THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
a gross feeder, the strawberry is a deep drink¬ 
er, therefore we must provide abundant mois¬ 
ture by deep cultivation, and mulch if we 
cannot irrigate—a ^oot is not too deep for a 
strawberry bed. Nothing pays better in 
strawberry culture than clipping the runners, 
and nothing is more neglected. The same ef¬ 
fect is produced by an excess of plants, as by 
so many weeds. In transplanting, set them 
no deeper than they originally grew, as the 
crowns, if placed below the level of the sur¬ 
face, are very apt to decay. 
Begin with the “old reliable” sorts; it will 
be time enough to court the acquaintance of 
the “ frivolous belles of fashion” when you 
have a supply of strawberries of the tried and 
enduring kinds. Constant shallow cultivation 
with the strawberry is indispensable, and un¬ 
less you are prepared to give that, you must 
not expect the best results. Nothing so nearly 
takes the place of mannre as good cultiva¬ 
tion; nothing so mitigates the disastrous ef¬ 
fects of drought as constant, shallow stirring 
of the soil. These recommendations are the 
results of long experience of a very successful 
grower, and possibly explain, in a measure, 
how some of our monster novelties are ob¬ 
tained, and why, by the neglect of these very 
reasonable requirements, they so soon deterio¬ 
rate in the hands of the ordinary planter, 
Tbe Canadian Winter Wheat Crop, as 
shown by reports from over GOO correspond¬ 
ents to the Bureau of Industries, May 15, 
though not as good as could be desired, is much 
better than last year. It was generally sown 
late last Fall, and was considerably injured by 
the Winter: especially was this the case at the 
extreme eastern and western ends of the Prov¬ 
ince of Ontario. Especially was this the case 
along Lakes Erie and Huron and the St. Clair 
River, and it is estimated that it cannot be 
more than half or two-thirds a full crop. 
The Georgian Bay counties report much 
more favorably. Though less than the 
average acreage was sown, the plants are 
coming forward well, and though there are 
some poor reports, tbe outlook, on the whole, 
is pretty good. The West Midland counties, 
including a large part of the west peninsula, 
promises a full average. The reports are 
equally favorable from the l^ke Ontario 
counties. In many of the counties the crops 
look better than for years, being free from 
insects, and growing welL Accounts from the 
St. Lawrence district are not so cheering, 
but, like the Eastern Midland counties lying 
north and back of Lake Ontario, this section 
is devoted chiefly to barley, oats and peas, 
and unfavorable reports on wheat from all 
this country are not of much importance, as 
its product makes but little difference in the 
general aggregate. In these districts GO per 
cent, is said to havo been plowed up Late 
sowiug is everywhere charged with the failure 
of such pieces as are reported looking bad, 
together with the want of drainage. Every¬ 
where the report is the same: “On well- 
drained soils highly manured, the crop lookg 
well.” Like causes produce like effects, and 
it does seem as if farmers would learn that 
one acre, properly manured aud drained, is 
better than two as usually treated. From all 
the reports it appeal's tbe acreage of winter 
wheat is 20 per cent, less than last year, but 
the outlook for a larger yield is very much 
better in other respects. 
The Philadelphia Record of May 18 says: 
It is probable that not less than fi,O0O.OGO bas¬ 
kets of peaches will be shipped from the Dela¬ 
ware and Maryland peninsulas this Summer, 
and the crop of small berries—strawberries, 
blackberries, and raspberries—will be the 
largest ever seen in that section. The largest 
shipment of peaches was made in 1875, when 
over 5,000,000 baskets found their way to mar¬ 
ket. This year the crop promises to be a third 
larger. In addition to tbe 6,000,000 baskets 
which it is thought by the best judges will be 
sent to market, at least 2,000,000 baskets will 
be consumed, by the drying honses and can¬ 
ning factories, wh.ch have sprung up all over 
the fruit section. A prominent fruit-grower 
from Lam-el, Del., the largest berry shipping 
town in the United States, said lately that 
he thought that over 1,500,000 quartsof berries 
would be marketed in one day from the Mary¬ 
land ani Dela ware fruit section. Philadelphia 
commission merchants say that it would not 
be surprising to see 300,000 quaits of straw¬ 
berries brought to Philadelphia from Dela¬ 
ware in a single day, but they think that this 
will not glut the market, because they ex¬ 
pect a superior grade of fruit. 
Fruit Prospect in Mar vi.and and Dela¬ 
ware.— The Baltimore American of May 14 
says that from present indications the Penin¬ 
sular fruit yield this year will be phenomen¬ 
ally large. The strawberry crop, both in 
quantity and quality, will exceed anything 
ever known, if the results are only proportion¬ 
ate to the prospects, and there is every reason 
to believe that they will be. Great quantities 
of blackberries—one of the best paying of 
small fruits—raspberries and grapes will be 
raised, and the outlook for peaches is full of 
the [brightest promise. Fears of overstocked 
markets are counteracted by the large de¬ 
mands that have alseady begun to be made in 
advance. The season on the Peninsula will 
be full of activity and business. There will 
be employment for thousands of strangers, 
and poor city workers who want to spend the 
Summer in the country can find lucrative 
pleasure in picking berries and plucking 
peaches, or in handling fruit in the numerous 
canning houses. 
Uncle Waldo says, in the New York Tri- 
buue, that a locust plantation may be cut off 
clean and marketed in from 13 to 20 years 
from planting, and the crop will bring from 
$400 to $1,000 per acre. The second crop will 
be ready for market in two or three years less 
time than the first, as the roots are stored with 
sap, and push a wonderful growth. One need 
not wait twelve or fifteen years for a return, 
however, for after the plantation is four years 
old it may be seeded to grass, and will produce 
enough pasture to pay a fair interest on the 
investment. After four years’ growth the 
thiuningsof the plantation will yield a regular 
Income for several years, and this is particu¬ 
larly true of the second growth, which is deuse 
and rapid. 
The rush CACTUS, from Texas, is highly 
recommended for use as a hedge plant in the 
South, A correspondent of the Southern 
Live-Stock Journal gives some 30 counts in 
favor of hedges of this cactus, among them 
that it presents no such danger to animals as 
do rail, paling, and wire fences; it affords no 
harbor for vermin, as do other hedges; and 
its blooms are attractive and fruit nearly al¬ 
ways present, bright and edible raw or in pies 
if one can gather it. 
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS. 
Prof. Wm. Brown, of the Agricultural 
College at Guelph, Out., says that there is no 
line of the farmer’s work at the present mo¬ 
ment, even with wool so low, that pays so 
well, gives so little trouble, fewer risks, earlier 
returns, and in most ways makes things so 
comfortable as sheep husbandry. 
The New York Tribune asks “Why not 
plant more nut bearing trees In the place of 
the trees usually plauted along highways for 
ornament and shade?” It. is a hard question 
to answer. Why not more fruit trees—pears 
for instance? Some kind of pear trees have 
an upright growth, and will live a hundred 
years... 
A widely-known and honored representa¬ 
tive of live-stock interests says, in a private 
note to the above journal: “I Huspect that the 
Jersey Cattle business is fast getting overdone, 
and will go down rapidly pretty soon. Most 
of theso big prices, in my opinion, are puffy 
trades—something thus: ‘I will give you 
$20,000 for your cow, and will pay with calves 
at $5,000 eachto which the seller agrees, etc., 
etc. Vive. In humhnrj' . 
TnE Hough ten Farm Jersey herd of 15 cows 
give au average milk yield, for the year, of 
2,718 M quarts, and a butter yield of 377 pounds. 
So states Major Alvord, the superintendent in 
-the Breeders’ Gazette. 
Some of our beat farmers about the Rural 
Farm use as high as 1,200 pounds of pure raw 
bone floor to the acre in seeding down. We 
usually mow four seasons, and then start the 
rotation with corn. 
WESTERN NEW YORK NOTES. 
In a recent trip through Central and West¬ 
ern New York, I was struck with the old-time, 
healthy appearance of the wheat and clover 
fields. For several years there has not been a 
single good clover crop, owing to the ravages 
of the Clover-root Borer, which at one time 
threatened to exterminate the plant. This 
year the dark-green foliage and the broad 
leaves and rank growth are in striking con¬ 
trast to its appearance in former years, and 
give promise of barns full of hay, clover, etc., 
and as a consequence, of plump stock and large 
manure piles next Winter. It is very much 
to be hoped that the borers have gone seeking 
“ fresh fields and pastures new;” and so think 
New York farmers who are rejoicing at their 
departure, as no other crop is more missed 
by the best farmers, and nothing could ever 
be made to quite fill its place on the farm for 
forage and manurial purposes.” “ Wheat never 
looked better at this seasoD," was the uniform 
reply of the farmers that came aboard the 
train, or that I saw at the depots, and the fields 
showing a thick stand, good growth and fine 
color corroborated what they said. Yet there 
was a striking difference in the appearance 
of different fields, owing to difference in ma¬ 
nuring and drainage, and it seems to me that 
the most skeptical must be convinced that the 
wheat-raiser needs and must have a more 
abundant supply of manure if he would secure 
the best paying crops. If this is true of a year 
with so favorable a Winter as the past, it must 
be doubly true of those trying years when the 
wheat plant scarcely survi ves the vicissitudes 
of the weather, The manure needed is not 
alone the phosphates aud chemical fertilizers, 
but good, rich barn-yard manure. Wherever 
a farmer keeps plenty of stock and has an 
abuudance of born-yard manure, I found by 
all odds the strongest growth nud thickest 
stands of healthiest wheat, aud the difference 
in yield must go far to pay a good profit on 
stock feeding. Another thing which every¬ 
where this year shows its good effects, is under¬ 
draining. On one farm, in two fields of very 
similar soil, side by side, cue under-drained, 
the other not, and both to wheat, the in¬ 
creased yield on the under-drained field this 
year, will very nearly pay the cost of the drain¬ 
age, to say nothing of the great difference in 
the appearance of the young Reeding. Ou 
another farm I saw, where a main uuder-druin 
runs through a wheat field, the superiority 
of a strip three or four rods wide directly 
along the course of that drain, must convince 
every one that no money invested about the 
farm would pay better than that expended 
iu draiuage. I am glad to see that the 
Rural is publishing illustrated articles on 
this subject. Nothing can do the farmers 
more good than to stir them up to more thor¬ 
ough drainage. “ w.” 
Iowa. 
Osage, Mitchell Co., May 22.—-The crop 
prospects in this county aud vicinity are very 
bright. Here wheat had been a failure for 
several years until last year; wlmt little was 
planted then gave some signs of promise. 
This season a larger area is sown than in the 
past, and the stand is lookiug well. The other 
crops of small grain are just booming. At 
this moment tbo rainfall is more than is 
needed by the growing plant, and it causes u 
little uneasiness, lest the newly planted corn 
and garden vegetables should sulfur by over¬ 
flow of water ami by cold. Farmers are going 
a little slow on potatoes, ns it is bettor to have 
loss und higher prices, than an overstocked 
market with low prices. White Elephant fills 
the bill in our Iowa soil, and stands at the head 
of its class as to quality and productiveness. 
It is the potato for the main crop. l. s. e. 
Minnesota. 
Lamrerton, Redwood Co., May 17.—We 
have had a medium-early Spring, and were it 
not for three very heavy rain-storms during 
April, farm work would havo been all done 
long ago. As it is, small grains are all in, and 
are mostly up and looking well. Cora and 
flax are nearly all in. Stock of all kinds are 
looking well, and feed on the prairies is good. 
Yoimg cattle are iu good demand, and mostly 
shipped west to the ranges. Wheat, 72 cents; 
oats, 25 to 30 cents; barley, 40 to 50 cents; no 
corn in market; eggs, 10 cents; butter, 12 
cents. We have a splendid country, but lack 
a few intelligent Eastern fanners, for whom 
we have plenty of room. w. w. K. 
Nebraska. 
BrownVILLE, Nemaha Co., May 17.—We 
have had a most singular winter and spring 
experience. The Winter was most cold and 
severe, and yet we have uever had such pros¬ 
pects for apples, pears, cherries, plums and 
grapes. No peaches, and more peach trees 
have been killed outright than ever before. 
We made no calculation on fruit after such a 
severe Winter. But, as stated, the outlook 
was never more flattering than to-day. Tn fact, 
while Spring is backwurd, the general agri¬ 
culture Indications are as favorable as we 
could desire. We are warranted in expecting 
the very best of all crops this season. There 
has been more tree planting on the Western 
prairies than usual. I have personal knowl¬ 
edge of over eight-and-a-half million forest 
tree seedlings being planted this Spring. I 
read the Rural with pleasure aud profit. 
r. w. f. 
Inman, Holt Co., May 1».—Crops are look¬ 
ing fine. We have the best stand of oats and 
wheat I ever saw. Corn is coming up, though 
some are planting yet Gardens are looking 
well. The weather is fine, though we have 
had a rather late Spring. The Rural corn is 
just coming up, and the Rural peas, oats, and 
other seeds are doing well. H. m. v. 
Ohio 
ELalida, Putnam Co., May 19.—Grass and 
wheat are growing finely. Almost all the 
corn has been plauted and is sprouting nicely, 
and it looks as though we might have a good 
corn crop. Wheat in this township i.s very 
much spotted, and a great many have sown 
oate in their wheat fields. Oats look well. 
Clover and Timothy are coming up splendidly. 
Apple trees are through blossoming, and pro¬ 
mise^ fair crop. [ _ _ __ _ A. S. 
“SPRING DWINDLING;” APPLE TREE BLIGHT 
ETC. 
II. F. S ., Cohocton, N. Y —1. My bees seem 
to have plenty of honey, but lately they have 
bcou dying in great uumlwrs; why? 2. Isblight 
ou apple trees caused by insects, and what will 
prevent it? 3. Is horse manure improved by 
being exposed to the weather, or is it, better 
piled under cover ? 4. Are two parts oats, one 
part white corn and one part barley, ground 
together, a good feed for farm horses? I feed 
four quarts mixed with cut hay and straw, 
equal parts, three times a day, and in addi¬ 
tion a little Timothy hay at night; but the 
horses do uot seem to like it, and do not al¬ 
ways eat it Up clean; what is wrong? 
Ans. —L. It is not uncommon for bees to die 
rapidly in Spring. If, for any reason, the 
bees did not breed well into the Fall tho pre¬ 
vious year, they will bo, for tho most part, 
old veterans, and die quickly in Spring, be¬ 
cause their time has come. Again, if the bees, 
because of severe cold, improper food, or any 
other cause, do not winter well, they are 
likely to dwindle away in Spring, hence the 
term “spring dwindling,” so often hcwi in the 
bee journals. To prevent the utter extinction 
of the colouy, the bees should bo conflued, by 
use of a division board, ou so fow frames that 
they will cover all. and the brood chamber 
should be well protected with chaff packing. 
It will also aid to mend matters, if the colony 
be fed a little each day. For this purpose, use 
thin sirup made of granulated sugar. Three- 
quarters of a pound is enough to fpod each 
day. A further benefit will accrue if we take 
brood from other stronger colouies und give to 
the failing ones. This brood should all be 
capped, and only a little should be given if 
the colony is very weak, else it will be chilled 
aud will also die. This brood will soon develop, 
and greatly strengthen the declining colony. 
As the colony grows iu strength, more brood 
should bo added. If the bee-keeper does not 
have movable frame hives, then only the feed¬ 
ing recommended above can be practiced. 2. 
This is too indefinite and brief to answer. We 
might as well expect a simple reply to the 
query. Why do people die? Perhaps the most 
common cause of blight iu apple trees is lack 
of proper care. A tree is set out In a meadow 
or lawn, with u hole dug only just large 
enough to receive the roots, which even then 
must he rolled up like a lady’s waterfall, after 
which they are left to themselves. One might 
as well expect a horse to thrive in a small, 
close room, in sight of hay and grain which 
are just beyond its reach. The writer has 
some very thrifty, excellent fruit trees, which 
have always been in a lawu, but a generous 
circle of eight feet iu diameter is deeply 
spaded about thorn each Spring, and then 
muicliod with an ample layer of coarse ma- 
uure. Such treatment alone, will insure vigor¬ 
ous trees in a lawn or meadow. Tbe mulch 
alone, without the deep spading, brings the 
rootlets too near the surface. The second most 
prolific cause of blight among fruit trees—and 
this upplios especially to the pear—is wet feet. 
Fruit, trees, unless the soil lias a good natural 
drainage, will not thrive ou undrained land. 
Tho third cause of blight is the borers. The 
Big-headed Apple-tree Borer is especially de¬ 
structive. Young orchards suffer most, we 
have seen an entiru orchard swept away the 
first season after plunting, by this pest. Of 
course, the nurseryman was blamed, while the 
owner’s neglect was the real cause. A tho¬ 
rough washiug of the trunks and main 
branches of tho trees with soft soap three, and 
again seven weeks after they leaf out, is a sure 
preventive of the borers. This wash keeps the 
parent beetle from laying the fatal eggs. One 
application made four weeks after the trees 
loaf out, will usually keep the borers at bay. 
In this case, we have found .that i f one gallon of 
water is added to two quarts of soft soap, 
the mixture is better than soft soap alone, 
This is boiled, and a pint of crude carbolic 
acid is added. When cool, this is applied, by 
use of a shoe-brush, to tho trunk and main 
branches of the trees. 3. The manure, if piled 
either out of doors or under cover,should never 
he allowed to heat so as to burn, or become 
dry aud caked; it should bo kept just as wet 
as possible, without having tho liquid soaking 
from it; or if it does soak out, it will do no 
harm if there is some place in which to catch 
it, whence it can be pumped back upon the 
heap. Ail tbiugs being equaJ, we should pre¬ 
fer to have the manure piled under cover. As 
ordinarily treated, much of the nitrogen in 
the form of ammonia, volatilizes and passes 
off. and of course, is lost. For that reason, we 
prefer to have the manure drawn as fast as 
made and scattered upon the surface where 
it is to be used, unless the ground is subject to 
