738 
THE RURAt ftEW-YOMER. 
NOV 5 
ent seeds, furnishing much more than is 
needed of some things, while in others it will 
not plant one 20-foot row. 
Ans. —In a gtneral way, it may be said that 
those doing their own gardening soon find out 
what kinds and varieties of garden plants are 
adapted to their soils. Thus one will, after a 
certain number of attempts, find that on a 
“damp clay soil 1 ' he cannot easily grow good 
radishes, and that bis melon crop will gener¬ 
ally prove a failure. He will, in fact, find it 
very hard to have much of a garden, especial¬ 
ly for early stuff, on such a soil. Under¬ 
draining with tiles will help it a good dea!, 
but even theu ho will not be likely to be satis¬ 
fied with his success in growing a considera¬ 
ble number of things which be would like to 
have. Potatoes will be apt to be inferior, and 
everything that requires a warm soil to bring 
it on to maturity in our short New England 
summers will be more or less a failure, It is, 
however, good for most fruit trees, though 
not for cherries, while for many varieties of 
strawberries, as well as for currants, goose¬ 
berries, blackberries and raspberries, it is su¬ 
perior. If well and deeply pulverized, a 
heavy soil will produce good roots for winter 
use and good cabbages, corn and squashes. 
Tomatoes, on heavy soils, especially if rich, 
run too much to top and are late. Oidy rela¬ 
tively early grapes do well on clay at the 
North, as they are retarded in ripening; still, 
in many clay gardens grapes are successfully 
grown, if the exposure is favorable. Beans 
and peas do well, and are more productive, 
other thiugs being equal, than on light soil, 
though not quite so early. 
An intermediate soil, in good physical con¬ 
dition as to drainage and tillage,—“a rich 
loam,”—is well adapted to almost every sort 
of garden vegetable, and also to tree and bush 
fruits, strawberries and grapes. “An exceed¬ 
ingly light, soil, with a foundation of sand, 
porous in the extreme,” is rather a hard spot 
to tackle with the view of makiug a success¬ 
ful garden. Yet, when thoroughly and deeply 
fertilized every year with well rotted stable 
manure, such a garden can be made to do 
wonders compared with the samo lund with¬ 
out such preparation. If irrigation, or suffi¬ 
cient watering can be had, it will bear nearly 
all the cucurbitaeeouH vines, and fruit them 
early and to perfection. It is also adapted 
to early vegetables, radish, lettuce, and the 
like, and will produce good com, peas and 
beans, and very fail'roots, especially parsnips. 
As to manures, well rotted stable manure in 
large quantity, well and deeply mixed with 
the soil, is the foundation of horticultural 
success. Next to this in value, is ground 
bone and tin leached wood ashes (or potash 
salts), mixed with equal care all through the 
soil, to the full depth of the tillage. Along 
with these, at the begiuuiog at least, a dress¬ 
ing at the rate of 000 to 1,000 pounds to the 
acre of a complete soluble fertilizer should be 
well harrowed in on the furrow, or raked 
in on the spading. This top-dressing of fer¬ 
tilizer is also good for application along with 
a dressing of dung. A garden can hardly bo 
made too rich, if it is well underdrained, and 
deeply and carefully plowed or spaded. 
When it comes to giviug a detailed list of 
seeds, and especially of varieties, it can be 
done only in a very general way. Take the 
different varieties of beans, peas and corn, for 
instance. It may be said that most sorts of 
beans aro more free from spotting on a light 
soil, but there are sorts that spot but little on 
any soil. A new corn will, in New Jersey, do 
very differently from what it will do in Ver¬ 
mont. It is certain that no pea does as well 
on a very light soil as on a stronger one, while 
there are varieties, like American Wonder, 
which cannot he grown profitably except on 
a rich, strong soil. But if any gardener 
should undertake, describing his soil, to make 
and print a list, showing how,pay,300 varieties 
of garden vegetables and fruits had failed or 
succeeded with him, his experience would 
be found, in many points, to be entirely dif¬ 
ferent from that of others, under apparently 
similar conditions. “There is as much in the 
man as there is in the land,” is a maxim as 
applicable to gardening as it is to farm ing . 
Besides this, the manifold differences in soils, 
aside from their general classification, and 
the differences in climate and exposure are 
such that a minute list, such as “Inquirer” 
asks for, would be absolutely useless, and 
even misleading. Yet much can be picked up 
in our reading which will afford valuable 
hints. It costs very little to make trial of 
new varieties, especially if one does not try 
them for the first year or two. Often, if lie 
waits even that time, he will learn all he 
wants to know of them from his neighbors, or 
by seeing them growing in another’s garden. 
“ Be not the first to lay the Ol«l aside. 
Nor yet the last by whom the new Is tried.” 
is a very good rule in the garden or on the 
farm. 
It may be added that there is a good deal in 
what people call “knack," which is, however, 
in its final analysis, merely a result of that 
close observation and fertility of resourso 
which spring out of love for one’s work. 
Every man must do his own thinking; ho 
cannot live and get on to the achievement of 
great results by the strength of other men’s 
intellects alone. 
ACTINOMYCOSIS. 
R, E. W., La Conner, If. 7'.—One year ago 
one of my cows had a hard bunch come under 
side of jaw, which affected her breathing. I 
opened it and it discharged a thick, yellowish 
matter. After several lanciugs it finally 
healed and I thought the trouble was over. 
East spring it came again, and also on three 
others at. different, times. The original cow 
and another got so bod that I killed them. 
About 10 have been affected up to the pres¬ 
ent time, though some are only beginning to 
show it. Thu bust, three or four cases are 
yearling heifers. What is the cause and what 
should be the treatment? 
ANSWERED BY PH, K. L. KILBOUN. 
From your description I judge the hunches 
to be parasitic tumors, duo to the presence 
of a star-like vegetable fungus, the actinoiny- 
oesor ray fungus, producing the disease known 
us actino mycosis. The jaw-bone and tongue 
are the most commonly attacked, but other 
parts of the body, especially skin and lungs, 
may bo tbs seat of the disease. The fungus 
usually enters the system through some wound 
or sore, and in the case of the jaw-bond the dis¬ 
ease can generally be traced to a diseased or 
decayed tooth. Where the jawbone, tongue, 
or internal organs are implicated the treat¬ 
ment is not always satisfactory: but with tu¬ 
mors of the skin, as in your case, treatment 
is more successful. Open the tumors and very 
carefully remove the entire diseased mass 
Upon the complete removal of the fungoid 
growth depends largely the success of the op¬ 
eration. Then thoroughly paint the entire 
cut surface with iodized phenol. When re¬ 
moved, the diseased masses should be carefully 
burned and great, care should be exercised in 
handling it. since the disease is eommnuieable 
to man. In eases where the disease resists 
treatment the animals should be destroyed to 
prevent the contamination of healthy stock. 
Watch the case carefully and remove all 
tumors as soon as they uppear, and thoroughly 
saturate the cut surfaces with the iodized 
phenol. If the first application is not success¬ 
ful apply a second or third, first removing all 
diseased tissues in each case. 
PUBLIC LANDS OPEN TO SETTLEMENT. 
“ Subscriber ,” Tenafly , N. —Are public 
lands still open to settlement in Oregon and 
Washington Territory? 2. Where can in¬ 
formation as to their‘location be obtained? In 
wbut other States and Territories are public 
lands still open to settlement? 
Ans. —1. Yes, there are public lands both 
in Oregon anil Washington Territory still 
open to settlement. 2. For information as to 
their location apply to the Register at the 
Land Office at Oregon City, Roxburg, La 
Grande, Lakeview and The Dalles, Oregon; 
Olympia, Vancouver, Walla Walla, Colfax, 
and Yakima, W. Ter. 8. In addition to the 
above, public lands are still open to settle¬ 
ment in the following Htates and Territories, 
and in order tlmt their location may bo ascer¬ 
tained by those desiring information on the 
matter, we give the addresses of the Regis¬ 
ters of the Land Offices in each State and Ter¬ 
ritory. A letter, with stamped envelop, ad¬ 
dressed to the Register at any office will se¬ 
cure the desired information with regard to 
land in his district. Alabama: Registers, 
Huntsville and Montgomery, Arkansas; Reg¬ 
isters. Little Rock.Camden, Harrison, Dardan¬ 
elles Arizona: Prescott, Tucson. California; 
Han Francisco, Mary ville,Humboldt,Stockton, 
Visalia, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Shasta, 
Susanville and Brodie. Colorado: Denver, 
LeadviUe, Central City, Pueblo, Del Norte, 
Lake City, Gunnison, and Durango. Da¬ 
kota, Mitchell, Watertown, Fargo, Yankton, 
Bismarck, Deadwood, Aberdeen, Grand Forks 
and Huron. Idaho; Boise City, Lewiston, Ox¬ 
ford, Hailey. Kansas: Topeka, Saliua, Inde¬ 
pendence, Wichita, Kerwm, Concordia, 
Earned, Wakeeuey and Oherlin. Michigan, 
Detroit, Fast Saginaw, ltecd City, and Mar¬ 
quette. Minnesota: Taylor’s Fails, Saint 
Cloud, Duluth," Furgus Fails, Worthington, 
Tracy, Benson, and Redwood Falls. Mon¬ 
tana; Miles City,Helena, Bozeman. Nebraska, 
Neligh, Beatrice, Lincoln, Niobrara, Grand 
Isle, North Platte, l^oomington, Valentine 
and McCook. Nevada: Carson and Eureka. 
New Mexico: Santa Fe, Las Cruces. Utah, 
Salt Lake City. Wisconsin: Mcnosha, St. 
Croix, Wausan, Bayfield, Eau Claire. Wyom¬ 
ing, Cheyenne and Evanstoue. In some of 
the States mentioned there isn’t much public 
land open to settlement, and what there is, 
is either of poor quality, or quite distant from 
cheap means of transportation. 
Miscellaneous. 
N. W,, Saratoga Springs, N. Y .—What 
is likely to be the condition of the potato 
market for tho present season in comparison 
with the present prices in the New York mar¬ 
ket? 
Ank. There ia every reason to believe that 
the present high prices of potatoes will be 
maintained throughout the season in this sec¬ 
tion. The scarcity of potatoes in most Euro¬ 
pean countries also, will prevent- any con¬ 
siderable importations at present figures here: 
but if prices go much higher on this side of 
the water, importations from the other side 
aro pretty sure to lower them again. The im¬ 
port- duty is only 15 cents per bushel. 
C. K, Almond, N. V .—Where can I get a 
bellows for spraying kerosene emulsion in the 
poultry house? Where can I get a Calioon 
seed-sower. 
Ann. As we have stated many times, we 
use the Woodason bellows manufactured by 
F. Woodason Canalpcrt Ave. Chicago Ills. 
The Gaboon seed-sower can ho bought of 
almost any implement dealer. Both imple¬ 
ments are advertised in the. Rural. 
II. N. I\, Cherry Hill , N. —I used iodine 
on a white horse and the stain is very promi¬ 
nent. How can l remove it? 
Ann — Use common ammonia water. 
IF. C. S., Oregon ia, Ohio.— Tho nut you 
send for name is black walnut—Juglans ni- 
gru. 
DISCUSSION. 
F. W. A., Viroqua, Win.— In a late issue 
of the Rural farmers are advised to save the 
seed balls from potatoes and to raise their own 
seedlings. There is un immense crop of pota¬ 
toes in this county, but as each farmer raises 
a different kind, the buyers pay ouly 26 to 80 
cents a bushel, as they cannot get enough of 
one kind to make a car-load. It would be 
many hundreds of dollars in the pockets of 
the farmers if they would raise one or two 
standard kinds, instead of so many varieties. 
R. N.-Y.—We urge farmers to experiment 
and study. It would not pay them to raise 
seedling potatoes us a business, but by trying 
it in a small way they would lose nothing and 
might develop a i otato better suited to their 
section than any tbpy could buy. The objec¬ 
tions urged in the above are sound, but we do 
not see that the small experimenting which 
we have constantly urged would make the 
case worse. 
D. C., Baton Rouge, La.—I cannot express 
my gratitude for the veterinary article in the 
Rural for October 1st, by Dr. F, L. Kilhorn. 
I have known of the application of just such 
horrible remedies as those of which Dr. Kil- 
born speaks, and I rejoice to think that a muu 
of science and humanity rises up to make a 
protest against such brutality. A great 
Frenchwomen once exclaimed, “Oh, Liberty, 
what crimes are committed in thy name!” 
Well may our dumb friends say,“What cruel¬ 
ties are practised, under the name of cures! 
Connecticut. 
Cromwell, Middlesex Co,, Oct. 24.—Tho 
Alaska Pea was very early, its chief point— 
an acquisition. Angel of Midnight field corn 
(why not call it Devil of Noonday ?) is no bet¬ 
ter tliau Longfellow. It suckers badly. The 
Bird Cantaloupe is fine-flavored, medium- 
sized and of medium season. Of the Nutmeg 
melons, one six pounds was my largest 
The mixed melon seeds produced nothing of 
any value. G. s. B. 
New York. 
Riverhead, Suffolk Co., L. I., October 23. 
—The middle of Loug Island is a veritable 
“sea of land.” This tract is about £0 miles 
long by, say, five miles wide. To the casual 
observer it is as level as a house floor; but 
there are small valleys running through it 
east and west, very much like the waves of 
the ocean, only they are usually a mile or 
more apart. Occasional watercourses rise in 
the northern part of the tract and flow south¬ 
ward through it. The soil varies greatly, and 
is without any uniformity. In one place it 
may be heavy loam, and only a few feet away 
a light sand. It Is covered with scrub ouks, 
from, say, two to six or eight feet in bight. 
Rising out of the undergrowth of scrub oaks 
are pitch pine trees, usually of moderate bight-, 
with au occasional tree, a relic of antiquity, 
which escaping the frequent fires which swoop 
over the plains, has grown to a great hight. 
The trailing plants are numerous and beauti¬ 
ful. Iu some places the ground is literally 
covered with deerfeed, wintergreen and wild 
ferns and bushes with au infinite variety of 
wild flowers in their season, among which tho 
golden rods naturally predominate. Various 
efforts have been made to colonize and re¬ 
deem this great track of land, but without 
any considerable success. Tho land can bo 
bought at from $5 to £80 per acre and in sonic 
places it is capable of successful cultivation. 
Although this land should be within an hour’s 
ride of New York city it is practically unin¬ 
habited. It is probable that the entire popu¬ 
lation of this vast tract does not exceed 5,000. 
The climate is unexcelled in the vicinity of 
Now York, being delightfully cool iu summer 
and warm in winter. The ozone or peroxide 
of hydrogen about which wo hear so much 
ought to make it- au excellent home for inval¬ 
ids. This whole tract ought to be populated 
either by tho surplus population of the neigh¬ 
boring cities or by farmers and gardeners. If 
there is anything practical iu tho theories of 
the “anti-poverty ites” they ought to devise a 
way to populate these plains, the owners of 
which are both wilting and anxious to sell. It 
is useless to claim, as some have done, that this 
land is fertile. With the exception of an oc¬ 
casional oasis it is, in its present condition, 
absolutely valueless for agricultural purposes, 
but it may bo easily cultivated and fertilized. 
The problem of the utilization of tho waste 
products of our larger cities might bo easily 
solved by transporting the fertilizing mater¬ 
ial to this land. It now goes to pollute the 
waters of the river and boy; if put on this 
land it would bo returned, not after many 
days, but almost at once, in the form of fresh 
fruits and early vegetables, and this great re¬ 
gion of sand bills and plains would become u 
garden spot. It will not pay individuals to 
clear up and cultivate this lund, the large cit¬ 
ies or a company of capitalists must do it. It 
ia admirably located for reformatory institu¬ 
tions, etc. Portions of the tract might bo 
utilized advantageously as cemeteries, either 
public or private. J. U. o. 
A CRITIC CRITICISED. 
When a man lias spent about 13 years of 
pretty solid work in tbe hopes of helping some 
one, and it is found tlmt he has simply “fooled 
away” his time, all kind-hearted people will 
be ready to say, “Now that, is too had.” Rut 
the Ohio Farmer in a moment of oblivious- 
ness handles the Rural’s work in a way that 
is simply cruel. It characterizes its late crit¬ 
icisms of the matter of u bulletin of the Ohio 
Experiment Station ns "dishonest, captious;" 
as “intended merely to find fault.” The R. 
N.-Y. after several trials of the Welcome, 
Badger Queen, Barley,Clydesdale, Race Horse, 
White Belgian, and several other supposed-to- 
be distinct, varieties, all side by side, con¬ 
cluded they were all alike, viz., the White 
Australian introduced to this country about 
10 years ago. The New York Experiment- Sta¬ 
tion made the same trials and corroborated 
essentially the Rural'h statement. Now, 
“upon the authority of the Ohio Experiment 
Station,” the Ohio Farmer asserts that tho 
above-mentioned varieties of oat £ “are by no 
means identical.' 1 It states further that the 
Rural goes on “to criticize and throw ridi¬ 
cule upon the Ohio Experiment Station’s re¬ 
port.” 
We believe, and the belief is based upon 
personal trial and comparison, tlmt tho above 
varieties are all the same. When we saw that 
the report in question treated them as if they 
were distinct; when vve saw that marked 
variations in yield, due, no doubt, to inequal¬ 
ities of the plots upon which they were raised, 
would induce fanners at perhaps a greatly in¬ 
creased price to choose kinds which yielded 
most, it seemed to be a legitimate part of our 
business to call attention to the report as not 
only worthless but misleading. In a like 
manner the Rural has criticized the wheat 
reports of tho Ohio station. These stations 
are to help farmers. Does it help a farmer 
when he is induced to buy a Clydesdale oat, at 
£2 a bushel when he can buy tho same oat 
under thennmo of White Australian at half 
the price? And so respecting wheats. 
Tho Ohio Farmer theu makes the following 
suggestion: 
“We would respectfully suggest to the Ru¬ 
ral Nkw-Youkicu tlmt when it attacks the 
Ohio Experiment Station, it is attacking an 
institution that knows what it- is about; au 
institution that has won the confidence at 
practical farmers uvorywhere, by the practi¬ 
cal, common-sense character of Its investiga¬ 
tions. It does not fool away its time on at¬ 
tempts to cross rve and wheat, producing a 
hybrid worth nothing to tho world, but ad¬ 
dresses itself to the hard, practical questions 
that common farmers arc asking, the elucida¬ 
tion of which will materially assist in solving 
the bread-and-butter question.” 
We aro acquainted with several of the 
officers of the station and respect them for 
