AUG A 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
for that time, but make the organs stronger 
for the next season. Then the flow of milk 
depends upon the health of the cow. For if 
she be sick, her strength lessened, her organs 
unfitted for work, her bodily laboratory can 
not produce much milk. Lastly, as the parson 
says, the flow of milk depends upon her food; 
for if the food be lacking iu the materials 
out of which milk is made, she can not manu¬ 
facture the article. Her contract with her 
owner is to perform work and labor on ma¬ 
terials furnished by him. I have thought 
that some cows would be legally justified in 
rescinding the contract considering the ma¬ 
terials furnished them. 
Is it not strange that the Guenon system 
has not met with more favor? If it is re¬ 
liable and of practical utility, that fact ought 
to have been verified long ago, and would 
have commended it to the favor of progres¬ 
sive dairymen. If it is a humbug, as I am 
very much afraid it is, that would make it 
an idol in the eyes of fully half of the Ameri¬ 
can people. In truth, its failure to meet 
with popular favor is the strongest proof 
that there is something in it. Ought it not, 
however, to be classed With the superstition 
that a good milk cow must have a crumpled 
horn and loose, yellow hide? Will some old- 
fashioned person, with old fashioned beliefs 
please tell me wliat connection the shape of 
the horn has with the milk vessels? I know 
there w ill he many to rise up aud call me 
profane; but then it is part of some 
peoples’ creed to plant when the moon is 
right, and to leave kittens by the way-side 
to starve, rather than incur the bad luck of 
killing them. 
Not only the quantity, but the quality and 
wholesomeness of a cow’s milk depend upon 
her health and food. We all know' what 
excellent butter clover makss. Some think 
June clover is necessary to make clover milk 
and butter; but December clover will do just 
as well provided it has been rightly cured. Jt 
should be cut just when the blossoms are turn¬ 
ing, cured without rain or dew, and kept in a 
dry, airy mow. This will make just as good 
milk and butter in December as can be made 
in June. It is not only plentiful and of a 
l avishing golden hue, but it is the most whole¬ 
some butter made. It is full of nature’s 
strength and healthfulness. A cow’ fed on 
slops, a fortiori brew'er’s slops, may give much 
milk which will produce much butter, but it 
will not possess that high degree of whole¬ 
someness which makes clover butter so truly 
good. This is all the more strongly the case 
if the cow be confined iu a close stable and is 
allowed no exercise. The city dairy of un¬ 
healthy cow r s confined in underground stables 
and fed on slops, cannot produce wholesome 
milk or butter. It will lack that charming 
flavor that distinguishes milk or butter from 
clover cropped at will, in pleasant fields, and 
it will also lack that freedom from unwhole¬ 
some qualities. 
From the very beginning I have been skep¬ 
tical about ensilage. Though very modest, as 
I always am, in the assertion of my beliefs 
and disbeliefs concerning it, 1 have repeatedly 
said that it would never prove profitable to 
the common farmer or small dairyman, aud 
whatever its merits as a food, would not find 
favor outside of the large dairies in the East¬ 
ern States. Ohio may now be called an East¬ 
ern State. The trouble is that we are not in 
France. Our institutions are ail different. Iu 
France a few are able to fool with steam 
plows, electric lights to harvest by, etc., but 
an American farmer Is not likely to do so for 
some time to come. A near neighbor of mine, 
who has a dairy at the edge of a city of thirty 
thousand inhabitants, built him a silo at con¬ 
siderable cost (these silos are expensive insti¬ 
tutions) aud filled it with corn which he had 
drilled. My friend w'as very positive that en¬ 
silage was a bonanza till he fed that ensilage. 
Even yet you would insult him were you to so 
much as insinuate that it is not a good thing, 
but there is not that wild look in his eye when 
he expatiates upon it now. He says he thiuks 
the ensilage increased the fiow r of milk a little, 
but a very little; however, he is positive there 
was no decrease. He is not prepared to say 
how long a cow would do well upon it. Its 
wholesomeness must be tested b 3 r time. The 
alcohol did not intoxicate his cows, but the re¬ 
action might have made their heads ache. 
To Prevent Cows From Sucking Them¬ 
selves. 
Seeing so many men asking for means to 
prevent cows from sucking themselves, 1 here 
give my experience in the difficulty: I had 
two good Jersey cows which had that bad 
habit, and I tried every thing I could hear of 
to keep them Horn sucking themselves; but 
they would fall away in flesh. At last I tried 
milking them and then thoroughly greasing 
the teats with good beef-tallow warmed, in the 
evening; next morning I cleaned the teats 
with a cloth and milked them and then again 
applied the warm tallow. After three appli¬ 
cations one of the cow’s never did the trick 
again; it took about a week to break the other 
of the habit. That was three years ago, and I 
have had no more trouble with them. I 
w’ould like others similarly troubled to give 
this remedy a thorough trial; then report their 
success to the Rural. Leander Beck. 
RECORD OF TRIALS 
covered with bright red fruit of the largest size 
some of them three-quarters to seven-eights of 
an inch in diameter cross-ways, with fine small 
grains, making a very compact, solid, de¬ 
licious-looking berry that would sell well in 
any market; but the flavor was far inferior to 
what T had been led to expect, judging only 
from the appearance of the fruit. The flavor 
resembled the Brandywine more than any 
other. However, as they are on ground 
heavily manured with chemical manure, lack¬ 
ing potash, this may account for the lack of 
flavor, and I look for better fruit next season 
after a liberal application of potash. 
On June 29th Hansell was ripe on canes of 
good but not vigorous growth, carrying a 
OF GARDEN PEAS. 
At Houghton Farm, Mountainville, Orange County, N. Y., during the years 
1882 and 1883. 
I Maturity. | 
Habit of Growth. | 
Productiveness. 
Name of Variety 
and 
Year of Trial. 
From Planting 
to First Picking. 
Average Hlght of 
Haulm—10 Plants. 
Pods Generally 
Single (S) or In 
Pairs (P). 
Number of Pods 
on 100 Plants. 
Gross Weight 
100 average Pods. 
Weight of Peas 
from same 100 Pods. 
Number of Peas 
In 100 Pods. 
1888. 
1 Days. | 
Inches. 
-- 1 
No. | 
Ounces I 
Ounces. | 
No. 
Blue Peter. 
59 
18.5 
S. 
832 
18* 
9« 
462 
American Wonder. 
Ml 
14 
S. 
821 
20C. 
1044 
507 
First and Best. 
52 
86 
s. 
483 
1644 
576 
First of All. 
52 
38 
s. 
514 
1644 
9H 
542 
Dwarf Blue Imperial. 
69 
37 
p. 
9-15 
19 
9 
439 
McLean’s Advancer. 
70 
50.5 
s. 
662 
18K 
914 
557 
Culverwell's Telegraph. 
07 
61 
s. 
718 
3714 
1614 
665 
Champion of England. 
69 
65.5 
p. 
841 
20 
10 
510 
1883:—All planted May 1 and all up May 10. Growing season cool and moist. 
1882. 
Day’s Early Sunrise..... 
Dwarf Blue Imperial. 
McLean’s Advancer. 
Culverwell'8 Telegraph. 
Champion of England... 
64 
48 
P. 
1,297 
22*4 
59 
86 
P. 
1,152 
1914 
9^ 
51 
58 
S. 
981 
20 
7*4 
68 
55 
s- 
804 
42*4 
1914 1 
68 
67 
V, 
633 
28 
nil 1 
483 
481 
845 
793 
623 
dose. 
Growing season fair, but very dry towards 
Comparison of results with same varieties, different years. 
Maturity. 
Growth. 
Relative Productiveness. 
Names of the 
Planting 
Length 
Pods 
Gross 
Weight of 
Peas 
Varieties 
to Picking. 
of Haulm. 
to the 
Weight 
Edible 
per 
Tried two Years. 
Days. 
Inches. 
Plant. 
of Pods. 
Peas. 
Pod. 
1882 
1888 
1882 
1883 
1882 | 1833 
1882 
1883 
1882 
1883 
1882 
188.1 
Dwarf Blue Imperial. 
59 
69 
86 
37 
1 1 1 
4 
3 
8 
i 
4 
4 
McLean's Advancer. 
54 
70 
58 
5014 
2 1 4 
3 
4 
4 
3 
2 
2 
Culverwell’s Telegraph. 
68 
67 
55 
61 
3 13 
1 
1 
1 
I 
i 
1 
Champion of England. 
68 
63 
67 
6514 
4 1 2 | 
2 
2 
2 
2 
3 
8 
Notes.—A ll were grown both years under 
the same conditions of cultivation, with like 
exposure aud on the same half-acre of garden 
soil, although not upon the same spot. 
The largest and longest-growing varieties 
were the most productive, both years. 
A noteworthy difference occurred in reach¬ 
ing maturity the different seasons; the earliest 
of the four one year was the latest the next. 
Seed from the same source. 
The Dwarf Blue Imperial shows both years 
the most pods per plant, but the fewest and 
lightest peas; its table quality was considered 
the best. 
Culverwell’s Telegraph made greater and 
quicker growth the second year, but was more 
productive in the drier season; in both years 
this variety stood first in number and net 
weight of peas and led in quantity of product, 
aud it was third in rank in the number of pods 
to the plant. 
In measuring length of haulm and counting 
pods per plant, single plants were selected of 
average size and thrift; well-set blossoms were 
counted as pods. 
Pods for weighing and counting contents 
were taken as if picking for table use, except 
that very defective pods were rejected; such 
were not numerous on any variety tried. 
A correct record: 
Henry E. Alvord, 
Sam’l B. Green, General Manager. 
Gardener. 
— ♦ ♦ » 
EARLY RASPBERRIES. 
Early in April we put out for trial a few 
plants each of Hansell, Superb, Taleott, aud 
Marlboro Raspberries, leaving a few fruiting 
canes on each so that we might judge some¬ 
what of their habits and time of ripening. 
All were planted at about the same time 
and have had the same care and iu every way 
been treated the same. On June 24, I picked 
the first fully ripe fruit on the Taleott. It was 
medium to small iu size, of a bright red color, 
of good but not high flavor; very prolific; plant 
a weak, poor grower, and as we have two and 
three-year-old plants of it that are all weak, 
feeble growers, we have very little faith in it, 
although its extreme earliness and produetiv- 
neas are very strong points in its favor. The 
next to ripen was the Marlboro. It is a very 
strong-growing variety, plants put out in 
April ha ving made a growth of four feet up to 
July 1, which we consider remarkable, 
especially as this section has been suffering 
from extreme drought for six weeks past 
On June 26th specimen berries were fully 
ripe, and on the 28th the cane seemed literally 
light crop of medium-sized, bright red fruit 
with large, coarse grain, rather inclined to 
crumble; flavor rich aud sweet, but lacking in 
sprightliness. 
On June 30 the Superb was fully ripe on very 
strong-growing canes, carrying a fair crop o 
fruit; berries of medium to large size; large ) 
coarse grains; dark-red color; “superb” in 
quality, to my taste one of the very best red 
raspberries I have ever tasted; but its dark- 
red color is much against it as a market berry f 
especially when compared with the much 
brighter red of the Marlboro or Hansell. 
However, it is not quite as dark as the old 
Philadelphia which some years ago was one of 
our leading market varieties. 
From the dates given it will be seen that all 
of the varieties named are extremely early; 
but which of them will mature tne most of its 
fruit first and in other ways prove to be the 
most valuable market variety. I, of course, 
cannot judge just from one season’s fruiting 
on Spring-set plants. From present indica¬ 
tions, however, I am led to believe that it is to 
the Marlboro that we must look for the com¬ 
ing early market berry, as it seems to have 
more points of value than any of the others, 
while the high flavor of the Superb will al¬ 
ways command for it the first place in the 
family garden when early fruit is wanted. 
Turner was ripe July 3rd, and at this date 
(July 9th) we are just beginning to pick from 
the Cuthbert, which this year, as in the past, 
fully sustains its reputation of being the very 
best medium to late-ripening red raspberry 
in America. It seems to grow and fruit well 
uil over the country, and my advise to readers 
of the Rural, North, South, East or West, 
no matter where they live, if any of them is to 
plaut but one raspberry for family use or 
market, let it be the Cuthbert. 
South Glastonbury, Conn. J. H. Hale. 
SMALL FRUIT NOTES FROM INDIANA. 
In the Spring of 1882 I purchased a few 
Souhegau Raspberries. Iu order to test their 
climatic virtues I gave them no protection 
whatever last Winter. Although the ther¬ 
mometer marked 15 degrees below zero, they 
came through without losing a branch, while 
ail other varieties suffered more or less. They 
bore a large crop of fi’uit this year, which 
ripened about the middle of Juue—with the 
Euriy May Cherry—while the Gregg, Doo¬ 
little, Mammoth Cluster, and other varietie, 
on my premises failed to show color at that 
time. The berry is large and firm, and while 
I do not regard it as good as the Gregg, its ex- 
remelv early ripening and prolific habits 
make it a particularly desirable variety—one 
which I think will eventually take the lead 
among the earlier sorts in this section. 
The Gregg grows well, but fails to ripen its 
wood thoroughly, unless carefully pruned. 
At least that is my experience, and while It 
would do it all houor as a native of Indiana, 
and claim for it the largest aud best berry ex¬ 
tant, there is room for improvement in its 
growing habits. 
The Caroline stands the Winter well and is 
a good bearer, but I have not very much faith 
in it except as a novelty. However, time may 
supply the faith now lacking. 
On the farm of J. L, Whitely, near Cam¬ 
bridge City, I saw this year a bed of straw¬ 
berries of the Sharpless variety that far ex¬ 
ceeded anything of the kind I hud ever seen 
before. One berry measured seven inches in 
circumference, and a number five inches) 
This is not so prolific as some other varieties 
aud the season, being a wet one, brought the 
berries out in size if uot in quantity. 
From what 1 have seen of the Manchester I 
regard it as a profitable variety. 
The continued wet weather is rotting grapes 
badly. The Isabella has fruited finely this 
year and promises well despite the weather 
The Catawbas are rotting badly, as is also that 
giant of early grapes, the Never-Fail. Of the 
newer varieties I have growiug, the Lady 
Washington, Jefferson, Pockliugton, Naomi, 
and Duchess are all doing well for the second 
year. The Lady Washington in particular 
grows its wood well and gives promise of a 
brilliaut future in this climate. The Jefferson 
I regard os a fixed fact, while the Naomi, 
Pockliugton and Duchess need a little careful 
handling in order to fruit properly. 
East Germantown, Ind. J. L. MacD. 
A NOTE ON STRAWBERRY CULTDRE. 
Many families live without the luxury of 
strawberries under the impression that it takes 
too much labor to cultivate them or that it re¬ 
quires so much skill, that ordinary mortals 
are not equal to the task. lean testify from 
experience that, such is uot the case. In April 
1882 I sent to a nursery-man thirty miles dis¬ 
tant and bought a hundred plants for a dollar. 
Seventy-five were Wilson, and twenty-five 
Crescent. These were set out in rows about a 
foot-and-a-hnlf each way,the Crescent forming 
one of the middle rows. The ground was a 
part of the garden and no extra work was laid 
out on it. The plants were watered a few 
nights until showers made it unneeded. After 
that they were hoed or weeded by hand 
when it seemed necessary. A large part of 
the work was done by the small boys of the 
house at odd spells. All blossoms that ap¬ 
peared were promptly pinched off, but the 
runners were allowed lull liberty. Late in the 
Fall the bed was covered thinly with marsh 
hay and iu the Spring, utter danger from 
frost was over, tbis was raked off. Nothing 
was done to the bed in the Hpriug except to 
pull some of the weeds oy hand. The ground 
was completely covered with the vines, and 
when the strawberry season commenced we 
had a fine supply fora large family. 
The size and quality were both fine, many 
of the berries averaging four inches around, 
aud we felt as if we had been exceedingly 
well paid for a small outlay of time and 
money. With us the Wilsou is the most de¬ 
sirable, being hardy and productive as well as 
a perfect plaut. The Crescent is very prolific 
and also will take such entire possession of the 
ground as to crowd out the weeds. It needs 
to be planted with some other variety, how¬ 
ever. Raising strawberries enough for fami¬ 
ly use is no groat trouble if only the light 
thing is done. b. c. d. 
EXTRAVAGANT PRAISE OF NOVEL¬ 
TIES. 
Since writing my notes on the new straw¬ 
berry “ Atlantic,” which appeared in the 
Rural of July 7, I have been fuvored with a 
published report of the “sayings and doings” at 
the christening. From it 1 note the point most 
“ elevated” was that of its keeping qualities. 
One speaker is reported us suyiug that he ate 
some in good condition last year at the close 
of the fourth day after picking, after they 
had lieen subjected to railroading, wagon 
riding and photographing. This, if true, 
would make it an i ron-clad. Could the berries 
have been ripe when picked? 
Another speaker, not to be outdone, iH re¬ 
ported as saying “ he had some of the berries 
(last year, I supi<hHe) which were picked on 
Thursday and wet through by a shower and 
afterward kept till Saturday of the following 
week in fair condition.” Whew! Does not that 
look a 1 ittlo li ko hyperbolisin ? Was there any - 
thing in the storm that preserved them? If that 
shower was seasoned w ith sugar and occured 
over a hot fire I can readily believe the rest of 
