THE RURAL KEW-YORKER. 
MARSH 4 
®jg foultrp |arb 
A POULTRY ACCOUNT. 
For some ten years the rare of poultry lias 
afforded me mueli pleasure, and at the Fame 
time has been a sourer of considerable profit. 
For the last three years I have endeavored to test 
the profU-and-loss account, and each year I have 
seeu a good balance on the credit side of my 
poultry account. Cholera has swept away 
whole flocks, and that quite near my place; 
but thus far mine have escaped, and I do not 
think I ever lost a fowl by contagious disease. 
My poultry have enjoyed the advantages of 
comfortable houses, cheaply constructed, aud 
designed to combine light, warmth and good 
ventilation. I always give an abundance of 
good, sound, nutritious food, varied with dif¬ 
ferent kinds of grain, together with a daily 
supply of clean, fresh water. They also get 
plenty of broken oyster-shell, old mortar, 
coarse sand, etc. Their morning meal con¬ 
sists of wheat bran and middlings, mixed with 
boiling water. At noon. I give them cabbage, 
turnip, onions, apples, etc., and about four 
o’clock all the whole corn they will eat. 
My plan has been to hatch chickens in May 
and Juno, and as soon as they are large enough 
for broilers the roosters are sold. During the 
early fall months 1 feed liberally. When cold 
weather cornea, the fowls are in good, warm 
houses, of which there are three. I am care¬ 
ful to keep these reasonably clean, and fre¬ 
quently burn a pound or two of sulphur In 
them. The resull is, the houses are free from 
lice. 
The reader will see that the total stock for 
the year numbered 486. Should the number of 
eggs appear small, it must be noted that during 
April 130 fowls were sold, leaving but 40 heus 
to hatch and rear the chickens. My reason for 
selling then was that the prices of dressed poul¬ 
try ruled higher thau at any other season of the 
year—from 50 to 7ft per cent, above prices ob¬ 
tained at Thanksgiving or during the holidays. 
Moreover, by disposing of a part of my Hock 
then. I was not troubled during the summer 
months with a large flock of old fowls. 
In Account wtth 174 Fowls. 
Jam, 1,1878. Or. 
To 174 fowls, »t 80 cts. each.-. $lo4 40 
13$ tons wheat tirnn. $18 . 27 00 
40 bushels corn, at ttJ cts.. 24 U0 
1 ton cracked corn. 22 00 
5 bushels rye. at Mi els. 2 80 
20 bushels oats, at 30 ct«_-..... 6 00 
78 bushels corn, at .VJ cts. . 48 00 
150 lbs. meat scrapa, at 2 cts. • 3 (Hi 
4 Plymouth Rock heua bought.. 7 60 
40 dozen eggs set. at Ul cts. 6 20 
Total cost. 
Dec. 31, 1878. 
By 756*4 doz. eggs. 
130 hens sola, April 5th to SOtli. 
150 roosters, .July to Oot.. 
19 selected fowls, Plymouth Rocks. 
Hen manure. . 
187 stock on hand, at GO cts. 
$239 90 
Cr. 
$158 47 
88 40 
71 84 
25 65 
42 00 
112 20 
Total proceeds...$496 38 
Deduct cost. 239 90 
Profit. .$256 48 
Rkview. 
Rural. April 7th, 1877, page 217. 
Record of 84 fowls. 
Total proceeds.$352 80 
Cost... 150 20 
Profit.*202 80 
Rural, Feb. 9, 1878, page 91. 
Record of 1877—144 fowls. 
Total proceeds.$582 81 
Cost.. 244 70 
Profit.$338 11 
Record of 1878—174 fowls. 
Total proceeds.$496 36 
Cost.... 239 90 
Profit.$256 46 
Total profit dnring three years.$797 17 
Walden. N. Y., Feb. 2,1878. Ruralist. 
Dari ohs. 
HONOR TO WHOM HONOR IS DUE. 
In the issue of the Rural for January 18th, 
1 notice a flue engraving of Pinus ponderosa 
pendula, aud some remarks on its excellence 
by Mr. II. W. Sargent, of Fishkill-on-thc-ITud- 
son, the possessor of the original and only 
existing specimeu. It seems that some varie¬ 
ties more or less similar have occurred in Eng¬ 
land, but apparently they are not really the 
same. There are, at the most, only one or two 
weeping Pines, and they are extremely rare. 
A distinct, hardy variety therefore, like Pinne 
ponderosa pendula, will unquestionably be a 
great acquisition. But the point on which I 
desire specially to dwell, is the fact that the high 
honor is due to Mr. H. W. Sargent of having 
been the first to introduce two of the best weep¬ 
ing evergreen h in existence, viz. : the Weeping 
Hemlock and the Weeping Pinu6 ponderosa. 
No one who has seen these trees fully devel¬ 
oped, can doubt this assertion: and I conceive 
that the remembrance of this fact is very plea¬ 
sant to Mr. Sargent. Indeed, the increasing 
delight these varieties will doubtless afford 
future generations, should be always associated 
with his name. I therefore hope the names, 
Abies Canadensis pendula Sargentii, aud Pinus 
ponderosa pendula Sargeulii, uiaj l>e accepted 
and employed. Moreover, there will be an 
advantage Id this, because other Weeping 
Hemlocks may possibly receive distinctive 
names, as may also weeping forms of Pinus 
ponderosa. In any such case, Mr. Sargent’s 
varieties should he fully designated. 
S. Parsons. 
Lost Nation Wiirat. — A correspondent, 
from River Falls. Pierce Co., Wisconsin, con¬ 
firms wliat another friend of the Rural from 
the Northwest, told, in a late issue, about this 
variety of wheat, as tested in that section. Fife 
is the standard sort thereabouts, and spring 
wheat the regular crop. Lost Nation is selling 
at a discount of ten cents per bushel at the 
mills, and at a heavier discount with the ma¬ 
jority ot farmers, mainly because il is so liable 
to be affected with smut. When good, its yield 
In light soils is superior to that of Fife, but it 
is not so reliable. 
-♦♦♦- 
CATALOGUES, &c., RECEIVED. 
Silica ns. Ammonia. Some of the most pro¬ 
gressive of the Southern States are payiug a 
great deal of attention to the agricultural re¬ 
sources of their soils, and to the best methods 
of developing thorn. Probably there is no part 
of the country in which so much commercial 
fertilizers are used as in some portions of the 
cotton Stales. It has, therefore, become a 
matter of prime importance with the farmers 
throughout that section that every precaution 
should be taken to test the relative values of 
the various fertilizers offered to them for sale. 
There were two means of doing this open to 
them, aud, as a rule, both have been adopted 
with excellent effect. Of these two means, the 
first was the establishment of experiment sta¬ 
tions at which samples of the various fertilizers 
Bent in by any of the citizens of the State could 
lie analyzed by upright, impartial experts of 
known ability, and reports made on the fertil¬ 
izing value of the various constituents. Some 
of the cotton States have, already adopted this 
excellent system, and the stations of North 
Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee have gained a 
national reputation for the thoroughness of 
their work, while, saving enormous sums each 
year to the agriculturists of those States, by 
quickly exposing all fradulont or worthless 
fertilizers, as well as reducing to a slim possi¬ 
bility the chances that any extensive adultera¬ 
tions could escape speedy detection and ex¬ 
posure. The second method was to test the 
relative effects of various fertilizers on grow¬ 
ing crops, the experiments being conducted by 
trustworthy farmers acting in connection with, 
and under the direction of the experiment sta¬ 
tions,to which reports should be made. This 
has also been done; and Dr. A. R. Lcdoux. the 
director of the experimental station at Chapel 
Ilill, N. C., sends us in a ueat24-page pamphlet, 
the results obtained in the case of Popplein’s 
Silicated Phosphate, from a combination of 
these two methods of testing the value of a 
fertilizer. Some time back this Baltimore firm, 
makers of a fertilizer according to a formula 
in which soluble silica, at the rate of five cents 
a pound, is substituted for nitrogen at the rate 
of twenty cents a pound, expressed their dis¬ 
content at the money valuation put upon their 
fertilizer by Dr. Lcdoux, and offered to donate, 
five tons of it, or less, for the purpose of mak¬ 
ing a practical field test of its agricultural 
value in comparison with that of other fertil¬ 
izers. The offer was accepted, and the tests 
made on various crops by three skillful farmers 
in different parts of tbe State. Those who 
have read Mr. J. B. Lawes’s contribution to a 
late Rural, treating of the abundance of silica 
naturally in most soils, and the consequent 
needlessness of any artificial supply, will have 
no difficulty in guessing the result. In every 
case the silicated fertilizer was less beneficial 
in its effects than either the ammoniated fer¬ 
tilizers, Peruvian guano or barnyard manure, 
used alongside of it under similar conditions. 
The Blessed Bees. —By John Allen, pub¬ 
lished by G. P. Putman’s Sons N. Y., price 
81.00. This is an admirable little hook of 169 
pages, on bee culture. In it the author re¬ 
lates his experieuce with bees during one year. 
He tells how he started in bee-keepiug ; how 
he Italianized; how he produced comb-honey; 
nucleus swarming; how he marketed the honey; 
his profits, and preparation for winter; and 
finally he considers the reasons of his success 
and gives advice for others. The whole is an 
admirable narrative treating of all tbe points 
essential to successful apiculture, and from 
the manner these points are presented, the 
book has nothing of the dryness that charac¬ 
terizes didactic works generally. The reader 
enters into sympathy with the author, par¬ 
takes of his enthusiasm and his pleasures. 
To give a specimen, we quote from the au¬ 
thor : “ It was on the twenty-ninth of May that 
the work of Italianizing was completed. The 
work had been really exciting. I entered iuto 
it with an abandon which I believe is seldom 
found. People often complaiu that their work 
is a slavish toil. Mine had been a daily de¬ 
light. Although several years have passed 
since then, and I now number my lnves by the 
thousand, still as I write this account of those 
absorbing days, something of the old enthu¬ 
siasm stirs within me.” 
Again in the notes in the back part he says: 
“ The eggs deposited by a fertilized queen in 
worker cells, are impregnated, and develop 
into worker bees. The workers are imper¬ 
fectly-developed females. All the work in the 
hive is done by them They build comb, col¬ 
lect pollen and honey, take care of the 
queen, nurse the growing brood, protect the 
hive from robber bees, and keep it clean. 
Should the queen die or be taken from them, 
they will, if they have worker eggs or worker 
larvae not more than t hree day old, raise a new 
queen in the inanuer described in tbe chap¬ 
ter on Italianizing.” 
The hook Ik printed in distinct type, on stout, 
tinted paper, and neatly bound in cloth. 
Harris’s Moreton Farm Seeds. Descriptive 
catalogue of field, garden and flower seeds, 
cultivated and for sale by Joseph Harris, Roch¬ 
ester, N. Y. We trust that our readers have, 
ere now, discovered that our “ notices” of 
catalogues are not influenced by the value of 
the advertising patronage of their authors. 
Our sole object in commenting upon them at 
all, is that our readers may be guided by a 
comparison of prices and lists, in purchasing 
of those who will supply them the fullest 
equivalent for their mouey. We have no 
acquaintance with Mr. Harris, but the cata¬ 
logue in question is one that we should re¬ 
commend our readers to apply for, being 
both notably original and interesting. We 
quote a few paragraphs: 
It i6 sixteen yeare since I commenced to grow 
seeds. But this is the first year that 1 have 
issued a catalogue. 1 fear it will be a poor 
one, but I shall try and comfort myself with 
the reflection that no one will be asked to pay 
anything for it. I propose to send it free of 
all charge, prepaid by mail to any and all of 
my friends who desire it. I hope my seeds 
will prove to be fresher and bolter than my 
catalogue. 
I have been an agricultural writer for twen¬ 
ty-nine years. My first article was written on 
this farm and appeared in the Genesee Farmer 
(to which the Rural New-Yorker succeeded. 
Eds.) for October, 1850. My friend, Janies 
Vick, was then the publisher of the paper—and 
never was there a better friend or a better 
editor. In 1851 he ran up the circulation of 
the paper to 50,000 copies, and the following 
year he put my name iu the paper as one of 
the editors, I have been writing ever since. I 
have been eonuected editorially with the Gen- 
essee Fanner, the Rural New-Yorker, Albany 
Cultivator aud Country Gentleman, the IJeartb 
and Home, aud the American Agriculturist. I 
have also writteu a book which the publishers, 
somewhat to my annoyance, called “Harris 
on the Pig,” and last year I wrote another 
hook called “ Talks on Manures.” 
Second Annual Report of the Now York 
State Dairymen’s Association with transac¬ 
tions and addresses for the year 1878. We 
have not space here to notice this neat and ex¬ 
cellent compilation as fully as it deserves. 
A study of its contents,contaimng the condensed 
results of the 6tudy and experience of some of 
our best teachers on dairy matters, would be 
of advantage to all our readers who may keep 
even a single cow. Among the most noticea¬ 
ble articles in it are: Suggestions for the im¬ 
provement of Domestic Animals—S. Hoxie; 
Principles of Breeding Domestic Stock—J. F. 
Gulliver; Butter Making—R. Day; Guenon’s 
System of Judging cows by the Escutcheon— 
Willie P. Hazzard; Statistics of Dairy Interest 
of New York—L. B. Arnold; The Production 
of Milk—Prof. I. P. Roberts; Dairy Interest 
Abroad—F. B. Thurber. Josiali Shull, Dlion, 
N. Y., Sec. 
Descriptive Pamphlet of Thoroughbred 
Poultry, owned by J. T. Lovett, Cornwall-on- 
the-Hudson, N. Y. Illustrations of Brown and 
White Leghorns; Pea-Combed Partridge Coch¬ 
ins, and Plymouth Rocks. Of the last-men¬ 
tioned Mr. Lovett says: 
“ My yard of this breed is composed of extra 
fine, pure-blooded hens of the Drake strain 
(acknowledged to be tbe best iu the country), 
for which 1 paid a large sum, mated with a 
brother of “ Bob,” of the Rural Grounds, fig¬ 
ured in the Rural New-Yorker of December 
21st, 1878. This fine bird was presented to me 
by that journal, looks almost exactly like 
“Bob,” and is one of the finest specimens of 
the breed in existence.” 
We have before us the Scale Catalogue and 
price-list of Jones of Binghamton, N. Y. Mr. 
Jones is nothing loath to sound his own horn— 
and says so. He is, too, ever ready to put a 
beam in a neighbor’s eye, if it is agreed that it 
shall be a scale-beam with Jones engraved 
thereon. The reason why good scales may be 
made and sold so cheaply is clearly explained, 
and it is distinctly stated that the scales are 
not sold upon mere representation. They are 
guaranteed to be perfect and then sent out on 
trial, no money or conditions being exacted 
uutil the scale has abundantly demonstrated 
its worth. Auy one who has had the pleasure 
of meeting Mr. Jones, will see the man reflect¬ 
ed throughout the Catalogue. He is as honest 
as his scales are trustworthy. 
Useful Arts: A Journal ol American In¬ 
dustries ; James A Whitney, Editor and Pro¬ 
prietor ; published monthly at 912 Broadway, 
this city; price $1 per annum. This is the 
first number of a handsome, instinctive, illus¬ 
trated venture in periodical literature. From 
its contents, the fact that its owner—an occa¬ 
sional contributor to the Rural— does a large 
patent agency business, and its prospectus, wr 
should judge that it will be devoted chiefly to 
the same department of industrial arts as the 
Scientific American. Its table of contents is 
varied, its matter instructive and interesting, 
its make-up In every respect commendable, 
and we heartily wish it all the success it may 
deserve. 
Roses —Roses—Roses! The New Guide to 
Rose Culture. The Diugee and Conard Co. of 
West Grove, Chester Co.. Penn. He who loves 
Roses (“and who does not.?”) needs this cata¬ 
logue. It is about Roses of all sorts, and of 
their culture. Among a collection of new 
varieties sent to ns by this company, we were 
especially pleased with that originated and 
named by Eugene Verdi cr of Paris, in honor 
of this company, “ Dlngoe-Conard.” It is of 
the hybrid perpetual class, is perfectly hardy, 
blooms incessantly, and the fragrant flowers 
are of a scarlet color with a flush of violet. 
But we heartily commend this catalogue and 
this firm to all of our friends. 
Pamphlet. Choice Strawberries and other 
small fruits, grown and for sale by F. R. Pier¬ 
son. Tarrytown-on-the-Hudson. Cuts are given 
of Cumbciland Triumph. Crescent Seedling, 
&c. This pamphlet is free. We would say to 
our readers that it would he well to consult the 
Rural New-Yorker of Sept. 7, 1878, before 
ordering Strawberries for spring planting. In 
that will be found trustworthy information as 
to tbe best new and the best old varieties, from 
many who have stated the results of careful 
tests. 
Cole & Brother’s Illustrated Catalogue and 
guide to the flower and vegetable garden for 
1879. Pella, Marion Co., Ills. Drooping Sor¬ 
ghum is a specialty ill this catalogue of all 
sorts of flower and vegetable seeds. See Rural 
of Jan. 18. for remarks and illustration of this 
plant. Artichokes, Cbufas (about which we 
are constantly having inquiries), arc also offer¬ 
ed. Free—that is, the catalogue. 
Notes on the Apbidia? of the United States, 
with descriptions of species occurring west 
of the Mississippi; by Chas. V. Riley and 
J. Monell. This illustrated pamphlet of 40 
pages gives a full account of the history, 
habitat, ravages, etc., etc., of the Plant-lice 
families of the country, in the clear style and 
comprehensive manner characteristic of the 
authors. 
Report of S. L. Polk, Commissioner of Ag¬ 
riculture, for 1877 and 1878. This is another 
of the many excellent Reports with which 
Commissioner Polk instructs and stimulates 
the farmers of his State. It is a 61-page 
pamphlet, treating chiefly of fish propaga¬ 
tion; commercial fertilizers : sheep husbandry ; 
fences; crops and miscellaneous matters. 
Benson, Maulf. & Co., 223 Church St., Phil¬ 
adelphia. Illustrated and descriptive catalogue 
of garden, field and flower seeds—a choice 
selection of small fruits, trees, plants, bulbs 
and agricultural implements—also a brief 
price-list, of thoroughbred poultry and eggs 
for hatching. Free to all of our subscribers 
who apply. 
C. H. Hovr.v & Co., 22 Tremont St.. Boston, 
Mass. Spring Catalogue of plants, seeds etc. 
Thi6 catalogue offers a great variety of new 
things, some of which we have ordered for 
testing. Among them are several singular 
Philadelphuses and Weigelas. 
Reid’s Illust’d Floral Tribute, Roches¬ 
ter, N. Y. This is a costly catalogue of all 
sorts of seeds and plants, with about fifty 
showy little colored plates and many practical 
cultural details. So far as we see. it is offered 
fret, to applicants. 
Beach. Son & Co.. 7 Barclay Street., N. Y. 
Catalogue of all kinds of seeds and bulbs. This 
is a large, handsome catalogue, which will be 
sent without charge. The beautiful Gladiolus 
is a specialty with this firm, and the list is long 
and full. 
J. M. Childs & Co., of Utica. N. Y., send us 
their Catalogue for 1879. It is well arranged, 
comprehensive, and contains almost every¬ 
thing in the way of farm tools, low prices, and 
good advice. 
Address of the Hon. Marshall P. Wilder at 
the annual meeting of the New England His¬ 
torical Society, and other proceedings. Pub¬ 
lished at the Society’s House, 18 Somerset St., 
Boston. 
L. J. Denton, Prospect Hill Nursery, Plain- 
field, N. J. Trade price-list of trees, flowering 
shrubs, vines, &c. 
William Rennie’s Seed Catalogue, To¬ 
ronto, Cauada. Eighty pages, well illustrated. 
Plants, seeds, &c. 
Isaac F. Tili.inghast, Factoryville, Pa. 
Catalogue of warranted vegetable and flower 
seeds, free to all. 
A. Whitcomb’s Descriptive Catalogue of 
bedding and greenhouse plants, Lawrence, 
Kansas, 
