THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
New York, Croton, Delaware Co., Dec.— 
This has been a season of abundant crops in 
this locality, with the single exception of pota¬ 
toes, which were very light, many farmers not 
raising enough for their own use. The dairy 
interest is the main dependence of this county, 
though more grain has been grown for a few 
years past than for a long time previously. Wc 
have had a mild fall, with a great deal of tnud, 
for several weeks past. Winter is now with us 
for something of a stay. A considerable 
amount of the butter hereabouts has been sold 
at prices ranging from 18c. to 22o., though 
quite a proportion of it remains unsold. 
E. X. B. 
Ohio, Ripley, Dec. 17, 1878.—Wheat is look¬ 
ing well. Crops were all good, except pota¬ 
toes. We never had so many apples ; more of 
them are rotting on tlic ground this year than 
the whole crop yielded last year. Wheat is 
selling for 80<®90c. per bushel; corn, 30e. for 
72 lbs.; oats, 30c.; butter, 13c.; live hogs, ¥3.35; 
choice winter apples, 45@0Oc. per barrel; clover 
seed, $3.60 per bushel. A great deal of rain 
since the first of November has made muddy 
roads. J. k. t. 
Kansas, Burlington, Dec. 19.—Contrary to 
what one might expect, w hat is generally called 
old-fashioned fanning is carried on to a greater 
extent in newly-settled than in long-settled 
parts of the country. Probably a similarity of 
conditions between the early settlers in both 
cases, begets a similarity of methods. Here¬ 
abouts the main object of each farmer is to see 
how much laud he can cultivate, not how w'ell 
he can cultivate it. f. 
Kansas, Perry, Jefferson Co., Dec. 30.—We 
have had more snow this winter than for three 
years past,. A week ago it snowed twelve 
inches which have since settled down, and it is 
snowing again uow. The ground, how'ever, 
has not been frozen. A good deal of the wiuter 
wheat looks bad ; that sown curly alone looks 
w'ell, and much of that also has been injured by 
the fly. b. B. 
North Carolina, Warren Co. — Present 
prices here are: cotton, 7jc.; corn, GOc.; 
dressed pork, 4c.; eggs, 15c.; butter, 25c. to 
30c.; fodder, 75c. per 100 lbs.; oats, 40c. per 
bushel. Some of our viueyardists report a new 
departure in mildew—new at least here. It 
affects the canes, and is more noticeable on 
trellises t hau on stakes. 1 hardly think it will 
prove at all disastrous. m. b. p. 
Rural Farm, Queens Co., N. Y.—Our win¬ 
ter wheat is looking exceptionally good, and 
we hope another summer to make interesting 
reports as to the comparative, value of differ¬ 
ent methods of cultivation. The first really 
cold weather has occurred within the few past 
days.. Much rain—little 6now. 
Kansas. Modena, Butler Co.. Dec. 16.—We 
are having spleudid winter wcuther here. 
Early-sown wheal is looking well aud promises 
a good crop. All farm products arc low: pork, 
$1.80; cattle, 2c.. ou foot; corn, 15@20c. per 
bushel. j. b. 
Kansas, Heplen, Crawford Co.—All early 
sown corn m ils a good crop ; lute corn, how¬ 
ever, m'us poor. Outs, good; wheat, fair to 
middling; potatoes, poor. Cattle look well, 
but the price of everything is low. a. s. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
I* There a Best Kind of Gypnum t 
J. It ., New York City, as between Cayuga 
and Onondaga land-plaster or gypsum, asks 
which sort is the best for fertilizing purposes, 
and outside of the immediate localities in which 
each is produced, which has the best reputa¬ 
tion among practical farmers, and also how 
they compare with Nova Scotia gypsum, aud 
whether either of them is not as good us that 
variety. 
Ans.— Gypsmn is always simply gypsum 
when it is pure. There arc two kinds of gyp¬ 
sum, namely, common or hydrous sulphate of 
lime, which consists of lime. 33i per cent, 
sulphuric acid, 40J per cent, and water, 21 per 
cent; aud the rarer unhydrou.s sulphate of 
lime, which consists of litue, 41.2 per cent, aud 
sulphuric add, 58.8 per cent. Everywhere 
pure gypsum consists of these combinations, 
being in fact a salt of lime, In combination 
with water in the case of the common, or hy¬ 
drous gypsmn. But it is rarely that this sub¬ 
stance exists in a state of complete purity, 
being frequently mixed with silica, carbonate 
of lime, sulphate of iron, and some other im¬ 
purities. The proportion of impurities con¬ 
tained in the gypsum, as a matter of course, 
reduces the value of it as a fertilizer in the pre¬ 
cise ratio in which the quantity of pure gyp¬ 
s'* 111 is reduced. The producers of this ferti¬ 
lizer find it to their interest to sell the purest 
article they can get, and generally the different 
kinds on the market do not show any serious 
variations jp their composition- The Nova 
8ootia gypsum, and that from Cayuga and 
Onondaga, in the State of New York, as found 
in commerce, do not vary appreciably in com¬ 
position, because the miners reject inferior 
qualities for obvious reasons, and the amount 
of pure specimens to be picked out of a ton of 
either kind is about the same in one as in an¬ 
other, and these cannot bo distinguished one 
from the other by their appearance. As a 
matter of convenience, the New York plaster 
is used near where it is quarried, and the Nova 
Scotia near the Atlantic coast. The Nova 
Scotia plaster sometimes comes in competition 
with that of New York, but. as yet no one who 
has used either could probably see the slightest 
difference in their effects. The New York 
plaster is white when ground, and some of the 
Nova Scotia is blue; the dark color is disliked 
by many who use. it, but more from prejudice 
than for any better reason. It might ulso be 
noticed that pure gypsum is soft and easily 
ground, while the impure contains hard nod¬ 
ules that are difficult to grind; the plaster mil¬ 
lers, therefore, are apt to reject impurities aud 
grind only the pure stone. On the whole, the 
New York gypsums would doubtless be pre¬ 
ferred by farmers. 
Pou llry Roosts, Food Vessels and IVest*. . 
N. 0 .. Waltrvillc, N. Y .—asks the best way 
of arranging the above conveniences of a 
poultry house. 
Anb. —Arrange Toosts all on one level, not 
one above another, as is too often done. The 
fowls will fight for the top perch, when one is 
higher than the other. Jt is better to have the 
perches lie in notches in cross pieces, ou posts, 
and not touch the sides of the house. They 
will not then iufect the building with parasites, 
and can be takeu out and cleaned easily. 
Roosts raised from two and a half to three, feet 
are high enough for ordinary-sized birds, but 
roosts one foot aud a half from ihelloor are high 
enough for Asiatics. 
For drinking purposes, au open vessel or dish 
is better than a fountain os it can be more 
thoroughly cleunsecL The vessel should be 
covered with a grating of wire or lath suffi¬ 
ciently open to permit the birds toput their heads 
through to drink, but sloping enough to prevent 
them from walking on it, or sitting on the 
edge of the vessel aud soiling the water. A 
similar arrangement should be used for vessels 
intended for soft food. Hoppers should be 
used for grain, crushed oyster shell, aud bone, 
that have a hole near the bottom edge, with a 
small tray in front to cath the graiu, etc., so 
that no more will ruu out than the birds con¬ 
sume. 
The nests can lie arranged economically in 
boxes three aud a half feet long, fifteen iuclies 
wide, the front and the cuds eight inches high, 
the back three niches. The roof should be two 
foot wide, aud slope from the front of the box 
upward aud backward so us when set agaiust 
the wall, to leave a passage under the roof, be¬ 
hind the box, open at the ends, for the fowls 
to pass in that way, us the front will be all 
closed. One board of the roof, next to the 
front, should be hung with binges, so that it 
can be lifted up to get at the eggs and nests, 
This box will hold three nests, each a foot 
square inside, aud four or five inches deep, 
with one side of two of the boxes high enough 
to form partitions between the nests, wheu set 
in the box. A number of such nest boxes can 
be placed next the w all either ou the floor or 
raised about two feet on shelves, an arrangement 
that will give more floor room. The sloping 
roofs will prevent the fowls from soiling the 
Ixixes. There should be no fixtures; all should 
be portable so us to facilitate thorouglily white¬ 
washing aud cleaning. 
How to Destroy Wire-Worms—Artichokes as 
Hog Food. 
IF T. Arnold. Beaver Co., Pa., 1. Has a very 
productive piece of bottom land thickly infested 
with wire-worms. It was sod land, but was 
broken up lust year aud planted with corn, aud 
he wishes to plant ou it the same crop this 
spring, but is afraid the wire-worms would de¬ 
stroy it, and accordingly asks the best mode of 
destroying them. If salt enough to kill the 
pests were applied, lie inquires whether it 
would injure the eoru crop next year, and de¬ 
sires to learn w hat quantity should be used aud 
wheu should it be applied. 2. lie also asks, 
whether it would pay to raise artichokes iu 
ikttt section, as food for hogs. 
Ans.— if a field is thickly infested with M ire- 
worms it will not be advisable to trust to salt, 
plaster and other quack remedies, for their de¬ 
struction, though fertilizers that increase the 
growth of the crop, help iudirectly to over¬ 
come the insect enemies. The surest method 
of destroying the wire-worm is undoubtedly by 
the combined force of starvation and ex¬ 
posure to swine and birds. Destroy all vege¬ 
tation for a season, plow the land in spring and 
curly fall, aud if possible once during the sum¬ 
mer, so as to bring the pests to the surface and 
give the birds a chance at them. Frequent 
harrowing will aid in the same object. In this 
case, as the season is now too far advanced for 
plowing the land, do so next spring, aud give 
the birds a chance at the pests some time be¬ 
fore planting the corn, Jf the crop should 
prove a failure, it may perhaps be best to re¬ 
peat the above plan next year. 
2. Helianthus tuberosns, or Jerusalem Arti¬ 
choke, may profitably be raised as food for 
hogs; but to obtain the best result, it should 
have a rich, mellow soil, and once eslablishcd 
in such % soil, it. becomes hard to eradicate. 
For this reason it is best to set aside some out- 
of-the-way corner for its culture. 
Remedies for Roup. 
W. II. M., IlOfklottJkH, N. J., wants to learn 
M'liat is the matter with liis poultry and a rem¬ 
edy for the ailment, by whatsoever uame it may 
be known. The symptoms arc : birds droop¬ 
ing, standing about with eyes shut as if asleep; 
the head is swollen, M'itli small scabs or dark 
lumps on face aud comb ; the eyes of some are 
closed tight with yellow matter which is hard, 
like corn; dung, watery, of a dark-hroM T n, glaz¬ 
ed color. Stock, Light Brahmas and Cochins. 
Ans. —The trouble is roup, with a tendency to 
cankerous affection. For remedy: wash the 
head twice, or oftener, daily with vinegar and 
water, or with a weak solution of carbolie acid, 
and apply vassoline or carbolic salve to the 
sores. Give roup pills of knorni value, as per 
directions accompanying them, and also a tonic. 
“ Douglas mixture" is good. A friend who is 
a large and successful poultry-keeper, gives a 
teospoonful of rum and molasses two or three 
times a day. Remove the sick ones from the 
flock without delay, and put them in warm, 
dry quarters. Give the rest Douglas mix¬ 
ture” in their drinking water. 
Steam nows, Etc. 
F. G. II., Mansfuid, Pa., asks where he can 
get a steam plow, or any information con¬ 
cerning that and other agricultural imple¬ 
ments. 
Ans.—A note addressed to Wm. C. Oestler, 
43 Exchange Place, Ncm- York, 'will secure 
complete information concerning steam-plow- 
ing. R. H. Allen & Co., New York, will, on 
application, send circulars of “all kinds of 
agricultural implements." The inquiry is so 
general that wc cannot answer it directly. The 
Rural gives special attention to agricultural 
machinery: full descriptions of all new inven¬ 
tions and improvements that have been made 
in the well-known machines, will be found 
under the head of “ Industrial Implements." 
The Slump Apple. 
N. It., Syracuse, N. Y. t says he wishes some 
well-inforvicd powologist M ould carefully ex¬ 
amine this apple—reported to have originated 
on an oak stump—and explain wherein it dif¬ 
fers frofir*' Indiana Red Stripe. 
Anb.—M r. Downing says of the Red Stripe: 
“Comes to from Iudiana; origin uu- 
knoM’u. Fruit oblong, u'hitish, considerably 
striped, splashed and mottled with crimson. 
Core large and open. August." Of the Stump, 
he says: “Supposed origin Delaware. Fruit 
oblate, yellowish shaded with light red nearly 
over the whole surface. Core small. Septem¬ 
ber and October." We have merely noted 
points of greatest difference. 
Destroying ('mw.flsh on Overflowed Land. 
It. M. T., Hacker grille, W. Fa., says his 
moadoM's are frequently overflowed, and con¬ 
sequently are often beset with craw^-fish, and 
lie asks for some cheap plan for destroying the 
pests. 
Ans. —There are no means of ridding the 
ground of crawfish, except by draining it. If 
the land Mere drained by shallow ditches, so a6 
to carry off the surface M-ater os quickly as 
possible, some relief might be found. But the 
probability is, that so long a» the ground is 
subject to overflow and is soaked with water 
for considerable periods, the craw-fish cannot 
be ejected from it. 
Yield or Deans. 
J. A'., Bellevue Ohio, asks M’liat variety of 
beans will give the best yield on a day loam, 
and how much per acre that yield should be. 
Ans. —All beans prefer a good loam or sandy 
loam. We cannot say which “ variety " M'ould 
do best upon a clayey loam, but should prefer 
the Kidney, Snap or Dwarf varieties. Some of 
these, as the Black Wax, are valued for earli¬ 
ness; some, as Early Mohawk, for hardiness; 
some, as White Wax, for family use; some, as 
Refugee, for lateness and pickling. These 
should yield upwards of 100 bushels per acre. 
Of the pole beaus, Large White Lima is as 
good as any and should yield eighty bushels 
per aere. 
Plano-elte». 
J. M. P., Turucrsville. Coryell Co., Texas, 
asks whether C. W. Strong it Co., of Boston, 
Mass., are trustworthy, and whether the Piano- 
ettes they profess to sell for four dollars are 
humbugs or uot. 
Ans.—S trong Co. are trustworthy. The 
“ piano-ette" is a small revolving cylinder, un¬ 
der M'hich a piece of perforated card-board is 
rolled, the perforations permitting the protu¬ 
berances on the cylinder to hammer on metal 
plates, on the principle of a music box, and by 
this means the air is produced. It is a very 
crude fuusioal instrument. 
r if 
Who arcJKntltled to Free Heeds I 
Many Subscribers inquire whether they will 
be entitled to share in the free-sced distribu¬ 
tion if they subscribe through un agent, just 
the 6ame as if they sent their subscriptions 
directly to this office. 
Ans. —All subscribers whose names are on 
our books, whether their subscriptions have 
been sent us by themselves, their friends or our 
agents, arc equally welcome to participate in 
the. distribution. We must have some protec¬ 
tion and draw the line somewhere, and we do 
so under the applicant’s name in the books of 
this office. 
Clover Seed for Dyeing;. 
O. B. M.. says that lie has seen it related that 
clover seed is used for a coloring pigment for 
calico goods, but he doesn’t know where to 
search for authentic information on the sub¬ 
ject and asks the Rural to publish the pro¬ 
cess. 
Ans. —If it was stated where the above w r as 
related, it might have been some help to In¬ 
vestigate this matter. After searching many 
technical books on the subject and inquiring 
from several experts, nothing can be learned of 
me use of clover seed as a dye stuff. We have 
never hoard of such a use for it. 
Where to Gel Seed of Acme Tomato. 
IF. H. Jf., asks where enn he purchase from 
a reliable dealer pure seed of Acme tomato. He 
wants enough for two acres. 
Ans. —Of Tborburn & Co., R. H. Allen <& Co. 
of this city; James Vick of Rochester: J. J. 
H. Gregory of Marblehead, Mass.; Laudroth & 
Sons, Henry A. Dreer, Phila. ; D. M. Ferry <fc 
Co., Detroit: Crossman tfc Bros., Rochester; 
Stair <te Kendal, Cleveland; J. B. Root, Rook- 
ford Ills. 
Market for Sage. 
M. L., Alfred, Allegany Co., N. Y.. having 
raised 100 lbs. of 6age, asks where he can find 
a good market for it. 
Ans. —It would not pay to send so small a 
quantity hither to market. The freight, and ex¬ 
penses of handling it would be more than it 
would sell for. Sage is noM' sold very Iom' at 
wholesale, aud at the best M ould bring only a 
few cents per pound. 
“Steep” to Hasten Germination. 
8. C. B., Peiroil, Mich.., asks for a formula 
for the preparation of a “steep" to promote 
the rapid germination of seeds. 
Ans. —We do not believe in any “steep" for 
this purpose, aud advise our friend not to 
spend his money for quack preparations w,liich 
are sold for this purpose. 
Moore's F.nrly Grape. 
J. A. Jf, La Cygne , Kansas, asks what are 
the merits of Moore’s Early Grape. 
Ans.—H ardiness, size and quality. We have 
never tested it. We merely answ er the ques¬ 
tion as to what is claimed. 
Thrips. 
8. B. P-, Muskegon, Mich., sends us a sprig 
from a rose bush having spots on the leaves, 
and asks what causes them. 
Anb.—T hrips. 
Miscellaneous. 
E. F., Providence, R. I., having been advised 
to sow Fife wheat, asks w here seed of it can be 
had, as the catalogues do not mention it. 
Ans. —Fife wheat is a spring variety, grown 
largely in Canada and Michigan, where spring 
wheat is a usual crop. As a matter of course, 
it is not kept for sale in R. I. where spring 
wheat is not grown. The seed may be procured 
from Rennie & Co.. Toronto, Canada, or Ferry 
& Co., of Detroit., Mich. 
J. IF. 8., asks 1. whether anyjplants from the 
free seed distribution bear edible or poisonous 
fruits; 2. what is the best thing to keep boots 
soft and water-proof; 3. the best poison for 
rats. 
ans. —1. No poisonous plants; of course, the 
tomato &c. are edible. 
2. A mixture of beeswax and neat’s-foot oil. 
3. Phosphorus paste is as good us any poison. 
A. IF. G. Brockville Canada, asks if G. W. 
Turner <fc Ross are trustworthy and if their 
goods are as represented. 
Ans. —G. W. Turner <fc Ross arc responsible 
and the “ Alexis" revolver is good enough for 
the money. 
C. II. Ih. Nunda Station, N. Y., asks where 
Alfalfa seed can be obtained. 
Ans.—A nswers will be found in several late 
issues of the Rural. 
J. N. IF. Brandon., 17., asks where he can 
get a pair of Brown Leghorns and their price. 
Ans.— Write to Geo. S. Josselyn, Frcdonia, 
N. Y. 
Communications received for the week ending 
Saturday, December 2Sth. 
“Subscriber,” Is reminded that a signature Is 
required.—E. A. (I.—L. W.—H. S.—I. S. C.—J. E. 
D.—J. >t. P.—J. L. T>.—W. B. D.—E. F. M.—E. J. 
B.—M. J. F.—I). E. S.—J. B. L.—M. W. F.—A. M. 
n.—D. S. S.—G. A. L.-S. L. R.—D. P. E.—G. F. N.— 
no signature-—W. G. W.—J. S.-JI. B. N.—R. C. C. 
=-E. P. R.—L, C- W—D, fj. S.—A. B.— I. H. B. 
'* J V \ I J 
