THE RURAL WEW-YOPKER. 
MOV S 
THE 
RURAL NEW'YORKER, 
ANationol Journal for Country and Suburban Hornet 
Conducted by 
EfcBlCItT S. CARMAN. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
No. S4 Park Row, New York. 
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1887. 
Our contemporaries should freely call 
attention to the Dairy School which has 
been opened by Mr, Valentine at his farm 
(Houghton Farm), Mountainviile, N. Y. 
It is a benevolent undertaking, and the 
first of its kind in this country 
“From the Egg to the Broi er” will be 
the title of a series of articles, written 
with gnat care by one of the most exper¬ 
ienced poultry-men in America, soon to 
be commenced in the Rural. The first 
part will treat of “How to Secure Fer¬ 
tile Eggs. 
In order that our readers may duly ap¬ 
preciate our reports of the American Po- 
mologienl Society, it may be said that 
they are presented in the order aud lan¬ 
guage of the proceedings as they occurred, 
and that no other reports aiming at com¬ 
pleteness have appeared in any other 
publication. 
Tite farmer who means to keep up 
with the times will make sure to have a 
barrel of plaster kept constantly in Ins sta¬ 
ble for use back of the cows. When a 
farmer begins to “ fall in love with ma¬ 
nure” he gives one of the best indications 
of a well-balanced mind. The barrel of 
plaster plays a leading part in this court¬ 
ship, and a roof of some kind over the 
manure pile is a good sign of a happy 
termination. 
- * • » 
Those who have evergreen trees to buy 
for next spring should bear in mind the 
Umbrella Pine of Japan—Sciadopitys 
verticillata. No other c niter at the 
Rural Grounds attracts more attention. 
Its distinct app stance and extreme 
hardiness will insure it a future popu¬ 
larity, which has hitherto been retarded 
by the difficulty of its propagation aud 
its slow growth when young. Remem¬ 
ber it for next spring. 
The Kieffer Pear has been selling for 
75 cents a basket, the basket bolding 
about half a bushel. The quality of these 
pears is decidedly inferior to other pears 
of the season. It is its showy appear¬ 
ance that sells it,aud nothing more. Time 
is showing thut the Rural’s estimate of 
the Kieffer was quite correct. Older 
readers whom we guarded aga ust invest¬ 
ing in this pear too freely, will kindly re¬ 
member our caution though it brought 
upon us the indignation of those inter¬ 
ested persons who were booming it to the 
skies. 
Again readers may be reminded that 
when trees or shrubs of some age or size 
are to be transplanted next spring, the 
best thing to do just now is to dig a 
trench around the base of the trunk from 
two to tillce feet from it (forming a circle 
of four or six feet in diameter) and from 
one to two feet in depth. The severed 
roots will heal and new roots will grow 
before next spring when ilie tree may be 
removed in comparative safety. Two 
trees treated m this way were removed 
from one place to another in the Rtual 
Grounds early the past spring. One was 
a Weeping Norway Spruce 12 years old, 
the other a Tiger’s tail Spruce about the 
same age, and 11 feet high. Neither has 
showu any signs of injury. 
The question whether we should use 
one-eye, two-eye, tliree-eye, or half pieces 
or vrh ole potatoes for seed is a relative, a 
conditional one. In a very rich soil two- 
eye pieces might give the best crop; in a 
poor soil larger pieces would perhaps 
yield better. Again some varieties of po¬ 
tatoes are weakly growers and would be 
helped by the larger seed. Others are 
rank growers and small seed pieces w r ould 
serve as well or better. We have worked 
at this problem, on and off, for 12 years 
and the conclusion we arrive at is that 
there is no rule suited to all farms and 
varieties of potatoes. Each farmer must, 
in a measure, settle for h’mself whether he 
will plant whole potatoes or a certain 
number of eyes. The trials as stated un¬ 
der Notes from the Rural Grounds (page 
734) give evidence that in that particular 
soil aud with that particular variety^ of 
potato and in that particular season the 
halves of potatoes of small marketable 
size, yielded best. 
-•-*-*- 
On many farms the calf is a neglected 
animal. It seems too small to merit a 
place in the stable and too large to go in¬ 
to the other out-buildings: so it is left 
to grow up as best it can until it is large 
enough to make a showing in a stauebion. 
This is wrong. Tne calf of the present 
is the cow of the future. Neglect shown 
it now will appear all through its life, 
We like to keep our calves in small box- 
stalls. They thus have a chance to jump 
and kick a little. The little fellows are 
kept as warm and comfortable as possi¬ 
ble. and the stalls are cleaued out every¬ 
day. Calves like the sunshine, and it 
pays to keep them in a sunny place. 
Where several of them are raised every 
yenr it, wi 1 pay to have a call-house fitted 
up for the young stock, and kept up as 
well as the stable. 
An excellent feature of the Wisconsin 
farmers’ institutes this winter will be the 
object lessons in dairying which it is now 
proposed to give. The De Leval Separa¬ 
tor Company will send two hand machines 
aud have them operated during the noun 
recesses. Other manufacturers of creamers 
are also inviti d to follow up the insti- 
lutes and raise cream or make butter before 
the public. All expenses will be borne 
by the several operators. It is proposed 
also to use the oil test for the sake of 
comparing methods and results. These 
operat ons will give the people a good 
chance to study the different methods of 
butter-making, and will not interfere with 
the regular work of the institute. We 
wish the enterprising superintendent of 
the Wisconsin institutes would consoler 
the project of holding public contests m 
butter-making between farmers’ wives 
aud daughters. We have often described 
them*thods employed in E 1 gland. We 
b*bfve such cm tests could be carried out 
very successfully in Wisconsin. 
The special meeting for the election of 
secretary of the New York State Agricul¬ 
tural Society has been called for 1) com¬ 
ber 12 at noon. That election will be the 
most memorable in the history of the so 
cieiy because it will decide the society’s 
policy on two very important matters 
which we have previously pointed out. 
An overwhelming majority of I he progres¬ 
sive farmers of this State want Mr. Wood¬ 
ward elected by a majority decisive 
enough to put an end forever to the pres¬ 
ent controversy. The secretary is elected 
by the life members of the society. It 
costs $10 to become a life mem her. We 
suggest that there are thousands of w ide¬ 
awake farmers in this State who can eas¬ 
ily get their mouey’s worth by paying 
this sura and thus entitling tliemsolves 
to a vote at the coming election. Seldom 
before in the history of this State have 
farmers had better opportunity to place 
themselves squarely on the side of pro¬ 
gress and morality. We urge our friends 
to attend to this matter at once. Send 
your money to the secretary at Albany, 
attend the meeting and see that your vote 
is recorded for Mr. Woodward. 
UTILIZING CITY MARES. 
TARING has told, iu a delightful 
little story, how he found a perfect 
riding mare in the harness of a fish ped¬ 
dler, ill New York. She had fallen, 
through one misfortune after another, into 
the hands of brutal drivers, who had 
pounded all beauty out of her and loft 
her a mere rack of bones. They could 
not destroy her spirit, however, nor en¬ 
tirely club away the evidences of hi r good 
breeding. With care and proper hand¬ 
ling she recovered much of her beauty, 
and rose from the humiliating position of 
a fish-cart horse to that of an intelligent 
aud affectionate saddle animal. There 
are hundreds of just such horses in New* 
York to-day. They started in as faithful 
and honest animals. They fell into the 
hands of brutal aud careless drivers, who 
could not distinguish between spirit and 
intelligence, and visciousness. With good 
handling and care they would quickly 
show their worth. We see many mares 
on the various horse-car lines that w*ould 
make excellent breed ng animals. Foot¬ 
sore and weary from hard service many of 
them go aimlessly stumbling along, but a 
good judge of horses can easily see their 
possibilities as breeding animals. Many 
farmers along the Hudson River have al¬ 
ready determined the value of these 
mares. When in the city they always 
visit the horse-raiboad stables and are 
often able to -find some slightly crippled 
mare of good style and breeding that can 
be bought, for a fair price. Such mares 
are taken back to the farm and turned out 
to pasture, or put to light work, until 
they recover. Then they are served by 
first-class drivir g stallions. The colts are 
sod at thne-year-olds. This business 
pays. Mares of good breeding are se¬ 
cured at a low price. The best of stal¬ 
lions are used and a quality of colts pro¬ 
duced that sell readily at good prices. 
PUBLIC LAND FRAUDS. 
A CCORDING to Land Commissioner 
Sparks, the misappropriation of pub 
lie lands has assumed gigantic propor¬ 
tions. There are now* m the Land office 
10,000 esses of entry in which fraud has 
been charged, or in which evidences of 
fraud are apparent. Inv< stigations dur¬ 
ing the last, two years have shown the 
existence of schemes to defraud the gov¬ 
ernment. in every State aud Territory 
containing public lands, and in nearly 
every county and land district which 
the special agents have visited. In a 
multitude of cases perjury and suborna¬ 
tion of perjury have been practiced. 
Over 5,000 eases of this sort have come 
to light, and iti most of them the officials 
before whom the necessary papers were 
executed, were aware of the fraud or 
could have been so by the exercise of or¬ 
dinary care. During the past year 2,312 
entries, covering 370,000 acres, have been 
held for cancellation, while 1,153 entries 
covering 180,000 acres have been already 
cancelled for fraud, and during the 
past two rears for one cause or another 
over 30,000,000 acres of misappropriated 
land have been restored to the public 
domain. The Commissioner sees bttle 
prospect of any radical reformat! n under 
the present dcf< etive laws and loose style 
of administration. He thinks an entire 
amendment of all existing laws relatine 
to the disposal of public lands essential. 
He would retain only an absolute Home¬ 
stead Law, and repeal all laws otherwise 
disposing of the public domain. The 
only means he would allow of acquiring 
title to such lands would be ac’ual resi¬ 
dence, cultivation and improvement. For 
years the public land offices have been 
honeycombed with fraud by which laud- 
sharks of all kinds have been enriched at. 
the expense of honest settlers. Com para 
tively little good arable land is still opeu 
to settlement; what there is shou d be 
guarded with jealous care for American 
citizens who honestly intend to make 
homes on it, and in all cases no mercy 
should be shown to the greedy rascals 
who have been robbing the people of 
their inheritance. 
BREVITIES. 
Wouldst invest iu the Tortilita Mines! 
Really , not for Joe 
Mr. Ward D. Gunn, of Ulster Co., N. Y. 
semis us ti bum'll of the Alice Grape weighing 
12 ounces. The skin of this grape is as thick 
and Strong as that of Diana, aud it is not far 
from the same color. 
Many new features will be seen at. the com¬ 
ing poultry show in New York The method 
of awarding prizes mentioned on another 
page will please all. The Rural is the only 
paper that has published anythiug ubout this 
show. 
In aud about Hammonton, N. .T., there are 
now* 25 large broiler farms and more buildings 
going up. They are just beginning to si art 
the incubators. Hammonton is a great chick¬ 
en place. 
The downiest of the Downy Plymouth 
Rocks now being raised at the Rural 
Grounds, arc as downy as they can be, The 
others show that the strain is not fully fixed. 
They are certainly interesting birds. 
I think science and practice should go 
hand iu hand; but practice should have two 
hands—a right and a loft hand, and a little 
before hand, and another hand to take the 
single hand of science. So Lawson Valentine 
w rites to the R. N. Y. 
Almost every political economist, small 
and great, has bad some plan for disposing of 
the National surplus. The latest scheme is to 
devote n portion of it to the task of extermin¬ 
ating the English sparrow. A good portion 
of if will be needed lor this work if the pest is 
allowed to increase many years longer. 
It ts a mistake to allow celery to be exposed 
to frost severe enough to freeze water an 
eighth of an inch thick It makes the stalks 
pithy and stringy. The aim should be to 
iroteet celery from too severe cold on the one 
land and from too much protection oti the 
other. Anything that bluucbos the leaves 
promotes early decay. 
W’E think we have discovered a worthy ri¬ 
val of the economist who cut a piece off one 
cud of his blanket aud sewed it on to the other 
in order to make the blanket longer. Our 
candidate' lets Ids hens roost on the trees this 
weather because the manure is thus well ap¬ 
plied to the ground and lie is saved the labor 
or bringing it out of the poultry house. 
Bulletin No. 92, issued by the Connecticut 
Agricultural Experiment Station, contains 
analyses and valuations of all the chemical 
fertilizers w’hich have been sampled by agents 
of the Station since January of this year, 
from stock in the hands of retail dealers in 
Connecticut. The bulletin may be obtained 
by addressing the Station, New Haven, Conn. 
The series of articles on “Lessons Learned 
from the Drought,” will appear iu a week or 
so. The number of the RURAL containing 
them will really lie a “Drought Special;” and 
will, we honestly believe, tie worth more to 
our readers t han the price of t he Rural for 
a year. We have rnntiy special topics in hand 
that will be work, d up'with the greatest care, 
Ttie Rural proposes to do its best for 
1887-88, 
We talk of tasteless potatoes, such as the 
Early Rose. Potatoes are nearly tasteless, and 
yet more potatoes than any olher vegetal le 
are eaten. We never tire of potatoes, though 
we eat them three times a day. We tire of 
turnips, beets aud the like that, have a decided 
characteristic flavor: but po'atoes that have 
no derided flavor we are glad to eat all the 
while, In this respect potatoes are for food 
what w*ater is for drink. 
A SUBScniUKli in Greeley. Colorado, writes 
us, under date of October 25, thatt.be potato 
crop in his vicinity is “simply immense.” In 
size: many are prodigious, “Four pounds,” 
he says, “are not considered unusual, and our 
city papers hot week reported two that ex¬ 
ceeded five and one half pounds in weight, 
ami one that tipped tin* scales at six pounds 
and one ounce when dug.” We should like to 
have that potato sent to the Rural oflice to 
have its portrait, taken. 
The Ohio Farmer accuses the R. N.-Y. of 
ridiculing the Ohio Experiment. Station and 
its officers. 11 tells ns, as wil 1 be seen by refer¬ 
ence to Wlmt Others Sav,” that the farmers 
of Ohio respect the Station and itsotfleers So 
far from “ (browing ridicule upon them." we 
respect, these officers and heartily wish them 
God speed in their good work, We offeuded 
our sensitive friend. Dr, Rturtevant, by criti¬ 
cising his work, and now, it appears, we have 
offended the Ohio Station people in the same 
way. 
It is now too late to talk of transplanting 
small fruits of any kind or ornamental or 
fruit trees of any kind. It is better to wait 
until spring. During the past season we 
made full notes of the many kinds of straw¬ 
berries (mostly new), onlv a few of which 
have appparod iu the Rural. They will np- 
peur. however, in time to aid our readers in 
muking selections for planting in the spring, 
which, in our experience, is to be preferred, to 
fall planting. 
At local fairs the practice is becoming very 
geuernl of offering a prize for collections of 
wild flowers. It is a good one. Vastly more 
good, however, is accomplished when they are 
properly named Too often the farmer’s wife 
does not know the name of more than a score 
of wod flowers. More than tins, the names 
by which they arc known are often only local¬ 
isms and are therefore very* misleading. In 
the next premium list fair managers should 
offer a prize for t he best-assorted collection of 
named wild flowers gathered iu the county 
by a resident of the county 
The Rural advises every voter among its 
readers to exercise his right of suffrage at the 
coming election. In our country, as a rule, 
fraud and bad government are possible only 
wtaeu voters become careless aud neglect to 
take an interest in public affairs. Tricky and 
careless legislation is possible only when the 
public show little interest. So go to the polls 
and let your vote lie counted for what you 
believe to be right. Of course, we would like 
to have you take a set of the Uuhal’s posters 
along. 
An enterprising young mau who wants to 
get out of the “rut!” proposes to start iu the 
dairy business. His idea is to locate near a 
growing town and sell bottled milk. The 
hulk supply of this town now comes in bat¬ 
tered, half-dirty cans. There ure customers 
who will readily pay extra for good miJk 
handled in neat and clean bottles. The 
young man went to an old dairyman for ad¬ 
vice “1 want to do all the work l can my¬ 
self.” he said, “where can I put my wo>k so it 
will count most f” The dairyman told him to 
driveliisown wagon, to superintend the feed¬ 
ing of his cows and to do all the milking he 
could with his own bauds. Milking is a job 
that, manv hired hands will shirk. A careless 
milker can waste 20 per cent, of the milk. 
The great, anxiety among i’robibitionists 
everywhere with regard to the pending de¬ 
cision of the United States Supreme Court on 
the cases now before it, is still unrelieved. 
In all of the seven cases ihc question to bo de¬ 
cided is substantially the same—whether the 
manufacture and sale of intoxicants can be 
prohibited by any State without compensa¬ 
tion to manufacturers and dealers, in real¬ 
ity, however, a similar question was decided 
unanimously by all the Justices of the Court 
v<’nrs ago. in the affirmative. Justices Taney, 
McLean, Caion and Grier agreed that there 
is nothing in the Constitution of the United 
States to prevent any State from regulating 
and restraining the liquor traffic or from pro¬ 
hibiting it altogether All the Justices com¬ 
posing the Court at that time have, however, 
passed over to the majority, and those of tne 
present Court mav come to a different con¬ 
clusion. but there is a good deal to be hoped 
lor from judges’ immemorial reverence for 
precedents. 
The Western Waterways Convention held 
at Memphis the other day. was attended by 
28.” delegates representing 17 Siatcs.iucluding 
Minnesota. Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Kan¬ 
sas, Missouri. Illinois, Indiana, Ohio Pennsyl¬ 
vania, West. Virginia, Kentucky. Tennessee, 
Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana. The ob¬ 
ject of the meeting was to devise ways and 
means for improving the navigation of the 
Mississippi River atnl its multitude ol uav ig- 
able tributaries, aggregating over 20,000 miles 
m length. The great advantages of water 
transportation on account of its cheapness and 
as a check ou railroad extortion are patent to 
all. Liberal appropriations from the National 
Treasury ate to be asked lor to carry on the 
work on the ground that r.he entire country 
is interested iu it. There is no doubt that this 
is a work of national importance, aud Con¬ 
gress by previous appropriations has already 
acknowledged the fact. 
