258 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
APRIL 46 
farm crops th it it is well to devote special 
numbers to.—E ds. 
Minnesota Sorghum Sirup. 
C. F. Miller, of Rice Co., Minn., writes us:— 
“I have taken the liberty to Bend yon a 
small sain pie of the pure '' Minnesota Amber- 
cane sirup " by express, so as to let you see 
what can be made by any of the ordinary 
men in our count!y, who are skillful and 
handle things aright. I see by my correspon¬ 
dence that a lively interest Is being taken in 
your State (my native State,) in this new and 
valuable industry, which is already assuming 
mammoth proportions in the West. 
The " goods,’’ as yon will see, are ent irely free 
from that, peculiar, ‘greeD vegetable” taste, 
which has beeu so objectionable to the market 
value of sorghum rirup heretofore. This kind 
of sirup can be made by the thousands of gal¬ 
lons by every farmer who has a small capital, 
say $500 to invest. It takes no elaborate ma- 
chiueiy to make good merchantable goods, 
that will sell in ar y market in the world. The 
Bugars are of a bright, beautiful, light-brown 
color, very lively, and thi y are capable of be¬ 
ing refined Into the white sugars of the best 
grade. C. F. Millbb. 
Remarks —Thanks to Mr. Miller. The 
sirup is in taste soft and agreeable without 
any of the characteristic or half-acid taste of 
poor molasses. Its color is a clear, reddish 
amber. 
* * * 
RURAL BKIRFLETS. 
Some friend sends us the following slip cut 
from a contemporary :— 
‘•The Ladt Apple. — In Ihe Review of Jan¬ 
uary 13 l read an it«-m from the Rural New- 
Yorker to the tff -el that the Ladi Apple sold 
jn New Yoik ci'y during the holidays at $6 to 
f? per bbl. I don't doubt the truth ot this 
statement, for 1 have often read of them sell¬ 
ing at nearly twice ibat sum. Are not such 
items, unless accompanied hy an explanation, 
calculated to deceive the general reader? Tne 
Lidy Appli, Pontine d’ Api. Is a suntll flat 
apple, too small for general use, the lar^e-t of 
them not larger around than a silver dollar. 
When ripe, they are beautiful in color, being a 
rich golden orange, with bright carmine red 
cheek. Iu q mliiy they are firs:-class, but the 
labor of gathering and packing Ibern for mar¬ 
ket is wl y they cost so much money. They 
are seluom bought except by rich people, and 
therefore not adapted for general purposes. 
Oae of the reasons for their telling so high is 
that the? ate great keepers. Their size is the 
great objection, as a tnan eau gather Bix or eight 
time® as ra'o y comuiOL-iixea apples in a day 
as of Ladles.” o. p. u. 
What is there deceptive about such state¬ 
ments without an explanation? Whenever 
we mention the price of the Lidy Apple, must 
we tell the whole etoiy? The reason which 
Q. F. N. gives why they are not adapted for 
general purposes, viz., that they are seldom 
bought except by the rich, is a queer reason. 
This fact, standing alone, should adapt them 
for general cultivation—at least while they 
sell for six dollar* and more per barrel. . , 
Wb have received the following letter from 
a writer in Rosewood, Fla :— 
" On the 4.h of the present month a raan by 
the name of Charles H. Hogan (at least he 
signed his name su) pretended to act as agent 
for quite a number of papers, and among the 
lot was the Rural New-Yohkkb. I paid him 
$1 zo for a year’s subscription for the same. I 
have waited a sufficient leDg'h of time, but no 
paper has yet come. I now think I have been 
humbugged. Please let me know whether you 
know anything of sneh a person. Is he all 
right, or have I been hurnbmrged ?” 
We know nothing of Mr. Hogan. Whenever 
the Rural New-Yorker is oflered for less 
than $2 00, it should excite a suspicion that 
something is wrong. 
We desire more than ever before to rid onr 
columns of deceptive or hnmbug advertise¬ 
ments, and to render thi6 department of our 
journal as trustworthy as ary other. It is 
right that we should in all ways endeavor to 
assist trustworthy advertising patrons. Thus 
we help onr readers, our advertising patrons 
and ourselves. But in order to do this the ob¬ 
ligation is potent that we should expose fraud¬ 
ulent advertisements, and to this end we ask 
the co-operation of our readers. Their com¬ 
plaints are promised prompt and careful inves¬ 
tigation.It often occurs that ad¬ 
vertisements come to us with the appeararce 
of entire reliability. We inquire of the agent 
through whom the advertisement comes and 
are assured tbatBuchis the case and that the 
firm is entirely respectable. The advertise¬ 
ment is inserted, and but for the complaints 
which reach as from our subscribers we should 
never know in many eases that the advertise¬ 
ments were not to be trusted.Here 
is a ease to Illustrate:— 
" Elkhorn. Todd Co., Ky.—Wenot'ced in one 
issue of the Rural the advertisement of Chase 
& Co., of Westboro. Mass. Our little daughter 
answered the advertisement, and what she got 
has'turned out a perfect humbug. 
MRS 0. A. M." 
Thus warned, the advertisement was at once 
thrown out, and others from the same parly 
through the same agent were rejected. One 
of our young men ascertained by diligent in¬ 
quiry that Chase & Co., of the Literary 
Quest, Westboro, Mass., and Wilds & Co., 
of the saure place, aDd Tracy & Co., Vane & 
Co. and Professor Gargell & Co. are all 
conducted by one Jones, and that the Post 
Office Department has forbidden mail to be 
delivered to him. Hid wo made searching in¬ 
quiry before the advertisement appeared, some 
or all of this information might have been 
gleaned before. But the advertisement itself 
was not ol jectionable upon its face, and we 
had confidence in the advertising agent; so 
that the motive for farther inquiry was want¬ 
ing. ...... It iB mortifying to us 
to be obliged to admit that in spite of all reas¬ 
onable efforts to guard against it, disreputable 
advertisers have from time to time been per¬ 
mitted to avail themselves of the columns of 
the Rural Nbw-Yobkek .Here 
is another :— 
"Rising Guy, Neb., March 25, 1881.—Please 
say to the patrons of your paper that Chase <fe 
Co., of Westboro, Mass., are frauds. Some 
weeks ago I noticed their advertisement in the 
Rural, offering the Literary Guest for three 
months andaprize of two oil paintings of large 
size, valued at $6 00, all for 85 cents. We sent 
the 35 cents as directed, and after several 
weeks received the paper (which is only an ad¬ 
vertising sheet), with a circular stating thi y 
had just run out of the prizes, but if we would 
send them 50 cents more they would send two 
other pictures. The paper is a deception and 
the whole thing an advertising swindle, f. m.” 
It is time that our readers were thinking of 
their melon patches and of procuring the seeds 
of the best varieties. The melon is a fruit that 
rapidly deteriorates unless care is given to the 
purity of varieties and the selection of seeds 
from the best aod earliest specimens. Among 
watermelons we see that "Cuban Queen ” is 
highly extolled by our contemporaries, a6 well 
as by the firm who introduces it, viz., W. Atlee 
Burpee & Co . of 219 and 221 Church 8treet, 
Pailadelphia, Penn. This firm has kindly sent 
ns packages of the seed for trial. It is de¬ 
scribed as a recent introduction from the West 
Indies, and is considered the largest and (hotcest 
variety in the world. The skin is said to be 
beautifully striped and the rind seidom over 
half an inch in thickness. The melons are said 
to vary from a round to a round-oval in shape. 
The flesh is of a bright scarlet, remarkably 
solid, crisp and sugary. Fifty dollars are of¬ 
fered iu three prizes to those who grow the 
first, second aDd third largest specimens. We 
cannot speak of this melon from experience, 
since we have not tested it. The only doubt in 
our mind is whether the season in this climate 
will prove long enough for it. No matter how 
excellent a variety or watermelon may be, un¬ 
less it ripens before the cold nights of early 
Fall It must prove worlhless. We should like 
to have some of our readers compete for the 
prizes and to hear as to the value of the Cuban 
Queen. Let us suggest that the seed-bed be 
made in light, sandy soil, in a warm exposure, 
and that the hills be enriched with rich, light 
soil, rather than with manure, even though 
well rotted. One strong plant in a hill is 
enough—the hills six feet apart each way. . . 
Our many, many old friends will share with 
us a feeling of regret that our " Free Plant and 
Seed Distributions ” are sometimes the cause 
of exceeding annoyance. We present below 
the letter of a new subscriber—an intelligent 
man Beemlngly— who presents his strictures 
in a style as Ironically forcible as they are un- 
Jnet—at least so It appears tons. We have 
numbered the essential parts of the letter so 
that the reader may readily connect them with 
our comments. 
Salsm, Dent Co., Mo., March 28, '81. 
On reading ibe article in last Rural, 26 inst. 
" To Rural Subscribers ” it came into my mind 
that ihe writer bad taken a sapper of mince 
pie and hard-boiled eggs or bad been the re¬ 
cipient of a rurtaln lecture the previous night. 
Although it did not mention the writer hereof, 
he felt it all the same, for the seeds offered 
had something to with his subscribing, yet he 
would have tubsciibed anyhow. (1,) Now. 
whether it is yonr intention to give the seeds 
as a premium or not, it seems to me it is but 
a play on words; most, if not all, atihroribers so 
take It, and I suppose you would not off-r 
ihem did von not expect it to be an inducc- 
menttosubscribe. And then ( 9 ). you don’t allow 
anybody to thank 50U. Well l propose to say I 
am very exceedingly thankful—to Providence, 
that so many good things as the Rural 
prints in the course of a year can be had for 
ibe insignificant snm charged and a what- 
wili-you-call-it, thrown id. As to what is said 
about, not valuing a certain kind of subscrib¬ 
ers very highly. If I should express my ; elf 
just, as I felt I should say ( 3 ). it was none of 
your affair what induced them to subscribe. 
(4), Don’t tell a man he is a fool for giving 
two dollars for an article that he could buy for 
one. Thankful y and R*ppectfnlly, 
A New Subscriber, T. 
(1). As we understand the word " premium ” 
as used in this country in connection with 
journalism, it is a peculiar kind of pay of¬ 
fered for the services of agents and others as 
an inducement to procure subscribers. It is 
submitted that we have never offered seeds or 
plants for this purpose. Our first distribution 
of Beeds was made in April five years ago; 
our next in September four years ago; onr 
next in the March following. Three years 
ago we distributed 10,000 packets of Clawson 
W T heat raised at the Rural Farm gratuitously. 
We have thrice sent a small assortment of 
seeds to the members of onr Youths’ Horticul¬ 
tural Club which now numbers 1,000 names. 
We have twice sent out cuttings of the Salix 
pentandra. In some of the above cases we 
have made no charge even for postage; in all 
others Iobs thau we ourselves have paid. 
Must such distributions be considered pre¬ 
miums? For the past three yearB our main 
Distribution has been announced during the 
latter part of the year, and for the past two 
years, these Distributions have been adver¬ 
tised in connection with the Rural’s Experi¬ 
ment Grounds as a means of induoinq sub¬ 
scriptions and increasing our means of not, only 
continning them but of rendering them more 
valuable from year to year. Are they pre¬ 
miums therefore? (2). Yes, we "allow" onr 
friends to thank ns and are grateful to them. 
Bat we do not think that we are entitled to 
thanks. The obligation is mutual, as we have 
said, or, if not, the balance of indebtedness is 
due from us to our subscribers whose support 
enables us to continue our distributions. (3). 
We have never said that it was. We have said 
that we did not value subscribers who view 
our distributions of seeds and plants merely as 
a method of gaining subscribers and who have 
no appreciation of the motives which it fluence 
the management of the Rural New-Yorker. 
If these distributions are to any great extent 
the means of securing new subscribers, we 
have to reply, first, that we have never been 
made aware of the fact, and second, that it is 
the costliest method of advertising that pub¬ 
lishers ever adopted. We have no doubt 
whatever that in a given season the money 
which our " Distributions” cost, if judicionsly 
invested In advertising, would bo far more 
effectual in securing subscribers, In the long 
run, however, we do entertain hopes that the 
real value of the plants and seeds which we 
have introduced and may introduce will pro¬ 
mote the aims of this journal as mere adver¬ 
tising never could. (4). This remark we may 
not comprehend. Does the writer mean that 
we must not call him a fool for giving twodol- 
lars for the Rural New-Yorker which is 
worth but one ? Or does he mean to imply 
that be pays two dollars for the seed, etc., 
which are worth but one dollar or perhaps 
less? We can ODly reply that all seedsmen 
charge 25 centB or more per packet for new 
and valuable kinds. Oftentimes the enterpris¬ 
ing seedsman desiring to be foremost in the 
introduction of novelties, offers them with no 
other knowledge of their worth than the com¬ 
mendations of the originators For the rno&t 
part, however, in the many distributions we 
have made, we have ascertained their value 
before offering them to our subscribers. Scores 
of "new” things have beeu tried at the Ratal 
Grounds and rejected where one has been pre¬ 
served. That we have been successful in in¬ 
troducing or disseminating new seeds or 
plants of high value, the Cuthbert Raspberry, 
Beauty of Hebron Potato, Bloxnt’s White Pro¬ 
lific Corn, Clawson Wheat, the Acme Tomato, 
Golden Mangels, Ennobled Oats, etc., etc., not 
to mention any flower or hardy shrub or 
tree seeds included, will sufficiently attest— 
and we entertain a lively tailh that the present 
Distribution may add to the list strangers that 
come to stay. 
Finally let us repeat. Jf any of our sub¬ 
scribers, for any reason whatever, are dissatis¬ 
fied with the Rural New-Yorker, we agree, 
upon being so advised promptly to refund ihe 
money for the unexpired term . 
.— -♦ ♦ » - 
A member of the Western N. Y. Farmers’ 
Club, as reported in the Am. Rural Home, 
used to think that a man who would dilute 
milk was a villain. He tried to establish a 
ronte for pure milk, advertising quite exten¬ 
sively. But he found It up-hill business. He 
found but very few who were willing to pay 
more for pure milk. Citizens seemed gener¬ 
ally satisfied with watered milk. He ran the 
business about three years, losing money all 
the time, jeered at by olbermiik-men, and then 
he took to wholesaling his milk. In fact, the 
price of milk has been reduced bo low by 
watering, that an honest milk-xnan cannot live. 
Apples and Pears — M. Carri&re gives in a 
recent number of the Revue Horticole figures 
of an apple which produces on the Bame tree 
and even from the same spur, fruits, some of 
which have the true depressed-globose form of 
the apple, while others are pear-shaped. The 
tree grows near Ronen, aDd was inspected by 
M- Carrifere himself. It is stated that it was 
oulyin shape that the fruits varied, the taste 
and perfume being in all cases those of the 
apple. 
Herb is an important bit of experience 
which Mr. Bennett gives to the N. Y. Hort. So¬ 
ciety : 
About three months ago Mr. Bennett became 
fully convinced that Bmoking or fumigating de¬ 
stroyed the color of high-colored rosebuds. In¬ 
stead of fumigating, about December 12lh he 
began using cut tobacco stems as a mulch, and 
since then had rarely seen a green fly until re¬ 
cently. Abont seven weeks after mulching, the 
fly began to appear and the plants were 60 on 
covered. Used the mulch agate, and now the 
plants are perfectly clean, the fly actually hav¬ 
ing died from the fumes of the mulch. It not 
only is a preventive, but a euro. 
John Henderson asked if there was any 
economy in usiDg the mulch. Mr. Bennett an¬ 
swered ha thought there was in labor. Two 
boys conld cut up enough tobacco In a day for 
a house 100 feet long. He used a buy-cutter. 
Mr. Henderson: "Does take more to¬ 
bacco ?” 
Mr. Bennett: "It might take more tobacco, 
but refuse tobacco stems are plentiful and 
leadily obtained.” 
John Eagan said there was no doubt but 
that fumigating bleached the buds of roses. 
Peter Henderson stated his experience in us¬ 
ing tobacco to destroy thrlp on draitenas. He 
made a decoction like strong tea, or rather 
strong coffee, and dipped his plants therein; 
found it veiy efficacious. 
Mr. Bennett said he forgot to mention that 
tobacco stems used as a mulch acted also as a 
fertilizer. Since using it, he had noticed a 
great improvement in the foliage of his roses. 
Mr Jenner, as we see in the Ruial Home, 
plarrted potatoes in coal ashes two feet thick, 
and they yielded fair-sized tubers of good qual¬ 
ity. There were no wood ashes among them, 
as thty were taken from a stove that had 
burned all Winter without re-kindling. 
Adulteration, one would imagine, had in 
this count! y reached the limits of its evil 
perfection, says the Agricultural Gazette, 
(Eng). Bat it is evident, from a report just 
published by the I.linois Humane Society, that 
in this branch of knavery we are far behind 
our unscrupulous kinsfolk over the sea. In 
Chicago they have lately started into the busi¬ 
ness of adulterating neat cattle by weighting 
them with water. This is accomplished by 
the stockman in charge of aeai-load of steeis 
mixing Balt plentifully with the provender 
given the animals at the last feeding station 
before reaching Chicago. This, of course, ex¬ 
cites unquenchable thirst. Upon landing the 
brutes at the stockyard, they are given all the 
water they can driuk, until—so it. is affirmed, 
though the statement mi<y excite the scepti¬ 
cism of an anatomist—they "have been known 
to burst open from a plethora of liquid in the 
stomach." The eattle are theu sold, when, it 
is needless to say, the butcher has to pay for 
the water at the price of beef." 
Vitality op Cions.— Mr. Wier telis the 
Prairie Farmer that he had kept cions of the 
pear in sawdust from early Winter through the 
whole of the following year, and to the next 
June, fresh and in good condition, aud whin 
inserted as grafts they grew, and trees are now 
bearing from them. Mr. Wier quotes the re¬ 
mark of Van Mons that graftB received by him 
after being three years in the mails had been 
inserted and grew. 
Oh ! the unwritten and unwritable code of 
the successful farmer.—London Ag. Gazette. . 
. . . . The Western Rural says that Dr. 
Loring Is too much of a politician to make a 
good Commissioner of Agriculture. 
- — - »■»■» ■ ... 
BOOKS, CATALOGUES, ETC. 
Kissena Nurseries, Flushing, N. Y. Par¬ 
sons & Sons Company.— Descriptive catalogue 
of ornamental trees'and shrubs. We take 
pleasure in calling the attention of our readers 
to this catalogue which Is, all at once, compre¬ 
hensive, Bimple, accurate in names aud pos¬ 
sessed of a carefully prepare I index. This 
firm through a number of years, has given 
studious attention to novelties. All of ary 
promise, both abroad and at home, have been 
purchased and tested, the inferior rejected, 
the good propagated for Bale. Among these 
we are greatly pleased to see offered for the 
first time the " Sunray Pine," which, to our 
thinking, Is the handsomest evergreeq in cul¬ 
tivation. The plants offered are no doubt 
small and the price high. But the golden beau¬ 
ty of this plant would tempt one to purchase 
It iu spite of size or price. Oar own speci¬ 
men, now about four y.sars old from the nnr- 
seiy, Is about two feet high. It has not been 
harmed by the Winter, so that it msy be esti¬ 
mated as hardy enough to stand 16 dig. below 
zero, at least. Besides a long list of novelties, 
all of the old kinds are briefly described and 
both the familiar and botanical names given. 
Lists of roses, azaleas, rhododendrons, &c., 
are also presented. 
We nave received the oatalogue of E. Y. Teas, 
of Indiana, respecting which we desire to make 
a comment or so. Upon the last page is a re 
