URAL NEW-YORKER. 
TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
practical Departments: 
Oil Palm Tree and Its Product. The. IBS 
Notes from Maplewood Parra. 1"! 
Farmers' Institutes In Michigan...... 
Carbolic Acid in Castration... t'j; 
Notes from th° Uursil Grounds... 
“ Hide-Bound" Trees.. ' ;i 
Peed Planting. Tbe Practice of. JJ" 
Tomato. The......... ’,;7 
Plants in Pots. Watering.. . . 
Bulbs for the Flower Garden.1'®’ 
Exchange... .. 
>* The Snow-The Bountiful Snow”. l'« 
Pllius Aytu .. 
Dinspvrns .. 
House. A Cheap Convenient. i™ 
Catalogue*. \a., Received. {WJ 
Rural Special Reports. | f y 
Farm and Plantation Saw-mtlls. 1W 
Siftings front t.ho Kitchen Fire. DO 
Washir g. Method of Hanging up the. DO 
Recipes... 
Bark, Slitting. 'm 
What they Say of the “ Cricket”. DO 
Editorial Page: 
Cloud T.and. ]J2 
Have Women Business Ability?. D2 
Fraters for plants...1J* 
Respecting the Rui'al. Djj 
Grape-vines. 
.172 
Literary . 
Poetry. 
.173 
lily Porter's Daughter. 
WnsbiiiKton Letter. 
. 175 
* Letters from a Country Girl. 
. J75 
. 175 
. 178 
. 177 
Reading for the Young. 
. 1 8 
. 178 
Christian Fellowship. 
. 180 
Ad vertt sememe. 
.171, 178, 179. ISO 
RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY. 
Address 
RURAL PUBLISHING CO., 
78 Duane Street, New York City. 
SATURDAY, MARCH 16. 1878 
CLOUD LAND. 
Foods’ Paradise, where the rich soil 
yields a generous harvest with just 
enough tillage to serve as a pastime; 
where profitable markets are always at 
hand liberal of reward to pleasurable 
effort; where the weather can be had to 
order and health instead of disease is 
catching; where the neighbors are all 
delightful, and ignorance, uncouthness 
and turbnleuce are unknown; where 
sucking pigs, baked an appetizing brown 
and impaled with convenient kuives and 
forks, trot briskly around delighted to 
afford a slice of hot pork and savory 
crackling at a moment’s notice, and 
where all other viands and grateful 
beverages are equally handy, is a place 
which many emigrants, all the world over, 
are restlessly in search of. ’Tis the only 
spot, even in dreamland, where Adam’s 
descendants are exempt from the heredi¬ 
tary penalty imposed on Adam’s trans¬ 
gression—that in the sweat of their 
brows he and his children should earn 
their bread. 
Among tbe myriad toilers of other 
countries there is a vague notion that 
this delectable locality, or at least a 
region approaching it in attractiveness, 
can be readily stumbled upon within the 
broad bounds of “ The Land of the Free 
and the Home of the Brave,” while the 
inhabitants of this favored country, des¬ 
pairing of findiug this elysium among 
the struggling crowds around them, seem, 
many of them, to imagine they can hit 
upon, or soon create, a fac-simile of it, 
somewhere in the sparsely settled wilder¬ 
ness along our civilized frontier. A 
search for it there, however, would be as 
vain as Ponce de Leon’s pnrsuit of that 
sparkling treasure of Fools’ Paradise, the 
Fountain of Youth. Indeed it would be 
well for all about to emigrate, especially 
farmers, to bear in mind that success in 
a new location will inevitably necessitate 
cautiously prudent selection, an ener¬ 
getic spirit, and, at least at the outset, 
an increase of labor, privation and hard¬ 
ship. Nor would it be unwise to reflect 
whether the voluntary practice of these 
requisites among the friends and scenes 
endeared by familiarity, would not be 
likely to win as fair a measure of future 
prosperity as could be reasonably ex¬ 
pected from their compulsory endurance 
amid the miseries inseparable from the 
condition of a stranger in a strange land. 
HAVE WOMEN BUSINESS ABILITY 1 
A few weeks ago, in one of the com¬ 
fortable sleeping coaches which Lave so 
reduced the weariuess of travel, we left 
Boston on a train bound outward for the 
West. There were not more than half a 
dozen persons beside ourselves iu the car, 
and this scarcity of travelers made con¬ 
versation genera), and established friendly 
and social relations between people who 
had never seen each other before, aDd did 
not, even then, know each other’s names. 
Iu the section just behind ours, four 
gentlemen had seated themselves, and 
were talking concerning matters of gene¬ 
ral and sometimes local interest. 
Occupied with a book, we gave little 
heed to their conversation until our at¬ 
tention was suddenly arrested by hearing 
oue of them exclaim, with much empha¬ 
sis, “ Yes, sir ! I believe that, as a rule, 
women are more economical than men. 
You see, woman can’t ivaste much mouey 
if she tries ; she’s obliged to spend it on I 
herself, on her jewels and laces, her silks 
and satins aud furbelows of one kind and 
another. All these, however, can be turn¬ 
ed into money again ; and the more rag¬ 
ged and dirty aud dingy a piece of lace 
is, the better a woman likes it, and the 
more mouey it will bring. But now just 
look at the men, and think for a moment 
of the enormous sums of mouey spent 
, every year on fast horses, gambling, wines 
aud tobacco; things that represent not 
capital invested, but capital sunk, wasted. 
Wby, if a man sets about it, he can waste 
more money iu one year than a woman 
can spend in five. ” 
“I guess you’re right,” assented his 
neighbor; and—"dropping his voice to 
’ a low tone and speak mg slowly, as though 
he were about to tell something which, 
though true, was entirely beyond his corn- 
1 prehension—“I’ll bet a copper that my 
; wife can tell exactly how much money she 
has had in the last ten years, aud just 
’ what every cent was used for.” 
' “How about yourself,” asked number 
! three, “ can you do the same ?” 
“Not much!” was the emphatic an- 
5 swer. “ I’ve had a good many attacks of 
1 book-keeping in my time, but I get over 
5 them in just about four days. By that 
5 time the thing won’t b a i ance > f give 
it up.” 
A hearty laugh followed this frank con¬ 
fession, and then a lady who sat by the 
* opposite window turned and said, with a 
' half smile, “ Aud yet, I suppose that if 
l auy oue were to ask you if your wife has 
l any business ability, you would say no ?” 
, “ Well, ma’am, I suppose I should. We 
meu don’t generally reckon on a woman’s 
’ having much business ability; but I’m 
r not sure they haven’t got it in spite of us. ” 
Here the conversation drifted into 
other channels, but it started a train of 
thought iu our own mind and may per¬ 
haps do the same for some of our readers. 
Do we not all know women, who, with 
inadequate means at their command, 
have struggled for years against trials 
' difficulties and obstacles, which, to the 
b more timid, seemed simply appalling? 
l Women who have made home pleasaut 
aud attractive to then children ; who, by 
’ the exercise of qualities which would 
5 have made good busiuess men of them, 
5 had they been men instead of women, 
; have given these children education and 
accomplishments. 
These women are sagacious ; quick to 
' see where their interests he, aud always 
■ ready to avail themselves of fortunate 
j circumstances. Upright and conscien¬ 
tious in all their dealings, they are not 
’ forgetful of the fact that the world owes 
them place aud station and recognition. 
Respecting themselves, they are respected 
’ by others, and have the confidence of all 
who kuow them, 
i Theie is an adjective peculiarly Anieri- 
5 can iu its significance, aud of the widest 
comprehensiveness which people apply to 
such women. They are smart. A woman 
1 who manages her household affairs with 
> such prudence, foresight aud economy as 
• to excite the admiration of her neighbors ; 
who is always neat in appearance though 
she may not possess auy fine clothes; 
who, though a Lard worker, fiuds time to 
} read and tLus enlarge the horizon ot her 
> otherwise narrow world, is invariably 
i spoken of as a “ smart woman.” 
She is not a business woman because 
her smartness has never been turned in 
that direction; but that she has the 
ability to carry on business, we do not 
for a moment doubt. 
She could not do it at once, of course ; 
any more than a man could do her work 
put into her place. But she would soon 
learn. 
We are not to be understood as discus¬ 
sing the advisability of women engaging 
in business affairs which are usually con¬ 
ducted by men. We are simply entering 
a protest against the remark one hearB 
tco frequently, “what are women good 
for in busiuess ?” 
--- 
FRAMES FOR PLANTS. 
In the crowded state of our columns, 
we may be excused from furnishing mi¬ 
nute directions as to the construction of 
hot-beds and cold-frames, especially as 
now-a-days this information is given in 
most of the seed and plaut catalogues is¬ 
sued by our seedsmen and nurserymen, 
with every needed detail. Cold-frames 
are of much value, and within the reach 
of all. Dig a square or a rectangular hole 
in a well-drained part of the garden, a 
foot deep, and place therein a box made 
higher behind than in front, or towards 
the south or southeast. Fill this in with 
light, rich soil, aud sow the seeds. Now 
a hot-bed differs from a cold-frame iu that 
it rests upon a foot or more of decompos¬ 
ing manure, which generates heat under¬ 
neath the soil, while the cold-frame re¬ 
ceives heat only from the sun’s rays. The 
latter should, therefore, be uncovered in 
the morning as soon as the sun becomes 
warm enough upon it, and again covered 
as soon as it begins to lose its warmth in 
the afternoon, so that all the heat possi¬ 
ble may be retained until the next day. 
The sides of the frame, which should ex¬ 
tend a few inohes above the earth about 
it, sufficiently protect the young plants 
from strong winds, or a shelter of any 
kiud may be placed on the side whence 
the wind comes. When the principle of 
these useful arrangements is understood, 
a very little ingenuity serves to provide 
them", and to work them with success. 
- — — 
NOTES. 
Respecting the Rural.—In defer¬ 
ence to other advertisers, we are obliged 
this week to omit our advertisement of 
the Rural “Cricket” Clock, which has 
created a little furor among our friends 
whioh we had scarcely anticipated. Quite 
a number, however, have not quite under¬ 
stood our offer, and we will here endeavor 
to make it plain. The lowest price of the 
Rural New-Yorker as is well known, 
except iu clubs, is $2.50 per year; for 
two subscribers it is $5.00. The retail 
price of the clock will probably be fixed 
at $3.00—together making $8.00. Now 
to anybody sending us two new subscrib¬ 
ers aud $5.00, we will present the “ Crick¬ 
et” Clock. Or it will be presented to any¬ 
body forwarding us one subscription and 
$3.50, instead of $2.50, as for the Rural 
alone. We have made arrangements with 
the express companies by which those 
preferring to prepay may do bo by for¬ 
warding us 15 cents. 
We are encouraged to believe that those 
who choose to avail themselves of our 
offers, will fiud, ere tho year closes, that 
they will have received a fair equivalent 
for the price of subscription, without tak¬ 
ing into the account the value—whatever 
that may prove to be—of the Rural itself. 
At least, we have a very earnest desire to 
do all we can without actual loss to our¬ 
selves. 
«*» — 
Grape-Vines.—The advice generally 
given to those intending to plant Grape¬ 
vines is, “ Select the Concord, beoause it 
thrives almost every where. ” If it is in¬ 
tended to plant but one vine, the advice 
is good, no doubt; but if more, we advise 
our frieuds to select many of the best va¬ 
rieties at present known. It will generally 
be found that a large proportion will live 
aud bear fruit. Tiie minority that fail 
can be replaced by others as soon as the 
failure is ascertained, and the loss will be 
them unsightly. This need not be. A 
certain quantity of lamp-black and red 
mineral paint-powder may be mixed with 
the whitewash, imitat.iug the color of the 
bark so closely that, it is not apparent to 
the casual observer that the trees have 
been washed at all. 
BREVITIES. 
Onf. intuitively begins to think about planting 
strawberries. Tbe garden without strawberries 
is a breakfast without coffee. 
The Herald would do well to give more at¬ 
tention to our weather reports and less to those 
of England. 
Baked Beets. — Whoever heard of baked 
beets ? It is Baid the Egyptians use them 
cooked only in this way. Why not try baked 
beets ? 
When Mr. Meehan hears a man remark that 
the beantifying of homes is only the indulgence 
of a pride, he sometimes doubts whether such a 
man is human. 
If our inoome is six cents per day. we should 
save one cent. That is equivalent to saving 
one-sixth of our time, whioh in one year 
amounts to abont sixty days—a solid nost-egg for 
a rainy day or upon which to start anew. 
Io answer to many qnostions—What varieties 
of stawberries shall I buy ?—we auswer as for 
grapes : As many as you can afford to buy, and 
you will then be enabled another season to an¬ 
swer tbe question better than auy other person 
can auswer for yon. We believe that such ex¬ 
periments cost less, generally, than taking the 
advice of others. 
Mb. Hiller, of Lancaster. Co.. Pa., stated at 
the last convention of the Pennsylvania Fruit 
Growers 8 iciety, that of 150 standard pears 
which he planted twenty years ago, twenty per 
cent, have perished by blight. Mr. Meehan 
remarked that he never noticed blight wbere 
trees were whitewashed. Mr. Saunueks believes 
whitewashing an absolute remedy. 
April is full time in this climate to bow seeds 
of Asparagus. Thin out tho plants to four 
inohes in the rows, reserving only the strongest. 
Set out one-year-old plants at least one and a 
half foot deep iu sandy, light soil that has been 
highly enriched. For family use, make plots 
five or six feet wide, four rows to each, allowing 
a foot in the row and Bet tho plants six inches or 
more deep. 
Thebe are many who do not greatly relish 
blackberries. But this need not deter them 
from raising all they can find room for, -since 
blackberry wine is of much value for medicinal 
purposes, aud its value increases with age. Mr. 
Parry's recipe for a gallon ia: “ Add three 
pounds of sugar to three quarts of blackberries 
and a little water.” The Kittatinuy is still tbe 
be a t variety for this if not for every climate 
where tlna fruit thrives. 
Rural Grounds, March 11.—Yesterday (Sun¬ 
day) was bore a May day. Many plants are 
breaking into leaf—snob as Honeysuckles, Hy¬ 
pericums, Hpirsea sorbifolia—and Strawberry 
plants aro pushing through their covering, as if 
impatient of longer restraint; Grass is green 
and fresh in sheltered spots; many Maples are 
iu bloom. Horsechestnufc buds are swelling and 
altogether we entertain serious fears that a cold 
snap, which we can yet scarcely hope to escape, 
will effect much harm. Tho thoughtful farmer 
or horticulturist will, however, avail himself of 
such opportunities to do everything ih.it cm be 
done to simplify or to promote spring woik. 
We regret that advertising favors, aggre¬ 
gating more than one hundred lines, are loft out 
of this issue. As it is, we encroach upon the 
space devoted to reading matter lo an extent 
that urges us also to apologize to our readers. 
However, we may truthfully say to these last 
that our advertising columns this issue will 
prove most interesting reading. In them will be 
found answers to scores of questions that aro 
Bout us weekly for insertion in our question and 
auswer columns. We are gratified to be able to 
presaut tho announcements of most of the rep¬ 
resentative manufacturers of the country who 
, cater to the special wants of the class that 
mainly compose our circulation. We think 
1 there will be a reciprocity of gain, if advertisers 
■ and readers come together. 
Competition ia a good thing if it makes busi¬ 
ness meu more active aud reduces the cost of the 
necessities of life. Thore is much that is sug- 
, gestive in the old adage that “ a nimble six¬ 
pence is hotter than a slow shilling.” When 
competition takes the shape of overdoiug busi¬ 
ness, and on the principle that all must live, ex- 
horbitant charges are imposed to make up for 
, limited sales, then the Booncr competition which 
creates such a oondition in business, is lessoned, 
’ the better. A benevolent physician says that 
t gratuitous visits to the poor are often for 
. naught beoause they cannot afford to buy the 
j medicines he prescribes on account of tho exces- 
^ sive rales charged. Are there hot too many 
druggists ? 
r Nature’s Darlings ? —As in the moral so in 
the physical world, seeds beneficial to our race, 
> have,as a rule, to be oarefuliy protected from in- 
l jury aud destruction, while those mimical to bu- 
s manity, disregarded by man, seem to have become 
j tho special proteges of Nature. A. forcible il* 
' lustration of their extraordinary vitality has 
more than compensated by the pleasure KyTen afford SW 
of having many kinds, ot different flavor, President of the Kiugsberg Vernueh 
1 1 a: ___ „ t* n. . i i. _.A. _ii ... 1 
color, and time of ripening. 
. -»♦« — 
The Objection Removed.—Many 
first-rate authorities advocate the use of 
whitewash upon fruit trees. Several are 
convinced that it will prevent and even 
cure pear-blight. But many object to 
whitewashing trees because it renders 
aauvu ^ a. 4 voauvtiv v» -- -“O • ’ . 
Hcatiou, on the waste matter from oil oak«. 
Oue sample of rape cako he examined contained 
seods of woods lo tho number of 2,260,1 m 1 m «. 
owt. Those binl passed through the process ol 
manufacture without having boon iu any way 
crushed or having bad their germiuative poweis 
destroyed, aud, moreover, the Doctor detected 
them uninjured in the dung of cattle fed upon 
the cake. Aro not weeds then Nature» dar¬ 
lings ? 
