88 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
February 10 
THE 
Rural New-Yorker 
Cor, Chambers and Pearl Sts., New York. 
A National Weakly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
KLBKKT B. CABMAN, Hdltor-ln-Chlef. 
HBBBKBT W. COLLINQWOOD. Managing Editor 
BBWIN Q. EOWLBB. Aseoclate Editor. 
JOHN J. DILLON, BuBlness Manager. 
VopyrighttA 1894. 
Address all business oommnnloatlons and make all orders pay¬ 
able to THE BUBAL NEW-TOBKBB. 
Be sure that the name and address of sender, with name of Post- 
offloe and State, and what the remittance Is for, appear in every letter. 
Money orders and bank drafts on New Tork are the safest means of 
transmitting money. 
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1894. 
The dearest, sweetest spot on earth to 
the children, as to the parents, ought to 
be home. Who is the more responsible 
for making home dear and sweet—the 
mother or the father ? 
* » 
We want a big experience meeting over that matter 
of seed sowing mentioned on page 84. How mucb seed 
do you need per foot or acre ? How many plants to 
the ounce ? 
» « 
Go and tell the mighty story in the ears of all true 
men that the legumes are a certain trap for catching 
nitrogen. But, also, let the fact be known in early 
days and late, the trap will never work unless old Pot¬ 
ash act as bait. 
« « 
Particular attention is called to the article by Prof. 
E. H. Farrington on creams and churning, which 
is begun in this issue. Many of the facts here given 
have never before been printed. We regard this arti¬ 
cle as a very important addition to our dairy literature. 
« * 
From as far west as Missouri hired men have written 
to learn what wages are paid in the dairy districts of 
New York State. It seems strange that the East 
should offer inducements to Western farm laborers. 
The note printed on page 85 will serve to answer nearly 
a dozen letters that have reached us. In these times, 
the man who is doing fairly well would better “stick to 
his last.” 
» « 
Almost every week adds to the evidence that the 
silo is about the best hay-making machine yet intro¬ 
duced. It increases the farm’s supply of manure and, 
what is more, so increases the stock food that all the 
Timothy hay may be sold. Hundreds of dairy farms 
that once imported hay are now exporting Timothy, 
and still feeding the stock more generously than ever. 
Give the silo credit. 
* » 
We have at least 10 letters from men who have lived 
in town the greater part of their lives and who now 
want to get into the country. Most of them have a 
little money and want to know what interest they can 
expect from it when invested in gardening or poultry- 
keeping on a small place. Next week, Mr. A. John¬ 
son, of the famous “One-Horse Jersey Farm,” will 
reply to one of these letters. There is no man better 
qualified to do so. 
^ * * 
A WORD or two about questions. They are coming 
in on every conceivable subject, and all will receive 
attention. Some are answered by mail. Answers are 
sometimes delayed because it is necessary to consult 
distant authorities or look up references. Often half 
a dozen different questions can be answered in one 
general reply. In that case, we assume that our 
friends will be satisfied if their own particular ques¬ 
tion is not used for a text. 
* * 
Here is an example of the importance of looking 
before leaping. An Ohio farmer shipped a coop of 
turkeys and a coop of chickens alive to this market 
during the week before Christmas. This is one of the 
worst seasons at which to ship live poultry, for dressed 
poultry is most in demand. The poultry market, too, 
hasn’t been so dull in years or prices so low. Of course, 
this lot sold for a low price, but this didn’t make any 
difference with the express charges ; they were just 
the same as though the price had been twice as high. 
From this shipping point to New York the express 
rate is $2 per 100 pounds—on live poultry, double 
rates, or $4 per 100 pounds. On this lot, which sold 
for $15.50, the express charges were $8 50. This may 
be termed outrageous, possibly truly so. But these 
are the regular rates, and might have been learned by 
this shipper before he made the shipment. Had he 
taken this precaution, and done a little figuring, he 
would most likely have sold his poultry nearer home. 
« « 
The New Hampshire Agricultural College will open 
on February 5 an “Institute Course of Agriculture,” 
which is in some ways different from the short courses 
in other States. The course opens with a farmers’ in¬ 
stitute and closes with another—there is also a farm¬ 
ers’ meeting midway cf the course. Not only do the 
regular college professors lecture, but men who have 
made a practical success of poultry keeping, garden¬ 
ing, fertilizers and other agricultural interests will 
lecture and answer questions. In fact the course 
seems to be planned with an eye to the practical 
rather than the scientific side of agriculture. The 
plan of holding farmers’ institutes through the course 
and engaging practical men to talk and answer ques¬ 
tions seems to us very commendable. 
« * 
There is a complaint on many dairy farms that the 
pastures do not yield as sweet and nutritious herbage 
as they formerly did. How in the world could it be 
otherwise ? For years cattle have been carrying away 
the potash and phosphoric acid. It is true that they 
have also manured them to a certain extent, but this 
manuring has been unevenly done. Pasture has no 
more use for the “ chunk of manure” than has corn. 
How can you improve the quality of that pasture 
grass ? Supply the needed potash and phosphoric 
acid in an available form. Most of it has either left 
the farm or gone to feed other fields. It will have to 
be brought in from outside. Feed and fertilizers are 
the materials in which it is bought. The manure 
from feed seldom gets to the pasture. Can you find 
any dressing for the pasture that is cheaper than fer¬ 
tilizers ? If so, let’s hear of it. 
« * 
Growing over the South is a plant called Broom 
sedge or Sedge grass. It is usually regarded as a 
despised weed and when hard, tough and wiry is re¬ 
jected by stock. Its bad reputation was obtained 
because it was fed in this tough condition. Rut it has 
merits. H. J. Patterson of the Maryland Experiment 
Station says that two years ago a field of Broom sedge 
was cut, and when partly dry the stalks were run 
through a cutter and mixed in alternate layers with 
corn in a silo. It came out of the silo in fine condi¬ 
tion and was eaten up clean by the stock. Analyses 
showed that Broom sedge ensilage contained nearly 
twice the feeding value of that from corn. Here then 
the silo serves a double purpose—making palatable 
food of what would otherwise be wasted and encour¬ 
aging the farmer to mow the weeds on his farm. We 
know of farmers who put large quantities of weeds in 
the silo. While we would not care to feed such as 
ragweed to cows we believe they would be very suit¬ 
able for sheep. 
One of the most original schemes for beguiling 
money from the unsuspecting farmer has just come to 
light in Kentucky. It was played by a stranger of 
course. He pretended to want to buy a farm. He 
must inspect the farm before purchasing, and simul¬ 
taneously with his examination the hogs on the farm 
were acting in a very unaccountable manner. The 
owner was at a loss as to the cause, but the stranger 
claimed to be an expert and to know all about hogs. 
He declared that they were afflicted with “ rolling 
hots.” He professed to be able to cure them for only 
$25 with the recipe thrown in. “ No cure, no pay.” 
The offer is accepted ; the medic'ne given; and by the 
next morning the hogs appear to be cured. But the 
disease seems to be contagious, for, one after another, 
all the droves of hogs in the neighborhood were 
affected, but the stranger’s skill was equal to the 
emergency, and the hogs were cured. It has since 
transpired that the stranger, the night before the 
hogs were taken, fed them a plentiful supply of corn 
soaked in “good, old Blue Grass whisky of course 
the hogs were cured, of course the man’s fee was paid, 
of course he disappeared. 
* * 
One of the hardest things to make plain is what is 
really meant by the feeding and manurial value of 
stock foods. We have tried to make it clear on another 
page. Both of these values are comparative—that is, 
if corn meal is worth so much, wheat bran is worth so 
much ; but we cannot give the value of one without 
comparing it with the other. It will not do to say to 
the farmer in New Jersey and the farmer in Wiscon¬ 
sin, “ a ton of wheat bran is worth $25 for feeding and 
$13 for manuring.” The cost of cattle food and the 
cost of fertility differ in these two States. The manu¬ 
rial value of the bran is equal to the cost of buying 50 
pounds of nitrogen, 60 pounds of phosphoric acid and 
30 pounds of potash in other materials. The feeding 
value IS equal to the cost of 312 pounds of protein, 95 
pounds of fat and 1,260 pounds of carbohydrates. One 
can easily see that the price of a pound of nitrogen or 
a pound of protein might be greater in one State than 
in the other. Therefore, no actual definite value can 
be given that would answer for both places. In the 
East, where definite values are given fertilizing sub¬ 
stances, the “ manurial values ” are more practical, 
because they can be compared with fertilizers. In the 
West, where the laws regarding fertilizers are not so 
strict, they have only a comparative value at best, as 
we think is explained on page 84. 
* * 
Read the article headed “Clean Your Ears With 
Your Elbows” on page 94, and then proceed to carry 
out its suggestions. Every word is true. Keep pins 
and toothpicks and sticks out of your ears. If you 
must poke them into something try your eye. You 
will not do any more damage there because the eye is 
more sensitive than the ear and lets you know at once 
that you are on forbidden ground. The patient ear is 
long-suffering, but deafness comes at last 1 
* * 
BREVITIES. 
Way back In Grandpa’s pasture on the old New England hill. 
There lay a spilng—In fancy I can see it sparkling still, 
Above Its cool sweet water clinging shrubs their arches made 
While one great bunch of peppermint stood growing In the shade. 
And one day from the mowing Held they sent me back to bring 
A Jug of pure cold water for the mowers—at the spring— 
1 found a ragged fellow with the dipper at his Ups. 
He chewed a bunch of peppermint between the coolln ( sips 
And when 1 questioned him he sneered and made this answer bold; 
“ I eat this piece of peppermint to make the water cold!" 
And BO, poor, foolish, simple soul, the peppermint I placed 
Within my mouth and thought the drink seemed colder to the taste. 
And yet It would not satisfy as water used to do. 
The peppermint stayed In my mouth and kept the thirst there too. 
But lor the seeming coolness of the drink that peppermint 
Laid tax on tongue and throat, and thirst and comfort without stint. 
And 1 have seen enough of life to know that discontent 
And half of our unhappiness by Nature’s laws are sent 
To those who are not satlshed to drink from humble springs 
Of home and love and gentleness where life's best purpose clings. 
But like the fooilsh boy and tramp they chew the biting weed 
And lose the freshness of their lives in envy, care and greed. 
Is the Ice housed ? 
Thk bull as a laundryman-page 84. 
Ever urfed cotton-seed oil In paint? 
Are there any dcgers cn your mind ? 
Who cut the pattern for your behavior? 
Who can feed the “runt” out of a calf ? 
The best ‘ cow-tall holder” Is the cowl 
It is shiftless to let the ashes go slftless. 
Ever And any “corners” In the round silo? 
Are you working for luck or for a purpose? 
Don’t carry a scold on the end of yoar tongue. 
Let’s have your plan for making the cow “ dry up ’’—page 95. 
“ Hard ti.me8” brings no shrinkage In the politician’s salary. 
IK yon want to foot up a bill against yourself, go and kick the cow 1 
What about corrosive sublimate for potato scab this year? Going 
to use any ? 
Are there not cases wnere the Ore Is more comfortable than the 
frying pan ? 
Wasted- knowledge ol an Instance where you lost anything by 
being a gentleman I 
How many hired men have asked for a reduction In wages In conse¬ 
quence of the hard times ? 
Is icorn sick ? Why then does It need to be cured ? The ello is the 
place to preserve Its health. 
It Is easy to make home the sourest place on earth. Is your home 
Influence for sugar or vinegar ? 
Which is worse—cracks to let the air in or alr-tlght walls to hold the 
breath of tuberculous cows In ? 
Clover needs potash—there’s no doubt about It—you might as well 
burn up your cash, sir, as doubt It. 
Remember that your breeding poultry pen needs a new head this 
year. “Send off” and get one. 
“Never raise Timothy hay except to sell!” That Is Mr. Wood¬ 
ward’s advice; and he explains how his horses thrive on clover. 
Given, a man with six cows—too few for a silo. What is the best 
way to utlllie corn stalks? That Is a big dairy problem for many. 
You will be at the mercy of the coal combine so long as von let the 
stove grate sift your ashes and leave a big air space In your wood 
shed I 
Mr. Dibble speaks of a law compelling farmers to attend the 
farmers’ institutes 1 It would take a mighty big police force to en¬ 
force It. 
We will guarantee that your wife can manage your work better than 
you c^n hers. The farm work will go on better in y.^nr absence than 
It would in hers. 
Don’t like a monopolist eh? That’s right! The next time there Is 
to be any financial change In your household, don’t.be a monopolist, 
but consult the rest about It. 
IF we could pick out one thing for making the world better, welwould 
have men judge the actions of others not so much by the deed as by 
the motive that lies under It. 
Just mark your old meadow-It’s sod bound you know ; to save It 
I’ll soon tell you how, go forth with your team, sir, at meltlnglof snow 
and make the sod bound with a plow. 
There once was a time when school mastering was a regular busi¬ 
ness. Better times came with a division of labor-thelmasterlng to be 
done at home and the teaching In the schoolhouse. 
Do you live within reasonable distance of a good town? If so, wo 
challenge you to give a good reason why you should not have some¬ 
thing to sell every day In the year except Sundays. 
Those cows mentioned on page 95 earned nearly $90 each. Last 
spring, before turning out to pasture, a sample of the whole milk 
showed that it required 10 quaits to make a pound of butter. Suppose 
the milk of each cow could be tested In like manner. That would 
show how many of the nine are robbers. Down with the barn thieves. 
Can nine of your cows beat this record ? 
When the subject of “cow-tall” holders’’was started, we had no 
Idea of the importance of this arresting of the tall. We never as’iied 
a question that called out more answers and suggestions. Itls evident 
that the muscular development of the cow’s tall Is too pronounced. 
We need to hold It under control If we would not have the cow’s 
switch whisking about our eyes and ears like the snapper on a whip 1 
