7 
THE RURAL WIW-YORKiR. 
potash in some form. Muriate of potash is I 1 
good where ashes cannot be got in abundance. I i 
Strawberries also need bone dust or superphos- I t 
phate on such land. We think the land is de- - 
flcient in potash and probably phosphoric acul, 1 
and would recommend 400 pounds of hone I ] 
flour or 600 pouuds of a good brand of super- < 
phosphate and 40 bushels of unleached hard- 1 
wood ashes per acre, and 10 to 20 loads of good I I 
barn-yard manure. We think strawberries 
would then grow again better than ever. 2. I < 
Crescent Seedling is a very good berry, and 
very profitable in many places. We advise I 
trying the Jewell in a small way. If you send I 
us three or four subscribers you will get 24, or 
32 plants. It does well on sandy land, and the 
ground for it may be rich. 
FERTILIZING AN ORCHARD; WAR ON THE CUT- I 
WORM. 
C. B. IF., Douglas, Mieh.—l. Is salt or 
lime beneficial to a peach orchard; if so, how 
much, and how should it be applied? 2. Can I 
salt or lime be used in a peach orchard to de¬ 
stroy cut-worms, and, if so, how much? My 
orchard is from one to eight years old, on 
hemlock, sandy land, with a clay subsoil, a I 
little rolling and well drained. The cut¬ 
worms are so very thick that they sometimes I 
destroy trees three years old. 
Axs.—1. Very likely lime would be benefi¬ 
cial on such land, and a moderate amount I 
of salt would do no harm; but we should 
much prefer to apply a liberal amount of 
deciduous wood ashes nud bone dust. The ashes I 
could be bought in the hard wood districts of 
Northern Michigan for from five to six cents 
per bushel, and they contain about three 
pounds of potash to the bushel. The bone 
dust can be bought in Chicago and freighted I 
across the lake. Try these in varying quanti¬ 
ties and also try them in connection with lime I 
and salt, marking the plots, and making I 
memoranda of the applications, and watch I 
the results. A single year will give much I 
light If the ashes cauuot be obtained, kainit 
or muriate of potash may be substituted to give 
the needed potash. With either of these, es- I 
peciallv the kainit, no salt would be used, as 
a large share of this is in the kaimt. 2. It is I 
not possible to use enough salt (lime would do I 
no good) to kill the cut-worms without also 
killing the trees. We suppose the climb- I 
ing cut-w orm ts meant, and we suggest the | 
extermination of these by spraying the trees, I 
just at night, with a solution or Fai ls-green or I 
London-purple, using care to cover all the 
lower buds and leaves, as these are first eaten. I 
We also suggest the spreading of sheets under 
the trees ul‘tor dark (as they work entirely in 
the night) and the jarring of the worms off the I 
trees upon the sheets where they can be easily 
caught and killed. The sheets should be used 
the same as for the eurculio. 
ABOUT ASHES. 
G. R., Colfax, IF. T.—l. Have ashes from a 
burnt straw-stack sufficient manuriol value to 
pay for the trouble of applying them to smull 
fruits? 2. Are Lombardy Poplar, Cotton¬ 
wood, Balm-of-Gilead, Willow and Box Elder 
classed with hard-wood trees? 3. What are 
the relative values of ashes from the above and 
other deciduous trees? 
Ans. —1. If saved aud applied without w et¬ 
ting, they certainly have. 2. We think the 
Box Elder is; the others are not. 3. We often 
speak of hard-wood ashes when we should say 
that of deciduous trees. The White or Swamp 
Elm is by no means a bard wood, aud still it 
makes ashes of the highest value, containing 
more potash than almost any other. We think 
the varieties of woods mentioned make but 
comparatively few ashes, and these, though 
not rich in potash, are worth using where 
handy. 
ROOTS FOR MILK. 
C. L., Chatham, N. J.—l notice you quote 
in the Rural from Sir J. B. Lawes wherein 
he speaks very disparagingly of roots, and 
especially of mangels, as a food for milk-pro¬ 
ducing cows. Now I have always noticed a 
gain of milk whenever I have fed turnips, and 
I had beeu leal to believe Dr. Lawes was an 
advocate of roots as a valuable portion of 
stock foot! ? I would like to know what you 
think of them, as I was expecting to plant 
them largely next season, but don’t care to do 
so if they are worthless? 
Ans—W e should not advise any one to use 
turnips, mangels, or any other root, as the 
bulk of a cow’s feed, and that is just the posi¬ 
tion which, we understand, Dr. Lawes occu¬ 
pies. At the same rime, the cows should have 
a daily ration of some succulent food to pro¬ 
duce the best results in giving milk. No doubt 
carrots ore the best roots for cow feeding for 
milk or butter; but mangels are nearly as 
good, aud it does not cost one-third as much 
to raise and put them in a pit or cellar. 
MALT 81’KOUTS AS FOOD. 
IF. II. W.,Crawford, Ind.— What are “malt 
sprouts” worth as cattle food? 
Ans. —Malt sprouts, which are the growing 
genus broken off, in drying, from the sprouted 
barley that is malted, have a very high feed¬ 
ing value, chemically, containing 22.95 per 
cent, of albuminoids, 1.79 per cent, of fat, and 
43.6 per cent, of carbohydrates. This makes 
them worth about two-thirds as much as new- 
process oil meal. But in our experience, stock 
do not relish them nearly as well, and although 
they can be bought for one-half the price of 
the new-process meal, we much prefer the 
latter; still the sprouts are good to mix with 
corn meal and bran, or to feed with straw or 
Timothy hay. 
FEED FOR MILCH COWS. 
II. IF., Richards , Ohio.—l. Which is 
best for milch cows, rye, buckwheat or wheat 
bran? 2. Should it be fed dry or wet? 3. 
What is the name of a reliable New York 
cattle merchant? 
Ans.— 1. They are all good foods mixed 
with com meal and oil meal. There is con¬ 
siderable difference of opinion as to their com¬ 
parative values. We think, however, that 
they range in the order of buckwheat, wheat 
and rye, with not very much difference. 2. If 
fed to a nimal s having plenty of roots, silage 
or other succulent food, it may well be fed 
dry; but if fed with dry hay and straw, we 
should by all means want it wet up, aud it 
would be much better if mixed with hot water 
in the morning for night feeding, and at night 
for morning feeding. 3. Hume & Mullen; J 
F. Sadler & Co.; Newton & Gillet; M. Gold¬ 
smith; D. Waisel, and Hallenbeck & Davis 
are all good men. A letter addressed to any 
of them at the stock yard will reach them. 
FEED FOR MILK. 
W. B. T., Round Knob, N. C— 1. I am 
keeping cows for milk, and can get peas, meal 
and wheat bran; how much of each ought I 
to feed each cow at a time, when fed twice 
daily ? 2. Would it not be better to cook the 
peas? 
Ans.— 1. We cannot give a very good ans¬ 
wer without knowing the price of each, and 
just whether real peas are meant or cow-peas, 
which are not peas at all. We would say, in a 
general way, mix the three ingredients in 
equal parts by weight, which will give as 
much bulk of bran as of both the others, and 
then feed enough to keep the cows up in flesh 
or gaining a little. No one can say how much 
any given cow should have; even her atten¬ 
dant should be constantly on the watch so as 
to give the exact quantity. 2. The peas would- 
be much better if ground; but if it is not con¬ 
venient to grind them, they will be improved 
by cooking, but after cooking they must not 
be allowed to become sour before they are 
eaten. 
Miscellaneous. 
B. C. IF., Rahway , N. J.—l. Are the skins 
of boiled potatoes harmful to fowls? 2. I 
have built a hen house four feet high at the 
rear, anti six feet high at the front, the rooms 
being 6x7 feet each. For veutilation, I have 
put into each room in one corner, a box 4x6 
inches inside, running from near the ground 
inside, up through and out at the top; will that 
afford sufficient ventilation for 10 fowls? 3. 
Will a cement floor covered with dirt be bad 
for the fowls? 
Ans.— 1. There is no better winter food for 
fowls than warm, boiled potatoes, and the skins 
will not do the least harm. Feed them daily. 
2. The rooms are large enough for that number 
of fowls, and your system of ventilation is 
simply perfect for Winter; for Summer, the 
tube should have an opeuiug near the roof. It 
is a seiious mistake often made to have the 
ventilator for winter use open from the upper 
part of the room. When running to the bot¬ 
tom and opening near it. as in your case, the 
bad air is taken out without much heat 3. 
No floor could be letter; only change the dirt 
ofteu, say once a week or month at furthest. 
E. A. Aberdeen , Dak.— 1. What proportion 
of barley can I use with one part- of oil meal 
and three parts of bran ? No corn is raised 
here, aud barley is worth from thirty-five to 
fifty cents. 2. What is the best way to kill 
wild mustard! Pulling is rather hard work. 
3. At what season is it best to emasculate 
pigs? 
Ans.— 1. You can use almost any proportion 
you please, but how much to mix in profitably, 
de p ends upon the relative prices. Barley 
meal is a good feet! of itself ; but it would 
be improved by a mixture of bran and oil 
meal. Without knowing the prices, we should 
say, add at least four parts of barley meal to the 
others. 2. If the loud could be plowed when the 
mustard is in full bloom, it would do very much 
towards clearing the fields, where very much 
filled ; but, after all, there is no way to get it 
out and keep it out, except by use of the fin¬ 
gers in pulling it. 3. We think the pigs should be 
castrated when about three or foul 1 weeks old, 
unless in very eold weather, when they are ob¬ 
liged to be out in the cold aud storms. In that 
case, let them run till warm weather in 
Spring; it is hardly advisable to keep pigs 
without providing them with warm sleeping I 
quarters at least. I . 
IF. .4. C., Wyoming, Iowa .—Is the Kil- I 
borne or Canada Iron-clad Peach all that is I 
claimed for it, and will it stand the Winters of I 
Iowa? 
Ans.— The “House Peach," later called the 
“Kilborne,” or Canada Iron-clad, was raised I 
by Mr. J. S. House, of Beamsville, Canada, I , 
and by him given to Mr. Kilborne, of that 
place, and by them both,buds were given away 
to the neighbors. In all respects it is like the I 
Hale’s Early, except it may be a little longer I 
from the stem to the blossom end. It is no I 
hardier or more prolific in bearing than the I 
Hale, and you could just as reasonably expect I 
it to withstand the Iowa climate as the Hale or I 
other peaches of that class. Mr. House says it I 
was a seed! ing of a seedling, the parentage of 
which he did not know. 
“Subscriber," South Bend , Ind.—l. What is 
the best time to prune grape-vines? 2. What 
does the RuRALthinkof mulching small fruits, 
grapes and shrubbery for winter protection ? I 
3. Should grape-vines be laid down and I 
covered? 
Ans.— 1. We prune our vines as soon as the I 
leaves fall? 2. There is no doubt that straw- 
berriesare benefited by mulching. We say 
this from a long experience, during which we I 
have tried both ways, i. e., mulching and not I 
mulching. We approve of mulching the soil I 
around trees and shrubbery. 3, Unless the I 
grape-vines are tender, we should not go to the I 
trouble of laying them. 
T. C. Atkinson, Wis .—I received some I 
pumpkin seed from a friend in \ t., the pump- I 
kins were of a good size, very warty and of a I 
green color w T hen ripe; not very thick-meated I 
but of fine grain and good quality. One plant I 
bore fruit of a dark-green color, round shape, I 
smooth surface, but a little ribbed near the I 
stem, and hard-shelled; very fine-grained, with 
lumps in the flesh, and of good quality; what I 
kind were they? 
Ans.—F rom the description, and without see¬ 
ing them or the seeds, we should say they were 
either some variety of squash or a cross be¬ 
tween the same and a pumpkin. 
R. J. L., Hannibal, N. F.—What is the best 
method of keeping parsnips over Winter? 
Ans. —If not wanted until Spring, the best 
method is to allow them to remain in the 
ground, as freezing does them no harm. If 
wanted for use during the Winter, they should 
be dug and put in a cold cellar or buried; in 
either case they should be mixed with dirt and 
kept very near the freezing point. They grow 
with very little heat and become pithy and un¬ 
fit for eating or feeding. 
S. C. S., Westoeer, Md. —Are certain kinds 
of deciduous aud evergreen trees injuriously 
affected by salt air, or by being planted near 
salt water streams or bodies of salt water, and 
if so, what varieties are most affected ? 
Ans. —We are not aware that any trees are 
harmed by salt air. The strong winds and 
sandy soil near the coast are often harmful to 
trees. 
S. H.. Hartley , Del .—To what family do the 
numerous persimmons growing hereabouts be¬ 
long, and would they do as stocks for choice 
persimmon cions ? 
Ans. —Persimmons belong to the natural or¬ 
der Ebenacem or Ebonads. The generic name 
is Diospyros. They may serve as stocks for 
any variety of persimmons. 
W. .4. E., Sterling, Kans .—How are wal¬ 
nuts prepared for planting, and how early in 
the Spring should they be put in? 
Ans.— As early in the Spring as the soil can 
be worked. The walnuts must be kept from 
becoming dry. They u tay be kept in the cellar, 
or buried in sand, a layer of sand aud one of 
nuts; better the latter, and keep them where 
they will freeze. 
Subscriber , Muncie, Ind .—What is the best 
book on the cultivation of lilies? 
; Ans.— Notes on Lilies, by Dr. Wallace, of 
| Colchester, England. It may be had of Hallock 
l & Thorp, Queens, N. Y.. or of most prominent 
seedsmen. 
PijsreUatteou.* 
JAHES IcGREESY & CO. 
Invite tlie attention of out- 
of-town hovers to their 
large and attractive Stock 
of Rich Silks, Velvets, 
Plushes, Dress Goods, 
fjaees, India Shawls, Hos¬ 
iery, Gloves, Upholstery 
Goods, Suits, Wraps, Furs, 
Housekeeping Goods, etc., 
etc*. 
TVe have in all onr re¬ 
spective departments a 
fuP line of inedinm-prieed 
goods to the finest im¬ 
ported. 
Correspondence from 
housekeepers, resident in 
any part of the United 
States.will receive prompt 
attention. 
Orders by mail or express 
filled without delay. 
BROADWAY & I IthSt. 
NEW YORK. 
GOLD MEDAL, PARIS, 1878. 
BAKER'S 
Communications Received for the Week Ending 
Saturday, December 26, 1885. 
H. I.-YV. K. S.-A. J. C.—w. B. J..—C. M. H.-A. W. 
R.—J. X. 51.—J. 51. H.. thunks for suggestions.—A. B. C., 
thanks, accepted.—O. A. S. P. H.—E. W. S.—D. J. 
McM.—P. H. F.—J. \V. S. -S. R. J.—P. H, J. B.—H. D. 
E.-L. H. H. Jr.-S. D. X.—B. W. H.-H. E. A., thauks.- 
J. S—H. N. K. J. W.. thanks- T. D. C.—L. J.T.. thanks. 
C. J. B. T. J- D.-C. L. H.-C. L. D. M. R.-Cl. C. B.-G. 
j, w.—O. H. A.—C. A. O.-W. F. B.—C. E. P.. thanks for 
Solanum elliatuni seeds. A. L. J.—A. B. C'—A. B. A. - 
C. v. R.—A. W.-C. E. P.—K. D- C.—J- S.. thanks.—W. 
A. W.-J. H. F.—W. W. 11. -K. W. O.—T. 51.—L. E. B.- 
T. M.—S. W. W—V. L.—J. N. M.—W. A. E.—Stlox.—J. 
T. E.. thanks.—H. G. F.-W. O. W. Z. S. C.-W. K. H.. 
thauks.-P. H. J.-H. J. B. S H.-C5 M. H.-S. C. S,- 
W. H. D. C., thanks.—R. B. H.—M. E. D. F.—8. C. S.— 
\V. K. II.—Z. S. C., thanks.—L. H. H.—A. C' H.-J. R.— 
E. J. L.—J. P. S.—C. II. C-—B. E.—W. F. W.—R. J. L.— 
D. O. B.-W. B. T.-R. V.-E. F. B.-E. A.-A. S. B.-E. 
W. H.-A. P. W.-D. B.-E. W. J.-W. P. A.-T. J. D., 
we fully concur with you regarding Hortlcola.—E. J. 
B. —H. n.—J. O. W.—«, K, R.-F- F.~'T. C.—J. R. B.-J. 
D. F.-J. T.-O. W^.—C. F.-F. S. E. 8.-R. P., Mch.- 
O, A.-L. L—B, P t ▼.H.-B. F. L,—W, W.-W, F. S, 
It is the only line with its own track from 
CHICAGO TO DENVER, 
Either by way of Omaha, Pacific June.. St. Joseph, 
Atchison or Kansas City. 
It connects In Union Depots with through trains from 
NEW YORK. PHILADELPHIA. BOSTON 
and all Eastern points. It is the principal line to 
SAN FRANCISCO, PORTIANO A CITY 0FMEX1C0 
It traverses all of the six great States of ILLINOIS. 
IOWA. MISSOURI. NEBRASKA. KANSAS. COLORADO 
with branch lines lo all their important cities and 
towns 
From CHICAGO. PEORIA or ST. LOUIS. It runs 
every day in the year trom one to three elegantly 
equipped through trains over Its own tracks between 
Chicago and Denver, 
Chicago and Omaha, 
Chicago and Council Bluffs, 
Chicago and St. Joseph, 
Chicago and Atchison, 
Chicago and Kansas City, 
Chicago and Topeka, 
Chicago and Cedar Rapids, 
Chicago and Sioux City, 
Peoria and Council Bluffs, 
Peoria and Kansas City, 
St. Louis and Omaha, 
St. Louis and St. Paul, 
Kansas City and Denver 
Kansas City and Omaha, 
For all points in Northwest, West and Southwest. 
Its equipment is complete and first class in every 
particular, and at all Important points Interlocking 
Switches and Signals are used, thus insuring com¬ 
fort and safety. . . 
For Tickets. Rates. General Information, etc., 
regarding the Burlington Route, call on any Ticket 
Agent In the United States or Canada, or address 
T. J. POTTER 1st V.P. 4. Gen. Mgr., Chicago. 
HENRY B. STONE, Aa*t. Gen. Mon., Chicago. 
PERCEVAL LOWELL, Gen. Pass. Aot., Chicago, j 
