596 
AUG. i5 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
THE 
Rural New-Yorker, 
TIMES BUILDING. NEW YORK. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Home*. 
ELBERT 8. CARMAN, 
HERBERT W. COLLINQWOOD, 
EDITOR8. 
Rural Publishing Company: 
LAWSON VALENTINE, Pre.ident. 
EDGAR H. LIBBY, Manager. 
RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
THE AMERICAN GARDEN, 
OUT-DOOR BOOKS. 
Copyright, 1891, by the Rural Publishing Company. 
SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 1891. 
How about the next wheat crop ? It will take 
several years of abundant crops to give the world 
another big surplus. Grow all the wheat you can. 
Don’t put all your farm into wheat; don’t increase 
your acreage ; but put in every acre so that it will 
do the best it is capable of doing. Use extra cul¬ 
ture, extra seed and all the fertilizers the crop 
needs. It will all come back to you. You are 
planning for a safe thing ! 
if listed, like those of the Sugar Trust, and if not, 
like those of the Standard Oil, no difficulty is met 
in finding purchasers for them. The managing 
trustees of every trust can hold the trust goods for 
higher prices, or, in order to injure a rival, flood 
the market with them, locally sometimes at a tem¬ 
porary loss, just as seems best to them for the suc¬ 
cess of a certain line of policy, without consulting 
anybody—even the largest outside certificate holder. 
As a rule, no statements of the affairs of the 
trust are ever made, nor are any accounts rendered 
to the certificate holders, who have nothing to do 
with the concerns except to draw the interest on 
their certificates of stock. All these points are 
characteristic of every genuine trust in the country. 
How many of them can be pointed out in the alleged 
“wheat trust?” So far as we have been able to 
discover, the nucleus of this, nay, its whole body, 
consists of the advice proffered to farmers by some 
prominent members of the Farmers’ Alliance that, 
for the reasons given, it would be advisable to hold 
their wheat until a certain price could be obtained 
for it. There is no power in the advisers to carry 
out or enforce their advice. Each wheat grower is 
at perfect liberty to act on his own judgment on 
the advice given, and his profit or loss will depend 
solely on his own action. To call such a thing a 
trust is ridiculous ; to blame or deride those inter¬ 
ested in it is grotesque ; to declare it illegal is 
nonsensical. 
Mr. Terry’s story of his 6(5 successive meals of 
strawberries has started the record breakers every¬ 
where. Up to date the flag seems to be held by 
Mr. C. C. Warren, of Alabama, who sends the papers 
to show that he was able to pick berries every day 
from April 4 to July 15 ! lie is now eating grapes, 
with peaches, pears and plums to follow. If any¬ 
body can beat this record we are ready to give 
them a chance. The ability to make plants or ani¬ 
mals “ hang on ” is a valuable thing. 
Our able, critical and usually accurate neighbor, 
Garden and Forest, in a review of Mr. Samuel Par¬ 
sons’s new book on Landscape Gardening, says that 
he makes no mention of the Yirgilia or White wood 
(Cladrastis lutea) when naming the trees which 
bear conspicuous blossoms in late June or early 
July. The Cladrastis or Virgilia is indeed, while in 
bloom, “the most beautiful of all the flowering 
trees which will flourish in the neighborhoods for 
which this book is specially helpful.” But why call 
it the White wood, which is the familiar name of 
the Tulip Tree—Liriodendron tulipifera ? The Vir¬ 
gilia is the Yellow-wood. 
There is war iu the sugar camp. The Sugar 
Trust and Claus Spreckels have been cutting each 
others’ corners until granulated sugar is offered at 
four cents per pound wholesale, with two per cent 
off for cash. This is the lowest price in the history 
of the sugar trade. At the present price of raw 
sugar and the reputed cost of refining, this price 
leaves a profit of one-sixteenth of a cent per pound. 
' Whether the price will go lower will depend upon 
the willingness of the refiners to sacrifice profit to 
a desire to defeat their rivals. It is rumored, 
whether with any reason we know not, that 
Spreckels is in league with the Sugar Trust and 
that these reductions are only for the purpose of 
warring upon outside refiners. However this may 
be, it is now a good time to buy sugar. Two years 
ago this month, immediately after the formation of 
the Sugar Trust, granulated sugar sold for 8H cents 
per pound wholesale. Of course, many claim the 
reduction is entirely the result of the removal of 
the duty on sugar, but any such claim is absurd. 
By the way, it would be interesting to know 
whether the reduction in the cost of sugar to con¬ 
sumers will balance the increase in cost of some 
other necessaries of life. 
Is it ignorance, malice or stupidity that has led 
the press of the country during the past few weeks 
to pour forth a deluge of nonsensical vituperation 
on what the editors have chosen to call the “ wheat 
trust?” Even some of the religious papers, with 
smug self-complacency, have been unusually gush¬ 
ing with moral platitudes on the subject. They 
have all been industriously building up a man of 
straw for the pleasure of knocking him down and 
jumping on him. Has any genuine wheat trust 
been proposed, or is there really any prospect of 
one ? Most emphatically, No. A trust is an or¬ 
ganization with very marked characteristics, not 
one of which is possessed by the so-called “ wheat 
trust. ” The entire property of every trust is vested 
in a small clique of trustees—usually nine in num¬ 
ber—who have absolute control of the management 
of the affairs of the entire concern. Every trust is 
a “ blind pool,” of which this coterie, or rather a 
few of the brainiest of them, are the manipulators. 
Every new member surrenders the whole of his 
stock, plant and good-will to the trustees, either 
directly, or indirectly through some subordinate 
organization in his State, all the property of which, 
already acquired or to be acquired, is vested in the 
trustees. In payment he receives trust certificates 
whose value is based on that of all the property 
held by the trust. If, therefore, his plant and 
stock are destroyed by fire an hour after the trans¬ 
fer, or if all operations are at once indefinitely sus¬ 
pended or altogether discontinued at his place, it 
matters not a particle more to him than to any 
other certificate holder. Moreover, his certificates 
are negotiable in every money market in the world, 
On two sides of a small square within sight 
of our office windows 10 street venders of fruits 
are to be seen. Of these, five, or exactly one- 
half, are selling red apples, three are selling 
Bartlett Pears, and two, peaches. This sort 
of trade demands apples of an attractive color. 
The looks seem to have as much to do with their 
sale as the quality. A large part of the apples re¬ 
ceived here are not suited to this or any other trade. 
They are poorly grown, carelessly gathered and im¬ 
perfectly assorted and packed. Hence they are un¬ 
profitable. The importance of this trade to the 
fruit grower may perhaps be better understood 
when it is stated that it is almost impossible to 
traverse a single square without encountering from 
one to a dozen of these hucksters whose trade is in 
fruit by the single one or dozen. The aggregate of 
fruits sold in these small quantities is enormous. 
The New York Sun gives a long and exhaustive 
review of the world’s grain situation, quoting the 
rye and wheat reports from every country in the 
world that produces these grains. It concludes 
that the apparent world’s deficit of wheat and rye 
is 619,000,000 bushels—a greater deficiency than 
modern history has ever known. It then adds: 
Eliminating Russia from the problem, either as a source 
of supply, which she cannot be, or as an importer, the 
remainder of Europe will still be short 307,000,000 bushels 
of wheat and rye after the outside world has sent to that 
continent every bushel of grain that can be spared. What 
does this portend? Is it possible to conceive the unutter 
able misery and distress, disease, desolation and death 
which a famine of such proportions is likely to bring in its 
train? Is not Europe face to face with a state ot want 
such as has never threatened so great a population since 
the dawn of history ? Has man ever witnessed starvation 
upon the scale which is probable as the result of this con¬ 
tinent-wide destruction of crops ? On all the earth there is 
but one substitute possible for the deficient rye and wheat; 
but one means of preventing, even in part, the devastation 
threatened, and tnat is by the use of American maize, 
should we be so fortunate as to harvest a full crop. If 
there are ships enough on the sea to transport it, Europe 
will take not only the 150,000,000 bushels of wheat which 
we may sque-ze out, but hundreds of millions also of our 
corn. The distaste for such food will disappear in the 
presence of famine; and we may command any price for 
our products that we have the heart to exact. 
We do not believe that any general famine is to be 
feared. The majority of people do not know how 
much more food they consume than is required to 
sustain life. What they may desire is one thing, 
what will prevent starvation or actual hunger is 
another, and there is a wide difference between the 
two. It is, however, very reasonable to suppose 
that American maize will be demanded abroad and 
that, once used there for any considerable time, it 
will become a staple article of food. Nothing but 
actual use of the different food preparations of 
maize by Europeans can convince them of its great 
economy. If the present wheat and rye famine 
shall teach European consumers the true food 
value of oats, maize, rice and similar products, the 
world at large will be better off for the hard lesson. 
What “ we have the heart to exact! ” How many 
American farmers will consider this side of the 
matter in their struggle for higher prices with which 
to pay their debts ? 
At the close of the last session of the Texas Leg¬ 
islature a very stringent alien land law was rapidly 
pushed through in what is now generally stigma¬ 
tized as “ a very surreptitious manner.” Among 
other things, it provides that “ no alien or person 
not a citizen of the United States shall acquire title 
or own any interest in lands within the State of 
Texas.” This is made to apply to any firm, com¬ 
pany or corporation composed of such in whole r 
in part. It goes on to say: “ Such land shall escheat 
and vest in the State of Texas in like manner as is 
provided for the escheat of estates of persons dying 
without any devise thereof and having no heirs,” 
and it makes it the duty of the law oflScers to ex¬ 
pedite the confiscation of all such propertv—unless 
the owners shall get rid of it within six years from 
the passage of the act. It is reasonably estimated 
that $50,000,000 of foreign capital are invested in 
railroad, banking, manufacturing and other corpor¬ 
ations, or in private firms with foreign partners, 
that own land in the Lone Star State, or in loans on 
mortgages or in ranches or other forms of real es¬ 
tate. A number of agents of foreign capitalists 
are scattered throughout the State to make invest¬ 
ments and look after the other interests of their 
principals. The first effect of the law is the re¬ 
ceipt by all of them of peremptory orders to make 
absolutely no further investments, and, as soon as 
practicable, to withdraw all the money already in¬ 
vested. A widespread alarm prevails at the conse¬ 
quent stoppage of numerous schemes for the devel¬ 
opment of the country, and the prospective loss of 
the vast amount of foreign capital which has done 
so much to “ boom ” the State of late years. Eastern 
capital has also grown timid of hostile legislation, 
and refuses to go to the relief of the people. To allay 
the alarm, foreign investors are assured on all sides 
that the obnoxious legislation has been unconstitu¬ 
tional ah initio , and that it will be promptly re¬ 
pealed. From present indications it is likely that 
Governor Hogg will call an extra session of the leg¬ 
islature to do this, thus saddling a heavy expense 
on the State to avoid a greater evil. Whatever may 
be the issue, the bad results of this piece of hasty 
legislation are likely to be widespread and lasting. 
BREVITIES. 
know a very foolish man who seems to think his cow, 
Can nibble out a living anywhere ard bow. 
"For that’s what cows are made for!” so he argues and, what’s more. 
He means to make them do It—so he ne’er provides a store 
Of fodder corn or millet or of cabbage or of peas. 
Or other crops to cut and feed and thus the cow to please. 
The cow—she Snows her business - while pastures they are fresh 
She feeds on grass, but when they fall, she feeds on her own flesh 
Till strength and vigor, milk and fat, all vanish quite away 
And then, our friend the foolish man, says “ farming doesn't pay !” 
Keep your collar loose. 
The cow must drink or shrink. 
There is a big demand for good dwarfs. 
Did you ever lose anything by keeping your mouth shut? 
The best fertilizer for weeds is rust on the cultivator 
teeth. 
Of two roosters, otherwise equal, keep the master and 
eat the coward. 
Give us one single reason why your bull should not 
work in a tread power. 
It is just as honorable to start a new idea as it is to de¬ 
velop it. Not half so profitable. 
How few ever give us credit for our victories in the 
fierce battles we have often to fight with ourselves I 
Farmer, tell us of the wheat, will it bring you loss or 
gain ? Europe calls for bread to eat, there’ll be sale for 
every grain. 
It is often consolatory for writers for the press to re¬ 
member that the public never miss the good things that 
have not been said. 
Every time you kick your cow you kick so much fat 
out of her milk. You wear out your boot and stub the 
toe of your patience too. 
We are still sowing Ne Plus Ultra Sweet Corn for lata 
fodder. It will make growth enough to help out the light 
hay crop, and give us a double crop on most of the garden. 
The plan proposed for keeping the water hot for use as 
an insecticide Is to drop hot stones in the barrel from which 
it is pumped. This is the way the Indians used to make 
soup in birch bark kettles. 
You cannot make wheat stand up straight on soil that 
has held a manure heap. It will go down in spite of you. 
t cannot stand high living. Corn on the other hand is a 
glutton and seldom calls “ Hold I enough.” 
In buying fertilizer you will find it very well to remem¬ 
ber that it isn’t safe to judge it by its smell, for come to 
search the substances that smell supremely bad, you’ll find 
this smell is all the strength that they have ever had. 
Just hang a big, thick blanket of trouble and distrust 
before the friends that love you, and certainly you must 
knock all the capillary tubes of friendship in the head • 
love’s liquid cannot nourish you, and you’ll dry up in¬ 
stead, 
When the egg record stops, and the hen goes for pleas¬ 
ure, and doesn't even cacule for her board and lodging- 
then, if you figure up the business, and loss and profit 
measure, you’ll wind the matter promptly by selling off 
the hen. 
There are lots of dairymen who claim to know how 
much damage " Wall Street” has done to their prospects 
but they fail to recognize how much harm a poor bull 
may do in their herds. Without neglecting to protect 
against the Indirect damage, knock the direct damage in 
the head. 
When a shouldering fellow persistently trenches on an¬ 
other person’s rights and is at last taken sharply to task 
for it, in nine cases out of ten the anger or indignation of 
the aggressor is hotter and more lasting than that of the 
aggrieved. A good deal of magnanimity is needed to for¬ 
give a person for having merely injured him. 
Apropos of the recent establishment of three or four 
semi agricultural and semi-industrial Jewish colonies in 
New Jersey, a bright New York daily editorially marvels 
that “in every civilized country, including Russia, the 
Jews have always hankered alter the ownership of land.” 
W hat kind of property has that acquisitive race ever failed 
to hanker after ? 
“Fire-fanged ” manure is worth more, pound for pound 
than it was before the fanging took place. The result of 
fanging is to drive water out of the pile. Some ammonia 
may be lost, but not much. It can have no effect on the 
potash and phosphoric acid except perhaps to make them 
more readily available. Fire fanged manure is worth 
more per ton than fresh or wet manure. Remember that 
in buying manure. 
So odious has the name of trust lately become in this 
country, that many of the genuine trusts have sought 
shelter under the names of various companies, without 
changing their character a particle. W’henever farmers 
propose to form economic organizations, however, 
straightway the partisan press stigmatize them as 
trusts, though they possess no trust characteristics, while 
lor the real trusts under trust or company names, these 
blatherskites seldom have a word of reprobation. 
A good suggestion to farmers’ institute managers is 
that in the Woman’s Department. We are sure that 
farmers’ wives and daughters would be greatly interested 
in a thoroughly reliable discussion of household science. 
Let the evening session, or a part of it, be given to such 
matters. The ladies will appreciate it. It will do a world 
of good. Scientific rations for human beings are of far 
more importance than those designed for nogs, sheep or 
cattle Have you noticed that some people who talk learn¬ 
edly about scientific food for stock are most unscientific 
about their own food ? It is a fact which should not be. 
