THE 
RURAU NEW-YORKER, 
A National Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Conducted by 
KLBEftT 6. CARMAN. 
Address 
THE RURAL. NEW-YORKER, 
No. 84 Park Row, New York. 
SATURDAY FEB. 18, 1882. 
The Bonanza scries will be resumed 
next week probably. 
Ik the number on your wrapper after 
the name is 1673, your subscription ex¬ 
pires with this week's paper ; if the 
number is 1674, next week and so on: 
Seepage 116 for full explanation. 
- ■ - 
As much has been said first and last in 
these columns respecting the Japan Per¬ 
simmon, we are glad to call the reader’s 
attention to the article by P. J. Berck- 
mans, of Augusta, Ga., in this issue. Mr. 
Berckmans writes from experience, and 
he writes the truth. 
Agreeably with our promise to 
our readers, we now continue the report 
of the Rural's progress for the present 
subscription season. Our last report was 
made to Jan 17. From Jan 17 to Feb. 
7 inclusive, the number of subscriptions 
received is between 39 and 40 per cent in 
excess of the number received for the 
corresponding period of 1881. Our books 
now, as heretofore, are open in proof. 
The outspoken Dr. T. H. Hoskins, of 
Vermont, pays tho Rural, in a late num¬ 
ber of the Vermont State Journal, the fol¬ 
lowing very emphatic compliment: 
“ The Rural New-Yorker is decided¬ 
ly and in every way the best agricultural 
paper in America. Last year we said 
‘ One of the best,’ but now it has shot out 
clearly ahead of eve:i the leading contest¬ 
ants in the race.” 
June, 1880, amounted to $43,492,137. If 
this industry can be established here, a 
vast amount of money will be retained for 
tho enrichment of our own people. 
-♦♦ ♦- 
LOVE FOR OUR OCCUPATION. 
Without a certain mental tension or 
stimulus there is no adequate discharge of 
either the mental or physical functions. 
A person who is satiated with his work, 
who drones over it mentally, who has no 
love for it and who performs it simply be¬ 
cause he must, will never become expert 
or fully successful in it. No good or en¬ 
during worl»can be done without a sur¬ 
plus of nerve and energy and this can 
only be supplied by a vigor of brain and 
buoyancy of spirit which are born of an in¬ 
tense love of and interest in the "work. With 
a distaste for work comes a great and 
continuous weariness of muscle, and the 
labor becomes a constantly irritating bur¬ 
den. Far different it is with the man 
whose soul is wrapped up in his vocation. 
He never tires of it. He not only gives 
his physical force to it, but his thought 
and brain. He constantly improves his 
methods and he finds new possibilities in 
it. If he is a farmer or a gardener be has 
vast room in which to expand his capaci¬ 
ties and to enlarge his capabilities ; for 
in the culivation of the soil we are as 
yet upon the threshold of our knowledge 
and at the very door of our practice. And 
to the thoughtful man wbo loves his 
work because he 6ec*s the inner part of it, 
the physical labor is greatly lightened by 
the nerve force created by the mental 
stimulus thus engendered. Every part 
of the work is done as a unit of some 
complicated structure, and the bearings 
of it are studied out and watched with the 
greatest interest. It is our study and desire 
to present all our suggestions and exhorta¬ 
tions in such a way as may give this di¬ 
rection to the work of the farm and the 
garden; for we fully sympathize with 
tills view of it and arc induced in our 
own practice to labor all the more de¬ 
votedly, and we hope and trust the more 
successfully, because we love it for its own 
sake and for the actual pleasure it briogs 
to us. 
-*- ■* — »- 
In our editorial of last week, we forgot 
to speak of the Perfection Heartwell Cel¬ 
ery. We have only to say that we hope 
our readers will be careful with this seed. 
Nearly the whole stock of it is, or soon 
will be, in their hands. The claim made 
for it is that it is “a half-dwarf and a full 
golden heart, which, when fully matured, 
literally bursts through the outer covering 
of stalks.” So may it prove—we have not 
had the opportunity of testing it. 
Those who read our extracts from tho 
London Agricultural Gazette under 
“What Others Say,” will find what should 
be one cause of the agricultural depres¬ 
sion of Great Britain. The agricultural 
press of the United States are more boast¬ 
ful and far less candid than are the British 
agricultural press, if we may take the in¬ 
stance. above alluded to as a fair sample. 
But divested of all exaggeration, it would 
appear that there are several agricultural 
journals in this couutry that have a larger 
circulation than all of them in Great Brit¬ 
ain put together. 
Some of our Western contemporaries 
stated that the Rural New'-Yorker was 
burnt out during the late fire. On Park Row 
no damage was sustained by our building. 
On BeekL..an Street many window glasses 
were broken out, white the frames and 
signs were scorched. Much confusion 
prevailed and things were considerably 
upset and mixed. But little serious dam¬ 
age, however, was really sustained. As 
a duplicate printed subscription list is 
preserved outride of the building, the 
publication of the Rural would have been 
delayed but a very short time, eve d though 
the building had been burnt to the ground. 
The Silk Culture Fair. —The Wo¬ 
men’s Silk-Culture Association has ju9t 
closed a very interesting Fair at St. 
George’s Hall, Philadelphia. There was a 
very large and elegant display of every 
sort of silk fabric—cocoons of every size 
and color; specimens of moths, eggs and 
silk growing apparatus, etc., etc. The 
women who are thus laboring so earnestly 
to introduce this new industry into this 
country arc impelled by the belief that it 
will be a great addition to the industrial 
resources of the land, and that, it will, in 
time, furnish home employment for mul¬ 
titudes of women, as the labor connected 
with silk-culture is not heavy, though 
much care is required. The importations 
of raw.silk, cocoons and waste silk, and 
manufactured silks for the jyear ^ending 
-♦ * ♦- 
AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT MAN¬ 
UFACTURE. 
Since 1850 the value of agricultural im¬ 
plements made in this country has in¬ 
creased more than $60,000,000, or over 
ten-fold. From the Census reports it ap¬ 
pears that there are in the United States 
1,942 establishments engaged in the man¬ 
ufacture of these implements. Of these 
265 are in the State of New York, 221 in 
Illinois, 220 in Pennsylvania, 155 in Ohio, 
and 143 in Michigan. The aggregate cap¬ 
ital employed in the industry is $62,315,- 
968, and the highest number of hands em¬ 
ployed at any one time during the Census 
year was 49,180, to whom $15,496,114 
were paid in wages, while $5,791,916 were 
expended for lumber, $18,424,052 for iron 
and steel, and $7,878,202 for other mate¬ 
rials, making the total value of all mate¬ 
rials used $32,094,107. During the year 
covered by the Census the total value of 
all agricultural implements made amount¬ 
ed to $69,374,088. Of this vast sum the 
implements made in Illinois, Indiana, 
Iowa, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota and 
Wisconsin were worth $45,000,000 or 64 
per cent, of the whole. In 1850 New York 
and Pennsylvania made most of the im¬ 
plements, but to-day the prairie States of 
Ohio and Illinois have taken their place, 
the value of the implements made in Ohio 
in 1880 being $15,473,825, and in Illinois, 
$14,249,175; while those made in New 
York were worth $10,747,766, and those 
in Pennsylvania, $4,271,212. Altogether 
there were made of lighter implements 
I, 361,443 plows; 1,244,264 scythes; 437,- 
178 scythe snaths; 308,732 dozen hand- 
rakes ; 211,738 dozen hay forks and 335,057 
cultivators ; while of heavier implements 
there were manufactured 72,090 mowers, 
25,537 harvesters, 35,337 reapers, 54,884 
reapers and mowers combiued, 10,387 
thrashers, 10,202 cider and wine mills, 
2,356 cane mills, 1,460 sirup evaporators, 
II, 161 horse powers, 1,412 clover hullers, 
33,453 potato diggers, 44,370, corn husk- 
ers, 59,157 corn shelters, and 45,412 fan¬ 
ning mills. In view of the vast number, 
variety and excellence of the agricultural 
implements made here, it is safe to say 
that in this most useful industry the Uni¬ 
ted States leads the world. 
-—— 
AN UNSEEMLY DISAGREEMENT. 
The National Trotting Association and 
the National Association of Trotting 
norse Breeders are, alas! at loggerheads. 
By the present rules a “record” on the 
trotting turf can be obtained only by 
the winning horse in a match contested 
on a public trotting track under the con¬ 
trol of the National Trotting Association. 
The “Turf Register,” the horseman’s au¬ 
thority, admits only “ records ” made in 
this way. The breeders of trotting horses 
deem it highly desirable that their stal¬ 
lions and mares designed for breeding 
purposes should have “records” made at 
some public performance; but it is not 
often that a breeder’s horse is fast enough 
to come in first even in a class of gTeen 
flyers, for it frequently happens that, 
owing to the rapid advance made in speed 
of late, young horses in their first season 
on the turf maKe “records” in the neigh¬ 
borhood of 2:20. An animal intended for 
breeding purposes, and capable of trotting 
in 2:30 or better, has no chance of making 
the wished-for “record” in competition 
with such youthful dust-flingers. In order 
that a “record ” may be obtained, how¬ 
ever, the Breeders’ Association, at its 
meeting in this city the other day, ex¬ 
pressed a desire that the National Trot¬ 
ting Association should make the conces¬ 
sion of inserting in its rules a clause pro¬ 
viding that when-the owner of a horse in 
any match shall, in writing, a9k the 
judges to take the time of his animal, no 
matter what its place in the race, the 
judges shall appoint two time-keepers to 
take the time of the specified horse, this 
tune to l>e publicly announced and stand 
as a “record,” tbe same as if the animal 
were the winner. A “record ” is required 
to secure registration of the stock; regis¬ 
tration enhances the value of the property 
by giving to future purchasers a recorded 
guarantee of the excellence of the animal; 
hence the desire of the Breeders’ Associa¬ 
tion for an amendment of the rules of the 
Trotting Association. The National Trot¬ 
ting Association, at its Congress held here 
last Wednesday, took the matter into con¬ 
sideration, and the Committee on Rules 
reported in favor of the rule asked for, 
and at the afternoon session the Congress 
adopted it. At the evening session, how¬ 
ever, the rule was revoked, the Associa¬ 
tion declaring that it was legislating for 
its own advancement, not for that of any 
other organization. This conduct must 
give rise to ill-feeling between the two 
associations. Apparently they should 
work together in perfect harmony. The 
professed object of both is the same—the 
improvement of the horse for breeding 
androad purposes, as well as for the track. 
Both also claim to be anxious for the puri¬ 
fication of the trottiug turf. Why, then, 
this unseemly disagreement ? 
-- 
NO CHANGE IN THE TARIFF ON WOOL. 
The Australian colonies of Great Bri¬ 
tain produce more wool than any other 
area of equal extent in the world. Wool 
production, indeed, is their principal in¬ 
dustry, and the acquisition of profitable 
wool markets their darling ambit'on. 
New South Wales alone, according to the 
latest statistics, possesses 32,399.547 sheep; 
while the six Australian colonies together 
have no less thau 60,000,000 head against 
35,190,866 in the whole United States, 
according to the last Census. From 
Sidney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Bris¬ 
bane, the four ports of New South Wales, 
the yearly shipments of wool, greasy and 
washed, amount to 150,000,000 pounds, 
while the annual shipments for the six 
colonies—New South Wales, Victoria, 
Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania 
and West Australia—are hardly less than 
300,000,000 pounds against 225,000,000 
the estimated entire yearly production of 
this country. In 1880 the United States 
imported about 128,000,000 pounds of 
wool, anti so rapid is the growth of our 
woolen manufactures that it is a trifle 
doubtful whether the production of domes¬ 
tic wool can ever keep pace with the home 
demand for the staple. In any case this 
country affords a very promising market 
for foreign wools, especially if the pres¬ 
ent import duties on wool are lowered, 
for by that means native production will 
be weakened and foreign competition 
strengthened. Indeed, should the duties 
on wool be, for any reason, materially di¬ 
minished, sheep husbandry, now so thriv¬ 
ing, would receive so Bevere a check that 
if after some years the duties were reim- 
posed utider the stress of an irresistible 
public clamor for them, it would there¬ 
after be many years before the industry 
could attain its present prosperity, and 
meanwhile foreigners would be the chief 
gainers from the losses of American 
farmers. 
It is therefore very natural that Aus¬ 
tralians, who would gain the most from 
tho prostration of American sheep hus¬ 
bandry, should be eager to strike it a 
damaging blow by securing a diminution 
of the import duties on wool. Accord¬ 
ingly 8ir Henry Rarkes, K. C, M. G., 
Colonial Secretary and Premier of the 
Colony of New South Wales, has just ar¬ 
rived in this city with the intention of 
passing a few weeks in this country 
chiefly for the purpose of agitating for a 
reduction of our tariff on wool. In re¬ 
quital of such a favor Australians, we are 
to be told, will increase their orders for 
American manufactured goods, so that 
once more the farmers of this country are 
to be bled for the benefit of its manufac¬ 
turers. Inasmuch as those engaged in ag¬ 
riculture in the United States, according 
to the Census, number considerably over 
seven millions adults; while those engaged 
in all sorts of manufacture fall coDsid- 
siderably short of a million and a half, 
the majority must be stupidly drowsy 
or contemptibly negligent if they per¬ 
mit the minority, however well organized 
for pelf, to thrive at their expense. 
BR EVITIE S. 
We hope to be able to present our fruit sup 
plrment week after next. 
Our Everywhere correspondence is for the 
most part crowded out of this issue. 
The longest head of wheat we have ever 
seen, measured inches. We have heard of 
longer heads. 
We should like to have our readers, during 
the coming season, select the longest heaviest 
beads of wheats in their fields. Then sow 
these in small plots in the Fall. Fcom these 
again select the best heads ; again sow in 
small plots and so on. i n a few years we are 
of omnion that the yield froinsueii seed would 
double that now harvested under the same 
cultivation. 
So anxious is I»r. John BennetLawest.bat 
the world-renowed Rotharasted experiments 
should be made uv ail able for the instruction 
of the farmers of this country .that he has writ¬ 
ten to Commissioner Loring that he is willing 
to break what has always been au absolute 
rule of his, and take as a student any person 
the United States may send to him; or he will 
make arrangements to send to this country a 
duly qualified man, every second or third 
year, to lecture on the Rothn rusted experi¬ 
ments and to illustrate them practically. We 
have always been urgent in our appeals for 
the establishment of State Agricultural Ex¬ 
periment Stations, but how many years of 
time, how many thousands, aye tens of thou¬ 
sands of dollars, how much thought, talent 
and industry, how many joyful realizations 
and dispiriting disappointments, how much 
faint praise, jealous belittling, unap¬ 
preciative neglect and hostile denuncia¬ 
tion must attend on the best of such 
stations before it can achieve tbe results 
already attained at Rotimmstod. We trust, 
therefore, that tbe American agricultural 
public and its official representative, the Agri¬ 
cultural Department, will hail this generous 
offer of Dr. Lawes in a fitting spirit. 
A decision of a good deal of interest to the 
dairyman has just been rend jred by Judge 
McCreary in the United States Circuit Court 
at Keokuk, Iowa. Tbe case involved the 
validity of the Cooley patent—known to all 
farmers as covering "An improvement for 
raising Cream.” The suit was brought by 
Boyd, the assignee of tho Couloy patent fur 
Iowa, against J. G. Cherry of Cedar Rapids, 
patentee and manufacturer of a rival milk can 
which was alleged to be an infringement on the 
Cooley patent. The ruse was pending /or the 
last two years and the judge decided against 
the Cooley patent on the ground of want of 
novelty, and because the principles covered 
by it had been embodied iu other devices 
prior to the issue of the patent. It is said that 
there are many other suits pending, which 
will go the same way unless they are with 
drawn. Taken in connection with Judge Wal¬ 
lace’s decision against Green's patent on the 
•‘driven well,” rendered at Syracuse, N, Y., 
the other day, this decision strikes a severe 
blow at patents covering “ broad claims,” 
whereby certain manufacturers seek to mono¬ 
polize principles aud processes which are the 
common property of mankind. Western 
farmers expect that the Washburn and Moen 
patent on barbed wire fence will be the next 
burden lifted from their galled shoulders. 
While farmers, as a rule, huve been com¬ 
pensated, more or less fully, for short crops 
due to last year’s phenomenal drought, by un¬ 
usually high prices for all products that sur¬ 
vived, hero and there the dry spell proved 60 
disastrous as to leave tho agriculturists in a 
truly woeful plight. Last week we recorded 
the cry for help from a dozen Egyptian coun¬ 
ties In Southern Illinois, aud this week we give 
voice to a similar cry from Caldwell, Ouach¬ 
ita, Richland, Fraukliu, Winu, Grant, and 
E jrtions of Jackson and Concordia Parishes, 
OUisiana. In the Pelican State pa risbes cor¬ 
respond to counties in tbe other Htates, and 
the broad area included in these parishes is 
usually one of the most thriving iu the State. 
At a meeting held at Columbia, Caldwell 
Parish, on February 9tb, an appeal for aid was 
made for the people residing in the above sec¬ 
tion. Tbe unprecedented drought of last 
Summer and Fall, causing a failure of corn, 
potatoes, peas, and even grass, and a very 
short cotton crop, lias brought almost universal 
destitution and want upon the community, 
and unfortunately there are few merchants or 
wealthy men to furnish money or supplies to 
alleviate the destitution. Nineteen twentieths 
of the people, we are assured, including both 
colors and all classes, have no corn for their 
starving teams; no bread, no credit; nowhere 
to go and no means for goiug anywhere, while 
for the past two months the hogs have been 
dying fast in the hill country because of the 
entire failure of mast and corn. Just as we 
go to press, another telegram from New 
Orleans alleges that the above report is a 
“ politician’s trick,” and that ^although there 
is much destitution in these parishes, those 
who are willing to work can get bread, 
What is the truth about it ? 
