THE 
RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
A N at tonal Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Conducted by 
E. S. CABMAN, 
Editor. 
J. S. WOODWARD, 
Associate. 
Address 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
No. 34 Park Row, New York, 
SATURDAY, MARCH 27, 1886. 
SECOND POTATO SPECIAL—20 
If the number on your address label is 
1887, your subscription expires with this 
number; if 1888, next week; 1889, in two 
weeks, etc. 
The present Potato Special should be 
read as a part of our first Potato Special, 
since it is undesirable, for obvious reasons, 
to repeat, what has so lately been pub¬ 
lished. 
-♦♦♦- 
Mr. Peter B. Mead tells us of a far¬ 
mer who raised potatoes for 42 consecu¬ 
tive years on the same land. The land 
yielded well and the potatoes were sound 
to the last. The potato Tot had not then 
appeared. 
sprouted, and the little plants are thriving 
nicely. One must expect to pay high 
prices for choice, fresh seeds, and he 
should be well contented if be gets what 
he buys. But to pay high prices for 
trash maketh the heart sad. We pre¬ 
sume that these seedlings will bloom next 
Fall. 
Potato growers in Michigan have met 
with serious loss in consequence of the 
“red streak” in the Late Rose. Probably 
$75,000 would not cover this loss. In 
some localities, farmers are inclined to 
regard the report of losses as a “scare” in¬ 
tended to affect the market. The disease 
is undoubtedly genuine, however. We 
are reliably informed that there are thous¬ 
ands of bushels of potatoes in the cellars 
of West Michigan of no value whatever 
for eating purposes, while many even 
question the safety of feeding them to 
stock. Various reasons arc given as to the 
cause of the trouble. Some farmers hold 
that it was simply the result of the very 
wet season last year; others assert, that 
the tubers were stunted during the drier 
part of the season, and that the late rains 
induced a second growth. Those who 
have most carefully studied the matter 
state positively that the variet y has “run 
out.” This result has been brought about 
by continued planting. Potato growers 
who suffered last year will do well to try 
other varieties. Wff consider this to be 
the best way out of the difficulty. 
Readers who are willing to interest 
themselves in extending the Rural’s cir¬ 
culation should not fail to read our an¬ 
nouncement on page 208, the last of the 
Supplement. 
If the lady readers of the R. N.-Y. 
were aware how easy it is to raise roses 
from seed. wC dare say there would be 
more seedling roses in their gardens. If 
one has no other facilities, the seeds may 
be kept until Spring and fchen planted in 
well prepared beds in the open garden. 
Try it, friends. 
- ««» 
How much less does a bushel of deep¬ 
eyed potatoes weigh than a bushel with 
the eyes on the surface or not deeply 
sunken? Let us take a bushel of each and 
peel them for boiling, and then weigh 
each. We fancy that the result would 
determine our readers never again to raise 
deep-eyed potatoes if they could raise 
shallow-eyed potatoes as desirable in other 
respects. 
-» - 
Moore’s Early and Cottage Grapes the 
Rural recommends for the earliest blacks. 
The vines are hardy and healthy. The 
berries of the latter are better than the 
Concord; those of the former larger in 
size and as good. The Cottage at the 
Rural Grounds follows Moore’s by about 
a week. For a large, showy grape we 
are anticipating a good deal from the 
comparatively untried Eaton, 
Ten years of experimenting with pota¬ 
toes at the Rural Grounds have taught us 
that ihe results of the experiments of one 
season must not he accepted as trustworthy 
guides for the next. We do not think 
that any farmer could even learn at what 
depth he had best plant his potatoes in 
less than 10 years’ consecutive trials, and 
he would then need to plant the same 
variety of potato and know in advance 
whether the season was to he wet or dry. 
Let us allow that there are 230 good- 
sized potatoes to a bushel. If we plant 
a whole potato one foot apart in drills 
three feet apart, we have 14,520 hills in 
an acre, requiring, in round numbers, 62 
bushels. If worth 50 cents per bushel, 
the seed will cost about $30. Now, if we 
cut these potatoes in five pieces, which 
would give more than one eye to a piece, 
about 12 bushels would be required for 
an acre—a saving of $24 per acre in the 
cost of seed. Careful experiments made 
at the Rural Ex. Grounds have shown 
that two-eye pieces, from potatoes of 
rather large size, will yield as well as if 
whole potatoes are used for seed. Ex¬ 
periments made by others, however, tell 
a different story. 
A few weeks ago we bought two pack¬ 
ets of chrysanthemum seeds at 50 cents 
each. They were labeled as being seeds 
from the choicest new varieties. The 
contents of either little envelope could 
easily be held on the “point of a pen¬ 
knife,” as we say. “Rather high-priced 
seeds” thought the writer, as he sifted 
them over the nicely prepared soil of a 
flower pot as he would have sifted so 
much dust. In a few days—less than a 
week-^no less than 60 seeds in each pot 
Always desiring to be on the conser¬ 
vative side in speaking of the seeds or 
plauts which the R. N.-Y, has introduced 
until their real value, has been made 
known by the thousands of reports with 
which our readers kindly favor us, we 
have scarcely expressed any opinion what¬ 
ever of the Rural Blush Potato since its 
introduction (three years ago), except to 
say that generally it “straggled in the 
hill” and was sometimes “hollow-hearted.” 
Now, we eat samples of at least 80 differ¬ 
ent kinds of potatoes during Ihe year, 
and we now wish to make the bold re¬ 
mark that the Blush is in quality us good 
as any we have ever eaten at this season. 
It is sweet, nutty, mealy—as much so 
as any of the old Peacliblows at tlieir best. 
It is certainly a good keeper, and, as the 
reports of our subscribers show, highly 
productive. Many seedsmen now offer 
this good potato for sale, and our newer 
subscribers might do well to plant it in a 
small way. 
Mr. Casper Hiller is considered one 
of the most successful farmers of Lancas¬ 
ter County, Pa. Mr. H. M. Engle writes 
that he invariably gets the largest yields 
from large whole tubers. But when it is 
considered that at least 30 bushels of such 
seed are required for an acre, and that a 
great proportion of the increase is in small, 
unmarketable potatoes, he finds but little 
profit in using such seed. He agrees 
with the R. N.-Y. that the two-eye cut¬ 
tings are the best, ne advocates the Ru¬ 
ral’s trench-mulch system with the modi¬ 
fication of spreading the fertilizer nearer 
the surface, or, in other words, covering 
the pieces with three inches of soil rather 
than less before sowing the fertilizer. In 
this case lie thinks the fertilizer would 
be near enough the surface to feed upon 
the upper roots, while the leaching down 
of the manure would feed the lower. Mr. 
Hiller believes that commercial fertilizers 
are best for potatoes, giving a larger and 
cleaner crop, and being cheaper than 
farm manure. He uses nine hundred¬ 
weight of dissolved S. C. rock, seven of 
kainit and four of nitrate of soda, cost¬ 
ing $25 per ton. Unless salt and magne¬ 
sia are deemed valuable additions, we 
should prefer potash in the form of sul¬ 
phate, or, perhaps, sulphate and muriate, 
with a smaller proportion of the latter. 
“One should never be ashamed to ac¬ 
knowledge that he has been in the wrong; 
for it is but saying, in other words, that 
he is wiser to-day than he was yesterday.” 
Senator Wilson, of lowu, is wiser to-day 
than he was when he introduced that bill 
for doubling the postage on plants, cions, 
cuttings, seeds, etc., and, strange pheno¬ 
menon in a Congressman! he is not ashamed 
to acknowledge that he is. The Legis¬ 
lature of his own State has passed a joint 
resolution protesting against the proposed 
increase, and requesting the Iowa Sena¬ 
tors (Wilson and Allison) and Represen¬ 
tatives in Congress “to use all proper 
means to prevent such legislation.” A 
“joint resolution” by the Legislature 
of a State is a marvelous teacher of wisdom 
to the Senators of that State, whose re- 
election will depend on the good-will of 
that Legislature. Wisdom has also been 
swept in upon the Senator by the storm— 
hurricane —of protest and denunciation 
from “all sorts and conditions of men” in 
all parts of the country. He has, there¬ 
fore, changed the provisions of the bill 
so as to decrease the rate on plants, seeds, 
etc., while increasing that on other items of 
fourth-class matter. We are thank¬ 
ful for this tardy concession; although, 
in view of the hot indignation of the 
public at the proposed legislation, all 
danger that the original bill would pass 
through Congress, bad vanished before 
the Senator’s lately acquired wisdom had 
induced him to alter it. 
- » * ■ «- 
CHECKS ON FRAUD IN FERTILIZERS. 
In a recent editorial we remarked upon 
the value of the analyses of chemical fer¬ 
tilizers made by the stations. It was 
stated that these analyses determine the 
Strength of a fertilizer, but not necessarily 
the valve of the strength. Of two samples 
that analyze just alike, one might be 
worth agriculturally twice as much as the 
other. Why then, we asked, do not the 
makers of inferior grades avail themselves 
of this margin to counterfeit the first- 
class article more than they do? There 
are several answers to this question. In 
the first place, many low-grade materials 
are bulky and can not be so combined as 
to show a high percentage of plant, in¬ 
gredients. Again, while unscrupulous 
manufacturers do avail themselves of the 
cheapest sources of plant-food supply, yet 
the cost of selling inferior goods, through 
dealers who look to large profits, is very 
heavy. Their goods need pushing, while 
the first-class goods sell themselves. The 
general expenses of manufacture, freight, 
storage, etc., arc perhaps as great for the 
poorest as for the best and highest grade 
fertilizers. The manufacturers of doubt¬ 
ful or fraudulent fertilizers are really in 
the hands of the dealers or sellers, who 
to sell them are obliged to put down 
the price, to give long credits and offer 
every inducement to purchasers. 
SPECIAL. 
Those who, having applied for the 
Rural’s present seed distribution prior 
to March 10th, have not yet received it, 
will kindly notify us by postal at once. 
The seed packages for Canada sub¬ 
scribers have been expressed, to be 
mailed there and all should have re¬ 
ceived them bythis time. 
RAISING CALVES UNDER GLASS. 
Is the idea absurd? Do we not start 
hardy plants under glass? Are they less 
hardy than those planted later ? Is there 
so much difference between plant life and 
animal life that what will benefit one can¬ 
not be applied in growing the other? We 
recently saw some fine-looking calves that 
were being literally “raised under glass.” 
Tlie south side of a shed had been tilled 
with ordinary sash. The calves were 
placed in this shed when two days old and 
given the benefit of a daily sun-bath. 
They were in splendid condition, fat and 
smooth and contented. We are told that 
calves raised in this way are perfectly 
hardy. They are certainly larger and of 
better shape than those tied in a dark 
stall or turned into a cold yard. All 
young animals should be made comfort¬ 
able. It is a mistake to think that by ex¬ 
posure we can harden a tender and grow¬ 
ing animal. Some parents pursue this 
course with their children. The little 
people are thinly clad and purposely sent 
out into the cold, in the hope that they 
will become tough. This system has pro¬ 
duced many nervous and shattered men 
and women. As to the value of sunshine 
as an element of health, argument is not 
necessary. A warm sun-bath induces the 
liens to lay and gives evident comfort to 
the cow and horse. Without it health is 
impossible; with it medicine is hardly 
necessary. 
EASTWARD RATES ON WESTERN 
MEAT. 
The schedule of transportation rates on 
live stock and dressed meats, which went 
into force on the trunk-line railroads on 
the first of this mouth, appears to give 
satisfaction to nobody, and is to be “re¬ 
considered” by the railroad “pool.” All 
the railroads appear dissatisfied with it, 
except the Pennsylvania, which gets an 
undue share of the traffic, the Grand 
Trunk being especially discontented with 
it. The dressed-beef shippers have pre¬ 
pared for the Courts a “strong case” 
against the tariff; while the livestock 
shippers are preparing a ease on the 
ground of unjust discrimination in favor 
of their opponents. The public have 
come to the conclusion that it is impos¬ 
sible at this late date, through any mani¬ 
pulation of rates, to change the course of 
trade in meat from the West to the East. 
For six years the movement has been 
steadily against, the live stock shippers, 
as shown by the following table of rela¬ 
tive shipments east: 
/- Actual tons. -, 
1880. 1881. IRS2. 18S.3, 1884. 1885. 
Cattle.41«,20T. m«O0 883,660 872,21-1 310.110 281,022 
Dressed beef... 30,105 48,771 65,775 149,010 18-1,993 381,684 
Shipments of cattle from the West to 
the New England States, outside of Bos¬ 
ton, have nearly ceased; while in the 
“Hub" itself, the receipts of dressed beef 
last year nearly equaled those of cattle. 
In New York, outside of this city, the 
dressed beef trade has shut nearly all the 
western bve cattle out of the markets. 
Although tills city was the last territory 
invaded by the dressed-beef men, .the 
trade is rapidly increasing. With regard 
to the supply of meat from the West, the 
trade in New Jersey and Delaware is 
nearly all in the hands of the dressed-beef 
men. Just as "Western wheat is now 
turned into flour at Minneapolis, so West¬ 
ern live stock must lie turned into meat 
near the sources of supply. At present 
Chicago almost monopolizes the business; 
but there is uo doubt whatever that points 
further west and south—nearer the great 
stock ranges—will ere long become local 
centers of the trade. The movement has 
already acquired no small consequence in 
Dakota, Montana, Nebraska and Texas, 
and there as well as in all the other 
great cattle-raising States and Territories, 
the business is sure to multiply and 
increase rapidly in importance. 
BREVITIES. 
First-class seed potatoes scarce and high 
with a lively demand. 
Plant Sweet Peas. There are many new 
and beautiful varieties. 
One of the greenest evergreen trees at. the 
Rural Grounds during the Winter is Nord- 
maun’s Fir. 
March 19, we sowed several small trial lots 
of so-called ne^v oats. We have never as yet 
sown oats too early. 
Ik we were to plant another hedge we should 
select the different colored varieties of the 
Japan Quince for that purpose. 
After 12 years' oxjieriance with the Bird 
Cherry (Primus padus) we have discarded |it 
as nnworthy of a place in ornamental 
grounds. 
A fortune is patiently waiting the man 
who shall invent a potato digger that will 
w'ork as satisfactorily as do some of our potato 
planters. 
“I can see no philosophical reason for striv¬ 
ing to raise the roots of any crop above the 
surface of the ground under ordinary circum¬ 
stances, and my garden oxp rience with all 
crops is opposed to the practice.” See E. J. 
Browntfll’s article elsewhere. 
There is a present for everyone of our sub- 
serliters who chooses to work for the R. N.-Y. 
in the way of raising clubs. Rend the last 
page of the supplement. The regular pre¬ 
mium-list as well as the $8,300 list of gift 
prizes and the Rural posters will be mailed 
free to all who apply for them. 
Don’t pniuo Forsythias, Japan quinces, 
lilacs, viburnums, thorns, Judas trees, wei- 
getas, etc., in the Winter or Spring, unless 
you would deprive yourself of just, so many 
(lowers as the wood cut off would liear. As 
we have often advised our readers such shrubs 
should be pruned, if at, all, as soon as they 
have bloomed. 
Those who are interested in the potato re¬ 
ports from the Rural Ex, Ground*, will by 
them lie enabled to judge somewhat, as to 
which of the newer varieties it is well to try. 
The following kinds may la' specially men¬ 
tioned ns worthv of trial: White Star, Em¬ 
pire State, Late Beauty of Hebron or White 
Elephant (they are very nearly alike), Rural 
Blush, Green Mountain—all for later crops— 
Early Maine, Pearl of .Savoy, Thorburn and 
Beauty of Hebron for early. 
By a misprint in the last report of the Con¬ 
necticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 
the potash of kainit is quoted at wholesale in 
December of 1884 at less than one cent (.82) a 
pound. It should have been 2.82. But, kainit 
at wholesale means tho article in bulk on 
board of the vessels importing it„ To this 
should be added, not only the bags and 
the cost of bagging, but the cost of lighterage, 
receiving and storing, cartage to point Of ship¬ 
ment, etc., all of «Inch items cost just as much 
in low-grade us In high-grade fertilizers. Fig¬ 
uring upon this lias is, it appears that the cost 
of the actual potash in kainit during 1884 av¬ 
eraged somewhat higher than the potash in 
high-grade muriate. 
The Cherokee Strip Live Stock Association 
procured a lease of the entire Strip from the 
Cherokee* for $100,000 a year, and then, 
reserving some for their owu use, sublet the 
rest for $500,000,, thus securing free graz¬ 
ing for their own stock and pocketing $400,000 
a year by the job, Why are poor homestead¬ 
ers excluded from this region or driven out at 
the point of the bayonet, while foreign and 
domestic cattle syndicates and kings are al¬ 
lowed to occupy It iu violation of law; for it 
is a well settled fact, that Indians can not legal¬ 
ly grant leases of their lauds to white men, 
without the written consent of the Depart¬ 
ment of the Interior! Why was the Presi¬ 
dent's proclamat ion expelling thecafctlo barons 
from the Indian Territory confined to the 
Cheyenne and Arapahoe Reservations! Was 
it because influential .Senators and Represen¬ 
tatives were pecuniar lv interested in the leases 
of other parts of the Territory ? 
