456 
a 
JULY 24 
morning and let them eat and drink and put 
them on again immediately, and they hatch, 
fertile or unfertile. As it is a fact that as 
soon as one hen sits every other lien in the 
coop feels it her duty to lay in the same nest, 
it will bo seen that this barrel nest bluffs 
them off. I give my hens from 15 to 30 eggs 
each instead of 13, and as they cannot be dis¬ 
turbed they hatch. 
While a hen is sitting it will not do to put 
kerosene oil on her or around the nest; if it 
is put on her it will kill every chick in the 
shell, and if put on any part of the nest it 
will drive the lice on the eggs ami hen and 
she will leave the nest. I have my nest so 
arranged that after the hen is through 
hatching, I take the nest and put oil on it 
and burn it out clean, hay and all. This can 
be done without injury to the nest box or 
barrel and kills a great many lice. As soon 
as the chicks are hatched they need great 
care. 
The eggs of my hens have such thick shells 
that I have to remove nearly every chick, 
which I do by picking off the shell with my 
pen-knife until the chick is almost out; then I 
give it to the hen or take it in the house and 
wrap it Tip and it will come out all right. 
The idea that to interfere with a chick while 
hatching, and especially to make it bleed, 
will kill it, is all nonsense. This may raise the 
gray hail's of M ary Martin Coles again, but it 
can’t l>e helped, it is a fact. In Februa ry last, 
I had a hen taken sick on the nest the day 
before she was to come off, and her eggs got 
stone-cold before 1 noticed her, and my wife 
took those eggs, (the hen being a very small 
one only had 13) into the house and sat down 
in front of the stove and took all the chicks 
out and ouly lost one, which was dead in the 
shell, the 12 being alive to-day and to be seen. 
As fast as the chicks are hatched I take them 
from the hen and keep them well wrapped up 
and very warm for 34 hours. They are then 
put in small cages made of wood and wire 
about 18 inches square and six or eight inches 
high, 12 to 20 in each cage, and fresh earth is 
given them every day. For the first week or 
10 days they want to sleep most of the time. I 
cover them up with a cloth at night and in the 
morning feed them and cover them again, and 
through the day feed them about every two 
hours, keeping them covered while they are 
not eating. As soon as they are old enough 
and the weather permits, I put them in lai-ger 
cages without a bottom so they are on the 
ground, but are not allowed to roam around 
at all. Chicks will soon run themselves to 
death if allowed to run at large, although 
without a hen to scratch for them they will 
not injure the gardeu because they are too 
small and also for the reason that they ought 
to lie large enough to go to the market by 
garden time, so it is not. necessary for gardens 
and chicks to conflict. These cages are light 
and easily moved to new spots of earth, which 
ought to be done daily. I feed corn meal, oat¬ 
meal that has become wormy and which can 
be bought cheap, worms and all, dry bread¬ 
crumbs (never feed chicks bread soaked in 
water,it will give them diarrhea and they will 
diet and a little plain canary seed when they 
are very small or sick; it will almost bring 
dead chicks to life—it is simply immense. For 
drink, I give water and milk with pepper in 
it. In the large cages I put 35 to 40 chicks all 
of one size as nearly as can be; if two sizes are 
put together the small ones will not do so well 
because they have no chance with the large 
ones. 
The best thing for chicks to sleep in is a 
barrel laid on its side, because it throws the 
rain off so well and as clucks must not get wet 
one cannot take too great care to house them. 
Another advantage in the barrel as a sleeping 
place isthatit is so easy to keep it free from lice 
by putting oil in it occasionally. I have had 
as many as 70 chicks sleep in one barrel this 
Spring, and not a louse can be found in it, By 
removing the chicks as soon as they are 
hatched from the hen, they do not get lice on 
them, and as these cages are new and thor¬ 
oughly clean, and as the pests can’t breed 
without ancestors, the chicks are safe. This I 
claim to be the best reason for taking chicks 
from the hen. Another reason is that a hen 
will kill on an average three out of twelve 
by stepping on them if they are shut up with 
her, and if not the cats or other enemies will 
catch them. If the barrel or box the chicks 
sleep in does get lousy, 1 put some kerosene in 
it and shut It up tight in the morning, and at 
night the fumes of the oil will be so strong it 
will not only drive the lice from the barrel 
but off the chicks. Cats have no show at the 
little fellows because the wire cages are too 
strong and the wire too close together for 
them even to get their paw through or for a 
rat to get in. The cages can be made very 
cheap by buying wire netting with half inch 
meshes to cover the frame, 
Some chicks will die, they are sometimes 
misfonned and will die of course; but I can’t 
see any reason why whole clutches should die 
unless it be caused by carelessness or want of 
judgment. Last Fall I sold a neighbor some of 
my fowls; early this Spring he hatched out at 
the same time I did a fine lot of chicks (SQ in 
number; and to-day has three left, having 
planted them from day to day since they were 
hatched, while mine all lived until 1 scut them 
to market. Why is it f His chickens were 
the same as mine exactly; it surely wasn’t in 
the breed. 
My mode of raising chicks may seem like a 
great deal of trouble, but 1 know of nothing 
that pays without trouble and this dues pay. 
CLAIM OF AN INCUBATOR IN¬ 
VENTOR. 
It appears from numerous articles published 
of late In the Rural on the subject that the 
“ poultry question ” is in order. In reference 
to an article under the heading of “ Incuba¬ 
tors—Home-made vs.” “ Patented Humbugs,” 
in the Rural of June fl, the undersigned 
claims the right to be heard. Thanking “ Oc¬ 
casional's” informant for his good opinion of 
the “ Chicken Iheubator” partially described 
and figured on pages 3511 and 300, it is obvious 
by fair iuference from the entire scope of the 
article, that said ** informant” claimed to be 
the inventor of the “unpateuted machine of 
his own construction;” whereas in justice to 
the real inventor (a civil engineer') it should 
be known that this very liberal dispenser of 
knowledge appears to be largely endowed, as 
is evident in this instance, at. least, with the 
faculty of appropriation. Aftsr having 
learned of its existence and workings as an ex¬ 
periment, he w as permitted by the real inven¬ 
tor to have a machine made for his own use; 
and so w ell was he pleased with the trial that 
he recently took the liberty of ordering an¬ 
other to be made by the same refractory (?) 
mechanic, who esteems “hisideas superior and 
preferable to his employer’s,” and who con¬ 
structed the tank and the appendages of the 
first one ordered, after the drawings of the in¬ 
ventor. The “seats” used in the bottom of 
egg draw r ers are identical with those of the 
Hulsted. The right to have the incubator re¬ 
ferred to patented is reserved by the inventor. 
Metuchen, N. J, Vieux Coq. 
P^mclopu'di. 
PEACHES-AS SEEN THE PAST SUM¬ 
MER. 
Alexander so far is equal to any if not 
the best of all of the early peaches. It is par¬ 
tially a cling, aud must he picked green un¬ 
less the weather is dry. White-fleshed with a 
red cheek. Ripens from July 1 to 30. 
Amsden is about the same as Alexander; 
ripens at the same time. Not much choice 
between, them. 
Plater’s Yellow St. John is deserving of 
a good word. It is almost good enough to 
plant for market. Yellow-fleshed, freestone, 
medium-sized. Ripens the last of July, and is 
much superior to Hale’s Early. 
Haine’s Golden Rareripe is a good 
grower; yellow; freestone; early, and to be 
recommended. Last of August. 
Mountain Rose is of the rareripe class, 
ripening the middle of August. One of the 
best, white-fleshed of large size; productive 
and hardy. 
Oldmixon Free is one of the best, com¬ 
bining size, flavor, hardiness, bearing, and 
carrying qualities, to be excelled by few, if 
any. Ripens Sept. 1. 
Moore’s Favorite appears as a competitor 
of the Oldmixon. Ripens a little earlier. 
Early Lemon, a fair peach with no prom¬ 
inent good quality, simply good, and nothing 
more. August. 
Richmond is inferior to Crawford’s Jate in 
size; but is bright-colored. Ripens at the same 
time or a little earlier. 
Foster gives promise of qualities that will 
place it in the orchard list. The tree is a fair 
grower and productive. The fruit is high- 
colored, yellow-fleshed, aud of good size. 
August 1. 
Hill’s Chili is not to be relied on—some¬ 
times good. 
Beer’s Late Melverton is about the same 
as Crawford’s Late, just as good, and claimed 
to be hardier in bud; no other difference. 
Stephen’s Rareripe is a few days later 
than Oldmixon but in color, size and flavor 
it is nearly the same—a fine peach. 
Atlanta might be called a medium-sized 
Oldmixon. Ten days ahead of time; some¬ 
times clings to the stone. Not equal to Old¬ 
mixon. 
Brandywine might be called a Crawford’s 
Late except that the wood and leaf and fruit 
are of a darker shade. It is also five days 
later than Crawford’s usually is in ripening. 
I would add this to the valuable list. 
Crawford’s Late is the standard for the 
yellow-fleshed peaches, ripening about the 
middle of September—a little tender in bud. 
Keyport W hite is a good white peach— 
hardly good enough to praise, and too good to 
pass by. Worthy of trial. Sept. 30. 
Steadly ripens at about same time as Key- 
port White. Quality very high when right. 
Needs further trial. 
Salway grows aud bears well. The fruit 
cracks, and seldom ripens well. It is 
not valuable for any market, except a 
local one, where it will probably be cast out. 
Mountain Rareripe is a fine peach of the 
Oldmixon type, superior in appearance, keep¬ 
ing qualities uot so good, very promising. 
Sept. 1. 
McLane’s Whitf is almost but not quite 
good. 
Billveu’s Late ripens in October,is really 
a late peach of some promise. Color almost 
purple aud a little tough, gives promise of 
being productive; a peculiarity of this peach 
is that each blossom has two or more fruit 
germs. Not good enough for market. 
Golden Eagle is of excellent quality, but 
just too small to be valuable. October. 
Smock, a late peach, is unusually fine this 
year. Beer’s Smock is so much like this that 
I cannot tell them apart, by tree or fruit. 
Last of September. 
Crockett’s White, white-fleshed aud so far 
as 1 know, about as good as any of this class. 
Ripens about the same time, the last of Sept. 
Allen’s Late October is an old peach that 
is apparently among the best late peaches, 
productive; quality and size good. October. 
Stump the World is yet a standard of ex¬ 
cellence. 
Honest John, (or Large York) will have to 
yield precedence to the Mountain Rose which 
ripens at the same time and is entirely free¬ 
stone and more productive. 
Morris County Rareripe is a wonderful 
cropper. The fruit sometimes cracks, and is 
not equal in size to other peaches ripening at 
the same time. October. Ira J. Blackwell, 
Titusville, N. J. 
STRAWBERRY NOTES. 
Manchester has made a brilliant record. 
It is very productive and of good size, holding 
out in size to the end of the season; flavor in 
poor lands rather inclined to be acid: while 
with good culture it is good to very good. It 
is destined to prove a very line market berry 
—one of the best of the new varieties. 
Bidwell does not seem to fully come up to 
the high encomiums that were bestowed upon 
it. Ripens poorly; bus a white tip and if 
allowed to remain ou the vines until fully ripe, 
is often too soft. It is, however, a flue grower, 
James Vick has not been fruited to auj r 
groat extent as yet; apparently very prolific 
but small. A good maker of pluuts and 
vigorous. 
Big Bob: well may it be said of this, what 
is iu a name. Plant of only medium growth: 
few berries, of medium size and very acid. 
Indiana, plant of strong growth, but it has 
not fruited enough to enable me to say any¬ 
thing of the merits of the fruit. 
Vineland Seedling. This plant origina¬ 
ted with Mr. Lord, of Vineland, became some¬ 
what disseminated there, and has been put 
out under the name of Vineland Seedling. 
Around Vineland it is a vigorous grower and 
productive; of the Kentucky type, darker in 
color, size rather large; flavor good; shipped 
extensively from Vineland this season as a 
market berry. 
Piper’s Seedling, a desirable berry in every 
respect save firmness. It is very soft, aud of 
too dark a color for a market berry. 
Mount Vernon is of a variable character, 
doing poorly ol'tener than better. 
Warren fruits too near the ground and is 
of too variable a nature. 
Longfellow, a handsome berry in appear¬ 
ance. The past season it bus developed a ten¬ 
dency to sport, and in many locations is prov¬ 
ing very soft for carriage. 
Primo, in many sections only medium iu 
growth and productiveness. Ou my ground 
it has proved a decided success, plants 
making enormous stools; very hardy; foliage 
healthy; color rather light.; size large to 
very large, excelling the Sharpies* in tbis 
respect; flavor very good; from seven pluuts 
set September 13th, 1 have picked four quarts 
of berries and more than a quart remain on 
the vines. It needs high culture to develop 
its best qualities. Season very late. 
Gipsy, Satin Gloss and Orient, very poor. 
Hart’s Minnesota, one of the best of the 
amateur varieties. 
Sharpless still maintains itsjiosition as the 
very best market berry of large size. 
Crystal City, though of small size, yet is 
very early and prolific. 
Wilson app areutly degenerating very fast 
Atlantic, a new variety from Hamrnon- 
ton, New Jersey; a good grower, prolific where 
it originated, firm; flavor medium to good, 
sweet, red-fleshed. As seen in its home a good 
market variety, not disseminated. 
Prince of Berries, first known as Durand’s 
Superb, a good vigorous grower. Very pro¬ 
lific; flavor the best. Should it maintain its 
present flavor in other locations, it will be of 
great value. 
Legal Tender. I have not seen this plant 
growing. Fruit of good color, size medium 
to large, flavor good. Tendency to pistillate 
and should be planted near some other varie¬ 
ties. J. B. Rogers. 
-- 
Period of the Maturing of Peas. 
Observing uot long since some statements 
as to length of time iu maturing of peas— 
some 80 days from planting, I think— I am in¬ 
duced to send you the results of experiments 
of mine. Here they are:— 
• 
Pods 
No. of 
Sown. 
picked. 
days. 
American Wonder. 
...April IS 
June 12 
55 
Little Gem. 
... “ 2u 
" 1!) 
60 
Telephone. 
... “ 20 
“ 29 
TO 
First and Best. 
...May 5 
“ 18 
44 
Landrcth’s Extra Early.. 
L, “ 5 
18 
44 
Pods in abundance w ere had in two days after 
the dates named. Had the latter two been 
planted April ISili their time would have been 
about 50 days, and had the first two beeu 
planted May 5th, their time would have been 
50 aud 55 days respectively—later plantings 
coming more quickly. All were sown in 
rows side by side, iu good, sandy soil. By the 
way, where can five better varieties be had 
thau these? Here we have dwarf, medium 
and tall—extra early, medium and late, and 
for quality (sweetness, delicate flavor and ten¬ 
derness) what surpasses the flirt three wrin - 
kled sorts? J. A. Foote. 
Terre Haute, Ind. 
NOTES AND COMMENTS. 
I have one very tine specimen of the Yel¬ 
low-Wood—Cladrastis tiuctoria— upwards of 
60 feet in bight, aud 1 can most cheerfully in¬ 
dorse all that the Rural has said in its praise. 
I consider it is one of the finest ornamental 
trees in cultivation. I never have had any 
trouble from its shedding its leaves in late 
Summer (see Rural p. 300), and instead of 
this shedding being caused by some peculiarity 
of the soil and situation, is it not caused by 
that, very destructive little post the red spider 
whirl; is very prevalent ou muny of our fruit 
and ornamental trees in the latter part of the 
Summer, especially duriug seasons of drought i 
While speakiug of ornamental trees, I may 
be permitted to allude to a flue specimen ol 
the Chinese White Magnolia (M couspicua) 
which 1 had iu full flower the second week iu 
May. As the specimen was over 50 feet iu 
hight, and was literally covered with its pure 
w hite, sweet-scented flowers, it w as the ad¬ 
miration of all who saw it. Unfortunately, 
however, the flowers are of short duration, as 
they soon become injured by rain and also by 
the wind, especially it the tree is growing iu 
an exposed situation. Aside from the beauty 
of the large pure, white, fragrant flowers, 
this Magnolia is deserv ing of cultivation for 
its foliage only, which is large, glossy and of 
rich green color, thus rendering it very desir¬ 
able as a shade or ornamental tree, the foliage 
being perfectly free from all insect pests, and, 
moreover, it is retained until late in the sea¬ 
son. This Magnolia is perfectly hardy, 
although it is a Chinese species, shrub-like iu 
growth when young, but eventually attaining 
the size of a tree with age. Magnolia Soulan- 
geauu is, 1 believe, a seedling variety of M. 
couspicua, which it. closely resembles in lmbit 
and manner of growth, the flowers being a 
little larger. It also blooms a week or ten 
days later and, as far us my experience has 
extended, I have found it to be of slower 
growth. It is also equally hardy; but all who 
have M. conspicua should by all means add this 
variety to their collection. 
Magnolias are usually considered rather 
difficult to transplant, but if the operation is 
carefully performed at the proper season, no 
danger need be apprehended. Never remove 
them in the Fall, but always iu the Spring be¬ 
fore the leaves rnuko their appearance. Be 
careful to preserve ull the small fibrous roots 
and also guard the trees well from w ind and 
sun, aud during the Summer season mulch 
heavily in order to guard against drought. 
The strawberry season has come again, and 
liner and more productive crops I have never 
seen. I fruited this season seven verities— 
Chas. Downing, Helli Boydcu, Sharpless, Green 
Prolific, Agriculturist, Hovey’s Seedling aud 
Triomphe do Gaud. 
