646 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
SEPT 28 
THE 
RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
(34 Park Row, New York), 
A National Journal for Country and Suburban 
Homes. 
Conducted by 
ELBERT S. CARMAN. 
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1889. 
GREETING. 
T HE regular subscribers of 
the R. N.-Y. are both in- 
yited and requested to send in 
the names of any of their friends 
to whom they would care to have 
specimen copies of this journal 
moiled. Such lists of names may 
run all the way from one to 100. 
The specimens will be promptly 
forwarded all the same, and our 
best thanks will be due to those 
who favor us with such lists. It 
may be well to remind our later 
subscribers that the price of sin¬ 
gle copies of the R. N.-Y. is in¬ 
variably $2 a year, while in clubs 
of five or over it is $1.50, the low¬ 
est wholesale price. Those who 
are willing to act as agents will 
find it easier to obtain subscrip¬ 
tions if those solicited to sub¬ 
scribe shall have previously im¬ 
proved the opportunity of ex¬ 
amining specimen copies. The 
Rural New-Yorker necessarily 
addresses itself to the more in¬ 
telligent, progressive people of 
the country. It finds little com¬ 
fort or profit in the ephemeral 
support of that class which is in¬ 
fluenced more by a low price 
than by originality, enterprise 
and trustworthiness, in which 
respects, it will, perhaps, be gen¬ 
erally conceded the R. N.-Y. is 
equaled by few other journals of 
its class. 
The Empire Co-operative Associa¬ 
tion, of 34 Reade Street, N. Y., has 
sued the Rural New-Yorker for libel. 
Is Hay, Hay? Is a ton of Timothy 
hay of the same value for feeding, re¬ 
gardless of the soil upon which it is 
grown? 
Read what Dr. Halsted says about 
potato rot on page 643. We should be 
glad to hear from our readers on the 
subjept. Read also the remarks of 
E. A. S. on the same page. 
Last year I did not use the Bor¬ 
deaux Mixture and I shipped 240 
pounds of grapes. This season I used it 
and had 3,100 pounds. Read what L. 
E. A. says on this subject on page 643. 
Yes, let us hear from men who will 
tell us the truth about Montana—those 
whose eyes and judgment are not dis¬ 
torted by pecuniary interests. We 
caution our readers to beware of the 
flaming advertisements and laudatory 
editorials that are appearing in cer¬ 
tain farm papers. The editors have 
land for sale! Read what C. A. 
Green says on page 643. 
Try an Eaton grape-vine, Rural 
New-Yorker readers—if but one. 
Until the berries are dead-ripe, there 
is an acidity about them that may not 
please those who prefer very sweet 
grapes. When fully ripe, however, 
this acidity nearly disappears. The 
grapes being of the largest size with¬ 
out much pulp, give more juice than 
any other variety witli which we are 
familiar. 
The R. N.-Y. has yet no less than 
150 varieties of its hybrid and cross¬ 
bred wheats to plant. The soil is at 
present so soaked with water that 
planting would be inadvisable. Usu¬ 
ally we aim to plant these wheats—’tis 
a tedious job—from the fifth to the 15th 
of September, beginning at the former 
and finishing at the latter date or 
thereabouts. As'in years past, a single 
grain will be planted in the intersec¬ 
tions of furrows made one foot apart 
each way. 
Mr. Crosby’s remarks regarding 
corn and milk for poultry are sugges¬ 
tive. In sections where wheat is the 
most expensive grain why not feed, 
with corn, some substitute that will 
make the desired “perfect ration?” 
Mr. C. finds that milk provides what 
is needed. The chemists have made 
up certain rations for dairy cows, that 
practical dairymen have indorsed. 
Why not the same thing for poultry? 
The question is: If wheat is the best 
egg-producing food, will not a com¬ 
bination of substances, answering in 
chemical composition to the wheat, do 
as well as the grain? If this thing 
succeeds with a horse or cow, why 
not with a hen? 
In addition to the remarks on elec¬ 
tricity found on page 642 we may give 
some comparative figures concerning 
the cost of various motive powers on 
our street railroads. When moved by 
horse power the cars average 60 miles 
per day, while the cable roads and the 
electric cars make 84 miles. The cost 
per day of a car drawn by horses is 
$5.91 or .098 of a cent per mile, the 
cost of a cable car is $7.47 per day or 
.089 of a cent per mile, while the cost 
of an electric car is $4.52 per day or 
.053 of a cent per mile. The original 
cost of the plant for an electric rail¬ 
road is about twice that of a horse 
railroad; while it is shown that the 
cost, per mile, of running the electric 
care is nearly half that of the horse 
cars. 
A New York State subscriber pro¬ 
poses to conduct his business as fol¬ 
lows : 
‘ ‘I am going to try a new departure, 
an account of which I never saw be¬ 
fore: I shall label every bale of my 
hay, to show that it is all right. I be¬ 
lieve that if farmers would sell their 
produce on a positive guarantee, they 
would get more money in the long 
run; for then the buyer would not be 
afraid to buy. I used to run a hay 
press myself and I know how some of 
the farmers cheat by their deception in 
pressing hay.” 
The R. N.-Y. feels sure that this 
plan will pay well. The conditions of 
the hay market are such this season 
that buyers will have the advantage. 
It is only the extra prime lots which 
customers can feel perfectly satisfied 
with, that will bring an extra price. 
The same principle of making oneself 
responsible for the article that one has 
to sell, is sure to pay in the long run. 
“7 believe in paint as a preven¬ 
tive of loose tires, but not in oil as a 
cure."— E. Davenport, page 639. 
In the “Farrow vs. Fresh” discussion 
the authorities are practically unani¬ 
mous in advising yearly calving. The 
R. N.-Y. is now experimenting in this 
matter with a Jersey cow. 
The writer concludes from what lit¬ 
tle experience he has had that much 
depends upon the cow. Some animals 
after calving every year for a term of 
years will fall off in their milk-flow at 
the usual time, whether in calf or not. 
They may not entirely “dry up,” but 
the milk-flow will be greatly diminish¬ 
ed. Other cows will not fall off so 
much and will respond at once to an 
increase in feed. The R. N.-Y’s. cow 
is of the latter class. She is now far¬ 
row. She has fallen off in her milk 
yield, but gives more than she did last 
year when in calf, and increases her 
yield when given extra feed. Still, 
she milks so closely up to the time of 
calving that the R. N.-Y. believes six* 
will give more milk when “fresh” 
than when “farrow.” 
By actual count, 153 persons have 
contributed articles or ideas to this 
one number of the R. N.-Y. There 
never yet was a farmers’ institute held 
that presented such an array of 
“talent,” and this is but one number 
out of 52, mind you. For the price of 
a year’s subscription you get this num¬ 
ber and 51 more just about as good as 
this is. There is one great point worth 
remembering. By means of our 
photo-engraving we are enabled to 
give our readers a peep directly into 
the houses, fields and barnyards of 
real farmers. You will not only hear 
what members of the Rural family 
have to say, but you will see the sort 
of houses they live in, the cattle and 
horses they like, the tools they use- 
in fact you will get a peep into their 
very lives. The R. N.-Y. is the only 
agricultural paper that can do this 
work. Are you surprised that our 
argument to would-be subscribers is: 
“ Compare the R. N.-Y. with any oth¬ 
er paper and then take the best ? ” 
THE R. N.-Y. WOMEN'S POTATO 
CONTEST. 
r |''HE reports of those engaged in 
this contest must be received at 
this office on or before October 15th. 
THE BOOBY PRIZE IN THE R.- 
N.-Y.’s WOMEN'S NATIONAL 
POTATO CONTEST. 
r F'HE wife of the Editor of the Ru- 
X ral New-Yorker was one of the 
contestants, and the following is a 
summary of her report: One-fortieth 
of an acre of a thin, moist soil was se¬ 
lected. Plowed in August; 1,000 
pounds of New York stable manure 
spread in September and spaded 
under; one barrel of unleached wood 
ashes (partly charcoal) spread in early 
March. Plot again spaded April 5 ; 
40 pounds of Bowker’s potato fertilizer 
sown before the trenches were dug. 
Trenches nine inches deep, a foot wide 
and three feet apart. Planted April 
11 as follows: 
Rural New-Yorker Seedling No. 2, 
100 pieces; R. N.-Y. seedling No. 3, 50 
pieces; R. N.-Y. No. 4, 100 pieces; 
Brownell's Winner 113 pieces, making 
363 pieces in all. 
The vines made a strong, healthy 
growth and the stems were in early 
July as large as any we have ever 
seen. The punctures of the Flea-bee¬ 
tle at this time began to blacken the 
leaves, and in a few days the vines 
were dead. An examination of sever¬ 
al hills showed that most of the pota¬ 
toes were a mass of decay. Here is 
the yield: 
No. 2, 85 pounds; No. 3, five and 
one-quarter pounds; No. 4,28K pounds; 
Brownell's Winner, two pounds or 
120% pounds in all, which is at the rate 
of 80 U bushels to the acre. This near¬ 
ly total failure is attributed in great 
part to the fact that a moist plot was 
selected in anticipation of a dry sea¬ 
son. 
THE NEXT CENTURY. 
F IFTY or 60 years ago statisticians 
gave figures indicating the future 
population of the United States. Most 
of the estimates were considered wild 
and visionary Ify ordinary people, yet 
the actual results have shown them to 
be surprisingly correct. If anything, 
the tendency of the computers was to 
put our population at less than it real¬ 
ly proved to be. Just now, some of 
our ablest statisticians are making esti¬ 
mates as to our future population. 
The estimate that seems most general¬ 
ly considered worthy of attention is 
the following, made by Mr. M. C. 
Meigs, a man of ripe age, careful train¬ 
ing and one who has had ample means 
for the investigation of statistical 
matters. Here is his estimate for the 
next 100 years. 
YEAR* TOTAI. POPULATION. AFRICAN DESCENT 
1890 . 67,340,000 8,000,000 
1900 . 89,738,000 10,144,000 
1910 . 119,650,000 12,802,000 
1920 . 159,890,000 10,309,000 
1980 . 213,320.000 20,081,000 
1940 . 284,097,000 20,223,000 
1950 . 879,960,000 33,252,000 
1900 . 507,090,000 42,103,000 
1970 . 070,700,000 53,408,000 
1980 . 908,200,000 67,790,(XX) 
1990 .1,200,400, (MX) 85,957,(XX) 
These figures are absolutely as¬ 
tounding, and yet we cannot believe 
they are very far out of the way. If 
these figures are at all reliable, many 
of the present readers of the R. N.-Y. 
will live to see the day when we can 
boast of a population of 200,000,000 
souls. How will this vast population 
be distributed ? Will the descendants 
of those who have left the hill farms 
of New England and New York State 
be forced back to the old home of 
their ancestors ? Will the’vast irrigat¬ 
ing resources that are now projected 
among the Rocky Mountains, turn the 
Western deserts into food-producing 
districts ? Will the vast forests of 
Washington and Montana be swept 
away by the farmer’s axe as com¬ 
pletely as are those of Michigan ? Will 
the negroes be scattered about the 
country or shall we have half a dozen 
“black” States where negroes may 
show their ability or inability to 
govern themselves ? The thought is a 
wonderful one. What new laws will 
be needed to handle this vast popula¬ 
tion ? How will business be conduct¬ 
ed ? What proportion of our popula¬ 
tion will be found in towns and cities ? 
What use will the farmers of the 
future make of the possibilities that 
the years may bring them ? The R. 
N.-Y. has faith in the future. It be¬ 
lieves that farmers and farming will 
develop so soundly and solidly that 
the agriculture of 100 years hence will 
be on a better basis than that found 
for it to-day. 
“ The rims of my wagon wheels 
were soaked in hot linseed oil , until 
they woidd take no more, when the 
wagons were made, 20 years ago. The 
tires have never become loose. I smile 
when I meet a farmer who is hammer¬ 
ing at his tires to tighten them." —T. 
B. Terry, page 639. 
BREVITIES. 
A “Symposium” Number! 
Make a fire in the stove these cold days. 
Are you going to soak your wheels in oil 
after this discussion? 
“Runts Ruin Results ’’—page 644. Any 
job half done is a “ runt.” 
There will be an immense demand for 
seed potatoes of popular varieties next 
spring. 
Under what conditions does it pay a 
farmer to put a furnace or heater in his 
house? 
A FULL discussion of the effects of the 
Dressed Beef business on Eastern farms 
next week. 
The new white grape Witt, is sweet and 
meaty though foxy. It is earlier than Con¬ 
cord by a few days. 
The Ulster Prolific is as satisfactory a 
red grape, all things considered, as any tried 
at the Rural Grounds. 
The R. N.-Y. invites a discussion of the 
points made by D. C. L., on page 643 re¬ 
garding the rot in seed potatoes. 
Farmers seem to like manure on pota¬ 
toes, but they want it first “strained 
through another crop” like corn, or applied 
in the fall and acted upon by frost. 
In case of danger from frost, it will pay 
you to work half the night cutting fodder 
corn. Cut and placed on the ground, even 
for a few hours before, the frost, it can be 
saved. 
Several writers agree with the R. N.-Y. 
that the potato vines succumbed to the 
“blight” because they were weakened by 
the attacks of the Flea-beetle early in the 
season. 
The writer neglected to fix his well a 
short time ago when a few hours’ work 
would have made it solid. The recent 
storm has made a two-days’ job of it. “A 
stitch in time!” 
WE urgently advise our friends not to 
save seed potatoes that from blight, Flea- 
beetle or any other cause, failed to mature. 
The R. N.-Y. has a sad and telling story to 
relate on this subject. 
The new peach Good is again giving a 
favorable account of itself. It is said to be 
superior to any white-flesh peach of its sea¬ 
son. It is what has long been needed for 
canning after Crawford’s Late. 
Gather the seeds of the Rose of Sharon 
(Hibiscus Syriacus). The seed sprouts readi¬ 
ly, the seedlings are thrifty and will bloom 
the second year. Seedlings in the size, 
doubleuessand colorings vary indefinitely. 
Ladies of the It. N.-Y. Potato ('ontest, 
send in your reports before October 15. 
The time lots been extended in compliance 
with requests. The prizes, amounting in 
value to about $1,000, will be awarded as 
soon thereafter as practicable. 
THUS far this season 16,000 barrels of ap¬ 
ples have been sent from this country to 
Europe. This is just half of last year’s 
shipment up to this date. Prices for apples 
in England are very high, but there is an 
American demand for about all the home 
product. 
Some of the fairs near the large cities 
make a mistake in supplying free admission 
tickets to all exhibitors. It’s easy for a 
city man to buy a peck of potatoes and en¬ 
ter them, thus insuring a free admission. 
With such an arrangement in force too 
many ent ries are made simply to secure a 
free ticket. 
Next week Judge T. C. Jones of Ohio, 
will begin a series of articles describing the 
history of beef-growing in the central West, 
with his views as to the best ways of meet¬ 
ing the changes t hat have been forced upon 
the industry by the dressed beef business. 
Few men are better qualified to discuss this 
question than Judge Jones. 
