2(0 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
JOTTINGS AT KIRBY HOMESTEAD. 
COL. F. d corns. 
These are busy times on a stock farm. Janu¬ 
ary weather has set in after a mouth of spring 
and everything feds the pinch of cold. The 
little lambs and pigs which are coming every day 
are sure to bo chilled unlosH carefully tended and 
kept in a warm place. To-day,just while the sheep 
were out of the pen getting a drink, a lamb was 
dropped in the yard, lufivo minutes it. was stiff 
and showed hardly any eigne of life. It was wrap¬ 
ped up at once in a horse blanket and brought into 
the kitchen and put into a pail which was filled 
with hot water, not hot enough to scald, but hot 
enough to revive this iamb in less than ten min¬ 
utes. It was then put down behind the stove 
and covered up, and within an hour afterwards it 
was taken out to the barn and given to its 
mother. We would not have taken it out so soon 
if it had kept quiet but it bleated so bard, snd 
ran around so smart there was danger of its get¬ 
ting its nose burnt on the stove. A little pig 
got chilled the other day but it died in spite of 
care. When the weather is too cold it is best to 
removo young pigs to the house or by a lire as 
soon as they are born, and about an hour after¬ 
wards take them to the mother and if there is 
danger of chilling take them hack. Generally 
after a young thing has got dry and has socked 
it will stand the cold if it is protected from 
the winds and is in-doors. We have a 
Jersey cow now which was born in winter. We 
had a faithful man and he was close at hand to 
Jock after the coming pet. He forgot one thing ; 
to dry tlie end of the tail, so that froze and the 
shortened brush is a constant reminder, and so 
no accident of that kind has ever happened 
Last week we said : “Next Monday we must 
put in the early peas, the earlier the better.” 
The theory is good yet, but the practice of it must 
be postponed wo don't know how long, for the 
ground is frozen like a rock. Had we got the 
peas in the ground they would not have hurt, 
but they will doubtless bo just as early if planted 
next week. The young plants will stand a severe 
frost aud will grow when the temperature is a 
littl above the freezing point, hence a week or 
two a the Btart is important. We always in¬ 
tend to have green peas by tho first of July. 
The Daniel O'Rourke is a good kind, a favorite 
with us but not quite so early as Carter’s (?). I 
The latter were ready for use in our garden last 
year, the latter part of June. Neither of these 
are dwarf varieties. We do not like them as 
they fall on the ground aud spoil. They are as 
much trouble lo grow as tho best sorts and do 
not yield nearly as well. 
A love for tea is an acquired taste the same as 
a relish for tomatoes. Why may not Americans 
educate themselves to like a cup of tea which 
shall be grown in thiB country. It might not be 
so pleasant at first, but after awhile we might 
get to liking it better than the heathen sort. It 
won’t hurt ns to try, andsinoe the Commissioner 
of Agriculture is willing to supply the plants to 
those who are willing to try, and wo must have 
tea, why let us try. We have got two tea plants 
started just for the notion of the thing, and if 
our climate wculd admit, we would have a score 
of them, they will not live above a freezing 
latitude except under cover. It is best for any 
people to he as independent as possible of all 
others both in matters of necessity as well as in 
things of tasto and luxury. A few ye&rB ago it 
was thought we could not make wine in this 
country, and uow American wine goes abroad. 
We cannot compete with China and prepare tea 
as the Chinese do, but may be there is some 
other way which will cost less. Experience will 
teach us. 
few enterprising men have grown their own 
breadstuff's, sometimes getting a good yield 
which by being kept in the granary would help 
to bridge over a poor year. Two years ago 
wheat growers about here scarcely got their 
seed back again; it winter-killed so badly. Last 
season the return was beautiful. Winter wheat 
requires a liberal manuring in the surfaoe with 
fine well-rotted maunre. A few acres make a 
large draft in the barnyard. Spring wheat is not 
of so good quality, and the flour under tho old pro¬ 
cesses is inferior and the good wives don’t like 
it. The Minnesota patent process makes the 
best of flour out of spring wheat. Now if we 
should all go to raising spring wheat our millers 
could afford to put this patent machinery in their 
mills and we could have first-rate flour, the 
product of our own farms. Tho old kinds of 
spring wheat were dark and thick-skinned, closely 
resembling rye and the flour was sticky and 
black. Two new sorts of spring wheat are of¬ 
fered which we think are very promising and 
valuable and much better than the old kinds. 
They are hybrids produced by Mr. Rhino in; of 
Vermont. One, the Champlain, is bearded and 
is an early variety ; the other, the Deliance, is 
beardless and is very productive, with large white 
kora els. Spring wheat may he sown as late as 
Jline. We have helped harvest it in Cctobcr; a 
good crop. 
-- 
LICE EXTERMINATOR. 
Yeaks ago I discovered that aloes in fine pow¬ 
der is a specific for the destruction of lice on all 
animals, and as it has no poisonous properties, 
its intense bitterness being what kill*, it can be 
freely applied, and as it is to bo used in a dry 
state, its application is as safo in cold as in 
warm weather, consequently is free fruni all 
objections urged against other remedies. My 
regard for the comfort of animals and tho in¬ 
terests of their owners induce me to publish this 
for the benefit of all concerned, and aB this is 
the season when these parasites are usually most 
numerous and annoying, an opportunity is 
afforded for testing its unparalleled merits. 
Directions: Fill a large common pepper box 
with the powder and sprinkle freely into the 
hair, on the neck, back, sides, and rump of the 
animals infested, and rub jt thoroughly through 
the hair and on tho skin with the ends of the 
fingers; leave it undisturbed for a week. Then 
card or curry thoroughly and apply as before, 
aud so continue at intervals of a week, until 
there is not a living parasite. I have used and 
recommended this exterminator in numerous 
cases without a failure, and two different appli¬ 
cations, if thoroughly made, generally suffice. 
Oneida, Co., N. Y. \V. J. p. Kingsley, M. 1). 
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CATTLE SALE. ^ 
It just occurs to me that perhaps Rural read¬ 
ers would be interested iii learning the result of 
the sale of imported Alderney cattle in this city 
on the 19th inet. Here it is. It will be seen 
that prioes aro still maintained notwithstanding 
tho depression in the times, and are prohibitory 
to persons of limited means. 
22 head, all but three, two years old, brought in 
the aggregate. $ 8 , 365 . 
Average. 300 
Two ol the cows had calves less than a week old. 
The B calf brought. 75 
The 0. call. 120 .' 
iued. Charles W. Garfield is the accomplished 
Secretary. It is one of the few reports that 
one desires to put in his library, and to keep 
there as a book of reference. 
A Treatise on Potato Culture, by Mr. Wil¬ 
liam Hunt, Waterford, Conn. 
The American Salt Co., Syracuse, N. Y. 
Circulars to the consumers of, and dealers in, 
Factory Filled Dairy Salt in the U. S. 
Ellwanger A Barry, Mount Hope Nurseries, 
Rochester, N. Y. No. 1, with colored plate, 15 
cents, plain 10 cents. No. 2, with colored plate, 
25 cents, plain 15 oente ; Nos. 3, 4, and 5, free. 
No. 1—A Descriptive Catalogue of Fruits. 
No. 2—A Descriptive and Illustrated Cata¬ 
logue of ornamental Trees, Shrubs, Ac. 
No. 3—A Catalogue of Dahlias, Verbenas, Pe¬ 
tunias aud Select Now Green-House and Bedding 
Plants, published every spring. 
No. 4—A wholesale Catalogue or Trade List. 
No. 5—A Descriptive Catalogue of Roses; 
plain, free; wilh colored plate, 10 cents. 
This is one of the oldest, most extensive and 
and most trustworthy 7 establishments in this 
country. 
Edward A. Frost, Genesee Valley Nurseries. 
No. 1—Descriptive catalogue of Fruit Trees, 
vines, Ac., 10 cents. 
No. 2—Descriptive Catalogue of Ornamental 
Trees, Shrubs. Roses, Ac., 10 cents. 
No. 8—Descriptive Catalogue of Green-house, 
Plants, Bulbs, Dahlias, Ao. 5 cents. 
No. 4—Wholesale Catalogue, or Trade List, for 
Nurserymen, Ao. Gratis. 
This establishment also ranks as among the 
first in this oonntry. 
[We have never before been asked the question 
so many times “ What concern shall I order 
from ?” as during the present season; proba¬ 
bly bo cause the Rural has never before given to 
Horticultural matters the liberal and careful at¬ 
tention that of late it has been enabled to give 
through the advantages of extensive experiment¬ 
al grounds which are devoted to testing every 
thing winch can be advantageously tested in this 
climate. Now we desire to state that the firms 
(or their representative catalogues), noticed in 
this column are those which, either from having 
dealt with them ourselves, or from established 
reputation, we know to be in every way honorabie 
aud worthy of confidence. Generally their adver¬ 
tisements will be found in other columns.— Eds.] 
FOREIGN CATALOGUES. 
H. Cannell, Swanley Junction, Kent, Eng. 
Amateurs’ Gardeners’ and Nurserymens’ Guide 
for 1878. An Illustrated Catalogue of 150 pages 
of popular plants. Also select list; of choice 
florists’ flower seeds. 
Geo. Jackson A Son, Waking Nursery, Sur- 
sey, England. A catalogue of 44 pages of Trees, 
Shrubs, etc. 
inquires how to trim Monthly Rose bushes so as 
to cause them to flower. 
Ans.— Cut out all weakly shoots and the rest 
back to two eyes. If busbiness is deBired cut 
back tho shoots from these to t wo eyes. Give a 
light soil and add plenty of old manure. 
A Good Chanco for Old Friends. 
Oeo. O,, Forth Linndale, Ohio. — has been 
waiting for an oponiug through which old sub¬ 
scribers to the Rural may have an opportunity 
of getting a “ Crioket ’’ clock. 
Ans.— Wo would state that the offer of $3.50 
for tho clock and one subscriber is an offer to 
old subscribers. In all of onr offers we have 
endeavored to consider thorn first. The seed 
distribution has been to old subscribers alone. 
Liquid Manure Pipe. 
F. T. Martin, Preble Co., O. wishes to know 
the best kind of pipe for liquid manure. 
Ans.— Two-inch glazed tile would be a good 
deal cheaper than lead or iron and less likely to 
become obstructed by sediment. Place a strainer 
at the upper end to lessen the liability to trouble 
from sedimentary deposits, and the more rapid 
the inclination of the pipe the less annoyance 
from this cause. 
Communications received for the week ending 
Saturday, March, 30th. 
Mrs. O. — J. J. — S. F. W. — “ Twist Mrs. 
A. L. G. — K. B. — W. H. — L. L, F. — A. L. J. — 
E. W. S.—U. a—A. C.—A. O., Jr.—Mrs. S. H. R.— 
D. M.—Mrs. L. O. P.-U. H.-R. P. M.—M. B. B.— 
S. R. M.—M. M. w., Is respectfully reminded tuat 
we require lull signature at this office, though 
not for publication—Mrs. J. E. S.—“Green John”— 
“ Apple Blossom F. D. C. — J. C. — “ May ” — 
A. D.—H. H.—O. R. B.—Mrs. M. L. C.—W. II. W.— 
M. G. R.— M. M. — L. A. R. — M. L. M.—F. H. D — 
T. C. D.-M. M. B.—“ Box Boy ”-W. J. F.-Mrs. 
P, W. A.—H. F. S.—W. 8,—B. 
<EIk f oultrg gartr. 
HATCHING CHICKENS. 
henry hales. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
The two Guernseys brought $300 and $170 ro-’ - ' 
sptctively. 470 
Making a grand total of. $9,030 
CoDuudrum: How long will it take them to 
yield enough gilt-edged butter, at fifty cents a 
pound, to pay for their coat ? w. 
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CATALOGUES, Ac., RECEIVED. 
Last fall we got a load of buckwheat screen¬ 
ings from the grist mill and put them in the hen¬ 
house for the fowls to scratch in and pick over. 
Tho dust from the buckwheat poisoned the headd 
and necks of the turkeys, which caused them to 
scratch themselves until the red skin became so 
raw and inflamed, that some of them were nearly 
blind, Their legs were tied loosely so they 
could not scratch and they were removed to an¬ 
other place. They are now nearly well. Mr. 
David Smith says his turkeys once got sore in a 
similar way by running in a buckwheat field. 
The grain will not poison anything as wo have 
fed it to all sorts of animals sheep included 
without harm. 
The low- price of produce is causing many far¬ 
mers in this section to think they must raise their 
own breads luffs. Winter wheat has been for 
many years a risky crop. The old enemies 
Weevil and Hessian Fiyused up the wheat thirty 
- years ugo, and most farmers abandoned its cul¬ 
tivation altogether. For the last fifteen years a 
Woolson A Co., Passaic, N. J. Descriptive 
Catalogue of Hardy Perennial Plants and Price¬ 
list. One of the best and most accurate lists of 
this class of plants published. 
We thank Messrs. Thoiiburn A Co. of this 
city for a case of novelties among vegetable and 
flower seeds and potatoes to be tested in the 
Rural Experimental Grounds. 
H. W. Hales, Ridgewood Floral Nursery. 
Descriptive Catalogue aud Price-list of choice 
plants, Ridgewood, N, J. An excellent list of 
Geraniums, etc. The bright, plain, little cata¬ 
logue of 16 pages iB free to applicants. 
William Parry. Cinnaminson, N. J. Fruits, 
Grapevines, Bma.ll Fruits. The Lady and Brigh¬ 
ton Grapes, and the Great American Straw¬ 
berry specialties. 
Woodruff’s Eighth Annual Catalogue, and 
list of choice selected flower, bedding and veg¬ 
etable plants for 1878. Verbena Cottage, West- 
field, Union County, N. J. 
Eighteenth Annual Effort of the Transac¬ 
tions of the Hoosac Agricultural Society for 
1877, North Adams, Mass. Thanks to the Sec¬ 
retary, Mr. H. Clay Bliss. 
Seventh Annual Report of the Secretary of 
the State Pomological Society of Michigan. This 
is one of the most accurate, interesting, and in¬ 
structive works of the kind we have ever exarn- 
Miscellaneous. 
Mrs. 8. T. X., Spring Orove, Fla., inquires 
where she can get Chul'as for seed. 
Ans. —They are advertised in our columns. 
T. W. C ., Kalamazoo, Mich. —wishes to 
know where ho can get a good work on raising 
small fruit, and its price. 
Ans.— A work by the Rev. E. P. Rowe pub¬ 
lished by the Orange Judd Co. of this city is as 
good as any we know of; price 50 cents. 
Webster , Monroe Go., N. y.. inquires whether 
ho should plow his orchard which is pastured 
by sheep, sow winter rye early, let it get a good 
Btart and then torn in the sheep, 
Ans.—W o should say that it would pay just in 
proportion as his land is rich and can afford 60 
liberal a supply of plant food. 
W. Chapman, Capac, St. Clair Co., Michigan. 
wishes to learn the nature and price of lands in 
Stafford and adjoining counties, Virginia; is 
the laud thereabouts good for farming and 
raising sheep and cattle, and what is the nature 
of the scil. 
Ans. —Of our own knowledge we can give no 
information. Some of our friends living in that 
district may answer. Write to Wright, Saunders 
A Co., Siffolk, Va.; W. A. Parsons A Co., 
Goochland Courthouse, Va. 
M. IF, Cleveland, Ohio, and others.— Where 
can I get the Euonymus and Goldeu Retinospora 
you speak of in Rural of March 2 ? 
Ans.— Ellwanger A Barry, Rochester, N. Y.; 
S. B. Parsons, Flushing, N. Y.; Thomas Meehan, 
Germantown, Pa. ; Edward A. FroBt, Rochester, 
N. Y.; Smith A Powell, Syracuso, N. Y. 
Trimming Rose Bushes 
J). O. B., Franklin Park, Middlesex, N. J., 
This is the special business of the spring with 
poultry-keepers, and requires all the thought 
aud care that can bo given to the subject aside 
from other duties of tho farm. In the first 
place, eggs selected for hatching should be 
placed in trays. Of these a soap box cut through 
the center will make two. The eggs should not 
be laid on each other, but placed singly in rows 
on cut hay or some soft material, and if more 
than one breed are kept, tho variety thst laid the 
egg as well aB the day on which it was laid, 
should be marked ou each with a pencil. They 
should be turned over every day, each end being 
placed alternately uppermost: that is, ono day 
the large end up and the next day the small one. 
By this care the eggs will hatch much better 
thau il' left on one side, as the yolk floats to the 
top whichever way tho egg is left, and dries to 
tho side, spoiling it for incubation, 
A cool cellar is the best place to keep eggs in. 
When both eggs and hens are ready, the eggs 
should bo marked with ink, for pencil marks be¬ 
come obliterated during incubation. A good 
way is with a little brush or stick to make a ring 
round the eggs near either end, but so far on 
that a glance into tho nest will detect any eggs 
laid therein, during meubation. It is well not 
to made this ink lino around the center of the 
eggs, as it might interfere with the hatching, if 
the ink covers that part of the shell where it 
opens to let out its tenant. 
Eleven or twelve eggs are enough for a hen in 
cold weather, but in warm weather thirteen may 
be set. Never set a hen in a deep nest, as she 
will break the eggs when jumping into the nest. 
The best way to prepare a nest, is to out a grass 
sod the size of the bottom of tho nest-box: 
make it a little hollow 7 , so that the eggB may not 
roll to the side ; make the nest on this sod with 
a little straw near to the top of the nest, box or 
basket. Whenever you can set a hen where she 
has laid, do so, unless it is in a place where other 
hens would trouble her. It iB best to give a hen 
the eggs at night, particularly if you remove her 
to a new nest. When convenient, Bet several 
hens at the same time. Should many eggs prove 
bad when examined after the first eight days, 
the good ones may bo distributed to some of the 
hens to make up a full number to each hen, and 
the remaining hens can have fresh eggs given 
them. The way to tell whether eggs are good is to 
hold one at a time up to the sun or lamp light, sha¬ 
ding the egg w ith your bauds all round excepting 
the side towards tho lamp and the opposite side 
turned to tho eye, so that the egg can be seen 
through. Should it appear quite clear it is not 
fertile. At that stage of incubation, eggs that 
are not sterile will appear dark almost all over. 
To keep hens clear from parasites while sit¬ 
ting it is good to dust, a little pulverized sulphur 
through their feathers and in the nest: all sit¬ 
ting .hens should be so treated. Difference of 
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