784 
proceed from the lower side of the field up¬ 
ward ; and each night the upper end of each 
drain must be guarded against wash from 
above by placing a wad of straw or grass in 
the last tile laid; and a small dam must be 
made in the furrow just above, to turn the 
surface water aside. 
Hundreds of ten-acre fields might be drained 
this Winter at almost no expense but that of 
the tile, if the work were rightly planned and 
executed. Even fields covered with growing 
wheat can be drained iu Winter without great 
damage to the wheat, The dea i furrows and 
surface drains should be left at tb * time of 
preparing for and sowing the wheat, just 
where the tile drains are to be laid and the 
tiles should be distributed in piles a 1 once. 
Then if the earth of each day’s digging is 
neatly filled in above the tiles before night, 
no harm will be done to the growing wheat. 
But, of course, all the filling must be done by 
hand, and not by team as in case of a fallow- 
plowed field. 
SHALL WE COOK FEED FOR HOGS? 
WALDO F. BROWN. 
I answer the above question in the nega¬ 
tive, and propose to give my reasons for my 
opinion. In ray younger days I became very 
enthusiastic on the subject of cooking food for 
hogs. I read many statements setting forth 
the great advantage of it, and showing how 
much greater gain would result from cooked 
than from raw food, and I made up my mind 
that the value of the food would be increased at 
least one-fourth by the process. I invested at 
various times during a period of 530 years 
in different apparatus for cookiug. I first 
tried iron kettles, but this process required too 
much fuel and labor. Itreqnirod almost con¬ 
stant attention for at least a quarter of a day 
to finish up a batch, and, with the firing up, 
stirring and dipping, there was a large amount 
of disagreeable, dirty work. I next tried a 
pan with sheet iron bottom and wooden sides, 
similar to the pans often used for evaporating 
sorgo. I placed it on a rough stone furnace 
which I made myself, and the cost was but 
$5 besides my own labor for a day or two. 
I found this saved half the time and fuel, as 
it would heat up very quickly, but there were 
disadvantages. First, it was not portable, 
and there was still the labor of dipping and 
and carrying; then, as soon as the mu«h was 
made, it would settle and burn unless stirred 
constantly or the fire was at once put out, and 
finally, the apparatus was not very durable, 
and in a single season it became rickety and 
was abandoned, I then got a steam boiler 
with rubber hose, through which the steam 
passed directly and cooked the feed in the 
barrel, but 1 found it took a long while and a 
good deal of work to bring a barrel of water 
to the boiling point. I next invested in what 
is called an agricultural boiler, being a 60- 
gallon kettle, which, with a stove attachment, 
cost me, at wholesale price, $32. I found that 
iu cold, windy weather—and this was when I 
needed warm slops most—it would take at 
least two hours, with the best of wood, to 
bring the water to the boiling point, and I soon 
gave it up. 
It was several years before I tried cooking 
feed again, but I still had faith in it, and 
when an agent came along with the “Smith 
Cooker,” (a double sheet-iron cylinder a foot 
in diameter with double sides, and which was 
put right into the barrel with the water all 
around it and the fire built inside, and with it 
it was claimed that 25 gallons of water could be 
heated to the boiling point iu a half hour, and 
that the cobs from a bushel of corn would 
furnish fuel to cook it), I exclaimed “Eureka,” 
and once more invested. The cooker did all 
that was claimed for it, but it was not long 
till through the carelessness of a work 1 hand” 
it was taken out of the water with the fire in 
it and spoiled. About this time I first began 
to seriously doubt that it was profitable to 
cook feed for hogs, and I began to look about 
for the experiences of others. The result was 
that while almost every farmer had at some 
time cooked food, I could not find one that 
had followed it up. 1 then wrote an article 
for an agricultural paper of wide circulation 
calling attention to this fact, and asking those 
who had found cooking feed so profitable that 
they followed it regularly, to let us bear from 
them; but I failed to get a single response. 
I still believed, however, that cooked feed 
was better than ra /, and that the failure was 
on account of the trouble and expense. 
I have recently learned of a series of careful 
experiments which go to show that cooked 
food is actually worth less for hogs than raw. 
I have sent the figures to a friend and cannot 
give them exactly, but will, if desired, at 
some future time, but I remember them nearly 
enough for all practical purposes. The ex¬ 
periments were conducted at the Maine 
State College, and extended over a period of 
nine yearB. All these experiments were con¬ 
ducted in warm weather, and each one ex¬ 
tended over several months. The hogs were 
THE BUBAL HEW-YOBKEB. 
very carefully selected, and were weighed 
every week. The different lots of hogs were 
fed exactly the same amount of corn meal. 
In not a single instance did those fed on 
cooked meal gain as much as those on raw, and 
a summing up for the nine years shows that 
those fed on cooked meal gained 83 pounds to 
100 pounds for the others. This result is to me 
surprising, for I had always supposed cooked 
food more valuable, but we must remember 
that these experiments were carefully con¬ 
ducted by scientific men, and through a period 
long enough to make them valuable and con¬ 
vincing, while the farmer who cooks feed for 
hogs generally adds to it the skim-milk, apple 
and potato parings and the waste from the 
table, and then guesses at the results. 
To my mind these experiments are decisive. 
I am in favor of ground feed for young pigs 
and nursing sows, and want to feed slop slight¬ 
ly warm in cold weather, and think that a 
moderate fermentation is good, and believe 
that by packing the swill liarrel in sawdust 
and adding occasionally a tea-kettle of boiling 
water, we can make as good food as by cook¬ 
ing. In order to get the right degree of fer¬ 
mentation two barrels are needed, in the Sum¬ 
mer to keep the swill from becoming too sour, 
and in the Winter to make it sour enough. 
Now, if any readers of the Rural have made 
a success of cooking feed for hogs I hope we 
shall hear from them. I wish to get at the 
truth and nothing else in the matter. 
tHiinjarfr. 
TWO DAYS AMONG THE HUDSON 
RIVER VINEYARDS. 
Notes and Impressions by the Way. 
K. WILLIAMS. 
First Day. —In July ’81 half-a-dozen gen¬ 
tlemen interested in grape culture made a 
visit to the grape region of Orange and Ulster 
Counties, N. Y., for the purpose of investi¬ 
gating the methods of culture and training 
employed in those famous grape-growing 
sections. The trip proved a pleasant and 
profitable one, so much so that the desire to 
repeat the visit tbis year, later iu the season 
when the fruit was ripe, was unanimous. 
Arrangements were made accordingly and 
Sept. 14 found our party (now increased to 
ten, including three ladies) assembled on board 
a barge in New York, bound for Newburgh, 
where we found our craft safely moored next 
morning. After an early breakfast Mr. Force, 
who kindly consented again to act as guide, 
met us with a conveyance to “tote” us about, 
and “show us the sights.” 
A fine shower duriug the night had washed 
the face of nature and with clean garments 
and perfumed breath she appeared to best ad¬ 
vantage, affording a pleasing contrast to the 
parched fields and dust-laden gardens we had 
left behind. (The reader will note that we 
had endured a two months’ drouth). Ascend¬ 
ing the hill on which Newburgh is situated, 
our first call was on Mr. Ricketts, where we 
had an opportunity to see the habits of some 
of his new as well as older varieties. Of these 
the first one claiming our attention was 
Empire State, a white variety produced 
from Hartford aud Clinton; foliage good, vine 
productive; cluster of good size, cum pact shoul¬ 
ders; berries medium; very promising; qual¬ 
ity good. It was sold to the late G. A. Stone, 
by whose successor it will probably be intro¬ 
duced another season. A vine the third year 
from planting, produced 57 clusters, certainly 
a promising feature. 
Gazelle, white, of Concord and Tokay; 
bunch large, shouldered; berry size of Con¬ 
cord, a good keeper; ripens a little before 
Catawba; quality very good, by some thought 
better than the Empire State; not yet dis¬ 
seminated. 
Lady Dunlap, a red seedling of Ives and 
Catawba, has not yet been disseminated. 
Rose, from Delaware and Iona; bunch and 
berry small; flavor exquisite. 
Lady Washington was found to be doing 
well—much better than we expected from the 
culture it received. We had expected to see 
these grapes under the very highest condition 
of culture. Mr. Ricketts said this was the 
general impression of visitors, but here under 
reverse conditions they certainly gave evi¬ 
dence of more merit than we could expect 
under the circumstances. Next season the 
Lady Washington will fruit for the first time 
over a wide extent of territory and begin to 
make its reputation for the future. [It has 
fruited at the Rural grouuds and disappoints 
us. Eds.] 
A morning call on Mr. Downing was a 
pleasant episode in our journey which we re¬ 
sumed with his best wishes, he regretting his 
age and health would not admit of his joining 
us. The next call was at the grounds of our 
guide. Here we saw and tasted the 
Newburgh Muscat, raised by Dr. Culbert 
of Newburgh, a cross of Hartford and Iona; 
white, of first quality; one of the best of vines; 
vigorous and apparently healthy. It was bear¬ 
ing its first fruit, and we could not therefore 
judge of its productiveness, but its quality so 
impressed all that the desire to have a vine 
for our own use was unanimous. 
Onward, another seedling by Dr. Culbert, 
from Delaware; a little later, bunch rather 
larger; quality fine. 
Purple Bloom (Culbert), a little earlier 
than Concord; blue; bunch long shouldered; 
quality medium. 
Early Dawn (Culbert), from Muscat, 
Hamburg and Israella, is next to Champion 
in earlines9; black; bunch tong, loose; skin 
tough; quality good; vine vigorous. Last year 
bunches attained a weight of one pound each. 
Belinda (Miner), white, sweet; cracks bad¬ 
ly. Of the Lady and Martha type. 
Linden (Miner), black; not as sweet as Con¬ 
cord, otherwise similar. 
Brighton here was in absolute perfection. 
We failed to discover the least trace of mil¬ 
dew, and the proprietor says he has never 
seen it at all affected in this way on his 
grounds, which is the reason he has so confi¬ 
dent^ recommended it for years past, as it 
always does well with him. 
A day would not suffice to question and 
learn the experience of the proprietor with 
the various fruits he has tested and is testing. 
Here Mr. Ricketts joined us, not content that 
we should monopolize all the sight-seeing. But 
time is ever on the wing so we sped on, calling 
next on W. D Barnes, who is testing a large 
number of varieties in his vineyard. From 
200 vines of 
Champion set in 1879, he sold fruit in 1881 
to the amount of 865 net. I doubt not many 
of my readers will consider the purchasers 
equally well sold. 
Po’keepsie Red (Caywood), we here saw 
outside the originator’s ground, and it is doing 
as well, if not better. It is said to be a cross of 
Delaware and Iona, much of the same charac¬ 
ter as the former—some say better. Although 
it originated some years ago, it is not yet 
disseminated. 
Duchess Mr. Barnes has not been flatter¬ 
ingly successful with, having failed to carry 
the vines through the Winter without loss. 
Our next call was on N. D. Barnes, brother 
of the last one visited. 
Empire State we saw here grafted, and it 
was much finer than on its own roots—very 
promising indeed. 
With Duchess his experience has not been 
more favorable than his brother’s. Of 200 vines 
laid down and covered last Winter, the work 
being done by an expert, to be sure of its 
being done properly, one-third were lost, and 
the remainder were fruiting poorly. Both of 
these gentleman are good cultivators, and per¬ 
haps this fact prolongs the growth of the vines 
so late in the season that the wood fails to 
fully mature. 
Wyoming Red. a vigorous grower; fruit 
larger than Delaware and darker in color; 
very foxy and poor in quality; ripens with 
Champion and keeps well. 
Duchess was seen at home under the 
master’s care at Mr. Cay wood’s, yielding a 
fair crop aud splitting considerably. A por¬ 
tion of the clusters had been bagged and 
these were found to be splitting worse than 
those exposed. As to the best time to apply 
the bags; Mr. Caywood claimed that those 
clusters inclosed at or before blooming were 
the most perfect. He thought the most fail¬ 
ures with the Duchess were due to continuous 
fertilizing. If the soil was thin he would man¬ 
ure It well at the start before setting ihe vines 
aud afterward withhold fertilizers, otherwise 
an excessive growth of wood and little fruit 
would be the result. When once established 
a little fertilizer in the shape or bone or wood 
ashes was all that Beamed to be needed. 
Ulster Prolific, a red variety of his, 
presented quite a vigorous appearance; fruit 
medium; bunch small and rather foxy. [Speci¬ 
mens of this grape sent to us were among the 
verv best we have ever tasted. Eds.] 
The Po’kkei'SIB Red, noted above, impress¬ 
ed some of the party so favorably that they 
desired to test it with a view to see how it 
would compete with the Delaware; but he 
won’; dispose of less than the whole Btock. 
Prevailing on Mr. C. to Join us for the rest 
of the day, we proceeded to Marlboro and 
disposed of a sumptuous dinner prepared for 
us, to which ample justice was done. Re¬ 
suming our journey we covered several miles, 
passing hundreds, perhaps thousands of acres 
in vineyards, mostly Concords; but we con¬ 
tented ourselves with roadside views till we 
alighted at the young but extensive Niagara 
vineyards of Mr. Rogers. Not finding any 
one in authority near the house, we devoted 
but a few moments to an examination of the 
growth of the vines planted last year, which 
was very satisfactory—foliage clean and 
healthy and wood ripening finely. Our next 
call was on Mr. Lucas, one of the most care¬ 
ful and painstaking cultivators in the vicinity, 
whom he found in the vineyard gathering 
NOV 14 
the luscious Delawares and they were very 
fine; clusters large and perfect. He was then 
getting 15c. per pound for them and 12c. for 
Marthas; both of which he grows largely. 
His Hartfords and Concords were also fine; 
but the long rows and well cropped Dela¬ 
wares attracted the most attention, as none 
of the party had ever seen the like before. 
Mr. Lucas trieB to avoid over cropping his 
vines and prefers a good cron of first-class 
fruit to a large one of second quality. 
At Mr. Tillson’s, our next stopping place, 
we saw a large number of Rogers’s Hybrids, 
the most promising being Agawam, Barry, 
Massasoit, Lindley and Nos. 33, 34. and 39. 
The average yield of Concords tbis season Mr. 
T. thought was about 12 to 15 pounds per 
vine; he had picked as high as 28 pounds this 
season and last year 36 pounds to the vine; but 
he thought vines well established could ordin¬ 
arily ripen 25 pounds without injury. 
It was dusk as we drove up to the hotel in 
Highland where we were to pass the night and 
part with our guide and associates who could 
not accompany us farther. During the even¬ 
ing several of the prominent fruit growers of 
the vicinity called to talk horticulture: among 
them was Mr. Rogers who had ju9t arrived 
from the West, and hearing of our presence 
came in to ask us to revisit his place and he 
would Bhow us what be was doing for the 
Niagara. He also brought a basket of fruit 
grown at Vine Valley, N. Y. for us to sample- 
There were Concords, Delawares, Niagaras 
etc., none of which were ripe, however, and 
there did not appear to beany great relative 
degree of difference in this respect, but the 
comparative earliness or lateness of a variety 
can only be determined by the actual period 
of ripeness, as some varieties will develop to 
maturity after commencing, much more 
rapidly than others. 
£atm Copies. 
JOTTINGS AT KIRBY HOMESTEAD. 
COL. F. D. CURTIS. 
Wheat Growing Then and Now. —Farm¬ 
ers should congratulate each other that they 
can raise their own bread. When I was a 
boy wheat was so scarce that most farmers 
lived on rye and corn bread. Flour wasn’t 
so hi^h then os it is now, but the other pro¬ 
ducts of the farm upon which the farmer de¬ 
pended for his income were much lower, 
averaging about half of the present prices. 
It was close times in those days and a slice of 
wheat bread was a treat, lots of boys and 
girls had to take rye bread to school with 
them for their dinner. A few farmers suc¬ 
ceeded in growing wheat with liberal manur¬ 
ing and great painstaking, but the weevil was 
very destructive and it was not an uncommon 
thing to have the screen box filled with their 
larva*. This insect deposited its eggs inside 
of the chaff or hull, and these eggs hatched 
into small grubs which fed upon the grain. 
These insects became so numerous that often 
a crop of wheat was ruined by them. Another 
enemy, the Hessian fly, also appeared and 
added its ravages to those of the weevil. The 
Hessian fly was an imported pest and depos- 
ted its eggs between the leaves and the stem 
and upon the latter and the larva* fed upon it 
and destroyed its vitality. The eggs were 
laid after the wheat was started and hatched 
the next year. By putting off sowing until 
the latter part of September or first of Octo¬ 
ber, after this fly bad coa«ed to be active, 
damage from it was avoided. A kind of 
wheat was obtained from Russia called Med¬ 
iterranean, with thick and heavy chaff or 
hulls, but of inferior quality, an improvement 
on rye, which was almost weevil proof on 
account of the thick hulls. This wheat im¬ 
proved with cultivation and became almost 
the entire dependence of farmers. Coupled 
with these discouragements there were such 
light crops that farmers reluctantly came to 
tne conclusion that Providence designed wheat 
to be grown only in wheat districts, and so 
they put their faith in the Genesee Valley and 
other favored spots. The culture of wheat 
was abandoned by the majority of farmers 
and for 35 years the laud had a rest from 
wheat. For five years past the acreage of 
wheat has been rapidly extending in the old- 
settled portions of the country and good crops 
are obtained. In fact, it is one of the best 
paying crops which the fanner now raises. 
The old enemies—the weevil and Hessian fly— 
Beem to have been exterminated. What a 
change 1 Now farmers can eat wheat bread 
and have wheat to sell. No crop pays better 
or ever affords more satisfaction. I am glad 
to see that the Rural is encouraging the 
growing of this crop. It is the duty of farm¬ 
ers to second its efforts. 
Saving Manure. —A load of manure has 
more value than most farmers suppose, or 
else they would not let so much go to w»»t 
