552 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
August 21 
The Rural New=Yorker. 
THE BUSINESS FARMERS' PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes, 
Established 1850. 
Elbert S. Carman. Editor-in-Cliief. 
Herbert W. Collingwood, Managing Editor. 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
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PRICE, ONE DOLLAR A YEAR 
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of 10 or more lines, and 1,000-line orders, 25 cents per Lne 
Heading Notices, ending with “ Adv.,” 75 cents per 
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We must have copy one week before the date of issue. 
Be sure that the name and address of sender, with name of 
Post-office and State, and what the remittance is for, appear in 
every letter. Money orders and bank drafts on New York are the 
safest means of transmitting money. 
Address all business communications and make all orders pay¬ 
able to THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
Corner Chambers and Pearl Streets, New York. 
SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 1897. 
ing in the words “ or their equivalent in any other 
sound fruit” ; but on maturer thought, we want to 
make the number six instead of three. 
© 
We used to hear a great deal about the abandoned 
farms in New England, but of late years, they are 
rarely mentioned. Most of these farms have been 
bought and repopulated — often by townspeople. 
There are now more abandoned farms in the Middle 
West than there ever were in New England. Most 
of these western farms were left by those who have 
drained them of available fertility, and who “ went 
west ” after new soil to destroy. A friend has just 
bought such a farm in northern Michigan. It is poor 
and “run down.” He will seed it to clover, using 
wood ashes as fertilizer, let the clover do its best, and 
then plow it in. A few days’ work out of the season 
will suffice to start the clover. It will take care of 
itself, and before it is done, the soil will be again 
ready to produce a full crop. It will cost a young 
man less to take such a farm and “ clover ” it into 
new life than it would to go to the Far West after 
new land. There is money in these abandoned farmG. 
It takes a good man to get it out, though. 
For many years, epicures have delighted in the 
flavor of Roquefort cheese, which was made from the 
milk of ewes, fed in pastures containing an abund¬ 
ance of wild thyme. As the trade increased, the 
thyme-clad banks of the Larnac and Aveyron failed 
to yield sufficient pasturage, so the flocks were fed in 
grassy meadows, where they produced more milk, 
but of inferior quality. The cheese-makers, spoiled 
by prosperity, took to the practice of mixing cows’ 
milk with that of the ewes, and then deteriorated 
their product still further by artificially ripening the 
cheese. The result is that buyers now look askance 
at so-called Roquefort cheese, and a business which 
formerly provided employment for over 100 000 people 
is at a standstill, with little hope of revival. The 
Roquefort cheese-makers, like the misguided manu¬ 
facturers of fiLled cheese in this country, will realize 
that it is necessary to maintain a standard, as well as 
to attain it. 
© 
The wheat situation is constantly improving, and 
there is every prospect for even higher prices before 
January 1. As later reports come from Europe, it is 
evident that the French and Russian crops are smaller 
than was at first expected. India has hosts of famine- 
stricken people of her own to feed, and Argentina 
cannot export the usual quantity of wheat. Europe 
must come to America for bread this year, and it will 
be several years before the supply can be made up. 
Corn is, also, slowly rising in price. Our advices from 
the West are that beef cattle are in active demand 
at better prices, and there is a more hopeful feeling 
in the dairy business. The potato crop promises to 
be small, but prices are quite satisfactory just now. 
In fact, it seems to be generally admitted that the 
immediate future for agriculture is more hopeful at 
present than at any time during the past four years. 
The farmers and fruit growers who supply near-by 
markets are having the worst of it this year, as the 
continued wet weather has badly injured sweet 
corn, melons and similar crops. 
© 
The excitement over the gold discoveries in Alaska 
has caused a great increase in certain lines of busi¬ 
ness in California. Most of the food aside from flour 
that will be taken to the gold mines, will be in the 
form of dried or preserved goods. There has been an 
immense demand for dried fruits and vegetables such 
as prunes, apples, tomatoes and squashes, and all the 
canning factories on the Pacific coast are said to be 
running to their utmost capacity. Potatoes are said 
to be prepared very much like the cocoanut of com¬ 
merce, being first dried and then ground or desiccated. 
This business is sure to benefit California and other 
Pacific States. It will provide a new outlet for their 
fruits and vegetables, and help to diversify agricul¬ 
ture. Nor is this the only way in which the sale of 
Californian products can be increased without ship¬ 
ping them to the East. Our friend, H. E Dosch, of 
the Washington Board of Agriculture, made this 
statement in a recent address : 
Believing as I do, in practicing what I preach, that fruit is the 
natural food for man, we consume in my family, about500pounds 
ot evaporated prunes, pears and apples, besides fresh apples 
and pears, stored away for that purpose, between fall and the 
ime strawberries appear in the spring; fruit in some form is on 
our taole at each meal and on the sideboard for “ between 
meals.” 
If every householder on the Pacific coast would fol¬ 
low that example, what a market there would be for 
the fruit products of California and Oregon, and how 
the health of the people would be improved. Some 
months ago, we called for 10,000,000 people to pledge 
themselves to eat, at least, three apples per day. We 
aie perfectly willing to enlarge the pledge by bring- 
© 
The Year Book of the Department of Agriculture 
for 1896 has just been issued. It is a large volume of 
686 pages, containing among other matter, essays on 
scientific and practical topics by some of the best 
authorities in the country. It is a very valuable 
book—the best by far of the series. The price of this 
book is 50 cents. It may be obtained by inclosing 
this amount to 
1HE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS, 
UNION BUILDING, 
WASHINGTON, D. C. 
The Department now charges a low price for certain 
of its documents, which price must be paid before the 
volumes are sent. This we consider a sensible plan. 
Formerly such documents were broadcasted over the 
country—many of them falling into the hands of those 
who cared little for them. This wasteful practice has 
come to an end. Each month, a list of publications is 
mailed to those who desire it, and individuals are 
free to order the volumes that seem suited to their 
needs. It is well to demand a fair price for these 
pamphlets. There is no good reason why the Govern¬ 
ment should enter into injurious competition with 
publishers of papers or books. 
O 
An “ acid soil circular ” is being sent out by the Cor¬ 
nell Experiment Station. Each circular contains a 
list of questions, and with it goes an envelope con¬ 
taining a small piece of blue litmus paper for testing 
the soil. The following directions for testing are 
given in the circular : 
Open the soil with a spade to the depth of six to ten inches. 
Lay a one-half-inch strip of the paper against the smooth, moist 
surface, and press some of the loose, moist soil against it. After 
five minutes, remove the paper and let it dry. If the paper be 
reddened and remain so when dry, it indicates acid iu the soil. 
N. B.—The paper may be spoiled for the test by handling with 
moist or sweaty fingers. 
The questions relate to the behavior of soils and 
crops as well as to the location of the land. If farmers 
would answer them carefully, they would add much 
to our present knowledge of the value of lime. We 
hope that our readers will aid in this work. We are 
convinced that many fields are running on half time, 
though well cultivated and reasonably cared for. They 
are sour and unproductive. They need lime. Such 
soils must be carefully studied in order to learn when 
and how to apply the lime to the best advantage. 
© 
A number of our readers have written Mr. Henry 
Stewart desiring to buy small fry of the California or 
Rainbow trout which were pictured on page 497. Mr. 
Stewart has no fish for sale. His original stock came 
from the United States Fish Commission at Washing¬ 
ton. For the information of those who wish to pro¬ 
cure such fish, we print the following letter from the 
Department: 
Varieties of fish furnished for interior waters are, usually, some 
variety of the basses or trouts—depending on the character of 
the streams or lakes for which they are intended. On applica¬ 
tion to this office, a blank is forwarded to the applicant calling 
for a description of the waters to be stocked. On its return, duly 
filled out, it is decided what variety of fish would be most suit¬ 
able, and an application, calling for such fish, is sent for signa¬ 
ture. This application should be indorsed by a member of Con¬ 
gress. As soon after i ts receipt as possible, a supply of fish is sent. 
Acting Commissioner. i. h. dunlap. 
The young fish will be ready for distribution as soon 
as cool weather sets in. There will be a small charge 
for a pail, and you will pay express charges ; other¬ 
wise, the fish will be free. The real object of the 
Commission is to serve the public, and not advance 
any private interest. You will aid this work by 
giving the fish to friends and neighbors if you suc¬ 
ceed in stocking your ponds and brooks. 
A recent murder trial in Massachusetts has well 
shown one danger of rural village life. The con¬ 
victed man was a loafer—a member of the gang of 
idlers and depraved young men who hung about the 
village rum shops or stables. He did as little work as 
possible, living at his mother’s house without pay¬ 
ment for board, and begging or threatening money 
from his sisters. If he chanced to do a day’s work, 
the money was spent for liquor. The height of his 
ambition seemed to be to loaf in public places, drink¬ 
ing and indulging in vulgar and obscene language. 
Here was a true school for crime, and this man, hav¬ 
ing more courage or stronger animal desires, went 
further than his mates and took human life. In 
almost every rural village, there will be found a 
similar gang of loafers. They hang about the saloon 
or cigar shop, or make their headquarters at the stable 
or railroad station. Vulgar, lazy, and as vicious as 
they dare to be, they insult and defame women and 
concoct petty crimes and persecutions. They keep 
alive the low-grade rum shop on the money they are 
able to beg or steal. In the city where there are reg¬ 
ularly hired policemen, these loafers would be quickly 
driven from their haunts. There are no regular police 
in the country, therefore such loafers are rarely 
molested, because private citizens do not care to brave 
the insult and annoyance that would follow interfer¬ 
ence with them. It is a good thing that, in most 
cases, these fellows are too cowardly to attempt 
serious crimes ; but their presence is always a menace 
to the neighborhood. One of the quickest methods of 
driving them out is to shut up the rum shops No 
man will ever succeed in doing that by excusing them, 
either by voice or vote. 
© 
BREVITIES. 
“BORN TIRED.’’ 
Grandfather was a lazy man, and all grandmother's vim 
And energy were settled on my good old Uncle Jim. 
For Uncles George and Henry, Uncle D.ck and father, too— 
The very thought of working made them desperate and blue. 
A simple dream of labor sent them groaning in despair; 
They couldn’t think about it without sitting in a chair. 
And so, good-natured father, just a great big hulking man, 
As handsome as a picture, married little Mary Ann. 
A pert and bustling creature, full of energy and work, 
But woe betide the woman who is married to a shirk. 
She pleaded and she scolded, and her tongue ran on with speed; 
She couldn’t give him energy—it wasn’t in the breed ! 
And then she lost her temper, and her courage lost its edge, 
And trouble picked up, “ I don’t care,” and used it for a wedge. 
So I was just “ born tired it is iu my pedigree, 
And what you folks call laziness is only destiny. 
For father’slaze and mother’s nerves are in me half and half— 
Just like the breeding pedigree of any Jersey calf. 
And mother’s broken spirit comes and goads me every day, 
But father’s tired feeling holds me back along the way. 
Wortu trying! What? Alfalfa! 
Better be a retired farmer at 9 p. m. 
A “soaking” reign—government by rum shop. 
How can next year’s institute be made better ? 
Money is not the only thing that will bring prosperity. 
Of course you can use a spring-tooth harrow in the fall. 
The table of contents will be found this week on page 557. 
Read the report of the meeting of American scientists, page 556. 
The book agent that does not “ notice the baby” will seldom 
make a sale. 
Never eat a meal without fruit in some form. Boom your 
health and the fruit business. 
Not enough grit ! That has ruined the prospects of both men 
and ducks, otherwise well fed. 
This has been a great season for mosquitoes. The wet weather 
has brought them out in millions. 
There never was a better time for taking pains with the wheat 
seeding. Put on the fertilizer this year. 
We hope you find yourself so well pastor ized on Sunday that 
you can keep sweet all through the week! 
We could complain, but we won’t. It wouldn’t do any good, 
and would take time needed for better things. 
The scrub sends you a dispatch in cipher. You have to cipher 
out her account before you know she is a robber. 
The average hired man represents an outgo of $300 per year. 
Does he earn that for you ? Can you make six per cent on his 
labor ? 
Thousands of young men are ruined! How? By having too 
much done for them. Give them a dose of self-help—well 
rubbed in. 
If farmers would give exact figures showing their yearly cash 
incomes, you would be surprised to see how many of them fall 
belo )v $500 per year. 
A horse that has pastured all summer, got a bad attack of 
colic by eating the husks of sweet corn from two dozen ears! 
We don’t understand it. 
How many of our readers actually know that any of their hens 
lay 100 eggs during the year ? There is too much guess work 
about these great egg records. 
Young in the head and old in the feet—finger post points to a 
very back seat. Young in the feet and old in the head—right up 
to Get There you’ll find yourself led. 
Mr. Henry Stewart reports the following as a “ sure cure” 
for gapes in chickens: “A drop of creosote in a little sweet 
oil applied to the inside of the throat by means of a s nail feather 
trimmed to a narrow vane.” 
While considering the effects of Poison ivy, it must be remem¬ 
bered that the fumes arising from burning the plant will cause 
serious irritation of the eyes and respiratory organs. An out¬ 
break of inflammation of the eyes, which extended through a 
New Jersey rural community one winter, was finally traced to the 
use of stove wood overgrown with the Poison ivy. 
