i89o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
i9 
then the time is reduced to the min¬ 
imum, which some put at five days. It is 
my opinion that the average of the finest 
butter from the churn to the butter plate 
is about 10 days. If this be true, or approx¬ 
imately true, then there should be no 
trouble in the matter of the keeping quali¬ 
ties of fresh-cream butter. 
The editor of Hoard’s Dairyman secured 
some butter made by the extractor and put 
It in cold storage along with some fine fac¬ 
tory butter made in the orthodox manner. 
At the end of 30 days the factory manager 
tested the two samples and pronounced his 
own make the better of the two. At the 
end of 76 days the aforesaid editor and the 
factoryman tested the samples and both 
decided there was no difference in the 
quality of the two specimens; and while 
neither of them would pass for fresh, both 
were quite palatable and better than al¬ 
most any tub butter a month old. This is 
high praise. As to the factoryman decid¬ 
ing that his sample had kept better than 
the other at the end of 30 days, we must 
allow something for his affection for his 
own work and consider the editor’s state¬ 
ment that the extractor sample was carried 
in the cars with a temperature of 85degrees 
Fall., so that the granules of butter melted 
into a solid mass, which every one knows 
is a condition highly detrimental, if not 
absolutely fatal to fine-keeping quality. 
Taken altogether, the fight is on, and in¬ 
stead of resisting the inevitable, the dairy¬ 
man should do all in his power to secure all 
the butter from sweet cream or milk and 
m 'ike it to keep as long as the exigencies 
of the market demand. L. S. HARDIN. 
%xb&xia\{h\xa{. 
YEITCH’S SILVER FIR. 
Several years ago we had a very beauti¬ 
ful silver fir from the Kissena Nurseries 
under the provisional name of Picea Japo- 
nica. It had been introduced from Japan 
to these nurseries by Mr. Thomas Hogg. 
It was very distinct from anything else of 
its kind in the Dosoris collection, but ap¬ 
proached the Nordman’sFir in appearance. 
The branches and leaves are soft to the 
touch, the' leaves are thickly set upon the 
branches, about an inch long, deep, glossy 
green above with much white on the under¬ 
side. The first true specimen of Abies 
Veitchii that I had seen was, some years 
ago, in the Hunnewell collection near 
Boston, and its resemblance to the Kissena 
Picea Japonica, struck me as being very 
marked. A year later I saw another nice 
plant of A. Veitchii (from Veitch) in the 
Ames collection near Boston when I was 
again impressed with its likeness to P. 
Japonica. The first plants of Abies Veitchii 
got from Veitch for the Dosoris collection 
turned out to be not Veitchii at all, but 
the finest form of A. brachyphylla I have 
ever seen—-one of them a priceless plant, 
and it was this that added to our con¬ 
fusion. But some years ago we got from 
Veitch the genuine Abies Veitchii, and I 
have watched its growth earnestly and 
compared it carefully with the Picea Jap¬ 
onica growing near it, and now I am per¬ 
fectly satisfied that they are identical. 
In Veitch’s Manual of Conifer® (1881), 
we find: “Habitat.—Japan, on Mount 
Fusi-Yama, at from 6,000 to 7,000 feet ele¬ 
vation, also at Nikko, from 6,000 to 8,000 
feet elevation. Introduced by us (Veitch, 
London. England) in 1879, through our col¬ 
lector, Mr. Maries.” 
It is one of the most beautiful of all silver 
firs, and, with us anyway, perfectly hardy, 
enduring our summers’ suns and winters’ 
storms without a visible murmur. 
Queens County, L. I. w. falconer. 
farm topics. 
Profitable Products 
MORE MOREY-MAKERS. 
TOBACCO FOR CONNECTICUT. 
As between the tobacco crop and dairy 
products—my principal “crops”—I get 
more cash from six acres of tobacco than I 
do from 16 cows ; but as the tobacco de¬ 
pends somewhat upon the manure from the 
cows for its growth and the labor for both 
crops is expended in common, it is more 
than I can do to figure out which gives the 
more net profit; but I think the tobacco 
has paid the best this year. As to why it 
has paid the best: A specialty is made of 
the tobacco crop, and while I do not intend 
to slight any crop, if two crops need hoe¬ 
ing or tending in any way at the same 
time, the tobacco gets the preference. It 
will not pay me to try to increase the crop 
in quantity; but it always pays,to try to 
improve the quality. E. P. 
Hartford County. 
The tobacco crop—Havana tobacco— 
raised in the Housatonic Valley has a repu¬ 
tation second to that of none grown else¬ 
where for fineness of leaf and desirable 
color for the manufacture of cigars. It re¬ 
quires the best land highly manured and 
the best of care through the season, which 
is from Junel, until it is housed, about Sep¬ 
tember 1. The risks are too great to in¬ 
crease the crop, as a hail-storm or high wind 
will often so injure it as to make it nearly 
worthless. There are also risks by the flea 
bites, while the season for curing may be 
too dry or too wet, and other conditions 
are likely to arise, which make it a crop 
which no farmer can risk except in rota¬ 
tion with grain or grass. Most of the to¬ 
bacco raised in the Housatonic Valley is 
assorted and packed in cases in this vicinity, 
giving remunerative employment to sev¬ 
eral hundred men during the winter season, 
when in most localities devoted to farming 
there are complaints of dull times. Farm¬ 
ers who keep a small dairy and feed grain 
liberally, can raise an acre of tobacco with¬ 
out running down or injuring the farm, 
although this crop is more exhaustive to 
the soil than any other, as no return of fer¬ 
tility is made by it as is done by grain 
crops: but for a special crop no farmer can 
afford to grow it except under very favor¬ 
able conditions. The corn crop produces 
well in this section and can be raised for 30 
cents per bushel, the fodder obtained pay¬ 
ing well for harvesting it. But for tb° 
average farmer in the long run, it is a much 
safer and surer investment to give his 
time and careful attention to the produc¬ 
tion of milk, as he will thereby gain a 
steady though small income throughout 
the entire year, a condition much more 
conducive to happiness than the ever-vary¬ 
ing fortunes of a tobacco grower. 
Litchfield County. t. e. s. jr. 
SOME OHIO POULTRY. 
Except wheat, crops have been a failure 
this year, and none have paid full wages 
for the time expended upon them. A 
severe drought from the middle of July to 
the middle of September greatly injured 
the corn and oats, and where corn had been 
planted upon Timothy sod grub-worms ap¬ 
peared in such numbers that in many 
places the best ground produced little or 
nothing. On this farm 36acres yielded less 
than 30 bushels to the acre. Three hun¬ 
dred and eighty bushels of wheat were taken 
from 21 acres, an average of 18 bushels. 
This is considered a fair crop and pays 
well; but another field of nine acres yielded 
only five bushels per acre, and reduced the 
total average to only 14 bushels. The crop 
in this field was sown upon corn ground, 
and as the corn was late in ripening last 
year the wheat was not put in until about 
October 9. This year the same field is sown 
in wheat with the addition of about 140 
pounds of fertilizer to the acre, and at 
present promises a fine crop. Strips upon 
which no fertilizer was used are plainly 
noticeable and present a comparatively 
barren appearance. 
Of all products of the farm, poultry has 
undoubtedly paid best. We had at the be¬ 
ginning of the year 70 chicks and 28 ducks 
valued at $24.50 market price, and our ac¬ 
count for the year is as follows : 
Eggs sold, 476% doz. $72.03 
Eggs used by the family estimated at 
150 doz. 21.00 
Duck feathers, 11 lbs. 6.60 
Chickens on hand 120 . 30.00 
Ducks “ “ 42. 10.50 
Total.$140.13 
About 75 bushels of corn were fed during 
the year, estimated to be worth $30. No 
other grain was given, and the poultry had 
little care. They were allowed to range 
over the farm, and were given much of the 
offal from the kitchen; but this may be 
considered so much clear gain. Our profit 
will figure something like this ; 
Original stock.$24.50 
Expenses. 30.00 
Total.$54.50 
Present stock.$40.50 
Receipts. 99.63 
Total.$140.13 
Profit.$85.63 
One great source of profit in keeping 
poultry on the farm is their destruction of 
worms, bugs, weed seeds and kitchen of¬ 
fal, costing nothing, and the riddance of 
which is a direct benefit to the farm inde¬ 
pendently of the poultry account. To this 
I attribute the fact that poultry has paid 
best. 
I do not deem it advisable to increase our 
stock much above the present number, for 
then a greater outlay in proportion to the 
receipts would be necessary, while the dan¬ 
ger of disease would be disproportionately 
increased. The greatest percentage of 
profit is found in keeping just enough to 
utilize what would otherwise be lost, and 
again, in keeping a large number of poul¬ 
try on the farm, growing crops near the 
buildings are likely to be so injured by 
foraging that the loss here would counter¬ 
balance the gain from the poultry, or at 
least greatly reduce the percentage of clear 
profit. h. s. 
Montgomery County. 
A CANADIAN’S OPINION. 
The chief crop of this county for the last 
15 years has been barley, which in this 
neighorhood, is sold by a committee of the 
Quinte Grange. The Grange has its own 
dock with a weigh-house, hopper-car that 
will hold 80 bushels and a tramway that 
runs over the deck of the vessel lying at the 
dock, and, of course, scales for weighing. 
Our arrangement is so convenient that we 
can handle from 7,000 to 8,000 bushels from 
the wagon to the vessel in a day. About 
October 1st, the Grange begins holding 
weekly meetings to talk over the barley 
question, and decide upon the proper time 
to sell. When the members decide that 
the time to sell has arrived, the committee 
are instructed to sell to the highest bidder, 
and each member who wishes his barley 
sold, signs an agreement to deliver at the 
dock the quantity set opposite his name in 
a clean, merchantable condition. The 
committee then ask for tenders for the 
whole amount of barley placed in their 
hands, and when a sale is made, the buyer 
is required to give them a certified check 
for about 10 per cent, of the total price, 
and then the committee hold the shipping 
bill till all is paid for. 
From 20,000 to 25,000 bushels are sold in 
this way yearly by this one Grange, and 
there are several other similar institutions 
in the county. In this way we save com¬ 
mission and storage and by having our own 
weighman we, no doubt, save loss by hav¬ 
ing correct weighing and so net from two 
to five cents per bushel more for our barley 
than we would otherwise get. Our county 
(Prince Edward) is so situated that no 
farmer has to draw his grain more than 10 
miles to reach a shipping place by water. 
Dairy products are another of our “ cash 
crops.” Most of the farmers send their 
milk to the cheese factories, and the cheese 
is sold to local buyeis as soon as it is fit to 
ship, and sent direct to Liverpool. 
Our milk is made into butter and by 
making a first class articlewe get the high¬ 
est market price the year round, having 
our regular customers. My wheat I am 
having ground into flour, and I sell the flour 
to the villagers, and by doing so s/ ve the 
bran. Apples are another “cash crop.” 
My summer fruit I ship to a dealer in 
Kingston, and usually realize 50 cents per 
barrel more than the local buyers will give. 
But my winter fruits 1 sell to local buyers 
who ship them to Montreal, Ottawa and 
Liverpool. I take the Daily Globe, the R. 
N.-Y. and local papers and govern myself 
in the matter of selling largely by the crop 
reports and market reports found in them. 
P. E. County, Out. s. s. M. 
MILK IN MASSACHUSETTS. 
Milk has paid me best during the past 
season. My crops this year included three 
acres of potatoes, four of corn, five of oats 
and 80 of grass. The potatoes were only 
half an average crop, owing, I suppose, to 
the blight that affected potatoes in this vi¬ 
cinity. I could, I feel sure, have shown 
better results in favor of milk if I had be¬ 
gun earlier. In the middle of May I pur¬ 
chased 15 cows—10 new milch, the other 
five partly dry. The milk was taken at 
my door for three cents per quart. Two 
months ago I disposed of two of the cows 
and from the middle of May until Decem¬ 
ber 1, the herd brought me $639.09, which 
I call good, and with potatoes selling at 50 
cents per bushel, as they are now, I am in 
favor pf milk. I cut about 50 tons of good 
hay, which is something we can readily dis¬ 
pose of here. I expect to have some left 
over in the spring, which ought to command 
$18 or $20 per ton. I have one man who 
boards himself and this year’s potatoes 
would not pay his wages. I take this view 
in regard to hay: if rightly fed with meal 
and stalks or the usual winter’s feed, it 
makes a better fertilizer than any we can 
buy. 
This is my way of feeding: About the 
1st of September I commenced feeding corn- 
fodder at night when the cows came from 
pasture; when this was exhausted I fed 
pumpkins (raised with the corn) nights and 
mornings until about Nov. 1, when the 
cows received their regular winter rations. 
This consists of a feeding of hay at half 
past three in the morning while we are 
milking ; another feeding of hay later on, 
after which they are watered. When they 
come in, they are fed four quarts of cob- 
meal, bran and ground oats, mixed—one- 
third of each. Then they get another feed¬ 
ing of hay. By nine o’clock they are 
through eating and as they are not fed 
again until half-past four, time is given for 
working over their morning meal. After 
watering at night, they are again fed a mess 
of meal, and while they are milked they 
are eating corn-stalks. After milking, 
they are again fed a light feeding of corn¬ 
stalks. I believe in feeding lightly, and 
often rather than more at one time, as they 
do not eat it so readily where they have 
breathed on it and nosed it around. The 
mixture of meal I find best, not being too 
heavy, as it tends to increase the flow of 
milk rather than to fatten. I believe in 
feeding and watering regularly. Next sea¬ 
son I intend to direct my attention to milk; 
that is, to give up potatoes and let corn 
and hay be my only crops. A. H. M. 
Hampshire County. 
A MICHIGAN MIXTURE. 
We had a protracted drought from June 
until November. Moreover, our farming 
is so mixed that it is hard to tell which 
crop has paid us best. Probably this year, 
it is oats, and this is not considered an oat 
soil, being sandy and gravelly, with a hard- 
pan about two feet below the surface. 
I sowed with a wheat drill eight acres of 
what is called White Russian Oats here 
and harvested, by weight, 385 bushels or 
4S bushels per acre, with heavy nice straw 
which was fed to my stock. The oats 
would sell at 22 cents per bushel, or $10.56 
per acre. From 15 acres of Timothy, we 
cut about 15 tons of nice hay, which would 
sell at about nine dollars per ton or nine 
dollars per acre; if it were not for the 
straw from the oats, the hay would have 
paid me better for the labor. From 16 
acres of wheat, we got 14 bushels per acre, 
worth 75 cents per bushel or $10.50 per acre 
—about the same as the oats, but the ex¬ 
pense was greater. From six acres of pota¬ 
toes we harvested about 300 bushels fit for 
market. We are selling them now at 35 
cents per bushel or about $17.50 per acre, 
but the labor and expense for the crop were 
so great that I think the oat crop is ahead. 
Owing to the di-ought, our 17 acres of corn 
husked out only about 25 bushels of small 
ears per acre. From one-third of an acre 
of carrots, we took 300 bxxshels or at the 
rate of 900 bxxshels per acre, and at 13 
cents—their price here in the field—the in¬ 
come would be $117 per acre. We are en¬ 
larging oxir carrot patch. 
Just here let me tell the man who in¬ 
quired in a late issue of the R. N.-Y. about 
drawing muck over on hard land to enrich 
it, that he oxxght not to do so; but drain 
the muck bed and grow carrots, potatoes, 
corn, hay, celery, onions, cabbages, etc., on 
it, and thxxs make more manure to enrich 
the upland. We are working wonders in 
this vicinity in clearing up swamps and 
marshes and raising such truck. Put po¬ 
tatoes on for the first crop, no matter how 
rough the groxxnd may be. By the time 
the tubers are harvested, the land will be 
in fine shape. Then pxxt on fine manure 
for a stimulant; plow in the fall, and the 
next spring pxit in carrots, etc. We sow 
the carrots IS inches apart and thin to three 
to foxir inches in the row. Long Orange is 
the favorite here. We keep seven cows and 
have special customers at the village here 
and in Detroit, 30 miles away. We make 
veal of the male calves and raise the heifers 
and sell them when they come in milk, or 
keep them and sell some older cows. We 
sold two cows this week for $35 apiece and 
were offered $40 for some. We have 30 
grade Merino ewes which sheared eight 
