THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
July 10 
456 
The Rural New=Yorker. 
TUB BUSINESS FARMERS' PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Elbert S. Carman. Editor-In-Chief. 
Herbert W. Collingwood, Managing- Editor. 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
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Address all business communications and make all orders pay¬ 
able to THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
Corner Chambers and Pearl Streets, New York. 
SATURDAY. JULY 10 1897. 
Here is a plant growth combination that ought to 
suit you: 
Principles of Plant Culture, $1.00 
The Nursery Book, .... 1 00 
The Story of the Plants, ... 40 
Total, . $2 40 
We sell the combination for S3.10, and it is a good 
bargain. These books cover the subject of plant 
growth in a very interesting way. Excellent for the 
boys and girls. 
0 
Some of the points urged in favor of butterine by 
city housekeepers of small means were that it was of 
uniform quality, put up in convenient packages, and 
better in flavor than much of the genuine butter 
offered them. Surely the dairymen can put up honest 
butter to suit this class of trade. Don’t be ashamed 
to learn from the butterine people if they have any¬ 
thing worth teaching. 
0 
Here is a note well worth considering : 
To Mr. Phillips’s article on origin of fires might 
be added 
ABOLISH THE PARLOR MATCH. 
Use only Safety matches. I never allow the so- 
called “ Parlor ” match in house or place. Safety 
matches are never “ carried around,” are now 
very cheap, never borrowed, never ignite spon¬ 
taneously. 
That is good advice ; put the Safety match at the head ! 
O 
Every one familiar with a bicycle knows the won¬ 
derful change in the power required to propel an old 
one after it has been thoroughly cleaned. It becomes 
dirty and gummy. A good soaking with kerosene oil 
cuts loose all this gum, and it may all be cleaned off, 
oil applied, and the old machine runs like new. The 
same is true of the old mower or reaper. Dirty or 
gummy, it’s a horse killer, neither will it do good 
work. A thorough application of kerosene oil to 
every bearing part, will cut out this gum and make it 
run—not like new, perhaps—but many per cent bet¬ 
ter. Great is oil, and greater is kerosene oil! 
0 
The destructive Rocky Mountain locust has made 
its appearance in South Dakota, and effort is being 
made to destroy the insects before they reach the 
winged stage. The destruction caused in South Da¬ 
kota by these insects in 1873, 1874, and 1876 makes the 
visitation an alarming one, and in one of the infested 
districts the county commissioners are said to be pay¬ 
ing a bounty of 50 cents a bushel for the insects. The 
machine used to trap the locusts or grasshoppers is 
what is termed a “ hopper-dozier.” It consists of a 
sheet-iron pan, about 10 or 12 feet long and three feet 
wide. At the back, a frame is fastened, over which 
a canvas sheet is drawn. The front edge of the pan is 
turned up, so that it will glide along smoothly. A 
rope is stretched across about six inches in front of 
the pan, to scare up the grasshoppers. A cloth is 
placed over the bottom of the pan, and both this and 
the canvas screen at the back are saturated with kero¬ 
sene. The kerosene kills the locusts instantly. The 
“ hopper-dozier ” is dragged over the field by horses 
just as any farm implement would be, without injury 
to the growing grain. Where the insects are thick, 
the hopper-dozier will gather from four to five bushels 
in an hour. But while this destroys many of the 
insects, it is impossible to exterminate them without 
destroying the eggs, which are laid in the ground in 
July and August. Prof. Lugger, State Entomologist 
for Minnesota, recommends fall plowing of all sus¬ 
pected fields, the eggs being thus buried too deeply 
for the young insect to force its way through. This 
is a very important matter, as the insect is a serious 
menace to agriculture within its radius. The insect 
cannot thrive in moist eastern localities, its home be¬ 
ing the high, dry eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains. 
0 
Notice what Mr. Bonham says about California 
wheat. A car-load of dry wheat may absorb water 
enough more than to pay the freight to market. 
Water is a good thing to sell, but a poor thing to buy. 
Some farmers buy several hundred pounds of water 
in their coal. This can often be saved by laying in 
the coal supply during a long dry season. At such a 
time, the coal contains least water and most actual 
fuel. Hay, grain, and many other things that are 
bought by weight contain considerable water, and it 
is good economy to have them weighed out to us when 
as dry as possible. 
O 
It has been so cool this season that the old-time 
“ Preservaline ” fraud has been slow in starting his 
rounds. He is coming. Already readers begin to ask 
if they may safely use the stuff in their milk. NO 1 
It is against the law to do so. It is also a mean and 
dirty trick to sell milk containing such drugs as borax 
and salicylic acid. Pure milk can be made and handled 
in such a way that these drugs are not necessary. 
Don’t try to sell what you would not dare give your 
own children. Some stranger may have confidence in 
you and use your drugged milk to poison a sick 
child! Preserve us from “Preservaline.” 
O 
Attention is called to the article printed on page 
452, describing life in the flooded districts of the 
South, during the recent overflow. It is to be hoped 
that few of our readers will ever be called upon to 
make use of these devices. We are thankful that we 
are living on high land, as we would rather irrigate 
than feel the need of constant drainage. As plum 
trees, as suggested by our correspondent, can stand 
wet feet with better success than peaches, it may be 
that peach worked on plum roots or stocks, will make 
more satisfactory trees in flooded or damp countries. 
Here is a point for our wise men to discuss, and we 
hope to hear from them without delay. 
0 
E^Let those who intend to sow Crimson clover in 
corn fields remember that, in Delaware, where this 
plan succeeds so well, the corn rows are 44 inches 
apart each way, and only two stalks are allowed in a 
hill. This allows considerable sunshine to reach the 
young clover. If sown among ensilage or other 
thickly-planted corn, the clover is shaded too much, 
and will be spindling and puny. Another thing, sow 
the clover early enough and get a large growth by 
fall. Get it in a little ahead of a shower, if possible. 
Crimson clover is not a weed. It needs good soil and 
fair treatment. Then, with a reasonable season, it 
will work for you. 
© 
A reader in New York State sends this little note: 
Many people who have never tried it, say that there is profit in 
raising Belgian hares. What is your opinion ? Is there a mar¬ 
ket for them during the whole year ? I have three acres of wood¬ 
land which furnishes no income: Could it be well used for a rab¬ 
bit warren or poultry range ? 
We have noticed the same thing not only about rab¬ 
bit breeding but other things as well. People who 
have never invested money or time in a business, are 
often very free with strong advice. We have never 
found but one man who really seemed to get any 
profit out of rabbits. If the business is really a good 
one, we would like to know about it. A few men 
seem to have made some money in skunk farming, but 
that business is not “ one to be desired”. 
0 
We have found the phosphoric acid and glycerine 
mentioned on page 454, very useful as a tonic. When 
properly mixed and used with care, it is, probably, 
as useful as most of the so-called “ phosphates ” which 
are sold at a high price. We are quite sure that some 
persons do not obtain a sufficient supply of phosphates 
in their food. They suffer in consequence, and are 
more liable to various ailments. Those who use this 
phosphoric acid must remember that it may injure 
defective teeth unless care be taken to prevent it. It 
is an excellent plan to rinse out the mouth, and brush 
the teeth after taking the mixture. Milk of magnesia 
may, also, be used as mentioned on page 454. We do 
not have much faith in dosing or in constantly taking 
medicine, but it seems to us that many humans need 
phosphates in their systems j ust as much as in their 
soils. Many a soil is weak and halting in its yield, 
because of a lack of phosphoric acid, and many a man 
becomes tired and depressed for much the same rea¬ 
son. At least, that is our conviction. 
A reader in Illinois sends the following note of in¬ 
quiry : 
I would like The R. N.-Y. to gather information from various 
sections as to the price paid this year for picking strawberries, 
raspberries and blackberries. In this section, the price is 1)4 
cent for strawberries, l'/4 to 2 cents for raspberries and 1 cent for 
blackberries. Considering the low price of fruit, I think these 
prices are rather high, and I know that considerably less is paid 
in many sections. Is it practicable to have a sliding scale of 
prices according to the price for which the fruit sells ? 
Will our readers please give us the facts ? Generally 
speaking, we conclude that prices for pickers are less 
than in former years. 
o 
On page 452, Mr. Smith gives us a forcible illustra¬ 
tion of the value of lime. For some years, The R. 
N.-Y. has been trying to show farmers that the old 
theory of liming was a mistaken one. Farmers used 
to think that lime is necessary as a direct plant food 
just the same as potash or phosphoric acid. For a 
few years, lime gave good results ; after that, it began 
to fail, naturally so, as it was not accompanied by the 
other elements of plant food. Now we know that the 
chief need of lime is not as a direct fertilizer, but 
rather to overcome the acid condition of the soil. 
Certain plants cannot thrive and grow when the soil 
contains too much acid. Let this acidity be overcome, 
and the soil at once responds to applications of ferti¬ 
lizer. The experiments at the Rhode Island Station 
have certainly shown the need of lime. Now that we 
know why it is needed, we are able to use it far more 
intelligently than ever before. It is interesting to 
see how most of the other important experiment sta¬ 
tions are following out Prof. Wheeler’s lime experi¬ 
ments, and have generally come to the same con¬ 
clusion, namely, that many dry, upland soils contain 
an excess of acid which can be removed only by the 
application of lime. 
© 
BREVITIES 
The robber hen! The robber hen! 
Her thieving may be due to men. 
Men, lazy, careless, slack and slow, who do not give her half a 
show; 
Who sit around and hold down chairs, discussing other people’s 
cares, 
While Mistress Hen so vainly begs the food to manufacture eggs. 
Upon her comb the frost nips hard, and Mr. Vermin leaves his 
card. 
Sir Henry Hunger claims his own, and Thomas Thirst sits on the 
throne. 
By Misery the hen is kissed. No wonder she’s an anarchist! 
The robber hen! The robber hen! 
Let some one do her j ustice when 
The cackle dies within her neck, and her egg record is a wreck; 
For Mistress Hen is not to blame, Go blazon out her owner’s 
name; 
The careless wretch, for such as he have taught her all her 
thievery. 
A sterile hen was never found whose pedigree did not abound 
In carelessness and greed of man—deny the statement if you can. 
Unglue yoursel f from yonder seat, and give the hens enough to eat. 
Whisky is water -* 1 tight.” 
The hay crop will be heavy. 
Keep the cultivator on the move. 
It’s very comfortable to lean on a fat salary. 
Yes, sir, a spavin makes leg gloom in the horse. 
Seventeen-year locusts have appeared in Ohio. 
Barley and peas make a hot-weather forage crop. 
Don’t let Mr. Stomach steal too much of your living ! 
Yes, ma’am ! Bread making is a dough me stick duty. 
We wonder if you realize how easy it is to be mistaken. 
A sore on the shoulder makes the horse tender-hearted. 
The surplus rooster and the scrub bull are weed breeders. 
What has become of the demand for buff color in poultry ? 
Raw bone, if finely ground, is good enough for most crops. 
Does it pay to pinch off the ends of squash and melon vines ? 
Here is a tariff for you: Tear “ if” out of some of your plans. 
The moral y dead are not “Here!” when duty calls their names. 
Corn on the ear makes a fine breakfast for the horse this hot 
weather. 
The “egg candlers” now use electricity to throw light into 
their subjects. 
Baldwin apples are likely to make a light crop in New York 
State this year. 
A “riE melon” grown in Oklahoma shows as rich an analysis 
as corn ensilage. 
Will Bordeaux Mixture take the curl out of a peach leaf ? No, 
but it will make the leaves leave off curling. 
What varieties of stock are you after ? The ones that will 
stand the most abuse ? Are you a scrub hunter ? 
“ Miscibility” is a good word which means really mix ability. 
We hope you and happiness are miscible in all proportions. 
Steer away from sterile hens. How to do it? Keep your pens 
clean and keep your houses neat—give the hens enough to eat. 
Firm russet apples are still on sale in New York with new crop 
apples and pears on the same stands. What other fruit will last 
lor 365 days ? 
What sends your berry cane to cain, and fills your feelings full 
of pain, and makes your labor hard and vain ? A great big dose 
of anthracnose ? 
Can’t beat it! What? Young pasture grass for making milk 
and butter. Young soiling crops come next. Look ahead 30 days 
to the dry pastures. Fodder corn will help you out. 
The British Board of Agriculture has issued an order prohibit¬ 
ing the importation of dogs into England without a license. Why 
not make yourself a board of agriculture for your own farm, and 
put the licensing of dogs into your own hands ? 
