eoils where other* failed. While our trial wan 
in progress a strange visitor in the line of Chilled 
Plows made its appearance on the ground. I 
refer to the Gale Chilled Plow made by the Gale 
Manufacturing Co., Albion, Mich. This plow 
attracted attention because of its peculiar form 
and lightness of draft. The agents, Messrs. 
the sour Wilson Strawberry 
whence their common name is derived. These 
jewels of the air seem to disdain the ground 
which they rarely touch, though they readily 
perch on branches. Bold and familiar they 
are frequent denizens of gardens in thickly 
settled localities, sometimes entering rooms and 
hitting fearlessly close to passers-by. Full of 
courage, they are very pugnacious and will 
unhesitatingly attack any intruder coming 
near their nests. These are usually placed on 
trees, shrubs or reeds, average about an inoh 
in diameter and the same in depth, are delicate 
but compact, and liued with the softest vege¬ 
table downs. The eggs, one or two in number, 
are generally about half by one-third of an inch, 
of a white color, and batched in 10 or 12 day. 
It is difficult to keep hummingbirds in cages, 
though they have been kept in rooms and con¬ 
servatories for months feeding on hoDev and 
sugar and water, and the insects attracted by 
these daiuties. Although they are fond enough 
of honey, insects are essentially their food, 
and their barbed and viscid toDgues are ad¬ 
mirably adapted for drawing these from the 
depths of tubular flowers over which they de¬ 
light to hover. The bill when closed forms a 
tube through wbioh the long, divided and thread¬ 
like tongue is protruded into deep flowers. 
Of the curved-billed humming birds there are 
more than 100 species, none of which are found 
in the United States. As represented in the en¬ 
graving, the hill is long and slightly curved, the 
tail long, broad and in the males of some species 
decorated with a couple of protrnding feathers. 
Brazil is the favorite habitat of this entire sub¬ 
family. _ 
iscfllancons 
TYSON. 
MALADIES OF STOCK. 
ANSWERS BY D, E. SALMON. 
POOR APPETITE IN A HORSE. 
M. M. A., Wirt Cental', N. T., wishes to know 
what is the matter with a four-year-old horse. 
IPATJIj AMBRE. 
planted four years ago in the fall were so in¬ 
jured by the next wiuter (the coldest for many 
pears) that they have been slow to recover. 
We first saw the trees and tasted the fruit in the 
grounds of Messrs, Ellwanoer and Barby five 
years ago. Itisavery juicy pear with a de¬ 
cided but yery agreeable acidity. The skin is 
russeted upon greenish-yellow. The tree is 
vigorous aa a standard and does well upon the 
quince. 
The A. P. 8. gives two stars ta the following 
states : Mass., Md., and D. C., 8. C., Ga. 
TYSON. 
This is one of the finest of summer pears, of 
medium Bize and perfect shape, of a bright 
yellow color. The flesh is of fine texture, 
buttery, juicy, sweet, and aromatic. RipenB 
the last of summer. It grows rapidly on quince 
or pear but does not come into bearing very 
early. 
The A. P. 8. gives one star to the following 
states: Md., and D. C., Ky 
THE CHURCH. 
This pear is very little kuown when its great 
merits are take ninto the account. See page -*>)• 
It is very productive aud the fruit is uni¬ 
formly good. The flesh is melting and buttery 
and the flavor rich, sweet and excellent. Ripens 
September. 
1 PAUIAMBRE. 
Ripens in October. Aromatic melting, but¬ 
tery. Medium size, greenish-yellow and russet 
It resembles Benrro d'Anjott. The tree is 
both vigorous and productive. 
There are three varieties of fruits that aie 
fast being superseded by better varieties and we 
are glad that it is so. They are the insipid 
Bartlett Pear, the coarse Concord Grape ana 
a great favorite with me in many respects. 
These hastily written views are not r at random 
as I have tried to investigate and understand 
the different principles combined in farm imple¬ 
ments and hope in my own locality to share the 
reputation of being somewhat practical in this 
respect. My efforts are unbiased and with an 
eye single to promote the general weal. 
* Boardman, O., April 15 D. B. Raymond. 
PLOWS AND PLOWING. 
The season for plows and plowing is again 
here, and it is well that we take a retrospective 
view of what has been done the last year and 
see what iB in store for tbenext. Improvements 
crowd upon ns so fast that we can hardly keep 
pace with them, and to say that anything is per¬ 
fect in the way of fanning tools is heresy. 
Not quite a year ago we held a plow trial in thiB 
township and many good plows were represent¬ 
ed, all of which were considered first-class. 
The now Chilled Metal Plows were in favor on 
„tVmir lif.l-font. rlliuint? in our Diuok 
BEURRE SUPERFIN. 
for the reasons above given. The jointer and 
colter arrangement is ingenious and practical, 
combining strength, convenience and Btylo. 
I have carefully dissected this plow and must 
admit it combines so many good points that those 
admissions are due against former prejudice. I 
am free to admit that nothing iH impossible in 
the way of improvement, and even the Gale 
Plow may be improved upon ; if so, this plucky 
firm will soon find it out. It is a fact of every¬ 
day repetition that no two men see tho same 
utility combined in the same tool, consequently 
we need a variety of differently con¬ 
structed farming implements to suit dif¬ 
ferent ideas, but I have never seen so 
many united in one implement, and far¬ 
mers are fast educating themselves to he 
judges of tho tools they use. Hereafter 
imposition will bo next to impossible. 
It is not within my province or my 
desire to disparage other makes of 
plows as I am using the “Oliver” and 
others which are indeed good plows, 
and have a great sale, the Oliver being 
Hahn & Rchlmax, spoke to me in regard to the 
difficulties of introducing this new plow, as oth¬ 
ers of good make bad the lead, and most of 
the enterprising farmers were supplied with 
good plows. I did not encourage the agents in 
the face of these difficulties, bnt they secured 
the agency and went to work selling the plows on 
trial. The results have been most extraordinary. 
Farmers seemed to discard their other purchases 
and now. in traveling over this region, the Gale 
is seen everywhere. I had thought this plow 
mania had fastened on to the farmers, and the 
desire seemed to be for something new at the sac¬ 
rifice of utility, aB I know of many who last fall 
told me they would not buy any new plow while 
they possessed a good one, and this spring I see 
these same parties sporting a Gale. Well, my 
curiosity led me to ask many how they liked the 
new departure, (I fancied nice paint and a fine 
appearance had captivated them), but all replied: 
It is the best Plow I ever held, as well as the 
nicest looking. 
To satisfy myself I set about a minute exam¬ 
ination of the different points in the form, etc. 
The form at once leads me to think the inventor 
a. thorough genius. The share aud entering 
point of the mold board are of decided Scotob 
pattern, and enter the ground in a way to get 
the least possible draft. The form of the turn¬ 
ing part ot the mold board seems to combine 
that shape necessary to turn a sod nicely and yet 
make a good stubble plow. The land-side is form 
ed so as to cause the least friction possible, and 
care has been taken in tho construction to pre¬ 
vent clogging. The beam is adjustable and the 
draft, for depth or width, is regulated in a mo¬ 
ment. The new style handles and the manner 
of regulating by moving up and down, to suit a 
tall or short man, is an achievement combining 
two valuable principles, the greatest of which 1 b 
this: The point where the handles fasten on to 
the beam is beyond or in front of the main body 
or “ heft” of the castings. The adjustable bear¬ 
ings of the handles at the rear of the beam and 
castings ar e the fulcrum, and the plow iB handled 
with such ease that upon the slightest movement 
must he apparent. The ordinary style are fast¬ 
ened at the rear of the beam castings, which is the 
principal cause of what is known as “ kicking.” 
This “ kicking ” is greatly reduced in the ‘ 1 Gale ” 
PEARS. 
BEURRE O'ANJOU. 
Of all tho pears that we have tested in the 
Rural Grounds, thoro is no other of which we are 
enabled to speak more highly for general ex¬ 
cellence. See page 265. 
The flavor iB vinous and rich, the flesh,slightly 
yellowish, is finely grained, melting; and but¬ 
tery. It begins to ripen in October and keeps 
well until early, sometimes mid-winter. The tree 
is very hardy, of rapid and shapely growth. 
The fruit is above medium size, regular, green¬ 
ish yellow with a doll red cheek, somewhat 
marked with russet. In this location it is also 
one of the beet upon the quince. 
The American Pomological Society gives the 
D. Anjou two stars for the following states : 
Vermont, Mass., R. I., Conn., N. Y., Mich., 
Penn.,N. J., Md., Va., O., Tenn., Ill., Iowa, 
Neb., Kan., 8. 0., Ga. 
BEURRE SUPERFIN. 
Our only specimens of thiB excellent pear, 
