346 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
The posts are each made of two pieces of 2x6 
lumber, put together for the corner posts in the 
form of an L, the others being put together 
like a The main plates are also made of 
two pieces of 2x6 put together like the corner 
posts. The purlin plates are single pieces 2x6, 
put up edgewise. The beams are 3x8 put 
edgewise, of course. As the lumber for the 
posts is nearly always pine, which would not 
last in connection with the ground, pieces of 
oak or of some other lasting wood, 6x6 inches 
or larger, should be set firmly in the ground, 
projecting at least one foot above it. The top 
should be cut so as to receive the posts in such 
a way that the two may be firmly spiked to¬ 
gether. The bents should be placed seven feet 
apart. The rafters should be made of 2x6 
pieces, the portion from the main plate to the 
purlin being cut down one inch smaller than 
the upper portion so that the boards used for 
tbe upper section of the roof may over-lie the 
lower portion and lie flat. The roof boards 
are supported on 2x4 strips running length¬ 
wise of tbe building and lying across the raf¬ 
ters. 
The portion above the beams or joists may 
be used for the storage of a reasonable 
amount of bay or other forage, which is to be 
taken in at tbe door shown in tbe end of the 
building. There should be laid along this loft 
a track on which is placed a car large enough 
to hold a load of fodder, and in unloading 
from a wagon it can be placed on this ear and 
run to any point desired for feeding the stock. 
Fig. 194 exhibits the inside of a portion of 
Plan of Feeding Floor. Fig. 194. 
one end showing how the cattle may be tied, 
or fastened in stanchions. Of course, it can be 
so arranged that the cattle can run loose, but 
they would take so much more room in that 
way that we believe it will pay to keep them 
tie*', and the feeding alleys may be arranged 
to fit larger or smaller cattle, so that each 
row shall hold 16 cattle or less. Each row of 
cattle should be divided in the middle, so that 
in letting fc':em out to water and for cleaning 
the gtab'/»s, 14 or Ki head are let out at a 
time, and itew*ace or division between the 
separate ro| ^/. being behind each row, should 
be so ari*u£ed that it can be swung up out of 
the way of the wagon or sled, that can be used 
to facilitate the removal of the manure. The 
arrangement of doors is shown in Fig. 192, 
and also in Fig. 194, by which, as will be seen, 
the cattle of only one half row are let into 
the barn at once. At Fig. 195 is presented a 
-J 
4|Mj ■BToi 
^^^^^muion each side entirely disconnected 
*om the floor. The floor is made by setting 
a two-inch plank on edge on each side, nailing 
them to stakes or posts securely set in the 
ground, and filling in between these planks 
six inches of clay properly wet and rammed 
down hard. 
As every 28 feet in length of this building 
will hold two rows of cattle with from 14 to 
16 head in each row, it is evident that every 
linnear foot will shelter at least one animal, 
and when we take into consideration the sav¬ 
ing of food both in preventing its being run 
over and wasted and in the amount needed to 
maintain tbe animal heat, we are quite sure 
our Western friends will find the construc¬ 
tion of such bairns a paying investment. 
pxiON of Feeding Floor. Fig, 195. 
Ton of the feeding alley, showing the 
fielir Crops. 
BLACK MEXICAN CORN. 
This variety of sweet, or sugar corn, is cer¬ 
tainly one of the sweetest and best flavored, 
but its dark and unsightly color when brought 
to the table, is a serious objection with the 
housewives who require that a dish must look, 
as well as taste good. I was interested on 
observing in a late number of the Rural, 
that you had been experimenting with this 
variety of corn with a view of changing its 
color to ; white, [No, to a rose c< dor.— Eds.] 
with partial success, indicating thatsome con¬ 
siderable time would be required to bring 
anout the desired result. I have been exper¬ 
imenting in the same line, and with appar¬ 
ently better results. I say, apparently, for it 
may possibly go back, in the future genera 
tionB. But this season, I produced some ears 
from grains taken from the Black Mexican, 
that are entirely white, apparently having 
all the other characteristics of the Mexican 
Corn. As you seem to have a fancy for such 
experiments, I send you a small quantity for 
trial, and I hope it may prove permament. 
G. w. Campbell. 
VARIETIES OF OATS. 
White Zealand is a “horse mane” or “side 
head” oat, the grain of which is rather longer 
than plump, and usually inclined to rough¬ 
ness or scariousness at the tip. White Bel¬ 
gian, White Australian, and Welcome, as far 
as I have been able to determine by careful 
study, botanically and otherwise, are identi¬ 
cal. The grain of these three varieties is short, 
plump, and white. The Welcome is now being 
boomed more than any other oat before the 
market, but it was prior to this boom better 
known by the name of White Australian. 
These three varieties (properly speaking, one) 
have spreading panicles, hence, taking the 
grain also into account, they differ quite wide¬ 
ly from the White Zealand, The yield at the 
Station in 1884, was larger from White Zea¬ 
land than from the others; bat as the quan¬ 
tity grown was comparatively small, one 
could not pronounce it as infallibly a better 
and more productive oat. C. s. PLUMB. 
Agr. Exp. Station, Geneva, N. Y. 
JOHNSTON GRASS. 
Replying to an article on page 248 by E L. 
S., of Travis Co., Texas, allow me to say to 
him, and to any others who have labored so 
hard to get rid of Johnson Grass, that if they 
will plow it np in the hot mouths of Summer— 
July, August, or September—with a two-horse 
plow, it is very easily killed. It is at this time 
that the sap descends to the roots largely, and 
in tbe warm, dry ground the roots are easily 
killed. Should any appear, plow agaiu, and 
you can, the following season, cultivate in 
cotton or corn or any hoed crop, and fiud but 
little trouble in cultivation. This grass is not 
to be feared, as it fe easily brought into rota¬ 
tion of crops, and will prove one of tbe most 
valuable that can be raised, paying better 
profits than any grass that can be raised. J. 
H. Moore, of Arkansas Post, Arkansas, who 
has had it on his place for 80 years, says he 
finds no difficulty in destroying it with the 
plow so as to raise corn and cotton without 
any trouble. H. post. 
Selma, Ala. 
farm Copies. 
A BOWLINE KNOT. 
To know just how to quickly tie a knot in 
a rope, that while being entirely safe and not 
liable to become loose in use, can be expedi¬ 
tiously untied when occasion requires, is an 
accomplishment entirely too rare on the 
farm. The time will soon come when it will 
be necessary to attach the horse-fork rope to 
the whiffletree, and it is a great nuisance to 
be obliged to have a knot that will draw so 
tight that it can hardly be untied. 
At Fig. 198 we show a safety knot that can 
not possibly come untied by use, aud yet wil 
not, with any amount of use, draw up s 
tightly that it cannot be easily untied, i 
would be well for all the boys of the Rura 
family (under 80) to examine this knot, an 
by practicing with a piece of rope, iourn bos 
readily to tie it. To do this, the rope shout 
first be run through the ring or hasp of th 
whippletree. The main rope should be the; 
thrown into a loop, through which put th 
loose end, carrying it around the main rop 
and back through the loop. This is all ther 
is in it, and it can be learned in one minute 
Our friends who are familiar with so service¬ 
able a knot should remember that we show 
this for the benefit of tbe boys—hundreds of 
whom (some quite old) do not know bow to 
tie it, though it may seem simple. 
The Rural of the 80th of January, in an¬ 
swer to the question: "Shall we coutiuue to 
plant the Concord as a market grape?” inti¬ 
mates that it will never, for any purpose, 
except it may be as as a stock for other varie¬ 
ties. plant a Concord.” It appears to me that 
a statement like this from an authority as high 
as that of the Rural, and in regard to a grape 
as largely planted and as generally popular as 
the Concord, ought to have been accompanied 
with a recommendation of something better to 
take its place. With all its faults, I think the 
Concord is still more largely planted than any 
other one variety; and if, either by precept 
or example, we are instructed never to plant 
it any more, we should certainly have a sub¬ 
stitute, aud what shall it be? Probably most 
grape-growers would name the Wordeu, and 
it may be that the answer would be correct. 
But the Worden has not been as long tested as 
the Cencord, and although young and vigor¬ 
ous vines of the Worden have produced some¬ 
what larger clusters and grapes slightly better 
flavored than Concords, the two varieties seem 
to have the same general characteristics; both 
very tender-skinned and easily injured in 
handling, and neither keeping in good con¬ 
dition long after being gathered. The Wor¬ 
den has shown a little less tendeacy to rot, and 
ripens a few days earlier. Its growth is a little 
more slender, but apparently as healthy and 
as hardy as the Concord. It is propagated 
about as easily, and if it should really prove 
upon more extensive trial to be substantially 
better, will soon be as plenty and as cheap. 
But with my present observation and experi¬ 
ence, except in places where the earlier ripen¬ 
ing of the Worden would be important, l should 
hardly dare to advise planting it in preference 
to the long-tried and well-kno>vn Concord. 
Delaware, Ohio. gko. \v. Campbell. 
Remarks. —The caution of Mr. Campbell is 
no doubt a wise one. We spoke for ourselves. 
We have at least 10 varieties of grapes that are 
so much better in quality than the Concord, 
that we shall never plant it again. Aud, far¬ 
ther, we are digging up several Concords to 
make place for other kinds. 
LONG-KEEPING GRAPES. 
While there seems to be a general desire 
for long-keeping grapes, there are but few that 
can be kept in good condition long after being 
gathered. Among the older varieties, the Ca¬ 
tawba is one of the best late keepers, but it is 
also so late in ripening that it can be grown 
only in a few places at the North. In some 
seasons, the Diana can be kept about as long 
as the Catawba. Massasoit is one of the earli¬ 
est of Rogers’s Hybrids and if not allowed to 
get over ripe, keeps fairly well; as do also 
Agawam, Lindley and Salem. Among the 
newer kinds Vergennes promises to be a very 
good keeper, and ripeus at the same time as 
the Concord. But by far the longest keeping 
grape I have tested this season is the new 
grape Empire State. I received a few clus¬ 
ters of this grape last September, not quite 
ripe, and they were left several weeks in a 
warm room, until the stems were dry and the 
grapes shriveled—but they seemed keeping so 
well I put them iu the cellar, where they have 
lain with little change until this ti me, (Dec. 27th.) 
and they appear as if they might keep in 
about the same condition till Spring. I send 
you a few specimens, by mail, to show their 
keeping qualities, which appear rather re¬ 
markable. G. W. CAMPBELL, 
[The grapes were rotting when received, 
Dec 29.] 
■JitxscHlanmtji. 
CATALOGUES, ETC., RECEIVED. 
Blakelee’s Industrial Cyclopedia, or 
How to Make and How to Mend. —This 
is a thick volume of over 700 pages, nicely 
printed, containing plaiu directions for doing 
over 2,000 common things, with over 200 il¬ 
lustrations. The great need on the farms 
to-day is a knowledge of how to do little 
things. Farmers pay out hundreds of dollars 
and waste much more in valuable lime, getting 
little jobs done, that, with proper directions, 
they could do themselves, and the object of 
this book is to give just that information. 
The child as soon as able to handle a piece of 
string and a jack-knife, begins to exhibit a 
natural instinct to tinker, and the wise parent 
will do everything possible to foster this 
faculty. This book has a department for 
SWAY '23 I 
everything, and is. worth its price every year 
to every family. Published by Fords, How¬ 
ard & Hulburt, N. Y.—Price $8,75. 
The American Fruit Culturist. By 
John J. Thomas.—This is a newly revised 
edition of this standard work, and contains in 
a 12-mo. 593-page book fall and accurate di¬ 
rections for growing the trees, and plant¬ 
ing, and caring for an orchard, pick¬ 
ing, packing, aud storing tbe fruit, and is 
brought down to the present time by the ad¬ 
dition of what is new in the way of fruit¬ 
growing, and the newer varieties of fruit, and 
to bring it within the reach of all, some of the 
more unimportant parts of former editions 
have been left. out. If Mr. Thomas was not 
born in an orchard, he must have got into one 
when very youug, and he has spent his life 
since among fruit and fruit trees, and no one 
is more competent to give reliable instruction 
on the whole subject of fruit-growing, and iu 
this book he has given, in a plain way, the 
practical lessons he has learned. It is pub¬ 
lished by Wdi, Wood & Co., 56 and 58 Lafay¬ 
ette Place, N. Y., and will be sent, postpaid, 
for $2. 
What Profession Shall I Choose and 
How Shall L Fit Myself for It? —This 
is a little book of 60 pages, written by the 
practical men in charge of the vai ious depart¬ 
ments of Cornell University iu response to a 
few questions propounded by President White, 
each sets forth the demand for men fully 
educated in his particular department and 
mentioning the advantages which Cornell has 
for giving proficiency in that department of 
knowledge. When we consider that Cornell 
is less than a score of years old, the position 
she already occupies, the means at her com¬ 
mand and the advantages which she posseses, 
we can only contemplate with pleasure the 
position she is bound to hold among the educa¬ 
tional institutions of this country, and the 
great advantage it must be to the young men 
to have graduated there. Furthermore, we 
have the pleasure of an acquaintance with 
several of the Professors, and we know that 
they are men with whom our children can be 
safely trusted. Every youug man seeking a 
thorough education and every father having 
children to educate should not fail to write to 
the Treasurer of Cornell University, Ithaca, 
N, Y., for this little book, and the University 
register, all of which will be gladly sent free 
to Rural readers. 
The Springfield Engine and Thrasher 
Co., Springfield, Ohio.—A descriptive circu¬ 
lar, fully illustrated, giviug a list of the ma¬ 
chines made by this company. Among these 
we notice a description with cuts showing the 
peculiar construction of the Spriugfield Trac¬ 
tion Engine and the points in which superior¬ 
ity is claimed for it. The Springfield portable 
engine, for which they claim light weight, 
great power, and low consum ption of f uel, is also 
fully described. So is their improved Spriug¬ 
field Vibrating Separator, with their new bag¬ 
ging device with self-registering grain meas¬ 
ure; also their swinging stacker, by which the 
straw is put directly on the stack aud the stack 
made in any position desired. This saves the 
most disagreeable part of grain thrashing. 
Their horse powers, etc., are also shown. The 
circular will pay for reading. Free. 
The Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Co , 
86 Hudson Street, N, Y. City.—Circulars 
showing the character of the milk produced 
by this company, and also the extent of their 
business. From this we learn that they con¬ 
dense 40,000,000 cans each year in their various 
factories, the parent factory being in Cham, 
Switzerland, it has branches lu England and 
America. This amount is fully two-thirds of 
all the condensed milk used iu the world. It 
also makes what it calls Anglo-Swiss milk 
food, which is intended to take the place of 
milk in feeding infants or young children 
when so desired. An application as above will 
procure circulars, giving much iuformatiou 
regarding these preparations aud their uses. 
The Wheeler & Melick Co., Albany, N. 
Y.—Anillustrated circular containing descrip¬ 
tions of the many machines made by this old, 
reliable firm, the most important of which is 
the Invincible Steam Engine, portable; one, 
two, and three liurse tread-powers and thrash¬ 
ers adapted to each; also the Fearless Lever 
power mounted on trucks; also Tolley’s Cham¬ 
pion horse hoes und cultivators, They also 
make the Daniel’s Plow-Sulky, Victor Fan¬ 
ning Mill, and, what would be very conven¬ 
ient in every dairy, tread powers for dog 
or sheep, aud a large one for calves or 
other youug animals. There are mauy new 
features in this firm’s goods, which you can 
discover by reading this circular, which is free. 
The Breeders’ Pocket Register for 
Thoroughbred Stock.— A very nicely gotten 
up book for the registration of the herd of any 
breed of cattle, and equally haudy and valu¬ 
able for the horse, swine or sheep breeder. It 
is so arranged that each animal up to 72 has a 
full record of name, age, color, by whom bred 
