s 
and, sprouting as they do, the yard is soon 
spoiled and made a wilderness with very little 
fruit. I believe those who have yet to put out 
orchards will never regret it, if they will select 
a piece of laud, make the orchard on it, and 
keep all fr uit trees banished from the lawn or 
yard. It is neither elegant nor suitable in any 
possible sense to make orchards of the yards, 
where little or no cultivation can he given, and 
those “old-fashioned" cherry trees, as we term 
them here, are even unfit for a well kept or¬ 
chard. They might do very well for shade, 
plauted in lots where hogs are kept, but they 
soon become ugly jungles and bushy thickets, 
no matter where they are put. What I have 
said iu this article is for the beuefitof the class 
referred to at the begiuniug, and I shall have 
something to say about Peach, Plum, Pear, 
Quince and berries next time. 
Douglas Co., Ills. 
-- 
PEAR BLIGHT AND SALT. 
It is amusing to read the varied exper¬ 
iences of Pear growers after the application of 
salt on their orchards, which have been called 
out by Gen. Noble whose pear orchard by the 
sea-side is not affected with blight. Mr. 
Woodward, in the interior of New York, has 
applied salt, also wood ashes and bone dust. 
He has a good orchard and no blight; while 
your correspondent, U., from Ontario Co., 
N. Y., has applied salt liberally aud killed his 
trees ; or else ail died from blight. Mr. Wood- 
waid’s trees arc Duchess, short-jointed, slow 
growers aud not much subject to blight. Per¬ 
haps if he had mixed sand instead of salt with 
his ashes and bone dust, the results would 
have been the same, for ashes aud bone dust 
are like the meal put with saw dust for horse 
food—the more meal, the better. 
What causes blight, and the remedy are 
great questions, and especially with us in 
Georgia who claim to have the best country 
for Pears and Peaches in America. Out of 
4,000 pear trees, 1 have lost about 400 with 
blight in the last three years, mostly the 
Bartlett, Clapp's Favorite aud other rapid 
growers. The Duchess and Seekel have not 
blighted. Two Barlett tress planted on each 
side ot my smoke-house where the roots have 
access to sail, have not blighted, while other 
BurtleUs 20 Icet off, blighted. This would 
argue somewhat in favor of salt. My obser¬ 
vation of the blight led me to conclude it was 
caused by extreme and sudden cold or heat 
affecting the succulent, more rapid-growing 
sorts, like llic Bartlett and others; while the 
slow growers were exempt. Acting on this 
thought, T allowed my pear orchard to grow 
up in weeds and grass without any cultivation 
this year. The growth was retarded and the 
blight slopped. But says one: “This is not 
a blight year; it comes in waves and when 
the wave is over, the blight stops and every 
fellow’s remedy bits, and is the remedy, un¬ 
til another wave comes and washes it all out." 
Let us have more experience on salt. 
Spalding Co., Ga. W. W. Woodruff. 
NOTES ON INFLUENCE OF STOCK ON 
GRAFT, ETC. 
I have been much pleased with the many 
articles which have appeared in the Rural on 
the influence ol the stock on the graft. But it 
rather surprises me that so few experiments 
have been tried, or, if tried, that so few have 
bceu reported. 
There is no orehardist ol the present day 
who is not well aware of the fuel that the stock 
has a great influence for either good or bud ou 
the graft; but few are aware of the cause of 
that influence. or of a practical remedy for the 
evil effects. I have been much disappointed 
m that none of the many able contributors of 
the Ki'kal has suggested some method that 
would lead to something beneficial. Grafting 
on whole seed ling stocks, is no remedy, as some 
of your contributors appear to think, because 
there is in the quality of the fruit from such 
trees us much variation as, or more than 
there is when grulted ou short pieces of 
old roots. If it were not tor the loss in propa¬ 
gation by cuttings and the uu healthiness of the 
majority of 6ueh trees, a partial remedy might 
be found. At any rate, the fruit would bo of 
an even quality, although inferior to the best 
grown ou grafted seedlings, because some 
stocks improve the quality while others hurt it 
The nurseryman who is first able to control 
tins iniluciice aud cau supply us with trees 
that are certain to bear the very best fruit, 
may consider his fortune as made. Iu the 
meantime, lor private use, 1 have lor some time 
practised the following method which so far 
has been satisfactory : If 1 want a fruit tree 
that will hear a superior quality of fruit, I 
search all the orchards within reach for a tree 
of the particular variety 1 require andt hat 
bears the very best quality of fruit. This tree 
when found, 1 mark, and at the proper time I 
take both cions and short pieces of healthy 
roots on which I graft the cions. I then have 
a tree with the same roold aud top as the one 
from which they were taken, and providing 
the soil, location, etc., are similar, the fruit 
THE BUBAL ^EW-Y©BKEB. 
has “in all cases that I have tried,” been equal 
in quality to that of the parent tree. 
T. F. Forfar. 
fjrrirsman. 
THE JERSEYS. 
RICHARD GOODMAN. 
There is some excuse for the mistakes of 
the reporters of the daily’ papers in their ac¬ 
counts of the International Dairy Show, when 
they mix up the breeds of cattle in sad confu¬ 
sion, miscall the names of the prominent 
breeders, refer to the herd of “Jerseys" en¬ 
tered by one competitor and the “Alderneys" 
by another—no Alderneys being there at all— 
and no carping owner of stock would say, 
“Has this fellow no feeling of tils business?” 
for it is not his busiuess, aud the various races 
of cattle are as much a novelty to him as the 
mowing of the parks is to the eager crowds 
that hung about the slow city seythemen iu 
early spring. 
But wheu we read in the report of au ad¬ 
dress before the Massachusetts State Board of 
Agriculture., by a veteran breeder ol Devou 
8tock in Connecticut, that “ Alderneys embrace 
the Jerseys and Guernseys,” just as the minis¬ 
ter apologises for always using the term men, 
because it embraces women—tbo men certainly 
do—wc are apt to become cantankerous and 
to iusist that public speakers, at least, should 
know what they talk about. Every intelligent 
stock raiser iu this country, who takes a pa¬ 
per adapted to his business, knows that the 
designation of “Alderney," there being so few 
of the latter animals raised aud imported, has 
been merged into that of “Jersey,” aud that the 
only two classes of Chanuol Islands cattle 
known to American breeders, are the Jersey 
and Guernsey, and these are so unlike each 
other that he who runs may distinguish them. 
Mr. Hyde is uo nearer the truth wheu he 
says that these cattle have been too closely 
bred, aud are therefore too delicate and effemi¬ 
nate for the ordiuary practical farmer, and 
that they are larger eaters than other cattle us 
compared with what they produce, the fact 
being that they are hardy and long-lived, will 
thrive upon pasture other stock would starve 
on, and are quickly injured if fed excessively, 
as most other stock are to produce the quau- 
tity of butter yielded by the Jersey or Guern¬ 
sey. At the meeting at Greenfield, Mass., 
where these remarks were made, one day w%js _ 
set apart as a dairy day, and large prizes 
having been offered for various samples ut 
butter, there were multitudes of competitors 
from the dairy districts and towns about, and 
it is a somewhat noticeable fact that the prize¬ 
winners were small farmers, owners of Jersey 
or grade Jersey cows, who made the butter in 
the old-fashioucd way, setting the milk in 
shallow paus; but from the milking to the 
final packing the utmost cleanliness was ob¬ 
served. 
Another point of importance was, that all 
the premiums were given to butter made dur¬ 
ing the end of November, showing that as 
good butter can be made iu the winter by skill¬ 
ful bauds as iu the spring or fall, and that the 
complaint of the ordinary farmer that lie 
cannot make it iu wiuter, arises either from 
his ignorance or iudoleuee—generally from 
both—and it was formerly uo unusual reply 
of a New England farmer to the inquiry why 
he dried oft bis cows so long, that it was cold 
milking in the winter aud the butter, if made, 
would not sell, as it was bitter. The Jerseys 
have been Lulluential iu remedying this state 
of things, as they were too costly not to be 
utilized as long as possible, and there is more 
difficulty in drying them off when it is neces¬ 
sary so to do, than other cows, and their but¬ 
ter, retaining its color—if they are properly 
fed—as well as Us flavor, the consumers who 
have become accustomed to fresh butter when 
residing abroad, have made a demand for a 
similar article, and large quantities of the 
“gilt-edged” article are now sent to the cities 
from private dairies, and this with that from 
“ creameries” must soon be the leading staple 
for the table of those who can afford aud are 
willing to pay a remunerating price. 
Therefore Jet us give the Jerseys their due; 
sink altogether the term Alderney; spell the 
UolsUsin with au n not an m ; remember that 
they arc really Dutch cattle ; that Short-horns 
and Durham* are identical, and that the 
Ayrshire)! came from the same regional hat gave 
birth to Burns, and that ju6t as he was an 
Ayrshire ploughman and his only airs are in 
his songs, they are Ayrshire cattle. 
Lenox, Mass. 
WINTERING CATTLE. 
L. 8. UAJtDIN. 
Protection of dumb beasts against incle¬ 
ment weather may be said to be the basis of 
farm improvement. Just iu proportion to a 
man’s care for the stock under his charge, can 
you measure his degree of progress toward the 
point of perfection that we should all struggle 
to attain ? The higher types of thoroughbred 
cattle that reach these shores with such blood¬ 
like and elegant forms, are created almost 
solely by great care in protecting them through 
long lines of breeding, from the hardening and 
roughing effects of exposure. In this way we 
can readily see how much the English stock 
breeder is ahead <?f us iu his system of hand¬ 
ling cuttle. We are, however, a people quick 
to imitate the practices of others when they 
strike us favorably. In this way we have pro¬ 
duced copies of the English race-horse and fat 
cattle that have been able to stand the test of 
competition on the other side of the big waters. 
We thus see not only the importance of pro¬ 
tecting stock, but it is evident we are abundant¬ 
ly able to do it when we set our heads in that 
direction. 
By “ wintering cattle ” 1 mean not only feed¬ 
ing, but in some measure, at least, protecting 
them from inclement weather. At the Far 
West where cattle are handled on a grand 
scale, it seems impracticable to furnish any pro¬ 
tection outside of a vigorous constitution and 
a thick hide, so that cattle there, so far as 
protection is concerned, may be said to wiuter 
themselves. As we come Eastward we find the 
herds smaller, aud consequently better taken 
oare of. In the dairy districts particulaily 
there is something of a reform going on in the 
way of protecting cattle in winter. It was 
only the other day a dairyman was telling me 
of often, when a boy, having heard the creaking 
of the cows’ feet on the cold snow at night, as 
they moved about the stable-yard, to keep up 
the circulation. He also said that many a 
frosty morning he has made the cows get up, 
that he might warm his bare feet where they 
had been lying- So it seems, in days gone by, 
the boys were not much better wintered than 
the cows. But even to this day in the best 
dairy districts it is simply amaziug to see the 
utter neglect of shelter that is practiced by 
dairymen. The roughest shed will save, in the 
condition of the cows, a large percentage of 
feed, while full protection will allow the num¬ 
ber of the herd to be added to fully one-fourth 
ou a given quantity of feed- 
In the matter of what constitutes perfect 
shelter, doctors disagree. I have seen the 
very best results in product of milk and health 
of cows, where the thermometer in the stable 
was never allowed to go below 00 degrees in 
the coldest weather, and the air iu the stable 
was saturated with the smell of manure—there 
beiug a total absence of ventilation. This may 
not be the most profitable temperature for 
handling cows, but the dairymen who did so, 
made fortunes. There is one thing certain, 
however, iu relutiou to the correct tempera¬ 
ture of cow stablesthe air should never be 
allowed to fall below the freezing point, if a 
profit is expected from the milk yield. A cold 
cow is about as useful for making milk as a 
frozen pump. 
Young stock require protection with a view 
to their future usefulness. If they are for 
beef, then the better the protection, the great¬ 
er the profit from the returns. If they are in¬ 
tended for the dairy, a Jittle hardening will 
not hurt them. “ Roughing it ” detracts from 
the fattening tendency, and thereby makes a 
more profitable milk producer. Feeding and 
watering are correlative principles with shel¬ 
ter; and in wintering annuals they should be 
treated in respect to ouu of these practices as 
they are in the other. The ultimate purposes 
for which the beasts are intended should govern 
their treatment, for just as they are wintered 
will be their future development. 
CIRCULAR AND BY-LAWS OF THE NA¬ 
TIONAL DAIRY CATTLE CLUB, 
Nkw York City, Dec. so, 1879.) 
(Butter & cheese Exchange) aos Greenwich St. j 
Dear Sir: —This Association has been or¬ 
ganized for the sole purpose of measuring and 
recording the yields of dairy COWS. It is an 
acknowledged fact that 25 per cent, of the cows 
iu our best dairy districts are unprofitable. To 
remove this burden from the dairyman, the 
practice of handling cows must bo reduced to 
a busiuess basis. To accomplish this, owuers 
must keep strict accounts, as all good busiuess 
men do. 
This Association presents a simple, clear and 
practical method by whieli the dairyman cau 
measure the value of each cow—her daily pro¬ 
duction — so recorded that it will point unerr¬ 
ingly to any change in the cow’s yield—whether 
it comes from sickness, neglect or accident, 
bad quality of newly purchased food, unwise 
change of pasture, or other injurious practice 
that could uot have beeu detected except by the 
great loss occasioned tbureby. 
A daily record, like a faithful sentinel, 
sounds the alarm at the approach of danger, 
and puts us ou our guard against the hazards 
of serious loss. 
We appeal to you to assist us iu this good 
work by becoming a member of this Associa¬ 
tion, or at least Bending us the records of your 
cows. Respectfully, 
L. S. Hardin, Sec. 
BY-LAWS. 
For the purpose of carrying out the design of 
this organization, the Executive Committee pass 
the following by-laws ;— 
(1.) It Is suggested to dairymen that., In general, 
cows to be profitable should yield as follows:— 
Cows over four years old should yield not less than 
7 lbs. or butter a week, or 200 lbs of butter a year, 
on 25 lbs. of milk a day, or 4,000 lbs of milk a year; 
a cow under four years of age should yield not 
less than 5 lbs. of butter a week, or 150 lbs. a year, 
on 16 lbs. of milk a day, or 3,000 lbs. a year. 
(2 ) It Is deemed advisable to admit cows of any 
product to be registered uuder the following 
rules:— 
CRoss A .—A continuous dally record of milk or 
butter, or of milk and butter, for 12 months. 
Class ft.—A periodical record of the. product of 
three days In the Unit week of each month for a 
year, of milk or butter, or ot milk and butter. 
Class 0.—The product for 7 days of milk or but¬ 
ter, or of inllic and butter. 
(3 ) In all tests under classes B and C the cow 
must, be milked dry within 12 hours preceding 
each term of trial. 
(4.) Bulls may be put on record after tlielr dams 
or daughters are recorded. 
( 5 .) The. fees for a single record shall be two dol¬ 
lars. Each addit ional record In the same herd, or 
a subsequent record of the same cow, shall be one 
dollar. 
(C.) A discount on these terms of 25 per cent, 
shall be allowed to members. 
(7.) One-half of the fees for recording shall go 
to the Secretary. 
(s.) Persons keeping annual records are re¬ 
quested to make monthly reports to the Secretary 
for Immediate publication—at his discretion. 
(9.) All final reports must be made on blanks 
furnished by t he Secretary. 
(Hi.) state the whole yield In pounds and quar¬ 
ters of pounds. 
(II.) All applications for record must be lifted 
out by the appUcaut and subscribed aud sworn or 
atlirmed to before an officer of the law. 
(12.) When the application Is tiled, a certificate 
of yield shall be returned to the applicant. 
(13.) Should an application not. be satisfactory 
to the Executive Committee, then such applica¬ 
tion shaft not bo recorded unless such steps are 
taken as In such case the Committee may deem 
advisable. 
(U.) The Secretary, upon application, shaft fur¬ 
nish aft necessary blanks for recording yields. 
Certificates ot application and certificates of 
record on receipt of 26 cents. 
Blank forms will be furnished on application to 
the Secretary. 
The fee for membership Is $3. 
-»> » — 
We call special attention to the auction sale 
of Holstein cattle advertised elsewhere in this 
issue. Whether for milk, butter or cheese this 
line breed is rapidly gaining a wide popularity 
iu this country. Moreover, thegreat prepotency 
of the bulls, due to the purity of their blood. 
reuderB them valuable sires for improving our 
natives, aud the aptitude of the cows to take 
on flesh readily, wheu turned off for the 
butcher, adds to their value as abundant 
yielders of milk. 
Jidti Crops. 
TILLERING OF THE WHEAT PLANT. 
FROFESSOR LEVI STOCKHR1DGE. 
The wheat plant, like some others of its 
class, has the habit of developing underground 
stems from the base of its main upright stem. 
These are full of nodes or joints from which 
grow upright stems with true roots. This 
method of growth Is called tillering and is a 
feature of great importance to the wheat 
grower, because it may result iu very largely 
increasing the final yield. Instances have 
beeu recorded, where by tillering as many as 
fifty full heads have been produced from one 
seed, when but lor it the product would have 
been a siugle one. It is a noticeable fact, that 
in different circumstances wheat tillers very 
unequally, and apparently without law. The 
same development, is not made in different 
years by the same variety of wheat, or in the 
same year in different circumstances of soil, 
exposure and plant food. Yet careful obser¬ 
vation has led to the quite general belief that 
this development is materially influenced by 
three causes which are worthy of note. 
The first is the depth at which the seed is 
plauted. A vigorous plant with much vitality 
and in rapid growth, tillers more than a feeble 
and slow grower. If, now, the seed is plauted 
so deep as to be in cold soil and excluded from 
aerial influence, it germinates slowly; in other 
words, it decomposes slowly. The young plant 
is poorly fed and expends all its power of de¬ 
velopment in struggles to reach its normal 
position in the air and sun-light. In such a 
case, the plant will be deficient in layers be¬ 
neath the surface from which other aerial 
stems may be produced. The same result 
may follow too shallow planting, from the 
same cause. A position near the surface 
iu a comparatively dry soil, makes decompo¬ 
sition slow and a plant feeble, the same as 
deep planting. Wheat seed should be covered 
iu the surface soil, aud, other things being 
equal, it will tiller the more the nearer the sur- 
