MARCH 27 
THE BUBAL NEW-YOBKIB. 
201 
the Japan Persimmon iB described, and the 
trees offered at the price of one dollar. More 
than twenty years ago we purchased and 
planted trees of this fruit, and although they 
lived a few years they were eventually killed 
out during an unusually cold winter. We know 
of but one tree that ever reached a bearing age 
in this part of the country, and that one is 
now dead; therefore, from our own experi¬ 
ence, we mustset down the Japan Persimmon 
as rather too tender for the Northern States; 
and it is very doubtful if it will live even iu 
Missouri. It is true that there are many vari¬ 
eties of it. some of which may be more hardy 
than others; but they are not yet known. We 
would say, try a tree or two if you can afford 
it, but do not place much couftdence in what 
the tree pcddlars (!) say with regard to hardi¬ 
ness of the trees. Of course the trees do well 
in the mild climate of California, but that is no 
recommendation for them in colder regions. 
Packing Butter.— Mr. Ellsworth, as re¬ 
ported in the Am. Cultivator, says,“ There are 
usually a few weeks during each season wlieu 
butter is bo plenty in our small markets that it 
is almost impossible to sell it at any fair price, 
when it may oe packed in earthen jars, and be 
kept in good condition for family use. Take the 
butter iu as good condition as I have described; 
press it into the jar compactly in a layer three 
inches in thickness ; cut a piece ot cloth of the 
Bizo of the j ar, wet it in 6trong brine, Bpreading 
it over this first layer ; repeat the process with 
each succeeding layer until you have reached 
the top or within three-quarters of au inch. 
Now make a strong brine, to which add three 
tablespooniuls of granulated 6ugar, one tea- 
epooniul of powdered saltpeter ; set in a cool, 
dry cellar; keep it covered with the brine until 
wanted, and it will eut out smoothly. But if 
butter is to be kept for a better market, I 
would recommend putting it up iu any sweet 
package or jar, direct from the churn in the 
granulated form, covering it with strong brine, 
and when wanted take it up and work it 
over like new butter." 
Humor. —That only is perfect humor where 
everybody is pleased. Such was the happy 
humor in the well-deserved compliments on 
both sides between Judge Story and Edward 
Everett, when, at a Boston dinner, in response 
to the former’s neatest of volunteer toasts, 
“Fame follows where Everett goes,” Mr. 
Everett at once gave that unsurpassed im¬ 
promptu, "To whatever bight judicial learn¬ 
ing may attaiu in this country, there will 
always be one Story higher.” Per contra, Lord 
Beacons field’s humor, though brilliant, has too 
much ill-humor in it to be thoroughly good: 
it is conceived, flashed, or elaborated too much 
in the spirit of that statement of his, *• A smile 
for a friend, and a sneer for the world, is the 
way to govern the world.” Indeed, a man 
outlives his worth—almost his right to live— 
when he outlives his good-humor. Compute 
the value ot the sun’s radiant energy, it you 
can; and so of the radiant energy of good- 
humor in character. Hell itself would cease 
to be hell without ill humor. Heaven ? There 
can be no heaven without the good-humor 
that makes it heavenly.—Thoughts and Events. 
Improvbment of the Hose.— Mr, H. B. 
Ellwauger 6ay6:—“Much the same laws oper¬ 
ate in the Animal and Vegetaile Kingdoms. 
No experienced breeder of cattle or horses 
would think lor a moment of depending upon 
chance results; he knows that by crossing this 
strain with that, he will obtain what he de¬ 
sires, and will be able in a great measure to 
know what the produce will be. By this 
knowledge we keep aud improve our breeds 
of Jersey aud Holstein cattle, our Hambletoni- 
an and Mambrino horses and secure variations 
in them, such as we desiic. Why, then, do we 
not more generally pursue the same course iu 
raising new fruits and flowers? In the produc¬ 
tion of new roses, instead of having exhausted 
the field, us a lew writers have incautiously 
observed, we have only just entered it; the 
future possibilities open to the raiser of new 
Roses, are only dawning upqp us. Lyons, 
France, is the head centre whence most of our 
cherished Roses have come.” 
iHE experiment of bringing foreign beef 
and mutton from Australia, says the Mark 
Lane Express of London, has proved success¬ 
ful beyond all reasonable expectation. The 
butchers took very kindly to the meat, and 
“asked ior more.” It was bright iu appear¬ 
ance aud perfectly sweet when first brought 
into the market, and it has kept remarkably 
well. Fears have been expressed iu its 
columns and elsewhere that the meat, aft^r 
being thawed, would rapidly become taiuted, 
but it is only fair to confuss that the surmise 
has not proved correct. Mutton taken out of 
the refrigerating room on the night of Sunday 
week was quite sweet on Saturday, and a week 
is as lomr as there is any necessity for keeping 
imported meat. 
If the importation of this meat should be 
carried on extensively, our American cousins 
will be nowhere in the competition. They re¬ 
quire £15 for such bullocks as can be bought in 
Australia at £5 each, and although their freight 
to this country is less than that which import¬ 
ers from Australia will have to pay, the differ¬ 
ence Is not nearly enough to make up for the 
large margin between prices at New York or 
Chicago and those which obtain at Sydney or 
Melbourne. 
To Kill Lice. —Col. Curtis has hit it. H$ 
tells the N. Y. Tribune as follows: “ We have 
tried all sorts of mixtures to kill lice on ani¬ 
mals and at last have hit on what we think is 
best: Melt hog’s lard, or any hot grease, and 
in II dissolve salt one-third of the bulk of the 
greese; take as much grease as will be re¬ 
quired to smear the animal all over aDd into 
the mixture pour kerosene oil and stir it up. 
Two gills of the kerosene would be sufficient 
for a cow of ordinary size. One application 
completely cured the most stubborn case of 
lice on an old hog. It leaves the skin smooth 
and clean, removing the scurf and healing the 
irritation caused by the parasites. It is also 
excellent for galls and sores. 
8eei» Cotton. —Once for ail, then, says 
Home aud Farm, we can not too strongly re¬ 
commend to cotton growers, whether on a 
large scale or on a small one, that they select 
their seed from the young plants in the field, 
for they will find such a course not only econ¬ 
omizes time, but also money, for it assures the 
excellent quality of the seed. 
The cotton seed so carefully chosen, and 
of whose vitality you are assured with as 
much certainty as of anything, should, before 
being sown, be soaked in water cantaining, in 
solution, soot or wood ashes ; but, above all, we 
recommend soot a substance at the command 
of every one, which is a rank poison for all 
vegetable-eating insects, and drives away, by 
its rank and bitter taste, all sorts of devas¬ 
tating vermin. 
If, after soaking the seeds in such a solution 
you dry them by rubbing through the mass soot 
to which a trifle of guano has been added,it will 
strengthen in pushing the germ, and you will 
have done all that is humanly possible to insure 
success. 
Herefords. —A well-known breeder of Here- 
fords sends the Mark Lane Express the follow¬ 
ing note: "I have had a gentleman from the 
United States to see my herd of Herefords He 
tells me that he has just bought 53 for the 
States. He used to breed Short-horns, but after 
trying Herefords he has got rid of his Short¬ 
horns. Two of his brothers in the Far West of 
the States have each a herd of Herefords as 
good as any he has seen iu England. The 
Hereford breed does well in the States, and is 
fast coming into use and favor there." The 
Mark Lane Express has often expressed the 
opinion that Herefords, bred as they are in 
England, would be likely to do belter than 
Short-horns in the grazing districts of the 
United States. 
Let one engage the Minister to the United 
States of any European kingdom in familiar 
conversation and try the experiment of 
abruptly asking him if it be not true that actual 
criminals as well as dangerous and suspected 
characters are habitally shipped hither from 
his sovereign's domain. Those who have in- 
vestiga-ed the subject know well that this is 
the case. Indeed a great many more than we 
suspect of those who debark at Castle Garden 
could join heartily in the refrain of the old 
Botany Bay convicts: 
“ True patriots wc, for. be It understood, 
tVe leave our country for our country’s good." 
—The Hour. 
Railroad Monopolies.—" And it is well,” 
said Land and Home, *• that the farmers, man¬ 
ufacturers and merchants are roused to action, 
for so long as legislation is controlled by Gould 
and Vanderbilt, so long must the sovereign 
(?) people submit to these, their rulers, con¬ 
fessing that their numbers, aud honesty and 
justice, are of no avuil against these men’s 
money. Only by combining, however, can the 
victory be won. Combine iu the club, in the 
grange, In town meeting and in city organiza¬ 
tion; then by vigorous, combined efforts at the 
capitol, justice may help those who demand it. 
Challenge.— Mr. William Crozier, of North- 
port, Long Island, believing his Jersey cow, 
Lillie Bonne, which took second premium at 
the late International Dairy Fairj to be the 
best iu this country, will back up his opiniou 
in the sum of $500 on her against any cow of 
any breed, for one week’s production of milk, 
cream, or butter. The party accepting this 
challenge to put the same amount of money on 
his cow.—American Uuiryman, as quoted in 
the London Agricultural Gazeite. Does Mr. 
Crozier’s challenge extend to England? 
At the Iowa Agricultural College every 
girl is taught how to make good bread and 
biscuit, and learns before she leaves that insti¬ 
tution something about thecharacieristics aud 
qualities of different flours, says the American 
Miller. This is a different and more useful 
“language of flours” than most girls learn, 
but then Iowa girls are different from most 
girls. 
Mr. Talcott (writing in the Country Gentle¬ 
man) Bays: “ There ia one peculiarity about 
pumpkin seeds that has never been mentioned 
by any writer, and that is, while many think 
them detrimental if fed to cattle in excess, if 
hogs are allowed to eat all they will of pumpkin 
seeds, they will grow fat on them. 
The California Farmer asks why in their 
State University they have only three or four 
agricultural students, and why in a Slate as 
rich as California they have no Agricultural 
College as was designed by the princely gift of 
the nation, yet they have no agricultural 
farm. 
BUR-OAK ACORN. 
The Bur-Oak, (Quercns macrocarpa) also 
known as White Oak, Over-cup, or Mossy-cnp, 
is peculiar for the size of the cup and acorn. 
Figures 100 and 101 present the natural size of a 
ACORN OF BUR-OAK.—FIG. 100. 
fruit sent us from Texas. It varies, however, 
in size from 9-10 of an iuch to two inches 
across, but this being uncommonly large, our 
readers may be interested in seeing it. The 
tree Is of middle size and quite handsome. It is 
found in nearly all parts of the United States, 
but is most common in the West. It loves 
rich soil, and the fertile Bnr-Oak lands of the 
CUP, NATURAL SIZE. — FIG. 101. 
West are well-known for their excellence for 
farming purposes. The wood is hard and 
durable. Leaves large, from 6 to 13 inches or 
more in length, deeply lobed or nearly 
parted, irregular, downy and pale underneath. 
The whole tree has a striking appearance, and 
a few specimens on the lawn aud around the 
buildings are not out of place. 
- - 
CATALOGUES, ETC.. RECEIVED. 
G. H. & J. H. Hale. South Glastonbury, 
Conn. Catalogue of Small fruits of all kinds 
and fruit trees. An enterprising firm and trust¬ 
worthy. It presents engravings of the sup¬ 
posed largest sttawberry ever raised, and of 
the new quince “ Champion.” We take pleas¬ 
ure in commending the catalogue (sent free) to 
the notice of our readers. 
Pamphlet, 16 pages, of the Mapes’s Manures. 
“Long Island Specials” prepared expressly 
for the soils and crops of Long l6laud. Re¬ 
ports from many farmers showing the effects 
of these munures. Also an essay by Charles 
V. Mapes upon " The Effects of Fertilizers 
on Different Soils,’’ from the Annual Report 
(1879) of the New Jersey State Board of Agri¬ 
culture. In this some very interesting experi¬ 
ments with potatoes are detailed. The Rural 
New-Yorker is always glad to aid in the dis¬ 
semination of such papers. Much light is 
needed on the use and effects of concentrated 
manures, and the farmer cannot fail to find iu 
such accounts much information which may 
guide him how to use them. The circulars 
will be sent to all upon application for them. 
Address the Mapes Formula Co., 158 FrontM., 
N. Y. _ 
Catalogue of Clydesdale Stallions owned by 
Powell Bros., Springboro, Crawford Co., Pa. 
This neatly gotten ud catalogue of 83 pages 
contains full descriptions and brief pcdigiecs 
of the 13 stallions owned by the above Arm, 
together with a pithy history of this tavorite 
breed. All who are looking for the best 6ort of 
working horses for every purpose we would 
strongly advise to applv for information here 
before investing in stock anywhere else. 
Frank Ford of Ravenna. Ohio, sends ns a 
circular setting forth the value of his new 
tomato “ Alpha" which he dpems the earliest 
aDd best tomato known. Certificates of its 
merits are published from well known horti¬ 
culturists whose statements we cannot doubt. 
Also a circular of a cider preservative. 
-♦- 
To Destroy Rats. 
When in small numbers, these may be easily 
got rid of by placing food near their runs for a 
few nights till they have regularly devour'd it, 
and then poisoning the same. But where they 
harbor numerouslv, poisoning is too slow an 
operation, and, moreover, there are generally 
some astute old fellows, that, prepare traps and 
poison ever so cunningly, are too wary to be 
caught by them. 
One of the best methods I have ever tried 
under such circumstances, to calch rats, is to 
take four joist posts about four feet long, and 
nail 12 to 13-feet boards to them, about two 
inches apart from bottom to top. This makes 
an ample pen, which should be set near where 
the rats are most abuudant. In setting the 
pen. put 4 inch square blocks under the posts, 
so that the rats can run under the lower board, 
easily into it. Now spread corn, oats, or any 
thing they are fond of over the ground iu6ide 
the peD, then lay down three 4 inch square 
joists equidistant, and floor these with boards. 
Let the pen remain thus for a week or so. by 
which time the rats will have made it a great 
harbor for themselves. Now lake the blocks 
from uoder the posts, and the lower boards of 
the pen will come so near to the ground that the 
rats cannot escape underneath, and being so 
high thi.y cannot leap over. Then put in one 
or more terrier dogs, take out the floor boards, 
aud you will see rare sport. I found upwards 
of 20 rats in a pen of this description oue morn¬ 
ing andasmill rough-haired terrier bitch of 
mine, killed every one in a few minutes. She 
would jump and catch the rat by the back of 
the neck, breaking it with a single grip. After 
she hud done this, she went leisurely round 
over them, one after the other, and if she found 
any still kicking or showing life, she gave it 
another grip on the neck, and thus settled the 
matter with the rats. 
It is astonishing what complete rat warrens 
many of onr farmers make of their barns and 
outbuildings. Instead of having their sills and 
floors close to the ground, they should be raised 
two feet or more from it; cats and dogs can then 
easily run under and prevent rats and other 
vermin from harborbing there. a. b. a. 
Jnintstrial Implements. 
THE HG0SIER GRAIN DRILL. 
The three main considerations in planting 
grain are;—effective planting, economy of 
seed, and the production of most grain to the 
acre. These three objects are secured by 
planting with a good drill, such as that 
we here present to the notice of our readers in 
the Improved Hoosier Grain Drill, manufac¬ 
tured by the Hoosier Drill Company of Rich¬ 
mond, Ind. The best experience is that the 
separate distribution of seed is as essential to 
the growing of large crops of coru as to the 
growing of large crops of cabbage. The drill 
under consideration drops, with great regu¬ 
larity, oue grain iu a place, and is so arranged 
that it can be adjusted to deposit them 12, 16 
or 20 inches apart, to suit the requirements of 
various kinds of soil. It also, at the same oper¬ 
ation, does the covering uniformly in depth, 
aud its covering shares can be adjusted to 
cover deep or shallow. 
There is economy iu its use from the fact 
that no thiuning is necessary, and no replant¬ 
ing either. In ease good seed is used. The fol¬ 
lowing calculation will fully demonstrate that 
no corn grower can afford to be without at 
least one good drill. Take, for instance, a crop 
of forty acres. An increased yield of ten bush¬ 
els per acre, which is very moderate as the in¬ 
crease is often twenty bushels, will make a 
total increase of 400 bushels over hilled corn. 
This, at fifty cents per bushel, gives a clear gain 
of $200 ilie first season, as the time and labor 
saved will fully pay for the drill. At only 
twenty-five cents per bushel ibere is still a net 
gain of $100, which is a neat little sum. 
An attachment for planting bean?, peas, 
broom corn aud sorghum goes withevery drill, 
free of charge. We strongly advise all who 
may need a grain drill to write for full partic¬ 
ulars of the above drill, which will be prompt¬ 
ly furnished gratis by the manufacturers. 
-- 
Since our full description of the Acme har¬ 
row, iu the issue of Feb 14, we have heard quite 
a number of good reports of the implement 
from subscribers aud others, and would cer¬ 
tainly advise all in need of such a device to ob¬ 
tain a full account of this implement by apply¬ 
ing to Nash & Bro., 22 College Place, N. Y. 
