580 
THI RUBAI. fSEW-YORKER. 
5EPT I 
THE 
RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
ANational Journal for Country and Suburban Home . 
Conducted by 
ELBERT S. CARMAN. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
No. 84 Park Row, New York. 
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1888. 
The Special Potato Number of the 
R N-Y. will appear about the first of Oc¬ 
tober. This will give the result of the 
‘‘Potato Contest” as determined by the 
Committee. It will also attempt to ex¬ 
plain to what the increased yields of the 
Rural’s trench method are due. With 
contributions from our most successful 
potato growers, it will be full of interest 
to farmers in general. 
The Regular Premium List of the Rural 
New-Yorker will he issued September 8th. 
Agents should, send for it. Special terms 
are to he made this year to all who care to 
assist in the work of extending the circula¬ 
tion of the Rural. 
TnE promise that the five acres of 
Chester Co., Mammoth Corn, at the 
R.N.-Y’s Long Island farm, will yield 
over 100 hushels of grain to the acre, is 
still good. As we have said, there is 
naught to fear but high winds or early 
frosts. 
The Weekly N. Y. Sun, the Weekly N. Y. 
World or the Weekly Detroit Free Press. 
Either of these papers with the Rural New- 
Yorker the balance of 1888 for $0.75. 
How we enjoy the gladiolus! So 
easily raised from seed, it is strange every 
one with a garden does not raise seedlings. 
Mr. N. Ilallock of Creedmoor, sent us a 
hundred seedling bulbs that had never 
bloomed. They are in bloom now, and 
among them are several varieties as beau¬ 
tiful as the latest and finest French 
hybrids. 
The Georgia State Farmer’s Alliance, 
in session at Macon, adopted a resolution, 
on Wednesday, thanking Congressmen 
Breckinridge, of Arkansas; Morgan, of 
Mississippi; Simmons, of North Carolina, 
and others for “their efforts in the National 
Congress looking to the relief of cotton 
planters from the oppressive and wicked 
conduct of the Bagging Trust. ” This is 
the newly formed combination which, 
having secured control of all the jute 
bagging in the market, has raised the 
price over four cents per pound, and pro¬ 
poses to extort between $2,000,000 and 
$3,000,000 the coming season from the 
Southern planters beyond a reasonable 
profit in their business. If the farmers 
of the entire country expressed their 
opinions out boldly to their legislators 
with regard to such outrages, how long 
would they remain possible ? 
At the International Tuberculosis Con¬ 
gress lately held in Paris nearly 500 doc¬ 
tors from various parts of the world were 
present. It was called to consider the 
causes and treatment of the deadly mal¬ 
ady which causes one-fifth of all the 
deaths in the world, and which is com¬ 
monly known as pulmonary consumption. 
The conclusions reached by this body of 
the most skillful physicians in the world 
was that tuberculosis is contagious, and 
that it may be transmitted from animals 
to man. The disease is the same in men, 
women and cattle. The hereditary na¬ 
ture of the disease is admitted, but the 
danger from this cause is considered very 
slight in comparison with that from con¬ 
tagion. Diseased milk is the most fre¬ 
quent agent for spreading the disease, 
and with this meat as food, especially 
when underdone. The cardinal preven¬ 
tive laws laid down by the Congress are: 
“Boil your milk well;” “Have your 
meat well cooked.” 
Last Wednesday Congress once more 
struggled with the question of food adul¬ 
teration, especially with the adulteration 
of lard. The great trouble as regards 
Congressional legislation in such matters 
is the danger that it may be declared un¬ 
constitutional by interfering with the 
constitutional rights of the several States. 
The Lee bill was objectionable on this 
account, because it absolutely prohibited 
the manufacture of adulterated articles— 
a matter within State jurisdiction. In 
the substitute introduced on Wednesday 
this feature is eliminated, and it deals 
only with the prevention of the manufac 
ture or transportation of adulterated arti¬ 
cles made in one State to be sold in an¬ 
other. This question is becoming one of 
paramount importance. The present con¬ 
dition of our legislation on the matter 
amounts to a premium on dishonesty and 
a threat to our national health. Honest 
manufacturers and dealers are placed at a 
disadvantage, or are forced into a reck¬ 
less competition with fraud. State and 
national legislation should put an end to 
the scandal, and during the present polit¬ 
ical canvas voters should impress their 
views in this matter strongly upon the 
various candidates, and afterwards hold 
them strictly to account for the fulfill¬ 
ment of their promises. 
WnEN wheat is planted a single kernel 
a foot apart (more or less) each way, it is 
almost sure to be injured during the win¬ 
ter, no matter how hardy the variety may 
be. The injury is done by the heaving 
of the soil, caused by alternations of frost 
and warm weather. The R. N.-Y., hav¬ 
ing hundreds of its cross-breeds and hy¬ 
brids to plant each fall, is obliged to keep 
each separate, and this can be done only 
by separating the drills by a foot or more. 
In closer seeding the plants themselves 
act, to some extent, as a mulch by cover¬ 
ing the soil. But in our planted plots, we 
are obliged to use a mulch. As soon as 
the ground freezes,this mulch—consisting 
of old manure—is easily distributed be¬ 
tween the plants much the same as if they 
were strawberries, while the leaves are 
left exposed, or covered as lightly as 
possible. Protected in this way they are 
never raised by the action of frost, and, 
consequently, pass the winters in safety. 
Thus it came to pass, years ago, that we 
were enabled to See the great benefit 
which resulted from mulching, aside from 
the protection thus afforded; and thus it 
happened that the R. N.-Y. began its 
advocacy of mulching winter grain. As 
a matter of trial, we would again urge 
our readers to mulch a small portion of 
the wheat field just as soon as the soil is 
frozen hard enough to bear a team. 
DOLLAR WHEAT! 
T HE question now agitating the New 
York and Chicago gram pits is 
“ shall we have dollar wheat again?” In 
the fall of 1883 wheat piled up mountains 
high in Chicago, and prices moved down 
as wheat piled up. Since then this is the 
first time in which hopes are entertained 
of “dollar wheat” once more. Cable¬ 
grams for Europe of late, have been giving 
more and more gloomy views of the crops 
in every country except Russia. The 
continued lain and cold weather have cut 
the crops down everywhere else. The 
best authorities now agree that the 
English crop will be 25 per cent., 
short—in fact the poorest crop of the 
century, and this in spite of an in¬ 
crease of 10 per cent, in the area. 
Usually at this time over half the English 
crop has been secured; but yesterday’s 
cables tell us that not over a twentieth 
part has yet been harvested, and every 
day of delay increases the peril and les¬ 
sens the chances of a good crop. The 
deficiency in Western Europe is equally 
marked. France expects a shortage of 
fully 30,and Italy one of 20 per cent. In 
Germany the crops are all very backward. 
The wheat estimates, never very favor¬ 
able, are being reduced day by day. Rye, 
the principal cereal food,will, it is feared, 
be 30 per cent, below the average. 
Roumania reports an aggregate yield of 
30 per cent, below that of last year on an 
increased acreage. On the other hand, 
Russia is said to have the best yield in 
three years, and India’s output is put at 
253,000,000 bushels—about an average of 
the past six years. The general story of 
wheat in Europe is gloomy and that of 
maize still worse; while rye in Germany 
and potatoes in England and Ireland are 
deficient in yield and poor in quality. 
Here experts say that within two 
months wheat will be again a dollar a 
bushel in Chicago, and that this fall will 
repeat the experience of 1879. Then the 
crop was 450,000,000 bushels. This year 
the crop is estimated at 400,000,000. 
Besides this comparative shortage, there 
was a heavy amount of wheat in farmers’ 
hands in 1879. This year experts calcu¬ 
late that there is very little surplus left 
in farmers’ hands. In view, therefore, of 
the great shortage in the European 
wheat crop, and of the comparatively 
small “invisible supply” here, as well as 
of the deficiency in the total yield, it is 
more than likely that the late upward 
movement of wheat prices will continue. 
When the wheat supply is short, the 
poorer classes fall back on rye and pota¬ 
toes, but the excessive rain and cold 
weather in Germany and the United King¬ 
dom have curtailed these “last resources.” 
Yesterday the price of wheat in Chicago 
was 89 cents per bushel; the bulls assert 
that within two months it will touch a 
dollar a bushel—for the first time since 
1879. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
W E may say a few words about our¬ 
selves, as this paper will go to many 
people who do not know us. We want 
to see more of them. So we introduce 
ourselves. The R. N.-Y. tries to be a 
real agricultural paper. Its subscribers 
are working people—business people, sen¬ 
sible and shrewd. To meet their wants 
the Rural maintains several features that 
the other farm papers have not yet adopt¬ 
ed. It maintains as good an experiment 
station as there is in the country. Its 
editors engage in actual farm work. It 
spends thousands of dollars every year 
for engravings. It has been instrumental 
in introducing many of the best plants, 
fruits and grains now before the public. 
It has also originated new varieties of 
potatoes, wheats, etc., etc., of the high¬ 
est promise. In these departments the 
Rural stands alone. Other farm papers, 
so far as we know, do not pretend to 
follow it. Take a single illustration of 
the Rural’s peculiar ability to present 
important facts. The Rural was able to 
call attention to the work of the Cucum¬ 
ber Flea-beetle and to illustrate its deadly 
work upon potato vines before the other 
papers gave evidence of a knowledge of 
its existence. Dozens of like instances 
might be given to show that the Rural 
is in a position that will enable it to pre¬ 
sent sound agricultural facts as plainly 
and quickly as they can be presented. 
Another point. The R. N.-Y. believes 
in the sanctity of the farm home. Here 
it expects to find some of the truest and 
noblest elements that combine to make 
up patriotism, justice and order. It 
desires that our farms shall be kept in 
the hands of manly men and womanly 
women. With this desire in mind it tries 
to keep its face as bright and cheerful as 
possible, to dress itself up in the neatest 
style and to do its best to portray the 
happy and contented side of farm life. 
The big Rural family is a happy one. 
We may truthfully say to those who do 
not now belong to it, that this happiness 
increases as the family grows larger. 
Won’t you take this hint? 
WHAT BREED IS IT? 
W HEN a man decides that cattle of a 
certain breecksuit his needs better 
than any other cattle could,it seems natural 
to suppose that he sees in his cattle certain 
characteristics that he does not see in 
others. We have been writing a number 
of farmers in various parts of the country 
asking them to state why they consider 
their cattle best suited to their peculiar 
soils, climates and conditions. We have 
tried to reach farmers rather than breed¬ 
ers. Here is a sample answer from a 
Pennsylvania farmer. 
“I like the-cattle the best of any of the 
improved breeds, as they are very hardy, and 
will stand this climate better than other cattle 
where they have to rough it, and will eat 
coarser feed and keep in good condition. The 
cows will not shrink in their yield of milk as 
some do when the feed becomes short and 
dried up. The steers mature young and 
make beef of good quality.” 
Now, we would ask our readers 
if they can tell from this statement 
what breed of cattle our Pennsylvania 
friend keeps. Are these qualities character¬ 
istic of any one breed, or are they true of 
several breeds ? Who can tell the breeds 
that will come nearest the “general- 
purpose animal ?” Surely that is the ani¬ 
mal the writer of the above, had in mind. 
-»-•»--»-• 
ANNOUNCEMENT. 
T HE Rural’b seedling potato, to be 
known as the Rural New-Yorker 
No. 2, is again yielding heavily, and 
there is no doubt that we shall be able to 
send a tuber to all of our subscribers who 
apply. Due notice will be given when 
applications may be made. Trial tubers 
were sent in the spring to the experiment 
stations and to potato growers in various 
parts of the country, and reports, good 
and bad, will be presented as received. 
This promising variety has yielded in our 
rich trial plot, by the Rural’s trench 
method of cultivation, at the rate of over 
800 bushels to the acre. It is almost per¬ 
fect in form, has very few eyes, and the 
tubers are uniformly large and of good 
quality. 
The six cross-bred wheats, recently il¬ 
lustrated in these columns—the first of 
the Rural’s crosses that have become 
fixed—will be planted (one grain a foot 
apart each way) in early September upon 
a half acre of land; this small area being 
sufficient for all the seed it was thought 
desirable to select, and it is hoped that 
the crop will enable us to send a few 
grains to all of our subscribers who care 
to give it a trial in time for next year’s 
sowing. It is presumed that as many 
more varieties will be ready for distribu¬ 
tion the year after, and as many more the 
year after that, and so on until the end of 
the R. N.-Y’s work with wheat crossing 
shall have been reached. In a year or so 
it is further hoped that some of our rye- 
wheat hybrids will have become fixed, 
and be deemed worthy of extended trial. 
As these distributions will be gratuitous, 
as in years past, little disappointment can 
happen, except to ourselves, should they 
prove worthless. 
BREVITIES. 
From Mr. Hale’s statement we should say 
that he is indeed “ making a success of fruit 
growing. ” 
Henry Hales, one of our most experienced 
poultrymen, pronounces rue a specific for 
cholera. His article appears on page 574. 
We shall tell about handling the apple crop 
in Western New York next week. An excel¬ 
lent plan for utilizing pomace will also be 
described. 
After reading Mr. Gould’s article on butter 
markets, see if you can’t work up a sale for 
your milk, butter or eggs near home. It’s 
worth trying. 
We are feeding stalks and nubbins of sweet 
corn to the horses. They enjoy the raw pro¬ 
duct as keenly as we enjoy the boiled article. 
It does them good. 
Many housewives will pack eggs in salt this 
summer for use during the season when eggs 
are worth their weight in money. Remember 
to pack them as soon after they are laid as 
possible. 
“Pond” corn planted in early May was 
ready to cut August 20. “Angel of Mid¬ 
night.” planted the same day, is 10 days later. 
The plants of the latter grow a foot or so taller, 
bearing the ears higher up. 
The Experiment Stations are being urged 
on all sides to carry out a series of poultry ex¬ 
periments. Such experiments would be won¬ 
derfully popular with a class of fanners who 
know how to appreciate attention. It won’t 
do to ignore the poultrymen, gentlemen. 
The wise men tell us that no cow can ever 
be produced that can excel at the butter tub 
and still excel at the block. Are we to get 
the same argument regarding sheep ? Is the 
general-purpose sheep—one that can excel at 
wool production and still make a good carcass 
of mutton—a possibility? 
The Thorburn potato, estimating the field 
from 100 feet of row, gives 205 bushels to the 
acre. This variety is a little later then the 
Beauty of Hebron and of splendid quality. 
In an adjacent field the Thorburn will not 
yield over 150 bushels to the acre on account of 
the vines being killed by the flea-beetle. 
There is to be a horse-shoeing contest at 
the Hornellsville fair this year—about the 
first in this country, we think. The managers 
state that they would have arranged for a 
dairy contest if they could have secured a 
clean and comfortable hall. The dairy con¬ 
test will make a valuable adjunct to the 
farmers’ institute. 
Mr. A. W. Smith of Americus, Ga. sent us 
three different varieties of the “ Moon ” vine 
last spring. They have each made a growth 
in bight of about 15 feet, and two are in bloom. 
One bears a pure white flower with a delicate 
lily-like fragance and measures across the 
flower 5>£ inches. The tube is 4% inches long. 
The other is like it except that the flower is 
one-third smaller. 
California horticulturists are congratula¬ 
ting themselves on a movement just started by 
the State Board of Trade, which may lead to 
the supplanting of the abhorred Chinese. Ear¬ 
ly in August the first installment of city boys 
left San Francisco to work in Senator Stan¬ 
ford’s Vina fruit ranch, and efforts are to be 
made to supply other fruit ranches with the 
same sort of white labor. The present install¬ 
ment are represented as being quite a super¬ 
ior lot, and the hopes of a lasting movement 
in the same direction are warm, though,per¬ 
haps a trifle too sanguine. 
The Society of American Florists which 
has been in session in this city during the 
week, last Wednesday appointed a committee 
to select a national flower. Is the public likely 
to coincide in the decision of this committee? 
Of course, a select committee of floriculturists 
is well fitted by training to choose an appro¬ 
priate national flower, but is it likely to be in 
sympathy with the desire of the public for 
something at once beautiful,odoriferous,simple 
and cheap—something that will not cost 
much at any season or in any part of the 
country? A florist in Florida and another 
in California lately held “ a national flower 
election.” among their customers; and in 
both cases the sunflower was chosen as the 
national emblem. Will this committee come 
to the same decision; and if so, will it be ac¬ 
cepted^ the public? 
