692 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
October 17 
The Rural New=Yorker. 
THE BUSINESS FARMERS' PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Elbert S. Cabman. Editor-in-Chief. 
Herbert W. Collingwood, Managing' Editor. 
John J. Dili.on, Business Manager. 
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Address all business communications and make all orders pay¬ 
able to THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
Corner Chambers and Pearl Streets, New York. 
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1896. 
Attention is called to the elaborate article by 
II. E Van DeuiaD, in this issue, on a suitable list of 
fruits for home and market. This is just what hun¬ 
dreds of our readers have called for, and we are glad 
to give them buch a carefully-considered answer as 
Mr. Van Deman has prepared. We regard it as the 
most comprehensive article on this subject that has 
ever been printed. 
© 
Possibly you are keeping Jersey cattle or Berkshire 
hogs, Shropshire sheep or Plymouth Rock poultry— 
thoroughbreds or grades 1 Can you tell why you use 
these breeds ? Did you ever sit down and make out a 
good argument for these animals? We would like to 
have you do it for us. How do you prove that your 
breed of stock is better for you than any other ? Let 
us hear from you. 
G 
Last week, a correspondent wrote about coupling 
the information gained from reading The R. N.-Y. 
with common sense. That’s right ! .No matter how 
good the advice given, the reader must have the com¬ 
mon sense to adapt it to his own particular circum¬ 
stances in order to get the most good from it. In so 
far as a reader does this, in just that degree will he 
be helped by reading The R. N.-Y. 
o 
We have Crimson clover nearly three inches high, 
and a perfect mat over the ground. Such clover is 
just as good as a coat of manure. It cost less than 
any manure we can buy. If every plant were to kill 
out before next spring, we would still be far ahead of 
the outlay. We would have no more right to blame 
the clover for dying than we would have to blame 
the manure for nou repi ooucing itself ! That is a fact 
which farmers must understand. When Crimson 
clover keeps alive until snow covers the ground, or 
till the “ heaving ” of spring frosts, it has done 
enough for you. To live in the spring is heaping up 
the cup It’s making you a present that you don’t 
always deserve. 
Mr. Garrahan’s report of his experiments with 
cow peab will be particularly interesting to those who 
read the accounts of his system of farming puolished 
last year and the year before. He bought a worn-out 
grain farm which he desired to turn into a garden as 
rapidly as possible. The problem was to take soil so 
exhausted that it would not produce an average crop 
of wheat and improve it so that it would produce a 
full crop of onions or cabbage. The farm is so situ¬ 
ated that stable manure is not available, and Mr. 
Garrahan has been obliged to follow the “ Chemicals 
and Clover” system, i. e , grow green crops to give the 
desired humus, and use chemicals for the minerals 
and part of the nitrogen. Cow peas have produced 
heavy crops on this farm. In last year’s drought, 
they gave a larger yield than any other green manure 
crop, and they are likely to become one of the chief 
aids in changing that poor wheat soil into a garden 
loam ! 
<B 
Prof. I. P. Roberts of Cornell, has growing around 
his house, what he calls a “ tree clock”. Trees are 
planted in such positions that one of them will shade 
a portion of the house at every hour of sunlight. 
For example, at nine o’clock in the morning, the 
“nine o'clock tree” shades a part of the piazza, while, 
as the sunlight changes, the “ 10 o’cloca tree” shades 
another part—and so on through the day. On a hot 
summer day, this “tree clock” insures a succession of 
shady places around the house. It is possible, too, to 
make such trees almost the same as members of the 
family. We might have “father’s tree”, “mother’s 
tree” and name others after members of the family 
or dear relatives. All such things make the home 
seem a little dearer, and the children who go away 
from it have another tie to hold them to the old home 
influences. Let us do all we can to make the home 
cheerful and attractive. 
G 
The most remarkable thing about the English 
grain markets during the past year has been the 
great increase in sales of Indian corn. It is estimated 
that English farmers have used, at least 38,000,000 
bushels more of corn than they did in 1885. But 
little of this was used for human food—the greater 
proportion being fed to poultry. It is said that Eng¬ 
lish poultry will select barley out of a lot of mixed 
grains, for their first eating, but after a few genera¬ 
tions of corn feeding, this will be changed, and 
Indian corn will surely lead. In England, the term 
corn” is applied to all cereals about as our farmers 
use the word "grain”. The Mark Lane Express says : 
So large has been the display of this staple, and so ubiquitous 
has it become, that even lariners attending small rural markets 
have begun to comprehend now, in the slang of New York com¬ 
merce, tne term "corn” is held to mean not wheat or oats or bar¬ 
ley, but maize, and maize alone. 
It is a good thing for American farmers that this 
education is going on. Every English animal that 
acquires a taste for corn-meal musfi, is an agent for 
the American farmer, because Americans will always 
have nearly a monopoly in the production of maize. 
Those experiments to test the feeding capacity of 
different plants, are of great interest and value. We 
hope that some one will carry the subiect on and find 
out more about it. If we put a large bone at one 
side of a growing plant, and a chunk of phosphate 
rock at an equal distance on the other side, we shall 
find that most of tne roots have gone to the bone 
rather than to the rock. The nitrogen in the bone 
has something to do with this, of course, but, after 
all, phosphoric acid is the true life principle in fer¬ 
tilizing. If certain plants in a rotation can save us part 
of the expense of making this phosphoric acid avail¬ 
able, we shall learn another of those little economies 
that mean so much in modern agriculture. Ybu might 
take a truck driver and a bank president sitting down 
to dinner in the same restaurant. The former has 
been working hard in the cold air, and a heaping 
plate of baked beans is just the food he needs. The 
latter could not digest tne beans—an egg and a piece 
of toast may be all he can eat. Now, buckwheat, 
clover and turnips may be likened to the truckman, 
while potatoes and tomatoes or the small grains re¬ 
semble the bank president in their food requirements. 
When we know more about the feeding habits of these 
various crops, we can, evidently, use our manures 
and fertilizers to better advantage. 
G 
Most of our readers have, doubtless, heard some¬ 
thing about the New York police force in late years. 
This force has been greatly improved since Theodore 
Roosevelt came to the head of it, and now offers to a 
strong, active man of good intelligence, about as good 
a position as he can hope to obtain in any other 
department of the public service. Within the next 
four months, 800 new men wiU be needed. Mr. 
Roosevelt writes as follows : 
Appointments are made solely upon merit. Every hard-work¬ 
ing, industrious man of good cha.raeter and good bodily develop¬ 
ment, who can pass our examinations, will be appointed wholly 
without regard to any influence he may or may not have, and 
without regard to his political or religious affiliations. He must 
be five feet, eight inenes tall, between 21 and 30 years old, and a 
citizen of this State for one year; but whether he lives in New 
York or in the country does not make the slightest difference. 
The salary of a policeman at the beginning, is $1,000 
a year, and within five years, it rises to $1,400. After 
25 years of service, the policeman is retired on a 
pension of half pay for life, while the higher places 
are filled by promotion. In former years, positions 
on the force were secured only by political influence. 
That day has gone by, and appointments are now 
made strictly on merits. There may be some young 
men among our readers who have an inclination for 
the life of a policeman. As at present managed, the 
New York police force offers as honorable an opening 
as the army or the navy, and while there is no “ soft 
job” about it, honest work and intelligence will be 
pretty sure to count. Mr. Roosevelt has sent us the 
following personal letter regarding the matter : 
We emphatically do wish couutrymen; we find that they make 
excellent policemen. We do not discriminate against them in any 
way, and the only thing they ought to do is to study up a little of 
the local geography of the city, so as to know where the principal 
streets, car lines, churches and the. like are. But even this is not 
necessary, as the mark given on that subject is very small, and I 
am trying to have it abolished. We particularly want country¬ 
men to come in. We have appointed a number of them within the 
last year. Yours truly, theodork koosevelt. 
There is a very strong law in England to control 
the sale cf fertilizers or food articles and prevent 
adulterations. A fertilizer dealer is compelled, on 
request of a buyer, to give a guaranteed analysis, and 
also state of what his goods are made. A Liverpool 
fertilizer maker sold a lot of fertilizer, stating that 
it contained nitrogen “ equal to sulphate of ammonia 
to 3^ per cent.” The buyer brought suit against 
the maker, claiming, as we understand it, that this 
statement deceived him into thinking that there was 
from 2% to 3>£ per cent of nitrogen in the goods. 
Sulphate of ammonia contains about 20 per cent of 
nitrogen. If the fertilizer contained 2% per cent, or 
50 pounds, of sulphate of ammonia, it is easy to see that 
this represents only 10 pounds of actual nitrogen or 
half of one per cent. Of course, it is easy to say that 
a chemist will know at once what such things mean ; 
but chemists do not pay money for fertilizers, while 
farmers are not always well versed in chemistry. 
This dealer was fined $100, with $75 costs in addition. 
The R. N.-Y. has often protested against the absurd 
analyses printed by seme of our fertilizer dealers. 
It is refreshing to know, at least, that it would be 
pretty expensive business to use such misleading 
terms in England. One trouble in this country is the 
fact that different States have different requirements 
in this respect, so that dealers who do a wide busi¬ 
ness put almost everything in the line of description 
into their analysis in order to cover every State law. 
What we need is a national law like that in England, 
for that would simplify matters at once. 
© 
BREVITIES. 
Within the country churchyard on a dim and cheerless day, 
Among tfie graves I idly paced a laggard uour away. 
A crude, unlovely, hopeless place—with tangled briars strewn, 
With drooping headstones, gnawed by time, moss-covered and 
rougn-newn. 
I read on one rude headstone—cracked and heaved by frost’s 
rough whim, 
A common name and then the words: “ God gave new life to him." 
Behind me walked a feeble man with halting step and slow. 
“ He was a pauper, sir,” he said, "Some 30 years ago— 
A hateful, wretched wreck of life—amoitiou dead within, 
And every noble impulse cowed to slavery by sin. 
Then Lincoln called lor men to save the nation from disgrace, 
And that poor pauper’s soul was stirred to manhood by the grace 
Of one unselfish, manly wish—he answered freedom’s call. 
The pauper gained a newer live—he gave his country all. 
And so, our town has honored him—he sleeps beside our own. 
Not in the name.ess Roller’s Field unmarked by cross or stone.” 
Tue simple tale has haunted me through many a busy day. 
How at tue touen of nobleness tu epauper lell away 
And left me man —me hero. Ah ! Wituin your life and mine 
When days are dark may God still send come nobler hope divine! 
The cur dog will make too bark ulous cows. 
Get mixed farming well fixed on your farm. 
What can you tell us about solid metal wheels? 
The sound of a weak backbone is heard in a whining tone. 
No belter time than this to kill the scrubs. Make them into 
meat ! 
An unripe peach in the stomach of a boy is likely to mean a 
screech. . 
The litter or “muss” test is a good way to pick out the careless 
housekeeper. 
The housewife behind with her dinner finds green wood a good 
cure for “ boil.” 
You might truthfully say that the grasshopper pictured on 
page 687 " had it bad.” 
Statements from the dairy prize winners at the New York State 
Fair will soon be printed. 
Happy is that man’s foot who can afford two pairs of boots and 
“ change off” every week. 
Mrs. Business Hen wants to know if the green bone cutters 
have lost their grip this year. 
It’s a pretty bad thing when a young woman’s beau can say 
and do things that mother mustn’t know. 
There is more lime in oats than in other grains. That is one 
reason why oats are good bone builders and good for children. 
Op what is the best butter color made ? Good pasture, ensilage 
and clover hay ! How do you make it ? Strain it through a 
Guernsey cow ! 
Is the army worm coming again next year? Can’t tell. The 
safest plan is to be ready to fight him at a day’s notice. Keep 
Tue R. N.-Y. of July 25 on hand. 
The way the western farmers stick to the Plymouth Rock poul¬ 
try, is something wonderful. Is the P. R. the great corn eater 
among poultry, like the Poland-China among swine ? 
Hereafter, in New York State, cities of 50,000 aud more inhabi¬ 
tants, blacksmiths or horse shoers must have a license granted 
by a Board, the majority of which appear to be practical horse 
shoers. 
We know of a little Fox terrier dog—too small to kill a wood¬ 
chuck himself—that will drive the ’chuck into a corner and hold 
him there until the larger dogs come aud kill him. There’s 
cooperation for you ! 
No, sir, there is nothing in the world that will kill bacteria and 
clean dirt like a jet of live steam. It will go into cracks, crevices 
and corners where a cloth and hot water never could reach. Your 
wife needs steam in her kitchen ! 
The pressure on the barn wall next to a big silo is something 
tremendous. We have seen barn sides “ bulged all out of plumb ” 
by such pressuie. An octagonal silo with two or three iron hoops 
around it will hold the ensilage safely. 
Among the coming attractions in The R. N.-Y. is an “illustrated 
article” on bed bugs. Mr. Slingerland has sent us this note: “ I 
have an excellent photograph of the chap. I met the enemy, 25 
in number, atone hotel where I put up recently, and although 
they conquered my night’s sleep, I secured material with which 
to adorn the rogue’s gallery,” 
