8l2 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
December 7 
THE 
Rural New-Yorker. 
THE BUSINESS FARMERS' PAPER 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes 
Established, 1850. Copyrighted 1805. 
Elbert S. Cabman, Editor-in-Chief. 
Hkbbkbt W. Collingwood, Managing Editor. 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
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We must have copy one week before the date of issue. 
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means of transmitting money. 
Address all business communications and make all orders pay- 
able THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
Corner Chambers and Pearl Streets, New York. 
SATURDAY , DECEMBER 7, 1895. 
You never can get good pedigreed live stock cheaper 
than you can to-day. If you need “ blood medicine” 
in your herd, now is the time to attend to it. Suppose 
that, for the next six months, you could buy fertiliz¬ 
ers or flour at half price. You would lay in a stock 
now—you wouldn’t wait until prices went up again. 
By securing a well-bred male now, you save first cost 
and get the grading in your herd started so that you 
can take advantage of improved times. Now is the 
time to buy “blood” on the hoof. 
© 
It seems to us that the notes on bitter milk, page 
806, show that our scientific friends carry the bacteria 
theory a little too far. It is undoubtedly true that 
most of the injurious changes that occur in the milk, 
take place after it is drawn from the cow. Many of 
them might be prevented by skillful handling. That 
is all true, and it is necessary for dairymen to under¬ 
stand it; yet it is no reason for not hunting out the 
change which undoubtedly does occur in the cow. 
Why can’t we have this matter investigated ? 
O 
The time is coming when buyers will consider a 
farm’s water supply before its soil. The possibilities 
for irrigation will, some day, be measured in dollars 
and cents—as they should be. We know of a straw¬ 
berry grower who spent a long time hunting for a 
farm—his chief idea being to find a place where he 
could irrigate from the river. Such men are what is 
termed “long headed’” They think ahead of the 
crowd, and thus secure valuable privileges for little 
money. They see values where others see only dirt 
—or water. Irrigation is surely coming. 
O 
That hearing before the Inter-State Commerce 
Commission as to freight rates on milk shipped to 
New Y r ork, has been adjourned till December 17. 
Thus far, the railroad officials have failed to answer 
the charges made by the producers. It seems to be 
clearly proved that the laws have been violated. The 
most remarkable statement was that forced out of 
the head of the Produce Dispatch Co., which handles 
the milk traffic on the D. L. & W. R. R. This man 
admitted that his company took $100,000 for one year's 
service. It appears that the milk men have been 
just about supporting half a dozen railroads with the 
money that should have gone to their own families. 
O 
Along the Danube River and the Black Sea in 
Europe, is a section where Indian corn grows well 
and produces large crops. Labor is cheap and trans¬ 
portation is easy, so that great stores of this corn can 
be shipped to Germany, England, France, Sweden 
and other countries. If this trade continue to 
develop, of course, the export corn trade from this 
country will fall off, as our farmers cannot compete 
on even terms with southern Europe. The Depart¬ 
ment of Agriculture has been examining samples of 
this European corn, and finds it much inferior in qual¬ 
ity to that grown in this country. On an average, 
American corn contains one per cent of muscle-mak¬ 
ers, and 1)4 per cent of pure fat more than the 
European grain. Apparently, all that is left American 
shippers is the chance to show the higher feeding 
quality of their corn, and insist that the high standard 
is maintained. We are losing our export trade in 
butter and cheese because of a failure to keep up a 
high standard of quality. Packers are now ruining 
the trade in hams and bacon by using borax in place 
of salt. The farms of this country are capable of 
producing the best of all food products, and it is a 
shame that the handlers should ruin the export trade 
by shipping inferior goods. 
That ‘ potato day ” at Greeley, Colo., is a great in¬ 
stitution. Strange, isn’t it? that Yankees have to go 
to the “ Great American Desert ” in order to learn 
how to advertise their farm products. Many of the 
pioneers at Greeley were New England people— 
farmers. They knew how to grow good crops where 
they came from, but didn’t know how to bring buyers 
to them. Thej 7 have learned that in Greeley. First, 
they found that their-soil was well-suited to growing 
potatoes ; then they combined, and thus provided for 
an immense total crop. Then they called the crowd 
in to sample their goods. You notice that cooperation 
is at the bottom of it. Cooperation moves the world ! 
O 
A manufacturer in a New England town, in pay¬ 
ing off his hands, marked 700 ten-dollar bills and 
made arrangements with the banks to notice who 
brought them back. Out of the 700, 410 were banked 
by saloon keepers. More than half went to pay drink 
bills. Who is foolish enough to suppose that what 
was left paid for the food, clothing and shelter needed 
by these men and their families? Those 410 bills 
were worse than wasted. They were spent for liquid 
deviltry when they should have gone to provide the 
comforts of life, and make a store for old age. What 
seems to be the matter with a farmer who thinks that 
the tariff is a bigger political issue than temperance ? 
There’s a bad microbe in his brain. 
© 
The scientists now claim that it is dangerous for 
naturally fat people to try to reduce their flesh in any 
way except by careful dieting and exercise. Some 
people were born with the tendency to lay on exces¬ 
sive fat. Were others born to be thin? Yes, but 
many are thin because of imperfect digestion. What 
is the cause of that ? One great reason is that when 
they lost their natural teeth and could not give their 
food a perfect chewing, they did not change their 
food and eat something softer and more perfectly 
cooked. A hen has a grindstone inside of her, but a 
man has not. He must chew his food or have it 
softened before it goes into his mouth. The penalty 
is mal nutrition, which is a big word meaning poor 
health. But see here, if you knew that a man was 
bound to lay on fat, you wouldn’t take him and feed 
him up for a running match ! Why then take a cow 
that is sure to put her food into tallow, and feed her 
for buttermaking ? 
© 
A new swindle—or, rather, an old swindle revived— 
was brought to light in this city last week. Four 
young men from different parts of the country com¬ 
plained to the police of the swindle. They said that, 
several days before, they had answered an advertise¬ 
ment in a city paper for young men to work on a sugar 
plantation in the West Indies, and had received in¬ 
structions to meet the advertiser at a hotel in this 
city. They met the man, who described himself as a 
wealthy sugar planter. He engaged them, required 
of each $30 to pay the passage, and gave them in¬ 
structions to meet him on the pier of a steamship 
company on whose vessel they were to take passage. 
The young men met each other there, and a number 
of others on a similar mission, but they didn’t meet 
the “ wealthy planter,” or the good American dollars 
they had entrusted to him. Why will people place 
such confidence in utter strangers ? 
© 
The latest Government report states that the aver¬ 
age yield of potatoes for the entire country the past 
season, was slightly over 100 bushels per acre. The 
highest average known before this was about 94 
bushels per acre in 1891. The States showing the 
highest average are as follows : 
Bushels per acre. 
Utah. 172 
Maine. 163 
Minnesota. 158 
Vermont. 154 
Rhode Island. 138 
New Hampshire. 134 
Bushels per acre. 
Massaeh usetts. 133 
Connecticut. 128 
New York. 122 
Pennsylvania. Ill 
Wisconsin. 107 
Iowa. 106 
It is interesting to see that in the older States, im¬ 
proved culture and the use of fertilizers, enable farm¬ 
ers to grow, on the whole, a larger average crop than 
is grown on the rich, Western lands without fertilizers. 
The discussion now going on in The R. N.-Y. on the 
cost of producing a bushel of potatoes, is a many-sided 
one, and will develop some new ideas quite unlooked 
for before we are done with it. As to future prices 
and prospects for this year’s crop, the Department 
has only this to say : 
In several States along the northern border from Michigan 
westward, potatoes have been much damaged by freezing weather. 
In many cases, a considerable part of the crop was left undug on 
account of the low price of the product. It is possible that, when 
all losses are allowed for, and the stock available for market 
reckoned up, the present preliminary estimate of average yield 
may have to be reduced. 
A good many growers evidently expect better prices 
before spring, but few of them have any real facts on 
which to base such an expectation. 
A friend has-sent us *af price current issued by 
Edward J. Hayt, and asks whether this is the hateful 
old Hayt we have been roasting for so many years. 
No, he is not the old original Hayt, but a son. His 
price current sent out to induce shipments, bears all 
the earmarks, and is almost identical in appearance 
and make-up with the one issued by the “old original.” 
Moreover, his store front is decorated with the sign 
of another man who, we are told, was the first to 
engage in the crooked sort of commission business 
which we have so often exposed and condemned. 
While other commissionmen have been cautioning 
their shippers against overloading the market, this 
circular before us tells of the advancing prices, and 
probable large demand. These circulars must have 
been effective, for the store and sidewalk were fairly 
blocked with packages of poultry, while many other 
merchants were not getting enough to supply their 
customers. The prices quoted in the circular before 
us vary ; while some of them are all right, others are 
extreme. Some of his claims, however, are erroneous; 
for instance, he claims, in addition to a large sales¬ 
room, to have five additional floors. So far from this 
being the fact we are credibly informed that he occu¬ 
pies only a portion of one floor, sub-letting it, at that, 
his name being on a small sign at one side. We have 
had complaints about his manner of doing business 
heretofore. He may be doing a straight business now ; 
we hope that he is. But he is in bad company, and it 
is difficult to see why he should make wrong state¬ 
ments if he is doing an honest business. There are 
many commissionmen securing large shipments by 
making false and extravagant statements, and ship¬ 
pers should be extremely cautious as to whom they 
consign goods. 
0 
BREVITIES. 
UNCLE SAM TO HIS PHOTOGRAPH. 
I am pictured as a Yankee, with my lanky legs and long, 
But since I’ve put on Western fat, the picture is all wrong ! 
I represent the country, sir, from Maine to Mexico; 
I’ve had to let my clothing out and broaden up and grow. 
They pictured me as Jonathan, and made me long and lean; 
My diet was the doughuut and the fishball and the bean. 
They gave us muscle-makers good enough to set us free, 
And sent the British lion crawling home across the sea. 
But on these Western prairies, I have lived on fatter fare; 
My clothes are getting smallish for your uncle, I declare. 
So when you make my picture—if you’d have it look like me— 
You’ll have to make a fatter man. I’d really like to see 
The shrewd and kindly features from the old New England rocks, 
Where farmers raised two solid crops of men and granite blocks; 
The blocks to serve as monuments for heroes gone before, 
The men to take their places when the tight for truth is sore. 
But underneath the shoulders, I would see a fatter frame, 
Pack in the Western “ hustle ” that puts indolence to shame; 
Put in the Western confidence—the great big Western heart— 
And then you’ll have an Uncle Sam to fit a modern part. 
Heifer beef is a Miss Steak. 
Wanted —roup facts—page 808. 
Ice in a straw stack—page 810. 
A bank barn is a dungeon—page 809. 
Don’t forget that portable fence jirize. 
Wuat does it cost to insure ?—page 808. 
Oub advice is to add a vise to your set of farm tools. 
Dwarf Essex Rape—Keeps the sheep in great shape. 
Nor all the neglected orchards are in Kansas—page 808. 
“ Burning the candle at both ends” means hot] head and cold 
feet. 
A hen with a thick layer of fat will be a lay figure among 
layers. 
How do you forget your troubles ? Forget yourself. How do 
you do that ? Think of others. 
Nothing worse than green fruit—nothing better than ripe. Same 
with advice. Theory is green advice. 
“ Flag ” means to lose vigor. You don’t want that sort of an 
American flag on or in your schoolhouse ! 
No force to steam till it is confined. No force to a thought till 
it is hammered into shape against discussion. 
All the tools under cover ? All the unpainted metal parts 
well smeared with grease ? Why not ? You them to rust do 
you ? 
Many are trying the new corn huskers and shredders. We want 
lots of reports as to the way the work is done and how the fodder 
keeps. 
You cure oat smut by soaking the seed in hot water. Not so 
corn smut. The Indiana Station shows that this does not get into 
the corn through the seed. Burn the smutty ears. 
A fertilizer firm in Ohio is said to have bought 28 horses for 
$50, and made a good profit by turning them into hides, grease, 
bone and tankage. Gypsy traders brought the horses in. 
The Russian thistle is in New York State. It is not worse than 
other weeds for farmers who till as they should. If it make 
others cultivate the ground more than they formerly did, it will 
prove a good thing. 
See that stone house pictured on our first page ? What a 
scheme it would be to have one just as handsome for a public 
hall in your town ! Build it of stones gathered from every farm 
in the township. Who wouldn't help in such a work ? 
See here, Mister Man, you’re old; your head is gray and your 
joints are stiff. You’ve done good work in your day, and have 
saved a modest competence. Let up ! Why strain yourself longer 
to make money ? Get a living out of your farm and let the boys 
have the profit. Why not ? 
