6o6 
SEPT. i3 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
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, Pretident. RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
THE AMERICAN GARDEN, 
EDGAR H. LIBBY, Manager. OUT-DOOR BOOKS. 
Copyright, 1890, by the Rural Publishing Company 
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1890. 
A four-leaved clover plant will not sell 
for enough extra to pay for the time spent in 
hunting for it. Never expect profit from 
play. 
Organization is all very well 
. If iliereis a clear understanding 
That.each of the brothers 
Must help all the others. 
Why, yes. That's the object of banding. 
Learn to give up just a bit of your “ rights,” 
A willing ano just contribution, 
Then shoulder to shoulder 
With faith we’ll grow bolder. 
And thus avoid circumlocution. 
Remember, readers, The R. N.Y.’s offer of $100 
to present subscribers wh<j will send in the largest 
numbers of 10 week subscriptions at 25 cents each. 
Bear in mind, too, that the senders of these com¬ 
petitive clubs are also entitled to any of the pre¬ 
miums offered in the Premium List. The offer is, in 
truth, a very liberal one and remains open for a 
few weeks only. 
We have not yet heard from Mr. Childs or his 
attorneys as to whether our recent “apologies” re¬ 
garding his “ Wineberry ” were acceptable or not. 
One thing is plain : he should either sue The R. 
N.-Y. for libel, agreeably to his attorneys’letter and 
his own convictions, or he should openly acknowl¬ 
edge himself to be in the wrong. 
For a number of years reports have come from 
the South of efforts that are being made to develop 
a lintless cotton. We are now informed that these 
efforts have met with success and that a plane 
has been produced which yields nothing but the 
seed. Considering the time required in picking, 
cleaning, and handling the lmt, and the growing 
importance of the cotton-seed-oil business, it it easy 
to believe that there are sections where a crop of 
cotton seed would pay better than a crop of lmt. 
We are told that the authorities of the Geneva 
Station intimate that The R. N.-Y. refuses to print 
all sides of the controversy, and withholds articles 
favorable to the management of the Station. These 
insinuations are absolutely without any foundation 
in fact. We have several letters from the Director 
and others, but they are all marked: “Please con¬ 
sider this confidential We would be glad of the 
opportunity to print them. No, The R. N.-Y. is 
fully able to fight its battle openly and fairly. The 
Station authorities have not shown that they can do 
the same. 
We take the liberty of quoting a part of a per¬ 
sonal letter received from Mr. W. C. Barry, of 
Ellwanger & Barry, of Rochester, N. Y.: “We 
think The Rural has done full justice to its sub¬ 
scribers in regard to the Japanese Wineberry. One 
of its cox-respondents states that the plant does not 
sucker; the variety which we have suckers greatly, 
and forms a dense mass in the course of time. 
Regarding the value of the fruit for eating, we 
have not a high opinion of it, and as a plant for 
ornament, it could be used only occasionally in 
particular locations on account of its suckering and 
coarse habit.” 
The N. Y. State Fair at Syracuse this year, 
promises to be a notable exhibition. It is the semi¬ 
centennial celebration of the New York Agricul¬ 
tural Society, its first fair having been held at 
Syracuse 50 years ago. It is also the first exhibition 
held at the permanent location. There is every 
reason to believe that the fair will be the most 
successful ever held in the State. The entries for 
live stock are the largest ever known and the 
buildings devoted to this exhibit are said to be the 
finest in the world. The grounds at Syracuse are 
admix-ahly located for such an exhibition, being 
ample in extent, near to the city and so close to 
three railroads that cars may be run directly on 
the grounds. It is going to be an excellent fair. 
We hope our readers will go to it. 
A decision which is likely to operate against 
trusts more unfavorably than all legislative action 
has just been rendered by U. S. Judge Thayer, at 
St. Louis. The American Preservers’ Company, 
successoi-s to the Preservers’ Trust, sought the aid 
of the courts to enforce an agreement made by a 
manufacturing company with the Trust. The judge 
decided against the Trust, refusing to enforce a con¬ 
tract made by it. As a Trust has no legal existence, 
it is difficult to see how the decision could have been 
otherwise. Further, if the courts refuse to aid 
Trusts in enforcing their conti-acts, what is to 
hinder any one having contracts with them from 
violating those contracts whenever it may be their 
interest to do so. Placed outside of the pale of the 
law’s protection, the whole brood must sooner or 
later succumb. 
The tendency in case of the larger fairs is to 
secure permanent locations for their exhibitions 
where permanent and substantial buildings and ap¬ 
pliances may be erected, and permanent improve¬ 
ments made. There can be no doubt that such an 
arrangement will enable fair managers to perfect 
plans for the convenience and comfort of visitors, 
that would be impossible without a permanent 
location, and such a location will also enable the 
managers to add many interesting and instructive 
features to the exhibition. Why not have growing 
orchards and growing crops on the grounds? Why 
not make these great fail's object lessons in the 
fullest sense of the word? There is always a good 
exhibition of specimens of fruits, flowers, vege¬ 
tables and cereals, why not go a step further and 
show these products as they appear in the field? 
Give nurserymen, fruitmen and seedsmen space on 
the ground to plant, cultivate and perfect their 
products. Let fertilizer men have the soil of the 
fair ground on which to demonstrate the actual 
value of their goods as determined by practical re¬ 
sults. These crude suggestions are offered to fair 
managers in the hope that some enterprising official 
will develop and put them in practice. Are they 
sensible? We would like to have some of our fair 
managers tell us. 
A curious illustration of the effect of fashion 
upon business is afforded by the results of the sub¬ 
stitution of russet-colored shoes for black leather 
foot wear. The new shoes ax-e as cheap as the 
others, just as comfortable, and, what is more to the 
point with many people, “in style.” Thousands 
began to wear them. This paralyzed the boot¬ 
blacking industry, which represents bread and 
butter to hundreds of boys and men. There is no 
market for blacking to be used on russet shoes and 
thousands of men were saved 35 cents a week by 
the change of fashion. This money came directly 
out of the pockets of the boot-blacks ; there was no 
more recompense for them than there was for the 
holdei’s of paper collar stock when linen collars 
were cheapened in price. The boot-blacks pro¬ 
ceeded to fight fashion with fashion. Somebody 
devised a “dressing” for the russet shoes, which 
preserves their color and gloss. The result is that 
people spend their five cents for the “dressing” in¬ 
stead of the blacking needed for their winter shoes. 
A new demand is thus created. There is a lesson 
in this little history for all who are doing business. 
We must not stop at simply producing a good 
article. As markets and market facilities change, 
we must be prepared to create new demands. We 
must understand what we term fashion—popular 
likes or dislikes—and be prepared to anticipate 
changes by supplying the products wanted. 
From a local paper, published in the interior of 
the State, we learn that an apple buyer had pur¬ 
chased in a certain district in Missouri, where 
there is a heavy crop of winter fruit, a large 
quantity of winter apples for 16 cents per bushel, 
and that now similar apples could not be bought 
for 50 cents per bushel. The paper adds that the 
buyer will make a fine thing out of his specula¬ 
tion. A pertinent question is : How was he able 
to make such a purchase at such a price ? SimpJy 
because he informed himself of the condition of 
the country’s crop and purchased from men who 
were not posted ; in short, from men who cannot 
afford to take and read papex-s which will inform 
them of the conditions and prospects. Those people 
probably reasoned that because there was a heavy 
crop of apples in their vicinity, the best thing to 
do was to sell their fruit at the earliest opportunity 
for what it would bring, and they may, perhaps, 
have congratulated themselves on making such a 
good sale. But, as they might now sell those same 
apples for 50 cents per bushel, they have paid just 
34 cents a bushel for their needless ignorance. It 
does not need a very extensive knowledge of arith- 
metic to show how many (or, rather, how few) 
bushels it would take to save enough to pay for 
several live agricultural papers, any one of which 
would have informed the reader of the condition 
and px-obable price of apples. Last year we 
published from time to time the px-ospects of the 
apple and other crops. We received letters from 
many of our subscribers saying that fi-om reading 
our reports they had been led to hold their apples 
and thus had secured higher prices ; while their 
neighbors had sold at low prices. One Michigan 
man said his neighbors who could not afford to 
take an agricultural paper had sold their apples 
for one dollar per barrel early, while our reports 
led him to hold his and he received two dollars per 
barrel for them. This was the tenor of many 
letters. The buyer first referred to may be accused 
of taking advantage of the growers’ ignorance to 
secure the fruit at less than the actual value. This 
is true. There is opportunity for argument as to 
whether this was morally right, but we do not pro¬ 
pose to consider this for the reason that, right or 
wrong, business men do not take this into account 
in their transactions, taking the ground that every 
man must post himself as to the supply, demand, 
etc. Until farmers avail themselves of the means 
within their reach for informing themselves of the 
condition of crops at large and the prospective 
prices, they will continue to be the prey of middle¬ 
men, who are thoroughly posted on all these things. 
“Out West ’’the complaining farmers are told 
that not the least of the blessings of Protection is the 
rapid increase it is causing in the home market for 
their produce. Why send their wheat, beef, pork 
and other products to Europe to compete there with 
similar goods produced by “ pauper labor,” when 
our high tariff is yearly attracting to our shores 
hundred of thousands of buyers of our goods in our 
home markets ? Oh, the beneficent tariff which 
brings the mouths to the food instead of sending the 
food to the mouths! But with these mouths come 
hands, tens of thousand of which will raise crops, 
while tens of thousands of others will drive thous¬ 
ands of our own people previously engaged in other 
occupations into the same business. Will not the 
joint products of both of these classes not only fill 
the mouths of all the new-comers, but add to the 
surplus? In the East, on the other hand, the com¬ 
plaining operatives in mines, mills and factories are 
told that not the least of the blessings of Protection 
are the high wages it insures them by guarding them 
from competition with the ‘ ‘ pauper labor of 
Europe,” and an ineffective law has been passed to 
shut out “ contract labor,” for their benefit. But 
does not the Protection that brings hundreds of 
thousands of mouths to consume the farmer’s prod¬ 
ucts, bring also hundreds of thousands of hands to 
lower the operative’s wages or oust him altogether 
from his work ? How can the politicians reconcile 
the blessings Protection affords the farmers of the 
West and the operatives of the East ? Isn’t it just 
possible that they are fooling both? 
BREVITIES. 
Let us take a common stone of the proper size and weight 
And throw it straight with all the strength we own, 
It Is bound to hit some object and leave Its mark thereon. 
Its effect will always readily be known. 
Let us take the stoneand hammer ltnnd pound It into dust, 
Then throw It just as hard as we can throw, 
When all the dust Is blown away, the target Is unhurt, 
For all our woik there’s nothingleft to show. 
Just take some sound idea and stay with It day by day, 
Working patiently and thoughtfully Ihe while. 
And It s bound to come to something and enable you at last, 
To view your happy life-work with a smile. 
But dodge about from this to that and spend your work and time 
In half-way doing trifles and you’ll find 
That those who oug to bottom facts have passed you In the race, 
While jolt are to a minor place assigned. 
Measure your bite. 
The rabbit crop promises well. 
It is safe to be lazy on a surplus. 
Cook the apples that are fed to stock. 
“ Beware of the Bull 1”—A cow buoy. 
What stock will eat green Lima bean pods ? 
Be sure you are sick before you take medicine. 
Hens have teeth; they are located in the gizzard. 
Try to help us design a useful machine for Cutting corn. 
Mr. C. A. Green sends us a single plant of common 
Red Clover, the roots of which measure over four feet in 
length. 
You dairymen had better sell your Timothy hay for cash 
and buy grain and “cow hay.” Why raise anything but 
cow hay ? 
Never neglect that last working of the wheat ground. 
Sowing grain on poorly fitted soil is like tying the baby up 
in tight bandages. 
“ If I could be young again ! ” The series of articles on 
this topic will begin next week, with an able paper by 
President W. I., Chamberlain. 
The R. N.-Y. learns that it is possible that the State of 
Vermont will give up its Bureau of Immigration. We 
think it would be a mistake to do this. 
Many city street venders sell ripe tomatoes in place of 
other fruits. Plenty of clerks and business men realize 
that a sandwich and a raw tomato make a good lunch. 
We learn from the Patent Office Gazette that a patent 
has been issued for an insecticide, consisting of one part 
flowers of smartweed, one part lime, and two parts sul¬ 
phur 1 
The R. N.-Y., having fruited the variety for three years, 
would recommend its readers to try the Nectar Grape, for 
a time called the Black Delaware. It originated with the 
late A. J. Caywood, 
About six months ago The R. N.-Y. illustrated and de¬ 
scribed the new process of utilizing skim-milk—“ milk on 
the square.” The other agricultural papers are just be¬ 
ginning to talk about this “ recent discovery.” 
Sulphuric acid and shaking are the agents employed in 
the Babcock milk tester. The process teaches us a lesson 
of life. To get the fat out of life we must apply the acid 
of experience and sense, and then shake it to the surface 
by “ hustling.” 
The new Peach Tomato really resembles a peach in 
color, partly in shape, and in its downy skin. It is, how¬ 
ever, soft—too sort for shipment, and in quality it Is 
inferior to other tomatoes in that it is neither the one 
thing nor the other. 
The R. N.-Y. learns of a genius who proposes to “ orig¬ 
inate ” a non-scratching breed of hens. They are to be 
“ hoppled ” with the legs tied together, so that scratching 
will be impossible. After a few generations, it is claimed, 
that the desire to scratch will pass away with a diminu¬ 
tion of the power. The true value of the hen will be as a 
peace-maker. 
For many years past The R. N.-Y. has tried all the new 
kinds of water-melons and musk melons announced. The 
result has been that we have rarely had enough for family 
use. This year we are trying 10 kinds of water melons, 
and up to this date (September 3) but one has been taken 
from the vines, and that was of inferior quality. They 
are, most of them, so called Russian varieties. 
Is there any good reason why seedsmen and nurserymen 
should not “guarantee” their vegetables and fruits to 
equal, with good culture, the specimens printed in their 
catalogues ? It would be perfectly fair for the would-be 
purchaser of a so called “ novelty ” to agree to buy it if 
the seller would guarantee it to produce fruit and flowers 
j ust like the catalogue pictures. How the catalogues would 
“ tone down” with such a rule in force 
