THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
DEC 42 
THE 
RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
A National Journal for Country and Suburban Homes 
Conducted by 
e. s. c A K MAN, 
8. WOODWARD, 
Editor. 
Associate. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
No. 34 Park Row, New Y 
8ATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, I "5. 
Subscribers of the Rural need never tale 
the trouble to write ns to “stop” the paper. 
It is invariably discontinued at the ex¬ 
piration of the subscription term , except by 
oversigh t, in wh ich case it is our loss. 
We are in hopes that our Potato Num¬ 
ber will prove as valuable to our readers, 
as any of the Specials issued by the 
Rural New-Yorker, It will be issued 
probably early in January, 
The very large issues of the Rural 
New-Yorker will continue until about 
June 1st, 1886. Our advertising rates re¬ 
main unchanged, viz., 30 cents a line, 
unless 1,000 lines be taken within a year, 
in which case the price is 25 cents. There 
will be, as hitherto, no deviation from 
these rates under any circumstances. 
Rememuer that all the butter made by 
a cow, no matter how good the breed, if 
the animal is sheltered by a rail fence, 
or on the lea side of the straw-stack, and 
if it gets exercise by shivering on tip-toe 
in the piercing cold, will cost a full dol- 
tar per pound. The question is, can any 
ordinary farmer afford such a costly lux¬ 
ury, to say nothing of the inhuman cru¬ 
elty to the cow. It would be well for 
every farmer with unhoused stock to take 
time to think this matter carefully over, 
and decide whether it shall be continued. 
Some time ago Pennsylvania passed a 
law prohibiting the manufacture and sale 
of oleomargarine within the boundaries 
of the State. The constitutionality of 
the prohibition was, of course, contested 
before the courts, and yesterday Judge 
Sunonton, at Harrisburg, handed down a 
decision to the effect that such a “prohi¬ 
bition does come within the police pow¬ 
ers of the State; hence, the act is entirely 
constitutional.” The Judge here did not 
err, nor did the lawmakers blunder! Let 
us have, as early as possible, the results of 
the investigations of the Department of 
Agriculture into State legislation against 
counterfeit dairy products. 
According to the view taken in Notes 
from the Rural Grounds of last week, it 
would seem just as appropriate to speak of 
“strains” of potatoes as of “strains” of 
poultry. And this is reasonable, unless 
the originator of a seedling can show that 
the entire stock was grown from a single 
tuber in the first case, and that careful 
selections were made for at least two 
years afterwards as to color, quality, shape 
and productiveness. That the tubers 
from a single seed (true seed) will vary in 
all respects the first and second, and per¬ 
haps the third year, is a fact that should 
be well known to those who have had 
experience in raising and propagating 
seedling potatoes. When selections are 
made from different hills of the same 
seed-ball, the variations will be still 
greater in quality and productiveness, 
though not in shape and color if careful 
selections have been made with regard to 
similarity in these respects, 
— ■ 
A letter like the following cheers the 
heart of an editor and stimulates him to 
greater effort, as an actor is encouraged 
by the plaudits of his audience. 
“I have noticed of late years the increasing 
excellence of the Rural, and feel like con¬ 
gratulating you on the fact. Not only is it of 
great value to tbe fruitgrower, farmer, and 
gardener, but as a family paper it has few 
equals. I like the moral tone of the Rural. 
and am never afraid to let my children look 
over its contents from thefirst to the last page. 
During the past year, with scarcely an excep¬ 
tion. 1 have been in entire sympathy with the 
attitude of your paper on the various topics 
of public moment, from the railroad and labor 
questions down to the matter of “frizzes and 
bungs.” Do ou with the good work, and con¬ 
tinue to impress upon the people that “nothing 
is safer than justice, and nothing is settled 
that is not right.” A. K. GIPSON, 
“Greeiy, Colo." 
Our friends are reminded that, though 
we club with all papers, in a general way, 
at the lowest price, we specially club 
with the Weekly Inter-Ocean, which has 
the largest circulation of any paper of its 
class in America; with the Detroit Free 
Press, the New York Weekly World, the 
Philadelphia Weekly Press, the Roches¬ 
ter, N. Y., Democrat and Chronicle, the 
Buffalo, N. Y., Express, the Washington 
National Republican, the Baltimore 
Herald, and the Cottage Hearth of Bos¬ 
ton, Mass. The price, in all cases, in¬ 
cludes the Rural’s Free Seed Distri¬ 
bution, without further application, and 
is as follows: With the Inter-Ocean, 
$2.65; with the Detroit Free Press (aod 
Household Supplement), $2.75; with 
the Weekly World, $2.65; with the 
Philadelphia Weekly Press, $2.65; with 
the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, 
$2.50; with the Buffalo Express, $2,50; 
with the Washington National Repub¬ 
lican, $2.25; with the Baltimore Herald, 
$2.25; and with the Cottage Hearth, of 
Boston, $2.25. We thus offer our friends 
the best and most enterprising paper in 
each city and section represented, and 
those which we know to be well worth 
the subscription price. For specimen 
copies send to the paper wanted, men¬ 
tioning the Rural, and we guarantee 
prompt attention. We prefer that our 
friends should subscribe through the R. 
N.-Y., as we have a pride in sending 
those journals more subscribers than they 
send us. Our beat attention is promised 
with regard to prompt and careful execu¬ 
tion of the orders. 
SPECIALS. 
Our next Special Number, dated the 
19tb, will have a supplement devoted to 
the newer blackberries (with four original 
illustrations), and the best blackberries for 
different parts of the country. Our next 
special thereafter will be the Index Num¬ 
ber. There is no other farm paper pub¬ 
lished that prepares an index so compre¬ 
hensive and thorough as that of the 
Rural New-Yorker. Our next special 
thereafter will be devoted to potatoes— 
and we shall endeavor to tell all that is 
known about their cultivation; the best 
varieties, the best fertilizers and manures, 
the best methods, etc., all by the most 
successful potato growers of America. 
SHALL THE PEOPLE BE LONGER 
SWINDLED? 
There seems no louger any reasonable 
doubt that the actual inventor of the 
telephone was Philip Reis, a German, and 
that Bell obtained his ideas from this in¬ 
vention, and has not the least right to 
protection of his so-called patent. The 
outrage is that our courts allow them¬ 
selves to be made tools by which such an 
abominable and grasping monopoly is en¬ 
abled to keep fast, grip of the throats of 
the people. Every other government has 
pronounced Bell’s claims unfounded, and 
it is high time ours should take measures 
to ascertain the facts beyond controversy, 
and if as is not now doubted, the Bell 
patents are antedated by the actual use of 
a telephone, let us have them declared 
void. In such a case the people would 
soon be supplied with phones at such a 
minimum coat that all could afford to use 
them. We hope the Attorney-General 
will receive instructions to do all in his 
power to have this matter settled. 
DEAL HONESTLY BY THE CHILDREN. 
TnAT brains are much superior to 
muscle is easily proven by watching men 
at work. One, a big, stout, unthinking 
fellow, takes hold by the wrong end of 
everything and succeeds, if at all, only by 
main strength, and much of this is 
wasted. Another, a little fellow of light 
frame but who uses his mind at his work, 
sees at a glance where he can use his 
strength to the best advantage, and with¬ 
out half the outlay of force accomplishes 
twice the work. Even an intelligent 
horse is worth twice as much as a “lunk¬ 
head.” Think of this when employing 
men; and don’t tor the world forget it. 
dow, when deciding whether you will 
send the boys to school this Winter. It 
is awfully poor economy to keep the boys 
at home to do chores and help “get up” 
wood, when you can get some otherwise 
idle man to do it a’most for his board. It 
is the meanest and most foolish kind of 
penny wisdom to stint, the children in 
knowledge. In this couutry a good com¬ 
mon school education is every child’s 
birthright, and we believe Rural readers 
have more fairness and common sense 
than to deprive their children of it. It is 
better to go with only one meal a day, 
and work nights for that, than to dwarf 
the children’s intellect. 
PRIZES. 
TEN DOLLARS 
for the largest Bird Cantaloupe from the 
Seed of the Rural’s present Free Seed 
Distribution. 
TEN DOLLARS 
for the largest Watermelon. 
TEN DOLLARS 
for the longest ear of the Angel of Mid¬ 
night Corn containing the greatest num¬ 
ber of kernels. 
TEN DOLLARS 
for 10 of the heaviest pods from the Alaska 
Pea. 
The prizes will be awarded October 
1st, 1886. All competitors will be re¬ 
quired to advise us as to the weight or 
size of their peas, melon or corn by postal 
card. Those who take the prizes will 
then be required to send the peas, corn or 
melons by express at the Rural’s expense. 
— 
NO OTHER PAPER DOES AS MUCH. 
Besides giving a greater number of 
articles on a greater number of subjects, 
and four times as many illustrations as 
any other agricultural weekly, the Rural 
New-Yorker has given in the present 
year six Special Numbers, in each of 
which some subject has been exhaustively 
treated. These subjects have been rasp¬ 
berries and strawberries, grapes, cabbages, 
grass and hay-making, crops and markets, 
and fertilizers. We shall next week give 
a Blackberry Special, making seven this 
year. In the Fertilizer Number was more 
information on the subject of fertilizers 
in every form, put in a more plain, com¬ 
mon-sense shape,than can be found in any 
other publication in any language. We 
shall open the Special Number business 
early next year with a Special Potato 
Number, which will contain more correct 
knowledge on the subject of potatoes, 
how to grow and harvest them and what 
varieties to use, than was ever put to¬ 
gether in the English language. The 
articles will be from the best potato 
growers of the "world, and that number 
alone will be worth more than a year’s 
subscription will cost, and it should be 
carefully preserved as a book of reference. 
It is a fact that should be known and 
appreciated,that the Rural New-Yohkkr 
is the only agricultural paper that has the 
necessary experience and the energy, or 
is willing to incur the expense of getting 
together the necessary material to issue a 
decent Special Number, This fact should 
make the Rural a necessity to every 
progressive farmer, 
- » s a 
A FUTURE FOR THE SILO. 
There is strong ground for encourage¬ 
ment when politicians begin to come to 
agriculture for new political expressions. 
Base-ball and the prize ring have con¬ 
tributed their full quota, and it is refresh¬ 
ing to notice that real progress is being 
made in the matter. In a recent political 
article, we notice that one candidate “has 
his little plans in ensilage, and will dig 
them up green and fresh at the proper 
time.” This is an excellent arrangement. 
It will be keenly appreciated by all farm¬ 
ers. There seems no good reason why the 
ensilage system Bhouldnot obtain a strong 
hold in the political world. These “little 
plans” will come out of the silo in excel¬ 
lent eondition; but while they are there, 
they must remain quiet. The’ people, at 
least, will not be burdened with the dis¬ 
cussions that draw so many men away 
from their work, and push thorn into the 4 
comfortable chairs about the stores. As 
the system works deeper into politics, it 
i i more than probable that the candidates 
will be put into the silo and kept under 
full pressure until after the election. In 
this way, they will be kept from the 
burdensome duty of electing themselves, 
and be left with all their energies fresh 
for the work of administration. The 
number of candidates will be reduced. 
Only men of “Spartan fortitude” will 
enter for the race. We might suggest 
another admirable expression. Instead of 
saying that a candidate is “snowed 
under.” why not say that he is “plowed 
under” or “harrowed in.” Down under 
the snow, the candidate has little chance 
of helping mankind; treated in the other 
way, every farmer will know how value- 
able he will become. The possibilities of 
the mental silo are boundless. There 
should be one in every family, The head 
of the family should carry it about on his 
shoulders. Let him pack therein all the 
sharp things he would like to say, all the 
new ideas he discovers, all the happy 
times of his life. When they come out 
at last, they will be mellowed and 
seasoned. The sharp points will be 
ground away, the impractical thoughts 
filed down, and the good memories 
brightened. The silo will yet graduate 
from the barn. 
BREVITIES. 
Rural Readers, please do us the favor to 
renew early. It will save us a deal of trouble, 
and will cost you nothing. 
Have you examined the RURAL’S REGU¬ 
LAR PRRM1LTM. LIST? Does it please you? 
We have tried to please all. 
Send for specimen copies of all the farm, 
garden, and stock papers. Compare them 
carefully—and subscribe for the best. 
Every pomologist in America, if not in the 
world, will deeply sympathize with the be¬ 
loved Col. Marshall P. Wilder in the loss of 
bis wife. She died at her home in Dorchester, 
Mass., the 16tb of November. 
The greatest favor that the R. N.-Y. asks 
of its subscribers is that they will send one 
new name with their renewals. Isn’t this a 
modest request, kind readers, and will not 
you grant it? 
Only regularyearly subscribers need apply 
for our seed distribution. We would gladly 
send It to every farmer and gardener in the 
country; but, for obvious reasons, this is im¬ 
practicable. 
If the bens are permitted to run at large 
during the Winter, it is a good plan to distri¬ 
bute the old canes of blackberry and rasp¬ 
berry bushes over the strawberry patch. 
Hens will then prefer to scratch elsew here. 
The new Jewell Strawberry is praised by 
every one who has tried It, and the claims 
made for this remarkable variety by the 
R. N.-Y. are supported withoutone exception 
that we have seen. We want our subscribers 
to try a few plants, and have, therefore, 
placed it in our regular premium-list- 
Now (Dec. 1st) is the time we most appreci¬ 
ate the California Privet Its leaves are still 
as plump and green as in the Summer. It is 
a shrub that will grow anywhere, and though 
not quite hardy in this climate, its annual 
growth is such that its beauty is not impaired 
by being killed back every Winter. 
While many who t> ied the Rural’s trench 
mulch system the past season report that it 
gave no increased yield, others are much 
pleased with it. As will be seeu bv reference 
to our Every where Department, T. H. T., of 
Dakota, raised an immense crop of potatoes 
while his neighbors’ crops were comparatively 
small. 
A friend, who carefully examined the 
Rural’s Avery Sewing-machine, remarked: 
“It looks as if it would last forever, because 
there is so little movement, and noise that 
there is uolhiug to wear out." Nearly every 
weekly paper offers a sewing machine either 
for money or for subscribers. Many of our 
readers will no doubt take for granted that 
the new Avery is no better than these. But 
they will make a great mistake. The Avery 
will revolutionize the sewing-machine busi¬ 
ness. 
A neighbor bas a plant of the Evergreen 
or Cut leaved Blackberry growing against 
the cast side of bis kitchen. At this date 
(Dec. 1st) the leaves are quite fresh and green, 
Evidently there ore different, varieties of this 
Kubus fruticosus, as w« judge from specimens 
sent to this office. We have made a careful 
drawing of the fruit and leaves of a variety 
grown in the Northwest, where it seems to be 
prized. The engraving, with uotes from 
different growers, will appear in due time. 
Surely, my dear Sir, you will agree with 
us that certain kinds of potatoes are hetter in 
quality and will yield better on your farm 
than others. Does tho corn you raise please 
you in every way; Does it make the best fod¬ 
der? Does it yield the most? Do tbe plants 
grow ISfeetor six feet high? if the former, 
is it not among t he possibilities tbnt a shorter- 
growiug kind would yield as well and ripen 
earlier? Is there no room for betterment in 
the selection of your peas, beans, onions, 
beets, cabbages, oats, small fruits, etc./ Is 
there a better lime than now, while general 
form work is less pressing than at other seas¬ 
ons, to think this over amt lo determine to se¬ 
lect different varieties with a view to testing 
them in a small way next year, and thus to 
ascertain whether a change of seeds might not 
result in larger and better crop3 for the same 
expenditure of money and labor? 
