is that on this side the branches nre entirely 
dead, while the other side, that had not been 
severely pruned, has remained uninjured—not 
a break- in its foliage can be seen. [Is not the 
reason of this that coniferous evergreens can¬ 
not push buds and form foliage soon enough 
to support the wood ?—Eds.] 
For an ornamental evergreen hedge there is 
nothing that can equal the American Arbor- 
vitoe (Thuja occidental is), while for a dwarf 
hedge plant the Tom Thumb and llovey’s 
Arbor vitae will he found indispensable. 
[Does not Mr. Parnell mean the feathei-y form 
of the common Arbor-vita* ? Tn most cases 
it loses these feathery leaves as the plants be¬ 
come old, returning to the epe ies. Resides, 
this youthful form is not at all hardy at the 
Rural Grounds.— Eds.] The evergreen Thorn, 
the Yellow-fringed Cratoogus pyracantha, is 
also a most valuable ornamental hedge plant. 
A CHOICE and remarkably interesting plant 
for the lawn is Buist’s Variegated Alt Inca—Hi¬ 
biscus Syriacus foliis variegatis. It is of more 
compact habit and of dwarfcr growth than 
the major ity of the n 1thmas. The dowers are 
small and insignificant, the beauty of the plant 
consisting in its leaves, which are curiously 
and beautifully marked with white. In a rich, 
deep soil this species grows freely and stands 
our hot, dry Summer weather without being 
injured in the least. It is, moreover, perfectly 
hardy. I Do Ihe flower buds ever unfold with 
you ?— Eds.] While the plants are small pinch 
back the strong growing shoots occasionally 
during the season of grow th. For this species 
this treatment seems, to me at least, far pref¬ 
erable to the severe annual pruning usually 
given the althaeas. 
While speaking of the althaeas, I desire to 
mention the fact that, of late, lurge plants die 
suddenly and in a manner unaccountable to 
me. Have any of the Plural, readers noticed 
this, and if so, what is the matter with them ? 
[Asking pardon for so many interruptions, we 
would reply that in sandy soil, subject to 
drought, ours have been killed in*the same 
way. Not so in clayey, moist soils.— Eds.] 
The Scarlet Oak—Quercus coccinea—is just, 
now a remarkably attractive object among 
our forest trees. This is oneof the most beau- 
ful and distinct of oaks, on account of ihe 
leaves assuming a beautiful scarlet tint in the 
Autumn mont hs, and on this account it is well 
worthy of being more extensively employed 
in planting ornamental grounds. 
It is a common opinion among most per¬ 
sons that deciduous trees and shrubs cannot be 
successfully removed while in full leaf About 
the middle of June last I removed two large 
althaeas, both being over eight feet high; they 
both lived ami are doing well. When they 
were at first removed the ground was very 
wet; but since then it has been dry enough. 
The plants were very carefully taken up and 
replanted. They were severely pruned and as 
soon as dry weather set in they were well 
mulched, and occasionally given a good soak¬ 
ing of w r ater. I do not suppose it would 
prove to be a very profitable operation on an 
extensive scale, hut when it is necessary it 
can be done with entire success, provided a 
person will use a little skill and judgment. 
[True. We have at various times in the 
Summer during many years transplanted 
peach, apple, pear trees, deciduous and ever¬ 
green trees, grapt-vines, blackberries, rasp¬ 
berries, etc. successfully.— Eds.] 
One of the prettiest and most attractive 
green house plants at the present time is the 
Catalonian jessamine—Jasminum grandifio- 
rum, It is a plant easily cultivated, requir¬ 
ing good drainage and a compos* composed of 
two-thirds well rotted sods and one-thinl well 
rotted manure, with a temperature of 50 dur¬ 
ing its season of bloom—which is from 
October to January. It is a plant, with light, 
graceful foliage and deliciously fragrant, 
pure white, star shaped flowers. The plants 
can be cut l«ick into shape and planted out in 
the open air about the first of May, and token 
up carefully and potted about the end of 
August, It is also an excellent window plant 
and as it is of climbing habit it can be trained 
in almost uny desired form. It is very sub¬ 
ject to the scale insects, and care must be 
taken to keep them in check. Propagation is 
effected by cuttings, but fine plants may be 
easilv obtained by layers during the Summer 
months. 
With me all the Winter pears are ripening 
ranch earlier than usual, I presume on account 
of the severe drought. One of the best in eat¬ 
ing at the present time is that excellent sort, 
Dana’s Hovey. In my opinion this is the 
highest flavored pear in cultivation. On ac¬ 
count of its small size, 1 presume, it is of little 
value as a market sort, but for amateurs it is 
without an equal. The tree is of vigorous, 
upright growth and is remarkably productive, 
retaining its foliage unt 1 late in the season. 
The fruit is of small size and of a greenish- 
yellow- color, with a juicy, melting flesh and 
a rich, sugary, aro-> atie flavor. 
Out of 95 varieties of pears in my collection 
there are only three that have retained their 
foliage to the present time (Nov. 12), viz , 
Dana’s Hovey, Miehaux and St. Michael 
Arebange. [The Kieffer still retains a few 
leaves with us.— Eds.] 
Will you please be so good as to inform me 
where I can obtain a plant of Abutilon in- 
signe? I was of the opinion^that this species 
was not in cultivation at the present time. 
Have Schweidler’s Purple-leaved and 
Weir’s Cut-leaved Maples been tried at the 
Rural Grounds, and if so a few- descriptive 
notes on their rapidity of growth, habit, etc. 
would prove of interest to me. [We have 
never tried Weir’s, as it is simply a variety of 
the Silver Maple, which we have never liked 
as an ornamental tree. Schweidler’s grows 
just about as fast as the species, the Norway. 
—Eds.] Chas. E. Parnell. 
fic tli Crxrps. 
SOME RURAL SEEDS. 
White Elephant Potato.— Rather late 
last Spring I received through the Rural 
Seed Distribution tw'o medium-sized White 
Elephant Potatoes, with some other seeds and 
packages empty from being torn open and 
the seed lost in the muil transportation. The 
[situtoes were not weighed, but cut to pieces 
of one eye ami planted with phosphate in a 
rich, loamy soil that had been manured with 
flue manure plowed in. It being late and the 
soil becoming considerably dry, the sets were 
some time in coming up, and it required vig¬ 
orous fighting to protect them from the pota¬ 
to bug. They received amjje attention and 
made an excellent growth of vines, but on the 
bottoming I was disappointed, although I ob¬ 
tained about one bushel of average tubers. 
They did not, however, quite come up to my 
expectations, and still I am inclined to think 
that their failure to <lo so was due to the place 
vlierethey were planted rather than to any un¬ 
favorable quality of the potato itself: and here 
I will say that they were planted on a piece of 
ground that had been used several years for 
onions, and that was last year planted to po¬ 
tatoes and a portion of i<u was again planted 
this season, and it must be reported that on 
that portion the potatoes did not do at all 
well; so I am inclined to think that with more 
favorable conditions the White Elephaut 
would have given very satisfactory returns. 
Perhaps right here I may bo permitted to say 
that in my opinion no better soil or field can 
be used tor the cultivation of potatoes than 
some old, outlying field that lias not been under 
the plow for a number of years, and even 
though the soil looks thin, with a liberal dres¬ 
sing of manure incorporated with it and the 
use of phosphate in the hill, there need lie no 
fear of a poor crop, and in such cases one will 
almost invariably have perfectly smooth 
tubers. Now one trouble with my potatoes 
grown on the old cultivated soil was that they 
were exceedingly rough and scabby, while 
others, grown upon a portion of old pasturing 
that had not been under the plow for 25 years 
or more, were as smooth and nice as could lie 
wished. 
Rural Branching Sorghum. — I planted 
the seed of the Rural Branching Sorghum and 
it failed to germinate except a stalk here and 
there, but these, cither from its being so ex¬ 
tremely thin or from some other cause, did 
branch almost without limit. Judging from 
the indications of the little that came up I 
should imagine it would be a profitable plant 
to grow, if i to saccharine qualities are equal to 
those of other varieties, because of the grant 
number of stalks that would be produced, and 
yet there is a possibility that the number of 
these would be somewhat diminished in size 
because of an increased number from one 
germ. This seemed to be the case so far as 
my own was concerned. An important point in 
sorghum culture is to secure a varietj r possess¬ 
ing the highest degree of saccharine quality. 
A cane may furnish a large quantity of juice, 
but of so low a grade as to produce but little 
sirup and that of a low grade. [The Rural 
Branching Sorghum is a fodder plant rather 
than a sugar or sirup making cane.— Eds.] 
Potatoes and Carnations.— These were 
taken in hand by my “ better half ” and care¬ 
fully attended to and they rewarded her with 
many blossoms in groat variety, richness and 
delicacy of coloring, that were much admired. 
It was a happy thought of the Rural that 
prompted it to the distribution of the seeds of 
beautiful flowers so that the houses and gar¬ 
dens may be rendered attractive. There is no 
home, however humble, that may not be re¬ 
lieved of its gloom by the introduction of a 
few of these messengers of love—beautiful 
flowers. How the heart is made glad as they 
seem to smile upon the weary laborer, 
whether from the field or by the fireside, and 
the more there are the greater the blessing. 
Tolland Co., Conn. Wm. H. Yeomans, 
-- 
HUNGARIAN GRASS. 
Fifteen years ago there were very few 
fields of tame grass in this part of Missouri, 
and farmers opening new prairie farms found 
in Hungarian and millet good substitutes for 
Timothy and clover. Prairie hay, unless 
well backed with corn, barely kept stock 
alive during the Winter. For several years I 
wintered 40 or 50 head of cattle and 15 head 
of horses on Hungarian without losing a 
calf or a colt or discovering any sign of 
disease. 1 believe it to be as valuable, ton 
for ton, as Timothy hay. My first crop of it 
was 35 acres on prairie sod broken late in the 
Fall and early Spring, sowed on the 1st of 
April, one peck to the acre; yield, 75 tons of 
clean hay. 
I commenced cutting it on t he first of July, 
while in the “milk.” The last day’s cutting, 
two weeks from commencement, was fully 
npe. In raking the seed shelled badly on 
both early and late cuttings. The seed on the 
first cutting was small and light-colored, and 
though the Fall was favorable none of the 
seed sprouted. But the stubble of the early 
cutting grow, sending out several shoots to 
each that lioudod out. The following year 
Hungarian grow wherever it could find an 
unoccupied spot, all over the field mentioned, 
and wherever the cattle stood or fed. Around 
trees mulched with manure ) gathered stalks 
six feet toll for exhibition. Hungarian has, I 
think, several advantages over millet. It 
is more hardy, can bo sowed ear lier, is surer 
to grow, stools out better, makes finer hay, 
and there is more blade and less stalk. It 
will stand more ram with less damage in the 
shock, stack or windrow than prairie hay or 
Timothy. When a badly finished stack of 
prairie hay rots to the ground Hungarian 
will suffer little. 
The seed has had a bad name as food for 
stock; but, wliile I have soon no ill effects 
from it, I have observed that we never had 
eggs so plentiful in Winter until we com¬ 
menced feeding it. I believe that cattle digest 
very little of the seed, and horses even do not 
digest it all, and as it yields as high as 70bush¬ 
els per acre sometimes, it would pay to thrash 
and grind the seed with corn and oats for stock. 
Early sow ing isUie surest. 11 needs moisture 
to give it a start; after that very few crops 
stand the drought better. It pays to prepare 
the ground well, leaving it very level, lest 
heavy showers wash the surface and bury the 
young blades. J. W. Mulvey, M. D. 
Caldwell Co., Mo. 
■-♦♦♦ — 
KANSAS NOTES. 
Sorghum for Feed. 
I have never raised soruhnm for the pur¬ 
pose of sirup-making, but I have raised it two 
years for feed, and consider it superior to any 
other forage plant I have ever raised in any 
State for this purpose, Timothy and clover 
not excepted. I prepare the ground the same 
as for any other crop, and drill with my 
wheat drill half a bushel of seed to the acre. 
I sow it from April to August firat. If it 
grows strong and tall, I cut it with a revolv¬ 
ing-rake reaper, and, after allowing it to 
wilt for several days, I bind and shock it in 
largo shocks until dried, then stack and salt 
it the same as corn-stalks. If it is finer and 
shorter, I cut it with a mower and cure it the 
same as hay. It takes a long time to cure and 
dry- out, otherwise it will heat and spoil. The 
btucks should be long and narrow. The crop 
should stand until ripe enough for sirup 
before cutting. It will not bleach and spoil 
on the ground like hay or grain. Many let it 
stand without cutting and feed it on the 
ground, and cattle and sheep will eat it clean, 
even the butts and roots, leaving nothing. I 
am of the opinion that the largo, coarso 
stalks are the best for working animals. My 
horses are working and driving on half 
rations of grain (rice corn), and are doing 
better than when 1 fed them hay and corn 
fodder, with full rations of corn chop. The 
seed is equal to corn, and will produce as 
much to the acre. I think when well cleaned 
it weighs 00 pounds to the struck bushel. It 
is superior to any other dry feed for milch 
cows. Our dry climate and winds make it 
easy to cure, and it stands drought better 
than any crop except the rice corn. 
KICE CORN FOR FEED. 
I have raised rice corn three years, and 
have had good crops each year—from 20 to 30 
bushels per acre. I plant it in drills eight 
inches to one foot apart, one seed in a place, 
if the seed is good, and three to four feet be¬ 
tween the rows. It yields well planted six to 
eight Inches in the drill. I cultivate well while 
small, but after the heads are out they are 
liable to break off. I harvest it by cutting 
the heads off with a pocket knife and gather¬ 
ing them in baskets the same as coni, having 
my wagon along. Each man takes four 
rows, and will cut more than he could pull of 
Indian com. It is liable to heat if put in too 
large cribs. Some thrash it with a common 
thrasher, and others feed it in the head. I 
prefer the latter method, palling the heads 
apart and mixing them from bran. I have 
fattened hogs two years on thus feed, and fed 
my work horses on it through wheat seeding 
until the corn was out in Spring, and think 
two bushels of it are equal to three bushels of 
the best Indian com. I feed it to my sheep 
and rams with the same results, and have 
never seen any harm result from it. All 
stock must learn to eat it before they like it. 
Nothing will eat the young com win* i grow¬ 
ing. Sheep will take all the grass in the field 
without touching a leaf of the corn. The 
stalks are very hard and woody, and almost 
worthless for feed when dry. In early Fall 
the stalks will make a quarter to one-eighth 
as much sirup as sorghum—so 1 am told. It 
stands drought quite us well as sorghum, and 
I am told grasshoppers will not bother it. It 
makes splendid griddle cakes or puddings, 
when ground. 
BROOM CORN. 
I raised a few’ acres of broom com ono'year 
for the purpose of shedding. In planting, I 
used my sulky plow, dropped the seed in the 
back side of the furrow and covered it with 
the next furrow, pipwing wide so as not to 
cover it deep. It came up thick and was culti¬ 
vated. I planted it July 3. the row’s being 
about 3*2 feet apart. It grew from eight to 
eleven feet high and the brush was of tremen¬ 
dous length and full of plump seed. I cut and 
shocked it the same as com, and fed it to my 
sheep during the Winter with good satisfac¬ 
tion. I fed 1,500 bushels of light seed to my 
sheep the same Winter and they liked it for 
feed. My neighbors raise lurge quantities of 
it with only very little labor. The cutting is 
the most work. They get from 4C0 to 700 
pounds to the acre of t he brash, and 15 to 30 
bushels of seed. The brush sells at $00 to 
$110 per ton. and the seed at 20 to 25 cents per 
bushel. It is used for feed for cattle, horses, 
sheep and hogs. h. j. colvin. 
farm (Topics. 
ICE-HOUSES ON THE FARM. 
Of the advantage of having a good supply 
of ice for family use in Summer it is hardly 
necessary to speak; yet, however much its ad¬ 
vantages may be conceded, very many farm- 
el’s forego much real enjoyment which they 
might have at little trouble and expense, and 
instead of refreshing themselves on ice-water, 
used moderately, and spreading their bread 
with nice, cool butter, they drink the warm 
water from the spring and cover their bread 
with an oil less healthful and pleasant to the 
taste. This is not because they do not recog¬ 
nize the good a little ice may do, but they 
“never get at the w'ork,” or “it.is too much of 
an undertaking” to build an ice house. 
Aside from the fact that ice in Summer 
makes living more pleasant when the mercury 
reaches 100 degrees m the shade, it has come 
to be a necessity for those who keep a dairy, 
if their butter products are to be first-class. 
But every farmer who now has none will find 
time and money well spent in building an ice¬ 
house, to bo filled later in the season. It may 
be built above or below the surface of the 
ground, as seems desirable, I remember 
seeing one on a farm this Summer, which an¬ 
swered the purpo es of a small dairy of 12 or 
15 cows and furnished what ice was needed 
for domestic purposes. Not all ice-houses can 
be so favorably located us was this. Near the 
farm house a little fish-pond, fed by a never- 
failing stream, had been made some years 
ago. It was not more than 25 or 30 feet in 
longest diameter, yet when it was discovered 
that this might be turned to use as an “ ice 
factory” in Winter, it afforded a sufficient 
quantity of ice to supply three neighboring 
families, whose ice houses were not so favora¬ 
bly located. On the lower side of this pond 
stands the ice-house. This, as we remember 
it, is not more than 1U feet by 12, with a bight 
up to caves of, perhaps, 10 feet. It is built of 
common, smooth boards, a shingled roof and 
ventilator, and the joists to which the clap¬ 
boards are nailed without afford also, within, 
a place for nailing coarse boards, which, when 
fastened, form with the clap boards a place 
for “packing” with chaff or straw. The door- 
sill is about on a level with the top of the em¬ 
bankment about the pond, so that the ice- 
cakes can he stowed away with but little 
labor. As 1 have said, this pond of small 
dimensions furnished this and threeother fam¬ 
ilies with a sufficient amount of ice for Sum¬ 
mer use. 
But, wherever the house be built, proper 
drainage and ventilation are indispensable. If 
