THE BUBAL NEW-YORKER. 
nice celery and a heavy yield, scatter in these 
furrows bone-dust at the rate of 400 pounds 
per acre. Set the plants m double rows ten 
inches apart, and eight inches apart in the 
rows, using a dibble, and seeing that the soil 
is packed firmly ubout the roots. If planted 
in a moist time, or just at nightfall and well 
watered, not one in fifty will fail to grow. 
The after cultivation will eousist in keeping 
them free or weeds and the soil mellow, using 
the cultivator between the rows, and as the 
plants develop in size and the ridges between 
the rows are worked down, the soil should tie 
drawn around the plants, gradually earthing 
them up, until the surface becomes lev el. This 
will place the earth six or more inches deep 
around them, and care should he taken, that 
at all times the leaf stalks he kept. close to¬ 
gether so as to prevent any dirt from getting 
into the crowns, as that would cause them to 
rust. Oue or more rows may be prepared for 
fall use by earthing up. for blanching. This 
cau mostly be done with the one horse plow, 
throwing the dirt close to the rows, and then 
using the hoe to place it immediately about 
the plants, holding the stalks close together, 
with one hand, while using the hoe with the 
other. That intended for winter use will 
need no further hilling, as all that is necessary 
is to cause the stalks to grow close, so as to 
develop a large amount of leaf stalks and 
hearts. At the proper season in the Full I will 
give directions for winter storing and pres¬ 
ervation simple, cheap and effective. j. b. 
— «>» 
PRACTICE VS. THEORY. 
C. W. QARFIELD. 
ASPARAGUS. 
f have just finished planting an acre of I 
asparagus, and, of course, previous to begin¬ 
ning operations 1 read everything I could lay 
my hands on. I was surprised at the “ fussi¬ 
ness” of most writers, and, after ransacking 
my library, concluded that nearly every one 
that had written about asparagus had not had 
the experience of an acre, and the counsel or 
the w riters wus not for me. Now let me tell 
you how I managed as a greenhorn. 
I took good, fair ground, upon which toma¬ 
toes had been grown last season, and spread, 
during early Winter, twelve cords of rotted 
manure upon an acre. This .Spring the ear¬ 
liest plowing 1 did was in that asparagus 
ground. The plowing was done with a gang- 
plow, and the furrows turned not over four 
inches in depth, i next opened furrows four 
feet apart as deep as 1 could by giving a full 
bout to each furrow. In the bottom of these 
trenches I placed ten cord* of partially rotted 
cow manure. This was free from any bed¬ 
ding, and was made from unimals highly fed. 
A uutu with a wide garden rake then walked 
the length of each trench, drawlug the rake 
after him, and thus he drew a light layer of 
earth upon the manure. 
The plants were set 18 inches apart in the 
trenches, with a line, as there were some in¬ 
equalities in the furrows. Our plan of setting 
was this: my assistant went ahead, and 
dropped the plants at the proper distances, 
and I followed, taking each plant in my left 
baud and placing it, while with my right I 
hauled euougb soil upon it to maintain it in 
position. Then my helper, who could drop 
about twice as fast as I could set, followed, 
with a hoe and his feet completing the job. 
The plants were strong yearling*, and when 
put in place, were from five to hix inches be¬ 
neath the surface of the ground. The trenches I 
were not illled up; only enough soil w?s drawn 
about the plants to cover the crowns, and the 
ridges will be gradually worked down during 
the season. 
I figure up the cost of this acre, to'date, as 
follows: 
(Jang plowing. i jo I 
Trenching rows... . 150 I 
10 cord* Cow manure at $1. lO.oo I 
5,600 plants at $2.Ml,.. . 
Planting, Tour days at $2. 8.00 I 
*59.00 
1 would like to have struck some such re- I 
cord of experience before I began planting, 
or rather, preparing my ground. 
RASPBERRIES. 
I am done with planting the Gregg Rasp¬ 
berry on my ground. I have given it a tho¬ 
rough trial, and have proved it wanting in 
oue important particular—hardiness. In order 
to bo perfectly fair, I placed the Ohio in the i 
same row, alternating the Gregg and it, and 1 
for three consecutive Winters the Gregg has s 
been more or less injured. It may do in Cen- s 
tral Ohio, or even in Southern Michigan, but t 
here it is not hardy. Now note the effects of c 
this lack of hardiness; the first berries picked \ 
were, each } ear, large and well-formed like the t 
‘pictures, 1 but the following pickings were g 
small; there seemed to be a lack of sufficient f 
vitality in the plants to mature a full crop. t 
The Ohios, in the same row, never furnished a 
such large and beautiful sample berries, but the a 
crop was much larger, and the vines seem 
perfectly hardy. It teaches us the lesson, that 
we must not apply what are truths in Central 
Ohio, to the climate of Central Michigan. 
Grand Rapids, Mich. 
REPRODUCTIVE 
PLANTS. 
ORGANS 
THE SEXUAL DIFFERENCE IN CUCUMBERS, 
ETC. 
‘‘The Rural says cucumbers can lie arti¬ 
ficially fertilized by applying the pollen from 
the male flowers to the stigma of the female 
flowers. What is the difference between the 
male and the female fl.nversof the cucumber?'’ 
The reproductive organs of the flowers are 
of two kinds—the male and female, the former 
being known as the stmuiuate and the latter 
the pistillate. Although 
-{ /vF.* 16 nin *° un< I female 
I ! ,urt8 arG usually found 
in the same flower, there 
are numerous cases in 
which this docs not oe- 
™//»cur. this is the 
case, the pollen from the 
stamens must be brought 
Male Flower. Fig. ist. in contact with the pis¬ 
til, or else fertilization 
will not ensue. 
The stamens are composed of two parts, viz.: 
the filaments and anthers. The filament is a 
stalk, bearing upon its tip the anthers, which 
Male Flower. Vertical Section. Fig. 158, 
contain the pollen or fertilizing material. 
By bringing the pollen of the anthers in con¬ 
nection with the stigma, the ovules of the 
ovary become fertilized. The pollen is some¬ 
times carried by insects an 1 wind from one 
flower to another. 
The name of perfect, hermaphrodite, or bi¬ 
sexual, is given to flow- 
ers in which both the /j J N 
male and female organs l \y / 
are found; that of 1m // 
perfect or unisexual, to 
those ha\ ing only one of j**~^*t 
the reproductive or- ~ 
guns. When the male (kw/ 
and female flowers of a M 
species are found on dif- mL vhsM'/ 
ferent plants, the plant 
is called dioecious, as in 
willows, maples, etc. Li,- 
When in the same plant \ . M / 
there are both perfect Lift 
and imperfect flowers, n J 3 
the plant is said to be 
monoecious. Both inon- ®' ema ' 0 Flower. Fig. 159. 
CBCiouB and dioecious forms are fertilized by 
means of Insects and the wind, and among 
the former may be mentioned Indian coni, 
the castor-oil plant, melons, cucumbers, 
illustrations of too last-mentioned of which 
we present in Figure* 157, 158, 159, 160, and 
161, showing the male and female organs of 
the flowers, as requested to do. 
Fig 157 Is a drawing of the male flower, and 
Fig. 158 a vertical section of the same, show¬ 
ing the male organs clustered together at 
the base of the floral cavity. The sta- 
M 
Ti 
f ;; -tit 1 
*. - * o*\ 
— its: 
Female Flower. Vertical Section. Fig. 160, 
mens, or male organs, are also shown at Fig. 
161. The female flower Is shown at Fig. 150, 
and a vortical section is given at Fig. 160, 
showing very plainly the large ovary con¬ 
taining the immature seeds or ovules. The 
ovary is situated at the base of the floral en¬ 
velopes, and is surmounted by the sty lo and 
three pronged stigma. When the cucumber is 
growing in the open air, the female flower is 
fertilized by insects; but when cross-fertiliza 
tion is to be resorted to, or hot-house culture 
attempted, the plant must be fertilized by 
artificial means. This cau easily be done, by 
gathering pollen from the anthers or males on 
a camel's hair pencil, and then touching the 
stigmas of the female (low- 
a g w or with it. As the stigiua 
/if / I] ji of the flower is somewhat 
viscid, some pollen is 
Y§| ft “SrG&y caught and held, particles 
of which are absorbed into 
^ lH ovary, where the ov- 
\! u “a jin ules are fertilized, 
v. / Notwithstanding the di- 
Ma!eOrgansof g Flow versity of form in the flow¬ 
ers of different species, it 
requires hut a slight knowledge of botany to 
distinguish the difference between the male 
and female organs of flowering plants. 
—■ « « » 
CLEANING SEEDS. 
I was long In learning any satisfying rea¬ 
son for the direction constantly given by 
writers on gardening, but never with any ex¬ 
planation, viz,; to clean the pulp, or hulls, 
from seeds before sowing them. The most ob¬ 
vious reason seemed to he that they can bo 
drilled or cost more evenly, which, however, 
is not always the case. In Nature’s procedure 
she drops the fruit, and the seeds lie in the 
pulp quite safely on the cool ground, in such 
profuse amount, however, that it is enough if 
one out of a thousand strikes root into the 
earth. But when we prepare a bed specially 
for seeds, we desire that all should germinate 
and make good growth. I have seen the rudi 
elo of sprouted wild plum seed*, and other*, 
coiled round and round within the tough rind, 
liko roots in a crowded flower pot, unable to 
find an issue into the soil, and when they 
dually do so, the coil remains and unlit* them 
for use. That is one more reason for cleaning 
oil’ the hulls, a tiling not always easy to do, 
and which in the case of beet, seeds never is 
done. They are planted while hunched three 
or four together, embedded in the hard, dried 
flesh of the swollen calyx, and are as difficult 
to get out unbroken, as is the single seed of a 
walnut from its bony shell. 
In lately putting aside some pear seeds, 
which 1 de-ired to plant, 1 loft some entire 
cores among ttie clean seeds, and placed all on 
some sand 111 a flower pot in a cool place under 
a greenhouse stage. The clean seed remained 
bright ami sound, but the cores were soon cov¬ 
ered with a rank growth of mold-fungus. 
This would have taken place all the same if 1 
planted the soeds at once, and covered them 
loosely with soil, and the mold would have 
been as destructive as mice. But. the clean 
seed pressed into close contact with the fresh, 
well-aired soil, is safe from the fungus—a 
source of injury which wo need to consider, 
quite as much as the question of manure, til¬ 
lage, and seasonableness. “W,” 
£f)f |)oultnj J)mrlr. 
THE CARE OF YOUNG CHICKENS. 
HENRY STEWART. 
The first thing to be done when the eggs are 
hatched under a hen, is to preserve the chicks 
from being crushed or killed in the nest. It, 
is not at all uncommon for 40 or 50 per cent of 
the chicks to he lost in this way. Some liens 
are extremely clumsy, or so fussy as to tram¬ 
ple the chicks to death before the little weak 
tilings are able to take care of themselves, or 
even before they are Tree from the shell. It is 
quite possible to save 08 or 00 per cent, of the 
fertile eggs by using a small home-made incu¬ 
bator, to nurse the chicks in as soon us the shells 
are broken, or the chicks have emerged from 
them. Last year I tried this plan and lost hut 
one chick out of 122, The present year L have 
the same apparatus in use, and have lost so far 
one chick out of six brood* that have been 
hatched—in all, 05 chicks. This incubator is 
simply a box, lined with hair felt, and cover¬ 
ed with resin paper to retain the warmth. It 
is 16 inches square, and Hi inches deep, and 
stands on end, like a small closet. Itis divided 
into two compartments by a shelf across the 
middle, upon which is a shallow paper tray. 
There 1* a space of half an inch behind thi 
shelf and in front of it, and a small glass win¬ 
dow is fitted in the door so us to give a view of 
the upper part. 
It is used 03 follows: A tin box, having a 
wire handle at each end and a screw opening, 
like that of an oil can, by which it can be fill¬ 
ed, is made to lit the bottom compartment, 
and holds about five cr six quarts. This is 
filled with boiling water, aud is covered with 
a sheet of hair felt to moderate and preserve 
the heat. This is prepared as soon as the 
chicks in the nest are duo to hatch. 
A thermometer, kept inside where it can 
be seen, serves to regulate the heat and keep 
it at 90 deg. If necessary to lower the heat, a 
little fresh air may he given through a hole 
bored in the side over the heater, and closed 
with a common cork. As soon as the iucuba- 
1 tor is ready, the chicks are put into it as they 
come out, until all are saved. By always set¬ 
ting two hens at the same time, two broods 
can he brought out together and given to oue 
hon, aud thus oue may be turned loose, to go 
laying again. One lien will take care of 20 or 
24 ehicks in a roomy coop. The chicks need 
only warmth to get strong iu a short, time, and 
require no foediug. But it. is quite easy to 
feed them, as they take naturally to this com¬ 
mon habit among animals, and will also drink 
if water be given them after they have been 
iu the incubator 24 hours. 
It is interesting to watch the development 
of a chick thus helped. A weak thing, seem¬ 
ingly dead with weakness and cold, will soon 
begin to peep faintly, and then stretch its legs 
and lift its head, ami in a few hours will be as 
lively as any other. Warmth only Is needed, 
as the little animal is fully provided with food 
by the yelk of the egg inclosed within it, and 
which is absorbed during the first. 24 hours of 
its life. If, through being chilled, a chick is 
too wouk to break the shell, after having been 
thoroughly warmed, the shell and membrane 
may be cut. by means of a pair of fine scissors, 
so that the chick will quickly kick Itself loose, 
which it does by vigorous action of its legs. 
ft is a curious instance of adaptation of sim¬ 
ple methods to important uses, that this very 
system of rearing chicks has been adopted in 
children’s hospital* to strengthening new-born 
infants, After its first warm bath, tho infant, 
having boon clothed, is taken to an Incubator, 
of a kind precisely similar to this, and put 
away to sleep over its first hours, and gain 
strength to begin its travels over the rough 
path of life, which it has been oust upon iu an 
unfortunate manner. The usual losses of life 
in such an establishment are thus reduced to a 
remarkable degree. 
VI iii'u the chicks are strong and tho hen hus 
completed her task, she and they are removed 
to a coop, which in cold weather is covered 
with a glass sash, and is »et in a sheltered spot 
lacing the south. Tho hen Is given a nest of 
dry sawdust., with which the bottom of the 
Coop is covered an inch deep, aud in the eve¬ 
ning is removed to it, and the chicks are put 
under her. If tho weather Is very cold and 
windy, tho coop is covered with a sack, a piece 
of carpet, or some boards. 1 u this way chicks 
may be reared quite early. For still earlier 
broods 1 have a glass hou.se. about eight by 
twelve foot, at the south aud east end of the 
poultry house, to put the coop* in. 
The feed for young chicks should be line at 
first. I use corn meal and line bran, mixed, iu 
equal parts, moistened with hot water and 
given nearly dry. After a week, cracked corn 
and coarse oatmeal are given. The coops are 
sot in the garden, or on a grass plot, or wher¬ 
ever the chicks can have a run. A potato, 
or corn, ora melon patch, or where peas are 
planted, will serve as a run, and the chicks do 
no harm to the crops, but perform a useful 
service in ridding the garden of myriads of 
insects which they pick up. When 10 weeks old, 
and afterwards, all the cockerels of tho Ply¬ 
mouth Rock and Light Brahma breeds are 
ready for sale as broilers at good prices, and 
these will pay an excellent profit on the in¬ 
vestment of capital and labor. But the incu¬ 
bator, used as above, is indispensable for full 
success. 
——- 
BREEDS AND THEIR CHARACTERISE 
TICS. 
-Among the earlier breeds of poultry, the 
Dominique is worthy of notice. It is claimed 
to he the oldest American breed; that is, the 
first strain of fowls with distinctive form and 
color, ohtuiued by selection from native stock. 
The Dominique is barred or cuckoo colored— 
a light, slaty bluish ground, with liar* of much 
deeper hue. It is what is termed a “natural” 
color, one which nature seems to favor, or, in 
other words, one easy to transmit, but hard 
to breed out. It has been a characteristic of 
our own domestic poultry os long at we have 
records of them. Some of the earliest writers 
ou Dorkings describe them as of this color. 
The very old breed called Scotch Grays were 
also of this color, though of a lighter shade. 
The probability is the Dominique is of Dork¬ 
ing origin, as the birds are of tho peculiar 
Dorking shape. They were once the pride of 
American poultry yards, and it scorns singular 
they are now so much neglected. Crossed 
with Asiatics, they have given us the Ply¬ 
mouth Rocks, hut tho so-called improvement 
is to me doubtful. 1 kept Dominiques for 
some years, and found them hardy, good 
layers of moderate-sized eggs, not wanting to 
to sit too often, us the Asiatics do. They were 
good hatchers, and careful mothers. They 
arc of medium size, cun lie bred up quite large 
by selection, and uro in all points worthy of 
more attention than Is now given them. 
Under the name of French fowls, there are 
several breeds. For size, unique appearance, 
glossiness of plumage and fine carriage, tho 
La Flee he carries the palm. It is a singular 
