to go Dn to pasture next Summer without grain if 
pasture is good. The same thing is true the sec¬ 
ond year. Of course, considerably more hay will be 
consumed the second Winter. You have a much 
less expensive proposition than you would have if 
it was Spring, and you had a Spring calf to keep 
over. 
Two tons of hay for the two seasons should be 
a liberal amount; it is noted in the table from the 
Ohio bulletin that only about a ton was consumed 
during two years’ time, but in that case a ton and 
a half of silage was fed. When no silage is fed 
more hay must be fed. T think this is the chief 
discrepancy in your figure.s. The grain I have fig¬ 
ured at about two pounds per day for two years. 
This would run something like two pounds a day for 
this Winter and four pounds for next Winter. This 
makes the total cost on which you could probably 
break even $78, i.e., Avhat it would cost you if the 
heifer was your own. Whatever so-called profit you 
desire on the deal should be added to this amount. 
If the breeding of this heifer is good, so she is 
pretty sure to develop into a good cow, no mistake 
will be made in raising her. With present prices 
for cows, it costs much less to raise a heifer to 
calving time than it would to buy the same cow at 
five to eight years of age, and the heifer’s years 
of usefulness have just begun. ii. f. j. 
The Game Laws and Carp 
I read in a recent issue that the State fisheries will 
not allow carp to be put in public streams. Why is 
this? Are they detrimental to other fish? We have 
a sm.all i)ond on our place and have a few of both carp 
and goldfish, and would remove the carp immediately 
if they injure the goldfish or eat their spawn. 
West Nyack, N. Y. c. c. D. 
HE carp is one of the species which cannot be 
lawfully planted in public \vaters of our State. 
This is not a new latv; but has been in effect for a 
long period of years. As for the reason which 
l)robably led predece.ssors of the Conservation Com¬ 
mission to incorporate this condition into the law, 
I am of the opinion that it was. more than any 
other one thing, the almost universal prejudice 
against the carp on the part of 7 )eople of the State, 
Avhieh prejudice Avas intensified by newspaper at¬ 
tacks upon the habits and food qualities of the 
carp. It is very generally admitted noAV that the 
criticisms of the carp as a food fish was A^ery large¬ 
ly unfair. The fish has now a Avell recognized place 
in the markets, and Inungs a good price both in a 
smoked and fresh condition—particularly the 
former. Large quantities of smoked carp are sold 
in New York city and other great markets of the 
State. Live carp command a good price in near¬ 
ly all large cities, especially at certain times of 
the year, as for examph during certain holidays. 
With regard to the carp as a spawn-eating fish, 
I think there is no doubt that it Avill destroy eggs; 
hut not to any greater extent than Avill various 
kinds of trout and other highly esteemed game fish¬ 
es. I would not recommend the keeping of carp 
and goldfish in the same pond. The carp, as a 
matter of fact, should be reserved for pond cul¬ 
ture, and should never huA'e been allowed to escape 
into the open waters, except in regions Avhere there 
are no better fi.sh. The original intention of the 
U. S. Commissioner of Fisheries in bringing the cari) 
from Germany Awas to give to the people of the coun¬ 
try a pond fish for the farm Avhich Avould furnish 
whole.some food in large quantities at comparatively 
small expense. If this plan had beeTi adhered to. 
Oic RURAL NEW-YORKER 
there is little doubt that the carp Avould be now 
as highly esteemed in New York State as it is in 
European countries, where it has long been the 
object of systematic fish culture. 
TARLETON H. BEAN, 
Fish Culturist. 
New York Conservation Commission. 
Good Flint Corn 
W E have often referred to the flint corn grown 
in NeAA' England. Seine of the A'arieties haA’e 
been selected for a century or more, and have be¬ 
come fully adapted to the section in Avhich they 
are growm. Some of these varieties Avill produce 
a larger crop than any other grain which could be 
Wisconsin Seed Corn With a Guarantee. Fig. 4 
planted on the hard, hilly soil of New England. One 
such flint variety is pictured at Fig G and Mr. 
L. S. White of Connecticut thus .tells of it: 
This eight-rowed yellow flint corn shown was raised 
on one square rod in a field of 21/2 acres, measured and 
husked by Henry Spencer and R. C. Brown, the yield 
being at the rate of a little over 200 bushehs of ears 
to the acre. It was grown on land that was in corn in 
1915, Avith a light coat of manure in 1916, planted 
three feet each Avay, given good clean cultivation Avith- 
out commercial fertilizer. This was the heaviest yield¬ 
ing flint corn groAvn under ordinary farm conditions 
that I have ever tried out, this being the third year’s 
trial. 
A Sow that Came Back 
R. A. B. CORNWELL of Jefferson County, N. 
Y., sends us the picture shoAvn at Fig. 5. 
He says Avhen he first came to his farm this soav 
The Sow That Came Back. Fig. 5 
Avas about gone, but by feeding her properly, and 
giving her good care she has developed into a very 
profitable animal; but suppose we let him tell the 
story himself. 
When I came in possession of this soav March 1 it 
was just a living skeleton, could hardly get up and 
down, Avas so weak. I began feeding very carefully a 
feAv ground oats. I also fed a good condition poAvder. 
With a good bed of straw and good care she began to 
improve right along. The ration was soon changed to 
a mixture of ground oats and equal parts of corn and 
cob 'meal, together Avith a little separated milk and 
dishAvater. This was continued > ntil Avarm weather, 
Avhen she was put out to pasture, and Avas fed noth¬ 
ing but wh(>y from the cheese factory. 8he Avas bred 
to a good boar June 2, and on Sept. 25 had 1,3 nice 
pigs. I then began to feed her ground oats again. 
This is not the best feed for hogs, but I have them and 
mill feeds are very high. The pigs Avere Aveaned Avlum 
six to eight Aveeks old. She Avas again bred Nov. 30, 
and I am looking for a fine litter of pigs in the Spring. 
A Co-operative Seed Organization 
IIROUGH your interest in cooperative enter- 
pri.ses among farmers your readers may be 
plea.sed to knoAV of a successful plan carried out in 
Marinette County, Wisconsin, Avbereby farmers are 
enabled to obtain purebred grain and grass seed, 
suited to their locality, on a credit basis. The eu- 
5 
tire plan is carried out through the farmers, Avith 
the assistance qf country bankers. 
Farmers wishing .seed make their application to 
the association during the Winter or early .Spring. 
A board of trustees passes upon the application to 
determine whether it should be accepted, and if it 
is the .‘seed applied for is furnished at cost price, 
plus a slight charge for the expenses of the asso¬ 
ciation and tran.sportation. No payment doAvn is 
necessary at the time the seed is deliA-ered, although 
the buyer may pay the freight charges at that 
time if he AA'ishes. So far as i)ossible seed is bought 
from a farmer near the purchaser to fill any giA’en 
order. This is done for tAvo good reasons—first, to 
keep slupping costs Ioav, and second, because the 
seed is acclimated. All seed is delivered Avith a 
guarantee of the germination test, and the buyer 
is required in his contract to agree to treat the 
seed to i)roA'ent the possibility of the spread of 
plant life disease.s. 
Purchasers give bankable security and pay in¬ 
terest at the rate of six per cent. Payment is made 
in all ordinary cases after harvest—a long enough 
time afterAvnrd. so that the farmer has had time 
to 1 ‘ealize on his crop. IMo.st purchases not running 
into sums of larger than .$200 to .$.300, it is not a 
difficult matter to give sufficient security. A note 
signed by a responsible party is sufficient in most 
cases. 
Although it Avas late last Spring Avhen this plan 
Avas put into effect, a business of over .$5,000 Avas 
done for the current year, and indications ai’e next 
year a business of over $10,000 Avill be Avritten. Not 
only is the plan an accommodation to farmers de¬ 
siring purebred seed peculiarly adapted to their 
locality, for practically all purchases are made 
Avithin the county, but it is developing a good home 
market for the purebred seed business, and a very 
feAV years Avill shoAV splendid results in breeding 
up the quality of grains and gras.ses groAvn in the 
county, and in eliminating disea.ses peculiar to A^a- 
rious grains and grasses. 
This plan has been of benefit especially to the 
neAV settlers of IMarinette County. From 200 to 300 
families have been moving on neAV lands in the 
county each year for the past five years, and of 
course many of them need most of their ready funds 
Avith AA’hich to develop land and put up buildings. 
To be able to get the best grain and grass seed on 
a credit basis from their brother farmers is not 
only an accommodation, but a business iffan that 
kjiits the interest of the neAV settler to the com¬ 
munity in which he has taken up his home, and 
soon makes him an enthusiastic groAver of purebred 
seed. Avith Avhich to supply other ueAV settlers. 
NeAV York readers may be interested in knoAving 
that Ave have a fair-sized colony of former NeAV 
York farmers here Avho settled on noAv lands in this 
county a feAV years ago, and are prospering and 
gradually developing very good farms. Most of 
them are engaged in dairy farming. ii. i. av. 
Marinette, Wis. 
Curious Tree Growths 
OME of our people are sending pictures of cur¬ 
ious groAvths Avhich they have found in the 
Avoods or in orchards. Rome of them represent 
man’s Avork Avith Nature and others Nature’s Avork 
alone. Here is one from Michigan; 
I send you the picture of a curious growth in our 
woods. It is a birch tree growing on top of a pine 
.stump. The stump is three feet high and about the 
same at the bottom. A birch seed sprouted on the 
stump, and in groAving sent its roots down the side.s 
of the old stump into the ground below. The birch is 
about 12 inches at its base. frank padelt, sr. 
Michigan. 
Birch Tree Growing on Pine Stump. Fig. 3 
Good NewIEngland Flint Corn. Fig. 6 
