23o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
April 1 
THE 
Rural New-Yorker 
1IMES BUILDING, NEW YORK. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
ELBERT 8. CARMAN, Editor-In-Chief. 
HERBERT W. COLLINGWOOD, Managing Editor 
ERWIN G. FOWLER, Associate Editor. 
Copyrighted 18SS. 
Address all communications and make all orders payable to The 
rural, Publishing company. 
Money orders and bank drafts are the safest In transmitting money. 
SATURDAY , APRIL 1 , 1893. 
Last week we spoke of a society formed on Long 
Island to cooperate in defending property against 
trespassers. In England various Property Protection 
Societies have been formed to amend the trespass 
laws. Under the present English law a person cannot 
he convicted unless he does some actual damage to 
property. In one case persons came and helped them¬ 
selves to mushrooms on a farmer’s place. lie could 
not convict them of stealing because he could not 
prove that he had sowed the mushroom spawn and was 
cultivating the crop ! He could only bring a suit for 
civil damages, which would hardly pay the cost. The 
Property Protection Societies propose to have the laws 
changed so that any person who goes on inclosed 
grounds without permission, or helps himself to any 
animal or soil produce, may be punished for trespass. 
* * 
An apt illustration of the immensity of the agricul¬ 
ture of this country and its widely differing needs and 
practices is given in the inquiries about fertilizers 
from New Jersey and Kansas. Our New Jersey friend 
talks about using bran for a fertilizer. A little reflec¬ 
tion will show how expensive that will be. Plant food 
is cheaper in those substances that cannot be used for 
anything else—like bone, potash salts, etc. Animals 
must take their food out of the bran before it can be¬ 
come'a, cheap food for plants. On the other hand, our 
Kansas friend is too far away from fertilizer factories, 
to use the chemicals, and cotton-seed meal or even bran 
may be cheaper to use directly in the soil, even though 
all the portion of them that might feed animals is 
wasted. It is an interesting thought, suggesting anew 
what is argued in “ Chemicals and Clover,” viz., that 
stable manure is profitable plant-food only when that 
portion of the food that is suitable for animals is made 
to pay the whole cost without counting the manure 
at all. 
* * 
Sheep men are having hard times all over the coun¬ 
try on account of the canine race and its congeners. 
While dogs are the intolerable pests in the old settled 
States, wolves and coyotes are even more destructive 
along the Western frontier, and, owing to the excep¬ 
tional severity of the past season, the depredations 
among the flocks have been specially disastrous. In 
Texas, especially, which ranks second among the 
sheep-raising States, the ravages of these nuisances 
have been quite ruinous in the thinly-settled sections. 
Losses of 500 out of flocks of 1,000 ; 750 out of 2,000, 
etc., are frequently reported, and unless the flock- 
masters obtain some relief, their business must become 
sadly demoralized; hence they are loud in their de¬ 
mands on the legislature for a scalp law to protect 
them. Since, unlike the curs and mongrel depredators 
on sheep in other parts of the South, the cowardly 
.coyotes have no friends.no politician’s popularity is 
likely to be injured by favoring a vigorous warfare 
against them. 
The extraordinary outflow of gold from this country 
to Europe still continues. Making every allowance for 
the large sums required to settle the balance of trade 
against us of late, and for those needed to pay interest 
on the enormous amount of American securities of all 
kinds held abroad and for the liquidation of those 
returned for sale to this country by timid foreign in¬ 
vestors fearful of the effects of our present financial 
policy, there must still remain a vast aggregate sum to 
be accounted for by other causes. No doubt the most 
potent of all is the desire of most of the European 
powers to store up vast accumulations to provide 
against the contingencies of war, which all appear to 
dread in the near future. It is estimated by trans- 
Atlantic financiers that $1,300,000,000 are already 
hoarded for this purpose by the military-ridden na¬ 
tions of the Old World, besides the almost countless 
treasures annually expended in warlike preparations. 
Of the aggregate accumulations, Germany has $300,- 
000,000 locked up in the old Julius Tower at Span- 
dau. France’s war reserve is not less than $400,000,- 
000. In spite of famine, plague and disturbed finances, 
Russia is credited with a reserve of $425,000,000; while 
chronically embarrassed Austria has a hoard of $150, 
000,000. Even Italy, the poorest of the Great Powers, 
is credited with a reserve of at least $50,000,000 for the 
mobilization of her army. Thus not less than $1,305,- 
000,000 is lying idle in the treasuries of those five na¬ 
tions and additions are being constantly made to the 
hoards which await the outbreak of a war likely to be 
the greatest and most destructive in the planet’s 
history. * * 
In spite of the stringent laws against trusts and 
similar monopolistic combinations on the National and 
State statute books, the organization of such aggrega¬ 
tions of capital for private accumulation against the 
public welfare, has never been so notable as it has 
of late. Not a week passes without the announcement 
of another large or small addition to the lengthy list 
which now covers over 250 noteworthy combinations, 
besides a large number of a local character, or embrac¬ 
ing industries of minor extent. Among the latest 
completed or in course of for mation, is a syndicate of 
the manufacturers of wood-work machinery, including 
all the large concerns in the country. This is to start 
with a capital of $30,000,000. Are the laws powerless 
against such associations, or are the officials charged 
with their enforcement grossly derelict in their duties? 
The evil is rapidly multiplying throughout the coun¬ 
try ; yet who ever hears of a State or National attempt 
to check or represss it, that is not rendered ridiculous 
on account of its fatuitous futility ? 
* * 
The R. N.-Y. has often urged its readers to try 
feeding the dried brewers’ grains, which, within the 
past year, have come rapidly into market. The wet 
grains answer if fed before they ferment, but many 
farmers feed them so foul and ill-smelling that few 
persons would knowingly use milk made from them. 
The breweries have recently devised means for drying 
the grains, and, with the water driven out by pressure 
or hot air, this product is as easy and agreeable to 
handle as oats. Prof. Voorhees, of the New Jersey 
Experiment Station, has conducted one of the most 
practical feeding experiments on record to show the 
value of these dried grains for work horses. He took 
the horses used on a street railroad, and made up a 
standard ration containing the usual amount of oats 
fed to such animals. The horses were fed this for 
awhile, and then changed to a ration in which dried 
brewers’ grains were substituted for the oats. This 
feeding was continued for several months, the horses 
being weighed repeatedly and carefully examined by 
a veterinarian. Briefly stated, the experiment showed 
that the dried grains took the place of the oats for 
work horses in every way, at a great saving of cost. 
For driving horses oats seem to be a necessity, but 
for working teams cheaper food rations are entirely 
practical. # * 
In the legislatures of New York, Pennsylvania and 
several other States bills are now pending to regulate 
“common-law” marriages, or marriages not celebrated 
by magistrates or clergymen. The object of all is 
either to check the setting up of fraudulent widows’ 
claims, or the abandonment of wives and children by 
scoundrels who repudiate marriages which they per¬ 
suaded their victims were valid. In such laws all 
complications should be sedulously avoided. The sole 
object should relate to the evidence of marriage. In 
the eye of the law this is a civil contract, and the 
simplest and best legal provision in regard to it would 
be one requiring all such contracts to be attested in 
the form of memoranda signed by the parties and 
recorded in a prescribed official bureau or office. This 
provision should apply to all marriages, whether 
celebrated in church, or at magistrates’ offices, at 
home or elsewhere and under all circumstances. The 
record should be the only evidence needed to prove a 
marriage for all civil purposes. Those who regard 
marriage as a sacrament or as a matter of conscience, 
could then go through a religious ceremony in accord¬ 
ance with their individual wishes and judgment. 
Under such a law there could be no fraudulent 
widows’ claims or mock marriages, while innocent 
children would be protected in their status as well as 
in their maintenance, as far as any law could protect 
them. * * 
During February the exports of cotton, breadstuffs, 
provisions, cattle and petroleum amounted in value 
to $41,000,000 in round figures, against $66,000,000 in 
February, 1892, and $55,000,000 in February, 1891. 
Of the decline in these five staple exportable products 
nearly $14,000,000 was in cotton and about $11,000,- 
000 in breadstuffs, although within the previous 
year the price of wheat had declined from $1.02 per 
bushel in February ’92 to 75 cents last month. The 
exports of cotton were scarcely half as large as in 
February : 92, owing, in part, to the high speculative 
price here, and in part to the extensive and long-con¬ 
tinued strikes in the cotton-manufacturing districts 
of England. On the other hand, the imports last 
month ran up to $75,000,000 against $65,000,000 in the 
corresponding month last year. During the seven 
months ended January 31, 1893, the value of our im¬ 
ports was $528,000,000, an increase of $70,000,000 over 
those in the corresponding period of 1892. In the 
same seven months ended January 31, 1893, our ex¬ 
ports amounted to $519,000,000 against $643,000,000 in 
the corresponding period last year. This shows an 
enormous change of $124,000,000 in the movements of 
the export and import trade in these seven months, 
and there is no sign of any immediate change in the 
current. To what is this phenomenon due, and doesn’t 
it, in great part, explain in conjunction with other 
well-known causes, the extraordinary outflow of gold 
within the same period ? 
* * 
BREVITIES. 
If the Island of Australia could be sunk beneath the sea 
So that Europe could not look that way for food. 
If a blight struck Argentina, Egypt, India, you’ll agree 
That the price of Yankee products would be good. 
If the fathers of our country had put up a great big fence 
Out beyond the Mississippi—that alway 
That great West should be a heritage, they’d shown a heap of sense 
And our children would be blessing them to-day. 
But you can’t wipe out Australia and a blight won’t strike the rest. 
They will keep on pouring food down Europe’s maw, 
And it’s lust the merest folly to try fencing off the West; 
They’re the liveliest sort of folks you ever saw. 
So let’s stop our foolish growling and pitch In and find a crop 
That these fellows at a distance cannot grow, 
And ship Into our near market—that's the only way to stop 
Competition with the underworld I know. 
Work without skill will send In a bill ? 
How scrubs do rub their habits Into a man! 
A Jersey crossed with dignity yields a Guernsey. 
Mr. Mapes. the electric hen man. is heard from again this week. 
Which Is the greater curse to your section—bad roads or bad dogs ? 
The amateur with “ capons on the brain ” Is sure to give the poultry 
pain. 
Half the knack of acquiring Information Is to know what questions 
to ask ? 
Have the house members of your family wintered as well as those In 
the barn ? 
Wanted 1 Information concerning the use of the Bordeaux Mix¬ 
ture on strawberries. 
Would that more men were like crows! That bird never opens Its 
mouth without caws. 
If you like to stay In the old rut, stay there, but you have no busi¬ 
ness to keep others there too. 
We hope the time will come when pound will drive out quart, bushel 
and barrel as measures of value. 
Mr. Tarbell, page 223, gives us a record of milk testlrg 9.6 per 
cent fat. Is this the top notch? 
The public want horses that will bold their heads up without a 
check rein. Blood is worth more than leather. 
Behold the upright fence. It gives no offense. A right fence Is one 
that Is not left standing in the the way of the crop. 
Better play second fiddle than have no music. Better l egln at 
second and end at first than begin first and end second. 
According to Prof. Shaw, page 225, the enemv v ho sowed tares In 
one’s field might be doing a friendly act—If there were sheep on hand 
to eat them. 
IT Is a mystery why cattle ticks In Texas prefer to sbarien their 
jaws on the tough hide of the Short-hora when the tb n-sklnned Jer¬ 
sey is at hand Why Is It? 
Lots of quesiions are debated like that about the seeds of Canada 
thistle page 227. Both sides can bring facts to prove that they are 
right, and yet. when they get behind the facts, both mas be wrong. 
The old English rhyme goes: 
Poor old thing— 
Lived all winter and died at spring. 
Heaven help the stockman who has any animals like that! 
Mrs. Jack’s account of her Leghorn experiment (page 219) Is Inter¬ 
esting. See what a difference there Is between UBlng table scraps as 
dog food and egg material ? Why do so many of these Leghorn flocks 
stop laying In February ? 
That peach tree agent In Ohio, page 225, must have a double hinge 
to his jaw. How is It possible for such frauds to thrive? We wonder 
If he claims that equally good results would come from Uncle Sam's 
marriage to Miss Canada ? 
You will notice that Mr. Hungerford, page 229, set 416 eggs to get 67 
pullets. This Illustrates one side of the poultry question and shows 
why so many start “Into chickens’ with flying colors and end by 
declaring that poultrymen are “ lying fellers.” 
This is from a Canadian friend: “ As I am Irish. I would like one of 
your enormous potatoes. I think Ireland itself could not compete 
with yours. I am certain that one man could carry two of the largest 
potatoes I ever saw; but It takes two men to carry one of yours.” We 
presume he means the “carrying” Is to be done In his own ” Dread 
basket.” 
Two weeks ago we said that all the Important agricultural papers 
were advertising a certain creamery supply firm in Chicago whose 
methods are a step beyond the Bohemian oat swindle. That “all” 
needs an amendment. The Farm Journal does not advertise that 
house. Are there any other papers which do not, or would not If they 
could ? Let’B hear. 
The cotton seed trade In England Is said to be steadily Increasing 
In importance. Unfortunately for us, Egypt seems to be securing 
most of the Increase, in fact, the Egyptian seed seems to be driving 
out the American. This Is unfortunate in one sense, but not so In 
another, as every ton of cotton seed takes about 120 worth of fertility 
out of the farming section that needs It most. 
In an article on the agriculture of Alaska we are told concerning 
some goats sent there lor trial: “So far they have done well, but 
they require constant care, and must be carefully protected from the 
savage native dogs. These brutes Indeed, are the chtef obstacle to 
the introduction of cattle In this region.” This Is the last countrv to 
be heard from. Returns are all in. No part of the United states is 
free from this dog curse. 
Prof. Bailey, at Cornell, has started an interesting experiment 
with the European vetch or tare as an orchard plant. The ideal plan 
Is to cultivate an orchard in spring or early summer and then follow 
with a crop that will shade the soil and keep It moist in hot weatner 
and make growth enough to afford protection in winter. Such a crop 
may be called a cover crop. From one experience with vetch sowed 
June 16 in a young orchard, Prof. Baliei is well pleased with the plan 
and will use it again. 
