412 
HE  RURAL.  HEW-¥ 
TABLE  OF  OOfTTEHTE 
Practical  Departments: 
A  .Merry  Oh rlstniMi . . .  < 
KarmcrH  hikI  Atrrlniltiiral  PnperB .  ■ 
Aerlcultuntl  Ohenn*try . 
Will  Potatoes  Hun  Out?— Further  Facts . 
A  ttood  Won!  for  tti«  Artichoke . 
How  to  make  Duoiustio  Poultry  Thorousbly 
Afisernhie . . . .  . 
Howto  KeepttioComtis of  Kowlsfrotu  KroetlDK 
Hear! OK  Poultry. . . . . 
On  Fnitentnit  Stock . . . 
The  'i'ruo  Wetkht  of  Milk......... . 
The  Kncliih  Datry  Farmer,... . . . . 
Hequisttesin  Dairy  Farms . . . 
Dairy  Coiiyeniton .  . . 
ParaBnaysM  Tea  irr  Verha  Mato . 
Preservation  of  Timber.. . 
Oommnree  tn  Dates............ . . . 
Artiflolal  Dinmnncts . . 
Deaf-Fiitinir  Ants  <if  Tuxas . . . . 
The  Htaiidsnl  Ooosnberrins  and  Ourrniits . 
'I’he  Wild  and  Cultivated  Onrrot . 
North  Carolina  Notes. . ■  . . 
Minute  tlotr-hoiian  IllreCtions., . . 
Miscelliinea . 
Notes . 
'I'hi!  Onllfornla  Chestnut . . . 
That  Method............ . 
Htvers  and  Deep  Cncyons . 
Routll  Florida . 
All  about  Taiiincii . 
Vellow^Coveroil  tjlne.lnnatl  Hams . 
Iteotnes........ . . . 
The  Beard-To  Share  or  Not  to  Shave . 
How  to  Treat  Insect  StliiKs . . . 
inventiveness  of  Honjicides . 
Ventilation  . . 
DiTouiAi.  pace: 
Christinas . 
It  Is  Better  All  Around . 
Spcrotary  of  Adricaltnre . 
'<  Notes'- Brevtllus . . . 
Liteuahy: 
poetry . . . fl^.  Dt, 
Fashion  Notes . . 
Slorv . . . . 
WIscellanooiie . 
Habhath  IleadtnK,. . 
Irfidles’  J*ortfoll0.......i..., . 
KeiidinB  for  the  younn.. . 
J'ubllshors*  Notices . . . 
Nows  of  tho  Week . 
Markets . 
Answers  to  Correspondents . 
Personals . . . . . . . 
Humorous . 
Advertisements . . 417, 118,  418,  i 
TPIE 
RURAL  NEW-YORKER. 
rUBLISHED  EVERY  SATURDAY. 
ANDREW  8.  FULLER,  Editor. 
ELBEBT  8.  CABMAN,  -  -  Associate  Editor. 
X.  A.  WILLARD,  A.  M.,  Little  Falls,  N.  T., 
EdITOB  0»  THS  DSfABTMSMT  0»  DaIBV  HdSBAKDBT. 
G.  A.  C.  BARNETT,  Publlaher. 
Address  rural  PUBLISHING  CO., 
78  Duane  Street,  New  York  City. 
SATURDAY,  DEC.  23,  1876. 
CHRISTMAS. 
The  domeBtic  character  of  our  Christ¬ 
mas  feBtivitioB  eeem  moKt  appropriate.  It 
is  the  one  day  BCt  apart  by  Christians  in 
all  lands  as  a  homage  to  the  paternal 
rule  of  the  Creator,  hut  it  is  among  Pro¬ 
testants,  wo  believe,  that  the  day  reteius 
most  of  tho  sacred  traditions  that  endears 
it  to  the  hoart  of  cliildhood.  Happily,  its 
influence  embraces  not  only  believers,  but 
the  strangers  within  our  gates,  who  may 
consistently  celebrate  the  birth  of  One 
whose  life,  apart  from  its  religions  teach¬ 
ings,  is  an  example  of  purity  and  fanlt- 
lessness  without  a  peer.  To  such  an  ex¬ 
ample  do  we  owe  the  idea  of  the  Christian 
homo,  with  its  delightful  trailitions  and 
virtuous  influences  ;  and  it.  seems  most 
natural  that  the  family  should  cluster 
about  the  hearthstone,  making  of  the  day 
a  quasi-domestic  festival ;  observing  its 
time-honored  rites  wjth  a  joyous  grati¬ 
tude  for  the  love  or  blessings  that  have 
been  vouchsafetl  from  Heaven. 
However  much  the  conscientious  and 
reflecting  may  soberly  dwell  on  the  im¬ 
portance  of  the  day,  and  the  marvelous 
effect  wrought  on  the  world  by  the  life  or 
example  of  Christ,  it  will  be  conceded 
that  the  prevailing  idea  concerning  Christ¬ 
mas  is  a  halcyon  day  for  the  children. 
What  pleasure  has  gone  to  the  filling  of 
the  stockings  ;  what  secrecy,  whisperings, 
sly  calfuilation,  hidden  purchases  ;  what 
early  rising  and  shivering  in  the  cold  to 
do  the  secretive  w’ork  ;  what  smiles  from 
the  young  at  the  thought  of  the  pleasure 
to  be  conferred  by  their  loving  hands  ! 
How  graciously  age  looks  back  to  its  time 
of  joy,  reminiscence  receiving  a  halo  of 
sanctified  remembrance  w'hen  joining  in 
the  gambols  of  youth  1  The  grandfather 
capers  nimbly  with  his  ymnug  friends, 
wliile  his  w^orthy  companion  furtively 
chases  a  tear  at  thought  of  tho  faded 
long  syne,  when  they  hx),  looked  exi»eot- 
antly  to  the  Cliristmas  tree  for  its  pleasant 
surprises,  and  into  each  other’s  eyes  for 
the  confirmation  of  a  mutual  gift,  that 
love  which  has  since  blessed  and  gilded 
their  declining  years  ! 
It  is  no  drawback  to  reflect  that  we  are 
not  positively  certain  about  the  true  date 
of  Christ’s  birth,  and  w«i  owe  it  to  St. 
Cyril  that  there  lived  in  tlio  fourth  cen¬ 
tury  a  mau  M'ith  sufficient  force  of  charac¬ 
ter  to  set  the  matter  at  rest  by  giving  an 
authoritative  date,  liased  on  tho  tablets 
of  the  Ceusors  found  in  tho  Homan  ar- 
cliives.  It  is  a  curious  and  pertinent  coin¬ 
cidence,  that  our  festival  liolds  a  close 
analogy  to  the  pagan  rites  in  honor  of 
Saturn.  Some  say  our  customs  are  copied 
from  that  source.  The  Saturnalia  are  at¬ 
tributed  to  SEMPRONTirs,  and  originally 
consumed  one  day,  but  ivere  extended  to 
seven  when  Caliopla  flourished.  Pres¬ 
ents  were  exchanged,  a  “  lord  of  misrule” 
under  another  name  reversetl  tho  usual 
order  of  things,  and  albigether,  the  re¬ 
semblance  is  most  curious,  extending  even 
to  the  date,  December  nineteenth. 
'  We  learn  from  Mythology  that  the  Del¬ 
phic  oracle  became  dumb ;  and  when 
AttausTUS  inquired  the  reason,  was  told 
that  the  oracle  h.id  announced  the  birtli 
of  a  Child  in  Judea  wlio  was  the  Supreme 
God,  who  had  commanded  him  to  depart 
and  return  no  more.  Since  tlnit  <hiy  the 
noisome  vapor  of  superstition  has  been 
silently  dissipated  by  the  genial,  and  pen¬ 
etrating  rays  of  the  Sun  of  Christianity  ; 
and  although  at  times  our  faith  seems 
befogged  by  returning  skepticism,  it  is 
but  a  momentai'y  doubt,  through  which 
eventually  appears,  more  clearly  than 
ever,  the  rays  of  that  true  belief  so  ten¬ 
derly  reflected  from  the  star  of  promise 
that,  in  the  East,  led  the  Magi  to  witness 
an  event  which  was  to  bo  the  salvation  of 
mankind.  The  remembrance  of  which 
ailds  fervor  to  the  wish  that  tlie  HoBAii’s 
readers  may  have  a  vrio/  Merry  Christmas! 
- - 
IT  IS  BETTER  ALL  AROUND. 
It  is  an  axiomatic  saying  that  “  Hon¬ 
esty  is  the  best  policy  tind  while  there 
may  be  an  occasional  exception,  as  to  all 
other  good  rules,  ive  axe  inclined  to  (Jiiuk 
that,  upon  the  whole,  it  would  be  better 
in  the  end  if  all  men  couductod  tlieir  busi¬ 
ness  on  strictly  fair  and  honest  princi¬ 
ples.  We  liave  been  reminded  of  this 
thousands  of  times,  but  never  htul  it  more 
forcibly  brought  to  mind  than  in  our 
walks  through  the  streete  and  markets  of 
New  Y’ork  this  fall  and  winter.  It  is 
strange  that  men  who  put  up  hay  in  bales 
to  send  to  market,  will  so  demean  them¬ 
selves  os  to  stuff  the  center  with  poor, 
worthless  weeds  and  damaged  hay,  while 
the  outside  looks  bright  and  green  ;  and 
yet  it  is  done  constantly  and  in  thou¬ 
sands  of  instances  whicli  come  to  light 
every  da^*,  and  the  fraud  is  frequently 
detected  m  time  to  make  the  perpetrators 
suffer.  One  of  the  most  flagrant  but 
senseless  attempts  at  cheating  in  baling 
hay  we  ever  saw,  came  under  our  notice 
a  few’  days  since  in  a  large  lot  sent  to  a 
commission  house  in  this  city.  The  hay 
■was  packed  in  layers,  as  usual  wnth  a  cer¬ 
tain  well  know’ll  press  now  extensively 
used,  but  in  makmg  up  the  bales  two 
qualities  of  hay  were  put  in,  one  layer 
being  very  superior  and  the  next  very  in¬ 
ferior — in  fact,  almost  worthless  except, 
jierhaps,  for  litter.  When  the  bales  were 
placed  out  in  the  light,  the  difference  in 
the  color  of  the  hay  in  the  layers  was  so 
conspicuous  that  it  reminded  one  of  a  rag 
carpet  composed  of  green  and  brown 
stripes.  It  is  quite  likely  that  the  author 
of  this  fraud  disposed  of  some  of  the  hay 
at  a  good  price ;  but  tho  greater  jiart  had 
to  be  sold  at  the  value  of  the  poorest 
quality  in  the  bale. 
It  is  attempted  cheats  like  those  al¬ 
ready  named  which  depress  prices  of  even 
a  firstrrate  article  in  market.  Topped-out 
apples  with  windfalls  in  the  center  and 
barrels  of  potatoes  rigged  out  in  a  similar 
manner,  are  not  just  the  thing  to  give 
purchasers  sufficient  oonfidenoe  to  order 
so  freely  as  they  w’onld  if  there  was  a  cer¬ 
tainty  of  not  being  swindled.  The  same 
truth  holds  good  with  all  kinds  of  country 
priKluce.  The  mother  who  has  to  depend 
upon  tho  milkman  for  milk  to  give  her 
children  and  supply  both  kitchen  and 
table,  w  ill  use  this  article  far  more  freely 
if  she  can  be  assured  that  it  is  pure  and 
wholesome,  than  she  would  where  there 
is  even  a  bare  possibility  of  axlulteration, 
thereby  helping  to  increase  the  demand 
which  generally  ends  in  an  enhanced  price. 
Of  course  we  do  not  suppose  that  there 
is  any  more  cheating  among  those  who 
siqjply  our  niMfeets  with  the  pnxlncte  of 
their  farms  than  in  the  manufacture  of 
articles  which  the  farmer  obtoius  from 
the  cities  ;  but  ‘  ‘  tw^o  wrongs  do  not  make 
a  right,”  hence  iicilhor  party  can  offer 
any  justifiable  excuse  for  cheating,  and 
it  woukl  be  much  better  all  round  if 
every  man  were  compelled  by  law  (if  he 
will  not  do  it  otherwise)  to  make  no  wu- 
cealment  which  shall  work  to  the  injury 
of  those  with  whom  he  deals.  What  are 
termed  the  secrets  of  traile  (if  legitimate) 
and  skill  in  raannfacturo  or  production, 
may  all  be  employed  to  their  utmost  ex¬ 
tent  and  still  work  no  injury  to  any  one. 
- » » » 
SEORETARY  OF  AGRICULTURE. 
There  is  a  movement  on  foot  to  estab¬ 
lish  a  Hiireau  of  Agriculture  as  a  Govern¬ 
ment  Department,  represented  by  an 
officer  witij  the  title  of  Secretary  of  Agri¬ 
culture,  who  shall  be  admitted  into  the 
Cabinet  on  an  equality  with  the  Sccrctai*y 
of  State,  War,  Interior,  &c,,  thereby  hav¬ 
ing  a  voice  in  the  management  of  national 
afl’aii’s  in  general.  This  is  certainly  a 
move  in  tho  riglil.  direction,  and  it  should 
receive  the  cordial  snpiiort  of  every  one 
having  the  least  regard  for  the  future  of 
American  agriculture.  Now  let  tho  farm¬ 
ers  “  move  on”  Congress  for  such  a  recog¬ 
nition  in  tlie  affairs  of  the  Government, 
and  see  how  much  tho  politicians  they 
liave  been  honoring  with  an  office  and  a 
good  salary  care  for  them,  after  once  tho 
election  is  over. 
Several  huuilred  thousands  of  the  resi¬ 
dents  in  the  Western  States  begged  of 
Congi'ess  last  year,  through  their  Uopre- 
sentatives,  a  few  thousand  dollars  to  pay 
a  comjietent  committee  for  investigating 
the  grasshopper  question  and  to  endeavor 
to  discover  some  way  of  preventing  the 
loss  of  millions  of  dollars’  worth  of 
property  through  the  ravages  of  these 
insects  ;  but  what  did  they  get  in  answer 
to  theii-  prayers  for  relief  ?  Why,  simply 
nothing  but  insults  for  their  temerity  iu 
asking  for  w^hat  rightfully  belongs  to 
them.  Go  on,  gentlemen  of  the  leading 
Agricultural  Societies,  let  your  strengtli 
be  felt ;  for  if,  by  aiij’  known  fair  tneaus, 
tliose  holding  the  reins  of  Ihis  Ooveni- 
ment  can  be  minle  to  know  that  there  is 
an  ugricultiu’al  class  and  h’cl  their  power, 
3’on  will  have  accomplished  something  for 
which  toiling  millions  will  bo  thankful. 
Politicians  and  the  political  papers  will 
oppose  any  such  movement ;  but  if  our 
six  milhons  of  farmers  and  their  repre- 
sentsitive,  the  Agi-icultural  Press,  make 
the  proposed  Department  or  Bureau  of 
Agriculture  a  common  cause,  success  is 
cei’tain. 
RURAL  NOTES. 
The  Goveruiiiciit  Seed  Stoi*e. 
— ^The  Annual  Report  of  the  Commission¬ 
er  of  Agriculture  shows  that  there  have 
been  distributed  during  the  past  year, 
1,520,000  packages  of  seeds  from  the 
Depai'tment  and,  we  may  add,  at  a  cost 
to  the  Government  of  a  good  many  thou¬ 
sands  of  dollars  more  than  they  ai’e  worth 
to  those  receiving  them.  Of  course,  this 
seed  businoHS  of  the  Dejiartment  has  fur¬ 
nished  emiiloymeut  to  many  persons  ;  but 
how  much  better  for  the  country  it  would 
be  if  the  rates  of  postage  on  seeds  were 
2)ut  back  to  the  old  one  of  a  half  cent  per 
ounce,  the  Government  seed  store  abol¬ 
ished,  and  the  money  api)ropriat.ed  to  its 
support  handed  over  to  tlie  Post-Office 
Department,  to  make  up  any  deficiency 
whicU  might  follow  iu  giving  us  cheap 
postage  on  seeds.  Men  who  have  sense 
enough  to  cultivate  iilants,  seldom  have 
occasion  to  ask  the  Department  of  Agri¬ 
culture  to  make  selections  for  them.  The 
free  distribution  of  seeds  by  the  Gtovem- 
ment  has  done  and  is  doing  more  harm 
than  good,  besides  costing  the  country 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars. 
N.  Y.  r>airyiiieii. — Again  we  are 
called  upon  to  record  the  proceedings  of 
one  of  the  best  Associations  of  Dairymen 
in  this  country.  At  Elmira,  N.  Y*.,  tho 
Daii’ymeu  of  this  State  assembled  on  the 
1.3th  and  14th  inst.  and  listened  to  nu¬ 
merous  scientific  and  practical  addresses 
and  thereby  receiveil  much  instruction 
upon  a  subject  which  so  nearly  concerns 
their  welfare.  These  gatherings  cannot 
be  too  highly  commended.  Tito  discus¬ 
sions  upon  Dairy  subjects  containing,  as 
they  do,  so  much  that  is  pnu’tical  and 
useful,  are  themselves  well  worth  a  long 
journey  and  a  few  days’  time,  hi  say  noth¬ 
ing  of  the  valuable  papers  which  are  al¬ 
ways  to  be  hoard  on  such  an  occasion. 
Cliristiiias  1’rtM‘S. — It  would  bo  in¬ 
teresting  to  know  just  how  many  families 
to  wliich  tho  lluRAii  New-Yorkkr  msikes 
its  weekly  visits  have  taken  tho  advice 
given  in  its  columns  years  ago  to  jilant 
evergreen  trees  about  the  liouse,  and  are 
now  able  to  cut  out  spare  siiecimens  for 
Christmaa  trees.  AVo  know  that  ti  goodly 
number  of  our  readers  can  do  this  without 
loss  to  tlie  good  appearance  of  their  sur¬ 
roundings,  and  many  more  might  be  doing 
the  same,  had  they  not  neglected  to  jilant 
evergreens  in  years  past. 
♦♦♦ 
Frosts  ill  Florida. — The  Florida 
papers  report  a  hard  frost  during  tho  first 
three  days  of  December ;  ice  lormoil  on 
watiT,  oranges  011  the  trees  %ver6  fro/.cn, 
and  also  the  leaves  and  young  twigs. 
Such  checks  will  very  much  injure  the 
reputation  of  some  parts  of  the  State  for 
the  cultivation  of  trojiical  plants  and  es¬ 
pecially  oranges  and  lemons, 
- ♦ - 
BUBAL  BKEVITIES, 
Plantixo  Black  Walnut  foroBta  is  an  excellent 
way  to  lay  np  wealth  for  one’s  childi'en. 
The  Western  New  York  Horticultural  Society 
hold  their  next  annual  meeting  iu  Rochester 
Wednesday,  Jan.  24,  1877. 
IcK  containing  impurities  is  just  as  uuhealthy 
a«  the  water  from  which  it  was  formed,  as  mere 
freezing  is  not,  in  any  sense,  a  purifiying  pro¬ 
cess. 
Ahtificial  pearls  are  manufactured  in  Paris 
from  the  white  scales  of  fish.  Twenty  thousand 
jionfids  of  tlsh  will  yield  0110  |>Oiuid  of  the  pearl 
substance. 
Baxkkopts  in  Hcotland  who  conceal  property 
from  their  a'editors,  are  sentenced  to  penal  setv- 
jtnde.  If  such  laws  were  enforced  in  this  coun¬ 
try,  there  are  some  towns  we  could  name  that 
would  soon  be  depopulated. 
I  Veky  cold  weaUier  reported  by  one  of  our  cor¬ 
respondents  at  Oriflln.  Ga.,  Doc.  5.  Jf  irciiry 
only  16-  above  zero,  wliich  is  an  unusual  degree 
!  of  cold  for  tho  fane  of  year. 
Oirr  of  the  1.112  banknipts  reported  last  year 
in  Massachuseit'S.  only  fourteen  wore  farmers. 
I  and  in  New  York  State  only  forty-six  in  a  total 
of  2,!itt0  wore  farmers,  which  is  .a  pretty  good 
showing  for  a  business  which  many  iiersous  de¬ 
clare  is  •'  played  out.” 
W HAT  nine  out  of  every  ten  of  tlio  poor  men 
out  of  emiilfiy  this  wiuter  in  all  of  our  larger 
cities  ueeti,  is'tiie  kind  of  religion  wliioh  will  al¬ 
ways  make  them  got  up  and  tmil<l  n  lire  for  thoir 
wives  on  cold  mornings  and  stay  at  liomo  evenings 
to  amuse  the  children.  ' 
W.  J.  ABtBNETUY  has  retired  from  tho  edito¬ 
rial  chair  of  the  Foi'mer's  Union,  and  Hex’dkvx 
A  Newton  become  proprtetors  and  assume  gen¬ 
eral  management.  The  Union  has  always  been 
a  good  paper  anil  we  wish  it  oontiiiued  success 
and  a  large  patronage. 
The  JIesquit.  a  small  tree  found  abundantly 
in  some  parts  of  Texas  and  weslwanl  to  Califor¬ 
nia,  is  said  to  yield  a  gum  resembling  Gum  Ara¬ 
bic  and  quite  os  valuable  ;  and  it  is  also  reported 
that  considerable  quantities  have  been  gathered 
and  exported  during  the  past  season. 
PoLLEU  C.ATTLE  are  becoming  quite  the  rage 
in  Scotland  and  are  rapidly  taking  the  place  of 
the  Short-Horns.  But  w'e  ai*e  not  informed 
whether  this  movement  is  the  result  of  keeping 
Short-Homs  or  because  Scotchmen  have  con¬ 
cluded  not  to  take  any  kind  of  “  a  horn”  in  the 
future. 
Pbof,  Q.  E.  Morrow,  who  has  for  some  time 
past  occupied  the  chair  of  Agricultm'e  in  the 
college  of  Ames.  Iowa,  has  accepted  a  lilve  posi¬ 
tion  in  the  Faculty  of  the  iUiuoiB  Didusti  lal  Uni- 
veraity  «t  Champaign.  What  Iowa  loses  in  this 
change  Illinois  gams,  and  if  the  entire  faculty 
were  of  such  stuff  as  Prof.  Morrow  is  maile  of, 
the  said  Univeraity  would  be  much  improved. 
The  pm'chasers  of  butter  in  our  markets  have 
had  good  cause  for  oomplaint  iu  the  frauds  jjijr- 
potrated  in  adnlteiating  the  article  with  tallow 
and  fat  of  various  kinds :  but  our  English  cous¬ 
ins  are  said  to  have  found  a  new  source  for  sup¬ 
plying  themselves  with  an  oleaginons  compound 
from  which  a  kind  of  butter  is  made  in  the  mud 
of  the  Thames  River.  Soap  fat  discharged  by 
the  sowers  is  collected  and  used  in  ailulteratuig 
butter. 
The  Rov.  Joseph  Cook,  in  one  of  his  late 
lectures  in  Tremont  Temple,  Boston,  remarked 
while  illustrating  a  point  iu  his  discourse,  that 
“Your  beautiful  tropical  butteiilv  ivas  once  a 
repulsive  chrysalis;  it  had  only  the  power  of 
orawliiig."  Prof.  P.ackaro,  *t  some  other  New 
England  Entomologist,  shoiiLl  inform  the  rever¬ 
end  gentleman  that  cbiysahds  of  butterflies  do 
not  oraiot,  but  the  larvie  or  caterpillars  do.  If 
Mr.  Cook  ivill  study  the  hlies  of  the  fields”  or 
even  a  milkweed  iu  siuinner.  he  may  learn  some¬ 
thing  more  than  ho  now  seems  to  know  about 
“  clirysahs." 
