26 
jAHi 44 
The Mold’s Ennobled Oats were very good, I 
sowed one quart and harvested 40 ; weight 
38 pounds. From the asparagus I have quite 
a fine bed. The sorghum dig not amount to 
much with me, it needs very rich soil. h. J. R. 
Michigan. 
Cadillac, Wexford Co., Dec. 23.—The 
White Elephant Potato came in hard-freezing 
weather, but was all sound. I cut it in 12 
pieces and dug half a bushel, good measure. 
The oats did exceedingly well, except that 
there was some smut in them. I have enough 
to sow a big piece of ground in Spring. The 
asparagus is excellent; every seed grow. The 
sorghum did well, but did not ripen seed; it 
was planted in April. Of the pinks only three 
plants came up; they are delightful, j, h. n. 
Mot.tne, Allegan Co.— T received from the 
Rural last Spring one small White Elephant 
Potato, which 1 cut in nine pieces, one eye in 
a piece; dug 20 pounds of fair,nice potatoes; am 
well pleased with them. The sorghum grew 
about four feet, stood the drought remarkably 
well, but the seed did not mature. Oats did 
poorly on account of drought. l. c. g. 
Minnesota.* 
Verndale, Wadena Co.,Dec.22.—From the 
Elephant I dug three-fourths of a bushel. They 
were planted late and had no rain for two 
months. The oats grew well, hut were struck 
with smut so that they did not amount to 
much. The sorghum grew eight feet high. I 
cut, it once but left some for seed, but, it did 
not get ripe here; there were 25 stalks to the 
lull. Everything we planted did splendidly. 
The flower seeds were beauties, and of all 
colors. I will try the oats again. Success to 
the Rural! e. d. c. 
Missouri. 
Lafayette County, Dec. 22.—The small 
White Elephant Potato, cut to seven 
eyes, produced half a peck of fine, large tu¬ 
bers. The vield would have been much 
larger were it not that I left them in the 
ground till late, and they rotted badly. The 
Washington Oats were drilled in very rich 
ground. They grew about four feet high and 
half an inch in diameter. From falling down 
and smut T lost about half. In propor¬ 
tion to the small quantity of seed sown 
T believe they would yield 60 or 
70 bushels per acre. The grains were 
large and heavy. The asparagus grew 
wonderfully; some of the plants produced a 
dozen shoots from the mots and blossomed, 
but made no seed. [Probably male flowers.— 
Eds.] Tliis variety promises well to be an 
extra-fine vegetable. The sorghum was near¬ 
ly all lost localise of the drought; a few seeds 
were saved and will be tested another season. 
It will make a good forage plant, hut it is not 
much needed in the West. The pinks were 
beauties. This has been a bad year for testing 
seeds, but those who received those the Rural 
distributed have done remarkably well. If 
all the parties who have received these seeds 
would test them another year on an enlarged 
scale with ordinary cultivation, and re¬ 
port the result, it would be much more 
satisfactory to yourself and subscribers, 
for all of us, no doubt, have used extra care 
this season. I am anxious to test the seed for 
1882. Having raised New Madrid Yellow 
Corn that measured fifteen inches in length, 1 
oelieve I can make the Dent come up to the 
scratch. We raise a potato called the Califor¬ 
nia ltusset, very large and of extra quality, 
but with deep eyes; if you would like a speci¬ 
men in the Spring, I will send you one. 
[Thanks, yes.— Eds.] p. r. 
New Jersey. 
New Germantown, Hunterdon Co., Dec. 
24.—The Rural seeds have been good. The 
potatoes, both Beauty of Hebron and White 
Elephant, are excellent. I shall plant no 
other kind next Spring. The Rural is a 
treasure to me. s. a. r. 
New York. 
Buffalo, Erie Co. N. Y., Dec. 27.—My 
White Elephant Patoto was a very small one. 
I cut it into six pieces (only five grew) planted 
them in the garden in good soil, They were cul¬ 
tivated the same as other potatoes, but owing 
to the drought they did not have a fair chance 
this year. They matured early—product 33 
large, suitable for eating; 17 small., all sound. 
Will save every one for seed and try and give 
a good account of this valuable addition to 
the potato family, next year. The Washing¬ 
ton Oats I planted hr the garden near the Ele¬ 
phant. They were sown too thick and when 
they began to grow there was not half room 
enough for the number of stalks. On good 
ground they require nearly three times as 
much room as common oats. The growth 
was good at first start, but the drought af¬ 
fected them and matured both straw arid seed 
before their time. Being so thick, they were 
badly laid before cutting—quantity, two 
quarts; quality excellent. The Rural Branch¬ 
ing Sorghum was planted very late having been 
mislaid. It came up very slowly, and did not do 
well—weather was so dry. There were five 
stalks for each seed. It only grew two feet 
high of a beautiful green color. After the 
first frost I cut it and gave it to the cow; she 
would not touch it, but the pigs ate it with a 
relish. The asparagus seed was sown in good 
soil well prepared; it came up slowly and on 
account of the dry weather I could not weed 
it. After rainfall I set a woman to weed the 
bed, who mistook the plants for weeds (al¬ 
though told which were the right ones) and 
plucked up nearly all of them. I have saved, 
in all, about 50 plants in good growing con¬ 
dition. Have salted and covered the bed for 
Winter. The flower seeds were sown in a cold- 
frame. The soil was the same as used in the 
hot-beds—mixed with good lake sand; they 
grew well. I had 24 picotees or carnations but 
they did not flower. They are all of the 
same leaf at present, so cannot tell the differ¬ 
ent varieties. The diarithus came up finely 
flowered well—have saved the seed for next 
year. The plants of the diantkus, picotees 
or carnations are now looking well. E, s. A. 
Chatham, Columbia Co., Jan, 3, —We are 
having very cold weather here at present, but 
no snow. Mv Rural seeds all did nicely, es¬ 
pecially the potato and sorghum. I notice 
that some of your correspondents consider 
corn a better fodder plant than the Rural 
Branching Sorghum, but T do not. My stock 
prefer it to anything else. My colts got loose 
one night and had their choice between new 
hay, corn fodder and sorghum, and the result 
was, they ate up a good share of the sorghum, 
but hardly tasted of the corn or hay. They 
love it. I saved about a jieck of seed (un¬ 
cleaned), which T shall sow next season, I 
have lately been getting some carp from 
Washington, with which I have stocked a small 
pond near my house. It was formerly stocked 
with trout. \v. h. g. 
Clinton, Oneida Co., Dec. 20.—I am very 
much pleased with the White Elephant Po¬ 
tato. Mine bad 16 eyes of which 15 grew, 
and in spite of bugs and dry weather, 1 dug 
32 pounds of very nice tubers. The oats 
made a splendid growth, but rusted badly, 
which made the grain very light. The Rural 
Branching Sorghum made a fine growth, but 
(I suppose on account of the dry weather) did 
not make any seeond growth. Owing to 
various causes the asparagus and the flower 
seeds were not sown, but I shall sow them 
next season. c. o. 
Wt ht.skoro, Sullivan Co., Jan. 4.—The 
White Elephant Potato received from the 
Rural was about the size of a hen’s egg. It 
was cut into 15 pieces—an eye in a piece— 
making 15 hills. From this seed 82 pounds of 
tubers, of above average size, were harvested. 
1 noticed one thing about the Beauty of Heb¬ 
ron, which was very satisfactory to me, viz., 
that while other potatoes were grievously af- 
loeted with the potato bugs this was left 
untouched. Has any one else ever noticed the 
fact in other localities ? w. p. 
Syracuse, Onondaga Co., Dec. 23.—The 
asparagus of both kinds did very finely. The 
Rural Branching Sorghum I sent to Kansas. 
The White Elephant Potato I planted in my 
garden ; yield, 22 pounds of nice tubers, some 
of them very' large. Shall plant them another 
season. The Rural is a welcome visitor. I 
have taken it for more than 25 years. J. F. B. 
Ohio. 
Hebbardsville, Athens Co., Dec. 20.—It 
was a poor season to try the Rural seeds, as 
we had dry weather from May till September. 
I got about 30 tubers of all sizes from the 
White Elephant. I like the appearance of 
them; will try them again next year. The 
Washington Oats did as well as could be ex- 
expected for a dry season. The flower seeds 
came up nicely and the plants are looking 
well. b. g. 
Lamartine, Carroll Co., Dec. 22.—My 
White Elephant Potato I planted in five hills 
and dug lijw) pounds of nice tubers. The as¬ 
paragus came up and grew finely. The oats 
smutted so badly I did not save any seed. The 
pinks and picotees were the finest of the kind 
we ever saw. w. k. k. 
Oregon. 
Shedd, Linn Co., Dec. 20. —I pilau ted the 
Rural seeds on May 2. The oats grefvt&ll; 
some fell to the ground and the chickens ate 
part of them; 1 had 16 pounds. The potato 
yielded 34 pounds. Of the sorghum only a 
lew seeds grew. It formed fine bunches, but 
the frost killed it before the seed got ripe. 
The pinks were beautiful. D. a. d. 
Pennsylvania. 
Sandy Lake, Mercer Co., Dec. 20.—My 
White Elephant Potato had 14 eyes; three 
failed, 11 grew. I dug, September 1, 32 
pounds of quite nice tubers. I exhibited them 
at one of our county fairs and received first 
premium for them. The Washington Oats 
did well, yielding half a bushel; but there was 
some smut. The Rural Branching Sorghum 
did very well; but the seed did not all germi¬ 
nate. The pinks were all beauties. The as- 
paragus I did not plant, as 1 had plenty. Will 
plant it next year. a. m. 
Spartansburg, Crawford Co., Dec. 27.— 
My White Elephant Potato had eight eyes 
from which I raised 25 pounds of good, fair¬ 
sized tubers. From the oats I raised about 
six quarts. The Branching Sorghum did 
first-rate. The asparagus ditto, I take great 
pleasure iu perusing the columns of the Ru¬ 
ral. 1 have taken it 33 years, and 1 don’t 
see how I could get along without it, t. j. b. 
West Auburn, Susquehanna Co., Dec. 22. 
—My White Elephant weighed two ounces 
and had 14 eyes, making 14 hills : all grew. I 
dug 26).; pouuds Which I thought a good yield 
for a dry season, though I see some have done 
better. The flowers were splendid. A. R. B. 
Vermont. 
South Lunknburgh, Essex Co., Dec. 23. 
Perhaps a report from the seeds you have sent 
me iu the last two years may not come amiss. 
Mold’s Ennobled Oats did finely; I had half a 
bushel last year, and about 12 bushels this year, 
after the cattle had destroyed, perhaps, two 
or three bushels. The mangels did well. My 
W. E. Potato weighed a little more than two 
ounces, was cut into eight pieces of one eye 
each, and planted in eight hills. The potato 
was badly .sprouted when I received it, and 
only three hills made a vigorous growth. I 
dug 15 pouuds of tubers in September. The 
Cow-peas, Washington Oats, and Rural 
Branching Sorghum were failures with 
me. h. p. 
Washington Territory. 
Lake View, Pierce Co., Dec. 26. —The White 
Elephant Potato did well : from one small po¬ 
tato I have about one-third of a bushel of 
nice, medium-sized tubers. The flowers did 
finely. The asparagus came up well ; but it 
was a long time about it. The oats turned 
out mostly smut. Too cold here for the 
sorgnum. G. b. 
’Wisconsin. 
Twin Grove, Green Co., Dec., 20.—The 
White Elephant was very small, weighing 
but one ounce, but it turned out pretty well, 
considering the dry weather, yielding 16 
* pounds. The flowers were splendid, hut the 
oats were a complete failure, being nearly all 
smut. The Branching Sorghum did well with 
me. I planted it in a row about thirty feet 
long and on July 18 it was five feet 
high. 1 cut 100 pounds, besides leaving the 
largest stalks standing for seed. I cut for a 
second crop 108 pounds. The horses and cows 
ate it all up, not leaving a bit of the stalks. 1 
have 16 pouuds of nice seed, which was ripe 
about two weeks before we had any frost, if 
some of your subscribers will send me the 
postage, I will send them some seed, as I have 
more than I want. W. II. Williams. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the name 
aud address of the writer to insure attention.] 
To Inquiring Friends:— During the past 
year there have been a few complaints of de¬ 
lay or neglect in answering questions in this 
department. We intend to avoid giving any 
grounds for such complaints the coming year, 
if possible; and every querist can aid us in 
keeping this resolution by writing whatever 
questions he may wish to ask, on a separate 
piece of paper. If a query is interpolated 
among other matter there is a risk that it will 
be overlooked either altogether or for a time. 
Great care is taken to have the answers as 
nearly absolutely correct as possible, and 
therefore we have sometimes to seek informa¬ 
tion from those at a distance who are thor¬ 
oughly acquainted with the particular mat¬ 
ters inquired about. This occasionally cuuses 
delay, but then it insures accuracy. 
CAUSES OF WHITE VEINS IN TOBACCO, ETC. 
E. 11. W., Strasbury, Pa., asks, 1, what 
causes white veins in tobacco; 2, a chemical 
analysis of the “ weed;” 3, do commercial fer¬ 
tilizers deteriorate its quality. 
ANSWER BY G. A. GOFF, JR. 
1. Tobacco has “white veins” when the 
veins of the leaves are light in color and 
prominent, so they' may be clearly seen when 
used for wrapping cigars. The difficulty 
affects mainly the appearance of the leaf, aud 
hence of the cigars wrapped with veiny 
leaves, the flavor being little if any injured. 
Nevertheless, tobacco with white veins is 
considered wholly unfit for wrapping fine 
cigars, and as the difficulty prevails largely 
in all the seed-leaf growing sections, the 
question is ail important one. Numerous are 
the theories that have been expressed as to 
tbe cause or causes of these white veins, but 
all the reasons hitherto given are mere 
theories, and cannot be satisfactorily proven, j 
Tobacco affected with white veins has been 
produced upon nearly every kind of soil in 
various localities and appears in every sea¬ 
son, although the veins are more common in 
some years than others. Many there are who 
hold that the white veins are hereditary, and l 
exist in certain varieties or strains of varieties | 
of tobacco. I was lead to accept this theory 
as the true one a few years ago, when I pro¬ 
cured some seed from the Department of 
Agriculture, which produced plants the 
leaves of which when cured were uniformly 
marked with white veins for several succes¬ 
sive seasons. Another plausible theory is 
that the veins indicate an unhealthy or 
diseased condition of the plant when growing, 
caused by anything that would impair its 
healthy growth, as a large stone or a hard 
lump of earth directly beneath the roots. 
White veins are said by many growers to 
prevail to a greater degree when the plants 
grow upou hard or lumpy soil. It is my be¬ 
lief that they are caused by an unhealthy 
condition of the grow ing plants, the result of 
improper soil, or one imperfectly prepared. 
I am led to this belief from the following 
reasons. First, leaves with white veins are 
found in every crop of tobacco in all seasons, 
at least that lias been the case as far as my 
observation has gone; second, the difficulty pre¬ 
vails to a greater degree with tobacco grown 
on cloddy, lumpy or stony soil; and, third, 
white veins were more common in tobacco 
grown upon poor, unmanured soil than on 
soil moderately rich and well manured. The 
culture and curing of tobacco furnish a 
field for scientific investigation which might 
lead to much useful knowledge, which the 
growers of this important product could turn 
to good account. 
2. The chemical elements of the plant are 
determined by an analysis of the ash. The 
amount of this is very large, varying from 16 
to 27 per cent. Wolff found, iu 1,000 parts 
of air-dried leaves, 107.5 of ash, composed as 
follows; Potash, 54.1; soda, 7.3; magnesia, 
20.7; lime, 73.1; phosphoric acid, 7.1; sul¬ 
phuric acid, 7.7; silica, 10.0; chlorine, 8.S. 
The leaves contain from 2)& to 4}<, per cent, 
of nitrogen, partly in the form of nitrates; 
this, with the large proportion of potash and 
phosphoric acid, shows the heavy draft made 
by the crop upon the fertility of the soil. 
3. Commercial fertilizers are not thought 
to injure the qualities of tobacco when used 
in moderate quantities or in connection with 
barn-yard or stable manure. When tobacco 
is planted on poor soil aud heavily fed with 
commer cial fertilizers, so that the crop is de¬ 
pendent on them, the effect has been found to 
result seriously upon the qualities of the pro¬ 
duct, more especially is the burning quality of 
the leaf injured. I would not advise the use 
of commercial fertilizers for tobacco on any¬ 
thing like a large scale until their utility had 
first been proved upon the soil to be planted, 
by small trial. On clay soil already fertile 
their use has failed to bring visible benefit, 
yet on some kinds of soil a decided benefit has 
been reported from their use, aud in this 
cuse, if used in connection with other man¬ 
ure, no evil effects would be likely to 
be noticed upon the qualities of the to¬ 
bacco. 
APPLE BLIGHT. 
A. P,, New Westminster, Md., asks the 
cause of, and a remedy for, the blight that 
affects a great many of the apple orchards in 
that section. On one side of the apple there are 
several cracks penetrating to the center, and 
the cracked side becomes shriveled and black. 
The other side becomes pretty well matured, 
though it is stunted by the blighted side. 
ANSWER BY T. T. LYON, PRES. MICH. POM. SOC. 
The circumstances stated strongly indicate 
that the cause is of fungoid character—one, in 
fact, that is very nearly, if not quite, univer¬ 
sal, although less prevalent in some seasons 
than in others. There are also certain localities 
in which it seems to he more prevalent than in 
others, and it will generally be found true 
that, while some varieties of apples are al¬ 
most always and every where affected by it, 
others are subjected to its attacks only iu pe¬ 
culiarly unfavorable seasons and localities. 
Usually while the apple is yet small, brown 
]latches of fungus develop upon the more 
shaded portions of the surface. The hardier 
and thicker-skinned varieties are apparently 
better able to withstand the attacks of this 
parasite, which, with them, seldom extends 
its effects beneath the skin, injuring the fruit 
maiuly by rendering it unsightly. The more 
delicate, tender-skinned varieties yield more 
readily aud fully to such attacks, and, espe¬ 
cially iu case of cold, moist weather followed 
by moisture and warmth, the varieties most 
liable to this malady are sometimes so thor¬ 
oughly affected as to present the appearance 
described,, by the querist. The malady is, in 
all probability, due to cold, wet, or at least 
damp weather while the fruit is in the earlier 
stages of growth; and from the statement I 
infer that the location must be more than 
usually unfavorable. I suggest that the shel¬ 
tering of the orchard, or even of individual 
trees, by the preserving or even the replanting 
of timber on tbe sides exposed to such storms, 
would be beneficial. In a climate specially 
liable to such visitutious the orchard should 
be located iu a warm aspect, sheltered by hills 
or forests, aud the soil should be dry, porous 
