THE RURAL HEW-YORKER. 
THE 
RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
A.National Journal for Country and Suburban Home , 
'‘inducted by 
E. S . CABMAN, 
Editor. 
J. S. WOODWARD, 
Associate. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
No. 84 Park Row, New York. 
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1885. 
TO SOUTHERN READERS. 
All of our Southern subscribers who 
have not applied for the Rural’s Seed 
Distribution should do so at once. We 
are now ready to mail the packages. 
We are now preparing a supplement 
for the Farmers' Club in order to catch 
up in our answers to questions. 
If the number on your address label is 
1829, your subscription term will expire 
next week; if 1830, the week after, and 
so on. Please look to this. 
Please send us lists of the names of 
those you know to be interested in the 
farm or garden. We will at once mail 
them specimen copies of the R. N.-Y. 
You may then solicit their subscriptions. 
At any rate, we shall be obliged for the 
names. 
Col. Curtis furnishes the Rural with 
a series of pig articles written in his hap¬ 
piest style. They are as follows: Pig 
Feeding, Pig Diseases, Pig Weaning, Pig 
Pastures, Pig Pork, Pig Breeding, Pig 
Fancies, Pig Choice, Pig Wintering, Pig 
Packing, and Pig Breeds. 
We hear of a new black-cap that is 
more prolific and several days earlier than 
either the Houhegan or Tyler; nearly as 
large as the Gregg, and in quality as good 
as any, while it is very hardy. That is 
precisely the kind of black-cap needed. 
It will probably be offered for sale in the 
Spring. 
We have now received our Evergreen 
Beans, or “Wonder of France,” and the 
6eed distribution is rapidly being pressed 
forward. The entire work is done at 
River Edge. Many Rural readers will 
be surprised to know that the beaus above 
mentioned cost us $25.00 per bushel, if 
we include the Custom-House charges. 
Our readers may remember that we are 
again trying the great Polish Wheat, or 
Nevada Rye, or Diamond Wheat, or 
Wheat of Taos. It was illustrated and 
described in the Fair Number. Well, the 
plants seem to be dead—winter-killed. 
Thus in five lines, kind readers, we tell 
you the result of a test which it cost us 
hours to make. 
Mr. W. H. Rand, of Vermont, writes us 
that he thinks we will agree with him 
that many of the so-called potato * ‘crosses” 
or “hybrids” have far more foundation in 
the imagination of the originators than in 
reality. We are quite confident of it, and 
have so expressed ourselves repeatedly. 
And this imaginary work is by no means 
confined to potatoes. 
Three different posters; the full ac¬ 
count of our Free Seed Distribution; the 
offer of $2,800 in presents to subscribers 
for the largest clubs; our regular pre¬ 
mium list and specimen copies will be 
sent to all, post-paid, on application. We 
will also gladly send specimensto aQy list 
of names which our readers may send us, 
in order to aid them in obtaining new 
subscribers. 
Many of our friends may not be aware 
that the Northern Spy Apple is a fruit of 
almost unequaled excellence. It is a very 
handsome lruit as well. The flesh is 
white, tender, sprightly with a peculiar, 
delicious flavor all its own. In so far as 
our information extends, it succeeds in 
the following States: Maine, Vermont, 
New York, Michigan, Nova Scotia, Indi¬ 
ana, Illinois, Colorado, Ontario, (Can). 
Good reports also come from various parts 
of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode 
Island, Connecticut, Oregon, Washing¬ 
ton, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Mary¬ 
land, Virginia, Ohio, Nebraska, Utah aDd 
California. The onlj objection to the 
Northern Spy is that it is a tardy bearer. 
That there is always a market for first- 
class produce was brought forcibly to 
mind by the replies of dealers to inquiries 
as to the quantity and quality of goods 
preferred by them. Showing samples of 
marrow beaus, a dealer explained that in 
order to command a good price, the beans 
must be free fiom all discolored or split 
specimens, and, in addition to this, the 
largest must be separated from those 
of medium size. All the dealers who 
were questioned replied that they dislik¬ 
ed to buy small quantities directly lrom 
faimers, because their goods were never in 
first-class order; but that even very small 
lots were not refused if carefully cleaned 
and sorted. Such facts have been pre¬ 
sented over and over again in different 
ways to farmers, but that there is need of 
repeating them is evident from the esti¬ 
mation in which their goods are held by 
dealers. Farmers should make a system¬ 
atic, thorough business of their occupa¬ 
tion, and it will then command the 
highest respect and their produce the 
highest prices. 
END OF A VEXATIOUS PATENT. 
One of the most annoying patent mo¬ 
nopolies that has ever provoked the long- 
suffering, sweet-tempered farmer, came to 
an end on January 14, owing to the expi¬ 
ration of Green’s patent on driven wells. 
Though driven wells were first intro 
duced as long "ago as 1861, and the first 
patent covering the invention (that of 
Suggett) was obtained in 1868, Green, 
who claimed to be the original inventor, 
did not obtain bis original patent until 
January 14, 1868, and as the period for 
which a patent “protects” an invention is 
17 years, Green’s expired on the fourteenth 
of last month, much to the relief of an 
exaspeiated public. As the original pat¬ 
ent covered merely au iron tube termina¬ 
ted with a conical point open at the lower 
end, to be suuk to the waterbearing 
strata in a hole made by a bar of iron or 
of some other substance previously driv¬ 
en down, it was fouod entirely worthless 
in comparison with a multitude of other 
“points” patented after Suggett had made 
about $75,000 by selling “territorial 
rights” for his patent. Accordingly, 
Green surrendered his original pat¬ 
ent, and obtained a re-issue, cover¬ 
ing a “broad claim,” in May 1871. 
Under this patent his agents claimed a 
“royalty” of $10 from the owner of every 
driven well in the country. Many of 
these had been sunk by agents of other 
patentees who had been paid for the 
“right” to the well, as well as for the 
work done: on some of them put down by 
outside parties a royalty had been already 
paid to the agents of other patentees; yet 
under the “broad claim” Green’s ubiqui¬ 
tous agents always claimed their “royal¬ 
ty.” The hardships, annoyances, and 
collisions arising from these claims have 
done much towards arousing a strong 
opposition to some features of our present 
patent system. There is no doubt that 
Green had really no claim to the inven¬ 
tion, the gist of which first appeared in 
MacKenzie’8 “5,000 Recipes,” a work re¬ 
printed, in 1829, from the original English 
edition. Over 100 patents, covering 
various features connected with driven 
or tube wells, have been obtained. The 
majority of these have expired, but a few 
are still in force to annoy the agricul¬ 
turist. 
THE CEREAL CROPS OF 1884. 
The December crop report of the De¬ 
partment of Agriculture, just issued, is 
specially interesting, both because it is 
the last of the year, and because special 
pains have evidently been taken to cor¬ 
rect in it all errors that may have occurred 
in previous reports, and to make it as 
trustworthy" a rfisumfi as possible of the 
information obtained during the year 
with regards to the crops of last harvest. 
According to full estimates, the corn 
crop amounted to 1,795.482,000 bushels, 
valued at $640,735,859. This approximates 
very closely to the highest previous esti¬ 
mate of the Department—about 1,800,- 
000,000 bushels—though it falls upwards 
of 200,000,000 bushels short of the 
estimates of some other “statistical 
authorities” whose prophecies were influ¬ 
enced either by a Banguine disposition, or 
interested motives. Anyhow, the crop is 
the largest ever produced in the aggregate, 
though not the largest in the yield per 
acre; but eveu in this respect it reaches 
an average of 25.06 bushels, wlueb has 
not been exceeded since 1880. The “farm 
value" of the crop is estimated at $040,- 
135,859, equal to 35.08 cents per bushel, 
against 42 cents for the crop of 1883— 
so that although the aggregate yield is 
over 200,000,000 bushels more, the price is 
$18,000,000 less. The average market price 
is 36 1-2 cents jier bushel, which is one 
cent lower than in 1879, when the supply 
in proportion to the population was quite 
as large. It has been lower only twice 
in ten years—in 1877 aud 1878, after two 
previous years of abundance. The dif¬ 
ference in the value of corn is very great, 
not only in different, and widely separated 
States; but even in different counties of the 
same State, owing to the relative abund¬ 
ance or scarcity of transportation facili¬ 
ties and other causes. For instance, in 
Nebraska the average State price is eight¬ 
een cents per bushel; while in Otoe 
County the value is twenty-three cents, and 
m Boone County only twelve cents. 
The aggregate yield of wheat is placed 
at 512,763.000 bushels, valued at $330,- 
861,254—a trifle over half the value of lhe 
corn crop. The average “farm price” is 
63 cents per bushel against 95 cents for 
December 1883. The" December price in 
the thirteen previous years has been below 
one dollar only five times—in 1874, 1878, 
1880, 18S2 and 1883. The present price 
is the lowest that has ever been reported 
to the Department.; and m Great Britain 
the price of wheat is said to be lower 
than at any other period in the nineteenth 
century. The reason is plain: a series of 
crop failures, altogether unprecedented, in 
Europe, stimulated production all over 
the world; last year European crops were 
fair; those in the rest of the world better 
than “fair;” and inevitably the outcome 
has been a superabundance of wheat, and 
consequently very low prices. These, 
however, by reducing the area here aud 
elsewhere, will soon curtail production and 
raise prices. 
Like tfcat of corn, the oat crop is, in the 
aggregate, the largest ever grown in this 
country. This is mainly due to the fact 
that there was an increase of a million 
acres in the area under it. The estimated 
product is 583,828,000 bushels, against 
571,302,400 in 1883, The. average yield 
per acre is put at 27.04 bushels, against 
28,01 in 1883. The price per bushel is 
27.07 cents, a reduction of 5.03 cents 
from the price of the previous year, and 
the lowest figure ever reported except 
24.06,cts. in 1878,whenthcyield was31.04 
bushels per acre, and the aggregate pro 
duction the largest ever known up to that 
date. Moreover, the price was then in¬ 
fluenced by the downward tendency of 
corn during a series of good corn years. 
THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
Thf rural people from Maine to Califor- 
nial are just now deeply moved over the 
problem as to who shall be the next Com¬ 
missioner of Agriculture. Recognizing 
the fact that any Commissioner, support¬ 
ed and advised by the agricultural press, 
would be capable of accomplishing much 
more good than could the same man op¬ 
posed and obstructed in every manner pos 
siblc, we have at all times tried to aid in¬ 
stead of hindering all former incumbents. 
While we believe the present Commis¬ 
sioner lias honestly tried to accomplish 
what he could for the advancement of 
the agricultural interests of the country, 
he has not even as yet ceased to be sneer¬ 
ed and jeered at by those who opposed 
his appointment, and has thereby been 
more or less hmaered in his work. 
The papers are now filled with half a 
score or more of the names of candidates 
for this important position, and each is 
being pushed with all the energy and 
influence his friends can command. 
While we are in the receipt of many 
letters from candidates and their friends 
asking us to favor them for the appoint¬ 
ment, we have not taken, nor shall we 
take any active part for or against any 
one. We are aware that with the 
present unfortunate basis of organi¬ 
zation of the Department, a chauge is 
to be expected, and that the appointee 
must be more or less of a politician, yet 
we do hope that President-elect Cleve¬ 
land will have sense and fairness enough 
to carefully weigh the claims of each ap¬ 
plicant, and not make politics the 
only, or eveu the chief, basis of appoint¬ 
ment, and that he will give the country a 
good Commissioner, and one who has 
some knowledge of the wants of the 
farmers. Although we may have an idea 
of the comparative fitDess of the candi¬ 
dates, and a preference as to who should 
be appointed, we do not care to obtrude 
our opinions upon the President, unless 
—which is not at all likely—we are asked 
to do so. Whoever is appointed, wc pro¬ 
pose to acquiesce, and shall do all in our 
power to aid him in all efforts which we 
think calculated to develop the agricultu¬ 
ral resources of the Country, or elevate 
and benefit the farmer, or add to his pro¬ 
fit; and that we may be the more free to 
take such a course, we shall keep entirely 
out of the fight. 
Much effort is also being put forth to 
raise the Commissioner to the position of 
a Cabinet officer. This to us would seem 
much better than the present system of 
an irresponsible nobody called a Commis¬ 
sioner; but we would gladly go much 
further and elevate the Department to a 
position independent of politics. Asit now 
is, the position is entirely too much po¬ 
litical even in its subordinate parts. The 
Commissioner is entirely too dependent 
upon politics, and too much controlled 
by politicians in makiug his appoint¬ 
ments aud in carrying out his work. 
If there is any Department of the Gov¬ 
ernment which is of paramount impor¬ 
tance to the people at large, it seems to 
us it is that on which all are dependent 
for their daily bread and for their cloth¬ 
ing as well, and it is toying with vital in¬ 
ti rests when this important branch ismade, 
ns-at present, the football of politics. Wc 
think it would add greatly to its dignity 
and efficiency, if it could in some way 
be entirely disconnected from politics 
and political control; so that a man 
should be selected for its head solely 
with reference to his fitness for the posi¬ 
tion and when the right man is obtained, 
he should be retained so long as he shows 
work worthy of the position and emi¬ 
nently valuable to the country. 
To be exactly fitted for the head of this 
Department, a man should have rare qual¬ 
ifications. He should be a broader man 
than for any other position. He should be 
well versed in agricultural science and 
possessed of great experience and obser¬ 
vation; nor should his knowledge be 
limited to any one section or specialty. 
Such a man is not easy to find, and when 
he has been once found, aud after four 
years of trial has proven biraself the 
right man for the place, it seems to us 
little short of folly to replace him with a 
man wholly untried and whose principal 
chance of success depends upon political 
influence. 
While we will cheerfully sustain in 
all proper measures whoever may be ap¬ 
pointed, we are in favor of elevating 
this very important Department of the 
Government until it shall be, if possible, 
in some way placed above politics and 
party control. 
BREVITIES. 
In hot-beds, now is the time to sow cabbage 
seeds. 
Don’t allow your inclinations to warp your 
judgment. 
Cauliflower seed must be started early if 
you would have good beads. 
We will at once mail specimen copies of the 
Rural New-Yorker to any names sent to us 
by our subscribers. 
How much cold will young, well hardened 
cabbage plants stand? Mr. Henderson says 
“about 12° above zero.” 
Spring is fast approaebimr Hasten all 
work that, can now be done. Let us have a 
clear, straight track for the spring trains. 
Pray look to the cellars. Decayiog apples, 
pumpkins, potatoes, cabbages, turnips and 
the like are thought to he the causes of malig¬ 
nant fevers, diptberia and the like. 
For late cabbages, mauy sow half-a-dozen 
seeds in a bill where the cabbages are 1o grow, 
ami then thin out the poorest plants. Wehave 
tried this. The only question is whether it is 
less or more trouble to raise the plants in 
frames cir seed beds. 
The friendly and unselfish interest which 
hundred* of our readers take in the Rural 
New-Yorker is shown from the fact that 
they have sent us the "one new subscriber” 
asked for, while they do not care to raise clubs 
for the premiums offered. . 
A friend, referring to our editorial on 
“Free Passes,” ventures to say that there will 
lie no thorough railroad reform in this country 
unti' the Uuited States own all the greater 
trunk lines aud run them in the iuterest of 
the people, us the P. O. Dept, is now run. Then 
we say, speed that day. 
Note.—T he Rural New - Yorker is 
promptly discontinued at the end of the sub¬ 
scription term. Any numbers mailed after¬ 
wards are sent by mistake or as specimens, 
and no charge is ever made. Recipients 
should refuse to pay for papers sent after the 
term subscribed aud paid for has expired. 
Under date of Jan. 24. Mr John Saul, the 
seedsman and nurseryman of Washington, D. 
C., writes: 
“Allow me to congratulate you on the very 
high standard the Rural New-Yorker 
has attained, It is to day a splendid journal—a 
standard journal in everything appertaining 
to agriculture, horticulture, etc.” 
Trk American Institute Farmers’ Club 
bolds its meetings the second and fourth Tues¬ 
day of every mouth, at Cooper Institute, this 
city. The meetings arc full of interest, and 
should be atiended by all farmers and their 
wives who can make it convenient fo be there. 
< )ur report of the lost meeting Is crowded out 
by other topics of importance. The next 
meeting, February 10, will tie addressed by 
Mr 1‘etcr Henderson on the subject, “How 
the Farm May be Used for Growing Fniitsand 
Vegetables.” Questions are asked and timely 
pics arc diB5'AiS-I by thf aumbirs. 
