THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
OCT 24 
Mass., he stated to me that he and others in 
the vicinity of Boston at one time thought 
the Comet an old variety under a new name, 
but now they consider it distinct. 
J. S. COLLINS. 
THE TYSON PEAR, 
It is stated editorially in the Rural of Sept. 
26th that the “only objection” to the Tyson 
Pear is its tardy bearing. I wish to call par¬ 
ticular attention to this. During 30 years’ ex¬ 
perience, I have never known of a blighted 
Tyson. It is a good, upright, symmetrical 
grower; shoots rather slender, dull olive; buds 
well developed, quite sharp-pointed. Pity it 
is so long iu coming into bearing; but the 
fruit is delicious. It does well on quince when 
started, though it is much inclined to re-root. 
Fairfield Co., Ohio. A. J. black. 
•JilxSCfllflTlfOUS. 
GOOD FEEDING AND ENLIGHTENED 
CIVILIZATION. 
JONATHAN PERIAM. 
The hungry man and the hungry wild 
beast are alike dangerous. Well fed nations, 
through heredity show their superior quality 
in superior intelligence and superior physical 
ability. In the lower animals the effect of 
good feeding is seen in intelligent traceability, 
muscular frame and nervous energy, as in the 
horse and dog. In cattle, sheep and swine it 
is displayed in the most perfect development 
for the several uses for which they are in¬ 
tended. 
*** 
The English are no longer the greatest beef 
eaters of the world. In the United States the 
average is 159 pounds of beef per capita per 
year; in England it is only 101 pounds. In phy¬ 
sical development the Americans are supe¬ 
rior to the English; mental development is 
greatest with those best nourished. 
As mutton eaters, however, the English 
carry the palm. The 2,389,000 acres of turnips 
annually raised are principally fed to sheep, 
and are largely harvested by the animals 
which gnaw them in the fields as they grow. 
Does feeding on sheep account for British lack 
of belligerency of late years. No! The aver¬ 
age Englishman is known to be personally 
brave. Wheat is a perfect food, and he feeds 
principally on bread. The lord who rules, the 
capitalist who holds the money bags, the mer¬ 
chant who sails fleets of traders, the manufac¬ 
turer who drives the loo j)8,the iron master who 
owns the rolling mills, the country squire and 
the well-to-do tenant farmer eat the bulk of 
the mutton, while the laboring masses eat 
bread; that is to say, one eats beef and mutton 
while ten eat bread. It is the wealthy aris¬ 
tocracy and the capitalists who rule. It is 
they who lack courage, for money is ever 
timid. It must therefore be bread that holds 
British courage high. 
v** 
Nevertheless, an English authority says the 
cheaper wheat is in England the less of it is 
used. It is accounted for in this way: The 
Eiglishmau regards bread as the “staff of 
life.” When it is dear, little else can be paid 
for; when it is cheap more money can be 
spent for vegetables and other food; hence 
the normal amount of bread cannot be eaten. 
It is to be hoped that the English laborer can 
now satisfy his longing for “garden sass.” 
Plentiful crops over the world, and cheap 
transportation have made wheat cheaper in 
England than at any time for the last 100 
years. Wheat can be laid down in Loudon for 
about 90 cents per bushel; will cheap bread 
allow the average Briton to satisfy his hanker¬ 
ing after vegetables, and even mutton; and 
thus drag the ten down to the level of the one 
in timidity $ 
**+ 
Suppose a series of years should give great 
wheat crops over the world. Suppose iu 
consequence of a plethora of the “staff of 
life,” the average Englishman should lose his 
taste for bread, and having feasted on mutton 
and vegetables, should then “switch oif’' aud 
acquire a taste for that supposed courage- 
inspiring food, fresh beef, which impioved 
transportation facilities and improved pro¬ 
cesses of preserving may place in England 
at a slight advam e on its cost iu the West, 
where its production may be indefinitely ex¬ 
tended, and at a price cheaper thun English 
grown mutton; on the principle that the food 
forms the character of the individual, will 
the toiling millions, like the wealthy hundreds, 
become timid as adipose is increased. 
* * * 
No! The theory as stated,is based on fallacy. 
Even the sheep is not a coward. Neither does 
he lack belligerency, as those who have ag¬ 
gressively interviewed well horned sheep of 
the male persuasion can testify. Man has 
bred off his horns, aud loaded the animal 
down with a mountain of wool. Herbivor¬ 
ous animals are not cowardly, They aro 
merely non-aggressive. Carnivorous animals 
are not courageous, they are simply cruel. 
Herbivorous animals have strength, and great 
powers of endurance from their constantly 
active exercise in the labor of procuring food. 
The strictly carnivorous animals (the felines) 
concentrate their efforts in a few strong 
leaps, and if not successful, retire from the 
contest in disgust. What then constitues a 
perfect foody 
* * * 
It is that which nourishes every part of the 
body in a perfect manner, and is never found 
in one food, and seldom in one class of foods. 
In animals the true type of moral and physi¬ 
cal courage is found in the domestic horse and 
dog. The best nourishment of the horse is in 
grass, hay and grain combined; in the dog, 
in preparations of flesh, grains and vegetables. 
Man alone rises to the best dignity, combin¬ 
ing moral with physical courage, intelligence 
and superior muscular activity, capable of 
undergoing fatigue, and with endurance with 
which no other of the animal creation can 
compete. Will, then, the human race degen¬ 
erate as the years go by, from insufficent 
foods' It is hardly a supposable case. The 
world of to day is better fed thaD the world 
of past times. It is the most enlightened. 
The savage is the worst fed of all. Improved 
processes keep pace with increasing popula¬ 
tion. The well-fed countries are the homes of 
advancing civilization, where, as population 
crowds too strongly, the more enterprising are 
thrown off, as bees from the over-crowded 
hive, leaving room at home for the weaker to 
grow. But, when the habitable globe is all 
populated! 
* * * 
Well, it will be a long time in the future 
when improved cultivation will not keep pace 
with population. The State of Illinois is 
capable of supporting a population equal to 
that of England. It has been demonstrated 
that an acre is sufficient to support an in¬ 
dividual-five acres to the average family. 
Famine need not be feared just yet. 
As well few the destruction of the earth. 
That, according to geology, has occurred many 
times, so far as living things and living beings 
are concerned, yet only to be regenerated again 
and again, superior in every respect to the 
previous condition. Let us hope, aud not 
fear. 
* T * 
Yes, let us hope. The dignity of labor is 
bringing all men nearer and nearer to univer¬ 
sal brotherhood. It is not the real workers 
who go hungry—only those who will not woi k, 
or who will not work productively. It is 
human tigers who rend, and human wolves 
who prey on their fellows. Tbesealone are to 
be feared. Enlightened civilization must learn 
to deal stern and swift justice to this class. 
“The lion and the lamb,” may then, figur¬ 
atively, “lie down together.” Real courage, 
only another name for energy in the right 
direction, comes of good feeding as truly in 
beast as in man. 
Chicago, 111. 
-♦ ♦- 
CARE OF SWEET POTATOES. 
In the first days of Vineland, C. K. Landis, 
the principal owner of the land thereabouts, 
sent a man around, when the first frost came, 
to notify the settlers that their sweet potatoes 
would be spoiled unless the tops were cut off 
immediately; but this is not at all necessary, 
and it makes no difference about keeping 
them. They should not be left long after the 
ground becomes cold, especially it it is wet, as 
it injures the quality. When first started, it 
is better to keep np a temperature of 85 to 90 
degrees for a week, afterwards one of 50 to 60 
degrees is sufficient, but they should ulways 
be kept in a dry room. w. F. b. 
Hammonton, N. J. 
CATALOGUES, ETC., RECEIVED. 
The Fancier’s Hand Books. By the Asso¬ 
ciated Fanciers, 237 South 8th Street, Phila- 
delphia, l J a. Therear« three little books, No. 
1, The Practical Book of Cage Birds; No. 2, 
The Practical Dog Book; and No. 3, The 
Practical Poultry Book, each containing much 
useful information on the subject on which it 
treats—how to care for, breed, feed and doc¬ 
tor the animals, aud also full descriptions of 
the various breeds and practical directions 
how to select when buying. They are 
uniformly gotten up, andsell for 15 cents each. 
Transactions of the Wisconsin Horti¬ 
cultural Society. A book of nearly 3lH) 
pages, well printed and bound, containing a 
full account of the proceedings of the society 
at the annual meeting held at Madison in 
February, together with the papers read aud 
the discussions elicited by them. About half 
the book is devoted to contributed articles aud 
clippings from the agricultural press. Secre¬ 
tary Treiease has succeeded in making a very 
valuable book for fruit growers and a very 
readable one as well. The Secretary’s ad¬ 
dress is J'rof* Win, Treiease, Madison, Wia, 
for Women. 
CONDUCTED BY M.ISC RAY CLARK. 
SOMEBODY’S MOTHER. 
Thk woman was old, and ragged, and gray, 
And bent with the ctiUl of a winter's day: 
The streets were white with a recent snow, 
And the woman’s feet with age were slow. 
At the crowded crossing she waited long, 
Jostled aside by the careless throng 
Of human beings who passed her by, 
Unheeding the glance of her anxious eye. 
Down the street with laughter and shout, 
Glad In the freedom of “school Ictom,” 
Caine happy boys, like a Hock Of sheep, 
Hailing the snow idled high and deep; 
Passed the woman, so old and gray 
Hastened the children on their way. 
None offered a helping hand to her. 
So weak and thrill, arruid to stir, 
Lest the carriage wheels or the horses’ feet 
Should trample her down In the slippery street. 
At last came out of the rnerry troop 
The gayest boy of all the group; 
He paused beside her and whispered low, 
“I'll help you across, If you wish to go.” 
Her aged haud on his strong young arm 
She placed, and so without hurt or harm 
He guided the trembling fe t along. 
1- roud that bis own were young and strong: 
Then back again to his frieuds he went, 
His young heart happy and well content. 
“She’s somebody’s mother, boys, you know, 
For all she's aged, and poor, and slow; 
And some one, some lime, may lend a hand 
To help my mother—you understand'!’— 
If ever she’s poor, and old, and gruy. 
And her own dear boy so fnr away." 
“Somebody'smother.'' bowed low her head 
In her home that night, ami the prayer she said 
Was, “God be kind to (bat noble uoy. 
Who Is somebody’s son. and pride and joy.” 
Faint, was the voice, nnd worn, and weak, 
But heaven list* when its chosen speak; 
Angels caught the faltering word, 
And “Somebody's Mother's" prayer was heard. 
— Macmillan. 
“OUR GIRLS.” 
MRS. W. C. GIFFORD. 
American girls, wherever the tide of travel 
comes in foreign lands, are noted for beauty 
aud wit, their sprightliness, and disregard of 
conventionalities. In most other civilized 
countries, long and established customs which 
dictate the proprieties of society, place barriers 
upon the conduct that are deemed wholly un¬ 
necessary in this land. But from this very 
freedom arise dangers to which those in less 
favored countries may not be exposed. There 
may be such a thing as too much liberty, es¬ 
pecially to those whose home training, or 
experience, is not of the right kind, or suf¬ 
ficient to enable them to use the liberty 
aright. If all mothers were possessed or the 
requisite wisdom to train their daughters in 
ways of usefulness, aud inculcate in their 
minds that the chief end of living i3 to ac¬ 
complish all the good we can, there would be 
fewer butterflies aud flirts, and many more 
happy homes in the future. Silly girls are 
nearly always the daughters of silly mothers— 
mothers who think it “nice" for their girls to 
have beaux as soon as they are in their teens, 
who allow them to be out till late at night; to 
accept the invitations of any aud every one; 
to fill their heads with all sorts of foolish, 
sensational trash which may chance in their 
way in the shape of cheap novels; and load 
them with cheap finery and spurious jewelry 
—thus endeavoring to palm off the counterfeit 
for the genuine. There are too many good 
mothers who, in their mistaken fondness, 
assume all the drudgery, that their daughters 
may have soft hands, aud if the income is 
limited, as it too often is in farmers’ families, 
the new and most expensive clothing goes to 
supply the wardrobe of the girls, while second 
hand, made over, and often so cheap as to look 
shabby, is the mother’s portion. This is all 
wrong. Youth is bright and pretty in fresh 
print and muslin, while middle age has no 
such latitude of dress. The material must 
necessarily be finer and richer to compen¬ 
sate for the lack of freshness in the wearer. 
Besides if all the expense is lavished on the 
younger members of the family, while the 
mother is shabbily dressed, she inevitably 
loses that respect and deference which is her 
right, aud which she as one of the heads of the 
family should command. Many girls, alas! 
are ruined by false, trashy literature. Their 
heads are so turned by the unreal heroes and 
heroines, who never did and never can have 
any counterpart in real life, that existence 
comes to loose its zest, unless dressed in rom¬ 
ance,and they throw themselves away on some 
worthless tellow with the vain fancy that they 
are doing a noble thing, and that their de¬ 
votion can reform a man whose appetite and 
passions make him lower than a brute. It is 
just as necessary for our girls to receive a 
sound, liberal education, a* for our boys. 
There is just as much necessity that they be 
educated to support themselves if need be. 
Many avenues of labor which a few years 
Hinre wore closed, are now open, as well for 
the young woman,as for her brother. Thirty 
years ago, nearly all the employments which 
were accessible to a girl, if she did not choose 
to do kitchen work, were dress, or bonnet 
making, or school teaching, aud the compen¬ 
sation she received, ridiculously small in com¬ 
parison to that paid the other sex. But as the 
years advance this is gradually changing, and 
ideas of justice are dawuing in the minds of 
many, to the effect that like service, deserves 
like pay, regardless of sex. If young women 
were taught to be self supporting, there would 
be fewer marriages simply lor the sake of a 
home,—marriages which all too frequently 
are productive of little happiness, because un¬ 
sympathetic, aud as the years go on become 
still less so, frequently ending in separation 
and divorce. No girl is fitted to assume the 
responsibilities of wife, housekeeper, and 
mother, till at least 20 years of age; and five 
years more, may much better be added to 
this, rather than subtract a single one. There 
are pleasures and experiences that belong to 
girlhood, of which she has no right to defraud 
herself. 
The silly custom of stigmatizing a girl as 
“old maid,” as soon as she has arrived at the 
age of 25, is to be deprecated. If she has had 
the good sense not to spoil her complexion by 
cosmetics, or impair her health by dissipation, 
and has given culture to mind aud heart, she 
is just at the bight of youthful beauty, and 
should be of sufficiently mature judgment to 
make a happy choice aud a happy home. 
There are many thiDgs more to be dreaded 
thau to live single. All honor to the woman, 
who. if fate so wills, can nobly live an in¬ 
dependent, self-supporting life, strewing her 
pathway with smiles of beneficence and deeds 
of charity. There are many avenues, both 
useful and honorable, open to women, who 
either from choice or necessity, remain single, 
and there are many places in which an un¬ 
married woman can be of service to those 
around her when her married sister mu3t 
needs give her time to her own immediate 
family. Female physicians and nurses are iu 
demand, and there are many, many instances 
in which their attendance and help are far 
more desirable and proper than that of a 
“male man,” as Samantha Alien would say. 
Certain it is that in some of the older States 
a not inconsiderable proportion of women 
must, of necessity remaiu single, as the census 
shows them to be largely in excess of the male 
population, and every' wise mother will have 
her daughters so educated that iu case no lover 
asks her to share his hearth and home, she will 
he able to lead an honorable, independent life. 
A VITAL SUBJECT. 
Almost every week in some one of the many 
household papers we see appeals from anxious 
IttteUaufou.s §Uvcrti,$ing, 
But few families put 
wearing apparel and 
house linen in the 
“ wash ” every week 
of less value than 
twenty-live dollars, 
and fewer still con¬ 
sider that the addition 
of three cents at the 
most, to the price of 
the soap used each 
week will be a positive 
saving of as many 
dollars, for the major¬ 
ity of soaps sold are 
too powerful, so will 
burn and rot the fab¬ 
rics. Prof. Langley, of 
University of Michi¬ 
gan, says, “The Ivory 
“Soap can not injure 
“any fabric.” 
Free of charge. A full size cake of Ivory Soap 
will be sent to any one who can not get it of their 
grocer, If six two-cout stamps, to pay postage, aro 
sent u> Procter A liaiqWjp \ if" 'M'Hli. l*wW9 
immUqw Uis paper, 
