THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
69 
i89o 
is worth as much as $12 per ton for any 
farm use. Rye straw often sells for the 
price named in cities where it is purchased 
in small bundles for litter for horse stables 
and for stuffing mattresses and horse 
collars, but no farmer can afford to give 
this price for it. Its actual feeding value, 
as compared with the best hay at $17 per 
ton is from $G to $7 and when a farmer can 
buy it and use it, cut and mixed with bran 
and oil-meals, this value may be got out of 
it in the feeding. But it is not worth as 
much as this for manure when broom-corn 
waste can be procured for $4 per ton. This 
waste makes excellent litter and will ab¬ 
sorb more liquid than an equal weight of 
straw, and would be greatly preferable to 
sawdust, of which that of hard-wood only 
is worth anything as manure. 
DRIED BLOOD AS A FERTILIZER. 
C. F. C., Jenison, Mich. —1. What is 
the value of dried blood as compared with 
other fertilizers, and what are the nitrogen, 
phosphoric acid and potash contained in a 
ton of it worth at the market rates ? 2. 
Is dried blood adapted to a gravelly soil; 
and if not, what kind of fertilizer is most 
likely to bring a profit upon such soil ? 
ANS.— Dried blood varies greatly in com¬ 
position. The market reports designate 
two grades, namely, high-grade red blood 
and low-grade black blood. It usually 
contains a small fraction of one per cent, 
only of potash and phosphoric acid. It 
should always be bought on a guaranteed 
percentage of nitrogen. In our market, 
blood contains 12.2 per cent, of nitrogen, 
equivalent to about 15 per cent, of am¬ 
monia. It has retailed this year at $50 per 
ton, making the nitrogen cost 20>£ cents. 
It could be bought for a good deal less 
money probably at present. Dried blood 
furnishes nitrogen in a form very quickly 
available for plants and is of course adapted 
to any soil where nitrogen is required. A 
heavy application of it would be more apt 
to '* burn ” the crop in a very dry soil than 
in one which was reasonably moist. 
CONFINED HENS. 
if. S. C., Clinton, Conn .—In the R. N.-Y. 
of January 4th, page 1, C. E. L. Haywood 
says that he has no glass in his poultry 
houses. The wire netting may give his 
hens plenty of light; but his statement 
does not give me as much light as I wish. 
Does he have shutters for covering the net¬ 
ting at night; or are his roosts protected 
in some way, and do his hens run at large 
in the orchard ? 
ANSWERED BY C. E. L. HAYWOOD. 
1 have no shutters. The roosts are near the 
back side of the house with no protection. 
1 keep my hens confined all the time from 
December 1st to April 1st with not even a 
yard to run in. They are perfectly healthy 
and are now laying first-rate. The houses 
are well battened all around except on the 
south side where the wire netting is. Hens 
need plenty of pure air and sunshine. 
ABOUT NIGHT SOIL. 
W. C. H., Sodus, N. Y .—What is the 
difference between privy manure and com¬ 
mon barnyard manure? 
4ns.—All manures vary considerably in 
composition, depending upon the amount 
of water, bedding or absorbents used as 
well as the food consumed by the animal. 
Night soil, as taken from the ordinary 
privy vault, contains too much water. The 
Japanese pay special attention to the saving 
of night soil. From many analyses made 
of the substance it is concluded that the 
average composition is about as follows : 
Nitrogen one per cent., potash .50 per 
cent., phosphoric acid 1.25 percent. Ordin¬ 
ary barnyard manure contains about seven 
pounds per ton of nitrogen, five pounds of 
potash and five pounds of phosphoric acid. 
Night soil is weak in potash. 
“ABANDONED” new jersey farms. 
C. R. IF., Westfield, N. J .—Where are the 
“abandoned farms of New Jersey” sit¬ 
uated and what are the prices for them ? 
Alts.—The R. N.-Y. used this term in 
speaking of its attempt to produce a large 
crop of potatoes. Many of the farms about 
us are not worked. Some of them have 
grown up to brush and weeds. They have 
been “ abandoned ” because the owners con¬ 
sider the land suitable for building lots for 
city people. The land lies idle, waiting for 
a “ boom ” in village lots. A good deal of 
this land is good and could be profitably 
worked. The R. N.-Y’s. plan was to show 
that by means of large dressings of com¬ 
plete fertilizers this land can be made to 
produce paying crops while waitiug for the 
“ boom ” in prices. 
COW-PEAS. 
E. A. F., Naples, N. Y.—l have a field 
of 20 acres that has been sown to buckwheat 
for several years. Originally the soil was 
good. Would cow-peas grow on such land ? 
I desire to use it for pasture, and want to 
i prove the land. Where can seed be ob¬ 
tained ? What is the usual price per bushel 
and how much is sown to the acre ? 
Ans.—Y es, the R. N.-Y. has raised them 
on similar land, obtaining a heavy crop of 
vines and abundance of seed on some varie¬ 
ties. We paid for seed one to two dollars 
per bushel in the South. Northern cata¬ 
logues charge about three dollars. A bushel 
to the acre is about right, though the 
amount depends upon the variety chosen. 
Some are nearly upright-growing: others 
spread over the soil six feet. 
BEE-HIVES IN ROOFS. 
F. IV. IF, Chatham Ont .—What is the 
best way of making bee hives in the outer 
part of a new mansard roof. 
Ans.—Bees should never be put up high 
in a house to get the best results In a citv 
they may be kept on the roof of any build¬ 
ing. Bees can be kept in a room anywhere 
in a house, but at a disadvantage. If they 
are to be kep* in a room or chamber, they 
still should be in a confined space like a 
hive. If they have to keep a large space 
warm they will do very poorly. Our in¬ 
quirer will succeed much better if he uses 
a good hive and places it near the ground. 
Large hives tend to prevent swarming, but 
are not to be recommended. 
PARCHMENT PAPER. 
Several subscribers.— What is “parch¬ 
ment paper,” advertised by dairy imple¬ 
ment men, made of ? Does it contain any¬ 
thing that can possibly injure butter ? 
Ans. —The R. N.-Y. is informed that this 
paper is made solely of the finest linen and 
cotton fiber. There is nothing in it that 
can hurt the butter. Good dairymen use 
this paper for wrapping their butter because 
it is air-proof, water-proof and grease or oil- 
proof and tasteless and odorless. It does 
not stick to the butter, while protecting it 
from impurities in the atmosphere and 
preventing evaporation, besides being 
neater, cleaner and cheaper than cloth. 
BUSH BEANS. 
D. J. P., Sherburne, N. Y. —What variety 
of bush beans (bush Limas excepted) should 
one plant for dry shelled beans to get the 
most profit ? What of the Marrows ? Are 
they larger yielders than the Red Kidneys 
or mhat makes the difference in price ? 
Ans. —From the seedsman’s or seller’s 
standpoint the White Marrow is considered 
safest to plant, as it has a more general 
demand. Productiveness has but little to 
do with the price. Red Kidneys are used 
almost exclusively in the Spanish Ameri¬ 
can countries and when there is a failure of 
the crop there, a new demand is created 
here and consequently higher prices rule. 
Miscellaneous. 
Subscriber, Marlboro, Ohio.—A method 
of heating a green house by means of a 
lamp was described in the R. N.-Y. for 
March 17, 1888. 
C. L. B., Hebron, Me.— What is the origin 
of the sweet Baldwin Apple ? 
Ans.—The origin of the sweet Baldwin 
is not known. 
C. S., Tarry town, N. Y.— As a substi¬ 
tute for wood ashes in seeding to clover 
what kind of potash should be used—sul¬ 
phate or muriate ? 
Ans.—S ulphate. 
J. P. B., Sidney, N. Y.— Where couid I 
be likely to sell from 100 to 200 pounds of 
cross-hetcheled flax ? 
Ans.—W rite to E. & O. Ward, 270 Wash¬ 
ington street, New York. 
IF. R. S., Mapleton, Mich.— What is the 
best time of the year to sell capons in city 
markets ? 
ANS.— January, February and March are 
the best months for selling capons. They 
“ come in ” before broilers are very plenti¬ 
ful. 
C. E. F., Brighton, Ohio.— Is there any 
better way to preserve eggs for seven or 
eight months for market than in dry salt ? 
Is common barrel salt the right kind to 
use ? 
Ans. —We have not heard of any. Fino 
salt is said to give the best results. 
R. B. H., Ringwood, Canada.— Are car¬ 
rots good for milch cows for butter produc¬ 
tion ? Some people say they will dry the 
cows up. 
ANS,—Carrots are excellent for butter 
cows. The R. N.-Y. is feeding them now. 
Of course you will not feed too many of 
them. 
L. if. P., Muncy, Pa. —My potato plot is 
a clover and Timothy sod—mostly clover— 
and it was manured this fall. I am plow¬ 
ing it about five inches deep: would it be 
advisable to plow it about eight inches deep 
next spring ? It is rather a light soil. 
Ans.—Yes we should consider the spring 
plowing desirable. 
L. O.Q., Qoshen, N. Y. —What is a proper 
amount of salt to apply to an asparagus 
bed, to prevent the growth of weeds, with¬ 
out injuring the asparagus ? 
Ans. —Asparagus will stand a great deal 
of salt though it is not known that the as¬ 
paragus is the better for it. One need not 
fear to apply salt at the rate of half a ton 
to the acre though whether this amount 
would suffice to kill weeds we cannot say. 
The R. N.-Y. would be glad to hear from 
its readers on the subject. 
J. P. B., Sidney, N. Y. —What hand 
pump will throw water through 50 feet of 
hose and a nozzle upon a three-story build¬ 
ing in case of fire ? 
Ans.— The Field Force PumpCompauy of 
Lockport, N. Y., make a pump that they 
will guarantee to force water through 50 to 
100 feet of hose. With three or four feet of 
hose attached to the spout, and with a noz¬ 
zle, it will throw water 40 to 50 feet. This 
pump is snown in Fig. 2 in the catalogue 
issued by the Field Force Pump Company. 
IF R. S., Mapleton, Mich.—One of our 
neighbors has an oleander and the blossoms 
are pure white. They say it was a cutting 
from one that had bright-red blossoms. 
What has made the change ? 
Ans.— We can not say positively. If the 
fact is as stated, it is owing to bud varia¬ 
tion. So-called “sports” are of common 
occurrence. Many of the most popular 
roses of to-day are sports of older varieties, 
Bride and Sunset, for example. The ‘ ‘sport” 
bears a differently-colored flower. The stem 
is proDagated and so a stock of plants is ob¬ 
tained. Perhaps this is the case with the 
oleander. 
T. J. R., Elk Garden, West Va.—I intend 
to plant an acre of grapes having a market 
for all at home. Having profit for an ob¬ 
ject which are the best of the following 
varieties: Moore’s Early, Champion, 
Brighton, Concord, Niagara, Pocklington, 
Empire State and Lady ? I also wish to 
set out half an acre of blackberries and 
raspberries ; which are the more profitable 
and which are the best varieties? What 
firm Bells galvanized iron wire and what is 
the price ? This place is on top of a moun¬ 
tain 2,400 feet above sea level. 
jins.—Of the varieties of grapes named 
the R. N.-Y. would choose Moore’s Early, 
Brighton and Niagara for market. Eaton 
and Victoria might be added. We do not 
know what varieties would best adapt 
themselves to so high a situation. Any 
suggestions must be viewed as suggestions 
only. Blackberries: Minnewaski, Kitta- 
tinny. Raspberries: Cuthbert, Hansell. 
Brockner & Evans, 28 Vesey Street, New 
York sell all kinds of wire, the price de¬ 
pending upon the size and quantity sold. 
Wr'te them for prices, stating just the 
kind and quantity desired. 
Discussion. 
SAVING HEN MANURE. 
Subscriber, Connecticut. — In the 
“ Brevities” (in the issue of December 28) 
the question is asked : “ Do you keep your 
chicken manure wet or dry ?” My plan is 
to clean off the droppings every morning, 
and sprinkle the boards under the roosts 
with plaster or fine coal ashes, which go 
into the barrel with the manure. When 
this is full, the contents are covered with 
plaster one-half inch deep. If the drop¬ 
pings are removed every morning (as they 
should be) they will retain all the moisture 
necessary, and no ammonia will escape. I 
consider hen-manure thus preserved and 
properly prepared, worth at least $20 per 
ton for any kind of crop. 
WESTERN NEW YORK PIONEERS. 
F. P. R., Brockport, N. Y.—Conspicu¬ 
ously displayed in the Rural-New Yoreer 
of December 28 is a fine picture of five suc¬ 
cessful Illinois farmers, with short sketches 
of their careers in battling with the hard¬ 
ships of pioneer farm life. Their success 
in overcoming difficulties and hardships 
and winning an honorable position in life 
with an abundance for support in their de¬ 
clining years is an example worthy.of j nu¬ 
tation by young men of the present day 
who are equally poor at the outset. Illinois 
has afforded noble opportunities for young 
farmers of enterprise to gain position and 
wealth, and to that class is due the honor 
of developing the great resources of the 
State, making her the richest agricultural 
State in the Union, as proved by the last 
census. Other sections of our country have 
bepn in the past developed and enriched by 
a like class of sturdy, determined and en¬ 
terprising pioneer settlers—young men 
who have won success at farming and who 
have been and are now the creators of our 
wealth, the upholders of our institutions 
and the honors of the nation. 
I wish here to speak of five young men of 
New England, all of one family, who emi¬ 
grated to western New York at an early 
day, when it was called by New England 
people the “Far off West,” and when it 
was really a far greater undertaking to 
emigrate from Connecticut to western 
New York than it is now to cross the con¬ 
tinent to California or Oregon. The names 
of the five young men were Dudley, 
William and Daniel Root, brothers, and 
Abel and Aaron Root, cousins, all reared 
in one family. The cousins being orphans, 
with no one else to care for them, were 
reared by their uncle in the family with 
his own boys. Before the boys had reached 
manhood the Connecticut farm on which 
they lived had been exhausted and was so 
encumbered with mortgages that not one 
dollar of inheritance was left to the family. 
In view of the fact that they must start in 
the battle of life with only their bare hands 
for help, they resolved to win an honorable 
position for themselves and their families 
by honest labor, commencing at mechan¬ 
ical work in which, after a few years of in¬ 
dustry and economy, they accumulated 
enough to go West, and each purchased a 
farm contract (the land being sold on credit 
at « high price—from six to 10 dollars per 
acre), none of them having ready money to 
pay for a title. Then came the hardest 
struggle of their lives. The land was covered 
with a heavy growth of timber which must 
be cleared off before crops could be grown, 
and in the meantime interest was accumu¬ 
lating on their indebtedness for the land. 
Buildings had to be erected, fences to be 
made, roads to be opened, and wells to be 
sunk in the solid rock, as there were no 
springs on their lands to supply water in 
the dry season. They had to share in all 
the labors and expenses incident to making 
homes in the new country. 
Four of these resolute young men bought 
adjoining farms, which obtained the name 
of the Root Settlement. One of the num¬ 
ber after a few r years of farming sold his 
farm and removed to an adjoining county 
and engaged in mercantile business. He 
died after a few years, leaving an estate 
worth about $30,000. Brother William left 
a farm worth about $10,000, besides several 
thousands in money at interest. Dudley, 
the eldest brother, continued farming until 
age disqualified him for active life, when 
he sold his farm and removed to a village, 
where he lived to the advanced age of 85 
years, leaving an estate worth from $30,000 
to $40,000. Abel Root left a valuable farm 
in the same town worth $20,000 or more. 
Aaron Root, the brother of Abel, died at 
the age of 45, leaving a farm of over 300 
acres, with a family of eight children, and 
all of the land with additions remains yet 
in the hands of a son. 
A notable fact worthy of mention is that 
every acre of the land settled on by the 
five brothers and cousins in 1818 and after¬ 
wards purchased by them, still remains in 
the hands of some of their descendants, no 
titles having ever passed out of the name. 
Though no large amount of wealth was ac¬ 
cumulated by this family, they all gained 
a competence by honest farm industry. No 
part of their gains was speculative; for 
traffic was never indulged in ; nor was il¬ 
legal interest ever taken by any of them, 
either directly or indirectly, for money 
loaned. All their gains were from honest 
industry and frugality. Those who know 
the early history of Western New York, 
and who will contrast it with the settle¬ 
ment of the Western prairie States, will 
give credit to the indomitable energy of the 
pioneers who subdued the forests, made 
roads, when only the highways could be 
traveled from Albany west, who erected 
buildings and improvements under great 
difficulties and made the region a rich 
farming country with no other resource 
than the soil. 
The farm is never a resource of 
great wealth, though in the aggregate it 
produces the nation’s wealth. Individu¬ 
ally it affords a competence for the real 
wants of life to all who seek through in¬ 
dustry and frugality to gain an independ- 
