RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
06T.2§ 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Vt., Newport, Orleans Co., Oct. 9. -A cool 
summer has been followed by a cold, wet Sep¬ 
tember, with frost on the 25th, that put a stop 
to vegetation, catching at least three-quarters 
of the corn in an unripe state. My own crop 
of the Pierce or “Pedigree” sort, was, how¬ 
ever, fully ripe September 10, or only eight 
days later than last year. It is now in process 
of husking, and will average 80 bushels per 
acre, of dry, shelled corn. This is a variety 
that might suit those who find the Blount corn 
too late. Since October came in, we have had 
dry, hot. hazy weather ; hot not only by day 
but at uight; indeed, the hottest weather of 
the year. Potatoes are rather more than an 
average crop, and selling at 20 cents. Oats 
arc good, as well as other small grain; the hay 
crop has been large, and the fall feed is far 
better than in average years. The rise in the 
prices of butter aud cheese is cheering to our 
farmers who have been rather blue lately. 
The fruit crop is a fair one. but Northern Ver¬ 
mont will buy a good many apples for several 
years yet, as most of tire orchards are young, 
the people having only recently found varieties 
adapted to the climate. t. h. h. 
Mass., Fall River, Oct. 7.—I let some of my 
Pearl Millet grow to see how tall it would be¬ 
come, and now it measures nine feet nine 
inches and is still going up, with heads from 
10 to 14 inches long. Never before have I had 
so much fodder - on so small a piece of ground. 
My Blount’s corn has not eared out so well as 
some other varieties; but there are three or 
four ears on a stalk. The Beauty of Hebron I 
planted beside the Early Rose ; they ripened 
about the same time, but the Beauty gave the 
best yield. My Acme tomatoes are very flue; 
I trained them up about three feet and then let 
them fall over - . a. f . 
N. Y., Elmira, Chemung Co., Oct. 13.—The 
dry weather, which has been a cause for much 
complaint by fanners of this valley for more 
than two months, still continues. Never be¬ 
fore, within the memory of our oldest inhabi¬ 
tants, was there known such a scarcity of 
water. Springs, creeks and wells arc drying 
up, and in many cases farmers find it very in¬ 
convenient to obtain water for their stock. 
Pastures are yielding so little feed that fodder¬ 
ing has already commenced and in consequence 
hay has advanced to $14.50 per ton, with pros¬ 
pects of its helug still higher. Straw brings 
from $6 to $8; oats, 30c. to 35c. per bushel; 
wheat, $1.15 to $1.20; rye, 55c. to 60c,; com, 
55c. to 58c.; barley, 60c. to 70c. For the past 
two weeks the weather has been very warm for 
October and would have been timely in July 
or August. We had a light rain Sept. 24, 
which started wheat to growing, but dry 
weather immediately followed, 60 that it is 
ruakiDg but little growth and bids fair to go 
into winter in poor condition. g. a. g. Jr. 
N. Y., Le Roy, Geneaeee County, Oct. 3.— 
The two small Beauty of Hebron potatoes sent 
me last spring, contained 13 eyes. 1 planted 
one eye in a hill on good soil for corn. I have 
dug them and got about three-quarters of a 
bushel of splendid tubers—no small ones. They 
ripened a little earlier than the Early Rose. I 
shall keep them all for seed. The Acme and 
Golden Rural tomatoes are very fine and of ex- i 
cellcnt quality. The .‘erne ripened first, and 
should he classed with the Hebron potato as a 
beauty. From the . oorhis watermelon seed 
I gathered three large melons of most delicious 
quality. Blount’s corn has grown almost too 
well- from 12 to 15 feet high. The ears have 
set well, but I fear the season will not be long 
enough to ripeu them. i>. j. 
Onro, Foster's Crossings, Wanen Co., Oct. 
9.—My Pearl Millet grew slowly at first owing 
to our cold weather in June; but it has since 
grown finely. I have harvested some of it and 
expect to cut some more to-morrow. I have 
one magnificent hill which I am saving for 
seed. The Coluinhiuo is growing finely, and 60 
is the Rose of Sharon of which we have sev¬ 
eral small trees. The Weigela too is doing 
well. Blouut’s corn was planted in the garden 
and is doing well. There are three stalks to a 
hill and two large ears to a stalk. I intend 
to plant it in the field next year. The other 
seeds failed for one cause or another, .t. d. 
Wisconsin, Porter’s Mills, Eau Claire Co, 
Oct. 1st.—My corn has done finely. It was 
planted on the 10th of May, four feet apart 
each way, three to four grains in the hill with 
no manure. I put on some plaster at the 
second hoeing, and hoed it every week till bar. 
vest cowmen. It is over twelve feet high 
with from fo>i to seven ears to a stalk. It is 
too late for this climate ; but I saved some for 
med before frost came; It Is all frost-bitten 
now, but I shall save almost ail of it for seed. 
It, will grow, if properly dried. The Beauty of 
Hebron potato did well. From the single 
potato 1 obtained all tbe tubers I could pile’em 
half a bushel. There were very few small 
ones among them. I cogld not see that they 
ripened any sooner than the Early Rose ; but 
they will yield more large potatoes. Defiauce 
wheat rusted badly with me. It is all shriveled 
up. 1 sowed it in drills, hoed it, put ashes on 
it at the first hoeing, and, after a while, plas¬ 
tered it well with lime and hoed it in. and still 
it rusted badly, but stooled out to beat any¬ 
thing I ever saw. I shall try it another year. 
The tomatoes are first-rate; very smooth and 
solid. Wheat here is a poor crop, but of better 
quality than last year. Oats are good, I may 
say splendid. Corn is good ; busking is com¬ 
mencing now. T. m . 
Mien., Eaetport, Antrim Co., Oct. 6.—My 
Beauty of Hebron far exceeded my expecta¬ 
tions. I had six hills, with one eye in a hill,and 
from them obtained 14 pounds six ounces. The 
Pearl Millet was a failure. Blount’s corn is 
too Jatc for ibis latitude. The Acme tomatoes 
rotted somewhat. The lettuce was the best I 
ever raised. Of the flower seeds only three 
kinds grew,owing to the extremely dry weather 
wc had. This also injured all early and put 
back all late crops. Frost, however, has held 
off until almost everything is secure. We 
finished planting late potatoes on July 13. 
They came up, but seemingly did not grow until 
about the middle of August, wIicd, after rain, 
they began to grow rapidly, and now they will 
weigh from one to two pounds and are still 
growing. m. m. r. 
Kansas, Fort Earned, Pawnee Co., Oct. 7.— 
This year our falL and spring wheat, as well as 
oats, rye, potatoes and beaus, have all proved 
failures. We had no garden, though we planted 
many seeds. Corn was a light crop; Egyptian 
corn, a medium one. There is nothing to ecll 
but a little millet aod wild hay, and these bring 
only ?3 per ton. Dry! Dry! Dry! and windy. 
Droughty Kansas'! e. s. b. 
Neb.. Risiug City, Butler Co., Oct. 7.—1 con¬ 
sider Blount's corn an entire failure. It is true 
it will set from one to six und eight ears on a 
stalk, and the stalks will grow 12 or 14 feet 
high; but the cars are small and will not begin 
to yield with our common field corn, hut I think 
it has given a good lesson for farmers,as it has 
cost them nothing but tbe time. My experience 
in raising corn for tbe last twenty years in 
corn .States is that bills four feet each way and 
three stalks to the hill, and one good car on 
each stalk, will produce more corn to the acre 
than I can get from any other mode of cultiva¬ 
tion on a large field, The Beauty of Hebron 
potato is a success, and is worth the ju ice of 
the paper. 1 received one small potato contain¬ 
ing seven eyes. I cut one eye on a piece and 
planted one eye in each hill, making 6evcn 
bills, i gave them no manure and no extra 
care. I dug them ou the first of September and 
got a heaping half-bushel. As an early potato I 
did not test them as I wanted them all for seed. 
Pearl Millet is worth nothing with us as a fod¬ 
der plant. We cau raise eight times the amount 
of sowed corn on the same area of ground. 
The Voorhis melon is of fair quality, but not 
as good a bearer as other Varieties with us. De¬ 
fiauce wheat rusted I sowed too thin. Shall 
give it another trial. The Golden Kura! tomato 
is splendid for the table and a good bearer. 
Crops in this section are good and corn extra. 
Wheat is yielding from 12 to 20 bushels per 
acre. Potatoes are plentiful and of superior 
quality. Our season lias-been a peculiar one- 
dry through March, April, May and the first 
half of Jnae, wet through harvest, then dry 
again up to the present time. f . a. n. 
Mo., Lowrey City, St. Clair Co., Oct. 7th.— 
The Beauty of Hebron potato I sprouted in a 
hot-bed and made 24 bills, and in spite of 
standing the severe drought, I have SO pounds 
of splendid tubers. The Pearl Millet is a great 
curiosity to tbe “ Natives,” all asking for seed. 
I counted 40 spikes from one seed, and all 
stalks nine feet high. But few of the flower 
seeds grew, owing to tho dry season. The 
Blount coin was planted in second end. I had 
62 hills, with two stalks each; but five hills 
were destroyed by storms. The only cultiva¬ 
tion it received was two hoeings. It got no 
manure. It was ripe and gathered the 1st of 
September. It weighed 80 pounds iu the cob. 
Five ears the largest number ou any one stalk. 
I omitted to mention that I dug a hill of He¬ 
bron potatoes on the 1st of July and planted 
for second crop. These I dug on the 1st of 
October, and they wore just as fine as the first 
planting. I often see inquiries iu tho Rubai, 
by persons about the lands in different States, 
but none about southwest Missouri; there is 
no better laud and climate to bo found any¬ 
where than here. t. j. n, 
Va., Bonsack’s Roanoke Co., Oct. 11.—We 
have quite a drought in this jiart of the 
country, and unfortunately it is in the bight of 
seeding; farmers arc putting their seed into 
the dust, fall pastures are failing fast, feeding 
stock will commence this fall a month earlier 
than usual. We have had two frosts, yet the 
days are as hot as in July. s. o. 
N. C.. Brookston, Warren Co., Oct. 8.—Here 
only enough potatoes are grown for use during 
early summer or until sweet potatoes are large 
enough to eat. The variety in general cultiva¬ 
tion is the Early Rose. Seed is procured from 
the North every year at a cost of $1 25 to $2 
per bushel. Planted in February, they arc 
ripe in June; yield, light; quality, good. A 
late crop, planted in July, sometimes succeeds, 
but usually the earth is too hot and dry, caus¬ 
ing the seed to decay before growth com¬ 
mences. The more elevated portions of this 
State arc said to produce fine crops of late 
varieties. I have seen specimens that were 
large and fine in appearance. m. b. i*. 
Canada, Chateauguay Bas'm, Province of 
Quebec, Oct. 1.—The Beauty of Hebron is a 
success iu size, flavor and productiveness; we 
arc proud of it and of its propagator. One of 
the tubers I should like to have exhibited ; it 
would make a meal for a small family. The 
crop in this vicinity is good and perseverance 
has vanquished the potato beetle, though it 
entails extra work on the farmer in the busy 
summer season. Tbe Pearl Millet has grown 
about, five feet, but will not form seed with us, 
as we may expect a sbarji frost any night. A 
neighbor to whom I gave a few seeds, hoed it 
all up as a grass when it was a few inches high 
and then thought the seed to blame. This 
often happens in one way or another, and 
seedsmen are uujustly blamed. 
I want to get the l uthbert Raspberry—such 
good accounts arc given of it. The Clarke has 
done wonderfully this season, bearing steadily 
since July, and to-day I had a few brought iu 
from the plantation, and instructed the chil¬ 
dren to go along and clip off blossoms and 
green fruit, as they would injure the cancs for 
next year. The moist season has doubtless 
helped to lengthen the fruiting. Our seeds 
from the Rural Grounds are a constant source 
of pleasure to us, and this year wc received 
first prize for Gladioli at the Montreal Horti¬ 
cultural Society's Show, owiuglargely, I think, 
to one fine specimen sent by Unde Mark of the 
Rubai, to one of the children who joined tho 
club. A white Abutilon given me by the 
editor some years ago, was iu full bloom and 
took the second prize. These little things arc 
encouraging, especially to the young people 
of a family who are interested in horticulture. 
A. L. Jack. 
Canada. Northfield Center, Brant Co., Ont., 
Sept. 23.— Most of my seeds from the Rural 
have done as well as I expected. The Blount 
corn (the mammoth of corns) Blands over 12 
feet high, with seven and eight cars set on a 
stalk ; but it will require a longer season than 
wc have just hero for it to ripen, although it 
is doiug well, as the frost has uot harmed it 
yet. The Pearl Millet did not appear to do as 
much as was anticipated, growing very slowly. 
The Hebron potato has given me the most sat¬ 
isfaction. I received two little, jiuny fellows. 
The first received came at a very unexpected 
lime, the coldest day of the winter— the 28th 
day of February—but it was all right; the 
other came when the weather was warm, good 
and souud, both together weighing about three 
ounces. I cut and planted them on the 8th of 
April (13 eyes), aud have just dug, and on 
weighing them, I have 13J pounds of very nice 
potatoes, making a yield at tbe rate of 73 
bushels to one. The ejuing wheat was like 
the Millet—of but little account. As we can¬ 
not raise spring wheat in this region, 1 do not 
wonder at its failure. Of the flower and other 
-eeds I have a fair show. The Beets, Hibiscus 
militaris, Rose of Sharon, Aqnilegia, Yucca, 
Acme tomato and Hollyhocks have all shown 
their good will in raising heads above ground, 
though some of them did so very late. I pre¬ 
sume this tardiuess was due to tho very dry 
weather iu the first of the season. d. s. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Iiinninnintion of Lungs in Wieep. 
IF. C.. White River. King Co., Wash. Ter., 
says: -We have a lew sheep and have been 
trying to improve them, but all the best ones 
die and we caunot understand why a fat sheep 
which we know was lively and apparently well 
yesterday, should to-day be found dead—lying 
in an easy position, us if tho death had been 
sudden and painless. A few days slu.ee I found 
the best yearling cw r e upon tbe place dead ; the 
nose Jay upon a rail as if tho animal was 
Bleeping and in such an easy position that I 
spoke to her to make her get up and then took 
hold of her, when 1 found sbe was cold and 
stiff. She was fat. Several have gone the same 
way. In May a Hampshire Down ewe, uiuo 
years old, w as sheared in (he afternoon ; was 
very fat and lively; next day she was dead. 
Their pasture is river bottom land, clay loam, 
very productive of timothy, clover and weeds. 
If it is something they eat that kills them, why 
is it that some of tho poorest ones do not die ? 
One of my neighbors bus a lew sheep running 
upon sandy bottom land set in timothy and 
clover. There are some sloughs ruuning through 
it with wdtor containing a little iron, but sheep 
seldom drink iu summer here ; there arc heavy 
dews. Sixteen of his best sheep have lately 
died very suddenly and mysteriously. They 
were very fat and were not known to be ailing 
until found dead. Everybody said that Dol- 
c bear’s sheep were healthy and fit for the 
1 butcher; but, without any warning of disease. 
: the very best ones have suddenly been found 
dead. A few days since a ewe lamb born iu 
January, was feuud lying stretched out on her 
s side dead, as if she had died without pain, 
3 Mr. Gwinnette, an Englishman who knows 
3 more about sheep than all the rest of ns, was 
sent for. He made o thorough examination, 
f aud found the lamb very fat—a heavy caul and 
i the kidney perfectly loaded with tallow. The 
3 liver was all cut to pieces and not one leech 
f was found. The animal appeared to be all 
> right—tbe large stomach contained no worms 
and looked well. The gall was perfectly black, 
the lower portions of the lungs were as black 
as iuk, the rigging around the upper part of 
the heart was shriveled and wasted away. 
The pplc.on and kidneys wore in good condi¬ 
tion so far as we could sec. There arc three 
other flocks of sheep running on throe sides of 
the fields w-herc Dolhear’s sheep are kept, and 
none of them die. Tim soil, water, grass and 
weeds and other productions aro the same in 
all the fields. Dolbear's sheep had the best of 
care during the winter, were fed shelled oats 
for about six weeks while not one man in a 
hundred in this countrv ever feeds grain to 
sheep. I would like to know what causes the 
death of these sheep and what is the remedy.” 
ANSWER RY TIKN’RV STEWART, AUTHOR OF THE 
SHEPHERD’S MANUAL. 
The disease is undoubtedly inflammation of 
tbe lungs, probably complicated by bilious 
disorder and pericarditis. Fat animals are 
more disposed to inflammatory diseases tban 
those in moderate condition. Excessive fat is 
a disease, for the system becomes engorged 
with carbonaceous products, the blood be¬ 
comes charged with unhealthy matter, the bile 
is usually in excess, the digestive apparatus is 
overtaxed and au inflammatory condition is 
general. Consequently, high-bred and rapidly 
growing and fattening animals aro frequent 
victims to inflammatory disease. The lungs 
are usually first affected, and then the liver 
and other intestines. Inflammation of the 
lungs appears in a flock sometimes, and in¬ 
deed frequently, as au endemic disease, attack¬ 
ing mauy at one time, few ol the flock that 
are in a plethoric condition escaping. This is 
explained by the fact that the conditions which 
cause the disease in one are present with all, 
aud there is simply the result in each case of a 
malady occurring from causes which are gen¬ 
eral and not individual. The disease consists 
of inflammation of the substance of the lungs 
(pneumonia), frequently with hydro-pericar¬ 
ditis (dropsy, or atrophy of the heart-bag), as 
in the case referred to above, with diarrhea, 
sometimes with pleurisy. When pleurisy oc¬ 
curs, the animals suffer much pain aud there 
are heaving of the flauks, grinding of the teeth, 
much thirst and other indications of suffering. 
Without pleurisy, there is little exhibition of 
pain; the sheep isolate themselves, lie upon 
the belly with the head stretched out, and so 
die without struggling. The always fatal end 
is sndden, and is generally reached in 24 hours 
and before any symptoms are observed. Usu¬ 
ally tho exterior lobes of the lungs only are 
affected, and sometimes but one lobe. The 
symptoms usually present when the disease 
has progressed somewhat are: redness of the 
I eyes, rapid breathiug and discharge from the 
nostrils. But none of these may he present, 
and the only indication of tho trouble may be 
the hiding away of the sheep and great tender¬ 
ness of the loins, which is always present. 
From the rapid course of tbe disease, treat¬ 
ment is unavailing. Prevention is the better 
way. Every flock-owner should see and count 
his sheep ouee or twice every day; should ob¬ 
serve auy redness of the eyes, dryness of tho 
muzzle, discharge at the nose, foulness about 
tbe hind parts or other unusual appearance, 
and at once investigate it and apply proper 
remedies. Sheep that are in high condition 
should be watched with extra care. Store 
sheep should not be fed high, but kept in fair 
condition only. Those prepare! for sale should 
be hurried off as soou as ready for market, 
and without delay. Whore danger is sus¬ 
pected. a dose of two ounces of salts, repeated 
In diminishing quantity until tho bowels are 
well relaxed, may bo given. A seton In the 
brisket, or the application of mustard to tho 
sides of the chest, may he found useful, and 
the feed should be reduced very liberally. 
Murk, Its Use nml Value. 
J. 1). (!,, Cambridge, Erie Co., Pa., says :—I 
have just thrown ont of my muck swamp 100 
loads of muck which I expect to haul in 
winter. It lies in a long ridge beside tho 
ditch from which it was thrown, the ditch be¬ 
ing about four feet wide and the same in depth. 
After clearing off the turf or top sod, which 
is about four inches iu thickness, I find one 
foot next below it quite spongy, dark-brown 
in color, then two feet black uud fatty or oily; 
next one foot reddish-brown in color and smell¬ 
ing like uu old cow stable, apparently free of 
greasy matter next above it, und lying on a 
bed of very soft ash-colored clay. As I am 
not familiar with muck and its formation, I 
describe tips to learn whether this is the 
