THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
that all the misfortunes which have befallen 
him and others are in consequence of the 
poverty of the soil and climate of the country, 
while nothing can be farther from the truth 
than such a supposition. The facts are that 
last year was an unusually dry season and 
here, as in Iowa and Illinois and other States, 
not more than one-third of what is a usual 
crop was raised, and, as a matter of course, 
corn and many other articles, as in Southern 
Illinois, had to be brought to this section from 
parts where kind Providence had distributed 
the “early and later rains,” and the husband¬ 
man’s toil had been rewarded by a bountiful 
harvest. Hence the high price of corn and 
provisions. The drought and short crops 
cannot be charged to the country, for they 
occur everywhere once in twelve or fourteen 
years, but the kind Ruler of the Universe has 
so ordered that short crops and famines do 
not occur all over the world at the same time 
—there has always been an Egypt where the 
destitute could buy corn. 
The statement that the bogs died “ in their 
beds” here from starvation, is very far from 
the troth. While it is a fact that but few 
farmers had corn sufficient to fatten their 
hogs, and many killed them when but half 
fattened on that accouut, I do not believe that 
a single hog died from starvation. The Win¬ 
ter was not cold; ice did not form at any time 
more than three-fourths of an inch in thick¬ 
ness, and the ground was never frozen in the 
timber (this is a timber country), and hogs 
could root and do as well in Winter as in Sum¬ 
mer time. A few hogs may have died from 
disease, as they do in other States; but so far 
as I have been able to learn, the deaths during 
last Winter will not average two per cent, of 
the whole number. As I said before, this is a 
timbered country, and being a New Yorker 
myself, I can say that the soil is as rich, if not 
richer, than the soil of that State. Hence, 
you will see that the troubles of which A. P- 
complains were not caused by the poverty of 
the soil. If A. P, is the man the people here 
suppose him to be—and all of his statements 
goto prove him to be the man—he has left 
Arkansas for Arkansas’s good. He proved a 
failure in Illinois as he has here, and his troub¬ 
les have ail been brought upon himself through 
his own stubbornness and mismanagement. 
A. P. “gives himself away” by giving the 
date of his arrival here, and an invoice of his 
goods and chattels and money paid on the 
“place and improvements,” purchased. He 
was not content to purchase a small farm with 
temporary and cheap buildings, but must 
have a $500 farm with a $3,000 house upon it. 
He paid out all of his money as first payment 
upon the farm, bought a span of mules on 
credit, and mortgaged both horses and mules 
to secure payment, and went to the stores for 
credit for provisions and other necessaries, 
paid the “ time ” prices—or rather agreed to 
pay the time prices for them, which is from 25 
to 50 per cent, above regular cash prices—and 
then pitched in, to “ s^ow the people of Ar¬ 
kansas how to farm.” He refused to listen to 
the counsel of men who had been here thirty 
years, but went ahead in his own way, and— 
as he had done before elsewhere—proved a 
failure here, gave up the place to the man 
from whom he had purchased it, compromised 
with his creditors, and left for Iowa. 
Now for-a few words in regard to the coun¬ 
try and its productions. First, the soil here 
is about as productive as the soil of New York. 
Oats, barley, rye, sweet potatoes and toma¬ 
toes produce as well here as in New York, if 
not better. In small fruits the strawberry, 
blackberry, raspberry and gooseberry pro¬ 
duce nearly twice as much fruit as in New 
York. Peaches, plums, apricots, apples, nec¬ 
tarines are a grand success here, and grapes 
of almost every variety grow and do well here 
without Winter protection. Irish potatoes, 
corn, wheat, and melons and vines, are also 
grown here. Potatoes, wheat and melons not 
as good as those produced in New York, but 
corn is a little better. Cotton, which is not 
grown in the North, is a staple product 
here, and about as many acres are devoted to 
cotton growing as to all other agricultural 
purposes. I do not believe there is a better 
peach and strawberry growing country in the 
United States than this section of Arkansas, 
Strawberries are ripe now, and are being 
shipped to Northern markets. Peaches will 
commence ripening the last of May, and will 
continue to ripen, according to variety, until 
the first of November. This gives us a long 
season for eating, shipping and drying peaches. 
Apples ripen from June 1 to November. We 
have had only three frosts since the 20th Feb¬ 
ruary, and neither of them killed any green 
plant—frost could only be seen on dry straw, 
chips and boards elevated above the ground. 
Peaches, apricots and almonds are larger than 
quails’ eggs. Rye is in bloom, and oats com¬ 
mencing to show heads, and the prospect now 
indicates an abundant crop of everything 
grown here; but there may be a failure. Last 
year, for the first time in the remembrance of 
the oldest inhabitant—and some have resided 
here nearly forty years—there was a frost on 
the morning of May 6, which killed all tree 
fruits. Peaches then were as large as hens’ 
eggs; but such a frost will probably never 
occur here again in a man’s lifetime. This 
frost cut off the fruit crops almost entirely, 
and the dry weather shortened the corn and 
cotton to one-third of the usual product, caus¬ 
ing the high prices and hard times complained 
of by A. P. 
To give Rural readers an idea of the loss 
caused by the frost, I will state that within a 
radius of 20 miles of this point there are at 
least 300,000 bearing peach and plum trees, 
and several thousand acres cultivated in 
strawberries. A man who cannot live, do well 
and make money here, ought to emigrate to 
Iowa. Think of it—I measured last week 
several strawberries which exceeded four 
inches iu circumference, and to-day I mea¬ 
sured several more exceeding five inches in 
circumference, and I will state, as a matter of 
fact, that the average size of the Monarch and 
Crystal City, which are being shipped now 
from this point, will exceed three inches in 
diameter— [in diameter ? I !— Eds.] l. w. b. 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
New York. 
Sterling, Cayuga Co., April 20.— Our 
mild, pleasant Winter has been followed by a 
still pleasanter Spring. The roads are dry 
and in good condition and some of the farmers 
are “hauling off” their remnants of last 
year’s crops, while others are plowing, ditch¬ 
ing, and making preparations for putting in 
the new ones. Notwithstanding the fact that 
our peach crop for this year will be a failure, 
there is to be a large area set to peach trees 
this Spring. Many farmers in this vicinity 
are investing largely in nursery stock. There 
probably never has been a time since this 
country was settled when money has been so 
plentiful as it is now, the unusually good 
prices for farm produce having made “fore¬ 
handed ” many a farmer who had before been 
a laggard in his payments. In one or two 
instances I have heard of money that was 
“ going begging for four per cent interest.” 
Within the last year or two onions have 
become one of our staple crops, thousands of 
bushels having boon raised on land before 
considered worthless. Potatoes are usually 
an excellent crop here and, being shipped 
directly to Philadelphia,generally bring a good 
price: at present they are $1.; wheat, $1.32; 
oats, 48c.; butter, 30 to 35c. E. k. b, 
Ohio. 
Norwalk, Huron Co., April 21.—Peaches 
are not hurt hereabouts. We shall have a 
large crop of apples. Wheat looks well. 
Farmers have their gardens made, as a rule, 
and are now very busy putting in their main 
crops. M. J. E. 
Virginia. 
Mosstngford, Charlotte Co., April 19.— 
The frost of April 11 and 12 totally destroyed 
peaches in this section. Winter wheat and 
oats are looking better than for years at this 
time. Tobacco plants in a very doubtful con¬ 
dition. w. P. D. 
Washington Territory. 
Vancouver, Clarke Co., April 15.—In this 
county farm lands fully improved are worth 
from $20 to $40 per acre. I do not think any 
good land fully cleared can be purchased for 
less than about $20 per acre. The principal 
part of the land in this county is timber land, 
chiefly fir with vine, maple, tamarack, alder, 
etc., in the undergrowth. This land may tie 
bought from $2.50 per acre upwards, accord¬ 
ing to location, or may be taken up in many 
places under the homestead and preemption 
laws. 1 am of opinion that timber land may 
be bought for $2.50 per acre and that the tim¬ 
ber which can be cut therefrom and sold for 
fuel at about $3.50 per cord will pay for clear¬ 
ing the land. Land that is fully cleared and 
in cultivation is held at a good price. Farms 
of 100 acres are advertised for sale at times at 
various prices according to location and im¬ 
provements. A farm of 160 acres half in tim¬ 
ber, half cleared, with house, barns, orchard, 
etc., may often be bought for about $2,000. 
The location has a great deal to do with the 
price as a few miles more or less from the 
market make a big difference, as the roads in 
this county are generally very poor. We 
have no railroads yet within the county 
limits, but river transportation is conveniently 
near. Win-at is now quoted in the local papers 
here at $1.00 per bushel. Portland and San 
Francisco quotations are $1.65 to $1.75 per 
cental. The probabilities are that wheat will 
command higher prices when the N. P. R. R. 
is completed (in 1883) I am informed that 
stock raising at the present time as conducted 
on the Columbia River bottom lands, and 
dairying are about as profitable business as a 
farmer could go into in this county. I am 
told the stockmen are much more successful 
in making money than the agricultural far¬ 
mers. I do not think the majority of the far¬ 
mers here are sufficiently enterprising. There 
is very little expense connected with stock- 
raising except the cost of cutting and making 
a little hay after the subsidence of high water. 
The Columbia River is at its highest in the 
latter part of June, and the bottom hay is 
made in September and October. Very little 
hay, however, as a rule is required. The 
cattle keep in good order the whole year, 
as a general thing, with little else but grazing. 
The Columbia bottom lands are worth about 
$10 per acre They are overflown (excepting 
the higher ridges) usually from three weeks 
to a month each Summer. The latitude of the 
southern limits of this county is north of St. 
Paul, Minn., but our climate is very mild. 
The mildness is explained by the fact that we 
are subject to the genial influence of the ocean 
and its warm currents. We have not had 
sufficient snow this year to furnish more than 
one day’s decent sleigh riding, and there has 
not been ice enough to furnish a day’s good 
skating. Icemen have had no opportunity to 
put up any ice for Summer use. I am of 
opinion that there is little if any land in this 
county, that will not more than double its 
value in the next few years. j. J. B. 
Wisconsin. 
Sheboygan Falls, Sheboygan Co., April 
21.—This is a dairy rather than a grain-grow¬ 
ing section. Cows are selling at $35@$65; 
wheat, $1.25@$1,30; oats, 43c; potatoes, 95c@ 
$1,00; corn, 70c(g;75c; rye, 8.5c(505c; barley 
85c@$l,00, This is the “banner” cheese 
county in the State. Number of cows in the 
county, 19,000. w. J. p. 
<Tljc (Hums! 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the name 
and addreBB of the writer to insure attention ] 
PROPAGATING ROSES AND CARNATIONS. 
L. R.. Randall Road, N. Y. Having a fine 
collection of Ever-blooming Roses and Per¬ 
petual Carnations, can 1 root cuttings from 
them late in Summer and iu Autumn, and 
what treatment will they require to grow 
into strong plants for another season’s bloom ? 
The plants are now small—from the green¬ 
house this Spring. 
Ans.—W e are unable to answer these quer¬ 
ies as precisely as we would wish, as we do not 
know whether the plants can be given the 
protection of a greenhouse during the Winter 
months. We iufer, however, that they are 
wanted for Summer flowering only. If ro, we 
have had very satisfactory results in the 
propagation of roses from the ripened wood 
by adopting the following method: Place a 
cold frame in a convenient sheltered yet thor¬ 
oughly drained situation so that no water will 
stand in or near it during the Winter season. 
Prepare a compost composed of sand, leaf 
mold and loam, in equal parts; mix thor¬ 
oughly and place it in the frame to the depth 
of four or Bix inches; press it down firmly and 
evenly. In this compost the cuttings can be 
placed in rows, keeping the rows two inches 
apart, and the cuttings an inch in the 
row. Press the soil firmly around them, 
and when all are inserted give a thor¬ 
ough watering. This will be found to be gen¬ 
erally sufficient until they commence to root 
which will be iu the Spring; they should not 
be allowed to become too wet, aud yet do not 
allow them to become absolutely dry. The 
frames containing the cuttings require a simi¬ 
lar treatment to that usually given cabbage or 
lettuce set during the Winter, as far as airing 
and watering are concerned; yet they should 
bB kept from severe freezing as far as possible. 
The cuttings can be placed in the frame in Oc¬ 
tober and will be found rooted in April. The 
cuttings are best made with three or four 
eyes, and just after the wood is sufficiently 
ripened to Bbow the eyes at the base of the 
leaf. Some varieties will root sooner and 
much better than others, yet if properly 
treated more than one-half will root. About 
the middle of April they can be carefully 
taken up and potted, using light, sandy soil, 
and three-inch pots. Water thoroughly, keep 
warm and close, and shade from the bright 
sun until well established; then gradually ex¬ 
pose to the open air aud plant out about the 
10th of May. Carnations cun bo rooted at 
any time from October to May. If no green¬ 
house is convenient, it is advisable to root 
them in October, and to keep them in as cool 
a situation as possible during the Winter 
months. Take a shallow box about three or 
four inches in depth, and nearly fill it with 
clean sand; water thoroughly and place in a 
cold-frame. In this box place the cuttings in 
rows an inch apart. When full water again 
so as to press the sand firmly around the cut 
tings; water as often as necessary, and shade 
from bright Bunshine. Take the cuttings 
from the base of the plant if possible, avoid¬ 
ing all flowering shoots; let them be about 
three inches in length and trim off about half 
of the long leaves so that they wil present a 
neat appearance. When rooted they can be 
placed two or three inches apart in a shallow 
box of light soil, keep closed until well estab¬ 
lished. Or they may lie permitted to remain 
in the sand until April, when they can be re¬ 
moved in soil. Do not give them too much 
water during the Winter. As the carnation is 
almost hardy they can be planted out in the 
open air in April. 
MILK FEVER IN A COW. 
T. C., La pier, Mich. I have a four-year old 
cow that is sick: horns cold, eyes dull, appe¬ 
tite poor. She lost her calf about a mouth 
before her time. Milk came all right, and for 
about two weeks she seemed to be doing well; 
but then the milk dried up, the joints grew 
stiff and she is troubled with weakness across 
the loins. She won’t stand still to be milked, 
but acts as if the udder were sore; but there 
is no appearance of soreness. She eats noth¬ 
ing whatever except what is given as a 
drench—what ails her and how should she be 
treated ? 
Ans. —This is one of the several forms of 
milk fever, or parturient apoplex 3 r . This 
troublesome disorder is caused by the changed 
character of the circulation consequent upon 
the act of parturition. A very considerable 
revulsion is obviously unavoidable when the 
calf hitherto supported by the blood of the 
dam becomes detached and separated and the 
blood circulating through the dam is so much 
reduced iu quantity. The reflux operates to 
produce congestion in parts of the dam and 
in others the circulation is reduced. The di¬ 
gestive organs and the mu'cles and nerves of 
the loins are weakened and the appetite is 
lost while there is inability to move the limbs, 
or great weakness. The treatment in this 
form of the disease should be restorative and 
tonic. Give a pound of Epsom salts and, four 
hours afterwards, 20 grains of nux vouii ca re¬ 
peated every four hours. If the cow will not 
eat, give her a drench, every two hours, of 
two quarts of milk, warm, linseed gruel, 
with a teaspoonful of ground ginger and a 
tablespoouful of molasses in it. Keep the 
loins warm and rub the limbs frequently 
with a woolen cloth. 
TREATMENT OF A CUT IN A HORSE. 
G. W. H. t Campbell Hall, N. Y., My one- 
year-old colt last Fall cut his nose on a 
barbed-wire fence. The gash is about half an 
inch long on each side of the bone. The edges 
of the cut healed but did not unite—is there 
any way by which they can be made to grow 
together ? 
Ans. —You made a mistake in not dressing 
the wound properly as soon as it was made. 
The edge of the cut should have beeu drawn 
together by a stitch here and there, made 
with a piece of fine silk fish-line waxed, and 
a buckskin needle or a curved surgeon’s needle. 
The stitch is made by passing the needle 
through the opposite edges of the wound in 
one place and tying the thread no tighter 
than will suffice to bring the skin into contact. 
The thread is then cut and another similar 
stitch made. When the wound is fresh the 
edges usually unite at once. Now this can¬ 
not be done; but fortunately no harm will 
probably result more than the blemish to the 
horse’s appearance. If it should be found 
necessary to close the openings the inner sur¬ 
faces must be excoriated, either by burning 
or by the knife, and brought together and 
held by stitches until they unite. This oper¬ 
ation is a simple one if neutfy performed, 
PLANTING CORN. 
U. B , Janesville, Mich. Planting corn in 
drills would entail too much hand labor for 
this section where all the hoeiug is done with 
the horse-hoe and cultivator; what does the 
Rural think of plantiug three feet a part each 
way, and having only two stalks to the hill ? 
Ans. —The two plants to a hill are better 
than more, because the roots are less crowded. 
This is a favorite method with some farmers 
of our acquaintance. Suppose you drill in 
your seed, as practiced at Rural Farm, being 
careful to have the drills parallel and then 
use horse cultivation onl}', leaving the weeds 
to grow between the plants. The strip thus 
left will be very narrow and we are not sure 
but it is a better plan than running the horse 
hoe or cultivator both ways, the corn in hills. 
We want each plant to have room to grow 
without being crowded by several neighbors. 
Then we insist upon no hilling and upon shal¬ 
low cultivation. Try it once on half an acre. 
THE BEST BEE-HIVE. 
F. H. L., Lowville, N. Y. What is the best 
bee hive? 
Ans.— The best style of a bee-hive is now 
unpatented, and so is free to all. It is the 
plain, simple Langstroth hive. The st 3 r le of 
the frame most used is the regular Langstroth. 
After trying nearly all frames, Professor Cook 
says he has settled upon the Gallup size as the 
most desirable. This is 11 % inches square, out¬ 
side measure. The hives can be got of either 
style of frame, of any dealer in apiarian sup¬ 
plies, The price should not be more than 
