THE RURAL HEW-YORKER 
of frequent visits, as they are always welcome, 
aud, if observant, cannot fail to be greatly 
benefited. . “w. ,! 
While Early and Late Crawfords are consid¬ 
erably killed, some are left, and I think there 
is hardly a variety wholly killed, and yet in 
this town and on the same level there are or¬ 
chards the buda of which are mostly killed. 
Why? 
Between the animal and vegetable king¬ 
doms there are close analogies. Any animal 
properly cared for will have more vitality 
than if neglected. Precisely the same is the 
case with the peach; but without dilating 
further on this topic, let us examine some few 
points: 1st, Peach trees to endure most cold, 
should be supplied with every element needed 
to make a sound, healthy growth of mature 
wood; we should surely'Bee that there is no 
lack of potash, and so also with regard to 
phosphate of lime, magnesia in form of kies- 
erite, and nitrogen in form of sulphate of am¬ 
monia. A good standard Peruvian guano is 
not only beneficial, but, in moderate quanti¬ 
ties, essential. Prof. Penhallow’s formula, 
with 100 pounds of sulphate of ammonia per 
acre added, for « bearing orchard, I consider a 
good one. [Prof. Penhallow’s formula is: 
Kieserite, 25 pounds; muriate of potash, 100 to 
150 pounds; dissolved bone black, 450 pounds. 
This is the proper quantity for on acre, 
which, allowing 70 to 100 trees to the acre, 
will give from six to nine pounds to each tree. 
—Eds.] In making a wooden box we need not 
only lumber, but some nails, or screws, and 
while these boar a small proportion to the 
whole, we realize their importance; precisely 
the same is the case with all element* in 
peach growth. None may safely be omitted, 
therefore in making « special fertilizer for 
peaches, it should be a perfect manure; noth¬ 
ing should be wanting. A ton of Peruvian 
guano applied to my orchard last year, when 
I saw that the crop was going to make a 
heavy draft upon the trees, was, 1 think, very 
that the operator, standing upon the front 
axle, and between their forward ends, can, by 
depressing them, easily raise the rake for the 
stalks to pass out at the windrow. They are 
held in place on the bolster by a rod which 
passes through them horizontally and connects 
at each end with the standards. When level 
f-nltnre. has been practiced, the horses aie 
Stai.k Rake. Fig. 190. 
standing upon the front axle and between the 
forward ends of the poles, with the linos 
around bis shoulders, and whenever a windrow 
is reached, raising the rake by bearing down 
upon the poles beside him. W hen ridged cul¬ 
ture has been practiced, the team must be 
driven across the rows. The rake does good 
and rapid work, and is often used in preference 
CRIMSON CLOVER. 
A new clover was introduced here about 
three years ago. It Is an annual called tne 
German Clover, and sometimes Italian Clover. 
Nobody seems to know where it came from. 
I have seen no mention of it in the Rural, 
nor is it in the seed catalogues I have ex- 
Some blooms of it arc inclosed. 
amined 
What is it and what is its history ? 
Though not given to glowing words, I am 
surprised that it has not received more atten¬ 
tion. My own experience with it may not bo 
unacceptable. A succession of green crops for 
cows aud horses is u sort of a hobby with me. 
Rye, the first, comes about the middle of April, 
connecting with Red Clover; next wheat,about 
the middle of May, aud afterwards drilled 
corn, sown at intervals till frost. Ijint year 
this new clover took the place of wheat. 1 he 
seed was not sown till October, but the crop 
was iu bloom by the first of May. It was 
eaten with avidity by the stock. The growth 
was three feet high, and the yield heavy and 
abundant. A small piece was allowed to go 
to seed. The seed was gathered iu a primitive 
way—stripped from the stem by hand. A 
harrow was dragged over the ground covered 
with the scattered seed. A full stand was 
obtained. The drought of last Summer did 
not kill it out, and it is now a hoarier crop 
than last year. Some of the seed was 
sown on medium land in July, aud I com¬ 
menced to cut tills year on April 24. J sowed 
some of this clover on very poor land with 
rye. The rye is thin and scattering, but the 
clover took hold, and the field is now covered 
with the red blossoms, looking like a wilder¬ 
ness of strawberries, and as pretty ft sight as 
the eye can rest on. 
Brunswick Co., Va. d. s. hicks. 
Remarks.— The specimens received were 
Trifolium incarnatum. The common names 
are Crimson Clover or Italian Clover. It is 
common in the south of France and in Italy, 
whence it was taken to Scotland, where it is 
attracting much attention. Although an an¬ 
nual, it seems to withstand the Winters as far 
north at least as Virginia, and if sown in 
August or September affords an immense 
amount of uutritious food. It lias been iuci- 
dently mentioned several times in the Rural, 
and the seed is now advertised in its columns. 
We really think our Southern friends cannot 
do better than to experiment farther, aud if 
we bad a little of the seed we would be glad 
to test its hardiness here.— Eds. 
Fruit Ladder. Fig. 189. 
attempt is also Vieing made to effect, a cross be¬ 
tween the current and gooseberry, and at pre¬ 
sent the prospect of success is very flattering. 
A systematic attempt is being made to ascertain 
the nature aud cause of curl-leaf in peaches. A 
large number of vegetables have been planted 
to enable the experimenters to do for the gar- 
deu what pomologist* have done for fruit cul¬ 
ture—viz., the determination of varieties and 
the establishment of synonyms—a most need¬ 
ed work, which should lead to the exposing of 
those seedsmen who attempt to palm off ou a 
confiding public old varieties under new 
names. They are also studying into the con¬ 
ditions for the most successful growth of plants 
and the effect of various methods upon their 
earliness and qualities. In one part, where 
water is accessible, plants are being grown 
with a view of washing out the roots to dis¬ 
cover the feeding areas as a contribution to¬ 
wards knowledge that will be of assistance in 
applying various manures aud fertilizers. In 
two beds are a continuation of exjieriments to 
ascertain the most hardy and productive 
variety of wheat, by plautiug aud treating all 
alike and under the most unfavorable condi¬ 
tions in which wheat can be grown—namely, 
oue foot apart each way with no sort of pro¬ 
tection. 
They have considerable space devoted to the 
experiments for developing a rot-resisting to¬ 
mato, by crossing and hybridization. Here 
also much attention is given to the use of the 
different insecticides. In various plots they 
have growing all the spring cereals, vegeta¬ 
bles, sorghums, etc. Experiments are contin¬ 
ued to ascertain the productiveness of corn 
taken from the butts, tips aud middles of the 
ears. These, it will be remembered, have now 
for two years shown results favorable to the 
use of seed from the tips. Experiments are 
also in progress to show' the value of different 
fertilizers, and also the staying effects of fer¬ 
tilizers. In other plots the value of mulch, 
used in various ways, will be shown, as well as 
the comparative value of deep aud shallow cul¬ 
tivation, aud of the flat and the hill systems. 
Various kinds of corn aud sorghum are also 
planted, with a view of ascertaining which 
will furnish the most nutriment per acre, 
whether as dry fodder or as ensilage. In other 
plots the effects of different methods of cutting 
potatoes and of planting at different depths 
will continue to be tested. 
A CONVENIENT FRUIT LADDER. 
Fig. 189 represents a fruit ladder 13 feet 
long, with a bottom spread of 10 inches inside 
measure. It can bo made of any length de¬ 
sired. Of course, when longer, the bottom 
spread will be larger. To make one, for a 13- 
foot ladder take a straight, smooth spruce 
pole three inches in diameter at the smaller 
end, and with a saw split it up to within a foot 
of the top end. Then fix an iron ring where 
the split ends, to prevent splitting further; 
after this spread it apart so that the butt ends 
shall be sixteen inches from each other. Next 
bore boles for the rounds, and put these in at 
suitable intervals. Such a ladder stands 
steadily, does not easily cant, while the top 
of it will rest readily in the crotch of a tree. 
When made from a round spruce pole, after 
the bark has been removed, a ladder of this 
sort is light, easilv-handled and moved from 
tree to tree. If of larger size, of course the 
pole must bo larger and the parts be spread 
farther apart at the bottom. GEORGE wise. 
York Co., Me. 
PRICKLY Comkrky.—I have raised this for 
years, and I have never known a cow that 
didn't like it, and it will keep up the flow of 
milk as well as green rye. a. l. a. 
Medfield, Mass. 
THE LOSS OF PEACH BUDS AND HOW 
TO PREVENT IT. 
•miscellaneous 
There has been an extensive loss of peach 
germs the past V inter, and the question 
arises, how much of it was preventable? As a 
rule, the large-flowering kinds will stand 
most; thus the Waterloo, Early Louise, etc., 
are quite hardy, and in my grounds stand to¬ 
day perfectlv sound. Hill’s Chili and Wager 
are also so hardy as to show abundant bloom. 
NOTES FROM WESTERN NEW YORK. 
The New York Experimental Station, at 
Geneva, was so, in more than one sense. There 
was nothing in existence, after which it could 
be patterned, and the Board were obliged to 
originate plans before they could establish a 
station. Many things could be learned by 
These are only a 
few of the many experiments to be tried; but 
they go to show the earnest endeavors that 
are being made to ascertain facts that shall be 
of use to all classes of the cultivators of the 
soil, and all farmers who are within reach of 
the station should not fail to avail themselves 
born carrots, etc,, between the rows. Don t 
be afraid of impoverishing the ground; give 
it lots of manure, keep it clear from weeds 
and cultivate it well, and you can crop it all 
you want to. It often amuses me to hear 
