268 
APRIL 24 
THE RURAL MEW-Y0RKER. 
THE 
RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
PUBLISHED EVEHY SATURDAY. 
CON DUCTED BY 
ELBERT S. CARMAN. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
78 Duane Street, New York. 
SATURDAY, APRIL 24. 1880. 
REMOVAL. 
On and after May IbI; of this year the 
Rural New-Yorker will occupy its new 
quarters, No. 34 Park Row, comer of 
Beekinan Street. . 
Milking Prizes. The British Dairy 
Farmers’ Association, offer a large num¬ 
ber of prizes for the best milkers to be 
exhibited at their show next October. 
We understand that Short-horn, Ayr¬ 
shire, Guernsey, Jersey, Kerry, Dutch 
(Holstein), and some other breeds will be 
entered there for competition. Would 
it not be worth the while of some of our 
own dairymen to send a few cows there ? 
If the richness of milk is to be consid¬ 
ered as well as the quantity given, we 
are confident no oows can excel the 
American. Where are the records in any 
country of cows like ours making 500 to 
600 pounds each of first-quality butter 
per annum ? 
—-- 
Noxious Drugs to Horses.— Grooms 
are too much in the habit of administering 
these, wholly careless or ignorant of their 
injurious effect. Tin's is particularly the 
case with arsenic, which they freely use, 
in order to give horses a finer and more 
showy coat of hair. We often hear of 
cases of the death of horses from this 
cause, both at home and abroad. It is 
an imperative order from us to our stable 
men to never give medioino of any kind 
to our animals without first consulting 
us. In some European countries, par¬ 
ticularly in Hungary, we have heard that 
the lower class of females are almost in¬ 
sanely addicted to the habit of taking 
arsenic, to improve the complexion of 
the face. In a short time the system 
gets so accustomed to this dangerous 
drug, that a delicate female oau take 
euough at a single dose to kill half a doz¬ 
en stout men. But a continuation of 
these doses for a few years is sure to re¬ 
sult in premature death. 
-■» - 
It is proved, where fish are pre¬ 
served in many of our bays open to the 
sea, and even in some few lakes and 
streams, and not allowed to be caught 
except at proper seasons, that, acre for 
acre, the water furnishes a mure valu¬ 
able product than the richest and most 
highly cultivated land. We are glad to 
notice that more and more attention is 
given to this matter annually, by the 
United States and single State Govern¬ 
ments, also by private individuals. Fish 
add a great variety to our food and are 
alike healthful and palatable, perhaps 
more so than most kinds of meats. By 
exchanges withforeign nations, many new 
kinds have been added to our waters, and 
we fire promised more. In consequence 
of this our products ure continually in¬ 
creasing, and some waters, in which, 
heretofore, little of consequence found 
life, are now producing largely, as in the 
instance of the European Carp which 
subsists solely on vegetable matter grow¬ 
ing in the water. 
Wheat and rye for late autumn, winter 
and early spring pasturage are extensive¬ 
ly cultivated in many districts of our 
Southern States; and for the first and 
last season, we eanuot imagine why 
tin y are not more cultivated ill the Mid¬ 
dle state s, as high up, at least, as the 
40 and 41 ° of north latitude. Our farm 
is in the former latitude, and we have 
been in the habit of sowing these grams 
for pasturage for years past. We sow 
through the last week iu August to the 
first weekol September, and by the last 
of October the gram gets so rank and 
high as to give a good bite, and this gain 
occurs ordinarily by the last of March or 
the first week in April. If left to grow, 
rye is fit to cut for soiling by 15 to 25th 
of May, and wheat a few weeks later. 
The soil on which these grams are sowed 
for pasturage, should be a rich, warm, 
dry loam; there is then no danger of 
poaching in turning stock on so late and 
early ; but yet this stock ought to be of 
the lighter weights. Sheep may be of 
full size ; but the cattle should not be 
over 6 to 24 mouths of age. When rainy, 
the stock must be kept oil', end if nights 
are frosty, don’t turn on till the sun has 
dried it up. A ration of linseed or cotton 
seed meal should be given night and 
morning, to keep the bowels in good 
order. 
- ♦♦♦ - 
Mr. Parsons, in an essay from which 
we have quoted under What Others Say, 
speaks of the Sun-ray Pine (Pinus Masso- 
niana, var.)as having received its familiar 
name from the fact the “leaves are so 
clustered on the sides of the branches as 
to spread in every direction.” The Ru¬ 
ral New-Yorker used the word “Sun- 
ray” iu writing of this golden variety 
several years ago, simply because the 
yellow needles reminded the writer of the 
sun’s rays. We were not aware that it had 
been so called previously, or we should 
not have claimed the credit of that very 
appropriate name. Mr, Parsons speaks 
of the peculiarity of its late variegation. 
We have before alluded to the fact that 
when the new leaves first appear in the 
spring a mere dot or transverse line of 
yellow is seen. As the leaves lengthen, 
it appear. - ? that this yellow dot or line 
alone elongates, so that finally the greater 
part of the leaf is golden yellow. This 
color is retained through the winter, pre¬ 
senting a bright and beautiful sight either 
iu contrast with the snow or with the 
dreary appearance of the winter garden 
iu general. We can recall no other in¬ 
stance in which any plant so highly va¬ 
riegated as is the Bun-ray Pine is pos¬ 
sessed of so much vigor, while at the 
same time the variegation is entirely con¬ 
stant. 
Our references to this beautiful coni¬ 
fer are always followed by many inquiries 
from our readers as to where it cau be 
obtaiued. We anticipate them in the 
present instance by saying that we are 
not aware that it cau as yet be purchased 
anywhere or at any reasonable price—but 
the stock in another year will prob¬ 
ably be extensive enougli to warrant its 
being placed in nurserymen’s catalogues. 
-- 
There has been, besides a great deal of 
valuable, truth, a great deal of bosh writ¬ 
ten as to the dependence of flowers upon in- 
seots for their pollenation. When anew 
medic*. ne is discovered for a certain disease, 
physicians and credulous invalids iu gen¬ 
eral are very ready to attrilmte to it cur¬ 
ative powers of so wide a range, that it 
becomes valued as well-nigh a “ cure-all ” 
ere its specific power can be well tested 
and proven. Of late years the same 
jumping at conclusions has been evident 
as regards insects and flower pollenation. 
Wherever any peculiarity exists in the 
position of the stamens, the petals or 
other parts of a flower, some ingenious 
theory has been conjured up to show 
that fertilization is dependent upon in¬ 
sect agency. It has been stated we know 
not howmany times that Kalmia latifolia, 
the well-known Calico-bush or Mountain 
Laurel, is of this class. The anthers 
rest in little pockets of the corolla which, 
as it expands, holds these, causing the 
long, slender filaments to recurve. The 
theory is that insects at this stage of the 
flower’s development, working at the 
nectar tubes below, free the anthers 
from their pockets and, the strain upon 
the elastic filaments being removed, the 
pollen is thrown upon the stigma of the 
same or other flowers. Whence it follows 
that insects are essential to the fertiliza¬ 
tion of the Kaltnia ovules ! 
The writer of this note, for a week or 
more past, has had the opportunity, 
among the Kalmia groves and thickets of 
South Carolina, of observing how entire¬ 
ly mistaken this pretty theory is. Iu 
most cases the natural expansion of the 
corolla frees the stigmas from their pock¬ 
ets. In other cases this natural move¬ 
ment is precipitated by the wind. A gen¬ 
tle shake of the corymbs of well-expanded 
flow ers was sure to shoot off a number of 
stamens, while others could be seen here 
and there shooting voluntarily. Of the 
very few insects which were seen visiting 
the flowers all rested upon the top of the 
filaments and, instead of exerting any 
force to free the anthers from their pock¬ 
ets, served rather to hold them down more 
securely. A large bouquet of buds and 
partly developed flowers was taken to 
the house and placed in water. Here, as 
iu the woods, the flowers opened and, as 
the corollas spread, the anthers were 
loosened, shooting pollen grains some¬ 
times to the distance of a foot or more. 
-» • »- 
ANOTHER BENEFIT FROM AGRICUL¬ 
TURAL COLLEGES. 
It is to be presumed that the agricultu¬ 
ral colleges have been instituted for the 
general public benefit. It is not to be 
supposed that their complete end and 
purpose are to educate youths only for 
the profession of farmers. Have not the 
parents, the full-grown men, some claim 
to be educated too, and should not the 
influence of the college go abroad to the 
farm and not be confined to the class room, 
the laboratory and the experimental plots 
and pens? So far these institutions have 
done great good. One cannot expect 
that they should find their full develop¬ 
ment in a year or two, or even in many 
years. Their officers and teachers have 
much to learn in the way of finding out 
how to teach most effectually, as well as 
to teach. It is a new business to be 
built up upon a foundation hidden 
and to be groped for and surveyed in the 
dark. But it is gratifying to know that 
year by year the professors are accom¬ 
plishing a good deal and are finding out 
ways of doing more. We would throw 
out a suggestion which may possibly 
lead to a valuable service which may be 
done upon tho college farms. Many 
prominent farmers and agricultural writ¬ 
ers are interested in the improvement of 
of our grass lands by increasing the va¬ 
rieties cultivated. Grass is our greatest 
crop. Iu value it surpasses corn, cotton 
and wheat together. As hay and pasture, 
it should be credited with a* large portion 
of the value of live stock, dairy products, 
meat, wool, hides, tallow (including oleo¬ 
margarine, of course), poultry, eggs and 
pork, wheat and produce. It is admitted 
that our grass is not made the most of; 
that we need to grow more than two or 
three varieties and to make our pastures 
and meadows more permanent. Recent¬ 
ly our contributor, Prof. Beal, referring 
to this subject, mentioned the difficulty 
there is iu procuring seeds of varieties not 
usually grown, and iu the present issue 
Mr. Wysor refers to the same trouble. 
We have experienced this difficulty, and it 
lias to our knowledge greatly hindered the 
seeding of grass lands. Could not these 
grass 6oeds be grown to some extent upon 
the college farms and sold in small quanti¬ 
ties, pure and fresh, to farmers who wish 
to grow such grosses. Certainly it would 
be a small beginning, but every great 
improvement has had a beginning, aud 
from this small starting point it would be 
but a few years before these seeds, 
home-grown and fresh, would be regu¬ 
larly iu the market. 
------ 
HOW TO BUY A HORSE. 
Look at him standing quietly iu his 
stable, to see he has no trick like that of 
putting one hind foot over the other. In 
doing this he often cuts the fore-part of 
his hind foot with the sharp calks of his 
shoe, thus malting him lame perhaps for 
months. When brought out, do not allow 
him to he jockied in his pacts. Take 
your stand on one side of the road, aud 
let him walk naturally and quietly by; 
then turn and walk by, showing his other 
side. Now stand behind and have him 
walk off iu front of you aud from you; 
then turn and walk towards you. Ob¬ 
serve if he goes freely and easily and 
plants his lriud feet iu the tracks of his 
fore feet. Next, have him trotted by you, 
and back aud forth, watching his action 
closely. 
Now look at his eyes and make a mo¬ 
tion with your baud towards them, as if 
you intended to strike. If he winks 
quickly, or draws the head back, the vis¬ 
ion may be depended on generally as 
good, aud no blindness in him. The eyes 
should be moderately prominent. Bunk 
en eyes are apt to get blind as the horse 
grows old and often characterize a vi¬ 
cious temper. Examine the teeth aud 
see that they are sound, strongly set, aud 
even. Look at his fore legs and notice if 
he has strong knee joints, aud that they 
are not sprung. Examine the hind legs 
closely above aud below the hocks for 
any swelliugs, and especially for curbs 
aud spavins. Now look at all the pastern 
joints anil see if clear of cuts from inter¬ 
fering, or if there are any sears on them 
iu consequence of this. The pasterns 
should be rather short for a carriage- 
horse, and not much sloping. If the lat¬ 
ter, and long and elastic, they are apt to 
give out at a hard full. In a race-fiorse 
6ueh pasterns are less objectionable. Iu 
a heavy drult animal they are unpardon¬ 
able. 
The feet are often passed over, but a 
thorough examination of these is of the 
utmost importance. They should be rea¬ 
sonably large, the bools clear and tough, 
free from cracks, not shelly, and well set 
up at the heels, otherwise they will soon 
wear down on pavements or hard roads, 
and the horse become foot-sore. If al¬ 
ways to be kept in the country to work on 
a farm or dirt roads, low heels are not so 
objectionable; lastly, regard tho inside 
of the hoofs aud see that they are free 
from corns, and that there is a good-sized 
frog to soften the jar to the leg, when the 
foot stamps on the ground. 
A pony-built horse is the best for work¬ 
ing in harness, while a more rangy-bodied 
one, with longer legs may be preferable 
for the saddle, but these should not be so 
long as to be liable to weakness. The 
legs, from the hocks and knees down, in 
all horses should be rather short than 
long. 
If tho tail lifts hard and stiff, it is usu¬ 
ally an evidence of a strong back and 
quarters. If it lifts quite limber and 
easily, the reverse is apt to be the case. 
As to the age, this is readily told by the 
teeth till seven yeais old, unless they are 
“biaboped.” It is usual for jockies to call 
a horse eight when he is all the way from 
ten to twenty; but an adept can give a 
pretty shrewd guess as to this, for after ten 
years old the eyes begin to sink, gray 
hairs come into the head, aud there is a 
want of youthful look aud vivacity. 
After all, there is a great risk in buy¬ 
ing a horse, even from an owner who is 
truthful aud honestly disposed to speak 
of his failings : for in many cases he 
is really ignorant of what these are or 
of incipient diseases which may be lurk¬ 
ing in the system at the time of sale. 
As for the tricks of jockies in hiding the 
age, faults, and covering up diseases, 
they are past finding out; and when they 
trade with each other even, the very 
smartest aud most knowing one gets 
cheated easily by one much more skillful 
than himself in showing off a horse. It 
is only after using a horse for months 
that pretty much all that there is in him 
can be found out, and we have known 
unexpected faults and vices to turn up 
after possessing one for years. 
In the eity stables so many horses are 
kept under the same roof, and there is 
such a want of proper ventilation that 
“piuk eye” and the “horse distemper” 
are often prevalent there, or if not shown 
at the time of purchase, these break out 
soon after. It is safest to buy a horse im¬ 
mediately upon its arrival in town, before 
he has a chance to get diseased, and before 
the sellers have time to “slick him up.” 
Never mind a dirty coat and rough looks; 
you cau clean the former aud smooth the 
latter without risk to the animal as soon 
as you get homo, and after this he will 
probably show 25 to 50 per cent, better 
than when you bought him. One rather 
thin in flesh is safer to buy than when 
fat, for this covers bad points, and when 
worn down somewhat a rather fiue-ap- 
pearing horse turns out to be very com¬ 
mon-looking. 
-- 
BREVITIES. 
Our Market Reports show clearly the small 
number of varieties of grass seeds regulaily 
quoted iu the chief markets of the country. 
Last year we gave an engraving of the double 
white Chinese Wistaria. Our correspondent 
in South Carolina has seen what purported to 
be the above, but the flowers were single. 
“ From tlie best information that 1 cau get.” 
says our Aiken (SC.) correspondent, ‘•the 
acreage of cotton in this part of the South will 
be over 25 per cent, greater thau last year.” 
To l’BBVWNT milk fever in cows the London 
Agricultural Gazette says: give ten drops of 
the strong or “ mother" tincture of aconite, iu a 
wine-glass of cold water ouee u day for about 
a week before calving; also a dose as soon as 
possible after calving ; then throe or four times 
a day for a couple of iltij s, alter wbieh period 
the danger may be considered over. In addi¬ 
tion to this, if the cow shows a great abund¬ 
ance of milk in her bag, a moderate quantity 
of this should bo drawn out daily a week be¬ 
fore calving. 
Ma. Moehuu observed during a visit to James 
Vick that be is at present, particularly inter¬ 
ested in Phlox Drummomlii. That was always, 
we believe, a favorite of Mr. Vick, aud there 
are few bedding animals tliat give more satis¬ 
faction. It is a great favorite in some parts 
of the South also. The writer of lias six weeks 
ago, was admiring beds Of Drummond's Phlox 
iu the gardens of Aiken, 8. 0. In that climate, 
when once planted, it is always planted and, 
indeed, in a few years bec&mes a weed, if wu 
could suffer ourselves to apply the word Lo so 
beautiful a plant. 
During Die past week forest fires have been 
exceptionally wide-spread aud disastrous in 
New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Besides 
the enormous.loss of valuable limber caused 
by ibem. much farm property has also been 
destroyed, in the shape of fences, bay 
grain, " barns, etc., aud iu muny eases it has 
been only by the greatest exertion on tbo part 
of the neighborhood, ihai isolated farm houses 
and even villages luivo been saved Irwin the 
flames. In some cases losses of stock ami even 
of human lives are reported. Many of these 
fires have, doubtless, been due either to ihe 
carelessness or malice of tramps—another 
cause for tho suppression of these pests. 
The returns oi April 1st to the Department 
of Agriculture show an increase in -he area 
gow'D iu wheat last tall of 13 per cent, more 
than in the fall previous; in the urea sown iu 
rye there is a decline of six per cent, as com¬ 
pared with the year previous. The condition 
is 98—precisely the same this April us last year. 
There was a large increase in fall-sown wheat in 
those States that heretolore have exclusively 
sown iu the spring. As shown iu our recent re¬ 
ports, the experiments were unforluuaie. and 
all—particularly Iowa and Nebraska—report 
great disaster Irom the winter. On the whole, 
the wheat crop thu- far looks as favorable as 
in the spring of 1819. except, of course, in Hie 
spring wheat belt. The condition of livestock, 
as represented, is very favorable—better than 
lor several ycat’B. No disease is reported other 
than cholera among the swiue, and that is iya 
worse thau last year, if so bad. 
