36 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
JAN. 18 
I have never used any lime; nor has much 
clover been plowed under green. I cut the 
first crop for hay, aud the second, the same 
year, for seed if it fills well; if not, I let it 
lie and plow it under the next spring. 
If the seed is taken out the haulm is spread 
back to be plowed under. Last year we 
mowed one field in May, when about half 
grown, and let the crop lie. The second 
crop came up through, in spite of the 
midge, aud gave us a yield of three bushels 
of seed per acre. 
For plQwing under clover or clover haulm 
we use an Oliver chilled plow of the largest 
size, with jointer and wheel. If standing 
clover is to be plowed under, it helps to 
harrow it down with the Thomas the same 
way one is plowing. If a heavy second 
crop is left in the fall to be plowed under 
in the spri ng, it pays to harrow it down, 
and follow with the roller perhaps, just be- 
before it begins to fall, so as to have it all 
lie straight away from the plow. When it 
falls “every which way” it makes bad 
plowing, particularly when wet. With a 
light crop it doesn’t matter. 
My horses from one year’s end to another 
get only early-cut clover hay; but it is 
raised on choice land and cured with care. 
Such clover hay is about as good as ordin¬ 
ary hay and oats. For my farming and the 
way I handle horses it is just as good. 
The above is the best way of seeding with 
clover, but I am afraid E. T. R. will have 
to make some allowances for differ¬ 
ence in latitude. From long experience I 
feel sure that I aim doing about as well as I 
can on my farm, according to my present 
light; but no one should follow another 
blindly. There are some points, such as 
the short rotation (clover being allowed to 
stand only two seasons from the time of 
sowing;, the even, perfect sowing by ma¬ 
chinery, harrowing down the crop to be 
plowed under, etc., that friend R. can 
safely follow; but there are others, such 
as the time of sowing and what crop it is 
best to sow with, where experience nearer 
home would be more valuable. Perhaps it 
would be wise to advise E. T. R.,to get 
seed from some, good reliable farmer. I 
would much sooner pay a neighbor $2 a 
bushel extra for fresh clean seed, than risk 
buying it in the market. I have seen 
clover seed sown in this town when not a 
single plant came up. Surely it must have 
been worthless seed. Again, a neighbor 
had a large farm covered with a bad weed, 
which he calls wild mustard. For two sea¬ 
sons he has worked for days, with a large 
force, pulling it by the load, to prevent its 
going to seed, aud he hasn’t got rid of it 
yet. I think there is no doubt that the 
seed was mixed with the purchased clover 
eed. 
1 have sown clover seed alone without 
any grain crop; but it was a mistake for 
my farm. So far as I can see, I get as good 
a stand now and 30 to 40 bushels of wheat 
per acre besides. The wheat leaves begin 
to die and let the sun down to the clover 
about as soon as it gets large enough to 
amount to anything. During the first two 
months of its growth the clover plant is 
very small and feeble, and seems to do 
about as well under the shade of the wheat. 
The wheat, if heavy, although drawing 
considerably on the moisture in the soil, 
keeps wind and rain from drying the sur¬ 
face suddenly, which is very trying to 
young clover. 
Summit County, Ohio. 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Canada. 
East Williams, Middlesex County, On¬ 
tario, December 25.—In looking back 
through the past year it presents to us a 
very strange mixture of extremes. In the 
first place January was very mild, then 
February gave us winter in earnest with 
one of the coldest days ever felt in these 
parts. Then when spring opened up, the 
weather was dry and this continued until 
after seeding was all done, leaving the fall 
wheat much set back with shortened heads 
and diminished yield. Then followed an ex¬ 
cessively wet spell making the ground like a 
sponge even when well under-drained. 
Then there commenced with the first of 
haying one of the driest seasons ever 
known here, with some of the hottest days. 
This sort of weather continued in intervals 
to the time for fall-wheat seeding. Then 
the rains commenced again just in time to 
start the wheat, but they were barely 
enough to keep it growing. Then, on No¬ 
vember 27 came snow, followed by more 
until we had about one foot, but that soon 
disappeared and since then we have had 
very mild weather and plenty of rain. 
Crops generally were below the average ex¬ 
cept hay, which was above. Potatoes and 
corn were almost total failures, and in 
most orchards apples and all other fruits 
were very scarce. Pears, plums and the 
smaller fruits are very little grown by 
the farmers here; but those who do take 
an interest in growing them say that the 
business pays. Very few farmers keep as 
many sheep as formerly, but of late they 
have been paying more attention to them 
than for some years previously, for they 
find that they pay better than almost any 
other kind of stock. Poultry is attracting 
more attention each succeeding season, for 
now the egg merchant comes and takes the 
e gg- s > paying a very good price for them at 
the farmers’ doors, and chicken buyers 
claim a share of the trade that local mer¬ 
chants once monopolized on their own 
terms, giving just about half what the 
fowls were worth. The Plymouth Rock is 
the favorite breed and the best for general 
purposes ; but the Leghorn is the egg-pro¬ 
ducer. x. M. w. 
Delaware. 
Dover, Kent County, January 2.—So 
far the winter has been all that eould be de¬ 
sired. Our wet season came to an end 
about the first of December, since then we 
have had but little rain and never in my 
recollection has the weather been so uni¬ 
formly pleasant. The ground has been in 
better condition for plowing for a month 
past than at any time during the season, 
although no plowing has been done, for 
plowing at this time is considered worse 
than work thrown away. ’Tie a blessing to 
farmers in this State that the weather has 
been so warm, for feed is scarce and high 
and the warm weather makes it possible 
to keep our stock on feed different from that 
which would be demanded in cold weather. 
Many prominent farmers are buying corn 
already, as they did not grow half enough 
for their own use. A strong local demand 
will more than use all the corn for sale. 
Com is bringing more in Dover than in 
Philadelphia and the outlook is that before 
another crop is made much Western corn 
will be used—something unknown hereto¬ 
fore. Hay is in demand at from $12 to $18 per 
ton. Yesterday was general moving day 
and many farms changed tenants. Long 
strings of teams could be seen all day go¬ 
ing in every direction. Strike the average 
Delaware farmer on the subject as to what 
he considered his best paying crop the past 
season and he would have to think consid¬ 
erably before he could answer; then his an¬ 
swer would be: “If I raised any paying 
crops, some one else must have got the 
profit.” There are no abandoned farms in 
this State, although it is one of the oldest 
and hardest worked in the Union; still of a 
great many farms it can be honestly said 
that the land is so run down that it does 
not pay two per cent, on the money invest¬ 
ed. The only class, howeyer, that ever 
leave are Northerners who, becoming dissat¬ 
isfied after living here a short time, usu¬ 
ally leave before they have learned the im¬ 
portance of discarding their Northern plans 
of farming and adopting the customs of the 
country. Now I am an advocate of pro¬ 
gress in farming as well as in other indus¬ 
tries, but I would say to any farmer con¬ 
templating a change of home from North 
to South, that he should adapt himself to 
the customs of the country and keep an eye 
on some one who seems to be doing 
well and do as he does, and he will not leave 
the country discouraged. Wheat, 70 cents; 
corn, 35 cents and 40 cents ; oats, 30 cents ; 
potatoes, 45 cents ; sweet, 50 and 00 cents; 
pork, $4.50 per 100 pounds ; butter, 25 cents; 
eggs, 22 cents. a. g. 8 . 
Pennsylvania. 
Auburn, Susquehanna County, January 
!• Ah® year just ended was full of discour¬ 
agement for the farmers of this locality. 
Never before was so wet a season known. 
During the past 16 months, the ground has 
been dry only three times; aud then for 
only a few days. We were favored with 
two weeks of good weather in April, aud a 
good percentage of the oats was sown. 
On April 25, a heavy rain filled the ground 
with water, and subsequent rains kept it 
sodden until the middle of August. But 
few potatoes were planted and very little 
corn; and what were planted could not be 
cultivated except on the driest ground, and 
so amounted to but little. Corn was not 
above 20 per cent, of a crop, and potatoes 
were no better; but few have enough for 
their own use. The price went up to $1 at 
digging time: but shipments from Ohio 
and Illinois have reduced the price to 60 
cents. One party sold 1,400 bushels at 
Montrose—our county-seat—in one week. 
Hay was a heavy crop, but was much dam¬ 
aged by rains and late cutting. Dealers 
are paying from $8 to $9 per ton. They do 
the pressing, but the farmers have to haul it 
to the cars. Oats made a heavy growth, 
but were disappointing when thrashed. 
What grain there is is bf good quality. 
Buckwheat gave a good yield when not 
drowned out. The first thrashed brought, 
55 cents; but the price soon declined to 40 
cents. A heavy frost in May destroyed 
most of the fruit. Pastures have been 
good and a good yield of butter has result¬ 
ed. Pork has been dull and low. Sheep 
were good property. Lambs were wanted 
at paying prices. Stock sheep are $1.50 per 
head higher than they were a year ago and 
there are but few for sale at any price. 
The fall was as wet as the spring and sum¬ 
mer, and corn-stalks still stand in the field, 
being too wet to house or stack. Do not 
put me down for a chronic grumbler, for I 
am not one; but such a season is depress¬ 
ing ; still I hope to see the sun shine again 
another summer. A farmers’ institute was 
held at Montrose on December 19 and 20 
under the auspices of the State Board of 
Agriculture. Although mud rendered the 
roads almost impassable there was a good 
attendance. An able corps of instructors 
were present and an enjoyable as well as a 
profitable time was the result. Another 
institute will be held at New Milford some¬ 
time during February. g. w. b. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
lEvery query must be accompanied by the 
name and address of the writer to insure atten¬ 
tion. Before asking a question, please see if it 
is not answered in our advertising columns. 
Ask only a few questions at one time. Put 
questions on a separate piece of paper.1 
FEEDING HOGS IN THE SOUTH. 
J. K. B., Princess Anne County,Va.— 
What crops can I grow to feed hogs most 
economically while getting the quickest 
growth of pork ? I have no clover or milk. 
How early can I plant sorghum and how 
must I feed it to hogs y 
ANSWERED BY HENRY STEWART. 
This inquirer says he has no clover or 
milk. Milk he can do without, but clover 
is indispensable as an early spring feeding 
and for pasture while other crops are grow¬ 
ing. Moreover, clover can be made of ines¬ 
timable value for the preparation of the 
land for other crops in addition to the feed¬ 
ing of the hogs. A crop of clover can be 
made ready by the latter part of the sum¬ 
mer by early preparation, as follows : The 
land should be plowed now or during the 
winter or early in the spring, and as early 
as may be in the sjjring well harrowed and 
sown with 15 pounds per ,acre of Pea-vine 
Clover, it should then be brush-harrowed 
to cover the seed, or, if it is clay and dry, 
it may be rolled. The clover will soon cov¬ 
er the ground aud by September will afford 
excellent pasture for 10 hogs per acre; but 
the hogs should be ringed to prevent them 
from digging up the roots. Once this crop 
is in the ground, there will be early spring 
aud summer pasture for the hogs while 
other crops are growing. Then all that will 
be required will be summer-grown crops 
for feeding late in the summer and the fall 
and for winter use. And just here I will 
begin to point out for Mr. B. specially and 
for others incidentally how an abundanceof 
food can be grown for making pork at two 
or three cents per pound. First, early 
sweet corn is the best of all summer-grown 
crops. It is by far preferable to sorghum, 
as it is of rapid growth aud will yield more 
nutritious food to the acre with less labor. 
Early Narragansett or Concord is the best 
variety, yielding twice as much feeding as 
the dwarf kinds which are only a few dayB 
earlier. The corn should be planted in 
rows30 inchesapart aud three or four seeds 
in a place at distances of 12 incnes apart in 
the rows. Frequent cultivation will hasten 
the growth aud in 00 days the crop will be 
in condition to cut for feeding. The sweet, 
juicy ears and stalks will make a rapid 
growth of flesh and begin the fattening so 
that the pigs can bo finished on the next 
crop, which will be cow-peas. But two 
crops of the sweet corn may be growing on 
the same ground the same season, aud as 
the early crop is cut the laud may be plowed 
and planted again with the sweet corn 
which may be ensiloed for winter feeding. 
The silo is especially adapted for southern 
farmers, who can cure sweet corn whole 
and without the labor of cutting the fodder 
and thus provide the very best and the 
most healthful and nutritious feeding for 
the winter. 
Cow-peas make the best fattening crop 
for pigs in the South. This crop may be 
consumed on the ground without any waste 
and the cost of it is a mere trifle. Part of 
it may be harvested and stacked for use in 
the winter, when peas aud vines will be 
consumed together. The peas contain all 
the elements of nutrition found in milk, 
and the pigs thus fed will never suffer from 
cholera which is quite prevalent in the 
South under the present methods of feed¬ 
ing—or rather of not feeding. As every 
Southern farmer knows how to grow peas, 
nothing need be said on that point. Sweet 
potatoes are an excellent crop for making 
pork. They may also be consumed on the 
ground, as they will be very cleanly gath¬ 
ered by the pigs. The fall pasture of 
clover, with the gathered peas and the 
sweet potatoes and the ensiloed sweet corn 
will carry the pigs through the winter in the 
best condition, and if pigs of a good kind 
are kept as the Essex (ail black; or the Berk¬ 
shire (black with white feet; or the sandy 
or.blue hogs common in the South, which 
are really good stock and grow quite fast 
and fatten well, pigs of 200 or 250 pounds 
may be marie at one year old; or early 
spring pigs may be made to reach 175 or 200 
pounds by the winter, aud a winter’s feed¬ 
ing may thus be saved. 
It might be useful to point out how this 
method would improve the laud and tend 
to the increase of other crops. Pigs pas¬ 
tured on any growing crop will do more 
good to the land than sheep. They will 
manure it and in addition they will turn 
it over, consume insects and the roots of 
weeds, and leave it in excellent condition 
for other crops, as for wheat or corn. The 
pork made will not cost one dollar out of 
the farmer’s pocket and will bring a good 
many into his pocket besides providing 
him with cheap and healthful meat. Sor¬ 
ghum is planted and grown precisely as 
corn is. It may be cut aud fed to hogs as 
soon as the seed is ripe, as the crop is then 
in its most nutritious stage. But the 
stalks are hard and are not eaten closely, 
while it cannot all be consumed in the 
short time in which it is in a fit condition 
and it will not keep long. Hence it is not 
a desirable crop for the feeding of pigs, 
and not nearly so good as sweet corn. 
FEEDING GRAIN TO SHEEP—TROUGHS VS. 
SELF-FEEDERS. 
J. C. O., Wolcottville, Ind .—“ In feed¬ 
ing grain to sheep which would be tlie 
more profitable way—to feed in a trough 
at regular times twice a day, or to feed by 
means of a self-f eeder, ‘where the sheep 
could help themselves at will ?” 
This inquiry has been referred to a num¬ 
ber of sheep-men with the following result: 
FROM JOHN DOWNS. 
I have sheep-racks made to feed hay or 
bean-pods aud grain in the same racks 
which should be swept out clean when 
grain is fed. The sheep should be fed regu¬ 
larly twice a day. I have had no experience 
with self-feeders. I am well satisfied with 
the results from my method of feeding. 
My sheep gain in weight readily and are of 
good quality when ready for market. 
Holley, N. Y. 
FROM WILLIAM HALLOCK. 
For the past 24 years I have fed my sheep 
in troughs when they are in close pens; 
when they are running over the fields, then 
I have self-feeders in different places in 
the field and draw the grain to them. 1 
am satisfied I can get more gain by feeding 
in close pens. I am also very certain that 
a dollar’s worth of bran or coarse mid¬ 
dlings, with one dollar’s worth of corn 
mixed, is worth more to the feeder than 
two dollars’ worth of corn. I feed my 
sheep twice a-day. 
Albion, N. Y. 
FROM JOHN W. PENTZLEH. 
I find it more profitable to feed in troughs 
at regular intervals twice a day, as the 
self-feeding method has proved unprofita¬ 
ble. Several extensive sheep feeders exper¬ 
imented last winter as to which was the 
