i89o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
tions instead of the cabinet or the higher-priced editions. 
The cabinet is the lowest in price, but the print will in¬ 
jure the eyes. The high-priced editions are all right for 
those who can afford them, but in the farm home they 
would be put away in the parlor for ornament instead of 
being used daily. The Young People’s Tennyson is the 
best for young people. American Poems is a volume con¬ 
taining poems from six different writers, with biographi¬ 
cal sketches and notes. On some accounts this volume 
would be preferable to any other collection of poetry, and 
would be the one to choose, if only one could be had. Leaf¬ 
lets from Standard Authors are excellent in every way. 
But the Bible is the best book for literature or help in 
life. It is a wonderful book, a book that all should read 
and search and study. Use an edition with good plain 
print. The Oxford is one of the best. 
[Any or all of these books can be supplied by the 
Rural Publishing Company.] 
FROM WISCONSIN TO ALABAMA. 
The strain upon mind and body caused by the practice 
of medicine in Wisconsin was too much for me, and my 
health failed. We—a sick doctor with a sick wife and lit¬ 
tle son—started in the fall of ’88 for the “Sunny South” 
to try agriculture, and stopped in northern Alabama. I 
rented six acres of land and planted it to potatoes, using 
about $75 worth of fertilizer in the drill. The potatoes did 
remarkably well until they commenced to blossom, when 
they began to suffer from a six weeks’ drought. The 
fertilizer made matters worse, for the root system w*as 
confined to the drill where the food was, and could not get 
moisture from the space between the rows. Result, small 
potatoes. We struck for potatoes, but got health. Suc¬ 
cess No. 1. 
We were so much pleased with the country notwith¬ 
standing the small potato crop, that I bought a little farm 
on the bank of the beautiful Tennessee River in Morgan 
County, Alabama, with a very picturesque view of moun- 
heart Cherry tree the trunk of which was seven feet nine 
inches in circumference and the limbs spanned 63 feet; 
but the people said cherry trees would not grow. The 
land is cheap, and cultivated land rents for 20 percent cash 
on the selling price. c. E. HOGEBOOM. 
Morgan County, Alabama. 
TWO HENS FOR NEW ENGLAND. 
In the Light Brahma we have, to begin with, a large 
fowl which is always desirable, as most of our cockerels 
are destined for the table either as chickens or capons, and, 
finally, the old hens have to go the same way. The size 
and attractiveness of the fowls when dressed always make 
them salable and their weight brings in a good sum. They 
are especially desirable for capons, as the operation of 
caponizing is very easily performed in their case. Then 
they recover quickly and become very large, fat, meaty 
rich capons that command the highest price. This is one 
distinguishing feature of this breed that makes it very 
profitable for the farmer. Their strongest merit, however, 
is the disposition of the hens to lay eggs in the winter. 
Naturally quiet with lazy habits, the confinement of our 
long winters suits them exactly, and they are perfectly 
contented in their pens and flourish if not crowded. They 
are determined sitters and the very best of mothers, and 
they breed much more true than any other strain of fowls. 
The Plymouth Rocks excel as all-the-year round layers 
of large, rich, brown eggs, and they can almost take care 
of themselves. They are also very strong and hardy, and 
are therefore just suited to our long, Northern winters. 
Their size and the color of their skin and legs, make them 
particularly attractive as market fowls and desirable as 
capoas. An old Plymouth Rock hen is much to be pre¬ 
ferred to a young Leghorn for the table. The hens are good 
sitters and the best of mothers, and the chicks are as a 
rule very strong. For a comparatively new strain they 
breed very true to color and size. They are particularly 
adapted for the farmer, because, as a rule, poultry receive 
875 
may catch a prize. If he thinks he ?has, let him write 
to a reliable nurseryman and get his opinion. 
I think if I were to select one shrub out of all that I have 
or have seen, it would be the mahonia. It is beautiful at 
all seasons. All winter it is a fine green and can be 
clipped for Christmas. In the spring its blossoms are great 
balls of gold of the richest hue. Then the young growth 
comes out of the finest tints of red, which slowly change to 
green. It is not quite hardy as far north as this if exposed 
to winter suns. I grow it to perfection in the northeast 
angles of my house. On the open lawn I cover it with 
evergreen boughs or leaves. 
Among the beautiful things in winter on a shrubbery 
lawn are: 1. The Copper Birch. Unlike the purple¬ 
leaved sort this holds its leaves all winter. They are a 
rich, warm brown. 2. The Red-barked Dogwood turns 
deep red after the leaves fall and remains so until spring 
once more starts the leaves. It likes low, moist spots best. 
It should be allowed to spread over a rod square, if 
possible. 3. The American Euonymus has a rich, red 
seed, and the European sort has a bright yellow one ; both 
are very fine. 4. The barberry, or rather all the barberries 
are desirable. I can hardly conceive a handsomer sight 
than my superb specimens. e. p. powell. 
Oneida County, N. Y. 
MAKING AN AYRSHIRE HERD. 
C. M. WINSLOW. 
Probably the quickest and most satisfactory way to ob¬ 
tain a herd of grade Ayrshire cows would be to buy a bull 
from some reliable breeder of thoroughbred stock, and 
grade up the herd, selecting the best calves to take the 
place of the poorest cows. Care should be taken to buy a 
bull from a good cow. The best breeders oftea have calves 
lacking in some fancy points, and this prevents their sale 
to breeders of thoroughbred stock; but they are just as 
good as any at the head of a grade herd, and may be 
bought at a reasonable price. An increase of dairy prod- 
ARKANSAS BEAUTY. Fig. 432. 
ARKANSAS SEEDLING. Fig. 433. 
tain and river. I believe the possibilities of the country 
equal to those of any part of the United States, as the cli¬ 
mate is mild, the soil fertile, and the situation just south 
of the center of the densest population, giving markets 
easily reached by river or rail. 
I started out on the new farm with the motto: Cultivate 
only so much land as can be kept like a garden and let the 
rest “go to grass,” and keep stock to eat the grass. In 
carrying out this plan, I planted all the land I could get 
plowed, lost one team of fine horses by climatic fever and 
carelessness, and was kept from cultivation by frequent 
calls for professional service. I have heard it said that 
“what ye sow that ye shall reap.” I sowed cotton and 
reaped Crab Grass. Cotton might have yielded one third 
of a bale to the acre, worth $15. Crab Grass yielded over 
a ton of hay, worth $20. Success No. 2. 
I was told that I could not raise anything on some worn- 
out land near the house; but with a very little fertilizer, I 
have raised three crops this season, and the land is now 
covered with a fine bed of about 4,000 strawberry plants. 
Success No. 3. 
I planted a half acre of peanuts which was success No. 4. 
I know it, because my wife cultivated them, I dug them 
and we ate some of them in a Thanksgiving cake, which, 
by the way, is a very good way to utilize them. 
I have experimented with quite a large variety of crops 
which do well here. I have found that it is easier to plant 
than to harvest, so have decided to plant turnips, 
cow-peas, sorghum, and Crimson Clover and let 
hogs and sheep harvest the crops, confining them on the 
land by hurdle fences. By this means the hogs will do 
some plowing, and the sheep save cutting sprouts and all 
will do better work in scattering the manure than Kemp’s 
manure spreader. 
I have planted about 700 fruit trees which are looking 
quite well. We have improved so much in health that we 
are sure that we did well in coming to this place, and the 
possibilities of the country as shown by the growth and 
appearance of single specimens of a great variety of plants 
and trees, with its nearness to market, would make it a 
good place for others also. The country is in the bands of 
renters and improvements are not made to show; but I 
have seen many fine specimens ; for instance, a Black Ox- 
very little attention on the farm while very much is ex¬ 
pected of them. I think the Plymouth Rock is especially 
designed to meet these conditions and in her the Amer¬ 
ican farmer has found his bird, one that he can throw rake 
handles and stove wood at provided his aim is bad, allow 
to roost in barn cellars or on an old shed and to find 
her own nest and take care of ner young the best way she 
can, and get some food when he happens to think of it and 
is disposed to give some. If any fowl in the world is 
adapted to such treatment it is the Plymouth Rock. Of 
course even she will not prosper under such management; 
but she will stand it better than a bird belonging to any 
other breed. For solid profit, year in and year out, give me 
the Light Brahma and Plymouth Rock and, if I can 
keep but one breed, then it shall be the Plymouth Rock. 
Rockingham County, N. H. GEORGE Q. DOW. 
A FEW FLOWER NOTES. 
I recommend lovers of flowers to get a good stock of 
montbretias. The fine yellows are very pleasing. The 
bulbs planted in spring blossom profusely in midsummer. 
They should be dug in the fall and stored with gladioli. 
By the way, the talk about hardy gladioli is nonsense. 
Nearly all of them, if planted as deep as hyacinths, say, 
four or five inches, will endure moderate wiuters. The 
only trouble is that people do not like to run the risk. 
If you have an old room that is well lighted and can be 
heated, set in it a few boxes of pie plant roots and you can 
have pie plants all winter; or set a box in your kitchen or 
conservatory if you have one. The flavor is not so intense 
as that of plants grown out of doors, but the indoor plants 
are a delightful change from the apples, and are wholesome. 
Every farmer should have an experiment garden. In 
this he should have a few cold frames for seeds, and 
always have on trial some of his seedlings, and of any 
others he may wish to test. Instead of making large plant¬ 
ings of a highly advertised berry, he should try it in his 
experiment grounds. Mine pays. I have been able to 
start several fine things that have stood the test, and com¬ 
manded profitable sale. Every farmer, instead of joining 
the great grumbling association, must turn his wits to 
new ways of increasing his income. Let him keep his eyes 
open to thej wildings^that come up about the fences. He 
uct will be noticed when the first crop of heifers begin to 
give milk, and with a wise selection of bulls about once in 
four years and a careful selection of the best heifers to 
take the place of the poorest cows, a steady increase of 
dairy products will be noticed, and there will be a corres¬ 
ponding profit from the dairy. As yet no breed of dairy 
stock has been found that will give the same return for 
the food consumed as the Ayrshire and endure hardship 
equally well. No other breed of cattle will do so well on 
rough pastures where food is scarce; for Ayrshires are 
exceedingly tough and hardy, as well as hearty feeders 
and not at all dainty. Moreover, they are very quick in 
their motions and eat whatever is presented to them, 
whether good or poor and then lie down to digest it; while 
a slower or more dainty animal would take the whole time 
in hunting around for her fill of food that she relished 
and in the end would grow poor and dry up where an Ayr¬ 
shire would give a fair profit. Of course, the better the 
food, the larger the return the Ayrshire will give ; but 
she seems to be fitted to adapt herself to circumstances. 
HILL SIDE FARMING. 
I desire to call attention to the extremely valuable hint 
of Henry Stewart, on page 811 of The Rural New- 
Yorker. He says that on hill sides the rows should run 
neither up nor down the hill; nor should they be carried 
on a level along the side, out rather with a very gentle 
slope down the hill, in order that the water may all have 
time to soak into the ground, and thus neither will the 
soil be all washed off, nor will all the water run off from 
the field where it is needed. By this plan both soil and 
water are saved. Cannot The Rural print and reprint 
this until people learn it ? I know it is worth thousands 
of dollars to farmers North and South, and wherever the 
land is hilly. I am so much interested in the matter be¬ 
cause independently I made the same discovery myself. 
For four years I have been working a piece of land where 
the soil was slipping from me during every rain storm, 
until I hit on Mr. Stewart’s plan. Now I feel easy during 
every dash of rain, for I know both soil and water will be 
saved. Since I read the note I have traveled extensively 
on the cars, and have not seen a single field cultivated ac¬ 
cording to this plan. ]dr.] g. g. GROFF. 
