THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
MARCH 
farrowed 14 in the latter part of July or 
August 1 of the same year, and 21 pigs more 
on February 11, 1884, making 47 pigs in all 
in less than 11 months, G. w. holloway, 
Burbank. O. Postmaster. 
CATALOGUES, ETC., RECEIVED. 
Edward Gillett, Southwick, Mass. Cata¬ 
logue of North American Perennial Plants. 
I. W. Hale, Marion Station, Somerset Co., 
Md. Descriptive catalogue of small fruits, 
plants, trees, &c. 
Robert Bell, Jr., Hensall, Ontario, Can. 
Price-list of seed grain (oats, Spring wheat, 
barley) and potatoes. 
Fred N. Lang, Baraboo, Wis. A catalogue 
of Lang’s Live Seeds. 
Bloomington Nursery Co., Bloomington, 
Ills. Wholesale catalogue of trees, plants, 
shrubs, roses, bulbs, &c., &c.—600 acres—13 
greenhouses. 
Hiram Sibley & Co., Rochester, N. Y. 
Circular of Pride of the North Corn. Testi¬ 
monials show that it ripens well in Iowa. 
Robert C. Reeves, 185 and 1S7 Water St., 
New York. Descriptive catalogue of garden, 
field and flower seeds, fertilizers, agricultural 
and garden implements. 
Geo. S. Josselyn, Fredonia, N. Y. De¬ 
scriptive catalogue of American grape-vines, 
small fruit plants, &c. Mr. Josselyn deserves 
well of the public for his introduction of the 
promising new red currant, Fay’s Prolific. 
T. S. Hubbard, Fredonia, N. Y. Whole¬ 
sale price-list of grape vines, small fruits, &c. 
Mr. Hubbard is the introducer of the Prentiss 
Grape, a colored plate of which accompanies 
the circular. 
S. Pennock & Sons Co , Kennett Square, 
Chester Co., Pa. Catalogue (25 pages) of road 
machinery of all kinds. “ How to Make Good 
Roads” and “ How to Keep Good Roads,” are 
explained in this catalogue. 
Hale Brothers, South Glastonbury, Conn. 
Price-list of new and choice varieties of small- 
fruit plants a specialty. This catalogue pre¬ 
sents a carefully selected list. The new straw¬ 
berry, Mrs. Garfield, is offered as a specialty. 
Thorburn & Titus, 158 Chambers St,, 
New York. Illustrated catalogue of 60 pages 
of new and selected seeds for the vegetable, 
flower garden and farm; Spring wheats,Spring 
rye, insect exterminators, garden implements, 
&c., &c. 
Samuel Wilson, Mechanicaville, Bucks 
Co., Pa. Illustrated catalogue (45 pages) gar¬ 
den, field and flower seeds and vegetable 
plants. There are many specialties offered in 
this catalogue, among them the “true Learn¬ 
ing Corn,” Welcome Oats, with prizes for the 
best yields. 
Empire Drill Co., Shortsville, Ontario 
Co., N. Y. Circular setting forth the points 
of merit of the Empire Grain and Fertilizer 
Drill. Also an illustrated circular, showing 
the uncommon uses to which it may be put, 
with many valuable hints. 
Syracuse Chilled Plow Co., Syracuse, 
N. Y. Illustrated catalogue of the Syracuse 
Steel Beam Chilled Plow; also the Syracuse 
Sulky Plow, with full instructions how to pre¬ 
pare it for work. Also right and left iron- 
beam plows; one horse wood-beam, side-hill 
plows—general directions and testimonials. 
J. C. Vaughan, Chicago, Ills. A Corn and 
Potato Manual of 65 pages.. Antiquity of In¬ 
dian Corn; the original variety, history, bot 
any, composition, enemies, how to secure a 
good crop, seed, crossing, manuring, planting, 
culture, harvesting, shrinkage, are all well 
considered, and then the potato is treated in 
the same way. Mr. Vaughan sent us for trial 
his “Gem” hand cultivator, which we have 
used with great satisfaction for two years. 
Bucher, Gibbs & Co., Canton, Ohio. Il¬ 
lustrated circular of the Imperial and Ohio 
Chilled Plows. It is claimed for the well- 
known Imperial, that each part is neatly fitted, 
dove-tailed, united and braced so as to insure 
strength, durability aud a perfect finish. The 
mold-boards, shares, landsides aud cutters are 
interchangeable in steel, chilled or cast-iron 
or a combination of either, so that they may 
be adapted to any kind of soils, while repairs 
are easily made. The firm offers these plows 
to be tested and returned, if the claims made 
for them prove untrue. 
Russell & Co., Massillon, Ohio. This is 
one of the most, finished works of the kind we 
have ever seen. The illustrations are fine wood 
cuts, showing the New Massillon Thrasher 
with trucks, with kickers and trucks, in the 
field with the Russell Traction Engine, with 
patent lateral moving stacker, and as a horse¬ 
power machine. Then follow illustrations of 
the Improved Dingee-Woodbury Horse- 
Power; the Pitts-Carey Horse-Power ; the 
Massillon light, medium and heavy mills—all 
with specifications and instructions. This va- 
uable catalogue should be examined by all of 
our readers who need such machines or imple¬ 
ments. It will be sent without charge, to all 
who apply to the above firm. 
Bowker Fertilizer Co., No. 43 Chatham 
St., Boston; branch office, 84 Broad St, New 
York. Bowker’s Hill aud Drill Phosphate 
with Potash—a general fertilizer for all crops. 
In this pamphlet advice is given “ How to Buy 
a Phosphate—quality vs. price;” Constituent 
Parts of Fertilizers, Adulteration, Fertilizer 
Material—Where it Comes From; How Sul¬ 
phuric Acid is Made, Mixing Fertilizers, &c., 
are intelligently treated. Also, a pamphlet 
and price-list of the Stockbridge Manures. 
We are always pleased to commend to our 
readers the circulars of well-known fertilizer 
firms. Everything appertaining to chemical 
fertilizers should be studied by farmers. 
Commercial Fertilizers for Potatoes. 
—Dr. Henry Stewart writes the following to 
the American Garden: 
“I have Just been digging some of my potatoes 
(Early Rose;, and send you samples. The clean 
large one Is a fair specimen of some rows manured 
with the Mapes's potato manureiJSO feet of row 
manured with the fertilizer produced -me barrel, 
two-and-a-balf bushels. As the rows were three, 
feet apart, the yield Is equal to 180 barrels or 450 
bushels per acre. The other potato, shown In our 
Illustration, engraved from a photograph, Is a fair 
specimen cf those grown with cow aud hen manure, 
yielding a barrel of fair potatoes to 300 feet of row, 
or equal to 120 bushels per acre. A large quantity, 
quite a half of this part of the crop, was completely 
destroyed by wlre-woruis, aud not more than half 
those saved would be fit for sale. Not a potato of 
those grown with the fertilizer alone, Is touched by 
the worms enough to hurt it. I used 10 loadB of 
manure to a quarter of an acre und 50 pounds of the 
fertilizer to oue-etghth of au acre." 
W e have, ourselves, great faith in the use 
of potato chemical fertilizers for land de¬ 
ficient in potash. We are confident that its 
use repels the wire-worm which, with us pro¬ 
duces “scabby” potatoes. 
How to get Early Celery.— From the 
catalogue of Jos- Harris we take the follow¬ 
ing. He is telling “ Secrets for the boys and 
girls”: “ »-iast Spring, about the middle of 
March, I put some sifted moss and sand in a 
box and watered it with warm water. Then 
we put some celery seed on top, thick enough 
to cover the surface, and dusted on a little dry 
moss and sand about as thick as the cover of 
this catalogue. We kept the box in a warm 
room, and occasionally watered it. In about 
three weeks the seed was nicely started, and 
then, as soon as the frost was out of the ground, 
we made a row in the garden aud sowed the 
seed—moss and all, and covered it about a 
quarter of an inch deep. From this sprouted 
s eed, we got our earliest and best plants. You 
can do the same thing, but you need not tell 
everyone. I told one man about it, and he 
said, ‘ Oh, yes. it is a good plan; I have done 
the same thing.’ I supposed it was something 
new. At any rate it was new to me. No one 
ever told me, and I do not think it is gene¬ 
rally known. I propose to try how the plan 
will work this Spring on onion, asparagus, 
parsley, and beet seed. I know it will work 
in the case of asparagus and beets, for I have 
tried it.” 
Mr. Harris soaked his Early Kent Reas last 
Spring in warm water for 24 hours, and then 
mixed them with moss and sand and kept them 
moist and warm till they commenced to start. 
Then as soon as the frost was out of the ground, 
he made a drill mark with a hoe, two inches 
deep and three inches wide, aud scattered the 
sprouted peas In the row aud covered them 
two inches deep- He bad the earliest and best 
peas in the neighborhood 
Fall Plowed Sod.— It has long been a 
question of great interest among farmers how 
to avoid the difficulty of working over Fall- 
•plowed sod ground intended for oats or corn 
without undoing all the benefits hoped for 
from the Fall plowing. Unless the soil is 
rotted it might as well not have been plowed, 
and the growth of grass in the new crop will 
require much labor to keep it down. Plowing 
will bring the sod to the surface again; the 
common tooth harrow will tear it up leaving 
the surface rough and the sod exposed. The 
“Acme” pulverizing harrow, clod crusher 
and lever on the other hand, passes over the 
sod, presses it down more firmly; turns over 
and pulverizes the surface aud levels it, and 
produces the very best condition of the soil 
for seed. If the crop is to be corn, this Im¬ 
plement enables the farmer to work the soil 
several times, with the effect to cause the 
weeds to germinate, and then to be complete¬ 
ly destroyed, thus clearing the ground in a 
thorough manner as well as securing the com¬ 
plete decomposition of the sod and the fresh, 
mellow soil that is so favorable to the quick 
and vigorous germination of the seed. 
«»«- 
BOILED DOWN AND SEASONED. 
The New England Houestead says that 
the maple sugar crop is one worthy of 
greater attention. Why may not many now 
useless wastes be set to sugar maple orchards, 
and so yield u handsome profit in tame? Mean¬ 
while the taxes will be no greater than if the 
land lies idle and grows up to timber. By 
growing sugar orchards on a large scale, it 
would be possible to introduce the factory sys¬ 
tem in sugar manufacture, thus increasing the 
profits...... 
The Kansas Ag’l College students are very 
fond of “ buckwheat cakes” made out of sor- 
ghum-seed flour... 
Jos. Harris says that the great secret of 
success in keeping mangels, carrots, turnips, 
and other roots is to mix plenty of dry earth 
or sand with the roots iu the pit. These pits 
are made in dry, sandy knolls in the field 
where the roots are grown. 
There are few garden plants that will give 
better satisfaction with less trouble than the 
improved strains of antirrhinum and petunia. 
Mr. Meehan thinks tbat gooseberry bushes 
are ruined by pruning. In Englaud the cen¬ 
ter shoots are cut out to let in the air and 
son. But here it is the sun and air, he thinks, 
that ruin them by.inviting mildew—and so the 
more shoots the better. The average farmer 
then is tbe best gooseberry grower where 
weeds run riot, aud grass and gooseberries 
affect a close companionship. 
It does appear that wood-work painted with 
crude petroleum never dries. A writer in 
the Husbandman says that two’parts of petro¬ 
leum to one part of raw linseed oil gave a hard 
paint, aud the second coat gave a good gloss. 
As much mineral paint may be mixed with it 
as desired...... . 
Who that tried the Jersey Lily Turnip 
last year thought it an acquisition?. 
Mr. Leandkr Wetherell thinks that an 
oak, elm, or maple tree shading a modest 
dwelling makes it more attractive than a 
showy mansion unprotected by a tree. 
Were tbe five horses of Mr Bronson, of 
Conn., killed by ensilage ? He thinks that the 
ascetic fermentation caused a paralysis of the 
brain and nervous system.. 
All the most trust worth}’ experience has 
shown tbat, in the long run, commercial man¬ 
ures do their best and surest work in associa¬ 
tion with stable manure, says Dr. Caldwell in 
the New York Tribune. 
Mr. A. M. Purdy says that he wouldn’t ex¬ 
change a good situation in the small fruit 
business in any part of New England for any 
part of New Jersey or Delaware. He wouldn’t 
leave the State of Michigan for any section 
south; neither, on the other hand, if he had a 
good start in New Jersey, Delaware, or the 
south, would he go north Stay where you 
are, as a rule. Mr. Purdy will guarantee that 
he can go to any place and make more money 
growing small fruit on teu acres than can be 
made farming on any farm in the same local¬ 
ity of one hundred acres.. 
Mr. Purdy praises the Jumbo Strawberry 
because of its extreme lateness, enormous and 
uniform size, “running from five to eight 
inches in circumference,” he says, “and hold¬ 
ing out large until the last picking.” We 
have ordered plants, and in due time shall In¬ 
form our readers how the J umbo behaves at 
the Rural Grounds.. 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
GeorKlft, 
Americus, Sumter Co., February 9.— 
Though the late cold snap carried tbe mercury 
down to 17 Q above zero, and we were treated 
to the unusual sight of every’ tree and shrub 
clothed in a sparkling coat of ice for two 
days, yet shortly afterwurds the temperature 
moderated, and now I am writing, after tea, 
without a lire anywhere iu the house, or any 
need for it. How people can endure the cold 
described in the various reports from the 
North, more than once, when there is a possi¬ 
bility of avoiding it by moving to a milder 
climate, is to me incomprehensible, With my 
feelings all the wealth of the great Northwest 
could not induce me to live, or rather suffer, 
there two Winters. The cold snap injured our 
oat crop badly, but it has been replanted, aud 
the tine season since is bringing it out splen¬ 
didly. Our Fall plantings of beets, cabbages 
and turnips were killed out, and English peas 
were injured; but the latter are now recover¬ 
ing and doing well. I have just finished 
planting my Beauty of Hebron and White 
Elephant Potatoes, and will expect to eat the 
product of the former early in April. Onions 
have come out wonderfully. Parsnips, tur¬ 
nips and beets are up and doing finely since 
the freeze. Cabbage plants set out since the 
freeze, have more than doubled in size in the 
past teu days. We will stick peas the coming 
week. If it rains we will plant corn and snap 
beans, as well as transplant lettuce next week. 
Rye is looking beautifully green and will 
soon be ready for the sickle, to the delight of 
the milch cows. White hyacinths, crocuses, 
jonquills and narcissuses are blooming freely. 
To-day I speut at work witn coat off, and can 
but feel sorry for the poor and laboring class 
of the North who have to endure such severe 
cold for so long a season. You may think 
that our Summers are so hot as to more t han 
counterbalance the benefits of our mild Win¬ 
ters; but such is not the case, for there is sel¬ 
dom a day or night on which we do not have 
fine breezes from the southwest. I moved 
South in December 1870. and have never had 
a chill. Most people North think these are as 
regular as meals heve. “graybkard." 
New York. 
Homer, Cortlaud Co,, Feb. 13.—Corn crop a 
failure in this section. Produce brings the 
following prices here: Potatoes, 20 cents a 
bushel; corn, 90 cents; barley, 75 cents; beaus, 
$2.50; oats, 40 cents; wheat, $1.30; rye, So 
cents; butter, old, 20 and 26 cents; eggs, 30 
cents. J. c. c. 
Ohio. 
Ravenna, Portage Co., Feb. 14.—We are 
having very rainy weather in this part of the 
world. It has rained almost every day for 
over two weeks. Wheat looks well on the 
ground at present. Dealers pay the following 
prices for farm produce: Wheat per bushel, 
95 cents; corn, 66 cents; oats, 40 cents; pota¬ 
toes, 30 cents; butter per pound, 25 cents; 
eggs per dozen. 30 cents. w. s. c. 
Tennessee. 
Horace, Sullivan Co.,Feb. 14.—The weath¬ 
er is very wet; about five percent, of Spring 
plowing done. Stock in good condition. 
“ Roughness” plentitul. Hay 50 cents per 100 
pounds; corn, 50 cents a bushel; wheat, 95 
cents; oats, 40 cents; clover seed, ?0.00; 
potatoes, 50 cents; grass, wheat aud Whiter 
oats look green. Some lambs in the country 
two weeks old. I received a letter from a 
friend to-day whom I induced to subscribe, 
who says “ the Rural is the best paper in the 
world.” Long may it wave I J. w. G. 
Virginia, 
Elk Garden, Russell Co., Feb. 11.— Janu¬ 
ary was extremely cold for this latitude. 
Snow on ground the whole mouth, which is 
unusual. Wheat looks well. Some parties 
had their potatoes and apples frozen. This 
month opened warm, with clouds and rain, 
“Roughness” plentiful. Corn scarce at 75 
cents per bushel, wheat $1, oats scarce. 
s. G. F. 
RURAL SEED REPORTS. 
Iowa. 
Mentor, Bremer Co.—My Shoe-peg Corn 
was ripe enough to grow; stalks tall; ears 
short. Blush Potato did well but it is uot 
nearly as nice as the White Elephants. Mel¬ 
ons a failure; cause, dry weather and want 
of care. Of grapes I have half a dozen vines. 
E. E. F. 
Industry, Henry Co.—My Blush potato had 
14 ey r es, which were planted in 14 hills in rich 
garden soil. Spring was wet, cold and back¬ 
ward, but 14 eyes sprouted. About the mid¬ 
dle of June 10 sprouts uppeared around the 
hills, and these I set out by themselves, aud 
all grew finely. On July 15 1 found 30 more 
sprouts which I transplanted alongside of the 
first 10, The 30 died, however, but the rest 
grew well. On September 20 the 12 hills from 
the pieces of potatoes yielded only four pounds 
but they were all good- sized tuhei's. On Octo¬ 
ber 20 l dug the 10 hills planted with the 
sprouts, aud they yielded much the nicest 
tubers. I buried them with the others aud 
weighed all on December 1, tbe product being 
19 pounds. 1 shall save all for seed. I would 
not take three times the subscription price ot 
the Rural for them, if I could not replace 
them. The Shoe-peg Corn was badly mixed, 
but yielded 30 pounds. The other seeds did 
not do well, owing to the weather and insects 
G. d. K. 
New York. 
Cuba, Allegany Co.—My Blush Potatoes 
under unfavorable circumstances yielded 27 
pounds of sound tubers and six pounds of rot¬ 
ten ones, all of medium size und excellent 
quality. The only objections are the "blush 
color inside and the straggling in the giound. 
The Shoe-peg Corn was 10 feet high and be¬ 
ginning to ear when frost struck it. I have 
