THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
ences in the local distribution of the 
long hair,” and he specifies the differences. 
What is a “mixed and impure” breed but a 
“composite one”? Other authorities could bo 
piven here in support of the truth of the 
Rural statement, but why burthen the pa#? 
with them? The authority of the selected his¬ 
torian of the breed in its original home 
surely outweighs that of our bumptious but 
irresponsible Kansas friend. 
In his usual courteous style, the Record cor¬ 
respondent says: “This R. N.-Y. genius states 
that the Shires’ faults are that they are large, 
wanting in action and mettle,” and, of course, 
he strongly objects to this statement. In the 
work quoted above Mr. Reynolds says: “Au¬ 
thorities about horse breeding-10 or 50 years 
since were ceaseless in their objections to the 
slow, ponderous movement of the draft horses 
of tlicir day. aud strongly urged the necessity 
for crossing them with animals of a more slen¬ 
der build, in order to attain increased activity 
aud quicker pace.” The Record “genius,” who 
has known the Shiros for iiO years, says that 
“the type 1ms changed less in that time than 
the Short-horn!” The Short-horn t.yj >e has hard¬ 
ly changed a whit for the better in that time; 
has the Shire? If not, when was the change 
effected? Wus it in the 16 years interven¬ 
ing between the time when Mr. Reynolds says 
there wore ceaseless objections to the slow, 
ponderous movement of the “Shire” horses of 
that day, and the time when the Kansas “gen¬ 
ius” first made the acquaintance of the breed ? 
Rapid change that, especially as the breeders 
of the earlier day had uot. begun to make any 
change, but were merely urging the necessity 
for it. 
Contrary to any inference deductible from 
the Record correspondent’s words, however, 
valuable improvements have, of late years, 
been made in Shire horses; but though excel¬ 
lently adapted for heavy traffic on well paved 
streets, they are, in the writer’s opinion, less 
suitable for work on American farms than 
some lighter, more active and spirited breed. 
This is a matter of opinion, however, in which 
“New York” is quite as likely to be right as 
“Kansas.” The former has uo pecuniary in 
terest in this or any other breed to bias his 
opinion. Can the latter say as much? 
£!)c Sunn cl) ml. • 
POLAND-CHINA SOW. 
The Foland-China aud the Berkshire are the 
two most popular breeds of swine in the great 
pork-raising sections of the country. The for¬ 
mer is essentially an American breed, having 
originated in the rich Little Miami Valley, 
Ohio. The foundations of the bread were 
doubtless the original large, coarse-boned, 
bristly, slow-maturingswiuo of thu region. In 
1810 a boar and three sows, said to have been 
imported from China, or to he immediate de¬ 
scendants of imported stock, and known as 
the “Big Chinas,” were carried from Phila¬ 
delphia to Wurron County, where during the 
next 20 years they were extensively crossed 
with the best sorts then existing in that section, 
the progeny being known as Warren Comity 
hogs. About 1835 some Berkshire® were intro¬ 
duced from New York State, aud between 
1838 and 1840 the Irish Graziers were imported, 
and both of these breeds ware extensively 
crossed with the descendants and crosses of 
the Big Chinas and other less influential breeds, 
and the stock thus produced was the basis of 
the breed so widely and favorably known as 
the l’olaud-Chiua. 
From the best accounts of the breed it ap¬ 
pears that there has been uo admixture of 
other blood since 1840, since which time the 
attention of the most skillful breeders has been 
devoted to the correction of defective points 
aud the production of an animal of the best 
quality. In addition to the Big Chinas, Berk¬ 
shire’s, and Irish Graziers, the breed is also sup- 
the body. They are among the largest breeds 
of swine, with small, line, drooping ears; 
short legs; broad, straight backs; deep sides, 
flanked well down On the legs; broad, square 
hams and shoulders; deep chests; short, full, 
high-created necks; heavy quarters: and. fine 
muzzles. They mature early, aud have a 
strong tendency to fatten at an early age. 
The sow whose likeness is shown at Fig. 217, 
is one of the herd of Mr. C. H. Warrington, 
Chester Co., Pa. 
THE IMPORTED CURRANT BORER. 
(/Egerla ttpullfornils) 
Probably this insect is, next to the Cur¬ 
rant Worm (Nematus ventricosus), the most 
serious pest to the currant crop in this coun¬ 
try. The white, fleshy grub that does the 
mischief gnaws his burrows up and down the 
center of the stems until they languish and 
REME DIES. 
There are but two practical remedies known. 
The first is to catch the moths with a net, and 
so prevent egg laying. The other and better 
way Is to search for the affected stems and cut 
them out and burn them. On close examina¬ 
tion the little holes can be seen, especially 
when the leaves are off during the fall or 
spring. On October, 14, 1885, I cut 12 borers 
from a single bush in the Agricultural College 
garden, all of which were readily located in 
thus manner. Neighbors should unite in their 
efforts to destroy the larvae in order to be suc¬ 
cessful. It is certainly encouraging to know 
that an ichneumon parasite is becoming very 
destructive to this fiorer. One year ago I 
gathered infested twigs from which I reared 
12 of the'pnrosites and but two of the moths. 
C. 1*. GILLETTE. 
Agr’l Coll., Lansing, Mich. 
THE ELM LEAF BEETLE. 
This pest — Galeruca Xanthomelaena 
(Schrauk)—is reported as doing much damage 
on Long Island and throughout portions of 
ELM LEAF BEETLE. Fig. 218. 
die, or become so weakened as to break down 
i u a strong wind. These borers may bo found 
in the stems from July until the following 
June. When full-grown one is about half an 
inch in length, with a brown head and a dark 
streak along the back. The pests are most 
common in red and white currants, but are 
sometimes found in the bluck variety. 
Bushes that languish and die without visible 
cause, will probably be found, ou examina¬ 
tion, to be infested with this pest. 
In the latitude of Lansing, Mich., the moths 
appear a little before the middle of June. Oue 
year ago wo had an early spring, uud I took a 
number of them about currant hushes on June 
lOtli. The moth measures three-quarters of 
au inch from tip to tip of the wings, is of a 
beautiful bluish-black color, trimmed with 
New England aud at the request of several 
subscribers we reprint the illustration showu 
at Fig. 218. In this illustration the leaves 
are showu as eaten by the beetle. The eggs 
are deposited in an upright position upon the 
underside of the leaves, os at a. The group 
of these eggs is shown at e, magnified. The 
perfect beetle is showu at e, uiaguified at k. 
In Bulletin No. 10, from the Division of En¬ 
tomology, of the Agricultural Department, 
Dr. Riley devotes 20 pages to this insect. All 
who are interested in fighting the pest should 
secure this work. Careful reports are made 
of the various remedies that have been tried, 
aud a history of the pest and its habits is 
given. It is the most complete treatise ou 
shade-tree defoliators that has yet appeared. 
Prof. Cook, last year, page 577, stated that 
WSSK/U? tvVH.iT ,E*C. .ttf 
POLAND CHINA HOG. Fig. 217. 
posed to have au admixture of blood from the 
‘Byfield,” “Russia” and “Bedford” breeds, 
aud it has been known by a variety of names, 
such as the “Magic,” “ButlerCounty,” “War¬ 
ren County,” “Miami Valley," “Poland,” 
“Great Western,” “Shaker,” “Union Vil¬ 
lage,” “Dick's Creek,” “Gregory’s Creek,” 
“Moore's” aud others. The name Poland- 
Chiua, however, was definitely assigned to 
it by the National Convention of Swine 
Breeders at Indianapolis, in November, 
1872, the records of which furnish thu most 
authentic information of the previous history 
of the race. Straugo as it may appear, how¬ 
ever, it is now almost universally conceded 
that no Polish cross over contributed to the 
formation of the breed, though its name ap¬ 
pears to indicate the introduction of Polish 
blood. 
As now bred, the Polaud-Cbinas are well 
haired, usually dark or solid black with white 
points, with occasionally a few white spots ou 
gold, and looks much like a wasp, especially 
when on the wing. There are three narrow, 
gold stripes across the abdomen, ami one run¬ 
ning near the base of the wings on either side 
of the thorax- The abdomen is tipped with a 
heavy brush of bluck scales and the wings are 
mostly transparent. From this description 
anyone can readily distinguish this insect, 
whether as moth or larva, aud when met with 
it should always be destroyed. 
Almost us soon as the female moth comes 
forth she begins laying her eggs, one in a place, 
near some scar or rough place in the bark. In 
a few days the egg hatches, and the larva eats 
its way to the center of the stem, and there 
burrows up and down until fall. When full- 
grown it rata au opening to the outside pre¬ 
paratory to its eecaite after assuming the 
winged state, for when it becomes winged it 
has no jaws with which to eat through its 
prison walls. 
the best remedy for these devastators is to use 
the arseuites in water. Dr. Riley prefers the 
London-purple mixture His mixture is, Lon¬ 
don-purple, one-half pouud, flour, three quarts, 
in one barrel (40 gallons) of water. He states 
that the Hour seems to keep the poison from 
having any injurious effect on the leaf, pre¬ 
venting to some extent the corrosive injury 
which otherwise obtains when the poison is 
coarsely sprinkled or too strong. Small trees 
are easily sprayed by means of a common 
force pump. Where larger ones are attacked 
it is sometimes necessary to climb iuto them 
and spray part at a time. 
fir It) Crops. 
SHALLOW CULTIVATION. 
The fact is apparent to any one who has 
given the matter anything like a fair trial, 
that in order to secure the best results from 
shallow cultivation, early and continued culti¬ 
vation is esseutial. 
If you wait until the weeds and grass have 
made a good start before commencing to cul¬ 
tivate shallow, and then depend upon two or 
three workings to keep the crops clean, you 
will undoubtedly find yourself mistaken. 
This is one very great reason why many 
who try shallow cultivation make a failure 
When using the diamond plow, it it customary 
to wait until the plants have made a good 
8tai*t, then by running the plow deep the 
weeds are all turned under, f have tried both 
shullow aud deep hill cultivation, and when 
the work can be properly done, I can always 
secure the best results with shallow level cul¬ 
tivation. My plan is to commence with the 
harrow as soon as possible after the crop is 
planted. The weeds will b e B‘R to grow as 
soon as the soil is left undisturbed, and the 
surest way of keeping ahead of them is to de¬ 
stroy them before they get a start. By using 
the harrow at first, not only are the weeds 
destroyed but the soil is made mellow and 
fine, giving the plants a good start. I can 
generally harrow profitably at least twice 
and sometimes three times, before the plants 
make such a growth as to need the cultivator. 
Then use the cultivator while the weeds 
and grass arc small, and afterwards cultivate 
sufficiently to keep down the weeds and grass 
and mellow up and fine the surface, if this 
is done properly, uo fault will be found with 
the way the crops grow or with the weeds 
and grass getting a start. N. J. shepherd. 
Miller Co., Mo. 
Planting Potatoes.— Here is the way I 
put in my potatoes this year. The land was 
plowed in the fall, and well harrowed with 
the Acme in the spring. Drills were made 
with a shovel plow, and 80U pounds to the acre 
of a potatp fertilizer scattered at the bottom 
of the drills. A brush drag, run lengthwise of 
the drills, put just enough dirt on the fertil¬ 
izer. The seed pieces were droppeed one 
foot apart and the Acme ru n across the fur¬ 
rows, both ways. This covered the pieces 
well and left the surface in good shape. 
Orange Co., N. Y. a e. g. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
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“ROYALTY” UNDER GREEN’S PATENT ON 
DRIVEN WELLS. 
R. M. L. y Flushing, L. I .—Under the late 
decision of the United States Supreme Court 
ou Green’s patent on driven wells, who will be 
legally liable to pay royalty to Green or his 
agents? If license for a well has been already 
paid to another party, holding another 
patent, can Green also claim a royalty? 
Ans.— All people who have had a servicea¬ 
ble driven well on their premises at any time 
between January 14, 18158, the date of the issue 
of Green's original patent, and January 14, 
1885, the date of the expiration of the re-is¬ 
sued patent of 1871, are liable to pay royalty 
to Green or his agents, unless they have al¬ 
ready done so. Green's patent is for what is 
termed “a broad claim,” and covers all forms 
of driven wells—that is, of wells in which the 
earth, instead of being brought to the surface, 
is forced aside by a descending rod or tube. 
Whether the hole in the grouud has first been 
made by a bar of iron or other material, and 
pipes then inserted in the orifice; or by a tube 
shod with a conical poiutand furnished with 
a “filter section” at the lower end, makes no 
difference. If the earth has been forced aside 
from the hole instead of beiug brought to the 
surface, the well is covered by the patent. A 
bored well—one from which the earth has 
been brought to the surface by means of au 
earth augur—is not. subject to royalty under 
this patent, though Green’s agentsoftenclaim a 
royalty ou such wells. A part of alldriven wells 
over 25 to 80 feet deep, must have been either 
bored or dug. Such wells, however, are sub¬ 
ject to royalty. If the tube well has once ex¬ 
isted and been used on the premises, without 
license under this patent, the owner (or his 
heirs or assignees) is still liable for royalty even 
if the well is no longer used; or even if the 
tubing has been choked or pulled up. If a roy¬ 
alty has been paid under any other patent or 
patents, that fact will uot exempt the well 
owners from the obligation of paying royalty- 
under Green’s patent. The latter or his agents 
have six years from the time the patent ex- 
