i89o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
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place in a string and wait from one to two 
hours for his chance to unload. Hebrons 
and Burbanks bring 24 to 25 cents; Rose 
Seedlings 22 cents, and Golden Success 20 
cents. My husband had eight acres and 
raised 1,523 bushels. He estimates the cost 
of raising them, without considering the 
rent of his land, at five cents per bushel; 
taking the latter into account, he still gets 
them for less than six cents per bushel. 
We shall increase the acreage another sea¬ 
son and try to attend to their cultivation, 
as herein we believe lies the true secret 
of large yields. Lots of potatoes were 
marketed here last fall at 12 to 15 
cents per bushel, and reports say the buyer 
made 45 cents per bushel on them in send¬ 
ing them East. We need competition ; our 
market is a trifle lower than those in the 
surrounding towns. The truth is that 
there are so many potatoes in the county 
that the buyer can virtually get them at 
his own figures. My husband also raised 
1,280 bushels of oats at an estimated cost 
of 16 cents per bushel. They bring 18 cents 
per bushel. Where are the profits? The 
above figures tell whether we ought to 
raise oats or potatoes. mrs. e. f. s. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
TEvery 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 
HEALING FRUIT TREES. 
“Subscriber,” Tompkins County, N. 
Y. —I have some apple trees eight years old, 
that have been injured by mice and other 
causes. Some look as though they had 
been blistered. The bark is shriveled and 
the wood is dead under it. low down near 
the ground. What ought I to do to make 
the wounds heal over? 
Ans.—T he following replies are from 
practical fruit growers: 
FROM JULIUS HARRIS. 
If only a small portion of the bark of the 
apple trees is injured, I would bank the 
trees up with earth and leave the banking 
around them for two years ; but if they are 
nearly or quite girdled I would take them 
out and set new ones in their places. 
Orleans County, N. Y. 
FROM OSCAR WEED. 
Bank with earth those girdled by mice, 
and if not too badly damaged the wounds 
will heal. The other trees have, I should 
think, been injured by freezing and not 
much can be done for them. 
North Rose. N. Y. 
FROM W. M. BENNINGER. 
I find if the trunks of eight-year-old trees 
are injured and the wood is dead, it is very 
difficult to do anything for them. Freshly 
wounded trees will heal by applying clay 
and bandaging them or by applying graft¬ 
ing wax. 
Northampton County, Pa. 
FROM L. D. WATKINS. 
Trees in the condition described are worth¬ 
less for a permanent orchard. They will 
never make sound, healthy trees. It 
would be best to replant the orchard, and 
if it is desirable use the old trees until the 
new come into bearing. One should plant 
midway between the old trees. I have seen 
orchards grafted by bridging the injured 
space by inserting both ends of a graft under 
the bark ; but all tailed as the trees ma¬ 
tured. 
Manchester, Mich. 
FROM T. n. HOSKINS. 
This sort of injury is best repaired by 
springing in large cions, so cut and placed 
as to bring the inner barks at both ends 
into the same connection as is required in 
ordinary grafting. The number of these 
bridge cions is determined by the size of 
the tree and the extent of the injury ; 
about four inches apart is thought to be 
near enough. After putting in the cions, 
it is a good plan to bind up the bared wood 
with a mixture of cow-dung.and clay, such 
as used to be employed in grafting. < This 
is spread on a cloth, which is snugly tied 
on. The next season it is a good plan to 
take this plaster off, and paint the naked 
wood with some thick ochrous paint— 
Venetian red or one of the reds, browns or 
yellows. The color is not important, but 
the paint should be used thick, just as it 
comes in the cans of ground paint sold in 
the stores. 
Orleans County, Vt. 
SMALL WIND-MILL FOR A DAIRY. 
G. W. JET., Rochester, Mass. —I have been 
using ice in a Cooley creamer, but would 
like to use cold-drawn water instead. 
There is no spring from which water will 
flow to the creamer by force of gravity, so 
that I must pump it from a well. I want a 
nearly continuous, slow flow ; can a small 
windmill of low power be made to do the 
work ? 
ANS.—This question has been referred to 
a number of wind-mill manufacturers. 
The following extracts from their replies 
will prove interesting: 
Mr. Edward A. Dana, writes: “ It is not 
practicable to obtain by wind-mill power 
directly from a well ‘ a nearly continuous, 
slow flow’ of cool water, because of the in¬ 
termittent character of the wind’s action. 
The results could be reached by interme¬ 
diate devices, but the outlay of money in¬ 
volved by any such indirect methods would 
not be justified in the case referred to.” 
The Perkins Wind-mill and Axe Co., 
say: “We do not make any wind-mills of 
smaller size than 10 feet. We did at one 
time make an eight-foot wheel, but it was 
too small to give the desired satisfaction, 
so we have discontinued making it, and 
10 feet is our smallest size.” 
The Aermotor Company say that their 
machine was manufactured to supply the 
greatest amount of power with the 
smallest wheel of lightest weight. As an 
increase of power was the result sought by 
them, “a low power” mill is not in their 
line. 
The U. S. Wind-mill Co., write: “The 
only way to obtain a continuous flow of 
water by wind-mill power is to put up a 
large tank, so as to store a sufficient quan¬ 
tity of water to last through occasional 
calms. This is necessary in all cases where 
tho pumping has to be done by a wind-mill, 
or else more or less hand pumping has to 
be done. The size of the tank will, of 
course, depend upon the quantity of water 
to be used, and the size of the mill and 
pump necessary will depend upon the 
depth of the well, the elevation of the tank 
above ground and the daily demand. The 
10-foot mill is the size most generally used 
by farmers and dairymen.” 
A POTATO-SORTER; WET HEN-MANURE. 
A. J.R., Medina , Ohio. —1. Is there a po¬ 
tato-sorter for sale ? I have a home-made 
one, but from my experiments I have decid¬ 
ed that to work nicely and rapidly a ma¬ 
chine should be skillfully constructed and 
that some manufacturing establishment 
should make it just as it ought to be made. 
Such an establishment could furnish 
machines cheaper than farmers could make 
them. 2. A recent “Brevity” says: 
“ Do you keep your chicken manure dry or 
wet ? The number of farmers who believe 
in keeping it wet increases every year. 
What do you think about it ?” How wet 
should it be kept and just how should the 
wetting be done ? 
Ans.— 1. A sorter is manufactured at the 
Institution for Deaf Mutes, Mile End, near 
Montreal, Canada. Most of those used in 
this country are home-made. There is a 
fortune awaiting the manufacturer who 
will put a first-class potato-sorter on the 
market ? We learn that the Higganum 
Manufacturing Company of this city pro¬ 
pose to make an implement for sale. 2. 
On page 366 of last year’s R. N.-Y. Mr. P. 
H. Jacobs described his system of keeping 
hen-manure. There is no sense, he says, in 
applying this manure in the form of large, 
dry lumps as hard as stone, which is about 
the way it is generally found when mixed 
with dry earth or other absorbents. Mr. J. 
keeps the droppings wet. No plaster or 
absorbents are used. The houses are cleaned 
out two or three times^a week. A covered 
box or small out-building is prepared for 
them by throwing on the floor a foot or 
more of earth ; on this earth the droppings 
are thrown and covered with two inches 
more of earth. Thus it is built up of alter¬ 
nate layers of earth and droppings until 
the receptacle is full. Never let the mass be¬ 
come dry. Keep it damp, not too wet. The 
soap-suds saved on wash-days are the best 
possible liquid to pour over the mass, while 
night-soil, urine, etc., can be used to great 
advantage. 
FERTILIZER QUERIES. 
W. A. H., Carlisle, Pa.— 1. What can 
potash be bought for by the ton ? 2. Is it 
a good top-dressing for wheat in the 
spring ? 3. Would equal parts of plaster, 
hard-wood ashes, salt, potash and hen- 
manure make a good top-dressing for 
wheat ? What quantity of this mixture 
should be sown to the acre ? 4. What 
quantity of potash alone should be sown to 
the acre ? 5. Where can the potash be 
bought ? 
quite clear; then lower the funnel and 
drain off all the remaining water possible. 
Finally inject a solution of two tea-spoon¬ 
fuls of carbolic acid, one tea-cupful of glycer¬ 
ine and one pint of water well shaken to¬ 
gether. Repeat the injections daily until 
all discharge ceases. The following pow¬ 
ders may be given to improve the appetite 
and general condition: sulphate of iron, 
two ounces, chlorate of potash four ounces, 
powdered gentian and ginger, each one-half 
pound. Dose, two table-spoonfuls night 
and morning on the feed. 
Ans.— 1. That depends on whether mu¬ 
riate or sulphate or carbonate be preferred. 
Potash as sulphate is worth six cents a 
pound; as muriate 4% cents. Kainit and 
sylvanit are essentially muriate. One 
hundred pounds of muriate of potash con¬ 
tain about 40 pounds of actual potash, and 
this is probably the cheapest form. Un¬ 
leached ashes contain phosphoric acid also, 
but the quantities of this and potash in a 
ton costing $12, could 1 e bought in the 
form of muriate of potash and superphos¬ 
phate for $8. 2. No, we should not dress 
a field of wheat with potash unless it was 
known that the field needed potash alone. 
3. No, it would be an incongruous mix¬ 
ture and it would not be well to mix hen- 
manure in that way. Plaster and hen- 
manure might be mixed together. If 
kainit were used no salt would be required. 
In fact, it is problematical if salt would 
help the yield at all. If you have good 
hard-wood ashes or can procure them at a 
low price, you cannnot apply potash or 
phosphoric acid in a more desirable form. 
This and hen-manure, applied separately, 
would give you .a complete and excellent 
fertilizer. Bone and wood-ashes are ex¬ 
cellent if a little more nitrate be added. 4. 
You might use 300 pounds of kainit or 100 
pounds of muriate of potash to the acre. 
5. Of any of the fertilizer firms advertis¬ 
ing in the R. N.-Y. 
FOUL SHEATH. 
F. P., Stockport, N. Y. —How can I pre¬ 
vent the sheath of a horse from getting 
foul ? I have washed and oiled it; but this 
has done no good. 
ANSWERED BY DR. F. L. KILBORNE. 
There is no remedy or practice that I 
know of that will prevent the sheath of 
some horses from becoming foul. Horses 
differ greatly in this respect. Occasionally 
a horse will attain an age of 10 or 12 years 
without his sheath becoming foul so as to 
require any attention; while others will 
require cleaning only once a year, and still 
others as often as every few months. 
The difference is largely due, however, to 
the general condition of the animals, those 
in excellent, thriving condition requiring 
much less attention than those that are 
unthrifty or out of condition from any 
cause. Rough handling of’ the sheath at 
cleaning causes it to become foul again 
sooner than if carefully washed. When¬ 
ever the sheath becomes foul— i. e., if upon 
examination within the folds or cavity of 
the sheath there is found a considerable 
quantity of black, gummy, sebaceous mat¬ 
ter—it should be carefully washed out with 
a sponge and warm Castile soap-suds. 
Do not use oil or grease of any kind on the 
hand, but ktep it well soaped. Oils or 
grease should not be used while cleaning 
or afterwards, as they increase the tendency 
to become foul. After washing with the 
soap-suds rinse with clean water. No 
further treatment is necessary or advisable 
except that in very bad cases the sheath 
may be rinsed out with a solution of one- 
half dram of chloride of zinc in a pint of 
water, or one dram of either permanganate 
of potash or carbolic acid in the same 
amount of water. Look to the general 
health of the animal, and see that the 
stable is dry and clean. 
REMOVING THE AFTER-BIRTH. 
W. R. S. , Maplcton, Mich. —How should 
a cow be treated that dropped her calf four 
weeks ago, and failed to pass the after-birth ? 
Her appetite is good,but she is losing flesh. 
Ans.—A cow should never be allowed to 
retain her after-birth for four weeks, or un¬ 
til it rots away. The membranes should 
have been carefully removed within 24 
hours after the calf was dropped. At this 
late day treatment is not only tedious, but 
recovery slow and often unsatisfactory. 
The cow will probably be of little if any 
use the coming season. Treatment is by 
injections and tonics. Procure four feet 
of half or three-fourths Inch rubber tubing 
with a funnel fitting into one end. With 
the well-soaped hand introduce the other 
end of the tube into the womb. Inject 
warm water into the womb, through the 
tube, until the water comes out nearly or 
SOME SMALL FRUITS. 
J. M. I., Plattsburgh, N. Y. —What va¬ 
rieties of strawberries can be recommended 
for a near market, to extend the season as 
long as possible? The Crescent said to 
be so productive, is with me (grown along¬ 
side of the Wilson and Downing) a failure 
on sandy land well manured. What varie¬ 
ties of raspberries are best for market? I 
have a few Marlboros and Cuthberts. The 
Marlboro with me grows about three feet 
high and is not productive, while the Cuth- 
bert alongside of it does finely. Is that 
about as well as the Marlboro averages? 
What varieties of blackberries and grapes 
should I set out? The soil is a sandy loam 
well drained naturally. Would the Rural 
recommend me to set out about an acre of 
potted strawberry plants after some early 
crop, say the last of July or the first of 
August? 
ANS.—Gandy is one of our most valuable 
late varieties. Kentucky and Miner's Pro¬ 
lific are excellent late varieties in many 
localities. Cuthbert is the best red rasp¬ 
berry for market. It is late. Hansell is 
the best very early, but it is not a strong¬ 
growing kind. The Marlboro is feeble- 
growing in many places. Of blackberries, 
try Minnewaski, Kittatinny and Agawam. 
Of grapes try Eaton, Moore’s Early, Green 
Mountain, Niagara, Hayes, Brighton. We 
prefer to plant layer plants in the early 
spring. 
MILLET SEED AS FEED, ETC. 
C. L. H.. Rock Falls, III. —1. I have about 
100 bushels of millet seed for which I am 
offered but 29 cents per bushel sacked and 
delivered in Chicago. Is it valuable to 
feed to stock or poultry ? If so how should 
it be fed ? 2. What seeds are now sent out 
by the Department of Agriculture and how 
can I get them ? 
Ans.— 1. Millet seeds contain more nutri¬ 
ment than barley or buckwheat, and come 
close to corn in feeding value. The follow¬ 
ing table shows the per cent, of the various 
nutritive substances in several grains. 
Millet 
Buckwheat 
Barley 
Corn 
Nitrogenous Carbohy- 
Matter 
drates 
Fats. 
14.5 
82.1 
3.0 
9.0 
59.6 
25 
9.5 
66.6 
2.5 
10.0 
68.0 
7.0 
Millet may be fed to all kinds of stock 
without any ill effect. For fattening ani¬ 
mals it is well to add some com to increase 
the proportion of carbonaceous matters. 
It may be fed whole or coarsely ground 
into meal. 2. We are informed by the 
Department that all the varieties of com¬ 
mon vegetable and flower seeds will be 
sent to applicants. Two-thirds of these 
seeds will be sent through members of 
Congress, so that your best way to obtain a 
supply will be to apply to the"member 
from your district. You "can. however, 
if you desire, apply direct to ’ the Depart¬ 
ment of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 
THE TRENCH SYSTEM OF POTATO 
PLANTING. 
J. J., Toionto.—l. In planting potatoes 
in trenches, as I have plenty of horse ma¬ 
nure, after making the trenches would 
it not do to put three or four inches of 
manure in the bottom of the trench, then a 
little earth on the manure before dropping 
the seeds? 2. Would a better crop be pro¬ 
duced by doing this than by spreading the 
manure broadcast and plowing it'under? 
3. When planting is finished, is the trench 
filled level with the land ? 4. Is the culti¬ 
vation throughout the season level ? 
Ans.— 1. We do not remember ever to 
have tried the plan of putting a large 
quantity of manure in the bottom of the 
trenches and proceeding as stated. 2. As a 
guess merely we should say that broad¬ 
casting would be preferable. 3. That is 
as you prefer. Tf the weather be dry and 
warm, it would be well enough to fill the 
trenches gradually^as the sprouts appear 
above the soil. 4. Level; as level as possi¬ 
ble. 
Pi.sceUanmt.s ^Uvcrti.sing. 
“Herbrand” Fifth Wheel for Buggies, 
