THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Society the results of some experiments that 
are reported as follows in the Journal of Bot¬ 
any, vol. xiii., p. 156: “The author described 
a large number of experiments he had made 
with the view of testing whether hybrids* 
could bo produced between wheat, spelt, rye, 
barley, oats, etc., by the usual method of 
placing upon one plant the pollen of another. 
Wheu the ears which had been dealt with 
were ripe they were collected for examina¬ 
tion. Many had produced seeds; many were 
barren. Only two or three presented any 
abnormal appearance, but it was impossible 
to tell whether the seeds were hybrids or not. 
When planted, a great many never vegetated, 
and of thoBe that did, the oat seeds grew up 
oats and the wheat seeds wheat with the 
exception of twelve plants. Tho stems of 
six of these were submitted to the society. 
They were from wheat ovules and rye pollen. 
All the florets opened as if intending fertiliza¬ 
tion, which, however, did not take place, and 
on some ears they did not close again; but the 
most important fact was that the anthers did 
not open or discharge auy pollen, and the 
pollen was imperfectly developed. It would 
be going further than oecnsiou warranted to 
affirm that these plants were hybrids beyond 
all doubt, but as the experimenter had consid¬ 
erable reason for believiug them actual 
hybrids, he submitted his observations for 
what they were worth. A. a. crozikk, 
Ass't Botanist, U.S.Dept. of Agriculture,D.C. 
GRANGE COMMENDATION. 
We were glad to see in the Rural a note 
about our Governor’s prompt action in veto¬ 
ing bills which called for large appropriations 
for sectional or class interests. Our Grange, 
at its last meeting, passed the following reso¬ 
lution : 
Whereas, certain bills were introduced at 
last session of our State Legislature, ostensi¬ 
bly in the interest of agriculture, and believ¬ 
ing that tho funds of the State Treasury 
should lie conscientiously expended for the 
purposes and in the way prescribed by the Con¬ 
stitution, and believing that many appropria¬ 
tions are asked for and receive favorable con¬ 
sideration from onr legislative bodies, the 
granting of which is wrong in principle as 
well as a violation of law; Therefore, 
Resolved, that we most heartily approve the 
action of Governor Beaver in carefully scru¬ 
tinizing every such bill ami exercising his veto 
power whenever, in his judgment, such appro¬ 
priation is unwarranted by the fundamental 
law of the State. 
Resolved , That while we as Patrons of Hus¬ 
bandry and representatives of the agricultural 
class, expect and shall insist upon what is ours 
by right as well as by law, and are disposed 
to yield this much and nothing more to other 
classes, we certainly deprecate any ill-advised 
act or attempt to compromise this position 
and place us before the country as dependent 
upon State bounty. 
NEAL 1IAMBLETON, 
Master Fulton Grange, No. 66 . 
Lancaster Co., Pa. 
ievan 
CORRESPONDENTS’ VIEWS. 
City Boarders Again.—I have kept 
city boarders for many years and made 
many friends. I never had a family 
that did not come again, if I except 
one that I asked to leave on account of their 
uncleauliness. “Boarder” says: “Charge 
enough for board to cover extra trouble.” 
You will find but few who are willing to pay 
the same price at a farm house, where they 
have fresh vegetables, fruit, milk unrobbed of 
cream, aud all that makes country life restful, 
that they cheerfully pay iu the village private 
boarding-house. When I first opeued my 
house to strangers, I used to ask them, when I 
drove to the post-office three miles from the. 
farm, to ride with me. They always said, 
“Yes, thank you.” I could have tukou one 
horse and alight vehicle aud driven alone and 
I think they would have been just as thankful, 
for one of them said in my wife’s hearing that 
she told aunt that she “had but few drives as 
the horses were needed on the farm,” when 
she had always taken the morning drive after 
the mail, and twice, oftener three times during 
tho week, enjoyed a drive through the country 
for over two hours, and on Sunday rode to 
church without paying me a cent extra. 
That was the last season rides were free, 
except to and from tho station, a ride of 10 
minutes, aud about three times duriug the 
season a long drive through tho country, 
which I think was really appreciated. 
I do uot wish to seem severe, but I do thiuk 
you will find as much cleanliness aud good 
food well prepared at farm houses as in most 
city houses, and I am sorry any one should 
have to spend the summer in a place where 
the beds were so hard, the food miserable and 
the daughters curled their hair while their 
finger nails were in mourning. We farmers are 
sometimes called "cross,” because we object to 
city children making garden and digging* 
wells on our lawns, when they have several 
acres to roatn over and dig on as much as they 
please. I know such parents are not the rule, 
for had they been, one season would have 
been all in which I should have ever opened 
my home to strangers. As it is, for 12 years 
they wore my guests—“were,” for my home 
has not received them for the two last years, 
as I grew tired of the business. farmer. 
Fairfield Co., Conn. 
R. N.-Y.—“Boarder” had no thought of 
throwing discredit upon the farm boarding 
house business. He only tried to show how 
his friends regarded country boarding, what 
they wanted and what they did not want. 
There are plenty of mean, ill-bred city people 
who never can be satisfied anywhere. The 
farmer who gets up a good reputation can 
pick his guests. 
Credit. —There are times when every man, 
rich or poor, hasn't all the money he wants, 
aud then it is very nice to have good credit, 
so that one can get what money he may need. 
Many think that a man must own a good deal 
of property to have good credit; but I know 
very poor meu who can get credit easier than 
some others that have farms worth thousands. 
To secure good credit always make your word 
good. If you do that you will find others 
ready to help you in your efforts to get ahead. 
When you make a promise be sure you can 
fill it, whether it be for money or to deliver a 
man a load of wheat, or a head of cabbage, or 
to do a day’s work. Whenever you make a 
promise, be sure to fulfill it, for no one can 
succeed well whose integrity everybody 
doubts. S. MILLS, 
Allen Co., Ind. 
Some farmers fail to see the profit that 
comes from a lawn mower. They look upon 
it as a useless tool. Of course, a man could 
get along without any lawn at all if he tried 
hard. He could have a pasture in front of 
his house, aud picket the cows there when the 
grass got high. The same man could get 
along with no front door to his house, no paint 
on the chairs, and no carpet on the parlor 
floor. The majority of us, however, seem to 
think such thiugs are worth what they cost. 
They make life easier and better, aud if we 
don't live to make life as bright as possible, 
what do we live fori H. s. J. 
Bucks Co., Pa. 
Since mowing machines aud other improved 
haying tools have come into general use, I 
notice that there are few men left who can 
swing a scythe with any effect. Tho art of 
mowing by hand is going out of date. As one 
result of this, weeds grow and prosper in the 
roads aud corners. It used to be very handy, 
while one had the scythe iu bis hand, to cut 
off the weeds before they went to seed. Now 
we never get the scythe out at all on many 
farms, and the result is that the weeds have a 
good chance. Good mowers should never go 
out of existence. We need them still. 
Passaic Co., N. J. i. s. t. 
fifUr Crojis. 
CLOVER SICKNESS. 
A NOTE FROM SIR J. B. LAWES. 
For the last 40 years I have connected clover 
diseases with insects, but the uext step is the 
difficult one. Is the clover unhealthy aud 
therefore attacked I Of course, some forms of 
life feed upon healthy plants, but there are 
others which only feed upon weak and un¬ 
healthy juices. The same thiug holds good iu 
mau and animals. This clover disease will 
pass from generation to generation. Boussin- 
guult, who died the other day, at the age of 
S5, began to investigate the subject long be¬ 
fore I entered upon it, and, like him.l who have 
been working at. it all my life, am now read}' 
to pass on my knowledge to some one else. 
Miss Ormerod has recently boon writing to 
me for samples of disease in clover, but 
although I could find occasionally healthy 
plants which are suddenly struck with dis¬ 
ease, this is uot the real clover disease 
which, with us, comes on early in the spring. 
curing clover hay. 
As a general rule, I thiuk rather than grow' 
clover alone, it is best to mix it with grass. 
Timothy ripens too late for the best mixture; 
Red Top does better, but Orchard Grass is the 
best of all, us it comes into bloom at the same 
time with clover, and if they are cut just as 
they begiu to blossom, and are uot itried too 
much, they make a,great yield.of auost exeel- 
* 
lent hay—good for all kinds of stock, and 
especially for dairy cows. 
Mr, Johnson, in a late Rural, shows us the 
difficulty of following up properly the curing 
of clover hay in the examples he gives us of 
the proceedings of farmers A and B. Nice 
judgment in the matter is essential; but how 
few even of our smartest men possess this? 
And when possessed, various little things may 
intervene to prevent absolute success. So I 
say again, I think the safest way in growing 
clover is to mix it, in greater or less propor¬ 
tion, with some sort of grass. I prefer them 
about half and half. a. b. allen. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the name 
anti address of the writer to Insure attention. Before 
asking a quesTlnn. please see If It is not answered in 
our advertising columns. Ask only a few questions at 
one time. Put questions on aseparate piece of paper.] 
NIAGARA GRAPE SALES. 
F. L. M., Fair Haven, N. Y .—What is the 
standing of the “Niagara Grape Company,” 
of Lockport, N. Y. i An agent of the com¬ 
pany is selling large numbers of vines in this 
part of the State at 50 cents each where large 
quantities are taken. He requires a quarter 
of the price down on the delivery of the vines, 
aud the remainder at the end of three years. 
The buyer has to sign a contract that he will 
tend the vines in a prescribed manner, and 
if he fails to do so the company will not be 
responsible for the vines that may die during 
the three years. The company contract to 
take all the grapes the purchaser of the vines 
can raise during the next five years at five 
cents per pound, to iuduee the farmers to buy. 
Farmers in Cayuga and Wayne Counties are 
setting out large quantities of the vines on 
these terms, 800 to 1,000 acres having been 
planted in these two counties, the agent told 
me. Many farmers have set the vines among 
their winter wheat. Others have mortgaged 
their farms to pay for the vines, while 
others have run iu debt for farms and bor¬ 
rowed money to make the first payment on 
the vines iu hopes of being able to pay for the 
laud out of the profits of the grape. Is this 
conduct advisable? 
Ans.—T he Niagara Grape Company is reli¬ 
able and its standing is good, so far as we 
know or have ever heard. There is nothing 
to be said agaiust the grape itself except it 
may be its quality, which is about the same 
as that of Concord. Some think it is much 
better. The writer prefers the Concord. The 
Niagara bears a large, showy bunch which 
thus far is as free from rot as any desirable 
table grape. The vine is about as hardy and 
as free from mildew. As a market grape we 
do not know of a more desirable kind at pres¬ 
ent. We were not aware that the Company 
•agrees to contract for all the grapes the pur¬ 
chaser of the vines can raise for the uext five 
years at five cents per pound.” We doubt 
that the company authorizes such a statement. 
We most emphatically advise farmers not 
to mortgage their farms in order to invest in 
the Niagara or auy other grape. 
WOLF-TEETH, ETC. 
M. A. K., Winchester, Vo.— 1 , Will Lilium 
Harrisii stand the winter here ? 2. In th% 
Rural F. S. D., we got a plant with a large, 
single pink flower. It dies down iu winter, 
but conies up again in spring. What is it ? 
3. What are wolf-teeth in horses ? Do they 
cause blindness; and should they be taken 
out ? 
Ans. —Yes; we thiuk it may prove hardy 
with you, though it is not hardy further 
north. Wo would advise you to cover the 
bulbs with three or four inches of leaves or 
straw. 2. We guess it is Hibiscus moscheu- 
tos. 3. Wolf-teeth are two small, superflu¬ 
ous teeth which appear on each side, immedi¬ 
ately in front of the first molar, or double- 
teeth on the upper jaw. Among horsemen 
there is a general impression that these teeth 
are injurious to the eyes, frequently causing 
blindness unless removed. Veterinarians do 
uot agree with this opinion ; for, if it were 
true, all horses would go blind, as all have 
these superfluous teeth at some time of their 
lives—generally between the fourth and fifth 
year. So stroug is the belief in the blinding 
effect of these teeth, however, that whenever 
a horse is attacked with ophthalmia or oiher 
affectiou of the eyes, the owner is likely to 
look for these teeth; aud if found, they 
are thought to be the cause, and are 
roughly knocked out. Iu doing this, the 
gums are generally lacerated, causing consid¬ 
erable inflammation, which, acting as a coun¬ 
ter irritant, attracts the inflammation from 
the eye, and of course, the belief is strength¬ 
ened that wolf-teeth cause blindness. While 
the horse is cutting his permanent teeth (the 
last often when about four years old) the irri- 
tatiou is frequently communicated, by sym¬ 
pathy, to the eye. After the complete erup¬ 
tion of the teeth, the eyes usually recover 
without treatment. Duriug this period of in¬ 
flammation wolf-teeth are ofteuest sought: 
but in reality, they can by no means produce 
auy effect on the eyes. As a general rule, they 
soon fall out spontaneously. 
“SPRING BAGGING” IN A HEIFER, ETC. 
IF. S. S., Knox, N. F.—1. My Jersey heifer 
will be two years old next November, is due to 
calve in October, and is now giving milk from 
one of her teats. She has been on pasture for 
two weeks. Yesterday she gave a gill of 
milk and to-day a pint. There is no swelling 
or soreness in the udder, nor do I think she 
has been sucked by other heifers. How can 
the milk be stopped? 2. A three-year-old 
heifer milked all right last summer, but since 
spring, after calving, lumps the size of a large 
bean, in two of her teats, render milking slow 
work, but they do not cause any soreness. Is 
there any remedy ? 
ANSWERED BY DR. F. L. KILBORNE. 
1. Unless there was some good reason to the 
contrary, you should not have meddled with 
the heifer by beginning to milk her now. You 
can almost always bring the milk by so doing. 
Heifers occasionally “spring bag” several 
months before calving, but they should not 
be milked unless there is danger of inflamma¬ 
tion of the udder from “over-stocking.” This 
very rarely occurs with heifers at first calv¬ 
ing, and then only just before calving time. 
2 . Probably the lumps require cutting out 
through the side of the teat. If milking is not 
too difficult, better leave them until the milk 
is dried up, and then have tliem removed by a 
competent surgeon. 
ROUPY chicks (?) 
A. AT L., White Sulphur Springs, Mont .— 
Last June I lost many chicks during a spell 
of cold, wet weather. After they died I open¬ 
ed several and could find nothing wrong, only 
the soft flesh in the back was swollen very 
much and was white. Some were sick three 
or four weeks and got well. Can any one tell 
what was the matter with them and what to 
do in a similar case? 
Ans. —Probably the trouble was due to 
roup, which is caused by dampness. It is a 
disease that affects the entire system, and 
which sometimes lasts for months, though at 
other times fatal in a week. The symptoms 
are foul odor, discharge from the nostrils, 
general debility, and at times hoarse breath¬ 
ing, w ith swelled head and eyes. High winds, 
drafts in the poultry house, and crowding the 
birds, also cause it. It is well, however, al¬ 
ways to look on the heads and necks for large 
gray body lice when birds are sick, no matter 
what the disease may be. One-half of the sup¬ 
posed diseases are simply the effects of the 
torments inflicted by the large lice—not the 
red mites. 
INJURY TO A MARE’S EYE. 
R. R., Bridgeport. Mo. —Last winter my 
five-vear-old mare knocked her head, just 
above the left eye, against a log in the stable. 
Theeyebecame inflamed, watering for a week, 
and then grew apparently well: but now that 
eye is almost blind. The other eye appears to 
be good yet. Is it likely she will lose the sight 
of both eyes: and what should be done to pre¬ 
vent such a mishap? 
Ans. —There is no apparent reason why the 
right eye should uot remain sound. General 
treatment for that purpose would not be ad¬ 
visable. It is quite possible, however, that 
proper treatment at the time of the injury 
might have saved the injured eye; but at this 
late day any attempted treatment should be 
under the personal direction of a competent 
veterinary surgeon. 
ENLARGEMENT OF HOCK-JOINT IN MULE, ETC. 
J. B. McC ., Mt . Morris, Pa. —1. How can I 
remove a wart from the leg of a mule? 2. An¬ 
other mule had enlarged hocks from lyiug ou 
a board floor; now the eulargemeut is con¬ 
fined to a thickened skin. Wbat will remove 
it, for although the blemish.doesn’t interfere 
with his work, it injures his sale? 
Ans. —I. If small, snip off with the scissors 
aud cauterize the surface with a stick of nit¬ 
rate of silver or piece of blue-stone. If quite 
large, tie a strong linen cord tightly around 
the neck aud tighten the cord as it becomes 
loosened until the warts drop off. 2. Apply 
diluted tincture of iodine every four days. 
WEIGHTY QUESTIONS. 
L. F., New York City. —1. Which is the 
greatest strain ou an elevator, the “dead 
weight” of a bale of goods of 400 pounds gross 
or the “live weight” of six or seven men of 
average size? 2. If a vessel weighing a quan- 
