742 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
NOV 9 
planted seedling peach trees as trees that 
have been transplanted. It seems likely, 
however, that seedlings of improved varie¬ 
ties will be more liable to attack than 
others, because they are more “delicate 
and refined.” 
E. F., Portland, Oregon. —1. What 
would be a proper rent to ask for a 100-acre 
cultivated farm which yields an annual in¬ 
come of §1,000 to §1,400, teams and tools to 
go with the land ? 2. What organ would 
be best for children who want to learn to 
play, tone, price and durability being taken 
into consideration? 
Ans. —1. We cannot say. So much de¬ 
pends upon the condition of the farm, its 
location and other conditions that we know 
nothing about. 2. The Cornish organ is 
cheap and dux-able—worth its price. 
B. S. V., Marlboro, Ohio— My Jersey 
cow dropped a calf about six weeks ago, 
and for the last two weeks one quarter of 
the udder has been gradually swelling and 
hardening. The milk comes slowly from 
that quarter, though little if any soreness 
appeai-s to be present. The skin thei-e 
seems to be twice as thick as it ought to be. 
The milk appears good ; what should be the 
treatment ? 
Ans. —Bathe with hot water two or thi-ee 
times daily and rub thoroughly dry each 
time. TheD apply belladonna ointment, 
rubbing it w-dl in. Give one table-spoonful 
each of glauber salts and nitrate of potash 
once or twice daily in feed. 
C. E. M., Perrineville, N. J.— Our cat¬ 
tle here are afflicted by a disease with the 
following symptoms. Their milk shrinks ; 
the teats swell and become sore ; the dung 
is hard, and the urine red. They stop eat¬ 
ing and either lie down or keep walking 
from one part of the field to another. The 
end of the nose is red. What is the trouble ? 
ANS.— We cannot give a sat isfactory diag¬ 
nosis from the description. We suspect, 
however, the disease may be Texas fever; 
but in the absence of the history and ex¬ 
tent of the outbreak we cannot say positive¬ 
ly. If our suspicions be correct the disease 
will disappear after frost. Treatment is 
not satisfactory. 
P. G., Oswego Falls, N. Y. —1. Will pine 
shavings used as a mulch for strawberries 
have any injurious effect on a light, sandy 
soil? 2. What causes newly cut capons to 
bloat up between the skin and the body ? 
When the bloated part is piei-ced with a 
penknife the air rushes out as if coming 
from a punctured balloon. 3. If a testicle, 
after being detached from a bird, is left in 
the body, will it have any effect on the 
health of the bird? 4. Does my third ques¬ 
tion answer my second? 
ANS.—1. Not if partially rotted. We would 
not advise a heavy application, if fx-esh 2. 
The trouble is caused by the respiration of 
the bird, when the skin is not closed over 
the incision ; puncturing the bloated pai-t 
was the corx-ect treatment; bxxt one should 
not make any larger opening than possible. 
3. No good effect. It would probably act 
like any other foreign matter, and might 
lead to inflammation. 4. No. 
E. 0., Carroll. Iowa. —1. Which is the 
best hand cream separator? Where can it 
be obtained and at what price? 2. What 
are the best books and papers on the gener¬ 
al management of poultry? 3. What are 
the best markets for potatoes from this 
place? 4. Who are reliable commission 
merchants in New York and Philadelphia ? 
Ans. —1. The De Laval is a good separa¬ 
tor. Write to P. M. Sharpless, West 
Chester, Pa., for circulars and prices. 2. 
The Poult-y Keeper, published by the 
Poultry Keeper Pxiblishing Co., Parkes- 
burg, Pa., is among the practical poultry 
papers published. The same firm publish 
several cheap books relating to the several 
branches of poultry culture. I. K. Felch, 
Natick, Mass, also has a very good book 
on breeding. The Orange Judd Co., 751 
Broadway, New Y r oi-k, also publish several 
books on poultry. 3. Prices are higher 
in the Eastern markets, but of course 
freight rates will partially balance the ex¬ 
tra price. Compare prices in the different 
cities, and then by learning the freight 
rates from yoxxr place, you can determine 
which place offers you the best market. 4. 
E. & O. Ward, 279 Washington Stx-eet, and 
S. H. & E. H. Ei-ost, 100 Park Place, New 
York, and Wai-ren, Harper & Bi-o., Phila¬ 
delphia are reliable commission merchants. 
Discussion. 
SOME ITEMS OF THE COST OF LIVING IN 
COLORADO. 
O. H., Greeley, Col.— I herewith send a 
table which gives the number of our family 
and the yearly cost of sugar, coal, bread, 
etc: 
17 YEARS— 1872—1888. 
No. of Adults 
a 
a 
o 
c 
6 
Equivalent to 
No. of Adults 
*-l * 
33 © 
g 
% « 
cc ji 
Coit for Each 
Adult. 
Breadstults 
of All Kluds. 
Coal & Wood. 
1872. 
S 
i 
3 
$39.90 
$0.97 
$82 80 
•58 65 
1873. 
314 
2 
4 
44 16 
It.04 
57 64 
6u 65 
>8*4. 
4 
2 
5 
4-.2S 
9 46 
69.65 
64.60 
1875 . 
4 
3 
5^ 
41.00 
7.45 
63.23 
54.20 
1876 
s 
4 
7 
42.27 
6 04 
78.76 
52 65 
1877. 
5 
4 
7 
60.49 
8 64 
76.84 
47.29 
1878. 
5 
4 
7 
86-76 
12.39 
76.67 
53 55 
1879 . 
K 
4 
8 
67,07 
8.38 
61 9! 
55.35 
1880 . 
5 
5 
7 
63.37 
9.58 
78.92 
65.00 
1881. 
2)4 
5 
4 14 
43 47 
7.66 
71 75 
54.85 
1882. 
2>4 
6 
5 14 
69.25 
12.59 
64.2 V 
53.48 
1883. 
2)4 
6 
5 14 
66 95 
12 17 
62.77 
43 75 
1884. 
8 
7 
*14 
77 50 
11 92 
69 45 
49 00 
1S85. 
4 
r 
V4 
54.20 
6.22 
59.10 
40.70 
18-6. 
3 
7 
644 
56 00 
8.61 
59.30 
27 38 
1987 
6 
5 
814 
46 40 
5 46 
6'1.65 
26 00 
1988. 
7 
4 
9 
56.80 
6 31 
84.80 
46.65 
No account can be rendered of fruits, veg¬ 
etables, butter, milk, cream, meat, fowls, 
eggs, etc., since these are raised on the 
place, at least in part. During the last 10 
years we have genex-ally bought flour, coal 
and sugar in wholesale quantities, thereby 
making a material saving. It would be 
impossible to compute the exact yeax-ly 
cost of any article for each adult, because 
the supply of one year sometimes ran over 
and was used during the following one. 
The present computation extends over a 
period of 17 years—from 1872 to 1888 in¬ 
clusive. For 1872 the cost of coal, with 
only one stove in use was §58.65, or §16.22 
for each of the three adults composing the 
family. In 1888 the whole cost of coal was 
§46.65 with two stoves in use, or an average 
of §5.18 for each of the nine adults in the 
family. The per capita cost of sugar in 
1872 was §10.63, and §6.31 in 1888: bi-eadstuffs, 
including yeast, baking powder and salera- 
tus, cost, in 1872, §27.60 per capita against 
§9.42 in 1888. The family expended per 
adult for coffee, tea, chocolate, cocoa, §1.96 
and §1.20 respectively for the years under 
consideration. The family kex-osene cost 
§4.90 in 1872, and §9.80 in 1888. As re¬ 
gards coal, it may be said that in the early 
days it cost §7.00 per ton, while it can now 
be had at §4.50 and §5.00 per ton. When 
Denver was nothing but a little village, 
and the Gx-eeley flouring mills had just 
been built aud the first px-oducts of irriga¬ 
tion were coming into mai-ket, wheat was 
worth fi-orn §1.50 to §2.00 per bushel, and 
we paid §7 for a 98-pound sack of flour. 
This will explain why it cost §27.60 for the 
bread of each adult in 1872, and only §9.42 
in 1888, when we laid in our wholesale sup¬ 
ply at a trifle over two dollars per sack. 
It may be noticed that the cost of coal fell 
in 18S6 and ’87 to §27 and §26 respectively— 
much below the average. This was because 
in those years we tried the experiment of 
burning the low-priced nut-coal which is in 
reality the best of coal chipped out by the 
miners before blasting down the lump 
coal. 
I remember when a boy hearing my 
father often make the remark : “ If it cost 
only twice as much to shoe my girls as it 
does to shoe my boys, I woxild make no 
complaint.” I thought then, and I still 
think, the remark was unjust to the girls, 
and I resolved that I would test the matter 
and know the exact cost of shoeing man 
and woman. By the way, what an im¬ 
provement there has been in shoes for 
women’s wear, especially in the thickness 
and width. Well, for 17 years and more I 
have stuck to my whim regarding the rela¬ 
tive cost of men’s and women’s foot gear 
and clothing, and now for the first time the 
secret shall be divulged. 
Common obsei’vation would seem to 
teach that it would not cost as much to 
walk on carpets and level floors as to wade 
through streams and tramp up and down 
on the rough earth through slush and 
among stumps ; but some men do not see it 
in that light. Now, as a matter of fact, I 
paid §21.85 for my “understandings” in 
1872, and my lighter and better half paid 
§5.65 for hers. She was in the house while 
I was breaking snow-drifts or walking 
many miles a day. To be sure that was an 
exceptional year. But in 17 years the aver¬ 
age cost of my own shoes has been §13.94, 
and that of my wife’s §6.32. and among the 
girls and boys of my family the case is even 
more against the male side of the house. 
As to the matter of clothing, women are 
charged with extravagance. Wife and I 
are plain, common people, always dressing 
humbly as those blessed with large families 
should, of course. Wife makes a good 
deal of her own clothing, and mends a good 
deal of mine which is largely bought ready¬ 
made. The average annual cost of my 
clothing is §39.98, and of hers §26 ; that is, 
those are the amounts of cash paid out. 
DWARF LIMA BEANS. 
Professor J. L. Budd, Ames, Iowa.— 
I have read with much interest the imports 
of careful growers and observers on the 
relative merits and value of the so-called 
dwarf Lima beans. In connection with 
this discussion my experience in cutting 
back the runners for eight years in succes¬ 
sion may have some interest. A few years 
ago the large Uma lean was used almost 
daily during its season in the college board¬ 
ing department. We soon found that the 
poling of a full half-acre of Limas was ex¬ 
pensive, and sometimes the vines wanted 
to go everywhere except xxp the poles, unless 
time was givexx to their training. This led 
to a trial of cutting back the climbing ten¬ 
drils with a smooth Dutch sickle as often 
as needed, each time cutting a little higher. 
When the pods were large enough to begixx 
picking, we found that we had quite stiff, 
bushy plants from two to tliree feet in 
hight well loaded with lai-ge, perfectly 
filled pods. I was so pleased with the ex¬ 
periment that it was continxxed for eight 
years, seed from selected pods growing near 
the ground being planted each year. Each 
year the tendency to running decreased and 
in the eighth year only a few rxxnners started, 
but not to an extent inquiring cutting back. 
At this time the vegetable garden for the 
use of the boarding hall was put ixx charge 
of the steward and the growing of Lima 
beans was dropped and the seed was lost. 
In addition I was told that a Linxa-bean 
grower near Santa Bai’bara, Cal., had devel¬ 
oped a tall bxxsli variety by continxxed cut¬ 
ting back for six Years. 
AN IOWA MAN ON DWARF LIMAS. 
F. S. W.. Des Moines, Iowa.— I had 
more than 30 varieties of beans under 
test this season. As to Lima beans for my 
family use, I have no use whatever for the 
bush sorts. True, I have only tested the 
Henderson Bush Lima which I have found 
to be no earlier than Extra Early Jersey, 
while it is hardly worth calling a Lima. In 
my catalogue for next season I shall recom¬ 
mend the planting of these beans only 
where people are too lazy to prepare any¬ 
thing better; for I regard them as better 
than no Lima at all. The Extra Early Jei * 1 - 
sey is the only Lima that can be relied up¬ 
on here for a sure crop: every season I have 
raised some very fine crops of Dreer’s and 
King of the Garden. The past season I had 
fine crops of the Dreer’s, Early Jersey and 
King of the Garden, and have harvested, 
for the first time, a good supply of ripe 
beans. Under critical tests, the Dreer’s 
was decidedly the best in quality, the Early 
Jersey being second, while the King of the 
Garden was the largest and most showy in 
appearance, and it sells well in the green 
state. I do not think preparing Doles, and 
poling beans is such a tremendous or such 
an unprofitable job, as some do. In fact, I 
always feel well paid for raising pole beans 
It has been a fact well established in my 
family from father to son, that there is no 
variety of Dush beans that will compare to 
any close degree in quality with our pole 
varieties. Here I have no trouble in secur¬ 
ing good poles. I get good oak ones, from 
two to four inches in diameter at the but 
end and eight feet long, at a cost of a cent 
and a-half to two cents each. These will 
last four or five years, for I take them up 
every fall and put them away so that they 
are in the ground but little over four 
months. In spring I get my land well pre¬ 
pared, then mark out four feet, and with a 
shovel-plow make deep furrows, running 
the tool twice in the same furrow. A man 
follows the plow with a spade, and, every 
four feet, chops a loose place in the bot¬ 
tom of the furrow The poles are sharpened 
at the lower ends and are sunk as deep in 
these holes as a man can press them down 
by hand, and then with a nine-inch diamond 
plow I fill up the furrows around the poles 
and with a hoe make nice hills around the 
poles and plant my beans—always at least 
two good stands. This arrangement is for 
Limas : for other pole beans I do not make 
such careful preparations, neither do I use 
such large poles, as good brush will do for 
one season for a good crop of most other va¬ 
rieties of pole beans. 
EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN. 
O. K. L., INDIANOLA, III.—A neighbor 
used a subsoil corn-planter this year. It 
has two mold-boards, turns the furrows 
to the right and left and opens a trench 
from three to seven inches deep. Between 
the mold-boards is a tooth something like 
a cultivator tooth, that digs the bottom of 
the fxxrrow. The corn is dropped in this 
loose soil. The ridges between the rows 
are 10 inches high. As the corn grows, cul¬ 
tivation levels these l'idges ; hence the seed 
and roots are deep and droxight-proof. 
This is very essential on loose prairie soil if 
well drained. To carry this theory to an 
extreme: when growing corn began to 
start spur-roots from the joints, I put 
around a hill of corn a curb a foot high and 
filled it with soil and wet it occasionally. 
Spur-roots started from the buried joints, 
so I banked four feet high—neai-ly up to 
the eai*. The three stalks made a powerful 
growth, pushed by the extra roots. If the 
soil is loose and deep try a few deeply- 
planted hills next year. Again, to study 
the smut question : I saved the smut from 
corn last year and put a handful in the hill 
at planting time. Every hill so treated 
showed symptoms of smut. I believe seed 
corn should be soaked or washed in coppexas 
water. Dusting smut on the silk of grow¬ 
ing corn afforded proof that the pest is re¬ 
produced in this way. Every hill so treated 
produced smut. Two-thirds of the cows 
and mares in this vicinity last year lost 
their fetuses, nxost likely from eating 
smutty or ergotted corn fodder. The book 
accounts of sevexal stallions were worth 
only 10 cents on the dollar. There were 
so many “slinks,” and the farmers lost the 
season or the xise of the mares. Infected 
seed corn must be washed, and the land in¬ 
fested by ergot or srnxxt xnust be put xinder 
some other ci’op. The trouble dxxe to this 
matter hereabouts is getting serious. 
MR. COLCORD SPEAKS. 
S. M. C., Dover, Mass.— I thank the R. 
N.-Y. very much for its recent editorial no¬ 
tice of my system of ensilage and find no 
fault with it for not being able to see the 
system in a stronger light. It says : “The 
high heating is considered beneficial, it be¬ 
ing asserted that after a certain degree of 
heat is reached the pi’oduct cools down, the 
ferment germs being destroyed.” Reflec¬ 
tion for a moment will discover that the 
heat and fermentation mxxst, and do, com¬ 
mence at or near the center of the silo, and 
that the silage does not heat xxp near the 
walls for quite a while, so that this contin¬ 
ual fermentation and heat continue until 
the silage is spoiled, and the loss is in 
quantity as well as quality : the fire cannot 
be put out.- The editor is also in error in 
his closing sentence in which he says: “ It 
is evident that counting the cost of the 
governor and the labor required in adjust¬ 
ing the pipes, and working the screws, the 
patent silage will cost, more per ton than 
the eoxnmon product.” ThisI am happy to 
state is not the case. It will cost more in 
time and money to weight the silage than 
to press it with jack-screws, and for the 
amoxxnt of corn used in both systems one 
can take out more tons of perfect forage 
when mine is employed than he can of im¬ 
perfect silage from the silo. I cannot com¬ 
pare the cost per ton where the same corn 
and the same pressure are employed, be- 
caxxse I don’t make the common sort of sil¬ 
age ; but I have no doubt that the cost of the 
patent silage, ton for ton and pressure for 
pressure, is considerably less than that of 
the other kind, aside from its superior qual¬ 
ity. Full reliance can be placed on the 
statements in my book about the economy, 
convenience and safety in the use of jack- 
screws. 
N. M. IL, Rose, N. Y. —Do not afflict the 
coxixmunity at large by deciding that the 
Blanchard is the best churn, for, unless 
worked by power, it is a man-killer. I pre¬ 
fer the dash ; bxxt the Davis is the churn 
for me. We keep 10 cows this summer and 
the churniug is no trouble. 
MORE ABOUT ENSILAGE. 
Dr. Miles takes the sound view, as Prof. 
E. M. Shelton believes, that a number of 
small silos are better than one large one of 
equivalent capacity. The large silo exposes 
a large surface of silage during the time 
that it is being fed out; aud, unless the 
amount fed out daily is large, considerable 
loss from molding and decay is likely to re¬ 
sult. Prof. Shelton greatly prefers remov¬ 
ing the silage by beginning at the top, tak¬ 
ing it off an inch or more each day as the 
wants of the herd suggest, and shoveling 
the silage through a small shaft, located 
next the silo wall, to the ground. In cal¬ 
culating the capacity of the silo, Dr. Miles 
uses as a basis of compxitation the current 
