9 
EPT. \7 
ready more than wo can well attend to at 
this season, when both farm and nlitoral work 
presses bard, we should lie glad to have all 
of the specimens nicely arranged and labeled 
and exhibited at some of our principal fairs. 
It may be doubted whether so many or such 
perfect sprain urns have ever before been col¬ 
lected together. 
TriE present drought is the most severe on 
Long Island that has been experienced for 10 
rears, and we can fully sympathize with our 
Western readers who are similarly afflicted. 
Early field corn will prove a light crop, and 
late corn is so damaged that rain, should 
it fall at once, can do no good. At the Bural 
Farm upland corn was literally burnt up while 
yet the ears were in the milk. That on low¬ 
lands is still looking very well and will yield 
fairly even though the drought continue. Our 
fields, which usually at this season afford an 
abundance of pasture, are now so dried that 
we are cutting corn and feeding it as needed 
to our cows. 
THE 
Rural New-Yorker, 
A National Journal for th« Country and Suburban Horn*. 
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY. 
Conducted by 
ILBEBl B. CARMAN. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
No. 34 Park Row, New York. 
SATURDAY, SEPT. 17, 1881. 
Our correspondent Mr. B. F, Johnson 
of Illinois, lias through many years proven 
himself a wise weather profit. As may 
be seen in another column lie prediets 
that “a very cold and snowy Winter is 
pretty sure to follow our long, dry Fall.” 
We are afraid that some of our friends 
will fail to realize the time value of the 
Rural Branching Sorghum until they fol¬ 
low directions more closely. We recently 
saw two or three plots in Columbia Co., N. 
Y., which though doing finely were not pro¬ 
ducing as much fodder as they might if 
the. stalks had been cut off and new shoots 
allowed to start out. 
- — - - — 
Wk may call this a “ catch-up” num¬ 
ber of the Rural. Readers who have 
asked questions or sent ns specimens of 
fruits or insects for name will kindly 
bear with us. The special work of the 
season both at the Farm and in this office 
is and lias been for several weeks, such 
that we have been obliged to neglect the 
requests of friends whom we would 
gladly have served. 
- *-*-* - 
Education in the South.— According 
to Educational Commissioner Eaton who 
spoke otn 11 Education at the South” at 
the late meeting of the Social Science As¬ 
sociation at Saratoga, the outlook for 
educating the negro at the South and 
thus raising him to a higher rank in citi¬ 
zenship, is very promising. Per capita 
taxes are now levied on all for the sup¬ 
port of schools; normal schools and de¬ 
partments are being established rapidly; 
school and college endowments are being 
increased; libraries are being established 
and there is a growing belief among the 
whites that education is a good thing for 
the South. One of the most encouraging 
features is the number of young men and 
women who are fitting themselves for 
the position of teachers. 
-- 
A Commission for the purpose of “ pro¬ 
curing data touching the agricultural 
need* of that portion of the United States 
lying west of the Rocky Mountains and 
the arid regions,” has recently been ap¬ 
pointed by Commissioner Loring. It con¬ 
sists of our esteemed contributor, Ex- 
Governor Robert Furnas, of Nebraska; 
Professor llilgard, of the Agricultural 
College of California, and the lion. T. 
C. Jones, of Ohio. The Commission is 
soon to meet at San Francisco to begin 
operations. From the character of these 
gentleman we have high hopes that their 
labors will redound greatly to the public 
advantage. Governor Furnas from liis 
wide acquaintance with the resources of the 
Far West and his long experience in the 
best methods of developing them, is es¬ 
pecially well fitted for the proposed in¬ 
vestigations. 
The success of the Atlanta Cotton Ex¬ 
position is likely to be due to Northern 
capital, liberality and enterprise as much 
as to Southern products; for already the 
North has subscribed $100,000 towards 
making it a success against $50,000, the 
aggregate contributions from the entire 
South. Though the chief city in Georgia 
is likely to be the greatest gainer by it, 
still the legislature of that State has, by 
an overwhelming majority, defeated a bill 
appropriating the paltry sum of $10,000 
to its support. The principal argument 
against the grant was that the exhibition 
was a private, money-making concern 
originating outside the State. ‘ Notwith¬ 
standing this cold Georgian shoulder 
turned towards the undertaking, it is very 
likely to prove a brill Ant success, as 
Northern exhibitors are engaging lots of 
space and Southern merchants, railroads, 
manufacturers and producers seem to be 
heartily co-operating. 
Thf Hulbert Canning and Drying 
Co., of California, engaged to take and 
pay for, at the uniform rate of five-eighths 
of a cent per pound, all the fruit raised 
by Francis Veerkamp and delivered at the 
Company’s works at UpperPlacerviile, ex¬ 
cepting Mission grapes, “ and to furnish 
boxes for picking and hauling the fruit,” 
Veerkamp engaging to deliver the fruit in 
good condition and when suitably ripe 
and to “ sell no fruit to other parties ex¬ 
cept one load early.” The fruit was duly 
delivered as it became ripe, but before 
the whole crop was ripe Veerkamp de¬ 
manded pay for the fruit delivered; but 
this was refused until the entire crop 
should be sent in. Thereupon Veerkamp 
refused to send more fruit, sued for pay for 
what had been sent, and recovered judg¬ 
ment. The Company appealed and the 
Supreme Court of California has affirmed 
the judgment, Jn his opinion Judge Rose 
said: “ In the nature of things the fruit 
ripened at different limes, and had to be 
delivered at different times. The con¬ 
tract fixed the rate per pound at which 
the company was to pay for it, and as 
each lot was delivered there became due 
and payable for it to the plaintiff the 
value thereof at the rate per pound fixed 
by the contract.” 
STOCK FEED FOR FALL AND WINTER. 
In view of the certainty of the scarcity of 
corn and of high prices for all sorts of 
food for live stock during the coming 
Fall and Winter, farmers cannot be too 
careful of the supply on hand. Straw 
and corn fodder are sure to be much 
more largely used as supplementary feed 
than heretofore, especially at the West 
where straw and even corn-stalks have 
hitherto been lightly esteemed for feed¬ 
ing purposes in many places. I luring the 
terrible drought on the Pacific Coast a 
couple of years ago, when thousands of 
stock starved to death, loud regrets were 
heard on all sides at the foolish waste 
and destruction of straw at thrashing 
time; for hud it been stacked so as to 
keep well, it would have been a godsend 
to cattle and tlieir owners in those days 
and months of famine. Rather than over¬ 
economize by reducing the feed of stock 
too much, however, would it not be bet¬ 
ter to weed out one's herds and flocks and 
dispose of all inferior animals early—be¬ 
fore they have diminished the feed supply 
of those it will pay to keep ? With ani¬ 
mals intended for market it is more 
economical to give them full feed so as 
to have them ready for sale as soon as 
possible, rather than to reduce their ra¬ 
tions and be forced to keep them longer. 
Now is a good time to lay plans for econo¬ 
mizing feed during the coming Winter, 
which nearly all the weather prophets pre¬ 
dict will be a long and very severe one; 
and in this connection it must be borne 
in mind that shelter for stock from its 
severity is equivalent to a large saving 
in their feed. 
-- 
THE REMOVAL OF THE PRESIDENT. 
On Tuesday morning Sept, 6. the re¬ 
moval of President Garfield to a little cot¬ 
tage at Long Branch was successfully ac¬ 
complished. It would have been a bold 
step to take, were it not that every possi¬ 
ble arrangement had been made for his 
convenience, and that the risk arising 
from accompanying circumstances had 
been reduced to a minimum by his thought¬ 
ful attendants. The fact is noteworthy 
that a patient who has been so greatly re¬ 
duced in strength as lie, and so liable to 
sudden relapses from various, and, jier- 
haps, unforeseen causes, lias beeu re¬ 
moved so far by rail without any positive 
injury, and without materially retarding 
his progress toward recovery. The ma¬ 
larial atmosphere of Washington made it 
unwise, and even dangerous, to keep the 
President longer at the White House, and 
it was evident that quite as much risk 
would be run in leaving him there as in 
removing him to a more healthful location. 
Much credit is reflected upon those who 
had the matter in charge, for the very 
quiet, and unostentatious manner in which 
they accomplished his removal, and though 
the scene at the departure from the Pres¬ 
idential Mansion brought, tears to many 
eyes that beheld it, the fact that the 
journey was successfully made, brought 
gladness to many hearts, though at this 
writing his general condition is less favor¬ 
able than during the earlier days spent at 
his ocean home. With the pure, invigora¬ 
ting sea-air to lend its genial influence in 
bringing health to body, and the grandeur 
of the ocean, to relieve the mind, we shall 
still have faith in the recovery of our 
President. 
-- 
THE MICHIGAN HORROR. 
Woful indeed is the cry of bereave¬ 
ment, agony and desolation that from the 
fire-scourged districts of Michigan appeals 
to the sympathy and generosity of the en¬ 
tire country. Whole counties, notably 
Huron, Tuscola and Senilac, have been 
blackened, ravaged and made desolate by 
the all-devouring flames. Everywhere 
throughout the fire-swept region, farm 
buildings, fences, standing and stacked 
crops, stock, farm implements and all 
other property have been utterly de¬ 
stroyed or irremediably ruined. But sad¬ 
der than all is the disastrous loss of hu¬ 
man lives estimated to have amounted to 
fully 500. Nearly 300 deaths are posi¬ 
tively ascertained to have taken place, 
and a great deal of the burnt district is 
still to be heard from. Along the roads 
on which they were fleeing from destruc¬ 
tion, in wells in which they sought refuge, 
in the fields, the woods, the by-ways, amid 
the ruins of their homes and outbuild¬ 
ings have teen found the charred or suf¬ 
focated bodies of the victims of this awful 
calamity—men, women and little ones. 
Nor is the plight of those who escaped 
death much less sad. In an hour the re¬ 
sults of the labors of a life-time, have 
been swept away, Wretchedness and 
penury have sueccded to comfort and 
competence. Discouraged by disaster and 
by lack of means, the struggle for a live¬ 
lihood lias to begin again, while even for 
the present seeding, at least 50,000 bush¬ 
els of wheat, and other seed in proportion, 
will be. needed. Already the magnificent 
charity of the country is coming to the 
aid of the afflicted. Here a committee of 
our most prominent merchants has been 
appointed to collect subscriptions for the 
relief of the sufferers, and upwards of 
$7,000 were contributed in a few hours. 
Other cities are following this excellent 
example. The burnt district was emi¬ 
nently agricultural. The sufferers arc al¬ 
most exclusively farmers. We trust that 
the farmers of the country will generously 
contribute to the relief of their co-work¬ 
ers in the day of their distress. 
BREVITIES. 
It appears from a note from Mr. Wysor, 
of Virginia, that Silver Chaff has been tried 
there and in a measure fails. It winter-kills 
and is too late. 
With what pride does not the American 
“patriot.” look upon the census returns that 
give to his country 50,000,000 inhabitants, en¬ 
tirely oblivious of the fact that India, a mere 
dependency of the British crown, has 250,000,- 
000 of ’em—but, thank Heaven, Americans are 
not East Indians. 
Mr. Joseph Galbraith writes us that he 
has frequently experimented with different 
varieties and finds that wheat raised in New 
York, Michigan, Canada or any far Northern 
State, will cOUio to perfect ion and yield much 
better than any varieties of Southern wheat, 
liis farm is in Cumberland Co., Pa. 
We much prize the following compliment 
from Pres. Marshall P. Wilder who, we be¬ 
lieve, has as many earnest friends and as de¬ 
servedly as any other horticulturist of our 
time: 
‘‘The ‘Rural’ is one of the best of 20 pu- 
pers that 1 read. It is wide-awake, practical 
and judicious.” 
The Commissioner of Agriculture of Va. 
suggests that every person in the State over 
10 years old, should celebrate the Yorktown 
Centennial (Oct. 5) by planting a tree in the 
yard, field, roadside or forest. Black walnut 
is recommended. We make the same recom¬ 
mendation to all of our readers; and if it is 
adopted the York town Centennial of 1881 will 
be gratefully remembered by thousands of 
thoso who will see that of 1981. 
Prof. Brower questions if all the money 
won at agricultural fails pays more than half 
the actual expenses of the winners in entering 
the object exhibited, caring for it there, and 
getting it home again. It is not the cup won 
at a boat-race, that incites young men to do so 
much labor, spend so much time and money, 
and exercise so much self-denial while train¬ 
ing, but its possession is the sign of victory— 
ana so of the prizes won at our fairs. 
Two or three months ago the Legislature of 
Illinois pas-ed a law relating to cattle and 
other live stock, and among other things it pro¬ 
vided for the appointment of a State veter¬ 
inarian to aid in enforcing the provisions of 
the law. Governor Cullura has lately con¬ 
ferred this appointment on Dr. N. 11. Paaren, 
of Chicago, a gentleman Very favorably known 
throughout tee West, and indeed all over the 
country, by his valuable contributions to the 
agricultural press, and by twenty years of 
earnest labor in his profession. 
Delegates from all parts of the .State at¬ 
tended an important meeting of the Cali¬ 
fornia Growers’ Association in San Francisco, 
on Sept. 5, to consider what policy the farm¬ 
ers should pursue in view of the quiet condi¬ 
tion of the wheat market consequent upon 
the heavy freights charged by vessels and the 
iinwillnginess of buyers to pay satisfactory 
prices. It was decided that as the English 
wheat Crop is u failure end California had 
only ora 4 fourth of last year’s yield it would 
be nest for farmers to hold their wheat till 
alter another meeting on the 14th inst. and 
that meanwhile every farmer should send iu 
an exact statement of tlnvwheat grown in his 
neighborhood. 
Many of the specimens of wheat which we 
have received in competition for the several 
little premiums offered by the Rural a few 
months ago, are simply wonderful as to size, 
weight and beauty. Except that we have al¬ 
Tn view 4 of the growing scarcity of black 
walnut, black birch is largely taking its place, 
as well as that of cherry which is also Incom¬ 
ing very scarce. Birch has much the same 
color us cherry, and is just as easy to work as 
black walnut and ns suitable* for nearly all 
the purposes for which that wood is used. 
When properly stained it. is nearly impossible 
to distinguish it from walnut, and it is sus¬ 
ceptible of a beautiful polish equal to that of 
any wood used in the manufacture of furni¬ 
ture. Large quantities of it are imported 
from Canada in some parts of which it is very 
Plentiful and cheap, costing only about a dol- 
ar per hundred teet at the saw-mills. 
The latest, (returns of live stock landed at 
Liverpool from this country and Canada show 
large increases. Iu a single week the importa¬ 
tions amounted to l,8()S cattle; 2,800 sheep; 
4.748 quarters of beef, and 453 carcasses of 
mutton, In tho four weeks from August, G to 
August 27 there w ere shipped from this port 
3.748 head of cattle; 17,051 quarters of beef; 
729 sheep, and 3,299 carcasses of mutton. The 
shipment, of hogs has stopped; but more hogs 
were raised in England last year than in any 
previous year, the number now in the country 
being 2,048,000, mi increase of 47,192 over 1880 
and 43,527 over 1879. There is a decrease, 
how ever, in the number of sheep and lambs 
of 2,030,890 less than in ’80, and of 3,574,926 
less than in 1879. Our exports of mutton and 
sheep, therefore, are likely to increase. 
The Royal Agricultural Society of England 
seldom “ makes expenses ” from its great an¬ 
nual shows. Out of the 42 fairs it has held in 
various parts of the Kingdom, from 10 only 
has any profit been realized, mid up to the 
present* year its net losses have aggregated 
$225,009, the wet, muddy Kilburnshow of 1879 
having contributed $68,031 towards this de¬ 
ficit, ‘This year’s sunshiny Derby show has 
diminished the loss by some $15,000, although 
the premiums were large and the outlay lib¬ 
eral. Unlike American agric ultural societies, 
whoso chief or only revenues come from the 
f ate money and oilier receipts at fairs, the 
loyal is mainly supported by the regular sub¬ 
scriptions and occasional donations of its mem¬ 
bers, each of whom- and they number from 
6,000 to 10,000—subscribes five dollars a year. 
Speculation in lb mi products seems greater 
now than at any time within our remem¬ 
brance. It is not confined to regain r specu¬ 
lators or dealers or to largo cities or good-sized 
towns, but it pervades villages, hamlets and 
farm-houses like the lottery craze, and with 
equally demoralizing effects All over the 
country, but especially at the Wert, farmers 
are speculating, not only in the products they 
have raised themselves, but also iu the regular 
markets, iu which they run a double risk—that 
from the inevitable fluctuations of prices and 
that from the trickery or absolute dishonesty 
of the agents to whom they confide their 
money for such gambling purposes. Very 
earnestly indeed do wo beg our readers to re¬ 
frain from this pernicious practice, in which 
the chances are so mightily against them, and 
in which even success itself hus a demoralizing 
tendency. 
On August 18, E. W. Mbreord, of Water- 
town, N. Y., bought, from H. R. Ford, of the 
Produce Exchange, of this city, 2O.O00 bushels 
of barley for October delivery, depositing a 
margin of 84,009. Since the purchase the price 
of barley has risen, and a couple of weeks ago 
Ford refused to keep his agreement. The 
matter was referred to an arbit rator, who dis¬ 
missed the case lieeause Ford claimed that 
the contract was made after’Change hours and 
therefore w as not good. The attention of the 
Board of Managers of the Produce Exchange 
having beeu directed to this decision, it was 
unanimously resolved that, the attention of the 
grain trade should be called to the rule which 
ordains that trade in grain for future delivery 
—options—must take place between tin; hours 
of 10 A. M. to 4 P. M. It was agreed at a 
meeting of the grain trade that in future all 
trade after 4 l*. M.—the hour for closing the 
Exchange—must be discontinued. A contract 
for the sale and pur chase of grain made after 4 
that hour cannot tie enforced. 
For some years reports have been circulated, 
from tune to time, of the ravages of a mys¬ 
terious disease among the cattle of Nova 
Scotia, and of late- since the trouble about 
pleuro-pneumonia began—these reports have 
attracted more attention than formerly. Hr. 
E. F, Thayer, of the new ly appointed Cuttle 
Commission, having visited the infected 
region, has made a report of the results of his 
invostigat ons to Assistant. Secretary II. F- 
Freneh, of the Treasury Department. Tn his 
researches he was aided by Dr. McEachran,. 
the well know'n Canadian veterinarian, and 
from all accounts of the disease obtainable 
and a post-mortem examination of a couple of 
infected beasts, it had been concluded that 
the disease is probably not contagious, and 
that it is very likely duo to the eating of a 
plant, or weed known locally us “ Stinking 
Willie,” w hich was imported from Scotland 
“ many years ago ” in the soil! with w hich a ves- 
vel was ballasted, and vvhi'h since then has 
“ become thoroughly mixed with the grass for 
many miles in extent.” 
