242 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
APRIL II 
pomoiogicnl 
MORE OF THE MACOMBER PEARS. 
We give, this week, engravings of some of 
the other seedling pears raised by Mr. Benj 
Maeomber, of Grand Isle, Vt. The Refresh¬ 
ing is a chance seedling; the tree isa vigorous, 
and upright grower and tall It is hardy in 
Northern Vermont; but Mr. Maeomber does 
not think it an iron-clad. It is a good and 
regular bearer. The fruit is shown in Fig. 133, 
Pear Refreshing. (From Nature.) Fig. 133. 
and a cross section at Fig. 134. It is rather 
below medium in size; skin very smooth, 
rather thick, of a bright, golden yellow color. 
Stem stout, an inch long, and planted in a 
small cavity; flesh whitish, juicy, meltingand 
swi et; quality, very good. Dr Hoskins says 
he regards this as a very valuable pear. 
The Grand Isle is another of the Maeomber 
seedlings, the parentage of which is entirely 
unknown. Tree a vigorous, upright, some¬ 
what spreading grower, and quite stout. It 
is a good and regular annual bearer, but bears 
more abundantly on alternate years. At Fig. 
135 we show the fruit, and a cross-section at 
Fig. 136 Stem short and stout, standing on 
the side of the apex. Skin smooth, and of 
bright straw color, covered irregularly with 
many small russet dots. Flesh whitish, juicy, 
melting, sweet, and slighlly vinous; quality 
very good. Season last half of September 
and October. 
-- 
TOMAHAWKING APPLE. 
Being familiar with this Western apple in 
my father’s orchard, when a boy in Ohio. I 
was aware that it was a heavy cropper. The 
fruit is smooth and of immense 6ize, 75 some¬ 
times filling a barrel. The tree is hardy and 
vigorous; but I had the impression thefiuit 
was of very poor quality. 1 came across it 
again in Ohio this Winter, but from such re¬ 
newed acquaintance 1 came to the conclusion 
that it possesses one important feature that 
makes it more valuable than other varieties. 
I refer to itg comparative freedom from 
Pear Refreshing. Half Section. Fig. 184. 
marks made by insects. There were little, 
hard spots in the pulp where the skin had 
been punctured; but they were generally 
mere specks, the skin growing entirely over 
them, leaving no cicatrix, as may be seen in 
all other varieties. 1 find the fruit now, in 
March, good, not as high flavored as the Spy 
or Greening, but really inviting and accept¬ 
able, because of its comparative freedom from 
insect injuries. d. s. marvin, 
[Is not this Fallawater or Tulpehocken ?—Eds.) 
-m- 
THE BEST APPLE. 
In my estimation the Grimes’s Golden for 
quality is the best apple grown for eating. 
The tree is not considered hardy; but the 
trees have grown for eight years in my gar¬ 
den, and we require hardy trees in this cli¬ 
mate This is the third season that the trees 
have borne. The apples were large an l fine 
last Fall, and just in eating order by the mid¬ 
dle of February. JOHN RUSTICUS. 
Appleton, Wis. 
THE NORTHERN SPV APPLE. 
I see in the Rural of March 14th that the 
Northern Spy Apple is praised highly. With 
us it rots on the tree and is no keeper. 
Middle Haddam, Conn. J. H. c. 
Sljf Sunne-ljcri). 
PIG DISPOSITION. 
COL. F. D CURTIS. 
There is a difference in the dispositions of 
hogs. All hogs are not alike either in temper, 
in physical development, appetite or ability 
to digest food. It is well to know these facts. 
The differences in most of these respects may 
be known by the looks of the animals, their 
expression, form of body and action. Some 
arc nervous and timid, and require very gen¬ 
tle treatment. Some are delicate in structure, 
and this delicacy carries with it a delicate 
appetite. Different breeds represent these 
characteristics quite markedly. The circum¬ 
stances connected with their rearing have a 
decided effect in producing peculiarities in 
pigs, and they are also transmitted in the 
blood. Those of a quiet disposition are always 
preferable, for the obvious reason that it is 
less trouble to take care of them, and they do 
not waste food by useless uneasiness. Some 
hogs are always “hoggish” and ugly. Such 
animals are found in every breed, and should 
be got rid of as soon as possible. A fighting 
pig should never be bred, neither is it a good 
idea to raise progeny from one which does not 
manifest an ability to look out for itself. 
Such pigs are too much trouble, as they have 
to be fussed over aud constantly looked after, 
or they will not do well. A successful breeder 
must observe the peculiarities of bis pigs and 
regard them carefully. Some pigs are natur¬ 
ally inclined to be constipated, and will make 
poor stock auimals, as the progeny will inherit 
these peculiarities and be subject to piles and 
kindred disorders. Some pigs are quick to 
perceive things and ways, and others are 
stupid and contrary. Some are wilder and 
more unmanageable than others. All these 
differences can be distinguished, and maybe 
noticed by an observing breeder, who has 
enough enthusiasm and interest in the business 
to take the trouble. 
I imagine I can always select a sow pig which 
will make a good breeder by a sort of mother¬ 
ly appearance which she evinces even when 
quite young. There is a great deal in the 
physiognomy of a pig. This is not an msthe- 
tical idea, but a clear cut, practical one. The 
breeders should be selected ou account of 
brains as w'eil as body. An intelligent 
pig is worth more than a mild or stupid one. 
These characteristics are manifested in these 
ways—to wit: A wild sow will trample on 
her young, and, when nursing, spring up at 
every little noise. A stupid one, lacking 
sense, will delinerately lie down on them, and 
stay there, and smother or crush them; while 
a gentle and intelligent mother will put her 
pigs in a bunch with her snout, before lying 
down, and she will get down to them so slow- 
y and carefully that she will never hurt one. 
If one squeals she is on the alert, to know 
the cause and how to relieve it. I have seen 
sows exhibit a sagacity and care with tbeir 
young which were almost human. When a 
sow possesses these characteristics, she should 
be kept as long as possible: for such a one is 
not only a comfort, but very valuable. She 
may be kept as a profitable breeder till eight 
or 10 y ears of age; the profit from her depend¬ 
ing not altogether upon her ago, but upon the 
condition of her teeth for the mastication of 
food. If fed ground food she will do well 
several years longer than upon whole grain. 
The growth of the tusks in an old hog will 
often keep the grinders apart, so that they 
cannot masticate grain. When this is the 
case, they should be sawed off close to the jaw 
bone. An old sow always knows more than a 
youug one, and if her education is good, this 
fact may be turned to good account; if bad, 
the sooner she is got rid of the better. A bad 
example should be avoided among pigs as well 
as among people. 
STRAY FEATHERS FROM MY POUL¬ 
TRY YARD. 
I am glad the Winter is over and gone. In 
the last two or three days there has been a de¬ 
lightful suggestion of Spring, that has made 
me feel young and happy, and has had a sim¬ 
ilar effect upon the denizens of the poultry- 
yard. Only this morning, I saw two or three 
venerable old dames—kept out of regard for 
their antiquity—trimming up their aged 
feathers and singing like giddy, young 
pullets. 
Poultry are very susceptible to unpleasant 
weather, and the past Winter, with its many 
sudden changes and severe storms, was very 
trying to the hen constitution. Probably it 
does not matter much to those favored fowls 
that are kept in heated houses, but mine are 
not so treated. Attached to each house is a 
small yard roofed over, where the hens are 
confined when snow is on the ground, and in 
stormy weather. At all other times, they 
range the farm at will; the exercise seems to 
agree with them, and their animal heat is 
kept up with a liberal supply of carbonaceous 
food They have a warm breakfast early in 
the morning, oats or wheat screenings at noon, 
and at night all the whole corn they cau eat. 
They have plenty of luke-warm water to drink, 
crushed oyster shells are always on hand, 
there is no end of cleanliness, and a glance at 
my book shows a good yield of eggs since the 
first of January, and another glance at the 
“egg-money box” in a corner of my bureau 
drawer shows a snug little sum laid aside in 
furtherance of some cherished plan. 
But aside from the pecuniary profit derived 
from diligently caring for my feathered pets, 
I love to watch them and study the different 
traits and dispositions they exhibit from the 
great, soft, downy Light Brahmas I can pick 
up and bug in my arms; the practical Plymouth 
Rocks that remind one of portly, handsome 
matrons;the dainty White Leghorns, coquett- 
ishly tossing aside their drooping combs as 
they take their quick, jaunty steps about the 
yard, to the sensible old yellow hen one always 
sees in every flock of mixed fowls, always 
ready to sit when wanted and make herself 
generally useful. 
My experience is that the Plymouth Rocks 
and While Leghorns are better winter layers 
than the Light Brahmas. The Editor’s ac¬ 
count of the Wyaudottes on the Rural Farm 
has made me long to add them to my feathered 
family, and I hope to do so iu the near future. 
1 have twenty early chicks and a dozen hens 
sitting. 1 have always been afraid to try any 
incubator, but the one Eve must have used, 
and have trouble enough with that sometimes 
MARY MARTIN COLES. 
CROSS OF WYANDOTTES AND PLYMOUTH 
ROCKS. 
Haviog noticed in a recent issue of the 
Rural New-Yorker that the editors pro¬ 
pose td cross the Wyandottes and Plymouth 
Rocks, I will give the result of the same ex¬ 
periment made last season. The cockerels 
from the cross were Plymouth Rocks, colored, 
some of them as finely marked, as pure-bred 
Plymouth Rocks, others having rose combs. 
Of the pullets, about two thirds were black; 
the remainder black with tracings of white or 
straw color io the head aud neck feathers, 
none having the lacing that gives the Wyan¬ 
dottes their showy appearance. Some have 
rose combs, others single; some have golden 
yellow legs, while those of others are bluish 
colored. All are excellent table fowls, and the 
best of winter layers. H. a. r. 
Pittsfield, Mass. 
WYANDOTTES. 
The Rural is on the right track in com¬ 
mending the Wyandottes as a general purpose 
fowl. This is my second season with this 
breed, and I am greatly pleased with them. 
They are the best layers 1 know of, all things 
considered. Am trying a cross with the Ply¬ 
mouth Rocks. a. E. G. 
Greeley, Colorado. 
farm topics. 
IS MR. HENDERSON RIGHT? 
The criticism made by T Mr. Peter Hender¬ 
son upon Dr. Sturtevant’s experiment iu po¬ 
tatoes, which gave the best results from seed 
pit ces taken from the most productive bills, 
(quoted iu the Rural, ou page 151,) seems to 
deuy, by inference, two propositions, which, 
so far as I know, are universally admitted as 
facts. If Mr. Henderson believes that there 
is no such thing as degeneration of any flower, 
fruit or vegetable that is raised from cuttings, 
grafts or roots, be must deny that varieties 
of the potato degenerate; in other words, ho 
believes that on this subject the well-nigh 
universal opinion of practical farmers is 
wrODg. The Rural is not large enough to 
contain the evidence that varieties of the po¬ 
tato do degenerate iu productiveness under the 
present systems of culture. I ask the potato- 
growers of our country, is Mr. H. right? 
Again, if Mr. Henderson believes that there 
can be neither degeneration nor improvement 
in plants raised from cuttings, he seems to 
deny the possibility of what is known as “bud 
variation.” All bud variation is practically 
either improvement or degeneration. Heie 
again, we have not room to array the evidence 
in contradiction to such an opinion. If Mr. 
Henderson sees fit to deny propositions which 
have never before been denied, he must prove 
his position, or his ground is untenable. 
Mr. Hendersi n states, further, that the rea- 
Pear Grand Isle. (From Nature.) Fig. 135. 
son for the greater or lessyield “was probably 
only an accident of circumstances which gave 
a temporary advantage.” To assume that 
the concordant results of seven carefully con¬ 
ducted experiments, out of nine, are due to 
“accident,” simply because they do uot prove 
a pet theory, is entirely contrary to the spirit 
of an experiment station. If we know a thing 
already, what is the use of experimenting 
upon it? If the results of seven out of nine 
carefully conducted experiments are contrary 
to a theory, we must abandoa the theory, at 
least until equally carefully conducted experi¬ 
ments give results conflrmiDg it. 
Elmira, N. Y. hortus. 
[Remarks. —This is a question that can not 
be talked to a conclusion.— Eds.] 
£l)f dpimriniT 
SPRING MANAGEMENT OF BEES. 
C. M. GOODSPEED. 
Bees that are in cellars or winter repositor¬ 
ies will need to be looked to when the first 
really warm days come, and if there are any 
that have spotted tbeir hives much or appear 
to be very restless, they should be carefully 
Pear Grand Isle. Half Section. Fig. 136. 
removed ;tbe rest being disturbed as little as 
possible), in the middle of the day to their 
summer stands or some convenient place 
where the snow i9 all goue, and let them have 
a good cleansing flight, and then return them 
to their winter-quarters before nightfall. 
Select a day for this when tho sun shines and 
the mercury is above 50; neither should the 
wiud blow very hard. 
These colonies will always lie fouud rearing 
brood heavily, and the extra consumption of 
houey and pollen makes this flight necessary, 
and, if tho weather will admit, give them 
another flight in about ten days; but let all 
colonies that are reasonably quiet severely 
alone by all means; as disturbing will cause 
