816 
THI RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
DEC 2 
in contaot with it away, and success is as often 
the result of this strange animal force aB of 
perseverance and continued effort. All the 
experience in the world will not carry the 
man of deep discouragement successfully 
through an enterprise. 
■-»♦« 
Classification of Soils —Prof. Johnston 
classifies soils, says the Massachusetts Plough¬ 
man. according to their clayey or sandy 
proportions, thus: First, pure clay from 
which no sand can be washed. Second, 
strong clay or brick clay, which contains 
from five to twenty per cent, of sand. Third, 
clav loam, which contains from 20 to 40 per 
cent, of sand. Fourth, loam, which has from 
40 to 70 per cent, of sand. Fifth, sandy loam, 
which has from 70 to 90 per cent, of sand. 
Sixth, light sand, which has less than 10 per 
cent, of clay.... 
■-- 
WORTH NOTING. 
A writer in the Pacific Rural Press says 
he has “ completely dried up his hens by 
feeding Amber Cane seed.”.„... 
In the same journal we find the statement 
that there are 43,000,000 acres of land in Cali¬ 
fornia still belonging to the United States, 
20,000,000 of which are suitable for agricul¬ 
tural purposes... 
Dr. Lawks remarks that in England they 
need a dry substance to mix with mangels 
and turnips rather than a still larger amount 
of succulent matter as furnished by ensilage.. 
“ No good workman will touch a poor tool 
except to make it a good one Times. 
Mr. J. J. Thomas says that the Bidwell 
Strawberry is “ very valuable where it suc¬ 
ceeds”—which is no doubt true. . I 
He also says that the Eirly Purple Guigne 
is the earliest good cherry, followed closely 
by Belle d’Orleans, Governor Wood and Coe’s 
Transparent. The last named should not be I 
omitted where but a siugle tree is planted. 
Black Tartarian and May Duke are old ac- I 
quaiutances with nearly everybody. Rock- I 
port, of medium season, is one of the best. I 
Early Richmond is esteemed for its extreme 
hardiness, never failing, and not rotting. 
Downer’s Late is a good, reliable sort. Large 
English Morello comes after the other sorts 
are gone; is a valuable culinary sort, and 
when fully ripa, or a little more, is good for 
the table......,,.,. 
Downing names of apples, 2.055 varieties; 
pears. 1,065; peaches, 274; plums, 318; cher¬ 
ries, 217; grapes, 247; strawberries, 272; rasp¬ 
berries, 119; gooseberries, 81. 8o says a 
member of the Mont. Co. Hort. Society...... 
A writer in Seed Time and Harvest be- I 
lioves it a mistake to attempt to grow celery J 
successfully in inland districts without irri¬ 
gation, except favored with a rainy season. 
There is no doubt about it. A fine crop of I 
celery cannot be raised in a dry season with- | 
out plenty of watering, and this is a deal of 
trouble unless the supply of water is near at I 
hand... . . I • 
Mr. A. E. Smith tells the Farmers’ Review I 1 
that he sorts biB potatoes and barrels all that ' 
are large enough for eating purposes, then I 
fills the barrels with all the fine sand that they 1 
will take, and he finds it to be a decided im- 1 
provement on any plan he ever tried. The I 
same sand may be used year after year. As 
fast as taken from the barrels, it can be ^ 
thrown into one corner of the cellar and left 1 
there until wanted the next season. This 
way of keeping potatoes is the same as the 
“new method” of keeping grapes practiced c 
in California, as mentioned in a late Rural. I r 
The crop is much better in the middle and 
north part of the State than in the south, as 
there was less rain in the Spring, but even 
here we can't call it more than two-thirds of 
a crop, Wheat whs not as good as expected 
about the commencement of harvest. Oats, 
a good crop. Rye good. Barley poor. Po¬ 
tatoes in some places good; In others vari¬ 
able. Corn is now selling from 30 to 4Cc.; 
oats, 26 to 28c,; potatoes, S5o.; wheat, about 
90c. Apples were pretty plentiful, at from 
50c. to 81 . Hogs are now $5.80 to $6 per cwt. 
Stock hogs are scarce and sell at from 8 to 
10c. per pound. B. M. 
Utica, Van Buren Co., Nov. 14 —Past sea¬ 
son wet and cold here, except that November 
was very warm. Never saw so little corn in 
this neighborhood. Apples a poor crop—50c. 
per bushel; potatoes. 55c.; corn, new, 50c.; 
cream, 25c. per inch; eggs, 20c. per dozen; 
oats, 30c. Fine weather now. Very little 
wheat sowed hereabouts. A good deal of rye 
sown in October. b, j. 
Michigan. 
Oshtemo, Kalamazoo Co., Nov. 16.—My 
apple crop was 75 barrels where 1 ought to 
have bad 300. My corn is an average crop, 
80 bnshels per acre, of ears of good average 
corn. The same will apply to all the corn in 
this county where it has received the proper 
attention. The laggard never has a crop on 
the best of land the best of years. t. p. d. 
Oregon. 
Middleton, Washington Co.—Fall wheat 
excellent Spring not so good as usual. Oats 
a fair crop, but hardly up to the average. 
Barley not so good as usual. As for grasses 
for hav, Red Clover was excellent; Timothy 
not quite so good as usual. Corn but very 
little raised. Potatoes enough for home use, 
probably none for export. Apples in abun¬ 
dance, but not quite so fair as usual. Pears 
fully up to the average in quantity and 
Quality. j. f. c. 
RURAL SEED REPORTS. 
The Rural New-Yorker will be sent to 
all yearly subscribers from now until Jan. 
1st. 1884 for $2.00. 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Illinois, 
Industrial University, Champaign, Nov. 
11.—We are having frequent rains with 
warm weather. As I write my thermometer 
shows 72°. Grass is still green and growing 
rapidly. There have been no severe frosts. 
Most of the corn is too immature to he safely 
husked. We have cribbed that from about 20 
acres of early varieties; yield between 25 and 
50 bushels per ecre. Winter wheat and rye 
are growing finely. Work at the sorghum 
sugar factory is still in progress; the unusual 
holding off of frost largely compensating for 
the late date of commencing. A good quality 
of sugar is being made. The sirup need* ad¬ 
ditional process before it will he satisfactory. 
The outlook is encouraging although definite 
calculations cannot be made as yet. G. e. m 
Iowa* 
Melrose, Grundy Co., Nov. 11.—This 
bas been a bad season for corn in Iowa. 
I Illinois. 
ELDiNA,Lee Co.—The Gem Squash is rightly 
named. From two hills I raised over a bushel 
of squashes of the best quality—as good as a 
sweet potato. Rural Dent bore such stalks 
and ears as were a surprise to all, for this poor 
corn year. Ooe has to climb it to husk it; it 
is timber. Other seeds did mod erately well. r. 
Metamora, Woodford Co.. Nov. 13. — 
Planted 154 grains of Rural Dent Corn on 
May 23 on black prairie soil, which was Blue 
grass pasture, broken up the Spring before, 
and planted to potatoes, then plowed again in 
the Fall after the potatoes were dug; harrowed 
the ground, and planted the corn 20 inches 
apart, in eight rows three feet nine inches 
apart; size of plot 31 feet six inches long, 26 
feet three inches wide. Cultivated flat; 110 
grains grew; hight of stalks 11 to 12 feet. Time 
of ripening middle of October; number of 
ears 189; weight of ditto, 161 pounds 14 
ounces; of shelled corn, 116 pounds 12% 
ounces. s. s r. 
Sciota, McDonough Co., Nov. 15.—OwiDg 
to wet weather Rural corn wasn’t planted. 
Celery and Lima Beans did well, hollyhocks 
poorly. The Gem squash yielded about 100 
squashes from three to five inches in diameter. 
This and the White Elephant potatoes are val¬ 
uable additions to our garden crops, j. h 
Indiana. 
Indianapolis, Marion Co , Nov. 19 —Two 
Gem Squash vines produced 31 little gemB- 
Of 144 kernels of Flint Corn only 96 germin¬ 
ated, and though badly neglected 170 ears 
were gathered—133 of them first-class heavy 
and flinty; and 37 inferior ones borne mainly 
by the suckers of which there were many. 
I'hirty-six stalks bore two heavy ears each, 
ivhich I keep unhusked. w, b. p. 
Iowa. 
Dunlap, Harrison Co., Nov. 11.—TheThor- 
>uhhbred Flint Corn was the grandest thing 
ever saw. The Perfect Gem Squash did 
tnely; I got 45 squashes, and they are gems, 
rly Challenger Lima beaus are the best beans 1 
ver saw, and the flowers were simoly beauti- 
ul. If this is the way the Rural pans out 
t’8 my paper all the tim«. B. w. b. 
Magnolia, Harrison Co., Nov. 14.— Of 100 
grains of Rural Flint Corn planted on a plot 
9 by 45 feet, four grains io a hill, 75 grew 
from which I gathered 110 ears weighing, un 
shelled, 96 pounds, and shelled 68 pounds! It 
grew on land that had been farmed for 28 
years without ever receiving any manure; 
shortest of nine ears exhibited at our County- 
Fair. 14%inches; longests 15%. o. v.b. 
New London, Henry Co., Nov. 16.—The 
Rural Branching Sorghum matured a fine 
crop of seed in 1881. All my Btock like the 
seed, but not the stalks. The Shumaker wheat 
that survived drowniug did well. The Sur¬ 
prise formed some heads; both kinds were 
sown in Spring, and as they were Winter 
wheats, much wasn’t expected from them. ] 
The Flint.Corn was water-soaked like the 
nd wheat, but it matured some ears from 12 to 
as 15 inches long. The Dent Corn did well; and 
en the other seeds moderately well. e. n. 
°* State Center. Marshall Co., Nov. IS.— 
c Two Gem squash-vines bore 40 gem squashes, 
J 8 * HaVf > four hollyhocks. Wheat sowed in 
O' I Spring didn’t head out. Of 135 grains of 
n - Flint corn, 74 germinated. In spite of very 
t \ ; unfavorable weather most of the stalks 
u bore two ears. There were from five to 
•m 12 suckers to a bill, I have 105 pounds of 
• t. shelled corn. It beats anything I ever saw in 
to the corn line. H> w 
Utica, Van Beuren Co., Nov. 14.—Of 150 
a kernels of Heavy D3nt corn 58 grew; longest 
ci ear 11 inches—about a bushel altogether, 
in Other seeds did fairly well. r. j. 
Washington Co., Nov. 10.—I planted 165 
• ’ kernels of the Rural Heavy Dent; 85 of them 
11 > came up but two were destroyed, leaving 83 
6 plants. The suckers were not pulled off. The 
re stalks grew in hight from about nine to 11% 
feet,and measured at the butt 4% to 5% inches. 
Weighed in the ear Nov. 8th, 142 pounds; 
y when shelled, Nov. 9tb, 103 pounds. This 
to coni, I think, has done remarkably well for 
p», this season, as it has been one of the most un- 
re favorable for crops, especially for corn, I have 
n ever known here. The other seeds tried did 
>r I fairly well. g -\y. 
n Kansas. 
Vermillon, Marshall Co., Nov. 14.—Gem 
Squash much liked. Was it “ out” 15 years 
it ago [No. Eds.] H . b m. 
is Missouri. 
*• Chesapeake, Lawrence Co., Nov. 14._ 
® Planted 123 grains of Heavy Dent Corn on 
y April 30; 17 grains never germinated and the 
y moles took nine, leaving 97 stalks, which bore 
’> 120 ears, which were ripe enough to crib by 
l ~ October 10; weight of ears 104 pounds, and of 
8 shelled corn 84 pounds. The chickens ate 
I seven ears before the corn was weighed—a 
trifle too tall. w L ^ 
Nebraska. 
Humboldt, Richardson Co., Nov. 14.—My 
Rural corn I think will prove an excellent 
7 variety here, as it was ripe by Sept. 1, and 
1 such ears! Neighbors all want “just a few 
l grains ” It ontweighs our other corn about 
, 10 pounds to the bushel, and we raise splendid 
com here. I used no fertilizers, because I 
t wanted to see how it would do on the same 
soil as other corn. My other corn got plowed 
four times, and the Thoroughbred Flint only 
, once. Splendid Fall weather. This South- 
, eastern Nebraska is considered one of the gar¬ 
den spots of the world, and it deserves the 
name, for it produces splendid crops of fruits 
of all kinds—com, potatoes. Bquashes, etc. h. 
New York. 
Kensico, Westchester Co., Nov. 6.—Flint 
corn planted May 26th three feet three inches 
each way; 86 hills, two grains in a hill; 108 
grains grew. Cut up October 14th. being 
quite green; husked on the 30th, shelled and 
weighed 31st, 55 pounds; very damp; longest 
ear, 13% inches, very poorly filled out; very I 
few perfeot ears; many with a very few scat- I 
tering grains, and several without a grain, m. I 
Oregon. 
Oakland, Douglas Co., Nov. 10.— The 
Rural Flint corn grew from 1U to 12 feet high, 
three to six stalks to a kernel and one to four 
shoots to a stalk. The cobs were from 12 to 16 I 
inches long, but no grain formed — a failure 
here. The Rural wheats planted last Spring, I 
didn’t make a single head. The other seeds 
also turned out poor. j. T . j. 
Pennsylvania. 
Hollister, Wayne Co., Nov. 15.—Celery 
very fine—stalks two feet long. Dry weather I 
killed all the thriving hollyhocks except one I 
small one. The Rural Flint Corn grew to an 
enormous size, and ripened ears not well filled; 
one cob was 17 inches long. Squash not a gem ■ 
green, but I suppose bees “ mixed” it with 
Summer squash and pumpkins. a. h. 
Virginia. 
Winchester, Frederick Co., Nov. 12._ 1 
Planted 171 grains of Rural Dent corn May 1 
16; 94 came up and grew. Six stalks were de- 1 
stroyed, leaving 88, from which I husked 88 < 
pounds of ears, which yielded 63 pounds of 
shelled com and 25 pounds of cobs. Hight of 1 
tallest stalk, 11 feet; average hight, nine feet; i 
longest ear, 12 inches; number of earn, 118— 1 
the best white com I ever saw. Other seeds * 
did well. M > A K 1: 
West Virginia. I 8 
Wadestown, Monongalia Co., Nov., 18_ 8 
Planted 162 grains of Rural Dent Corn, May f 
28; 87 germinated. No manure and only or¬ 
dinary care. Cora grew 10 to 12 feet high— * 
the heaviest stalks I ever saw. Cut up ripe 0 
&ept. 30:190 ears, some 12 iocheslong: weight I 
of ears 170 pounds: of shelled corn, 105 pounds. v 
Have learnt some valuable lessons from ex¬ 
perimenting with Rural seeds? l. r. s. 
Wisconsin. 0J 
Shawano, Shawano Co., Nov. 13.—The m 
Rural Flint com didn’t get ripe—too late for m 
this latitude. Lima Beans, ditto. Little Gem i<a 
J. x. j. 
Squash a perfect gem—prolific, hardy and of 
excellent quality. Celery a total failure. 
Eight hollyhocks. B. g. 
---- 
The Rural New-Yorker has no club or 
second price. It is the same to all, viz., $2 00 
per annum in advance. 
I " - 
)t (?) m exist 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
qup T mU8 * be accompanied bv the name 
and address of the writer to Insure Attention!? 
when to apply commercial fertilizers_ 
OPTHALMIA AND CHOREA IN A HORSE. 
N. F. J, Telford, Pa.- 1. What is the best 
time to apply commercial fertilizers to crops ? 
2. The eyes of a valuable horse of mine have 
been “watering” for the last three months, 
and at times there is a scum over them, and 
they swell a little. If he is allowed to rest a 
few days, they appear to be all right; but one 
day s work, especially in warm weather 
makes them water again. What is the cause- 
and a remedy ? 3 While at work he often 
jerks out his bind legs; what is the cause and 
treatment of this peculiarity also ? 
Ans.— 1. Commercial fertilizers should only 
be applied at or just before the sowing or 
planting of the crop. As they are very soluble 
they are soon carried into the soil, and if this 
is fallow the effect is lost. A wet season and 
a dry one are both unfavorable for the test 
effects of fertilizers, the one because they are 
m part washed beyond the reach of the roots 
or too much weakened by excess of water, 
and the other because there is not enough 
water to dissolve them and dilute them in an 
effective manner. When the season is very 
dry, the fertilizers may do harm instead of 
good, by being taken into the plant in too 
strong and concentrated a form. As a rule, 
it is best to apply fertilizers on the soil after 
it is harrowed and before the seed is sown, or 
immediately after it is sown and harrowedln 
They are very quickly taken into the soil 
when it is fresh and moist. 2. This disease is 
simple ophthalmia, or superficial inflammation 
of the eye. The cause is probably exposure 
to drafts of air in the stable, or it may be from 
the pungent vapors of a stable that is too 
closely shat and badly ventilated. The remedy 
is to remove the cause if such is present; to 
give a dose or two of physic, (a pint of linseed 
oil repeated tbe third day) and to bathe the 
eye with a solution of one dram of sugar of 
lead in a pint of water. It may be well to 
cover the eyes with a cloth kept constantly 
wet with the solution. This mild form of the 
disease very quiokly takes on the more serious 
one of deep inflammation which usually ends 
in blindness. 8. The jerking of the hind legs 
is due to a nervous disorder known as chorea; 
which may be caused by exhaustion of the 
nervous system, producing spasms of the 
voluntary muscles, consequent- upon mal-nu- 
trition or imperfect condition of the blood. 
In the horse this disease mainly affects the 
hind limbs, but sometimes causes a twitching 
of tbe muscles generally, as in the well-known 
St. Vitus’s dance of tLe dog or the human 
subject. Tbe treatment should consist of 
bathing the back and loins with cold water 
and brisk rubbing; a little alcohol rubbed 
over the loins afterwards would be useful; to 
give the best food with tonics, as powdered 
Peruvian bark and sulphate of iron (one ounce 
of the former, one dram of the latter), one to 
two drams of extract or henbaue (hyoscya- 
mus) may also be useful. Give tbe horse a 
rest for a time and get his general health in 
robust order; he seems to be a good deal out 
of condition. 
MURRAIN IN CATTLE. 
L. R. 8. 
O. H. B., ElhcoHsville, N. Y.—Aa 1 and 
some of my neighbors have lost several calves 
by what is here called “murrain,” we would 
like to know the cause and symptoms of the 
disease and the proper treatment for it. 
Ans.—T he disease commonly called mur¬ 
rain, and also black leg, Is anthrax fever and 
is a contagious and fatal disease. An anima 
rarely recovers from it. It appears first by 
lameness in a fore or hiud leg and the aulmal 
limps. The shoulder or the flank then swells 
and if the hand is passed over the swelling the 
skin rustles or crackles. The animal soon die* 
and after daath the swollen parts will be found 
black and soft like jelly, and the blood is thick 
and tarry in appearance. The blood and 
flesh are found on examination under a micro¬ 
scope to be filled with s-aall vegetable organ¬ 
isms known as bacilli and these deprive the 
blood of its oxygen and cause it to become 
highly carbonized; hence the name of the 
disease, anthrax, which is Greek for charcoal 
or carbon. When an auiuiil is first taken it 
may sometimes be saved by giving an im¬ 
mediate dose of some active antiseptic med¬ 
icine, and chlorate of potash io one-dram doses 
