OCT. 46 
9 
r 
own neighborhoods. Success or failure for 
one year, however, is no absolute proof of the 
fitness or unfitness of a plant or seed for any 
particular locality, as various specially favor¬ 
able or unfavorable conditions of seed, season 
or cultivation may in a single case deter¬ 
mine this point in a direction contrary to the 
result of a series of years. See- Cow-pea re¬ 
port last week, 
li. J. W., Wallaburj , Er.w Co., Pa., ask» 
what is tbetrue name of the wheat thereabout* 
called “Log Cabin;' 1 2, is Blount's Prolific 
Corn suitable for that latitude—42 deg north, 
and if so, where can it be had. 
Ans. —1. We do not know. 2, It has thriven 
as far north in many cases; though several of 
our reports from that latitude have been un¬ 
favorable. It will grow earlier, however 
and anyhow a small experimental plot 
would help to decide the question. It can be 
had from B. Iv. Bliss & Sons., 34 Barclay St., 
or J. M. Thorburn & Co., 15 John St., thi* 
city. 
J. O. II, Richfield, Utah, asks, 1, which is 
the best knitting machine and what is the price; 
2, whero can information be obtained about 
taxes on goods sent from that place to this. 
Ans. —1, See advertisement of the Twombly 
Knitting Machine in this issue, and send P. O. 
card for price etc- It’s as good as any we 
know of. 2, No taxes are levied on goods sent 
from one part of the country to another, by 
the municipal, State or general government, 
which alone can levy taxes. Freight charges, 
however, are often called taxes on industry, 
and what these are can be learned at the next 
railroad station. 
C. M. Y., Marshall, Minn., aiks where can 
Blount’s White Prolific Corn be bought; its 
price per bushel, and whether it would be 
likely to do well so far north as central Minne¬ 
sota ; 2, where can he get a bushel of Mold’s 
Ennobled Oats- The oats from the Rural’s 
Free Seed Distribution gave the heaviest yield 
he has ever seen. 
Ans. —1, Blouut’sCorn, we fear, would hardly 
mature so far north. 3, B. K. Bliss dt Son., of 
this city can furnish the oats, and this is at 
present the only firm we kuow of that can. 
W. S -, Brown's Park, Utah, asks whether a 
windmill and pump would do to pump water 
for irrigating purposes out of the Green River 
on whose bank his place is—the land being 
eight feet higher than the surface of the river. 
Ans.—Y es. A good windmill, such as any 
of those advertised in the Rural, would prob¬ 
ably be the very best means of getting np 
water for that purpose. Should a large area 
require irrigation, of course more than one 
windmill would be needed. 
J. W. S., Pitkin, Col, ask3 the best author¬ 
ity on cranberry culture, and where plants can 
be purchased in quantity. 
Ans.— White’s Cranberry Culture, #1.25, 
Eastwood on the Cranberry, 75c., are as good 
as any. To be had through the Am. NewB Co.. 
N. Y. City. The subject is treated in a briefer 
way in several works on the culture ol small 
fruits. Cuttings can be had through J. T. 
Lovett, Little Silver, N. J., or of most promi¬ 
nent nurserymen. 
0. B. 8., Seymour, Win., asks us to send him 
the White Elephant Potato; but he is one of 
several who have applied for our Free Seed 
Distribution without iuclosing the two 
three cent stamps—half of the postage which 
we are obliged to pay. Our last Distribution 
was sent to hundreds who inclosed no stamp* 
for postage. But we shall not do so again. 
Those who are unwilling to pay half the post¬ 
age are not the persons who, as a rule, would 
give our seeds the careful test they deserve. 
J. D. (I., Cambridgeborough, l J a., sends for 
name a leaf of a plant which, he says, grew from 
one of the seeds sent out by the Rural in '79. 
Ans. —We do not recognize the leaf as be¬ 
longing to anj of the 6eeds or plants we have 
sent out. It looks like that of a Canna. 
W. W. W. Griffin, Ga., has soma land which 
he intends to reclaim from a salt marsh, and 
he asks whether it would be an excellent place 
for growing asparagus. 
Ans. —Yes. 
D. E. Me A., Tryon, M't., 2Y. C., says be has 
forwarded specimens of fruits from Tryon 
Mountain. 
Ans. —They have not been received. 
2Y. S., Nineveh, IY. Y., says he sent some 
specimen grapes for name. 
Ans. —They huve not arrived here. 
J. U. 8., Alpena, Mich., asks what is the 
proper season for girdling grape vines." 
Ans. —As soon as the fruit is set. 
veria is not nearly as tender as is generally 
supposed. 
Attention, Pigeon Fanciers! 
27. 8. B., East SchMack, N. Y., asks some 
one well “posted,” to tell him, 1, how to raise 
pigeons; 2, how to prevent them from llying 
toother folks’ premises; 3, will they breed in 
confinement, and, 4, will they thrive with 
their wings clipped. 
[Remark.—Speaking for ourselves, the only 
trouble that we have had with pigeons is that 
they increase too fast. We do not tbffik they 
would do well if coufined, though, doubtless, 
they would breed. The propensity of pigeons 
to wander over neighboring premises is one 
that cannot be controlled except by giving 
them every care which would induce them to 
remain at home.—Eds.] 
Mixed inneou*. 
J. A. 8., Greencaslle, Pa,, says that he for¬ 
warded to us a specimen of wheat properly 
marked for identification, with his initials and 
address, and asks its right name ; thereabouts 
it is called Anlcuey, and is quite a popular 
sort. 3, A couple of agents are there selling a 
wheat they call Golden Chaff Eureka; it is a 
smooth wheat which they claim grows un¬ 
usually tall, with heads from five to six inches 
in length, contaiuiug from 50 to GO grains and 
yielding from 40 to 50 bushels per acre. It is 
said to have been grown in this State. 
swer to tbiB question, as so much depends up¬ 
on conditions that vary greatly in different 
cases. Young pigs, say from five to eight 
months old, gaiu in weight much more, from 
the same quantity of food, than older ones. 
Some breeds too gain more than others, and 
all the recognized breeds, more than “scrub” 
animals. Then again, the temperature, and 
the amount of exereiae they take have more 
or less influence on their gain from the food 
they eat, to say uothing of the manner in 
which this is given them, and various other 
points of treatment. In an article on Swine 
Husbandry iti the first quarterly report of the 
Kansas State Board of Agr’l. for ’80, it appears 
that with corn at 20 cents a bushel the cost of 
making pork is given by different farmers, at 
all the way from one to three aud a half cents 
a pound, with an average of about two and a 
half cents. A careful farmer who experimen¬ 
ted iu winter feeding a few years since, says 
that, his hogs averaged eight pouuds gain from 
SO pounds of coin in the ear; eight and one- 
half pounds gain from 00 pounds of shelled 
corn ; nine ai.d one-third pounds gain from GO 
pouuds dry meal, and 10 pounds gain, in an¬ 
other case, from 80 pounds of corn in the ear. 
Treatment of Eehcverias. 
S. McC., Olney, III., asks the best way to 
winter echeverias; what is the best mode of 
matter of each left behind, that from oleomar¬ 
garine will be found to have a more or less 
distinct tallowy odor, which may become 
more apparent if the spoon is held for a mo¬ 
ment in the hot steam from a boiling kettle- 
Tbe residue from good butter has no such 
odor; but genuine butler may be adulterated 
with halt its weight of oleomargarine, and the 
adulteration cannot be detected by this test, 
though the best we have. The simplest aud per¬ 
haps the best menus of detecting genuine butter 
from genuine oleoinatgariucis to heat, samples 
of both several degreuB above the boiling 
point of water, when it will be noticed that the 
butter foams much more than the oleomargar¬ 
ine. There are several other testa which ex¬ 
perts alone can employ successfully, but even 
with these the detection is often doubtful to 
the unprejudiced, as iB seen frequently in our 
police courts when efforts are being made to 
convict deal ms who have been selling oleo¬ 
margarine as butter, without having stamped 
the containing vessels as the law directs. The 
matter was up before Congress during the last 
session, and it is to be hoped that the scientists 
to whom it was referred will be able to devise 
or discover some simple and certain test before 
the meeting of the next Congress. 
Cribbing, 
R. 27. M., PUtsford, Mich., asks for the 
cause and a remedy for crib-biting. 
Ans. —Crib-biting is due to a diseased condi¬ 
tion of the ttomaeb, and for it no cure has yet 
been discovered except on the principle of re¬ 
straint. Young horses that have been raised 
on a farm and have had plenty of hay, grass 
or other bulky food, often become cribbcrs 
when stinted in their allowance of such food. 
The unusually empty stomach is annoying to 
the animal, producing an uueasy sensation, 
which leads to biting the manger aud finally to 
cribbing as a means of distending the half- 
empty stomach. Then again, nervous and 
excitable horses frequently become cribbcrs 
from confinement, indeed confinement and 
its frequent attendants, unclean stables, 
inactiou, and foul air are the most com¬ 
mon conditions that lead to the fault. 
The animal seems to be affected as with heart¬ 
burn or dyspepsia, as may be inferred from the 
slight bclchings that generally accompany the 
action. To relieve crib-biting the stable should 
be well ventilated, a lump of rock salt placed 
in the manger, and should this not effect a 
cure, add a piece of chalk, and if this too fails, 
dampeu the food, and when feeding it, sprinkle 
some magnesia upon it and mingle a handful 
of ground oak bark with each feed of grain. 
It frequently happens, however, that none of 
these cures the fault, and then the most com¬ 
mon method of restraint is to buckle a leather 
strap so tightly round the neck, just behind 
the jaw, that when the horse attempts to erib, 
the muscles of that part press so hard against it 
as to cause so much pain that the horse desists 
from cribbing. A better, perhaps, aud cer¬ 
tainly a safer remedy is to have no point in the 
stall on which the horse can rest his teeth for 
the purpose of cribbing, unless it be placed 
higher than the usual bight of the manger. 
A bight of about 5G inches from the floor is 
sufficient for an ordinary-sized horse, and a 
manger less than 18 inches high is also con¬ 
sidered quite safe. 
Jupau Clover—Lespeilezn striata, 
37. B. P., Brookston, 2Y. C., 6euds, for name, 
specimens of a plunt of which he says : “ It 
appeared among the mountains of North Car¬ 
olina about the year 18G5, and has been known 
as Japan Clover. Since then it has spread 
until it is now fouud east of the center of the 
State. It grows along roadsides, iu old fields 
and aloug the edges of woodlands aud iu open 
spaces among the trees, affording good pastur¬ 
age for cattle, sheep and hogs.” 
Ans. —This is Lespedeza striata. It was 
first noticed, according to Mr. Killabrew, in 
1849 near Charleston, S C., the seeds having 
been brought probubly from China or Japan iu 
tea boxes. It has thence spread over rnauy 
States, rooting out in Tennessee broom and 
other grasses. It flourishes upon the poorest 
soils, and la uot killed by the severest droughts. 
Thus, as cattle like it and it is perennial iu 
warm climates, it is valuable on soils where 
little else will grow. Mr. Peudletou says of it: 
“As it has a small leaf, it interferes with 
the idea of botanists that large-leaved plants 
feed mostly ou the atmosphere.'' But the 
leaves, though small, ate very uumerous. 
Again ho says: “It has great endurance so far 
as roots are concerned, but the branches and 
leaves will parch aud die out under a burning 
sun. The plant, however, soou rallies when 
rains set in.” It is good pasturage lor stock. 
The familiar name is Japan Clover, and Mr. 
Pendleton gave it the additional name of King 
Grass, which is not needed. Besides, it is mis¬ 
leading to call clovers, grasses. “ King Grass ” 
suggested itself because it soon roots out aud 
destroys “every living plant in its path.” 
Cost ol Making Fork. 
R. 27. G., Magnolia, Ind,, asks what is the 
cost of making pork with corn at, say, 30 
cents a bushel. 
Ans.—I t is impossible to give a definite an. 
TEA LEAF AND ITS PRODUCT 
propagating them, and when should the seeds 
be sown, all in the absence of a greenhouse. 
Ans. —In the absence of a greenhouse eche¬ 
verias may be wintered safely and with very 
little trouble in any cool room where It is not 
likely to freeze hard. They mti3t bo sparingly 
watered while dormant. If a very cold night 
should occur, a few newspapers or a sheet will 
be sufficient protection. If fhe room Bbould 
be warm enough to excite growth, they should 
be kept near the light. They will keep well in 
a cool cellar, but must have very little water. 
The strougest plants are soonest obtained from 
offsets. A more rapid way is to propagate 
from leaves. Detach the ripeued leaves from 
the old plant and insert the end slightly- in a 
pan or pot of sand, or even lay them on the 
top of the saud. Nearly every leaf will make 
two or three new plants. 8eed in your case 
should not be sown till Spring (say March) in 
sandy soil in shallow boxes placed near thu 
windows, the young plants separated as soon 
a6 they can be handled and got out-of-doors 
as soon as the weather will admit. The echc- 
Ans. —1, Among a dozen boxes of wheat, we 
find none marked as above, 2, VVe do uot 
know of any variety of wheat called Golden 
Chaff Eureka. Golden Chaff is an old variety 
extensively cultivated some 30 years ago, but 
it has long since fallen into disfavor. It Is 
late in ripening; the straw is tall, the heads 
long, thu grain good and the Hour excellent. 
It is still cultivated here and there, for “ auld 
lang sylie’s” sake, but there are now a great 
many better varieties. It is also known by 
different local names, such as Golden Straw, 
Whig, Red Chaff, Shot, etc. Eureka wheat 
resembles Clawson. We put no faith in the 
representations of the agents alluded to. 
J. P. P., Utica, Mich., asks whether the 
Rural Branching Sorghum and the Poor Land 
Cow-pea will mature there. 
Ans. —An experiment is the best guide to 
determine that point. Not the least impor¬ 
tant object of the Rural Free Seed Distribu¬ 
tion is to enable the farmers ol the country to 
test what success can be achieved with the 
most promising new seeds and plants in their 
Communications received for the week end- 
lng Saturday, Oct. 9. 
D. F.—W. H. Y.—Dr. A. E. S.-S. E. V.—E. P. P, 
-F. D. C.-A. S. S -S. L. I.—A. B. A.—H. S. P.- 
S. F. B.—G. A. G. Jr — H. M.—S. K. M.— .T. B. A.— 
A. L. .T-—A Subscriber.—T. T. L.—E. L. A.—W. 
G. T.—\V. C., M. I).—G. E. N.—E. L. P.—F. N.- 
L. L.-G. G.—F. W. 11.—A. L. J.-H. S.-J. B. C.- 
E. N.B.—H. B.-E. \V. S.—C. H. E.—R. W. F. 
Hop Bitters have more patience than Job, cur¬ 
ing thousands of patients dally, see Proverbs. 
