/ 
a _ 
THE 
of the greatest evils of the times splendidly. 
Keep it up. 
R. N.-Y.—We said that the area in wheat 
was 4.666 acres, that is, something over four 
and six tenths acres. The yield on the best 
part of the field was nearly 40 bushels to the 
acre. The Armstrong wheat is sold by Thor- 
burn and Co. and Peter Henderson & Co., of 
New York, and by Landreth & Sons, of Phil¬ 
adelphia, Pa. It is now better known as 
Landreth wheat. 
DO SKUNKS EAT POTATO BUGS|? 
H. I., Batavia, N.,Y.—In the R. N.-Y., of 
Sept. 8, Mr. T. H. Y. of Alexandria, Da. 
asks the above question, and in answer I would 
say that I believe they do. Indeed I was con¬ 
vinced of this several years ago. Finding 
many bugs on well grown potatoes in the back 
part of .the field, I visited them two or three 
times a week, thinking that if they increased 
I would have to kill them; but I was surprised 
to find them decreasing in numbers, and I 
found many holes in the ground around in 
the tops of the hills, holes large enough to in¬ 
sert an awl-handle 2% inches. This and the 
diminution of the bugs were quite a mystery 
until I became satisfied that both were due 
to skunks as they ate bugs from the vines, and 
extracted them from the ground where they 
had burrowed. 
A. H. T., Jamesport, N. Y.—I was very 
much interested in the cartoon, “4 Peep Be¬ 
hind the Scenebut does it answer the fol¬ 
lowing : A man went to New York a week 
ago to see about cauliflowers, which he is 
shipping to a well-known commission mer¬ 
chant, and while there he was told that peach¬ 
es of a particular grade were selling for 30c 
per basket. He ordered two baskets to be 
sent to his home by express, and that the 
price should be charged to his account. They 
were sent the next day, and when his bill of 
sale for the cauliflowers came, those peaches 
were charged to him at $1 per basket. Did 
the man who raised those peaches get 30c mi¬ 
nus freight and commission, or not, or how 
much did he get ? 
The Desire For Novelties As Such for 
things new, irrespective of their intrinsic ex¬ 
cellence—is a strong passion in the human 
breast, and one upon which a trader of any 
kind is tempted to play, says Garden & 
Forest. Although we owe to this passion for 
novelty much that we have gained in all de¬ 
partments of human effort, its results have 
nowhere been of unmixed good; and in the 
department of horticulture evil results have 
often marked its gratification. Consider the 
prodigious degree to which the lists of culti¬ 
vated roses and other flowers have been en¬ 
larged. Every season briugs new claimants 
for favor to the front; rivalry in the intro¬ 
duction of novelties often prevents a thorough 
testing of the merits of older plants; novelty 
rather than beauty is often their chief merit; 
and if they are 'generally cultivated it can 
only be at the sacrifice of other kinds. There 
is no room for all these thousand varieties 
either in the nursery, or in the florist’s shop, 
or in the purchaser’s home; and though the 
public has undoubtedly something to do with 
deciding which shall be grown and which 
neglected, the florist’s power is infinitely 
greater. Many persons who buy have no 
taste at all in such matters; others are willing 
to submit their taste to the florist’s judgment 
with regard to beauty; and if the florist makes, 
not beauty, but mere novelty, his criterion, 
the average buyer will but too readily fall in 
with his mood. 
PITHS AND SUGGESTIONS. 
A Writer in the Vermont Watchman, says 
the one great reason why Michigan has suc¬ 
ceeded so well in agricultural education is be¬ 
cause wisdom has guided the affairs of her ag- 
ricultural.college. She has secured as teach¬ 
ers some of the best men in the country ; has 
given manual labor its true place, and has 
granted the college the most liberal support. 
He has an idea that a Professor of Agriculture 
should be a practical farmer—that is, he should 
own and carry on a farm. A Professor of Ag¬ 
riculture ought to be an enthusiastic farmer 
and able to make his pupils enthusiastic farar 
mers. It is of little use to send bright young 
men from the farm to the agricultural school 
and have them turn out lawyers, doctors and 
men of other professions. 
Prof. Whitcher defines thickly sown corn 
fodder as “greenness and water”. 
The Orange Co. Farmer combats the idea 
of over-production of grapes. It is not over¬ 
production, but under-consumption. How 
can there be an overproduction of grapes 
when there are thousands of families all over 
the country who have none, and are willing to 
pay a fair price for them ? Growers must 
first attend to the matter of new markets. 
Next, in so far as possible, they should see that 
the grapes are sold at reasonable rates and not 
at prohibitory prices. The latter is often the 
fruitful cause of non-consumption. In Port 
Jervis, N. Y., five years ago, a half ton of 
grapes would comprise the entire sales. This 
was not because the people did not want them, 
but because of the absurdly high prices the 
dealers keptj them at, all through the season. 
Arrangements were made for supplying 
the public with grapes at a profit of about 
ten cents per ten-pound basket at retail, and 
the consumption was trebled the first season. 
Now it is safe to say that fifteen tons are annu¬ 
ally consumed in addition to the quantities 
grown in gardens. 
J. B. Olcott, in the Courant, repeats the 
Rural’s advice when he says that any large 
trees or shrubs cau be transplanted now 
while the ground is warm and wet, with per¬ 
fect safety, whenever there is intelligent help 
enough to handle them. The leaves have 
nearly or quite completed their work—the 
buds are formed—the days are long and bright 
to work in, and the best part of the season re¬ 
mains for the shortened roots to adjust them¬ 
selves to their new situations, which may be 
extended, by heavy mulching, far into and 
perhaps entirely through the winter. Be¬ 
ginners, to gain confidence, should try small 
things, first. Nurserymen are always handling 
and transplanting their stock in early autumni 
getting ready for fall and spring trade, either 
of which seasons, if belated, brings planting 
at the worst possible period for those who pur¬ 
chase their stock. 
Notice, for instance young pear trees. 
Their leaves have fallen and their work for 
the year is completed. Remove them then—if 
they are to be removed—as soon as possible 
that they may become settled in their new 
quarters before the ground freezes. 
A. L. Crosby says, in the Orange Judd 
Farmer, if it is thought that the business of 
the dairy will not justify the outlay for a 
gqod portable creamery, make a tank 20 inch¬ 
es deep, and order tin cans eight inches in 
diameter, and 18 inches deep. Set the milk 
in these cans, put them in the tank with a 
weight on each to keep them from upsetting. 
Fill the tank nearly full of water, put in a 
lot of ice, shut down the cover, and in 12 hours, 
if you have ice enough in the tank, the cream 
will all be “up.” Skim, empty the milk, 
wash the cans, and they are ready for the next 
milking. This is away ahead of the stone crock 
business, and the creamery is away ahead of 
this. 
Mr. Crosby prefers the barrel churn to 
any other kind he has ever seen. 
Readers of the R.N.-Y., may now obtain 
any article needed in the household or on the 
farm by securing the required number of 
subscribers for this journal. Our plan is to 
secure the wholesale price for auy article 
needed and then to offer it for the lowest num¬ 
ber of subscribers consistent with a provident 
business method. Those intending to pur¬ 
chase 'any article whatever may serve their 
interests by first ascertaining the Rural’s 
terms. It must meanwhile, be remembered 
that we do not sell anything except the R. 
N.-Y., itself. Such articles are offered at re¬ 
duced rates only in payment for the services 
of those who care to act as agents. 
The Weekly Press saysthat a New York 
dairyman, who was milking a large herd of 
average cows, took five of the best and five of 
the poorest ones, and, keeping an accurate ac¬ 
count of the cost of feed and care, found that, 
while the five good ones were paying a good 
profit, the other five were actually costing him 
#7 dollars per head annually over and above 
the value of the milk they yielded. 
The droves of cows that are brought into 
dairy sections and offered for sale are made 
up, as a rule, of the culls from other herds. 
In four cases out of five there is something 
wrong with them and their purchase ends in 
disappointment. Farmers don’t often sell 
their best cows unless they are offered fancy 
prices for them. The better way is for the 
dairyman to raise his own cows. 
Mr. J. S. Woodward says, in the N. Y. 
World, that he has again this year raised 
lambs from South Down, Shropshire and 
Hampshire males crossed on the Michigan 
Merino ewes, and he is more than ever pleased 
with the Hampshire as a sire. His lambs 
are stronger when dropped, grow more rapid¬ 
ly and get of a shipping size quicker, and, be¬ 
sides this, their faces and legs are more deeply 
colored, and of a more uniform color than 
those from the South Downs even, and doub¬ 
ly more so than those from the Shropsliires. 
Besides this, for growing lambs up for feeding 
when coming one year old, these grades show 
greater superiority, as they will weigh Dearly 
20 per cent more at one year than either of the 
crosses. .. 
Pres. P. J. Berckmans (Augusta, Ga.) says 
that for his climate experience has taught him 
that one-year-old trees, of thrifty growth, are 
the most desirable. Purchasers should bear 
in mind that such a tree can be removed from 
the nursery with all its roots; whereas a two 
or three year old tree cannot be taken up with¬ 
out cutting away a large portion of them. 
Success in transplanting is increased accord¬ 
ing as attention is paid to selecting well rooted 
trees, instead of heavily branched ones. Give 
as many sound roots to a tree and as little head 
as possible. 
It has been asserted that oriental pears,like 
the LeConte, Kieffer and Mikado, are worth 
less if grafted, because their blight-proof qual¬ 
ities are lost. Pres. Berckmans has had many 
years of experience and it is his belief that 
such assertions are groundless. Within the 
past ten years Pres. Berckmans has dissemin¬ 
ated upwards of 200,000 trees of this class with 
the most satisfactory results to purchasers, as 
their numerous reports of abundant crops and 
health of the trees evidence. His own orch¬ 
ard trees, ranging from four to 12 years of age, 
refute every assertion condemning grafted 
tree's. 
He has grown the Japan chestnut for five 
years and finds that trees of three years of age 
bear fruit. The nuts are large, the burrs 
often containing as many as five. 
Regarding the Berckmans grape, he says 
that it has never mildewed in his grounds 
since he first fruited it in 1873. It has the rare 
and desirable combination of the extreme 
vigor and fertility of the Clinton with the ex¬ 
cellence of the fruit of Delaware. Dr. Wylie 
always.considered this variety as one of the 
most promising of his seedlings. Vines have 
been growing and fruited in several localities 
North and South, and it fully sustains all that 
was expected from it. 
ABSTRACTS. 
upon semblances: the one aims to be 
virtuous, the other to appear so.”- 
Farm, Stock and Home: “The number of 
farmers whose success is due to frugal wives 
and daughters is legion.”-Life: “It is 
very seldom indeed that a leading merchant, 
lawyer, clergyman or other ‘ prominent citi¬ 
zen,’ in any business or profession, serves upon 
a jury. The result is, that this vitally impor¬ 
tant work is left in large part to the intellect¬ 
ually and morally lame, halt and blind, and 
the outcome may be daily observed in the con¬ 
stant miscarriages of justice that disgrace our 
courts.”-Thomas it Kempis : “ Thou 
shalt always have joy in the evening if thou 
hast spent the day well.”-Puck: “When 
poverty is abolished, what a hard time every¬ 
one will have doing all his own work! ”- 
Tallvrand: “ There are many vices which do 
not deprive us of friends; there are many vir¬ 
tues which prevent our having any.”- 
Breeder’s Gazette: “Above all, politics and 
nepotism must be kept out of experiment sta¬ 
tions, and each employ^ must be measured by 
the one standard of what he can accomplish 
for agriculture.”—-Puck: “The man who 
tries to ‘ bull ’ wheat finds it goes against the 
grain.”— 
—N. Y. Tribune: “What, with 
health and a clear conscience, serves most to 
make life enjoyable to the end? Money? No, 
indeed ! for we find those who rely on money 
everywhere dissatisfied and grumpy. A pleas¬ 
ant home, made pleasant by industry which 
supplies it eontentfully, and decorates it with 
simple and durable adornments; children, gen¬ 
ial as their parents and justifying their par¬ 
ents’ pride. These are constituents of a happy 
life, and the country supplies them more freely 
and unalloyed than does the crowded town.” 
Ppoe. Sanborn: “It may be assumed, in 
the absence of analyses of the entire horse, 
that it contains less fat than any other farm 
animal, and its growth is, therefore, the 
growth of muscle as is that of no other domes¬ 
tic animal. Experience teaches us that fat¬ 
tening foods are misplaced when fed to a 
growing colt.”-—Lavater: “What a vast 
deal of time and ease that man gains who is 
not troubled with the spirit of impertinent 
curiosity about others; who lets his neighbor’s 
thoughts and behavior alone; who confines 
his inspections to himself, aud cares chiefly 
for his own duty and conscience.”- 
Breeder’s Gazette: “The old Scotch ‘saw’- 
‘better a gude calf than a calf o’ a gude kind’ 
—while not always to be accepted in a literal 
sense, expresses well the idea of utility which 
Scotch cattle-breeders seem so generally to 
have kept in mind; and one of the great 
secrets of success in all breeding operations 
must always remain a staunch fidelity to the 
maxim that ‘like produces like or the likeness 
of some ancestor.’ Often as this foundation 
fact has been repeated there are still those 
who seem to think that figs can be gathered 
from thistles.”-Dr. Franklin: “Temper¬ 
ance puts wood on the fire, meal in the barrel, 
flour in the tub, money in the purse, credit in 
the country, contentment in the house, 
clothes on the back and vigor in the body.- 
Cor. N. Y. Times: “So far as my own exper¬ 
ience in feeding cows for butter has gone the 
results have been not in favor of exclusive 
root and hay feeding on one hand or an ex¬ 
clusive hay and grain feeding on the other. 
Fifteen pounds of hay, 30 pounds of roots, 
and 12 pounds of mixed corn and bran,ground 
together as a standard feed, costing 26 cents, 
gave \)4 pound of butter daily, on an aver¬ 
age, from a herd of 15 high-grade and puie- 
bred Jersey and Ayrshire cows. This was 
better than the result from heavier grain 
feeding without the roots. One great advan¬ 
tage of roots is that a larger quantity of grain 
can be given without the usual danger of 
forcing cows for a large product. The roots 
are laxative and cooling and aid healthful 
digestion in a remarkable manner.”-Am. 
Florist: “If you want to be $25 or $ 30]a month 
employes all your lives, make no effort to ac 
quire a thorough education; but if you want 
to rise—if you want to get near the top and be 
somebody—spare no effort.”-“The good 
man honestly discharges his duty and shun s 
ostentation; the vain considers every good 
deed lost that is not publicly displayed. The 
one is intent upon realities, the other 
For Headache 
Use IIorsloril’R Acid Phosphate. 
Dr. I. R. Sanford, Sheffield, Mass., says; 
Most excellent in derangements of the ner¬ 
vous system, such as headache and sleepless¬ 
ness.”— Adv. 
MAKE HENS LAY 
S HERIDAN’S CONDITION POWDER is absolute¬ 
ly pure and highly concentrated. It Is strictly 
a medicine to be given with food. Nothing on earth 
will make hens lay like it. It cures chicken chol¬ 
era and all diseases of hens. Illustrated book by 
mail free. Sold everywhere, or sent by mail for 
26 cts, in stamps. 2Jf-lb. tin cans, $1; by mail, 
$1.20, Six cans by express, prepaid, for $6. 
LaJahnaoB * Oo„ P. O. Box2118, Boston, Uus. 
ROSSIE IRON ORE PAINT. 
Is made from Red Oxide Ore—is the best and most 
durab'e Paint for Tin, Iron, and Shingle Roofs, Barns, 
Farm utensils, etc., will not crock or peel— will protect 
roofs from sparks. Samples free. Ask prices of 
ROSSIE IRON Ore PAINT CO., 
Ogdensburg, N. Y. 
THE BEST CATTLE FASTENING! 
SMITH’S 
SELF-ADJUSTING SWING STANCHION, 
The only Practical Swing Stanchion Invented. Thou¬ 
sands in use. Illustrated Circular free. Manufactured 
by F. G. PARSON8 & Co., Addison. Steuben Co. N. Y 
EPPS’S 
GRATEFUL-COMFORTING 
COCOA 
ion Funny Selections, Scrap Pictures, etc., and nice 
u3U Sample Cards for 2c. Hill l’ub.Co., Cadiz, Ohio 
- h 
0XF0RDD0WN SHEEP! 
“ Ellenborough ” Flock makes another importa¬ 
tion necessary tills season. Selections of yearling 
Rams and Ewes have been made by Mr. John Tread¬ 
well, the acknowledged leading breeder, and best 
judge in England. Oxfords are the largest of the 
black faced breeds (rams weigh 425 lbs,), are heaviest 
shearers, and will outlive “tree wool.” At the last 
Smtthfleld, London, Fat Stock Show, Oxfords uon 
champion prize for best mutton sheep at the show, 
and were considered the best class at the last great 
“ Royal.” Address F. C. GOLDSBOROUGH, 
Easton, Talbot Co., Maryland. 
SHJEEP AND LAMBS. 
Cotswold, South-down, Oxford-down, Shropshlres, 
and Merinos, bred from our very choicest stock Write 
at once for our special prices for the fall; also Rough- 
coated Collie Puppies. 
W. ATLEE BURPEE & CO., Philadelphia,Pa 
BOTSFORD 
IWACON SPRING 
Strong, Simple, and Dura- 
able. Fits any wagon. Goods 
sent on trial, and if not satisfac¬ 
tory may be returned at our ex- 
_ pettse. Agents wanted; Sample 
at wholesale. Write for Circulars. 
POMEROY & PEARSON, Lock port, N. Y. 
PEERLESS DYES 
Are the BEST. 
Sold by Druggists, 
