THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
August >1 
5 10 
has been worth $100, and he expects to put in more 
small fruits at once where the troughs can be run to 
them. The field is in such a position that, at least, 20 
acres can be watered from the swamp. Several other 
holes have been dug along the line of the swamp, and 
it will mean but half an hour’s work to carry tread 
power and pump to a new location. A crop of pota¬ 
toes is now growing in the field, and it is proposed, as 
an experiment, to turn the water on them in case they 
show signs of suffering from drought. 
The trees in the swamp provide the leaves for a 
cheap winter’s mulch, the water makes the thirsty 
berries grow, and bone and potash will give them the 
food they need. If you have such a location on your 
farm, the chances are that you are falling short of 
your duty when you fail to get that cheap water to 
the surface, and let it soak into the soil. It will pay 
you to do it for a crop of grain or hay—not to men¬ 
tion the fruit crop. h. w. c. 
IRRIGATING WITH STEAM POWER IN OHIO. 
The modus operandi of our strawberry irrigation 
is a first attempt, but I will freely tell what we did, 
and what I think we learned. First, we began entirely 
too late ; we lived in hopes that the usual rainfall for 
May might come, and we waited until the berries 
were almost ripe and the vines had begun to wilt in 
the hot, dry air. I then looked about for the means 
of irrigation, visiting two of the neighboring cities 
on the hunt for a cheap, centrifugal or rotary pump. 
I found a 1%-incli centrifugal, which I bought for $10. 
This was much smaller than I wanted, but it was the 
best I could do. I then bought 400 feet of two-inch 
pipe, which cost in Toledo, $27—very cheap, I thought. 
I got the things together at the side of the two-acre 
pond on May 20, with a 10-horse power gasoline engine. 
The pond lies 17 feet lower than the highest point of 
the berry patch. This patch consists of nearly four 
acres. It has a slight valley running 
through it, which makes it necessary 
that the water be taken to the highest 
points on each side. We tried only the 
south side, which was the larger, and 
had the better stand of plants; the north 
side, owing to drought and White Grubs 
last summer, did not contain a half 
stand. After the usual amount of trouble 
in getting the different parts acquainted 
with each other, getting the belts tight 
and willing to stay on, we finally got a 
fine stream of water going about noon 
on May 21. It was good to see that two- 
inch pipe running full, and the water 
coming out with a force and gush that 
showed that it was a good, solid stream. 
The land, of course, had not previously 
been prepared for irrigation, but with 
hoes we directed the water in slight 
ditches along the highest parts, and let 
it liow down through the rows. It was 
glorious to see the parched ground drinking up the 
warm water, and to watch the curled leaves of the 
Warfields spread themselves out under the reviving 
drafts. The Michel’s Early were already ripening, and 
we had been picking them for several days. 
For three days and one night, we kept this stream 
flowing, lowering the water in the pond about four 
inches, and still we covered but little over one acre of 
the patch, possibly 1% acre, as the water spread irreg¬ 
ularly, owing to the conformation of the ground. 
We quit Sunday morning. The main part now irri¬ 
gated was like a mudhole, one could not walk over it 
without rubber boots. Monday it began to rain, and 
rained daily until all the country was soaked, and 
the streams were out of their banks ; so you see we 
would better have trusted Providence once more. 
We have had, however, a fine crop of beautiful ber¬ 
ries, the Parker Earles doing well with us for the first 
time. 
I think that the yield was not so good where the 
irrigation was so profuse as it would have been had 
we trusted to the showers alone. The lesson learned 
was, to begin at least two weeks sooner. Also, to 
prepare troughs by nailing two boards together for 
each section, and have enough of them to reach the 
farthest high point as a starting place ; then when 
that has received enough water, drop off some of the 
troughs, section by section, until we finally reach the 
pipe. By this means, we would not drown out that 
part next the pipe by the long continued flow in the 
ditches made necessary in reaching the farthest 
points. In this case, if I had had about 250 feet of 
troughs made, say, of eight-inch and nine-inch boards, 
nailed V-shape together, we could have irrigated, at 
least, 2% acres with the water we used, and done it 
far more successfully, and not uuduly flooded any £>art 
of the patch. I have now a piece of sod broken this 
spring, and planted to sorghum and rape, which 1 
expect to set to strawberries next April. This is 
much closer to the pond, is not so high above it, and 
I shall prepare to irrigate it beforehand. I have the 
pump and pipe, and can always rent, either a steam 
or gasoline engine, for the few days I need one. I was 
surprised at the power it took to drive this little 
centrifugal pump. I had calculated that a four- 
horse power would be enough ; but I found that it 
took about all the 10-horse power engine could do. 
We run the pump about 2,000 revolutions per minute. 
I believe that a larger pump, run much slower, would 
be more economical. I used about 10 gallons of gaso¬ 
line per day, or 40 gallons for the entire time. Our 
rainfall here is about 40 inches per year, on an aver¬ 
age, while last year it was only about 25 inches, and 
this not in the growing months in fair proportion. I 
believe that irrigation will pay on berries of all kinds, 
and am in it now to find out. s. s. stai.ky. 
Champaign County, Ohio. 
WHAT THEY SAY. 
The Marshall Strawberry. —There were good 
varieties of strawberries long before Mr. Ewell, of 
Marshfield Hills, Mass., discovered the Marshall; but 
I believe that there were none quite so good as this 
one for the particular place that it is adapted to fill. 
There is satisfaction in growing superior fruit, and 
the Marshall, as a variety, is certainly well qualified 
to pay a high premium as a reward for skillful cul¬ 
ture. Its sphere of usefulness may have limitations, 
but, as a fancy fruit, it appears to have a brilliant 
career before it. r,. f. kinnky. 
Rhode Island Station. 
Tiik Japanese Walnuts. —On page 4G6, F. T. S., of 
Connecticut, asks about the probable commercial 
value of Japanese walnuts. While there is no doubt 
of their hardiness, productiveness and good quality, 
they are not so desirable for market as the Little 
Shellbark hickorynut which flourishes in about the 
same latitude and soil. The nuts of J. Sieboldiana 
are rather small and very thick shelled. J. Mand- 
shurica is larger, but also very thick shelled and has 
a small kernel. There is considerable more variation 
in the nuts of J. Cordiformis, which average in size 
about with the Little Shellbark, and, as the specific 
name implies, is distinctly heart-shaped. The shell 
is smooth and rather easily cracked. The kernel is 
plump and comes out easily, in some cases being whole. 
The greatest promise from these Japanese walnuts 
lies in the seedling varieties which may be originated 
by crossing them with the Persian walnut. J. regia, 
and other species. h e. v. d. 
Poison Ivy Again. —W. O. E., in his notes on ivy 
poisoning, does not say that “ poison oak ” is quite 
as poisonous as ivy. The former runs on the ground, 
and has a round, flat leaf ; the ivy is a climber, and 
has three leaves, instead of five, like its innoxious 
prototype, the Virginia creeper. When a farmer boy, 
the harvest -season was one of intense suffering 
to me, as I invariably became poisoned on my hands 
and face first, and then wherever I touched my body, 
the part became affected. Wearing shoes and stock¬ 
ings, was, as W. O. E. says, a good precaution. I am 
over 60 years of age, and since I entered the army in 
1861, have been little in contact with these noxious 
plants ; yet I find that the poison will appear on my 
hands if I touch, or on still, damp mornings go within 
four or six feet of poison oak. I have no ivy on my 
farm. Free applications of water allay the itching 
and check the spread, if immediately applied. At 
times, however, when the blotches are extensive, I 
take a piece of bread somewhat larger than the pois¬ 
oned part, soak it thoroughly in water, and after 
sprinkling it with common washing soda, apply as a 
poultice. As the bread dries, I drop more water on 
it. In the space of an hour, the poison is effectually 
killed. I know of a case where the afflicted person 
swallowed the leaves as advised by W. H. L., page 
482, and came near losing his life. He came out of 
his experiment permanently afflicted. It is too dan¬ 
gerous a remedy for very susceptible persons ; the 
Rhus Tox of the homeopathist is far preferable. 
Washington, D. C. r. s. l. 
[Gray’s botany gives poison ivy and poison oak 
under the same name, Rhus Toxicodendron.— Eds. | 
Cows Without Hay.—I believe that E. A. S., page 
475, can take care of his extra cows with the foods 
mentioned, and have them do as well as with hay, 
apd much more economically. Grass may be the 
natural food of cows, but hay is not. At the present 
prices of hay and grain, hay is a most expensive 
luxury. If E. A. S. must buy all of the feed, he 
should hardly purchase turnips or buckwheat straw. 
If he has the corn fodder and turnips, I would feed 
about as follows, depending on the size of the animal 
and quantity of milk given, feeding all the cow will 
digest, and return profit therefor. In the morning, 
two quarts of bran, one quart each of corn meal and 
linseed meal, and eight to 10 pounds of corn stover; 
at noon, six quarts of bran ; at night, four to six 
quarts of turnips, five pounds of corn stover, and 
same grain ration as in the morniDg. I consider well- 
cured corn fodder worth $6 to $9 per ton. I know 
nothing about buckwheat straw. We have fed cows 
two seasons with scarcely any hay, and they have 
done well and come out in first-class condition in the 
spring. The Timothy hay is readily salable at $20 
per ton, while bran is now $11 to $12, and gluten feeds 
$13 to $17 per ton. Rye straw is worth as much as 
hay, so that, for cows, we depend largely on grain 
and corn. The hay crop has improved very much 
within two weeks. h. g. m. 
West Winsted, Conn. 
Ivy Poison Will Spread. —In The R. N.-Y. for 
July 18, W. O. E. imparts the impression that poison 
ivy is not likely to manifest its effects on covered 
portions of the body. Were he here at 
this moment, I could quickly convince 
him of the contrary. In fact, its spread¬ 
ing nature is what I most dread. I am 
peculiarly susceptible to being poisoned 
by poison ivy, poison oak, and swamp 
sumach, and if any one suffers more 
from their effects, I am heartily sorry 
for him. There is something peculiar, 
particularly about the poison ivy. Some 
persons may even put it into their mouths 
with impunity, others dare not venture 
into its very proximity without serious 
results, while a third class is only par¬ 
tially susceptible. I have tried many 
remedies. The fresh juice of grindelia 
robusta as well as the fluid extract 
thereof are both good. An ointment 
made by frying the inner bark of the 
elderberry in lard, is also efficient. To 
allay the intense itching, nothing acts 
quicker than a solution of sugar of lead. 
But I do not know of anything that will surpass in 
remedial effect the free and frequent applications of 
alkaline solutions. Of these, I prefer a fairly strong 
solution of ordinary bicarbonate of soda, the stronger, 
the better its effect, but if made too strong and applied 
to a partially raw surface, it will occasion considerable 
pain, which, however, can be quickly mitigated by 
the application of cold water. I have tried every 
remedy in the pharmacopoeia and a number outside 
of it, and the result of my own experience places the 
solution of bicarbonate of soda at the head of the list 
of remedies for this trouble. j. c. sknger. 
PASTURING FROM THE SILO. 
There is great complaint of drought all over west¬ 
ern New York. Pastures were never shorter than now; 
the cows go lowing about for food, and the owners 
look in vain for the usual quantity of milk. Many 
sowed oats and peas, and oats alone, at different times, 
and are cutting them for food, and some are cutting 
corn which is scarcely tasseled out. The oats and 
peas make an excellent food, and the oats, when just 
right, do fairly well ; but the trouble is that neither 
crop is at its best only a few days, and either, when 
ripe, is but a poor substitute for succulent food. The 
green corn has but little feeding value, not much more 
than a thick mist held together with a little woody 
fiber. We had a lot of ensilage left over last spring, 
and have been feeding that to our cows. It does the 
heart good to see how greedily they eat it, and the 
pocket good to see how abundantly it keeps up the 
milk flow. When we realize how much food can be 
grown on an acre of land in the corn crop, what an 
excellent food it is for stock, and how easily and per¬ 
fectly it can be preserved in the silo, is it not strange 
that so few avail themselves of the silo as a help to 
tide over the drought that is sure to come nine years 
out of ten ? I have a friend who is a city milkman ; 
and while only about five years ago, he was the great- 
THE STRAWBERRY FIELD. HOW THE WATER IS APPLIED. Fig. 162. 
