678 
is represented as being more profitable; a 
business, however, that he knows nothing 
about, and he does this in many cases, to turn 
his face country ward again discouraged and 
sorry that he ever made the change, now a 
poorer though a wiser man. 
How many young men from the country 
who secure clerkships ever succeed as mer¬ 
chants? What business is there, even in the 
present low state of farming, that will afford 
a better return, if rightfully managed, for 
the same amount of capital required, than 
farming does? The colossal fortunes in the 
commercial world that strike the eye are, or¬ 
dinarily, secured through the consolidation of 
capital, and where this is not the case such 
fortunes are the exception and not the rule 
What business is there in which farmers may 
engage, even with their capital consolidated, 
that will bring to them and to their families 
that daily comfort, peace of mind, freedom 
from worry, good health, independence of 
character, and, in the long run, the same 
pecuniary success that farming affords? 
Farms are selling low; it is a good time to 
buy. Farming in the Eastern States is 
changing, especially in New Jersey. The 
staple crops of years ago are giving place to 
fruit-growing, to market-gardening, to poul¬ 
try-raising and to greatly increased milk 
production. The growing cities along our 
, seaboards, with an inland population rapidly 
increasing, especially in our manufacturing 
centers, demand a supply of these things fresh 
from the farm. The market is at our doors; 
let us meet its requirements. 
Large farms are not in such demand as for¬ 
merly ; nor are they necessary. With the ad¬ 
vancements made in the science and art of ag¬ 
riculture in recent years, more can be raised 
on one acre now by those who wisely use their 
opportunities than was formerly grown on 
two or more. With this knowledge we can 
use the needed means to reach the desired re¬ 
sults and, instead of guessing that we are 
right, we can know that we are working in 
strict conformity to nature’s revealed laws 
and must succeed unless nature herself fails. 
But what constitutes success in farming? 
What success in life? Is it money only? Are 
we not as farmers and as a people unduly mag¬ 
nifying material wealth? This is the goal of 
our ambition. To secure this we work early 
and late; we rob ourselves of sleep and needed 
rest, maturing plans for to morrow. We deny 
ourselves and our families the ordinary luxu¬ 
ries of the farm, tnat the market account may 
be increased. We work ourselves, our chil¬ 
dren and our wives especially, beyond what 
we and they are able to endure. We sacri¬ 
fice many opportunities of doing good to our 
neighbors—we haven’t time! Engrossed with 
the all-absorbing purpose of making money, 
we grow old before our time, even in the 
prime of life, and fall into untimely graves, 
having cheated ourselves and, alas! too often, 
our families, also, of that which is most valu¬ 
able and most desirable in life. 
There is no class of our people who have 
greater facilities at their command for the 
enjoyment of real home life than the farmers 
and their families. The multiplication of the 
means of education, refinement and the enjoy¬ 
ment of life at a price within the reach of 
men of moderate circumstances, has made it 
possible for the farmer to put in his home the 
piano, the organ, the library, the family 
newspaper, not forgetting the valuable farm¬ 
er’s paper. This was not possible years ago. 
There is no better place in the wide world to 
bring up a family than on the farm, and there 
is no better class of citizens graduated into 
the business world than that which comes 
from the well-conducted farmer’s home. If 
we have been disposed to murmur over our 
lot, and to complain of our condition, let us 
examine and see how much there is that we 
can improve if we make an honest effort; and 
let us go a little further than mere money¬ 
getting when we compare our lot with the 
conditions of others, which seem to be more 
lucrative, bearing in mind always that there 
are some things more valuable to us and to 
our children than money. Let us be careful 
not to sacrifice health and morals and content¬ 
ment, and even life itself, for this. f. dye. 
Secretary N. J. Agricultural Society. 
THE NEW GOSPEL OF FARMING. 
My faith in the superiority of “special-pur¬ 
pose farming” over the old “ mixed ” system 
was strengthened by an interesting example 
of its workings, observed during a recent 
visit to the home of my boyhood, Tecumseh, 
Mich. In that part of the Peninsular State are 
peat swamps which, when drained and culti¬ 
vated, make Paradise-spots for celery, 
onions, etc. I found the first-named vegetable 
was cultivated as a specialty not only by sev¬ 
eral private parties, but also on a large scale 
by the Tecumseh Celery Co., a stock concern, 
with a manager at a salary of $1,000 per 
year. Two years ago their land was in the 
bog, and they can hardly be considered as fair¬ 
ly started yet, but this year they had, when 
I was at their works, 40 acres of very promis¬ 
ing celery, with an estimated yield of 40 car¬ 
loads and prospective profit on the crop of 
over $10,000. It is not my purpose to write up 
their enterprise or give them gratuitous ad¬ 
vertising. I merely wished to call attention 
to their success with a single crop. Comparing 
the complication of petty cares that keep the 
average farmer perplexed and poor, the sim¬ 
plicity and scope of the Tecumseh Celery Co.'s 
operations afford a strong confirmation to my 
mind, of the truth of that agricultural gospel 
which teaches that it !s better for a dozen men 
to raise one thing, than for one man to raise a 
dozen things. edwin taylor 
Wyandotte Co , Kans. 
ijcdu'Hllmal. 
RASPBERRIES AND BLACKBERRIES 
IN MICHIGAN. 
PRES. T. T. LYON. 
BLACK CAP RASPBERRIES. 
Butler. A variety of this class was re¬ 
ceived for trial from a person of the same name, 
a resident of Connecticut. It has not shown 
much vigor of plant, and has not yet fruited 
here; but it [should be added that circum¬ 
stances, so far, have’not been the most favor¬ 
able. 
Carman, under fairly favorable conditions, 
has done reasonably well; but, unless it shall 
improve, under other conditions, it cannot 
be ranked above mediocrity. 
Earhart, under the same conditions as 
Carman, proves, to be a decidedly more vig¬ 
orous grower. It produced a light crop at 
the ordinary black-cap season, and a some¬ 
what larger late crop, the last of which is now 
(Sept. 21) just maturing. The fruit is of 
good size, and of fine flavor. The entire two 
crops will not exceed the usual crop of a single- 
fruiting kind. Its chief value will be to those 
who desire a supply of this fruit out of season. 
Hilborn, although it has been before 
the public three or four years, has not at¬ 
tracted the attention which its merits deserve. 
Its unusual juiciness may perhaps be an ob¬ 
jection to it as a market variety, but for use 
in the family I am inclined to rank it among 
the best of its class. It is a native of Canada. 
Indiana proves to be of vigorous habit, but 
with me it cannot be said to be superior to 
the old, well known Doolittle, which it closely 
follows in season. 
Johnson’s Sweet, although milder-fla- 
vored than most other black-caps, is only less 
acid. I suspect that it will be found more 
especially desirable for evaporating purposes. 
Nemaha is of Nebraska origin, and is 
claimed to be very hardy—a characteristic 
not especially important for this region. It is 
more especially commended for market plant¬ 
ing, for which its large size (it is nearly or 
quite as large as Gregg) makes it especially 
suitable. I have not yet fully tested its capacity 
as a producer. 
Springfield was received from the intro¬ 
ducer, in Indiana, and has now fruited with 
me for two years. The plant is without thorns, 
produces well, and ripens with the earliest. 
I have observed that the Rural recently 
commended it very highly for general culti¬ 
vation. I have it growing in the same rows 
with Davison’s (Thornless), which for years 
I have been on the point of throwing out on 
account of the deficient size of its fruit and 
lack of vigor of the plant. I am unable to 
discover the slightest difference between the 
two either in plant, foliage or fruit. 
RED AND YELLOW RASPBERRIES. 
Eastern King is a variety of whose history 
I am ignorant. It appears to belong to the 
American or Strigosus family, is a vigorous 
grower, producing a fair crop of rather dark- 
colored, very mild, if not in fact insipid fruit. 
Golden Queen has almost ceased to be a 
novelty. I have come to suspect all Kings, 
Queens, and such like pretentious novelties, 
and did not “bite” until this had, in some 
degree, vindicated its character. It proves 
fully equal to Cuthbert in most particulars, 
and the plant is very similar in healthfulness 
and vigor. I expect it to become prominent, 
both as a family and as a market raspberry. 
Meredith is another of the yellow class of 
raspberries of whose history I am ignorant. 
It was received from New Jersey, with a “ Fa¬ 
vorite,” or some other useless appendage, 
which I have omitted and forgotten. A single 
season’s fruiting, on spring-set plants, indi¬ 
cates abundant productiveness, while the fruit 
is of fine size and good quality, of pale orange 
or lemon color, suffused with a faint crimson 
blush, constituting it one of the most beauti¬ 
ful raspberries I have ever known, not except¬ 
ing even Golden Queen. 
Rancocas, although no longer new, is very 
little known in this vicinity. It seems not to 
be of high quality, and its value must depend 
upon its productiveness, and such other attri¬ 
butes as go to constitute a desirable market 
variety. Its value here for this purpose is 
yet to be determined. 
Scarlet Gem is another variety coming to 
me from the East without a history. It also 
is apparently of Strigosus parentage. The 
plant is vigorous and productive, and the 
fruit, as the name implies, is bright and at¬ 
tractive in color. Further trial is required 
to determine its real value. 
I am not opposed to ventilating the poultry- 
house, but the best way of doing so is as much 
a mystery as the^est way of properly venti¬ 
lating our dwelling-houses. Compare the 
poultry-house and a residence. The latter 
is made as tight as possible; strips are used at 
the doors and windows: the sides are sheathed, 
weather-boarded, and finally plastered; every 
kind of protection against the cold is given; 
while fires and lamps are lighted to give off 
gases in the room. Yet we do not suffocate, 
though at each inspiration we inhale more air 
than a score of fowls. The person who would 
put in a ventilator tube from the ceiling to the 
roof would not only be letting out the warmth, 
Out causing cold drafts on our heads and 
shoulders, and we would soon have some dis¬ 
ease equivalent to roup. If the ventilator 
tube came within a few inches of the floor our 
feet would be cold. Now apply the same to 
the poultry-house, which is usually not 
plastered or stripped. 
BLACKBERRIES. 
Bonanza is a name possibly bestowed to aid 
the dissemination. If so it has failed of the 
desired effect, since the variety has attracted 
little attention. A few plants, received some 
years since, but grown under unfavorable 
circumstances, still give such indications of 
value that I shall give them an opportunity 
to develop their real qualities. The little fruit 
produced has been of fine size and fair quality. 
Early Cluster seems to be neither very 
early nor as productive as was claimed by the 
introducer. It is quite sure to go upon the 
rejected list. 
Erie has now shown fruit for two years on 
my grounds, giving evidence of productive¬ 
ness and of the other important qualities going 
to constitute a valuable market fruit. The 
habit of the plant is such that it can be easily 
laid down and covered, in localities where 
protection is needful. 
Nevada is a variety which, from the name, 
probably originated in the Territory of that 
name. If so, it is likely to prove of little value 
here. The plant is vigorous and apparently 
hardy. I have not yet fruited it. 
Minnewaski is a very vigorous grower, and 
the canes are so strong and upright that laying 
them down will be a difficult process. It re¬ 
ceives high praise from certain quarters, Dut 
has not fruited with me. 
Wilson, Jr. is very much like its alleged 
parent, the old Wilson; but what differences 
exist are apparently mainly in favor of the 
Junior. Its readiness to propagate from 
“tips,” would seem to indicate a relationship 
with the Dewberry. 
Taylor is my special favorite. After 
growing and carefully comparing it with 
many others for a series of years, I have yet 
to find the variety that, for quality and quan¬ 
tity of fruit, vigor, hardiness and productive¬ 
ness of plant, I regard as its superior. 
Kittatinny is larger and nearly or quite 
as fine in flavor, and if it were as hardy, pro¬ 
ductive and free from disease as the former, I 
might perhaps prefer it. Lacking, as it does, 
in these particulars, I prefer the Taylor. 
Van Buren Co., Mich. 
THE VENTILATION SCOURGE. 
I have experimented with ventilators, and 
once pondered daily over the best mode of 
ventilation, and in attempting to preserve the 
health of the birds with pure air (at a temper¬ 
ature of zero) I found it cheaper to try to 
suffocate them with the supposed foul air. I 
killed them easily enough with plenty of 
fresh air; but the foul air (if any) 
seemed to invigorate them, for they ap¬ 
peared warm and comfortable, laid well 
and were free from roup and colds. When I 
attempted to suffocate them I found that I 
could not do it. Despite all my precautions, 
the fresh air would come in. It dawned on 
me that I had been foolish in having a hole in 
the roof (for that is about what a ventilator 
tube is) when the fresh air would come in as 
naturally as water into a box, the 15 pounds of 
pressure to the square inch forcing it every¬ 
where. In fact, I learnt that I should turn 
my attention to the matter of how to keep the 
cold air out instead of endeavoring to let it 
in. 
In all poultry houses constructed I have 
advised no ventilation whatever in winter, 
other than the air that finds an ingress 
through the opeuings into the yard (which 
openings should be closed at night, or when 
the doors or windows are opened ) In summer 
a ventilator tube may be used, to let off the 
warm air (it is not always foul!; but. in win¬ 
ter, while the doors may be open ' during 
the day, at night the house should be closerT 
as tightly as the rooms we sleep in, for the 
chances that human beings will suffocate will 
be greater than that hens will. Since trying 
the no-ventilator plan I have been more suc¬ 
cessful, and having persuaded others to try 
it, I can show evidence that the birds thrive 
better and seldom have roup. It is the cold 
air coming down on the birds, or flowing free¬ 
ly around them, that causes so many cases of 
roup, cauker, etc., and if the poultry house 
has no ventilator to let out the warm air, 
thereby creating a draught, I will venture 
to say that where one bird is lost by suffoca¬ 
tion or foul air, a dozen will be saved that 
would otherwise die from too much fresh air. 
Try it. 
As to foul air, there should be none. No 
experienced poultryman ever allows his poul¬ 
try house to get in a condition to produce foul 
air, as it is regularly cleansed, while the cold 
prevents fermentation of the dropping of a 
single night. As to the carbonic acid gas ex¬ 
haled, it is one of those myths that never 
materialize. True, it is there; but enough 
air comes in, and enough gas goes out, to pre¬ 
vent danger until morning. I have yet to 
find the suffocated fowl, or any injured by a 
close, warm house; but the victims of the ven¬ 
tilator tube are legion, and every winter finds 
their number increased. 
P. H. JACOBS. 
Artificial ventilation of poultry - houses 
causes more diseases than anything else ; 
ventilation enough naturally ; why venti¬ 
late the poultry-house more than the 
dwelling-house or stable? Ihe murderous 
roof ventilator; summer and winter ventil¬ 
ation ; all ventilators should be closed. 
If there is one error in poultry-keeping 
supreme over all others it is what is called 
ventilation. In my experience I have yet 
failed to find a single person who rode this 
hobby, who has not done more harm to his 
flocks than has resulted from cholera, roup, 
or other diseases. I may, however, not be far 
wrong when I class ventilation and roup as 
twins; for, as a rule, where there is plenty of 
ventilation there is plenty of roup. Just how 
the theory was ever launched forth, that a 
flock of hens would suffocate in a warm and 
comfortable poultry-house is more than I can 
learn, but the “ventilaters ” are numerous and 
yet they are not more successful than others. 
I know it is an arduous task to attempt to 
have the ventilator tubes abolished from all 
poultry houses, for the more roup and disease 
the firmer the belief that more cold air (i. e, 
more cause of roup) is needed, and boxes of 
pills, with all sorts of gargles and washes, are 
resorted to in order to undo the mischief of 
freezing the poor fowls with cold drafts, 
instead of having them snug and warm. I 
cannot imagine how the poultry-house should 
be an exception to the dwelling-house, stable, 
aud other habitations of animals. It is better 
to knock off a whole side of the poultry house, 
as no drafts are thereby created, but the hole 
in the roof is murderous. A dozen hens, 
weighing only 50 pounds, are allowed more 
ventilation than a cow weighing 600 pounds, 
aud more consideration is usually given the 
location of the ventilator tube than in the ar¬ 
rangements of the house. I hope the readers 
of the Rural New-Yorker will close all 
ventilatjr holes this winter, for experiment, 
and trust to the fresh air coming in without 
attempting to flow it in, and, my word for it, 
those that do so, will be surprised to note the 
difference between the damage done by venti¬ 
lator holes and the success obtained by tightly 
closing them. 
