OCT 20 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
687 
lar profession from age to age without the 
modern improvements of our pateut incuba¬ 
tors. The fuel is made of sun-dried cow-dung. 
They must be very expert in the business if 
it is true, as we are told, they can detect fer¬ 
tile fresh eggs at a glance. One great thing 
in favor of hntchiug by artificial means 
in uniformly warm countries like Egypt, is 
that the eggs are uot subjected to the 
violent changes we have in this climate. These 
alternations of temperature are among the 
greatest troubles we have to contend with, as 
eggs must have fresh air, and how to give 
them fresh air without chilling them is a 
problem. 
Incubators have now been in use for over 
a century in Europe, and by this time some 
great results might have been expected; yet 
we do not hear of any large establishment 
being kept up for any long period. Much 
skill and ingenuity have been expended on 
incubators and a great many patents have 
been taken out for them. Still every new 
machine introduced is said to be an improve¬ 
ment on its predecessors. There is no doubt 
the subject is better understood uow than 
formerly and better results are ob tained, yet 
for some reasons all large establishments for 
hatching and rearing chickens for market 
have failed after a few years. After experi¬ 
menting with several hatchers and seeing the 
lesults of experiments with many more, lam 
satisfied that the number of eggs hatched is 
generally a fair proportion of the whole. Yet 
there are other things to be considered. It 
is claimed for incubators that by their use 
chicks can be hatched and raised much earlier 
than by hens, and there is no doubt they can 
be hatched with care in cold weather; but 
such weather necessitates extra care, and af¬ 
ter hatching, warmth from tire-heat must be 
given to keep the little things from perishing 
from cold. The heat can be given in three 
ways: by warming the whole room, by means 
of artificial mothers composed of warm ma¬ 
terial, or by warming the mothers themselves 
with lamps so that the chicks may' get suf¬ 
ficient heat to keep them alive. 
After seeing and trying many experiments 
with such tire heat for very early chicks, 1 am 
perfectly satisfied that it makes them too ten¬ 
der; as soon as they are exposed to outside, 
changeable air they' will mostly die. The ex¬ 
tra trouble required to raise very early chicks 
in this way, however many might survive, 
would hardly pay any fanner. To the fancier 
who might be satisfied with only a few early 
birds for the show pen, the result might be 
more satisfactory; but he would require a 
high price for his birds to get any remunera¬ 
tion for his time. It is claimed lor many in¬ 
cubators that out of 100 eggs they will hatch 
a larger proportion than can be hatched un¬ 
der hens, but to insure this requires close at¬ 
tention. .Some incubators are self-regulat- 
iug, so are some hens; but if one does nut 
w atch them both he will most likely 7 be dis¬ 
appointed. "When both are attended t< prop¬ 
erly there is uot much difference in th> pro¬ 
portion of eggs hatched. If the eggs m the 
incubator are not taken out, examinee , and 
infertile ones replaced by othera, or it the 
nests of hens are not cleansed (mu biuken 
or rotten eggs, the percentage of hatched 
eggs w ill be ranch less in both. It is claimed 
that 85 to 1*5 per cent, can lx* sometimes 
hatched in an incubator; blit sometimes the 
best incubutors miss hatching through 
something getting out of order, or a violent 
change in the temperature, and the loss thus 
incurred will counterbalance that arising from 
hens’ sometimes hatching poorly. 
Bergen Co., N. J. 
The Elvira and Vergennes Grapes. 
The Elvira has fruited with me for four or five 
years. It is healthy, vigorous and productive, 
and I considered it quite hardy: but last Win¬ 
ter it w as injured so badly that not over half 
the buds started. Those that did were quite 
feeble and produced no fruit. It is now 
healthy andgruwing vigorously. The fraicas 
soon as ripe cracks so badly, if the weather is 
rainy, that it is nearly worthless. 
The VergcunesGrape is represented asripen- 
iug as early 7 as Hartford, but it did not 
ripen here last season till after the Con¬ 
cord, and is not ripe yet and will not be for 
about a w eek, making a week later than Con¬ 
cord this season. JOHN BURR. 
Leavenworth Co , Kans, 
£l)f ^)oullrij DiUT). 
INCUBATORS. 
HENRY HALES. 
Artificial incubation has become a sub¬ 
ject of much inquiry during the last few 
years. To farmers the question is somewhat 
new, while the. subject itself is as old as the 
Pyramids. 
The fact that eggs eau be hatched by arti¬ 
ficial heat, or heat that is generated by other 
means than the hen, is so well known as to lx? 
undisputed; but the main question is, does 
it pay { Are more chicks hatched from one 
bundled eggs by incubators Ilian under hens' 
Are chicks batched in an incubator as strong 
and healthy as those hatched under natural 
mothers/ Can they be hatched as early: Do 
they glow as fast, and mature as early: Can 
they 7 , finally, be raised ns profitably t 
The first record of hatching eggs by artificial 
means isof very early date, usfur lack asany 
thing of which history tells us. The Egyptians 
as far as we know, tii st piaetietd it, and still 
continue it by the same old methods, iu build¬ 
ings somewhat like ovens. In hatchiug the 
eggs of almost any kind of b rds, heat is the 
principal agent. Moisture, changes of weather 
uud temperature are also factors as well as 
other agencies with which we are less ac¬ 
quainted. To hatch poultry successfully ti 
temperature ot 102 ° to 114 - is needed. This 
may be produced by the parent birds, tire or 
the sun. Most eggs can be hatched by tire 
heat, provided the heat Is kept perfectly reg¬ 
ular and isolated from outside atmospheric 
influences. Herein is the secret of the success of 
the Egyptians—their incubators are built most¬ 
ly underground. which promotes an even tem¬ 
perature. lu the rooms the eggs are said to 
be laid on shelves with a regular heat all round 
them, but no European or American lias ever 
been known to enter these incubators. The 
secrets of their management have been strictly 
guarded from generation to generation. It is all 
guess-work therefore as to the mod us operand i. 
This much, however, we do know; the Egyp¬ 
tians keep up a successful business as a regu¬ 
P orn o lexica l 
CRITICISMS ON THE ACTION OF THE 
NATIONAL POMOLOG1CAL 
CONVENTION. 
At the recent meeting of the American Po- 
mological Society a resolution was adopted 
aiming at dictating the methods to be ob¬ 
served in introducing new fruits, and aiming 
directly at the method follow ed by the Niag¬ 
ara Grape Company.condemning it iu unques- 
tiouabie terms. 1 cannot but consider this 
undignified, to say the least, for it smacks of 
tradesmen’s interests. Rural readers know 
that 1 am not over-enthusiastic about the Ni¬ 
agara Grape, aud that I have often expressed 
my opinions freely; nevertheless, I believe the 
ow ners have the right to introduce it as they 
please. The Niagara Grape is as much their 
property as their horses are. It might please 
the public if such horses were devoted to pub¬ 
lic free conveyance. Why should not the 
public expect this as well as that the grape 
should lx? handled so as to best please the pub¬ 
lic' The public has the idea that as regards 
new traits it has claims that pertain to no 
In quality it is to my r taste as good as Con 
cord, and not materially different. It has 
been quite free from rot, and is now, Septem¬ 
ber 10, fully 7 ripe. It is not this season more 
than a week earlier than Worden, and from 
ten days to two weeks earlier than Concord. 
Judging from its perfoinrance here, I think it 
will maintain its position as a popular and 
valuable early market grape, about as eaiiy 
as Hartford or Champion, and much better iu 
quality. It hangs to the cluster quite as well 
as the Concord, and it will bear handling and 
shipping as well if not better.” 
Mr. John Burr writes us from Leaven- 
worth, Kausas:—“The Moore's Early Grape, 
so far as tried here (four years), seems quite 
hardy and healthy; not as vigorous or produc¬ 
tive as Concoid, Luuches not as large; berries 
very little if any larger; quality just like that 
of the CoDeord, no better. It ripens about 
eight or ten days before the Concord. I saw 
it in an open vineyard this season alongside 
of the Concord, and it was rotting about the 
same, though it has not rotted with me.” 
Froin our own experience with Moore’s 
Early, we can say but little, as our vires fruit 
this year for the first time. The foliage is 
perfectly healthy 7 , the vines vigorous. The 
bunches are smaller than those of the Cou- 
cord, and less inclined to shoulder; the berry 7 
is larger aud of much the same quality. 
Judging trom this pear's fruitage, Moore's 
Early is ten days earlier than Concord. The 
engraving represents the average bunch of the 
present season, and is a true portrait. 
certain by expensive experiments. For root 
crops, turnips, potatoes, etc., use kninit and 
plaster when barnyard roauure is not availa¬ 
ble. The latter should be used broadcast, the 
former iu the row with the seed. The writer 
planted three acres of potatoes last Spring. 
On oue-tbird of the plot barnyard manure 
was used in the row; on two-thirds a mixture 
composed of New York-made root fertilizer, 
price, £53 per ton; kainit,$l0 per ton;and No¬ 
va Scotia plaster, £8 per ton;—one-third of a 
tou of each. On the manured portion we 
harvested a little less than 300 bushels to the 
acre; on the other, wo took over 300 bushels 
per acre and all largo tubers, much smoother 
uud better than those grown on the manured 
laud. Another year wo shall use all the ma¬ 
nure on sod for corn, aud use this mixture on 
some other place for roots aud other crops. It 
costs £27 per ton. 
Silas Betts. 
Crops. 
ONIONS A MONEY CROP. 
Connecticut fanners who live in the more 
unfavored portions of the State are obliged 
to practice mixed farming aud resort to all 
moans for obtaining the money necessary to 
meet ordinary farm expenses, taxes, etc. 
However much farming may 7 be lauded, it 
must be understood that all do uot reeline ou 
beds of flowery ease, for many are subject to 
toil and fatigue. TclJaud County is largely 
made up of the class who diligently toil on 
from year to year, many saving up a little 
“against a rainy 7 day.” While potatoes are 
grown to a considerable extent, the sin-plus be¬ 
ing sold, there are many towns, of which Colum¬ 
bia is one, that place considerable dependence 
upon the ouion crop as a sure source of 
revenue to the farm. 
To those who seldom or never engage iu 
ouion culture, it presents a sort of terror on 
Planting Potatoes Under Straw. 
I planted some potatoes in this way the past 
seasou, covering them lightly with earth and 
then with a coating of about four inches of 
straw-. They appear to he doing finely, hut I 
covered one end of the patch with damaged 
hay, aud the vines on that portion are fully 
twice as large as those covered with .-ti aw. On 
a portion of the patch the chickens scratc hed 
the straw so ladlv, I thought it needed more, 
so after the viucs were up, I put it on and 
killed the potatoes by doing so. w. w. k. 
el)c tHtinjarth 
MOORE’S EARLY GRAPE. 
With regard to this variety the venerable 
Charles Downing writes us from Newburgh, 
N. Y. : “For this locality as a table grape 
Moore’s Early-is of little value. It is not as 
early as either Early Dawn, Adirondac or 
Brighton. Early Dawn is the first to ripen, 
aud the Adirondac is very nearly as early 7 , 
and both are of excellent quality. The Brigh¬ 
ton. Eumelan aud Creveling are also earlier 
aud of much better quality. The Delaware, 
w-hen half ripe, is very much better than 
Moore’s Early for the table. All the above 
are growing uear each other and under the 
same cultivation. Moore’s Early is better than 
Concord iu quality,but not very much earlier. 
These notes ai e only for this latitude, where 
the conditions are? cpiite different from those 
of thepdae-eof its origin, w here it is claimed 
to be very hardy, and the earliest grape they 
have for that climate.” 
Mr. E Williams writes us from Montclair, 
N. J.: * Moore's Early Grape is fruiting fine¬ 
ly with me again this season; but it has not 
been on trial a sufficient length of time to 
fully determine its permanent value. So far, 
however, it promises well. The clusters are 
account of the belief that a great amount of 1 shorter and thicker than those of the Con- 
labor is required; but in those who year 
after year have been accustomed to tend _ __ „ 
a patch of onions, no such feeling exists; 
for if such an opinion was true there 
could not be found, as is the? ease now, 
many iustauces in which the culture lias 
been continuous fora period of 25 years, 
and iu some cases for a longer period. 
The success of onion culture depends fjiS' 
wholly upon the attention bestowed, and 
it will be found eminently true that "a 
stitch iu time saves nine.” A good degree 
of ivi-tiiiiy of soil is a necessity, and a 
oughlv decomposed manure is equally so. 
The preparation of the soil is also impor- 
taut; it should be thoroughly pulverized 
and free from all that would interfere w ith 
ill. 'iii'ii 1 . , V. . 1 ' ■ I- .1, 1-1'.- - 
portion to the extent of this attention. * 
It is a difficult matter to exactly estimate 
the cost per bushel of growing on ions, 
I.'’ 
From a record bearing upon this point 
in which.every hour’s labor Is recorded at 
its full value, and iu which the vuluo of 
manure expended, rent of laud, etc,, are a .~ 
ail counted iu. the coat of growing onions 
in one instance the cost was 28 cents; m 
another 30 ccuts; in another 80 cents, and £»•• v 
H'-i 1 1 w n.'li 
onions sell for a fair price; for it must be 
remembered that the labor has all been 
paid for at high prices. The year in which Moore , s Emu y grape.-From Nature.- 
tho cost of growing was 2'.) cents per 
-Fig. 650. 
bushel, the price varied from £1.50 to £2.00 
per bushel, probably averaging £1.75, which 
Would leave £1.30 uvt per bushel for the entire 
crop, or at the rate of £800 per acre. But 
that was an unusually favorable year both iu 
yield and price, aud u similar year eau hardly 
be looked for. But. take even the most ex¬ 
pensive culture — cents per bushel—aud 
the average price per bushel for the past few 
yeans, which lias not varied much from one 
dollar, and there would still be a net profit of 
about 38 emits per bushel, which, allowing for 
the very moderate yield of 500 bushels per 
aero, would give a net income of £100 per 
acre. 
Wethersfield has always boon noted for 
ouion growing, aud has probably more acres 
under cultivation than most, other towns; but 
of late it lias done a largo business in growing 
onion seed and is now abandoning the growing 
of t he bulbs. The shore towns between New 
Haven aud New York are at present quite ex¬ 
tensively engaged in onion culture aud realize 
large profits from their laud iu consequence. 
Tollaud Go., Conn. w. h, yeomans. 
cord. The berries are larger and ripen about 
a week before the COncoid. Quality about 
the same. As the vines get older Ihe clusters 
may improve iu size, as is sometimes the ease 
with some other varieties. The vines are vig¬ 
orous growers and so lar have resisted the at* 
tacks of mildew and tot far better than the 
Concord. The variety is almost iron-clad in 
these respects. This is the w out ttascu for 
these troubles 1 ever knew, which is much in 
its favor. If it should in the future develop 
no weakness in this direction, it will become a 
standard sort.” 
Mr. George W. Campbell writes us from 
Delaware, Ohio;—“With regal’d to Moore’s 
Early Grape I have often said 1 did not think 
it could bo described better than to call it an 
early Concord. I Audit as hardy, as healthy, 
as strong a grower, and apparently as pro¬ 
ductive as Concord, though 1 have hardly the 
experience to say positively as to productive¬ 
ness. The clusters ou young vines have, so 
far, averaged rather less in size than those of 
the Concord, though the berries are larger. 
Mr. T. T, Lyon writes us from South Haven, 
Michigan :—"Moore's Early, all things con¬ 
sidered, is in my estimation, the most desira¬ 
ble and profitable very early grape for the 
North for general planting in all soils, and for 
such cultivation as may be expected from the 
majority of planters.” 
