482 
THE RUBAI, HEW°VORK£R 
JULY 24 
THE 
RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
ANational Journal for Country and Suburban Home?. 
Conducted by 
ELBERT S. CARMAK 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
No. 84 Park Row, New York. 
SATURDAY, JULY 21, 1888. 
The writer spent six hours of steady, 
patient work in an attempt to again cross 
seven-eighths rye (one-eighth wheat) 
heads with rye. Three heads were oper¬ 
ated upon and two poor seeds, neither one 
of which looks as if it would grow, are 
the result. The entire plant bore 13 
heads not one of which bore a perfect 
kernel. It will be seen that we are mak¬ 
ing rapid and satisfactory progress to¬ 
wards sterility! On the other hand, a 
number of these rye-wheat hybrids (those 
derived from the infertile section) are as¬ 
suming fixed characters with a promise 
that they will be worthy of cultivation 
as distinct, new grains. 
The patenting: of plants is neither possible 
nor practicable. J. H. HALE. 
Here is a “want” sent in by a Mary¬ 
land subscriber: 
“Wanted: some method by which the ‘nerv¬ 
ous energy’ of the Jersey cattle can be trans¬ 
mitted to the hired man.” 
This “nervous energy” is a special trait 
of dairy animals. It is found only in cows 
bred for special dairy purposes. It will 
be found in the hired man who works for 
a special purpose and excels at some in¬ 
tricate farm operation. We should say 
therefore that the only way to bring 
about the condition desired by our cor¬ 
respondent is to make the hired man 
a specialist—good at some few farm opera¬ 
tions and poor at others. On most farms 
a general-purpose help is most to be 
desired; hence it follows that the Jersey 
cow is a very poor model for a hired man. 
I like better the offer of premiums by the 
different Stolen lor tested new fruits ot 
special value as has been done in the State 
of Iowa. PROF. J. L. HURD. 
Until some cheap method for separating 
the fertilizing matter in city refuse from 
the water, is devised, it will be cheaper 
to dump the whole into the nearestd rain. 
This is the economical side of the question 
—that of health is another thing. German 
and English scientists have studied the 
matter from every point of view. An Eng¬ 
lish engineer proposed to gather the urine 
in barrels and send it by rail into the coun¬ 
try. A German chemist proposed to erect 
a factory in every large city, where am¬ 
monium salts could be manufactured from 
the urine which was to be gathered by it¬ 
self in large tanks. Both of these plans 
failed, the first because of the cost of 
transporting worthless water, and the 
second because it was impossible to col¬ 
lect a sufficient quantity of the urine to 
make a factory pay. While the wastes 
of the large cities are rendered unprofita¬ 
ble for agricultural purposes, the wastes 
of the towns can be handled to advantage. 
Whether n patent law would be desirable 
or not would largely depend upon the prin¬ 
ciple underlying: its provisions. If to grant 
protection to all plant novelties without 
regard to their real value—No. If to pro¬ 
tect only those ol assured merit—Yes. 
PRES. T. T. LYON. 
-»♦ « 
We have very little doubt that so-call¬ 
ed “clover sickness” is caused, as alleged 
by several distinguished investigators, by 
the accumulation of certain insects or 
forms of life which prey upon the roots. 
We know that cabbages can not be raised 
on land many years in succession on ac¬ 
count of the club-root which is caused by 
an insect. In our own experience we 
could name several plants which now fail 
on certain plots where they were raised 
for a number of years consecutively in 
great perfection—among them pelar¬ 
goniums, onions and lettuce. In the case 
of the first two mentioned we at 
length discovered that the soil was filled 
with a minute grub that fed upon the roots 
until the plants were destroyed. Insects, 
like other living creatures, have food pre¬ 
ferences. They seek those feeding grounds 
where their favorite food abounds and there 
multiply until the supply of the food is 
not equal to the demand, and the plants 
succumb. 
A friend of ours— a teacher in a 
“booming” Western town—nearly lost his 
school because he stated, publicly, that 
the town water was bad. Well, he might 
say so. Within 80 feet of his well were 
threejprivies and three or four vaults that 
had been treated in an ordinary “boom- 
ing”-town style. When one vault was 
uncomfortably full it was covered in with 
earth and the privy moved to a new hole 
in the ground. The sickening filth of 
these disease-traps could actually be 
tasted in the water from our friend’s well. 
The town’s people said that his statement 
regarding the water hurt the town because 
it kept new people from settling there. 
There are plenty of towns where these 
crimes against sanitation are in force, and 
many “leading citizens” would consider 
a plain statement of the condition of the 
town well-water a direct insult. Such 
things are not right, but they have a pedi¬ 
gree several hundred years old, and all 
humans have a strong love for inherited 
ideas no matter how cumbersome or ob¬ 
noxious modern science may prove them 
to be. 
-» ♦ -- 
If protection is right tor mechanical con¬ 
trivances, inventions an<l authors, why 
should farmers and horticultural experi¬ 
menters he content with ‘ tree 'trade” tor 
their productions? Is one any the less a 
public benefactor than the other? 
SEC. E. WILLIAMS. 
We have this year, as for ten years pre¬ 
viously, a dozen demonstrations of the 
fact that the wheat from a single quart of 
seed per acre will stand erect, while that 
from a bushel or more per acre will lodge. 
We have the further demonstration that 
the quart of seed will give a greater yield 
per acre than the bushel of seed. We are 
not prepared to say, however, that the 
greater yield from the quart of seed will 
pay for the extra trouble of 'planting it. 
If the land is well fitted and the seed be 
dropped at regular distances, and at a 
uniform depth, a kernel of wheat will 
germinate as surely as a kernel of corn. 
But there is no machine that will do this, 
and so we must continue to sow 30 
grains or more where but a single grain 
is needed. 
At the Rural Grounds there is a plot of 
one-tenth of an acre upon which less 
than a gill of seed was planted (a single 
kernel a foot apart each way), and the 
yield of wheat on this plot will be per¬ 
haps one-quarter greater than on a similar 
plot upon which the seed was drilled in 
at the rate of one bushel per acre. 
On the whole, a method of protection for 
the originators of new fruits and vegetables 
would tend to horticultural advancement, 
and so is desirable. Hut I should much 
prefer to gain the end by means of a system 
of prizes offered by the Government than 
by permitting originators to secure their 
reward by collecting royalties from their 
fellow-men. E. 8. GOFF. 
The latest reports from the Delaware 
and Maryland peach belt indicate that the 
crop will be one of the heaviest ever 
raised. Estimates vary widely between 
20,000,000 and 40,000,000 bushels by out¬ 
siders while growers modestly put the 
yield at 12,000,000 baskets. The other 
day the growers of the Peninsula, to¬ 
gether wfith peach shippers and buyers, 
held a convention at Dover, Delaware, 
with the object of bringing about har¬ 
mony between the Bureaujof Distribution 
and the Fruit Exchange, and also to ascer¬ 
tain what new markets can be reached 
by the Pennsylvania railroad which can 
handle 6,500,000 baskets. The conven¬ 
tion want the railroad company to permit 
consignments of peaches in its cars to 
towns east of Chicago and south of Mon¬ 
treal. Resolutions were adopted advo¬ 
cating a uniform size of package and 
fewer grades; the sale of convenient lots 
by auction at market terms; the reduction 
of railroad rates on this class of freight by 
at least 25 per cent, of the present rates; 
the formation of a central bureau of infor¬ 
mation where all farmers could be hourly 
informed of the condition of the markets, 
and the most careful precautions against 
glutting any market. Growers of other 
products might learn a valuable lesson 
from the action of the peach growers. 
What in achineibr ought greater blessings 
to the masses than did the introduction of 
the Concord Grape, the Early Rose Potato, 
the Hen Davis or Hnldwin Apple, not to 
mention ihundreds of others? If it is just 
to protect an inventor of a machine, it is 
just thar tlie originator of a really valu¬ 
able variety of lruit, vegetable, tree or 
flower should be protected. T. V. MUNSON. 
RESTORATION'OF, LAND TO THE PUB¬ 
LIC DOMAIN. 
T uesday the Lower House of Congress 
passed the Land Forfeiture Bill by a 
vote of 177 yeas to 8 nays. The first'section 
provides that all lands heretofore grant¬ 
ed by Congress to any State or corpora¬ 
tion to aid in the construction of a rail¬ 
road or telegraph line,'lying alongside of 
any such railroad not completed within 
the time specified, are forfeited to the 
United States and restored to the public 
domain, with the exception of the rights 
of_way, depot and machine shop grounds 
and lands within towns. 
Section two declares that the forfeiture 
shall not extend to lands alongside of parts 
of a road now completed, which were 
sold to Iona fide purchasers before January 
1, 1888. The title to such lands is con¬ 
firmed to the buyers on proof of good 
faith, except in cases where there were 
prior Iona fide preemption or homestead 
claims on January 1, 1888, in which case 
all such preemption and homestead claims 
are confirmed, provided that a mortgage 
of such lands shall not be considered a 
sale. Section three provides that all Iona 
■fide settlers upon any of the lands forfeited 
by the act may acquire titles to not more 
than 160 acres as a homestead, and in 
making proof of it, the settler shall be 
allowed for the time he has already re¬ 
sided upon and cultivated the same, 
and if he is not entitled to the benefit of 
the Homestead Law. he shall have the 
prior right to enter the tract settled on, 
not exceeding 160 acres, at $1.25 per acre. 
It is estimated that if this act becomes 
a law, over 64,000,000 acres of the pub¬ 
lic domain now withheld from settle¬ 
ment for the benefit of corporations which 
have failed to perform the work which 
would entitle them to it, will be thrown 
open to homesteaders and prePmptors. 
This land is far more valuable than any 
similar aggregate area now open to set¬ 
tlement, as nearly all of it is fair 
arable or pasture land lying along 
railroad routes where the lines have, in 
most cases, been partly constructed. Most 
of itliesin the frontier States and Terri¬ 
tories; but there are large areas in several 
of the older States on this side of the Mis¬ 
sissippi, and some of it has been closed to 
settlement for half a century. The small 
number of votes in opposition to the bill 
is a certain indication of its justice; yet it 
is doubtful whether it can pass the Senate 
—that stronghold of plutocrats and mon¬ 
opolists and their paid agents—at the 
present session of Congress. Within the 
last four years 50,482,240 acres have been 
restored to settlement by Congress, and 
52,437,373 by the Department of the In¬ 
terior without legislation, making a total 
of 102,919,613 acres. Congress should 
promptly restore the present area also. 
WHAT WILL THE HARVEST BE. 
T nE synopsis of the July report of 
the Department of Agriculture was 
telegraphed from Washington on Tuesday, 
A comparison of the condition of wheat 
at this season in 1888 and the two pre¬ 
ceding years shows as follows: 
.—Winter crop—, .—Spring crop—, 
1888 1887 1886 1888 1887 1886 
June 1.. 
July 1.. 
....73 3 
....75.8 
849 
83.5 
92.7 
91.2 
92.8 
95.9 
87.8 
79.3 
98.5 
83.3 
Gain. 
Loss.. 
.... 2.5 
1.4 
i.*5 
3.1 
8 .6 
15.2 
Winter wheat has been harvested in the 
South and yielded beyond expectations in 
the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama, It 
has improved slightly in Pennsylvania, 
Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, Reports from 
the Pacific Coast are also more favorable. 
As shown above, the general condition has 
advanced from 73.8 to 75.8. Averages 
of principal wheat States; New York. 80; 
Pennsylvania, 93; Ohio, 60; Michigan, 
75; Indiana, 62; Illinois, 68; Missouri, 
72; Kansas, 93; California, 83. Spring 
wheat has improved in a large part 
of the breadth seeded, and at present 
promises a large yield. The general aver¬ 
age has advanced from 92.8 to 95.9. The 
State averages are: Wisconsin, 91; Min¬ 
nesota, 94; Iowa, 97; Nebraska, 95; Da¬ 
kota, 98. 
According to the June report the aver¬ 
age yield of winter wheat was approxi¬ 
mately 10)^ bushels, on 23,000.000 acres, 
implying a total of about 241,000,000 
bushels; while the average for spring 
wheat was put at 13 bushels on 13,300,- 
000 acres, or a total of 173,000,000 bush¬ 
els, making the aggregate for both 
winter and spring wheat 414,000,000 
bushels. Applying the same ratio to the 
improved July condition, we get an 
increase of 8,000.000 bushels in 
winter wheat, and of 6,000,000 bush¬ 
els for spring wheat, making the 
total aggregate of both kinds 428,- 
000,000 bushels. Other reports vary 
considerably from this estimate, however. 
The area of corn has increased over four 
per cent., making the breadth nearly 76,- 
000,000 acres. There has been much 
replanting in wet districts from non¬ 
germination or from destruction by 
worms.. The stand is now fairly good 
and the crops growing finely. The con¬ 
dition in the principal corn States is as 
follows: Ohio, 96; Indiana, 95; Illinois, 
93 ; Iowa, 89 ; Missouri, 91 ; Kansas, 
99; Nebraska, 91. In the South—Vir¬ 
ginia, 91; North Carolina, 88; South 
Carolina, 87; Georgia, 94; Alabama, 96; 
Mississippi, 98; Louisiana, 95; Texas, 95; 
Arkansas, 97; Tennessee,[98. 
The following shows the condition for 
July 1 this year and the five preceding 
ones, together with the average yield per 
acre each year and what it would have been 
had the condition been 100. By this 
means one can estimate the probable out¬ 
come this year on 76,000,0000 acres. 
1888. 
1887. 
1886. 
1885. 
1884. 
1883. 
July 1.... 
. 93 
95.7 
95.2 
94 
96 
88 
Yield. 
• • • 
20 1 
22 
26 5 
25 6 
22.7 
100, equal, 
* . . 
21 
23.1 
28.2 
26.7 
25 8 
Should the crop come out relatively as 
well as in 1885 the yield would be 1,993,- 
000,000 bushels; whereas, should it be as 
poor as in 1887,it would not be over 1,481,- 
000,000 bushels. The latest reports from 
all quarters are very favorable,so that it is 
quite likely the aggregate yield will be 
between 1,800,000,000 and 1,900,000,000 
bushels—one of the heaviest crops we have 
ever had. 
The oat area is slightly over 27,000,000 
acres. The following figures show the 
condition of this crop on July 1, together 
with the same data given with regard to 
corn: 
1888. 1887. 1886. 1885. 1884. 1883. 
July 1.95.2 85 9 88.8 87 98 99 
Yield. 25 4 26.4 27.6 27.4 28.1 
100, equal. 29.6 29.7 31.7 27.9 28.4 
Judging from last year’s outcome, the 
yield this year should be about 717,000,000 
bushels, and at the highest rate produced 
in any of the above years, 814,000,000 
bushels. Considerable injury was done 
to the crop in various sections this week 
and last by severe wind and rain storms 
which lodged a good deal of the standing 
grain. 
There is an increase of only four per 
cent in the area of potatoes and the con¬ 
dition is 95.7 against 93 last year, 96.6 in 
1886, and 97 in 1885. Potatoes every¬ 
where have derived great benefit from the 
copious rains that have fallen since the 
date of the report Julyl—and a large crop 
is very probable. Preliminary investiga¬ 
tion of the area of leaf tobacco shows an 
increase of 18 per cent over the greatly 
reduced crop area of last year. The con¬ 
dition is 89 as compared with 84 at the 
same time a year ago, and 92.4 in 1886. 
The hay crop, owing to recent rains is 
likely to turn out considerably better 
than was apprehended some weeks ago. 
The condition of other crops, as compared 
with that in late years is as follows: 
1888. 1887. 1886. 1885 
Winter rye.95 88 95.6 87 
Spring rye.96.8 84.3 88 9 
Barley.91 82 8 89.7 92 
Cotton.86.7 97 86.1 96 
Tobacco.89 84 92.4 
On the whole, aside from the shortage in 
winter wheat, it is very likely that the 
country will have a very fair harvest. 
The patenting of plant** might he possible, 
hat that it would be pi aclicahle i m doubtful, 
since traits of the snme variety grown in 
different localities and soils often vary so 
much flint they cannot be identified by the 
most competent iudges. and, on the other 
bntid, fruits ot different varieties often bear 
such close resemhlnnce that they are nor to 
be distinguished by prominent nomolegists. 
II. M. ENGLE. 
BREVITIES. 
Some of the best wheat growers in the coun¬ 
try are going to tell in a subseouent Rural 
how to raise paying crops. These articles 
will be of great value. 
Those are pertinent questions regarding 
the growth of plants on poor and good soil 
asked on page 480 They are worth consider¬ 
ing. A correct answer would benefit agricul¬ 
ture. 
It is probable that those who use night-soil 
as a fertilizer are inclined to praise it unduly. 
We believe it to be of most use in the compost 
heap where it may aid in converting other 
matters into a valuable fertilizer. 
It appears that the Chinese who have used 
night-soil as a fertilizer for generations find 
quick lime an excellent substance to mix with 
it. We have used plaster but find it inferior 
as a deodorizer to copperas. 
“The oils are not a reliable laxative for 
cattle,” says Dr. Kilborne on page 483. This 
is well worth remembering. Epsom salts 
make the safest purgative for cattle. We have 
seen a cow killed bv iust such treatment as 
that described in the F. C. 
Excellent reports reach us of the good work 
being done throughout the State bv Dairy 
Commissioner Brown bv means of instruction 
in butter and cheese making conducted at dif¬ 
ferent points. Both the Commissioner and 
Secretary Shull of the State Dairymen’s As¬ 
sociation are actively engaged in the matter, 
and the gentlemen who have been secured as 
instructors are reported to be quite acceptable 
to the dairy public. 
Can a man who knows nothing of hay mak¬ 
ing start in and make the best of bay—even 
when he has perfect weather, good grass and 
tools? We don’t believe it. Can a man who 
has never filled a silo, know bow to turn out 
the best of silage? Wesavnot, unless he does 
it by accident. Is it fair for him to com¬ 
plain and call the whole thing a fraud if by 
reason of his experience he makes a mistake 
and turns out a pocr article of silage? Who 
will answer that? We learn from experience, 
and the wisest man is he who waits' until his 
experience is ripe before! he'makes!a" positive 
statement aboutan important matter 
