age to our winter wheat crop. The early va¬ 
rieties, and more especially the Red May, had 
jointed before rain came, and is now heading 
quite short, and much of it is being replowed 
aud plauted in corn. The later varieties are 
very much improved since the rain, aud will 
make a fair average iu the eastern half of the 
State. That which was well put in, wifi be 
good; but under the most favorable circum¬ 
stances, the entire wheat crop of the State 
cannot yield more than half an average. In 
the frontier counties lying just west of the 
center of the State, the wheat crop will be 
almost a complete failure. 
Farmers are beginning to see the fallacy of 
depending altogether on one crop in a climate 
and latitude so favorable to the production of 
a large variety of crops and so favorable to 
stock raising and fruit growing. Hereafter 
wheat-raising will not be made so much of a 
specialty, aud diversified farming will become 
more the rule. Every farmer now wantscattle 
and sheep, the demand for the latter being so 
great that sheep dealers cannot supply it. 
The acreage of corn and forage plants this 
season will be greatly increased over that of 
previous years, and for these the season so far 
has been very favorable. The introduction of 
Doura, or Egyptian corn, into Western Kansas 
is one of the wouders of agricultural produc¬ 
tion. The past dry season has forced the far¬ 
mers of that region to cultivate such crops as 
are best adapted to their climate, and Doura, 
Sorgbum aud Broom-corn, all of the sugar- 
caue family, seem to be specially suited to their 
wants, and this fact, coupled with the quanti¬ 
tative analysis made by the State Board of Ag¬ 
riculture, showing Doura to be superior to 
Indian eorn aud equal with wheat in nutritive 
qualities, has given an impetus to its propa¬ 
gation, that is scarcely credible. Pawnee 
county alone will plant 8,000 to 10,000 acres 
this season, where two years ago it wub almost 
unknown. 
The tenacity with which Kansas fruit clings 
to life is a surprise to all. Six different times 
during last winter and Epring the fruit buds 
were reported by the farmers to be entirely 
killed, yet to-day the trees are well stocked 
with fruit, and the crop will be but little short 
of an average one. The weather for the past 
week has been warm—winds easterly and 
southerly, with almost daily thunder showers 
in some parts of the State. I have just learned 
that a fine shower of ram visited the upper 
Arkansas valley on the 13th, which will help 
the grass aud bring joy. to the hearts of the 
cattle men aud sheep men of that portion of 
the State. Showers sufficient to benefit the 
grass have also visited some of the northwest 
counties in the past week. h. r. h. 
Topeka, May 12. 
- » ♦ ♦ - 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
III., Highland, Madison Go., May 10th.— 
During these last two weeks we had very dry 
weather, but the raiu is falling at last. The 
wind storms of last April have done some 
damage around here; houses were unroofed, 
apple trees uprooted, etc. Roads are in very 
good condition. Very little grain is being 
hauled to market, farmers being all too busy 
with corn planting—some corn planted a week 
ago is already up. Wheat is very fine, iu some 
places the heads are all out. Many self-biud- 
ing harvesters will be bought this season. 
c. R. 
Kanb., Fontana, Miami Co., May 10.—The 
weather has been so dry here for 6t> long a 
time that it has ruined the wheat crop with 
the help of the chinch-bugs. The prospect for 
fruit, however, is good at present. Apples, 
peaches, pears, grapes, blackberries, cherries 
and plums, will all be abundant. w. r. 
New York, Elmira, Chemung Co., May 17.— 
With the exception of a few cold days the past 
week, with frosts on ihe nights of May 13 and 
14, the spring thus far has beeu decidedly 
favorable for farmers. The weather lias been 
good for doing all kinds of Bpring work, aud 
farmers generally are well up with the season, 
spring planting having been pretty well fin¬ 
ished. As far us I am able to learn, the frosts 
have done little harm, aud if we escape having 
more the fruit crop in this section will be 
abuudaut. The successive hard frosts a year 
ago completely destroyed the fruit crops on 
many farms hereabouts, so that many orchards 
took a vacation last summer: hence they have 
blossomed unusually full this spriug. Ou 
looking over our orchards, 1 fiud many blos¬ 
soms destroyed; but many yet remain uuiu- 
jured, so that I judge fruit will bo plentiful. 
Indeed, 1 believe the frosts have beeu an advan¬ 
tage to our fruit growers, as they may have 
prevented an over-production, which is not 
to be desired. I speak more generally of 
Apples. Small fruits, especially Strawberries, 
have suffered some from the frosts, aud the 
yield from many beds will be materially les¬ 
sened, I believe. The tobacco crop of the '79’s 
growth has beeu about all bought up uud the 
unsold crops being so few aud scattering, 
buyers have loft the Held, The crop generally 
has sold low, averaging, I believe, not more 
than 9 or 10 cents per pound. But despite the 
low prices farmers are preparing for an in¬ 
crease rather than a decrease in acreage. I 
am soiry for this, for a large acreage means 
poor crops and low prices. The tobacco- 
growing business has reached a stage, I believe, 
where only the best soil aod culture will yield 
profitable returns to the grower. Not a few 
beginners make a serious mistake in planting 
out too many acres, Blinking to get rich in a 
few years. Experienced growers have learned 
that one acre of good tobacco will yield more 
profit than two acres of poor. o. a. q. jr. 
New York, Corning, Steuben Co., May 30.— 
Fruit prospects at the present time are good, 
as everything is blossomed full. On the night 
of April 30, the grouud froze hard, aud on the 
9th lust., at 1 P. M., the thermometer marked93 
deg. intheshade. The condition of winter wheat 
is improving rapidly and promises a better 
crop than we expected. We have had a great 
deal of high winds this spring, and forest fires 
are doing much damage to forests aud crops, 
and destroying many buildings and miles and 
miles of fence. Swallows made their appear¬ 
ance the38th ult. I shonld judge from what 
I am able to learn, that a considerable area of 
Amber cane will be planted. A larger acreage 
has been sown to oats than last year. Planting 
is progressing slowly and work is crowding 
us, for we have to fight fire so much we cannot 
keep up. f. h. d. 
Texas, Fredericksburg, Gillespie Co., May 
8.—Owing to drought aud cold spells last 
winter wheat crops have been looking bad, 
and will turn out below au average. No dis¬ 
ease, except a little rust. No signs of the fly. 
Wheat is a very uncertain crop in this section. 
There has been no material increase of acre¬ 
age under it this year. a. l. 
(fumst, 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
[Every query uniat be accompanied by the name and 
address of the writer to insure attention.] 
Corn Fodder, Hay and Corn Meal. 
B. P., Jr., Corning, N. Y., asks whether 
corn-stalks can be cut flue enough to feed 
without much waste, to horses, cattle, etc., 
what would be the relative value of dry stalks 
compared with good hay or ground eorn. 
Ans. —We suppose our correspondent intends 
to ask the comparative value of corn fodder 
when used as a part of the ration. It is not a 
complete food in itself, and although its value 
may be compared with that of hay and corn- 
meal, yet it is not to be inferred from this 
that it would be profitable to feed wholly upon 
it, as it is deficient in albuminoids; still it may 
be made an important part of the food for 
wintering stock. 
In the following table we compare corn fod¬ 
der In various conditions, as green fodder, 
dried when in tassel, and late-cut, dried corn 
stalks, showing the wide difference in values 
OREEN FODDER. 
Norfolk White maize.... 
Southern “ “ _ 
Hungarian grass. 
Average grass. 
HAY. 
AvernKG hay. 
Dry corn stalks. 
Cured com fodder. 
Corn meal. 
FOODS. 
-1 go cc 
COCO O CO 0*0 
Water. 
1 
to to "ti to *—U/!—bo 
Ash. 
jopwp coco —o 
1 b -4 J^tOCob 
Albumi¬ 
noids- 
Woody 
liber. 
C 
r§ 
tOiU-t'd — 
MCtCO) C3Drf.A. 
aobbcw 
-J £C £c 4- —►— 
•c •- -o -U Ql—trffc. 
co»-* — u> ~ooo 
biecoo* ec^toco 
Carbo¬ 
hydrates. 
Q ° 
2® 
* 
Fat 
-OCC r— P j-pCO 
to t L -* k- ' - 1 1 
JO CO -J e— M f— — J — J 
tciuoc 10010)^4 
Albumi¬ 
noids. 
Carbohy¬ 
drates. 
-j 
poop 
b b to b b» to’—*— 
Fat. 
<-v ~ 
b XT £ ao co a, x a 
— ^jtob 
N Utritive ratio. 
i—ooo oooo 
issbs 
Dollars 
per loo lbs. 
Mousy 
value. 
*—o o »-* o ooo 
8S8g 
Compared 
with av. 
Hay—$1. 
This table gives a good comparison of corn 
fodder in all its various conditions. Southern 
White, cut when In tassel, and having 85,7 of 
water, has u ratio of 1; 9 3. as good even as corn 
meal; and then it will be seen that nicely cured 
corn fodder, cut at the right time, has a nutri¬ 
tive ratio of 1:14.4, whilst dry, common corn 
stalks, cut after the corn is ripe, have a nutri. 
tive ratio of 1:34.4—the former being nine- 
tenths as valuable as average hay. and the lat¬ 
ter being a little more than half the value. 
The reader will understand that the nutritive 
ratio means that the food contains one of albu¬ 
minoids, or muscle-forming matter, to so many 
of carbohydrates, or heat and fat-prodneing 
elements. Now for oxen at rest or store ani¬ 
mals, 1:13 has beeu fouud sufficient; but for 
growing or fattening animals, or nilleb cows, 
about 1:5 is necessary to produce a good re¬ 
sult, and it will bo seen that corn fodder, in 
its best estate, is not rich enough in muscle¬ 
forming substance. The best clover hay has a 
nutritive ratio of 1:5, which accounts for its 
being so excellent in growing young stock. 
Average meadow hay keeps store stock well, 
but it will not grow young animals or fatten 
older ones fast enough for profit. Even these 
need some more nitrogenous food, Buch as 
wheat or other bran, oil or cotton-sccd meal, 
or a mixture of the best clover hay. 
Now, if corn is harvested early, say as soon 
as the ear begins to glaze, and put up in good- 
sized, well-bound shockB, the stalks may be 
used to good advantage by cutting them short 
and feeding with them two pounds of good 
bran to the bushel of cut stalks, or, better still, 
half a pound of oil meal and a pound and a 
half of bran to the buBhel of cut Btalks. Mois¬ 
ten the stalks and Bift on the ground meal, stir¬ 
ring all together, and let it lie in a mass for a few 
hours and warm np, but not ferment too much. 
The object of cutting the stalks is to render 
them more easily masticated, and by mixing 
the more palatable leaves and Bmall stems with 
the coarser parts, have them all eaten together. 
The whole stalk should be utilized, and when 
it is shaved up into three-sixteenth inch lengths 
the tough rind is broken into shreds, and it all 
becomes palatable to Btock, especially after 
mixing the bran, or oil-meal and bran with it, 
as above described. Don't allow any one to 
beguile you into cutting corn Btalks two inches 
loug, on the plea that the pieces will lie Hat 
and not hurt the mouth. Stalks will be still 
Hatter if you don’t cut them at all. If it is an 
advantage to cut at all, the advantage contin¬ 
ues in the same proportion down to a fine 
chaff. When shaved up as described, no aui- 
mal's mouth will be hurt in masticating them. 
If the feeder has the advantage of an engine to 
cut with, he may go still further, and after he 
has mixed up the cut eorn lodder and bran, 
place it all in a steam box aud let on the steam 
and cook all soft. A thorough worker will re. 
port mo6t favorably on the experiment. But 
it will be a cheap and good way to winter stock 
without cooking. 
Queries About Sheep. 
H. W. Himtingilon, Pa., asks, 1, which is the 
most profitable sheep—fine-wooled or coarse- 
wooled; 3, why does fine wool bring only the 
same price as coarse, when the clip is only half 
as much. Our friend remarks that if there is 
really no difference in price, farmers should 
ponder on the matter with a view to getting 
rid of their fine-wooled sheep. He sends ns a 
sample of wool from what are suppoaed to 
be Merino-South-Down sheep, and asks ,3, our 
opinion of it. The sheep are very hardy and 
clip five or six pounds of wool. Some of them 
have lately been worried by dogs that bit them 
under the fore-legs, making holes from the 
size of a buck-shot to that of a bullet. They 
bled very freely, mortification soon set m and 
they died; and he asks, 4, whether the presence 
of goats with the fiock would be likely to prove 
a protection agaiust dogs; and whether bells 
are of auy real use in that connection, of which 
he is a trifle skeptical inasmuch as some of his 
worried sheep were so “protected," and he 
also wants to learn, 5, what is the best treatment 
for sheep bitten by dogs. 
Ans.— 1. There are several reasons why some 
farmers keep fine-wool sheep and some coarse- 
wool. “Many men of many minds," and 
many farmers could not keep long-wool sheep 
if they wished to. Long-wools are heavy- 
bodied sheep which require high feeding, the 
best of care and a good deal of skill for suc¬ 
cess, while any one can keep the fine-wool 
sheep which are able, iu fact, to take care of 
themselves. Coarse, long wool is in request 
for the coarse, open-textured cloths that are 
now fashionable both for men's aud women's 
clothing, and fine wool is used for the less 
used broadcloths and cassimerei, and the soft 
cashmeres aud French merino still worn by 
ladies who are less demonstrative in dress than 
the majority at the present. The home woolen 
manufacture now uses every class of wool from 
the poorest Texau and Californian to the finest, 
merino aud the longest and most lustrous Lin¬ 
coln ; aud there is importunity for farmers to 
grow iust what suits them best, aud always be 
sure of a market- But while the fashions 
change suddenly and so greatly, there will 
always be differences in the value of wool, and 
one cannot always be chaugiug his plans aud 
his flocks. The most profitable sheep now are 
the cross-breeds. In England these are the 
Shropshire^, Hampshires and Oxfordshires; 
and in America the grade Merinos, the Cots- 
wold-Meriuos, the Merino-Cotswolds and the 
Merino-Soath-Downs. 3. Some years ago merino 
wool was worth $1 a pound, aud small 80- 
pound sheep sold theu for $1,000 a head; but 
it became unfashionable to wear broadcloth 
and, suddenly, the fine-wool Merinos were 
worth no mote thau their skins, and the Cots- 
wold and Leicesters took their place in the 
estimation of enthusiastic speculators and far¬ 
mers. The reason why they have not “ come 
down like a stick" alter having “gone up like 
a rocket," is that these sheep are very difficult 
to raise and but few farmers can keep them 
with success. The probability is that long, 
coarse wool will always be 10 eents a pound 
higher than fine merino on this account, and 
because we cannot grow enough at home to 
supply our wants, and have to import it from 
Canada and England. 3. The sample of wool 
sent is an excellent medium clothing wool, and 
will probably sell for as much as the best full- 
blood merino, because it is uBed for such 
staples as flannels, blankets, and popular makes 
of cloth. 4. Goats are no protection to sheep nor 
are bells. The belief is a popular fallacy, enter¬ 
tained only by those who know nothing of 
dog-nature. 5, When a sheep is bitten by a dog, 
the wounds should be dressed thoroughly with 
turpentine to cause suppuration before healing 
takes place. 
Remedies for Gapes In Fowls. 
G.F., Troy, Ini., having been very unfor¬ 
tunate in losing chickens by gayies, asks for a 
remedy. 
Ans.— An effective remedy for this thinner of 
the poultry yard is that described by Gen. No¬ 
ble, in our issue of Jan. 25, '79. He slaked a 
barrel of lime-wash to about the thickness of 
paint, and into this stirred from ten to twelve 
pounds of sulphur flour. Into each pailful 
used, he mixed a tablespoouful of carbolic 
acid, and with a brush sloshed every part of 
the hennery, roosts, floor and walla with the 
mixture. This was repeated several times, 
especially with each new brood, to the entire 
disappearance of gapes from among his poul¬ 
try. Of course, a smaller quantity of all the 
ingredients would suffice for smaller quarters 
for fowls. As related in a Rural Brevity iu 
our issue of June 7th, '79, a friend of ours has 
found an effective remedy in dry, caustic lime. 
a pinch of it was dropped into the bird’s 
throat, which was then let go, and by next day 
it had recovered. That’s about the easiest 
“cure’ we know. A trifle more troublesome is 
that found out by an Englishman, as told in 
the Rural, July 19th, '79. Taking two parts 
of Bulphur aud one of salt, he mixed them 
with water to the consistency of thick cream— 
using the Auger to mix tho sulphur, as it 
doesn't readily mix with water. Then having 
dipped a feather into the mixture lie thrust it 
about three inches down the bird’s throat, 
working it up and down a few times, and re¬ 
peated the operation three or four times at in¬ 
tervals of a couple of days. A still easier rem¬ 
edy is one given in our issue of Aug. 9th, ’79, 
by a correspondent who got rid of the pests by 
simply removing the chickens and their coops 
away from the house, and placing them under 
a tree in the orchard or meadow, having mow¬ 
ed the grass where there was any. Iu the 
Rural of Nov. 8th, '79, Col. Curtis tells how 
he cured a chick of gapes by making it inhale 
tobacco smoke until it was stupified. This he 
did by placing the little wretch iu a coop with 
a vessel by its side, containing burning tobacco, 
the smoke of which was prevented from escap¬ 
ing by means of a covering over the coop. The 
above is a condensation of the chief remedies 
for this ailment, given in the Rural last year, 
and about as many are given every year, so 
that if our friend had saved all the back 
numbers, 6he would probably have saved all, 
or most, of her chicks too. 
Timber Preservation. 
U. B. J., Langsville, 0., asks, 1, whether there 
is any better mode of preserving timber than 
by treating it with lime, as described in the 
“Querist” last week, cost considered; 2, is 
there any marked difference in the durability 
of timber cut now, in the fall, or in winter. 
Ans.— 1. There is no easier and better method, 
all things considered, than that with lime, for 
preserving timber, because it is so cheaply and 
readily practiced. There are many other 
methods, as saturating with creosote; sulphate 
of zinc; and other chemical antiseptic sub¬ 
stances, known as “ kyanizing,” “ buruetiz- 
ing," etc., based either on the substances used 
or the inventors’ names; but they need machin¬ 
ery, tanks, hydraulic presses, etc., which are 
not available for general use. 3. Timber cut in 
August or September, when in full leaf, is the 
most durable. The leaves should be left on to 
draw out the sap before the trees are trimmed. 
The timber seasons very rapidly afterwards. 
If the bark is removed from timber when it is 
cut, it seasons rapidly, and no “ powder post ” 
or other insect damage is incurred, because 
the surface hardens rapidly and the beetles 
find it difficult to bore into it to deposit eggs, 
or else find no shelter for them. 
G-. C. AT., Picton, Ont., Canada,, asks for the 
address of a reliable dealer in eggs in this 
city. 
Ans.—A n examination of our advertising 
columns—often an interesting and always an 
instructive part of the paper—will show the 
name of E. <fc O. Ward, 379 Washington St., 
whom we can recommend. 
-—«-►-•- 
Communications received fob the week ending 
Saturday, May 82d. 
W. N. W„ thanks.—A. B. A.—G. G., Jr., thanks 
-II. R. H„ thanks.—J. A. P.—J. E. B.-J. T. L.— 
J. G. A—K & C.—G. E. N.-L. S. 11.—J. L.—E. M. 
K. —E. W—J. S. S.—P. H. D., thanks.—J. W.—N. 
J. S.—A. L. J.—C. If.—R. E.—M.—A. B. A.—A. L.— 
A. B. A—II. S.— L. S. H.—A. L. J.—“ May Maple.” 
J. A., thanks.—N. 8.—J. E. M. C. —C. E. J.—J. H. 
D.—n.—Jot —R. C. H.—W. L.—N. R. Foxte.—W. 
C—R. H.—T. L. O. K. R.—M. S.—T. H. R.—W. L. 
S.—X. Y. Z.—A Subscriber.—R. A.—T. B., thanks. 
