JULY 25 
47S 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Summer as new plants can be had. 4. 
Gooseberries can be grown easily from the 
seed, but they vary greatly, and only a few in 
a large lot would bo likely to deserve propaga¬ 
tion. The ripe fruit should be crushed, and the 
pulp mixed with dry sand. Then sow them in 
fine rich soil. This may be done immediately 
after the fruit is ripe, or the seeds may be kept 
and planted in the Spring. We have now tine 
plants from currant seed taken from fruit in 
Russia last Summer, and planted this Spring. 
The same directions apply to other fruit. but ’ 
for them immediate planting is, we think, best. 
5. Yes, if you do your duty by them, and are 
favorably located as regards a market. 
A BUSHEL MEASURE. 
T. McG., Ontario, Canatla .—The length of 
a box to hold a bushel of tomatoes, being 17 
inches, what should ho the depth and width? 
Ans. —You will have a bushel level measure 
by making a box 17xl2! 3 xl0>; iuside measure, 
which makes 2151%'cubic inches, and 2150 in a 
level bushel. A heaped bushel would bo a box 
s 
1 1 
• • -. — v?" - . 
1 
! 
mu R- f-v. 
i 
Fig. 405. 
17x13x125^ equal to 2702 cubic inches; 2750 
cubic inches are a heaped bushel in some places 
aud 2708 in others. The boxes should he 
made of narrow strips, for ventilation, and 
should be made with small inch square 
posts in the comers, projecting two inches at 
the bottom like feet, and sunk an inch at the 
top, so that one box ma y rest if required upon 
another aud leave a clear inch of space be. 
tween them. Such boxes are shown at Fig. 405, 
qoitre ix a cow. 
J. M. H., Calais, Me .—My five-year-old cow 
has a swelling from two inches below the ear 
extending in a ridge round the edge of the 
jaw-bone to the lower part of the neck, being 
five inches long, and jus large round as a man's 
arm. It is not painful, but the cow's breath¬ 
ing is not regular, being so loud it can he 
heard uiue or ten feet away. She eats and 
drinks as usual and the flow of milk is not 
lessened. What is the ailment, and how 
should it be treated ? 
Ans. —This is a swelling of the thyroid 
gland, and is probably the disease known as 
goitre, which is a permanent enlargement of 
this body, produced by long continued use ot 
impure water, that is, water containing mineral 
salts, chiefly lime and magnesia in solution, 
It has no effect upon the general health and is 
quite common in some regions even among 
persons. The remedy is to use rain water or 
water which has been boiled, and iodine in 
some convenient form for a long time. One 
drachm dosas of iodine of potassium continued 
for months may remove it; but a change or 
water may probably prevent any further in¬ 
crease of it. 
WEAK FETLOCK JOINT IN HORSE. 
C. S. T., Waterville, Kansas. —The fetlock 
joint of the forelegs of my two-year-old colt 
slip while walking, just as if the joint was 
weak; why? 
Ans. —This is caused by constitutional weak¬ 
ness. The animal may become stronger in 
time but it is not certain. The proper treat¬ 
ment is to bathe the lower limbs with cold 
water; the i rub them quite dry with a rough 
cloth. Apply camphorated liniment to the 
joints and the sinews above them and put on 
a buudage of stout factory cotton four inches 
wide wound around the joint aud half way up 
to the knee. Give the colt daily one dram of 
powdered casual'ilia bark, one dram of ground 
ginger and half a dram of sulphate of iron iu 
a bran mash. Keep him iu a loo.,e stall where 
he can uio^e about. He should never be 
tied up. 
PREPARING AN OLD PASTURE FOR WHEAT. 
“Amateur," Washington,D.C. —1. I have an 
old pasture Held on which there are briars and 
some sumach bushes, which I wish to plant 
some corn iu next year. 1 intend to lime it 
now, and put barnyard manure on in the 
Fall, and special fertilizer iu the Spring: 
would it b® advisable to plow it before lim¬ 
ing, or not until Fall, and then plow in the 
manure, cutting off the briars and bushes in 
the meanwhile to prevent them from going to 
seed? 2. Should I sow plaster on clover as 
soon as tin* wheat is off; how much to the 
acre? 
Ans,— 1. The trouble with the bushes and 
briars is not from the seodiug of them, out 
from the sprouts from the roots which will 
soon grow again. The laud should lie plowed 
at once and cross-plowed, and all the roots 
torn out, anil left until the Spring. It may 
then be thoroughly harrowed and the manure 
spread evenly. A light plowing should then 
be given, and one more harrowing will fit it 
for planting. The corn should be well culti¬ 
vated to keep down such sprouts as may ap¬ 
pear, and after the corn is harvested, the land 
may be prepared for the wheat crop. This is 
done by plowing the corn stubble, harrowing 
thoroughly and then spreading the lime. 2. 
30 or 40 bushels to the acre are a proper quant¬ 
ity. The wheat is then sow n, but it would not 
be advisable to use any superphosphate of lime 
or any fertilizer containing it until the Spring 
on account of the injurious effect the lime 
would have upon it. Clover, a peck of seed 
to the acre, may be sowu ou the wheat in the 
Spring, and after this treatment should do 
well. 
SHOULDER AILMENTS IN HORSES. 
S. ft., Stanton , la, —1. My three-year-old 
mare had a soft swelling ou the shoulder, 
from which came about half a pint of water 
when it was punctured, It was opened sev¬ 
eral times, hut I couldn't keep it open. The 
swelling has gone but a hard lump, the size 
of u hen’s egg, remains; how can it be re¬ 
moved? Another horse similarly affected had 
the swelling opened but more matter con¬ 
stantly gathers; how can the wound be kept 
open? 2. How can a depression in a mare's 
shoulder, left after sweeny had been cured, be 
filled up? 
Ans. —1. The tumor on the shoulder should 
have been kept open by a plug of rag or tow 
dipped in t incture of benzoin and inserted in 
the opening. Iu ojieuing a swelling of this 
kind it should be done at the lowest part so 
that all the matter will run out. To remove 
the lump apply iodine ointment once a day. 
It will not heal so long as the collar presses on 
it, and the fact of these horses being so 
troubled indicates that the collars do not tit 
well. 2. The sinking in of the shoulder may 
be remedied—possibly—by thorough robbing 
and kneading of the part with the hands for 
15 minutes night and morning. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
-T. L. S., Hickory, A*. C. —1. In raising Berk¬ 
shire aud Small Yorkshire pigs for sale,which 
is the better way to feed meal and bran—dry 
or in the form of a slop? 2. Is it more profit¬ 
able to keep the brood sows and the pigs in 
pens where the manure can be saved, or let 
them run on a wood lot? 3. What will remove 
lice from hogs? 4. Should cattle and hogs be 
allowed to eat the afterbirth; 
Ans. —1. In the form of slop, allowing it to 
ferment slightly, mixing it six hours before 
using it, or the night before. 2. Sows and 
pigs will, if confined, do lietter running 
in wood lots than pens. If there is no 
feed in tho woods, confine them to a yard and 
in this way save the manure. Pigs do not do 
well confined on a floor for any length of time. 
Confinement is better in Winter thau in Sum¬ 
mer. 3. Smear t hem with ken .sene oil and 
lard mixed. Two applications will kill the 
lice and the eggs, but if running in the woods 
they must bo watched or the pests will get oh 
them again. 4. No. 
P. H. a.. Pleasant Ridge, Miss.— My laud 
has a red elav subsoil; what kind of manure 
or fertilizer would be the best for wheat? how 
much must I apply per acre? When should it 
be applied? What is kainit? Where can it be 
obtained and what will it cost? 
Ans.— Phosphate of lime or bone flour 
would be a useful application for wheat ou 
your soil. The quantity to be used will de¬ 
pend upon the condition of the laud; 350 
pounds por acre are sufficient on fairly worn, 
but not strictly poor land. It is often applied 
iu the drill with the seed, or if the seed is 
sown broadeust, it should tie sown directly be¬ 
fore the seed, and both be harrowed iu to¬ 
gether. Kaiuit is an impure sulphate of 
potash, containing sulphate of magnesia aud 
common salt. It can l>e purchased for about 
810 to $11 per ton, containing about 20 per 
cent, of potash. 
J. E. K., Welland, Canada.—I have 25 
acres of clover sod I wish to sow to wheat 
next Fall; it won't yield over 14 bushels per 
aere without manure, Will the application 
of superphosphate supply the needed nitrogen 
and phosphoric add? Will it be likely to in¬ 
crease the yield so that after paying for the 
fertilizer a profit w ill be left? 
Ans. — \\ e should uot use superphosphate 
at all, but phosphate or bone flour not treated 
to sulphuric acid, This will give some nitro¬ 
gen and supply the needed phosphoric acid 
which will hare- more effect in the Spring 
than the superphosphate which is available 
at once. We should use about 400 pounds to 
the aere. This should be profitable unless 
your laud does not uoed phosphoric acid, 
which is improbable. We cannot answer the 
questions us to which is the cheapest fertilizer 
of those you mention. The 40 to 50 percent, 
of bone phosphate is indefinite. 
('. .4. McC., Princeton, la. —1. 1 have some 
good grade Bhort-horu heifers—from % to > a 
—aud am advised to cross them with a Hol¬ 
stein bull to produce a hardy stock of milker 
and beef cattle; what does the Rural think 
of the advice? 2. I have a strong, hearty four- 
year-old mare that feeds heartily on corn, 
timothy hay and grass, but when on the road 
she sweats easily and is constantly voiding; 
what ails her? 
Ans. —1. The Holsteiu and Short-horn cross 
ought make an excellent cow, but crosses of 
this kiml cannot be certainly depended upon. 
There is always some risk of failure. But 
still the chances are very considerably in favor 
of getting serviceable animals, if a good bull 
is selected. Oue should be chosen of a good 
milking family. 2. The mare is gettiug too 
much corn for this season. A change to oats 
would probably remove the difficulty. 
A. J. ft., Belmont, Miss. —1. I have 30 acres 
of level upland which is tolerably woru. The 
land has a deep red clay subsoil. What is 
the best method of bringing it up to a good 
state of production? 2. What manure is the 
best for covu ? 
Ans.— 1. If you can procure lime it would 
tic advisable to give the land a dressing of 25 
to 40 bushels of it this Fall, to sow rye and 
plow the rye uuder when it is in blossom. You 
may then sow peas and plow them under 
when in full blossom The land ought tbeu to 
grow a fair crop of wheat. 2. There is noth¬ 
ing better for corn than stable mauure. If 
this cannot tie procured, some artificial fertil¬ 
izer would be beneficial; of these the prepared 
special corn manures come first; then mixtures 
of superphosphate of lime, wood ashes, aud 
plaster or Peruvian guano. 
E. 0. S., Athens, Ga —Will a sandy river 
soil, uow in rye, he benefited by sowing mil¬ 
let after cutting the rye, and plowing the 
same under previous to sowing rye again this 
Fall' Which will be the best, common or 
German ? 
Ans. —Millet is uot a desirable crop for this 
purpose because it will not amount to much 
ou a poor soil that needs manure. It is rather 
hard treatment for poor land to sow rye im¬ 
mediately after rye, for although a green uia- 
uuro crop may be plowed in, it must be re¬ 
membered that this contributes nothing of 
value to the soil which it has not taken from 
it. Buckwheat would lie a better crop than 
millet for plowing in, as it will make a better 
growth upon light laud. German millet is a 
more vigorous variety than common millet, 
but it uee<ls better soil to produce u good crop. 
J. C. *4., Jonesboro, Tenn. —1. Will peach 
trees from Rochester, N. Y., do well in East¬ 
ern Tennessee? 2. What will keep green lice 
off from roses? Will they harm young ro es- 
3. Is Gen. Jacqueminot a constant bloomer? 
Ans. — 1. Yes. 2. Persia u Insect Powder. 
Stir at the rate of 200 grains to two gallons of 
water, and spriukle upon the vines. Spray 
the plant with whale-oil soap and water is 
also a good remedy. Tobacco water may be 
used with good effect, but the plants should 
be soused afterwards with clean water. Yes. 
They devour the sap, and sometimes destroy the 
plant. 3. It is what is called a hybrid-perpetual 
It blooms with other roses in early Summer, 
then ceases for a while, and then makes a 
fresh bloom, and so on through the Summer 
aud Autumn. It should not bloom the first 
year. 
A Subscriber, Oconomowoe, iris.—1. What 
parts of Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri 
would be host for a farmer of limited means 
to settle in? 2. What is the Blue-Grass region 
of Kentucky? 
Ans —1. We cannot give advice as to the 
best place for anybody to settle. To do so 
would lie too great a responsibility, even if per¬ 
sonally acquainted with the inquirer. 2. The 
Kentucky "Blue-Grass Region” Is a tract of 
blue limestone which extends from the Ohio 
River between a point about 40 miles above 
Louisville and the eastern limits of Mason Co. 
about 10 miles above Mays villa, southwardly 
to the Cumberland River. This region con¬ 
tains the richest soil in the State, and that 
part of it between the Ohio aud Lexingtou is 
commonly called the “Garden of Kentucky.” 
L. F. D., Aberdeen, Dak ,—What is the larg¬ 
est size the strawberry has been kuowu to 
grow? Have auy smgle berries measured 12 
inches iu circumference? 
Ans. —In the Fair Number of the Rural of 
1870 we presented to our readers an illustra¬ 
tion of the President Lincoln Strawberry that 
we believe to be tho largest single berry ever 
grown. Although in 1878, at the New York 
Horticultural Society’s exhibition, a berry w as 
sliowu measuring 11 inches iu circumference, 
this one which we presented to our readers 
measured fully 1 I t* inches. It was a perfectly 
solid and continuous berry throughout, al¬ 
though somowhut irregular. 
IF. E. L , Datesvilte, Fa,—How many pounds 
of long hay and whole com per day should be 
foil to a large, heavy horse to keep him in good 
condition doing heavy work on farm and mud 
roads every day and iu all sorts of weather? 
Ans. —This is rather exacting labor. Corn 
and hay alone would be inferior food for such 
work. Gate or barley should be added A 
horse of this kind would require 20 pounds of 
hay and 20 pounds of mixed corn and oats in 
equal parts, and if the grain could be coarsely 
crashed it would be worth 25 per cent. more. 
O. F. ft,, Rush ford, N. Y .—As a fertilizer 
what is the value of tannery refuse, consist¬ 
ing of spent lime, hair and fleshings? Would it 
be good for squashes in its present condition? 
Ans.—T his waste stuff is of no value until 
decomposed. If used fresh in the manner 
proposed it would be of very little use, A 
way to prepare it is to mix it with an equal 
bulk of earth and put it in a heap, wher> it will 
ferment ami heat and become a rich fertilizer 
for any crop. If some of it—a shovelful, for 
instance—were put in a hill of melons or 
squash and mixed with the soil at planting 
time it would be of service, 
S, W. M., Felt's Mills. .V, F.—Two of my 
four two-months-old pigs have died. They 
were m good health when suddenly they 
squealed, stretched themselves out in the pens 
and died iu a short time. They had all the 
sour milk they would drink and a little corn in 
the ear, What ailed them? 
Ans.—Y oung pigs should never be fed all 
they will eab These pigs died of overfeeding 
which produced apoplexy. Half as much as 
a pig will eat is quite sufficient for good health 
and growth. 
G. F., West Alexandria, Ohio. —How is an 
insect, cabinet made? 
Ans.— luseet cabinets are usually made with 
drawers two or two-and-a-half inches deep. 
Each drawer should be covered with glass fit¬ 
ted close to keep out dust or other insects. 
Entomologists use pins made £or the purpose, 
to pin insects in the cabinet. Thev may be 
had at any natural-history store. Packard’s 
“Guide to Study of Insects” gives directions 
for collecting, etc. 
J. ft., East Orange, X. .J .—Will Jersey 
Queen and Manchester strawberries, set out 
last Spring, fertilize themselves, or what shall 
I do ? 
Ans.—T he varieties named are of the pistil¬ 
late sorts. It will be necessary to have plants 
producing "perfect” flowers in your bed so 
that the pistillate ones may be fertilized. 
Miner’s Prolific, Sliarpless and Charles Down¬ 
ing are all first-class “perfect” varieties. 
Plant every other row with any of these. 
X. S. ft., Wheeler, X. F - , sends plants for 
name. 
Ans.—N o. 1 is a Ranunculus—We need a 
flower for specific name. No. 2 Ranunculus 
recurvatus. No. 3 Antennaria plantaginifolia 
—Plantain-leaved Everlasting. No. 4 Rud- 
beekia hirta—Cone Flower. No. 5 Festuea 
prateusis—Meadow Fescue. No. f> is Plantago 
lanceolata. English Plantain or Ribbed Grass. 
J. H. D., CfMjperstmcn, X. Y., sends for 
name some specimens of an insect found 
crawling ou the under side of potato leaves. 
ANS.—The beetle belongs to the family of 
Coleoptera known as Carabeidoe. Very prob¬ 
ably it was looking for the eggs of the potato 
beetle. They are beneficial insects and should 
always be protected. 
•/. D. ft., Riverside , III .—What is the cause 
of and a remedy for the vermilion-colored fun¬ 
gus that is destroying my Kittatinny Black¬ 
berries ? 
Ans.—T he cause seems yet unknown. We 
know no remedy except to destroy the affect¬ 
ed plunts. 
M. II. If., Roanoke, hid .—How long after 
sow ing Orchard Grass until it produces seed, 
and how much per acre is an average seeding ? 
Ans.—T he next year. Sow four bushels 
per acre if you would avoid stooling; oue-aud- 
a-half bushel is commonly sown per aere, but 
it is too thin. 
Subscriber, Montague's, Vet .—How can sor¬ 
rel be killed out? 
Ans.—W ithout doubt the only thing that 
will kill out sorrel is manure. It only appears 
iu soil deficient in plant food, and if the land 
be heavily manured it will in time kill it off. 
Subscriber. address lost ,—Where can I ob¬ 
tain binding twine? 
Ans.—F rom the Elizabethport Steam Cord¬ 
age Co.. 40 South Street, N. V., and the Pear, 
son Con luge Co., 55 Kilby Street, Boston,Mass. 
J. .4. ft. South Rend, Ind .—How does the 
James Vick Strawberry compare in size, color 
and quality with the Crescent? 
Ans.—W ith us it is better iu every way. 
J. C. F., Morley, Mich ., sends samples of 
plant for name. 
Ans.—I t is chess. 
Communications received for the week esdisu 
Saturday. July '21: 
T. T. L.—C. A. Jr.—G. W. C. —A. S.—C. A., thanks— 
W. J S.-E M. T. -E. B. R.-E. L. .U.-F. K. M.-F. G. 
A.- H. F.-H. O. w.-w. R. T„ thanks-J. B. L.-T. 
D. B.-D. K. R—W, N.-C. M. C.-I. P. B.—A. D. H.— 
C. A. Jr.-F. H.-T. T. L.-T. H. B.-B. P. P.-a S.- 
J. H. H.-E. W.-W. I. C.-H. E. A.-S, & P.-S. A. L 
J. C. P.-T. H. H.-W. H. D.-D, E. R., thanks-W. 
H. J.-W. B. A.—T. K. S.— A. B. A.-J. II. S. -F. K. M • 
H. W. R.-1..B. A.- A. E. 0.—31. W. F.-S. A. L. 
thanks—G. W. C.—H. S.—E. A. P_H. A.—F. K. P.— 
J, A. P -J. M. S.—A. B. A.—F f> p, -p. K. M.-J A P. 
