<Tk djucrist, 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Grafting Wax—Tree Wash. 
T. Ham, Brantford, Out. —Ah we are subscrib¬ 
ers of the Rubai, you will oblige us by giving (1) 
the best recipe for making grafting-wax also (2) 
for a solution for washing treeB. 
Ans.—( 1) Use two pounds of resin, one pound 
of beeswax and a pint of raw linseed oil. A 
good way is to tear strips of calico, saturate 
them in the above composition when warm, and 
bind about the graft. Or the composition may 
be used alone. 
(2) Dissolve one pound of potash in one 
gallon of water. Soft soap is good, especially 
for old bark. A quart of quick-lime may be 
thrown into two gallons of water, to which add 
a little lamp-black or mineral paint, so as to 
imitate the color of the bark. Tobacco ashes, a 
small quantity of carbolic acid may also be added. 
Miscellaneous. 
A. 0. IK.—(1) Are artichokes once established, 
troublesome to get rid of. (2) I have in my 
yard what was purchased for a Red Siberian 
Crab; it is from a questionable source, and 
bears small, yellow fruit of no account. It has 
been set five years, is fifteen feet high, and con¬ 
tinues to grow two to throe feet per annum. It 
is in a deep remarkably rich soil; fruit is the 
size of a hickory-nut. What is it ? What is the 
trouble and the remedy ? (3) Using it for a 
stock only, which would succeed best, budded or 
grafted on it; Pear, Apple or gonuine Crab, or 
would either ? (4) Would Huckleberry thrive 
at all with us in Illinois? I could give them 
high white-oak soil, or low bottom laud, if our 
climate is not uncongenial for them. Would be 
satisfied even with a “poor do." if it would be 
likely I could get any berries at all. 
Ans.—(1) They are. (2) The Bed Siberian 
Crab apple is twice the size you state which is 
about that of the common Siberian Crab. (3) 
Auy variety of Apple would succeed grafted upon 
it. The Pear would not. Poar Btocks or, for 
dwarfing, Quince stocks, are alone used for the 
Pear. The Thorn and Mountain Ash are used 
as stocks for the Peat - for special purposes. 
(4) We have often advocated the cultivation of 
the Huckleberry. We hope you will try, and let 
us know the result. Your other questions will 
be answered next week. 
Mrs. F. M. Beers, Linn (7q., Mo. —I can 
hardly find words to express my thanks for 
those flower seeds. (1.) How can you afford 
to be so good ! (2.) Will you please describe 
the Eryngium Leavenworthii ? I do not find 
it in my catalogues. Is it an annual ? Is it 
hardy ? Toll the seedsmen your kindness to us 
helps then' business, for wo are Uke misers . 
“The more wo have, the more wo want," and 
many a dollar will find its way to them, from 
those who never would have thought of culti¬ 
vating flowers, had it not been for you. 
Ans. —The kind footings such as those you ex¬ 
press, are a sufficient compensation. If we were 
obliged to buy the seeds we could not afford it. 
(1) We raise the plants, which we should do in 
any case, and Collect the seeds. The coBt to us is 
the time and trouble of collecting, the purchase 
of the euvelops aud addressing and stamping 
them. (2.) It is an annual of very easy culti¬ 
vation. The leaves are of a metallic purple. The 
stems are two or three feet high aud branching. 
When cut after maturity, they will last for a long 
time. 
J. U. Ciapharn, Loudoun Co., Va .—I inclose 
some seed found in a lot of Ohio .Sapling Clover 
seed. If the Rubai, can tell me what kind of 
seed they are, it will very much oblige me, for I 
could not sow the seed on auy account, as my 
farm is now quite clear of troublesome weeds; 
aud for aught I know,those may propagate them. 
Ans. —The seeds in the clover are those of the 
chess, such as is common in some wheat fields. 
In the sample Bent all but one kernel were strip¬ 
ped of the hull which usually adheres to the 
chess. This was done, we presume, by the 
machine which hulled the clover seed. 
L. TI. 1)., Leon Springs, Bexar Co., Texas .— 
In the Rural of January 12th, 1878, page 23, 
you recommend a work on “ Swine Husbandry,” 
by E. D. Coburn, of Kansas. I cannot get the 
work here, and my letter to Mr. Coburn was re¬ 
turned by the P. O. Department for more ex¬ 
plicit direotion3. Can you inform a constant 
reader of your paper—either as to his further 
address, or how to get his work ? 
Ans.— The Orange Judd Co., 245 Broadway, 
N. Y., will supply the work. 
A. B. Ware, Oswego Co., N. Y. Ans.—W e 
are unable to give you the law respecting the 
sale of leaf tobacco. 
A Working Farmer, Rockingham, Va. — I 
would like to ask the Rural one or two ques¬ 
tions. I owe $2,000 on 90 acres of land, have 
six years to pay it in: 1st, will it pay me to buy I 
lime at 12>£ cents per bushel, and haul it three 
miles to put ou my land ? The soil is a mixture 
of gravel and sand with a clay bottom. Or will 
it pay to use lime at all ? 2d. Will it pay to 
harrow wheat in the spring at the time of sowing 
grass seed ? I want to get out of debt as quickly 
as possible. 
1st. The soil may be deficient in lime in which 
case it may pay to use it eveu ou gravel. Usu¬ 
ally lime is chiefly beneficial in decomposing 
more rapidly the vegetable matter the soil con¬ 
tains. Probably your soil has no large amount 
of vegetable matter and this use of lime would 
not be advisable. For the direct use of crops, 
small quantities of lime only are needed aud it is 
generally preferable to use the sulphate of lime, 
gypsum or plaster of Paris, which besides being 
cheap contains sulphuric acid which is an active 
stimulant to vegetable growth. If you have a 
clover ley to turn under this season, experiment 
with lime on a small piece at the rale of fifty 
bushels per acre, sown broadcast after plowing. 
If the result is favorable you will kuow what to 
do without asking any advice. Try also other 
fertilizers to test what tbe soil needs. 
(2.) It will pay to harrow wheat juflt before 
sowing grass seed. The wheat aud the clover 
catch will both be better for it, though the har¬ 
rowing ■will make the wheat look worse for two 
or three days after the operation. Harrow if 
possible just before a good rain. 
.4 Subscriber .—I would like to get some infor¬ 
mation through the Rusal in regard to fruit 
trees. I think of aettiug abont $500 worth of 
trees this spring, and would like to know. (1) 
What are the most profitable kinds aud (2) 
which are the most reliable nurseries to buy of. 
Will give you a list of what I intend setting: 
200 pear trees; 350 quince bushes ; 100 apple 
trees; 50 plum trees ; 1000 raspberry bushes; 
300 feet edge fencing. —Prove truce, R. L 
Ans.—Apples : Baldwin, Fall Pippin, Graven- 
stein, Hubbardston Nonsuch, Keswiok Codlin, j 
Peck's Pleasant, Rhode Island Greening, Roxbury 
Russet, William’s Favorite. 
Pears : Bartlett, Belle Lucrative, Bourre Clair- 
geau, Beurre d’Aujou, DuohesBe d’Angouleme, 
Lawrence, Sheldon. 
Quinces : Portugal Apple or Orange. 
Plums : Washington, Goe’s Golden Drop, Im¬ 
perial Gage, Purple Gage, McLaughlin. 
Raspberries : Philadelphia, Orange, Mam¬ 
moth Cluster, I loolittle. So much depends upon 
soil and situation and it costs so little to test the 
adaptability of varieties to each locality that we 
would recommend you to try the following • 
Thwack, Highland Hardy, Florence, Delaware. 
Edge Fencing : If for ornament, American or 
Siberian Arbor Vito*. The Red Cedar (Juniperua 
Virginians) is also adapted for this purpose be¬ 
yond what is generally supposed. 
(2) In almost every issue of the Rural will be 
found the advertisements of nurserymen all of 
whom arc quite trustworthy. Send for their 
catalogues—compare and judge for yourself. 
M. B. B., Toledo, Ohio. — Will the Rural 
please tell me in “ Answers to Correspondents” 
what is the matter with my ivy, two leaves of 
which I inclose. Also the means of destroying 
what I suppose to be a parasite on it. 
Ans.—T his is a scale insect. Wash the leaves 
and stems with a soft tooth brush and warm 
water and soap. < 
Querist, Tecumseh, Mich.—Will the Rural [ 
please publish a general rule for the propaga¬ 
tion of house plants from slips or cuttings, sea¬ 
son, soil, and condition of plants ? i 
Ans, — Different cuttings require different 
treatment, which could not bo given in detail in 1 
this column. The present is a good time for 1 
general propagation. Flower pots or boxes well ( 
drained and filled in with pure sand, either white • 
or red, answer the purpose. Make cuttings l 
from two to six inches long, and Insert them an J 
inch deep in the sand and an inch or so apart. * 
Keep the sand moist, not wot, and place iu a 1 
sunny wiudow. Cuttings of a stocky growth | 1 
should he selected aud cut just under a joint. 
Ans.— In answer in part to J. J. D., Woodson c 
County, Kansas, ou page 1G0 of Rural New- c 
Yorker. If Mr. D. will send some of the 
hide of his hogs, where the hair has been lost in <■ 
patches, to Mr. Walter Faxon, Museum of } 
Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Mass., ho may ' 
find that, the pits which contained the hairs have j 
been inhabited by certain mites known as De- j 
modex. The hide should be put, while fresh, in i 
ft bottle of aloohol or strongly alcoholic liquor 1 
of some kind. This explanation of the loss of f 
hair is only a conjecture, based upon certain very c 
interesting and valuable observations lately v 
made by Mr. Faxon upon the loss of hail' aud e 
ruination of leather of cattle-hides. It seems as [ 
if carbolic soap would bo a good remedy for the , 
Demodex, in case they are present. g 
O. A. 0., Beloit , Wwt.—Flease let me know ® 
through your columns if you thiuk Jno. Gar- e 
more, Covington, Ky., who advertised in the a 
Rural New-Yorker, is to be trusted. E 
t 
Ans. We oannot say, of our own knowledge, b 
He is represented as being what he represents 
himself to be. Whether his skill as a medium is 
sure to work cures, we cannot, of course predict. 
•f. H. K .—Will the Rural please stato what it 
knows about the “ Wood Organ ?" Whether it 
has the preference, or what cne has ? Reading 
the advertisements I can tell nothing about it, 
for they are all alike puffed. 
Anh. -The preference as between the leading 
makers is mostly a matter of caprice or convic¬ 
tion through the efforts of au active agent. 
All are good, aud some are only distinguished 
by inconsiderable variations ef tone, or peculi¬ 
arities of the stops. The Wood’s Organ is a 
good one, and in purchasing, if you propose 
doing bo, you will have a serviceable instrument. 
F. li. M., Seneca Falls, N. V. —(1) What 
book on botany would the Rural recommend to 
one who has a common-school education, and 
wishes to pursue the study at home without a 
teacher ? Can you (2) givo mo a better descrip¬ 
tion of Hydrangea ponicul&ta grandifiora 
(mentioned in last week’B Rural) and (3) would 
it pay to purchase one to plant in Seneoa Co., 
New York ? 
Ans.—( 1) Gray's “How Plants Grow" for 
the first. Gray’H Structural Botany for the 
second. You will not need any other teacher if 
you study them assiduously. (2) Wo have 
already said so much of this Hydrangea that we 
must refer you to back numbers. It is perfectly 
hardy, every stem terminates with a panicle of 
flowers, from six inches to a foot long. Tho 
flowers are first greenish-white, then rose. It is 
a coarse plant, but has much to commend it. 
(3) Oertainly. Even small plants from last 
year’s cuttings will bloom profusely. 
Mason Hamilton, Wyoming Co., N. Y .— 
noticed in the Rural, sometime last year, a plan 
for making a gate. It was fixed so that it could 
be raised or lowered at pleasure. If it waB in 
the Rural, please let me know through Answers 
To Correspondents. 
Ans.— Au illustration and full description of 
the gate referred to, appeared iu the Rural of 
August 18, 1877, under the heading: A Novel 
Farm Gate. 
Communications received for tue week ending 
Monday, March, Hth. 
B. 11.—C. B.—L. A. R.—G. M.—Lizzie—R. H. II.— 
“Young Teetotaler” — “ Wlldflre” — M. R.— 
A. D. R. — M. L. D. — S, B. P, — B. E. II.—R. IL¬ 
IA D. C. — W. P. G., your friend Is mistaken— 
W. L. McE. — S. R. M. — Alice V.—X.—B. P. M.— 
C. D. S.— E, E. B.—S. P. —E. M.—M. 8.—A. W.— 
H. II.—W. U.JT.—If. B. C,.feCo.—"BrownBadger"— 
“ An ken ”—“ Wild Goose"—" Hired Hand”—Vlel- 
lard—“ A Workingman,” thanks, but we have 
more ou this subject than we can well publish— 
“ Romping Rose"— Mrs. S. E. O.— S. R. M.—H.— 
W. U. - 8. & B. — Ida M. — G. A. G. — M, K. P.— 
" Perlo Perdu”—J. B. L., tnauy thankB— W. c.- 
L. D. — B. P, — M. B. P., not received — H. B. J.— 
G. A. C. B.-J. M. P.—L. A. lt.,No. 2.—C.—S. B. ?., 
No. 2. 
|Mds of % ®BM. 
NEWS OF THE WEEK. 
During the past week, news, domestic and for¬ 
eign, has been extremely meager and uninterest¬ 
ing. At home, Maine has again gone Republican, 
with a loss of about 1,200 to that party, and a cor¬ 
responding gain to the Democrats. Montgomery 
Blair again forced ills resolution denouncing the 
tenor by which nayes held the Presidency, before 
the Maryland Legislature, but failed to secure a 
majority In favor of his views. The air in Wash¬ 
ington seems to be full of reports of a projected 
coalition of discontented Republicans and Demo¬ 
crats with a view of ousting Uaye8 and Installing 
Tlldon In the White House. A bitter attack has 
been made In the Senate by Senator Blaine on the 
award of $ 5 , 000,000 made In favor of Canada by 
the Fishery Commission, and Incidentally on the 
Belgian Minister, Mr. Delfosse, one of the com¬ 
missioners, who Is supposed to have been swayed 
In his decision by British Influence. The general 
opinion seems to be, however, that national hon¬ 
or requires tho payment of the award, however 
distasteful. 
Across the Atlantic, the war-clouds temporarily 
dispersed by the signing of tho treaty of peace be¬ 
tween Russia and Turkey, are again gatherlug. 
The pro-Russian party in England having been 
silenced by an outburst of popular anger or unex¬ 
ampled violence, the Prime Minister, Disraeli, 
having the favor of the Queen, a large majority 
In Parliament, aud the people behind him, fluds 
his back-bone marvelously strengthened and Is 
making vigorous preparations to secure weighty 
consideration for the opinions of Great Britain 
with regard to the proper settlement of the East¬ 
ern Question. At all the dockyards, armories, and 
manufactories of warlike material throughout 
the country, men are working until late In the 
night, hurrying forward preparations for war. 
Several Iron-dads built for foreign governments, 
and among them one built for the late Confed¬ 
eracy, have been purchased by the Government. 
More vessels have been sent to toe Mediterra¬ 
nean and an addition of four lron-clads made to 
the fleet 1 h the Sea of Marmora. Permission has 
been obtained from the Porte to land troops on tho 
island of Tenedos; and, all together, England 
boasts of being better prepared for war than she 
has been for many a day. Austria Is also discon¬ 
tented with the terms of the late treaty, and ne¬ 
gotiations are In active progress between her and 
Great Britain with a view of forming a hostile 
alliance against M uscovlto aggrandizement. Rus¬ 
sia Is by no means Idle. Names are being enrolled 
throughout, toe empire for a fresh levy qj! troops; 
entrenchments are being thrown up across too 
peninsula of Gallipoli, sd as to prevent toe ad¬ 
vance of any British troops landed at that point; 
the Muscovite troops have crossed the river be¬ 
tween Makrt KotandSan Stefano, aud occupied 
three villages near the former euphonious suburb 
of Constantinople. Nay. despite the protest of 
Turkey, they have occupied Domousdere, behind 
Bujerkdere, and at the mouth of the Bosphorus, 
and declare that England has decided on war and 
Is Cavilling only to gain time. Meanwhile, diplo¬ 
mats arc busy trying 1 to arrange a peaceable so¬ 
lution of present difficulties, and the telegraph 
wires are loaded with Innumerable contradictory 
and conjectural announcements. England In¬ 
sists that, every clause of the late treaty shall be 
submitted to the action of the proposed Congress 
or Conference: Russia consents that ail the con¬ 
ditions which the asaembage may desire to re¬ 
view shall bo submitted to them, and Germany 
and Austria are reported to think this quite sat¬ 
isfactory enough. The latest, reports, however, 
say that Bismarck has persuaded the Czar to 
yield to Great. Britain. The date of opening the 
Conference or congress has been deferred till the 
l.Uh of April, at least, and It Is proposed to hold a 
preliminary council or the plenipotentiaries to 
decide what questions Shall be acted upon. The 
Pope has given permission to Italian bishops to 
become reconciled to the Government, thus re¬ 
cognizing 8eml-olllciaUy the loss of the temporal 
power. He has also written to the Emperor Wil¬ 
liam informing him of Ills election to thw papacy— 
an act of courtesy doubtless preparatory to a set¬ 
tlement of existing difficulties. 
Kosciusko, Miss., is a model place to emigrate 
to. Butter, is cents a pound ; rib beef, at 4 cents 
chickens, 12 cents each; and eggs, 8 cents a dozen 
are the latest quotations. 
•--- 
Manufacturers of Clothing and ladles’ suits 
And the New Davis Sowing Machine adapted to 
the full range of their work, trimming, binding, 
sewing thick and tliln goods, over-seams, without 
any difficulty, aud requiring no basting or change 
of tension. Tbe Davis Sewing Machine Co. are 
enlarging their manufactory at Watertown, N. Y., 
to enable them to supply the Increasing demand 
for their machines. 
•-- 
Reliable help for weak aud nervous sufferers. 
Chronic, painful uud prostrating diseases cured 
without medicine. iTilvermaclier’s Electric Belts 
the grand desideratum. Avoid imitations. Book 
and Journal, with particulars, mailed Ire®. Ad¬ 
dress Pul verm acqek gai.vanio Co., Cincinnati. 
Ohio. 
THE MARKETS. 
PRODUCE AND PROVISIONS. 
New York, Saturday. March 10,1H78. 
Beans AND PEAS.—There is a trifle of better 
feeling In mediums but sales lire moderate. Mar¬ 
rows continue quiet: exporters will not invest 
heavily until Cuban affairs are settled, regardless of 
tbe low home prices. White kidneys dull. It is un¬ 
usual to see these three leuding sorts of beans no 
ulose in quotations us they now lire. Ifed Kidneys 
sell fairly at this extreme If choice. Green nuns 
have revived somewhat, and now bring $ 1 . 1 ! mi, 20. 
Canadian peas, tvi(«.3tc. with a fair business. Exports 
past week I3,:UI bush. Southern It. hi, peas lower 
the light demand not supporting the high rates. 
We quoteBeaus, medium choice, 81.70*1.72; oth¬ 
er. 81.1MuL65 i marrow*, choice. 11.70*1.7#; other, 
♦l.'ri al.B.j; pea, $1.WiftsI.SO, While kidney, choice. $1.70 
other, $!,-■. -i 06 ; red, choice, *2.25*2.60; oili¬ 
er. $2.3fi®2.40. Turtle soup beans. $1.50. Lima, $3. 
Beeswax.—T here have been small offerings yet 
but little demand ; Westuru und Southern quoted at 
X7(u)2Hc, 
Broom Cohn.— Wants of manufacturers are 
small aud stocks uro ample, with prices, however, 
essentially a* quoted last week. 
lirecn brush at lifiBTHc.: green hurl, 5@6>£o,: me¬ 
dium green, nftfljfQ.; red-tipped, 4@5o., and com¬ 
mon red. a<ii,SSu. 
Butter:—R eceipts for the week 15780 packages. 
Kino old butter Is reduced to u nominal quantity; 
nothing remains good enough in quality to make 
wholesome Hade, at the rate of a foi tijigh ago. An 
indication ol our burdensome surplus of old, is tho 
fact that lull dairies are quoted at this lute date. 
I'boro usome export movement in both State and 
Western,hut It Is most lilcely that, sonic stock will go 
abroad cm owners’ account: this forcing distribu¬ 
tion of stocks will not he apt to h ad to a profit. 
I here are enough straggling and vcgnlnr lots of now 
white to make the price list we annex, old Westei it 
has merged from griisii rates to fluid 2d for well pro¬ 
cured stock. 
OLD.—State dull ios, fgood to choice 23@27c.: fair. 
20@72u.: from llwISo: selected th Uln* 2C®5S6c: fair to 
good Hlraaic; JJtior hl@18o; selected half tub 30@31e; 
other, 21 28o.; choice Kail Welsh 2S5t:i0e. Pair to 
prime 20@?tu.; Welsh,dairies. ;.“6<j»2i!c. State cream¬ 
ery, .in@32o ; Other, 30@32e.; other 28*280; Western 
factory, frosll, low goods worth 7@10c.; greeae 6Lj- 
6i7c. 
Nkw.—S tate, half Hubs eliolcd,32*98; good 29*31. 
Welch first, BlfiuBg; secotld, 27*81le; pooii new, |23@- 
2 tic; Western creamery range* at 25 * 350 . 
Exports past week, 2GU7 Dkgs 
Cult km.. Exports for the week, 24,530 boxes These 
fair shipments have been brought about by yielding 
prices. Supplies have been freely offered on account 
of tlie early, mild weather and prospects that the 
new make will he earlier tban usual. The best of 
the factories here lmve •old at 13*131,0., and these 
are the top quoted rates, while many very good lots 
have been sold relatively low. 
■fancy factories. 13 18 | 0 .; good and prime, 
}S\o.: fair lots, II * llHo.: poor, lOMdOHc.; 7* 
U)c., skimmed. Kartu dairy, 11 traffic. for good to 
prime: 10,S@lU4c. lor fair lots: Ratio. lor skimmed; 
Western taetorv, Cheddar, J«c, tor flue; 11* 
lor good : dtff.lOo. for poor. 
Liverpool cable. (18s. Gold closes 10114* 
Exports for the week. '.M,8i»3 boxes. 
Cotton.—T here has been but little done for ex¬ 
port, and prices have been easy. The English ad¬ 
vices Imvo lioeu very liuuo, mid have discouraged 
export demand. . 
Latest prices are for March, 10.940$ 10.96c.; April. 11; 
02@ll,l)3c.; May, Il.17@tl.lSC.; June, il.2T@11.28c 
