5oS 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
July 27 
THE 
Rural New-Yorker. 
TUE BUSINESS FARMERS' RARER 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. Copyrighted 1805. 
Elbebt S. Cabman, Editor-in-Chief. 
Hebbkbt W. Collingwood, Managing Editor. 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
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Address all business communications and make all orders pay- 
able 10 THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
Corner Chambers and Pearl Streets, New York. 
SATURDAY, JULY 27, 1895. 
You seldom read a more interesting article on in¬ 
sects than the one by Prof. Slingerland on page 502. 
This is the sort of Primer Science teaching that we 
like. Many people do not understand about the won¬ 
derful changes that occur in the life of our common 
insects. If they could be brought to observe and 
study these interesting creatures, not only would 
farm life be made more profitable, but more interest¬ 
ing as well. 
0 
The New Y 7 ork State Fair will have an immense 
horticultural display this year. A large and attrac¬ 
tive hall has been erected, and a wonderful collection 
of vegetables, fruits and flowers is looked for. The fair 
is held this year August 26-31—early in the season, 
and at a time when farmers can well attend. Be on 
hand with your whole family, if possible. The children 
will find this fair a big object lesson, and you won’t 
object to a little outing. 
© 
That's a bright and helpful article about that 
Indiana farmer’s club—page 503. Such organizations 
are sure to benefit a neighborhood. The best thing 
they do is to bring friends and neighbors together. 
The social element in the farmer’s life needs careful 
cultivation, as well as the money-getting side of his 
nature. The 12 families belonging to this club are all 
made better for these monthly visits. We would like 
to see just such an organization in every neighbor¬ 
hood in which The R. N.-Y. circulates. When can 
you find a better time than now for starting one ? 
Q 
A friend in Georgia gives us these two practical 
illustrations of the working of the mortgage laws in 
that State: 
A Arm in this town furnished food, etc., last year to a man who 
was too lazy or ignorant to raise home supplies. His bill w r as about 
$200, secured by a mortgage on 90 acres of land. At the foreclosure 
sale, the land was bought by an outsider for only $25 for the whole 
farm. I bought a cow last January for $6.50 ; she has, so far, 
given me a gallon of milk for every day I have had her (here 
worth 40 cents a gallon). Some days I got two gallons. When I 
got her, she gave only two quarts. Her feed has not cost over 10 
cents a day. I got her at a mortgage sale. She is 18 years old, 
but her grinders are all right, and she has no bad tricks or horns, 
and is fat enough to kill, but soon due to calve. 
With such a condition of affairs, the man with ready 
cash is master of the situation—as he always has been 
everywhere. Is it right that he should be ? 
0 
Not only are some of the European countries ex¬ 
cluding our meat and other products from their own 
territory, but they are, according to reports, doing 
their best to injure their reputation and thus prevent 
their sale in the Asiatic and other markets where 
sales of our canned goods are constantly increasing. 
The A merican Consul at Ningpo, China, has sent to 
the State Department at Washington, a clipping from 
a publication circulated extensively in China, which 
contains statements evidently intended to injure or 
destroy the constantly increasing market for our prod¬ 
ucts there, where they are strong competitors of Eng¬ 
lish goods. The Consul declares that the newspapers 
of the whole East are in the hands of the English, and 
that they never lose an opportunity of making dis¬ 
paraging remarks about America, Americans and 
Amer'can products. The clipping, which, by the way, 
is from a medical journal, says in part: 
Some very harrowing detai’s are to hand concerning the prepa¬ 
ration and packing of meat in Chicago for export. It is stated 
upon what appears to be good authority that the precaution 
enjoined with the object of preventing the use of flesh from ani. 
mals suffering from actinomycosis, that newly discovered and 
terrible fungoid disease, are systematically set at naught by un. 
scrupulous persons. It is stated that a bill is now before Con¬ 
gress to amend the law by the imposition of a penalty for any in 
fraction of the rules, but it is useless to impose penalties unjess 
there be some guarantee of their being enforced. Even more re¬ 
volting are the details of the preparation of “ extracts of beef,” 
which are offered to the public in dainty jars, but are often made 
from the sweepings and drainings of the refuse from the canning 
rooms and cellars. The tanks of this extract of filth are left open 
and the bodies of dead rats, in an advanced state of decompo¬ 
sition, are from time to time withdrawn before the delicious and 
nourishing compound is ladled into the dainty jars aforesaid. No 
analysis or other method of examination can be relied upon to 
reveal the antecedents of these extracts, now so largely used by 
all classes throughout the land. 
A nice recommendation this, for our goods. Of course 
jealousy prompts such malicious attacks, but all the 
same our Government must take steps and nullify 
such attacks in this vast and important territory now 
opening. 
O 
One of the necessary conditions of nitrification, is 
the presence in the soil of an abundance of phosphoric 
acid. This is the life-giving principle among min¬ 
erals, and an excess of it is always more profitable 
than a deficit. Potash is called the key to a heavy 
clover yield, because that substance stimulates the 
growth of clover ; yet phosphoric acid must be pres¬ 
ent, too, if the clover is to be made available as plant 
food. It will not do to say that, having grown a 
large crop of clover, we have entirely solved the 
problem of a nitrogen supply. As well say that, 
having slaughtered a fat hog, there is no longer any 
question about the winter’s meat. All the processes 
of cooking that meat are yet to be gone through with; 
and so with the clover crop, all the processes of nitri¬ 
fication must be put in operation before the plants 
can feed on it. Good farming requires that we supply 
the conditions indicated under Primer Science this 
week. 
O 
Receipts of potatoes from the South are growing 
smaller, and the height of the season is practically 
over. Taken together, the results have been fairly 
satisfactory ; the receipts have been large, the quality 
generally good—though the size often ranged toc^ 
small—and prices lia7e held up well until last week 
when heavy arrivals, together with considerable quan¬ 
tities from New Jersey and Long Island broke the 
market. The latter districts, which usually send 
large quantities, held on to their stock later than 
common, because of the large supplies of Southern ; 
consequently the potatoes which are now arriving 
quite freely, are of good size and quality. Consider¬ 
able quantities are still reported in some parts of the 
South, and these should be carefully assorted, or dis¬ 
appointing prices will result. It is safe to say that 
proper care in this work would have netted 25 per 
cent more, at least, to the Southern potato growers. 
Who lost this amount 0 Can they afford to throw it 
away ? 
O 
The utter insignificance and weakness of man and 
his works are well shown by a tornado which dev¬ 
astated the Rural Grounds and their vicinity on July 
13. It was such a storm as we often read about in the 
West, but which is seldom experienced in the East. 
One experience is enough. In a few minutes’ time, 
strong trees, the growth of scores of years, were 
wrenched from the ground like puny weeds from the 
garden bed. Buildings were torn to pieces and scat¬ 
tered like cob-houses. The results of years of careful 
work, thrift and industry were swept away in less 
time than it takes to tell it. And man was as power¬ 
less to stay it as he would be to sweep back the 
Atlantic with a toy broom; many, indeed, were 
maimed and bruised, and some had lives crushed out 
in the ruin. Fortunately, tlfe worst part of the storm 
extended only over a comparatively small area through 
northern New Jersey and Long Island, but many a 
worthy, industrious man lost his all. We shall tell 
next week of the ruin wrought at the Rural Grounds. 
O 
The Binghamton Dairy Association is reported to 
have advanced the price of milk from four to five 
cents per quart. A severe and long-continued drought 
all through that part of the country, has shortened 
the pasturage to such an extent that the flow of milk 
has been reduced about one-third. Some are reported 
to be selling their stock, being unable to feed them. 
We are continually receiving inquiries, at this late 
day, from different parts of the country, as to what 
can possibly be sown to mature before frost, to help 
out the short hay crop. We wonder how many of these 
men used their best endeavors to raise a corn crop for 
feeding their cattle ! It must be an extremely poor 
farm, or an exceptionally dry season, when it is utterly 
impossible to grow a corn crop. We believe that, with 
the ground well fitted, and with good culture after¬ 
wards, a fair crop of corn may be grown in many parts 
of the country, with no rain from the time it is well 
up until it is harvested. Our faith in a good soil mulch 
is strong. With a corn crop of sufficient size, no one 
needs to sell his cows. Meanwhile, save everything 
that can possibly be used for fodder. 
We are very glad to see that some of our experi¬ 
ment stations are doing work calculated to show 
farmers that there is something in soil culture beyond 
the mere application of plant food. The character of 
the soil itself, and the conditions under which plant 
food is most readily taken by plants, are subjects 
that should have more attention. The Rhode Island 
Station is doing excellent work in this line, especially 
with regard to the treatment of sour or acid soils. 
The station is in a district badly infested with sorrel, 
with a strongly acid soil. It was found that with a 
•‘complete fertilizer” only on this soil, they got an 
immense crop of sorrel, but at best an inferior crop of 
clover. With a good dressing of lime added, the 
clover improves and crowds the sorrel out. Timothy, 
also, is greatly benefited on this soil by an applica¬ 
tion of lime, and this is true, more or less, of other 
crops. This is evidently due to some change in the 
condition of the soil made by the lime, and these 
things are quite as useful as the application of ferti¬ 
lizers. 
O 
It is said that the fertilizer department at the large 
packing and slaughtering houses, is usually the most 
profitable. It is strange to think how this trade has 
all been developed in a few years. Now the sales of 
blood, bone, “azotine,” tankage, etc., are enormous. 
In slaughtering, cattle yield about 14 pounds of dried 
blood and tankage each, sheep 2% pounds, and hogs 
7%. There is good profit in the blood, as the cost of 
preparing it is very small. It is simply run into open 
tanks, and coagulated by steam, then pressed dried 
and ground. “ Tankage,” as most of our readers 
know, is the refuse which gathers in the rendering 
tanks. This is dried and ground so that it may be 
easily handled. “ Azotine” is made from the residue 
of cooked meat scraps which have been powerfully 
pressed to extract the grease or fat. All these ferti¬ 
lizers are very valuable, and in large lots they are 
cheap. The only trouble is that too many farmers re¬ 
gard them as “complete. ” That is a mistake. They 
contain no potash, and unless that be added in some 
form, they will not be likely to give continued satis¬ 
faction. 
Q 
BREVITIES. 
Freer coinage of silver is being discussed, 
And I wish from the depths of my heart, 
That we could have the dis added on to the “ cussed,” 
And then argue the thing in good part. 
For to call a man “ bug,” be it silver or gold, 
Seems to me a ridiculous thing. 
For we can’t reach the truth while we quarrel and scold, 
And our arguments selfishly ring ! 
’Tis a question of truth—not a question of coin— 
And abuse will but shadow the light. 
Then away with false notions, and manfully join 
In an effort to find out the light. 
For it isn’t a question of East or of West 
Or of North or of South—that’s too small! 
It’s a national question—what money is best ? 
Not for any one part, but for all! 
So let “silver bug,” “gold bug” and bimetallist 
Come together and honestly try 
To let in the sunlight, and blow off the mist 
That’s obscuring the truth from our sky ! 
The lazy horse is draft proof ! 
Stand to your beguns till finished ! 
Abe you feeding the flies on live veal ? 
Let the “ outing” now have its inning. 
How would you change to hogs—page 503 ? 
Fibst boiling ears of White Cory sweet corn July 8. 
An appropriate fruit for the fool-killer—the goose bury. 
Don’t be a trance parent—asleep to the needs of your children ! 
Cbimson clover and turnips broadcasted have followed the early 
peas. 
No—the “new” woman is not a nuisance—she simply has new 
sense. 
Youb farm may be “running like clock work” and still be 
“ running down.” 
We like an object lesson that makes the unreasonable man les¬ 
sen his objections. 
The great proportion of the products of “ nitrification” are 
found in the upper nine inches of soil. 
Why is the hired man like a druggist ? Not because he drugs 
profit, but because he is a, farm assist. 
A good crop of rape for the sheep to feed on now, would beat a 
month’s argument over the wool tariff. 
Too many men are working on “ fundamental principles ” that 
were worm-eaten long ago. You might call them/w/igrimental. 
The stable manure farmer makes 10 blades of grass grow where 
one did before he added the manure! Does that make him a bene¬ 
factor ? 
The little nitrifying' germ works best inside the “heated term’ 
—unless stout plants are made to follow, it bites off more than it 
can swallow. 
Hebe’s a man who really makes “ two blades of grass grow 
where one did before.” Another man comes and develops a new 
blade which furnishes as much food as the other two. Which man 
is the greater benefactor ? 
Burn some Buhaeh in the kitchen where the flies do congregate; 
get away and shut each window and each door, and a look a half 
hour later will most surely demonstrate that the smoke has 
brought the insects to the floor. 
The Babcock test detected a Michigan man in the act of deliver¬ 
ing watered milk to a creamery, and the culprit was promptly 
expelled from the church to which he belonged. There are too 
many who pray cream and live skim-milk. 
