24 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
January 13 
THK 
Rural New-Yorker 
Cor. Chambers and Pearl Sts ., New Torh. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
KLBKBT 8. CABMAN, Bdltor-ln-Chlef. 
nKUBBBT W. COLLINGWOOD. ManafrlnR Editor 
EBWIN G. FOWLKB. Associate Editor 
JOHN J. DILLON, Business Manaeer. 
Copyrighted tbV4. 
Address all business cominunlcatlons and make all orders pay¬ 
able to THE BDUAL NEW YOBKEB. 
Be sure that the name and address of sender, with name of Post- 
oSlce and State, and what the remittance Is for, appear In every letter. 
Money orders and bank drafts on New York are the safest means of 
transmlttlnK money. 
SATURDAT, JANUARY 13, 1894. 
SuBSCHiBEKS are particularly requested to notice the 
date on the address label of The R N.-Y. and to renew 
a few weeks before the expiration of the subscription 
term. Our friends will do us a real service by com¬ 
ply’ing with this request. 
* * 
That is a remarkable statement made by Mr. Sarg 
on page 18. These facts about peat ought to add a 
new value to that substance. They open a most in¬ 
teresting field for investigation, and we hope some of 
our American chemists and veterinarians will take 
ho’d of the matter. Here is a chance for some of the 
experiment stations to do a good work. 
« » 
Goveknob Floweb, of New York, suggests a new 
legal holiday, to be known as Harvest Day, “ for stim¬ 
ulating interest in agricultural matters and enjoying 
the season of harvest.” lie would like to have it in 
some way connect with the State Fair at Syracuse, 
This idea of a distinct and general farmers’ holiday is 
not bad. It is c rtiinly as appropriate as our present 
Labor Day, and we think the farmers could use it to 
good advantage. * 
Mb. Hibge w'ants to know, page 30, if we cannot say 
something about this government seed distribution 
that will reach the ears of the powers that be I No, 
we don't tbink so. Life is too short and political 
patronage too long. Our honored Secretary of Agri¬ 
culture says he has cut down the cost of the distribu¬ 
tion and saved Uncle Sam some money. May be he 
will stop at that. The economy that sends Southport 
onion seed to Southport for testing is certainly unique. 
* ■» 
A CEBTAIN brand of milk retails in this city at 15 
cents per quart, which seems like an exorbitant price. 
It is, however, produced at extra cost for a special 
purpose. In London is a dairy, said to be the only 
one of its kind in the city, where milk is sold at 75 
cents per pint It is asses’ milk and is chiefly con¬ 
sumed by consumptives and delicate infants. The 
milk is said to be very thin and slightly sweet. Its 
high cost is because of the small quantity given by 
each animal. ^ ^ 
The last report of the Bureau of Animal Industry con¬ 
tains a report on the condition cf the poultry and egg 
industry. It gives, in 30 pages, interviews with poultry- 
men all over the country. Most of them are so brief 
that there is little to be learned from them, yet we are 
glad to see the matter started in this way. We hope 
it will lead to more work in this line. A singular 
statement is made about the egg business at Hartford, 
Conn. Four wholesale dealers alone handle yearly 
888,000 dozens of eggs, which were brought in car-load 
lots from outside the State. 
« * 
An illustration of the differing manurial properties 
of stable manure, a complete fertilizer and nitrate of 
soda may be seen in the heating properties of coal, dry 
wood and kerosene oil. Take a ton of coal, a cord of 
wood and a barrel of oil. There may be about the 
same amount of heat in each, but it is locked up in 
different forms. The coal, like the manure, gives out 
a steady and prolonged heat. It is bulky and covers 
a large amount of waste that is left in the form of 
coal ashes. The wcod can be made to give up its 
heat much faster and with much less waste in ashes, 
while the oil burns faster still with practically no 
waste. Again, grind the coal into a fine powder and 
it will burn almost as readily as the oil. Or, if we could 
grind the manure up as fine as the fertilizer it would 
be almost as available. A big chunk of dry, hard wood 
in an old-fashioned air-tight stove, lasted as long as the 
slow burning coal in our modern burners. There are 
straw burners in use out West in which hay and straw 
are packed so tight that they give out a slow heat for 
12 hours. Of what advantage is the slowly burning 
fuel? Do we buy it because it is slow as though that 
were an advantage? No, when the fire is once started 
we aim to keep up a good, steady heat, using the 
article that provides this heat cheapest, whether it be 
coal, peat, wood,or oil in a lamp. It ought to be the same 
with manure. We should use that form of plant food 
that will keep the plant growing all through its life 
at the least cost per unit. Why give stable manure 
credit for being slow? , ^ 
In traveling through the country one striking dif¬ 
ference between the East and the West, especially the 
middle West, is the much smaller number of wind¬ 
mills in the East. Only here and there one is seen, 
while in the agricultural parts tf the West the land¬ 
scape is usually thickly dotted with them. This 
power, though fickle, is free, and needs only harness¬ 
ing to be made a useful servant. The most common 
use for a windmill is for pumping water, but there 
are many other ways in which it may be made help¬ 
ful to the farmer, such as grinding feed and running 
various kinds of'light machinery. The great improve¬ 
ments in windmills the past few years render them 
more serviceable, and the lessened cost makes them 
more available. They should be found on many 
farms where pumping is now done by hand. Wind 
power is cheaper than hired-man power. 
* « 
The reports of the recent brief war in South Africa 
have not attracted much general attention. The pub¬ 
lic have seemingly decided that England was simply 
conquering another little province, and that was about 
all there was to it In truth, however, this little war 
may be far reaching in its effect upon the commerce 
and agriculture of the world. Within or near the con¬ 
quered province are some of the richest gold mines 
now known. The effect of a greatly increased output 
of gold within the next few years can hardly help be¬ 
ing beneficial, as was the case in the interval following 
the opening of the California mines. The province is 
also said to contain vast beds of nitrate of po'^ash. A 
cheapening of this substance would have a wonderful 
effect on the fertilizer trade—providing cheaper and 
higher grade goods. So it may be that when the 
English drove the savage black king out of this terri¬ 
tory, they did more for the world than they bargained 
Of all the cranky notions emanating from suppos¬ 
edly sensible people, some of the most ridiculous are 
in relation to the national flower. Ballots and con¬ 
tests innumerable have been held, and this and that 
organization and individual have decided positively 
the ffower that shall be the national floral emblem of 
the great American people. The trailing arbutus, the 
rose, the sunflower, and, not least, our useful corn 
plant have all been thus honored. But the country is 
too vast and its flora too varied to have all unite upon 
any one. Recently the peop.e of Salem, Mass., held a 
festival in the interest of corn as the national flower, 
and straightway a Philadelphia crank protests against 
their action, claiming a copyright on the words, 
“American National Flower,” and accusing the origin¬ 
ators of this festival of thievery in using the words 
without due credit to the writer. The next thing we 
know some one will be claiming a copyright on the 
whole English language. Long live King Corn ! Long 
live our National flower ! 
* « 
The writer put up a new stove two months ago and 
since then has carried from the cellar every ounce of 
coal used in it. It used up an immense amount of 
fuel and still did not give wholly satisfactory heat. 
Investigation proved that the draughts could not be 
nicely regulated. If we closed them we could not get 
heat enough; if we opened them we had too much 
heat, and wasted fuel. A damper in the stove pipe 
gave just the check needed and we have been able to 
save enough coal to run a grate fire. Before that, fuel 
was wasted in heat that went up the chimney. Now 
we get the benefit of it. That stove is like most men. 
They waste time and energy by doing too much or 
too little. When they do too much there is a surplus 
wasted ; when they do too little it is almost all wasted 
because the job amounts to little. Such men need a 
damper—a regulator—and the place for it is inside 
the head. It may be a question, though, whether the 
average man most needs a damper or a draught. 
« « 
The Dorset Horned Sheep Breeders held a short 
session last week. We took pains to send them copies 
of The R. N.-Y. containing the article printed two 
weeks ago, but they did not, apparently, see fit to take 
notice of it. That is their affair—not ours. Mr. T. S. 
Cooper was reelected president, and Mr. M. A. Cooper, 
secretary. An official of the association informs us 
that if we continue our course we will “lose advertis¬ 
ing patronage from Dorset breeders!” Well! Well I 
We hope so if such advertising is to get any more of 
our readers into trouble and disappointment! As a 
matter of fact, TheR. N.-Y has given the Dorset breed 
$100 worth of advertising for every one dollar its 
breeders have given us. This same man admitted, in 
private, that some of the large breeders might be 
sending out sheep for breeding that ought to be sold 
for mutton ! A nice association that is afraid to speak 
out against frauds in high places. Read Mr. Wood¬ 
ward’s article on page 19. 
« « 
And now we are told that Europeans prefer perk 
made from peas to that made from corn, because the 
proportion of lean meat is greater. Wheat also gi^es 
a greater proportion of lean meat. It isn’t likely that 
much pork made from peas is sent from this country, 
but there is no reason why a great deal made from 
wheat shouldn’t be. In fact, there are many reasons 
favoring the making and exporting of wheat-fed 
pork. , , 
A PECULiAB problem is presented by a tobacco 
grower in New York State. He has six acres to put 
into tobacco and keeps six horses, two cows and 50 
sheep. He estimates that three car-loads of manure 
will be needed for the tobacco—in addition to his 
heme supply. This will cost $90, and the question is, 
“ Would it not pay me better to spend the $90 for 
wheat middlings to feed to cows and sheep and spread 
the manure thinner, as it would be richer ?” In the 
first place, we believe bran would pay better than 
middlings. The fertilizing value of a ton of bran is 
about $13, while its feeding value is about $22 50. A 
skillful feeder may get the full feeding value out of 
the bran and have $10 worth of fertility left in the 
manure. It will all depend on the feeding as to 
whether the |90 will be better invested in manure or 
bran, but there is another side. Why not spend the 
$90 or a part of it for tobacco fertilizers ? The experts 
agree that tobacco, like potatoes, thrives better on 
fertilizers than with manure—the same as with most 
fruits. We would advise an experiment of investing 
$45 in a first-class tobacco fertilizer. We believe our 
friend can buy fertility cheaper in fertilizers than in 
either bran or manure. As to the food value of tbe 
bran—that depends on the man—and the cows and 
sheep. , 
BREVITIES. 
“ A mighty small potato” is a name that no man likes. 
It leaves a Darb that stlngeth In your teellcgu when u strikes. 
It hurts a fellow's feeling wiien he llnds himself esteemed 
A call—a small potato hy his nelgabors, when he deemed 
Himself a mammoth tubei of most marketaoie size, 
Whose most augast opinion all tue people ought to prize. 
" A misnty small potato!” Well, why not pitch In and grow. 
And make a big potato of joar stunted self and show 
The 10.ks who will not class you as among the big elect, 
That you have some bigness In you that will challenge their respect. 
W’hai mazes a Dig potato? Cultivation, sir, and food. 
The tubers grow and broaden when conditions are all good. 
Not culture of ihe body, but of brain and soul and heart. 
’Tls mental food alone, sir, that will make your greatness start; 
But do your groalng slowly—when potatoes grow too fast 
They turn out hollow hearted—and their greatness w Ll not last. 
PUT a head on yourself. 
Wuy not trim the cow’s tall? 
Broken any New Year’s promises yet ? 
BTiCK to the cow! Manure? No, men! 
CRISP celery must be grown with celerity. 
A PECK of trouble is better than a bushel. 
How do you like that tall holder—page 31 ? 
iLL-GOTTEN money has a strong purse-scent. 
Wanted— a recipe that will soften the times. 
Better end the things that are not worth a mend. 
We wish backbiting would become a lost Industry ! 
Can’t you breed a failure easier than you can heed it? 
A PERMANENT pastchewer—One who has lost his teeth. 
Don’t let your mind winterkill even if the wneat does ? 
That is sensible talk about potato planting on page 18. 
Take no stock In men that quit working to ‘Took at the clock. 
Bead Mr. Newton’s article on ” The Farmer as a Writer,” page 18. 
Farmer, what of the night ? Are you using it to improve your 
mind ? 
WHEN It comes to eggs, the surplus rooster is not a professional 
but a layman I 
Come forward with your wire netting fence facts, please. What’s 
the s'.ze of your favorite mesh ? 
Just Bgure a little and see If Mr. Woodward’s advice to sell your 
corn and buv bran with the money Is sound for your place and prices! 
The dozens of readers who have been asking questions about green 
crops and sod for manuring are referied to the symposium on page 
20 . 
Suppose one of our experiment stations were to Issue a synopsis of 
Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations as a bulletin ! We wonder if the 
Secretary of Agriculture would ” endorse ” it. 
There are fellows who quit’ere the battle begins, and the reason 
for tnat 1 will publicly tell—they are too chlcien-nearted to hold up 
their Hus, so they change tbe sp In their spunk to fi. 
Lots of gardeners in Kansas ^ nd ^Missouri are using fertilizers. 
They have a fine basts for It In the bone and blood from the great 
slaughter houses. All they need to import is potash 
That dude would not sit down till somebody called him a fanner! 
Well, boys, what are you going to do about It? Stay on the farm and 
shame the dudes Into respect for your calling? v\ hy not? 
“ Mint HA Y ” is the residue of peppermint left after the oil has 
been ext'acied. In tbe peppeimlnt-growlog reg'ons it is said to be 
readily eaten by stock. Well It may be from Dr. Kedzle’s analysis, 
which shows 9}^ per cent of protein, or nearly one per cent more than 
Tlmotny. 
A WORD for the bees. In those great greenhouses near Boston where 
early cucumbers are grown. It Is always necessaiy to have one or tv o 
hives of bees Inside to fertilize the flowers. No bees, no cucumbers, 
unless men go around with a brush and dust t'-e pollen from one 
flower to another 
