362 
JUNE 5 
THE RURAL NEW-V@RKER. 
Jittetrral implements* 
THE BOOKWALTER ENGINE. 
We have frequently dwelt in these columns 
upon the numerous economical advantages of 
steam power for many agricultural purposes. 
Among the most Obvious of these are;—driving 
grain thrashers, feed mills, corn mills, wood 
saws, cotton gius, presses, etc. The great re¬ 
duction in the price of engines and the many 
improvements lately made lutheir construction 
remove obstacles to their use, that formerly 
existed. At this day engines can be procured 
so simple yet complete in their construction 
that any ordinary farm hand can run and man¬ 
age them. In the vary front rauk of this kind 
is the Bookwaltcr engine, which has won a 
highly favorable reputation throughout the 
United States and in many loreigu countries. 
It is widely in use for driving all sorts of ma¬ 
chinery, and those who have tested its many 
merits arc loud in their praise of its cheapness 
safety, durability, power and thorough efficien¬ 
cy. Wc have recently received from its manu¬ 
facturers, Messrs. James Letfol & Co., of 
Springfield, Ohio, a very neat pamphlet of 83 
pages, giviug prices aud fall description of 
this engine, and containing a number of letters 
from customers who have tested it, together 
with a good deal of other interesting informa¬ 
tion. These pamphlets are sent, free, on appli¬ 
cation to all intending purchasers of steam 
power. 
The accompanying cut represents the Book- 
waiter enginu driving a cotton gin and press, 
as many of our readers in the Cotton States 
have doubtless seen it, for the engine has had 
a wide sale in that section. It will be seen 
lhat the belt on the engine pulleys runs direct 
to a suitable pulley on the line shaft and that 
the gin aud press are driven by belts attached 
to pulleys on this shaft. Of course, the same 
arrangements wilt answer for driving corn 
mills, wood saws and various other kinds of 
machinery. As important as steam power is 
to many of our Northern farmers, it is of much 
greater importance to the Southern cotton 
planter, and sines the recent Introduction of 
Improved engines planters find that they cau- 
uot afford to wear out their horses and mules 
during the ginning season, when good, reliable, 
efficient and cheap steam power cau be had 
for the purpose, which will do so much more 
aud better work. Messrs. James Leffel <fc Co 
have fully demonstrated that a good, safe and 
reliable engine aud boiler, giving a strong 
tftrtrjjlojjm. 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Ahk., Greenwood. Sebastain Co., May 22.— 
No rain since April 88, until a light shower to¬ 
day. Wheat crop not up to the average. 
Early-sown is now ready for the reaper and 
thrasher. Wages $1 per day- Oats not half 
a crop, and headed. Irish potatoes a light 
crop, but many farmers will plant for a second 
crop, in Juno. Considerable late corn will then 
be planted. The recent dry weather does not 
seem to Injare cotton. The most of it looks 
well, but the leaves of corn in 6oine fields 
begin to curl. Blackberries are half growD, 
and early peaches will soon ripen. R. u. 
III., Baldwin, Randolph Co., May 22—We 
are having splendid weather for all kinds of 
grain. We have had plenty of rain, but will 
need more to keep things growing. Wheat is 
nearly all headed out aud to a person riding 
along the road it looks as though wc were to 
have, if anything, a better crop than last year; 
but one who closely inspects the growing 
grain will find that the outlook is not nearly 
so favorable as at this time last year for as 
great a yield per acre as that of last harvest, 
though owing to the increased acreage about 
as heavy an aggregate yield may he obtained. 
Farmers who have held buck their wheat for 
higher prices now are somewhat “ in the 
dumps" at the fall of prices, and as there 
seems to be slim chances of a rise, they are 
selling a considerable quantity at figures much 
below those obtainable last winter. The 
prices now do not go over a dollar a bushel, 
while some time ago as much as 5-1 85 could 
be readily obtained. During the past winter 
wheat was damaged more than usual; when 
thrashed the weevil infested most of it. and 
alterwards it heated in the granaries, and that 
which was kept till now is mostly musty and 
brings only from 75 to 90 cents per bushels, 
its retention entailing a loss of from 35 to 50 
cents per bushel on the owners. When to sell 
his produce is the puzzling question for the 
farmer. While the market is advanclug he 
naturally waits to see how h'gh it will go in 
order to sell at the topmost figure, and when 
a drop occurs he waits to see whether prices 
will not go up again, aud all the time his 
6tores may be robbed by vermin or damaged 
be obtained for them, on the chance of getting 
a better, and as those whose business is specu¬ 
lation are better 11 posted,” it is only natural 
the novice should often meet with reverses in 
competing with them in their own business. 
Corn is up in first-rate condition and is being 
promptly cultivated. Oats look well. There 
are assurances of an immense crop of fruit, 
and altogether our prospects are fine for an 
abundant harvest. n. j. s. 
Ind.. Hall’s Corners, Allen Co., May 24.— 
The Ennobled Oats are about 15 inches high 
and are growing fast; the Cow-peas are very 
nicely up and growing well; my Mangels are 
just coming up; the Cuthbert Raspberries are 
growing, aud as for tbe balance of the seeds— 
which I gave to tbe care of my wife—1 hey 
are generally doing well. A word in reference 
to Blount’s corn:—Oar district fair offers a 
premium for tho best acre of corn, aud the 
Indiana Farmer Co offer $800. in seven pre¬ 
miums to boys under IS years. I fenced off 
one acre for one of the boys for tbe trial with 
this corn. It is well up and he has a good, 
even stand, and I think he will be hard to bcat ( 
if the season is favorable. The little patch we 
planted last year was a good schooling for ns 
in raisiug Blounts corn. Crop prospects in 
this part of the county are very favorable for 
wheat aud oats ; patatoes, too, are very prom¬ 
ising, but the bugs are very plentiful. Corn is 
not all planted on account of heavy rains. 
Fruits, 6uch as apples, will be very abundant 
Peaches are in very full bearing, though the 
trees are scarce, as they usually winter-kill 
in this place. Cherries, early very plentiful ; 
late, scarce, Small fruits, such as currants, 
gooseberries anti raspberries are abundant. 
The worms are working haid to destroy the 
leaves on currants and gooseberries. Straw¬ 
berries are getting ripe and bearing full. The 
hog prospect is not good, as there is a good 
deal of cholera at this time. Cattle aud sheep 
are doing well, as there is an abundant pas¬ 
ture. W. H U. 
Minn., Township of Winnebago City, Fari¬ 
bault Co., May 2l).—A dry cool April enabled 
us to comrdele one small grain sowing by 
about the 25th. A continuation of dry weather 
created fears among the farmers that the grain 
could not germinate; but a kind Providence 
removed the anxiety by eendiug copious 
showers, aud to-day our prairie farms are 
beautiful to look upon There is an unusual 
a stretch known here as the Blue Earth Valley, 
a country uueurpassed in beauty and richness 
of soil. Every crop that is put in the ground 
soon starts to life aud with astonishing rapid¬ 
ity. Our meadows, which one month feiuoe 
were brown and sear, to day are covered 
with a verdant growth of the richest gr asses 
over a foot in bight In many places. Dry sea¬ 
sons, the past two years, have occasioned 
many to feel discouraged—new comers prin¬ 
cipally who were dependent on the grain they 
sowed for support—but those who bogau 
stock raising some yeare previous and had cat¬ 
tle and swine to fall back upon, feel no em¬ 
barrassment on account of drought. We 
have railroads running at right angles through 
the county, so there is no lack of conveyance 
for marketable produce. Tho Sioux City 
Road will be completed this summer to Fort 
Dodge, Iowa, so there will be rt, continuous 
line of rood from 8t. Paul 1o the former place. 
The Southern Minnesota Road is completed 
from La Crosse to Jackson, a distance of 235 
miles west of the Mississippi. Farming lands 
here arc worth from 5*10 to $15 per acre, on an 
average. Some located near towns, are higher. 
There are many places for sale, unimproved 
and improved, the latter belonging to own¬ 
ers who have gone cn farther west and taken 
up homesteads, some beiug embarrassed aud 
others of lhat migratory class who never re¬ 
main long in a place. 1 moved lu here last 
full paying $2,600 for 175 acres of which 130 
are broken, together with a good house and 
barn, two wells aud a grove of trees. This is 
the average price of improved farms here. 
H. F. s. 
Mich., Watson Co., May 22—Coni planting 
is about bait done in this vicinity, and wet, 
weather prevails to such an extent that we 
cannot finish. Wheatlookswell; grass, ditto, 
and there will be an abundance of fruit of all 
kinds. As the weather is warm, everything 
that has been planted or sown is growing fine¬ 
ly. It is unusual for Roses fo bloom in May ; 
but wc have now some white Scotch Roses in 
full bloom. Never since my remembrance, was 
wheat so forward at this season of the year as 
now. n h e. 
Mo.. Springfield. Green Co,, May 23 —The 
farmer’s Bible tells him every year if he sows 
he shall reap, and tight liberally did the farm¬ 
ers of this country 60 w for this coming har¬ 
vest. Perhaps the largest acreage is now in 
horse power can be made for the low price of 
$280, aud one of 6J horse power for $370. 
A good engine at such low prices will prove of 
special benefit to tho agricultural interests of 
our country, and we trust many readers of the 
Rural New-Yorker will deem it to their in¬ 
terest to avail themselves of the opportunity 
of making so desirable an investment. 
— ■ -»»»- 
Removal,— Lewis Schilling, the originator 
of the celebrated Premium Bone fertilizers, 
has removed from Salem to Allianco, Ohio, ac¬ 
cepting the presidency of the Excelsior Fertil¬ 
izer Co. at that.place. He now has two large 
factories at work and will soon be able to fill 
all orders for his celebrated brand of fertilizers. 
by other causes. For myself I think the best 
help towards forming a correct judgment in 
such matters is a careful perusal of a good 
agricultural paper, for by studying the mar¬ 
kets in it and the frequent hints and informa¬ 
tion given here and there with regard to the* 
state of tbe crops and markets in other States 
and countries, one is in a fair position to form 
a correct opinion as to the best time to eell 
his products—especially if he is not too greedy, 
and is willing to eell at a fair profit rather than 
run the risk of a loss. For, of course, in all 
such cases a man becomes a speculator by 
holding his crops back after a good price can 
number of acres under wheat, all looking of 
a fine healthy color. Oats and barley also look 
well. Corn is just above ground oa 6ome 
fields, while the greater part is just ready to 
come up. Early potatoes are up. Garden 
6eeds all started early and show plainly in the 
rows. The seeds received from the Rural 
Grounds are all growing finely. I expect to 
be able to show the premium mangel; but 
will cheerfully waive my claim to any one 
more successful. Everything pertaining to 
the agricultural interest appears in a thriving 
condition. No. 2 wheat here is fetching $1.05. 
I write this from near the Blue Earth River, 
wheat ever sown here. Every farmer just 
now looks upon his field and asks, "What 
will tho harvest bo?" The answer comes from 
tbe waving field in a significant nod of count¬ 
less heads, indicating a large, satisfactory 
yield. Wheat in this country never looked 
better. The present outlook for all crops is 
good—the farmer is hopeful and happy now ! 
Fruit has suffered 6omcwbat by cold since 
blooming; but frost has in mo6t cases kindly 
done what few of us had nerve to do, thinned the 
over-crop, but as yet there is enough for an 
abundant yield. Grass is luxuriant, hence 
cattle, sheep etc., are happy—growing fat. 
