20 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
January 9 
vigorous trees as though they had had the land 
entirely to themselves. It is really better to establish 
a peach orchard on the land at first; plant reason¬ 
ably thick and crowd it for peaches 10 or 12 years and 
then, when a majority of the trees are dead, pull out 
the others and start the apple orchard alone by 
itself. I think that there is more profit in this than 
attempting to combine the two from the start. 
Connecticut. j. h. hale. 
WHAT THEY SAY. 
Remabkable Chestnut Gbowtii. —In November, 
1895, The R. N.-Y. printed a picture of a new seed¬ 
ling chestnut originating with Mr. Luther Burbank 
of California. This chestnut is owned by Mr. A. .T. 
Coe of Connecticut, who named it “ 18 Months” from 
the fact that the tree bore nuts in 18 months from 
the time the seed was planted. We have now to 
print the following note from J. H. Hale : 
“ You have been somewhat interested in Burbank’s 
two chestnuts, which are owned by Judge Coe of 
Meriden. Last spring, we grafted for him with 
single eye scions, a lot of his latest purchase, known 
as Burbank’s 18 Months chestnut, it having come into 
bearing 18 months after planting the original seed. 
Going along the nursery row in Georgia a week ago, 
we found that a lot of these chestnuts, which were 
grafted in March last, had made a growth of from 
four to six feet, and quite a number of them were 
producing well-developed burrs containing two or 
three fine nuts. The samples we gathered out of the 
mud along the nursery row, and some of them I 
found quite moldy, but those that are sound and all 
right, show it to be a very tender and decidedly rich 
and sweet nut. But the astonishing thing is that they 
could be grafted last spring and produce nuts this 
same season. The only explanation I can make 
for it is that, some time in midsummer, growth 
was checked and fruit buds formed and then, 
when new growth started out once more, blos¬ 
som buds were forced out from this earlier ma¬ 
tured wood ; but it goes to show the early 
bearing qualities of this remarkable nut.” 
Samples of the nut were as large as those 
shown in Fig. 15. The quality was excellent, 
superior to that of Paragon. 
Experience with Tree Peddlers. 
In the spring of 1895, I bought some fruit 
trees from a nursery company at Rochester, 
N. Y. The time of shipment was during that 
warm spell in the early spring. The trees were 
large and thrifty. On account of a misunder¬ 
standing, the trees were at the depot three days. 
The small leaves which had started were all 
turned yellow. I set them with the usual care, 
and lost but six per cent. The trees were from 
six to seven feet high, very fine, strong and 
vigorous, and cost but $2 per dozen. During 
the summer, a tree agent representing some 
well-known nursery called upon me and wanted 
to sell me some strawberry plants and trees. 
He acknowledged that the trees I had were nice, 
but said that his at 50 cents each would be much 
better. To make a long story short, I ordered 
six German Prune trees, and with these he gave 
me 50 Crescent strawberry plants which they “ were 
selling at 85 cents per dozen.” I afterwards found 
that I could buy the strawberry plants at $2.50 per 
1,000. In the fall, he brought the trees, and they 
were not so good as those from the other nursery 
company at 16 cents each. I set them carefully, and 
last spring not one was living. After he delivered 
the trees, he said that he had “ a package that was 
left over ”—party had moved away. The amount to 
be collected on this package was $11.50. If I would 
take them, he would make a liberal reduction. I told 
him I would give no more than I could buy them for 
at Rochester, which was about $2.11. He was very 
indignant, and left. He came back later, and said 
that I could have them. I didn’t want them then at 
that price, but offered him $1.50. He left the goods, 
and I do not think that, to-day, 1 have four specimens 
to show. Q. 
Olean, N. Y. 
The Dexter Cattle. 
On the first page is a picture of the Dexter cow, 
Red Rose, which won the first prize for that breed in 
the 1896 show of the British Dairy Farmers’ Associa¬ 
tion. Our picture is reengraved from the Mark Lane 
Express. The Dexter “breed”, is really a strain or 
family of the Kerry breed of cattle. The Kerrys are 
natives of Ireland—the only prominent breed native 
to that country. The county of Kerry where these 
cattle originated, is in the west of Ireland and, in 
character, is very rough and mountainous. The 
Kerrys trace back to the wild “forest” stock, and the 
animals of to-day show how the old breed has been 
developed by selection and improved care to fit into 
the peculiar requirements of Irish farming. The 
“ Dexters ” take their name from the man who did 
most of the work of selecting their type. He bred 
for a round, blocky body, with short, thick legs, great 
hardiness, and large capacity for milking. You will 
notice that this cow’s udder is full in front and of 
good shape and size. It is doubtful whether the 
Dexter cattle could displace any of the breeds now 
found in America. They are suited to the peculiar 
climate and soil of some parts of Ireland, and they 
certainly show how a desired type may be perfected 
by careful selection and mating. 
A Hudson River Valley Horticultural Society. 
The suggestion of Mr. Van Buren, of Columbia 
County, N. Y., on page 852 of your last volume, re¬ 
garding the organization of a horticultural society 
in eastern New York, is a very excellent one, and I 
indorse it emphatically. How strange it is that such 
a society has not been established years ago here in 
this fertile fruit-growing valley of the Hudson. The 
importance of the fruit-growing interest is paramount 
in this valley. The methods employed, the improve¬ 
ments in cultivation, the new wrinkles for the garden 
and field ; the right and the wrong way and the best 
way to do things ; the new fruits, the bad and the 
good sorts ; the markets, commissions, and the short¬ 
est and most direct route to the consumer and his 
pocketbook, are all subjects of interest. Some of the 
most intelligent fruit men and growers in this coun¬ 
try live and labor on these sunny slopes in the central 
Hudson River valley. They are progressive people, 
and cultivate ideas as well as fruit. Every one of 
them knows a dozen things about the fruit-growing 
business that his neighbor would be glad to hear. 
A few of them have occasionally attended meetings 
SPECIMEN£OFnTHE 18-MONTIIS’ CHESTNUT. Fig. 15. 
of such societies at distant points, farmers’ institutes, 
etc. But the masses have just kept at work, piling 
up experience, relying solely upon their own per¬ 
sonal knowledge, and never looked into each other’s 
faces at a public field conference over their work. 
This winter season is just the time to get together 
and organize the thing. Let us have a winter session 
of a day or two in some central and convenient place, 
like Marlboro, Newburg, Poughkeepsie, Highlands 
or Kingston, with pithy discussions on the various 
fruit topics pertinent to the times, and a big, hungry 
question box, and just as few long essays or “papers” 
if you please, by “ distinguished pomologists” and 
scientific theorists, as possible. Just a free, open 
talk in which everybody will, in turn, have some¬ 
thing to say. Get all the growers out and ask them 
to bring their wives, their daughters and sons, if 
engaged or interested in the business. Use lots of 
printer’s ink to get a big attendance. Induce news¬ 
paper reporters to be on hand and try to have the 
gist of the proceedings published. Who knows but 
many things may be elicited that are as valuable and 
important as some of the bulletins issued from our 
State experiment stations ? I, for one, will promise 
to be there and help push the enterprise. Then in 
the summer or autumn, let’s have a grand fair and 
exhibition of fruits, such as no other locality on the 
continent can surpass for quality and appearance, 
and without horse racing, vaudeville or other similar 
attractions. _ n. hendhicks. 
An Egg-Suck/ng Dog. 
I. S., Winger, Ont .—Can you tell me how to break a collie dog of 
sucking eggs ? 
Ans. —We do not know of any way, except to 
“ doctor” an egg. Blow out the egg and fill it with a 
liquid mixture of red pepper and aloes, and leave it 
where the dog will find it. 
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.l 
What Does " a Poultice ” Do ? 
Several Readers .—Please explain the action of a poultice when 
applied to any part of the body. It is an old saying that salt 
pork, when put on a wound or sore, *• draws like a yoke of cattle.” 
Is there really any of this “drawing ” action ? 
Ans. —A poultice may be one of several varieties— 
a simple poultice—that is, one made of bread, linseed 
meal, or oatmeal—is in effect a convenient mode of 
applying moisture, hot or cold as the case may be. 
Bread is a bad material because it gets hard and sour 
if not changed at short intervals. The really active 
agent in this kind of a poultice is the temperature, 
which the moisture assists by making it more dif¬ 
fusive. Applied to an inflamed part, heat dilates the 
blood vessels and thereby brings about a more speedy 
termination, either by reduction of the inflammation, 
or by hastening the formation of matter, or pus. In 
case of a boil, the heat and moisture have a relaxing 
effect upon the skin, and so relieve tension, and con¬ 
sequently pain. A poultice to a boil is not, however, 
a good application, because the sodden conditon of 
the skin that it creates somehow favors the springing 
up of a fresh crop. 
A 'poultice may be a medicated one, and in that 
case, one not only gets the effect of the heat and 
moisture, but that of the medicament as well. This 
medicament may have a soothing effect, may act as a 
disinfectant; or may set up an irritation. A yeast 
poultice has been credited with exerting a soothing 
effect by virtue of the carbonic acid gas that it gives 
off. Boracic acid or carded oakum makes the best dis¬ 
infecting applications. The boracic acid is dis¬ 
solved in water, and lint wet with the solution 
is applied and then covered with some water¬ 
proof material. The carded oakum is merely 
moistened before it is applied. The mustard 
poultice is the most familiar illustration of the 
irritant poultice. 
The popular notion that a poultice “ draws ” 
is purely fanciful. When a foreign body be¬ 
comes imbedded in the flesh, it depends upon 
circumstances whether Nature will quietly ac¬ 
cept the situation and accommodate herself to 
it, or take active measures for the ejectment of 
the intruder. If it should be a leaden bullet, 
she may not unlikely take the former course. I 
remember hearing Dr. Van Buren tell about 
the indignation felt by the United States soldiers 
during the Mexican war on account of the use 
the enemy made of bullets of brass, because they 
made the wounds fester so much more. If a 
piece of needle become lodged in the flesh, it 
usually causes no inflammation, but if, instead 
of a needle, it be a splinter of wood, part of 
a rough or rusty nail, or but a shred of 
cotton, the case is different. An inflammation 
at once arises, marked by heat, redness and 
swelling ; the living particles immediately in contact 
with the foreign substance are removed by the pro¬ 
cess of ulceration, and a discharge of pus is excited. 
By the one means, the substance is set free, or 
loosened from the hold of the flesh, and by the other, 
the discharge, I mean, it may be carried or floated 
toward the surface. This latter purpose may be 
assisted by the granulating new growth springing up 
underneath it from the bottom of the wound. 
Why, it may be asked, has Nature one way of treat¬ 
ing lead or polished steel, and another way of treating 
some other substances ? There may be two reasons. 
One is that the substance itself may be from its physi¬ 
cal formation or chemical reactions an irritant. The 
other is that the substance, though harmless in itself, 
may carry in with it certain germs or microbes that 
do the mischief ; or, in other words, may not be what 
the doctors call “aseptic,” a condition which they 
take precious good care all their instruments when 
called into use shall unfailingly be. There is an 
application often used that may be classed with irri¬ 
tant poultices. I refer to that of a piece of raw salt 
bacon. In effect, it does not differ materially from 
that of a mustard poultice, except that its action is 
slower and more prolonged. \y. o. e. 
Blackberries and Raspberries ; Kamit. 
F. C. C., Bath, Me.—l. What is the best variety of blackberry ? 
2. Is there a variety propagated from tips instead of suckers ? 3. 
How is the Columbian raspberry propagated? 4. When the manure 
is thrown into the cellar for the hogs to work over, can lcainit be 
used about the stalls ? 
Ans.—1. The best blackberries in one section may 
be worthless in another, because not sufficiently 
hardy, or more liable to disease. Perhaps the Kitta- 
tinny is the best blackberry where it is hardy, the 
berries being large and of fine quality, and the plants 
very prolific. For your climate, unless you care to 
protect the plants, you will have to choose such kinds 
