556 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
September 1 
THE 
Rural New-Yorker 
Oor. Ohambern and Pearl St $., New York. 
A Nativaal Weakly Jenrnal for Country and Sabnrban Homes. 
BLBHBT B. CABMAN, Bdltor-ln-Cblef. 
HBBBBBT W. COMilNQWOOD, Managing Bdltor 
JOHN J. DILLON, BnslneBB Manager. 
Copyrighted 1894. 
Addresi all bnilness oornmnnloatlons and make all orders pay¬ 
able to THE BUBAL NBW-TOBEBB. 
Be sure that the name and address of sAder, with name of Post 
office 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 
transmitting money. 
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1894. 
Mb. Eglkston shows us on the first page, something 
of what can be done on a small piece of ground if the 
conditions are made right. Of course, many of our 
readers are not so situated that they can grow vege¬ 
tables successfully, but the principle that underlies 
this experiment may be employed with any farm crop 
to increase the yield. Don’t scatter your efforts, but 
concentrate! ^ 
In the province of Quebec, Canada, fathers of 12 
children are given a bounty of 100 acres of land. A 
large amount has been distributed in this way. A 
man is said to have recently applied for the bounty, 
who is the father of 36 children, and accordingly 
thought that he should be given 300 acres. This cer¬ 
tainly is a better way to dispose of government lands 
than to give them to thieving railroads, as Uncle Sam 
has done. ^ 
The R. N.-Y. is always glad to put its readers in 
the way of reading the best bulletins that are issued 
by the experiment stations. Truth compels us to say 
that a good many of these bulletins are not worth 
reading. Others are of great scientific and practical 
value, and might well be read by every thoughtful 
farmer. Of this latter class, is Bulletin 40 of the Wis¬ 
consin Experiment Station (Madison.) It deals with 
the subject of bovine tuberculosis and the tuberculin 
test in such a clear and comprehensive way that all 
who keep cattle should study it. 
* 
The interesting discussion as to the effect of liquid 
manures on grass in this issue will, we think, make 
several points clear. Dr. Hoskins improves the oppor¬ 
tunity to point out the difference between complete 
and incomplete fertilizers. Prof. Watson explains a 
point about the value of water in using a fertilizer. 
We believe that an examination of almost any pasture 
will reveal heavy “clumps” of grass about which no 
evidence of dung can be found. Such growth must 
have been due to the urine. 
Last spring somebody wanted to know if the con¬ 
tinued selection and use of the largest beans from a 
fanning mill for seed would not in time develop a 
superior variety of beans. That question was a plaus¬ 
ible one, but it was easily shown that the best place 
to select superior seed was not at the sorter, but on 
the plant in the field. The plant that produces the 
best yield and grows most vigorously, is the one you 
want to reproduce. The plants that produced the 
single large potato or ear of corn, may have come 
from a plant that you do not want reproduced at all. 
Go to the Held and make your selection. 
* 
It’s time to begin preparation for wheat seeding, 
but many will cut down the area or not sow at all, 
because of the low price. On many farms, wheat is 
the only crop with which a good catch of clover and 
Timothy can be obtained. Grass is the foundation 
for all soil improvement, and cannot be neglected 
without loss. Between oat harvest and that of fall 
products, the men and teams are not busy, and the 
fitting of the ground is not expensive. With the 
binders the work of harvesting is light. The cost of 
growing is no more than that of oats, and even at 
' present prices, the yield is nearly equal in value, 
without including the advantage in seeding. Oats 
yielding 40 bushels are worth about 812 per acre. 
Wheat yielding 20 bushels, the same. The wheat is 
the cheapest grain food for all farm animals, espe¬ 
cially hens. Many farmers have fed wheat this sea¬ 
son that never used it before for feed. Many will 
sow but half as much as formerly. These conditions 
duplicated all over the country would produce a 
wheat famine. But wheat growing may be made a 
paying occupation yet, by a careful attention to all 
details. An excessive cultivation of the seed bed will 
produce great results. It should be liberally ferti¬ 
lized, and varieties which are large yielders sown. 
The yields of 20 years ago have been doubled by bet¬ 
ter tillage and the crossing of varieties, but only a 
small portion of the farmers realize any benefit from 
new methods. ^ 
We are prepared to send The R. N.-Y. from this 
date until January 1, 1895 for 25 cents—or the regular 
price of a three months’ subscription. We want a 
large number of new subscribers next year. Every 
friend of the paper must have a circle of neighbors 
and acquaintances who will be willing to pay 25 cents 
for 18 copies of The R. N.-Y. If you could only put 
it before them in the proper way, we feel sure that 
many of them would see the business side of the 
proposition. Cant you and won't you see to it that a 
few of the people you know try this “ rest of the 
year” offer ? ^ 
We are very glad to have it said that bright, well- 
cured corn stalks are as good horse food as Timothy 
hay. There is not the least doubt of it, and when one 
considers how much more weight may be obtained 
from an acre of corn than from an acre of grass, the 
value of the corn plant becomes more marked than 
ever. But corn stalks must be handled j ast right in 
order to make them useful. They well deserve a roof 
in winter, and the greatest care in cutting and curing. 
With a good supply of bright stalks, one may safely 
sell most of his hay. With a shredder, he can make 
bedding out of the coarse or damaged stalks, and thus 
save his straw. ^ 
We have learned of a man who proposes a new 
scheme for dairy farming. He lives near a large town 
where live many people who keep their own cows. 
This man purposes to advertise in the local papers 
that he will, for a stated sum, provide any family 
with a cow guaranteed to give a stated number of 
quarts. The great annoyance of keeping your own 
cow in town, is the fact that when she goes dry, you 
are left with a useless animal on hand, while the 
change to ordinary milk is never satisfactory. In 
such a case, our friend would simply take the dry cow 
to his farm and put another one in her place. There 
are possibilities in such a scheme, and we believe it 
could be made to yield a good profit. 
* 
The writer has just secured a town lot 160x50 feet. 
This is to hold a small house, while our ambition is 
to fill the lot with the best possible assortment of 
fruits, flowers, ornamental shrubs and trees—every¬ 
thing that will add beauty and comfort to the place. 
Our belief is that such a collection artistically placed, 
will add at least 8500 to the value of the lot as a busi¬ 
ness investment alone—to say nothing of the pleasure 
to be found in such work. We shall be pleased to 
receive suggestions from all who are interested in the 
matter. The writer also expects to become associated 
in an experiment in trying to change a rough, neg¬ 
lected area into a profitable dairy farm. We want 
our readers to know that we have never had more 
plans for helpful work than we have now. 
« 
We planted half a pint of Burpee’s Bush Limas on 
May 8. They came up poorly owing to the wet 
spring, but 10 cents’ worth extra planted in the miss¬ 
ing spaces gave a stand of'107 vines. The first beans 
were eaten July 29, and these vines have supplied a 
family of four persons with an abundance. The space 
on which they grew is 15x23 feet. The soil is simply 
a hole filled in with coal ashes and refuse. The whole 
garden is 74x25 feet. There has not been a day since 
June 1 when we could not select at least four differ¬ 
ent vegetables, and we could not eat half the produce. 
We just started out in the spring to show the possi¬ 
bilities of an ordinary back yard. Mr. Egleston 
gives us the business side of a small area this week— 
before next spring we hope to give our story of this 
little home garden. ^ 
When The R. N.-Y. interviewed Mr. Cottrell, super¬ 
intendent of Eilerslie Guernsey farm, that gentleman 
was reported as saying that figures from the Chicago 
test would show that the Guernseys made the cheaper 
pound of butter. We gave the figures from Prof. 
Cheesman’s report so that all could compare them, but 
Jersey breeders all over the country are getting ex¬ 
cited over the matter, and giving figures to show that 
the Jerseys won on all points. The R. N.-Y. regrets 
to see a tendency in some of these quarters to dispar¬ 
age the Guernsey breed. This is a great mistake. 
The Guernseys are a noble breed of cattle. Let any 
man start out to form a herd of either of these breeds 
and he will find that it will cost more to buy Guern¬ 
seys, because breeding stock of that breed is held at 
higher figures. This proves nothing against the 
Jersey, but it should make Jersey advocates respectful 
in their discussion. Having started the matter, The 
R. N.-Y. proposes to let in all the facts. Mr. Caldwell 
who had charge of the World’s Fair test, teUs us what 
the cows have done at other tests. Next week, we 
expect to print some remarks from a well-known 
Guernsey breeder on the inside history of the Chicago 
test. Of course, our Jersey friends will have ample 
space in which to reply. 
ir 
A Bbooklyn man, the superintendent of one of the 
lines of steamers running out of New York, died re¬ 
cently, it was said, of overwork. He was a hard and 
incessant worker, and never took a vacation. Hard 
work is a good thing, but the bow that is always bent 
loses its elasticity. Relaxation is necessary for the 
tense muscles and strained nerves. The more needed 
is rest when the occupation is monotonous and change¬ 
less, day after day. Have you taken that vacation— 
that day off—^yet ? Has your wife had a little res¬ 
pite from the tedious, never-changing round of cook¬ 
ing, dishwashing, sweeping, baking, ironing—that is 
most wearing on head and heart ? If not, why not ? 
Isn’t she worth it ? If not, whose fault is it ? Can’t 
afford it ? Nonsense ! No man or woman can afford 
not to do all possible to keep the delicate human ma¬ 
chine in good running order, and one of the best means 
to this end is needed relaxation and rest. 
• 
We have had occasion to attend an annual harvest 
home picnic in a certain farming community, for sev¬ 
eral years, and have wondered not a little that our 
friends always have sent to the city for from one to 
three lawyers to do their talking for them. This com¬ 
munity is above the average in intelligence, and has a 
number of residents who would compare very favor¬ 
ably with the city lawyer in making a short address. 
But if something foreign is wanted, why not occasion¬ 
ally import some prominent agriculturist? We have 
nothing against the lawyer, but feel inclined to pro¬ 
test against an agricultural community taking the 
annual view of “ Things present and things to come ” 
through his spectacles, to the exclusion of all others. 
Then in effect it says to our young people : “ We do 
not look for much intelligence in our own ranks. For 
a thoughtful address we have to go elsewhere.” So 
far as this is true (not very far) let us help to make it 
untrue. 
* 
BREVITIES. 
Well done, little boy, well done I 
Yon have filled jour box with sand; 
You have dune it all with your spade so small 
And your sturdy litile hand. 
And you did it by saovelfuls, one by one ; 
Well doue, little boy, well done 1 
Well done, little boy, well done 1 
Yon have bouKht and earned your home; 
And through weary days and tnrougn long hard ways. 
Did the sweat wrapped dollars come. 
And remember, you gathered them one by one ; 
Well done, little boy, well done I 
Well done, little boy, well done 1 
Yon have won a name and place. 
And the poor and sad feel their hearts grow glad 
At your honest, kindly face. 
For faith is the strongest thing under the sun. 
Well done, little boy, well done 1 
DON’T soak your plans too long. 
Have you taken that day off yet ? 
Time to pick out the breeding hens now. 
*• Mr. Bones” is the English for the butcher. 
Make a junction with good tools—junlc shun ! 
Test the Babcock bottles as well as the cows. 
Who will mar his prospects by sending them to par 7 
Look out for a big cou.-iter-blast on Fred Grundy’s hired girl picture. 
Don't let the corn field go bare through the winter. Sow rye in it, 
at least. 
WHAT a lucky thing for most of us that we have never received our 
just desserts. 
Nature won’t be done with that dun against yon until yon have 
done your duty. 
Better go to school I Better go to school I And learn that wife can’t 
cook a meal without the proper tool. 
It Isn’t a crime to sell hay or straw. Tne crime consists In not using 
any of the proceeds to buy manure or fertilizer. 
I HAVE raised potatoes all my life,” says the old farmer. That's 
no argument that you know how to do It right. 
Make that potato sorter this fall. Don’t wear your fingers out 
sizing potatoes when wood and leather will answer. 
A FUNNY man—he who expects the resu.ts of a single season’s trial 
with fertilizers to settle all questions as to their profit. 
AN excellent bulletin on *' Wheat.” including seeding and fertiliz¬ 
ing, Is No. 51 of the Indiana Experiment Station, LaFayette, Ind. 
Get It. 
“ Can you afford to buy corn at 50 cents ?” “ I don't know—I never 
figured It. I just go and buy It because I need It.” That man can't 
make farming pay. 
The new tariff bill reduces the duty on borax from five to two cents 
a pound. We may therefore expect a drop in the price of ” preserva- 
llne”—"the dirty milkman’s friend.” 
There seems to be much trouble at the Western agricultural col¬ 
leges. The latest is at Iowa, where four professors have been asked 
to resign "In the Interests of harmony.” 
The greatest value of Crimson clover Is that It grows and develops 
at a time when other plants are nearly standing still. Thus Its growth 
does not Interfere with tnat of other crops. 
No land can live without grass. It Is true that market gardeners 
raise many crops without a grass rotation, but they use vast quanti¬ 
ties of stable manure, wnlch supplies more grass than a sod. Think 
of the saving to them if they would use Crimson clover. 
Here’s a labor question for you : Can an hour’s skillful work In 
the kitchen be made to earn as much as an eq dally skillful hour In the 
barn 7 Why noil Why should skill command more In some enter¬ 
prises than in others 7 What Is skill, anyway, that it Is In demand 7 
IS It a natural gift, or something that only the few can command 7 
