474 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
JULY 26 
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WESTERN AGRICULTURE. 
Tears ago it was thought that to possess a 
section or half section of the fertile prairie 
land of Illinois, and enough teams to break it 
np and plant the same to corn, and in time to 
gather the large harvest which it yielded, was 
fulfilling the requirements of a practical far¬ 
mer. Now that it has been shown that, as re¬ 
gards the fertility, our Western soil is like the 
soil in other localities, sure to run down with¬ 
out proper attention, the farmers arc begin¬ 
ning to open their eyes and to believe the fact 
that agriculture is a science. Too much land, 
too little capital, and an inadequate under¬ 
standing of the science of farming, have all 
tended to make Western agriculture of late 
years an unprofitable occupation. 
One after another of the large tracts of land 
which were heretofore rnn as separate farms, 
are being divided up and sold in small pieces 
to suit purchasers; and I cannot help but feel 
that this is a step iu the right direction, as it 
will induce people to make homes on the lauds 
which before were only rented out, or ou 
which there were no houses except for hired 
hands. 
Now that the questions of manuring and tile- 
draining our lands have been brought before 
our people, we look for decided improvements 
In the agricultural districts, aDd when oncewc 
are awake to the real necessities of manure 
and drainage, there cau be no doubt as to the 
results. On the farms and iu the small towns 
of Illiuois thousands of loads of manure re¬ 
main unused every year, which would add 
materially to the productiveness of the land, if 
only hauled out and utilized by our farmers, 
who, at present, need to use every means in 
their power to help bring about a ebauge from 
the hard times under which wc have been 
laboring for several years past. To this same 
end it is necessary for us to better understand 
our calling, and practice only those rules 
which our owu experience and the experience 
of others show us are successful ones. We 
have every advantage that could be desired as 
to markets for stock, produce and grain, and 
now the questions that most Interest us are: 
How to keep up and improve the fertility of 
ourfarms; what kinds of grain to grow; wliat 
breeds of stock to keep, and what percentage 
of our crops should be fed on the farms and 
what pjoportion should be-sent to market. 
In some parts of the West dairy farming Is 
very popular, ami carried on successfully; but 
as yet this mode of farming is iu its infancy over 
the greater portion of the Western territory, 
while the raking of grain for market is the 
general occupation of our agriculturists. A 
tendency to mixed husbandry and the raising 
and feeding of stock is getting to be quite pop¬ 
ular in localities w here simple grain farming 
does not pay. Another step forward is the 
increasing aiteution given to the producing of 
fraits and vegetables for home and foreigu 
markets, and to-day some of the fruit farms of 
the West rauk among the very best and most 
successful in the country. There is no reason 
why this should not be, for the climate and 
soil both favor the more hardy fruits; while 
there are many localities in which Peaches 
and other more tender fruits are produced in 
abundance. 
Although borrowed capital has done a great 
deal towards building up the West, still just 
now we have come to the paying time, and 
general depression is the result. Thousands 
of farms are changing hands: but in so doing 
the mortgages are generally lifted and the 
land left free of incumbrance, which is, of 
course, a good step toward better times. Iu 
spite of all reverses, there is a bright future 
for Western agticnlturlsts who apply them¬ 
selves to their calling, and are iu earnest iu 
their eudeavors to cane from the Western 
prairies homes for themselves and families. 
Champaign, Ill., March 1st, 1879. l. u d. 
-♦ ♦ ♦ - 
PENCILINGS BEYOND THE MISSISSIPPI. 
A pew short years ago and how far off 
seemed the land beyond the “ Father of Wa¬ 
ters.” We read of thu broad prairies, the noble 
forests, and the fertile bottom lands of Iowa, 
Missouri, and Kansas, aud imagined that we 
febould never behold them save in Imagination. 
But the iron ribbons which cross the States in 
all directions, have paved the road to the set¬ 
tling of still more distant territories, and the 
ery of “Westward, ho!” has reached the most 
western range of the Cordilleras; nor stopped 
until It dipped with thu setting sun iu the 
peace'ul bosom of .he. ocean. Ten years ago 
my lather, moved by the resistless spit it of 
change, followed the advice of the lamented 
Greeley and “came West ” Au old man then, 
the snows of sixty winters had thinned and 
whitened his locks, but had failed to quench 
the ardor of Ins ambition; aud the spring of 
1869 found him settled for the remainder ot his 
days upon a farm in the woods. The improve¬ 
ment on it consisted of an old frame house, 
minus doors aud windows, and surrounded by 
a rail fence inclosing about half an acre. A 
few Btuntcd Morello cherry treeB, aud half a 
dozen prickly gooseberry bushes completed 
the prospect. It would take months to relate 
the various discouragements aDd privations 
incident to life on a new farm, which we en¬ 
dured for five or six years; at the end of that 
time we began to discern something like order 
in the midst of chaos. Now, the greatest diffi¬ 
culty is in finding a nou-rcsideut tenant. Near¬ 
ly every man here who owns a team and does 
notown U.nd, will decline to work land on 
which the owner lives. They want full control 
of everything, and are mad if they can’t get 
their own way. 
And right here. I will add a word of advice 
to those who have the “ Western fever." If 
you have reached the meridian of life, and 
have a comfortable home in au Eastern State, 
with assurance of a sufficiency’ during life, 
don't come West, al least to Missouri. Stay 
where you are, aud let the younger men go 
West” and advance with the country through 
competency to affluence. Old people have fixed 
habits and opinions: and the breaking up of 
old lies, old associations, and the change of 
fare aud the unaccustomed labor, cannot but 
have a depressing influence upon their spirits, 
and eventually upon their health. The knowl¬ 
edge that WC are in sympathy with aud are an 
acceptable part of the community in which we 
live, has a decided effect upon the health and 
happiness of an individual; and no matter 
how loudly the Western newspapers cry to the 
contrary, it is ati undisputable fact that the ma¬ 
jority of Missourians do not desire the settle¬ 
ment of Eastern familes among them. Those 
having the courage to come are preyed upon 
in every possible manner. * * * * 
Is it any wonder that the best teachers in the 
State arc leaving for other States, when we 
consider how the rights of the people to say 
•how many months’ school they shall have their 
districts taxed for, is taken from them ; aud 
in about four-fifths of the schools the direc¬ 
tors will mauage to have only just enough 
school to secure the public money. You do 
not need to be told what kind of school direc¬ 
tors run those delectable districts. Having 
school only one-third of the lime, whore are 
the youths the remaining two-thirds ? They 
are “ sitting around" at home, while those 
large enough hare gone to town and may be 
found m the saloons aud playing cards. The 
smaller boys are playing with the dogs, of 
which each family possesses from three to a 
dozen, according to their ability for eludiug 
the assessor. The ronsequeuce is that when 
these boys become men, they are about as fitly 
qualified to vote as are their fathers. The 
State cannot afford an appropriation of ten 
tbousaud dollars a year for the support of a 
Normal School, but it cau pay several times 
that amouut for the support of paupers and 
convicted crimiuals. It is uot surprising then 
that the trains of emigrant wagons which we 
see daily traveling westward, should pass on 
to some better governed aud more intelligent 
community. I do not wish to be understood 
that, there are no residents who are intelligent, 
educated, aud refined, for there are mauy 
from Ohio, Pennsylvania, aud New York, 
who constitute as truly refined a society as any 
I ever met at the East; but this class of peo¬ 
ple 16 generally to be found in towns. In the 
country they are yet in the minority, though 
in a silent way their influence is felt. On 
every side we hear the remark, “ I’m here and 
can’t get away." They have invested all their 
available means in land, which will not now 
sell for half its cost, aud too late, they find 
they have bought au elephant. Others who 
are young and hopeful, leave these scenes 
for more invitiugfields of labor. 
Sublette Co., Mo. Bessie Victor. 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Me., East Orrington, Penobscot Co., July 
15.—We had a cold, backward spring. Plenty 
of raiu the last of May and first of June has 
given us a bountiful hay crop. Wheat is look¬ 
ing well. Corn promises to bo a light crop. 
Potatoes are looking tine. Fruit trees were 
white with blossoms, but our crop will be light, 
owiug to the late frosts. Potato bugs are put¬ 
ting in an appearance quite thickly, h. e. s. 
N. Y., Croton, Delaware Co., July 16.— 
The recent rains have much improved the 
prospects of the hay crop hereabouts, and it 
will, doubtless, be fully an average one. 
E. .T. B. 
N. J-, Briek6burg, Ocean Co., July 11.—Our 
heated spell culminated on July 4th, when the 
thermometer marked almost 100 degrees on 
the north side of the house. Toward midnight 
of that date rain fell lightly-, which had the 
effect of cooling the atmosphere almost to 
chilliness. Since then it has remained cool 
until to-day, when the thermometer again 
touched 03 degrees. Most crops are badly 
wilted from lack of moisture. Corn is looking 
well; a few blackberries are ripe, and early 
eabbage is fit for market. All fruit trees, ex¬ 
cept Pears, are fairly full and promise well. 
Haying is ail finished aud the crop is in the 
barn in good condition. Wages are 61 without 
board, and S10<3>615 per month when boarded. 
G. A. M’B. 
New Jerset, Brookeide, Morris Co., July 
10.—AVhoat and rye are almost a failure; corn, 
oats, hay and potatoes are all good. j. d. t. 
Minn, Litchfield, Meeker Co., July 8.—Crop 
prospects continue good. Local storms, how- 
ever, have done some injury and reports and 
fears of rust are about; but that's all. Wheat 
is headed finely. Some fields of oats will be 
ready to cut in ten days. New potatoes have 
been in market for two weeks aud ripe cur¬ 
rants are in abundance. We have had plenty 
of rain, and the ground is in Cue condition. 
G. M. F. 
Minn., Cedar Mills, Meeker Co,, July 12.— 
We have been having very heavy rains during 
the past week, and some fields of wheat are 
troubled with rust. n. b. 
Minn.. Marshall. Lyou Co., July’ 10.—CropB 
are looking fair, and our prospects arc good 
at present. ’ s. w. 
Iowa. Bloomfield, Davis Co., June 30.—Early 
last spring one of the proprietors of a local 
newspaper gave me one small “Beauty’ of He¬ 
bron” potato. It bad seveu eyes. I cut it into 
seven pieces (an eye to the piece) and planted 
each piece in a hill ou the 18th of April. Yes¬ 
terday 1 opened some of the hills and took out 
only one potato (I want to save them all for 
seed, and did not disturb the hills much): it 
measured 7JxllJ inches in circumference. 
They are the finest-looking potatoes I have 
ever 6cen. j. p. p, 
Kan., McPherson, McPherson Co., July 10.— 
Wheat in this county will be a fair crop, with 
an estimated yield of 1,800,000 bushels. It 16 
all harvested. Recent, rains have insured the 
oat crop. The prospect for corn is exceedingly 
good. Potatoes will be a fall crop. l. & o. 
Oregon, Umatilla, Umatilla Co., July 8.— 
This is mainly a stock-raising country. Grain 
is grown only along the streams on the “bot¬ 
toms but where they arc sown, the wheat, 
oats, barley and rye have a heavy growth and 
promise uu abundant harvest. Vegetables of 
all kinds are doing well now, but arc late, 
owing to wet weather in May. Tlio cultiva¬ 
tion of fruit has not been properly attended to 
iu this immediate vicinity: but wherever a 
show has been given tlem, all kinds of fruit are 
lookiog fine. c. w. 
Wash. Territory, Pine Creek, Whitman 
Co., July 2.—Wheat, corn, potatoes and fruit 
are looking very fine. I never saw them look 
better. This is a newly-settled part of the 
country, however, and there isn't much corn 
or fruit raised here yet. n. b. p. 
Cai.., Soquel, Santa Cruz Co., July 8.— 
Wheat and barley are very good crops, and 
arc already being harvested. Corn never 
looked better than at this time of the year. 
Early potatoes are abuudant and very cheap. 
Fruits of all kinds bid fair to be all that we 
wish. Strawberries have been almost a drug 
iu the market; the second crop is now coming 
in. Blackberries, also, are abundant. Grapes 
are looking fine. Our climate can't be beat. 
There is a beet sugar manufactory in Soquel, 
aud beet6 are looking fine. Sugar-making be¬ 
gins in Augast. c. n. n. 
Tenn., Somerville, Fayette Co.—The 6eeds 
sent me by the Rural are all doing well. My 
friends laugh at me when I tell them I am go¬ 
ing to compete for one of the premiums on 
Bluut’s corn. They say no Southerner can get 
it; but I tell them that if I don’t get oue it will 
bo because I don't deserve it. The Rural 
deals so honestly, even in its opinions on ad¬ 
vertisements, that its candor has given me 
confidence iu what it says. Of the seed sent I 
did not plant 16 grains, as mice had eaten out 
the hearts of them; 100 graius germinated; 
two were cut down by cutworms. I hope to 
get the 6100, as the corn is now lookiug nice, 
and my neighbors don't laugh so much at my 
expectatious. G. w. b. 
[The premiums will be awarded according 
to merit. We have no sectional prejudices, 
aud, if we had, should feel ashamed if they 
iuUueuccd us iu the distribution of our premi¬ 
ums.—Ens] 
North _arolina, Chapel Hill, Orange Co., 
July 14 —We have had a short season of in¬ 
tensely hot aud dry weather. The early rains 
made a sharp contest between the grass aDd 
the farmer, but the showers failed as the heat 
increased. In the last of June and first of 
July the weather was so dry that all growing 
crops were injured. The early corn has suf¬ 
fered very seriously, and the cotton and to¬ 
bacco may uot recover from the ill effects. 
Strong winds, often from the east, have hud a 
very hurtful influence. But the clouds are 
more propitious now. There are signs of gen¬ 
eral rains and plenty of them. My philosophy 
in dry times is to Incessantly expect that it is 
going to rain. I recommend this to all Rural 
readers. It keeps up the spirits and encour¬ 
ages oue’s friends. There is no need of being 
disappointed, as you may move your prophe¬ 
cies and expectations forward every time a 
mistake is discovered. This is far better than 
the opposite course. For example, a venerable 
and Intelligent gentleman, living in my county 
argues that we shall have a famine this year. 
He is very positive in his opinion, but I have 
heard uo argument from him except that 
“ there was pestilence last year, and there will 
be famine this.” I hope these rains will wash 
away his gloomy theory. Our fruit crop is 
very short, and has shared in the damage done 
by the hot -weather. In your crop-report num¬ 
ber I was probably incorrect in reporting a 
reduced acreage iu cotton. Probably the State 
has more than last year. I am still well pleased 
with the Beauty of Hebron potato. It is per¬ 
haps two weeks earlier than any of the more 
common early varieties—has good qualities 
every way, except that it is not very prolific. 
There is a discouraging tendency- in the 
dwarf pear trees to die from what seems to be 
sap blight. So far I find that pruning off the 
dying Jtiubs arrests the decay. My guess as to 
sap-blight is that it is caused by very cold 
w’eather after the sap has started in the spring. 
The contraction upon the more exposed or 
lender parts acts as a ligature on the circula¬ 
tion. 1 tried pear grafts on the Pyras Jupon- 
ica, but failed completely. I have not yet been 
able to get either Pear or Apple to live on the 
hardy little stock. a. vr. M. 
N. C., Brookston, Warren Co., July 14.— 
Siuce my last report wo have had a drought. 
Though cotton and tobacco, whero well 
worked, have suffered but little, corn, gar¬ 
dens, clover, etc., are pretty w r ell dried up, 
while trees and vines planted this spring have 
suffered severely. We now feel encouraged to 
believe the dry spell is broken; a gentle rain 
is now falling, and vegetation looks brighter. 
Wheat is all thrashed—about an average yield 
and of better quality than last year. Prices of 
produce are: wheat, 61; corn, 80c.; butter, 
15c. to 35c.; eggs, 12Jc. Grapes (Ives’6) begin¬ 
ning to color. m. b. c. 
Fla., Tallahassee, July 11.—Owiug to a 
three weeks’ drought, our corn crop will fall 
off at least one-third from last year’s yield ; 
fortuuately, there is plenty of old corn iu the 
country, and selling at 45@50e. The past five 
days have been the hottest of the season, aud 
the thermometer yesterday’ at 3 p. m. indicated 
92°. This hot, dry weather is no detriment to 
cotton, which is putting on fruit finely, and is 
all we could wish it to be. The Rural is read 
with iutercst by many here, aud may its days 
be long In the land. The orange crop has been 
injured by the drought, and, I fear, will be 
small aud inferior. Figs, now fully ripe, are 
delicious, and watermelons of 30 pounds are 
slow sale at 12£c. A Subscriber. 
Texas, Refugio, Refugio Co., July 7. —The 
prospects for corn, potatoes aud fruit in this 
section arc very poor. Corn is au entire failure 
with some people in some localities, while oth¬ 
er* planted in sea6ou to receive the partial 
rains, and they will be rewarded for their 
efforts. There have been no experiments with 
wheat so far to the southwest as this. m. p. 
(jgumst. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS 
Improving n worn-out Orchard ; Blind Staggers 
in Sheep, etc. 
A. A. C., Uardinsburg . Ind.. asks how to 
fertilize a worn-out, gravelly orchard on a 
yellow clay hill; 2, when is the best time to 
sow orchard-gruss. 3. His sheep suffer from 
something like blind staggers, and be asks the 
cause and a remedy ; 4, also whether the old 
or the young bees leave the hive in swarming ; 
aud, 5, cau old bees make couib. 
Ans.--1. This is a difficult problem to solve. 
If farmers would only prevent tlieir land from 
being worn-out. by using the simple preserva¬ 
tive methods of growing clover, using plaster 
and lime, and plowing under clover-sod at 
least ouee in four or live years, such requests 
as this would never need to be made. When 
land is worn out, nothing cau restore it but 
manure or costly labor aud time, it is the 
fable of the killing of the goose to get the 
gulden eggs, repeated. Iu this case itmifhtbe 
well to plow the ground aud sow a bushel and 
a half of buckwheat per ucre. If any wood 
ashes can be procured, or a bushel of plaster 
per acre, we would sow it ou the seeded 
ground. In September, the buckwheat will be 
in blossom. Then we would hitch a chain t® 
the double-tree and the plow-beam, and with 
the loop dragging in the furrow, plow and 
turn under the buckwheat aud leave the 
ground until the spring; then cross-plow aud 
sow half a bushel of buckwheat per acre in 
May, and with it oue peck of clover seed per 
acre. The clover w ill probably “ take,” and as 
soon an the buckwheat is ripe it should be cut, 
leaving a high stubble, which will still protect 
the clover. The clover should be permitted to 
fall ou the ground aud the next year should be 
plowed under und the whole process repeated; 
harvesting the buckwheat, however. The 
next crop of clover may be cut, for hay or 
pastured. After that orchard-grass seed may 
be sown. 2. Either May or August Is a good 
