THE RURAL MEW-YOMER 
(i Continued from, page 269.) 
finely ground corn meal and coarse midd lings, 
is a proper ration, and iu the apple season the 
same quantity of ripe apples (no other kind 
will do) is equally useful. It will undoubtedly 
pay. Another fact might be noted in this 
connection, which is pertinent, viz., that the 
cutting of hay or fodder, wetting it and mix¬ 
ing the meal with it, has always been found 
to add to the product of milk and butter both; 
the reason in both cases being that the pre¬ 
pared or mixed food is better eaten, and being 
more palatable, is more thoroughly salivated 
and is consequently better digested : the sal¬ 
ivary fluid I laving quite active solvent and 
digestive properties. 
MANURING “NEW LAND.” 
J. /?., Pilots Neb .—Beyond the fact that you 
live in a “new country,” where manure is not 
used by funnel's who think their land rich 
enough without it, we know nothing about 
your farm, its soil, location or the crops you 
wish to raise. It is certain, however, that 
every crop removed from the farm carries 
with it more- or less of the fertility of the 
land. Some, of course, remove more than 
others of all kinds of plant food, and some 
more than others of particular kinds, some 
being specially exhaustive of potash, others of 
phosphoric acid, etc. The cultivation given 
will also have considerable effect in the 
same direction. It is only a quest ion of tune, 
crops and culture, therefore, when some one 
or all of the three great essential elements 
of plant growth—nitrogen, phosphoric acid 
and potash—will be exhausted or reduced in 
quantity so as to be insufficient for profitable 
crop production. It may be five or it may 
be 50 years before this condition is reached, 
but reached it will be, unless an equivalent 
for the fertility removed shall t>e returned 
to the soil. If this is partly done from the 
outset, the date of exhaustion will be pro¬ 
portionately deferred; if it is wholly done, 
it will never arrive. It is more than doubt¬ 
ful whether “virgin soil” is naturally so rich 
already, that artificial enrichment would not 
increase crops grown on it. Applying manure 
to such land therefore, is sure to defer or pre¬ 
vent the era of infertility,and pretty sure to in¬ 
crease the production from the outset. It would 
be well to get the manure on the land as soon 
as possible, however, and at the lowest 
expense. Whether the outlay for ihe extra 
labor will bo repaid, will depend on the 
cost of labor and other local conditions; not 
kuowing these, we can state only general 
principles. Son le object that it is not econ¬ 
omical to feed a man before be is hungry, or 
the soil before it needs plant-food; but 
abundant food one day will not prevent a 
man from being hungry next day, but will 
prevent the soil from being hungry next 
year. Tt is seldom foolish for a man starting 
in farming, or for a farmer just starting in 
a new section to follow the customs of the 
most successful of his neighbors. 
SOILING CROPS. 
W. S., Beanseiile, Can .—What crops should 
I sow for half soiling milch cows next, Summer? 
Soil a clay loam with some gravel, most of it 
plowed the firet time last Fall. 1 also plowed 
some alluvial land on which the washings from 
the hills have settled for a foot or more—soil 
very rich-lookiug. What should I sow on 
each. Iu a late RURAL Prof. Edwards says 
immature corn-stalks are very objectionable 
for milch cows whether fed green, cured or 
as silage; is he correct? 
Ans.— Evidently our friend has neither a 
field of winter rye nor of clover, as the regu¬ 
lar dairy farmer should have. This being the 
case, we see no possible way to tide him over 
to the time when he can utilize a soiling crop, 
except liy feeding a little hay, well-moistened, 
and mixed with a liberal feed of bran and oat¬ 
meal, till the first available soiling crop can 
be grown. This would be oats or millet, or 
botb. On a farm in the condition he describes, 
fodder corn would be his next available soil¬ 
ing crap; and as to the time of feeding it, 
Prof. Edwards is good authority, as it is prob¬ 
able that the feeding of immature corn-stalks 
either from the field, or after having been 
siloed, has thrown more discredit on soiling 
and the use of silage, than all other causes 
combined. The suggestion that bran and oat¬ 
meal be liberally used to piece out short, or 
eveu very short pastures, need appall no one 
who is in the dairy business; for it is one 
among the latter-day truths that there is a 
manurial as well as a feeding value in them, 
that is equal, or very nearly so, to their cost. 
The investment is returned at onee. through 
the milk ami butter; and later ou, the farm 
has the manurial deposit to draw from. 
Given the cows, and the limited pasture our 
correspondent speaks of, lie need have nu hes¬ 
itation in thus feeding his cows till he has his 
farm in correct rotation; that is, iu corn, 
either fi«ld or ensilage, winter-rye, oats or 
barley, and clover. We judge the land he 
describes is all right for almost any crop his 
cows would consume, that he can put upon it, 
but it is probable that it, won Id be well to sow 
oats on his alluvial soil, and get it seeded 
well to clover for his principal soiling crop for 
1887, till his corn of that year is ready. 
GRUBS ON THK BACKS OF CATTLE. 
S. J. D., Glean, N. F—“Grubs on the backs 
of cattle” are the larvae of the cattle gad-fly 
which lays its eggs on the backs of cattle 
about, August when the Hies abound. They 
abound also less numerously during all the 
summer mouths, as is indicated by the sight 
of cattle galloping furiously about the pasture 
with up-lifted tads, evidently in great fear 
and excitement. The fly pierces the skin and 
deposits its egg iu the orifice. Soon, u small 
swelling appears which grows larger as time 
passes. The tumors, sometimes the size of a 
walnut, have small openings through which 
pus is discharged immediately before the lar¬ 
vae are readv for dismissal. The grubs usual¬ 
ly esca(>e from the tumors iu June aud fall 
to the ground into which they enter to undergo 
their proper changes. Where not very nu¬ 
merous they do not call for special treatment, 
as they do no permanent injury, though they 
worry the affected animals. They can be 
readily dislodged by pressure of the fingers 
and a pah - of tweezers, and on falling to the 
ground, Should be killed. They are generally 
called “warbles,” “wormuls,” “wormils,” or 
“wourtuls” in England where country people 
in different sections use a multitude of dialects 
so different from each other and from the lan¬ 
guage of educated people that it is often no 
easy matter for au “outsider” to even guess 
correctly the drift ol' what they are saying. 
FERTILIZERS, ETC. 
M. /A, Askyort, N. Y. —L, Yes, sulphate of 
copper is Milestone or blue vitriol. 2. Copperas 
is sulphate of iron or green vitriol. Formerly 
it was synonymous witn vitriol and included 
green, blue aud white vitriols, or the sulphates 
of iron, copper and zinc, 2. Kaiuit. is the crude 
sulphate of potash from the Stassfurt mines 
in Germany. It contains about 12.5 per cent 
of actual potash, equivalent to 22 V to 23 
per cent, of sulphate. Besides this, it contains 
50 per cent, of chloride of sodium or common 
salt. On some soils it produces good 
effects on crops; but unless it can be placed on 
the farm cheap, it is better to substitute sul¬ 
phate or muriate of potash. 3. Muriate of 
potash is somewhat like common salt, and is a 
combination of potash with muriatic acid. It 
also comes from the Stassfurt mines where it 
is so mixed with soda, magnesia, sulphur, etc., 
that in preparing it for use as a fertilizer 6 1 ., 
tons of raw material are required to make one 
ton of muriate containing 80 per cent, of pure 
muriate of potash, or 50 to 54 per cent, of 
actual potash. 4. “Where ashes cannot he 
had,’’ muriate of potash is probably the cheap¬ 
est form in which potash can be obtained. 5. 
We cannot see wbat manurial effect either 
lime or salt would have upon potatoes, beyond, 
perhaps, rendering more available some of 
the fertility already in the soil. 
CHRONIC COUGH IN CALVES. 
.P., Cornwall , Ff.—My calves have every 
day bad a husky cough for several weeks, with 
a swelling or bunch under the chops, a dry, 
warty appearance of the skin in places, espe¬ 
cially at the joints. The skin inside the knee 
has cracked aud bled a little in one or two 
places; whut’s the matter? 
answered by f. l. kilborne, b. v. s. 
We suspect the calves have a chronic cough 
and perhaps sore throat, due to exposure (lur¬ 
ing the Winter. Take one part of solid ex¬ 
tract of belladonna and four parts of pulver¬ 
ized saltpeter, mix with sirup or honey, to 
form a thick paste. For yearlings a lump as 
large as a butternut three or four times daily, 
to be placed upon the back teeth and slowly 
swallowed as dissolved. Steam the nostrils 
every evening by feeding a hot bran mash, 
made by pouring boiling water on to two or 
three quarts of wheat bran, and let the animal 
eat it from a bucket while cooliug. If the 
cough and swelling do not improve iu a week 
or two, apply a mild blister, of strong ammo¬ 
nia one part, and sweet oil two parts, over the 
region of the throat. Any costiveness should 
be relieved by one-half-pint doses of castor 
oil, 
ABOUT PLUMS. 
T. O. D., Spence mil b\ Mil. —1. The best 
plums for your section are the improved na¬ 
tive varieties, such as Wildgoose, Newman, 
Quaker, De Roto, Forest Garden, Moroman, 
Golden Beauty. Wayland, etc. By planting 
several kinds of this class in close proximity 
to each other, an annual, profitable crop is as 
certain as, if not more so than, with any other of 
the tree fruits. Most, of the native varieties 
are proterundrous—that is, the stamens are 
precocious in the performance of their natural 
duties, and shed the jiolleu too soon for fer¬ 
tilization. This defect is remedied by having 
different varieties planted together. 2. No. 
Plum is not as good as peach stock. The 
latter is emphatically the best on which to 
propagate any of the native varieties, and 
for any of the European kinds that, will suc¬ 
ceed on it, that arc intended for planting in 
your section. Rome of the European class, 
however, do not unite solidly with the peach, 
such as Jefferson, Washington, Lombard, etc; 
but Richland, Coe’s Golden Drop, Pond’s 
Seedling and many others succeed as well on 
poach as on any other stock; but for profit 
none of this class is worth consideration. 
CUT IN MARE’S KNEE. 
H. S. C., Gaines, Pa.—1. My mare slipped 
on the ice and cut a three-inch gash on her 
fore-leg just below the knee-cap; simple rem¬ 
edies do not make it heal; what will? 
Ans.— The edges of the wound should have 
been brought accurately together and stitched 
with white silk, then with perfect rest of the 
limb “simple remedies” should have effected 
a cure in a few days. It is necessary that the 
animal should be kept quiet to prevent move¬ 
ment of the lips of the wound by the action 
of the knee-joint. This movement may pre¬ 
vent healing indefinitely. It. may even be 
necessary to apply a splint to the limb for a 
few days to keep the knee-joint immovable. 
The wound should be kept clean with tepid 
castile soap-suds and dressed with carbolated 
vaseline or other simple ointment. If the 
wound has become unhealthy, carefully wash 
it out with a weak solution of zinc chloride, 
one-half dram in a quart of water. 
EPILEPSY IN A HORSE. 
J. A. S., Denver, Col. — My 10-year-old 
horse eats, works and looks well, but never lies 
down in the stable. When standing his lips 
and head twitch nervously, and he has fits— 
usually in the stable. He falls down and is 
liable to go right through the side of the 
building, usually cutting himself badly. Al¬ 
though bled freely, he recently had a bad fit 
while iu harness; what ails him? 
Ans. — The animal evidently has epileptic 
fits, due to some unknown source of irritation 
to the nerve centers. It would he necessary to 
have the animal under our immediate care for 
a length of time to ascertain, if possible, the 
cause of the irritation before we could tell 
wbat to do for him. In many cases very lit¬ 
tle or nothing can be done, beyond avoiding 
excitement, and attending to tlie general 
health of the animal. The diet should he lax 
ative and easily digestible, aud the bowels 
should be kept freely open with purgatives if 
necessary. 
SOME CROPS FOR SOILING. 
iV. P. G„ West Newton , Mass. —1. Oats for 
soiling should have strong, rich land, well 
prepared by careful plowing. Four bushels 
of the heaviest and soundest seed to be had 
will be none too much. Sow ou the furrow 
before harrowing, and if peas are to be grown 
with the oats, sow two bushels after the oats 
are sown, and before harrowing. The crop 
should be got in as soon as possible. It is in 
the best condition for feeding when oats ore 
in the milk. The common Canada pea is the 
best for this use. 2. If the land can be 
cleared and got ready early in July, a crop of 
Hungarian can be grown after the oats aud 
peas. Fodder corn (some early sweet) will 
make a good growth if there are no frosts in 
September and the season is otherwise favor¬ 
able. For the liest results with these second 
crops, sow 4<MI pounds per acre of a good com¬ 
plete fertilizer with the seed. 
KEEPING ANTS OUT OF BEE-HIVES. 
K. M. 0., Pittsburg , Kans.— Usually ants 
cluster alnjut hives in Spring for warmth, 
seldom doing any harm. They may be brush¬ 
ed away or poisoned with Paris-green or 
alcohol applietl to the places they frequent. 
If the poison is sweetened to attract the ants, 
then to prevent the possibility that the liees 
might eat some of it, it would be best to put 
the sweet poisonous mixture in a box with a 
hole large enough for the ants, but two small 
for the bees. Or the ants’ nests ean be hunted 
up, an<l pierced with a crowbar. Then if an 
ounce of bisulphide of carbon is put in the 
hole and this is quickly plugged up, the liquid 
will kill all the ants, Of course, this should 
be done when all the ants are iu the nests. 
INDIGESTION IN CALVES. 
11. K. P.fWest Hartford, Mo.— What caused 
the death of several calves in fine condition? 
They were well sheltered and watered and 
had all the shelled corn they would cat with 
good Timothy hay. First they lost appetite, 
refused to drink, became constipated aud ten 
der about the kidneys; yet they moved about 
freely, didn’t throw up their food, had no 
fever, and lived for nine days after they were 
attacked. A post-mortem showed food undi¬ 
gested and the stomach full of water. 
Ans.— The calves were probably killed by 
eating too much coni. The remedy is very 
simple. Feed less corn, which should he sup¬ 
plemented iu part by wheat bran, middlings, 
or oil meal. For those that are costive, give 
one-fourth pint of castor oil. 
APRIL 24 
FEED FOR BUTTER. 
G, W. S., Pai-ishville, N. F,—1. An excel¬ 
lent feed for cows for a butter dairy is made 
by mixing 800 pounds of fine corn meal, 200 
pounds of fine bran < >r c< >arse middlings, and 
100 pounds of cotton-seed meal or new-process 
linseed meal. Of this, eight pounds a day 
may be given mornings and nights in a feed 
of five pounds of hay cut fine, wetted and 
mixed with three pounds of the meal, and two 
pounds of the meal given dry at noon with 
five pounds of long hay. A feed of a iieck of 
mangels, cut fine aud mixed with the noon 
meal, is very useful. 
---- 
Miscellaneous. 
M. H. K., Salisbury, Vt. —1, What is the 
percentage of potash and soda in corn-cob 
ashes? 2. Is the Japan Chestnut hardy enough 
l'or Central Vermont? 3. Will the Pockling- 
ton and Empire State Grapes ripen here? 4. 
From the seed-ball which produced a single 
stalk, I raised, last season, 26 potatoes that 
weighed 3 '4 pounds, the three largest weigh¬ 
ing a pound; was this au extra-large yield? 
Ans. —1. Air-dry cobs give five per cent, of 
ash, of which 2.4 per cent, is phosphate and 
and 1.10 of one per cent. soda. 2. We don’t 
know, but are a little inclined to doubt it. 3. 
The Empire State may—doubtful ns to tlie 
Pocklington. 4. If the plants were one foot 
apart in drills and the drills three feet apart, 
this would give 14,520 plants to the acre. 
Your yield would, therefore, be 50,820 pounds, 
which, at 60 pounds to the bushel, would make 
847 bushels to the acre. 
L. IF., Amelia, Ohio. —1. Tomatoes are in¬ 
clined to root here on heavy oak soil, 
when stable manure is used in the hill; when 
it is scarce what fertilizer should be used in¬ 
stead of or with it for tomatoes? 2. What’s 
the best fertilizer for corn and strawberries 
on the same soil ? 
Ans.— 1. Unless the soil is very poor we do 
not approve of using much manure for toma¬ 
toes. ft induces much vine and little fruit. 
Hen raauure is good; ashes aud bone are ex¬ 
cellent. 2. Not knowing the needs of your 
soil, we can only recommend a complete fer¬ 
tilizer or, in other words, one that contains 
potash, phosphate and nitrogen—blood, ashes 
or sulphate of potash and bone. Rend for the 
circulars of trusty fertilizer manufacturers. 
IF R. M., Hume, N. F—For several months 
the eyes of a valuable mare have been some¬ 
times swollen and weak, and then they have 
discharged water freely. At intervals of sev¬ 
eral days they are in excellent condition; but 
soon the trouble sots in again. What should 
be done ? 
Ans. —The animal isevidently suffering from 
repeated attacks of periodic ophthalmia. For 
treatment, of the disease see the F.O. for March 
27. If the animal is very valuable, we sug¬ 
gest you consult a competent veterinarian, 
since a cure may be possible, 
J. C. S., Hath, N. F—A callus has formed 
where “scratches” healed on the hack of the 
ankle below the fetlock of a young horse; the 
ankle is somewhat enlarged and the callus 
sometimes cracks; how should it be treated ? 
Ans.—W henever it cracks keep the parts 
clean and apply a tar dressing daily. The ap¬ 
plication of tincture of iodine every four or 
five days for a few weeks to the swelling aud 
callus may partially or entirely remove them. 
This failing, the callus can best be removed 
with the knife, if at all. 
IF N. J., Montrose, Cal .—My hogs stagger 
as they walk, sometimes falling over behind 
while keeping on their fore legs. They fall 
off very fast, aud all have sore, running eyes. 
Rome of them have also bad fits; wbat is the 
trouble? 
Ans.— Probably swine plague or hog 
cholera. Read the article on this subject iu 
the F. C. of Jan. 23. 
M. E. P. IF, Jersey, Ohio. —Judging from 
the specimens at the Rural Grounds, the 
Russian Mulberry strikes us favorably as a 
summer wind-break. How well it will bear 
cutting back to adapt it as a hedge plant, we 
ean not say. It certainly will not turn ani¬ 
mals of any kind. 
G. //. C., Gravelly Valley, Cal.—We know 
of no way of preventing gophers and moles 
from injuring the roots of plants except by 
trapping or poisoning. 
P. S. A’., Flutbrookxdlte, N. J.—Consult a 
competent veterinary surgeon. Such cases 
cannot he satisfactorily treated through brief 
i correspondence. 
,/. A’., Lovingston, Vt. —Nothing but cultiva¬ 
tion will eradicate garlic or wild onions? 
Emil Anderson. —We doubt it. 
DISCUSSION. 
“WARBLES” IN CATTLE. 
E. B. C., Parma, Mich.—Whenever warbles 
have been removed from the backs of cattle, 
I have never known the same animals or even 
