THE 
Rural New-Yorker, 
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY. 
Conducted by 
ELBERT S. CARMAN. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
No. 34 Park Row, New York. 
SATURDAY, AUG. 7, 1880. 
FINAL NOTICE, 
The next Fair Edition of the Bubal New- 
Yorker will be issued about September 1st. 
Instead of 28, as in our laBt Fair number, 
it will consist of 40 pages with cover, orig¬ 
inal engravings and articles written ex¬ 
pressly for it by Dr. J. B. Lawes, of Rotham- 
6 ted, A. B. Allen, William Robinson, founder 
and editor of the London Garden, Professor 
F. H. Storer, Peter B. Mead, Gov. R. W. Fur¬ 
nas, Prof. E. W. Stewart, B. F. Johnson, 
Henry Stewart and by others, perhaps, whose 
names we are not at present prepared to an¬ 
nounce. It will contain a full account of our 
next Free Plant and Seed Distribution which 
we deem of greater value than any previously 
offered. It will contain our Premium List 
for 1881 together with other matter which it 
would be premature further to partieularize 
now. Respectful notice is hereby given to ad¬ 
vertisers that we cannot insure the insertion of 
advertisements in that number unless the copy 
s received before August 15, or possibly Au¬ 
gust 10th. We guarantee that the edition shall 
be over 100,000 copies. The greater part, 
after ser ving our subscribers, will be distributed 
at the most important of the Fall fairs. Our 
regular subscribers are freely invited to 
send for as many copies as they may be 
willing to distribute among those who are 
interested in rural aftairs. All the friends of 
the Rural New-Yorker, who are satisfied 
with the eltorts we have made to please and 
instruct them, are solicited to aid us, through 
this Fair number, in 60 extending our cir¬ 
culation that further improvements may be 
inaugurated and sustained during 1881. 
A letter which we have just received 
from Dr. Lawes (Rotliamsted) under 
date July 16, says: “We are suffering 
very much from wet, and the hoods in 
my part of England are as bad as they 
were in July, 1875. Unless we have a 
change shortly our wheat crop will be 
much injured.” 
How to Apply London-purple.— Most 
persons who have tried London-purple 
mixed with water and with hour or plas¬ 
ter, prefer the latter. It needs no stir¬ 
ring and is far more quickly applied and 
evenly distributed. During the present 
season we have used London-purple in 
preference to Paris-green, for the reasons 
that it is just as destructive to the beetles 
or their grubs, while a given quantity 
costs less and goes further. 
To mix the Purple with hour or plas¬ 
ter, we adopt the following plan : A half¬ 
barrel of the plaster (or hour) is mixed 
at once, being as large a quantity as can 
be handled conveniently at one time. 
This is spread about three inches deep 
upon a tight floor. The Purple is then 
sprinkled over the entire surface in suf¬ 
ficient quantity and an iron-tooth rake is 
used to mix them together. The rake 
readily makes its way through the mass 
of plaster, on account of the slight resist¬ 
ance it offers, and a thorough admixture 
is thus effected in a few minutes. As to 
the quantity of Purple, we use about one 
quart to a barrel of plaster. If used 
stronger than this it will kill the leaves. 
A very good guide as to strength is this : 
Use London-purple enough to color the 
plaster a just perceptible tint of lilac. 
A barrel of plaster thus prepared suffices 
to dust thoroughly a half-acre of vines 
when the beetles and grubs are so num¬ 
erous as to be found upon every leaf. 
. - 
BAILEY’S MAMMOTH ENSILAGE SEED 
CORN. 
Mb. John M. Bailey’s “Book of En¬ 
silage,” which we have just received for 
notice, has an imprint on the cover and 
also on the first leaf of a remarkably 
vigorous corn plant as a specimen of 
a variety which he is pleased to call 
“ Mammoth Ensilage Seed Corn.” He 
further says that “ The Mammoth Ensil¬ 
age Com yields from 40 to 75 tons of 
green fodder per acre,” etc., and exhorts 
the public to send for price lists. The 
fact is that it is none other than Blount’s 
White Prolific Com, which the Rural 
New-Yorker distributed amoug its sub¬ 
scribers last year, and the engraving in 
the “Book of Ensilage” ib an exaot re¬ 
production (except in size) of a stalk of 
this corn, which was engraved by ns and 
first published in the Hural of March 
8th, IS79. "We subsequently permitted 
a couple of seedsmen to use the engrav¬ 
ing, but we should be pleased to know 
what right the author of “The Book of 
Ensilage ” has to adopt this cut and 
change the name of the variety from 
Blount’s White Prolific to that of Mam¬ 
moth Ensilage Seed Corn. As to the 
value of the system of ensilage, our 
opinion has already been expressed in 
the Rural. 
- •» ♦ ♦ 
PORTABLE FARM STEAM ENGINES. 
Ah the use of these is constantly in¬ 
creasing for various purposes on the farm, 
and in barns for cutting up and prepar¬ 
ing fodder, the same attention ought to 
be bestowed in the practical education of 
the men managing them, as is done on 
that of those employed on railroads and 
steamboats. In England employers are 
very particular as to the qualifications 
of the drivers of portable farm engines 
for plowing, etc. Each driver is obliged 
to certify that no accident has ever hap¬ 
pened to the engine or its attendants dur¬ 
ing a period of not less than 18 months 
of previous service, and, in addition to 
this, the engine and driver are inspected 
by a professional examiner and inspector. 
It is but a few weeks since we saw a re¬ 
port in the papers of the bursting of 
the boiler of a farm engine, and the 
man sent out by its manufacturers to sot 
up and start it, was instantly lulled, and 
several spectators standing about were 
badly wounded. Iu years past there 
have been various accidents from farm 
engines ; but we do not recollect whether 
any, except the one above, was fatal. 
Au explosion in a barn filled with hay 
and straw and at tached to stables of cattle 
and horses, would be attended with great 
loss of property and animals, and perhaps 
sometimes of human life. Manufactur¬ 
ers should not only thoroughly try their 
engines and boilers before sending them 
out, but allow' no one to go with them 
unless of tried competency iu their man¬ 
agement besides being strictly faithful 
and perfectly sober in all his habits. 
■ - *♦-♦- 
CLEAN CEREAL FOOD. 
While ingenuity seems almost to have 
exhausted itself in devices to secure the 
entire purification of Llie grain of wheat 
before it is ground into iiue flour, it is 
strange that so little care is taken with 
other grains in the preparation for bread¬ 
making. Even wheat designed for “ Gra¬ 
ham ” Hour is rarely cleansed as it ought 
to be, and it is notorious that for this 
kind of Hour the lower grades of wheat 
are commonly used. When it comes to 
rye and buckwheat, and especially to 
corn, we may say that they are. as a rule, 
ground in their filth, original and ac¬ 
quired, and so come to the table for hu¬ 
man food. Wheat must be cleansed to 
make white Hour. This whiteness is a 
prime element in the price, and therefore 
of main consequence to the miller. The 
cleanliness or otherwise of other fiours 
and meals is not so manifest to the eye 
of the purchaser, and the millers handle 
them as though it made uo difference 
what is ground up with the grain. This 
fact is known to many, and prevents them 
from eating what they would otherwise 
regard as wholesome and agreeable food. 
The extent to which this disregard of 
cleanliness concerning an important class 
of our food materials is carried, is so great 
that it is often detected by the taste’ and 
people who are fond of bread made from 
the coarse meals are given a disgust to¬ 
wards them which endures through life. 
It is difficult to designate a remedy for 
an evil like this, so far as the people of 
towns and cities are concerned; but 
farmers carrying their own *• grists ” to 
mill can inaugurate the reform by insist¬ 
ing upon the thorough cleansing of all 
gram before grinding. k Tf they will do 
this they will establish a standard and se¬ 
cure a general use of the proper appara¬ 
tus in all custom mills, which will ex¬ 
tend in time to merchant mills, and be a 
wonderful boon to all bread eaters. 
--♦ ■» »- 
A CHANGE NEEDED IN OUR LAND LAWS. 
Under our present laws the public do¬ 
main is classified as mineral, coal, timber, 
and agricultural laud. Under the last 
head is included arid pasturage which 
at present is worthless, or nearly so, for 
farming purposes, but well suited for 
stock ranges. Vast tracts of such land 
lie west of Kansas and Nebraska, extend¬ 
ing through Colorado and New Mexico 
to the Rocky Mountains. Next to the 
Texan prairies these plains are the main 
stock pasturages of the country, and the 
number of animals raised upon them is 
rapidly increasing. Through a great deal 
of this region a more or less bitter strife 
exists between the stockmen and home¬ 
steaders. The former insist that the 
country is unsuitable for ordinary farm 
purposes, and that it should be reserved 
exclusively for pasturage, and should be 
sold in extensive tracts to cattle raisers, 
while the latter maintain that the success 
which has already attended the efforts of 
our pioneers in reclaiming the “Great 
American Desert” goes strongly to show 
that almost the whole region can in time 
be fitted for farming purposes. 
Under the present laws these lauds 
cannot be disposed of to individuals iu 
quantities larger than tracts of 160 acres; 
nor can they be leased to them. Many 
of them, however, have appropriated 
large areas on which they have sunk 
wells, built fences and constructed vari¬ 
ous otfier improvements. Last week one 
of these firms wrote to the Land Office in 
Washington urging the importance and 
necessity of legislation for the purpose of 
protecting large stock-breeders who, with¬ 
out legal sanction, have taken up exten¬ 
sive tracts on the arid We stern plains. 
On the northern edgeof theStakedPlains, 
in New Mexico, the writers have estab¬ 
lished a cattle ranch of 100 square miles, 
or 64,000 acres, around which they have 
built a fence, besides digging wells and 
making other improvements on it, and 
they now urge legislation to confirm them 
in their squatter sovereignty, complain¬ 
ing that several ranchmen threaten to 
cut dowu their fences and let their cattle 
out, inasmuch as they huvo uo title to 
the land. 
It is not in that section alone, but also 
in Texas, California, and Oregon, that 
ill-blood between the large stock raisers 
and agricultural settlers lias caused and 
is causing a great deal of exasperation 
and loss to both parties. It seems to us 
that there is pressing need of some legis¬ 
lation to meet such eases. These cattle 
kings are in the habit of maintaining 
their illegal appropriations of the public 
domain often in the most high-handed 
and arbitrary manner, and it is only the 
steady pressure of the constantly increas¬ 
ing number of farming settlers that can 
check their greed. Even as it is. unless 
a change is soon made in the homestead 
laws, the entire legion between the hun¬ 
dredth meridian and the Rocky Moun¬ 
tains will eventually be controlled by the 
great cattle kings. Already, by a round¬ 
about way, they have managed to obtain 
a large share of the best part of it, and 
more is constantly falling into their 
hands. 
The means to this end are generally as 
follows: The stock raisers hire—ex-sol¬ 
diers if possible—with the understanding 
that they must each homestead a quarter 
of a section of bottom land along the river 
front, or land watered by natural springs, 
and after having obtained their patents 
therefor sell their homesteads to their em¬ 
ployers for a small sum. By the land laws 
the soldier is allowed to deduct the term 
of his service from the five years that it is 
necessary to live on the claim to secure a 
Government patent, so that frequently 
the ex-soldier has had to live on the land 
for only from six to twelve months before 
he secured his land and deeded it to his 
employer. This abuse has been repeated 
by other soldiers, the stock raiser always 
securing land inclurUng living water, so 
that to-day in some sections of Colorado 
and New Mexico every river, creek and 
spring is in the hands of these men. 
They build wire fences around their pos¬ 
sessions, allow no cattle except their own 
to drink, and thus aotually control the 
adjoining range. While enjoying all the 
advantages of ownership of thousands of 
acres, they pay taxes only on the land 
under fenoe. 
If the Western plains here referred to 
are neither fit nor can be fitted for general 
agricultural purposes, the fact should be 
speedily ascertained beyond cavil, and 
the land laws should be so altered as to 
enable stock raisers to purchase or lease 
the large ranges their business seems to 
demand to secure the best results. If, 
on the other hand, the advanoe of culti¬ 
vation westward is likely to fit a great 
part, if not all, of this vast area for agri¬ 
culture, as it has already done iu some 
parts of the whilom American Desert, 
then the homestead laws should be 
promptly altered to prevent the abuse 
of their privilege by which the best por¬ 
tions of that country are being mon¬ 
opolized by a handful of wealthy stock- 
owners and speculators. In any case an 
early change in our land laws seems 
needed. 
-- 
BREVITIES. 
Nelson Ritter’s report of the Beauty of 
Hebron (in another column) is a specimen of 
many we are receiving. 
Of our eleven varieties of cow-pcas, that 
known as “Poor Land” has, up to this time, 
made the best growth. It was also the first to 
bloom. 
Wr have just received too late for this issue, 
a full account of the British Royal Agricultural 
Society’s Great Annual Show, held at Carlisle, 
England, on July the 12th. 
We should like to have every farmer read 
the article, by Richard Goodman, on page 503. 
It Btarts off like a thrice-told talc. Indeed, it 
is upon a threadbare topic—but the dress is 
new and Striking. 
Mr. James IIogo informs us that we do not 
know how best to prepare a musk-uielon. Cut 
it in halves, he says, and after taking out the 
seeds, spread a little honey over the flesh, and 
eat with a teaspoon. 
In England it has been fouud that seven 
pounds of sulphur mixed with 100 pounds of 
ground bone and allowed to slightly ferment 
fora few days before being applied 10 the soil, 
will effectually defend the ycuug turnip plants 
from the attacks of the fly. 
In Spain the Lemon verbena is considered 
as one of the best tonics and stomachics. It is 
used iu two way6—either made into an infu¬ 
sion or decoction, with hot water and sugar 
and then drank cold; or five or six leaves are 
put iuto a cup of hot tea. It is used as a remedy 
for flatulence, nervousness, diarrhea and loss 
of appetite. The flavor is very agreeable. 
From a valued correspondent in Bradford 
Co., Florida, we have received a package con¬ 
taining specimens of cow-peas planted the 
second week in May, and gathered June, 25, 
and a small bunch of Bermuda grass reported 
to contam seed. Thu peas average seven 
inches in length with au average of 38 seeds. 
We are afraid the spikes of Bermuda grass do 
not contain any true seeds. 
While noting the merits of the many new' 
strawberries that, c laim attention, the value of 
such sorts as Seth Boydeu (Boydeu’s 30) should 
not be forgotten. The berries are very large 
sweet and quite firm. Charles Downing, Boy- 
den and Sharpless are amoug the very best 
for home use. Pot-grown berries (if loell 
grown), planted before September, will pro¬ 
duce a fine crop next .year.” 
Thus touebiugly writes the Editor of the 
Mark Laue. Express: “The consumers of 
agricultural produce may be comforted by the 
good crop promised and to a considerable ex¬ 
tent gathered iu the United Stales ; but this 
only adds to the depression of ihc British 
larmer. Iu the households of our homesteads 
which look so snug and comfortable, there it, 
decp.sadnees to day, and many a brave heart 
is about broken. 
“ A quick and effectual method to destroy plan¬ 
tain and other weed pests on lawns Is to cut the 
plant otT at the crown, and drop on the top ot the 
root two or three drops of kerosene oil. The lawn 
will not be defaced by digging, anil the work Is at 
once and camplelely done; the root ales as surely 
as If struck by lightning.’’ 
It is the strangest thing that the above or 
similar advice is going tbo rounds of the Agri¬ 
cultural press, iu wet weather plaintain may 
be pulled by hand, roots and all, as clean as a 
whistle, if all the leaves be held in the hand 
when the pull is made. But at auy time this 
pest may be gmpped up with a forked iron of 
almost any kind so rapidly that nobody would 
ever dream of adopting the above fussy, silly 
method. 
A New York City contemporary takes a 
Boston daily paper to task for saying that the 
Ox-eye daisy is propagated only, by seed. It 
points out that the daisy is a perennial, and 
then states that it is only by persistent cutting 
that it can be subdued. It is a perennial plant, 
certainly; but tills method oi exterminating 
the weed is altogether impracticable, as any 
farmer knows that, has had it to Bubdue. A 
part of au old pasture field at the Rokal Farm, 
that was infested with Ox-eye daisy, was 
plowed last year about the 1st of July, while 
the daisies were in full bloom. The rooi.6 were 
thus exposed to the hot nun during a dry time, 
and at once killed, while the forming seeds 
were buried beneath the luriowu. City editors 
must think that farmers have very little to do 
wbeu they advise them to “persistently cut 
hack” sueh weeds as the Ox-eye daisy. The 
part of the field thus plowed remained hare 
during the rest oi the season, and the entire 
field was plauted to corn this Spring. It is 
noteworthy that the corn on the part of the 
field plowed in July and agaiu in the Spring, is 
at least one foot taller than that on the other 
portions plowed only in the Spring. 
The Board of Control of the New York 
State Experiment Station at Us meeting on 
August 4th, will appoint a Director aud Chem¬ 
ist for the Station. The value of the institu¬ 
tion to the farmers of the State will depend 
mainly on the character aud qualifications of 
these officers, and it is, therefore, of no small im¬ 
portance that able and trustworthy men should 
be selected for the position 6. They should be men 
whose work has already made them favorably 
known to the public. The institution at present, 
is itself an experiment, and there should not be 
anything experimental about the qualifications 
of those upon whose skill, application, and 
integrity its success depends. As it is intend¬ 
ed to make a number of experiments in prac¬ 
tical agriculture, we trust that some sagacious, 
practical agriculturist may be selected as Di¬ 
rector, while for the chemical work we are 
fortuuatoiu having at hand, in Dr. Lodoux, late 
Director of the North Carolina Experiment* 
Station, a man who has already greatly dis¬ 
tinguished himself iu that very Hue. Should 
the chemical work ot the Station be confided 
to him, we feel aBsured from careful observa¬ 
tions of his labors m North Carolina, that the 
public will be well and faithfully served, and 
that a long Btep will have been taken towards 
rendering the Experiment Station u success. 
