PROCRESS AND IMPROVEMENT.” 
sensitive, courteous and .iust, and held a high 
place In their cstcom as an honorable and able 
Wnfrere. As a man and friend be was unnssum- 
ing.kindly, generous In disposition, and tolerant. 
From the Country Gentleman, January 30, 
we glean the following chronological facts con¬ 
cerning the life of Luther Tucker; -lie was 
born in Brandon, Vt., May 7th, 1802. At the age 
of 14 he was apprenticed to Timothy C. .Strong. 
a printer of Mlddlebtiry, who removed to Pal¬ 
myra, N. Y., in 1817. taking the young apprentice 
with him. Two years later, or in iH19, Mr. 
Tuckek entered upon t he life of a journeyman 
printer, visiting various points North and East 
—Including Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washing¬ 
ton and New York. In JK25 he entered Into 
partnership with Henry C. Sleight, at Jamai¬ 
ca, L. I., whose business was chiefly the publi¬ 
cation of standard works for New- York bouses. 
Here he remained, until at the age of 24 he ro- 
vlsited Rochester, and started the first daily 
newspaper published west of Albany—the Daily 
Advertiser, now the Rochester Union and Ad¬ 
vertiser-the first issue of which appeared Oct. 
27, 1SJ6. January 1,1831, while still publishing 
t lm Daily Advertiser, he Issued the first number 
of the Genesee Farmer. In 183!) he sold the 
Daily Advertiser, having meantime purchased a 
farm, with the object of devoting his attention 
entirely to his farm and the Genesee Farmer; 
hul in that year, Judge Bum, f lic Editor of the 
Albany Cultivator, died, and Mr. Tucker con¬ 
solidated the two papers under the title of “The 
Cultivator: a consolidation of Bud’s Cultivator 
and the Genesee Farmer.’’I he first, issue thereof 
appearing Jan. 1, 1840. lie continued to publish 
the Cultivator monthly, while about, twenty 
years ago he commenced the publication, week¬ 
ly, of the Country Gentleman, continuing the 
Cultivator as a monthly for some years, hut 
finally discontinuing the monthly and consoli¬ 
dating it with the Country Gentleman under 
the present title, “ The Cultivator and Country 
Gentleman.” 
Judge Watts. We have no personal objections 
to him, no personal interests to subserve In 
saying what we do of him as Commissioner of 
Agriculture, nor any personal friends whose 
Interests we desire to promote thereby. With 
us it Is not a question of what ho is, or has 
been; but what he does, or does not do 
that ho ought to do, as Commissioner of 
Agriculture. Is ho fitted for the place? Our 
own impressions, nml the impressions of all 
with whom we have talked from his own State 
—and these opinions have been furnished vol¬ 
untarily—arc. that if the Depart ment can find no 
better qualified man to spend the money Con¬ 
gress appropriates for the use of the Depart¬ 
ment, It would he wise to abolish the Depart¬ 
ment altogether. It Is proper to say, however, 
that we know how difficult it Is to Induce an> 
man capable of managing it to attempt, to do so 
for the niggardly salary that Congress gives 
him. For a man who Is not worth $10,000 a year 
in almost any business, now-a-days, is not likely 
to be worth much in a Government office; and 
such men are not likely to assume the respon¬ 
sibilities of the office of the Commissioner of 
Agriculture for the sum of $3,000 a year. 
We shall he as swift, to praise, as we are to 
censure, when we see that the present Commis¬ 
sioner Is accomplishing anything worthy of 
praise. His zcftlOUs distribution of seeds, and 
his strong commendation to Congress of this 
feature of his work, is not what we can com¬ 
mend in any sense, in any one, however. 
pay his full fare going and coming. What a 
revelation of independence and determination, 
what a miracle of self-denial and honesty would 
a farmers' convention be in which every man 
had made or paid his own transportation I ” 
A NATIONAL ILLUSTRATED 
The Now \gricullnral College Bill before 
Congress Is not one that we commend. We 
have got tired of this land grant business. The 
manner In which the lands appropriated to Ag¬ 
ricultural colleges have been used Is not calcu¬ 
lated to stir our sympathies In behalf of further 
appropriations. If the fanners of the country 
want their sona educated In the sciences adapt¬ 
ed to their profession, let |thern pay for it as 
other people do. We have come to the conclu¬ 
sion that what is not worth paying for Is not 
worth having; and that what can be got without 
paying for Is not appreciated; and what people 
arc willing to pay for can always he obtained. 
Hence, no more land grants for those colleges, 
say we. 
Coiid-uotiiig Editor and X J u'blislier, 
CHAS. D. BRAGDON, ANDREW 8. FULLER, 
Assooiftte Editors. 
HENRY S. RANDALL, LL. D., Cortland Village, N. Y., 
Editor 6f tiik Driartmrnt of Sheep Husbandry. 
X. A. WILLARD, A. M., Little Fails, N. Y., 
Editor or the Diet* aiitm jcnt of Dairy Husbandry. 
Col. S. D. HARRIS, Cleveland, Ohio, 
CoBRe.ruKDisc Krimn. 
TERMS, IN ADVANCE: 
Subscription.—Single Copy, *2.50 per Tear. To 
Clubs:—Five Copies, and one copy free to Agent or 
getter up of Club, lor 112.60s Seven Coplos, uud one 
froe, for $J6j Ten Copies, and one free, f20—only *2 
per copy. As wo arc obliged to pre-pny the American 
postage on papers mulled to foreign countries, Twenty 
Cents should be added to above rates for caeli yearly 
copy mulled to Canada, unci One Dollnr per copy to 
Europe. Drafts, I'ost-OJHoe Money Orders and Regis¬ 
tered Letters may bo mailed at our risk. SW Liberal 
Premiums to all Club Agents who do not take free 
copies. Specimen Numbers, Show-llllls, Ac.,seutfree. 
Belay In Sending Engraving. — In conse¬ 
quence of delay in receiving several thousand 
wooden rollers we are unable to mail copies of 
“ Birth-Day Morning." The rollers were shipped 
some weeks ago, but have been detained en 
route, owing to I he great snow storms. We 
have thousands of copies of the Engraving 
ready, and shall send to all entitled as soon as 
the sticks upon which they must ho rolled ar¬ 
rive- and we expect them daily. This delay is 
provoking, hut we can neither control the ele¬ 
ments nor run railroads, and hence must exer¬ 
cise that manly virtue yclept patience. 
RURAL NOTES AND QUERIES 
ADVERTISING RATE8 : 
Inside, 14th and 15th pages (Agatespace).90e. per line, 
“ 7th and L'tfh pages...1.00 “ 
Outside or Inst page...1.50 " 
Fifty per cent-extra for unusual display. 
Special Notices, Raided, by count.2.00 “ 
Business “ .,..2.50 “ 
Reading “ -8.00 “ 
fir No advertisement Inserted for less than 83. 
Benlh ofCninninnilcr Maury.—M. F, Maujcv, 
LL. D., one of the great scientific men of the age, 
known as the student, of nature, the ocean pio¬ 
neer, and the benefactor of seamen, died in 
Lexington, Va., on the 1st inat., aged 67. He 
became a midshipman In 1825. Soon after lie 
made a voyage round the world, commencing 
his great work on navigation. He was known 
all over the world as the author of many works 
of scientific value, among Others, the “ Physical 
Geography of the Bea," “ Letters on the Ama¬ 
zon and Atlantic Slopes of South America,’’ 
” Astronomical Observations," etc. He was for 
a long time In charge of the Hydrographical 
Office in Washington. He brought about the 
general maritime conference at Brussels in 1853. 
He short onod the voyages across the At lantlc and 
Pacific, discovered tlie telegraphic plateau at 
I be bottom of the ocean, and pointed out the 
good whaling grounds. He was decorated by 
kings, and was a member of the jirincipal scien¬ 
tific societies of America and Europe, lie 
joined the Confederacy during the rebellion, 
becoming Commodore of Its navy. Of late years 
lie lias been Professor of Physics In the Virginia 
Military Institute. 
Oldtiinry — Thomas llall Fntlo, —We have an¬ 
nounced the death of this gentleman at Nice, 
France, whither he had gone to recover his 
health. He was 71 years old. Ho was a mem¬ 
ber of the Executive Board of the New York 
State Agricultural Society several years prior to 
1868, when he was elected President of the So¬ 
ciety and continued a member, c.r-oj/icio, of the 
Board up to the time of going abroad. He was 
highly esteemed, known fnr his unostentatious 
charity, kindly and liberal spirit, and was be¬ 
loved by all favored with his personal ac¬ 
quaintance. 
PUBLICATION OFFICES: 
No. 5 Beekman Street, New York City, and No. 82 
Buffalo Street, Rochester, N. Y. 
WESTERN BRANCH OFFICE: 
No. 75 North Side ol the Park, Cleveland, Ohio. 
WHY ARE TAXES SO HIGH 7 
Because we are governed too much; because 
the machinery of government is so complex 
that It requires a large army of non-producing 
office-holders to administer Its affairs, who 
must bo supported by lho bard earnings of the 
people; because these office-holder* have found 
it profitable to pay large prices for positions, look¬ 
ing to the office and i he opportunities It afford-. 
for the re-lmbursement of their money so spent. 
Would Pomeuoy of Kansas have spent his ho is 
reported to have done) £100.000 in behalf of his 
re-election to the United Btat.es Senate, uniesB 
ho felt sure that he would get this principal 
back,with interest 7 Where wo* ho to get it? 
From his Milan as United States Senator? Cer¬ 
tainly not! Whore from, then ? From sources 
similar to those which recent investigations 
have revealed as furnishing the Vice-President 
of the United Stal es and others with their re¬ 
spective incomes. 
We are too much governed. We have too 
many legislative bodies. We are not sure that 
it would not be wise to abolish State govern¬ 
ments. We do not assert that it would be. But 
why might not Congress do all the general leg¬ 
islation of the country and permit the people, 
in their respective localities, through municipal 
and supervisory boards, to look after local legis¬ 
lation affecting their Immediate local Interests ? 
Why support; thlrty-Beven State Governments 
to do what may be better done by one central 
legislature, whose legislation should be entirely 
confined to local laws? Then there would be 
less clashing of State laws and interests, and a 
recognition not only of the homogeneous char¬ 
acter of the people, but of the homogeneity of 
their Interests. We have too many iau s; and 
one reason is because we have thirty-eight legis¬ 
lative mills grinding them out, in place of one, 
beside the numerous municipal legislatures. 
Of course, these are only suggestions, that 
occur to us In the light of t he events which have 
recently transpired and are transpiring—which 
come to us wheneverwc glance at the labyrinths 
of law which are revealed daily in our State and 
United States Courts, through which a skillful 
lawyer is almost sure to lead bis client away 
from Justice, no matter how much he may 
merit her chastisement. We must simplify our 
methods or submit to be more and more heavily 
taxed and worse and worse governed; and we 
are Inclined to believe that the surest and sim¬ 
plest mode of effecting what Is an apparent ne¬ 
cessity. is to adopt a federal system of govern¬ 
ment, completely obliterating State lines. Of 
course, there are arguments pro and con In this 
matter; but we look to see the issue made. 
Sanctum Personal.—We have received a call 
from Prof. 8. F. Baird of the Smithsonian In¬ 
stitution at Washington, D. C., and U. S. Com¬ 
missioner of Fisheries, who is in the city to re¬ 
ceive 800,000 salmon eggs expected here daily 
by the steamer America from Germany. The 
activity of the fish culturists of the country in 
propagating fish In our waters is most grati¬ 
fying. 
SATURDAY, FEB. 8, 1873. 
Farmers In the Minnesota Legislature. —The 
Western Farmer says“ Of the 41 members of 
the Minnesota State Senate, 13 are farmers; of 
the 106 members of the House of Representa¬ 
tives, 48 are farmers, with the occupations of 9 
not given—or 48 out of the 97 whose business is 
given are farmers. Of lawyers there are3 in the 
Senate and 10 in the lower House.” 
TO ALL OUR READERS 
•• Fan'We Agree on Wages I A correspond¬ 
ent asks why farmers in a neighborhood do not 
unite and agree upon the wages they will pay 
hired men during the season opening. Wo see 
some practical difficulties in the way. They 
might agree, perhaps, upon the maximum and 
minimum rates; but there is so much difference 
In the value of men that it will bo difficult to 
establish an arbitrary rule. This is the fault 
we have to find with Labor Unions. They seek 
to compel the employer to pay t he same wages 
to an unskilled workman that he does to the 
skilled; and they force him to employ such 
workmen, else the skilled refuse to work—are 
compelled, by the rules, to strike ’at the option 
of the directory. Thus, the rapid and skilled 
workman, unless he works by the piece. Is 
brought down to the level of the unskilled and 
incompetent, and there is no incentive to excel. 
Farmers have got to meet this question of labor 
and the price of farm labor in some way. Its 
gravity beeomes every year greater. It is a 
proper subject to discuss in these columns. 
Agents, Subscribers, and Indeed all who read 
this, are reminded that the present Is a most 
favorable season to obtain subscribers for the 
Rural New-Yorker. While Agents are form¬ 
ing or adding to clubs, we hope others—especial¬ 
ly new subsorlhers, and t hoso recelv|ng t lie paper 
at post-offices where but. one or two copies are 
taken —will kindly endeavor to augment our 
circulation. Many of our readers are so situated 
that they can readily form or add to clubs, and 
we shall be prompt in recognizing and reward¬ 
ing all such efforts. 
Back numbers of this volume supplied to new 
subscribers, unless otherwise ordered, but sub¬ 
scriptions can begi n now or at any time. Reader, 
please refer to Publisher's Notices, &c., (under 
heading of “ Publisher’s Desk,”) on page 100, and 
to Premium List, (headed “ Good Pay for Doing 
Good ! ”) on page 86, last number, and then see 
if it will not pay you to act In accordance with 
above requests and suggestions. 
Too Good!—A Wisconsin lady writes us Jan. 
20, :is follows:—“ One of our neighbors, who has 
taken the Rural New-Yorker many years, 
says It has only one fault; it Is too good! He 
says it is like sitting down to a dinner and hav¬ 
ing every good thing on the table at once.” 
THE SEASON, CROPS, PRICES, ETC, 
Oregon, Mo., Jan. 23— This has been the 
hardest Winter known in thi6 country for thirty 
years. Our fruit trees have burst, in some in¬ 
stances, from the ground to the first branch. 
Some have opened so that a half-lneli board can 
be run clear through the tree. It has caused 
much alarm, as the finest fruit trees are the 
worst injured. Will some oneinform us whether 
it will injure the trees; If so, can't it be reme¬ 
died; if it can, how? It is also thought that 
nine-tenths of the peach trees are dead. Snow 
ten inches deep on a level. Weather now 
moderate.—w. b. 
Lansinghurg, IV. C'., Jon. 21. —Winter mod- 
eratly cold and wet; epizooty and small-pox 
nearly gone; laborers very scarce; in many 
places not to be had. Emigrants from any 
quarter would be hailed with joy. Lands fertile 
and cheap. Climate very healthy; schools and 
churches abundant.— l. 
Amerlenn Cat Nulls and Spikes, — The manu¬ 
facturers of American cut nails and spikes, of 
t he Atlantic States, in consequence of the de¬ 
cline in price of English pig iron and abun¬ 
dance of cheap coals, have reduced their whole¬ 
sale prices fifty cents per keg. The following Is 
a schedule of prices adopted10-penny to 00- 
penny, common, $5 per keg; 8 and 9-penny,$5,35 ; 
6 and 7-penny, $5.50; 4 and 5-penny, $5.75; 3-pen¬ 
ny, $0.50: 2-penny and 3-penny fine, $7.25; cut 
spikes, all sizes, $5.25. The prices for fencing 
and sheathing nails are the same as heretofore. 
The following are the new prices for finishing, 
flooring, box, cooper’s, casing, slating, trunks 
and tobacco nails per keg3-penny, $7; 4 and 
5-penny, $6.25; 6-penny, $6; 8-penny, $5.75; 10- 
penny and larger, $5.50. Clinch nails, 2 and S 1 * 
inches, $7; 2*4 and 2j£. $6.75; 3 inches and 
longer, $6.50. For half kegs the prices are fifty 
cents per hundred weight more than the above 
prices. 
THE LATE LUTHER TUCKER 
Last week, as we were going to press, we an¬ 
nounced the death of Luther Tucker, senior 
editor and proprietor of The Cultivator and 
Country Gentleman He died Sunday, Jan. 26, 
being at the time of his death nearly seventy- 
one years of age, and having been an agricultu¬ 
ral ed itor for over forty years. He was probably 
the oldest agricultural journalist In the coun¬ 
try. His death is a loss to the agricultural in¬ 
terests of the country ; for while he was In no 
sense ostentatious or aggressive as a journalist, 
he won for himself the confidence and friend¬ 
ship of a large number of our best farmers, to 
whose experiences and opinions he gave ex¬ 
pression through the medium of Ills publica¬ 
tions. He was a most industrious and consci¬ 
entious journalist., supervising the details of his 
paper with the greatest vigilance and care; and 
it was generally sale to assume that every line 
thereof had been submitted to his critical no¬ 
tice. This was the case until of late years his 
son and associate, Luther H. Tucker, relieved 
him, to some extent, of this care and lubor; and 
yet ho lost none of his interest and zeal in pro¬ 
moting the welfare of the class for whom be 
labored and with whom he had the fullest sym¬ 
pathy. 
As a contemporary Mr. Tucker was highly 
respected and honored by Ills brethren of the 
Agricultural Press; he was charitable, though 
BUSINESS NOTICES 
AGENTS 
May learn something greatly to their advantage and 
obtain specimens and full particulars free, by ad¬ 
dressing WOOD'S LITERARY AND ART AGENCY, 
Newburgh, N. Y. 
THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE 
We have, from a Pennsylvania correspond¬ 
ent, one who says he has no selfish object in 
view, who has not received a package of seed 
from the Commissioner of Agriculture, nor 
•wants any office from him or Government. and 
asserts that Mr. Watts did not solicit the posi¬ 
tion of Commissioner of Agriculture, that he 
has long beon an Agricult urist., President of the 
Pennsylvania State and his County Agricultural 
Society for many yearn, the leading man in get¬ 
ting up the Pennsylvania Farmer’s High School 
and looking after It, has spent as much time ns 
any man to advance Agriculture without any 
compensation, Is so honest that not a man in 
New York has money enough to buy him to do 
a dishonorable act, etc., etc. 
Now we are willing to concede all this to 
Formers’ Conventions ami Railroads.—Talk¬ 
ing of an Illinois Farmers’ Convention to devise 
ways and means to relieve themselves of the 
oppression of railroad monopolies, an Illinois 
correspondent of the Country Gentleman thus 
expresses his doubts of t he utility of such con¬ 
ventions, which, lie says, are largely composed 
“ of those influential and practical gentlemen 
who do our teaching in the newspapers, and 
who ride on free passes and divide their love 
equally between the unfortunate railroads ou 
the one hand and the oppressed people on the- 
other.” Ho says“ I have little or no faith In 
such conventions, nor shall I have until every 
man who atteuds will either ride or walk, or 
HORSE EPIDEMIC 
A PHYSICIAN, in a communication to a Buffalo 
paper about the Horse Epidemic, says : —“ Exter¬ 
nally X used and would recommend Dr. Trask’s Mag¬ 
netic Ointment to the. throat, around the ears and on 
the forehead. This ointment contains tobacco and 
lobelia, and operates npon the mucous glands of the 
houd and throat by causing an increased tlowof secre¬ 
tion from them, at the same time by iU relaxing effect 
removing the stricture and giving almost instant re¬ 
lief to the cough aud breathing." It is kept by all 
Druggists. 
THE WAKEFIELD EARTH CLOSET. 
Get Descriptive Pamphlet at 36 Dey St., New York. 
