APRIL IS 
THE RURAL HEW-YORKER. 
THE 
RURAL NEW'YORKER, 
A National Journal for Country and Suburban Homes, 
Conducted by 
EL8RRT S. CABMAN. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
No. S-l Park Row, New York. 
SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 1887. 
The Ipomrea noctiflora, now much ai- 
vertised and really a charming plant in its 
way, is the old Ipomoea bona nox. 
A portion of our wheat, plots was light¬ 
ly mulched with stable manure in mid¬ 
winter. The difference in favor of the 
mulched portion is remarkable. On the 
other part a goodly proportion of the 
plants are thrown out by the frost. On 
the mulched portion the plants are green 
and strong. 
Friends of the ’Rural are kindly noti¬ 
fied that we have received ns many seeds 
and plants as we can possiby give proper 
attention to during the coming season. 
Indeed we are fearful that we have al¬ 
ready received more than we can plant, 
care for and report, upon. 
In a long document recently published 
in this city, the following language oc¬ 
curs: “We must show our enemies our 
strength, and election day is not so far 
away, when we can go hand in hand with 
our friends of liberty. Show our ene¬ 
mies the front, and show them that we 
demand what, George Washington de¬ 
manded 100 years ago when England was 
wiped out. We also want to wipe out 
these fanatic hypocrites who are a danger 
for our country, for our families and our 
business." There must have been some 
mighty provocation that could call forth 
such la: gunge. What friend of outraged 
liberty thus sounds the bugle call? Lt is 
a little humiliating to be obliged to re¬ 
cord the fact that it is the Wine, Beer 
and Liquor Dealers’ Protective Union of 
this city which thus proposes to arm for 
the fight. This wail is railed out by the 
passage of the Crosby High License Bill. 
It shows, first, that the rum-sellers are 
frightened at this legislat ion, and,second, 
that they propose to fight the party and 
men that supported it,. 
The R.N.-Y for years has tried the extra¬ 
vagance, the wastefulness of using chemical 
fertilizers or manure in the hill. The “ta- 
blespoouful” of fertilizer so used by many 
may do a trifle of good to the young plant, 
though it may as often do harm. If the 
“tablespoonful" were well mixed with 
the soil about the young plant or seed, 
no doubt it, would help the young plant 
if the fertilizer contained the needed food. 
But thrown in a mass, as we have seen it 
thrown time and time again, it can have 
very little effect for good, while it may 
injure the tender germinating plant. If 
one has too little manure to spread over the 
entire field, the next best thing he can do 
is to spread it about the plant as far as it 
can be made to go. The young plant will 
then be forwarded by the supply, though 
the mature plant will suffer unless the soil 
can furnish all needed food to the roots 
which extend outside. It has always 
seemed to us “penny wise arid a pound 
foolish,” to push the plant, forward while 
young and to starve it when the demands 
made upon it by the forming grain or 
fruit require an abundant supply of food. 
According to the Commissioner of In¬ 
ternal Revenues, there are now 87 factories 
engaged in the manufacture of artificial 
butter in the United States; two in Den¬ 
ver, Colo.; 11 in Chicago: one in Koko¬ 
mo, Ind.; one in Kansas City, Mo.; one in 
Armourdale, Kansas; one in Ashland, 
Wis.; three in Hurley, Wis.; one in Eau 
Claire, Wis.; and one in Chippewa, Wis. 
There are 3,537 dealers in oleomargarine 
in the United Slates who paid special 
taxes as such in November and December, 
1880, and in January and February, 1887. 
Of wholesale dealers, there are altogether 
260. The amount of oleomargarine man¬ 
ufactured and removed for sale, on pay¬ 
ment, of two cents per pound tax, during 
the four following months was; No¬ 
vember, 1880, 4,742,500 pounds; De¬ 
cember, 2,780,278 pounds; January, 1887, 
2,501,114 pounds; February, 2,015,770 
pounds; total, 12,045,740 pounds. The 
total exports (luringthis period amounted 
to only 152,707 pounds, leaving 12,492,- 
943 pounds for home consumption. 
Whatever other good effect the new 
oleomargarine law may have had, it cer¬ 
tainly hasn’t raised the price of butter 
as was expected. Why? 
Last week a letter was received from a 
subscriber in Washington County, N. Y., 
containing the following; “From Dr. 
Kilborne’s description of the symptoms 
of pleuro-pneumonia, in a late, Rural, I 
am satisfied that the disease is in my 
herd.” We at once notified the Depart¬ 
ment of Agriculture, and ati inspector 
immediately visited the herd. The dis¬ 
ease was found to be the contagious 
pleuro-pneumonia, and a portion of the 
lierd were slaughtered at Once. The 
remainder have been appraised and will 
be slaughtered if necessary. The diseased 
cattle were bought, in this city in Novem¬ 
ber last. The first animal to die was a 
cow that was on the place when the in¬ 
fected cattle came there. She died in 
February. The disease was evidently 
introduced by the cattle purchased in this 
city. Steps have been taken to control 
the disease as far as it, is known to exist. 
The Massachusetts Cattle Commission 
have directed that all cattle brought into 
Massachusetts from New York and Ver¬ 
mont be seized and quarantined at the ex¬ 
pense of the owners. The Department, of 
Agriculture has acted with great, prompt¬ 
ness in the matter, and we hope the dis¬ 
ease will be stamped out without inflict¬ 
ing further serious damage in the neigh¬ 
borhood. Our readers are referred to Dr. 
Kilborne’s article—page 106. That it is a 
comprehensive synopsis of the symptoms 
of the disease is proved by the fact that 
it led to the detection of the present out¬ 
break. 
Owing to the late increase of the duty 
on foreign wheat imported into France 
the tax now is equivalent to about 20 cents 
per bushel. This is almost prohibitory 
on all wheat, from this country. It was 
expected that France would require be¬ 
tween 50,000,000 and 09,000,000 bushels 
from abroad, and at least half this amount 
would have gone from this side of the 
Atlantic. Owing to the increase in the 
price in bread, less wheat will be con 
sumed, and more of cheaper foods, and 
what little may then be needed will come 
from Hungary, Egypt, Russia or India, all 
of which can deliver wheat iu France at 
a lower figure than America can. France 
has for several years put an embargo 
on American pork, and has now in¬ 
creased the duty on foreign cattle. She 
does all this mainly for the benefit of her 
farmers; for, of course, they alone gain 
by the consequent increase in the cost of 
the food of the nation. There is 
considerable talk in some papers 
of retaliation on our side by the imposi¬ 
tion of heavier duties on French wines 
and other imported products. This is 
hardly wise. We already tax French 
products from 50 to 100 per cent, for the 
benefit chiefly of our manufacturers, and 
should not complain very loudly if France 
taxes our wheat from 30 to 35 per cent, 
for the benefit of her farmers. Our farm¬ 
ers alone have any good grounds for com¬ 
plaint; for were it not for our heavy du¬ 
ties on French goods, France would 
certainly levy lighter duties on Ameri¬ 
can cereals. Thus our fame rs suffer in 
t wo ways for the “protection” afforded 
our manufacturers—they pay higher 
prices for nearly everything they buy at 
home owing to t he trammels placed on for¬ 
eign competition; and they get lower 
prices for most things they sell, owing to 
the retaliatory duties levied on them 
abroad. 
We have mailed our present seed dish ibu- 
tion to all subscribers who applied prior to 
April 8th. Any who have not received, it 
will Jdndly notify vs at once. 
THE WOMAN SUFFRAGE EXPERIMENT 
IN KANSAS. 
It is not the least among the advan¬ 
tages of our system of Federal and State 
Government that one or more of the States 
may try experiments in legislation by 
which the others may be instructed and 
benefited. Thus the older common¬ 
wealths, in which vested rights are most 
powerful and conservatism has become 
chronic, can often learn useful lessons from 
the newer States in which the conditions 
arc more favorable for radical experiments; 
while the latter can st udy the advantages 
of stability and security in the former. 
Ever since their organization Washing¬ 
ton and Wyoming Territories have given 
women the right of suffrage- The right 
to votcTin Utah was taken mvay a short 
time back by Congress, because it was 
used in support of the pernicious doctrines 
of Mormonism. In many of the States 
women are allowed to vote at elections 
of school officers, and during the last few 
years repeated efforts have been made, in 
several of the States, to secure legislation 
giving them the right to vote at munici¬ 
pal elections. A few months ago the 
Legislature of Kansas passed a law to this 
effect, and the experiment, was there tried 
for the first time last Tuesday. The re¬ 
sults have been watched with a great deal 
of interest throughout the country, be¬ 
cause it is the first ease in which woman 
suffrage has been tried on a large scale 
in any Stale; and because in no other 
State could it be better tested with great¬ 
er chances of success than in the State in 
which radicalism has been a prominent, 
feature during the whole history of its 
marvelous growth and development. 
Unusually full reports of the elections 
in most of the principal cities have been 
telegraphed all over the country, and ou 
the whole, they are not very encouraging 
to the supporters of the uew order of 
things. At Leavenworth, Mrs. Gougar, 
an Indiana temperance agitator, is alleged 
to have said that the exclusive social set 
of the city was “reeking with corrupt ion,” 
and “a procession of 300 of the most 
prominent ladies of the city, in their pri¬ 
vate carriages,” celebrated the defeat of 
the Republican-Prohibition candidate for 
Mayor whom she supported. On the other 
hand, the election at Topeka where 1,200 
women cast their ballots, passed off quietly 
and decently, and many of the “best” 
women, in all senses of the word, took 
part in if, At Atchison,out of 337 women 
registered 800 voted, and though the Re¬ 
publican candidate for Mayor was elected, 
a large proportion of the women voted 
the Democratic ticket,. At Emporia, of 
542 women registered, 308 voted, three- 
quarters of whom favored the temperance 
ticket; still the opposition candidates 
were elected by a handsome majority. A 
good deal of male irritation was aroused 
by the excessive activity and strong lan¬ 
guage of the female temperance advo¬ 
cates. At Dodge City the present Mayor 
was re-elected by over 200 majority. 
Though opposed by a Prohibition candi¬ 
date, supported by the Women's Temper¬ 
ance Union, he received two-thirds of the 
women’s vote, which was one-third of the 
total city vote. Every ward had a woman 
candidate for member of the school board, 
but all were defeated except one, and in 
her ward only 16 women were registered. 
At Wichita of 100 women who voted 75 
were of known bad repute, and one-third 
of those registered gave their occu¬ 
pation as “sports.” 
It is charged that, the elections gener¬ 
ally were unusually expensive; as a great 
many carriages were used to convey fe¬ 
male voters to and from the polls. It is 
also alleged that a good deal of money 
was laid out in the purchase of women’s 
votes. Women, white and black, mis¬ 
tress and maid, washerwoman and em¬ 
ployer, rode for once in the same turnouts 
decorated with rival flags and banners, 
and stood indiscriminately in front of the 
different polling places, fervently solicit¬ 
ing votes for their respective candidates. 
Some women served “luncheons” in their 
parlors to men who by pre-arrangement, 
“called” on them; but who couldn’t do 
so again till next election; but in return 
for the condescension, they voted as their 
entertainers desired. The electioneering 
was extremely exciting. A great deal of 
bitter personalities was indulged in, 
which arc likely to cause social warfare 
for years. In several cases women are re¬ 
ported to have remained away from the 
polls owing to threats of their fair sisters 
that their lit tle private peccadilloes would 
be exposed, and at Leavenworth some 
prominent women were attacked by anony¬ 
mous circulars scattered broadcast over 
the city, Asa rule, the women voted as 
their husbands did. Though the colored 
women usually voted t he Republican-Pro¬ 
hibition ticket, a much larger proportion 
of colored women than of colored men 
voted for Democratic candidates. The 
Irish and German women generally voted 
for the latter. Female temperance agi¬ 
tators and enthusiastic women canvassers 
even condescended to solicit votes from 
women of shady reputation. After the 
excitement there has naturally come a re¬ 
action, and reports from various points 
say that many of the best women arc dis¬ 
gusted; (hat the women’s vote will never 
again be so large, and that out and out 
temperance agitators and other enthusiasts 
will henceforth be almost the only women 
voters, at least among the respectable 
classes. 
These are only a few of the reported il¬ 
lustrations of the first, day’s trial of the 
experiment, theoretical discussion of 
which should be suspended until all the 
facts are brought out, candidly presented 
to the public and carefully considered; 
for doubtless a great deal of exaggeration 
and misrepresentation have found their 
way.kuowingly or unconsciously,into the 
early telegraphed reports. 
BREVITIES. 
As a rule, it, pays to mulch the soil about 
newly transplanted trees. Of course, if the 
weather continues wet, there is no need of a 
mulch—the trees will do better without, it. 
One of our best farmers living near the 
Rural Grounds, remarked bo the writer that 
he considered a poor yield of com better than 
a good yield of oats. Oats with us are an un¬ 
certain crop at best. 
It is interesting to hear people tell how easy 
it, is to greatly improve peas by careful selec¬ 
tion. We have engaged in this easy business 
for years and (iud the improvement pretty 
slow work, The same is true of tomatoes and, 
indeed, of sweet corn. 
It is best that two persons should be em¬ 
ployed in planting trees. Each can render 
timely assistance to the other. While one 
holds the tree, the other can work in fine soil 
about, the roots. Firm the soil about and 
over the roots 
How to kill trees in transplanting: expose 
the roots to sun and air. It is neither consis¬ 
tent nor provident to go to the expense of 
purchasing trees after having made careful 
selections, and then kill them. The roots of 
evergreens will stand less exposure than those 
of deciduous trees. 
Missouri Arbor Day occurs April 15. Sec¬ 
retary Goodman, of the State Horticultural 
Society, has taken steps to interest local socie¬ 
ties and school boards in the work of beautify¬ 
ing the school yards of the State. This is 
right. Every school district in the country 
might will celebrate Arbor Day by planting a 
tree. 
Upon a large part of our special wheat plots 
the seeds were planted one each in the inter¬ 
sections of 10 inch squares. We now find 
that, probably 00 (mu’ cent, of these plants have 
been thrown out by the frosts of the spring 
and winter; thrown out ns if they had been 
picked out by hand. On the plots where the 
wheats were sown in drills, the plants are 
sound and thrifty. 
The past few warm days have started farm¬ 
ing operations into life nil about us. flowing 
and planting are rapidly going forward. 
Now it is t he mini who has his team and tools 
in the best, condition who wilt take the lead. 
Fanners have had all winter to prepare for 
t he spring work, but we know some who are 
just about where they were last fall. One 
mail is just getting up his fire-wood. 
Sum'Ll) forest lands be partially or entirely 
exempt, from taxation' This topic has been 
sent, to the Granges of the country as an ex¬ 
cellent one for discussion. It, is timely and 
important. Older countries have suffered 
severely from the loss of forests. Some men 
seem anxious to strip every acre of their land 
as quickly as possible. I t may be that a light¬ 
ened tax on woodland would stop something 
of the destruction. 
Market gardeners, you have been usiug 
large quantities of stable manure on your land 
every year at a hea vy cost, t ry this experi¬ 
ment: Do not use any stable manure, but, in¬ 
stead thereof, spread 200 pounds of dissolved 
bone, 200 pounds of raw bone flour, and 200 
poll uds of nitrate of soda, to the acre, and har¬ 
row in immediately, before sowing and plant¬ 
ing. A small quantity of kainit. furnishing 
salt and magnesia as well us potash, might 
also prove serviceable — suy 100 pounds to the 
acre. 
A Legal Bureau has been established in 
this city where the deserving poor may obtain 
legal advice free of charge. It, is evident that 
many poor people are imposed Upon; lack of 
means, or inexperience or timidity prevents 
them from securing their lawful rights. 
Scheming or dishonest rascals are over ready 
to take advantage of helpless misfortune. 
Some of the best lawyers of the city will give 
their services to the new Legal Bureau. The 
idea in a good one. “Let justice be meted 
out.” 
The rum sellers who went up to Albany to 
show Governor Hill why he ought to veto the 
High License Bill, got things mixed up. One 
said the bill never could l*o enforced; another 
said it would throw hundreds of honest, liquor 
dealers out, of business at, a time of life when 
they could not learn a new trade; another 
argued that the bill would deprive honest 
workingmen of their liquor, which they need 
in order to counteract the cheerlessness of 
their homes. This is a bright argument, this 
lost one. After whisky has turned a home 
into a literal boll, more whisky must bo pro¬ 
vided to “counteract its ehcerlessnesH.” This 
is a bright argument, even for a rum-seller! 
In spite of all warnings, over fifteen tons of 
“bob” veal lias been confiscated by the Health 
Inspectors here within the lost three weeks, 
ns the stuff was ou its Way to the markets and 
canneries. Herkimer County is the chief of¬ 
fender. A great deal of the unwholesome pro¬ 
duct is sold ns “canned chicken,” and most of 
this is put up in other places. Too Penal Code 
says: “A person who, with intent that the 
same may bo used as food, sells or exposes for 
sale. Buy article whatever, which, to las 
knowledge, ts tainted or spoiled, or for any 
cause unfit to be used as food, is guilty of a 
misdemeanor.” Why are not the men who 
ship this stuff and those who receive it prose¬ 
cuted under this law? Is it nobody’s duty to 
see to ite enforcement? Cannot the City 
Health Department or the State Board of 
Health prosecute the offenders? The confisca¬ 
tion of the captured “offal” is a punishment 
altogether inadequate, I? the foul trade to 
coutiuue. unchecked ? 
