1887 
are important aids in the maintenance of this 
society, was abundantly manifest during the 
few very pleasant and profitable hours I was 
able to spend there. Preparations were al¬ 
ready in progress for the exhibition, and not 
only were his own persona] collections, already 
made, extensive and instructive, but he was 
actively promoting and encouraging contribu¬ 
tions by others. 
Among other measures employed to increase 
the extent and interest of the exhibit, I learn¬ 
ed that he bad, as a means of enlisting a wider 
interest, agreed with a lady friend that they 
would each collect a rival exhibit of seeds, 
each variety to be correctly labeled. 
Although the Fameuse apple was consider¬ 
ed to be of doubtful hardiness on the grounds 
of Dr. Hoskins, in Northern Vermont, at this 
place, still further north, although not by any 
means considered perfect, it is very much 
more extensively planted than any—perhaps 
than all—other varieties. The objection to it 
here is not so much a lack of hardiness, as its 
liability to become scabby and cracked. This 
apple, more perhaps than auy other American 
variety, save possibly the Fall Pippin, shows 
a tendency to reproduce itself from tbeeeed— 
a tendency unusually noticeable here where it 
is so generally grown, and where a number of 
its seedlings exist, very closely resembling 
the parent. The foliage of the Fauieuse here 
shows a firmer and more glossy texture than 
appears to be the case in most other localities 
where I have been conversant with it. It has 
not been my opinion that varieties of trees 
undergo modification in this particular with 
change of climate; and my observations here 
may perchance be at fault; although, to my 
apprehension, at the time, there was appar¬ 
ently an increased firmness of texture and 
glossiness of surface of the foliage as com¬ 
pared with that of this variety, grown iu the 
climate of Southern Michigan, Since any 
actual modification of this character, under 
such change of circumstances, may fairly be 
supposed to be accompanied by a modified 
degree of hardiness, the question of the possi¬ 
bility of such modification may be one 
worthy of careful examination. 
The fact of the existence of a race of apples, 
of which the Fameuse may be supposed to be 
the parent and type, finds much confirmation, 
even in Michigan, since the old French or¬ 
chards of Eastern Miehigau, together with 
those of Western Ontario, arc reputed to have 
been originally derived from the vicinity of 
Montreal; and about Detroit there are nu¬ 
merous slight modifications of the type, yet 
varying too greatly to be readily assumed 
to result from any process short of reproduc¬ 
tion. A notable aud altogether authentic case 
iu poiut, is that of the Shiawassee, which 
sprang from seeds of Fameuse grown in Oak¬ 
land County, Michigan, some 30 or 40 years 
siuce, and the young seedling tree was trans¬ 
planted and fruited in the ueighboriug county 
of Shiawassee; whence its name. This apple, 
although varying considerably in form, is yet 
so nearly identical with Fameuse in color, 
flavor, texture, aroma, and even iu the snowy 
whiteness of its flesh, that the writer, intro¬ 
ducing it to the public, sent specimens to the 
late Charles Downing at several different 
times, and in successive .years, before he be¬ 
came fully assured of their identity. 
Mr. Gibb has extensive orchards, which, 
like those of his neighbors, consist very large¬ 
ly of Fameuse although coutaiuiug mauy 
other varieties, generally in only moderate 
quantity. Aside from his orchards, he has 
trial plantations, including a wide range of 
varieties of such classes of fruits as promise 
to be hardy enough for this northern region. 
Among these are many of the recent impor¬ 
tations from Russia, some of which are al¬ 
ready fruiting, with promise of value. 
His experiments, however, are by uo means 
confined to fruits. His collections include a 
very considerable variety of ornamental 
trees and shrubs, which have been planted 
about the residence, and along the highway; 
as well as along the private walks and drives 
of the extensive farm. A very considerable 
plantation has also been made of hardy tim¬ 
ber trees; which are already of several years’ 
growth, so densely planted that, to a consider¬ 
able extent, at least, the pruning will be done 
by the natural process, as is also the case with 
the cultivation. 
I had nearly forgotten that Mr Gibb is 
keeping well up with the recent introductions 
of new grapes, several of the quite recent 
ones being already iu bearing, and just now 
at maturity, earlier, possibly, than would 
usually be the case in this high latitude, oil 
account of the unusual heat and dryness of 
the season. Even the less hardy varieties 
seem to be in good condition, probably for the 
reason that, ns l understand, they are care¬ 
fully covered during winter. 
FRUITS FOR WEST CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS. 
white, Lady, Duchess, Empire State: red 
Brighon, Delaware, Wyoming: black, Moore’s, 
Worden, Concord. Strawberries: early. Cres¬ 
cent, May King. Hart’s: late, Cumberland, 
Sharpless, Jersey Queen. Raspberries: Marl¬ 
boro, Cuthbert, Shaffer: black, Souhegan, 
Mammoth Cluster, Gregg: yellow, Goldeu 
Queen, Brinckle (half hardy). Blackberries: 
E. Harvest, Kittatinny, Snyder. Gooseber¬ 
ries: Downing, Industry. Currants: Fay’s, 
Cherry, White Grape. Plums: Lombard, 
Jefferson, Imperial Gage. Apples: Fall Pip¬ 
pin, Gravenstein, Porter, Baldwin, R. 1. 
Greening. Roxbury Russet. Pears: Bart¬ 
lett, Clapp’s Favorite, Seckel, Bose. 
Leeds, Mass. Hampshire.. 
^lis-ceUaiffous, 
CORRESPONDENTS’ VIEWS. 
The Best Paper.—I know at least six agri¬ 
cultural papex-s that claim to be the “best in 
the world,” and at least three are claiming to 
“cost more than any other agricultural paper 
published.” How do they propose to settle it; 
Summit Co., Ohio. a. g. m. 
R. N.-Y.—There probably never was an 
agricultural paper published that could not 
muster subscribers that liked it better than 
any other. Doubtless all the leading farm 
papers could show letters from their subscrib¬ 
ers to substantiate this “best paper” claim. 
The Rural simply asks fanners to secure 
samples of the various papers and after care¬ 
fully examining them to take the ones that 
please them best. While it is very bard to ob¬ 
tain an estimate of a paper from a single num¬ 
ber, the sample copy method will answer. 
The Rural does not like to beg farmers to 
subscribe, or to pay them to do so. It feels 
more like telling them to take it if they consid¬ 
er it worth its price or to drop it if they think 
they can’t get their money’s worth out of it 
As to the cost of publication: All the claims 
that we have seen are based upon the size of 
the paper, the cost of composition. The labor 
required in filling a hogshead with water 
would doubtless cost more than that required 
to fill a barrel with milk. Which would be 
worth more after being filled? The Rural 
has always claimed that it pays out ten times 
as much money for engravings as an} other 
weekly farm paper, that it has the largest 
editorial force aud pays most attention to the 
preparation of the articles that go into the 
paper aud that it pays more for contributions 
than any of its contemporaries. We have 
never seen these claims refuted nor do we be¬ 
lieve they can be. 
Straw and Wood-Burning Furnace.— 
In April, tS8t>, I gave a description of my 
furnace for burning straw, hay, wood, etc. 
Since then whenever used it has worked like 
a charui. A mau was here the other day who 
saw the notice published in the Rural. He 
came over 1UU miles to see it, aud went home 
to build one. It is a good thing where coal is 
dear and wood and straw are cheap. A full 
description, illustrated, so that a man who 
is not a mechanic could build one, would fill 
a page of the Rural. 1 have had so mauy in¬ 
quiries since your notice was published that I 
am induced to publish a tract giving full di¬ 
rections, so that anybody having the tract, 
could build oue. XV e have had it 27 c below 
zero, this last week, but flowers were in full 
bloom iu my sitting-room. They’ acted as if 
they thought it was August. 
Alexandria, Dakota. T. H. youngman. 
R. N.-Y.—Our readers will remember that 
we gave a description of this furnace, on page 
257 of the Rural for 1880. The furuace is 
built in the cellar, of stone, aud is commoted by 
menus of pipes with “drums” in the various 
rooms of the house. Straw and coarse hay 
keep a reusing fire in this furnace. The pro¬ 
posed tract ought to be prepared. Dakota 
farmers are spending too much money' on coal. 
The Benefits of Underdraining are 
never more apparaut than during a severe 
drought. A careful observer w ill very read¬ 
ily distinguish the marked difference in the 
appearance aud quality as well ns quantity of 
the crops. Iu the spring of 1SS0 1 under- 
drained a piece of ground which I was uuable 
to plow on account of surface water, until 
nearly the first of June. The past season this 
was where I struck my first furrow in April 
and it was in as fine condition to work as auy 
ground I ever plowed. Though the season 
was uncommonly dry this piece produced the 
heaviest growth of oats 1 saw during the sea¬ 
son, giviug me 62 bushels of cleau, heavy oats 
to the acre, aud the catch of grass seed was as 
good as l ever saw, h. a. whittemork. 
Chautauqua Co., N. Y. 
Hampshire Down Sheep Cut.—I wish to 
thank the Rural for giviug room in its col¬ 
umns to the excellent cut of a group of my 
Hampshire sheep. The cut is one of the best 
that has been made from my photographs and 
I think tne Rural and I can both be proud 
of it. The demand for my sheep for breeding 
purposes is greater than I cau supply, so that 
I now have none for sale. When I have oc¬ 
casion to advertise I shall take pleasure in us¬ 
ing the Rural. My flock of Hampshires is 
entire ly of my own importation or bred from 
sheep imported by me, not one of them having 
ever been owned elsewhere in America. 
Westchester Co. N. Y. James wood. 
Words of Cheer. —Duriug the past year 
one number of the Rural was worth far 
more to me than mauy years’ subscriptions. 
I had a valuable horse that had colic so badly 
that I knew he could not live 30 minutes, but 
I had read in a late Rural, that two ounces 
of sweet spirits of niter, given internally in 
warm water, with warm injections, was good 
in such cases. I tried it and in ten minutes 
he was eating. Others should know how 
valuable a remedy it is. I hope each year 
may be more prosperous for the paper. 
Greenwich, Conn. h. d. 
A Contrast.— There are two blacksmiths 
within three miles of my place. They are 
both good mechanics and have worked about 
the same length of time at their trade. One 
man treats a horse’s hoof about as he would a 
block of wood. It appears to represent about 
that much to him. The other has a picture of 
a horse’s foot, showing the bones and muscles, 
framed in his shop, and can explain the st ruct¬ 
ure of the foot as well as a veterinarian. 
Which shop gets the more shoeing trade? 
There is no need to answer that question. 
Ingham Co., Mich. H. L. h. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
[Every query must de accompanied by the name 
and address of the writer to Insure attention. Before 
asking a question, please soeir It Is not answered in 
our advertisiue columns. Ask only a few questions at 
one time. Fut questions on a separate piece of paper.! 
azoturia in a horse. 
II. A. IF., Fluvanna, N. Y.—I have a horse 
that has always, until of late, been in good 
health and condition, fed regularly aud well 
eared for. Several times after standing in 
the stable for a few days, when driven, he 
seems to lose, in part, the use of bis hind legs, 
or rather upon stopping he seems unable to 
move either hind limb without much effort. 
He has the appearance of partial paralysis or 
“crick” in the small of the back. If he cau 
move he will partially drag his hind feet as he 
moves. When he urinates his water is very 
dark-colored, almost as black as tar, and quite 
thick. Sometimes upou being stopped upon the 
barn floor to have the harness removed he is 
unable to go to his stall until some time after¬ 
ward. I have used hot fomentations to the 
loins aud had dim warmly blanketed. Our 
veterinarians claim it is a disease of the blood 
affecting the kidneys, and are very secret in 
their treatment and very exorbitant in their 
charges. Can the Rural diagnose the ease 
aud give me the best method of treatment ? 
answered by dr. f. l. kilborne. 
You give a very good description of a mild 
ease of a disease known to veterinarians as 
azoturia. The disease is a kind of blood pois¬ 
oning, iu which the blood, as well as the sys¬ 
tem generally, becomes charged with an ex¬ 
cess of albuminoids or nitrogenous products 
which have not been properly transformed b\ 
the liver. Although generally classed under 
“Diseases of the Liver” it is essentially a dis¬ 
ease of over- feeding during ldleuess, in which 
the liver is unable to carry on the extra work 
thrown upou it. The kiduev complications, 
nearly always present, are a result, and not a 
cause of the disease. The disease occurs al¬ 
most exclusively in well or high fed animals 
that have been standing idle a few days in the 
stable ou full rations, and are then taken out 
and actively exercised. It rarely or never 
occurs iu animals that are worked daily, or 
fed ou a poor and limited diet, and does not 
attack an animal iu the stable except after 
more or less exertion following a period of 
idleness on a full, rich diet, in which the ani¬ 
mal has been returned to the stable before the 
symptoms of the disease were fully developed. 
Severe attacks are commonly fatal, but mild 
cas^ are usually successfully treated. First 
give an active purgative (live to eight 
drams of Barbiuloes aloes, according to the 
size aud condition of the animal) to unload 
the system aud remove the surplus nitrogen¬ 
ous products. Follow the purgative with co¬ 
pious injections of warm soap-suds until the 
bowels respond freely (one to two quarts every 
half hour). Allow free access to good drink¬ 
ing water. In many mild cases this is the 
only treatment necessary, beyond a carefully 
regulated diet, to consist largely of mashes or 
gruels for a few days. Where the loss of con¬ 
trol of the limbs continues, warm fomentations 
or clothes wrung from hot water and laid 
across the loins are often beneficial. Later, 
mustard poultices may be demanded if the 
paralysis continues. If there is much fever, 
two-onnee doses of liquid ammonite aceiatis, 
with two drams of chlorate of potash may be 
given every two or three hours until relieved. 
Following its attack a restricted, laxative 
diet for a few days is very desirable. Preven¬ 
tion is to be sought rather than to trust to 
treatment, which in severe cases is too often 
unsatisfactory. The disease can readily be 
prevented by giving regular daily exercise. 
In cases of enforced idleness, feed sparingly, 
especially of the grains rich in albuminoids. 
When a rich diet has not been reduced dur¬ 
ing a period of idleness an attack cau almost 
always be avoided by working the animal in 
gradually. 
a sore horse; condition powders. 
T. F., Calvert. Md. —1. When a horse has 
been used in the city aud is what is commonly 
called sore; what is the part of the horse that 
is sore aud what can be done to cure his sore¬ 
ness aud in ordinary cases how long will it be 
before the horse is sound and well, or will he 
never be so? 2 What is the Eormula of a 
good condition powder for horses? Will the 
same do for cattle ? 
Ans. —1. Most commonly the feet; but it 
may be any part of the limbs. From the 
great variety of cases and the special treat- . 
mf nt often required, it is impossible to give a 
satisfactory general course of treatment. 
Many mild cases will do fairly well at moder¬ 
ate work in the country without special treat¬ 
ment, although they may be of no use on the 
hard city pavements. Ot her cases are greatly 
improved iu summer by a run of a few months 
at pasture. Where the feet are sore a brau or’ 
linseed poultice applied at night, for two or 
three weeks, and each morning the hoof coated 
with an ointment of tar and vaseline to prevent 
drying during the day, to be followed by mild 
blisters to the front and sides'of the pastern 
around top of hoof is often very beneficial. 
No general ruie can’be given as to the time 
required to recruit such aoitnals. Rarely 
can they be made as' sound as before being 
broken-down. Very few even will recover 
so that they will again be serviceable for city 
work. But with a little care and the proper 
course of treatment a large uumber will re¬ 
cover sufficiently to be profitably used for or¬ 
dinary farm work. 2. The best general con¬ 
dition powders for a horse: 1. Suitable food 
in abundance, bat not in excess. 2. A clean, 
comfortable, well-ventilated stable. 3. Thor¬ 
ough daily grooming. These will be excel¬ 
lent for other domestic animals also. For a 
horse an additional good powder is moderate 
work or even hard work when properly eared 
for. When not at work allow some exercise 
if possible. In order to recommend a condi¬ 
tion powder that will meet the requirements 
of any particular case, it is necessary to know 
the present condition of the animal, the ap¬ 
pearance of the skin and hair, the condition 
of the bowels and kidneys, etc., together with 
the probable cause of the trouble. 
CORN, PEAS, TARES, ETC., FOR SOILING. 
J. L. , Gianiearth , Ont ., C« >i.—1. Whatarethe 
relative merits of sorghum. Western corn, aud 
our common Canadian corn? Which shall I 
sow to cut as green food for soiling purposes? 
I have been told there is not much nutriment 
in Western corn cut green; that. 100 pounds of 
green corn will dry up to 15 pounds if placed 
in a kiln and dried artificially, proving that 
there would only be 15 pounds of nutriment 
iu 100 pounds. 2. Which would make the 
most food—peas aud oats or tares aud oats, 
sown together for soiling purposes? 
Ans. —1. For use iu Cauada we would pre¬ 
fer the Canadian corn (early Canada), which 
will mature its growth, while Western corn 
will not, and the feeding value of green corn 
depends wholly upon its maturity of growth. 
Half-grown, coarse eorn-fodder is very poor 
feeding, and it has been the use of this kind of 
corn wtlieh has brought reproach upon ensil¬ 
age aud the practice of soiliug cows. 2. The 
large Blackeye Marrowfat pea will make a 
larger yield of fodder than tares ; Lyes are 
very iuferior to peas as a green fodder crop. 
Two and one-lialf bushels of Black Tartarian 
or auy other tall and leafy kind of oats, aud 
one aud one-half of peas will make 12 tons of 
green and three tons of dry fodder, of the 
best feeding value, per acre; but the crop 
should not be cut until it is iu full bloom, 
when a fourth of the pea-pods will have been 
formed. It is then in its most nutritious and 
The three best grapes for this locality are 
