i9o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
March 20 
A Corn Crop; How to Plant. 
If the ground lies sufficiently high to afford good 
drainage, and is fairly good corn land, I would, if in 
sod, give a fair dressing of stable manure this spring, 
plow not less than eight inches deep, turning a fur¬ 
row not wider than 10 to 12 inches, so that every part 
may be completely broken up. Harrow until in per¬ 
fect condition, and plant to corn. This may appear 
t be putting the manure too deep for the best success 
with corn, but we are building the foundation of the 
future orchard. Next spring, I would plow the other 
way an inch or two deeper than was plowed for corn, 
and get in fine condition by repeated harrowings. 
Then mark off for trees. Do not make the mistake of 
planting too close to fences ; keep off 18 to 20 feet, 
and plant the trees 35 feet apart. When staked off, 
dig holes 2% feet square by 15 inches deep, throwing 
the top soil on one side, and subsoil on the other; 
distribute a good handful of bone meal in the bottom 
of the hole, throw back the top soil until the hole is 
filled to a proper depth for setting the tree, so that 
when planted, it will be about one inch deeper than 
in the nursery. Set the tree in range, cover the roots 
with top soil, and distribute a couple more large 
handfuls of bone meal as the hole is being filled. 
Care should be taken to fill fine soil among the roots 
and pack firmly as the hole is being filled. Should 
any of the roots be mutilated, or too long for the 
hole, cut them off with an upward slant with a sharp 
knife. When planted, cut off every limb from the 
tree, form a new head just as wanted, and avoid 
forks; always keep a leader. When the orchard is 
planted, give every tree a large handful of muriate of 
potash scattered on the surface around the trees. 
Plant intervening spaces with potatoes ; applying 800 
to 1,000 pounds of good potato fertilizer containing 
not less than 10 per cent of actual potash. Cultivate 
potatoes and trees once a week, do not cultivate trees 
later than the middle of August. If suitable varie¬ 
ties are planted, and properly fed and cultivated, the 
orchard can be brought into good bearing in six years. 
The fatal mistake is too commonly made in planting 
unsuitable varieties. The standard sorts of New 
York State fruits as Baldwin, King, Northern Spy, 
Greening and many others, are worthless in southern 
Pennsylvania and farther south, becoming fall fruit 
and dropping before maturing. If desired, peach, 
plum or other short-lived trees may be planted be¬ 
tween, leaving trees 17% feet apart. We are, at 
present, planting a 20-acre orchard, using quick-bear¬ 
ing apples as fillers. These come to bearing in three 
to four years, and are to be cut out at the age of 12 to 
15 years, leaving the orchard 35 by 35 feet. These 
fillers will pay good interest during the time they 
occupy the land. dr. j. u. funk. 
Some Apples for Pennsylvania. 
My experience in the growing of apples extends 
over a period of nearly 40 years. I have planted many 
kinds, and but few of them have ever paid me any 
profit; nearly all of those kinds that are profitable 
several hundred miles north of us, are of no value 
here. The King is a wonderfully fine grower, but I 
never knew any one to get any fruit; the 20-Ounce is 
comparatively worthless here, and Greening is no 
good. Baldwin, Maiden’s Blush, and many others of 
the same season are but fall apples here. How some 
of the newer kinds would do remains to be 6een. 
Ben Davis, York Imperial, Dominie, Smith’s Cider 
and Smokehouse are our leading apples. Had I 
planted three-quarters of my orchard to York Im¬ 
perial, I would always have fruit in my bins, and 
money in my pockets. The kind to plant is the 
variety that fills the bins with fruit, and the pockets 
with cash, regardless of quality. If I were a younger 
man, I would plant largely of apples. If I planted 
1,000 trees, I would plant 900 York Imperials. When 
I began to plant, everybody told me to plant no York 
Imperials, as they were no good and would not sell. 
To-day, nearly all nurserymen ask from three to five 
cents above the price of the ordinary kinds. If my 
orchards were largely composed of York Imperial, I 
would have a sure revenue, for we always have them 
on part of the trees. The tree is hardy, an early and 
profuse bearer, and is least affected by insects of any 
other kind that I have ever fruited. Although it 
originated in our county, I have never learned of its 
failure in other sections. Ben Davis has fruited well 
in this section, is very attractive and sells well, but 
I hear that the tree is short-lived. We have an apple 
here that is called York Stripe, that does fairly well ; 
it looks much like the Ben Davis, but is much better. 
The color is mucli like Ben Davis, but it is more flat¬ 
tened, more the shape of the Winesap. The flesh is 
white like the Ben Davis, but of a much better quality. 
It is somewhat subject to black rot. The tree is a 
fine, thrifty grower, and doe&not make so bushy and 
close a head as the Ben Davis. m. s. crull. 
York County, Penn. 
WANTED—THE BEST LAYING PULLETS! 
HOW CAN I OBTAIN TETKM ? 
I have one flock of hens mostly hatched in 1895, and another of 
pullets. From which would I be likely to get the most and the 
best pullets for another season, and what breed of cock would be 
best to put with them, the main object being eggs? Should the 
cock be young or old ? The fowls are mixed, but more 13. Leg¬ 
horn than anything else ? How many hens to one cock ? What 
breed or cross Is best to produce capons ? e. s. b. 
Harwinton, Conn. 
Use Hens for Breeders. 
I do not believe in immature breeders. Hens are 
not in their prime until three or four years old, and 
chicks from hens are usually stronger than those 
from pullets. I doubt whether there is any difference 
between the number of eggs laid by hens and pul¬ 
lets under equal conditions. Hens are more liable to 
become overfat than pullets. I do not approve of 
crosses, hence suggest that a Brown Leghorn male, 
at least one year old, be used, as that breed equals 
any as egg-producers. To produce capons combining 
size and quality, mate Indian Game males with Dork¬ 
ing hens. A Dorking male and Brahma female, also 
make an excellent cross. About 10 to 15 hens may be 
used with one male, according to the breed and vigor 
of the male. p. h. Jacobs. 
New Jersey. 
Mate Best Layers with Brown Leghorn. 
I would suggest that E, S. B. make a selection of 
the best layers from his flock, both hens and pullets, 
provided the latter are not too immature, say not less 
than nine months old, and mate them with a Brown 
Leghorn cockerel, each year selecting the best layers 
with Leghorn characteristics, and mate them in the 
same way. But do not mate them with crossbreds, 
resulting in mongrelism. As to number of females, 
he must be guided by circumstances ; one breeder of 
the Mediterranean class permits nearly 50 in one 
hock, but this is generally considered far too many, 
from 15 to 20 being considered close enough to the 
limit. If eggs and meat are desired, by all means 
select one of the American classes ; the White Wyan¬ 
dotte is rapidly gaining popularity from its useful 
qualities, and is the breed of the day when only one 
is desired, which is looked to for eggs, meat, incuba¬ 
tion, etc. j. n, FLEMING. 
New Jersey. 
Would Use an Indian Game. 
I think that E S. B. would find that the flock of 
hens would produce eggs that would hatch out the 
first pullets, although the flock of pullets, if well 
matured, might produce just as good ones. The flock 
of pullets will lay the most eggs. As the main object 
is eggs, perhaps a purebred Brown or White Leghorn 
male bird would suit E. S. B. best; but for myself, I 
would use an Indian Game. The pullet from this 
maturing would lay exceedingly well, and would be 
improved, both in size and table qualities, very much. 
With the pullets, I would use a vigorous cock about 
two years old. With the hens, I would use one 
hatched early in the spring of ’96. With a good, 
vigorous Indian Game male, I would not hesitate to 
put 25 females. For capons, I think a cross of an In¬ 
dian Game male on Light Brahma females the best, 
although Indian Games, Brahmas, Plymouth Rocks 
or Wyandottes in their purity make a fine cross. 
New York. k. b. underiiill. 
A Duck Man’s Decisions. 
One would naturally expect to get stronger chicks 
from yearlings than from pullets, but it doesn’t 
necessarily follow as, if the pullet are well matured 
and early hatched, he may get as strong chicks from 
them. Why have a lot of crosses when pure bloods 
look so much better? For eggs, nothing will equal 
a Leghorn; so it would be best to select a White Leg¬ 
horn cockerel for the yearlings, and a White Leghorn 
cock for the pullets. When the chicks are two days 
old, take a pfiir of scissors and snip off their wing on 
one side at the first joint, so as to remove all flight 
feathers, and they will never bother you by flying, 
and can be kept with a 2%-foot fence. This must be 
done at night by lamp light, so that the other chicks 
will not pick at the single drop of blood that forms ; 
by morning, these are healed and the chicks as lively as 
crickets; no bad effect is noticeable, and in the future 
the Leghorns are no more trouble than any 
Brahmas. Leghorns can be put in pens of 15 to 20 
hens to one cock, according to the vigor of the cock. 
The best capons are made from any of the heavy 
breeds; none of the smaller breeds is worth bothering 
with. The best quotations on capons are to-day only 
14 to 15 cents, and slips 10 to 11 cents ; and if one do 
not have an expert to operate, he will make more 
slips than capons. Years ago, when capons sold for 
over 30 cents per pound, I stopped caponizing, as I 
thought that there was more money in using the 
building I had to give up to the capons for the 
early-hatched pullets, as we had to keep capons 
until February or March to get full weights and best 
prices. The eggs during December, January, Feb¬ 
ruary and March from the right kind of pullets, gave 
me double the profits that capons did. 
Pennsylvania. wm. h. truslow. 
Minorcas for Eggs ; Cochins for Capons. 
For best results, E S. B. should put cockerels with 
his two-year-old hens, and two-year-old cocks with 
his pullets. With equal treatment, there would be 
no difference in the number or quality of pullets 
raised from either pen ; his two-year-old hens will 
not lay as many eggs as the pullets, but may possibly 
hatch rather better if the pullets are young. If well 
matured and they have been laying some time, there 
would be no perceptible difference, other conditions 
being equal. If the hens have a good range, and the 
cock or cockerel is a good, vigorous bird, one will 
answer for 20 or 25 hens, although it is generally 
recommended to keep one cockerel to 10 to 15 hens. 
I have known eggs to hatch well where 50 hens were 
kept to one cockerel. I would say, use a Leghorn or 
Minorca male for this cross, where eggs are the main 
object, but for capons, use Partridge Cochin or Indian 
Game. There is no breed that will make a better 
capon than the Partridge Cochin ; though some will 
make larger, they will not have the qualities most 
desired for an ideal market capon. For eggs, the 
Minorca takes the lead, laying a much larger egg 
than the Leghorn, as many of them, and carrying 
much more meat to market. j. e. stevenson. 
New Jersey. 
All Sorts of Opinions. 
E. S. B. would get more eggs from the youngest 
fowls. If the hens are mostly Leghorns, I should use 
a P. Rock cockerel, one for 15 hens. P. Rock or P. 
Rock crossed with Light Brahmas, make good capons. 
Massachusetts. JAMES rankin. 
More pullets would be produced from the pullets’ 
eggs than from the hens’. I should prefer a Brown 
Leghorn male, a yearling cock, and would use about 
12 pullets to one cock. As to the best breed to pro¬ 
duce capons, I prefer Light Brahma to any cross. 
New York. w. t. Campbell. 
The hens would produce more and stronger pullets 
mated with a vigorous 1890 male. Leghorns for eggs, 
but crossed with P. Rock or Wyandotte, make good 
fowls, and good layers. B. P. Rocks crossed with Brown 
Leghorn males, produce black pullets, but fine layers, 
and vice versa. Twenty or twenty-five hens to an 
active male, Leghorn or Wyandotte. For capons, try 
Brahma or P. Rock hens and Wyandotte male. 
Pennsylvania. j. a. Roberts. 
Use the 1895 hatch to get the best and strongest 
chicks. As the fowls are mixed B. Leghorns, I would 
use a Brown Leghorn cockerel 1896 hatch, or any 
other color Leghorn male if preferred. Fifteen hens 
to a cock are about right for the active breeds. Use 
the large breeds for capons—Plymouth Rocks, Light 
Brahmas or Cochins ; or good, large common hens 
crossed with Indian Game males will make excellent 
capons. For the largest and nicest white eggs, use 
Black Minorcas. d. a. mount. 
New Jersey. 
You will be likely to get the most eggs from pul¬ 
lets, but the best eggs to set from hens. I should 
prefer a White Wyandotte cock for pullets, and a 
good, mature cockerel for hens. We put from seven 
to 13 females to a male, according to vigor; the more 
vigorous he is the more he can serve. White birds 
for meat; they do not show pin feathers like dark 
birds. White Wyandottes are considered the best 
all-purpose fowls for meat, broilers, and eggs. 
Capons I know nothing about. j. b. felt. 
Massachusetts. 
I should advise breeding the pullets instead of old 
hens, if they are strong and healthy, and have been 
laying during the winter. I think that strong, early 
pullets give the most vigorous stock, as they are then 
in their prime, and all conditions favorable to egg 
production. 1 should use a purebred Brown Leghorn 
male on any flock of hens, if eggs are the main and 
only object. A strong Leghorn male, when the flock 
is not confined, will take good care of 25 hens, and 
give more fertile eggs than with only a few. He should 
be one or two years old, no older than two years 
New York. _ c. e. iiowell. 
435 BUSHELS OF POTATOES PER ACRE. 
1,120 BUSHELS ON FOUR ACRES ; HOW IT WAS DONE. 
The above crop was raised on high, dry upland soil, 
here called ironstone ; the soil is underlaid with a 
micaceous deposit, is naturally fertile and brings 
good crops under fair treatment. But, farming on 
the double-crop system (two successive crops of corn 
followed by oats, which in turn are followed by two 
successive crops of winter grain, mostly rye), with 
insufficient manure, for the past 30 years, has so ex¬ 
hausted the soil that, for the past few years, it has 
not given paying crops of any kind. Never has it, at 
any time, given 100 bushels of potatoes per acre. 
When I took possession of this land in the fall of 
