THI RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
long enough for the Captain to go on shore 
for a telegram from Portland, conveying in¬ 
structions as to coaling, and the only words 
he said upon his return were: “Grant is dead," 
aud the ship sped on her way toward Victoria, 
past Nanaimo, the red light of the setting sun 
shining on the pretty town through the smoky 
twilight with peculiar and striking effect. 
The news of Gen. Grant’s death reminded us 
of the fact that for nearly two mouths we had 
been without recent news of anything or any¬ 
body, without newspapers and beyond the 
reach of telegrams, and, all in all, it had been 
extremely enjoyable, aithough now that we 
were so near our native land, we had some 
apprehensions when thinkiug of what might 
have happened. Next morning we awoke in 
Victoria, hot and enveloped in smoke, aud we 
regretted not having tarried longer in the 
pure, fresh air of Alaska. We remained in 
port here until uearly noon, when we steamed 
across the Strait to Port Townsend. All sail¬ 
ing craft were becalmed, as hardly a breath of 
air was stirring to cause a ripple, and in the 
haze they looked like ghosts of barks suspend¬ 
ed in mid air. 
At Port Townsend, we left the Ancon aud 
our Alaskan cruise was ended. We had sailed 
June 6, aud it was now the evening of July 
28, and our cruise had covered about 2,500 
miles of travel, the most enjoyable and charm¬ 
ing water travel, unquestionably, in the whole 
world. It had been like one long picnic amid 
the grandest scenes, without the fatigue of 
care, attended by no mishaps, and delightful 
from beginning to end. But after all I have 
written of our seeings, I am only too confident 
that the only way to form any just idea of 
Alaska is to go and see it for yourself! In a 
somewhat late number of the Coast Pilot 1.50 
pages are filled with a list of the books, pamph¬ 
lets, etc., that have been written in various 
languages concerning Alaska, and still so little 
is generally known of it. The best work on 
the flora of the country is by a Frenchman. 
After an horn ’s wait at Port Townsend we 
went on board the Olympian for Seattle, 
and stopped on the way at Ports Ludlow aud 
Gamble—towns ou Puget Sound, which I had 
not hitherto seen—both the sites of large saw¬ 
mills, and both very prettily located, with at¬ 
tractive well kept houses, which reminded me 
of small New England villages. At Ludlow I 
counted 25 houses—there were probably more 
— and Gamble is still larger. We had a 
very good dinner on board the steamer, and 
reached Seattle a little after eleven in the even¬ 
ing. It was quite like getting home, so many 
were the familiar faces we met, and so full of 
genial welcome the greetings we received. 
SPECIAL SEED REPORTS. 
Alabama. 
Camden, Wilcox Co., Dec. 10.—This county 
is about 100 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico, 
and is a good agricultural district. All farm, 
garden and orchard products do well; but as 
there are no fast freight facilities, nothing is 
raised for market, except cotton; that brings 
spot cash at any time. Crops were about an 
average. Health, good. Labor, cheap (negro). 
Very little meat, hogs having nearly all died 
the past Summer from cholera z. s. c. 
Canada. 
Beverly, Out.—From the Rural seeds of 
1884. I raised some of the finest tomatoes I ev¬ 
er ate, The D.—M. Wheat was uearly all 
winter-killed. I harvested about one pint aud 
sowed it again this Fall I thrashed twenty- 
six pounds of beautiful, large, white grain from 
the rye, and sowed it on one-half acre this 
Fall. I planted the corn and it ripened about 
three peeks of nice large ears. The flowers 
were extremely fine. The poppies in particu¬ 
lar attracted much attention. x. 
Picton, Out.—The Rural Beans were vigor¬ 
ous growers, prolific bearers and nice for use 
as shelled, but worthless as string beans. The 
King Humbert Tomatoes were perfectly worth¬ 
less, although ripening jierfectly. The round, 
smooth kind was very good, but not so good 
as Livingston’s Favorite. Both kinds of peas 
failed on account of mildew, but I think if they 
could be made to succeed, they would be 
grand, for they had enormous pods. The 
Garden Treasures dicl not amount to anything, 
all failing to germinate. O. m. y. 
*■ Stirling, Out.—I am much pleased with the 
Thousand-fold Rye. 1 had nearly half a bush¬ 
el. I have sown it again, aud it looks fine. I 
I think it worth the price of the paper. The peas 
did well, but the Market Garden is the most 
productive. The Johnson Grass never came 
up. The com produces too much stalk, and is 
too late ; the beans are not as good as what, we 
ha ve. The flowers are lovely. Success to the 
Rural ! G. m. 
Colorado. 
Montrose, Montrose Co., Dec. 14.—The 
third crop raised in the Umcompaligre Valley 
haa proven, beyond all doubt, that in the Ute 
Reservation there lies one of the finest farm¬ 
ing districts in the United States. Almost 
every variety of small grain and grasses has 
been fully tested this season, and all have 
fully repaid the labor bestowed upon them. 
Corn has been raised in paying quantities 
wherever it was planted, while all vegetables 
have done well. At an impromptu fair lately 
held here. Eastern people who chanced to be 
present were heard to exclaim that they would 
uot have believed it possible to produce such 
vegetables, had they not seen them. Rotatoes 
weighing five or six pounds were not uncom¬ 
mon. One farmer produced 40 potatoes which 
weighed 108 pounds! The Prince of Wales and 
Carter's Stratagem Peas were planted side by 
side; all came up splendidly and both were so 
fine that I cannot decide which was the best. 
I saved one quart of each for seed, aud we used 
the rest for the table. Each continued to bear 
until October 10, when they succumbed to the 
frost. Each grew about 24 to 28 inches high, 
and continued blooming and bearing without 
intermission, retaining their enormous well 
filled pods to the very last. The 50 crosses of 
corn failed to ripen. I had four other varie 
ties, all of which glazed before frost, but not a 
single ear of the Rural com matured. Every 
one of the Flageolet Beans came up and 
attained a bight of about six to eight feet; 
were very prolific, but 1 am at a loss to know 
what to do with them. As string beaus, I 
found them worthless, aud they are too small 
for shell beans. The tomatoes were small, 
but very smooth, solid and of fine flavor. The 
Johnson Grass was very slow in coming up, 
but finally it appealed and grew five to six 
feet high. I am afraid the seed did not fully 
mature before it was killed by the frost. I 
cut all the heads off, however, and will plant 
them another year. I hope it will stand the 
Winters here, as I am sure it will be a valu¬ 
able crop. I. g. B. 
Illinois. 
Castleton, Stark Co,, Dec. 16.—The Rural 
mixed com has proved too late for this part 
of the world. The peas have done well, es¬ 
pecially Cleveland’s Rural New-Yorker. The 
tomatoes are splendid. The Johnson Grass 
has uot yet made its appoa ranee. A. w. 
K ansas. 
Clay Center, Dec. 23, 1885.—The Rural 
seeds did very welL I saved all the peas and 
beans for seed. I had some very fine ears 
from the com, which I saved for seed. Wheat 
here almost a total failure; the growing crop 
looks well. Com will average about 35 bush¬ 
els; oats, 40. Long life to the Rural! 
s. w. M. 
Maryland. 
Westover, Somerset Co., Dec. 14.—Since 
the flirt of December, we have had much rain 
and some very cold spells. The ground at 
times has been frozen an inch deep, and our 
rivers, which are to some extent salt, have 
beeu covered from shore to shore with a thin 
coating of ice where they are a full mile in 
width. Truckers have finished plowing their 
land; but more or less land for com or oats 
will be plowed during the Winter. It is very 
seldom that frost interferes with winter plow¬ 
ing with us; but on most of our soils, it is 
often too wet. Merchandise and farm pro¬ 
ducts are hard to move, and prices are low. 
Com, 40 cents; wheat, 90 cents to 98 cents; 
oats, 30 cents; pork, dressed, 4 cents to 6 cents; 
eggs, 23 cents; butter, 25 to 30 cents. Very 
little good butter is made in this section, and 
strictly choice finds a very ready market at a 
fair price. S. c. s. 
Michigan. 
Onekama, Dec. 6, 1885.—Both varieties of 
(teas, as well as the beans, did well. I saved 
all for seed. The Johnson Grass grew about 
two feet high and seeded. I expect to see it 
again in the Spring. Some of the com is too 
late so far north. The Garden Treasures gave 
us a variety of flowers all Summer. w. k. 
New Jersey. 
Trenton, Mercer Co.—The Prince of Wales 
Peas were very fine, vigorous, handsome 
growers, pods unusually long aud well-filled. 
The Flageolet Beans were exceptionally fine, 
I have kept all the peas and beans for seed. 
The 50 crosses of corn developed some cal's 
perfect in all respects except length. This 
will perhaps come with continued planting in 
this locality. I expect to exhibit some of it 
at. the next meeting of State horticultural 
and agricultural societies. The flowers were 
fine. v. D. 
Kw York. 
Hornellsville, Steuben Co., Dec. 10.— 
Farmers are harvesting fodder, tightening 
bams, and banking cellars. Hay a light crop, 
and of about average quality; price high for 
all grades, ranging from >12 to 818, in bulk. 
Corn fodder good and raised in large quanti¬ 
ties by stockmen, owing to au early indication 
Of failure in old meadows. Winter wheat is 
badly winter-killed, and in some cases injured 
by weevil aud Hessian fly; hence crop light, 
but quality generally good. Spring wheat, 
especially White Russian, a very large yield, 
but acreage limited. Oats,acreage full; growth 
light aud short; fairly filled, but gram small. 
The crop on whole districts was destroyed by 
hail after heading. Barley earlier than oats, 
hence better in all points; acreage, average. 
Cora good; yield and acreage full. Potatoes 
very large acreage; yield of early crop light, 
that of late the heaviest for years, but they 
have decayed badly. In many sections from 
one-third to one-half is unfit at digging, and 
they continue to decay when dug. Dealers re¬ 
fuse to handle them at any price except, in lim¬ 
ited quantities, hence many are stored by 
farmers. Queens, Snowflakes and Late Rose 
have rotted worst. The Rural Blush, White 
Star. White Elephant. Burbank, and Adiron¬ 
dack are most in favor for general culture, be¬ 
ing freest from rot aud blight. The present 
stand of winter-wheat is looking good, the Fall 
having been favorable for growth, aud it is 
well covered with snow enough to prevent frost 
killing. Apples very plentiful and c( trrespoud- 
inglv cheap. But little is done in Fall plow¬ 
ing because there Were too mauy potatoes to dig 
aud market between rainstorms. All binds of 
stock are going into winter-quartei's in fine 
condition. Milk stock in fair demand: beef 
and store cattle low. Sheep are abundant and 
there ai'e scarcely any sales for store stock, 
and the market is ouly a little better for mut¬ 
ton grades. c. j. p. 
Pennsylvania. 
Murraysville, Westmoreland Co.—We 
harvested five pounds seven ounces of the 
Diehl-Mediterranean Wheat, from about 100 
stalks the heus left me. The Thousand-fold 
Rye produced seven pounds nine ounces, and 
was well thought of by all who sa w it. The 
Stratagem Peas did not come up well, but they 
bore large pods. I had a pint for seed. The 
Flageolet Bean was very productive. I have 
about four quarts. Sorghum Hnlapense did 
not come up very well; ouly a few seed 
ripened. The King Humbert Tomato was 
very productive, but those sent, in ’83 were 
much better. The cross-bred corn produced 
heavy stalks 11 to 12 feet high, but did not 
turn out good. One stalk of white flint had 
six ears, which, laid end to end, measured 
three feet eight-and-a-half inches. The Garden 
Treasures were treasures indeed. Thousands 
of bushels of apples sold around here for 10 
cents to 12 cents per bushel; other things in 
proportion. e. j. l. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
(Every query must be accompanied by the name 
and address of the writer to Insure attention. Before 
asking a question, please see If It Is not answered In 
our advertising columns. Ask only n few questions at 
one time.] _ 
FERTILIZER QUERIES. 
H. C. 8’., Lei union, Pit. —1, What is the 
difference in effect of using upon small fruits, 
between a ton of ground bone and a ton of dis¬ 
solved bone, supposing each to cost the same/ 
2. What is gained or lost by using the dissolved 
bone/ 3. What effect has the sulphuric acid, 
used in dissolving the bones, on the growth of 
the crop? 4. How much less actual fertilizing 
matter has a ton of dissolved bones, if any / 
Ans. —1. Much del tends upon how tine the 
bone has been ground aud upon the condition 
of the soil to which it is applied. The bone 
could be reduced Sufficiently line so thut. the 
plant would be enabled, by the aid of its living 
organism and the assistance of the soil, to take 
up aud use what it needs for growth. But if 
of the fineness of mustard seed up to the size of 
grains of corn, the plant could get 
but little nutriment from it until it had rotted 
or decayed in the soil. In some soils also there 
is more humus than in others, the acid of which 
would aid in rapidly decomposing the bone. 
2. By using dissolved bone, greater solubility 
and quicker action are gained. About half 
the ruanurial elements are lost, or, in other 
words, replaced by other and non-ntunurial 
substances. 3. Probably none, or, at most, 
one scarcely appreciable. 4. As nearly as muy 
be one-half. In making the best grades of dis¬ 
solved bone, to 1,000 pounds of bone arc added 
800 pounds of sulphuric acid and 400 pounds of 
water, but. iu the process of dissolving about 
200 pounds of water evaporate, leaving one 
ton, so that, where a ton of bone contains about 
50 per cent, of tricalcic or three-lime phosphate 
of lime, containing about 25 per cent, of phos¬ 
phoric acid, but in an insoluble form, and hence 
unavailable as plant, focal, the dissolved bone 
contains only 12 per cent, of phosphoric acid 
in a soluble form, und 25 per cent, of gypsum 
or sulphate of lime, formed by a union of the 
lime that was united with the phosphoric acid 
in the bone, but which was wrenched from 
that union by its greater affinity for the sul¬ 
phuric acid. 
KEEPING SHEEP WITHIN MOVABLE HURDLES. 
P- L. F., Orient , N. F.—1. How are sheep 
kept in hurdles upon green crops as in Eng¬ 
land/ 2. Would aot the Rural Branching 
Sorghum, iu connection with oats aud peas, 
be good for so keeping sheep/ 3. How many 
ewes with their lambs could I keep and fatten 
per acre, our market being iu July aud August/ 
Ans. — 1. The hurdles are simply movable 
fences, made after various forms and in pan- 
nels, so that they can be easily moved. It is 
not easy to describe any of the fences used 
without drawings; but any convenient form 
of our numerous portable fences may be used 
A small part of the field is fenced off, and into 
this the sheep are turned, and w hen the grass 
has been well eaten down the hurdles are mov¬ 
ed so as to inclose another pail;, and so on, in¬ 
closing a new piece every time the old one is 
eaten down. 2. Peas aud oats are sometimes 
used; the Branching Sorghum would get too 
high aud coarse before the field was eaten 
down. In England most of the hurdle feeding 
is doue iu the Fall, and rape, colza and turnips 
are much used. 3. For spring hurdle feeding 
no crop would be superior to Red Clover, and 
possibly winter rye for very early use. We 
could not guess how many could be feel with¬ 
out. know'iug what crop was to be fed, and how 
rich the land is, in fact, all the data. It would 
also make a great difference whether grain 
was fed, how much aud of what kind. There 
is a way of feeding in which about six sheep 
and lambs are confined in a movable jien 10 
feet long and five feet wide, and so made that 
the sheep can put their heads through the sides 
to eat. The pen is moved twice daily close up 
to the grass or crop to be eaten off; the sheep 
reaching through, eating everything clean as 
far as they can reach, w hen the pen is again 
moved to the uneaten food. When so fed off 
ami with seasonable rains,the clover will grow 
so rapidly as to be ready for again feeding 
over iu about three weeks, and many more 
sheep may lie kept per acre. 
deep plowing; treatment of an orchard. 
W. IF. F., Watemnlle, Ohio. —1. My land 
is a sandy loam running from a black, sandy 
loam with a clay subsoil within, from six to 12 
inches of the surface aud quite level, to light, 
sand on the surface and a golden yellow sub¬ 
soil from 6 to 12 inches below. It was origin¬ 
ally quite fertile, especially the lower lauds, 
and is never wet except in the lowest places, 
and yet it is never very dry even in the driest 
time. I use considerable manure and grow 
small fruits; how deep should it be plowed? 
2. I planted au orchard of pears and cherries 
five years ago in alternate rows, and a year 
later I planted currants among them. The 
trees made a large growth for the flirt two or 
three years, but since then they have not done 
as well, though they grow fairly. They are 
headed low and it is quite difficult to culti¬ 
vate; how shall I manage this piece to the 
best advantage/ 
Ans. —1. It is difficult und unsafe to give 
Specific directions, on such scanty data. It is 
only safe to say, in a general way, never 
change from shallow to deep plowing sudden¬ 
ly. It is entirely safe to plow each year a 
quarter or half inch deeper than the year be¬ 
fore, using sufficient manure to keep up the 
quality of the soil. Iu most localities a deep 
soil is better thuu one less deep, hut this is uot 
always the case. When the soil is too sandy 
and overlying a clay subsoil, it nearly always 
improves the soil to work a little clay up into 
the soil, doing it gradually. We should say 
try plowing sumJj plots at different depths, and 
watch the result. 2. Under no circumstances 
should you seed to grass; but you have nob 
mentioned how far the trees are apart, and 
without knowing this, we cannot advise as to 
the course to pursue. But don’t forget that 
you have virtually three crops growing on the 
land at one time, and unless you feed high 
some of them must suffer. The orchard should 
have potash, phosphoric acid and nitrogen, 
particularly the former two, and put on any 
manure that gives them in the most available 
form for the least, money. Wo should say im- 
peratively either keep it well cultivated or re¬ 
move a part of the plants or trees; aud the 
easiest way to keep it clean, is to keep it clean 
—not half w’ay. 
ABOUT STRAW BERRIES. 
.4. W. IF, Salisbury. —1. What is the best 
kind of manure for strawberries, aud when 
and how should it bo applied? 2. I grew straw¬ 
berries for four years in succession on u piece 
of ground, aud then planted it to corn and 
again re-set the strawberries ; but they have 
never done well since; what is the trouble/ 
3, Wilson Strawberries do not succeed here 
now ; Crescents do the best of any; is there 
any thing better? 
Ans. — 1. Well rotted bum-yard manure 
made from grain-fed cattle is lirst-rate for 
most soils. All sandy soils are greatly bene¬ 
fited by an application of hard-wood ashes, or 
