THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
THE 
RURAL NEW'YORKER, 
A. National Journal for Country and Suburban Homes, 
Conducted by 
HUBERT 8. CARMAN. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
No. 84 Park Row, New York. 
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1887. 
Back Numbers of the Rural New- 
Yorker are exhausted. Subscribers are 
respectfully requested to ream promptly. 
NOTICE is respectfully civen that all potatoes, 
plants or seeds to be tested at the Rural Grounds 
should be addressed to the Editor of the Rural 
New-Yorker, River Edge, Bergen Co., New Jersey. 
-» » ♦- 
WE arc very glad that Mr. J. S. Wood¬ 
ward, of Lockport, N. Y.—our late asso¬ 
ciate—has been elected Secretary of the 
New York Agricultural Society. We 
doubt very much if a better selection 
could have been made. We feel assured 
that Mr. Wood ward will endeavor in every 
way to make the society a real power in 
advancing the interests of the farmers of 
New York. 
A new poster, “The Farmer Supplying 
the World,” will be sent to all who apply 
for it, together with an account of the 
Rural’s seed distribution, premium-lists 
and specimen copies, to aid our friends in 
forming clubs. 
Tiie Inter-Ocean of Chicago, Ill., 
(weekly) and the Rural New-Yorker, 
both one year for $2.50. 
The Detroit Free Press, of Detroit, 
Mich., and the Rural New-Y orker, both 
one year for $2.50. 
Send your subscriptions to theR. N.-Y. 
Apply to the above papers for specimens. 
For other combinations, see our special 
premium-list which will be mailed free to 
all applicants. 
We have never had much experience 
with hazelnuts or filberts, and we should 
be glad to hear from those of our readers 
who have. The Americau hazelnut is 
smaller than the European and has a 
thicker shell. Both grow readily from 
seeds and bear early. The finer European 
kinds are propagated from layers and 
suckers as well as by grafting. Quite a 
number of varieties are offered by nursery¬ 
men, notably the Frizzled, Coburg, Dwarf 
Prolific, Red-Skinned and Cosford, all of 
which bear large, thin-shelled nuts of fine 
quality. 
All farmers who have planted corn very 
early know that after the plants sprout 
and have grown two or three inches, there 
usually comes a cold spell and the plants 
stop growing and often assume a yellow, 
sickly appearance. Is this due, as is gen¬ 
erally supposed, to the cold weather al¬ 
together or to the fact that nitrification 
ceases? If inquiring farmers would sow a 
little nitrate of soda upon a small portion 
of the field when planting, thus supplying 
nitrogen in an immediately available form, 
it might appear that the. “standstill” was 
due rather to a deficiency of nitrogenous 
food than to the cool weather. 
Thanks to the Western N. Y. Horti¬ 
cultural Society. The following resolution 
was passed unanimously: Resolved: That 
we regard the annual seed distribution, hy 
the Department of Agriculture as a waste 
of the people's money , an insult to the per¬ 
sons to whom, the seeds are sent and a dis¬ 
grace, to the intelligence of the. nation , and 
we demand its abolition, or at least that it 
shall no longer be made in the name of agri¬ 
culture. Resolved: That a copy be sent 
to each of the members of Congress from 
Western New York. 
See our special report, page 104. 
Mark. —At the late meeting of the 
Western New York Horticultural Society, 
the Kelsey’s Japan Plum was pronounced 
tender. Members said that it should not 
be planted north of Southern Virginia, 
Tennessee and Arkansas. We know of 
trees that have fruited in Northern New 
Jersey and that have proved hardy thus 
far. But the fruit did not ripen. It is 
late, therefore, and now that doubt is cast 
upon its hardiness, our readers are cau¬ 
tioned to plant it only in an experimental 
way. At the same meeting the Early 
Harvest Blackberry, the fruit of which is 
so'beautifully regular was pronounced 
tender. This is quite in accord with the 
Rural’s reports. 
It is now 10 years ago that we first be¬ 
gan the advocacy, more earnestly pressed 
with every succeeding year, of planting 
corn in drills instead of in hills; of sow¬ 
ing fertilizers on the surface and merely 
harrowing them in; of surface cultivation; 
that is, shallow cultivation, and of keep¬ 
ing the land as level as possible; that is, 
not hilling up. There were then, as in¬ 
deed there were many years previously, 
advocates of one or the other of these 
methods—but none who favored all si¬ 
multaneously. It is gratifying to the Ru¬ 
ral that there are nowadays, among 
those who have tried our method, very 
few who would return to the old way, 
viz., plowing under the manure or even 
fertilizer; planting in hills, hilling up 
and deep cultivation, until the corn is 
laid by. 
At a recent auction nearus, twogradeR 
of hay were advertised. One was classed 
as “good hay” and the other as “cow 
hay.” The “cow hay” proved to be a 
lot of coarse, poorly cured stuff, full of 
briers and weeds. Some of the cattle of¬ 
fered for sale were living advertisements 
of the quality of the hay. Thin and bony, 
they showed the value of “cow hay” as 
nothing else could have done. There are 
still farmers who appear to be satisfied 
if they can keep life in their cows through 
the winter. Tbe fodder that no other stock 
will eat will just about do that if the cow 
is fat in the fall. It. is a crime to thus 
abuse the patient old cow. 
In some of our exchanges we see a 
new (?) blackberry advertised by the 
name of “Sea Island.” Single plants will 
cost the purchaser three dollars, or for five 
dollars two plants may be obtained. The 
size of the berry is represented as being 
as large as that of the Lawton. The ad¬ 
vertisement says that “if properly trained 
a single vine will occupy a circle from 
30 to 40 feet in diameter and yield from 
20 to 30 gallons of berries.” This new 
Sea Island Blackberry may not be an 
out-and-out, fraud. We have had fruit¬ 
ing canes of it sent to us from Washing¬ 
ton Territory, where it thrives remarka¬ 
bly well, and also a plant the canes of 
which, during the past season fits first), 
grew to the length of 13 feet. The berry 
is rather small and of fair quality. What 
should be stated in the advertisement is 
that it is a variety of the European Black¬ 
berry, Rubus fraticosus, often called tbe 
Cut-leaved or Parsley-leaved Blackberry, 
which has been offered for sale in this 
country for 30 years or more. 
Wittiout A Friend.— Has the seed 
distribution no redeeming feature? Is it 
entirely without friends? It seems so. 
We have invited all who are in anyway 
interested in the matter to state their 
views in our columns. Hundreds of let¬ 
ters have been received, but. they all read 
the same way. Every correspondent 
wants to abolish the distribution and 
commends the Rural for fighting the 
abuse. This silence on the part, of those 
who might be expected to defend the dis¬ 
tribution, is the best possible argument 
against it. If, after all these years, after 
ail the money that has been spent, not 
one person can he found to praise the dis¬ 
tribution and honestly state that the peeds 
sent him have proved a blessing, it is in¬ 
deed high time that the whole thing was 
stopped. There may be plenty of such 
persons in tbe country, but they Dever let. 
the public know where they live. We want 
to hear from them. It seems plainly evi¬ 
dent that the farmers of the country are 
alone able to abolish the distribution. 
They have simply to give their Congress¬ 
men to understand that they are able to 
provide their own seeds without calling 
in the Government to help. Let the far¬ 
mers once state just what they think 
about this business, and it will soon come 
to an end. 
“Pay as You Go.” — Indebtedness is 
the curse of the agricultural community 
in every part of the country, but particu¬ 
larly in the West and South. In the 
West the land is mortgaged chiefly for 
the improvement of new farms; in (lie 
South the crons arc mortgaged chiefly to 
enable the land owners to eke out a pre¬ 
carious livelihood on old plantations, In no 
State, of the South is the credit system so 
universal as in Arkansas. Whenever it 
exists the failure of a stable crop, like 
cotton, two years in succession, would 
bring ruin to whole sections. The evils 
of crop mortgages have been frequently 
denounced; but the perception'and de¬ 
nunciation of an evil go a very little way 
towards remedying it—especially among 
people wedded to routine and old-fogy- 
ism. In most parts of the South, how¬ 
ever, and in all parts of the “New 
South,” public seutiment in favor of 
abolishing the laws under which the 
credit system exists is fast growing. The 
Louisiana State Bar has lately condemned 
it. The New Orleans papers insist that 
no time should be lost in repealing the 
laws authorizing crop liens. Half-way 
measures are deprecated, and the total 
elimination of the laws from the statute 
books is advocated. After all, the best 
policy is to follow the old motto on which 
the Rural has so often harped—“pay as 
you go,” “pay as you go,” “tay as you go.” 
Labor Troubles and Arbitration.— 
The Board of Arbitration of this State 
was established for the special object of 
mediating between employers and em¬ 
ployes in troubles about wages; what Is it 
doing with regard to the strikes in this 
neighborhood that, are now paralyzing 
so many industries and creating such a 
world of violence, wickedness and wretch¬ 
edness over a vast, area of this and adjacent 
States? It, is stated that the experience 
of the Board during the six months or 
more of its existence has convinced the 
members that with its present powers it 
cannot successfully accomplish the objects 
of its existence. It has no authority to 
begin proceedings for the settlement of 
disputes or disagreements and can act 
only when appeals are taken from the de¬ 
cisions of local boards. Surely State me¬ 
diation at the outset of a difficulty is, in 
many respects, more important, than arbi¬ 
tration after the difficulty has reached the 
final stage of division. We heartily agree 
with the members, therefore, that the law 
should he so amended as to make the 
Board one of both mediation and arbitra¬ 
tion, and that, it should be vested with 
powers of original jurisdiction and action. 
This strike has already had a very depress¬ 
ing effect on the prices of all exportable ag¬ 
ricultural products in all parts of the coun¬ 
try, by impeding commerce and exporta¬ 
tion. Similar Boards of Arbitration have 
been established in several States, and 
whatever common defects may be discov¬ 
ered in the law establishing a Board in 
one State should be amended not only in 
that but in all the other States also. 
WHAT ARE CITY WAGES? 
The labor troubles cause a study of the 
wages question that may do good. Many 
country hoys and young men seem to have 
an idea that city clerks receive small for¬ 
tunes in the way of salaries. It is this 
thought that renders many a country hoy 
discontented with life on the farm. The 
freight handlers of the New Jersey Cen¬ 
tral pier made a demand for an increase 
of wages. They also demanded an in¬ 
crease in the salaries of 10 classes of 
clerks ranging from book-keepers down 
to weighers. The salaries they demanded 
averaged $50.50 per month. Supposing 
that the increase demanded for the clerks 
was proportionately the same as that de¬ 
manded for themselves, these clerks at 
present average $48.20 per month. The 
company replied to the strikers that the 
present salaries are as high as those paid 
by any similar corporation. It must be 
remembered that most of these clerks are 
experienced hands who have been in the 
business for years. A boy or young man 
coming to the city without experience as 
a clerk could not hope to earn over $30.00 
per month. We know several young 
men of more than average ability who 
work for less than that, and see no place 
where they can earn more. As to the cost 
of living in the city, various estimates 
have been given. Our own experience 
shows that we have never been able to live 
comfortably, without help, for lees than 
$40 per month, including clothes, and we 
do not believe the average country boy 
can live on less and live as he ought to. 
In story books the country boy has only 
to leave the farm and work his way to the 
city to climb up the ladder of success. 
In practical life, nine out of ten of such 
boys would do themselves and their coun¬ 
try more good if they could stay on the 
farm and become contented. 
brevities 
Magazine reviews page 115 
Those who would improve their lawns are 
reminded that, a dressing of fine bone flour 
and wood ashes will effect it. 
Attention is called to Parker Earle’s re¬ 
marks respecting our agricultural colleges on 
page 100. They will ho concluded next week. 
The Senate Committee on Agriculture is 
considering the best method of distributing 
the sepds offered by the Department of Agri¬ 
culture. Better abolish the whole t hing. 
There is an increased demand everywhere 
for more light on the wire-worm question. 
This pest causes an annual loss of tens of thou¬ 
sands of dollars to the potato crop. The ex¬ 
perience of successful potato growers will be 
of value 
We have sold nearly 100 bushels of Queen 
of the Valley potatoes at the best, prices, They 
have given good satisfaction. This potato 
yields well on our light soil, and when the tu¬ 
bers are large and shapely, sells readily. Cus- 
tomeis prefer the Rural Blush. They always 
ask for it a second time. 
Governor Rusk, of Wisconsin, says, in his 
annual message, tha t the Agricultural Exper¬ 
iment Station of Wisconsin is of great value 
to the State, and that its bulletins are in 
greater demand each year. We have long felt 
that for the money spent upon it, the Wiscon¬ 
sin Station gives as good returns as aDy sta¬ 
tion in the country. 
About this time the interest in the school 
begins to drag. Now is the time to get after 
he teacher to see that he is doing his best. 
There have been many complaints of poor 
schools this season. Many districts have been 
divided by quarrels and jealousies. Be sensi¬ 
ble anrl stop the trouble. You have no busi¬ 
ness to injure the prospects of your children 
simply to gratify your spite against, a neigh¬ 
bor. 
“All’s well that ends wellbut the garden 
will not, end well unless the soil be well pre¬ 
pared. and it is time to th i nk about it now. 
Aro the gardeutools in order ? Are you going 
to use fertilizers? What kinds? The hen 
manure might now he mixecl with sifted coal? 
ashes. Have you selected seeds? You might 
make aud mark the labels now. 
The Western N. Y. Horticultural Society 
talked business on the Washington seed dis¬ 
tribution subject. They won’t have the seeds 
sent, out if they must be sent in the name of 
agriculture. They should be sent in the name 
of deniagogism. for demagogues* got all the 
good there is in them. What an absurd fraud 
the whole thing is. Stamp it out, fanners; 
you can do it. 
We first tasted canned sweet corn in 1878, 
on a hunting trip in the Rocky Mountains. 
Since then wo have eaten it in a dozen differ¬ 
ent States. It is the best of all canned vegeta¬ 
bles when il is good, the worst when some dis¬ 
honest dealer puts up hard field corn. Wo got 
such a pa ok age last week. It contained a 
large flint com partly boiled. Such dishon¬ 
esty will punish itself. 
Senator Beck’s bill, introduced at the last 
session of Congress and again pressed a num¬ 
ber of times during the present session, was 
defeated in t he Senate yesterday by a vote of 
30 to 17, and a harmless substitute was adopt¬ 
ed by a vote of 39 to 14. The Beck bill prohi¬ 
bited Congressmen from pocketing fees as 
attorneys for railroads on whose interests 
they would have to legislate as Senators and 
Representatives. Of course, the railroad and 
corporation interests were too powerful in the 
Senate to permit the passage of such an honest 
measure. 
The American Horticultural Society is en¬ 
titled to the hearty support of every horticul¬ 
turist in America—a support scarcely less 
cordial than that which the American Pomo¬ 
logies! bus long enjoyed. We learn through 
Sec. W. H. Ragan (Groonoastle. Indiana) that 
the society offers to all renewing members, 
and to all who shall become members, ft copy 
(free by mail) of the second volume of ttie 
society’s transactions, A circular giving all 
needed information will ho forwarded to all 
who apply to the secretary. 
What a curse the philanthropic fool who 
introduced the English sparrow into this coun¬ 
try lias inflicted on the nation! The pugna¬ 
cious pests have already inflicted millions of 
dollars’ worth of losses on our agricultural in¬ 
terests, and their ravages are likely to go on 
increasing indefinitely. There are reports 
that English rabbits are also being imported— 
some direct from England, and others—« car¬ 
go—by way of Australia, where the nuisances 
have been the very worst curse that has afflict¬ 
ed the colonists. Better pleuro-pneumonia or 
cholera than such a foreign importation. The 
Treasury Department says there is no law 
against such importations. Well, then, one 
should he passed at once. 
Plausible circulars and blank forms of pe¬ 
tition are being scattered broadcast hy the 
oleo men wherever “they will do the most 
good”—chiefly iu towns and cities—asking 
Congress and the Legislatures of the several 
States which have passed oleo laws, to repeal 
them. Tne fellows are especially busy in 
Pennsylvania just now; for the late decision 
of the Supreme Court there slmts the legiti¬ 
mate sale of the product out, of the State alto¬ 
gether, besides affording u weighty precedent 
in other States. They en mostly want the law re¬ 
pealed, therefore, not of course from uny solfisli 
motives, but purely for philanthropic reasons! 
Are they making any impression on the pub¬ 
lic? Of course they are. Worse frauds than 
even they make lots of money owing to the 
credulity and gullibility of the great Amer¬ 
ican people. 
“How best to fertilize strawberries?” is a 
question wo have been asked repeatedly. 
After the plot or field, it matters not which, 
has been thoroughly prepared by plowing (or 
spading) and harrowing, sow per acre, or at 
the same rate for smaller plots, the following: 
500 pounds (or about 10 bushels) of unleaehed 
ashes, or more if the ashes cost less than 20 
cents per bushel; 400 pounds flue raw bone 
flour; 200 pounds of nitrate of soda and 200 
pounds of kalnit. The kainit contains potash 
in a different form from that of the wood 
ashes, 1 insides salt and magnesia—neither of 
which is knoum to lie valuable as a strawberry 
fertilizer. We recommend it. merely because 
we fancy it has beam k helpful at the Rural 
Grounds. When sown upon the prepared 
land, this mixture should be raked iu if for 
plot culture; harrowed in if for Held‘culture. 
The fertilizer should lie sown as early iu the 
spring as the land can be worked, aud the 
plants set immediately afterwards. In case 
the wood ashes cannot lie procured, sulphate 
of potash may be used instead/using about 
one bag, or 2(K) pounds to the acre. 
