764 
H©¥ M 
THE BUBAL HEW- 
a 
dusting small quantities around the plants 
after they are two or three inches in hight 
than to put all on at one time. The cheapest 
and least troublesome way to prevent the 
ravages of the striped bug, that I have used, 
is to take cheap cotton batting: open the batts 
very thin; tear off a piece large enough to 
cover the plants perfectly; put small stones or 
earth on the corners or edges, and the bugs 
are baffled. The plants can lift up the light 
covering; heat and moisture penetrate 
through it. and when danger is over, it costs 
little time or labor to take it off. I do not 
like cantaloupes, but Hackensack, Citron and 
Nutmeg are the favorites for market, and 
Japan, the Gem and Skillman’s are best for 
private mse. 
RATION FOR MILCH COWS. 
T I. It ., Cohoes , N. Y. —What is a good ration 
for milch cows, made of the following foods- 
corn silage, brewers’ grains, and cotton-seed 
meal? I have no clover hay, only Timothy, 
and I would rather not feed hay if I can get 
along without it. If it requires other foods to 
complete the ration, such as bran or mid¬ 
dlings, please name them. 
ANSWERED BY PROF. H. H. WING. 
Brewers’grains, though they greatly stim¬ 
ulate the flow of milk, must be fed with cau¬ 
tion, especially if the milk is sold to con¬ 
sumers, as such milk is apt to have a watery 
character. On this account it is rather diffi¬ 
cult to make up a satisfactory ration trom 
the three foods named: but by the addition 
of a certain amount of bran a very satisfact¬ 
ory ration can be formed as follows: 
Per day and 
Dry 
Di’ble 
Dl’ble Di’ble. 
1.000 lbs. live w’ght. 
matter, protein. 
fat 
oarb-dy’dts. 
10 lbs.Brewers’ gr’ns.. .2.31 
.45 
0.00 
1 .S6 
4 ” Cotton s’d m’l. 
,. .3.75 
1.27 
.68 
.41 
8 ” Wheat bran.., 
...7.01 
.88 
.22 
4.07 
70 ” Corn silage — 
.10 79 
.39 
.72 
5 81 
Total . 
..23.9U 
2.99 
1.56 
11.65 
Such a ration will have a nutritive ratio of 
1:5 2, or slightly narrower than that recom¬ 
mended by Armsby for milch cows. If I. R. 
finds that his cows will stand more than the 
10 pounds per day of brewers’ grains, more 
can advantageously be added, and for each 
two pounds so added one pound of bran can 
be withdrawn without materially changing 
the nutritive value. I should feed the above 
ration in two equal parts morning and evening, 
the bran and cotton seed meal sprinkled on 
the silage, and the brewers’ grains fed sep¬ 
arately as nearly at milking time as possible. 
It is a general rule that any fodder likely to 
affect the odor or taste of the milk will be less 
likely to do so if fed at milking time. It will 
not affect the milk then drawn and will have 
time to have become dissipated before the 
next milking, A very small amount of 
Timothy hay fed after the other ration will 
not only be relished by the cows, but will im¬ 
prove the ration, especially if the barn is a 
cold one. 
BUYING PULLETS FOR WINTER FEEDING. 
Several subscribers. —The Rural has re¬ 
ferred several times to the practice of buying 
pullets for winter laying stock ifi the live 
poultry markets of New York. How are 
they bought and what firms handle them? 
Ans.— We have bought several lots this 
year and have been quite successful in secur¬ 
ing good-sized, healthy birds. How they 
will succeed as layers is a matter yet to be de¬ 
termined. As we go into the city every day 
and pass through the markets we are able to 
observe desirable lots of chickens and to take 
advantage of good bargains. Most of the 
commission-men handle live poultry. We 
have found it most profitable to deal with the 
parties who handle least poultry. They are 
always glad to sell out because they have poor 
facilities for keeping the birds. The larger 
dealers have places especially prepared for 
holding stock and can easily wait for the 
highest prices. Live poultry as it comes here 
is usually mixed, hens and roosters in the 
same coop. Most commission-men are will¬ 
ing to sort the pullets into a coop by them¬ 
selves and sell them for one-half a cent above 
the regular market price for mixed lots. It 
will pay the purchaser to stand by while this 
selection is being made In fact, we should 
not care to buy these pullets unless we could 
select them in person and know what we were 
getting. Commission-men provide a coop for 
$1.00, which money will be refunded when the 
coop is returned. Tuesday is the best day to 
buy and it will pay purchasers to walk about 
the streets between Greenwich and West to 
examine various lots before buying, 
FERTILIZING POTATOES. 
C. J. M.. Tom's River, N, J— In the Rural 
Trench System the fertilizer is applied above 
and below the “seed.” Does the Rural in 
general favor “hill and drill ” or broadcast 
fertilizing ? Am I wrong in broadcasting 
valuable (costly) fertilizers, that is, do I fail 
to get the most profitable immediate returps. 
Ans. —Above or below or both as one 
chooses. The Rural New-Yorker as a mile 
favors broadcast fertilizing. For potatoes we 
favor confining the fertilizers to the trenches 
if one foot or more wide. This is an opinion 
not founded on experiment. For corn, wheat 
and all crops the roots of which extend from 
row to row and plant to plant, we have no 
doubt that broadcast fertilizing is the most 
economical thing to do. We find that the 
mass of roots of potatoes are confined to the 
trenches and that, therefore, if the trenches are 
three feet apart they will get three times as 
much fertilizers as if the same gross amount 
were distributed broadcast. 
PETROLEUM AND PAINT FOR A SHINGLE ROOF. 
A. S., Mansfield, Pa.—I’m going to paint 
the roof of my new house; would it be ad¬ 
visable to soak the shingles in crude petroleum 
before laying them; or would the petroleum 
keep the paint from drying? 
Ans. —Paint will no£ adhere to shingles 
that have been steeped in crude petroleum, 
but would peel off. There is no necessitv for 
paint when petroleum is used; the petroleum 
soaks into the wood and closes the pores as 
effectually as paint would, and as it pene¬ 
trates into the wood it is more durable than 
any paint would be. It is water-proof, air¬ 
proof, and to some extent, fire proof, for 
shingles thus treated a?e not so easily set on 
fire as plain ones. If paint is used, the petro¬ 
leum should not be. The brown oxide of iron 
paint with boiled lioseed oil makes an excel¬ 
lent and durable coating for shingles. 
Miscellaneous. 
It is said to be excellent for fodder, especially 
for the silo. The method of culture does not 
differ essentially from that of ordinary corn, 
except that its luxuriant growth prevents its 
cultivation after the first week or two. It 
sometimes grows very high, the average 
hight being from 12 to 16 feet. The price of 
seed is about $1.25 per bushel. 2. Red-cob 
Ensilage corn is sold by D. J. Bushnell & Co., 
of St. Louis, Mo. It is claimed to be sweet, 
tender and juicy, with short joints, abun¬ 
dance of leaves and luxuriant growth. It is 
a pure white corn. Dairy farmers, especially 
those who have silos, are using these fodder 
corns to advantage. They are vastly better 
for fodder than ordinary field corn. 
DISCUSSION. 
C. M. D. Irvington, N. J. —What are the 
earliest black, white and red grapes, irre¬ 
spective of quality ? 
Ans. —Black, Champion ; white, Lady ; 
red, Brighton. 
W. C. H., Shrewsbury, Mass. —What is the 
Lima bean referred to in a late issue of the 
Rural, to be catalogued by New York firms, 
and where can it be obtained ? 
Ans —Peter Henderson & Co. will offer this 
new dwarf. 
L. W., West Lebanon, N. Y. —Who will 
buy apple seeds and how are the seeds sepa¬ 
rated from pomace ? 
Ans —About any of the seedsmen and nur¬ 
serymen in the country will buy the seeds. 
The process mentioned was described in last 
week's Rural. 
C. D. Perry, N. Y. —Where can I get infor¬ 
mation about the public lands in Kansas ? 
Ans. —Apply to the General Land Office, 
Washington, D. C., or to the Registers of the 
United States Land Offices in Kansas. These 
are located at Topeka, Salina, Independence, 
Wichita, Kerwin, Concordia, Larned, Wakee- 
ny and Oberlin. 
J. K., Stroudsburg, Pa. —What has been 
the Rural’s experience with the “ Amber 
Queen” grape? The one vine I have shows 
many good qualities. It has proved very 
early, hardy and healthy, ripening its wood 
satisfactorily. In quality it is the best of all 
fine grapes ? 
Ans. —A single vine was planted at the 
Rural Grounds in the Spring of 1884. It was 
destroyed this year as not suited to the cli¬ 
mate. The growth was feeble, the fruit 
worthless. We should be pleased to hear 
from others. 
N. D , Richland, 111.— 1. What is tli6 
fungus known as Spherea Henderson ia which 
attacks raspberry vines? How long has it 
been known? Does it attack both the red and 
black kinds? 2. Is there any danger of pro¬ 
pagating the Cucumber Flea-beetle by means 
of the Free Distribution of its seedling pota¬ 
toes by the Rural. 
Ans. —1. This fungus seems to make little 
impression if any upon the canes of the 
current season’s growth. These are the bear¬ 
ing canes of the next season. Then it is that 
dark blotches appear on the canes; the leaves 
dry up and but little of the fruit ripens. 
We do not know how long it has been known. 
It has been growing more and more destruc¬ 
tive at the Rural Grounds for some five years. 
Yes, it attacks both reds and blacks. The 
spores of the fungus are no doubt distributed 
far and wide. 2. No, there is not the slight¬ 
est dauger of the Flea-beetle being carried in 
that way. 
J. W. Breed's Ferry, N. C— 1. Wbat is the 
B and W corn and where can it be obtained? 
2. What is the Red-cob Ensilage corn* 
Ans.— 1. The “B and W” corn is grown for 
D. H. Burrell & Co., of Little Falls, N. Y. 
The name “B and W” was given it by Messrs 
Bu>'rell and Whitman who introduced it. 
The seed is raised in Virginia. It is necessary 
to procure it every year, as it soon runs out. 
MORE ABOUT RUCKWHEAT. 
J. W. I., Sugar Run, Pa — E. S. A , of 
Torrington, Ct., says in a late Rural, that 
he raised this season 22 bushels of buckwheat 
on 62 rods and 4 square feet of land, or at the 
rate of 56.7 bushels per acre, on laud but mod¬ 
erately fertile and without any “extra fuss¬ 
ing to obtain big results ” He expresses the 
greatest confidence that by taking proper 
pains he can raise 70 bushels per acre next 
year, if the season should be favorable. As 
E. S. A. measured both the ground and the 
grain himself, we have no reason to doubt the 
correctness of his statement. As to his ability 
to raise 70 bushels per acre next year, I would 
not dampen his ardor, lessen his enthusiasm, 
or weaken his faith. All these are needed, 
and more. When a determined man sets out to 
perform a prodigious feat there must be a 
good deal of hard work going along with 
them. Faith and works have to go together 
to achieve the highest attainable results in 
farming as in many other pursuits, and more 
especially the works. There is nothing like a 
man setting his mark high. If he does not 
accomplish all he expected and desired, he is 
quite certain to do much better than he would 
have done had he not “ bowed himself with all 
his might,” like Samson when he pulled down 
the great building. An active, energetic old 
bachelor named Michael, who was the high 
constable in a certain village, and perhaps for 
that reason was hated by the boys, was hired 
to climb a tall steeple and adjust the light¬ 
ning rod. When at work near the pinnacle, 
150 feet from the ground, the wicked boys 
called out to him from the street below : 
“ Hold on, Michael! Hold on right there ! You 
are nearer Heaven now than you ever will be 
again!” In raising buckwheat at the rate of 
56.7 bushels per acre, E. S. A. has performed 
a great feat which he may not be able to 
duplicate during the remainder of his life, 
though he should live as long as Methusaleh; 
and were not his ambition so great, and his 
faith so strong, he would do well to “quit 
while his credit is good,” to heed the advice of 
the boys to old Michael to “hold on right 
there,” as in all probability be has come 
nearer raising 70 bushels per acre than he 
ever will again. 
Buckwheat is well filled this season, and 
turning out better than was expected. Since 
I wrote my letter to the R. N.-\., the 
thrashers in this neighborhood have told me 
they thrashed a four-acre field on one farm, 
and a seven-acre field on another, that yielded 
at the rate of 40 bushels per acre machine 
measure, or nearly 44 bushels by weight. I 
would suggest to E. S. A. that he ought to 
sow a field containing not less than three 
acres next season, and thus set an example 
that farmers can appreciate. With all re¬ 
spect for the experiments of the R. N.-Y., I 
do not think that little garden patches afford 
a fair criterion of what can be done on a 
larger scale. The roots of the plants extend 
far outside the boundary line, and steal 
fiourishment from territories beyond the 
measured limits. Suppose that an orchard 
was fenced off four by 10 rods, so that a row 
of trees would stand just inside of the fence 
all the way round, with the trunks of the 
trees almost touching the fence. That or 
chard would be called but one fourth of an 
acre by the owner who desired to boast 
of an extraordinary yield, but in reality 
it would be (with the rows of trees two 
rods apart), nearly double that, or half an 
acre. The two rows of trees near the fence 
would draw nearly half their sustenance 
from the ground outside of the fence, and, of 
course, such an orchard would yield more 
fruit in proportion to its area than a 10-acre 
orchard fenced in the same way. The smaller 
the field the greater will be the disproportion 
of yield between the smaller and the larger 
one. A farmer can give a few square rods 
more manure, better tillage and closer atten¬ 
tion than it is possible to give a 10-acre lot 
without incurring absolute loss. Good farm 
ing always pays, but better farming pays 
only up to a certain point, after which the in 
creased cost of production,over-balances the in¬ 
creased volume and value of the product. 
“We live and learn.” A few weeks ago j 
doubted the statement that 50 bushels of bucK- 
wheat could be raised on an acre of land, but 
now I know that 22 bushels have been raised 
on a little over 62 square rods, and that about 
44 bushels per acre have been raised in a 
field of seven acres. 
R. N.-Y.—Progress in this world has been 
made by the men who kept on trying whether 
they won or lost. When the public conclude 
to follow the advice of our correspondent and 
stop trying to beat the record simply because 
they fear they may fail, we might as well quit. 
How far do the roots of potatoes extend ? In¬ 
vestigate this point a little and then sge how 
unfair the apple-tree comparison is. Again, 
if a crop is to be raised from 100 hills of pota¬ 
toes, how about the risk that three or tour 
hills will fail to come up or fail after they 
come up? A loss of one hill out of 100 makes 
a loss of one per cent of the crop when it is 
figured by the acre. A loss of one hill in 500 
would be but one-fifth of one per cent. 
grape trellis. 
W. Tyrone, Pa.—W e have had three lines 
of horizontal wire grape trelles such as 
Messrs. Cay wood and Hoopes describe, in 
use for three seasons, and find several things 
to strongly approve in them. The bunches 
hanging in free air in the shade of the foliage 
and with nothing to bruise them, develop 
better: preserve their complexion and bloom 
better; are decidedly safer from birds, and 
are easier to gather safely. The whole ground 
is more open to cultivation and it is easy to 
cross anywhere from one row to another. 
Our cross-pieces are three feet long (for four 
wires after the vines become strong), and 
as the wires are stout we use posts only every 
30 or 40 feet, setting more stakes for the in¬ 
tervening vine-sticks. Part of the wire used 
not being galvanized, is coated with boiled 
coal-tar to prevent its decay from rust. As¬ 
phalt varnish is handier to use. The ease and 
safety of gathering are of prime importance 
when the grapes are to be kept for future use. 
Each ripe berry is like a little glass jar or 
capsule of canned juice, and is as easily 
cracked. The least crack admits the air; the 
berry ferments; the extruded juice molds; 
and all the berries near it suffer from its 
decay. Nothing is easier than to beep gropes 
that are ripe and sound. Packed into baskets 
-or large crates can be used if the bunches 
are in bags—they are merely placed in a cool 
room and require no further attention unless 
to prevent sweeping draughts of drying air 
or to move them to a cellar when there comes 
danger of severe freezing. They would 
mold there when quite fresh. 
A. J. F., Crawfordsville, Ind.— Your 
proposition for a potato contest by ladies is 
very commendable. Let it be carried out, 
but I would suggest that a contest on a larger 
scale might be more desirable. Experiments 
on a small scale, where the labor is necessarily 
done by hand, have little bearing on the grow¬ 
ing of a crop on the farm. Suppose then, you 
have a contest on, say, one-half acre to be 
plowed, not dug, and the cultivation to be all 
done by horse power, with the liberty of 
choice as to fertilizer and variety of potato. 
The successful ones probably would be those 
who carry out the principles of the Rural’s 
Trench Method. I would further suggest 
that the rewards be in the shape of medals, 
say three to ten. 
Prime Stock Only Should be Begis- 
tered. —Prof. Henry says, in Hoard’s Dairy¬ 
man, that to his mind it is evident that if all 
of the individuals of the improved breeds are 
allowed to perpetuate their kind, poor ones 
and goods ones alike being recorded, the time 
will come, and it is not far distant with some 
of the breeds either, when a large per cent, 
of the individuals will be no better, if indeed 
as good, as the common stock, or rather the 
graded ones of our so-called natives, for with 
these there is a constant selection going on, 
according to some standard at least, and the 
poor ones are often early slaughtered for 
food. Jerseys and Holsteins cannot be multi¬ 
plied as they are now much longer, without 
the common ones selling in the market for no 
more than good native stock. The thoughtful 
breeder will carry on at all times a vigorous 
and rigorous system of weeding out, selling to 
others less careful, or slaughtering his second- 
rate animals, and breeding from only the best. 
Determination of Fat. —The system of 
fat determination devised by Mr. Short, of 
the Wisconsin Station, is, to Prof. Henry’s 
