23 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
424 
FEB. 
or hay, stacked on, and you have a cheap, warm 
house. 
Now it. in building this, it is made in bents, it 
can be taken down readily, removed to a new 
site, the old straw thrown away and replaced 
with now in a few hours, and you have a new, 
clean house. Every spring and fall, burn a 
pound of brimstone in the house, and vermin 
will be very goarce. Hoe out the droppings 
once a week, keep the iloor dry, remove the 
whole building once in three years, and pip, 
croup, cholera and all such, will give place to 
robust health and vigor. Never build a palace 
for poultry. 
SULPHUR FOR SWINE. 
The practice in some parts of the WeBt (Iowa, 
especially,) of throwing bituminous coal to hogs, 
is a poor mode of administering sulphur. Their 
liking for it is also a proof that they are not 
generally in a healthy condition. Too much 
corn, too few roots, a constant confinement to 
pasturing over their own excrement, contami¬ 
nated water, and foul air generated by crowding 
at night, are certainly conducive to ill health. 
Pork, even in its best condition—that is, when 
produoed by stock kept entirely healthy from 
birth to killing time—is the most unhealthy food 
for man, and au abominatiou to a largo portion 
of the world’s population. What must it be 
when made from animals so constantly in ill 
health as to crave snoh food as coal ? 
Until we follow the example of the Jews, Ma¬ 
hometans and other nations who discard swine 
flesh, w t o must expect to be only what we now 
are—transmitters of scrofula to our children, 
even to the third and fourth generation. I doubt 
if that filthy disease could be eradicated from 
pork eaters under ten generations. If this is 
conceded, why does not pnblio opinion demand 
a mode of treatment which shall make the 
least possible objectionable quality of this great 
staple ? 
-- 
TALKS UPON THE PRAIRIES. 
BY FRONTIER. 
Writing within a few miles of the geograph¬ 
ical center of tho Union, and near the middle of 
that great prairie region that stretches from the 
head-waters of tho Haskatchawan and Rod River 
of the North, to the Rio Grand and Gulf on the 
south, you may be sure that wo feel something 
of the importance that attaches to this prairie 
country. Room ! there is no word to express it. 
Men are crowdod here by neighbors five miles 
away. Wheat, and corn, and cotton ! Tho head 
tires of the millions of bushels of tho former, 
and pounds of the latter. And more wearied 
still are we in counting up the hundreds of thou¬ 
sands of cattle, to say nothing of the sheep, 
roaming over tho plains from the Gulf to the 
head-waterB of tho Platte, drawing just now only 
a meager support from the rain-soakod and 
sun-burned grasses, unfortunately covered at the 
North with more than the usual burden of snow. 
And more wearied Bball we bo if we talk of the 
starved carcasses which a few stormy weeks 
may scatter over the plains ; these are not our 
chosen themes, but they come within the Ru- 
bal’h range as au agricultural paper. 
We are glad, however, to Hee so amplo a space 
given to topics that may be grouped under the 
heading “ Horticultural,” if we use the term in 
its most liberal sense. Let us say that tho Rc- 
RAii of February 2nd 1878, is really a gem among 
papers. Here we have Floricultural, Arboricul- 
turul, Pomological, indeed a full service of Hor¬ 
ticultural dishes, thoughtfnlly and practically 
presented. Nor shall we ever have reason to com- 
plaiu, as long as you can fill up tho “ Miscellane¬ 
ous Department” with such mature and valna- 
ble papers as that of Secretary GarGeld. 
In the culture of corn and wheat, as well as in 
the raising of Btock, our processes arc, of oourse, 
in some degree modified by our peouliar climate, 
but when we come to Forestry, Pomology, Flow¬ 
er and Vegetable Gardening, we find ourselves 
thrown almost utterly adrift from the experi¬ 
ence and instruction of the past years in the 
East. In some sense we are beginners in a now 
world. For example, some trees that make fine 
forests on tho shores of Lake Michigan, cannot 
be coaxed into forest proportions hero. The va¬ 
rieties of fruits that are now, in February, only 
dolioiously ripe on the hanks of the Hudson, 
our clearer sky and warmer suns gave to us fully 
matured in the early fall. Some flowers and 
shrubs that are the delight of the Eastern gard¬ 
ener, may as well be left behind if he comes to 
the prairie for a home. 
It is hard to realize this, and honoe we see 
thousands of men, every year, wasting means 
and strength in v&tnly trying to do what can’t 
be done. One man writes : “I have a pock of 
Norway Spruce seed, how shall I plant it ?” An¬ 
other says: ** Dear friends in the East have sent 
me a few quarts of beech-nuts, when and where 
should they be planted ?" And still another : 
“ I have brought a fine lot of Sugar Maple seed 
from my old home in the East, and I want to 
plant the liill-side to the north of my house to 
keep off these cold northwest winds. Can you 
give me a little instruction as to how to plant ?’’ 
It is hard to say to all the people, “ Don’t— 
better sometimes, perhaps to let them try. Some 
and I find it is now as free from decay as at first, 
so that even the sap-wood only wastes away but 
does not rot. This tree is perfectly at home to 
the south of Nebraska, and while it will endure 
lady thorn. 
must learn in this way. How much better if 
others could learn just a little in regard to the 
climatio conditions which they must meet before 
they come here ! 
THE OSAQE ORANGE. 
I am glad to see you call special attention to 
the Osage Orange. It is not only a beautiful 
lawn ornament, contrasting finely both in form 
our dry uplands, it grows with greater vigor 
upon our bottom lands. It is the hedge plant 
for the plains, without question ; but it ought 
also to be counted among our best timber trees. 
It is furnished here for hedge at about $1 25 per 
1,000. And hence while it is one of the best, it 
is really among the cheapest of trees for early 
forest planting. 
ETHAN ALLEN. 
and color, with many other trees and especially r 
noteworthy when loaded with its curious fruit, 
but its wood must bo counted as among the most 
valuable. The old French name Bois d' Arc, or 
Bow-wood, suggests its true character, in one re¬ 
spect. But while remarkably elastic, it is quite in¬ 
corruptible. And this is true not only of the 
the heart-wood but of ths sapling twigs no 
WINTERING NURSERY STOCK. 
Within the past ten years we have had two 
very severely cold winters. Many trees of all kinds 
standing in nursery rows, were injured more or 
less or killed outright. Our most enterprising 
nurserymen began to experiment. Two or more 
of the largest firms in Michigan now have the 
CONFIDENCE. 
larger than a finger. A little stick was sharp- i following arrangement for keeping trees in win- 
ened and put into the ground three years ago, I ter. They construct large, well drained cellars 
which have stone walls at the sides, and win¬ 
dows for ventilation. In these cellars they place 
damp sand ; in autumn they take up from the 
rows all the stock which they expect to sell in 
tho following spring. The trees are healed in 
deep, and remain ready for orders in spring. 
No severe winter can cheat the owners out of 
this stock. The trees are arranged in systematic 
order bo it is possible to got out any variety at 
any time. There are other advantages in keep¬ 
ing trees in this way. The owner can begin to 
pack and ship early in all kinds of weather. He 
can take a few at a time and avoid exposing the 
trees to dry winds or the sun. In the cellar trees 
will remain quite late without starting to grow. 
Orders can therefore be sent out later as well as 
earlier if the stock is kept in cellars. 
W. J. Beal. 
a Iif iprscmait. 
NOTED TROTTERS. 
Among civilized mankind there is a legitimate 
curiosity to learn the appearance and history 
not only of those of our own species who have 
distinguished themselves by some special excel¬ 
lence in i heir various vocations, but also of 
those among the lower orders of creation, that 
have displayed pre-eminent merit in their parti¬ 
cular careers. Among the latter, none has ever 
excited this sentiment so strongly or universally 
as the noblest, of all irrational animals—the 
horse. In every age some of these have won 
celebrity for some special excellence, and the in¬ 
terest they have excited among men has been 
second only to that aroused by tbe pre-eminent 
members of onr own race. It is this consider¬ 
ation that has led ns to present to our readers a 
series of accurate portraits accompanied by brief 
accounts of some of the most celebrated trot¬ 
ters whose names are familiar to most of our 
patrons, and about whose appearance and his¬ 
tory many of them feel a very legitimate curi¬ 
osity. 
LAOV THORN 
was one of tbe most celebrated of trotters of 
the last equine generation. She was a large 
powerful bay maro, very high-bred, very game 
and resolute. She was got by the famous Mam- 
brino Chief and had another cross of the Messen¬ 
ger blood through her dam, a mare by Gano, 
son of American Eclipse, nn offspring of Messen¬ 
ger's daughter. Miller's Damsel. Moreover, the 
crosH through Eclipse was of special value ; for 
not only was he a wonderful race-horse himself, 
but he had a Btrain of tho blood of English 
Eclipse through bis dam, who wan out of an im¬ 
ported ms re by Fot-S-os. son of the celebrated 
English flyer. When young, Lady Thorn was 
known as Lady Ashland, and though always 
noted for speed and bottom she was then frac¬ 
tious and often broke away from tho control of 
her driver. Afterwards, care, patience and per¬ 
severance made her more quiet and obedient 
and gained for her, m her day, rank as a trotter 
second only to that of Dexter. Although she 
one- beat the “ King of the Turf” it was in hiB 
younger days, before he had fully developed his 
marvelous speed, but a series of raeeB between 
the two in 1867-8. on tbe Fashion Course, con¬ 
clusively proved that the mare oould not success¬ 
fully cope with the white-legged horse. Her 
best time to wagon was 2m.24s., and in harness 
2m. 18 k a. 
ETHAN ALLEN. 
Ethan Allen has always stood very high in 
the New England States because he was the 
chief representative of the Morgan line and also 
the fastest stal'iou that had been trained in his 
palmy days. He was a small but beautifully- 
built "horse. Although never equalling the pace 
of Goldsmith Maid, Dexter, and a few other 
marvelous flyers, he was a very rapid goer, and 
his action and style were as near perfection as 
could bo conceived ; hut he always Lad a trifling 
objection to weight and distance. Although very 
enduring under favorable circumstances, bis 
best time was made in short races, and few 
could get a-head of him in a hurst of half a mile. 
He was especially groat for his knack at 
going with a running mate, and many of 
his most famous contests were made in this 
way. He was bred by Joel Holcomb at Ti- 
conderoga, in this State, and was got by Hill's 
Rlack JIawk, though many stoutly maintain 
that his sire was a colt called Flying Morgan, 
both these stallions having been on the 
same farm. His dam was a gray mare of the 
Messenger strain. He has been more success¬ 
ful in the stud than is generally kuown, and 
Honest /Ulen, Pocahontas and not a few other 
speedy rattlers attest the excellence of his get. 
CONFIDENCE. 
Confidence, at one time known aa Fred. Pence, 
was a handsome, bay gelding fifteen hands high. 
Of his pedigree nothing definite is known. After 
distinguishing himself on this side of the Atlan¬ 
tic in a great number of contests with the fast¬ 
est trotters of his day— uotablv with Dutchman 
and Fanny Pullen in 1836. with Ripton, Spangle 
and Dutchman in 1811. and with Lady Suffolk 
and Ripton in 1812—he was afterwards pur¬ 
chased for Mr. Osbaldfston, the “Old Sqnire” 
of English sporting history, and taken over to 
that country. There he wan driven many years 
and won a number of races. His owner had so u» 
of the best racers, hunters, and steeple-chasers 
in England, but for trotters he had to come to 
America.—[To be continued. 
