that a narrow, deep furrow on each side of the 
row, checks the growth, and throws the force 
into the grain. 
E. L. B., Groton City, N. Y.—I have 
always been told that if the milk from a far¬ 
row cow was put in with that from new milch 
cows, we would get no butter from the farrow 
cow’s milk, because the butter would be so 
much longer in coming that it would be left 
in the buttermilk. I never had any means of 
testing this, but here is my experience with 
our last churning. We have eight cows that 
we have been milking since last spring. In 
the last churning, there was a little milk from 
a new milch cow—just what the calf did not 
take. The condition of the cream, etc., was 
as nearly as possible the same as usual. 
Through November and December, it has taken 
from one-half to three-quarters of an hour for 
the butter to come; but it took only 12 min¬ 
utes for it to come in this churning. The 
amount of butter, as nearly as I could judge, 
was about the same as before from the fame 
amount of milk. I certainly never knew the 
butter to come so soon at this time of the 
year. I thought I would profit by what I 
heard at the institute at Cortland, so I weigh¬ 
ed the milk for one churning. Here are the 
results: Pounds of milk for five days, after 
taking some out for use in the family: 27,22, 24, 
22, 28, 22, 26, 19, 24,22.—Total 236 Pounds of 
butter, 13. 236 divided by 13 equals 18 2-13. 
G. B. T., South Orange, N. J.—In the 
Rural of January 5, under “What Others 
Say” is an account of the “Average yield of 
corn per acre.” Four States are named as 
giving a larger yield than New Jersey. After 
a careful estimate by measuring the ears of 
corn taken from a given number of shocks, 
and counting the shocks in the field, I have 
determined that 3,000 bushels of ears of corn 
grew on less than 20 acres of land on the “Red 
Gate Farm,” in Sussex Co., New Jersey, this 
last season. Let us hear what farm or field 
has done better than this. 
I. J. B., Titusville, N. J.-We have a 
few trees of cider and other varieties of 
apples worked on the Doucain stock, that 
were set in the orchard in the spring of 1864- 
They are now from six to 11 inches in 
diameter at the ground, and perhaps 25 
feet high. They are as large as the free 
stocks, and look as if they would live a long 
time. They were worked low and have borne 
good crops of fruit. I believe the Doucain 
will grow with most kinds if worked low. 
W. S. C., Cuyahoga Falls, O.—At the 
top of column two, page two, of the Rural 
for January 5, Mr. W. J. Green is reported 
as saying that the Monmouth strawberry, 
among others, should be sent C. O. D. whence 
it came. A mistake has been made some¬ 
where. He condemned the Mammoth, not 
the Monmouth. 
A Business Retrospect.— The press of 
the country takes a cheery view of things'in 
general. The Herald says the year of our 
Lord 1888 went into history gaily and trip¬ 
pingly. It leaves behind it a degree of gen¬ 
eral prosperity in this country which stimu¬ 
lates the gratitude of all classes and excites 
the wonder, it not the envy, of other nations. 
It has been more than kind, and, perhaps we 
may add that it has been more than generous 
to us. To a far greater degree than any 
other people on the globe we Americans are 
engaged in material development. We have 
not inherited a land which has been the bat¬ 
tle field of a thousand years, a land of 
crumbling castles and drained resources, but 
a virgin soil which invites enterprise, awak¬ 
ens avarice, inspires the genius of invention. 
We may congratulate ourselves that the 
business of the country is forging ahead 
with the firm tread of assured success. 
Thriving trade, promising opportunities for 
investment, not only indicate the increasing 
wealth of the few, but—what is of more con¬ 
sequence—a larger degree of contentment 
and a wider measure of happiness for the 
many. 
The Profits on Beef.— It appears that 
the lowest cost of getting cattle ready for 
market, according to the Chicago Tribune, is 
two and a half cents per pound, so that when 
the cattle raiser is paid anything over that 
figure he is in a position to make money. 
With the average bullock weighing 1,000 
pounds, the cost of placing him on the market 
would be $25. He is bought in for, say, three 
cents, or $30, which gives the raiser 20 per 
cent 'on his investment. The $30 worth of 
bullock is then sent to the slaughter-house, 
and when seen again is in the shape of 500 
pounds of marketable meat, the hide, tallow, 
etc., bringing say $7. These 500 pounds of 
meat are sold for six cents, or $30, which, with 
the $7 for hide, etc., foot up $37. This is a 
profit of 23 per cent. The retailer takes the 
500 pounds of dressed meat for $30, and im¬ 
mediately cuts it into ribs and loins, of which 
he gets 125 pounds, and has 375 pounds of 
plates, chucks, etc., left. He gets 18 cents 
per pound for his choice cuts, or $22.50, and 
an average of seven cents for the coarse meat, 
or $26 25, ora total of $48.75. It cost him 
$30, so it will be seen that his little percent¬ 
age figures up something over 60, yet be will 
tell you that he isn’t making anything, and 
would persuade you that he is doing mission¬ 
ary work for the benefit of his health and 
the convenience of the public. 
The Tomato Egg-Plant. —We find the 
following in our excellent contemporary the 
American Agriculturist: “Our engraving 
represents a curious new plant which attract¬ 
ed a large share of attention at the last Bur¬ 
lington county. N. J., fair, where it was ex¬ 
hibited by B. F. Bishop, in the collection of 
the “ Progressive Farmers’ Club.” The 
plant has the general appearance of a com¬ 
mon egg-plant, while its fruit, when ripe, 
resembles a medium-sized, ribbed tomato. 
Its skin is very glossy and bright red, much 
like that of a Cayenne pepper. The history 
of the plant, so far as we could learn, is that 
the year before last a single specimen of it 
came up among a large number of Black 
Pekin egg-plants, growing in Southern New 
Jersey. The specimen from which our illus- 
tration(representing the fruits and leaves one- 
third natural size) was drawn, was raised f r om 
seeds of this original plant. The flesh of the 
fruit is very solid and dry, apparently unfit 
for use, but as a curiosity and ornament the 
plant is worthy of a trial by those in search 
of unusual novelties. The cultivation of the 
plant is the same as that of the common egg¬ 
plant.” 
The R. N.-Y. would say to its neighbor 
that the Tomato Egg-plant has been offered 
by seedsmen tor 25 years, and longer for 
aught we know, and its name is the “Scarlet 
Chinese Egg-plant.” 
Road Legislation. —The best test of the 
civilization of a country is found in the con¬ 
dition of its roads, and giod roads are indis¬ 
pensable to the material prosperity of a 
country. The Rural’s late Road Special 
has directed unusual attention to the advan¬ 
tages of good country roads, and the subject of 
improving our road legislation and our sys¬ 
tems of highway administration is referred to 
in tne annua messages of oovernor Ames, of 
Massachusetts, and of Governor Beaver, of 
Pennsylvania, transmitted to the Legislatures 
of those States last week. Governor Ames 
recommends the passage of a law authorizing 
the appointment of an officer having a gener¬ 
al oversight of the roads and bridges of the 
commonwealth, and authority to report an¬ 
nually regarding the condition of the roads 
and bridges, with suggestions for the improve¬ 
ment of the same. Governor Beaver sug¬ 
gests that the road laws of his State be 
thoroughly revised and codified. Now, it 
is to be hoped that good results may come from 
agitation of this subject, not in these two 
States alone, but all over the country. 
Manitoba’s Wheat Crop, 1888.— The 
Manitoba wheat crop before frosts was estimat¬ 
ed as high as 12,000,000 bushels. But the frost 
did considerable damage, affecting, it has been 
estimated, one-quarter to one-third of the 
crop. The damaged grain, however, is not 
wholly spoiled. The farmers have, according 
to Bradstreet’s, paid their notes given for 
farm implements to the extent of 90 per cent, 
of the whole. The Dominion, taking all the 
colonies together, will have scarcely any 
wheat for export, and may have to import 
from the United States to a limited extent. 
Artesian Wells in the Arid Region. 
—New Mexico and Montana are asking Con¬ 
gress for appropriations for the purpose of 
sinking artesian wells in the hope that they 
could be used in irrigating arid land. It is 
hoped that the appropriation asked for will 
be made. A sufficient appropriation of this 
character should be made to sink experiment¬ 
al wells in every important part of the arid 
region. It is especially desirable that they 
should be sunk in southern Nevada. There 
is a vast area of country in the southern part 
of that State which, according to the Denver 
Republican, would be very valuable if it 
were reclaimed from its arid condition. It 
is possible that this result could be attaind by 
sinking artesian wells. 
The Farmer of the Future. —Blackwood’s 
Magazine is one of the oldest and best of 
that class of periodicals, not only in England, 
but in any part of the world. In a very fine, 
thoughtful article on English agriculture in 
a late issue, it speaks as follows on the above 
topic;and what is here said of the English 
“farmer of the future” is equally applicable 
to the American:—The successful farmer of 
the future must be well grounded in the gen¬ 
eral and technical knowledge of his business. 
He must look closely and more carefully into 
the interual workings of his farm than was 
necessary in former times. He must watch 
keenly every movement of the foreign pro¬ 
ducer, study the condition and prospects of 
the markets, and be prepared to produce such 
commodities as are likely to bring him the 
best returns. He must not tie himself to the 
growing of certain crops and the rearing of 
certain stock merely because his forefathers 
did so, or because he himself found them pro¬ 
fitable in times gone by. He must cultivate 
an ‘open mind,’ be ready and willing to avail 
himself of any new system or modification of 
practice calculated to benefit him, being 
careful, of course, not to attempt upon a large 
scale practices that are risky or have not 
been proved by actual test. He must not be 
above giving his attention to little points ot 
detail, or to tiny driblets of income, for in 
agriculture the ‘day of small things’ has assur¬ 
edly come. Method, precision, industry, fore¬ 
thought, economy, sound and ready judg¬ 
ment, and intelligence—these are the elements 
of successful business. They are as essential 
to the farmer of to-day as to the busiest busi¬ 
ness man in our greatest commercial center. 
Conducted by a race of farmers thus qualified, 
there need be no fear as to the future of 
British farming. 
Vintage Prospects in Europe. —From 
an article on this subject in Bradstreet’s, we 
learn that although in some quarters the vin¬ 
tage in Europe has been medium, in too many 
districts the crop must be regarded as a 
failure. W hile, with the striking exception of 
the M^doc, quantity as a whole is under the 
average, in no locality is quality likely to be 
as good as it was last season. In the Bordeaux 
district while the quantity is larger than it 
has been for several years, the quality is 
inferior. 
In Champagne the crop has been a com¬ 
plete failure. Few of the grapes gathered can 
be used for making champagne, and these 
can only produce a wine of the poorest de¬ 
scription. Nevertheless, the prices demanded 
by growers are higher than those of last year. 
In the Saumur district also the results of the 
vintage are insignificant both in quantity and 
quality. Burgundy has been more fortunate. 
Where the vineyards are free from phylloxera 
the yield is above the average. In Cognac 
the yield is larger tnan nas Deen Known for 
several years, but neither in strength nor 
quality will the brandy equal that of last 
year. On the Rhine and Moselle the wine, in 
quantity about two-thirds of a full yield, 
cannot reach a medium excellence. From 
Italy the news is equally discouraging; 
though the quality in some districts is of 
fair average, the quantity of wine made 
shows a material diminution from that of 
last year. In Austria and Hungary the 
yield amounts to about one-half of an aver¬ 
age, the quality being better than was antici¬ 
pated. From Greece, Turkey and Roumania, 
the reports are much more cheerful. Al¬ 
though the quantity leaves something to be 
desired, yet in the more important matter of 
quality there has been a distinct success. 
BRIEFS. 
A report by Major J. W. Powell, direc¬ 
tor of the geological survey, was sent to Con¬ 
gress on Jan. 2. He calls attention to the 
fact that about two-fifths of the entire area 
of the United States, exclusive of Alaska, is 
dependent on irrigation for its fertility, and 
it is mainly on these lands that the future set¬ 
tlers on the public domain must make their 
homes. He asks that $350,000 be appropriated 
to carry forward the survey during the next 
fiscal year. He estimates that a region large 
enough to make four or five States like Penn¬ 
sylvania, now almost entirely infertile, will 
bear great harvests, if the project of irriga¬ 
tion shall be wisely and energetically carried 
on. 
“ God makes short rib sides, and man 
makes lard,” is the way a Chicago man once 
illustrated the facility for increasing the one 
product beyond the producing power of the 
hog. 
You remember, don’t you, says the Christ¬ 
ian Union, that remarKable echo you used to 
court when a child? At the other end of the 
pasture lot was a knoll, then a low marsh and, 
on the other side of that, an old barn. 
Standing at a certain point on the knoll, 
every sound you made was tossed back at you 
with surprising abruptness and clearness. It 
seemed as if the neighboring woods were 
peopled with elves, big and little, good-nat¬ 
ured and belligerent, hilarious and grief- 
strickeu. And how sympathetic m their ex¬ 
pressions the spirits werel Shout, they shout¬ 
ed; laugh, they laughed; whistle, they did 
the same; sing, and they filled the valley 
with music. Every newspaper has its echoes, 
or ought to have; and the louder, clearer, 
and more varied its voice, the more vigorous 
and invigorating its chorused echoes re¬ 
verberated by its correspondents. With¬ 
out these, the editor may shout as 
loud as he pleases, but his voice is 
wasted on the fog. It is evident that he has 
no audience; and a one-sided conversation 
soon becomes dull and profitless. 
That popular farm writer, Jacob Biggie, 
says that the best bacon is made from pigs 
that weigh about 100 pounds when dressed, 
and have a good coat of lean meat along the 
back Only the sides are used, and these 
should be cut lengthwise in strips about six 
inches wide, or nine, so as to get even cuts 
from the side. For 100 pounds of meat, use 
six pounds of salt, four ounces of saltpeter, 
and five pounds of brown sugar, well mixed 
and rubbed into the meat, which should be 
piled flesh side up. Every three days it 
should be rubbed till the mixture is all ab¬ 
sorbed by the meat; then it is ready to be 
smoked. If it is to be kept through the sum¬ 
mer, one pound more salt may be added. 
Smoke with hard maple, birch, or hickory 
chips, or corn cobs till the meat is a delicate 
brown, or dark straw color. Instead of rub¬ 
bing, if preferred, it might be packed in a 
pickle of the same preparation 'as above, and 
kept under by weights for six weeks. 
A lazy head man will cost more than any 
farmer can afford to pay, for he will spoil all 
the other men on the place. Under his man¬ 
agement, the work will never get done, and 
the more men there are around the more you 
will be in the lurch. Especially if you are 
not always about the work yourself, it is abso¬ 
lutely essential to have an honest, interested, 
pushing man as leader of the farm force. To 
have any other sortj invites disappointment 
and failure. 
Oleomargarine, lard, and other nefarious 
adulterations have spoiled our trade in cheese 
says Henry Stewart. It has been notorious 
for some years past that good cheese was ex¬ 
ceedingly difficult to procure in the United 
States, and that it has constantly lost ground 
in the English market because of its inferior 
quality. And, while we have been falling in¬ 
to a demoralized condition, the Canadians 
have beaten us by manufacturing the best 
possible quality and by refrainiug from the 
use of adulterants. 
Insect Life published, by theU. 8. Depart¬ 
ment of Agriculture, with Prof. C. V. Riley 
as the Editor-in-chief, says that the Buhach 
Producing and Manufacturing Company, of 
Stockton, Cal., very generously offered to 
sell the Department some time ago seed of 
Pyrethrum cineraraefolium, at the following 
rates: Ope pound, $50; 5 pounds, $200; 10 
pounds, $350; 50 pounds, $1,250; which shows 
that there is money in the cultivation of this 
insecticide plant in the United States. We 
have already shown that the plant can be 
successfully grown over a large portion of 
the country, and it seems remarkable that this 
firm should have enjoyed a monopoly so long. 
The R. N.- Y. was among the first to test 
the hardiness of this plant after it was made 
known that the powder of its flowers raised 
in California was just as effective in destroy¬ 
ing insects as the imported so-called Dalma¬ 
tian Insect Powder. Plants started from 
seeds at that time [some six years ago] are 
still alive aDd thrifty. 
Last Sunday, one of the New York City 
papers got up a “ symposium ” as to how a 
moderate sum of money could best be invested 
profitably and safely, and real estate mort¬ 
gages held the first place in the answers, and 
real estate itself the second. 
The N. Y. Times takes the view that our 
present system of destroying diseased cattle, 
is closely akin to putting out fires by the fire 
companies. It is only a temporary relief, 
and does not prevent future outbreaks, 
because the causes are not removed. The 
slaughtering method of dealing with this 
disease has been in operation in England for 
many years, and yet the disease breaks out 
here and there in widely-distaut places every 
month. One recent out-break cost $250,000 
to stamp out by the present ineffective 
method... 
A Correspondent of the O. C. Farmer 
was led to set out an asparagus bed in his 
home garden five years ago, aud it was the 
best job he ever did in his life. His family is 
large and he has, for the past two years, had 
enough to supply his table abundantly. It 
is worth $25 every year to him. and all the 
plants, labor and fertilizer expended on it 
have not yet cost $10. 
Yes, an asparagus bed is’ a good bed to 
have and to hold. We hope that every 
