THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
(SkrgtoJjm. 
RUSAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Kansas, Parsons, May 17, 1879—rn about a 
month the sun will take the back track, and 
yet we learn, that in the Northwest, it is freez¬ 
ing nearly every night. Our weather as re¬ 
gards temperature, has not differed from the 
average season, say 50 to 80 deg. during day; 
but till this evening, we have had 30 days of 
dry weather. Turnips, peas etc., and even 
apple trees were beginning to show the yellow 
leaf, but 1£ inch of rain which has just fallen 
will set things going for three weeks. The 
fruit trees were suffering from the scant rain¬ 
fall of the last nine months—nine inches—the 
spring rains not having reached their roots, 
excepting partially. There never has been a 
better season for planting, and it lias all been 
done two or three weeks. Corn is a good 
stand and is upas high as a foot in a few cases. 
Most of it has been cultivated once. There is 
what I consider au inveterate prejudice 
amongst many of our farmers against pulver¬ 
izing the ground. I do it as thoroughly as I 
think necessary, and they laugh at me, saying 
if there come a rain, it will be all paste and 
bake hard. Probably it would, perhaps I 
might more properly say possibly it would, 
but In that event could not I break that cake 
with the cultivator? I have never seen our 
soil bake, if attended to as soon as it was dry 
euough to stir, and if it be absurd to make the 
soil line, why then I suppose the more and 
bigger the lumps, the better. Now, could 
you raise onions orlettuce or radishes amongst 
big lumps? If the lumps in these cases pre¬ 
vent germination and growth, would they 
not also, to a great extent at least, prevent 
the germination and growth of corn, beaus, 
etc? But if it were true that pulverization 
will sometimes cause a failure to germinate 
by reason of a big splash of water, are we to 
every time risk our seeds by throwing them 
on lumpy ground? Still, the best argument 
I can adduce is for them to examine my ground 
and my crops. If my plan fails to secure as 
good crops as other plans, then my plan is a 
wrong one. At present I feel eminently sat¬ 
isfied and am content to be placed with 
those who laugh best because last. The 
weather has been favorable to wheat, hut I find 
the crop is extremely irregular, hut the men 
who use harrows and rollers and strong horses 
are the men who have the good wheat. Corn 
is a good stand and the acreage is unprece- 
dentedly large. We have been using lettuce, 
radishes, turuips and onions two or three weeks 
—all raised on the open ground. We shall 
have early peas in three days and early po¬ 
tatoes in ten days. Our fruit seems uearly a 
total failure, consequent upon the branches 
being encased in ice three weeks m December. 
Rye and wheat have been headed out two 
weeks. Our village is prosperous, the popula¬ 
tion (3100) increasing 20 to 25 per cent yearly. 
J. B. 
New York, Clyde, Wayne Co., May 19th— 
The weather up to May 10th was very cold and 
backward. Snow storms occurred all through 
April, and a little snow as late as May 2d. 
Almost every night the thermometer stood be¬ 
low 40° up to May 9th, on which night we had 
our latest frost. Very warm growing weather 
begau with May 10th. When the tillers of the 
6oiIquit work Saturday night, nothing hindered 
their eyes from long stretches of vision, except 
the naked forests on the hills; but when Monday 
night came, the foliage had leaped from every 
braucb, so that the wooded hills had become 
grand bulwarks of verdure, the swamps 
jungles impenetrable to the eye. As it were 
in a day, we find ourselves suddenly hedged 
with walls of foliage into a little separate 
world. 
The Burlington Hawkeye’s late account re¬ 
lating to the sudden changes in central N. Y.. 
whereby a man was swnstruek right at the end 
of a snow storm because he eouldn’tget bis 
ulster off quick enough, was somewhat over¬ 
drawn. However, after cold weather with snow 
and frost up to the 11th, the 12th, 18th and 14th 
were days iu which the heat was very severe, 
the thermometer reaching U8° in the shade 
every day. Imagine how near it came to a 
sunstroke to the young barley aud oats, just 
beginning to deck the fields with green, also 
remembering that we have had no heavy rain 
storms this spring and the ground is very dry. 
Who could expect to see the plants stool out 
on thinly-clad wheat lots in such weather, 
when the dark-green blades turn yellow. How 1 
the fine-wools panted aud the fowls of the yard 1 
held out their wings aud parted their bills! 
but to-day the welcome rain came in torrents, 1 
and all nature smiles. ; 
The Pear, Plum, Cherry, Grape, and rarest j 
and best, of all, the Peach, are loaded with J 
blossoms throughout Wayne Co. From pres- 1 
ent reports and indications, apple orchards 
will not blossom very abundantly. Wheat in 1 
this locality is good, though a small growth in t 
autumn illy fitted it for winter. No spring S 
grain was sown before the 20th ult. Some had > 
not sown a kernel by May 1st. Perhaps there 
are three pieces of corn planted in all this 
vicinity now ; but few are ready to plant, and 
some bavc not struck a furrow for corn ground. 
Clover is thick on the ground and line. That 
sown this spring caught well. Wheat, $1; 
a potatoes, $1; corn, 40c.; butter, 10c.; eggs, 8c.; 
i day’s labor, 50 to 75c. w—x. 
Florida, Fort Meade, Polk Co., May 19t.h— 
The farming interests of this part of the coun- 
e try have been kept in the back-ground, owing 
> to the fact that stock-raising has been all the 
f rage. Of late there has beeu more attention 
3 given to agricultural pursuits, which 1 feel 
7 confident will prove very remunerative to those 
1 who push ahead in their chosen calling. We 
3 have lauds here that will equal those of almost 
any part of the State, if not of the United 
3 States. Our seasons are such that we can 
i plant something every month iu the year. The 
1 principal crops that are grown here are : corn, 
1 oat6, sugar-cane, peas aud sweet potatoes. 
' Stock of every kind do well with us. It is 
truly a poor man’s couutry; the remark is 
• often made among ns that a man coming here 
poor will never have enough at one time to 
pay his way out of the couutry. However, 
this only a saying, for those who try, will of a 
certainty have everything that heart can wish. 
Having twelve months in which to work, with 
a soil and climate unsurpassed, it would be 
hard for a man with common industry to fail 
in having every necessary of life. We need 
here more rapid transportation to give us direct 
communication with the outer world. 
L. s. sr 
Wisconsin, Pleasant Hill, May 12, .1879— 
We have had a refreshing rain just in time to 
save the wheat and grass from injury. Farm¬ 
ers began to plant corn on tlxe first of the 
month, and are still at it. There will be a 
large acreage this year. All crops look well, 
farmers are beginning to pick up a little and 
improvements are apparent everywhere. This 
is a healthy climate, and we have good soil, 
good farms and good farmers in the main, but 
not enough of them. I have noticed that those 
who get discontented and go to Kansas from 
here, in nine cases out of ten come back again, 
penniless and satisfied. Fall wheat yields as 
high as 40 bushels per acre here, corn 60®80 
bushels per acre, oats 50 bushels. Prices at 
present are, for wheat, 85e.; corn, 35c.; oats, 
15c.; potatoes, 50c.; day laborers, $1; by the 
month, $14. A good crop of small fruit is 
promised. Roads are in fine condition. 
3. h. r. 
New York, Pittsford, May 15— After three 
weeks’ drought, a rain has greatly enlivened 
vegetation. The crops which have suffered 
most from the drought are grass and wheat. 
Both will be light this year. Much wheat was 
injured by the severe winter, and the drought, 
since spring opened, has been very injurious. 
Oats and barley have been well got in, though 
fully two weeks later than last year. Fruit 
promises fairly, and even Peaches are in full 
bloom. This is the off year for Apples, and the 
crop will not be large. Preparations are being 
made for an uuusually large potato planting, 
the high price last fall and this spring produc¬ 
ing its usual result. Good potato seed is scarce, 
and much inferior seed will be planted. Here¬ 
in lies one possible cause of another light po¬ 
tato Crop. yy j, 
Alabama, Gainesville, May 18—For over 
40 years I have beeu planting Black Millet for 
feeding milch cows aud calves. It is the best 
feed in this country—better than Pearl Millet. 
It can bo cut three or four times in the spring 
and summer, and it will continue growing un¬ 
til frost. When cured, just before the seeds 
ripen, cattle eat it greedily. The seeds are 
the best food iu the world to make heus lay. 
With regard to Prickly Comfrey, I can’t find 
any animal in this country that will eat it. 
Geese will eat tobacco ; but will run noisily off 
if you throw them Comfrey. I tried to persuade 
a cow to test it, but after eating two leaves out 
of the three I handed her, she indignantly 
“made for” me aud chased me out of the yard 
and all the other stock therein seemed to get 
“ mad ” by sympathy and threatened to tear 
the place to pieces. w. m. l. 
Texas, Caldwell, Burleson Co. May 13._ 
This is our busy month. Grass in the corn; 
grass in the cotton; grass on the brain ! 
Oh! what shall the harvest be? More help aud 
better help is the cry now. My corn is tassel- 
ing; cotton is forming squares to bloom. My 
neighbors are cutting wheat; oats are nearly 
ripe; several are laying bj'corn. A great many 
farmers will have green corn in three weeks 
from the field. Garden corn will be fit for the 
table in ten days. Peaches and watermelons , 
will be ou hand in two weeks. Millions of , 
large, luscious dewberries all over the woods , 
and prairies are ripe now. The grass is just , 
jumping out of the ground. Since the 23d of t 
April we have had rain in superabundance, ] 
nearly ruining the cotton. d. h. h. 
Michigan, Dayton, Tuscola Co., May 14— < 
Fine weather, although very warm— thermom- \ 
eter for three days past has ranged from 85 to i 
90 degrees above zero. Fruit of all kiwis looks a 
well. The prospect is fine for an abundance of e 
all sorts, except of wild raspberries and black¬ 
berries. which were killed by fire. From these 
hundreds of bushels were marketed yearly. 
Crops of all kiuds, on an average, are good. 
Plowing and planting corn aud potatoes are 
the business of the day. E. w. g. 
Michigan, Adrian. May 21— Spring, cold 
and backward. Wheat is looking fairly. Last 
year our wheat hereabouts yielded from 30 to 
40 bushels per acre, but we hardly expect to do 
quite so well next harvest. Oats are not in 
good condition owing to the cold weather. 
Peaches, and indeed all other fruits, will be 
abundant this year in Michigan. Prices here 
are: Wheat, $1 00; oats, 29c.; corn, 40c.; 
butter, 13c.; eggs, 8e.; land from $50 to $100, 
according to improvements, quality and loca¬ 
tion. 
N. Y., Clinton, May 18-—Thus far this week 
the mercury has st< iod at from 85 to 90 degrees in 
the shade at mid-day, and vegetation is suffer¬ 
ing from lack of rain. The ground is so dry and 
hard that many farmers have been compelled 
to discontinue plowing sward land, and mueli 
of the planting will be delayed inconsequence. 
Winter wheat is suffering, and grass is making 
but little progress in growth. A diminished 
dairy product is the result. L. r. 
Alabama, New Market, May 19.—Prospects 
for field and garden crops hereabouts were 
never better. Fruit is also abundant. I have 
experimented with many strawberries and find 
that Wilson's Albany suits my soil aud this 
climate best. It is the most productive, and 
besides, requires little or no care. 
Iowa, McGregor, May 19.—Weather fine 
here of late Wheat looks well, though it 
needs rain badly. Corn planting is not all 
finished yet. j. B . j. 
Minnesota, Fairbault. May 14— Our wheat 
has beeu benefited 25 per cent, by the rains we 
have had during the past week. r. b. 
(fiiensl. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Orchard- Grass. 
C. H. H. t Castile, N. 1', asks when and how 
to save the seed of orchard-grass and other in¬ 
formation with regard to it- 
Ans—O rchard-grass cannot be compared 
with clover in any way. It is a grass that 
blossoms once iu each year, just as timothy 
does, but two or three weeks earlier. It may 
be cut with the cradle aud bound iu sheaves or 
mown with the scythe and tied iu bundles and 
thrashed with the fiail or a thrashing machine, 
and cleaned by sifting from the straw. As the 
seed is very light it cannot easily be separated 
from the chaff. A bushel of the seed in the 
chaff weighs but 14 pounds. The season for 
cutting is in June, early or late, as may depend 
upon the season. When left for seed and 
ripened, orchard-grass makes rather poor liay, 
but when cut early, the hay is equal to any 
aud is eagerly eaten by horses and cattle. When 
cut early and before ripening the seed, a second 
crop may be had, but not if left to mature seed. 
About Corn. 
II. F. M., Jackson, Mich., asks 1, how can lie 
tell a sterile corn tassel from a fertile one; 2, 
how can he know when the seed is in a condi¬ 
tion to be fertilized by the pollen ; 3. will it 
answer to fertilize pollen year after year with 
seed from the same kind of plaut; 4, is it ad¬ 
vantageous to occasionally or always use seed 
brought from a distance. 
Ans. —1, a sterile corn plant is one that has a 
tassel hut bears no silk; the tassel is the male 
blossom and tbe silk is the female; a fertile 
plant is provided with both organs ; otherwise, 
if growing alone, it could produce no fruit or 
seed. 2. The silk is ready to receive pollen 
from the tassel as soon as it protrudes from 
the busk. 3. Corn may be inbred with advan¬ 
tage. and has been grown upon the 6ame farm 
for 80 years without the introduction of any 
new 6eed aud without any deterioration, but 
with conspicuous improvement. 4. In experi¬ 
menting to improve corn, it is best to keep the 
seed pure from admixture with any other var¬ 
iety. 
Castrating a Colt. 
O. A. 8., Macon, Mo., asks whether there is 
much risk in castrating his colt, as he lias had 
no experience in such au operation, and there 
is no one else at hand to perform it. 
Ans— The opemtion may be safely per¬ 
formed by aDy person who has had successful 
experience with other animals. In making 
tbe operation, it is safest to use an instrument 
called an (craseur, by which the separation of 
the cord, arteries arid veins, is effected by tor¬ 
sion and not by cutting. This tends to preveut 
loss of blood and to encourage healthful heal¬ 
ing. You must be your own judge of your 
capability for performing the operation, but 
we6hould think there is little risk if the wound 
is made to open to the bottom of the scrotum, 
so as to permit the pus that will form, to 
escape with ease, and if the weather is not too 
warm. It will be safer to prepare the colt by 
J a cooling laxative, such as eight ounces of 
epsom salts a day or two previously. 
“ Puls,” “ Call* ’’ and “ Straddles.” 
A Subscriber. Newville, Ohio, asks whether a 
named firm In this city, who advertise that 
1 they do a peculiar sort of banking business, is 
t trustworthy, aud whether their method is 
> founded on a sound basis, 
Ans. —The whole system of “puts,” “ calls” 
and “ straddles" doue by the firm is sheer 
gambling, and anyone who ventures his money 
in such illegitimate transactions, takes the 
chances, of course. But the odds are so great 
against out-of-town operators, it. is safe to say 
that in nine eases out of ten they are sure to 
lose their investments. Wo would strongly 
advise all our friends to stick to their legiti¬ 
mate business and let all such ventures severe¬ 
ly alone. 
Ventral llernln In a Horne. 
E. L. B., Lamb's Corners, M. Y. f has a colt 
with a bunch, about the size of a duck’s egg, 
on its belly aud where it sticks out there is a 
hole the size of a couple of fingers, and he asks 
how to treat it. 
Ans. -This is a case of ventral hernia or a 
rupture of the walls of the abdomen, through 
which the gut escapee. This may be replaced 
by pressure aud working the bowel back 
through the opening, aud it may be retained in 
its place by means of a pad and a bandage 
around the body. After the rupture has beeu 
existing for some time, Hie evil is more diffi¬ 
cult to cure than when the injury is fresh. It 
would be best to consult some veterinary sur¬ 
geon or other competent person as to the 
probability of cure. 
A Weakly Colt. 
8. B. l J ., Berlin, Pa., has a week-old colt 
which cannot rise without assistance, and he 
asks what ails it. 
Ans. —The colt will probably become stronger 
as it grows older. In the mean time nothing 
eaa be done more than to assist it to rise when 
necessary. This is not unusual in the ease of 
a colt whose dam has been overworked, pre¬ 
viously to foaling. 
Miscellaneous. 
J. W. L., Smith?s Grove, Ky., asks, 1, for a 
recipe for mixing paints and how to use var¬ 
nish with them so as to produce a walnut fin¬ 
ish on poplar furniture; 2, from what source 
does red clover draw its ammonia: 8, if an or¬ 
chard is sown to some crop every' year and 
grass is allowed to feed on the crop, would 
such treatment injure the trees; 4, is a large 
beetle called the “cow-bug” that deposits its 
young deep in the litter of stock, a mere scav¬ 
enger or docs it fertilize the soil. 
Ans.—A u excellent walnut stain may be 
made of asphalt varnish thinned down with 
turpentine. It should be tested ou sample 
pieces before the work is begun, so as to pro¬ 
cure the desired shade. After the stain has 
dried in, it may be rubbed with linseed oil and 
varnished precisely as walnut wood. 2. Clover 
is supposed to draw much of its ammonia from 
the atmosphere. 3. The best way to treat an 
orchard is to keep the ground fallow, plowing 
it twice each season. If too much wood is made, 
the land may be seeded to clover and the clover 
cut for hay for two or three years. You can¬ 
not grow two crops on the same ground at the 
same time successfully'. 4. The larva of the 
beetle referred to, feeds upon the manure in 
in which the egg is deposited by the parent; it 
docs nothing to fertilize the soil. 
JV. J. E., Birmingham, Ala., 1, asks how 
many grown “red-horse” fish can be shipped 
alive in a 40-gallon barrel of water over a dis¬ 
tance of 65 miles ; 2, wbatkiud of screen should 
be used for the outlet of a fish pond to pre¬ 
vent the escape of young fish 3. Having 
plauted his Bluut’s corn in a row, the row 
flan ked by potatoes, three feet away on one side, 
and by beets the same distance on the other, 
ho asks whether he can compete for premiums. 
Ans. —1. Probably' 35 moderate-sized fish 
could be 6ent in a barrel of water. If air were 
pumped or blown into the water before the fish 
were started, it would refresh the tish consider¬ 
ably. 3. A screen for a fish pond, to restrain 
young fry, should be of galvanized wire net of 
one-eighth of an inch mesh. 3. For reasons, 
the corn must be planted within a plot equal to 
or less tliau 33 feet square. 
B. L. B.. Buckmlle, S. C., asks who is con¬ 
sidered the maker of the best pianos and 
organs ; and how do those made by D. F. 
Beatty compare with others. 
An8 —It would be difficult, if not impossible 
to answer this question. Many of the pianos 
and <^rgau6 now ou the market are excellent, 
and a choice is as much a matter of fancy as 
of judgment. Of two instruments equally 
good, it would puzzle the buyer to explain in 
what particular his selection was the best- 
Invite the kind offices of au agent to aid you 
iu your selection, aud you will perhaps under¬ 
stand what we mean. The Beatty piano and 
organ are sold at u very low figure; hence 
their popularity. We do not think them as 
good as some ot hers that sell at a higher figure. 
