4860 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
SSI 
CATALOGUES, ETC., RECEIVED, 
B acteria in milk and its prod¬ 
ucts.—B ulletin No. 4 from the 
Storrs Experiment Station. Storrs, Tol¬ 
land County, Connecticut, prepared by 
Professor H. W. Conn. 
What are bacteria? The term is now in com¬ 
mon use. If one is to obtain any good from sci¬ 
entific agriculture he must have at least a gen¬ 
eral idea of what bacteria are, just as he must 
know that albuminoids and carbohydrates 
represent two classes ot substances as distinct 
as beef-steak and corn-meal mush. In speak¬ 
ing of bacteria the reader must understand 
that what is meant is a class of very small 
organisms which produce fermentation, such 
as the raising of bread or fermenting of cider, 
rotting of potatoes, decay of wood, etc. etc. 
Bacteria, yeasts and moulds all belong to the 
same family, are somewhat alike, and are 
commonly called by the same name—bacteria. 
Milk is a medium in which bacteria grow 
readily. It is the development of the bacteria 
that causes milk to sour and cream to ripen. 
Remembering this fact will give a clearer 
idea of what is meant by bacteria. If milk, 
cream or butter can be kept entirely free 
from bacteria, tne ordinary changes do not 
tale place in them. For example: by heating 
milk to a boiling temperature for a few min¬ 
utes for three successive days and keeping it 
sealed absolutely air-tight, the milk will keep 
sweet indefinitely. The heat kills the bac¬ 
teria. Excluding the air prevents a new lot 
from entering. 
This heating and air-tight sealing have been 
hailed in Norway as a “ new discovery.” 
Milk so treated is said to be “ sterilized ” and 
can be shipped many miles in safety. Milk 
or cream under ordinary conditions cannot bo 
kept free from bacteria. One very common 
cause of contamination of milk is from vessels 
in which milk is placed. These, unless 
washed in boiling water, contain bacteria 
clinging to their walls. The action of the 
bacteria indicates clearly the absolute neces¬ 
sity of using boiling water for cleaning dairy 
utensils. We have seen people who clean 
milk pans by placing them in a pile, one rest¬ 
ing in another, and then pouring hot water 
into the upper pan. When this is washed the 
water is poured into the pan below it and so 
on. The best dairymen take pains to apply 
boiling water to each pan, and we may see 
now that their practice is based upon scientific 
principles, because it is only by submitting 
each to a very high temperature that the in¬ 
visible bacteria can be destroyed. It would 
be wiser even to place the pans in a hot oven 
for a short time after washing. 
A mild heat favors the growth of bacteria 
while cold retards it. Hence we see the ad¬ 
vantage of keeping milk cold and cream 
warm. And this matter of the temperature 
of cream gives occasion for an important dis¬ 
cussion in this bulletin, of the objects of the 
ripening of cream. There seem to be two chief 
objects in this process. The butter will sepa¬ 
rate more readily from ripened cream and the 
churning will be easier. Again, many people 
believe that the butter made from ripened 
cream will keep longer than butter made from 
sweet cream. Dr. Babcock shows, in bulletin 
No. 18 from the Wisconsin Station, that 
shortly after the milk is drawn from the cow 
there appears “a fine, inappreciable network 
of fibers which produce in the milk a slight 
thicken ng somewhat like the clotting of 
blood.” This ho calls “fibrin.” It will 
readily putrefy. When the cream rises some 
of this “fibrin” is entangled with it and is 
skimmed off with the cream. Bacteria can¬ 
not live upon pure fat. This “ fibrin” attracts 
them and they feed upon it and decompose it 
Churning is a mechanical process. After the 
“ fibrin ” is thus partly dissolved by the action 
of the bacteria, the butter globules may be 
more easily shaken free. And this presence 
of “ fibrin” may explain the better-keeping 
quality of some butters. 
If cream is churned before the “ fibrin ’ 
has become decomposed t. e. before the cream 
is ripe, the butter will naturallycontain more 
of the “ fibrin ” than will butter from thor¬ 
oughly “ripened” cream, and, naturally, the 
more “ fibrin ” the more bacteria. 
Prof. Babcock has shown that the quicker 
the cream rises the less will be the amount of 
“ fibrin” entangled with it. When cream is 
separated by a centrifugal machine a good 
part of the “fibrin" settles at the drum of the 
machine and less passes into the cream. It 
would seem therefore that such cream re¬ 
quires less ripening than that raised by a 
longer process. 
The Influence of Certain Conditions 
upon the Sprouting of Seeds. —Tins is the 
title of bulletin No. 7 of the experiment sta¬ 
tion at Cornell University. Prof. Bailey has 
conducted a number of experiments, the re¬ 
sults of which are recorded in the bulletin. 
The experiments are of greater interest to the 
market gardener or the seedsman than to the 
average farmer. 
Prof. B. concludes that the percentage of 
impurities or adulterations in seeds as ordi¬ 
narily supplied by seedsmen is very small. In 
general, he found the more important seeds 
free from impurities. He says that “ the en¬ 
deavor to determine the relative merits and 
honesty of seedsmen, by means of testing their 
seeds, is the merest folly.” 
The germinating tests appear to have been 
carefully conducted. Here are a few of the 
indicated results : 
Variations in temperature may cause vari¬ 
ations in rapidity of sprouting. A constant 
temperature is best, and about 70 degrees 
seems to be best suited. There is a tolerably 
well-defined temperature specially suited to 
each species of plant. 
A comparatively small amount of water 
gives quickest and largest results. Soaking 
seeds before planting does not seem to hasten 
sprouting if planting time is reckoned from 
the time the plants are put to soak. 
When light has any influence, it retards or 
wholly prevents sprouting, but the effects of 
light are different indifferent species. 
Heavy seeds generally germinate better than 
light ones of the same sample. 
If there is any variation in vitality in ref¬ 
erence to color, it is usually found that the 
stronger sproutings occur in the darker color¬ 
ed seeds. 
Northern-grown corn appears to germinate 
quicker than Southern-grown corn. It is ex¬ 
pected that seeds of most species will give 
similar results. 
a 
Connecticut Experiment Station.— 
Bulletins 98 and 99 discuss HoD'e Mixed Fer¬ 
tilizers and Fertilizer Analyses. It appears 
that quite a good many farmers in Connecti¬ 
cut mix their own fertilizers instead of buying 
the prepared mixture sold by the fertilizer 
dealers. The various ingredients are bought 
in separate forms and an effort is made so to 
study the needs of a certain farm or a certain 
field that a fertilizer can be produced that 
will prove better adapted to the needs of that 
particular farm or field than any of the 
standard fertilizers that are made in large 
quantities and sold for use on widely different 
soils and situations. The continued use of 
large quantities of chemical fertilizers gen¬ 
erally leads to experiments with home-mixed 
fertilizers. In some cases the farmer con¬ 
vinces himself that it does not pay to do 
the work. In others he concludes that his 
labor is well spent. In still others he thinks 
that a quantity of the standard fertilizer with 
a bag per acre of some one ingredient added 
will suit his farm well enough. The R. N.-Y. 
found an example of this at Cranb'iry, N. J. 
One of the best farmers there convinced him¬ 
self by experiment that his farm needed extra 
quantities of potash. So in addition to a 
large dressing of the Mapes potato manure, 
he applies a bag of muriate of potash to each 
acre. He thinks this pays him. 
Some of the Connecticut farmers seem to 
have made a regular study of home-mixed 
fertilizers. This is due to the fact that the 
Connecticut Experiment Station has made a 
special study of fertilizer ingredients and by 
its system o f conducting experiments on 
farms in various parts of the State has greatly 
encouraged practical investigations on the 
part of farmers. In this bulletin (No. 98) are 
given lists of the ingredients used in 11 mix¬ 
tures, with analyses and estimated cost. We 
give three of these mixtures. All who are in¬ 
terested in the subject should send for this 
bulletin which is one of the most important 
that Eastern farmers can get. 
The following is designed as a “mixture for 
general use:” 
884 pounds Dissolved Bone Black, costing.$10.43 
666 *• Tankage, ** 9.32 
208 ** Sulphate of Ammonia, •* 7.80 
292 “ Muriate of Potash, “ 5.84 
2000 “ *33.89 
Add freight to New Haven. 1.60 
Total cost of raw material.$34.99 
This is a mixture for corn. 
450 pounds Tankage, costing .*6.44 
450 •* Grouud Bone 6.77 
232 •* Sulphate of Ammonia, “ 8.65 
884 “ Dissolved Bone Black, “ 4.99 
805 “ Muriate Of Potash, “ 6.84 
179 “ H'gh-g’de S’lp’teof Potash'* . 5.48 
2000 “ “ $38.67 
And this for ) otatoes. 
500 pounds Sulphate of Ammonia, costing.*18.65 
2500 “ Tankage, “ 35.75 
2500 ** Ground Bone, “ S7.63 
2500 “ Dissolved Bone Black, “ 32.50 
750 “ Muriate of Potash, *• 15.60 
550 “ Sulphate of Potash, “ 16.83 
9,300 *156.96 
Cost of the materials delivered *33.75 per ton. 
Analyses of these mixtures were n ade at the 
Connecticut Station, with the following re¬ 
sults: The valuation is figured on the basis 
used when estimating the values of standard 
fertilizers. The last column, “cost,” gives 
the actual cost of the chemicals before mix¬ 
ing. The quantities of nitrogen, phosphoric 
acid and potash are what were actually found 
in the mixtures. 
Phos- Valu- 
Nitro- phorlc Pot- atlon 
gen. acid. ash. per ton. Cost. 
General Mixture. 4.94 8.80 7.89 *89.02 $34 99 
Corn Manure_ 4.99 9.19 14 07 47 48 33.67 
Potato Manure... 8.95 12.47 7.41 39.20 33.75 
It will thus be seen that the differences in 
valuation and cost per ton were $5.03, $8 81 
and $5.45. 
The director says that the advantages 
claimed for home-mixing are : 
1. Each ingredient can be separately exam¬ 
ined by the purchaser and if necessary sent 
to the experiment station for analysis The 
detection of inferior forms of nitrogen or 
phosphoric acid is much easier and more 
certain in a single article than in a mixture. 
2. It is self evident that an intelligent farm¬ 
er by home mixing is better able than any 
one else can be to adapt the composition of his 
fertilizers to the special requirements of his 
land as well as of his crop, and how greatly 
the soil-requirements vary in this State, even 
over a small area, is strikingly shown by. the 
field experiments annually reported by our 
farmers through the stations. 
3 It is claimed that the same quantity and 
quality of plant food cost3 much less in home- 
mixtures than in ready-made mixturesbecause 
the cash purchaier of fertilizer chemicals 
deals directly with the importer or manufac¬ 
turer, not with the middleman or retailer, and 
receives quotations without reference to the 
prices asked in his neighborhood by retailers 
of the same goods. 
There is no longer any question as to the 
expediency of home-mixing in many cases. 
From such raw materials as are in our mark¬ 
ets, without the aid of milling machinery, 
mixtures can be and are annually made on 
the farm which are uniform in quality, fine 
aud dry and equal in all respects to the best 
ready-made fertilizers. 
He also says that the economy of home¬ 
mixing depends, of course, on the prices 
which sellers of mixed goods are willing to 
take and on the cost of fertilizer-chemicals 
delivered as near the farm as mixed goods 
can be bought. There is always a chance for 
the farmer who studies the market and the 
needs of his farm to save enough in the pur¬ 
chase of his fertilizers to make just the differ¬ 
ence between profit and loss on a crop, and in 
farming, as in everything else where compe¬ 
tition is close, profit usually comes from care 
in these small margins of expense. Perhaps 
home mixtures are not indeed always and 
everywhere cheaper or more economical 
than commercial mixtures, but it will often 
happen that money can be saved by the 
timely purchase of raw materials and their 
mixture on the farm. Each individual 
farmer ought to be the best or only judge of 
the economy of home-mixing in his particu¬ 
lar case, as well as of the “ formulas ” which 
are best adapted to his soil and crops. 
In bulletin No. 99 we find an analysis of 
wool waste. The specimen examined con¬ 
tained: 
Nitrogen.2.87 per cent. 
Phosphoric Acid.81 “ “ 
Potash.5.38 “ 
It was worth $10.57 per ton as a manure 
and was considered suitable for fruit trees, 
grape vines or grass. 
Damaged corn meal costing $1.S0 per ton 
contained about twice as much nitrogen as 
stable manure and about as much phosphoric 
acid and potash as stable manure. It was 
recommended as a suitable manure for light, 
sandy soils. 
The director of the station points out the 
fact that the fertilizing value of fine bone is 
much greater than that of coarse bone. The 
latter may lie in the ground for years while 
very fine bone is readily decomposed aud 
taken up by plants. 
Enemies of the Wheat Aphis. —This is 
the title of bulletin No. 51 of the Michigan 
Experiment Station. It is prepared by Prof. 
A. J. Cook aud contains illustrations and des¬ 
criptions of the various parasites that prey 
upon the wheat aphis. 
Wilber H. Murray Company, Cincinnati, 
O.—A special offer of harness, buggios, road- 
carts, etc. Send for catalogue or read adver¬ 
tisement. 
Cato. 
“ Every Man is presumed to know the Law. 
Nine-tenths of all Litigation arises from 
Ignorance of Law." 
NEW YORK LAW AGAINST POACHERS OF 
GAME. 
T. L. M ., Lewis County , N. Y. —Is there 
in this St-vte any law which will enable a 
man to protect the fish in a stream flowing 
through his farm* A fisherman catches fish 
in a stream passing through my farm, but in 
doing so he walks in the bed of tbe stream; 
can 1 hold him liable for damages for fishing 
in forbidden waters? 
Ans.— The laws in this State relating to the 
taking of fish and the hunting of wild game 
are alike in their general provisions. It is 
provided that any person who shall know¬ 
ingly trespass upon inclosed or cultivated 
lands, for the purpose of shooting or hunting 
any game protected by tbe act, or shall take 
any fish from private ponds or private 
streams not stocked in whole or in part by tho 
State, or after public notice has been given 
by the owner or occupant thereof, shall be 
liable to such owner or occupant, in addition 
to the actual damages sustained, in exemplary 
damages to an amount not exceeding $25 or 
less than $15. The public notice is to be 
given by erecting sign-boards at least one foot 
square upon at least every 50 acres, upon or 
near the lot lines of the premises, or upon or 
near the shores or banks of any lake, pond or 
stream in at least two conspicuous places. 
For this notice may be substituted a written 
or printed warning served personally on the 
offender. If the inquirer owns the land on 
both sides of the stream, he owns the entire 
bed of the stream, and the fisherman travel¬ 
ing on it was, of course, a trespasser. 
Pi£cfUaimm$i 
untie STUDY. Book keeping, Business Forms, Pen 
nUfflfc. manshlp, Arithmetic, Shorthand, etc., tho¬ 
roughly taught by MAIL Circulars free 
BRYANT & STRATTON’S, 415 Main St.. Buffalo, K.Y 
Hillsdale College i 64i'graduates. Instruction thor¬ 
ough. Expenses low. Location beautiful. Good moral 
and religious influences. Excellent Literary Societies. 
Normal department for teachers, Gymuasium for 
physical culture. For catalogue send to Secretary. 
XTEW YOKE COLLEGE OF VETERINARY SUR~ 
lY GEONS and SCHOOL OF COMPARATIVE 
MEDICINE (Chartered lS57).-Sesslon of 18S9 and 1890 
begins Tuesday, Oct. i at, 1889. 
For information and circulars, apply to 
H. D. 44 1 L, Li, V. S., 332 E. 27th St., New York. 
University of the State of New York. 
AMERICAN 
VETERINARY COLLEGE, 
139 and 141 West 54ih Street, New York Cltv. 
1STH ANNUAL SESSION 
The regular course of Lectures commences In Octo 
ber of each year. Circular and Information can be 
had on application to 
D. A. L1A I'TAKD, V. M Desn of the Faculty 
R0SSIE IRON ORE PAINT. 
. Is made from Red Oxide Ore—Is the best and most 
durable Paint for Tin, Iron and Shingle Roofs, Barns, 
Farm Utensils, etc.; will not crack or peel-, will protect 
roofs from sparks. Samples free. Ask prices of 
K088IE IRON ORE PAINT CO., 
Ogdensburg, N. Y. 
WHEAT FERTILIZER 
PER TON. Sold to Farmers direct from 
our works. No agents. 
YORK CHEMICAL WORKS. York, Pa 
For analysts, see next Issue of R. N.-Y. 
DUD S I3I®SOXjVE3D 
1 UHU ANIMAL BONE, 
DISSOLVED S.C. PHOSPHATE. 
Also Manufacturers of Complete Fertilizer. 
WM. DAVISON & CO., Baltimore, Md. 
H. S. MILLER & CO., 
-MANUFACTURERS OF- 
Fur© Animal Bone 
FER TIE1ZERSI 
For all Crops and Soils. Factory and Principal 
Office on Passaic River, Newark, N. J. Baltimore 
Offiee, 202 & 206 Buehanau’s W harf, foot of Fred- 
erick'.St. Write for "Farmer’s Manual," mailed Free. 
I RRIGATED 
■ stone soil: abu 
LANDS 
In Rio Pecos Valiev, 
j in Southeastern New 
i Mexico. Choice lime¬ 
stone soil; abundance of pure water; a delight¬ 
ful climate all the year; almost continuous sun¬ 
shine; altitude 3,500 feet; healthiest locality in 
the U. S., no consumption, no malaria. SO acres 
will yield a competency. Write for particulars, 
naming this paper, to Pecos Irrigation At In¬ 
vestment Co., 84 Alonroe St., Chicago, Ill. 
Bekcham’s Pills cure bilious aud nervous ills. 
General Advertising Rates of 
THE RURAL NEW - YORKER. 
34 PARK ROW, NEW YORK. 
The following rates are invariable. All are there¬ 
fore respectfully informed that any correspondence 
with a view to obtaining different terms will prove 
futile. 
Oedinary Advertisements, per agate line (this 
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Reading Notices, ending with “Ada.,” per 
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Entered at the Post-office at New York >&*,'- S. Y« 
u aecond-alass mail tnafttaS 
