Brahma chicks, as they possess more breast 
meat. It was at one time supposed that only 
the large breeds produced the better broilers, 
but the experience of the past season has been 
very favorable to the Leghorns. Though 
small when matured, yet they are not inferior 
for market. Their yellow legs and skin add 
to their appearance when dressed, and the 
very fact that, when alive and in full health, 
they are “ high flyers,” menus that they are 
full-breasted, as it takes muscle on the breast 
and wings to lift them over a high fence. 
Crossed on any of the large breeds they 
strongly transmit their good qualities, and 
there is no better cross for meat purposes than 
the Leghorn and Partridge Cochin, which 
adds to the size and retains nearly all the qual¬ 
ities required. In advocating the merits of 
the Leghorns as winter layers, broilers and 
market fowls, it is unnecessary to claim that 
they are inveterate layers and non-sitters, as 
a rule, for no one will be so bold as to deny it. 
wniCH IIENS ARE THE BEST? 
Leaving aside the fact that eggs sell by the 
dozen {which is wrong, as they should sell by 
weight), it is fair to claim that the hen that 
lays the largest number of eggs may not be 
equal, so far as actual production is concern¬ 
ed, to one. not so prolific in number of eggs. 
Estimating that, a hen lays 111 eggs to the 
pound, and lays 1-0 eggs in a year,, she is not 
equal to the hen that lays 100 eggs in n year 
weighing eight eggs to the pound. It often 
happens that a really meritorious hen is con¬ 
demned as unprofitable because she layed 
fewer eggs than another, when in fact she has 
converted more food into eggs and performed 
greater service. If eggs were sold by weight 
it would be necessary only to separate the real¬ 
ly prolific bens from the others by weighing 
the eggs. That eggs vary in size all well 
know ; hut there is something to be consid¬ 
ered in the cost. Cows are now tested for the 
number of pounds of milk yielded (instead of 
quarts) and due regard is given the relative 
proportions of solid matter in the milk. But 
“eggs are eggs,” without regard to size or 
weight, and the best hens are sacrificed at 
times because they are lacking in numbers 
though fully up to the average in quality. 
Both the producer and purchaser would be 
benefited by selling eggs according to weight. 
Under the present system both arc sometimes 
cheated, while the real improvement of our 
laying heus is retarded and unsatisfactory. 
SUGGESTIONS. 
The Rural has often aud truly remarked 
that the terms “hybrid” and “cross” should 
be more carefully used. It would be well, not 
only if these terms were always used in their 
strict souse, but if horticultural writers could 
adopt a rule whereby the exact parentage of 
varieties would be indicated, without the 
labor of writing out distinctly in which 
direction the pollen was applied. In my own 
notes, I have formed a habit of writing the 
name of the female parent first, following it 
with the X sign, and then adding the name 
of the male pareut. By simply remembering 
that the sign menus “fertilized by” all confu¬ 
sion is avoided. It is a matter of scientific 
importance to know the exact parentage of 
all our valuable hybrids aud crosses. 
Another suggestion is that we adopt a stan¬ 
dard phrase to represent the strength of in¬ 
secticide mixtures. With the chemist, a ten- 
per-cent. solution of potash invariably means 
10 parts of potash dissolved in 100 parts of 
water. Could we be as distinctly understood 
when we say a one-per-cent, mixture of Puris- 
green and plaster or a five per cent, kerosene 
emulsion, many words aud blunders could be 
saved. E. s. GOFF. 
Geneva, N. Y. 
<il)e ij frits m.au. 
THE FOLLY AND CRIME OF TREATING 
BULLS. 
I think the Rural, in a late issue, takes 
a one sided view of this subject. I will grant 
that bulls are occasionally treacherous,but lam 
of the opinion that this is not due to tender¬ 
ness to them on the part of their keepers, and 
I could give numerous instances to the con¬ 
trary, but will content myself with the fol¬ 
lowing anecdote, told me l»y Mr. Bates, the 
celebrated breeder of Short-horn cattle, when 
1 visited him at Kirklevingtou, England. 
He was in the huhit of treating his bulls and 
cows with the greatest kindness aud familiar¬ 
ity, particularly patting aud rubbing them ou 
▼HE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
the neck and scratching them on the front of 
their heads, as they would invariably stretch 
them out to him on his approach. He had 
among others a very high-spirited bull called 
Short-tail, which one clay when his herdsman 
was exercising him in a wide pasture, brdke 
loose and espying Mr. Bates walking in this 
pasture some distance off, he gave a Ioudroar, 
whirled his tail on high, lowered his head and 
made straight for him as fast as he could 
jump. The herdsman called loudly to his 
master to ruu or the bull would kill him. 
“Now,” said Mr, Bates, “had I done so, Short- 
tail would have soon overtaken me, and in 
playful wantouness have probably tossed or 
gored me to death. So I stood in my tracks 
fronting the bull, and as he made his last jump 
close to me instead of attempting any in¬ 
jury he affectionately held out his head to be 
scratched. This I did aud patted him on the 
neck till the herdsman came up with his hand 
staff, hooked this into the nose ring of the bull 
and led him off as quietly as if he had been a 
lamb.” 
One great cause of bulls becoming vicious is 
that they do not have exercise enough. Kept 
up in stables, aud especially if high-fed, they 
chafe in their confinement, and when let out 
are disposed to play or attack anything or 
person they can get at. The best way to keep 
bulls quiet is to let them run in a strongly- 
fenced yard or paddock with one or more 
COWS. A. B. ALLEN. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the name 
and address of the writer to Insure attention. Before 
asking a question, please see If It Is not answered In 
our advertising columns. Ask only a few questions ai 
one t ime. Rut questions on a separate piece of paper. ] 
INFLUENCE OF PREVIOUS IMPREGNATION; EX¬ 
TRA HOLE IN COW'S TEAT. ETC, 
H. A. IF., Machado, Cal .—I am offered a 
mare for breeding purposes, which is at pres- 
eut. with foal by a jack. Although otherwise 
satisfactory, I dechne to purchase, giving as 
a reason, my fear that subsequent offspring 
by a horse, may present some of the charac¬ 
teristics of the ass. Theowuer laughs at me, 
as do others. Is there any grouud for my 
theory, aud do you know of any instances iu 
support of it? 2. My heifer, with first calf, 
has an extra hole in one of her teats, about an 
iuch aud a half from the point. I am satis¬ 
fied that it is not due to an injury, but is nat¬ 
ural. It does not leak, but when milking, the 
milk runs down the side and makes it dirty. 
Can anything be done to stop the hole ? 3. 
The calf is a bull. I thought I would test the 
theory mentioned in one number of the Ru¬ 
ral. of alternate male aud female calves, 
but am afraid I have missed the cow’s first 
“ turn.” Is there any way of telling accu¬ 
rately when the cow will take the bull ? 
ANSWERED BY DR. F. L. EILBORNE, 
I. Your theory is correct, as recognized by 
all prominent writers on stock-breeding. A 
large number of such instances can be given, 
not only with the mare but with the cow, 
ewe, sow and bitch. See “Stock Breeding," 
by M. Miles, Chapter XII.; “Animals and 
Plants under Domestication,’’ by Darwin, 
Volume L, Chapter XI. “Principles of 
Breeding,” by Goodale, and other works on 
breeding. Here are two instances similar to 
your case from Miles’s “Stock-Breeding; ” (l) 
Dr. Burgess, of Dedham, Mass., is reported as 
saying, “from a mare which had once been 
served by a jack I have seen a colt so long- 
eared, sharp-backed, an l rat-tailed, that I 
stopped a secoud time to see if he were not a 
mule. ” (2) Again Dr. H. B. Shank, of Lans¬ 
ing, Michigan, informed Dr. Miles, “that a 
mure belonging to himself having produced a 
mule, was afterwards bred to a Morgan 
stallion with remarkably fiue ears ; the ears 
of the colt were largo and coarse, presenting 
a close resemblance to those of a mule.” Dar¬ 
win, in a foot-note, in the chapter above re¬ 
ferred to, says: “It is worth notice that 
farmers iu South Brazil and at the Cape of 
Good Hope, are convinced that mares which 
have once borne mules, when subsequently 
put to horses, are extremely liable to 
produce colts shaped like a mule.” A 
large number of instances might be 
cited, where a well-bred female has been 
bred to an inferior male, and when subse¬ 
quently bred to a male of her kind, has pro¬ 
duced offspring unmistakably like the inferior 
male. Although such instances of the un¬ 
doubted influeuce of a previous impregna¬ 
tion are quite common, you cannot say that 
they are the rule; ou the contrary, they are 
probably the exception rather than the rule. 
But that they do occur cannot be disputed. 
2. With a sharp knife cut the skin around 
the opening so as to make a small sore, when 
this heals the opening should heal over and 
become closed. If not successful the first 
time try it again. The milk should be 
drawn very carefully during the treatment. 
3. No, except to drive her to the bull when 
she is supposed to be in heat. Nor is there 
any known satisfactory method of breeding 
either sex at will. Various theories have been 
advanced from time to time, but when care¬ 
fully tested a few years, all have failed. Even 
under apparently similar conditions and 
treatment, the proportion of each sex varies 
greatly in different years, If especially in¬ 
terested in stock-breeding, we would advise 
you to procure “Stock-Breeding,” by Manly 
Miles, published by D. Appleton & Co., New 
York city. Price, $1 50. In this you will find 
the above aud many other questions fully 
answered, with quite full references to other 
works on the same subjects. 
TO CAPTURE A SHY COLT; SEEDING FOR PER¬ 
MANENT PASTURE. 
J. C. O., Somerset , Ky. —1, What can I do 
with a good-dispositioned young horse that 
will not permit himself to be caught in the 
pasture, unless cornered by three or more 
persons ? 2. When and how should ground be 
prepared for a permanent, pasture, and what 
seed should be used ? Soil a thin sandy and 
stony clay with a stiff clay subsoil. It is now 
bearing sedge with a little-clover and Blue 
Grass. Red Too is the natural grass here. 
Commercial fertilizers alone are procurable. 
Ans.— 1. This horse has been ill trained. 
A colt should be trained not only to be easily 
caught, but to come at call from the farthest 
part of the field. To do this the animal should 
be given some little delicacy when it is called 
until it acquires a habit—an apple, a little su¬ 
gar, an ear of corn, or something else of the 
kind, aud a horse or colt should never be 
chased, but followed quietly and flanked 
cautiously until it is cornered, when it should 
always receive something which will please it. 
Perseverance iu this matter will always pre¬ 
vail sooner or later aud enable a person to go 
up to ahorse, if it will not come to him, and 
lead it by the forelock wherever it is desired. 
2. To prepare a permanent pasture, plow the 
land at once, thoroughly, and if possible give 
it a dressing of 25 to 40 bushels of air-slaked 
lime to the acre, upon the plowed ground. 
Harrow it thoroughly and sow it with rye. In 
the spring as soou as the seasou permits it to be 
doue safely, sow eight pounds of Timothy, 15 
pounds of Orc hard Grass; 24 pounds of English 
Blue Grass (Fescue pratensis or Meadow Fes¬ 
cue) and 15 pounds of Kentucky Blue Grass to 
the acre : harrow the surface with a light slop¬ 
ing-tooth harrow both ways to cover the seeds. 
It will not hurt the rye: and then spread the 
fertilizers: 300 pounds of ammoniated super¬ 
phosphate ; or 300 pounds of plain superphos¬ 
phate with 50 pounds of nitrate of soda may 
be applied, and if lime is not to lie procured, 
use 200 pounds of gypsum per acre with the 
above mentioned fertilizers. 
TOMATO CULTURE : GOVERNMENT PUBLICA¬ 
TIONS. 
F. B. M., Woodb ridge, Cal. —1. What work 
will give full information as to the best way 
to raise tomatoes on a large scale ? 2. How 
can the reports of the Department of Agri¬ 
culture aud other government works be ob¬ 
tained? 
Ans.— 1. One scarcely needs to buy any 
book iu order to post up as to the culture of 
tomatoes. Start the plants iu pots, or iu 
frames, or in prepared plots out of doors iu 
your climate. As soon as they grow to he six 
inches high, transplant them. This will in¬ 
duce a stockier growth for the final trans¬ 
planting in the field. Prepare the field as for 
potatoes, plowing furrows three or four feet 
apart and set a plant every five or even six 
feet in the furrow. Set the plants deep or up 
to the first leaves. Cultivate the land until 
the growth of the vines prevents. Now, this 
is about the whole story. Tomatoes do not 
require a very rich soil. 2. The reports of the 
Department of Agriculture aud all other 
works published by the general government, 
are divided between the Senators and Repre¬ 
sentatives iu Congress, each member being en¬ 
titled to a certain number of both. The De¬ 
partment that publishes the work also retains 
a certain number to be distributed by it di¬ 
rectly to the press aud people connected in 
one way or another with its operations. Ap¬ 
plication should therefore be made to the Rep- 
reseutative in Congress for the applicant's dis¬ 
trict or to one of the Senators for his State. 
Ofteu the Department will forward a book for 
which application has been made directly to 
it; but the regular course is to apply to a Con¬ 
gressman who forwards the application and 
has the work charged to his account. 
PERMANENT HOG PASTURE. 
E. A. B., Phillips , Neb .—How should I pre¬ 
pare a light, soft field for a permanent hog 
pasture ? 
Ans. —It is a difficult matter to make a per¬ 
manent pasture for hogs, as these animals bite 
very close and are given to rooting too much. 
A special crop, such as clover, peas or turnips, 
is much better, and prepares the land for fol¬ 
lowing crops in an excellent manner. If, 
however, a continnous pasture is desired, there 
is nothing better than Orchard Grass or 
Timothy with Red Clover, which is renewed 
by seeding every year. These grasses may be 
sown in the fall, but as the time is getting late 
it would be preferable to defer sowing to the 
spring and then sow grass and clover together, 
harrowing the ground lightly to cover the 
seed, which will not hurt the rye if done 
early. It is always advisable to prepare the 
land in the best manner for grass, and plowing 
and thorough harrowing are indispensable. If 
the land is loose and light, a rolling may be 
given before seeding followed by a light har¬ 
rowing. 
THE RURAL’S WHEAT RYE HYBRIDS. 
W. A. S., New York. —I’m interested in the 
Rural’s rose and raspberry and blackberry 
hybrids, but just what purpose its continued 
application of rye pollen to enlarge the frac¬ 
tional rye value in the hybrid, 15-16, 
•tc has, I never could entirely make out. It 
doesn’t prove anything. The point of inter¬ 
est with me is whether from the first crosses, 
which are allowed to self-fertilize, or from any 
other, a fixed type of grain can lie obtained, 
and whether it will be good for anything. 
Ans. —Yes, it is now evident that we shall 
fix several different varieties of the rye and 
wheat hybrids from the first crosses. Wheth¬ 
er these will prove to be a valuable grain is 
problematical. The grain is large, long and 
hard: the straw seems to be stiff and the 
plants hardy. That is all we can say now, as 
their flour qualities have not been determined. 
W e can not answer what we expect to gain by 
continuing the crosses by the application of 
rye polleu on the cross-bred progeny, thus in¬ 
creasing the rye blood with every cross. We 
hoped by this method to get back to rye 
which would give some proof that the origin 
of wheat and i'ye might have been the same, 
throwing some important light on the oi'igin 
of species, etc. But we have little hope now, 
from the past season’s experience, of any such 
results. The more rye blood we get in the 
plants, the nearer absolute sterility those 
plants are. A plant 15-16 rye blood, bore 
about a dozen heads without a single grain. 
The J4 plants were nearly sterile, and so on. 
We spent horn's during the past season trying 
to effect a cross between the 15-16 heads with 
rye again, but failed. Nevertheless, we ex¬ 
pect to continue this work while we live, 
whatever may come of it. 
iviiscellauao'UB 
F. A. C., Hair me rton, N. J .—My Jersey 
cow has a swelling ou each of her front knees 
—one as large as two fists, the other not so 
big. She sleeps on a wood floor. What caused 
them, and will they injure the milk in any 
way l 
Ans.— Probably they are due to lyiug on 
the bare wood floor. Place the animal in a 
box-stall or other place where it can have 
pleuty of litter to protect the knees in getting 
down and up. If the swellings contain a large 
quantity of liquid, it may be drawn off with 
a hypodermic syringe, aud a like quantity of 
compound tincture of iodine, diluted with two 
parts water, injected. After three or four 
minutes draw off the tincture of iodine and 
apply a wet bandage. If the swellings are 
hard apply a mild blister. Should they fail to 
be absorbed they may require cutting out. 
During treatment the knees must be protected 
by thick bandages or pads. If due to the 
above cause or other injury, they do not in¬ 
jure the milk. 
A P. R., Yorkville, Ohio .—What is a reme¬ 
dy for pin-worms in a horse ? 
Ans. —Feed well, aud give some oats, bar¬ 
ley, beaus, corn or linseed cake. Open the 
bowels with a dose of aloes given when fast¬ 
ing in the morning. When this has opei’ated 
iu clearing out the bowels, give tartar emetic, 
oue dram, powdered ginger, half a dram, and 
linseed meal enough to make into a ball with 
boiling water. Give a ball every morning 
for a week ; then a dose of physic—linseed 
oil or aloes. Let the stomach rest for a week, 
then give auother course of balls aud a dose 
of physic, after which let the horse have a 
dram of sulphate of iron (powdered) twice a 
day with his feed. 
A.B., Tom's River, X. ./.—That fatal horse 
disease is within 10miles of us, aud there is no 
telling when it may reach us. Some say if a 
horse has had pink-eye it will not be attacked. 
Is that true? Is there any preventive of an 
attack i 
Ans. —There are several reports to the ef¬ 
fect that horses that have been sufferers from 
pink-eye will not be attacked; but there is 
nothing certain known about the matter The 
