766 
THE BUBAL NEW-YOBKER. 
low Conn, pumpkins, that give such beauty to 
the landscape. That the varieties more recently 
introduced are of finer grain and better for 
food is doubtless true, but they are not things 
of so much beauty. L. a. r. 
Canada. 
Belleville, Ont.— I like the Rural ex¬ 
ceedingly, and will do my best to circulate it 
among the farmers in this vicinity. I am a 
potato fancier, and I think that no potato- 
grower should do without the Rural, os its 
experiments are invaluable in that line in 
exposing worthless varieties. Last year a 
neighbor paid $2 for a pouud of Mayflower; 
this year be lot me have seven of them. I cut 
them into 57 eye*; manured them heavily 
with superphosphate and unleaehed ashes. I 
planted alongside of them tho sume number 
of sets of the Belle, which is a late variety, 
and they got blighted before they got their 
growth, as they were planted in low land; 
yet while both were manured equally well. I 
had but, half a bushel of the Mayflower and 
over a bushel of the Belle. The Mayflower i9 
a failure here. w. c. 
Michigan. 
Athens, Calhoun Co., Oct. 31.—We had 
plenty of rain up to July 1; from then until 
September 28, the weather was very dry; 
there were a few light showers, but not 
enough at any time to wet down more than an 
inch. The ground became very dry, so that 
there was not much wheat sown until after 
September 25; the ground was mostly fitted 
before, so that between September 25 
and October 1 most of the wheat was 
put in. There is about the usual area. 
October has been very warm. There has been 
sufficient rain to give tho wheat, a good start. 
It has a* much top as that sown in years past 
as early as September 10. The first frost came 
about October 10; but the leaves ure still on 
the trees. Wheat was over an average crop; 
tho average yield was about 18 bushels per 
acre, and it was of the best quality. Oats. 75 
per cent, of a crop. Corn, 66 per cent. Hay 
an average crop, and secured in good condi¬ 
tion. j. MCL. 
Oregon. 
Canby, Clackamas Co., Oct. 26.—Crops of 
all kinds are immense. Some portion of the 
grain is discolored, on account of the con¬ 
tinued rains. Business very dull since the 
Villard collapse m. e. s. 
RURAL SEED REPORTS. 
Canada. 
Belleville, Ontario.—The seeds which 
you sent me did well. I had one Marvel 
of Pern, the finest plant of the kind I oversaw. 
The peas and tomatoes w ore excellent. 1 gave 
the oats, and wheat, and rye to a farmer to 
sow. The oats turned out splendidly, w. 0. 
SorTH Middleton, Ontario.—The Rural 
oats did very r well; I have over a peck. The 
com is ripe, and looks good, but I do not think 
that it will answer here as a general crop. 
The garden seeds, etc., did well. My Blush 
Potatoes are the best of all so far. From one 
small nine-eyed tuber, planted last year in 
nine hills, I dug this year over 100 bushels. 
J. W. F. 
Illinois. 
Virden, Macoupin Co.—Accept my thanks 
not only for one of my best papers (I take 
eight or nine), but for the presents that come 
with it. My Blush Potato last year yielded 
So pounds; this year, planted along with all 
the kinds 1 could get around here, it yielded 
about as much again ns any of the others. 
Tho Rural peas have all been saved for seed. 
The flowers were tine, so that the request to 
send another name with my own is not out of 
the way. A. a. R. 
Indiana. 
Logansport, Cass Co.—The Rural seeds 
I planted with great care. The corn fully 
matured in 80 days. I have 63 ears. The oats 
blighted so badly that 1 have none. The peas 
did well The tomatoes wore the nicest 1 ever 
saw. The Garden Treasures gave us a great 
many beautiful flowers. j. c. c. 
lawn. 
Glknwood, Mills Co.—I like the Blush Po¬ 
tato. It keeps as well as the White Star or 
Burbank, and is better flavored than either. 
It was the strongest grower 1 had out of 10 
standard varieties, aud yielded the most mer¬ 
chantable potatoes for the same amount of 
grouud. It did much better than the Early 
Illinois, Telephone, and Mayflower in same 
plot. Taking everything into consideration, 
1 consider it a desirable acquisition, a. c. s. 
Wirt, Ringgold Co.— The It. N.-Y, Pea, 
planted April 17tb, was fit for cooking on 
June 17th. The Market Garden planted the 
same day, were three weeks later, but very 
prolific. The oats were no improvement on 
varieties grown here. The Rural Uuion Corn 
planted about May 25, grew 10 and 12 feet tall 
with one ear to a stalks and was ripe the be¬ 
ginning of Sept. The Rural tomatoes grew 
fiuely; fruit large, even and solid; two dis¬ 
tinct varieties. Of the Garden Treasures some 
twenty varieties grew, and had they been 
planted on good soil, would have made a 
grand display of old fashioned flowers. j. d. 
Michigan. 
Swartz Creek, Genesee Co.—The Rural 
seeds were good. The tomatoes were extra. 
The Blush Potatoes were splendid. I 
planted the White Elephant Potatoes last 
Bpring in hills three feet eight inches 
apart each way, two pieces in a bill, two 
eyes in a piece, and raised 735 bnshelg, 
yielding at the rate of 275 bushels to the acre. 
(The heaviest smooth potato I weighed was 
two pound* and 14 ounces. The heaviest 
prongy one weighed five pounds five ounces.) 
I sowed five acres of the Ennobled Oats last 
year, and raised 56 bushel* to the acre ; 13 
acres this year yielded 70 bushels to the acre, 
machine measure. By correct measure they 
overran, four pounds to the bushel, n. d. h. 
Minnesota. 
Vivian, Waseca Co., Oct. 25.—The R. N.- 
Y. Peas were early and prolific; Horsford’s 
were prolific and of good quality—a good suc¬ 
cessor to Bliss’s American Wonder. The oat* 
rusted. The Rural corn too late a variety 
here. Our first killing frost came October 
22. All crops are good. s. k. o. 
New York. 
Chapinvillk, Onta#o Co.—The R. U. Corn 
was planted about May 15th, and attained a 
bight of Dine feet, on an average. It has the 
largest kernels I have everseen. Rather lute 
for this section. We had an abundance of 
large, smooth tomatoes, in spite of the frost of 
May 29th. The peas did well, especially the 
H. M. Garden; I counted 29 pods on one vine. 
The quality wasnot tested, all being saved for 
seed. The flower seeds grew finely, affording 
us constant pleasure in watching their growth 
and their many forms and colors. The D. M 
Wheat was sown September 20th, a single 
kernel in a place, and is making a good 
growth. The R N.-Y. continues to improve 
annually, and we predict for it a success hith¬ 
erto unattained by any of its class, w. w. w. 
Lock pout, Niugara Co., Oct. 7.—My two- 
ounce Blush Potato, planted last year, pro¬ 
duced 81 tubers, weighing 29 pound* 12ounces. 
We tested two at the table, gave one to a 
friend, and planted the rest on good loamy 
soil, mauured in the hill with equal parts of 
unleached wood ashes and ben manure, culti¬ 
vated flat, aud harvested, on Oct. 2. 11)^ bush¬ 
els, by measure, of very nice tubers, very few 
too small for market. The frost killed more 
than half my tomato plants.but what remained 
have given us bushels of very nice, smooth 
tomatoes of excellent quality, and various 
shades of color, h. o. 
Sharon Center, Schoharie Co.—I have 
had better success this season with the Rural 
seed than ever before. The Garden Treasures 
gave us a mass of flower? beautiful to behold. 
The tomatoes—well I 1 never had anything to 
equal them—such a growth of viucs. 1 tried 
staking, but it was no good. Such loads of 
tomatoes no stakes could hold. Out of the 
whole lot I have selected three klndsthat I con¬ 
sider as near perfection as can be. Tn praise 
of the peas. I can’t say enough. For early, 
the R. N.-Y. is the pea; all are good at once, 
and such loads of pods. Horsford’s M. G. is 
well named, for if a good piece of them were 
planted, I think they could be picked for 
weeks. But bilk aliout peas loading! I pulled 
one vine which bore 40 pods, some ripe, and 
some still in bloom. I didn’t eat any, saving 
them all for seed. The Rural corn is not the 
corn for this section—a little too much stalk, 
and a little too late; still, mine is about ripe, 
the Fall having been favorable. I have a 
flue crop of the Blush Potato, and this year 
they all grew close in the hill; last year they 
were all over the ground. While they are of 
good quality, the larger ones are apt to be 
hollow or black iuside. 
In the present exciting times when so many 
of our papers step out of the true path, it’s a 
great comfort to me to find the Rural 
standing firmly for principle, for right, for 
truth, and for humanity. s. L. 
Utah. 
Ogden City, Weber Co.—The Rural Wheat 
and rye made a splendid growth; but did not 
have a chance to head out, for a frost came 
early in September and killed them both. The 
oats grew very stroDg and looked well; but I 
think from their appearance they will be late 
for this country. The R. U. Corn grew from 
six to seven feet high with two and three ears 
on a stalk. The tomatoes were verv success¬ 
ful. especially one kind that resembles the 
Acme in shape, only they are of an orange 
color and much larger. Both kinds of peas 
did first-rate. The Garden Treasures did not 
come up very well, but those that did grow 
were very attractive. I feel that such a valu¬ 
able paper, with its Free Seed Distribution, 
ought to have a very large circulation, and I 
will use my endeavors to increase it, w. j. h. 
[We shall be very thankful.— Eds.] 
[Every query mast be accompanied by the name 
and addre** of the writer to Insure attention. Before 
asking a question, please see tf it is not answered In 
our advertising columns. Ask only a few questions 
at one tlme.1 _ 
SWINE FEVER. 
T. IF. O., Cora, Pa .—The skins of some of 
my hogs are tender and dark-red in patches, 
with eruptions here and there. The animals 
sometimes shiver, are very dull and desire to 
hide under the litter. No appetite, but a good 
deal of thirst in severe cases; gait unsteady; 
hindlimhs weak; belly tender; eyes sore in 
most cases; sight apparently lost in some; 
the neck and throat swell so as to impede 
breathing. A few ea*es linger from three 
weeks to a month, but most are fatal in a 
week; about half the animals attacked die. 
What is the ailment and how should it lie 
treated? 
ANSWERED BY PROF. F. L. KILBORNE. 
The disease is swine fever or intestinal fever 
in swine, commonly known as “hog cholera;” 
a specific contagious fever of swine, due to 
the introduction and development of bacteria 
(Bucilli suis) within the system. It i* propa¬ 
gated mainly, if not entirely, by contagion; 
the virus or poison may be carried half a mile 
or more on the wind, or to any distance bv 
materials, animals and persons that have 
come in contact with the contagion; also for 
considerable distances by the currents of run¬ 
ning streams. The poison is not destroyed 
by freezing, and may be preserved for at 
least one or two months if kept dry and ex¬ 
cluded from free access of air. No specific 
remedy for the disease is known. Treatment 
ought not to be attempted except in isolated 
localities, with the constant use of disinfect¬ 
ants. Even then the cost of treatment and 
carethrongh a long, tedious recovery, is much 
greater than the value of the animals, except 
in case of valuable breeding stock. At the 
onset, if there is constipation, give a mild lax¬ 
ative (castor oil 2ozs., rhubarb 1 dr.) with in¬ 
jections of warm water. If fever runs high,give 
20 grains each of nitrate of potash and bisul¬ 
phite of soda every three or four hours, until 
the fever subsides. Such antisceptic agents 
as carbolic acid, 10 drops; or iodine, 5 grains, 
twice daily,are often beneficial. Give special 
attention to the diet and care of the animals. 
This is of as much importance as the medicine, 
if not more. Feed on soft, nourishing foods, 
like boiled gruel of barley, oats, or rye, with 
slops, milk and vegetables. Give little or no 
corn. Give to driuk plenty of fresh, cool 
water, slightly acidulated with sulphuric acid. 
The pens should be kept dry, and be cleaned 
daily. Thoroughly disinfect the pens daily 
with a weak solution of carbolic acid (crude 
carbolic acid two ounces, water one gallon) by 
sprinkling the walls and floor. All refuse 
from the pens should be mixed with the car¬ 
bolic solution. If the patient survives the 
first week, he is in a fair way to a slow re¬ 
cover}'. Should there now be signs of ulcera¬ 
tion of the bowels, indicated by bloody dung 
or tender belly, give oil of turpentine. 15 to 20 
drops twice, daily. Finally, when the animal 
is convalescent, give, as a tonic, sulphate of 
iron 15 grains; powdered gentian, 25 grains; 
and nitrate of potash, 25 grains; to be given 
night aud morning. After several days omit 
the iron for two or three day*. The best 
method is to attend to the undiseased, and not 
attempt the cure of diseased animals. More 
stock will be saved in the end, and in very 
much better condition. Kill and bury all 
diseased animals, and thoroughly disinfect, 
with the carbolic solution, everything with 
which they have come in contact. Keep a 
close watch on the survivors, and remove all 
that show the first signs of illness, and destroy 
and disinfect as soon as they show symptoms of 
the disease. As a preventive, give to each 
animal one dram of charcoal and about 10 
drops of carbolic acid twice or thrice daily in 
their drinking water, which should preferably 
be from a well: wash all sores with dilute 
carbolic acid. Avoid water which has run 
near a diseased herd; also all fowls, articles, 
animals, or persons that have been near the 
disease and have not V>een disinfected. Keep 
the pens and yards clean and free from de¬ 
composing organic matter, and sprinkle daily 
with the carbolic solution when the disease is 
prevalent in the vicinity. 
HYBRIDIZING GRAPES. 
IF. F., Baraboo, IFis.—Will the Rural 
he so kind as to give my son directions for 
hybridizing grapes, and how to save and treat 
the seeds! 
Ans.—Y our son w ould need sufficient knowl¬ 
edge of botany to know the different organs 
of the blossoms, and must then have some 
lit tle patience, and the more practice the bet* 
ter. He will need a small hand magnifying 
glass, a pair of very sharp-pointed scissors, a 
needle, and a sharp, small-bladed knife. As 
soon as the buds are fully formed, select a 
good-looking cluster, having a good, strong 
leaf opposite it, and cutoff a large part of the 
buds from the cluster, and especially all 
that, are in bloom. Now, before the bud to 
be operated upon is fully developed and in 
full bloom, hold the glass so you can see the 
bud plainly, aDd with the needle stuck into 
the end of a stick the size of a pencil, remove 
the cap (which in the grape flower is the com¬ 
bined petals) and with the scissors cut off all the 
stamens. Proceed in this way with as many 
bndsin the cluster as you can use, aud carefully 
cut off every other one from the cluster It 
should now be covered with; a tissue paper 
bag so as to exclude all pollen, and should be 
carefully examined twice everyday, and when 
the pistil is ripe, or, in other words, when the 
end of it (the stigma) is enlarged and looks 
us though it had a minute drop of dew upon 
it, pollen should be gathered from some per¬ 
fect flower of the variety to be used for the 
male parent, and applied to this little drop of 
dew. This may be done with a flue camel’*- 
bair brush, or the flowers may be taken with 
a pair of small pincers, and the anthersof the 
stumens covered with pollen may be applied 
directly. Each prepared blossom should be 
treated in the same way, and tho bag be again 
applied It is well to repeat this operatipn the 
next day, so as to make sure of fertilization. 
As soon as the little grape has formed and 
reached the size of a pin head, the bag may be 
removed, the clusters marked, and in some 
way guarded from injury. When the grapes 
are fully ripe, the seeds of those thus treated 
should be saved, and they cau be planted at 
once or preserved till Spring in damp sand, 
and then planted, aud the vlue should be 
tended and treated the same as any other. It 
should produce fruit about tho fourth or fifth 
year, and after all this nice work, and wait¬ 
ing, and watching, happy is the man who 
gets one prize to a thousand blanks. Still, it 
is a very pleasant business, very instructive, 
and worth trying. 
ENRICHING WORN-OUT LAND. 
C. TF., Lansinb urgh, —Is it practicable to 
restore fertility to valuable land that has 
been exhausted of potash, phosphoric acid or 
nitrogen, or of all these? How can it be done, 
and what would be tho approximate cost? 
Ans.—T his question opens up the whole 
subject of artificial fertilization. It may be 
that the land needs only potash or phosphoric 
acid, or nit rogen, or it may need either two or 
the whole three, so that no man can tell with¬ 
out experiment what it does need to restore its 
fertility. Of course, if it needs but one of 
these elements, and complete manure is ap¬ 
plied, it would raise a good crop; but if any 
one, and especially the uitrogen, is already 
in the land in sufficient quantity, there would 
be a large needless expense for that ingredient. 
Much also depends upon the sort of land and 
the crop it is desired to grow as to what 
should be supplied. A crop of wheat or corn 
wou’d need larger quantities of some and less 
of others of these substances than would peas, 
beans, or eveu potatoes. We should say, ex¬ 
periment on the laDd; apply to most of it—no 
matter what crop is planted—complete fertil¬ 
izer of some make; that is, one containing all 
the elements mentioned. To a part apply 
plain potash mauure, either the sulphate or 
muriate, as either may be bought so as to get 
the actual potash for tho least money. To an¬ 
other part apply a plain phosphate, or very 
fine bone flour if it can be got; to another, 
nitrate of soda; to yet another, a mixture of 
these in different proportions. Ouc such ex¬ 
periment will give more knowledge of this 
particular case than all the works written, and 
will inspire a taste for this sort of work, that 
will lead to more experiments in the same di¬ 
rection. But, that the experiment may be of 
the most use. a careful record must be made, 
and one sufficiently full, so that it may be 
thoroughly understood in after years when¬ 
ever one may desire to refer to it. On land 
near any large city and good market, a judi¬ 
cious use of the fertilizer adapted to the land 
and crop can hardly fail to pay. For this 
particular case, we cannot prescribe from such 
meagre information. But in any case, don’t 
throw away, refuse, or waste good barnyard 
manure. That is the best manure wherever it 
can be made on the farm. 
A GOOD PAINT FOR WOODEN BUILDINGS. 
Mr. N. C. C., Marion, Virginia —1. What 
think you of this formula for a paint for an 
unplaned board roof : eight gallons of crude 
petroleum; one gallon of linseed oil; one pint 
of Japan varnish, and 50 pounds of ochre or 
mineral paint? 2. What is a good paint for 
such a roof—one not too expensive? 
Ans.— 1. The formula is faulty in several 
