JULY 6 
THE RURAL HEW-YORK^R. 
will say that my own experience extends through 
many years and during that period I have grown 
and tested most of the now hinds that gavo 
any promise of value, and also that it would be 
entirely proper to place myself and family in 
the category of consumers; for surely none 
have a better right to oat than these who pro¬ 
duce ; and the singular notion has prevailed in 
my mind that the berries which grew on my 
grounds and with my oare and attendance tasted 
better than any others; whioh impression, if 
erroneous, is still most agreeable, and I would 
therefore advise every family in possession of 
a garden to raise strawberries at least for their 
own use. Aud yet in passing through the coun¬ 
try I am sadly reminded of very many Btraw- 
borry beds, that, from lack of care in culture 
or poor management, have beoome disgraceful 
failures, a tangled mass of weeds and grass. To 
all owners of such, i would counsel either more 
careful management, or that they devote the 
ground to somo crop requiring less trouble and 
attention. For weeds grow spontaneously every¬ 
where, and uowheromore luxuriantly and defiant¬ 
ly than under the fostering care and peculiar 
protection of a neglected strawberry bed whore 
the runners are allowed to grow and take root. 
Thus it is that lazy people should never attempt 
the growth of Strawberries, unless they have 
the ability and willingness to pay for their proper 
culture. . 
Tho cultivation of the Strawberry in private 
gardens is of comparatively recent date. We 
find no record of its cultivation prior to the fif¬ 
teenth century, and all varieties now known to 
us have origiuated daring the present century. 
Previous to this all were wild varieties, there 
being only four or five. European cultivators 
wore the first to raise successful seedlings ; and 
it was from crossos on our American species 
found growing wild. The origin of tho name, 
Strawberry, still remains unknown or obscure, 
I believe, the accounts of old authors being 
varied and confiicting. lean readily recall to 
mind the first introduction of this fruit into 
our family gardeu when a boy, aud 1 was then 
old enough to be impressed with the fact that 
our strawberry bed was looked upon by friends 
and neighbors from far aud near as a very 
doubtful aud unpromising experiment. The 
variety then planted was tho old Hovoy seedling, 
the Pioneer Strawberry in this country, which 
I believe is still cultivated to Borne extout in cer¬ 
tain localities. It being a pistillate, it proved 
unproductive grown by itself, aud we therefore 
obtainod plants of the Brooklyn Scarlet whioh 
were alternated with the Ilovey ; and thus the 
bed yielded some Hue fruit the following season. 
Since that time wo have added now varieties 
as they were introduced and proved of sufficient 
value, discarding a very large number aud re¬ 
taining those only that most naarly answered all 
the conditions aud requisites of a good, reliable 
family strawberry. Of late years the business 
of raising now varieties has grown to au enor¬ 
mous oxtont, and now tho simple enumera¬ 
tion of them would requiro a volume, oue cul¬ 
tivator alone having over three thousand prom¬ 
ising Borts now growing, it is, of course, ob¬ 
vious that tho difference between many of these 
is often so light as to be Boarooly discernible 
to tho unskilled. The Strawberry is more easily 
crossed than any other fruit; and although the 
business is not usually attended with any very 
alluring results of a poouuiary nature, tho pleas¬ 
ure in sending out for the first time those little 
gems of their oare and skill, togethor with a sort 
of fascination for the pleasant pursuit, seems 
a sufficient compensation to these enterprising 
originators and they keep at it fro a year to year; 
aud wo, more than they, are the gainers. Out 
of the many thousand seedlings thus obtained 
only a few are found worthy of propagation ; 
and then agaiu this list must be very materially 
reduced before going to the public ; and then 
thirdly, it has to undergo another very severe 
reduction and elimination at the hands of cul¬ 
tivators in varied soils and climates. We have 
indeed, become very particular in this matter. 
A few yearB since tho people were glad to get 
anyth iug in the shape of strawberries with very 
little regard to flavor or variety ; they were a 
luxury that required neither name nor special 
quality. But now we have passed that point, 
and tho Strawberry of the present day must 
have a certified pedigree, with reliable references 
as to good behavior under any and all circum¬ 
stances in which it may be placed. 
From much careful observation and consid¬ 
erable reading I am led to conolude that the 
v ariety most generally needed throughout the 
entire country and by all classes, is one having 
the best possible flavor invariably, and which 
will grow in any kiud of soil or climate and pro¬ 
duce abundantly without any care, or at least 
with the most careless aud slip-shod manage¬ 
ment that can bo deviBed; and ho who shall meet 
these requirements will bo a benefactor indeed. 
If erroneous iu this belief, I shall bo most happy 
to reooive correction. In view of this desid¬ 
eratum, then, It Is obvious that tho industrious 
hybridizer who seeks to meet tho public demand, 
has a difficult task in hand. That he may fully 
accomplish this objoot is quite impossible; but 
that he can more nearly approach it than has 
yet been attained, there oan be little question. 
In order to see bow nearly this desirable result 
has been readied, let ub look briefly at the 
leading varieties now in cultivation. 
Some years silica I obtained all the most prom¬ 
inent Strawberries then known, and not al¬ 
ready in any collection, from Messrs. Eli.wan¬ 
der of Rochester, N. Y. My collection then 
comprised the Jucuuda, Triomphe de Gaud, 
Lcnnig’s White, Agriculturist, Napoleon III., 
La Constante, Nieauor, Colfax, Peak’s Emperor, 
ltomeyn’s Seedling and many other varieties that 
I do not remember, both of home and foreign 
origin. I gave them every advantage of soil 
aud culture iu my power and brought most of 
them through three years of doubt and un¬ 
certainty with varying results. Of that entire 
list, however, but onehas retained a place in my 
garden, and that is Lennig’s White. Aud I 
oonsidor this in many respects a most excellent 
family berry; a very healthy, vigorous grower, 
and its flavor is so fine and delicate, with that 
exquisite aroma that leaves nothing to be de¬ 
sired in that way. A dish of these pale pink 
beauties, on the table, is to me a very tempting 
dosert. It is true, however, that they are some¬ 
what less productive than some others, also the 
last portion of the crop is apt to ruu small in 
size. But for these reasons it is perhaps the 
best family berry we have. The Jucunda, 
grew and bore fairly, but the berry was not 
solid, and lacked flavor, Triomphe de G and 
tasted better but was loss productive and lack¬ 
ing iu vigor. Agriculturist was fair in flavor 
but somowhat defeotivo in habit. Napoleon 
aud La Constante, though both flue-flavored, 
large berries wore weak and tender in growth 
and uusuitod to the climate. Nieauor proved 
of no value on my grouuds, surprising as this 
may seem to its worthy originators. It was small, 
Bour, a poor grower and poor bearer. But for 
the fact that my plants were obtained from 
headquarters, I should, in view of all the 
praise that has been so generally bestowed ou 
it, have doubted the identity of my plants. The 
Colfax proved a most wonderful bearer ; aud my 
plants were so fine that I was indueod to exhib¬ 
it a few in fall fruit at the summer meeting of 
our Horticultural Society here, where they re¬ 
ceived a special premium. But tho berries wore 
small, rathor sour and very soft; and though 
tho most prolific variety I ever saw, I discarded 
it for these reasons. E imeyn’s Seedling is a 
good berry, a rather vigorous grower and in 
most respects so similar to the Triomphe as to 
lead mauy to regard it as identical therewith. 
Burn’B New Pine is an old variety, but in my 
estimation the finest-flavored strawberry yet 
produced. It is however a pistillate variety and 
not very productive; and still those who have 
room for variety should not fail to have this 
fiue-flavored sort among them. Another very 
fine berry is the Charles Downing, and l regard 
it as a most desirable family variety every way, 
it is also quite productive. I am glad to see that 
it is now becoming more generally appreciated 
throughout the country as it well deserves. 
President Wilder has too good a name, for | 
though ploasant-flavored, it is Boft, unproduc¬ 
tive, and most unreliable. Russel's Soodling is 
large and handsome, but of little valuo from its 
strong tendency to rot even before it ripens. 
I might name others, all of which have proved 
defective and unsatisfactory here. I am now 
testing a few varieties of more recent introduc¬ 
tion, among whioh Boydon'a No. 30 is now very 
promising. It is the finest grower I ever saw, 
winters well, forms strong plauta early, and 
bears abundantly: berries very large and fine- 
flavored, and very firm and solid in texture. I 
am much pleased with it thus far. Concerning 
Monarch of the West, Springdale, Star of the 
West aud Cumberland Triumph, I am not yet 
prepared to speak with certainty. They are all 
doing nicely at present, and I trust they will 
boar out the glowing promises of their enthusi¬ 
astic disseminators. During the past year or 
two a whole list of new seedlings have been let 
loose over the land with much eclat ; but it is, 
of course, quite impossible to judg6 of their 
value at present. Among thorn may be men¬ 
tioned Great American, and several others of 
Durand’H seedlings ; also Sterling, Crescent, Mi¬ 
nor’s Prolific, Duncan, Black Dofiauco, Duchess, 
Barnes’ Mammoth, and hundreds of others. Col. 
Cheney has been highly commended by many, 
but my own experience with it has been some¬ 
what unfavorable. It fails to ripen evenly to 
the end, is not productive, and lacks iu vigor. 
For years past the universal opinion of the 
people, all things considered, has been largely 
in favor of Wilson’s Albany 8trawberry, especi¬ 
ally aB a general market sort, and, on the whole, 
I think it has been accorded more good points 
than are found iu any other variety; and 
yet I am inclined to the belief that now this 
groat popular notion is undergoing considerable 
modification, and that ere long it will l»o largely 
discarded. Il is very sour, variable iu size and 
quality, and a very poor berry under the best 
conditions of growth. And still its groat pro¬ 
ductiveness must be admitted; aud it will, per¬ 
haps, bear abuse with better grace than any va¬ 
riety we have. It certainly nas been the most 
successful variety of strawberry ever introduced 
into thiB country. When wo read that the an¬ 
nual sales of this fruit in the four citioa of Now 
York, Boston, Philadelphia aud Cincinnati, 
ainouut to the enormous sum of 1,500,000 bush- 
els, it would seem that this strawberry interest 
iB one of considerable magnitude, and well worth 
talking about. 
ULSTBR Co. N, Y : 
krllanfous 
JOTTINGS AT KIRBY HOMESTEAD. 
COL. F. D. COBTIS. , 
We are satisfied seed is not generally planted 
deep enough. Covering grain with a cultivator ’ 
is better than with a harrow. Hereafter we , 
shall use a harrow to mellow and pulverize the 
ground, and then take tho cultivator to cover 
the seed. After the ground is made ready by 
the harrow, sow in the seed, and then with a 
two-horse cultivator go over the field, lapping 
enough so as to be sure not to leave any spots 
uncovered. This is for broadcast sowing. When 
grain is put in with a drill, the use of the culti¬ 
vator is uot required, as the drill does the 
work. 
Clover seed will catch a great deal better 
sowed after cultivating than after harrowing. 
Glover Beed is usually rolled in after the har¬ 
row. We are convinced this is a mistake; the 
practice of rolling in clover or other grain seed 
after a cultivator is a better plan, and when this 
is not done, clover and timothy Beed should be 
harrowed in. When grain is drilled in, the grass 
seed may be covered by a roller and do well. Un¬ 
less the season is very favorable, a groat deal of 
grass seed rolled in after a harrow, will dry up, 
resulting in disappointment and loss. We have 
ten acres which i3 almost a total failure. This 
was rolled in. If the seed had been covered 
with a harrow it would not have dried up dur¬ 
ing the drought of laHt summer. A neighbor 
sowed his clover seed after the first harrowing 
and before the second, and his olover stood 
through the summer and resisted the frosts of 
winter, and now promises a splendid crop. 
Tho above belief is proven by our barley this 
spring. It was covered by a cultivator with 
sharp steel teeth, each one rolling up a nice fur¬ 
row aud burying all the seed. High winds pre¬ 
vailed immediately afterwards, drying every bit 
of moisture out of the surface of the ground; 
but the barloy came up promptly, and grew 
right on notwithstanding this check, which would 
have prevented the crop from growiug if it had 
been covered as slightly as tho harrow does its 
work. Tho cultivator will cut up weeds and tear 
iu pieces cloda the harrow slips over, and will 
leave the ground iu better order for the crop. 
We are so convinced of these facts that we urge 
them upon the attention of farmers. 
Every chicken whioh had the gapes has been 
entirely cured by being made to inhale tobacco 
smoke. The treatment has done them no harm, 
and the trouble of smoking iB but little, if it is 
done when the chicks are in the coop. It takes 
but a moment to put them into a basket, and 
five minutes is as long as they should be sub¬ 
jected to the inhalation of the smoko, and not 
so long, if it is strong enough to produce stupor. 
As soon as a chick is stupefied, it should be taken 
from the basket and laid on the ground, when it 
will soon revive. Our chickens were nearly 
dead with the gapes when first treated, but got 
better with each treatment, aud were cured after 
the seventh. 
Sixty years ago a Mr. Hewitt bred a half-Jer¬ 
sey heifer, and as she proved an exoellent cow, 
her progeny were all saved, aud this family of 
cows are still owned aud bred by Mr. Hewitt’s 
son. They all have marks of the Jersey blood, 
aud now aud then a calf quite closely resembles 
the pure-bred type in oolor. They have always 
been noted for the richness of their milk, and 
butter made from them has always sold at the 
highest price, showing that ** blood will tell.” 
When lambs are taken away from their dams 
at this time of the year, if the ewes have large 
nddors, they should be milked several times, or 
else inflammation will follow in the glands of the 
bag and teats, and next year the udder may be 
spoiled. The lamb of a large ewe last year 
nearly starved before we found out what was 
the matter. We thought, at first, the lamb was 
sick, as the ewe had a full bag ; but upon close 
examination we discovered that the milk could 
not be drawn through the teats. Neglect the 
year before had caused the stoppage. This year 
the ewes are milked. If they are shut up aud 
fed dry food for a week, it will hasten the 
drying up of the milk, aud save the trouble of 
going to the field for them. 
Iu olden times the stripping-pail was thought 
to be a necessary part of the dairy furniture. 
The “ strippings," the last milk drawn from the 
udder, is richer iu butttr than the rest of the 
milk, and this portion was carefully Baved by it¬ 
self, and put directly into the cream-pot. The 
“stripping-pail’’ naturally begot ‘‘stripping,” 
and so the milker pulled away at a cow's teats as 
long as a drop of milk could be had. When 
dailies became enlarged, and cows were counted 
by scores, there was no time for “stripping” 
People who have large experience with cows 
think it entirely unnecessary, as the cream is 
not lost, aud tho practice teudB to dry up cows, 
as milkmg is generally done at a time of day 
when cows feed best, but the tkue spent is a de¬ 
cided disadvantage. 
r~' 1 
w i w' J 
The most economical way to milk a cow, all 
things considered, is to milk the two fore teats 
clean, leaving off with a pretty full Btream, and 
then milk the hind ones down to a short stream, 
and, returning to the fore ones, milk them to 
the same condition, not touching tho hind ones 
again. This will leave tho teats empty, and the 
bag too. It is ft false notion that tugging away 
at the teats stimulates a cow to give more milk ; 
but, on the oontrary, emptying the bag as soon as 
possible yields more ; then the cow can have the 
extra time to oat, which is a better stimulus than 
either. A slow milker is never tolerated in the 
dairy districts, and a “stripper” is an injury any¬ 
where. The sooner a cow is milked, aud all of 
the organs connected with feeding, digestion, 
and secretion, are left in their natural condition, 
the better it is for the cow. For these reasons 
cows should always he treated gently, and never 
worried, as all of these excitements and disturb¬ 
ances have the effect to arrest the normal ac¬ 
tion of the functions, and consequent Iosb in the 
gain of flesh or the flow of milk. 
Mr. Saunders, the accomplished superinten¬ 
dent of the agricultural grounds of the Agricul¬ 
tural Department, Washington, D. C., sent us 
this spring cions of two of the varieties of Rus¬ 
sian Apples imported from Russia a number of 
years ago. He has two hundred and fifty varie¬ 
ties now growing in the grounds connected 
with the Agricultural Department. They are 
all very hardy and useful kinds. One sent us is 
a very late keeper, and has been named by Mr. 
, Saunders the Saun-Ker-Matty, embracing his 
own name in part, and those of two of his asso¬ 
ciates. The other is the Yellow Transparent, or 
in the language of Russia, “ Sk wosnoi-Sohotoi.” 
Mr, Saunders informs us that he sent out,this 
spring, principally to the northwest, 17,100 
grafts of these Apples. Among them were seve¬ 
ral kiuds well known, as they have been so long 
grown in this country, such as the Astrachans, 
and some of the larger Crabs. The Apples are 
suited to our colder latitudes, where many of 
our native varieties kill out, and on this account 
are a valuable acquisition. And no doubt, too, 
on account of their individual merits, they 
will be welcome in other parts of our country. 
CONNECTICUT 
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT 
STATION. 
Nbw IIaykn, June 22, 1S7S. 
Bulletin No. 17•—Fertilizer Analyses. 
144 Mapks' Gbass and Gbain Top Dressing. 
Claimed 4.1 5 8 per cent. Nitrogen, 6 3 per cent. 
Phosphoric Acid, 3- 5 per cent. Potash Manu¬ 
factured by Mapes’ Formula aud Peruvian Guano 
Co., N. Y. Scut May 28.h, by S. M Wells, 
Wethersfield. 
159. Upton's Superphosphate of Lime. 
Claimed 2.4 3 3 per cent. Nitrogen, 10 12 ptr 
cent, soluble rhosphoric Acid. Manufactured 
by Geo. Upton, Boston, Mass. Sent June 6, by 
E. Stiles A Son, Willimantio. 
163. Bradley's Superphosphate of Lime. 
Claimed, Sulphate of Ammonia 10 per cent., 
soluble Phosphoric Acid 7.5 per cent., insoluble 
Phosphoric Acid 7 per cent. Manufactured by 
Bradley Fertilizer Co., Boston, Mass. Sent 
Juno 2, by M. S. Baldwin, Secretary Nauqatuck 
Farmers’ dub.* 
165 Soluble Pacific Guano. Manufactured 
by Soluble Pacific Guano Co., Boston, Mass 
From stock of Rodney Kellogg. Hartford. Sam¬ 
pled and sent May 2, by J. J. Webb, New Haven. 
Nitrogen in Am. Sails. 
'* Ntrates.. 
144 
2 21 
::::i'.i7 
159 
163 
0.59* 
165 
*' Ol'g. Matters. 87 
2.S1 
1.92 
2.39 
Soluble Phoa. Acid. 
.. .1.81 
1.05 
6.68 
5.67 
Reverted “ “ . 
....4.'8 
6.70 
0.54 
I.S4 
Insoluble “ “ . 
Potash...,,. 
...1.32 
,,. .3 <v> 
1.42 
3.43 
3.77 
|l.05 
Cal Value V ton. 
..*36.85 
27.92 
32.98 
38.41 
v“ Cost “ “ . 
.. ? 
38.00 
45.60 
45.00 
- P >to*h in 165 is valued at 7Miet* per pound to make 
th>* analyse* cmnpnntbla with others previously pub- 
ll»hod, but Is obviously toy high. Potash in 159 is 
valued at4l.eta per pound. 
•This is represented to contain 10 per cent. Sul¬ 
phate Ammonia, which I* equ il to 2.1 percent. Ni¬ 
trogen as Ammonia Suit*. It really contains not 
more than 2.8 percent. Sulphate Ammonia, equiva¬ 
lent to 0.59 per cent. Nitrogen. Nitrogen in Nitrates 
and AmmoniaS dts is valued at 24cts., Nitrogen in 
Organic Matters at 20cts. per pound 
S. W. Jounson, Director. 
ANNUAL FAIR LIST. 
The following list of dates and places appoint¬ 
ed for State fairs will be supplemented by full 
lists of local and oounty meetings as fast, as they 
are received. We should be grateful for dates 
and particulars concerning these latter from any 
trustworthy source: 
Araoricm Institute, New York.Sept. 11, Nov. 23 
California. Sacramento.Sept. 16, 21 
Colorado, Denver... .Sept. 24, 28 
Connecticut. Hartford.Sept. 10,13 
Da kola,......Sept. 10,13 
Georgia. Macon.Oct. 28. Nov. 2 
Illinois. Ft eport.....Sept. 16, 21 
Indiana, Indianapolis..Sept Ml, Oct. ft 
Iowa. Cedar Rapids .Sept. 16, 20 
Maine, Portland. ... ..Sept. 17,20 
Michigan. Petri it. . .Sept. 16, 20 
Maryland. Pimlico. Sept. 24, 27 
Minnesota, Minneapolis. Sept. 2, 7 
Minnesota. S.. Paul.Sept. 2, 7 
Missouri,Madison... Sept. 9.'3 
Nebraska. Lincoln. Sept. 23, 27 
New Nnglntid, Worcester, Mass.Sept. 3, 6 
New Jersey. Wuverley. . .Sept. 16, 20 
New York. Klmtra .. Sept. 9,13 
Ohio, Columbus..Sept. 9, 13 
Oregon, Salem .Oc r . 10. 18 
Penney t> turn. Brie...Sept. 23 ,27 
St.. Loins Association, St. Louis, Mo... ...Oct,. 7.12 
Toxo». Austin..Oct. 29. Nov. 2 
Texas, Houston.Oct. 22, 26 
Vermont, 8t. Albans.Sept. 10,12 
Virginia, Richmond.Oct. 29, Nov 1 
Wisconsin, Madison...Sept. 9,13 
