SEED WAREHOUSE 
IS JOHN ST, NEW-YORK. 
V • ' 1 ? * s 
FALL' PLANTING 
THE RURAL ^EW-YORKER. 
by hand, and larger ones to be propelled by 
horse or steam-power. 
A. C. 11'.— Ills. —(1.) Are Dwarf Pear trees 
as long-lived aa Standards ? I don’t moan where 
both are set out. at same time and counting from 
then ; but, say if one of each begins bearing next 
season, won Id tho Dwarf continue to live and 
bear, as a rule, as long as tho Standard? (2.) 
Could high, dry clay land bo made too rich for a 
cherry orchard ? that is, provided it was not a 
manure heap, but very rich with burn manure. 
I wish to use on old barnyard. (3.) I want to 
put out a number of pears. Would a young or¬ 
chard, where the trees are apple, and have had 
but little start ol the pears, be a suitable place to 
put, them, supposing the apple trees were planted 
SO feet apart each way ? My idea was, to put out 
dwarfs, and sot them in tho center of tho square 
301 T 
ZoTb 
Tear 
30Ti- 
30Tt 
of four apple trees as above. If I could set in 
that way, and not cramp my trees, it would be a 
great saving ; beside, the orchard would shelter 
my pears. I have but little space to plant, and de¬ 
sire to economize. 
Axs.—(1.) It is our belief that, as a rule, the 
dwarf would not livo over half as long as the 
standard. According to soil, culture aud locali¬ 
ty, the relative health and fruitfulness of dwarfs 
as compared with standards, varies greatly. 
(2.) Yes. After a cherry tree, or any other 
plant or living thing, is provided with enough 
food, more is injurious. It is especially so with 
tho cherry. 
(3.) The plan is good. Tho applos being 
young, we should not hesitate to set dwarf pears 
between the rows as well as iu the middle of the 
square. Tho applo trees would not interfere 
with them in less than six years, whioh would 
give three beariug years for the dwarf pears. 
Then the dwarf pears, if necessary, could be re¬ 
moved. 
Wm. T. T. —(1.) I have twenty barrels of 
cider that I want to make vinegar of. 1 low shall I 
manage it ? (2 ,) I have a lot, in sowed peas, to 
plow under, and want to tend iu oauo next year. 
Would it pay to sow rye to plow under next 
spring ? Tho peas aro very heavy. 
Anh. —It would not pay to sow ryo this fall to 
plow under next spring, as the seed aud labor 
would be worth more than the mamirial bonetit 
to be derived from so small a growth of ryo. 
Will answer No. 1 next week. 
Henry E. Fowler, Orange, A r . J -—I am con¬ 
templating going to Texas, and am after reliable 
information on the Stato. I happened to seo a 
letter from Bexar Co., Sept. 3d, with tho initials, 
J. M. M. Can you give me tho writer’s address 
so I can write to him ? Also, can you give me 
any light on the subject ? 
G. Marti, Texas.— No. 1. Meyenia erecta. 
No. 2. Do not know. No. 3. Malpigbia—species, 
we do not know. 
Comm cmc axioms Received fop. the Week End¬ 
ing Oct. 6tli. 
N. B. P.—S. B. P.—W. II. H.—Contributor— 
A. E. Story, will reply as soon as possible.—Prof. 
J. Wilkinson—S. Folsom—S. Rufus Mason—Jac- 
queliua—L. A., Eucalyptus received—A. E. B.— 
J. W. R. H.—Rose Geranium—S. I. Peters.— 
Mrs. Emily Moncrief—J. T.—A. L. J. Too late— 
Mrs. B. C. D.—May Maple-K. A. Vi.— M. P.— 
A. H. 
‘imimut 
REFORM IN MEDICAL SCHOOLS. 
In the Rua.vt, for Aug. llth appeared an arti¬ 
cle headed How Doctors are Made.” I beg to 
add a few suggestions which I think will further 
develop the subject. 
A glance at tho history of medicine shows it 
to be a science which has been slowly evolved 
out of tho grossest superstition, charlatanry and 
empiricism. Among savago tribes and semi- 
civilized communities, at the present day, the 
healing art is in the hands of priests and “medi¬ 
cine men," supposed to have power over evil 
spirits. While in the civilized portions of the 
world the medical profession has justly risen to 
its hard-earned title of a science, it still hears 
some traces of its lowly origin. As in savage 
tribes, tho healing- art is a mystery, and its 
secrets transmitted from one individual to an¬ 
other, so in civilized nations tho propagation of 
medical knowledge is still in tho hands of pri¬ 
vate enterprise, Medicine has always been justly 
charged with empiricism. It was born in witch¬ 
craft, cradled in empiricism, and is only now 
struggling to stand upon a rational footing. 
This has been tho course from tho very nature 
of tho case. In uo other physical science are 
the factors so numerous, so complex and sub¬ 
ject to so many modifying circumstances. And 
in no other way could tho mind unacquainted 
with tho functions and structure of the living 
body, and consequently with uo pathology, and 
having no guide hut experience, have groped its 
way forward but by empiric steps, or those learn¬ 
ed from the personal exporionoo of tho prac¬ 
titioner. 
Rut now, when Anatomy has boon mastered 
and Physiology become better understood, aud 
Chemistry and Physics have thrown such a Hood 
of light upon tho snhtle processes of life, en¬ 
abling u« to trace, in a measure, the laws of 
health and disease, charlatanry is uo lougor jus¬ 
tifiable, and only a rational procedure is accept¬ 
able. Tbo medical profession lias presented an 
attractive field of labor, because of tbo respect 
it justly merits, the comparative ease with which 
a degree is obtained, and tbo fair remuneration 
for professional service. 
There being no preliminary examination, tho 
ability to enter a medical school has been simply 
a question of a few hundred dollars. Thousands 
of young men have flocked to New York and 
Philadelphia and crowded the medical schools, 
many with hardly the rudiments of an English 
education. Especially is this true of those who 
come from remote parts, where educational fa¬ 
cilities are defective or wanting. Should any 
one doubt this, a glance over the crowded ainpi- 
thoaters in tbo medical colleges of either of the 
above-named cities, will make it but too pain¬ 
fully evident. 
Briefly, our reasons for reform aro these: 
Medical students aro deficient in preliminary 
knowledge ; schools aro too crowded ; the daily 
sessions of soven hours of lectures engender a 
habit of listlessnoss or entire indifference; the 
lecture seasons are too short; tho knowledge 
gained by necessary cramming is quickly forgot¬ 
ten, and the ncwly-fledgod doctors are sent out 
illy prepared fur their responsible work. 
Now, in what shall a reform consist? Let 
every medical collogo require : first, a preliminary 
examination, including at least as much as in 
now demanded of a Harvard freshman ; sec¬ 
ondly, an academic course of three years’ study 
should ho insisted upon, dividing the year, say, 
into two terms of seventeen weeks each ; third¬ 
ly, written and oral examinations at the end of 
each term ; fourthly, In addition to tho practical 
anatomy pursued in the dissecting room, an 
amount of work should be required in chomical 
and physiological laboratories, sufficient for an 
intimate acquaintance with the reaction of cer¬ 
tain toxioal agencies and the analysis of certain 
fluids of the body, an acquaintance with tho mi¬ 
croscope, aud a familiarity with the pathological 
appearances of the principal diseases. 
Such a stop as the one indicated would do 
ranch towards insuring publio safety and en¬ 
hancing tho dignity and nobility of tho medical 
profession. In the present state of things a rad¬ 
ical reform is impossible. With hut one excep¬ 
tion, Medical Colleges are all self-supporting, 
— i. e., pay their expenses from tho fees charged 
the students,—and it is a significant fact that 
the only one which is not self-dependent has in¬ 
stituted a change similar to the one suggested. 
At tho present time a radical change elevating 
the standard, would necessitate such a decrease 
in the size of the classes that the number re¬ 
maining would be inadequate to pay running 
expenses. 
How, thon, are we to secure a change for the 
better ? The power is in the hands of the peo¬ 
ple, and it remains for them to say whether the 
medical standard shall be elevated or not. First, 
place tho medical schools in the hands of the 
Government. This need not make any change 
in the current feoH, but count tho receipts to¬ 
wards paying the running expenses, and lot the 
public fund contribute what is necessary to 
make up tho balance. Let tho professors feel 
that they are not dependent upon a dollar of 
patronage, and that they are free to pursue a 
straight-forward course, without once catering 
to the weakness of t he students. 
Is it not just as much the duty of tho Govern¬ 
ment to protect its subjects against postilence 
and disease, by securing to them the highest 
medical knowledge and skill, as to protect them 
against the invasion of a foreign foe ? While 
our Government has schools to train men in the 
art of war, and has established a signal service, 
for the better protection of mariners aud to pro¬ 
mote internal commerce and agricultural pur¬ 
suits, it still leaves tho training of men in the 
important department of medicine, which im¬ 
plicates tho life aud health of every subject, to 
tho mercy of private enterprise, But whou the 
general intelligence of the people of the couutry 
shall demand as good a protection from disease 
as they now demand from the sword, then will 
tho medical colleges bo placed upon the sure 
financial basis of a public fund, aud the medical 
standard bo raised. a. w. w. 
-- 
CARE OF THE PRIVY. 
BY S. B. PECK. 
Under the head of “ Brioflets," in your issue J 
of tho 15th ult., aro some very good remarks on 
this rather delicate, but vory important subject. 
I agree with tho writer in all ho Bays, except 
when he speaks of a “ vault." Ido not believe ( 
in vaults for any sneh purpose, for more reasons 
than one. I know that disagreeable odorB may 
be carried up and dispersed iu a moasnro from a j 
vault by an arrangement of fines ; but they aro 
not thus extinguished or smothered. If bad- 
Bmclling odors come in contact with wood or 
bricks, they penetrate the material and cannot 1 
be deodorised by any of tho materials mentioned. 
A better way—myself being tho judge—is to 
make uo excavation aud have uo wood or brick 
in contact with the contents. 1 speak more spe¬ 
cially for farmers who, I suppose, aro tho main 
patrons of the Rural, mid who arts supposed to < 
have a compost heap or, at least, a manure heap 
about their barns. Use tho dry earth, road- 
scrapings or sawdust freely, and clean out the 
premises often in summer, and if you have uo 
compost heap, cover it up in tho barnyard ma¬ 
nure. Of course, tho privy should not ho tho 
receptacle of chamber or other slops. They 
should go to tho compost heap. I suppose that 
the best deodorizer and absorbent for this pur¬ 
pose is dried swamp muck, next dried and pul¬ 
verized clay or loam; but where sawdust is plen¬ 
tiful, it answers a good purpose, and serves as a 
deodorizer as good as anything. Tho building 
should bo sot up 12 to IB inohos high, for con¬ 
venience of cleansing, or have a drop-door on 
the back side, which is better. 
Tho earth is the groat natural and chemical 
deodorizer. In it noxious gases undergo changes 
that render them inert to our senses, and at the 
same time generally add fertility to the soil. In 
it our bodies are buried whon they become of no 
further use to the living, and thus we avoid 
those deleterious and disgusting odors that issue 
from animal decomposition. 
In cities and villages, tho plan I propose can¬ 
not conveniently be adopted by individuals, but 
by tbo appointment of a scavenger, whose duty 
it »flunk) ho to cleanse pertoiUoally »U such 
places, tho comfort and health <>r the people 
would bo greatly enhanced. The subject of 
health, or rather, the prevention of disease, is 
now engaging the attention of States n od smaller 
municipalities, and iu it are employed many men 
of tho best chemical and hygienic talent, and 
from their researches much good is promised, 
and statistics so far show that it is being real¬ 
ized. 
Isolated families, liko those of farmers, have 
intbeirown hands more of the menus for the 
prevention of disease, and it is very unwise to 
neglect them. It has been proven almost to a 
certainty, that malignant fevers and other infec¬ 
tious diseases have been caused by the leakage 
of privy vaults and cess-pools into wells, and 
thus Directing tbo water used for culinary pur¬ 
poses. Most eertaiuly, this subterranean leak¬ 
age is promoted by auy excavations for the de¬ 
posit of filth. 
Muskegon, Mich._ 
implement,« gaatfUnny. 
r “ “stovers 
AUTOMATIC 
WIND ENGINE. 
Wo keep experienced men 
to erect our Mills, put in Force 
Or Lift Pumps, House Valves 
and Reservoir Tanks. Hy¬ 
drants: and in New York State- 
we have put in more than oil 
others combined, during the 
past two years. 
Water forced from wells or 
f springs to elevnted points. 
Write for Circulars and full 
L particulars, stating the nature 
^ of your wants, to 
WILLIAM*, Hitt IT II & CO., 
Agents Wanted. Kalnmnamo, Alich. 
239 
t&mn, 
GENESEE VALLEY 
NURSERIES. 
Established 184(5, 
Rooheftter, IV. Y. 
Tho largest and most complete assortment of Nurs¬ 
ery Stock in the country. 
Fruit and Ornamental Trees, 
Shrubs, Roses, Vines, Grapes, 
Currants, Fvergrecnsnnd Greenhouse Plants, at very 
low rotes. 
Wholesale Catalogue free on application. 
EDWARD V. FROST. 
lcinds 
.Dltlfc’VRSCft & 
AT FAIR PRICES. 
120 Varieties of Peaohos. 70 Varieties of Grapes. 
UK) Varieties of Strawberries, cie., etc. 
Illustrated Priced Catalogues of both Fruit 
and Ornamental Trees 1*0(1 (Mu.nl s. full of valu¬ 
able Infm-nuUton, will be forwarded on receipt of ten 
A. HANCE & SON, Red Bank, N. J. 
UIMALL FRUIT PLANTS.—<« rent Atarri. 
il cun. Crescent Soedlm.'. Cinderella, and all best 
Strawhcr ies; Rurly Prulllle, Ueltanee. I’.r/rndywlne, 
and all heat, Raspberries: uluekbttrrlcs, Currants, 
Grapes, Ac. All at hard-pan prices. Semi postal for 
new List. JOHN S. COLldNS, 
MooruNtown, N. J. 
KISSENA 
NURSERIES. 
RARE ARD EXQUISITE 
JAPANESE MAPLES 
AT REDUCED PRICES. 
Also, a full collection of 
U ard v Trrcii 4 Sit r u l>». 
Specialties made of Khodo- 
dendrons, lloges. Hardy and 
Greenhouse Amleaa. Mag¬ 
nolias. Fruit Trees, Ferns, 
and all tho best novelties. 
Until logtifH Free, and 
visits io tip. Nurseries at 
Kissena 8<dialled. 
S. B. PARSONS k SONS, 
Flusuino, L. 1. 
100 1,000 
Apple Trees, 1st class.00 $4.> 00 
Peach “ " including Amtden. 
Alnmndor, Ac., in afsnrtment. ..... 8 00 SO 00 
Concord Grapes. 1st cIubb. ‘t 00 13 00 
Black -Cup Raspberries.. 1 00 5 00 
Apple Stocks, very tine, I year, 10,000, *05, l Ol 
Ounce Orange, “ " ** 10, 1 60 
/0,(KI'i Cher tv Tree* ; iUl.lXK) Pear and Plum Trees: 
1.000,IKK) Hitmll Fruits: 10,1)011,000 Shade Trees and 
Evergreens, all sizes; l.UOO.OOO Flowering Shrubs; 
50,000 Ruses, Bedding Plants, Bulbs, Ac., all at low 
prices. 
Colored Plates of Fruits and Flowers, 5 samples 
for El. Price Lists trnr.E. Address 
F. K PHOENIX, Bloomington, Ills. 
FOR OUSE r 
The Autumn No. of Vick’s Floral Cuide, 
Containing descriptions of Hyacinths, Tulips, Lilies 
and nil Ruths and Seeds for. Fall Planting in the Gar¬ 
den, and for Winter Flowers in tho House—Just pub¬ 
lished and scut free to all. Address 
JAMES VICK, Rochester, N. Y. 
NEW A>I> 1C A IS E 
Plants and Fruit Trees, 
DUTCH BULBS, Ac. 
Newl’ears; New Peaches; New Cherries, Ac. with 
a large stock of alt kinds ol Fruit Trees, shrubs, Ac. 
DUTCH BULBS—T.urgr Importations, direct from 
the leading growers In Holland. First quality Bulbs. 
Hot-flonse aud Greenhouse Plant*, a rich collec¬ 
tion. well grown. All at reasonable prices. Cata¬ 
logues mailed to applicants. 
JOHN SAUL, Washington, D. C. 
W E sell a Finrt-Cla*8 Piano 
cheaper than auy other 
bouse in America. We have no 
Agents, but sell THKF.OT TO 
FAMILIES at FACTO H Y 
Sift Cl SrjJ PRICE and warrant five years. 
lx 6 Wo send our Pianos everywhere 
,**“ k J. V for trial, and require no pay¬ 
ment unless they aro found satisfactory. Send for 
our Illustrated Circular, which gives full particular, 
and contains the names of over 1,500 Bankers, Mer¬ 
chants and Families who wo using our Pianos, in every 
State and Territory of the Union. Address, 
U. S. Piano Co., 810 Broadway, N.Y. 
State particularly that you saw this fin Udeal 
New-Tokkeb. 
It In a mistake to suppose that any depart¬ 
ment of a paper may ho slighted. The most Im¬ 
portant Information Is to bo found, at times, under 
the guise of an advertisement; aud It la agreeable 
to the advertiser and a courtesy to the publisher 
to mention tho source of your Information— in 
other words, to mention the paper. 
