MARCH 21 
486 
£he COumst. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
[Every Query must be accompanied bv the name 
and address of the writer to insure attention.] 
SALT FOR ANIMALS, ETC. 
J. H. C., Strong City, Kan.— 1. Would it 
injure forest trees to paint them with white 
lead and oil to prevent rabbits from gnawing 
them? 2. Will shingle-nails driven into fruit- 
trees near the ground, prevent the attacks of 
borers? A neighbor says that the rust is car¬ 
ried up by the sap and so diffused through the 
tree that the borers will not trouble it. 3. 
Does kerosene applied to trees injure them? 
4 Why is salt beneficial for stock l 
Ans, _1, Yes. 2. They will not have the 
least effect, Y pur neighbor's view is wholly 
erroneous. 3. Yes. 4. Because anything 
that may be contained iu a plant or animal is 
indispensable to its life. Salt or its elements, 
chlorine and sodium—which form salt when 
combined in certain proportions—are found 
in all plauts and in the blood and secretionsof 
all animals, as well as in the flesh. Animals 
that feed on vegetables do not, as a rule, get 
enough of salt, as may be inferred from the 
eagerness with which they seek it. The gas¬ 
tric juice, formed largely of hydrochloric acid 
and salt, is the agent that supplies salt to the 
stomach. If the salt were not supplied, the 
animals would first suffer from indigestion, 
then from disorder of the blood, and finally 
death might occur in course of time. There 
is no doubt that many instances of so-called 
depraved appetite are due to a waut of salt. 
PLANTING WINTER WHEAT AND RYE IN 
SPRING. 
A. T. AT., Oaletta, Ont.—H I sow the Rural 
wheat and rye iu boxes at once and allow 
them to grow for a couple of weeks in-doors, 
then put them out to be frozen a few days, 
wdl they grow and mature tbisseason in spite 
of the fact til at they are both Winter varieties? 
A ns. —Years ago we remember to have seen 
a field of wheat sown so late in Fall that it 
did not germinate at all until Spring, and yet 
it came on and yielded a good crop. W e have 
no doubt about either wheat or rye growing 
and maturing under such circumstances. 
There would be but one danger—they would 
be somewhat late and might rust. 
Miscellaneous. 
E, J. S., Grafton Co., N. H.—l. Should 
warts be removed from cattle, and iu what 
manner? 2 What is the best remedy for 
scratches on horses? 3. At what age is a sow 
best for breeding purposes, and what lands 
of foods should be given? 
Ans.— 1. Yes. Remove the warts by tying 
tightly around the base of the wart a fine silk 
thread or a hair from a horse’s tail, and after 
the wart drops off, apply daily, until cured, 
lard containing one-fourth part of crude car¬ 
bolic acid. 2. Wash the diseased legs in warm 
water, using Castile soap, until the scabs aie 
all removed; rinse in warm water containing 
a little carbolic acid; then apply common 
white lead and oil mixed as for priming coat 
in painting, rubbing well in with the hand. 
Do this every second day till a cure is effected. 
3. After one year up to such age as she fails 
to be prolific. For a week before farrowing 
time, feed daily mangels or carrots with po¬ 
tatoes. This will overcome any tendency 
to feverishness or costiveness in the system, 
and prevent the mother from eating her young. 
After farrowing, feed nothing the Hrsttwenty- 
four horn’s except, say, tour quarts of warm 
water, into whichahalf pint of line middlings 
has been stirred. After that, give food mod¬ 
erately for a day or two, gradually iucreasiug 
till full feed is given. The best food for a 
nursing sow is line middlings one bushel, bar¬ 
ley meal one-half bushel, corn meal one- 
fourth bushel, oil meal one-fourth bushel, 
well mixed; and feed enough to prevent much 
falling off in flesh. 
A. B. Gahanna, 0.—1. What is the best 
work on English synonyms? 2. What are the 
best scientific works on agriculture? 3. Are 
the experiments of Sir J. B. Lawes published 
in book form? 4. What is the best work on 
improving and hybridizing grain, especially 
wheat and corn ? 5. Give addresses of second¬ 
hand book stores in New York and Philadel¬ 
phia? 
Ans.— 1. Roget’s Thesaurus. 2. The Ame¬ 
rican Farmer’s Encyclopedia, price §6. There 
are no works on scientific agriculture, though 
some works treat scientifically of special fea¬ 
tures of agriculture. “How Crops Feed and 
How Crops Grow,” by Prof. Johnson, *2 each, 
come as near tbe kind wanted as any. Sci¬ 
ence and practice are combined to some ex¬ 
tent in the “Home and Farm Manual,” Jona¬ 
than Periara, §5. The “Farmers’ and riant 
«rs’ EucyclopfiBdia.of Rural Affairs,” by c. 
W. Johnson, price 86. “Elements of Scien¬ 
tific Agriculture,” by J. P- Norton, price <5 
cents. “Farming for Profit,” by John E. 
Reed, price 83.75. 3. Sir J. B. Lawes’s expei i- 
ments are in the form of pamphlets and con¬ 
tributions to various periodicals. They are 
not published in this country. 4. There are 
no works on hybridizing corn and wheat, bet¬ 
ter than back numbers of the Rural. 5. 
Leggat Bros., 81 Chambers Street, New r York. 
A. 8. Clark, 34 Park Row, New York. Leary 
& Co.. No. 9 South Ninth Street, Philadel¬ 
phia, Pa. 
J. L., Sherbrooke, Quebec.— 1. Which is the 
cheaper, unleached wood ashes at 12.’a cents a 
bushel, or stable manure at 81 per cord? 2. In 
fattening a four-year-old steer is it economy 
to feed a peck of barley iu two feeds per day? 
3 Is it probable that. Congress will admit 
agricultural products duty-free from Canada? 
Ans.— 1. It is hal’d to compare them if the 
ashes are from hard wood and the manure is 
made from the droppings of grain fed animals. 
The ashes are valuable mainly tor the potash 
they contain, while the manure is a “complete 
fertilizer.” They are both cheap: buy all you 
cau pay for and use judiciously. 2. In fatten¬ 
ing any animal, it is economy to feed all the 
grain it can digest well, and it you have roots 
to feed, it can eat and digest much more than 
without them. 3. Omniscience may be able 
to tell what Congress will do: no man can. 
There is little likelihood, however, that agri¬ 
cultural products from Cauada will be placed 
on the free-list before those from other coun¬ 
tries, unless similar concessions are made by 
our Canadian friends, and there is no mime 
diate prospect, of such a desirable state of 
things. 
A, W. A., Afton, la.— 1. I have on my farm 
20 acres of creek bottom timber, mostly second 
growth walnut, pignut, hickory, ash, etc., 
from 10 to 60 feet high. The timber is pretty 
thick in places, and there is quite an under¬ 
growth of elder and other brush. I propose 
t.o cut out t he brush and trim up the timber 
as high as I can reach with an axe, and then 
seed to Blue Grass. Am 1 li kely to be success¬ 
ful? 2. If I should sow the grass in patches, 
in the most favorable places, would it be 
likely to spread ? 3. How would blackberries 
do planted about decaying stumps and logs in 
the timber, and mulched with straw’ until they 
become strong? 
Ans.— 1, Yes. We know’ of several similar 
cases in which a like treatment was rewarded 
with success. Blue Grass is about as good as 
any other grass to sow on low lauds subject to 
occasional overflow. 2. Yes; but you should 
sow it pretty extensively, and must not expect 
the desired result too soon. 3. Such a plan 
tried with blackberries has proved eminently 
successful. Mulching, however, will hardly 
be necessary- Partially shaded places are 
well adapted to blackberries. For Iowa the 
Snyder is better than the Lawton Blackberry, 
as it there proves hardy and an abundant 
bearer. 
M. L., Independence, Mo. —1. Who, near 
this place are breeders of, 1, Chester-white, 
and, 2, Small Yorkshire swine? 3. Who sells 
Brahma chickens? 4. Who makes berry 
boxes in the West? 5. How are hard-fiuished 
plastered walla made? 
Ans.— 1 H. W. Tonkius, Fenton, St. Louis 
County, Mo. 2, R. R. Foster. St. Louis, Mo.; 
J. E. Miller, Belleville, Ill. 3. Geo. Pleasants, 
Wright City, Mo. 4. Feblig Bros , 2,011 to 
2,019 Washington Street, St. Louis, Mo. 5. 
For whitening hard-fiuished plastered walls, 
use alabastine. It cau be obtained at almost 
any drug store, of auy color desired, usually 
in packages of five pounds each, with printed 
directions on each package. It should be ap¬ 
plied with a good paint-brush. See adver¬ 
tisement in the Rural 
s. W. .S'., Uxbridge, Mass.— 1. What is the 
cheapest and best method of keeping grapes 
for Winter use? 2, How far apart should for¬ 
eign vines be set in a grapery? 
Ans.— 1. Pick the bunches carefully, and 
place t hem in trays or boxes, excluding all de¬ 
cayed or bruised berries. Place them one lav 
er deep, and keep them in a cool, dry, dark 
room. A temperature of 38® is best for keep¬ 
ing grapes. Auother way to keep them is 
to place them in clean, dry earthen jars, in 
layers a bunch deep, dry straw-paper being 
placed betweeo the layers, and the jar filled iu 
this way. A double sheet of paper is placed 
over the top layer, and the lid put on. 2. About 
four feet, allowing plenty of room to run up 
tbe rafters or overhead. 
W. G., Niles, Mich. —1. In manuring iu tbe 
hill at tbe Rural Grounds, is the potato drop¬ 
ped on the manure or the manure placed ou 
the potato? 2. Would it be well to put a hand¬ 
ful of unleached wood-ashes on the hill after 
the potato vine is up? 3. Are leached or un¬ 
leached ashes used on potatoes at the Rural 
Grounds'? 
ANS.—1. We first drop the potato piece, 
cover it lightly with soil, and theu sow the fer¬ 
tilizer. Better not place the seed pieces in 
contact with the fertilizer. 2. Why do so? 
The roots of potatoes extend two or three feet 
in all directions. 3. Unleached. Leached 
ashes are little better than lime. 
“A Reader," W. Vet.—L Are the Lake 
Shore Nurseries of Erie County, Pa., trust¬ 
worthy? 2. How d cep should the Rural peas 
be planted ? Do they require brush? 3. Which 
is the better for milk and butter, the Holsteins 
or Ayrshires. 4, What is the highest number 
of eggs a hen has ever laid in a year? 
Ans.— 1- We can find no record of the firm. 
2. From two to four inches. Cleveland’s 
Rural New-Yorker will need brush. 3. The 
friends of each breed claim superiority for 
their favorites. 4. We have no record on tkis 
point. 
A. P. L., Sheboygan, Mich .—1. What will 
destroy lice on young calves? 2. Will carp 
escape from a pond when it overflows; if so, 
how can it be prevented? 
Ans,— 1. Use lard or lard oil mixed with 
one-third its bulk of kerosene, or, better, crude 
petroleum. Make quite hot and pom’ along 
the calves’ backs. 2. It is hardly possible to 
prevent the “small fry” from getting away. 
The surplus water should be allowed to flow 
away through a sluice in the dam; and this 
should he protected with a fine galvanized 
wire screen. 
J. H., West Granby, Conn.— What will pre¬ 
vent a horse from kicking in the stall? 
Ans.—S uspend a pole, two-and-a-half inches 
iu diameter, by ropes from the ceiling in such 
a position that when at rest it will hang one 
foot behind the horse, and just below the gam¬ 
brel joint. When the horse kicks, he will 
strike the pole, causing it to fly from him; the 
backward swing will cause it to strike him on 
the legs. One or two kicks will teach him the 
cause of these strokes, and he will stop kick¬ 
ing- 1 ’ _ 
J. B. M., Grove City, O.—l have the Turner 
and Brandywine Raspberries, but don’t know 
“which is which;” how can they be distin¬ 
guished? 
Ans.— They are readily distinguished. The 
fruit of Turner is soft, sweet and excellent, 
while that of the Brandywine is firm, dry and 
insipid. The Turner is the more vigorous 
grower. Its canes are of a drab color; those 
of the Brandywine are reddish. Turner is the 
earlier. 
B., Harlem, N. F.—1. What is the name of 
a good book on bee- culture* 2. W here cau Ita¬ 
lian bees be bought? 3. What is the address of 
one or two of the best periodicals on bee-cul¬ 
ture? 
Ans.— 1. The Bee-Keeper’s Guide, by Prof. 
A. J. Cook, Lansing, Mich., price, 81.25. 
2. Write to G, M. Doolittle, Borodino, N. Y. 
3. The American Bee Journal, Chicago, ill., 
and the American Bee-Keeper. New York 
City. . 
J. P. L ., West. Hartford, Mo— What is the 
most profitable use to make of German Millet 
seed, that was injured by overheating owing 
to having been thrashed when too damp? 
Ans.— German Millet is richer m nitrogen¬ 
ous compounds than corn. If yours is not 
so much heated as to be spoiled entirely, have 
it ground, mix with corn meal, cook and feed 
the mash to hogs. 
J. A. P., South Bend, tnd —1. Has the Jes¬ 
sica Grape been tested at the Rural Grounds? 
2. How should grape seeds be started.' 
Ans.— 1. We planted the Jessica last Fall. 
2. Plant the seeds precisely the same as you 
would any other seeds, in boxes or pots, half 
an inch deep. They will sprout in from two 
to four months. Soaking in hot water is of 
very little, if any, u&. 
A L. P., Greenfield, Wis. —1. Is Prickly 
Comfrey a good forage plant? 2. How early 
can peas be sown? 
Ans— l. We have tried Prickly Comfrey for 
several years. It grows luxuriantly and can 
be cut two or three times a year; but stock 
will not eat it unless forced by hunger. 2. As 
soon as the ground is free of frost. 
G. W. D., Burlington, N. J.— How can 
cucumbers, when grown iu tbe green-house, 
be “fertilized,” without having a hive of bees 
in there? 
Ans.— Use a fine brush (one of those knowu 
I as “penny paint brushes”) and gather the pol¬ 
len from the male flowers and apply it to the 
central organ (pistil) of the female flowers. 
A. 5. K., Kntidas, O .—Where can 1 get a 
paper publishing the stock markets daily, and 
what is the price? 
Ans.— The Evening Stock Report, 28 I)ey 
Street, New York City, price 85 a year. The 
Indicator, 51 liberty Street, New York City, 
$10 a year. The Drover’s Journal, Chicago, 
daily, $4 a year; weekly, 81.50. 
E. B. Z., Marshalimits, Ohio. —1. Will it pay 
to haul hard wood saw-dust that has been ex. 
posed to the air from ten to twenty years, 
three-fourths of a mile to be used as fertilizer 
on clayey land? 2. Is it likely that tbe white 
grub would l e worse ou land so treated* 
ANS, —!• Yes, for clayey laud. 2. No. 
A. S. K., Kalida, Ohio— What is the rule 
for measuring hay in the stack ? 
Ans. —Multiply the length in yards by the 
hight in yards, and that by the width in 
yards, and divide the product by 15; the quo¬ 
tient will be the number of tons approxi¬ 
mately. 
L. It. G., Lime Rock, Cow.—Will plums 
succeed where pears and quinces grow ? 
Ans.— Yes, There is but very little differ¬ 
ence in the hardiness of these fruits. Borne 
varieties of plums are much hardier than oth¬ 
ers. notably the Damsons. 
J. N., Decatur, Mich.— Will a three-year- 
old oleander grow if cut back to the main 
stem? 
Ans —Yes, it cau be cut back to any ex¬ 
tent; but one should be careful with the prim¬ 
ings and leaves; they are very poisonous. 
C. H. H., Bainbridge, N. Y— What is the 
most practical work for doctoring horses and 
cattle? 
Ans.— Law’s Farmers’ Veterinary Adviser, 
$3. To be had of Prof. James Law', Cornell 
University, Ithaca, N. Y 
P. H. W.. Valley View, Pa.— 1, Is it safe to 
start a new lied of blackberries trom suck¬ 
ers of plants which are affected by rust? 
2, What kind of a strawberry is the Jumbo? 
Ans.— 1. No it is not safe. 2. We have not 
tried the J umbo. 
E W. R., Erie, III., and G. IF. R., Cross Riv¬ 
er, N. Y— Where can I get Mensury Barley ? 
Also Blush Potatoes? 
Ans. —The Mensury (or Manshury) Barley 
and Blush Potato have been advertised for 
some time in the Rural. 
E. H. IU, Galva, III — From whom cau I get 
information as to the best parts of Kentucky 
for stock raising? 
Ans.— Write to the Secretary of the State 
Board of Agriculture, Frankfort, Ky. 
W. H ., East Glenvillc, N. Y.— Where cau 
get Spring rye, and will it yield as well as 
Winter rye? 
Ans.—O f any seedsman. It will not yield 
as w r ell as Winter rye. 
J. IL, New Springfield, Ohio.— 1, What book 
treats of plums and their culture? 2. What is 
the best variety of currants? 
Ans. —1. Barry's Fruit Garden. 2. Fay’s 
Prolific. 
C. S., Ashland, Neb.— Where can artichoke 
seeds be obtained ? 
Ans.—O f almost any of the dealers whose 
catalogues have been noticed in the Rural. 
J. L. K., Hellersloum, Pa,— Where can I 
get the eggs of Black Spanish fowls? 
Ans.— Fiom D. L. Evans, Jr.,Watsontowu, 
Pa.; W. Atlee Burpee, Philadelphia, Pa. 
L. H. T., Lang Hill, Conn., sends a speci¬ 
men of corn for name. 
Ans.— This closely resembles the “Queen of 
the Prairie” or “Pride of the North.” 
W. C. V., Moore's-MVIs, N. Y.— Is the nursery 
firm of D. F, Attwood & Co., of Geneva, N. 
Y., reliable? 
Ann.—W e think so. 
H. T. W., Burlington, N. J., and D. C F., 
Mason City, Iowa — Are the rye and wheat 
Spring or Winter varieties? 
Ant. —W inter. 
E. C. R-, Knjglit Station, Mo.— Will chip 
dirt benefit corn? 
Ans.— Except to lighten the soil it will have 
little effect. 
J, M. It., Woodland, Texas.— Where can I 
get red Brazilian Artichokes? 
Ans —Of Hiram Sibley & Co., Rochester, 
N. Y. 
T. M. W ., (Irandon, Dakota— What is the 
best corn for this section? 
Ans.— Wc should plant the Yellow Canada 
Flint. 
L. E.K ., Floravitle, ///.—Is there any differ¬ 
ence between Berkshire aud Berkshire hogs? 
Ans.— No. Bucksbtre issimply a local name. 
W. J. G„ Johnsoriburg, N. J.— Where can I 
get strawberry baskets? 
Ans.-N. L>. Battersou, Buffalo, N. Y. 
-*-M- 
Communications Received for thk week,Ending 
Saturday, Mareh 15. 
J. L.—N. Y. 8. Ex.-O. H. A—F. K.—E. H. H. G. W. 
- J. K. P.—H. K.—P. K.-S. C. T.-K. L. D.—O. H. H 
U w —W. A. G.—W. M.—J. K P.—H. H. B.-L. H. Ib. 
thanks. -H. A. W.-F. J. W.-A. H. M.-T. II H. J. B. 
-J. C D.-J. A. H.-W. C. n.-l>. M. N. -J. E. N - G. 0. 
O.—w. L. D. A. M. D., certainly ; shall mind.-“Elm.” 
—G. W. T. G. C. C.—C. B. G.—B. W. M.-A. M. W.— 
q u.—Ufter, thunks. F. F. G.—S. H.— K. N. H. N. J. 
B . K. H 6. EL- D. !•'. i*. i . W. P. " a. D.-P.H. 
—E. n. K.—K-n. Levy. We have answered on edtlo 
rial pane.—A. J. C.-W M.-D W. A.- Mrs. H. B. C.. 
thanks.-H. L 1. -G. S.-W. J. F.-T. G. b.-G. H. 
F H. K.-S. M- W. C. C J. M.—8. M. H. -W. B. A. 
A M -F. D. C. F. H. 8.- W. C.-A. C.-W. H. T.-L. A. 
P-N J.N.-H. G.-M. D.-W. H.W.—G. J. B.-A. H. 
p’ thanks for corn. H. H.-C. H.-W. G. W..Sr.-J. 
W W. G. M.-J. A. L.-W K. H.- A. B. B. M. M.-W . 
M c -J b. II.—E. B. H. -J. H T.. thanks.—G. W., 
thanks.—J. U. B. A. T. U. M. I>. T. N. L.-0. C. W 
—S. E T.—L. H. W. F. T. E. S.- J. K. F.—H. A. F. 
E. A. W. J C , Aiken, Teun., beaus received. W. K. 
W., thuuks.—G. W. J.—U. S. O.—H. H, S.—J. H. A. 
