NOV. 43 
7SB 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
article in the American Gardeners’ Monthly 
that in New England the young shoots of the 
Poke-weed are considered a very delicate veg¬ 
etable, and are, during the Spring months, 
always to be fonnd on sale in the markets. 
The young, succulent shoots, when from four 
to six inches in length, are cut off near the 
ground, tied in bunches, and offered for sale in 
the same manner as asparagus." 
The New England Farmer remarks that 
cider, made very late in the season and 
stored in a cold place, will keep sweet because 
active fermentation Is prevented. If it is rich 
and sweet when it comes from the press, and 
care is exercised in making it from good, 
sound apples, it will not become sour if kept 
in a moderately cool cellar In a tight cask or 
in bottles. _ 
The Cadbaqk Worm.—To save his cabbages 
and as an experiment, Mr. Howard tells the 
Fruit Record that he mixed four quarts of 
air-slaked lime, one quart of fine salt, and 
a quarter of a pound each of red and black 
pepper. When the dew was on he applied this 
mixture by means of a large-sized tin pepper 
box to 400 cabbages, that were doubtless as 
wormy a lot as could be found. He gave them 
but one dose, but it did its work so effectually 
that there has been no further trouble on ac¬ 
count of these destructive pests. 
How to Grow extra Yields of Corn.— 
The efficient editor of the agricultural columns 
of the N. Y. World, who was one of those who 
examined the yield of our Chester and Blouut 
Corn, writes as follows respecting It in the 
columns of that journal; *• The publication of 
extra-large yields of corn, especially where 
the gains have been made in ordinarv field 
culture, is of universal benefit. These an¬ 
nouncements not only keep before the farmers 
the important fact that the average crops of 
the country are far below possible yields, but 
stimulate progressive ones to improve their 
modes and work up to the highest attainable 
point rather than plod in old beaten tracks. 
When these large yields are produced in the 
worn lands of the Eastern States, with fairly 
good culture and at a comparatively low cost, 
they assume, of course, additional interest, 
for the cost of production is a serious question 
in farm economies. 
The statement recently made that more than 
150 bushels of shelled Blount Corn to the acre 
had been grown in field culture with an ex¬ 
pense not exceeding $10 per acre for fertiliz¬ 
ers, on the experimental farm of the Rural 
New-Yorker, has set more than one doubting 
Thomas to tbiuking, and many enterprising 
practical men to investigating the matter. A 
number of the latter, during a visit of inspec¬ 
tion to the field where the crop referred to 
Btood in the shocks, made a careful estimate, 
and from this calculation a yield was shown of 
290 odd bushels of corn in the cob to the acre 
and 140 odd bushels of grain.This 
yield illustrates the efficacy of careful selec¬ 
tion of seed, preached from time out of date, 
but too seldom practised.It is, 
furthermore, favorable to planting in drills, a 
mode generally conceded to induce the great¬ 
est yields, and its absolutely flat culture. . . . 
. . . And last, but by no means least, it proves 
that excessive yields are not confined to small 
garden plots receiving special care and expen¬ 
diture, but are within the reach of every far¬ 
mer who tills ordinarily good soil, provided he 
drops into it the best of seed, feeds it judi¬ 
ciously and gives it fair culture. 
“ Preserved meats are poisonous” is a 
somewhat startling announcement; yet that 
was the practical summary of Dr. Moore’s 
evidence, says the London Live Stock Journal, 
given the other day at an inquest. A case of 
fatal poisoning by American corned-beef was 
under investigation, and the doctor affirmed 
his belief that it was dno to the absorption 
by the meat of a portion of the metal of the 
tin or the solder. Mr. Bernard Dyer suggests 
a somewhat more soothing explanation, that 
the meat itself was diseased before it was pre¬ 
served. 
A New Vine Pest.—A new vine pest has 
made its appearance in the Rheinthal, canton 
St. Gall, say the London papers. The dis¬ 
ease is said to resemble in some of its charac¬ 
teristics the potato oidium. but it is much 
more virulent, the grapes affected by it be¬ 
coming rapidly putrid. Several vineyards 
have been completely devastated by the mal¬ 
ady, which is believed to be of American origin. 
Of course. If not of American origin, where 
could it have originated ? 
Last year’s crop of tobacco in Pennsylvania 
was the heaviest ever grown there, and amount¬ 
ed to 31,000,000, pounds according to the Tele¬ 
graph. During the past season it is estimated 
that 149,000 acres were devoted to the plant 
in that State, and that the aggregate yield 
will reach 40,000,000 poundB. 
In a series of seventeen corn crops raised 
In Saline Go,, Missouri; by farmers compet¬ 
ing for a Granger premium of $300 for the 
largest yield, it appears that twelve crops 
ont of the seventeen gave an average yield 
of over one hundred bushels per acre; and 
this not for one acre only, but for an area 
of ten acres In each case. We find the above 
statement iu the Business Farmer. 
New White Grapes. —Dr. Hexamer describes 
Lady Charlotte, in the Americi n Garden, as fol¬ 
lows:—“ Raised by C. G. Pringle of Charlotte, 
Vt., from Delaware, fertilized by Iona. Color, 
light green, becoming amber or goldeD, with 
a reddish tinge, in the sun; bunch very large, 
very broad-shouldered, narrow and pointed 
below; berry, compact of medium size, globu¬ 
lar. Flesh with some pulp, but juicy and 
very sweet, without the least acidity in the 
center, or foxiuess in its flavor. Vine a ram¬ 
pant grower and great bearer; leaves, healthy 
very large, bearing much resemblance to those 
of the Iona. The original vine has Btood the 
Winters of Vermont without protection for 
the past ten years and has borne annually a 
large crop of fruit. 
Tbt It.—S emi-tropic California, which by 
the way is a very handsome monthly, says:— 
“Place a bunch of perfectly sound grapes 
near your bee-hives, and in a few hours ex¬ 
amine them and see if the bees have eaten any; 
if not. puncture several with a pin and note 
the effect on the sound grapes and the ones punc¬ 
tured, and then let us know if the bees really 
eat grapes. We ask for a full test, and re¬ 
ports from grape-growers and bee-keepers.” 
(ffberiitotjfre. 
SURAL SPECIAL EEFORTB. 
Canada, Glenmorris, County Brant, Oct. 34. 
—Farmers are now busy securing the root 
crop. A considerable quantity having been 
raised in this locality, and winter threatening 
to set in early, farmers will need to be up and 
doing while it is day, for the winter cometh 
when no man can pull turnips. Thrashing is 
getting pretty well through, being done mostly 
by steam, and the grain is finding its way to 
market. Wheat is bow worth from $1 to $1.05 
per bushel, and barley about 6 ' cents. Wheat 
seems to be above aud barley below an 
average crop. Corn and oats in general were 
good. I have not thrashed the Mold's Enno¬ 
bled Oats yet, but I have a good-sized sheaf. 
The mangels grew splendidly. I tried a small 
patch of Blount’s Prolific Corn the past 
Beason, bnt I think it grows too high to come 
into general use. I planted a couple of rows 
of Early Amber Sugar-Cane alongside of the 
corn and am well satisfied with the result, 
having obtained nearly a hundredweight of 
fine simp from it, causing much less work than 
making maple sirup. Having obtained a packet 
of China Corn from Cole <fe Brothers, Pella, 
Iowa, seedsmen, I think it can be raised with 
profit for a fodder plant. 1 showed it at our 
provincial fair as a fodder plant not heretofore 
cultivated, aud obtained the first prize, r. r. 
Canada, Cornwall, Ont., Oct. 30.— I consider 
the plant and seed distribution alone worth 
the price of the Rural. The Golden Ovoid 
Mangels and the Ennobled Oats are far ahead 
of anything of the kind raised here. I should 
have competed for the mangel prize bat the 
season has been very unfavorable for roots of 
all kinds. w. s. t. 
Conn., Columbia, Tolland Co., Oct. 80.— 
Harvesting is being pushed now. Corn is more 
than an average and of a good quality. Pota¬ 
toes are not au average crop, though of good 
size and quality. Onions are better than for 
many years. Oats were fair, and are being 
thrashed ; the yield is from 35 to 30 bushels per 
acre. A few who have ventured to try to grow 
peach trees in this section have been re warded 
with a good crop of excellent fruit, with prom¬ 
ises of continued success, which is an encour¬ 
aging outlook in this direction. There also 
Beems to be a growing desire to enter into the 
cultivation of small Iruits, more especially the 
strawberry, with good results. The apple crop 
is large, but cannot be said to be of the first 
quality ; the fruit la large and fair, but is 
greatly injured by the depredations of the cod¬ 
ling moth—Carpocapsa Poinouella—and os a 
consequence much of the fruit Is falling pre¬ 
maturely to the ground. A very noticeable 
and commendable act of farmers in this sec¬ 
tion is the cleaning up of roadsides, removing 
bushes and weeds and leaving the places in 
good condition. w. h. t. 
Iowa, Trenton, Henry Co.—Hike the Rural 
very much, and will do all I can to get 
subscribers, but it is up-hill work in my neigh¬ 
borhood. A great many farmers don’t appre¬ 
ciate an agricultural paper as they ought to. 
Wheat was pretty nearly a failure ; corn good; 
late potatoes, short; early potatoes, good. 
Early Winter wheat looks well. I don't think 
as much was sowed as lastyear. My Cuthbert 
Raspberries, mangels, oats and cow-peas did 
well; the other seeds were a failure I think 
I was too late in planting then''. V. l. 
Kansas, McPherson Co., Oct. 28.—The yield 
of crops in this county has been very moderate 
—corn, 18 bushels per acre; oats, 11 bushels ; 
potatoes, 35 bushels ; of barley and rye there 
was none to speak of. In Rice, the adjoining 
county, wheat yielded five bushels per acre; 
corn, 17; oats, eight; potatoes, 40. Little or 
no barley or rye was produced there also. Po¬ 
tatoes as a rule are better in that county than 
in this, as the land there is newer. More farm¬ 
ers mulch potatoes there than here, and in 
this part of Kansas that is the only way to 
raise potatoes. The above figures, I think, are 
as reliable, as any that can be got at present, 
for I have much experience in both counties, 
being on the dividing line, with a farm in each, 
and having made it a part of my business to 
get the exact figures. The young wheat never 
looked better at this time of the year. c. M. 
Kansas, Parkersville, Morris Co., Oct. 25.— 
We have been having splendid Fall weather, 
with rain every few days, until the night of the 
15th, when we had a “ norther ’’ and ice a quar¬ 
ter of an inch thick. Fall wheat is looking 
fine. Although it was a dry season, the show 
of farm products at our iairs was about as 
good as usual. i. b. r. 
N. Y., Dewittville, Chautauqua Co., Oct. 20. 
—Chautauqua Lake is situated 1,305 feet above 
the ocean level. My garden is over 200 feet 
high, Latitude about 43 20. I never have 
raised any mangels before the Golden Ovoid. 
Of the seeds you sent me I raised 550 beets— 
whole weight, 1,921 pounds. I sowed the seed 
about the middle of May and gathered the crop 
last week. My cow-peas I sowed in a drill as 
I would other peas. My drill was less than two 
rods long, I had two pounds four ounces of 
ripe 6eed. They commenced to ripen the first 
of September and continued to ripen until the 
first of this month. Of the Cuthbert Raspberry 
one plant died; the other lived and had 25 
good-sized, ripe berries. The plant has made 
a good stand. The pea vines grew rank and 
thrifty. I have six kinds that got ripe. Wheat 
and oats are good crops, bnt not much wheat 
is grown here. Corn is very uneven—some 
very good and a great deal under an average. 
Potatoes ditto. Buckwheat, a large crop for 
this county. s. b. 
Ohio, Thompson, Geauga Co., Oct. 25.—We 
have had a dry Summer for some of the crops. 
Wheat, however, was a very good crop ; oats 
light—95 per cent, of an average crop; corn 
80 per cent.; potatoes 95; hay about 90; ap¬ 
ples 100; peaches 50; grapes 90. and small 
fruits a good crop. The rivers and creeks are 
lower than they have been for a long time. 
Now we are having some light rains, with sleet 
and cold. r. o. h. 
Wis., East Troy, Wolworth Co., Oct. 25.— 
Fall work is nearly finished, except husking 
corn and making cider. Help is very scarce 
and the work goes on slowly. Corn is the best 
crop we have ever had, and apples are so 
plentiful that they are rotting on the ground. 
Potatoes were a good crop. There is not any 
clover seed, but a large crop of clover hay. 
h. a. t. 
®bf <$itrrist. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the name and 
address of the writer to insure attention.) 
Soiling, Etc. 
G. N. G,, Plainfield, N. J having leased a 
farm, 150 acres of rather rough laud, on which 
he intends to move next Spring, asks, 1, how 
best to conduct a soiling system for cows and 
sheep ; 2, will Hungarian Grass sown in April 
or May be as successful as if it were sown 
later—in Jane or July. 
Ans -Soiling either partial or complete may 
be practiced on any land that can be plowed. 
It is not profitable on poor land except as a 
means of improving and enriching it. In your 
case it should be begun gradually. In begin¬ 
ning in the Spring the most practicable plan 
would be to putinafew acresofoats as early as 
possible and follow this with some early kLnds 
of corn. These crops should be put in, in suc¬ 
cession, one acre a week so that they may 
come into use as they may be wanted. Hun¬ 
garian Grass requires hot weather to grow 
vigorously or it make6a very poor growth. It 
should not be sown until late in June. It will 
make as much growth In six weeks of hot 
weather as in 13 weeks of cool weather. It 
comes in very usefully as a second crop to be 
sown on the ground from which the oats and 
earliest corn are taken. In soiling for sheep the 
crops are not cut bat are fed from the ground 
by folding the sheep inside portable fences. 
Crossing Corn. 
E. F., Providence, B. L, having grown Stur- 
tevant’s Waushakurn Corn for three years, 
asks whether It would be well to cross It with 
any other sort—Compton’s, for instance. 
Ans. We are not familiar with the Wausha- 
kum Corn, never having raised it. Bnt it would 
be merely guesswork for us to express an opin¬ 
ion. The parents of corn must be selected the 
same as the parents of animals, viz: with a 
view to blending good qualities, all of which 
may not exist in either parent. We may say 
to our friend that crossing corn and oblaining 
a distinct new variety is a process that requires 
years to accomplish. We aresurpiised to find 
that many snppose this can be accomplished 
in a single season, and that the crossed kernel 
will the next season reproduce itself. We 
have been working for four or five years with 
a cross between 8toweU’s Evergreen and Black 
Mexican and the new variety is not yet “fixed ” 
by any means. 
Rilling Borer*. 
G. H , Bossardsville, Pa., asks whether hot 
water will kill the borers in trees ? 
Ans. —No; hot water cannot reach the bor¬ 
ers. They must either be prevented from en¬ 
tering the tree or else picked out after they 
have entered. Wash the trunk in early Spring 
with lime, tobaeeo water, soft-soap, sulphur, 
aloes, etc. Such washeB may generally be de¬ 
pended upon to prevent the female from de¬ 
positing her eggs. The grub upon entering 
makes a very small hole, though its depreda¬ 
tions after entering the tree may extend in all 
directions. A wire is sometimes used to punch 
the grub to death, though this iB not always 
effectual. The perfect insect upon emerging 
bores a round hole many times larger than the 
hole bored by the grub in entering, which is 
scarcely larger than the head of a pin. The 
large round hole is therefore evidence that the 
insect has escaped. 
Mincellaneoua. 
Q. H., Ovid., IV. Y., asks the meanings of 
some words he came across in reading some 
English agricultural papers, and which have 
no place in hiB dictionary. 
Ans.— Byre —a stable. 
Sledding— farm buildings, also with hay and 
straw stacks surrounding them. 
Down Calving—a. cow jnst ready to calve. 
Quay or Quey— a heifer before calving. 
Sterk, Stirk, Sturk —a yearling steer. 
Gimnier —a sheep one to two years old. 
Hog, Hogget— a yearling sheep before being 
shorn. 
Teg. Gelt, Yelt —a wether sheep. 
I. S , Starke , Fla., asks where and at what 
price can Nova Scotia land plaster be obtained. 
Ans —Nova Scotia plaster must be procured 
from New York where it is imported. It may 
be procured iu barrels finely ground from any 
of the dealers in fertilizers for one dollar per 
barrel. It is usual for the local piaster mills 
to procure a supply of the rock iu bulk from 
New York and grind it for sale; but the fertilizer 
manufacturers grind it very fine and as its ef¬ 
fect iB in proportion to its fineness it is better 
to get that which is ground for special use by 
the manufacturers. 
L. G. M. S-, New York City, sends specimens 
of a Winter crab apple, a seedling of the Red 
Siberian Crab, and asks our opinion of them, 
and whether there are any other Winter crabs 
that equal them in size and quality. 
Ans. —Those received are very handsome, 
varying from one to one and a half inch in 
diameter. They are richly colored and we 
should judge of good quality when ripe. We 
have seen specimens of Hyslop, Meader’s Win¬ 
ter and Lady Elgin as large and handsome, but 
as to the average merits of the various sorts, as 
compared with this, we cannot, of course, say 
anything. 
R. B., New Philadelphia, Texas, says he 
would like to obtain some of the Blount Corn 
and Beauty of Hebron Potato for seed. 
Ans. —Both of these have already been offer¬ 
ed by seedsmen. See previous numbers and 
notices of catalogues. The Rural never sellB 
seeds or plants under any circumstances. It 
is our desire to create a demand for excellent 
varieties. The seedsmen and florists do the 
rest. 
A. B. S , Waco. Texas, sends leaf and fruit 
of vine, and asks Us name. 
Ans. —This is called “ Dish-rag " SDonge Cu¬ 
cumber, etc. The botanical name is Cucumis 
acutaDgulus. The fruit iB sometimes eaten 
when very young the same as cucumbers. 
When ripe it becomes very tough and spongy 
and is often used as a sponge. 
B. M. L. Oak Burn, N. Y., asks how to treat 
his Cuthbert Raspberries during the Winter- 
should they have any protection ? 
Ans. —We would advise a light covering 
three inches deep of straw or long manure up¬ 
on the ground about the stems and extending 
three feet away from them. We do not suppose 
they will require any protection. 
Communications received for the week end¬ 
ing Saturday, Nov. 6. 
W. L. D.—H. C.—S. W. J.—M. M.—J. E. H.—W. 
F.—H. C.—A. L. J.—L. S. H.—F. M. S.—A. B.—S. 
E. M.—W. V. A —M. Y.-T. S.—M. K.-J. D. D.- 
S. J. V. C.—M. W. F.-J. H. R—F. H. G.—S. B. P. 
C. E. T.-B. F. J.-L. Y.-F. H. S.-W. F.-R. R. 
T. T. t— E. W.-G. H.-N. L. W.-L. M.-T. R. S. 
H. W.—M. K.—T. S. u.-K.—B. R.-Jessle.-R. M. 
T. L. H.-O. L.—M. R. N, 
N -♦ " »--»-- 
That invalid wife, mother, sister or child can bo 
made the picture of health with Hop Bitters, 
