200 
MARCH 20 
excellence of its methods,” that I felt, good all 
over when the Rukal denounced the whole 
business. When a man cannot publish a 
paper that people will take on its mei its, he 
hadbetter quitthe business. In the newspaper 
business, as in every other, this holds true: of¬ 
fer the people the best there is in the market 
for the price, and they will take it. And one 
doesn’t need auy r chromos or lottery schemes, 
either. 
*** 
Those two articles in “For Wotuen”are good. 
Who would not be for God and Home and 
Native Land* And is not the simply told story 
of that cradle hymn sweet and touching and 
eloquent? It did me much good to read those 
articles. John m stahl. 
. THE EYE-OPENER. 
The Phoenix Fruit Tree Invigorator, which 
found its way into our advertising columns 
some weeks ago, and which was promptly 
ejected therefrom as soon as its character be¬ 
came known to us, is a brownish powder, 
which, the New England Homestead says, 
contains, according to an analysis by Prof. 
Mayer: 
Sulphur, about.•••.19 
Powdered limestone or marble. .w per cent- 
Water and organic matter..... 
Phosphate, potash, soda, silica, etc.10 per cent. 
Instead of the powdered limestone, etc., 
some kind of wood ashes is sometimes used. 
The value per pound may be reckoned: 
Sulphur. 
Wood ashes or limestone. *<-• 
Brain of the Inventor (,!). 
Total. . 
For this six cents’worth of useless stuff the 
modest sura of $1.50 is asked—a larger profit 
here than even a druggist usually makes. It 
was represented to us as a wash for trees. 
This time it is a tree-peddler again, and he 
is operating in several counties in this State, 
selling dewberries at $3.50 per pair, and no 
doubt he has the customary colored plates,show¬ 
ing berries as large as good-sized apples. The 
dewberry is simply a trailing species of black¬ 
berry ; there is not one sort worth $3.50 for a 
wagon-load of roots. Have nothing to do 
with the man farther than to look sharply after 
him, for if he will cheat in one thing he will 
cheat in all. Of course, he is a fraud, so don't 
buy a cent’s worth of anything of him or of 
the nursery he represents. 
The J. M. Bain swindles—including Com¬ 
mon Sense Incubator, Vaccine for Poultry- 
Cholera, the Poultry Adviser, etc.—have 
made New Concord, Ohio, “a notorious town,” 
according to the “truthful James” of the 
Ohio Farmer, and the same might be said 
with almost equal justice of Zanesville, 
another center of Bain’s operations. What looks 
like his latest strike for addresses, and other 
things more tangible, is an offer of “a plat¬ 
ing machine for plating knives, forks, spoons, 
etc., in exchange for specimens of stones, 
shells, woods, etc.,” to be sent to»a “Miss M. 
F. Casey, Oberliu, Ohio,” who is said to be 
“getting up a collection.” This seems to be 
a second edition of his mythical “Widow 
Carr” rascality,of whichTrumansburg, N. Y., 
and Newark, N. J,, were the chosen centers of 
attack. Isn’t it about time this nest of sharp¬ 
ers with the miscellaneous assortment of 
aliases, received attention from the detective 
force of tho United States Post-office Depart¬ 
ment? 
Among the advertisements rejected by the 
Rural in its efforts to preserve clean columns, 
is that of the German Electro-Medical Belt, 
introduced by J. E. Forest & Co. (they also 
sometimes advertise as Forest & Co.) No. 130 
Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, briefly noticed 
here last week. This medical marvel, the ad¬ 
vertisers, claim is worth $6, but as they have 
secured the exclusive right to introduce it, and 
they have such a great love for the dear af¬ 
flicted ones, they make the great sacrifice 
of selling it at $1 to those who cut out the 
coupon and forward it with the price,and not 
otherwise. A Rural reporter went to see 
bow such a benevolent institution could exist. 
He found 130 Flatbush Avenue to be a lager 
beer saloon, having some rooms up stairs. On 
inquiry, he found the true home of this great 
medical wonder to beat 550 Atlantic Avenue, 
at which place he found a couple of young 
glib-tongued chaps, and was shown one of 
these wonders. It consisted of a strip of the 
slaziest kiod of common cotton webbiug, about 
40 inches long and 1%inch wide, with a half- 
cent suspender buckle ou one end. On one 
side near the buckled ends were fastened with 
common shoe eyelets, 16 metallic discs, 8 each 
of copper and zinc. They were punched out 
of ordinary sheet metal, and were about one 
inch in diameter, with a hole in the center 
about one-fourth of an inch in diameter, 
through which they were fastened to the web¬ 
bing so as to slightly overlap each other. This 
the reporter learned was first to be moistened 
with vinegar, and then worn with the metallic 
discs next to the skin. After carefully ex¬ 
amining and feeling how rough it was, the 
reporter concluded that no one could wear 
such a rude, rough thing unless he had a skin 
as rough and tough as au alligator’s. The 
reporter had no coupon, and yet there was no 
pretension of asking more than the dollar for 
the affair. We do not say this belt is utterly 
worthless, yet we would not advertise it ex¬ 
cept in this gratuitous way, and, what is more, 
we think it could be easily furnished at a good 
profit at 15 cents retail, and we would not 
pay half that for it. 
The Stem-winding Musical Watch is an ar¬ 
rant humbug advertised by at least a balf 
dozen parties in different sections of the coun¬ 
try, among whom may be mentioned H. M. 
Pope & Co., the Home Manufacturing Co., 
A. E. Pratt & Co., and the Social Visitor. 
The price at which it is offered ranges from 25 
to 36c , but the little fraud would be dear at 
10c. It is claimed that while being wound up 
it will play balf a dozen tunes, but the sounds 
emitted by the humbug have no resemblance 
whatever to music, though the tune “ played ” 
ma y be distinguished, just as one can tell the 
tune drammed by the fingers on a table. 
Manuring in Missouri. —Have we arrived 
at the period when manuring is called for in 
Missouri? asks Prof. J. W, Sanborn of the 
State College. Dividing the past 20 years into 
four periods of five years each, he finds the fol¬ 
lowing average yield for each period in that 
State: 
■Wheat, Cora, 
bush. bush. 
Period 1.14 *30.8 
Period 2.12.4 82.1 
Period 3.11.9 27,1 
Period 4......... .11.7 26.6 
The above facts give all the emphasis that 
it is possible to give to the unmistakable need 
of nourishing the soil, whose fatness the pio¬ 
neers have been extorting without any com¬ 
pensation. The average fanner now gets 
11.7 bushels of wheat per acre, and 26.6 bush¬ 
els of corn per acre. What does the average 
farmer of Missouri make in selling 26.6 bush¬ 
els of corn at 25 cents per bushel, or from 
11.7 bushels of wheat at 85 cents? The soil 
must be fed. 
♦This was a severe period; the two previous years 
averaged 38.8 bushels, which, II included in first pe¬ 
riod, gives 33 bushels. 
“Agricultural papers were discussed 
by the Baldwinsville (N. Y.) Fanners’ 
Club, a fortnight since. The New Eng¬ 
land Homestead, Rural New-Yorker, 
Husbandman and Farm Journal were 
mentioned as papers which protect 
their readers by refusing to insert at any 
price misleading, or fraudulent advertise¬ 
ments,” We find the above in the N. E. 
Homestead. We do not believe that any of 
the above journals can say that it has not 
occasionally accepted and published adver¬ 
tisements which have proven to be worthless 
or inferior, notwithstanding the care that may 
have been taken to avoid them. We ask our 
readers when they purchase goods of our ad¬ 
vertisers that are palpably misrepresented, 
that they will so inform the R. N.-Y. We 
promise to institute an immediate inquiry, 
and to publish the results when the complaints 
are found to be just. 
—- 
A Large English Orchard.— It may sur¬ 
prise our fruit-growing friends to learn that 
fruit-growing is being tried ou a very exten¬ 
sive scale in the British Islands. We learn by 
the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society 
that Lord Ludeley has already planted on his 
estate in Gloucestershire 500 acres with fruit 
trees, and is intending to plant 200 more. 
Before planting, the land was deeply plowed 
with a steam plow, and well manured. Stand¬ 
ard apples, pears, plum and cherry trees were 
put out 16 feet apart each way, using about 
50,000 trees in all. Betweeu these were 
planted gooseberry, raspberry, currant bushes 
and strawberry plants—100 acres of straw¬ 
berries and 00 of raspberries. The gooseberry 
bushes numbered 130,000, the red and black 
currants228.000, Among the trees, at regular 
intervals, are planted wind-breaks of Scotch 
fir, and he has ten acres of osiers growing, 
from which are manufactured baskets for 
carrying the fruit to market. Should the 
enterprise prove successful, and orchards on 
such a magnificent scale become numerous, 
our American growers will be compelled to 
seek other markets. 
SHORT AND FRESH. 
Peter Henderson offers prizes of $50 for 
the best 12 buds of the new Sunset Rose, and 
'$25 for the best four roots of the new celery, 
Henderson’s White Plume. 
Cucumber or squash seeds will make less 
vine and more fruit from old seed than from 
new. Cabbages also head better when grown 
from seed two or three years old; Mr. W. W. 
Rawson stated before the Massachusetts Hor¬ 
ticultural Society t hat many do not believe it, 
but be spoke from experience. 
Mr. J. J. H Gregory stated thatonion seed 
grown ou a strong clay soil is heavier, and a 
larger proportion will vegetate than if grown 
on a light soil.. 
Henderson’s Improved Snowball Cauli¬ 
flower was deemed by some members of the 
above society to be the best variety .. 
J. F. Fillebrown has sown union seeds 10 
years old, two-tbirds of which vegetated, and 
beet seeds 15 years old, which grew well. 
Are we not too much disposed to think that 
our children are wax in our hands until we 
find for a surety they are iron?. 
The ashes of a cord of hickory are worth 
twice as much as those of a cord of oak. 
Unfortunately there are no yellow roses 
among the hardy Hybrid Perpetuals. The 
same may be said of the beautiful Moss Roses. 
The very popular Ever blooming Roses are 
not hardy, but they often wall stand the North¬ 
ern Winters if protected by straw, or further 
north by snow. 
In an introductory address to the medical 
students of Harvard University a few years 
ago, Dr. O. W. Holmes said that doctors had 
been using the common elder os a remedy, for 
2,000 years, aud had just found out that it 
possessed uo medicinal value whatever. So 
says Dr. Beal, in the Philadelphia Weekly 
Press. Well, it is better to have found out 
that it had no medicinal value than that its 
use was excessively harmful, as has been ascer¬ 
tained of calomel, blood-letting, etc,..... 
Puck gives this definition of popularity: 
“Being non-committal on all subjects, and 
sacrificing principle to policy ’—and this of 
profound men; “ Those who, by keeping their 
mouths shut ou subjects they don t understand, 
get a reputation for wisdom.”.. 
“ Tub best stock after all—sheep,” says Col. 
Curtis, in the Ohio Farmer.• • • • 
Henry Ward Beecher says that no man 
ever yet made one single thing grow b) r the 
storms of Winter, and nothing on earth can 
prevent things growing under the sweet influ¬ 
ence of the Summer air. 
The premiums for the greatest value of 
manufactured product obtained from 1,000 
pounds of milk at the National Dairy Fair, at 
1’ ilwaukee, Wis., was awarded to a person 
who had set bis milk in the Cooley Creamer... 
Speaking of the new white grape Jesaica, 
Mr. Smith (of St. Catharine’s, Ontario), says 
that it is very early, of good flavor, and the 
berry is no larger than that of the Delaware, 
and the clusters are “loose.” It ripens soon 
after the Champiou. 
Mr. W. C. Barry says that the foliage of 
the Manchester Strawberry is unhealthy. The 
leaves turn brown and die after the first crop. 
He speaks well of the Dougal (Canada) goose¬ 
berries, lately illustrated'in the R. N-Y. Lady 
Washington Grape did not ripen at tbe Mount 
Hope Nurseries. The Vergennes yielded a 
good crop of liaudsome fruit. He advises that 
the Ben Davis Apple be tried more extensively 
in tbe East—good advice. Specimens which 
we received last Winter from Nebraska wore 
better than the Baldwin at ite best. Mr. 
Barry speaks of the Dr. Reeder Rear us hav¬ 
ing the highest qualities to be sought for in a 
fruit. “The most fastidious taste/’ he says, 
“will pronounce it superfine.’’ Our own 
specimen is about six years old from the nur¬ 
sery. It is healthy aud hardy, but has not yet 
fruited. 
Cumjio l)m. 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Colorado. 
Mountainda le, Park Co.—In 16 years I 
never got corn to grow here over one foot 
high, and it has never “silked.” Wheat, rye, 
aud oats will grow here. We have to cut our 
graiu by hand, and thrash it by band also; 
and then haul it 60 miles to a mill. I grow 
only oats, therefore, as they can be fed to 
horses, without grinding. We can buy flour 
cheaper than we cau get it from homo-raised 
wheat. As we are 8,200 feet above the sea 
level, we can raise only lettuce, peas, and the 
earliest kinds of potatoes, in addition to the 
cereals mentioned above. w. M. F. 
Illinois. 
Rusbellville, 'Lawrence Co., March 10.— 
Weather wintry so far this mouth, aud tbe 
ground covered with snow. Prospect for 
wheat poor. A - J - H - 
Iowa. 
Crescent City, Pottawattamie Co.. March 
11.—A Kansas contributor to “Everywhere,” 
ou page 152 of the Rural, is making great 
calculations ou having a heavy immigration 
to his State from Iowa this Spring; but I fear 
that be is doomed to disappointment, as I have 
not been able to find anyone yet who contem¬ 
plates going to Kansas on account of failure 
of crops in Iowa. I have been a resident of 
Western Iowa during the last 35 years, aud 
have yet to see a failure of the crops. The last 
crop was the nearest to a failure of auy, aud 
now, instead of having to buy corn, we are 
selling hundreds of thousands of bushels out 
of our State. All our other crops, except 
corn, were good last year. I have not forgot¬ 
ten that a few years since Kansas acquired the 
cognomen of “Droughty Kansas,” on accouut 
of the continued failure of all her crops, and 
she is not much better yet. I know somethiu- 
of Kansas. I have been there, aud am satis¬ 
fied that when we come the nearest a fail¬ 
ure in crops in Iowa, we have about as good 
crops as they ever raise in Kansas. This 
boasting over Iowa crops comes with an ill 
grace from a Kansas man. There may be 
some people who are going to Kausas this 
Spring, os tbere are always some people who 
are dissatisfied wherever they are. nnd all such 
cau go. Iowa is just as well off withouttheui. 
H. A. T. 
Shell Rock, Butler County. — We have 
a splendid stock and dairy country. Hay is 
worth from $4 to $5; corn, 40 and 45 cents a 
bushel; oats, 26 and 27 cents; potatoes, 25 
cents; straw from $1 to $2 a ton; cream, 23 
cents an inch; calves, coming one year o'd, 
from $14 to $18. There are some choice farnfs 
for sale cheap. M - B - B - 
Michigan. 
Kalamo, Eaton Co., March 7.—We are 
having a very cold season here and plenty of 
sleighing. The coldest weather was February 
29—22 u below zero. Farmers did much Fall 
plowing, some plowing as late as the first 
week in December. Corn crop a complete 
failure; not one farmer in twenty having 
raised any fit for seed. Oats an extra good 
crop, though not much is raised here. Wheat 
middling. Farmers are buying much grain 
for feed. The prices paid here for farm pro¬ 
ducts are: wheat, per bushel, 95 cents; oats, 
86 cents; corn, 62 cents; potatoes, 45 cents; 
butter, 20 cents per pound; eggs, 16 cents 
per dozen. L - M - N - 
Minnesota. 
Lamberton, Redwood Co., Maxch 9.—The 
first settlers came to this county something 
over 10 years ago, but drawbacks of various 
kinds, that now seem to be things of the past, 
kept back the development which we now 
enjoy. One of the greatest of hindrances to 
our prosperity was the idea that we must all 
raise wheat; but we have discovered that this 
is a stock instead of a wheat-producing region, 
though we can point to yields of 30 to 40 
bushels of wheat per acre. The year before 
last the average was about 15 bushels; this 
year, about 30 bushels. Of oats, the average 
oue year with another has beeu from 40 to ;>0 
bushels, but cattle are rapidly coming to the 
front. Two-year-old steers cost for herd bill 
and wintering about five dollars each per year, 
and the gain ingrowth is worth about $1U; 
pasturage is free, as there are thousands of 
acres of vucant railroad, school, iuternal im¬ 
provement aud State lands in the county. 
We have railroads, mills, school-houses, 
churches, towns aud most of the conveniences 
of older settlements. Small fruit grows fine¬ 
ly. Apples and grapes, however, have not 
been tried to a-great extent; but there is no 
doubt that they will grow if proper selections 
are made. E - N - H - 
Nebraska. 
Omaha, Douglas Co., March 10.—If snow 
is the poor man’s manure, he is haviug plenty 
' of it this Spring In this section. On looking 
out of the window, I can see thirty miles of 
prairie, aud everywhere i3 snow', snow!—noth 
ing but snow. B - 
New York. 
Poughkeepsie, Dutchess Co., March 11.— 
Everything wears a dreary aspect now'. Trees 
are loaded down with nearly an inch of solid 
1 ice, which bus been on them for 30 hours, aud 
b many are partially or entirely broken down. 
’ I never saw anything to equal it iu my experi 
r ence of 40 years, or over. My peach orchard 
> of 2,000 trees is literally bowed to the ground 
1 or crushed beneath the weight, of ice. (1 rout. 
3 damage must result to the Hudsou River fruit 
r belt, as tbe ice exteuds from Rhinebeck to 
l Sing Sing. w. f. t. 
0 Vlrgiuia. 
e FaRMVILLE, Prince Edward Co., March 12. 
_Farmers are behindhand with their work; 
but little plowing has been done. No oats 
sowed yet. It has been raining for more than 
e a month. Wheat aud Winter oats look bad- 
