FEB. 14 THE BUBAL NEW-YORKER. 
cubator for three or four days, they are care¬ 
fully examined one by one in the light which 
enters a dark room through an opening about 
as large as an egg, to show those which con¬ 
tain no living germ, that they may be replaced 
by others. The egg at that stage has a very 
interesting appearance. Tho chicken is a small 
spot of condensed matter on the upper side of 
the egg. in whatever position it is placed, the 
pulsation of the heart being plainly visible. 
The embryonic chicken has little form, the 
beating heart being the most, noticeable thing, 
from it radiate in all directions half way down 
the sides of the egg, red veins through which 
the nutriment of the egg is drawn to the 
chicken. At a later period these veius extend 
all around the egg and a plainly marked um¬ 
bilical eord connects them and the chick. 
Before hatching, the material of tho egg is all 
passed through the chick’s heart and becomes 
vital tissue, and one-third of the egg is left an 
open space, which allows of movement of the 
head sufficient to chip the shell. The chick 
always breaks tho shell with its head under the 
right wing. Examination of the process of in¬ 
cubation shows that unless the eggs are turned, 
not all tin substance is taken up, and the 
chicken is small and weak. A natural instead 
of an artificial hen turns them in the nest. 
A Good Vermifuge.— Dr. A. S. sweet, of 
Southold, L. I., in a communication to the 
Medical Brief, recommends the following mix¬ 
ture : 
Santonin. 16 grains. 
Fluid extract of pink root. 160 drops. 
Simple sirup to complete.. 2 ounces. 
Mix. Sig. A teaspooutul morning and night. 
It was given about equally between four 
children of one family and one of the neigh¬ 
bor’s children. The result was the expulsion 
of slxly-seven long worms. He adds: “As 
having a possible bearing upon the question 
whether worms cause any special symptoms 
by their presence in the intestines, allow me 
to say that the child for which the vermifuge 
was particularly desired, had, previous to tak- 
ing it, several attacks of convulsions. They 
ceased with theexpulsion of the worms.” [We 
have tried essentially the same recipe for 
worms iu youug setters and pointers, always 
successfully. No doubt it would prove bene¬ 
ficial if administered to other animals so af¬ 
fected, increasing the dose to suit the size and 
age. Eds.] 
Glucose. —The Confectioners' Journal says 
that confectioners are using great quantities of 
glucose sugar, because from its unerystalliz- 
able quality it teuds greatly to keep certain 
classes of goods soft for a greater length of 
time, and retards granulation iu other kinds, 
and because it 6aves greatly iu the cost of all 
articles with which it is combined. 
it was proved before the Congressional In¬ 
vestigating Committees that vast quantities of 
glucose, or corn-starch sugar, were sold to sugar 
refiuers; also, that it is sold in great quantities 
to coufectioners. Glucose is now largely used 
iu mixing with California honey, one gallon of 
glucose to one ol honey. It is also used largely 
in the Eastern Slates in the manufacture of all 
sweet wines, lagor beer, and all liquors requir¬ 
ing sirups. In fact, corn sugar is now used for 
all the various purposes for which any sugar 
is used, except for first-class confectionery. 
Glucose is also shipped iu large quantities to 
Europe, where it iu great demand. 
Grass vs. Swedes for Sheep.— Grass has 
70 per cent, of water and swedes 90 per cent.; 
consequently the former has 30 per cent, of 
solid matter, while the latter has 10 percent., 
there being thus three times as much solid 
matter in 100 pounds of grass as there is iu 
the same weight of turnips. Therefore when 
a sheep eats 20 pounds of grass it swallows 
only 14 pounds of water, as compared with 
18 pounds in a similar weight of swedes, and 
it partakes of as much as six pounds of solid 
matter with that weight of the former vege¬ 
table as agaiust only two pounds in the latter. 
The difference may bo stated iu this form. 
When a sheep consumes 10 pounds of solid 
matter in the form of grass it Bwallows in the 
process only SO pounds of water, whereas in 
eating only 10 pounds of solid matter in ihe 
shape of turnips it is under the necessity of 
swallowing no less than 90 pounds of that cold 
liquid.—N. Y. Tribune. 
A good harvest in England, a good hatwest 
in France, a good harvest iu America—of these 
prospects the first two are hardly likely to 
again fail us at one and the same time, says 
the Londou Fanner. As regards the third 
prospect, it may in some sort be regarded, as 
assured, seeing that a largely increased wheat 
acreage in North America should give next 
summer an equal surplus to last year’s abund¬ 
ance, even iu the case of the yield per acre 
being 10 to 15 per cent, under the average. As 
regards what prices will be nine mouths 
hence, opinion is, of course, to a very great 
degree speculative merely; but, iuasmuch 
as wheat harvest has to bo prepared for nine 
months in advance, fanners to-day must take 
some view on the subject. And without 
simplyfcsayiug “ditto” to Lord Thurlow, we 
venture to offer them the opinion that the 
wheat sown now is more likely to be 6old at 
a loss than at a profit before the year is out. 
Our Dairy Interests. —“ From returns re¬ 
ceived from the United States,” sayB Mr. Pyo, 
(England), in an address; “it appears the dairy 
interest has grown into oue of a great magni¬ 
tude, the number of cows actually being over 
11,000,000, whilst in England we have only 
some 2,250,000, a fraction more than one- 
fourth of those in tho United States. 
The importation of fresh meat to this country 
has greatly increased; the enormous quantity 
of from 25,000 to 30,000 tons having been im¬ 
ported during the last twelve months, and the 
senders sewn to think thi3 only the beginning 
of the trade. 
At one time the 3,000 miles of ocean, and the 
great expense of inland carriage, formed a 
very formidable protective duty, which, no 
doubt, was nearly equivalent to our extra ex¬ 
penses. During the last few years, owing to 
the increase of railways and the use of large 
ocean steamers, this protective duty is in a 
great measure done away with.” 
There is a story on record, somewhere, of 
a Londou cigar seller, who was prosecuted by 
the authorities for defrauding the revenue. 
The tax on tobacco, imported into England, is 
excessive, nearly a thousand per cent. In his 
defense, the cigar-maker maintained, and 
proved so conclusively to the authorities that 
he used no tobacco in the manufacture of his 
wares, that he was discharged. They were 
made entirely of oak leaves, cabbage leaves 
and similar materials. 
To like affect, the makers of all kinds of in- 
toxicatlug drinks could easily plead, if any 
confidence can be placed in the numerous 
hand-books, openly advertised and sold, which 
profess to teach the mystery of compounding 
liquors with such skill as to deceive even the 
most practiced judges.—Thoughts and Events. 
Age of Cows in Relation to the Yield 
of Milk. —The ago of cows has a great in- 
llueuce ou their yield of milk. After her first 
calf, a cow does not give as much as after her 
second or third. At the fifth or sixth calf, the 
average yield begins to decrease steadily. It 
may be seen from this, that one ought only ex¬ 
ceptionally have older cows than eight or nine 
years, as after these years the milking quali¬ 
ties are generally on a rapid decline, and, be¬ 
sides, the cows are harder to fatten. As young 
animals produce more from t'ue same quantity 
of food because their assimilation is better, 
there is every reason for not keeping the cows 
too long. A good dairy cow is (outhc Continent) 
expected to yield not less than 2000 quarts of 
milk a year; a very good one, 2300 to 2500 
quarts; but higher uumbers are not rare iu 
almost all breeds.—Agricultural Gazette. 
Is Milk Fever Caused or Prevented by 
Milking Drt after Calving? —Although the 
practice of some parts of the country appears 
to discountenance the clean milking of newly- 
calved cows, says the Ag. Gazette, the nature 
of milk fever justifies the conclusion that the 
cow liable to this disease should have her bag 
drawn dry as soon as she calves, and that the 
operation, if needful, should be repeated sev¬ 
eral times daily. No harm, we believe, results 
from milking tnoruughly three times a day, or 
oftener; much harm, ou the other hand, may 
ensue from allowing the milk to accumulate, 
as it is apt to do iu a good cow iu the prime of 
life in high couditiou, and milked only night 
and morning. 
New Mode of Administering Castor Oil. 
—To the oil add sufficient pulverized sugar, 
flavored with ciunauiou or lemon, to convert 
the whole iuto a plastic dough : then form into 
boluses. Compouud licorice powder may be 
substituted for the sugar. Children, says the 
Boston Journal of Chemistry, quarrel over 
this confection. For grown people the boluses 
may, iu some instance, be euveloped in wafer- 
paper. _ 
Barley for Young lambs.— Reverting 
again to the subject of barley, it may be as 
well to mention that, good and wholesome as 
we have found it to be for ewes and grown 
sheep, it is a very dangerous food for young 
lambs. It affects them with a scour which 
very often ends fatally.—Ag. Gazette, Eng. 
Certain facts appear to be perfectly clear, 
says the journal above quoted, America will 
steadily and rapidly develop as a producer of 
grain and flesh. Production is there incom¬ 
parably cheaper than it is in Eugland. Transit 
will tend to become easier, cheaper, quicker ; 
and we, with our high rents, high liviug, and 
high expenses in general, will find ourselves 
handicapped to a serious degree. Even as to 
quality there is no doubt they can in many 
casesoutvie us, as, for example, both in wheat 
and fruit. 
-- 
CATALOGUES, ETC., RECEIVED. 
James J. H. Gregory, Marblehead, Mass. 
Catalogue of Warranted Vegetable and Flower 
Seeds, free to all—and ail^should apply for it. 
There is no other catalogue which we look 
over with more pleasure and instruction. 
This catalogue is profusely illustrated and 
especial attention is called to many new or 
excellent kinds of seeds, among which we may 
note Egyptian Sweet Corn, Longfellow’s Field 
Corn, Early Amber Sugar Cane, White Russian 
Spring wheat, the Turk’s Tnrban and Alpha 
Tomatoes, Defiance Asparagus, (which is 
deemed far superior to Conover’s Colossal), 
the newer sorts of Potatoes, Ac., Ac. 
E. P. Roe's New Descriptive Catalogue and 
price-list of Strawberry. Raspberry, Currant, 
Gooseberry plants and Grape vines ; Cornwall- 
on-the-Hudson, N. Y. While looking through 
this interesting catalogue, it is very gratifying 
to the Rural to sec that Mr. Roe gives the best 
praise to those new varieties of small fruits 
which the Rural New-Yorker from its own 
tests has spoken most highly of, because it 
affords excellent evidence that our reports 
have been the results of unbiased observation. 
We presume that all of our readers who are 
interested in small fruits will be glad to send 
for this catalogue, as Mr. Roe has earned a 
wide reputation as one of our most intelligent 
and experienced small-fruit growers. 
B. K. Bliss & Sons. 84 Barclay St., N. Y. 
Illustrated Hand-book for the Farm and Gar¬ 
den, and catalogue of garden, field and flower 
seeds. This book cannot be described in a few 
words. It is one of the most complete of any 
works of the kind published in this country or 
elsewhere. It is illustrated from beginning to 
end with wood-cuts of all Boris of plants and 
also by a really beautiful colored plate of New 
German pansies painted from life. If this firm 
is distinguished more for one thing than for 
another, it is for the introduction of novelties, 
many of which, especially among new potatoes, 
are well and favorably known both at home 
and abroad. 
John Saul, Washington, D. C. Catalogue 
of rare and beautiful flowers and garden seeds, 
Ac. Mr. Saul issues eight catalogues, (the 
present is No. 2.) all of which are sent free to 
applicants in their seasons. Thus special con¬ 
sideration is given to fruit and ornamental 
trees, evergreens, shrubs, roses, bulb*, orchids, 
etc., etc. Mr. Saul is among our most enter¬ 
prising nurserymen and is quick to procure the 
latest novelties. The Rural Grounds are in¬ 
debted to him for several fine plants, some of 
whieh have already been, and others of which 
will be, referred to in these columns. 
The Native Flowers and Ferns of the 
United States, by Thomas Meehan. Tho Amer¬ 
ican Natural History Publishing Co , Phila¬ 
delphia, Pa., Publishers. We are now in re¬ 
ceipt of Parts 13, 14, 15 ami 1G, of Vol. II, 
Second series. Each Pai t coutains, as hereto¬ 
fore, four beautiful colored plates of the plants 
described in the text. Among them we are 
glad to see that grand old vine, the Trumpet- 
Flower, Tecoma radicans, and the brilliant 
Cardinal Flower, Lobelia cardinalis. 
The Dingee and Conard Co., West Grove, 
Chester Co., Pa. “The New Guide to Rose 
Culture." Probably the largest Rose nursery 
in the world. All lovers of the “ Queen of 
Flowers" should seud for this “ guide.” We 
can assure our readers that all orders will be 
liberally and promptly filled. The D. A C. Co. 
have well earned uheir high reputation and un¬ 
paralleled success. Catalogue sent free to 
subscribers. 
Syracuse Nurseries, Smith & Powell, Pro¬ 
prietors, Syracuse, N. Y. No. 1 is a descrip¬ 
tive catalogue of the fruit department; No. 2, 
descriptive catalogue of ornamental trees, 
shrubs, vines, roses, green-house, bedding 
plants, Ac. This is oue of tho oldest and largest 
establishments of the kind in this country, the 
area occupied under cultivation being about 
500 acres. 
Alfred Bridgemax, 876 Broadway, New 
York. This is a large, bright, descriptive 
catalogue, accurately illustrated, that one can 
read without spectacles. The lists of vegeta¬ 
ble, grass, herb aud flower seeds, garden tools 
and horticultural books are very complete, 
and the establishment is oue of the oldest aud 
best. The Catalogue will be sent free to all. 
Results of soil tests of fertilizers for 1879, con¬ 
ducted under the direction of the Com. of Agr. 
of Ga., with comments on the results of ex¬ 
periments—a very useful work for all about to 
buy commercial fertilizers, especially in the 
South, as it shows their worth in actual field 
tests. 
Wholesale Price-list of small fruits, Ac., 
grown and for 6ale at tho Pleasant Valley 
Small Fruit Nursery, Moorestown, New Jer¬ 
sey. Johu S. Collins, Proprietor. Engraving 
of the “ Kieffer Hybrid Seedling Pear,” twelve 
inches around and weigh jug 18 ounces. 
Cole A Brothers, Pella, Iowa. Illustrated 
Catalogue aud Guide to the Flower aud Vege¬ 
I07\ 
table Garden, free to all. We see that this en¬ 
terprising concern offers the Golden Rural 
Tomato. 
The Record Almanac, issued by that marvel 
of journalism, the Philadelphia Record, a paper 
that sells for six cents a week, and, as com¬ 
pared with the cheapest of other papers, is 
worth double that money. 
Luther Burbank, Santa Rosa. Sonoma Co., 
Cal. Catalogue and price-list of Santa Rosa 
nurseries. Trees, plants, seeds. Australian 
seeds—Native Californian tree, shrub aud flow¬ 
er seeds. 
Report of the Connecticut Board of Agri¬ 
culture and Experiment Station for 1878. An 
excellent work, well gotten up. 
C. M. Silva A Son, Newcastle, Placer Co., 
Cal. Descriptive circul ar and price list of trees 
and plants. 
Cfrt jffttltqr Jarir. 
DORKINGS FOR EGGS AND MEAT. 
In the Rural New-Yorker for Jan.31, Nelspn 
Ritter gives a plain and practical account of 
his hens’ doings for the last 13 years. Such 
letters are valuable to those who read them 
and wish to profit by them, while not a few 
readers will glance at the account and then 
forget it forever. Mr. Ritter says, “ In look¬ 
ing back over these years I discover many mis¬ 
takes made, that lessened the profits. They 
can certainly be avoided hereafter; but 
whether others equally detrimental will not be 
made, is not so certain.” It seems by the 
above quotation that Mr. Ritter will be bene¬ 
fited whether the readers of his paper will be 
or not. That is the rime way; in all our ex¬ 
periments, we should have an eye open to im¬ 
provements, and also watch our failures, so as 
to avoid them in the future. A few years since 
I bought a pair of Cayuga ducks for my son, 
a lad of 10 or 12 years of age at the time, the 
pair costing $5. In two years’ time he had 
paid me back the purchase money aud had 
saved for himself $50. They were sold for 
breeding purposes. He bred some that took 
first premium at our State poultry show. 
They were selected by poultry fanciers and 
breeders who had not as good of their own as 
my 6on had ; still they get the credit, hut my 
son sold his ducks and that was what he 
wanted. 
About the same time, having the poultry 
fever iu its mild stages, I purchased some 
fancy fowls; in the course of eight or ten 
years I tried a number of breeds without much 
success on my part. One trio of Light Brah¬ 
mas, from a breeder who advertised quite ex¬ 
tensively,we were sodisgustedwith that we fat¬ 
tened and sent them to pot without ever breed¬ 
ing from them at all, although they cost us a 
good round price. After going the round of 
six or eight of the so-called best breeds, we got 
a trio of Silver Gray Dorkings and from them 
we have now a flock of 30 birds that please us 
better than any other sort we have ever had. 
From those we have hred, we have frequently 
let fancy-poultry men have birds that took first 
and second premiums at our State fairs, and 
poultry shbws. Last fall at Utica we helped 
in that way to furnish a prize coop ; so that 
our fowls are not only useful, but fit to show 
as well. We sell neither fowls nor eggs except 
on such occasions. We use all our eggs in 
our family, aud the chickens we raise—except 
an occasional basket of eggs to some friend, 
or a chicken for some sick person, or to a 
friend for a holiday treat. Usually Dorking 
eggs will weigh a pound to seven eggs. The 
hens are very quiet, good mothers ; the chicks 
feather out early, and with me are hardy. 
That they are the best breed for all purposes, I 
am not prepared to say; but, as we treat fowls, 
they are certainly the best, we thiuk. of any 
breed we ever had for eggs and chickens to 
U6e in a farmer’s family, which is what we 
keep hens for, usually keeping about 25 for 
that purpose. I carried to a friend in town a 
few years since a basket of four dozen eggs; 
afterwards he said he never before knew there 
was any difference in eggs, but after using 
those I brought him, he said he would almost 
as soon have one dozen 6uch eggs, as to have 
two dozen he could buy in the market. 
Mr. Ritter gives eood advice when he tells 
Rural readers to take good care of the hens 
they have, aud if they are doing well, they had 
better not change, uor be misled by glowing 
advertisements. Probably for most farmers 
an exchange of cocks, however, from some 
other yard would be of great benefit, whether 
of the same breed or not. Farmers who raise 
hens for their own use, both in eggs and chick¬ 
ens, will usually want a fair-sized bird, so that 
when one is killed for the table there will bo 
something to show when dressed for that pur¬ 
pose. Oue thing is certain—good care and 
liberal feeding will pay best in the end with 
fowls, as well as other farm stock. 
Rome, N. Y. _ J. Talcott, 
