1888 
THP* BUBAL flEW-YGKKEH. 
444 
minoids, are more likely to become pregnant 
than those that are fed on rich carbonaceous 
food Breeding animals should not be kept 
too fat if the best results would be attained. 
A good, healthy growing condition is the most 
desirable. Regular daily exercise is another 
important factor. Idleness tends to sterility. 
Regular work, even hard work, rather favors 
impregnation, although some breeders do not 
work their brood mares. Violent exercise or 
straining is of course to be avoided, but good 
honest hard work is often not only not inju¬ 
rious, but necessary to secure impregnation of 
certain mares. 
frozen wheat as stock feed. 
J S .. Fond du Lac, Minn. —I have a lot of 
wheat (now frozen) which had been lying in 
water about three weeks. How much may I 
safely feed a horse not doing much hard work? 
What is the best way to feed it? How much 
0 f it. can I feed a sheep? 
Ans —This food would.",be extremely dang¬ 
erous for a horse. If given in a frozen condi¬ 
tion it will chill the stomach and produce in¬ 
digestion or even inflammation, and if thawed 
out it will ferment and heat, and cause colic 
and possibly fatal disorder of the stomach, 
as rupture by the pressure of gas evolved in 
the fermentation. The best way to feed this 
wheat]would be to keep it frozen, and boil 
some of it every day, and feed it to pigs or 
cattle, when reduced to a nearly cool condi¬ 
tion. It is not fit for horses or sheep. In 
small quantities and treated in this way, it 
might be given—when cooled—along with cut 
hav or'straw to horses; but it should be used 
with extreme care. Any kind of damaged 
grain is an unsafe food. 
COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS FOR ONIONS. 
H. S. H., Oneco., Conn. —What is the 
value of nitrate of soda for onions when one is 
obliged to use chemicals alone for the crop? 
Joseph Harris says 150 pounds of nitrate of 
soda with 400 pounds of phosphate per acre 
will enrich ground sufficiently to raise 500 
bushels of onions per acre, with proper culti¬ 
vation. Is there a cheaper fertilizer, espec¬ 
ially where weed seeds have to be combatted? 
Ans —Special high grade complete ferti¬ 
lizers are prepared for onions as for other 
crops. These supply all the uitrogen needed. 
A farmer can not afford to use nitrate of sod^ 
alone unless as a proportionate constituent of 
a complete fertilizer. In the case spoken of 
by Mr. Harris, the land evidently did not 
need potash. If your land is already rich, 
nitrate of soda or salts of ammonia would no 
doubt give the crop an early start since the 
nitrogen is immediately available. 
are the pellets sterile? 
C. H. C., Haverhill, Mass.— At what age 
do pullets lay ? I have 125 which were hatched 
in May and June and not one has laid an egg 
yet. Feed: bran and oats in the morning; 
wheat at noon; corn and meal at night; some 
meat once a week. Oyster shells are always 
within their reach. Twenty-five pullets are 
kept in a pen—Wyandottes and Plymouth 
Rocks chiefly. 
ANSWERED BY HENRY HALES. 
I am at a loss to understand why the pul¬ 
lets do not lay. Wyandottes are early layers. 
Two things you omit to mention: first, are 
your pullets shut up in too small pens, and 
without good grass runs? Second, fowls 
should have vegetable food supplied in winter, 
such as boiled potatoes or turnips in their soft 
food. All grain food and meat may make 
them too fat to lay, which is often the case 
with fowls with Asiatic blood. When the 
ground is dry or the sheds are clean, throw 
down some straw, with some grain thrown in, 
and set the poultry to work. Exercise as¬ 
sists laying. 
VALUE OF WOOD ASHES. 
G. A.B.. Himrods, N. Y— Charles Stevens 
of Canada advertises ashes for sale in the R. 
N.-Y. I intend to buy a car-load to use 
around my peach trees and grape vines, how 
much can I afford to pay for them delivered? 
Ans _There is a great difference in ashes, 
depending upon whether they are from hard 
wood or soft wood,though weight for weight, 
the difference is much less than generally sup¬ 
posed. It may be said that unleached ashes 
are worth from 20 to 30 cents a bushel deliv¬ 
ered—that is, their actual contents of potash 
and phosphoric acid are worth that price, 
counting about 50 pounds to the bushel. Mr. 
Stevens has a good reputation so far as we 
have heard, and we have little doubt that he 
will furnish what he agrees to furnish. 
RINGBONE IN A 16-YEAR-OLD HORSE. 
J. A. M., Holcottsville, N. Y.— My 16 year- 
old horse is lame from ringbone; what should 
be done for him? 
Ans.—T he treatment of ringbone is not very 
satisfactory at the best, while in animals of 
this age a cure can rarely be expected. Fir¬ 
ing, or, in the absence of a competent praeti- 
ioner to fire the ringbone, repeated power- 
jul blisters may prove beneficial by relieving 
the lameness, but the blemish and more or less 
stiffness will probably always remain. 
Miscellaneous. 
u An Illinois Subscriber ,” Kankakee, 111 .— 
What is the best and most economical and 
safest way to apply commercial manures to a 
deep, sandy loam soil to be planted to straw¬ 
berries the coming spring? It seems to me 
that there would be a good deal of waste if it 
were sown broadcast before planting, as the 
plants would occupy so little of the ground 
till late in tbe’season. 
Ans. —In this case we should use raw bone 
flour (not superphosphate) and unleached 
ashes. In the absence of the ashes, use sul¬ 
phate of potash. Harrow these fertilizers in 
the soil after it "has been plowed and har¬ 
rowed. Sow broadcast by all means. Noth¬ 
ing will be lost. Then in the fall spread farm 
manure between the plants and in the rows. 
They will have the full benefit of this treat¬ 
ment the second season when the plants fruit. 
J. E., Keokuk , la. —Is the Rural Thorough¬ 
bred Flint corn the best for fodder, planted on 
stump land? Where can it be obtained and 
at what price? 
Ans. —We would not recommend you to 
plant the Thoroughbred Flint except in an ex¬ 
perimental way. Then you can judge with¬ 
out risk of loss whether it will thrive in your 
soil and climate. In this climate the above 
variety is by far the best we have ever raised. 
It suckers immensely and should not be plan¬ 
ted closer than four by two feet or an equiva¬ 
lent. We know but one firm offering this 
variety, viz., J. M. Thorburn & Co., 15 John 
St., N. Y. ;]price, $2 per bushel;;15 cents per 
quart 
M. W., Mount Pleasant, Utah. —1. What 
was the matter with my tomatoes? For two 
years 1 had plenty of large blossoms but no 
fruit. The land was new breaking, no tame 
crops having ever grown on it before. 2. 
Would it be advisable to plant the Cape 
Gooseberry extensively here? It is impossible 
for other kinds to thrive, on account of mold. 
Ans.- 1. Probably the soil is too rich. We 
can think of no ot^er reason. Start the 
plants early in the house; transplant at least 
twice. When the plants begin to bloom, or 
just before, sink a spade about the roots and 
within a foot of the stems. We cannot - ad¬ 
vise as to the Cape Gooseberry. 
W. O. D., Suffolk Co.,L.l.—X. Willthe Japan 
Chestnut grow here? 2. Where can the nuts 
be obtained and at what price? 3. When and 
how should they be planted? 
Ans.— i. Yes. The Japan Chestnut does 
well on Long Island. 2. We are not aware 
that the nuts are for sale. You might write 
to N. Hallock, of Queens, L. I. 3. They are 
preserved in sand to keep them from drying up 
and planted in the Spring. They sprout at 
once or in a few days, and make a growth of 
from one to two feet the first season. 
W. H., Albion, Idaho.— Has the Rural 
heard of a grass called Aspersit? It is claim 
ed that it grows about 18 inches high on very 
dry land, 
Ans. —Our friend may mean Esparsette or 
Sainfoin (Onobrychis sativa). It is well 
thought of in certain parts of EuroDe, but we 
know of no case where it is valued here. It 
has been tried at the Rural Grounds and is 
not worth cultivating. It grew a foot high, 
would not continue to grow after being cut, 
and the hay was a mere lot of woody stems. 
J. E. A., El Dorado, Cal.— What is a reme 
dy for chilblains? 
Ans.— Keep the feet dry and warm. Fre¬ 
quent bathing and rubbing with such stimula 
ting applications as spirits of turpentine or 
spirits of camphor or kerosene are common 
remedies; then if cotton socks or stockings 
are worn inside woolen ones, both being fre¬ 
quently changed, a cure of chilblains will 
pretty certainly be effected. 
J. H. K.. Kulpsville, Pa.— Where can I get 
the black potato lately described in the Ru¬ 
ral? 
An s.— It isn’t yet -offered for sale in this 
country. 
A. D. S., Mount Morris,.N. Y. —The Acme 
Harrow has been used on the Rural Farm for 
many years. We began using it when it was 
introduced. It has been improved in many 
ways. It is, in our opinion, one of the most 
serviceable farm implements ever invented 
II. D. B., Concord, Tenn.—Oi whom can I 
procure smooth-headed barley? 
Ans.— Of Hiram Sibley & Co., Rochester, 
N. Y. 
S. H., Potsdam, N. Y.— We have not been 
able to learn anything about the Arctic apple; 
but the claims put forth in its behalf appear 
exaggerated. 
DISCUSSION. 
THE RURAL AND DEHORNING CATTLE. 
that the Rural, the foremost agricultural 
paper in the country, has taken the foremost 
place in its class as an advocate for[dehorning 
cattle or raising hornless herds. The good 
done by the advocacy of such a measure by 
sujh a paper is Dot confined merely to the 
adoption of its teachings by a certain pro¬ 
portion of its own readers; for other papers 
of less weight and originality are sure sooner 
or later to take up the same theme and treat 
it from the same standpoint. About half a 
dozen years ago, the Rural, so far as I can 
remember, was nearly the only paper that 
was emphatic in its preference for hornless 
herds; how many of all the other papers take 
a different view of the subject to-day ? 
Breeding off the horns is a slow process. 
With the best efforts of all concerned several 
generations must pass before all the cattle in 
the country could be made hornless in that 
way. On the other hand, with the best efforts 
of all concerned not a year need pass before 
the horns could be sawed off all the cattle in 
the country, if such a sweeping dehorning 
were dsirable; but it is doubtful whether it 
would be advisable to dehorn range cattle 
which have to defend themselves and their 
young from cayotes and other savage ene¬ 
mies, uutil a better system of herding has 
been adopted on the plains. 
Shortly before these beasts, however, are 
shipped to market, it would be well to dehorn 
them for the same reasons which should in¬ 
duce the dehorning of other cattle. In tran¬ 
sit by rail or water hornless cattle can be 
packed considerably closer and do much less 
damage to each other than horned beasts. 
The advantages thus gained in a long journey 
would, no doubt, more than repay the small 
cost and trouble of dehorning. Judging from 
a good deal of experience in different parts of 
the country, I fully agree with all that has 
been said in favor of the practice. Even ani¬ 
mals that before dehorning were unruly and 
vicious, after dehorning soon, as a rule, for¬ 
get these faults. Among horned herds hun¬ 
dreds of thousands of dollars in the aggregate 
are lost to farmers every year, owing to the 
injury done to breeding and other stock by 
the horns of vicious, quarrelsome, irritated 
and greedy, or careless animals. Nearly the 
whole of this vast sum would be saved if the 
herds were hornless. There is much less quar¬ 
reling among hornless than horned animals. 
All kinds of disturbance among animals cause 
a waste of feed, hence hornless beasts either 
need less feed than horned ones of the same 
size and race, or thrive better on the same 
feed under ordinary conditions. They require 
less room in the stables and feeding places, 
and need not so many galling restrictions. 
They feed more quietly and therefore more 
profitably in stable, yard or pasture. They 
are gentler and therefore more easily con¬ 
trolled and managed—a great convenience 
everywhere. They are much less dangerous 
to man and womankind. Even where innate 
'Continued on next page.) 
PisfnUaueoutf %Avtvt itfittg. 
pjoW 
§>K«n § e)caip 
Diseases 
©UTICUR A 
Remedies. 
T he most distressing forms of skin and 
scalp diseases, with loss of hair, from Infancy to 
old age, are speedily, economically and permanently 
cured by the Cuticura Remedies, when all other rem¬ 
edies and methods fail. 
Cuticura, the great Skin Cure, and Cuticura Soap, 
an exquisite Skin Beautifler, prepared from it. exter¬ 
nally, and Cnticura Resolvent, the new Blood Purifier, 
internally, cure every form of skin and blood disease, 
from pimples to scrofula. 
Sold everywhere. Price, Cuticura, 50c.; Soap, 25c.; 
Resolvent, $1. Prepared by the Potter Drug and 
Chemical Co., Boston, Mass. 
tV~ Send for “How to Cure Skin Diseases.” 
JW Pimples, blackheads, chapped and oily skin 
IST* prevented by Cuticura Soap. . m-h 
B 
Relief in one minute, for all pains and weak¬ 
nesses, In .Cuticura Anti Pain Plaster, the 
only paln-kllling plaster. 25c. 
MAKE HENS LAY 
S HERIDAN'S CONDITION POWDER is absolute¬ 
ly pure and highly concentrated. It is strictly 
a medicine to be given with food. Nothing on earth 
will make hens lay like it. It cures chicken chol¬ 
era and all diseases of hens. Illustrated book by 
mail free. Sold everywhere, or sent by mail for 
25 cts. in stamps. 2X-lb. tin cans, $1; by mail, 
$1.20. Six cans by express, prepaid, for $5. 
L S. Johnson & Co., P. O. Box 2118, Boston, Mass. 
If yoti-want the best garden you have 
ever had, you must sow 
Maule’s Seeds. 
There is no question but that 
Maule’s Garden Seeds are unsur¬ 
passed. Their present popularity 
in almost every county in the 
United States shows it, for I 
now have customers at more than 
22,500 post-offices. When once 
sown, others are not wanted at 
any price. Over one-quarter of 
a million copies of my new Cata¬ 
logue for 1888 have been mailed 
already. Every Qjie -pronounces 
it the most original and readable 
Seed Catalogue ever published. It 
contains among other things cash 
prizes for premium vegetables, etc., 
to the amount of $2500, and also 
beautiful illustrations of over 500 
vegetables and flowers {15 being in 
colors). These are only two of 
many striking features. You 
should not think ot Purcha¬ 
sing any Seeds this Spring 
before sending for it. It is 
mailed free to all enclosing stamp 
for return postage. Address 
WM. HENRY MAULE, 
1711 Filbert St. PHILADELPHIA, PA. 
HOMPSON’S 
clover CCCTICQ 
and CRASSOCCIIEU 
, Sows Clover, Timothy, Red Top and all 
kinds of Grass Seeds, any quantity to the 
acre as evenly and accurately as the best 
grain drill. 1J nri Vftl led for fast and accu* 
Indispensable for sow¬ 
ing in windy weather. 
Send for descrip¬ 
tive circular, tes¬ 
timonials, <kc. 
j) Manufactured by 
”o.E. THOMPSON 
YPsn.ASTi, nice. 
• acres a da;. 
Freeman’s Improved 
S trowbridge 
Broadcast 
Sower. 
8. FREEMAN 
Sows all Grains, Grass Seeds, 
Plaster, Salt, Ashes, Fertilizers, 
better and faster than by any 
other method. SAVES SEED by 
■■ -owing rKKKKCTi.y kvkn. -At¬ 
tached to any wagon. Sow* 
SO Acres a D*y. Crop ONK- 
KOURTH LARGER THAN 
WHEN DRILLED I The only 
practical ltroaiica»ter made. 
Not affected by the wind. 
Fully warranted. 
Send at once for FREE 
illustrated Catalogua 
*,**.)*,, <• s." please men- 
tion this pa- 
\\\j\\per. Write to th* 
.\\\\’\ manufacturer*, C 
<fc SONS MFG. C0„ RACINE.WIS. 
err no GIVEN A^aY! A package Mixed 
Ot tllO Flower Seeds. (500 kinds), with Parks 
j" Floral Guide, all for 2 stamps. New 
flowers, new engraving; teems with floral hints. Every - 
body delighted. Tell all your friends. Send now. 
G. W. PARK, Funnettsburg, Pa. 
SHBRWIN » 
PAT. FIELD ROLLER, 
F. CM., Red Wing, Minn.—I’m glad to see 
10 CEN T ’» (silver) pays for your address in the 
“Agent’s Directory,” which goes whirling all over the 
Unlieti States and you will get hundreds of samples, 
circulars, books, newspapers, magazines, etc., from 
those who want agents. You will get lots of mail 
matter and good reading free, and will be Well 
Pleased with the small investment. List containing 
names sent to each person answering this advertise¬ 
ment. T. D. CAMPBELL. Box 182. Boyleston, Ind. 
NOTICE OF REMOVAL.. 
The Woodason Insect Extkhminator’s Works have 
Removed from Chicago to 451 E. Cambrta St., Philadel¬ 
phia, Pa. Thomas Woodason, Proprietor. 
The most durable and finest made roller In the mar¬ 
ket. The Rolls are Oak l.ogs turned Sizes from 
17 to 20 inches, and weight from 1 100 to 1,300 tbs. They 
covpr feet of ground, turn the corners as easy as a 
wagon. Write for description and price list to 
E C. KHERvvIN, Brandon, Wis. 
PEACH TREES 
OUR SPECIALTY. 
300,000 Peach Treesof all the best varieties, being 
grown from strictly pure natural Tennessee Seed, and 
budded from healthy bearing trees, entirely free from 
yellows. Those desiring to plant trees would do well 
to examine our stock and prices. All orders by mail 
will receive careful and prompt attention. Catalogues 
mailed free on application. . „ 
Will exchange large lots of trees for Dive Stock o 
Real Estate. Address E. R. COCI1 K An &■ CO., 
Middletown, New Castle Co., Delaware. 
A 
OUR ANNUAIi, 
YEAR’S WORK ">“» GARDEN. 
HOME STUDY-ON THE FARM. 
ISAAC PITMAN, the famous Inventor of Phonography, 
Is now 75-aci ive as ever-has two worthy sons. Their 
business is vast. We supply all their books. The 
“Teacher”—the best guide to the art— 20c. Address 
PHONETIC DEPOT, Tyrone, Pa. 
■IHI CA RDS. Set Scrap Pictures, one Checker Board, and 
FUN large sample book ot Hidden Name Cards and Agetd- 
t Ull Outfit, all. on!v2c Capital Caki. Co.. Columbus. G 
‘illiem PROF. RICE’S SKLF-TEACII- 
HllSIli INU SYSTEM. All can learn music 
Nyyi® without the aid of a teacher. Rapid, 
SELF correct. Established twelve years. 
TAUCHT. otes, chords, accompaniments, thor¬ 
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free. S. RICE’ MUSIC 00.! gtaautvStree^jCHlCAe^ 
