©EC. 20 
THE 
RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY. 
CONDUCTED BY 
ELBERT S. CARMAN. 
Address the RUItAL NEW .yORKER, 
78 Duane Street, New York City. 
SATURDAY, DEC. 20, 1879. 
TO SUBSCRIBERS. 
We cannot promise, but we can nearly 
promise, to place an assortment of the Cow 
Pea in our present free seed distribution. We 
may deem it advisable to substitute this for 
the Telephone Pea, as the Btock in England is 
next to nothing. In this case, we shall present 
our own stock of the Telephone to our sub¬ 
scribers as a supplementary distribution, as 
far as it can be made to go. We have also two 
other announcements to make as 60 on as ar¬ 
rangements are completed. As to the Cow 
Pea, we do not believe, from our own experi¬ 
ence, aud from what we have gleaned from 
several private sources, that we can do our 
readers better service than by offering them 
the opportunity of testing its value. 
We venture the prediction that those 
nurserymen who are propagating a large 
stock of the “ Sunray Pine” (Pinus 
Massoniaua var.) will reap a golden liar- 
vest when they offer it for sale. It is one 
of the most striking beauties we have ever 
seen ; and, in so far as it may he judged 
by a test of the past three years in our 
grounds, is perfectly hardy. It was well 
described and illustrated from life in 
this journal, Dec. 29, 1877. 
--- 
Our best thanks are due to many of 
our subscribers who have sent and are 
sending us small clubs. It is too early 
as yet to speak definitely. But the 
promise is that we shall have for next 
year all we have asked for, viz., double 
the increase of the present year. Our 
friends probably have little knowledge of 
the aggregate benefit we derive from 
their good words and the occasional sub¬ 
scriptions solicited from their acquaint¬ 
ances which they forward to us. Such 
subscribers are oi' the very clasB we prize 
most highly. 
- -■* + + 
At the very best it need not be hoped 
that the American Agricultural Society 
will, at the outset, be free from fiawB. If 
the will of all good men deeply interested 
in agriculture were to rule, it could prove 
no less than an efficient instrument of 
noble service from the start. But it is 
the will of the workers, whether good or 
bad, that rules. Hence the necessity of 
men to do the Society’s work who, while 
they have the good of agriculture at 
heart, can afford to give their time and 
their best thoughts to its wholesome 
progress. Grand—magnificent are the 
possibilities of this national organization! 
—we grant that. But possibilities here 
imply earnest, patient, well-directed, un¬ 
remitting labor. It is the rush after al¬ 
luring probabilities that saps the life 
out of benevolent enterprises and tum¬ 
bles them down. 
There ean he no doubt about it, of 
course, that tarred paper, in many cases, 
has satisfactorily answered the purpose 
of keeping mice away from the stems of 
trees during winter, else its use would 
not be so often recommended : but it is 
a remedy we should never resort to. We 
have seen fruit trees seriously injured— 
as good as killed, indeed—by its use. 
We have never had a fruit tree injured 
by mice, and we attribute our immunity 
to the fact that their stems have been 
washed every fall and spring with a mix¬ 
ture oi lime, sulphur, hellebore, soft- 
soap, Soot, and red mineral paint-powder 
—the two last added so as to make the 
wash a near approach to the color of the 
bark. The stem up to the branches is 
washed with this, while just at the base 
it is spread on in a sufficient quantity to 
wet the surface of the ground about the 
stem. Tar paper confines the air—holds 
the moisture, aud induces a soft, tender 
condition of the bark that, by alternate 
freezing and thawing, often ends in 
decay. 
-- 
We need not call attention to Doctor 
Ledoux’s article on the Southern Cow 
Pea. If there be any likelihood, or even 
possibility, of its becoming as valuable 
in the Middle, Western and Eastern 
States as it unquestionably is in the 
South, then it is worthy of extended trial. 
Knowing little of the manner of its 
growth, we made the mistake of planting 
the seeds too close together. The con¬ 
sequence was an entangled mass of vines 
that rendered it difficult for us to sepa¬ 
rate one variety from another, and note 
the peculiarities of each, We should be 
very glad if we could distribute samples 
of this Pea (which is not a pea) among 
our Northern readers during next spring, 
as a supplementary distribution. We 
already have too much on our hands at 
present, however, to feel justified in ex¬ 
pressing any more than the wish to do so. 
The reader will see that the note on an¬ 
other part of this page speaks more pos¬ 
itively as to this matter. 
- . I 
While listening, the other evening, to 
the amusingly innocent remarks that 
dropped from the lips of the crowds of 
city ladies and gentlemen admiring the 
various groups of cattle at the Dairy 
Show, we were strongly impressed with 
the conviction that the breed, name, age 
and chief merit of each animal should be 
plainly written or printed on a card, 
nailed conspicuously to the railing in 
front of it. It would also be both inter¬ 
esting and instructive, not to cockneys 
only, but often also to country visitors, 
if an enumeration of the points of ex¬ 
cellence of each breed were prominently 
displayed on a card close to the quarters 
in which the representative animals are 
confined. Apart from the stimulant it is 
to further exertion on the part of the 
breeder, the only object that justifies 
the granting of premiums to such ex¬ 
hibits, is the instruction the examination 
of them affords the pnblic, and this ob¬ 
ject would be much more effectually 
attained if the public were informed of 
the merits for which each class is distin¬ 
guished, so that each visitor might ex¬ 
amine personally how far such excel¬ 
lences are embodied in each animal on 
exhibition. The winning of premiums 
is a mere secondary object in such dis¬ 
plays ; public instruction should be the 
main end m view, and nothing that could 
facilitate this should be neglected. Of 
the numerous fairs we have attended in 
at least twenty States in the Union, we 
do not remember one in which the adop¬ 
tion of the above suggestions would not 
be an advantage. 
field culture and the extermination of 
weeds ; another with destructive insects, 
etc., each section, of course, being com¬ 
posed of experts in that specialty. The 
undertaking is highly commendable, and 
we heartily wish it success. 
THE AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL ASSO¬ 
CIATION- 
In a former issue we stated that steps 
had been taken for the organization of a 
National Agricultural Society. This or¬ 
ganization was completed last week at 
the Metropolitan Hotel, in this city, 
where, on the 10th, 11th and 12th, dele¬ 
gates to the number of about 150 met in 
convention, representing fourteen States. 
The committee on organization reported 
a constitution which, with slight altera¬ 
tions, was adopted by the convention. 
The Society takes the name of The Ameri¬ 
can Agricultural Association, and its 
avowed object is, in short, to further the 
interests of agriculture in all its branches, 
by all the means in the power of the As¬ 
sociation. The membership fee is one 
dollar, on the payment of which all who 
are in any way connected with agricul¬ 
ture may join the Society. The officers 
were elected under the constitution; 
President, John Merryman, of Maryland, 
with a very long list of Vice-Presidents. 
Mr. J. H. Beall, of this city, was made 
General Secretary. A permanent execu¬ 
tive committee of five, with the Presi¬ 
dent and first Vice President, constitutes 
the working force of the Association. 
Many prominent farmers and scientific 
men throughout the Union have identi¬ 
fied themselves with the movement, and 
we trust these will earnestly take the 
matter in hand and in unison work for 
the good of agriculture. There is au 
unlimited field for improvement, and 
there can be no doubt that an Association 
of this character, if rightly managed, 
can discover facts, reach conclusions and 
disseminate knowledge that may help 
greatly to develop our agricultural re¬ 
sources, and thus indirectly benefit 
farmers. 
The Association should not merely bo 
a body of men that meet once or twice a 
year and listen to some lectures aud es- 
Bftys, and have a good time generally. 
There is work to be done, which we have 
no doubt the Association fully realizes. 
We kuow not how the Society proposes 
to go to work ; but it appears to us that 
if sections or standing committees wore 
appointed, each committee having some 
special subject to investigate, valuable 
results could be most surely and satis¬ 
factorily reached. Thus, a committee on 
animal diseases, composed of the veter¬ 
inary experts of the Association, should 
thoroughly investigate ibis important 
subject ; another committee could deal 
wholly with diseases of plants, especially 
destructive fungi; still another with 
RAILROADS AND THE FARMERS. 
“The farmer pays for all.” Espe¬ 
cially does he pay for the railroads. The 
dividends which give value to these enor¬ 
mous enterprises come from the freight of 
his wheat aud corn. The farmer, then, 
should be interested in knowing some¬ 
thing of the true inwardness of the great 
railroad corporations which he supports. 
A case of unusual prominence has re¬ 
cently been made public. It concerns 
the greatest owner of railroad stock and 
probably the richest man in the world, 
aud it shows the enormous profits made 
from investments in railroads. It is as 
follows : Mr. Vanderbilt, the President 
of the New York Central railroad, re¬ 
cently sold to an association of capital¬ 
ists 150,000 shares of stock in his road, 
at $120 a share, and au option of 100,000 
shares more at the same price. This 
sale involves a sum of $25,000,000. It. is 
of great interest to trace out the profit of 
this transaction to the seller and to show 
how enormous wealth is made to pour 
into the coffers of great railroad capi¬ 
talists. 
In 1868 a scrip dividend of 80 per cent, 
was made upon New York Central ; in 
other words, the capital was increased to 
that extent by a few strokes of the pen. 
No money passed in this operation ; the 
80 per cent, increase was a fiction in one 
way ; but an enormous reality iu so far 
as those were concerned who had to pro¬ 
vide dividends, which gave the increase a 
substantial existence. In 1869 the N. Y. 
Central and the Hudson Biver railroads 
were consolidated; and at this time, to 
equalize valves , a further scrip dividend 
was made on the N. Y. Central stock. 
Thus, without the payment of one cent, 
in mouey, one hundred dollars of stock 
was suddenly made to represent a value 
of more than two hundred dollars, and 
the increase on the quantity of stock in 
question would stand as follows : 
Par value of the stock In 1868.$1*2,071,295 
Eighty per cent, scrip dividend. 9,661,836 
Second scrip dividend. s,200.869 
*86,000,000 
Since 1869 the consolidated stock has 
paid annual dividends, on the more than 
doubled value, of 8 per cent. ; the divi¬ 
dends and other profits on the stock 
since then would stand thus : 
Eleven years’ dividend on stock.$22,000,wo 
Profits on sale, at 20 per cent. 5,ooo,ooo 
$27,000,000 
Add capital stock.$ 35 , 000,000 
Total stock and dividends.$ 62 ,oo(*,ooo 
The original cost of the stock was.*18,077,295 
Eleven years’ Interest, at 7 per cent. 9,299,517 
Total legitimate Investment and profit. .$21,370,812 
increase of value. 30,623,188 
$52,000,000 
In plain words, the actual value of the 
stock has beeu increased by stock divi¬ 
dends, usually called “water,” and 8 
per cent, annual dividends upon it, by a 
gross sum of more than thirty million 
dollars ! This gross sum has actually 
passed, or will pass, into the possession 
of the selliug party. Whence has this 
money come V A large part—the annual 
dividends on the suddenly-created stock 
from scrip dividends—has actually come 
from those who have paid the freights 
which have made up these enormous 
profits of over 16 per cent, per annum. 
This can be traced clearly. The rest 
comes indirectly, or will come when it is 
actually realized, from the same sources. 
But it must be remembered that, as yet, 
this portion is intangible. 
•* A breath unmakes it, as a breath has made,” 
and it represents a value that only exists 
as it draws interest; it is yearly interest 
capitalized. The fact remains, however, 
that the public must toil and labor to pay 
the 8 per cent, dividends which give this 
stock actual value. What is wealth ? 
This question naturally presents itself to 
our minds as we consider this astounding 
transaction. How were these millions 
created ? We read of the famous lamp of 
Aladdin, by the mere rubbing of which 
untold treasure rolled at the feet of the 
fortunate owner. We always thought 
this Btory was a fiction of those Arabian 
nights. But here is the famous lamp, 
and here we have the fortunate owner. 
But who pays for it all ? “ There’s the 
rub.” How many years would a farmer 
have to work to save a thousand dollars ; 
and here some oue makes as much in a 
few years as 30,000 farmers could save iu 
a lifetime. Trulv, “ farming don’t pay ” 
. as well as some things.” 
BREVITIES. 
The city of New York is filled (to exagger¬ 
ate a trifle) with dairymen and farmers. Mhere 
are the dairymaids ? 
The more we learn of the past harvest the 
more correct seem the inferences drawn from 
the hundreds of reports in our special crop 
numbers. 
We hope that the ladies who attended last 
year s Dairy Fair, were educated up to being 
able to distinguish this year a churn from a 
washing-machine 
Mu. W. UoniNBON, Editor of the London 
Gardeu.writ.es us under date of Nov. 10:— 
“ You are making a wonderful improvement 
in the Kuril New-Yobker. I am delighted 
to sec those original and bold cuts of good 
plauts.” 
The latter days of 1879 will be remembered 
as having given birth to an American Agricul¬ 
tural Society. The trouble with other such in¬ 
fants that have been born from time to time, 
has been that there was no Reall vigor in 
thoir bodies. 
Notwithstanding the huge obelisk, the oc¬ 
casional mounds and the frequent plateaus of 
cheeses at the International Dairy Show, the 
mili'st collection of the article there is that 
of old Stilton. 
By careful computation, according to the 
comparative estimates of the agents of the re¬ 
spective 6orts. there are some churns at the Fair 
that will produce butter iu 48 hours and ten 
minutes before the cream has been put into 
them. 
Professor A. R. Ledoux. the accomplished 
Director of the N. C. Ag. Experiment Station, 
whose valuable article upon the Cow Pea will be 
found elsewhere, says : “I hope some of your 
I eaders will try this crop next spring, and re¬ 
mit the results through your columns.” 
Wr read of a case in France when a horse 
ieized a brutal master that had been kicking 
lim mercilessly, and bit him several times 
io in luring him that be was carried to a hos- 
tltal. Wc sometimes wish that all good horses 
rnd theseuse to ‘-fight back” wheu they are 
.rcated with cruelty. 
Among the most important conditions of a 
lealtby diet is that food must be adapted as 
•egards quuntity and quality to the amount of 
work to be done by beast or man As a rule, 
his is not considered at all. We eat what our 
ippetlte craves and until it is satiated. Hence 
it is (if our readerB will pardon the expres¬ 
sion) we “burst our boilers." 
Will our friends have the kindness, when 
they write us on several topics, to write each 
on a different piece of paper. Thus it will 
save us much trouble, and insure our friends 
more prompt attention if they, instead of 
sending subscriptions, questions, ** Every¬ 
where,” etc., on one sheet* would put each sub¬ 
ject on a separate one. In sending stamps do 
not stick them to the paper. 
We are preparing our Index with much care. 
Last year’s index was the best the Rural has 
ever had. This year’s will be still more accurate 
and full. Our aim has been so to index the 
subject-matter of articles that reference to 
auy topic, regardless of its title, will be readily 
fonnd. The excellence of an index ought to 
be rated as high as the excellence of the work 
itself. 
During the coldest part of winter, when the 
ground is frozen, every hen-house should be 
provided with a box six' inches deep, with sift¬ 
ed coal-ashes and Baud for the fowls to dust in. 
Occasionally, when the weather is so inclem¬ 
ent that they prefer to remain in the house, it 
is well to throw the corn, oats and wheat into 
this box, that they may be induced to scratch 
and exercise. 
Potatoes that were at all affected with dis¬ 
ease before being dug should be frequently 
looked over, so as to removu those that are de¬ 
cayed, otherwise the whole will quickly be¬ 
come affected. Window plants suffering from 
plant-lice, should be smoked with tobacco. 
Place the plants under a barrel, and also a pau 
with some Jive coals upon which put some to¬ 
bacco, moistened so that it will not blaze, if 
the plants are left in the fumes for ten minutes 
the lice will he killed aud a good syringing 
will finish the work. 
A suggestion to Messrs. Pell and Sewell. 
They have hail five successive bad seasons in 
England. ThiB is quite enough to have pro¬ 
duced agricultural depression there or auy- 
whera. Why not suggest to the government 
and people of the United Kingdom that they 
move to a climate that is good for something. 
Either that, or the government aud people 
must change the climate. What’s the use of 
making a complexity of this simple prob¬ 
lem? 
Amono all the orators at last year’s Dairy 
Show, Gen. But Iff bore away the palm for sta¬ 
tistics. This year, however nearly every 
speaker seems to have been busy with agricul¬ 
tural and commercial reports, to compile long 
arrays of figures that should leave Ben s oy- 
fering a world behind. And, then, what enor¬ 
mous possibilities in the way oi suiu-iuakiug 
does the subject possess! Thirteen million 
milch cows in the country ! Just think of 
them! An aggregate of thirteen hundred mil¬ 
lion pounds of butter and cheese produced 
from them, to say nothing of all the milk they 
have supplied to our tables ! There’s food for 
the imagination as well as for the million ! 
There is no grape of which larger quanti¬ 
ties are 6old in the Northern markets, at this 
season, than the Catawba. It Is, among out- 
hardy sortB, substantially the only grape now 
retailed iu fruit-stores and from street-stands. 
The boxes sell reudily at from 80 to 25 cents 
each. They hold about three pouuds, the 
boxes averaging a little over one-eighth of a 
pound. The Catawba always sells tor from 
live to ten cents more per box than the Con¬ 
cord, when the market is well supplied with 
each. That lorthcomiug hardy white grape 
(that has been forthcoming so long), which 
shall hear transportation and keep as well as 
the Catawba, will meet with a hungry market 
and a ready sale. 
