♦ 
THE RURAL f^EW- YORKER. 
JAN.24 
dljtrjtoljm. 
BUBAL SPECIAL BEPOETS. 
Florida, Starke, Bradford Co., Jan. 5.— 
I have neglected to thank the Rural for the 
fine roots of Cnthbert Raspberry sent me ; but 
am often reminded of my duty, as I pass the 
rapidly growing vines on my way to my vege¬ 
table garden. We are having no winter at all 
so far, we have had only three light frosts, 
none of them scarcely nipping even the mo6t 
tender plants. The thermometer most of the 
time stands from 70 deg. to 80 deg. in the 
shade. It is uuusually warm even for this 
climate at this season of the year. Vegetable 
gardens look as they do at the North in July 
On Christmas we had green peas, Irish pota¬ 
toes, turnips, lettuce and radishes. The pota¬ 
toes were fine and had been planted only nine 
weeks. I picked a few ripe strawberries, but 
the weather is too dry for them to ripen fast. 
If showers were as frequent as they are some¬ 
times, we would have plenty of berries. The 
orange crop is much larger this year than last, 
and for a month past the fruit has beeu rapidly 
sent to market, where it has brought fair 
prices. The cotton ginning establishments 
have about finished their labors for this year. 
There are about twenty in this county, two in 
our village, one of which haB turned out 100,000 
pounds oflint. The crop was about half de¬ 
stroyed by the continued rains of August and 
September, but owing to there having been a 
larger acreage planted than usual, the number 
of bales is not much less than last year. Most 
of it is sent to the Savannah market, and has 
brought from 28 to 36 cents. To 100 pounds 
of lint there are about 335 pounds of seed. All 
but about one-llfth of the seed iu this vicinity 
is sent abroad, whereas every pound ot it 
should be kept and returned to the laud. It 
has been bought by a firm iu Savauuab, and 
they are sending a great deal of it to Egypt for 
seed. Planted there it produces au inferior 
quality ol long-staple cotton. There is a re 
cent improvement in ginning maehiues. The 
old ones take out nothing but the clean seed, 
but the new invention take6 out all the little 
lumps, leaving nothing but the pure loug fiber. 
There is more waste, but the staple briugs a 
higher price iu market. The highest price for 
cotton both last year and this has been obtained 
by Northern men who have recently come 
here. 
In answer to a correspondent the Rural 
6ays that Bermuda grass in the 8outh disap¬ 
pears in winter; that is not the case here ; it 
remains green and fresh all winter. Even the 
hard freeze of a year ago did not seem to hurt 
it. It makes a handsome lawn, but will uot 
grow tall enough to mow on any soil I have 
seen, We have what is called Crab grass, 
which comes upon the plowed ground in June 
and rune over everything. Cattle are very 
fond of it, and where the ground ha6 been well 
manured, it will make a light crop of hay, 
very light, too, here. By October it all disap¬ 
pears, but it grows again. i. s. 
Illinois. West Jersey, Starke Co., Jan. 8. 
—Rain, rain every day Ibis month hitherto. 
Weather warm and frost all out of the ground. 
Winter set in with but little rain or snow and 
water has been very scarce until lately, so that 
farmers were greatly troubled by want of it 
both for their families and stock. Crops for 
’79 were about as followsWheat, oats and 
hay, light; corn was a very goodyield iu bulk, 
but it will not weigh as heavy as iu former 
years. H. B. MC. 
Kansas, Lamed, Pawnee Co., Jan. 3.—The 
“ Notes from the Rural Experimental Grounds” 
in the Rural of Dec. 37; on “ Doura," have a 
peculiar interest to the. farmers of this portion 
of Kansas, because they throw a partial light 
on a new crop that we have been experiment¬ 
ing with here for the past two years, and about 
which very little is known beyond what has 
been learnt by our own experiments. I refer 
to what we call "Egyptian or Rice Corn,” 
which must be the white Egyptian com re¬ 
ferred to iu the ‘‘Notes.” I inclose a small 
sample of the grain for identification and would 
be glad to learn through the columns of the 
Rural of its value for either animal or human 
food, and how it compares in nutritive or beef- 
producing qualities with Indian corn, or if any 
such comparison has ever been made. Our 
elevation here is 3000 feet above tide-water; a 
little too high to successfully raise Indian corn, 
at least until our country becomes more 
thickly settled and the land more generally im¬ 
proved. The Egyptian corn, however, prom¬ 
ises to be a good substitute. In 1878 it 
yielded as high as 75 bushels per acre, and in 
the unusually dry season of 1879, 40 bushels 
per acre were obtained. Those who have fed 
it to their stock think it equal tolndiau corn 
for fattening, and if given the choice, cattle, 
hogs and horses will all eat it in preference to 
Indian corn. Our farmers are so pleased with 
its productiveness, the cheapness witli which it 
can be raised, and its adaptability to our cli¬ 
mate, that they ^are.going fteavily into its cul¬ 
tivation the coming season. Cattle and sheep 
men are especially interested in its culture, as 
they expect that this corn, in connection with 
the Buffalo grass—which now affords such' 
good pasture the year round—will enable them 
not only to raise cattle and sheep cheaply, bat 
also to furnish beef and mutton for the Eastern 
markets at a cost that will almost defy com¬ 
petition. This corn has been ground into 
meal and is in use now as an article of food 
in many families, the flour being preferred 
generally to Indian corn meal. 
The plan of cultivating this crop here has 
so far beeu to drill it iu with a wheat drill, 
the rows being about three feet apart, one 
bushel of seed to 30 acres of ground. It is 
then cultivated the same as Indian corn, but 
oulv in one direction. When ripe the heads 
are cut off with a sharp knife, thrown into a 
wagon aud hauled off. They are then run 
through a thrashing machine—any good sepa¬ 
rator will thrash 3000 bushels in a day. Any 
light you can throw on a crop that is at pres¬ 
ent of so much interest to the farmers of 
southwestern Kansas wall be appreciated, as 
we would like to know iusi what the value of 
the grain is for feediug, before going so heavily 
into its production. * H. r. h. 
[In addition to what has already been stated 
iu these columns, we regret that we can give 
our correspondent little information. The va¬ 
riety sent is White Egpptian corn, one of the 
many varitics of Sorghum vulgare. It has for 
ages been cultivated iu Africa aud India for 
its grain which there forms au important part 
of cereal food, though in nutritious qualities 
it is considered inferior to most othor grains. 
As to this, however, we are not possessed of 
any definite information. Perhaps some of 
our readers can furnish more information with 
regard to it.—Kus ] 
Kansas, Iola, Alien Co., Jau. 9,—Christ¬ 
mas Day was the coldest day during our two 
years’ residence in this State—thermometer 
7 deg. below zero. New Year’s Day was foggy 
aud it has remained so ever since. The frost 
is all out of the ground which is quite muddy. 
The fog isso thick at tiiues that one can see only 
a few rods away. There is a heavy immigra¬ 
tion to Kansas, aud Allen Co. is settling up 
fast- Crops did well hero the past season 
aud the vast number of hogs and cattle is as¬ 
tonishing. n. m. s. 
Maryland, Easton, Talbot Co, Jan. 10.— 
We have had and are haviugdelightful weather. 
The warm rains have pushed the wheat vigor¬ 
ously ahead, and the young crop is now look¬ 
ing as well as I ever saw it at this season. The 
past summer was a dry one, yet our county 
made an excellent crop of corn of the finest 
quality. Most of it has been shipped, bringing 
from 60c. to 65c. T. b. b. 
Michigan, Muskegon, Muskegon Co.. Jan. 
10.—In your~widely circulated paper are 
notes from all parts of the United Slates as 
well as occasionally from Canada, from which 
a reader can obtain quite a history ot the pro¬ 
ductions, their modes of culture aud the times 
of ripening of the fruits, vegetables and cereals 
of the entire nation. Permit me, therefore, to 
offer, as a return for the many favors of the 
kiud received through your journal, a short 
description of that part of the State of Michi¬ 
gan, which rs the home of my adoption and in 
which I have resided for the past twenty years. 
The city of Muskegon, situated on the south 
side of the river and lake of that name, and 
about four miles above their debouchure iuto 
Lake Michigan, has increased in population 
from less than 1,500 in I860, to over 8,500 in 
1874, aud is now estimated generally at 10,000. 
It owes its growth mainly to its peculiar situa¬ 
tion and special adaptation to the manufacture 
and shipment of pine lumber. I find that all 
new countries bordering upon navigable waters, 
get a reputation given by sailors who see only 
what borders upon the waters they navigate. 
The northwestern part of Pennsylvania got 
the reputation of extreme roughness from the 
reports of sailors and raftmen upon the Alle¬ 
ghany River, which wa6 true as far as they 
could see. This has also been the case wilh 
the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, which, 
for its southern half at least, is mostly made 
up of sand bluffs so flue and light of texture, 
as to be constantly rising up and blowing over 
the almost perpendicular banks ranging from 
twenty to 6ixty feet in hight- The prevailing 
winds being from the west, make their marks 
upon both shores of the lake, the western being 
flat, as far as I have seen it. These precipi¬ 
tous banks have given a character for barren¬ 
ness to Western Michigan, that the facts in 
the case do not warrant, and which, in the 
settlement of the Northwestern Territory, 
bluffed off prospectors aud settlers who pre¬ 
ferred the more level aud verdaut plains and 
prairies further west. But the Immense forests 
of the central and northern parts of trie lower 
peninsula lured lumbermen from the exhaust- 
edlumber regions of the E»st, aud disappointed 
settlers from the windy aud treeless portions 
of the West, the former fiudiug here not only 
vast qualities of pine and other woods, but 
abundant streams on which to float this timber 
to shipping points, where it is mainly manu¬ 
factured intq lumber, p.qd. shipped mostly to 
Chicago, but more or less to all other places, 
even to New Orleans, and to England ; while 
t.ho would-be farmer or fruit-grower finds here 
a genial soli and an equable climate, the latter 
unequaled east of the Rocky Mountains. The 
many streams which, in this State empty iuto 
Lake Michigan, all form lakes or lagoous near 
their mouths, but debouch into the big lake 
through the bluffs by narrow channels, thus 
affording commodious and safe harbors. 
The largest of these streams is Grand River 
emptying at Grand Haven. The next largest 
is the Muskegon. Around Muskegon Lake are 
30 Bteam saw-mills fed by logs[floated down the^ 
Muskegon River aud its brauebes, computed 
in the aggregate of floating water at 300 
miles. These logs, when put afloat, are driven 
down aud delivered at the different mills by 
the Muskegon Booming Co., and their record 
for the year 1879 foots up 432,763,094 feet, or 
what will cut that amount of inch boards. 
Those not using in their business figures 
amounting to millions, can hardly realize the 
quantity of the lumber sawed here the past 
year. If all were cut into one-inch boards, 
they would cover a surface little short of ten 
thousand acres. When we take into account 
that it is estimated that 100 million feet of the 
cut of the past winter have not yet come 
down the Mnskegon, and that the cut of the 
Muskegon is only about one-tourth of the cut 
of the State, we can hardly avoid the ques¬ 
tions:—What becomes of it? and what shall 
we do when the timber is gone ? Thi6 ques¬ 
tion of timber supply for the future is becom¬ 
ing a serious one, and in this great timber 
conn try, standing timber is the most valuable 
real estate we have. 8. b. p. 
Nebraska, Orleans, Harlau Co., Jan. 9.— 
Fruit trees are scarce here ; but money is 
scarcer. Cattle are iu prime condition without 
having been fed a wisp of hay. Ice is breaking 
up in the Republican River. r. h. c. 
North Carolina, Brookstou, Warren Co.. 
Jan. 3.—The past week has been remarkably 
warm for this time of year—65® above zero 
every day. Land is in fine eouditiuu for plow¬ 
ing. Wheat is making rapid growth, m. b. p. 
Pennsylvania, LinevilleSta.,Crawford Co., 
Jau. 5.—We are having very wet and change¬ 
able weather. We have had over three feet of 
snow with scarcely any sleighing, but there is 
plenty of mud at present. Corn is worth 50c. 
@60c.; oat6, 33c.; wheat, $1.00(®1.35; buck¬ 
wheat, 50c.; potatoes, 85e.<®40e. B. h. s. 
Pa., Venango Cc»., Jan 9th.—So far, this 
winter has been remarkably open. The mer¬ 
cury has scarcely visited zero and has not 
gone below that frigid point. A great deal of 
rains and lots of mud—no snow to speak of. 
The crops of the past season have been rather 
above the average. Fruit was very good. 
This county produces a great many apples 
but not much more fruit. Our markets here 
are not governed by the same circumstances 
as in other places; but by the price of oil. As 
that is low, produce is down, but business is 
improving rapidly. c. b. j. 
Washington Territory, White River, King 
Co., Jau. 1.—This place is exactly in latitude 
48° north. The principal crops of While 
River Valley are hay and potatoes. Goose¬ 
berries, Raspberries, Blackberries and Currants 
grow in abundance. Black Caps frequently 
grow a stock from the ground and bear fruit 
the same year. There are thousands of acres 
of Craubcrries, which yield abundantly on the 
marshes, but no one kuows how to cultivate 
this sort of fruit, so that there is a fine opening 
here for any one skilled in this line. Coal is 
found in abundance, and gold in small quanti¬ 
ties. There are fish in our rivers, but we can’t 
tempt them to take a fly-baited hook. w. c. 
&j}f tokens!, 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Cattle Queries. 
G. E. N., Afton, N. T., asks, 1, whether he 
can without injury cross the offsprings of a 
blooded bull with their own sire, aud how long 
can he practice such in-and-in breeding, using 
the same sire, without deteriorating the stock. 
2, which is the best breed for the dairy—the 
Holstein, Jersey, Devon or Ayrshire—con¬ 
sidering their yield, the cost of their keep, and 
their value for beef wheu they are turned off 
for the butcher. 3, Of two patrons of a 
creamery, if one briugs richer milk than the 
other, as shown by the lactometer, lie wants 
to know whether he gets a larger proportion 
of the butter made. 
Ans.— Such close in-and-in breeding, though 
practiced largely by Bakewell, the Codings, aud 
some other famous breeders, is uot advisable 
uuless the breeder has in view the attainment 
of a certain uniformity of excellence, or where 
other sires equally gooil cannot be had; and 
even then much judgment Is demanded to avoid 
evil results. How soon weakened constitution, 
greater liability to disease, and barrenness may 
result from the practice, depends on so many 
considerations that no definite period can be 
named; but it is not improbable that a ten¬ 
dency to these defects may be generated at a 
very early date, though some time may elapse 
before they become mauifest. ‘‘Line breeding,’ 
or crossing cows with bulls of a collateral 
branch of the same family, is a much safer 
method, and, as a rule, one attended with bet¬ 
ter results. Even hero, however, experience 
shows that an occasional cross with a choice 
bull of the same tribe, but uot of the same 
family, is ofteu beqefleial, if not necessary. 
2, ‘-The Best Breed for the Dairy" is a question 
which has caused no little wrangliug. Among 
those mentioned the Devon must he excluded, 
as that breed, though often fair milkers, are 
more distinguished for meat than milk. 
If butter is the object, ’tis hard to beat a good 
Jersey, both for quantity and quality, espe¬ 
cially for the latter. But there are JerBeys and 
Jerseys. For milk, cheese and butter, both 
the Holstems and Ayreshires havo flue reputa¬ 
tions, especially for milk and cheese; but the 
latter would thrive where the former would 
starve. The Holstein is a massive beast that 
demands a large amount of good feed to do 
justice to its reputation; the Ayrshire, smaller, 
hardier and a better forager, is able to pick up 
a good deal of its food where its bulky rival 
could, or would, find none, and manages to do 
well on meagre fare. Under the best condi¬ 
tions for each, the Jersey is generally held to 
be the best for butter, the Ayrshire for milk 
and cheese, and the Holstein for its fattening 
qualities when dried off, although many say 
that the Holstein cannot be beaten for milk 
and cheese when well-fed. It is generally 
conceded, however, that the Ayrshire gives the 
best yield for Us feed, and in view of its fine 
yield of milk, cheese and butter, and its adapt¬ 
ability to many conditions of climate and pas¬ 
ture, it may well be entitled the general-pur¬ 
pose cow. 3. No. AU the patrons of a cream¬ 
ery or cheese factory share in the aggregate 
product in proportion to the quantity and not 
the quality of their milk. It isn’t exactly just, 
but where is the remedy ? 
Wells anti Cesspools. 
Cess, Bostoyi, Mass., says “My house is 
on the side of a hill. My well, which is stoned 
over, is abont 18 to 20 feet from my cesspool. 
Between the two the laud falls off four feet, 
the well being the higher on the hiU. My 
cesspool is stoned up loose and is about eight 
feet deep. The hill falls off below my house 
a considerable distance. My water-closet, 
sink and bath-tub discharge into the cesspool. 
The well is not straight up the hill from the 
cesspool, but sidewise at an angle of about 
45 deg. I do not know the depth of the well. 
The soil, 1 believe, is blue gravel. 1, Will my 
wcU become foul under these circumstances ? 
If so. how soon ? The conditions have existed 
for nearly tw'o years. 2, Should I abandon 
the cesspool, would it be safe to use the well, 
provided it is not already tainted ? 3. What 
would be the nearest absolutely safe distance 
between a well and a cesspool in a soil that is 
largely blue gravel?” 
Ans. —1, The circumstances are full of peril. 
The well will without doubt be considerably 
deeper thau the cesspool; a draft to scale show¬ 
ing the comparative situations is here given. 
The water from the cesspool sinks into the 
soil and will take a course iu every direction 
from the center laterally and downwards. 
The dark-shaded 6lrip from the cesspool to 
the well shows the line of saturation, which 
might be carried considerably further down¬ 
wards. If the well is 24 feet deep, fully 
eight feet at the lower part is subject to in¬ 
filtration from the cesspool. Two years or less 
would be sufficient to saturate the soil for 
20 feet. Any expert would pronounce the 
case a seriously dangerous one. Test the 
water by placing au open glassful in a warm 
place for a week or two and observe if it is 
clouded or gives off any scent. Foul water 
has a sweetish taste and gives a brownish de¬ 
posit which is precipitated by nitric acid, tbe 
organic matter being oxidized by the acid. 
The sweetish taste of water fouled by organic 
matter of this kind is often deceptive and 
therefore readers it more dangerous. 
2. Yes. If the cesspool were cleared out aud 
filled with frefj^ qart'bt absorb. 
