THE RURAL HEW-YORKER. 
for helping the temperance cause which 
seems to me to be practical. I would make 
every saloon keeper responsible for whatever 
damage was caused by the liquor he sold. 
Suppose a man got drunk and destroyed prop- 
erty. The man who sold him the liquor 
would havo to pay for it. Suppose he com¬ 
mitted some crime for which he was sent to 
prison. The liquor dealer has to support.the 
prisoner’s family. In every ease, as I think 
rightly, the damage is attributed directly to 
the liquor, rather than to the man. The man 
who supplies liquor to the customer is as much 
responsible as the man who applies fire to a 
building. Such a law could be passed where 
a prohibitory law never could be. It would 
destroy the argument of thousands of men 
who say that the Government has no right to 
say what they shall drink so long as they do 
not disturb the peace. Rum-sellers would be 
very careful to whom they sold liquor if they 
knew that they would lie held responsible for 
the effect of their cursed stuff. The business 
would soon lose its profit, and we might hear 
of a rum-seller failing—something I have, 
never heard of yet. Such a law could be 
enforced more completely than any strictly 
prohibitory law could. j. B. B. 
Essex Co., N. J. 
We have a bad piece of road in our town. 
It was originally a “cross way” road built of 
logs and plank through a swamp. The logs 
rotted and bad holes formed. The swamp has 
been drained and many loads of gravel have 
been placed on the road. Still it was a 
regular slough hi Winter. Two years ago we 
made a hard pull to get it into shape. The 
owner of a brick yard near by gave us a big 
pile of broken brick. We all turned out with 
teams and dumped that brick along the worst 
places and put gravel on top of it. After it 
worked down it made a fine road for a time, 
but now the old logs are begiuning to work 
up. We can cover them with gravel I 
suppose, but I do not think the road will be 
what we want it to be until we dig the old 
logs up and start on a new foundation. 
Hillsdale Co., Mich. B. H. s. 
My idea is that fruit growers who want 
better prices should pay more attention to the 
temperance reform. The people in our towns 
and cities who have little money are the ones 
who ought to buy more fruit, and they would 
do it if their' money didn’t go for drink. Plug 
up the saloons, and we shall open a new mar¬ 
ket for our fruits. It is a matter of business, 
fruitmen. The less liquor sold, the more fruit 
bought, H. c. B. 
Summit Co., Ohio. 
NIGHT SOIL AS MANURE. 
Some 30 year’s ago we hauled night-soil from 
a town over three very hilly miles. We put 
it in water-tight barrels sunk in the ground 
and added water from time to time. In a 
week or 10 days in warm weather it would 
foam and rise. In this state, with the addi¬ 
tion of a little water, it could be carried iu 
pails and put around the hills. The good ef¬ 
fect was evident iu a few days. When the 
solids were mixed with ashes and spread on 
the surface, or spread unraixed, the effect 
was more lasting We were paid for carting 
the night soil away. It paid us well, for our 
place was poor enough, and by means of this 
manure we brought it into a high state of 
fertility. We were glad to give the business up 
thoughafter we were fairly started on the farm. 
It is the dirtiest; of all work, and it gives one a 
reputation that will hang to him for years. 
Still, 1 must say that a mau with a poor farm 
and no money with which to buy manures, 
cannot do better than to collect all the night 
soil he can find. E. ir. E. 
Brandon, Vt. 
CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS ENOUGH. 
I have a little place of 10 acres, all tillage, 
on a hillside. 1 am eight miles from any good 
place to buy stable manure. 1 keep no stock, 
and in fact, have no barn. For manures, I de¬ 
pend upon chemical fertilizers and green crops 
plowed under, I raise vegetables, fruit and 
hay. With these crops I can support my fam¬ 
ily and pay for the place, fcsome people think 
farming or gardening cannot be run success¬ 
fully without stock. They keep dairy stock on 
a small place, often at a loss, rather than say 
they keep none. My experience satisfies me 
that 1 can raise an abundance of fruits and 
vegetables on chemical fertilizers, aud supply 
the needful vegetable matter by plowing un¬ 
der an occasional crop of rye, buckwheat or 
sowed com. a. w. b. 
Middlesex Co., Mass. 
HANDLING POTATOES. 
Every person who raises many potatoes 
should have a number of square boxes holding 
about a bushel each. These can be placed 
along the rows and filled from the ground. 
They should be placed in the wagon and not 
emptied until the barn or celler is reached. 
Most farmers handle their potatoes over three 
or four times in passing from the ground to 
the bin. Why handle them unnectssarily? 
What must we think of a farmer who has to 
mow down the weeds on his patch in order to 
find his potatoes. T. N. 
Belmont Co., Ohio. 
COOKING FOOD FOR STOCK. 
I notice that most of the Experiment Sta¬ 
tions report that it does not pay to cook food 
for stock. It may not for cows, but I am cer¬ 
tain it does for bogs. I have an idea most of 
these tests we hear about were made in W inter, 
and that t he cooked feed froze. It pays to cook 
thesrnall potatoes anyway, and to my mind 
all meal fed to the hens is far better cooked. 
Bucks Co., Pa. w. h. l. 
[All agree that it pays to cook potatoes for 
stock feed, owing to the indigestibilit.y of the 
starch granules in an uncooked and unbroken 
state. When potatoes are boiled these starch 
grauulos swell and burst, as seen in heated 
pop-corn. The starch is then digestible. The 
season at which the tests have been made is al¬ 
ways mentioned and all other conditions 
which affect the cases.— Eds.] 
Comment at the |{»ral 
Hfrtxo -Ufirkrr. 
LATTER-DAY RASPBERRIES. 
Have we made much real progress in im¬ 
proving the raspberry of late years? Let us 
see. 
The Cuthbert is a hardy’plant. Its fruit 
is of an acceptable color, firm enough for mar¬ 
ket—good enough for home use. As a late 
variety, it has no equal iu many parts of the 
country. It is one of the few raspberries that, 
prospering over a wide extent of country and 
under varied conditions of soil and climate, 
has not disappointed those who were induced 
to cultivate it by the high claims made 
when it was iutrodueed. 
The Superb is not a success. The plant is 
vigorous, hardy and productive enough — 
the berries are large. But they crumble too 
much for market purposes, while the quality 
will never commend them to those who appre¬ 
ciate a good raspberry. 
The Marlboro was paraded before the 
public in a grand way, and the Rural tooted 
at the head of the the brass baud as loudly as 
anyone. Judging it by the branches loaded 
with large berries taken to the office as well 
as by the fruitage and growth of two fine 
plants carefully set at the Rural Grounds by 
the originator himself, we though we were 
safe in concluding it would succeed generally 
as well as in the grounds of its birth, where it 
seemed almost faultless. But several years of 
trial since show that while the berry is larger 
aud firmer than the average, the plant is not 
vigorous enough ever to become a general 
favorite except under congenial conditions 
to be found only here and there. 
Shaffer’s (Colossal), which was intro¬ 
duced less ostentatiously, is everywhere gain¬ 
ing friends. It can never become valuable as 
an “all-purpose” berry on account of its dark 
color. Neither is the quality of the best; it is 
too acid. Yet the acidity is of the rich not 
of the sour order, which with the great size of 
the berry places it among the best kinds for 
canning purposes. 
The Ha ns ell is the earliest raspberry we 
have, and in this ami in the firmuess and 
lively eolor of the berry rests its chief value. 
The berry is inferior in quality, and the plant 
in vigor. The Rancocas differs from the Han- 
sell in being not quite so early and a trifle 
more vigorous or, shall we say, less feeble. 
Crimson Beauty was introduced by A. M. 
Purdy of Palmyra N. Y. Several different 
varieties have been tested here under this 
name, none of which seem to be any decided 
improvement over old kinds. It ripens with 
Marlboro aud is better in quality, though not 
so large and firm. There are many imperfect 
berries. 
Reliance was sent to us by C. A. Green, of 
Clifton N. Y. The plants are hardy, produc 
live; the berry is much like the Phila¬ 
delphia. 
Christine is a late berry, large conical, firm 
and of good quality. It was sent to us by 
Rev. E. P. Rot;. It will thrive probably where 
the Antwerp thrives. It is not hardy here 
oftener than one year in three. 
Seedling B, shown at Fig. 367, was re¬ 
ceived from L. M. Macombor, of North Ferris- 
burg, Vermont, in May, 18*5. It is thought 
to be a seedling of Belle de Fontenay which it 
resembles in cane and leaf. The berry is 
bright red when ripe, darkening in color alter- 
wards. Some of the berries were as large as 
any we have ever raised. The drupelets are 
very large, as shown in the illustration, though 
they hold together very well. In quality we 
The berries are light green, not shoul- 
crowded in the bunch, three-seeded 
rouud. The skin is thin with some 
bloom; pulp tender, juicy and well 
flavored. The vine is productive and 
healthy. 
Faith (Rommel) ripened September 
5. Skin thin but firm; two-seeded, 
yellowish green, sweet, pure. Berry 
small, round; the bunch imperfect and 
of medium size. Vine very productive, 
healthy. 
nine 
NOTES IN THE ORCHARD. 
T. H. HOSKINS, M.D. 
Macomber’s Seedling B Raspberry. 
Nature.) Fig. 367. 
know of no better berry. It bas all of the 
sweetness, richness, sprightliness and rasp¬ 
berry aroma that can be desired. The plant 
is strong-growing aud beat's continuously for 
a long time, though whether it produces a 
fall crop we cannot as yet say. The canes are 
nearly thornless. It is too soon to judge of 
this fine berry as to productiveness and hardi¬ 
ness. We merely record the impressions of a 
siugle season. 
Meredith Queen, 'from E. J. Brownell, 
does not thrive very well here. The berries 
are of medium size, late, extremely juicy and 
too soft for carriage. 
yellow raspberries. 
Tns Golden Queen has recently been il¬ 
lustrated and described in these columns. 
Our plants have not yet borne. It promises 
to be the best all-purpose yellow berry yet in¬ 
troduced. 
Caroline is hardy and vigorous and pro¬ 
ductive. The berries are of medium size, not 
very firm, juicy, but rather sour. 
Ripening with Caroline is Macomber’s 
Seedling of the Antwerp, planted in May of 
18«5. It is hardier than its parent, more pro¬ 
ductive and of better quality. The berries 
are nearly white in color, very large, juicy 
and rich, with very small seeds. It is too soft 
for shipment, but a gem for home use. The 
plants are vigorous and bear a long time. We 
cannot as yet fairly judge of its hardiness. 
THE NEW GRAPE JESSICA. 
(From 
One vine was received of this in the Fall of 
83 from J. T, Lovett, of Little Silver, New 
fersey. It fruits with us this season for the 
irst. The vine is hardy though uot vigorous, 
fie canes short-jointed, the leaves small and 
somewhat liable to mildew. The bunch is 
nuch the size of the Delaware, the berries 
•ather larger, light green, half-transparent, 
rhe skin .firm. Iu quality it is juicy, pure- 
lavored, sweet with about as much pulp as 
fie Delaware, aod three seeded. It is the 
earliest white grape ever raised here, and as 
iarly as any variety, whatever the color. 
Mr. Lovett says that it succeeds only in dis¬ 
tricts favorable to grape culture. Good ae- 
3 &unts of the Jessica have reached us from 
Canada, where, we believe, it originated. 
Elvira was received from Jacob llommel, 
of Morrison, Mo., in May of 1883. It boro a 
fair crop last year and is now loaded with 
bunches, which, though rather small iu size, 
bear a goodly number of berries, as they are 
closely crowded together. Ordinarily each 
bearing shoot though averaging but a foot or 
less in length, carries four bunches. This 
little vine which is but three feet high, with 
four main caues from eight to 10 feet long, 
bears 135 bunches, uot a berry of which bus 
either cracked or rotted. The Elvira is a 
white seedling of the faylor. It ripens this 
year Sept. 8, or about with Concord, though 
it is said to ripen later. The berry is of medi¬ 
um size with thin skin which, though quite 
firm, cracked considerably last season. The 
berry is pure in flavor, sprightly and juicy— 
pulp rather tender. The vine is perfectly 
healthy. 
Transparent (Rommel) was planted at the 
same time. The berry is small, white, tians- 
puront, sweet, witu very little pulp. The 
bunches are small and there are many imper¬ 
fect berries. The vines are healthy, though 
slender in growth. 
Pearl (Rommel) is late rhere than Concord, 
though claimed to be nearly as early as Hart- 
RUSSIAN APPLES IN GENERAL. 
I have fully 100 varieties of Russian 
apples growing in my grounds, many 
of the trees being 16 and 18 years 
planted, while some, of the later im¬ 
portations, are small. One thing 
is fully demonstrated, viz., that these 
apples are, as a class, very much 
hardier against adverse climatic influ¬ 
ences, and especially against Winter’s 
cold, thau those previously grown on 
this continent. This alone gives 
them enormous value for the “Cold North,” 
where, without them, tree-fruit cul¬ 
ture would be impossible. In produc¬ 
tiveness, aud size and beauty of fruit, 
the Russian apples are, on the average, more 
thau a match for those of Western Europe, 
aud for our native seedlings thence derived. 
The disputed question in regard to them is as 
to their quality as dessert fruit. I say 
“disputed,” but it is now disputed only by those 
who have only' a very limited acquaintance 
with this class of fruit. People who judge 
them in this respect by the Dutchess of Olden¬ 
burg, Alexander and Red Astrachan, while 
admitting their beauty and prolificacy, under¬ 
take to denounce the whole race of Russian 
apples as “useful only for cooking.” So earn¬ 
est and continuous has been this outcry, on 
such manifestly insufficient grounds, that it 
would seem as if something more than a 
general interest iu fruit culture were back of 
it. However that may be, those who have an 
extensive acquaintance with Russian apples 
know that there is among them quite as large 
a proportion which deserve to rank as of 
dessert quality as there is among the common 
sorts. True it is that but few of these finer 
sorts havo yet been much distributed, but 
they arc known, and as soon as the public 
becomes acquainted with them this unjust 
stigma attached to Russian apples "ill bo 
effaced. Arnoug these fine dessert apples the 
Yellow Transparent, Grand Sultan, Switzer, 
Charlotteuthaler, Berkoff, St Peter, Long- 
field, Golden White, Heidorn’s( ?) Streaked Red, 
Summer Calville, Noble Reilstreak, Russian 
Gravenstein, Red Anis, Titovka, bite Rus¬ 
set, and several others have now been suffici¬ 
ently tested to establish the fact of their 
excellent eutiug quality, joined, in most of 
them, with great beauty of form and color. 
RUSSIAN PEARS. 
From my experience, so far, with some 
dozen varieties of Russian pears, while most 
of them seem to be hardier than our hardiest 
American aud West European kinds, I fear 
few or none of them are really iron-clad. 
Most of them are vigorous, upright growers, 
with firm, glossy foliage, almost or quite free 
from attacks of fungus and of insects. They 
make an early, determinate growth, yet hold 
their foliage late, and though the now wood 
of nearly or quite all of them is discolored by 
a temperature of 25 or 30 degrees below zero, 
growth starts stongly from the terminal bulls, 
aud so far as outward appearances are con- 
concerueil, they arc uninjured. A number of 
my trees are now seven or eight feet high, and 
as they are well above the snow line they must 
soon show whether OUT northern Winters are 
too much for them. I think their healthy 
foliage is much in their favor, as it ensures 
well rioened wood. I would suggest to fruit¬ 
growers south of the iron-clad region the wis¬ 
dom of planting a few of the best Russiuu 
pears among their other pear trees, and the 
growing of seedlings from the former. If in 
this way the thick, vigorous foliage (somewhat 
similar to that of 1a* Couto and Kieffer, yet 
different) can be secured, with good quality 
and other meritorious points of fruit, a valu¬ 
able improvement would be secured. 
THE ZOLOTORKFF APPLE. 
Grafts of this variety, (which much pleased 
Mr. Downing) grown upon (Duchess of) Olden¬ 
burg, have fruited with me this season. It is 
distinctly larger than Duchess, less oblate, a 
little irregular, and inclined to be uugular. 
It is somewhat later than Duchess in season. 
I have not yet tested its quality, but Mr. 
