing, from this severity—frail. 
It often blooms too soon and is killed, m. l. s. 
West Va , Short Creek, Brook Co., April 20. 
—In this county there are some very fine fariiiB 
and veiy furtile tracts. It abounds iu bitu- 
miuouB coal and limestone, aud the latter be¬ 
ing very near the surface seems to impart 
to it some of its fertilizing properties. We 
have a flue growth of grass always and 
never miss a splendid corn crop, three corn 
crops iu succession yielding not less than GO 
bushels to the acre and often 100. Farms are 
worth $100 per acre. Our great staple product 
is wool—Merino of a fine quality. Farmers are 
backward with their work owing to the cold¬ 
ness of ihe Spring. Never in the memory of 
the “oldest inhabitant" have we had such a 
severe Winter. Wheat looks exceedingly well; 
peaches are entirely killed. What the apples 
will be time will tell. p. d. 
Wis., Bay View, Milwaukee Co., April 18.— 
We have had a very severe Winter, with much 
enow. For the past few days the snow has 
been rapidly melting, j. s. 
@{?f Querist, 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
The 12-Hpolted Dlalirotlcn, 
./. A. 8., Von Wert, Ohio, has been growing 
cucumbers on a large scale for pickles, and 
last year they were for the first time infested 
by a bug resembling the squash or cucumber 
bug, except that this had a longer body and 
was speckled all over witb small, glossy, yellow, 
gray and dark spots. It began operations on 
the base of the vine, eating holes all through 
the stock. 8hortly afterwards the vines wilted 
and instantly died as if cut clean off. These 
new pests are now ten times worse than the old 
sorts, for the remedies that would end the rav¬ 
ages of the latter haven’t a bit of effect ou tbe 
former, and our friend asks what is the name, 
of the persistent newcomers, and whether there 
is any remedy for them. 
Ans. —While it is impossible to say positively, 
yet we think from the description that the 
“ bug" is the 12 Spotted Diabrotica(f>iabro*tiea 
13 punctata^ It is more or less abundant 
every year in gardens and has been found im 
bedded in the riuds of cucumbers, squashes and 
melons, though we do not know of any in¬ 
stance where it has before been found boring 
into tbe stems of cucumber vines. If the cu¬ 
cumbers are raised on a large scale in the field 
it is probable that planting in another field at 
some distance from the one infested last year, 
would be a partial remedy, a9 the beetles pass 
the Winter in the ground. As soot is very dis¬ 
tasteful to all insects, it is perhaps as good as 
anything that can be applied to prevent tbe 
ravages of these beetles. A little mixed with 
the soil with which tbe seeds are covered will 
serve to keep grubs and worms away from the 
stems and roots just below the surface, while 
a small handful thrown on the hills below the 
leaves, in such a way as to be close to tbe 
stems, will probably keep them from being in¬ 
jured. If this be done iu the morning while 
the dew is on, or the plants be sprinkled so 
that the soot may stick to them, it may be 
more effectual. 
Lale-Blooming Penelics and Apple*. 
O. G.D., Wellcille, Va., asks what varities of 
peaches and apples blossom late so as to escape 
the late frosts, which aie the chief causes of 
injury in that section. 
Ans. —Among peaches the difference in the 
season of blooming is very slight—at the most 
not exceeding three or four day ?. The very early 
varieties, such as Hale's Early and those of 
that type, so far as we have observed, usually 
bloom a little in advance of the average sea¬ 
son. It may even be a matter of doubt whether 
nearly or quite the entire difference of time 
may not be more properly chargeable to dif¬ 
ference iu soils, vigor of trees, exposure or 
aspect, than to any innate difference of varie¬ 
ties. So far as apples are concerned, the great 
mass of varieties, so far as we have had oppor¬ 
tunity for observation, differ little, if auy, more 
than peaches, and seecn to vary in season of 
bloom mainly from similar causes. Still, 
among apples there arc a few varieties, such as 
Rawle’s Janet and Northern Spy, that serve as 
marked exceptions, usually opening their blos¬ 
soms a week or ten days later than ethers. 
The two named, however, are the only well- 
known 6orts that show such tardiness in a 
marked degree, so far as we are aware, al¬ 
though there doubtless are others possessing 
this peculiarity, but only locally known. The 
plauter, iu the locality indicated, as well as all 
orchardists, except, perhaps, at the extreme 
north, will be likely to find it one of the most 
safe and ready means of preventing too early 
blooming, (o choose a northerly or northeast¬ 
erly aspect for the orchard. This is found to 
be desirable even as far north as the latitude of 
Michigan. 
Feeding Twin Lambs. 
A. M. W., Rome, K. F., asks what extra 
feed should be given lambs when the ewe has 
had twins and hasn't milk enough to support 
both in good condition. He has always fed 
cows’ milk, but the lambs have generally got 
dull and died when a few days or a week old. 
Ans. —Lambs are veiy easily over-fed when 
cows’ milk is given to them and the milk is 
not a wholesome food for them. When a ewe 
has twins aud has not milk enough for them, 
it is better to feed the ewe extra food to in¬ 
crease the milk than to give the lamb cows’ 
milk. A quart of oat-meal gruel well boiled 
and sweetened with a little molasses, and a 
handful of bran, given daily, will generally be 
sufficient to enable the ewe to rear the extra 
lamb. If it is necessary to feed the lamb it is 
to be considered, first, whether it is better to 
have two poor lambB or one good one, ty 
sacrificing one of them ; and, second, whether 
one cannot be taken away and raised by hand, 
leaving one with the ewe. The writer has 
raised good lambs on cows’ milk given fresh 
and warm from the cow out of a common one- 
quart kerosene oil-can with a long spout, with 
a piece of sponge wrapped around with apiece 
of cotton rag attached to it, to make a nipple. 
In feeding milk it should be taken slowly and 
by suction, otherwise it loads the stomach up 
too fast. 
Merino Buckwheat. 
J>. G. 8., Middletown, N. Y., sends us a sam¬ 
ple of Merino Buckwheat and inquires whether 
it is of any particular value. It has, he says, 
a yellow blossom, is sown in Spring about the 
same time as oats, its fl >ur makes a yellow 
batter.like that of corn-meal, and it is claimed 
that it does not produce itching like ordinary 
buckwheat. 
Ans —The seed sent is known as Merino 
Buckwheat, which goes under the name of 
India Wheat in parts of New England and 
New York. It takes the name of Merino 
Buckwheat probably from tbe wrinkled ap¬ 
pearance of the grain. The grain is small, 
pyramidal in shape and has a suture on one 
side ; the skin is thick and wrinkled; the plant 
is a constant bloomer and bears blossoms and 
seed, ripe and unripe, until killed by the frost. 
It yields Hour that is coarse in quality and de¬ 
ficient in quantity and is altogether inferior to 
any other kind of buckwheat. It yields well 
in grain and serves a good purpose to grind 
with rye and corn for horse feed. It is equally 
heating as a food, when used constantly, as 
other buckwheats, but the itching complained 
ot is doubtless due as mueh to the fat pork 
eaten with, the cakes as to the meal. Buck¬ 
wheat is not a good food for constant use, un¬ 
less plenty of vegetables and pickles are also 
made a portion of the aliment. It is also 
better to use molassas or honey with it 
than fat pork. 
Dressing for Lawn. 
8. G., Goochland, (Jo., Va., says:—“Ail agri¬ 
cultural books and papers advise the use of 
potash on grasslands. Supposing I cannot get 
any wood ashes, will a solutiou of concentrated 
lye, applied with a wateriDg-pot, be of any 
good to a email lawn, or will it hurt? How 
much water should I use for one box of lye so 
as not to hurt the lavvn ?" 
Ans. —This would be a practicable method of 
applying potash, but costly, excepting in a 
small way ; only the potash lye should be used, 
and a poimd box would be sufficient for two 
barrels of water. If you can procure guano 
from any of tbe grocery stores, that would be 
preferable. Potash alone is not sufficient for 
grass; nitrogen is even more necessary than 
potash. An excellent dressing for a lawn of a 
few square rods would betwo pounds of fine 
bone, two pounds of Peruvian gnano, two 
pounds of gypsum, and a pailful of fine, rich 
earth, well mixed, for each square rod. 
Itemed!*:* for Girdled Fruit Tree*. 
J, S. , Bay View, Wis , has an orchard of 
somu 200 trees, some of which have been 
barked during the past season clear around for 
a space of from four to twenty-four Inches 
and he asks, 1, whether anything can be done 
to save them ; 2, if this is impossible will it be 
best to dig them out and plant others or cut 
them close to the ground and graft on to the 
stump. 
Ans. —With regard to fruit trees girdled com¬ 
pletely by field mice, in Winter, Downing says 
that all that is necessary to save them is, as 
soon as the sap rises vigorously in the Spring, 
to apply a new piece of bark taken from a 
branch of proper size, tying it firmly and draw¬ 
ing up the earth so as to cover the wound 
completely, the gnawed edges of the bark hav¬ 
ing been previously cut evenly down so that 
the pieces of applied bark will fit properly. 
When the tree is too large to apply an en¬ 
tire ring, separate pieces carefully fitted, 
will answer. It is well to reduce the 
top somewhat by pruning, that it may not 
make too large a demand on tbe roots for food. 
Another practice, which the same authority 
thinks more easily applicable, is to take sev¬ 
eral large grafts or Btrong twigs of last year’s 
growth, and after splitting them in halves, 
pare each end dowu to a thin edge and insert 
them underneath the bark of the tree just 
above and below the wound. Tie the whole 
firmly with strong bass matting and draw up 
the earth to cover the place and keep out the 
air. In the Rural of April 23 a correspond¬ 
ent says that au application of clay on the 
denuded part of the tree will cause the bark to 
grow again without a scar. According to our 
own experience, unless operated npon by au 
expert, those trees which are wholly girdled 
had better be dug up ; those which are not 
should have moss or cow mauure or something 
of the kind bouud about the injured parts to 
retain moisture and protect against the air 
and sun. Tie cause of the in j ury is not stated. 
Tying laths about the trees or washing the 
stems for a foot or so above the ground with 
whale-oil or carbolic soap will repel rabbits. 
MlHCellaneou*. 
J. C., Valley Falls, Kan., asks, 1, whether 
there is any difference between Hungarian and i 
Millet Grass ; 2. is millet in any way injurious 
to horses given in reasonable quantities. 
Ans. —1. Millet grass is botanically Millium 
effnsum and is of no valne for cultivation, so 
far as known. The Hungarian Grass mentioned 
we presume to be Panieum Germanicmn 
and, according to analysis, it is one of the 
most nntritive forage plants in cultivation, and 
is all the while gaining friends. The grain is 
good for cattle or fowls. It requires about 80 
days to mature. One bushel of seed to the 
acre is sufficient. The land should be pulver¬ 
ized and the seed harrowed in. 2. The seeds 
of all tbe millets are ueiml’y considered dan¬ 
gerous for horses and often for cattle also, 
probably because the animals are apt to swal¬ 
low so mueh of the fine seeds without crush¬ 
ing them that they do not digest well. But if 
ground and fed judiciously they are doubtless 
wholesome food for all sorts of stock. 
G. K,. Litchfield, Mich., asks, 1. which i6 the 
better—felt or asbestos roofing, and where can 
the better sort be procured and at what price. 
Ans. —1. The asbestos roofing we consider the 
better sort, sis it is just as good a roof as the 
other for all ordinary purposes besides being a 
better protection against fire. It consists ot 
strong canvas combined with asbestos-coated 
felt and inanilla lining, rendered water-proof 
and compressed into a compact, 11-xihle sheet 
resembling leather. It is furnished ready for 
use in rolls 65 feet long and 38J inches wide, 
containing 200 square feet, with allowance for 
1J inch laps, weighing GO pouuds per 100 
square feet. The manufacturers advise that 
it should be protected with asbestos roof-coat¬ 
ing and what iscailed white fire-proof coating. 
The cost of tbe roof aud the two coatings is 
$4 25 per 100 square feet. Sold by J, VV. 
Johns. 87 Maiden Lane, this city. 
J. E 0„ Wichita, Kan., asks for some other 
way of destroying the green aphides besides 
hand-killing. Smoking them with tobacco 
has killed the plants while the pests hid in the 
earth, and after fumigation was over came out 
safe, and lively—would sulphur or red or black 
pepper be useful against them. 
Ans —That they “ have the start ” i3 the 
trouble, Nothing is better than smoking. 
Smoke them oftener and less powerfully. We 
should not advise sulphur. Use tobacco tea 
for tbe soil. 
B, F. 11, Seguin , Texas, asks whether sul¬ 
phur placed in the drill with vegetable or 
other seeds, or plowed under before these are 
planted, would be of any use in preventing the 
depredations of the “grubworm,” and whether 
it would in j are vegetation. 
Ans. —We have tried sulphur for this pur¬ 
pose without any effect. We do not think it 
would prove injurious to vegetation. 
M. M., Grundy Centre la., asks, 1, whether 
the llungariau Mulberry is a desirable tree to 
plant extensively and whether it would be 
hardy in that climate; 2, is the European 
Larch hardy there. 
Ans —1. We don’t know anything about the 
tree. 2. Yes—quite. 
8. D. If., Few fane, K. Y., asks. 1, where can 
he get a good subsoil plow ‘to be used in pre¬ 
paring farm land for small fruit raising and 
other garden purposes ; 2, is there any garden 
hand seed-drill with fertilizer attachment. 
Ans.— 1, R. II. Allen &, Co., 191 Water St., 
New York City. 3. We do not know of any. 
J. L., Oskaioosa, la., asks where tare seed 
can be obtained. 
Ans.— We find them in several of the cata¬ 
logues we have noticed. Try D. M. Ferry <& 
Co., of Detroit- Price four dollars per bushel— 
25 cents per quart. Hiram Sibley & Co., of 
Chicago, should have this seed. 
J. C. M., South, Jefferson, IV". Y, wants the 
address of a breeder of thoroughbred Chester 
White hogs. 
Ans.— We do not know the address of any 
breeder of these hogs in N. Y. State. Thomas 
Wood, Doe Run, Pa , however, is au old breed¬ 
er of them. 
C. B E„ Keynote's Basin, IV". Y., asks where 
can information be obtained about the United 
States lands that are for sale or settlement. 
Ans —If anywhere, from the United States 
Land Commissioner’s Office, Washington, D. 
C. 
H. M.D., Camden. Bel., asks where can he 
obtain a machine for making bricks. 
Ans. —Address J. W. Peulield, Willoughby, 
Ohio. 
-- 
Communications rkckivkd for the week end¬ 
ing Saturday, afrit, 23th. 
B. F. II.—J. A. It.—J. P. B—S. E. T.—C. C. G„ 
thanks for the cactus and seeds.—D. n. H., will 
attend —N. H.—J. 8.—A. 0. VV.—A. H. s , thanks. 
—B. L B., we do not sell seeds or plants.—H. 8.— 
Oh lb, the plan is easily tried.—P. D.—H P.—H. H. 
it — J. c.— A F., please. We received no card—or 
It was mtslftld.—L. W. G., thanks.—S. R. M.—W. 
W. T.—D. E. M.—W. 8. lb—B. A. W.-B. R.—Mrs. 
A, W.— A. MCM.— MISS E. 8.—C. P.—E. O.—Mrs. 
N. G.—Mrs. A. G.-U. L. M.—H. C. B.-G. H. P,- 
A. G. W.—F. K. L.—G. EL F.—D. G. M.—L. G. M.— 
R. D- lb—W. M.—E. W 3.—W. S M.-II R. P — 
C. U B , .Jr.—8. B. P —T. W. II., Bermuda, thanks 
for seed.—F. de 8. M.-E w. s.—P B. .vl.-M. w.- 
F.-A. L. C -B.- Subscriber.-B. F. P.-V. J. E., 
thanks.—J. G., thanks.-F. B. T.-J. v. n. G. 
