370 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
JUNE 4 
can be consumed. Millions of the poorer 
people in Europe know not the taste of butter, 
and It may he said with truth that millions of 
the richer people really have no knowledge of 
what good butter should be. There is, then, a 
very large opening for the consumption of a 
cheap article of food which is unobjectionable 
in regard to its wholcsomencFB when properly 
prepared, and which fills the place which can¬ 
not be occnpied by dairy products. All that 
the dairy interest can demand is that the new 
product shall sell upon its own merits and un¬ 
der its own name. 
The American Banner Rose, according to 
a writer in Vick’s Magazine, is now almost uni¬ 
versally acknowledge to be, in this country, a 
decided failure, wanting in vigor, fullness, per- 
fatne, and prolific bloom ; while in Europe, 
grown as a budded plant, it is meeting with 
much favor, and is highly spoken of as regards 
vigor of growth, reasonable fullness, and pro¬ 
fusion of bloom; in fact, displaying in an 
eminent degree the identical qualities it seems 
to lack here. _ 
Advertising Pays. W. W. Rathbone, sweet 
potato eulturist, writes, " I have made numer¬ 
ous sales to your readers.” 
There is more money iu righteous apple- 
culture to day, I believe, than in orange 
planting.—Hartford Courant.The 
following is the closing paragraph in a letter 
from Benjamin Disraeli, dated Dec. 28.1880: 
“ With regard to trees, I passed part of my 
youth in the shade of Burnham Beeches, and 
have now the happiness of living amid my 
own ' green retreats.’ I am not surprised that 
the ancients worshipped trees. Lake and 
mountain, however glorious for a time, in 
time weaiy; sylvan sceneiy never palls.— 
Yours faithfully, Beaeomfield.A Btran- 
ger in St. Lome, thinking he recognized his 
coat on the back of a pedestrian, shouted, 
" Stop thief!” and about thirty of the inhabj- 
ants suddenly disappeared down a side street 
—Boston Post.Dr. Abr, Robertson 
prophesied, according to the N. Y Tribune, 
that the silo system in America will die young 
.How time changes! In the good Old 
Testament days it was considered a miracle 
for an ass to speak, and now nothing short of 
a miracle will keep one quiet.—Wneeling 
Leader.According to our respected con¬ 
temporary, the St. Louis Globt-Democrat, the 
pedigree of the tree peddler runs straight 
back to Annanlas.In 1850 the education 
of each child in Massachusetts C06t the public 
$4 81 per year; now it costs $13.55 This 
seems all the more remarkable from the fact 
that Massachusetts’ smartest men were edu¬ 
cated thirty years ago.—Norristown Herald. 
. .If we refuse to go halfway in our ap¬ 
proaches to others, wo have no right to ex¬ 
pect them to come more than this distance in 
their approaches to us.—Morning Star. 
Rich buttermilk, that will shorten bread in 
cooking, is always an evidence of faulty 
churning, or a fault in the preparation of the 
cream before it is put into the chum, says Mt. 
Gheever, in the New England Farmer. 
The Herald says: “ When a man begins to 
tumble np stairs every one helps him to get to 
the top, and when he begins to tumble down 
stairs all the world seems anxious to have him 
reach the bottom.” The Rural concludes, 
therefore, that we may in any case trust the 
world to help us.We all like to have 
full justice done to eveiy other rogue in the 
world except ourselves.Transplant — 
thin—weed—hoe.Plant bush beans for 
succession—plant Lima beans, melons, cucum¬ 
bers. Sow lettuce and cabbage in drills. 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Canada, 
Mt. Pleasant, Ontario. May 21.—The Win¬ 
ter has been a most disastrous one to peaches; 
even large plum trees were killed outright. 
Cherries, peaches and plums will be scarce here 
this season, aDd this being the. “ off" year for 
apples, they will not be a drug. Grapes, where 
not laid and covered, have suffered severely— 
even the Old Clinton, which we have looked 
upon as hardy aB an oak, has in many cases 
been killed to the ground. F 'll wheat will not 
be much more than half the crop it was last 
year. 8pi ing grain is coming up well, and Tim¬ 
othy and clover are splendid. We are having 
cool weather with occasional showers, and the 
country is looking its best. J G. 
Dakota Territory. 
Lincoln, Clay Co., May 14—We have had a 
terrible time here of late, owing to the disas¬ 
trous floods along the Missouri bottom lands. 
Quite a large number of old Bettlers who had 
lived here for over 20 years, and who had 
amassed from large to quite respectable for¬ 
tunes, have lost everything now. Most of them 
had to quit their homes in baste, saving noth¬ 
ing except their lives and the scanty clothing 
on their backB. The water and ice swept away 
our houses, out-buildings, grain, furniture, 
stock, fences—everything, everything we had 
worked for during years of hard frontier labor. 
Now most of us have neither houses nor stock 
of any kind, nor timber to build or fence with; 
and many of us have not been able to do any 
planting or sowing this Spring. In this town¬ 
ship alone there have been very distressing 
losses, the following being the names of some 
of those who have suffered most severely :— 
C. Larson, $4,350; H. Gunderson, total loss 
$3,400; Lewis Iverson ife Brother, $3 100; T. 
W. Thompson, total loee. $3 100 ; H. J Hanson, 
$1,299; G. S. Myron. $1,250; I. A. IverEon, 
$2 140; H. Lewis, $1,884; L B Larson. $1,700; 
C. B. Larson. $L 575; O. B. Larson, $1,459; 
John Lewis, $1 488; H. Johnson. $1,406; T. 
A. Thompson, $1 2t>0 ; Mrs. Annie Olson, $1.- 
i24; Lambert Vald, $1,072, and a large num¬ 
ber of others, whose losses, not estimated, but 
calculated closely, range under $1 000. Many 
of us who were quite comfortably well eff will 
have to begin the struggle tor a competence 
anew as poor in worldly goods as when we 
settled here years ago in the wilderness, or even 
poorer, with the discouragement of baviug lost 
the fruits of our labor for many years taken out 
of the best part of our lives. h. o. 
Florida. 
Manatee. Manatee Co., May 13 —Commenc¬ 
ing last Christmas, wo have already shipped 
over 1 000 boxes of tomatoes from this river— 
the Manatee—and still they are going off. So 
soon as folks are through with this business 
they will begin clearing new land, for where 
one acie has been in cultivation this year, ten 
will be under tillage the next. The first of the 
seeds are planted early in September, and 
planting is kept up a long time afterwards, g c. 
Kansan. 
Edgerton, Johnson Co., May 26.—We are 
having plenty of rain here now, and crops of 
all kind6 look well. Wheat, however, is not 
generally looking as well as it was last year at 
this time. A large area of flax has been sown, 
and corn is about all planted, and is mostly a 
goed stand. Apples, peaches, cherries and 
plums will be abundant. Blackberries aie 
considerably damaged. Grapes are good. 
Raspberries, strawberries and gooseberries 
were never more promising. Wheat is worth 
90 cte.; corn, 33 to 35 cts.; oats 30 cts.; butter, 
16 cts.; eggs, 7c. A h. D 
El Dorado, Butler Co., May 20.—We are 
having plenty of rain now. having already en¬ 
joyed a down pour for 36 hours without a mo¬ 
ment’s let-up. The outlook for crops is good, 
everything having been put in except millet 
and flax. Spring wheat aud oats look well, 
but Fall wheat has been badly injured by 
chinch bugs. Fruit of all kinds, except black¬ 
berries, will be full crops. Butter is selling at 
15e.; eggs, S£c ; hogs, $5(2)5 25 ; corn, 50@55r.; 
prairie hay, $5 per ton. L. k. w. 
Louisiana. 
Monroe, Ouachita Parish. May 17.—We 
have had, during the past Winter, the longest 
and most severe cold ever known here. Win¬ 
ter opened on November 16 without warning, 
by sleet and snow—thermometer 18 © Fah. The 
average temperature—two observations per 
diem —from28 December to 31 January, 35j ° ; 
January, 38° ; from December 28 to February 
14 384 © ; from January to February 14, 40? ®. 
The lowest reading was 6° (not exposed to 
wind) on the morning of December S(Lh; when 
exposed to the wind the mercury fell to 2©. 
There were five snow and sleet storms, and two 
other occasionson which it sleeted and snowed 
a little. Ever-blooming roses were killed to 
the ground, which has never before happened 
within my knowledge. There was great loss 
of cattle—frozen to death. The heaviest snow¬ 
fall was four inches on January 1. Oar fruit 
crop (except berries) was almost completely 
destroyed on April 2. The last frost was 
April 15th and 8pring finally opened on 16,h. 
Crops are generally backward; gardens two 
months later than last year. Corn is doing 
fairly well; cotton feeble. “ G." 
Michigan. 
Hart, Oceana Co., May 17 —This Spring has 
been peculiar. The snow was not gone till 
April 27, though hills and fields sloping to the 
south were bare earlier. We had but half a 
day’s rain and a day and a-half of south wind 
to help get rid of the great body of snow, which 
measured 23 inches in depth April 10 It was 
well settled—almost granulated ice. The soil 
being sandy and free from frost, vegetation 
soon started, and in the woods the L ; ver-leaf 
(Hipatica) showed its bright, cheery blos¬ 
soms, in proof that Spring was coming, al¬ 
most before the earth about it was free from 
snow. The leek6 were two or three inches 
high under the snow, and soon furnished a 
green bite for the cattle. Oa the morning of 
May 8 the forest showed a slight tinge of green 
and in five days the trees were in full leaf. 
Though this county is comparatively new, it is 
rapidly settling. ‘*Land lookers” are uumei- 
ous this Spring, and the number of *’wild lots” 
is growing less. Wheat is generally looking 
very well, promising a much better crop than 
waB at first anticipated. Some few fields were 
plowed and put into oats. We shall have a 
light yield of apples, hut other fruits promise 
well. 8mall fruit plants were much injured 
by the heavy snows of the past Winter. Some 
are planting corn. During last week we had 
two very heavy rain*, which have made the 
weather cooler, and on the morning of the 16th 
there was frost in places. a. h. b. 
Nebraska. 
Austin, Sherman Co,, May 20.—It rains 
nearly every day. Oar prospects are bright. 
For wages 1 pay $15 and board fir good hands, 
$8 for a boy. $1.50 for a maid-servant. For 
boarding the price is $l a head for cows. $2 
for colts. All our hay is sold for $4 a ton. 
My 03age Orange seedlings, planted in 1880, 
are nearly all wintei-killed. The few left are 
opening their leaves now. n. 
New York. 
Watertown, St. Lawrence Co., May 13.— 
We have had a fine, dry Spring, with ground 
in good condition for putting in crops, and 
they are neatly all in except corn. Wo had 
but little rain until the night before last when 
it began raining and has continued up to the 
present time with but a short intermission. It is 
quite cool. Grass looks well. Winter wheal, 
was badly injured by freezing and dry weather 
iu March and April. Spring grains are start¬ 
ing finely; a large breadth is sown and the 
prospect is favorable for a good yield. 0. A G. 
Fuller’s Station, Albany Co , May 2L— 
Plenty of rain, and crops growing finely. Far¬ 
mers in high spirits. Some corn is planted— 
mine isn’t. I think the seed would rot, as the 
ground is very wet. There are a great many 
apple blossoms in my orchard, as this is my 
"on” year. Rye is very poor here, the cold 
Spring having hurt It very much. a. m. l. 
Ohio. 
Bellevue, Huron Co., May 23 —The season 
is at least two to four weeks late. Everything 
looks promising. Wheat is splendid. Mycrop 
of 50 acres is better than last year at this time. 
Not more than three-fourths of last year’s 
acreage has been planted hereabouts, how¬ 
ever. A great many farmers are now waiting 
for rain in order to get the ground in good 
shape for putting in more. There will be a 
fair crop of all kinds of frnit. Hay was sold 
last Winter at $10 per ton in the bara and $18 
to $20 delivered ; corn, 45c ; oats, black, 38c; 
wheat $1.05. The weather is now quite cool 
and very dry; we need rain to make us all 
happy. K - 
Vermont. 
Troy, Orleans Co., May 16 —We are having 
a cool, wet time. Just now it is almost impos¬ 
sible to do anything but plow seed land and fix 
fencee. Some of my neighbors have planted 
their corn and potatoes, while others have not 
sowed their wheat. The Lost Nation Wheat is 
having quite a run about hero, aud the White 
Russian Is being introduced a little. My Wash¬ 
ington Oats are up. Plunr trees are in bloom 
and apple trees are just beginning to leaf out. 
I think that old Vermont has done her share 
in the maple sugar business this year. n. a. b. 
Virginia. 
Middleburg, Loudoun Co., May 18.—Corn 
has come up very badly in this vicinity owing, 
it is supposed, to the germ of the grain having 
been frozen during the severe cold of the. Win¬ 
ter. Of necessity there will be much replant¬ 
ing. The wheat crop presents more flittering 
prospects 6ince the recent much-needed rains. 
Cattle were well wintered and went on grass 
in good plight. w. c b. 
SCfrf <$ufrisi. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Grass iu Orchards. 
W. B M-, Payson, III , asks, 1, what is the 
best grass for a peach orchard ; 2, is clover in- 
j urious to peach trees. 
Ans —1, The best grass for a peach orchard, 
or, in fact, lor any orchard, is no grass at 
aU. While trees are yet youug no other 
treatment can fully supply the place of con¬ 
stant cultivation. With older trees grass may 
be tolerated, if kept closely fed or cut, and 
none of it be taken off the ground ; but all of it 
be made a mulch of coarse manure placed 
about the tree, as far as the roots extend, and 
cultivated in as it decays. For such purpose 
the “ best grassis such as will make the least 
growth. SoilB fit for peach growing are not 
over-rich, aud their fertility must be main 
tained- To accomplish this rye may be sown, 
to stand over Winter, and to be lightly plowed 
under in the Spring, before it has grown too 
tall. Even clover may be used for this pur¬ 
pose, the chief obj ction being that it should 
stand over one season, and hence the trees will 
receive a serious check before the advantage 
can be realized. The Boil may be Improved 
and the ground shaded t y growing and turn¬ 
ing under a crop of oats, or even of buck¬ 
wheat ; but thiB should be done early, or else 
so late as not to occasion a late growth of 
trees, at least at the North, where all cultiva¬ 
tion of peach orchards should be avoided after 
the early part of August, till the season’s growth 
has become thoroughly matured, and the 
weather too cool for its removal. 2, Clover is 
doubtless the worst of all forage crops to be 
grown in on orchard, especially of young 
trees. If allowed to grow without being kept 
down by pasturing, and especially if kept as 
meadow and the growth cut and removed, 
will surely ruin any orchard, whether young or 
old. Indeed, an orchard of not more than five 
or six years’ growth were as well pulled up ana 
consigned to the brush pile at once as to be left 
standing, year after year, in a sowed crop of 
any kind, especially clover, the powerful tap 
roots of which will rob the roots of any tree that 
may be planted among them, A single crop of 
oats or barley, and especially of rye, wheat or 
clover, will be pretty sure to nearly or quite 
ruin any newly-planted orchard. 
Horticultural Queries, 
“ Novice," Darien, Conn., having met with 
ill success in raising cauliflowers, asks, 1, how 
should they be treated and when planted ; 2, 
by sowing seeds of Brussel's sprouts the same as 
spinach, in August, can he have sprouts very 
early in Spring, cr must the seed be sown in 
Spring; 3 will a piece of turf turned over after 
mowing (in July or August) be in condition for 
setting strawberries next Spring; if so, would 
it be necessary to plow it again before setting 
in the Spring or would a thorough harrowing 
be all that is needed ; the meadow referred to, 
is level aud well drained ; 4, in our experience 
is London-purple as effective a bug "exter¬ 
minator as Pans-greeu, and is it auy safer; 5, 
as his White Elephant Potato differed consid¬ 
erably in appearance from that represented in 
the engraving that was given in the FairNum- 
ber of the Rural, he atks whether it is likely 
to have been another sort; 6, his Turner Rasp¬ 
berries were for the firEt time sineehe obtained 
them somewhat wintei-killed last Winter while 
the Caroline, though on higher ground, was 
not harmed in the lea6t, 
Ans. —The Cauliflower will not thrive in hot, 
dry weather. Hand watering, although per¬ 
haps of some utility, does not pay at all unless 
one has but a few plants. Then water thor¬ 
oughly. Scrape away the soil from the plants, 
water and then replace the earth when the 
water has soaked into the ground. We should 
plant here as early a6 April 1st. They will 
then have a good chance to get well rooted be¬ 
fore hot and dry weather. 2 No, it is not 
hardy enough. It must be sown iu April and 
planted out, say iu July. 3. Fes, it would. 
Turn in July if possible. A shallow cultivator 
and then a harrow would properly fit it for the 
plants. 4 We used London-purple only last 
year. It i6 jaet us effectual as Paris green, 
though scarcely less dangerous. It lias several 
advantages over Paris-green: cheapness, adhe¬ 
siveness, color, for instance, aud the one dis¬ 
advantage lhat, if used a little too strong, it Is 
more liable to injure the plants. 5 It is the 
White Elephant. A larger size would have 
cost us rather too much postage. As it was, 
the postage on the potato was in most eases 
seven cents—one cent more than the charge 
for postage on both seeds and potato, f*. That is 
precisely our experience, as stated elsewhere. 
Keeping l*ota(oex. 
M. V. Ji , Charleston, Mo , send jus the plan, 
Fig’s. 286,287 and 2S8, of a potato house he was 
thinking of building for the storage of from 
ELEVATION OF FOTATO HOUSE —FIG. 286. 
500 to S00 bushels of tubers, and asks, 1, is the 
plan practicable; 2, to what depth, can pota¬ 
toes be piled in bins or on a cellar floor with- . 
out injuring them; 3, would potatoes keep 
better and maintain a more even temperature 
in cellars if they were covered one or two 
inches with dry sand ; 4, would dry wheat straw 
well tramped aLd changed every Fall, answer 
the same purpose as sawdust for the packing 
between the walls of a cellar. 
Ans —1. Yes. 2 Potatoes are not injured 
by being piled up eight or ten feet high, pro- 
1 
1 
1 
55*05 ers^ssss/s/ssss/. 
1 PI 
A 
■ 
1 B 
i 
1 
1 
1 
* 
■ 
1 
o 
A 
A 
» 
V/////S/JV. 
A, BINS; B, PA85AGE-WAY —FIG. 287. ’ 
vided they are dry and sound when stored. 
The horizontal tiers, except the lowest one are 
useless, if not actually damaging, aud a waste 
