8I2 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
THE 
Rural New-Yorker. 
THE BUSINESS FARMERS' PAPER 
A Nutioiial Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. Copyrighied 1894. 
Ei.bekt S. Cakman, Editor-in-Chlef. 
Herbert W. Coli.ingwood, Mana^^iug Editor. 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
SUnSCKII’TIONS. 
PRICE, ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
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Address all business communications and make all orders pay- 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
Corner Chambers and Pearl Streets, New York. 
SATURDAY. DECEMBER 22. 1894. 
The Dushicss Hen, cloth bliidlnn, is sent as a premium 
for one new subscription. 
O 
CARMAN No. 1 POTATO. 
Owing to the .severe drought, the .stock of this potato 
is small, and the dealers’ price will be very high. We 
have been able to secure a stock of small tubers for 
distribution. To subscribers who apply, and inclose 
four cents for postage, we will send a tuber weighing 
about three ounces. This offer is for those onUjwiw did 
rwt receive a tuber last year. 
O 
f Hkrk’.s an experiment for you to try. Sit down in 
a warm room with a hot-water bag at your feet and a 
bowl of hot water under you so that you will be thor¬ 
oughly steamed. Get good and hot and then go and 
eat your dinner in a room where there is no fire and 
the windows are all “cracked.” The object of this 
experiment is to have you understand why your pigs 
“ bark” and refuse to grow when they sleep on the 
hot manure and run out into the wind to eat their 
breakfast. 
ra 
Mr. Urkw makes a good point when he says, page 
800, that horsemen often get in the habit of giving a 
horse a certain amount of food and never vary it 
whether the horse is idle or at work. As a portion of 
the food is designed to supply the wastes of the 
muscles broken or “burned up” in the body by mus¬ 
cular exertion, it is evident that when this work is no 
longer done the extra food is not needed. It is 
wasted if fed, to say nothing of the bad effect it may 
have on the horse’s system. Idleness upsets the 
“ balance” in a working ration. Take away some of 
the grain to make it even. 
O 
One of our reporters made up his mind to see what 
a certain family had to say about the recent article on 
“ Home, Sweet Home” printed on page 720. Here is a 
report of his visit: 
While we were still at the table, I read the article aloud. 
She said: “I had not read that, I shall look for the other side.” 
He said: “ I read it, and was going to put the paper away and 
only show her ‘ her’n.’ ” 
There was a kind of embarrassing silence and then he said: “It’s 
too cold for the cows to be out, and I must put them up.” After 
he went out she Angered the foi’ks awhile and remarked, “ The 
cows have got tender all at once.” 
We always like to be charitable, and will, therefore, 
assume that “he” went out to the barn to follow the 
advice given in that article, viz. : “ (?o out to the barn 
and face yourself honestly for once !” 
o 
Old readers of agricultural papers remember the 
name of Daniel F. IJeatty, who formerly advertised 
organs at low prices. He has just been convicted of 
fraudulent use of the mails. He sent out circulars 
offering to sell an organ for SoO which he “ guaran¬ 
teed” worth SIOO. A man in Vermont bought the 
organ, and, being dissatisfied, brought suit against 
Beatty. Experts declared that the organ was not 
worth over S15, and Beatty was convicted as stated. 
We wi.sh more of the liars and rogues, who send their 
false eirculars and so-called papers to unsuspecting 
country people, could be convicted in the same way. 
We are glad to have it shown that these rascals are 
really violating the law, and we wish that they might 
all be jailed. Not long since, a certain catarrh-cure 
manufacturer offered $100 to any one who was not 
cured by the use of half a dozen bottles used “accord¬ 
ing to direction.” Somebody used 10 bottles without 
a cure, and the law compelled the manufacturer to 
pay the .$100. Served him right. The only wonder is 
that the 10 bottles left the patient strong enough to 
stand up for his rights. 
n 
At present prices, corn may well be called a cash 
crop. The stalks, also, have a considerable feeding 
value. Both are well worth saving. Every morning, 
the writer passes a field of corn standing in small 
shocks. Mid-December, and not an ear husked ! A 
field of buckwheat lay for weeks in bunches beaten 
down by the rains, and must have been half rotten 
when the last was thrashed only a few days ago. It 
was after Thanksgiving when the last potatoes were 
dug, being fairly fished out of the muddy earth. The 
farm is not a large one, and there seems sufficient 
help to get the work done on time ; but it is not, and 
there is a constant waste and loss. The owner has a 
petty township office, which takes him from home 
more or less, and pays a small but not munificent fee. 
It may be patriotic in him thus to sacrifice his pecuni¬ 
ary interests for the good of his townspeople, but is it 
profitable ? Is it usually profitable for farmers to in¬ 
dulge in these side issues that take them from 
their legitimate work, and subject them to loss ? 
Where is the line between public duty and private 
obligation to be drawn ? 
O 
Wp: would like to eneourage some careful study of 
the talk about manurial values under Primer Science 
this week. We do not think farmers, as a rule, under¬ 
stand what it means to say that a ton of bran is worth 
$14.41 as manure, while clover hay is worth$9.33 a ton. 
We have tried to explain that these figures simply 
represent comparative values. Your farm needs so 
much nitrogen, potash and phosphoric acid. The fer¬ 
tilizer trade has given these substances definite values. 
J ust as different sugars are sold for the amount of 
“sweetness” they contain to the pound, or as different 
coffees are purchased as they contain caffeine, so fer¬ 
tilizing substances are sold for the amounts of actual 
fertility there is in them. Most of this trade is in 
Eastern markets, and the substances used in making 
fertilizers are quoted in the market reports. What 
that $14.41 valuation of bran means is that if you were 
to go on the regular market in New York City and 
buy the fertility that bran contains, it would cost, on 
the average, in the crude materials, $14.41 ; while 
clover, containing less fertility, would be worth pro¬ 
portionately less. If you lived in a place where ma¬ 
nure is given away for the hauling, and good wood 
ashes are sold at .50 cents a horse-load, it is easy enough 
to see that a pound of nitrogen or potash in the bran 
would be worth to you only what it cost to get a pound 
of it to your barn in the form of manure or ashes. In 
other words, these manurial values represent only 
what it will cost to replace the fertility they contain. 
While the figures given represent city market values, 
they are, nevertheless, useful to any one for com¬ 
parison. 
O 
We give you another glimpse of the great business 
of growing potatoes in Colorado, this week. It is well 
enough for Eastern farmers to keep in mind the great 
advantages possessed by these potato growers of the 
Far West, because within a few years, the competition 
from these Western potatoes will be fiercer than from 
those grown in Canada. The Colorado man has a 
naturally strong soil. He can grow Alfalfa to perfec¬ 
tion, so that his fertilizer bill will be limited to the 
purchase of small quantities of potash and phosphoric 
acid. He has no fences, and can thus make long rows 
and utilize to perfection all improved horse machinery. 
He can control the water supply, and is, therefore, in¬ 
dependent oi the weather. He is in a neighborhood 
where growers gladly coSperate and advertise their 
country and product so that buyers come to them for 
the crop. This combination of conditions serves to 
make Colorado potato growing a wonderful success. 
It is our belief that the business will spread and grow, 
and that Colorado potatoes will gradually come East, 
as Colorado beef has done. That will certainly hap¬ 
pen if this combination of favorable conditions enables 
the Colorado man to grow potatoes so cheaply that 
with the cost of transportation added, the price in the 
Eastern market is made so low that the Eastern 
farmer cannot compete with it. Is that likely to hap¬ 
pen ? Yes, unless the Eastern farmer take advan¬ 
tage of every chance of cheapening his crop by the 
use of improved methods and machines. The Colorado 
man probably pays higher wages than the Eastern 
man does. There can be no “pauper labor” cry there. 
“ Nature has been kind to Colorado ! ” Has she been 
tiJikind to the East then ? No ; the unkindness is on 
the part of man who will not give Nature a chance to 
do what she would like to do. Imitate the Colorado 
grower in every way that you can, and the cost of 
transportation will always “ protect ” your crop. 
We heard of a man once who had his coal bin out of 
doors where the .snow and rain could get at it. His 
theory was that wet coal lasted longer than dry, be¬ 
cause it took longer to burn it. The winter’s history 
of that household was a succession of poorly-cooked 
meals, “ colds ” and general discomfort. Why? Be¬ 
cause heat was wasted in the useless task of driving 
off that surplus water. That water had to be all 
lifted out of the coal before combustion could be com¬ 
plete, and the power needed for this work had to be 
generated by heat that should have gone to provide 
for the comfort of the family. It cost nothing to put 
the water into the coal, but the man cheated himself 
when he imagined that its exit was equally free. He 
paid a tax on his selfish ignoranee. Now a cow can¬ 
not keep warm without consuming food in her body, 
as coal is burned in the stove. The colder the air 
surrounding her skin, the greater the proportion of 
her food that must go to keep her warm. The food 
that goes to warm her can’t possibly make milk, fat 
or manure. Don’t believe that? We will argue it 
with you on one condition—that is, that you go out, 
before you eat your dinner, and cover all the barn 
cracks that let wind in on to your cows. We will then 
take pleasure in proving that you believe in certain 
articles of The^Golden Rule at least. 
O 
BREVITIES. 
S. H. Brown, yes, that’s his name—so you say, “It’s just a shame” 
That them boys go through the town yelling at him “ Sam Hog 
Brown.” 
Every nickname has its nick—must be apt or ’twouldn’t stick. 
“ S. H.” reads his title clear to the name of hog, I fear. 
Rode a load of pork one day into town—they had to weigh 
Wagon, pork and all complete—Brown, he sat there on the seat. 
Got his weight in, every pound -emptied load and then drove 
’round. 
Weighed his empty wagon—he, hopped right off, “You don’t 
weigh me, 
I warn’t on the load before !” Half a dozen people swore 
He sat on the load ; but no, he stuck to his story so 
That the butcher said he’d chalk up the going price of pork 
For 2(X) pounds of Brown —chalked it up all over town 
How he, for the sake of pelf—made a dead hog of himself. 
Nothing now that fraud can save—“ Hog” will chase him to the 
grave 
And root up his selAsh name to his children’s grief and shame. 
Meanness always runs you down, be your name White, Black or 
Brown. 
Call “ halt! ” on that fault ! 
“ Smellin’s food ’’—sour brewers’ grains. 
Careful work makes a care-empty heart. 
Got the strawberry’s winter overcoat out? 
How many days in the. year is your horse idle ? 
All boards have two sides—even the board bill. 
Does the evil in potato sprouts love dai'kness or light ? 
How we do hate to see a good man Aght in a bad cause. 
Boycott the nursery that propagates the San Jos6 scale. 
Where your heart is, there will your treasure be attracted. 
It’s bad enough to “ hash ” a thing, but please don’t rehash it. 
“ Fraudulent use of the male”—keeping a scrub at the head of 
your herd. 
Read those Agures on the cost of a horse’s board. What’s the 
price of board at your stable ? 
In these days, which is the more important on the farm—capi¬ 
tal or skill ? Why should that be so ? 
You will never make a successful breeder till you get to the point 
where you could not take a poor animal as a gift. 
In buying shelled nuts in the city, one often Ands the meat of 
peach pits palmed off for almonds. What won’t fraud enter ? 
“ No money in fertilizers ! ” Correct ! when you pay high-grade 
prices for low-grade goods. Why ? Because you can’t fool the 
plant. 
Show me a man who smileth when the calf butts milk down into 
his boots from the pail, and I will show you one greater than he 
that taketh a city. 
We shall be pleased to have some of our readers in northern 
Michigan tell us what they can about that early or late planting 
of potatoes—page 809. 
A FAMILY of natural celery eaters kept from their desired “green 
food” by the lack of enterprise on the part of the “ head of the 
house !” How do you like that picture ? 
We And a good many men who have in mind some such business 
arrangement as we described on page 781. The middleman will 
be in the family. That’s the spirit we want. 
Mr. Bittner makes a good point about the cost of picking good 
and poor berries. The price paid jiickers is the same, but see what a 
difference in yie?" c«/i( of returns. A dollar is made up of per ce/k«. 
About the hardest way to prepare a “balanced ration,” is to 
prepare the ground, sow the seed, and then let the hens out to 
scratch it up and eat it. There is no “ balance” for the loss of 
labor. 
Here is a true word from New York State : “ When people 
measure the ground, and weigh their potatoes, they hardly ever 
yield as much per acre as when they tell of the yield around the 
village store stove in the winter.” 
Lots of our readers are rising up to ask us not to “ expunge the 
Humorous Column,” as a friend requested some weeks ago. By 
the way, that same friend shows the quality of his friendship by 
sending a good club of subscriptions. 
Here is a silo note; “ In regard to that silo that smelled so like 
a tanyard, if it was Ailed with corn, I will bet a big apple that it 
was put in whole. Ask for a report and see.” Any one desirous 
of earning a big apple in this way, can probably have the chance. 
The best treatment for the nose is to keep the inside of the nos¬ 
trils well smeared with vaseline. This will often prevent a cold 
and save much annoyance from dust, to say nothing, of the bad 
habit of “ picking the nose.” We often repeat this advice—it will 
bear repeating. 
