488 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
V1NRCH 22 
THE 
RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Conducted by 
ELBERT B. CARMAN. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
No. 34 Park Row. New York 
SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 1884. 
SPECIAL NOTICE. 
We have now' tilled all applications for seeds re 
ceived up to last Saturday. All those who. having: 
applied previous to that date, have not yet received 
them, will please notify us hy posta card at once, 
and another packet will be sent at onee. 
Alt whose names are upon our subscription lists 
are entitled to apply for these seeds, no matter when 
thp subscription expiree orwdietber It Is the inten¬ 
tion or not of the subscriber to renew’. They are not 
premiums. 
Our object In charging a part of the postage to sub¬ 
scribers is that we tnav not have applications from 
those who are not interested ill farm or garden pur¬ 
suits. 
All persons who subscribe for the Rcrai.New York 
er in connect loll with other Journals which publish 
the combination advertisement offering the seeds, 
need no! make application. Tbc seeds will be sent 
to them w ithout application except in case of over¬ 
sight or miscarriage. For example: The Inter-Ocean 
and the lU’RAL New-Yorker t nit/, its seed dixlrilm- 
lion I are offererd for $2.75 Whether t he Inter-Ocean 
is subscribed for through the Kcr.w.. or the Rural Is 
subscribed for through the Tnter-Ooeun. the sub 
scrlher to both papers Is entitled to the seeds without 
application. The same may be said of the Detroit 
Free Press. New York Times, Tribune, Suu, Mall 
{Canada), etc., etc. 
Some of our seed packages require six cents for 
postage—but most of them five cents-excopt to Can 
ada, w'here the postage Is 10 cents. Rut our subscrib¬ 
ers arc desired to send W hut three cents. The Rural 
New-Yorker pays the rest. 
CLASS VI, OF THE RURAL PRIZES. 
“Horses.”—Farm and Road. The best for 
the fanner’s use. 
Prize, One American Fruit-Dryer, Price 
$75. 
Offered by the American Manufacturing 
Company, Waynesboro, la. 
This Prize, which was not announced in our 
last, has been awarded to 
A L SARDY, 
New York City. 
The directors or principals of all experi¬ 
ment stations , agricultural colleges and 
country schools arc cordially invited to ap¬ 
ply for the Free Seed Distribution of the Ru¬ 
ral New- Yorker. 
Did you ever see a large crop of pota¬ 
toes without a heavy growth of vines? 
All of us have seen heavy growths of 
vines and small crops of potatoes. 
If you wish to send 10, 50, or 100 
specimen copies of the Rural New- 
Yorker to friends interested m farming, 
you have only to send us a list of the 
names. Specimens will he promptly for¬ 
warded. Who will send us the longest 
list ? 
-♦ -»■■♦- 
We never wish to advise our readers to 
buy seeds, plants, or implements which 
they cannot afford to buy, or can as well 
do without. But there are many who 
think they cannot afford to buy a dollar’s 
worth of grape-vines, who are ready euough 
to spend money far less advantageously. 
the land. It needs to be supplied with 
every kind of food wluch the plants re¬ 
quire -not phosphoric acid alone, or pot¬ 
ash, or nitrogen, or lime, or carbon alone, 
all of which are special foods. We must, 
then, supply to the soil all kinds of food 
of which it stands in need. It may need 
but a single element—it may need all. Tf we 
do not know what the single element is, 
we must learn by experiment, ami in the 
meantime spread ‘‘complete” foods upon 
our soils as furnished by farm manure or 
chemical fertilizers. 
Dear friends, as you read this number 
of the Rural and realize what a bright, 
useful and enjoyable paper it is, think 
how many of your neighbors neglect to 
take it. aDd bow much they unthinkingly 
lose by this neglect. Can't you do a little 
missionary work by bringing it to their 
attention, and sending us their subscrip¬ 
tions. It will make your home none the 
less bright, because it helps to brighten 
theirs; and then we naturally desire to 
increase our circulation, and this we can 
greatly do, if each, will constitute himself 
a committee to procure just one new sub¬ 
scriber. We know the times are hard; 
but these are just the times when a good 
paper, with its store of useful knowledge, 
will pay. 
Our readers are reminded that the pres¬ 
ent subscription season is not ended. 
They may yet materially aid in increasing 
the Rural’s circulation during the next 
two months. But whether they do or not, 
our best efforts arc pledged to send them 
every week for the rest of the year a pa¬ 
per that, with attentive reading, shall 
make us better friends than ever. 
One of the best things that can be said 
of horticulture is that the pursuit of it 
leads to more correct views of what con¬ 
stitutes beautv. We cannot associate 
with beautiful flowers without acquiring 
correct taste, and the heart is molded as 
well as the mind. The study of flowers 
is a rest in itself, no matter how hard we 
have to labor, and the labor is only recre¬ 
ation if we truly love flowers. 
--- 
Every year the Rural New-Yorker 
grows more discriminating as to the class 
of advertisements admitted. Both the 
extent and high character of its circula¬ 
tion render it the best medium for reach¬ 
ing the best farmers. In order that ad¬ 
vertising patrons should be enabled to 
appreciate this fully, we respectfully so¬ 
licit our readers to mention the Rural 
New-Yorker when corresponding with 
them. The request seems a just one to 
make, since readers, advertising patrons, 
and the Rural itself are measurably bene¬ 
fited by the courtesy. 
Man cannot live on water alone or even 
on bread and meat. Milk, however, is a 
complete food, that is, it supplies all that 
the system demands. It is the same with 
VARIETIES OF OATS. 
In many places last year there was much 
complaint of apples, particularly Bald¬ 
wins, having under the skin black spots 
which were bitter to the taste. All who 
were troubled in that manner should try 
some experiments on Ihe trees and report 
results to us. In this way a remedy for 
this growing evil may be found. We 
suggest a few applications to be made: 
to one tree apply two bushels of uuleached 
ashes; to another, two bushels of freshly 
slaked lime; to another. 25 pounds of bone 
superphosphate; to another, one bushel 
each of lime and ashes; to another, one 
bushel of ashes and 25 pounds of super¬ 
phosphate; to another, one full load of 
stable manure. Mark each tree, keep a 
record, and report. 
“ Captain Morton will be surprised to 
learn editorially from the Rural New- 
Yorker that he lias been for five years 
past. ‘ crazy-litaded ’ on the ensilage ques 
t.ion. I don’t think he suspects it,” 
writes a friend of the Rural and an ear¬ 
nest advocate of ensilage, referring to an 
editorial note in the Rural for March 1. 
Captain Morton is by far too sensible to 
put on the cap we held out for the “crazy- 
tieaded” only We Ireely acknowledged 
that “there may lie something good in en¬ 
silage”; but it appears to be conceded by 
all except the “crazy-headed" advocates 
of the system, that there is “a good deal 
of bad about it as well." We still be¬ 
lieve that the safest plan iu introducing 
ensilage, as in introducing all other ex¬ 
pensive innovations, would have been to 
permit the rich to make the first trials; 
for after the wealthy had “made the tests, 
the poor could then have been guided by 
the results.” It. is against the wild teach¬ 
ings of such fanatics as Billerica Bailey 
we warned our iriends. For the lessons of 
experience gained by the tests of those 
who have incurred the expense of build¬ 
ing silos, we have a proper respect; still 
we have not forgotten the fable of the 
fox that lost its tail, and wished to intro¬ 
duce among foxes the fashion of going 
without tails. 
_ _ ♦ -- 
ONWARD! 
Beside the newer oats, such as Wel¬ 
come and Triumph, we advise our readers 
to try the Probsteier Oats, sowing the 
same quantity and giving the same condi¬ 
tions in every way. The results of our 
experiments show that changes in oats are 
due to good or bad cultivation and cli¬ 
mate. Of course, there are well marked 
varieties, such as the red, white, black 
and yellow; but the changes in these, 
which occur in one country, will in a year 
or so disappear when the various sorts 
have been subjected in another country 
to what may be called their original con¬ 
ditions. For example, Mr. Mold of Eng¬ 
land changed the Black Tartarian to one 
that bore longer panicles and heavier 
grains. They were sold as “Mold’s En¬ 
nobled Oats,” and for a year or so yielded 
fine crops in our Northern States. Now, 
however, they arc simply the old Black 
Tartarian, the “ennobled” qualities hav¬ 
ing disappeared. If we take the. very 
heavy white oats, known under the names 
which seedsmen have from time to time 
given them, it will be found that under 
Fess favorable conditions they soon degen¬ 
erate to what may he called the common 
white oat. This, at least, is our experi¬ 
ence. It is for such reasons that we ask 
our readers to try the Probsteier, beside 
the Eureka, Australian, Russian, Wel¬ 
come, Triumph, etc., now presented to 
the public as remarkable new varieties. A 
trial in a small way will not cost much, 
while it may well serve to show their rela¬ 
tive values. 8uch tests the Rural New- 
Yorker has made for the past seven 
years, with what results our older readers 
are fully aware. 
generation, and hence it is supposed the 
infection was imported either in the cloth¬ 
ing of people who had been in contact 
with infected animals elsewhere, or in 
goods from other countries, which hail 
become infected in transit. 
Several meetings of the stockmen of 
Eausas have been held at. Neosho Falls, 
Osage, Emporia and other points, to con¬ 
cert measures for limiting and stamping 
out the disease. Considerable sums of 
money have been contributed for this pur¬ 
pose. Governor Gliek, himself a large 
stock-owner, has visited the inlected sec¬ 
tions twice, and at the urgent solicitation 
of the stock owners of Kansas and the 
neighboring States and Territories, he has 
summoned a special session of the Legis¬ 
lature to meet next Monday, March 17, 
for the exclusive purpose of passing laws 
for the extirpation of the plague. Con¬ 
gress has been urged to make an appropri- 
ation of $25,000 to aid in this purpose, 
and all day yesterday was passed by the 
Seriate in consideration of the matter, the 
constitutional power of Congress to make 
such an appropriation being the principal 
point discussed. 
Ever since the outbreak of pleuro¬ 
pneumonia in this country in 1878, the 
Rural New-Yorker has been an out¬ 
spoken, earnest, consistent advocate of 
State and National legislation for the 
extirpation of that and all other contagi¬ 
ous diseases among our live stock, and 
never has Ihe necessity for such legisla¬ 
tion been more urgent than it. is now. 
Let tbe Legislatures pass the law's, and 
then let the people hold the Executive 
authorities to strict accountability for 
the appointment of honest and capable 
officers to enforce them. 
FOOT - AND - MOUTH DISEASE IN 
KANSAS. 
We are greatly pleased to be able to 
state that the circulation of the Rural 
NEW-Y r oRKER is gieater than it was last 
year at. this time, and, therefore, greater 
than it has ever been before. We are ex¬ 
tremely grateful to our friends, to whose 
exertions made to send us new subscrib¬ 
ers, and to whose kind words, we recog¬ 
nize that this gratifying result is unques¬ 
tionably iu a great measure due. Many, 
many thanks, good friends! Is the Ru¬ 
ral New-Yorker worthy of your sup¬ 
port.; and, if so, are not you aiding in the 
great work of promoting the farm inter¬ 
ests of our country while you befriend it ? 
Oh! the glorious work! 
From all we learn few real farm jour¬ 
nals can fairly claim a “ wider circulation 
this year than ever before.” We are far 
from boasting of it, but, rather, while 
happy over own success, we grieve that 
all good farm papers arc not, as they de¬ 
serve to be, equally favored. By real 
farm papers we mean those that conscien¬ 
tiously devote themselves to the advance 
ment of the true interests of agriculture- 
not those wretched, struinpety, lottery af¬ 
fairs that any good, intelligent farmer 
should blush to see upon his table. 
A fortnight has passed since the 
House of Representatives passed the bill 
for the creation of a Bureau of Animal 
Industry for the prevention and suppres¬ 
sion of contagious diseases among live 
stock; yet, in spite of urgent necessity, 
the Senate has hitherto failed to take any 
action iu the matter. The outbreak of 
foot-and-mouth disease that lately oc¬ 
curred iu Maine, was a forcible warning of 
the necessity for prompt, legislation on 
this subject, and a still more startling out¬ 
break of the same disastrous disease iu 
Kansas, which is now alarming the stock 
owners of that State, and, indeed, of the 
entire West, is a still more urgent re¬ 
minder. Shortly after tbe holidays a “mys¬ 
terious'’ disease broke out in a her * of 
cattle near Neosho Falls, Woodson Coun¬ 
ty, Southern Kansas. The first noticed 
symptoms were “a jerking of the legs up 
towards the body, the appearance of 
specks on the nose and the bowed or 
humped position in which the animals 
stood.” Swelling of the legs and sores in 
the mouth followed, and diarrhea gen¬ 
erally accompanied the infections. The 
hoofs soon dropped off, and in many cases 
the legs sloughed off to the first joint. 
Sores also appeared on the udder, and 
the milk from affected cows was fatal to 
sucking calves. The disease spread 
rapidly to neighboring herds, and assome 
of these were sold to other parts of the 
State, especially to adjoining counties, 
cattle elsewhere also soon showed all the 
symptoms of the malady. The latest re¬ 
ports indicate that herds are now infected 
in Woodson, Greenwood, Lyon, Coffey, 
Osage. Anderson, Linn and Allen Coun¬ 
ties, which form a group in the south¬ 
eastern part of the State. It is not un¬ 
likely that several of the eases reported 
to he foot-and-mouth disease, will prove 
to lie instances of some other malady; for 
in all cases of panic due to disease among 
men or beasts, there is a natural inclina¬ 
tion to attribute ordinary ailments to the 
cause of general fear. 
Several veterinarians have been busily 
engaged in the infected districts, and all 
declare emphatically that the malady is 
undoubtedly foot-and-mouth disease in 
its worst form. The origin of it nobody 
seems to know. Being one of the mo&t 
contagious of all diseases, it could be 
readily and rapidly spread from a single 
case; but it broke out. among native cat¬ 
tle which had had no communication 
with imported animals. All the authori¬ 
ties are against the theory of spontaneous 
BREVITIES. 
Read Richard Goodman’s remarks on ensi¬ 
lage on page 182. 
Plant the Beurrc d'Anjou Pear. Try the 
Dr. Reeder. The Frederic Clapp is a beauty, 
but it has not yet, fruited at the Rural Grounds. 
We should be glad to have the experience of 
nur friends as to barb wire fences. Those at 
the Rurul Farm have, during four years, 
proven satisfactory in every way. 
Wk havo a great number of inquiries as to 
spring-tooth harrows, and the question is 
asked, which the R. N-Y. prefers. We have 
tried but one, the Farmer’s Friend, and can¬ 
not, therefore, speak of the comparative 
worth of the various sorts. Wo ask our read¬ 
ers to send for the illustrated circulars of all 
who advertise harrows in the Rural. 
We shall, as usual, next season try all the 
new sorts of strawberries announced within 
the past your. It is un un remunerative task. 
Three years ago we were testing over lfK) dif¬ 
ferent kinds, and yet did not have berries 
enough to supply our family the season 
through. But we have observed this: When 
the Rubai, reports favorably of any straw¬ 
berry, that strawlH-rrv ts destined to become 
popular. Witness the* Cumberland Triumph, 
Sharpless, and Manchester as notable exam¬ 
ples. It has been tbe same with raspberries, 
and grapes. 
We hear from several localities that the 
tree peddler is about “seeking whom he mav 
devour.” He boards at the best hotel, wears 
the shiniest or silk bats, the finest kid gloves, 
and drives the best rig in town, and “fools’ 
money” pays the bills. In one locality where 
these scamps swindled the people out of $12,000, 
n canvass was made, uud not a member of the 
Farmers’ Club or a single reader of the Rural 
w-as among the victims. If you see a nice 
young man with a book of highly colored 
plates of fruits and flowers, and he is the 
sweetest talker you ever hoard, let loose the 
dogs, or "shoot him on the spot.” 
A friend writes us: “ When our seed-houses 
send out anything new, why don't they give a 
little history' of where and hy whom it was 
originated.’ A great many here would like to 
Know the history of the VYelcome Oats, as also 
of the King of Onondaga. 1 don’t believe 
there is any one in this eountrv that can raise 
two bushels of oats of uuy kind from two 
ounces of seed, nor do I believe anyone can 
raise one Ion or half a-tou of potatoes from 
one pound, even if he sprouts them at that. 
There are some big prizes offered this year, 
and I expect we shall hear that some oue has 
raised a car-load from a pound ” 
Do you need to buy seeds of any kind, fer 
tilizers, farm implements: Have you the 
money to pay for them? Then order note, if 
you have studied up the matter and know just 
what you want. If not. stt yourself to post¬ 
ing up thoroughly iu these matters, and set¬ 
tle the question us soon as you can, We want 
you to s;Kind your money In a way that will 
gratify you six months hence, and wo want 
you to be forehanded. If you huve no money 
to throw away, do not buy a solitary thing 
that you can do without, unless yon are satis¬ 
fied it. is precisely the thing you need und that 
it will pay you to buy. 
And now the agricultural editor of the Now 
York Sun talks about Cats)pa spoedosa as not 
a distinct species, intimating that Dr. Gray 
is of that opinion. We are assured that Dr. G, 
believes it to bo a distinct sjieeies. in which 
opinion he is supported by HUch authorities as 
Dr Englemanu, Dr. Warder, Frol'. Sargeut, 
Robert Douglas and others. This editor s 
several assertions, iu which ho has contra¬ 
dicted the Rural, viz.: that the Japan 
Persimmon is hardy iu the North; that the 
true Bermuda Grass seed has not been offered 
for sale; that the hickory cinuotbe grafted, 
and now that the Catalpa speciosa is not a dis¬ 
tinct variety, are calculated to do much harm. 
