The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-10-29
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers.
BLUERERRY CULTURE.


stood 40 degrees below zero the past Winter
without showing any injury to the most tender
buds. The fruit ripens in this latitude aDou
the 1st of July, and is borne in clusters llkt
currants; shape round, color reddish purple
at first and becomes blueish black when July
ripened. The flavor is equal to the raspberry, 6
very mild, rich sub-acid, pronounced by mos
people delicious 1t may be served with sugar
and cream, and is splendid for pies or canned
for Winter use. The plant seems to flourish III
all soils and is an enormous bearer; VIII yleio
100 bushels per acre with ordinary culture Inc
fruit is quite firm and is shipped hundreds Of
miles successfully. The demand for the fruit
is great, and sold the past season for 10 cents
per quart at wholesale. The plant grows very
stocky and makes beautiful hedge, the shin
ing dark green leaves and the blue fruit making
q pleasant contrast. Plants are propagated
from root cuttings and should be transplanted
in October and November. To any one inter
ested in the culture of the blueberry, VIII
send free beautiful cut showing cluster OF
the fruit.-DELos STAPLES, West Sebewa, lonla
Co., Mich.
THIS YEARS CORN CROP.
The corn crop of 1885 is now estimated at
about 200O000000 bushels, by far the largest
quantity ever grown in the United States or
any other country in singleyear. This makes
corn, the great native American gram, easily
king of all our crops, value and bulk AT an
average price of only 40 cents bushel the crop
would he worth $500 100000, or at 30 cents,
$600.000.000. In weight there would be $1,000
600 tons of shelled corn, enough TO load 5,ooO-
600 freight cars of the smaller size or 2,ooooOO
of the largest cars used Taking mixed sizes,
there would be reqired TO move this enormous
crop of grain 100000, cars which would make
100000 very heavy freight trains and stretch,
on a single track something like $4,000 miles
in solid mass, or about far enough to belt the
globe at the equator. The amount of labor
necessary TO handle such a crop is as enormous
as its other statistics. To husk the whole crop
if it were all cut, would require the labor of
120,000,G90 men for a day or that of 100000
men for a month, working seven days in a
week. TO draw it all four miles to market
would require the services of 20 600 teams
for day or nearly 100000 teams for a month,
provided they worked hard every day and the
roads were good 1t would be easy to multiply
statistics showing the vastness of this tremen-
dous crop, but the mind can hardly imagine
such bulk in whatever form it may be put. 1t
is enough to know that no such crop has ever
been grown in any other country, and that it is
a matches monument alike TO the industry of
the American people, the fertility and inesti-
mable natural wealth of the United States and
to the usefulness and value of maize
A MARKET FOR THE BEST ALWAYS.
The same rule in putting up apples applies
that does in putting up potatoes. 1t is the
incest specimens that sell when the market is
overloaded. There is always demand for the
best, especially when well put up. This was
happily illustrated in the case of farmer who
went to market with basket of ripe tomatoes.
ha told rbat
ed, that the market was flooded with them.
But said the farmer, let me show them to you.
He carried them in, and the dealer was aston
ished TO find basket we'll filled with tomatoes,
every one OF which was thoroughly ripe and
perfectly smooth and the whole trimmed with
fresh leaves from the plants. The temptation
was too great. Yes, said he, want these, and
will pay good price, which he did, notwith-
standing he had plenty on hand at the time.
WHAT A STEER COSTS.
A l,500-pound steer represents about 125
bushels of corn, besides grass. To the Eastern
farmer this steer would cost more than he is
worth, while TO the Westctn farmer there is a
fine margin on him delivered in New York at
$50 to $50, a common price for the best steers
in these depressed times-and the beef in the
carcass can be laid down in London at this
price. The future will find this dead meat
transportation so perfect that cattle will be
slaughtered where fattened, and start on their
long journey in refrigerating cars. The time
is near at hand when the Western farmer will
cheaper the production of this ], 800 to ]. 500
pound steer at least so by improving the
economy of its feeding We believe the amount
of this dead-meat trade with Europe will be
increased tenfold in the next % years.-National
Lire Stock Journal.
NoTELETS.
Lime is not only essential to the soil, but
also to stock, and should the food supplied be
deficient in that element the stock will be def
cent in bone. For every 100 parts of phos-
phoric acid in bone there are 120 parts of lime
A herd of cows in Germany having only soft
water to drink were affected with disease
called bone brittleness, but when the herd was
supplied with hard water the disease disap-
peared.
Give plenty of room in the stalls. Horses
and cattle need rest in recTmbent position
just as much as men, says the Prairie Farmer
1t is not only exceedingly cruel, but the great
est unwisdom to place them in such narrow
stalls. or to so tie them that they cannot lie
down easily and rest.
= In deciding the question whether to sell
the corn out of the field, or crib and hold till
Spring, good points" TO be considered are.
first, corn will shrink 10 per cent. in drying
out between husking time and May; rats and
mice will destroy at least 10 per cent more in
any ordinary crib 1t must also be counted in
interest OH your money.
In feeding roots it is very important that
they be sliced. especially when given to cattle.
Ii the weather becomes cold it is best to keep
the frozen roots in water over night in order to
draw out the frost. Then sprinkle with meal
and small portion of salt.
The chief difficulty in teaching calves to
drink from the pail arises from two great haste.
Let the calf become hungry, warm the food to
the temperature of new milk, give it the finger
TO suck, but only for a moment, and the calf is
easily taught 20 drink.
The mulberry and peach are both quick
growing trees, and are among the best to plant
in poultry yard for securing shade. The hens
will also assist in DIES. roying the insects that
attack the trees, as well as fertiIizing the
ground around them.
Somebody claims TO have discovered new
use for peaches in the making of peach wine
1t is said to be the finest favored wine ever
discovered, and bids fair to become favorite
and profitable beverage.
Although the rich soil of Holland is worth
from $500 TO $500 per acre, large portion is
devoted 10 pastura2e and meadow. She feeds
over 10000 head OF cattle, although her area
is only 100000 acres, and produces annually
2l,0O0,000 pounds of cheese and 100000
pounds of butter. The cows used have been
carefully bred for centuries for producing the
largest yield Of milk, and are now unexcelled
"A bushel of corn, when compacted into
lard or cheese or butter says the New Orleans
Tsmes-DemOcrat can find its market anywhere
in the world where the cost Of sending the corn
itself would make a market for it impossible.