THE 
RURAL- NEW-YORKER, 
A .Vational Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Conducted by 
E. S. CARMAN, 
J . S. WOOtWABl), 
Editor. 
Associate. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
No. 3-1 Park Row, New York. 
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27,1886. 
If the number on your address label is 
1888 , your subscription expires with this 
number; if 1884, next week; 1885, in two 
weeks, etc. 
SPECIAL, 
All orders (applications) for the Rural’s 
present Seed Distribution received prior 
to Feb. 10th, have been mailed. Those 
who have not received the seeds will 
please notify us by postal card. 
EXCEPTION. 
The seed packets to Canada will be 
mailed all at once in a few weeks. 
The catalogues which we notice this 
week on pages 135 and 136, are of espe¬ 
cial interest, and we take the liberty of 
inviting all to send for them. 
WK are sorry to see that J. A. Everitt, 
of Watsonville" Pa., quotes the Rural as 
having stated that the Green Mountain 
Potato has yielded 1,391 X bushels per 
acre, instead of at that rate per acre, as 
estimated from a few lulls cultivated in 
rich soil. 
Ik all we have heard regarding the 
Earhart Everbearing Raspberry be true, 
it is the most remarkable cap variety 
ever produced. We have just examined 
the canes of our own plants, and find 
them plump, green and sappy to the 
very tips. 
For small lawns we prefer the White 
to the Norway Spruce. It is more com¬ 
pact and symmetrical; its foliage is lighter 
and brighter, and its branches, being less 
spreading and heavy, never give, to the 
tree that gloomy appearance often seen in 
the Norway after it arrives at the age of 
from 12 to 15 years. Nurserymen charge 
about, the same price for either, viz., from 
25 to 75 cents, according to size. 
Referring to our illustration of the 
Roenbeck White Grape, on the first page 
of this issue, it should be said that, we 
speak of it only from having seen and 
eaten the fruit, the single specimen at the 
Rural Grounds having been planted not 
until last Fall. We have rarely eaten a 
grape that impressed us more favorably. 
The quality is much like that of the 
Duchess; the fruit being meaty and - ten¬ 
der, is without pulp. The seeds are few 
and small. The skin is thin, but tough. 
From this description, it will be judged 
that it has foreign blood iu its veins. Be 
this as it may, the vines are said to be 
both healthy and hardy. 
Several subscribers ask us to explain 
how and when the prize cantaloupes, 
melons and peas are to be measured. 
The rules governing the measurement of 
the corn appear to be plain enough. The 
heaviest cantaloupe, melon and peas will 
win the prizes. The peas are to be 
weighed while green. The others can be 
weighed at any time, and the record at 
once forwarded to us. The greatest care 
should be taken to preserve the prize 
melons or cantaloupes from the frost. We 
think that, this can be done in most lati¬ 
tudes, so that they can be shipped to 
this office after October 1. 
W ell, we have orders for a good many 
lots of the various plants which we offer— 
some for one kind and some for another, 
and some for more than one kind and 
some for all of them. But yet we know 
there are thousands of farmers’ homes 
without a single small fruit plant to bear 
its welcome, fruit to refresh and bless the 
family. Too many of these are among 
our readers, and so long as we offer them 
such favorable terms, we want every 
family to have more than one kind. This 
is a good work that the women and child¬ 
ren can do. A kind word fitly spoken 
will induce some friend to subscribe for 
the Rural, and secure you a choice of 
the plants offered. Such a result would 
make three happy parties—the friend in 
receiving and reading the Rural would 
be made liappy; we in getting one more 
subscriber will be made happy, and your¬ 
self and whole family will be made many 
times happy as you pick and eat the fruit. 
Is not this worth the effort? 
NOTICES. 
Send all potatoes, seeds or plants of any 
kind direct to River Edge, Bergen Co., 
New Jersey, and not to this office. 
All letters of a strictly personal nature 
for Mr. Woodward should be mailed di¬ 
rect to him at Loekport, N. Y., until 
further notice. Mr. Woodward is giving 
increased attention to sheep husbandry. 
-+♦» - 
A bill has been introduced into the 
New York Legislature by Senator Low, 
creating a State Department of Agricul¬ 
ture under charge of a Commissioner of 
Agriculture with a salary of $4,000 per 
annum for two years, to be elected on the 
State ticket with other State officers, in 
November. He i 5 to have the powers and 
duties now assigned to the Dairy Com¬ 
missioner, the Forestry Commissioners 
and the Director of the State Experiment 
Station, and the power to appoint fish 
and game protectors. The offices of the 
parties named arc to be abolished. 
Among his chief duties are to be the en¬ 
forcement of the anti-oleomargarine laws 
and the suppression of contagious pleuro¬ 
pneumonia among cattle. There will 
doubtless be some objections to this 
measure, especially in connection with 
the Experiment Station; but they can¬ 
not be on the score of economy either in 
money or labor. By the combination of 
the three Departments, the work of all 
could all be laid out under a single head so 
that there would be no clashing, no 
going over the same work twice, and each 
could be made to help the others. A 
single Department with one set of clerks 
should spend less money than three separ¬ 
ate Departments, each with its own clerical 
force and its own line of contingent ex¬ 
penses. The main advantage, however, 
would be that the agricultural interests 
of the State would, most likely, be better 
cared for, if all were under the control of 
a single, honest, capable and efficient 
bead. 
Gabriel Dumont was Riel’s chief 
lieutenant during the late half-breed 
rebellion in the Northwest. He has a 
ranehe up in Montana, and reports are fre¬ 
quent that delegates from the Crees and 
Other Canadian Indians have been visiting 
him for the purpose of planning another 
campaign to be started early in Spring. It is 
also announced that arms and ammuni¬ 
tion are being supplied to the malcontents 
by traders on this .side, and that the Sioux 
and some other tribes of Indians on this 
side of the line, are to reinforce their 
brethren on Ihc other side. The United 
States should promptly take a hand in 
this matter. When savages combine 
against scattered and helpless frontier 
settlers, a great Government like ours 
should not stand on too much ceremony 
before acting. If Mexico permitted deni¬ 
zens within her borders to aid the murder¬ 
ous Apaches, what a howl of indigna¬ 
tion would be justly raised in this 
country! What would be culpable in 
Mexico in the Southwest, cannot, be 
blameless in the United States in the 
Northwest. An Indian campaign means 
ruthless slaughter of the helpless and 
weak, and should be prevented if possible. 
FAULTY LIBEL LAW. 
Journals which, like the Rural, ex¬ 
pose the humbugs and frauds that prey 
upon the public are greatly hampered by the 
present 1 a w of libeI. The rascals denounced 
often threaten and sometimes actually 
begin suits for damages. Of course, 
they do not intend that the cases shall over 
come to trial; but by impudent “bluffing,” 
they hope to be able to carry on their 
nefarious operations a little longer with a 
brazen face. The publishers, however, 
have to incur considerable expense and 
annoyance in engaging lawyers, collect¬ 
ing legal evidence and in other ways, 
however cautious the statements in their 
papers, and however strong the proofs of 
the rascality of the plaintiffs. If these 
never appear, to the publishers’ useless 
trouble aad outlay is added exasperation. 
If by some strange freak they do appear 
and are shamefully defeated, the pub¬ 
lishers’ satisfaction may be great, but 
does it compensate them for their outlay? 
For, of course, they must pay their own 
costs, as the plaintiffs are sure to be pen¬ 
niless, irresponsible “nobodies.” The 
same trouble exists among our Canadian 
friends, in an aggravated form, and the 
Canadian Press Association is about to 
apply to the Legislature for an alteration 
of the law. In all cases some security for 
costs should be required in both countries 
from those who have no property which 
can he attached therefor. Reputable 
papers are very careful iu making charges; 
they can have no personal motives in 
the exposures; why for honestly and 
disinterestedly serving the public should 
they be exposed to annoyance and ex¬ 
pense by humbugs and swindlers? 
♦ • » 
MORRISON'S TARIFF BILL. 
Representative Morrison, of Illi¬ 
nois, last. Monday introduced his new 
tariff bill in the House. It will effect a 
reduction of about .$20,000,000 in the 
revenues from duties on imported goods. 
All undressed wood and lumber are put 
on the free list; but this does not apply 
to imports from Canada and other coun¬ 
tries which impose an export duty on 
these articles. Other agricultural addi¬ 
tions to the free list are hemp, jute, 
jute butts, sisal and other fiber grasses, 
chicory. gTease, tallow, beeswax, corn, 
oats, bay and potatoes. On various 
grades of sugar there is a reduction of 20 
per cent. There is a slight reduction on 
starch and a large one on rice, duties of 
2 and 2’•> cents per pound, being cut 
down to 1 and 1 U cents. There is no re¬ 
duction on wools, except that one grade 
of carpet wools at 2 8-10 is substituted 
for two grades at present taxed 2.'a and 5 
cents. The present duties on the addi¬ 
tions to the free list are: hemp, $25 per 
ton; jute, 20 per cent; jute butts, $5 
per ton; sisal, $15 per ton; chicory, 2 
cents per pound; corn and oats, 10 cents 
per bushel; hay, $2. per ton: potatoes, 15 
cents per bushel; grease, 10 per cent; 
tallow, 1 cent per pound; beeswax, 20 per 
cent. The change will affect agricultur¬ 
al products almost exclusively, the change 
of duty on sugar alone making a differ¬ 
ence of $10,000,000. Is this discrimin¬ 
ation against agriculture fair? 
The tobacco growers of Connecticut 
who expected an increase of duty on Su¬ 
matra wrappers, loudly express their bit¬ 
ter disappointment. The rice growers of 
South Carolina and Louisiana who have 
been pleading for more “protection,” will 
think seriously of giving up rice growing, 
should this tariff be enacted. The sugar 
producers of Louisiana find it hard to 
make a slight profit under the existing 
tariff, what will they and the makers of 
beet sugar in California, of sorghum sugar 
in New Jersey, Illinois and Kansas, and 
of maple sugar in a large number of 
States, do when exposed to the keener 
competition produced by lower duties on 
imported sugar? The abolition of duties 
on potatoes and hay would be as grateful to 
our Canadian neighbors as it would be 
exasperating to the farmers of New Eng¬ 
land and of all the States bordering on 
the Dominion. The wool-growers of 
Ohio and the rest of the country, who 
have been expecting, or rather begging 
for a restoration of the tariff in force be¬ 
fore 1876, must be sadly disappointed. The 
bill may pass the House; but it is very 
likely to be killed in the Senate. 
THE JAPAN CHESTNUT-ATTENTION! 
There is no other tree that we feel like 
talking about more at present than the 
Japan Chestnut. As a purely ornamental 
tree it is by no means to be despised. 
It is of dwarf stature, round-headed, and 
its lower branches will sweep the ground 
if permitted so to do. It. is as hardy as 
the American Chestnut, and, being short- 
jointed, never develops long, far-reaching, 
leafless limbs. But as a nut-bearing tree 
we are disposed to urge it. upon the con¬ 
sideration of our readers. Five years or 
more ago, we did this with an “if.” The 
“if” is now removed, and we unqualifiedly 
commend it to our readers—for the lawn, 
for the field, or for the orchard, to use 
this word in a somewhat unusual sense. 
As we have said, seedlings bear at a very 
early age, though they vary of course. 
Some will bear in three year> from seed, 
while the tardiest of those we have in¬ 
quired about, will bear within six years. 
The size of the fruit borne by Heedhngs 
varies as much as that of the American, 
hut the smallest fruit of the Japan is, so 
far as we lurve seen, larger than the largett 
of the American, while the quality is 
nearly as good and in some cases fully as 
good. We have referred to the Japan 
Chestnuts recently sent to us by Luther 
Burbank, of Santa Rosa, Cal. There were 
five and they weighed 4 1 ■'< ounces. Grafted 
trees are now growing on Long Island 
(N. Y.), which bear nuts nearly as large. 
while the quality is excellent. The best 
way to do is to plant the nuts and graft 
the" shoots to the best kinds known. 
Inasmuch as the Japan Chestnut is 
twice ns large as the largest native variety 
and of about the same quality, it is plain 
that it will meet with ready sale in the 
markets. The Long Island farmer above 
mentioned remarked to a friend, a few days 
ago, that if he had planted 100 acres of his 
farm to seedling Japan Chestnuts five 
years ago and worked upon them varie¬ 
ties he then knew of, the farm would 
now yield him an independent income. 
We have no doubt of it. 
Some of our cranky readers may fancy 
that we have the Japan Chestnut “on the 
brain.” P’raps so. It will not be the first 
time that, through our Experiment 
Grounds, we have been enabled to give 
our readers several years the start of those 
who wait for the news to reach them 
through the usual somniferous channels. 
BREVITIES. 
Try the Japan Chestnut—not the Spanish. 
We are still receiving communications as to 
Meeeh’s Prolific Quince. They are all of the 
same tenor, viz., that Mr. Meech has no right 
to give this quince his name. 
Try the Earhart. Everbearing Raspberry. 
To any preseut. subscriber who sends us a new 
subscriber, we will mail three plants well 
packed and delivered postage free. 
J. T. Macombkr, of Grand Isle, Vermont, 
writes us that he has found the kerosene-and- 
soap emulsion very effective in killing and pre¬ 
venting mildew on roses. It is, he says, a 
dead shot for the ml spider and rose tbrip. 
TnB oldest and, as we Indiove, one of the 
hardiest of evergreen conifers is the Umbrella 
Pine—Sciadopitys verticillata. The specimen 
at the Rural Grounds manes but a slow growth, 
however. We illustrated this tree in the R. 
N.-Y. about five years ago. 
Don’t buy the Champion Quince. It is later 
than the Orange or Rea’s Mammoth, and in no 
respect better. The Rural was among the 
first to test this quince, ami its first report, 
was an unfavorable one. We have since had 
no occasion to change it. 
A noon movement is on foot, stai-ted by 
Prof. Bailey, of the Agricultural College of 
Michigan, to urge the Commissioner of Agri¬ 
culture to make an investigation of the dis¬ 
ease in peaches known as Yellows. A good 
deal of investigation has already been made, 
but with no very positive results. 
A friend writes us regard lug the new self- 
husking corn already noticed in the R. N.-Y., 
that, “its great, merit lies in its departure from 
the habit, of all other corn, in the inclination 
to strip itself clean of its husk.” If this self- 
husking operation begins before the kernels 
harden, it would not answer for the Rural 
Grounds, where sparrows abound. 
Prof. Sheldon, our valued English corres¬ 
pondent, writes us: “There is a good deal to 
admire in the vigorous phraseology' which you 
in America employ in reference to things 
which vex you. and the term ‘Bogus Butter’ 
is the most tolling designation I have yet seen 
applied to the article which has done and is 
doing so much mischief to dairy farmers,” 
Bee next week's R. N.-Y. 
Representative Beach, of New York, has 
introduced into Congress a bill which extends 
the benefits of the Patent Laws to discoverers 
and producers of new varieties of plants, 
fruits and flowers. Such a measure is per¬ 
fectly just: but is it feasible? Certainly some 
way of affording legal protection to property 
in such productions should be devised. 
There are hundreds of fanners in this 
country who should have a good sulky plow, 
and who will, next Summer, do more walking 
in a single week following a walking plowthan 
would be sufficient now to secure oue of the 
Syracuse iron sulky and steel -beamed plows 
offered in our premium-list. And this splendid 
plow once their own, would last for many 
years, lightening their labor, and making 
them happy. Is it not sound wisdom to make 
the effort? 
W k have come to look upon the “weather 
prophet” as a national benefactor. In sugar- 
making districts, the “sugar prophet” is a 
S cftfcer man than the “oldest, inhabitant.” 
r. Timothy Wheeler, of Waterbury, Vt,, 
who has prognosticated for several years,with 
only one failure, says that the coming season 
for sugar making will be “the very best.” 
Mr. TV. judges from the appearance of the 
maple trees in November. 
Some of the most reliable information per¬ 
taining to gardening and horticulture will be 
found in the seed catalogues of the present 
year. The value of such information grows 
from year to year. The facts sent out this 
season render' the use of horticultural text 
books almost, surperfluous. We hold that a 
person sending for such a catalogue is in duty 
bound to inclose stamps for postage, arid to 
state where he saw the advertisement. No 
honorable fnnner desires to depend upon 
charity for his horticultural information, and 
surely he is always ready to return t hanks for 
useful guidance. 
How the farmers arc fleeced in some parts 
of the West, w hile the merchants and bankers 
grow rich, is well illustrated in an “Interview” 
held here with A. M. Cannon, bauker of 
Spokane Falls, TV. T. In early days In Spok¬ 
ane ho made from 75 to 100 per cent, on the 
goods he sold: now he can make only 25 j»er cent. 
Until lately he was getting t wo per cent, a 
month, or 24 per cent, j>cr annum, on short- 
time loans; now he can wring from the dis¬ 
tressed only l 1 .. per cent, a month, or 18 j Hu¬ 
ron t.'per annum. He can borrow money here 
on 40 years’ time at six per cent. Shy lock 
is’given to boast ing( ini these days. 
