much of it I think would have staid down. 
Baltimore County, Md. 
FROM E. DAVENPORT. 
1. My knowledge of the causes and remedies 
for the lodging of grain is exceeding limited. 
It is usually caused by, or rather is associated 
with a deficiency in the formation of woody 
matter and the fibrous bundles of the stem, 
leaving the plant weak and often unable to 
bear its own weight. The difficulty appears 
to be constitutional; i. e. there is a failure on 
the part of tne plant to perfect its normal 
structure—it is diseased. Whether it goes 
down or not will depend largely on circum¬ 
stances of rain and wind, and indeed fre¬ 
quently apparently perfectly healthy straw 
succumbs to the inevitable before some severe 
storm. 
2. It is the observation ot all farmers, I 
think, that if grain lodges any considerable 
time before ripening, it fails to properly ma¬ 
ture its seed. At any rate this has been my 
experience; whether this is because the plant 
is weak, or because of the position I do not 
know. 
3. Lawes and Gilbert found, many years 
ago, that highly nitrogenous manures, with 
a deficiency of minerals, tended to the pro¬ 
duction of leaf rather than fruit stem. Now 
shade is one of the most fruitful causes of the 
failure to produce the proper amount of 
woody tissue within the stem, and no doubt 
the stem will be stronger and more woody 
where there is no excess of nitrogenous man¬ 
ures, and it will be able to carry its load most 
successfully when that load is light and low 
down; but these are the conditions usually as¬ 
sociated with a poor crop. We raise grain 
for the heads, and want the shortest and 
strongest stem consistent with the production 
of the largest head. To attain the one end, 
grain, all experience teaches that the ground 
must be rich. The lesson that science would 
seem to teach, is to avoid an excess of 
nitrogenous manures, which tend to produc¬ 
tion not of grain, but of growth of plant, and 
that growth not firm and woody but long and 
weak. But it is nitrogenous manures that es¬ 
pecially increase the yield of the wheat plant, 
and we are forced into using them freely. 
Certainly, any heavy crop, even if healthy, 
may, under adverse conditions, go down; but 
as a matter of practice, I would prefer to 
raise the heavy crops and take the chances, 
and I would apply manure freely, remember¬ 
ing, however, that a constitutional tendency 
to lodge will be likely to be induced by too 
free a use of the nitrates, causing abnormal 
production of leaf, and too much shading of 
the lower part of the growing stems. 
4. Bearded varieties usually have shorter 
stems, and stiffer straw, and stand up better 
than the smooth sorts. 
Agricultural College, Michigan. 
FROM. A. B. SAUNDERS. 
1. I know of no remedy whatever for pre¬ 
venting an extremely rank growth of wheat 
from lodging. 
2. Lodged wheat seldom ripens with the 
stan ling gram, being later. How well it will 
fill will depend on the time of lodging; if 
lodged while in the bloom, it will contain no 
grain at all. 
3. No. 
4. The beardless will stand best nine times 
out of 10. With a careful saving of the barn¬ 
yard manure together with the correct rota¬ 
tion of crops and proper use of clover, I see 
no use for commercial fertilizers in Ohio. 
Athens County, Ohio. 
FROM JONATHAN TALCOTT. 
1. Nothing, except to sow on poorer land. 
2. I have had no experience with wheat or 
rye in lodging badly. 
3. I have never had a field so manured. 
Generally there is too little manure. 
4. Beardless, in my experience, has stood 
best. I raise but little wheat—no rye. 
Oneida County, N. Y. 
FROM D. C. LEWIS. 
1. I know of no remedy that can be applied 
at the period of growth when the crop is fall¬ 
ing down. 
2. That will depend upon how badly it 
may be lodged, and at what period of its 
growth. If after it has headed out, I think 
it would fully ripen; if it lodged before, the 
grain could only partially fill. 
3. So much depends upon the season that 
it is hard to decide just how much manure 
should be applied to produce a maximum 
crop. I prefer to manure so as to obtain the 
largest crop possible and risk the season. 
4. Usually beardless wheat will stand up 
best under heavy manuring; but there are 
"Bertrand” Fifth Wheel for Buggiea. 
THE BUBAL NEW-YORKER. 
some kinds of bearded wheat, that will stand 
up just as well. 
Middlesex County, New Jersey. 
FROM H. L. WYSOR. 
1. I know of nothing which will prevent 
wheat from lodging, though I have been par¬ 
ti oularly interested in trying to find out a 
satisfactory answer to the question. Grow¬ 
ing wheat on an alluvial soil, where on the 
richest portions it lodges more or less every 
year, I have tried many experiments with a 
view to make the grain staud up, but all tailed 
of success. I have tried salt in large quanti¬ 
ties, commercial fertilizers containing no 
nitrogen, such as <8outh Carolina floats, dis¬ 
solved phosphates, potash mixtures, lime,etc., 
but they were of no neneflt so far as lodging 
was concerned, if indeed they did not aggra¬ 
vate it. The heaviest crops of wheat are 
grown here on rather poor soils well fertil¬ 
ized. 
2. As to how well wheat or rye will ripen 
when down, it depends upon how far either 
was from maturity when the lodging oc¬ 
curred. If nearly ripe, the grain will not be 
materially affected; but if just filling, it never 
fully matures, and shrivels badly, in some 
cases to such an extent as t» be almost 
worthies ■*. 
3. I think there is no economy, but the re¬ 
verse, in having a field so heavily manured as 
to put the crop in danger of lodging. It is 
true that succeeding crops will get the benefit 
of the manure, but that may be offset by 
the loss of the wheat or rye. 
4. Bald wheats stand up much better than 
bearded. The latter hold water, the weight 
of which bends the stalks over when a brisk 
wind will prostrate them. Beards are not 
only useless but often prejudicial incum¬ 
brances. 
BRINING BUTTER, ETC. 
A Butter-Maker .—In preserving butter in 
brine; 1. How much salt should be put in a 
gallon of water? 2. What kind of package 
is best? 8. Should the butter be rolled or 
granulated? 4. Should it be salted before it 
is su emerged? 
ANSWERED BY T. D. CURTIS. 
1. The inquirer does not say for what. If 
for washing butter in the granular form, we 
would dissolve about a pouud of salt in a gal¬ 
lon of water, for the reason that a weak brine 
dissolves caseous matter, while a strong brine 
hardens it. If for brining butter and pre¬ 
serving it, make a saturated solution—that is, 
put in the water ail the salt that will dissolve. 
At 150 degrees water will dissolve about 36 
pounds of salt to the 100 pounds of water, or a 
little over one-third of its own weight. Use 
only the purest salt. 
2. That depends on the market which the in¬ 
quirer has. The general market calls.for Welsh 
tubs of 30 to 60 pounds. For special customers 
faucy prints for the table are often preferred. 
For long-keeping, there is nothing better than 
the old-fashioned oak firkin, the butter being 
so completely covered with saturated brine 
that no air can get in. Air-tight packages 
are always best for long-keeping. Avoid 
stone-jars, and always consult the demands of 
the market for gtylp of package. 
3. Jwti wbftt is meant by “ roll ” I do not 
understand. If the correspondent means 
whether he should pack his butter in a granu¬ 
lated or solid condition, I answer that he 
should make it as solid as he can. Some 
recommend keeping granulated butter in sat¬ 
urated brine. The objection to this is that it 
requires more space in tbe package, there is 
an unnecessary weight of brine, and as water 
contains more or less impurities—generally 
some organic matter—the more brine there is 
the more water must be used, and hence the 
more impurities there are to decompose and 
injure the butter. Hence it is better to make 
the butter as solid as possible, so as to exclude 
all unnecessary brine, but to cover the out¬ 
side with brine to exclude tne air. 
4. Certairily. It contains on an average, 
10 to 15 per cent of water. If this is fresh, it 
will weaken the brine, and thus diminish its 
preservative power. The brine in the butter 
should be saturated as well as the brine on 
the outside of it. The brine is contained only 
in the interstices, and does not really pene¬ 
trate and salt the fat. Hence the butter may 
be kept in brine almost any length of time, 
and then, while stiff in the granular state, 
have all the salt washed out of it by using 
fresh water. If the water in the butter is al¬ 
ready in the form of a saturated brine, no 
further salting is needed. The best way is to 
wash your butter thoroughly, while in a 
granulated condition, one or two of the latter 
workings being in weak brine Drain well, 
and then stir in about an ounce of the best 
dairy salt to the pound of butter. Then pack 
as closely as possible, with as little working 
as possible. Butter managed in this way re¬ 
quires no second working, and is best packed 
immediately, so as to give it the least possible 
exposure to the air. 
CUT-WORMS. 
J. J., Toronto, Can. —The inclosed grub is 
doing great damage cutting raspberry buds 
under ground, and also the shoots when three 
inches above ground. The pests eat the leaves 
and bark from young pear and apple trees. 
I found five, seven, and 13 at different hills 
of Marlboro raspberries. They eat the Min- 
newaski blackberries as they sprout. What 
will destroy them ? 
Ans —The grubs are cut-worms. There are 
several species of these pests, varying some¬ 
what in size and appearance, but very simi¬ 
lar in their habits and manner of feeding. 
They feed during the night, burying them¬ 
selves near the surface of the ground during 
the d8y, where they may often be found and 
destroyed. This is the surest method of ex¬ 
termination, as owing to their habits,they are 
difficult to reach with the ordinary insecti¬ 
cides. We would recommend 50 pafts of sul¬ 
phur to one part of Paris-green or London- 
purple sifted around the stems. The damage 
to the apple and pear trees was probably done 
by climbing cut-worms, another species of 
the same family. These might be destroyed 
by spraying the trees with arsenites, or their 
depredations prevented by some device which 
would prevent their ascending the trunk. 
PRICES OF JERSEYS. 
I. C., Toum Hill, Pa .—lam forming a herd 
of registered Jerseys. I have made some pur¬ 
chases and am expecting to make others soon, 
and therefore it would be very interesting to 
me if the Rural would give the recent 
auction prices and 1 think they would interest 
a great many other readers. 
Ans.— At the Annual Combination Sale at 
the American Institute, the Breeders’ Cup 
was won by a herd of five young stock, which 
sold at an average price of $190 per head. 
The herd of 29 head, embracing Mary Aune of 
St Lambert, averaged $607.94 each, Mary 
Anne bringing $2,100, and her daughter, 
Marianne Pogis, $2,300. At the series of Jer¬ 
sey sales in Tennessee, 31 head averaged $199.- 
19; 10 head, $81.; nine head, $150 55; eight 
head, $60; four head, $50; three head, $110; 
and one head, $120. 
GRAPE-VINE BARK LOUSE. 
J. R. A., Reno, Pa. —What are the in¬ 
sects, like beet bugs, which are destroying 
my grape-vines, specimens of which are in¬ 
closed? 
Ans.—T his curious insect is a bark-louse 
which is found in different parts of the coun¬ 
try from time to time and which belongs to 
an undescribed species of the genus Lecaaium. 
It is allied to the black-scale of the olive in 
California and to the hemispheri/al-scalo of 
our greenhouses. It can be very readily de¬ 
stroyed by the application of a dilute kero¬ 
sene-soap emulsion. This genus, Lecamum, 
is a very large one and a very difficult one to 
study. Uudescribed species occur upon a 
large number of plants in this country. 
hllacellaneoae. 
Cadis, O/uo.—Would it.be.advisable 
429 
to breed a yearling colt this fall at about 16 
months ot age? 
Ans. —No, the mare is altogether too young. 
E. S. L., Holmen, Wis .—Are the rice 
plants of the South and the wild rice 
of the North closely enough allied 
botanically so that a cross can be made be¬ 
tween the two? Is there any reason why such 
a cross would b9 impossible? 
Ans. —Zizania aquatica is probably referred 
to. This so differs from rice (oryza) that it is 
probable a cross could not be effected. 
“ Chenango, 1 ' Smithville Fats, N. 7.— 1. 
Of whom in New York can I buy buhach or 
pyrethrum powder and London-purple ? 2. 
Where can I get salt-glazed vitrified sewer 
pipes in 12-inch lengths ? 
Ans. —1 . So far as we know there is none of 
the genuine buhach for sale in New York. 
The stock in California is limited. Persian or 
Dalmatian insect powder may be purchased 
at almost any drug store. London-purple is 
sold by the Hemingway London Purple Co., 
90 Water street, New York. 2. Glazed pipe 
is sold by Jackson Bros., Albany, N. Y. 
C. C. P., Brooklyn, N. Y .—I have a field of 
about seven acres that has been in corn for 
three years, highly fertilized. I intended to 
put it in grass this spring, but have been de¬ 
layed till it is now too late. What is the best 
thing to plant for hay for my horses? Hun¬ 
garian has been recommended; but 1 am told 
that it hurts a horse’s wind, and my horse has 
a tendency to heaves already, unless fed care¬ 
fully. What would the Rural recommend 
under the circumstances, and how late can I 
put it in? 
Ans.— Hungarian grass does not hurt horses 
in any way any more than Timothy would, if 
cut at the right time. You can sow Hungar¬ 
ian grass at once. It will require about 70 
days for growth, and should be cut when it is 
coming into bloom. 
DISCUSSION. 
FRUIT BLOSSOMS. 
Professor J. L. Budd, Ames, Iowa.— 
Using the article by Mr. Proctor in the Ru¬ 
ral of June 8, as a text, the whole subject of 
the profuse flowering of the small Iruits and 
orchard fruits at the West without setting 
fruit was discussed this morning in the Junior 
Class in Horticulture. In a very brief way 
the outlining of our conclusions in the Rural 
may at least draw out some points of interest 
from some one or more of its numerous fami¬ 
ly of close thinkers and observers. These 
conclusions may be briefly formulated as fol¬ 
lows: 
1. So-called pistillate varieties of the straw¬ 
berry on favorable soils and in favorable sea¬ 
sons, will develop enough perfect pollen on 
the short stamens to set a crop of fruit, while 
the same varieties on less favorable soil, or in 
less favorable seasons, will not bear a paying 
crop unless fertilized by perfect blossoms in 
adjoining rows. 
2. Western experience favors the belief that 
purely pistillate varieties will not set a crop 
of fiuit when remote from pollen-bearing 
sorts, yet if the season be favorable for the 
flight of bees and insects we often have a 
“sprinkling” of berries. 
3. Iu our climate, aud on our rich drift soil, 
some varieties of the raspberry, blackberry, 
grape, aud all the orchard fruits, blossom pro¬ 
fusely, but fail to set fruit when standing 
apart from other varieties on account of 
abortive or imperfect pollen, or the prema¬ 
ture development of the pollen. 
4. The intermingling of varieties of nearly 
all our small fruits and orchard fruits, has 
been found profitable. As our experience 
has seemed to settle the strawberry question 
as stated, I will only refer, at this time, to 
some of the reasons for the expressed beliefs 
in regard to the impotent and prematurely 
developed pollen, and the mingling of varie¬ 
ties in planting. My attention was first call¬ 
ed to this important subject by the investiga¬ 
tions growing out of the queries propounded 
by Dr. J. S. Houghton, of Philadelphia, in 
regard to the uufruitfulness of the Duchessed' 
Angouleme pear, when by itself. In 1867 he 
succeeded in getting Prof. Thos. P. James and 
Prof. Horatio C. Woodward at work with the 
microscope aud a full supply of the seemingly 
useless blossoms. After critical investiga¬ 
tion, the conclusion reached was that the 
flowers were sexually perfect; but suffering 
from general debility. “ Thus,” says Dr. 
Wood, “ the anther cells are large and finely 
formed, but they contain scarcely one-third 
as much pollen as those of more fruitful sorts. 
It seems to me further that the pollen grains 
are not so well developed, nor so crowded 
with granules.” He adds; “What if there 
are comparatively few pollen grains. Provi- 
