THE R 
red oak which had stood several years after it 
was dead, and both bark and sap were gone; ho 
refused to take it, as his stove could not hold 
enough to keep his family warn; and he be¬ 
lieved that, if our animals could speak, they 
would most strongly object to this dead hay with 
which, although it has neither bark nor sap left 
in it, they are compelled to satisfy their hunger 
during the winter, owing to the idea which many 
farmers hold, that hay should get its full growth, 
which means, that it should stand till its juices 
are gone and its seed is ripe. The argument 
that cattle would oat too much hay if it were 
cut early, was like the economy of men who 
bought rancid butter. 
J. H. Potter, of Pittsfield, spoke next. His 
paper went into statistics of the average pro¬ 
duction in Wisconsin of hay and wheat, showing 
that while wheat took the most labor, yet at each 
census hay brought the moat per acre; that 
while wheat was #11 sold off the farm and much 
of it went abroad, almost all the hay stayed at 
home, and much of it never left the farm. 
Hence, while the hay was the most profitable 
crop to raise, in its actual money value, it was 
at the same time increasing the fertility of our 
farms, which the wheat was continually running 
down. In giving his experience with hay, he 
said that his farming was on new land, and that 
he always tried to get a good “ burn ” ; then he 
dragged well with an A-harrow; sowed his grain- 
harrowed in, and sowed four quarts of timothy 
and two pounds of clover to the aero. This 
makes the best yield of bay, but not the best 
meadow. After it has been in meadow for some 
years, he plows it up, gets out. all the stumps he 
can, and plants corn. After corn he manures as 
well as he can —twenty loads to the acre if he has 
enough—aud plants potatoes. The next Bpring, 
he harrows bis ground well with a square har¬ 
row, and sow^ his wheat, and with it six quarts 
of timothy and eight ponnds of clover to the 
acre. His method of onriug was much the same 
as Mr. Campbell's, 
Porter Campbell, of Scott, was the author of 
the next paper. He began by saying that the 
moat natural food for cattle was young and ten¬ 
der grass; that in the pasture ttiey avoided all 
dead grass; and that the nearer our hay ap¬ 
proached to this, the hotter our stock would like 
it; he would out in blossom for timothy, aud 
use the tedder till well dried. Clover he would cut 
as soon as the beads began to turn brown; use 
the tedder a little, and cook up; let it cure in the 
cock several days, and than open out and haul 
iuto the barn. Care must be taken not to let it 
get dry enough to crumble, as clover leaves are 
the beat of the hay. He would cut aB soon as 
the dew was of! if there was a heavy dew; if the 
dew is light, it will do no hurt. 
President J. M Smith now called on those 
present to <LscasB the subject, ask questions, 
etc. Rev. Wm- Crawford, of Green Bay, made 
a few happy remark ‘ and asked some questions, 
in reply to which Mr. Campbell said that if you 
let your grass get ripe, you would Lave straw 
and grain; if yon out your rye or oats green, you 
would have hay ; timothy straw was worth more 
than rye or oat straw, but still it was only straw. 
The writer said that he understood from their 
remarks, that Messrs. Potter and Campbell re¬ 
ferred to the proper time for cutting hay for 
market, and asked at what period of its growth 
it was best to out clover for feed for miloh 
cows ? 
S. Burden said: “When half or two-thirds of 
the heads are turned brown." 
Win. Riwbotham said: “ When it has got its 
growth, I don’t care whether a head is brown or 
not, for after it has its growth, it deteriorates 
every day it stands.’ He couldn’t agree with 
Bro. Potter, that we should keop all our farm 
in hay, but maintained that we should keep only 
enough in grass and hay to keep our wheat yield 
up to its host. 
Potter said if ho had a good market he would 
prefer to buy his flour and sell nothing but beef 
aud butter. Knvbotham said if all farmers 
were of Potter's miud and carried his view out, 
the people would have to “go to grass’' or 
“come to the barn"; bread was the staff of 
life, and ho didn’t see what Bro. P. would do 
with his butter, if we had no bread to spread it 
on.. 
President Smith said that ho had seen the 
statement in the principal Minnesota paper a few 
weeks ago, that no man had over made a for¬ 
tune iu that State growing wheat. Burden said 
that in Illinois there was a settlement of Penn¬ 
sylvania Dutch who had all become wealthy, 
aud he said their money oaino from wheat. 
After the meeting your correspondent moved 
among tho farmers present to get their opinion 
of Millet and Hungarian grass as a food for 
stock. Oue man had Bowed five acres of Millet 
the day before, and would sow five acres more 
as soon as he had out his hay, sowing the newly- 
plowed sod. He oould raise double the amount 
per aore that he oould of common hay—timothy 
and clover—aud considered it worth more per 
too; it was the best possible food for milch 
cows. Out as soon as it begins to torn a little 
yellow. 
No one present had any experience with Or¬ 
chard grass. Will some reader of tho Ruiui,, 
who has tried it on a heavy soil, please re¬ 
port? 
FARM NOTES 
THOROUGH CULTIVATION. 
Mr. M. B. Prince asks whether thorough cul¬ 
tivation is any protection against insects. All 
insects which infest the soil itself, or which bore 
the roots of plants beneath the soil, are wonder¬ 
fully fond of a quiet life ; they cannot stand a 
constant disturbance of their haunts, and will 
leave for quieter places. On tho other hand, 
vigorous plants of all kinds are produced by 
very frequent cultivation, and are able to repel 
insec!a because they are vigorous. In the same 
way, a vigorous, healthy animal never becomes 
lousy or sickly, because it is only weakness 
which invites the enemy. Therefore frequent 
cultivation kills two birds with one stone. Mr. 
P. will, probably, never again apply unrotted 
manure to his land, unless he wants to perpetu¬ 
ate Borne pet variety of weed, of which he may 
accidentally have lost the Beed. 
Ho should at once mulch his small fruit-bushes 
heavily, after a thorough hoeing and loosening 
of the soil for two feet, at least, around each one. 
DEPTH TOR COVERING SEEDS. 
Mr Fowler's remarks on this subject are al¬ 
together too local for a journal of extensive cir¬ 
culation like the Rural New Yorker. We do 
more harm than good when we undertake to lay 
down precise rules for a country so vast in ex¬ 
tent, so varied in climate, and having such a 
diversity of soils and conditions of humidity as 
ours. If the Rural New-Yorker only circu¬ 
lated iu Mr. Fowler’s own immediate neighbor¬ 
hood, or only in localities exactly similar, his 
rules would be entirely correct; but if the soil 
was muoh heavier aud wetter, or much lighter 
and dryer, the depth lie advises would be fatal. 
There must be sufficient covering to exclude 
light and beat—as opposed to warmth—and to 
keep the seed in sufficient moisture to iuduce 
germination ; any more or any less is wrong. 
Then, again, explicit rules for a vast extent of 
country, create mere “ clod-hoppers "—men who 
are mere machines, whose minds are never ex¬ 
ercised, who arc not forced to think. Thinking, 
in a correct order, makes a farmer par rxt'dlmce. 
He should he taught principles, and how to 
apply them. When writers for the agricultural 
Press once adopt that plan, their labors will be 
vastly lessened, and the thinking farmer will not 
have to wade knee-deep for a fact or an idea. 
If Mr. Fowler’s rules were followed here in 
Nebraska, we should have no crops. 
S. Rufus Mason. 
Dodge Co., Nebraska. 
-» 4 »- - - ■ 
^ KENTUCKY NOTES. 
I reoret exceedingly that we are compelled 
to postpone indefinitely our promised “ farewell 
to the potato beetle." But “ life is made up of 
disappointments,” aud this is one of them. The 
millions of eggs that wo thought the lady-bugs 
had sucked, or the cool, wet weather had addled, 
commenced hatching the 2d of June, and, al¬ 
most before we knew it, our vines were swarm¬ 
ing with the ravenous rascals. But a liberal use 
of Paris-green has so nearly exterminated them 
that our crop will not be materially injured. 
Wo hear of some fields of wheat in this vicin¬ 
ity being almost destroyed by the midge; but 
doubtless the reports are exaggerated. The 
general opinion of farmers in this neighborhood 
—Hunter’s Bottom, which contains nearly a thou¬ 
sand acres of wheat—is that we will have from 
10 to 25 per cent, above an average yield. Har¬ 
vesting will commence just as soon as the 
weather permits. The Clawson, to my great 
disappointment, is at least a week later than 
the Fultz or tho Euglish Rough Chaff. But the 
heads are fine. 
We had fine rains on the 8th, 9th and 10th, 
whioh were very much needed and have made 
many a joyous heart but aching back among 
our tobacco-growers, this buiog the firdt “ sea¬ 
son ” they have had since the plants were large 
enough to “ set out." 
Apples, peaches, cherries, plums—and black¬ 
berries in Trimble Co —will be in great abun¬ 
dance, cherries being already in excess of de¬ 
mand. We cannot grow Peachos in this Bottom 
and do not grow Blackberries. Bui j n the ad¬ 
joining oouuty of Trimblo they are both grown 
to perfection and in immense quantities. 
Hog cholera has di-appeared. and consequent¬ 
ly the talk of State aid in helping us to ascer¬ 
tain the cause, cure or prevention of this great 
scourge, has ceased, and will not be revived until 
our herds are again decimated. 
S. E. Hampton. 
Carroll Co., Ky., June 1,1873. 
-*-*-♦- 
CATALOGUES, &c., RECEIVED. 
Annual Reports of the Buffalo General Hos¬ 
pital for tho years 1876-7. 
Farm Drainaoe, [Circular No. 43]. Illinois 
Dept, of Ag. 8. D. Fuher, Secretary. 
Crop Prospects. [Circular No. 44]. Consoli¬ 
dation of Reports returned to this Dept Illi¬ 
nois Dept, of Ag, 8. D. Fisher, Seretary 
k 
The West Point Centennial Historic Oration, 
by Major Henry C. Dane. Published by C. W. 
Carlton & Co., New York. Price twenty-five 
cents. 
Analyses and Valuation of Fertilizers — 
Report to the Commissioner of Agriculture on 
the chemical examination of fertilizers sold in 
North Carolina during 1877-8. By Albert R. 
Ledonx. Chapel Hill, N. C. 
New England Conservatory of Music, Bos¬ 
ton.—This famous music sohool—the largest in¬ 
stitution of its kind in the country—gives no 
lesB than 125 hours’ instruction at the low price 
of SI 5. It employs 75 of the best instructors, 
and offers superior advantages. It places a 
thorougli musical education within the reach of 
all. 
A Sensible School. —Of all our schools, La- 
sell Seminary, at Auburndale, Mass., seems to 
be quickest to feel the real needs of education 
for women. It has a delightful and healthful 
location. Tho comforts of its home are re¬ 
marked by all who visit or attend it. The qual¬ 
ity of its instruction is beyond question, and the 
moderation of its prices briugs its great advan¬ 
tages within the reach of all—a rare combina- 
ion of excellent points. 
Early in the Spring Mr. E. P. Roe sent us 
plants of his seedling gooseberries, “Early 
Ruby” and “Late Emerald.” We have now to 
acknowledge the receipt of fruit from those 
varieties. There are ten berries of Early Ruby, 
the average short circumference of which is 
three inches. They are shaded with purple-red 
and of an agreeable flavor, neither sweet nor 
sour. The “ Late Emerald’’ is about the same 
size, shape aud flavor, and of a bright green 
color. Both are floe fruit, and we hope they 
may meet tho favorable expectations whioh have 
been raised respecting them. 
We received a can of “Naiad” Oil from the 
Rubber Paint Oo., N.Y , for trial, and after apply¬ 
ing it to the varied purposes for whioh it was re¬ 
commended, we found it to be a very serviceable 
article. It is an excellent water-proofing and 
leather preservative. We gave our harness, 
carriage tops, aud everything susceptible of being 
benefited by its nse, a coating, and carefully 
noted if it came up to representations. It has 
been a satisfactory test. If the prioe is not too 
high, it is a good thing to have about the farm. 
The Company will doubtless be happy to furnish 
all information. 
(ftegl'Ujjfrt. 
GARDEN CITY, LONG ISLAND. 
L. A. ROBERTS. 
In times long paBt—say 150 years ago—many 
Europeans visiting New York, were taken to see 
the Plains of Lnug Island, then a great curi¬ 
osity. The visitors found a tract of country 
about 15 miles long and five wide, destitute 
of trees, and so generally level as to present an 
unobstructed view. The southern portion, 
bordering on L. I. Sound, was marshy and 
covered with rank grass, while, inland, the 
ground soon became firmer and afforded com¬ 
mon pasturage for large herds of cattle. Of 
this plain 16,000 acres ovtliereabouts belonged to 
the town of Hempstead, and, although its ex¬ 
treme distance from New York was but 25 miles, 
it was allowed to remain uncultivated, and not¬ 
withstanding fertile farms aud luxariant gardens 
were found within its limits, the general verdict 
was that the plains were barren and not worth 
cultivating. 
About eight years ago, Mr. A. T. Stewart, 
the merchant prince of New York, conceived 
the idea of redeemiug this barren plain from its 
ignominious condition and purchased about 
10,000 acres of it from the town of Hempstead, 
a tract extending along tho south side of the \ 
Long Island rail road, which is iu about the 
middle of the Island, for four miles with an 
average width of about two miles. Tbis tract is 
varied with slight undulations aud has a general 
southern descent of about 20 feet in a mile. 
Its peculiar situation, in relation to the sur¬ 
rounding country—the sea on the south, and the 
hills on the north—insures a constant breeze. 
In the hottest days of summer, with the ther¬ 
mometer iu the nineties, the heat does not seem 
unbearable, while the evenings and nights are 
cool and comfortable. The surface soil, from 
10 to 15 inches in depth, is a dark loam, under 
which is a layer of yellow loam of about equal j 
thiekuesB. With few exceptions where a clay- 
loam intervenes, this rests on the gravel-bed 
which underlies the greater part of the island, 
and is from 50 to 100 feet in depth. There is 
not a marsh, pond, or stream, throughout its 
whole extent, and not a foot of tho land that is 
not susceptible of cultivation. 
Near the oeuter of this tract Mr. Stewart de¬ 
termined to establish a town in whioh persons 
of moderate means could havo homes healthful, 
beautiful, commodious, and at reasonable rates. 
Galling to his aid able assistants iu all depart¬ 
ments, he at once commenced work. Streets ! 
wide and spacious were opened and lined with | 
trees; houses sprang up as ir by magic; con¬ 
nection by t ail was made with New York and the j 
surrounding country, and before the neighbors 
were aware of it, the wilderness had blossomed 
and Garden City was a fact. 
I have visited the place occasionally since its 
inception, and watched its progress; but, on a 
recent visit, after an interval of about two years, 
I was astonished at the ohange during that time, 
and determined to tell the readers of the Rural 
what I found. 
First, in the central portion of the city is a 
park of from 25 to 30 acres, beautifully laid out in 
walks of cleau gravel, the borders of which were 
ornamented with flowering plants and shrubs. 
Shade trees showing vigorous growth, and the 
larger-growing evergreens stood further back; 
and from half a dozen fountains the sparkling 
water shot up in jots aud sprays. The green 
and well-kept turf gave a deliciously oooling 
aspect; and, under thb rays of the suu, shone 
bright and clear like emerald. Iu the distance a 
flock of fine sheep, under tho careful watch of 
the shepherd, lest they should injure the plants 
and shrubs, gave a pastoral aspect to the scene. 
In tne rear portion of the park, distant a few 
rids north of the depot, is a hotel, a four-story 
structure of brick, built iu keeping with the sur¬ 
roundings. This I found to be commodious, 
clean, complete in its appointments and attend¬ 
ance. Near the depot, in a handsome structure 
whioh might be mistaken for a dwelling-house, 
is the office of the resident manager and super¬ 
intendent, Mr. W. B. Hinsdale, whose ability, 
originality, and energy render him indespensable 
to the prosperity of the enterprise. 
The city is divided by streets, eighty feet wide, 
iuto squares, whioh are subdivided into lots 
varying in area from half an aero to am acre or 
more. These, when bu.lt upon, are separated 
by open picket fences. The front line of each 
house is 75 feet from the street. The houses 
are of various sizes aud styles—some of brick; 
others of wood; and rent at prices varying from 
8350 to ■JIOOG a year, which sum includes pay¬ 
ment for water, gas, removal of ashes aud gar¬ 
bage, cleaning streets, etc. The price of rental 
depends mainly on the size of tho house rather 
than on location or conveniences, as in these 
respects the man of moderate means fares as 
well as his richer neighbor. No stables or 
other out-houses are permitted ou the lots. 
Those haviug horses are required to keep them 
in the building erected for the purpose, on the 
business square, where are also stores, shops, 
markets, eto. f etc. The streets are bordered 
with trees, of which more than 50.000 have been 
planted, and with scarcely an exception, all are 
growing vigorously. 
The water supply of the plains is wholly from 
rainfall, whioh is about 43 inches a year. Of 
this but a small proportion goes off by surface 
drainage, the rest sinks at once into the subsoil, 
which, as before said, is almost entirely gravel. 
The well, at Garden City, is in a depre. sion 14 
feet below the general surface, is 50 feet in 
diameter, and about 30 feet deep. The stratum 
of gravel underlying this was found by boring to 
be about 40 feet thick. This forms a vast reser¬ 
voir, free from any mineral or vegetable ma¬ 
terial that can give impurity to the water, the 
volume of which is practically iuexhaustable. 
The water enters the well entirely from the bot¬ 
tom, and is supplied to all the houses by Holly 
pumps, having a capacity to discharge 3,000,000 
gallons daily. Iu purity it excels any other in 
the county, showing, in a gallon, only 2.7 grains 
of both organic and inorganic solids. 
Notwithstanding the fact that the natural 
drainage is so complete, not a particle of the 
sewage is permitted to enter the soil. At present 
it is discharged into cement tanks and quickly 
removed, but an extensive and complete system 
of sewerage has been planned and will soon be 
completed, in which the whole will be gathered 
iu reservoirs, covered by buildings, deodorized, 
and eveiy particle used for fertilizing purposes. 
Before Mr. Stewart's death, he bad planned 
to erect a church on the premises, which should 
be chaste in design and architecture, honest in 
construction, and free to all. After his death, 
Mrs. Stewart determined to make thi3 church 
his monument, under which they both should 
rest iu their last sleep. TTader the sanction, and 
with the approbation of the Bishop and clergy 
of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island, she 
founded a cathedral, now in progress of erec¬ 
tion, to he completed within a year, which, with 
all its appointments and a large endowment-, is a 
free gift to the Diocese. I will not attempt a 
description of this gem of church architecture. 
Iu size it is not equal to many other church 
edifices, but in beauty of design, completeness 
and elegance of finish, it will have no superior. 
As a-djonots to tho Cathedral, schools have 
been established in which youth of both sexes, 
will receive instruction from tho best of teachers 
under the direct supervision of tne church au¬ 
thorities, aud it is probable that this alone will 
draw to Garden City many familios of the most 
intelligent and refined classes in the country. 
For here they can have homes with all the ad¬ 
vantages of fresh air, pure water, complete 
drainage —every t hi ag t bat is conducive to health, 
within about au hour’s ride of New York. 
But the reader may ask, “ Are there not some 
disadvantages connected with ail this, for, cer¬ 
tainly, without them, no such place has exist® 
since the Garden of Eden ?" 
