THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
834 
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FERTILIZER QUERIES. 
G. S S, Penn Yan, N. Y.— 1. What is t.he 
standing of the Michigan Carbon Works? 2, 
What is the comparative value of the three 
following fertilizers: No. 1, a bone-hlack 
fertilizer. Analysis: available phosphoric acid 
8 to 11 per cent.; equal to available bone phos¬ 
phate. 18 to2-1 per cent.; soluble phosphoric 
acid, 7 to 10 per cent.; equal to soluble bone 
phosphate, 15 toZ'4 per cent.; nitrogen total 
available, 1.85 to 2 40 percent.; equal to total 
available ammonia, 2.25 to 8 15 per cent.; pot¬ 
ash sulphate, 2.75 to 2.50 per cent. No. 2, 
raw bone flour. Analysis: ammonia, 8.75 to 
4.75 percent.; bone phosphate, 40 to 50 per 
cent. No. 8, ruvv bone meal with potash. 
Analysis: ammonia, 2.5C to 8.50 percent.; 
bone phosphate, 25 to 85 per cent.; potash sul¬ 
phate, 4.50 to 5 50 per cent. 8. Which of the 
three is host for a vineyard, and how do they 
compare with barn-yard manure at $8.00 per 
ton? 4 Which of these is best to use on 
ground for planting the Rural’s seed next 
Spring/ 
Ans —l. We think the standing of thB con¬ 
cern is good, and that it gives what it agrees 
to give. 2. The analysis of No. 1 is very mis¬ 
leading; in it the phosphoric acid is made to 
do duty in showing to the farmer’s eye four 
times. Its value is in the available phosphoric 
acid which would average 9‘^ per cent., or 
190 pounds per ton, worth about II) cents per 
pound, 819.00 per ton; odd to this an averuge 
of 2.7 percent, of ammonia, or 54 pouuds in a 
ton, worth #9 70; add to this an average of 
3 18>£ percent, of potash sulphate, worth 
cents per pound, or 09% pounds in a ton, worth 
£1 57. making tho whole value of the fertilizer 
$30.27. No. 2 is worth as follows: an average 
of 4 85 per cent, of ammonia is equal to 85 
pouuds in a ton, wort h $15.30; 45 per cent, of 
bone phospnate is 900 pounds in a ton, and 
tuis being in the raw state is what, is called in¬ 
soluble, and though it cotituins about 125 
pouuds of phosphoric acid, it is worth only 
about 7 cents per pound, $8 75, making this 
fertilizer worth $24 05 per ton. No. 8 contains 
about 00 pounds of ammonia, worth $10.80; 
600 pounds of bone phosphate, equal to 88 
pouuds of phosphoric acid, but from the word 
“mirnl,” wo presume it is rather coarse, and it 
i-i probable that the phosphate is so insoluble 
as to be worth not more than five cents per 
pound, or $4 15 for the entire amount. It 
would also contain about 100 pounds of potash 
sulphate, worth about $8.00, making the whole 
worth $16.95 per ton; of course, the fineness 
to which the bones are ground has very much 
to do with the rapidity of their decay, and on 
this, in a great measure, depends their value. 
3. As to their comparative value for use on a 
vineyard: in a general way we need to apply 
phospnate of lime and potusn to a vineyard, 
and the best manure to use is the one In which 
we can get these in the finest condition at the 
least expense. We should prefer No. 8, with the 
addition of, say, 800 pounds of potash sulphate 
par ton. We think that ordinarily the applica¬ 
tion of barn yard manure is nut to he recom¬ 
mended in a vineyard, unless the laud is ex¬ 
tremely poorin humus. 4. No. 1 is the m-arest 
to a complete fertilizer, and would he the best 
for a general crop, unless tho price is too high, 
THE BEST FEEDING RATION. 
.7 II., Dayton, Ohio.— Which is the cheap 
est feed for fattening hogs and cattle—ground 
corn at $10 50 per tou of 2.000 pounds; wheat 
middlings at $17; or wheat at 76 cents per 
bushel, to be ground coarse at six cents j>er 
bushel for grinding, making the cost of the 
ground wheat, say, 82 cents 
Ans— if we grind a bushel of w heat we will 
get about 58 pounds of feed, so that 82 cents 
per bushel means about $28 per tou for wheat 
meal. This would contain 12 21 percent, of 
albuminoids, or flesh formers, and 71.08 per 
cent, of carbohydrates, or fat and heat-pro 
ducers, also about 8.55 per cent, of fat. The 
middlings would contain 18.20 per cent, of 
albuminoids and 65.60 pier cent, of oarbo 
hydrates; also three per cent, of fat; so one 
can see it will not pay to feed wheat meal at 
$28 per tou in comparison with middlings at 
$17. Now, the corn meal eontaius 9.07 per 
cent, of albuminoids and 69.10 per cent, of 
carbohydrates and 3.83 per cent, of fat. A 
perfect feeding ration should contain the 
albuminoids and carbohydrates id the propor¬ 
tion of 1 to 4, and whenever either one is 
much in excess of this proportion, there is a 
waste As we have seen, the proportion of 
these is as 1 to 5)^ iu the middlings; and as 1 
to 7?^ in tho corn, so that the middlings is the 
bettor of these two alone; still when we com¬ 
pare them and the free fat which they contain, 
which is a valuable food ration so long as it is 
not in excess of four per cent , we should say, 
mix them in equal proportions: but even thou 
we have too large a proportion of carbohy¬ 
drates. If you sell the wheat und buy new- 
process oil meal, and mix this with the corn 
meal and middlings in the proportion of two 
parts corn meal and middlings, and on« part 
of uew-process meal, you will have a feeding 
ration nearly perfect, as follows: 
Albuminoids Carbohydrates Est 
Corn meal 3 parts, is .11 138 32 7 til 
Middlings 2 parts, 2141) 131.20 6.00 
N. P. oil meal i part, 35.r>o 84 18 8.U0 
Five parts, 7S.r4 303.70 21.64 
One part, 15.61 60.14 4,33 
Here we have the best possible proportion 
of the albuminoids, carbohydrates and free 
fat for a profitable feeding ration. 
PLOWING FOR POTATOES 
I. G. S ., Corny, Erie Co,, Pa — Why not use 
a steel winged shovel plow to open furrows 
for planting potutoes instead of going twice 
in each row, uud after the potatoes are 
dropped why not use it to throw the soil hack 
to cover them / These plows are now so made 
that the wiugs can be expanded or contracted, 
and they also have under the beam a wheel 
by which the depth can be regulated. 
Anh.—T he objection to using one of these 
plows is the fact that it does not sufficiently 
mellow the soil; to be sure it throws out. the 
soil and makes a nice, large furrow on top; 
but as the depth increases this rapidly grows 
narrower to a very Barrow mark at the bot¬ 
tom. The plow, on the other hand, opens a 
furrow that is wide to its full depth, and tho 
running of the small plow iu the bottom of 
this furrow is to still further mellow the soil 
and widen the place where the potatoes are 
expected to grow. When the furrows are 
properly opened, the seed dropped and lightly 
covered, and the manure or fertilizer scat¬ 
tered, there is no bettor implement to com¬ 
plete tho covering than the smoothing harrow. 
Let tho teum pass lengthwise along the rows, 
and the work will be well done; hut just before 
the vines begin to show through the soil the 
harrowing should be repeated, this time cross¬ 
wise of the rows. 
DANGER OF PARIS-GREEN ON FRUIT, ETC. 
E. T. II,, Syracuse, AT. V',—1. About the 
time of the opening of the blooms in my 
neighbor’s orchard, and again twice after¬ 
wards at short intervals, he sprayed the trees 
with u solution of a desi ert, spoonful of Paris- 
green with a pailful of water by means of a 
force-pump, uud his trees were heavily loaded 
with excellent fruit, while on mine there 
were only a few knotty, worm eaten speci¬ 
mens, a good share Of which fell off before 
they were ripe; is there any danger to men 
or other animals from the use of Paris green 
in this way / 2. What oreeder of pure Devons 
lives near this city? 3. What potato is best 
for an early crop, and what for a late, yield 
and quality considered/ 
Ans.- 1. Yes, there is danger. Paris green 
is a deadly poison. It. is also a corrosive poi¬ 
son. It is as poisonous to animals as to hu¬ 
mans, and it is a very great pity that we have 
not discovered some uou-poisonous Insecticide 
that is equally efficacious When employed 
it should be used with groat eautiou, und no 
animal should be allowed to pasture under the 
trees until after there has been a good rain, 
and the persons using the insecticide should be 
careful, if they have any sores on their hands, 
to have them carefully protected Again, we 
caution all to be very careful in the use of 
this deadly drug, and hope the time will 
soon come when we can recommend some¬ 
thing le*s dangerous in its place. 2. A. P. 
Bronson, Veruon, Oneida Co.; Joseph Hilton, 
New Scotland, Albany Co.; Itumsey Bros. 
Westfield, Chautauqua Co.; 11. B Johnson, 
Afton, Cheuango Co ; D. Waite & Son, WcJls 
Bridge, Otsego Co., arc the nearest to you we 
know of. 3 It is hard for us to recommend 
any one potato. We give fully und honestly 
the results of our trials, and wo can do no bet¬ 
ter than to refer you to them. 
MILK AT THREE CENTS A QUART, AND BUT¬ 
TER AT 85 CENTS A POUND. 
A. S. II., Armonk, N. Y —Which will pay 
the better—to sell milk to the New York 
market at au average price of three cents per 
quart for the year round, after carting it four 
miles to the railroad station, or to make but¬ 
ter for the home market at 25 cents per 
pound } 
ANSWERED BY U STEWART. 
There are iu this question several conditions 
to be considered before deciding it. The 
quality of the milk Lh one, for if 12 quarts, or 
25 pefunds, of milk are required for a pound of 
butter, the charge against the butter will be 36 
cents for the milk alone. But if the milk is 
rich, and eight or ten quarts of it will make a 
pound of butter, the charge for milk is only 24 
to 30 cents a pound. The skimmed milk is 
something to be taken iuto account, blit, as a 
rule, it may be taken for no more than a set¬ 
off against the labor of churning aud tho cost 
of the packages. The cartage of the milk is 
something to he Considered, and m this case it 
is equal to about two hours’ work a day. 
Combining all these elements, it appears that 
it would be better, in this case, to sell the milk 
for three cents a quart, than to make butter 
for 85 cents a pound. Another very important, 
item is the feeding, which has been purposely 
left out of the figuring, because, ns a rule, it 
requires quite as good feediug for good milk as 
for good butter. 
THE APPLE ROOT BORER. 
C. li W., Washington. Va., sends some 
specimens of an insect which infests tho roots 
of apple trees, and a.<ks for some remedy for it. 
ANSWERED BY PROF. C, V. RILEY. 
The apple-root borer referred to in Mr. 
Wood's communication proves to bo a gigan¬ 
tic yellowish-white grub of cylindrical form, 
with a brown, horny head and with very fee¬ 
bly developed logs. It is the larva of one of 
our largest Longicorn booties, tho Broad¬ 
necked Prionus (Prionus latieolJis. Drury,) 
which is known as n dangerous enemy to apple 
trees and grape-vines, always working under¬ 
ground in rh« manner described by Mr. Wood, 
it is a noted fact that this borer especially 
abounds iu orchards or Vlncyurds formerly 
covered with forest growth, aud where conse¬ 
quently there are plenty of old roots in the 
soil. As is the case with most, underground 
insects, and especially root-borers, we are un 
able to do much to prevent the attacks of this 
Prionus or to destroy tho borer while at work 
within the mots. All that can be done is t.o 
kill the booties which in June and July are 
flying about after supsefc—whenever they eau 
be captured, and to inject bisulphide of car¬ 
bon, or a strong solution of kerosene emul¬ 
sion, around the infested roots 
FERTILIZERS FOR FLAX. 
V. It., Manitowoc, Wis, —1, How many 
pouuds of flaxseed per acre should be sown 
where seed is the prime object/ 2. Is salt, a 
good top dressing for flax? 3. In preparing a 
top-dressing of lime, ashes, plaster, salt ami 
guano for wheat, what proportion should be 
used; 
Ans. —1 Much depends upon the laud, its 
richness, and tho condition iu which it is 
prepared; the richer the soil, the less seed 
needed. All the way from half a bushel to u 
bushel is sown according to the richness of 
the ground, the former quantity being the 
rule. 3. A mixture of e pinl parts of salt, 
plaster, and wood ashes, sown at the rate of, 
say, six bushels per acre, after the land has 
been plowed anil harrowed, is considered au 
excellent.application. 8. The ingredients you 
mention are not all of them necessary, and 
for most soils you have left u very essential 
one out, namely, phosphoric acid. We should 
prefer, for a sandy loam, lime 400 pounds; 
ashes, 800 pounds; soluble phosphate of lime, 
200 pounds, and guano, 100 pounds, and per¬ 
haps 100 pounds of salt. 
ANALYSES OF FEEDING STUFFS. 
Jnu. S. li., Sc/wffcrstown, Pa .—What are 
the analyses of corn meal, cotton-seed meal, 
oil cuke meal and new process oil meal ? 
Ans.— 
Dry 
matter 
Albiiml 
n’ld ft’sh 
formers 
Carb. hyds. 
Sugar, 
starch,etc. 
Fat. 
Corn meal......... 
85.4!) 
9.97 
69.13 
3 82 
Cotton-seed meal. 
91.96 
48,97 
21.44 
13.72 
Oil cake meal, ... 
90.96 
29.70 
35 03 
11.25 
New 1*. oil meal. 
83.70 
35.40 
31 18 
4.50 
These are from the best American analyses, 
and the average of many made. As will be 
seen, they vary slightly from Wolff’s tables, 
but are more reliable for our climate and 
grains as grown here. 
Miscellaneous. 
I<\ \V. C., Springfield, Mass ., asks what sour 
milk from creameries is worth per gallon for 
pig feeding? 
Ans —It is only a short time since we an¬ 
swered a question in reference to sweet milk. 
The value of sour milk would depend upon 
the extent to which it had buioino sour. We 
said sweet milk was worth about four cents 
per gallon; we think sour milk would be 
worth all the way from that to nothing, ac¬ 
cording to its sourness. 
II. G., Washington, D. C .—Yourdescription 
of the ailment among your poultry is not full 
enough for a diagnosis. 
It. W,, Albany,N. Y .—What is a good rem¬ 
edy for lice on ponltry Z 
Ans, —Flowers of sulphur, live pounds; 
fluid commercial carbolic acid, one drain; 
mix thoroughly in a pan or box w ith a stick, 
and then with the naked hand, take the fowl 
by both legs, and, resting it on the breast, 
put a handful of carbolized sulphur on the 
fluff and work it gently through the feathers. 
T. II. if., Washington, N. C .—Where can I 
get Karly Rose Potatoes/ 
Ans. —From any seedsman. 
F. II. !{.. Charlotte, Vt .—Is the Enterprise 
Combination Fruit, Wine and Jelly Press a 
good thing? 
Ans.—Y es. 
C. W, li , Raleigh, N. C .—What is the price 
of dried mint/ 
Ans.—T wenty live cents a pound in five 
pound packages 
Will our correspondent, L. L. G., Grain¬ 
ger Oouuty. enn., please send his address to 
this office. 
4 ♦ •-- 
DISCUSSION. 
E. T. II , Syracuse, N. Y.—I have read 
carefully wbat. bus been said in the F. C. of the 
Rural by R M. and U M H. for and against 
the common use of tobacco, and believe that 
every man who is loyal to butnan welfare, 
should give his testimony clearly against so 
great, au evil as this, aud one so utterly inex¬ 
cusable and indefensible. But lest 1 should 
occupy more than a “’corner,” I will condense 
what 1 wish to say into three considerations, 
which 1 deem sufficient answer to anything 
which can t>e >aid m justification of the use of 
this filthy weed First.—The appetite which 
is gratified by it is not a normal one, nor can 
it be formed without doing violence to Nature, 
ami against her pronounced protest; and 
therefore, whatever may have been the reason 
for the creation of the weed, it could not have 
been to provide for any natural waut, or to 
gratify any natural appetite. Second.—The 
testimony of chemists and of eminent physi¬ 
cian* is, that it does not possess any of thcele- 
ments of nutrition, but that it is au active 
poison, always pernicious, injuring health aud 
shortening life, slowly perhaps, but surely and 
certainly Third. The use of uuytbing of 
this kind, which is not only needlo-s, buthnrt- 
ful, for which there is no natural appetite or 
need, and against the employment of which 
Natiuc protests, is, in the nature of things, a 
misuse, an abuse and a sin. 
F. P., Ktockpuut, N. Y.—The F. C. in u 
late Rural tells how to turn eider into vine¬ 
gar, but it has not met the situation. The 
party who asked the question needed infor¬ 
mation, perhaps, as badly as I do. I will give 
some of in.y experience, and from that the 
Rural will know our wants, and I hope it 
will help us out of our trouble l buve tried 
pure elder, strong water eider, aud weak 
water cider. 1 have tried casks full, half full, 
open; on end. full and half full. I have 
added molasses I have wat med it uud added 
yeast in the open casks. I have used a churn 
dasher uud churned ft about once a week un¬ 
til it was beaten into foam. I huve put 
‘•mother” Into it, and it. has disappeared. 1 
have mixed it from one cask to another. 
Home of this cider I have allowed to ferment 
and lie quiet; some, after fermenting, I 
racked off and put into clean casks, etc , etc. 
Home of it gets sharp- biting almost enough 
to strangle anyone who tastes of it; hut it 
will not get sour, and good vinegar should he 
sour, not shurp. My neighbors, from cider 
made at the same mill, get good, sour vinegar 
in less than a year, without doing anything 
to it; while some of mine has lain in the cel¬ 
lar 10 yours or more. 
R. N.-Y.—We never saw first-rate vinegar 
that was really strong that w us not sharp, aud 
the “stronger” it is—that is the more acetic 
acid it contains*'the sharper it is, or the more 
it strangles oue, and when too sharp it can he 
reduced by adding a little ruin water, when 
after standing a few days it becomes sour 
rather than sharp. The trouble with our 
friend’s viuegur is in the cellar; it is uo doubt 
too cold for rapid aud full fermentation. If 
be will place the casks iu a warm room, 80 to 
100 degs., aud place a tub under the faucet, 
and allow the vinegar to run into the tub by 
permitting it to drop so as to run a tub full in 
half a day, and pour this back each time the 
tub is full, there is no doubt that vinegar will 
be made iu a few weeks. As the Englishmen 
Bay, “If you put the de’il in the pot he will 
come our, again.” Tho same ingredients iu 
the barrels, treated lu tho same way, will 
make vinegar as quickly for our inquirer as 
his neighbors. 
Communications Kkckxvbij roa tub wkkk kndimi 
Saturday, Dee. 0. 
H. S. K -O. J.-L. D.-L. H. M.-G. F. P,-L. A. H. 
-J. M.L. O. C.-- F. P.-L. M. R., thanks —C. B. W.— 
0 v. It W II. J, 8. VV. G. -M K. C. J. A. M. - 
G. 11 Fit/, G., thanks.—S. Slhuett, thanks.—F- B.— 
W. J. F.-T. B —C. G. A.-M. D.-Mr». Clifford, many 
thunks —U. N. K.—L. M. H, K —C. A. Q., plant received 
-S. W.- D. H -J. It H. ft IV. Blake, thanks.-W. P. 
—A. 8.—P. K -.1. R.—A. R. C—Henry Ward, pota¬ 
toes received.—Vermont Red received.—E. K. V., 
oats and wheat received—““Essex” potato received. 
Newton Linn, potatoes received, we must have 
tame wd history. i< B. I.B w m.p. 8. 0. a.— 
C. M. W.-J T.L.-R. M. A.-R. W.-C. W., thanks. 
C. A. G.-G. S. C.-H. H.-J. E. N.-J. L. B.-E. M..- 
H. H.-W. F. B.-W. F. M.-O. H. A.-J. T. L.-J. B. L. 
-H. 8.-A. H. B.-J. E. 8.—S. M. C.-C. M. H.-J. J. E. 
A. G.—D. T. G.-T. H. H—R. D K.-J. Q.—C. Z. V 
