times and fail. Our own trials in this line 
have failed. 3. Yes, it is of much value. Our 
readers should not confound muck with leaf- 
mold. Both are formed from decaying vege¬ 
tation, but the former has much of its nutrient 
value washed out of it. 
A. P., Holly, N. Y. 1, How can I raise 
oelery without a hot-bed or cold-frame? 2 , I 
am thinking of sowing the Surprise Wheat this 
Spring and then in Fall sowing what 1 har¬ 
vest, what say you? 3, What is the easiest 
The Great Popular 
f BEST YIELDS OF CORN 
Examine It. Compare it with 
other Farm and Horticultural 
Journals, and Subscribe 
celery. See other answers. 3, There is no 
objection. The one prize ($25.) offered for 
this wheat is for the five best heads. 3, We 
have preferred to thrash ours by flail or, in 
very small lots, shell out by hand. We know 
of no machine that could be used without the 
liability of mixing them. 
W. C. Jr., Trappe,Md. Which was the more 
productive corn on the unmanured land in 
the Rural’s Experiment Farm—Benton’s or 
Blount’s? 
Ans.—T here was no measurement made 
as between the Benton and the Blou nt 
There was no acre of fairly uniform soil of 
the Blount with which to compare. The 
Blount in the west part of the field was pretty 
well burnt up. The south part is lowland and 
it yielded better than the rest. We hope to 
the ormortunitv of comparing them the 
For ike BEST YIELDS of ike RURAL 
DEN Tor TIIORO UGH BRED FLINT 
CORN, from the SEED of the RU- 
RA L NE W- YORKER FREE 
DISTRIBUTION. To be 
plan ted THIS SPUING. 
Progressive Farmers caunot afford to do 
without the Rural New-Yorker. Speci¬ 
men copies will gladly he sent without 
charge on application by postal card. 
We desire that all should have the oppor¬ 
tunity of examining it, and of judging of 
its value for themselves. 
One Loring & Blake Palace Organ, pre¬ 
sented by the Rural New-Yorker. (See 
page 590) $205. 
New Spring Tooth Sulky Harrow, with 
Force-Feed broadcast Seeder, presented by 
the Wheeler & Melick Go., Albany, N. Y. $60. 
Big Giant Corn Mill, latest improved, size 
No. 2, presented by J. A. Field & Co., St. 
Louis, Mo. $60. 
Farmers’ Friend Two-IIorse Corn Planter, 
with drilling attachment, presented by Farm¬ 
ers’ Friend M’f 'g. Co., Dayton, Ohio. $ 55 - 
Fertilizers from our stock of complete 
Manures, pure bones, &c., to the amount of 
fifty dollars, or Fifty Dollars in Cash, as 
winner may select, presented by Mapes 
Formula and Peruvian Guano Co., Lew 
York City. $50. € 
Silver-plated Tea Service, six pieces, Tea, 
Coffee and Hot-water U ms, Cream Pitcher, 
Su^ar and Slop Bowls, presented by the 
It is always the first to place before its 
readers original engravings and descrip¬ 
tions of all new fruits, plants, seeds and 
farm implements. It is the recognized 
medium for their introduction. 
Over 500 Illustrations from 
Nature Yearly. 
Horses, Cattle, Sbeep, Swine, Poultry, 
Milk, Butter, Cheese, Diseases of Ani¬ 
mals, Bees, Injurious Insects, Grain, 
Grass, Small Fruits, all Ornamental and 
Useful Trees and Shrubs are among the 
prominent subjects treated in its columns. 
THE BEST WRITERS IN 
THE WORLD. 
ments and processes. Published by Lassen 
Pettor, Gal pin & Co., N. Y. City, price- 
8 , Yes; the Jersey, Alderney and Guernsey 
Cow, price $1.50; to be had through any book¬ 
seller. 
J. N. P., Shell Rock, la., asks, 1, the value 
of Prickly Comfrey so highly recommended 
in some catalogues: 2, would Kentucky Blue 
Grass and Orchard Grass if sown by them¬ 
selves bear seed in the first season. 
_i We value Prickly Comfrey at a very 
low figure. Immense crops can be produced 
from it annually and it may be cut twice every 
year. We have a patch that has been grow¬ 
ing for five years in one place, and it seems aB 
vigorous as ever. The trouble is that stock do 
not like it. 2, Yes. 
W. A., West Branch, la., 1. Can quinces 
be grown in Central Iowa, say, in the latitude 
of Davenport? 3. Will the Kieffer Hybrid 
Pear succeed here? 3. Will pears succeed 
tolerably where apples do passably well? 
Yes. 3. It is favorably reported 
upon further north thus far. 8 . Not neces¬ 
sarily. The apple is hardier than the pear; 
but in many parts of the country, pears do 
well where the apple does not. The Codling 
moth is the great enemy of the apple in many 
States. See Fruit-list Special Rural. 
R. H. Delevan, III. 1, Where can I get 
some pure Hungarian Grass seed? 2, What is 
the best soil for the English Black Currant. 
My bushe 3 look well; bnt don’t bear. 
Arc s.—1, We have been looking over West¬ 
ern catalogues and find none offering It further 
West than D. SL. Ferry & Co., Detroit, Mich. 
All of the leading Eastern seedsman sell it. 
2, Perhaps your soil is too rich. This currant 
thrives in any soil and situation so that it is 
Those who have not seen the Fair 
Number of the Rural should send for 
the SUPPLEMENT. This will be sent 
gratis and explains the 
THE RURAL SEED DISTRIBUTION. 
Wk give below a brief summary of the Ru' 
bal New-Yorker’s present Seed distribution 
for the instruction of those who have not read 
the details as given in the Rural’s Supple¬ 
ment as reprinted from the Fair Number. 
This supplement will, however, be for¬ 
warded free to all who apply for it. All ap¬ 
plicants for the seeds must be subscribers and 
they must forward us in their applications 
two three cent postage stamps as their share 
of the postal expenses, u nless they subscribe 
for the Rural in connection with some other 
journal which offers the Seed Distribution in 
connection with both papers. We would add 
that the chief object which the Rural has in 
requiring subscribers to pay a part of the 
postage is, as far as possible, to provide 
against applications being made by those who 
have little or no interest in their proper care 
and cultivation. Full instructions to those 
who desire to compete for the $3,000 worth of 
premiums offered will be given in due season. 
worth of Presents offered to all subscrib¬ 
ers who produce the best yields from our 
Valued Free Seed Distribution. 
It is the first Journal to have made free 
seed distributions among its subscribers. 
It has introduced many of the most valu¬ 
able farm and garden plants in cultiva¬ 
tion. _ _ 
It has worked a New Era in rural jour¬ 
nalism. It is true to the farmers’ true 
interests. It is conscientious, aggressive, 
outspoken, sparkling, original. Thous¬ 
ands of testimonials from good men in 
all parts of our country. 
ggp It will cost you hut $2.00 per year- 
it may save you hundreds. _jgE l 
It is original from beginning to end. 
It is conducted by practical farmers and 
gardeners. It strives to do good and to 
merit the full confidence of its readers. 
The most vigorous and able combination 
of Practical Writers ever collected to¬ 
gether in the columns of any Agricultu¬ 
ral Journal: 82 acres of Experiment 
Grounds. Its motto is 
« The Progress and Development of American 
Horticulture and Agriculture,” 
The objects of the Experiment Farm 
of the Rural New-Yorker are to test all 
kinds of new seeds and to present the re¬ 
sults to our readers; to produce new va¬ 
rieties of grain by cross-breeding; to test 
new farm implements and methods of 
culture, with a view to producing the 
greatest yields at the smallest cost; to 
disseminate among its readers seeds of 
varieties which, from our own tests, have 
proven of unusual worth without cost to 
them, and thus advance the agricultural 
interests of the whole country. The Rural 
New-Yorker has no personal interests to 
subserve. 
--• 
5 ^” Send for Specimen copies—Send 
for specimen copies for your friends 1 
Rural New-Yorker. $4. 
