OCT. 9 
670 
THE RURAL MEW-YORKER. 
${jt {liiupri. 
LADY WASHINGTON GRAPE. 
In the Rural New-Yorker of Nov. 10th., 
1877, was presented a portrait of this grape. 
But although it represented accurately the 
bunch from which the drawing was made, 
yet that bunch was considerably under the 
usual average size. Mr. Ricketts (Newburgh, 
N. Y.) brought several bunches to this office 
a week or so ago. from one of which our pres¬ 
ent illustration is made. 
This grape has been sold during the past 
year. It is beautiful in appearance and of ex¬ 
cellent quality, so that it only remains to be 
secu how well or ill it is adapted to various 
localities. The vine with us is very vigorous, 
bearing large leaves. The berry is, as may 
be seen, medium to large, round, yellowish 
with a lint of delicate pink where exposed to 
the sun. aud covered with a thin, fine bloom. 
The Ile6h is soft, iender, juicy, sweet and good. 
Ripens with Concord. 
The “Beta.”—ANew Seeding Grave.— Mr. 
P. R. G. Atwill. of Woodinont, Conn., sends 
us specimens of a new seedling grape, of 
which be writes“ Six years ago in thinning a 
bed of beets, I fouud a grape seed just started. 
As it grew, 1 trained it to a stake, and at the 
end of the season it had made some six feet of 
growth. That Fall it was transplanted to the 
side of a board fence where it has remained 
since. It now has a spread of 1C feet aud has 
fruited for the third time. It is perfectly 
hardy, aud thus far free from mildew. The 
fruit begins to ripen between tbe Hartford and 
Concord. At tbe time thi6 seedling was found 
no grape bad been grown in tbe neighborhood 
of the gaideu.it i6 therefore a chance seed, 
ling. Tbe bunches are not as large or as per¬ 
fect as last season, owing to the number of 
rose bugs that infested the vine during the 
time of blossoming. From the place in which 
it was found—a bed of beets—I have given it 
the name of ' Beta.’ ’’ 
Remarks. Bunches rather small—compact. 
Berries white, medium size, globular. About 
the quality of Concord. These bunches, 
though loose in the box, arrived in perfect 
order. The skin seems firm though not tough, 
and the berry may prove valuable for the 
market.— Eds. 
|ontolo|ital, 
FRUITS AT THE MICHIGAN STATE FAIR. 
T. T. ETON. 
When we consider tbe abundance of the 
fruit crop of the past Beason in our State, we 
are forced to the conclusion that our recent 
State fair has not, so far as the exhibit of 
fruits is concerned, realized all that may have 
been reasonably anticipated. Pomological 
Hail although welt filled, was less crowded 
than usual. Plums and quinces were quite as 
fine aud the display nearly or quite as exten¬ 
sive as he etoiore. Among grapes, pears and 
peaebee there were many excellent exhibits, 
althoi gh in diminished quautity. So far as 
peaches are concerned this may fairly be at¬ 
tributed to the extreme warmth and wetness of 
the season, which seem to have had the effect 
to bt iug the early and the later varieties very 
nearly together in ripening, maturing them 
at so early a period that those usually in 
season were ripe and gone too early for this 
purpose; while the occurrence of hot and wet 
weather for a week or more, just prior to the 
fair, induced the rot, even among varieties 
usually exempt from such a malady, ruining 
many thousands of bushels in the peach-grow¬ 
ing regions and compelling the premature 
shipment of large quantities of the fruit at 
far from profitable rates. For this reason, 
doubtless, many varieties usually prominent 
in inhibits, were almost, il not altogether, 
unrepresented. 
The display of aDples was nearly or quite as 
large as usual; and the quality very satisfac¬ 
tory. A notable circumstance connected with 
this part of the exhibit was the conspicuous 
absence of the larv® of the codlmg moth, as 
well as of overgrown specimens, and also of 
the scabby and defective fruits that so gener¬ 
ally mar our collections. These latter results 
may doubtless r e attributed to the general 
bountifulness of the crop preventing excessive 
development; and to a favorable season, with 
the consequent exemption from fungus, crack¬ 
ing and weather discolorations. To these we 
may add the fact that the preceding Winter 
was doubtless fatal in an unusual degree to 
many of tbe insect depredators upon our 
trees as well as fruits. 
Tbe reasons that under the above circum¬ 
stances, have conspired to occasion a dimin¬ 
ished exhibit, a6 compared with previous less 
plentiful seasons, must of course be sought in 
other directions. Those charged with the 
duty of working up and bringing together 
this exhibit may have relied too much upon 
the bountifnlness of the crop of fruit; while, 
at the same time, those intending to exhibit 
may have been deterred by tbe autieipati u of 
a surfeit; but to those fully conversant with 
tbe matter, the result will be in a great degree 
attributed to the well-known fact that, in tbe 
face of the notorious lack of space for last 
year’s exhibit, in the same hall, the Agricul¬ 
tural Society, whose duty it was, had an¬ 
nounced its determination not to increase the 
space for this purpose. 
In the absence of professional exhibits of 
plants and flowers, the room was occupied by 
amateurs and smaller dealers ; and although 
tbe space was by no means crowded, tbe 
quality is believed to have been a decided im¬ 
provement upou the display of the previous 
year. 
The officers of the State Pomological (now 
Horticultural) Society, who have now for sev¬ 
eral years been in charge of the display of 
fruits and flowers, have been earnestly en¬ 
gaged in th • effort to perfect these portions of 
tbe Premium List, together with tbe system of 
examining, awarding aud reporting premiums, 
with tbe purpose of rendering the whole as at- 
tive as possible, and at the Bame time Increas¬ 
ing its educational influence. To this end the 
rule is imperative that no exhibitor shall be al¬ 
lowed to compete for a premium with a speci¬ 
men which he has not correctly -mined ; while in 
all collections for specific objects, bis own 
judgment as to tbe relative values of varieties 
is made to appear in their selection. On the 
other hand, superintendents of divisions are 
selected with reference to their ability as 
judges, and are constituted chairmen of 
their respective committees, and supplied 
with blank reports designating the par¬ 
ticulars which are expected to constitute 
such report; aiming by such means to secure, 
in 6uch reports, the opinions of the committee 
as to tbe relative values of the fruits in ques¬ 
tion. In the making of the awards they are 
required “ to consider, 1st. the value of the 
varieties for the required purpose; 2nd, the 
color, size aud evenness of the specimens; 3rd, 
their freedom from insect marks or other 
blemishes." This system of awarding pre¬ 
miums has now been in operation three or 
four years, with such slight modifications as 
have been suggested by experience; and since 
exhibitors and committees have become 
familiar with them, they Beem (as during the 
recent exhibition) to have proved highly satis¬ 
factory to all concerned. 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL FARM. 
harrowed. No manure or fertilizer of any 
kind was applied. It is very plain from this 
report that tbe statement made by several ag¬ 
ricultural papers that the seeds of cow-peas 
would not ripen in this latitude is a mistake. 
As anybody that chooses to visit this farm may 
see, some of the kinds are loaded with pods, 
some of which, as above noted, began to ripen 
in August.. The vines are still green, fresh 
and growing. For the thriftiest of those men¬ 
tioned six feet apart are too little. Unless 
6harp frosts should come earlier thau usual, 
the vines will still make considerable lateral 
growth, and they have already entirely covered 
the space allotted to them. 
have been saved bad our farmers a better 
knowledge on tbe subject. o. a. g.. JR- 
Kino Plant Label*. 
P. B. M., in a late Rural, says: “A label 
* boom’ is greatly needed.” It is a matter of 
no little importance. I like to use a pencil 
and a common lead one, too—none of those 
patent affairs for me. Take strips of zinc, 
either new or old, it matters little which, and 
write came, date, etc., thereon, with an ordi¬ 
nary lead pencil. The writing may not be 
verj distinct at first, especially if the zinc is 
new, but it will soon become so, and will re¬ 
main for many years perfectly legible. How 
such an inscription made with plumbago on a 
zinc surface becomes practically ineffaceable 
may interest tbe scientific student, and the fact 
should not fail to arouse the attention of the 
practical horticulturist. 
Way, Kansas. Ena mug R Gale. 
Remarks. —President Gale stated the above 
in the Rural Nrw-Torker two or three years 
ago—the writer of this cannot at this time 
give tbe date, not being at tbe “Rural 
Grounds.” Bat we wrote his name, the year, 
month and day upon a zinc label with an ordi¬ 
nary lead pencil, aud attached it to an elm 
tree where it now remains. The letters are 
now more distinct than the day they were 
written. Pages have been written about plant 
labels and the necessity of some invention 
which should combine cheapness, durability, 
etc. Now, does not this one of Professor Gale 
Bolye the problem?— Eds. 
JitO) Crop. 
Cow-Pea Report. 
Eleven different varieties of this Dolicbos, 
which is neither bean nor pea, were received 
from W. B. Jones, of Herndon, Ga., and planted 
in drills six feet apart—one seed every six 
inches, May 18. Every other plant, where all 
grew, was hoed out, leaving them 12 inches 
apart in the drills. 
Whippoorwill or Java has grown two feet 
in hight and spread out six feet. It began to 
ripen fruit (seeds and pods) 8ept. 5th. 
(Jonok Pea has grown oue foot in hight, 
spreading out over the ground 12 feet. It has 
not yet (Sept. 18) bloomed. It covers the 
go and so entirely that only a green mat of 
leaves can be seen. 
Goat Pea has grown two feet high. Pods 
began to ripen Sept. 1st. It has made but little 
vine, spreading out only two to three feet. 
Poor Land Pea.—T his does not prove the 
best of the eleven varieties, as earlier we sup¬ 
posed it would. It has grown two feet in hight, 
spreading out four feet. Seeds were ripe Aug’t. 
15. and have been forming and ripening ever 
since. 
Black-eve Crowder.— Only a few seeds 
germinated. The vines are low, spreading out 
and covering the grouud for a space of six 
feet. No fruit has formed. 
Little Lady Pea. —Low vines, spreading 
over four feet of ground. In bloom Sept. 15. 
Cannot ripen its seeds. 
Little Black. —Immense vines, two feet 
high, spreading out 11 feet aud covering the 
ground with a dense mat of vines and leaves. 
Fruit began to ripen 8ept. 10. 
Three Crop Pea.— Poor growth of vines. 
Ripens Sept. 15. 
Tory Pea. —The same may be said of this as 
of Little Black. 
Early Favorite. —The Bame may be said 
of this as of Tory and Little Black. 
Red Ripper.— Same aB of Tory, Little Black 
and Early Favorite. 
Goose Pea. —This grows low and does not 
cover the ground well. Ripens a great quan¬ 
tity of fruit; spreads out eight to ten feet. 
Fruit (pods) average eight inchei in length 
with 20 seeds each. 
The land where these peas grow had been in 
pasture for Beveu years. This was plowed and 
Wheats.— Professor Blount writes us : “By 
this mail 1 send you a small quantity, each, of 
the Eldorado, the Black Bearded Centennial 
aud my Hybrid No. 10 wheat. The latter Is 
but two years old. It 1 b the progeny of the 
Diehl, as father, and of the Virginia Golden 
Straw, as mother. It is a beautiful sample. 
Of course it is not * fixed ’ yet. The Centen¬ 
nial I send is an enormous wheat and, what 
is moat wonderful about it, some beads are 
smooth, the rest bearded. There are from 70 
to 100 grains in every head; heads four and 
one-half inches long and nearly three-quarters 
of an inch in diameter, clo»e and entirely filled, 
with not a single spikelet vacant ” 
[Received and sown. Many thanks. Eds.J 
THICK vs. THIN SEEDING. 
The question of thick or thin seeding is just 
now receiving considerable attention from 
farmers through agricultuial papers and Far¬ 
mers’ Clubs. It Is a question of no little im¬ 
portance, aud should be carefully considered 
by every farmer. From the differing and con¬ 
flicting opiuions that I hear expressed on this 
subject by farmers themselves, and from my 
own experience and observation, I have come 
to tbe conclusion that the question of thick or 
thin seeding is governed almost solely by the 
character of the Boil and the way in which it 
is prepared. 
In the report in a late Rural of the experi¬ 
ments conducted by Professor I. P Roberts, of 
Cornell University, who obtftiued the greatest 
yield from wheat with seed sown at the rate of 
three bushels per acre, we are led to believe in 
heavy seeding. But, on the other baud, we 
hear experienced, practical farmers report, 
through our (Elmira) Farmer’s Club, that the 
best results were received from thin seediug. 
My experience has demonstrated to me that 
while thick seeding is advisable on a thin soil, 
thin seeding will give the best results if the 
soil is rich and in good condition otherwise. 
Tbe same rule applies in a measure to the 
preparation of the soil. If we sow our wheat 
on cloddy, lumpy fields we must apply more 
seed per acre iu order to obtain a good yield, 
though the soil may be rich in fertility; but, on 
the other hand, if the wheat ground be care¬ 
fully and thoroughly prepared, a leas quantity 
of seed will be required; for in tbe latter case 
good Beed will grow, whereas if tbe soil is hard 
aud very lumpy, much of the seed must perish, 
It is probable that tbe soil on which Professor 
Roberts experimented, where tbe best yield 
was received from wheat sown at the rate of 
three bushels per acre, was rather thin. Had 
the soil been deep and rich, doubtleBshis tables 
would have appeared quite different. Iu favor 
of thin seeding 1 will add that most of our best 
crops of wheat, us far back as my memory 
goes, have been produced from thin seediug. 
In one Instance we harvested 40 bushels per 
acre (the largest yield of wheat we have ever 
realized), from Beed sown at the rate of 1J 
bushel per acre. 
The Becret of success iu growing wheat is 
in having a good soil and giving it a thorough 
preparation before the seed is sown. When 
this has been accomplished let the seed be 
drilled in at the proper time, and of the proper 
thickness, which should vary with the condi¬ 
tion of tho soil, and there need be little fear of 
failure. 
The question of thick or thin seeding applies 
to all kinds of grain as well as to wheat. 
Doubtless millions of bushels of grain are 
wasted annually from over-seeding, that might 
fair]) $nsbanDry. 
THE DAIRY COW-NO. 10. 
HENRY STEWART. 
Setting Milk Tor Cream. 
The greatest mistakes in the dairy are made 
in setting the milk for cream. In the family 
dairy, where one cow supplies milk and butter, 
the arrangements are usually better than in 
some farm dairies. Here tbe arrangements 
are often Burprisingly bad. I have seen the 
milk of four cows set in a sleeping-room, and 
under the bed. The young woman who man¬ 
aged that dairy prided herself ou her good 
butter. What she knew of bad butter must 
have been fearful to contemplate. In some 
farm-bouseB tbe milk is set in tbe living-room 
where the cooking and eating arc done, and 
where, in tbe evening, the farmer and the 
hired man smoke their pipes and dry their wet 
boots and socks under tbe stove. No wonder 
some persons prefer oleomargarine to butter 
made in that fashion. If these lines come 
imder the notice of anyone, man or woman, 
who keepB milk under such circumstances as 
these, or in any way approaching to them, I 
would say to him or her, that good butter can¬ 
not be made in that way, and the labor spent 
over it is only half or quarter paid for. 
The first necessity in setting the milk is per¬ 
fect purity of place and surroundings. Then 
there should be the following adjuncts: 
A moderate circulation of fresh and moist 
air. 
Shelves raised at least three feet from the 
ground. 
A temperature not over GO ° in Summer, and 
not below 45° in Winter. 
Perfectly clean utensils, aud very littl e 
light. 
It matters little bow or where these con¬ 
ditions are secured; that they are secured is 
sufficient. The following reasons may be 
given; viz., milk readily absorbs odors aud 
the odors are concentrated in the cream , with 
stagnant air the natural odor of the fresh milk, 
which is disagreeable to some persons, cannot 
be removed ; iu the dry air tbe cream becomes 
of a leathery toughness aud often produces 
specks iu tbe butter, aud always makes au in¬ 
ferior quality. When milk is kept on the 
grouud in a cellar or milk-house, it is brought 
into contact with the coldest air in which all 
the bad odors of the place are condensed. At 
a higher temperature thau HO o the milk will 
Bour and often chicken before tbe cream has 
risen, and to have the best butter, the cream 
should be taken from sweet milk. At a lower 
tern peratnre than 45 o tbe color of the cream 
iB much lightened, and tbe butter will be too 
light in color; besides, there is danger of freez¬ 
ing, and frozen cream will not make good 
butter. If the milk paus are not quite sweet 
aud clean, the milk will sour too soon.’ With 
too much light the butter will not have the 
rich, deep color that is desired. 
When tbe milk is brought iu from the cow- 
stable or the shed, it is strained at once into 
the paus, aud these are put away in the plaee 
provided for them. If it is not strained at 
once, some cream will rise, if the milk is rich, 
und tills cream will be caught in the meBbes of 
the Btrainer and be lost. Before tbe milk Is 
poured out of the pail it is safe to first pour 
out a quart or bo and return this into the pall; 
this will remove any stray hairs that may have 
fallen on to the outside of the strainer Bpoul 
or lip of the pail. This is more especially ad¬ 
visable with those pails tbe strainer of which 
cannot be wipt d with a dean cloth. The im¬ 
proved strainer pail, described in tbe last 
article—which, by the way, is my own inven¬ 
tion and is not patented—may be easily 
cleaned or wiped to remove any hair, dust 
or other impurity which may have fallen on 
it. In placing the milk paus on the shelves, 
it will be found convenient to have them ar¬ 
ranged in regular order and to retain this order 
always, bo that there is never any doubt about 
the right pans to be skimmed. The shelves 
may be arranged so as to make this very easy 
and not to move any pans; but if but one shelf 
