468 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
July 11 
The Rural New-Yorker. 
THE BUSINESS FARMERS' PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes 
Established i860. 
Elbebt S. Cabman, Editor-In-Chief. 
Herbert W. Collinowood, Managing Editor. 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTIONS. 
PRICE, ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries In the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, equal to 
88. 6d., or 854 marks, or 10V4 francs. 
ADVERTISING KATES. 
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of 10 or more lines, and 1,000-line orders, 26 cents per line. 
Reading Notices, ending with “Adv.," 75 cents per 
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Advertisements inserted only for responsible and honorable houses 
We must have copy one week before the date of issue. 
Be sure that the name and address of sender, with name of Post- 
office and State, and what the remittance is for, appear in every 
letter. Money orders and bank drafts on New York are the safest 
means of transmitting money. 
Address all business communications and make all orders pay 
able 40 THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
Corner Chambers and Pearl Streets. New York. 
SATURDAY , JULY 11. 1896. 
A LIST OF BOOKS. 
Price, Cloth. 
First Lessons in Agriculture.$1.00 
American Grape Training.75 
The New Potato Culture. 75 
The Business Hen.75 
Do you want one or more of these as a present? 
You can have any or all. How? Get your neighbor 
to subscribe to The R. N.-Y. Send us the dollar for 
a year’s subscription. Let us know which book you 
want. It's yours at once. Enough said. Now act! 
© 
Who will be first to adapt the tricycle to such farm 
work as dragging a light cultivator or “ weeder ” ? 
We believe that a tricycle can be made that will en¬ 
able a stout man to harrow or cultivate successfully 
on light and smooth fields, and we shall not be at all 
surprised at the first report of an attempt to work 
this plan out in practice. It is not half so improbable 
as spraying by means of portable steam engines 
seemed 10 jears ago ! 
© 
In discussing the hen’s moult on page 474, we have 
not touched on the cruel plan of plucking out the 
feathers in early summer, as is practiced by some 
poultrymen. The birds are plucked while alive, the 
idea being that they will recover and put out their 
new coat of feathers in time for fall laying. We con¬ 
sider this a cruel operation, though its advocates 
claim that it is, on the whole, no more disagreeable 
to the hen than to let the feathers fall out by the 
slow process of moulting. We would not practice it 
anyway. 
© 
The best of pasture grass is a perfect “balanced 
ration” for the cow. For about six weeks, under 
ordinary circumstances, the grass is at its best. After 
that, it fails, and is not a perfect food any more than 
hay in winter. It is a mistake to suppose that the 
hard or dry grass in the August upland pasture is a 
perfect food for cows in milk. It will keep young 
stock, but a cow cannot give a large mess of milk on 
such pasture alone. You must feed grain or green 
fodder—corn, millet or peas—in order to keep up 
the yield. 
<9 
At a recent live stock show in England, a few speci¬ 
mens of a breed of sheep known as the Ryeland, were 
exhibited. They were classed as long-wooled sheep, 
and one ram was so fine that he beat the best speci¬ 
mens of Cotswold sheep that were exhibited. The 
Ryeland breed seems to be limited to one county, 
Herefordshire, and it was quite a surprise to breeders 
of the standard old breeds to see these forgotten ani¬ 
mals coming out for recognition. It is claimed for 
the Ryelands that they yield a greater proportion of 
lean meat than any other breed. This very fact is 
against them, for a tendency to fatten quickly goes 
with early maturity, and that is what breeders desire 
in mutton sheep. 
© 
Ouk readers will remember articles in recent issues 
written from Germany by Mr. J. F. Sarg, a German 
farmer and dairyman. Mr. Sarg has now come to 
this country and located on a dairy farm in Virginia, 
where he is preparing “artificial mother’s milk.” 
This is made from absolutely pure cow’s milk, Pas¬ 
teurized and put through various manipulations 
which are covered by a German patent. As a result of 
this preparation, the cow’s milk is made into a form 
almost exactly like human milk, and suited to the 
tenderest stomachs of infants or invalids. Mr. Sarg 
believes that there will be a demand for such milk in 
this country, and he has started in to develop it. 
This milk seems to be different from anything we 
nave had in the country heretofore. 
A child was taken seriously ill, and the attending 
physician said that the cause of the trouble was in 
the milk that the child had been drinking. The cow 
was investigated. It was found that she had discov¬ 
ered a pail of paint; had eaten enough of it to make 
her sick, and the veterinarian had prescribed linseed 
oil. The paint and the oil, together with the sickness 
of the cow, rendered the milk totally unfit for use ; 
yet it was sold just the same, with disastrous results. 
Such business ought to be made a criminal offense. 
The wonder is that more sickness and deaths do not 
result from the carelessness of such individuals. 
Human life seems to be of little account to them in 
comparison with the loss they would suffer by throw¬ 
ing away the milk from a diseased or ailing animal. 
O 
On page 430, a Connecticut subscriber told us about 
his unfortunate experience with milk. Four young 
heifers, out of a herd of 30 Jerseys, suddenly began 
to give milk that tasted like “ strong soapsuds,” while 
four others gave milk not quite so bad. None of the 
old cows was affected, though all the cows were fed 
from the same pasture and bin. Our friend now in¬ 
forms us that the trouble has about disappeared, the 
milk from only two heifers showing the bad taste 
slightly. He is convinced that the cause was turning 
the cows from high, dry feed to flush pastures. This 
complete and sudden change of feeding disarranged 
the cows’ systems—the heifers, probably, gorging 
worse than the cows. The lesson is to turn the cattle 
into pasture gradually—a few hours at a time only, 
at first. 
O 
Prof. Brooks gives us, on page 462, an interesting 
account of his experience with certain hay substi¬ 
tutes. The Cock’s foot or Barnyard grass has given 
excellent satisfaction at the Massachusetts Agricul¬ 
tural College as a late fodder crop. On good land, 
wfith a fertilizer consisting of 100 pounds of nitrate of 
soda, 200 pounds dissolved bone black, and 100 of 
muriate of potash per acre, this millet sowed in drills 
15 inches apart, grew to a height of seven feet. An¬ 
other crop, sown July 26, after hay, yielded 12 tons 
per acre. As a green crop for soiling, it gave better 
l’esults than good fodder corn. It is better for green 
food or for ensilage than for hay, unless cut early in 
its growth, and the late crop is best for the silo. This 
millet requires rich land and quick-acting fertilizers, 
and will not endure drought well. 
© 
In 1867, the population of this country was 36,211,- 
000. The revenues in the post-office department 
amounted to 42 cents for each person in the country, 
while the expenses were 53 cents. In 1895, the popu¬ 
lation had increased to 69,753,000, while the post office 
revenues were §1.10 per capita, and the expenses $1.29. 
In 1882, the department actually paid expenses, and 
gave four cents excess of revenue for each person in the 
country. In every other year, the expenses exceeded 
the revenues. The greatest cost to the department 
comes in carrying the immense bulk of papers, books 
and merchandise classed as second-class matter, and 
in free matter carried for the public departments and 
for Congressmen. A good deal of this stuff might 
well be thrown out or charged at higher rates, so as 
to make the department self-sustaining. 
© 
Some months ago, we stated that the Wisconsin 
State Horticultural Society seeks to encourage a love 
of fruits and flowers in children by supplying straw¬ 
berry and raspberry plants to pupils in the public 
schools. In a number of communities, private citi¬ 
zens follow much the same plan and distribute plants 
among the scholars. In Wallington, N. J., one of 
our subscribers recently gave 90 chrysanthemum 
plants to as many scholars in the public school at 
that place. Next fall prizes will be given to the 
pupils having the best plants. The prizes are to con¬ 
sist of collections of 50, 30 and 20 tulips, and a com¬ 
mittee appointed by the Board of Education will 
judge the plants. We like to see such things encour¬ 
aged. It is a worthy project, and is sure to benefit 
the boys and girls who take part in such a contest. 
O 
The interesting account of the farming operations 
of Mr. Peter Porter, found on our first page, will start 
many a train of reflection in the thoughtful mind. It 
is a long span of time from the beginning to the end 
of 85 years of active life. During that time, nearly 
three complete generations have walked on and off 
the stage, and the changes that have taken place in 
society and industry are fairly bewildering. The 
“ old friends ” shown on page 462 are almost pathetic 
in the picture they present by the side of the improved 
machinery of the present day. In the “ good old 
times” of 50 years ago, it is evident that people 
worked harder than do we of this generation, and it 
seems evident that it required more of their labor to 
secure a dollar in cash. Mr. Porter says that he can 
make more money on the farm now 7 than he could 
then. Possibly that is true and, perhaps, the reason 
is that he has retained the old habits of working 
without picking up the newer habits of living that 
younger people now consider necessary. It is pretty 
generally admitted that, if one is satisfied to live just 
as our grandfathers did, he can still make a living on 
the farm. The modern farmer’s tastes and desires 
have been cultivated (?) to such an extent that the 
old methods of soil cultivation will not answer. In 
other words, modern ideas of living are too ex¬ 
pensive for old-time methods of farming, because 
the modern farmer has a greater need of cash 
in his business. The grandfather was able to 
supply many of his wants by barter or exchange. 
The grandson must turn his labor into money before 
he can secure the articles he needs. It w 7 as, evidently, 
safer for Mr. Porter to pay for that farm in given 
quantities of pork, lumber and butter, than it would 
have been to take the risk of turning these products 
into cash, and then paying so many dollars. Take 
the case of a Western farmer who, years ago, when 
wheat was worth $1 a bushel, mortgaged his farm for 
$1,500. If, instead of that sum of mone 3 r , he had 
agreed, at that time, to pay 1,500 bushels of wheat, it 
is quite evident that he would be much better off 
to-day, and it can hardly be denied that the dollar in 
that mortgage has appreciated. If we were to go on 
and ask why these old times were “ good”, we might 
run upon some curious and thoughtful things. Mr. 
Porter started with a $30 horse, and has earned 1,600 
acres of land, and sold products which brought $158,- 
000. This has not been done by what we call “ scien¬ 
tific farming,” neither has the cultivation been 
changed much to suit the times. It is a remarkable 
record, take it any way you will, and a dozen different 
lessons might be drawn from it. 
© 
BREVITIES. 
Old Uncle Sam is a funny old scatnp, 
Just hear him brag of his doings in camp. 
Just hear him crack up the soldiers in blue, 
Brag up his navy, and yell for each crew. 
When it’s a question of paying his men 
Off in big slices of glory, why, then, 
Old Uncle Sam will be heard from all day, 
Wind and hurrah make the cheapest of pay. 
But when the soldier, grown crippled and lame, 
“Government pauper !”—a horrible name— 
Comes to the “ Old Soldier’s Home,” you will find 
Old Uncle Sam’s economical mind 
Figuring shrewdly to keep his board down 
Half of his face has a terrible frown 
When he hears farmers attack “oleo”. 
’Tother half grins, for the price is so low, 
That he can save many pennies a head 
Making vets use “ painted lard” on their bread ! 
Make haste with the hay. 
Sheep are death to sprouts. 
All about cutworms next week. 
Ducks moult several times a year. 
Read Mr. Cottrell’s article, page 475. 
The silver men strike a Populist chord. 
Brood over your symptoms and you'll hatch out a sickness. 
The dairyman’s money can’t talk when the cows “ dry up.” 
The Early Adams sweet corn has made a remarkable growth 
this season. 
Not too late to sow fodder corn in order to sew up that hole in 
the hay mow. 
What’s the difference between hay and straw in the oat plant ? 
Early cutting. 
War beats slavery, but peace beats war. Peace is made up of 
little pieces of self-denial. 
We have picked Parker Earle strawberries this year from 
Decoration Day to J une 26. 
The English soldiers are using barbed-wire fence in protecting 
their encampments in Africa. 
The number of people who put on whitewash or paint with a 
pump, is among the thousands. 
The best way to treat cane borers of any kind is to cut the canes 
and burn them as soon as the trouble is discovered. 
Winter oats from Virginia survived the winter at the Michigan 
Agricultural College. Ordinary oats sowed at the same time all 
died. 
Our chemists should analyze certain brands of “condensed 
milk.” It is possible that they will find a mixture of skim-milk 
and a cheap fat like lard or tallow. 
The latest stove attachment is a “garbage carbonizer.” in 
which swill is burned over the kitchen stove so that it helps out 
the heat and avoids all use of the swill barrel. 
At an English prize contest among cider makers, all but three 
were disqualified because their cider did not contain, at least, 
four per cent of alcohol. Whew ! There’s hard cider for you ! 
At the last meeting of the American Jersey Cattle Club, an 
effort was made to compel breeders to mark registered animals 
by tattooing the registration numbers on the ears with ink. The 
plan failed. 
The latest disease is the “bicycle eye,” which occurs in 
“ scorchers ” or fast riders. It is a trouble of the optic nerve 
caused by straining the eyes by fixing them on the ground ahead 
of the wheel. 
It is reported that De Laval, whose name is linked with the in¬ 
vention of the separator, has devised a practical milking machine. 
Before we hope the report is true, let us reflect that, when cows 
can be milked by machinery, the small dairyman will be worse 
off than he is now. It is the necessity of hand work in dairying 
that gives him individuality. 
