856 
DEC 2© 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER.' 
and although the price of pork is low, yet 
fanners are pushing their hogs ns fast as pos¬ 
sible. Winter wheat looks first-rate, consider¬ 
ing the late sowing. We have had several 
hard freezes, but the weather has so far been 
very good. N. J. s. 
Pennsylvania. 
Benwick, Columbia Co., Dec 7.— Spring 
was cold and backward; Summer cool, dry 
and unfavorable for all kinds of farm pro¬ 
duce except hay. Dali favorable for all kinds 
of work. Wheat was got in, in good condition, 
and is looking well, and all other farm work 
was got along with nicely. Wheat was an 
average crop; rye about the same; corn the 
poorest crop for 20 years or more: oats about 
an average. i. s. 
Wisconsin. 
Freedom, Outagamie Co., Dec. 10.—Spring 
wheat is oar best crop this year, yielding from 
15 to 25 bushele per acre. Oats and barley 
were barely average crops. Winter wheat 
and rye about an average. Corn almost a 
total failure from cold, wet and frost. Pota¬ 
toes very good. Of fruit but little was grown 
this year. Fanners have to buy feed to 
fatten their hogs. There has been much anxi¬ 
ety to sell pork, consequently prices have 
been down to four-and-one-balf to five cents 
for dressed pork. Now it is up to about six 
cents per pound. Wheat is selling at. 90 cents 
to $1; oats, 35 cents; barley, 50 cents; old 
corn is selling to the farmers at 70 cents per 
bushel. Potatoes about 50 cents. Stock is 
looking well, aud bay is plentiful. Butter is 
selling at 25 cents per pound. Eggs 25 cents 
per dozen. We have had a fine Fall, and 
farmers have their Fall plowing and other 
work well done. We have had uo Winter to 
speak of yet The Irost is out of the ground, 
and the roads are very muddy. E. N. 
Ketcham, Fond du Lac Co.—The Shoe-peg 
Corn tried to look over the moon, and got so 
high up it could not get down to ear, so, no 
corn. The wheat was sowed six months too 
late for this climate. The Blush did not 
bloom. The grape seed did not come to time. 
But I am gaining in experience. Shall try 
again,if the Rural furnishes the seeds. H. D. P. 
[Yes. We like to encourage those who 
are willing to fight so bravely against misfor¬ 
tune.— Eds.] 
- 4 -*-*- 
RURAL SEED REPORTS. 
Canada. 
Uxbridge, Ont.—My Blush Potato weighed 
two ounces, and was planted in three hills, 
three sets to each hill. Yield 80 tubers of 
fine quality and good size, weighing 17% 
pounds. Had I planted the sets in nine hills, 
the yield would have been much greater. My 
Centennial Wheat was a total failure. The 
Mammoth Corn grew well till it reached the 
hight of 10 feet. Had the frost kept off three 
weeks longer, it would have got ripe. The 
Garden Treasures did finely. E. p. 
Three Rivers, Ont.—The Rural’s flowers 
were very pretty. My Blush Potato was cut 
into 10 pieces, and plauted in 10 places in a 
row 10 feet long. Yield 78 fine tubers, most 
of which weighed one pound each. I think it 
will answer well in this section. J. S. 
Dakota* 
Crow Lake, Jerauld Co.—The Blush Pota¬ 
to was received in Chicago, placed in a trunk, 
and when I was prepared to plant here, it was 
about the size of a nutmeg and pretty well 
dried up. It was cut into six pieces, and 
planted on June 10 . Five hills grew aud 
yielded in October 24 pounds. The six largest 
weighed eight pounds. s. H. M. 
Now York 
Washington Hollow, Dutchess Co.— I got 
42J^ pounds of Blushes from two very small 
potatoes. I received the first premium at 
Dutchess County Fair for them. They were 
extra-large and handsome. Not plauted in 
the most favorable place, either. b. h. t. 
Peunxy IviuiIh. 
Carpenter. Lycoming Co.—My Blush Po¬ 
tato, weighing two-aud-one-half ounces, was 
cut into 11 pieces and planted alongside of the 
Beauty of Hebron. Ground poor; selected 
purposely to see what the result would be. 
Yield of Blush, twice as great as of Hebron. 
One rotten; think it will be late, not medium. 
The White Elephant rots badly, but yields 
largely; quality good. Hebron does not rot 
at all. Rural Corn too late for this locality. 
D. w. L. 
Wisconsin. 
Freedom, Outagami e Co.—My Blush Pota¬ 
to was planted in ten hills, where a large brush 
heap had been burned, one eye to a hill. 
Yield, 20 pounds of fine, smooth potatoes, 
which I have put away for seed, Shall not 
try them this year. 1 have raised the Beauty 
of Hebron for the main crop this year. It is 
first class. The White Eiephuut yieldsVwell, 
but is not of first quality. My girls think the 
Rural flower seeds a success. I failed to raise 
any plants from the grape seeds. E. N. 
tyt €htmst. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the name 
and address of the writer to insure attention.] 
SPRAIN OF THE BACK TENDON IN A HORSE. 
J. L. D., Berryville, Pa.— My young Ham- 
bletouian horse in training m some way struck 
his left front leg between the knee and pas¬ 
tern. The place swelled, and he became 
slightly lame. Now I can’t say positively 
whether the iujury was due to a strain of the 
tendon, or to bis striking the place with his 
hind foot. 1 took him off the track, removed 
his shoes, aud rubbed the cord with a strong 
liniment, and the lamenessnearl.v disappeared; 
hut on again speeding him the next season 
it reappeared, and since then he has been 
only driven slowly and used in the stud.” 
The cord is still somewhat enlarged, and the 
swelling or enlargement is lower down, close 
to the pastern joint. The place does not seem 
to be sore. Occasionally the horse limps on 
hard pikes, but not often. What ails him, 
and what should be the treatment ? 
Ans.— This is not a spavin. A spavin is in¬ 
flammation of the hock joint and produces 
finally an enlargement of the hone on the in¬ 
side of the joint. This is clearly a case of 
sprain of the back tendon; it is hardly prob¬ 
able that the tendon was struck by the hind 
foot, or the skin would have been cut. It 
would be well to use any active liniment, and 
a boot to support the joint and tendon, aud 
give the horse a prolonged rest, with moder¬ 
ate exercise. It is doubtful if the horse can 
ever be brought up to great speed because of 
this weakness. It might be well to put a shoe 
of thick rubber under the iron shoe to ease 
the concussion when on the road. The pre¬ 
paration mentioned is a good liniment. If it 
blisters, reduce it with sweet oil. 
“ fertilization” of asparagus blooms. 
Remembering a discussion some time ago 
in the Rural in regard to crossing asparagus 
blooms, I transmit the following from Prof. 
Herman Muller, which may be of interest to 
readers of the paper: 
“The asparagus plant supplies an undoubt¬ 
ed instance of the transition stage between 
moncecism and dlOBCism. The flowers of the 
male individuals show distinctly a rudiment 
of a pistil, and those of the female individuals 
show fuuctionless, but still conspicuous rudi- 
mentsof anthers. Occasional reversion to the 
hermaphrodite condition takas place, and then 
in the hermaphrodite flowers the pistil may 
sometimes be seen iu various degrees of abor¬ 
tion. The pendulous, hell-shaped flowers have 
a pleasant scent, and honey is secreted and 
lodged in the base of the corolla. These 
flowers are frequented by insects, especially 
by bees, and the fertilization is thereby 
effected at times.” e. l. sturtevant. 
Geneva, N. Y. 
[We hope that those who opposed the 
Rural’s statement founded upon careful tests, 
experimented for themselves during the past 
season as to whether or not the so-called 
female plant does not (in some cases at least) 
bear perfect flowers. When one marks “ fe¬ 
male” plants that are removed an eighth of a 
mile from male plants aud finds they fruit 
abundantly, he is not going to change his 
belief that they in reality were perfect flowers 
upon the say-so of those who judge of the per. 
fection of the sexual organs merely from 
looking at them.—E d.] 
ANTHRAX FEVER IN CATTLE. 
C. L., Chatham, N. ./.—Some weeks ago a 
neighbor lost five fine cows which died withi u 
10 days after the first attack. Two others 
were lost lately; no one ever gets well after it 
has been stricken. Here are the symptoms: 
The first is a lameness and stiffness of the hind 
legs. Then the beast rapidly grows sick 
stands straining as if trying hard to get rid 
of something internally. This lasts for two 
or three days. Then the animal lies down, 
is unable to get up again, and dies from three 
to five days after the attack. W hat ailed the 
beasts, and what should first have been the 
treatment ? 
Ans.—T he disease is anthrax fever of which 
the prevailing symptoms are the lameness 
and stiffness, obstinate costiveness, great 
weakness aud internal effusions, chiefly in the 
abdomen; after which death intervenes in 
hree or four days. It is a contagious disease, 
but is originally developed by impure air, un¬ 
wholesome food or water, aud by exposure to 
cold by which the vitality is weakened. Its 
fatal character precludes treatment, although 
it is possible that the disease may be warded 
off by immediate treatment upon any suffi¬ 
cient primary indication, as dullness and a 
peculiar, distressed appearance about the eyes: 
24 oz. of Epsom salts may then be given, after 
which 60 drops of nitro-muriatic acid: three 
grains bichromate of potash and two grains 
of chlorate of potash may he given twice a 
day. 
SELECTING A JERSEY BULL, ETC. 
F. S. IF., Lenawee Station, Mich. —1. Will 
the Rural Thoroughbred Flint Corn yield as 
well as the dent varieties on the Rural Farm, 
aud where enu it he had; 2. For the purpose 
of getting up a herd of grade Jerseys, should 
I select the Jersey hull with the broadest es¬ 
cutcheon and the yellowest ear-wax for milk 
and butter, or one with solid color and full 
black points? 3. At what season is the great¬ 
est yield of butter given by cows? 4. Will 
the calves of a cow that leaks her milk be 
likely to do so likewise! 
Ans. —1. The Rural Thoroughbred Flint 
yields well, hut less than dent on the Rural 
Farm. We know of no flint corn that will yield 
more. It is a wonderful corn to sucker. B. K 
Bliss & Sons, of this city, offer it for sale. 2. The 
bull should tie chosen from the record of his 
dam’sside. Escutcheon and ear-wax do not 
necessarily give milking qualities, nor does 
solid color with black points. The main 
thing is to discover the character of his dam 
and his sire’s dam, and judge by that. 3. The 
most butter would probably he given in the 
Summer; hut the Winter batter generally 
gives the most profit, and will always, under 
good management, on account of the higher 
price. 3. It is not likely that the calves of a 
cow that leaks will do the same. 
RUNNING SORE ON HORSE’S HEEL. 
L. H. P., Wolf linn , Fa.—Some time back 
my 11 -year-old mare went lame; then a sore 
broke out on one of her heels. This has con¬ 
tinued to run ever since, there being more or 
less redness of the flesh around it. How 
should it be treated ? 
Ans. This open sore indicates internal dis¬ 
ease of the foot, and may be a needed outlet 
for its products. It will be necessary to treat 
it carefully, lest by healing it on the surface 
another outlet may be formed. The red spots 
are probably proud flesh. It would be well to 
treat the sore as follows:—First apply finely 
powdered sulphate of copper to the red spots, 
until they are removed; then make an oint¬ 
ment as follows: one ounce of pure, clean lard 
and one dram Venice turpentine melted to¬ 
gether; add one dram of spirits of turpentine 
and a dram of finely powdered acetate of cop¬ 
per; stir well until cold; spread on a piece of 
cloth and bind it over the part. This ointment 
is excellent for all sores or wounds. 
MENINGETIS IN SWINE. 
E.C. H., Wesfhitmpton, N. Y — Lately my 
pigshave become weak across the loins and the 
hind legs tremble; they eat well, however. 
How should they he treated; 
Ans. —The cause is probably due to a very 
frequent disorder of the spine in which the 
enveloping membrane of the spinal cord is 
inflamed and subject to effusion. The disease 
is known as meniugetis or inflammation of the 
meninges or spinal membranes. It is very 
common, and is probably hereditary in the 
majority of cases. The treatment is quite 
simple. Apply spirits of turpentine or mus¬ 
tard along the spine and give half a teaspoon- 
ful of chlorate of potash or saltpeter once a 
day. Keep the pigs warm and dry. The 
causes are various—cold, overfee ding, over¬ 
heating and constitutional tendency, all pro¬ 
duce it. 
DIPTHERIA IN A HORSE. 
J. IF. N.. Stowe, Ft.—My horse is troubled 
at times by a difficulty in breathing, which ap¬ 
peal's to be due to phlegm or mucus near the 
top of the wind-pipe. The ailment, is worst 
when a change is made from green to dry 
feed, or the opposite. The attacks last from 
three days to two weeks. The animal coughs 
up pieces of light-gray, jelly-like phlegm. He 
cats well except during the attacks. Some¬ 
times he has to open his mouth wide to breathe. 
What, can he done to cure him* 
ANS.—The disease is diptheria, a rare one 
among horses, in which the false membrane, 
which is so fatal a product of the disease iu 
other auimals, is wanting, and a thickened 
mucus only is present and is coughed up. 
The remedy is to give chlorate of potash in 
two-drachm doses and feed bran mash with a 
pint of linseed in it. 
WILD OATS. 
J. M. />.. Minnesota City, Minn., sends 
specimens of oats for name. 
Ans. —We were uncertain as to these oats> 
md therefore sent them to Prof. Beal of the 
Michigan Agricultural College, who replies as 
Tollows: “ The samples of oats are few and 
much broken up. 1 thiuk they are Avcua I at.ua 
I i. This variety probably came from Southern 
Europe some time ago, but has “run wild” 
u many grain-growiug countries of South 
America, Australia, California and Minne¬ 
sota. It is good for hay. It is supposed to be 
the original of the cultivated oat, A. sativa 
which is said to degenerate into something 
like this. Professor Bookman, of England, 
made some experiments and from A vena fatua 
in a few years he obtained a good quality of 
oats.” 
RHEUMATISM IN A MARE. 
& G. W., Pineville, Mn.—A valuable mare 
o| mine has become stiff apparently in every 
joint of the body. The ailment was first no. 
ticed at the beginning of July and since then 
it has become worse. When she lies down she 
lies on her side and stretches her feet straight 
out. Her appetite is good, hut she is hide¬ 
bound. How should she he treated ? 
Ans. —The trouble is probably rheumatism, 
and seems to be produced by disorder of the 
digestion. Give the horse a pint of linseed 
oil and lepeat the second day after. Then 
give an ounce of cream-of-tartar, one drachm 
of chlorate of potash and one ounce of pow¬ 
dered Peruvian hark daily, with a moderately 
warm brau mash. Continue this for two or 
three weeks. 
STABLE MANURE AND FISH OFFAL. 
W. IF. Waterville, O. —I can get well 
rotted stable manure at 85 cents a load one 
mile away, aud fish offal free 10 miles from 
home; which should I use? 
Ans. Where good rotted stable manure can 
be procured for 35 cents a load w ithin oue 
mile, fish offal 10 miles away would he dear 
at a gift.. With an abundance of stable man¬ 
ure at this price, a farmer need not trouble 
himself about any other fertilizer. Fish offal 
is rich in nitrogen chiefly, and where it can be 
procured for less than $10 a ton dry, or $2 a 
ton wet, it is a cheap and exceedingly valu¬ 
able fertilizer. 
A GOOD HARNESS GREASE. 
J. S. B,, Stanton, la, —What is a good re¬ 
cipe for harness grease ? 
Ans.—A good harness grease is made of 
one ounce of lamp-black worked up into a 
smooth paste with four ounces of castor oil. 
This is then mixed with ft pound of melted tal¬ 
low, and the mixture stirred until cold. The 
hurness is washed with a sponge aud warm 
water and soap, wiped with a dry cloth and 
then rubbed with the above mixture, which 
should be worked into the leather with a 
cloth. To clean the harness properly, it 
should all be taken apart. 
Miscellaneous. 
No address. —1. What is the differ 
ence in color and appearance between the 
Beauty of Hebron and White Elephant Pota¬ 
toes? 2. Is the American Book Store, New 
York, reliable? 3. Is there a breed of horses 
called the Cleveland Bay? If so, who breeds 
them? 4. Is sorghum better than corn for 
feeding cows in Autumn? 5. What is a recipe 
for a transparent cement to mend glass? 6. 
Who owns American Merinos bred for length 
of fiber? 
Ans. —1. The White Elephant is late; the 
Beauty early. The former is larger in every 
way, longer, especially, and the eyes are more 
prominent. The two potatoes In/ parentage 
are, we believe, the same. 2. We know 
nothing to the contrary. 3. There is. Geo. 
E. Brown & Co , Aurora, Ill., are the only 
breeders known to us. It is a very desirable 
horse for carriage or farm use. 4. As it con¬ 
tains more sugar than corn, it is proportion¬ 
ately better fodder; but it requires careful 
curing or it is easily damaged. 5. A trans¬ 
parent cement is made as follows: Take four 
parts by weight of 90 per cent, alcohol, one 
part white shellac, one-eighth part gum mas¬ 
tic and one-half part of sulphuric ether; the 
gums are dissolved iu the ether, and after 
half an hour the alcohol is ndded to the solu¬ 
tion. The broken edges are heated, the cement 
applied with n brush and the edges held 
firmly until cool. 0. Hon. Henry Lauo, Corn¬ 
wall, Vermont. 
K. C. S. t Taylortown, Fa.—1. Is there any 
remedy for hard-milking in a heifer ? 2. How 
can spattering of the milk be avoided? 3. 
Will a cross of Brown Leghorns and Ply¬ 
mouth Rocks make as good broilers for early 
market as the pure Plymouth Rocks? 
Ans.—1 . There Is no practicable remedy for 
a hard-milking cow. The trouble is caused 
by a defect in the teat, the milk ducts being 
too small for the easy passage of the milk. 
It may, however, disappear as the heifer 
grows larger, and by patient, milking, 2. The 
spattering of the milk may he caused either 
by the direction of the orifice of the teat or 
by some scales of skin around It by which the 
current is diverted. In the oue ease the 
milker can easily direct the milk into the pail 
by chauging the inclination of the hand, and 
in the other cose by smoothing the end of the 
teat with a piece of pumice stone. 8, A cross of 
Brown Leghorn and Plymouth Rocks would 
not he as good a chicken for broiling as a pure 
Plymouth Rock; the Leghorn cross reduces 
size and makes dry flesh. 
