FEB 24 
TUI 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Arkansan. 
Foiteau, Scott Co.. Jan. 29.—Wheat is uot 
looking well, owing to the absence of snow, and 
the alternate freezing and thawing of the 
ground. The weather has been very unpro- 
pitious for faira work, consequently most of 
the farmers are making but little headway in 
their preparation for another crop. The good 
crops last, year are more than counter-balanced 
by the low price of cotton. Most of the fann¬ 
ers lieing in debt, were forced to sell at what¬ 
ever price they could get. As a result, many 
arc still in debt and will remain in debt so long 
as they make cotton the main crop. Prices 
are: Corn, 40 to 50 cents; wheat, $1; pork, 7 
to 8 cents; butter, 20 cents; eggs, 10 cents; 
honey, extracted, WLcents; comb, 15c. h. c.b. 
Kansas. 
Ellinwood, Barton Co., Jan. 23.—The late 
cold snap has been a severe one on cattle on 
the range. It began with a fine rain—wind 
southeast—which froze as it fell on man or 
beast and gave a coat of ice to everything. 
In the afternoon the wind changed to uortli- 
west, with some snow, and blew fiercely and 
the weather was extremely cold by night. 
The thin coat-of ice and snow on the ground 
must have protected the wheat as it is very 
backward. The dry spell of last Fall retarded 
sowing very much until late. Wheat, 00c.: 
rye, 40c.; oats, 30c.; coni, 30c. to 31c.; pota¬ 
toes. §1.00; apples, §1.40 per bushel; prairie 
hay, $3.00 .per ton j millet. S3.50 to §5.00 per ton; 
pork, 6}-^ cents. j. G. S. 
Parsons, Labette Co.. Jan. 25.—Winter has 
been severe. Not as much snow or moisture 
as usual. Corn has been freely sold at 40 cents. 
Farmers will reserve a year’s supply for the 
farm till the character of tbe next, crop be de¬ 
termined. The wiieat is in a dubious condi¬ 
tion. The earlv-plautcd will doubtless come 
out best. There is no snow on the ground now, 
and it. is freezing in the shade all the time. 
Land has risen 200 per cent, within five years, 
and 75 per cent, of it within eight months. 
Probably not more than 15 per cent, of the 
owners of land eight years ago own it now. 
Our fanners have more intelligence, wealth 
and industry than those of eight years ago. 
Where have the former owners gone; you 
may reasonably ask. Most of them have gone 
West and South, and many have come into 
town to live and labor. Tou know r that in 
Kansas we have Prohibition. Unfortunately 
for everybody the few is violated, and openly 
in some places. Some of us don't believe the 
law will suppress the evil of intoxication, but 
we are in favor of carrying it out. The law 
has made a great deal of bitterness. Our 
Legislators seem to like Prohibition and dis¬ 
like it. They do so like to be popular, j. b. 
Ohio. 
Dumontville, Fairfield Co.—We had a No. 
1 crop of wheat last year; but coni was not 
more than halt a crop. Owing to blight pota¬ 
toes were not over one-third of a crop. The 
prospect for the next wheat crop is poor. m. 
Middletown, Butler Co., Jan. 31.—Winter 
wheat in this county is looking very thin and 
poor, taken on an average, on account of hard 
freezing, a good deal of wind and no snow 
worth mentioning, which gives us a prospect 
of a very small crop unless things are soon 
altered very materially Corn last year was 
only a moderate yield, ranging from 40 to 60 
bushels per acre. f. ,r. m. 
North Bass, Ottawa Co., Jan. 39.—The 
cold wave that has prevailed in the West made 
its approach felt here on the 20th, the mercury 
falling steadily until it reached 111 below zero— 
the coldest weather we ha ve had this Winter- 
Grape-wood is thought to be injured some' 
what, but to what extent is not determined. 
Last Winter was mild and open; the Spring 
cold and backward, and the grape crop nearly 
a mouth later in ripening than at other sea¬ 
sons; but the Fall was exceedingly pleasant, 
there being no hard frosts until the latter part 
of November, so that there was ample time 
to gather the crop without loss. Many varie¬ 
ties of grapes are grown here, but the Catawl >a, 
Delaware and Concord are the standards. 
Very little thinning has been done up to this 
date. Land is w'Orth $800 to §1,000 per acre. 
Some of the islanders are going to take Gree¬ 
ley's advice the coming Spring. They are ‘ ‘going 
West” to grow up w ith the country. c. c. 
Petiosyl vntila. 
Winterburn. Clearfield Co., Pa., Jan. 29.— 
Crops, generally speaking, were good last sea¬ 
son, and everything that the fanner has to sell 
commands a good price. h. f. s. 
RURAL SEED REPORTS. 
Illinnit*. 
Galena, Jo Daviess Co.—Got eight bushels 
of the White Elephant potatoes; quality good; 
but on our clay soil they will not compare with 
some other sorts. The w r lieats planted in 
Spring weii' failures. I got 42 good Gem 
squashes. The Cuthbert Raspberry is flue. 
The Rural Dent Corn bore one good ear to a 
stalk; stalks good for fuel. Com too large for 
this place. Nearly all the Rural Flint Corn 
germinated and bore one good car to a stalk; 
length of ears averaged 13 inches: tilled out 
well, but we do not raise corn for its branching 
aptitude but for the grain it ripens. o. L. 
Rossville, Vermilion Co.—I planted the 
seed of the Rural Flint corn in boxes in the 
house where it sprouted well, iu spite of the 
cold, backward Spring. 1 was “going for” the 
music of that organ; but alas! the fates were 
agaiust me. The corn was planted in very 
rich soil and stable-maunred iu the hill, but it 
rained nearly all Summer, so that I w as kept 
pretty busy digging ditches round that corn to 
carry off the excess of water. As a reward for 
my untiring vigilance and ceaseless labor I 
have corn enough to try again. Some ears 
were 14 V inches long; some stalks 10 feet high, 
and there was no end of suckers. I wouldn’t 
take §5 for the White Elephant Potatoes of 
which I got nearly four bushels. In spite of 
rain tbe Gem Squash matured a lew fruit, h. w. 
New York. 
Dansville, Livingston Co.—The White Ele¬ 
phant did splendidly last season. From four 
quarts of “seed'' I got 12 bushels of beautiful 
potatoes. Although oats were very ]>oor here¬ 
abouts the Rural oats did finely. The Rural 
Branching Sorghum is a first-rate fodder 
plant, but it is some trouble to get it to grow. 
Only three Lima Beans came up; one died; the 
other tw o bore well. d. l. 
Dansville, Livingston Co.—The Thorough¬ 
bred Flint Corn, planted May 27, came up 
finely, grew splendidly, but failed to ripen; 
must tie just the tiling for ensilage. The Per¬ 
fect Gem Squash is just this—the best squash 
I ever raised. L. H, 
(llje (On nisi. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the name 
and address ot the writer to insure atlenUon.] 
CEREALS AND GRASSES FOR WET LAND, ETC. 
E. A. S., Burns, N. U—1. WInch are the 
best kinds of w heat, oats and barley to raise 
on mucky ground lately reclaimed from a 
swamp inarsli ? Which kinds have the stillest 
straw and which are least liable to rust; Where 
can the best sorts be had and also the Grange 
Potato? 2. Where can 1 get Orchard Grass 
seed. -1 3. Would Tall Fescue Grass and Fowd 
Meadow Grass thrive where the ground is too 
wet for Timothy; 4. What kind of grass is 
best adapted to such wet laud; 5. Where and 
at what price can a good book on grasses be 
obtained; (5. Is it best to put a handful of ashes 
iu the potato hill or on top of it; 
Ans. —1. We cannot tell which is the best 
kind. If the laud is now well drained, it is 
merely a question of hardiuexs. productiveness 
and quality as to wheats. We have tried Sil¬ 
ver Chaff, Swamp. Shumaker. Fultzo-Claw- 
sou and Fultz on such lands. They all did 
well—Fultzo-Clawson yielding the heaviest, 
Shumaker next. But the straw of Shumaker 
is sometimes a little weak. The oat generally 
known as Australian has given us the largest 
yield, Mold's Black Tartarian next. But this 
last weighed hut 28 pounds fit the bushel. Wo 
have hau little experience with barley. The 
Yellow Rust-proof Oat is not liable to rust, but 
the straw is not strong. Probcstior is, all 
things considered, as good as any we know- of. 
One or another of the catalogues we have of 
late noticed contains the kinds mentioned. 
2. From Hiram Sibley, A Co., or James Vick, 
Rochester. N. V. Either of these firms w-ill 
supply all sorts of grass seed in any desired 
quantity. 3, They may. Trial will show; 
both thrive on moist soil; it will depend upon 
I tow wet yours is, 4, For wet soils there are 
no better grasses than Red Top lAgrostjs vul¬ 
garis) and Fowl Meadow Grass (Poa serotina). 
An excellent, addition to these would lie Creep¬ 
ing Bent Grass (Agrostis stolonifera). The seeds 
(a bushel and a halt per acre in all) should be 
sown early in Spring, either with wheat, or, 
better still, indejiendently. 5. Fliuton Grasses, 
$2.50, and Hand-Book of Grasses of Great Brit¬ 
ain and America, §1.50, are as good us any we 
have. Both can fie obtained through the Am¬ 
erican News Co., N, Y. 6. Over the seed. | 
slightly covered with soil. 
THE “ DRIVEN WELL” TROUBLE. 
S. L. F., Sidney Plains, N. V.. asks us to 
send back numbers containing articles con¬ 
cerning the “ Driven Well” controversy, and 
inquires wliat is the last phase of the ques¬ 
tion before the courts. 
Ans.— Beginning with a three-column his¬ 
tory of the “ Driven Well" invention, in the 
issue of Sept. 30, 1876, the Rural has ever 
since given information about every impor¬ 
tant step in the litigation concerning the mat¬ 
ter. We cannot supply the numerous issues 
in which this information was given, from 
time to time, as each phase came before the 
courts and the public. The latest nows in this 
connection Was given in the Rural of Janu¬ 
ary 14. iu which it was stated that the Su¬ 
preme Court of the United States had affirmed 
the decision of the U. S. Circuit Court which 
had given judgment in favor of the validity 
of the re-issue of Green’s patent. The decision 
was “handed down” on Monday, December 
25, last: and was referred to editorially in the 
R ural in the next issue on the following Satur¬ 
day. The Court was evenly divided, four judges 
being iu favor of the validity of the patent, and 
four against it. In such cases the rule 
is that the opinion of the lower court from which 
the appeal had been made, is affirmed. Judge 
Bradley was absent from the trial. Had he 
been present it is not unlikely that the Court 
would have decided against the validity of the 
patent, for it is inferred front the torn* of his 
decisions iu other cases, that lie is inclined to 
look with small favor on reissues of patents. 
Until the above decision is reversed, however, 
Green and his agents have valid grounds for 
their preposterous claims for royalty. 
APPLYING HEN-MANURE AND ASHES. 
G. IF, S’., Eureka Mills, Ark. —1. I have a 
barrel of unleached wood-ashes and another of 
hen-manure, how should they be applied on a 
market garden which has already received a 
heavy dressing of farm-yard manure? 2. On 
what vegetables would they produce the best 
results ; 3. Are new varieties of strawberries 
propagated from seed, and will the same va¬ 
riety be produced from seed* 
Ans. I. If the ashes are mingled with the lien- 
manure before the mixture is to be applied to 
the crop, they will set free the valuable am¬ 
monia of the manure, most of which will es¬ 
cape: but if they are added just before the 
mixture is used, the soil will retain the lilierated 
ammonia until it is taken up by the crop. The 
best way, however, would be to apply them 
separately. The ashes might be sown broad¬ 
cast and the hen-manure mixed with dry earth 
or fine coal-ashes—about four parts of these 
to one of manure. Dry swamp muck, where 
obtainable, is the best thing with which to mix 
hen-manure— tor one part of manure four parts 
by weight of muck, which will probably be 
about eight parts by bulk. Hen-manure should 
not be drilled in with seed, as there is danger 
that it will “burn” the seed unless it is greatly 
diluted. It is always safest to have a thin 
layer of earth between the manure and seed. 
2. Upon any ; it does not matter. 3. From 
seed. The seed will produce different varieties. 
REMEDIES FOR LICE ON STOCK. 
IF. E. H.. Rifhitt, HI. What is a good 
remedy for lice on horses and cattle; 
Ans.— Melt hog’s lard or any grease, and iu 
it dissolve salt to the extent of one-third of 
the bulk of the grease. Take as much of the 
mixture as will be required to smear an 
animal all over, and into it pour kerosene oil 
and stir the whole up. Two gills of kerosene 
would be enough for a horse or cow of or¬ 
dinary size. Rubbed well in, this leaves the 
skin smooth and clean, removing the scurf 
and the irritation caused by parasites. Wash¬ 
ing the infested parts of the animal or, better, 
the whole body, with strong suds of carbolic 
soap is effectual. Buy the carbolic crystals at 
a drug store for about eight cents an ounce. 
To a pound of common bar soap put into a pan 
of water aud melted down, add an ounce of 
crystals, stirring well, and from the mixture 
make stuls. Two or three applications of any 
remedy are needed as the nits keep on hatch¬ 
ing. The stable surroundings and harness of 
the infested animals should also be attended to, 
as the pests often find a resting place there and 
thence get on the animals after they have been 
“ made clean.” 
ARTICHOKES FOR HOGS. 
J. S., Vinita, Idaho Ter,, l have 100 acres 
of flat black, sandy bottom laud, will it bo 
profitable to plant it all to artichokes for 
raising hogs; How should they bo planted ; 
Ans. —Artichokes are not suitable to fatten 
hogs. Tliev are no better than raw potatoes 
far Imgs to feed upon, and arc only adapted to 
make growth. We do not think it would lie 
profitable to plant many of them. A few 
acres would do very well for the hogs to root 
over and feed upon, with core as supplemen¬ 
tary feed to fatten them upon. The arti¬ 
chokes may be planted in drills and cultiva¬ 
ted the same as potatoes, and when grown let 
the. pigs have access to them. The Jerusalem 
is the most productive variety, and is said to 
yield from 1,000 to 1,500 bushels to the acre. 
The rows should lie from three to four feet 
apart and the tuliers, cut in pieces, should lx' 
about 16 inches apart in the row. New York 
seedsmen sell them at §4 per bushel. 
GROWING MANUELS AND BEETS FOR STOCK. 
W, It. .S’., Beulah, Fans. — How should 
mangels und beets be grown for stock? 
Ans. —To produce the best results the ground 
should he plowed in the Fall, and a good stock 
of well-rotted manure should be on hand. In 
the Spring spread the manure over the plowed 
land, and then cross-plow and harrow, thus 
thoroughly mixing the soil and manure. Mark 
out the ground in furrows two feet or more 
apart, and before the soil becomes dry sow the 
seed about May 1. and cover it about two 
inches deep with a hoe. It is a good plan to 
have some Peruvian Guano, blood manure, re¬ 
sume specially prepared fertilizer to scatter 
along the rows. As to varieties. Kin ver’s Yel¬ 
low Globe Mangel and Lane’s Improved Sugar 
Beet are perl taps the beat. We should advise 
you to grow about equal quantities of each. 
Stock like a variety. Keep the ground well 
cultivated aud do not allow the weeds to get a 
start; this is essential to a good crop of man¬ 
gels or beets. 
SUN-FLOWERS, ETC. 
J. E. ft.. Villa Frankie, N. C. —1, Where 
can pure-bred Plymouth Rock chicks and 
Jersey cattle lie obtained? 2, Are sunflowers a 
profitable crop to raise for poultry or market? 
Ans. —1. Plymouth Rock chicks and eggs as 
well as Jersey cattle, all “true to name,” can lie 
had from A. P. or M. P, Rowe, Fredericksburg, 
Va. 2. Sunflowers, whether Heliauthusannnns, 
or H. multillorus, from which we have the 
doulile-flowercd variety, are very exhaustive 
of potash, the constituent in which most soils 
are deficient, aud the cultivation of the plant 
would soon lender fertile soils unproductive- 
for this reason it cannot lie raised as a profit 
able crop for poultry. Now that Oscar Wilde 
has indignantly shaken the dust of America 
from his No. 14 shoes, and put the width of the 
Atlantic fe-tween himself and t his unapprecia¬ 
tive nation, that little sesthetic craze for sun¬ 
flowers his presence here created among would- 
be fashionable nincompoops, has died a very 
natural death, so that it is hardly credible 
there will bo a profitable market for sun¬ 
flowers even in North Carolina. 
APPLES FOR LONG ISLAND. 
B. B. It., Grernlatrn, .V. F. — What are the 
best varieties of apples for home and market 
on Long Island ? 
Ans.—T he following are the best; but we 
should like to know of an orchard on Long 
Island that is a remunerative property: Bald¬ 
win, Cooper's Market. Early Harvest, Spitzon- 
burg. Fall Pippin, Fameuse, Golden Russet 
of Western New York, Gravenstem, Hub- 
bardstou Nonsuch, Jefferls, Jonathan, King 
of Tompkins Co., Large Yellow Bough, 
Mother, Northern Spy, Peck’s Pleasant, Por¬ 
ter, Red Astrachau, R. I. Greening, Ribston 
Pippin. Roxbury Russet, Tal man’s Sweet, 
Twenty-Ounce. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
N. C., Uriskunij, N. F, 1. What is the 
best bush liean; 2, Which is the best yellow 
coni? 3. Which is the best, sort of pole beans? 
4. What is the best fertilizer for core? 5, 
Which is the best for potatoes, and should it lx* 
used in hills or drills? 6. How does the Rural 
plant its potatoes? 
Ans.— 1. The Navy for a field beau. 2. If 
flint, Waushakum is good. The common yel¬ 
low Canada flint is also early and yields well; 
so does King Philip and that known as Eight- 
rowed Yellow Flint. If dent, try Pride of 
the North or Queen of the Prairie [closely 
alike), lmt.li of which are early and prolific. 3. 
The small Lima. 4. Nobody can answer. Try 
fine ground bone or lieu manure. 5. Should 
advise the fertilizers called “ potato fertilizers,” 
sold by all fertilizer films. It is as well to 
cover the seed pieces lightly with soil and then 
strew the fertilizer along the drills—or if in 
hills, spread a tablespoonfnl over the pieces. 
6. We prefer to plant in drills one piece (two 
eyes), a foot apart—the drills three feet apart. 
If the varities have low tops, like Early Ohio, 
2 ).1 feet apart will be better, though this width 
scarcely admits the shovel plow or cultivator. 
Tf the vines grow heavy, the drills should be 
3**4 feet apart in field culture. If the land is 
sandy and well drained, don't hill up; if clayey, 
it is probably better Pi hill—unless the season 
should prove very dry. If wo wanted to get 
the biggest crop we should use for seed whole 
medium-sized potatoes and then confine each 
to one or two stalks. Next to this we would 
choose two strong eyes, us above. 
C. It.. Bel Infant a lit e, O, —1. Can I raise 
sweet, corn between strawberry rows four feet 
apart, without, injuring the berries? 3. Where 
can Branching Sorghum seed lie obtain in 1, and 
at. wlmt price? 3. Will oiled muslin stretched 
on a frame do instead of glass for a hot-bed? 
Ans. —1. No. We have tried that plan. 3. 
From Peter lleudemm. 35 Cortlandt. Street; 
J. M. Thorbura & Co.. 15 John Street, and B. 
K. Bliss & Sous, 34 Barclay Street, Now York, 
and also from Hiram Sibley & Co., Rochester, 
N. Y., at about 40 cents a pound, post-paid, 
Two poouds will suffice for an acre. 3. Yes. 
H. M. It., UW Sprint/ ('reek, I'a. — 1. Is the 
Fay’s Prolific Currant superior to the old sorts 
—La Versaillaixe. Cherry, White Grape, etc.; 
2. Is the KeifTer Pear deserving of the high 
recommendations it is receiving? 
Ans. —1. Fay’s Prolific seems to be more 
prolific than the Cherry Currant. We shall lu 
