1892 
THE  RURAL  NEW-YORKER. 
4i7 
An  Agricultural  Conference. 
One  of  the  most  successful  meetings  of  men  inter¬ 
ested  in  the  cause  of  agriculture  was  held  on  June  10 
and  11  at  Cornell  University.  Never  before  have  so 
many  prominent  New  York  State  agriculturists  been 
brought  together.  Among  the  75  or  more  present 
were  Prof.  I.  P.  Roberts,  .J.  S.  Woodward,  S.  D.  Wil¬ 
lard,  W.  C.  Parry,  E.  A.  Powell,  Dr.  James  Law,  Prof. 
L.  H.  Pailey,  W.  H.  Gilbert,  Seth  Fenner,  A.  D.  Paker, 
L.  A.  Eastman,  ex-Lieut.-Gov.  E.  F.  Jones,  Prof.  H. 
H.  Wing,  Edward  Hicks,  Geo.  C.  Snow,  Geo.  T.  Powell, 
Geo.  A.  Smith,  Prof.  J.  H.  Comstock,  Prof.  Prentice, 
E.  Van  Alstyne,  Dr.  Smead,  J.  A.  Rogers,  Prest.  C.  K. 
Adams,  Prof.  Caldwell,  C.  E.  Chapman,  Profs.  Rice, 
Corbett  and  Lodeman,  J.  H.  Paker,  J.  Shull,  O.  Mun¬ 
son,  N.  Stevens,  Nat.  W.  Foster,  Prof.  Smith  of  Cali¬ 
fornia  and  Prof.  May  of  Canada. 
Prof.  Roberts  was  chosen  president.  He  explained 
why  the  meeting  had  been  called.  It  had  been  sug¬ 
gested  that  members  of  the  various  agricultural  socie¬ 
ties  of  the  State  might  profitably  come  together  and 
discuss,  in  an  informal  way,  some  of  the  larger  and 
broader  matters  that  have  to  do  with  New  York  State 
agriculture.  The  meeting  had  been  called  to  Cornell 
because  that  institution,  both  through  its  college  and 
experiment  work,  was  anxious  to  know  the  wishes 
and  needs  of  farmers  as  well  as  how  to  cooperate  with 
existing  organizations  in  extending  the  usefulness  of 
agriculture.  “We  have  not  come,”  he  said  “to  talk 
about  spraying  crops  or  raising  corn,  but  to  discuss 
deeper  and  far-reaching  topics  that  have  to  do  with 
the  better  education  of  farmers.” 
Prof.  H.  H.  Wing  read  an  excellent  paper  on  “  Uni¬ 
versity  Extension  in  the  Direction  of  Agriculture,”  in 
which  he  outlined  a  plan  for  holding  short  winter 
schools  in  various  parts  of  the  State.  These  should 
follow  or  be  held  with  the  institutes.  Instructors  in 
chemistry,  botany  and  other  sciences  should  go  from 
one  school  to  another,  lecturing  in  their  specialties, 
examining  students,  etc.,  and,  as  closely  as  possible, 
imitating  the  regular  class-room  work  in  colleges. 
Prof.  Wing  has  given  this  subject  a  great  deal  of 
thought,  and  has  a  clearly  defined  and  thoroughly 
practical  plan.  We  hope  the  next  legislature  will  ap¬ 
propriate  the  funds  needed  to  give  his  plan  a  thorough 
test. 
Prof.  J.  H.  Comstock  and  W.  C.  Barry  discussed 
needed  legislation  in  regard  to  insect  and  plant  diseases. 
Prof.  Comstock  showed  the  necessity  of  regulating,  in 
some  way,  methods  of  traffic  or  culture  that  would  be 
apt  to  spread  disease  or  injurious  insects.  Mr.  Barry 
urged  a  conservative  and  cautious  action  in  legislating. 
We  must  know  just  what  we  are  doing  before  we  start 
the  law’s  machinery  in  motion,  or  it  may  cut  our  own 
fingers.  Most  plant  diseases  are  now  too  imperfectly 
understood.  We  do  not  know  just  what  regulating 
measures  will  be  best.  Let  us  “go  slow”  with  laws 
until  we  do  know. 
J.  S.  Woodward  read  a  very  carefully  prepared 
paper  on  the  wisdom  of  establishing  a  short  winter 
course  at  Cornell.  There  are  many  farmers  so  situated 
that  they  cannot  spare  their  boys  during  the  whole 
year  or  during  the  spring  and  summer.  At  the  same 
time  they  realize  the  great  value  of  a  scientific  educa¬ 
tion,  and  want  their  boys  to  know  more  about  the 
practical  science  of  agriculture.  Mr.  Woodward  is 
convinced  that  if  Cornell  would  establish  a  short,  con¬ 
densed  winter  course  in  agriculture — a  course  with  all 
the  extras  squeezed  out  of  it — plenty  of  such  farmers 
all  over  the  State  would  gladly  send  their  sons  and  fill 
Cornell  with  the  brightest  and  most  promising  lot  of 
farmers’  boys  ever  brought  together.  Mr.  Woodward 
has  evidently  given  much  thought  to  this  subject. 
His  paper  was  well  discussed  and  all  seemed  to  agree 
with  him  as  to  the  value  of  such  a  course. 
II.  A.  Siebrecht  sent  a  paper  advocating  the  opening 
of  a  course  in  floriculture  at  Cornell.  There  is  now  no 
school  where  flower  growing  can  be  learned.  The 
flower  business  aggregates  $35,000,000  per  year  and  is 
growing.  The  business  offers  peculiarly  good  facilities 
for  women.  Cornell  now  leads  in  her  departments  of 
horticulture,  botany  and  entomology.  Floriculture 
would  follow  in  natural  course  and  would  cost  less  to 
establish  than  any  other  course. 
Dr.  James  Law  gave  an  illustrated  lecture  on  tuber¬ 
culous  cattle,  that  made  a  deep  impression  upon  those 
who  heard  it.  Three  cows  and  two  calves  afflicted 
with  this  terrible  disease  were  killed  and  examined 
before  the  conference. 
E.  A.  Powell,  of  Smiths  &  Powell,  also  read  a  paper 
on  this  disease  and  the  legislation  needed  to  stamp  it 
out.  The  R.  N.-Y.  has  secured  pictures  of  one  of  the 
tuberculous  cows  and  will  print  them  later  on  to  illus¬ 
trate  an  interview  with  Dr.  Law.  This  terrible  disease 
promises  to  become  one  of  the  most  formidable  ene¬ 
mies  of  the  dairyman,  and  we  need  the  wisest  and 
firmest  counsel  in  dealing  with  it. 
Nat  W.  Foster  and  Prof.  L.  H.  Bailey  read  papers  on 
how  the  experiment  station  may  extend  its  usefulness. 
Mr.  Foster  wants  a  sub-station  to  be  located  on  Long 
Island.  The  farmers  on  the  island  deserve  such  a 
station,  and  there  is  no  locality  in  the  country  where 
such  an  institution  would  be  more  enthusiastically 
supported. 
George  T.  Powell  read  a  fine  paper  on  “  How  Shall 
the  Farmers’  Institutes  be  Made  of  More  Value  to  the 
State  ?  ”  This  paper  was  discussed  at  greater  length 
than  any  other  at  the  conference.  There  can  be  no 
doubt  about  the  fact  that  farmers  generally  regard  the 
institutes  as  the  most  practical  means  of  reaching  the 
people  who  need  stirring  up.  The  great  problem  is 
how  best  to  reach  and  draw  in  the  farmers  who  do  not 
now  go  to  the  meetings.  Shall  the  institute  leave  the 
large  towns  and  go  out  among  the  farmers  to  the  school 
house  or  “  four  corners  ?  ”  Shall  we  print  a  free  insti¬ 
tute  paper  ?  How  can  the  meetings  be  made  more 
useful  ?  That  is  the  problem,  and  it  is  very  encour¬ 
aging  that  farmers  everywhere  are  thinking  this  mat¬ 
ter  over  and  devising  sensible  plans  for  growth  in  the 
right  direction. 
Some  of  the  most  valuable  thoughts  were  brought 
out  in  the  informal  discussions  that  followed  each 
paper.  We  understand  that  a  full  report  of  the  meet¬ 
ing  will  be  printed  in  pamphlet  form.  We  will  tell 
our  readers  when  this  is  done.  The  farmers  of  New 
York  State  know  what  they  want  and  are  taking 
measures  to  formulate  those  wants  so  that  their  de¬ 
mands  will  be  heeded. 
The  following  resolutions  passed  by  the  convention 
indicate  the  temper  of  the  members  : 
After  mature  consideration,  your  committee  would  present  this  re¬ 
port: 
Resolved,  That  we  as  live  farmers  from  every  section  of  New  York, 
between  the  counties  of  Clinton  and  Erie,  Niagara  and  Suffolk,  here 
In  conference  assembled,  have  examined  the  farm  and  buildings  of 
Cornell  University  and  are  much  pleased  with  what  we  have  seen. 
We  are  especially  pleased  at  her  great  prosperity;  with  her  many 
large,  beautiful  halls  now  there  and  being  erected  upon  her  ample 
grounds.  As  farmers,  we  are  anxiously  looking  for,  and  hope  soon  tc 
see  an  agricultural  hall  added  to  the  number. 
We  are  much  pleased  with  the  ample  facilities  for  the  acquirement 
of  a  liberal  education  to  lit  our  youth  for  the  various  vocations  of 
life,  and  are  proud  of  the  graduates  she  Is  sending  out,  both  as  to 
their  thorough  education  and  the  high  standing  they  are  taking,  and 
the  positions  they  are  called  upon  to  nil  in  our  own  and  neighboring 
States.  Especially  are  we  pleased  with  the  long  and  special  courses  In 
agriculture  and  that  the  graduates  from  the  Agricultural  Department 
are  taking  standing  and  positions  not  inferior  to  those  of  any  other. 
Still  we  recognize  the  great  necessity  for  the  more  extended  spread  of 
agricultural  knowledge  among  our  farmer  boys.  Many  of  ub  have 
been  in  attendance  at  farmers’  Institutes  throughout  the  State  and 
have  become  fully  convinced  that  we  have  thousands  and  thousands 
of  young  men,  who,  for  lack  of  funds  and  time  cannot  take  either  of 
these  courses,  but  who  would  be  Immensely  benefited  with  a  few 
weeks’  Instruction  in  the  foundation  principles  of  agriculture,  and  who 
would  be  only  too  glad  to  avail  themselves  of  an  opportunity  to 
obtain  it.  And  we  would,  therefore,  most  respectfully,  but  per¬ 
sistently,  urge  the  Trustees  of  Cornell  University  to  adopt  a  short 
winter  course,  to  which  all  who  would  might  come  and  receive  this 
much  needed  Instruction. 
Resolved,  That  we  heartily  favor  the  most  ample  university  extension 
In  the  direction  of  agriculture,  and  we  urge  the  legislature  to  make 
ample  provision  for  the  financial  support  of  the  work. 
Resolved,  That  we  have  been  highly  pleased  at  the  very  liberal  In¬ 
crease  made  by  the  last  legislature  for  the  support  of  farmers’  Insti¬ 
tutes.  But  we  are  convinced  by  the  good  results  which  we  have  seen 
accrue  from  this  work,  that  It  should  be  much  more  extended,  and  we 
urge  the  next  legislature  to  make  a  much  larger  appropriation,  believ¬ 
ing  that  this  good  work  should  be  carried  Into  every  hamlet  so  as  to 
reach  a  class  of  farmers  whom  It  is  Impossible  to  draw  far  from  home. 
Resolved,  That  we  do  herein  express  the  heartfelt  thought  and  wish 
of  every  one  who  has  been  In  attendance  at  this  conference  In  tender¬ 
ing  our  thanks  and  appreciation  for  the  generous  hospitality  and 
courtesy  manifested  throughout  by  the  members  of  the  university ; 
particularly  Prof.  Hoberts  and  his  coadjutors,  who  not  only  con¬ 
ceived  the  idea  of  this  gathering,  but  have  so  satisfactorily  carried 
it  out ;  as  being  not  only  of  great  Interest  and  value  to  ourselves,  but 
we  believe  of  equal,  If  not  greater,  value  to  the  cause  of  agriculture 
throughout  the  State. 
Resolved,  That  In  view  of  the  need  of  veterinary  officials  for  the  work 
of  the  sanitary  Inspection  of  farm  animals,  and  of  butcher  meats  for 
exportation  and  home  consumption,  this  convention  recognizes  the 
necessity  of  a  more  extended  and  thorough  education  in  veterinary 
medicine  than  Is  now  obtainable  In  the  State  of  New  York. 
J.  S.  Woodward,  Niagara  County, 
Edward  Van  Alstine,  Columbia  County, 
Edward  F.  Jones,  Broome  County, 
J.  Van  Wagenen,  Schoharie  County, 
Thos.  Armstrong,  Clinton  County,  l  Comvilttee. 
Seth  Fenner,  Erie  County, 
Nat.  W.  Foster,  Suffolk  County, 
E.  A.  Powell,  Onondaga  County, 
F.  O.  Ives,  Washington  County, 
Measuring  Crops  by  the  Eye. 
We  sometimes  hear  a  farmer  say:  “  I  used  a  cheap 
fertilizer  by  the  side  of  a  high-priced  complete  manure, 
and  could  see  no  difference  in  the  yields — one  did  as 
well  as  the  other.” 
“  Did  you  measure  the  yield  ?” 
“  No  ;  I  could  tell  by  looking  at  the  fields  that  there 
was  no  difference  ;  my  eye  is  good  enough  for  that.” 
How  many  farmers  there  are  who  have  been  fooled 
by  their  eyes.  The  dairyman  who  guesses  at  the  milk 
and  butter  record  of  his  herd  is  astonished  when  the 
scales  and  the  Babcock  tester  show  him  that  he  has  been 
on  the  wrong  trail  all  the  time.  Can  a  man  really  tell 
by  his  eye  a  fairly  close  difference  in  yield  between 
two  fields  of  wheat  or  grass  ?  We  wrote  to  D.  C. 
Lewis  and  Dr.  W.  S.  Combs,  two  of  the  best  farmers 
in  New  Jersey,  and  asked  them  this  question  : 
Can  an  expert,  by  looltiny  at  two  fields,  detect  a  differ¬ 
ence  of  three  to  five  bushels  of  wheat  or  300  pounds  of 
hay  per  acre  in  yield  ? 
Here  are  the  answers  : 
As  to  being  able  to  tell  by  the  eye  within  one  to 
three  bushels  of  wheat  to  the  acre,  I  do  not  see  how  it 
is  possible  ;  and  the  same  is  true  as  to  a  difference  of 
from  200  or  300  pounds  of  hay  on  an  acre.  There  is 
but  one  way  of  knowing  the  yield  and  that  is  by 
accurate  measurement  of  ground  and  exact  figuring  of 
product.  w.  s.  combs. 
It  is  difficult  to  notice  a  difference  of  from  one  to 
five  bushels  of  wheat  in  the  yield  per  acre.  The  man 
who  does  my  thrashing  informs  me  that  he  always 
gets  more  wheat  per  acre  from  our  wheat  straw  than 
from  other  crops  grown  by  the  ordinary  superphos¬ 
phates.  I  used  more  Complete  “A”  brand  last 
year  on  my  wheat  than  in  other  years.  It  has 
been  my  custom  to  use  the  Complete  Manure  for 
Heavy  Soils  representing  higher  quantities  of  am¬ 
monia.  I  did  use  last  fall  the  Heavy  Soil  on  five 
acres,  and  I  notice  the  wheat  to-day  there  is  more 
vigorous  than  where  the  “A”  brand  was  applied.  I 
believe  also  the  high-grade  manures  will  increase  the 
yield  of  grass  even  beyond  the  extra  cost.  i>.  c.  lewis. 
A  difference  of  one  to  three  bushels  of  wheat  or  300 
pounds  of  hay  would  much  more  than  pay  the  differ¬ 
ence  in  price  between  a  fair  application  of  an  ordi¬ 
nary  superphosphate  and  a  high-grade  complete 
manure.  A  farmer  is  often  tempted  to  buy  a  “cheap  ” 
article  so  as  to  save  $5  to  $10  on  a  ton,  and  yet  this 
difference  is  more  than  made  up  by  a  very  small  differ¬ 
ence  in  yield  per  acre,  to  say  nothing  of  the  great 
diffei*ence  in  the  succeeding  grass  crops  and  the  im¬ 
proved  condition  of  the  land. 
Business  Bits. 
W.  It.  P.,  Skaneateleb,  N.  Y.— Can  a  man  who  owns  a  brook  In 
New  York,  running  Into  a  lake,  catch  suckers  when  they  come  into  the 
brook  to  spawn,  without  getting  into  trouble  with  the  new  game  law 
Ans.— Yes,  If  he  knows  how.  In  other  words,  there  Is  no  prohibition 
of  sucker  catching. 
Two  of  the  handsomest  sleeping  cars  that  the  Wagner  Company 
has  turned  out  from  its  Buffalo  works,  are  the  Crathorne  and  Craigel- 
lachie  for  service  on  the  West  Shore  Railroad  In  Its  through  line 
between  New  York  and  Toronto  on  trains  3  and  4.  These  cars 
are  vestlbuled,  with  platforms  lighted  by  gas.  and  have  all  the  modern 
Improvements  that  have  been  devised  for  the  comfort  of  passengers. 
Land  Falling  in  Value.— Six  years  ago  this  farm  of  137  acres,  In 
Westchester  County,  N.  Y.,  sold  at  auction  for  $12,600.  I  bought  It  two 
years  afterwards,  or  four  years  ago,  and  have  repairod  In  some  way 
every  building  and  have  improved  the  land.  I  offered  it  at  auction 
last  week— terms,  10  per  cent  down,  balance  to  suit  purchaser  at  five 
per  cent  interest— and  the  highest  bid  was  $8,100.  How’s  that?  max. 
A  BOUNTY  ON  Wide  Tires.— I  would  like  to  suggest  that  the  State 
should  pass  a  law  allowing  every  man  $10  on  each  wagon  with  four-inch 
tires,  and  $5  on  each  with  three-inch  tires,  all  over  the  State;  said  law 
to  be  In  force  for  five  years  without  change  as  to  the  amount  of  the 
bounty  and  the  width  of  the  tires.  Such  a  law  would  not  be  compul¬ 
sory  nor  would  it  be  unconstitutional.  The  legislature  could  appro¬ 
priate  a  certain  amount  for  that  purpose.  There  certainly  should  be 
no  objections  to  such  a  bill  leaving  to  the  push  of  each  man  to  get 
the  rebate  to  pay  the  extra  expense  of  changing  from  narrow  to  broad 
tires.  It  would  tend  to  the  better  preservation  of  roads  after  they 
have  once  been  put  in  order,  and  farmers  would  not  ut  uptheir  fields 
as  they  do  with  the  narrow  tires.  w.  D.  h. 
A  business  enterprise  which  combines  merit  In  the  goods  with 
proper  business  management  Is  reasonably  sure  of  ultimate  success. 
The  St.  Johnsville  Agricultural  Works,  St.  Johnsville,  N.  Y.,  seem  to 
combine  these  elements  of  success.  There  has  been  such  a  demand 
for  the  Williams  Horse  Powers  and  thrashers,  which  the  firm  manu¬ 
factures,  that  the  old  factory  was  found  too  small  for  the  Increasing 
business,  and  a  new  brick  building  has  been  erected  near  the  railroad, 
with  switches  running  to  the  factory.  The  new  factory  is  operated 
with  steam  power,  and  is  only  one  story  high,  so  that  all  the  work  is 
done  on  the  ground  floor.  This  effects  a  saving  in  supervision  and  also 
In  the  handling  of  timber.  A  catalogue  of  the  goods  manufactured  is 
sent  free,  and  any  one  interested  In  thrashers  and  horse  powers  will 
do  well  to  send  for  It. 
Failure  of  a  Trade-Mark.— This  note  from  the  Idaho  Pear  Com* 
pany  will  serve  to  explain  several  matters:  “Owing  to  our  poor  ship¬ 
ping  facilities  and  our  distance  from  Eastern  nursery  centers,  our 
efforts  to  do  a  retail  business  have  proved  unsuccessful,  so  since  last 
year  we  have  only  grown  the  Idaho  Pear  to  sell  at  wholesale  to  nur¬ 
serymen,  who  now  do  the  advertising.  The  Storrs  &  Harrison  Com¬ 
pany  will  handle  the  bulk  of  our  stock  this  year.  The  trade-mark  law 
having  proved  Inefficient  to  protect  us,  the  Idaho  has  become  public 
property  as  far  as  propagating  it  is  concerned,  and  we  are  aware  that 
a  number  of  firms  have  reaped  the  benefit  of  all  our  advertising.  The 
Idaho,  however,  is  proving  a  great  success,  even  if  its  Introduction 
has  been  a  failure  financially  to  Its  introducers.” 
Keeping  Tally  with  Berry  Pickers. — I  have  read  with  interest 
the  articles  on  the  above  subject  in  The  R.  N.-Y.  of  May  28,  and  being 
firmly  convinced  that  the  two  methods  there  mentioned  are  so  far 
behind  the  system  1  have  adopted.  I  will  give  it  here,  and  trust  Mr. 
Harris  will  hesitate  before  trying  the  Sparta,  Wis.,  plan.  I  inclose  one 
to 
[] 
[] 
GEO.  SISSON, 
6 
BERRY  RECORD. 
coj 
Name:  GEO.  REYNOLDS,  Picker. 
”TT 
M  j 
_  n  •  1 
of  my  cards,  showing  the  way  I  keep  accounts  with  pickers,  and  find  it 
very  handy  and  accurate,  while  there  Is  no  chance  for  fraud.  The 
picker  has  a  six-quart  carrying  case,  and  if  it  is  brought  to  the  packing 
stand  full,  a  hole  Is  punched  opposite  the  number.  I  always  commence 
to  puneh  at  the  extreme  right  end  of  the  card,  and  when  the  day’s  work 
is  done,  with  a  pair  of  shears  I  cut  off  the  card  as  far  as  used,  and  the 
remainder  is  good  for  the  next  day.  The  card  is  fastened  to  the  shoul¬ 
der  of  the  picker  with  a  safety  pin,  and  need  not  be  removed  in  mark 
ing.  I  have  tried  many  ways,  but  this  suits  me  best.  I  wish  some  one 
would  tell  me  whether  It  pays  to  use  spring-bottom  crates  for  shipping 
