THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
£kte Crops, 
MORE ABOUT LISTING CORN. 
FROM PROFESSOR E. M. SHELTON. 
Those without practical experience say that 
theoretically it is a careless , '■'•lazy man's" 
way ; those with experience maintain it is 
a labor-saving and efficient plan ; the rapid 
spread of the practice a proof of its merits; 
the advantages of it; the desire to save 
labor no sign of a "lazy man-'' a modifica¬ 
tion of listing and seed-bed preparation; 
sections unsuitable and unsuitable for list¬ 
ing; it has come to stay in Kansas; not 
practiced on this side of the Mississippi. 
The best evidence that can be furnished of 
the value of any practice in farming is its re¬ 
ception by the farmers themselves. Judged by 
this standard, the method of listing certainly 
possesses great merit. The lister was first used 
in Kansas—and it is claimed that this is the first 
use of the lister anywhere—in Brown County, 
about 1883. In 1883 it was in general use 
all over the north-eastern portion of the State, 
and but for the difficulty in procuring listers 
the new way would have been still more wide¬ 
ly diffused. At that time we found at farm¬ 
ers’ institutes held in that section that the 
opponents of listing were few, and these were 
easily silenced by the big guns of the advo¬ 
cates of the listers. Since that time the prac¬ 
tice has become well-nigh universal through¬ 
out the entire State. I suppose that it is not 
too much to say that 75 per cent., and quite 
likely 90 per cent., of all the corn grown in 
Kansas has received the listing treatment. I 
do not now recall another case of such com¬ 
plete change in any agricultural practice ac¬ 
complished in so short a time. The meaning 
of it all is, of course, that there is merit in the 
new method. 
The advantage of listing may be briefly 
stated as follows: The entire work of seed-bed 
preparation and planting is completed at one 
operation. This work is likewise done with 
one and the same tool—the “lister.” There is 
a clean saving in the use of harrow, corn- 
marker and planter, and of the operations at¬ 
tending the use of these implements. Con¬ 
servative men estimate the saving of labor by 
the new method of listing at fully one-third 
as compared with the old practice of plowing 
and planting. Again, the advocates of listing 
claim that by this method the growing corn is 
enabled to resist the effects of drought as it 
has never been able to do with ordinary plant¬ 
ing, and that in consequence the listed fields 
show a greatly increased yield of grain. I am 
inclined to think that in the case of our best 
prairie soils, at least, most of these claims 
have a substantial basis of truth. 
To Eastern people, planting corn in open 
furrows, made in land that had secured no 
other preparation whatever, seems an exceed¬ 
ingly shiftless practice. It is worth while to 
remember, however, that a method is not nec¬ 
essarily a lazy one by reason of its being a 
labor economizer. Many of our most valuable 
improvements are valuable only because they 
diminish labor. We no longer sow wheat 
upon land that has been prepared by three or 
four plowings in the course of a summer fal¬ 
low. The easier and better way is to plow un¬ 
der a good clover “sod.” A large part of the 
labor of every farm is applied indirectly and 
wasted. For these and many other reasons 
condemnation ought not to be passed upon the 
lister because it is a labor-saving machine. 
With many of our best farmers a modifica¬ 
tion of the old ideaof listing finds favor,which 
may briefly be describedj.thus: the corn 
ground is first listed without planting, the fur¬ 
rows covering the usual space given each row 
of corn; then the ridges are “split” by the lis¬ 
ter and the grain planted in this second set 
of furrows. I have seen some excellent crops 
grown even during the past season of general 
drought and disaster, by this last method. 
In conclusion, I may say that the lister has 
come to stay, beyond a doubt, at least in this 
fertile prairie land. In regions having a poor 
soil, in rough, hilly sections and in those sec¬ 
tions where protracted wet, cold springs are 
the rule I should not expect success in listing. 
In too rolling regions water is likely to course 
down the furrows, often doing great damage 
to seed and youug plants. During wet and 
“backward” springs, too, water is likely to 
stand in the furrows and rot the seed. List¬ 
ing is pre-eminently the practice for the dry 
prairie regions where it is sure to continue to 
find favor in the years to come 
Manhattan, Kans. 
FROM L. E. BENTON. 
As far as I have been able to observe, the 
plan of listing corn is a bad one and should 
not be encouraged. It was tried two years 
ago at /the State College farm in a field 
by the side of' another plowed and planted 
in the old way. To get the ground of 
the listed field in equal condition with the 
other there was no saving of labor and the 
crop finally was not thought as good. All 
listed fields that I have seen have given a 
much lighter average yield than those planted 
and cultivated in the old way. It is a shirk’s 
way of doing, or rather of getting out of 
work. I speak thus strongly because I have 
seen fields planted in this way in which the 
plainly shiftless owners made no attempt at 
all to cultivate after planting. On new soils 
rich in decaying organic matters listed corn 
has done fairly well. In these cases,although 
the roots are deep in the ground they obtain 
sufficient food for good growth. In a worn 
soil the roots cannot so easily obtain food, and 
as listing has a tendency to reduce the num¬ 
ber and usefulness of those that feed near the 
surface, the effect upon the whole plant is in¬ 
jurious. With our farms rapidly becoming 
older and better cared for I believe the sys¬ 
tem will soon go entirely out of practice. 
Lincoln, Neb. 
FROM G. H. CHENEY. 
I have had some experience with listed 
corn and therefore can speak of facts. Pro¬ 
fessor Sanborn in his article in a late Rural 
ignores the part frost plays in pulverizing the 
soil. If the soil be not tramped by stock it 
will be found like an ash heap in spring, as 
deep as it has been frozen. A 10-inch lister 
cuts “considerable” of a drill mark, being 
eight inches on each side the row of corn. 
The soil thrown up acts as a mulch, retaining 
the moisture instead of drying out. That it 
does so was abundantly proven during the 
past extremely dry season. In cultivating no 
corn roots are destroyed. The ridges are 
smoothed somewhat by dragging a leveler 
lengthwise of the rows soon after planting. 
In cultivating the soil is gradually thrown to 
the row so that, when laid by, the field is left 
perfectly level. Weeds are easily destroyed, 
being thrown downwards, the soil going on 
top of them. Corn can be put in $1.50 per 
acre cheaper with the lister than with the 
planter, and a lister costs only half as much 
as a planter. An equally good crop can be 
raised if the work is properly done. A lister 
also makes a very good potato digger. 
Talmage, Kansas. 
FROM PROFESSOR G. E. MORROW. 
We have not tried listing corn. The nega¬ 
tive evidence is against it for our region, but 
this is not conclusive. A good many listers 
are made in this State, but I do not know of 
any part of the State in which they are used 
to any considerable extent. I do not know of 
even one farmer in Eastern Illinois who uses 
one. There is much favorable evidence from 
the more Western States. 
Champaign Co., Ill. 
GRAPE GROWING FOR PROFIT. 
Twenty-five years as an amateur I sought 
out many varieties of grapes. Since then I J 
have pursued the cultivation of this fruit with 
an eye to their market value and so I look 
on grape growing in a light quite different 
from that in which I used to regard it. While 
the amateur may look for new,showy or early 
varieties, the practical grape grower must see 
to earliness,hardiness and productive qualities. 
The best grape to my taste is the Catawba; 
but it is too late in ripening and unless fav¬ 
orably situated it will not come in. On a 
southern wall it is very fine and always brings 
a good price. The Martha is very productive 
and shows well. Diana is hardy and sells 
well. If one will wait on the Clinton he will 
have a grape that is good and one that can be 
put to more uses thau any other. Do not fail 
to plant Norton’s Virginia which is excellent 
in every way. The Ives is not good, but it Is 
hardy and will sell. So will the Hartford 
Prolific and it is very early here, but drops 
badly. For Indiana I would vote the Dela¬ 
ware a failure in vine; but excellent in fruit. 
The Wyoming Red, Barry’s, Moore’s Early, 
and Niagara I am just beginning to plant. 
Three-fourths of our grapes grown in this 
State are Concords—the best for all and the 
most profitable. a. c. b. 
Rockville, Indiana. 
CORRESPONDENTS’ VIEWS. 
Reduction of Postage.— Some of our sub¬ 
scribers made good use of the article on 
the Postal Laws printed on page 151 of the 
Rural. The simple classification of mail 
matter advocated in this article was copied 
and sent to Congressmen with a request that 
they should state where they stood on the 
question. Here is a sample of the replies. 
This was sent by Hon. E. H. Greenman, Con¬ 
gressman from this State: “lam unequivo- , 
cally in favor of the reduction of postage on 
mail matter of the different classes to the 
rates named in a late issue of the Rural New- 
Yorker. The history of postage reduction in 
this and other countries is that correspondence 
and all matter sent by mail are greatly 
increased by such reduction, so that the deficit 
to the Government is never as large as people 
generally imagine it will be. But, even 
though the expenses were many millions of 
dollars greater than the receipts, still I would 
favor low rates of postage, for there is no 
better way to expend the Government moneys 
than in the dissemination of knowledge and 
information, and in stimulating letter-writing 
through the length and breadth of our coun¬ 
try by a nominal postage rate. I shall warmly 
support any and all bills reported to the 
House in the line of lower rates.” 
Cato. 
“Every Man is presumed to know the Law; 
Nine-tenths of all Litigation arises from Ig¬ 
norance of Law." 
HIGHWAY LAWS. 
The laws with regard to the highways vary 
considerably in the different States, ‘but the 
following rules are of almost general applica¬ 
tion: 
A highway is every thoroughfare which is 
used by the public, whether it be a carriage¬ 
way, horse-way, foot-way, bridge or navig¬ 
able river. Highways are created by a legis¬ 
lative act, by necessity and by dedication. 
When private property is taken by a legisla¬ 
tive act fora highway, a just compensation is 
given, the amount of which is usually deter¬ 
mined by a jury or by commissioners. If a 
highway becomes temporarily impassable 
from any cause, the public have a right to go 
on the adjoining land even though there are 
crops on it, and even though it is necessary 
to take down fences, but these must be re¬ 
placed after the traveler has passed through. 
A deed of a farm bounded on a highway gives 
to the owner a title to the center of the road, 
and he can exercise exclusive right to the soil, 
subject to the right of passage in the public. 
The owner of land on both sides of the road 
has a title in the whole road. If the highway 
is discontinued or located elsewhere, the land 
reverts to the adjoining land-owner who can 
inclose it in his farm. The owner of land 
may dedicate it to the public as a highway by 
allowing it to be used as such without exer¬ 
cising control over it. The dedication may 
be evidenced by deed or by act of the owner or 
i by his silent acquiescence in its use for 20 years. 
By taking or accepting land for a highway, 
the public acquires only the right of way. All 
trees growing within the highway, except such 
as are needed to make or repair the road and 
bridges on the same, and all grass thereon, 
and minerals underneath are for the use of the 
owner or occupant of the land. 
The liability to repair is determined by 
statute, and as a general rule devolves upon 
the town. The Commissioners of Highways 
in the several towns have the care and super¬ 
intendence of the highways and bridges 
I within their respective towns. It is then- 
duty to repair bridges and roads and alter 
such as a majority of them may deem incon¬ 
venient; to divide their respective towns into 
so many road districts as they may deem con¬ 
venient; to assign to each of the said road 
districts such of the inhabitants liable to work 
on highways as they shall think proper, hav¬ 
ing regard to the proximity of residence as 
much as may be. It is also their duty to 
require the Overseers of Highways, from time 
to time and as often as they shall deem neces¬ 
sary, to warn all persons assessed to work on 
the highways to come and work thereon; to 
lay out on actual survey such new roads in 
their respective towns as they may deem 
necessary and proper, and to discontinue such 
old roads as shall appear to them, on the oath 
of 12 free-holders of the same town, to have 
become unnecessary; and to cause mile-stones 
or boards to be erected on such public roads as 
they may deem proper to repair and keep in 
order. 
It is the duty of Overseers of Highways in 
each town to repair and keep in order the 
highways in the several districts for which 
they were elected; to warn all persons as¬ 
sessed to work on the highways in their 
respective districts; to cause all noxious 
weeds within the highway to be cut down 
or destroyed at least twice each year; to 
collect all fines and commutation money; to 
cause all loose stones lying on the beaten 
track of the road to be removed; to keep up 
and renew the mile-stones and guide-posts; 
and, when necessary, to make assessments on 
the residents of the town to keep the roads in 
repair. 
Every person owning or occupying land in 
the town in which he or she resides, and every 
male inhabitant over 21 years and under 50, re¬ 
siding in the town where the assessment is made, 
shall be assessed to work on the road in such 
town, and all moneyed or stock corporations 
and the lands of non-residents within any town 
are subject to assessment for highway labor.' 
Ministers of the Gospel, paupers, idiots, and 
lunatics are exempt from highway labor. 
Any person liable to highway labor may com¬ 
mute for the same, in whole or part, at the 
rate of one dollar per day, to be paid to the 
overseer within 24 hours after receiving notice 
to appear to work. It is the duty of the over¬ 
seer to give 24 hours’ notice to persons assessed 
for highway labor. Every person refusing or 
neglecting to appear and work when notified 
by the highway overseer is subject to a fine 
for each day and every hour he or his substi¬ 
tute may be delinquent. If any such person 
or substitute shall remain idle, or not work 
faithfully, or shall hinder others from work, 
such offender shall for every offence forfeit 
the sum of one dollar. 
Overseers also have the power to require a 
cart, wagon or plow, with a pair of horses or 
oxen and a person to manage them, from any 
person having the same, within his district. 
If he furnishes them, according to order, he 
will be entitled to a credit of three days for 
each day’s service therewith. If he neglects 
or refuses to furnish them, he is liable to a fine 
of three dollars per day for each day that he 
may be assessed. 
No private road can be laid out over the 
lands of any person without his consent, or 
the decision of a jury. 
Travelers are bound to drive only at a 
moderate rate of speed. In towns the permis. 
sible rate is usually not over seven miles an 
hour, and in other places, where there is any 
chance of injuring wayfarers, the rate should 
not be over 12 miles an hour. 
When a Commissioner of Highways has de¬ 
termined to lay out a new highway, or alter 
or discontinue an old road, he must file such 
determination in writing at the office of the 
town clerk. Any person aggrieved by any 
determination of the Commissioner of High¬ 
ways, either in laying out, altering or discon¬ 
tinuing any road, or in refusing to lay out, 
alter or discontinue any road,may at any time 
within 60 days after the commissioner’s deter¬ 
mination shall have been filed, appeal to the 
judge of the county, who shall appoint three 
disinterested free-holders, residents of the 
county, but not of the town, to hear and de¬ 
termine the appeal. 
The owner or occupier of adjoining land 
who deposits wood, wagons or other things 
on the roadside; but he is not justified in leav¬ 
ing any obstruction of his own thereon, even 
if' they are some distance from the traveled 
part, if the highway surveyor has ordered 
them away as obstructing travel; and should 
an accident happen, owing to his neglect in 
this respect, he would be liable, both civilly 
and criminally, for obstructing the highway. 
A city or town is liable for all injuries which 
may be occasioned by its neglect to keep the 
highways in proper repair. Thus, if there is a 
dangerous hole in a highway, and a person, 
using ordinary care, steps into it and is in¬ 
jured, or his horse does so with a like result, 
the town is liable for such injuries; but the 
injured person must not in any way contri¬ 
bute to the result by his own act; for if he 
knows the street to be dangerous and can con¬ 
veniently avoid such danger; or if he knows 
that a bridge is unsafe, and there is another 
not far away, he must use such to avoid the 
danger. 
The law of the road, to prevent col¬ 
lision and secure travel from interruption in 
the meeting and passing of vehicles, pro¬ 
vides that when two vehicles are approaching 
from opposite directions it is the duty of each 
driver to drive to the right out of the middle 
of the road a reasonable distance in order that 
each may conveniently pass the other. If it 
is difficult or unsafe for one to pass the other 
on account of his wagon being heavily load¬ 
ed, or because ihe roadway is too narrow or 
dangerous, or from any other cause, he should 
stop for a reasonable time at a convenient 
part of the road in order to enable the other 
person to pass. It is a general rule that light 
vehicles must give way when they can safely 
do so, to those that are heavily laden. If a 
person, however, in traveling voluntarily goes 
on the wrong side of the road, and from the 
weight of his load cannot get out of the way 
of a vehicle he may meet, the fact that he was 
unable to surrender the way would hardly 
furnish a legal excuse exonerating him from 
any liability for an injury for one passing . 
who was in no wise in fault; but a traveler 
whose part of the road is trenched upon cannot 
be on that account carelessly or imprudently 
rush upon the obstructing vehicle and hope to 
recover for any damages he may thereby 
have sustained. The driver of any vehicle 
passing another vehicle traveling in the same 
direction must drive to the left of the middle 
of the traveled part of the road, and if the 
road is of sufficient width for the two vehicles 
to pass,the driver of the leading one should not 
wilfully- obstruct the way. 
