592 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
August 27 
markets, and they sell at better prices ; but prices the 
past season have been low and unsatisfactory as com¬ 
pared with former years. 
I have thought that raspberry culture was as profit¬ 
able as strawberry culture, but in such seasons as the 
past, when there has been no profit in either, it is 
hard to make a comparison. The outcome of the 
strawberry business the past season is not one of 
profit, but of loss, as they have not paid the cost of 
production. The extremely wet weather of May came 
at a time when my Gandys were in full bloom (and a 
better prospect for a large crop I never saw), virtually 
ruining them by destroying the pollen, the result of 
which was a crop of knots and buttons in place of 
berries. Then the prices at which they were sold, 
only about one-half former prices, cut the net pro¬ 
ceeds down to almost nothing. 
Taken altogether, the past season has been the 
most unsatisfactory I have ever experienced. 
Some New Varieties. —As to the newer varieties of 
raspberries, there seems to be none as yet with us to 
supersede the Marlboro, considering earliness, color, 
and shipping and selling qualities. While some are 
more vigorous and hardy, they are deficient in other 
desirable points. The Loudon is of strong, vigorous 
growth, and hardy, but is too dark in color when 
fully ripe, similar to the Cuthbert in this respect. I 
had hopes that it would fill a long-felt want, but this 
year’s experience with it is somewhat of a disappoint¬ 
ment. Miller Red is of fine color and poor quality ; I 
am not fully satisfied as to its earliness in this sec¬ 
tion. Of the claims of blackcaps, no new ones seem 
to displace those long on the market; the Gregg and 
Nemaha still lead in late varieties. I prefer the lat¬ 
ter. Kansas is a good intermediate, and Souhegan 
and Palmer are good for early. Of blackberries, I 
have fruited the Eldorado the past season. It is 
highly praised for quality, but while it is sweet and 
has little core, it lacks the sprightliness and high 
flavor of the Minnewaski when well ripened, and as 
its size is much less, it does not command as large a 
price in the market. It is hardy and productive, and 
may make a valuable market berry. 
The Newer Strawberries. —Of new strawberries, 
their name is legion, and most of them ought to keep 
marching on. The Bubach and Jessie are still the 
leading berries on the west side of the Hudson. The 
past season has been of such a peculiar character that 
it affords no test of the real value of the newer kinds. 
The same cause that ruined the Gandy crop affected 
more or less the Clyde, Bismarck, Glen Mary, Michi¬ 
gan, and Marshall. I fruited the Brandywine on dif¬ 
ferent soils and under different conditions, and suc¬ 
ceeded in growing beautiful berries on loamy upland. 
They do not succeed on low, dark soil that seems to * 
suit the Gandy. No other berry that I have fruited 
excels the Brandywine as a table berry, and its ap¬ 
pearance when well grown is excelled only by the 
Gandy which, with me, has first place as a market 
berry. The Hunn has been a failure with me—poor 
in growth and rusts badly. The Henry I have not 
fruited, but the new leaves are rusting badly, and it 
gives but a poor promise. There is no better evidence 
of the truth of the remark of P. T. Barnum that the 
“People like to be humbugged” than the avidity 
shown in buying and trying everything that the cata¬ 
logues, and some papers, are booming, some of whose 
methods are not commendable. Walter f. taber. 
Dutchess County, N. Y. 
SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION IN STACK 
AND MOW. 
REVIEW OF AN OLD CASE. 
Mr. John Nicodemas, of Virginia, sends us an ac¬ 
count of a case of supposed spontaneous combustion 
which occurred in a stack containing from 90 to 100 
tons of hay. At about 11 o’clock on the night o' 
August 6 , the sons of a neighbor saw flames coming 
from the top of this large stack. The flame was very 
small, so that at a distance it was mistaken for the 
moon. On observing it, neighbors came to the stack 
at once and found no other flame about it except this 
one which came out of a cavity or circle in the top. 
It is now believed that the stack had been burning 
for six weeks, as for about that time the family had 
noticed an odor as of burning corn. The stack seems 
to be thoroughly charred inside, and has been gradu¬ 
ally sinking. On August 10 it was still burning like 
coal. This stack was insured, and Mr. Nicodemas ex¬ 
pects to be able to settle the claim in a satisfactory 
manner. Two years ago we gave an account of a case 
of spontaneous combustion which occurred at the 
Agricultural College of Pennsylvania under about the 
following conditions : 
In the evening of October 16, fire was discovered 
dropping from the ceiling of the cow stable under¬ 
neath one wing of the college barn. The fire was 
prevented from breaking out. Investigation showed 
that the fire was confined to a mow of hay 18 by 23 
feet and 23 feet high, which occupied a part of the 
wing over the cow stable. Precautions were taken to 
exclude all draughts of air from the hay mow by 
stopping up the holes burned through the floor, with 
wet blankets, and also covering the top of the mow 
with wet blankets. It was believed at the time that 
the only means of saving the whole barn from burn¬ 
ing was to remove the mow of hay already on fire. 
Openings were made in the side of the barn, and the 
whole of the hay, about 30 tons, was pitched out. All 
through the centre of the mow the hay was smolder¬ 
ing and ready to burst into flames, and it was neces¬ 
sary to keep the top of it constantly wet. All of the 
central portion of the mow was thoroughly com¬ 
pacted, hot and smoky. The high temperature of the 
hay made it uncomfortable for the workmen, and the 
continued application of water on the surface of the 
mow alone made work possible. 
The floor of the barn on which this hay rested, is 
constructed of two thicknesses of wide inch boards, so 
laid as to break joints. This floor forms the ceiling 
over the cow stable, which is about 11 feet high. The 
holes burned through the floor, were over the middle 
of the stable, and not near partitions or posts. From 
the position of the holes, it would seem improbable 
that the fire was either accidental or of incendiary 
origin. The side of the barn is of matched lumber 
which, undoubtedly, averted a serious loss, by pre¬ 
venting anything like a draught or supplying air to 
the hay already on fire. There was about a foot in 
depth of corn fodder at the bottom of the mow. under 
the hay. The hay was second-growth clover and 
Timothy, mostly clover, quite fine, and was thought 
to be in unusually fine condition. The hay was thor¬ 
oughly compressed in the mow. 
Adjoining this mow, was another filled with corn 
fodder, separated only by a cross beam. An examina¬ 
tion of the pile of damaged hay showed that a large 
portion of it was so thoroughly charred that it would 
crumble when handled. Some of the hay had not 
been subjected to so great heat, and was only brown 
in color, but wholly unfit for stock feed The larger 
portion was subjected to such heat that it was nearly 
a total loss. The insurance company paid for 23 tons 
at $11 per ton. For several days previous to the fire, 
a peculiar odor had been noticed about the barn, and 
a somewhat careful examination was made to ascer¬ 
tain its source. The result indicated that the rowen 
in the mow was heating, but no indication of fire was 
seen or even suspected. This odor was noticed by 
persons who had occasion to pass on the leeward side 
within 40 or 50 rods of the barn. The odor was so 
strong that it was noticed by many people, and com¬ 
pared by some to burning grain. While there is no 
positive proof as to the origin of the fire, circumstances 
seem to indicate that it was of spontaneous origin. 
GOOD TALK FROM THE WEST. 
A western reader sends these breezy comments on 
articles in former issues of The R. N.-Y. : On page 
526, is an article, A Lesson for Farmers, that is full of 
food for thought. It certainly is hard for farmers to 
agree ; but that is on account of their ignorance. 
Ignorance is the curse of the age. Farmers should 
read, study, think. Then when election time comes, 
they are prepared to act. That is the time to correct 
evils and redress wrongs. 
Again on page 535, under Some War Talk, is a good 
article, particularly pertinent at this time. It is a 
common trait of human nature, as well as animal 
nature, to want more. Men with more land than they 
can possibly attend to, want more. Men with six 
half-starved, general-purpose, 150-pound-annual-but¬ 
ter-yield cows, want a dozen, and so on ad infinitum. 
There seem to be a large number who want all the 
islands annexed that our navy can capture and armies 
can hold. Such nonsense ! Let us give our attention 
to our own land, enforce the Monroe Doctrine, settle 
the questions social, financial and economic that 
threaten to destroy our Republic. Sell these con¬ 
quered islands to pay for the cost of the war. Send 
our soldier boys back to their shops, offices and farms. 
Is England any better off, or her people any more 
happy because the sun never sets on her Empire ? I 
say emphatically, No ! To hold these outlying pos¬ 
sessions, means a powerful navy, which is an expensive 
luxury. The strength and perpetuity of a nation de¬ 
pend on her happy homes and contented people. 
“ Better is a dry morsel and quietness therewith than 
a house full of sacrifices with strife.” 
I am pleased with the stand The R. N.-Y. takes, ex¬ 
posing humbugs and frauds, and I hope it will be out¬ 
spoken regarding this sentiment among the people 
who want to annex everything. I believe in intensive 
government as well as intensive farming. 
On page 540, I find for punctuation : That that is is 
that that is not is not. It seems to me proper to punctu¬ 
ate either way as follows : That that is, is that that 
is ; not is not. That, that is is that that is not, is not. 
The Farmers’ Club 
[Every query must be accompanied by the name and address of 
the writer to insure attention. Before asking' a question please 
see whether it is not answered in our advertising columns. Ask 
only a few questions at one time. Put questions on a separate 
piece of paper.! 
What to Do with Timber Land. 
•) . C. G., Arkansas.- —1. I have about 200 acres of timber land 
which I desire to put under cultivation. The heavy timber has 
been cut off, and many large stumps remain; the rest is in White 
oak and hickory running from four inches up to about 16 inches 
in diameter. How can I, with the least trouble and expense, get 
this tract in smooth cultivation ? I am in no particular hurry, 
and would not care if the process requires three or four years, if 
inexpensive. The land is nearly level—just undulating enough 
to be well drained. 2. If I should deaden the timber on the above 
tract, except in clumps here and there, would the grass start up 
and make good pasturage, or would it grow up to brush ? Would 
the deadened trees decay as quickly as stumps ? Could the land 
be worked gradually into cultivation in this way, and how long 
will it take ? The laud in question is in the northeastern part of 
Arkansas. The timber is not worth enough to pay for chopping 
and hauling, so whatever is done in that way will be at an expense. 
The cheapest method for J. C. G. to employ in clear- 
ing his land is to deaden all the trees that are large 
enough to girdle with an ax. The girdling can be 
done in the Winter when labor is cheapest. The trees 
and stumps will decay very rapidly, and begin fall¬ 
ing the second Winter. All parts of the trees except 
the bodies of the largest will have decayed and fallen 
in the time he specifies, and the bodies can be cut 
and burned as they fall in the Spring of the year that 
cultivation is to begin. All small underbrush and 
trees too small to girdle should be cut when the 
larger trees are girdled, and left to decay on the 
ground. During a dry time in the second Summer, 
a fire started in it would clean out everything except 
the largest trees. Grass will begin growing the first 
Summer. Cutting the underbrush and girdling the 
trees can be done by contract. r. l. bennett. 
Arkansas Experiment Station. 
The land can be put in cultivation with the least 
trouble and expense if he cut off the smaller timber 
—four to six inches—throw it on piles, and burn it. 
Then ring the larger trees, and during the Summer, 
cut off the sprouts several times, also cut down the 
deadened trees and burn them ; or he could wait until 
they fall and then burn them. After the timber has 
been deadened, the grass will come nicely, but if noth¬ 
ing else is done, the land will soon be covered with 
bushes and sprouts. As soon as the land has been 
put in condition as above described, and plowed, corn 
could be planted, the brush kept down by sprouting 
several times during the Summer and, if possible, 
grub some every year. Hickory trees ought to be 
deadened during the last two weeks in July and the 
first two in August in order to kill them at once, 
otherwise all the roots will sprout the following year. 
A good idea would be, after the small timber has 
been cut down and the larger trees deadened, to turn 
goats on the land. They would keep down sprouts 
and bushes. l. w. 
Lutherville, Ark. 
I would deaden the timber any time when the sap 
is up so that the bark will slip. Standing timber 
deadened will rot out quicker than a stump, and 
will sprout but little. All of the small trees would 
rot out in three years. The cost ought not to exceed 
$5 per acre unless J. C. G. wishes to remove all large 
stumps ; then it will be more. I hardly think grass 
will come up to do much good. v. w. r. 
Hoover, Ark. 
Irrigation by a Water Ram. 
J. B. N., Center , N. Y. —I have a gravelly piece of one acre 
which I wish to set to berries and arrange to water from a creek 
which flows along one side about six feet lower. I can pipe water 
on by going about 100 rods up stream. Which would be cheaper, 
a ram or a windmill, or to pipe it, not smaller than a two-inch 
pipe? The laud lies nearly level, not enough slope for water to 
run. 
Ans. —This question might have been answered 
more satisfactorily had the full information been 
given. The cost of two-inch pipe is 10 cents a foot, 
without carriage, so that it might require an expen¬ 
diture of about $200 to pipe the water, and then the 
loss of quantity by friction for this long distance, 
even in a two-inch pipe, would be something to con¬ 
sider. It would be the best way to use the water 
from the stream, but its rate of flow is an element to 
be thought of in the calculation. If the stream is 
sufficiently rapid, a self-acting wheel with buckets as 
described in The R. N.-Y. some time ago might be 
used to raise the water the distance required. But 
where there is sufficient fall for the drive-pipe, a 
water ram would, probably, be the cheapest and most 
satisfactory. The useful effect of one of the best 
rams is equal to about one-half of the force applied. 
Thus the quantity of water flowing into the drive-pipe 
multiplied by the head in feet should be equal to a 
