i89o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
53 
well. Get good loamy or sandy loamy soil. 
Surface soil from an ordinary field is quite 
good. No. 
FERTILIZER FOR LIGHT SOIL. 
W. H. M., Strathroy, Canada .—A fertil- 
T 
-J I pItUU— —-- 
^ o u rv D 
Fig. 25. 
izer manufactured in Ontario of the fol¬ 
lowing analysis is recommended for light 
Fig. 24. 
soils or worn-out land, at the rate of from 
200 to 600 pounds per acre : 
Ammonia.2% to 3% per cent. 
Phosphoric acid (soluble 
and precipitated)_9 to 11 “ 
Total phosphoric acid. .11 to 13 “ 
Potash (actual).2 to 2% “ 
1. Is this well proportioned ? My soil is 
light and sandy, and somewhat worn out. 
Hard wood ashes of the best quality can be 
easily got at 13 cents per bushel. I see by a 
late issue of the R. N.-Y., ashes are quoted 
in Boston at $12 per ton, by the car-load. 
2. Would an equal quantity of ashes be 
of as much permanent value to the land 
for wheat, oats and corn as the fertilizer 
above mentioned ? 3. What kind of soil is 
most benefited by hard-wood ashes, and in 
what quantities are they usually applied ? 
Ans.— 1. It is rather low in nitrogen and 
decidedly low in potash. At the price men¬ 
tioned (13 cents) for the best quality hard¬ 
wood ashes, we should certainly use that 
and never touch the commercial fertilizer 
at current prices for an article of its analy¬ 
sis. Your soil, being “ light and sandy,” 
should be especially benefited by the use of 
unleached ashes. 2. Yes, and more. 3. Light 
soils. All the way from 15 bushels to a ton. 
We should use the latter quantity in your 
situation. Of course nitrogen will have to 
be added in some form. 
DORKING FOWLS; THE BOSS PLOW; OTHER 
MATTERS. 
E. S. S., Northboro, Mass. —1. Please give 
me the address of reliable parties han dling 
the “ Boss ” one-horse plow mentioned in 
the R. N.-Y. of December 21. 2. In what 
portion of the United States was the 
large crop of potatoes grown, described 
by Bucephalus Brown? 3. What is the 
character of Dorking fowls and where can 
they be obtained from reliable parties? 
All writers who have made mention of 
them say they do not lay as many eggs as 
"ther breeds, so far as I am able to learn. 
Ans.— 1. This plow is furnished by the 
Higganum Manufacturing Company, New 
York. This answers several other friends. 
2. In northern Vermont—near the shores 
of lake Memphremagog. 3. Our Dorkings 
came from Henry Hales, Ridgewood, New 
Jersey, who has some of the best stock to 
be found in the country. Dorkings with 
us do not lay as many eggs as our Leg¬ 
horns or Hamburgs. They rank with 
Cochins or Brahmas as to number of eggs, 
though they are not winter layers, with us. 
Their eggs are large and white. We like 
them for their beauty, their superior table 
qualities and their quiet disposition. The 
Dorking is the most intelligent fowl we 
have seen. There is no breed that can com¬ 
pare with the Dorking for choice meat. 
Buyers of eggs for incubators are always 
glad to buy from flocks where Dorking 
roosters are found. 
; FERTILIZERS FOR POTATOES. 
J. K. B., Princess Anne County, Va .— 
I have two acres of sandy loam to plant to 
potatoes and have no stable manure to 
spare for them, but I have plenty of well- 
rotted mold from the pine woods, also dirt 
from the bottom of an old ditch, either of 
which I can put on the land for 40 cents 
per wagon load ; can I not make with these 
and some chemicals a good compost that 
will produce an early crop of potatoes ? As 
I cannot get ashes, what chemicals and 
what quantity of them should I use ? I 
want to use the compost in the drill. I am 
near the city so I. can get chemicals at a 
fair market price. 
Ans.— TheR. N.-Y. has very little infor¬ 
mation as to the fertilizing value of “ mold 
from pine'woods.” Something will depend 
upon the stage of decomposition. The ash 
shows a fair per cent, of phosphate and 
potash. The “ dirt from the ditch ” may be 
rich or worthless. Use in the proportion of 
400 pounds of fine bone flour, 200 pounds of 
sulphate of potash, and 100 pounds of sul¬ 
phate of ammonia. Of this fertilizer all 
the way from 500 to 1,500 . pounds may be 
used to the acre. 
WHEAT-BRAN AS A FERTILIZER. 
J. E.R., Brockvllle, Canada —Will fine¬ 
ly-ground bran applied to the soil early in 
spring be a paying fertilizer at $13 to $15 
per ton ? Would mixing it with unleached 
wood ashes moistened make the plant food 
it contains more quickly available ? 
ANSWERED BY DR. PETER COLLIER. 
A ton (2,000 pounds) of wheat-bran con¬ 
tains upon an average, 46.6^ pounds of ni¬ 
trogen ; also 111.2 pounds of ash, of which 
26.6 pounds are potash and 57.6 pounds 
phosphoric acid. Now at 19 cents per pound 
for nitrogen, six for potash and eight for 
phosphoric acid, these three constituents 
in a ton would have an aggregate value of 
$15.06. I have no doubt it would prove, as 
it has, a valuable fertilizer, but it seems 
extravagant that its full value as food 
should not first be utilized, since very lit¬ 
tle would be extracted from its value as a 
fertilizer by such use. I think the ashes of 
bran had better be used separately, or 
mixed not long before using. 
BIG BUTTER RECORDS. 
O. H. IF., Rome, N. Y .—What are the 
largest butter records made by single cows? 
The following are the largest butter 
records we know of. Princess second, Jer¬ 
sey, 46 pounds 12% ounces, in seven days : 
unofficial ; Oxford Kate, Jersey, 39 pounds 
12 ounces in seven days, official; Shadeland 
Boon, Holstein-Friesian, 31 pounds 15% 
ounces, in seven days, 126 pounds in 30 days ; 
Gerben fourth, Holstein-Friesian, 32 pounds 
in seven days ; Clothilde second, Holstein- 
Friesian, 30 pounds eight ounces in seven 
days ; 119 pounds 14% ounces in 30 days ; 
Albino second, three years, Holstein-Fries¬ 
ian, 25 pounds 14% ounces in seven days; 
106 pounds 14 ounces in 80 days; Aaggie 
second, Holstein-Friesian, 304 pounds 5% 
ounces, in 90 days. 
Miscellaneous. 
S. A., Westovcr, Md .—From whom can I 
get pure-bred Plymouth Rock fowls ? 
Ans.—W rite to W. Atlee Burpee, Phil¬ 
adelphia, Pa. 
W. A. F., Homewood, Pa .— what are the 
best cattle fastenings for stables and why ? 
Ans. —We are preparing a “ Symposium ” 
on the subject which will answer your 
question fully. 
J. J. T., Iowa .— Which is the better to 
buy for cows and pigs to be mixed with 
corn-meal—bran at $10 per ton. or oats at 
15 cents per bushel ? I grind my own feed. 
Ans. —At the prices you mention oats 
would be slightly cheaper. If oats are free 
from smut there is perhaps no better grain 
ration for cows or pigs than equal parts of 
corn and oats ground. 
F. M. V., Stockton, N. Y .— What is the 
best time to have lambs dropped in order 
to get the best prices ? 
Ans. —In a general way, it may be 
answered that the earlier choice lambs are 
sent here the better the prices obtained for 
them. Mr. Woodward discussed this 
matter as well as the question of shearing 
in winter in the R. N.-Y. for 1884 and 1885. 
J. T. 77., Crumvton, Md.—l have recent¬ 
ly bought a small place and have planted 
2,500 peach trees. Soil very light, and 
some very sandy. I want to plant the 
orchard to truck in spring—mostly sweet 
potatoes. Which of the Mapes fertilizers 
would be best and how should it be ap¬ 
plied ? 
Ans.— Probably the Complete Manure for 
Light Soils would be best for this soil and 
crop. Use six bags or more per acre broad¬ 
cast after plowing and before harrowing. 
L. 0. Q., Goshen. N. Y .— 1. Which is 
the best hand seed-sower for grass and 
clover seeds? 2. Can an v intelligent per¬ 
son do as thorough work with this machine 
as an experienced man can simply by hand? 
Ans.— 1. The Cahoon sower is an excellent 
little implement, so is the Thompson 
Wheelbarrow seeder. The latter delivers 
the seed closer to the ground and is better 
for use on a windv day. The Cahoon 
throws the seed broadcast, while the wheel¬ 
barrow seeders work more on the principle 
of a drill. 2. Yes, we should say so. 
Subscriber (address unknown).—!. What 
is the best periodical devoted to sheep hns- 
bandrv ? 2. Have buckwheat hulls, as left 
by the new process, any feeding value ? 
3. Is there a publication containing the 
analyses of all the different foods, giving the 
comparative feeding and manorial values 
of each ; also, the proper rations to be fed 
for work, milk, fat, growth, etc.? 
Ans 1.—The American Sheep Breeder.Chi¬ 
cago. Ill. 2. We have no knowledge on the 
subject. 3. There is no single work that 
gives this information ; but most of it is 
given in Armsby’s Manual of Cattle Feed¬ 
ing, price $2.50. or in Stewart’s Feeding An¬ 
imals. price $2.00, both to be obtained from 
the Orange Judd Comnanv. 751 Broadway, 
New York. Mason’s Cvclopedia of Agri¬ 
culture, an Fnglish work in two large vol¬ 
umes, contains full information on these 
points, hot is out of print. A new edition 
will soon be issued, however. 
T., Elk Garden. West Fa.— Does a man 
named Tucker own a large nurserv at 
Rochester. N. Y.? What is the oualitv of 
the Princess Roval, Hame’s Seedling, 
Walker’s Beantv. Peter the Great, Hussar 
and Farlv Russian Apples ? 
Ans. —We do not know of such anursery- 
man. The Horticultural Directory of the 
United States gives the name and address* 
of every nurservman and florist in the 
country. In New York State there are 723 
nurserymen and florists. Of this number 
439 are nurserymen, but in neither cate¬ 
gory does the name of Tucker occur either 
in Rochester or any other place in the 
State. The work was published five years 
ago. however, so that he may have started 
in the business since then. We do not 
know anything about any of the varieties 
of apples mentioned. Not one of the names 
is given in any of the standard books on 
pomology, from Downing to Thomas ; nor 
does any of them occur in the last report of 
the Proceedings of the American Pomologi- 
cal Society. 
Discussion. 
SILAGE FOR HORSES. 
On page 6 the R. N.-Y printed a com¬ 
munication from a correspondent at Dar¬ 
by, Pa., cautioning farmers about feeding 
silage to horses. He quoted Dr. Bridge, 
State Veterinarian of Pennsylvania, as say¬ 
ing that ” feeding silage, moldy or other¬ 
wise, and also moldy hay or grain to 
horses causes a great risk; and that in con¬ 
sequence of the past rainy season [and the 
general prevalence of mold in hay and 
grain, a large proportion of horses will be 
lost.” This communication has been re¬ 
ferred to some of our best silo men. The 
following notes will be read with interest: 
FROM J. T. BROOKS. 
I have had no experience in feeding sil¬ 
age to horses. I have been deterred from 
doing so by the experience of a few men 
who suffered as the Darby man has suffered. 
Salem, Ohio. 
FROM LYMAN BROOKS. 
I have been feeding silage to 18 horses 
and colts of all ages for about six weeks 
and no bad results are apparent. On the 
contrary, 1 am highly pleased with this 
feed as a part of a ration for horses. I feed 
it twice a day—about six quarts at a time 
—and shall continue to do so as long as the 
animals are so eager for it and do so well 
on it. Some horses can eat more than 
others without too much looseness of the 
bowels. Like all other feeds, it should be 
given with judgment. I am also feeding 
250 store sheep with silage and it has proved 
satisfactory thus far. I will watch closely 
the effects of silage on my horse stock, and 
if anything occurs to make me change my 
mind in regard to silage for horses, I will 
let the R. N.-Y. know. 
East Troy, Wisconsin. 
FROM OATMAN BROS. 
We have had but little experience in this 
direction. One year ago last November we 
established a new “plant” on our farm, 
consisting of a barn and silo, where noth¬ 
ing in the way of roughage was stored ex¬ 
cept silage. In this place we kept a team 
of horses for doing the team work in con¬ 
junction with this “ plant We had pre¬ 
viously been keeping them on Timothy and 
clover hay and cut dry corn-fodder, and 
one of the span every winter had the 
heaves under this treatment, so badly as 
nearly to unfit her for use. They were fed 
during the last and the present winter, 
thus far, on silage with wheat bran and 
corn-meal as a ground food, these consti¬ 
tuting their entire food ration, with the re¬ 
sult that they are coming through the 
winter in as fine a condition as any of our 
horses have ever kept at this season. 
Neither heaves nor any other bad effects 
manifested themselves last year, and our 
experience is the same so far this season. 
We are now feeding all of the horses on 
our other farm, old and young—fifteen 
head—on silage, and no ill effects have 
manifested themselves thus far. We will 
follow this line out until we are satisfied in 
relation to the matter. Thus far we see 
nothing to condemn in silage as food for 
horses. 
Dundee, HI. 
FROM J. T. EDWARDS. 
I have had no experience in feeding horses 
with silage, but my impressions are against 
the practice. I have fed it to hogs with ex¬ 
cellent success. They are very fond of it 
and it agrees with them. 
A practical farmer, a friend, of mine, 
built a silo in his barn at a cost of $15. He 
planted eight acres of corn (eight-rowed) 
and waited until it was glazing or glazed. 
Then he picked off 150 bushels of ears, 
cut up the corn and put it into his silo, full 
length. Next he placed on top of it a foot 
of straw but did not weight it. He is now 
feeding it to cows. I have seen it and it is 
perfectly sweet. The cows eat all of the 
stalks and the ears, including the cobs. My 
friend is winter dairying. Before opening 
the silo he was feeding two rations of hay 
and one of meal. When he began with sil¬ 
age he commenced by giving his cows one 
ration of hay and one of silage, and the 
cows immediately increased their flow of 
milk. His silage ration is about 25 pounds 
to a cow. 
Randolph, N. Y. 
FROM H. A. SWAN. 
I have fed clean silage with hay and 
grain (either oats or corn) to horses with 
excellent results. A reliable neighbor fed 
a number of horses during the winter of 
’S8—’S9 with sweet silage exclusively. He 
says they kept healthy and in fine con¬ 
dition. I must say that I do not consider 
moldy silage or cut corn-fodder a suitable 
food for a horse’s stomach, and I should 
attribute the death of the horses mentioned 
to this condition of the silage, and not to 
the variety of food fed. 
Kent, Ohio. 
Pi.sccUancousi 
“Herbrand” Fifth Wheel for Briberies 
