1896 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
657 
The Farmers’ Club. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the name and address of 
the writer to insure attention. Before asking a question please 
see whether it is not answered in our advertising columns. Ask 
only a few questions at one time. Put questions on a separate 
piece of paper.] 
AILING ANIMALS. 
ANSWERS BY DR. P. B. KILBORNE. 
Ringbone and Fistulous Withers. 
./. II. B., Afton, N. Y. — 1 .— My mare has been lame for over two 
months, and now a hard lump is growing around the top of her 
hoof. It is very sore when touched, and she is still lame. What 
is it, and a cure for it ? 2. I have a horse with a swelling along 
his withers, and a running sore on both sides. What is it, and 
the cure ? 
1. The bony growth around the top of the hoof is a 
ringbone. Firing with the hot iron is the most satis¬ 
factory treatment, but the firing should be done only 
by a competent veterinary surgeon. 2. This is a case 
of fistulous withers, and can best be treated under the 
personal direction of a veterinarian. 
A Case of Garget. 
F. B. M., Andersontown , Md.— Last summer, two of my four 
cows, all fed alike, gave milk which left a thick, greenish-yellow 
settling in the pans, for which I could not account. I thought 
that, when they came fresh in the winter, the milk would be 
good; and it was until recently, when it again became unfit to 
use. The udders seem caked and hard, as if fevered. What is 
the cause and remedy ? 
Give each cow one pound of Epsom salts and one- 
half pound of common salt with three or four table¬ 
spoonfuls of ginger, dissolved in three pints of warm 
water. Follow night and morning with 30 drops 
tincture of aconite, one-half ounce nitrate of potash 
and one ounce hyposulphite of soda. Bathe the udder 
frequently with water as hot as the hand can bear, 
and follow by rubbing with spirits of camphor. 
Examine the drinking water, and if there is any sus¬ 
picion that it is stagnant or foul, make a change. If 
the cows have access to stagnant water, it may be 
necessary to remove them to other quarters, or fence 
from such waters. 
Lame Mare With Stocked Legs. 
II. L. C., Winchendon, Mass. —1. What shall I do for my mare? 
Her hindlegs swell from the hoof up to the hock joints, some¬ 
times more and sometimes less. On working or driving her, the 
swelling will mostly go down. 2. Her right fore foot also seems 
to be very sore and lame after driving on a hard, frozen road or 
after stamping when the flies bite. 
1. Such stocking of the hind legs is, usually, due 
largely to a lymphatic constitution. Disease of the 
liver or kidneys, and heavy feeding with idleness 
increase the tendency. A more laxative diet and 
daily exercise will correct slight cases. If medicinal 
treatment become desirable, give one teaspoonful 
iodide of potash twice daily in the drinking water 
before meals. Continue for a week or 10 days, then 
omit for a like period. 2. I suspect that the soreness 
is due to corns. Remove the shoes and examine the 
heels. If corns are present, cut out so as to avoid 
pressure of the shoe upon the corn. Dress two or 
three times a week with hot pine tar. If corns be not 
found, have the foot examined by a veterinary sur¬ 
geon who can locate the soreness and then prescribe 
suitable treatment. 
Tuberculous Lungs in Cattle. 
0. S., New York.— How do the lungs of a tuberculous cow look ? 
Are they larger than usual, dark or spotted ? Do tuberculous cows 
have a cough ? Will cows cough with any other disease ? Does 
the State pay for tuberculous cows killed, and how much ? 
If the lung is but -slightly affected with small, 
scattered, firm tubercles, there will be no noticeable 
increase in the size ; but if extensively diseased, the 
diseased areas will stand out prominently, and are 
thus larger than on the healthy lung. In color, the 
tuberculous portions of the lung will be of a grayish 
shade, with yellowish spots or centers, especially no¬ 
ticeable on section. The smaller tubercles up to the 
size of a hen’s egg or, sometimes, even larger, are 
usually solid, the cut surface on section showing the 
yellowish centers imbedded in the grayish mass. In 
the larger tubercles or diseased areas, the center is 
usually softened or entirely broken down into a 
liquid or semi-liquid pus-like mass. Between the dis¬ 
eased or healthy portions of the lung tissue, there is 
a well-marked line of demarcation, i. e., the diseased 
and healthy areas do not blend. Similar lesions are, 
also, usually present in the chain of lymphatic glands 
lying between the upper or dorsal border of the lungs, 
and, less frequently, in the lymphatic glands of the 
throat, liver and mesentery, while, in advanced cases, 
the tubercles are found scattered throughout the 
chest and abdomen. In the early stages of tubercu¬ 
losis, there is no cough ; but the development of ex¬ 
tensive lesions in the lungs or glands of the throat is, 
usually, accompanied by a dry, hacking cough. Any 
other disease of the lungs or of the throat may cause 
a cough. In the State of New York, there is no com¬ 
pensation for tuberculous cattle killed this year. 
There was a small appropriation for that purpose last 
year, but our legislature last winter failed to make 
the necessary appropriation for continuing the work. 
A Water-tight Stable Floor. 
R. S. I)., Yorktown , N. Y .—How can I make a horse stable floor 
that shall be absolutely water-tight, so that the room underneath 
may be used for anything desired? Will thoroughly-seasoned 
chestnut or spruce plank, filled with hot coal tar, make such a 
floor, or must an expensive one of asphalt or some kind of cement 
be used ? 
Ans. —A stable floor can be made absolutely water¬ 
tight by the use of coal tar. It must be made of well- 
seasoned lumber; chestnut or spruce, as suggested, 
could be used. The walk behind the stalls may be 
made of single plank, matched, and hot coal tar be 
poured in the cracks. The floor of the stalls should 
be made of a double thickness of matched plank, with 
a good application of hot coal tar and tarred paper 
between the floors. The upper floor must not be 
nailed, or only at the end near the manger, and the 
cracks filled with coal tar. Fig. 206 shows how the 
floor should be laid. The lower figure shows a cross 
section of the floor as we enter the passageway be¬ 
hind the horses, while the upper one shows a cross 
section as we stand facing the stall. t. a. c. 
Pears for Western New York. 
G. S., Niagara Falls, N. Y .—Wliat varieties of pears and plums 
would be best to plant in the neighborhood of Niagara Falls ? I 
intend to set about two acres of pears and one of plums. Is it 
best to plant dwarf and standard varieties alternately? 
Ans. — Plums: Bradshaw, Lombard, Eellenberg, Ger¬ 
man Prune, Reine Claude, Grand Duke, Coe’s Golden 
Drop, Yellow Egg, and Peter’s Yellow Gage. Pears : 
Clapp’s Favorite, Bartlett, Anjou, Duchess, Clairgeau, 
Sheldon, Seckel, Lawrence, Keiffer, and Bose. We do 
not consider it advisable to plant dwarfs and standards 
alternately ; the dwarfs should be planted by them¬ 
selves, and the standards likewise. 
To Make a Dam Water-tight. 
F. C. I)., Wapella, Assa., N. W. T .—Last fall, I built a dam across 
a ravine (about 60 yards wide) on my land. As soon as the thaw 
set In, last spring, the water commenced to soak through, and has 
continued to do so all summer, until now, there is very little left. 
This summer, I have raised it about three feet, which makes it 10 
feet high, 30 feet wide at the base, and three feet on top. The dam 
is composed of ordinary black loam and clayey subsoil. I pur¬ 
pose covering the face side and top with good, tough sod to pre¬ 
vent soakage. 
Ans. —Facing the dam with sod will not prevent 
leakage. If it could be faced with clay, properly pud¬ 
dled and tamped, the dam would be water-tight. 
Dig a trench along the face of the dam deep enough 
to reach solid soil, or below the vegetable matter 
which has accumulated near the surface. Secure good 
clay by removing the surface soil, and wheel it to the 
trench, and add enough water to form quite a stiff 
mortar after the clay has been worked up with spades. 
Then pound thoroughly. Raise the clay facing about 
six inches at a time. If more clay be put on at one 
time than this, it will be difficult to work it up thor¬ 
oughly with the spade. If the clay be made of the 
proper consistency, the various layers will unite, and 
the face will retain its shape. The clay facing should 
not be less than 18 inches deep. See Fig. 207. A large 
reservoir, 14 feet deep, was constructed not long since, 
by facing the inside of it with a four-foot layer of 
clay, and although the embankment which supported 
the walls was gravel, it holds water perfectly. 
I. P. ROBERTS. 
Making Apple Jelly. 
C. W. C., Sac City, la .—Oa page 576, is an article on “ How to 
Make Cider Jelly,” by J. Bollinger. He says, “ Siiovel enough of 
it into a vat to make a good-sized cheese.” How much is this in 
weignt or bulk by measurement ? He also says, “ Add 125 gallons 
of water.” It seems to us as though we should not be able to find 
that amount of pomace in so much water. We should be thankful 
if Mr. Bollinger would give us more definite directions. 
Ans. —As I never weighed or measured the pomace, 
I cannot say. However, to make a large cheese for 
the press, it takes 75 bushels of apples ; that is the 
amount of pomace we use in making up a cheese. On 
an average, one bushel of apples contains three gal¬ 
lons of cider; press that amount out of it, and you 
have 225 gallons out of one cheese. In order to liber¬ 
ate the jelly this amount of pomace contains, it re¬ 
quires, as I find, a little more than one-half the origi¬ 
nal amount of moisture extracted from it ; hence, 1% 
gallon of water to the pomace made from one bushel 
of apples, I find, is needed. However, C. W. C. may 
try, and use less. He will find, by experimenting, the 
amount of water that will give best results. The 
boiling down is not so much of a job. Steam from the 
boiler is turned into a coil of pipe in a copper tank ; 
by the time the second cheese is pressed out, the cider 
from the first is ready to take off. j. Bollinger. 
To Dry An Old Cellar. 
R. S. D., Yorktown, N. Y. —Can an old house cellar, which is 
damp at times, be made drier by cementing the bottom and sides ? 
The bottom is now laid with flat field stones. How much cement 
should be used, and can I do the work myself? 
Ans. —The cellar could be made drier by making the 
bottom and sides of cement. If the cellar is so wet 
that the water runs in at the bottom or sides, then 
the first thing to do is to drain it with tile. But from 
the question, it is understood that it only becomes 
damp and the water does not run in. Portland cement 
should be used. If R. S. D. will send us the dimen¬ 
sions of his cellar, we will make an estimate of the 
amount of cement he will need for the work. There 
is no reason why he cannot mix and put it on himself. 
Buying Apple Trees in the Fall. 
Subscriber , Ontario, Canada.— Will it be advisable for me to buy 
apple trees this fall, and bury them In the ground to hold for next 
spring’s planting ? 
Ans. —I have practiced that method extensively, 
not only in this locality, but at the Experiment Farm, 
Ottawa, where the thermometer gets to 40 degrees 
below zero. I think it the best course to pursue, and 
have been advocating that method for several years. 
A little caution, however, is required. The trees 
should not have their roots exposed to cold winds or 
frost. A high piece of land should be selected where 
drainage is perfect. Dig a deep trench, untie the 
bundles of trees, spread them out so that the soil will 
come into close contact with all the roots, tramp it in 
very firmly, and cover the trunks well up; in fact, it 
is better to cover all but the tops of the branches ; 
then there is no danger from mice, rabbits or ice. If 
the tops are mostly covered, the trees should be 
taken out of the trench as soon as frost is opt of the 
ground in the spring, and either planted at once, or 
the roots well heeled in. If the trunks and tops are 
left covered too late in spring, they are likely to be 
injured. w. w. hilborn. 
A Mildew of the Peach. 
J. B. S., Leamington, Ont .— In my own and others’ peach or¬ 
chards, many of the trees are badly affected with mildew on the 
new wood. 1. Wuat is the cause of the mildew? 2. What is the 
preventive ? 3. What is the cure ? 4. Is it fatal ? 5. Is it infectious ? 
I have examined different bulletins and books, and asked informa¬ 
tion from officials who were expected ro give it, but cannot get 
satisfaction The summer here has been very wet. 
Ans. —1. It very frequently occurs that the young 
wood of peach trees is covered by a thick, white cover¬ 
ing which may entirely conceal the green color 
underneath. Although J. B. S. does not very carefully 
describe the disease affecting his trees, it is probable 
that the trouble is due to a fungus (Podosphsera 
oxycanthm). In certain seasons, this parasite is very 
abundant upon the more tender portions of the peach. 
The growth found upon the leaves is not the most de¬ 
structive to the orchardist. The same fungus also 
attacks the fruit early in the season, and it can, there¬ 
fore, cause considerable loss to peach growers during 
seasons favorable to its growth. The first indication 
of the presence of the fungus upon the fruit, is the 
appearance of small, white, powdery patches upon 
the surface; sometimes these patches are fully one- 
half inch in diameter. As the season advances, the 
parts first affected may turn brown, and the tissue 
may dry to such an extent that the peach cracks open. 
Fortunately, such serious attacks are uncommon. 2 
and 3. So far as I know, no accurate experiments 
have been made to determine the best method of 
checking the disease. The fungus causing this mildew 
belongs to the class popularly known as “ surface 
fungi,” because the bulk of its vegetative part remains 
upon the surface of the affected parts. It is, conse¬ 
quently, not so essential that treatments be begun 
before the disease is visible, as is the case with such 
penetrating fungi as the apple scab, cherry rot, etc. 
It appears probable that the Bordeaux Mixture, 
applied as soon as the fungus is noticed, will check 
the further spread of the disease. If, however, the 
fruit is so far advanced that its market value would 
be lessened by such late treatments, the ammonincal 
carbonate of copper should be applied instead. This 
fungicide is nearly as effectual as the Bordeaux Mix¬ 
ture, and it leaves, practically, no stain upon the 
fruit. It appears, also, probable that the free appli¬ 
cation of sulphur, either in the form of the “flowe-s,” 
or as the sulphide of potassium, would prove of value. 
4. The disease might prove to be fatal to a peach tree, 
but I know of no such result having occurred. 5. The 
mildew of peaches can spread readily from tree to 
tree by means of spores which are freely produced 
upon the white growths which render the fungus so 
conspicuous. But it is only in rare cases that serious 
injury is done. e. g. l. 
