4884 
839 
THE RURAL HEW-YORKER. 
or gall fly. Many other plants produce galls 
because of the sting of cynips. These galls in 
their ‘ender, luxuriant growth form food for 
the yc mg or larval cynip. and also a home at 
the same time. Thus a small, maggot-like larva 
—often several—will be found in these galls. 
The two winged gall flies produce galls in a 
simil r manner ou willows and other plants. 
These two-winged gall flies belongto the same 
Dipterous family to which the Hessian Fly, 
the wheat midge, and the clover seed midge be¬ 
long. 
The irritatiug presence of some plant lice 
also produces galls. Such are the large galls 
so often seen on elm leaves, and the small galls 
on grape leaves, which are caused by the fa¬ 
mous grape louse, Phylloxera vastatrix. These 
same lice also produce gulls on the rootlets of 
the grape-vines Other gulls, such as are seen 
in such immense numbers on the leaves of the 
Soft and other Maples, result from the pres¬ 
ence of a minute mite. Unlike most mites, 
these have only four legs, and not eight 
Though very abnormal, these are undoubted 
mites. At other times leaves are scarred and 
rough from fungoid attack. Our horticultur¬ 
ists are familiar with the raspberry rust; our 
farmers with wheat rust, both of which are 
the results of the attack of a fungus. Hosts of 
our common plants suffer from such attacks 
Upon reading Mr O.’s note, 1 supposed the 
poplar leaves were suffering from attack by 
galls, either lice or mites: but upon examina¬ 
tion with n high power compound microscope, 
no signs of such attack are discoverable; but, 
instead, I find the leaves ©very where blotched 
and scarred by a fungus. [ believe Mr. G. 
was mistaken in thinking that lice came rrorn 
the yellow patches, as I find no such lieo, and 
the blotches are plainly the sent of fungous 
growth. Thu yellow powder-like spores are 
multitudinous. lu general, these fungoid 
growths on plants are very harmful, while 
galls are not generally u serious damage; I 
have no doubt but that the fungoid attack ib 
what is injuring the poplar referred to. 
SELLING MILK OR BUTTER? 
A. //. //., Rayvilte , Md — Which pays best 
—to sell butter at 30 cents in Summer and 40 
in Winter, feeding the skim-milk and butter¬ 
milk to pigs, or to &tnd the milk to city cus¬ 
tomers at 20 cents per gallon in Summer and 
25 cents in Winter, paying express charges in 
both eases# 
Ans.— There is just one element lacking in 
this statement to make it a splendid problem 
in agricultural economy; that is. the cost af 
express charges per pound. Leaving express 
charges out of the calculation, it would figure 
about as follows: milk varies considerably in 
different breeds, and also in individual cows, 
and greatly with the constituents or the food, 
so that the quantity required to make a pound 
of butter varies from 14 to MO pounds; perhaps 
of a good herd 22 pounds might make a pound, 
though we know in many of the dairy counties 
it is claimed that 20 pounds are about A fair 
average. Hay we figure ou 22 pounds, and to 
produce milk of this quality would require a 
good herd, extra well fed; this would make 
about. 11 quarts or 2% gallons, which, at 20 
cents, the summer price, would amount to 56 
cents per pound for the butter, or ut 25 per 
gallon, the w inter price, the b itter would 
cost cents per pound. But we must re¬ 
member that the skim-milk aud butter-milk 
have considerable value as a feeding rution, 
for pigs and calves; and, besides all this, if 
the milk is fed and the manure properly saved, 
all the manurial ingredients are returned to 
the land, as scarcely anything but carbon is 
removed in the butter, At these figures, we 
should prefer to sell the milk, keeping up the 
fertility of the land by feeding rich food aud 
utilizing the manures. But the express 
charges added may easily change results. 
There would be 22 pounds of milk as against 
one pound of butter to be transported, besides 
the injury to cans, etc. At those figures 
either ot these methods must be very profita¬ 
ble We mude u very profitable business last 
IVinter feeding a lot of cows, and making for 
ale butter that netted only 21) cents per 
pound. But the cows were farrow, and fed 
very high, and turned in the Spring for beef. 
But the manure, if that only can bo cleared 
in the operation, is a good profit. 
GROWING POTATOES. 
G McU., Princeton, la.— 1. I have about six 
acres of sandy loam which produced 250 bush- 
ls of potatoes to the acre this year. How 
■an the yield be increased next year by the 
use of fertilizers# 2. I have also six acres that 
have been a pasture for J5 years, and which are 
now sodded with Blue Grass, White (.'lover, 
etc.; soil a sandy loam: would this lie good for 
potatoes if broken this Fall and replowed 
next Spring? 
Ans,- 1. Uur friend will not perhaps at pre¬ 
sent accept the advice we have to offer in re¬ 
ply to the above question; still, from our care¬ 
ful tests of years past we have hopes that it 
will be found good, some day not very far in 
the future. Every three feel plow double fur¬ 
rows, making a “dead” furrow for the pota¬ 
toes. ' Go through these furrows with a nar¬ 
row cultivator to loosen and mellow the bot¬ 
tom soil. Drop pieces (double eyes, with 
as much flesh as possible! every foot, and 
then harrow the field lightly, so as to cover the 
pieces with two inches of soil Sow complete 
potato fertilizers as evenly as possible over 
the soil of the dead furrows at the rate of 1,000 
pounds to the acre. Then plow the furrows 
back, and leave t hem until the sprouts appear 
abovegrouud A I urther dressing of sulphate 
of potash and ammonia salts or nitrate of soda, 
may then be given at the rate of 200 pounds of 
each to the acre, and harrowed in. Do not hill 
up, but use a cultivator that will kill the weeds 
and mellow the soil for t wo inches in depth. 
The dead furrow should be deep enough to al 
low of the- seed pieces bciug planted four in¬ 
ches deep. A good potato fertilizer cannot 
be purchased for less than *45 or #50 per ton. 
Buy of well known firms only. 2. We should 
not. want a bettor field for potatoes. Our 
friend is asked to try our method, as above 
outlined, if not ou a large area, upon, say, 
half or quarter of an acre. 
VALUE OF A FERTILIZER. 
E. B, D , Columbus, Kan .—What is the 
actual value of the A B. Mayer & Son’s An 
chor Brand of Compute Fertilizer, made at 
Ht. Louis, Mo.; it has tlm following composi¬ 
tion; 
Moisture.. fi,HO Eiiual to hone phos 
Soluble phos. add. . 3,99 phnte of lime. 25 i'.i 
Reverted *• .... I.U Aimnon'a . 2 78 
Insoluble •* .... 8.33,Potash as sulphate... :i 92 
Total.— Su.pb.cfioc.a.8.53 
Per ni. Per tou. 
Due. I0.UJ0 
lie. sots 
So. 2.272 
6c. 7.596 
Ans.— 
Per cent. Per ton. 
6.)hi moisture. —120 lbs., 
R,|M soluble phos. acid.. 79.8 
1.42 reverted * ,. j.84 
i>:«Insoluble •* .,126.6 
2 7Sanunoula.. 55.6 
55 6 lbs. ammonia—16 lbs. nitrogen. 20c. 9 20 
3.92 Sul. potash—7S3I lbs. 
TM lbs mil. pot.—19.6 lb*. potash, 4We. hS 
8.35 sul. sodtt—110.6 lbs- IX) U.IXKI 
Totul value.... .dtif)^26 
In this case the phosphates—soluble, reverted 
and insoluble—are shown as a total of 11.74 
percent., and this is again shown as equiva¬ 
lent to bone phosphate of lime, 25.54 per cent. 
While this is correct as u matter of fact, it is, 
most likely, done to befog the average farmer, 
who has but little knowledge of chemistry. 
The sulphate of soda is also included. This is 
wholly worthless as a fertilizer. lu this case 
we have given the valuations as used by the 
Experiment Stations, und they are a little 
higher than the present actual valuatiou of 
these elements in the markets We havegiven 
this fertilizer the advuntuge of supposing the 
ammonia to be derived from animal flesh aud 
blood; if from hair, shoddy, old leather, horn 
or hoof shavings, it would not be worth a 
tithe of the value. The potash is evidently 
derived from a sulphate of low grade; wo 
mistrust from kainit, aud 4j^ cents are as 
much as It cau be worth. Farmers should re- 
memtier that when phosphoric acid has-been 
included once as soluble, reverted and insolu¬ 
ble, the whole supply has been mentioned, 
and recapitulating does not add a \ article to 
the quantity or a c ent to its value. 
FERTILIZER QUERIES, 
E G. ft ., Dover, Del. —1. is the Mapes’s Spe¬ 
cial Potato Fertilizer as good as any for that 
crop# 2. How much cau be profitably used 
per acre—land, a clay loam that will produce 
40 bushels of corn per acre? 3. What is the 
beat special fertilizer for beaus? 4. Isdrilling 
the best, mode of auplying a fertilizer for this 
crop# 5. Wlmt is the best fertilizer for Herd’s 
Grass meadows—soil muck and clay mixed? 
6. What for clover # 
Ans.— 1. Wehave not tried all. Mapes's Fer¬ 
tilizer shows well in reports of analyses at the 
Experiment Stations, and it has given us very 
good results. 2, It is hard to tell; what might 
pay on our soil might not pay at all in Dela¬ 
ware. The best way is to do a little experi¬ 
menting for one's self. Plant one row, using 
at the rate of 2(X) pounds per acre; then one 
with none; the next with 300 pounds; the next 
with none; the next with 400 pounds, and ho 
on to the extent of, say, half a tou; treat all 
alike, aud carefully weigh or measure the pro¬ 
duct of the fertilized rows, when dry. Tnis 
will settle the matter beyond guess-work. We 
suggest that you try some by putting the po¬ 
tatoes in, and after covering them an inch 
deep, applying the fertilizer. We think the best 
place to apply it is about the seed. 3, We 
should prefer a fertilizer containing not less 
than eight per cent, of available phosphoric 
acid, and at least five per cent, ot actual pot¬ 
ash, which would be not less than 20 per cent, 
of sulphate of potash, and two to 2>. per cent, 
of nitrogen, unless the land had been manured 
with barnyard manure or had a crop of clo¬ 
ver plowed down. 4. v\ r e prefer broadcasting 
the manure, having it harrowed-in just pre¬ 
vious to planting the beans; bean roots run 
all over the ground in the surface soil. 5. The 
best for Timothy or any of that kind of 
grasses, would be one high in ammonia or nit 
rogan, 5. ’I he best for clover is one high in 
phosphoric acid and especially high in potash. 
We ouce had occasion to scrape off the surface 
soil of a sandy knoll, removing the entire cul¬ 
tivated portion and leaving a very poor white 
sand. We applied about six loads of leached 
hard wood ashes per acre and sowed rye, seed¬ 
ing to clover. The rye was a very ordinary 
crop, but the clover was line, and the uext 
year yielded over l}-£ ton of hay per acre. 
THE CLIMBING CUT WORM. 
/*’. J\, Mason Co , Mich. —“Goliath” has 
just come in with a pint of cut-worms, which 
are of different colors, some being black and 
white striped, some brown, ami light green; 
some an inch and-a-half long, aud some very 
small. They collect at the trunk of the fruit 
trees just under surface of the ground in day 
time, aud climb the trees at night, eating 
leaves and buds. leaving t he trees nearly bare 
of foliage. One row of white raspberries was 
completely stripped of leaves earlier in the 
season; we thought it was the frost that had 
killed out the plants; but some others of the 
same kiud in another part of grouud wereunin- 
jtired. My troosare only throe years from the 
nursery, but are Hue, large trees, “for a’ that;” 
but older trees tire troubled the same on other 
farms. I have collected aud destroyed in the 
last three days three quarts, getting from 25 
to 30at onetime from a tree. No one around 
here has known them to injure trees before 
this year. We have always found them more 
or less on cabbage, tomatoes, bonus, etc.; but 
tree-catiug seems to be something new with 
them. When infesting small plants, such as 
cabhage, etc . we thought ashes would de¬ 
stroy them. So Goliath spread ut the rate of 
30 one horse loads per acre of unleached wood- 
ashes in our orchard. What is the best 
remedy# 
Ans.— These are the climbing cut-worms, 
of which there are several kinds, showing the 
different markings mentioned. They are 
quite prevalent aud destructive on the lighter 
soils of Western Michigan. The remedies for 
all the different species are the same. They 
may be caught after dark by spreading sheets 
under the trees and jarring the latter, the 
same as for curculios. They can also be poi 
soned with Funs green or London purple 
solutions. Home recommend digging at the 
lia.se of trees holes Imviug steep sides, or sink- 
iug tiu cans in them, into which the worms 
will fall, and from which they cannot get out. 
A piece of tin or zinc cut in such shape as, 
when bent around the tree, would form au 
inverted funnel, will effectually prevent the 
ascent of the pests. Among these one ought 
to be able to select an effectual remedy. 
FRUIT QUERIES. 
./. S., Gravesend, L. /.—I. What ails the 
quince branches and fruit sent with this, and 
what is the remedy ? My apples are similarly 
affected. 2. My pour trees are, many of them, 
uffeeted, as shown iti the specimens inclosed; 
what is the matter ? 3. is the inclosed grape 
leaf affected with mildew# 4 1 have a lot of 
Jersey Queen, Manchester, Vick, Wilson, and 
Hhurpless Strawberry plants; in making now 
beds how should the pistillate and perfect- 
flowering be planted to produce the best re¬ 
sults; what shall 1 plant with Jersey Queeu to 
secure the greatest benefit from the cross-fer¬ 
tilization? 
A.ns.— l. The quince shoots and fruit were 
affected with what is known as the orange 
rust, which ut one time was very prevalent in 
Western New York. We think it will not 
trouble your trees next year. Give them in 
the Hpring a good dressing of l>one-dust and 
kainit, and prune away all diseased branches. 
3, The pear twigs and leaves wore affected 
with mildew. The fruit was also affected with 
the form which attacks this fruit, it is quite 
prevalent this year all along the coast, caused, 
in a great measure, probably by the wet aud 
hot weather. 3. Yes. this is the genuine 
grape mildew (Peronospora vitioola). Au ap¬ 
plication of flowers of sulphur, when first at¬ 
tacked, would probably have held it in check. 
4. The hermaphrodite should constitute about 
every sixth row. We could not recommend 
the Vick as a market berry We don't believe 
it makes much, if any, diffemi.-e, what per- 
perfect. flowering plant is used as a fertilizer 
with any pistillate Use either Hbarpless or 
Wilson, as you prefer, as both are prolific iu 
pollen. 
FRUIT QUERIE8. 
T. A. P., South Bend, lnd, —1. From whom 
shall we purchase grape-vines? 2, Four years 
ago 1 bought from a very prominent New 
York Htate nurseryman, at. an extravagant 
price, a vine each of Lady Washington, Jeffer- 
«on, Prentiss, Ducluss and Vergeunes; cared 
for them four years, in the bo*t possible man¬ 
ner, and to-day the Lady Washington is bear¬ 
ing eight fine clusters of Brightons. The 
others are not bearing. About the same time 
I bought altout 1,00(1 Concords of an Indiana 
nurseryman, and sold to other parties 500 of 
the vines, and planted the remainder myself, 
(Jut of those 500 planted on my own place only 
two vines are Coucords, two are Perkins, all 
the rest are Hartfords. Now I will have to 
wait four years longer, making eight years, 
from the first. It seems to me that this is 
about the meanest sort of a swindle. 3. What 
is a remedy for the disease on the inclosed 
grape-viue? 4. Is the Early Victor as good a 
grower ns the Concord? 5. From whom can 
I purchase the best subsoil plow? (!. A portion 
Of my place Is a clay loam, with a clay, grav¬ 
elly subsoil, which requires the grub-hoe or 
pick to loosen up thesubsoil suitably fur plant¬ 
ing a tree or vine; land is rolling, and natu¬ 
rally drained, it produces larger and better- 
colored fruit than the more loose and sandy 
soil. Would it l>e advisable to subsoil this 
ground for small fruits? 
A ns. — 1. Bush Son A Meissner, Rushberg, 
Jefferson Co., Mo., are a very trustworthy 
firm. Your case is a very provoking one. 
Mistakes will sometimes happen with the best 
nurserymen. 3. It is a fungus which attacks 
the young green stems, Wo know of no rem¬ 
edy. 4 No. 5. Please sec advertisements in 
the Fair Number, and send for catalogues, (i. 
By all means. 
--- 
Miscellaneous. 
H. M ., Me Fall, Mo .—1, Where can I get 
Houlange’s Muguolia seed# 2 Are they kept 
for sale ut the Rural Grounds? 3, Where can 
( get the trees? 4. When should they be 
planted i 
A vs.—Of any nurseryman; or of Thomas 
Meehan, Germantown, Pa., or Thorburn & 
Co., 15 John St., New York 2. No, wehave 
nuthiug for sale. 3. Of nurserymen. 4. 
Spring. 
E. G. II., Souk Center. Minn. —Howshould 
1 treat, during the Winter, gladioli bulbs 
which have bloomed this season: also tube¬ 
rose bulbs which have not bloomed? 
Ans —The same treatment will answer for 
both:—Take up the bulbs, dry them, aud keep 
them in an even, dry temperature through the 
Winter. A warm, dry cellar is a suitable 
place. 
M. E. U.. Ellenboroiq/h Center, N. Y.. sends 
samples of potatoes found growing on the 
joints of potato vinos, and asks the cause. 
Ans.—I n wet periods following droughts, 
this is most liable to occur. The tubers in the 
ground are checked, while the plants, follow¬ 
ing their nature, produce swollen stems, or 
tubers, above ground. 
.7. 7’., Sprinyboro, Pa.—A friend says tho 
first plant the strawberry forms ou the runner 
is a male plant and does uot bear any fruit- 
is this true? 
Anh.—I t is the first we have heard of this, 
and we doubt it. 
P. T), G , Loveland, Col. —Did the bill in¬ 
troduced lust, year into the House of Repre¬ 
sentatives for leasing our government lands, 
ever become a law# 
Anh.— No, The General Laud Office at 
Washington bus been strenuously opposed to 
legislation of that character, owing to the 
enormous frauds likely to be perpetrated un¬ 
der cover of It. 
T. W. L ., Baltimore, Md —When and how 
should Alfalfa be sown, and where can seed be 
obtained? 
Ans - Alfalfa must have rich, well-drained 
land; the seed should bo sown thicker than 
clover—about, 20 pounds per acre; the middle 
of April is tho time to sow. Heed cau be ob¬ 
tained from lending dealers, 
C. C. M.. Sprint/ Hill, Fan.— When do, 1, 
Ampelopsis quinquefolia and Vetchii, and 
also, 2, Brugmansia suaveolens bloom? 
Ans.—1. July, in this climate. 2. May and 
June. 
II. S. If , Kilburn, Ohio, sends specimen of 
vine for uume, 
Ans —It is Clematis Virginiaua,the common 
Virgin’s Bower, which grows wild along riv¬ 
er bauksevery where. 
B. S.. Ridgewood, N. Y., sends a plant for 
name. 
Ans. —If. is Spiranthesgraminea.a variety of 
Ladies Tresses. 
./ R,, Fort Recovery, Ohio.—Who in this 
State deals in Holstein cuttle# 
Ans.— J. W. Htill well & Co., Troy, Ohio. 
G A. //., llellfonUiine, Ohio .—Is W. P. 
Andrus, Rochester. N. Y-,a trustworthy deal¬ 
er in pure Diehl Mediterranean Wheat? 
Ans —Yes. 
-- 
UOMMU.MCATlOft* RECEIVED KOR THE WEEK ENDINO 
Saturday. Sept. 13. 
S. W. P.-P. W.-C. D.-J. W. 8.-G. W. C.-F. L. 
W.,tliank>.-J. T. E. M. P.—W. B.-W. H. L.—8. H. 
R., thank*. O, .1, T. -V. D -J. p, M., thank*.—J. r 
W.-J. 8 W.-J IX T -C. W.-W. H. T. J. M. S. —A. 
J. C. W. n,-H. M.-Jarne* Dye, thunk* A. K. R.— 
M. Campbell, thanks.—E M. H. W, W O. .lohn Ar¬ 
nold, thanks. K. W. J. J,. I. kIiik. thank*. I v. R. 
— I. >i. K. II. H,, (hank*. K. II. -J. T. M,— R. R. r._ 
T. T. L. 1. M. H.-O. II. -G. E. W.—H. S. R T. -P. B. 
J.—J. L B.—C. D. G., thanks.—W. W. T.-R. S. A.—L. 
R. McA.-S. J.—M. M.-J. H. V.—G. C. M. I. M E -F 
V. U.-Q.C. K.-C, V. R.-B. S.-J. H.-W. F.-J B. 
