THE RUBAI. flEW-YORKER. 
ground where they pupate in an earthern 
cocoon, and soon come forth as moths. It 
must be borne in mind, however, that there 
are about 300 known species of cut-worms and 
their life histories differ very much. 
PARTURITION FEVER IN COWS. 
IF., Reed's Ferry, N. IT.— Last October 
one of my cows calved and appeared all right, 
but had a poor appetite; next morning she 
was prostrated; a veterinary surgeon and my¬ 
self did all wo Could for her, but she died at 
noon. A post mortem examination could 
show nothing wrong. Another cow calved in 
March, and appeared in good condition, with 
a good appetite. Four days afterwards she 
refused to eat a bite, 1 gave her ginger and 
gruel twice, and at night a little saltpeter. 
Next day I got a veterinarian, and wo did t he 
best wo could. Next day she got up, felt 
around the pen with her horns, had a chill, 
and laid down lint, and died before night. 
What was the matter with the cows, and 
should others lie similarly affected, how should 
they be treated? 
ANSWERED BY DR. F. L. KILBORNE. 
Both cows died of parturition fever, a dis¬ 
ease that is much more easily prevented than 
treated. With susceptible animals—heavy 
milkers in excellent condition—a spare, laxa¬ 
tive diet should be given for several days be¬ 
fore and after calving. As soon as the calf is 
dropped, give one to two pounds Epsom salts, 
according to the size of the animal, with an 
ounce or two of ginger. Draw otf the milk 
several times daily for a few days, even begin¬ 
ning before calving if the udder becomes very 
full. After the first week danger from the 
disease is usually over. The disease is treated 
by large aud repeated doses of stimulants, as 
aromatic nmmouia. carbonate of ammonia, 
sweet spirits of niter, etc., with ice or cold 
water applications to the head, and active 
friction followed by bandages to the limbs. 
If a dose of salts has not already been given, 
one should be ad minis to rod at the very outset. 
Individual cases require special treatment, so 
that a very definite rule cannot well be giveu. 
See treatment of parturient apoplexy in the 
Hu hat. of May 38. 
MILDEW ON GOOSEBERRIES. 
H. F. S., Van Huron, Ark. —This spring I 
planted over 100 gooseberry bushes. They 
did well till lately, when they became affected 
with mildew. Being surrounded by trees 
they have plenty of shade for most of the day, 
and never get the full glare of the sun. What 
is the cause, and is there a remedy ? 
Ans. —The trouble is that the plants are of 
varieties subject to mildew—probably foreign 
gooseberries. There is practically no remedy 
at pre.seul known. The sulphate of copper 
wash may prove effective, but it has not been 
tried on gooseberries that we know of. We 
have tried sulphur persoveringly. It some¬ 
what arrests the mildew, but not wholly, aud 
frequent applications are necessary, which 
cost more than the fruit is worth. No, the 
gooseberry will live for years and yet be in¬ 
fested with mildew every season, both as to 
fruit aud berry. Enriching the soil may help. 
Our advice is to plant American varieties, 
like the Dowuiug, Houghton or Smith’s Im¬ 
proved. 
DIARRUEA OR WHITE SCOUR IN CALVES. 
Subscriber (no address). —I have lost three 
calves in succession. When dropped they 
were all right, and sucked well; but when 
two days old diarrhea of a very offensive, 
watery nature set iu, and noue of them could 
hold out longer t han a week. Various reme¬ 
dies were of no use. Some of the dams were 
kept on dry feed with about three quarts of 
coru-meal at one feed twice a day with their 
hay; others were on grass. There are several 
similar cases here. What was the matter? 
Ans.— We cannot give the cause from your 
description, and without knowing the cause 
cannot give a satisfactory remedy. The dis¬ 
ease is very rare where calves are allowed to 
suckle the dams, but almost equally common 
when the calves are over-fed by hand. In 
your case we suspect the cause is to be 
found iu unsuitable food or want of proper 
care aud management of the cows, by which 
the milk is rendered unwholesome for the 
calves. See to it that both cows and calves 
have dry, comfortable quarters, and that they 
are not unduly exposed to wind and storms at 
pasture. Make sure that the cows have oulv 
good, wholesome food and pure, fresh drinking 
water at all times. Do not allow the cows to 
be chased or otherwise excited. Let .the 
calves suck at least three times daily for the 
first week, aud make sure they draw a portion 
of the first milk. By seeking for and remov¬ 
ing the cause, medicinal t reatment will not. be 
necessary; while without removing the cause 
treatment would be of very little use. 
AILING SHEER. 
11. J. Tj. , lihinebeck, N. Y ,—Three of my 
lambs appear iu poor condition. The first 
symptom is a loppiug of the ears, which are 
thick and hot. Then the eyes get sore and 
scabby. Last year another was affected in 
the same way; it grew worse for a long time, 
and then the wool came out in patches and the 
skin appeared to decay there. Another lamb 
acts like a sheep with the “stretches.” Lin¬ 
seed oil did no good wheu it was first attacked. 
Sometimes it is better, and then again worse, 
and it is getting very thin. What should be 
done? 
Ans. —Wash the in flamed surface daily with 
a solution of carbonate of soda—one dram in 
each pint of wuter. If this does not give re¬ 
lief try one or two applications of iodine oint¬ 
ment and then return to the soda wash. See 
that the bowels are kept loose, giving small 
doses of castor oil if necessary. Also give a 
laxative diet, with free access to common salt; 
and pure drinking water. Wherever the wool 
comes off apply iodine ointment and follow 
with daily dressings of carbolated vaseline. 
For the “stretches” see the Rural of March 
36, page 303. 
HEN MANURE, ASHES, AND WOOD MOLD; OVER¬ 
FED DUCKLINGS. 
Subscriber , Limestone, Tenn. —1. Whatisan 
analysis of chicken manure; also of ashes aud 
wood mold? Would the three be a good appli- 
catiou for wheat, provided the ashes were not 
mixed with the manure until about to be used? 
What is the best way to pulverize the manure 
so that it can be sowed with a wheat drill? If 
the manure aud wood dirt are mixed, would 
the former become line; and would it lose any 
of its fertility? 2. A lot of month-old duck¬ 
lings were lively till a few days ago, wheu 
they became stupid, aud iu a day or two died; 
what was the matter? 
Ans. —1 . The analyses requested are as fol¬ 
lows: 
Hen manure, dry.... 
Hard wood aahes, 
Nitrogen. Potash. 
Phospho¬ 
ric acid. 
... 2.13 
0.94 
2.02 
fresh and drv. 
Soft wood ashes. 
... - 12.00 
6.00 
fresh and dry. 
.. - 12.00 
4.00 
Decayed leaf mold.. 
... 3.25 
0.05 
0.01 
RUUI 
sywj 
A mixture of these three substances would 
be excellent for any crop iu any soil, but for 
any useful effect a larger quantity should be 
used thau could bo sown through a wheat 
drill. At least 600 pounds j>er acre should be 
used. It could be easily sown by hand and 
harrowed iu before the wheat is drilled. If 
.300 pounds per acre be used, it may be sown 
with the attachment to the drill, hut it should 
be dry and nibbed fine on a barn floor with a 
flat plank rubber. 3. The ducks were over¬ 
fed. Ducks are greedy, and if given the food 
they will gorge themselves. They have a 
rapid digestion, and need feediug often aud in 
small quantity, and the food is digested better 
if given in water. Cracked corn covered with 
water iu a dish or pau is good food for ducks; 
chopped lettuce, clover leaves, aud water-cress 
are desirable, but ducks can be raised on corn 
alon». 
“caked” udder. 
A. K. F., Chicago, III.—I have a young 
heifer which di-opjied her calf a month ago. 
The calf died aud in consequence the bag was 
for some time badly caked. By constant rub¬ 
bing and milking, however, the cake was all 
removed except from one teat. For a week 
another calf was allowed to run with her aud 
since then throe have done so. In milking 
from the affected teat one stream can be 
drawn and uo more at each milking. The 
rest of her bag seems all right aud her general 
health is unimpaired. What is the matter 
aud what is the remedy ? 
Ans.—I f all “cake” has left the affected 
quarter no treatment is demanded. The use 
of that quarter has been lost at least for the 
present. It may or may uot he restored after 
the next calving, the issue depending upon 
the condition in which tho disease has left the 
udder. If the quarter is still caked, rub well 
with iodine ointment. 
THE GOOSEBERRY WORM. 
W. J. 11.. New Haven, Conn .—The green 
worm on the inclosed specimens of gooseber¬ 
ries causes the berries to drop when about half 
formed, iu some cases leaving none on the 
bushes; what is it, and how can it be de¬ 
stroyed ? 
Ans. —This is the Gooseberry Worm (Dak- 
ruma convolutella). The moth appears iu 
late April and deposits her eggs on the young 
gooselierries about as soon as they are set 
They hatch iu a few days aud the grub makes 
its way into the berry. Increasing in size, it 
fastens several berries together with fine 
welis, often cutting the stems iu two. Wheu 
next it changes, generally before the fruit 
ripens, it lowers itself to the ground, spinning 
its coeoon among tho leaves beneath, where 
it remains until the uext spring. Saund¬ 
ers says that tho best remedy is hand-pick¬ 
ing, its habits being such that its presence 
is easily detected. Any berries that are dis¬ 
colored or that color prematurely, should bo 
mashed at ouee as the larva slips out aud falls 
to the ground very quickly. When neglected, 
these insects often increase alarmingly, de¬ 
stroying the most of the crop. All rubbish 
under the bushes should be removed and 
burnt, and lime or ashes, or both, scattered 
underneath. Plaster moistened with coal oil 
might, if sprinkled under the bushes in April 
and renewed after rains, prevent the moth 
from depositing eggs. 
DISLOCATED TAIL OF COLT. 
E. R., Lamartine, Pa .—I. On taking hold 
of a colt’s tail it appears to slip up at the root, 
and when one pushes on it it cracks like a 
joint going together. What is wrong with it, 
aud how should it be treated? 3. The colt 
was bought this spring; is this condition of 
the tail a blemish? 
Ans,—1. There has evidently been a disloca¬ 
tion aud, perhaps, fracture at or near the root 
of the tail, caused by severe local injury. If 
the injury wore recent the dislocation could 
lie reduced and bandages applied, with a pros¬ 
pect of speedy recovery; but this case has 
probably gone so loug that treatment would 
be useless. 2. It is certainly a blemish if it 
interferes with the free use of the tail. 
MAPLES. 
O. B. II., Pe.conic, A, I.—Are there any 
kinds of dark-red or purple-leaved maples 
that are free-growing aud attain a large size? 
Ans.—W e know of uo other maple that will 
please our friend better than Schwerdler’s 
Norway. The leaves are at first a dark pur¬ 
ple. Then they change to a peculiar color 
which cannot well be described. It is as if 
amber were mixed with the purple. Again 
the foliage assumes both these colors while 
the new growth is of a rosy color. We have 
never seen a more striking combination. The 
tree is hardy, free-growing and altogether 
beautiful. For evergreens we mention first 
aud foremost Abies (Picea) pungens; then 
Aleock's, and finally the Oriental Spruce. 
currants. 
L. J., Afaysvillc, Ala. —1. Can currants be 
successfully grown in this section? 2. When 
should they be planted, and- what are the best 
varieties? 
Ans.— The currant is specially a Northern 
fruit, and can hardly be said to be at home 
south of the Ohio River. The mountain or 
elevated region of Northern Alabama would 
be a more favorable location on that account; 
but in attemptiug to grow it even there a cool 
aspect should be chosen, and even this would 
be improved if shaded from the sun during 
the heat of the day. 2. For market purposes 
the Cherry and White Grape Currauts are 
popular, ou account of their large size: but 
Red aud White Dutch are quite as productive 
and decidedly superior iu flavor. Indeed, 
White Dutch is unexcelled in flavor aud sweet¬ 
ness. The new Fay Currant is very large— 
fully as large as Cherry and somewhat less 
acid. 
- 
Miscellaneous. 
C. M., Factaryvilte, Pa.— What would be 
the effect of giving my unpaiuted new house a 
thorough coating of crude petroleum with the 
intention of giving it afterward a thorough 
painting with colors with white lead and 
liuseed oil ? My painter says the paint will not 
stick if the wood is first treated with crude 
petroleum. 
Ans.— The painter is right. Crude petro¬ 
leum fills the pores of the wood and sinks into 
them and does not make a coating upon it. 
Wheu oil pniut of tho common kind is put on 
after petroleum it does not partly peuotrate the 
wood as it should do, but forms a scale over 
tho surface and peels off. Your best plan is to 
make a priming coat of linseed oil and lead. 
J. S. R., Port Recovery, Ohio. —Our drug¬ 
gists here charge five to 10 cents an ounce for 
hellebore ; where can it be obtained for 20 
cents per pound ? 
Ans.— Your druggists charge quite too 
much. Now York druggists sell the best 
quality for 20 cents. Tarrant & Co., of New 
York, or any leading druggist# of Cleveland, 
O., will supply it at that price. 
11. C. IT., Woodridge, N. ./.—Where can I 
get brokeu rice for poultry ? 
Ans. —There is no place where brokeu rice 
Is sold except by w holesale or retail grocers. 
They do uot usually keep it as stock, but some¬ 
times have a lot of it to dispose of. It is most¬ 
ly the siftiugs. 
S. K. y Welsh , /a.—1. Is the eucalyptus 
propagated from seed or from cuttings? 2. 
Where can I buy either? 3. Will it grow in 
moist laud? 
Ans.—1 and 3. The seeds are sold by Thor- 
buru & Co., 15 John St. N. Y. They sprout 
readily and the seedlings grow rapidly. 3. 
Yes. 
F. 0. C., Washington, Kan .—What is the 
best remedy for melon bugs? 
Ans.—T he use of buhach as frequently de¬ 
scribed iu the Rural. 
M. A., Charleston, S . C .—The bugs sent are 
the striped cucumber beetle and the striped 
turnip beetle, both are described elsewhere. 
DISCUSSION. 
J. E. M., Orange C. H., Va.—E. S. E., 
Matfield, Kans,,in a late Rural asks: “What 
is the best way to pack eggs in salt?” About 
the first of September, 1885, I commenced 
packing eggs in a large cracker box with a 
hinged top. I rubbed the eggs with lard, 
using a cloth for the purpose. I kept the lard 
and cloth in a small dish in the box, and they 
were always convenient. I used the sa.lt about 
as directed in answer to the inquiry, page 386, 
but I put the largo end of the eggs down. In 
March, 1886, I sent some of the same eggs to 
VV asbington, D. C., aud received the highest 
market price. I continued to use them for 
the table—boiled ofteuer than otherwise—and 
for caKe until some time in May, 1886. I put 
the boxes on the Dip of an empty flour barrel, 
in a dry, light basement, and during the win¬ 
ter covered them with cocoanut sacks. Last 
fall I packed eggs in the same way with equal 
success. I have several patented processes for 
keeping eggs, but this is much less trouble¬ 
some and so entirely successful with me that I 
have not tried other ways. The boxes I use 
are poplar; pine would, undoubtedly, spoil the 
eggs. 
Corroborative. — Our friend Dr. Hoskins, 
in the N. E. Farmer, corroborates, in a forci¬ 
ble way, the results of our experiment which, 
iu the dry season, at any rate, seems to show 
that fertilizers in the drill or hill in contact 
with the seed act as retarders rather than as 
starters. He says that Prof. Storer, in bis ex¬ 
cellent work “Agriculture,” lays a just stress 
upon a point which has had too little consider¬ 
ation. This is the securing of the most per¬ 
fect admixture of chemical fertilizers with the 
soil, which skill in application will admit, in 
order that the roots of crops shall not be ob¬ 
liged to pass through a large proportion of 
barren land to reach at last, perhaps, the food 
they require, in too concentrated a form to be 
available. The very first barrel of a commer¬ 
cial fertilizer that he ever used, Bradley’s 
XL , in 1867, taught him that lesson in a strik¬ 
ing manner. It was applied to corn accord¬ 
ing to directions, a tablespoonful scattered in 
the hill before droppiug the seed. He planted 
alternate rows with and without the fertilizer, 
and going to look at it with a friend six or 
eight days after planting, they found that 
every alternate row was nicely up, while the 
others did not show at all, though close inspec¬ 
tion revealed the little spires just breaking 
the ground. At the first glance his friend 
asked with surprise, “What made you plant 
your rows so wide apart?” Of course Dr. 
Hoskins explained, and hastily attributed the 
premature uprising of the green rows to his 
new manure. But when he afterward inspec- 
ed his stakes he discovered that it was the 
phosphated rows that had been retarded. 
Nevertheless, they produced much the best 
crop of corn; but the fact set him to thinking, 
and with subsequent experiences convinced 
him that a better way was to sow the fertili¬ 
zer broadcast on the new-laid furrows and 
harrow it in with great thoroughness. Dur¬ 
ing all the 30 years since he has followed this 
practice, having to make fertilizers the chief 
reliance in his farming. Iu the course of ex¬ 
perience Dr. Hoskins learned that it was a 
good fertilizer which would return equal crops, 
dollar for dollar expended, with as good stable 
manure as he could buy, costing $1.50 per two- 
horse load spread ou the land. The best man¬ 
ufactured fertilizer that he has been able to 
buy has never done better thau this, taking 
the years together. He could not get manure 
enough aud was, therefore, forced to buy fer¬ 
tilizers, aud the spirit of economy kept him 
studying how to get better results with the 
same expenditure. He soon discarded manu¬ 
factured fertilizers in a great degree, and 
made use of ground raw bone mixed with un- 
leacbed liard-wood ashes, pressed into barrels 
and wet, allowing the mixture to stand until 
the grease in the bones was w ell “killed," i. e., 
converted into soap. He found that with an 
equal expenditure this mixture gave him a 
manure quite as effective the first year as a 
“superphosphate,” with an endurance quite 
equal to stable manure. Of course the second 
aud subsequent seasons this bone-aud-ashes 
dressing was mixed more deeply with the soil 
by the plow, and year after year the laud grew 
better. This was well shown by the crops aud 
also by the fact that whereas when he bought 
the laud one could not have fouud a mustard- 
box full of angle worms in all of his dozen 
acres, in a few years they were plenty enough 
