268 
APRIL 26 
THE RURAL ^EW-YORKER 
THE 
RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
Conducted by 
ELBERT S. CARMAN. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
No. 8-1 Park Row. New York. 
SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 1883. 
TO ADVERTISING PATRONS. 
We call attention to our changed ad¬ 
vertising rates for 1883, as presented on 
page 275. The change divests them of all 
discounts, presenting them in the simplest 
form so that they may be understood at a 
glance. We beg to assure those who 
would favor us with their advertising 
patronage that these rates are invariable 
and that any correspondence looking to a 
change would under any and all circum¬ 
stances prove ineffectual. 
We are obliged to state that all adver¬ 
tisements intended for the next issue must 
reach us before Thursday. 
The regular Free Seed Distribution qf the 
Rural New-Yorker for 1882-3 is now 
closed. 
Many of our readers will be pleased to 
learn that we have in preparation a some¬ 
what exhaustive article on incubators, 
written by one who has quite thoroughly 
investigated the matter and who will state 
the facts as he has found them. 
Nearly all of the names of our sub¬ 
scribers are now set in type. Do you get 
the Rural every week? Have you missed 
any copies? If so, pray inform us that we 
may extend the subscriptions for the miss¬ 
ing numbers, since w T e cannot supply 
back issues. 
A surprisingly large number of those 
wiio complain that they have not received 
the Rural's present Free Seed Distribu¬ 
tion. omit the name or some essential part 
of the address. Of course, the omission 
is made by them unconsciously, but the 
Rim i is held responsible. Borne do not 
sign their names; some omit the State, 
others, the village, tow T n or city. We 
have a number of cards without name or 
address of any bind —strange as it may seem! 
It is now for this latitude the best time 
to sow asparagus seeds. Sow them in 
shallow drills about two feet apart. After 
the plants are up, keep the soil between 
the rows mellow and quite free of weeds. 
These w r ill form the crowns for transplant¬ 
ing to permanent beds next Spring. A 
great mistake in laying out these is made 
in setting them too close together. The 
rows should never be less than five feet— 
the plants never less than two-and-a-half 
feet apart in the row\ Select land that is 
well drained and that does not wash in 
heavy rains. 
Thr best advice wc can give Rural 
readers who propose to engage in the. 
sorghum industry is to select or purchase 
good seed, either of the Amber or Orange 
variety or both, and drill it in upon land 
suited to corn, if plenty of seed is used, 
the chances are better of obtaining a full 
stand, while if too many plants grow, they 
may he cut out at the first hoeing. If the 
check or hill system is preferred, it is bet¬ 
ter to drop twice as many seeds as needed 
and then thin out to the desired number. 
Let it be remembered that the land should 
be well prepared, as the seed, being slow 
to sprout and the plants slow to grow for 
the first two weeks or more, weeds and 
grasp will have secured a growth which it 
will be hard to subdue without injury to 
the sorghum. The Rural’s method for 
corn culture w r hich is all the while gain¬ 
ing advocates—viz., drilling in the seed, 
flat culture, shallow stirring of the soil 
after planting or sowing, and broadcast 
manuring—we would advocate as the best 
method also for sorghum culture. 
There is a bill before the legislature 
of this State prohibiting the issue ot free 
passes l»y railroad companies except to 
employes and to persons accompanying 
shipments on freight trains. A similar 
measure was enacted the other day in 
Pennsylvania, and the stress of public 
opinion has forced several other State 
legislatures to take the matter into con¬ 
sideration. In every State the granting of 
such passes should be prohibited. To 
whom are they generally given—to those 
who really cannot afford to pay their way? 
Railroad business is not conducted on 
charitable or even generous principles. 
For every favor railroad managers expect 
a return. That is a business principle, and 
railroads are managed strictly on business 
principles. The gift of passes to legisla¬ 
tors, judges, executive officers and editors 
is made to influence their opinions or 
conduct, and it is to these and their 
friends that passes are chiefly given. 
Every gift of this kind is of the "nature of 
a bribe—an inducement to make laws, 
decide litigation or influence public opin¬ 
ion in favor of the railroad companies as 
against the general public. We do not 
say that all who accept such passes can 
be dishonorably influenced by the gift; 
but the tendency in all cases is that wav. 
Neither do we say that the granting of 
free passes is a radically evil practice; 
hut we do say it is a practice so liable to 
abuse that in the interest of public moral¬ 
ity and public welfare it ought to he 
strictly prohibited. 
SWEET CORN. 
If we plant Early Narragansett and 
Minnesota Sweet Corn about May 10, we 
shall have cooking ears about July 20. 
There is little choice between the two. 
Both grow about four feet high, one ear, 
eight to twelve row’s, to a stalk. Moore’s 
Early Concord is, perhaps, the best to 
follow the above, being more prolific, tlie 
ear being generally 12-rowed and six 
inches long. Triumph, planted as above 
(May 10), wall be ready for use about 
August 10th. This grow’s about five feet 
high, one ear (12 to 14 row a) to a stalk. 
The Tuscarora grows about six feet high, 
generally two ears to a stalk. The ears 
are long and from eight to ten rows, often 
widely separated. The kernel is pure 
Avliite and, though tender, is not as sweet 
as some. 
Next Hicox comes into use. The ears 
are generally from eight to 12-rowed. long 
and tapering, often two to a stalk. 
Planted May 10, this variety would fol¬ 
low 7 the Tuscarora or Triumph from two 
to four days. It grow’s six feet high. 
Mammoth would follow Aug. Hi. The 
stalks grow seven feet high. The ears 
(one to a stalk generally) are from 12 to 
18-rowed. The Black Sugar or Mexican 
grows six feet high, often with two ears 
to a stalk, and would succeed the Mam¬ 
moth by two or three days. There is no 
richer or sweeter corn than this. Stow- 
ell’s Evergreen grows six feet high and 
bears lieaA'v, shapely ears, 14 to 20-rmved. 
Planted May 10, it would be ready for 
use August 20. Egyptian or Washington 
Market matures at* the same time as 
Stowell's. The stalks grow seven feet 
high, often bearing tAvo cars of about 14 
roAvs. They are short, stubby and Avell 
filled out. The above, all planted May 10, 
Avould give a complete succession up to 
Sejitember 12. 
AUCTION SALE OF JERSEYS. 
The auction pale of Jersey cattle held at 
the American Horse Exchange in this 
city on April 10 was well attended, two or 
three hundred being present, many of them 
being prominent breeders who happened to 
be in the city just at this time in order to 
attend the meeting of the American Jer¬ 
sey Cattle Chib, svhieli was held the day 
before. Notwithstanding the good at¬ 
tendance the bidding was very slow and 
spiritless, owing probably to the fact 
that, as a rule, the stock was not of a 
high pedigree class. Sixty head were 
sold for the aggregate sum of #10,805.00, 
or for the average price of $880.08. The 
low est price brought was $25; the highest 
$980. The following animals are those 
that brought the highest prices:—Bam- 
bina, $980. to'1'. E. Hunt, Glen Garden, 
N. J. She was dropped in 1878. and was 
served March 10, 1888, by King Koffee, 
Coomassie’s inbred son. who is uo longer 
in public service. Lord Bacon was struck 
off to H. Palmer, of Chester, Pa., for 
$975. He is a bull well knowai in Amer¬ 
ica, and but a few 7 months ago was illus¬ 
trated in the Rural. Money Musk, a 
beautiful heifer, dropped April 20, 1881, 
and lately served by King Koffee, was bid 
off by Major Alvord, of Houghton Farm, 
for $900; Princess Mary, a very tine cow, 
went to Mr. H. Palmer for $900; Beeswax- 
sold for $875 to I. A, Cone, Great Bar¬ 
rington, Mass., Augerez’Beauty, $880, to 
F. Learned, Pittsfield, Mass.; Otter Skin, 
a solid fawn calf sired by Rnmapo, Avent 
for $775 to Garret Roach, New York City; 
Day Girl, $750, Catholique $725, now giv¬ 
ing 25 pounds of milk a day, and Fenella of 
Yerna $625, were struck off to F, Learned, 
of Pittsfield, Mass. Gem of Cicero, sired 
by Cicero, one of Coomassie's descendants, 
was struck off to H. Palmer for $625. 
Lunette, $610. to Thomas Allen, Pitts¬ 
field, Mass.; Lady Compo $565, to G. 
Roach, N. Y. City; Rougctte $500, to S. 
M. Burnham, Saugatuck, Conn,; Stiletto, 
a young bull, Avhose sire Pedro sold for 
$10,00(1, to Miller & Sibley, Franklin, Pa.; 
La Belle, of West Grove, 3d, $400, to A. 
IT. Ingram, Oxford, Pa.; Carlist. $350. to 
W. P Hazard, West Chester, Pa., sired 
by Rarnapo, who produced out of twenty- 
five cah r es of his this season only four or 
five bulls. Of Ramapo's sons only ten are now 
living. Carlist's dam produced 821 pounds 
of butter in 320 days; Barmaid. $350, to 
Dr. Paulding, Darlington, N. J.; Daisy 
B., owned by Henry Ward Beecher, 
brought $360. 
THE NEW YORK POTATO MARKET. 
Desiring to get a feAV facts regarding 
potatoes in the market at this time, avc 
called upon several of the largest commis¬ 
sion dealers here in NeAv York City, from 
whom we derived the following informa¬ 
tion, which is presented for what it is 
worth:—In response to the question: 
“What potato do you consider the best 
and most profitable to handle the year 
round?” the invariable reply was, “tlie 
Burbank,” because it is the best keeper, 
doesn’t start in the store like the Early 
Rose, is not false-hearted and is of fine 
quality. To-day it brings the highest 
price in the market. The Early Rose, 
according to the opinion of all, is depreci¬ 
ating very much, and in many localities is 
running into the Late Rose. Dealers con¬ 
sider tlie Early Rose, when first dug, su¬ 
perior to the Burbank, but it does not hold 
its superiority. The Early Vermont and 
Beauty 7 of Hebron are frequently passed 
off in the market as Early Rose. The 
Beauty of llebrou, strange to say, does 
not seem to be growing in favor, the de¬ 
mand for it having fallen off the past year 
or so. The price of it is higher than that 
of some other varieties; but dealers con¬ 
sider it no better. It takes a long time 
for a new early potato to make its way. 
The general opinion concerning the 
Snowflake is that it is not a good market 
potato on account of its small size, as it is 
hard work to get sizable ones. Otherwise, 
it is considered a good sort, bringing as 
much as any other in the market. The 
Peerless is used more for shipping pur¬ 
poses, for naval stores and by public 
houses, on account of its cheapness. Tlie 
Pride of the Valley and Queen of the Val¬ 
ley seem to be groAving in demand and fa¬ 
vor, and those seen by us were very fine. 
The Burbank, Early and Late Rose, Beau¬ 
ty of Hebron, Snowflake, Peerless, Early 
Vermont, Pride of the Valley and Queen 
of the Valley seem to he about the only 
potatoes handled in this market. 
As to the locality from which the best 
potatoes come, dealers seem divided in 
opinion. Some claim Western New York 
as an incomparable potato-growing coun¬ 
try, while others think Maine far ahead. 
The best Early Roses are now brought from 
Maine and Nova Scotia. Some think the 
best Burbanks come from Northern New 
York. 'Those from New Jersey are of 
poorer quality. Very few potatoes conic 
from the West, for this market. Western 
potatoes, indeed, are considered inferior 
to those groAvn at the East, being coarser, 
not having so bright and healthy a look, 
and not cooking as nice and mealy. 
It may not l»c generally known, though 
we have alluded to it before, that all of 
the seed tor Bermuda potatoes is grown in 
the Northern part of America. 'I lie pota¬ 
toes grown on the island arc almost ex¬ 
clusively Chili Red and Early Rose, most¬ 
ly the former. The Chili Rcd9 grown 
there are considered much finer than those 
grown here; and while a great share of 
the Bermuda potatoes are of this variety, 
very few are grown in the United States 
for this market, as they are of inferior 
quality. This Winter potatoes have kept 
pretty well. The best sweet potatoes are 
grown in Jersey and DelaAvare. Virginia 
sweets are not nearly as nice-looking, nor 
do they cook as well, and, accordingly, 
they sell at a lower figure. 
BEAUTY AND UTILITY-A NEW SUGAR 
TREE. 
Readers of the Rural New-Yorker 
should recall at this season what we haA 7 e 
said of the beautiful YelloAv-Wood, bo- 
tanically called Cladrasris tinctoria of 
Raflnesque or Virgilia lutea of Michaux, 
the Younger. As superlatively as we have 
praised this tree, we yet feel like praising it 
more until a specimen may be found upon 
the fann or lawn of every Rural reader. 
Of all the deciduous trees growing at the 
Rural Grounds we should part with this 
last and with most regret—and this we 
say emphatically and without reser\-e. It 
is found groAving wild upon the rich hill¬ 
sides of Eastern Kentucky and southward 
along the Avestern base of the Alleghenies, 
blooming in May and June in ample-paniel- 
cd racemes of showy white, fragrant pea¬ 
shaped flowers drooping from the end of 
the branches. The tree rarely grows to a 
very large size, a tree 60 feet high being 
the tallest of which A\e found any record. 
Our best specimen, planted 10 years ago, 
is noAv about 20 feet high. The wood is 
velloAv, the bark remarkably smooth, clean 
and of a gray color; the leaA’es are pinnate 
with from seven to 11 ovate leaflets. It is 
a near relative to the Red-hud or Judas 
Tree, and the Honey Locust and Kentucky 
Coffee Tree, though differing widely in 
appearance and never, so far as we have 
seen, is it injured, cither in leaf or stem, 
by insects of any kind. The tree forms a 
balloon-shaped top, neither too compact 
nor too spreading. Tlie color of the leaves, 
which are about the size of those of the 
Shell-bark Hickory, is a pure, lh r ely green, 
and this is retained until cold niglits, 
when they change to a soft yellow. 
It is easily transplanted pnyvided it is 
severely cut back. In fact, it is well to 
cut off all branches, leaving merely the 
main stem. 
It is not alone on this account, however, 
that we desire to direct attention to the 
Yellow-Wood as one of the most polished, 
elegant—indeed,perfect—ornamental trees 
for the home grounds. We have found 
that it may also be rendered useful—as 
useful, possibly, as the Sugar Maple. 
Years ago it was noticed that if a twig 
were cut or bruised in early Spring when 
the sap is moving, it bled profusely. A 
feAV Aveeks ago Ave tasted this sap and 
found that it Avas distinctly sweet. This 
led us to boil doAvn a small quantity (three 
pints), and from this was obtained a full 
tablespoonful of amber-colored sugar as 
rich and buttery as any maple sugar we 
ever tasted. 
The YelloAV-Wood. though as yet so 
rarely met with about farmers’ homes, is 
offered hv all nurserymen at from 50 cents 
to one dollar each. As to its hardiness, 
we may say that it has stood 20° beloiv 
zero without sustaining the slightest harm. 
It seems to enjoy a sandy soil and a full 
exposure to the sun. 
Now, Rural friends, order one of these 
trees at once and plant it in the choicest 
position of your door-yard or laivn. If, 
five years hence, you find that the Rural 
“fooled you,” send in your reproaches. 
We promise to publish every one. If, on 
the other hand, you would not part with 
■‘that tree” for $25, then avg will be Avell 
satisfied if you allow us a commission of 
25 per cent, upon your oavii estimate of its 
value! 
BREVITIES. 
Gen. Noble, April 14. sends us a fine speci¬ 
men of Easter Ben rri- Pear, which was illus¬ 
trated in the Rural of April 7. 
It is very Avell to plant Weeping Willows in 
out-of-the-Avny places. They soon grow to 
trees of some size, and may theu he cut down 
for kindling Avood. Otherwise the Weeping 
Willow should Ik 7 planted only in cemeteries. 
Spraying the foliage of apple trees with 
Paris-green water is advised by many to de¬ 
stroy the Codling Moth. Vo should much like 
to know when and how the destruction is ac¬ 
complished. Surely, it is not death to the 
moth which merely deposits an egg in the 
blossom end of the fruit; nor is it to the 
larva,Avhich is either in the fruit or concealed 
beneath the lMirk of the stem. 
The American tramp is again starting on 
his travels in pleasant country places, and 
several complaint* of his doings are already 
in print. Why shouldn't this nuisance be at. 
length abolished or at least punished by legis¬ 
lation in all the States ? In the West, Wiscon¬ 
sin has just passed n law punishing the “tramp¬ 
ing profession” by from six to twelve months’ 
imprisonment.—a good example to follow 7 . 
In the Rural of April 7, avo announced that 
a large body of Texan cow-boys were on strike 
for an increase of wages from 630 to $50 a 
mouth and board. A telegram from Fort 
Worth, Texas, yesterday, says that between 
200 and 300 of the cow-1 toys on the 7 anchcs in 
the Pan Handle district art 7 very resolute in 
their demands. They are well armed and 
threaten to kill anv new men employed, and 
also to fire the ranches and cause general trou¬ 
ble. Some of the largest stock owners are 
reported to bo unwilling to meet, the demands 
of the st rikers and are seeking the protection 
of the United States troops and the Texan 
Rangei-s. The increase in the price of cattle 
of late and the consequent increase in the pro¬ 
fits of stock-raising, gi\ 7 e some grounds to the 
Cow-boys for demanding a moderate increase 
of wages, but an increase of 60 per cent, is too 
high and the threats with which the demand 
is backed up are outrageous, and afford the 
State authorities an excellent opportunity of 
curbing the turbulence and punishing the vio¬ 
lence of this reckless class. But why should 
United States troops meddle with a question 
of wages between employer and employ^ i j 
