294 
THE BUBAL I'lEW-YOBiEB. 
H 
chines and other farm implements. The floo 
in the horse-stable is perfectly tight with a 
slight inclination, so that the liquid can run 
into the hog-pen, and the manure is dropped 
through trap doors either into the hog-peu or 
cow-stable, as tnay be desired. 
In the third story is the thrashing floor, F, 
which is sunk two feet below the rest in order 
to drive in under the plate. The bridge-from 
the embankment is shown at B. The frame 
is of hemlock, covered with pine boards one 
foot wide and battened with molded battens 
31 inches wide. The roof is covered with 
Michigan pine shingles and surmounted by a 
ventilator. 
Mu. Clark has an improved stanchion of 
which the following is a description:— 
STANCHION FOR CATTLE.—FIG. 141. 
The fastening, f is made of f-inch round 
iron, with an eye at each end. This is fastened 
on top of the top piece, e, by staples through 
the eyes. This fastening has the advantage 
over most others, that the cattle cannot reach 
it with their horns and unfasten themselves, 
as they sometimes do with others. The 
stanchions are represented as closed \ a is a 
lever running the entire length of them; be¬ 
hind each latch, d, is a pin, c, iu the lever. 
The lever runs loosely, and when the cows 
are turned out, It slides back; when they 
again come in their places, by pushing the 
lever from left to right, the pin c pushes the 
latch cl, in place, and the fastening / runs up 
the incline b , and drops down, and the latch is 
closed. M. E. Merchant 
Chenango Co., N. Y. 
SOME NEW EVIDENCE IN RESPECT TO 
WEEVIL-EATEN PEAS. 
PROFESSOR F. H. STORER. 
The Austrian, Prof. Marek, reports as the re¬ 
sult of his investigation of weevil-eateu peas, 
that out of every 100 peas actually attacked by 
the weevil only 20 germinate on the average; 
that is to say, SO per cent, of them are absolute¬ 
ly uselessas seed, Among the 13 varietiesgrown 
by him, it was noticed that sugar peas were 
more readily attacked by the weevil than field 
peas, and that, as was to huve been expected, 
two kinds which were sown three weeks earlier 
than the others suffered special damage. The 
Bishop’s pea was chosen for his more detailed 
experiments, and of every 100 seeds of this 
variety from 38 to 43 were attacked by the 
weevil, that is, 40 per cent, on the average. 
Ou weighing samples of sound and damaged 
seeds, it appeared that a giveu number of the 
latter were 23 pev cent, lighter than the same 
number of sound peas. Out of every 100 of 
the damaged peas it could bo seen that the 
radicle and plumule of 74 were so much eaten 
that they were manifestly unfit for germina¬ 
tion, uud only 13 soeds were found in 100 with 
their radicle aud plumule unharmed; that is 
to say, the gnawed portions of the seeds were 
generally precisely those which are most es¬ 
sential for germination, and the risk is all 
the greater since these more vital parts of the 
seed (the so-called germ) are proportionally 
very small. Indeed Prof. Marek found, on 
trial, in 100 peas dried at 212°, that (he plumule 
and radicle amounted to ouly one part, while 
the skiu of the pea was equal to seven and a 
half parts, and the cotyledons to 91 parts and 
a quarter. These results corroborate the Ru¬ 
ral New-Yorker's experiments that there is 
very great, risk in using woevil-eaten samples 
of peas for seed, aud that the practice is not to 
he commended. It will be noticed that these 
experiments directly contradict the idea which 
has been urged by some writers, that the wee¬ 
vil is apt to cat the matter of the cotyledons 
rather thau that of the germ. 
| IProt. Marek has likewise tested the vari¬ 
ous methods of combating the weevil, which 
have been published, with the result that the 
vapor of bisulphide of carbon particularly 
approved itself. It was not ouly the best of 
the chemicals employed, but was the cheapest 
also, account being taken of its comparative 
efficiency, and it is easily applied. Nothing 
more is needed than a box which can be closed 
air-tight, into which the peas are put, imme¬ 
diately after harvesting, together with a saucer 
or two of liquid bisulphide ot carbon. The box 
is then closed and left to itself. In three or 
four hours’ time the weevils will certainly all 
be killed, while the seeds retain their original 
form. They may be kept through the winter 
without further damage from the weevil, aud 
are in a salable condition ; though Prof. Marek 
recommends that, in using such seeds, from 25 
to 35 per cent, more of them should be sown 
than would be needed if every pea were per¬ 
fect. Next to the bisulphide ©f carbon, he 
found sulphide of ammonium au efficient 
agent, but it is somewhat objectionable in that 
it colors the peas and imparts to them a rather 
persistent and not agreeable odor. The vapors 
of alcohol, other and prussic acid, applied iu 
the same way as those of the bisulphide of 
carbon, all served a good purpose for killing 
the weevil, though the ether is hazardous ou ac¬ 
count of its easy inflammability, aud the polsou- 
ous property of the prussic acid would natural¬ 
ly exclude it from common use. Probably the 
light naphtha distilled from Pennsylvania pe¬ 
troleum. could be used with advantage, iu the 
same way as the bisulphide of carbon, if proper 
care were taken in handling this highly in¬ 
flammable liquid. 
The idea of leaving the peas until the second 
year with the view that the beetles shall die 
oil in the course ot the summer, aud so leave 
the seed free from insects, is an error, aiuce 
the bugs do more harm while they are alive 
than there is gained by finally getting rid of 
them. By using solutions of chemicals, such 
as the. sulpboearbonutcs and xautlmtes of pot¬ 
ash or soda, or carbolic acid, the bugs may be 
killed without substantial detriment to the 
seeds, but the process is inconvenient since the 
seeds swell up in the liquids and need to be 
spread oul and dried, unless they are to be 
planted immediately. But special appliances 
arc needed for these operations, and cure must 
be taken to avoid mold, and, at the best, the 
seeds become crumpled and wrinkled and lose 
the good appearance which iB needed to make 
them salable. The old method of baking the 
peas to kill the weevil La not particularly com¬ 
mendable, since the iusects are usually not all 
killed by it, while there is considerable risk of 
injuring the germ!native power of the seed. 
Moreover, it gives the peas a dry, faded appear¬ 
ance, as if they had been kept for years. 
HORTICULTURAL EXPERIENCE IN 
ALABAMA. 
The climate of this locality is liable to frost 
from Oct. 15 until May, aud to freezes after 
rains during nearly as long a time. My soil is 
a thin forest loam over sandy clay, with no 
lime discernible within reach. The forest 
growth consists of Hickories, the White, Red, 
Black and Chestnut Oaks, Maple, Gum, Sassa¬ 
fras, Pine, Sumach, Chestnut and Grape-vines 
—chiefly Labrneca. 
Squashes.— Of the fine Northern squashes, 
I have planted packets marked Hubbard, 
Butman, Marblehead, Cocoa-nut and Yokaha- 
ma. The only one of these that ever lived 
out its season and fruited well is the Cocoa- 
nut, and even this is generally, like the 
rest, early ruined by a white worm that 
eats out the pith of the vine, entering at any 
part of it. The so-called Hubbard, indeed, 
bore a little, but its fruit was nothing like that 
described. Ou the other hand, the Kershaw, 
large, white-necked, is never attacked by this 
worm aud suffers little from the squash bug. 
it is a nice sort, but liable to rot about mid¬ 
winter. 
Turnips. —I sowed, early last spring, the 
Sweet German turnip and later, the Jersey Na¬ 
vel. The Sweet Geiraan was good through the 
summer, despite drought, and I ate it until 
after frost, while the Navet became tough and 
worthless after a few weeks. Both Sweet 
German and German Teltow produced tough 
and tender root9 in the same bed and at the 
6ame lime. 
The Ciiufa does not sprout until about July, 
and is killed by either drought or frost; conse¬ 
quently it is worthless as forage and cannot 
hold its own with the native grasses, but dies 
out as soon as you cease cultivating it. 
The Tiuomphk do Gang Strawberry 
withstands heat and cold well, but will not fruit 
welliu strong, stiffisb alluvial ground, where 
all growth is most luxuriant. 
The Sweet Vernal Grass cannot live 
without so much weeding and watering that it 
is really worthless on the mouutain. 
Beets :— Vilmorin’s Sugar is less thrifty, 
less vivacious, aud makes greater demands on 
culture than the mangel-wurzel, but the latter 
is no forage plant here, as described at the 
North aud in England, aud its large root, 
worthless for the tabic, is also slighted by 
stock when they can get any thing else to eat. 
A good thrifty beet and carrot are much need¬ 
ed for milk in winter. I shall now try Lane’s 
Sugar. I suppose that a sandy soil favors 
the production of sugar as is shown in Florida 
by the sugar-caue and the orange, and here by 
sorghum, peaches, melons, etc., but some po¬ 
tency latent in the seed must determine both 
the nature and quantity of secretions. When 
at college, in N. C.,Prof. Mitchell at Chapel Hill, 
who had studied the geology and mineralogy 
of that region, affirmed that he could tell by 
the quality of sweet potatoes on which side of 
a line they were grown, the said line being the 
limit of the sand stone formation in that 
vicinity. At the North 1 never found, except 
iu New Jersey, a sweet potato worth eating ; 
but I doubt if the growers know enough to 
procure the right sort of seed potatoes. This 
plaht reaches perfection about Wilmington, 
N. C. I have met with none of equal quality 
out of the Caroliuas; but Southeastern 
Georgia supplies the same conditions and, I 
suppose, with the same results. 
THIRD FLOOR.—FIG. 144, 
Beans present to soils remarkable tests. 
Here, for example, the Royal Dwarf Kidney, 
the White Marrow, the Algerian Pole Wax, 
the Limas and several speckled beaus 
thrive and yield abundantly, while Ferry’s 
Golden Dwarf Wax and Hawley’s Scarlet- 
runner hardly bear at all. They probably re¬ 
quire some specific manure. 
In chemical analyses it is evidently impor¬ 
tant to designate the variety as well as species 
operated upon, and unless the chemist can 
differentiate varieties by the proportions of 
their relative constituents, his art is not ade¬ 
quate to the. problems of horticulture. While 
the Hickory is the dominant growth here, I 
cannot get a Pecan nnt to germinate. Certain 
Figs and the 8baw Cantelope grow luxuriantly, 
yet will not ripen their fruit. Gardeners need 
chemical tables exact and complete for the 
soils in which given varieties have reached 
perfection, aud also thermometrieal tables of 
the bottom heats, as well as of the atmospheric 
ranges of temperature. Difficulties in the 
germination of seeds oppose a chief obstacle to 
the popular development of both useful and 
ornamental cultures.—E. M. Lazarus, m. d. 
Marshall Co., Ala. 
-- 
THE CHERRY AS A LAWN, SHADE AND 
ORNAMENTAL TREE. 
E. WILLIAMS. 
Tn years past the fruit-planting mania has 
been confined chiefly to the Apple, Pear and 
Peach, the Cherry, save to a limited extent, 
being almost entirely ignored. This, no doubt, 
.is due to the fact that the former offer a more 
reasonable prospect for certain profit in the 
way of a family or market supply, the latter 
being less certain of yielding a regular 6lore of 
fruit, and the object of this brief article is, not 
to com in end its extensive planting for the mar¬ 
ket, but for home use and embellish incut. In 
making up ft collection of trees for Iho lawn or 
about the house for shade, the Cherry could be 
very appropriately used to a considerable ex¬ 
tent. 
Among the long list of varieties, the habits 
of growth and the variation in foliage cover a 
wide range, and when clothed iu royal robes of 
while blossoms in early spring, with (he green 
leaves surmountiug the whole by way of con¬ 
trast, there are few trees more beautiful for the 
lawn. The blossoms very seldom fail, aud if 
succeeded by a crop of fruit, or even by a par¬ 
tial one, it is just so much in Its favor over a 
merely deciduous tree, and wbat reasonable 
objection is there to combining the useful with 
the ornamental iu this way, save that it is not 
iu strict accord with the established rules of 
ornamental planting. I favor and commend 
the innovation, if such it is.. Childhood's re¬ 
collections of thousands of once happy coun¬ 
try homes would lose half their charms if di¬ 
vested of the old Mazzard or Black Cherries 
and their associations. While, there are hun¬ 
dreds and thousands of amateur and profes¬ 
sional fruit growers iu the country, who can 
count their varieties of Apples and Pears by 
fifties and hundreds, those whose fingers’ ends 
will not suffice to number the kinds of their 
Cherries are comparatively limited. 
Formerly Cherries were classified In three 
divisions : 
1st. Heart varieties—those of tender, sweet 
flesh. 
2d. Bigarreaus—with firm or solid flesh. 
3d. Dukes and Morcllos—wilh acjd flsh. 
The increase iu number of varieties, however, 
and the modifications of the distinctive char¬ 
acteristics of the second class—tho firm flesh— 
have been so great as to make it difficult to 
tell where the tender flesh of the Hearts leaves 
off or the firm flesh of the Bigarreaus begins, 
so that those of rapid aud free growth am 
grouped together in one class, and the Dukes 
and Morcllos, being of dwarfer habits, comprise 
the second class; hut to the uneducated in 
poraolgical lore all out cherries are embraced 
under the names of white and black Ox-Hearts, 
Euglish red, or pie cherry, and the common 
black; and to talk to muny of the different va¬ 
rieties by name is to talk in an unknown 
tongue. 
Twenty years ago Downing, in his “Fruits 
aud Fruit Trees of America,” enumerates and 
describes over 100 varieties of the first class 
aud over 25 of the second class, many of 
which, however, are but little known. 
Among the leading aud best known kinds of 
the first class may be named: Yellow Spanish, 
Napoleon Bigarrcau, Roekport Bigarreau, 
Coo’s Transparent, F.lton, Governor Wood, 
Cleveland Bigarreau, Ohio Beauty, Early Pur¬ 
ple Guigne. Black Tartarian, Black Eagle, Tra- 
descanl’e Black Heart, Downer’s Late Red, etc. 
Of the secoud class are May Duke, lieine 
Hortense, Bell Magnifiqne, Belle de Choisy, 
Early Richmond, Late Duke, etc. 
The blaek-knot sometimes and in some local¬ 
ities proves disastrous to the latter class, ren¬ 
dering ibem more uncertain than the others, 
while the fruit of the first class is largely de¬ 
pendent on the condition of the wcatuer at the 
time of ripening, a few dull, warm days often 
sufficing to destroy the whole crop. Still, with 
all these uncertain lies in view, 1 advise plant¬ 
ing them more liberally than is usually done, 
for ornament as well as for use. A few bush¬ 
els or even quarts of nice, perfect cherries are 
a good thing to have iu their seasou. If the 
eurculioa manage to stiug all of a light crop, 
the birds can take care of the young larvic and 
the cherries too at the same time, and sing 
their sweetest songs wliilesodoing. I udmitttis 
rather provoking at times to have them take 
the “ lieu's share," aud more, too, but the shade 
aud beauty of tho tree are yours, and to insure 
a share of the fruit, plant a few more trees. 
