THE 
RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY. 
CONDUCTED BY 
ELBERT S. CARMAN. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
78 Duane Street, New York City. 
Terms for 1879 80 yearly subscription price: 
Postage prepaid ----- $2.00 
Six months - - - - - - 1.10 
The above terms are Invariable. The reduc¬ 
tion from $2.50 to $2.00 makes the Rurai, New- 
Yorker the cheapest paper of its class in the 
world. We have therefore no club price. The 
price is the feme to all. whether a single copy 
or one hundred copies be ordered. Any of our 
friends who are willing to act as agents, will 
find our terms fully stated in our premium 
lists which will he sent free to all applicants. 
Agents will be supplied with canvassing outfits 
on application. Our advertising rates will be 
found on page 581. 
—-♦-*-*■- 
Our renders, friends and agents are invited to 
send to us for as many copies of this Fair edition 
of the. Rural as they would he willing to hand to 
their friends. They trill be at once mailed with¬ 
out charge. Secretaries also will he supplied with 
auy number of copies they may desire to have 
distributed at their respective Fairs. 
TO OUR FHIEND8—THE READERS AND 
SUBSCRIBERS OF THE RURAL 
i NEW-YORKER. 
We need scarcely request you to read 
the several columns under our “Free 
Seed Distribution,” since it concerns you 
as much as it concerns ns. Our seed is 
all secured beyond a question—at least 
we believe it to be—and the kinds offered 
have been selected with little regard to 
their cost, but with the greatest regard to 
furnishing yon with the most valuable 
seeds that could be selected. They are 
fresh seeds, and true to name —we guar¬ 
antee it, Most of them may be easily 
raised by the amateur; and for those re¬ 
quiring special treatment, we shall fur¬ 
nish plain and ample instructions. It is 
our interest as well as our pleasure to 
furnish the choicest and rarest seeds. 
Thus we secure your thanks and kindly 
wishes—thus we benefit the horticultural 
and agricultural would. With the assist¬ 
ance of one of our first seedsmen, we 
have estimated the retail value of our 
seeds and plants as follows : 
Cuthbort Raspberry, two plants to each sub- 
scriber,......... 
Mold’s Knnobled Oats. 
.$0.25 
... in 
Telephone Pea.25 
Abies siblrlca. .; .26 
Magnolia Seeds (ass'd, including Soulangeana 
Lennel. .. .25 
Iris (seeds from seedling I. Ka^mpferi).. 
Hybrid Pentstemons. .. 
Bebb’s nybrid Aquileglas. 
Arlstolochia Slpho. 
Ipomcea Leptophylla. 
. .25 
..50 
.25 
.25 
.10 
$2.45 
The above figures 182.45) for novelties 
or rare seeds, are entirely within all pro¬ 
per limits, as may be seen by glancing at 
the catalogues of our prominent seed 
merchants. Those who desire the seeds 
we offer, if they could be purchased at 
all, would be obliged to pay at least the 
sums we have attached to them. We 
offer them to our subscriber* free of all 
cost, except postage—a part of which, as 
in all of our previous seed distributions, 
we ourselves bear. Assisted by cmr ex¬ 
perience in putting up over 250,000 pack¬ 
ets of scedB during the early jinrt of this 
year, we hope to avoid all mistakes, or, 
should any occur, to remedy them 
promptly. 
With cordial greetings to you kind 
Benders and Subscribers—with the hope 
that you and we may live long enough to 
serve with telling effect the great and 
noble cause of agriculture and horticul¬ 
ture, we subscribe ourselves, 
Your obedient servants, 
The Editors and Proprietors 
of the Rural New-Yorker. 
•-- 
READERS, PLEASE NOTE. 
It will be useless for any persons to ap¬ 
ply for our seeds or plants unless they 
are yearly subscribers. The reasonable¬ 
ness of this restriction will appear with¬ 
out further remark. We might be will¬ 
ing, or even desirous, to supply our seeds 
to all who read our announcement; in¬ 
deed, we would be glad to do so since 
there is no more effectual way of promot¬ 
ing the interests which the Rural has at 
heart. But this is obviously impossible. 
Hence, we strictly limit our distributions 
to subscribers. 
We desire to make it plain, also, that 
our seed and plant distributions are in no 
sense premiums. As it is optional with 
us whether we offer them or not, it is our 
privilege to state when the distributions 
shall begin and when they shall be dis¬ 
continued, so long as we liberally fulfill 
every obligation to which we commit our¬ 
selves. We had it in mind to offer other 
plants or seeds, or both, during next 
year, tho same as we have done during 
this year. But exigencies which it is 
impossible to foresee at present may pre¬ 
vent. We, therefore, make no promise. 
As regards postage; There may be 
some of our subscribers who do not care 
•for Raspberries, or who have no place for 
them. In such case a two-cent stamp 
only will suffice for all the others, leav¬ 
ing out the two plants of Cuthbort. If, 
therefore, our subscribers send us a two- 
cent stamp, we shall know that they 
order all except the Cuthbert. If six 
cents’ worth of stamps bo sent us, we 
shall know that the entire collection is 
ordered. In other words, we charge our 
patrons two cents postage for the nine 
Borts of seeds, and four cents postage for 
the Raspberries. The rest of the post¬ 
age, as well as the entire cost of raising, 
purchasing the seeds and plants, and the 
cost of putting them up, printing, enve¬ 
lopes, &c,, &c M are borne by us. 
In conclusion, we would say that iu due 
time we shall give the most explicit di¬ 
rections as to the treatment of our seeds, 
so as to insure germination and healthy 
growth. We respectfully urge our friends 
to follow such directions as eloBely as 
may be. 
-- 
EXPERIMENT GROUNDS OF THE RUR4L 
NEW-YORKER. 
As most of our readers are aware, the 
Experiment Grounds of the Rural New- 
Yorker consist of a fraction over 82 
acres. Of these 80 acres are the Rural 
Farm, situated in Kings Comity, Long 
Island, 20 miles from this city, and within 
sight of the ocean. Here we test all sorts 
of seeds and plants which appertain 
rather to agriculture than to horticulture. 
The remaining two acres and a fraction 
are designated in those columns as “ Tho 
Rural Grounds.” They are situated 
about 17 miles from New York, in Ber¬ 
gen Co., N. J. Here we test all kinds of 
shrubs and trees which are said to be 
hardy, as well as grapes, all small fmits, 
novelties iu vegetables, &o., <fcc. Hence 
it is we are enabled to state from experi¬ 
ence the probable value or worthlessness 
of the hundreds of, high-priced novelties 
which appear from season to season, for 
the benefit of those who read this jour¬ 
nal. The sketch of the Rural Grounds 
(see page 565) is by our regular artist, 
and as accurate in details as its size per¬ 
mits. The vegetable and small fruit 
plots and the vineyard are not shown for 
want of space. By reference to this pic¬ 
ture the article by Mr. Georgeson(“A 
Visit to the Rural Grounds,”) will be 
read more understandingly. Iu these 
days of “Garden Parties,” wo wish it 
were possible to have all of our subscrib¬ 
ers visit us at the same time. No doubt 
the “ interchange of ideas” which would 
be a pleasing feature of the gatheriug, 
would prove of “mutual benefit." As 
this, however, is quite out of the ques¬ 
tion, we constantly endeavor to place the 
Rural and its appendages as familiarly 
before onr readers as possible; audit is 
to this as much as auy cause we at¬ 
tribute the freedom with which they re¬ 
ciprocate by their ever-wclcome letters 
and communications. 
THE WORLD IN WAX. 
An artificer iu wax has recently con¬ 
structed a terrestrial globe, with all the 
prominent geographical points laid down 
in wax. At first, thought this merely 
strikes an obseryor as an ingenious selec¬ 
tion of material for ease in working. But 
when w r e hear the man’s story, anew idea, 
which is well worthy of general applica¬ 
tion, presents itself. It is but two months 
since the artist was able to complete, his 
work, in consequence of the constant new 
discoveries of boundaries of sea and laud; 
bights and localities of mountains; 
courses of rivers ; alterations of political 
boundaries, and other reasons for changes 
in the contour of his work. Even now, 
after two short months only, a new set of 
changes is needed, and so it will go on, 
never ceasing while the forces of nature 
are at work, or tho knowledge or intelli¬ 
gence of mankind is defective. There 
are rnauy blank spaces, too, where “ un¬ 
known ” may be written, for all the enter¬ 
prise and effort of man have been ns yot 
unable to penetrate the mysteries of 
many parts of tin earth’s surface. 
What an illustration is here afforded of 
luimau knowledge. Thirty centuries 
ago Solomon wrote, “ there is nothiug 
new under the sun ; that which.hath been 
is now; and that which is to be hath 
been already." Since then men have 
thought likewise, and that “wisdom 
would die with them. ” But in our pres¬ 
ent light, how evanescent seem to be the 
boundaries of onr knowledge ! Were we 
to map them iu any less plastic material 
than wax, which can bo molded, pressed 
together, cut oft here, added to there, 
spread out or taken in, the work would 
have to be destroyed daily, and our map- 
maker would be kept steadily at work de¬ 
molishing to-day what he made yester¬ 
day, and continually laying out a new 
plan. 
We all work in wax. Let no man think 
that ho has attained the end of all knowl¬ 
edge, even iu the small affairs of his own 
occupation. Else, his work, being in 
wax, a bright ray of sunlight bringing in 
tho warmth of a new fact, will melt the 
edge from a jutting point, and where 
there was a mountain of certainty laid 
down, lo ! there may be a sea of doubt, 
of unknown depth, whose sounding is yet 
to be accomplished. This 1ms two bear¬ 
ings ; one that shall make the man of 
knowledge modest, thoughtful, tolerant 
of others’ opinions, always remembering 
that his own work is as wax ; the other, 
that shall make him diligent to search for 
the weak points of others’ work, exposing 
it to the warmest investigation, testing it, 
and never thoroughly basing his own 
standing upon it until he is satisfied that 
it may bear the weight and warmth of full 
criticism. It has one general applica¬ 
tion, which is that we should always bo 
ready to listen to the expression of others’ 
opinions; always prepared to learn ; ever 
on the watch for information, and ready 
to turn this to practical use; to be toler¬ 
ant of others’ mistakes; to be never 
ashamed to change an opinion when 
there are good reasons for it, and to be 
cautious of expressing crude ideas, lest 
some hasty person may plump down a 
lump of wax on his map and call it a 
landmark. 
Cultivation of Wheat in Eng¬ 
land. —Dr. J. B. Lawes, ol Rothamsted, 
in reply to an inquiry, writes us in a pri¬ 
vate letter as follows : 
“ No one here cultivates wheat, nor has 
thin seeding ever made much way. At 
the present moment the great bulk of 
the wheat grown in this country is drilled 
iu rows about five inches apart, and the 
seed used is about two bushels per acre. 
It stands to reason that if one plant of 
wheat has possession of one or two 
square feet of soil, its power of growth 
must be increased; but except upon 
garden soil, or upon farms in excessively 
high condition, I feel sure that thin seed¬ 
ing will never be successful.", 
-- 
BREVITIES. 
Fair play. 
Does Farming Pay ? Sec page 577 for 
answer. 
Is Queen of the Market another name for the 
Cuthbort Ruspberry ? 
Dwakaoinu your neighbor's exhibit at the 
fair will not help your own. 
Secretary Garfield says that committees 
too often "guess the pulp before they cut the 
peel.” 
“1 left better at home " says the grumbler 
at the Fair. Why didn’t you bring them Mr. 
Grumbler? 
Several of our most prized articles, pre¬ 
pared expressly for this number, arc crowded 
out much to our regret. 
Our usual departments of Markets, News, 
Floriculture, The Woman’s Club etc., etc., are 
crowded out of this issue. 
All who iuLend to apply for the seeds and 
plants of our present Distribution will do well 
to keep t his number for reference. 
The unfairest part of rnauy fairs is the ul- 
most indiscriminate putuifcr iu which premiums 
are awarded. That should be the fairest part 
of fairs. 
A special Wheat number of the Rural New- 
Yorker will follow this Fair number. Our 
next special thereafter will be a Potato number. 
Six subscriptions ($3.00 each, our only 
price) will entitle tho sender to one copy of the 
Rural New-Yorker for one year. This only 
to Jan. 1st. 
Plant Raspberries and Blackberries, Cur¬ 
rants and Gooseberries, Strawberries and 
Grapes. They will cost you little; they will 
help you much. 
Aoents, or those who are willing to act as 
such, are invited to send for our new Premium 
List which will he found to offer them unusually 
liberal compensation. 
Of all the varieties of Strawberry wc arc 
now cultivating, “ Sharpless” is the most 
vigorous. Plants of this can he determined 
at. once bv their fiuo fresh appearance, large 
stools and big leaves. 
Blount’s White Prolific corn and tho Beauty 
of Hebron potato, distributed among our sub¬ 
scribers this year, have, so far as heard from, 
given great satisfaction. The best yields of 
corn will be published later, and due notice 
given of our premium awards. 
A note just received from Rural Farm says : 
“From 215 pounds of Beauty of Hebron 
potato we have dug 8fi bushels—the yield will 
be at least one-third greater than that of Early 
Rose planted beside there, aud treated iu the 
same way. Onr l’earl Millet will bo a failure." 
Tue London Garden gives with each issue a 
colored plate of flowers. The Clematises 
Mrs. C. Jackman, white; Robert Hanbury, 
purple; Fair Rosamond, pink, are the sub¬ 
jects of the last. The Clematis is a beautiful 
flower aud should And a place iu every garden. 
A good county fair, saj-sDr. Iloskins, among 
all its other merits. Is an evidence of thrift on 
thcpaitof the fanners of the comity. A poor 
farmer cures nothing about the lair, lie has 
nothing to exhibit, and he dislikes to utleud, 
for he is reminded by the elegant products 
Which his neighbors display wliat lailurcs he 
and his farm are. 
Our new premium list will be ready in a few 
weeks. There Is scarcely a reader that will 
fail to bo Interested in it. It will offer valuable 
presents to all who sendus subscribers, whether 
two, a dozen or a hundred. We have made 
these presents more valuable thau ever before, 
desiring to reward those who increase the 
Rural s influence as liberally as we can afford 
to do. 
One of our fu st pomologists writes us : “ We 
should aim to make our premium lists and re¬ 
ports more truly and effectively educational, 
and to compel committees not only to judge 
carefully, but to give in their reports the true 
reasons for their conclusions; aiming also to 
discourage the time-honored practice of tempt¬ 
ing the eye with enormous, overgrown and 
worthless sorts, by discrediting collections con¬ 
taining such.” 
The Royal Agricultural Society’s instructions 
to judges are: “As the objects of the Society, 
in giving the prizes for neat cattle, sheep, and 
pigs, is "to promote improvement in breeding 
stock, the judges, in making their awards are 
requested not to take into their consideration 
the present value to the butcher ol the animal 
exhibited, but to decide according to their re¬ 
lative merits for the purposes of breeding." 
Size aud fatness seem to guide imr judges. 
*■ From an impartial and unprejudiced stand¬ 
point the New York 8late Agricultural Society, 
m the management of Its annual fairs, is with¬ 
out a peer on this continent, and furnishes a 
model well worthy the imitation of the numer¬ 
ous societies in other States. The New York 
society scorns to be conducted for the sole ruu- 
pose of the advancement of agriculture,’ sr> 
says the Cultivator. Such is tho general belief 
amoug those who attend this lair, no matter 
what State they come from. Aud yet horse- 
raciug is not permitted. 
The request often made by publishers that 
readerBWlll mention their journals when an¬ 
swering advertisements, seems to us a very 
reasonable one. Such mention is a helpful 
aud friendly act to tho journal mentioned aud 
enables the advertiser to determine which 
journals are the best advertising mediums. 
Reference to onr advertising columns will 
show there is not oue advertisement of an ex¬ 
ceptional or ambiguous character admitted. 
In so fur as this is possible we hold ourselves 
responsible for their high standing and trust¬ 
worthiness. 
Esquire Wbrb. a farmer nen v the Rural 
Grounds, presented the writer with a nutmeg 
melon measuring two feet, nine iuclies in its 
largest circumference and weighing 12J lbs. 
This was raised on a side-bill patch without 
extra cultivation. From time to time we 
have tested nil sorts of uiusk-mcluus and we 
return to this as tin? YfM'V best for our soil and 
climate, whether for market or homo use. 
Different kinds of melons cross so readily that 
many new varieties are announced in cata¬ 
logues every year as possessing superior qual¬ 
ities. Though so easy to produce new va¬ 
rieties. they are generally short-lived because 
inferior. Hence it is that 50 new uames could 
be mentioned that have been announced during 
the past five years, not one of which is worth a 
second trial. 
T. T. Lion remarked last year before the 
Michigan State Poinologicul Society, of which 
he is the worthy president, that lie was ac¬ 
quainted with a' man In his county who hud 
some little pears that at onetime ho considered 
of very little value. Tlwy would hardly sell in 
the market, and he had u> giver them away one 
year. But finally he could name his own 
price; people found out lheirexcellence—they 
were Seeknls. It is n matter of considerable 
surprise to us that p* wide are so slow in de¬ 
manding better quality in market strawberries. 
In the ease of pears, however. It is compara¬ 
tively easy for the purchaser to recognize va¬ 
rieties, while the generality of purchasers can 
not tell one Hort of strawberry from another, anc{ 
arc, therefore, more at the mercy of tho seller-' 
