THE 
RURAL NEW'YORKER, 
A National Journal for Country and Suburban Homo . 
Conducted by 
e. s. CARMAN, 
Editor. 
J. S. WOODWARD, 
Associate. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
No. 34 Park Row, New Y'ork. 
SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 1880.* 
If the number on your address label is 
1879, your subscription expires with this 
number; if 1880, next week; 1881, in two 
weeks, etc. 
The chrysanthemum illustrations in 
this issue are faithful drawings made from 
flowers sent to this office by Mr. John 
Thorpe, of East Hinsdale, Long Island, 
N. Y. 
We have always been troubled in pre¬ 
serving our celery in trenches. Last Fall 
it was taken up with all the soil that 
would adhere to the roots, and it is keep¬ 
ing better than ever before. 
-• 
It may be well that we should again 
remind our readers that chrysanthemums 
may be very easily grown from seed. 
Sow them now and most of the seedlings 
will bloom next Fall. The plants do not 
seed in this climate, but seeds are offered 
in some of the catalogues we are noticing. 
The considerable space devoted to 
the chrysanthemum in this number may 
not please all of our farmer readers, but 
we trust their wives and children may be 
pleased. We consider floriculture a legi¬ 
timate and very important adjunct to the 
farm. A farm-home without flowers is 
deprived of one of its most captivating 
charms. 
Our subscribers are respectfully solici¬ 
ted to renew as soon as, or before their 
subscriptions expire, since, owing to the 
fact that our calls for specimen copies are 
far greater than in any preceding year, 
we can not supply back numbers later 
than the tenth of February, probably. 
Mr. William Falconer kindly sent 
us some fruit of the comparatively new 
shrub Xanthoceras sorbifolia. The seeds 
were planted and sprouted in a few days. 
The seedlings are doing well. This shrub 
belongs to the same family as the horse- 
chestnut, and bears its flowers in similar 
racemes. It was first illustrated in the 
R. N.-Y. about 10 years ago. It is now- 
offered by several nurserymen. We shall 
have occasion to refer to it again ere long. 
There is no fruit, grain, root or vege¬ 
table that will do w-ell everywhere, while 
most of the new seeds, fruits or plants 
will thrive in certain localities. IIow 
then are we to secure improved varieties 
except by experiment? We may say that 
the Concord is the grape for the million. 
But there, are many places where an Eldo¬ 
rado, Jefferson, Lady Washington, 
Brighton may yield better fruit aud more 
of it. We may speak of the Clawson or 
Fultz Wheat as succeeding over a wider 
range of country than any other; hut in 
many parts of the country the Armstrong 
(Landreth), or Diehl-Mediterranean may 
yield more and give a far better quality 
of flour. The same may be said as to 
other cereals, fruits; potatoes, etc. If we 
would increase the quality or quantity of 
our farm products, we must ted new things. 
Let this be done in ever so small a way, 
only so that the results may guide us in 
our future selections. 
About the middle of December, we re¬ 
ceived a basket of Concord grapes from 
Mr. C. M. Hovey, raised in Fitchburg, 
Mass. They were in fine order, and very 
good in quality to those who like the Con¬ 
cord flavor. In sending them Mr. Hovey 
called our attention to an enterjjri.se start¬ 
ed some time since by him to give Mr. 
Bull, the originator of the Concord, some 
testimonial in recognition of his great 
services to the American people in origi¬ 
nating the Concord. We think this a 
worthy thing to do, and that there are 
thousands everywhere who would like to 
contribute a mite toward the memento. 
Mr. Hovey informs us that the names of 
the subscribers, together with valuable 
letters from the successful cultivators of 
the Concord in Massachusetts and New 
Hampshire, will be published and sent to 
all who care to contribute toward so 
worthy an enterprise. We hope hund¬ 
reds will help in this matter,and subscrip¬ 
tions may be sent directly to Mr. C. M. 
Hovey, Boston, Mass., or to the Rural 
New-Yorker, and we will see that they are 
forwarded. Already the leading cultiva¬ 
tors and amateurs and dealers in grapes 
around Boston have liberally contributed. 
Nearly two years ago we strongly 
urged the convenience and, indeed, im¬ 
portance of a uniform standard of grain 
measure for all j>arts of the country, and 
suggested the cental system, current on 
the Pacific Coast and in Liverpool, as the 
best. The National Board of Trade, now 
in session at Washington, has just adopt- 
ed our recommendation, by urging upon 
Congress the passage of a law providing 
for the measure we approved; but advis¬ 
ing that it should be made an interna¬ 
tional standard, especially for such coun¬ 
tries as export or import wheat. Con¬ 
gress can at once enact a law providing 
for the proposed amendment within our 
own borders, where the contents of a 
bushel vary in weight in different States; 
but it can only recommend to other coun¬ 
tries the adoption of an international stand¬ 
ard. Negotiations to effect this must be 
slow. We want a speedy improvement. 
Then our advice to others in favor of an 
international standard will carry more 
weight, when we have ourselves put it in 
practice by establishing a uniform stan- 
ard at home. 
POSITIVELY. 
Intending advertising patrons would 
save us and themselves trouble in the way 
of correspondence, if they would accept 
our published rates as absolutely invari¬ 
able. The Rural's price is 30 cents a 
line, unless 1,000 lines are engaged and 
used within a year from the first insertion. 
Then the. price is 25 cents. Now we 
will not even consider, any deviation from 
those prices, no matter how large the pro¬ 
posed contract may be. 
A COMMENDABLE MOVE. 
A State Farmers’ Institute has been 
called at Ithaca, N. Y., to be held Feb¬ 
ruary 16, 17 and 18th. We are not yet 
in receipt of the programme, but we are 
assured it will be one of deep interest to 
the farmers of the Empire State. We 
hope every farmer who can possibly do 
so, will make it a point to be in attend¬ 
ance. Set in motion the ball that should 
never stop till we have some Body in this 
State with authority to hold, not'a single 
Institute each year, but a score or more. 
Reduced rates are assured on all railroads, 
and we hope to see a rousing turnout. 
For further particulars write to Prof. I. P. 
Roberts, Ithaca, N. Y. We shall have 
more to say about this later. 
TO NE W FR IENDS. 
Our seed distribution for 1886 (now 
soon to be mailed) will contain the fol¬ 
lowing quantities of seed: 
Angel of Midnight Corn, from 80 to 85 
kernels, 
Alaska Pea, 200 seeds. 
Mixed Water-Melons, 50 to 60 seeds. 
Hackensack Muskmelons, 50 to 60 seeds. 
Bird Cantaloupe, 15 to 20 seeds. 
Garden Treasures, about one-eight of 
an ounce. 
Mul tiplying these figures by 20,000, some 
idea of the entire cost of the distribution 
may be arrived at. Then $1,000 for 
postage, and also the cost, of seed envel¬ 
opes, putting up the seeds and sending 
them off must be added. 
It has never been the design of these 
seed distributions to furnish seeds in 
quantity. We leave that to the seedsmen. 
Our object is to enable our readers to test 
the latest and most promising novelties 
without incurring any expense beyond 
that of planting aud cultivation. 
WE WANT 
a large number of sketches for 1886 from 
our readers, for which we propose to pay 
our regular price for such matter, as the 
illustrations appear in these columns. It 
matters not, how rudely the sketches are 
drawn, if only our artist can understand 
them and the descriptions which accom¬ 
pany them. The sketches desired are 
those of any contrivance whatever which 
will save labor or promote economy or 
comfort, whether for man or beast. For 
the farm, garden, orchard; for the barn, 
stable, shed, corn-crib, carriage house, 
tool-house, granary; for the pig-pen, 
poultry yard, poultry house, chicken coop; 
for the sheep, cattle, swine; for the house, 
kitchen, laundry; for wells, pumps, well- 
houses, ice-houses, we want sketches for 
illustrations. We want sketches and plans 
of farm hotises, dairy houses, and all sorts 
of farm buildings; of every sort of tool or 
implement used in country life; of any¬ 
thing, in short, which may help in any 
way the farmer, the farmer’s wife or 
children, and all who work the soil either 
for pleasure or profit. Go to your neigh¬ 
bors aud see if they cannot help you; see 
if they have nothing upon their premises 
which you would like, and which you 
think would be worthy of being illustrated 
in the Rural New-Yorker. We do not 
ask or expect artistic sketches or good 
writing. We only ask for legible writing 
and for sketches which may readily be 
understood. Photographs of any of the 
above will be acceptable. 
IMPORTANT. 
Our regular premium-list offers lib¬ 
eral pay certainly to all who will assist in 
increasing the Rural’s circulation for 
1886. It would seem, however, as if all 
neglected our 
$ 3,300 
worth of presents for the largest clubs, 
regardless of their size, for the reason, ap¬ 
parently, that all seem to take it for granted 
that others will secure these presents, and 
so they prefer to work for the regular 
premiums, which, though more liberal 
than ever before, will not pay half as well 
as would these presents. It seems 
probable, therefore, that for 1886—the 
same as last year — this list of sterling 
presents will he so neglected that, they 
will be awarded, in mffny cases, for 
numbers of subscribers which, at $2.00 
each, will amount to less than the actual 
cost of the articles to be presented , while 
many will not be awarded at all. The list 
of presents referred to will be found ill 
our issue of November 14, last, and is 
worth looking at. 
_+ + , - 
MANUFACTURERS, BEWARE! 
The Ohio Wool Growers’ Association 
at its recent session petitioned Congress 
to restore the tariff on wools fixed by the 
Act of 1867, and appointed a committee “to 
go to Washington aud importune. Con¬ 
gress.” Yes, that's what the agricultur 
ists of the Nation, constituting half its 
industrial pojmlatiou, are accustomed to 
do when seeking State or National legis¬ 
lation in behalf of their special interests— 
they have to ‘ 'importune 1 '’ tlu* lawyers, 
manufacturers, merchants and bankers 
who constitute nine-tenths of the State 
and National Legislatures. Well, “who 
will be free, himself must strike the blow.” 
Just in the same way, the farmers of the 
country, the best and far away the most 
multitudinous part of its population, 
must “importune,” a handful of people 
in other limited callings for their rights 
until they assert their own importance 
and dignity. And, then, what a howl 
goes up from the editorial sanctums of 
all the political papers at the supreme 
selfishness, imbecility and impudence of 
the sheep-raisers of the country in seek¬ 
ing a protective duty on wool, while it 
is to the interest of all other wearers of 
woolen clothes that the price should 
be low! Even the papers that favor 
a heavy protective tariff join in the outcry. 
They want no protection for raw materials 
—the products of the farm. Protection 
for the manufacturers is all they care 
for; and the manufacturers of woolens are 
benefited by a low duty on imported 
wool. The farmers of the nation arc out 
of pocket millions and millions of dol¬ 
lars every year on account of the higher 
prices they have to pay for goods, owing 
to the heavy duties on foreign wares for 
the protection of the manufacturers of 
the country. At the National Farmers’ 
Convention lately held at Boston, it was 
resolved that while it abstained for the 
iresent from advocating free trade or 
irotection, it insisted that while farmers 
lad to pay millions auuually for the 
“protection” of manufacturers, it was only 
just- that their own interests should like¬ 
wise be protected in the few cases where 
“protection” is possible. The wool-grow¬ 
ing interest is the most important of the 
‘■‘few.” It will be a “cold day” for 
the “protectionists” when the mighty 
mass of farmers become “free-traders.” 
WE VOTE “AYE.” 
Representative Albert J. Hopkins,of 
Illinois, has introduced a bill into Con¬ 
gress putting the manufacture of oleo¬ 
margarine and similar eomjiounds on the 
same footing as the manufacture of 
whisky and tobacco. His bill provides, 
first, that all manufacturers of the stuff 
shall be registered and shall give bonds 
to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue; 
second, that every manufactory shall have 
a conspicuous sign, giving the name and 
business ; third, that the makers of the 
oil used in the manufacture of bogus but¬ 
ter and cheese shall keep and furnish to 
the Collectors of Internal Revenue a record 
of all their sales; fourth, that the manu¬ 
facturer shall plaee on every tub, crock, 
box nr other package a ]muted label sim¬ 
ilar to those now placed on tobacco pack¬ 
ages, stating that all the requirements of 
the law have been fully complied with; 
and it shall be unlawful for any party to 
use such package a second time; fifth, the 
tax is required to be paid by stamps the 
same as in the case of cigars, etc.; sixth, 
imported adulterated butter or cheese 
will have to pay the same tax as that manu¬ 
factured in this country in addition to the 
regular import duties. 
The tax is fixed at 10 cents per pound for 
butter and three cents per pound for 
cheese substitutes. The penalties fixed for 
the violations of this Act are made very 
severe, and no loop-holes are left for the 
manufacturers to crawl out. “Adulterat¬ 
ed butter or cheese” is defined as “any ar¬ 
ticle or compound manufactured, in whole 
or in part, of any oleaginous substance, 
oleomargarine, suine, butteriue, beef-fat, 
lard, neutral-vegetable oil, or any 
substance other than that produced from 
unadulterated milk, and designed to take 
the place of butter and cheese, or to he 
sold or offered for sale as an article of 
food.” 
We hope this hill will be speedily 
pushed through to a jiassage. It is alike 
in the interest of every laboring man, 
every trading man and every jiroducer, 
as well as of the farmers of this country. 
It is an act in the interest of honesty 
as against fraud. We would suggest, 
however, that the bill is not. quite com¬ 
plete. We think the compelling of the 
entire jiroduct to ho colored some dis¬ 
tinctive tint would provide an easy meaus 
for its detection, whether offered for sale 
in or out of the jmekages. Let lliis little 
ammendment be added and then we hope 
to see the measure speedily become a law. 
BREVITIES. 
We* want our friends to try SchwerdJer’s 
Maple as an ornamental tree. 
For home use we know not to-day of a 
better raspberry than the Turner. 
The Rauoocas Raspberry seems to be well 
received. Another season will help to settle 
its merits at the Rural Grounds. 
Short, pithy articles from our subscribers 
are always welcome. We can always find 
space for them. Thus we should help one an¬ 
other. 
The Rural New-Yorker posters for 1885 
will be gladly sent to all who will tack them 
up iu their carriage houses or other conspicu¬ 
ous places. 
Henderson's “Rose” proves to be one of the 
best varieties of celery we have ever tried. 
One enu not do much better than to select this 
and the Perfection Heartwell for his main 
crop. 
Chufas, or Earth Almonds, are offered iu 
most catalogues. Under the Farmers’ Clnb 
of this week two Southern firms are mention¬ 
ed, giving the impression that they are not 
offered by Northern seedsmen. 
Next week we shall give another full expo¬ 
sure of Florida land frauds. Let no one in¬ 
vest a cent in Florida land until lie sees the 
result of our investigation, unless he has in¬ 
spected the place personally or through a 
trustworthy and competent friend. 
The very best yellow raspberry we have 
over raised is a seedling from \Tr. Macomber, 
of Vermont. It Is probably, however, a seed¬ 
ling of the Antwerp, and its hardiness is as yet 
doubtful. We shall report later. The berry 
is of the largest size, though rather soft. 
Thus far this Winter our Wyandottcs have 
not given us so many eggs by half its last 
Winter. The reason is, as we believe, that 
the chicks were hatched later. With our 
Wyandotbs wo are again trying the Crested 
Golden Spangled Hamlmrgs. But our strain 
seems tender and feeble. 
There is a road leading out of Tokio 
(Japan) 23 miles long with the Retinispora 
phimosa (an evergreen conifer, somewhat re¬ 
sembling Arbor-vttffi) planted on either side. 
So we are informed by Mr. Peter B. Mead, 
who has relatives tiring there. This tree, as 
well as its variety, Retinispora nlumosu aurea 
(golden-variegated), thrives well at the Rural 
Grounds. 
Years ugo, 12 perhaps, we first tried Tail- 
by’s Hybrid Cucumber. We thought it then 
the I jest of cucumbers, being almost seedless 
and very tender. We have spoken of it often 
since, and now it may be found iu many cata¬ 
logues. But it is not a productive variety, 
and would not pay to cultivate for pickles. 
