THE RURAL NEW-YORKER.' 
February 25 
136 
Short Stories. 
Ben Davis—Beast. —In The R. N.-Y. 
for February 11, Prof. L. II. Bailey is 
made to say: “ They (the Europeans) 
want Kiefferpear and Ben Davis apples. 
Let us send them a goodly portion.” 
Let’s ! Let’s send the entire crop ! Let’s 
fire over the whole shooting match! 
Since we are engaged in shooting lib¬ 
erty into the Filipinos, it cannot be con¬ 
sidered cruelty to let the Europeans have 
all the Ben Davis apples they want, 
though what they want them for is a 
conundrum, in countries where such fine 
turnips are grown. 
Is it not nearly time that hoi ticultural 
authorities ceased praising and recom¬ 
mending Ben Davis, the most worthless 
fruit that ever masqueraded in a beauti¬ 
ful hide ? Elide, is used advisedly and 
properly, because Ben Davis is a beast 
among apples. At best, it is a bunch of 
negations—at worst, it is indescribably 
abominable. 
The present unexampled cold spell has 
already almost certainly exterminated 
the Ben Davis in several States, for it is 
not a “ hardy ” tree, and so, to that de¬ 
gree, the succession of cold waves has 
been a blessing. Is the Kieffer pear any 
bi tter ? Is it fit to eat ? w. 
Monroe, Wis. 
Substitution and Hens.— Although 
Gov. Roosevelt says that we have too 
many laws already, there are two very 
annoying conditions which affect nearly 
every one, which might well be consid¬ 
ered : Substituted varieties of trees and 
plants from nurserymen, and trespass¬ 
ing hens. Nurserymen should be obliged 
to give a written guarantee of the cor¬ 
rect naming of all stock sold by them, 
and be liable to pay a sufficient amount 
to protect the purchaser from loss. For 
example, it costs about $100 to bring an 
acre of grapes to a bearing age on trel¬ 
lises, which is pretty expensive to the 
fruit raiser, if they prove to be a worth¬ 
less substitute, and he has no redress. 
As to hens, of course there is a law in 
regard to trespass; but who wants al¬ 
ways to be in petty lawsuits with his 
neighbors ? What court will a ward dam¬ 
ages sufficient to compensate our wives 
and daughters, who have carefully raised 
some choice plants in the house only to 
have them scratched out and ruined by 
neighbors’ hens as soon as they are trans¬ 
planted into the flower bed ? It seems 
as though our lawmakers m'ght devise 
some way of compelling or inducing 
every one to fence his poultry on to his 
own premises. It would, indeed, save a 
deal of contention. j. g. c. 
Portland, N. Y. 
Robbing the Soil. — The Kingston 
News (Canada) makes this strong com¬ 
ment on a remark made by Prof. Rob¬ 
ertson before the Canadian dairy meet¬ 
ing: “ There is,” he said, “only enough 
nitrogen in the richest soil of Canada to 
produce about 125 crops, and as the 
older sections of Canada have been cul¬ 
tivated more than half a century, we 
have already run through nearly half 
our patrimony, except so far as, through 
the use of fertilizing material, the soil 
has been replenished. There is, he said, 
as much taken from the soil by one ton 
of wheat as by 100 tons of butter, and as 
much by one ton of hay as by 87 tons 
of butter. The vast difference in the 
value of the products can easily be cal¬ 
culated. 
“ Farmers should turn their raw ma¬ 
terials into the most valuable products 
before allowing them to leave the farm. 
In Ontario, wheat-raising might well be 
abandoned altogether, as we cannot 
compete with the Northwest in that 
cereal. Hay should never be sold off 
the farm. Lean cattle should never be 
sold to agents of American dealers who 
want to fatten them and get the profit 
of the process. The hay should be 
turned into beef where both hay and 
cattle are raised, and all the profit kept 
in Canada. 
“ The suicidal policy of many Cana¬ 
dian farmers could not be more clearly 
exemplified than in the large business 
which has been built up in some Cana¬ 
dian towns in the exportation of wood 
ashes. This is a concentrated fertilizer 
which it has taken ages to produce, and 
Canadians are parting with it for a mere 
song to Americans who are wise enough 
to know its value and to put all they can 
of it on their worn-out acres. This 
wasteful business should be checked. 
Canadian farmers must learn that no 
price they can get for their hay or their 
wood ashes will begin to compare with 
the benefit they could derive from a 
proper use of them at home.” 
Farmers and License. —I have been 
much interested in the discussion as to 
the value of a license as a preventive of 
low prices. I agree with you, and think 
the advocates of a license fee have failed 
to establish their claims. One aspect of 
the case not as yet referred to deserves 
attention, the legal side of the question. 
As a town officer, I had occasion to study 
up this part of the subject, for the rea¬ 
son that I did not wish to involve our 
town in any lawsuits. I found that, 
while a majority of venders would rather 
pay a license fee than go to law, the 
minority, who were the larger game, re¬ 
fused to take out a license on the ground 
that the law was unconstitutional. It 
did not seem right to compel the little 
fellows to pay, who through ignorance 
or fear were willing to pay, and let the 
bigger ones go free. 
I asked a number of lawyers about it. 
They said that they didn’t know ; they 
had never had a case of the kind. They 
never do know until you bring a case to 
them. Sharp fellows, those lawyers! 
A mayor of a city nearby, who is a law¬ 
yer, too, I thought might help me. I 
sought his advice. I knew he, as mayor, 
could give me something practical. He 
gave me several decisions of the highest 
courts of this State to read, with the re¬ 
mark, “ Be your own lawyer!” These 
decisions were to the effect that all li¬ 
cense laws pertaining to country prod¬ 
uce especially, and to merchandise gen¬ 
erally, as enacted by town boards, though 
authorized by legislative statutes, are a 
restraint on trade, and are unconstitu¬ 
tional and void. In several cases, where 
venders had carried the matter to the 
higher courts, including the Court of 
Appeals of this State, they were success¬ 
ful as against town boards. R. G. 
New York. 
True Greatness 
In Medicine 
Is proved by the health of the people 
who have taken it. More people have 
been made well, more cases of dis¬ 
ease and sickness have been cured by 
Hood’s Sarsaparilla than by any 
other medicine in the world. The 
peculiar combination, proportion 
and process in its preparation make 
Hood’s Sarsaparilla peculiar to it¬ 
self and unequaled by any other. 
B URPEE’S 
Farm Annual, 
An elegant new book of 176 pages,—gives much 
valuable information about BEST SEEDS, and 
offers thousands of dollars in CASH PRIZES. 
FREE to any address sent on a postal card. 
W. ATLEE BURPEE & CO., Philadelphia, Pa. 
BEST in the world from 1 
cent per packet up. Cele¬ 
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rapid growth. Postage paid. 
Large lot of extra packages l ( ’ree 
in every order. Oldest reliable 
seedsman in the west. Send yours 
and neighbor’s address for pret¬ 
tiest large catalog ever printed. 
R. H. SHUMWAY, Rockford, Ill. 
SEEPS 
BUCKBEE’S SEEDS SUCCEED 1 
SPECIAL OFFER: 
Made to Build New Business. Atrial will 
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' Drum Pallartinn Radish, 17 varieties! Lettuce, 12 
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in all. GUARANTEED TO PLEASE. 
Write to-day; Mention this Paper. 
SEND IO CENTS 
to cover postage and packing and receive this valuable 
collection of Seeds postpaid, together with my new 
i Instructive, Beautiful Seed unil Plant Book, 
tells all about the Rest varieties of Seeds, Plants, etc. 
H Uf Dlinlkoa ROCKFORD SEED FARMS, 
.Tf .DUUKUGB Box 545 ROCKFORIl, ILL. 
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ARLINGTON 
| Tested Seeds 
V and selected from our 1899 Catalogue. 
S Rawson’s 1899 Seed Book tells about. 
JW these famous seeds. Also full particu- 
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jif and most helpful book for gar 
ES deners published. Send for it. 
£ W. W. ltAVVSON <fc CO., 
Boston, Mass 
ESTABLISHED 1802 
T 
’S 
SEEDS 
Our 1899 Catalogue is now ready, 
and will be mailed free on applica¬ 
tion. It contains a larger assortment 
of Seeds, and more information about 
them and their culture, than any 
other Seed Annual published. We 
have been for the past 98 years the 
leading Seed House of America. 
J.M.TH0RBURN&C0. 
(Late of IS John Street) 
36 C0RTLANDT STREET. NEW YORK 
Like Peas 
in a Pod 
Our Garden and Farm I 
Manual is full of interest to I 
everyone who loves a gar-| 
den or flower bed. Its 
Photographic Illustra¬ 
tions of choice novelties 
in Vegetables and Flowers , 
place it in a distinct class] 
I among seed catalogues. 
free to seed buyers. 
Johnson & Stokes,! 
217 & 219 Market St. Philadelphia., 
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FREE 
BOOK 
Write for it to-day. It will pay you. no matter 
how many others you have. CHOICEST VEG- 
ETABLES, FLOWERS and GRAINS, SEED 
POTATOES, FRUIT PLANTS and TREES. 
Careful and prompt attention given all orders. 
Satisfaction Guaranteed. 
Send us the addresses of 6 or more of your friends 
who buy seeds or plants and we will send you 
2 Pkts. Choice Seeds Absolutely Free. 
1 oz. Sweet Peas, the very best only 10c.; X lb. 26c. 
FORD SEED CO.,. 
Dept. R. N. Y., Ravenna, Ohio. 
M 
bills for 
m B would be a great 
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■ age of New 
tA ■ Garden Seeds, 
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A 1 I consisting of, 
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Co.’s famous World’s Fair Tomato, Boss Flat Dut 
Cabbage, Baltimore Cabbage Lettuce, Lord Bal 
more Watermelon, etc., also our illustrated catalogi 
Try our seeds and you will always plant them. 
GRIFFITH & TURNER CO., 
212 North Paca Street. Baltimore, H 
VAUGHAN’S 
All that we said of this now 
famous muskmelon was more V; 
than true. The most profit¬ 
able and best melon for home or shipping since we first 
introduced Morrill’s Osage. 
M ft n,e grown for Market 
V L L I I V Gardeners and others 
VEGETABLE OLLUO 
Our 1899 Catalogue is a mirror of American Horticul¬ 
ture. It tells the whole story for the Garden, Lawn 
and Farm. The best Flower Seeds in Amerlon. 
CUT OUT THIS ADV. and send to us with 4c in stamps 
and we mail free catalogue with 1 packet each of Paul 
Rose and new Rocky Ford Muskmelons, 
A BARCAIN! HERE IS THE OFFER: 
Six Moat Popular Flowers. 
I pkt Sweet Peas, 25 kinds I pkt Mignonette, Giant 
1 pkt Giant Pansy, 12 kinds I pkt Morning Glory, Giant 
1 pkt Nasturtium.Mad.Gunther I pkt Cosmos, New Early 
Cut out this adv. and mail us with four 2c stamps and 
we will send prepaid above six kinds, with catalogue. 
Vaughan’s Seed Store 9 
NEW YORK, 14 Barclay St. CHICAGO, 84-86 RandolphSf. 
Seeds! Seeds! 
75th Anniversary Catalogue of 
Vegetable, Farm and Flower Seeds, 
Is now ready, and mailed free to all applicants. 
BRIDGEMAN’S SEED WAREHOUSE, 
37 East 19th St., New York City. 
gfpn DUE Bill FREE 
J To Ret new customers to teat my ieed« 
■■ ■■ I will mail my handsome catalocue 
Tor 1899, lithographed and beautifully illustrated, and a 10c. 
Doe Bill, eood for 10c. worth of seeds for trial, absolutely 
free. It is full of bargains. All the Rest Seeds, Bulbs, 
Plants, Roses, new Fruits, Farm Seeds, Potatoes, 
etc., at lowest prices. Ten Great Novelties offered without 
rimes. I will pay $50. FOR A NAME for each. Don’t buy 
four stock until you see thi3 new catalogue. Several varieties shown 
n colors. Great inducements for orders this year. Y ou will be 
tnrprised at my bargain offers. Send your address on Postal to-day. 
Tell your friends to send too. Old customers will receive a copy. 
F. B. MILLS, Seedaman, Box ?9, Kosellill, N.Y 
Kansas Seeds 
Headquarters for Rocky Ford 
Cantaloupe Seed, Alfalfa, Sor- 
Kaffir Corn and Millet 
Choice Onion Seeds at 
low prices. Tree SeeOr of 
all kinds. Forage plants 
for dry climates. Our Cat¬ 
alogue mailed l'ree on application. Send for one now. 
Kansas Seed House. 1.liarteldei & Co., Lawrence, Kan. 
PURCHASE FROM US DIRECT. 
Everything F THE Garden 
“Everything for the Garden” is the title 
of our Catalogue for 1899, and it really is 
a 190=page book, 9x11 inches, containing over 
700 engravings and 6 superb colored plates 
of Seeds and Plants. And as all are drawn 
from nature,we show, as in a looking-glass, 
the best of the old and the latest of the new. 
To trace advertising, and give our Cata¬ 
logue the largest possible distribution, we 
make the following unusually liberal offer: 
Every Empty Envelope 
Counts as Cash. 
To every one who will state where this ad¬ 
vertisement was seen, and who encloses us 
10 cents (in stamps), we will mail the Cata¬ 
logue,andalsosend, free of charge, our famous 
50-cent “ Empire State ” Collection of Seeds, 
containing one packet each of New Large- 
flowering Sweet Peas, New Butterfly 
Pansy, New Jubilee Asters, New Golden 
Rose Celery, New York Lettuce, and 
Ponderosa Tomato, in a red envelope, 
which, when emptied and returned, will be 
accepted as a 25=cent cash payment on any 
order of goods selected from Catalogue to 
the amount of $1.00 and upward. 
mmm mm phhiu & mm nna 
* ALWAYS EARLIEST & BEST * 
THE GEORGE W.RdERRARD CO. CARIBOU, ME. 
From the GROWER. 
Vegetable and Field Seeds, 
SEED POTATOES. 
Raised on our own Farm. Prices the lowest possible. Send for 
our Catalogue now—this very hour. It costs you nothing and you ought to see 
it before buying any seeds. Jos. Harris Co., Moreton Farm, via Coldwater, N. V. 
