346 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
MAY 2 
Subsoil Plow a Failure. 
F. Hodgman, Kalamazoo County, 
Mich.— Subsoil plowing in this vicinity is 
not a success. It has not proved of value 
in any instance within nay knowledge, 
while in some cases it has proved a posi¬ 
tive damage. My father in law subsoiled 
one field and planted it with corn. This 
was a failure. It was a good corn year, 
and no other reason except the subsoiling 
can be assigned for the failure. It was a 
number of years before the field could be 
brought to produce as good crops as it did 
before it had been subsoiled. It was a case 
of diluting a rich surface mold with a 
poorer if not worthless earth from below. 
It is perhaps needless to add that the sub¬ 
soil plow was discarded on that farm. 
That Sweet Corn Succession. 
G. C. B, Ellington, Conn.— If E. P. C , 
Block Island, R. I., see page 293, had 
planted a second planting of Cory Corn from 
three to five days later than the first plant¬ 
ing, and had planted four quarts of Shaker’s 
Early, I think he would have had no trouble 
in obtaining a succession. The Shaker’s 
Eirly is one of the best second early sweet 
corns ever grown either for home use or 
market, when planted at the same time as 
the Cory ; then, a few days later, a second 
planting should be made of Cory. Then the 
Shaker’s Early will be ready by the time the 
Cory is gone. I have never raised sweet 
corn for a summer hotel; but I raise it for 
market, and carry sometimes 75 dozen ears 
to market at once. I go to market twice a 
week. The stalks grow a little taller than 
those of the Cory ; but the ears are nearly 
as large as those of the Evergreen. I have 
never grown Crosby. I have grown Cory, 
Marblehead, Shaker’s Early, Egyptian, 
Gold Coiu and Evergreen. I cannot say that 
I like Gold Coin; it takes very strong land 
and grows very large stalks, and is rather 
late. I have grown Ballard’s Early only 
. upon a small scale and think it as good as 
the Cory. 
A Word for the Catalogue Men. 
W. C., Clabkk County, Ohio.— I think 
The Rural is much too hard on the 
catalogue men. There is too much novel 
reading in these times; most people like 
some exaggeration, and would not have their 
interest excited without it. I have not 
seen, however, anything equal to Nature in 
any of them, and I have seven or eight of 
the best. I have expended about $50 in the 
last two years on flowers, papers, etc., and 
consider the money well laid out. Most of 
our people here are indifferent to the sub¬ 
jects of floriculture, gardening and horti¬ 
culture, and their town lots are mostly 
small lawns, and very little attempt has 
been made at anything but grass and 
gravel walk, even by persons of wealth. 
With many young people it is a task to 
care for flowers, and looked upon as 
unprofitable. The climate is blamed for 
want of success with fruits, whereas it is 
evident that ignorance and neglect have 
been the causes of failures. We have some 
local florists who make a nice show 
for a limited demand, and who are strug¬ 
gling upward to a nice business. With a 
fertile country we can hope the day is not 
far distant when there will be an improve¬ 
ment in the demand for fruits and flowers. 
R. N.-Y.—A certain amount of exaggera¬ 
tion is pardonable in these times of gross 
exaggeration, it may be true. When, how¬ 
ever, the article offered is so much exag¬ 
gerated that the purchaser finds he has an 
old plant at a high price in the place of a 
novelty, it is going too far. No one can 
justify florists or seedsmen in changing 
the names of the plants or seeds they sell, 
or in puffing up to the skies the merits of 
comparatively worthless productions. 
Mortgaged Farmers at Institutes. 
Fred Grundy, Christian County, III. 
—I notice that very few of the poor farm¬ 
ers—those who are wrestling with stal¬ 
wart mortgages and are down at the heel 
generally—attend the institutes. Many of 
these men have never heard of them, while 
I have heard some declare that they are 
“meetin’s gotten up by big-bug farmers 
and stud-hoss men, where they can blow 
their horns and advertise their fine stock 
and wealth 1” Quite a number of the 
more intelligent poor farmers would like 
very much to attend them, but feel that 
they can’t afford to remain away from 
home three or four days “on expenses,” 
and leave the feeding and care of their 
stock to wife or a neighbor. 
It seems to me that the great majority 
of these men can be reached only by what 
might be termed “school-house mission¬ 
aries ”—men and women who reside in the 
county and who can talk well and give good, 
sound advice on general farm and house¬ 
hold topics. I am aware that the agricul¬ 
tural papers do the latter part of this 
business, but the trouble is these men 
don’t read the agricultural papers. Such 
men and women “missionaries” as I have 
mentioned can be found in almost any en¬ 
lightened community, and if they could 
be induced to take up the work they would 
accomplish a great deal of go6d. Such 
work as this might be arranged for at the 
regular institutes and the “missionaries” 
selected and instructed in the best 
methods of conducting their meetings. 
In Presidential campaigns the work of 
organizing, distributing campaign litera¬ 
ture and counting noses is carried on very 
efficiently in almost every school district. 
While the leading orators and big-guns 
confine their efforts to the cities, the fol¬ 
lowing orators and squirts harangue the 
tillers of the soil in the school houses. The 
whole matter is so thoroughly systemized 
and worked out that the leaders—those 
who are on the “inside”—know almost to 
a certainty what the result will be before 
a vote is cast. 
Only in this way can the poorer class 
of farmers be reached and instructed in 
improved methods of husbandry. Intelli¬ 
gent men and women school-house workers 
could do much toward giving this class a 
start in the right direction if they would 
adopt the tactics of political campaign 
managers. 
Let Us Slick Up. 
H. N. P., Jackson County, Mich.— In 
driving through the country and noticing 
the premises of our farmers, especially the 
surroundings of the houses and barns, it is 
• surprising and even shocking in some in¬ 
stances to note how the yards are allowed 
to accumulate and retain all manner of 
decaying and unsightly rubbish. Ancient 
chicken-coops, brush-piles, and the thou¬ 
sand and one pieces of broken and dis¬ 
carded machinery are given a prominence 
that can be little less than repelling to any 
person with half an eye for neatness, not to 
mention at all any appreciation of the 
beautiful. The passer-by, who judges of 
the family from outside appearances, too 
often pronounces his verdict, “ A shiftless 
family 1” from no other than the above 
reasons; and it cannot be denied that the 
condition of the farm-yard is generally a 
true index to the whole farm management. 
Not only does duty call for neatness, but 
we positively owe this much to our family 
and neighbors. What profits one man 
somewhat profits his fellow men also; 
men of thrift are as beneficial to a commu¬ 
nity as the reverse are detrimental. Each 
soon has his followers. So, then, a fine 
premises calls for others. Aside from 
the example we give to our neigh¬ 
bors, there is brought into the home 
an influence for good that can hardly 
be estimated. If we wish to bring up our 
sons and daughters imbued with lasting 
love for the old farm-home ; if we wish to 
inculcate principles of thrift and economy 
that will ripen to bless and prosper our 
children, and if we wish to cultivate in the 
minds of our loved ones the high ideals of 
country life, its purity, beauty, and free¬ 
dom ; then now is the time to begin when 
the mind is young and open to example 
and precept. 
Though children may never murmur, yet 
they are sensitive and critical of their 
parents’ conduct, a fact that naturally 
broadens into a criticism of home, out-of- 
doors as well as within. This disposition 
early produces likes and dislikes that are 
difficult to overcome even after the cause is 
removed, and who is responsible for our 
sons’ and daughters’ unnatural dislike of 
home ? Who, I say, should bear the blame 
when the son prefers the chance of city life 
to the quiet of his father’s farm, or the 
daughter the stifling air of factories and 
shops to the glad sunshine and pure air of 
her country home ? Parents cannot be too 
thoughtful and considerate in these mat. 
ters. 
In conclusion, I have but one little sug¬ 
gestion to offer: Go out into the road and 
make an observation, not forgetting to be 
as critical of your own yard as you might 
be of your neighbor’s. Then you are ready 
to return and slick up. A second observa¬ 
tion taken from the rear, with the remedy 
repeated, may prove beneficial. Finally, 
let us remember, that a beautiful country 
home is within the reach of every farmer, 
though ever so humble, and that its in¬ 
fluence on the character of the child is far 
more wholesome than that of all the gay 
fashions of city life combined. 
Germination of Tomato Seeds. 
H. M. Engle, Lancaster County, Pa. 
—On page 228 the editor asks a question 
about the germination of seeds of crossed 
tomatoes as compared with that of others 
that had not been crossed. We are told 
that those crossed were unripe and yet 
germinated in advance of those not 
crossed. The question is whether this pre¬ 
cocity was owing to the immature seeds 
or to their hybridlty. The case, in my 
opinion, is a plain one; the result was not 
a consequense of the hybridization of the 
seeds but of their immaturity. This fact 
may be proved with almost any, if not all 
seeds. For instance, cut wheat just as the 
kernel passes from the milky to the 
doughy state, then let some get dead-ripe, 
let both dry and sow them at the same 
time, and the former will be above ground 
a few days before the latter. The cause of 
this, no doubt, is that on the early cut the 
shell or bran is thin and tender; while on 
the late it is thick and woody. I am quite 
confident that these conditions hold good 
with all seeds provided they are properly 
cared for when gathered. If I had my 
choice, I would at any time buy seeds that 
had been gathered and cured as early as 
possible without shriveling. All observing 
planters must have noticed that the sooner a 
seed or plant gets above ground after it 
has been sown or planted, the more 
vigorous it will grow, and that all coming 
up latest will remain behind all the season. 
At the same time I would not claim that 
seeds of a tender nature would withstand 
cold, wet or inclement weather as well as 
those which are more mature. This theo¬ 
ry may not be considered orthodox; but 
any one can prove or disprove the truth of 
it for himself. 
Ensilage vs. Roots. 
W. F. Massey, Wake County, N. C.—I 
agree with Prof. Morrow that it costs en¬ 
tirely too much to grow, harvest, store and 
feed root crops. The feeding of such crops 
in this country would have died out long 
ago, but for the constant Immigration of 
farmers from England and Scotland, who 
land here with roots “on the brain,” and 
it takes them a long time to learn that our 
Indian corn is worth more than any sort of 
root crop. In fact some of them with an 
Englishman’s prejudice in favor of every¬ 
thing English keep on growing roots when 
they are fully aware that they are losing 
money at it. How any man, who has ever 
(Continued on next page.) 
Advertisers treat all correspondents 
well if they mention The Rural New- 
Yorker. 
Spring 
Medicine 
Is so important that 
everybody knows its ne¬ 
cessity and value. And 
there is nothing so pop¬ 
ular and so successful 
for the purpose, as 
Hood’s 
Sarsaparilla 
Eveb^otheb 
Should Have ii in The House, 
Dropped on Sugar, Children Love 
to take Johnson’s Anodyne Liniment for Croup,Colds, 
Sore Throat, Tonsilitis, Colic, Cramps and Pains. Re¬ 
lieves all Summer Complaints, Cutsand Bruises like 
magic. Sold every where. Price 35c. by mail; 6 bottles 
Express jjaid, $U. I. S. J OHN SON & CO., Boston, Mass. 
'B»s 
'PAINLESS - EFFECTUAL 
FOR 
BILIOUS 1 NERVOUS 
DISORDERS, 
Such as Wind and Pain in the Stomach, 
1 Giddiness, Fullness, Swelling after Meals, 
1 Dizziness, Drowsiness.Cold Chills. Flushings 
I of Heat, Loss of Appetite, Shortness of 
i Breath,Costiveness,Scurvy,Blotches on the 
> Skin, Disturbed Sleep, Frightful Dreams and 
> all Nervous and Trembling Sensations, &c. 
> THE FIRST DOSE WILL GIVE RELIEF IN 
\ TWENTY MINUTES. Every sufferer Is 
' earnestly invited to try one Box of these 
> Pills, and they will be acknowledged to be 
) a Wonderful Medicine — 
(Worth a Cuinea a Box. 
Beecham’s Pills, taken as 
) directed, will quickly RESTORE 
i FEMALES to complete health. For 
Sick Headache, 
Weak Stomach, 
Impaired Digestion, 
Constipation, 
! Disordered Liver,&c., 
(they ACT LIKE MAGIC:— a few doses will 
.work wondors upon the Vital Organs, 
' Strengtheningthe muscularSystem, restor¬ 
ing long-lost Complexion, bringing back 
\ the keen edqe of appetite, and arousing 
with the ROSEBUD OF HEALTH the 
1 whole physical energy of tho human 
) frame. These are “facts” admitted 
by thousands, In all classes of society; 
* and one of the best guarantees to the 
(Nervous and Debilitated is that BEECH- 
, AM’S PILLS HAVE THE LARGEST SALE 
*0F ANY PROPRIETARY MEDICINE IN THE 
/ WORLD, Full directions with each Box. 
) Prepared only by THOS. BEF.CIIAM,, 
St. Helen*, Lancashire, England. 
, Sold by Druggists generally. t 
\ B, F. ALLEN CO., :»B5 «fc 3«7, 
' Canal St., IVew York, Sole Agents for’ 
(the United States, who (if your druggist I 
does not keep them) . 
? Will mail Beecham’s Pills on receipt of price ’ 
rirouhr Keystone Corn Planter 
' Warranted the best 
Corn Dropper and most 
perfect Force-feed Ferti¬ 
lizer Distributor in the 
world. Send for Catalogue. 
ADDRESS, 
A. B. FARQUHAR CO. 
YORK, PA. 
Send for Large Illustrated Catalogue. 
HENCH & DROMGOLD’S 
ALL-STEEL FRAME 
S PRING- 
TOOTH 
The tooth is held in position by a Ratchet 
with which it can be adjusted so as to 
wear from 15 to 18 inches off the point of 
the tooth, which is four or five times as 
much wear or service as can be obtained 
from any other Spring-tooth Harrow in 
existence. Catalogues free. 
AGENTS WANTED. 
HENCH it DROMGOLB, YORK. PA. 
ENSILAGE 
The SILO is rapidly being adopted in all 
sections of the U. S. and portions of Canada as 
the cheapest possible means of harvesting and 
feeding the corn crop; no waste, no husking, 
no grinding, no toll to pay, nor time to lose.and 
a reserve of green feed for all seasons of the 
year when pasturage tyid other crops may fail. 
Double the number of stock can be kept on the 
same number of acres under cultivation. 
Our Catalogue embraces valuableinformation 
and detailed instructions on the subject, as well 
as description and prices of the FAMOUS 
“OHIO” 
Ensilage and Foddei 1 Cutters 
THE SILVER MFG. CO., SALEM, Ohio. 
^WIRE ROPE SELVAGE the BEST. 
PRICES REDUCED. Sold by dealers. FREIGHT PAID. 
McMULLEN'B POULTRY NETTING. Newthiug. 
No sagging! No bagging! Extra Heavy.Selvage. 
The McMullen Woven Wire Fence Co.. Chicago,HL 
FENCING 
Woven Wire. 
STEEL 
WIRE 
