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CATALOGUES, ETC., RECEIVED. 
Report of the Wisconsin Experiment¬ 
al Station.— This experiment station has 
been of reft! value to the farmers of Wiscon¬ 
sin. The aim has been to condense the work 
of the station and combine its efforts in 
working out a few particularly important 
questions. Wisconsin agriculture basreached 
a point where a radical change is demanded. 
An exclusive grain growing has reduced the 
fertility of the soil. This fertility must, he 
restored, ami the officers of t e station have 
wisely decided to make this question of re¬ 
stored fertility the leading one in their work. 
Naturally the feeding of cattle suggests itself 
as the most available agent in this work. It 
is a generally understood principle among 
good farmers that the fertility of a farm 
will be measured by the number of stock fed 
upon it. Commercial manures have, in some 
portions of the country, made it possible for 
farmers to produce bountiful crops with 
little barnyard manure, yet iu the newer 
portion of the country, and on large farms, 
farm manure must still be depended upon 
almost exclusively. The work of the station 
has been extremely practical. Efforts have 
been made to ascertain the feeding value of 
sweet skim-milk for young animals, the value 
of the corn crop aa fodder, the value of oil 
meal, bran, and other feeds for milk and butter 
production, etc. This work has been well and 
carefully done, and will be of value to Wis¬ 
consin farmers. There has always been a 
question iu the minds of farmers as to the 
best method of feeding corn-stalks. It 
is easiest to feed them whole, but is it 
most economical, taking into considera¬ 
tion the trouble of removing the wasted 
stalks, in handling too manure into which 
they have been thrown, and even the feeding 
value of the refuse i Prof. Henry tested the 
matter carefully. He concluded that if ordi¬ 
nary corn-stalks were worth §4 per ton, the 
cut stalks wore worth §5.20 for feeding, The 
farmer must decide for himself whether it 
will pay to cut a ton of stalks to save §1.20 in 
feeding value. We notice that iu this experi¬ 
ment little notice was taken of the fact that 
the cut stalks make l’nr better manure and 
that a larger proportion of the fodder is used 
up in this way. We are inclined to think 
that it will pay better to feed the stalks whole 
and to use the refuse, as I’rof, Shelton, of 
Kansas, suggests, for fuel in heating drinking 
water for cattle. We speak now of stalks 
from which the ears have been busked. For 
ordinary fodder corn, grown in drills and fed 
ears and all, bettor results may be expected, 
but it is hardly thought, even in this case, that 
the cutting of the stalks would pay. Prof. 
Henry calculates that an acre of uncut stalks, 
without the grain, supplemented by 1,1590 
pounds of grain feed, will produce 158 pounds 
of butter. Ibis grain feed is given as five 
pounds of bran to live of corn meal and two 
of shorts. Au aero of drilled corn fodder, fed 
cars and all, uncut, with 2,250 pouuds of 
bran, will make 200 pounds of butter. These 
facts arc of great importance to Wisconsin 
farmers. Tons and tons of bran are shipped 
through the State to he fed out at, the East. 
Acres and acres of stalks are wasted. Both 
of these sources of Wealth should bo utilized in 
the only practical way, viz.: in cattle feeding. 
Prof. Henry made an experiment to determine 
the value of soiling as compared with pastur. 
ing for dairy cows. Wo shall give the sub¬ 
stance of his conclusions in a subsequent num¬ 
ber. We commend this volume of experimen¬ 
tal results to our readers. It is well worthy 
of study. 
Kentucky Horticulture.—Proceedings 
of the Last Meeting of the Kentucky 
Horticultural Society.—Wo are indebted 
to our friend, Judge W. L. Dulaney, for this 
report, from which we learn much of the hor¬ 
ticultural development of Kentucky. The 
meeting was well attended and the papers pre¬ 
pared were of interest, President Cook well 
said that he who gathers the fruits others have 
planted, only half enjoys them. The raising 
of Bartlett pours was said to be a very profit¬ 
able business. Few precautions are taken to 
suppress the attacks of insect enemies of fruit 
ti ocs. Fanners combine their energies against 
tho tobacco-lly, thus protecting a crop that 
really pays less than a fruit crop would pay. 
In one l Vmgressiouul District of Kentucky, 
.100,000 bushels of apple* were distilled into 
alcoholic spirits, while but 5,000 were put 
through the evaporators for food. The Con 
cord appeared to be regarded as the “general- 
purpose" grape. This advice, “if any of you 
haven I n grape-vine, plant one, and if you can 
plaut but oue, plant tho Concord,” appeared 
to be satisfactory, though Iona, Poeklingtou, 
Niagara, and othera were mentioued. Mem¬ 
bers were advised to make use of old and 
standard horticultural literature, and to let 
private circulars, essays, etc,, alone. Wild 
cherries were considered a popular fru it for 
birds, hogs and some hoys. It was suggested 
that a few trees growing near the orchard 
might attract the attention of the birds from 
the other fruit. It was thought that sheep 
were the best scavengers to put in au orchard, 
but it is well to lake them out beforesuowfali, 
otherwise they will nip the shoots and bark 
the trees. A story was told showing how, in 
old times, an orchard was renewed. Two or 
three loads of manure were put under each 
tree. In the Spring, with a stout staff, many 
holes were punched in the ground and half-a- 
gill of corn was dropped into each, and the 
openings closed. The hogs were then turned 
in, and they fairly turned the soil upside down 
and covered the manure in hunting for the 
coni. As a substantial beginning towards a 
better horticulture, it was suggested that each 
member of the society go home and proceed to 
turn bis place into a small Eden, without a 
single tree of any forbidden fruit. Tho fruit 
tree peddler came in for his usual round of 
abuse. The President of the society was not 
ashamed to confess that he had paid out money 
for blue and green roses, strawberries that 
grew on bushes, and similar monstrosities. H.- 
has never seen them yet, and his money has 
not returned. The homo nurseryman was in¬ 
formed that in order to cope with these glib- 
tongued fellows, he must show more enter¬ 
prise, spend more for printers’ ink and let 
people know what he has to sell and how he 
proposes to deliver it. 
Imitation Dairy Products.— Under this 
title is collected the testimony given before 
the Senate Committee on Agriculture in refer¬ 
ence to the Oleomargarine Bill. That the 
hearing was extended and exhaustive may be 
inferred from the fact that the testimony fills 
a pamphlet of 275 pages, and fully covers 
every phase of the subject. As we have fre¬ 
quently stated, we do not thiuk any measure 
has of recent years been brought before Con¬ 
gress, that is of more vital importance to the 
farming interests of the country than this. 
The question should he carefully studied. We 
advise farmers to secure a copy of this report. 
It can be obtained through their Senator or 
Representative. 
A Correct Nomkncatcre.—W e find the 
following iu the Philadelphia Weekly Press: 
•‘As to hybrids, the Editor or the R. N Y, mukre 
protest Otfalust the free use of the word “hybrid.” and 
wishes to restrain nurseryman and tlorlste from ehnr 
aeterlxlnp the offspring of two varieties of the snme 
species as n hybrid. He even kws so far as to accuse 
offenders in this respect with a lack of regard for 
"truth and propriety," and cal Is on various associa¬ 
tions and societies to take action lu the matter. But 
some people argue that a true hybrid has no power 
of reproduction any more than a mule has. And 
what Is a variety or n species? Who Is to decide? It 
Is a matter of judgment only. New species and new 
genera are being erected constantly by botanists. 
When n florist or nurseryman or au amateur speaks 
of “hybridizing” for pastime or any other purpose. 
It Is understood that the word covers the crossings of 
plants, whether nearly or more distantly related. It 
Is not a serious offense against good taste or good 
morals to use any word In Us ordinary, current mean 
lug." 
We aresory that our respected contempor¬ 
ary takes this view. We had thought it was 
a part of the duty of the press to point out 
errors just as much when they have become 
“current” as when they first appear. The 
words hybrid and cross-breed are as distinctly 
defined in botanies as are the words genus, 
species and variety. It does not matter 
whether or not we know what constitutes a 
genus, species or variety. Until we do know 
there is but one rule to follow, viz., the teach¬ 
ings of our leading botanists. According to 
such teachings the word hybrid and cross¬ 
breed are not interchangeable. Dr. Gray 
says (Structural Botany page Ulfi) that “cross¬ 
breeding is effected by fertilizing the pistil of 
one variety with the pollen of another variety 
of the same species.” Again he says that the 
“cultivator often proceeds one step further.” 
iu certain cases, “and gives rfcse to a different 
kind of cross-breeds, viz., hybrids Again he 
says: “Hybrids are cross-breeds from differ¬ 
ent but nearly related species.” 
Sachs says (p.816 Text Book of.Botany): “We 
learn from experience that a fertile sexual 
union can take place between plants which are 
specifically distinct. A union of this kind is 
called hybridization and its product a hybrid.” 
lie proposes three words to express the results 
of a union between, (1) different varieties of 
one species, (2) different species of one genus, 
and (3) two species belonging to different 
geuera, viz., variety-hybrid, species-hybrid 
and genus-hybrid. But such a set of terms 
l would not help matters much. In the mean- 
; time we can do no better than to follow our 
own botanical authority. Dr. Gray. Pupils 
who study his text-book will naturally ask 
what is meant by hybrid corn, potatoes, 
hybrid cucumbers, tomatoes, peas, beans, 
squashes, peas, etc., when first they examine 
the catalogues of seedsmen and nurserymen or 
the rural journals and books of the day. They 
have to learn that the word “ hybrid” has 
been substituted for “cross-breed” because it 
is a more taking word. In like maimer we 
have pointed out the undesirability of calling 
all chemical fertilizers “superphosphates” or 
“phosphates.” Nothing is more perplexing to 
the farmer who is trying to comprehend the 
whole subject of concentrated manures than 
the “current” signification of these words, for 
the reason that they are used by garrulous 
agents, and even manufacturers, in a sense 
quite at variance with their real meaning. 
Decline in Stock Values in Great Bri¬ 
tain.— English journals are lamenting the 
present general, and in some breeds serious, 
decline in values. Prices have shown a down¬ 
ward tendency for yeara. This was natural, 
from tho fact that the demand, particularly 
for bulls, becomes year by year better and 
better supplied. But the decline iu Scotland 
iu 1885, says the North British Agriculturist, 
was the most unsatisfactory on record. This 
is clearly illustrated from the fact that while 
18 head more of Scottish cattle of pure-bred 
stock were brought into the market last sea¬ 
son than the previous one, something like 
£15,224 ($76,000) less were realized. It will be 
interesting to herders in the United States to 
know the impression in Great Britain in rela¬ 
tion to depreciation. In this country the area 
to be supplied with pure-bred stock is im¬ 
mense. Prices have declined. As prices fall 
in the Old Country they must fall here, but 
this fall in prices will stimulate buying among 
a class of farmers who were not able to pay 
the great prices of previous years. In fact, 
the fall in prices in this country has already 
stimulated buying among farmers who here¬ 
tofore seldom sought hlooded stock. The 
Elgin (England) Courant and Courier gives its 
opinion of the causes of the dedine, and in 
summing up says: 
“The great importance, both financially and 
otherwise, to the eouQtrv, of the trade among 
pure-bred stock will be gathered from the fact 
that last season no fewer than l,t>10 Short-horn 
and polled cattle were spread over the 
northern counties, the total price realized for 
which was over £34,502. The previous year- 
season 18S4-’85—1,592 animals brought a total 
of £49,427, which result has, as noted above, en¬ 
tailed a loss to breeders for the year of no less 
than £15.224. As a comparison, in the years 
lSXR-’84 the sum paid for pure-bred stock in 
the same area was £37,409; iulSS2-’S3, £36 409- 
1881-582, £80,168; 18S0-’8l, £26,802; 1*79-’S0,’ 
£25,503.” 
The fact that about §100 each are realized 
for all cattle sold—good, bad ami inferior, 
young and old—will not strike the average 
reader as being exceedingly low for stock 
from herds that have already made their own- 
era rich. 
Polled cattle seem to have depreciated most 
seriously. The average price paid iu 1885-’S6 
less than in the year previous, was nearly £12 
(§58.35), the average for polled cattle being 
nearly £22 9d. In only throe instances did the 
price reach those figures. 
Depreciation in Short-horn cattle was less 
than iu polled cattle, but there were fewer 
public sales of these than of polled cattle. The 
speculation in polls in America probably 
caused them to be forced upou the market 
beyond a legitimate demand. Short-horns 
in no case are reported as bringing these fig¬ 
ures-, £84 being the highest price recorded by 
the conteinporan r named. 
In conclusion, It is stated that Short-horn 
hulls iu 1885-’86 averaged £19 Its, as against 
£28 5s Id last year. Cows this year only av¬ 
eraged £22 13s Id, whereas last year the av¬ 
erage was £31 3s 7d. Two-year-old heifers 
showed the least difference in price. Last 
yeur they averaged £23 17s 5d, while this year 
they were £2315s 9d. Yearling heifers on the 
other hand, were somewhat down. Last year 
they averaged £18 15s 7d, while this year they 
brought only £10 94. Calves were much the 
same as last year. 
Turnips as a Field Crop.—W aldo F. 
Brown says, in the Farmer’s Review, that for 
25 years he has not made a failure with the 
turnip crop, and with the exception of per¬ 
haps two years, he has grown from 100 bush¬ 
els up to as high us 1,500 each year. Although 
some years he has not been able to sell, and so 
has fed them to his stock, in other seasons they 
have paid him a larger net profit than any 
crop grown on the farm; and taking the years 
oue with another, he has found au acre or two 
of turuips to pay better than most farm crops. 
He remembers one year that he sold a carload 
497 
of 400 bushels at 33% cents a bushel, on the 
track at his station, and as he was loading the 
car, was frequently asked by farmers the price 
and several times when he told it they said, 
“Can you make anything growing turnips at 
that price?” It so happened that corn was 
selling at the same price, and Mr Brown said 
to them, “"iou grew on an average less 
than 50 bushels of corn the acre, and gave it 
the entire season and several thorough work¬ 
ings; I grew an average of 20ij bushels of tur¬ 
nips to the acre, and grew them as a second 
crop and gave them no cultivation at all.’ 
Mr. Brown says that 200 bushels is a very 
moderate crop, and that he has grown 500 
bushels on an acre of highly manured land 
that had grown two crops besides the same 
season, the first crop being early peas that 
were marketed by .Tune 11. and the second 
crop pickles, and the turnips were sown about 
the 1st of August, at the last working of the 
encumbers. He believes that it is easier to 
grow 1,000 bushels of turnips on an acre than 
100 bushels of corn. 
As to the the time of sowing, the old New 
England couplet says: 
“Twenty-fifth of July, 
Wet or dry." 
But the first 10 days of August is the best 
time for the latitude below Central Ohio, and 
Mr. Brown has grown excellent crops sown as 
late as September 1; but he would always ad¬ 
vise sowing by the middle of August, as the 
Fall must, be unusually favorable if a later 
sown crop matures so as to be gathered before 
cold weather. Another important direction as 
to the “when” is,always sow after a rain. The 
majority of farmers think it a nice saving of 
labor to sow turnips when they see a rain 
coming up, so it will wash in the seed and 
save them the trouble of covering it. It is 
the worst possible time to sow, and has caused 
the loss of many a crop. There are two good 
reasons for this. First, a rain always brings 
up a crop of weeds, and when they start with 
the turnips they always damage the crop. 
The second reason is, that a heavy rain packs 
the soil and forms a crust, and prevents the 
plants from making a thrifty start, and it is 
not uncommon for insects to destroy the plants 
almost before the eye can detect them; while 
if sown as soon after a rain as the land can be 
worked, few. if any. weeds will start with 
them, and they will make so rigorous a 
growth as to escape insect pests. The first 10 
days is the critical time with the turnip plant, 
and it makes quite a difference whether dur¬ 
ing that time it is choked with weeds and 
bound by a hard, dry crust, or growing in a 
clean, moist and mellow soil.. 
Mr. Brown prefers to sow broadcast, and 
use no mixture of any kind with the seed 
Use ouly the thumb and forefinger and sow a 
strip five or six feet wide, making one cast to 
every two steps, and yon will not be likely to 
get them too thick. About one pound to the 
acre is right Should the turnips be too 
thick they can be thinned by running over 
them with a light harrow, and the host time 
to do this is on a bright, sunny day, when the 
plants are two or three inches across. Run 
across with the harrow, and then wait a few 
moments to see how many plants wilt, and if 
once does not. thin them enough, cross-harrow 
A single plant to the square foot will gi ve a 
larger crop than closer planting. aud if he 
were growing for stock, and the land was 
rich, he should expect tho largest crop from 
about one plant, to each two square feet- but 
as a large turnip docs not sell well in the 
market, when growing them for sale he leaves 
them thicker, say two plants to the square 
foot, and then gathers the larger ones as soon 
as the weather will admit, and lets the smaller 
ones grow longer. There are 43,5(50 square feet 
man acre, and the legal weight of turnips is 50 
pounds to the bushel. If we can grow a tur¬ 
nip weighing oue pound on each square foot 
it will give a crop of uearly 22 ions to the 
acre, or 871 bushels. He thinks it would be 
easier to grow turnips that would average 
two pounds each with two square feet to each 
plant, than one pound each with one to each 
foot A compact seed-bed is absolutely neces¬ 
sary for turnips. The laud should be plowed 
at least a month before sowing, and two 
mouths are better, aud by the use of roller 
and harrow, it should be made tine and solid. 
When the time comes to sow, harrow so as to 
make two inches of the surface mellow; then 
sow the seed and cover with a light plank 
drag: this will cover the seed lightly and 
press the earth to it so that it will germinate 
at once. A crop of clover may be cut for hay 
and the stubble turned under in June, and at 
once rolled and harrowed fiat; then during 
July top-dress with six or eight loads of fine 
manure, aud harrow till thoroughly mixed. 
If the land is rich it will grow a good crop 
without tho manure, or there is perhaps no 
crop on which commercial fertilizers can be 
used with as great certainty of good results a s 
on this. Unlike beets and carrots, turnips are 
in the best condition for feeding in the early 
