PIG PREPARATIONS. 
COL. F. D. CURTIS. 
Importance of separate and abundant pas¬ 
ture; choice of grass; best fences. 
The first preparation to be made for keep¬ 
ing pigs is the pasture. I put the pasture 
before the pen because it is more important. 
The pasture is pen enough, except for a few 
days if the pigs are purchased; and for a few 
weeks if they are born on the premises. 
Other animals do not take kindly to the pig 
pasture. The grass is not clean enough to 
suit them, so the pigs should be by them¬ 
selves. The kind of grass is less important 
than the abundance of it. This does not 
mean that it should be headed out and large 
before the animals are turned in, but that the 
area should be large enough so that it can be 
eateu off and yet be ample on account of the 
continuous growth. After the first year grass 
will grow fast in the hog pasture, as the ani¬ 
mals enrich the land rapidly. 
There should be a good seeding. For a long 
use, there is no better grass than Orchard 
Grass, as it comes on first in the season and 
keeps growing, and hogs like it. I have pas¬ 
tured it in this way for six years, and it is 
there yet. A little clover with it is good to 
furnish feed the first year, as the Orchard 
Grass starts slowly and is a tiny thing at first. 
Red Top will furnish more pasture than Tim¬ 
othy, which is the poorest of all. The native 
Blue Grass will come in of itself in all proba¬ 
bility; but if it is not natural to the soil, it 
would be well to sow some of it, to fill in be¬ 
tween the tussocks of the Orchard Grass. In 
this way a full sward can be obtained. 
The best fence is a stone wall, as the hogs 
cannot see through this and do not hanker 
after things outside of it The next best is a 
board feuce. A feuce with one or two boards 
at the bottom and barbed wire on top is also 
good. A strong rail feuce will do if there are 
no gaps between the rails through which a 
hog can get his head. It will pay in the long 
run to take pains with the fence to inclose the 
hog pasture. I have kept hogs for years in a 
field without their getting out. All gateways 
and openiugs should be carefully aud strongly 
fastened, or the pigs will get through. They 
are very cunning at tbis,and will watch for a 
chance after they have been through ouce; 
and not only this, but they' will try all sorts 
of ways to pry the gate open or to get the in- 
closure open. The farmer must not imagine 
bis hog is a fool, or he will wake up some 
moruing to find that piggy has been too smart 
for him. 
The Rural makes a splendid show of prizes 
—I mean presents, for its subscribers. I cor. 
rect myself here, because there is really no 
lottery business about the Rural New- 
Yorker. These valuable presents will, as 
they should, beget a lively competition for 
new subscribers. If I had the time, I’d go in 
for that Jer.-ey bull, and the buggy, and the 
Acme Harrow, and—well, I’d go in for every 
tbiug, and so be sure of getting something, if it 
were only that little combination tool, which 
I mean to have anyhow to put in my fishing 
tackle box. Will several hundred or more 
please take my place, and make things lively 
this Winter? No doubt there are many just 
like me, who will want this, that, and the 
other thing as they go over the list. Well, the 
way to get them is to read the Rural’s terms, 
and then go for them with a will. 
* * * 
The Rural's “present” uumber has set me 
to thinking, ami I’ve concluded not to let the 
Editor have all the fun to himself. Uncle 
Mark has kindly usked me to joiu his boys* 
and girls' club, and I’m going to ask him to 
propose me as a member. If I’m elected, I’tu 
going to make a free distribution among the 
boys and girls next Spring that will make 
their little hearts glad. We are just going to 
have a real good time. So now! 
* * * 
I thiuk the Editor has doue a good thing in 
placing the Jewell Strawberry ou the list of 
presents. Whoever gets it will be pretty sure 
to be pleased with it. I have seen it at Mr. 
Augur’s and at several other places, and at 
all of them it was large, handsome and re¬ 
markably productive. The plaut, too, was 
decidedly robust. 
* * * 
Mr. Faiconer is ahead of me iu his exper¬ 
ience with Phormium tenax variegata. My 
statement that it had flowered for the first 
time in England was based on the statement 
of a leading English journal; and the l-est on 
only what I had seen personally. I had pos¬ 
sibly seen Mr. F’s announcement in former 
numbers of the Rural, and forgotten all 
about them. 
m * * 
On Nov. 20 Cobrna scandens variegata was 
in bloom on the east and west sides of the 
house, and looking as bright as in mid-sum¬ 
mer. This is evidence of the tiue Fall we have 
had, and also that the plant is not so tender as 
many suppose it to be. 
♦ * * 
As some evidence that the Rural is read, I 
will state that Friesia refracta alba, Narcis¬ 
sus bicolor HorEfleldii,GladiolusColvillii,“The 
Bride,” Scilla Sibirica, and some others that 
I warmly recommeuded in a former number, 
were sold out early at the New York seed 
stores. I was too late to get a few more for 
friends. It is not too late to plant tcillas aud 
snowdrops (if you can find them) as long as 
you can get a trowel in the ground. Try a 
dozen and you will want a hundred. S. verna 
and S. biloba are also very beautiful, early 
and hardy. 
* * * 
My Streptosolen Jamesonii flowered a second 
time this Fall, and there is an excellent 
l 8 a good yield, considering the season we have 
had,or any other season. The name of the potato 
is Dictator, and it is an excellent table variety. 
A large tuber, single eyes, a good soil, flat 
culture, and no weeds, tell the story briefly. 
[Our report of this potato as tested at the 
Rural Grounds was given.— Eds.] 
* * * 
Speaking of potatoes reminds me that a 
new knife for cutting potatoes into sets was 
sent to me for trial last spring by Messrs. J. 
M. Thomburn & Co. The blade is a segment 
of a curve,and is slightly bent longitudinally. 
It does certainly better than a flat blade of 
any kind. I forget the name by which the 
knife is called. [It was alsosent to us for trial 
and we found it a handy tool.— Eds ] 
* * * 
The chrysanthemum shows this Fall were 
grand affairs. First came that of the New 
York Horticultural Society, and two weeks 
later that of the American Institute, the lat¬ 
ter being the larger, with more room to show. 
The exhibitors were the same at both, and at 
both were at their best. The largest exhibitors 
and chief prize winners were, among profes¬ 
sionals, Messrs Halloek, Son & Thorpe, and 
W. C. Wilson; and among amateurs, William 
Barr, Esq. (John Parrel, gardener), and J. 
RURAL CROSS BETWEEN PRINCE OF WALES AND ST. MICHAEL, Fi 
530. (See page 844.) 
R. Pitcher, Esq. (R. Brett, gardener). In 
both classes, however, there were smaller 
exhibitors, who showed beautiful (lowers. 
This column is too short for the names. The 
chrysanthemum is now better grown than ever 
before among us, and these shows will probably 
bo “the thing” for some years to come. 
HORTICOLA. 
promise for a third display a little past mid¬ 
winter. This plant is not likely to be popular 
among florists for cut (lowers, but among 
amateurs and all who love a handsome flower¬ 
ing plant, it will, no doubt, find a good many 
friends. By judicious training it can be made 
very attractive. 
* * * 
Over iu New Jersey the farmers are talking 
seriously of forming a new agricultural 
society without the adjunct of horse raeiug. 
This movement has my' hearty indorsement, 
and I have promised to go over and help them. 
Many of our agricultural societies are now 
racing associations with a little agriculture 
hitched on behind. A ring or course for the 
exhibition of horses and other farm stock is 
proper enough; but horse racing, with its 
accessories, can very well be spared with 
beuefit to all. More than one promising 
society has been wiped out by its evil influence. 
Its effect upon yoaug men is altogether bane* 
ful, aud upon many old ones also. 
* * * 
One hundred and forty-five potatoes, 
measuring over half a bushel, fromoue tuber, 
NOTES AND COMMENTS 
I can cheerfully indorse all that has been 
said iu praise of the Rostiezer Pear, and con¬ 
sider it one of our fluest summer pears, and 
quite indispensable for home use, in all 
amateur collections; I do not thiuk it would 
be of any value for market purposes ou ac- 
couut of its small size. I find the tree of 
robust, vigorous growth, but unfortunately 
rather straggling, it is enormously produc¬ 
tive, producing Its fruit in clusters, and the 
size can be considerably increased by removing 
a quantity when about half-grown. Unlike 
most of our summer pears, this does best when 
permitted to remain ou the tree until it is 
ripe, when it is truly delicious. 
I fully support Horticola in his attempt to 
substitute the correct name, pelargonium, for 
geranium. All the numerous varieties of 
zonal, fragrant, ivy-leaved, as well as the 
beautiful, regal, fancy, and show pelargoni¬ 
ums, are strictly pelargoniums, and should 
be so called by all who cultivate them> 
for it is just as easy to say pelargonium as 
geraniutn. In order to make this correction 
and to have all called by their proper names, 
our plant cultivators must make the com¬ 
mencement by not using the word geranium 
in their catalogues when they allude to or 
describe any of the pelargoniums. If they 
will all do this, I think the mistake will be 
corrected in the course of a few years. But 
it is useless to expect amateur cultivators to 
call plants pelargoniums which they purchase 
and see catalogued and described as gerani¬ 
ums. Reform is necessary here, and our 
florists and plant-growers should begin the 
good work at once. Let us see who will be 
first to do ifcf _ 
The different varieties of abntilons form, 
when taken together, a class of plants that 
are very popular and desirable for cultivation 
in the window garden, greenhouse and flower 
border. One of the most valuable and desir¬ 
able is Thompsonii plena. This is a sport 
from the well known Thompsonii variegata, 
and while it retains the beautifully mottled 
yellow and green foliage of that variety, it 
differs from it in having doable flowers that 
resemble in form a small double hollyhock. 
In the color of its flowers, it resembles its 
parent, having deep, rich, orange-shaded, 
crimson-streaked flowers, but as the flowers 
are double, they remain longer in perfection 
than any of the older sorts, and on this account 
are valuable for cutting. 
Pelargoniums, Fred. Douner and Freddie 
Heine, are two very beautiful and distinct 
varieties belonging to what is known as the 
Monthly blooming or Perpetual Pelargoniums, 
and both are very desirable for cultivation in 
the greeuhoose, blooming as they do for some 
five or six months in the year. The trusses 
are composed of from five to eight good-sized 
flowers. In color, the flowers of the former 
are carmine-crimson margined with maroon 
and edged with white, while those of the 
latter are of a rosy carmine, shaded with 
lavender and margined with white. Both 
are plants that can be easily grown, the only 
requisite being to give them a compost com¬ 
posed of two-thirds well decayed sods, and 
one third well decayed manure with a fair 
sprinkling of bone dust. Good drainage is 
also essential, and be careful not to overpot 
the plant. chas. e. parnell. 
Queens, L. I. 
jJomological 
THE “GOVERNMENT RUSSIANS.” 
T. H. HOSKINS, M. D. 
A curious misapprehension; the real facts 
about the “Government Russians;'’’ work of 
Messrs Budd and Gibb; credit for the most 
valuable importations due to this country. 
In the Ls84 report of the Fruit Growers’ 
Association of Ontario, Secretary D. W. 
Beadle is reported as saying (p 99): 
“The trees that were introduced into America by the 
United States Government were got from the western 
coast of Russia, neat Riga. The apples, too,that were 
brought from Russia b> the American Government 
were uot strictly Russian. They were German apples 
that bad been taken to Russia to be experimented 
with there, and some of ihetn had been there but a 
very short time, but the American Consul who had 
charge of (he mutts r.sevtned to think that everything 
from Russia would be Just what they wanted. They 
were scattered abroad over the United States,anJ the 
result has been a great disappointment. Mr. Gibbs 
went Into Northeastern Russia, and he found there 
a class of apples that make their growth early in the 
season and then stop, aud get perfectly ready for 
Winter. In addition to iliac, the leaf texture wasof 
a peculiar kind, thick and glossy, that will bear 
drought and beat as well as the cold. The result is 
that they have a class of apple that we may hope will 
be valuable for our cold North.” 
In the above extract, I have condensed Mr. 
Beadle’s remarks, without injury to their 
substance. They show an entire misappre¬ 
hension of the facts of the case, and at the 
same time, while mispelliug Mr. Gibb’s name, 
he ignores the fact that he on his Russian trip, 
accompanied Frof. Budd of the Agricul¬ 
tural College of Iowa, au institution endowed 
by the United States, in common with other 
agricultural colleges. Now what are the real 
facts about the government importation of 
Russian apples in 1869-70? They are, that to¬ 
gether with a few German and a good many 
more or less inferior varieties of Russian 
apples, that importation included nearly all 
of the best kinds found by Messrs. Budd and 
Gibb to be of value in Central Russia. So far 
were they from being all German apples “tak¬ 
en to Russia to be experimented with,” that 
not over six or seven of them are even 
