THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
779 
i89i 
The Land Loan Scheme, 
Q. Would not the two per-cent loan help 
the farmers ? 
A. Perhaps, if the government had money 
to loan. 
Q. Do you favor it, then, or if not why 
not ? 
A. No, because, first, it would be class 
legislation, as proposed, even if the govern¬ 
ment had money to loan. It may not be 
popular to say it, but I can see no reason 
why the goverment should loan money on 
farm security at abnormally low rates and 
not on other equally good security at the 
same rates. I do not favor class legislation. 
But, second, the government has no money 
to loan. It Is our agent, servant. It coins 
our money for us. It has none of its own, 
save what we pay it in taxes, etc., (under 
laws which we have made) that It may ren¬ 
der us certain forms of service. When war 
or sudden emergency comes it must borrow 
of us, heavily as in 1861—1865 It owes us, 
the people, large sums thus borrowed at 
far higher rates than two per cent. It, rep¬ 
resenting the whole people, is heavily in 
debt to individuals among us, and at higher 
rates of interest. How can it, representing 
the whole people, loan to individuals at 
lower rates ? The level headed farmers do 
not themselves really believe in the scheme 
to any great extent, I think. 
Why a Tariff on Wheat? 
The farmers are receiving a great deal of 
attention lrom the professional politicians 
this year. E-pecially is this true in Ohio. 
The leading speakers in both of the old par¬ 
ties are in attendance upon farmers’ pic¬ 
nics as never before. The financial question 
and protective tariffs are the leading topics. 
The attempt to make the fog very thick 
around the latter question is highly suc¬ 
cessful. Even the leaders on the same side 
do not hesitate to contradict each other 
whenever the exigencies of the occasion de¬ 
mand it. 
The Hon. R. G. Horr, who is supposed to 
show marked ability in the presentation of 
the claims of a high protective tariff, has 
journeyed west to enlighten the farmers of 
Ohio on the question. He takes the very 
broad ground that a protective tariff is not 
a tax. The burden of proof he offers in sub¬ 
stantiation of his view is that of compari¬ 
son of prices. He quotes the price of arti¬ 
cles 30 years ago and the present price, and 
proves (?) by the reduction that a tariff is 
not a tax. 
The farmers in this country have not had 
their lines cast in prosperous places for a 
series of years. They need to know what 
legislation is beneficial and what is in¬ 
jurious. It is a matter of vital importance 
that their votes be cast for measures that 
will at least not burden them. If a tariff 
for protection is not a tax, then should 
every one of us vote for it, as revenue must 
be had, and the getting of itvwithout a tax 
is an item of the greatest interest to every¬ 
one ? On the stump in Ohio, the reduction 
in prices of most protected articles is offered 
in proof of the beneficent and logical result 
of any protective tariff by other cam¬ 
paigners as well as Mr. Horr. No ac¬ 
count is taken of the fact that the in¬ 
ventive genius of the age, the progress of 
civilization, found alike in free trade and 
protective countries, has had aught to do 
with the cheapening of production. The 
fact is ignored that all kinds of articles, 
protected and unprotected, have had their 
production cheapened, and some of them 
wonderfully, by the discoveries of science. 
Especially is the fact unnoticed that the 
increased purchasing value of a dollar, 
caused by the scarcity of the metal that is 
coined in the single standard medium of 
exchange, must of necessity make the price 
apparently less. The impression is left 
upon the unthinking that the nominal 
lower price is due solely and wholly to the 
benign influences of legislation that is 
dictated by classes. 
The ability of these orators, who express 
a desire to improve the condition of the 
farmer, is unquestioned. Their honesty of 
purpose should be admitted when possible, 
as any man who would try to lead farmers 
astray when their occupation is as unre- 
munerative as it now is, would be an 
absolute traitor to this republic. 
Now, granting that the gentlemen believe 
that a protective tariff is not a tax and that 
it lessens prices, the question arises : 
Why was it that the last Congress put a 
tariff duty on wheat ? Has not 75-cent 
wheat seemed low enough in price for any 
one? What ha3 the farmer done that a 
representative Congress should deliber¬ 
ately take steps to lessen the price of grain 
still more ? It may be answered that, as 
we export a large surplus of wheat, a tariff 
cannot affect the price, and therefore that 
the imposition of the tariff taxon it,by our 
last Congress, will not injure the farmer. 
Then it was a piece of buncombe, conceived 
with intent to deceive, and is an insult to 
the intelligence of the farmers, whose vote 
they now court. Either a tariff on wheat 
was imposed with intent to deceive, or it 
was imposed to cheapen the price still more, 
or the claim of those who say that a pro¬ 
tective tariff does not enhance prices, but 
cheapens, is false. If a protective tariff is 
a good thing for the farmer, he should 
know it, but how can he learn from men 
who base hours of talk upon glaring ab 
surdities and inMuc°r1tl°s ? AIVA AGUE. 
Poultry Yard. 
THOROUGHBRED POULTRY FOR 
FARMERS. 
J. H. DRKVENSTEDT. 
The value of thoroughbred poultry to the 
farmer is fully as great as that of thorough 
bred stock of any other kind. It costs no 
more to keep, brings better prices and is 
altogether more profitable than common 
barnyard stock. When I first engaged in 
farming, little heed was paid to the hens. 
The farm, the garden, the cattle and horses 
were carefully looked after with an eye to 
profit, but the hens were a side issue. The 
flock was mixed and was of no particular 
breed, and the eggs and -dressed poultry 
were like the flock—mixed also. There was 
no uniformity in the product, consequently 
it sold in the markets as ordinary produce. 
That means ordinary prices and little pro¬ 
fits. 
Like all young poultrymen, I bought eggs 
and fowls of many different breeds, and 
while I never regret the experience gained 
in breeding a half a dozen different varie¬ 
ties at one time, I soon discovered that a 
farmer has no time for such expensive fancy 
poultry farming. I then selected the breed 
that I liked best and determined to go in 
for profit. The five years during which I 
kept stock on the farm convinced me thor¬ 
oughly that poultry culture was a very 
profitable thing. A ledger account showed 
that the hens paid far better than the dairy 
cows, both products being sold at good 
prices. 
It is commonly supposed that thorough¬ 
bred birds are of no account for practical 
purposes, being bred simply for fancy 
points. This is true only so far as the 
management of the birds is concerned. A 
fancier does not care for egg records, but 
believes in feathers only. He pays the 
price, and it is a large one, to obtain a de¬ 
sired “ point.” He pens up his birds, he 
breeds them in and in, he “conditions” 
them for the show pen and the natural 
results are fine plumage and often delicate 
and unprofitable birds. Such a course has 
killed a number of fine breeds for profitable 
purposes. 
The selection of one breed means a uni¬ 
form flock of birds. Such a flock attracts 
the attention of neighbors and visitors, es¬ 
pecially if well kept. The eggs being from 
one breed, are, as a rule, uniform in color, 
which enhances their market value; the 
broilers and dressed carcasses are uniform 
in color and, if well fattened, bring the top 
prices. The thoroughbred trade mark is 
there. Eggs can be sold for hatching pur¬ 
poses to neighbors at an advanced price, 
and the demand for thoroughbred cock¬ 
erels in the fall is another source of 
revenue. 
The farmer will naturally be puzzled to 
select the best breed for his purpose, for in 
these days every breed has its strong cham¬ 
pions, and there are scarcely any poor ones, 
if we can believe all we read. A farmer 
must always bear in mind what his mar¬ 
ket desires, and whether he can profitably 
sell eggs only, or both eggs and meat; on 
this depends the selection of breeds. In 
New Jersey many farmers and practical 
poultrymen select fowls that lay white 
eggs, because the latter bring higher prices 
in the New York City and Newark markets. 
The Leghorn is the favorite, and it is 
doubtful if there is anything in the whole 
poultry kingdom that can exceed the Leg¬ 
horn in producing large and valuable egg 
product. It is true that there are other 
breeds that lay white eggs, such as the 
Mincrcas, Andalusians, Polish, Houdans, 
LaFJSche and others, but, excepting the 
two first, the others will not lay nearly so 
well as tbe Leghorns. The Minorcas and 
Andalusians lay very fine white eggs and 
plenty of them, but tbe edible quality of 
their meat is not prized in our American 
markets became of the black shanks and 
white skin that belong to these breeds. 
(To belcontinued.) 
ft SUCCESSFUL HUNTER 
Always finds something good. Here it is. 
it- f \ r-j a r\ ^TMTC in stamps, or other- 
r *L/ M I U L C. IN I O wise, we will send the 
lollowing good things, postpaid, to any address: First—the 
■, .Fanil, Field and Stockman 
The Banner Farmers’ Paper of tho World, 
Ten weeks on trail. This is a sprightly wide-awake, 
jZmconderned. practical, 24-page weekly Farm —-* 
By Family Journal. 
Price #1.00 a year, or $1.10 with 
its Free Seed Distribution of 20 packets best seeds. 
Second— 
A 24-PAGE PREMIUM LIST, 
Handsomely illustrated, giving a list and full description 
of seeds in the free seed distribution, n large list of very 
liberal premiums for club raisers, and a list and description of the 350 Special Pre¬ 
miums consisting of articles and cash (value #7,000) which we shall distribute May 1, 
2a 1892, to the 350 persons making up the 350 largest clubs. Third—a copy of 
“HAYSEED IN HIS HAIR.” 
~ A racy humorous flong and chorus with piano accompaniment, written for the Farm. 
Field and Stockman, illustrating the present uprising of farmers, particularly adapted to be sung in the lodge 
room, or at farmer’s gatherings, picnics, etc. It is the best thing out. Price, twenty-five cents. Fourth—a 
copy of our 
POSTAL SAVINGS BANK AND LOAN BILL. 
The best measure ever published for improving the present financial systems, increasing the amount of money 
in circulation and emancipating farmers and the industrial classes from the thralldoin of the money-lender and 
landlord. Filth— a circular fully describing the plan of the 
FARMER S PROGRESSIVE READING CIRCLES 
for home education. A system sure to bo as popular among farmers as the International Sunday School Lessons 
are with t he churches It is designed for old and young. Send fori his circular at once and join tho class of 
ninety five. Tlio above four articles ami the Farm. Fik.ld and Stockman ten weeks on trial for only ten 
cents. This offer is made to Farmers Only. It is your permanent subscription we are alter, and wo are 
sure, after this brief taste of so good a thing as the Farm, I' IF.i.d and i-tockman is, you will renew. Should 
you not, the paper will be promptly stopped when the ten weeks are out. .... 
r/vn A pi | in Or 1 d ten cents weeks’ trials, as above, a Clotli-boiuul Dictionary, 
_ ru n H V /L UD r ivy 30,000 words; or Cooper’s Leatherstocking Tales complete, 
five of the most charming stories.ever written, will be sent free and postpaid. _ • 
r-/”\D A Cl I IQ or o C\ as above, we will send, postpaid, our new “Horse, Cattle, 
rvJl T M CLUD Dr cu Sheep and Swine Doctor,” a complete, practical, fully illus¬ 
trated treatise, bound in cloth, price $1.50. Send for blanks and samples. Address the O _ 
FA-KtlVE., FIELD A-IsTID STOCKMAN, CHICAGO, IX,3L- 
One Year’s Subscription, $2.00 / Together tor om y 
One Fine Pocket Knife, $1.00 ) $ 2 . 25 . 
No. 085.—Brass lined, 
German Silver Bolster, 
Buck Handle; made of 
Fine Razor Steel. The 
Best T wo-Blade 
Knife offered by its 
makers. Just 
the knife for a 
Farmer or 
Stockman. 
Price of knife 
alone, prepaid, 
$1. With one 
year’s subscrip 
tion to The Rural New-Yorker only $2.25. If your subscription is already paid for 
1892, the paper may be sent to a new name. 
THE RURAL PUBLISHING CO., Times Building, New York. 
The Rural IVew-Yorker, - - #2.00 
UoHinopoiitan Magazine, - - 3.00 
Gen. Gram’s Memoirs. - 7.00 
Total, - - - . - - #12.00 
Our price only #5.50 for all. 
General Grant’s Memoirs. 
ORIGINAL 
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No book has ever bad such a sale in tbe United States as General Grant’s Memoirs. 
Over 650,000 copies have already gone into tbe homes of tbe rich, but the subscription 
price of $7 has placed it beyond the reach of people in moderate circumstances. If 650,000 
people have been willing to pay $7 for Grant’s Memoirs, there must be a couple 
of million people in the United States who want them, and will jump at the 
opportunity to buy at, the low figure here offered. 
We will send you General Grant’s Memoirs, publishers’ original edition, best paper 
cloth, green and gold binding hitherto sold by subscription at $7, 
For 50 Cents! For 50 Cents! Only 50 Cents! 
A proposition such as has never been made in tbe history of book publisbing. The two 
splendid volumes of Grant’s Memoirs, of which 650,000 copies have already been sold—not 
a cheap edition, but the best—for 50 cents ; PROVIDED you send your subscription, to 
The Rural New-Yorker for one year, and also a subscription for the Cosmopolitan 
Magazine, the brightest and cheapest of the great illustrated monthlies, itself equal to 
the best $4 magazine. 
The Cosmopolitan is enabled to make this offer became of the purchase of 600,000 
volumes at a price which even publishers would deem impossible, and with the idea of 
running up its circulation to half a million copies By contract with the Cosmopolitan, 
The Rural New Yorker is enabled to offer to its readers a share in the low price 
obtained through the largest purchase of books ever made in the history of the world. 
If, however, you have Grant’s books, the Cosmopolitan’s offer will permit you to take 
instead, 
GEN. SHERMAN’S MEMOIRS, 2 vols., sold by subscription for $5 00 
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GEN. MCCLELLAN’S MEMOIRS, sold by subscription for - $3 75 
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All of these are bound in cloth, green and gold, in uniform style with Grant’s Memoirs. 
The postage on the books, at the rate of % cent per ouuce, must be remitted with the 
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24 cents; Gen. Robt. E. Lee’s Memoirs, 56 ounces, 28 cents, or books can be sent by 
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Send at once $5 for year’s subscription to the Cosmopolitan and to The Rural 
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