! DEC. 43 
807 
country, is made somewhat like the old re¬ 
volving hay-rake. Each is 13 feet long and 
made of Ftont poles bored with two series 
of holes 13 inches apart. Stakes six feet long 
are put into these holes, so that (hey project 
from them three feet on each side of the pole. 
One row of thu holes is bored at right angles 
to the direction of the other, and when the 
stakes are all properly placed they form a 
hurdle, the end of which looks somewhat like 
the letter X. The engraving shows how the 
hurdles are made. In using them a row is 
placed across the field, a strip of any desirable 
width being set off, upon which the sheep feed. 
After they have eaten up all the herbage on 
this strip and alt they can reach by putting 
their heads through the hurdles, the latter arc 
turned over, exposing another strip of forage, 
and so on. By using two rows, the sheep may 
be kept in a narrow strip between them. By 
this means the droppings of the sheep are very 
evenly spread over the field, which is very 
richly fertilized by them. When the crop to 
be eaten off is a heavy one of clover, rye or 
other herbage, it is sometimes mowed and 
thrown on top of the hurdles, which then act 
as a ruck, or pitched inside them. This may 
be made a valuable way of improving run¬ 
down land, or, indeed, any other sort of land. 
A much longer iron hurdle has also been lately 
introduced, built fence-shape, with two wheels 
attached to a horizontal cross-piece at each 
eud. As this Is very durable, it would be the 
cheapest, perhaps, in the end. Mr. Mechi, the 
well-known Englisu farmer, uses them, and in 
England their employment Inis been extending 
since their introduction, half a dozen years 
ago. 
Miscellaneous. 
IF. V., Oxford Center, Canada., asks, 1, to 
name the six best varieties of Grapes for cul¬ 
ture under glass; 3, would we recommend the 
Welcome, a bunch of which was recently il- 
.gst rated in the Rural, and the Syrian Grape; 
3, how far apart should plants be set in a 
vinery; 4, a reliable nursery from which to 
purchase viues ; 5, a good hook that treats of 
the culture ol'Grapes under glass and in the 
vineyard ; 0, agents are offering a new hardy 
white Grape named Pocklington, is it all it is 
recommended (o be; 7, do we accept Cana¬ 
dian bank bills for subscriptions. 
Ans. —l. Muscat ot Alexandria, Victoria 
Hamburg, Black Hamburg, Muscat Ham¬ 
burg, Royal Muscadine, and White Tokay. 
W T e eanuot say positively that these are 
the best for your purpose, but they are 
rated first-class varieties. 3. The Welcome is 
a very superior Grape as yet but little known. 
We do not hesitate to reeommeud it for trial. 
The Syrian is a very strong grower and pro¬ 
duces some enormously large bunches, but 
the berries are not so sweet aud richly flavored 
as some others. The bunches will keep well 
on the vines till Christmas. 3, II will depend 
entirely upon the system of pruulug. If each 
plant consists of a single cane reaching to the 
top of the house with spurs along the whole 
length, which is an excellent way of training 
viues under glass, they should be about three 
feet apart. 4. There are many reliable nurse¬ 
ries, and it would be unfair and possibly in¬ 
correct, should we poiut out oue firm as su¬ 
perior to all others. Purchase direct from an 
old and favorably known nursery. 5. Fuller’s 
Grape Culturist is perhaps as good as any. 
6 There is a new white Grape named Pock¬ 
lington of fair quality, but whether it is all 
the agents claim it to bo, we cannot say, since 
wo do not know how rosy they paiut it. 
Time alone can tell. 7. Yea. 
J. 72. M . Falmouth, Me., asks, 1, what kind 
of trees would form the best wind-break iu that 
section; 3, whether Sulix peutandra, seeds of 
which the RcRALiutends to distribute,wonlddo 
for the purpose, and, if so, where eau cuttings 
be obtained ; 3. fruit trees from New York nur¬ 
series have not thriven there, as they take a 
long time in eomiug into beating, while many 
have died out, and he asks whether this is 
duo to some climatic cause or to a probable 
division of the roots by nurserymen in root- 
grafting. 
Ans.— 1, It Is not stated whether evergreen 
or deciduous trees are desired. If the first, 
Scotch or White Pines, disbudded or cut back 
from year to year. Iu this way as dense a 
growth as need be, can be effected. 3, We have 
no doubt that Salix pentaudra would prove 
hardy iu your climate. It will hear cutting 
back to any extent, grows compactly aud 
would prove, we should suppose, a suitable aud 
handsome screen. It la offered by our promi¬ 
nent nurserymen, catalogues of which will be 
noticed early in the spring. 3, Climatic rather 
than for the utherjreason given. 
THE RURAL HEW-YORKER. 
A. IF., Tampico, Tenn., usks for the address 
of some reliable dealers in poultry, game, etc., 
in this city. 
Ans. —We are pleased to give our readers 
any information in our power, whether such 
information gives “ free advertising” to indi¬ 
viduals or not. Our Querist columns, during 
the past two years, offer abundant proof of 
this. Such questions as the above, however, 
we would prefer not to answer, for the reason 
that we do not know who are trustworthy, or 
who are not. Wbat we consider fair treat¬ 
ment, others may not. Because we have been 
treated fairly by a certain dealer, or because a 
certain dealer bears a good reputation, we 
have no right to assume that others in dealing 
with him would be well satisfied. We give 
the following name, without any indorsement 
whatever : W. Carr & Co.. 37 Pearl Street, will 
correspond with our inquirer, if he sends him 
his address. 
C. M., Flack Creek, iY- T , asks: 1, whether 
the riding-saws, advertised in the Rural. are 
capable of doing really good work as easily as 
it is advertised they do; 3, the address of a 
firm in this city that will supply harness trim¬ 
mings in 6tnall quantities aud of good quality. 
Ans. —We have not personally used a riding- 
saw, but hear that they are giving great satis¬ 
faction wherever used. 3, The Union Hardware 
Co., New York. 
U. F., Mathews County, Fa., asks whether a 
certain firm iu this city is trustworthy in busi¬ 
ness matters and desires us to answer at once 
by mail. 
Ans.—W e do not feel justified iu expressing 
an opinion on the business standing of men 
doing business iu an ordinary wav, unless we 
know that our friends are pretty sure to lose by 
dealings with them. How can we answer by 
mail to the above address ? 
B. M., Chazy, hi. Y , asks where medical 
works can be obtained. 
Ans. —From the American News Company 
of this city all works on any subject, published 
anywhere here, can be obtained at publishers’ 
prices. Lindsay tfe Blakestou, 35 South Sixth 
St., Philada, Pa., are publishers of medical 
works. 
J. II. C-, Toledo, Ohio, asks why we do not put 
the full address of each contributor at the end 
of his article. 
Ans —Most of our contributors would seri¬ 
ously object to the trouble and correspondence 
that would, most likely, be entailed upon them. 
Then there are other good reasons for the rule 
we follow. 
P. C. A., Ferenda, Fresno Co., Cal, We can¬ 
not tell from the seeds sent us what the plant 
is. Leaf aud flower would be necessary- We 
would gladly distribute our seeds and plants 
now if this were possible, but for the rest of the 
year, the business of the subscription depart¬ 
ment is the most we can attend to with our 
present facilities. 
Communications rrckivbd to a tub wkkk kndino 
Saturday, Nor. ss>. 
N. E. D.-C. E. V.—W. H. M.-A. M.—J. McG.— 
E. W.-W. E. M.—D. E. II.—D. C. A.-G. H. T.-E. 
& Ii.-E. T.-J. R.-P. T„ Jr.-N. W—S. B. M.- 
“ Subscriber”—A. M.—M. B. P.—E. L.—II. J. 8 — 
M. A. A.—J. L. D.—D. B. S.—E. B.-J. ,T. S.—B. M. 
—W. B. II.—H. F. W.-O. A. S.-M. B. B.-E. It. B. 
-J. B.-L. A. P.—G. K.-G. G.-I*. M. G.-M. L. S. 
-J. P.-A. G.-L. W. O.-A. L. J.-C. E. F.-E. W. 
S.—J. L. R. N.—F. K. M. 
Various. 
WHAT OTHERS SAY. 
Shirley IIibberd on Potato-Growing.— 
From a long article In the Mark Lane Express 
(Euglaud), we cut out the following notes: 
“The potato requires for its perfect develop¬ 
ment a dry, fertile and mellow soil, free from 
large stones, aod fully exposed to the light aud 
the sun during all the daylight hours. The 
beautiful samples that are 6cen in wiuning 
collections at exhibitious are the produce, gen¬ 
erally speaking, of 6oils that are of a clean, 
pulverulent texture, and which, while they 
afford abundant nutriment to the plant, permit 
the tubers to expauil equally in all directions, 
60 that they attain their full size and natural 
shape quickly and without encountering ob¬ 
structions that would mar their beauty. In a 
lumpy or strong soil the tubers are necessarily 
misshapen, through the impediments to uni¬ 
form expansion. In a pasty loaui or stiff clay 
the resistance to expansion is equalized, and 
the uniform compression co-operutlng with 
excess of moisture iu such soils, produces tu¬ 
bers that have the consistence of putty, and 
to the educated palate aro simply uneatable. 
Hence, the self same sort, however good in¬ 
itially, may be handsome and eatable when 
grown on a light, friable, warm, dry soil; but 
when takeu from a stiff chy or badly worked 
loam, will be more or less deformed, uud aucli 
as to be unfit for any respectable table, so far 
as regards high quality. . . . Perfect drain¬ 
age seems to be the very first requisite to suc¬ 
cess. From the moment the plant becomes 
water-logged H has received its death blow, 
. . . When all the circumstances favor the 
plant it yields a greater gross weight of whole¬ 
some food than any other known plant of 
temperate regions. . . . My own idea of a 
good sort includes, in addition to healthiness 
and productiveness, beauty of form and white 
flesh of a dry, mealy texture and delicate, 
nutty flavor. . . . For general usefulness, 
as adapted to resist disease, there is nothing to 
equal Sutton’s Magnum Bouum, which should 
be planted in rows not, less than four feet 
apart, and will pay better on strong land at 
five feet than at auy less distance. . . . Ripe 
whole tubers of middling size, say from four 
to six ounces, are to be preferred; these 
should be fully exposed to the light to render 
them green and hard and promote their keep¬ 
ing. When planting time is near, the seed 
should be spread out in full daylight and 
be slightly sprinkled with water to pro¬ 
mote sprouting, aud when the sprouts are 
half an inch long, and stout and firm, the 
planting should be proceeded with. Seta that 
have made long white sprouts iu the dark are 
uot to be desired. ... As to the manner 
of planting, it must be determined by the 
nature of the soil. On light, dry land the sets 
may be put into trenches six inches deep, but 
on heavy land they should not be put into 
trenches at all. They should be grown above 
the level, uot below it. The land being well 
prepared, the sets should be laid on the level 
aud be covered with soil from between the 
rows. Iu duo time the ridge thus formed 
should be added to by the process of molding 
up until in the end the plant will stand high 
and dry to catch the sunshine, and the chan¬ 
nels between the ridges will carry away sur¬ 
plus moisture. On this point I wish to make 
an observation of very great importance. It 
is the custom everywhere—a most iojurleus 
custom—to mold np too much and too sudden¬ 
ly. I have found it possible, in an unfavorable 
season, to obliterate a crop by molding up too 
soon imd too high, and yet when the work was 
done it looked well to see the green shaws 
ridiug on the tops of high ridges. On the 
same land the same season I have had good 
crops that were not molded at all, and that iu 
many instances grew out of the ground and 
became green, so that a large proportion was 
tit for seed only. Tnis proves the need of care 
as regards the molding. But 1 approve of 
molding, because the tubers are formed above 
the level of the original planting. . . . As 
regards manure for potato laud, it should be 
remembered that the plant is characterized in 
respect of its chemical constitution by its 
large proportions of potash, sulphur, salt and 
phosphorus. It follows that alkaline and 
phosphatic manures are particularly adapted 
to produce profitable results. On auy and 
every kiud of light soil that is well drained, 
farm-yard manure is invaluable. The York¬ 
shire plan of laying a coat of long dung in the 
trenches aud putting the sets thereon answers 
admirably, as may be seen by the ash-leaf po¬ 
tatoes that are sent from the West Ridiug to the 
London aud other markets. . . . It is bet¬ 
ter on strong laud to plant potatoes without 
manure, in fields that were liberally manured 
for a corn (grain) or a fodder crop, to which 
the ‘noble tuber’ forms a suitable rotation. 
On poor, sandy soil, kaiuit and superphosphate 
of lime are the cheapest and most effective 
fertilizers. On clay land, a dressing of lime 
may often prove advantageous, aud magnesian 
lime, which is generally objectionable, will 
answer the purpose ; fov the potatoes will soon 
take the magnesia out of it. In fact, so useful 
to the potato are alkaline salts that many of 
the mineral waters that run to waste would be 
of incalculable service in dry, hot seasons if 
they could be cheaply employed to irrigate 
potatoes. ... I have eaid nothing about 
change of soil and change of seed, because 
there is no crop grown but is advantaged by 
occasional changes of soil and seed. ... I 
could cite many instances of potatoes yielding 
good crops on the same plot6 of land for twen¬ 
ty years in succession. But the world is not 
governed by exceptions, and in potato-grow¬ 
ing, as iu other matters, rules represent ex¬ 
perience, and it is a safe and good rule to shift 
potatoes about instead of keeping them for 
a number of years on the same plots ef land. 
Tulips. — 1 Some surprise is from time to time 
expressed by Tulip growers that the self- 
colored, or ‘breeder’ Tulip, preserves its char¬ 
acteristics for a time, aud then, at the expira¬ 
tion of from two to six years, 'breaks’ into 
its true character and becomes * rectified.' 
Why 60 lunch surprise should be felt at what 
is a very ordinary phenomenon in plant-life io 
in its turn a matter tor surprise. The case is 
only exceptional in degree. Every plant, and 
every part of a plant, like every animal, parses 
through more or less distinctly defined stages, 
the duration of which is extremely variable. 
Surely U is no unusual thing tor a plant not to 
manifest its true character all at once, butonly 
after an interval. The little Heath-like Keti- 
nosporas. for instance, are but the juvenile 
forms of a tree which in the adult stage is very 
different in appearance. Sometimes—why, we 
know not—the juvenile stage is never grown 
out of; the plaut remains a baby though old 
in years. In the case of a Tulip, the seedling 
bulb is doubtless In a condition nearest to the 
original wild form, but as years roll on it ac¬ 
quires force aud vigor, and under the gentle 
persuasion of the grower it breaks into a brav¬ 
ery of apparel unknown in the juvenile state, 
and still less frequent in the wild state.” The 
above is from the Gardeners' (London) Chron¬ 
icle. Our Red Cedar often—indeed, generally 
—ehows this youthful, feathery form in very 
3 ? oung plauts. “Tom Thumb” Arbor-vita re¬ 
tains the feathery form for some years. But 
we have never yet seen a plant that would not, 
in six years, throw out shoots of the parent 
form. 
Packing Oranges —E Williams of Mont¬ 
clair, N. J., says, in the N. Y, Tribune, that 
he has received oranges from Florida with a 
loss of less than two per cent, and others a 
total loss. He attributes the chief cause of 
failure to the handling by the average “ bag¬ 
gage-smasher.” A sudden jar or slam of the. 
box bursts the fruit, aud stored in the vessel’s 
hold with a temperature none too low at the 
best, but greatly enkaueed by the heat of the 
furnace aud boilers, fermentation and decay 
are immediate aud rapid. With judicious se¬ 
lection of the best varieties, proper care in 
picking and packing, and anything like de¬ 
cent handling and common sense in storing 
by the forwarders, ihe best Florida oranges 
can be placed on our Northern markets with 
a mere nominal loss; and with better trans- 
portat.on facilities and lower freights, the 
time is not distant when the poorest of our 
laboring men can enjoy the luxury of Florida 
oranges. The freight from the Mediterran¬ 
ean is less per box than from Florida. A lit¬ 
tle more competition would help things. 
Bad Butter cannot be made good; “not all 
the spices of Araby” can do it. The taste may 
be disguised, but it is there still. The usual 
method practiced by dealers in order to 
improve inferior butter is as follows: Cut up 
the butter into thin slices, wash it in a brine 
of salt and carbonate of soda, and set it away 
for 13 hours iu a brine made of salt, with four 
ouuces of sugar and one ounce of saltpeter to 
every gallon. Then work the butter in fresh 
water, salt it with fresh salt at the rate of one 
ounce to the pound, adding to the salt one- 
fourth as much white sugar and one-eighth as 
much saltpeter finely powdered. The butter 
should be worked in one of the rotary butter- 
workers. It is then packed in sweat, new fir¬ 
kins and sold without delay.—N. Y. Times. 
Jersey Milk. —The peculiarity of Jersey 
' milk, says Dr. Bturtevautin Land and Home, 
seems to lie in its abundance of cream, in its 
iudigestibility as compared with other milks. 
It is a well-known complaint among Jersey 
breeders, over that ot the breeders of other 
stock, that their calves scour to a troublesome 
degree, which is ascribed to the richness of the 
mil k. The cause at the bottom is the difficulty 
of digesting the curd of the Jersey milk. In¬ 
deed, it seems probable that a delicate infant 
can scarcely be reared on Jersey milk; aud 
that oftentimes illness and death among chil¬ 
dren brought up on the bottle, are to be as¬ 
cribed to this injurious effect of the kind of 
milk used, rather than to its quality. Jersey 
milk is the milk popular wgrown-up peo¬ 
ple in rugged healili. The Jersey Is, hence 
not the family cow to be praised, if by family 
we include the infants and growing children. 
England’s Cereal Need.— Our correspond¬ 
ent, Mr. J. B. Lawes, of Rotharnsted, England, 
estimates that, as bushels of wheat per head 
of ike population of 5HJ millions, arc auuually 
consumed, they will require a total amount of 
33* millions of quarters, of which 18$ millions 
must be supplied from stocks of foreign 
sources. The average weight per bushel this 
year at Rothamsted is only 53J lbs., whereas the 
average weight for the preceding eight years 
has been 131 j lbs. The farmer will thus have 
to deliver more than nine bushels to supply tho 
same weight as in eight bushels of the pre¬ 
vious season. So much for the effect of cir¬ 
cumstances beyond the farmer's control. 
Comparative Value of Fish Scrap and 
Horse Manure -Fi.-lt scrap and horse ma¬ 
nure contain in 1,000 parts the following r 
Nitrogen. 
Phosphoric acid. 
Potash. 
Water. 
Fish 
Horse 
Value. 
Scrap. 
Manure. 
Cts. 
Pounds. 
Pounds. 
lb. 
... 90 
25 
...IBS 
3X 
10 
... 3 
3 
e 
...126 
713 
I AO « 
—Prof. Johnson, 
Pigs. —Parsnips, carrots, Swedish tnrnips, 
and especially mangel wnrzel will all fatten 
pigs. These roots ought not to be given in r 
raw state, but always cooked, aud mixed wi L 
beans, peas, Iudian corn, oats, or barley, i 1 
of which must bo ground tuto meal. Wh - 
pigs are fed on such cooked food as we lm. t 
stated, the pork acquires a peculiarly rie 
flavor, aud is much esteemed, especially f< 
family use.—Dublin Farmers’ Gazette. 
