25o 
April 8 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
THE 
Rural New-Yorker 
TIMES BUILDING, NEW YORK. 
a national Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Hornet. 
ELBERT 8. CABMAN, Editor-In-Chief. 
HERBERT W. OOLLINGWOOI), Managing Editor 
ERWIN G. FOWLER, Associate Editor. 
VopyrighUd 1H9S. 
Address all communications and make all orders payable to The 
Bubal Publishing Company. 
Money orders and bank drafts are the safest In transmitting money. 
SATURDAY , APRIL 8 , 1893. 
A NNO UNCEMENT. 
A note from Prof. T. V. Munson, of Denison, Tex., 
informs us that the buds of the Carman grape are so 
far developed as to render it unsafe to transplant them. 
All further orders will be filled next fall. 
* * 
We hear nothing but good from the negro industrial 
and agricultural school at Tuskegee, Ala. At this 
school teachers and pupils are all colored, and yet we 
are told by conservative white men that this negro 
school is doing more for Alabama agriculture than 
any other institution. Why ? Because it reaches the 
laboring class, and gives the man who would other¬ 
wise be but a day-hand the inspiration that prompts 
him to learn to become a mechanic, a skilled workman 
or manager. What a jump civilization has made since 
that recent time when it was “ held to be a good law 
and precedent that a black man has no rights that a 
white man is bound to respect! ” 
* * 
It seems that the apple-growers in Tasmania were 
much interested in the reports of “poisoned American 
apples,” printed in the London papers last year. 
These apple-growers proposed to put on the English 
market apples about which could be said “positively 
no poisons were used in spraying.” After much ex’ 
periment they are reported to have used the following 
with success: 
Sulphur and lime, of each six pounds, to be boiled till all the sulphur 
was dissolved, and a clear brown liquid, four gallons In amount, 
remained. This should be diluted by mixing 00 quarts of water with 
one quart of the sulphur and lime solution. 
This is about the mixture often used to cure scab in 
6lieep. The best of the reports from Tasmania do not 
claim that this non-poisonous spray is equal to the 
arsenites. * * 
Prices of American flour in England have fallen 
considerably since last fall, and many dealers have 
lost quite a little in consequence, as they laid in large 
stocks, anticipating a rise in price. The Mark Lane 
Express recently said : 
We hear of fair milling flour being sold as low as 15s. ($3 60) per sack, 
the sellers being American millers’ London agents, and the buyers 
English millers, who will mix the American with their own flour and 
be able to provide the baking Interest with sound and palatable flour 
on exceedingly tempting terms. 
In the same issue baker’s flour is quoted at an aver¬ 
age of $4.20 for 280 pounds, while the very best 
English flour sells at $7.20 for the same weight. One 
of the worst things that English agriculture has to 
contend with is the mixing of a foreign with the home 
product, and selling the mixture as all home-grown. 
* * 
Not long since The Rural took occasion to comment 
on the hoggishness displayed by the management 
of the Long Island Railroad. Not content with im¬ 
posing the most outrageous tariffs on its patrons, it 
has lately undertaken the work of grinding its own 
employees. An order has been issued, taking effect 
April 1, by which the ferries controlled by this com¬ 
pany are to be operated at a greatly reduced cost. 
This economy is effected by compelling the employees 
to work 12 and 13 hours per day instead of the usual 
quota. Possibly a strike may result from this outrage, 
and then we shall have Austin Corbin posing as a 
friend of labor and pleading for sympathy from the 
public. In his struggles to maintain his rights, he 
seems to have the facility of doing about the worst 
things we are ever called upon to chronicle in the way 
of railroad management, both in his treatment of the 
public and of his employees. While on this subject, it 
might be well to remind the general public that or¬ 
ders from railways compelling their men to work for 
unduly long periods, are unfortunately more danger¬ 
ous to the traveling public than to the employees them¬ 
selves. Appearances indicate that the recent serious 
accident on the Erie Railroad at Lackawaxen was due 
to the fact that overworked employees were asleep 
when they should have been hustling back with a flag 
to warn an advancing train, which a moment later 
crashed into the sleeper then standing at the station. 
It is often the general managers of railways who are 
responsible for these accidents, when some poorly-paid 
and overworked employee is the one blamed. We shall 
some day so change matters pertaining to railway lines 
that presidents and general managers will be indicted 
for accidents, and not the subordinates who have been 
imposed upon by excessive hours of labor, and thus 
rendered unfit for their duties. This last accident on 
the Erie caused no immediate deaths, but more than a 
score of unsuspecting travelers were mangled and 
maimed for life, and the heavy judgments that the 
company will be obliged to pay the injured, while not 
compensating the unfortunate travelers, will be suffi¬ 
cient to maintain an extra train crew for considerable 
time—perhaps till another such accident occurs. 
Economy on the part of a railroad, that threatens the 
lives of the traveling public is nothing short of crimi¬ 
nal, and the frequency of such accidents on the Erie 
would seem to indicate that it would be safer, when 
possible, to travel by other routes till the passenger 
department of the Erie is in better and safer hands. 
* * 
It is interesting to see how the principles of the 
Henry George theory of taxing land values come up 
in proposed legislation all over the country. A bill 
recently voted on in the New York Legislature pro¬ 
posed to exempt from taxation, except for local assess¬ 
ments and water rates, all homestead buildings not 
valued at over $1,500 Such buildings were not to be 
taxed, but the lots on which they stood were to be 
taxed in the usual way. This is an experiment with 
the George theory. It was argued that such a law 
would encourage workmen to build their own homes, 
as the tax taken off small houses would prove some¬ 
thing of an inducement to build. Most of the repre¬ 
sentatives from Brooklyn, New York and other large 
cities favored the bill, thinking it would tend to 
encourage building. The farmers, and other rural 
representatives generally, opposed it. Such a bill 
would exempt two-thirds of the dwellers in towns 
and villages they said and would open the way to 
great frauds in the assessment of property. The bill 
was finally defeated by 52 to 39. Representatives 
from the rural districts of New York generally believe 
that too much property is exempt from taxation 
already—that the list should not be extended. In 
fact, it is quite evident that if all property were 
assessed at its full value the tax rate would be low 
enough to suit anybody. 
* * 
While the currency question still holds so prom¬ 
inent a place in public interest in this country, the 
efforts Austria is making to substitute the gold for 
the silver standard and to establish a new unit of 
value are of international concern. The old Austrian 
unit of value was the florin, a silver piece worth about 
48 cents measured by the value of the American sil¬ 
ver dollar. The new unit is the krone, or crown, a 
gold coin worth about 20 % American cents, and the 
new currency of this kind consists of 10 and 20-crown 
pieces. The old currency is now being exchanged 
for the new on the basis of the average value of the 
florin in the international money markets for a series 
of years prior to 1892. On this basis two silver florins 
with a face value of 96 cents, are exchangablefor four 
gold krones, worth 81 cents. To effect the change 
the Austrian Government has issued bonds bearing 
four per cent interest in gold, to the value of 183,456,000 
gold florins, worth four silver florins or $1.93.5 each. 
A large proportion of the gold for the new currency 
was supplied by the United States, a fact which has 
been a prominent factor in the recent efflux of the 
yellow metal from this country. Not the least inter¬ 
esting feature in connection with the matter is that 
while thousands fear or hope for the establishment of 
a silver standard of value exclusively among us, the 
most important country in Europe which until 
lately strictly adhered to such a standard, has just 
abandoned it in favor of the gold standard in vogue 
among nearly all its neighbors. 
* * 
Surrounding the Cherokee Strip to the south of Kan¬ 
sas and north of the Indian Territory and Oklahoma, 
over 25,000 boomers have been encamped, some of them 
for several months, awaiting the opening of the terri¬ 
tory for settlement by proclamation from the Presi¬ 
dent. The Government has purchased the land, includ¬ 
ing over 6,000,000 acres, from the Indians for $8,595,- 
736 .12, or at the rate of $125 per acre, and Congress 
has appropriated $295,736 fcr a cash payment on ac¬ 
count, the remainder to be paid by annual install¬ 
ments ; but, owing to the influence of the cattle barons 
and others interested in the retention of the land by 
its present possessors, the Cherokee Council has for 
some time hesitated to ratify the agreement. Chief 
Harris, however, has just recommended that body to 
acquiesce in the bargain, and the territory—for the 
most part excellent arable and grazing land will 
doubtless be soon thrown open to settlement—prob¬ 
ably in a few weeks or even days. The boomers would 
have occupied it weeks or months ago were it not for 
strong military patrols who prevent all invasion and 
expel all illegal intruders whom they can catch. Some 
of these, however, are hiding, but, like most of the 
“8ooners”in Oklahoma, they will doubtles be ultij 
mately denounced by their fellow settlers and dispos¬ 
sessed from the lands they had illegally seized. All 
intending settlers are eagerly awaiting permission to 
take up the land so as to be able to put in crops the 
present spring, and, as delay must cause the loss of 
hundreds of thousands of dollars and untold misery 
and starvation among the settlers, the country should 
be opened up at the earliest possible moment. 
* * 
BREVITIES. 
When pie plant gives the first good mess, with nice hot biscuit, I confess 
Our folks feel good. Pop says, “ I guess you orter have a bran’ new 
dress.” 
“An' you a coat,” I sez, “ no less!” He sets down there with little Bess, 
An’ tosses her with fond caress, an’ sum o' his ole tenderness 
Outside his good ole heart will press an’ paint his eyes an’ face ! Yes, 
yes ! 
I know our folks will always bless the day that pie plant gives first 
mess. 
An’ It’s Jess so with sparrergraes an’ every other garden sass. 
When peas an’ greens an’ onions pass with all the others of that class, 
I jess set down my work an’ say, “ I do now humbly bless the day 
That showed our folks the certain way to make the kitchen garden 
pay.” 
An’ while I’m made o’ livin’ clay that garden Is a-gonter stay. 
Happy the drainer who Is In his last ditch. 
The near ox In the yoke may be said to have a nigh trait. 
The worst thing a sheep can do for Itself Is to run from a dog. 
It’s an honor to belong to that fine, short course at Cornell. 
It doesn't pay to go halves on preparing warm quarters for sheep. 
Anything unfair about the shares of that sheep raising, page 241 ? 
The “ harrow ” and 11 weeder ” poetry In this Issue introduces two 
new poets. 
The public will have to eat more plums In order to keep up with the 
big plantings now being made. 
Crops were made to “ pump the life out of vour soli,” and you were 
made to put life there to be pumped out. 
Some pump kins—city relatives who come to spend the summer and 
exchange their valuable society for board. 
Thebe Is money In almost anything—the trouble Is to get It out. 
Most of us find It in an Insoluble combination. 
Mr. Cooper considers roots better sheep food than ensilage, but 
the latter Is so much cheaper that it Is more profitable. 
That Is a carbon-ate said the hen when her owner fed charcoal In 
the morning mess. Yes, and this Is an ox-hide said the rooster picking 
at an old shoe. 
Amen to what our friend says on page 243 about giving those boys 
who have taken the short course In agriculture a chance to show what 
they have learned. 
It Is reported that the Michigan Central Railroad makes each 
woman who travels on Its road a present of a rose bud or other flower. 
A very pretty custom—It ought to be profitable too. 
Poke scraps from the old-time lard presses were used to make dog 
food and alBO put on the “free lunch counters” of the lower class of 
saloons. “ With plenty of salt they went down.” Of the two sets of 
dogs those In the saloons were lowest. 
Here’s one good point we wish to Btate: “ digest ” Is not “ assimi¬ 
late.” A cow may quite digest her food and still fall of Its highest 
good. There Is a step beyond digestion—of that there’s not the 
slightest question,and that cow only earns her ration that’s posted on 
assimilation. 
In old days, when more people believed In oracles than In this age, 
a favorite form of foretelling the future was for a company to eat a 
sheep and then cons lit the marks on Its shoulder blades. Many of 
the ancients believed that the sheep carried a record of the future on 
these bones and the “wise men” of that day were able to read the 
marks and slgnB. 
A certain farmer tried an experiment with five cows. One week 
the hired man milked them without knowing he was conducting an 
experiment. The next week the farmer himself milked and with the 
same feed secured 15 per cent more mlik! His conclusion Is that more 
fat Is lost through “ that tired feeling” In the hired man’s Ungers than 
from any other cause. 
Among other economies suggested for Scotch farmers Is brewing 
their own beer and baking their own bread. Most of the farmers’ 
beer, it Is said, Is now made by brewers, and, while oatmeal Is cooked 
at home, most oftbe flour bread Is bought. Why not stop drinking 
beer as an economical measure? There are good arguments on all 
sides of the bread-making question. 
Now, J. Sterling Morton, 
We hope you have “ caught on ” 
To what our good farmers most need. 
Cut down the expense, sir. 
And why not commence, sir, 
With that mighty outlay for seed ? 
There Is an English statute forbidding the cultivation of tobacco 
in that country. For a few years It was grown subject to a revenue 
tax of about 80 cents a pound. This curious law seems to be designed 
to check any efforts to reduce Imports of tobacco on which English 
Import duties of nearly $50,000,000 are levied. In other words, there Is 
a tariff on tobacco brought Into England and rather than reduce the 
amount of this tariff the English government seeks to prohibit home 
production. Why is not this " Protection run mad ?” 
Missouri Is trying to convert a public curse into a public blessing by 
making her beer guzzlers contribute to the cost of making and main¬ 
taining good roads and highways. The lower house of her legislature 
has just passed a bill providing for the appointment, by the Governor, 
of a beer and malt liquor Inspector who must be an expert brewer and 
whose duty it will be to Inspect and gauge all malt liquors. He Is 
authorized to charge fees for such inspection as well as for labeling 
all packages. These are to be paid Into the public treasury to be used 
for the construction, improvement and maintenance of the public 
highways. Why not provide for the Inspection of whisky and other 
splrltous liquors also and thus greatly increase the fund likely to be 
available for public purposes? 
Already the Western States which are threatened by an Invasion 
of the Texas fever are taking precautions against It. In anticipation 
of a heavy movement of Southern cattle to Montana and Wyoming, 
Governor Osborne of the latter State, has just announced the regula¬ 
tions under which shipments will be admitted. There must be a care¬ 
ful inspection at the start; the cattle must have been 90 days north of 
the Infected districts; no cattle can be trailed through the State; all 
must be submitted to Inspection on the frontier. Last year a deter¬ 
mined fight was made for the privilege of driving Southern cattle 
through Wyoming to Montana, but It failed, and is hardly likely to be 
renewed this year. The days of the “ shot-gun policy” on the part of 
cowboys and rustlerB to force and prevent the passage of stock through 
unlnfectedlterrltory are probably over for ever. 
