PROGRESS  and  IMPROVEMENT.” 
land  wiU  soon  wear  out  by  this  process  of 
“skinning,”  and  yet  so  many  of  our  farm¬ 
ers  fail  to  l<x>k  ahead  far  enough  to  see  it. 
Adjoining  tlie  faim  of  which  wo  wore 
spciiking  was  anotlier,  ami  while  the  lay 
of  the  laud  appeared  to  be  no  better  and 
its  iiriginnl  natural  a<lvautuges  no  greater, 
it  was  in  a  thrifty  <?oudition  and  yielded 
its  owner  a  good  living  and  sometlung  for 
a  rain^v  day.  “  X(av  there,”  continued 
our  fneiid,  “is  a  hirm  cultivated  by  an 
intelligent  umu  who  rends  and  studies  his 
business,  and  gets  not  only  the  benefit  of 
his  own  e.\pcrience  but  that  of  others. 
His  neighbors  used  ta  laugh  at  him  for 
his  experiments  ;  but  now  they  try  to  find 
out  his  “secret,”  as  they  caU  it*  of  get¬ 
ting  the  larger  crops.  One  of  his  neigh¬ 
bors  watched  him  jilant  his  corn  one  year 
I  Cats  v.s.  Robins. — A  correspondent 
of  the  Maine  Farmer  is  very  indignant 
that  so  many  people  will  keep  cats,  and 
says  that  if  it  was  not  for  the  cat,  “  we 
would  have  in  a  few  years  fifty  robins 
where  we  now  have  one.”  He  then  pro¬ 
ceeds  to  show  tlie  great  good  which  tbia 
bird  is  capable  of  doing  the  farmer  in  the 
way  of  killing  various  kinds  of  insects. 
In  direct  ojiposition  to  this  claim  a  cor- 
rcspoinlent  of  the  ('•ouutry  Gentleman 
asserts  Uiat  if  Uio  law  whicli  now  protects 
the  robin  and  other  insectivorous  birds 
is  not  soon  repealed,  or  the  robin  be  <!X- 
cepted,  the  cultivation  of  small  fruits  will 
have  to  be  abandoned  in  Central'Now 
It  ork.  He  also  urges  that  a  1  tounty  be 
offered  to  encourage  the  killing  of  robins, 
as  they  are  known  to  be  fond  of  berries 
and  other  small  fruits.  The  doctors  in 
this  instance  disagree  and,  we  ask,  “  Who 
will  decide  ?” 
MOORE’S  RURAL  NEW-fORKER, 
A  NATIONAL  ILLUSTUATED 
8IIMI,  lITKUl  41(11  lASIlI  NBlfSPAPBII. 
Whom  vocal  expressions  of  thankfuhicsH 
seem  fulsome  mid  a  waste;  of  words.  Tliis 
is  a  mistake  Uiat  sometimes  leads  to  se¬ 
rious  misunderstandings.  We  once  heard 
it  said  of  a  young  l.'uly,  ”  Hlie  receives  a 
favor  as  if  it  w'as  u  right  tci  wliic’h  she  was 
entitled  by  reason  of  some  (juality  iuher- 
(ait  in  lier  organization,  and  for  whioh  she 
is  not  under  the  least  obligation,  either 
for  the  deed,  or  the  kind  feeling  that  ac-- 
tuates  it."  An  intimate  acipiaintafuco  with 
the  lady  (niables  us  to  know  how  far  from 
fact  this  seeming  is  ;  still,  we  can  but  feel 
that  this  lack  of  proper  recognition  of 
friendly  acts  is  a  fault  in  her  character 
that  should  be  conceded. 
Suavity,  agreealileiiess,  iioliteness,  can 
be  lavishly  sjuiiikled  along  our  daily 
walks  with  great  advantage.  No  matter 
what  rank,  station  or  position  one  ocen  jiios, 
or  wliut  is  to  be  said  or  done,  these  f]uali- 
ties  are  never  without  their  good  effect'^. 
Gu  Uh!  farm  or  in  the  workshoji,  tlieresjiect 
of  the  emi)]oy((r  is  gained  by  plciisaiit 
words,  and  an  ordcj  or  direction  from  him 
loses  none  of  its  force  for  being  put  in  the 
form  of  a  request. 
It  was  said  of  Henky  Olay  that  his 
manner  w’as  so  agreeable,  ho  could  refuse 
a  recpicst  and  send  the  applicant  away 
-wath  kinder  feelings  toward  him  than 
y  could  after  grauthig  the  desired 
ANDREW  S.  FULLER,  Editor. 
ELBERT  8,  CARMAN,  -  -  Associate  Editor, 
Selecting  Seed  WliCJit.— Farmers 
throughout  the  country  should  be  thiuk- 
iug  of  their  seed  wheat.  There  is  nothing 
gained  by  sowniig  a  poor  article,  and  a 
man  had  better  ]>ay  double  the  ordiuaiw 
market  price  for  seeds  which  are  iiluinj), 
soiiud,  and  free  from  cockle  and  other 
foul  Heeds.  If  there  is  danger  of  insect 
depredations  or  the  land  is  not  very  rich, 
then  soaking  in  blucstone  or  V)rine  may 
often  he  resorted  to  with  l>enefit.  Biit 
in  regard  to  sowing  wheat  early  or 
late,  there  must  be  some  judgment  used, 
for  in  localities  where  the  Hessian  fly 
abounds,  late  sowing  is  about  the  only 
preventive. 
ADVERTISING  RATES: 
Inwldo.  Uth  and  UiUi  pKuoHt  At^HieHpHC<o.r.(k5.  per  line, 
l.^rh  pHife.. . . . 70  “ 
Outside  ijr  iHHt  paue  . .  I  (jq  •• 
Fiftv  rMtrcont.  extra  Tor  uiiunniil  display/ 
wr^ecla!  Nc^tlccs,  leaded,  by ooudI# . ..J.25  ** 
BuHincMi  . . . . I  ^  » 
HcudliiK  ‘  . . . "z.'cw  “ 
Discount  tjii  A  InBcreiins,  10  pur  ct.T  i'  ins.,  15  per  ct., 
U  ins.k  20  per  et.:  lifi  Ins,,  25  per  ct.s  .52  ids.,  33^  per  ct. 
tsr  No  odvertisoment  Inserted  for  leas  than  »3. 
Address 
RURAL  PUBLISHING  CO., 
78  Dunne  Street,  Netv  York  City. 
man 
favor. 
Nor  should  the  s]n’rit  of  jioliteness  he 
confined  to  words  only.  TJiere  ore  little 
things  to  bo  done  one  for  another,  tliat 
add  immensely  to  tlie  happiness  of  Uie 
human  family.  What  Sternk  calls  “  TJie 
small,  sweet  courtesies  of  life,"  things 
which,  of  minor  imjiortaiice  in  tliemselves, 
can  he  doue  in  such  a  way  as  to  brighttm 
everything  around  and,  like  Mercy,  bless 
him  who  gives  and  him  who  takes. 
Ami  this  sliould  be  a  maxim  for  yomig 
and  old,  “  Never,  when  it  can  be  avoided, 
say  or  do  auytliing  that  will  not  add  to 
the  happiness  of  some  one  or  more  of 
those  lu-ound  you.”  Show  that  you  mre  I 
for  others  by  gi\'iug  them  better  atteujJ^J 
and  having  their  pleasure  and  comfoiT" 
always  in  mind. 
The  school  in  which  these  lessons 
should  ho  first  taught  is  home  ;  and  uu- 
less  they  are  taught  hero,  it  is  seldom 
they  are  ever  perfectly  learned.  And 
home  is  tlie  place  where  tliey  should  be 
put  in  jiraoticc,  so  soon  as  the  cliiltl  can 
speak,  or  before.  The  language  of  the 
mother  is  copied  by  the  child  in  all  its 
words,  forms,  accents  siud  tones  ;  her  acts 
are  looked  upon  as  entirely  iJi'ojier,  and 
to  follow  her  lixample,  both  in  word  and 
deed,  becomes  so  much  a  part  of  the 
Xatioiml  Agricultiiml  C»iigre.s.s. 
— Those  of  our  readers  who  can  make  it 
convenient  to  bo  hi  Philadelphia  on  Bept. 
12-14,  should  do  so  and  attend  the  meet- 
lug  of  the  National  Ag.  Congress,  Ad¬ 
dressee  will  be  delivered  by  the  President 
of  the  Society,  Hon.  W.  C.‘  Flaqo  of  Illi¬ 
nois,  Secretary  G.  E.  Moimow  of  Iowa, 
Joseph  Haiihi.s  of  New  York,  X.  A.  Wil- 
LAKD,  Daily  Editor  of  the  Hubal  New- 
Yokker,  J.  R.  Dodok  of  Wasliington,  Dr. 
E.  L.  Sturtkvant  of  Massacliusetts,  L. 
F.  Allen  of  New  York,  and  other  promi¬ 
nent  agriculturists  from  the  different 
States  of  the  Uniou, 
8ATURDAY,  AUG.  26,  1876. 
THANK  YOU. 
It  is  surprising  how  much  a  little  oil 
of  politeness  lubricates  the  wheels  of  so¬ 
ciety,  making  the  whole  vast  amount  of 
intricate  machinery  move  easily  and  with 
little  friction.  No  matter  whether  at 
home,  in  business,  or  in  social  intercourse 
with  those  iu  our  service,  friends  and  ac¬ 
quaintances,  the  result  is  the  same.  And 
when  such  good  results  obtain  with  so 
little  exiieiiditurc  of  thought  or  labor,  is 
it  not  strange  that  their  attaiiimcut  is  not 
more  often  made  the  object  of  oiu-  atten¬ 
tion.  A  kind  look  or  word  often  makes  it 
a  pleasure  for  us  to  do  that  which,  other- 
duty  ijcrformed 
RURAL  BREVITIES, 
Both  him  Heir  and  paper  are  good  “  Citizeua.” 
The  MetLodiat  Church  of  Oi-eeley,  Col.,  is  en¬ 
gaged  ill  agricultural  purnuitd,  it  having  this 
Heaaori  forty  acres  of  wheat,  witli  which  it  hopes 
to  pay  olf  a  portion  of  its  debts.  This  is  more 
oommeudahle  than  holding  clmrch  fairs,  at  which 
gaiubluig  of  various  kinds  is  enoouraged  aud 
permitted. 
l^E  New  Yoke  Plow  Co.,  55  Beckman  St,, 
N.  Y.,  make  a  timely  auuounoemeut  in  another 
coJunra  concerning  their  CasUlron  Cider  Press 
berew.  To  those  wlio  know  this  Company,  it  is 
needless  to  speak  in  regard  to  the  excellence  of 
thou-  manufactures.  A  perusal  of  tlieh  Cata¬ 
logue  (whioh  will  be  sout  free)  may  suggest  va- 
nona  wants. 
We  beg  to  acknmvledge  tho  receipt  of  The 
Liverpool  Critic,  published  at  Liverpool,  Eu- 
gland.  bv  Messrs.  Okcuaed  &  Andkbson.  Both 
1  he  gentlemoa  were  formerly  connected  with  the 
Leader  of  the  above  city.  They  make  a  bright 
loadable  paper,  although  a  weeldy  journal,  there 
is  no  “  a’  in  Critic,  and  it  can,  therefore,  never 
wise,  would  be  a  task  or 
with  the  feeling  of  must  resting  heavily 
uijou  us, 
A  child  leaves  its  play  to  obey  an  in¬ 
junction  to  shut  the  door  much  more 
readily  if  spokeu  in  a  kindly  toue,  and 
preceded  or  followed  by  “  Please and 
the  gratification  we  receive  when  we  have 
doue  any  little  HOi"vioe  for  another  is  great¬ 
ly  increased  if  it  be  acloiowledged  by  a 
simple  “Thank  you.”  Porliaps  we  are 
satisfied  the  feeling  is  there,  but  to  have 
it  expressed  is  always  pleasant.  ‘  ‘John,  ” 
said  a  mother  to  her  little  boy,  “did  you 
thank  the  lady  who  gaveyou  f  lie  orauge  ?” 
“  Yes,  mother,”  rvas  the  reply,  “I  tJiank- 
ed  her,  but  I  didn’t  tell  her  ho,  "  A  while 
ago  a  train  of  the  Hudson  River  Railroad 
on  w'hich  the  writer  was  a  passenger, 
stopped  at  one  of  the  smaller  stations  and 
a  joyful  piuty  of  young  people  entered. 
Vacant  single  seats  seemed  plenty  in  the 
car,  but  they  a2>peai'cd  desirous  of  keejiing 
very  near-  each  other,  as  was  natural,  aud 
seeing  that  we  could  aid  them  in  the  mat¬ 
ter  we  arose  and  addressing  a  buxom, 
rosy-faced  lass  who  stood  near  said,  “  Take 
this  seat,  please ;  perhaiis  we  can  find  one 
elsewhere.  ”  She  looked  gladness  and  re¬ 
plied,  “Wnl,  likely’s  not  you  can.”  Wo 
doubt  not  there  was  ifieuty  of  ”  Thank 
you”  in  her  heart,  but  its  expression  iu 
words  wouhlhave  been  eminently  jiroper, 
There  are  iiersons  wlio,  apparently,  feel 
Some  one  very  rudely  remarked  ujjon  his 
bent  fonn  and  stoop  shoulders.  “Ah,” 
said  he,  “treat  tliat  tenderly,  for  I  got 
that  in  trying  to  make  a  living  out  of  a 
hundred  acre  farm  in  this  part  of  the 
country.  ”  And  this  man  as  a  farmer  was 
a  total  failure.  He  worked  incessantly 
and  studied  aud  read  none,  aud  so  he  was 
a  failure. 
RURAL  NOTES 
SKINNERS, 
Plag-ijirisin.  —  “My  atteutiou  was 
lately  drawn  to  the  manuer  iu  which  pla¬ 
giarists  sometinies  escape  detection,  and 
then  occasionally  get  detected  at  last.  I 
saw  ‘Experience  witli  Bees,’  (>ratteu  by 
Julia  M.  Wueelock,  who  has  written 
tor  no  other  pajicr  but  tJie  Bural  New- 
Yorker,  whose  ‘  E.xperience  with  Bees’ 
was  luiblished  diu'iug  the  summer  of 
1875,)  credited  to  the  Patron’s  Helper.  I 
suppose  this  mistake  to  have  occurred  by 
no  credit  beinggiveuwheuthefirst  ‘copy’ 
was  taken  from  the  PiURal  New-Yorker. 
which  must  have  been  a  violation  of  court¬ 
esy  among  journalists.  It  makes  no  dif¬ 
ference  with  the  writer,  but  the  question 
is,  Ik  it  right  ?— J.  M.  W.”  Wo  had  our 
say  upon  tliis  subject  a  week  or  two  since, 
aiul^  have  notJiing  further  to  add  except 
reminiliug  our  correspondents  aud  read¬ 
ers  generally  Uiat  if  evei'  the  day  comes 
in  which  there  is  no  pUferiug,  honesty 
common  to  be  fullv 
A  GENTLEMAN,  not  long  siuco,  in  reiily 
to  our  question  of  the  cause  of  so  many 
poor  looking  farms  in  his  section  of  the 
country  said,  “  These  farmers  about  here 
have  lieeu  skiuuuig  thcii-  lan<l  for  a  good 
many  ycara  and  now  theii-laud  is  skiniiiug 
them.”  TJie  truth  of  the  remark  was  so 
apparent,  that  we  could  not  fail  to  recog¬ 
nise  it  at  once.  Unfortunately,  this  skin¬ 
ning  process  is  not  confined  ‘to  any  par¬ 
ticular  sociion  of  the  country  nor  any  one 
set  of  farmers.  AVe  find  it  more  or  less 
wherever  _we  travel,  and  always  deplore 
it.  Our  informant  continued  There 
is  more  good  manure  and  labor  wasted 
every  year  on  the  farm  before  us  than 
would  l>c  required  to  keep  the  place  con¬ 
stant  ly  uj)  Uj  its  original  standard  aud 
value.  That  place,  fifty  years  ago,  was 
woi-tii  one  huiulred  dollars  an  acre  and  i 
now  it  wouldbcdiliicuittoget  fifty  for  it.” 
There  i.s  nothing  mor  * 
■e  certain  tliau  that  |  aiqireciated, 
