426 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
May 28, 
A porous tile is preferable to glazed. One should be 
sure and get them burnt hard, or they will “rot.” We 
have known many strings of tile to be too tender to take 
up if they wanted to deepen the ditch. Well burnt tile 
are not necessarily red. That depends on the amount 
of iron in the dirt. But tile should ring like a brick. 
1 once set one tile on end on glass with cement under 
tile edges and filled it with water. Next morning the 
whole surface of the tile was sparkling with moisture, 
but the pressure was not great enough to overcome the 
capillary attraction of the pores, and it did not drip 
except from the lower inch. I then placed another well 
burnt tile on top of this with cement between and filled 
both to the top. Water then dripped freely from the 
lower tile and one inch of the bottom end of the upper. 
It takes about 10 inches of head of water to force it 
through tile. In a ditch three feet deep there is often 
three feet of water above, and much of it goes through 
the tile and also through joints. We prefer hard burnt 
round tile in this section. I am now planning a ditch 
for 60 acres of swamp to run through a hill 24 feet 
deep for 40 rods and 15 feet for a half mile. We shall 
use hard burnt 12-inch round tile. We shall throw it 
out three feet wide at the top, narrowing down till we 
have four feet of bottom not yet dug. Wc shall then 
dig down and lay one rod of tile to .the survey, and 
follow by throwing the four feet of bottom dirt on to 
the tile laid. In this way we avoid throwing out and 
returning that most difficult bottom four feet of dirt. 
This will drain about 350 acres of water shed and 
reclaim 60 acres of peat bog. e. h. collins. 
Central Indiana. 
THE VARIATIONS IN VARIETIES OF FRUITS 
There is considerable complaint this season, and more 
than usual, of the poor quality of the California 
oranges. Many of them are almost lacking in juice, 
and of very insipid flavor, being practically worthless. 
Other oranges of the same variety, which is Washing¬ 
ton Navel in nearly every case, and from California, are 
full of juice and of good quality. There are all grades 
of thickness of peel as well as of juiciness and quality 
to be found among the oranges from that State. There 
are variations in the juiciness, flavor and other char¬ 
acteristics of the same varieties of apples from different 
sections of New York and other States, to say nothing 
of the remarkable variations in those that are grown in 
widely separated regions. The same is true of peaches, 
cherries, grapes, berries, and, in fact, all fruits. I have 
been asked to explain these variations, giving reasons 
for them. It is far easier to ask for the explanations 
as above indicated than to give even one plain and unde¬ 
niable reason for a single fact. 
Climatic conditions, perhaps, have a greater effect in 
the way of producing the differences that exist in the 
fruits from trees of the same varieties growing in dif¬ 
ferent sections than anything else. This is remarkably 
true of the orange and other Citrus fruits grown in 
Florida and California. There is no class of fruits that 
is more sensitive to outside influences than this, and 
especially the orange. The tree itself may be reduced 
to a very low degree of vitality by neglect or lack of 
proper fertility in the soil, and then be renewed by 
proper treatment, so that it will yield abundant crops 
of good fruit. In California Citrus fruits are thickei 
skinned than in Florida, and it is not to be wondered 
at when the great difference in climate is considered 
A dry atmosphere is conducive to the formation of a 
thick outer coating to 
almost any part of any 
vegetable growth, and 
perhaps, to protect it 
from evaporation of its 
juices. The same is 
true in a smaller way 
within the limits of 
both California and 
Florida, in regard to 
these oranges, for some 
sections produce thick¬ 
er or thinner peels than 
others. They also vary 
in amount of juice and 
in flavor. The Indian 
River oranges of Flor¬ 
ida are noted in all the 
markets of the East for 
their thin skins, juici¬ 
ness and superior flavor. Likewise, those of Riverside, 
Duarte and some other places in California are con¬ 
sidered of more than ordinary character. 
The pomelo (improperly called grape fruit), which 
is of very fine quality in Florida, was grown in Cali¬ 
fornia for several years, but the fruit was so thick in 
rind and of such tart flavor that its culture has been 
abandoned there. However, the lemons of that State 
are of the highest quality and very handsome in appear¬ 
ance. The dry air there seems to be just what is 
needed to give Citrus fruits of all kinds a skin of beau¬ 
tiful exterior. In some of the Rocky Mountain regions, 
and to some extent west of there, the apples, pears and 
some other fruits are of such surpassing beauty that 
they are not easily, if at all, recognized by many of those 
who are familiar with the same varieties in the Eastern 
States. It is the result of pure, dry air, that does not 
induce the growth of smutty fungous life on the skin 
of fruits. The same conditions in more moderate de¬ 
grees produce comparatively moderate differences in 
other localities, even within a radius of a few miles, as 
all fruit growers know, and likewise as the result of 
different seasons of rainfall or humidity that may occur. 
Soil also has much to do with the size, color and 
0. E. h. IlAYWAItU, THE 1IEN MAN. PlG. 183. 
quality of fruits. We all know that. A rich soil will 
often over-stimulate the trees or vines and cause exces¬ 
sive growth, and very often with a correspondingly low 
flavor. This was true last year of the peaches from 
Georgia, for they were large and below their usual 
standard of quality. Grapes that are grown to abnor¬ 
mal size by ringing the vines are always deficient in 
flavor. They seem to be overfed. On the other hand, 
lack of proper fertility in the soil will prevent the nor¬ 
mal development of the fruit, and its size and flavor 
will be especially deficient. There seems to be nothing 
that gives such certain results in the way of rich flavor 
as plenty of available potash in the soil. 
Good tillage has a lot to do with this whole subject, 
for it keeps down the robber weeds, conserves the 
moisture in the soil and allows the roots to lay hold 
of the food that justly belongs to the fruit crop. 
Spraying, which keeps the leaves healthy and the 
fruit as well, has its effect also. No plant, vine or tree 
can bear good fruit when its foliage and tender branches 
are crippled by disease or eaten bodily by insects. But 
after all else is said and done, we must come to know 
what varieties do the best in each particular locality 
and soil. This we can only learn by our own experi¬ 
ence, or by that of others who have similar climate, soil 
and an understanding of how to treat what they are 
growing. When we have once learned what does best 
with us let us not endeavor to grow some other species 
or variety, but instead, those particular kinds that will 
yield best fruits at reasonable cost. h. e. van deman. 
A. CONNECTICUT HEIFER DAIRYMAN. 
George H. Merwin, of Fairfield Co., Conn., has for 
several years been engaged in farming on a line different 
from most men, and is getting what he considers very 
good results. The business is growing cows for mar¬ 
ket. Mr. Merwin contends that there are a good many 
farmers who might be well off but for three things; 
hired help, fertilizer and grain bills. The first two he 
claims knock out the fruit grower and market gardener, 
and the first and last the average dairyman. He wanted 
something that would keep up the farm, avoid these 
expenditures, and last of all, pay. His method is to 
raise calves for milkmen, largely for men who supply 
city trade and want good-sized cows that give a good 
flow of milk. How to get calves might seem the first 
problem, but he has largely solved this and without 
much cost. He supplies free to a number of dairymen 
a purebred registered sire, either Holstein or Guernsey 
as desired, these breeds being preferred, as he wants 
good-sized calves. The dairyman gives or sells to 
him at a low price all the heifer calves which he 
raises. One might think the calves cost him too much, 
but in reply to a question, he said that he bought a 
good bull delivered for $35. After two or three years’ 
use the man returned the bull to him for another, and 
he sold the $35 bull for $45 for beef, so his calves cost 
him nothing, and he received interest for the money 
invested in the bull. When asked as to the cost ol 
raising, he stated that it averaged $30 to bring a calf up 
well to her first calf. He starts them well on milk, and 
one bag of oats per calf is all the grain they get before 
maturity, depending after their first three or four months 
on good pasture, and in Winter upon good hay and 
corn fodder. Everything they use save one bag of oats 
per calf is home grown, and the first three months’ care 
of the calf costs one-third of the entire expense to raise 
the calf to maturity. 
How much will they sell for at first calf depends upon 
the heifer; from $35 up. This may seem a small profF 
but all is raised upon the farm, and Mr. Merwin is paid 
to grow all the food, which finds a home market, and 
the farm is not depleted. Some of these heifers do not 
turn out good cows, but these are beefed and the quality 
of the beef is such that it finds a ready sale at good 
prices. The only help necessary is at haying time, and 
the rest of the year he can attend to 50 head of stock, 
do the work well and not be overburdened, and he has 
avoided hired help, fertilizers and the grain bill. This 
plan might be feasible on a good many farms, especially 
where good pasture land is cheap and market not very 
near, as the products do not have'to go to market regu¬ 
larly, and the buyers seek him rather than he have to 
look for a buyer. Some men, he says, object to this 
style of farming because the income is irregular, but he 
says the man who can’t save in years of plenty would 
better keep out. H. g. m. 
A SELF-WARMING HENHOUSE. 
I would like to have II. E. Cook tell how to build a hen¬ 
house warm enough to maintain a temperature of 37 to 42 
degrees inside with the thermometer anywhere from zero to 
30 degrees below on the outside, as reported on page 76. 
Adamsville, N. Y. J. R. W. 
Another man might build a room exactly like the one 
I shall describe, and find it would freeze in severe cold 
nights. Another would find it easy to maintain even a 
higher temperature, and both say at once my statements 
were wrong and misleading. There is in my judgment 
ground for debate whether open dead-air spaces arc 
preferable to stuffed walls. My preference*is for the 
stuffed space, provided it is wide enough, for this reason : 
Each straw is hollow and cannot be absolutely (if dry) 
packed so closely to another that there will not be air 
.between them, and hence with this means of insulation 
there will be provided a multitude of dead air spaces, at 
moderate cost, while to secure even two spaces with 
lumber at $20 per 1,000 means rapidly increasing cost, 
and there certainly should not be less than two. Further¬ 
more, no lumber can be so sound and thoroughly sea¬ 
soned that there will not, even if painted, be some 
shrinkage after a few years’ use, and when these pre¬ 
viously considered dead-air spaces have openings they 
are no longer dead-air 
spaces, because air cir¬ 
culates in them and 
heat is quickly carried 
away. 
A mistake, however, 
is often made when 
stuffing is to be prac¬ 
ticed in forming the 
space too narrow. It 
should ordinarily be 
not less than 10 inches, 
more or less, perhaps, 
according to wind pres¬ 
sure against its sides. 
When plain dead-air 
spaces are used, then 
one-half inch will suf¬ 
fice as well as more. I 
am of the opinion that 
the ceiling will be better if the lumber is not matched, 
thereby leaving small cracks to be covered with two or 
three feet of dry loose straw. As mentioned in a pre¬ 
vious article, these small openings provide slow, but 
effective ventilation. Use cement floors, plastering the 
sides above the wall and on to the boards to shut off 
every air hole; do not build high from floor to ceiling. 
Now if nothing is put in this room to warm it the 
temperature will go nearly as low as outside. The 
greater number of fowls the higher the temperature. 
We gave ours less than two square feet of floor space, 
much less than the experts say can be done, but they are 
healthy and lay fairly well, and that is the business end 
of the whole thing. If we had more hens the room would 
be warmer; if less it would be colder. h. e. cook. 
A ROW OF SMALL HENHOUSES. Fig. 184. 
