774 
THE RURAL. (NEW-YORKER. 
NOV 24 
weighed 78 pounds; the five largest weighed 
four pounds 14 ounces. All were of good 
size. B. P. 
Maryland. 
Annapolis, Anne Arundel Co.— My Blush 
Potato, cut into 10 pieces, yielded about a 
peck of good tubers, but they spread too much 
over the ground. The Shoe peg Corn didn’t 
do well. The wheat, planted in the Spring, 
rusted badly. The Garden Treasures did 
splendidly. G. B. M. 
Ml eh iff an 
Decatitr, Van Buren Co.—My small Blush 
Potato contained seven eyes, was cut into 
seven pieces and planted in four hills in sandy 
loam; uo extra fertilizers. Yield 71 potatoes. 
Weight 25 pounds. E. c. R. 
Ovid. Clinton Co.—Planted 1,057 grains of 
Fultzo-Clawsou Wheat on Sept. 16, 1882; 806 
grains germinated, from which I got 15 
pounds. All the Rural wheats are looking 
well. A. F. B. 
South Haven, Van Buren Co.—Three 
small Blush Potatoes weighing less than one 
ounce, yielded 206 ounces of fair-sized pota¬ 
toes Coru. killed by frost. Flower seeds 
did well. AU grapes died but two. o. b. 
MWonrl 
Cole Camp, Benton Co.. Oct. 20.—From one 
small Blush Potato,cut into three pieces, planted 
in three hills, with no manure, on good land in 
nrv garden. I got 25 pounds; 10 were small, 
and 40 were the largest I ever saw grow iu 
three hills, the largest one weighing one-and- 
one-half pound. I planted Shoe-peg Corn 
May 1; it matured August 20. The Black- 
bearded Wheat I planted this Fall. Water¬ 
melons good and very sweet. I have 20 
Niagara Graoe-vines, from two to five feet 
high. The flowers were fine; some in bloom 
yet. P- B. 
Lewiston, Lewis Co.—Cut the two-ounce 
Blush Potato into 11 eyes, from which I har¬ 
vested 53X pounds. Rate of yield per acre. 
619 47-100 bushels. The heaviest potato weighed 
one pound four ounces. w. w. k. 
Sedalia, Pettis Co.—My Blush Potato 
weighed one-and-one-half ounce, and was cut 
to 14 eyes and planted one piece in a place, 
15 inches apart, in rich black soil where hogs 
were fattened last Fall. No other manure 
was used. All came up, but two hills were 
destroyed by cut-worms. Yield 126 tubers, 
weighing 24'./ pounds. I planted 40 grains of 
Shoe-peg Corn, of which 42 grew; but when 
tasseling, a severe wind broke off about two- 
thirds of the plants just above the shoot. 
Nearly all made ears; but. owing to a lack of 
pollen, they filled imperfectly. Have eight 
acres of very fin 1 Rural Heavy Dent Corn not 
yet gathered. Have seven Niagara Grape 
seedlings. Not one of the Perfection Water¬ 
melon seeds germinated. Of the flower seeds 
Dwarf Sunflower and Globe Amaranth were 
specially nice. w. H. H. mc v. 
Montana Territory. 
Missoula, Missoula Co.—My Blush Po¬ 
tatoes and Shoe-peg Corn were killed to the 
ground by frost iu August, but the Rural 
wheats were splendid. We have about 13 
pounds of them. From one kernel of rye 
found among them I have half a teacupful of 
grain. D - c< Ij - 
Stevensville. Missoula Co —I planted the 
Blush Potato of 10 eves in 10 hills Mav 1, 
and dug 110 good-sized potatoes on September 
26, the largest, one of which weighed one 
pound, six largest five pounds and four ounces. 
No fertilizers or manures used or any extra 
care given. Shoe-peg Coru won’t do here. 
Centennial Wheat just, beaded; won't do here 
for Spring wheat. The Garden Treasures did 
well. c - H - 
Nebraska. 
Cvmden. Seward Co., Oct 27.—I planted 
18 hills of Blush Potatoes, and dug 51 tubers: 
31 of good size. Have five thrifty Niagara 
Grape seedlings. Shoe-peg Corn too late for 
this locality. No watermelons. Flower seeds 
did well. # K - B - 
New York. 
RHINEBECK, Dutchess Co.—Blush Potato 
sprouted only one eye, yielding nearly a peck 
measure of flue tubers, six of which weighed 
one-and-one-half pound each. J. e. t. 
Sherburne, Chenango Co., Oct. 30.—I 
have about a dozen uice Niagara seedlings. 
The Shoe-peg Corn grew 10 feet high, but is 
too late for this locality. Seven eyes of the 
Blush Potato weighed 11 pounds. The flowers 
were very nice. B. d. n. 
South Byron, Greene Co., Nov. 9.—My 
two small Blush Potatoes, cut to single eyes 
and planted one each in 17 hills, occupying 
part of a row of Burbanks in the field, with 
the same care and treatment, with the excep¬ 
tion of one large spoonful of phosphate in each 
hill, produced 61 pounds of large perfectly 
formed potatoes. Am greatly pleased with 
this season’s test. Its strong and vigorous 
growth, freedom from blight and rot, and 
its seeming to possess all the qualities essen¬ 
tial for a table potato must make it a valuable 
acquisition. Au d should it meet with favor as 
a market potato it will prove of more value 
to me thau several years’subscription to the 
Rural New-Yorker. The Shoe-peg Corn was 
killed by the frost. Too late a variety for this 
latitude. The Niagara Grapes started very 
well till removed to the open air, w hen they 
all withered aud died. The Garden Treasures 
proved a delight aud joy to my better half 
and daughters. The watermelons won the 
first premium for my little boy at our 
County Fair. Success to the Rural New- 
Yorker! I. n. c. 
Waterloo, Seneca Co.—Our small Blush 
Potato was cut into two pieces aud planted 
in two hills tw'o-and-one-half feet apart. 
Dug ou Sept. 15, the first hill ’yielded 13 
pounds of sound potatoes, and the second 
10)/ pounds, making 23'/ pouuds from the 
two hills. Allowing six-and-one-half feet 
square to each hill, the first yielded at the 
rate of over 1,500 bushels per acre. A number 
of neighbors who saw them dug aud weighed 
can bear testimony to these figures, .t . o. p. 
New Jersey, 
Deckertown, Sussex Co.—The Rural 
wheats looked well until eaten up by the 
squirrels and birds. I had 22 pounds of tubers 
from my Blush Potato. My Shoe-peg Corn 
is good, but the Rural Deut is better. .L l. 
Norik Carolina. 
Jamestown. Guilford Co.—The Niagara 
Grape seeds did not germinate. The Shoe- 
peg Coni did finely until a neighbor’s cows got 
iu the patch aud destroyed all but three stalks. 
Blush Potato did well. M. T. M. 
Moo resville, Iredell Co.—I planted the 
Sur prise Wheat on a clover sod, with a light 
top-dressing of hen manure. Of 41 grains 
planted 40 grew, and 1 had one-aud-three 
quarter pouud of wheat.. This is over 400 to 
one by actual count. The other varieties did. 
not fill well. The Blush Potatoes did well 
considering the dry season. s. a. l. 
Ohio. 
Grand Rapids, Wood Co.—From my Blush 
Potatoes I obtained 60 pounds mostly nice, 
large tubers. The chickens had destroyed 
some before digging. Of the Shoe-peg Corn I 
had two bushels of ears, which would make 
one bushel or over of shelled com, all sound. 
The Perfection Watermelon is perfection 
indeed. The Centennial Wheat is growing 
nicely. The garden seeds furnished some nice 
flowers. Grape seeds have not come up yet. 
J. MOL. 
Greenville, Darke Co.—But few flower 
seeds germinated. About a dozen grape seeds 
grew, but dry weather and chickens reduced 
the number to one. Blush Potato yielded 
well. w. R. H. 
Poplar, Crawford Co., Nov. 8.—My three 
small Blush Potatoes were planted late iu the 
garden, making 18 hills, from which I dug 39 
pounds. According to the Rural’s mode of 
calculation, which is, 1 think, a fair way of 
calculating, I can report at the rate of 726 
bushels to the acre. The other seeds were 
killed by the frost J. A. F. 
Shaker, Warren Co.—One Hollyhock 
bloomed; color, dark red, quite double. Seven 
Niagara seeds came up, and are growing well. 
Many thanks for the seeds kindly sent. u. s. 
Oregon. 
Canyon City, Grant Co.—Black-bearded 
Centennial Wheat did well, but was badly 
mixed. Shoe-peg Corn ripened some nice 
ears, but is too late for this latitude. p. r. 
Jersey Farm, The Dalles.—My Blush 
Potato was about the size of a medium 
hen’s egg, and was planted whole on the 
10th of May. Iu about three weeks there 
were seven sprouts about three inches al>ove 
the grouud, and one just showing. The seven 
wore carefully drawn a way (without disturb¬ 
ing the potato or the small sprout), and 
planted about four inches deep and sixteen 
inches apart. The soil was well hoed several 
times, and the potatoes were dug about the 
middle of October. From the seven sprouts I 
got 491/ pouuds of potatoes, and from the one 
left on the original potato, one pound, or 50)/ 
pounds in all. b, a t. 
Mishawaka, Clatsop Co.—Two Blush Po¬ 
tatoes were cut to one eye, and planted in 14 
hills, given flat culture, and produced 75>/ 
pounds. The largest one weighed one-and-a- 
quarter pound. R. L. J. 
Pennsylvania. ’ 
East Ei.ma, Erie Co.—From my two little 
Blush Potatoes, weighing less than three ounces, 
I harvested six-aud-a quarter pounds. 1 have 
17 Niagara seedling grape-vines. The Rural 
Wheats winter-killed. The flo were were uice. 
The Shoe-peg Corn did not even ear. Rain! 
Rain!! Rain!!! J- H - 
Lander, Warren Co. — Two Blush Potatoes 
containing 16 eyes, planted one eye to the 
hill, yielded 87 pounds, The four largest 
weighed four pounds. Shoe-peg Cora a tota] 
failure. w. 8. M. 
Northeast, Erie Co.— I would report the 
Centennial Wheat a failure, badly mixed. 
The Garden Treasures were splendid. W a ter. 
melon aud squash failed to come up. The 
Blush Potato is simply immense, the small 
potato had nine eyes; I cut it in nine pieces, 
making nine lulls. Planted about May 1, in 
common gravelly soil; uo extra care. Dug, 
September25,73 potatoes, all fit for table use, 
but seven were small. All weighed 26>/ 
pounds. *>• i*. b. 
Washington Territory. 
Dayton, Columbia Co.—Planted 350 grains 
B. - b.C. Wheat ; only half germinated, 
which yielded 350 well-filled heads. Ten 
Niagara Grape seeds germinated. Garden 
Treasures gave me n beautiful flower-garden. 
Shoe-peg Com yielded me nine pounds of 
sound corn. Perfection Watermelon pro¬ 
duced four good-sized, excellent melons, Blush 
Potato, cut to 20 eyes, yielded me 14 pounds 
of medium potatoes. C. 8. 
Wisconsin. 
Alderly, Dodge Co. — Fultzo-Claw- 
son Wheat planted September 15,1882, on plot 
of ground of two square rods, harvested July 
20. 1883. 26 pounds of w heat. One rod of 
Shumaker yielded 15 pounds. Both slightly 
rusted. Soil clay loam. Surprise Wheat 
rusted so badly did not harvest it. .r. h, h 
Elk horn, Walworth Co.—My Blush Po 
tato weighed oue ounce, aud had six eyes, 
and was cut into six pieces aud planted in six 
hills 18 inches apart; yield. 55potatoes, weigh¬ 
ing 23 pounds. The tops were immense. 
They should be planted three feet apart. 
From my Niagara Grape seed there came up 
12 grape-vines and one Ash-leavpd Maple. 
The Shoe-peg Coru grew' 12 feet high. I think 
it would be in the milk now if the weather 
had kept warm. P. w. F. 
Fort Atkinson, Jeffersou Co.—My Blush 
Potato hadniue eyes, and was planted in nine 
hills iu moderate soil on April 13, and I got 49 
pounds. The Shoe-peg Corn was a failure ou 
account of the dry weather. The flower seeds 
did well. *• s - 
H\)t (/)unigt. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the name 
aud address of the writer to Insure attention.! 
TREATMENT OF A COW BEFORE AND AFTER 
CALVING. 
A. H., Bay port, N. Y .—What is the best 
way to treat a cow for about six weeks before 
and after calving. 
ANSWERED BY HENRY STEWART. 
December is as good a time as any in the 
year for a cow to come in with a calf. Some 
dairymen choose the Fall and Winter to have 
their cows come in. The trouble w’itb the 
calves is all over before the Spring work 
comes ou. and the calves go out to pasture 
and do better than they would if fed during 
the Summer on milk and on dry feed in the 
Winter. When reared In this way, calves 
rarely grow at. all during the Winter and 
come out very poor in the Spring. A cow 
should be dried off gradually for some weeks 
before calving, and should be wholly dry a 
month before, if possible. If not, and there is 
any milk in the udder, some of it should be 
taken aud the udder kept soft, and any possi¬ 
ble danger of garget prevented. During this 
period the cow’s feed should lie dry; hay 
alone is the best, so as to avoid stimulating 
the secretion of milk. That can be done more 
safely after the cow has had the calf, but It 
must, be done then very cautiously and gradu¬ 
ally. It is necessary to keep the cow from 
losiug flesh during this time, and if any other 
food is thought necessary, coarse bran Is the 
best of all. Corn meal should not be given; 
two or three quarts a day of bran will supply 
precisely what, the cow requires to fully de¬ 
velop the calf aud keep her in good condition. 
A small handful of salt, daily Is also beneficial. 
The cow’s system should be kept loose and 
open, and costiveness avoided. When it is 
seen tbut the period of calving is approach¬ 
ing, it is advisable to put the cow iu a peu or 
loose stall by herself, and if the udder is full 
of milk, the milk should be drawn aud the 
udder relieved of any pressure. If there is 
any tendency towards garget or hardness or 
heat in the udder.it is well to give the cow 
two to four ounces of Epsom salts, either in a 
bran mash or dissolved in a pint of warm 
water. The cow should lie watched closely, 
and when the calf makes its appearance it 
should lie taken away at once, put into a 
warm corner of the barn with a good bed, 
nibbed dry with cloths and left quiet, until 
the cow’s milk appears. This will lie in a few 
hours. The cow should lie fastened at once 
and given a mess of warm bran slop with a 
handful of salt in it. The after-birth should 
be taken away as soon as it is dropped, and 
buried. It may be thought natural that the 
cow should lick the filth from the calf aud de¬ 
vour the after birth, but it is not clean, and 
the cow is uot a natural animal and does not 
require this kind of food or medicine. It. is 
better for her that these should be provided in 
other ways. The cow should be fed lightly 
ter a week; hay, a few turnips or carrots cut 
into slices and a daily bran maeh are all she 
should have for that time. After that her 
regular feeding may begin as follows; Cut 
hay moistened with water from a well—and 
not ice-cold by any means—should be the 
basis; to this may be added two quarts of 
mixed corn meal, and coarse middlings, with 
a good deal of bran in it, may be added to the 
moist hay, along with a small handful of salt, 
a bushel basket of this may be given morning 
and evening, with dry, loose bay at noon. A 
bushel of cut hay weighs live pounds. The 
noon feed may also be five pounds. 1 his 
makes altogether 15 pounds of ha}' and about 
five pounds of the feed, which is a reasonable 
allowance. There are cows which will pay 
for more feed than this. Some will pay well 
for 10 pounds of feed a day in the extra butter 
made. This is to be tried by experiment, aud 
every owner of a cow should know precisely 
what is the precise, profitable and safe point 
for feeding. The milk should be drawn from 
the cow as soon as it comes into theudder and 
given at once to the calf. To make the calf 
feed, dip the fingers iu the warm milk and 
put them in the calf’s mouth: coax its head 
down to the pail which is held up as much as 
possible and keep two Bugera a little apart in 
the calf s mouth. The young thing will soon 
suck up the milk quite readily, and iu a few 
days will drink it without the fingers. Give 
the calf three quarts at a feed, twice a day for 
the first five days. Afterwards gradually 
wean it from the new milk by adding warm 
skimmed milk until in a week it takes all 
skimmed milk and eight quarts a day of it. 
This is enough up to oue month, when it will 
begin to pick a little fine hay. When two 
months old it will take a spoonful of the 
ground food, and every day it may get about 
one ounce of it with benefit. This allowance 
may be gradually increased until, when six 
months old, it gets a pint. The calf should be 
kept, tied up aud brushed and handled regu¬ 
larly, as the cows are, and will thus be made 
quite gentle and docile. A calf thus reared 
will make a good cow that will be free from 
vices and tricks, will not hold up her milk or 
kick, or give any other trouble. And with 
this care the cow and calf will do well aud be 
free from all the troubles which are so much 
complained of. 
THORN IN HORSE'S FOOT. 
A Subscriber, Fountain Green, III .—My 
eight-year-old mare stepped into a pile of 
hedge brush about a mouth ago. About four 
days afterwards I noticed a swelling directly 
over the point of the hock. Upon examining 
it, I found three punctures, oue of which con¬ 
tained a thorn which I removed. 1 could find 
no more t.horas, and do not know whether 
any remained or not. The swelling seemed 
soft as though serum or pus might have col¬ 
lected. T had it opened, but it discharged 
nothing but blood. I have used gargling oil 
quite freely, but the swelling does not de¬ 
crease. She is not lame, though the joint 
seems a trifle stiff wheu stepping up or down. 
The swelling is confined to a space oi three 
inches immediately over and around the 
point of the hock. Will it be apt to result 
seriously, and what treatment would the 
Rural advise f 
Ans.—I t is extremely probuble that a thorn 
is imbedded in the leg at the point of the in¬ 
jury. No cure can be had until it is removed, 
uuless it, becomes erratic and makes its way 
through the muscles, as a needle would do. and 
appears at some other point Ju the mean¬ 
time it, will cause more or less inconvenience. 
The only thing that cau be done is to ha\e 
the wound searched by a careful veterinary 
surgeon, ami if a thorn is imbedded In tin- 
leg to have it removed. Stimulating embro¬ 
cations, as gargling oil, are not advisable in 
Mds case which calls for poultices and sooth¬ 
ing applications, it might do good to apply 
linseed meal and bran—equally mixed—poul¬ 
tices, and this must be done any how before the 
supposed thorn cau be looked for. The poul¬ 
tice will favor suppuration, and if a thorn is 
there if may come out. The horse should rest 
meanwhile. 
GROWING BEANS: PLANTING A PEAR ORCHARD, 
ETC. 
A. H. II., Bat/ville, I ml— 1. Would thin laud 
fertilized at the rate of 200 pouuds of com¬ 
mercial fertilizer per acre produce as heavy a 
crop of beans as laud naturally rich! 2. In 
planting a pear orchard, would it be well to 
plant standards 20 feet apart both ways, with 
a row of dwarfs betweeu each row of - s,a " 
