06 T. SF 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
2S7 
now ami then, taking a run around the lot, chas- 
iug a low-wioged bird. 
Dogs are good on the farm to keep away ver- 
min-Hiioli as skunks and weasels-which will m 
one night sometimes, destroy poultry enough to 
pay a dog's hoard a halt year at the average 
boarding-house. Nice little sore-eyed pets that 
ait on ladies' laps, have fastidious notions ; per¬ 
haps their mi ■'tresses do too. These like cam y 
»„d cl,- ..3 boeCatoftka raf,** '»"”»» “ 
can live and do well on boiled potatoes, with a 
little gravy on them. We need 
not he as particular about the 
gravy as we would for Johnny ; 
any pot grease will do. If a 
is worth keeping, give him a lit¬ 
tle milk every day. The bones 
and scraps from the table, added 
to the potatoes and milk, will 
keep anv dog in good condition, 
and if be is not an “ ordinary” 
do-, make mittens and glovos 
out of his skin as soon as possi¬ 
ble. Half-blooded shepherd dogs 
have got just enough natural in¬ 
clination to make them the most 
liable to kill sheep. Pull-bred 
shepherd dogs are also danger¬ 
ous unless they aro trained nnd 
brought up with sheep; then 
they will not bite them. Pure — 
hound dogs seldom molest Bheep ; ^ 
hut when crossed on common 
curs, they are bound euough to 
chase the sheep, nnd cur enough 
to kill them. 
The pure hound disdainB to 
make chase in this way, hut will go around 
the domestic herds and never disturb their 
quiet, unless when scenting his game the 
trade may load through their midst, and then 
so intent is ho, that ho will not lift his nose 
from the ground, and seems unconscious of 
their presence. Newfoundland dogs aro too 
heavy and clumsy to kill sheep. They are a gen¬ 
tleman’s dog—cost too much for a farmer. The 
Spaniels havon’t any pluck, and they will run 
away for creeks and ponds. On the whole, the 
hlack-arul tan are about the best; or the Scotch 
terriers, as they aro Bprightly little follows, and 
will not hoBitate to pitch into ft skunk, or even 
larger game, ft will tako three years in this 
to wn for the dog tax, which is set apart to pay for 
sheep killed by dogs, to make a, fund sufficient to 
pay the claims for those already slaughtered. 
Saratoga Co., N: Y. 
gome light on the question. It has been proved 
in several cases, that corn can be produced in this 
country at the rate of over 220 bushels per acre, 
nnd that in a yield of 181 bushels obtained by 
liberal fertilizing, the cost was less than seven¬ 
teen cents per bushel, and the profit was at the 
rate of over $100 per aero. 
If, then, we accept the theory that fifty-five 
bushels of oorn per acre, (whenever it is the 
spontaneous yield of nnmauured land,) is a limit 
beyond which manure ceases to pay; in othoi 
tained a product of forty-five bushels of grain 
and thirty-six cwt. of straw, showing an increase 
of eight bushels of wheat aud nine cwt. of straw, 
at a cost of less than twenty-eight cents a bushel 
for the grain. In auother ease, Mr. Fleming of 
Barorhan. by applying a compost costing $5 to 
land producing 0,824 Urn. of hay per acre without 
mannro, obtained a yield of 10,664 lbs. Hero 
was a gain of nearly two and a half tons of hay, 
resulting from manure at a cost of $5. In both 
these cases, it is perfectly ovident that tho l a rg- 
« _7; pi fgfe if] 
'll Jjj hfe-; 1 
* .dlliil i 
It^jp ipirjl 
-Mu': 
Kitchen. 
BED R. 
g 'x /&'. 
£1 E D R. 
q'x !Zj. 
5ITTING R. 
<2 * !Z 
MANURING FOR CORN. 
WHERE IS THE LIMIT OF PROFIT IN THE USE QF FERTILI¬ 
ZERS? Ilf REPLY TO Ml. LAWES. 
BY CONRAD WILSON. 
In a letter written by Mr. Lawes to the Scien¬ 
tific Farmer, ho expressed the opinion that land 
yielding 85 bushels of corn per acre without man¬ 
ure, in too fertilo to be tho t abject of experi¬ 
ments, and lie accordingly questioned the expe¬ 
diency of adding fertilizers in Much caHes to in¬ 
crease tho product, on the ground that the un- 
manurodcrop would probably be the most profit- 
aide. 
B Moving that this position is not well found- 
e 1, aud would tend to retard progressive farm¬ 
ing by discouraging the use of fertilizers, I brief¬ 
ly replied to it in tho same journal, showing that 
85 bushels per acre for Indian corn, though doubt¬ 
less an exceptional product, and of course very . 
profitable when raised without manure, in still a 
yield bo far belo w the possibilities of tho crop that 
tho use of fertilizers cannot, on any Bound prin¬ 
ciple, be limited to a product so often surpassed. 
In a Bubsequeut letter Mr. Lawes. returns to 
the discussion, remarking that “whether his 
opinion is right or wrong, it is entirely based 
upon tho agriculture of the United States." He 
then goes on to discuaa thb product and the value 
of com in this country as compared with wheat, 
aud also tho relative amount of plant food re¬ 
moved by each from the soil, and the cost of the 
same; all of which, though doubtless true in the 
abstract, fails to meet the real question, and 
leaves it, in faot, where it stood before. Yet at 
the close of Uia letter he re-states his position 
atill more strongly by assuming that even with a 
yield of 50 or 55 bushels per acre for corn, thero 
seems little inducement to add to the product by 
means of manure. 
Now it is eaHy to see that the tendency of such 
opinions is not only to curtail the use of fertil¬ 
izers aud to discourage experiments in farming, 
but in fact, to impede the advance of husbandry 
by dwarfiug its best results. Practically, the 
effect of this theory would bo to reduce tho 
amount of com raised iu the country without 
increasing tire profit, aud to exhaust the fertility 
of every acre to which the theory is applied. 
A brief reference to facts will, perhaps, shed 
BE a /?. 
/2,'x iH>' 
VE R A M a A 
farmers would double their crops per acre, they 
would quadruple their profits ; and I fully agree, 
also, with Dr. Stubtevant, that wo shall yet see 
the day when 200 buslrels of oorn por acre will 
bo as readily obtained, and ornate as littlo sur- 
prise, as 100 bushels do to-day. 
But thoso results wilt not come by accident. 
They will be the outcome of er.perirncntal. farm¬ 
ing. Lot us not, then, unwisely narrow down 
the field of agricultural experiment, but rather 
extend the range of investigation iu every direc¬ 
tion, and on ovory subject; and 
let us not embarrass our research¬ 
es by any promaturo limitation, 
either of profit or yiold, until 
we havo thoroughly tested the 
possibilities before us, that oon- 
timially challenge our highest 
efforts. Above all, let us go on 
reduoiug our experiments to a 
, more perfect system, and wo 
')$$$ shall soon bo able to surprise tho 
tft’ u great experimental farmer of En- 
gland with a range of products 
(vwr*u«for corn, extending from 100 to 
i tf 200 bowels, and showing a rate 
}* ^ • ®V' of profit, per aero, that will be 
Lj . entirely convincing, and leave lit- 
yi ^ tin room for further diisoussion. 
S In i'iiit Culture ok Millet 
light, sandy soils in which there 
is a mixture of clayey matter, and 
which has boon well manured un¬ 
der previous cropping, will almost 
invariably produce a good crop. 
About the time when Indian corn 
receives the first hoeing is the 
proper time for sowing the seod, or a littlo 
earlier in a forward season. Prepare tho soil by 
plowing and harrowing, and if voiy light apply 
the roller. Use a common seed-sower which 
furrows, drops the seed and covers and rolls the 
soil, all at ouo operation. If tho ground is very 
fertile tho rows should bo 15 inches apart ; ifnot 
so rich, from 20 to 24 inches. Broadcasting re¬ 
quires much more seed, does not produce the 
same uniformity of produco or appearauce, and 
acts loss favorably on tho character of tho soil. 
ONE-STORY COTTAGE-ELEVATION A.ND GROUND PLAN> 
words, if we oease to fertilize our land and cult!* 1 
vate it with reference to largest yields and low¬ 
est cost, we simply close the door against prog- | 
reaB, and ignore a possibility of production 
amounting to four times the yield Huppoaed by 
•Mr. Lawes to bo the limit of profit. But what 
has been the experience of practical men ? 
In a trial made by Mr. Carter at tho West 
Grove Experimental Farm, an application of 
ground bone to land which, without manure, 
produced eighty-one bushels of corn per acre, in¬ 
creased tho yield to ninety-eight bushelB, with a 
corresponding gain of stalks. This made the 
coat for tho extra yield about thirteen cents per 
bushel for the grain and $1,50 per ton for the 
Btover. Comment on these figures ia needless. 
Every farmer can sen the meaning of them at a 
glance. 
But the theory of Mr. Lawes, if it is true for 
corn, must ho equally true also for other crops- 
If then, he considers fifty-five bushels per aero 
without manure a large yield for corn, he will 
doubtless admit that thirty- seven bushels without 
manure would be a yield equally large for wheat, 
and by tho same standard that 5824 lbs. of hay 
without manure would be a large yield also for 
that crop. According to the argument then of 
Mr. Lawes, whenever tho farmer gets either of 
those results without manure, he has reached 
the limit of profit for these crops. 
But when we take tho testimony of tho soil as 
presented by successful farmers, the fallacy of 
this theory is clearly shown. For example, Mr. 
Kearo of Ilolkham, by applying nitrate of soda 
aud common salt to land yielding thirty-seven 
l buohels of wheat per aero without manure, ob- 
est yield showed the lowest coat and the best 
profit, clearly Indicating that fertilizers may be 
of great valuo to a orop, oven when tho normal 
yield is exceptionally largo. 
Examples like those might easily bo multi¬ 
plied, but can hardly bo needed, for tho evi¬ 
dence abunudii in every direction that fertilizers, 
though indispensable to poor lands, are an ad¬ 
vantage also to the best; that, whatever ffiay be 
the normal yield of the soil, thero is always 
money in manure that is rigbtly used, and that 
the final limit of production Is the only certain 
limit to tho profit of fertilizers. 
When, therefore, ltls suggested by Mr, Lawes 
that wo may safely omit to manure our land for 
corn, whenever the bounty of nature offers us 
fifty-five bushels without manure, it is pertinent 
to reply that Dr. Barker, Mr. Turnlky and other 
intelligent farmers, havo already practically made 
a better offer by their example. They have 
demonstrated tho possibility, with manure, of | 
over 200 bushels per acre. Shall wo, then, ac¬ 
cept the gratuity of fifty-five bushels, and along 
with it tho certainty of au exhausted soil, or 
shall we summon to our aid the forces of nature, 
make them obedient to our will, and thus brave¬ 
ly win a larger yield at a lower cost, and still pre¬ 
serve unimpaired tho fertility of our acres ? 
It is a conviction or my mind that important 
changes in agriculture are near at hand. I be¬ 
lieve, with J. R. Dodok of the Agricultural Bu¬ 
reau, that tho cropB of this country can readily 
bo doubled in amount, whenevor the tillers of tho 
soil will generally give to tho subject the eamo 
attention that advanced farmers have given it; 
aud I believe, also, with Joseph Harris, that if 
A ONE STORY COTTAGE. 
BY L. F. QltAETmClt, OIVTL ENGINEER. 
A building nearly square In plan, ia suited to 
many localities where the pioturesquenoss of tho 
scenery would bo marred by too regular au 
outline. Such a one will bo presented in tho fol¬ 
lowing designs of a one story cottageThe plan 
represents nearly a square 31 foot 8 inches by 31 
feet 8 inches, and is arrrangod in the following 
manner t A veranda in front and on one side of 
the extension serves also aa the entrance porch 
to a sitting-room, and a kitchen. Each of 
these rooms is 12x12 foot, and there is a main 
building with gable front aud roar, partitioned 
off into three bedrooms, 0x12 and 12x12 re¬ 
spectively. Tho sitting-room and kitchen are 
each provided with two largo windows and a fire¬ 
place ; while each bedroom has one largo win¬ 
dow ; closets can bo provided, wherever de¬ 
sired. The height of tho story is 10 feet in the 
cte:.r, and that of the attic in the main building 
is 7 feet. The attic is lighted by two triangular 
windows in front and rear, aud umy bo used 
for storage, being accessible by a scuttle in the 
ceiling from ono of the bedrooms. 
The finish of the exterior is simplo and at¬ 
tractive, and within, tho cottage is finished 
plainly but neatly. The pitch of tho roofs is 
sufficient to permit shingles to be lined as a 
covering. The building rests upon a substantial 
platform, inclosed underneath with lattice- 
work. The house ia framed and inclosed with 
clap-boarding, and perpendicular battens. The 
inside walls are hard-finished, and the house 
is painted with two good coats of lead paint 
inside and outside. 
The cost of erection and of complete finish 
of this building is five hundred and fifty dollars. 
35 Bayard St. N. Y, 
WINTERING GERANIUMS. 
BY CLINTON. 
In the Rural New-Yorker, of Get, l'3th, on 
page 240. I notice a remark to the effect that 
Pelargoniums canuot bo successfully wintered 
by boing hung up in the collar. There is such 
a difference in the use of tho term Polargonium, 
by different writers, that it is sometimes difficult 
to determine correctly what is intended by tho 
I word. While some seem to limit its use to the 
