THE RURAL MEW-YORKER. 
DEC 8 
THE 
RURAU NEW'YORKER, 
ANatlonal Journal for Country and Suburban Hornet 
Conducted by 
KtBKRT 8. CARMAN. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
No. 84 Park Row, New York. 
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1888. 
TnE R. N.-Y. has another very heavy 
yield of corn to record. N The field is 
about five acres; and the variety Chester 
Co. Mammoth. 
'■'■There are 1,534.000 milch cows in New 
York. The dairymen tell me that seven- 
eighths of them are dry. We will feed them 
150 days without any return \ the food will 
not cost less than 10 cents a day and 10,000 
men must be employed in the care of the 
cows. This makes the cost of wintering our 
dry milch cows $20,000,000. Dairymen, can 
you afford to pay $200 apiece for the privi¬ 
lege of acting as dry nurses to your dry 
cows?"— Prof. I. P. Roberts, page 819. 
- -• » <■ » - 
If the ladies themselves do not object, 
the R. N -Y. will be glad to receive 
photographs of those who may meet with 
the best success in the Women’s Potato 
Contest, with the view of presenting 
their portraits in these pages. 
“ The novelty of any occupation soon wears 
away, and downright pluck has to come to 
the rescue. Many attempts have been made 
to explain why farmers' sons flee from the 
farm. It is a natural law. We all desire 
change. Little children play at one game 
only a short time, and for men and women 
to do only one kind of work all their lives is 
an insufferable grind. How tired and hope¬ 
less little boys come to look in factories and 
machine shops. It is pathetic beyond ex¬ 
pression."— Oliver Howard, page 812. 
--- 
For the past few years the Rural has 
persistently called attention to the fact 
that the English system of giving dairy 
instruction by means of “dairy contests” 
ought to be introduced here. What is the 
matter with those in charge of American 
dairy matters that they don’t try 
this? Mr. Woodward witnessed several 
of these contests while in England this 
year. He has written an account of one 
of them which we shall publish, with 
illustrations, in a few weeks. 
The R. N. -Y. has desired for years to 
try this experiment. Not having reached 
it yet, we now make the suggestion to 
the experiment stations: Sow seeds of 
asparagus. As soon as the plants are old 
enough to bloom, separate the males from 
the females and make separate plots of 
each. It is not improbable that the male 
plants will be found to give the larger 
and more tender asparagus—perhaps the 
earlier cutting. Aside from seed bear¬ 
ing, the male plants can readily be dis¬ 
tinguished by their flowers which are 
twice the size of those of the females. 
We do not propose to devote much 
space to telling our readers what a fine 
paper the R. N.-Y. has been during the 
year now drawing towards its close. All 
intelligent, attentive readers know full 
well whether the editors have done their 
work faithfully or not, and upon their 
verdict the Rural’s prosperity or adver¬ 
sity for 1889 must rest We earnestly 
hope that the verdict will be rendered in 
our favor, and that our friends will aid us 
in increasing the Rural’s influence by 
sending us another subscription with 
their own renewals. Efforts of this kind 
in our behalf will in the future as in the 
past be highly appreciated. 
We give our dairymen something to 
think about this week. How many times 
per day do you feed your cows? The 
general opinion seems to be that two 
Feeds a day are ample. There is appar¬ 
ently little evidence to show that there is 
much gain either way except that it is 
less work to feed the same amount of 
food in two portions. If a cow has been 
used to three meals all her life, it would 
doubtless be poor policy to try and train 
her so that she would be contented with 
only two. We do not understand that 
those who feed but twice would favor 
such a change. They propose to train 
their cows up from calf-hood so that they 
will be satisfied with two feeds. 
Prof. Roberts at the Herkimer institute 
gave some figures that ought to startle 
dairymen. Think of spending $20,000,- 
000 in wintering dry milch cows in New 
York State 1 
Mucn is being said about the best corn 
for ensilage purposes. Many prefer the 
tall-growing, heavy-stalked Southern 
dent. The R. N.-Y. could never under¬ 
stand why. The leaves are worth more 
than the stalks and there are dozens of 
varieties of flint corn which give a larger 
proportion of leaves to stalks, besides be¬ 
ing much earlier to mature. The Long¬ 
fellow we should suppose would be a 
splendid kind for the silo. What is the 
objection to varieties of sweet corn, such, 
e. g., as Evergreen, Ne Plus Ultra, 
Egyptian, etc.? We would like informa¬ 
tion on this subject. If we were select¬ 
ing corn for ensilage, our choice would 
be the Rural Thoroughbred Flint. It 
bears more and broader leaves, is shorter- 
jointed than any other kind known to 
us. The objection to it is that it will 
often fail to mature before frost, if grown 
north of this latitude. 
Here is an extract from a letter just 
received from a farmer’s wife at East 
Pepperell, Mass.: 
“What is the matter with wives and 
daughters, readers of the Bural, that not 
one word is heard from them in these col- 
ums except from the regular contributors 
to the Woman’s Department? Why do 
not women on a farm interest them¬ 
selves more in the outside work, espec¬ 
ially the raising of vegetables and the 
care of poultry? Every woman is better 
in health and spirits for a little exercise 
out-of-doors every day.” 
This is very sensible. It is needless to 
say that this lady has entered for the 
Woman’s Potato Contest. We find that 
the Rural numbers among its readers 
hundreds of “women farmers,” as they 
sign themselves—women who conduct 
valuable farms successfully and well. We 
have often thought that a statement of the 
causes which led to their becoming farm¬ 
ers and a history of their experiences 
would prove very interesting. 
TnE Bagging Trust is in trouble and 
receives no sympathy. Controlling the 
market for jute bagging, it has about 
doubled the legitimate price of the pro¬ 
duct during the season, at an expense of 
over $2,500,000 to the cotton-raising in¬ 
dustry of the South, although the sales 
of bagging by the monopoly have been 
far below the usual fall average, as 
planters have used up a great amount of 
old bagging and various substitutes for 
jute bagging, buying the latter only when 
absolutely compelled to do so in order 
to market their staple. Worse perhaps 
than the great shrinkage in sales 
is the fact that a large number of 
jute bagging factories are likely to start 
up independently after New Year’s. 
There are, in all, 24 such factories in the 
country and of these 16 were shut down, 
having been leased to the “combine” and 
closed to lessen the production and thus 
advance prices The leases of those ex¬ 
pire after the first of January, and all 
threaten to start manufacturing at once, 
unless again leased by the Trust. The 
latter has a great amount of bagging on 
hand to be carried over until another sea¬ 
son, and it is very likely it will have to be 
disposed of at low prices so that most of 
the unscrupulous gains of this season will 
be lost next. “Sic semper tyrannis ”- 
may it always be thus with monopolistic 
tyrants. 
“THE EDUCATION OF FARMERS’ 
BOYS. ” 
O N page 814 Mr. D. G. Porter discusses 
a topic that we consider of great im¬ 
portance. We ask our readers to consid¬ 
er with care the propositions advanced 
by Mr. Porter. A great many young 
farmers are so situated that they cannot 
be spared from the farm during the sum¬ 
mer, but almost all of them could arrange 
matters so that they could attend college 
during the winter if they wished to do so. 
Why do they not go? It is a fact that 
the great majority of our agricultural 
colleges are open through the winter—the 
long vacation occurring during the sum¬ 
mer. Some of them offer special courses 
of 12 to 14 weeks for just such young 
farmers as Mr. Porter speaks of. The 
Michigan Agricultural College is closed 
during the winter. The students study 
right through the summer and follow 
every stage of a crop from planting to 
harvest. There are many who attribute 
the success of the Michigan college largely 
to this plan of leaving the long vacation 
for the winter. A great proportion of 
the students teach during the winter 
months and are thus enabled to earn 
money enough to carry them through the 
year. They make a business of studying 
—they do not change back and forth as 
would be the case if they worked on the 
farm for three months in summer. 
Those who favor winter terms for agri¬ 
cultural colleges will say that it will be 
far better for the student to do three 
months of farm work than three months 
of teaching in connection with his course 
at an agricultural college. So it would 
appear, and yet the fact remains that the 
Michigan college with a winter vacation 
and a strict system of manual labor, is 
crowded with students while dozens of 
other colleges with every facility for 
winter instruction are practically empty. 
We have frequently pointed out the 
fact that our agricultural colleges will 
not be of much value until farmers take 
interest in them and fill them up with 
students, influence and encouragement. 
The scheme proposed by Mr. Porter is an 
excellent one. We venture to say that 
nothing would please Prof. Roberts, of 
Cornell, more than to have 100 bright 
young farmers enter his department for a 
winter’s course. Come, young men, the 
colleges want you and are ready for you 1 
Are you ready? 
-•♦ 4 . -*■ •. - 
AMERICAN EVICTIONS. 
A S long ago as 1850—four years after 
its admission as a State into the 
Union—the General Government granted 
to Iowa a large tract of land, in alternate 
sections, on the Des Moines river, and 
shortly afterwards Iowa granted these 
lands to the Des Moines Navigation and 
Railroad Company in payment for im¬ 
proving the river for the purpose of 
navigation. In later years these lands, 
which were nearly unoccupied, were 
taken up by settlers, many of whom ob¬ 
tained patents from the United States 
Government, as there was a good deal of 
doubt as to the ownership of the title to 
them. Later settlers either bought the 
“rights” of older ones or exercised the 
immemorial frontier right of squatter 
sovereignty, hoping that they would 
ultimately obtain titles from the Govern¬ 
ment. Some of the settlers were 
foreigners—chiefly Norwegians or Swedes 
—others came from the neighboring 
sections and from Michigan, Indiana, 
Virginia, North Carolina, and other 
States. They were, as a rule, men of 
ordinary intelligence and industry. They 
have now been settled there from one to 
25 years. The river-land company has 
always contested their right to the lands, 
and years ago the settlers combined to 
defend their claims, and have spent 
thousands of dollars before the various 
courts. A short time ago, the United 
States Supreme Court decided that the 
company alone has title to the lands, and 
United States marshals have lately been 
busy driving out the settlers. 
During the contest the latter showed 
their faith in the final outcome by build¬ 
ing good houses and barns, fencing their 
fields, planting hedges, groves and wind¬ 
breaks, setting out orchards and making 
other sorts of farm improvements. From 
all of these they are now being ruthlessly 
expelled just as the severity of winter has 
set in. Some of them, it is true, have 
bought their holdings, paying heavily for 
the improvements they themselves have 
made upon them; but the great majority 
are not able to pay the prices demanded, 
and must, for the present at any rate, 
lose all their investments in non movable 
property. They are driven out of their 
houses, their furniture is piled up on the 
public roads, and the doors and windows 
are barred against them. The sick, the 
old, and the children are bundled out 
alike. Official carelessness in the Land 
Office in Washington is primarily respon¬ 
sible for this suffering, and, in so far as 
it is, the settlers should be fully recom 
pensed,and Iowa should see to it that 
none should suffer privations. Governor 
Larrabee shows a very favorable disposi¬ 
tion towards the evicted settlers, and 
Senator Allison expresses hearty sympa¬ 
thy with them, and it is to be hoped that 
these sentiments will soon develop into 
material advantages for the sufferers. 
brevities. 
All About Hogs Next Week. 
The best kind of a hired man is the one that 
is eager to manufacture all the manure he 
can. 
Prof. A. J. Cook’s experiments, mentioned 
on page 812, may prove exceedingly valuable 
to bee-keepers. 
The specimen of clover silage sent us by 
Prof. Henry made splendid food for stock. 
Why not more clover in the silo? 
It will be noticed that we begin the publi¬ 
cation of a new serial story on page 826. 
This story will run about two months. 
Mr. Howard, on page 812, tells how he 
tried to interest his little boy in gardening. 
How would this plan work with your boy? 
Do you suppose there is any butter made 
in this country that is fit only for rubbing 
into the wool of sheep like that described on 
page 817? 
A surprising interest is being taken in the 
“ventilation” discussion. Poultry men evi¬ 
dently consider this subject of the utmost im¬ 
portance. 
A writer on page 816 recommends salt as an 
antidote for scab on potatoes. Have any of 
our other readers ever tried this remedy? If 
so, let us have what they thmk of it. 
The hold which the Women's Potato Con¬ 
test is taking is beyond our expectation. En¬ 
couraging letters of approval are being re¬ 
ceived every day from friends far and near. 
Our readers will notice that the department 
headed “Discussion” is becoming more and 
more interesting. We are glad to see that 
our friends are taking so much interest in this 
friendly criticism. 
Our experienced contributor Bucephalus 
Brown supports the R. N.-Y.’s statement that 
the Doolittle is as early as the Souhegan and a 
more abundant bearer. Except in size, we 
have not improved much on blackcaps. 
One of the “Cousins” tells, on page 825, of 
an experiment at silk worm raising. Where 
was the profit? A good many larger and 
older people have met with just about the 
same experience. Silk-worms are not for 
Americans. 
Mr. H. W. Hales, of Ridgewood, N. J., 
sends us a few flowers of the new chrysanthe¬ 
mum “Nympbroa.” It has tho form and 
somewhat the fragrance of the pond lily. 
The plants are of dwarf, bushy habit, very 
free-ttowermg, and the individual flowers be¬ 
ing borne on long stems, are very valuable for 
cutting. 
The farmer whose handling of “concen¬ 
trated feed” was so well described by Prof. 
Armsby on page 795, will not feel very thank¬ 
ful this year over his bargain. What punish¬ 
ment is severe enough for the scamps who 
work such games? Surely “a little knowledge 
is a dangerous thing ” A farmer should have 
pretty lair knowledge of practical chemistry 
before he goes much into “concentrated 
feeds.” 
Surely a lively, sociable, instructive time 
is promised to Rural readers for 1889. Our 
respect for the gentler sex—great as it has 
ever been—is increased by their cordial sup¬ 
port of the potato contest for next season, m 
which so many of our lady friends propose to 
take part. It will do you good, ladies; it will 
do your children good, too, and, possibly, the 
head of the nouse may learn a thing or so 
should he care to watch its progress and close. 
It has become a trite maxim of political 
economy that the relation of supply and de¬ 
mand regulates prices of farm and other pro¬ 
ducts. Is it true? Take wheat, for example. 
Within a week, often within an hour, it ad¬ 
vances or declines five cents a bushel. There 
has been no increase or decrease in the supply 
or in the legitimate demand. Speculation, 
therefore, not the relation of supply and de¬ 
mand, fixes prices in such cases. How is it 
with the various products controlled by the 
numerous trust monopolies? 
Mr. J. S. Woodward is in an excellent 
position now to inaugurate, on American 
soil, the “working dairy” system of dairy in¬ 
struction which he describes on page 814. 
We need such things here. Tho only “work¬ 
ing dairy” shown at any of our dairy shows is 
a collection of large-sized dairy implements 
worked by steam power. Such an exhibit is 
always interesting, but it is not half so in¬ 
structive as a trial like that described by Mr. 
Woodward would be. We suggest that some 
of our dairy implement manufacturers would 
be just the people to start this movement. 
A veracious Texas subscriber sends us a 
local paper which gives an account of a large 
sweet potato crop raised by Captain W. J. 
Maltbie of Callahan County, in that State. 
From one row 400 yards long he obtained 125 
bushels, the potatoes weighing between 10 and 
20 pounds each! This would be at the rate of 
1,500 bushels per acre. This potato crop is in 
proportion to the size of the State in which it 
was raised—by far the largest in the Union. No, 
the story was not started by Eli Perkins, and 
the gallant Captain is not a mythological per¬ 
son, as he really exhibited the largest potatoes 
at the recent State Fair, at Dallas, and was 
appointed one of the judges by Governor Ross 
Several of the crops put in this fall will be 
recorded in the Census of 1890, as few of the 
crops grown in that year will he early enough 
to find place in that compilation. Just as 
preparations are being made for the next 
Census, the last has been completed. It was 
the most elaborate work of the kind ever ac¬ 
complished in any country in the world. Pro¬ 
visions for taking the Tenth Census were made 
by an act of Congress approved March 3, 1879, 
appropriating $3,000,000 for the work. The 
twenty-second volume of the report has just 
been issued. There was also a preliminary 
volume giving tables of population, and a 
compendium of two quarto volumes of 1,772 
pages. The whole report makes a library of 19,- 
304 pages, and the cost, exclusive of printing, 
engraving and binding, was $4,853 350. The 
latter work cost $1,018,116, making the entire 
cost $5,891,466, which is stated to be a smaller 
expense than was ever incurred for any similar 
publication, in proportion to population. It 
is of no small importance to the farmers of 
the country that correct statistics of agricul¬ 
tural matters should be givon in the Eleventh 
Census, and it is advisable therefore to take 
notes for it. 
