m 
THE RURAL HEW-YOPKER 
THE 
RURAU NEW-YORKER, 
A National Journal for Country and Suburban Home ■«, 
Conducted by 
ELBERT S. CARMAN. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
No. 34 Park Row, New York. 
SATURDAY. OCTOBER 29. 18b?. 
Tt may be well to state that our re¬ 
port of the proceedings of the late session 
of the American Potnlogical Society is, 
as in previous years, made up from short¬ 
hand notes and that it is, so far as we 
have seen, the only attempt, at a complete 
report that has been or is being published. 
THE BIjACK Side of Farming 
Life.—Farm journals, as a rule, give the 
sunny side of farm life. That is right. 
There is no life that has a sunnier side, 
but there is a shady side too. We are 
going to show it tip as well to interest 
our female as our male readers. 
To-day's Herald says that Farmer Reall, 
the president of the Tortilita bubble, bad 
no difficulty in buying pages of reading- 
matter indorsements of his 40-foot-silver- 
vein falsehood. Ilis childlike simplicity 
is maivelous. The cheek of this honest 
farmer is enough to make Wall Street 
blush for a week. 
It has generally been supposed that to¬ 
matoes which mature during cloudy or 
rainy seasons are more acid than those 
that mature in bright, hot sunshine. We 
have found, however, that the late toma¬ 
toes, which were picked olf to ripen un¬ 
der cover, are not so acid as those which 
ripened on the vines. They are not so 
high-flavored, it is true, but still less 
acid. Nearly all the tomatoes now so 
abundant in the markets are ripened un¬ 
der cover, and they are larger, more 
shapely, with less crack and rot than the 
earlier supply. 
There is a great deal in the color of 
fruits. A Bcinckle's Orange Raspberry is 
not cared for as a market berry, though 
its quality is much better than that of 
many popular red kinds. The Cherry, 
Fay’s Piolitic or Red Dutch Currants sell 
better than White Dutch or White Grape, 
though the latter are less acid. But how 
is it with grapes? The Concord retails in 
New York for from three lo five cents a 
pound, according lo the size of the box, 
while the Niagara or Pockliugton—no 
better in quality—sells for from five to 
eight cents per pound. What is sauce 
for the goose is not sauce for the gander, 
and there is no accounting for tastes, as 
the old lady remarked on a well known 
occasion 
— 
For several years past the Rural has 
urged the judges at fat stock shows to at¬ 
tempt to settle the question as to the best 
breed of cattle and the best treatment 
needed to produce superior quality of beef. 
For years the elTort. has bee. to encourage 
the production of great masses of tallow 
and lean meat with but little regard for 
the quality of the product. To be sure 
prizes have been offered for animals show¬ 
ing the greatest proportion of lean meat to 
the total weight of carcass; but it seems 
as though a step could be taken in ad¬ 
vance even of this point. There are 
plenty of customers who insist that poul¬ 
try and eggs differ widely as to quality, 
and the same distinction will be made as 
to all kinds of meats. It will be well to 
recognize the class of customers who are 
williug to pay fancy prices, by encourag¬ 
ing contests as to quality as well as quan¬ 
tity. The Rural will, ere long, lay be¬ 
fore its readers the opinions Of some ex¬ 
pert cattle breeders and judges ou this 
subject. 
We Lave prepared to lay before our 
readers an exceedingly varied assortment 
of mutter during the coming year. The 
articles descriptive of Mr. Terry’s barn 
will be worth the price of the paper for a 
year to any farmer who thinks of build¬ 
ing. The drawings of this baru are the 
finest ever done for an agricultural paper. 
A series of articles ou “Lessons Learned 
From The Drought” will appear shortly, 
“The Utilization of Ni^ht Boil," “Econ¬ 
omy in Fuel," “Makiug Manure From 
Odds and Ends,” “Blmll We Teach 
Agriculture in the Dis'riet School ?” 
“Care of Seed Potatoes,” “ The Motive 
Power of the Future" are a few of the 
topics that w ill be exhaustively treated 
by special writers. We feel safe in as¬ 
serting that no agricultural paper in the 
country will excel the Rural in the orig¬ 
inality, earnestness and timeliness of its 
contents for 1887-’88. Certainly no paper 
makes an ttfort. to compare with it so far 
as its illustrations and typographical ex¬ 
cellence are concerned. 
The convention of ttc Knights of 
Labor came to a close at Minneapolis last 
Wednesday. The committee appointed 
to meet a committee from the Farmers’ 
Alliance reported that the two organiza¬ 
tions had agreed ou certain points. Both 
committees agreed that the evils of which 
farmers complain are the results of unjust 
laws enacted in the interests of chartered 
corporations, and that the most feasible 
way to secure the repeal of such laws is 
for each organization to maintain a com¬ 
mittee at Washington, both consulting 
together with a view to secure such legis¬ 
lation as will conduce to the welfare of 
both organizations. In ease either organ¬ 
ization fails to have a representative com¬ 
mittee at the national capital, the officers 
of the body are to use their influence with 
members of their organization to support 
the action of the body which is represent¬ 
ed with regard to all questions of legisla¬ 
tion upon which both bodies are sub¬ 
stantially hi accord. Joint action is rec¬ 
ommended in the different States where 
both organizations have branches, and 
both are to use their best endeavors to 
defeat for re-election any member of any 
legisla ive body who has failed to sup¬ 
port any measure that lias received the 
sanction of the executive heads of both 
organizations. There is a growing ten¬ 
dency to combine political action between 
laboring and agricultural organizations, 
and this agreement is a “sign of the times.” 
Those subscribers and agents of the 
Rural New-Yorker who arc sufficiently 
interested in its progress to be willing to 
act as agents may now send us the names 
of any whose subscriptions they inteud to 
solicit, and we will at once mail specimen 
copies to such names. Our present series 
of four cartoons, printed on heavy calen¬ 
dered paper, will also be forwarded to all 
applicants. Our friends should tack them 
up in conspicuous places or show them to 
their neighbors who do not read the 
Rural. The cartoons will be continued 
through 1888, which, with several other 
new, original features, it is hoped, will 
insure a marked step of progress for the new 
■volume. 
A BUBBLE BUBSTS. 
I N the Rural of October 1, we cau¬ 
tioned our readers against investing in 
the Tortilita Gold and Silver Mining 
Company, so earnestly recommended to 
their favor by that, “truly good” man, 
Mr. Joseph Reall, its President. Ilis 
glowing advertisements were addressed 
chiefly to farmers and mechanics, espe¬ 
cially the former, and there is no doubt 
whatever that hundreds, yes, thousands, 
of them have been bamboozled by his 
blandishments. Yesterday’s New York 
Herald contains a three and-a-half col¬ 
umn exposure of the fraudulent nature of 
the bubble, and witheringly berates Reall 
and his confederates for gullingthe dupes 
that trusted in their representations. 
The “mine" is a mere “hole in the 
ground,” which has never paid any divi¬ 
dends, and which is denounced as a swin¬ 
dle by citizens and experts on the spot. 
The Herald expert who personally inves¬ 
tigated the fraud cannot find words 
strong enough to stigmatize its turpitude. 
The president and secretary of the organ¬ 
ization have been summoned before the 
Consolidated Exchange here where, the 
stock of the company was “listed,” to 
explain the present condition of the 
organization; but the president finds it 
convenient to be in the country to await 
developments, and the advertised secre¬ 
tary denies that he is connected with the 
body. It was a big scheme to bamboozle 
the public. We hope none of our readers 
are among its dupes. 
PRESERVING CELERY. 
^ I^HE R. N.-Y. has never been success¬ 
or ful in keeping celery. A large pro¬ 
portion is lost by rot late in the winter 
and early spring. The following plan 
has been adopted this year: The trench¬ 
es are dug nearly three feet wide 
and, instead of being as deep as the 
plants, are only about three quarters of 
their depth, so that a good part of the 
foliage is above the surface of the trench. 
The bunches are to be packed in closely 
about four abreast. Now over these 
trenches a double pitched roof is to be 
placed, each side being made of two hem¬ 
lock boards mb cd together, the one side 
resting upon a narrow strip nailed along 
the top of the other. These Y-shaped 
roofs are made in lengths of four feet 
uud can be removed and packed away 
for further use as the celery is used. In 
tliis way of preserving celery the leaves, 
straw, stalks or whatever is used to cover 
do not, come in contact with the leaves. 
An air-space is preserved as long as the 
trench and the leaves should remain 
green and continue to help preserve tl.e 
plants in a freshif not growing condition. 
We do not know whether the plan is new 
or old, It seems, at any rate, a sensible 
way of preserving celery and one that 
should be less liable to induce rot than 
the common way of covering the tops of 
the plants directly with the protecting 
material. As the weather increases in 
severity, 1 he roof will be covered with 
leaves aud corn-stalks. 
FA RMERS’ INSTITUTES. 
A LL will be interested in our history 
of the farmers’ institute movement. 
We hope that farmers in all parts of the 
country will sec the advantage of holding 
these meetings. Ill states like Michigan 
and Kansas, where the agricultural col¬ 
lege lias some influence with the farmers, 
the inauguration of such meetings should 
not be difficult. It is strange that Mas¬ 
sachusetts has not followed the example 
of Michigan, for with her agricultural 
college as headquarters she ought to be 
able to maintain an excellent series of 
meetings. The plan proposed in Iowa, 
where representatives of the various State 
industrial organizations propose to form 
an educational association, inis much to 
commend it, but we believe that in most 
States what is known as the “Wisconsin 
plan” will prove most feasible. There is 
work euough in the successful organizing 
and conducting of a series of these meet¬ 
ings to give employment to a first-class 
man. By putting a good man at the 
head and making him responsible for the 
success or failure of the movement there 
will be a greater chance for success. AVc 
believe with Prof. Cook that it will be 
difficult for any State to appropriate a 
reasonable sum of money that will do 
more good than will this “ institute fund” 
applied as it is in Wisconsin. Of course 
the day tuny come when these institutes 
will be something of an old story, when 
much of the enthusiasm will be cooled 
down. That is too frequently the result 
of such movements, yet, with careful and 
thoughtful supervision, aud the stern 
exclusion of all side issues, there seems 
no good reason why the farmers’ institute 
should not always remain a powerful 
educational and social feature in the life 
of the farmer. 
A SERIOUS BLUNDER. 
I UST now there is a great deal of tin¬ 
ea s i n e s s among prohibitionists 
throughout the country owing to an ap¬ 
prehension that the Supreme Court will de- 
clare’all the prohibitory liquor laws un¬ 
constitutional. Seven cases are now 
pending before the Court—two from Kan¬ 
sas, four from Iowa and one from Georgia. 
Senator Vest, of M ssouri, and Joseph H. 
Choate of New York, have already argued 
the Kansas cases in behu f of the brewers; 
but, strange to say, no one appeared on 
the other side of the question, and there 
is some danger that the Court will decide 
the eases on the one-sided argument be¬ 
fore it. Attorney-General Bradford of 
Kansas had charge of the cases, and the 
blame for the blunder appears to rest with 
him. The Kansas cases, which are likely 
to establish a precedent, are appeals from 
the decision of Judge Brewer of the 
United States Circuit Court, who held 
that under the Fourteenth Amendment the 
property or business of a citizen cannot 
be destroyed without compensation, and 
that the State cannot close a saloon, or 
brewery, or distillery without paying 
compensation in some form to those 
whose property has been rendered worth¬ 
less. Hundreds of millions of dollars are 
invested in the manufacture and sale of 
liquors in States where prohibitory laws 
have been enacted and enforced and should 
the Court decide ns it is feared it will the 
States will be compelled to pay immense 
sums in the form of damages to those 
whose investments have compulsorily lam 
idle. ZZZHiZ 
Now that much mischief liasboenjlone 
by his negligence, Judge Bradford has 
engaged other lawyers to argue the case 
ou the side of the prohibitionists, and 
last Thursday these asked the Court to 
reopen the ease and allow them a rehear¬ 
ing. The Court, after commenting on his 
conduct,said Bradford would be permitted 
to file affidavits showing why he had been 
guilty of negligence, and then the Court 
would consider the matter; but, it inti¬ 
mated plainly that unless the prohibition¬ 
ists showed good reasons why prohibitory 
laws should not bo declared unconstitu¬ 
tional it, would bo compelled to decide in 
favor of the points presented by the other 
side. This question is one of supreme 
importance to the morality, welfare and 
happiness of the entire country, and a 
favorable decision of the Supreme Court 
on it, should not have been jeopardized 
by carelessness, dilatoriness or negligence. 
-» » » 
BREVITIES. 
Read “A Word to Mothers” and “A Word 
to Sons ond Daughters” in the Woman’s De¬ 
partment. 
Lewis F. Allen, of Buffalo, N. Y., so well 
and honorably known to the agricultural pub¬ 
lic, is now 87 years old and in as perfect 
health n.s during any part of his life. 
Dr. T. IT. Hoskins, of Newport. Vermont, 
speaks of having received a specimen of the 
Idaho Fear in perfect condition aud, he adds, 
“I am very much pleused with it in all re¬ 
spects. Tf the tree is all right and productive, 
it will be a decided acquisition.” 
Suppose you were called upon to pass an ex¬ 
amination to pro vet ho value of your life work. 
One of the first questions would be: What are 
you farming fort It is a simple question, 
and yet wo venture to say that, not one in six 
COulil answer it without deep thought. 
“Creaming the papers” as Spoken of in the 
account of Westtown Farm and Darden Club, 
is an excellent exercise. A good paper is but 
a farmers’ club on a wide scale. By keeping 
run of tin* papers, members of the club get the 
idcus of t,000 instead of those of a dozen. 
We do hope that, sulphate of iron is uot 
going to have a boom as a fertilizer—uot at 
least, until a thorough trinl is given it by 
those whose business it is to do so. The 
Rural guvo copperas (sulphate of iron) a 
pretty fair trial during the past season the re¬ 
sult of which will be presented in due time. 
A prominent Grunge in Indiana liked our 
Grange picture so well that they gave it in 
the form of a tableau at a public exhibition. 
It was a great success. The farmer tied to the 
tree was represented by a large man. Tlie other 
figures were represented by boys. This sug¬ 
gests a good feature that other Granges may 
add to the winter’s entertainments. 
We doubt if the holding of a farmers' insti¬ 
tute iu connection with a fair will ever be 
very successful. There is usually too much 
going on at the fair during the day to draw 
the audience out, a I the place of meeting, nod 
people are pretty well tired out at night. The 
best time tor the farmers’ institute is during 
the winter. That is the farmer’s season for 
study and recreation. 
The farmers’ club described by Mr. Gardner 
On page 719, has been of incalculable value to 
the community in which it is located. Man is 
a social being.' The best that, is in him is not 
brought out until he mingles with his fellows 
and exchanges ideas. At the farmers’ club ho 
can talk business, politics or whatever suits 
him. He Is sure to hear something new. One 
half the success of a club is often due to the 
fact that the officers are live and enterprising 
men. 
Western New York is noted for its apples. 
Doubtless just as good apples are raised else¬ 
where, but the fanners in Western New York 
have made a study of their business, and not 
only know how to raise fruit but they have 
learned how to soil it to advantage. The fruit 
is carefully handled and packed. First-class 
tools are used, by men who know how to use 
them. Apples do not come from this region 
in old flour barrels, with good and bad nil 
thrown in together. Clean arid neat apple 
barrels are used and the fruit in each barrel 
is uniform. 
The Executive Committee of the N. Y. 
State Agricultural Society met at Albany 
last Thursday. Some tune ago the secretary 
of the society sent out circulars asking for 
opinions regarding a permanent locat ion for 
the State fair. Out of 637 responses, 411 are 
in favor of such a location. The question will 
not l»e definitely settled until after the UHUUttl 
meeting. It was decided to hold 20 farmers’ 
institutes this wlutar. The present officers 
were elected to hold office until the election 
ordered by the courts, which will take place 
Jan. 19. We hope that formers all over the 
State will make themselves beard as in favor 
of Mr. Woodward for Secretary of the 
Society. 
A telegram Tueaday, from San Antonio, 
Texas, says that uever in the history of that 
headquarters of sheepmen has there been Mich 
a lack of wool buyers from Boston. New 
York, Chicago and St. Louis lost heavily last 
spring and are now buying only at bed-rock 
prices. There are in the city 8,(X10,000 pounds 
of unsold wool which commission men won't 
sell at the prices offered. Buyers are offering 
only 18 cents for wool which went iu the 
spring for 16 cents, and warehouse men are 
holding out for 15 cents. Eastern manu¬ 
facturers are buying cautiously, being contl 
dent that prices are not going up for the 
present, uml it is a clear gain for them that 
dealers should carry the staple until it is 
wanted, and the possibility of occasional de 
presslOPS is alluring. We are glad to see 
that, holders of wool iu the country show no 
lack of firmness; for the fair prices for wool 
earlier in the year were duo mainly to the 
resolution\of growers L not to part with it at 
unremunerativo figures. 
