THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
PRIZE ESSAY.— Class VI. 
THE HOUSE FOR THE FARM, AND THE IMPOR¬ 
TANCE OF PROPER TRAINING. 
No other animal that man has domesticated, 
is capable of such varied and Surpassing ex¬ 
cellence as the horse. We breed and train 
him with special reference to speed, making 
him realize thousands and tens of thousands 
of dollars for his owner; or we breed draft 
horses, large and powerful; but neither of 
these compares in importance with the farm 
horse, and if the latter is bred as carefully 
with reference to those qualities most valuable 
to the farmer, we may as surely accomplish 
the results desired in the farm horse as in the 
racer or draft horse. The fact that the 
United States has 11,000,000 horses shows that 
this branch of husbandry is of national im¬ 
portance, and that special attention should be 
given to increasitq; the commercial value as 
well as the efficiency of the horse. 
The welfare of the farmer requires a horse 
equally adapted to the farm and road. He 
wauts horses of more strength and better qual¬ 
ities than the average of those ho now has. 
Tile perfect horse for the farm and road is one 
possessing those combined qualities, which 
render him valuable for whatever duty he is 
required to perform, whether in the field or on 
the road; and this horse is the one that is docile, 
of good temper, quick and easily managed, 
with steady nerve, added to strength and en¬ 
durance. Good-natured, docile animals are 
always the best workers; the fractious horse 
worries more undor restraint or guidance, is 
more liable to be abused by his driver, and 
consequently cannot thrive as well. 
Let the farmers get sound, good-blooded 
colts and then make them, by training, just 
what they want them to be; for no animal is 
more susceptible to teaching than the horse, 
and none more ready to respond to kindness 
by willing, obedient service. The colt is not 
naturally ill-tempered, and if it becomes so 
blame is due to some one who has handled it. 
Rapid walking increases groatly the value 
of farm horses, and Mils is largely the result 
of training. So long have our farmers been 
negligent and careless in the cultivation of 
those qualities they most need in the horse for 
farm aud road, that they must be educated up 
to their own best interests before we shall 
attain excellence in this direction. This will 
soon be accomplished when our agricultural 
societies and journals and Farmers’ Institutes, 
take up the subject in earnest and persistently. 
In Massachusetts and a few other States an 
example has been set, which it would be well 
if all the States would imitate. It is confi¬ 
dently predicted that the N orman-Percherou, 
already a favorite in the West for farm and 
road, will prove equally so in New England, 
combining, as it docs, desirable size, stamina, 
and all the better qualities of temper and 
action. 
Worcester Co., Mass. G. c. white. 
RURAL PRIZE ESHAY.-Class IX. 
RYE. 
Rye receives iess care than any other grain. 
It is sown on the lightest soils without fer¬ 
tilizers of any kind. It will grow u cropevery 
three or four yours sufficient to pay for the 
labor expended, on soils so light that no turf 
is ever seen. It also stands out prominently 
among the successful methods of green ma¬ 
nuring. For this purpose I consider rye 
second only to clover. Sown from September 
1 to October 1, and turned under from the 
middle of May to the first week in June, it 
furnishes a large bulk of valuable fertilizing 
material during a period when most vegeta¬ 
tion is dormant, and in season to be used for 
a crop of corn, tobacco, etc. I have raised 
the largest crop and best quality of tobacco 
on rye turned under the first week in June, 
when just heading out, and standing up to the 
horses’ breasts. The land was in grass the year 
before, was mowed in June, turned over, and 
fodder com drilled in the first of July; the 
drills being fertilized with wood ashes sown 
on the top, the fodder cut the lust of Septem¬ 
ber, and the rye sown immediately, without 
fertilizers. 
Again, no crop responds to good treatment 
more quickly than rye. On soil so light that 
not more than eight bushels per acre would 
grow without manure, with ten two-horse 
loads of barn-yard manure spread evenly, the 
rye having been sown broadcast, and both 
harrowed in together, 1 have harvested over 
20 bushels per acre of the nicest white rye, and 
three-fourths of a ton or more of straw. I 
have seen over 50 bushels of rye grown per 
acre, and a corresponding amount of straw. 
Being one of our surest crops, it is sown in 
out-of-the-way places, where scarcely any 
other crop would grow; hence so many acres 
afford small profit. 
The grain is one of the most nutritious of 
the cereals, making a bread much superior to 
that from the poorer grades of wheat. Mixed 
with corn and oats, it makes one of the best, 
kinds of provender for cattle or horses, aud 
ami for growing hogs, etc. Nor must one 
forget that rye straw is more valuable than 
hay. As a soiling crop, rye is the earliest of 
which I have any experience; that sown the 
first of September will bo ready to cut the 
last of May, and l have beeu unable to see 
any difference in milk or butter production 
from cows fed on ryo and from those fed on 
any of the grasses When mown before bead¬ 
ing out, it will soon start again, and on rich 
ground it will produce a fair second crop for 
soibug or for grain. If sown so early as t.o 
have the grain stalks start in the Fall, and 
judiciously fed off by sheep or calves, so that 
it does not. spindle, it makes the finest pasture. 
Old, worn out pastures can be quickly made 
new; by breaking them up in the Fall, thor 
oughly harrowing, sowing to rye and grass- 
seed, they furnish the best of pastures the 
next season, and continue till the grass-seed 
takes possession of the ground again. If no 
grass-seed is sown with the rye, and it is not 
fed to death (as grass pusturesare sometimes), 
it. will flourish for years nearly equal to any 
of the grasses, and “ the half has not. been 
said” about that much-abused grain, ryo. 
Veruon, VL “agriculture.” 
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE. 
Columbus, Ohio, Sept. 3. 
The slightly' singed vegetation in the vicini¬ 
ty of Utica, N. Y., and on the low lands north 
of it, shows how very near to a diostrous frost 
Central Northern Now York came in the lust 
week in August, and the farmers are congrat¬ 
ulating themselves on their escape. Apples 
make a poor show east of Syracuse, but they 
are a fair crop west. As seen from the car 
windows, there does not seem to be the great 
abundance we have heard so much about, and 
as we go west from Buffalo the crop seems to 
be less and less. From Cleveland south the 
fearful drought seems to have made both the 
upploB and the crop small. 
Lands intended for wheat are mostly 
plowed, and through New York are mostly in 
fair order, as they have had sufficient rain 
to soften the surface and cause it to work 
in good order. In Mils section seeding will 
commence to some extent on September 4, aud 
by the next week will be in active operation. 
The drought iu Central and Sputhern Ohio, 
which is still unbroken, renders the fitting of 
the wheat ground laborious and tedious work, 
and will greatly delay seeding. While New 
York farmers are so strongly convinced 
of the value of phosphate as a fertilizer for 
wheat that very little, if any, will be sown 
without a supply of some sort, Ohio furmers 
are as yet scarcely educated to that point, and 
are quite content to trust to tho natural fer¬ 
tility of the soil. 
Corn through Western New York and 
Northern Ohio, though from 10 days to two 
weeks late, is looking well and promises, with 
two weeks more of hot weather, to make one 
of tho best crops ever hurvested, though the 
stand is a little uueven as the result of the 
severe drought at and succeeding plant¬ 
ing time, which prevented tho germina¬ 
tion of tho seed on the hard and lumpy por¬ 
tions of the fields; yet even there it looks well, 
aud with two more weeks of good weather will 
ripen. 
Potatoes are extra good also in all this sec¬ 
tion of country, and aro quite free from bugs; 
while many fields are nearly ripe, all are now 
so forward that a good crop is assured. The 
second crop of clover is now being cut for 
hay, and is of full growth, and many fields 
will yield half as much as the first crop. This 
gave an early promise of a fair crop of seed; 
but later the midge put in an appearance, and 
very few fields will be saved for seed. 
At Brocton the grape growers are smiling 
and happy with the prospect of a good crop, 
though not an extra-large one. Many of 
their vines were seriously injured by the Win¬ 
ter of 1*83-4, and have not fully recovered, 
and some were so badly damaged as to be past 
recovery. The vines are healthy, with not a 
trace of rot. and very Jittle mildew. This 
seems to be a greatly-favored region for the 
grape, and immense vineyards are being plant¬ 
ed. Mr. Jonas Mart in has over 130 acres plant¬ 
ed, and in bearing; and Mr. <1. E. Ryckman 
has nearly as many, and he proposes to increase 
his area to 200 acres in the Spring, and many 
other fine vineyards are to be seen. Mr. Weld 
and Mr. Skinner came here from Lockport 
last Spring, and have each planted about 40 
acres, purchasing the land. 
Mr. Martin reports Moore’s Early ready for 
market, and will make his first picking and 
shipment on September 8. Worden is fully 
colored, and Concord follows close after. 
The Niagara is being very extensively planted 
iu this vicinity, and is looking remarkably 
well. 
At Euclid, Ohio, grapes are rerorfced a fine 
crop, and growers are already marketing 
Delaware, Ives, and Hartford. Delawares 
and Catawbas are here largely grown, and 
are looking very fine; Coucords good. At 
Dover Bay, west of Cleveland, grapes nre also 
reported to be good. On Lake Erie Tslauds 
the rot is very prevalent again this year, 
scarcely anything escaping, except Ives. As 
wo go south from Cleveland, the signs of t.ho 
terrible drought, increase—tho pastures and 
meadows are burned and bare. Corn is both 
thin and short; potatoes are nearly all dead, and 
the plowed fields are very lumpy. Much of the 
corn already has the appearance of being ripe, 
and report says it cannot, be more than half 
or two-thirds of a crop. Many are already com¬ 
pelled to fodder the cuttle, and, as a result of 
the extreme drought, all kinds of store cattle 
and sheep are very low, and many are being 
sold, to go East- w. 
- . - 4 * » - 
A WEEK AMONG FRUIT GROWERS. 
RUFUS W. SMITH. 
In company with a friend, I left home Mon¬ 
day, August 4th. On our way north wo stop¬ 
ped at. Judge Tarry’* fruit farms and nursery; 
spent two days in New York and vicinity; 
went.up the Hudson to Highland, Ulster Coun¬ 
ty; called upon Mr. Tillsou and Mr. Wilson; 
came back to Marlboro aud called upon Mr. 
Caywood. and came back into New Jersey and 
called upon Mr. J. T. Lovett, at his fruit farm 
at Little Silver. From there we went to Vhue- 
land by way of Long Branch, Asbury l’ark, 
etc. There wo called upon (Jol. A. W. Pear¬ 
son, tho veteran in horticulture, and arrived 
homo Saturday night, well pleased with the 
trip. 
During my travels T was much interested 
In many of the new fruits. I saw tho Marl¬ 
boro Raspberry at, Judge Parry’s by tho sido 
of thoCutbbert, to which it, was fully equal 
ill vigor and growth. It, was stocky, the 
canes branching at a bight of three feet, with 
dark green foliage, red tips and young canes 
—peculiarities seen in the Cnthbert, and Turn 
er. I saw no leaves burned or disfigured. 1 
did not notice that it grow any more strong¬ 
ly or thriftily at Highland, or at its home at 
Marlboro, N. Y., than at Parry’s in South 
Jersey. 
Around Highland, tho Highland Hardy 
was about the only raspberry which we ob¬ 
served that was grown for market. At Lov¬ 
ett’s we were shown a plantation of llansells 
which looked fine; but the difference between 
tho growth of Hutisoll and Murlboro was very 
perceptible, the canes of the latter being twice 
tho size of those of the former. I ran across a 
patch of Crimson Beauty, which (he owner 
had nearly dug up in trying to rid himself of 
the Imperial, with which it is badly mixed. 
For blackberry canes Mr. Parry takes tho 
lead, and large canes mean largo crops. Mr. 
Parry told us he had just finished marketing 
his blackberry crop, and the Wilson Jr. yield 
ed 109 bushels per acre. But Cay wood’s black¬ 
berry, the “Minnowaska"—just imagine a 
green wall eight to ten feet in bight, and two 
rods in length, covered upon both sides with 
large, fine blackberries, which 1 found very 
good—without any core. 1 wonder whether 
it would rust or winter-kill with us; whether 
it is too soft for rough handling by freight, and 
whether it would be as productive when it 
got as many tons of manure to the acre, as it 
had got to those two rods. At Vineland, the 
Wilson’s Early is still the leading blackberry 
for market, and 1 suppose this place is pro¬ 
bably the largest shipping point for black¬ 
berries in this country. 
Of grapes the Niagara was doing very well 
up in the vineyards around Highland, where 
I saw it; but it was attacked with mildew 
(Peronospera viticola) at Parry’s, in New Jer¬ 
sey. 1 should hesitate to plant it extensively 
where the Isabella or Catawba are defoliated 
by this mildew. The Vergenues was mildewed 
badly at Parry’s?, as it was also at Lovett’s, and 
both considered it worthless on this account; 
but such varieties as the Concord, Worden, 
Lady, Pocklington, Martha and Moore’s Early, 
were nearly universally free from this disease, 
although the Moore’s Early was nearly always 
found to have some of its fruit-stalks affected 
with another sort of mildew (oidium); but as 
this is on the surface, a puff from the sulphur 
bellows would exterminate it. I am satisfied 
that bagging will not protect from oidium, as 
I have found it upon tho fruit-stalks within 
tho bags on several kinds of out door grapes; 
but I thiuka alight dusting of the clusters with 
sulphur at bagging time, or a pinch thrown in 
the bag when inclosing the grapes, would de¬ 
stroy it. We found both tho rot and the mil¬ 
dew present, in the vineyards of the Highlands, 
but not to any serious extent. I suppose tho 
conditions nre not. and hardly ever aro, favor¬ 
able to the multiplication of these posts there. 
Tho Jefferson 1 nowhere saw making vigorous 
growth or bearing largo clusters. Duchess had 
good foliage everywhere, buttin' bunches were 
few and smalt: maybe as the vines get older, 
they will improve in this respect. 
The Delawares seem to be at, homo in tho 
Highlands, and were laden with perfect clus¬ 
ters wherever we saw them. Mr. Caywood 
called our attention to his method of trollising 
(illustrated in the Rural of April 28, 1883), 
tho advantage of which seemed to ho that it 
allows the vineyard to lie cultivated both ways 
with tho horse, protects the clusters from the 
birds bettor, and allows a freer circulation of 
air. Col. Pearson trains his vines to one wire 
on trellises three feet in hight, aud lets the 
growing shoots trail to the ground, thinking he 
protects the fruit from the rot better. Tho 
Colonel has 12,000 vines in fruit, mostly Con¬ 
cord, with gome Ives. He has given tho rot 
(Phonrn viticola) a great deal of study, both mi¬ 
croscopically and in practice. To ascertain 
from what direction the spores mostly came, he 
suspended horizontally, a foot or so above tho 
ground, under and about the vines, pieces of 
glass slightly coated with glycerine,to catch the 
spores. These he placed under and about bis 
vines, aud about, !!• 20ths of the spores were 
found upon the under-side of the glasses, show 
ing that, they lmd floated up from the rotten 
berries (probably old leaves also) below. As 
an experiment, be kept all the rotten grapes 
picked out of one of his vineyards one season, 
and tho following year tbo I’lioma was not 
present to one-fourth the extent it was else¬ 
where. This Spring he threw a furrow awny 
from both sides of his grape rows, scraped the 
rotten grapes, the leaves and other matter into 
the furrow, ami with the plow threw tho earth 
hack, completely covering everything up, 
being careful not to disturb this matter since; 
this has given tho same beneficial results as 
picking the rotten grapes. 
-- 
CATALOGUES. ETC., RECEIVED. 
Catalogue from the Baeus Water Motor 
Co., Newark, N. J. 
Wilson & Co , Passaic, N. .1. Catalogue 
of bulbs for Aulutnu planting. 
F. R. Pier HON. A list of pot-grown straw¬ 
berry plants for Hummer planting. 
JonN B. Moore &8on. Concord, Mass. Cir¬ 
cular, price-list and opinions regarding the 
new white grape, "Francis B. Hayes.” 
A PLEA FORTHECOUNTBYCEMETERY. 
Mr. Wm. Robinson, a well known English 
author, in au admirable work entitled "The 
Parks and Gardens of Paris,” makes the highly 
flattering statement Unit "the Americans are 
the ouly people who bury their dead decently 
and beautifully.” Mr. Robinson evidently 
refers to our city and town cemeteries, rather 
than to those of the country. Surely, the 
average rural burying ground does not merit 
such an encomium. Ft, is loo often as desolate 
in appearance as it is solemn in its associa 
tions. It is frequently a living example of the 
adage that, "what is everybody’s business is 
nobody’s business,” The fence inclosing it is 
often dilapidated and sometimes prostrate, or 
wanting; the thorns and thistles grow unmo¬ 
lested, while the weather-beaten stalks of last 
year’s weeds are monuments, not to the mem - 
ory of the dead, but to tbo shiftless ik-ss of the 
living. 
Huet. a neglected ground adjoins tbo little 
country school-house wherein were spent many 
days of my early boyhood, The berry bushes, 
that were never cut, made “the graveyard” a 
favorite haunt for the school children iu Sum¬ 
mer, and not infrequently, cattle from the 
neighboring pasture were seen rambling 
among the tombstones. The avaricious far¬ 
mer who lived ucross tho way, though bo never 
drew his knife to cut a bush or bramble in the 
sacred inclosure, watched with a jealous eye 
the apples that grew therein on two seedling 
trees, and in cider time these were ruthlessly 
gathered, to tbo discomfiture of the school¬ 
boys. 
All will agree that it would be counted a 
disgrace for a city to permit its cemetery to 
become a jungle. Why is tho same thing less 
disgraceful In the country? Are the expenses 
of living, or ore taxes less burdensome in the 
city than in the country? Are we willing to 
admit that people living in the city are less 
worldly-minded/ If it is true that farmers 
take too little pride iu the appearance of their 
premises; it is not loss true that they show too 
little respect both for tho dead and the living, 
iu their burying grounds. 
There are, doubt less, those to whom a ceme¬ 
tery is, of all places, the one that seems tho 
least interesting or important. But those who 
count themselves freest from the bondage of 
superstition, are not one whit released from 
the mystery that awaits us all. He who has 
