35o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
May 14 
a grass that is remarkably well suited to the horse.” 
“Do you teach the students how to shoot animals 
so as to produce instant death ?” 
“ That will be done whenever occasion demands that 
immediate death is the surest kindness. It is very 
important to know where to aim, and mistakes are 
frequent. A horse should be shot above the eye line, 
and half way to the ear line, to kill at the first shot. 
Most persons shoot too low.” 
“What is the origin of calculus, those round or 
oval formations in the intestines, that must in time 
completely close the intestinal passage ?” 
“ Usually some hard, indigestible substance like a 
nail, a pebble, a grain of sand, which forms a nucleus 
for insoluble substances. The smooth ones are simply 
phosphate of lime; their formation is also greatty 
favored by bacteria.” 
“ Do you sometimes surgically, or otherwise, remove 
them ? ” 
“ Yes, every relief can be afforded to animals now 
that can be afforded to human beings, although it is 
not always expedient, economically.” 
MARY WAGER FISHER. 
STOCK AT MOUNTAIN SIDE FARM. 
THE 8IMMENTHAL AND JERSEY CROSS. 
A visit to this well-established farm with its original 
and distinctive methods, will convince one that its 
owner, Mr. John Mayer, has established principles 
which indicate success in many directions. Much has 
been said about his methods of breeding, and many 
have written on the results without ever having taken 
the opportunity of seeing the young stock which is 
about to make its records, and fulfill all that Mr. 
Mayer expects of them. The Simmenthal bull crossed 
on the Jersey cow has, to all appearances, produced a 
well-formed, hardy calf. Of course, it is impossible 
to say as yet whether this progeny will take after the 
dam or sire, as to milking qualities ; as to external 
appearances, the indications are that the cross 
will be a very equal one. The color of the 
sire somewhat predominates, as well as the 
size and hardiness. These calves have not had 
any trouble whatever with the scours, so preva¬ 
lent in Jersey calves, and are extremely healthy 
in all respects, which result has been the primi¬ 
tive object sought in the mind of the breeder. 
The Simmenthals give a larger flow of milk 
than the Jerseys, but the butter fats are not 
quite so high ; they will average a little over 
four per cent, whereas the Jerseys will average 
over five per cent. The milk from this herd is 
used to supply a private trade in New' York 
City, and for this purpose, a milk testing be¬ 
tween 4 and 4.5 per cent of butter fats is gener¬ 
ally recognized as the best for drinking purposes, 
for feeding children, and for modification of 
milk, uniformity being one of the principal 
factors. Fig. 151 shows Rameau D’Olivier and 
her calf. As will be readily noted, we have 
here the characteristic Jersey cow with her 
calf, showing many of the distinctive features of its 
sire, a Simmenthal bull, especially noticeable in the 
head formation. 
This farm is conducted on the basis that milk can 
and should be produced sufficiently clean, pure and 
healthful, so that it need not be sterilized to destroy 
deleterious germs, and many precautions are taken to 
guard against contamination. James C. Corlies, D. 
V. S., examines the herd periodically, and issues a 
certificate to the effect that he has examined the herd 
and finds it free from tuberculosis and all other con¬ 
tagious and infectious diseases, and in a perfect state 
of health. 
The barns at Mountain Side are large, well-built 
and spacious, so arranged that a wagon may drive 
through without any difficulty, and accommodating 
over 150 cow t s, with a large extension for the young 
stock. One of the characteristics of this farm is the 
simple but efficient method devised by Mr. Mayer to 
protect the stock which is allowed to have freedom 
the year around. This consists in a structure similar 
to a barn without flooring, and with one side entirely 
open from the ground 10 feet high to allow the stock 
to wander from the paddocks into the shelter or out 
at random. The shed is fitted with racks for fodder, 
and a water supply, and can be readily converted into 
a barn should it be desirable. 
The rough fodder is stored in a barn-like structure 
with one side and one end entirely open, but with a 
large overhanging roof, thus giving protection from 
the elements directly, but allowing a free circulation 
of air, which Mr. Mayer believes is good in all cases 
w'here it is possible to have it so. The farm through¬ 
out presents that characteristic appearance of pros¬ 
perity which one can recognize at the first glance. 
The roadways upon the farm have been given careful 
attention, and are always high and dry. The owner 
has built an excellent road from his house to the rail¬ 
road station, two miles distant. E. nelson ehrii art. 
WHAT THEY SAY. 
The Boiken Apple. —There have been commending 
notices of the Boiken apple lately in The R. N.-Y. I 
received this variety from Prof. Budd many years 
ago, and I at first thought it might prove of value 
here ; but for this locality, there are many better ap¬ 
ples of the same season, which is October and Novem¬ 
ber in central Illinois. Although the tree bears well, 
and the apples are of about medium to large in size, 
yet it cannot be called a dessert apple, and is good 
only for cooking. Further, it inclines to rot on the 
tree here. It was introduced as a Silesian apple. 
Battulen and Winter Citron, from the same source, 
are much better keepers, rather better in quality, not 
quite so large, and lack in productiveness. All these 
varieties have been reasonably free from blight here. 
Many kinds fail here from this disease, and among 
them is the old Lowell, the new Barry. The Early 
Joe resists the disease about as completely as any. 
Illinois. b. b. 
Preserved Fruits in Natural Colors. —Referring 
to the reply of H. E. V. D. to F. A. S. on page 281, as 
to the preservation of fruits in natural colors, I have 
40 varieties of grapes and several varieties of toma¬ 
toes, put up in July and August last, which now are 
as bright and natural as when taken from the vines. 
The tomatoes are all shades of red and yellow, and 
the grapes are all of the black or purple kinds, such 
as Concord, Telegraph, etc. On the light-colored 
grapes, such as Niagara, Perkins, etc., there seems to 
be a deposit that hides the natural color. This same 
deposit on purple grapes gives the appearance of the 
natural bloom. I expect to try this solution on other 
fruits the coming season. My formula was : 18 parts 
water, one part formaldehyde, and one part glycerin. 
The water used by me was boiled and filtered, but I 
am of the opinion that distilled water would be better. 
I have been trying in vain to find something that 
would preserve the color in the strawberry ; 1 would 
be greatly pleased to succeed in this. j. f. c. d. 
South Carolina Experiment Station. 
My experience with sun-sprouting potatoes for seed 
has been much the same as that of E. C. Green, on 
page 298. By spreading my seed in a warm, light 
room from two to six weeks before planting, they 
will all start short, thick sprouts, which are very hard 
to break. By this method, one can find just what 
ej'es to plant, as all eyes that will amount to anything 
will have sprouts one-half to three-fourths inch long, 
one-fourth inch thick, and of a good, healthy color. 
As to wood ashes on potatoes, I have never found 
anything to equal one bushel of wood ashes, one-half 
bushel of airslaked lime and one peck of salt, mixed 
in the above proportion, and applied in the drill with 
the potatoes at the rate of 15 bushels per acre. I 
have tried this mixture alongside of $40 special potato 
fertilizer, also beside potatoes manured at the rate of 
40 good loads of manure to the acre. The ashes, lime 
and salt have come out ahead every time, and just as 
few scabby potatoes. j. c. B. 
New Washington, Pa. 
Whitewashing Plum and Peach Trees.—M y ex¬ 
perience with whitewashing Japan plum and peach 
trees, as a Winter protection, while it has not quite 
come up to expectations, has been beneficial, at least 
to the plums. I find my Abundance plum trees that 
were kept thoroughly whitened all Winter, are carry¬ 
ing a more vigorous and healthier-looking blossom, 
clear out to the tips of the branches. They also came 
in bloom two days later than those not sprayed ; while 
the latter are loaded with blossoms, I find they are 
not nearly so healthy, and those near the tips are 
rather weak and straggling. On the peach I cannot say 
that it has been of much benefit, except that it delayed 
the blooming about two days. But I have a nectarine 
tree that has been laden with fruit buds the last few 
years. It has never before produced a single blossom; 
I kept it thoroughly whitened all Winter, and at 
present it has about 40 blossoms. Whether this is 
due to spraying or the favorable Winter, I am not pre¬ 
pared to say. I am thoroughly convinced that the 
spraying must be properly done to be successful ; 
about four applications should be made, commencing 
about the middle of December, and continuing all 
through the Winter, putting it on whenever the trees 
may require it. The Bordeaux nozzle should be used. 
The past Winter has been favorable to the fruit 
grower; everything seems to be doing very well ex¬ 
cept cherries, and they were much damaged by the 
cold snap the forepart of April. g. w. h. 
Butler County, Pa. 
My Strawberry Barrel.— In the Spring of 1897, I 
concluded that I would have a strawberry barrel of 
the latest pattern, and strictly up to date. So I got 
an old cider barrel, bored it full of 13^-inch holes in 
the most systematic and harmonious order. Then I 
planted a section of an oak log solidly, letting it pro¬ 
ject about 18 inches. In this, I laboriously dug a hole 
for the hub of a buggy wheel, letting the wheel down 
flush on top of the oak pedestal, which was sawed off 
nice and smooth. Making a hole in the center of the 
bottom of the barrel to fit the upper half of the hub 
of the wheel, I erected my barrel ready for the next 
step, which was to fill and plant. As the soil was 
quite wet, I feared to pound it down as I put it in, but 
tried to get it as firm as I could without compacting 
it. Filling up to the first holes and a little beyond, I 
pressed the soil away from the hole and put in a row 
of Parker Earles, and filling again, a row of Haver- 
lands, then a row of Lovetts, and so on until full, 
holding about 100 plants, including those on top. I 
watched that barrel, I watered it daily, I took hold of 
the buggy wheel and turned it frequently so that all 
the plants might share equally in the sunlight. I was 
more than pleased. The plants grew right along, 
blossomed freely, and I let ’em. But, oh ! how 
that soil did shrink and settle. But the holes 
were immovable, and so the poor plants seized 
by the roots by that slowly descending but in¬ 
satiable soil, were slowly drawn inward and ruth¬ 
lessly buried, but not till we had the blossoms 
and even some fruit. I tried putting in some 
plants from the outside through the holes, and 
some of them lived, but it was a kind of strangled 
existence. But those on top flourished, and 
so did those close to the bottom, where the 
shrinkage was not so fatal. I felt enough encour¬ 
agement to take the trouble to surround the 
barrel with a lot of corn fodder placed carefully 
about it and tied for Winter protection. But 
a few days ago, on removing the fodder, there 
glared at me only empty holes-; all but one or 
two plants were gone. The three on top were 
dowm some distance from where they had been 
planted, but were all right, and that is all that 
I have to show for my season’s work. s. s. s. 
Mechanicsburg, 0. 
A Paint for Peach Trees.— On page 329 (review of 
bulletins), I see that Prof. J. B. Smith recommends a 
wash of hydraulic cement and skim-milk for peach 
trees, as a protection against borers. I have no doubt 
that the treatment is good, but I have used, for sev¬ 
eral years past, a wash less expensive to make and 
apply, and which I think equally or more effective. 
Slake lime to the consistency of good mixed paint, and 
to each pailful of about two gallons, add one quart of 
raw linseed oil, which will thoroughly mix by a few 
minutes’ stirring. With this, paint the trees where 
there is danger of borers entering. For applying, I 
use a painter’s round dust brush. I generally apply 
the paint about June 1, and it will remain a perfect 
coating until heavy rains in October or November. I 
always examine the trees for borers before applying, 
but in 1896, less than half a dozen borers were found, 
and they had done no harm. In 1897, only two borers 
were found, and they had not done any harm. My 
orchard contains nearly 500 peach trees. I formerly 
used washes made with soap, ashes, potash, etc., but 
the trouble was that they would not adhere long 
enough to protect through the season. This wash 
will, and will wash off during Winter, leaving the 
bark smooth. M . morse. 
Massachusetts. 
GOOD POINTS OF ANGORA GOATS. 
Our first-page picture shows a group of Angora 
goats on the Texas ranch of H. T. Fuchs, who has 
given considerable attention to the breeding of these 
animals during the past 18 years. He says that he 
finds them profitable, especially where there is plenty 
of brushy, rocky range for them. He claims that they 
do well almost anywhere, and are even hardier than 
the common goat. The milk, like that of the common 
goat, is esteemed for invalids and children ; but it is 
the wool or hair of these goats that gives them their 
chief value, although the flesh is said to be superior 
CROSS-BRED SIMMENTHAL AND JERSEY CALF. Fig. 151. 
