TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
Practical Departments: 
Agriculture and Education in the United States 
—No. 2. 38 
Topics, Rural..... 8 S 
Western Echoes from the “ Maple Shadows”... 88 
Thoughts from a Farm. 39 
Plum. Bussell's American .. S3 
Tomatoes. 39 
Melon. Peerless. 39 
llulhs for the Flower Garden. 30 
Annuals —. 40 
Seed Exchange. 40 
Catalogues. Ac., Received . .. 40 
Grape Problem in Ohio. The. 40 
Grape, The Early Champion. 40 
Knitter. The New “ Tuttle”. 40 
Grist Mills, Small. 41 
Plow-Wow, A Neat Little. 41 
Corn-Planter. The Albany.... . 41 
Prise Whnuere at the Sinithfleld Club Cattle 
Show. 4t 
Sundry Suggestions. 42 
Recipes. 42 
Eastern Shore of Maryland. 42 
Rural Special Reports... 42 
Veterinary. 43 
Brahma Fowls, The Light. 43 
Ducks. Pokiu. 43 
Corn, Experience with. 43 
Correspondents’ Letters, Extracts from. 43 
Editorial page: 
Slitting the Burk of Hide-bound Trees. 44 
Value of Thought. 44 
Concerning Advertisements. 41 
A Ton ot Stable-Manure. 43 
Whether they do or not.?. 44 
Notes—Brevities. 44 
Lit hr ary ; 
Poetry.45, 47. 60 
Her Mother’s Secret. 45 
Magdalen's Love Story. 40 
Repartee. 47 
For Women. 47 
Letters in Cross. 47 
Grandmother Speaks. 47 
" 1'be Combat Deepens”. . . 47 
Tal ks on Timely Topics. 47 
Answers to Correspondents. 4S 
Nows >.i the Week. 48 
Publisher'* Notices. 49 
American Dairymen’s Convention, Proceedings 
ol. 49 
Various. 49 
Market*. 4 ii 
Reading tor the Young. 30 
John GubOlns' Dog School. 50 
Our Chi istiuus Festivities. 50 
Pussier . 50 
Sabti'.tili Ren it mg. 60 
Treeless Judea. 50 
The History of Church Pews. 60 
Pnrs.omls. 51 
Wit and Humor. 62 
Advertisements.49, 51.52 
THE 
RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY. 
Address 
RURAL PUBLISHING CO., 
78 Duane Street, New York City. 
SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 1878 
We earnestly request that nil letters containing 
money , or any communication intended for the 
Business Department of ihe poper, be addressed 
to the Editor, the Publisher, Or The Rural New- 
Yorker, and not to airy individual. We cannot 
otherwise guarantee the prompt entry of names 
upon our books, or ihe acknowledgment of money. 
SLITTING 
BARK 
TREES. 
HIDE-BOUND 
It would seem that years of experience 
ought to have determined whether the slit- _ v _ __ 
ting of hide-bound trees is advantageous or profitable. Many of the labors of 
otherwise. As we stated, four or five t^arm soon become well-nigh mechan- 
... ical, allowing the mmd to dwell on other 
weeks since, onr own experience is against mat Ws ; and it is of great importance, 
the practice, but as others of greater ex- not only to the increase and even preser- 
perience think differently we have taken vation of intelligence, but ^tlso to success 
MA.u- A .. . A 11 • 1 n Ilf*-* 4 Vi f nr./l AV 4 1 .ADA 
of the fundamental laws of structure and 
growth, the demonstration would not 
have appeared so satisfactory. It is, 
however, more surprising to see the pro¬ 
cess recommended in a reoent publication 
by one who certainly ought to know 
something of vegetable physiology. The 
fact is, cuts and wounds are serious 
things, and should be avoided except for 
well-cousidered reasons to the contrary. ” 
Prof. Beal answers our inquiry as 
follows :—“ I do not think I ever saw a 
tree which I thought was benefited by 
slitting the bark. I do not believe in 
hide bound trees. The difficulty is 
somewhere else, generally at the roots. 
I confess, though, that I have not given 
very careful attention to the subjeot.” 
Other communications bearing upon 
this subject will be presented next week. 
Meanwhile, we shall be pleased to hear 
from those whose experiments in this 
matter entitle them to an opinion. 
:VALUE,;0F THOUGHT. 
It is not the intense thought of the 
philosopher and inventor—that thought 
which has created civilization and revo¬ 
lutionized industry—that is here referred 
to, but tlie head-work of which every man 
is capable in tbe ordinary affairs of every¬ 
day life. The capacity for such thought, 
however, is seldom a measure of its prac¬ 
tice, for thousands who can think, don't. 
This widespread thoughtlessness is the 
fruitful parent of blunders, errors, loss, 
improvidence, blighted hopes, regret, and 
too often alas ! yf crime ; for evil comes 
from want of thought as well as from lack of 
sense. How often are mishaps and disas¬ 
ters, due mainly to our own heedlessness, 
excused or bemoaned with reflection, “I 
never thought,” or, “ Oh, that I had 
thought !’* 
It has been well remarked, that the 
main difference in mental processes be¬ 
tween mau and the rest of animal crea¬ 
tion, iB the inability of tbe latter to fore¬ 
see that certain results will follow certain 
causes. Although raised high above the 
remainder of animated nature by the gift 
of this faculty, yet we, through our in- 
conskleruteness, too often fail to realize 
the fact, with sufficient vividness to influ¬ 
ence mu - daily li res, that nothing is more 
inexorable than cause and effect. Hence 
plans thoughtfully matured and wisely 
laid and carried out are, barring inevit¬ 
able mischances, sure to turn out well; 
whereas the schemes hastily undertaken 
and executed without reflation, have a 
happy issue only by accident. 
There are few occupations whose con¬ 
ditions are so favorable to calm reflection 
as farming ; and it is doubtful if there is 
any in which it can be more beneficial 
and profitable. Many of tbe labors of 
the farm soon become well-nigh mechan¬ 
ical, allowing the mind to dwell on other 
matters; and it is of great importance, 
not only to the increase and even preser¬ 
some pains to ascertain the views of 
several of our most prominent pomolo- 
gists. Mr. Charles Downing writes : 
“ I have had very little experience as 
to the slitting the bark of trees that are 
hide-bound; it was practiced somewhat 
thirty or forty years ago and I think with 
success ; at any rate I never saw or heard 
any bad effects from it. A preventive 
and a better way is to keep the trees in a 
in life that, under these circumstances, 
these self-communiugs, iustead of being 
muddled, vague, or trivial, should be 
clear, definite and serious. Nor need a 
farmer go beyond the limits of his own 
acres for interesting subjects of profitable 
thought. Not only do the methods of til¬ 
lage, manuring and cropping best adapted 
to ins land and circumstances, afford him 
topics of remunerative reflection, but uIbo 
the choice of the modes most economical in 
and a better way is to keep the trees in a trouble, time, and outlay, of aecomplish- 
growing, healthy condition, by good cul- necessary labors. The science, 
n , ,, , , also, as well as the art of agriculture, 
, as the bodies and large should find frequent place in his thoughts, 
branches with soap annually at the open¬ 
ing of spring. ” 
In a valuable essay (one of our series) 
by Professor Thomas J. Burrill of the 
Illinois Industrial University of Urbana, 
which we shall shortly publish, occurs 
the following : 
“ Under the impression that the trees 
not merely on account of the interest 
every intelligent mau must feel in inves¬ 
tigating the causes of the effects which 
are either a benefit or injury to him; but 
also because a clear perception of the 
principles of his art will enable him to 
escape many errors and to discover fresh 
opportunities for their application. It is 
conceded on all hands, that the greatest 
advance in agriculture has been made 
pursuits in which the former has either 
disastrously failed, or is barely making a 
livelihood. Careful study of the conduct 
of both will always show that, despite the 
disparity of their mental endowments, the 
measure of their success is iuvariably pro¬ 
portionate to the thought and system 
each has introduced into the conduot of 
his affairs. What higher proof could be 
adduced of tbe value of thought? 
CONCERNING ADVERTISEMENTS. 
The advertising pages of a journal 
should be as interesting to its readers as 
any portion of its contents. The an¬ 
nouncements in those columns presuppose 
wants on the part of subscribers, which 
the advertisers are prepared to satisfy, 
and the press is, or ought to be, the most 
trustworthy vehicle for publishing the 
fact. 
It is undeniably true that publishers 
are not as careful to scrutinize the matter 
printed under the bead of advertisements, 
as are editors to supervise the material 
which goeB to make up what is known as 
reading pages. The reasons for this 
carelessness need not be stated. Occa¬ 
sionally undesirable advertisements creep 
in through inadvertence. A case in point 
is the announcement of Mr. Livingston 
that appeared in our last issue. The 
advertiser is well known to us, and we 
believe him to be responsible, but we 
cannot permit any one to word announce¬ 
ments so that the impression will be con¬ 
veyed that the Rural has any part in the 
business of the advertiser. This trick 
has been much in vogue of late. It 
should be discouraged because it is de¬ 
ceptive, 
It is our earnest intention to supervise 
our advertising columns with the utmost 
care, permitting nothing to appear therein 
that shall mislead or work injury to our 
readers. We believe this due to ourselves 
as well as our readers. Our aim is to 
make the Bihar a model in its class, aud 
ive certainly shall rigorously supervise 
all matters that take advantage of the 
confidence reposed in us by our readers 
to secure their patronage. This policy 
has caused us to refuse a large amount of 
objectionable advertising whose money 
value won Id have been a serious loss, had 
not our financial position been assured. 
We deem it a moral duty to make the 
contents of the entire paper unobjection¬ 
able, and we are so circumstanced that 
we can afford to do it. For this reason 
our columns become all the more valua¬ 
ble to those advertisers who are trust¬ 
worthy aud disdain competition with 
spurious or deceptive wares. 
-♦ • ♦- 
NOTES. 
were bark bound, men have ruthlessly since its principles have been made the 
slit the covering of the trunk from top to subjeot of careful study ; and what is true 
bottom, and seeing the cut gaping wide °* the occupation of the farming commun- 
from the shrinkage of the tissues, the dt 7 at ^ true concerning that 
diagnosis is considered sustained and the Pre-eminent success m farming is al- 
savage treatment vindicated. Had they ways the result of diligent thought, and 
noticed that all such slits, even more its outcome, careful system. Of two men, 
marked in the healthiest trees were 0116 remarkable for sprightly intelli- 
followed by the same results, and especial- £*£. and a lar S e fuud ol # eneral P*' 01 " 
1 t 7 RoA fi,«„ Lwi , , , 1 ,, , mation, the other greatly his interior in 
4 L- ^ bethought themselves that capacity and acquirements, we frequent- 
this shrinkage is a necessary consequence ly see the latter eminently successful in 
A Preliminary Requisite. — 
Among the numerous subjects on which 
the Commissioner of Agriculture is 
displaying a great deal of enthusiasm, 
is the introduction into this coun¬ 
try of the cultivation of coffee and tea. 
The stock of personal enthusiasm and 
serviceable energy, at the disposal of the 
most zealous is too limited to admit of its 
being frittered away on impracticable 
schemes, and we cannot escape the con¬ 
viction that the profitable cultivation of 
tea in this country must, at present, lie 
considered in this category. It has al¬ 
ready been tried unsuccessfully, under 
favorable circumstances, in Florida aud 
California, aud even if the plants should 
be found to thrive well in any part of the 
country, the cost of manipulating the 
leaves would, uow-a-days, be an msur- 
mouu table barrier to its remunerative 
culture. Of Chinese immigrants we have 
already, perhaps, enough, aud even if 
more were introduced they could hardly 
compete with the cheap labor they left 
behind them in the Flowery Kingdom. 
Should the Commissoner, however, be 
endowed with an inventive faculty, this 
difficult object of his wishes might yet be 
accomplished, for the invention of a ma¬ 
chine cajiable of superseding hand work 
is an indispensable preliminary requisite. 
- - 
A Ton of Stable-Manure.—An 
average ton of stable-manure contains 
twelve pounds of nitrogen, eight pounds 
of phosphoric acid and eleven pounds of 
potash—thirty-one pounds in all. So 
states the great Bothamsted farmer, Mr. 
J. B. La wes. The balance of the ton is 
of no fertilizing value. When this ma¬ 
nure alone is used for grain, much potash 
is wasted being in excess of the needs of 
such crops. In this connection we call 
the reader’s attention to the articles of 
Professor Stookbrldge, published in the 
Kural, a few weeks since. Mr. Lawes 
gives the following conclusions as some 
of the results of his life-time experience : 
Superphosphate alone has produced good 
crops at Bothamsted for thirty years. 
Soluble nitrogen and phosphoric acid are 
good for grain crops. Potash is best for 
root crops, grass and potatoes. 
Tlie Weather.—The weather is at 
all times a timely topic (a very good al¬ 
literative sentence, by the way); but, if 
we judge from our correspondence from 
all sections, never before—in ten years at 
least—has it made itself so extremely in¬ 
teresting as at present. No crops, bo far 
as we are aware, have thus far been in¬ 
jured by its amiable conduct—yet, if this 
calmness is tlie precursor of terrible 
storms, great damage may yet be effect¬ 
ed. We should watch with unusual in¬ 
terest the trustworthiness of the old pro¬ 
verbs, such as 
If January calends fee summerly pay, 
’Twin bp wintery weather tin the calends of May, 
If the grass prows in Janiveer 
It prows the worse for’t aU the year. 
March in .Taniveer 
.January in March!I fear. 
-M-*-- 
Whether they clo or not! — 
From our own experiments recorded 
in these columns, and from those of 
others, it has long been our opinion 
that moles not only do not feed upon veg¬ 
etables, but that they cannot subsist upon 
them. We are not prepared to state any 
opinion as to their degree of usefulness 
in destroying worms and insects—but we 
do know that they riddled our lawus and 
upset our plants last summer to an extent 
that made us wish that this in-epressiblo 
creature had never been born. 
BREVITIES. 
How many Champion Grapes are there, and 
which is the Champion ? 
It is rarely the case that a. gratifying success 
is the result of anything but intelligent effort. 
The annual meeting of the N. J. State Agri¬ 
cultural Society will he held in the State House, 
in Trenton on Wednesday, Jan. 16, at eleven 
o'clock. 
Our readers will hear in mind that winter is 
slipping quietly by, and that spring will soon be 
upon us. Are yoii doing all you can to lighten 
the burden of spring work ? 
Is it true that what is innocence iu a pretty 
girl is frivolity in a homely one ? Rail agaiust 
it we will—beauty is a power, the wide world 
over. We sometimes think that herein lies one 
of the elements of the Rural's success! 
Eucalvpsinthe is a new French preparation 
distilled from the leaves of the Eucalyptus. 
This is said to bo highly grateful to the taste as 
well as exhilarating and yet quite harmless. It 
is being largely made and consumed in Marseil¬ 
les. 
We judge from what we read that the Rural 
is not alone in its increase of circulation for the 
new year. It is a good Bigu. When agricultu¬ 
ral papers thrive it is evidence that farmers are, 
as a class, doing well and this gives a promise of 
bettor timeB to evory other branch of industry 
in the near future, 
Mr. Marti writos us from Texas—“ Eastern 
seed-potatoes sell from $1 to *1.25 per barrel 
higher than Western ones of the same variety 
and quantity. It is a well-known fact, corrobo¬ 
rated by every experienced potato-grower here, 
that Eastern potatoes produce more and better 
tubers, and set them earlier, while Western ones 
grow more into stalks, and do not set the pota¬ 
toes until the later stage of their growth. 
Western New York Horticultural Society will 
hold its twenty-third annual meeting in the city 
of Rochester (Common Council Chamber) com¬ 
mencing on Wednesday, January 23d, and con¬ 
tinuing two or three days. Tho farmers of 
Western New York should be woli represented at 
this meotiug, as the discu-Hions, &c , trill apper¬ 
tain to subjects in which they should have a 
deep interest. All are cordially invited to at¬ 
tend. 
Trees shipped by Ellwanoer A Barry to 
Australia, after a voyage of 15,000 miles aud 
being 153 days on tbe way, were received in safe 
condition. Only three in 160 were dead,” 
Marshall P. Wilder’s address. This veuer- 
able gentleman desires to impress on packers 
and snippers of fruit to foreign lands, the groat 
importance of especial vigilance in seeing that 
no inferior fruit ever crosses the ocean, thus 
preserving the reputation of onr nation for the 
superiority of our fruits. 
Our Now York Hort- Society held its first 
meeting of the new year—third anniversary of 
its existence—tbe afternoon of the 4th inst., 
and was attended by many horticulturists of 
this city and suburbs. It was presided over 
with much dignity by Mr. Paterson, whose good 
executive abilities promise to render the meet¬ 
ings more interesting than heretofore. Now, 
let all who love flowers lend their aid to this so¬ 
ciety. and let us have an enthusiastic support 
whicii will raise it to tho position it ought to 
hold—the first of its kind in America. 
BUSINESS NOTICES. 
See Mr. Miner’s adv’t of White Grapes and other 
fruits—something new and valuable. 
