FEB 48 
THE 
RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
ANational Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Conducted by 
K. S. CARMAN, 
Editor. 
J. S. WOODWARD, 
Associate. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
No. 34 Park Row, New York. 
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13,18S6. 
Subscribers of the Rural need never take 
the trouble to write us to “stop” the paper. 
It is invariably discontinued at the expir¬ 
ation of the subscription term, except by 
oversight, in which case it is our loss. 
We are now preparing our next Potato 
Special. 
■+ * • 
The Seed Distribution has been mailed 
to all who applied for it prior to Janu¬ 
ary 10th. 
- ♦ » ♦ 
We have twice as many articles already 
as will suffice to fill our second Potato 
Special to he issued in a few weeks. 
If the number on your address label is 
1881, your subscription expires with this 
number; if 1882, next week; 1883, in two 
weeks, etc. 
- 
One of the Rural’s best friends writes: 
“I am sorry to see you lending your influ¬ 
ence against Land Commissioner Sparks. 
The best information I can get is to the 
effect that he is doing an admirable public 
service.” 
Prof. Burrill, after much experi¬ 
menting and trial, now says most em¬ 
phatically that the fruit, popularly so 
called, is not in the least affected by the 
kind of pollen used in the fertilization of 
the ovules. That this conclusion is es¬ 
sentially correct, we have little doubt. 
The Rural does not wish to say too 
much in regard to the $3,300 offered in 
presents to subscribers who send us clubs. 
We think, however, that our friends will 
not be deceived if we assure them that 
they may be surprised at the value of the 
presents which even small clubs may 
secure. 
u A Texas cow-hoy’s wife,” writing 
from a cattle ranch, says the Rural only 
makes her homesick. It comes into that 
dry and treeless region only to make her 
think of what the world outside is like. 
Yea, and so would her mother's picture 
make her homesick, and yet she would 
he happier for having it. 
Let us say to all that the Rural of 
November 14th, 1885, gives a full illus¬ 
trated description of our Free Seed Distri¬ 
bution, together with a full list of the 
$3,300 worth of presents to he sent to sub¬ 
scribers (and to them only) who secure 
clubs for the Rural New-Yorker. This 
Number is sent, to all who apply for 
specimens. 
One of the most successful potato 
growers in New York State says that lie 
never thinks of marketing his crop with¬ 
out first examining the “Everywhere” 
reports in the Rural. He can generally 
tell pretty clearly from these reports how 
large a crop has been raised, and liow the 
probable supply will affect the price. 
Reports of this nature have come to be 
a valuable department of all the success¬ 
ful agricultural papers. Farmers begin 
to appreciate this method of comparing 
notes, particularly when the experience 
of a number of years has convinced them 
that the reports are not a series of opinions 
but a list of facts. 
The Japan Chestnut—we propose to 
talk about it; to keep it before the eyes 
of our readers, so to say. It is one of 
those good plants that crop out now 
and then among the “Novelties” which 
though ninety-nine prove worthless, the 
one-hundreth repays for all one’s trouble. 
So far as we can judge, it will take a high 
rank as an ornamental tree, as it inclines 
toward a short-jointed, bushy habit.. It 
bears very early, sometimes in three or 
four years even from the seed. The nuts 
are nearly twice the size of our American 
chestnuts, and the quality nearly as good. 
Of course seedlings will vary in every 
way. Next week we shall have more to 
say of the Japan Chestnut. 
The wandering subscriber generally 
becomes about as unsettled as the man 
who is continually moving. When a 
man takes one paper this year, another 
the next, and so on, he loses one of the 
best features of newspaper companion¬ 
ship. Every good paper draws a regular 
family about it, and the members come to 
know each other better and better as time 
goes on. Men betray their characters in 
their writings, and as we study their 
thoughts from year to year, we become so 
well acquainted with them, that, should 
we meet them, we "would hardly need an 
introduction. This companionship is 
not gained in a single year. It is some¬ 
thing that the wandering subscriber never 
knows, and yet it is, oftentimes, the best 
return one can get for the subscription 
price. 
A few years ago what a sensation was 
caused by glowing accounts of the suc¬ 
cess of bonanza farming in the North¬ 
west! The. magazines and newspapers 
fairly reveled in pictorial and verbal des- 
seriptions of illimitable wheat fields, steam 
and gang plows in platoons, reaping 
machines in squadrons, and working-men 
in divisions! Who ever hears of bonanza 
farming now ? Fortunately for t he coun try 
it has been found that big farms do not 
pay. Nearly every experiment lias re¬ 
sulted in the collapse of wealthy capital¬ 
ists and corporations. The few big farms 
cannot compete with the many small 
ones carefully and economically tilled by 
their frugal owners. A fortunate discov¬ 
ery this, not only for the West but for 
the entire country, for the prosperity of 
the Nation depends largely on the success 
of a multitude of small farms personally 
managed by their owners. The soil for 
the tillers thereof! 
NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS. 
It is our duty as well as our pleasure 
to inform our subscribers, who are kindly 
interesting themselves in increasing the 
Rural’s circulation, that the list of $3,300 
worth of presents is being almost en¬ 
tirely set aside in favor of our regular 
v • o 
premium-list, which offers certain articles 
for specified numbers of subscribers. The 
reason, in so far as we can find one, is 
that all seem to take for granted that 
others will he en titled to them. The fact at 
this time is simply that we offer twice as 
many presents in this gift list as there are 
competitors for them, and that even the 
most valuable will be awarded for merely 
nominal clubs. 
The Galloway breeders of Michigan re¬ 
cently effected an organization. As an 
evidence of the fact that they believe in 
the superiority of the breed of cattle they 
represent, it may be noted that they de¬ 
cided to confer with Prof. Samuel John¬ 
son, of the Michigan Agricultural College, 
in regard to the experimental feeding of 
different breeds of cattle on the college 
farm. If arrangements can be made, the 
Galloway men will furnish two of the best 
specimens of their favorite breed to lie 
fed under the direction of the college 
authorities. We hope the other cattle 
associations of the State will make simi¬ 
lar provisions for furnishing cattle, and 
that the arrangements can be completed 
for feeding at the college. Many farmers 
'at present complain that feeding experi¬ 
ments cost too much. The college au¬ 
thorities are frequently accused of select¬ 
ing good specimens of one breed and poor 
ones of another, and thus insuring a vic¬ 
tory for their favorites. Where the vari¬ 
ous breeders pick out the best specimens 
they can find and send them, free of 
charge, to a disinterested party, the test 
will be as nearly satisfactory as we are 
likely to get. 
At a representative meeting of the 
Associated Chambers of Agriculture of 
England, held in London last Tuesday, 
speeches were made strongly favoring pro¬ 
tective duties on foreign gram, sugar and 
manufactures. A Royal Commission is now 
investigating the depression in trade 
prevalent in all parts of the United King¬ 
dom, and it is expected that this body’s 
report will favor a protective, or “fail- 
trade” tariff in “Free Trade” England. 
The English farmers will wait for the 
issue of the report before starting an 
agitation for protective duties on foreign 
agricultural products. In this they are 
likely to be backed up by a large body of 
manufacturers who favor an agitation in 
behalf of “Fair Trade,” another name for 
retaliatory import duties on goods from 
those countries which tax imports of 
British products. “Protection” and “Fair 
Trade,” had considerable influence in the 
last English elections; and are likely to 
have more in the next; but Free Trade 
is very likely to sway the masses at least 
in our day. English farmers are, of 
course, quite justified in agitating for “pro¬ 
tection” of tiieir own industries; but the 
comparatively small body of English farm¬ 
ers are not likely to have more influence on 
national legislation in England than is 
exercised by the immense body of Ameri¬ 
can farmers in this country. The fanners’ 
day is coming, however—at any rate let's 
hope so. 
- ♦ 
So flagrant have been the abuses in ill¬ 
egally grabbing the public lands, espec¬ 
ially under the Pre-emption and Timber 
Culture Laws, and so thoroughly permea¬ 
ted with fraud and knavery have been a 
large proportion of the officials connected 
with the administration of these laws, that 
both the present Congress and the last 
dispaired of being able to devise any 
effective remedy for the evils short of the 
entire repeal of the Pre-emption and Tim¬ 
ber Culture laws, and a radical amend¬ 
ment of the Homestead Law. A bill re¬ 
ported by the Public Lands Committee of 
the Senate provides for this extreme form 
of reformation; but allows all valid claims 
heretofore initiated under these laws to be 
perfected. Entries hitherto made under 
the Pre-emption Laws, which have been 
proved up, paid for and sold to innocent 
purchasers, are confirmed upou proof of 
sale, despite any irregularity or taint of 
fraud ou the part of the original eutrymen. 
This is only fair. Why should the inno¬ 
cent be made to suffer for the guilty? 
The lot of the honest poor pioneer set¬ 
tler is at the best hard at the outset, 
why should the Government add to his 
troubles and hardships? The area of pub¬ 
lic land suitable for agricultural settle¬ 
ment is, however, decreasing so rapidly 
that the most stringent measures should 
be adopted and enforced to preserve what 
still remains for bona-fide homesteaders. 
THE ITHACA FARMERS’ INSTITUTE. 
We are very desirous of having a rep¬ 
resentative farmers' meeting at t lie Farm¬ 
ers’ Institute, at Cornell University. We 
therefore again call special attention to 
the meeting to lie held at Ithaca, on Tues¬ 
day, Wednesday and Thursday, February 
16, 17 and 18 inst. Prof. Roberts in¬ 
forms us that 15 or more short papers are 
promised from very able persons on sub¬ 
jects relating to farmers and farming; 
after each of which the subject presented 
will lie open for discussion by the audience. 
The day meetings will he held in the 
University buildings. On Tuesday and 
Wednesday evenings addresses will be 
delivered in some large down-town hall 
by President Adams and Mr. W. Powell 
“On the Influence of Climate, .Soil, etc., 
upon the Breeding of the Animal Spe¬ 
cies.” Railroads, so far as at present 
heard from, have promised reduced rates 
ou return tickets to delegates. The head¬ 
quarters will be in the Faculty Room in 
Morrill Hall. We hope that every farmer 
who can do so will make it a point to be 
present and take part in this meeting. 
We want it to be shown that New-York 
farmers are awake to what concerns them, 
and earnest to obtain the knowledge ne¬ 
cessary to do better fanning. 
WE ARE NOT OPPOSED. 
From numerous letters received since 
the appearance, several weeks ago, of our 
editorial regarding the rulings of Land 
Commissioner Sparks, regarding claims 
under the Homestead Law, it seems we 
have been somewhat misunderstood. We 
only intended to take issue with the Com¬ 
missioner in so far as his orders w T orked 
injustice to honest, people who had ac¬ 
quired homesteads in accordance with the 
then interpreted meaning of the law, and 
that we were right is proven by the fact 
that he has since modified his orders in 
accordance with our views. We fully be¬ 
lieve that the intention of the law was to 
giye the public land to actual settlers, 
that every 160 acres might be occupied 
and improved, and that thus the Govern¬ 
ment’s unoccupied wilderness should be 
changed into towns and agricultural com¬ 
munities teeming with an industrious, 
busy people. We believe it not only the 
right, but the duty of the Commissioner to 
make such rules as shall most effectually 
secure this very desirable end. We have 
no doubt that it would be within his 
powers to compel every person desiring 
to secure a home under the Act, to at least, 
reside on and improve the land during 
the Summer months ol' each year, aud this 
very likely would be for the best interests 
of the homesteaders themselves. But 
there were and are thousands of poor, 
honest people, men and women, who have 
complied with the law as interpreted by 
former Commissioners, and who we believe 
arc equitably entitled to their homesteads, 
aud we are glad to sco the modification in 
this respect of Commissioner Sparks’s or¬ 
ders. 
That the laws have been very loosely 
construed we are certain. That gross 
fraud and dishonesty have in too many 
districts and instances enabled capitalists 
and corporations to gobble up thousands 
of acres of the best lands we have no 
doubt. That many a shanty has been 
worn out iu being moved from claim to 
claim and occupied alternately by differ¬ 
ent persons in “living upon their claims” 
a night or two a month is a common talk 
at the Far West. That thousands aud 
thousands of acres have been homesteaded 
only for the purpose of being sold to some 
speculator, and in securing which the law 
was never honestly complied with, is 
proven beyond a doubt by the extended 
tracts now pretended to be owned by 
some land-grabber on which there has 
never been a furrow turned or a stake 
driven, and on which a shanty did not 
remain two consecutive months at anyone 
time. 
We arc glad the Commissioner is investi¬ 
gating these cases. We hope he will 
persevere in the good work and recover 
for the Government, for the use of actual 
settlers, all these rich acres so un justly 
obtained. 
This is but justice to the isolated 
“steaders” who are now compelled to 
live miles away from neighbors because 
of the holding of these lands all about 
them, and whose improvements help to 
increase the value of these grabbers’ claims, 
on which nothing lias, or will be done in the 
way of improvement so long as held by 
these non-resident sharpers. Let the 
good work go on. The Rural has no 
wish to place any obstacle in its way. 
BREVITIES. 
Queen of the Fall, the Chrysanthemum. 
The good word now, good friends of the 
Rural New-Yokker. 
One of out- friends, after writing us as to 
potatoes, signs himself “Your Beauty of Heb¬ 
ron, Fred Grundy.” 
OUR friends who followed the Rural's ad¬ 
vice. given last Fall, to save their potatoes for 
better prices, have not had occasion to regret 
it. 
There are probably as many as from 400 
to 500 different varieties of Chrysanthemums 
that have lieen displayed at the various shows 
of the past season. 
Wk have yet to report upon the following 
new varieties of tomatoes, viz.: Alpha, Opti- 
ums. Challenge, Belle, Exquisite, Tom Thumb, 
Eclipse, Hovey, Carter’s Acme and Early 
Market, 
This week we are mailing the Rural's Free 
Seed Distribution to subscribers in England, 
France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Huugary, 
India, Australia, New Zealand, Africa and 
Sandwich Islands. 
The chief mission of fools seems to be to 
play into the hands of kuaves. If the world 
were not so full of nincompoops, how could the 
Florida laud swindlers and similar rascals 
“lay their lines in such pleasant places'/” 
Mr. Roberts, who sent us the drawings for 
the device for salting butter, shown on page 
54 of the Rural, says our engraving is correct 
iu every respect, except that the “bag of 
nails” or weight, used hi balance the rack and 
butter bowl, is attached to the extreme end of 
the long arm of the steelyard instead of at A, 
as there stated. Any of our readers who think 
of making such an appliance should make a note 
of this. 
The wealth of a country is not its banks 
and bonds and hoarded money. It is the 
good sense and muscle of itis workers and 
t he brains of its thinkers. There may lie hid¬ 
den away, iu its mountains and rocks, stores 
of metal and coal that, if put in machinery 
and used to rim it, would accomplish the labor 
of millions: there may be in the farmers’ 
fields fertility for the production of food for 
the world; but without the brain and muscle 
to do the mining ami to work the soil and to 
put the products into usable shape, they are 
of no advantage. We see then how import¬ 
ant it is that the Nation should foster and care 
for the laborer and thinker and should see 
that the money bags do not get. more than 
their share of the profits. 
What are beaus? The wisdom of the 
United States Circuit Court in this State has 
lately boon taxed to decide this knotty ques¬ 
tion. Iu 1*84 a decision of the court, placed 
beaus in the category of “garden seeds,” on 
which there is an import dul y of 20 per cent. 
Later ou, they were placed among “vege¬ 
tables,” on which the duty is only 10 per cent. 
Last week it was decided that they must be 
admitted free of duty under the classification 
of “beans—drugs not edible in a crude state." 
If this decision is upheld, it will tie of consider¬ 
able importance to the Lean-raising industry 
here aud in Canada, mid will take a fair sum 
from the National Treasury in the shaiie of 
repayment of improperly levied import duties. 
