236 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
APRIL 12 
TH E 
RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
<34 Park Row, New York), 
A National Journal for Country and Suburban 
Homes. 
ELBERT S. CARMAN, 
HERBERT W. COLLINQWOOD, 
| EDITORS. 
SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 1890. 
THE DAIRY STEER. 
Of all the no-’count critters 
On the farmin’ laud ’round here, 
There ain’t nothin’ half ser useless 
Ez the little dairy steer. 
Little dairy cows is business 
I’ll feed them without no fear. 
Rut the biggest no-’eount critter 
Is the little dairy steer. 
Livin’ on the fame an’ record 
Ry his little sisters made, 
Struttln’ ’round to claim attention 
When his board bill h’an’t ben paid. 
Sister’s smart enuff ter keep ’em 
Roth agoin’ ef ye like. 
But thet ain’t the pint I’m makln 
’Tatn’t the gun I wanter spike. 
1 want critters that, kin show me 
Pints of value fair an’ clear 
Not the kind that pints ter sister 
Like the little dairy steer. 
Ain’t you seen men, though, jes’ like ’em? 
Lazin’ ’round an’ crackin’ jokes, 
Spendin’ lots o’ time in settin’, 
Livin’ on their wimmin folks? 
Great fat fellers, stout an’ hearty, 
Fit for work ; each lazy lout 
Lettln’ wimmin folks support him— 
How I’d like ter roust sech out. 
You jest sign my name unto it; 
Print it black czit appears; 
Stout men ez will live on wimmin 
Ain’t ser good ez dairy steers. 
The sorrow we feel at the death of 
Dr. George Thurber last Wednesday 
at his home near Passaic, New Jersey, 
will be shared by many of our readers 
all over the country, who knew him as 
one of the foremost botanists of the 
age, and for 22 years editor of the 
American Agriculturist. His death 
at the age of 69, was due to a severe 
attack of rheumatism which de¬ 
veloped into a complication of dis¬ 
orders. A close student of Nature, a 
steady, earnest worker, a ripe scholar 
and prolific writer, an honest man 
and genial gentleman, he made a host 
of friends who will hear of his death 
with sincere regret. 
There has long been more or less 
hostility between the city branch of 
the New York State Dairy Commis¬ 
sion and the milk inspecting depart¬ 
ment of the New York City Board of 
Health. As an outcome of this hos¬ 
tility, a bill has been introduced into 
the State Senate which proposes to re¬ 
lieve the Dairy Commission of the duty 
of enforcing the dairy laws in this city 
and Brooklyn. There is considerable 
to be said on both sides of the matter. 
The hill spoken of is in the interest of 
city authorities as opposed to the 
State officials. The Mercantile Ex¬ 
change of this city opposes the bill, 
while many citizens indorse it. 
Smart rogues should find little 
comfort in the fact that justice 
travels with leaden heel. Jus¬ 
tice is absolutely bound to over¬ 
take one sooner or later. The 
lead on the heel will only make 
the kick more effective when it 
does come. 
All perishable plants for trial should 
be sent to the Rural New-Yorker, 
River Edge, Bergen County, N. J., and 
not to this office. 
It is possible for a man to make a 
good living on a 40-acre farm in any 
good agricultural county of this coun¬ 
try. This is a possibility. Some peo¬ 
ple do not like to talk about possibili¬ 
ties. Those who are fully satisfied 
with the present] and never care to 
seek to attain the possible, find them¬ 
selves in the past. At the same time, 
those who neglect the present and 
think of nothing but the future are 
always too far ahead for profit or com¬ 
fort. 
The farmers of Massachusetts are 
indignant at the Republican party of 
that State because of its failure to pass 
the “honest butter” bill. The po¬ 
sition of the farmers is about as 
follows: They first tried the plan of 
working inside the party, that is, they 
got the Republican leaders to promise 
that a law should be passed placing 
oleomargarine before the public on its 
merits. The promise has not been 
kept, and now the farmers propose to 
strike their blow at the polls and 
teach the party a lesson. They can 
do it. Will they? 
Consider the few days in which a 
strawberry must grow and develop, 
and also the number of days required 
to develop the corn plant. It is evident 
that the food which the strawberry 
plant eats must be close by it and in 
such form that it can be utilized at 
once. Again, consider the number of 
days out of the total life of the com 
plant that are needed to produce the 
grain alone. Work out the same pro¬ 
portion regarding the growth of the 
tubers on the potato plant. The 
highest science of manuring consists 
in giving each plant the manure best 
suited to it at the time when it is 
most needed and when there will be 
least waste. A study of the habits 
and composition of plants must be 
made if we would feed them to the 
best advantage. 
A bill has heen introduced in the 
Ohio Senate “to provide for the in¬ 
corporation and regulation of live¬ 
stock insurance companies.” The 
friends of this bill have evidently 
tried to protect both the farmers and 
the insurance companies against 
fraud. Such companies are to be 
compelled to deposit with the super¬ 
intendent of insurance a guarantee 
fund of $100,000 as security for the 
policy holders, and severe punish¬ 
ment is provided for those who would 
maliciously cause the death of an ani¬ 
mal valued at $50 or over for the pur- 
g ose of obtaining the insurance. The 
1. N.-Y. is soon to print the views of 
some of our best stockmen on the de¬ 
sirability of live-stock insurance. We 
may say beforehand that the general 
verdict of our correspondents is 
against the practice, mainly for rea¬ 
sons which the proposed Ohio bill if 
honestly enforced would fully meet. 
The R. N.-Y. sent an order for two 
otatoes of the new variety Early 
ix-weeks to the introducers, J. A. 
Everitt & Co., of Indianapolis, Ind. 
The firm declined to fill the order on 
the ground that we have rendered 
unfavorable reports in regard to sev¬ 
eral other things of their introduction, 
notably the Yankee Prolific Oats— 
which we found to be the White 
Russian—and the Martin’s Amber 
Wheat—which we found to be the 
Landreth or Armstrong. That is not 
the way to establish an honorable 
business reputation, gentlemen. 
For a number of years reports have 
come from the South of the great suc¬ 
cess attending the manufacture of the 
fiber of the long-leaf pine into matting 
and similar products. Heretofore, 
most of this work has been considered 
experimental in great part. Now we 
are assured that the industry is firmly 
established and that a bagging fully 
as serviceable as that made from jute 
can be cheaply made. So many re- 
orts of jute bagging substitutes have 
een made that the public are a little 
inclined to view them with suspicion. 
It lis to be hoped, however, that this 
time the reports are reliable. 
From all over the country come re¬ 
ports of threatened foreclosures of 
mortgages on farm property. In 
Pennsylvania many supposedly rich 
farmers have failed because of the de¬ 
preciation in farm values. In South¬ 
ern New Jersey several hundred farms 
are being sold by the sheriff. As our 
readers know, reports from many 
parts of the West are no better. 
What is to be done? This country 
cannot afford to have its native-born 
farmers driven from their farms to 
be replaced by a tenant peasantry. 
For a number of years past great 
mortgage and trust companies have 
gradually secured a grasp on thous¬ 
ands of American farms. When the 
present occupants of these farms are 
driven away, who will be secured to 
fill their places? No true American 
can view this state of affairs without 
alarm. The present condition of 
American agriculture demands the 
prompt and careful attention of our 
statesmen and business men. 
Shocking stories are told of the 
cruelties inflicted on live cattle in 
transit to England. The steamer 
Runic recently left this port with 757 
Western steers on Jjoard. They were 
packed together “like sardines in a 
box,” being placed so'close together 
that their sides touched. There was no 
possibility of their lying down. They 
were on the deck. The vessel was not 
properly ballasted and should she en¬ 
counter rough weather the suffering 
among the poor beasts will be indes¬ 
cribable. The Runic is a “tramp” 
steamer, belonging to no regularly or¬ 
ganized line. Such steamers go any¬ 
where—to any port for which they 
can find a cargo. They have no regu¬ 
lar crews, hiring worthless fellows to 
work their passage. With such hands 
on board, the cattle are subjected to the 
most shocking cruelty. Every steam¬ 
er that transports cattle should carry 
a duly authorized inspector to see that 
the animals are properly cared for. 
Of course, the likelihood of great suf¬ 
fering is especially great during this 
stormy season. 
There is much to be learned about 
ensilage yet. At Cornell University 
last year more corn was grown than 
would go into the silo. The surplus 
was cut and shocked, and as the silo 
settled, this partially dried corn was 
husked and the stalks were cut and 
put in the silo from day to day, till 
the settling ceased. These stalks were 
found to be almost completely spoiled 
when the silo was opened. Messrs 
Roberts and Wing conclude that corn 
containing much less than 70 per cent, 
of water is with great difficulty pre¬ 
served in a silo. The R. N.-Y. is glad 
to see that some of our State experi¬ 
ment stations are testing Mr. Colcord’s 
“preserved green forage.” The R. 
N.-Y. repeats its belief that this is to 
be the “silage” of the future. Atten¬ 
tion is called to the method of 
saving the stalks and surplus ears of 
sweet corn described on page 234. The 
R. N.-Y. tried this plan with some late- 
sown fodder-corn last year. We made 
the bundles and shocks too large and 
some of the shocks molded quite 
badly. 
Try an experiment this year. Plow 
under some of the clover or rye and 
plant potatoes, using the same 
amount of fertilizers that you do on 
bare ground. The R. N.-Y. will plow 
under some rye to try this. Many of us 
have yet to find that much of our work 
in cutting, curing and feeding clover 
is wasted. We had better plow it 
right under and use fertilizers with it 
for potatoes, or put our stable manure 
on it—the stalks chopped or crushed 
—and plant corn. Try it this year. 
This is a time for looking up new 
methods rather than for nailing our¬ 
selves closer to old-time notions, in 
the hope that by getting closer to 
them we can squeeze more out of 
them. French soldiers have always 
worn red pantaloons. In the old days 
when battle fields were covered with 
smoke, the red was not so conspicuous 
as to make glaring targets. The other 
day military men witnessed a trial of 
the new smokeless powder. Then it 
was plainly seen that the red trousers 
only made the wearer a conspicuous 
target for the opposing riflemen. The 
red will have to go or France will con¬ 
duct her wars at a disadvantage. 
Some of our ideas regarding the use 
of clover are liable |to be as rudely 
shaken as the sentiment that clothes 
French soldiers in red trousers. 
The old idea that chicken manure 
is a “ complete ” manure, suitable for 
all crops seems to be losing favor with 
a good many gardeners. A notable 
instance of the new way of dealing 
with this substance "was given two 
weeks ago in the account of the one- 
horse farm in New Jersey. On this 
farm, it will be remembered, the 
chicken manure was used as the body 
of a home-made fertilizer, dissolved 
bone-black, muriate of potash and 
plaster being used to properly balance 
the fertilizer and to give it the proper 
mechanical condition. We hope to 
have more to say next week about the 
proportions of these substances used. 
The use of this home-made fertilizer 
saved the farmer over $200, which 
sum is supposed to equal the cost of 
mixing and a portion of the nitrogen 
added to freight charges, agents’ com¬ 
mission, manufacturer’s profit, etc., 
etc., all of which were paid for when 
complete fertilizers were bought. 
Now is the time to consider whether, 
for your soil chicken manure is a 
“complete” ora “one-sided” ferti¬ 
lizer. By the way, ‘ * stable manure ” 
is supposed to be complete. Has it 
ever occurred to you that there may 
be almost as wide a proportionate 
difference between two samples of ma¬ 
nure as there is between a ‘ ‘ low- 
grade ” and a “high-grade ”fertilizer? 
Again, if the stable manure is com¬ 
plete, your farm may be so “ one¬ 
sided ” that you need to add something 
to the manure. 
BREVITIES. 
Don’t become a traitor to your farm. 
Do you look forward to the season’s 
work with hope or dread P 
Put the wood ashes on the strawberries. 
Put coal ashes in the manure that you use 
on the lightest soil. 
Sweet peas ought to have been planted 
ere now for the best results. They do not 
need a very rich soil. 
PUT your capital into yourself, young 
man. Your brain and your character will 
never need insurance. 
Try the old Yorkshire Hero Pea and 
compare it with some of the branching va¬ 
rieties of later introduction, such as Abun¬ 
dance, Everbearing, Quantity and Quality. 
The manufacture and sale of oleomar¬ 
garine have injured the dairy business. 
The manufacture and sale of “shoddy” 
clothing have also injured the woo) grow¬ 
ers. One is as much of a counterfeit as the 
other. 
The R. N.-Y. deeply regrets the destruc¬ 
tion by fire, of the Michigan Agricultural 
College botanical laboratory. While a 
portion of Dr. Beal’s famous collection was 
saved, so much was lost that it can never 
be fully replaced. 
When the family income is increased do 
not the expenses naturally increase by a 
sort of sympathetic action? This is usual¬ 
ly true of townships, counties, States and 
nations. Raise the revenues so that the 
people do not fee) the tax directly, and 
public expenses increase. 
Among the plant novelties received at the 
Rural Grounds this season are the follow¬ 
ing: Child’s Japan Wineberry, Child’s 
Everbearing Tree Blackberry, the Wonder- 
ous Weather Plant, Abundance and Lin¬ 
coln Plums, the Weeping Dogwood 
(Corniis florida pendula) and Cerasus 
serotina pendula. 
Fertilizers must be finely divided as 
well as soluble in order to give good re¬ 
sults. Your soil, too, must be finely pul¬ 
verized both in order to let the fine fer¬ 
tilizers do their work and to give the fine 
rootlets a chance to get at the fertilizers. 
The great object of soil culture is to give 
rootlets the best possible chance at the fer¬ 
tilizer. 
The new varieties of chestnut now coming 
to the fore are well worthy of the thought¬ 
ful consideration of all who live in the 
country and own farms or even an acre of 
land. The Early Sunrise, Reliable, Giant, 
Paragon, Miller, Bartram’s Early, In¬ 
graham, Pennel, and Hannum all bear very 
large nuts and most ot them are of good 
quality. 
The hardy shrub Rhodotypus Kerrioides 
is remarkable for its fruit. These are 
little shiny 7 black nuts as large as two- 
grain iron pills each flower giving from 
two to five. They persist during the entire 
winter and most of the spring. The flowers 
are large, white and single borne in great 
abundance. The foliage resembles that of 
the Japan Kerria. 
Whatever breeds may have been used 
in “producing” the Brown Patagonian 
“breed” of fowls, the fact remains that the 
hens are excellent m every way. They are 
large, handsome birds, good layers, exceed¬ 
ingly gentle and very intelligent. The 
roosters resemble Dark Brahmas in 
plumage, but are more “chunky” and 
have well-developed topknots. 
The use of basic slag as a manure is in¬ 
creasing with great rapidity in Germany. 
The Germans seem to have become satisfied 
that this substance affords one of the cheap¬ 
est sources of phosphoric acid and they im¬ 
port large quantities from Austria and 
England. This is the first instance of Eng¬ 
land’s permitting another country to take 
fertilizing materials away from her. 
OUR good friend, the New England Farm¬ 
er, says that the Ne Plus Ultra Sweet 
Corn is a new variety introduced by Peter 
Henderson. This is a mistake. We raised 
this corn about 10 years ago, as files of the 
R. N.-Y. will show. Dr. Trimble origin¬ 
ated it in 1866. The Ne Plus Ultra is an 
excellent late variety. The ears taper from 
the butt to tip and are of rather small size. 
Each plant will bear from two to three ears 
unless the seed is planted too closely. 
The only objections to it are, first, a pur¬ 
ple husk and, second, that the kernels are 
so set upon the cob that the rows cannot 
be traced. 
As a reminder, now that the time is 
upon us for planting, we would say that, 
as judged by our own repeated trials, a 
better selection of sweet corn than the fol¬ 
lowing can scarcely be made, taking quali¬ 
ty, productiveness and succession into con¬ 
sideration : Potter’s Excelsior, Moore’s 
Concord and Stowell’s Evergreen. For 
earliest we should select the variety known 
as Extra Early Cory, though the quality is 
far inferior to that of Potter’s Excelsior or 
Crosby. For the latest, we should prefer 
the Ne Plus Ultra and Black Mexican, 
though neither kind is suitable for the 
market. 
