545 
THE RUSAL NEW-YORKER. 
he would conduct some experiment showing 
the effect of breed upon the growing and 
fattening capacity of swine. 
Small Fruit Talk.— We gather the fol¬ 
lowing facts from the Seventeenth Report of 
the Ohio Horticultural Society. The yield of 
strawberries was stated at from 50 to 200 
bushels per acre—rather a wide range. The 
fruit dealers of Toledo, Dayton, and other 
Ohio cities, buy berries in bulk by dry meas¬ 
ure, and sell them at retail by wine measure, 
thus realizing an extra profit of *1 per bushel. 
We should think this a very satisfactory pro¬ 
ceeding for the dealer, but how would it bo 
with the growers and consumers? Mr. Storrs 
said the Striped-barked Maple (Acer striata) 
did not succeed in Ohio. President Ohmer 
said blackberries had the reputation of being 
tender and w inter-killing, when the fact was, 
they had killed themselves hy over bearing, 
and become subject to the yellow rust. Mr. 
Geo. W. Campbell recommended a mixture of 
kerosene and common soft soap, equal parts, 
as an insecticide. He says the mixture is per¬ 
manent, and can be diluted to any extent with 
cold water. He has found it very effective. 
Mr. Cushman says the Jucunda is yet the 
great market berry at Cleveland. It is grown 
there west of the city, on a soil composed of 
three feet of day on top of soapstone rock. 
Mr. Barrows iusists that no man has a right to 
turn his farm into u breeding place for insects 
to the injury of his neighbors’ crops. It 
isunueigbborly, unchristian, and ought to send 
a man to the penitentiary. He has found 
that a single pound of London-purple in a 
whole barrel of land pluster, had proved de¬ 
structive to potato beetles: but, of course, the 
niixiug must be very thorough. He has found 
Hammond’s slug shot destructive to potato 
bugs, but of no effect upon plant lice. Mr 
Jewett recommends carbolic acid—two drams 
to three gallons of water—as a remedy for 
grape rot. 
Prof. L. B. Arnold is often asked the 
question: “Are there any polled cattle as 
good milkers as those with horns ?” He re¬ 
plies in the Live Stock Journal that he knows 
of no fact or physiological reason indicating 
that horns have anything whatever to do with 
milk secretion, either directly or indirectly not¬ 
withstanding that many, in judging of cows 
from external indications, make the horns a 
promiuent Item in makiug up their judgment. 
There area few dairies of polled cows scattered 
over the country, all of which, so far as be 
knows, are fully equal to those composed of 
cows with horns, and some of them, notably 
the dairies owned by A. W. Cheever, of Shol 
donville. Mass,, the able editor of the New 
England Farmer, aud L. F. Ross, of Iowa, are 
superior, and rank high as milkers. Polled 
cattle, in ail respects, are just the same as 
those of other breeds not specially developed 
for extra achievements in some particular di¬ 
rection, the fact of horns or no horns having 
no connection with their other qualities. The 
polls have some favorable and some unfavora¬ 
ble peculiarities, but it Is believed, on the 
whole, they are sustaining a good repu tation 
as milkers, and are gradually gaining in fa¬ 
vor and relative numbers. Horns have no in¬ 
trinsic merits. They are neither useful nor 
ornamental, except from the force of habit; 
and, as they are in some respects not only 
a nuisance, but troublesome and dangerous 
weapons, doing a great deal of wicked work, it 
is not strange that dairymen should tire of 
them, and seek for cows with smooth heads. 
PITHS AND REMINDERS. 
Cut a few panicles of Hydrangea panicu¬ 
late grandillora before frost, and keep them in 
fresh water. They will last a long time . 
Are you tbiukiug about what wheat you 
should sow this Fall?......... 
The Ohio Agricultural Ex. Station calls 
attention to the fact that in its experiments 
potatoes raised from large, whole seed, ripened 
nine days earlier than those from seed cut to 
aingle eyes.... 
The Prairie Farmer says that the Hon. 
Samuel Dysart is growing 115 acres of Timo¬ 
thy for seed, and that he sows hal f a bushel of 
seed to the acre with oats. His reason for 
such heavy seeding is that the dense lower 
growth of the Timothy smothers the weeds. 
| We should think it would crowd the oats as 
well..... 
Potatoes are rotting in many places and 
scabbing badly in others... 
A. K. Whitney, of Franklin Grove, Ill., 
has the largest apple orchard in the North'- 
w est, and among many varieties Red Astra- 
chan, Maiden s Blush, Willow Twig and Do- 
inine have paid him best.. 
The New York Ex Station, from its own 
experience, offers a list of the best of certain 
kinds of vegetables. Commencing with let¬ 
tuce, a variety which becomes early fit for use 
18 slow in running to seed, which retains its 
enderness and sweetness well, and forms a 
large and compact head, is the Large White 
Stone Summer, Quite a number of other va¬ 
rieties combine these qualities in scarcely less 
degree, such as All the Year Round, White 
Chavigny, and The Deacon. 
Thk Station has no particular pea to recom¬ 
mend for first early-auy one of the “First-aud 
best ’ strains. Of the wrinkled sorts, Ameri¬ 
can Wonder is mentioned first ; then the 
Champion of England. Among the best 
dwarfs for intermediate picking, Pride of the 
Market, Stratagem and Market Garden are 
mentioned. The R, N.-Y. was the first to test 
the first two in America, and the Market Gar¬ 
den was sent out in the last Free Seed Distri¬ 
bution. For a late pea, MoLonu’s Premier is 
preferred for family use, as it yields its crop 
slowly. The Egyptian Beet is mentioned for 
both early and late,.. 
Give the fowls shade during these sultry 
days aud keep them supplied with fresh water, 
shells, ground bone and green food. Spray 
the houses with kerosene or the kerosene emul¬ 
sion. Spade over the poultry yard often and 
clean out the houses twice a week. 
Col. Wilson state's that in California, with 
a drought that endures all Summer, viues in 
the vineyard will ripen 80 pounds of grapes 
to the vine, whereas in our moist climate 
many a man kills his vines with kindness by 
too constant watering. The preparation or 
the soil is the first element, and must be 
adapted to the crops. Strawberries aud grass 
need much water. 
Marshall P. Wilder says the lato Hon. 
Benjamin V. French tried the experiment of 
burying manure 15 inches in depth, aud never 
beard from it. He has found by experience 
that it is bettor to have manure fine and on 
the surface, and applied in Autumn. 
Leandeii Wktiikrkll, during the late ses¬ 
sion of the Massachusetts Horticultural Socie¬ 
ty, quoted a remark made by Prof. Agassiz at 
a farmers’ meeting, that the term hybrid is 
proporly applied only to the intermixture of 
two species; when two varieties are intermix¬ 
ed. it is a cross He urged the necessity of 
using words with exactness and accuracy 
That U right, Mr. Wetherell. 
Marshall P, Wilder finds no raspberry 
perfectly hardy except the Turner. If he 
could have but one raspberry, it would bo the 
BouchettI Blanc. He thinks that Dana’s 
Transparent is the finest white currant, and is 
worth cultivating for ornament. 
Tnic Concord Grape was exhibited before 
the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in 
tAYl. It was introduced in 1854. In this your 
the Ian holla, Catawba. Dinuu, Hartford Pro¬ 
lific and Delaware wore the only good grapes 
known,..,.. 
As compared with some nurserymen and 
seedsmen, the tree peddler is a inau of merit, 
and deserves the highest considerations being 
oft sinned against by these very same nursery¬ 
men and made their scapegoat to bear their 
sins. So says a writer in the N. Y. Tribune. 
No doubt there Ls truth in it. 
Lv ery dog has its day. TIib ovurpraise of 
new varieties is one of those dog*. 
The Monarch Potato Digger is said by seve¬ 
ral who have tried it to bo a humbug. 
Never apply nitrate of soda or any other 
very soluble form of nitrogen or ammonia in 
the Fall. 
If we want to make superphosphate of lime 
by adding sulphuric acid to bone, we shall 
fail; but if we put water first aud then add 
sulphuric acid, we shall succeed. 
Mr. J. J. Thomas reminds the readers of 
the Cultivator that if hoes are kept ground 
sharp as often as once a day, they will be 
twice as effective, work twice as fast, and do 
better work as compara-; with a common, dull 
implement. The grindstone will save many 
dollars in labor, and be the means of giving 
better crops. Thorough destruction of weeds 
will save a great deal In future years. 
According to an analysis made of aspara¬ 
gus by Dr. Goessman, .50 per cent, of the ash 
is potash. Potash should prove a valuable 
fertilizer for asparagus as well as for pota¬ 
toes, the ash of which contaius about 60 per 
cent, of potash...... 
I he Now York State apple barrel, otherwise 
known as the “pony” barrel, has in the opin¬ 
ion of New A ork apple dealers and exporters, 
been a serious detriment in past seasons to the 
Western New York apple growers, says the 
agricultural editor of the N. Y. World. 
Prof. A. J. Cook doee not believe that 
scabby potatoes are caused by wire-worms 
so he says in the New York Tribune. They 
are very fond of potatoes, and eat through 
them and cause rot. He has seen their work 
repeatedly, and it was totally different from 
scab. He has also known scabby potatoes 
where there were no wire worms. He is not 
sure that insects cause scab. He rather sus¬ 
pects that scab results from fungous attack... 
(Bucnjtu Ijete. 
TRANSCONTINENTAL LETTERS.—VI. 
MARY WAGER-FISHER. 
I remkmrer hearing au American in Eng¬ 
land, who had been but throe days in that coun¬ 
try, hold forth in a manner that might have 
indicated a residence of a quarter of a centu¬ 
ry. And it often happens that travelers judge 
of an entire State by the small part they see 
of it, which, in most eases, is an unfair as well 
as inadequate judgment. After a week’s so¬ 
journ at Colorado Springs—while I am hard¬ 
ly as well satisfied with ray knowledge of the 
country as was my compatriot with his of 
England—I have learned something that may 
be worth the telling This town, to begin 
with, is a misnomer, for there are no springs 
here, the springs being at Manitou, five or six 
miles away, aud if 1 were to suggest anything 
in the way of nomenclature, it would be that 
the towns make an exchunge of name! How¬ 
ever, the matter is uot much, and the two 
places are in a way so interdependent, that who 
ever visits one visits the other, and the gene¬ 
ral term “Colorado Springs” may be made to 
cover both. This town,as indicated in my letter 
of week before last, is a very pleasant one, and 
the climatic difference between thisand Matii- 
tou, is that the latter lies encircled by the 
mountains, many of the houses, cottages and 
tents, being perched on the mountain sides, 
while this is on a mesa, or table land, to the 
east of the mountains, five or six miles, al¬ 
though the apparent distance is not over one 
mile. The elevatiou here Is fi,000 feet, while 
that at Manitou is slightly greater, perhaps.’ 
The springs at Manitou are six or seven in 
number, strongly impregnated with medici¬ 
nal properties, chiefly soda and iron. In two of 
them, the water boils from the effervescence 
or the carbonic acid gas. In all, the waters are 
deliciously cold, and, to my taste, very pala¬ 
table. There is a fine bath-house, where soda 
baths are given, and they are recommended 
for rheumatism. There are numerous hotels, 
aud all the arrangements and fixtures for a 
delightful summer resort, of which the great¬ 
est are the callous and passes into the moun¬ 
tains, into which you may enter, os you like, in 
carriage, ou horseback, or ou foot. A rail 
road is being built to the top of Pike’s Peak, 
which is over 8,000 feet higher than the 
springs, and on the top of which is the highest 
signal service station in the world. The moun¬ 
tains, until the timber lino is reached, are 
clothed with scrub oaks and tall pines, not 
thickly planted so as to form a forest, but suf¬ 
ficiently so for agreeable verdure aud Bhade. 
Down the callous, or gorges, tumble mountain 
streams fed by the molting snows—cool, clear, 
delicious. From these streams the towns of 
Manitou aud Colorado Springs are supplied 
with water for domestic purposes and for 
irrigation. The cartons abound in wild shrub¬ 
bery and a great variety of flowers. I saw in 
Englomann’s Canon, out of which leads the 
Manitou trail to Pike’s Peak—the shortest of 
all the trails, eleven miles—a shrub that grows 
along Cayuga Lake in New York, and which 
is called "Nine-bark.” It blooms therein May, 
I think; it was in bloom here early in July. 
[It is NeiUia or Hpinrn opulifolia.— Eds.) 
On accouut of the altitude, this country is 
considered as a panacea, in a way, for con¬ 
sumptives. The air is very dry and very 
clear. Every day since I came here, the mer 
cury has risen to 00 degrees Fahrenheit iu the 
shade; on one or two, to 04 degrees, while at 
night the highest point would not be above 70 
degrees, or thereabouts. At all events, we have 
slept under a “comfortable," while the thinnest 
frock at mid-day seemed desirable. But the 
heat is not oppressive, and the evaporation is 
so rapid that there is little or no perspiration. 
We drove from Manitou here one day at 
about six o’clock iuthe P. M., making the six 
miles in half au hour, aud not a hair was laid 
on the horses. Only in Naples, Italy, have I 
ever seen such rapid driving as here. The 
roads, all unmade as they are, are abso¬ 
lutely perfect, the gravelly soil, devoid of 
water, making a thoroughly bard and drained 
road bed. Life here without a horse would be 
worthless. Fine horses and carriages abound; 
children ride the tough little donkeys which 
the Mexicans bring here, and which are called 
Burros—the girls riding astride like the boys 
Women use the side-saddle, and wear the 
short English riding habit (many English 
women here) and ride like “mad”—go like 
the wind, or the “cowboys”—the wild fellows 
who tend the great herds of cattle on the 
plains. 
The town has no business beyond such 
as supplies the domestic needs of the people, 
aud is dependent upon the money brought 
into it by tourists, invalids, and the rich 
ranchers and miners who make their homes 
here. I have been frequently reminded of the 
description a lady once gave me of the place: 
“Thepeople live here absolutely on air; for 
there is no fruit, and the food is so badly 
cooked, that what you gain in breathing 
you lose in eating.” It is uot so had ns that 
now, for small fruits are raised hero quite as 
easily as in the East, but the value of fruit is 
not appreciated hy the keepers of hotels and 
boarding bousea. At each of the three meals 
various courses of meats are served, tough aud 
greasy for the most. part, and all sorts of made 
dishes, that the eater thereof would gladly 
exchange for one good, wholesome viand. Hot 
breads and pics are staple articles of food. I 
ordered a piece of gooseberry pie one day, ns 
the least of several evils, and upon lifting the 
crust, 1 counted six small berries I And one 
oning, when strawberries were served, we 
wore convulsed with laughter to see about a 
dozen and a half very small berries in the bot¬ 
tom of each dish. The strawberries here are 
good, and plentiful at 25 cents a quart, aud 
the laddie has discovered a way of smuggling 
into the dining-room his own supply. 
On accouut of the unsatisfactory way of pre¬ 
paring food, persons who come here to remain 
uny length of time, rent cottages, furnished, 
and “keep house,” Servants’ wages are high, 
house girls who enu cook being paid 520 n. 
mouth. There are very few colored people 
here, and house service is supplied with Swedes 
and Hermans largely. These girls come here, 
as they frankly say, to earn money, aud then 
intend to return to their native land. Living 
is uot excessively deor-not any dearer, so far 
as hotel life is concerned, than it is in the East. 
Brices vary from #2 to f-( per day. The 
trouble lies in the bad cooking and badly-se¬ 
lected food. Anaxiimiuder says that wo will 
“enjoy”just such meals from this onto the 
l’aclfic coast. The water and the milk are 
good aud plentiful, which is a great comfort, 
and for dessert we can always look at the 
mountain and driuk in a long whiff of airl 
1 his climate is peculiarly hard on women, 
as the high altitude accelerates the motion of 
the heart, and uervousuess is the result, which 
brlugs in its truin a multitude of ills, I every¬ 
where bear men talking, in the most, rapt and 
enthusiastic way, about the country, but 
women not so. They manage to express some 
words of praise about the climate, but they do 
not see such visions Iu cattle raising and in 
rniniug as meu do. However, I think all the 
women with whom 1 talked in Kansas, said 
they liked the couutry, and those who had 
weak lungs Isdieved that their lives had been 
prolonged by the high, dry air of that State 
The hot Hummers are there debilitating, and 
I wus told, as a fact, that a lady hod a lien’s 
egg hatched in her pantry, so equable was the 
heat, day and night, for at least 21 days of 
that season. 
Every whore til this town the street* are bor¬ 
dered with tine Cotton wood trees, which are 
fed by the irrigating ditches. These ditches 
have boards at the sides, with crosspieces at 
top and bottom, and at certain hours of the 
-lay, and ou certain days of the week, the dif 
feront sections of the town are irrigated. Of 
course there must he an incline in the ground, 
to best insure the overflow of the water, ami 
in watering a lawn, for example, the ditch 
must extend the entire length, or on oue side of 
it. The hose is much used. The plan for irri 
gating gardens is much the same as that for 
grain fields, there must be furrows aud sub 
furrows to carry the water. I chatted with a 
lady over her fence one day while Hhe was 
planting a bed with foliage plants, which she 
was hoping would withstand the hot sun. Hhe 
said that in this soil (lowers need water six 
hours out of the twenty-four. The soil here, 
m tliis town, requires, for both lawn and gar¬ 
den, heavy manuring. Raspberries are raised 
by putting the eanes down in Winter. Grape* 
are kept cut very low. Gooseberries aud cur- 
rant* withstand the Winters without further 
protection thau manure about the roots Ap¬ 
ple trees thrive if kept frozen during the 
Winter. This method of treatment seems to 
have been discovered by a fanner uot far 
from Carton City. Home 20 years ago, he 
planted an apple orehurd, to the amusement of 
his neighbors; but they have ioug since ceased 
to laugh at him. His apples are famous 
throughout the Htato. An Eastern woman 
tells me that his apples are the most delicious 
she ever ate. Ho keeps his trees practically 
frozen up ’ in Winter by occasional irriga¬ 
tion. If they bucome dry, the buds put forth. 
The plains, or rolling prairie rather, about 
tins town are clothed in a delicate green very 
agreeable to the eye—a green that Is 
nearly a brown. July and August are the 
rainy months, and the Buffalo Grass then 
looks at its best. There has been much talk 
of sinking artesian wells on the plains for irri¬ 
gating them, but from tbe success attending 
the efforts that have i>een made, not much re¬ 
liance can be placed iu that method. There is 
wheat enough raised here by irrigation to sup¬ 
ply the Htate, and the quality of the flour is 
most excellent. I am told that flour is cheaper 
here than in Minnesota. 
Companies who put out rrigating ditches of 
