722 
THE RURAL. 
NOV 3 
SOME THOUGHTS FOR THINKERS. 
A. B. COLEMAN. 
REMEDY FOR GRAPE ROT. 
I will give to the readers of the Rural 
New-Yorker a remedy for grape rot, which 
has proved effective with me for several years 
past. I would like experienced grape-growers 
to give it a trial and report results. I have 
been slow to make it public, because I never 
like to jump at conclusions. 1 am now, after 
several years' trial, persuaded there is some 
merit in it. Here it is: Whenever the slightest 
indication of rot is observable, scrape every 
vestige of vegetation away from the vines to a 
distance of at least four feet in every direc¬ 
tion, and cover this space with fresh lime, air 
or water slaked. Just enough to whiten the 
surface is sufficient. I do not put the lime 
close enough to touch the vine, generally 
strewing it not closer than six inches. If 
heavy rains follow, the dressing of lime should 
be repeated at once. A prominent Missouri 
grape-grower says the same atmospheric influ¬ 
ences that produce fever and ague in the 
human family will produce rot in the grape. 
Knowing lime to be a powerful absorbent, I 
thought perhaps the air iu the vicinity of my 
vines could be to some extent purified by its 
use and the rot prevented. The result of ray 
test has been satisfactory: yet I do not claim 
that lime is an Infallible remedy for grape rot. 
I do think, however, it is worthy of trial. It 
may not be Improper for me to state, in this 
connection, that lime is a sovereign remedy 
for Irish potato rot. It will either prevent or 
chock the rot effectually, I sprinkle the lime 
through the potatoes in bulk or in barrels. It 
does the potatoes no injury. 
OIL OK SASSAFRAS. 
For cleansing swine and poultry of vermin, 
there is nothing superior to oil of sassafras. In 
fact, it is death to the whole insect world. My 
wife uses it, exclusively, as an antidote for 
bed-bugs. A little piece of cotton, moistened 
in the oil and rubbed in the cracks and crevices 
about the bed, will make the bug a stranger to 
that locality. For swine, 1 put one table- 
spoonful of the oil in refuse lard that has been 
warmed just enough to melt. Apply it under 
the four legs, behind the ears, and on the hams 
of the pig, and he will not be troubled with 
vermin. It kills instantly. The same prepa¬ 
ration may lie Used on a lien with a young 
brood with good results For sitting beus take 
pulverized sassafras root bark, as fine as flour, 
aud dust the hen under her wings with it, and 
also the eggs, and the mites will disappear at 
once. 
a new roosting pole. 
I am about building a new poultry-house, 
and I am going to introduce a new roosting 
pole, and wish some of the Rural readers to 
toll me if it will answer a good purpose. Tin- 
pole is to consist of a % inch iron rod, us loug 
as desirable, aud wrapped witli heavy woolen 
material, either once or twice. T will then 
saturate the wrapping with oil of sassafras, 
so as to preclude the invasion of vermin. The 
wrapping will protect the feet of t,he fowls 
during cold weather. To me, the only rea¬ 
sonable objection is that the oil might, grease 
the feathers of the laying hens, and thereby 
grease the eggs and prevent hatching. It is 
not my purpose, however, to apply oil enough 
to briug about sueb disastrous results. All 
fowls like small roosting poles. They like 
something their feet cun huger grasp. I have 
observed this predisposition in wild turkeys, 
which always roost iu very tall trees on very 
small limbs, not larger than un inch in diam¬ 
eter. There is nothing so strong for tho size— 
% of an inch—as an iron rod. The wrapping 
of woolen material protects the feet of the 
fowls from cold, and also holds the vermin 
antidote. 
a new method of water-melon culture. 
A gentleman residing near this place raised 
a most tremendous crop of water-melons after 
the following method:—Holes were dug ten 
feet apart each way—18 inches square uud 15 
inches deep. These holes were filled with 
Well-rotted manure, which was thoroughly 
incorporated with the soil. A low, flat hill 
was then made uud seed planted. When the 
vines were large enough to begin to run, the 
whole surface was covered to the depth of a 
foot or 15 inches with wheat-straw. The straw 
was placed close up around the vine. No cul¬ 
tivation whatever was given afterwards. 
No weeds or grash grew. The vines spread 
over the straw, aud the melons matured clean 
and nice. The yield was abundant, aud tho 
experiment an entire success. Try it next 
year. 
Superphosphate ok lime, given in tea 
spoonful doses to each he&d of cabbage will stop 
the ravages of the cabbage worm. It should 
be, sprinkled over the cabbage early in the 
day while the dew is on. The white moth that 
deposit* the egg will not come near it after 
this application. Itdoesthe cabbage no harm, 
but rather fertilizes it. 
If you have a fruit tree that fails to bear, 
dig a trench 15 inches deep around it, four 
feet from the trunk, aud cut iu two every 
root you meet with. Fill the trench with rich 
soil, and you will have a crop of fruit next 
year. Do t his before January. 
SORGHUM SUGAR AT A PROFIT. 
New Jersey, as we have stated, odd's a 
bounty of one dollar for every ton of sorg¬ 
hum raised iu the Stale for the purpose of 
manufacturing sugar and sirup, and $20 for 
every ton of sugar actually made therefrom. 
The State actually paid out, iu compliance 
with these offers, neaily $8,000 last year, and 
will probably be asked to pay a much larger 
sum this year on the same account. 
There is little, if any, doubt that, sugar can 
be made from sorghum at a profit where the 
proper conditions of soil, machinery, capital 
and business ability can lie secured to the en¬ 
terprise. It is not, however, a business for 
the small farmer. If ho is located near sorg¬ 
hum sugar works, and has soil adapted to 
sorghum raising, lie may find it profitable to 
raise and sell the cane, though he will find it 
heavy staff to haul. 
The use of capital, approved machinery, 
and the application of scientific aud economic 
principles to sorghum sugar making, will 
make tho business a success evou in the so- 
called “ l’ine Barrens” of New Jersey. A few 
miles north of Cape May, the Rio Grande 
Co. chose soil aud a site for this business, 
about three years ago; the soil proved to be 
not barren, but light, and warm, and compact 
enough to hold moisture well. The climate 
of this location is semi-tropical, the warm 
season, long; the cane, therefore, matures 
fully, and can lie gathered surely during Sep¬ 
tember and October, and often through No¬ 
vember. This is a great advantage over 
higher latitudes or localities less favored iu 
soil and by near bodies of water. 
The company is said to have lost some 
money the first, year. They depended on the 
farmers for their cane. They then purchased 
.8,000 acres, cleared, and planted it. Last 
year they crushed 6,206 tons of cane, produc¬ 
ing 1,022 barrels of sirup and 810,041 pounds 
of sngur, which sold at a profit. This year 
they have Increased machinery and facilities, 
and 0li5 acres under cultivation. Their works 
have a capacity of 100 tons of cane a duy. The 
cost of the plant is said to he about #76,000. 
Entire cost of laud and works is about $200,- 
000. Nothing is wasted. The seed is turned 
into pork and beef, or meat of some kind. 
The begasse is utilized ns food for hogs, and 
the refuse is composted with swamp mud or 
peat; even the skimmings of the pans 
are saved for manure. A dividend of 26 
per cent, on the capital invested is expected 
from the product of t-liis year. This result 
is certainly very satisfactory, uud may 
stimulate further trial of this industry. 
There is plenty cf capital to be had for it 
the moment the demonstration is complete. 
If the waste lauds of onr coast can be made 
to wave with the sorghum cane, they will 
present to the eye a more attractive and in¬ 
teresting sight than the wilderness of scrub 
pines, weeds uud sand. 
-m- 
New Strawberries;— During nearly the 
whole of June Mr. J. T. Lovett was travel¬ 
ing to look at. Strawberries, and although lie 
saw almost an innumerable number of novel¬ 
ties, yet among thorn all he found but few 
that appeared worthy of note. Atlantic is 
certainly firm and tieautlful, but is lacking iu 
size; Legal Tender is prolific and of high 
quality, but lacks firmness; Prince of Berries 
is large, beuutiful and good, but he fears the 
plant will prove unsatisfactory iu most loca¬ 
tions, and thus it goes. The most promising 
of all the brand-new kinds tiiut bo came 
across, taken all iu all, was Daniel Boone. 
This lie thinks has come to stay, aud possesses 
much merit, especially for market. Manchester 
seems to have taken to tho soil kindly every¬ 
where and gone right to business in earnest. 
Big Bob wasn miserable failure ] James Vick, 
very productive and firm, but of indifferent 
quality, indicating positive merit for market, 
but less desirable for the home garden. Jer¬ 
sey Queen was large, beautiful and good, but 
unproductive with him. Fay’s Prolific Cur¬ 
rant is a gratifying success, and lie thinks has 
a great future. Its strong growth and pro¬ 
ductiveness, united with size and beauty of 
fruit are something remarkable. 
-- 
The Sorghum Industry, iu spite of a bad 
season for the maturity of the plants, is jump¬ 
ing ahead. Our readers have already been 
informed, through Mr. B. F. Johnson, as to the 
work being done at Champaign, III. Rio 
Grande, in New Jersey, is doing nobly, and 
now the N. Y. Tribune says that Sterling and 
Hutchiusou, in Kansas, send notes to the same 
encouraging effect. From the roof of the 
factory at. the latter place one could have ob¬ 
tained, the middle of last, month, a view of 
over 2,000 acres of sorghum plants— “u most 
magnificent sight-. 1 ' Forty-five teams were 
hauling to the mill, and 20 more were wanted; 
158 laborers were busy aud 50 others adver¬ 
tised for. The four centi ifugals turned out 
daily 20,000 pounds of sugar—“ in largo, hard 
crystals, in perfect angles”—and 1,600 gallons 
of “ sirup entirely free from sorghum tast-e.’’ 
Professor Swenson’s skill and devotion are 
greatly appreciated by the company. They 
are “jubilant with success assured,” aud Pres¬ 
ident. Barker says the experts who examined 
average samples were surprised to find “ the 
purity of the sugar absolutely beyond that of 
the finest cane sugar of the Booth of the same 
grade.” 
--*>«-- 
Benefits of Farmers’ Clubs.— The New 
England Farmer believes that there is no one 
thing that will do so much to broaden the 
vision and develop the character of a farmer 
so as to enable him to completely fill the place 
in society that he should be competent to fill, 
as the well organized aud well sustained farm- 
el's' club, The olnb gives one something 
useful to think of liotweou the meetings. It 
excites investigation and encourages study 
aud experiment. It brings men and women 
together who otherwise would hardly keep up 
a neighborhood acquaintance, in a meeting 
convened for gathering the best thoughts 
from till, the over conceited learn modesty 
aud the timid gain confidence, while all grow 
charitable towards others with whom they 
may on some points disagree. 
-- 
SAMPLES AND COMMENTS. 
One milk company requires that cows shall 
not lie fed on ensilage, as it impairs the keep¬ 
ing quality of milk. The company fixes its 
prices at three-and-tbree-quartor cents per 
month. More was offered by farmers at this 
rate than was accepted. 
The Rural is glad that Fay’s Prolific Cur¬ 
rant is behaving iu ft way to corroborate ail 
we had said of it. The R. N-Y. was the first 
journal to advertise this fine variety. 
Mu. Stewart thinks that the glamor which 
has illuminated the Western cattle business is 
fading away and true light is falling upon it. 
No doubt beef can lie raised in the West, but 
at what a cost to man and beast! Tho cost 
and inconveniences are on the whole greater 
than are supposed, and go fur to bring the 
value of the beeves up to that of Eastern fnrui- 
reared animals... 
Prepare green food for the fowls thisWiu- 
ter. Nothing is better than the cabbages that 
fail to head.... 
Do not prune fruit trees unless they need it f 
and then prune promptly and judiciously.... 
Ik we W'ore asked what fertilizers we pre¬ 
ferred for grape vines, we should reply, un- 
leachod wood asiies, bone meal and old horse 
* manure...... 
The New England Farmer says that the 
time has come when farmers must work to¬ 
gether for the common good of all, or they 
w ill surely be loft behind in the general pro¬ 
gress of tho age.. 
A man who has.no love for horses or sheep 
had bette* - leave them ulono. for they will 
bring him nothing but grief, says the 
Breeders’ Gazette. True, and the same may 
be said as to general farming or any other 
occupation... 
The New' York Sun, speaking of a long, 
drawn-out suit between two farmers, says: 
“When they began the case, there were two 
well-off farmers, and t o poor lawyers. Now 
there are two poor farmers, and two well-off 
lawyers.”. 
A writer iu the London Garden defines a 
good potato us follows: “Nutty flavor, white 
and floury when cooked, sturdy, wiry haulm, 
not exceeding iu the best- soils, 80 inches in 
hight; medium-sized tubers without undula¬ 
tion or deep eyes; and lastly, long-keeping, 
combined with early maturity of tubers.” 
The definition is a very good one. In America 
we seem to think very little of the “nutty” 
flavor, and prefer large-sized potatoes. 
Keeping Apples. —The Farm and Fireside 
repeats the old but sound advice that choice 
specimens of Winter apples, and pturs can be 
kept in the best possible condition by wrap¬ 
ping each one ill paper uud parking them 
loosely in ventilated barrels or boxes. 
Had not you better plant it quince tree or 
so this Fall? Rea’s Mammoth is as good as 
any.. 
Collect the soil for hot-beds now. A bar¬ 
rel of it iu the barn will be handy for potting 
plants in the Winter. 
Cuerijtuijm. 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Arkansas. 
Poteau, Scott Co., Oet. 13.—Drought lias 
injured late corn considerably, but nothing 
like so badly as it has hurt cotton on the up¬ 
lands; this is cut short nearly one-half. For 
the past two weeks we’ve been having plenty 
of rain, aud at present the prospect is good for 
too much. If the wet spell continues much 
longer, both cotton and corn will be rotting 
in the field. The mast is a failure this year, 
consequently corn and pork will be apt to be 
high-priced tins Fall. A larger acreage will be 
seeded to wheat aud other small grains this 
year than last. H. c - B - 
Dakota. 
Sioux Falls, Minnehaha Co., Oct. 18.— 
Crops are good except dent corn; that did not 
mature well, owiug to a cool season. What 
little flint corn was planted is ripe and sound. 
Wheat is yielding from 15 to 30 bushels per 
acre; oats from 40 to (30 bushels. W. S. F. 
Illinois. 
Russellville, Lawrence Co.—This lias 
been tho coolest Summer we have had here 
for many years. The rainfall was very heavy 
until the second week in July; then we had a 
drought of about two months. Now we have 
an abundance of rain. The bay crop was 
very heavy; oats were the best crop I have ever 
seen thus far south. Wheat almost a failure. 
A great deal was plowed up in the Spring, 
uud much of that left was not worth harvest¬ 
ing. The best field that I know of in this 
vicinity averaged only 12 bushels to the acre. 
More corn was planted than usual, and up to 
the time of drought it promised well. That 
planted early will make a fair crop: late- 
pluutcd will not be more than half as much. 
Early potatoes line; lute, slight yield. About 
tho usual area of wheat has been sown this 
Fall. The HeRsian fly is seriously damaging 
the early-sown fields. Very few apples this 
Fall. a. J. h. 
Iowa. 
Le Claire. Scott Co., Oct. 16.—A slight 
frost on Sept. 1), 10, and 11 damaged corn on 
the low gro’und. Fall very dry until the end 
of Sept., when we got plenty of rain. Onions 
and potatoes good. Coni good here. I have 
seed corn by the 100 bushels. I have more 
hung up than ever before. h. g. s. 
Kansas, 
Agricola, Coffey Co., Oct. 28.—Our first 
frost was on October 14 Wheat is of fine 
quality, though but half a crop. Oats splen¬ 
did. Corn the best ever grown here. Pota¬ 
toes fair. Fruits of all kinds half n crop. 
More wheat has been sown this Fall than ever 
before, aud it is growing finely. We look 
for the Rural every week as our most profit¬ 
able visitor. T. w. t. 
Sac City, Sac Co.,Oct. 1!*. —We raise a great 
deal of corn here, and this year there would 
have lieen a large crop were it not for the 
frosts early In September. These did not ruin 
the crop, but they Injured it very much, so 
that there will be a great deal of soft com, A 
great deal of the seed was brought from Kan¬ 
sas and Nebraska, und most of the corn from 
such seed is too late. Wheat aud oats good 
crops. Hogs are healthy, and hogs are the 
chief source of wealth in this Slate. j. B. 
Altchlcnn. 
COOPERSVILLS, Ottawa Co., Oet. 21.—Wife 
and I came here 28 years ago from Western 
New York. After making ft contract for 80 
acres of woodland only one dollar remained. 
Now we have a pleasant home and 120 acres 
of land. We have nine children living and 
three grandchildren. We can truthfully say, 
success has crowned our efforts. t. w. 
Esc an aba, Delta C*o., October 15.—John 
Reno of t his place had 52 *.,, acres of land ui der 
cultivation this Summer, from which he raised 
36 tons of hay, 1,170 bushels of oats, 2,100 
bushels of potatoes, 836 bushels of rutabagas, 
200 bushels of carrots and 8,000 cabbages. The 
soil in Delta County, buck from the water, is 
rich aud easily cultivated. w. n. t. 
Hopkins, October 19.^From tho 15th of 
May until the last, of July it rained a goed 
share of the time, and then for eight weeks we 
had no rain. The last week or so we have had 
uice rains, which were needed to make the 
wheat come up. There is not so much wheat 
sown as usuul in this vicinity, on account of 
the poor crop this season and the low prices 
prevailing. Hay was a good crop, but was not 
secured in first-class order generally. Oats a 
good crop. Corn almost a complete failure; 
the poorest crop for L a number of years. Pota¬ 
toes on heavy land a slim crop. Applesscarce. 
Those who laid peach orchards have realized 
a pretty good thing from them. Almost any 
kind of peaches brought a dollar a bushel. 
The yellows are taking possession of a good 
