MSS; 
v- 
■ .r.. 
The drought affected it badly, and although 
there were no missing hills, many of them 
were very small. It was not suckered, as it 
always should be, and gave an average of 
three stalks to the hill. I obtained six gallons 
of very thick sirup.” 
M, W, Robbins: “ I planted one-eighth of 
an acre, three feet apart each way, making 
600 hills. 1 used sod ground on a steep eide- 
cessive selections to bring back his stock of 
Alpha (the best of all early garden potatoes) 
to its original regularity of form and full size. 
I commend this experience of mine to those 
cultivators who believe that small potatoes are 
as good as any for seed. Though this may 
seem to be true in a single experiment, a con¬ 
tinuance in planting small, imperfect seed will 
surely result in that “running out” of which 
tion, and to secure the prizes ruled mine out 
as seedlings, and divided the premiums among 
themselves. Perhaps it served me right, as 
the reward of keeping bad company—a sin not 
repeated since and certain not to be in future. 
Though I have raised many fine varieties of 
later origin, that I take pride and pleasure in 
exhibiting, yet no award could tempt me to 
put them on exhibition at a horse-racing car¬ 
nival, to do homage to the most alluring evil 
that curses the agricultural fairs of the coun¬ 
try."— [Good! Eds.) 
Fresh, 
THE LADY GRAPE, 
Composition of 
Mb. J. T. Lovett, in remarking upon the 
Duchess Grape in the Ritual New-Yorker of 
Dec. 6, incidentally speaks of the Lady grape, 
and very properly alludes to the fact that it is 
“a poor keeper.” I believe this is true of all 
the Concord class of grapeB; but there is an¬ 
other peculiarity of the Lady grape, which to 
some extent neutralizes, or compensates for, 
its want of long-keeping. Although it will not 
keep very long in good condition after being 
gathered, it will hang upon the vine, even after 
being fully ripe, for many weeks without 
falling from the cluster, without decay, and 
without loss of flavor or quality. Ripening in 
August, before any other good grape, its prin¬ 
cipal value will be for early and near-by mar¬ 
ket and for borne use. Its,thin skin and delicate 
character will render it, like the Concord, un¬ 
suited to distant shipment, except with very 
careful handling. But I have several times 
covered the grapes with a net to protect them 
from birds, and had them remain upon the 
vines in good condition until we had severe 
frosts in October. 
Another apparent fault of the Lady vine I 
am confident will be more than compensated 
for by time and patience, those who have 
had but two or three years' experience regard 
it as a weak or slow grower. This is, I be- 1 
lieve, usually true with young plants; but the 
Lady vine makes, from the first, very large 
and abundant roots, in proportion to the top, 
apparently laying a solid foundation for future 
vigor and usefulness; and although it makes 
rather a small growth for the first two or three 
years, it has been, with me, steadily progress¬ 
ive—never going back, but increasing in vigor 
each succeed]ug year. The fruit also as regu¬ 
larly increases iu size of the clusters, as well 
as in productiveness; and the growth of all 
my older vines has been, the past season, all I 
could ask or wish, and fully equal to Concords 
in their best estate. I am confident, from its 
hardy and healthy character, and from its 
gradual and constant improvement, it will be 
one of the most permanent and long-lived 
vines in cultivation. 
By contrast, I have found, after many years 
of experience, that some vines, which make 
an immediate and very rapid growth at first, 
after a few years begiu to decline, aud, instead 
of progressing, gradually become weaker and 
eventually become unfruitful, and finally die 
outright. This has been the case with several 
of the “Hybrid” varieties. 
Delaware Co., O. G. W. Campbell. 
Cow Peas.... 
Red Clover.. 
Fodder Corn 
As might be expected from its leguminous 
character, the Cow Pea is richer in albuminoids 
than corn fodder; in practical use I think the 
peas considerably more valuable than green 
corn. Besides, the above analysis of Cow Peas 
was made when the plant had not blossomed 
and was immature; if it can be brought by 
forcing cultivation into a more mature con¬ 
dition, it might more nearly approach iu value 
to red clover. It is a plant worth testing either 
ior green fodder or for hay. It is one of a class 
of which we cannot have too many, and which 
will come in a succession after rye and that 
may be removed from the ground iu lime to 
plow and sow rye again; that is, when the rye 
is used for green fodder. In soiling it will 
come in at a most convenient season, when 
cows are getting tired of green corn. 
Bergen C'o., N. J. 
section of wealthy apple.—from life, 
hill. Much of it failed to germinate. The 
average was about three stalks to the hill. 
Corn by the side of it on the same quality of 
soil was a scant half-cr.op. I received 21£ gal¬ 
lons of first-rate sirup.” 
By the above—the real experiments of prac¬ 
tical farmers—we see that the culture of Early 
Amber cane can be made prcfitable at least. 
Among these six men 170 gallous are the 
smallest rate of yield per acre. Estimating 
this at 25 cents per gallon, we have the sum of 
$42.50 from the product of an acre, aud the 
past has been a most unfavorable season for 
conducting Ihe experiment. From the first of 
July we have had scarcely any rain and what 
little fell was in small showers that did but 
little good to growing crops. A poor corn 
season is a poor cane season, and corn with us 
is_a most inferior crop. Whether this product 
could be grown profitably for market remains 
to be learnt; but that farmers can grow their 
own sirup and sugar is a fact. Cane sirup 
forms sugar readily, not however without the 
aid of chemicals. The preparation manufac¬ 
tured by Dr. Stewart answers all the require¬ 
ments of a crystalizuig ageut, aud by its use 
sugar can readily be obtained. 
Iu the culture of cane of this variety, no 
more care is required than for corn. It starts 
slowly at first, but grows rapidly. After the 
first hoeing, care should be taken to pack the 
earth dowu firmly about the seed, for without 
this precaution,, much will fail to germinate. 
The suckers should be removed, for unripe 
cane is injurious to the sirup, and the suckers, 
of course, are not matured. A crusher suitable 
for the use of a neighborhood can bo procured 
for $60 and the evaporating pans will not cost 
more than $10. Hector Bertram. 
we hear so much. I believe that potatoes will 
never “run out” where care is taken in the 
selection of seed and in the cultivation of the 
crop. The old Mercer, Chenango, Neshan- 
nock, or Philadelphia potato (I have known it 
under all these names), though little seen in 
market, is still grown by one farmer of my 
acquaintance in as great perfection as I knew 
it to possess forty years ago, when it was as 
standard a variety as the Early Rose now is. 
T. H. Hoskins, M. D. 
EARLY AMBER CANE 
In a late Rural under the heading of “ What 
Others Say.” I noticed a quotation from the 
Elmira “IIuBbandman,”, in which C. J. Rey¬ 
nolds is giveu a vast amount of credit and the 
Elmira Farmers’ Club likewise for experiments 
conducted by others with Minnesota Early 
Amber cane. It may not be amiss to say that 
Mr. Reynolds was the first to introduce the 
subject of cane raising in this locality to the 
Corning Farmers’Club of which I have the 
honor to be secretary; but that the experi¬ 
ments were conducted under his personal 
supervision or that auy especial pecuniary as¬ 
sistance was rendered by him in the enterprise 
I deny. Mr. Reynolds was merely the secretary 
of a stock company formed here for the pur¬ 
pose of testing this new industry, and was ex¬ 
pected to report to us, so that we were sur¬ 
prised to find his first report coming indirectly 
through the Rural. 
For the benefit of Rural readers I may say 
that, considering our limited advantages for 
testing it, Early Amber cane can begrown with 
profit by farmers as high as the 44th parallel 
for home consumption at least. Below I give 
a series of experiments with this variety of 
Sorghum, as reported at our Club meeting, 
Oct. 35th. The reader can readily see the 
possible results to be obtained, were a more 
practical effort made to obtain a larger growth. 
The first was that of Mr. Henry D. Smith. 
He says : 
“My ground planted with cane measured 35 
rods. 1 obtained 38 gallous of sirup at a den¬ 
sity of 35*. The crop was iu a measure injured 
by drought. It was certainly no more than 
three-fourths of a crop. The soil was gravelly 
aud dry. In a moister seasou the result 
would have been decidedly better.” 
Geo. P. Nixon said : “ My seed was planted 
May 27th, two and one half by three feet—one- 
eighth of an acre iu all. I considered it only 
tair corn land. It was seriously affected by 
the drougtb, of course: for corn near it on the 
same quality of soil was an inferior crop. The 
young cane grew slowly and would at first 
Lave disconraged the most sanguine cane 
grower, but wheu onee started, the rapidity of 
its growth was astonishing. By actual meas¬ 
urement, it made five inches in 24 hours. From 
the one-eighth of an acre I obtained 40 gallons 
of fine sirup, but it would probably be 30 gal¬ 
lous if reduced to the proper density for sugar 
—14 pouuds to the gallon.” 
8. G. Hay reported: “ I hud only 20 rods of 
ground planted to cane. It was seriously in¬ 
jured both by drougtb and wire-worms. It 
was not more than three-fourths of a crop, yet 
I extracted 13 gallons of fine sirup." 
R. L. Potter: “My experience with cane 
was on greeu, damp bottom land, it received 
but little care and came up badly making a 
poor stand. T planted 60 rods, or three-eighths 
of an acre, aud extracted 70 gallons of very 
thick sirup, most of it at a density of 40 
8. H. Reed : “ I only planted apiece 28 by 40 
feet. The soil was very poor. No horse was 
used to cultivate it, aud it was only hoed twice. 
“ The Wealthy Apple, as I have seen it for 
several years,” Mr. Charles Downing writes us, 
“is a very promising variety for the amateur 
and for family use. It is over medium in size, 
very beautiful in appearance ; flesh white, very 
tender, juicy, with a refreshing vinous flavor, 
and of ;.‘v « llent quality This Apple originated 
with Peter M. Gideon, of Excelsior. Minnesota, 
who says the tree is very hardy, of vigorous 
growth, an early aud abundant bearer.” 
Mr. Gideon tells the Rural “The seed from 
which I grew the Wealthy, I procured from 
Albert Emerson, Baugor, Maine, some 16 years 
ago. It came labeled as Cherry Crab seed, 
aud I think it was true to name, as shown by 
later acquaintance with the variety, and the 
fruit of seedlings raised therefrom. Though 
none of these were so large as the Wealthy, 
yet many wore of fair size and of excellent 
quality. The original tree now stands where 
the seed was planted. It fruited seven years 
from seed, and is a profuse yearly bearer, 
various trees having to be propped up for three 
aud four years in succession. Wood rather 
dark; a pretty strong grower, forming a hand¬ 
some rather round-headed tree, as hardy, I 
believe, as any of the little Crabs, and it takes 
readily and smoothly on them as if on its own 
A POTATO EXPERIENCE 
When the Alpha potato was first introduced 
to the public, the writer, who had, a year or 
two before, had it from the originator, was 
It covers about thirty square rods of ground. 
From it we used all we could iu our family 
during the season, then sold surplus berries to 
the amount of $50, the prices averaging 10 
cents per quart. They were carried 10 miles 
to market on a spring wagon without injury, 
and were pronounced just splendid by our 
customers. Those who buy them one year are 
sure to want more the next. There is real 
satisfaction in selling something that every¬ 
body wants. 
With ns, the Philadelphia ranks among 
raspberries where the Wilson does among 
strawberries. It is the berry for the people, 
being hardy, a good bearer—bearing a full crop 
every year—and the fruit is a good berry; we 
know of uo better. This year the fruit com¬ 
menced ripening about the time the Black 
Caps wore goiug, giving us fresh fruit every 
day for about four weeks. 
We plant in rows about eight feet apart, and 
from three to four feet in the row, so that the 
cultivator and plow can be run one way. We 
make the laud rich and give good cultivation 
early in the season. We do our pruning in 
the spring, cleaning out all dead and weak 
canes, leaving from tour to six canes to a hill, 
catting those back about one-third. Really, 
our hills mostly run together after the second 
year, making a continuous row one way. 
We prefer to do our pruning iu the spring 
for the reason that our bushes then stand the 
winter better, and we have a better chance to 
select the best canes. In making new planta- 
ill-shaped tubers. These he planted in his gar¬ 
den, aud when he dug the crop he realized, as 
he never had doue before, the truth of the say¬ 
ing, “Like produces like.” The lesson was 
heeded, and ouly a dozen or so of the smooth¬ 
est of these potatoes were preserved for seed. 
And now it has taken him four years of sue- 
