AUS. 28 
THE BUBAL HEW-YOBKEB. 
These are seedlings of the Delaware, and this 
is their second year of fruiting. No. 3 is from 
an uncommonly vigorous vine—its Becond 
fruit crop. No. 4 is white, very sweet and 
delicate—the second fruit crop. Next sea¬ 
son the hunches will be doable the size, 
as the vino is strong and vigorous. No. 
5, white, is from a two-year-old vine, its 
first fruit. It is not quite ripe. To give you 
nearly their relative time of llpening, I give the 
time each of them began to show color as 
follows: No 1 on July 2 ; Early Victor, July 
7 ; Moore’s Early, July 21 ; No. 3, July 22; and 
Concord, July 20. 
We cannot in Kansas grow any of the choice 
hybrids or tender varieties as they universally 
mildew, blight, rot and winter-kill to such an 
extent that they are worthless in open ground 
culture. I do get a few bunches occasionally 
from Catawba, Iona, Delaware, Salem, etc., 
with the greatest care and protection. My ex¬ 
perience. for the last dozen years has been with 
seeds from the most hardy varieties calculated 
to succeed anywhere without mildew or 
blight.” 
Remarks. —Early Victor shows fine quali¬ 
ties. Compact bunch, strong skin. Better 
than Coucord for table and no doubt an ex¬ 
cellent sort for wine, as Mr, Burr intimates. 
No. 1. as stated, was too shriveled to enable 
us to judge as to its quality. We should say 
it is a very 6weet grape. No. 2 also seems of 
a rich flavor. It is hard to believe that No’s 
1 and 2 are Delaware seedlings. They bear 
no resemblance at all to their pareut. No. 4 
(white) is sweet and delicious. The grapes, 
judging from bunches sent, are variable in size. 
It is hard to form any judgment that is worth 
anything from single specimens. The Early 
Victor, judging from what we see, will prove 
a valuable acquisition. All were received in 
good order. 
ABOUT SEEDLING POTATOES. 
It is incorrect to talk about hybrid seedling 
(so-called) Irish potatoes. All of our culti¬ 
vated potatoes belong to one class—Solatium 
tuburosum. A now seedling is a new variety 
only. From some cause they seem to have be¬ 
come barren at seed balls ; I think f nr the rea¬ 
son suggested in the editorial of July 14—want 
of pollen. I have been bullied iu the same 
way. Garnet Chili and Brownell’s Beauty are 
most apt to carry pollen. Occasionally a sea¬ 
son comes when other varieties carry it. Or¬ 
dinarily the flowers abort for want of it. I 
once had a seedling that ran to seed bulls in¬ 
stead of tubers. If the wild potato from Col¬ 
orado—Solatium Fendiorj—could be used, a 
true hybrid would result. All my efforts in 
this direction in this climate are failures, usu¬ 
ally tor the same icasou ou acoouut of which 
you failed. But there are others. I can 
furnish the seed of this potato for this purpose. 
Another climate might result more favorably. 
The tubers are not quite us large as hickory- 
nuts. Thu flavor and quality are good. The 
Pueblo Indiana arc very fond of them. They 
do not seem to be affected with Peronospora 
inlcstaus—the fungus that causes potato rot. 
I feur any attempt to improve the size of the 
tubers by cultivation is likewise a failure ; the 
plaut does not seem to respond to improved 
conditions; still, further time may solve the 
problem favorably. D. S. Marvin. 
[We have always contended that the word 
“ hybrid ” ought not to be applied to crosses 
between vaiieties of ihe same species. But 
what we cau't understand is that all new kinds 
arc introduced to the public as being crosses 
between this, that and the other, when from 
70 different kinds which wu are now growing, 
we have not yet succeeded iu procuring a 
grain of pollen. Ag.iin, we cannot understand 
how packets of “hybridized ” seeds can be sold 
for 25 or 50 cents each by seedsmeu.— Eds.] 
jlrimtiftc anil Useful. 
LIGHTNING SODS. 
In the reply to W. S. on this subject, you 
say that It Is a disputed question, “whether 
the discharge of lightuing is conducted away 
ou the surface,-or through Ihe body of the 
rod.” and also “use no insulators.” If the 
Editor who wrote the reply will study the 
priuclnles ot the “Leyden jar” and the “In¬ 
sulated stool,” as used in. connection with 
the electrical machine, he will find that the 
capacity ot the Leyden jar is in exact propor¬ 
tion to the surface covered by the tin foil in¬ 
sult; and outside, and that insulation* is the only 
method known which will confine the electric 
fluid within any desired limits. 
These two points comprise the main princi¬ 
ples of lightning rods. There Is no doubt that 
a conducting lube is much better than a 
conducting iod, as it has more surface, and 
that without insulation the electricity is very 
table to be diverted from the conductor by 
any metallic body near its course, as nails, t 
spikes, clamps or spouting, or by any wet sur- t 
face, water being a natural conductor. c 
The popular idea is that lightning always f 
comes down a rod, while the fact is that it as 
often goes up from the supercharged earth to ( 
a uegative cloud. Electricity constantly seeks t 
an equilibrium ; when a cloud or the earth is 1 
overcharged it is said to be positive; if under- 1 
charged, it is negative, and a thunder storm s 
merely restores the equilibrium, which la*ts I 
only until the friction of a cloud through Ihe i 
denser atmosphere creates an excess and then i 
it unloads, often at the expense of any ill pro¬ 
tected terrestrial object, or iuto a negative 
cloud, there being always a mutual attraction 
between positive aud negative bodies. A tube 
of the same outside diameter as a rod has 
nearly twice its conducting capacity, because 
the inner surface is also effective. 
Copper is the best conductor of electricity; 
it does not rust, requires no paiut. is stiff in 
tube shape, and is only objectionable when 
cost is an object. In 185ti I put upon a buikl- 
iug in Philadelphia six copper tubes six inches 
iu diameter, arranged both as water and light¬ 
uing conductors; the structure has never been 
struck by lightning. 
Lightuing will pass quietly and harmlessly 
down a rod which has a sharp point, but if the 
point is blunt an explosion takes place produc¬ 
ing thunder and damage. Rods in time, after 
having received many charges of electricity, 
become melted at the point aDd thus blunted, 
and are theu liable, with a heavy charge, to 
destroy the building, and in that condition are 
more dangerous than no rod, as they really at¬ 
tract the ch arge to the building. 
Oue hour’s time spent with an electrical ma¬ 
chine, having Leyden jars, insulated stools, 
thuuder house, connecting chains, discharging 
rods, electrometers, etc-, will teach a thinking 
mau more than half the books ever written on 
the subject, because every writer, with scarcely 
an exception, has a hobby of his own based 
upon theory and not upon experience. Sixty 
years ago my father was the ouly manufactur¬ 
er in this country of philosophical instruments 
for colleges, and from the age of ten years I 
have been familiar with electricity practically. 
I will conclude by giving the essential points 
in a safe lightuiug rod. First,*a platina poiut, 
because it resists corrosion aud intense beat 
better than any other metal; second, a copper 
tube, because copper is the best conductor and 
a tube gives the moat surface; third, glass in¬ 
sulators, because glass is the best non-conduc¬ 
tor; fourth, a termination in water or moist 
soil, because water is the best disseminator; 
and, finally, a straight, plain, perpendicular 
surface, to allow the lightuing to pass off in¬ 
stantly. as every bend, twist or curve is only 
an impediment, liable to divert the fluid from 
the rod to the building. 
Let it be clearly undrstood that a lightning 
rod attracts thunder clouds to a building 
which the building itself would not attract, 
and the necessity of a good and sufficient con¬ 
ductor is plain enough. A rod is a powerful 
attractor at all times, and if it is not a perfect¬ 
ly safe conductor take it down as soon as pos¬ 
sible. S. Rufus Mason. 
Dodge Co., Neb. 
* Note the care used to perfectly insulate telegrauh 
wires. 
Remarks.— So little has yet been ascertained 
with regard to the nature and mode of action 
of atmosph eric electricity that there is a good 
deal of room for differences of opinion on 
many points connected with it, and, in fact, 
we find wide variauce in the views ot the most 
noted electricians. While Sir W. S. Harris, 
perhaps the best authority ou lightuiug rods, 
agrees with our friend, Mr. Mason, that extent 
of surface, rather than quantity of metal iu 
the conductor, is the measure of its Dower, 
many other electricians hold the contrary 
opinion, so that among such conflicting views 
of those who have made electricity a special 
study, with all the advantages obtainable from 
the appliances mentioned by our frieud, it is 
hardly safe as yet to dogmatize on the subject. 
For ourselves, after considerable study of the 
matter, we are decidedly of the same opinion 
as Mr. Mason, although we deemed it right to 
state, iu the article referred to, that there are 
still doubts a< out the point on the part of those 
whose thorough acquaintance with the study 
entitles their opinions to respectful considera¬ 
tion. 
The insulation of the rod from the building 
we hold, as stated, to be oojcctionable. Sir 
W. S. Harris, 6ays“ The practice is not only 
useless, but disadvantageous, and is manifest¬ 
ly Inconsistent with the principles ou which 
conductors are applied.” Dr. Fraukliu says: 
“The rod maybe fastened to wall, chimney, 
etc., with staples of iron. The lightuiug will 
not leave the rod to pass into the wall through 
the Btaples. It would rather, if it were iu tue 
wall, pass out into the rod to get more readily 
by that conductor to the earth." As to the 
, insulation of telegraph wires, our friend seems 
i tofoigeiihe vest difference betweeu the Ui - 
L sion of Voltaic electricity aud lricuo al elec- 
r trioiiy, lightniDg being of the nature ot the 
? latter. It is a matter of frequent observation 
that whenever lightning strikes the telegraph 
wire, it jumps from the wire to the posts, fre¬ 
quently tearing a number of them to pieces, a 
fact that seems to be conclusive on this point. 
The idea that fighting rods attract lightning 
or thunder clouds to the buildiDg to which 
they are attached, is opposed to the opinion of 
leading electricians aud to probability. It is 
hardly likely that »u agent which moves with 
such terrible celerily and force can be deflected 
from Us course bv a small piece of metal in 
the form of a conductor. With most of the 
other remarks made by our friend we agree. 
NEW-JERSEY AGRICULTURAL 
MaNT STATION. 
EXPERI- 
Tiih following analyses of ground bone have 
been made from samples that are now in our 
markets, August, 1880: 
tom of a bed ten feet deep. Let us not say 
farewell to the seeds of foul weeds that we 
plow under; we will soon see them again in 
another form. 
Cyrus Dicks labored harder than any farmer 
in town all day blustering about the farm, all 
night borrowing money to carry himself through 
the next day. He began to shingle his house, 
and built a cumbersome scaffold ou all sides, 
which was standing five vears afterwards, with 
bunches of shingles unopened, and the roof still 
leaking. Gates were purchased, but never 
hung. Cattle browned in the grain fields B rn 
doors bring on one binge. Forlorn children 
skuMted ahont the npologv for a home The 
patient, wife had long since heen buried. 
When a man discovers that, he lacks hrains he 
bad better give up farming. Cvrus might have 
succeeded in a grocery or a factory, as P-esi 
dent of an insurance company, or a member 
of Congress. 
Monroe Co., N. Y. Charles. A. Green. 
The Black Rat of our Ancestors, 
Seeing the article on this subject, in the 
Rurad New-Yorker of July 14. It mav per¬ 
haps be of some interest to your readers to 
know that this animal still exists in mv house 
and premises. How he has escaped the almost 
universal fate which has overtaken his breth¬ 
ren I cannot say. He receives no protection 
from me. bnt is killed in common with the 
other rats. I am told that the number of 
brown rats killed greatly exceeds the number 
of black rats. Occasionally one has been 
caught alive to furnish a specimen for a nat¬ 
uralist. My house is very old, having been 
built in the reign of Edward IV., and it is 
evident that in the recesses of this rambling 
old place the black rat has managed to hold 
his own against the modern intruder. I have 
been told that a few are to be found in one of 
the old breweries in London, but, with these 
exceptions, as far as I know, the rat of our an¬ 
cestors has ceased to exist in this country. 
Rothamsted, St. Albans, Eng. J. B. Lawes. 
* These samples are sold under the name of 
bone dust, and as such they have been analyzed 
aud their values estimated. They really con¬ 
tain soluble phosphoric acid—31 having two 
per cent., and 84, 11 per cent, of that substance. 
This variation from ground bone should be 
published iu the manufacturer's statements of 
composition. When used in the computation 
of values, it brings their estimated values oue 
or two dollars a ton higher than given in our 
table. Both these fertilizers have been widely 
sold, and largely aud satisfactorily used. 
It is probable that the manufacturers have 
put a little acid sulphate of soda in the grouud 
bone to keep it from heating in the barrels or 
bags; aud this has rendered the bone soluble, 
aud makes it quicker in its action. 
15. Crescent Bone, made by Lister Brothers, 
Newark. From stock of Elias Runyon & Sons, 
New Brunswick. Sample was taken by the 
Station, and it was in good condition. 
2ff. Pure Grouud Bone Fine, manufactured 
by Mapes’ Formula and Peruvian Guano Co., 
158 Front St., N. Y. From stock of A. Ver- 
meule & Sou, New Brunswick. It was sampled 
by the Station. Iu good condition. 
81, Allentown Bone Manure, manufactured 
by the Allentown Manufacturing Co., Allen¬ 
town, Pa- From stock of C. M. Norton, 
Hightstowu. In good condition. Sampled by 
Geo. B MeCheency. 
34. Celebrated Ground Brone, manufactured 
by Lister Brothers. Newark. From stock of 
C. M, Norton, lligUtstown. In good condition. 
Sampled by Geo. B. McChesney. 
88 Pure Grouud Bone, manufactured by E. 
Wahl, Philadelphia. From stock of W. Fitz¬ 
gerald & Co., Camden. Sampled and sintby 
S. L. Burrough, MerehamyUIe. In good con¬ 
dition. 
41. Pure Bone Sawings, made by H. Preston 
Sons, Greenpoiut, L. I, From stock of G. 
F. Doughton, Moorestown. Sampled and sent 
by Johu S. Collins, Moorestown. Condition 
very good. 
43. Fine Bone Dust, manufactured at Peter 
Cooper’s Glue Factory, 17 Burling Slip, N. Y. 
Sampled and sent by John Wilson, Middlebush. 
<£&trp|}frt. 
Various. 
FACTS AND OPINIONS. 
Don’t kill that toad, my boy ; like he looks 
auidle tramp, but is in reality attending closely 
to business and earns his board and clothes as 
houestly as you, and doesn’t disturb the melon 
patches either. 
Soon body claims to have produced a thrifty 
plunl tioui a blscknerry S8td found lu the 
su.mach of a m tu buried oue hundred jeais. 
I have seen Canada Thistles spring up thickly, 
without delay, in muck hoisted from the bol- 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Canada, Ilderton, Ont, Aug. 10. — The 
weather being favorable the harvest will be 
finished this week, aud as considerable grain 
has been ihrashed, wc are in a position to 
form some estimate of the result of the season 
of 1880 from an agricultural stand-point for 
this section of the Province. Fall wheat is 
yielding remarkably well—from25 to 40 bushels 
per acre. The average will be SO bushels or 
over. The varieties mostly grown are the 
Clawson and Scott—the latter is generally pre¬ 
ferred, it being a very good millers' wheat as 
well as hardy and prolific, the only objection 
to it being the fault of shedding easily in har¬ 
vesting if left until ripe. A large acreage will 
probably be sown this Fall. Of barley a 
smaller breadth was sow T n than usual and the 
continued rains at the time it was coming 
through the ground seemed to give snch a 
check to the growth that the plant looked 
yellow and stuuted and never fairly recovered. 
Taking the small acreage and light crop in 
connection with the dark and stained color of 
mo6t samples it is fair to predict a good price 
for the best malting offerings. Oats are very 
heavy and badly lodged and twisted. I never 
remember seeing such long heavy straw, but I 
doubt whelh r the yield will be proportionate. 
The Australian or White Maue seems to be the 
favorite variety. Spring wheat is a complete 
failure. This last season will have about fin¬ 
ished the growth of this grain in Western On¬ 
tario. Why our farmers would persist for the 
last three ur four years in attempting to grow 
this crop only sh» ws how ha<d it is to move 
the agriculturist out of a beaten track. It is 
doubtful it Spring wh^at for the last three years 
has, on an average, yielded seven bushels per 
aero. Of peas all that can be said is “ lehabod ” 
—scarcely any sown. The bug has been so bad 
that our couuty councils are petitioning the 
Legislature to prohibit the growth of this 
legume for two or three years. Formerly it 
was one of our most profitable crops, not alone 
for its feeding properties, but more as being 
such an excellent preparatory crop for Fall 
wheat. The hay crop was large though much 
was spoiled by the continued rains at the lime 
of cutting. This moisture helped the pastures 
considerably, though not the cattie grazing 
thereon. As a rule, steers (of which large 
numbers are grazed in this vicinity) have 
done Ladly and so have lambs ; they are large 
enough but poor. The batchers inform me 
they have scarcely seen a fat lamb this season; 
sheep can endure any amount ot cold, but can’t 
thrive when their fleeces are saturated with 
wet. R ’Ots a>e laigc and better at this t'me 
ot year lb an 1 ever knew, wnee the wei ds 
have been kipt dowu nd thinning done at ite 
proper season ; but it has been a tmi d light; 
the rainBof the Spring and eaily Summer were 
