666 
THE RURAL HEW-YORKER. 
of these varieties, several hundred in all, 
failed to set fruit. 
This experiment is, however, only a step 
toward settling the matter in dispute, forityet 
remains to bo shown that the commonly called 
pistillate varieties have sufficient pollen for 
self fertilization. Perhaps, with the aid of 
insects to distribute the pollen, it may be that 
even the small quantity which they produce 
is sufficient to form at least imperfect berries. 
It is useless to experiment with unprotected 
plants in the open air, for no one can tell bow 
far pollen may be carried by insects, from 
perfect strawberry blossoms, where none are 
supposed to exist. Hy carefully protecting 
strawberry plants when in bloom, and supply¬ 
ing pollen artificially, it may be possible to 
settle this question, also thaonenow attracting 
so much attention, viz.: the effect of crossing, 
upon the size, shape, etc., of the berry. 
Ohio Ag. Kx. Station. w. j, green. 
KEROSENE EMULSION. 
We orange growers who have much need 
of an insecticide, make it so that it is far 
superior to that alluded to several times in 
the Rural It is also cheaper. That men¬ 
tioned in the Rural would be one-twelfth 
kerosene; a solution containing only one- 
sixteenth is here used to kill bark-scale. In 
very extensive experiments conducted by H. 
(i. Hubbard, Special agent of the U. S. De¬ 
partment of Agriculture, it was found that a 
stronger solution was apt to injure the trees; 
while a weaker one bad little eifect on the 
scale. In some experiments of my own, I 
find that a far stronger solution of potash 
might he used In January (wnen our orange 
trees are dormant) than in the season cf 
growth. We would never think of “shaking 
in a jug until a complete union has taken 
place,’ 1 three gallons of emulsion. This would 
lx- a very tiresome diversion. Have an or¬ 
dinary tall stone jar and fit it up with a 
rotary dasher, and churn the mixture until it 
becomes united. Better still, churn it by 
passing it through a good bund spray pump. 
A few minutes of fast work with a small 
nozzle (which w ill make the return flow of the 
mixture into the vessel enter with great force) 
will make of the mixture a cream from which 
no “ free kerosene will rise to the top.” 
Formula:— Common or whale-oil soap, half 
a pound, dissolved in one gallon of boiling 
water. Add two gallons of kerosene, and 
chum while hot. In using, dilute with ten 
parts of cold water. This makes 83 gallons 
at a cost of less than one cent per gallon, 
where you have cheap kerosene; but in Florida 
it costs us nearly two cents per gallon. Do 
not use petroleum or cheap light oils, as these 
are apt to injure the plants, j. H. foster. 
Orauge Co., Fla. 
A GOOD WORD FOR THE OHIO RASPBERRY, 
I have fruited the Ohio Raspberry several 
times aud find it to be a very nice berry both 
for home use and market, where it gives the 
best of satisfaction. The canes with me grow 
larger than those of t he Gregg and stand the 
Winter much better. 1 have one cane of this 
season’s growth, in which the main stalk is 
11 feet long, and the branches—13 in number 
—measure 7(5 feet. There are in the same hill 
three other smaller canes; the plot where this 
largo one is was set in the Spring of 1882. 
How is that for a cane? j. Humphrey. 
Saratoga Co., N. Y. 
^rdjttfciurc. 
A CHEAP SUMMER COTTAGE. 
One of the most gratifying signs of the 
times in matters architectural, is the wide¬ 
spread aud constantly increasing demand for 
the best professional talent in the erection of 
cheap dwellings. 
The cottage shown (Fig, 393) was recently 
erected in Idaho Territory, aud is one of a 
series of well studied desigus which have late¬ 
ly been extensively introduced throughout 
the West and South. Although built at a to¬ 
tal cost of less than a thousand dollars, it is 
generally pronounced the handsomest house 
in the Territory, and was sold before its com¬ 
pletion for one hundred per cent, advance on 
its cost. As originally built, it was only de¬ 
signed for summer occupancy; and the 
peculiar construction adopted will be especial¬ 
ly interesting to those with whom the most 
rigid economy is a si nr qua non, aud who seek 
a visible result for every dollar expended. 
Lathing aud plastering, and all vertical 
studding (except for doors and windows), are 
omitted throughout. The walls aud partitions 
are formed by rough boards, the outside being 
covered with rustic siding. In lieu of plaster¬ 
ing, the inside walls, partitions and ceilings 
are covered with common muslin and paper¬ 
ed. All the door and window studs are 2 by 4 
inches, dressed. The only other scantling re¬ 
quired is for plates and rafters, the former 
being 2 by 4 inches and the latter 1% by 6 in¬ 
ches. 
The sizes, dimensions and arrangement of 
floors are fully 6bown in the accompanying 
plans, Figs. 394, 895. A small cellar was built 
under the dining-room, with access from the 
rear porch. We are indebted for this little 
gem of a design, which we have re-engraved, 
to the architect, Mr. H. G. Knapp, of 128 
Broadway, New York. 
( Z\)t 
NOTES BY A STOCKMAN. 
Some months ago It was reported by author¬ 
ity that, hog cholera had tieen wholly stamped 
out, so that no virus could be procured for the 
purposes of investigating the disease. At 
that time 1 remarked that as soon as the Fall 
season came around again, than- would be no 
difficulty in getting a stock of virus, and the 
disease would be as rife as ever. Just as any 
reasonable man might have averred, my 
prognostication has come true, and the papers 
are reporting that swine plague has appeared 
in several widely separate parts of the country. 
t am getting tired of waruiug farmers to 
avoid occasions of disease in their stock, and 
yet, perhaps, these repeated efforts may have 
beet) successful in many cases. I hope readers 
of the Rural will give heed to them uuyhow 
and think over them. It can do no harm to 
take reasonable precautions, while every sen¬ 
sible man knows they are Indispensable. I 
have been taken to task for saying that hog 
cholera can be avoided by proper attention to 
sanitary rules, among which cleanliness and 
proper feeding are the chief. But time proves 
all things, and it has proved the truth of my 
warnings. Cholera will soon be in full blast 
when the hogs are feeding upon corn in filthy 
pens; picking their food out from beds of 
ordure; drinking filthy water, in which dead 
carcasses are lying, and piliug up in heaps in 
their wet, nasty beds, reeking with foul and 
poisonous exhalations. 
If we go to the East, we find no cholera ex¬ 
cepting in places where pigs are fed on swill, 
whey or distillery slops, aud are crowded in 
horribly nasty pens, and such cases are very 
rare. Here in the West we find clean pens 
aud pure water the exception, and iu these 
cases the swine are not safe, because of the 
iufection which fills the air; for this disease is 
remarkably infectious, and not contagious 
only. _ 
No person has yet hazarded the statement 
that the prevalent cattle disease of last season 
iu Kansas was not due to preventable causes. 
1 stated iu these notes at the time that it could 
have been prevented. Prof. Law’s report on 
this outbreak fully supports my statement, 
and he especially refers to the filthy water 
furnished to stock as being a frequent cause of 
disease. 
Iu regai-d to this matter, I would especially 
request the attention of readers to this fact, 
viz: Whatever is or will be injurious to the 
health of a person, is equally hurtful to an 
animal. In this respect “we are all made of 
one blood. ” _ 
Just now the farmer who is offered 50 to 75 
cents a bushel for wheat, 30 for oats and 
barley, and five dollars a ton for hay, may 
look with great interest upon the prices of 
meats. Choice beeves in the New York 
market were quoted last week at 12 )4 to VZ% 
cents per pound of estimated dressed weight. 
In Chicago the price for choice beeves is $7 
per 100 pounds, live weight. Moreover, these 
cattle are not necessarily mammoth steers of 
2,500 pounds; but well fed beasts of from 
1,300 pounds upward, ami snob is the demand 
for this class of cattle that the price in 
Chicago has not varied more than 50 cents 
per 100 pounds for more than six mouths. 
I have pointed «nt this fact a dozen times, 
and have tried to show farmers the profit 
there is in feeding cattle over making butter 
and growing grain. Probably some think 
they must necessarily keep a herd of pure 
Short-horns for this business, and spend a pot 
of money over it. No such thing. A few 
head of half-bred or high-grade Sbort-horns, 
iu fair store condition, picked out of a herd at 
five cents a pound, live weight, and well fed 
for three or four months, will be worth $6.50 
a hundred all over. 
Let us figure it out:—A 1,200-pound beast 
at five cents, costs $60; one of 1,500 pounds at 
6K cents, brings $97.50; difference, $37,50. 
With a cellar full of turnips (Dr. Hoskins is 
right in his remarks on this point) or mangels, 
some straw, hay aud good corn-stalks, and 
some corn, and oil-take meal, and three 
months’ feeding, this profit may be made. 
One-half of it will be clear gain; but, what 
is worth more, there will be a good pile of 
manure left behind, and this will help to 
double the yield of the farm in a very few 
years. If a fanner never made a dollar in 
money profit on his cattle, he would be richly 
paid in the rapid improvement of his laud. 
I was, not long since, talking to a butcher 
in a country town of about 5,000 inhabitants. 
“Where do you get your meat from?” I asked 
him. “Oh! I send away for it. I could not 
buy a fat steer from a farmer within a hun¬ 
dred miles of here. My beef is all from the 
Far West, aud auy farmer round this town 
can make a contract with me to day for 200 
or 250 bead of good beeves yearly. The farm¬ 
ers all buy meat. My wagons go 10 miles out 
on the road to deliver meat twice a week. 
Pay? I guess they do pay! just twice as much 
as they could raise their own beeves for.” 
And the jolly butcher laughed and gurgled 
all the way down until his fat sides shook as 
he remarked, “I ought not to complain; it is 
a good thing for me, aud I hope the farmers 
will continue to think it is a good thing for 
them.” Then he shook his head sagely and 
went to cutting up roasts aud steaks for his 
farmer customers. 
One more note:—In the very market at 
which extra cattle sold in Chicago for $7 
per 100 pounds: lean cattle, which only needed 
feeding to become choice, sold for $4 to $4.50 
per 100 pounds. I see in the N. Y. reports 
lean cattle sold at 1)4 to 9 cents, dressed 
weight, alongside of choice at 12*^c. 
•rtUsceUonmtg. 
CATALOGUES, ETC., RECEIVED. 
A. B. Cleveland., Cape Vincent N. Y., A 
catalogue of peas and beans which will inter¬ 
est the trade. Mr. Cleveland does not sell at 
retail. 
J. L. Dillon, Bloomsburg, Pa. Descriptive 
catalogue of roses and flowering plants. Also 
a descriptive circular of Martin Amber 
Wheat. 
Indiana Paint and Rooming Co. 155 
Duane Street, N. Y., and 42 S. Pennsylvania 
Street, Indianapolis. Ind. The headquarters 
are in New York. A circular of roofing 
paint, and rubber roofing, instructions for re¬ 
pairing leaky roofs, testimonials, etc. 
P. J. Berckmans Augusta, Ga.,—A descrip¬ 
tive catalogue of fruit and ornamental trees, 
shrubs, roses, evergreens etc. Mr. Berckmans 
is one of those who speaks from many years 
of experience, and who Is true euough to the 
interests of his profession to tell just what he 
thinks 
The Bulletin of the Iowa Agricultu¬ 
ral College (Ames, Iowa), from the De¬ 
partment of Entomology; by Herbert Os¬ 
born. The main object of this treatise is the 
presentation of such matters as would be of 
service to cultivators throughout the State. 
THE AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION QUESTION. 
Intelligent discussion of the agricultural 
education question will do good. These facts 
may help in such discussions: 
1. In no Btate is there, comparatively, a 
large number of students of agriculture in 
schools or colleges. 
2. No college offering several courses of 
study, reports a large jiercentage of agricul¬ 
tural students. 
3. No college requiring much study in ad¬ 
dition to that done iu the common schools, as 
a condition for entering the regular college 
classes, reports a large percentage of agricul¬ 
tural students. 
4. The college giving most instruction in 
agriculture and the sciences directly relating 
to it, or which have the most elaborate and 
costly facilities for such instrustion, do not 
report the most students in agriculture. 
5. Limited choice of course of study; sim¬ 
ple requirmeots for admission; small necessary 
expense, and some paid manual labor by stu¬ 
dents are features common to the colleges re¬ 
porting the largest number of students in ag¬ 
riculture. (There may be exceptions in the 
Southern States.) 
6. A good proportion of those pursuing an 
Plan of Second Floor. Fig. 395. 
agricultural course of study,ultimately engage 
in work having little connection with agri¬ 
culture; a still larger number of those pur¬ 
suing other courses of study, ultimately be¬ 
come farmers. 
7. A very large majority of those who be¬ 
come farmers attend no other school than the 
A CHEAP COTTAGE. Fig. 393. 
