FEB 47 
and is actually worth more than corn, pound 
for pound, particularly when we fed for 
milk or growth, I should not be wiling to go 
through a Winter without it. 
EXPERIMENT WITH SORGHUM SEED. 
Last Spring I received six small packages 
of different varieties of sorghum seed through 
the Department of Agriculture, from China, 
where they were cultivated only for the seed 
and fodder. I planted them May 80. They 
ripened from middle to last of September. 
Two only of the six kinds I think worthy of 
cultivation in this country. They were plant¬ 
ed in hills two by four feet, five stalks in a 
hill. Each kind was planted in a different 
field to prevent mixing. I shelled and weighed 
10 hills of one kind and the yield was at the 
rate of 95 bushels per acre. It was raised on 
poor, sandy land, on which a light coat of 
stable manure had been plowed tinder. There 
was no juice in the stalks. I gave it the same 
cultivation that I gave my field corn. I think 
that ou good, strong land, with good culture, 
it will yield 125 bushels per acre. 
Now, from this experiment I have come to 
the conclusion that it will pay me to plant 
considerable of this kind of sorghum on my 
high, dry land that is subject to drought 
some seasons when corn won’t make muck of 
a crop; but the sorghum will stand the drought 
much better aud will make a fair crop, and 
do for feed in the place of corn. It is ray 
opinion that sorghum raising is just in its in¬ 
fancy in this country. This season J expect 
to plant considerable Early Amber and cut it 
up and feed it to my hogs, stalks and all. My 
plan of raising it is to plow the ground early 
in the Spring and let it lie until the last of 
May or first of June; then re-plow and plant 
immediately. When it is up large enough I 
run the cultivator through it once; that is till 
the working it requires to make a good crop 
for feed if the land is free from weeds. When 
the seed is in the dough I begin cutting and 
feeding from the field, and continue until 
there are indications of frost. Then I cut it 
and put it in large shocks and set some corn¬ 
stalks around the outside. Stacked in this 
way it will keep sweet in this latitude until 
lata in December. 
I have constructed a silo very cheaply, and 
find it much cheaper and easier to put the 
green feed in it than to cure it in the field and 
run the risk of its getting spoiled by rains. 
After the ensilage is settled I find it very con¬ 
venient to store dry fodder over it. 
Prince Edward Co., Va. H. c. 
MAKING A HOT-BED. 
Pkkhaps most of our readers will think it 
quite unnecessary for us to repeat the old, old 
story of making a hot bed, but, for the benefit 
of those into whose hands the Ruhal comes 
for the first time this year, or such as have 
not hitherto attempted the work, we again 
revert briefly to the subject. 
In selecting a location for a hot-bed, a 
southern exposure with the protection of a 
hedge or fence is most desirable. There are 
two methods for formiug the bed, the 
one being to excavate a pit in which the ma¬ 
nure is to be put; the other, to pile up the 
manure to the desired bight on top of the 
ground and Rurmount it with the frames. 
More labor is required for the “pit” method 
and more manure for the other. 
For the bed, horse manure is to be pre¬ 
ferred, and the fresher it is the better. Some 
gardeners think that a mixture of fine straw 
or leaves greatly improves the bedding for 
heating purposes. The manure should be hot 
when it is spread down, as it will then con¬ 
tinue to heat and will warm the soil placed 
on it sooner than when it is spread in partially 
cooled. To this end it is well to fork over 
the bedding and throw it up into a conical 
pile whore it may remain to heat for a few 
days previous to its being put into the bed. 
In spreading down the bedding let each 
layer be as evenly placed as possible. If the 
bed is below the surface, line the pit with 
boards which shall, ou the front or south 
side, extend about three or four inchi's above 
ground, and at the rear about 10 or 12 inch¬ 
es. After sufficient manure has been put in, 
and trodden down, to bring it to the requisite 
higlit, place the frames in position (if the 
above ground system is adopted), and press 
them down firmly. After these are on, add 
about eight or ton inches more of fine manure 
us u finish, then put on the sashes. 
The sashes are usually made throe by six 
feet, hence the frume should bo six feet wide 
and as long as it is desired the bod should be. 
If the trams is wholly above ground, the 
front side should be about one foot high aud 
the rear from a foot-and a-half to two feet, 
hashes may bo purchased at almost any sash 
and blind factory aud should always be made 
of well-seasoned wood. The preferable size 
of the panes of glass is four by six inches. 
Cross-pieces, about one by three inches, should 
be nailed to the frames or mortised into the 
side-boards every three feet or so 8 part to act 
as supports for the sashes and to strengthen 
the frames. 
Immediately after the sashes are put on, it 
is well to cover them with mats, especially if 
the sun dies not shine much. These should be 
left ou until the manure is well heated, and 
usually the soil may be put on in about two 
days from the time the bad is made. The soil 
should he light and rich; leaf mold or rich 
garden soil is good. This should be spread on 
to the depth of about four to six inches, and 
after it becomes warm, say in two or three 
days, the seed may be sown. Make little 
drills crosswise of the beds, about three inches 
apart and from one-half to three quarters of 
an inch deep. In these sow the seed quite 
thickly, and with a sand sieve, if convenient, 
sift lightly over the seed some fine dirt, leav¬ 
ing the surface of the bed level, or nearly so. 
When the seedlings are about three inches 
high, transplant into rows further apart so 
that they may have room for a more stocky 
growth, and if there is still danger of their 
growing spindling, transplant again. 
The temperature of the bed is to be care¬ 
fully watched. While it may vary consider¬ 
ably, it is desirable to keep it as near (15 de¬ 
gress as possible. Such plauts as cabbage and 
cauliflowers require much less heat than to 
matoes, pepper, etc.; hence it is well,, if pos 
sible, to sow them in different beds. Indeed, 
cabbage plants will do as well, if not better, 
in cold frames (that is, frames without heat 
from manure) tuau in a hot-bed. Tne young 
plants should have plenty of air at the proper 
time, and, where mats are used, care must 
be taksn not to remove the sashes too soon 
after removing the mats in the early part of 
the day. An hour should intervene between 
the removing of the mats and the sashes, 
while the plants are young, to prevent what 
gardeners call “ damping off.” The beds 
Bhould be Bprinklsd with tepid water when, 
ever their surface becomes dry, and it may be 
well to water them a little every day. Hot¬ 
beds are made in the latitude of New York 
early in February. 
NOTES AND COMMENTS. 
W.’s notes, in a late Rural, on raising 
seedling rhubarb plants, prompt me to say 
that one will have to raise a great number of 
plants before be is so fortunate as to obtain a 
variety as good as, or equal to, those in culti¬ 
vation at the present day. I have cultivated 
several of the most promising varieties, at one 
time or other, and in the end I reduced them 
down to two, viz.: the Linmeus and Victoria, 
the Linncnos being the earliest. The Victoria, 
however, produces the largest stalks. I do 
not see the use of cultivating a number of va¬ 
rieties when two will answer as well. 
Rhcbarb requires a very deep and rich 
soil iu order to obtain it in its greatest per¬ 
fection, and uo ouo can have any idea of the 
wonderful improvement in the size and qual¬ 
ity of the stalks a deep, rich soil will pro¬ 
duce. The plants should be given a good 
dressing of stable manure every Autumn, and 
this should be forked under as early in the 
Spring as possible. Do not permit the plants 
to exhamt themselves by running to seed, 
and remove the flower-stalks the very instant 
they are noticed. 
Ik you desire to obtain some rhubarb early 
in the Spring, before frosts are goue, procure 
two or three barrels and place each over a good, 
strong plant; cover over and place around the 
barrels a good heap of warm stable-manure, 
and in about two weeks you can expect a good 
supply of su ecu lent and tender rhubarb, which 
you will find to be much superior to that ob¬ 
tained in the ordinary way. But plants so 
forced must b3 liberally treated afterwards, 
in order that they receive no injury. 
In the Fall, select a piece of ground of 
the required size; trench it to the depth of 
two feet or more; at the same time work in an 
abundant supply of good stable manure. The 
next Spring set in the plants four feet apart. 
Keep well cultivated, and do not gather the 
stalks until the second year after planting. 
In the Fall giro a good mulch of coarse stable 
manure an 1 dig it in, in the Spring. 
Yks, Mr. Editor, one-third, or even more, 
of the different varieties of lettuce might well 
be dropped from the catalogues of our seedB- 
meu; and in the list of beans, peas, lieets and 
other vegetables, a similar reduction might 
well be made. 
And so the Ruhal considers the Charles 
Downing, Cumberland Triumph, and Sharp¬ 
less Strawberries the most satisfactory for 
cultivation out of 250 different varieties. 
Well, I think no one can object to the selec¬ 
tion made from such au immense collec¬ 
tion, as it must certainly have been a just 
one. I should say, however, that there must 
have been but little difference between some 
of the varieties, and that some of them must 
have been noted for their worthlessness only. 
[True.—E ds ] By the way, I have always 
said that I considered Chas Downing the 
best strawberry we have for general cultiva¬ 
tion, and have boen severely criticised for so 
saying; but I think so yet, and I pre-ume the 
editor is inclined to my opinion. [Yes, we 
are; at least for light soils.— Eds.] 
By general cultivation, I mean the culture 
all can give without the expenditure of con¬ 
siderable time, labor or money. G >od, rich, 
deep soil, clean cultivation, keeping the fruit- 
bearing plants free from runners, and the ap¬ 
plication of a mulch as booh as the ground be¬ 
comes frozen in the Autumn, are all that most 
farmers and others can afford to give, aud 
whoever will give the Chas. Downing these 
conditions, will be well repaid by a bountiful 
crop of fruit. Amateurs and others who have 
the necessary time and facilities, can obtain 
very satisfactory and pleasurable results from 
many other varieties, if they will only give 
them a trial, and I trust they will do so. [ No 
doubt there are many varieties that in other 
places will give better satisfaction than those 
we have named as best at the Rural Grounds. 
—Eds ] 
A correspondent asks where roots or 
seeds of the cannas, mentioned in the Rural 
of Jan. 18, can be obtained. In reply I would 
say that roots of most of them, and I think 
seeds of all. can be obtained of B. K. Bliss & 
Sous, 34 Barclay Street, N. Y. This query 
should have been sent direct to the Rural 
Office, and not to me; but I do not suppose 
there can be any harm done by my answer¬ 
ing it here. 
If you desire to obtain large specimens of 
caanas this season,and have to stare them from 
seed, the latter should be sown immediately, 
and as the seeds possess a very hard integu¬ 
ment, they should be slightly scratched with 
a file on one side, or else soaked in boil¬ 
ing water, before they are planted. Sow 
them thinly in a well drained pot or pan of 
light, sandy soil, and then place in a warm, 
light, moist situation, and as soon as the 
plants are strong enough to handle, pot them 
off into three or four-inch pots, and keep them 
contin ually growing until they are planted 
out in the open air. Chas. E Parnell. 
Pmnolofjical. 
FOUR RUSSETS. 
T, H. HOSKINS, M. D. 
There is a considerable confusion among 
orchardists in regard to russet apples. Be¬ 
sides the innumerable local seedlings that go 
by the name of “Golden Russets,” there are 
four varieties that are standard aud well- 
known, yet often confused. 
AMERICAN GOLDEN RUSSET. 
Synonyms: Sheep’s-nose, Bullock’s Pippin. 
This is one of the very best apples for the des¬ 
sert that is kaown. Downing truly says that 
its flesh more resembles a buttery pear than 
an apple. It is very often confounded, even 
by writers (see Cole’s American Fruit Book', 
with the next-named sort, Hunt’s Russet, 
which is nevertheless quite distinct, and dis¬ 
tinguishable by its red cheek. The American 
Golden Russet is of wide distribution, E«st 
and West, but is not perfectly hardy far 
north. Yet it is grown on the islands at the 
north end of Like Champlain, and highly 
valued there. The fruit is below medium 
size, roundish-omfe, dull yellow, sprinkled 
with a very thin russet. Flesh yellowish, 
very tender, juicy, with a mild, rich, spicy 
flavor. Season in New York, Octot»er to 
January. Keeps better in New England. The 
tree is of erect growth, leaves sharply serrate. 
HUNT’8 RUSSET. 
Synonyms: Golden Russet, of Mass., Fay’s 
Russet, Russet Pearmaiu.—This apple origin 
ated in C raeord, Mass., 200 years ago. I. is 
medium in size, roundish oblate, conic. Skin 
golden russet, with a red cheek. Flesh, yel¬ 
lowish white, tender, rich, mild, sweet, sub- 
acid. Season, in Massachusetts, January to 
April. This russet is highly esteemed wh -re 
known, though not very widely distributed. 
It is a better keeper than the preceding. The 
tree is vigorous, upright, and productive. It 
succeeds at least as far north as Southern 
Maine, whsre, however, they hive a marine 
climate, and Winters not too severe for the 
peach. 
GOLDEN RUSSET OF WESTERN NEW YORK. 
Synonyms: English Russet, English Golden 
Russet.—This is an old English apple, but 
first became widely known in this country, 
aud popular as a market apple, when grown 
on the rich, fresh soils of Western New York, 
soon after the settlement of that part of the 
State. The tree is thrifty, spreading, and 
rather irregular, forming a bushy head that 
needs rather severe pruning. The young 
shoots distingush this variety from the other 
three, being slender, of a dull, reddish brown, 
slightly downy, with numerous small white 
dots. Undoubtedly this is the hardiest of 
these russets, succeeding well in the highlands 
of Northern Vermont. It is also generally 
the smallest, and quite inferior to either of 
the preceding in quality. It requires rich 
soil, or heavy manuring, to give it a value as 
a market apple. It is a good keeper, but 
ought to be kept in headed barrels and a very 
cool place, to prevent shriveling. Fruit, 
medium or below in size, roundish or round¬ 
ish-oblate not conic. Skin very rough. Color 
dull yellow, with heavy russet coat, and often 
bronzed (but not red) in the sun. Flesh, whit¬ 
ish yellow, fine-grained and compact; flavor 
a mild sub-acid. December to March, in New 
York, but keeps late in the Spring, in New 
England, when properly cared for. 
ENGLISH RUSSET. 
Synonym; Poughkeepsie Russet. The lasfc- 
□amed is an English apple with an American 
name. This one is probably a native fruit, 
though called “English.” It is a valuable, 
long-keeping variety, and has been quite ex¬ 
tensively grown for market, though more 
lately supplanted to a considerable extent by 
the larger Roxbury Russet. As grown in 
Southern New York it is not fit for use unti 
February, and may be kept the year round, 
says J. J. Thomas. The tree grows very 
straight, forming an upright head, with 
smooth, reddish brown shoots. The fruit is 
of medium size, roundish, slightly oonical, 
and very regularly formed. Skin pale, green¬ 
ish yellow, about two-thirds covered with 
russet, which is thickest near the stalk. Flesh 
yellowish white, firm and crisp, with a pleas¬ 
ant, mild, sub-acid flavor The quality of 
this apple is even inferior to that of the pre¬ 
ceding, and therefore it is the least desirable 
as a dessert apple of all the four. 
There is In the West another “Golden Rus¬ 
set,” known as the Egyptian or Bagby Russet 
of Southern Illinois; a good keeper and of 
very good qiality, sometimes regarded as 
even “ best." Though not much disseminated 
eastward, this apple, baing of a like size and 
somewhat similar appearance, may be some¬ 
times confounded with the above named. The 
tree is an erect, symmetrical grower, with a 
round head. The shoots are of a grayish-red¬ 
dish brown, a little downy. Size, medium. 
Fruit roundish, approaching conical, slightly 
ribbed. Color golden brown, netted and 
patched with russet over haif or two-thirds of 
its surface, often with a cheek of crimson or 
fawn in the sun. Flesh yellowish, tender 
juicy, rich, slightly aromatic, pleasant sub¬ 
acid. Season in Illinois, December to March. 
Warder describes an “English Russet” dis¬ 
tinct from the one above mentioned, large and 
not a long-keeper. 
The Kieft'er Pear—Preventing Blight. 
I have read with much interest the articles 
in the Rural regarding the Kieffer Pear. 
Three years ago I bought trees of Kieffer 
from so-called headquarters in New Jersey, 
and the first year after planting they blighted. 
In view of the variety of experiences with 
this pear, the query suggests itself to me—If 
the original Kieffer tree has never blighted, 
has not the blight disease infected the young 
stock by reason of being worked upon dis¬ 
eased seedlings! Cannot the health of the 
original tree be fully maintained in young 
stock by rooting cuttings direct from the 
original tree ! Would this process of propa¬ 
gation be any specific against blight l I un¬ 
derstand the Le Conte Pear is largely propa¬ 
gated by cuttings. Does it also blight ? 
Bloomington, 111. v. s. p. 
<ri)£ p<mLlnj Uarfr. 
A CONVENIENT POULTRY HOUSE. 
It is very essential that fowls should be 
housed in a warm place, have plenty of light 
and plenty of warm, nourishing feed to do 
well in Winter. Not having good accommo¬ 
dations for our fowls, we built a poultry 
house we like very much and think very con¬ 
venient. It is 10 by 18 feet and divided into 
three compartments. The first one is for 
hatching; the second for laying and feeding, 
and the third for roosting. Between the first 
and second rooms are placed two rows of 
boxes for nests. These boxes are made with 
a slide that fits either side, but is kept ou the 
side of room No. 1 nearly the whole time, 
thus maklug the nests open into room No. 2, 
although the eggs can be gathered from the 
first room by lifting the slide. When a hen 
wishes to sit we place the slide on the other 
side, aud the nest is in No. i where the other 
