JAN 7 
§ THE RURAL flEW-YORHIR. 
dreadful stories of days and nights of torture 
This subject is not a pleasant one, but ignor¬ 
ance of w hat to do when lice once get mto the 
house, makes it all the more unpleasant as 
many housewives know to their cost. A 
tramp or a dirty hired man may people the 
house with lice before one knows it. In such 
a case one hates to ask for help in getting rid 
of them, and they multiply in spite of all 
gentle measures. All infested clothing should 
be boiled. Mercurial ointment of any kind 
applied to the body will drive the lice away 
or kill them. Kerosene sprayed into all 
cracks and crevices will help in the work. 
When straw or hay beds are infested it is 
safest to burn them up. B. H. tripp. 
Huron County, Mich. 
A Plea to the Farmers’ Club.— It is the 
duty of agricultural colleges and experi¬ 
mental stations to carry on such investiga¬ 
tions as shall enable the farmer and fruit¬ 
grower to raise larger and finer crops. It is 
the duty of the farmer, on the other hand, to 
test the methods that are recommended and 
see whether or not they really are practical 
and also to conduct such experiments himself 
as are suggested by thoughtfullness and expe¬ 
rience. What I want to urge each member 
of the Farmers’ Club to do in 1888, is either to 
carry on some original experiment or to thor¬ 
oughly test something recommended for the 
destruction of some one of our many injuri¬ 
ous insects, and report the results through the 
columns of the Rural. One I should like to 
see very generally tried is the application of 
Paris-green or London-purple for the destruc¬ 
tion of the Coddling Moth. It has been quite 
thoroughly demonstrated at experiment 
stations that from 50 per cent, to 75 per cent- 
of the wormy fruit can be saved by a single 
application when the apples are as large as 
small liazlenuts. Use one pound of the poi¬ 
son to 100 gallons of watei*. Try it on one or 
two trees at least and let us hear the results. 
C. P. GILLETTE. 
Too Little and Too Much Rain. —A few 
words in regard to the difference between too 
little and too much rain in the growing sea¬ 
son. In 1886 the rainfall was very light, 
but all crops, except hay, were very good. 
Corn good, potatoes first-rate. Fruit, espe¬ 
cially pears, plums, strawberries, currants and 
grapes more than average yields; quality su¬ 
perior. In 1887 the rainfall was uncommon¬ 
ly large. Hay a great crop; quality poor. 
Corn a great growth of fodder; not more than 
tw r o-thirds of the graiu of last year. Potatoes 
nearly a failure, rot bad, quality very poor. 
Apples and pears average crops; quality infe¬ 
rior. Plums a small crop; rot bad. Currants 
an entire failure; grapes the same. I wish 
our Western friends could have had a part of 
our rain. The Rural grows better every 
year, rain or shine. s. F. M. 
Keene, N. H. 
Pot-hunters and “sportsmen” trouble us 
considerably by shooting and tracking over 
our farms. We ought to get rid of them, but 
it’s hard to tell how to do it. 
Orland, Ohio. buckeye tom. 
R. N.-Y.—Farmers in this part of the coun¬ 
try have never been quite able to rid them¬ 
selves of this plague. We put up signs warn¬ 
ing them off the premises, and they shoot the 
signs down. Many of them would put a 
charge of shot into a dog. If a farmer could 
be on all parts of his farm at once, he might 
keep these “sportsmen” away, but he could 
never keep them off his laud without neglect¬ 
ing bis work. It will get so by and by that 
the farmers of a community will be forced to 
form an “anti-sportsman” organization and 
pledge themselves to drive all pot-hunters out 
of the neighborhood. 
Twenty-five pounds of seed of Lucern 
were sowed last spring on two acres of rye on 
light soil. I got a poor stand and it makes a 
delicate growth. I also tried one pound of 
Australian millet. It was a failure, as only a 
little came up and it did not promise well.so I 
plowed it up. I also tried Tecsinte, but it 
seems to grow too slowly to be profitable here. 
Franklinville, N. J. w.p.h. 
CATALOGUES, ETC., RECEIVED. 
James M. Thorburn & Co., 15 John street, 
New York.—A large, well-printed catalogue 
of seeds of all kinds, illustrated with wood-cuts 
aud two colored plates. This firm is one of 
the oldest and most trustworthy in America. 
The catalogue will be mailed to all of our 
readers who apply to the above firm. 
The Economist Plow Co., South Bend, 
Ind.—A treatise with the title “Solid Comfort 
or Fun on the Farm,” which sets forth in a 
humorous way the many merits of the Solid 
Comfort Sulky Plows manufactured by the 
above well-known company. There are many 
letters highly commending these implements 
by farmers who have used them, and our 
readers are invited by the company to send 
for the little treatise in question. 
S. L. Allen & Co., 127 and 129 Catharine 
street, Philadelphia.—A well illustrated cata¬ 
logue of farm and garden tools—the favorite 
Planet Jr. drills, double-wheel hoes, single 
wheel hois, horse hoes, cultivators, etc. Those 
who need such garden or farm implements 
should send for this catalogue, which will be 
mailed free to our readers upon application to 
the above well-known firm. 
Programme of the eighth regular meeting 
of the American Horticultural Meeting to be 
held in San Jos4 and Riverside, January 24, 
25 and 26, and February 7, 8 and 9. In this 
appears a partial schedule of topics. Why 
the Society goes to California, the entertain¬ 
ment, plan of meetings, reduction of railroad 
rates are all explained. All interested readers 
should send to Sec. W. H. Ragan,Gieencastle, 
Ind , for full particulars. 
Sidney Tuttle & Co., Bloomington, Ills. 
—A neat, illustrated, descriptive catalogue of 
fruit and ornamental trees, roses, hardy 
shrubs, herbaceous and garden plants, wilh 
comprehensive instructions as to the planting 
and care of trees. Free to those of our read¬ 
ers who apply to the above firm. 
Hiram Sibley & Co., Rochester, N. Y.— 
An illustrated circular of novelties and stand¬ 
ard varieties of merit This is a preliminary 
list of seeds, potatoes, etc., which will be fol¬ 
lowed by their complete catalogue for 1888 in 
a few weeks. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
FERTILIZER FOR POTATOES. 
A. H. H., Rayville, Md.—l have about 2% 
acres of ground I wish to plant in potatoes 
the coming season. Part of this ground has 
been recently limed on sod and turned under, 
and the rest I am going to lime after the 
ground is plowed. I am going to cover this 
ground with stable manure this winter as I 
make it, and next spring will plow under, aud 
lay my ground off in rows three feet apart, 
and drop one piece with two eyes one foot 
apart in the rows. What should I put on in 
the way of fertilizers, and how much should I 
apply per acre, and what is the best way to 
apply it. I want to raise 300 bushels per 
acre; whereas now I can’t get much over 100 
bushels with manure alone. 
Ans. —We would urge our friend to plow a 
trench by running the plow both ways. We 
regard this as important for reasons which 
the Rural has several times stated. Buy a 
bag or so of high-grade potato fertilizer as an 
experiment, and use at the rate of 800 pounds 
spread evenly in the trenches. The difference 
in cost between buying aud mixing your own 
fertilizers and buying them ready mixed will 
not be much, and we respectfully advise the 
above experiment before you do so. Except 
in large quantities it will not pay to mix 
your own fertilizers. Be sure to purchase 
high-grade fertilizers of good firms. You 
will have to pay about $4.50 per bag of 200 
pounds. 
CROP FOR SILAGE. 
N. T. H., Woodstock, 111. —I expect to build 
a silo in the spring. Some here get for the silo 
Southern corn that hasn’t time to mature an 
ear before frost Some use common dent 
corn that frequently grows 12 to 13 feet high. 
Would sugar cane mixed with oats, sowed in 
June, aud cut when the oats are of full size be 
good, the after growth of the cane being used 
as fodder? We raise the cane for fall feed 
and by the time we are through cutdng the 
first gi'owtb, the second is nearly as tall as the 
last of the first growth. 
Ans. —The large Southern corn is not popu¬ 
lar now for making silage. There is nothing 
better than the ordinary corn of the vicinity 
grown in the usual manner, but about two or 
three times as close in the row; that is, having 
stalks about eight inches apart or three at 
each 18 inches. This will give 20 to 25 tons 
per acre of the best kind of fodder, and a 
great many small ears. There is no other 
crop that can be grow n that will make more 
or better silage when it is planted in this way 
and left to grow" until the ears upon it are 
hard. Sugar cane cannot be grown with oats; 
the oats would be smothered and amount to 
nothing. Corn grown for silage should not be 
grown in rows less than three feet apart, as 
light and air are needed for its proper growth. 
Sugar cane is not so good as corn for silage. 
a home made telephone. 
II. C. G., Johnson's, A, Y— Is it pos¬ 
sible to construct a home-made telephone that 
will convey sound one-fourth of a mile? 
Ans. —Yes, but such telephones are rarely 
satisfactory. The Scientific American gives 
the following directions for making a tele¬ 
phone which will convey sound 180 rods. 
‘ Cut a circular aperture about six inches in 
diameter in a board. Over this tack a piece 
of parchment. To a wire solder a button or 
disk one inch in diameter. Pass the wire 
through a hole in the center of the parch¬ 
ment, support the latter horizontally, wet it, 
aud suspend a weight to the wire. Prepare 
two of these. When dry, place one at each 
end of the line and stretch a wire tightly be¬ 
tween them, drawing against the buttons. 
Where the wire goes around corners, which 
should be avoided as much as possible, one or 
more loops of marlin must be used to carry it. 
It must touch no solid object. If properly 
arranged, on talking against one drum head 
the sound will be reproduced by the other.” 
Miscellaneous. 
W. P. II ., Franklinville, N. J. —1. Is Prick¬ 
ly Comfrey grown from seed or roots. From 
whom can I get some? 2. What is the best 
market pear for this section? 3. What is a rem¬ 
edy for warts on a heifer’s teats? When cut off 
they grow again. 
Ans. —From roots. We do not know who 
has them for sale at this time. 2. See what 
the best authorities say on the matter in last 
issue and this. 3. Moisten them every day with 
a strong solution of sulpnate of copper, and be¬ 
fore applying it, rub the surface with a piece 
of sand-paper. This prevents soreness. Or 
touch all the warts every day with a piece of 
nitra'e of silver moistened, or with a solution 
of it. In applying any caustic substance, care 
must be taken not to allow it to reach the sur¬ 
rounding skin, and if it eats too deep, its act¬ 
ion can be stopped by applying auy kind of 
grease. Warts can also be removed by apply¬ 
ing, after milking, a paste made of baking 
soda just moist enough to be sticky, put on the 
excrescence only. As warts are contagious, a 
cow having them should be milked last, or 
else the bands should be washed after milking 
her before milking another cow. 
J. D. H., Cheyenne, Wyo. T. —Is an egg 
that will rattle when shaken fresh? Is one 
that when shaken appears to be full of water 
fresh? If a lot of fresh eggs are shipped by 
express aud are on the train, say,three or four 
days, will the motion of the car cause them to 
rattle when shaken? 
Ans. —We believe fresh, new laid eggs are 
quite full as a rule, aud therefore will not 
rattle when shaken. We have, however, seen 
eggs that were said to be new-laid, but which 
did rattle. This may be due to want of care 
of the hens or insufficient food. An egg that 
appeared to be full of water, we would 
hardly call fresh. Southern eggs, dealers tell 
us, appear to be thinner than Northern eggs, 
and the motion of the cars may make them 
more liable to rattle. What are the opinions 
of others on the above questions? 
A. B S., East Thorndike, Me. —My four- 
year-old stallion snagged one of his fore feet 
just above the hoof, and the injury not having 
been properly cared for, a little bunch formed 
and grows down over the hoof in front. It 
does not adhere to the hoof or make him lame, 
but it is unsightly aud injures his sale; are there 
an 3 ’ means of preventing its growth or remov¬ 
ing it? 
Ans. —Without seeing the case, we would 
say that the proper treatment would be to 
have it dissected off. But unless you can se¬ 
cure the services of a competent veterinary 
surgeon, we would advise you not to disturb 
it. A faulty operation might cause an irrem¬ 
ediable blemish or crack in the hoof, which 
would be of much more serious consequence 
than the present slight blemish. 
E. V. M., Ulster Co., N. Y. —I have a glass 
that has been used in a small camera, and 
some pictures have been taken with it. Some 
are clean and some are coated with some dark 
substance; how can I clean them? 
Ans. —The coating on photographic nega¬ 
tives is gelatine, or collodion, with perhaps 
the addition of varnish. To remove it requires 
soaking for some days in nitric acid, or a 
strong solution of potash. The expense of 
cleaning a small quantity would be greater 
than the price of the glass. 
H. G. W., Wheeling, W. Va. —There is here 
a furnace in which all garbage, night soil, 
dead animals, etc., are burnt up, leaving no¬ 
thing but fine ashes of a light color; have these 
ashes any fertilizing value? If so, how much? 
Ans. —Yes, they have a fertilizer value. 
How much depends upon the material burnt. 
Nothing is lost by burning except the nitro¬ 
gen. The potash aud phosphoric acid remain. 
S. H., (no address).— How can hens be fed 
so as to make them lay? 
Ans.—S ee articles in our poultry depart¬ 
ment. The fullest instructions with regard 
to the treatment of poultry under all circum¬ 
stances are being there given by practical ex¬ 
perts in the poultry business. If the advice 
there given is practiced poultry will certainly 
pa}'. Your inquiry with regard to the cur¬ 
ing of hay was fully answered a short time 
ago in our pages, and will be exhaustively 
treated of again before next haying time. 
A subscriber, Ann Arbor, Mich. —Will 
rough, knotty potatoes planted as “seed” pro¬ 
duce smooth ones if planted in a good sandy 
loam soil? 
Ans —The difference, if any, between the 
produce of rough and smooth seed, will be 
slight the first season. As a rule, we much 
prefer using smooth, shapely seed. 
L. E. A., Smryna, Del. —What is a good 
preparation to put ou muslin to make it 
water-proof ? 
Ans. —Boiled linseed oil is sometimes used, 
but unless great care is taken the oiled muslin, 
when laid aw’ay, w ill generate heat enough to 
ignite. 
DISCUSSION. 
APPLYING MANURE. 
H. A. W., Fluvanna, N. Y.—Last season I 
arranged to sow a plot of three acres to bar¬ 
ley upon which I had raised oats that year. 
Knowing that it must be liberally manured 
to produce a good crop, I began with the first 
sleighing to draw my manure as I made it, and 
put it on at the rate of 20 loads to the acre. 
I manured fully two acres in this manner, 
spreading it as I drew it. The remaining acre 
I manured after I had plowed it, putting on 
20 loads of fine manure—the scrapings of my 
barn-yard—and harrowing it in when the 
ground was in good condition. I sowed th>s 
piece of three acres to barley with a drill, 
putting in two bushels to the acre. Fiom the 
time it first showed through the greund a 
very marked difference was observable in 
favor of that where the manure was put on 
in the winter and plowed under. Perhaps in 
a season with more rain the result might 
have been different. Upcn the part where 
the manure w r as put upon the surface and 
dragged in, the barley turned yellow, the 
lower leaves dying, and ver}" much of it 
showing very feeble and imperfectly develop¬ 
ed heads with shriveled and shrunken kernels. 
About one-sixteenth of an acre was liberally 
dressed with hen manure and plowed under. 
Ou this barley was double in bulk of straw, 
length of heads and perfection of kernel a. 3 
compared with any-other part of the field. In 
the future I shall be very careful not to surface- 
manure if I know it is to be a dry season. 
B. F. J., Champaign, III.—Apple pomace 
has been lately spoken of in the Rural as of 
little manurial value. In sections of the 
country, however, where apples are plenty 
and they are made into cider on a smaller or 
larger scale, there are often large masses of 
pomace that, put tone use, lie,rot and taint, if 
they do not poison the air. This pomace can 
be used to advantage when disacidifk d. The 
job is readily done by mixing the pomace with 
caustic lime to the extent of five per cent of 
the former, to 95 of the latter; or wood ashes 
will answer the same purpose in the same 
measure; so also will fine fossil phosphate 
of lime. When the acidity has become neu¬ 
tralized and partial decomposition has taken 
place, the compost may be applied to fruit 
trees and orchard land with satisfactory re¬ 
sults. In the case of the grape, there is no 
better amendment to the soil than the neu¬ 
tralized marc or pomace and the twigs and 
leaves of pruuings'. And by the way, in this 
connection I would like to ask if any one has 
noted that the fruit of apple trees growing 
near where pomace has been piled for years, 
acquires the pomace taste. 1 remember such 
an instance, and would like to know if others 
had had any similar experience. 
TRUE INWARDNESS. 
English journals announce the death 
Lacharme, the greatest of all our rose grow¬ 
ers. The London Garden remarks that for 
half a century he has occupied the most prom¬ 
inent position in the field of rose raising. He 
it w T as who originated Anna de Diesbach,Vic¬ 
tor Verdier, Etienne Levet, Madame Gustave 
BoDnett, Charles Lefebvre, Baron Rothschild, 
Xavier Olibo, Alfred Colomb, Boule de Neige, 
Louis Van Houtte, Madame Lacharme and 
very many others. 
Send for seedsmen’s catalogues as they are 
announced. Study carefully over what kinds 
are best for your soil and climate; order careful¬ 
ly and of trustworthy seedsmen. Order early 
so that the seeds received may be tested and 
