452 
J UL 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
Many persons here are using less pork, and 
more mutton j and, taking all things Into 
account, it seems that there iB no business 
which promises quicker and larger profits 
than the production of wool and mutton. In 
Putnam County, Ind., the number of sheep 
returned to the assessors is 30 608 head, and 
the amount ol wool, 138,738 pounds. T. c. G. 
Greencastle, Ind. 
-- —* ♦ ♦- 
Sheep in Indiana. —There are quite a good 
many 6heep raised in my county. principally 
Cots wolds and their grades. They are raised 
for wool and mutton, yielding an average of 
about nine or ten pounds of wool to the sheep. 
Lambs are shipped in the last half of June and 
July. They are dropped in March and April. 
Back lambs are shipped to market for mutton, 
ewe lambs are kept for breeding. Sheep have 
to be fed on dry feed from four to five months 
in the year, owing to inclement weather. 
When there is no snow they will live on the 
Blue Giass. Wool is marketed here in the 
county where it is consumed. It is worth 25 
cents per pound at present. a. e. q. 
Jlflriniltttral, 
THE IVY. 
This is a foreigner of great distinction and 
high repute among us, but alas! too fastidious 
to serve as many ends in this country as It 
does in its native lands. The sort with which 
we are most familiar is known as the English 
Ivy. It grows wild in the deciduous woods of 
England ; also in temperate Europe generally. 
The Irish Ivy is but a vigorous and large- 
leaved form ol the English Ivy—not a native 
of Ireland at all, but of the Canary Islands. 
Ivies are found wild in Europe, Asia and Af- 
rica, but none in America. Besides these two 
kinds, there are many beautiful garden varie¬ 
ties of them. Some have large entire leaves; 
others small and deeply-cut or lobed foliage ; 
the leaves of some are margined with white or 
yellow, and others are blotched and clouded 
with the same. lu some cases the silvery va¬ 
riegation assumes a reddiehor bronzy tinge to- 
wards the Fall; but in most instances the va¬ 
riegation lessens, as U the case with the varie¬ 
gated iorms of Day Lilies and Meadow Sweet, 
as the season advances. 
The ivy is generally used to cover north-fac¬ 
ing or shaded walls, also rocks, blocks or pil¬ 
lars in cool, moist, shady places, Btems of 
naked trees and sometimes fences, likewise to 
form carpets under trees and belts upon the 
lawns. At one time it was popular for ceme¬ 
tery work, to cover the base of monuments, 
make a bed-mat over graves, and form a nar¬ 
row belt around the lots ; but since some years 
it has been less used, the Japanese Ivy having 
usurped its place as a “ vine,' 1 and the periwin¬ 
kle, or myrtle," as It is often called, bb a 
ground mat. Bat the ivy is not reliably hardy 
in the Northern Btate6; we sometimes see it 
for years in thrift and vigor, even keeping 
pace with European luxuriance; then comes 
an exceptional Winter like the last, and the 
Ivy is either killed or badly injured. That 
which spreads upon the ground may be 6aved 
in Winter by being covered over with spruce 
boughs, straw or tree leaves. 
But it is as a house plant that the ivy is es¬ 
teemed. Grown in a pot, tin can or wooden 
box, in open, rich soil, it will thrive in the 
darkest window, where most other plants 
would peiish; we train it up the window sideB, 
along the ceiling, around the picture frames or 
elsewhere at our pleasure, and still the leaves 
will keep their deep and glossy green .and shoots 
will break out and grow. Or we cun snugly 
keep it as a “ specimen,” and train the Bhoots 
around a trellis or on some stakes in pyramid¬ 
al, fan or cushion fashion ; or we may let it 
grow at pleasure and shorten back the growths 
to render them more numerous, aud in this way 
depend in folds over the vase’s side, or like a 
mantle from the box that sitteih on the win¬ 
dow sill. It is an excellent city plant; the 
darkness of the streets or smoky atmosphere 
affects it little. It may be safely lodged in shed 
or cellar in the Winter, providing that the 
temperature be moderately low, the atmos¬ 
phere not parchiugly dry—as near a furnace— 
and that the soil it grows in is never quite diy. 
But it will bear a deal of heat, as well as cold, 
providing the atmosphere is moist and the 
roots are watered well. 
It is propagated by means of cuttings or slips 
at any time, grafting the rarer sorts upon the 
commou, aud by seeds. Cuttings yield fac¬ 
similes of the parents; seedlings usually in¬ 
cline to the species more than the variety, and 
grafting is an evil rather than a good, except 
in such cates as when wo wish to invigorate 
the weak. Some folks strike their ivies, as 
they do their oleanders, in bottles of water. Of 
course the plants root readily, but the roots 
lack substance, and are not likely to be trans¬ 
ferred from the water to the soil with Bafety. 
This method of “ water-cuttings ” is a misera¬ 
ble practice. 
A great many kinds of plain-and variegated¬ 
leaved ivies are advertised by our nurserymen 
and florists at 25 to 50 cents apiece. The sub¬ 
ject of the accompanying illustration, namely, 
Hedera Helix Madeiriensis variegata. or. in 
other words, the Variegated Madeira Ivy—lie 
sure yon do not confound this ivy with the 
Madeira Vine so common in our gardens, and 
which is not an ivy at all—is a new sort raised 
in England, where it was exhibited for the first 
time last year. The Gardeners' Chronicle, from 
which our picture is re-engraved, says :— 
“It is a very handsome, large-leaved, silvery 
variegated plant, perfectly hardy in constitu¬ 
tion and very free-growing, and has, more¬ 
over, the quality, often wanted in variegated 
ivies, of retaining its variegation throughout 
the season.” 
UliattUaittons. 
BUBAL BBIEFLET8. 
Where the grasses of meadows are of mixed 
kinds it is better to cut wbeu the earliest is in 
bloom, than to wait until the latest is in 
bloom, unless the last constitutes a large per¬ 
—the number depending upon the vigor of the 
variety and tbe quantity of fruit which it may 
safely bear. But each main stem whether one 
or a dozen should be treated in the same way. 
The axillary buds should be pinehed out as 
soon as they appear. When the stems have 
reached the top of the arbor or support, the 
growing ends should be pinched and the 
lateral buds may then be permitted to grow 
near the top in their stead. When the vines 
are pruned in the Fall all the laterals are cut 
away, of course, with a part of the main stems, 
which are left to bear the next season’s 
.... 
One of our friends in Texas, Wharton Co., 
says that the “ Rural Branching Sorghum is 
looking splendid ; plenly of root6 with ten and 
twelve branches It is far ahead of other sor¬ 
ghums planted side by side with it.” 
We do hope the Rural Sorghum may not 
disappoint the expectations our statements 
regarding it have raised... 
Speaking of the hardiness of the beautiful 
Japan Maples, we find a note in the London 
Garden from which we make the following 
paragraph: 
“Some consider them tender, but in the 
centage of the bntire field. If any rule could 
be given, clover should be cut when one-half 
the heads are in bloom or before any seed 
begins to form. Many farmers seem indiffer¬ 
ent to the very important fact that seed-form¬ 
ing may exhaust the roots of perennial plants 
more than the growth of stem and leaf. It is 
well known that 6ome annuals, if the flower- 
budB be cut off, may be changed into biennials. 
If, however, the 6eeds are permitted to form, 
the office of the plant is performed and it 
dies.-. 
A i.itti,e liquid manure is excdleut for 
young cabbage plants, tomatoes, if the soil is 
poor, celery, etc. A few shovelfuls fresh from 
the stable may be placed in a barrel—the barrel 
filled with water and this used as needed. 
For cabbages the land should be well plowed, 
harrowed, rolled and harrowed until mellow. 
For garden culture we make tbe rows three 
feet apart and set the plants two feet apart. A 
dibble or round slick, pointed at the end, an 
inch in diameter is used to make the hole. If 
the weather is dry the holes should be filled 
with water several times, the plants then set 
and the earth pressed firmly about the roots up 
to the first leaves. 
Treated in this way, if the plants are fresh¬ 
ly taken from the seed-bed and not exposed to 
the sun and air, the leaves never wilt in the 
least..... 
For the cabbage worm It is best to go over 
the plants occasionally with a sharp-pointed 
pair of scissors iu hand and cut the worms in 
two. This is a more agreeable and effectual 
way of killiug them than haud-picking. Later, 
when the plants head, pyrethrum powder may 
be used. But this at present is rather costly. 
Hot water is effectual, but if it is not hot 
enough tbe worms escape—and if too hot the 
plants are in j nred.. 
It will be observed that in the axil of every 
grape-vine leaf—that is, between the foot of 
the leaf stalk and the stem from which it 
grows—a bud may be Been which at a very 
early age iu the growth of the stem begins its 
development into a secondary branch or 
“ lateral.’’ If we desire to confine oar vines 
to a single Blem, as in the case of young plants, 
these laterals should be pinched out. In older 
vines several stems may be permitted to grow 
I Southern half of this country and all Ireland 
they have withstood our late severe Winters 
unhurt, and if a shrub can withstand such 
coid as that we have of late experienced, it 
surely ought to be ranked as hardy.” 
The request we made in the Rural has 
brought us a number of responses and the up¬ 
shot of them all is that they cannot, in this 
country, be considered hardy enough to endure 
our exceptional Winters..... 
Several fine beads of Clawson Wheat re¬ 
ceived from M. B. McLoulh, of Lenawee Co., 
Michigan, show that there can be scarcely any 
difference between the blooming of this variety 
there and at tbe Rural Farm... 
We w ould again remark to our friends that 
those sending heads of wheat to the Rural 
New-Yorker in competition for the prizes 
offered should be careful to write their full 
address on the box, which is now permitted by 
the postal laws. Otherwise we cannot always 
place the wheat sent with the letter of the per¬ 
son who sends it..... 
Phof. Blount of Colorado says that some 
of his wheats already show 80 good heads 
from one kernel... 
Here seems to be a new if not an excellent 
idea sent to the Rural by Mr. D. S. Marvin: 
“ If Hauson Lattuce be sown with clover 
early in the Spring it grows far more tender 
than if sown by itself; the shade afforded by 
the clover keeps it from heading, or forces it 
to remain fresh and succulent for a long time 
after that grown in the full sun exposure is 
unfit for the table. This bint came out of an 
accident... 
Mr. Marvin also says : 
•• The prospect for a grape crop in Jefferson 
Co., N. Y. never was better. I am now busy 
hybridizing and crossing more carefully than 
ever before. The Eumelan is a grand mother. 
I use it as one of the factors in most of my 
experiments and I never use foreign pollen ; if 
I cannot get as good grapes from our natives 
as from Viti6vinlferalamgeatlydeceived, lam 
sorry to see your corn prospects are so poor; 
I am glud to see you are crossing our wheats. 
Again, Mr. Marvin offers a problem for 
paper-bag manufacturers to solve: 
“ It is fairly proven that paper bags made of 
good manilla paper to cover the clusters of 
grapes while ripening, afford an excellent pro¬ 
tection against mildew, birds and insects. 
Personal observation and experience have 
demonstrated their usefulness against human 
marauders or fruit thieves, provided green bags 
of the same tint as the foliage of the grape are 
used. Bui I find difficulty in getting good bags ; 
tbe hot sunshine and rain fadeont all the ordin¬ 
ary shades of green that I have been able to 
procure. I have applied to several manufac¬ 
turers to have them made, but have failed so 
far to obtain a permanent green. I would 
therefore call the attention of our manufactur¬ 
ers to this want and feel sure that such an ar¬ 
ticle would find ready sale.” 
Prop. Bhdd. of the Iowa State College, 
writes ns that he is engaged in a special work, 
viz., that of trying to adapt—by selection and 
importation—fruits, shrubs and trees to the 
pe culiar climate of the prairie States. In 
some respects the climate of Iowa is more try¬ 
ing than that referred to by Hoskins and 
Chas. Gibb in the Rural, as the “Cold North.’’ 
The diy air and intense heat of the Iowa Sum¬ 
mers they kuow nothing of. Iowa Winters are 
not only cold, but the west and northwest winds 
are dry. The steppes of Northern Europe and 
Asia have what is wanted and the Iowa State 
College has many of their fruits, shrubs and 
trees under trial. 
Killing Potato Beetles —The Rural is 
usually very correct in giving information, 
but on page 402 in answer to the question, 
“How are the potato beetles, etc I find it 
making the assertion that the old ones cannot 
be killed by poison. Now “ the fact is ” they 
can and have bceo killed in vast numbers by 
London-purple and Pari6-green. If the poison 
had been applied at the time the pests were 
eating the young shoots the result would have 
been sat : sfactory. I always watch for the 
time when they are eating aud dose them at 
once, and never fail to kill a great inauy. 
This season they were unusually numerous 
and we killed so many that three days after¬ 
wards they would not average a bug to ten 
hills. No amount of hana-piekiug would have 
been so effectual. The young are j ust begin¬ 
ning to appear on the vines, the cold weather 
having kept them back. a. e. 
Cambridge, N. Y. 
Remark.— Oar friend misunderstood us. 
The old beetles were so numerous this year 
that they eat the sprouts as soon as they ap¬ 
peared, so that there was nothing to apply the 
poison to.—E ds. 
-- 
Mr. T. J. Bull, of Hot Springe, Ark., informs 
A. J. C M of Salt Lake, that upon the receipt of 
stamps for postage he will, in the Fall, send 
whortleberry plants. 
A striking illustration of the value of work 
as an educator has been recently furnished by 
Rev. Washington Gladden, of Springfield, says 
Prof. Northrup. He sent a circular to 100 of 
the most prominent men of that place, asking. 
“ Was your home during the first 15 years of 
your life on the farm or in the city, and were 
you then accustomed to work when not in 
school?” Of the 88 who replied, five only 
“had nothing particular to do,” while 94 per 
cent, were farmers’ sons, or hard-working 
boys. So everywhere, as he clearly showB. the 
prizeB of life are carried off by the men who 
learned to work._ 
Speaking of cabbages, Mr. Joseph Harris 
says;—Fotler’B Drumhead, Stone Mason and 
Premium Flat Dutch are all excellent varie¬ 
ties. The Drumhead Savoy is a delicious cab¬ 
bage with wrinkled or curled leaves, and 
should have a place in every garden. The Win- 
ning6tadt is not as large as the others 1 have 
named, but is sure to head. If your land is not 
rich or not In the best condition, aud If you 
are late in planting, the WiuulngBtadt offers 
the best chance for success. It often gives 
good solid heads where the larger and later 
kinds fail. It Is, moreover, a delicious cab¬ 
bage. Many growers, especially on light, 
sandy soil, prefer it to the later and larger va¬ 
rieties. as it can be planted thicker, and yon 
get more cabbage per acre. 
This year Mr. Harris sets out his own crop 
in rows two and a-half feet each way. lhis 
gives 6,969 plants on an acre. Some prefer to 
make the rows two and a-half feet one way 
aud two feet the other way. This gives 8,7U 
plants per acre._ 
The difference of price between early-cut 
and well-cured hay, and the late and poorly 
cured, is fully 35 per cent., and this is no more 
than the actual difference in value for feeding 
stock. Now, to lose one-quarter of the value 
of a crop through some error of Judgment, or 
carelessness in gathering, is far more than any 
