THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
JULY 46 
THE 
RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
ANatlonal Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Conducted by 
EGBERT S. CARMAN. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
No. 84 Park Row, New York. 
SATURDAY, JULY 16, 1887. 
What Shall the Harvest be?— Con- 
tinned. 
-♦ - 
American Wonder Peas, planted May 
24, gave us a first picking July 2—that 
is in 30 days. 
We find Carter’s Lightning just a trifle 
earlier, and just a trifle more productive 
than any of the selections of First and 
Best of American seedsmen. And we 
say this in face of the fact that the 
Rural introduced the Alaska and the 
Rural New-Yorker peas. 
Why any one should sow the Champion 
of England Pea which, in good soil, will 
grow six feet high, rather than the Tele¬ 
phone or Stratagem which will grow not 
over three feet high, and bear larger 
peas and as many of them and as good in 
quality, is not known to the Rural edi¬ 
tors. They would feel obliged if any one 
would tell them. 
The Early Harvest Blackberry began 
to ripen at* the Rural Grounds July 1, 
and the fruit was gathered for the table 
July 4, when scarcely any other kinds of 
blackberries had begun to color. We 
have had berries from every plant for 
three years in succession, and they are lar¬ 
ger this season than ever before. The 
berries may now be called medium in 
size, while in quality, tenderness, small¬ 
ness of seed and sweetness—we really 
cannot mention a better kind. Where 
the Early Harvest succeeds it should 
prove very profitable for the market on 
account of the firmness of the besries, 
their little drupelets like glossy, black 
beads, their remarkable uniformity and 
their ripening long before other kinds. 
Those of our readers who might other¬ 
wise be induced by this note to plant the 
Early Harvest must be reminded that it' 
has been reported tender from various 
other places north of New York. 
Some of the Rural's crossed wheats 
(pure wheat crosses—not rye-wheat hy¬ 
brids) are becoming fixed or established. 
One variety is particularly distinct and 
fine. The heads have about 10 breasts 
or spikelets to a side, or 20 in all. But 
these breasts are double or compound, so 
that instead of containing two or three 
kernels as in average Clawson or Fultz 
wheats, raised in this part of the country, 
they have from six to niue. It might 
be supposed, therefore, that, these heads 
are necessarily long to hold so much 
grain. They are scarcely longer than an 
average Clawson head, however; but 
the breasts are so crowded that they en¬ 
tirely conceal the rachis or st» in. We 
much hope that no killing fault will re¬ 
veal itself in this queer wheat which is 
thus far so full of promise. L is no ex¬ 
aggeration to say that we have at. least 
five kinds of cross-bred wheats which arc 
more prolific than any others raised at 
the Rural Grounds, and during the past 
12 years nearly every known winter va¬ 
riety has been raised there. We hope we 
may be able to begin to distribute these 
new wheats among our readers in a year 
or so. 
We don’t care to have our renders con¬ 
clude that we are deranged over pyreth- 
rum powder. But it is a part of our duty 
to tell all we know, or think we know, 
that may help our readers in any way. 
Most poultrymen agree that lice on 
fowls are the cause of more sickness and 
deaths than all other causes combined. 
The best, way to avoid the lice pest, is to 
keep one’s houses clean, to sulphur the 
nests, to whitewash, or, as the Rural has 
suggested and prefers, to kerosene the 
houses frequently. Nevertheless, these 
safety-precautions are sometimes neglect¬ 
ed, while it. is often necessary to introduce 
new stock which may prove to be alive 
with insects. What is the best remedy? 
What is the most effective remedy that 
may be used with the least trouble aud 
expense? Our answer is, fresh, pure 
pyrethrum powder. Take the affected 
chick, hen or rooster in one arm, and 
so hold it that both hands may be 
used—the left to part the feathers, the 
right, with the thumb and fore-finger, 
to drop the powder upon the flesh of the 
entire body. As soon as the chicken or 
hen is released, its first act is to ruffle up 
its feathers and shake itself thoroughly, 
the same as if it had arisen from a dust 
hath. Thus the pyretbrum powder pen¬ 
etrates to every part aud the hen will be 
rid of lice in an hour. The next thing to 
do is to kerosene the house, perches, floor 
and nests. In this way both houses and 
poultry may be thoroughly rid of lice, 
though a second or even a third applica¬ 
tion may be necessary. 
WHAT WILL THE HARVEST BE ? 
From the latter part of last month to 
date, reports received here from practi¬ 
cal farmers in all parts of the country, 
have been declaring that the harvest of 
1887 will, as a whole, be fairly good. Here 
and there, of course, shortage, or even 
failure of one crop or another may occur; 
but even in those sections other crops 
are, as a rule, excellent; while the outlook 
for the entire country 5s certainly quite 
promising. With the exception of corn, 
no crop is likely to be so very heavy as to 
cause an exceptional depreciation in 
price, and the vast yield of corn now in¬ 
dicated, besides serving as a convenient 
substitute for human food where other 
cereals are short, will also very advan¬ 
tageously supplement the scanty hay 
crop which is inevitable in those States 
where corn is likely to be the most 
abundant. 
Our reports give more interesting and 
fuller details than are furnished by mere 
statistical tables, and indicate more clearly 
the actual condition of the crops, aud the 
views, hopes and fears of the farmers. 
In making the selections presented to our 
readers, our only guide has been the desire 
to represent fairly the reports from every 
section of the country. The chief practi¬ 
cal benefit these special crop numbers 
have for the farmers lies in the fact that 
they are the basis on which a large mass 
of subsequent information is super¬ 
imposed. They all relate to the con¬ 
dition of the crops within the last 10 to 
12 days. In many cases, however, the 
conditions will change quite materially 
before the crops are harvested; but such 
changes will be fully detailed in our 
“Everywhere” “Crops aud Markets,”and 
“Editorial” departments, so that our 
readers will be in possession of all neces¬ 
sary information to market their crops to 
the best advantage; and there is often as 
much profit in making good sales as in 
raising good crops. 
What cotton is to the South wheat is to 
the North—the great money crop; and 
although the value of the corn crop is 
nearly double that of the w r heat crop, the 
latter excites more general interest among 
the public at large if uot among the ag¬ 
ricultural community. A fair average of 
our reports shows that the condition of 
winter wheat is considerably worse than 
at the same date last year, and there is al¬ 
so a decrease of probably two per cent, in 
the area under it. Most of this reduction 
is in Kansas, -where bad harvests and low 
prices in late years have caused most far¬ 
mers to substitute other crops, chiefly 
corn, oats and potatoes: consequently, ow¬ 
ing to drought last fall aud spring, chinch 
bugs and reduced acreage, the wheat crop 
of that State is hardly likely to exceed 25 
per cent, of that harvested three years 
ago. Early reports seemed to indicate 
that the quality of the grain would be in¬ 
ferior; but as harvest progresses and thrash¬ 
ing increases the number of specimens, 
these early indications are hardly likely to 
be realized. Owing to the extremely dry 
weather in much of the wiuter wheat 
area, reports of short straw are very nu¬ 
merous. Like nearly all other crops, win¬ 
ter w T heat. is fully two weeks more ad¬ 
vanced than usual. The harvest is now 
nearly over, so that subsequent changes 
of weather will have no influence on the 
outcome. 
There is a large increase—probably six 
per cent.—in the area of spring wheat, 
due to heavy immigration, chiefly along 
the Northern Pacific Railroad, As most 
of the decrease in winter wheat is in Kan¬ 
sas, most of the increase in spring wheat 
is in Dakota, amounting to about 24 per 
cent. The condition of the crop is a fair 
average in Dakota and the Territories 
west of it; but below the average in Wis¬ 
consin, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska. 
Drought and chinch bugs have done a 
great deal of damage and the telegraph 
tells us myriads of locusts have just ap¬ 
peared in some parts of Minnesota, espe¬ 
cially around Perham. The increase in 
area of spring wheat nearly counterbal¬ 
ances the decrease in that of winter wheat, 
so that the aggregate area will fall little 
short of last year’s crop—37,000,000 
acres; but the yield is likely to be about 
5,000,000, bushels less than last year’s 
total output—457,000,000 bushels. 
There has been a large increase in the 
area under corn, especially in Kansas and 
Iowa where wheat has of late been gen¬ 
erally unprofitable, and the condition of 
the crop is nearly everywhere reported 
good. Even in Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, 
and Minnesota where the terrible drought 
has greatly injured most other crops, our 
reports show that corn had been little 
damaged, and copious rains throughout 
nearly the whole section—the greatest 
corn-producing district—in the first three 
days of July, have for the present averted 
the danger apprehended from drought. 
Last year the aggregate corn crop was, 
in round numbers, 1,605,000,000 bushels, 
grown on 75,000,000 acres ; this year the 
crop is sure to be larger, and with 
fair weather henceforth may equal the 
phenomenal crop of 1885—1,930,000,000 
bushels. 
Of late years oats have uniformly 
proved a safe and profitable crop. No 
attempts have been made to “ corner ” 
it ; hence no great fluctuations in price 
have occurred, but in comparison with 
the prices of other cereals those of oats 
have been steadily remunerative ; hence 
there has been a steady increase in acre¬ 
age. Last year the aggregate crop 
was 624,000,000 bushels, grown on 23,- 
000,000 acres. This year there is an in¬ 
crease of about four per cent. The in¬ 
crease in Kansas is as high as 30 per 
cent. ; but there is a tendency to increase 
the acreage all over the country. The 
crop has been considerably injured by 
drought in Iudiana, Illinois, and the 
Northwest, but less so than wheat, and, 
as a whole, it is a good crop and the 
total output is likely to be considerably 
larger than last year’s. 
The area under rye last year was2,417,- 
000 acres, but there has been a decrease of 
about six per cent, chiefly due to a large 
reduction in Kansas, where rye has shared 
the fate of wheat. The condition of the 
crop through the country is a trifle better 
than that of wheat, but the total yield 
must be considerably less than last year— 
29,750,000 bushels. The condition of 
barley is also somewhat better than that 
of wheat, and there has been an increase 
of about three per cent, in area. This 
has been greatest in Dakota, California, 
Oregon and the Territories, and the total 
yield will be a trifle more than in 1886, 
when it reached 52,000,000 bushels. 
There’s an increase of one per cent, in 
the area of cotton, wholly on the west of 
the Mississippi. The stand is unusually 
good in nearly all parts of the Sduth. 
Insect enemies have hitherto done little 
damage in any part of the cotton belt, 
and the probability is that the crop will 
be ns large as any we have ever had. In¬ 
deed, so far as crops are concerned, the 
South appears to he quite fortunate tins 
year. Mixed husbandry is steadily but 
slowly gaining ground there, and all crops 
have been doing fairly well. 
Last year the average yield of hay was 
one and two-tenths ton per acre, aud the 
aggregate product 45,000,000 tons. There 
has been a considerable increase in area, 
owing chiefly to the seeding of new land 
to tame grasses in the frontier and South¬ 
ern States. The crop is good, as a whole, 
in New England; fair in the South; but 
poor in the West, and especially in the 
Northwest, where it has been greatly cur¬ 
tailed by drought. Unless substitutes or 
supplements are liberally provided in wide 
ranges in the AVes 1 -, stock must certainly 
suffer and be likely to sell low the coming 
winter. Indeed, the late unprecedented 
rush of cattle to the Chicago market is, 
iu a great measure, due to the scarcity of 
fodder which is already keenly felt by far¬ 
mers. Pastures have been short wherever 
the yield of bay has been curtailed; but 
the recent rains, which have extended 
over the entire country, with few limited 
exceptions, will greatly help both pastures 
and late hay. 
The yield of potatoes last year was 
163,000,000 bushels. This year the area 
is somewhat greater; hut the output will 
hardly be larger, as the early crop was 
somewhat injured by drought in most 
parts of the country, and quite seriously 
in Kansas, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa Mid 
Minnesota. Recent rains, however, will 
greatly help the late crop. The crop iu 
New England, where it is one of the most 
important, will be a good average, and in 
the South, also, it will be fair. 
The low prices of the last tobacco crop 
greatly discouraged growers in all parts 
of the country, and on this account and 
because the plants in many sections were 
very poor at setting time, the area has 
been greatly contracted. The stand is 
fair at present. Last year’s crop was 
about 70 pounds per acre, and the total 
output 485,000,000 pounds which was 
equal to the average requirements for con¬ 
sumption and exportation. This year 
the crop can hardly reach four-fifths of 
that amount. The area of hops too has 
been greatly curtailed except on the Pa¬ 
cific Coast, where there lias been a consid¬ 
erable increase ; and while the prospects 
are not very bright in the rest of the 
country, they are quite promising in Cal¬ 
ifornia and Oregon. 
The glut of small fruits last year, and 
the consequent low prices, discouraged 
many growers, so that a somewhat smaller 
area was planted. The dry spring that 
prevailed almost everywhere was also un- 
propitious, so that few complaints have 
this season been heard of overstocked 
markets. Cherries are almost a failure 
everywhere. This is the “off” year for 
apples, but of late there is not nearly so 
much difference as formerly between the 
off and bearing years. New England will 
have a fair crop; so will the apple region 
of New York, and indeed most, of the 
Eastern States will probably have enough. 
The crop is short in the South, however, 
and the great mortality among trees in 
the West from winter-killing of late, will 
make the crop short in most of that sec¬ 
tion. Pears will bo a small crop nearly 
everywhere. Early iu the season there 
was promise of an abundant peach crop; 
but the rose-bugs have been extremely 
destructive in the Delaware and Mary¬ 
land peninsula, and the promise of 8,000,- 
000 baskets may not realize more than 
1,500,000. In the other great peach sec¬ 
tions, however, there will be fairly good 
crops, though scattered orchards and 
clumps of trees have not borne out their 
early promises. So great is the ag¬ 
gregate of orchard and fruit trees set 
out of late years, however, that there is 
no fear of a scarcity for domestic con¬ 
sumption. 
brevities. 
One of our best hay farmers says the hay 
tedder can be made to earn as much money 
as any implement on the farm. It is os useful, 
he says, as the mowing machine. 
A friend in Michigan writes that lie has 
such faith in irrigation that lie spent $1,000 in 
an effort to secure a flowing well. The effort 
was unsuccessful, but he lias since put in a 
windmill aud a 800-1 land tank. He believes in 
sprinkling plants rather than flooding them. 
Mr. Alfred Rose writes that ho sells po¬ 
tatoes for seed as late as July 1. In some sec¬ 
tions many potatoes are planted during July. 
If we could partially control our water sup¬ 
ply, we could raise two crops iu our neighbor¬ 
hood. What could we not do on good soil, 
with'plenty of water ? 
Mr. E. P. Roe has always delighted in say¬ 
ing that the first, second, and third require¬ 
ments of the strawberry wore water, more 
water, aud a little more. This may answer 
for a sandy soil, or for a hill-side, whatever 
the soil. But for a rich loam too much water 
is death to the strawberry and to its flavor. 
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to 
Animals in England brought suit against a 
farmer for putt lug steel ear-marks on his cat 
tie. As tins system of marking cattle is wide¬ 
ly practiced, the trial attracted great atten¬ 
tion. The judge dismissed the case. The 
pain of the marking was uot denied, but the 
claim was made that it was for h, legitimate 
purpose, und could be justified. 
While looking over the various kinds of 
tomatoes at the Rural (frounrld, a few days 
ago. Prof. W. VV. Tracy, of Detroit, Mich., re¬ 
marked that it was very easy to tell from the 
flower whether the fruit would be smooth or 
irregular. If the pistil is thread-like, it will 
lie secu that the ovary beneath is smooth. If 
flattened, as if several pistils were joined to¬ 
gether, it will be secu that the ovary is lobed, 
and the fruit will be irregular accordingly. 
The business of raising early lambs for the 
N. Y. market, lias proved as remunerative as 
any branch of stock-raising this year. There 
have been but three or four ‘‘gluts,”nud these 
were caused by unexpectedly heavy shipments 
from the South. An effort will be made this 
year to import some good specimens of the 
Dorset sheep from England. It is thought 
that these sheep will prove superior for raising 
early lambs. They arc said to be remarkably 
prolific. 
The annuul report of the Ohio Ex. Station 
(Columbus), just received, is a somewhat vol¬ 
uminous work of 517 pages. A considerable 
part is taken up by accounts of experiment* 
with wheats, oats, corn, potatoes, vegetables, 
.small fruits, feeding pigs, etc. There are also 
reports on insects, weens, vitality of seeds, 
grasses, etc. The book will lie sent, free to 
resident* of Ohio engaged in farming or gar¬ 
dening, on application, aud to others on re¬ 
ceipt of 10 cents for postage. 
There was a noticeable lack of good straw¬ 
berries on most, of the farms near New York 
this season. Last year there was a bountiful 
crop, and during the berry season many far¬ 
mers almost lived on fruit. This year the 
crop was scant mid of very poor quality. The 
effect of this lack of fruit upon the health of 
farmers was plainly noticeable. In our 
neighborhood the winter or early spring _was 
very severe; alternate freezings and thawings 
ruined many strawberry beds. Those that 
were mulched gave ample crops. The rasp 
berry crop is good, aud adds wonderfully to 
health and the pleasures of the_ table. 
