884 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
SEPT 5 
acres. Two years ago I started without a 
dollar—ran in debt for team and tools and 
seed: to day I own than all, and am in the 
hopes this year to bank a sum equal to my 
rent. I think I have been quite successful 
when the crops and prices of the past two 
seasous are taken into consideration. Trust¬ 
ing that a few of my “findings” may be of 
interest to my fellow beginners, I send them 
to the Rural. 
I find it folly to buy a horse lame, diseased, 
or very old, at any price. The young farmer 
must work, and he needs a strong, serviceable 
team. 
1 find I do not need the coveted driving 
horse; be is too expensive, so one of my team 
does my driving. 
I find it poor policy to buy a plow or other 
implement hefore thoroughly testing it on my 
own soil. 1 find the bpst phosphate I can get 
—the one without, which all others are useless 
—is thorough preparation of the soil. 
I find that poor crops are more often due 
to poor cultivation than to the seasoD. I find 
it mighty handy always to have something to 
sell—a little silver constantly coming in makes 
my appetite better. Por this reason I devote 
three or four acres to a truck garden. 
1 find that a small handful of wood ashes 
given with feed to horses twice a week, saves 
a host of horse-doctor’s bills. I find that the 
same amount given lo a cow Ihree weeks be¬ 
fore calving, has not failed me, in a herd of 
80, to make them clean well. I find that thor¬ 
oughbreds are more profitable than any 
grades. I find that winter milk which suits 
my customers best, comes from cows fed on 
hay. corn meal, wheat bran and Golden Tank¬ 
ard beets. I find that milk from cows fed ou 
hay, cotton-seed meal and bran, does not suit 
customers in the city. 
I find that 1 am finding out much that I now 
know, that 1 did not know when I began farm¬ 
ing for myself. D. H, 
Auburn, N. Y. 
£idfi Crops. 
ALSIKE. 
The Vermont Watchman, so ably edited 
agriculturally,by our friend and frequent con¬ 
tributor, l^r. Hoskins, asks: “What favor is 
Alsike Clover finding among farmers? It has 
been sown from time to time by some farm¬ 
ers, but, so far as we can judge from observa¬ 
tion, is not now grown to any considerable 
extent. Is this because it does not prove, after 
trial, as profitable as the Red Clover, or is it 
because farmers are somewhat inclined to 
hold to the old and let alone the new?” 
We rise to answer. Alsike has been grown 
as a field crop in Western New York probably 
longer than in any other part of this country. 
It was many years ago introduced into a tract 
of country which had once been a Soft Maple 
and Black Ash swamp, the soil being heavy 
clay with an abundauce of muck mixed in. 
Here it has done lemarkably well, aud many 
of the farmers have made fortunes in raising 
the seed. But neither in that section nor in 
any other part of Western New York is it 
now, nor has it ever been considered a pay¬ 
ing, nor has it been a popular crop, either for 
hay or pasture. Its only merits are that it 
holds to the land, aud does not freeze out so 
readily as Red Clover, being a creeper like 
White Clover: and it will grow and flourish in 
land entirely'too wet for either Red or White 
Clover. Buteven in its best condition, it makes 
only 7 a light hay crop, and after it is cut, 
it makes no after growth worth anything for 
second cutting or tor pasture. The bay which 
it does make is of fair quality, but possesses 
no virtues beyond those of Red Clover, which 
will produce nearly twice as much under the 
same condil Jons, As a pasture plant, it has no 
particular merit, growing vert/ slowly after 
mid-summer and in drought. Asa mauurial 
plant, it is not worthy of being mentioned in 
the same list as Red Clover. We can only 
recommend it to be used at the rate of one 
pound to the acre with other seeds on heavy 
and, to fill in the bottom, something like 
White Clover. It is of no use whatever on 
light sandy or gravelly laud. 
farm (fcononup 
AN EXCELLENT TETHERING DEVICE. 
“Subscriber” asks me iu a late Rural “how 
old my bull is, and how 1 fasten the chain.” 
He is l(i months old, aud has more than his 
usual .share of Jersey “temper;’ aud here is the 
“bully” device by which 1 hold him:—Put a 
lightstrap around tne horns; midway between 
them fasten a spiral spring of just sufficient 
tension to support the weight of the chain or 
rope by which the bull is tethered; on the 
lower end of the spring fasten a ling a size 
larger than the ring in the bull’s nose; have a 
snap on the end of the tether, chain or rope; 
put it through the nose riug and snap it in the 
ring suspended by the spring. Your bull will 
be as secure as a bull can be. The whole thing 
is shown by Pig. 395. W T ben he pulls on the 
chain, the spring gives, and lets the upper 
ring against the nose ring, and the bull stops 
at once. The beauty of this arrangement is, 
that the bull is practically tethered by his 
nose ring without beiug compelled to drag a 
heavy chain or rope by his nose, thereby in 
course of time having his nose drawn out of 
shape. I first used a piece of rubber in place 
of the spring on the strap; it did just as well, 
though it was not so desirable. In the ordin 
ary way of tethering a bull, tbB chain or rope 
is run through the nose riug, aud then fastened 
to the strap arouud the horns; then, when 
the bull facing the tethering pin backs off the 
fulllengtb of the chain, and holds his head 
out, with his face parallel with the ground, 
he pulls directly ou the strap with no strain 
whatever on the nose ring. He will soon 
learn tbis trick, and then one can never feel 
safe. After my bull bad broken bis chain, I 
invented the above, and although it did not 
require a “boss genius” to do it, it certainly is 
the thing for tbe genus bos It is never safe to 
lead a bull without a staff. 
I was glad to see in a late Rural a cut aud 
description of my maul for driving aud pull¬ 
ing up the tetheriug pin for a Jersey bull. 
The more I use it, the better l like it. When 
the ground is very hard it is a difficult matter 
to get up an iron pin 11 inches long d ri von down 
to the bead; but with this maul, by striking 
one or two light blows against the side of tbe 
head of the pin, and then putting the project¬ 
ing iron under the heai, it comes out easily. 
a , L. CROSBY. 
£!)C £ win e-lj.crib 
ADVANTAGES OP PURE BRED BOARS. 
Hoo raisiug is one of the most ready means 
of money making known to the Western 
farmer. Even when the supply is abundant 
and the prices low, a margin of profit is found 
in well kept stock. Such auimals are always 
salable. They are comparatively free from 
disease, and usually bring quDk returns, iu 
cash, for tbe amouuts invested. Moreover, 
every properly managed aud well fed hog 
that leaves the farm leaves it in all the better 
condition for growing rich pastures aud heavy 
crops of grain. Good management in hoe 
raisiug, as in the handling of all other farm 
animals, begins with the selection of good 
breeding stock A good thoroughbred Berk¬ 
shire boar will greatly improve any herd of 
common hogs. Almost any farmer can afford 
to buy such a boar at tbe prices now asked. 
In fact, I do not see how any farmer who 
raises hogs can afford not to buy. 
Sangamon Co,, 111 pbil thujfton. 
&1 }t Viirajarth 
..-T y 
VINEYARD NOTES FROM KEUKA. 
The numerous grape-growers’ associations 
in our vicinity have done much within the 
last year to awaken interest and spread in¬ 
formation on the subject of grape culture. 
There are no less thun six different grape- 
growers’ associations iu tins section. 
I am now able to report an encouragiug out¬ 
look for tbe prospective grape crop. Cuttings 
set in the Spring, have made a fine growth; 
and except where they were injured, or have 
been allowed to overbear in other years, tbe 
old vines of all kinds are iu good condition. 
The foliage is exceptionally healthy and 
heavy, the grapes are of nearly full size, and 
appearances indicate a fuir crop. Mildew has 
not appeared to any great extent. The 
Catawba vineyards are the most highly prized 
of any in our section. Within short distances 
from the lake—80 to 100 rods—this grape can 
be perfectly ripened, and tbe large, showy 
clusters of fruit acquire here a flavor not sur¬ 
passed by those grown anywhere in the 
Northern States. It was feared, early in the 
season, that the loug, severe Winter had 
killed or weakened the fruit buds of the 
Catawbas, and that an unusually small crop 
would be the result; rnauy vineyards will 
produce nearly a full crop, while those less 
favorably located, or too highly manured, 
have suffered considerably, aud will produce 
but small crops. In vineyards where the 
Delawares are productive (and they are not 
in all soils) along the lake, they are very 
profitable. Very fine Concords, too, are 
raised near tbe lake on soil adapted to them; 
but people have found out, unfortunately, 
that Concords will grow almost anywhere, 
and inferior fruit of this variety is raised 
iu immense quantities. This, reaching the 
markets at the same time as tbe superior kiuds, 
always damages the sale of the latter. It is a 
popular delusion that all grapes of the same 
variety are the same; but the fact is that 
there is as much difference in the quality of 
Concords raised within a mile of each other, 
as there is between a Hubbard Squash and a 
pumpkin, and the same might be said of other 
varieties. “fannie Farmer.” 
Yates Co., N. Y. 
- ♦ ♦ « - 
THE JEFFERSON AND VERGENNKS GRAPES. 
Several vines of Jefferson are in fruit here 
now. In one situation about half of the fruit 
rotted; in another there was very little rot. 
A few bunches produced last year showed no 
rot. This season has been very unfavorable. 
Vine a good grower and quite healthy; a 
moderate bearer. Fruit of medium size and 
best quality. Skin thin, and cracks in wet 
weather. Ripens a week later than Concord. 
Bunches large and loose. I consider it the 
best variety for home use. 
Vergenues—a good-sized vine—bore very 
little fruit, and that has nearly all rotted. It 
is later than Jefferson in ripening. Vine 
healthy and vigorous; but not worth planting. 
For tbe sake of comparison, vines of Salem, 
Barry, Wilder, and Goethe all fail here from 
mildew. J. 8. B. 
Fayetteville, N. C. 
<l\)t Bflluralist. 
FASHIONABLE MONSTROSITIES. 
Nothing within man’s control is so easily 
and widely influenced by crossing and selec¬ 
tion as is the pigeon. So susceptible is it to 
this influence that Darwin is constantly citing 
it in his works ou the variation of plants aud 
animals. And truth compels us to add that 
in nothing has utility been so completely 
sacrificed to fashion, or has fancy so thorough 
ly ruu away with reason as in many of the 
types of these birds which have from time to 
time been produced. Some are no larger than 
good-sized canaries, others are all tail Some 
are finely shaped and graceful birds, and others 
are monstrosities by reason of tbe extreme 
development or suppression of some part of 
their form. For the purpose of showing to 
what extremes the whims of the breeders 
have succeeded in carrying these birds, we 
this week make room for two cuts, which we 
reproduce from the London Live Stock 
Journal. 
Fig 391 (page. 595),portrait of a Black Mottled 
Trumpeter, the property of the Messrs. Smyth 
of Ireland, which, wheu shown, was three 
years old, aud wou first prize aud silver cup 
at the Cbrystal Palace Show last year. As 
will be seen, the head is nearly all bred away, 
and what little remalus is nearly all ebauged 
to feathers. The wings are heavily feathered, 
and the legs so densely covered as to com¬ 
pletely hide the feet. At Fig. 393 we show a 
worse moustrosity in the shape of a Blue 
Pouter, which was also showu at the Cbrystal 
Palace, and also won a Bilver cup. He was 
“much admired, because he particularly 7 ex¬ 
celled in the points which constitute the 
excellence of tbe pouter.” It was further 
stated that “the length of the first joiut o( his 
limits, his distinctly-defined crop, which is un¬ 
usually well-shaped, his slender girth, * * * 
and grand carriage, all stamp him as atypical 
bird of his breed.” What folly—a bird all 
legs, wings and crop held up as a model! W by 
there is not meat enough on such u bird to 
even tempt a hawk; and yet the owners re¬ 
fused to sell this bird and its mate when 
offered five pounds for them. Is it not strange 
what fancy and fashion will do! 
Bomb New Strawberries.— W. J. Green, 
in the Philadelphia Press, says of strawberries 
at the Ohio Experiment Station:—Prince of 
Berries lacks productiveness; Mrs. Garfield 
lacks vigor; its shape coudemus the Atlantic; 
tbe Bidwell lacks uniformity of size; Corne¬ 
lia has many good qualities, but the plants 
have too little vigor; Daniel Boone has too 
short a season: Charles Downing is profitable 
except where rust attacks the foliage; Cres¬ 
cent leads as a profitable market sort; Jersey 7 
Queen has merits enough to retaiu it on the 
standard list; James Vick is worthless; Jewell 
is very 7 vigorous and promising, and if the 
fruit aud fruiting fulfill the promise of the 
foliage, it will be a “jewel” indeed. With us 
and wherever we have seen it, its fruitfulness 
is fully in proportion to its vigor. We think 
the Jewell has come to stay. 
Russian Apricots.— Dr. Hoskius, in the 
Vermont Watchman, says that while his Rus¬ 
sian Apricot trees were more or less injured 
by last Winter, he thinks they will prove har- 
dy in ordinary Winters, and that they offer 
the only chance tor Vermont fruit raisers to 
grow anything of a peach nature. He warns 
his readers that there are many varieties, 
some of which are worthless, and that people 
should be careful about buyiug everything 
offered, as most of them are seedliogs anil 
liable to be of little value. He thinks the best 
kinds should be propagated by budding, and 
that tbe choicest of them will be worth try¬ 
ing extensively in Vermont and other cold 
countries. _ 
Handling Potatoes. —The English Farm 
and Home contains a column of advice on 
this subject. The potato crop is of immense 
importance in Eugland, und great importance 
is attached to all the details of its manage¬ 
ment. The paper states that the greatest 
mistake in handling potatoes is that of dig¬ 
ging them in wet weather A wet potato will 
not turu out well In heavy land the soil will 
not fall away from the tubers unless they are 
perfectly dry. Dirty potatoes do not dry 
easily, aud unless the dirt is rubbed off them 
before storing, it is almost impossible to de¬ 
tect blemishes or dnoised spots: consequently 
bad potatoes ure frequently stored with good 
ones, causing decay. Dig as many as possible 
during the forenoou. Spread them out as' 
far as possible. Collect iu the afternoon, and,, 
if possible, get them under cover in a shed or 
store house, where they can be spread out to 
dry. In field cultivation the plow is often 
used in digging, but in smaller patches the 
the fork gives bestsatisfaction. Push the fork 
in behind each hill, and then throw the whole 
forward; take hold of the vines aud shake 1 
the tubers away. Sort out the small and 1 
badly shaped tubers on the ground. Keep 1 
them away from the large aud smooth ones. 
Potatoes should never he put into their win¬ 
ter quarters until they are thoroughly dry. Iu 
England they are dried in open sheds, and 
afterwards stored in dark places where light 
aud air are admitted only iu small quantities. 
The drying should be quickly done, for a loug 
stand in the light will injure the color and 
flavor. _ 
Increase of Strength in Timber by Sea¬ 
soning, etc —It is stated as a curious fact,by 
a writer in the Building News, that one of the 
properties specially conducive to durability 7 in 
timber is itsodoriferousness—woods which ai’e 
of this character being the nio3t durable. 
The same authority states that the increase in 
strength due lo seasoning in dilTi-reut woods is 
as follows: White pine, 9 per cent.; elm, 12.8 
per cent.; oak, 20.fi per cent.; ash, 44 7 per 
cent.; beech, 01 9 per cent. The comparative 
value of different woods, iu respect to crush¬ 
ing strength und stiffuess, Is thus shown: 
Teak, 0 555; English oak, 4.074; ash, 3.571; 
elm, 3,408; beech, 3,079: mahogany, 2,571; 
spruce, 2,532; yellow pine, 2.193; sycamore, 
1.833 ; cedar, 70U Regarding the relative 
degree of hardness, shellharb hickory stands 
highest, and. calling that 100. white oak is 84; 
white ash, 77: dogwood, 75; white hazel, 72; 
apple, 70; rod oak, 09; beech, 65; black wal¬ 
nut, 05; yellow oak, 00; white elm, 58; hard 
maple, 50; white cedar, 50; yellow pine, 54. 
Irouwood, hornbeam, almond, hard beech, 
teak, aud thorn are of notable hardness, and, 
of course, very serviceable where that quality 
is essential 
Dairying vs. Grain growing.— A banker 
at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, says that so loug as 
Iowa farmers stuck to grain-raising they were 
alwuys “hard up” for money, aud he could 
not find enough to loan them; but siuce they 
have gone iuto dairying they have become 
prosperous, ami are to day lodepeu leut, and 
most of them with good bank accounts. Aud 
yet the courts seem determined to annihilate 
all this prosperity by wantonly sweeping 
away all laws, enacted to prevent f he whole¬ 
sale manufacture of bogus dairy products out 
of the worst kind of soap grease. Verily such 
judges should never again be allowed to eat 
butter as l'ragraut as tl/e meadow violet or 
with the llavor of the clover blossom. They 
should be confined to the use of the vile decoc- 
