1892 
THE  RURAL  NEW-YORKER 
127 
Eye  Winkers. 
LIFE  IS  GOOD. 
They  come,  they  pass,  with  snow-soft  feet, 
And  deathless  youth  illumes  their  eyes  ; 
Alike  to  them  are  chaff  and  wheat, 
Alike  the  foolish  and  the  wise, 
They  bring  the  wound,  they  bring  the  balm, 
They  light  our  smiles,  they  dry  our  tears  ; 
Careless  of  death  or  life,  the  calm 
Servants  of  time,  the  patient  years. 
The  winds  that  rend  and  strew  the  rose 
Dissolve  the  sweetness  through  the  air; 
This  wind  of  time  that  beats  and  blows 
Leaves  all  the  past  still  fragrant  fair. 
Though  hopes  may  fall  and  hearts  may  break. 
And  fruitless  all  the  striving  be, 
One  golden  gift  Is  left  to  make 
Man's  bliss  consoling  memory. 
Hall  and  farewell,  farewell  and  hail  1 
The  going  and  the  coming  guest, 
Welcome  to  daybreak's  shining  sail, 
As  to  the  night  beyond  the  Westl 
The  years  may  come,  the  years  may  go. 
And  bring  the  sad  or  merry  mood; 
Merry  or  sad,  one  thing  we  know, 
That  life  is  good,  ah,  life  is  good  ! 
—New  York  Sun. 
“  Chocolate  Baby  scholarship.”— The  Tuske- 
gee  Normal  School  at  Tuskegee,  Ala.,  Is  “  devoted  to 
the  education  of  the  colored  youth  in  agriculture  and 
industrial  arts  and  as  teachers  of  their  race.”  The 
students  print  a  little  paper  called  The  Southern 
Letter.  In  a  recent  issue  this  characteristic  note  oc¬ 
curs:  “What  is  known  as  the  ‘Chocolate  Baby 
Scholarship  ’  has  been  established  for  this  year.  We 
wish  we  were  at  liberty  to  give  the  full  history  of  this 
interesting  scholarship,  but  it  is  right  to  say  that 
ltev,  S.  J.  Barrows  is  at  the  bottom  of  it.  In  one  re¬ 
spect  the  ‘  colored  ’  race  has  the  advantage  of  all 
others— it  is  not  conflned  to  one  color.  Its  mem¬ 
bers  represent  all  the  colors  of  the  rainbow.  So  a 
chocolate-colored  student  will  be  given  the  benefit 
of  the  “Chocolate  Baby  Scholarship.”  Whenever  a 
member  of  any  of  the  other  races  is  a  little  *  off  ’  in 
color,  we  claim  him.” 
Farming  Pays  on  This  Wisconsin  Farm.— With 
a  little  more  clear  knowledge  on  our  part,  which  we 
gradually  hope  to  gain,  and  with  the  words  Intensive 
farming  in  the  foreground,  backed  by  the  sensible 
conclusions  which  Mr.  Terry  arrived  at  long  ago— to 
use  no  more  land  than  we  can  successfully  handle, 
devote  some  more  of  our  time  for  recreation  than  we 
now  do,  have  grit  enough  to  make  a  break  in  the 
everlasting  work  that  now  surrounds  us,  take  a  day 
off  occasionally,  and,  if  possible,  find  some  cozy  and 
attractive  spot  to  play  lawn  tennis  during  suitable 
weather— farm  life  will  be  more  successful  and  cheer¬ 
ful.  *  We  have  not  as  yet  made  any  preparation  for 
tennis  on  our  farm,  but  next  summer,  if  I  live,  will 
witness  such  a  scene  as  is  suggested  and  pictured  on 
the  front  page  of  The  Rural  of  August  1, 1891.  Two 
hundred  Scotch  Pine  evergreen  trees  planted  princi¬ 
pally  for  a  windbreak  on  our  prairie  near  our  build¬ 
ings,  a  well-kept  and  large  asparagus  bed,  tipped 
with  numerous  rose  bushes  near  the  house,  Rosa 
rugosas  with  their  wonderful,  thick  leaves  standing 
guard,  as  it  were,  hundreds  of  pansy  plants  in  a  cold- 
frame  silently  facing  the  from-two-to-twelve-below- 
zero  weather,  large,  smooth  R.  N.-Y.  Potatoes  in  a 
scrupulously  clean  cellar,  a  few  well-kept  Jersey 
cows,  good  feed  and  lots  of  it,  fed  to  them  In  a  warm 
stable,  are  some  of  the  results  of  hints  and  sugges¬ 
tions  given  to  us  through  The  Rural,  and  all  these 
go  far  towards  breaking  up  the  monotony  of  farm  life 
and  contribute  to  the  comforts  and  pleasures  of  the 
family.  j.  v.  l. 
Hit  Him  Again. — Nothing  that  I  have  read  for 
some  time  has  given  me  more  satisfaction  than  the 
arraignment  which  appeared  in  a  late  Rural  of 
8.  C.  Hall’s  insulting  letter  of  January  16,  “Do  farm¬ 
ers  want  free  delivery?”  Of  course  there  are  some 
kinds  of  business,  as  H.  C.  Harvey  suggested,  that 
free  delivery  might  Injure;  but  put  the  question  of 
free  delivery  to  the  farmers  who  work  from  early 
morn  till  late  at  night,  and  who  live  two  or  three  miles 
from  the  post  office,  and  let  them  answer;  but  let  the 
townsmen  keep  their  hands  off.  As  for  the  expense, 
it  is  manifestly  cheaper  for  one  man  to  deliver  all  the 
mall  on  a  certain  street  than  for  20  or  80  families  to 
separately  send  to  the  post  office  for  their  almanacs 
and  other  “  Important  missives.”  keakitis. 
Here's  a  Sour  Spirit. — If  the  farmers  who  are 
accommodated  by  a  certain  post  office  wish  their 
mall  delivered  to  them  regularly,  say  once  a  day 
why  don't  they  hire  a  carrier  and  put  their  hands 
into  their  own  pockets  and  pay  him  for  his  services  ? 
That  would  show  that  they  were  In  earnest  about 
this  matter.  That  they  do  not  do  this  but  simply 
rise  up  on  their  hind  legs  and  howl  for  a  “  share  of 
the  pork,”  shows  pretty  conclusively  that  those 
farmers  who  are  clamoring  for  “  free  delivery  ”  of 
mail  matter  look  upon  the  contents  of  Uncle  Sam’s 
strong  box  as  legitimate  plunder,  and  that  he  who  is 
most  successful  in  looting  it  is  the  best  fellow.  There 
is  no  reason  under  the  sun  why  farmers  should  not 
have  their  mail  delivered  to  them  as  often  as  they 
are  willing  to  pay  for  the  service.  They  are  indebted, 
in  a  majority  of  instances,  to  the  cities  for  such  facili¬ 
ties  as  they  now  enjoy;  that  is  to  say,  if  they  enjoyed 
to-day  only  such  postal  service  as  they  pay  for,  their 
accommodation,  instead  of  being  greater  than  at 
present,  would  be  a  great  deal  less.  G.  n.  l. 
Referring  to  a  notice  of  the  earnings  of  the  New 
York  Central  Railway,  In  which  The  Rural  New- 
Yorker  thought  concessions  to  the  public  were  in 
order,  the  Farmers’  Weekly  says  as  follows: 
Knowing  the  above  to  be  true  and  dozens  of  other 
statements  regarding  the  merciless  extortions  of 
greedy  corporations  and  syndicates,  allowed  by  dis¬ 
criminating  laws,  why  does  The  Rural  still  insist 
that  Ignorance  and  missapplied  energy  are  the  cause 
of  agricultural  depression. 
The  Rural  New-Yorker  has  never  insisted  that 
“ignorance  and  misapplied  energy”  were  the  only 
causes  of  agricultural  depression,  as  our  esteemed 
contemporary  would  seem  to  Imply,  but  that  they  are 
prominent  contributing  factors.  Does  our  contem¬ 
porary  desire  to  be  placed  on  record  as  believing  that 
these  things  are  not  working  Incalculable  harm  to 
farmers  ? 
“  Shall  we  salt  the  hens?”  I  answer  no,  despite 
the  fact  that  the  recent  consensus  of  opinion  in  The 
Rural  was  numerically  In  favor  of  it.  Mr.  Williams 
says  he  “  presumes  it  to  be  beneficial  in  soft  feed,” 
though  he  never  uses  It.  Mr.  Jacobs  is  more  positive, 
and  says  hens  and  other  animals  require  it.  Knarp 
Bros,  say  that  a  little  salt  is  “essential.”  Mr.  Wyckct 
says  a  “  proper  amount  ts  quite  beneficial  to  them.” 
So  much  for  these  statements,  which  are  rather  dog¬ 
matic  in  tone.  What  I  want  to  know  is  “  Why  do  hens 
need  salt?”  The  scientists  say  salt  is  an  “acrid 
poison,"  and  we  all  know  that  a  little  too  much  will 
kill  a  hen  or  a  hog  with  neatness  and  dispatch.  It 
puzzles  me  to  understand  why  It  is  necessary  to  give 
a  hen  salt,  an  article  which  is  not  a  food,  but  a  poison. 
I  want  to  know  what  salt  does,  or  what  the  hen  does 
with  the  salt.  I  want  to  know  how  It  is  useful.  I 
don't  want  any  man’s  ipse  dixit,  but  a  rational,  scien¬ 
tific  demonstration  of  the  theory.  I  know  that  men 
and  women,  horses  and  hogs,  and  hens,  too,  can  live 
for  years  In  perfect  health  without  it— that  can  be 
easily  proved.  Then  why  give  it  to  the  hens,  even  in 
minute  quantities  ?  That's  what  I  want  to  know  ? 
ICONOCLAST. 
At  a  county  fair  in  New  England  a  farmer  made  a 
good  display  of  fruits  and  vegetables  marked  “Raised 
on  an  Abandoned  Farm.”  The  farmer  said  he  de¬ 
lighted  in  farming.  The  Youth’s  Companion  records 
this  conversation: 
“  Oh  yes,”  said  one  bystander,  somewhat  contemp¬ 
tuously,  “  he’s  farming  for  the  love  of  it.” 
“And  I  imagine,”  said  another  bystander,  “that  if 
the  farmer  who  had  the  place  before  this  man  took  it 
had  farmed  a  little  more  for  the  love  of  it,  he  wouldn't 
have  had  any  occasion  to  go  off  and  leave  it.” 
There  was  sound  philosophy  In  this  remark.  Many 
an  “  abandoned  farm,”  if  Its  true  history  were  known, 
would  be  found  to  be  deserted  simply  because  the 
owner  did  not  enter  with  zest  upon  the  work  needed 
to  make  It  profitable.  He  did  not  know  how,  and  was 
too  indolent  to  learn;  or  he  knew,  and  was  too  indif¬ 
ferent  to  adopt  the  means  necessary  to  ensure  suc¬ 
cess. 
Artificial  Rain  in  South 
Dakota. 
A  large  und  enthusiastic  meeting  of 
farmers  from  Drown,  Spink,  Roadie, 
Kingsbury  and  Clark  Counties  was  held 
at  Doland,  Spink  County,  on  Monday, 
January  25,  1892,  for  the  purpose  of  hear¬ 
ing  A.  D.  Montgomery,  a  representative 
of  the  Artificial  Rain  Company,  of  Good- 
land,  Kan.  lie  came  here  at  the  request 
of  a  citizens’  committee  and  briefly  stated 
what  he  proposed  to  do  and  how  he  would 
do  it.  The  first  part  of  his  address  was 
mainly  to  combat  the  skepticism  on  the 
subject  of  artificial  rain  making,  and 
show  that  it  had  passed  from  the  domain 
of  fancy  to  that  of  fact.  He  was,  however, 
very  careful  to  explain  that  he  did  not 
really  intend  to  'produce  rain,  thereby 
interfering  with  the  province  of  the 
Almighty,  but  simply  to  precipitate  mois¬ 
ture,  and  was  quite  positive  in  his  assur¬ 
ance  that  he  could  do  this.  He  then  gave 
some  statistics  showing  that  the  average 
rainfall  in  the  Jim  Valley,  in  which  we 
are  situated,  was  about  17  or  18  inches 
annually,  and  that  he  thought  too  little 
to  make  a  successful  farming  country,  a 
fact  with  which  we  were  painfully  famil¬ 
iar  ;  but,  he  said,  with  24  to  30  inches,  it 
could  be  classed  as  a  good  agricultural 
country  so  far  as  rain  was  concerned,  and 
he  proposed  to  supply  that  deficiency. 
After  much  discussion  in  which  busi¬ 
ness  and  buncombe  were  pretty  well 
mixed,  it  was  resolved  to  appoint  a  com¬ 
mittee  of  five  from  each  county  to  discuss 
the  financial  part  of  it,  and  if  satisfied,  to 
make  a  contract  with  him.  The  com¬ 
mittee  finally  agreed  to  contract  with 
him  to  give  a  trial  shower  some  time  in 
April  or  May  and  if  successful  they  pro¬ 
pose  to  buy  his  secret.  The  trial  rain 
will  cost  $(500  and  the  secret  $2,500  for 
each  county.  To  make  up  the  former 
sum  it  is  proposed  to  solicit  subscriptions 
from  any  one,  and  for  the  latter  the  farm¬ 
ers  are  to  give  their  notes  and  security 
for  10  cents  an  acre  of  crop.  Such  is  the 
latest  scheme  launched  in  South  Dakota. 
I  understand  that  the  man  has  also  con¬ 
tracted  with  some  other  counties  further 
West  and  is  in  treaty  with  others.  The 
point  on  which  the  whole  thing  turns  is 
whether  or  not  he  can  produce  the  rain. 
Shakespeare’s  hero  said : 
I  can  call  spirits  from  the  vasty  deep 
And  summon  them  before  me; 
nut — did  they  come? 
We  have  yet  to  know  whether  our  rain¬ 
maker  will  be  any  more  successful.  It 
seems  a  pity  that  so  much  money  should 
be  spent  on  probably  half  a  dozen  trial 
showers  in  South  Dakota  when  one  would 
be  quite  sufficient.  The  whole  thing  is 
either  going  to  be  a  big  humbug  or  a  big 
bonanza  for  South  Dakota.  A  proper 
amount  of  moisture  will  give  a  full  crop 
and  a  full  crop  means  prosperity  not  only 
to  the  farmer  but  to  every  branch  of 
business  in  the  State.  This  Rain  Com¬ 
pany  of  Goodland,  Kansas,  expects  to 
have  its  system  in  operation  in  the  semi- 
arid  belt  from  the  Dakotas  to  the  Pan¬ 
handle,  and  if  successful  it  will  probably 
supplant  the  artesian  wells  for  irriga¬ 
tion.  F.  MACALPINE. 
NORTHERN  GROWN  SEEDS. 
REET0MAT0.I 
A  Pepfeet  fflarvel 
The  ONLY  TRUE  TREE  TOMATO 
flffar  Mn  If)  This  is  the  only  variety  that  enn 
Ullcl  n lli  IU ■  lny  claim  to  the  title  of  “Tree 
few  HEIGHT  OF  10  or  12  FEET, 
and  produces  fruit  of  nn  immense  size  nnd  of  the 
Finest  Flavor.  At  (m  enormous  price  we  pur¬ 
chased  the  true  stock  of  this  tomato  from  the 
originator,  and  this  seed  CAN  be  PROCURED  only 
from  us.  It  is  ornamental  as  well  as  useful. 
Two  or  three  of  these  plants  will  make  a  wonderful 
display,  nnd  if  cared  for,  will  produce  all  the 
tomutoes  one  family  can  use.  Single  specimens 
often  measure  over  6  inches  in  diame¬ 
ter  and  weigrh  over  3  lbs.  Tho  demand  for 
this  rare  novelty  last  season  was  grouter  than  the 
supply  Send  in  your  order  early  this  year. 
J  FLOWER  and  VEGETABLE  SEEDSFRFP 
TO  READERS  OF  THIS  PAPER.  ?  Iv 
iiiiiini  i!  i  j„  order  to  induce  every  reader  of  this  paper  to 
test  Northern  Grown  Seeds,  wo  will  givo,  Iroe  of 
charge  to  evory  person  who  sends  us  25  cents  in 
silver  or  postal  note  for  a  packet  of  this  rare  to¬ 
mato.  and  names  this  paper  und  number  of  offer,  a 
COUPON  that  entitles  them  to  a  collection  of 
either  ilowor  or  vegotablo  seods,  which  at  our  cata¬ 
logue  prices  amounts  to  15  conts.  We  make  this 
LIBERAL  OFFER  SIMPLY  to  INTRODUCE  NORTHERN 
Grown  Seeds  into  all  sections.  Tho  seods  will  bo 
I  sent  to  you  post-paid  on  return  of  tho  coupon  to  us. 
GRAND  KlPRIGHT  PIANO  “r  $650 
and  thpusands  of  valuable  premiums 
will  l)o  distributed  among  our  patrons  this  year. 
Our  catalogue  will  tell  you  how  to  got  them. 
0*JR  CATALOGUE  for  this  season  is  by  far 
tho  most  complete  over  published,  containing 
colored  plates  nnd  hundreds  of  illustrations.  It  is 
a  thoroughly  reliable  guide,  nnd  a  book  that  no 
person  who  uses  soods  or  plants  should  bo  with¬ 
out.  Price,  25  cents.  This  book  will  bo  sent 
FREE  to  all  who  order  a  package  of  the 
Mansfield  Tomato. 
“  The  Chicago  Inter-Ocean  ”  says : 
We  are  in  roceipt  of  a  basket  of  Tree 
Tomatoes;  not  one  weighed  less  than 
a  pound.  The  fruit  is  solid,  fluvor 
delicious.  Many  weigh  2  lbs. 
BROMUS  INERMI  S— The  grass  for  drouth  stricken  districts  and  dry  soils. 
EARLY  BUTLER  CO  RN- The  earliest  yellow  dent  vuriety  in  cultivation. 
L.L.M AYai*pC0.  ST  PAULMINN. 
m 
To  every  person  sending  tis  25c.  for  a  packet  of  the  Mans-  | 
_  field  Tree  Tomato,  anil  naming  paper,  we  will  give  FREB  _ 
packet  of  the  Extra  Early  Tree  Tomato,  which  is  being  sold  by  other  firms  at 
per  packet.  This  is  in  addition  to  the  coupon.  MAY  &  CO.,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 
iSi 
KEMP’S  MANURE  SPREADER 
PULVERIZES  THE  FINEST.  EASIEST  IN  DRAFT. 
Most  rapid  in  work.  Its  manufacture  has  reached  the  highest 
degree  of  perfection.  Over  NOOO  of  these  celebrated  Spreaders 
In  actual  use.  References  furnished  from  every  State  from 
reliable  farmers  who  have  used  them  from  1  to  10  years.  Sold  on 
Its  merits.  Valuable  Improvement*!  for  18112.  Write  for 
illustrated  circulars  to  HK.lll'  «fc  BIIKPEE  MANIJF’G  CO., 
SYRACUSE,  N.  V.,  the  largest  and  oldest  manufacturers  of 
Manure  Spreaders  in  the  world. 
WHAT’STHE gif? 
MATTER?1 
FARM  \M 
COVERED  ^ 
stumps: 
W orks  on  cither  Standing  Timber  or  Stump*.  PulTn 
an  ordinary  Grub  in  one  and  a  half  minute*.  Makes  ;* 
clean  sweep  of  two  acres  at  a  sitting.  A  man,  a  boy  and  a  horse 
can  operate  it.  No  heavy  chains  or  rods  to  handle.  The  crop 
on  a  few  acres  the  first  year  will  pay  for  the  Machine.  You  cart 
not  longer  afford  to  pay  taxes  on  unproductive  timber  land. 
Clear  it,  raise  a  bountiful  crop  with  less  labor  and  recuperato 
your  old  worn  out  land  by  pasturing.  It  will  only  cost  you  » 
postal  card  to  send  for  an  illustrated  Catalogue,  giving  price* 
terms  and  testimonials.  Address  the  Manufacturers. 
JAMES  MILNE  &  SON,  SCOTCH  GROVE,  I0W K. 
Three  Times  one  is  — one. 
THE  IMPROVED 
DISC 
.HARROW 
4  Does  the  work  of 
Three 
F  Machines 
at  once. 
With  Adjustable 
Seeder  attachment, 
&  ^fsaa 
and  Covers. 
ngs 
pairs.  Double  Levers  fit  hilly  ground. 
Sows  any  kind  of  Seed.  Saves  its  cost  every 
year.  Once  seen— it’s  Keystone  or  nothing. 
Send  for  Harrow  book,  “ The  Reason  Why," 
Free.  Mention  this  paper. 
KEYSTONE  MFG.  CO., 
Branches:  Sterling,  III. 
Kansas  Oity,  Mo.  St.  Louis,  Mo 
Council  Bluffs,  la.  Columbus,  O. 
YOUR  OWN  HARNESS 
WITH 
THOMSON’S 
SLOTTED 
wiaiiwia  l\l  V  t  I  O* 
No  tools  required.  Only  a  hammer  needed 
to  drive  and  clinch  them  easily  and  quickly; 
leaving  the  clinch  absolutely  smooth.  Re¬ 
quiring  no  hole  to  ho  mado  in  the  leat  her  nor 
bu.rr nMo.ti‘.erRivol:?’„ ■  They  ar0  STRONG,  TOUGH 
and  DURABLE.  Millions  now  in  use.  All 
lengths,  uniform  or  assorted,  put  up  in  boxes. 
.  Ask  your  denier  for  them,  or  send  40c. 
in  stamps  for  a  box  of  100;  assorted  sizes. 
MANUFACTURED  BY 
JUDSON  L.  THOMSON  MFC.  CO., 
Waltham,  Mass. 
WILLIS* 
SAPSPOUT. 
_  In  one  piece  withhook. 
J  Greatly  improv’d  this  season. 
Send  J]  Tho  best  ever  made.  More  used  every 
for  year  than  all  others  combined.  Also 
circular.  full  line  of  other  Maple  Sugar  Good* 
CHARLES  MILLAR  &  SON,  Utica,  N.Y. 
ILLUSTRATED 
PAMPHLETS 
and  MAPS  relative  in 
VIRGINIA, 
The  Coming  Great  Agricultural.  Wool  Growing  and 
Iron  Producing  District  of  the  United  States,  will  be 
sent  FREE  on  application  to 
TRAFFIC  DEFT.  IV.  <fc  W.  R.  R., 
Roanoke,  Va. 
POTATOES 
560  BUSHELS  PER  ACRE.] 
You  can  produce  the  same  yield  if  you 
will  follow  the  advice  and  buy  the  seed  of 
the  “GILT-EDGED  FARMER.” 
“Secrets  of  Success” 
will  tell  you  how.  Write  for  full  particu¬ 
lars.  H.  H.  DEWEESE,  Piqua,0. 
WOOD 
ASHES 
PURE  UNLEACHED. 
Order  direct  from  Canada. 
W  Write  for  free  pamphlet. 
F.  R.  L  A  LOR,  Dunnvllle,  Ont. 
