1895 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
9i 
THE PROSPECT. 
That question about borrowing- money to pay for 
farm improvements, seems to be a very popular one if 
we may judge from the opinions printed on pages 98 
and 99. The idea seems to be that money should be 
borrowed only to earn more money—that is, to pay 
for contrivances that will surely increase the earning 
capacity of the farm. The things that simply make 
life more comfortable and “save steps” without actu¬ 
ally earning money in some way, should be bought, if 
at all, out of a surplus—after the legitimate debts are 
paid. Our own rule is never to contract a debt for 
any property until it is about as clear as it can be that 
the property will pay the debt, either by increased 
earning capacity, or a rise in value. Great fortunes 
may not be made that way, neither are great risks 
run. 
O 
Every local paper, in the West at least, has notices 
of boxes of provisions, contributions of money, car¬ 
loads of coal and other goods which are being col¬ 
lected and sent to the Nebraska sufferers. How noble 
it is to respond thus to the cry of distress, but at the 
same time we cannot help thinking that the ranges 
west of 100 degrees west longitude should never have 
been cut up into farms, and that the best help which 
could be given to these people would be to get them 
away from there, and never let them go back. The 
natural covering of the soil there, the Buffalo grass, 
can be used with profit for grazing; but to try to make 
a living at mixed farming, where there is a possibility 
of such failures as the present, seems to be a bad 
business risk, to say the least. One reason the set¬ 
tlers hesitate to leave, is that they dislike to admit 
defeat; but they should have the courage to follow 
their judgments, whether it is pleasant or not. 
A NON-PARTISAN BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 
WHY NOT ? 
The agricultural interests of New York State are 
second to no other, hence the Department of Agricul¬ 
ture is of such vast importance that it should be so 
conducted as best to foster and secure the greatest 
possible good. It is admitted by all that the present 
department has as much politics to the square inch as 
it was possible to squeeze into such a measure. This 
is not written to condemn the present Commissioner. 
He is a fair man, and doubtless has made as good a 
Commissioner and has been as fair, and free from 
politics, as possible under the provisions of the law. 
Should he be legislated out, or should he resign and a 
Republican be put in his place—even the very best 
one of the 47 and more applicants for the position— 
there is no doubt that just as much politics on the 
other side would be put into it. It is not the officer 
who is to blame, but the blame is with the law which 
makes such abuses possible. In some of the counties 
of this State, there are from 30 to 45 men and even 
more, 15 months before the office will be changeable 
except by special legislation, hustling and scrambling 
for the positions of milk or vinegar inspector, places 
to be secui*ed under the present law. Not one in a 
dozen of these place seekers has any qualifications for 
the place sought. 
Could a Republican Commissioner withstand the 
tremendous pressure that would be put upon him to 
appoint men to places, more because of what they had 
done and could do politically, than because of fitness 
for the position ? He would be only human, and it 
is hardly within the possibilities of human endurance 
that he could refuse to be influenced by such considera¬ 
tions. 
It has been said that the fault is with the law, and 
so it is with a head as now provided. But with a head 
over which politics and politicians should have no 
control, the present law is all right. Its provisions 
are good ; its penalties ax*e adequate ; its machinery 
ample and well fitted to accomplish the best results 
in the direction of protecting both the consumer and 
producer. All that is needed is an honest, rigid en¬ 
forcement of all its provisions. Why not then simply 
change the head ? 
I have thought of this a great deal, and would pro¬ 
pose something as follows : Let the present law be 
so amended as to put the enforcement of all its pro¬ 
visions in a State Board of Agriculture, such board to 
be appointed by the Governor upon the recommenda¬ 
tion of the following societies, and to be organized 
upon the following plans : One member from each of 
the following: The State Agricultural Society, The 
State Dairymen's Association, The State Association 
of County Agricultural Societies, The Horticultural 
Society, and one each from The State Experiment 
Station at Geneva, and The Cornell Experiment 
Station. Let them at first select by lot two members 
to serve one, two and three years respectively, and 
thereafter have two appointed each year for three 
years each. If these members were to be appointed 
by the Governor upon recommendation of the dif¬ 
ferent societies and boards, it can readily be seen that 
politics could not possibly creep in, and no Governor 
could, during his term, appoint more than four mem¬ 
bers of the Board. Have these men serve without pay 
other than their necessary expenses. Let the member 
from The State Agricultural Society be the chairman 
of the Board. Let them employ a chief clerk, who 
should be the executive officer, and who would be not 
the boss but the servant of the Board. Let them ap¬ 
point the director of institutes and all other officials, 
and agents necessary to carry out and enforce the pres¬ 
ent law, and -fix the salaries and see to the faithful 
performance of the duties of the officers. This plan 
would entirely divorce the Department from politics, 
would get rid of a commissioner, and save his salary 
of $4,500 per year, and with $25,000 less money than is 
now spent, would do much more good in the way of 
suppression of fraud and encouragement of agricul¬ 
ture, than is possible under the present system. Why 
not try it ? j. s. woodward. 
BUSINESS BITS. 
Every farmer ought to have a work shop, and a power of some 
kind in it. The foot power is handy, and will save time and money. 
Seneca Falls Mfg. Co., Seneca Falls, N. Y., make a good one. 
Wherever we have heard of that Soil Pulverizer, made by J. P. 
Parker, Ripley, O., it has given the best satisfaction. It is some¬ 
thing out of the regular order, and should be investigated by those 
in need of soil pulverizers. 
C. E. CuArMAN, Peruville, N. Y., is one of those bright young 
farmers who have made money by producing what farmers need 
and using The R. N.-Y. as their middleman. lie will send circular 
of his seeds, chicks and hogs. 
Potash is needed on more soils than any other one fertilizing 
element. This is especially true of old meadows. The German 
Kali Works, 93 Nassau Street, New York, have some good litera¬ 
ture on this subject, that they send free on application. 
For a harrow that thoroughly pulverizes the ground, and pre¬ 
pares a deep, smooth seed bed, and that may also be used to har¬ 
row corn and other small crops to Keep back weeds, address G. H. 
Pounder, Ft. Atkinson, Wis. He will send circulars free. 
“ P. <& B Compound ” is the name of a reliable stock food or con¬ 
diment which has given excellent results in stock feeding. A little 
of it given every day will surely add to the thrift and “ condition ” 
of the stock. It is fed every day at the Willswood Farm, New 
Jei-sey, where prize winners abound. 
Iron and steel roofing are largely taking the place of other roof¬ 
ing in many sections. This material affords an excellent roof, and 
needs only to be kept painted to last almost indefinitely. It is also 
a safeguard to some extent against tire. Porter Iron Roofing Co., 
Race and Front Streets, Cincinnati, O., are pioneers in metal 
roofing and will send full information free. 
Rural readers are pretty well informed in regard to weeders, as 
the first one invented was tried at the Rural Grounds, and its 
good work commended before it was put on the market. This was 
the Universal, now made by the Universal Weeder Co., 49 South 
Market Street, Boston, Mass. It has saved millions of back aches, 
as well as saved millions of dollars in the labor of destroying and 
keeping down weeds. 
The R. N.-Y. has repeatedly urged farmers to keep accounts. 
Some farmers keep accounts with each field, and special crop ; 
but those who do not care to go so much into detail, should, at 
least, keep strict cash accounts, and charge everything that leaves 
the farm to the parties to whom it is shipped. Mr. Geo. A. Rogers, 
North Andover, Mass., has prepared a cheap farm account book, 
that will be found convenient for keeping these accounts. 
It may be a little early to talk about gathering hay; but it is 
those who look out in advance for necessities, that always get 
along best when the work is on hand. That you may be able to 
read up in advance, send now to Louden Machinery Co., Fairfield 
la., for their catalogue of haying tools. It will be especially valu¬ 
able if you ax-e building or repairing the barn. This firm give 
their entire attention to haying tools, and naturally offer good 
suggestions as well as good implements. 
Farmers often call for i-eliable tables of flgui-es and facts about 
their business, it is impossible for a man to keejx all these neces¬ 
sary points “ in his head.” He can find something better to put 
into that storehouse—a book is good enough to keep the mere 
facts in. The best thing of the kind we know of, is the Dairy Cal¬ 
endar by Prof. F W. Woll. The vex-y facts you need in dairy prac¬ 
tice are there—so arranged that you can’t miss them. There is 
also a note space for each day in the year. This book we can 
heartily recommend. Published by John Wiley <fe Sons, New York. 
The Ridgely Chestnut 
All who are" inter¬ 
ested in improved 
Chestnut Culture, 
should try this va¬ 
riety. The R. N.-Y. 
says of it : “ Here 
we have size and 
quality combined 
—just what THE 
Rural has been 
hoping for.” This 
splendid nut is 
sure to create a 
sensation. 
P. EMERSON, 
Wyoming, 
Kent Co..Delaware 
HAVE YOU FIVE OR MORE COWS ? 
If so a “ Baby ” Cream Separator will earn its cost for 
you every year. Why continue an inferior system 
another year at so great a loss ? Dairying is now the 
only profitable feature of Agriculture. Properly con¬ 
ducted it always pays well, and must pay you. You 
need a Separator, and you need the REST,—the 
“Baby.” All styles and capacities. Prices, $75. 
upward. Send for new 1895 Catalogue. 
THE DE LAVAL SEPARATOR CO., 
Branch Offices: General Offices: 
ELGIN. ILL. 74 CORTLANDT ST.. NEW YORK. 
COLUMBIAN GRAPE. 
LARGEST 
ON EARTH. 
Small Fruit Plants 
ACENTS 
WANTED. 
LIST FREE. Address 
Columbian Grape Co., Kingston, O. 
With every copy of our little 
book “ Farmer on the Straw¬ 
berry.” price 25 cts, we give 
6 Lady Thompson strawberry 
plants, provided you name 
this paper. The first person 
ordering from each state gets 
$ 1.00 worth of plants (our 
choice) free. If you love 
fruits, send for our catalogue 
of trees and berry plants tree. 
J. FARMER, - - P ulask i, 
WE ESCHEW The Bombastic, Windy Utterances 
of our competitors. We all know “whence it cometh,” 
but wonder “ whither it goeth.” 
IN SETTING FORTH THE MERITS OF OUR 
UNITED 
c*SEPARAT©R 
We will let the practical users themselves 
speak for the machine. 
NOTE THE EOEEOWING: 
PROPRIETORS OP 31 CREAMERIES. 
The No. 1-B. U. S. Separators are running to our entire satisfaction and fulfil your 
guarantee. They are doing very close work. In ten tests of two machines, running together 
4,455 lbs. per hour, hardly a trace of fat was discernible. 
Lime Springs, Ia., June 20 , 1894 . WM. BEARD & SONS. 
>,000 POUNDS IN TWO HOURS. HARDLY A TRACE. 
We have run over 5,000 lbs. of milk in two hours through the No. 1-B. U. S. Separator, 
and it does its work well. We could hardly find a trace of fat in the skimmed milk. 
WHITNEY’S Pt., N. Y., Nov. 20 , 1894 . BARNES & WHITTAKER. 
CANNOT SPEAK TOO HIGHLY OP THE U. S. 
I cannot speak too highly of your No. 1-B. U. S. Separator which I have been using 
the past season. It has a large capacity, is a clean skimmer and never gets out of repair. 
Cortland, N. Y., Oct. 12 , 1894 . E. C. RINDGE. 
Catalogue containing full description Aof- VERMONT FARM MACHINE CO. 
and testimonials. ASK FOR IT. ^ Bellows Falls, VERMONT. 
#4 Complete Creamery 
IN ONE MACHINE. 
The Butter Accumulator 
Has now been Thoroughly Tested an4 the 
following facts fully proven : 
It gives more butter and better butter, 
skims cleaner and runs smoother. It Is sim¬ 
pler In construction and easier cleaned than 
any other machine of Its kind In existence. 
it will Save its Own Price either In Reduction of 
First Cost, In Its Increase in Yield, or In its 
Saving of Labor. 
CREAMERY PACKAGE MFG. CO., 
I, 3 & 5 Washington St., Chicago, Ill., Sole Agts. 
County and State Agents wanted in 
every part of the United States. 
Swedish Cream and Butter Separator Co., 35 William 
Street. New York. 
GEO. J. RECORD S 
DOUBLE-TIH SAP SPOUTS 
THE BEST AND 
CHEAPEST. 
Over 6,000,000 in 
nse. Ask your 
dealer or write 
for itbee sample. 
RECORD MFC. CO., CONNEAUT, O. 
Manufacturers of Spouts, Pails, Cans. Etc. 
