WESTERN NEW YORK HORTICULTU¬ 
RAL SOCIETY MEETING. 
This old and influential society held its an¬ 
nual meeting at the Common Council Room, 
City Hall, Rochester, New York, commencing 
Wednesday, at 11 o’clock, a.m. President 
Barry, on taking the chair, congratulated the 
society on having the largest attendance he 
had ever seen at the opening of the session. 
As was very proper, Mr. P. Barry was unani¬ 
mously re-elected President; Messrs. S. D. 
Willard, ot Geneva; W. Brown Smith, of 
Syracuse; J. S. Woodward, of Lockport; and 
W. C. Barry, of Rochester, were elected Vice- 
Presidents, and Mr, P. C. Reynolds, of 
Rochester, was re-elected Secretary and Trea¬ 
surer. 
The President, in his annual address, said 
the signs of a general revival of business were 
plenty, and nothing would he more profit¬ 
ed .by such a revival than horticulture, 
fruit growing and kindred pursuits. He was 
glad to see so much attention being given to 
the improvement of the methods of agricul¬ 
ture, and commended the experiment stations 
and agricultural colleges. He also had a good 
word to say for forestry, aud thought our 
State would he the gainer were thousands of 
acres of its rough laud plauted with forest 
trees. He said that the Sequoias on their 
grounds hail been slightly injured by the last 
Winter, but had nearly recovered during the 
Summer. He thinks the fruit crop is of so 
much importance to New York that our or¬ 
chards should receive more care aud better 
culture. In a report of the markets in the 
large cities he had noticed ordinary apples 
quoted at $1.50, while extra nice, selected bar 
rels had brought from $2.50 to even .<4. While 
pearR. as ordinarily sorted, packed and sent to 
market, had sold for from $1.50 to $5 per bar¬ 
rel, he had known fine pears, nicely sorted, 
each pear wrapped in tissue paper, and 
packed in bushel kegs and boxes, to sell read¬ 
ily at $5 per bushel. More care in sorting and 
packing fruit will certainly pay. 
Mr. George Ellwanger, in an essay on orna¬ 
mental trees and plants, said people soou tire 
of the finest pictures ever painted; but a 
beautiful landscape or a fine tree,only interests 
aud charms us the more the longer we study it. 
Mr. Chas. A, Green, in a report on orni¬ 
thology, said a single swallow in a Summer’s 
afternoon will destroy more insects than a 
man with a bucket of Paris-green aud water. 
The birds destroyed that their stuffed skins 
might disgrace the hats of the city Indies, 
would, if allowed to live, have been of more 
real use to mankind than will all the city belles 
in a century of their aimless lives. It had 
been charged that some birds were destructive 
to fruit, and it might be necessary sometimes 
to kill them; hut we should do so ouly with 
the same feeling witli which we would take 
the life of a human beiug—only as a painful 
necessity. 
Mr. Harrison charged that the English 
sparrow was not only destructive to grain and 
fruit, but that it did much to drive away or¬ 
namental and useful birds. 
Mr. Woodward said he was no friend of the 
sparrow; but flint the insane fashion of wear¬ 
ing stuffed birds as ornaments had done more 
to exterminate beautiful and beneficial birds 
than all other causes combined. It. seemed to 
him auaniolous that woman, the personification 
of gentleness, mercy and love, should be so 
cruel and so far forget her nature as to orna¬ 
ment her hat. with the corpse of man’s best 
friend. He wished that, he could make every 
woman realize that to wear one of these orna 
incuts costs a little life,as much in God's keepiug 
as her own. 
Dr. Sturtovant said that at the Experiiueut 
Station English sparrows have injured the 
wheat plots as much ns five bushels per 
acre. In a report on botany he suggested a 
modification of the definition of fruits and 
vegetables to correspond with the popular 
idea. He would have classed as fruits such 
plants as are raised from off-shoots, runners, 
cuttings or grafts; as vegetables such as are 
usually raised from seeds. 
Mr. J. J. Thomas, La an essay on “Increasing 
the Attractiveness of Country Homes," said 
that too many farmers' houses were mere board¬ 
ing-houses, iu which the farmers’ wives aud 
daughters work like slaves. It would be much 
better and give a far better class of help on 
the farm, if married men wore employed, 
houses furnished, aud each boarded at home. 
A few inexpensive plants and flowers would 
make the surroundings pleasant anil the home 
ha ppy, even though the house be cheap aud 
[■ude. Bettor spend money in making the 
home pleasant and enticing with flowers and 
books and pleasant faces, and thus keep the 
children at-uomo, than by stinginess to drive 
them away to the corner grocery or the gamb¬ 
ling saloon. 
Dr. G. C. Caldwell, in considering salt as | 
it affects plants, said it could in rio"sense r be 
considered as a manure. It is found in most 
plants, but it exists in all soils in abundance, 
and in most waters, and the plants are obliged 
to receive it, yet it may sometimes be useful 
to the soil aud to the crops growing thereon. 
It aids in rendering some compounds more 
sol uble. It carries other elements with it down 
deep in the soil. In enabling the plant to 
better withstand drought, it does it. not by 
attracting moist ore and making the soil more 
humid, but bv forcing the plant to use water 
more economically, or in otrier words, by evap¬ 
orating less from its surface. It is what, may 
be termed un amendment instead of a manure; 
it adds nothing to the soil which the plants 
need, but it causes the soil to more readily 
yield the food it already contains. He said 
the salt employed in agriculture is impure, 
and as a rule, the greater the degree of impur¬ 
ity. the more valuable tbev are as an applica¬ 
tion. 
(To be Continuer/). 
SPECIAL PREMIUM—THE AQUAPULT. 
A convenient, handy force pump, fire 
engine, sprinkler, window and wagon-washer, 
bug-destroyer, etc., etc. The illustration 
fully explains its construction and the manner 
in which it is used. It is a very convenient tool 
for use in the green-house or on the lawn, and 
throws water with considerable force. It is 
made by W. & B. Douglass, Middletown, 
Conn. We have nine of them complete. 
Price $!>. We will send one of these to each 
of the nine subscribers wishing it who shall 
first send us clubs of five new subscribers. 
Remember we have but nine, and the offer 
will not lie extended beyond that number. 
CATALOGUES, ETC., RECEIVED. 
Francis Brill, Riverhead, Long Island, 
N. Y.—A treatise (16 pages) on cauliflower and 
bow to grow them. Mr. Brill is on experienced 
grower, and he tells the whole story in a plain, 
thorough mu oner, 
Waldo F. Brown, Oxford, O.—Twentieth 
annual catalogue of vegetable and flower 
seeds. Mr. Brown also offers eggs of pure 
Plymouth Rock hens for the low price of one 
dollar for 13 eggs. 
A. W. Livingston’s Sons, Columbus, Ohio. 
—An illustrated catalogue (70 pages) of seeds. 
The new tomato, Livingston's Beauty, is 
honored with a colored illustration, and other 
novelties ure announced. Free. 
Wm. E. Lincoln & Co., Warren, Mass., 
and Loudon, Ontario.—Illustrated circulars 
of the Lincoln Patent Channel Can Creamery; 
also circular of churns and butter-workers 
made by the same firm. This contains a full 
setting out of the claims made for this style 
of can. Scud for it and read what they say. 
Joel Horner & Son, Merchantville, N. J. 
—A descriptive catalogue of grape-vines and 
small fruits. An excellent chapter is giveu 
on planting, pruning, and the culture of the 
grape. All the new kinds are offered, such as 
Empire State, Niagara, Cayuga, Ulster Pro¬ 
lific, Poughkeepsie Red, F. B. Hayes, etc. The 
Jewell Strawbei ry is spoken of in the highest 
terms. Free to Rural readers. 
W. Mitchell McAllister, 720 Chestnut 
Street, Philadelphia, Pa.—Illustrated cata 
logues of optical instruments, spectacles, eye¬ 
glasses, opera, field aud spy-glasses. It also 
contains a very clear description of the eye, 
explaining the various troubles with this deli¬ 
cate but very important organ; also a cata¬ 
logue of ull sorts of meteorological instruments. 
All persons interested in such things should 
not fail to send for one of these catalogues. 
Orville H. Short, Successor to Short 
& Smith, Syracuse, N. Y.—Au illustrated 
circular of the Patented Ruu-about Wagon. 
This circular gives a cut and description of 
the various styles iu which the Run-about 
Wagon is mode. These wagons are light, 
bandy, strong, easy-riding and light-runni ng 
They weigh from 300 to 500 pounds, and are 
cajiable of carrying from 000 to 900 pounds. 
A good wagon cheap. Send for circular, and 
see how it is. 
H. D. Thatcher & Co., Potsdam, N. Y.— 
The Dairy Stockman’s Guide Book, or how 
to produce the best results with the dairy. 
This is a pamphlet of some 30 odd pages aud 
gives much useful information to every one 
keeping cattle. Of course, it is issued to tell 
you about Thatcher’s Orange butter-color, 
but the information in regard to the dairy 
and care of cattle, is worth its cost. Send 
for it, mentioning the Rural, and you will 
be well pleased with it. 
American Small-Yorkshire Club. Geo. 
W. Harris, Sec’y, Box 3432 N. Y. City.— 
Volume No. 1 of the Small-Yorkshire Swine 
Registry is just issued. It is a nice little 
volume, containing the record of 350 males 
and 700 females, together with the names of 
the breeders and present owners. It also 
contains a history of the breed, of its introduc¬ 
tion into the United States, the organization 
of the club, and the constitution aud by-laws 
of the same. It also gives a scale of points for 
the use of judges and breeders. 
Cornell University Experiment Sta¬ 
tion.— The report of this station covering the 
work done in 1883-4 and 1884-3. Among 
other things it contains tables showing the 
cost and value of stable manure; the quanti¬ 
ty aud value of the manure from milch cows; 
changes in milk with changes of rations; gain 
of steer on a fattening ration, and also on a 
maintenance ration; experiments with vari¬ 
ous crops; cost of plaut food in commercial 
fertilizers etc., etc. A good report worth 
careful study, 
Jones ok Binghamton, Binghamton, N. Y. 
—Price list of Jones’s scales illustrating all the 
styles made, from the little Stop-Thief, weigh¬ 
ing from one ounce to ten pounds and selling 
for $1.50 (which we give for three subscribers; 
up through the various styles aud sizes, in¬ 
cluding the five-ton farm scale at $00, to the 
monster canal boat scale weighing 500 tons. 
The scales are all well made of good material 
and fine finish. It will pay you to send for 
and examine this catalogue, and remember 
always that “Jones, He pays the Freight!" 
Syracuse Chilled Plow Co, Syracuse, 
N. Y.—An illustrated almanac and circular 
issued by this substantial house, giving every 
size, style and a description of the plows made 
by them; also cultivators, road scrapers, etc., 
etc. It is sufficient evidence of our estimation 
of this sulky plow to say that we have placed 
it ou our Premium Lisi aud offer it,full-rigged, 
complete, and we pay freight to destination, 
for only 50 subscribers. Send for this circu¬ 
lar, see what they say about this plow and 
then go to work and secure one. We ought 
to give away 100 of them. 
Nash Brothers, Millington, N. J.—“Till¬ 
age is Manure," “How to Avo d Difficulties 
of ( lunate,” “The Acme Pulverizing Harrow 
on New Breaking.” Also a collection of over 
2,300 testimonials from persons who have used 
the “Acme in 48 States and Territories, em¬ 
bracing nearly every agricultural county of 
the l nion. We have so often spoken favor¬ 
ably of this tool on the Rural Farms, and how 
well we like it, that we need to say nothing 
more here than to advise all to send for these 
books, which will be gladly sent if you men¬ 
tion the R. N.-\. Each can then learu of 
this tool for himself. 
Galbraith Bros., Janesville, Wisconsin. 
—A nicely illustrated catalogue of Clydesdale 
aud English Shire horses owned and for sale 
by these extensive importers and breeders. 
This catalogue gives the pedigrees of over 50 
or these flue horses, and is illustrated by nu¬ 
merous cute of the most valuable animals. It 
also contains the names of 175 animn)^ im¬ 
ported aud owned by this firm since 1881, and I 
by the stars we are reminded that more than 
two-thirds of them are noted prize-winners. 
Galbraith Brothers have also included in this 
a notice of some of the fine little Shetlands 
which they have imported direct within the 
past year. They range in hight from 30 to 42 
inches, and one of them would make glad the 
heart of auy boy. 
SUMMARY 
OF THE RURAL’S SEED DIS¬ 
TRIBUTION FOR 1886. 
A full description, with illustrations, w 
ivenin the R. N.-Y. of Nov. 14, and this num- 
er will be mailed (free) to all who apply. 
The Nov. 14th Number also presents a full 
count of the 
$3,300 
worth of presents which are offered to subscrib¬ 
ers (not to regular agents) for clubs. 
IN. 14, 
. - m an;, win oe sent 
to all REGULAR SI BSCRIBERS who apply, 
and to them only. A two-cent stamp should 
be inclosed in the application, except by those 
who subscribe for the R. N.-Y. in connection 
with some other journal which offers the seeds 
in connection with the combination. In that 
ease, an application is unnecessary. The seeds 
will be sent without application. 
The Alaska Pea. 
It is claimed that this is the earliest blue 
pea; that it is the best of its class; that it has 
superior shipping qualities, the pods remain¬ 
ing green longer than those of any other 
variety. It has never been offered for sale. 
SECOND. 
The Best of the New Water¬ 
melons. 
Comprising a few seeds each of Kolb’s Gem, 
Mammoth Ironclad, Scaly Bark, Cuban Queen, 
and Pride of Georgia. 
This proved last season the earliest field corn 
ever tested at the Rural Grounds, though it 
may not so prove again. The longest ears 
measured 14 inches. The ears were borne low, 
with often three to a plant. Flaute short. 
FOURTH. 
Garden Treasures, 
for our lady friends, being a packet of not less 
than 100 different kinds of flower seeds mixed 
together. 
FIFTH. 
THE BIRD CANTALOUPE 
(From Colorado.) 
Introduced by the R. N.-Y. Oblong in 
shape, thickly netted, deeply ribbed; flesh 
thick and light green, sweet and delicious. 
\ eryearly. The largest specimens weigh 20 
pounds, as grown in Colorado. 
Hackensack Valley 
Muskmelons. 
Bowker Fertilizer Co., No. 43 Chatham 
Street, Bostou.—A catalogue setting forth the 
value of the Btoekbridge Manures aud the 
Bowkor's Hill aud Drill Phosphate, Bone, 
Chemicals, etc., together with prices of the 
various fertilizers per bag and per ton. This 
firm also offers, as will lie seen by the pamph¬ 
let, the various chemicals for home mixing, 
all of which are delivered free ou board the 
cars either iu Boston or New York. These 
so-called “chemicals" for home mixing, or for 
separate use, as desired, are muriate aud sul¬ 
phate of potash aud German potash salts for 
potash; sulphate of ammonia, nitrate of soda 
aud dried blood for nitrogen; ground bone, 
dissolved boue. dissolved boue-blaek and bone 
black for phosphoric acid. Thus the tanner 
may apply any one or any combination of 
these essential plant foods to his land, as from 
experiment lie has ascertained what his land 
needs, or for the purpose of ascertaining 
what it needs. The pamphlet presents the 
results, of the use of the Stockbridge A Bow¬ 
ker fertilizers, as furnished by the farmers of 
many States. Our readers shoukl examine 
the catalogue, which will be sent free to all of 
them who apply to the above firm. 
Gathered by the R. N.-Y. from the best 
growers of the Hackensack Valley of New 
Jersey. 
IMPORTANT. 
1st.- The Rural New-Yorker never 
SELLS seeds or any plants grown upon 
its Experiment Grounds. 
2d.—ONL\ Regular Subscribers need 
apply. 
3d.—IN MAKING application, it is 
only necessary to write “SEND SEEDS." 
4th.—Strangers should send 
for the Nov. 14th issue of the 
B. N.-Y. r which fully describes 
the Free Seed Distribution, 
Mailed without charge. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
34 Park Row, N. Y. 
