285 
SUPPLEMENT T© THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
mal’that remotely may have had a cross from 
some animal not recorded. An animal fifteen- 
sixteenths was considered a full-blood. Rut 
at the meeting of American breeders in 1872, 
at Indianapolis,'thorough bred, pure-bred and 
full-blood were defined as synonymous terms. 
X. C. S., Rome, X. Y. —1. What is the best 
way to utilize the carcasses of "deaconed” 
calves? 2. What is the manurial value of a 
carcass weighing 100 pounds? 
Anb.— 1. The carcass can be cut into pieces 
and mixed with layers of fermenting manure, 
the whole pile being sprinkled with plaster 
or lightly covered with loam to catch any 
disagreeable odor. In two months, fork the 
pile over and add a little manure, if necessary, 
to again start fermentation. This will reduce 
the entire carcass and make a valuable com¬ 
post. 2. Very little (25 cents) besides the 
trouble of composting. 
J T. A'.. Hickory, Md.— My peach trees, 
three or four years old, have grown well and 
look nice; but, on examination, I find a num¬ 
ber with the bark at, and under, the ground 
quite dead. The orchard has been cultivated 
in corn and potatoes; what is the cause and a 
preventive? 
A NS.—AVe think the trouble comes from the 
freezing and thawing of water that has been 
held about the trunks by the frozen ground. 
If your trees had been banked with earth last 
Fall, we are quite confident there would have 
been no loss from this cause. 
H. M. R., ChcUeaugay, If. Y .—Will a silo 
made of two-inch plank, put as close together 
as possible, be sufflcdently tight, or must it be 
double-boarded with tarred paper between? 
Ans—I f the planks are entirely sound and 
well seasoned, and if they were put together 
with grooves and tongued, and the joints well 
coated with hot coal tar or pitch, the one 
thickness would do. The main thing in con¬ 
structing a silo is to have it entirely air¬ 
tight, aud it matters little how it is made so 
long as this is secured. 
TF. C. Q., Mentor, Ohio. —1. Will it do to 
compost offal from the fisheries with apple 
pomace? 2. Is the fish offal worth hauling six 
miles? 
Axs.—1. Apple pomace has but little ma¬ 
nurial value, but when on a farm, we would 
recommend piling it loosely so as to induce 
active fermentation and decay, so as to de¬ 
compose the acid. It might then be used in a 
compost with fish offal to good advantage. 
Till that time we should prefer muck or stable 
manure. 2. We think it would pay for the 
drawing. 
E. P. J, Vernon, Vt. —1. Whose make of 
wind engine is used on the farm building 
shown in the Rural of March 28, and is it 
the best? 2. How are the water tank and 
pipes protected from the cold ? 3 Was that 
trial of wind engines held last Fall at the 
Pennsylvania State fair? 
Ass.—1. The engine is a turbine, made by 
Mast, Foos & Co.; it has been up some time; 
and though it has given good satisfaction 
we would not like to say it is the best. 2. 
Bee In last week’s Rural. 3. We do not 
know. We think it was abandoned. 
W. A. It. Watertown , N. Y .—If a given 
amount of meal will make a pound of butter, 
how much meat will it make? 
Ans.— Unfortunately, the science of agri¬ 
culture is not yet reduced to a simple propo¬ 
sition iu proportion. In the first place, the 
given amount of meul to make a pound of 
butter is by no means a fixed quantity, as it 
all depends upon the animal, her surround¬ 
ings, aud the care of the milk. The same may 
be said as to meat production In a general 
way, it is "guessed” that about three pounds 
of meat can be made to one pound of butter. 
E B H, Charleston, S. O ,—How can cut 
flowers be kept fresh for several days? 
Ans. —Place the (lowers in a damp, cool, 
dark cellar or in a refrigerator on ice. 
T. W S Concordville , Pa .—The selection 
of grapes given by practical and experienced 
men iu a late Rural, is of inestimable vulue 
to all lovers of this favorite fruit, why caunot 
we have an election of apples and pears also? 
Ans.— We gave a full selection for every 
S ate in the Union, iu the Rural of March 
I, 1882, covering over two pages of names of 
varieties alone. 
M. P. C„ Scranton, Pa .—Would the Rural 
advise the use of wood ashes in combination 
with Mapes potato manure for potatoes? If 
so, what proportion, and if mired before using, 
would there bo any loss by chemical action. 2. 
How would the above do for strawberries? 
Ans.— 1. Maps* potato manure is designed 
to have a proper proportion of potash for 
most soils I( might on some soils be good to 
use more ashes, ou others to use more bone. 
There would be no loss by mixing. 2. For 
strawberries, add 25 bushels of wood ashes 
per acre. 
J. J.,Parkdale,Out.,Can .—Strawberries are 
planted iu hills 18 inches apart, fourrowsiua 
bed, makiag the beds six feet wide with’two 
feet between the beds. Where land is scarce 
would it be advisable to plant raspberries in 
this two-foot space, making the raspberry 
rows eight feet apart? 
Ans. —No; the raspberries would shade the 
strawberries, and send up suckers every¬ 
where. 
H. T. D ., Address mislaid .— 1. How much 
spring wheat should be sown per acre? 2. 
Should more or less be sown when a drought 
is expected, and why? 
Ans.— 1 Much depends upon the richness of 
the land—from 1>^ to 2% bushels; the richer 
the land, the less seed. 2 We should say less, 
because the yield depends much upon the 
moisture to furnish food for the plants, all of 
which is taken in a liquid form. If you had a 
pasture with only a limited amount of water, 
you would not put od more stock than the 
water would supply. 
M. M., Puerto Plato, San Domingo. —1. 
What is a good way to kill ants that make 
their nests at the roots of my roses, which they 
kill by drying up the soil around them?2. What 
is the best way to keep dahlias after they have 
borne flowers and died? 
Ans.— 1. A small amount of wood ashes, 
lime, kerosene emulsion, or a little carbolic 
soap dissolved in water,aud applied to the nest, 
will kill or drive away the ants on a double 
quick. 2. Keep as you would Irish potatoes. 
W. W. A.. Fulton , Kan ,—Would millet 
that had been hot in the bin be safe to use a3 
seed? 
Ans —A slight amount of heating destroys 
the vitality of seed; much the safest method 
would be to dip out a few seeds promiscuously, 
say 100, and test them, by placing them be¬ 
tween a couple of piecesof cloth, which should 
be kept moderately wet and in a warm place. 
The number growing will show you approxi. 
mately the proportion of seeds with sufficient 
vitality to grow. 
.4. T, National City, Cat.— We have some 
nice vines from the Niagara seeds. About 
how long before they will fruit, and how 
should they be treated? 
Ans. —Seedling grapes sometimes (but 
rarely) fruit the third Summer—quite often 
the fourth. Thev should be treated in the 
same way as cuttings—remembering that 
grapes are always produced on the current 
season’s growth from wood, grown the previ¬ 
ous year. 
O. P .. Fair port, N. Y .— 1. Where are the 
buildings shown in Rural of March 28 locat¬ 
ed? 2. How is the water kept from freezing 
in the pipes when the thermometer is below 
zero? 3. Where is Prof. Arnold's residence? 
Ans —1. Four miles northeast from Lock- 
port, N. Y. 2 See in last week’s Rural. 3 
His post office address is Rochester. His 
home is four miles out of the city. 
G C. L ‘Lawton,' Mich —What is the value 
of Pearl Millet for fodder, aud where can the 
seed be obtained by the bushel, and at what 
price ? 
Ans.— It is not valued in any of the Northern 
States, as it grows coarse and woody and 
should he cut before it blooms It can be ob¬ 
tained from any of the seed men whose cat¬ 
alogues are noticed in the Rural; price here 
30 cents a pound. 
F. C. P, Basking Ridge, N. J.—\. When 
should Johnson Grass be sown? What is the 
price per peck or half bushel? 2. Do you con¬ 
sider it as valuable for feeding purposes as 
sound corn? 
Ans. —l. As early as the ground can be put 
in good condition. It is offered by seedsmen 
at 25 cents per pound and $18 per hundred 
pounds. 2. No, but it is very good. 
R. A, H., Osage, Towa .—How shall I apply 
eight barrels of ben manure to the acre ou 
land for corn, potatoes and tobacco? 
Ans. —Make it very tine by laying it on a 
barn floor and pounding it, or by using a sharp 
spade on it in a barrel one-third full; then 
sow it broadcast before the last harrowing, 
aud harrow in. 
R IF., Charlton , Mass — Iu planting pota¬ 
toes on the Rural’s trench plan, can I use 
ground that was iu potatoes last year? I have 
no other available, except iu sod. 
Ans.— Our large yield last year was from 
the fourth successive crop on the same land. It 
makes no differ once when plenty of fertilizer 
is used. 
F. .4. /?., Rising City, Neb .— 1. Who is a 
reliable breeder of Wyandottes near me? 2. 
Is there a potato planter that is a success, oue 
that will drop one piece in a place any dis¬ 
tance apart? 
Axs. — 1. Will some breeders near our 
friend send us their P. O. address for him. 
2 Yes. Send to those who advertise in the 
Rural. 
R. H., Rochester, N. Y .—What is Ivory 
Soap and is it as good as represented? 
Ans.— Ivory Soap is an American Castile 
soap, made of pure cotton-seed oil and soda. 
and is fully as good as the imported Castile 
and does not cost half the money. We have 
thoroughly tested it, and think it fully as good 
as represented. 
D. J. C, Caledonia, N. Y. —1. Who sells 
seeds from potato balls? 2. If different varie¬ 
ties of berries are planted side by side, will 
they "mix?” 3. Which is the most productive 
strawberry? 
Ans.— 1. They are not offered in any cata¬ 
logue. 2 No, except in the seeds for planting. 
3. All things considered and for all places, we 
think the Wilson is still most productive and 
certain. 
H D. G , Millserburg , Pa .—What is the 
difference between a squash and a pumpkin? 
Ans —Botanically they are about cousins, 
being different species of the same genus of 
plants, and the different kinds of squashes are 
different varieties of the same species; the 
same can be said of pumpkins. 
IF. B. T., Round Knot, N. C.— An old or¬ 
chard has been used for years as a corn lot 
and barnyard, what crop would be likely to 
pay best iu it? There are many moles in the 
place. 
Ans —We should choose potatoes. The 
moles will not seriously harm them. 
.7. H. C., Lithopolis, Ohio —1. Radish seed 
raised from roots wintered over, looks 
plumper and better than when grown 
the first year; is it better? 2 Will there be 
any difference in the plants produced from the 
two kinds? 
Ans. —1. Yes, very much. 2. Yes, a great 
difference in favor of those grown from win¬ 
tered roots. It should be grown from no 
others. 
<S. E., Alexandersville, Ohio.—la there a 
practical machine for applying poison to po. 
tato vines? 
Ans —There are several that work by hand 
and one or two have been made to work by 
horse-power, but none have come into general 
use except simple sprinklers or dusters, the first 
of which uses water, the latter dust. 
F. D. Van IF., Fulton, N, Y ,—1 Is Bow- 
ker’s ammoniated bone phosphate good for po¬ 
tatoes? 2. Is Joseph Harris good authority 
ou the matters he treats of in his books? 
Ans —1. Yes; with five bushels of hard wood 
ashes per acre, tip top. 2 Yes. 
J. K Erie Co,, N. Y .—Has the Rural ever 
tried the Acme Harrow, and if so, does it 
like it? 
Ans —We have two and like them very 
much; in fact, we should not like to part with 
them at any price. 
E. P. H., CedarviUe, N. Y. —Where can I 
get the best kind of knitting machines for 
family use? 
Ans.— An excellent one is made by the 
Lamb Knitting Manufacturing Company, 
Chicopee Falls, Mass. 
A. IF. S., PlainviUe, Conn. —How can the 
English horse bean be raised? Will it do well 
in this latitude as a crop for feeding purposes? 
Ans—I t does not seem to thrive in this 
country, and would not pay. Probably the 
climate is too dry and hot. 
M. J. T., Monroe, la. —Is there a "practical” 
milk pail, with a cover? 
Ans —Several—the one with the teat pro¬ 
tectors made by Thatcher & Co., and several 
styles of the funnel pails. 
IF. T. T, Salisbury, X. C. —Who manufac¬ 
tures galvanized wire for grape trellises? 
Ans.—P. Duryee Co.. 215 Greenwich St., 
N. Y., and Win. Cabbies Excelsior Wire 
M’f’g Co., 43 Fulton St., N. Y. 
T. A. P., South Bend, Lid,—Is the Sherwood 
Novelty Harness what it claims to be? 
Ans —Yes. We have used a harness like 
it with satisfactory results, 
J. G., Liberty. O .—Who buys mole skins, 
and what are they worth? 
Ans.— W. H. Fleet, 03 Gold St, New York 
City. They are worth from five to ten cents 
apiece. 
IF. H B , Baltimore, Md ,—What is the 
Wagner system of grafting the grape? 
Ans.—S ee page 259 for a full description 
and illustrations. 
F. L. A., Enfield, X. H .—Where can boxes 
for packing and shipping eggs be obtaiued? 
Ans.—C ornell & Shelton, Binningham, Ct. 
J. .4.0., Waupaca, IFj’s. — It is impossible 
to diagnose a case of this kind from a descrip¬ 
tion. A personal examination is necessary. 
The auimal is probably a "roarer,” owing to 
some obstruction iu the air-passages. The only 
resort is to take the horse to a skilled veterin¬ 
ary practitioner, who will be able to recognize 
the difficulty, and perhaps to treat it success¬ 
fully. 
J. M. V, Chaut, Co, X. Y .—The Acme 
Harrow is all that is claimed for it. We know 
what we say, haviug used it from the first, 
and the present implement is an improvement 
upon that we used first. 
DISCUSSION. 
N J. W., Easton, Md — I notice in the 
Rural of March 28, an inquiry in reference 
to underdraining. The Rural’s suggestion 
is a good one, but I consider pole draining, 
from my experience in underdraining, the 
cheapest, just as durable as any other, and 
the most satisfactory. Procure three poles of 
any kind of wood and of any length, but all 
must be the same; place two side by side, say 
six inches apart, in the bottom of the ditch, 
with the large ends both the same way. 
Place, across these, strong sticks, say six feet 
apart; then put the third pole upon these 
short pieces, midway between the other two, 
and with the thick end in the opposite direc¬ 
tion. Fill in with any coarse straw, or stalks 
of any kind, in order that no dirt shall fall in 
through the spaces between the poles. This 
will last for all the time, and there will be no 
danger of obstructions. I have tried this 
kind of drain alongside of earthernware tiles, 
and it has given such satisfaction that I can 
recommend it to others. 
R. N.-Y.—In poles for draining, the same 
requisites are necessary as in using stones, 
viz., that the fall be sufficient and the outlet 
so good that the drains never become flooded; 
for in case they do, the soil is quite likely to 
run through the covering and, settling in the 
bottom, obstruct and soon ruin the drains. 
W. F. B., Hammonton, N. J.—In reading 
the Rural of late, I observe a general dispo¬ 
sition to attribute "scab” on potatoes to 
wire worms. I have made no experiments in 
this direction, and have never watched or ob¬ 
served it carefully, but it is very rare to see a 
wire worm here, and yet we often have pota¬ 
toes quite scabby, and that, too, on our dri¬ 
est land and in very hot, dry weather, and I 
do not think it possible that it is caused by 
wire-worms. Another point I consider 
against the theory is that I have observed 
that these worms always eat directly in a 
straight line into the potato, whereas the scab 
is more in a saucer-shaped cavity. 
R. N.-Y.—We have found the wire-worm 
(Julusl coiled up in the "saucer shaped” cavity 
seen in some of our potatoes. The worm that 
makes the hole, as mentioned, is the Elater. 
F. D. C.. Charletox, N. Y.—I want to tell 
the ladies of the Farmer’s Club what I have 
observed about oats for hens and the effects of 
salt Oats will make hens poor, and often pack 
in their crops, and they die. They clog up the 
pipe leading from the crop to the gizzard and, 
of course, when this is the case the hens get 
no nourishment. Another thing—the skins 
or hulls of the oats clog up the gizzard and 
prevent its action. When thecrop is packed, 
it is perfectly safe to cut into it and remove 
the contents, and then sew it up. Once I 
spilled some salt, in small crystals, in a bin of 
wheat, I gathered up all I could of the salt, 
and then threw the salt and wheat, which 
were mixed, into the hen house. Within 48 
hours 16 hens died, and all alike were sick. 
The salt poisoned them—no doubt of it. 
G. C., Fitchburg, Mass.—I have often 
wondered if some use could not be made of 
the fruit of the Japan Quince (Oydonia Japon- 
ieal, as some of the varieties fruit very freely, 
while others are very shy bearers. I have 
grown the red, white and pink as ornamental 
flowering shrubs. The red and white pro¬ 
duced very little fruit, while the pink pro¬ 
duced good crops. The fruit will keep nearly 
all Winter, aud will dry up before rotting. 
Many will be pleased to learn by the Rural 
of April t that the Japan Quince can be put 
to so good a use as the making of jelly and 
marmalade equal to that from the common 
quince. 
A. W. S., Plainvillk. Ct.— In a late 
Rural the question was asked whether 8um- 
matra tobacco would thrive in this country. 
I believe it will. I transplanted some plants 
in a tobacco field on J une 26th. Some of 
them grew over 11 feet in hight. I counted 
27 leaves to a stalk. It may prove eventually 
a good thing to raise. I have tried to cross 
some with the Belknap. I shall try again 
this year and watch the result. I saved the 
seed, So shall spare no labor in attending to it. 
F. W. W,, Chatham, Ont., Canada.—The 
gate on page 184 is excellent, hut I tbiuk that 
if the upright cleats were at the end of the 
boards, instead of afoot off, it would have its 
present good qualities, and could be slid end¬ 
wise a few feet, after being lifted off the iron 
hook, thereby much facilitating opening, aud 
a pin could ha movably inserted into the 
post just over one of the boards to prevent 
hogs from opening the gate. 
E. S. S , Eagle Harbor, N. Y.—Some¬ 
body asked in a late Farmers’ Club how to re¬ 
move a blood wart from a horse. The di¬ 
rections given are doubtless good, but a simple 
remedy is the use of a strong brine, with 
which the part should be washed two or three 
times a day. 
