THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
THE 
RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
PUBLISHED EVEBY SATURDAY. 
Address 
RURAL PUBLISHING CO., 
78 Duane Street, New York City. 
SATURDAY, MARCH. 22, 1879. 
A LESSON OF THE TIMES. 
To all and each of ub in one way or an¬ 
other the question, 11 How can I manage 
in these hard times to make both ends 
meet ?” comes very directly home. All, 
or practically ail, have diminished in¬ 
comes, and thousands know not where to 
get their bread in an honest and self-re¬ 
spectful manner. For years we lived on 
the vain belief of a sudden return to pros¬ 
perity next spring or next fall, but of late 
“hope deferred ” has literally made the 
hearts of many sick. Journafs now clam¬ 
or, too often in vain, about returning 
prosperity. Although their grounds for 
obtaining our confidence have greatly im¬ 
proved, yet the faith of many persons has 
waxed faint. One good, however, has 
come out of it all, and that is, a certain 
steadiness with which many of us are set¬ 
tling down to work, as if convinced that 
it must take a hard pull and a long pull 
to reach favorable winds and waters. Per¬ 
haps it is the very growing prevalence of 
this sentiment that is helping much to 
bring nearer the long-hoped-for good 
times. 
But to say we are settling down to work 
does not exactly meet the question of how 
to make, both ends meet. Economy will 
do much, and circumstances have forced 
us to praotice it as we probably never 
thought we could. Under any system of 
expenditure, however, money must be 
had in some way in order to live. The 
wonderful prosperity of America hereto¬ 
fore has, fortunately, saved us from learn¬ 
ing the hard lesson of the pressure of 
dose competition and small profits so well 
known in Europe. But now the question 
is forced upon us, and the simple answer 
should always be, do that which lies near¬ 
est your hand, in the full belief that close 
application to such work will lead up to 
better things. The curse of the times 
has been that people would not go to 
work because they were waiting for bet¬ 
ter opportunities that never came to them. 
We know, indeed, that there have been 
many, very many, oases where work of 
any kind was absolutely unattainable; 
but, as a rule, people have not accepted 
existing circumstances. Whole families 
of persons capable, every one of them, of 
making something, if ever so little, have 
literally lived on one of their number, be¬ 
cause they could not get just the work 
that suited them. 
Fortuuately all this is gradually chang¬ 
ing, aud people are answering the ques¬ 
tion of the times by doing the best work 
they can find to do. And the best work 
for vast numbers has proved to lie, as it 
must always lie, on the farm. Millions 
of acres were sold in the West last year, 
for fanning purposes, and our increasing 
exports are already beginning to show 
the results of these sales. Because we 
are coming to learn this lesson of good, 
honest work by manual labor, or any la¬ 
bor possible, a renewal of prosperity 
seems at length to be clearly approach¬ 
ing; but our efforts must not therefore 
relax. It may be near us, but who shall 
say how near or how far, ii we don’t hold 
a wise course. And in any case, be it 
near or far, we can never afford to forget 
the lesson taught us by the past hard 
times, that man was in tended to earn his 
bread by the sweat of his brow and that 
there is no royal road to riches any more 
than there is to learning. While doing 
the work at hand, however, let us train 
ourselves in any special line for which we 
know we have ability, that -we may become 
skilled producers and not mere common 
routine workmen. Above all, let us in¬ 
terest ourselves more aud more in farm¬ 
ing, for therein lies the backbone of our 
prosperity, after all. 
-- 
ROOTS FOR DAIRY COWS. 
However it may prove with other farm 
stock, the oonviction seems established 
amongst all our best dairymen that it 
pays well to grow’ roots for feeding to 
cows in milk. It is not likely that our 
farmers will ever grow roots so exten¬ 
sively as do the English. Our severe 
winters, which, north of 35 0 prohibit the 
feeding of turnips off the ground by 
sheep, veto that use of root crops. The 
abundance of good grass land, and the 
admirable suitability of our glorious 
maize for all feeding purposes, limi t 
greatly the necessity for root feeding. 
And yet experience has developed the fact 
that dry feed, no matter bow rich in all 
elements of nutrition, does not alone pro¬ 
mote such a free secretion of milk from 
our cows as when a liberal daily ration of 
roots is added. It may be that in some 
cases soaked and steamed feed will give 
as good results for a time ; but there is 
something about the fresh roots that seems 
not only grateful to the appetite, but 
equally promotive of a healthy action of 
the digestive organs, upon which in the 
end must stand the power of profitable 
production in our dairy beasts. 
What roots are best for this purpose, 
is a question often asked. While we set 
a high value upon turnips for feeding 
sheep, and also for young or fatting cat¬ 
tle, we believe we give voice to an opin¬ 
ion that is becoming more and more set¬ 
tled when we say that for dairy cows 
beets are, all things considered, most 
suitable. The further question, what 
sort of beets are best, cannot be so posi¬ 
tively answered. But we inchne to take 
the view that whatever particular variety 
or strain is adopted, the practical dairy¬ 
man will give preference to a certain 
form, and that the form of root chosen 
will be that most nearly approaching the 
globular, free from side roots, and with a 
tap-root as little fleshy as possible. Farm¬ 
ers cannot wash these roots before feed¬ 
ing, yet they are all sensible of the evil 
of feeding them mixed with the earth 
which adheres to the fine fibers and 
branching prongs. If no other reasons 
were to be given, it is sufficient that great 
injury from wear is inflicted upon the 
teeth of animals that must chew up an 
ounce of sand with every pound of root. 
The attention of seedsmen has been thor¬ 
oughly awakened to the existence of this 
opinion among practical herdsmen, and 
most of the new and improved sorts now 
offered are of the globular form. 
As between the mangolds and sugar- 
beets, we think form will carry the (lay. 
But if from the sugar-beet a variety can 
be produced which will have, with a glob¬ 
ular form, an excess of nutrient mat¬ 
ter, then the preference will naturally 
librate in that direction. In the matter 
of size, there can be little doubt that im¬ 
mense but watery roots are getting out 
of favor with men of experience. One 
of the great objections to roots is the 
great amount of frost-proof storage-room 
they require. The larger they grow the 
more room they occupy in proportion to 
their feeding value, and the more likely 
to be hurt by slight frosting, both before 
harvesting and after being stored. A 
firm, heavy bulb, of medium size, with 
small neck, top, and tap-root, and as near 
to no Bide roots or fibers as possible, i6 
what is needed. We advise our readers 
to select from the lists of the seedsmen 
the roots of this class, testing various 
strains, and selecting those that best suit 
their soil and their judgment. 
SUPPRESSING PLEURO-PNEUMONIA. 
After an excitement on any matter, a 
reaction naturally sets in and there is 
always a risk that the subject which 
caused the commotion may be unduly 
neglected. There is danger that this may 
be the ease with regard to the extermina¬ 
tion of plenro-pnemnonia from the few 
places in which it still exists in this coun¬ 
try. The discussions and investigations 
consequent upon Great Britain’s restrict¬ 
ions on our importations of live cattle, have 
made it clear that the disease is confined 
to narrow circuits iu a few places in the 
Atlantic States. There have been sensa¬ 
tional Reports of its appearance in some 
places in the West, but in every such 
instance that has come under our watch¬ 
ful notice, a thorough investigation by 
competent veterinarians has demonstrated 
the fallacy of the reports and the reckless 
disregard of the public interests shown by 
the papers that have given u place iu their 
columns to such pernicious minors. 
In view, therefore, of the narrow limits 
within which the malady is confined, and 
of the broad extent of the injury its pres¬ 
ence there is inflicting upon our stock 
interests, efficient measures should at once 
be adopted for its eradication. Experi¬ 
ence in every European country which 
has been cursed by its ravages, shows 
that the only reliable means of effecting 
this end is the slaughter of all infected 
animals, the destruction or thorough dis¬ 
infection of their stables and the strict 
quarantine of all exposed animals. Reme¬ 
dies have proved worthless ; while inocu¬ 
lation as a preventive, however effective 
in diminishing the death rate among in¬ 
fected beasts, has served to spread the 
contagion, us to this end it is as disastrous 
as the original disease. 
But as {tie slaughter of infected animals 
should be enforced for the public good, 
their owners should be compensated for 
their loss iu proportion to the average 
chances of their recovery, which can be 
easily ascertained from recorded statistics. 
A portion, if not the whole of the expense 
of this measure, should be borne by the 
State, inasmuch as its herds are especially 
endangered by the disease thus eradica¬ 
ted ; and, in all fairness, a part should be 
borne by the national government, inas¬ 
much as the measure is a protection even 
to distant herds, and tends to bring about 
the speedy removal of the embargo on our 
cattle exports, from which the stock in¬ 
terests of the entire country are suffering. 
As the infected beasts are destroyed to 
insure the safety of the untainted, the 
loss should be assessed on the principle 
of a “ general average.” 
-♦ • » 
OUR COUNTRY CEMETERIES. 
Every traveler through the United 
States, as from the car window he sur¬ 
veys the country through which he 
passes, ever and anon observes in the dis¬ 
tance, on some hillside or on the naked 
field, a small collection of white marble 
headstones. These collections denote 
our country cemeteries, and each head¬ 
stone marks the resting-place of some de¬ 
parted member of the human family. 
Were it not that one knew it to be so by 
observation, the uninitiated might be 
tempted to take these cemeteries for ar¬ 
tists’ marble-yards, for little else indicates 
that they are burial places. They have 
no trees, no sweet-scented shrubs, no 
flower-beds, no walks, no Beats, no song¬ 
birds—nothing, except the cold marble 
slabs and a luxurious growth of weeds, is 
there to be found. Is this as it ought to 
be V Have those w’ho departed, some in 
the bloom of youth, others in wintry age, 
left no relatives, no friends behind that 
will cherish their memories or beautify 
their resting-places beyond the placing of 
a stone on the grave ? 
In Europe, at least in northern Europe, 
the country cemeteries present a differ¬ 
ent aspect. Though the parish may be 
small and poor, the church-yard blooms 
like a paradise with lovely plantations of 
trees and shrubbery. Clean, graceful 
walks wind through the groves, and 
though, instead of the costly headstone, 
there may be but a simple wooden cross, 
yet. at its base one may be sure to find a 
Rose or Hyacinth, or other floral treas¬ 
ure to bear evidence that the sleeper is 
not forgotten by the living. 
Of necessity'our early settlers could 
not give much attention to the laying out 
of burial places ; but the neglect of our 
country cemeteries is growing to be a na¬ 
tional characteristic. The country is now 
getting older, richer and more densely 
populated ; it is quite time therefore to 
make a change ; there is no longer any 
excuse for the present condition of rural 
cemeteries. Destroy the weeds and pro¬ 
duce, instead, a velvety grass sod. Plant 
flowers, hardy evergreens and deciduous 
trees to beautify and shade the spot. 
Plant them for the sake of the sacred 
memory of those you have buried. Plant 
them for your own sake who visit and 
cherish the spot. Plant them for the 
sake of the community iu which yon live, 
whose iB8thetic taste you will thus help 
to educate, 
-» • ♦ 
THE SUGAR MAPLE. 
It is a pity that the Sugar Maple is 
not more extensively grown than it is at 
present. As an ornamental tree its out¬ 
lines are very symmetrical when young, 
while in advanced years it usually as¬ 
sumes a diversity of form seemingly de¬ 
pendent on the soil and situation. It 
sometimes reaches the bight of 70 or 80 
feet, although it is generally considerably 
smaller, and it is remarkable for the 
brilliancy of its autumnal colors. As 
lire-wood it ranks next to hickory and is 
the most valuable wood we possess fox- 
charcoal. The curled and bird’s-eye va¬ 
rieties are prized for cabinet-work and in¬ 
terior finishing, while the straight-grained 
kind is used for a number of household 
and artistic purposes as well as for ship¬ 
building. 
Moreover, a maple orchard or sugar 
bush, as it is called, is a source of no 
small annual income on a farm. The 
product is *cane sugar, is cheaply and 
easily manufactured and is preferable on 
some aooimts to that from sugar-cane. 
The sirup, too, as the best in the market, 
always finds a ready sale, brings a higher 
price than any other, and some milkers 
dispose of all their product iu this form. 
According to the census of 1870, the total 
production of maple sugar in this country 
was 28,443,645 pounds. Twenty-eight 
different States contributed to this quan¬ 
tity, of which the following yielded the 
largest amounts : Vermont, 8,894,302 ; 
New York, 6,692,040; Ohio, 3,469,128; 
New Hampshire, 1,800,704; Pennsyl¬ 
vania, 1,545.917 ; Indiana, 1,332,332 ; 
Virginia and West Virginia, 755,699 ; 
Wisconsin, 507,192 ; Massachusetts, 3.99,- 
800 ; Kentucky, 269,416. The total 
quantity of maple molasses or sirup was 
921,057 gallons. Of course, the actual 
production of both sirup and sugar must 
have been considerably greater than the 
amounts returned by the census, for in 
all such cases the Bins of omission both 
on the part of canvassers and small mak¬ 
ers are always numerous. 
The industry is at present confined 
chiefly to the few States mentioned, with 
small contributions from the other States 
East of the Mississippi and North of the 
40th parallel of latitude ; for west of the 
Father of Waters the sugar Maple is sel¬ 
dom met with, while in the Southern 
States it is found only along the moun¬ 
tains. The black sugar Maple which 
Michaux classed as a distinct species, is 
now regarded as only a variety of the 
common kind, and is generally consid¬ 
ered the most productive sort. 
-♦-*-*-- 
CARE NEEDED IN PURCHASING NOVEL¬ 
TIES. 
We hope that all of our readers having 
fruit trees or plants of any description to 
purchase, or to order this spring, will be 
careful as to where or of whom they pur¬ 
chase or order them. If new things be 
offered of surpassing—not to say of in¬ 
credible merits—do not select them. Be 
assured that really good fruits or flowers 
must first, be made known through the 
horticultural press, and that no Wonder 
iu the land of plants can ever oi’iginate, 
be propagated and offered for sale, in 
these days by any one individual. Re¬ 
member this, that every plant of real 
worth, may be found in the catalogues of 
all trustworthy dealers, with the piice 
attached, be it Strawberry, Grape, Pear, 
or flowering shrub or tree. If you want 
plants at all, it is worth your while to 
Jind out what plants you want, and to 
order them or to buy them directly of such 
firms as ean aud will supply the plants 
you want, and of no others. 
ABOUT THE CORN PREMIUMS, &c. 
It will be desirable that those who in¬ 
tend to compete for the Corn Premiums 
send in their names lor registry at an 
early day. Jt is not our desire so to ar- 
l’ange the premiums as that he who pro¬ 
duces the greatest yield from the corn we 
send him shall be entitled to all of the 
premiums or to a great share of them, 
but rather to the first and most valua¬ 
ble premium ; the second largest yield, 
to the second most valuable premium, 
etc. All this may bo settled upon at 
some future time. As to the method 
of planting, area to be planted, etc., 
we need only remark that the seed 
corn which we send must be sown within 
one-fortieth of an acre or in a plot 33 feet 
square. 
BREVITIES. 
You who have none, plant u Quince tree 
this spring. 
Unmikdeui, people — people who haven’t 
their wits about them—had better never meddle 
with hot-beds. If liot-beds are to be of any 
special value, they must be attended to under¬ 
stand! ngly and promptly. 
Makecuai. Niej. Rose. — “ There are but 
three words,” says Mr. Hole in the London 
Garden, ‘‘winch we dare to speak in such a 
presence as this—Hi]), hip, hurrah! The hips, 
of course, fur the seedling Brier on which lie is 
enthroned, and the hurrah for the Iloyal Rose.” 
Mb. C. M. Hovey, our well-known Boston 
horticulturist, bus lately arrived in Loudon, 
taking with him some of his beat Camellias, to 
the raising of which he has given much atten¬ 
tion during years past. Mr. Hovey often con¬ 
tributes his experiences and views to English 
journals; but. he rarely writes for home jour¬ 
nals. 
The temptation to uncover vines, borders 
and protected things, is almost irresistible 
amoug young gardeners and llorista. They 
want to have things look shapely and tidy ; 
all of which is in accordance with the spirit of 
the true gardener. But protection for this 
climate is never more needed than now, and 
those plants which have been protected need 
it most of all. 
To carefully lay aside a good thing not im¬ 
mediately needed, against a time when it may 
be wanted, is only a matter of common pru- 
deuce in every-day life. The farmer docs so 
with liis seeds, with his agricultural tools aud 
implements and with his money; but he seldom 
does ro with a good article iu his paper. It 
happens not unfre<|uently that an instructive 
article appears in this and similar journals at a 
time when some of the readers cannot straight¬ 
way utilize the Information contained in it, 
however useful it might be to them at another 
season. Prudence would iu such a case sug¬ 
gest that the article should bo carefully pre¬ 
served for refereuee when Us information 
might be beuefleial; but often even if pru¬ 
dence’s suggestion is at once obeyed, careless¬ 
ness soon loses the paper. Whatever they may 
do with other numoers, we would strongly ad¬ 
vise those of our friends who arc interested in 
maple sugar making, aud caunot this season 
avail themselves of the information and sug¬ 
gestions contained iu the article on that, subject 
m this issue, to keep the number carefully for 
reference next season. 
