1893 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
495 
Farmers' Club Discussion. 
Continued. 
spring water. The soil is a red clayey 
loam (subsoil stiff red clay) which varies 
very much both in price and productive¬ 
ness : good farms command from §15 to 
§20 per acre; a few bring much higher fig¬ 
ures and many lower. Corn, wheat, oats 
and hay are the principal crops. Cattle, 
sheep and hogs are raised for sale. It is 
a fine fruit country and a good many 
apples and grapes are shipped to market. 
The lambs are mostly bought by drovers 
and shipped to New York. There are 
three railroads in the county, also a 
woolen mill said to he the largest in the 
South. We have a very good class of 
people here, white largely predominat¬ 
ing ; some come from the Northern 
States and a very few from Eui ope. In 
regard to dogs, they are numerous here 
and a nuisance to sheep raisers of course. 
When a farmer has sheep killed by them 
he generally makes war on them right 
and left either with gun or poison, and I 
have never heard of the owners “ taking 
vengenee.” In Virginia we have a local 
option dog tax and I am glad to say that 
Albermarle is one of the counties that 
have adopted it, and sheep killed by dogs 
are paid for. ft is usually best for 
strangers coming here to rent a farm for 
a year or two and get acquainted with the 
soil, and look around for a good bargain 
before ix.vesting. 
Hired But Not Admired. 
Mrs, M. A. D. , Chesterfield, Mass. — 
Three cheers for “ L. E. L , Nebraska!’’ 
I was about taking up the cudgel in be¬ 
half of Carrie T. Meigs, as I thought she 
must feel as if she had got under a pile 
driver : but “ L E. L.” has expressed 
my views better than I could, missing 
only one point. It is a matter of history 
that the degree of civilization a nation 
has attained can be determined by its 
treatment of its women, and of course 
in such matters what is true of a nation 
is true of an individual. Well, I am as¬ 
tonished at some of the assertions con¬ 
tained in Mrs. E. E S.’s communication. 
I have lived 66 years as a farmer’s daugh¬ 
ter and farmei*’s wife, and I have never 
before either seen or heard of hired men 
being lodged in beds without sheets and 
with straw pillows and ragged bedding, 
etc ; but I have seen tome for whom such 
a nest would seem more suitable than a 
good and clean bed, and I have seen 
many others that were gentlemen. We 
don’t put all hired men into one bundle 
any more than we do any other class, 
and I would rather put up with the 
roughest of them as hired men than 
with a husband that thinks “a woman’s 
place is in the house,” and I have seen 
such creatures several times in my life, 
and I never envied their families. Con¬ 
cerning giving orders, I never saw a de¬ 
cent hired man who objected to taking 
orders from either master or mistress. 
What possible difference can it make 
with him which tells him what is to be 
done. We hire hands to do our work, 
and when they get above taking orders 
they are above working out. 
Harper’s Weekly is favorably im¬ 
pressed with the Secretary of Agricul¬ 
ture. “ He appears to be a sensible man 
and worthy a seat in the President’s Cabi¬ 
net.” He will prove himself to be such a 
man, in the Weekly’s opinion, if he suc¬ 
ceeds in so reforming the work of his 
Department that it will be looked upon 
by the people with respect “ instead of 
being merely tolerated with good-na¬ 
tured contempt.” The Weekly considers 
that of all the demagogical practices 
which are common in this Department of 
the Government, the most silly is that of 
distributing seeds among the constitu¬ 
ents of each Congressman. 
It seems proper enough that now, as 
in the early days, the Government should 
buy, through capable, trustworthy 
agents, seeds of promising novelties, or 
seeds and plants new to this country, 
which are specially valuable in other 
countries. These seeds and plants may 
now be sent to the stations for trial, and 
the people could rely upon the station 
reports as published in the bulletins as 
to whether these novelties were or were 
not worthy of general trial. A few thou¬ 
sand dollars would suffice for the in¬ 
quiry necessary to determine what new 
seeds and plants to select, as well as for 
their purchase in sufficient quantity for 
thorough trials. As it is, each Congress¬ 
man sends to his favorite constituents 
large quantities of seeds, many of them 
old and inferior, some of them standard 
varieties. Conservative, thrifty farmers 
do not care for such seeds. They cannot 
afford to plant them largely ; there is no 
motive to plant then in an experimental 
way, since there would be nothing to 
gain or learn by so doing. The people 
of this country cannot afford to pay 
§100,000 for such seeds, and that a ma¬ 
jority of Congressmen favor such a wan¬ 
ton extravagance proves that they do not 
care a rap for the economic betterment of 
those whose interests they were chosen 
to look after. 
Toe §100,000 is, as Harper’s remarks, 
“ worse than thrown away,” and the 
remark is absolutely true. “The free 
distribution of seeds helps to confirm 
the idea more or less prevalent in every 
neighborhood, that it is the function of 
the Federal Government to make gifts 
to the people, to distribute largess, to 
give something for nothing,” quite ob¬ 
livious to the fact that the people have to 
pay over §10Q,00<) for a lot of inferior 
seeds sent to a few favored friends of 
Congressmen, for which 99 out of every 
100 receive no benefit whatever. 
One of the meanest phases of the 
whole mean business is, that it is a 
direct robbery of the legitimate seeds¬ 
men of the country. 
Now, we pray ytu, Secretary Morton, 
to use your earnest influence in favor of 
thorough reform. 
Many years ago seed of the Egyptian 
or Seven-headed wheat was sown at the 
Rural Farm. The heads of this wheat 
are branching or compound, there being 
as many as from seven to ten secondary 
heads growing from the base. The result 
was that only a few plants lived through 
the winter. Last fall we sowed (or rather 
planted) a small plot at the Rural 
Grounds and mulched it. Only half a 
dozen plants lived, and many of these 
are simple heads, the proclivity to branch 
having disappeared. Our object in trying 
it was simply to use the pollen on hardier 
kinds. But the heads did not bloom 
until the grains of all the other kinds had 
begun to form or were well on towards 
the milk or even dough stage. 
In a recent bulletin of the Massachu¬ 
setts Experiment Station, comments the 
Experiment Station Record, attention is 
called to two important factors in esti¬ 
mating the value of commercial feeding 
stuffs, which are very often disregarded 
by purchasers. One of these is the man- 
urial value. The difference in the value 
of feeding stuffs in this regard may be 
very great. At the time the bulletin 
was prepared, a ton of corn meal cost¬ 
ing §24 had a manurial value of §7.31, 
while an equal amount of cotton-seed 
meal costing §28 had a manurial value of 
§23.52. Obviously it would be poor econ¬ 
omy to neglect such large d.fferences in 
making selections of the feeding stuffs 
on the market. 
One feature of the trade in commer¬ 
cial feeding stuffs which calls for special 
comment is that relating to the so-called 
“condimental” foods. Recent analyses 
by the stations have shown that in a 
number of instances these preparations 
contain only ordinary food materials 
mixed with substances of doubtful medi¬ 
cinal value. When a farmer is asked to 
pay for linseed meal at the rate of §1,000 
per ton simply because a harmless quan¬ 
tity of fenugreek has been added to it, he 
probably has some reason to believe that 
be is being imposed upon. The lordly 
name which the preparation has assumed 
will hardly increase the health of his 
animals or relieve the leanness of his 
pocketbook. Detective work may not be 
the highest service which the stations 
can render to the farmer, but it may be 
and has been exceedingly useful. 
A notable novelty of the near future 
will be a White Plume celery with red 
stalks. 
There is little doubt regarding the 
hardiness of the so-called Japan Wine- 
berry. It seems not to be hardy at the 
Rural Grounds, but we find it Is hardy 
in localities having a climate fully as 
severe. Anthracnose is killing our rasp¬ 
berries generally and, no doubt, this is 
the cause of the apparent tenderness of 
the Wineberry. We do not like to see 
this interesting berry denounced as it is 
in many quarters. The vines are certainly 
prolific, the berries sprightly and to 
many quite agreeable, while the plant is 
interesting as an oddity. 
Word for Word. 
--New England Farmer: “Let us train 
the boys at least as well as the colts.” 
“ Is it the fathers’own fault that their 
sons leave them ? ” 
-Dr Peabody : “ For worship and re¬ 
ligious culture the Sabbath is equally 
essential. Public worship would be im¬ 
possible were there not seasons for it. 
The weekly rest is also of untold service 
to home life, especially in our busy age 
when the members of a family have, 
each with all and all with each, only the 
most hurried intercourse at uncertain 
intervals. The interposing of a frequent 
day of rest tends, too, to allay the vehe¬ 
mence of political excitement and party 
strife, and to remind those who feel 
very far apart <5f the higher obligations 
and interests that overlap and overtop 
their differences.” 
-Garden and Forest: “In the ex¬ 
periment stations of the country there 
are horticulturists and botanists and 
chemists; why not have some one to 
devote his labors exclusively to the im¬ 
provement of plants? 
piimUmwoutf gnUiertteing. 
If you name The Rural Nkw-Youkek to our 
advertisers, you may be pretty sure of prompt 
replies and right treatment 
LET IT RUN, 
and your cough may end in something seri¬ 
ous. It’s pretty sure to, if your blood is poor. 
That is just the time and condition that in¬ 
vites Consumption. The seeds are sown and 
it has fastened its hold upon you, before you 
know that it is near. 
It won’t do to trifle and delay, when the 
remedy is at hand. Every disorder that can 
be reached through the blood yields to Dr. 
Pierce’s Golden Medical Discovery. For 
Severe Coughs, Bronchial, Throat and Lung 
Diseases, Asthma, Scrofula in every form, 
and even the Scrofulous affection of the 
lungs that’s called Consumption, in all its 
earlier stages, it is a positive and complete 
cure. 
It is the only blood-cleanser, strength re¬ 
storer, and flesh-builder so effective that it 
can be guaranteed. If it doesn’t benefit or 
cure, in every case, you have your money 
back. All medicine dealers have it. 
LANDS FOR SALE. 
Bv the Illinois Central RR. Co., at 
Low Prices and on Easy Terms, 
in Southern Illinois. 
The best farm country In the world for either large 
or small farms, gardens, fruits, orchards, dairying, 
raising stocix or sheep. A greater variety of crops, 
with a greater profit, can be grown on a less amount 
of lands In this country than can be raised In any 
other portion of this State. All sales made exclu¬ 
sively by the Land Commissioner, 1 . C. RR. Co. 
Special Inducements and facilities offered by the 
Illinois Central Railroad Company to go and examine 
these lands. For full description and map, and any 
Information, address or call upon 
M. P. SKENE, 
Land Commissioner I. C. RR. Co., 
78 Mlohlgun Ave., CHICAGO, ILL 
♦ GIVE THE BABY « 
IN FANTS -gafofrl N VALIDS. 
TRADE ^ ora MARK. 
IF YOU WISH your infant to be 
well nourished, healthy and vigorous. 
THE • BEST • FOOD 
For Hand-Fed Infants, Invalids, Conva¬ 
lescents, Dyspeptics, and the Aged. 
Our Book for MOTHERS, 
“THE CARE AND FEEDING OF INFANTS,” 
Mailed free upon request. 
OOLI BER GOO DALE C O , B OSTO N. M ASS. 
WOOD ASHES. 
FOR FERTILIZING PURPOSES. 
The Michigan Agricultural College values Hard 
Wood Aslien worth $211.00 per ton. Soft Wood 
$10.80 per ton, and Leached Asliea $10.40 per ton. 
Write for carload prices at >our Railroad Stations. 
Wo also manufacture Potash Salt and Pure 
Rone Fertilizers. 
FITCH FERTILIZER WORKS, 
238 North Madison Ave, Ray City, Mich. 
E 
VAPORATING FRUIT 
Full trcjlt Ini* mi i in pro veil met hods, yields, pro- 
II ts mid prices Free. AMERICAN MFC. CO. 
Box IS. WAYNESBORO, PA. 
ENGINES, m 8 ,**,. 
Threshing Machines. 
Best Machinery at Lowest Pricks. 
A. B. FARQUHAR CO., York, Pa. 
PAIN Troops 
DIXON’S SILICA GRAPHITE PAINT 
Water will run from It pure and clean. It covers double 
the surface of any other paint, and will last four ortlv* 
timeslonger. Equally useful for any Iron work. Send for 
circulars. Jos. Dixon Chucihlk Co., Jersey City, N.J. 
jt > A*Txx.u jl. jL BATHS, 
Beat ever Known. Vk«UuU »e4 
Aganta W»aU4 lTirjvW 
I S«n4 f*r Circulars, 
E. J. KN0WLT0N. 
Aa* AjrDuc.liM.-' 
WALL PAPER 
The select colorings and 
designs of the season, 
lot) samples for 8 cents. 
A. L. DlAMENT & Co., 1624 Chestnut Street. Philadelpiw. 
FRUIT CULTURE, 
and the Laying Out and Manage¬ 
ment of a Country Home.—By W. 
C. Strong, Ex-President of the Mas¬ 
sachusetts Horticultural Society, and 
Vice-President of the American Po- 
mological Society. Illustrated. New 
revised edition, with many additions, 
making it the latest and freshest book 
on the subject. 
“ Mr. Strong gives evidence of that thorough grasp 
Of the subject which he has gained lrom 80 years’ 
experience as an orchardlst. His book Is a simple, 
clear well-condensed manual of practical Informa¬ 
tion on the fundamental principles Involved in the 
successful cultivation of each species of fruit.”— 
Boston Advertiser. 
“ In no branch of intelligence has there been so 
much advance as In horticulture. Every year solves 
new problems insoluble Before, and with new Ideas 
new books follow, it Is In just this line (in the 
endeavor to elucidate fundamental principles) that 
Mr. Strong believes he tlnds an unoccupied Held, 
and this book is the result.”—T uomas Meehan, in 
Gardener's Monthly. 
“The author has shown excellent Judgment in 
giving the particular Information which small fruit 
raisers wish to know.”—Boston Transcript. 
“ The directions are specldo enough to be under¬ 
stood by beginners and wise enougn to be of proilt 
to experienced fruit growers.”—Home and Farm 
(Louisville). 
Price, in one volume, 16mo., cloth, §1. 
Special Reduced Price for 
ONE Month. 
BY A. A. CKOZIKtt. 
A collection of errors and superstitions entertained 
by farmers, gardeners and others, together with 
brief sclentidc refutations. Highly 1 terestlng to 
students i nd Intelligent readers of the uew and at¬ 
tractive In rural literature, and of real value to 
practical cultivators who want to know the truth 
about their work, i rice $1. reduced to 75 cents. 
THE RURAL PUBLISHING CO., 
Cor. Chambers and Pearl Sts., New York. 
