ROYAL DUKE. 
IN the large cities of this country there is, 
and always will be, an untillable demand for 
a class of large, blocky horses for heavy dray 
and truck use. A load of from two to foiir 
tons is not at all uncommon, and one scarcely 
ever sees one of less than SO hundred-weight, 
while the wagons themselves will average 
well nigb a ton. Speed in such horses counts 
tor but little; what is wanted is an active, 
hardy, healthy horse of from 1,1100 to 1,600 
pounds, with good limbs and tough, souud 
feet. Horses of this sort are produced by 
crossing some of the heavy sires of Europe 
upon the common mares of the farming dis¬ 
tricts of this country. In many sections the 
Clydesdales have been used as sires and have 
produced very satisfactory results, and many 
of the truck horses which one daily sees show 
unmistakable signs of being the results of 
such a cross. 
We show this week, at Fig. 500, the head of 
a fine specimen of the Clydesdale, Royal Duke 
l3353j 1603. The number in brackets is that 
under which he is recorded in the sixth vol¬ 
ume of the Scottish Clydesdale Stud Book, 
aud the other is the number of his registry in 
the second volume of the American Clj'des- 
dale Stud Book. Royal Duke was foaled May 
25, 1882, and was sired by Farmer (286), win¬ 
ner of the prize at the Highland Society’s 
Show at Dumfries, in 1870, and sire of many 
noted prize winners, among them “Druid,” 
Royal Duke's dam, "Bloss of Masterton” 
(106S), by the famous prize winner “Don¬ 
ald Dinnie” (1116), which gained first prize at 
the Centennial of 1876. His grandam 
“Dainty” was by “Dainty Darie” (211), the 
winner of the first prize aud silver medal at 
the Higblaud Society’s Show at Aberdeen, in 
1858. If the blood of a long line of prize 
winning ancestry is of any account, “Royal 
Duke” should prove a very tine animal, and 
for a colt of bis age, he gives high promise of 
being worthy of his ancestors. He is well 
made, has good limbs and feet, and his face, 
and particularly his bright eye, show him to 
be possessed of a large share of brains, and 
brains are of rare value in man or horse. 
“Royal Duke” is one of the large and line stud 
of Clydesdale horses owned by Powell Broth¬ 
ers, of Sbadeland Farm, Springboro, Craw¬ 
ford Co., Pa., who deal not only in Clydes¬ 
dales, but in Percherons, English draft horses, 
trotters and Shetland ponies. 
Ctiural topics. 
©xpftimm <Sr0«ttd0 of tlu 
SHOULD WE SELECT SEED POTATOES FROM 
THE MOST PRODUCTIVE HILLS. 
A year or so ago, Dr. Sturtevant of the 
New York Experiment Station, stated that he 
found that pot itoes selected for “seed” from 
the most prolific hills gave greater yields than 
the “seed" selected from hills yielding the 
smallest number and weight of tubers, 
Mr. Peter Henderson, commenting upon 
this, in the Philadelphia Press, takes the view 
that “furl her experiments will show that this 
increased productiveness will not continue to 
hold, because the reason for the greater or 
less yield was probably only an accident of 
circumstances, due to specially favorable con¬ 
ditions of the set made to form the hill, or to 
being highly fertilized, or to some such cause 
that gave it this temporary advantage; and 
that tbe chances are all against any perma¬ 
nent improvement being made by such selec¬ 
tions. ” 
This is certainly a very important question. 
A potato is a peculiar stem with buds. 
Its peculiarity is that which gives it value as 
food, which is starchy, tender and whole¬ 
some. When these swollen stems are planted, 
the buds (eyes) grow, tbe same as any other 
buds, and from the underground portion of 
these shoots issue roots and other stems, the 
extremities of which swell, forming tubers. 
Some of these grow large and shapely; others 
small and ill shapen. Still others are just be¬ 
ginning to form as the season advances, even 
as the vines die and the tubers are harvested. 
Every so called variety of potato has, when 
all its needs are supplied, a certain limit as to 
size and perfection. All tubers which do not 
so develop are retarded or injured in one way 
or another. Some are harmed by drought or 
by too much moisture; some by insects; while 
the shape is modified by the heaviness or 
lightness of the soil, by stones or by growing 
too closely together. Potatoes grown in pure 
sand, and fed with liquid food, are always 
BinuoLh and perfect In form; that is perfect 
according to the standard of the particular 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
variety cultivated. It may well be thought 
that any irregularity in shape, due to stones 
or a too compact soil, etc.. would uever be re¬ 
peated and become fixed were such deformed 
potatoes planted again and again. It seems 
reasonable, however, to suppose that those 
tubers which are harmed by parasites or rot 
or insects have thereby sustained iujurie 3 
which, decomposing the tissue, must weaken 
the virility of the buds and shoots. The small 
erand smallest potatoes of a crop are those 
which have been dwarfed from some cause. 
Tbe formation of more tubers than the parent 
plant could support is, no doubt, one cause; 
and the formation of tubers too late to mature 
is, no doubt, another. It may be a matter of 
pure conjecture whether, in tbe former case, 
the dwarfed potatoes are possessed of as much 
vigor as tbe largest ones. But, in the latter 
case, all analogies point to the conclusion that 
immature tubers, as well as immature cuttings 
of any kind, will produce comparatively feeble 
plants. This is well exemplified by the weak¬ 
ened constitution of^rape vines grown from 
green wood. 
What is called “bud variation” is, as is well 
known, common euougb. Thus it is we have 
many of our most prized ornamental plants, as, 
for example, weeping aud variegated trees, 
shrubs and house plants. The writer has in 
mind a willow, growing here, a few branches 
of which bore leaves splashed and striped 
with bright yellow. By starting cuttings from 
the variegated shoots for several generations, 
the variegation has become fixed, while the 
original tree has now nearly lost its variega¬ 
tion. Similar cases often occur with potatoes. 
We have now a purple-skinned potato that 
matured on a plaut all the other tubers of which 
were buff-skinned, and tbe potatoes are nota¬ 
bly differeut in quality. If such qualities may 
be fixed by selection, why may not also in¬ 
creased productiveness be fixed by selection? 
Let us now speak of the variations which occur 
in young seedliug potatoes which, we fancy, 
will give emphasis to the view we have taken, 
viz that productiveness may be increased by 
selecting, not only tubers from the best hills, 
but, it may be added, from the shapeliest and 
most perfect individuals in such hills. 
Let us sow seeds—true seeds from the fruit 
or seed-ball. Each plaut may produce, let us 
say, 15 tubers varying in size from a pea to 
an egg. They will also vary in shape. Some 
will be round and smooth; others pointed at 
the ends, others long and slender. Every ex¬ 
perienced seedling potato grower knows that 
he can generally secure the shape desired by 
planting tubers of that shape and then again 
selecting the same shape from the next crop, 
until the variety is considered established and 
ready to turn upon the market. From the 
same seedling plant, therefore, he can often¬ 
times propagate varieties which shall be 
round, flattened, cylindrical, or “kidney-” 
shaped. Seedling potatoes often, also, vary 
in color,and tbe color can be fixed by selection, 
as we have described. No less does the pro¬ 
duct ivoncss o( tubers from the same seedling 
plant vary. This we have seen in oar experi¬ 
ence again and again. The tubers from an 
original seedliug plant will vary in yield as 
much as they will vary in shape or color, or 
in depth of eyes. We do not kuow the prac¬ 
tice of all originators of new potatoes, but we 
do know that some of them select for the 
second plantiug those tubers which closely re¬ 
semble one another in shape and general ap¬ 
pearance without the least regard for, or any 
knowledge of, their different yielding powers. 
Tbe next season selection is again made from 
these according to appearance, time of ripen¬ 
ing, etc. Finally the new variety is ready to 
be sold. The tubers bring from 25 cents to 
$1.00 a pound and single potatoes are sent all 
over the country. Is it surprising that many 
report that the new potato is irameusely 
productive, while others report otherwise? 
Further tbau this; wo know of seedling-pota¬ 
to growers that select tubers from more than 
one hill if the seed planted is the same and tbe 
appearance of tubers of the different seedlings 
is she same. According to this, a dozen or 
more kinds differing in productiveness and in 
quality are sent out under the same uauie. 
Evidently we should gain in such cases by 
selectiug the best tubers of the most produc¬ 
tive hills. Evidently again, farmer Jones, 
may find the new seedling of a better quality 
and a greater yielder than farmer Brown, 
who purchased the “seeds” from the same 
seedsman and gave tbe same, or even better, 
cultivation. The fact is that the two men 
plant and raise potatoes which are really dif¬ 
ferent in quality and productiveness, though 
to all outward appearances they are much the 
same. 
TESTS OF NEW POTATOES. 
SOIL, CULTURE, ETC. 
The soil Is a moist, mellow loam. luclinliiB a little 
to clay, and tills U the fllili consecutive year lu 
which potatoes have been raised on It. It has re¬ 
ceived liberal quantities of potato concentrated fer¬ 
tilizers and occasional dressings of salt, kalnlt, bone, 
etc., perhaps at the rate of 1.3U0 pounds to the acre 
altogether. Trenches two spades wide, five Inches 
deep and three feet apart, as In past seasons, were 
dug. The soil in the bottom was raked mellow, the 
pieces (two eyes ouch), placed one foot apart upon 
this, and then covered with an inch of soil. The 
fertilizers were then evenly strewn, and the trench 
filled to the surface. The cultivation Is done be¬ 
tween the rows entirely with wheel cultivators, and 
between the plains with the hoe. Very little hoeing 
Is required since the plants meet, before the woods 
start. The soil Is turner hilled-up about the plants, 
but kept at tbe same level over the entire plot. In 
testing new potatoes here, our object Is to ascertain 
tholr quality, growth of vine, time of maturity and 
the greatest field of which they are capable In a 
rich soil especially prepared fur them. 
Again we begin our reports of the new va¬ 
rieties of potatoes, which have been sent here 
by the originators to be tested and reported 
upon, as well as others which we have our¬ 
selves sent for; tbe object being that our 
readers may be guided in tbeir selections by 
our reports, and so avoid the expense aud 
trouble of experimenting for themselves. 
Careful portraits will be presented of atlof the 
S3 kinds planted last season, which we thought 
to be of any promise. 
Thorburn Potato. —Vines medium. About 
as early as the Early Rose. Planted April 15, 
matured August 13. Only four pieces (two 
eyes each) were planted. The yield was 7V 2 ' 
pounds, 26 tubers, of which 24 were of mar¬ 
ketable size. The best live weighed two 
pounds nine ounces. Shape cyliudrical- 
oblong, sometimes a little flattened. Eyes 
medium in number and prominence. Skin, 
white. Eaten the day they were dug. Flesh, 
white; quality, perfect, beiug dry, mealy and 
fine grained. This potato is of the Beauty of 
Hebron or Early Rose class. The yield per 
acre at the above rate would be 4.53.75 bushels. 
This potato will be introduced by Thorburn & 
Co. of New York. See Fig. 501, page 805. 
Early Flower.— Sent to us by Mr. J. A. 
Crane of Danbury, Coun., who claims that 
“it is earlier than E. Rose; will yield nearly 
twice as much, aud better in many respects: 
they will cook white and mealy, and are 
fine in flavor.” 
Here it matured with the E. Rose. Four 
pieces (two eyes each) were planted, and the 
yield was eight pounds, or at the rate of 481 
bushels to the acre. There were 48 tubBrs, 
of which 36 were marketable. Best five 
weighed onepouud 15 ounces. Shape oblong, 
generally a little flattened. Eyes.medium;skio, 
buff white. Eaten Oct. 21. Flesh not quite 
white, inclining to a faint tint of yellow. Not 
as mealy as the Early Rose. See Fig. 502, 
page 805. 
Sunset. —Sent by G. H. Benner, box 40, 
Croton, Licking Co., O., who said it was 
grown from “Pringle’s hybridized" seed. Four 
pieces only were planted, which yielded 5)J 
pounds or at the rate of 333.75 bushels to the 
acre. There were 21 tubers—16 marketable. 
Best five weighed two pounds seven ounces. 
Skin pink. Eyes rather deep. Shape oblong- 
flattened, sometimes cylindrical elliptical. It 
is a late potato. Eaten Nov, 7. Yellowish- 
white flesh, not very dry. 
Straggler. —Also from Mr. Benner. A 
seedling of Brownell’s Superior. Late. Light 
skin; long, tubular; few eyes; very smboth. 
Mostly too small for market. Yield incon¬ 
siderable. 
Jack and Diantha, two seedlings from 
John McLeod, Lynden, Ont., Can., so nearly 
failed with us that a detailed report seems 
unnecessary. 
DtoU$fwm the ^urivl'iet W.£.'D* Jam 
FATTENING LAMBS. 
THE MOST DESIRABLE BREED 
is a questiou confronting the novice at the 
very threshold of his investigations, and on 
the decision of it will depend much of his suc¬ 
cess. Time was when a lamb could not be got 
too large; when of two flocks equally well 
fattened, the larger lambs would bring the 
most money per pound; but for some reason 
the reverse of this has been the ease for the 
past two years. Last Spring, especially, a 
lot of lambs weighing from 75 to 60 pounds 
each would absolutely sell for more money 
per head than those equally fat and weighing 
from 100 to 110 pounds. While such a state 
of the market exists, there are other charac¬ 
teristics more important than size, such as 
compact form, a large amount of wool and 
(so long as they have a marketable value) black 
legs and faces. k 
THOROUGHBRED MERINOS, 
while having an abundance of wool, and that 
of a desirable kind, are by far too small and 
of too slow growth. While the mature 
wethers are of good size and among the most 
desirable of all sheep for fattening, the 
lambs are small, grow very slowly, and it is al¬ 
most impossible to make them pay for the 
food eaten, and, of course, they should liot be 
chosen. 
THE LONG WOOLS, 
such as Leicesters, Cots wolds, etc., are too 
large and coarse, and though their wool is 
long, it is not large in quantity, and the meat 
becomes entirely too fat and greasy, and, be¬ 
sides, these sheep do not take so kindly to 
confinement, and to yarding so closely as is 
desirable. 
all The downs 
are good mutton sheep, and all have black 
faces and legs; but iu our experience they are, 
as pure breds, too high-priced, have not 
enough wool, and at present cannot be obtain¬ 
ed in 8uflicieut numbers, and from their 
habits we doubt if they will ever be bred iu 
numbers sufficient to meet such a want, were 
they the most desirable for thia purpose. 
A DOWN-MERINO CROSS, 
all thiugs considered, is the ideal lamb for 
wiuter-feeding. The Merino mother gives 
short legs, large body, fine wool and a large 
quautity.and a hardy constitution. Tbe Down 
sire gives quick growth, a large proportion of 
lean meat, length of wool and a black face aud 
legs. Of the Dowus as sires, we prefer the 
Shropshires and Hampshires as of very nearly 
equal value; next the South-Downs, Oxfords, 
etc. The reason of our preference is in the 
fact that the Shropshire has the smallest head, 
which he imparts, aud he also gives the black¬ 
est face aud legs to the half-bred lamb, thus 
reducing the loss of ewes in lambing, and giv¬ 
ing the greatest value to the offspring. 
THE RAISLVG OF CROSS-BRED LAMBS 
is a business (let us say by way of parenthesis) 
which the Western farmer, who is too far 
away from the large cities to be able to raise 
or fatten lambs for market, should not neglect. 
There is already in all the older portions of 
the country a demand for thousands of this 
class of lambs for feeding purposes, and at a 
price per head more than he can get for full- 
grown three year-old wethers, and this de¬ 
mand is rapidly growing-And can never be so 
fully supplied that there wTH not be use for 
all that may be raised, InNPfet paying prices. 
The keeper of a Merino flock should select out 
the most undesirable ewes for breeding full- 
bloods to continue his flock, and on these use 
Shropshire, Hampshire or other Down males, 
coupling them at such time as to have tbe 
lambs dropped in May, so as u> have them 
five months old and of 65 to 70 pounds’ weight 
in October, when they will readily bring from 
$2 to f 4 per head, according to the location 
and year. 
HOW MUCH VENTILATION 
is necessary in a stock tiara 50x60 feet? This 
question is asked by several, and one friend in 
Ohio says that in the cut of our new barn he 
noticed only one ventilator. Now, the fact is 
that cut was made before the barn was en¬ 
tirely finished, and the ventilators, not being 
on, were forgotten. There is one midway be¬ 
tween the cupola and each end. They are 18 
inches square up through the barn, and the part 
coming through the roof and the cap are of 
galvanized iron. In a barn, 50x60 feet, to be 
filled with sheep aud cows, three are ample; 
two would do very well, and probably be 
plenty If made 18 inches square. They may, 
like ours, pass up through the mows by the 
side of a post, so as to be out of the way, aud 
wheajthey reach the roof, they may be carried 
to the ridge, between two rafters on the under 
side of the roof boards, and should then go up 
through the ridge and a couple of feet, more 
or less, above, and be surmounted by some 
Bort of a hood to keep water out. The lower 
end should have a slide or door, so that it may 
be opened more or less at pleasure. 
When iu the right place for such use, the 
veutilating trunks may be made large enough 
and be used as chutes down which hay or 
straw can be thrown. In such a case there 
should be doors at convenient points along the 
sides, which should always bo closed except 
when something is being throwudowu. When 
made large enough for this use, two would be 
ample to ventilate a basement 50x100 feet. 
EVERYTHING HOUSED FOR WINTER. 
After the severe frosts, the grass, though 
looking green, has very little nutriment in it, 
and unless stock running on it are liberally 
fed, they are apt to shrink in flesh. As we can¬ 
not afford to have our auimals losing tlesb, 
and would prefer to have the grass left for 
winter protection to tbe fields, we have put 
all stock on the Rural Farm Into wluter quar¬ 
ters. Wo have already one car of cows home 
and in the barns, aud shall, this week, get 
another, making about 50 heads which will 
be fed for winter butter-making and for beef 
in the Spring. This system, while working 
up a large amount of forage aud much grain, 
we find very profitable, and tbo animals are 
wagnifleeut manure machines besides. It 
would be a profitable thing for the farmers if 
there were thousands of such machines in use. 
