SEPT 8 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
grapical sketches of recently deceased mem 
bers, and also brief notices of the scientific 
schools visited by Dr. Gilbert during his 
late travels in Canada and the United States 
Determination of Nitrogen in tiie Soils 
of some of the Experiment Fields at Rotham- 
sted. and the Bearing of the Results on the 
Question of the Sources of the Nitrogen of 
our Crops, by Sir John Bennet Lawes, LL. 
D., F. R. 8., F. C. S., and Joseph Henry Gil¬ 
bert. Ph. D., F. R. 8., F. O. 8.. F. L. S. This 
pamphlet of GO pages is an essay, read in the 
chemical section, at the meeting of the Amer¬ 
ican Association for the Advancement of 
Science, held at Montreal, in August. 1882. 
It is about a century since the question of the 
sources ol' tb nitrogen of vegetation became 
a subject of experimental inquiry and also of 
conflicting opinion. The 
two chief sources from 
which the nitrogen in 
vegetation is supposed to 
be derived, are the soil 
aud the atmosphere. The 
supplies from the former 
include those from appli¬ 
ed manure as well as those 
from the stores of the soil 
itself; and the supplies 
from the latter embrace 
the combined nitrogen 
coming down in rain, 
snow and other aqueous 
deposits, as well as those 
from some other possible 
ources of combined nitro¬ 
gen from the atmosphere, 
aud also the possible as¬ 
similation by plants of 
the free or uucombined 
nitrogen of the atmos¬ 
phere. Very conflicting 
views ai’e still entertained 
respecting this question, 
and the present essay is 
a highly important con¬ 
tribution to the contro¬ 
versy. For over 40 years 
the Rothamsted exper¬ 
iments have been in pro¬ 
gress and during this 
period a multitude of 
facts have been elicited 
bearing on the subject, 
and in this essay these 
together with the results 
of other experiments, 
chiefly those of Bous- 
singault and M. G. Villo, 
are briefly and lucidly 
condensed. Starting out 
with a statement of the 
yield of nitrogen in vari¬ 
ous crops, such as wheat, 
barley, root-crops, legum¬ 
inous crops, etc., the 
sources of nitrogen in the 
crops are next discussed, 
and the conclusions ar¬ 
rived at are that the 
amounts of combined 
nitrogen annually com¬ 
ing down in aqueous de¬ 
posits from the atmos¬ 
phere in the open country 
are entirely insufficient 
to do more than supply a ARMSTR0Na wheat. 
small proportion of the — fio. 622. See page 589. 
nitrogen assimilated by crops. 
With regard toother possible source of com¬ 
bined nitrogen from the atmosphere, such 
evidence as does exist leads to the conclusion 
that such supplies are very limited and inade¬ 
quate. - The same may’ be said, even in a greater 
degree, of the supposed combination of the 
free nitrogen of the air within the soil; also 
of the supposition that plants take up any 
material proportion of their nitrogen from 
combined nitrogen in the atmosphere by their 
leaves. Finally it has been concluded that 
the balance of direct experimental evidence is 
decidedly against, the supposition that plants 
assimilate the free nitrogen of the atmosphere. 
Next the nitrogen of the sail as the source 
of the nitrogen of crops, both cereal, root and 
leguminous, is discussed, and the general con¬ 
clusions drawn are that, although the facts of 
production are not yet conclusively ex¬ 
plained, there is, to say the least, much more 
direct experimental proof that, tha soil rather 
than the atmosphere is the source of the nitro¬ 
gen in vegetation—and this may be said not 
only of the source of the nitrogeu of the cer¬ 
eals, but also of that of the root crops aud 
Leguminosae. 
First Annual Report of the Board of 
Control of the New York State Experi¬ 
ment Station for the year 1882, This hand¬ 
somely gotten-up volume of 154 pages gives an 
account of the various experiments conducted 
at the State Agricultural Experiment Station 
at Geneva, from the commencement of the 
work there in March 1882 to March 1883. The 
most important of these experiments have 
already been noticed from time to time in the 
Rural. Those in this State who desire to 
obtain the work must apply for it to the As¬ 
semblyman of their respective districts, as the 
number of copies a t. the control of the Station 
is boo small to satisfy such general demand. 
The Thermostatic Incubator, its Con- 
stniction and Management, together with de¬ 
scriptions of Brooders, Nurseries and the 
mode ol Raising Chickens by Hand, by E. 8. 
Ren wick. Mechanical Engineer and Expert, 
published by the author, 19 Dark Place, N. Y. 
This hand-book of artificial incubation, largely 
illustrated, can be had for 3G cents, in paper 
cover; and 56 cents in cloth. 
Descriptive Catalogue of the Grisers 
Patent Self-regulating Grain Separator and 
Cleaner aud the Peerless Portable Traction 
aud Domestic Steam Engines, Haw-mills, etc., 
made by the Geiser Manufacturing Co., 
Waynesboro, Pa. This handsome, profusely 
illustrated pamphlet of 87 pages, will bo sup¬ 
plied gratis to applicants by the above thor¬ 
oughly tmstworthy firm. 
Making a Sow Own Her Pigs. —A writer 
in the Husbandman says that he had a Ches¬ 
ter White sow about ready to drop her pigs. 
So that day he made it his business to keep a 
close watch of her. As soon as the first pig 
eame she flew at it, and if it had not been for 
him aud a club which he bad, she would have 
killed it instantly'; but he got it away from her 
aud as fast as they came along she tided to 
kill them. He managed to save all but one of 
them out of eight. After she was through 
he tried to get her to lie down and let the pigs 
suck, hut she would not have a pig in the pen. 
So what to do with them he did not know. 
He had heard to get a cross sow drunk would 
make her own her pigs, but. never had any 
faith in it, yet ho resolved to try the experi¬ 
ment. So he got a pint of alcohol and put it 
into four aunHs of sour milk and stirred in 
one pint of corn meal aud turned it into her 
trough; she ate it and in about twenty min¬ 
utes was dead drunk. He laid her out as he 
wanted her aud then put the seven pigs to her, 
aud they T sucked all they wanted and then 
snuggled down beside her and went to steep. 
He got out aud left them for the night, and 
went to bed (it was then ten o’clock), not ex¬ 
pecting to find a live pig in the morning. But^ 
to his surprise, he found them all alive and 
happy as clams, and she was as proud of them 
as any sow could be. 
President Smith, of the Wisconsin Horti¬ 
cultural Society, says in the N. Y. Tribune, 
that Boyden’s 30 aud Sharpless are entirely 
worthie s for ordinary purposes. He keeps a 
very few of them merely to show his friends 
that he can grow some large berries. If re¬ 
sponsible persons would offer him 50 cents per 
quart for all that he could grow of them, he 
would not set a single acre of either variety. 
If the same paities would offer him 10 cents 
per quart, for all the Wilsons he could grow, 
he would set all the land with them that lie 
could get pickers to pick during their season. 
The Manchester has been extolled as the most 
remarkable berry in the world. He has a 
small piece of them upon as good strawberry 
grouud as ho owns. They are fertilized by T Die 
Wilson, and, in addition, entirely surrounded 
by them. If, he says, they had half as 
much fruit as the Wilsons wound aud about 
them, it is giviug them all the credit that 
they deserve. Iu addition to that, they are 
apparently very much damaged with rust, 
and show but few signs of improvement. 
- m- 
The common practice of naming varieties 
of flowers and fruit after people more or lass 
distinguished, results sometimes in rather 
curious phraseology of the plant dealers. For 
instance, says the New York Tribune, a recent 
British trade circular informs us that, “ Mr. 
Disraeli” is “an elegant grower, and of most 
excellent habits,” “ Lord Eleho” a “ bold fine 
sort, very suitable for exhibition,” and “Prince 
Alfred” a “free sort, and must be well stopped 
when young.” One young woman is ‘•inclined 
to straggle, and must be sharply pinched;” a 
celebrated actress is libellously spoken of as a 
“ blotchy, pale-colored sort,” aud an eminent 
duchess, not certainly in her first youth, as 
“ very robust, and of great subtance.” Fi¬ 
nally, a celebrated lady (melon) is descrilied as 
“ groen-fleshed, tightly laced.” 
--*♦«- 
Manuring Growing Crops, especially 
those which at the tirns of planting were ma¬ 
nured iu the hills or drills, is of more benefit 
than most cultivators are aware off. It is 
frequently observed that crops which have 
been growing vigorously come suddenly to a 
stand-still, without any apparent cause. But, 
when it is considered that the roots of these 
plants which have been feeding within the 
narrow circle of enriched soil, are now forced 
to seek sustenance in comparatively sterile 
grouud. the cause may be easily accounted 
for. In all such eases. Dr. Hexamer sug¬ 
gests, small applications of guano, superphos¬ 
phate of lime, or “complete” or “universal’* 
fertilizers, scattered over the surface, aud 
raked or harrowed in, have generally a sur¬ 
prising and, if the application is made just be¬ 
fore a rain, almost immediate effect. 
FINALLY. 
There is no excuse for bad “gases” about 
coimtiy homes, remarks Mr. E. H. Leland. 
Every owner of an acre of land has the 
means of maintaining a dean atmosphere, 
providing, of course, there are no unconquer¬ 
able marshes or misasmatio rivers to deal 
with.The Dairy remarks that when a 
hen will not ruu after you for feed twice a 
da} r , she is fed too much. There is more dan¬ 
ger of giviug too much than too little. 
It also makes the statement that cows will 
eat ripe tomatoes greedily; this vegetation is 
nutritious and beneficial to the digestive or¬ 
gans; morever, a liberal mess of them imme¬ 
diately increases the milk yield. 
^Ivlumctdtmal. 
THE BASKET WILLOW, AND LONG 
ISLAND LAND. 
The question is asked of whom Willow stock 
cau be obtained for plant ing. The proper an¬ 
swer to this question should be in the form of 
an advertisement in the Rural, and those 
having it to sell would certainly consult their 
own interest by advertising it. It should be 
remembered that there are different kinds and 
some are much better than others, aud it is 
important to get the best. Another question 
is, what kind of soil it requires. In Central 
New York it succeeds on all kinds of soil, and 
1 presume it will anywhere, if there is fertility 
enough in the soil to cause wood to grow 1 . 
One inquires if it would grow on Lilly land. 
It would undoubtedly grow on such land, but 
be more difficult to cultivate. The question is 
asked if it should lie planted in the Spring nr 
Fall. It is plauted both in Spring and Fall, 
but Spring is preferred. There is a difficulty 
about waiting for Spring: unless the stock is 
engaged in the Fall it is liable to be worked 
up, so that, it cannot be got in the Spring. It 
is possible that some lands are too poor to 
raise Willow, In Syracuse the nurserymen 
buy a fertilizer which is manufactured there, 
and use it for growing trees. Now if this is 
good for growing trees, it will lie likely to be 
good for the Willow, as the elements required 
are evidently the same. 
As I am now studying the peculiarities of 
Long Island, I think of this everyday, as there 
is so much land here which is very easy to 
cultivate, very cheap and very convenient to 
market, and I believe there is no more health¬ 
ful country in the world. The land is con¬ 
sidered poor, but a little manure works wou- 
ders here, aud the commercial fertilizers are 
converting these fields into gardens. 
In my travels on this island 1 notice the 
best fanners, with very few exceptions, take 
the Rural, and 1 am satisfied that if every 
farmer would take it,, if, would add to the in¬ 
telligence of his family, to the increase of his 
crops and to the value of his farm. It would 
pay the owners of property here to be at the 
expense of circulating this paper, as it is cer¬ 
tain that the improved cultivation would soon 
add to the reputation of these lauds. 
I am led to these remarks by the study of 
the means necessary to improve this section. 
In my travels, extending beyond the Missis¬ 
sippi, I have seen no section where there were 
so many advantages compared with the dis¬ 
advantages as within a few miles of the City of 
New York. To develop these fluids, however, 
requires more capital, more intelligence, more 
knowledge of farming. Good fanning gives 
the means for intellectual culture, and the 
reading of good agricultural papers is a con¬ 
stant stimulus to good funning. If these lands 
prove well adapted to the Willow, I would not 
ask for any better business than raising Basket 
Willow on Long Island. 1 notice but few 
sheep on this island. 1 am told the reason is 
there are so many dogs. I think there is an 
average of two dogs to a house. These are 
the greatest nuisance I have met with. I 
think these lands well adapted to the culture 
of small fruits, and still most families have 
none except such as grow wild. Comfort 
health and profit require the use of fruits, to a 
large exteut, and the agricultural papers are 
doing a great deal of good in teaching the 
people how to raise them to the best advantage. 
Many people think they can afford to take but 
one paper: and they want to take a paper that 
contains the news from all parts of the world, 
hence the agricultural paper is left out. This 
is Certainly a great mistake; no matter what 
other ur how many others a farmer may take, 
every farmer will manage his farm better by 
l eading a good agricultural paper. [Yet it is 
to meet this very demand of the agricultural 
community that the Rural has deemed it 
right to condense all items of important and 
interesting news from all parts of the world 
for the benefit of its readers.— Eds.] 
It is impossible for u inau to read the experi¬ 
ence and observation of so many other men 
without deriving a profit from it in comparison 
with which the cost of the paper is uothiug. 
But we must not bring everything to a money 
standard. These pftpore are the means of in¬ 
troducing inti) the family a thousand comforts 
and conveniencies that otherwise would uot be 
there. We should understand that the most 
important thing for the family, is the proper 
education and development of the children, 
and surrounding them with those influences 
that tend toward refinement. The library, a 
variety of papers, as well as good schools 
are important. A. M. Williams. 
Poor'Success With Willows. 
I see Mr. A. M. Williams is inclined to 
cause another Willow inauin. Some 20 years 
ago I planted and plauted Willows till I had 
about 20 acres growing. I bought of a Ver¬ 
mont man a willow peeler costing about *400, 
including freight, and 1 raised from two to ten 
tons each year as my plantation increased. I 
could peel for only about four weeks, when 
the bark slips in May and June. The steam 
process is too costly. At Geneva, New York, 
I got another machine costing 800, that could 
be run by one horse power. It did not do 
good work, however, ami 1 had a better one 
made to order. Then the Civil War demoral¬ 
ized the trade, so I left the business for a more 
profitable aud less perplexing one. There are 
a number of reasons why I would uot advise 
a rush into this industry. When a person de¬ 
sires to imitate the industrious and econom¬ 
ical habits of some of our Germans, French 
aud Swedes in cultivating the Willow or rais¬ 
ing hemp and making up and manufacturing 
the product at home, where there is a home 
demand, let him put out one or more acres 
nnd give them good cultivation. The Salix 
purpurea,or Purple Willow, is the best variety 
for basket or split work. A number of cheap 
baskets or hauliers can be made for farm use 
with the willows dried with the bark on. 
They make a very desirable article. I have 
seen baskets made from tough, hard wood 
that was split und drawn through machinery 
to the size of an ordinary Willow, that made 
up into a strong market or farm basket. An 
artificial Willow or substitute for Willow , cau 
be made about as cheaply as the Willow can 
be grown, peeled and shipped to market in 
many places in the United States, l. h. b. 
<£|jc ijcuisman. 
NOTES BY A STOCKMAN. 
“The close of a hard day’s work, - ' as pic¬ 
tured on page 530, gave me a very sad feeling 
as I looked at it. As a picture it is to me au 
admirable lesson, nnd if the artist hud tried to 
convey iu any more pointed manner the fact 
that the necessities of our domestic animals 
are too often overlooked aud neglected, he 
could scarcely have chosen a better way of 
doing it. Here a re two supposed tired, thirsty 
horses before au empty water trough, and no 
one to pump water tor them. The brown horse 
is closely investigating the dry trough, while 
tile white one quite satisfied us to the con¬ 
dition of affaire, protests with averted head 
and cure stiffly pointed forwards. 1 have seen 
the same kind of thing, and the mute but elo¬ 
quent requests for immediate attentiou at the 
close of a hard day’s work made by weary 
teams left to wait the leisurely convenience of 
their owners. The rule for every stock owner 
should be to eat aud rest only after the neces¬ 
sities and comforts of his animals have been 
attended to. Then “the sleep of the laboring 
man is sweet.” 
The era of the cowboy and the system 
of hording cattle, with ull its barbarity, 
wicked cruelty,crime and loss are about to end. 
Hie day of such a system is passing away. 
Stock men will now own fenced ranges aud 
will provide fodder and shelter for their stock. 
Ten per cent, of a herd lost by starvation, 
thirst, or the rigors of the weather, with all 
the pecuniary loss aud the horrible suffering 
aud torment of the hapless brutes, implied b 
