THE RURAL HEW-YORKER. 
APRIL 27 
when first fit for use, the color is as white 
as that of other varieties of sweet com. 
The plant grows about five feet in hight. 
The ears are eight-rowed and the kernels 
much shriveled when mature. For 
sweetness; however, for buttery richness, 
we prefer it to any other variety of sweet 
corn we have ever tried. 
entirely unable to conceal the novel experi¬ 
ence, like a hen with a new-laid egg, they 
must straightway proclaim aloud the cir¬ 
cumstance, attaching to it a value not in 
proportion to its intrinsic worth, but in 
accordance with its rarity. In private 
life they are constantly pressing their 
views and sometimes their services on 
their acquaintances in entire ignorance of 
circumstances on which may often depend 
the prudence of adopting the one or the 
possibility of accepting the other. In 
convention, caucus, or any assemblage 
met for discussion, jack-in-the-box-like, 
they are everlastingly springing to then- 
feet with another remark, just a word or 
two more, or an idea (!) that has just 
struck them, until their exasperated audi¬ 
ence heartily wish that the springs of the 
childish contrivance were broken and the 
persistent prattler at rest. It is one of 
these also who, in company, is forever 
interrupting conversation by the intro¬ 
duction of subjects foreign to the matter 
under discussion, but which having just 
occurred to the thing of his he Hatters by 
calling it a mind, he cannot for the life of 
him refrain from instantly cackling about. 
The congenital variety of superservice- 
able fools has seldom anything to say 
worth listening to, is insensible usually 
to slight or reproof, and incapable always 
of amendment, and should therefore be 
promptly squelched. The accidental 
sort, on the other hand, whose folly is 
mainly due to want of training, tact and 
modesty, often has a respectable fund of 
useful information and opinions, is, as a 
rule, sensitive to a rebuff, and always 
capable of improvement—a happy con¬ 
summation that can be most effectually 
accomplished by a severe course of in- 
TABLE OF CONTENTS, 
l*H \ OTIC AI. Departments: 
The Ostrich. 261, 
Jotting!, at Kirby Homestead. 
Jottings from my Note Book. 
Honghton Farm.*. 
Rye for Green Manure. ■■■■ 
Manures... . 
Culture of ttrooin Corn—No. 1..... 
Training a Sheep Dor. 
Wool-Growing and the Tariff. . 
Malignant Anthrax iD Sheep. •••• 
Humming Birds .263, 
Plows and Plowing.... 
Maladies o r stock. ••••••-• .364, 
Fall tm. Spring So" Ing in North Carolina. 
North Carolina Notes. 
Rural Special Reports. 
Cut-Worm* In Green-Houses. 
Answer* to Cm respondents.... 
The Conkliu Wagon.. . 
Fowls for Ebrm, Table and Hardiness. 
Light Brahmas—An Error Corrected... 
EDITORIAL PAGE 
Snperservlenable Fools.. \ 
Alkekengt... 268 
Perludloal Sales. Market Fairs, Auctions, Etc. 26i 
Barn Notes . 26| 
A Pretty Contrast .. . 
Death to the Curculio. 26s 
Mexican Black Sweet Corn. 268 
Brevities... 2w 
Literary 
Poetry.. 
Mr. Cnetwood's W1U...269, 270, 271 
A few Familiar Quotations.2J1 
Bric-tt-Brae....... 27} 
A Woman’s Home for Women.271 
Men’s Part In Home-Making.....;.271 
Domestic Ecotuoiny . 272 
Sifting* from the Kitchen Fire. 272 
Shirt Ironing. 272 
Ant E.\terminator. 272 
Queries Answered. 2,2 
New*. 272 
Markets...*.. 273 
Reading for the Youug.274 
A Swiss Cousin. 27* 
The Girl Everybody Likes. 27} 
The PuSsler..2H 
Sabbath Reading. 27} 
A Day in the Life of Jesus . fii 
Personals... 275 
Advertisements.267, 273, 275, 276 
Wit and Humor .. 276 
THE 
RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY. 
Address 
RURAL PUBLISHING CO., 
78 Duane Street, New York City. 
SATURDAY, APRIL, 27, 1878. 
BREVITIES. 
Arsenical candor is prevalent. 
Do hay elevators raise the price of hay ? 
Is it easier to prevent or to destroy weeds up¬ 
on the farm P 
Col. Curtis says that “ Milk makes big, fat 
lambs—our fathers to the contrary.” 
Mr. Idell thinks “ Beauty” the gem of Mr. 
Dtirand’s noted seedling strawberries for ama- 
tuors. 
In selecting trees and shrubs, be oareful to 
select tli oao which are hardy in the climate for 
which they are seleoted. 
It seems to us that a very effective political 
party might bo organized upon the basis of 
opposition to the postal laws of our country. 
The Agricultural Gazette of England de¬ 
fines a tramp to be “a laborer who has degen¬ 
erated in the absence of oapital and work" (!) 
“Among many jewels,” says Mr. H. B. Ell- 
wanger, “ Catherine Mermet, Marie Van Houtte 
and Marochal Nlol are the fairest of the fair.” 
He is talking about Roses. 
The farmer is alwayB ready to Btand and talk 
an hour with a neighbor or friend, even in his 
busiest season. The merchant that would do 
this would be considered a poor business man. 
Magnolia Lomiei is at this date (April 21) 
blooming in the Rural Grounds. Tho petals 
are, outside, of a claret-purple, and inside nearly 
white. Last year thin Magnolia bloomed May 
15. 
Mrs. Myra Clark, Gaines apropos of Woman 
Suffrage: ‘ ‘ The method you employ makes the 
very thought of suffrage obnoxious to men, and 
women, too. It is too foolish.” Who will GaiuB-ay 
her? 
It Is well at this season that every farmer 
Bbould impress upon his mind the necessity of 
so managing his children that they shall grow 
up to take a deep interest in all matters apper¬ 
taining to the farm. 
or near great lines of transportation, espec¬ 
ially in rather sparsely settled districts, 
all occasions when unusual numbers of 
people arebrongkttogether, are embraced 
by those who have anything to sell to of¬ 
fer their goods at auction or otherwise. 
We at the East know very well bow it is 
at “trainings,” “musters” “camp meet¬ 
ings” and even surrounding the peripa¬ 
tetics circus and menagerie. At the West 
and South court days bring the crowd, 
hence these are the times made the most 
of by the auctioneers and other venders. 
In some cases periodical sales have been 
established in conformity with this cus¬ 
tom, or tendency, or necessity of the peo¬ 
ple to come together upon court-days, and 
have had some success. We do not know 
particularly about those sales or Market 
Fairs and would be glad to hear directly 
from those who are familiar with them and 
their management. 
There have been a good many attempts 
made to establish Market Fairs in New 
England, and perhaps in the Middle 
States, but though apparently well or¬ 
ganized and fairly conducted they have 
not proved successful, the reason be¬ 
ing that communication with great mar¬ 
ket centers is too easy, and every seller 
hopes for better prices, not putting his 
wares or cattle or products fairly upon the 
market to be sold at the best price he can 
get. The only way to make any such sale 
a success is to have every article abso¬ 
lutely sold, as if the auctioneer or the 
seller were under orders from the sheriff, 
and the goods were surely to go for what 
they would fetch. 
The above is given in answer to sev¬ 
eral inquries which we have of late re¬ 
ceived. 
NOTES. 
Barn Notes.—We must be careful 
nowadays while the barn-yard is wet and 
mussy, or a great deal of fodder will be 
wasted. It is now too late in the season 
We have decided to lengthen the columns of 
the Rural three-quarters of an inch, and to* 
widen the page in proportion. This will en¬ 
large the paper over four oolumns. In other 
words it will be equal to issuing a four-page 
supplement once in four weeks. 
We are already making arrangements for the 
change, which involves considerable expense, 
and hope to present the new Rural to our friends 
early in May. 
SUPERSEBVICEABLE fools. 
Of that wondrous faculty of discrimi¬ 
nation which enables the naturalist to 
discover such a vast multitude of species 
and other sub-divisions in animated 
nature, j ust a trifle is amply sufficient to 
determine that of the superserviceable 
fool there are at least two varieties. 
Totally disregarding the scientific custom 
of compounding for each class an abstruse, 
pollysyllabic name from a dead language, 
these may be briefly styled, in the plain 
vernacular, the congenital, and the acci¬ 
dental. To the former, nature, from the 
moment of his birth,has given a legitimate 
right to the title of fool, while the claims 
of the latter to it are due mainly to tran¬ 
sient circumstances. Widely, however, 
as they differ in this particular, yet they 
possess so many characteristics in com¬ 
mon that no one gifted with even the 
rudiments of common sense, would differ¬ 
entiate them more than as two varieties 
of the same species. The chief distinc¬ 
tive difference between them lies in the 
fact that the former is incorrigible, while 
the latter is capable of reformation. 
Among the mental peculiarities of both 
are overweening conceit, incontinence of 
ideas, and insensibility to the fitness of 
things. 
These they manifest in various annoy¬ 
ing ways, in and out of season, but 
especially out. They are the men—and 
sometimes the women—who persistently 
obtrude on others their own notions and 
ideas of what their conduct should be, in 
the shape of advice, admonition and infor¬ 
mation, under the vain delusion that 
wisdom speaks through their lips and 
that their hearers will disregard her words 
at their peril. Let an idea, however crude, 
find its chance way under their hair, and 
structive snubbing. 
■-♦-*-*- 
ALKEKENGI. 
Few who have raised this plant and 
preserved the fruit as it maybe preserved, 
are indifferent to its culture. It possesses 
all of the good flavor of the tomato with 
less either of its acidity or the oliqj:acfcer- 
iBtic harshness which renders it unpalata¬ 
ble to most people when eaten raw. Can¬ 
ned or pressed it rivals the strawberry or 
cherry, resembling the latter in appear¬ 
ance and possessing a distinct aroma that 
reminds one of the former, from which 
circumstance one of its familiar names— 
Strawberry Tomato—is derived. Winter 
Cherry, and Barbadoes Gooseberry are 
other familiar names. It is a hardy an¬ 
nual, attaining a hight of about three 
feet. It should be cultivated in good 
soil and treated much the same as the To¬ 
mato. 
The fruit is the size of a small cherry, 
half an inch or more in diameter, bright 
yellow and inclined to transparency when 
well-ripened. It is inclosed in a papery, 
membranous, inflated calyx, something 
like the Balloon-Vine (Cardiospermum 
halicacabum), of a light green before ma¬ 
turity and a dried-leaf color afterwards. 
The fruit stem is not strong or persistent, 
so that most of the fruit fall to the earth 
spontaneously when ripened. 
When this has been raised for one sea¬ 
son, plants from self-sown seed appear 
abundantly the next year if the soil is not 
worked too early, when they may be trans¬ 
planted or thinned out as desired. 
The fruit is rather small to be gathered 
in large enough quantities to be served 
as tomatoes. But stewed, like cranber¬ 
ries, with a little lemon-juice added, or 
canned or preserved like peaches, quinces, 
plums or oherries, this Physalis is well 
worth the little trouble required in its 
cultivation. 
Alkekenzi is really a distinct species 
that bears scarlet berries, and ought not to 
be applied as a familiar name for the 
species of which we have written, which 
is Peruviana—or P. edulis of some au¬ 
thors. We have never learned that any 
attempt has been made to improve this 
fruit by selection, crossing or hybridiz¬ 
ing ; but the fact that some of the berries 
are twice as large as others is proof 
enough that it might be improved by 
Buch means. 
-- 
PERIODICAL SALES. - MARKET FAIRS,- 
AUCTIONS, ETC. 
In all those sections of the country dis¬ 
tant from regular markets and not upon 
to feed straw, but plenty of it will be re¬ 
quired for beds. The calves and young 
animals must be kept clean if they are 
expected to be healthy; a foul stable will 
cause a young thing to lose its appetite. 
This is one of the common failings on a 
farm; to put off cleaning stables; and it is a 
most unprofitable form of shiftlessness. 
It makes pigs scurvy and lays the founda¬ 
tion for mange; it gives calves the diarrhea 
and makes sheep and lambs sick. The 
cows are suffering for lack of the curry¬ 
comb and brush ; soap-suds and a sponge 
are needed back of the horns and on the 
withers and on each side of the tail, to 
clean out the dirt which has accumulated. 
The cattle cannot reach these places 
themselves—hence they should often be 
cleaned. The itching must be almost 
intolerable and if the cattle could speak 
after a good currying and sponging there 
would be loud-spoken thanks. 
A Pretty Contrast is that which 
the Golden-leaved Spirasa and the Purple¬ 
leaved Filbert present when planted side 
by side. The leaves of the first, in this 
earliest of springs, are nearly unfolded 
and their color is bright yellow. The 
leaves of the second are a dark purple. 
Both plants are before us as we write and 
we wish we could describe their charms 
so that the reader could see them as they 
appear to ns. He would add them to his 
spring orders, even though he were 
obliged to go without tea and coffee for 
two weeks as a penalty, which depriva¬ 
tion would probably pay for the cost. 
The botanical names are Corylus Avellana 
atropurpurea and the Golden Spiraea 
(Neillia) opulifolia. 
-- 
Death to the Curculio.—We are 
informed by one who has tried it, that if 
a small quantity of salt is sprinkled under 
the plum trees just as the fruit is forming, 
it will kill the curculio and prevent the 
youug plums from being stung. The 
same person says wood-ashes spread 
underneath the plum trees will also drive 
the curculio away. He applies both of 
these remedies and always has nice Bmooth 
plums and a bountiful crop. Perhaps 
both are effectual; the ashes will, at least, 
promote a vigorous growth, and the salt 
can do no harm if it is used sparingly. 
■- M > - 
Mexican Black Sweet Corn.— 
There are two objections to this com. 
One is the size of the ears. They will not 
average over seven inches. The other 
is the color of the kernels which, when 
mature, become a dark-slate or lead. But 
Dr. Pendleton sayB: Numerous experiments 
have clearly demonstrated that the proper ap¬ 
plication of nitrogen with soluble phosphate of 
lime will restore these soils (Georgia) up to 
and above their pristine fertility, at least in the 
production of cotton. 
According to Sctn lobbing and Muntz, nitri¬ 
fication is no mere chemical proceBB. It is the 
work of a living organism which thus acts in 
bringing about a chemical change, just as the 
yeast-plant does in promoting the fermentation 
of saccharine solutions. 
It should he borne in mind that every farmer 
who will take the trouble to keep up a tasteful 
appearance about his house,not only performs a 
good work for his own family, but stimulates his 
neighbors to imitate him. Nothing is more con¬ 
tagious than the desire for gardening when once 
it getB a footing. 
After awhile we shall settle down not to 
think so much of size in potatoes as we are 
wont to do. We should boar in mind that per¬ 
fection of form, smoothness and color of skin 
depend upon the soil. A sandy loam, well cul¬ 
tivated and manured with phosphates and pot¬ 
ash, are what the potato needs. 
One of the objeots of pruning is to induoe 
trees to take on unnatural forms. Those who 
oonsider that a certain amount of pruning must 
be done and who go forth in and out of season 
with pruning knife in hand, are invited to study 
the above definition before they begin their 
ofttimes needless and destructive work. 
The soil of the onion beds cannot be Btirred 
too often. There is no success without weed¬ 
ing thoroughly. No ;crop is surer to the ex¬ 
perienced, oareful propagator; none more uncer¬ 
tain to the beginner, than this. Better for the 
latier to gaiu his first practical knowledge by 
small ventures, or to place himself under the 
direction of those competent to instruct. 
Secretary Garfield answers the question “ Why 
should we beautify the home grounds ?” thus : 
First, for tho beauty itself, Second, for what 
beauty will effect in man. As rosults flowing 
therefrom he notes: (1) an added refinement; (2) a 
satisfaction of possession; (3) developemeut of a 
new set of faculties; (4) an exhibition of ben¬ 
evolent spirit; (5) a higher appreciation of the 
created things of God. 
Mn. Hance, chairman of the Fruit Committee 
of the New Jersey State Horticultural Society, 
among the Dewer strawberries mentions the 
following as promising well. Forest Rose, Cum¬ 
berland, Triumph, DuoheaB, Prouty’s Seedling 
and Sterling. The Raspberry season commenced 
with Highland Hardy, and in the order named 
by Doolittle's Rlack-oap, Miller’s Early, Mam- 
mouth Cluster, Brandywine, Wiuant, Phila¬ 
delphia and Cuthbert. 
The following are the names of the straw¬ 
berry plants which wo are this season testing in 
the Rural Grounds. We make no mention of 
a number of new seedlings varieties not yet 
offered. Duchess, H. 75., PreB. Lincoln, Beauty, 
Great American, Duncan Kerr’s Prolific, Tri¬ 
umph of Cumberland, Sterling, New Dominion, 
Harrington's Market, Prouty’s Seedling, Belle do 
Lyrons, Donaldson's Seedling, Golden Defiance, 
Cap. Jack. Most of them fruited with us last 
summer, though as they were planted in the 
preceding spring or fall, it would have been un¬ 
fair to judge of their merits. 
