food for mules and cows in the Southern 
States, where it is largely used in a boiled 
state. As the seed always has more or less 
lint adhering to it, it is considered unsuitable 
for hoises, although when boiled it is fre¬ 
quently fed to them, the mules eating it raw 
without injury. The whole seed could be ob¬ 
tained wherever there are cotton gins, the 
usual price being $9 per ton, or 45 cents per 
100 pounds. It is thus a remarkably cheap 
food. No doubt Mr. H. P. Terhune, of Wal- 
halla, S. C., could procure some of the seed 
for you. It is not an article of commerce, ex¬ 
cept at the oil mills for making oil and oil 
cakes; elsewhere it is used for feeding and 
manure. 
Miscellaneons. 
G. N. K, Little Falls, N. Y —What are a 
few late-keeping apples that would be likely 
to succeed here? 1 have, read the numerous 
reports in a late Rural giving the opinions 
of first-class fruit authorities on the three 
best early,..medium and late varieties of the 
different kinds of fruit, but failed to obtain 
some six or seven years ago—mostly White* 
Red and Yellow Oak, and some hickory. The 
land is somewhat rolling from west to east. I 
plowed it last fall and intend to put some 
corn on it next spring, and.would like to put it 
into cow pasture as soon as possible. It was 
strongly covered with old sod before it was 
plowed. Can I put oats on it after the corn 
in the spring of 1889, and seed it down, and 
hew, and what grass is best for that purpose,or 
shall I have to wait till the third year? 
Ans. —Cultivate the corn well, and reduce 
the soil to a fine tilth. Plow it next autumn, 
and harrow it down smooth and fit it for sow¬ 
ing oats, and then the following spring 
when the frost is well coming out of the 
ground, sow oats on the surface without 
doing anything to the land. They will all grow 
and do well. At the same time in the same 
way, sow on three bushels of Red Top per 
acre. Also sow a pound of White Clover per 
acre, two bushels of Kentucky Blue Grass, 
and four quarts of Timothy. The Blue Grass 
and Red Top may be mixed and sown to¬ 
gether and also the clover and Timothy. 
PLOWS ANDIPLOWING. 
An Important Bulletin issued by Prok 
J.W. Sanborn, of the Agricultural Col¬ 
lege of Columbia, Mo.—In the presentation 
of the subject of plows and plowing to the 
students of his class in agriculture, it has been 
customary to use the dynamometer upon 
plows to test certain points involved in their 
construction, that the students might b> oh 
servation learn the principles involved m a 
manner that would impress them upon their 
minds and tend more to induce each member 
jection to this seeder; that is, it requires a 
small amount of intelligence to use it success¬ 
fully. It sows thin at the edges, and one 
must lap over, in order to get even work. It 
is not hard to do; but fully one half of the 
farmers in this vicinity, in spite of the direc¬ 
tions and precautions which come with the 
machine neglect this, and the result is uneven 
grain, and a discarded machine. I spent two 
hours last year instructing my man in its use, 
and he afterwards sowed over 500 acres with 
it to my perfect satisfaction. I recommend 
the machine as highly as possible, and think 
it the best I ever saw of any kind of a seeder 
for good and cheap work.” 
EXPERIMENTAL FERTILIZER PLOTS. 
L. W. P., Cornwall, Vt.—l wish to adopt 
the Rural’s plan of plot experiments with 
fertilizers on my meadows which are uni¬ 
formly muck with a clay subsoil. I propose 
to divide one and one-tenth acre into 11 plots; 
how much of each of the three principal fer¬ 
tilizer ingredients would be suitable for each 
plot. Should the nitrogen be in the form of 
nitrate of soda, or sulphate of ammonia 
or what? In what shape should potash and 
phosphoric acid be applied? 
Ans. —Order at the rate of 200 pounds of 
nitrate of soda per acre, 120 pounds sulphate of 
ammonia, 400 pounds of dissolved bone-black 
which will supply phosphoric acid only, 300 
pounds sulphate of potash, 400 pounds of 
plaster, if you like, 100 pounds acid phos¬ 
phate (S. C. rock dissolved), 400 pounds of 
raw-bone flour. Use these separately. 
Then combine on different plots as follows: 
1. Nitrate soda, 200 pounds; dissolved bone- 
black, 400 pounds. 2. Nitrate soda, 200 
pounds; sulphate potash, 300 pounds. 3. Dis¬ 
solved bone-black, 400 pounds; sulphate pot¬ 
ash, 300 pounds. 4. Nitrate soda, 200 pounds; 
dissolved bone-black, 400 pounds; sulphate 
potash, 300 pounds. 5. Acid phosphate, 700 
pounds; muriate-potash, 120 pounds; nitrate 
soda, 200 pounds. Then raw-bone flour might 
well be substituted for the acid phosphate for 
another combination. Use on one plot at the 
rate of 10 tons of farm manure, which would 
be 500 pounds on a fortieth of an acre. You 
must not forget to have several no-manure 
plots for comparison. 
crops in a young orchard, etc. 
E. Y. L., Essex, N, Y.—l. Will crude 
petroleum kill Jice on colts and cattle? How 
can it be applied? Will it hurt colts if ap¬ 
plied in winter? 2. Last year we set out an 
apple orchard of seven acres, and planted it 
to corn. What will be the best crop to raise 
in it this year? Would it be a good plan to 
sow winter rye in the spring and cut it for 
hay? The land is stony and weedy. 
Ans. —1. We have had no personal experience 
with crude petroleum as an insecticide on 
live stock; but Secretary J. S. Woodward 
says it will kill any kind of parasite on any 
farm animal without doing any injury to the 
animal. We should not hesitate to use it on 
any animal in moderate quantity at first 
until the results are noted. It is to be rubbed 
into the parts chiefly infested by the pests. 
2. In regard to sowing rye or any other grain 
crop in a young orchard we would not do it, 
unless we did not care a cent whether the 
trees lived or died. It would injure the trees 
very much, and probably kill a good many in 
a year or two. A friend has had some exper¬ 
ience in such a course and he considers that 
sowing any grain crop cut in mid-summer is 
the worst course tha t one can pursue with a 
young orchard because such a crop takes from 
the soil so much moisture which is needed 
frequently by the young trees, and if the 
crop grows rank and shades the trees when 
it is cut in heat and drought of summer the 
sun scalds the bodies of the trees, and such 
trees are soon denuded of their bark and die. 
Plant beans, potatoes, any root crop or even 
corn, but no sown crop, in a young orchard. 
Till well and kill the weeds and let the trees 
grow. 
VALUE OF COTTON-SEED AS FEED. 
F. P., Stockport, N. Y.—l. What is the 
value of cotton-seed for feed for horses and 
cows, the seed being ground entire, without 
having the oil pressed out? 2. Where can the 
whole seed be obtained, and at what cost? 
ANSWERED BY HENRY STEWART. 
Cotton-seed in its natural condition contains 
the following nutritive substances; 
Albuminoids, 22.8 per cent. 
Starch, mucilage, etc., 15.4 “ 
Woody fiber, 16.0 
Oil, 30.3 “ 
Of these there are digestible: 
Albuminoids, 17.1 per cent. 
Starch, mucilage, etc., 14.7 
Oil, 57.4 “ 
giving the seed a value of $2.08 per 100 pounds 
as compared with corn at $1 10 per 100. It is 
thus worth about twice as much as corn for 
feeding. Its nutritive ratio is one of albumi¬ 
noids to 4 6 of carbohydrates (bran is one to 
5.6), and thus it is a healthful food theoreti¬ 
cally. Practically it is found an excellent 
their way to the rooms above. How can I 
get rid of them? 
Ans. —We should advise spraying the cellar 
with kerosene forced through a pump and 
nozzle. If the cellar could be closed and sul¬ 
phur burnt, no doubt most of the insects would 
be killed. Of course, the use of pyrethrum 
powder would help. 
J. E. W ., Pawtucket, R. I. —I use consider¬ 
able sulphuric acid for cleaning the sand from 
castings. The acid is diluted with water- 
three of water to one of acid. After the cast¬ 
ings are cleaned there remains the sand satur¬ 
ated and some of the liquid; has it any value 
as a fertilizer? What use can be made of it? 
Ans. —It might be used to dissolve bone or 
S. C. rock. We don’t know of any other us e 
to which it might be put in the way of mak¬ 
ing a fertilizer. 
T. E., Harrisville, Mich.— What would the 
Rural ask for some Mesquit Beans? 
Ans. —Nothing whatever is sold at this office 
except that best of all agricultural papers- 
the Rural New-Yorker. T. V. Munson, 
Denison, Texas, may have Mesquit Beans for 
sale, or may be able to procure them for 
those who want them. 
F. M., Naples, N, Y.— Are the grape root 
beyond the bud from which the cane grew as 
good, when set in the vineyard, as those that 
are below the bud? Are they of any service 
to the vine? Will they draw the sap back¬ 
wards and help the vine to grow? 
Ans. —No, they will not draw the sap back¬ 
ward at all, but they will assist in nourishing 
the plant the same as other roots. 
F. P. B., Liberty Corners, Pa. —Is the Brad, 
ley Superphosphate worth $38 per ton? Would 
B. D. fowl guano give better results? 
Ans. —The R. N.-Y. regrets thasit is unable 
to answer such questions. They cannot be 
answered except by trial or from some knowl¬ 
edge of what the land needs. When from ex¬ 
perience the farmer has gained no knowledge 
of what fertilizers give him the best returns, 
we must in every case advise simply a high- 
grade “complete.” 
W. E., Spencer, Iowa. —What kind of bone 
mill should I get to grind bones for poultry- 
one for dry or burnt bones or for fresh bones? 
Ans. —We use the Frank Wilson $5 bone 
mill. It works well. 
A. N. M., Crete, Neb. —From an answer to 
a question in a late Rur al I gather that it is 
never wise to spread fresh manure in the 
.spring upon ground to be used for potatoes. 
Why? 
Ans. —Fresh manure is slowly soluble and 
does not furnish the food required by potatoes. 
If used at all in the spring, we should supple¬ 
ment it with potato commercial fertilizer. 
Another objection to the use of fresh manure 
is that it is conducive to scab. 
./. H. O., Pittsford, N. Y. —What chemical 
fertilizer shall I use on hop roots in the place 
of barnyard manure. When and how should 
it be put on? 
Ans. —Bone flour and unleached wood ashes 
would probably serve as well as any kinds. 
Apply in early spring broadcast. 
F. M. C ., Massilon, Ohio.— Who makes the 
Keystone Hay Loader mentioned by Professor 
A. J. Cook in a recent Rural. 
Ans. —The Keystone Manufacturing Co., 
Stirling, Illinois 
u Falcon," Elizabeth City, N. C. —Where 
can I get the Anjou pear? 
Ans. —Of any nurseryman in the country— 
P. J. Berckmans, Augusta, Ga., and Storrs, 
Harrison & Co., Painesville, Ohio. 
Several Subscribers.— We are preparing 
an Ensilage Special that will answer all ques¬ 
tions as to silos, silage, etc., etc. 
J. A., Horse Cove, Ky .—Are the wagon 
scales made by Jones of Binghamton, reli¬ 
able? 
Ans.—Y es. Thoroughly so. 
J. B. F. Waterman, Ills .—You can get 
ground .bone suitable for poultry from C. H. 
Dempwolf, York, Pa. 
MILLS GRAPE. See page 144. Fig. 49. 
the information I want? 
Ans. —In those views of 16 authorities on 
such matters 41 winter apples were named; 
Baldwin was named by seven; Greening by 
six; Spy by four and Jonathan and Hubbard- 
ston by three; the others by one and two, 
showing a wide difference of opinion. If our 
correspondent would study and analyze those 
lists and the localities of the writers, and 
still i ail to come to some conclusion, our 
views could not aid him. The lists were 
obtained for the benefit of just such persons, 
and if they afford him no finger-boards point¬ 
ing in the direction he wishes to go, his only 
alternative is to start out on his own hook. 
Evidently, however, Baldwin, R. I. Greening 
and Northern Spy are the favorites. 
F. M., Naples, N. Y .—I have a piece of 
land with stumps on it; the trees were chopped 
Other natural grasses will come in. 
A. B., Mt. Washington, Ky .—Last fall I 
planted a young apple orchard, and intend to 
set peach trees half way between the apple 
trees and plant the land in corn this spring, 
and I want to top-dress it with unleaehed 
wood ashes. How many tons should I use per 
acre? Land is thin and gravelly. I get the 
wood ashes at $1 per two-horse wagon load, 
equal to two tons. When should I spread—be¬ 
fore or after breaking? 
Ans.— Such chances to get unleached ashes 
at such a price are rare indeed. We should 
use as much as two tons to the acre. If 
then you would add nitrogen in some form 
you would get fine corn. Spread in the 
spring. 
H. T. J., (address mislaid ).—Water bugs 
badly infest my cellar from which they make 
