dustry that thrives in spite of barbarity; a 
crueltry that iu most other countries would 
be dealt with V»y rigorous laws. Thus a writer 
in the Rural World justly characterizes the 
present system of cattle ranching ou the West¬ 
ern Plains. 
Harris recommends dried muck for bedding 
pigs... 
The Early Ohio is unquestionably one of 
earliest of potatoes. At the Rural Grounds 
it is as early as any we have tried; but do 
not forget that it succeeds well in some places 
—poorly in others. 
Dr, A. C. Carroli., of the State Hoard of 
Health, says (via N, Y, Tribune) that it has 
loug been a matter of common experience 
that low fevers and various forms of “filth 
diseases” are apt to prevail in the neighbor¬ 
hood of old burying-grounds when population 
gathers ground them. 
Tite chrysanthemum is the peo¬ 
ple’s flower, appealing to the heart 
^ and not bearing heavily on the 
i s* purse, says Mr. John Thorpe. 
gii|L Our seed corn lues been kept iu 
IPp: a dry, warm place, and we know 
l i t! that every kernel is al ive and sound. 
111111 Does it pay to test seeds before 
planting them, whenever we have 
HHP the least suspicion they may he 
injured in any way?. 
A writer in the New England 
Homestead finds the Essex to be 
W the earliest potato as tried with 
the Pearl of Savoy. Clark’s No. 1, 
Rosy Morn, Early Maine and Bliss’s 
Triumph. We buve uot found 
Rosy Mom or Triumph to be as 
early as Beauty of Hebron. He 
r condemns Dakota Red. The Belle 
grows too large. He finds Wall’s 
Orange good for spring use. 
For family use, try the Drumhead Savoy 
Cabbage. The heads are never so solid as 
those of the other cabbages, but the quality is 
richer and sweeter... 
For main crop peas, sow Prince of Wales 
(tall), Telephone (tall), Stratagem (two feet). 
For earliest, there is very little difference be¬ 
tween the “First and Best” varieties offered 
by leading seedsmen. All need brushing, as 
they grow three feet in bight. For dwarfs, 
the American Wonder and Abundance are 
excellent. 
The Rural is much in favor of transplant¬ 
ing trees in the early Spring as the soil will 
permit, rather than to delay uutil the clanger 
from injury by drought becomes greater. 
We have transplanted evergreens when,owing 
to ice, the roots were badly mutilated, yet all 
lived. Others transplanted la ter,died. 
If you have hardy vines to order, do not 
forget the Coral Clematis,Clematis coceinea.. 
The Eclipse Beet, announced iu every cata¬ 
logue, is said by our contributor H. H., to be 
no better iu quality than the Egyptian, of 
which it is a variety, and than 
which it is but a trifle earlier. 
n. Major Alvord says that 
\ silage, und especially good corn 
\ silage, when compared with dry 
\ corn fodder or with other feeding 
| stuffs, produces results so satisfac¬ 
tory as to surprise the chemist, 
and which chemistry can not ex¬ 
plain ... 
Mr. P. Barry says that the 
/ English Walnut is fruiting iu aud 
j near Rochester. 
/ Mu. Stiles, the observant agri- 
/ cultural editor of the Philadelphia 
Press, puts the thing forcibly when 
he says that a State agricultural 
college farm should never pay in 
SEEDLING CRAB APPLE. Cross Section. Fig. 117. dollars und cents. It should not 
enter the field in competition with 
any other farm, and the products 
should not be found for sale in the market. 
It is a place for the growth of ideas, the de¬ 
velopment of principles aud the establishment 
of law. Does the chemical laboratory of the 
college pay its way iu the manufactory of 
drugs or the Entomological department help 
to till the State Treasury by selling hugs. 
Tue catalogue, of V. H. Hallock, Sou & 
Thorpe has it “geraniums, properly pelar¬ 
goniums.” This is a move in the right direc¬ 
tion. Finally we can drop the name gera¬ 
nium except to donate the hardy plants by 
that name...... 
prised at it, that the May King Strawberry is 
making a reputation as a market strawberry 
for first early. See Rural reports of last 
year. Bubaeh’s No. 5 is praised as the “com¬ 
ing berry,” if that reputation don’t kill it on 
the start. Mr. Underhill speaks of the James 
Vick as the most unsatisfactory berry he ever 
had...».. • • • 
Mr. Meehan mentions that wc should now 
bring the dahlias forward. Cut off the 
“stringy” roots and put them iu pots or boxes 
aud place them in a warm situation. When 
they sprout, divide the sprouts, giving a piece 
of root to each, aud then pot separately. 
Mr. Meehan further remarks that the best 
of grapes may be had by auy system of prun¬ 
ing that will induce strong shoots to push 
where they are most desired. 
Who lias the Japan Chestnut? Thus far we 
(Continued on page 183.) 
tic®,—since we have not spoicen agamst me 
quiuce, which wc now know for the first they ol- 
fer for sale-bu t to show that the R. N. - Y. is wfil¬ 
ing to print an unjustifiable attack Upon its 
honor, which wo doubt if any reputable jour¬ 
nal would publish even as an advertisement, 
rather than to give them the cbauce of dis¬ 
torting a refusal to do so into an act of self- 
protection or of attributing it to some low, sel¬ 
fish motive. s - c - 
Mr. Crozier states'iu his book, jointly 
written by himself and Mr, Peter Henderson, 
that the base grass, as it may be called, 
for the hay crop in our Northern States, is 
Timothy, but he believes that Orchard Grass 
is much bettor fitted to be the leading kiud in 
the mixture, whether for pasture or hay. It 
is more permanent, he says, and can be cut at 
least two weeks before Timothy. 
His crop is cut and iu the barn 30 days be- 
THE CHAMPION QUINCE. 
In the Rural of Feb. 37th, under the head 
of Brevities, the entire family of 
Rural readers are unconditional¬ 
ly advised as follows: “Don’t buy 
the Champion Quince. It is later 
than the Orange or Rea’s Mam¬ 
moth and iu no respect better,” 
etc., etc. To this advice, I desire 
to file positive objections, aud A 
for the very reason for which the igp: 
Rural condemns this variety. 
The Orange aud Rea’s Mam- J gHpj il 
moth ripen too early here; that is, 
they ripen aud require attention 
at the same time when the good 
housewives are taxed to the full 
extent of their strength aud ability 
in preserving and canning peaches, 
plums, etc., while the Champion 
finer and larger than either of the 
others named, here at least'—is later 
enough iu season to afford opportu¬ 
nity to get through with the other 
fruits, and leisurely proceed with 
the quinces. I say “leisurely” be¬ 
cause if not ready to use the fruit 
for a month after gathering, it 
makes no difference, as it keeps in splendid 
condition for a longer time than that, il 
picked in peach baskets and placed under 
cover in an airy situation. 
Now. while the Rural’s advice may lie all 
right for New r Jersey aud other extremely 
progressive fruit growing sections, it must not 
be forgotten that the Rural has readers 
where Summers are longer, and where late 
ripening is not fatal to the value of otherwise 
valuable fruits. There is no new variety of 
fruit of any kind that I know' of that is giving 
more satisfaction to the planter, aud i eceiv ing 
more unqualified praise in this country than 
this self-same Champion Quince; hence my 
astonishment at the above advice, coming 
from a paper that, as a rule, I regard as 
conservative and souud, progressive aud vig¬ 
ilant in its opinions and general work per¬ 
taining to the interests of its fruit-growing 
readers. 1 sincerely believe that it aims to 
give the unvarnished truth to its readers on all 
subjects; that it desires the general good of 
all; aud in this belief the above 
exceptions are taken to its advice. 
Caroline, Md. J. w. kerr. 
[Thanks. —Eds.] 
EXCELSIOR APPLE. From Nature. Fig. 114. 
SEEDLING CRAB APPLE. From Nature. Fi; 
know of the following: Storrs & Harrison Co., 
Paiuesville.O.; EUwanger & Barry, Rochester, 
N. Y.; Luther Burhauk, Santo Rosa, Cal.; 
J. T. Lovett, Little Silver, N. J.; F. S. 
Phoenix, Bloomingtou, IU. We shall be glad 
to add the names of auy other reputable nur¬ 
serymen .!. 
Prof. Burrill (University of Illinois) says 
that the Snyder Blackberry, previously per¬ 
fectly hard}', was so badly killed last Winter 
that tbe bushes w r ere cut to the ground. The 
Turner Raspberry bore a full crop. Prof. B. 
agrees with the R. N.-Y. that the strawberry 
is not influenced iu sbaiie, color or quality by 
the variety which furnishes the pollen. 
Prof. Morrow, of the same university, 
speaks favorably of the Tower Pulverizer and 
Corn Cultivator; also of the Strowbridge 
Broadcast Seeder. 
The N. E. Homestead says that traveling 
agents are going among the farmers of Maine 
and Massachusetts, offering for $5 recipes for 
fertilizers worth $50 a ton, that, cau be made 
for $10. It is strange that such men can even 
find a hearing, much less sell their recipe. 
fore neighboring farmers have begun to cut 
their Timothy. This gives three weeks longer 
for an aftermath, but the Ox-eye Daisy is cut 
before it seeds. Thus (test is in full seed when 
Timothy is cut. Mr. Crozier never uses 
Orchard Grass without other grasses aud 
clover. The mixture which he sows after 
wheat in the Fall or Spring is composed of 
Orchard Grass, Meadow Foxtail, Sheep Fes¬ 
cue, R. I, Bent, Sweet-scented Vernal, Mead¬ 
ow Fescue, English Rye Grass, Italian Rye 
Grass and Red-top—one-half the bulk being 
Orchard Grass, using about 75 pounds per 
acre of all; for rich and heavy laud from one- 
quarter to one-third less. 
He sow's separately, besides, ID pounds of 
Red or Mammoth Clover, as its greater weight 
makes it impossible to keep the seeds properly 
mixed........... 
Mr. Barry is quoted by the N. Y. Tribune 
as saying that a spendthrift never squandered 
a patrimony with more reckless improvidence 
of Excelsior, Minn. It is pippin- 
shaped, considerably ribbed, 
ground color light yellow', nearly 
covered in the sun with a bright 
carmine red, somewhat striped, 
with many deep greenish dots. 
Stem an inch long, and quite thick 
in a small, very shallow' cavity. 
Calix small, very close, in a broad, 
corrugated, very shallo w basin; 
core large lor the size of the fruit, 
well filled w'ith small plump seeds. 
Flesh fine-grained, nearly white, 
juicy, quite acid, tender, pleasant. 
A good cooking apple. Eaten 
Septemb.r 16, 1883. 
EXCELSIOR APPLE. Cross Section. Fig. 115. 
A cattle-raiser from Mexico said, at the 
late meeting of the Am. Ag. Asso’n, that the 
method of dishorning young cattle practiced 
there is to saw off the horn down to the hair 
when the calf is three mouths old and the 
horns are about an iueh in length. A hot 
iron is them applied to the surfaces, which are 
finally moistened with lime water as thick us 
cream.... 
Mr. T. D. Curtis thought it better to slit 
the skiu over the nub before the horn pushes 
through, aud theu with a chisel pry off the 
button... 
Prof. Burrill says that wo must choose 
for orchards lower sites or such soils as are 
least affected by droughts. This Is to avoid 
the sunuuor chock of trees, causing premature 
ripening of the tissues, putting them in the 
condition to start into spring-like activity 
when the autumn rains occur.. ... 
A disgrace and a national shame; an in- 
than our people have shown in havocking the 
grand forests that almost covered our country 
within the memory of many yet living. 
One spout to a maple tree is a great deal 
better than two... 
Prof. Beal states, iu the same journal (N. 
Y. Tribune), that Johuson Grass promises 
nothing for the North, though it lives over 
Winter to a greater or less extent and pro¬ 
duces seed in Michigan........ 
“We cai« never be too careful what the seed our hands 
shall sow; 
Love lor love Is sure to ripen, hate from hate is sure 
to grow. 
Seed of good or ill we scatter heedlessly along our 
Bui a glad or grievous'fruitage waits us at the harvest 
day.” 
Put not your trust in peaches, says Mr. 
E. B. Underbill. Plant pears for your heirs; 
comfort yourself with apples, but let Florida 
grow your oranges, anti Delaware your 
peaches....... 
Mr. Underhill says, and we are not sur- 
seedling crab apple. 
The seedling crab apple shown at Fig. 116, 
with a cross-section at Fig. 117, also owes its 
origin to Mr. Gideon. It is a little irregular 
in shajie, aud slightly flattened, ground color 
greenish, nearly covered witli a grayish red, 
and beautifully streaked, with deep crimson 
specks in the sun. Stem ouly half an inch 
long, rather stout, in a small, irregular, rather 
shallow cavity. Calyx large, closed iu a 
broad, very shallow, irregular basin. Core 
large, full of large seeds. Flesh white with a 
slight tinge of yellow; very firm, juicy, acid, 
fine-grained. A good cooking apple. Eaten 
September 10; not quite iu prime eating or¬ 
der. A fine crab in appearance, More crab 
apples of prime quality suitable for a wide 
rauge of country would be desirable for can¬ 
ing purposes. 
If you have caima roots to buy, dou’t for¬ 
get Canna Ehemaimi. Its peculiar mageuta 
color, its large (lowers and rnuuy spikes, to¬ 
gether with the vigorous habit of the plaut 
and its large, bunuuu-like leaves, will please.. 
And let us again call the atteutiou of our 
readers to the two prettiest ornamental 
grasses iu the world—the ZebrarStriped Eula 
