3o4 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
MAY io 
THE 
Rural New-Yorker, 
TIMES BUILDING, NEW YORK. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
ELBERT S. CARMAN, 
HERBERT W. COLLINGWOOD, 
| EDITORS. 
Rural Publishing Company: 
LAWSON VALENTINE, President. RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
THE AMERICAN GARDEN, 
EDGAR H. LIBBY, Manager. OUT-DOOR BOOKS. 
Copyright, 1890, by the Rural Publishing Company. 
SATURDAY, MAY 10, 1890. 
Is Golden-Rod to be the national flower? If 
those who voted for it were compelled to 
work a day or so pulling the weed out by the 
roots, would they change their votes? 
Prof. Georgeson, now ot the Kansas Agricul¬ 
tural College, writes us that Mr. John Lewis Childs 
does not praise too highly the Japan Wineherry, as 
he has named it. It was through Prof. Georgeson, 
indirectly, that Mr. Childs secured his plants. 
What surprises us is that so sagacious a florist as 
Mr. Childs should have paid $1,000 a plant for the 
raspberry, when he might have purchased any quan¬ 
tity of them for 35 cents each. 
It does not appear that farmers give due consid¬ 
eration to the fineness of the fertilizers they pur¬ 
chase. For example, the nitrogen of the finest- 
ground bone is now valued by the stations at 16K 
cents per pound, and that in the coarsest bone at 
only 8)4. The phosphoric acid in the above grades 
is worth, respectively, seven and four cents. Very 
finely ground bone is, at present, as Prof. S. W 
Johnson remarks, one of the cheapest sources of 
quickly available nitrogen and phosphoric acid. 
Is there any good reason why a duty should be 
placed on sulphate of potash? If there is, the R. 
N.-Y. will be pleased to hear it. This substance is 
needed in the manufacture of fertilizers. It cannot 
compete with any American product; we need all 
we can get of it. The R. N.-Y. would prefer to 
have all potash free in order that there may be no 
contest or question over decisions of Treasury 
officials. The present tariff tinkers are “working 
in the interests of the farmers.” Good; let us get 
our fertilizers as cheap as posssible. 
It is a good thing for some men that their farms 
cannot stand up on their feet and fight. If they 
could do so the owners would have to take a sound 
thrashing, and the majority of people would say 
that they richly deserved it. In most of the States 
men can be punished for abusing living animals. 
We suppose that in the glorious perfection and jus¬ 
tice of the future men will be forced to keep their 
soil up to a certain standard of quality or move 
away and let somebody treat the earth properly. 
After all, friends, if every farmer were a farmer 
working his soil on business principles, do you sup¬ 
pose there would be so much talk about agricul¬ 
tural depression? 
The more we farm the less we are inclined to 
think of the hoe as an aid in field culture. As Mr. 
Breed said two weeks ago, ‘ 4 a piece of steel with a 
long handle fastened to it can impart nothing to the 
soil to make crops grow.” The R. N.-Y. becomes 
very weary watching some of its neighbors plant¬ 
ing potatoes. Acre after acre is gone over slowly 
and laboriously with hoes to cover the seed pieces, 
valuable time being given to this work while other 
crops need attention. The R. N.-Y. has been able 
to do all this work with horse power and does not 
propose to use the hoe at all on its potatoes. This 
season, more than ever before, do we see the impor¬ 
tance of having tools enough to rush work when it 
is needed. 
Our farmers should all carefully examine such 
reports as that recently issued by the Connecticut 
Experiment Station. On page 84, the analyses of 
17 fertilizers are given and the cost is shown to be 
less than the Station’s valuation. On page 85, 15 
different brands of fertilizers are shown to cost from 
12 to 20 per cent, higher than the valuation. On 
pages 86 and 87 there are 26 analyses, and it appears 
that their cost is greater than tneir value, varying 
from 20 to 67 per c ri nt.! 
The actual agricultural values of the above fer¬ 
tilizers may not quite correspond with the com¬ 
mercial value, but the R. N.-Y. would decidedly 
prefer to take its chances with those whose valuation 
exceeds the cost. 
Mr. Dibble continues the “middleman” dis¬ 
cussion on page 305, and gives a new view of the 
case. The returns are not all m yet, so the R. N.-Y. 
reserves its comment until all parties are heard 
from. We want to be fair to all. We have small 
respect for the special pleader who would stifle all 
opposing arguments. Mr. Dibble makes some 
startling statements regarding agents and the com¬ 
missions paid them. If there is anything wrong 
about these statements, we want those interested 
to show it up. Here is one little point to think 
over. In 1880 the total value of farm implements 
and machinery in this country was $406,520,055. 
If an average of 25 per cent, of this value was paid 
to middlemen in the form of commissions—well, 
what do you thmk about it ? 
One may well feel disgusted with the utter unre¬ 
liability of the Government’s weather predictions. 
In so far as we (living in New Jersey and New 
York) may judge, the service under the present 
chief has been ot no use whatsoever. We have read 
the reports from day to day and, though no precise 
record has been kept, it is our belief that the fore¬ 
casts have been as often wrong as right—that is, in 
effect, that they have been a matter of guess-work 
of less value as a guide than the predictions of al¬ 
most any farmer for his own locality. A forcible 
illustration of he worthlessness of the Washington 
prognostications occurred within two weeks. For 
every one of five consecutive days rain was pre¬ 
dicted for New Jersey. Not a drop fell during that 
period. How much does the Government Signal 
Service cost the people ? How |much good do the 
farmers of the country derive from it ? What 
class of people ought chiefly to be benefited by such 
service—city or country people ? 
Some of our leading breeders discuss the desira¬ 
bility of insurance for live stock in this issue. All 
seem to consider that valuable animals should be 
insured against death by fire at least. Most farm¬ 
ers agree to this and the majority of them so insure 
their horses and cattle when insuring their barns, 
hay and grain. The live stock insurance companies 
propose going a step beyond this and insuring 
against loss of life by disease or accident. It is very 
evident that such a system would afford chances 
for rogues to conduct a fraudulent business both in 
the issuing of insurance policies and in the disposal 
of heavily insured animals. Unless surrounded by 
the most complete safeguards, honest men would 
hardly find live stock insurance profitable. At the 
same time, when placed under such restrictions as 
are guaranteed in the bill now before the Ohio leg¬ 
islature, the R. N.-Y. can see no reason why it 
should not prove, for owners of very valuable animals 
at least, about as safe as our present system of life 
insurance. In any event the watchful eye of the 
master is the best preventive of loss. 
“ This weather is too nice to last,” was a remark 
recently overheard. This illustrates a too preva¬ 
lent spirit. We are too prone to look at the dark 
side alone. Instead of enjoying to the utmost a 
rarely perfect day, the speaker above noted was 
anticipating only the stormy days which were sure 
to follow. To be sure, it did rain the next day, but 
there was discomfort enough in experiencing the 
storm when it did come, without distressing one’s- 
self with it beforehand. Look on the bright side! 
If the potatoes are a short crop, think of the prob¬ 
able increase in price. If it rams on the wheat and 
hay in harvest, think of what glorious, growing 
weather it is for the corn and clover. Try to have 
more of the spirit of the man whose horse died in 
the fall, and who congratulated himself on the feed 
he would save which otherwise would have been 
eaten. If you have had losses compare yourself 
with those worse off than yourself and see how 
much better you feel. If you can’t have butter on 
your bread, think of some poor mortal who hasn’t 
any bread, and be thankful. 
The inherent selfishness and shortsightedness of 
human nature have never been better exemplified 
than during the recent agitation over proposed 
tariff changes. The actuating motive of every class 
seems to be a purely selfisn one. In plain lan¬ 
guage, it is this: “ Admit free of duty everything 
which I must purchase; place a high rate of duty 
upon everything which I produce.” The woolen 
manufacturers have left no stone unturned to se¬ 
cure the admission of wool, duty free, while main¬ 
taining the absolute necessity for a high rate of 
duty upon manufactured woolen goods. The wool- 
growers have earnestly protested against any re¬ 
duction in the duty upon imported wool, while 
clamoring for untaxed manufactured woolen goods, 
sugar, etc. The Southern sugar-growers as well as 
all others who consider themselves as probable pro¬ 
ducers of sugar from beets or sorghum, and the 
sugar kings of the Sandwich Islands, protest against 
free sugar while feeling the greatest willingness to 
purchase other supplies at prices which do not in¬ 
clude a protective duty. Representatives of nearly 
every industry in the country have besieged the 
Ways and Means Committee at Washington in 
favor of their respective occupations regardless of 
the claims or rights of others. The insignificance 
of some of these industries would render the zeal 
displayed in their favor ludicrous were it not for 
the wrong motives which it represents. 
Down with this spirit among the different in¬ 
dustrial classes! Let the growers of wool, cotton, 
sugar, wheat and corn join hands with the pro¬ 
ducers of beef, mutton, fruits and vegetables to 
work together for the common good of the farmer. 
Any other course invites inevitable disaster. No 
class can long prosper at the expense of others. The 
farmers must unite their strength, combine their 
forces, and demand fair and impartial treatment 
for every agricultural industry. This is no time for 
petty strife, but for a concentration of energy and 
a united demand upon legislators for equitable 
treatment and just laws for every class. The 
united farmers of America would form a mighty 
power that no party or clique would dare oppose. 
The following note from a subscriber in Illinois is 
pleasant and suggestive : 
4 4 The Rural of April 26 is worth its weight in 
gold, as the saying goes. When I read the expe¬ 
rience of those five Ohio farmers my spirits rose to 
flood hight. We had been having so much cold, 
wet weather that I had lost a good deal of my 
ambition, but I have regained it, and more too.” 
Men who realize that they are put in this world 
to make the best of their lives, know that they may 
gain help and strength both from the failures and 
successes of others. The writer well remembers two 
letters which brought this fact home to him. One 
of them was from a friend who by earnest and 
patient work had placed himself on the road to 
success. It brought inspiration with it, and led to 
harder and better work. The other described a 
failure so powerfully and pathetically, making the 
causes which led to it so apparent, that it became 
an easier matter for us to avoid them. The R. N.-Y. 
has always believed that its system of collecting 
facts from actual farmers all over the country— 
accurate reports of real work—has been peculiarly 
valuable to those of its readers who have read and 
studied them. “ In the multitude of counselors 
there is strength.” 
The Ives Pool Bill, passed by the New York Legis¬ 
lature in 1887, licensed pool selling at certain race¬ 
courses for a specified number of days each year, 
five per cent, of the gross receipts to form a fund to 
be divided among the county agricultural societies 
for the encouragement of horse-breeding. The 
aggregate amount paid by all the racing associa¬ 
tions in the State in 1887 was $23,188.09. Next year 
it had increased to $25,012.81; while last year it fell 
off to 23,971.67. Secretary J. S. Woodward of the 
State Agricultural Society, has just divided half of 
this amount equally among all the county societies, 
and the other half is divided in proportion to the 
amount of premiums paid at the county fairs in 
1889, those counties which had no agricultural 
societies as well as those which held no fairs last 
year, receiving nothing of course. Since the passage 
of the law efforts have been made every year to 
secure its repeal, as many strongly object to the 
State’s sanction of betting at horse-races implied 
in the granting of licenses for pool selling there. 
Every year also attempts have been made to amend 
the law, so as to secure a larger percentage of the 
receipts for the encouragement of stock breeding. 
It is alleged that the granting of licenses for pool¬ 
selling does not sanction betting any more than the 
granting of licenses for rum mills sanctions dram¬ 
drinking. If the refusal of a license in either case 
would put an end to either evil, certainly no licenses 
should be granted; but drinking and betting are, 
alas! likely to continue till the millennium, with or 
without licenses. 
BREVITIES. 
Dov't be too small; don't be too small, 
Aim at good game or else don’t aim at all. 
God gave you mind that you might find 
Some of the prizes He’s put In the world. 
Open your eyes ; work for a prize, 
Keep your life straight and don’t let It get curled, 
Work out your stent; work for the best 
God never meant life all for rest. 
Hunt for good game—don’t be too small, 
Don’t waste your portion of powder and ball. 
Green grass helps the horse to a new coat. 
Breed’s weeder can hardly be said to breed weeds. 
Have you ever knowq the time when the market for cur¬ 
rants was “glutted ? ” 
The R. N.-Y. finds that Bantams do not breed well—too 
many bad eggs are found under the hens. 
First rye heads this year April 23. The first of May is 
considered for Northern New Jersey the average time for 
their appearance. 
Read “ Business Farming In Colorado,” page 306. We 
hope to print similar letters describing typical farming in 
all parts of the country. 
Try sprinkling liquid manure on the grass if you want 
to see it show gratitude. You can easily trace the path of 
your sprinkler acro.-s the field. 
Cercidiphylltjm japonicum (a tree comparatively new 
to this country) is among the first to leaf out. The color 
of the young leaves is a pleasing shade of dark amber. 
TnE Northern Light Grape, a specimen vine of which we 
have received from Canada, is said to ripen with Moore’s 
Early. The bunches are large, berries large, white, sweet 
and pure. 
You will not only deserve success but you will win it 
when you become as persistent iD the pursuit of your 
business as that Vermont hen, spoken of on page299, was in 
the pursuit of hers. 
Prof. S. W. Johnson again, in his report for last year 
just issued, calls the attention of farmers to the fact that 
soluble phosphoric acidcau be bought a good deal cheaper 
iu dissolved South Carolina rock than iu dissolved bone- 
black. 
Regarding the tree label shown on page 266, Mr. Hicks 
says that the wire should be eight to 10 Inches long and 
formed in a large loop. Placed on a small limb that can 
grow for many years, it will not be necessary to move the 
label. The ink for writing on the label is made by mixing 
one ounce each of verdigris and sal-ammoniac, a little lamp¬ 
black and a half pint of water. Quill pens do not corrode, 
but steel pens do better work while they last. 
