f HE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
THE 
RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
ANational Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Conducted by 
K. S. CARMAN, 
J. S. WOODWARD, 
Editor, 
Associate. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
No. 84 1’ark Row, New York. 
SATURDAY, JULY 11, 1885. 
We return our hearty thanks to the 
host of correspondents, who from every 
State and Territory in the Union and from 
the Dominion, have favored us with 
trustworthy reports of the areas, condition 
and prospects of crops in their respective 
neighborhoods. Our thanks are as warm 
toward the multitude of friends whose re¬ 
found so useful against the Eastern 
species. 
■» ♦ ♦ ■ 
A NEW MILDEW DESTROYER. 
Tiie use of a lime-sulphur wash has 
long been recommended as a preventive, 
if not a cure of the pear blight. We now 
have a similar preparation recommended 
as a sure cure for mildew and other fung¬ 
ous growth. To prepare it, place four 
pounds of fresh stone lime, broken to the 
size of hens’ eggs, in some vessel holding 
several gallons; over this strew two 
pounds of sulphur; pour over the whole 
three gallons of boiling water, and cover 
tightly while slaking the lime. When 
entirely slaked, stir well and pour one 
half into a 40-gallon cask, and fill with 
water, mixing all together. Allow it to 
settle, and use the clear liquid for sprink¬ 
ling or spraying the vines or plants 
affected. It is said to kill mildew at, once 
without injury to the foliage. It is worthy 
of trial, and we hope those of our readers 
who have vines or bushes affected, will 
not fail to try it, and promptly report the 
results to us. 
ports, while not published, have enabled 
us to come to conclusions with regard to 
-— 
MORE VEGETABLES AND MORE 
MUSCLE. 
Last year, besides consuming the millions 
of dozens produced in our own country, 
•we imported over25 million dozens, costing 
over six million dollars. Our people are 
learning that there is uo cheaper or more 
healthy article of diet, and our farmers 
should know that there is no product of 
the farm on which a larger qoroflt can be 
made than on eggs and poultry. 
What we need for the host good of both 
producers and consumers is some cheap, 
and effective method of preservin g the eggs 
laid in Summer for winter use. For a short 
time in Summer, the people being largely 
away from the cities, the supply being the 
largest of the year, is in excess of the de¬ 
mand. and prices run so low as to be 
scarcely above the cost of production. 
Now if we had a cheap and simple meth¬ 
od hy which the farmers could pack their 
eggs and safely keep them till cooler 
weather and the return of city consumers, 
they would not be forced to sell at un- 
remunerative prices, but could await the 
demand and the inevitable decrease of 
production, and thus realize much better 
prices, while preventing the outrageous 
figures which often rule during Winter. 
In view of the importance of this mat¬ 
ter,we beg to suggest to fair-associations, 
and especially to the American Institute, 
the propriety of offering liberal prizes for 
the best samples of preserved eggs, with 
the methods of preserving. Let the eggs he 
put up not later than August first, this 
year, and July first hereafter, and sent to 
the proper officers to be by them put into 
storage and exhibited at the fairs in the 
Fall, but not to be opened or tested un¬ 
til the Inst week of exhibitions, when the 
Judges shall award the prizes, making a 
public statement and giving the public the 
method of preservation. This will be a 
National work, and one that will add 
greatly to the welfare of both producer 
and consumer. In what other way can so 
much good be accomplished and for so 
little money? By all means let us have 
the prizes offered, and let it be done at 
once. Will the American Institute take 
the lead? 
—- ««• ■ 
WHAT WILL THE HARVEST BE ? 
In this and the last issue of the Rural 
New-Yorker practical farmers report, 
from every part of the country, the com¬ 
parative areas, condition and outlook for 
farm, garden and fruit crops in their re¬ 
spective neighborhoods. With the ex¬ 
ception of winter wheat, the indications 
are favorable for fair crops of all agricul¬ 
tural products; while there is not much 
probability of overproduction in any crop 
to such an extent as to lower prices un¬ 
reasonably. Here and there, it is true, 
shortages, or even failures, of one crop or 
another are mentioned; but even in these 
sections other crops are good. 
Wheat, being the great “money crop” 
of the North, as cotton is of the*South, 
attracts more attention and discussion 
than any other, although corn, on ac¬ 
count of the fact that it is more extensive¬ 
ly grown in all parts of the Union except 
the extreme North and on the highlands 
among the Rockies, as well as from its 
much greater yield and value, and the 
greater diversity of purposes for which it 
is used, is a much more important con¬ 
tributor to the prosperity of the nation. 
Grass for pasture and hay adds more to 
the wealth and well-being of the Repub¬ 
lic than wheat, but who ever heard of 
grass being “cornered,” or talked about 
in a speculative wav? 
Drought last Fail delayed the sowing 
of winter wheat, especially in the East, 
and South; the Winter was unusually 
severe; protection by snow was only par¬ 
tial in a large part of the winter wheat 
area, while severe freezing and thawing 
in Spring greatly increased the injury in¬ 
flicted by the earlier unfavorable condi¬ 
tions. The low prices for wheat at seed¬ 
ing time considerably curtailed the usual 
acreage, too; so that, on the whole, the 
crop will he extraordinarily short. Last 
year the total yield of winter wheat was 
about 360,000,000 bushels; this year “re¬ 
liable” estimates vary from 180,000,000 to 
260,000,000 bushels, with a strong proba¬ 
bility, in our opinion, that it will not be 
far either way from 210,000,000 bushels. 
The Agricultural Department estimates 
the area of spring wheat as substantially 
the same as last year’s; but our reports 
uniformly indicate a considerable increase, 
and, as the stand is generally good, we 
certainly think the aggregate yield of 
over 11.000,000 acres under it.,'will be 
about, 155,000,000 bushels, against 153, 
000,000 bushels last year, making the 
aggregate wheat yield this vear about 
365,000,000 bushels, against. 512,000,000 
last year, a falling off, say, of 147,000,000 
bushels. Other “reliable” estimates vary 
from 330,000,000 to 380,000,000 bushels, 
| but the latest telegraphic reports confirm 
us in our own estimate. Caution must 
be exercised in crediting such reports, as 
there is good reason to believe many of 
them are promulgated, regardless of truth, 
for speculative purposes. 
The area under oats has increased about 
four per cent., owing, in a great measure, 
to substitution for winter wheat. The 
increase is greatest in Ohio. Illinois and 
Kansas. The present indications point to 
a medium yield per acre, and as the acre¬ 
age is larger, the aggregate yield should 
he larger than that of Inst year, which 
amounted to 583,828,000 bushels. Rye 
and barley will be about average crops on 
an average acreage. The condition of 
barley is especially good in New York, 
Wisconsin and Minnesota, the three States 
in which it is produced most extensively 
east of the Rockies; but not so favorable 
m California, which usually produces 
nearly as much as the other throe. 
Potatoes, will, on the whole, be a fair 
crop. Here and there, there will be a 
scarcity; and an excess in some other 
places, us must always be the case with 
all crops in so extensive a country; but 
any great difference in prices in different 
places must be due mereU to local con¬ 
ditions. The same may lie said of grass 
and hay. There, has been a good deal of 
killing of clover; but the same story has 
been told in every Crop Special we have 
ever published; and usually the reports 
have been worse than they arc now. The 
area under tobacco must be considerably 
larger than heretofore, as its culture has 
been introduced in many new places, and 
its area enlarged where it has been ordin¬ 
arily grown. The outlook is generally 
good. 
The Increase which has of late been 
made every year in the area of sorghum 
has received a check, if it has not 
had a set-back. This was due to the 
poor crop of last, year, and the low price 
of sugar, which closed the factories at 
Hutchison and Sterling. Kansas, and 
Champaign, Illinois, and discouraged 
sorghum sugar making generally. The 
new Commissioner of Agriculture, always 
an earnest supporter of the industry, 
thinks highly of its future, and will do 
all he can to encourage it. The area of 
corn is larger than last year, and the 
stand good; but. it is still a trifle too early 
to say more than that the present, condi¬ 
tions indicate an unprecedented crop. 
The chances for mishaps are multitudi¬ 
nous yet, however. Cotton will be a 
large crop: an increase of five to six per 
cent, in area; stand good. The total 
area under it is estimated at 18,000,000 
acres. 
Apples will be a fair crop for what is 
the“off” year in most places Pears are 
a poor crop in most localities. The past 
Winter was very disastrous to peach trees 
in the northern part of the country; in 
the South the crop is good; and fair in 
the intermediate belt. Cherries are gener¬ 
ally a failure. Small fruits fair crops. 
In Canada, winter wheat, like that in 
Michigan, was protected by a good cover¬ 
ing of snow from the disasters of Winter; 
and is usually a good crop. Ollier crops 
also appear to he fair averages. 
In this and the accompanying reports, 
of course, only a general idea can be 
formed of the outcome of the harvest; 
hut with this as a foundation, a pretty 
fair knowledge can lie built up from the 
information that will appear every week 
in the Rural. 
brevities. 
By the way. are you using the garden rake 
to work the soil, instead of the hoe? Tf you 
have never tried it. vou will ho surprised to 
see bow much more efficient it is. 
Junk 28. Jewell Strawberry is st.ilI yield¬ 
ing berrips of goodly sixe. It is a vastly pro¬ 
lific varieti unquestionably. Tbo one thing 
that, will he said against it, is that the quality 
is not of the best. 
hr is neeesrarv to keep one eve on the weeds 
while looking after the work with the other. 
Tt is astonishiotr how fast thev grow these 
damp, hot davs, and. unless constantly warred 
against, how '’oon t.hav overgrow everything! 
Down with the weeds! 
Hon John A. Wood warp, of the Farm 
Journal, paid a hurried visit to the Rural 
Grounds onp day last week. Those who are 
acquainted with the proprietor and editors of 
that, paper cun understand readily enough the 
reason of its well merited success. Long life 
and an ever increasing prosperity to it and to 
them! 
How hot the aira^ems, and how long the 
half days, when one goes to the field forget- 
t ing the water jug] This reminds us that the 
horses are constituted exactly like ourselves 
and no doubt snffer just as keenly from thirst 
and beat. Would it not pay to take a water 
jug to the field for them? A barrel and a. 
pail on a stone-boat, sled or wagon’is’all that 
is'ptcesfflTy to provide for them.’ Rfmernttr 
a kind man^looks.kindlyfalter his.team. 
the harvest, as to the comparatively 
small number of those whose reports have 
been published; yet these cover more 
country, and make a longer list than any 
that has yet appeared in any other paper, 
political or agricultural, so far as we 
know. 
-- 
The early promise of the largest crop 
of grapes ever raised at the R. G. is still 
unbroken. 
Drought at the R. G. Early potatoes 
are checked; oats pretty well burnt up. 
Even wheat on light, soil has suffered. 
Last year the Rural said: “The Jewell 
Strawberry has come to stay.” This 
seasou’s experience does not change our 
opinion. 
The Rancocas this year gives us our 
first ripe red raspberries (June 28). The 
Imperial comes next. This is said by 
Sec. E. J. Holman of Kansas, to be the 
same as the Crimson Beauty. We can 
not compare the two since our Crimson 
Beauty plants did not grow. 
Property is by no means to he des¬ 
pised, nor is it an unworthy object of 
man’s ambition; but when its accumula¬ 
tion is at the expense of every comfort, 
and the happiness of one’s self and his 
family, it costs entirely too much, and 
we had better get along with less. Prop¬ 
erty the getting of which costs integrity, 
honor or even manliness, or which makes 
the heart hard and penurious, is no bless¬ 
ing. It blights, curses and destroys the 
better part of a man’s nature. It, is like 
a bag of gold tied about the man over¬ 
board struggling for life—it tends to drag 
him down to his own destruction, and in 
no sense can it be considered a blessing. 
The less property a man so accumulates, 
the happier he will live, the more re¬ 
spected be will be, and the brighter will 
he his prospects when he dies. Property 
is a blessing just in proportion as it is 
used to make ourselves and families more 
comfortable, our friends happier and the 
world better. And in any case, too much 
is only a burden! 
The people of California are just now 
suffering a great deal from the ravages of 
grasshoppers, and the authorities are. not 
able to determine the species. Prof. Riley 
has sent out an agent from the Agricul¬ 
tural Department, to make a proper in¬ 
vestigation, and though he lias had no 
news from him yet, he has recently 
received specimens of grasshoppers from 
Colato Ranch, from Yuba Co., and 
from Fresno Co., through Mr. C. Wolcott 
Brooks, the California Silk Agent of the 
Department, and Professors J. E. Hil- 
gard and C. H. Dwiunell of the University 
of California. Though the insects are in a 
mutilated condition, be is enabled to de¬ 
termine them as belonging to two species, 
viz.; Melanoplus devastator and Calop- 
tenuB differentials. The last named is 
common all over the country, and seldom 
proves very destructive, whereas the 
former belongs to the Pacific Slope, and 
is, in his opinion, the species now doing 
the damage, as he has received it in 
former years as being destructive in parts 
of California. He recommends the same 
remedies as have been urged in the Re¬ 
ports of the Entomological Commission, 
and especially the use of coal oil pans 
Probably two-thirds of the food con¬ 
sumed by the farmers’ families in this 
country, consists of animal food. In far 
too many households the proverbial 
“hog and hominy” constitute the daily 
articles of diet. That our people are able 
to subsist so continuously on such a diet 
and enjoy such robust health, speaks 
volumes in favor of our climate and of 
their out-door life. 
Tf we were to reverse this ratio and 
make two-thirds of our food vegetables, 
we should be greatly the gainers, and if 
c.f this we wouldmake a large share fruits 
we think it would be conducive to longlife, 
good health and happiness. There is 
now scarcely a season not fully supplied 
•with its appropriate fruit, and then hy 
the aid of canning and drying, we should 
not think of Bitting down to a single 
meal in the whole year of which fruit, 
does not form an important, part. ITapp.v 
is that person whose muscle is fed and 
whose brain is made active by blood 
largely derived from fresh, ripe, whole¬ 
some fruit; and no man can get these 
quite so fresh and delicious as he who 
lives nearest to nature’s source of supply, 
on the farm. 
A NOTE FROM DIRECTOR STURTE- 
VANT, 
After leaving your home, it occurred 
to me that you might like to have an ex¬ 
pression in writing regarding the view I 
have concerning your wheat and rye hy¬ 
brids. Your wheat plot was of intense 
interest to me, and I enjoyed very much 
the examination that the opportunity 
offered me. I can scarcely question but 
what your plants are the result of hybri¬ 
dization, as is evidenced by the variabili¬ 
ties which can be noted. I do not think, 
however, that you have any intermediates 
between wheat and rye in your crop, al¬ 
though the features of both seem present 
to the casual observer. Under the hy¬ 
pothesis that the foreign pollen has influ¬ 
enced the external features of the hybrid, 
and has not acted upon the internal feat¬ 
ures, the results observed seem explain¬ 
able. You seem to have the general form 
of the rye head in some cases, while a 
closer examination seems to show that the 
fruit is wheut,despite the,what I may call 
provisionally, abnormal appearance. The 
roughness of the upper portion of the stalk 
recalls the rye stalk. I would not be sur¬ 
prised if the continued growing of Beed 
from this source would furnish very in¬ 
teresting developments. It seems to me 
that we need not expect any intermediates 
between wheat and rye in the kernel, hut 
that we may justly expect to be able to 
add some of the qualities of the rye plant 
to the wheat plant. Such a view as this 
I am aware may seem radical, but yet I 
am fully satisfied that it is in accordance 
with the appearance, at date, and also 
conforms to the various analogies which 
I have noticed in my own attempts at 
cross-fertilization. Whether this view 
is correct, or whether the view taken by 
others, that the crop is a true intermedi¬ 
ate, at the present stage seems immaterial. 
In either case, the results are most inter¬ 
esting. It seems to me that, if the re¬ 
sults ultimately conform to my hypothe¬ 
sis, a great practical gain may be hoped 
for.” 
MUCH GOOD AT LITTLE EXPENSE. 
The consumption of eggs in this coun¬ 
try is simply enormous, and yet as large 
as it is, it is rapidly increasing each year. 
