THE RURAL (NEW-YORKER. 
for fall ami early winter use. Rutabaga tur¬ 
nips keep until spring, and really improve 
while in the cellar. The coarse mangel- 
wurlzel is always better towards spring than 
the finer varieties. The catalogues classify 
Swedish turnips and mangold beets “for cat¬ 
tle," but both arc really good for the table in 
their proper season. The best rutabaga tur¬ 
nips are, to my notion, sweeter and richer than 
the smaller white turnips, and they entirely 
supersede them for ray eating after January. 
Monroe Co., N. Y. W. J. Fowler. 
■--— » ♦ » — 
ALL ABOUT MUCK. 
Muck is the richness of the uplands washed 
by the annual rains down to the lowlands. It 
accumulates there, because it can get no lower, 
and coining down in a semi-liquid condition, 
as soon as it is at rest, the sun evaporates the 
water from it, and leaves a (generally) black, 
uuctious mass of soil which is composed al¬ 
most entirely of soluble material. Cultivating 
the uplands to exhaustive crops, and washing 
the remaining richness out by rains, soon ren¬ 
der such lauds nearly barren. Digging out 
this deposit and hauling it to such fields as 
supplied it, is merely restoring a runaway to 
its home. As the muck, in its passage down¬ 
hill, has lost the coarser parts of the original 
soil, which made a loose and porous seed-bed, 
it has become so solid, so compact, that the 
atmosphere is absolutely excluded, and the 
muck by itself is a mere paste, impervious to 
air, warmth and all the iuvigoratiug influences 
of summer raius. To make it again valuable, 
theu, it must uot be merely carted out aud 
spread over the field, but it must be mixed 
with the soil as deep as the roots of the crop 
require, by plowing, harrowing or shovel-plow¬ 
ing under. This process restores it to the 
place it occupied before the washing-out pro¬ 
cess took place, and to enable us to do this 
cheaply, the unctuous mass is dug out in the 
fall, piled up ou a slope to drain, and left to 
freeze friable during winter; then it will re- 
ruru to its proper place in the barren soil and 
at once restore Us original fertility. m. 
_cfirli) (Crops. 
TOBACCO IN VIRGINIA. 
The peculiarity of the fancy yellow tobacco 
made in a few counties of Virgiuia and North 
Caiolina, is that it is tobacco with the least to¬ 
bacco init. Although it has a superior flavor and 
a beautiful color, aud is a luxury almost iuuo- 
ceut, yet it contains so little of the narcotic 
pioperties that are found in the heavy ship¬ 
ping tobacco, that it is almost a different com¬ 
modity. The drawers or smokers of this ar¬ 
ticle would reel with drunkenness from the 
effect of one quid or pipeful of the heavy, 
strong article made in the Western States. 
The fancy city gent can safely puff his pipeful 
of “Gold Dust 1 ' without any of the brain 
weakening, stomach sickening' effects, usually 
attributed to tobacco. I have often wondered 
what becomes of the immense amouuts of heavy 
tobacco that are grown in the United States. I 
am certain I have never met with a dozen nrau 
that could use it, and these dozen were Irish 
colliers. 
Now, I never saw the great sin of a moderate 
use of any luxury. If we were to coufine our¬ 
selves to the real necessaries of life, we would 
piny sad havoc with many industries. I thiuk 
that a nice draw of fancy Gold Leaf tobacco is an 
innocent luxury. I never know many men in- 
iured iu health or pocket by snch indulgence. 
When a man can bring himself to the point to 
use mean,poisonous st uff, be at once loses caste 
with the aristocratic fine-twist drawer, and is 
ostracised at once. W hat real gentleman 
could tbrak of associating with a man who 
would pull out a plug of black “ uavy," and 
take a chew! 
Really thero is something moro in this little 
pleasantry than you would at ouce perceive. 
That nrau will use tobacco is a foregone con¬ 
clusion. That abuse, ribaldry and insult will 
not break them of the habit, is uudeuiable. 
Now', if they will use tobacco, I thiuk it is best 
to try to elevate their taste and insist on their 
using the fine, harmless article. In promoting 
this loi m of culture one will fiud few opponents. 
Ashvlile, N, C. S. C. Sheldon. 
Horticultural, 
WESTERN SMALL FRUIT NOTES. 
I fruiied over 20 varieties of Strawberries 
this year. 
The Black Defiance stands No. 1 for 
flavor, among all the kinds I have ever seen. 
The unanimous testimony of all who tested it 
hereabouts was that they never tasted anything 
to equal it. It was not large, ranging rather 
below than above medium in size. Though it 
may uot prove profitable for market, it should 
have a place in every family garden. 
The Cumberland Triumph seems very 
much like an overgrown Green Prolific. 
Plants, very vigorous and productive ; but 
berries too soft and too light-colored for 
market. 
The Great American is a failure here. 
Probably on heavy soil with extra care, it may 
do better; but on this soil it was not prolific 
and the berries were small. 
Gowing’s Seedling gave the largest fruit 
this year. But the very large berries were the 
most irregular in shape, that I ever saw. Many 
<jf them looked as if two or three very flat ber¬ 
ries had grown together. Otherwise, Co wing’s 
Seedling resembles the Charles Downiug very 
much. 
The Monarch of the West gives the 
most eery large berries of any variety I Lave 
growu. Ou good soil without extra care it 
will average larger thau any other kind that I 
have tested. 
The Turner stauds No. 1 for market among 
the Red Raspberries that have becu thoroughly 
tested here. The fruit is uot as large as the 
Herstiue, but the bushes are more prolific aud 
are perfectly hardy. The berries are of good 
flavor and stand shipping very well, if put up 
in pint boxes. 
The Brandywine is not a success here, the 
bushes are weak growers and not very pro¬ 
lific. The berries are smaller thau the Turner 
and very poor-flavored. They are, however, 
very firm, coming nearer the Black Caps in 
this respect than any other red berry I have 
seen. On this account they may prove valua¬ 
ble for shipping to distant markets. 
The Thwack is the most promising that I 
have fruited among the newer varieties. It is 
vigorous aud productive aud seems to be 
hardy. It was uot hurt at all last wiutcr, wheu 
Kittatinny, Wilson’s Early, Early and Mis¬ 
souri Mammoth Blackberries near-by were 
killed to the snow line. The berries are large 
and resemble the Ilerstine very much in color, 
6ize aud flavor. 
The Ganakgua has nothing to recommend 
it. aud may as well be dropped from the list 
as worthless. 
The New Rochelle is hard}-, vigorous aud 
remarkably productive. The berries are large, 
but very dark-colored and the flavor was so 
bad we could uot eat them, aud did uot pick a 
quart, but allowed the whole crop to waste on 
the bushes. 
Tiie Caroline is not so vigorous, but is 
hardy aud productive. But the color is objec¬ 
tionable, being a dull, dirty yellow; aud the 
flavor is, if possible, worse than that of the 
New Rochelle- 
The Seneca, among the Black Caps, is 
worthless, being no larger than the Doolittle, 
while it is as late as the Mammoth Cluster. 
Gregg’s Mammoth was no larger or better 
thau Mammoth Cluster this year. 
Kittatinny, Wilson’s Early and Missou¬ 
ri Mammoth Blackberries being killed to the 
suow lino, yielded very few berries. 
Snyder, Western Triumph and Taylor’s 
Prolific weieuuinjured. The Snyder, though 
not equal to the Kittatiuuy in size or flavor, 
is more profitable for market, because hardier. 
The Western Triumph is hardy, vigorous and 
very productive. The berries are very sweet 
and fine-flavored; but are rather small. The 
fruit of Taylor’s Prolific resembles the Kitta- 
tinuy very much in shape and flavor, but is 
not quite so large. W. C. Steele. 
La Porte Co., Ind. 
A HOTEL FARM. 
hibited some line cattle and swine, securing 
five premiums, and at the Oneida Co. fair 14 
premiums were awarded the stock and pro¬ 
ducts of Bagg’s Hotel Farm. 
-- 
Mildew and Sail. 
The word, mildew, as a name for the condition 
to which excessive temperature and, perhaps, 
other unknown causes, reduce the leaves of 
many plants, is a misnomer. It leads directly 
to the idea that, dew, or a slight dampness, is 
the cause of it. It is, iu fact, a fungus growth, 
which can only exist in an extremely hot and 
dt'y atmosphere. It has, iu that respect, a simi¬ 
larity In the exciting cause, to the generative 
sources of some sap-suckers or some species of 
aphides. Now, the remedy for all destructive 
life, aumial or vegetable, produced by dry heat, 
is the opposite condition—a cool moisture. 
Salt strewn upon the ground under gooseberry 
bushes, by attracting moisture from the air 
and holding it there, counteracts the tendency 
to mildew. Mulching has the same effect, is 
more lasting, and ia, also, of great benefit iu 
protecting the surface roots from the intense 
heat. I consider salt only of real use when 
mulch caunot be applied, as in the case of grain 
fields, closely-set plants in ribbon beds, or any 
similar cases where plants are too close to 
admit of working between them. 
Dodge Co., Neb. S. Rufus Mason. 
- ♦ - 
An Itenerant Humbug.— “It is said that 
the Chiuose have amethod of preserving grapes 
during the entire year by cutting a circular 
piece out of a ripe pumpkin or gourd, making 
an aperture large enough to admit the hand. 
The interior is then completely cleaned out, 
the ripe grapes arc placed inside, and the cover 
replaced and pressed iu firmly. The pumpkins 
are then keptiu a cool place, and the grapes 
will be found to retain their freshness for a 
very long time.” 
The above paragraph is “going the rounds’* 
of the newspapers; but I wish some of these 
wise philosophers should inform us how to 
preserve the pumpkin. 1 think if one were to 
pack grapes in this manner, he would have a 
delicious mess long before the year rolled 
around. It is curious to note how such “ hooky ” 
screeds as the above receive such an exten¬ 
sive circulation, while really sensible aud 
practical ones, are hardly noticed. 
As an eminent writer says:—“The more 
gross the fraud, the more glibly will it go 
down, and the more greedily will it be swal¬ 
lowed, since folly will always fiud faith wher¬ 
ever imposters will find impudence.’’ n. r. 
Onondaga Co. 
<i be Ijcriisiiiaii. 
CHICAGO FAT-STOCK PRIZE WINNERS. 
The fat-stock show that closed in this city, 
at the Exhibition building, on Saturday eve¬ 
ning, Nov. 23, was the most successful exhibit 
the Association has given. From first to last 
the attendance was good, and the show gave 
high 6Uisfaction. The lessons to lie learnt 
from it will form the subject of another com¬ 
munication ; but,meanwhile, inclosed is a list 
of the chief prize-winners, as a due economy 
of space will, doubtless, prevent the Rural 
from giving the full list:— 
Lot 1—Short-I lDRNg. 
Steer, 4 years old or over, r entries-First ore 
mtuin, wing £ Thompson, hemeni, Jit. $zs ; i^c- 
oudpremium, Wing* i’liompsuu, Lenient, m .,515 
steer, it and under 4 years, 2 entries—First pre¬ 
mium. J. H. Graves, uhllesburg. Kv., *$3 ; second 
premium, John B Sherman, Chicago, jit, $13 
steer, 2 under a years, 4 entries-Fuse premium. 
J. N. Brown s Sons, ltertln.. tit.. second pre¬ 
mium, J. N. Brown’s sons., Berlin, Ill, $ir, 
Mr. T. R. Proctor, of Utica, N. Y„ is the 
proprietor of three hotels—two in Utica aud 
one in Richfield Springs. To supply them with 
fresh vegetables, poultry, milk, etc., he has 
established a farm just beyond the limits of 
Utica, kuown as Bagg’s Hotel Farm, which is 
a model one iu many respects. Of the 60 
acres comprising the farm, 46 arc devoted to 
growing vegetables; 15 acres arc used iu rais¬ 
ing seed, and the truck garden is laid out on a 
comprehensive plan. Sufficient grain aud hay 
are produced to meet the requirements of 
stock, etc. The stock is. to visitors, one of the 
most attractive features. Tho aunuols are 
mainly thoroughbred, comprising Jerseys and 
other good strains, A herd of over 130 head 
of swine are iu the pens, at the head of which 
are such animals as imported Yorkshire boars 
“King George,” “Sir John,” (purchased from 
R. II. Hoc.) besides the sow “Grand Duclmsb” 
aud eight others of tho same breed, imported 
by the proprietor. Tho Berkshire-; are led by 
“ King Philip” (bought of T. II. Cooper). 
The farm Is under the management of Mr. 
Thomas Hague?, who lias, during the past six 
years, paid the closest attention to securing 
the best results from land and stock. Every¬ 
thing about the premises, including buildings, 
is kept up iu the most perfect form, and in 
addition to supplying the hotels with most of 
tlra food consumed, tlrare are raised aud sold 
each year from three to five hundred thorough¬ 
bred pigs. At the State fair Mr. Proctor ex. 
Steer, 4 years old or over, 4 entries—First pre¬ 
mium, T. L. Miller, Beecher. Iff., $ 25 ; second pre¬ 
mium, JohnB. Sherman, Chicago, ill.. $15 
Steer 3, and under i years, 2 entries—First pre 
ralum. T. 1. Miller. Beecher, 11L, ; second pre¬ 
mium, Thos. Clark. Beecher, ill, 510 . 
Steer. 2 and under 3 years, 1 eniry—First pre¬ 
mium, T. L. Miller, Beecher. IB., $ 25 . 1 
LOT 9—PRESSED BULLOCKS. 
[The bullocks to be killed, dressed aud welched 
under the direction ot the Awarding committee 
The dressed catcasses to remain the property 01 
the exhibitor. Bullock dressing the largest per 
cent ago of meat In proportion 10 live weight 1 - 
Premium, T. L. Miller, Beecher, IB., $ 30 . 
LOT to—HEAVIEST FAT STEER. 
First premium, John B. Sherman. Chicago, ill 
ST5; second premium, George Gray, Uustmlle' 
ind., $5o; third premium, J. H. Graves, chiles^ 
burg, Ky., $25. 
CLASS C—SHEEF. 
LONG-WOOLS. 
Wether 2 years old or over—First premium 
George Hood;etuelph, Canada, Sir ; second, T L 
Miller, Beecher, til, $10. 
u ether 1 and under 2 years—First premium 
George Rood, Guelph, Canada, $ 13 ; second pre¬ 
mium. J. a. Brown’s Sous, Decatur, lit., $ 10 . 
Wether l year—Second premium, George Hood 
Guelph, Canada, $ 10 . 
lot IK—meddle wools. 
Wether 2 years old or oyer-Flnst premium, Geo. 
Plekrell Wlmattlekl, 111.. $13; second premium 
Geo. cary, Kochelis, III., TO. 
Wether 1 and under 2 yeavs-First premium 
Geo. Plekrell, U hen Held, lit., ;ir.; second nre- 
mtnm Geo. Plekrell. Wheatflela, at., fin. 
u ether under t year—First premium. Geo. PJck- 
reli, \\heauield, ILL. $15; secouu premium. Geo 
ITckreU, Wheattleid, ill., 10 
LOT 15—SWEEPSTAKES—OPEN TO ALL. 
Wether, 2 years old or over—Premium, T L 
Miller, Beecher, ill.. $ 25 . 
Wether, l and under 2 years—Premium, Geo. 
Hood. Guelph, Canada, $25. 
Wether, under I year—Premium, George Hood, 
Guelph, Canada, $25. 
CLASS D. SWINE. 
Lot 18—Large Breeds. 
Hog, 2 years old or over—First premium, B. J. 
Orton. Cambridge, $|5; second premium, Oliver, 
Fell <fe Miner, Toulon, $ 10 . 
Hog, t and under 2 years—First premium, J. A. 
Countryman. Rochelle. $15; second premium. H. 
C. Castle, WtlmlDgton. $ 10 . 
Lot 19—Small Breeds—Either Sex. 
Hog, 2 years old or over—Premium, Taylor Bros., 
Waynesville, $13. 
Hog, 1 and under 2 years—rremlum, Frank Wil¬ 
son, Jackson, Mich., $15. 
ANTT-SELF-SUCKING DEVICE. 
Prof. Sheldon says, in Dairy Farming, that 
the nose-piece, herein illustrated, effectually 
cured a cow of his of a persistent habit she 
had acquired of sucking herself. Various 
other devices for the same purpose had been 
vainly tried previously; but where they failed, 
this succeeded completely. It was made out 
of a piece of oak board, eight inches long, 
live inches wide, and about a quarter of an inch 
thick, and was shaped as shown in the cut, fig. 
1. The cow’s nostril was sprung or bent until 
the piece fitted, as seen in fig. 3. Again and 
again tlra cow tried to get one of her teats into 
her mouth, but all to no purpose, for the nose- 
piece, hanging down, always came between 
her mouth and the teat. At length she gave 
it np in disgust, and went on grazing. The 
device formed no obstacle to her ealiDg, as it 
floated over the grass without being any detri¬ 
ment whatever. 
Fig. 2. Fig. L. 
In making such a nose-piece, care must be 
taken not to make the two points of it too far 
asunder, as it would then easily slip off the 
nose. The points should be about half an inch 
apart, and nicely smoothed and rounded off, 
so that they will not hurt the cow. 
Industrial Jmplmrnts, 
FARM GRINDING. 
Last summer J. A. Field, Sou & Co., of St. 
Louis, Mo., seut us for trial one of their Big 
Giant farm mills, for grinding feed by horse¬ 
power. We do most of our grinding with it at 
The Rural Experiment Farm, aud find that it 
fulfills the claim made in its behalf. 
It is an iron mill, cylindrical iu shape, with 
its least diameter iu the middle. The inner 
side of the outer cylinder is corrugated, aud 
revolves about a chilled iron cone, likewise 
ridged. A V-shaped wooden lever extends out 
a sufficient distance to allow the horse a clear 
ciacular track in supplying the power. We 
have ground com just as it is plucked from 
the stalk—husk, cob aud all. The product was 
used for stock-feeding. We have used it also 
ou shelled Corn, which has been reduced to 
various degrees of fineness, and by means of 
tlra automatic sieve attachment have made a 
fine quality of meal. The sieve can be used or 
removed at will. 
We should say that one of these mills would 
be valuable ou every farm. The simplicity, 
strength, ease of operating, makes it easy for 
anyone to use it. and the price is reasonably 
moderate. Tbe Fields have built up a flourish¬ 
ing trade, East aud West, and have seut mills 
to Egypt and other foreign countries. Any one. 
sufficiently interested to wish further informa¬ 
tion, may write to tho manufacturers, men¬ 
tioning the Rural, and detailed information 
will be given. 
-*-*-*- 
The Sevres vase awarded the Johnston Har¬ 
vester Co., at the field trials of harvesting ma¬ 
chines, at M.mnout, in France, has just been 
received at Brockport. 
It is a very valuable and handsome trophy, 
standing ten and one-half inches high, aud 
measuiing fifteen inches across its top, which 
is a broad, plane surface, holding in its center 
a medallion representing the head of the god¬ 
dess Ceres. Surrounding tins medallion are 
appropriate designs in wheat and fruit sub¬ 
jects. The exterior is iu blue and gold. 
This vase is intrinsic illy valuable, being the 
product of lira famous Sevres factory, which 
ever slime its acquisition by Louis XV., in 
1760, bus been main tallied by the government, 
aud Us rare art products almost entirely re¬ 
served for presents to kiugs, ambassadors, etc. 
It will serve as alasting and beautiful tokeu 
of the triumph of “The Johnstou” over its 
35 competitors, ou the occasion in question. 
