192 
THE RURAL HEW-YORKER. 
MARCH 19 
THE 
Rural New-Yorker, 
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY. 
Conducted by 
BLBERT S. CARMAN. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
No. 34 Park Row, New York. 
SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 1881. 
This number of the Rural New-Yobk- 
er contains a four-page supplement. 
In order to transact satisfactorily the 
constantly increasing business of the 
Rural New-Yorker, we have leased, for 
a term of four years, the entire front of 
our building facing Park Row. as well as 
that facing Beekman Street, hitherto oc¬ 
cupied. The editorial rooms after May 
1st, will be found on the right of the hall 
upon entering, the business department 
on the left. 
If any farmer will consider the time 
and labor required to make the potato 
experiments detailed under Notes from 
the Rural Farm, he will see how inade¬ 
quate ofttimeB are the teachings of such 
experiments as compared with the cost of 
conducting them. “How far apart 
should we plant potatoes, cut to single 
eyes, in order to get the best yield?” 
The question is a simple one'that it 
would seem ought to be answered by any 
careful set of tests. Such, however, is 
not the case, as anyone may discover who 
attempts to solve the problem. 
-» » ♦- 
A Poetical Cow.— A Cape of Good 
Hope paper thus describes the pet cow 
of a parsonage, for sale there. We think 
she must have been bred and reared 
under good instruction :—“ She is a pic¬ 
ture worth foeusiDg by any photographer. 
Her coat is the sleekest; her temper the 
meekest; her form is the neatest; her 
udder the greatest; her eyes are the 
brightest; her milk is the whitest; her 
horns are the shortest; and if wanted 
more test to prove she is a beauty, a 
darling, a pet, jnst buy her, and you 
will have joy of your bargain.” 
Prof. S. W, Johnson corroborates, in 
his annual report (Conn. Ag. Ex. Station) 
the answers we have given to questions as 
to the value of salt as a fertilizer. He 
says “On some soils, salt (like gypsum 
on many soils) produces a good effect, 
not commonly by directly nourishing 
crops, for agricultural plants require no 
soda and very little chlorine, but by its 
solvent action whereby it disengages 
plant food from the minerals of the soil 
or in some indirect manner.” The fer¬ 
tilizing value for any given crop or soil 
is only to be determined by actual trial. 
It must be borne in mind that salt is 
chloride of sodium. 
- 4 -» ■» , . . . 
Dr. Ravenel of South Carolina, as 
Professor Johnson states, finds that fine¬ 
ly-ground Charleston phosphate rock is 
quite assimilable by vegetation, when 
applied in conjunction with vegetable 
matter, obtained by plowing under a 
large growth of the Southern cow-pea, 
or letting it decay on the surface of san¬ 
dy or otherwise nearly worthless land. 
Professor Johnson remarks that the de¬ 
caying vegetation would appear to dis¬ 
solve the phosphate as effectually as, and 
more economically than, sulphurio aoid. 
That is to say, a better economical re¬ 
sult is obtained by applying a dollar’s 
worth of finely ground phosphate rock with 
a decaying green crop, than by using the 
same worth of artificially dissolved phos¬ 
phate. 
The Mantes Fowl. —This is a new 
breed got up recently in France, and is 
now highly spoken of. It is something 
like the Hondan, possessing all the good 
qualities of the latter without its defects. 
It is brilliantly speckled in color, has 
only four toes to each foot, and no crest, 
but wears a well developed cravat. Now, 
if they will breed off this last useless 
excrescence, as they have the crest and 
the fifth toe, it will be quite an improve¬ 
ment. It is uncommonly preoocious, 
fattens easily, and its flesh is of the finest 
quality. It is an excellent layer of large 
eggs, a fair setter and good nurse. We 
should think this fowl worthy of impor¬ 
tation, and it might prove a good addition 
to the various sorts we already possess 
in the United States. 
Longevity of Hobbes.—M r. W. Doug¬ 
las, late veterinary surgeon in the 10th 
Hussars, contends that if horses are well 
treated they may live ffive times as“long 
as it takes them to attain maturity. Now, 
as they do not mature — except when 
greatly forced by high feed—till they are 
seven to eight years old, it follows* that 
they ought to live 35 to 40 years. Dur¬ 
ing this length of life they may be 
useful three-fourths of the time, which 
would be from 26 to 30 years. We 
will venture to say that American horses 
are so improperly treated that they do not 
endure more than half the above time, on 
the average, for good work. This re¬ 
duces their usefulness of 26 to 30 years, to 
only 13 to 15 years. We know a horse that 
has been steadily worked on one of the 
city express wagons of New York almost 
daily for 16 years past, and he is still 
perfectly sound and as efficient as ever. 
- +4 » 
A CORRECTION-OAT GRASS. 
On page 195 of our Supplement iu an¬ 
swer to a query whether there is in this 
market a grass called Oat Grass; it is 
stated that “ we do not find such a grass 
in seedsmen’s catalogues, etc.” This 
answer which was marked out on the 
page proof was left in by oversight. The 
“Tall Oat Grass” (botanioally Arrheua- 
therum avenaoeum or Avena* elatior) is 
offered by all good seedsmen for about 
three dollars per bushel of about 12 
pounds to the bushel. We are informed 
by Prof. Beal that this Oat Grass does 
well in some parts of Michigan. It is a 
perennial with stems about three feet 
high. Mr. Flint says that it is esteemed 
by those who know it for its early, rapid 
and late growth, making it well calcula¬ 
ted for a late pasture grass. 
Danthonia spicata is the “Wild Oat 
Grass” notable for the thick, wiry turf it 
makes upon dry sandy soils. This is also 
perennial with short, slender Btems, and 
it blooms in early May, As a lawn grass 
for hot situations, we think this might 
prove valuable. There is a fine field for 
investigation among the grasses, and we 
propose to test, the coming season, several 
kinds which have always been deemed 
valuable but about which we seem to 
have little trustworthy information. 
“ BUTTERINE.’’ 
The malady afflicting Chicagoans, 
which goes under the name of • ‘ Winter 
cholera,” and is referred to the eating of 
“ butterine,” into the composition of 
which lard enters, forms a striking proof 
of the power of habit among American, 
eaters. Among the lower classes of peo¬ 
ple one article of food and one of drink 
seem to be regarded as the two great ne¬ 
cessities of their existence—something in 
the way of grease to spread on their 
bread, and some hot, sweetened drink for 
their stomachs - -and so great and uncon¬ 
trollable is their passion for these two 
things that they will take up with the 
most miserable substitute for butter, in 
the one oase, and gulp down a swi'l of 
burnt rye, sweetened with molasses, in 
the other. Of the delicionsness and 
wholesomeness of pure water as a drink 
they have no appreciation, and of the 
sweetness and toothsomeness of simple 
bread they have about as much. In re¬ 
gard to butter, there is nothing tolerable 
short of what is thoroughly good ; any¬ 
thing less than that is an insult to the 
bread it is put upon. It is a much easier 
matter to do without butter than many 
people imagine, and if those who cannot 
afford to use a good article will do with¬ 
out any, as they dispense with other lux¬ 
uries, their stomachs will be greatly the 
gainers thereby. Wholesome, plain bread 
and good water are excellent acquaint¬ 
ances for any man or woman to form, and 
such as will never cause regret or breed 
distressing results. 
•---— 
NOTICES TO SUBSCRIBERS. 
If any of our readers have received the 
White Elephant Potato in a frozen or 
otherwise imperfect condition, they will 
please notify us by postal, giving their 
full addresses plainly written. 
We shall begin the Seed Distribution 
this week and hurry it through with all 
practicable speed. 
It is a satisfaction that we are enabled 
to send all of the varieties to our sub¬ 
scribers as originally announced. The 
packet of Rural Branching Sorghum is 
smaller than we had hoped to put up. 
But our South Carolina crop was virtual¬ 
ly a failure. 
It may again be necessary to state that, 
as we divide tho postage with subscribers, 
we shall not send the seeds to those ap¬ 
plicants who have not sent us their share 
of the postage (six cents). Those, how¬ 
ever, who have subscribed for the Rural 
in combination with any of the journals 
with which we club, are not required to 
bear any of the expense—-this having 
been added to the club price to simplify 
the matter. 
We are very much in hopes that none 
of our readers (our old ones at least) will 
view our Plant and Seed Distributions in 
the light of premiums. The past is 
proof that we have sent out some of the 
most valuable plants in cultivation, and 
we think our Distributions should have 
ere now established for themselves the 
reputation they certainly deserve. The 
present collection has cost us more than 
any of its predecessors, and we cannot 
suppose it will prove less valuable. Those 
who for any reason cannot plant and cul¬ 
tivate them with due care, should present 
them to those who can. 
*-♦ ♦ »-- 
OUR CATTLE PORTRAITS. 
Thebe seems to be a difference of 
opinion as to the accuracy—the merits, of 
our cattle portraits. Some praise them 
roundly. Some condemn them flatly. 
The accuracy of the photographs of 
which they are exceedingly correct re¬ 
productions is not questioned. But our 
artist, it seems, is expected to bo “ doc¬ 
tor” them that in lieu of a slight curve 
in the back ; a reasonable proportion be¬ 
tween the size of the feet and legs and 
the body, etc., they must be presented 
with backs of a dead level ; feet and legs 
that are absurdly small; eyes that are of 
melting, ponderous mildness, and bodies 
of perfect symmetry. 
But. we beg to say that our object iu 
presenting true portraits is to show our 
readers what the animals are like ! It 
is not to invest the originals with ideal 
beauties that can never exist in fact. 
Such pictures are just as much exagger¬ 
ated as those of strawberries, raspber¬ 
ries, grapes, etc,, which are so often seen 
in our nurserymen’s catalogues, and we 
do net see how any honest stockman can 
look upon such monstrosities without 
feeling that they convey falsehood just as 
effectively as if the characterizations 
were in so many written or spoken words. 
In this connection let us call attention 
to our patent, adjustable oattle-portrait 
diagram on the last page. With slight 
alterations this may be made to give the 
desired outline and “ points” alike for 
Jerseys, Hereford^, etc., eto., just as the 
picture of Prince Imperial has gone the 
rounds as the portrait of several dis¬ 
tinguished prize-takers. 
With slight alterations and additions 
also, which will readily suggest them¬ 
selves, tho problem as to producing sex 
at will may be solved by our adjustable 
diagram, and a consideration of its merits 
is urged upon our illustrated stock jour¬ 
nals. 
-- 
UNDERSTANDING, THE FARMERS' NEED. 
The great need of our farmers is un¬ 
derstanding. We use this word as dis¬ 
tinct from knowledge, intellect, educa¬ 
tion or wisdom, or, rather, as embracing 
them all and more. A liberal education— 
by which we mean a knowledge of the 
so-oalled higher branches, as mathe¬ 
matics, philosophy, astronomy and the 
classics—while it may render a farmer no 
less fitted for his business, is not really 
essential. The rudiments of an educa¬ 
tion, embracing reading, writing and 
arithmetic, well founded and understood, 
go a great way towards furnishing one 
with all that is absolutely necessary for 
a worker of the soil. The rest may come 
through the schools or through observa¬ 
tion, logical and practical deductions, 
and experiments. 
Knowledge is desirable, but of little 
use to him who knows not how to apply 
it. Intellect sets man above the brute, 
and the one man above his fellows ; but 
the most intellectual man is not always, or 
often, the most successful in his under¬ 
takings. Education is not to be despised ; 
but its possessor may not always know 
how best to use it, and the wise man 
may often learn from the ignorant one 
much that will be to his advantage in the 
lower walks of life. 
We wo aid say nothing tending to in¬ 
fluence the agriculturist to neglect the ac¬ 
quisition of any or all forms of useful 
knowledge and culture, but we would 
endeavor to impress upon him the fact 
that they may be like fertilizing princi¬ 
ples that exist in nature in a state that 
render them of no use, because they are 
not in a condition to make food for, or be 
assimilated by, plants. Understanding is 
that which enables their possessor to 
make them of service in his every-day 
life, and as a small amount of fertilizer 
judiciously applied, may be of more real 
service than a large quantity used at 
random, so a little learning that can 
be used is better than scholastic acquire¬ 
ments with an nnpraotical mind. So, get 
education, knowledge and wisdom when 
thou const, “ but with all thy gettings 
get understanding.” 
BREVITIES, 
We bave endeavored in this number to 
catch up in our answers to questions. 
During the last five years, W. C. Hart, of 
Walden N. Y., has cleared, above expenses. 
$1,409.13 on his flock of fowls. 
We take pleasure in calling attention to the 
card of our venerable friend. Mr. Conrad Wil¬ 
son, in our advertising columns. 
Goat’s milk for puppies i6 recommended by 
those who have tried it a* quite superior to 
cows’ milk, as the latter causes worms. This 
makes another point of utility for the goats. 
Wb Jenm from several sources that Mr. 
Orange Judd is an applicant for tho position of 
Commissioner of Agriculture in ease of Gen¬ 
eral Le Due’s removal. If the administration 
were in need of an advertising agent, Mr. Jndd 
would, no doubt, prove the right man. But 
he can have little practical knowledge of the 
agriculture of the present day. and as to 
botany he could not distinguish a crucifer 
from a composite. We were glad when he 
was appointed Indian Commissioner as we had 
hoped that some Indian might catch him and 
carry him off. 
The “Slaughter of the Innocents" at Scran¬ 
ton. recently, when a score or more of little 
children perished from suffocation in the dor¬ 
mitory of a burning asylum, being unable to 
escape because they wpre locked in—was bnt 
the oft-reppttted horror—except ou a larger 
scale—of children being locked in houses and 
burned to death. Every generation seems to 
produce a crop of fathers and mothers 
who leave their little ones at home alone, 
and from some rather vague reason, 
lock them in, for greater security, as though 
any foe from without could equal the fire-fipnd 
within Children should be trained from in¬ 
fancy to know what to do in ca?e of fire, be 
made familiar with the different ways of 
escape from a house, and above all, to know 
precisely what to do, in case their owu cloth¬ 
ing. or that of another child, takes fire. Also 
servants and all employes about a house 
should, from the outset, be so thoroughly 
drilled as to their action in case of one’s cloth¬ 
ing being ignited, that there will be no possi¬ 
bility of any one of them repeating the fatal 
folly of rushing into the open air in flames. 
Wb notice that the English agricultural 
papers are beginning to recommend pretty 
strongly the importation of our trotting stal- 
ions for the purpose of improving their road¬ 
sters. Many of this class of horses now bred 
there, being got by weakly, spindle-legged, 
castroff thoroughbreds out of common mares, 
are wanting In power, endurance and good 
action—too weak for farm work, aud not 
strong and fast enough for the carriage The 
American trotting horse, Shepherd Knapp, 
taken to England some years ago, has been 
well patronized there, we are informed, and 
has produced excellent road stock. The stout¬ 
est of trotting stallionB not less than 16 bandR 
high, and welching about 1200ponn >s in good 
working condition, should tie selected for the 
British market. The very fastest arc not re¬ 
quired. Those equal to a thref-minnte gait 
for a single mile, or 12 to 15 miles within the 
hour, would be quite as satisfactory a*, if not 
more so than, any still faster. England doesn’t 
want these horses for sporting purposes, but 
for utility—for the carriage and the cabrio¬ 
let of the gentleman in theconntry, and the cab 
of the professional, such as the physician and 
others, In town and city. 
Mbs. Hayes la a refutation of the saying 
that “a prophet Is not without honor save in 
his own country."as she retires into private 
life crowned with the laurels of her country¬ 
men and countiywoiueu’shcarly acknowledge¬ 
ment of high service nobly done. Admirable 
as her conduct has been, it has been fully ap¬ 
preciated, and she bad no lack of encourage¬ 
ment Id upholding her sturdy principles of 
right It speaks well for a country when it 
responds so quicklv to a noble impulse, aud it 
was a great compliment to the hostess at the 
White House, that she managed her campaign 
with such tact and womanly charm as to win 
as well as not to alienate friends. The por¬ 
trait of her that her admiring and approving 
countrywomen have had hung in the Execu¬ 
tive Mansion as a memorial of their high re¬ 
gard for her, is to be eurrounded with an oak¬ 
en frame, carved by the deft fingers of ihe 
women wood carvers of Cincinnati. The por¬ 
trait is painted by Daniel Huntingdon, of New 
York, which Is the only infelicitous feature of 
the memorial. Not that Mr Huntingdon does 
not paint well, but that there are several 
women jn the country who are fine portrait 
painters and from every standpoint, the work 
should have been given to some one of them. 
The Hog Cholera Scare has been the chief 
object of agricultural interest on both sides of 
the Atlantic during the past week. In the 
British Parliament a discussion arose la6t 
Thursday as to the danger to the community 
from eating American pork, and durlug the 
progress of the debate a forged telegram was 
received in the House from Liverpool, insist¬ 
ing on the widespread prevalence of the dis¬ 
ease here and the necessity for prohibiting the 
importation of hog products from this country. 
The author of the forgery has not yet been dis¬ 
covered Secretary Blaine bus protested 
against any hostile action by the BriMeh Gov¬ 
ernment, insisting that the rumors of disease 
among our swine are grossly exaggerated. 
The British Minister at Washington is also re¬ 
ported to have sent reassnring messages to his 
government; the principal Chumbers of Com¬ 
merce through the country have also declared 
their belief in the exceptional freedom of our 
swine from disease just now; there has been a 
great deal of cablegram in leg ou the subject 
between thiB country and Great Britain. The 
Belgian Government, too. ban made inquiries 
about the matter with a view to future action. 
Three cases of death from trichinosis are re¬ 
ported, one from Ireland and two from France. 
There are. good reasons for believing that the 
present “scare” is mainly due to speculators 
who wish “ to hear the pork market,” that is. 
to lower prices of bog products, As there is 
really no special cause for it, it cannot, last 
long, although it is inflicting much injury up¬ 
on our trade at present, and is likely to have 
results lnjuriou to our swine husbandry.; 
