r89o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
269 
copper from to 10 cents per pound, according to the 
amount Hold ; ammonia from eight to 10 cents; carbonate 
of copper 75 cents per pound. Rubber tubing 18 cents per 
foot; wash boilers $3.25; force pump $4.(X). 
The Succession of Forests. 
Tj. II., Dansvillc, N. Y .—When my father came here 
about 70 years ago, a person could see through the forest as 
far as one can now see through an orchard. The Indians 
usod to burn the leaves each fall, thus keeping down the 
young trees so that the red men could discern their game 
more readily. These hills were then the Indians’ hunting 
grounds and were easily reached from their villages on the 
Genesee River. About the time of my father’s arrival 
their annual fires ceased and soon the “ second growth ” 
came Into, prominence A large number of the young 
trees were White Pine. The original forest was composed 
of oak and chestnut. Where did the seeds of the pine 
trees come from? If they had laid dormant during all the 
years when the ground had been burned over by the In¬ 
dians, what caused them to germinate just when they 
did? Why did they not start before so that the young 
growth would be killed by the forest fires? These pine 
trees are quite large and now no young ones are starting. 
Within a few years hemlocks have sprung up quite evenly 
throughout the woods. The nearest hemlock growing 
elsewhere in the neighborhood is situated two or three 
miles due east, and we have but little east wind. Where 
did the seeds of the hemlocks come from? What caused 
them to start into growth now? Thus we have, first a 
forest of oak, then one of pine, and again one of hemlock. 
Does Nature practice a rotation? 
ANSWERED BY PR. W. J, BEAL. 
The distribution and vitality of the seeds of trees are 
subjects which would occupy much time to discuss fully. 
The more carefully the subjects are studied by a thorough 
field botanist, the more apparent It becomes that all these 
tree phenomena can be well explained as taking place by 
natural and reasonable causes. The vitality of tree Heeds 
of most species, In my opinion based on experiments, is 
not great, not more than one, two or rarely three years 
after the seed goes into the ground. Tn case of Jack 
Pine, and likely a few others, It may reach to four or five 
or even seven years. From a description of the conditions 
as given by another, I should not venture to attempt to 
give reasons for things. When closely studied there is no 
difilculty in explaining the succession of forests, oaks after 
pines, or pines after oakH, or oaks after oaks. This subject 
is discussed In the First Forest Report of Michigan. 
Oil and Its Uses. 
II. C., WInchendon, Mans. —Many persons claim that 
one kind of oil Is as good as another for boots, shoes and 
harness ; while others maintain that certain kinds are too 
heating; still others declare that all animal oils contain 
so much acid that they rot leather, and others again Insist 
that nothing but mineral oil Is fit to use on leather. Tt 
would be of great l>eneflt to farmers to know which kind 
Is best. 
ANSWERED BY HENRY HALES. 
Oils are made from a vast quantity of substances—from 
many land and sea animals, as well as from fruits, seeds, 
plants, flowers, etc., to say nothing of mineral oils, so that 
the assertion that one oil Is as good as another Is simply 
ridiculous. Almost as foolish Is the notion that all ani¬ 
mal oils are heating and destructive to leather. Some 
vegetable oils have that effect: linseed oil hardens and 
spoils leather. I have never fonnd any dressing for 
leather, whether harness or boots, equal to the follow¬ 
ing : Neat’s foot oil, one quart; beef suet, a quarter of a 
pound, and sufficient beeswax to make all of the consist¬ 
ency of lard. I have never weighed the beeswax, but the 
consistency of the ingredients will determine the quantity 
so that the mixture will not be too hard. Neat’s-foot 
oil alone does not fill the porcH of the leather sufficiently, 
so that water will follow it through. The suet will assist In 
filling the pores, which the wax will do effectually; but 
the principal benefit from the wax is its cooling effect on 
the first two substances, preventing them from rotting 
the leather and keeping It. soft and pliable. It Is best to 
warm the oil to melt the suet, but the wax should be melt¬ 
ed In a vessel with a small quantity of oil, as It requires 
greater heat. It is best to melt It In a bath of hot water. 
Pour it Into the vessel containing the other ingredients 
while both are warm and stir It well. The non-drying oils, 
such as olive and castor oil, are good for metal axles ; 
some add a small part of crude petroleum. For wooden 
axles animal fat or snet Is lietter than any oil. 
Manures for Melons. 
II. \V. S., Rochester, Minn .—What special fertilizer or 
plant food do squashes and melons need ? Do they want a 
complete fertilizer or one containing great quantities of 
nitrogen ? I want my musk-melons ripe very early: shall 
I use nitrate of soda, and how ? Is hen manure better 
than other animal manures? Shall I spread the manure 
on the surface after planting ? 
Ans.—T he R. N.-Y. has never been successful in raising 
fine crops of melons from the use of fertilizers, though we 
have used them In very large quart titles. We can not say 
why this Is so. We merely state the fact. The valley In 
which the Rural Grounds are situated is noted as a musk- 
melon country. The farmers use, as a rule, well-rotted 
manure in the hill. Our own method is to thoroughly 
mix with the soil, not only of the “ hill ” but for a space 
of two or three feet in circumference, well rotted stable 
manure, supplementing it with a small proportion of hen 
manure. Some farmers make a compost in the fall of farm 
manure, hen manure, hog'manure or night-soil, and equal 
quantities of soil. 
Horse With Flat Feet.. 
R. W. S.. North River, N. Y.— T have an excellent 
work horse which is also good for the road, but he is very 
flat-footed and is growing more so. Is there any help for 
him ? 
ANS.—There Is no cure. Careful shoeing to relieve the 
sole, and blisters to the coronet to stimulate a more rapid 
growth of horn will afford some relief. Shoe without 
calks, using a heavy bar-shoe with a broad web to protect 
the weak sole. The inner border of the upper surface of 
the shoe should be Hlightly beveled off if the sole 1 h 
convex. Apply a fly blister abound the front and sides of 
the foot above the hoof—as frequently directed In these 
columns—and repeat at Intervals of one to two months if 
any Improvement is noted. After such blistering, keep 
the whole hoof coated daily with an ointment of pine tar 
and vaseline. 
Fertilizers In the Rural Trench System. 
L., Ruckinyham Ctrunty, Fa..—In the Rural Trench 
System of planting potatoes, how should one estimate the 
quantity of fertilizer to the acre? I can drop the fertilizer 
only by hand, and a handful goes over about three feet of 
row; is that enough, or too much, or too little? 
Ans. —We know of no way unless the land is measured. 
If It is not one must guess at the quantity. All our work 
is done on the one-fortieth-of-an acre plan. Thus we may 
readily estimate that 10 pounds will be 100 pounds to the 
acre. etc. In planting potatoes in trenches each trench is 
83 feet long and there are 11 trenches in the plot (33x33 
feet), making 1,089 square feet, or one-fortieth of an acre. 
Each one of these trenches represents l 440th of an acre. 
One pound in a trench would be therefore 4-10 pounds to 
the acre; two pounds 880. etc. 
Plaster and Salt on Heating Manure. 
S. H.'C., McHenry, HI.—t. Will land plaster scattered 
on heating manure in the barn purify the air? 2. What 
effect would salt have on such manure? 
Ans.— 1. Plaster scattered on manure will arrest to 
some extent the escape of ammonia ; if water be added to 
the manure, the heating will stop and the plaster will be 
far more beneficial In arresting the escaping matter. 2. 
Salt will arrest the heating to a considerable extent; but 
will not arrest the escape of ammonia, though there will 
be little loss of that if the manure is kept from heating. 
Instead of using salt It would bo better to apply kainlt, as 
it will’arrest heating more perfectly than salt, and to use 
it will bo an easy method of applying potash to the land. 
Ten analyses at the Cornell Experiment Station give an 
average of 12.5 of potash in kalnit. 
Salt as a " Fertilizer.” 
I,. It. E ., West Fort Ann, N. F.—I can buy damaged 
salt for $3 per tou ; Is it a cheap and good fertilizer to be 
used with other kinds of manure for onions ? How much 
should be used on half an acre ? Should it be applied be¬ 
fore or after the ground Is plowed ? 
Ans.—W e do Lot see that the salt will be of'any partic¬ 
ular value as a fertilizer. It may help the onions in case 
of a drought, or if the soil Is stiff and hard the salt 'may 
loosen and lighten it. We should use not over 200 pounds 
to the acre and harrow It In after plowlug. 
potatoes, because I feel that North Carolina people are 
allowing local prejudice to keep them from growing a 
profitable crop. Here in April North Carolina potatoes 
are worth 80 cents per bushel on the Atlantic Coast Line 
Road, and in the fall they wore oven plentiful at 35 cents 
per bushel. If they had Nansemonds or Red Noses now, 
they could get about three times this price; but their un¬ 
couth yams confine them to the local market. With the 
ease with which sweet potatoes can be kept in out-door 
pits in winter, our people would be totally Independent of 
gluts In the Northern market If they had potatoes worth 
shipping. They are simply letting money slip away that 
they could make In sweet potato culture. 
Experience In Making Prime Butter. 
Several Subscribers.—Tn a recent Issue of the R. N.-Y. a 
writer said he was trying to make “ the best butter in the 
world.” We would like to know how he goes to work. 
ANBWERED BY P. E. TERRY. 
The expression : " I am trying to make the best butter in 
the world” did not spring from a spirit of pride at what I 
had achieved, but indicated my intention to make the very 
best article. My herd is small and I am young; but T have 
succeeded very well so far. I am milking four Jersey 
cows, three of which T have raised. I chose the Jerseys for 
the reason that as T intended to make a specialty of good 
butter T wanted the best butter cows. I am feeding in 
the morning to each one a sheaf of stalks, two quartB of 
wheat bran and two quarts of corn meal mixed; at noon 
each gets an armful of early-cut clover hay, and at night 
thesame ration asln the morning with the addition of half 
a bushel of turnips which I chop up and mix with the 
rations for the four cows. This gives very good satisfac¬ 
tion. When corn-meal is high, I use one quart of corn- 
meal and one quart of cotton-seed meal, and when I have 
chaff I use that to mix with the feed as the cows eat the 
mixture more slowly and digest it better. Some may ob¬ 
ject to the turnips, but from careful trials with very deli¬ 
cate customers I cannot find that the quality of the butter 
is harmed in the least when turnips are fed as I have men¬ 
tioned, and In the Fall I feed one to three cabbages accord¬ 
ing to size, with good results. 
The corn-stalks are cut as soon as they are fit, husked 
out early and gathered before they become all weather¬ 
beaten. Tn summer the cows are staked on clover and 
Timothy pasture. T believe what a cow drinks is as im¬ 
portant as what she oats, and I give my cows only water 
I would bo willing to drink myself. In winter the cowh 
are kept in swinging stanchions in a warm stable where It 
seldom freezes. They are all gentle and I often lead them 
all at one time behind the wagon. I am using a “Cooley 
Cabinet creamer,” a Skinner butter-worker, a Davis churn 
and self-gauging press, but these are only helps, as we made 
very good butter before I procured thorn. My wife has 
charge of the making of the butter. Wo churn twice a 
week, wash the butter-milk all out in the churn and salt 
with one ounce to the pound. We are careful to ripen the 
cream evenly, as I believe much butter Is lost by not at¬ 
tending to thiH. Once my wife had a suspicion that she 
had not procured all the butter at churning, and as an ex¬ 
periment set the butter-milk outside and afterward 
churned It, procuring more than one pound of butter, 
much to the surprise of all. Wo make from 20 to SO pounds 
per week for 10 months of the year; during July and 
August we make very little. We deliver It to private cus¬ 
tomers once a week in a villageof perhaps, 1.800 inhabitants, 
and obtain 30 cents a pound for the year. 
A Portable Sprayer. 
M. A/., Medway, Mass .—Is there any spraying apparatus 
which a person can carry on his back and operate as he 
goes along? 
ANS.—The Eureka Sprayer, made by Adam Weaber & 
Son, Vineland, N. J., will answer. It is too expensive, 
however, except for those who have a good deal of sprnying 
to do. In Bulletin No. 102 of the Connecticut Experiment 
Station, at New Haven, Conn., Prof. Roland Thaxter giveH 
a very Interesting description of a home-made machine 
which he says will answer admirably for this work. The 
R. N.-Y. advises its readers to send for this bulletin, as the 
formulae for the Bordeaux Mixture as well as for other so¬ 
lutions are given In it. A picture of the home-made appar¬ 
atus is shown at Figure 80, re-engraved from the bulletin. 
A small, ordinary copper wash boiler Is used to hold the 
mixture to be distributed. A force pump of the " hydron 
ette” pattern is used. The hose of thiH pump enters the 
water as shown In the picture, e representing ashort collar 
of tin through which the hose is pushed. These pumps do 
not throw a continuous spray, and so a piece of five-eighth 
inch heavy rubber tubing (b) is fastened to a Vermorel 
nozzle (u) at oue end (x) and the regular pump nozzle (d) 
at the other, by winding it tightly with small copper wire. 
The two nozzles (a and d) are then connected by two heavy 
copper wires (c) fastened by winding once around each 
nozzle. The following prices are quoted in the Bulletin, 
for articles sold In Hartford aud Now Haven: sulphate of 
About Fertilizers. 
A. S. T., Rome, Pa. —1. Of whom can sifted, nnleaclied, 
wood-ashes bo purchased ? How many pound* make a 
bushel and what is their value per ton ? 2. What Is the 
cost per ton of Hulphate of potash ? Can it be purchased of 
a wholesale druggist? 3. When soil needs potash, which 
Is best to apply—nnleaclied wood-ashes or actual potash)? 
Ans.— 1. Chas. Allison & Co., New York, sell unleached 
wood-ashes. Such ashes average about 50 pounds to the 
bushel. Their value will depend upon the condition of the 
ashes and the wood from which they were derived. In 
many parts of the country where steam engines are used 
wood Is still the chief fuel and the ashes are considered a 
sort of waste product. As to price, It may lie said that 
good hard-wood unleached ashes are good property at less 
than 20 cents per bushel of 50 pounds, figuring on the basis 
of the prices paid for chemical fertilizers. 2. The Mapes 
Formula Co., of this city, sell sulphate of potash In ton 
lots at $30.00 per ton. The wholesale druggist would prob¬ 
ably charge more. 3. Without knowing fully alxmt the 
soil In question, we should say that the ashee, If of good 
quality, would prove most satisfactory. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
S. H. 0., Ilarkness .—The Advance Mowing Machine Is 
manufactured by the Ann Arbor Agricultural Co., Ann 
Arbor, Mich. 
L. , Buckingham, W. Va .—What Is the name of the In¬ 
closed plant ? 
Ans.— It Is Mertensia Vlrglulcar-Smooth Lung-wort. 
M. C. M., Watertown, N. Y .—What is the most ap¬ 
proved work on the castration of horses ? 
ANB.— Animal Castration by Dr. A. lJautard, price $2, 
to be obtained through the American News Compauy, 
New York City. 
J. U., West Oranby, Conn.— 1. Who deal In'native or¬ 
chids and wild flowers ? 2. What is a good book on fruit 
culture and the care of nursery stock ? 8. Is there a work 
on the culture of wild flowers and medicinal plants ? 
ANS.—1. Gillett&Horsford.SouthwIck, Mass. 2, Down- 
lug’s Frults)aud Fruit Trees of America. 8. Not that we 
know of. 
