752 
MOV. 22 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
if used at home. If desired, potatoes, corn, 
Strawberries, etc., can be grown on the same 
lot until the trees are large. If the orchard is 
planted with three dwarf pear trees between 
each standard tree, it will pay in live years, 
and at ten years give a profit, provided it is set 
with Duchesse d’Angouleme and Vicar of 
Wlnkfleld. These kinds do well on the 
Quince, especially the Vicar; for, if set three 
inches below the junction of the Vicar and 
Quince, nine trees out of every ten will strike 
pear roots, and make the best of trees. All 
other varieties, so far as I kuow. are failures 
ou the Quince, either in growing or else they 
will not sell after they are grown. 
The orchardist of the present day must con¬ 
sider before be plants. We have fruit coming 
from Georgia first, aud fruit growers there can 
make it pay only by sending fruit of good size 
and appearauce. It will not pay to have any¬ 
thing but the best to be had at the season ; the 
cost of transportation cats up all profit from 
poorer sorts. The ripening of fruit extends 
gradually north, so that all northern sections 
have to compete with Bartletts grown to the 
south of them. As we all kuow that nothing 
else brings a price equal to that obtained for 
this variety, it follows that all parts of the 
North have to grow pears to compete with 
Southern Bartletts. Later on in the season, 
the position changes, and the south and middle 
section have to compete with Northern Bart¬ 
letts. To make the matter plain : the Bartlett 
comes from the south to New York City early 
in August; New York, Michigan and Massa¬ 
chusetts keep up the supply through September, 
and for two months of the pear season, 
the Bartlett fills the market, and no rival has 
yet appeared to dispute its sway. 
We 6ee that if the above bo correct, the Bart¬ 
lett is the earliest Pear worth planting n'orth of 
Georgia. It is also the latest worth planting 
south of Washington City. After it comes the 
Seckel—and a few of them are plenty—Duch¬ 
esse, d’Angouleme—standard or dwarf—Bourn; 
d’Anjou, Lawrence and Vicar of Wiukfield. 
Most of the others will not pay here. Onon¬ 
daga is a fine fruit, but blights badly, or has 
done so here. There is a host of varieties that 
grow fairly, without a standing in the markets, 
and so they had better not be grown. It must 
be a superior fruit that can compete success¬ 
fully with old standard sorts. 
Mercer Co., New Jersey. 
Jjirlti Crap. 
THE PLANTING AND CULTIVATION OF 
THE CRANBERRY. 
There are throughout the country numerous 
marshes and muck beds that now are pro¬ 
ductive of only weeds aud briers, which 
could readily be converted into flourish¬ 
ing cranberry beds, aud become rich sources 
of income to the owners. Not only are 
these places waste land, but they cause, in ad¬ 
dition, untold misery by generating mal¬ 
aria that poisons the air lor miles around. 
Fig. 1. 
We would urge upon every farmer who owns a 
suitable cranberry bog, to let it remaiu a waste 
and a nuisance to the community no longer, but 
at once to make preparations to cover it with 
a vigorous vegetation that may absorb the 
poisonous gases and bring him a comfortable 
return from the sale of the much-sought 
berries. The Cranberry may be planted at 
almost any time of the year when the ground 
Is not frozen; fall aud spring, however, are 
considered the most suitable seasons, and even 
nowit is uot too late to plant, it the laud needs 
but little preparation. A few words with 
reference to the character of the land will here 
be in place. As to location, it should, if possi¬ 
ble, be so situated that it can he flooded at 
will from a stream or lake. All cranberry 
growers agree on this point. Especially during 
winter should the vines be flooded ; the water 
not only protects the stems in severe frostB, but 
it kills all insects and their larvse, that may 
harbor in the soil and on the plants, and also 
acts as a fer Trying iu a quantity of 
organic matter. A clayey soil is unsuit¬ 
able, as is also a dry, Bandy and gravelly 
one. A soil formed from the deposits of 
rnud’Jy water, or, in other words, of an allu¬ 
vial formation, is most suitable for the Cran¬ 
berry. It should also admit of being drained, 
bo that the water level can he lowered during 
the growing season to from 12 to 18 inches 
below the surface. A muck bed to which has 
been added several inches of coarse sand, will 
also produce a thrifty growth of vines. 
llaviug such a soil, the preparation should 
begiu by cuttiug a main dilch through the 
lowest line of the laud ; this will give an out¬ 
let to the surplus water, and thus make the 
rest of the work easier. Next, clear off the 
brush and briers ; level the land, if necessary, 
aud drain it, either by laying tile or by a series of 
opeu ditches. The whole meadow should next 
be covered with a couple of inches of coarse 
saud. This work is greatly facilitated by lay- 
iug down a rude movable track, as shown in 
figure 1. it is best made of 4x4-iucb pieces, 
securely bound together bj cross-bars, and it 
should be in lengths of 12 to 15 feet, so that it 
can be extended at pleasure. The illustra¬ 
tion shows bow readily the sand can be 
dumped and spread. Whore the meadow is 
flooded during the winter, this coat of sand 
may be spread ou the ice in like manner. 
The plants are really euttings, the vines 
being cut iu pieces, as shown 
in Fig. 2, aud these set in the 
ground. They may be sown 
broadcast over the laud and 
afterward pressed into tbe 
ground with a forked stick; or 
each piece can be more advan¬ 
tageously but also more labor¬ 
iously,planted with adibble; but 
the best method, one by which 
the work can be done both effi¬ 
ciently and quickly, is perhaps 
the one illustrated in flg. 
3. In this case, furrows are 
made with a small plow and a 
single lioiBe, three feet apart 
aud four or five inches deep. 
Id these the plantB are set one 
foot apart, one man going 
Ftg..2. ahead, who drops the plants, 
and another following with a hoe to cover 
them up, two-thirds of their lengths. If this 
method is employed, the sand should not be 
put on till the vines are planted, it being put 
on not only to improve the soil physically, but 
also to act as a mulch and to suppress the 
weeds, and it will mix quite enough with a 
loose soil in the course of a year by the neces¬ 
sary use of the hoe and cultivator. Should 
the vines be ordered from a distance and be 
received apparently dry, they will recover 
by soaking them in water for 24 hours; or 
should they arrive too late to be planted, they 
can be packed in layers, with moist earth in a 
box, and kept in a cellar till nsed. 
A substantia! dam should be built across the 
lowest border of the meadow, to hold the water 
when flooded. If this is built of brush and 
muck carelessly tbrowu together, it will soon 
leak and wash away. The best way is to dig 
through the muck for five or six feet, and fill 
up with firm earth to the required bight, giving 
the embankment a slope of about 30 degrees, 
and coveriug tbe slope with turf, The flood¬ 
gate should be in tbe lowest place, and securely 
constructed. The water should cover the vines 
between one and two feet, and can remain on 
till the middle of May. 
During the summer, until time arrives for 
gathering the fruit, there is but little to be 
done in the meadow. It is, however, well to 
destroy the most persistent weeds for the first 
couple of years until the vines cover the ground. 
Varieties. —Cape Cod Bell, an early berry 
of medium size, dark red. The Bugle, early, 
medium to large, medium bearer, dark scarlet, 
a good keeper. Cherry, of which there are 
several sub-varieties that differ but little, 
medium size, bright red, good bearer, late. 
Two new varieties, Eaton’s Early Black Bell 
and Mansfield Creeper, are being introduced. 
Fig. 3. 
The first is of medium size, dark-red, good 
bearer and keeper, early; the second is of a 
creeping habit, large, scarlet on one side, 
whitish on the other, a good keeper. 
Jtiimstrml jsoriffe, 
VIRGINIA STATE FAIR. 
[Special Correspondence.] 
The Virginia State fair, for cogent reasons, 
ought to be a full and complete exposition of 
the resources of the State. Impoverished and 
depopulated by the war, the 8tate is in pressing 
need of immigration, and, iudeed, as may be 
seen by a reference to our advertising columns, 
colonists are urged to settle there. Tbe an¬ 
nual fair affords a good opportunity—if rightly 
managed—for those interested, to 6ee and talk 
with tbe people, aud to judge of the resources 
and products of tbe land by the samples shown. 
From this point of view, the fair was a dismal 
failure, and that it was so seems to be due, in 
large measure, to inefficieut management ou 
the part of the officers of the Society. Tbe 
premiums were injudiciously apportioned, the 
bulk of them being devoted to purses for horse- 
racing and a bench-show of dogs, not to men¬ 
tion a prize military drill—all good enough in 
their appropriate places, but it will hardly be 
assumed that those places were within the 
boundaries of an agricultural fair. 
The show of stock was not an average one. 
There were a few good Short-horns and a good 
lot of fat sheep and fat cattle. In the sheep- 
pens were a few superior Downs of each kind 
—some of them imported stock—and a few 
head of superior Angora goats. In swine the 
Berkshires were the most noteworthy, and it 
was pleasant to see them, as the native pig is 
susceptible of a world of improvement. A 
long struggle for daily existence has been pro¬ 
ductive of too much length of snout and body. 
Specimens, seen roaming at large, looked as if 
they might have the lleetncss of deers, and 
certainly the most prominent characteristic 
was 6pare-rib. 
The poultry display was fairly large and 
various, but there were too many Game varie¬ 
ties to make it of much use to the farmer. M. 
B. & A. P. Rowe were the largest exhibitors, 
and they had, on the whole, the best birds. 
The horses—the best of them—were racers, 
roadsters and saddle animals; the draft horses 
were a poor lot. 
In the departments devoted to farm products 
the display was beneath the level of criticism. 
Some very good plates of fall aud winter ap¬ 
ples, contributed mainly by Bedford and Au¬ 
gusta counties, were the chief poruological 
feature. A prominent railroad company sent 
fine samples of coal and iron, and, iu fact, the 
mineral resources of the State were energeti¬ 
cally rqprcsentud. 
By far the largest and best display was tbe 
implements and machinery. The local dealers, 
acting as agents, had samples of the manufac¬ 
tures of leading firms. H. M. Smith & Co., 
whose exhibit was the largest, most, complete 
and representative, included iu their space the 
Oliver plow, Tompkins Co. rake, Clark's root 
cutter, Excelsior law ii mower, the drill, rake and 
clover buffer of the Hagerstown Mfg. Co.; the 
Geiser separator, Gill's separator and power, 
as also Heebner’s, the Mitchell, Studebaker and 
Cortland wagonB, etc. As manufacturers, they 
also exhibited a very complete thrashing ma¬ 
chine and tl^eir Virginia Jack power which 
took first premiums. Walter A Wood had 
his new string binder in operation, and It car¬ 
ried off the honors as agaiost the McCormick. 
The Eurcku mower took first premium. P. II. 
Stark represented the Gale & Dixie plows, 
Philadelphia seeder, Giles’s riding saw aud the 
Empire drill uud rake. The Silver and Dom¬ 
ing Mfg. Co. had their power feed cutter on 
the grounds, while C. T. Palmer, iu addition 
to his plow, showed the Richardson rake and 
a reaper and mower of his own. The Cooley 
creamer and Davis churn—Vt. Farm Mch. 
Co.—attracted a large share of attention aud 
took first premiums. 
Aruoug the new things was the Bates har¬ 
vester, a light single-wheel reaper weighiug 
about 750 pounds. The machine is so perfect¬ 
ly balanced that the guards can be tilted with 
one finger. The outer eud Is raised and low¬ 
ered by simply turning a screw—a very neat, 
strong device. Tbe uovel features—besides 
the screw—are driving the rake without a 
chain or flexible connection, making the revo¬ 
lutions at a uniform speed, without that jerk 
attendant on chain rakes when delivering the 
sheaf. The inside end of the grain-bar may 
be raised or lowered without the driver leaving 
his seat. The Central Mfg. Co., of Lewfjfiutg, 
Pa., the makers, also showed a mower which 
is a modification of the Buckeye. Both imple¬ 
ments are characteristic of simplicity, strength 
aud completeness. 
The exhibit of grain drills was very large, 
comprising some of the best-knowu in the 
country, so that the two first premiums taken 
by Bickford and Hufman, of Macedon, N, 
Y., on their Fanner’s Favorite grain drill, and 
grain and fertilizer drill, with grass seeder at¬ 
tachment, were very gratifying marks of ap¬ 
proval. It is a curious and interesting fact 
that Bickford and Hufman exhibited the first 
fertilizer drill ever shown, and it was at the 
Virginia State fair in 1854. Since that time— 
even including the period of the war—their 
drills have been in constant use and demand in 
Virginia, and are to-day probably the Farm¬ 
er’s Favorites. Their drill, as improved for 
this season, has strong points. The Besseraer- 
steel axle combines lightness with strength 
and the new spring tube is so arranged that 
rubber is discarded, and if broken.it may be re 
paired at home, thus saving expense. The 
Bonanza grass seeder can be placed at back or 
front of drill, and will sow large, small or 
mixed seeds equally well. Tbe fertilizer at¬ 
tachment will distribute fertilizers in any con¬ 
dition,and. altogether, the drill is a captivating 
piece of machinery for style, finish and effect¬ 
iveness. 
Roberts, Throp & Co., Three Rivers, Mich., 
had in operation one of their 32^-inch •* Invin¬ 
cible" vibrator separators, which attracted a 
large share of attention ou account of its com¬ 
parative noiselessness in operation, its sim¬ 
plicity, strength and handsome finish. Mr. 
Cyrus Roberts, the head of the establishment, 
was the inventor of the vibrating principle 
(1848). and since 1856 has been established at 
Three Rivers aud steadily employed in manu¬ 
facturing aud perfecting this justly popular 
separator. The strong poiut of the “ Invin¬ 
cible," is its ability to thrash grain well, no 
matter what its condition, and iu flax and 
timothy it has accomplished the most satisfac¬ 
tory results. 
Altogether, tbe handsome aud fuff display of 
machinery saved the fair from utter failure as 
an agricultural show, and it is to be hoped that 
next year the new managers will profit by the 
lesson. o. h. e. k. 
- M-» 
LIVE-STOCK AT THE QUEEN’S COUNTY 
FAIR. 
In the account of the Queen’s County fair, 
published in tue Rural of Oct. 4, Mr. William 
Crozier, of Northport, Long Island, is credited 
with having taken the first premium for Jersey 
buff three years old or over; the first for 
Guernsey buff one year old, and the second 
premium for Jersey heifer. The number of 
prizes actually awarded Mr. Crozier, however, 
is as follows: 
First premium of $15, on all Jersey buffs 
three years old aud over, won by his imported 
buff, Rival, A. J. C. C. H. R No. 3,762. He is 
considered tbe un-Rivaled Jersey bull of this 
continent by the best judges. He is of a golden 
orange color, without any white. He has a 
large body, on fine, well-set limbs, full black 
points, and. besides the premium, won the 
admiration of all lovers of fine stock at the 
Queen’s County fair. In the Island of Jersey 
he is entered as Foundation stock No. 143. 
His sire. Jolly, Foundation stock No. 230, and 
his dam, Daisy, was also registered as Founda¬ 
tion stock No. 884. Next to him stood Cro- 
zier’s two-year-old buff Cassock 7th, A. J. C - 
C. H. R No. 3.745, a long, solid-colored buff 
of dappled fawn, dark around tbe head aud 
neck. His dam, Josephiue Beacon, was 
awarded second premium at the Centennial 
iu 1876, as the best two-year-old, and was one of 
the herd that wou the gold medal at the New 
York State fair for two seasons, as well as the 
herd prize of $100 at the Queen’s County fair. 
Cassock 7th was awarded tbe first premium as 
the best two-year-old buff at the late show. 
Mr. Crozier was also awarded first premium 
on young Jersey bull Long Island Starr, A. J. 
C. C. H. R No. 3,605. Bertram 2d, belonging 
to the same owner, was awarded second pre¬ 
mium ou yearlings. In the class for Jersey 
buff calves, first prize aud gold cup were 
awarded to Crozier's A. J. C. C. H. R. No. 
3,983. lie Is by Victor, the first-prize bull on 
the Island of Jersey for three years in succes¬ 
sion. Ho also took the first prize over all 
Jerseys in 1873, and again in 1879. This calf 
is a solid orange fawn, with the exception of 
one white spot on his shoulder, with fuff black 
points, except the tongue, which is neither 
white nor black, but between the two. It is 
intended that this buff shall appear at the 
World's Fair In 1883. 
On Jersey cows Mr. Crozier was awarded 
the sweepstakes or herd prize for buff aud five 
cows. Of these tbe above-named Rival was 
the bull, while Belle TIinman, Jessamine, Eu¬ 
genie 2d, Nellie of St. PcterB aud Lucy Simout 
were the cows in this prize herd- In single 
prizes the same owner was awarded first prize 
on Belle Hiuman for the buBt three-year-old 
cow; second prize for Jessamine as best in 
the two-year-old class; first forNellte Le Brocq 
in oue-ycar-olds; first for Carrie Cass, and 
second ou Princess Eugenie, makiug, in all, 11 
prizes for Jerseys. 
Mi'. Crozier was also awarded first prize on 
his Ayrshire buff, Robert Mars, a two-year- 
old, which took seven first prizes last year 
when only a trifle over one year old. The 
same owner also got first prize ou Laird 
Craigie in the one-year-old buff class. The 
same animal also got first prize in the same 
class at the late N. Y. State fair at Utica. 
Besides taking the first prize on bull calves, Mr. 
Crozier also obtained the first prize in cows, 
for imported Brown Lady, whose sire,Polisher, 
