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THE  RURAL  NEW-YORKER. 
A  BOLD  STROKE! 
The  Most  Important  Announcement  ever  made  by 
THE  RURAL  NEW-YORKER. 
Some  matters  of  special  interest  to  every  reader  of 
THE  RURAL  NEW-YORKER.  What  of  the 
future?  A  $1  price.  Cost  of  white  paper. 
What  the  farmers’  paper  ought  to  be.  Some 
work  done  by  the  editor.  A  co-operation  of 
100,000  farmers  and  what  it  might  accomplish. 
A  Bit  of  Confidence. 
The  Rural  New-Yorker  has  always  taken  its  sub¬ 
scribers  into  its  confidence  to  a  degree  we  have  not 
seen  attempted  by  other  farm  papers.  The  editor  has 
often  been  criticised  for  this  course,  as  being  too  will¬ 
ing  to  “  give  away  business  secrets.”  But  The  Rural 
New-Yorker  has  very  few  “  secrets”  that  its  readers 
are  not  welcome  to  share.  It  has  long  been  a  matter 
of  wonder  to  slow  thinkers  that  lowering  of  prices 
down  to  near  the  limit  of  the  actual  cost,  almost  if 
not  always  results  in  greater  profits.  New  railroads 
charging  10  cents  a  mile  for  tickets  rarely  pay  expenses; 
but  when  they  gradually  lower  to  two  cents  they  pay 
well.  Postage  at  25  cents  a  letter  paid  nobody;  at  two 
cents  and  one  cent  for  postal  cards,  the  postal  system 
is  so  prosperous  and  popular  that  a  still  lower  rate 
is  talked  of.  Horse  car  lines  at  10  cent  fares  struggled 
for  existence,  and  now  pay  good  dividends  at  five  cents; 
sometimes  for  a  15  to  20-mile  ride.  The  five-cent  daily 
newspapers  gradually  gave  wayto  four,  three,  two  and 
even  one  cent  papers;  and  the  two  and  one  cent  grades 
are  probably  read  by  two  to  four  times  as  many  people 
and  pay  quite  as  well  as  the  higher  priced  ones.  Right 
there,  of  course,  is  the  whole  reason  for  the  success  of 
low  prices:  a  much  greater  number  of  people  will  buy 
— probably  10  will  pay  two  cents  for  a  thing  where 
three  would  pay  five  cents. 
The  Decreasing  Cost  of  Production. 
The  important  principle  is  involved  that  the  expense 
of  production,  per  unit,  nearly  always  decreases  with 
the  increase  in  number.  For  example,  it  costs  the 
publishers  nearly  $50,000  a  year  to  produce  The  Rural 
New-Yorker,  but  a  large  part  of  this  great  cost  would 
be  just  the  same  for  a  million  circulation  as  for  a 
thousand,  viz.,  the  four  editors’  work,  the  experiment 
grounds,  the  illustrations,  the  pay  of  contributors,  the 
typesetting  ;  while  the  expense  for  rent  and  superin¬ 
tendence  would  increase  but  little.  White  paper, 
press  work,  mailing,  clerical  work  increase  with  every 
copy  printed,  but,  with  every  10,000  or  20,000  increase, 
the  proportionate  cost  decreases.  So  that,  all  things 
being  taken  into  account,  we  find  that  while  to-day 
The  Rural  New-Yorker  costs  thousands  of  dollars 
more  to  produce  than  is  received  from  subscribers,  yet  we 
can  add  to  the  circulation  50,000  to  100,000  yearly 
copies  for  a  total  cost  of  something  less  than  $1  a 
year  each.  A  few  years  ago  this  would  have  been 
impossible,  but  the  improvement  and  cheapening  of 
methods  of  engraving  and  manufacture  of  white 
paper  make  it  possible  now.  For  example,  the  saving 
on  the  white  paper  alone  used  on  The  Rural  New- 
Yorker  now,  in  comparison  with  three  or  four  years 
ago,  amounts  to  about  17  cents  for  each  yearly  sub¬ 
scription  filled. 
An  Experiment  in  Low  Prices. 
The  low  club  rates  at  which  we  have  been  taking 
subscriptions  to  The  Rural  New-Yorker  in  the  past 
two  years  not  only  resulted  in  a  very  large  increase  in 
the  circulation,  but  the  increase  seems  to  have  been 
among  a  class  of  wide-awake,  business-like  farmers, 
who  “know  a  good  thing  when  they  see  it.”  The  let¬ 
ters  we  receive  and  the  nearly  uniform  testimony  of 
our  advertisers  indicate  not  the  slightest  lowering  in 
the  general  status  of  high  intelligence  and  go¬ 
alie  aditiveness  for  which  The  Rural  family 
have  long  been  famous.  Of  course  it  is  a  neces¬ 
sary  condition  that  many  men  of  small  means  will 
buy  a  good  article  at  $1  who  would  pass  it  by  if  $2  were 
the  figure.  But  it  is  often  the  case  that  men  of  small 
means  are  quite  as  good  business  men  as  the  rich  ones, 
and  any  publisher  or  merchant  of  any  sort  would 
rather  have  100  ambitious,  thrifty  but  poor  young  men 
as  readers  or  customers  than  100  rich,  lazy  ones.  It  is 
the  men  trying  to  get  on  in  the  world  that  really 
make  the  world  worth  living  in  ;  all  the  rest  are 
worthless  drones,  who  ought  to  be  made  poor  in  order 
to  get  them  into  action.  Deeds  are  the  only  true 
measure  of  worth. 
The  Natural  Result— Lower  Prices. 
We  might  add  our  further  experience  that  reducing 
the  price  of  our  magazine,  American  Gardening,  from 
$2  to  $1  has  so  far  produced  encouraging  results,  while 
the  low-priced  books  issued  by  The  Rural  Publishing 
Company  have  met  with  a  degree  of  success  quite  un¬ 
expected.  The  basis  with  the  latter  has  been  that  we 
have  issued  books  at  $1  of  a  grade  of  merit  and 
mechanical  finish  usually  priced  at  about  $1.50.  In 
every  such  case  in  our  experience  or  observation,  the 
largely  increased  sales  have  fully  offset  the  effects  of 
the  lower  prices,  and,  better  yet,  we  feel  that  about 
double  the  number  of  our  readers  have  benefited  by 
the  books  that  would  have  profited  by  them  if  sold  at 
higher  prices. 
Now  as  to  The  Rural  New-Yorker:  It  is  a  bold 
step  to  make  any  radical  change  in/an  institution  that 
has  been  an  established  success  for  42  years.  But 
times  and  conditions  change.  So  must  men.  We  have 
carefully  studied  the  problem  for  two  years  past,  and 
believe  that  we  are  fully  warranted  in  making  a 
bold  and  sweeping  reduction  in  the  subscription  price 
of  this  paper  to 
ONE  DOLLAR  A  YEAR 
to  everybody  for  1893.  We  are  well  aware  that  The 
Rural  New-Yorker  has  the  splendid  reputation  of 
being  the  most  valuable,  the  best  and  brightest,  as  well 
as  the  costliest  to  produce  of  all  farm  papers  in  Amer¬ 
ica,  and  many  good  friends  say  we  need  not  reduce  the 
price  so  low  in  order  to  meet  the  competition  of  the 
cheap  papers.  Well,  we  propose  to  make  the  price  at 
an  even  $1,  in  order  that  every  farmer  in  America  can 
“get  the  best ”  at  the  price  of  the  cheapest.  Further, 
we  propose  to  make  the  paper  even  better  than  now, 
if  that  be  possible.  The  better  it  is,  the  more  ready 
will  its  readers  be  to  proclaim  its  good  qualities  and 
low  price.  In  brief,  as  we  have  remarked  before,  we 
want  500,000  Readers,  and  we  believe  that  many 
thousands  of  our  old  readers  will  join  with  us  in  put¬ 
ting  the  “  good  old  Rural”  into  scores  of  thousands 
of  new  homes,  simply  because  it  is  the  best  and  cheap¬ 
est  ;  cheapest  because  it  is  the  best.  Indeed,  we  espe¬ 
cially  urge  every  reader  to  get  at  least  a  few  new  sub¬ 
scribers,  as  a  return  for  the  reduction  in  the  price  to 
himself.  But  we  are 
Not  Yet  Contented 
and  are  going  much  further  in  our  efforts  to  put  The 
Rural  New-Yorker  into  100,000  homes  where  it  is 
now  only  seen  occasionally,  for  there  are  very  few 
intelligent  rural  homes  between  the  St.  Lawrence  and 
the  Gulf  and  between  the  Atlantic  and  the  Pacific 
where  The  Rural  New-Yorker  is  not  known  to  some 
extent. 
l^ly: 
We  have  been  for  some  time  offering  three  months’ 
trial  subscriptions  at  25  cents,  and  in  addition  to 
giving  valuable  book  premiums  to  all  old  readers  who 
send  in  trial  subscriptions  ;  we  also  give  away  $200  in 
cash  on  January  1  next,  dividing  it  equally  or  pro  rata, 
among  all  those  who  send  in  trial  clubs  of  10  or  more 
new  names.  These  trial  readers  and  our  old  friends 
as  well  will  then  see  our 
2dly: 
which  is  simply  that  as  good  an  agricultural  paper  as 
it  is  possible  for  us  to  make  is  to  be  had  by  everybody 
for  only  $1  a  year,  and 
341y: 
that  we  now  set  before  them  the  finest  and  most 
valuable  array  of  seed  and  plant  presents  to  subscribers 
for  1893  ever  hitherto  offered,  though  we  have  dis¬ 
tributed  among  our  readers  a  long  list  of  new  varieties, 
that  by  good  authorities  have  been  estimated  as  con¬ 
ferring  benefits  upon  American  agriculture  worth  mil¬ 
lions  of  dollars. 
We  say  that  this  one  year's  (1893)  list  alone  will  sur¬ 
pass  in  valite  and  interest  those  of  any  previous  two  years 
put  together.  The  list  comprises  : 
1.  A  New  Early  Potato,  which,  it  is  believed,  will 
prove  to  be  the  best  early  potato  ever  originated  as  to 
size,  form,  whiteness  of  flesh,  quality  and  yield. 
Originated  at  the  Rural  Grounds,  by  the  Editor-in- 
Chief. 
2.  The  Carman  Grape  offer  is  continued  for  1893  to 
any  who  may  not  have  secured  it  in  1892.  Originated 
by  T.  V.  Munson. 
3.  A  New  Bean.  The  result  of  17  years’  selection  ; 
claimed  to  be  the  finest  in  many  respects. 
4.  Seedling  Tomatoes.  Seeds  of  200  varieties  pro¬ 
duced  from  crosses  by  E.  S.  Carman.  Sure  to  contain 
many  new  sorts  of  special  value. 
5.  Seventeen  New  Roses.  Not  simply  a  new  rose  to 
be  given  away  to  the  American  public,  but  Seventeen 
(17)  new  roses.  These  are  the  selected  best  roses 
from  the  hundreds  of  Rosa  rugosa  hybrids  originated 
at  the  Rural  Grounds  during  the  past  six  years.  Every 
one  of  the  17  has  distinct  and  valuable  characteristics. 
All  are  hardy,  out-door  roses. 
6.  The  Carman  Gooseberry.  As  large  as  the  Euro¬ 
pean  varieties.  A  marvel  of  productiveness,  and  abso¬ 
lutely  free  of  mildew.  It  is  believed  that  this  new 
gooseberry  will  be  preferred  to  any  other  kind. 
This  lot  of  seeds  and  plants  may  well  be  worth  $25 
or  easily  more  to  any  bright  cultivator.  Yet  every  sub¬ 
scriber  to  The  Rural  New-Yorker  for  1893  is  entitled  to 
receive  the  entire  list,  though  paying  only  the  reduced 
$1  subscription  price  for  a  paper  well  worth  $2.  We 
supply  the  seeds  and  plants  gratis,  (as  soon  as  propa¬ 
gated);  the  subscriber  pays  only  for  mailing  them. 
Further,  we  shall  offer  cash  prizes  for  the  best  products 
from  each  of  these.  When  it  is  known  that  the  stock 
of  a  new  variety  of  potatoes  has  sold  for  $2,000,  and 
that  of  one  (we  offer  seventeen )  new  rose  for  $2,000  to 
$10,000  ;  that  a  seedsman  offered  $20  a  bushel  for  “  all 
that  we  could  grow  ”  of  that  new  bean ;  that  new 
grapes  as  good  as  the  Carman  always  or  usually  sell 
readily  at  $1  each  :  add  to  this  the  cost  of  propagation 
of  sufficient  of  these  seeds  and  plants  to  supply  all  of 
our  subscribers — then  and  only  then  can  the  real  cost 
and  value  of  this  great  offer  be  fairly  comprehended. 
We  want  to  add,  however,  that  in  the  above  cases,  so 
great  would  be  the  cost  under  ordinary  circumstances, 
that  it  would  be  quite  impossible  for  the  publisher  to 
make  such  an  offer,  and  it  is  only  by  the  unselfish  and 
public  spirited  generosity  of  men  like  Mr.  Munson, 
and  the  work  done  at  the  Rural  Grounds,  that  we  are 
enabled  to  do  so  at  all. 
Uader  all  these  conditions,  are  we  unwarranted  in 
expecting  that,  with  the  help  of  our  readers,  we  shall 
double  or  treble  the  number  of  readers  fo  The  Rural 
New-Yorker  for  1893  ?  And  yet  there  is  still  a 
4^1y: 
For  we  propose  to  divide  among  those  who  will  help 
us  in  getting  up  clubs  of  new  subscriptions  the  sum  of 
$2,000.00  in  Cash. 
The  division  is  to  be  on  the  strictly  equitable  pro 
rata  basis.  That  is,  if  one  sends  in  a  club  of  five  new 
subscribers  he  will  receive  just  half  as  much  as  one 
who  sends  in  10 ;  while  he  who  sends  in  20  will  get 
exactly  twice  as  much  of  the  cash  distributed  as  he 
who  sends  in  a  club  of  10.  And  in  addition  to  all  this 
there  will  be 
A  Splendid  List  of  Premiums, 
amounting  to  many  thousands  of  dollars,  contributed 
by  public-spirited  manufacturers,  breeders  and  mer¬ 
chants  who  want  to  do  their  part  toward  helping  us 
to  get  those 
600,000  Readers  for  The  Rural 
New-Yorker. 
Now  the  only  question  remaining  is  whether  our 
own  readers  take  enough  of  interest  in  this  paper, 
their  paper,  in  the  progress  of  American  agriculture 
and  the  prosperity  of  their  own  communities  to  help 
place  The  Rural  New-Yorker  in  every  farm  house  in 
their  respective  towns  and  counties.  We  believe  they 
will  help  effectively,  decisively,  promptly.  Of  cours: 
they  will !  Many  will  refuse  the  offered  compensation, 
while  helping  to  swell  the  list  right  valiantly,  as  they 
have  many  times  before  for  the  good  of  the  cause  we 
all  love.  But  these  cash  and  other  premium  offers  are 
freely  made,  and  we  shall  be  glad  to  have  them 
accepted.  We  are  glad  to  be  able  to  open  to  scores 
and  hundreds  of  hard-working  farmers  and  farmers’ 
sons  a  chance  to  make  some  extra  dollars  this  winter, 
and  also  secure  some  article  from  among  our  premiums 
which  may  be  beyond  their  means  for  cash  purchase. 
Again  we  ask,  under  all  the  circumstances,  quality 
of  the  paper,  low  price  and  splendid  premium  offers,  are 
we  not  fully  justified  in  calling  for  a  half-million 
American  farmers  to  read  The  Rural  New-Yorker, 
lor  their  own  great  benefit  ? 
Finally,  we  cordially  invite  you,  good  readers,  one 
and  all,  to  help.  Write  us  a  postal  card  for  a  few 
sample  copies.  e.  h.  l. 
#  %  5k  & 
For' particulars  of  special  premium  offers 
see  pages  715  to  719. 
A  supplementary  list  of  a  great  assortment 
of  general  premiums  will  be  issued  in  a  feio 
weeks.  Send  for  it. 
To-day  is  the  time  to  begin. 
