supposed to be so by Mr. Gibb, in his review 
of the list beginning on page 5S of the Mon¬ 
treal Horticultural Society’s Report furl883, 
which Mj*. Beadle probably had read, or at 
least had the opportunity to read, before the 
issue of his Ontario Report for 1884. Some 
that have German names given them are dis¬ 
tinctly stated to be of Russian origin. As 
there were 252 varieties imported, it is evident 
that Mr. Beadle had not well informed him 
self, or was, as seeui3 apparent, desirous 
of claiming all the honor of the importa¬ 
tion of good Russian apples for Canada. 
How far this is from the fact can easily be 
shown from the frank and cordial writings of 
Mr, Giob himself, who has ably and laborious¬ 
ly studied the whole subject, and freely 
accords credit where it is due, without the 
least national prejudice. So doing, the 
Americans have only to be thankful to him 
for his perfectly lair criticisms of the errors 
made at Washington in the nomenclature, 
and in the translation of the descriptions of 
these apples, as sent out from the Agricul¬ 
tural Department. 
Among the Russian apples of high merit 
found by Messrs. Budd and Gibb in their tour 
through the empire, hardly one was wanting 
n tne Government importation. The Anises, 
the Titus, the Antony, several of the Aport 
family, the Longileld, the Arabs, the Boro- 
viaka, Tiesenhausen, the Stekiiankas, the 
Vargul, the Babu^cbkino, and, indeed, every 
very good apple noted by them, except Bog- 
danoff, are to be found there, besides such 
sorts as the Transparent, Switzer, Golden 
White, Prolific Sweeting, St. Peters, Enor¬ 
mous, Borsdorf, Red Summer Colville, 
Hibernal, Zolotoreff, Getmar , Heidorn, and 
a considerable number more on the govern¬ 
ment list w*hicb have already proved them¬ 
selves to be valuable. 
By this 1 do not mean to undervalue the 
work of Messrs. Budd and Gibb. Though we 
already bad nearly all the good Russian 
apples, the investigation of these gentlemen 
gave us a far better knowledge of their 
merits than we had before, and diffused this 
knowledge so widely that a vast impulse has 
been given to the cultivation of the best va¬ 
rieties, without the tedious waiting for tests, 
and for the slow spread of knowledge so 
acquired. But, in addition to this, ad we 
know of the other Russian fruits, pears, 
plums and cherries, was brought to us as the 
result of this invaluable investigation, and 
the cultivation of these fruits in this country 
is forwarded perhaps by half a century 
through the labors of these men, whose judg¬ 
ment carries immense weight with the 
thoughtful aod enterprising fruit-growers of 
the ‘‘Cold North,” where only “'iron clads” 
succeed. 
I am sorry, indeed, that the Ontario 
Society’s report, by the weight of so eminent 
an authority as its secretary, should give such 
an erroneous statement of tne origin and 
value of what are called among our fruit 
growers the ‘ Government Russiaus,” and 1 
therefore feel it my duty to try to rectify the 
error through the widely circulated Rural 
New-Yorker. 
MEECH’S PROLIFIC QUINCE. 
I read with some surprise and regret too, 
the article in the RuRALof Nov. 7, concerning 
the “Meech Prolific- Quince.” 1 like the Ru¬ 
ral and the usual mode of conducting it very 
much, as it reaches conclusions by* actual tests 
and experiments—the most certain way of 
determining toe true kind and character of 
the plant or fruit under consideration; but 
my surprise was great that it should deviate 
from this practice in the case oi this quince. 
For here the Rural has indorsed the opinions 
of others, taking the truth for granted. Opin¬ 
ions so emphatic would be more valuable if 
they were the results of years of observation 
of the comparative growth of the Champion 
and the Meech under similar conditions, and 
until this has been done the statement that an 
old variety has been sent out under a new 
name, together with the accompanying repro¬ 
bation of such practices, had better be omitted 
as prejudicial to the good name and standing 
of the Rev. W. W. Meech who is one of the 
most successful growers, and one of the best 
“authorities” on the quince in this country, 
Burlington Co. N. J. silaS Walton. 
Remarks. We print the above with pleas¬ 
ure, and have ODly to remark that whether 
Meech’s Prolific is or is not a distinct variety, 
will determine the advisability or inadvisabil¬ 
ity of our remark. Eds. 
THE FLAVOR OF THE KIEFFER NORTH AND 
SOUTH. 
As to the flavor of the Kieffer Pear, I have 
eaten it grown in the North aud grown here, 
and there is a great difference in the flavor. 
Your statement is correct as to northern 
grown pears, but as grown and ripened here 
this year and last, it is better, and I consider 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
oie 12 
it fully as good as a well flavored Duchesse, 
and better than the coarse-grained, insipid 
Duchesse often seen; still there are better 
pears. My objection to the Kieffer is that 
it “blights” badly; in fact, outrageously for 
such a blight proof (?) variety. uber. 
Falls Church, Va. 
PLUMS ON PEACH STOCKS. 
Mr. W. R. Wood, of Portsmouth.Va , writes 
of some Wild Goose Plum trees growing on 
peach stocks, which are extremely healthy and 
vigorous aDd cites this as an evidence of the 
influence of cion upon stock, We never heard 
a doubt expressed as to the influence of the 
cion being great upon the stock; in fact so 
evident is this that a good judge of varieties 
will at ouce name most kinds by looking at 
the roots. But that there is a perceptible 
reverse difference we are not so certain; or 
that the graft will so change the stock as to 
make peach desirable stock for the plum we 
very much doubt; still the peach does very 
well for plum stocks for some soils and some 
climates; but it is entirely worthless for others. 
<L\)t Vmajarir. 
THE EMPIRE STATE GRAPE. 
In the Fall of 1882, in company with a 
number of gentlemen connected with the New 
Jersey State Horticultural Society, 1 visited 
the grounds of Mr. Ricketts, the originator of 
the Empire State Grape, at Newburg, and 
was so much pleased with the general charac¬ 
ter and good qualities of both vine aud fruit 
that 1 was tempted to break the Tenth Com¬ 
mandment. 
In the Spring of 1883 the new proprietors 
sent me a one-year-old vine under restrictions 
not to disseminate it, hut to test it on my 
grounds. I gave it good, careful cultivation, 
and it made strong, healthy wood, and in 1884 
it ripened six good clusters of fruit, and made 
au abundance of good, well-ripened wood, and 
the present season it gave me 36 bunches of 
very handsome fruit of tne finest quality. In 
flavor it resembles the Muscat-Ham burg, to 
my taste the prime of grapes. 
I exhibited It at the recent fair of the Bur¬ 
lington County Agricultural Society held at 
Mount Holly, where, after careful and criti¬ 
cal tests, it was awarded the first premium for 
the “best grape of merit” among the entire 
collection of more than 50 varieties. 
So far I find it very hardy, not having been 
injured by the severe weather of last Winter, 
and not affected by mildew or rot. Should my 
experience be generally confirmed, we have 
truly a great acquisition to our already large 
list of good grapes. chas. L. .tones. 
Newark, N. J. 
COPPERAS AS A PREVENTIVE OF GRAPE ROT. 
1 have reason to believe that copperas is a 
preventive of the grape rot. In a small vine¬ 
yard in Massillon, Ohio, where a quart to the 
square rod has been sown in July for three 
years, there has been no rot, while other 
grapes in the same neighborhood have rotted 
more or less every year. They formerly 
rotted in this vineyard. m. crawford. 
Summit Co . Oh'o. 
fklfc C*T0J»5. 
MEDITERRANE AN-DIEHL SEED 
WHEAT. 
This variety is becoming very popular in 
Western New York. It was first sown large 
ly by two of our most prominent farmers. 
Both these secured large yields two years ago 
—something like 45 bushels to the acre, as 
nearly as I can remember. The Rochester mill¬ 
ers were very much pleased with the charac¬ 
ter of the flour, and consequently interested 
themselves largely in the dissemination of tne 
variety. I sowed it almost exclusively a year 
ago this Fall on low ground that I desired to 
seed down for a meadow. It was not my best 
wheat soil, and at a few poiuts the wheat 
rusted, reducing the yield considerably, and 
yet in spite of these drawbacks the yield was 
something over 25 bushels of superior wheat. 
Tne plant has a broad blade, and shows re- 
markanle vigor, covering the ground well be¬ 
fore Winter. It seems to withstand heaving 
on low ground be ter than most other varie¬ 
ties. One of my neighbors secured 35 bushels 
from one bushel of seed this season. Neai ly 
all if our best farmers have sowed the Diehl 
Mediterranean at the present seeding. The 
straw is strong, aud stands up well. While 
the heads are not as loug as those of the 
Clawson, I find there are more kernels in 
them than in the other. The Diehl-Mediter¬ 
ranean is not so seriously affected by the Hes¬ 
sian fly as the Clawson; I had a good oppor¬ 
tunity to see this fact. I did not have seed 
enough of the Diehl-Mediterranean to sow a 
small detached patch, therefore sowed it to 
Clawson. There was sufficient seed of the 
Diehl-Mediterranean left in the drill to sow 
one width of the drill across the field, the 
Clawson being sown on the return bout; while 
the Clawson was badly affected by the Hes¬ 
sian fly, the Diehl Mediterranean by its side, 
was scarcely affected at all. 
CHARLES A GREEN. 
[Nineteen thousand packets of the Diehl- 
Mediterranean were sent out in our Free 
Seed Distribution of 1884. We do not remem¬ 
ber to have received a single unfavorable re¬ 
port.— EDS.] 
-« -- 
Mr. A. Barnard, the Director of Agriculture 
and Public Works, Quebec, Canada, sags: 
“Let me say how highly pleased 1 am with 
the Rural New Yorker ever since it came 
under your management. We have, at feast, 
one American paper in which agriculture, 
per se, is treated with the science of practice 
and where commercial inducements hold the 
background only.'" 
Hliscellaticints. 
CATALOGUES, ETC., RECEIVED. 
F. C. Sturtevant Hartford Conn.—A cir¬ 
cular of the Imperial Egg Food, containing 
directions for keeping poultry in good condi¬ 
tion. It is estimated that fully one half the 
chickens, ducks and turkeys annually hatched 
die before reaching maturity; the value of a 
food that will save by its use even a small por¬ 
tion of those that would otherwise be lost can 
be readily seen. Among other strong testi¬ 
monials we notice that of A C. Hawkins, 
Lancaster, Mass, who says: “I have used the 
Impeiial Egg Food for my fowls and chicks 
the past season with good success. It is very 
valuable to increase egg production; and as a 
tonic for molting fowls it is just the thing. It 
deserves wide sale auiODg poultry breeders ” 
The circular contains valuable information 
for poultry raisers, and will be sent free to the 
readers of the Rural. 
Orange Culture in Florida, Louisiana 
and California, by Rev. T. W. Moore, D. 
D. Published by E. R. Pelton & Co., N. Y. 
Price |1. A new edition of this popular little 
work, of which the Rural said last year, 
“The work has become a standard and de¬ 
serves the position.” 
Letters from Golden Latitudes is the 
suggestive title of a collection of letters 
written by a well known correspondent in 
passing through tbe great North-west. It is 
au entertaining story, and contains much 
information in regard to Minnesota 
and Dakota. It is evidently the story of a 
traveler, aDd not of an actual settler. 
The view one gets of such a couutry 
from a car window is often toned down by 
actual settlement. Published by the St. P., 
M. & M R. R. 
Shoppell’s Modern Houses, Vol I, No. 
I. Published by the Co-operative Building 
Plan Association, 34 Beekman Street, New 
V ork.—This is toe first number of an illus¬ 
trated architectural quarterly magazine. The 
design of the publication is to present a series 
of plans for low cost houses, with well written 
explanations, And to keep track of the general 
architectural news and literature of the day. 
The magazine is handsomely gotten up and 
well printed, The present number contains 
75 designs for modern residences, with reliable 
costs, ranging from $410 to $0,800. Besides, 
there are designs for public buildings and 
tasty decorations. A historical story by M. 
Viollec-LeDuc, the famous French architect, 
js begun. It is stated that heretofore much 
trouble has been experienced in procuring 
plans for cheap houses at a reasonable cost. 
The idea of the present publication is to pro¬ 
vide a remedy for this trouble. Price $8 per 
year; single numbers $1. 
Report of the Experiment Station of 
Wisconsin. From Prof. W. A. Henry, Mad¬ 
ison, Wis.—The progressive farmers of 
Wisconsin have been quick to recognize the 
necessity of a system of diversified farming. 
They recognize the evils of exclusive grain 
raisiug, and look to the stock aud dairy farm 
for salvation. We are not surprised therefore 
to find the present volume well filled with re¬ 
ports of experiments in the dairy and in the 
stable. Prof. W. A. Henry always commands 
a good audience. He writes in an entertain¬ 
ing maoner, aud selects a practical subject. 
The articles by Mr. H, P. Armsby are of 
great value. We again urge upon farmers 
tbe importance of securing copies of these 
agricultural publications. Borne of the best 
agricultural literature of the day may be 
found tu these reports, aud the cost is but 
trifling. ___ 
The Rural New-Yorker is a paper of 
great value. Prof. J. P. Sheldon, 
Ashbourne, England. 
Abuse of Feed.— Sir J. B. Lawes says, in 
the Agricultural Gazette of London, that he 
could not desire a better illustration of the 
abuse of a food than that of feeding a cow 
which was yielding milk with mangels. 
Milk is a highly nitrogenous substance, while 
mangels—though they contain a large amount 
of most valuable food in sugar—have a low 
percentage of nitrogen, and a considerable 
proportion of what they do possess is incap¬ 
able of producing the nitrogenous compound 
which we find in milk. How then is milk to be 
obtained from mangels? The cow would for 
a time furnish the necessary nitrogenous 
compounds from her own body, but at the 
same time would bo losing condition. Bran, 
Dr. Lawes says, very closely resembles milk 
as regards the relation of its nitrogenous and 
non-nitrogenous matters, but bran and man¬ 
gels differ very much in the respective amount 
they contain of these substances. A diet of 
mangels to a cow yielding milk, would be an 
abuse of the roots. A similar abuse often 
occurs when too many roots are given to ewes. 
A lamb which when born is little more than a 
lump of nitrogen and phosphates, is expected 
to be formed from a food which is exceeding¬ 
ly poor in both these substances, and then 
when wholesale abortion istbe result, itissaid 
that tbe manure which grew the roots is to 
blame! That the quality of roots is greatly 
dependent upon the manures employed to 
grow them, Dr. Lawes admits, but no matter 
how they are grown, roots, when used alone, 
cannot be considered a milk-producing food. 
Agricultural Implements in Russia.— 
The American Consul at Bt. Petersburg says, 
in his recent report, that the Russian peas¬ 
ants use implements of tbe most primitive 
character. The modern utensils and machines 
are used only by the wealthier farmers. The 
crude and awkward tools are used by the 
peasants with astonishing dexterity, and are 
so cheap that the lighter and more complicat¬ 
ed ones in use in other countries are not in 
great demand. About the same state of 
affairs exists among all the less intelligent 
laborers. The negro cotton laborers at tbe 
South still use the old style clumsy hoe. They 
do much better work with it than they would 
with the light, sharp implement used in 
New England. With them a hoe is to te 
used like an axe, and strength takes the place 
of skill. Various objections are raised in 
Russia against our common American tools. 
They are considered too dear and too light and 
complicated for tbe average Russian laborer. 
They were made Tor very intelligent work¬ 
men, and require considerable skill to manage 
them properly. Iudeed, it requires 8 consid¬ 
erable knowledge of machinery to get the 
best work out of many of aur farm machines, 
and even in our own couutry can be found 
plenty of workmen unable to use them. The 
Russians also object to the general use of cast- 
iron in tbe construction of these implements. 
In that country the facilities for repairing 
broken implements are exceeding poor, and 
an accident causes a much greater loss of time 
thau the American farmer would know. The 
implements required in such countries should 
be cheap, simple, and strong. With these the 
market can be secured, aud then the better 
too .b can be slowly introduced. The Russian 
peasant should not go on forever chopping 
tbe earth with his clumsy tools, but no one 
can expect bim to change at once to the com¬ 
plicated machinery that the American farmer 
uses, _ 
Beware of Bulls.— Calmness and firmness 
are absolutely necessary in dealing with the 
bull, says the National Live Stock Journal. 
The man who bandies a bull should uever try 
to “show off." There are less dangerous 
things in the world that will provide fun. 
The man or boy who attempts to tease the 
bull should never be allowed in the barn. 
Bulls like attention, but the keeper should 
kuow better thau to play with them as he would 
with a calf or a youug heifer. No matter 
how geutle the bull may appear, never cease to 
watch him. It helps a bull’s temper to allow 
bim a place in tbe stable with the cows, where 
he can see what is going on. When he is shut 
up in a dark stall by himself, he grows moody 
—so would a man for that matter. Bulls of 
some breeds seem to be particularly ugly and 
unruly. There may be such a thing as an 
“inherited ugliness.” It seems so at times. 
Evils ok Stagnant Water for Cows,— 
The Mary laud Firmer says that Prof. Law, 
of Cornell University, caused some cows to 
drink for several days from a stagnant pool 
of water that existed in a swale, and then ex¬ 
amined the milk and found it full of living 
