THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
The following names complete the official 
black list, of humbugs published by authority 
of the Post Office Department. 
New York—I. ,T. Smith, 9 Astor Place, David 
Wilson, 959 First Are., Smith Brown, 97 
cJhrystie St., Smith & Son, 17New Church St., 
B. B. Bacco & Co.: Prof. F. K". Burtin, 270 W. 
Fourth St.; Robt. H. West & C. G. Horton, 
alias Burton & Co., Hale, Owen & Co., Ham¬ 
mond & Co., C. G. Horton & Co.. F. E. Wal¬ 
lace & Co., R. H. West & Co., D. W. Ham¬ 
mond & Co., 55 Cedar St.; H. E. Osborne, 55 
Cedar St., W. H. Rothschild & Co., Broadway 
and Eighth St.; Wynkoop & Harper; Oliver 
B. Vasco, 35 Cedar St., F. Cornish & Co., 
alias A. S. Arnold & Co., Goddard it Co.; 
Lum S’ Co., 193 Broadway; Gazzano & Co., 
Paris Glove Co., 12 Union Square; H. B. 
Smyth & Co. fi Wall St.; Ward <& Co., 53 Ex¬ 
change Place; C. Lester, alias E. Lester, 22 
New Church St.; John Thomas, care Max 
Lewou, 1,231 Broadway; F. Wilson & Co., 203 
East 15th St, 
Philadelphia, Pa. Cosmopolitan Stamp Co., 
alias Philadelphia Stamp Co., Giovanui Pa- 
troni, Chas. E. Hunt, Nettie W. Huut, John 
A. Roarty, Prof. J. Buchanan, M. D., alias 
National Eclectic Medical Association, Eclec¬ 
tic Medical College of Pennsylvania. Ameri¬ 
can University of Philadelphia and Universi¬ 
ty College of Pharmacy. J. A. Vail, alias D. 
W. Lee & Co., alias D. Vandergraw. 
Parkville, Ky. William Scott. 
Pierson, Mich. James Merritt & Co. 
Ramsay, 111. P. D. Ply. 
Rockland, Mass. See Boston, Mass. 
Rockland, Me. Eastern Manufacturing Co. 
Readville, Mass. Sanderson & Co. 
Somerville, Mass. D. E. Chamberlin & Co., 
alias “ Novelty Co.,” alias N. E. Publishing 
Co. 
Somerville, N. J. H. C. Van Deveer, 
South Framingham, Mass. See Ashland, 
Mass. 
St. Louis, Mo. Union Trust Co. 
St. Stephens. N. B., Canada. J. Goldsmith 
& Co., Hugh McKay, Hugh McKay & Co. 
South Weymouth, Mass. See Boston, Mass. 
Sandwich, HI., (Lock Box 48.) John J. Mc¬ 
Ginnis, alias Correspondents' Handbook, Mu- 
giunis Department and Store, Sandwich Cor¬ 
respondence Club; Branch Office, Moginnix 
Departmentand Store, Eau Claire, Wis. 
Springfield, IIL C. C. Williams & Co. 
Walnut. Hill, Mass. Graham & Co. 
Washington, D. C. Gilmore & Gilmore. 
Wellsborough, N. Y. A. Vaughn. 
Windsor, Ohio. Wilcox & Co. 
Wheeling, W. Va. John H. Zevely. 
White House, N. J. H. C. Van Derveer & 
Son. 
We are still receiving numerous complaints 
of the Monarch Lightning Saw, and confirma¬ 
tions of our statements with regard to it in 
this department several months ago. 
The Monarch Lightning Potato Digger is 
said to he just the same kind of a humbug in 
another line. We know of several persons 
who found it a complete humbug last Fall, 
and who refused agencies for it. The price 
was $15, which the manufacturers promised 
to refund, if the Implement did not give satis¬ 
faction ; but in every case that has come to 
our knowledge they failed to keep their agree¬ 
ment. 
We have several inquiries about the Wilsonia 
Magnetic Appliances; but we are unable to 
decide whether they are genuine humbugs or 
not. They are extensively advertised in this 
city, and some months ago “Dr.” Wilson was 
arrested as a fraud by Anthony Comstock, 
agent for the Society for the Suppression of 
Vice; but he has never been prosecuted, though 
at the time he was loud in his denunciations 
of the “outrage.” Several regular physicians 
whom we have consulted on the subject, de¬ 
clare that the things are intrinsically worth¬ 
less, although good effects sometimes result 
from their use from their effect upon the imag¬ 
ination in nervous persons, just as bread pills 
sometimes effect “marvelous cures.” We, 
ourselves, would certainly never invest a dol¬ 
lar in such trumpery. 
We have had a large number of inquiries 
about F. M. Lupton, of this City; yet very 
few complaints have reached us of bis deal¬ 
ings, and in each case of this kind he has 
assured us that satisfaction should be given. 
We are always anxious to hear of any unfair 
dealing on the part of anybody whose name 
has appeared in our advertising columns; and 
in all such cases, unless satisfaction is prompt¬ 
ly given and a fair explanation offered ns, we 
throw out the advertisement and warn our 
friends against the advertiser. 
EXPERIMENTS WITH ENSILAGE. 
Dr. Stcrtevart, the Director of the New 
York Ex. Station, has been experimenting 
with ensilage. As his analyses are not as yet 
completed, his pi ©sent statement must be 
founded upon partial data only, but the data 
used are correct so far as applied. 
Two Jersey cows were selected for the ex¬ 
periment, and were fed alike. They were 
weighed each morning before being fed or 
watered. The food and water were weighed 
to them, the rejected food weighed as collected 
from them, the milk weighed at each milkiug, 
and the excrements passed also to the scales. 
During the whole period of the experiment 
the cows received the same quantity, four 
pounds each, of corn meal and wheat bran, 
the food experimented with being additional 
to this constant factor of eight pounds of grain 
feed per cow. 
The first period of 14 days was taken up with 
an inquiry concerning the value of fodder 
corn, the second period of 17 days related to 
the use of the same fodder com ensilaged. 
Taking the figures which represent the aver¬ 
age weights of the two cows, we have: 
Average dally weight- lbs. per cow. 
Period I. Period II. 
For whole period . 734 741 
For first four days. 748 731 
For last four days. 723 744 
For first half. 742 786 
For second half .. 726 746 
The study of these figures will show that 
although the weight was tolerably constant, 
yet, upon the whole, the ration during period 
II. gave slightly better results than that of 
period l. 
The average weight of fodder corn and 
grain, and epsilage and grain consumed in 
periods I and II (the grain, as before stated, 
four pounds each of com meal and wheat 
bran) was below: 
Average dally weight, food, 
consumed; lbs. per cow. 
Period I. Period II. 
Fodder corn. Same ensilaged. 
For whole period. 30.32 74.30 
For first four days. . 27.69 62.28 
For last four days. .34.66 78.00 
For first half. 28.19 70.60 
For last half. 28.13 78.00 
This table shows that the average daily 
weight of food consumed increased in both 
eases towards the ends of the periods. As the 
ensilage contained much more water than the 
com fodder, this table must bo presented in 
another form in order to obtain a just com¬ 
parison. A table of the dry matter of the 
food consumed is therefore given: 
Dry food and water consumed; lbs. per cow. 
Period I, Period fl. 
Dry food. Water Dry rood. Water. 
Fodder corn. Same ensilaged. 
For whole period.. 18.70 63.95 17.22 60.78 
It may he noted that there was less dry food 
consumed, and less water taken In food and 
drink during the ensilage feeding than during 
the fodder coru feeding. The yield of milk 
per cow is given below: 
Average dally milk yield per cow. In lbs. 
Period I. Period II. 
„ . , , . Fodder corn. Same emillaged. 
For whole period. 18.11 iy.19 
For first four days. 19.i l 17.62 
For last four days. 17.12 19 52 
For first half. 13.84 18.75 
For last half........ 17.37 19.61 
VVe then have for the apparent result that 
that the milk yield decreased during the fod¬ 
der com feeding, aud increased under the 
same fodder corn ensilaged, and the absolute 
increase between the two feeds was decidedly 
in favor of the ensilage. 
We may summarize the results as follows: 
The feediug of ensilage in comparison with 
the stored fodder com from the same field 
was: 
1. More favorable to the weight mainten¬ 
ance. 
2d. Less dry weight required. 
3. Less water drank. 
4, Increased milk yield. 
Period IV was 18 days, and English hay, 
largely Timothy, replaced ensilage in the 
ration. The comparison with ensilage in period 
II. is as below: 
Period II. 
Ensilage. 
Ave’g dally w’t of cow. 741 lbs. 
Ave’g dally food consumed, 17.51 
Ave’g dally water consumed, 60.78 
Ave’g dally milk yield. 19.13 
During the hay feeding, 20 pounds per cow 
were furnished daily, and the refuse collected 
as before: thus the feed may be stated in gen¬ 
eral to have been for the various periods, the 
same quantity of grain, and the fodder corn, 
ensilage or hay ad libitum. 
The apparent result of this whole trial is 
that ensilage is a useful food when fed in con¬ 
nection with grain, for the period at least un¬ 
der trial, with indications that the good re¬ 
sult* would have continued longer had it been 
possible to continue the feeding. 
Period IV. 
Hay. 
721 lbs. 
19 
65.02 
18.46 
Silk Culture.— We are indebted to an ar¬ 
ticle on Silk Culture in the New Jersey Re¬ 
port on Labor and Industry for the following 
facts: 
In 1383, New Jersey had 137 establishments 
eugaged in manufacturing and workiug silk, 
employing 19,874 persons, and paying them 
for wages 16,592,189. and producing silks to 
the value of $22,183,348, The total value of 
silks made in the United States was $39,404, 
541, and there was imported $68,933,017 worth, 
making the total consumption $108,397,558. 
Thus it is showoi that New Jersey manufac¬ 
tures about 20 per oeut. of the whole quantity 
used. This industry’ has been mostly built up 
within 20 years, and bids fair to soon furnish 
all the silks needed. Congress, by meddling 
with the tariff, not only cut off a part of the 
profit made, but caused excessive importations 
in anticipation of a still further reduction. 
These importations were placed in hooded 
warehouses, and were finally sold at auction 
at half the cost of production on the other 
side. Many mills were thus forced to shut 
down; others were compelled to run on short 
time, and while thousands of employ da were 
thrown out of work, the infant business has 
been seriously crippled. It. further appeal’s 
that nearly all goods invoiced for this market 
are grossly undervalued, thus defrauding the 
Government of duties and tending to shut up 
our mills. Moreover, the wages paid here are 
a little more than twice those paid in other 
silk-manufacturing countries; but wlmt in¬ 
jures silk manufacture more than all other 
things, is the continual change in the policy 
the Government and the uncertainty for the 
future. Silk manufacture, like all new indus¬ 
tries, wants stability aud a cessation of this 
continual tinkeriug with the tariff. Continued 
increase and prosperity in silk growing are 
predicted for these reasons: The White Mul¬ 
berry is easily propagated and grown. It 
flourishes in light suudy, or gravelly soils. We 
have millions of acres perfectly adapted to its 
growth. One full-growu tree will yield, on an 
average, 250 pounds of leaves annually, and 
200 trees can be growu on an acre. As 1,500 
pounds of leaves will produce 100 pounds of 
cocoons, and as four pounds of cocoons make 
one pound of raw silk, it follows that an acre 
of mulberry trees will produce 500 pounds of 
silk worth five dollars per pound (!!!) Old and 
feeble ladies and children, especially girls, can 
be employed in feeding and caring for the 
worms, ns it is a light and pleasant employ- 
ment. Silk culture needs the inventive genius 
of a Whitney to adapt machinery to the reel¬ 
ing of silk from the cocoons, to give silk grow¬ 
ing a permanent position among the most 
profitable industries of this country. 
Thinning Fruit.— Dr. Jabez Fisher, of 
Northern Massachusetts, tells Editor Atkinson 
of the Farm Journal, that the operation of 
thinning fruit should be commenced when the 
fruits are from one-half inch to an inch in 
diameter. Begin by removing so as to leave, 
1st, no two specimens growing from the same 
spur, and no two so near together as that they 
will be likely to touch each other when full- 
grown, leaving, in all cases, the best one of a 
cluster; 2d, no specimen that is deformed or is 
so injured In any way that it will bo sure to 
become deformed as it grows; 3d, no oue that 
shows injury by any insect; and, 4th, no one 
that is materially smaller than the average of 
the remainder. Dr. Fisher has been remark¬ 
ably successful. He has practised thinning 
fruit for many years. But will this pay? To 
answer this question, it is first to be considered 
what it costs. Suppose aBeurre d’Anjou Bear 
tree, the spherical head of which measures 
from 12 to 13 feet in diameter and occupies 
say, 1,000 cubic feet of space, to a set crop of 
-4,000 peal’s. If aLl were left to mature, they 
would measure, possibly, 15 bushels, that might 
sell for $2 per bushel, or $30. If now the crop 
be thinned to one-half its number, the product 
would be likely to measure 11 bushels that 
would be worth fully twice the price of the 
others, or $44 If the crop should comprise 
but 1,500 specimens, giving about 10 cubic in¬ 
ches of space to each, the product would still be 
10 bushels, fully worth $5, or $50 for the whole. 
Growing Nut-Bearing Treks.— Prof. J. 
Satterlee, of the Michigan Agricultural Col¬ 
lege, says that nut>-beariug trees are as easy to 
grow as fruit trees, and they fruit nearly as 
soon. The best plan to get the trees is to plant 
the seeds in rows three-and-one-half feet apart 
aud about three inches deep, in the garden as 
soon as ripe, in the Fall. Plant the best and 
straightest trees when two years old, and if 
any are puny or crooked, throw them away. 
Chestnuts require a high, sandy loam; wal¬ 
nuts and black walnuts do best on a strong, 
clayey loam. If planted In fence corners, or 
where they cannot bo cultivated, they should 
be mulched until they begin to bear. With 
good care they will begin to fruit when five or 
six years of age, and after that they will bear 
annually, and the black walnut will grow one- 
and-one-half foot a year, for the first 20 years 
at least. An acre of nut-bearing trees will do 
moro to keep the boys and girls at home in the 
evenlugs than almost anything else. Do not 
say it takes too long a time to get them. We 
know of trees growing uow that are the 
grund-ohildron of trees plauted only 16 years 
ago. _ 
How to Eat Fruit.— Fresh, ripe, raw fruit 
is safe and healthful at. any time of the year, 
and amid the ravages of ulmostany disease; blit 
to be used advantageously the following rules 
are imperative; 1. Fruit should be eaten ripe, 
raw, fresh aud perfect. 2. It should be eaten 
in moderation. 3. It should be eaten not 
later than four o’clock p. m. 4. No water or 
other fluid should be taken within one hour 
after eating fruit. We find this sensible 
advice in the Journal of Health. 
Mrs. S. W. Wilber, of Ocean C'o., Mich., 
says she thinks a little less science and a little 
more common sense will make a deal more 
gilt edged butter. When dairymen realize 
that poor cows making white butter, will not 
pay, and change them for better ones, and 
then feed richer food and more of it, those 
containing the elements of good butter, there 
will he no demand for blitter color, either 
Summer or Winter; and we think she is 
pretty nearly right. 
Ensilage as Winter Feed.— A writer in 
the Albany Cultivator says that he fed three 
calves Winter before last on ensilage and a 
little corn, and again three calves last Winter 
in the same way, and they did well. They 
seemed to grow and thrive as fast as if fed on 
green grass. He has never seen calves do as 
well in Winter, on any other feed. He be¬ 
lieves it is the very best food for them that 
can be found. 
- *** -- 
BOILED DOWN AND SEASONED. 
Set sweet potato plants 18 inches apart, on 
ridges four feet apart... 
Do not plant watermelons too closely to¬ 
gether. 1 f you have plenty of seeds, plant a 
dozen in a hill, aud cut off the weaker plants 
until hut two or t hree at most are left. It is as 
easy to rut off' the young plants with a pair of 
scissors us to pull them up, while the roots of 
the remaining plants are not disturbed. 
Cut out the raspberry suckers us you would 
weeds. If you want more plants, take them 
up carefully, remove some of tho leaves, plant 
them, and keep them wet for a few days .... 
Lkaming Corn did not ripen last year in 
Litchfield, Conn. 
Begin to cultivate com as soon as the rows 
can be seen. Cultivation may be deeper then 
than later, when tho roots extend further. 
Remember, that the roots of corn may extend 
from hill to hill, or row to row, when the 
plants are a foot b Igh. 
Tub Albuuy Cultivator characterizes our 
statements that had many people who have 
built costly silos listened to the cautionary 
words of Sir J. B. Lawes and Prof. 8. W. 
Johnson, as expressed in tho R. N.-Y., they 
would have been saved “hundreds of dollars” 
as “ random .” In the same article it invites 
information on the point whether ensilage is 
or is not on tho decline here. Hero is a chance 
for Dr. Bailey. 
Don’t disturb the roots of strawberries until 
fruiting is over.... 
June will bo time enough to sow Hungarian 
Gross. Our experience is that it doesn’t pay 
unless sown upon a rich, well-prepared soil.... 
“Sheep —The Best Breeds—How to Feed 
and Cure for Them.” Mr. Elias Hand, of 
Houghton Farm, Orange County, Nbw York, 
is the winner of tho Rural New-Yorker 
prize on the above subject. His essay is one 
of the most practical papain ever published on 
this Important subjeot; and wonderfully com¬ 
prehensive, considering its restricted limits. 
Sosa.>s our friend, the Farmers’ Review.... 
The roosts of C. 8. Cooper’s poultry houses 
are but oue foot high. Why have them high¬ 
er ? The roosts are broad also aud fiat, except 
that the edges are rounded off. 
Col. Hoffman thinks that one trouble 
with manufacturers of implements is that they 
assume quite too much; they profess to under¬ 
stand exactly what farmers need, even when 
their views are in conflict with the opinions of 
farmers, obtained by practical experience. So 
says the Husbandman... 
Another member of the Elmira Farmers’ 
Club would also feed sulphur a few times. 
8, M. Ca rr states that the very best treat¬ 
ment for lice on hogs is carbolic soap, applied 
liberally two or three times, at intervals of as 
many days. That will take off all scurf, and 
destroy all parasites. The way to use it is to 
make a strong suds and scrub it well into the 
hair. 
The Hardy Catalpa (C. specioaa) has proven 
