1 
ft 
JULY 27 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Barley ig cut, and a good crop. Apples plenti¬ 
ful ; peaches will be a small crop. Grass was 
unusually heavy. w . it. n. 
New York, July IS. 
Thermometer iu shade, highest, 98°; July 19, 
highest, 96°; July 20. 11.30 a. m., 86°. 
Painesville, Ohio, July IT. 
Weather hot, hotter, hottest. m. b. b. 
mm. 
THE TRUTH ABOUT IT. 
[Under this heading, a number of articles 
have been prepared by able writers. These will 
appear from time to time. Their object is not 
at all to deal with “ humbugs ’’—but with the 
many unconscious errors that creep into the 
methods of daily country routine life.— Eds.] 
ORCHARD PLANTING AND MANAGEMENT. 
T. T. LYON. 
Very many farmers who would not hope to se¬ 
cure a profitable crop of grain without thorough 
tillage, and with whom the idea of successfully 
growing a hill of beans, corn or potatoes, with¬ 
out previous preparation of the soil, together 
with careful after-tillage, would be thought pre¬ 
posterous, so far forget these fundamental ideas 
that, when they contemplate the planting of an 
orchard, their first step is to sow the field with 
grain, and then proceed to plant the trees, leaving 
the grain to grow up direotly about them, while 
yet others either seed the ground to grass, in ad- 
vanoe of the planting of the trees, or do so im¬ 
mediately thereafter. Indeed, I am not Bure 
that I may not be warranted in the charge that 
the average of farmers act upon the idea that a 
fruit or ornamental fcroo only requires to have 
its roots thrust into a hole and the earth drawn 
about them, after which the tree is expected to 
take oare of itself. 
Whatever may be the conviction of the aver¬ 
age fanner of to-day on this subject, and how¬ 
ever much he may be disposed to repel so dis¬ 
creditable au idea, the fact remains that, if 
judged by their practice, they are amonablo to 
the chargo that a very largo proportion—per¬ 
haps fully throe-fourths—of the trees annually 
purchased by them, and planted in farm orchards, 
fail to pass safely through the first two or three 
years of thoir orchard life; not, as in most cases 
we are compelled to believe, from any defect in 
the condition of the trees, but rather, as in eases 
above assumed; because, even when tillage is 
not wholly omitted, the soil in which they are 
planted is taxed nearly or quite to the extent of 
its capacity, in the effort to supply the demands 
of the accompanying crop, while the newly- 
planted trees are compelled to acquire a hold 
upon the soil, and to puBh their rootlets through 
a space preoccupied by the hungry roots of the 
growing crop; and too often to struggle against 
them for the moisture and food required to sup¬ 
ply the means of growth as well as the wasto 
from evaporation of an entire top, left unprnued 
at the time of transplanting under the fallacious 
assumption that so much will be gained (saved), 
in the future growth of the tree; oblivious of 
the fact that, in the process of removal, the 
roots must have lost three-fourths, if not even 
seven-eighths, of their capacity to draw susten¬ 
ance from the soil, leaving the troe in imminent 
danger of starvation before the deficiency can bo 
remedied by a renewed growth of roots. 
I feel assured of the indorsement of every 
well-informed and experienced plauter, in taking 
the position that no possible circumstances can 
render it profitable to plant young troes, iu 
grounds that canuot be subjected to culture 
with the hoe or cultivator, or both, while many 
planters, especially on light soils, oonsider it 
necessary or profitable to give up the entire soil 
to the trees, to the exclusion of even hoed crops. 
In faot, I am persuaded that, upon any and all 
soils, whether lig bt or heavy, the planting of 
even hoed crops, among young trees, is mainly 
to be oommended for the reason that it supplies 
an exouse, not to say a necessity for the kind of 
culture requisite to the prosperity of the trees, 
whioh, beyond doubt, would be the better for 
such culture, with the entire absence of all other 
crops. 
Agricultural writers not unfrequently recom¬ 
mend the mulching of newly-planted trees as a 
means of subduiug weeds, and preventing the 
drying of the soil and the hardening of the sur¬ 
face. I would certainly prefer that trees be 
well mulched rather than allow the earth to be¬ 
come hardened about them, or to become sub¬ 
jected to the exhaustion of its moisture by the 
roots of growing vegetation of any kind ; but, to 
mo, this would bo only the choice of a lesser 
evil: j ust a little better than nothing. I do 
not behove that a good crop of corn can be 
grown under any possible system of mulching ; 
and from tho entire absenco of practice, in that 
direction, oven among our worst farmers, I in¬ 
fer that they also lack faith iu such practice. 
Indeed, I can conceive no adequate reason 
Why it should prove more successful in the one 
case than in the other. Few persons, I im¬ 
agine, oan have failed to observe how effective¬ 
ly, even iu the hottest weather, or during the 
severest drought, the deep and thorough disin¬ 
tegration of the soil operates in bringing up 
moisture from the subsoil, for the refreshment 
of flagging vegetation. In the nursery, during 
the season for budding, the occurrence of heat 
and drought not unfrequently stops the growth 
of young stocks, rendering budding impossible; 
in such case tho thorough stirring of the soil bo- 
tween tho rows, will usually renew the growth, 
and again render the process practicable. 
Aa a striking instance of the success of this 
process, I recollect that one of tho mo 3 t ex¬ 
tensive planters and thorough cultivators of this 
State, with from one to two hundred acres of 
newly-planted orchard, a few years since, in 
mid-summer, discovered that, during hot, dry 
weather, his trees were forming terminal buds, 
indicating tho closing of their growth for the 
soason. Not satisfied with this he, by the vigor¬ 
ous uso of the cultivator, soon succeeded in the 
renewal of their growth, and iu obtaining a very 
considerable increaso of the same, during the re¬ 
mainder of the season. I will, however, add as 
a caution against the too persistent carrying out 
of even a good idea ; that, in this case the culti¬ 
vation was continued, and the growth maintained 
till so late a period, that the advent of an unusu¬ 
ally trying winter found the young wood so im¬ 
perfectly ripened that the orchard was seriously 
injured in consequence. The lesson drawn from 
this untoward experience is, that such cultiva¬ 
tion cannot, in this climate, be safely continued 
beyond the middle of August. 
South Haven, Mich., July 8th, lSTS. 
- ♦ - 
CATALOGUES, ETC., RECEIVED. 
The Native Flowers and Ferns of the United 
States, by Thomas Meehan. Published by L. 
Prang & Co., Boston, Mass. 
Parts IU., IV. and V. have been received. 
Part IU. presents colored plates of Hellonias 
bulJata, which the author proposes to call Stud- 
flower, as it has no common name. This is sug¬ 
gested to him from the specific Latin name 
‘• bulla," meaning nail heads or studded orna¬ 
ments ;—Clare x atricta (Tussock-Sedge);—Cuph- 
ea viscosissima (Blue W&x-Woed)Thalic- 
trurn dioicum (Early Meadow-Rue). This is in¬ 
teresting chiefly to the botanical student, the 
male and female flowers being borne on different 
plants. The leaves are delicate and pretty. 
Thalictrum cornuti, whose foliage is prettier, is 
blooming now. 
Part IV. gives first Auemone patens, var. 
Nuttaliiana (NuttaU’s Pasque-Flower);—Orchis 
spectabilisSymplocarpus foetidus —(Skunk- 
Cabbage)—(Of this we have a very decided 
variogated-Ieaved variety found in the woods 
last year)Podicularis Canadensis (Common 
Wood-Botony), with its bright, curious flowers 
and fern-liko foliage. 
Part V. gives our Yellow Dog-tooth Violet 
(Erythrouium Araericanum), millions of which 
may be found blooming in moist woods before 
the buds of trees and shrubs have thought of 
breaking. This thrives well under garden cul¬ 
ture, aud even in dry situations, though seem¬ 
ing to prefer moist cnee by nature. There is a 
white variety of this found North and West 
(albidum) which with tho Americanum, yellow, 
and tho European variety (Dens-oanis) should 
provide the material for a fine race of garden 
hybrids. Tt seems queer enough that Mr. 
Meehan should seem satisfied to oall our Ery- 
thronium “Yellow Dog-tooth- Violet" which 
mixes up our species with the European, in pre¬ 
ference to Yellow Adder-tongue by which it is 
already quite well known. Besides it is not a 
violet or anything like one. 
The other colored plates are (second) Phlox 
stibulata (Moss-Pink);—Saxifraga Virginiensia 
(Early White Saxifrage) and, last Arctoataphylos 
Uva-ursi (Bear-berry). The text of all is ex¬ 
ceedingly interesting and filled with instructive 
and suggestive particular's. 
Eleventh Annual Exhibition, Jersey County 
Fair to be held at their grounds, city of Jersey- 
ville, Illinois, commencing Tuesday Oct. 15. 
Premiums 85,000 in oash. Morris R. Locke, 
Jerseyville, Secretary. Entries in any depart¬ 
ment or class oan be made at any time before 
the exposition, by application to the Secretary 
either personally or by letter, at his office and 
on the Fair grounds, up to 12 o’clock m., on 
Wednesday, October 16, except in oases of live 
stock to bo exhibited in the arena, whioh must 
be entered before 10 o'clock a. m. on tho day of 
exhibition. 
New York State Agricultural Sooiety. List of 
Premiums aud Regulations for the Thirty-eighth 
Annual Fair to be held at Elmira, Sept, 9 to 13. 
Corresponding Secretary, Thomas L. Harison of 
St. Lawrence; Recording Secretary, William H. 
Bogart of Cayuga. Copies of tho premium list 
ami blauk forms for entries will bo furnished on 
application to tho Secretary at the Agricultural 
Rooms. Letters should be addressed to the 
New York State Agricultural Society, Albany. 
N. Y. 
Pride op the Hudson Raspberry.— Early in 
the Spring Mr. E. 1\ Roe sent to us a number 
of plants of the above Raspberry. They have 
made a strong growth aud each Las borne fruit. 
Our opinion upon so brief a trial would be next 
to worthless. So far as it can bo judged from 
the test of a single season, we oan confirm the 
highly favorable reports which have from time 
to time been published. 
We have now to acknowledge having received 
a quart or more of the berrioH at this office, in 
excellent condition, from Mr. Roe's grounds. 
The average circumference is little less than 
two and a quarter inches; the oolor bright red 
and the flavor as good as that of any variety of 
which we have any knowledge. 
Thirty-second Annual Fair of the Burling¬ 
ton County Agricultural Society and the First 
Annual Exhibition of the N. J. State Horticul¬ 
tural Society, to be held at Mount Holly, N. J., 
on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, October 
8th, 9tb and 10th. 
Premium List of the Indiana State Fair to be 
held at Indianapolis Sept. 30, to Oot. 5. This 
fair offers 810,000 iu premiums. It is held 
under tho auspices of the Indiana State Board 
of Agriculture of whioh AIox.Heron is Secretary. 
Premium List of the Georgia State Fair to be 
held at Macon, Ga., beginning Oct. 28, and con¬ 
tinuing one week. Premium lists will be sent 
by mail on application to the Secretary, Mal¬ 
colm Johnston, Macon. 
Virginia State Agricultural Society. Regula¬ 
tions and Schedule of Premiums for Fair com¬ 
mencing Tuesday Oct. 29. W. C. Knight, Sec¬ 
retary, Richmond, Va. 
m foultrji Jtartr. 
PEKIN DUCKS. 
Several here bought eggs of Pekin Ducks 
this Spring, ail have proved a complete failure 
but ruino. Several of my eggs were broken at 
Chattanooga, though I succeeded in raising three 
ducks. One is not doing well, I fear I will loss 
it; so in my trouble I write to you, hoping you 
will write me what to do for it. Please tell me 
what they are fed upon. m. l. a. 
Brown&boro, Ala. 
answered by henby hales. 
In answer to several inquiries through the 
Rural in regard to Pekin Ducks, I will give a 
brief account of them. A.s their name suggests, 
they originally came from China; in 1873 were 
first exhibited at Hartford in the fall of that 
year, aud rapidly came into favor from their 
great size, fine laying qualities, and domestic 
habits. At their first introduction many doubts 
wore circulated as to their laying qualities, and 
next, their merits as table birds; these points 
have been fnlly answered by the birds them¬ 
selves ; they are tamer, larger, better layers, and 
fully equal to aDy other domestic duck in flavor 
and quality. In fact, they are well worthy the 
praise bestowed on them. Their eggs are very 
slightly larger than the Aylesbury’s, aud they 
average more whifce-Bhelled eggs; sometimes 
they will lay white eggs for quite a while, when 
suddenly a bluish-green egg appears again. I 
havo kept most varieties of ducks, but seldom 
had them lay in fall till I kept the Pekins; these 
will lay heavily in the fall when hatched early 
and having a river’s edge to feed by. 
To give these ducks their original large dimen¬ 
sions, 8 water-edge where fish is obtainable w*&s- 
sist their size; yet, like their cousins, the Asiatic 
fowls, they are content with small spaco when 
well fed; they are not more greedy eaters of 
corn than other ducks; considering their si», I 
believe they consume less grain, and they will 
eat much more grass. They feed on green food 
almost like a goose, where they can find it. 
They are fine ducks for the South, but our very 
cold snaps in the North seem to affect them, 
still they lay as soon as any other ducks. The 
young mature very early, when well fed—most 
kinds of soft food that hens will eat are good for 
them. Fish chopped up, such as clams or horse¬ 
shoe crabs ia the finest food j but if one does not 
live near water, curd is very goodif.oce happens 
to keep a cow. but there ia no necessity to buv 
either a water-front or a cow to keep ducks. 
They are such good feeders nothing comes 
amiss to them: boiled potatoes mashed up with 
a little ground scrap-cake, ooru-meal, wheat 
middlings, oat-meal, rice, soaked bread, are all 
good for the ducklings, and they want ebange of 
food often; but all meals are best scalded, yet 
raw meal will not hurt them, but they grow 
fastor on cooked food. Soft food should be 
given cold and not so stiff as whon given to chiok- 
ens. They should not be allowed to go eff to water 
until they are five or six weeks old; the water 
does not hurt them ia warm weather, bnt they 
get into much trouble from their helplessness: 
such as not beiug able to get up a bank from the 
water amt so getting left behind to perish; others 
get caught by turtles and other enemies. I 
make a yard with four long boards to keep them 
in before venturing to the water, with a large 
low pan of water iu it, with one side tipped up, 
or a piece of wood for a step, that the ducklings 
can got in it; this cau bo taken up aud washed 
two or three times a day. Also, stand a flower¬ 
pot, inverted, in thoir soft-food pan, so they can¬ 
not drabble through it dirtying their food. 
When ducklings get over six weeks old, oats 
in a pan of water make a 
GOOD FOOD. 
When full-grown, potatoes and turnips boiled 
and mashed with a sprinkle of raoal aro very good, 
in winter a little scrap cake keeps them in health. 
Any kind of vegetable green food is relished; a 
little onion at times chopped up in it helps their 
condition. I should have said there must be a 
warm box for the duoklings iu the yard, and 
they must be kept iu during cold rains, as 
nothing kills them off quicker than cold rains, 
whon very young, they not knowing enough to 
get out of the wet. 
Doctoring duoklings appears useless, for when 
once they ail at all, they are hard to cure, except 
what can be done by change of food and care. 
Henry Hales. 
®|e JMut-ljeti). 
DUROC SWINE. 
I - 
Red and sandy hogs, called Duroc, have 
been bred in parts of New York, for more 
than fifty years. They have been crossed and 
recrossed upon other breeds during all these 
years, and their progeny have always retain¬ 
ed characteristics of the original airs first 
brought into the county about the year 1823. 
Mr. Isaao Frink purchased him of Mr. Kelsey, 
of the town of Florida, Montgomery County, 
N. Y., who claimed to have imported a pair, 
the immediate ancestors of Mr. Frink's pig, from 
England. Mr. Kelsey was the owner of tflo cele¬ 
brated horse Duroc, and Mr. Frink named tho 
descendants of his pig Duroc, iu honor of the 
horse by that name. 
The Duroc pigs were popular and spread into 
Washington aud adjacent counties, where they 
are still bred. They aro undoubtedly descended 
from tho samo original stock as the Jersey Reds, 
now bred in tho State of Now Jersey, and hogs 
called Red Berkshires in some parts of New Eng¬ 
land. They were probably an offshoot or family 
of old-fashioned Berkshires. Tula opinion was 
expressed in tho National Swine-breeders' Con¬ 
vention, and no one has yet controverted it. 
The old type of Berkshires often showed pigs of 
reddish cast, and at the present time this charac¬ 
teristic breaks out in the form of plum oolor, 
sometimes with a hue quite red. It is remark¬ 
able that one pig should have so strongly 
stamped his color and characteristics on hia pro¬ 
geny that at this lato.day all of his scions ex¬ 
hibit more or less marks of the original type. 
Some of them have been crossed upon ( tie mo¬ 
dern Berkshires to such an extent that the old 
form is changed, the ears being erect and the 
body shortened, but the inevitable red, or sandy 
color, is carried along from generation to gener¬ 
ation. 
Tho true Duroc, aa now .bred by those who 
aro aiming to keep the breed perfect and estab¬ 
lish them as thoroughbred, should be long and 
quite-deep bodied, not rouud but broad ou the 
back and holding tho width well out to the hips 
and hams. The head should bo small compared 
with the body, with the cheek broad and* fail. 
The neck should be short and thick, and the 
face slightly curved, with the nose rather longer 
than in the English breeds, the ear rather large 
and lopped over the eye. They are not fine- 
lined nor yet coarse, but medium; the legs 
medium in length and size, but set well under 
the body and well apart, and not cut up high, in 
tho flank or above Hie knee. The hams should 
be broad and full well down to the hock. There 
Bhonld be a good coat of hair of medium fine¬ 
ness, inclining to bristles at the top of tho 
shoulders, the tail being hairy aud not small; 
the hair, usually straight, but iu some ca*os a 
little wavy. 
The color should be red, varying from dark 
glossy cherry red, and even brownish hairs, to 
light yellowish red, with occasionally a Bmall 
fleck of black on the belly and legs. The darker 
shades of red are preferred by most breeders. 
And this ia the type of color most desirable. In 
disposition they are remarkably mild and gentle, 
and are so docile that they are readily confined 
by low fences. They are kind and careful 
mothers and wonderfully prolific. Thev have a 
remarkable ability to digest food and to make 
growth. This is owing to their hardy constim- 
tions and perfection in the proportions of i .t.-tr 
bodies, and the strong blood which has rusuio its 
mark so notably for more than a half century. 
It is a common thing for Duroc pigs at six 
months of age to weigh 300 pounds, aud at 
eight and ten months to turn the scales at 100 
to 500 pounds. Hogs a year and a half old 
have weighed from 700 to 800 pounds. Pigs 
four weeks old will weigh from 20 to 30 pounds 
and measure Over two feet iu length and from 
6 to H inches across the shoulders. For rapid 
growth and ability to lay on flesh the Durocs aro 
not excelled. The meat is not coarse-grained, 
bnt fine and tender. Their powers of assimilat¬ 
ing food are so great that they readily eat coarse 
food more dainty breeds would not touch, and 
will even fatten ou grass alone, and m winter 
will eat with ayidity clover hay and roots that 
other hogs will refuse. They are not subject to 
mange or liable to get sunburnt. 
