FARMERS’ CLUB. 
(Continued from page 273.) 
CAST IRON AND STEED PLOWS. 
E. P. N., Nichols, Conn.— What are the ad¬ 
vantages and disadvantages of steel plows 
compared with those of “carbon metal chilled 
iron'’ or adamant metal i 
Ans.— In order to get the necessary strength 
and overcome brittleness, chilled or cast-iron 
plow's must be made considerably heavier 
than those of steel, and in a heavy soil free 
from sand or grit, they will not scour. In 
the lighter sandy soils of New England, the 
only advantage of steel plow's is their smaller 
weight and many farmers still prefer the 
chilled plows, especially when the difference 
in cost is considered. 
-- 
Miscellaneous. 
W. IF., South Cameron , N. Y— The 
heads and necks of several of my young hens 
are much swollen and the feathers are drop¬ 
ping from the throats. What is the matter? 
Ans. —It is very likely the hens have been 
picking the feathers from each others’ throats, 
and some of the denuded birds have caught 
cold from the exposure. Give them Douglas 
Mixture in their drinking water. Separate 
the worst. It may be some of them have 
roup. Iu such eases there is a frothy sub¬ 
stance in the inner corner of the eye; the 
lids swell, and in severe cases the eye-ball is 
entirely hidden; a cheesy matter forms, and 
its smell is very foetid. Unless the birds are 
valuable, it would be well to kill all affected 
in this way to prevent the disease from spread¬ 
ing. ns it is very contagious. 
J. D. E., DiUingerville , Pa .—Why do 
chickens lose the feathers on their throats at 
this season of the year? 
Ans. —Your fowls, like many others during a 
long winter, have taken to peckingthe feathers 
from each others’throats, This Is very com¬ 
mon when the heus are confined by the snow. 
They are induced to do it for want of animal 
food. They usually stop it when they can get 
grass or worms. The best preventives of 
feather-eating are bone-flour, oyster shells, 
charcoal aud meat scraps, with clean water 
and cleau quarters. If they still continue the 
practice, put them in the pot. 
C. E, O., St. Lon is. Mo .—I sold a crib of 
cob com iu bulk, and there is a dispute as to 
the correct rule for ascertaining the contents; 
what is the rule? 
Ans, —Multiply the length, breadth aud 
hight together in feet. Multiply the product by 
four aud strike off the right-haud figure. The 
result will be the number of bushels of (.West¬ 
ern) shelled corn. For Eastern or Canadian 
corn deduct one-fifth. Another and more 
cumbrous rule, which will give slightly larger 
results, is as follows: Divide the number of 
cubic inches in the crib by 4,800.8—the num¬ 
ber of cubic iuches in two bushels, struck 
measure. The answer will give the number 
of bushels of (Western) shelled corn. 
A. S., Eon du Lac, Wig ,—Which is the bet¬ 
ter plan, to haul out stable manure as fast as 
it is made in winter, or to let it stand in a pile 
and haul it out in March or when it is needed 
to be plowed under? 
Ans. —It depends entirely upon circum¬ 
stances. On steep, hilly land we never would 
haul manure out where it would be subject to 
the washing of spring rains. On level grpund 
little if any of the manure would be wasted 
by winter spreading. By hauling it out in 
winter as fast as made you will save a good 
deal of work in Spring when work is most 
valuable, and the effect on the level land will 
be better. 
W.S. W., IAnwood, Kans — l.When should 
salt be applied to wheat, and how much per 
acre? 3. What is the proper time for sowing 
flax? 
Ans. —1 We should prefer fall just before the 
last harrowing. It would be liable to hurt 
the plauts if sown now. In fact we have no 
confidence in salt except that it may exert, in 
some cases, a mechanical effect upon the soil. 
Sow six bushels to the acre. 2. Early in 
spring. 
C. A. A ., Lawrence, Ind, —Last fall a four- 
year old colt snagged his front leg between 
the joint and hoof. The wound healed, but a 
hard knob has formed, making a blemish. No 
fever or lameness. How can the knob be re¬ 
moved? 
Anb.— Paint with tincture of iodine twice 
a week for one or two months. A competent 
surgeon might dissect out the lump. It would 
be unsafe for you to attempt cutting, because 
of the danger of injury to adjacent importan- 
tant structures. 
L. S. F. , Easton, Md .—Last Fall some of 
my turkeys were troubled with hard scales of 
dried matter on the heads. In two or three 
weeks they began to droop and soon died. 
What has killed them ? 
Ans.— It was similar to the sore head dis¬ 
ease so prevalent in Florida, and warm sec 
tions, being due to a minute parasite. Grease 
the heads with a mixture composed of one 
tablespoonfnl of lard, one of crude petroleum, 
and five drops of carbolic acid. 
IF. D., Norton Hill, N. Y .—Which is the 
better variety of corn—the Chester County 
Mammoth or Angel of Midnight? Do the 
stalks grow too large for winter feeding? 
Ans. —The Chester County is a yellow 
dent with large, tall stalks. The ears are 
borne high. They run from 14 to 30 rows. It 
is a late variety, and we advise you not to 
raise it. The Augel of Midnight (we object to 
writing the silly name) is a yellow flint, with 
medium-sized stalks. It is an early kind. 
F. cf H., E. Templeton, Mass. —How can we 
propagate chestnuts? For the past two years 
they have been planted in the fall, but the 
seeds have not sprouted 
Ans. —The best way is to preserve them in 
sand in a cool cellar and plant in the spring. 
They will sprout at once. 
./. B., Cecil ton , Md, —What are the six most 
profitable market varieties of pears iu this sec¬ 
tion, productiveness ami selling and shipping 
qualities alone Iteing taken into account? 
Ans. —Howell, Superfin, Angouleme, An¬ 
jou, Clairgeau and Bergen. The above is the 
list we should select for Maryland. 
H. A. T., Crescent City , la .—Is it probable, 
dr even possible, that the Earhart Raspberry 
is some other variety re-named ? If so, I think 
the public should know it. 
Ans. —It is a new variety in so far as at 
preseut known. 
IF. C. A’,, Bridgewater, Vt.— Would Japan 
chestnuts he hardy in this section? Would 
any of the other nut-bearing trees, aside from 
black walnut, be hardy here? 
Ans.—W e doubt it. 
J. M. I?.. Muscat ah, Kans .—Ought the 
Rural Blush Potato to be planted early or late? 
Ans. —Plant at once. We prefer early 
planting. 
IF C., Cana, Mich,— Will the new Japanese 
Hybrid Catalpa stand the hard winters of this 
State? 
Ans. —We doubt if it will. 
O. E. K., Lansing , Mich.— Your questions 
will be auswered when you send your full 
name. 
O. C. D., WeUvillg , Fa.—For the twentieth 
time, more or less, the spraying bellows often 
referred to in the Rural, can be obtained 
from J. Woodason, 74 Caualsport Avenue, 
Chicago, Ill. 
P. IF., Ranebugh, Ontario .—Peter Hender¬ 
son & Co., 85 aud 37 Cortlandt Street, N. Y., 
sell self-husking corn. 
Hr *& 
- 
I — 1 
European Horse Census.— The recent 
prohibition of the exportation of horses from 
Germany, Austria and Russia and the pres¬ 
ence of European buyers iu the markets on 
this side of the Atlantic, give additional in¬ 
terest to the following statistics, which have 
been published iu the Russian Norosi. The 
number of horses at the disposal of the sever¬ 
al countries is shown by the following tables; 
In Army In Army 
in Times in Times 
Total. of Peuce. of War. 
Germany. 8.200, out) 
Austria. 3,800.000 
France. 3,000,000 
Russia (in 1832).13,674,713 
81,598 396.668 
49.470 174,020 
125.750 429,660 
The chief breeding places for horses in Ger¬ 
many are in Prussia, Lauenblirg, Saxony, 
Alsace-Lorraine, Oldenburg, and Brunswick. 
Iu Austria the majority are bred in Hungary, 
Transylvania and fiukovina, aud in Russia, iu 
Poland, in the Archangel district, in the Cos¬ 
sack territories and among the uoinnd tribes 
between Orenburg und Astrakhan, The fol¬ 
lowing figures show different departments iu 
the German Army in which horses are em¬ 
ployed hi time of war: Cavalry, 111,744; artil¬ 
lery, field, 129,500; fortress, 0,880; infantry, 
42,700; engineers, 11,18*1; pioneers, 75,820. in 
the Austrian Army 05,075 horses are iu the 
cavalry during a war and 108,947 In other de¬ 
partments. The number of horses exported 
from Russia to Genua ly during the last four 
years is as follows; 1883, 20,158; 1884, 21,105; 
1885, 15,207; 1880, 14,808. 
Ripening Cream.— This is a much-mooted 
subject remarks iko U. 8. Dairyman. Every 
butter-maker talks about it, but generally lias 
very little idea of what it moans beyond sour¬ 
ing the cream. Prof. L. B. Arnold says that 
true ripening is an oxydizing process. Ex¬ 
periments made at Cornell University showed 
this. More recently a practical experiment 
made by Prof. J. N. Muncey, of Iowa, con¬ 
tinued this theory. Two jars of cream of 
equal amount, set side by side, and the one 
frequently stirred while the other was not, 
were churned after ripening. The quantity 
of butter yielded was practically the same, the 
difference being only one-aud-three-quarter 
ounce; but the flavor was decidedly in favor 
of the stirred cream, which thereby got the 
benefit of beiug more exposed to the atmos¬ 
phere, from which it could absorb oxygen. 
Prof. Mnneey estimated it to be worth three 
cents a pound more than the butter derived 
from the cream that was not stirred. He 
therefore recommends the gentle agitation of 
cream while it is ripening. He is of the opin¬ 
ion that cream which stands and ripens at a 
temperature of 60 degrees produces the best 
butter. Heating as high as SO degrees is in¬ 
jurious. 
John Roach, the great ship-builder, who 
died of eaucer the other day, was always very 
popular with his men, though at times he Was 
a trifle peculiar. Once one of his employes, 
after a spree, came to him and asked to bo dis¬ 
charged, saying that ho was thoroughly 
ashamed of himself. Roach refused to dis¬ 
charge him, but told him he would accept his 
resignation, and at once wrote out the follow¬ 
ing form of it: “John Roach—8ir: You 
helped me when I was penniless. You gave 
me work when I was idle. You taught me 
when l was ignorant. You have always paid 
me well. Foil have borne with my infirmit¬ 
ies over and over. But I have lost my self- 
respect, and have, not* enough regard for you 
or love for ray wife aud children to behave 
like a man, aud therefore I withdraw from 
your employment.” Roach handed this to 
the man and told him to be sure to send it in 
just before taking the next drink. There 
was never any occasion for sending it in. 
Candian Cattle Trade.— The Canadian 
export trade iu cattle is steadily growing, ac¬ 
cording to the chief inspector of cattle for the 
Dominion. The trade dates from 1877, when 
7,000 head were shipped to Great Britain. In 
1885, Montreal shipped 58,408 head of cattle 
aud 80,000 sheep. A considerable number 
are sent to tbeUuited St ates, so that the fig 
ures above given do not represent the total 
shipments. The total exports to all countries 
in 1885 were 143,008 cattle and 8:15,043 sheep. 
The raising of cattle is a winter occupation of 
Cauadiau farmers. Canada, it is claimed, is 
unsurpassed as a sheep-growing country. It 
is said to lie entirely free from all contagious 
diseases. A three mouths’ quarantine is eu. 
forced against all suspected cattle. Canadian 
cattle ranches were first established iu 1881, 
The Canadians lease their lands from the 
Government at a charge of two cents per acre. 
The leases run for 21 yours, unless the laud is 
wanted for settlement., when two years’ notice 
is to be given. Overcrowding of ranges is 
not allowed. With proper encouragement, 
it is thought Canada could he relied upon to 
furnish horses for the British army, notwith¬ 
standing some unfavorable reports bv com¬ 
missions sent over to study its capabilities as a 
horse-breeding country. 
BRIEFS. 
Mr. Beckwith, of the New York Experi¬ 
ment Station, commenting upon the earliest 
peas, states that Sutton’s Emerald Gem Pea 
differs only from the usual Extra Eurlies in 
“having pods aud foliage of a pale green 
color.” We have planted Carter’s Emerald 
Gem for years and we had supposed the two 
essentially alike. But the pods and foliage 
have no bloom, which gives them a peculiar 
color which can hardly bo said to be 
“darker.”. 
Emily Louise Taplin, speaking of roses in 
the American Garden, places Marie Baumann 
before Jacqueminot for outdoor flowering. 
It is a profuse bloomer.... 
Mr. S; “See here, my boy, Farmer Brown 
doesn’t like you to swing on his gate.” Preco¬ 
cious boy, who has lately been to Sunday 
school: “Well, I don’t care for Mr. Brown, 
nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, 
nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is 
his.”— Life ... 
THOMSON. 
Come, gentle spring: Ethereal mildness, come 
And send brutal winter, material wildness, home. 
Fair-handed spring unbosoms every grace 
When horny-listed winter Is tumbled oft his base. 
GOLDSMITH. 
Winter, lingering, chills the lap of May, 
So winter, do not Huger; get away. 
LtJCY LARCOM. 
The peach bud glows, tin* wild bee hums, 
The oyster logos caste and the cucumber cumbs. 
HRltUittlT. 
Sweet spring, full of sweet days and roses, 
And showers and thunder and colds In our noses... 
Here is an indorsement of what the R. N.- 
Y. lias said of Paradise stock for apples, by 
Storrs, Harrison & Co. The planting of 
Dwarf Apples has been attended with gratify¬ 
ing success. Almost all sorts succeed well 
when worked upon Paradise stock, producing 
very 'small tree shrubs. These commence 
bearing fruit the second year after planting 
and being as healthy as standard trees and 
productive are a great ornament aud satisfac¬ 
tion They should be planted from six to 
eight feet, apart, aud will produce fruit with¬ 
out the delay attending standards. Being 
trained low, they are valuable for the West. 
Taking up but little room, they are especially 
adapted for village gardens of small extent, 
giving the owners a constant and sure supply 
of choice fruit, far superior to any which can 
he bought iu market. 
A few crab-apple trees ought to find a 
place on every farm. They are hardy, will 
grow almost auy where; they will bear abun¬ 
dantly in two or three years and, as a rule, 
will bear every year; they are flue for cider, 
and several varieties are excellent for dessert. 
They are valuable for canning or preserving.. 
It is well to remember that dwarf pears, 
or those worked on the quince, should be 
planted deep euough to cover the juuction 
two or three iuches. 
Miss Taplin describes the well-kuown, 
hardy rose Alfred Coloinb, in Libby’s Garden, 
as a tine carmine in color, as a free flowerer 
and a good sort, for outside culture. So it is, 
but Marshall P. Wilder is an improvement in 
the way of free flowering. In all other re¬ 
spects it is hard to distinguish one from the 
other... 
Another writer in the same monthly men¬ 
tions several lilacs quite new to us. One is 
Syringe villose, which he describes as having 
long leaves and pink or rose-colored flowers— 
“the most, beautiful of all known species.” S. 
oblata he describes as having leathery leaves, 
very dark and glossy, free from mildew, and 
producing flowers larger than the common 
lilac. S. Japouica, he says, is a tree, it does 
not, sucker. Its great and distinguishing 
characteristic is its enormous panicles of 
flowers which stand up erect,. The panicles 
are sometimes l(ix?4 incites in size. Wo should 
much like to know where these species of lilac 
can be procured...... 
Everywhere in England the question of 
horse supply for military purposes is beiug 
discussed as eagerly as if a general election 
were about to take place and “horse-breeding” 
were the pivot on which the fortunes of the 
candidates turned, Information as to the 
subject, of foreign horse-breeding depots is to 
be published by the government, and the mat¬ 
ter is to engage Parliamentary attention so 
soon as the debates Oh the Irish problem leave 
time for any other topic... 
Scotland is still the principal stronghold 
of contagious pleuro-pneumouia in Great Brit¬ 
ain. Of 20 fresh outbreaks in the island, 
in the week ending March 2(1, 14 were in Scot¬ 
land aud nuly six in England. The Lanark 
authorities have requested the Privy Council 
to declare the whole county infected so as to 
prevent cattle from leaving auy part of it, 
without a special license. The London Live 
Stock Joftrnal justly praises this action as in¬ 
dicative ol’ great, public spirit, and says that 
if other sections followed the example the 
plague would ere long be extirpated. 
For every purpose for which u horse can 
be used blood will tell. There are in use on 
the street railroads of the United States, as 
the statistics show, 100,000 horses, und the 
companies require, to keep up their stock, over 
30,000 fresh horses yearly. A few years ago, 
the Nat ional Stockman reminds us, the com¬ 
panies were buying their horses at from *90 to 
8100 per head. Now they are paying $130 to 
$150. They can st.il 1 get the same kind of 
horses they formerly got for the same price, 
but they find that a horse with even a little 
blood has so much more endurance and capa¬ 
bility that it is economy to give an average 
price of nearly $50 per bend more for it. This 
puts about $1,500,000 per year more into the 
pockets of the breeders of this class of horses, 
with no additional expense except a some¬ 
what, larger service fee for the use of stall¬ 
ions ..... 
A farrow cow is one that has passed the 
heavy flow of milk that follows dropping of 
the calf, and continues two, three or four 
months, after which time it, will gradually 
diminish, though slowly, if the cow is not 
agajn with calf. It is possible to keep good 
cows in milk two, throe or more years if they 
can be kept from breeding, and the milk will 
increase in richness as it, diminishes in quan- 
i i ty. 
Ewes that present signs of scarcity of milk 
either before or after lambing need special at¬ 
tention, remarks the Loudon Agricultural Ga¬ 
zette. Good lumbs are never reared unless 
they receive a favorable start iu life. It is 
advisable, however, to bring a good flow of 
milk upon the cwo previous to lambing, not 
after. A few roots, a little fresh hay, and 
about one pound of grain, consisting of bran 
and Oats, if fed daily, will produce a wonder¬ 
fully beneficial effect, in promoting the flow of 
milk in the ewes. Where much baud feeding 
