23ft 
APRIL 42 
t (Jlitmst. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
[Evers’ querj’ must be accompanied by the name 
and address of the writer to Insure attention. Before 
asking a question, please see if It Is not, answered In 
our advertising columns. Ask only a few questions 
at one time.] _ 
BLACK-KNOT: SAGE CULTURE. 
C. B. E., Newark, O.—l. Is it advisable for 
me to cut off tbe limbs of my cherry trees 
affected with black-knot, leaving only the 
healthy growth? 3. Give a brief account of 
sage culture? 
ANS.—1- Yes, unless they are large main 
branches, then the affected parts should be 
thoroughly cut out. If the warts are very 
small on some limbs, rather than injure the 
form of the tree, cut them out to the sound 
wood, leaving the branches. It is nest to 
burn all diseased bark and wood. Wash the 
cut parts with carbolic acid, lime and sul¬ 
phur, and put a slight plaster of grafting wax 
over the parts. 3. The soil for sage should 
be ricli and light, and the cultivation good 
and thorough. Sow the seed in a gentle hot¬ 
bed the last of March, or first of April. Sow 
thinly and cover lightly, and when the young 
plants are well up, give air freely, and use all 
means to obtain a robust growth. Gradually 
expose to the air, and plant out towards the 
end of May in rows two feet apart, the plants 
being one foot apart in the row. Keep well 
cultivated until the time to harvest the crop, 
removing all flowering stalks as soon as no¬ 
ticed. To obtain satisfactory results, a new 
plantation should be made every year. Be¬ 
fore going into the cultivation of sage on an 
extensive scale, it is wise to make inquiries 
concerning the market at baud and the prices 
to be derived from the sale of the plants. 
TOOLS FOR STRAWBERRY AND GRAPE CUL¬ 
TIVATION, ETC. 
W. M. H., Blairsmlle, III — 1. What is the 
best work on diseases of horses and cattle? 3. 
How should stable manure be treated to se¬ 
cure tbe best results? 3. What is the best 
tool for cultivating grapes and strawberries? 
Ans. —1, Law's Farmers 1 Veterinary Ad¬ 
viser, S3, to be had of Prof. James Law, 
Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y. 3. See 
last week's Supplement. 3. The best tool 
for strawberries is some form of the garden 
wheel-hoe or cultivator, if used by band; if 
worked by horse, then some style of cultiva¬ 
tor that does not cut the ground very deep 
would be best. For grapes, if the ground is 
entirely free of weeds, any of the shallow- 
running cultivators would be advisable; but 
if only partial cultivation is given, it seems 
necessary to use a plow among the vines. 
This is the plan usually followed up the Hud¬ 
son, and in Central and Western New York. 
There, a shallow-running one-horse plow is 
run close to the vines, plowing very shallow. 
The furrows run a little deeper towards the 
center. Tbe plow is used only once a year, 
and that in tbe Fall after the leaves have 
fallen. At all other times the cultivator is 
used. The shallower the cultivation the better 
for both. 
CREAMERS. 
,/. H., New Berne, N. C — 1. Is there such a 
thing as a portable creamer, that can be used 
with well-water, or ice brought from town 
once a week? 3. 1 have a well that is about 
four-aud-one-half feet across, and 15 feet from 
the top of ground to surface of water; could 
1 utilize that? I have but one or two cows. 
Ans.— 1. There are quite a number of good 
portable creamers. Several have been ad¬ 
vertised in Rural New-Yorker, and we 
know them to be good, and you can use them 
very satisfactorily with water that is 60 de¬ 
grees or lower. It wou Id hardly do to rely on 
icing once a week; but tbe ice might be pre¬ 
served packed in sawdust in a barrel or other 
receptacle. 3. You might have some cans 
made, say, 20 inches deep, with a bail near the 
top and a loop at the bottom; you could then 
suspend tbe caD by a rope, attaching to the 
bottom a weight sufficiently heavy to sink the 
can to within two or three inches of the top. 
If the water in the well is 65 degrees or lower, 
this method would work very well. Send to 
the manufacturers of each creamer adver¬ 
tised in the R.N.-Y-, for their circulars, and 
you can learn much by reading them 
USES OF STRAW. 
F. D., Traverse City, Mich— 1. Is it profit¬ 
able to buy straw at $4 per ton for use as bed¬ 
ding to make manure? 2. Will lime water 
turned upon straw so used, make it rot faster, 
and will it benefit it? 
Axs.—1. At the present market prices, 
the manorial value of the mineral elements 
contained in a ton of straw is about $l.65< 
besides this, the organic parts have considera¬ 
ble value both as manure and for tbe mechani¬ 
cal effect they would have on tbe soil. Still 
a 
it would hardly pay to buy straw for manure 
alone at the price; but good, bright, clean, 
well-kept straw has a good deal of value as 
food for stock. According to the tables of 
Drs. Wolff and Collier, in feeding value ft is 
worth half as much as tbe best clover hay, 
three-fourths as much as Timothy hay, and 
9.11 as much as corn-stalks. To get the highest 
value from straw, it should be fed in connec¬ 
tion with clover hay, linseed meal, or some 
other food rich in muscle-forming elements. 
2. The action of lime on all woody fiber, 
whether instraw or boards, is to preserve it. 
PREPARING ASPARAGUS BEDS. 
N. B. L., Buffalo, N. F.—How should aspa¬ 
ragus beds be prepared? 
Ans.—T be soil should be a deep, mellow, 
sandy loam. Thoroughly plow and harrow it 
both ways, and apply plenty of well-rotted 
barn-yard manure, which should be plowed 
under; the more manure the better. Open 
furrows 10 or 12 inches deep, and bwo-and-one- 
half or three feet apart, if for garden culture, 
or four feet for field culture. Have the plauts 
15 inches apart in the row, in garden culture; 
or two feet in field culture. When set, do not 
cover the crown of the plauts over three 
inches, and when the young shoots are three 
or four inches above the surface, run a culti¬ 
vator alongside the rows, throwing a little 
soil against the plants. Cultivate thoroughly. 
HOW TO USE FERTILIZERS. 
A u New SubscriberWhite Hull. N. V*.— 
Where and how can fertilizers be used for 
com and potatoes, if not iu the hill? 
Ans.—S ow the fertilizer broadcast after the 
first harrowing, and then harrow it in, Why 
use fertilizer in the hid? There is no reason 
whatever, that we cau see, unless one has too 
small a quantity to sow broadcast, and desires 
to give the plants a “ start.” When a fertilizer 
is used in the hill the rootsof the plants, which 
extend from row to row or hill to hill, can de¬ 
rive no benefit from it. A good start is a 
good thing, hut food when the plants have 
attained size, and are forming tubers or grain, 
is better. Wo had rather, however, use fer¬ 
tilizer in the hills or drills for potatoes than 
for corn. 
ABOUT BEES. 
B. L. G., Lime lloek, Conn.— 1. Can I keep 
bees to advantage without the hives beiug 
robbed by neighboring colonies living 30 rods 
from my home? 2. What kind of nees will be 
most profitable to keep ? 
Ans. —1. Bees only rob at times when it is dif- 
fieiltto procure nectar. If your colony is 
strong, there will not be much danger of its 
being molested, as the bees will be almost sure 
to defend themselves against marauders, the 
weak colonies being the only ones in danger; 
so if you have plenty of bee-food in your vi¬ 
cinity, we think you could keep bees to an 
advantage. 2. Italians are the best. They 
are also able, and ready, to protect themselves 
and their homes against all marauders. 
CHARCOAL DUST AS- A FERTILIZER. 
T. II. <?. L., St. Francis Co.. Mo.— 1. What 
is the value ot charcoal dust for manure? 2. 
How should it be used? 3. 1 can secure 5(1 
loads gratis; will it pay to haul it 3}£ miles? 
Ans.— 1. Charcoal dust is almost pure car¬ 
bon, arid theoretically is not more valuable 
than muck. Yet who eversa* an old “coal 
pit” bed that was not.remarkably productive? 
We think its chief value is as uu absorbent of 
gases which cause the plants to grow. 2. We 
should advise its use in the stable and pig¬ 
pens to absorb the rich gases and liquids. 3. 
We believe it will pay in a slack time to haul 
the dust and use it iu the stables for bedding. 
FEED FOR A YOUNG CALF. 
E. M. Van C., Seneca Falls, N» F.—What 
is the bast feed for a calf from four to six 
weeks old ? 
Ans.—F eed all the nice clover hay it will 
eat. Make a mixture of corn-meal, wheat 
middlings and oil meal, equal parts, and feed 
daily, one-half piut at first, increasing to a 
quantity sufficient to keep the animal grow¬ 
ing finely. Continue the latter all Summer 
while the calf is running iu good pasture, and 
next Fall you will think you have a thorough¬ 
bred. 
Miscellaneous. 
E. G. G., Leaf River, III.—, 1. Is butter-milk 
worth one cent per gallon for hog feed? 2. 
What vegetable is best for feeding cows? 3. 
Will mangels keep in Winter? 4. Where can 
I get a book on horse and cattle diseases? 5. 
Are there more than one kind of Jerseys? 6. 
Is it Jersey male 14 months old fit for service? 
7. What causes the hot winds of Kansas and 
Nebraska, and bow far north do they extend? 
8. Would the Kieffer Pear succeed in North¬ 
ern Illinois? 
Ans —1. It depends upon the [trice of corn, 
but with you we hardly think it would. Bet 
ter try a little experiment on two pigs of the 
same weight; feeding the same quantity ot 
- grain, feed to one meal and butter-milk and to 
the other meal and water, and note the result. 
It will pay you. 2. The best of all are carrots; 
but maugels are good, and you can raise them 
for one-quarter the cost of carrots. 8. Yes; 
treat them exactly as you would potatoes. 4 
Of James Law, Ithaca, N. Y.—Law’s Veter¬ 
inary Adviser. Price $3. 5. No; but there 
are many different families. 6. Yes. modera¬ 
tely. 7. They are caused by the wind passing 
over the broad, hot, treeless, and almost ver¬ 
dureless plains of the South and West; those 
plains being quite elevated nud very dry, the 
air is light and contains but little moisture to 
obstruct the sun’s rays. The consequence is 
they become very hot and, of course, very dry 
and destructive to vegetation and life almost 
They reach as far North as the Platte River, 
seldom much farther. 8. We think it would 
succeed; but there are grave doubts as to the 
quality so far North. It is just now reported 
as being of better quality in warmer climates. 
J. G. IF,, Brook!in, Can— l. Last Spring 1 
set out an asparagus bed, planting two year- 
old roots in trenches between eight and twelve 
inches deep, putting rotted manure in the 
bottom of each, and filled up the trenches 
Duly a few plauts made their appearance, r 
have been told that 1 ought to have put iu only 
an inch or two of earth at a time, and as the 
plants grew, filled up the trenches gradually. 
Will it be necessary to make a new lied. 
What sort of grass should I sow, keeping a 
horse and cow? 3. What is the best early, 
and the best winter cabbage? Is the White 
Elephant an Early potato, and how does it 
compare with the Beauty of Hebron for size 
and productiveness? 5. What is the average 
cost of a colony of Italian bees? 
Anb.— 1. It would have been better to have 
put, say, three inches of soil on the plants, 
and then gradually have filled in as they 
grew. You cau now make new trenches 
where the old ones were, and reset where 
plants are missing, 2. Sow Timothy, six 
pounds; medium Red Clover, six pounds; Blue 
Grass, seven pounds. 3. Early Wakefield and 
Winuingstadt. for early; Stone Mason, Marble- 
Head, for late. 4. Late. It is larger and 
more productive, and still is much like the 
Late Beauty of Hebron. 5. From $6 to $15. 
M. S., Essewville, Mich.— 1. What color is 
the Early Beauty of Hebron Potato; nurs¬ 
ery-men describe it as white ? 2. W ill pear, 
apple and Honey-Locust seeds have to be 
frozen to make them grow ? 8. How much 
superphosphate will be safe to put on pota¬ 
toes with a heavy dressing of stable manure, 
and how much without manure f 4. What is 
the best way to apply manure to potatoes ! 
Ans.— 1. The color is a light pink, lighter 
than Early Rose, but not. white. 2. They will 
not; but the Honey Locust seeds will need 
much soaking. Better pour boiling water over 
them at first. 3. It is perfectly safe to ap 
ply much more than would be profitable— 
from 200 to 400 pounds with other manure, 
and from 400 to 800 pounds without, and get 
those rich in potash. 4. Apply broadcast and 
harrow in; never apply it iu the hills. 
C. D., Woodstock, 17. — 1. You say applying 
manure iu the hill is not the best way: what 
is? 2 In using good superphosphate ou sward 
for raising lodder com, what is the best way 
of applying it; the corn to lie grown in drills? 
3. In sowing oats, peas, and Spring rye to 
gether. to be harvested when ripe, what is the 
best proportion of seed to use? 
Ans.— 1- The best w’ay to use special manures 
is to sow them on the surface after partially 
fitting the soil; then cultivate and barrow in. 
2. Plow the ground and partially fit it by har¬ 
rowing; sow the phosphate, and cultivate into 
the surface soil. 3. Sow 1 }.{ bushel of Cana 
da June Peas, one bushel of oats, and throe- 
fourths of a bushel of rye. Harves-t before 
fully ripe, while the straw is quite green; it 
w ill not injure the grain and will he as good as 
air hay. 
G. W. H., Roanoke, Ind.—l. What is the 
>e«t plan for an over-ground collar ? 2. Has 
he Rural ever planted hemp or tobacco 
trnong cabbage to keep the worms away? 8. 
Did it ever try the new hand cultivator called 
he New Principle Hand Cultivator, and is it 
wtter than the Planet Single-wheeled? 
Ans — 1. If lime, good sharp sand, or gra¬ 
vel and stones are plentiful, the best way 
vould bo to build concrete walls 18 inches 
;hick and fur out, putting lath and plaster ou 
die inside, leaving au air-space of two inches. 
1. It would do no good whatever. We have 
seen tobacco and cabbages growing side by 
dde, and the cabbage row next to the tobacco 
was eaten as badly as any. 8. \\ o have not 
tried it. and cannot say. We have tried most 
of the cultivators advertised iu oui columns, 
and kuow them to be good. Bend for their 
circulars, mentioning the R. N.-Y. 
T, ./. O., Orange, N. ./., and C. S. V. M., 
Rock Castle, Fa,—Where can l procure Wor 
den, Moore's Early and Jefferson Grapes, and 
what kind of grapes are they? 
ANS.— Send for the catalogues noticed iu 
R. N-Y. Worden and Moore’s Early are black 
varieties, and Jefferson is light red. They are 
all of good quality and quite productive. The 
skin of the Wordeu is thin and the flesh is 
sweet; this and Moore's Early are early in 
ripening, tbe Jefferson being late. Jeffer¬ 
son is one of the finest red grapes, and is very 
promising for both home and market. The 
skin is rather thick, the flesh meaty yet ten¬ 
der. juicy, sweet, slightly vinous and aromatic. 
C. G. G., Lenox, Mass.— 1. Is refuse from a 
brewery suitable food for a sow with a litter 
of young pigs? 2. Would gypsum or unleach¬ 
ed ashes improve a muck heap? 
Anb. —1. Brewers' grains, if fresh, mixed 
with one-fourth wheat middlings, would 
make a very good food for a nursing sow. 2. 
The unleached wood ashes would be likely to 
add much more iu value to the muck than 
gypsum, for the reason that the muck is very 
likely to be more or less sour, and the ashes 
would correct this and add the value of the 
potash which they contain. 
W. T. T. Salisbury, N. C— Will it pay to 
haul spent tan bark nearly rotten, one mile, 
for use ou potatoes or clover. The soil is 
partly clay and partly sandy loam. Teams 
cost $2 per day, tan bark nothing ? 
Anb.— There is very little manurial value in 
the bark, sawdust or ashes of any conifer¬ 
ous trees, and the spent tan would not pay 
unless the grouud is heavy and needs some¬ 
thing to make it lighter, or for use as a mulch 
about plants or trees. 
IF. IF. M, West Springfield, Pa,, sends 
sample of Fay’s Manilla Rooting, which is a 
firm sort of paste-board painted ou one side, 
and asks as to its durability. 
Ans. —From its appearance we think it 
would serve a good purpose so long as kept 
well painted. Have any of our readers any 
knowledge of it? 
J. K., Hamilton, Mo— Where can I get a 
wot k on architecture, giving baru [dans? 
Ans.— Note the barn plans in this year’s R. 
N-Y. Barn Plans and Out buildings, price 
*1 50, to be obtained from the American News 
Company, New York City, will probably 
answer your purpose. 
,/. .4., Fergus Falls, Minn — Where can I 
get Pekin ducks and China geese? 
Ans.— R, B. Mitchell, Chicago, HI.; Joshua 
Artee, Crestline, Ohio; and J. Ross, Level, 
Ohio, sell Pekin ducks. The last also sells 
China geese. 
E. B. V., Rush ellle, N. Y— 1. Will Alsike 
Clover seed the second year? 2. Which are 
best red and black raspberries for family 
use? 
Ans. 1 —1. Yes.. 3, Red; Turner, Hansell and 
Cuthbert. Black; Souhegan and Gregg. 
J. G. L, North ville, Mich.— Who keeps 
La Fl£che fowls for sale? 
Ans.—W e do uot know. 
G. €., Bangor , Mich.— Where can I get a 
few pounds of some uew varieties of potatoes? 
Ans. —They are being constantly advertised 
in the Rural New-Yorker. Consult the 
advertisements. 
S. C. S., West over, Md .—Where can I get 
information respecting farming lauds iu Ten¬ 
nessee? 
Ans.— Write to A. W. Hawkins, Commis¬ 
sioner of Agriculture, Nashville, Tenn. 
,/, E. S., Burbank, O.— What is the large 
beau-shaped seed sent out in the Free Seed 
Distribution last year ? 
Anb — We do uot know to which you refer, 
P. D. A”., Yarmouth, N. S .—Who sells self¬ 
sealing milk jars? 
Ans.—T he Warren Glass Works Co., 72 
Murray St., New York City. 
A. E, M., Caledonia, N. F.—Who deals iu 
pure Shetland ponies? 
Ans.— Frauds H. lielpb, 19 Brdadway, New 
York City. 
Several intjuircrs.—G. S. Cooper, Seraalen- 
burg, Bergen County, N, J., sells Wyandotte 
eggs, $2 for 13; he is u man to be trusted. 
L. L. Cross. Adams, Mass., wants to learn 
where mastiff pups are for sale. 
Many inquirers. —There is uo better hand 
cultivator thau the “Planet, Jr.,” of S. L. 
Allen & Co., of Philadelphia, Pa.; or if you 
live West, the Gem, of J. C. Vaughan, 42 La 
Halle Street, Chicago, Ill. We have tried 
them both, and commend their use to all. 
Communications Received fob the week Ending 
Saturday, March 29. 
J. C.-J. F. C.-M. H.-F. W. W.-C. E. P.—W. H. W 
- K. D. C.-J. S. 8. B—T. L. C.-O. W. P.-H. C. D.-M. 
A B.-U, C, L.-W. 8. W.-L. A. S.-L. B. A.-K. ri ¬ 
ll. L. k. h, H. a. .1. SI. 8. i'ii, i, B, F. B. O.O. 
T. L.-E.T. H.-J.T.-W. F. B.-S.-T. T, I..-C. E. P. 
H. E. G.— K. I .-It. C. P. A. W. s„ thanks: we arc 
crowded Just now—It. O. May Maple—F. q. N.— 
J. A., tlmnks for plan—R. G. O.—J. H.-.l. U.-P. K. 
C.-O. B.-W. F. T, A. C. M. O. H. P.-S. W.-O.N. 
E. W. B.S.—V. A.—A. J. C.—J. H. W.-Amateur— L 
S.—W. S.. Jr., we have had poor success with 
English potatoes—F. D, C.—V. P» I 1 V, . (i. 
—C.F., K.-J.C. C. 
