88 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
FEB 8 
THE 
RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
(34 Park Row, New York), 
A National Journal for Country and Suburban 
Homes. 
Conducted by 
ELBERT S. CARMAN. 
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1890. 
The R. N.-Y. hopes to make a 
feature this year of reliable in¬ 
formation regarding the condi¬ 
tion and quantity of the various 
fruit crops. Readers will great- 
ly oblige us by reporting the con¬ 
dition of trees and vines in their 
neighborhood at the close of 
winter. 
“ Allow me, as a Canadian sub¬ 
scriber, to express my application of 
the R. N.-Y. and .the work it must in¬ 
evitably be doing. I had almost 
decided to discontinue it this year on 
the score of economy, but on second 
thoughts I have concluded that I 
could not afford to dispense with it. 
St. Catharines, Ont. m. b. 
Again, readers, let us ask you, why 
not raise Flageolet Beans instead 
of Limas ? They are very easily rais¬ 
ed; they are productive." They are 
dwarfs. There are both green and 
white varieties; that is, the beans 
(seeds) are green or white as desired. 
They are small, it is true, but superior 
to Limas in tenderness, richness of 
flavor and thinness of skin and far 
more easily raised. They are exten¬ 
sively used in first class "restaurants. 
The best varieties are the Improved 
Green-seeded and Wonder of France. 
The prevailing epidemic has been 
an excellent thing for the trade in 
Florida oranges. Dealers state that 
sales of this fruit have been enormous 
during the past few weeks. Physicians 
and nurses have prescribed plenty of 
oranges and lemons for those who suf¬ 
fered from the “grip.” Good oranges 
are now cheaper than apples. The 
most economical oranges are the “rus¬ 
sets.” They are usually small, and 
many buyers object to their color, but 
they are of excellent flavor and are 
cheaper than other sorts. 
J. H. & D. H. Gazlay of Morris, 
N. Y., write as follows : “We had one 
bushel of the Rural Thoroughbred 
Flint Corn drilled in and three other 
kinds as an experiment for ensilage 
purposes. To say that the Thorough¬ 
bred astonished the natives is putting 
it mildly.” The R. N.-Y. would be 
glad to have all who have silos try 
this variety. The experiment sta¬ 
tions should try it also. In so far as 
we can judge by its growth on Long 
Island and in New Jersey, it is the best 
silo corn in cultivation. The R. N. -Y., 
as is well known, never sells seeds or 
anything else to its readers ; neither 
does it raise this corn to sell to seeds¬ 
men. Our desire is simply to make 
its merits known to all who raise corn 
for the silo. 
It seems that the orange groves 
of California and the land boom¬ 
ers of the same States do not 
work in harmony. The papers 
have been filled with glowing 
accounts of the immense profits to he 
found in orange culture. These claims, 
it appears, were made by the land 
boomers. Now the orange growers 
are clamoring for an increased duty- 
on oranges, claiming that this duty is 
needed to protect them until their 
business can be brought to a solid and 
fully paying basis. It is evident that 
these statements do not agree. If 
orange growing is such a wonderfully 
profitable business, it does not need 
protection. If it does need protec¬ 
tion, the stories of wonderful profits 
are all humbug. The R. N.-Y. does 
not believe any branch of agriculture 
or horticulture is, at present, paying a 
large dividend. 
Perry’s Hybrid is a very early va¬ 
riety of sweet corn and of large size, 
Being among the earliest, it is val¬ 
uable for market. Potter’s Excelsior 
is nearly as early as Crosby and the 
ears are larger. Ne Plus Ultra is 
really an old variety, though intro¬ 
duced some 10 years ago as a novelty 
under the above name. We learn 
that it originated with the late Dr. 
Trimble and was called by him Trim¬ 
ble’s Sugar, and so catalogued in Thor- 
burn’s catalogue of 1866. ' It is of ex¬ 
cellent quality and the ears are of just 
the right size and shape for home use. 
They are rather small for market and 
the kernels are set upon the cob every- 
wliich-way. For a succession the 
following kinds are commended: 
Extra Early Crosby, Perry’s Hybrid, 
Crosby, Potter’s Excelsior. Moore’s 
Concord and Stowell’s Evergreen. 
Plant these very early all at once, 
and every week thereafter plant 
Stowell’s Evergreen until July 10th 
for this climate. 
-- 
One result of the farmers’ institutes 
that have been held in various States 
is an increased desire on the part of 
farmers to ask questions and discuss 
statements pertaining to agriculture. 
This is no where more apparent than 
in the columns of the R. N.-Y. The 
departments of “Farmers’ Club ” and 
“ Discussion ” are increasing in inter¬ 
est and space until they threaten to 
absorb the entire paper." TlieR. N.-Y. 
has never known the time when farm¬ 
ers were so quick to see the advan¬ 
tage of comparing their methods with 
those of men who farm in other parts 
of the country, and it is a very en¬ 
couraging sign; for when farmers 
begin to think and act in concert, we 
may expect to reorganize our business 
on a surer basis. 
“ I have answered your question by 
asking more, but the questions make 
the Rural thrive and grow,” writes 
a subscriber to whom we applied for 
imformation. The time lias gone by 
when an agricultural paper can hope 
to succeed as a dogmatic teacher. 
The times demand co-operation in 
thought, suggestion and inspiration. 
Canadian farmers and butchers are 
as bitter as their brethrenon this side of 
the border against the recent enormous 
increase in the trade in Chicago dress¬ 
ed meat in most parts of the Domin¬ 
ion, but especially in the Maritime 
Provinces—New Brunswick and Nova 
Scotia. Nine years ago the importa¬ 
tions of the product amounted to only 
300,000 pounds annually; but Chicago 
houses have since worked up the 
trade to 4,000,000 pounds per an 
num. The Canadian farmer, like his 
American brother, finds that either 
the home market for his cattle is en¬ 
tirely ruined or that the prices tor 
them are reduced to unremunerative 
figures by outside competition, and 
growls inconsequence. While in this 
country various States have tried to 
hamper or altogether prevent this com¬ 
petition, hitherto unsuccessfully, the 
matter is entirely within the control 
of the Dominion Government. Al¬ 
ready there is an import duty of 1)4 
cent per pound on dressed beef from 
this country, and it is wholly within 
the powers of the Canadian Parlia¬ 
ment to make the duty so high as to 
be prohibitory. Across the border 
there is no question as to the constitu¬ 
tionality of a law providing any rate 
of duty, and there is a growing agita¬ 
tion in Parliament and among the 
farmers throughout the country for 
doubling the present rate. 
SPECIAL NOTICE. 
T HE R. N.-Y. offers two special 
premiums which, it is believed, 
-will prove highly satisfactory to our 
readers and agents. 
blakelee's industrial cyclopedia. 
We can only repeat what we have 
already said about this work. It is 
the most useful farm book we have 
ever examined. It is well bound, 
well written and well printed. 
THE MANHATTAN WATCH. 
We know from experience how 
handy a watch is on the farm. This 
is an accurate time-piece and fully 
guaranteed. The horse-timing move¬ 
ment is a special feature which every 
boy will appreciate. 
Special attention is called to these 
premiums because they are good and 
serviceable, and because we are in a 
position to offer special terms on 
them. Write for full particulars. 
MONEY FOR SCHOOLS. 
T ERSEYMAN’S remarks on the 
fj school tax, which were printed 
two weeks ago, seem to have stirred 
up a good deal of discussion. The 
R. N.-Y. finds that a good many 
farmers do not send children to the 
district schools because of the evil in¬ 
fluences found there in districts where 
local feuds or lack of interest among 
the parents allow such influences to 
grow unrebuked. No thoughtful per¬ 
son can deny that there are district 
schools where children learn much 
that is harmful. There are too many 
who content themselves with saying : 
“Oh, well! Children have all got to 
learn such things some time anyway!” 
Is this the right way to look at it ? 
Have you any moral right to send 
your little child to a place where you 
know evil influences are found, with¬ 
out making a strong effort to counter¬ 
act such influences at least ? Much 
has been said about the cost of educa¬ 
tion in this country. The last report 
of the Bureau of Education states that 
in the year 1887-88 the total expenses 
of educating our children was $122.- 
455,252; of this $82,314,741 represent¬ 
ed the salaries of teachers and super¬ 
intendents, while $18,840,238 wore 
spent for buildings, sites and furni¬ 
ture. This is a vast sum of money for 
these “ hard times.” Do we get full 
value received from this outlay ? 
SAVING THE COST OF THRASH¬ 
ING AND GRINDING. 
I N feeding dent corn to cows, what 
is gained by grinding the grain 
and feeding it as meal ? The R, N.-Y. 
knows a good farmer who was rather 
frightened when one of his cows got a 
whole ear of corn in her mouth and 
proceeded to grind it up. He thought 
she would choke herself. She did not, 
but ground it into the finest sort of 
corn-and-cob meal. We always feed 
the nubbins to the cows whole and we 
notice that they are often picked out 
of the ground feed to be eaten first. 
While we are on this subject the fol¬ 
lowing note from a Vermont dairyman 
will be read with interest: 
“I believe the days of meal are 
about numbered. Husking and grind¬ 
ing are too costly. So are thrashing 
and grinding oats. I want to find a 
home-grown ration that will make 
good butter and lots of it and yet save 
these expenses. Ripe corn silage and 
clover hay, with early-cut grass hay, 
will form a part of it. What about 
oats cut in the milk for a butter food? 
and how about barley?” 
The R. N.-Y. has not had much ex¬ 
perience with ‘ ‘ grain hay ” or grain 
cut in the milk and fed “straw and 
all; ” but it hopes to experiment with 
various grains this year. We shall 
give a few facts from some of our 
readers before long, that will doubt¬ 
less lead to some experimenting. It 
appears that barley is highly praised 
as a forage or hay’ crop. In Califor¬ 
nia it is considered excellent hay for 
horses. The R. N.-Y. will discuss this 
matter in due time; in the meanwhile 
let us hear from all who have used 
barley or other grains as hay. 
FARM MORTGAGES IN THE 
CENSUS. 
T HE existing statistics on the sub¬ 
ject of farm mortgages have 
caused a world of dispute with regard 
to their correctness, and farmers in 
all parts of the country, but especi¬ 
ally in the West, contend that the 
next Census should contain full and 
complete official imformation that 
cannot be challenged. They insist 
that such statistical information is 
necessary in order that the country 
may have an adequate knowledge of 
their condition, and essential as a 
basis for needed legislation for the re¬ 
lief of the agricultural interests. 
Jointly in their conventions, and in¬ 
dividually by appeals to their Con¬ 
gressmen, they nave made their 
wishes unmistakably known in this 
matter. A debate in the United States 
Senate the other day, however, casts 
some doubt oh the adoption of the bill 
providing for complete census returns 
of farm mortgages. As a general 
thing, the Democrats favored the meas¬ 
ure and the Republicans opposed it— 
both evidently maneuvering for politi¬ 
cal effect in the Presidential campaign 
in 1892. The opponents of the measure 
contend that it would be entirely im¬ 
practicable to embody the desired in¬ 
formation in the census, and that the 
collection of the census returns already 
provided for, -will be difficult enough 
without imposing fresh burdens on 
Superintendent Porter and his 
Bureau. When the great variety of 
other subjects to be included in the 
census returns is considered, these ob¬ 
jections appear rather frivolous. Of 
course, it would be somewhat difficult 
to gather trustworthy information 
with regard to farm mortgages; but 
it would certainly be a task no more 
difficult than that of collecting other 
statistics, which has been imposed on 
the census officials. The farmers of 
the country should express their 
wishes promptly and energetically in 
the matter, by at once communicat¬ 
ing with their Representatives and 
Senators in Congress. 
BREVITIES. 
Get Rood clover seed. 
“More rain, more rest!” 
After last year’s experience what “ cash 
crops” shall you try this year ? 
How DO hay growers succeed in using 
clover as a green manure for Timothy ? 
New Jersev farmers want to run their 
own cars over the railroads, paying toll as 
they would over ordinary highways. 
“ Drive up your $94 worth of cows ” 
says W. C. S. on page 86. The R. N.-Y. 
wants to hear from some of the cow men 
on this question. 
Skunk Cabbages (Symplocarpus foeti- 
dus) are in bloom. This has never before 
occurred so early as January 27, in so far 
as the R. N.-Y. can learn. 
I think §2.00 invested in the Rural New- 
Yorker the best paying investment a farm¬ 
er can make of that amount of money. 
Leyden, Mass. a. n. f. 
Continued rains during the time for 
spraying fruit with the arsenical solutions 
will render the sprayings useless while they 
seem to put new life into the coddling 
moth. 
“ Are poor human beings worthy of the 
attention of farm papers as well as poor 
cattle ? Yea, verily. Do they get. it ? 
Nay, verily. This is our agricultural folly.” 
So writes a reader of the R. N.-Y., F. K. 
.Phoenix. 
Robins are in the trees and upon the lawn 
of the R. N.-Y. Grounds as we write—the 
28th of January. They may have hopped 
about on many another 28th of January, but 
we have never seen them during a residence 
of 18 years. 
A Virginia subscriber who remembers 
the R. N.-Y.’s weather prognostication one 
j ear ago, says he is glad to think there is 
a fine prospect for a good crop of peaches 
the coming season. He has noticed the 
Rural’s prognostication, and judging by 
analogy, therefore as it says the crop will 
be bad, it ought in reality to be good. 
The mild winter has interfered with the 
proper development of one branch of 
Southern farming. Thousands of tons of 
pork and bacon have been shipped each 
year into the Gulf States. The farmers in 
these States tried hard this year to raise 
their own meat. Many did raise it; but 
the warm weather has prevented the proper 
curing and much of the first killing has 
spoiled. The probabilities now are that 
the shipments of meat into these States 
will be as heavy as ever. 
The last meeting of the N. Y. State Ag¬ 
ricultural Society was unusually lively. A 
strong effort was made to prevent the re- 
election of the present officers, including 
President James Wood and Secretary 
Woodward. A plan for effecting this re¬ 
sult was devised with much skill and cun¬ 
ning, but was defeated, and Messrs. Wood 
and Woodward were re-elected by a good 
majority. The question of a permanent 
location for the State fair entered into this 
contest, the officials elected being in favor 
of a permanent location at Syracuse. 
The Farmers’ League of Massachusetts 
claims a membership of 30,000, and repre¬ 
sentatives from all parts of the State met 
at Boston the-other day. The subject of 
most general interest discussed was oleo¬ 
margarine. It was unanimously agreed 
that the legislature should absolutely 
“ prohibit the manufacture and sale of but- 
terine or like compounds, when colored in 
imitation of butter.” The existing law re¬ 
quiring the marking of all packages con¬ 
taining bogus butter, is found to be only 
partially enforced and wholly ineffective, 
protecting neither the producer nor consum¬ 
er of genuine butter, and the same is to a 
great extent the case in other States in 
which similar laws are in existence. The 
last report of the Commissioner of Internal 
Revenue shows that much more “oleo” 
was sold in 1889 than in auy previous year. 
