i89o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
85 
I will be satisfied and try the same thine; 
over the year following, after which I will 
complete the five-year course. This plan 
suits me best as I will not have to take so 
much risk of losing, and I think surely the 
two potato crops each receiving an ap¬ 
plication of 1,500 pounds of the manure per 
acre, would leave the ground in as good 
condition as would cultivating it the other 
way for one year. 
Ans.—W ith a favorable season, the R. 
N.-Y. believes you can raise a crop on this 
soil that will pay a small profit, and after 
the fertilizer once gets into the soil we will 
vouch for the succeeding grass crops. 
With a poor season, at the price for pota¬ 
toes you mention, you would barely get 
back the cost of the fertilizer, though the 
value of the succeeding crops will not be 
diminished. The R. N.-Y. hopes you will 
try the system—on a single acre at least. 
An excellent object-lesson can be taught by 
planting a small portion of the field to po¬ 
tatoes with no fertilizer at all and another 
with stable manure. As for the plan of 
growing two crops of potatoes before seed¬ 
ing, the R. N.-Y. may say that it is think¬ 
ing seriously of following this plan on its 
trial acre. If it is decided to do so, we 
shall again plant potatoes, dig them early 
and sow wheat with Timothy. This will, 
it is thought, produce a better grain crop 
than the oats this spring would give us. 
EFFECT OF DISCONTINUING SILAGE FEED ON 
THE MILK FLOW. 
E. M. S., Barnesvtlle, Ohio. —Will a cow 
that has been fed on silage as a winter 
ration all her life do as well if put on dry 
feed as if she had been raised on the dry 
feed to the same age ? The question was 
raised by one of my neighbors who has no 
silo, but is very successful as a dairyman. 
He bought a cow of another neighbor who 
had fed silage for some years. She was 
highly recommendt d and the owner was 
loth to sell her, but he had to decrease his 
herd. In the course of a few weeks, during 
which the cow was fresh, he sold more of 
the herd than was necessary, and as the 
cow above spoken of was not giving satis¬ 
faction, he bought her back at an advance 
on what he had sold her for, and she gives 
complete satisfaction to him on his feed. 
Ans. —Those who have fed silage seem to 
be unanimous in the opinion that when the 
winter’s supply runs out the milk flow of 
their cows begins to fall off until a decrease 
of 10 to 15 per cent, is noticed. Sometimes 
a poition of this loss is made up after the 
cows have become fully accustomed to the 
dry hay: but, as a rule, they seldom come 
back to their full yield. The R. N.-Y. has 
observed this fact in its feeding of cabbage 
to cows. An abrupt change in feeding, 
from a full supply of cabbage to none at 
all, has always resulted inalossin the milk 
flow, and we have never found it possible 
to make this loss up without supplying 
cabbage, roots, or succulent food of some 
sort. A change from cabbage to carrots, 
mangels or potatoes gives, with us, a slight 
loss in milk until the cows become fully 
accustomed to the new food. A violent 
change ot food is enough to upset the sys¬ 
tem of any animal, and nothing could be 
more violent than a complete change from 
silage to dry hay. 
HEN MANURE, ETC. 
F. L. B., Sauquoit, N. I'.—1. Which is 
the best maple evaporator and where can 
it be bought ? 2. On what crop would hen 
manure pay the best ? And how should it be 
applied ? 
Ans.— 1. The Champion, made by the 
G. H. Grimm Manufacturing Company, 
Hudson, Ohio. 2. On quick-growing plants 
that produce a large growth above ground 
—like sweet corn, Lima beans, cabbages or 
melons. Put it in the hill or drill with a 
little earth between it and the seeds. Much 
of the value of hen manure is frequently 
lost by wrong methods of storing it. It 
was formerly believed that hen manure 
should be kept as dry as possible. When 
this is done it is applied in great dry 
“chunks” which in a dry season are of 
little use to the plant. It is now believed 
that the manure should be stored in a 
sheltered place and kept moist. A few 
months ago Mr. P. H. Jacobs described 
this system in the R. N.-Y. 
DISPOSING OF UNCUT CORN-STALKS. 
J. H. E., Rich Valley, Indiana. —1. 
What is the most profitable way of dis¬ 
posing of a heavy growth of corn-stalks, 
which were not cut for fodder last fall ? 
The ground is to be cultivated for a second 
succeeding corn crop. 2. Would the stalks 
benefit the soil to any degree ? 
Ans.—W e do not know the size of this 
corn-field. If not too large the stalks never 
should have been left there. They should 
have been cut and cured, or, better still, 
put in a silo. If the land is heavy and 
lacking in organic matter—that is sod- 
cold, cloddy and inclined to bake in dry 
weather—we would break up the stalks in 
some way and turn them under. If the 
field is rich, mellow, bottom-land, it may 
be best to burn the stalks, but this is not 
advisable as a rule except in neighborhoods 
where the corn-stalk disease of cattle pre¬ 
vails. In such cases the stalks should 
always be raked and burned. 
HEN FEED. 
A. F. B., CatsMll, N. Y.— 1. Is corn- 
and-cob meal mixed with ground rye, half 
and half, or one-third rye, a good egg pro¬ 
ducing food for hens ? 2. Is rye grain or 
ground rye, if fed alone, a benefit ora detri¬ 
ment to laying hens or to poultry that are 
being fattened ? 
Ans. —1. We consider this ration too 
fattening. We should prefer bran to the 
ground rye. In any event you should feed 
some whole grain every day. We like to 
feed whole corn at night. 2. We have 
never considered rye a good poultry food, 
though we know that hens will eat it fair¬ 
ly well. We have never found any profit 
in feeding whole rye to any animal. When 
ground and mixed with bran or ground 
oats it makes a good food for pigs, cows or 
horses. Rye meal might answer for fatten¬ 
ing poultry—we have never tried it for this 
purpose. 
CARE OF DWARF APPLE TREES. 
W. W. F., Waterville, Ohio.— Following 
the R. N.-Y.’s advice, I planted 30 dwarf 
apple trees two years ago (on Paradise 
stock). What care should be bestowed on 
them? They are growing finely; how 
should they be pruned and fertilized ? 
Ans. —We should merely cut out weakly 
branches and those which cross or interfere 
with each other, being careful to cut back 
even with the larger stem so that no 
stump shall be left. If there are too many 
branches making the tree too bushy, mere¬ 
ly cut out the stems accordingly, cutting 
back evenly with a bud on to the larger 
branch. No further directions are needed 
that we know of. If a fertilizer is to be 
used, wood ashes and bone flour may be 
best selected. 
HEN FEATHERS AS MANURE. 
H. IF., Plainwell, Mich.— Are hens’ 
feathers of any value as manure to land ? 
Ans. —Feathers, rags, wool waste, leather 
and hair all contain considerable nitrogen, 
but this nitrogen is not readily available 
owing to the fact that these substances are 
very slow to decompose. You can probably 
clean the feathers and sell them for a fair 
price. 
Deserving Confidence.—There is no ar¬ 
ticle which so richly deserves confidence as 
Brown’s Bronchial Troches. Those suf¬ 
fering from Asthmatic and Bronchial Dis¬ 
eases, Coughs and Colds should try them. 
They are superior to all other articles used 
for similar purposes The late Rev. Henry 
Ward Beecher said : “I have never changed 
my mind respecting them from the first, 
except I think yet better of that which I 
began by thinking well of. I have also 
commended them to triends, and they have 
proved extremely serviceable.”— Adv. 
Miscellaneous. 
Several Subscribers.— For information 
regarding Cheshire swine address E. W. 
Davies, Oneida, N. Y. 
U. IF., Plainwell, Mich. —Our advice is 
to let the “ bean counting ” concern entire¬ 
ly alone. A pump made by the Field Force 
Pump Co., of Lockport, N. Y., is excellent. 
E. S. S.,Eagle Harbor, N. Y.—Who is a 
breeder of Shropshire sheep in this State ? 
Ans.— Osborne & Ladd, Yictor, N. Y. 
J. IF L., Bedington, Pa. —Where can I 
get a French Coach colt from two to three 
years old in the spring ? 
Ans.— Of Smiths, Powell & Lamb, Syra¬ 
cuse, N. Y. 
O. S. Mannsville, N. Y. —What does the 
R. N.-Y. mean by the Herbraud fifth 
wheel for buggies ? 
Ans. —This is an attachment for buggies. 
The Herbraud Company, Fremont, Ohio, 
will send a circular giving a full descrip¬ 
tion. 
J. P. 0., Boyd, Ohio. —Where can I pro¬ 
cure a good reliable work on the manufac¬ 
ture of tobacco with special reference to 
the manufacture of cigars, describing all 
the processes from the tune it leaves the 
planter until ready to be rolled into cigars? 
Ans.—T he R. N.-Y. does not know of 
any book that will exactly answer the pur¬ 
pose. 
A. B. R., Worcester, Mass.—Is there 
any profit in keeping hens for egg produc¬ 
tion or in raising chickens ? I would like 
reports from those engaged in the business. 
Ans.—W ho can answer ? Some men 
make the hens provide a living for the 
family, while others simply spend their 
surplus money on the flock. The R. N.-Y 
will soon begin the publication of reliable 
poultry reports. 
H. IF, Plainwell, Mich. —1. Are John 
Lewis Childs’s three new curculio-proof 
plums, catalogued for 1890, worthy of trial; 
especially the Abundance ? 2. Is John 
Lewis Childs of Floral Park, Queens 
County, N. Y., a reliable dealer ? 
Ans.— 1. We have very little confidence 
in-curculio-proof plums. Still, some of the 
thick-skinned kinds resist the curculio 
better than others, as, for example, Prunus 
Simonii. 2. We have never heard any¬ 
thing to the contrary. 
IF. M. P., Dresden, N. Y.—l. In buying 
manure at so much per load from open 
barn-yards do I lose or gain by its exposure 
to the weather ? 2. What would be the 
difference in value per ton of fresh, partly 
rotten, and well rotted manure from open 
level yards? 3. Does a commercial fertili¬ 
zer lose in value by being stored in a dry 
place for two years? 
Ans.— 1. & 2. For the best answer to the 
manure questions we refer to Bulletin 13 
of the Cornell University Station. 3. No. 
G. L. M., Glendale, Pa. —I think the po¬ 
tato crop paid me best last year. There is 
no more work in raising it than in raising 
corn and the product is very much greater, 
and it brings in money when the farmer 
needs it most. Transportation charges to 
market are no greater than for corn, and 
the labor in digging, assorting, etc., is no 
greater. What does the R. N.-Y. think 
about this ? 
Ans.—W e should consider it less work to 
grow corn if the potatoes are to be dug by 
hand. We And it so on our farm. 
H. H. G ., Northville, Tenn.— Will the 
R. N.-Y". please describe the black Crandall 
Currant and the Oregon Grape ? 
Ans. —For a description of the Crandall, 
see Frank Ford & Son’s catalogue last 
cover page. The address is Ravenua, Ohio. 
This exaggerates the average size of the 
berries, though selected specimens may be 
as large. It is probably a fine seedling of 
the Missouri Currant—Ribes aureum. It 
has not yet fruited at the Rural Grounds, 
though we have examined fruiting branches 
sent to the office. The R. N.-Y. has never 
seen the Oregon Grape. 
P. McG., Durket, Ind. —1. A year ago 
I purchased a farm on which there is a two- 
acre orchard. I have lately begun to cut 
down the trees, intending to set out young 
trees instead. The tops are nearly all dead, 
but the trunks are mostly sound. When 
about half the trees were cut down I 
stopped. Will it pay to trim the standing 
trees? The orchard is about 50 years old 
and the ground is worn out. 2. Is there a 
concern in Chicago called the American 
Portrait Company ? 
Ans.— 1. No, we should cut the trees 
down. 2. We have never heard of it be¬ 
fore. 
V. A. T., Chili, N. Y.—l. What is the 
best yielding early potato and at what price 
can it be obtained ? 2. Is a crop of rye 
plowed under in early June on a poor, sandy 
soil as good as 10 loads of barn-yard man¬ 
ure per acre ? 3. Would it be advisable to 
mix equal parts of plaster and fertilizers 
for potatoes ? 
Ans.— 1. We should select from the fol¬ 
lowing: Sunlit Star or Lee’s Favorite 
Thorburn, Early Maine, Nott’s Yictor and 
Beauty of Hebron. Plant some of each 
and in this way ascertain which is best 
adapted to your soil. 2. We should choose 
the manure. 3. No. 
N. E. P., Hillsboro. —1. How is the 
name of the rose General Jacqueminot pro¬ 
nounced ? 2. Some ornamental fish of 
mine are kept in limestone water which is 
used for drinking and household purposes. 
Some are red or gold fish with black mark¬ 
ings, or they were when I got them. The 
black has disappeared. They were taken 
out of a pond and I have kept them in an 
aquarium about a year. What has caused 
the change in their appearance ? 
Ans. — 1. General Jack-min-o. 2. All 
fish change their colors or markings ac¬ 
cording to their surroundings, and there is 
no doubt that the cause of these fish losing 
their color is the strong impregnation of 
lime in the water. 
A. C. G., Plumsteadville, Pa. —What 
roses or flowers or plants of any kind suit¬ 
able to plant on graves, would not be eaten 
off by sheep that are permitted to pasture 
in the grave-yards ? How should such 
plants be set out ? 
Ans.— Level the mounds and have a fair 
depth of good soil, then plant it over with 
English Ivy and Lily-of-the Valley. In the 
fall scatter some well-rotted manure over 
the bed, but not so as to cover the ivy 
leaves, and before winter sets in lay one or 
two spruce branches over the ivy. The 
manure helps the lily and the spruce saves 
the ivy. When grown flat on the ground 
ivy does not suffer so much from sunshine 
or wind in summer as it does when grown 
against a wall or around a tree stem. 
Discussion. 
THE HOME BEEF SUPPLY. 
Mrs. S. W. G., East Smithfield, Pa.— 
When the question, “ Does farming pay ? ” 
demands so much attention it is well for 
us to practice economy, and one way of do¬ 
ing so is to supply ourselves with good 
meat without the help of the meat-men. 
There is too wide a margin between the 
prices we get for the fat cattle we sell on 
foot and those we have to pay for the cut 
meat from the market or the meat wagon. 
How we Keep Fresh Beef.— A part of 
the steak is cut into convenient pieces, 
salted with dry salt (a trifle more than for 
cooking fresh) while being packed in any 
suitable jar or dish. After about a week 
it is hung to dry near the ceiling over the 
kitchen stove. If the weather is unfavor¬ 
able for keeping meat, we slice steak as for 
cooking and pack it in a deep dish, season¬ 
ing each layer; we then put a plate over it, 
and a weight on top to press it. For imme¬ 
diate use we cook it and place it in a jar or 
dish as above described. As soon as possi¬ 
ble, we can all the beef we cannot use 
fresh. Last year we used in J uly canned 
beef that was put up in the previous win¬ 
ter and it was fresh and nice. Cook the 
meat for canning in a double baking or 
roasting pan in the oven, or in a covered 
kettle on the stove until it will cleave from 
the bone. Season while cooking with salt 
and a little black pepper. Do not let all 
the water evaporate, but calculate to have 
enough to allow you to fill in with the 
meat. Heat glass fruit cans—we use two- 
quart cans. Be sure the rubber rings are 
perfect. Put some of the boiling liquid in 
the hot cans, then pieces of the meat, push¬ 
ing them down with a fork or spoon so that 
no air bubbles will be left among the meat. 
Continue this process until the cans are 
filled when the covers, well heated, may be 
placed on and screwed tightly. Turn the 
cans over to see if they are properly sealed; 
but let them cool right side up that the tal¬ 
low may rise on top. Keep in a cool place. 
As loDg as the liquid remains thick like 
jelly, you will know that the meat is keep¬ 
ing well. 
F. F., Ravenna, Ohio.—W e have the 
reputation of always having good cured 
beef and we cure it as follows: To 100 
pounds of meat cut into suitable pieces for 
drying, take four pounds of the best salt, 
four pounds of yellow sugar, two ounces of 
saltpeter and two ounces of saleratus. 
Dissolve the saltpeter and saleratus in as 
little water as possible; mix well the sugar 
and salt and the dissolved saltpeter and 
saleratus; rub the pieces of meat 
thoroughly with the mixture, putting 
some on the bottom of the vessel in which 
it is packed; then put in a layer of meat, 
cover it with the mixture until all is in; 
pack as tightly as possible and weight it 
well. Use no water; the meat will soon be 
covered with brine and it will be ready for 
drying in four weeks, or it may remain 
longer without getting too salty. Dry 
rather slowly, for if the outside dries 
quickly and becomes hard there is no 
chance for the moisture r,o evaporate from 
the middle. 
hens vs. cows. 
\Y. C. S., Harmony, R. I.—The discus¬ 
sion, on page 21 of the R. N.-Y". for 1S90, is 
PbceUant'ou.s ^Uvertising. 
“Herbraud” Fifth Wheel for Buggies, 
