7i2 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
OCT. 18 
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, Preiident. RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
THE AMERICAN GARDEN, 
EDGAR H. LIBBY, Manager. OUT-DOOR BOOKS. 
Copyright, 1890, by the Rural Publishing Company. 
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1890. 
It does not require brains to yell. Re¬ 
member that when listening to loud-mouthed 
orators. 
The R. N.-Y.’s position as to the use of “scien¬ 
tific ” terms is quite misrepresented by some of its 
critical friends. True science seeks to simplify 
everything. No word is too simple for it, if it is 
the most expressive of the idea to be conveyed. 
Science is a sincere enemy to pedantry. Do not 
mix up the scientist with the sciolist, friends. 
Those of our readers who are selecting varieties 
of grapes and seeking information thereupon, 
will do well to read Secretary Campbell’s article 
on page 713 of this issue. He tells just what he 
thinks, and his opinions are founded on many years 
of experience. Bettina is of delicious quality and 
Mr. Campbell should have it well tested in other 
S laces before he concludes not to grow it for sale 
ecause of the defect he alludes to. Peerless 
(white) is also of fine quality and we are inclined to 
agree with Mr. Campbell that its name is well 
chosen. As between Witt and Colerain, the former 
is the less foxy. _ 
While harvesting our R. N.-Y. No. 2 Potatoes 
two weeks ago, we were impressed with the belief 
that, as it grows at the Rural Grounds, it is the most 
valuable variety in existence. “That potato'will 
sell itself,” remarked a farmer friend. The shape of 
the tubers is close to perfection. The white skin, 
few and shallow eyes, similarity of shape even in 
the smaller tubers, of which there are comparatively 
very few, will commend them to every grower. 
Further than this, they grow closely together—in a 
lump as it were—and a single overturning of the 
fork serves for every hill. 
Many trotting stallions are regarded as worthless 
and thrown out of service if their descendants fail 
to show remarkable speed. There is too much of a 
tendency to judge their sons and daughters by their 
ability to trot one mile very rapidly. It is more 
than likely that some of these discarded trotting 
stallions might be of great value as sires of road¬ 
sters—possibly better for this purpose than the 
stallions which show superior speed. We do not 
need such a rapid pace in the road horse, but we do 
need a horse of good action, strength and endur¬ 
ance, of good temper and quiet disposition. The 
sire of the record breaking trotter cannot give all 
these characteristics. It would be interesting to 
know if the best sire of road horses may not be a 
failure as a sire of trotters. 
Efforts are being made in this country to raise 
funds to aid in averting the threatened Irish famine. 
It is evident that the failure of the Irish potato 
crop is complete. Probably not since the black year 
of 1847 has there been a poorer crop. It is right 
that those who have been blessed with abundance 
should help their unfortunate fellows. This help 
should be given at once. The food is needed now. 
Already we are told of “a peculiar disease caused 
by eating unsound potatoes; ” from which several 
victims have died. We went all through the history 
of this disease last year. It is not due to eating un¬ 
sound potatoes but rather to the low condition of 
vitality among the half-starved or completely 
starved people. Are you willing that human beings 
should starve to death ? Do not shrug your 
shoulders and say this is none of your business. 
It is. 
Some of the agricultural papers are discussing a 
strange accident which occurred in a silo at Niles, 
Michigan. The silo consisted of a pit 25 feet deep, 
divided into three compartments, nine feet being 
below ground. Only one compartment was filled 
and as the work proceeded, it was found that the 
partition was “springing.” The owner went to 
the bottom of the empty compartment to brace 
the partition and was at once suffocated by car¬ 
bonic acid gas, which, being heavier than air, had 
settled in the deep, tight pit. People talk as 
though this were an entirely new discovery. In 
the earlier discussions of Mr. Colcord’s patent sys¬ 
tem of ensilage, many instances were given where 
there was enough carbonic acid gas at the bottom of 
the silo to put out a lantern lowered mto it. This 
is the old fashioned test employed by those who ex¬ 
perimented as to the safety of going down into old 
wells. This accident is no sound argument against 
silos—it stmply shows that one must not enter 
these deep, unventilated pits without testing them. 
Wherever a light will burn a man may safely 
follow. At the same time it may be fairly asked 
if our present system of building silos may not be 
improved upon. We have long believed that some 
modification of Mr. Colcord’s system of bottom 
drainage will some day be generally accepted as be¬ 
ing the best plan of preserving silage. 
After all, it seems that there is to be a fight 
against Tillman, the farmer’s candidate for Gov¬ 
ernor of South Carolina. It will be remembered 
that Mr. Tillman’s plan of campaign was to capture 
the election machinery of the Democratic party. 
This he succeeded in doing and it was then under¬ 
stood by all recognized political usage that the de¬ 
feated side should gracefully give up the fight. 
We have explained why, in the peculiar politics of 
South Carolina, a Democratic nomination is equiv¬ 
alent to an election But now the break comes 
from the side that has done most to proclaim its 
veneration for old-time methods. The straight-outs 
who oppose Tillman, are supposed to represent 
‘ * the wealth, dignity and conservatism ” of the 
State. They now seem ready to unite with the 
despised negroes and hated “carpet-baggers” in 
order to defeat their Democratic foe. It seems to 
us that South Carolina needs just such a shaking 
up as the election of Tillman will give it. 
Some of the dealers in our large potato-growing 
districts seriously object to the introduction ot the 
flood of new varieties which pour out from seeds¬ 
men every year. Their argument is that wholesale 
buyers care little for the names of varieties, but 
class the potatoes from any particular district 
mainly by their color and shape. New varieties, 
they say, may be better yielders than old sorts and 
yet of such shape and color as to seriously interfere 
with their sale. Everybody knows that potato 
dealers in large cities lump all varieties under two 
or three names. There is, therefore, something in 
the arguments of these dealers, but they do not tell 
it all. This wholesale attack upon new varieties 
is nonsense. We must have new varieties ; the 
history of potato growing abundantly proves that; 
but these new varieties must be selected judiciously. 
If we are growing potatoes for a market that makes 
color and shape a test, we should select only 
those worthy new varieties that are most like the 
old market sorts. 
We have recently received a number of letters 
asking where young men may securely invest their 
little savings. Most of these letters are from young 
men who are working for regular farm wages and 
realize their desire to spend their little balance for 
things that they can readily do without. In fact, 
they want to tie their little savings up so that the 
money cannot be touched. But where can they put 
their money in lots of a few dollars so that it will be 
safe and at the same time draw a reasonable inter¬ 
est ? The savings bank, the building and loan asso¬ 
ciation—or what ? This is a subject of such interest 
and importance that we propose to make it the 
theme for an extended article. We shall print the 
views of many well known men in whose opinions 
the boys will have confidence. A friend in Massa¬ 
chusetts suggests that this is an excellent thing for 
the Grange to take hold of. A Grange bank or a 
sytem of Grange banks formed on the co-operative 
plan, would, he thinks, serve an admirable purpose. 
This plan will receive full consideration when the 
subject is discussed. 
In 1869 the English Parliament passed what was 
known as the Adulteration of Seeds Act, which 
was designed to stop the then quite common prac¬ 
tice of dyeing or coloring worthless seeds to make 
them appear fresh and new. In the process of dye¬ 
ing the seed was usually “killed,” that is, the 
germ was destroyed by the substance used in color¬ 
ing. The dishonest dealers who made use of this 
practice always insisted that the reason the seeds 
did not grow was because the farmer did not give 
them proper attention. The convictions under this 
act have been very few, for the reason that individ¬ 
ual farmers have not been able or willing to incur 
the trouble and expense of a law suit. Dishonest 
rogues always presume upon this fact when they 
offer their fraudulent goods for sale. The Mark 
Lane Express, in commenting on this fact, well says 
that in some trades it is one of the duties of the 
protection societies to prosecute all who attempt to 
injure those in the trade. Why should it not be so 
with farmers ? If the rogues knew that they were 
dealing with a powerful organization instead of a 
collection of individuals, they would soon learn 
that their trade is unhealthy. 
Farmers who favor a tariff for the protection of 
manufacturers in order to develop a home market 
for their products will doubtless find comfort in 
the remarks of W. W. Phelps, the U. S. Minister 
to Berlin, before a political convention the other 
day. He said : “The export of agricultural pro¬ 
ducts must find a limited and failing market ; the 
export of manufactured articles must fihd an in¬ 
creasing and permanent market. The lowest grade 
of labor can raise corn and wheat and pork. It does 
not require the intelligence and skill and invention 
in which American labor surpasses the world.” Mr. 
Phelps is the first protectionist, so far as we have 
seen, who was honest enough to state in plain Eng¬ 
lish what has all along been evident to the close 
student of political affairs, that the farmer must be 
taxed to aid the manufacturer. Mr. Blaine has 
already told us that the McKinley bill would not 
open the market for another bushel of wheat or 
barrel of pork. The “lowest grade of labor” (the 
farmer) then must look to the employees of the 
manufacturer, who “have intelligence and skill,” to 
buy his surplus corn and wheat and pork, which 
the ‘ ‘ failing market abroad ” will ultimately leave 
on his hands. In order to enable them to do this, 
he must put his hand in his pocket to-day and pay 
for the product of their “ intelligence and skill ’ an 
added price of 10 per cent, and upward, so that they 
may be prepared to take off his hands (at their 
own prices) in the distant future what the “ failing 
markets ” abroad refuse longer to take. This is 
dealing in futures with a vengeance. The mind of 
the farmer may be of such a “low grade ” that he 
cannot see the sophistry in this specious argument, 
but we doubt it. ~ We had supposed that it was the 
“intelligence and skill ” of the American farmer 
that have made this the foremost agricultural 
country on the globe, but it seems we are mistaken. 
BREVITIES. 
A spinster and a bachelor debated hard one day. 
The spinster was a teacher of surprising fame, they say ; 
Tt e gentlemanly bachelor knew nothing of the rules 
Which teachers think so useful in the governing of schools. 
The subje t for debating was the best means to employ. 
To gain the love an i onfiiienee ■ f any common boy. 
The spin-ter argued readily : ' You must do so and so, 
" I’ve studied boys for many years and so I ought to know." 
This didn’t please the bachelor; ‘ Such knowledge is but pelf," 
Said he : "I know I'm right becau«e I've been a boy myself! " 
We a l see would-be " leading men ” who tell us so and so. 
They’' e studied up the matter and of course they ought to know 
But talking makes us wea y and the thing for which we care. 
Is the practical conclusion of the man who has “been there.” 
Classify 5 our farm stock. 
Get the corn-fodder under cover. 
Terry Tries To Teach Thinking. 
Feed a good overcoat on your horse. 
How much fall-plowing shall you do f 
There is no law to compel one to husk corn out of doors. 
Do the hens lay better because of the McKinley Tariff 
Bill? 
OUR Florida friends are now about ready to plant their 
gardens. 
Dr. Hoskins will tell us, next]week, about Russian apples 
for market. 
Before you buy new stoves, figure on the cost of a fur¬ 
nace or steam heater. 
The second cash-prize offer of $100 will he read with, in¬ 
terest by those who care to make a little money in an easy 
way. It appears on page 716 
Many a man has sneered and cursed at the things that 
forced him to think, and then lived to praise the man or 
woman who forced the thinking. 
An Irish famine! Yet we are told that thousands of 
tons of wild berries rotted on the vines. At the same time 
England is calling for fresh supplies of jam. 
Business men interested in the Marine service are 
petitioning for a National Department or Bureau like that 
formerly provided for agriculture. Why not ? 
Don’t waste the hay just because there is plenty of it. 
Just because we have had three good haying seasons is no 
good reason why we should continue to have them. 
The R. N.-Y. is pleased to see that the more enterprising 
experiment stations are beginning to see that illustrated 
bulletins are popular and attractive. Give us more pictures. 
The people like to look at them. 
Think of a town in Colorado spending money to celebrate 
“Potato Day” in consequence of a high price fora large 
crop of the tubers. This town is located in a section where, 
some years ago, nothing but Indians and cactus would 
grow. 
Read the articles on the Government ownership of rail¬ 
roads and telegraphs. We have endeavored, in these ar¬ 
ticles, to give a fair and conservative statement of the 
arguments for and against this proposed step in “ nation¬ 
alism.” 
Every few weeks some learned ignoramus or other starts 
in to prove that “ the Jersey cow ” is a poor, little, weak 
thing with no constitution or . power to stand exposure. 
What nonsense I The Jersey will stand as much exposure 
as any cow ought to have as well as a tough “ native.” 
We are glad to see that the beautiful, vigorous, 
healthy Rosa rugosa is slowly but surely working its way 
into ourgardens. When its hardiness, its ever-blooming 
habit; its fresh, shiny leaflets, its well-clothed tree form 
are considered, it is little less than a gem of the first 
water. 
One of the next kinds of seeds we propose to send to our 
subscribers is the Rural Thoroughbred Flint—this in con¬ 
sideration of the fact that we believe it to be the best en¬ 
silage corn in existence. It has been grown in the Rural 
family for 50 years. We shall give an illustrated account 
of it in a few weeks. 
The bulletin from the Alabama Experiment Station, 
noted on page 709 is, in one respect, a model one. This plan 
of getting up a symposium—of securing the opinions of a 
number of practical men in various parts of the State—can¬ 
not be too highly commended. It is an excellent feature; 
let us have more of it. 
In mowing time we are always told to keep the mower 
knives sharp. It is good advice, but how about the knives 
on the ensilage cutter ? These are too often permitted to 
become dull. The result is, poor work and wasted power. 
Many farmers have two sets of knives and change and 
sharpen them twice a day during the Ailing season. This 
is economy, they say. It never pays to keep a sharp edge 
dull. 
In the catalogue issued by the managers of the Ameri¬ 
can Fat Stock Show, 26 pages are given to a statement of 
the prizes offered for animals. Of these 26 pages 15 are 
given up to poultry. This is quite a remarkable showing; 
it gives an idea of the interest taken in poultry culture, 
and the earnest desire of thoughtful men to prove that no 
other sort of farm stock will more quickly respond to im¬ 
proved breeding and careful treatment. The list of prizes 
is very full and complete and cannot fail to bring out an 
excellent exhibit.. 
Specimens of the old Polish Wheat still come to ns for 
identification. Tne grains are so large and handsome 
that any wheat-raising farmer, seeing them for the first 
time, naturally wants to know all about the variety. It 
has been “introduced” under 40 different names—Wheat 
of Taos, Diamond Wheat, Montana Rye, Nevada Rye, 
Wild Goose Wheat, Russian Rye, etc., etc. Some of our 
later readers (it is assumed that the older readers know 
all about it) may be pleased to know that it is a poor 
yielder, while the straw is short and weak. 
