160 
ZZhe  RURAL  NEW-YORKER 
The  Rural  New-Yorker 
THE  nr  SIX  ESS  FARM  EH'  S  FAPETi 
A  National  Weekly  Journal  for  Country  and  Suburban  llumca 
Established  iSio 
PnblHhcd  nerkly  by  On1  Kurnl  I’lihliKliinfc  Companr,  388  We«t  80lh  StrerL  Xtev  fork 
Herbert  W.  pouaJsa'woon.  PreeidMit  nnV)  Editor. 
John  J.  Dillon,  Treasurer  and  Genera)  Manager. 
Wm.  F,  Dillon,  Secretary.  Mrs.  E.  T.  Hoyle,  As?ocif«te  Editor. 
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“A  SQUARE  DEAL” 
We  believe  that  every  advertisement  in  this  paper  is  backed  by  a  respon¬ 
sible  person.  We  use  every  possible  precaution  and  admit  the  advertising  of 
re)  to  Ob'  nouses  only.  Rut  to  make  doubly  «mv  we  will  make  good  any  loss 
to  t*»id  subscriber.:  '■n  -isinisi  by  trusting  any  .MflWale  sw  indler  im  spoii- 
sibfe  advertisers  or  misleading  advertisements  in  our  columns,  and  any 
such  swindler  will  la  publicly  exposc-.L  We  are  of  o  n  called  upon 
to  adjust,  dltrercnces  or  miRtakes  between  our  snliw  ribcrs  and  honest, 
responsible  house?,  whether  advertiwers  or  not.  Wr  wSIlii.i-ly  uo<  our  good 
ottlcca  thir:  end,  t  ut  such  cases)  *dtouW  not  be  confused 'w-itll  dishonest 
trnnjaetlon*.  Wi  ptyitext  snlst  i  iber-  ugaimt  reigues,  but  we  w  ill  not  bo 
reiqjUMltde  for  the  debts  ot  honest  Iwtnkruirtr  smctloned  by  the  court?. 
Notice  of  the  complaint  must  be  sent  to  os  w Hlilu  one  month  o f  the  time  of 
the  transaction,  and  to  identify  it,  you  should  mention  The  Rchal  New- 
6  ORKER  when  w  riting  the  advertiser. 
I  would  like  to  secure  your  advice  as  to  the  follow¬ 
ing  question :  What  would  be  a  fair  agreement  for  a 
son  to  make  with  bis  father,  in  regard  to  working  the 
farm?  The  son  to  apply  his  agricultural  education  to 
the  best  advantage  possible  and  the  father  t<>  furnish 
the  farm  (150  acres),  stock,  tools,  etc.  o.  a.  k. 
ON  general  principles  a  contract  made  with  father 
should  be  much  the  same  as  that  made  with 
any  other  land-owner.  Both  father  and  son  will 
feel  better  in  the  end  if  the  contract  is  a  matter  of 
strict  business  rather  than  a  family  affair.  More 
family  trouble  has  resulted  from  loose  or  favored 
agreements  than  from  strict  business  contracts.  We 
should  apply  the  rule  of  thirds  to  this  arrangement. 
Labor  represents  one  third,  real  estate  another  and 
personal  property  still  another.  The  son  gives  his 
labor  and  we  understand  father  puts  up  real  estate 
and  personal  property  which  on  the  face  of  it.  would 
give  him  two-thirds  of  the  proceeds.  Now  how  much 
is  the  agricultural  education  worth  as  an  asset  in 
the  business?  Ilow  far  will  it  go  to  offset  father’s 
personal  property?  There  is  the  problem  to  he  set¬ 
tled.  and  it  is  a  personal  one  which  no  outsider  can 
solve. 
* 
HERE  is  a  new  scheme  which  is  quite  worthy  of 
our  old  friend  E.  0.  Lewis.  Circulars  are 
printed  headed  "The  Most  Desirable  Subscriber  for 
a  .$540,000  contest  of  brains.**  These  blanks  are 
evidently  sent  to  women  all  over  the  country,  and 
they  in  turn  forward  them  to  friends  here  and  there, 
asking  for  a  subscription  to  the  Woman's*  National 
Weekly.  When  a  man  pays  $1  and  signs  this  card 
he  is  expeeted  to  nominate  the  most  desirable  sub¬ 
scriber  to  this  wonderful  paper,  and  he  may  write 
250  words  telling  why  he  thinks  his  friend  is  en¬ 
titled  to  the  honor.  Probably  some  men  would  vote 
for  themselves  if  they  had  the  opportunity.  At  any 
rate  it  is  a  very  slick  scheme  for  obtaining  signa¬ 
tures  and  subscriptions.  Many  well-known  men  are 
approached  in  this  way  by  their  friends  and  ad¬ 
mirers.  and  apparently  some  of  them  sign  the  cards 
and  make  the  nomination  in  order  to  get  rid*  of  tin* 
applicants.  A  little  later  they  will  turn  up  as 
shining  examples  of  the  tine  set  of  subscribers  on 
the  list  of  the  Woman's  National  Weekly.  In  other 
words,  through  their  good-natured  help  to  a  friend 
they  are  promptly  utilized  as  "sucker  bait."  Some 
of  our  people  rather  object  to  this  term,  as  they 
think  it  is  neither  dignified  nor  nice.  That  is  per¬ 
haps  true,  but  when  we  ask  them  t* »  give  ns  a  more 
appropriate  title  for  one  who  will  permit  his  name 
to  be  used  for  the  deception  of  others  we  rarely  get 
any  suggestion. 
* 
Your  picture  in  the  Jan.  S  number  of  the  old  man 
sawing  wood  brought  up  some  reflections  that  were 
running  through  my  mind  a  few  days  ago.  The  late 
J.  Pierpont  Morgan  said  that  he  “would  rather  lend 
money  to  a  man  with  character,  than  to  a  man  with 
securities.”  If  I  were  a  hank  president  in  a  rural  com¬ 
munity.  and  a  farmer  whom  1  did  not  know  much  about 
came  to  me  for  a  loan,  I  would  tell  him  to  call  again  in 
a  week,  and  meantime  would  try  to  visit  his  farm  ;  and 
when  T  did  I  would  go  straight  to  ills  woodshed.  If 
I  found  a  good  stock  of  wood  on  hand.  With  a  lot  of 
split  Wood  neatly  piled  up,  and  some  split  very  fine  so 
it  would  kindle  easily,  I  would  reason  that  this  man  is 
“forehanded.”  he  looks  out  fur  his  wife’s  comfort,  she 
doesn't  have  to  empty  the  kerosene  can  to  get  a  fire 
started,  and  the  lot  of  split  wood  shows  that  he  doesn't 
sit  around  at  the  store  on  rainy  days.  I  would  con¬ 
sider  it  perfectly  safe  to  lend  money  to  that  man.  If, 
on  the  contrary.  I  found  the  woodshed  empty  and  a  few 
big  sticks  outside — all  the  small  ones  being  pulled  out 
because  they  could  be  cut  with  the  ax  and  did  not  need 
to  be  sawed,  the  wife  probably  having  to  saw  and  split 
what  split  wood  she  had.  I  would  refuse  to  lend  any 
money  to  that  man.  And  nine  times  out  of  ten,  the 
woodshed  test  would  be  right  geo.  a.  oosgkove. 
WE  had  not  thought  of  this  wood  pile  test  as 
a  basis  for  credit,  and  yet.  who  will  say 
that  Brother  Cosgrove  is  not  right?  Is  there  any 
individual  reading  this  who  would  care  to  lend  his 
own  money  to  people  of  slack,  careless  business 
habits  about  their  own  affairs?  Now,  have  we  any 
right  to  expect  a  bank  to  demand  any  less  rigid 
tesi  than  we  would  ask  if  we  were  loaning  our  own 
money?  Have  we  a  tight  to  ask  the  Government  to 
lend  the  people’s  money  where  we  would  not  lend 
our  own?  We  just  ask  these  questions  in  order  to 
get  your  thought!  Over  the  wood  pile  is  a  good 
place  to  think  it  out. 
* 
A  Hint  and  a  Kick 
HE  most  foolish  example  of  mud-slinging  ever 
seen  in  a  farm  paper  was  the  recent  attack 
made  by  the  American  Agriculturist  upon  Commis¬ 
sioner  Dillou  and  the  Foods  and  Markets  Depart¬ 
ment.  As  a  dismal  and  farcical  failure  it  is  en- 
1  if  led  to  the  medal.  Just  before  the  meeting  of  the 
New  York  State  Fruit  Growers  the  Agriculturist 
printed  an  attack  upon  the  Department,  evidently 
timed  and  planned  to  influence  members  of  that  or¬ 
ganization.  A  little  band  of  soreheads  worked  up 
a  scheme  to  influence  that  great  meeting  against 
Mr.  Dillon  and  his  work.  How  well  they  succeeded 
is  recorded  in  the  following  resolution  unanimously 
adopted  by  the  Fruit  Growers; 
Resolved,  That  the  members  of  the  New  York  Fruit 
Growers’  Association  thoroughly  endorse  the  work  of 
Mr.  J.  J.  Dillon  as  Commissioner  of  Foods  and  Mar¬ 
kets,  and  we  respectfully  request  the  Governor  and 
Legislature  to  continue  the  good  work  and  with  the 
same  Commissioner. 
To  a  person  of  ordinary  comprehension  that  would 
he  accepted  as  evidence  that  the  time  had  come  to 
get  off.  It  was  a  hint  which  could  convey  its  sen¬ 
sations  through  even  a  thick  skin.  It  needs  a  kick, 
however,  to  reach  through  a  tough  hide,  and  the 
kick  was  forthcoming. 
In  its  blind  hatred  and  blundering  stupidity  the 
Agriculturist  played  what  it  thought  was  a  trump 
card.  Working  upon  the  vanity  of  Ezra  A.  Tuttle, 
il  induced  him  to  write  a  long  attack  upon  Mr.  Dil¬ 
lon's  management  and  policies.  This  was  accompan¬ 
ied  by  a  malignant  editorial  statement.  It  was 
printed  just,  before  the  meeting  of  the  New  York 
State  Agricultural  Society  at  Albany,  and  marked 
copies  were  sent  everywhere.  The  purpose  of  this 
was  clearly  evident.  It  was  a  direct  challenge  to 
the  Agricultural  Society,  and  was  regarded  as  such 
by  the  members.  This  society  is  the  strongest  and 
most  influential  farm  organization  in  the  State. 
The  Grange,  the  horticultural  and  live  stock  socie¬ 
ties  are  very  strong  and  influential  in  their  particu¬ 
lar  lines,  hut  the  Agricultural  Society  is  the  great 
State  Senate  of  farm  interests — probably  with  great¬ 
er  influence  upon  large  affairs  than  any  other  State 
agricultural  organization  in  the  country.  Big, 
broad-minded,  independent  men  of  vision  and  sound 
judgment  direct  this  society,  and  as  was  well  said 
at  the  last  meeting,  it  is  a  greater  honor  to  he  elected 
president  of  this  society  than  to  be  elected  Governor 
as  some  men  have  been  chosen.  And  the  Agricul¬ 
turist  in  its  stupid  rage  went  before  tills  society 
with  its  selfish  tale  of  woe.  Mr.  Dillon  simply  told 
the  society  that  he  had  been  put  in  office  at  the 
combined  request  of  the  farm  organizations.  They 
told  him  to  do  tilings,  he  had  done  them,  and  he 
stood  on  his  record.  Whenever  those  same  farm  or¬ 
ganizations  will  select  another  man  for  the  job  he 
Will  quickly  and  cheerfully  step  out  and  work  in 
the  ranks.  The  society  passed  the  following  reso¬ 
lution  unanimously ; 
WHEREAS,  the  New  York  State  Department  of 
Foods  and  Markets  was  established  and  exists  on  ae- 
eount  of  the  demand  by  the  producers  and  consumers  of 
the  State  of  New  York  expressed  through  this  Society, 
the  New  York  State  Grange  and  other  agricultural  or¬ 
ganizations  of  the  State,  and  the  necessary  legislation 
therefor  was  secured  by  these  organizations  in  pur¬ 
suance  of  their  well-known  policies  of  many  years 
standing,  and 
WHEREAS,  the  preliminary  work  of  that  Depart¬ 
ment,  in  spite  of  a  Wholly  inadequate  appropriation  and 
every  possible  obstacle  thrown  in  its  way,  has  been 
such  as  to  greatly  benefit  the  farmers  and  consumers 
of  this  and  other  States: 
BE  IT  RESOLVED,  that  the  New  York  State  Agri¬ 
cultural  Society  reaffirms  its  endorsement  of  the  State 
Department  of  Foods  and  Markets,  and  respectfully  re¬ 
quests  the  Legislature  and  the  Governor  to  give  this 
Department  an  adequate  appropriation  for  the  coming 
year,  so  that  it  may  continue  the  great  work  so  splen¬ 
didly  begun. 
The  Rochester  resolution  was  a  hint.  This  one 
is  a  kick  well  aimed,  and  with  power  in  it.  Not  one 
man  in  1,000.000  would  ask  for  any  further  answer. 
If  that  one  wants  more  he  lias  only  to  make  an¬ 
other  attack  and  submit  it  to  the  judgment  of  in¬ 
telligent  farmers! 
* 
ANEW  YORK  dairyman  tells  us  of  a  trade  he 
recently  made.  Being  short  of  hay  he  looked 
around  a  little  and  found  a  barn  full  which  the 
owner  did  not  need.  There  were  some  20  tons,  and 
it  was  traded  for  one  purebred  heifer.  This  is  about 
the  strongest  presentment  of  the  value  of  pure  blood 
that  we  have  seen.  A  heifer  weighing  perhaps  500 
pounds  offsets  40,000  pounds  of  hay.  A  comparison 
January  29,  1916. 
of  size  would  bo  still  more  striking.  Or  feed  out 
that  hay  to  a  herd  of  purebred  heifers  and  another 
lot  to  scrub  or  grade  heifers  and  compare  the  values 
of  the  inci'oase  in  weight !  There  is  no  question 
about  the  value  of  pure  blood  in  live  stock.  Tf  is 
growing.  During  the  next  few  years  there  will  he 
a  larger  gain  than  ever.  Another  thing.  For  some 
time  there  was  a  feeling  that  a  small  herd  of  pure¬ 
bred  cattle  would  not  pay.  since  the  larger  breeders 
could  monopolize  sales.  That  is  now  passing  away 
and  the  smaller  breeder,  with  good  stock,  has  a 
good  chance. 
* 
THE  American  Berkshire  Congress  will  be  held 
this  year  at  the  New  Jersey  Experiment  Sta¬ 
tion,  New  Brunswick.  Feb.  22-23-24.  This  is  a  nota¬ 
ble  event,  as  it  shows  that  the  officers  of  this  Con¬ 
gress  see  that  the  time  is  ripe  for  holding  their 
meeting  on  the  Atlantic  Coast.  For  years  it  has 
been  considered  settled  that  pork  production  is  es¬ 
sentially  a  Western  business.  Now  there  is  unusual 
interest  in  hog  raising  in  the  Eastern  States,  and 
1  lie  Berkshire  breeders  will  realize  it  more  and  more 
when  they  come  to  New  Jersey. 
* 
TIIE  State  of  New  Jersey  is  now  represented  in 
the  U.  S.  Senate  by  two  men  of  quite  ordinary 
capacity.  One  of  them  at  one  time  claimed  to  he  a 
farmer.  He  challenged  any  other  Senator  to  cradle 
rye  with  him!  The  facts  seoni  to  he  that  this  Sen¬ 
ator  inherited  a  farm  and  sold  it  as  town  lots — thus 
obtaining  very  much  more  than  a  35-cent  dollar.  It 
will  be  perfectly  fair  to  ask  what  either  of  these 
gentlemen  has  ever  done  for  the  State  of  New  Jer¬ 
sey.  This  is  an  age  of  utility  rather  than  ornament, 
and  the  question  is  a  fair  one.  We  are  led  to  ask 
it  in  considering  the  success  of  John  IT.  Barclay  in 
winning  the  grand  prize  for  apples  at  Rochester.  In 
a  general  way  it  was  known  by  a  few  that  good  ap¬ 
ples  can  be  produced  in  New  Jersey,  but  Mr.  Bar¬ 
clay  shows  the  world  that  the  finest  apples  on 
earth,  as  judged  by  the  recognized  standards,  were 
produced  on  bis  farm.  Now  has  either  of  the  Jersey 
Senators  ever  done  anything  for  their  State  which 
equals  in  value,  or  importance,  this  work  of  John 
II.  Barclay?  It  is  a  fair  and  serious  question.  Bar¬ 
clay  is  not  a  candidate  for  Senator.  lie  is  a  fruit 
grower  and  farmer  and  not  a  "statesman”  but  we 
want  to  make  it  clear  that  those  who  work  in  the 
soil  may  do  as  much  for  New  Jersey  us  those  who 
work  in  the  Senate.  Has  either  Senator  or  both  of 
them  together  done  as  much  to  put  New  Jersey  on 
the  map  as  John  H.  Barclay ? 
* 
“77/o  indmi(In.alifi/  of  cotes” 
HIS  means  the  personal  liking  of  certain  cows 
for  some  particular  food.  Is  there  enough  in 
il  to  pay  a  dairyman  in  varying  the  grain  feed  in 
an  entire  herd?  There  is  uo  doubt  that  cows  vary 
in  their  tastes  almost  as  much  as  humans  do.  We 
have  two  boys — own  brothers.  One  of  them  craves 
meat  and  begs  to  be  permitted  to  eat  it.  The  other 
prefers  wheat  and  oat  "cereals”  and  rarely  cares 
for  meat.  We  have  thought  it  best  to  let  one  boy 
have  a  part  of  his  protein  in  the  form  of  meat!  He 
evidently  does  better  to  eat  food  which  suits  his 
taste.  Now  we  are  quite  sure  that  there  are  nearly 
as  great  differences  of  craving  to  be  found  in  a 
herd  of  cows,  but  it.  is  a  question  whether  it.  will 
pay  to  vary  the  grain  ration  so  as  to  suit  each  one. 
'Where  a  cow  is  being  pushed  to  make  a  great  record 
such  pampering  will  pay.  In  fact  it  is  necessary. 
The  general  opinion  among  practical  dairymen  seems 
to  he  that  it,  is  more  economical  in  a  working  herd 
to  make  up  a  ration  of  a  number  of  different  feeds 
and  feed  more  or  less  of  it  all  on  the  basis  of  milk 
yield. 
Brevities 
Make  yourself  into  a  track-slum  engine.  Shun  the 
tracks  which  lead  to  the  saloon. 
This  thing  of  preaching  two  blades  of  grass  has 
surely  stirred  up  the  people  as  few  things  ever  did  be¬ 
fore. 
It  seems  to  be  necessary  to  keep  on  repeating  that 
waste  from  an  acetylene  plant  contains  lime  and  noth¬ 
ing  else  of  value.  This  lime  has  about  the  same  value 
as  ground  limestone. 
Will  The  R.  N.-Y.  accept  my  hand  in  hearty  “shake” 
for  what  you  are  giving  us?  alvix  adkins.” 
We  surely  accept  the  hand  and  will  try  to  hand  out 
more  of  the  same  sort. 
People  ask  i f  molasses  put  on  chopped  straw  will 
take  the  place  of  good  bay  for  old  horses !  No.  The 
molasses  will  help  the  horse  and  induce  him  to  eat 
more  of  the  straw,  but  it  will  not  perform  any  mir¬ 
acle  and  turn  oat.  straw  into  hay. 
Winnipeg  has  developed  into  a  great  fruit  market. 
The  first  carload  of  Florida  oranges  reached  Winnipeg 
the  first  week  in  December.  It  is  a  long,  long  way 
from  Key  West  to  Winnipeg.  This  city  of  the  North 
handled  10  carloads  of  Malaga  grapes,  17  carloads  of 
Valencia  onions,  uud  17,000  boxes  of  Japanese  oranges. 
