THE BUBAL NEW-YORKER. 
JULY 17 
THE 
Rural New-Yorker, 
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY. 
Conducted by 
ELBERT S. CARMAN. 
Cotton-seed meal, even when fed to 
cows in considerable quantity, does not 
make their butter soft and oily, as linseed 
meal does, but rather adds to its firmness 
and richness. It also more rapidly in¬ 
creases a good quality of liesh in fatten¬ 
ing beasts, as the albuminous compounds 
predominate largely in its composition. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
No. 34 Park Row, New York. 
SATURDAY, JULY 17, 1880. 
Thanks where Thanks are due.— 
The more we study the accounts of the 
harvest furnished' to the Bubal by its 
host of friends throughout the country, 
the more Btrongly are we impressed with 
their excellence and value. So full and 
instructive are they that it would be dif¬ 
ficult, aye, impossible, to discover any 
means by which so complete a knowledge 
could be gained of the agricultural con¬ 
ditions of all parts of this broad land, as 
can be obtained by a careful perusal of 
these multitudinous reports, especially 
if the reader studies a moderately good 
map of the country at the same time. 
We hereby thank all our friends who 
have enabled us to place before the pub¬ 
lic so valuable and trustworthy a state¬ 
ment of our agricultural condition. 
.-♦♦♦- 
A WASTED FERTILIZER. 
It is a common practice of farmers on 
the coast—and particularly in New Eng¬ 
land—to gather all the sea-weed and kelp 
that are thrown up by the surf or washed 
in by storm, for fertilizing purposes. 
This'kind of manure they consider worth 
hauling, often to a considerable distance, 
although, as gathered, it is largely water 
and quite bulky. We have often won¬ 
dered why so much care was taken to se¬ 
cure the sea-weed when a far better fer¬ 
tilizer—dead fish—could be obtained on 
the same terms with less labor. There 
are many places on our coast, particular¬ 
ly in the vicinity of fisheries, where dead 
fish abound, and in some localities in 
large quantities. All aloDg the Massa¬ 
chusetts coast last fall, thousands of bar¬ 
rels of spoiled herring found their way 
back into the waters of the Atlantic, a 
portion of which might have been com¬ 
posted and made into manure upon con¬ 
tiguous farming land with profit. Since 
the menhaden fishery—for oil manufac¬ 
ture—has assumed such magnitude, the 
value of fish and fish refuse for manure 
is too well known to need further com- 
ment. . 
If the menhaden or “pogy ” is good for 
fertilizing, old fishermen hold that her¬ 
ring is even better, and that good results 
can be obtained by the use of any fish. 
Coast farmers would do well to make use 
of this most valuable manure, and when 
collecting the sea-weed, to gather the fish 
at the same time. “ Chum,’' or fish re-» 
fuse, from the oil manufacturies not only 
costs money, but the expense of trans¬ 
portation must be borne as well. The 
present neglect to make use of such free 
material is only another example of the 
wastefulness of American agriculture. 
-♦ » 4 - 
VALUE OF COTTON SEED TO THE SOUTH. 
It is even in the memory of compara¬ 
tively young men that ootton seed was 
considered a great nuisance to the South¬ 
ern planter, and he was sorely puzzled at 
times how to get rid of it. I xnally it oc¬ 
curred to a few that it might be used as 
a fertilizer. Slowly finding it beneficial 
to increase the growth of various crops, 
it was then thought by one here and 
there that it might be a nutritious food 
for animals, ana especially swine. Being 
allowed to come to the heaps of seed and 
eat what they pleased of it, with more or 
less lint attacked, it often proved their 
death. Alter this they cleaned the lint 
from the Beed, boiled it, and, feeding a 
moderate quantity at a tune, it was found 
highly nutritious and a perfectly safe 
food. f ' 
Next came decorticating the seed, 
grinding and pressing the oil from the 
rneaJ, wiiich made it still more valuable 
and economical than the whole seed for 
the food of all domestic animals. The 
oil was reserved for refining, and is now 
used for various other oils, such as the 
olive, castor, etc. Nor is tins all, for the 
manufacturers of oleomargarine, taking 
the hint, are now turning out from it 
what they brand as ‘ ‘ gilt-edge ’ butter! 
"What may be produced from it hereafter 
may be hard to tell, but we should not be 
surprised if, in the course of time, the 
seed of ootton might approach the value 
of that of fiax. Wnen it comes to 
this, millions of dollars will be added to 
the sum of Southern exports. 
PROBABLE DEPRESSION IN PRICES OF 
OUR CEREALS. 
The reports of the European harvest 
that have reached us by mail are consid¬ 
erably more favorable than those just re¬ 
ceived by cable. According to the latter 
the crops will be much shorter than 
reported some weeks ago, in northern 
Germany, Hungary, Gallicia, and in 
many districts in Bussia which have been 
ravaged by locusts and other insect pests. 
In the British Isles, however, the out¬ 
look is still very bright for abundant 
crops of almost every sort, and this favor¬ 
able prospect is shared by France, Spam 
and most of Italy. Although the trans- 
Atlautic harvest may, as a whole, not 
come up to the high expectations felt or 
published some time back, yet there is 
little or no doubt that it will be far better 
than last year’s, and therefore that the de¬ 
mands for our cereals abroad will be con¬ 
siderably less than during the past season, 
unless at a material redaction of prices. 
Of course, there is just a possibility that 
severe storms or drought over a vast 
extent of country on either side of the 
Atlantic may, even yet, very greatly re¬ 
duce the supply in Europe or the surplus 
here ; but this possibility is far from a 
probability. 
Looking back at the reports of the very 
fine prospects for all European crops 
that have, from time to time, been cabled 
across the Atlantic during the last few 
months, and comparing them with those 
received within the past week, one iB apt 
to suspect that the glowing accounts of 
other days received some of their bright¬ 
ness from the desire of the Old World to 
lower the prices of the surplus cereals of 
the New, by embellishing the prospect of 
the abundant harvest that must soon gen¬ 
erously relieve its own pressing need of 
foreign supplies. Be this as it may, enor¬ 
mous shipments of grain have lately been 
made to Europe to anticipate the harvest 
there and get all possible advantage 
from present rates. The arrival of these 
at their destination, together with the 
advent in market of the early harvest 
products of home growth, will doubtless 
still further depress prices, at least tem¬ 
porarily, and this depression is sure to 
intiuenbe figures here also. In view, 
therefore, of our splendid increase in 
crops here, and of the probable curtail¬ 
ment of the foreign demand for our sur¬ 
plus cereals, it is almost certain that 
prices will be unusually low, at any rate 
lor the next few months. 
For the probable depression in the 
prices of wheat, and perhaps of several 
other farm products, during this period 
at least, farmers will find some consola¬ 
tion in the thought that their labors have 
conferred a great blessing on the world 
at large. Cheapness of lood means full 
stomachs for thousands who are accus¬ 
tomed often to be content with short ra¬ 
tions ; it means an increase in marriages 
and consequent happiness—or misery; it 
means discouragement among our for¬ 
eign rivals in production, as it will bear 
more heavily on them than on us on ac¬ 
count of the higher prices of their lands; 
it means consequently a probability of 
weaker competition on their part iu the 
future; it means a heavier rush towards 
this land of plenty, of new mouths to be 
fed and new hands to do work and ac¬ 
cumulate national wealth. Of all our 
enormous crops that which is wasted 
alone fails to add to the sum of the world’s 
wealth and of man’s happiness. 
THE BLACK RAT OF OUR ANCESTORS. 
As most of our readers are aware, the 
common brown or Norway rat (mus 
deeumanus of the naturalists) now so 
generally distributed over the civilized 
world, is to be classed, as rats go, and 
comparatively speaking, among modern 
improvements. It was not until the 
middle of the last century that this kind 
of rat was known in Central and Western 
Europe, and it is said to have been 
brougne to America as recently as the 
years immediately preceding the Declara¬ 
tion of Independence. 
Previous to Uie advent of the Norway 
rat a smaller black specieB (mus rattus 
of Liumeus) was the common house-rat 
of Europe and America ; but this weaker 
and more timid animal was everywhere 
driven out by the new-comer, and ap¬ 
pears to have been pretty thoroughly 
extermined from most localities. The 
completeness of the destruction of the 
black rat has always excited the sur¬ 
prise and interest of naturalists. But it 
has recently come to light that, curiously 
enough, the black rat still lives and 
thrives in some special localities in 
Europe, where colonies or remnants of 
this species have escaped the general de¬ 
struction. During the last year reports 
have been published to the effect that, 
though extremely rare iu England and in 
most parts of Germany, the black rat is 
not uncommon to-day in certain elevated 
valleys in Thuringia and Yoigtland, not 
only in isolated houses in the forests, but 
even in villages where the Norway rat is 
found in company with it, though ap¬ 
parently in smaller numbers. 
In Italy and the Italian Islands, the 
black rat is stili abundant. Indeed in 
some of the smaller islands the Norway 
rat is not found at all; but elsewhere the 
two species are found side by side. In 
that country the black rat is not only far 
from extinction, but appears to be rather 
more abundant than the larger species. 
For that matter, the persistence of the 
black rat in Italy is in harmony with the 
old habit of the species ; for even in the 
days of its prosperity this kind of rat was 
kuown to prefer warm countries. So, 
too, the survival of the species in the 
thinly-settled forest districts of Germany 
is somewhat akin to what has been no¬ 
ticed in this country. Iu New England, 
40 or 50 years ago, naturalists observed 
that the black rat could still be found 
occasionally in old, thinly-settled places. 
Prof. Claypole, of Antioch College, has 
recently stated that 40 years ago the 
black rat was the only rat in South-west 
Ohio. About thirty yearn ago the brown 
rat drove him out. Some years later 
the same thing occurred iu Illinois. 
Prof. Claypole has been told by one of 
bis students living in Minnesota, that 
neither rat is known in and about the 
town of St. Cloud, only one ever having 
been seen there, and that was killed on 
landing from a steamer. 
In view of the German experience, 
above stated, it seems probable that 
communities of the black rat may have 
saved themselves even to the present day 
iu some parts of this country, in similar 
retreats. As is well known, the black rat 
came to America with the earlier col¬ 
onists, and was at one time extremely 
abundant. Indeed, it spread to such a 
degree that it was thought to be more 
abundant here than in the old world. It 
was subsequently driven away from the 
settlements, as it had been in Europe, on 
the arrival of the Norway rat. 
BREVITIES. 
Wb heard an old farmer remark: “ Well, I 
think that young beets are the beat vegetable 
cultivated.” 
Professor F. H. Stokek will soon begin a 
series of articles of much value entitled, "A 
Scientific View of Composts.” 
One of the Rural artists is at present at 
work upon a bird’s-eye view of the Rural 
Farm, which will be presented in our fair 
number to be issued about September 1st. 
Col. Curtis commences next week a series 
of articles under the ti tie “ Observations Among 
Rural Subscribe!He says *• Every one men¬ 
tioned is a Rural subscriber, and they are all 
among the best of farmers.” 
During the month of June the arrivals of 
cattle at tbe Chicago market were the largest 
on record—121,858, against 111,543 in May. 
The largest run iu any one week was 33,137 
and the largest rush on any single day was 
9,416, on June 35. 
In one of our wheat experiments, Fultz was 
sown in two ways, viz., six and twelve inches 
apart. The sheaves indicate that the yield of 
the former as compared to that of the latter 
will be as eight to five. There is no percep¬ 
tible difference in tbe size of the heads. 
On July 1st the University of Michigan con¬ 
ferred the degree of Ph. D. on Prof. W. J. 
Real, of the Agricultural College. He gradu¬ 
ated at the University 31 yearB ago. This 
honor shows that a good leeliug exists between 
the University and the Agricultural College. 
The acreage under wheat in British India is 
put down at 18 , 000 . 000 , against about double 
that amount in the Uulted Stales. Importa¬ 
tions ol gram from that quarter into England 
have begun to assume large proportions and 
bid fair to compensate ere long for the de¬ 
crease of cereal imports from ltusssia. 
The cattle trade of Texas bids fair tills year 
greatly to exceed that ot any previous year. 
Already considerably upwards of 500,000 head 
have been driven north from that tttuio, and 
the latest advices tell us that a great number 
of heids are now leaving, while a vast number 
of cattle are being latteued up for the North¬ 
ern and Lantern markets. 
Writers sometimes speak of the ease with 
which the Wistaria is changed from a vine to 
a standard tree or shrub. Our first experiment 
iu this way was begun five years ago. The 
little uee is now lour leet high, with a head 
three feet in diameter. It was a beautiful ob¬ 
ject during its late bloom, but the shoots Btill 
require constant watching and pinchyig back, 
or mey at once adopt the vine'habit. 
Anthrax, black-leg, or inflammatory fever, 
has become widespread among the herds of cat¬ 
tle in Winnipeg, Canada. Nineteen out of 
every twenty animals attacked die of the 
plague. Next to pleuro-pneumonia this is the 
most fatal disease that haB ever attacked cattle 
ou this continent, being extremely infectious 
and usually fatal in less than thirty hours 
after the appearance of the first symptoms. 
J. J. Thomas says : " In riding through so 
prosperous a country as some of the best 
counties of New York, one may at once select 
the school-houses by the entirely neglected 
surroundings and the bleak walls, unshaded 
by a single tree. In one instance a district 
school-house was seen In a dilapidated condi¬ 
tion, its original cast not amounting to $500, 
while two brick barns were in view, each evi¬ 
dently costing $5,000 or $6,000. This contrast 
indicated the relative estimation ot the farmers 
of their horses and their children.” 
Glorious Bhowers. Corn is looking—well 
our good readers should see it. Never before 
at this date have wo seen heavier or taller 
Btalks, broader or greener leaves. It is the 
very model of perfect health and luxuriance. 
Blount’s corn, of which we have about an acre 
—or perhaps a,little less—gained an early 
start and, though checked a little by the 
drought, is iu no way injured. In fact, we 
hope tbe check thus received may end in a 
better and earlier development of ears at the 
expense of au inch or so of hight, which would 
never be missed! 
The average yield of cotton per acre in 
1878-9 was 183 pounds, while that of the pre¬ 
vious year-"77-8 was 179 pounds. Last sea¬ 
son’s yield cannot be accurately known uulil 
the close of the cotton year—September 1, '80, 
but from present indications it can scarcely be 
under 300 pounds per acre. The present crop, 
it is expected, will be an advance on the last 
one as much in yield as in acreage, and is 
now'from 10 days to two weeks ahead of the 
usual condition at this date, except in a narrow 
strip, running north and south through Alaba¬ 
ma, and another small one in Louisiana and 
Mississippi. 
The following “crop” report Is “peculiar 
Cambridge, Mass.—No wheat, corn, oats, 
rye, or barley are grown here, and not many 
potatoes for the market. We occupy ourselves 
mostly iu eating the above-mentioned pro¬ 
ducts, though probably a good many wild oats 
are sown in the college. The principal varie¬ 
ties of potatoes are the mealy, the watery and 
the Spring. Tue achers are most numerous in 
cucumber season, though the corns cover 
many feet throughout the year. Uanes flour¬ 
ish in the college-yard (about five acres), but 
there is not much sugar in them. Prospecting 
for fruit la dangerous, as farmers keep dogs. 
Strawberries meet with great success, but 
many of them fall victims to consumption. 
B. P. M. 
Several extremely severe rain storms have 
done much injury to farm cropB and belong¬ 
ings in different parts of the country during 
the past week. Central Iowa, northwestern 
Illinois, central Kentucky, and parts of 
Georgia have suffered severely. All over the 
country the ralulall seems to have been heavy, 
and while it has in many places hurt cut hay 
and grain, it has, on tbe whole, greatly bene¬ 
fited corn and other growing crops, and will, 
doubtless, add many millions to the aggregate 
income of American agriculture this year. It 
is a difficult matter not only to suit people of 
different occupations with the same sort of 
weather: but also to suit those oi like occupa¬ 
tion with the same sort of weather for differ- 
en t crops, 
The Sparrow Pest. —We confess we do not 
feel very friendly towards the English spar¬ 
row. We may not know how much good he 
does; but we certainly do know that he does a 
great deal of harm. During the past season 
Hocks of sparrows have frequented our wheat- 
fields, and the quantity of grain broken down 
by them has been considerable. They fiy upon 
the head of grain, which at once falls to the 
ground under their weight, breaking the straw 
as it falls. As soon as they have oaten the 
kernels of one head another is broken down 
iu the same way, and this is eouilnued until 
they have eaten their fill. Their worst depre¬ 
dations were confined to the ripening grain at 
that stage when it was between milk and 
dough. As soon as the kernel hardened they 
quit the grain fields for other pastures. 
Agricultural statistics show that in the 
last 15 years the production of wheat and bar¬ 
ley here has doubled; that of corn, cotton and 
tooacco more than doubled; potatoes uearly 
doubled; hay increased more than one-third 
and oats about 140,000,000 bushels. The vast 
increase in cereals is mainly due to the rapid 
development of the Western and Northwestern 
States. During the present generation the 
corn center has been transferred from the 
South to the West, and the wheat center from 
the Middle States to the Far West. From 1870 
w 1878 the production of tobacco increased 
100,000,000 pounds, mainly in the South; 
while Texas and Arkansas have been the 
chief contributors to the increase of nearly 
two and a quuit r million pounds of cotion in 
the same time- In the former 157 000,000 were 
raised in 1870. and 500,000,000 in 1673; In Hie 
latter, 111,000,000 pouuds iu '70, and 318,000,- 
000 in '78. 
An act of the last Congress will be very 
likely to cause a large increase in the growth ot 
tobacco through the country in small patches. 
Hitherto ail dealers iu the weed, however small 
their aggiegate yearly transactions, have had 
to pay to me National revenue a tax of $35. 
Hundreds of country-store keepers were there¬ 
fore prevented from buyiug or trading for 
small parcels of tobacco from the neighboring 
farmers, because their yearly dealings iu the 
article would be too trilling to justify them iu 
taking out a license, for which they must pay 
the above sum; consequently farmers, thus 
lacking a convenient market, were discouraged 
from planting the weed, by the new act, the 
license lee ot the small dealer is reduced from 
$30 to $5 per annum, and this roduedou will, 
doubtless, induce thousands of store-keepers 
to deal in a small way iu the article, whicn is 
pretty sure to lead to a great increase in the 
cultivation of tobacco in small quantities. 
