everything in its place”—“destroying weeds”— 
“ keeping things tidy” and are liberal with 
other well-meant advice of the name kind 
while stock is suffering and the crops of an¬ 
other year are in jeopardy for want of labor 
and time to give them immediate attention. 
FLAX CULTURE. 
PUS1SY GRAVES. 
In my experience in ilax culture generally, 
but more particularly in Kansas, in order to 
render a crop profitable I have found it 
necessary to utilize both seed and fiber. 
Preparation of Soil-.—Plow in the Full if 
possible; then, without stirring, harrow in the 
Spring before sowing as soon as tho ground is 
dry enough. Sow broadcast, if for seed, one 
bushel of seed per acre; if for fiber only two 
bushels per acre; if for both seed and fiber 
one-and-a-half bushel per acre. Harrow well 
both ways or until the sood is well covered, 
and then roll. Any soil that will produce a 
good crop of coni will grow flax; but it must 
not be foul with weed-seed, as ilax cannot be 
cultivated profitably if weeds are permitted 
to grow. 
The Seed must be dean—free from rape, 
cockle and mustard, if one w ishes to grow a 
marketable article of seed or a profitable crop 
of hut. 
Harvesting. —In order to make the best 
fiber the crop must bo harvested about the 
time the bloom falls; it will then possess a 
soft, oily feeling; but if tho seed he allowed 
to ripen, it takes up the oil and leaves the 
fiber dry and harsh and more brittle, and 
lighter in bulk. When I wish to save the 
fiber and seed both, 1 allow ono-lourth of the 
bolls to ripen. Competition in the market 
with jute-butts has to a great extent rendered 
the growing of flax fiber unprofitable in the 
West. Harvesting the crop must be attended 
to promptly when begun, if the weather be 
uncertain. It is easily damaged in wet 
weather. The old methods of harvesting with 
the cradle, the scythe and hand-pulling have 
passed away, and John and Mary as partners 
at the flax-pulling have gone to return no 
more. The Champion or Buckeye sickle is set- 
close to tho ground, and the rake and pitch- 
fork do the work of 40 band pullers. 
The Value of tue Crop. —It is safe to 
count on twelve bushels of seed per acre; it 
has often yielded 18 to 20 bushels here in Kan¬ 
sas, and its average value for the past five 
years has been for the whole State SI per 
bushel. It has always been a surer crop and 
better yielder than wheat, When raised 
for the seed and fiber, the value of the crop is 
enhanced, as an average yield of fiber is 1,000 
pounds per acre, which is worth $75 per ton, 
or S100 in St. Louis, 
The experiences of farmers here have led to 
the opinion that the crop is exhaustive; that 
it leaves the Boil colder and heavier and unfit 
to be followed by a crop of corn or oats, and 
hence to a great extent with many farmers 
tho crop lifts been abandoned entirely. Flax 
stubble plowed under is a good preparation 
for wheat, and I have known tho crop grown 
in Ohio preparatory to a wheat crop Of late 
years we grow it here principally for the seed 
when grown at all, and feed the straw for 
hay, which is better than the prairie hay of 
the country and preferred by cattle. An 
average yield of flax straw per acre is half a 
ton. 
The old water and dew rotting and break¬ 
ing and scutching processes have all disap¬ 
peared together with the hand loom and spin¬ 
ning wheel, that used to cheer the fi re-side of the 
pioneer log cabins of the West. We have 
outgrown them nil; but that wo are more 
happy or more contented or more independent 
I very much doubt. The power loom and tho 
ginny have taken tho fiber from the distaff 
and given it back to the housewife in starched 
linen at rates with which she cannot comjiete. 
And unless the flax straw can be taken from 
the thrashing muehiuo and the lint prepared 
for the manufacturer to compete with hemp 
and jute, the main object of the crop must 
depend upon the profit derived from the 
amount of seed that can be grown. 
I Lave compared the reports to the Agricul¬ 
tural Society of this State, from 27 different 
counties, and the average yield per acre of 
seed is 12# bushels, and the average market 
value $1 per bushel. The average cost in 
growing the ej-op, including tho seed, is $5 per 
acre, leaving a net profit of $7.50 per acre. 
Nearly all tho reporters agree that the flax 
straw is as good as Timothy liay for feed, and 
is to them v. I liable only for that purpose. 
Nearly all so' 1 their crops as soon us thrashed, 
not having safe storage. My own observation 
has been, that clean seed in the Bpring has 
been in active demund at from $1.25 to 
$1.40 per bushel for a number of years, Ieon- 
clude, therefore, that the crop may be made 
profitable if made a specialty, and it is at¬ 
tended with far less hard labor thuu a crop of 
corn. An averago crop of com is 40 bushels 
per acre, and an average price in the West is 
25 cents. The cost of growing and harvesting 
it is equal to that for flax; so that there are 
$2.50 per acre in favor of the flax. I am sat¬ 
isfied that if the rules I have given be fol¬ 
lowed, a good crop of flax may be grown 
almost an3 r where in the temperate zone. 
TOBACCO-GROWING NOTES. 
My experiments with commercial manures 
for tobacco have not been satisfactory during 
the past dry Summer As previously stated, 
I used a small quantity of the Swift-sure Su¬ 
perphosphate, Maryland Tobacco Food and 
Alkaline Bone Dust, applying them on a clay 
loam soil previously manured with barnyard 
manure in the drill over which the plants 
were to bo set. From each of tho three 
fertilizers a decided gain was noticeable, par¬ 
ticularly Horn tho Maryland Tobacco Food 
early in the season. But as the season advanced 
the difference in the appearance of the rows, 
where the application had been made and 
where none was used, was less visible until at 
last, when the crop was harvested, no effects 
from any of the several manures were clearh 
visible. I am not prepared, however, to lay 
aside all commercial fertilizers as of no value 
from the simple and unsatisfactory test I have 
given them. Had the season been a wet one, 
the results might have been very different. 
Ordinarily about nine weeks are required 
for tobacco to cure properly. The leaves may 
be cured in a loss time than this, it is true, but 
where the drying is rapid the quality of the 
product is inevitably injured. Tho more 
slowly tobacco can cure and yet escape pole- 
burn, t he better will he the quality of the leaf 
when cured. This fact may bo proven by 
hangings few plants in a collar, ora very close, 
dark outhouse, as an ico-house. Here the 
leaves will cure very slowly, hut when at last 
the natural juices from them anil the stalk 
have escaped, the color ami general quality 
of the leaves will be found admirable. This 
method of curing tobacco on a large scale is, 
of course, not practicable, but the nearer the 
approach to it the better. 
There are very few farm crops that will 
stand a severe drought with less injury than 
tobacco, if the soil on which it is grown is in 
proper condition as regards fertility and tilth. 
The past dry Summer has proven that upon a 
well prepared soil a good crop is almost cer¬ 
tain, provided the necessary care is exercised 
in setting the plants, and in tho cultivation 
during tho growing season. Our best tobacco 
fanners are, as a rule, gainers by severe 
droughts which shorten the crop over a largo 
extent of country, because by obtaining large 
yields themselves, they reap the benefit from 
the advanced prices that are always paid for 
n good product in such seasons. 
It is an excellent plan, after a crop of to¬ 
bacco has been removed from a field, to run a 
harrow over the stubble or hills one or more 
times, which effectually destroys tho second 
or after-growth of the plants, which undoubt¬ 
edly draws from the soil valuable fertilizing 
elements, nil of which are not returned to it 
again when the after-growth is killed by frost. 
The harrowing also destroys many weeds that 
would otherwise mature and scatter their 
seeds to the detriment of next year’s cultiva¬ 
tion. _ 
It is advisable to seed a field after three suc¬ 
cessive crops of tobacco have been taken from 
it. A seeding to clover then is of great ad¬ 
vantage, to he left a full year or more, after 
which, with the usual manuring, of course, 
tobacco may again be planted. The clover im¬ 
proves the condition of the soil, by enriching 
it, making it more mellow and more easily 
“worked,” and leaves it in excellent condition 
again for tobacco. 1 have rarely seen a poor 
crop of tobacco grow upon a clover sod. 
The danger of loss from “ pole-burn ” to to¬ 
bacco is not confined to the first two or three 
weeks after the plants are hung up in the cur¬ 
ing barn, as many suppose. Tho “ burn” is 
caused by a peculiar condition of the weather, 
and may occur to tobacco after it is half cured. 
It is well to watch the weather, and tend to 
ventilation, so long as the plants contain any 
of their natural juices. G. A. G., .tr. 
Chemung Co., N. Y. 
THE RURAL BRANCHING SORGHUM. 
It is two’months to-day since I first cut the 
above fodder plant; and tho second growth is 
again cut, and fed to stock. It measured 10 
feet in bight, and numbered from 25 to 30 
stalks to the hill. The growth seems to me to 
be marvelous and w ill, I have no doubt, bo 
discredited by many. But l can honestly say 
I have no interest in the matter except the 
good of agriculturists, who ure fairly entitled 
to the benefit of everything that Mother Na¬ 
ture sends forth. The stalks of the second 
growth are not as thick as those of the first; 
they are about tho thickness of a strong man’s 
thumb, and the cattle relish them greatly. I 
ought to have weighed both cuttings, so as to 
show what could lie grown on an acre, but I 
thought of it only when it w T as too late. 
Our Hummer has been a very dry one, mid 
we have had only one rain for nearly two 
months. The Rural Branching Sorghum that 
I left for seed is sixtee.n feet high to the top of 
the seed spikes, and is one mass of seed. It 
still remains a deep green, and has been the 
admiration of everyone who has passed along 
the road. I have often wished that n peram¬ 
bulating photographer would conic along, so 
that I could let you see how well it has done 
in Texas. It looks as pretty as any picture 
that ever appeared in the Rural, and that 
is certainly saying a great deal. It is cer¬ 
tainly likely to prove a great boon down 
South. Mine has not been petted or pampered 
in the least. It received no sort of manure, 
liquid or solid, yet it has made so wonderfully 
luxurious a growth in a very dry Summer. 
In my opinion it deserves to be spread broad¬ 
cast through the land, or at any rate through 
that large part of it adapted to its growth. 
Our coni will not be over half an averago 
crop; but cotton is doing well. The first 
“ norther” of the season is blowing and the sor- 
ghu m is ben ding like the masts of a ship in a gale. 
Dayton, Liberty Co., Texas. G. G. 
Specimens of Wheat Received Since the 
Special Wheat Number. 
Scott Montgomery, Whitman Co , Wy.,T.— 
Chili Club (heavy heads) five inches; Little 
Club, three inches 
G. N, Bradford, Mont, Co,, O.—Bearded 
wheat, five inches. 
A. J. Bishop, El Paso Co., Col.—20 Heads 
(unnamed) six inches. 
John LaDow, Cedar Creek, W. T.—Little 
Club, 3’ ., inches; White Winter, Velvet Chaff, 
4j# inches. 
Thomas K. Donnelly, Jersey Co., HI.—Un¬ 
named, five inches. 
M. N. Clark, Westmoreland Co., Pa.—Speci¬ 
mens look like the wheat sent out by the 
Agricultural Department, called Swamp and 
Yellow Missouri, 3jinches. 
D. Newton. ChchalisCo., W. T.—Blue Stem, 
six inches. Beautiful heavy heads with three 
and four grains in a spikelet. 
Mrs, Leah Bean, Wabash Co., Ind.—No 
name, 4# inches. 
H. E. Martin, Hardin Co., O.—Fultz, four 
inches; Clawson, five inches. 
A. Y, Barclay, Lexington, Va.—Key’s Pro¬ 
lific, 5)j inches. 
J. Dunlap, North Co., Pa.—Silver Chaff, 
six inches; Lancaster, five inches. 
B. F. Davis, Williamson Co., Ill.—Patent 
Office Wheat, Swamp Wheat. [The former 
looks to us like the Silver Chuff.—Ens.] 
C. M. Taylor. Address lost. Several speci¬ 
mens. 
Delia M. Newton, Chehalis, W. T.—Beauti¬ 
ful heads of wheat of various kinds, also fine 
specimens of oats. 
Yield of Various Potatoes. 
Potatoes planted April 22, 1881, cut to sin¬ 
gle eyes:— 
2 ? 
07 . 
White Elephant. 1 potato—Spja 
Excelsior... 1 “ —4 
Snowflake. 1 “ —1 
Beauty of Hebron_1 “ —1 
White Chester.1 “ —4 
01 
Tl'S. 
2 H 
1516 
10W 
Ui 
I 
11 . 8 . 
i 
3 
e* 
oT 
IDS. 
26 
21 
15!f 
iaS 
20k! 
The above potatoes were planted in rows 18 
feet long, three and a-half feet apart, each 
kind occupying one row. The ground was 
given a medium coat of barnyard manure last 
Fall. Tbe soil was gravelly with a clay sub¬ 
soil; bad been cultivated five years. Those 
designated large are good-sized, merchantable 
potatoes. The yield of White Elephants would 
be at the rate of 2169 4-5 bushels of merchanta¬ 
ble potatoes per acre. They received flat cul¬ 
ture: the soil was loosened up between the 
rows once with spading fork. The Beauty of 
Hebron and Snowflake were dug July 29; the 
White Elephant mid Excelsior, August 22; the 
White Chester, August 23. The tops w ere 
about bull' dead when dug. There was an 
apple tree in the row of Snowflakes, which 
probably lessened the yield of them and the 
Beauty of Hebron in the next row, 
Sussex Co., N. J. G. O. Wilson. 
Who is Peabody and What is His Corn? 
A short time ago there was some little con¬ 
flict of idea expressed in the Rural as to 
whether a certain corn, which had the 
habit of multiple earing, grown in Ohio, was 
Peabody Corn, or Blount’s Corn. A corres¬ 
pondent. of the Rural, if I remember aright, 
supposed tho corn to be the Peabody Corn and 
so expressed himself, but afterwards submitted 
to correction. But, after all, it may be that 
this correspondent was right and that this 
Peabody Corn is a distinct variety. For 
I find it mentio od in int’s Grasses and 
Forage Crops, which was published in May 
1874, as an established variety at that time 
under the name of Peabody’s Prolific. This 
corn I have observed is largely grown in 
Ohio and Kentucky where it is said to bo an 
exceedingly productive variety. Now it 
would be interesting to know who Peabody 
was, and how his corn was produced and in¬ 
troduced. Can any one tell us? s. 
- 
Flax Raising in Kansas. 
Flax will do well on almost any Kansas 
soil, but it prefers a heavy, black, sandy 
loam, which while new will produce a crop of 
from five to fifteen bushels. It can be sown 
any time in Spring, but on older ground it 
should bo sown, as early as frost is over, else 
the weeds or grass are apt to get started, which 
would be fatal to a crop. Wo cut it with a self- 
ralce machine, leave it in thesim in gavels for 
one day. pick up with a barley fork, and stack; 
thrash at pleasure with wheat thrasher and 
separator. Tho seed is worth an average of 
§1 per bushel. Total cost of an acre, $5. 
Stock oat the straw and thrive on it. W ith 
trills or machinery for working up the lint 
the profit would bo increased 100 percent.; but 
we have no such convenience here .yet. 
Reno Co., Kansas. W. R. Austin. 
Ij or tint Unveil 
STRAWBERRIES AND RASPBERRIES. 
Stray Notes from Connecticut. 
Another season’s experience with some 20 
of our new and well-known varieties of straw¬ 
berries confirms my belief that 
The Crescent Seedling is the most profit¬ 
able berry for near market of any in general 
cultivation. What wonders the Manchester 
will do I have yet to learn. The only objec¬ 
tions I have to t he Crescent variety are, that 
it is a pistillate variety and yields fruit ot in¬ 
ferior quality. But 1 think its good qualities 
more than make up for these two objections. 
In the first place, it will thrive well on almost 
any soil. Then, being such a rampant grower, 
I think it stands a better chance than most 
other varieties where t he white grub is troub¬ 
lesome, I to enormous productiveness is an¬ 
other feature in its favor. It ripens with the 
earliest, and is of good shape and size. Then 
its bright scarlet color, together with its 
bright green calyx, makes it a very showy and 
attractive berry in the markets, and appear¬ 
ance goes a great way with the general cus¬ 
tomer. My first picking of Crescent this year 
was on Juno 8 and the Iasi; on July 2, and it 
maintained a good size throughout. 
The Duncan, as an early berry of fine qual¬ 
ity, 1 think stands without a rival. It is 
puffed but little by fruit-growers, for it is 
hardly linn enough to be called a good market 
berry; but I would recommend it more par¬ 
ticularly as a berry for the family. It Is an 
easy grower, and ripens a day or two in ad¬ 
vance of the Crescent, The fruit is large, 
smooth and of delicious flavor. 
The President Lincoln I am much disap¬ 
pointed with, as with me it is of little value 
after the first year. 
Miner’s Prolific promises well indeed. It 
yields profusely of large, deep, rich, red-colored 
berries, of good quality and sufficiently firm 
for near market. 
The Sharpless does not come up to the 
standard 1 had hoped for it. True, it yields 
enormous berries of fine quality, but if. lads to 
perform all it promises in tho way of product¬ 
iveness. Then tho neck of the berry becomes 
over-ripe and soft while the tip is still white, 
making it, when fully ripe, wholly unfit for 
shipping. Mulching may, however, help 
about its ripening more evenly; but wherever 
1 saw the Sharpie®* in market this season it 
was invariably with a half-ripe appearance. 
The Forest Rose is of no value with me, 
as both plant and fruit have scalded badly the 
past season. 
The Marvin is a weak grower on light soil, 
and too uncertain for general cultivation. 
Hart’s Seedling is an excellent variety for 
the homo garden, being moderately productive 
and of first quality. The fruit is large, glossy, 
of deep-red color, very attractive, and sulli- 
ciontly firm for near market. 
Durand’s Beauty, for a handsome berry, 
beats them all. It is, however, a shy bearei, 
and should be grown in hills. 
The Glendale is a valuable market berry, 
but does not hold out as late as Kentucky or 
Kerr’s 1 -ate. 
Raspberries. 
The CtFTHBERT 1 have fruited only in a 
small way, and am there!ore able to give onlj 
a short experience with it; but from what I 
have seen of it 1 think it a most valuable vari¬ 
ety and one that should bo largely in ovoiy 
collection. Though not quite so hardy as the 
Turner, yet in size and quality it is far su¬ 
perior. 
The Caroline is a variety that improves 
