experience obtainable here. Last year I 
left as much old wood as possible with as high 
as five arms and from eight to ten buds to 
each arm. It was a mistake to set the vines 
seven feet by seven feet; but I have been care¬ 
ful not to fertilize the Brightons, hoping in 
this way and by heavy trimming to keep back 
the growth, but they grow all over the trellis 
and bear about two pounds of fruit per vine. 
This is not my experience alone, but that of 
several of my neighbors and the opinion here 
is that the Brighton is not a profitable grape. 
We agree with the authorities as regards the 
flavor of the Brighton, but in the past we 
have not been paid in the markets for quality 
as has been proved by the prices Con-cords 
have brought. w. M. P. 
Yates Co., N. Y. 
A 
A KANSAS COW-BARN. 
My cow-barn gave me great satisfaction 
last winter, while so many herds of cattle 
around me were suffering and dying from 
exposure to the cold. It is quite cheap, and 
handy and accommodates a considerable num¬ 
ber of head. It is 21 feet wide, 36 long and 
five high on the sides. It is roofed with 12- 
foot boards, which makes it quite flat, but all 
the warmer. In this section we need protec¬ 
tion from the wind as much as from rain, or 
more, and there is but little danger of the 
snow getting so heavy as to break the roof 
down. In the center there is a manger 
about 4 % feet wide with a 10 inch feed-box 
four inches deep before each cow for 
grain. The timoer used is 2x4 throughout, 
but where lumbar is cheaper than here a 
heavier kind might be used. Posts are set 
every 12 feet to prevent the roof from sagging. 
I have a door at one end through which to shove 
feed into the manger, and large enough so I 
can walk right in. This door is level with the 
ground. At the opposite end I have .S^-foot 
doors on each side to let the cows in and 
out. I used 2x4 for a ridge pole and 2x4 
double for plates. On the sides I put one 1x6 
Fig. 235. 
—< - r 
i—r r—r . 
- -1 1—1 .. 
a 
r t -r - 
— 1-1 T . 1. 
• I TT... 
Fig. 236. 
Fig. 237. 
THE LEAF-CRUMPLER. 
(Phyeis lndigenella. Zeller.) 
Late in autumn, after the foliage of the 
apple and thorn trees has fallen, there may be 
seen on the smaller branches little bunches of 
crumpled leaves. If these be examined they 
will be found to contain long miniature horns 
closed at one end and widening to an opening 
sufficiently large for the exit of the occupant. 
These little horn-like cases are very curiously 
twisted, and often a number of them may be 
found together. They are the dwellings of the 
leaf-crumpler larvae, and are constructed of 
silk into which are woven the dried castings. 
The inner surface of the case is lined with silk 
and is of a whitish color. The exterior surface 
is rough, and brownish-black. The withered 
leaves are firmly fastened, with the cases, to 
the branches by silk, and in the autumn, as 
will be seen by the drawing, many of these 
cases are attached to the bud itself, so as to 
lead the young larvae to the feeding ground as 
soon as the buds start. 
The larvae attain to about one-third of their 
growth before winter, and during the cold 
weather lie in their cases in a torpid state. 
As soon as the buds burst in spring they re¬ 
sume their activity and commence to devour 
of silvery white. The hind-wings are pale- 
brownish white. The under surfaces of both 
wings are paler still. The moths deposit their 
eggs during the latter part of July and the 
young larvae as soon as hatched commence to 
feed and build their curious habitations. 
But one brood is produced during the year 
and this one at a season when to perfect it 
the cold period must be passed. In Central 
Park, New York City, these insects feed upon 
pyrus, prunus, cydonia and Crataegus and 
are most numerous on different species of 
thorn, particularly so on Crataegus crus. 
galli. On the 4th of June a number of their 
cases were collected, and on the 24th the moths 
escaped, the larvae no doubt at the time of 
collecting being nearly full-fed, or at least far 
enough advanced to produce perfect moths, 
as no food was furnished them after they 
were collected. The insect is not often abund¬ 
ant enough to do serious damage, save in 
clumps of smaller trees and shrubs where it 
will often increase so as to defoliate consid¬ 
erable portions, and render the branches un¬ 
sightly in winter with the masses of dried 
leaves and cases. 
Explanation of Fig. 233: 1. Branch of Cra¬ 
taegus crus-galli; 2. fruit of same; 3. moth 
magnified; 4. mass of cases; 5. cases attached 
to buds; 6. cases attached to leaf and bud; 
7. mass of cases and leaves; 8. moth natural 
size. E. B. SOUTH WICK. 
Entomologist, Central Park, N. Y. 
Fig. 238. 
and two 1x12 boards. I put the one 1x6 next 
to the plate and the next board on hinges to 
be let down inside the barn so as to make an 
opening through which manure can be shov¬ 
eled out. On the remainder of the space on 
the sides I put a few old boards to keep the 
manure from rolling into the stable. This 
manure banks up and makes the sides tight 
by the time cold weather comes in. I allow 
three feet space to each cow, which is 
plenty, and the stable thus accommodates 24 
head. 
My manger is about 12 inches from the 
ground ; but if stanchions are used it could 
be lower. Its sides are 6-inch boards, and 
from each post the floor of the manger is 
supported by sills of the same. The stable 
proper has no floor. I tie the cows to the posts 
by ropes. I intended to batten the barn, but 
I find this unnecessary. For the roof I used 
some old lumber that had some large holes 
broken out, but the heat of the animals and 
foul air make it necessary to leave some of 
the doors open for ventilation, and the man¬ 
ure did not freeze in it last winter although 
the weather was very cold. 
Fig. 235 shows the arrangement of posts 
at the end of the barn, width, 21 feet; while 
Fig. 238 is a view of the side of the barn; D, 
doors for throwing out manure. Fig. 236 
shows the mangers and feed-boxes, while Fig. 
237 shows a side view of the Same. 
Pratt Co., Kan. w. c. gould. 
Fig 233. 
the tender leaves, at the same time adding 
silk and castings to their incompleted cases, 
enlarging them to suit their growth, and, as 
was found in many cases, the openings of the 
group pointed in one direction towards which 
they in company came forth to feed. As these 
larvae feed, they draw the tender leaves 
toward the opening of the cases and fasten 
them with silken threads and thus enjoy their 
food in comparative safety. By the middle 
of June their growth is completed and they 
then shut themselves up in . their cases and 
change to reddish-brown chrysalids about 
four-tenths of an inch long, and from this 
condition in about two weeks they emerge 
perfect moths. The larva is about six-tenths 
of an inch in length, its body tapering 
slightly towards its hinder extremity. In 
color it is a dull greenish-brown; the head 
dark reddish-brown. The first segment has a 
horny plate at the top and a flatttened, black¬ 
ish prominence on each side, below the plate. 
On each of the other segments there are 
several small blackish dots, from every one 
of which there arises a single brown hair. 
The moth in expanse of wings measures 
about seven-tenths of an inch across. Its fore- 
wings are pale-brown with patches and streams 
£ 1 
heat generated; while the presence of moisture 
which doubtless aids in the supply of oxygen, 
adds to the probability of spontaneous igni¬ 
tion. 
While spontaneous combustion does take 
place oftentimes at ordinary temperatures in 
materials which absorb oxygen rapidly, the 
danger of fire from this source in ordinary 
farm operations would seem to be very slight, 
except under extraordiuary conditions. Hay 
or grain cut green, insufficiently cured, and 
improperly stored would perhaps embody all 
the possibly dangerous conditions noted above, 
viz., a porous mass rich inorganic matter, and 
with an excess of moisture. The mysterious 
fires that sometimes occur on farm premises 
are doubtless often caused by the careless 
handling of paints, oils, greased rags, etc. 
These absorb oxygen rapidly and will ignite at 
ordinary atmospheric temperatures, and under 
conditions that are likely to exist at any time. 
When these materials are carefully stored 
away from other combustible substances, spon¬ 
taneous combustion on the.farm, in my opinion, 
is not greatly to be feared, e. b. voorhees. 
New Brunswick, N. J. 
CANADIAN SILOS. 
SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION. 
PROF. WM. BROWN. 
We have two silos, or rather one divided into 
two compartments, for the purpose of experi 
mentation. One 12x8x12 feet, has cut corn 
and the other of about the same size, has uncut 
corn. They form part of the end of the root-cel¬ 
lar under the barn, having cemented floors and 
brick walls. The partitions are made of 4x2 
with double inch boards and tar-paper between 
them. We lost only about four inches on top 
Corn alone is used, cut when in the tassel 
and checked by rough analysis to ascertain 
if it contains more than 75 per cent, of water. 
It is allowed to lie on the ground for half a 
day; then we haul and pass through a straw- 
cutter; and the silo is filled with about four 
feet at a time, aud no more is added until the 
heat is over 130°, when another batch is added 
and so on until the silo is filled. Jar-paper is 
placed on top with inch-boards loaded with 
stones. The cost is about $1.75 per ton, includ 
ing everything. 
I am decidedly of the opinion that the ex¬ 
tension of winter dairying and the necessity 
of more green fodder for all animals during 
winter, for the sake of health and cheap main¬ 
tenance, will call for more silage. Our silo 
cost less.than $10. As every progressive farmer 
has a straw-cutter, idle horses in winter and 
plenty of time on hand, a 10-ton silo cannot 
fail to be appreciated. 
UMBRELLA HOLDER, ETC. 
Having frequently occasion to make long 
drives with the heavy farm wagon in hot 
weather, I one day arranged an umbrella 
as shown at Fig. 231. I cut a small burr oak 
' r>0 
Combustible bodies are those which by a 
more or less rapid union with oxygen evolve 
light and heat. At ordinary atmospheric 
temperatures most bodies do not combine with 
oxygen rapidly enough to make danger from 
fire possible, but must be heated before active 
combustion begins. Oxidation or combustion 
is, however, slowly going on, as in the decay 
of organic bodies, hay, straw and woody sub¬ 
stances being good examples; hence even at 
ordinary temperatures we are able to distin¬ 
guish between what is termed quick and slow 
combustion. All organic bodies absorb air 
within their pores with greater or less rapidi¬ 
ty. When slow combustion begins therefore, 
the continual absorption of air containing 
oxygen raises the temperature; this process 
may go on with continually increasing rapidi¬ 
ty till the mass bursts into flame. Borous bod¬ 
ies, as hay, grain, manure, have a low con¬ 
ducting power which greatly facilitates com¬ 
bustion by preventing the dissipation of the 
Fig.’231. J ~ l 
about an inch in diameter at the *butt,| tied 
the umbrella to the small end and the other 
end to the seat-back. The oak is very tough 
and will bend to any desired position without 
breaking. I hold the umbrella in range of 
the sun by tying the end of a halter-strap to 
the handle and hanging the head-stall over 
the edge of the load at the right point. 
Where the seat is hooked on the top box it is 
quite tiresome either to let the feet hang in 
midair, or to keep them upon the top of the end 
board. To remedy this, I cut notches in the 
upper ends of the cleats back of the front 
board, shown by dotted lines at a, then by 
having a place to put through an end gate 
