[ntmstral IjOpics. 
A PLEA FOR THE BOYS. 
which 
Many are the aamomuoua *v»i^ are 
bestowed upon us country dwellers by 
our good friends of the rural journals, for 
our numerous short-comings. Just now the 
bead and front of our offending seems to be 
that our boys wilt riot stick to the farm, but 
show a lamentable propensity for leaving the 
shadows of the paternal root-tree, and the 
safe anchorage of the maternal apron-string, 
for the dusty highway of traffic, or to embark 
upon the treacherous waters of speculation. 
Various theories have been advanced to ac¬ 
count for tins melancholy development of 
human nature in country boys. One wise 
person, who is evidently given to looking 
into M the principles of things,” finds the 
reason in the fact that the dear little fellows 
are set to sprouting potatoes, picking stones, 
and other disagreeable tasks, which so dis¬ 
gust them with farm life that they skedaddle 
at the first opportunity, leaving the old home¬ 
stead desolate. 
Another is certain that if farmers will 
plant plenty of rose bushes in their door 
yards, the thorns and briers which beset 
their path will be effectually hidden, and the 
boys will no longer sigh for no fairer worlds 
to conquer. 
Still another assorts that it is sleeping on 
old-fashioned high post bedstead, and eating 
in the kitchen, which does the mischief. 
Again, a liberal application of books and 
newspapers is warranted a sure cure for the 
disease. 
Now', dear Rural, I beg leave to enter my 
protest against this sort of nonsense. 1 am 
not ready to acknowledge that it is altogether 
neglect of duty on the part, of parents which 
prompts here and there a farmers son to 
strike out a new path in life for himself. No 
it is simply the blood of Young America as¬ 
serting itself, and 1 say, « let it work.” It is 
the glory of our institutions that they ren¬ 
der it comparatively easy for every one to 
earn his bread in the way that to him 
seemeth best, and it is this constant in fusion 
of fresh life into every channel of business 
and every .department of the professions, 
which keeps our national energies from stag¬ 
nation. Why should the farmer’s sons be 
required to walk in the furrow worn by pa¬ 
ternal footsteps any more than those of the 
merchant, lawyer, physician, clergyman or 
mechanic ? This would be but playing over 
on this side of the Atlantic, what is univer¬ 
sally acknowledged to he played out in the 
old countries—making distinct classes, each 
bearing in mien and manner llm badge of its 
occupation; whereas, it is, or should be, the 
aim of our country to produce a type of hu¬ 
manity in which manhood shall show itsell 
superior to business or profession. 
It is very true that the boys who forsake 
the farm for other avocations, may not all 
got to themselves wealth or honor in so 
doing. But what of that t Success—as the 
world counts success—is not always the best 
thing that can befall one. A man’s failures 
are oftentimes worth more to him than mil¬ 
lions in gold. It is only by being permitted 
to workout the problem of life in his own 
way, that each can attain a just estimate of 
liis own abilities, which is infinitely better 
than a constant sighing for what “ might 
have been.” 
The theory that this hegira fanin country 
to city is caused by the unpleasantness of 
the farmer's home is, unfortunately, not in 
bred a farmer’s boy.” When our iarmers 
can furnish the material for such statesmen 
as Daniel Webster, Abraham Lincoln, 
and Salmon P. Chase; such generate as L. 
S. Grant; such clergymen as Dr. Lyman 
Beecher; such poets as J. O. Whittier ; 
such journalists as IIouace Greeley and 
Henry J. Raymond; such business men as 
the four Harpers, I think it may be a ques¬ 
tion whether the world is not sometimes tiie 
gainer when a country boy lays down “ the 
shovel and the hoe,” to wield a different 
kind of implement. 
I am ready to admit that, as a class, we 
tillers of the soil might be Improved in many 
respects; but, good friends, do not all lay 
hold at once, and hqul us over the coals for 
every disagreeable thing that was ever seen 
about a farmer’s premises, or in bis daily 
walk and conversation. We are not all 
guilty of “ rickety barns, tumble-down fences, 
unpainted houses,” &e., &c. A few of 0111 
number have even attained to the dignity ot 
rose hushes, with now and then a French 
aster or verbena. A great many of us take 
the Rural New-Yorker, and the New 
York Tribune, and may, therefore, he hope¬ 
fully considered as in a fair way to become 
ornaments to society at some future time not 
yet mentioned. 
One word to the boys, and I have done. 
My dear young friends, let not one ot you toi 
a moment suppose that you will be doing a 
liner thing to stand behind a counter, meas¬ 
uring out yards of tape and ribbon, or In en¬ 
tering any of the professions, than you would 
to be an intelligent, enterprising farmer. 
Unless the motives which govern you look 
beyond the things which perish with the 
using, you will never be entitled to “ the 
grand old name of gentleman,” however fine 
may be your broadcloth, or long your bank 
account. Above all things, do not leave the 
farm because you fancy you will thus escape 
work. Everything worth having in the 
world is attained only by earnest, patient 
endeavor, and until you learn this secret of 
success, your life will be a failure, wherever 
you may be. Frank Effingham. 
--- 
PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY. 
know liow the lines running northwest from 
Ciiicago have been consolidated, so as to 
avoid competition, and that each year the 
monopoly extends. 
Knowing all these things, and feeling 
deeply the burden that, is being laid upon us, 
what are we to do? Simply meet powei 
with power; meet organization with organi¬ 
zation. We, as Patrons of Husbandry, have 
united for common good and common pro¬ 
tection. We are to protect our own inter¬ 
ests, because we know our interests arc fun¬ 
damental— tliat our prosperity means tlie 
prosperity of the nation. We know that 
justice to us, as producers, means no injus¬ 
tice to others. We trample on no man’s 
just rights—never have, never shall. Let 
us resolve to have no man trample upon 
ours. 
We must have our State government to 
declare that when corporations, of whatever 
kind or nature, are managed to the detri¬ 
ment of public interests, their charters shall 
be forfeited. In brief, tie State knows no 
power almve that of the people; that rail¬ 
road and oilier transportation companies 
can exist only so long ns they subserve pub¬ 
lic interest. Let us Lave legislatures and 
judges learn that all political power is in¬ 
herent in, and must always remain with, the 
people. 
We must talk and labor to extend our Or¬ 
der, and to inculcate these views of the dan¬ 
ger we are in, and the remedies at our com¬ 
mand among outsiders, as well as members 
of the Order. With our social feature to 
draw 11 s together and harmonize us—with 
our intellectual feature to school and edu¬ 
cate us; with our mystic feature to keep us 
wary and discreet, we shall present such an 
esprit de corps as shall make our least word 
significant, and our least act a power. 
These are some of my views, hastily and 
imperfectly presented. They are not new, 
but are held by a large and growing number 
of our best men. Opposition to monopolies 
seems to me to be entirely consistent with 
the design of our Order. With it, as one ol' 
the watchwords, 1 believe we have the op¬ 
portunity *f extending our Granges indefi¬ 
nitely. A Patron. 
- +++■ -— 
raps. 
HARVESTING THE RYE. 
BY SEBENO EDWARDS TODD. 
accordance with the facts of the case. It is 
from the farm houses with the most attrac¬ 
tive surroundings, and well furnished within 
with the means for intellectual culture, that 
the boys most frequently go forth to con¬ 
quer for themselves a name aud place in the 
great world. Let the farmer who would 
not have his sons wander far from t heir native 
soil, beware of books and newspapers. 
There is nothing like ignoranoe for keeping 
people stationary, both physically and men¬ 
tally. When the wide-awake youngster 
finds upon his father’s table the daily and 
weekly journals, filled with vivid descrip¬ 
tions of all the kingdoms of the world, it 
is simply absurd to suppose that be will 
not soon desire to see a little of the glory 
thereof with his own eyes. Ami what son 
of mother Eve shall dare chide him for the 
wish ? 
It is well known that whatever is easily 
attainable is apt to be undervalued. This 
may be rather a trite remark, but it is one 
that explains many vagaries of human con- 
duet, nevertheless. As long as unoccupied 
land is so abundant and cheap in the coun¬ 
try, it will not, probably, be estimated at 
its true value as a means of independence. 
Every boy knowB that, by putting forth a 
reasonable amount of energy and industry, 
lie can become the possessor of a farm, and 
it is, perhaps, this very assurance which ren¬ 
ders the prospect somewhat tame. A spice 
of uncertainty adds greatly to the interest of 
any pursuit. 
Of hoiv many an honored name in thean- 
uals of our country is it recorded, “ lie was 
Being a member of this secret association 
of those interested in agriculture, I take 
some satisfaction in recommending the Or¬ 
der, and at the same time give my views as 
to what 1 think may he accomplished in ad¬ 
dition to numerous benefits already secured. 
It seems to me that we, as an Order, have a 
great work to perform in the war that is to 
be waged in this country at no distant day, 
by t he people, against the monstrous monop¬ 
olies that are overshadowing us. Railroad 
and insurance companies, warehouse and 
telegraph companies, are crushing the life 
out of the producing classes. I need not 
attempt an elaborate showing of their un¬ 
scrupulous use of it. Every Patron of Hus¬ 
bandry is aware of the facts. It is but to¬ 
day that I read in the dispatches from Eng¬ 
land that the London Times, the great expo¬ 
nent of popular feeling and thought in Eng¬ 
land, characterizes the operations of the 
managers of the Erie Railway on a par (oi 
worse) with those of the Greek bandits that 
have lately pillaged and ravished on the 
road from. Athens to Marathon. It points 
out how the credit of the whole country is 
suffering from an example like this, and asks 
how we can expect foreign capital to seek 
investment, in improvements here, if our 
legislatures and courts are to set aside all 
justice and right in the treatment of foreign 
stockholders, and to favor unlimited plunder 
by powerful and unscrupulous local mau- 
LARGE vs. SMALL FARMS. 
agers. 
We know the claim of vested rights that 
railroad companies in the West especially 
lay claim to. A corporation on the plea of 
public interest gets the right of way and 
condemns property—our very homesteads 
perhaps! To do this they are public corpor¬ 
ations, acting for the public good. 
The charter and right of way once gained 
this character ceases, and railroad com¬ 
panies arc private institutions and not 
amendable to Legislatures, or courts, because 
the Legislature has given away its power to 
regulate them. They can extort, oppress, 
rob. They can discriminate in favor of cer¬ 
tain localities nnd individuals; they can 
combine with owners of warehouses or 
bonded warehouses of their own and force 
shippers to pay toll ou every bushel of grain 
that passes over their road, they can and do 
refuse to deliver grain or other produce ex¬ 
cept to such persons or companies as may 
pay into their own coffers. 
it is alleged that Eastern roads are pur¬ 
chasing our Lake Marine, so that fieight sent 
east by lake to passover the Erie canal must 
pay a large advance over that consigned to 
go by rail from that point, to the seaboard. 
Wheat growers of Minnesota, who pay 
three times as much to get their crops to 
New York as it costs to send it from there 
to Liverpool, feel and know that the hand ot 
the giant oppressor is upon them. They 
know how the monopolies scoff at and ridi¬ 
cule all efforts that are made to send grain 
by way of the Mississippi River. They 
Much is being said, aud many are the dis¬ 
cussions which we have at this time in our 
mountain-girt East Tennessee, in favor ot 
small farms as ugamstaiWger ones. The 
size of a farm in East Tennessee, or any¬ 
where else, should be governed by circum¬ 
stances. If the farmer wishes to raise vege¬ 
tables, and is convenient to a good market, 
then small farms would certainly be more 
profitable; but surrounded as we are by 
mountains, the valleys between being broken, 
having no good and convenient vegetable 
market, and probably will not have tor a 
number of years, we certainly will be forced 
to farm as we have bceu doing—that is, 
raising a little of everything that we need 
and selling a surplus if we have it, or else 
we will have to convert our grain farm 
gradually into stock farms. We never can 
grow grain to a profit unless we can raise 
the average yield of grain higher than four 
or five bushels of wheat, fifteen or twenty 
bushels of corn, and fifteen or tweuty bush¬ 
els of oats per acre. We must sow grass 
seed and rear horses, mules and cattle; sow 
grass seed where the ground is strong 
enough to bring it, aud improve, gradually, 
our poor laud and then sow it in such grass 
as is best adapted to our soil and climate. 
We have a country full of good natural re¬ 
sources ; we have a population of good citi¬ 
zens generally, full of nerve, aud they need 
stirring up sometimes. We have some good 
schools, good churches, and a good fruit and 
bee country, aud we are finding these things 
out to». We take the Rural New-Yorker, 
we'have a great variety of good fruit, we 
have bees in the latest improved patent 
hives, aud men that know how to attend to 
t b em ’ James Duncan. 
The harvest has come, and the landscape appears, 
Outstretching In beauty; thetuwny ripe ears 
Now rustic ut noonday, beneath the calm sky. 
Inviting the reapers to harvest the rye. 
The fragrance of clover now perfumes the breeze; 
The blight robe of summer still covers the trees; 
And tbe lurk, bobolink, oft warble on high, 
Invoking the reapers to cui down the rye. 
The quail and the partridge now echo the sound ; 
11 Ho! reapers and binders, tho harvest is browned ! 
Tall plumes gaily waving, with straw and leaves dry. 
Now nod to the reapers to gather the rye. 
They welcome the harvest, and each heart Is light; 
Joy beams from the rye, ami holds court through the 
night. 
They think of to-morrow, as moments pass by, 
Aud dream of the harvest, and tall waving rye. 
Tho auspicious morning, with beauteous ray, 
Now rolls back the darkness and brings in the day; 
And whispering breezes of June and July, 
Inspire the gleaners to gather the rye. 
The reapers and rakers and binders now stand, 
Each shoulder to shoulder, a strong, swarthy band; 
As songs of the harvest resound through the sky, 
From harvesters ready to harvest the rye. 
The rules of the harvest each raker can tell; 
And no sacred canons are honored so well. 
Now. fiery sparks from the edges flv. 
And cradles are lifted to cut down the rye. 
The tall grain Is bowing, and harvesters strong, 
With care lime eucb stroke to the harvesting song; 
And reapers to binders the echo reply, 
While swinging the cradles to cut down the rye. 
With toll faint and languid, they seek the cool shade 
Where each with oh e-whets, now re-sharpens his 
blude; 
Stretched out on the green, weary harvesters lie. 
Till refreshed, with a luncheon, to cut down therye 
Tho last plume lias fallen,—all over the plain, 
The great sheaves are lying, like patriots slain. 
The welkin re-eolioes the shout and the cry, 
As eradlers and binders now stook up ilie rye. 
Then, russety stacklets, for many a day, 
Like tents ot an army in battle array, 
In ranks on the field, stand beneath the calm sky, 
Awaiting the gleaners to cart home the rye. 
The south-wind Is moaning, and Aurora red, 
Retires in blackness on the ocean’s bed; 
And a rainbow now spans the Hesperian sky, 
I’crsuadlug the gleaners to cart in the rye. 
Now, swift to the Held, o’er the uneven way, 
The rolling wheels rattle with little delay ; 
And soon in the barn, empty, spucious and dry, 
Are laid in the mow tlic ripe bundles of rye. 
branches fastened into a mass. The super¬ 
phosphate not only accelerates the first 
growth, hut has been found one of the best 
preventives for the ravages of the fly. 
One pound to one ami a-half pounds of 
seed, are ample for an acre. ’I he usual sea¬ 
son is from the twentieth of Juno to middle 
of July, hut in good soil they may he sown 
all of the latter month. The most success¬ 
ful cro p we have ever known was sown in 
vans, Erie Co., N. Y., Aug. 8tli, of white 
Nor folks; from which, in sixty days, tur¬ 
nips weighing over six pounds weie taken 
to market . The whole field had been burned 
over, including wood aud brush, by a fire 
which caught from a passing railroad train. 
On good soil, wc should not hesitate to sow 
as late as August 1st, since the harvesting 
can he delayed until quite severe frosts, and 
the turnips make better bottoms, and are 
more tender aud sweet, grown in cool, moist 
wea ther. 
.--- 
GRASS FOR TENNESSEE. 
A. J., Smyrna, Tenn., writes the Rural 
New-Youkeh that he wants to sow one 
hundred and twenty acres in grass. The 
land is black and very rich, on the river. 
Wants to know what grass he shall sow. 
He expects to purchase machinery also, and 
has an ordinary screw press, old style, to 
bale it. In the absence of hoop poles, he 
asks what is the best tie. He adds that he 
expects to let the land lie in grass ten years. 
We do not feel qualified to advise him intel¬ 
ligently. There is no doubt that timothy is 
the most saleable grass iu this country; hut 
we should think red-top would be likely to 
yield a better crop on the Southern bottom 
lands. Orchard grass is highly recommend¬ 
ed for the South. We trust some one hav¬ 
ing the necessary experience, and who is able 
to speak advisedly, will answer our corre¬ 
spondent’s inquiries. _ 
arm 
GAS LIME. 
■■4 
HIGH PRICES OF SEED. 
It is doubted whether " the high price of 
seed has resulted iu improving the agricul¬ 
ture of the country.” It may have taught 
some “ that the amount of seed may be less, 
if greater pains are vised in preparing the 
seed-bed, and better cultivation is given, 
but it has occasioned evils that 6houkl not 
he overlooked. It lias caused the great 
mass of formers to continue using old varie¬ 
ties, when they had ceased to be either pro¬ 
ductive or good in quality, simply because 
they were Unwilling to pay such exorbi¬ 
tant prices for the privilege of making an 
experiment. Those who have bought high- 
priced seed, have been liable to disappoint¬ 
ment from one of two causesFirst, they 
may have counted on the superior quality of 
the seed, aud therefore have given no more 
care to the cultivation than they gave to old 
varieties, thereby failing to get the expected 
yield ; or, secondly, they may have been so 
anxious to do well with wliat cost so much, as 
to give it extraordinary advantages in fertiliz¬ 
ers and tillage, and thus get a better yield 
from an inferior than worse cultivation had 
gotten from superior seed—thereby being 
induced to ignore the better for ihe worse. 
Another view' is that the high-priced seeds 
have not always, if, indeed, generally, sold 
upon their merits, anil have not proven pro- 
I portionaUy profitable every time. To fail 
| at. heavy cost, is not only discouraging, but 
tends to deter from a repetition of the ex¬ 
periment. M A - 
The lightning Hashes from zenith to pole, 
Ainl terrific thunders in majesty roll; 
The tempest and hail storm are rending the sky. 
Out sale lu the garner » the bunny brown rye. 
The summer is ended, and gleaners have come, 
To Join In tho song of "The Rye-Harvest Home;” 
To cheerfully gather u luscious supply, 
Round tables all smoking with fresh louves of rye. 
The banquet Is ready: In alternate rows, 
Fair lasses are seated rviLb ruddy-cheek beaux; 
The song and the chorus mount up to tho sky— 
“The Uye-llarvest Home,” and “The Hurvost of 
Rye!” 
-——-- 
FALL OR STUBBLE TURNIPS. 
It is seasonable now to sow fields or odd 
patches with the ordinary fall turnip. True, 
they are not always a sure crop, unless you 
are as persistent as a market gardener ot our 
acquaintance, who says it is his rule to keep 
sowing until he overcomes the obstacles and 
gets a good catcb; and he has never been 
known to fail. 
Turnips require fresh, rich, vigorous soil, 
so as to insure a quick, healthy growth. As 
it is not usual to cultivate, to any extent 
those sown at this time of the year, land 
should he selected that will he free from 
weeds and grass, and thoroughly and finely 
plowed, and harrowed down level and 
smooth as possible. Those who raise pota¬ 
toes for early marketing, usually sow the 
same field to turnips after the early crop has 
been taken off. As the ground was proba¬ 
bly well manured for the potatoes, it will be 
in the very best condition for the turnips, 
after being plowed and harrowed. Turnips 
succeed best ou moist soil, not too wet, for 
which reason a plat of sod of black or allu¬ 
vial soil is often turned over with care, and 
sowed after rolling aud harrowing. Fresh 
cleared land gives the best promise of suc¬ 
cess, as upon tliat a crop seldom fails. Seed 
is also sown among corn aud potatoes, at tbe 
time of late hoeing, but no very good results 
are within our knowledge from this practice. 
There are several varieties that may be 
sown, such as the White and Purple-top Nor¬ 
folk, White Globe, and other similar English 
sorts; but the most popular kinds, and those 
most sure to succeed, are American varieties, 
known as Purple-top Strap-leaved, aud 
White-top Strap-leaved. The purple or red- 
top is most in use. Either are quick grow¬ 
ing varieties, aud, if they escape the ravages 
of the turnip fly, a fair crop may be reason¬ 
ably anticipated. 
Seed may be sown either in drills or 
broadcast, the main point being to get it 
sown thin. To insure this, gardeners often 
mix it with seed that will not grow, or fine 
sand, sawdust, or other substances, to scat¬ 
ter it over more surface. 
Superphosphate of lime, being acknowl¬ 
edged a good fertilizer for this crop, may he 
mixed in a finely powdered form with the 
seed, the whole sown together broadcast, 
and brushed in with a few tree-tops or large 
During a discussion at the Monroe Co., 
N. Y., Farmers’ Club, its President, E. S. 
Hayward, stated he had used gas lime, and 
ita effects were blighting, injuring or killing 
the vegetation to which it was applied. A. 
Tuorn and Addi have detailed similar re¬ 
sults from the use of this lime. Willi these 
statements before them, farmers would natu¬ 
rally conclude no use of it could safely or 
profitably he made. Possibly the subject is 
worthy of still more attention. Conceding 
that lime is beneficial as a fertilizer in agri¬ 
culture, it is more than probable that a bet¬ 
ter understanding of the constituents, as well 
as objectionable properties iu gas lime may 
develop a means by which it may profitably 
he used, considering the low price at which 
it may he obtained. 
Lime is used to cleanse the carburetted 
hydrogen (the gas used for light) from the 
sulphuretted hydrogen which is ever present 
from the sulphur contained in coal. This is 
easily recognized from its offensive odor. On 
exposure to the atmosphere, first the sulphu¬ 
retted hydrogen will be decomposed, and 
water and a sulphuret of calcium containing 
more sulphur is formed, which, on furl Iter ex¬ 
posure, ia transformed into hyposulphite of 
lime, and a sulphuret of calcium different 
from the former, all of which, after various 
modifying changes, are transformed into sul¬ 
phate of lime, gypsum, to the extent of the 
sulphur present, the balance remaining as 
carbonate of lime. Phosphate of lime is al¬ 
ways present, aud undergoes no change. 
Thus it will he seen, when it has been 
exposed to atmospheric Influences for some 
time, we have not only phosphate of lime, 
hut also air-slaked lime aud gypsum. If 
applied iu a fresh state its results will always 
be as disastrous as has been affirmed in the 
opening of this communication, and will he 
unsafe until the hydrosulphite of lime has 
been converted into a sulphate of lime as fai 
as practicable. There is authority for saying 
that an application of thirty to fifty bushels 
to the acre destroyed one crop and for suc¬ 
ceeding crops was beneficial. It is also 
known that this lime containing one per 
cent, of sulphur applied as a dressing to 
wheat in the winter produced the best re¬ 
sults. As there is always some uncertainty 
about the amount of sulphur present, it is 
not wise to apply it to a growing crop, or to 
soil that is to he cultivated immediately ; hut 
where a crop of noxious weeds need exter¬ 
minating it-s effects will be beneficial. When 
applied to a soil deficient iu sulphate of lime, 
the effect of gypsum and ordinary air-slaked 
lime may be confidently anticipated. As a 
afe rule it may be applied to the soil ouo 
season before the crop is planted with satis¬ 
factory results. 
It must be evident that the wholesale dis¬ 
credit thrown upon gas lime, by the publi¬ 
cation of the notes referred to, was calculat¬ 
ed to lead to the formation of erroneous 
opinions upon its real merits, much to the 
detriment of the best Interests of those who 
are so situated that they can use this lime 
profitably.—u. u. 
