432 
JUNE 27 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
Just now, (June 6) under this latitude 
Blue Grass is nearly in full bloom, Timothy 
just beginning to show head, and in rich pas¬ 
tures the stand of both is from 15 to IS inches 
high; so good, large cows lying down are half 
hidden iu the grass. Red Clover is just com¬ 
ing into bloom; in pastures fed rather short, 
White Clover is in full bloom and dominates 
the fields; Orchard Grass is hip-high and in 
full bloom; white Sheeps’ Fescue (Festuca 
ovinse) is only a few days’ behind in growth 
aud six inches less m bight—and all these to 
be seen within 40 rods from where 1 write. 
Champaign, Ill. 
CRIMSON CLOVER. 
Mr. D. S. Hicks, of Lawrenceville, Bruns¬ 
wick Co., Va , kindly sent us several plants 
from which our illustration, Fig. 226 (page 
434), was drawn. He writes as follows: 
“I have full coutidenee in the hardiness of 
the plant—that it will withstand the cold at 
least as far north as New York—and in its 
popularity wherever introduced. Every farm¬ 
er here is enthusiastic about it: but it has only 
been sown in small plots for green soiling,aud 
nobody has paid attention to the seed further 
than to supply his own wants for the next 
year.” 
Prof. Beal, in reply to our inquirj r , states 
that this Italian or Crimson Clover (Trifolium 
incarnatum) seems to be au annual, at least in 
Michigan, where he has tried it iu a small way 
for five or more years, None of it ever 
passed through Wiuter alive. It starts more 
slowly than Red Clover, and is kss vigorous 
in every way. As loug as we have something 
better iu this line, he does not see what we 
want with Italian Clover. 
REMEDY FOR POTATO BEETLES. 
For every tablespoonful of Paris green,take 
an equal quantity of laundry starch,and mix it 
as for starchiug clothes; then mix all together 
with 20 gallons of water, stirring it well, 
and apply to the potato viues once for all. 
The poison is always waiting for the beetles 
whenever they appear. j. m. w. 
I have always esteemed the flowering Dog¬ 
wood (Cornus florida) as one of the most 
beautiful of our small, nativB trees, and never 
let an opportunity pass without recommend¬ 
ing it foi the lawn, where it is not often seen, 
simply because it is a native, and not because 
it is not beautiful. I know’ of several speci¬ 
mens that are worth walking miles to see. 
The largest stands in the middle of a 10 acre 
lot, about two miles from the village of Ros- 
lyn, L. I. It is altogether the finest Dogwood 
I ever saw. The tree is upward of 30 feet 
high, w T ith a round and perfectly symmetrical 
head about 30 feet in diameter, supported by 
a clean, straight trunk nearly six feet high 
and some nine or ten inches in diameter. It 
is as nearly perfect as a tree can be, and a 
grand sight when in flower. It was a sight 
of this tree many years ago that gave me my 
first impression of the great value of the 
Dogwood as a tree for the lawn. Another 
very fine specimen stands by itself on the 
beautiful lawn of Mrs. William Barr, at 
Orauge, N. J. I saw it this Spring just as it 
was eoruiug into full bloom. In sight at the 
same time were Magnolia stellata, M. Soulan- 
‘ geana and M. conspicua; and the nearness of 
the latter naturally led to comparisons, very 
much, to my mind, in favor of the Dogwood. 
Liking company when enjoying a good thing, 
I asked Mrs. Barr and others present to look 
at the Magnolias aud the Dogwood and tell 
me which they thought the more beautiful. 
They all agreed with me that the Dogwood 
was more beautiful than the Magnolia. The 
Dogwood has this also it its favor, that it 
clothes itself in the most lovely of autumn 
tints. It is also a very clean and symmetri¬ 
cal tree. Therefore, 1 say that the Dogwood 
is another native tree that is worthy of a 
place even on the smallest of lawns. Plant it. 
To have it at its best, it should be at least 15 
feet from any other tree or shrub. Choose a 
small plant rather than a large one. 
*** 
J. H., on page 869, seems to doubt my 
statement that the Japanese Chestnut will 
bear a small crop when three years old. The 
statement, notwithstanding, is strictly correct. 
1 never state a fact of my personal knowledge 
without knowing it to be a fact. The editor 
gives the experience of Mr. Bruggerbof, with 
which I am also quite familiar. There are others 
whose experience has been precisely like that 
of Mr. Bruggerbof. Setting aside my own 
experience, if J. H. will meet me at the Rural 
office, 1 will take him to three or four places 
within 25 miles of the city, where he can see 
trees four years old now carrying theirsecond 
crop. Cumulative evidence of this kind 
might convince him. These trees were grown 
from nuts received from Japan. Besides, the 
fact is too common in Japan to be doubted. 
J. H. says his trees are five years old, and the 
moderate crop is not yet visible I do not doubt 
it; but that does not disprove the converse 
with regard to other trees. 1 have had some¬ 
what similar experience myself. I have had 
trees sent to me, some of which I have grown 
two or three years, and then thrown away 
as useless; but there were seedlings that 
were doing better than was expected. That 
some badlv worked bndded trees are sent out 
is not to be doubted. That trees three years 
from the uut have fruited is also not to be 
doubted. I expect more nuts from Japan 
next, Winter. If they arrive iu good con¬ 
dition, it will give me pleasure to send J. H. a 
few of them. It will not be difficult for him 
to get nuts from trees grown here. 
*** 
I have many times been on the point of 
giving a few notes on the introduction of the 
Japanese Chestnut, and I may as well do it 
here briefly. There is a spice of romance 
about it. Some years ago, (I forget just how 
many) Messrs J. M. Thorburu & Co., of New 
York, imp rted a lot of Lilium aurntum from 
Japau. The bulbs were packed in tea boxes. 
Iu one of the boxes a lot of large chestnuts 
was found, which excited the surprise of the 
firm, as they had not ordered them; in fact, 
knew nothing about Japanese chestnuts. 
They may have been a present. Mr. Brugger¬ 
bof took charge of them, but was at a loss 
what to do with them. Finally, thinking they 
were Italian chestnuts. b6 concluded to give 
them to the Italian on the corner who roasted 
chestnuts to sell. On the way, however, he 
thought he would take some home to Noroton, 
Conn, and plant them. This must have 
been an inspiration. He planted them, how¬ 
ever, anil the little trees from these nuts bore 
fruit when three years old, very much to his 
surprise. These are the trees alluded to by 
the Editor. It may be stated, that in the 
meantime Mr. B. had learned that bis chest¬ 
nuts were the Japanese kind, and his chagrin 
at the manner in which he had parted with 
most of them may be imagined. Mr. Brug- 
gerhof gave some of these trees to Ha I lock & 
Thorpe and other friends. Shortly after this 
Mr. Thomas Hogg sent some hearing trees 
from Japan, which were propagated and seut 
out by Messrs. Parsons. Thus, it seems, the 
honor of introducing the Japanese Chestnut 
must be divided between Mr. Bruggertiot aud 
Mr. Hogg, Mr. B. being just a little ahead. 
The oue introduced it without knowing it, 
£Ud the other on purpose, as the boys say. 
*** 
On p. 867 Mr. Meech’s method of planting 
grape-vine cuttings is described. This is the 
old coiling system Caues from three to five 
feet long were used. Under glass a few pounds 
of grapes may be had the first year from the 
cutting. Briefly, it is done in this way. Take 
a large pot, and put about three inches of soil 
in the bottom. Select a well-ripened cane 
three or four feet loDg, with nice round wood 
and [dump eyes for at least a foot on the 
upper end. Coil this cane carefully around 
the side of the pot from bottom to cop, leav¬ 
ing from six to ten inches of the upper end 
exposed. Fill up the pot firmly w ith light, rich 
soli, and tie the exposed end to a stake. Place 
the pot iu a very gentle heat at first, and the 
subsequent treatment is very much the same 
as that pursued generally iu growing grapes 
under glass. The results will be more satis¬ 
factory if the pot is plunged iu a little bottom 
heat for a while, with the top of the vine kept 
cool. Some 35 or more years ago this coiling 
system was pretty warmly discussed in Eng- 
gland, and a little book on the subject was 
published, which I sent for. I worked out 
the system, but never put enough value on it 
to continue its practice. It is practically a 
detached layer; and Mr. Meeeli would obtain 
the same results out-of-doors with less trouble 
by burying his cane in a trench instead of 
coiling it iu a hole, I never thought that 
vines obtained iu this way were as good as 
those made from single eyes or short cuttings. 
I hope, however, that these remarks will not 
discourage Mr. Meech from pursuing his ex¬ 
periments. I found both pleasure aud profit 
in mine. 
*** 
I have more than once seen the Little Giant, 
whose portrait is given on p. 863. He is one 
of the smallest ponies I ever saw, and very 
smart. The portrait looks just as he did the 
last time I saw him; but 1 could not look at 
the dear little fellow without getting mad, 
not at him, but at the man who could give his 
consent to baviug him clipped, thus utter¬ 
ly destroying his beauty and individuality. 
He is doubtless still a pony, but he is not the 
grand, shaggy little Shetland which wins the 
love and admiration of children of every age 
and sex. Poor Little Giant! I feel so sorry 
for you. May some good genius steal in at 
night and restore you to yourself again. 
HORTIOOLA. 
Dam) J^usbavfrni. 
FITNESS OF THINGS. 
COL. F. D. CURTIS. 
There are more possibilities in butter-mak¬ 
ing with Jersey cows than with any other 
breed. I believe in having things in the right 
place. This idea applies to cows as well as to 
anything else. I expect a Short-horn man to 
look for beef. That is, or ought to be, bis 
ideal. He is not expected to see butter; and 
if be does, he must look somewhere else than 
at a Sbort-horn herd. This is as it ought to 
be—one thing at a time. “Two bodies cannot 
occupy the same space at the same time” 
This last bit of choice wisdom, which we 
should all remember, came out of the “Natural 
Philosophy” w-e studied when younger. It is an 
old law as good as new. One set of machinery 
is all oue cow can run at a time and do justice 
to it. Butter fats and tallow are not exactly 
the same thing. If they are, no more tirades 
against oleomargarine. Eat it in silence, and 
be consistent. A Short horn is not a butter 
cow, and the world doesn’t want her to be. 
The world wants beef—beef as good and as 
quickly made as possible, aud the world— 
sensible world I—believes the Short horn cow 
fills that role about the best of any of the cow 
kind, under favorable circumstances. You 
see, I “hedge” a little. Room must be left for 
other beef-makiug breeds. 
“Stockman” is short-sighted. He can’t see 
through a Short-horu or around one. He 
ought to wear stronger glasses or be more 
open-minded. Now, 1 say Short-horns are the 
most magnificent cattle in the world. Is not 
that fair and liberal? And I never had one in 
the world, and never want one. Short horns 
are not suited to my wants and the conditions 
of my farming. They are not suited to the 
great State of New York. Where, Mr. Stock- 
man, are the great New York herds, so famous 
aud high-bred and high-priced: Shades of 
my fathers, how they have gone down and 
out! This is not because the Short horns have 
no real merits. They are good in their place, 
but not in the same yard with Jerseys. When 
a cow on half the feed will make twice the 
butter of another, the school-boys can tell 
which is the cow to keep for the dairy. Real 
homespun farmers can tell, and so can their 
wives. For these reasons, there are now in 
Nevr York State 100 Jerseys to one Short¬ 
horn; whereas, within my time, it was rela¬ 
tively the other way. Mills aud corn-cribs 
are not plentiful enough to keep the Short¬ 
horns, aud it takes too lung a stretch of faith 
in the rear and in front to see them equal bo 
some other breeds for the dairy. If they have 
been, they are not now; and “have been” will 
not fill a butter tub no more than “mayfie ” 
1 do not want to see any such diversion in 
their breeding as to breed them for milk. 
Keep on making the loins broader, and thicken 
the coating on the ribs if the udder does grow 
smaller, and the milk flow less. There is a 
future for these grand cattle to improve other 
beef breeds, and to fill our meat stalls with 
the best. They have a natural home, and 
that is where plenty abounds. 
-»-»- ♦ ■ 
SCRUB COWS. 
Apropos of improving native cattle so 
eloquently advocated by “A Stockman,”page 
164 of the Rural, allow me to give a little 
experience I have had in that way. It may 
be the means of gladdening the heart of 
“Stockman,” and giving encouragement to 
others to experiment a little in what 1 con¬ 
sider a praiseworthy system. In the Fall of 
1883, I was very desirous to possess a cow, but 
having no money or anything I could trade 
for oue, my efforts in that wuy seemed never 
to get beyond a pious wish. However, just 
as Wiuter was closing in, 1 found a man who 
had a cow to sell and two yoke of oxen to 
winter. I very soon besieged him in good 
earnest, aud before very Jong, I got the oxen 
to winter, but, what was of more importance 
to me, I got the cow. I agreed to pay him $30 
for it, $20 cash, which I borrowed, the re¬ 
mainder to be deducted from the price of 
wintering the oxen. She was a poor-looking 
cow, thin and scraggy; one of her teats was 
gargett.ed and gave bloody milk every time 
she was milked, and on the whole she had so 
many faults it would have been difficult to 
see any good in her. 
She had, however, two redeeming features 
—her youth (she was only six years old) and 
her comparat ively low price for this place. I 
took her home, and made up my mind to 
make the best of her, aud set to work to find 
out all about her defects. In less than a month, 
1 had cured her teat, so that she gave no more 
blood, but more milk, and kept on increasing 
even though the weather was growing colder. 
Before three months were out, I had doubled 
the quantity of milk, and got her into so good 
a condition that some folks who had known 
her did not now recognize her. All this was 
the result of care and attention, certainly not 
of high feeding, for 1 wrs too hard up to 
afford luxuries either for myself or the cow. 
She kept so all Winter, and the following 
Summer after being put to grass, she improved 
even more, becoming exceedingly docile, 
whereas previously, she hail been iuelined to 
be ugly. In the Fall she had a fine bull calf, 
and after it was weaned, I got au opportun¬ 
ity of selling her and realized §40 Cor her. The 
owner only kept her for about two months, 
when he again sold her, this time for §50 
—rather a steep figure for what was one short 
year before a poor-looking scrub cow. 
Clark Co., Dakota. t. macalpine. 
-- 
LARGE BUTTER YIELDS. 
I am pleased to read what Dr. Sturtevaut, 
iu a late Rural, saysabout the yield of butter 
from remarkable cows. People refuse to be¬ 
lieve in the statements that cows sometimes 
produce 14 to 25 p mndsof butterper week, the 
same as they refuse to believe that I he Rural 
has raised at the rate of 1,300 bushels and over 
of potatoes to the acre. I have what would be 
considered in some localities a fair cow; but 
she is an extra oue in this neighborhood, and 
when I have had occasion to remark that she 
makes 13j^ and 14 pounds of butter pier week 
during June aud July, people do not openly 
accuse me of lying, but say, “Ah. a very nice 
cow.” There are cows here, whose owners 
consider them extra good, that will not make 
over five or six pounds per week during the 
best part of the season, and as theirs are con¬ 
sidered extra, it is impossible for these people 
to comprehend bow a cow can yield two and 
three times the amount of theirs. 
Such a general lack of belief is sometimes a 
positive injury to owners of choice stock, who 
are obliged to sell for one reason or another. 
To illustrate a case: I was at one time obliged 
to sell some of my stock through a lack of 
pasturage, and one eow that produced 10 and 
11 pounds of butter per week, and averaged 
six pounds per week for six months, 
1 sold for half what she was worth. 1 waited 
a month or two for ray price, which people 
thought was extremely high, and at last 
through sheer necessity, I sold her as I did 
The party.! sold her to refused almos double 
what he paid for her. He has learned to his 
benefit, what he refused to believe for mine. 
In a late Rubal, a correspondent says that 
he would not buy a cow that would 
not produce an inch of cream from 
a tumbler of milk. This cow of mine, while 
she was producing 13 * 1 £ pounds of butter per 
week, only produced a scant half inch of 
cream from a tumbler of milk. Now if cream 
is cream, he must be a very fastidious man to 
be contented with only such cows as will pro¬ 
duce 25 pounds of butter aud upwards per 
week. E. A. H. 
Mason, N, H. 
--- 
A HOLLAND MILK RECORD. 
Names. 
Herd book No. 
Age. 
Number of days 
la milk. 
Amount given. 
Largest yield In 
one day. 
Average for en¬ 
tire time. 
days. 
1 lbs. 
OZ. 
Ills, oz 
11)8. OZ. 
-* 
Rboda. 
■Ill 
11 
I 243 
15111 
12 
93 12 
62 3 
Hollander.. 
8706 
U 
62 
3127 
8 
72 8 
65 12 
AmiPro. 
h.th 
6 
194 
10710 
12 
79 4 
55 3 
Jewel. 
069 
6 
1 54 
87(12 
4 
85 8 
69 11 
Dreilu. 
8354 
II 
45 
2527 
l>3 
56 2 
Vinnlo. 
l«87 
5 
1(41 
5418 
a i 
54 8 
54 
Echo Sail... 
1355 
4 
93 t 
1407 
8 i 
54 8 
47 14 
In the above table we give the names and 
records of the cows of the Maplewood herd, 
the property of Mr. F. C. Stevens, Attica, 
N. Y., from the date of last calving to June 
4th. The number of days are indicated aud 
the total yield is given, as well as the highest 
yield and average yield per day for the time. 
In addition to the above, there are 18two-year- 
old heifers that havegiven milk, on an aver¬ 
age, 54 7 18 days each, and their average milk 
yield has been 86 pounds 7>^ ounces per day. 
From the above table it appears as though 
some remarkable nnuual yields of siugle 
animals might be produced, particularly those 
of Rboda and Amleto. 
She ikriJsmati. 
TWO SIDES OF A QUESTION. 
I really cannot see just where my willful 
blindness comes iu, as stated by Stockman iu 
a late Rural. The quoted passage was taken 
just as it appeared, and was not taken notice 
of until it had been quoted over ami over 
again. In so grave a matter as lung plague, 
