770 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
NOV. 2@ 
BUBAL SPECIAL BEPORTS. 
Mass., Chelsea, Suffolk Co., Nov* 10.—We 
have had souie cold weather here, which has 
about put au end to gardening. It seetus for¬ 
tunate that there is something that suspends 
the growth of weeds, for otherwise the warfare 
against them would be tircsomcly endless. Yet 
even with weeds one could get along; but in¬ 
sects are still more pestiferous and abundant, 
and I believe there isn’t a more favorite haunt 
of the pests than right here. They all visit us 
in due time, rose bugs, squash bugs, cabbage 
worms, currant worms—but there is no need 
o?completing the list: everyone who has tried 
gardening knows from personal experience 
what some of them are. and the experiences of 
all seem combined here. Yet,despite these draw¬ 
backs, when winter has come, I look back with 
pleasure at my summer’s garden work, ponder 
where I might have dor e better and plan for 
more successful results in future. By the way, 
one thing I have learnt is that Yucca filamen- 
tosa seed should be soaked iu warm water be¬ 
fore they are planted. Of all places in the 
country, this is the most delightful for a bug- 
hunting entomologist. o. a. b. 
Mass , Palmer, Hampdeu Co., Nov. 13—1 
was much interested in the article “Handy 
Things to Know, to Do, and to Have” in the 
Rural of Nov. 8th, but would like to suggest 
one improvement:—in whipping the end of a 
rope, use small-sized copper wire instead of 
thread. The wire never wears off. The ends 
should be turned under and driven into the 
rope. fl. x>. F. 
Ohio., Bethel, Clermont Co,, Nov. 8. —The 
seed of Blount’s Prolific, sent by the Rural to 
me, to lesi its merits by experiment, was a 
miserable-looking specimen of corn. But I 
determined to do my best with it, and compete 
for the Rural corn premiums. I must say 
that the plat of 33 feet square planted grew 
such flue-looking com, that it drew the atten¬ 
tion of every person who saw II, and they in¬ 
variably asked of me an explanation in regard 
to the kind of corn and my method of planting 
it. The only wonderment was whether it 
could ripen. This problem is solved by the 
harvesting of the coi n on my plat, iu a per¬ 
fectly matured and dry state, producing a 
pretty grain, despite the fact that the season 
was extremely unfavorable for ripening, being 
very wet from the middle of August to the mid¬ 
dle of September. Iu ordinary culture this 
kind of corn should be planted not later than 
the first of May. As a corn to be raised for all 
purposes I cau’t recommend it; but I believe it 
would be highly profitable for feeding cattle, 
stalk and corn together, as the ears can be 
masticated iu the husk readily ; stock could 
also consume the greater part of the stalk, as 
it is soft and light, when cured out. I also 
boliev j , from the appearance of the grain, that 
it will make good meal for table u6e, and in 
roasting time it is sweet and good. Next 
spring 1 expect to plant one bushel of my seed 
iu rows 3} feet apart, oue grain in a place, 30 
inches apart, so as to make proper proportion 
of grain to the stalk. For this method of 
planting the ground should be clear from 
weeds. In our county corn will husk about 
half a crop. The wheat crop harvested last 
will not give much more than enough for 
home consumption. Oats were a half crop ; of 
rye, not muetx is sown here; barley, good j 
potatoes, a full crop, and thousands of bushels 
to sell. The wheat sown this fall has been 
greatly damaged by the fly. The greater part 
of October being very warm and dry. was suit- 
ab.e to its work of destruction. Many far¬ 
mers have resowed. In the last few days we 
have had some cold weather, the mercury fall¬ 
ing to 13 above zero. This is the first warning 
of winter, as we have not had the snow squalls 
that usually envelop us before this late date m 
the season. G G 
Wis., West Salem, La Crosse Co., Nov. 13.— 
Some of all the flower seeds I received from 
the Rusal came up and are doing well. De¬ 
fiance wheat rusted badly, as did all spring 
wheat here last summer. Pearl Millet grew 
to be six feet high I do not think it is suitable 
for this climate. The seasons here are not long 
enough for Blount’s corn. It grew very tall; 
had from oue to five ears ; but frost killed it 
when in good roasting ears, on September 20th. 
Winter wheat was good; corn was never a bet¬ 
ter crop; potatoes were a good crop and sold 
at from 25 to 35 cts a bushel. m. l. h. 
Kans., Atchison Co., Nov. 9. —Onr growing 
season is past, and our harvest is garnered. 
The Kural’8 Beauty of Hebron gave a satis¬ 
factory yield, though potatoes generally just 
here have been a poor crop. I have j ust dug 
an acre, and for all my trouble I only got 
just oue bushel and a half. The average iu the 
country, however, is somewhat better—or rather 
less bad—amounting to about teu bushels per 
acre. Corn is the principal crop in this coun¬ 
ty, and this year averages from 15 to 40 
bushels per acre. It is a favorite crop here, 
bccanse it needs no manure. Blount’s Prolific 
will not do for this section, as the ears arc too 
small and it takes too long to mature. Wheat 
does well here, and an unusually large acreage 
has been sown this year. In our market wheat 
sells for OOcls ; oats, 35cls ; corn, 27 ct6 ; but¬ 
ter. 25ets per pound ; chickens, 5*2 per doz.; 
hogs, $8.10 per 100 lbs. C. w. b. 
Neb., York, York Co., Nov. 10. —We have 
had a very warm, pleasant fall here, and lar- 
mers have taken advantage of the favorable 
season by getting nearly all their fall plowing 
done for next spring’s crops. Quite a good 
many pieces of fall wheat were put in this 
season in our county, and it is looking first- 
rate. As the chinch bugs have been with us 
to a limited extent this season, there is quite a 
demand for fiax-seed for next spring. Wheat 
is quoted at 80c; coru, 15c; oats, 20; hogs, 
$2.50 to $2.75 per 100 pounds. Granger. 
<$umst. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
All About Horse Manure. 
A farmer, Long Island, asks for an analysis 
of horse manure, and all about it as a fer¬ 
tilizer. 
Ans.— Horse manure consists of the liquid and 
solid excrements ; the former consists of water 
040 parts,urea 7 parts and saline matter 53 parts 
in 1,000. The urea is not the only nitrogenous 
portion of the urine, as some of the saline 
substances contain nitrogen The quantity of 
urea contained iu the urine depends greally 
upon the condition of the horse and the nature 
of its employment. A horse that is constantly 
worked hard, wastes a large proportion of 
muscular tissue, which is used up in the exer¬ 
cise of the force exerted, and this waste of 
fibrous tissue is carried off through the kidneys 
iu. the form of urea. So that the urine of a 
hard-worked horse Is richer in nitrogen than 
that of ouc whoso life is easier. The quantity 
of nitrogen and saline matter also depends 
upon the nature and quality of the food ; oats, 
bran and other foods, rich in nitrogen and 
potash, produce urine which is far richer iu 
these substances, than that produced from corn 
uud straw. The saline or mineral portions of 
the urine contain 2} per cent, of hippurate of 
soda, 0.0 per cent, of carbonate of soda, 0.9 per 
cent, of chloride of potassium and 1.1 per cent 
of carbouale of lime ; the rest consists of car¬ 
bonate of magnesia and chloride of sodium- 
The solid excrement consists of 75 per cent, of 
water and 25 per cent, of solid dry matter. 
The dry matter contains : 
Carbon....,.38.7 per cent. 
Hydrogen. 6.1 " 
Oxygen.37.7 ** " 
nitrogen. 2.2 " 
Ash....16.3 “ " 
Tbe ash consists of 
Silica.. 
Potash 
Soda.. 
Liuie. 
Magnesia..... 
Oxide of iron. 
Oxide of manganese. 
Chlorides of sodium and potassium, 
Phosphoric acid. 
Sulphuric acid.. 
100.00 
..62.4 per cent. 
..11.3 “ " 
.. 2.0 “ 
.. 4.6 “ “ 
.. 3.8 •* “ 
.. 1.2 “ •• 
.. 2.1 “ ** 
.. 0.3 '* “ 
..10.4 “ “ 
.. 1.9 “ “ 
100.00 
The quality of the solid exeremeut depends 
upou the condition and employment of the 
animal, and the character of the food. A full- 
grown and fat boree makes richer manure than 
a young or a thiu and ill-conditioned one. A 
horse that stands idle a great part of the time 
also produces richer solid manure (but puorer 
urine) than a hard-worked horse. The effect 
of the food on the dung may be illustrated by 
the following example given by Boussiugault, 
viz.: 
A horse was fed on a ration of 16} pounds of 
hay and five pounds of oats in 24 hours. The 
food contained: 
Carbon. Nitrogen. Saline Matter, 
Hay.45,600 grams 1,600 grs. 8,960 gra. 
uats.15,IKK! •• 650 •' 1,180 ** 
Total.... 60,600 2,150 10,140 
There were given off from the lungs and skin in the 
24 hours, 37,960 grams, 
leaving to be excreted in the dung and urine 
22,640 grs. 2,150 gra. 10,140 grs. 
There were actually found in the excretions 
22,540 grs. 1,770 gis. 10,540 grs. 
The missing nitrogen would be used iu the 
repair of the wasted muscular tissue, which re¬ 
appeared iu the saliue matter. For 1,000 
pounds of dry food and litter may be expected 
2,000 to 2,300 pounds of fresh manure, and the 
whole manure, including litter, will, of course, 
be modified considerably by the presence of 
the added material. 
A Would-be New Cereal. 
M. AT., Bryan. Texas, sends us au extract 
from a Galveston paper describing what it 
calls a new kind of cereal, and asks our opin¬ 
ion as to what is said of it, and where seeds 
can be obtained. The correspoudent who de¬ 
scribes this plant had 40 acres of sod turned 
over last spring, aud having procured several 
quarts of the seed, with au ordinary seed-plant¬ 
er he deposited two or three grains a foot or 
two apart in the sod. There had not been a 
drop of rain for the previous eight months, 
and it did not rain for fivo weeks after the 
planting, yet the seed germinated- The corn 
came up and grew fioely. After it got fairly 
started, the hot blasts came up from the Llano 
E6tacado (8taked Plains), burning up the 
grass aud every green thing in the gardens, 
scorching like the blasts from a furnace, and 
yet it did not affect the new-comer from Egypt 
a particle. It grew right along, in spite of the 
heat. Then the rains came on, and the sturdy 
grain was equally indifferent to that. It grow 
right on. aud ripeued about the 1st of Septem¬ 
ber, yielding. Deacon Hollister thought, some 
60 bushels to the acre, weighing 60 pounds to 
the bushel. The stalk for^some three feet 
from the ground is about as large as a man’s 
coat-sleeve, and is a perfect wood. This, in 
all the treeless region east of the mountains, 
is a most important fact, as au acre or two 
will furnish fuel for a family for au entire 
year. From the top of this woody substance 
issues a stalk, on the top of which a tuft,some¬ 
thing like that of Sorghum, issues; thiH soon 
droops over, aud the whole bunch is one mass 
of the grain. The kernel is about the size of a 
grain of wheat, perhaps a little smaller, and 
more nearly round. Each one is inclosed iu a 
shuck,or independent capsule. The grain cau 
be ground into au excellent flour, from which 
bread and other foods can be made; it can be 
boiled and eaten as rice and cracked wheat, 
and, iu fact, can be used for any purpose for 
which our ordiuary cereals are employed. 
Thus the article in question goes ou. 
Ans. —This plant is, no doubt, the Drooping 
Sorghum. It is far from a nei.o plant. We tried, 
tbe past summer, half a dozen different sorts of 
ihis Sorghum, called by mauy different names, 
such as Doura, White and Brown Egyptian 
Corn, Guinea and China Coru. So far as wc 
can see or ascertain, they are all varieties of 
the common Sorghum—S. vulgare. Whether 
the fact of a drooping fruit pauiele is enough 
to justify the specific name of Cernuum, we 
cannot say, Iu some of the upright sorts a 
disposition of the stalk to bend downwards 
w T as evident. Some of the drooping seed heads 
were less drooping thau others. Iu other re¬ 
spects there were no marked differences that 
we eouLd discover. There was one variety, 
viz., that which was sent to us as Doura, 
which produced an average of six or eight 
stalks from one seed. This will bear cutting 
at leasi twice. As a fodder plant, we should 
much prefer it to Pearl Millet, so much talked 
of during the past two years. The other sorts 
from oue seed produced but one heavy stalk, 
rarely throwing up a sucker. When cut off, 
like coru stalks, there is no further growth. 
All of the above varieties that we know of do 
well in Georgia and Florida, and, uo doubt, 
they would thrive with our correspondent. 
Seeds can tie procured of W. B. Jones, of Heru- 
don, Ga , and, indeed, of many promineut 
Northern seedsmen. 
About the next CetistU. 
O. J). 8., Le Seur, Minn., asks when, in 1880, 
will the next census be taken; • will the 
enumeration be made by the old plan of going 
from house to house ; who is the superintend¬ 
ent ; what steps would be necessary to secure 
the appointment of census-taker for a county 
or city, by one possessing the uecessary quali¬ 
fications. 
Ans. —The Act of Congress authorizing the 
taking of the next census—the tenth nalioual 
one—provides that the enumeration must be 
completed within the month of June, 1880, 
commencing on the 1st, and ending ou or be¬ 
fore the 30th day of said mouth. The superin¬ 
tendent of the Census is Francis A. Walker, 
Census Bureau, Washington. D. C. In tbe tak¬ 
ing of the last census, tbe U. 8. Marshal of each 
district bad the diiect appointment of tbe 
enumerators for his district. The law now 
provides for the appointment of a supei visor 
lor each district by the President. The total 
number of these shall not be more thau 1.50 for 
the whole country. By the 1st of uext March 
the Secretary of the Interior must designate 
the number of supervisors, and these will then 
be appointed by the Presideut. They will have 
the appointment of tbe thousands of enumer¬ 
ators who will canvass from house to house for 
the census returns throughout the land. To 
facilitate the taking of the census, blank 
schedules will be furnished by the enumerators 
to householders and others for the purpose of 
having them filled up. The questions to be by 
this means submitted to the people will be far 
more numerous thau ever before, covering all 
sorts of statistics concerning the actual popu¬ 
lation, race, age, sex, uativily, products, com¬ 
merce, etc., etc., etc. The pay of the enum¬ 
erators will range from lour to six dollars per 
day, according to the sparseness or density of 
the population iu the sub-division iu which they 
labor. The law provides that each of them 
shall be a resident of bis district aud of the 
sub-division allotted to him, aud that they shall 
be cboseu solely with reference to their fitness, 
and without reference to their political^iflilia- 
tions. Properly supported application to 
the supervisor of each district—when the ap¬ 
pointment shall have been made—will be the 
best way to obtain tbe position of enumerator 
iu oach sub-district. It is probable that the 
several districts will be defined, and their super¬ 
visors appointed considerably before the first 
of March. 
Sainfoin. 
M. M.. Bryan, Texas, sends us a few seeds of 
what is there called the Galitornia clover, and 
asks its real name, as he supposes that by 
which it is known in his neighborhood, is a 
mere local name. He thinks it the best green 
pasture for winter in his latitude, that.he ever 
saw. It comes up as soon as tbe fall rains set 
in ; stays green all winter ; needs no cultivation 
after it gets a start, and will kill out everything 
except Bermuda grass. It ripens its seed in 
June, and lies on the ground until it is ready to 
6tart again in the fall. All stock eat it greedily 
and fatten on it. Ho has ten acres sown to it. 
and intends to plant Bermuda grass among it 
so as to have a good pasture all the year. 
Ans. —The imperfect seeds sent are those of 
Sainfoin (Onobrychis sativa) of the order 
Legumlnosie. It grows spontaneously in mid¬ 
dle and southern Europe and Asia. The roots 
are perennial and, like those of Alfalfa, pene¬ 
trate to a considerable depth. It is valuable in 
Eoglaud ; but is not very well-suited to our 
agriculture. Bermuda grass belongs to the grass 
family; that is, it is a graes proper. Its botani¬ 
cal name is Cynodon daciylon. In many parts 
of the South, especially on sandy soils, it is 
considered a blessiug, as it affords fair pastur¬ 
age and covers the ground tenaciously, thus 
preventing the shifting of sands. In oth?r 
places, it is deemed a pest, owing to the per¬ 
sistency with which it spreads on all sides, and 
the difficulty of getting rid of it. 
Pears for the Eastern Shore of Md., etc. 
IF. II., Cambridge, Muss., asks, 1, what 
varieties of Pears would be likely to thrive best 
and prove most profitable in Dorchester Go., 
Eastern Shore of Maryland—soil light sandy. 
2, which would bo the best—dwar! or standard, 
or should one alternate, now a dwarf, next a 
staudard ; 3, what variety of Quince would 
be tbe best for the same locality. 
Ans.— 1, Bartlett. Beurr4 d’ADjou, Howell, 
Lawrence. 2, The question : “ Which would 
be the best—dwarf or standard,” cannot be 
answered. As a rule, standards are more 
valuable thau dwarfs. There are not over six 
varieties of Pears (so far as we are informed) 
that do better on quince thau on pcar-stoeks. 
If yield is the first consideration, we should 
always prefer the latter. Dwarfs bear in from 
two to four yeafs; standards in from four to 
ten years. If dwarfs are planted deep, so as 
to cover the jointure three or four iuohes, the 
pear-stock will sometimes throw out roots aud 
ultimately make standards of what were origin¬ 
ally dwarfs. It is a good plan to alternate. 
Then, if desirable, the dwarfs may be removed 
when the standards come iu bearing. 3, Rea’s 
Mammoth is as good as any. 
Grafting Apple Hoots In \Vldter. 
S.E. L., Brevard. If. C., asks, 1, in grafting 
cions ou pieces of apple seedling roots at night, 
during winter, is it necessary, after tying the 
connection, to paste grafting wax around the 
Wound6; 2, is sand better than sawdust for 
packing them in, before putting them away; 3, 
should they be packed immediately after they 
have been grafted, or may they remain loose 
till morning; 4, iu planting, do nurseymen 
bury the top bud oelow the surface or leave it 
just above ; 5, how many buds should be left 
on the ciou iu addition to the one at the junc¬ 
tion ; 6, what is the usual length of the piece 
of root used. 
Ans. — l. Yes. 2, Moist sand is best j saw¬ 
dust generates fuugus. 8, Don’t allow the 
roots to dry out; immediate paekiug will best 
prevent this. 4. Leave a small bit of it pro¬ 
jecting above the surface. 5, Two are enough. 
6, tux to eight inches. 
Hlockberry Culture. 
J. It. S., Benton Harbor Mich., has several 
acres of Blackberries which suffered greatly 
from drought last summer, and he thiuks they 
would have been benefited if the mots struck 
deeper, aud he asks the opinion of those who 
have had practical experience in the matter, 
a6 to the best mode of blackberry culture in 
spring with the view of causing the roots to 
penetrate deeper. 
Ans.— Loosen the soil to a greater depth 
and apply a mulch. It is generally thought 
that Blackberries do not need manure. It is a 
great mistake. The finest we have ever seen 
were set six feet apart each way in a loamy 
6aDd highly manured. It occurred to us, 
while looking at the monstrous berries the 
canes bore, that could all see them they 
would change their views respecting the cul¬ 
ture of Blackberries, as we did. 
Wire for Trellises. 
8. E. L , Brevard, N. C., asks what is the 
proper size of wire used for grape trellises, the 
cost per pound, the difference iu price between 
common aud galvanized wire, aud a reliable 
house that manufactures it. 
Ans. —Each of the different sizes of wire 
manufactured is designated by a number. 
Numbers 12 and 13 are suitable for grape trel¬ 
lises. Number 12 measures 83 feet to the 
pound; number 13, 42 feet. Number 12 costs 
