67o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
OCTOBER 5 
Various. 
RURAL RUMINATIONS. 
O NE of the Rural’s correspondents 
spoke recently of doing considerable 
figuring while at work. I have been rumi¬ 
nating, while at work during the summer, 
on various matters which have been served 
up to Rural readers from week to week. 
There is much in the Rural from week to 
week to provoke discussion, and much that 
is worthy of careful thought, but I shall no¬ 
tice only those things which have suggested 
themselves most strongly to my mind. 
Some of them may be slightly out of sea¬ 
son, but that is the fault of the season, and 
not mine. 
The Farm not all that Fancy Paints 
IT. —The truth of the old adage is exempli¬ 
fied in the letter of your English correspond¬ 
ent ou page365. To him, “ distance lends 
enchantment to the view.” Thousands of 
farmers may admire the flight of rhetoric, 
but the actual facts are not all his fancy 
painted them, and facts are stubborn 
things. Instead of the substantial brick or 
neatly painted frame house, in too many 
cases is to be seen the weather-beaten 
“wood-colored” one with its smoke-be¬ 
grimed chimney, and desolate air. The 
open windows are too often open in sections 
of seven by nine or eight by 10 inches in size, 
except when closed by some of the family’s 
discarded garments, hats, or dilapidated 
bedding. Some seasons past, in many of 
our cooling streams, the cows would need 
mighty short legs to find water knee-deep, 
while during the present one, if they ven¬ 
tured near many of the gentle rills, they 
would in all probability have been drown¬ 
ed. The yellow wheat if it has smiled at 
all, has greeted a leaden sky. The corn in 
many fields must wave its banners unseen, 
for they are hidden by the weeds. As for 
owning the farm and having no rent to pay, 
thousands of farmers are paying more in 
taxes and interest each year than their farms 
would rent for. There are thousands of 
farmers in this country who would be su¬ 
premely happy could they realize as a fact, 
the conditions painted in such attractive 
colors by this correspondent’s fancy. I am 
impelled to notice this point at length, for 
the reason that so many fail to see the ad¬ 
vantages surrounding them in their pres¬ 
ent situation, and dwell upon the disad¬ 
vantages, until it seems to their distorted 
imaginations that any other location is bet¬ 
ter than their present one. This accounts 
in large part for the constant migration 
among the agriculturists of this country. 
This is to be deprecated. There undoubted 
ly are cases where a change is beneficial, 
but I venture the assertion that where one 
betters his condition, a dozen fail to do so, 
if indeed they do not do worse. 
Dodging the Question— This is what 
some of the correspondents do when treat¬ 
ing of questions in the “symposiums,” and 
other discussions. On page401 a subscriber 
asks if a bull from stock which has been 
soiled for several years will be a good one 
for his purpose under different conditions. 
Only one of the breeders trying to answer 
his question, gives any light on the desired 
point. They all wander off into a rambling 
discussion of the subject in general, instead 
of coming out boldly and telling just what 
they really know of the subject, which is 
—nothing. In the discussion between Prof. 
Porter on the one hand, and several col¬ 
lege gentlemen on the other, as to the util¬ 
ity of agricultural colleges, each side show¬ 
ed a disposition to ignore the existence of 
those colleges whose history would not bear 
out its own arguments. Facts are what 
we want, and I have much more confidence 
in the teaching of a writer who occasionally 
says: “ I don’t know,” than I have in 
those of one who is forever and eternally 
dodging the question and telling us what 
he thinks, what should be the result, etc., 
etc. 
A Shocking Suggestion. —I always have 
had a great regard for the writings of Prof. 
A. J. Cook, but his suggestion, on page 
461, to cut the shade trees from the pastures 
gave my confidence in him a severe shock. 
I should consider such an action a cruelty 
to animals. I don’t believe flies will attack 
animals any more in the shade of trees than 
they will in the hot sun, and I know from 
many years’ observation that cattle prefer 
the former. The course proposed by the 
Prof, as the best, i. e. to keep the stock in 
the barn during hot weather, is a good one 
and will help to redeem Prof. C. from the 
charge of cruelty. I have known of in¬ 
stances where sheep and cattle went long 
distances from the pasture to a cool baru 
basement, as soon as the heat grew oppres- 
ive, and remained there until evening, when 
they would return to the pasture and feed 
comfortably until another morning. Ani¬ 
mals show by their actions when they are 
comfortable and contented, and it is not 
only merciful to render them so as far as pos 
sible, but it is a matter of dollars and cents. 
I would take the testimony of a cow’s ac¬ 
tions in regard to her comfort, rather than 
all the say-sos of all the professors you could 
crowd into a 10-acre lot. R. u. MINANT. 
MAGAZINE REVIEWS. 
L END a HAND contains a considera- 
Ile information about the Industrial 
Aid Society of Boston, which endeavors 
to supply employers with suitable help free 
of expense. The society has been very suc¬ 
cessful in supplying help adapted to situa¬ 
tions offered. “A State School of Citizen¬ 
ship” is offered as a remedy for the Parochi¬ 
al School difficuRy. A list of books “which 
boys and girls will read, and which it is 
well they should read,” is given. “Some¬ 
thing New” tells of the Temperance Educa¬ 
tion Society which was incorporated in 
Chicago last June. It has adopted the 
methods employed by shrewd business 
men in advertising their business by means 
of cards in the street-cars of the city. These 
are carefully prepared, the statements be¬ 
ing taken from official returns that cannot 
be challenged, and are “non-partisan, non- 
political and non-sectarian.” The object is 
to get facts before the public that will not 
be brought to their notice in any other 
way. They are facts that are designed to 
set people to thinking. Here are a few 
samples: 
“ One million six hundred and seventy- 
five thousand barrels of beer consumed in 
Chicago in 1888.” 
“At five cents a glass, 320 glasses to each 
barrel, $26,800,000, Chicago’s beer bill.” 
“ $26,800,000 
IS 
SPENT FOR 
BEER, 
MIGHT BE 
SPENT FOR 
11,166 
1,675,000 HOMES, 
BARRELS, AT $2,400 EACn, 
BY WORKINGMEN.” 
These cards are printed in an attractive 
manner, and are changed monthly. This 
is certainly a commendable movement, and 
it is hoped that the idea will spread. The 
secretary of the society will be glad to cor¬ 
respond with those in other cities who may 
be interested in similar work, and he may be 
addressed at 158 South Clark Street, Chica¬ 
go. There are suggestions as to “ Methods 
of Promoting Good Citizenship, reports of 
Ten Times One Clubs, charitable organiza¬ 
tions, etc.” J. Stilman Smith & Co., Bos¬ 
ton. 
T HE PANSY tells about a poor boy, 
Jamie by name, who was small, and 
not very strong, and found it difficult to 
find work to help his poor mother. He did 
pretty well picking and selling berries dur¬ 
ing the summer. One day, near the close 
of the berry season, he had seen a notice: 
“Boy Wanted” in a shop window, with 
directions to call between the hours of 
eight and 10 next day. He had agreed to 
pick some berries for one of his customers 
that morning, and he wanted to apply for 
the place. He talked it over with his mother 
the evening before. Of course, he must get 
the berries, because he had promised. He 
would have to hurry and would not have 
time to go home to change his clothes after 
delivering his berries, and he knew 
he would be “too late to get the 
place.” Several other boys were there 
before him, and each upon being 
shown into a room alone, behaved 
himself in such an unseemly manner, 
and took such unwarrantable liberties with 
the furniture, etc., that he was soon 
dismissed. Then our little hero appeared 
in his torn and dirty clothes, and upon be¬ 
ing questioned as to the reason of his being 
so late told the story with which we are 
familiar. He was shown into the same 
room, and busied himself with arranging 
what the other boys had disarranged. “I’ve 
got the place, mother!” he shouted half an 
hour later. A mirror in the room had been 
so arranged that it revealed to the gentle¬ 
man in another room every action of the 
boys who supposed themselves unobserved. 
He very rightly concluded that a boy who 
couldn’t be trusted alone in a room for five 
minutes, wouldn’t suit him. We know 
our little hero could be trusted. There are 
many more stories which will interest the 
little ones, aud whose tendency is benefi¬ 
cial. D. Lothrop Company, Boston. 
T HE WRITER for September contains 
an article on “ Letter Writing to 
Cultivate Style,” which is very valuable. 
The idea is that in writing letters to friends 
one will express his thoughts naturally 
and simply, and thus unconsciously acquire 
an easy, unconventional style that is the 
ideal of good writing. “Newspaper Makers 
and Newspaper Grumblers ” contains a 
great deal of truth that will apply to all 
classes of periodicals. Newspapers are 
made for the million, and when the 
grumbler finds one that just fills the bill it 
will need to be made to order, or, perhaps, 
he will make one himself. Some plain di¬ 
rections are given for “ Home-Made Book 
Shelves.” “ The People and the Post- 
Office” by the ex-postmaster of a flourish¬ 
ing Western city, gives much valuable ad¬ 
vice about different methods of remitting 
money, mailing packages, etc. There are 
many other notes, hints, etc., useful to 
literary workers. The Writer, Boston, 
Mass. 
BOOK REVIEWS. 
A NAMELESS WRESTLER, by Jose¬ 
phine W. Bates, is a novel with a 
strong, and decidedly original plot. It af¬ 
fords a genuine surprise to find a work of 
fiction so different from the common run 
of paper-covered literature. The characters 
sometimes give one the impression of being 
over drawn, but this only brings them out 
in a stronger light. The scene is laid in 
Portland, Oregon, in its earliest history, and 
the adjacent mines of the Rockies; and the 
grand scenery, wild life and peculiar people 
of that wonderful region are described by a 
master hand. Paper covers 50 cents. 
DICK’S FEED CUTTER 
For Hay. Straw and Ensil¬ 
age. The only machi-.e 
that cuts and splits corn- 
stalks. We also sell the 
Triumph Stram Gknerat- 
or, and Giukkinq’b Corn 
Shki.i.kr and SKPARATOR. 
Write us at once. H. B. 
Grilling, Sons Co., 
70 Cortlandt St., 
New York City, N. Y. 
NO CURE, NO PAY! 
Peck’s Positive Kidney and Liver Cure 
for kidney dlseaRO and all Pains In the back. It has no 
equal. Send for testimonials $l 00 a bottle. 
i*. C. HOWES & CO., 10 East 14thStreet. New York. 
&tt&$ amt Pants. 
LANORETH’S LAWN GRASS SEED 
Is a mixture of the finest varieties of perennial grass 
seeds, producing a most beautiful and permanent 
sod in a short time. The lawns and grass plots in 
and around Philadelphia afford ample evidence of 
the superior quality of the Landreth's Laum Grass 
Seed. 
All Varieties of Grass and Clover Seeds care¬ 
fully selected, thoroughly re-cleaned, 
and freed from nil imperfections. 
LANDRETH’S LAWN FERTILIZER. 
A most excellent top-dressing for lawns and grass 
plots, producing a rich and vigorous growth. Sold 
In packages from five pounds to the ton. 
D. LANDRETH & SONS, 
21 & 28 South Sixth Street Branch Store, lielawaro 
Avenue and Arch Street. Philadelphia, Pa 
THE IDAHO PEAR. 
VVhnt Others Hay About U t 
Compared with KelfTer it Is far superior In 
quality. AMERICAN GARDEN. 
Quality best. PATRICK BARRY. 
It Is not so sweet as the Bartlett, but higher fla 
vored—more vinous THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Trees now for the fust time offered for 
sale•* 
—--- 
J ULIAN KARSLAKE’S SECRET, by 
Mrs. John Hodder Needell. The hero 
is a young English curate of considerable 
fortune and unexceptional personal worth 
who wooed the daughter of an impecunious 
literary recluse, and was successful in his 
suit only because she was constrained to 
sacrifice herself for the good of the family, 
whose dire necessities the wealthy suitor in¬ 
sisted on supplying. His“ secret,” jealously 
guarded from even his wife, was a vow 
made to his dying mother to shield his 
younger brother who became a reckless 
renegade. His own happiness was nearly 
wrecked by his conscientious adherence to 
his pledge, but everything was finally ex¬ 
plained, and all were happy. The author 
lias succeeded in exemplifying moral hero¬ 
ism to a degree hardly to be expected in 
real life. Paper covers; 25 cents. J. B. 
Lippincott Company, Philadelphia. 
-- 
A LREADY the publishers are prepar¬ 
ing their Christmas books. Lee & 
Shepard have put forth a beautifully illus¬ 
trated short poem by Kate Tannatt Woods, 
“The Wooing of Grandmother Grey.” It 
is printed on very heavy supercalendered 
paper, and bound in bronze cloth with gilt 
lettering. A pretty holiday, or any day, 
souvenir for the dear grandmother. Eight 
by 10}£ inches, price $2.(X). 
We are in receipt of the second of the 
Blue and the Gray series, by Oliver Optic— 
“ Within the Enemy’s Lines,” the first of 
which was: “Taken by the Enemy.” 
“Within the Enemy’s Lines” deals chiefly 
with a young “ middy’s” fortunes on board 
a privateer during the Civil War, and, of 
course, will please the boys. Size 5)^ by 
eight inches, about 300 pages; price $1.50. 
Lee & Shepard, Boston. 
£Ui,$rcUanc0Ui$i 
Siugle Tree by mail, post paid, 
$2.50; Three lor $6.00. 
Send for Illustrated prospectus conta'nlng a liner 
list of testimonials than any new fruit that has ever 
been Introuuced. 
THE IDAHO PEAR Co., 
LEWISTON, IDAHO. 
NEW AND RARE PLANTS, 
ORCHIDS, ETC. 
A I.nrge Collection ot'Hot-Ilounc nnd Grceu- 
llouMe IMuntH Carefully grown at low raten. 
Orchids—a very extensive stock—East Indian. Mexi¬ 
can, Central South American, etc. 
Roses. Clematis and Dutch Bulbs. Large Imports 
tlons from leading growers In Holland. 
Fruit and Ornamental Trees, etc. Catalogues ou 
application. 
JOI1N HAlIli. Washington, D. C. 
PEACH TREES. 
Fine one-year-old and .1. B. for distant shipment. 
Clean, healthy trees, from Natural seed; the new 
and leaning sorts. Kusslan Aurleot, Small Fruit. 
Plants, Osage Orange. General Nursery stock at low 
rates JOSIAII A. HUBERTS. 
Malvern Nurseries. Malvern, I*a. 
COO ACRES. 13 GREENHOUSES, 
TREESanpPLANTS 
APPLE AND PEACH TREES. 
300,000 Apple nnd Peaeli TreeH— all suit 
able for transplanting Into orchard No liner stock 
In this country. Send for circular giving full Infor¬ 
mation. Address STEPHEN IIOVT’S SONS, 
New Canaan. Conn. 
1N8N. POMONA NT K.S KK IKS. INN!). 
WONDERFUL PEACH 
Lawson, KiefTcr, Le Conte 
1’iars: Spaulding nnd Japan 
1 I’llims Apples. Cherrleg. Quinces, 
and Mn bearing trees, .strawber¬ 
ries. Raspberries. blackberries and 
(iriiprslu lurgesupply -nil worthy 
old & promising new varieties. Cat¬ 
alogue free. V m. Parry, Parry, N.J . 
I have no hesitation In rec¬ 
ommending Dr. Seth Arnold’s 
Cough Killer for coughs and 
colds. A few doscH cured me. 
It Is a 
WONDERFUL REMEDY, 
writes G. L. Walker, a promt' 
nent citizen of Pawtuoket, It. T 
25c., 50c. nnd $1 per bot¬ 
tle. 
ALL DEALERS SELL IT. 
BOON to DAIRYMEN 
Perfect Swinging Cow 
Stanchion. Sell lock¬ 
ing by entrance of 
cow's head. Free de¬ 
livery ut principal 
points. Send for cir¬ 
cular. Mention this 
paper. Scott, & Locke, 
Orford, N. II. 
We Import, from the best sources In Holland, a large 
assortment of llullm of finest quality which we offer 
ut reasonable prices. Catalogues and price lists free 
to all applicants. 
D. LANDRETH & SON, 
21 it- 23 South Sixth St., Philadelphia, l*a. 
379 (FRUIT TREES 
nltlKrlhs (.Vines, Plants, etc. 
Apple, Pear, Pencil, Cherry, Plum, 
Onince, Strawberry, HuMplierry, 
Blackberry, Ciirrmns, Urn pea. 
Gooseberries., Ac. Send for catalogue. 
J. S. COLLINS, Moorcklonn, N.J. 
