388 
The  Rural  New-Yorker 
T11E  BV8IXE88  FARMER'S  PAPE11 
A  National  Weekly  Jour  mi  I  for  Country  and  Suburban  Home* 
JSftaMitshcd  Mia 
Published  weekly  liy  tin*  Kural  Publishing-  I  nm j,ti nv.  :tsj>  \Vi>s|  :!Oih  Street.  New  l'ork 
TlKkni  i.T  \V.  Cvt.i.ivo w.-iro.,  I*t i-.-uletit  anti  Editor. 
Joii.v  .1  IJtt,ix>N,  Treasurer  ami  General  Manager. 
Wm.  F.  Diixox,  Secretary.  Slits.  K.  T.  Kovi.k,  Associate  Editor. 
SUBSCRIPTION;  ONE  DOLLAR  A  YEAR 
To  foreign  countries  in  the  Universal  1’ostaJ  Union,  f 2.01.  equal  to  Ss.  fid.,  or 
Slj  marks,  or  lots  francs.  KeiTiit.  in  money  order,  express 
order,  personal  elieelc  or  bunk  draft. 
Entered  at  New  York  Post  Olliec-  as  Second  Class  Matter. 
Advertising  rates.  ?o  cents  per  agate  line — T  words.  References  required  for 
advertisers  unknown  to  us  ;  and  cash  must  accompany  transient  orders. 
“A  SQUARE  DEAL” 
We  believe  that  every  advertisement  in  this  paper  is  baeked  by  ft  respon¬ 
sible  person.  We  use  every  possible  precaution  and  admit  the  advertising  of 
reliable  homes  only.  But  to  make  doubly  sure,  v  .*  p  ill  make  good  any  loss 
to  paid  subscribers?  sustained  by  trusting  any  delf berate  swindler,  irrespon¬ 
sible  advertisers  or  niisli  ading  ad vertlstiii.-nt-  ip  our  columns,  mid  any 
surl  swindler  will  be  publicly  exposed.  We  are  also  often  called  Upon 
to  adjust  dilferenei's  or  mistakes  between  our  subscribers  and  honest, 
re-ponsibh' bouses,  whether  advertiser?  or  not.  We  willingly  use  our  good 
otbees  to  Ibis  mil,  but  such  eases  should  not  be  eoplqsed  Willi  dishonest 
transaetious.  We  protect  subscribers  against  rogues  lair  we  will  not  be 
responsible  tor  the  debts  of  boiu*st  bankrupts  sum*|iom*d  by  the  courts. 
Ni  *t  ice  of  tie-  corn  plaint*  must  be  sent  to  ns  wit  bin  one  mom  li  oi  the  t  ime  **f 
the  transaction,  and  to  identify  if.  you  should  mention  Tin:  ltu  it  At.  Nkw- 
Yohkeb  when  w  riting  the  advertiser. 
ON  many  a  dairy  farm  may  be  found  an  orchard 
of  SO  or  more  apple  trees.  They  are  usually 
neglected,  and  some  have  passed  out  of  usefulness. 
Others  are  vigorous  still,  and  would,  with  proper 
care,  give  good  returns.  Here  is  where  careful 
spraying  will  show  its  best  profit.  These  orchards 
were  originally  good  ones — planted  in  the  best  soil 
with  standard  varieties.  Nothing  on  the  farm  could 
give  better  returns  on  the  investment  than  a  thor¬ 
ough  spraying  of  these  old  trees.  Most  of  them  will 
need  some  pruning,  hut  the  great  need  is  spraying, 
and  it  should  he  attended  to  this  year. 
* 
MANY  readers  will  remember  the  “Bohemian 
oat"  swindles  which  started  some  35  years  ago 
and  have  been  revived  from  time  to  time.  Great 
stories  were  lold  of  a  wonderful  naked  or  liulloss 
oat  which  gave  a  double  yield!  In  many  cases  the 
seed  brought  50  cents  a  pound  as  food  for  suckers. 
There  now  seems  to  he  an  effort  to  revive  this  old 
swindle  and  the  Department  of  Agriculture  gets  in 
ahead  with  the  facts.  There  is  a  variety  of  oats 
which  grows  without  any  hull,  hut.  is  only  profitable 
in  the  mountain  regions  of  China  and  Tibet.  It  has 
never  proved  commercially  valuable  in  this  country. 
It  is  very  susceptible  to  smut,  shells  badly  from  the 
plant,  quickly  loses  Its  germinating  power  and  sel¬ 
dom  gives  more  than  half  the  yield  of  hulled  outs¬ 
it  has  no  great  value  except  for  promoters  who  try 
to  boom  it  at  an  extravagant  price.  Do  not  let  any¬ 
one  fool  you  on  hull  ess  or  Bohemian  oats! 
* 
“The  limit  with  game  laws.” 
NDEll  this  heading  on  page  301  we  gave  the 
experience  of  Mr.  .T.  Coe  Gibbs  of  Rockland 
Co..  N.  Y.  ill’.  Gibbs  was  fined  $10  and  costs  for 
keeping  seven  baby  skunks  until  they  Could  care 
for  themselves.  The  secretary  of  the  Conservation 
Commission  told  him  that  he  must  apply  to  the 
Legislature  for  a  special  hill  to  reimburse  him,  as 
the  commission  could  do  nothing  after  once  receiv¬ 
ing  the  line,  on  applying  to  his  Assemblyman,  Mr. 
Gibbs  receives  this  note: 
I  know  of  no  way  to  relieve  you  of  the  very  unjust 
decision  in  your  ease  by  legislative  action.  The  Legis¬ 
lature  would  not  consider  a  ease  of  this  sort,  because 
the  remedy,  if  any,  is  in  the  courts.  I  think  what,  you 
should  have  had  at  the  time  of  your  trouble  was  a  law¬ 
yer  to  look  after  your  interests.  If  you  had  you  would 
not  be  in  the  unfortunate  position  you  find  yourself. 
CHARLES  li.  NEWTON. 
Now  which  is  right?  If  Air.  Gibbs  had  hired  a 
lawyer  lie  would  probably  lie  $10  or  more  poorer 
than  he  now  is.  We  believe  that  the  Legislature  can 
and  should  put  through  a  special  bill  to  pay  this 
money  back.  The  amount  may  be  small,  but  the 
principle  is  large. 
* 
TIIE  article  mi  the  next  page  makes  it  evident 
that  the  time  has  come  to  see  just  where  we 
stand  on  this  marketing  question.  Are  the  farmers’ 
institute  speakers  opposed  to  the  Foods  and  Markets 
Department?  Where  do  the  Agricultural  Depart¬ 
ment  and  the  colleges  stand?  It  is  time  to  ask  all 
country  people  and  their  advisers  this  plain  ques¬ 
tion.  “Chose  ye  this  dan  whom  ye  will  serve!”  As 
a  foundation  proposition  it  may  be  stated  that  the 
actual  farmers  of  New  York  are  in  favor  of  the  De¬ 
partment,  and  want  it  to  have  a  fair  appropriation. 
That  is  the  one  thing  about  this  matter  that  we 
know.  The  farmers  know  that  the  market  question 
is  the  largest  public  issue  which  faces  them.  They 
are  also  convinced  that  they  cannot  hope  to  get 
anywhere  along  the  way  unless  they  fight,  openly 
and  with  power.  Association  with  political  parties 
has  taught  them  that  and  they  are  ready  for  the 
battle.  Now  the  State  has  spent  during  the  past 
dozen  years,  many  millions  of  dollars  in  order  to 
train  agricultural  leaders.  The  farmers  now  have 
the  right  to  look  about  and  ask  where  these  lead¬ 
ZS’he  RURAL  NEW-YORKER 
ers  are  and  why  they  do  not  lead!  They  do  not 
want  men  to  stand  in  a  safe  place  and  prate  like 
parrots  about  ‘‘two  blades  of  grass”  and  “demand 
and  supply.”  As  is  shown  on  the  next  page  the  pres¬ 
ent  “demand”  is  in  the  hands  of  a  few  powerful 
men  who  control  the  markets.  The  interests  which 
determine  the  size  of  .the  35-cent*  dollar  care  little 
for  “investigation"  or  scientific  education.  Nothing 
but  a  strong,  hard  fight  will  interest  them — a  fight 
in  which  some  one  will  be  hurt.  The  institute 
speaker  referred  to  on  the  next  page  thinks  that 
farmers  should  run  away  from  a  market  if  they 
are  not  satisfied  with  what  is  given  them!  The 
farmers  want  leaders  who  will  not  run  away,  but 
lead  into  that  market  and  make  a  fb-rht  for  mar¬ 
ket  rights.  Where  are  the  leaders?  History  has 
come  to  them  with  opportunity.  The  old-time  worn 
issues  are  rusty  and  threadbare.  This  food  and 
market  question  is  today  the  greatest  thing  before 
the  people.  The  men  who  will  take  it  up  and  push 
it  through,  fearlessly  and  without  flinching,  will  be 
the  Slate  and  National  leaders  of  tomorrow.  Th£ 
agricultural  colleges  all  over  the  land  should  have 
hundreds  of  men  trained  to  organize  and  lead  the 
big  waiting  army  of  farmers.  Where  are  they? 
When  shall  we  hear  from  them?  While  they  are 
being  classified  and  sifted  out  let  us  not  stand  wait¬ 
ing.  Let  New  York  farmers  begin  at  once  by  writ¬ 
ing  direct  to  Gov.  Charles  S.  Whitman.  Albany.  N. 
Y..  telling  him  that  you,  as  a  farmer  or  consumer, 
want  the  Foods  and  Markets  Department  continued 
with  a  fair  appropriation.  Start,  now  and  we  will 
see  about  those  leaders!  Tlie  man  who  writes  the 
following  letter  has  the  correct  idea  : 
On  page  247  Mr.  Mortimer  A.  Turpin  of  Wayn  ■ 
County,  says.  “We  as  farmers  do  not  have  much  in¬ 
fluence  at  Albany,  but  what  little  we  have  we  should 
use.”  If  we  only  realized  it  we  have  more  influence 
than  any  other  body  of  p  oplc. 
Just  let  every  farmer  sit  down  and  write  a  polite 
but  forcible  letter  to  the  Governor.  Ids  Slate  Senator 
and  Assemblyman  telling  them  that  ho  wishes  tlie  De¬ 
partment  of  Foods  and  Markets  to  have  sufficient, 
money  required  to  enlarge  its  work  as  proposed,  and 
to  carry  it  on,  and  if  we  do  so  (not  waiting  for  the 
other  fellow  to  write)  the  desired  amount  wi.ll  come 
in  a  hurry. 
The  trouble  with  us  farmers  is  we  do  not  let  our  ser¬ 
vants  in  Albany  know  what  we  wish.  Let  us  get  to 
work  at  once  and  bring  results.  Your  editorial  page 
of  February  12th  issue,  and  Hope  Farm  Notes,  should 
give  any  thinking  farmer  an  inspiration  for  action  so 
that  the  35-cent  dollar  will  soou  he  a  thing  of  the 
past.  I  hope  you  will  still  keep  talking  about  the  35- 
cent  dollar  until  we  farmers  will  take  things  in  our 
hands  and  abolish  it.  it.  T.  miller. 
New  York. 
* 
We  lost  our  barn  and  contents  of  about  20  tons  of 
hay  by  fire.  The  place  was  just  freed  from  mortgage 
and  I  was  unfortunate  enough  to  let  my  insurance 
on  building  lapse.  It  hit  us  pretty  hard,  but  we  were 
fortunate  in  having  friends  who.  although  working 
in  the  shops,  found  time  to  put  us  up  a  cement  base¬ 
ment  30x40  feet.  I  bought  a  barn  that  had  been  stand¬ 
ing  some  30  years,  took  it  down  and  they  are  helping 
me  to  put  i.t  up.  Is  this  not  the  spirit,  that  helps  the 
world  along?  E.  it.  D. 
Massachusetts. 
IT  is!  What  is  more,  it  is  the  only  way  in  which 
the  world  can  be  moved  along.  Live  and  help 
live!  Under  the  old  plan  of  living  apart  and  com¬ 
pelling  the  neighbor  to  help  himself,  community, 
nation  or  State  will  pass  into  groups:  a  few  rich, 
a  few  more  moderately  well-to-do  and  many  more 
in  various  degrees  of  poverty.  Under  such  a  plan  as 
is  typified  by  that  barn  building  thei-e  will  he  a 
fairer  distribution  of  wealth  and  happiness.  What 
else  is  life  for  except  to  help  make  these  distribu¬ 
tions? 
* 
NO  better  time  than  this  can  be  found  for  calling 
attention  to  the  old  “free  seeds”  humbug  which 
is  still  being  played  upon  the  public.  The  following 
letter  needs  no  explanation  and  is  a  model  of  its 
kind : 
lion.  Uluis.  B.  Ward, 
Washington,  I).  C. 
Sir : — 
I  regret  extremely  that  you  have  seen  fit  to  insult 
me  by  sending  me  the  enclosed  worthless  seeds.  The 
original  idea  of  sending  out  seeds  from  Washington  was 
with  a  view  to  introducing  and  testing  new  varieties, 
or  hitherto  untried  plants,  in  various  localities  in  the 
hope  of  thus  aiding  the  agricultural  industry  of  the 
country  and  adding  to  its  wealth.  This  lias  now  de¬ 
generated  into  a  most  contemptible  form  of  petty  gratt: 
maintained  for  the  sole  benefit  of  a  few  seedsmen,  and 
should  long  ago  have  been  abolished.  And  how  any 
Member  of  Congress  can  countenance  the  practice  is 
beyond  m.v  understanding. 
An  excellent  beginning  i.ii  retrenchment  and  the  abol¬ 
ition  of  waste  of  public  moneys  could  he  made  by  cut¬ 
ting  out  the  expense  of  purchasing  these  seeds  and  the 
attendant  costs  of  distribution,  including  the  printing 
and  envelopes,  etc.  The  Member  of  Congress  who  suc¬ 
ceeds  in  ridding  the  country  of  this  wanton  waste  will 
earn  the  thanks  of  all  decent  citizens  and  wi.ll  find  him¬ 
self  one  of  the  best  advertised  men  in  the  land. 
T- Helps  C.  TUCKRRMAN. 
Vice  President  Now  York  State  Agri.  Society. 
To  all  of  which  The  It.  N.-Y.  says,  “Amen !”  The 
way  this  little  graft  hangs  on  is  wonderful — equalled 
only  by  the  failure  of  intelligent  men  to  see  through 
•  March  4,  1910. 
it.  Not  long  ago  we  talked  with  a  man  who  de¬ 
nounced  in  the  most  logical  and  sensible  way  the 
graft,  and  special  privilege  which  public  officials  and 
corporations  wore  receiving.  Then  he  asked  us  to 
join  an  agricultural  society-  It  cost  one  dollar  to 
join,  “and  we  hare  fund  it  up  with  oar  Congress¬ 
man  so  that  each  member  will  receive  $.1  worth  of 
government  seeds  for  nothing!”  Now  hero  was  a 
man  denouncing  big  graft  paid  to  others  and  ac¬ 
cepting  the  meanest  petty  graft  for  himself.  What 
was  worse,  he  could  not  see  that  this  petty  seed 
graft  was  thrown  to  him  in  order  to  take  all  the 
force  out  of  his  deuuucialions  for  bigger  graft.  The 
principle  was  the  same,  only  he  took  one  cent  where 
the  other  got  $10!  The  way  to  light  graft  is  to  cut 
out  all  semblance  of  it  in  our  own  public  relations. 
* 
HON.  WM.  J.  MATER  is  chairman  of  the  Ways 
and  Means  Committee  of  the  New  York  As¬ 
sembly.  lie  will  have  much  to  do  with  legislation 
which  involves  appropriations.  Not  long  since  Mr. 
Maier  wished  that  a  group  of  visitors  might  “have 
something.”  So  he  wisely  sent  out  for  the  finest  of 
all  American  “treats” — a  good  apple.  Tlie  messen¬ 
ger  brought  hack  four  Western-grown  apples ! 
Further  investigation  showed  that  the  fruit  stand 
where  these  were  bought  did  not  carry  a  single  New 
York  a pj tie.  Among  those  present  was  Assembly¬ 
man  Riley  A.  Wilson  of  Wayne  County.  He  had 
been  selling  apples  of  a  better  quality  than  those 
just,  purchased  for  about  50  cents  a  bushel.  While 
these  apples  were  being  munched  the  visitors  were 
discussing  with  Mr.  Maier  the  question  of  appro¬ 
priations  for  the  Foods  and  Markets  Department. 
What  stronger  plea  for  the  work  which  Ibis  De¬ 
partment  may  do  could  he  thought  of  than  a  fruit 
grower  selling  good  apples  at  50  cents  a  bushel  and 
then  buying  others  riot  so  good  at  $2.50  per  bushel! 
You  may  find  the  Northwestern  apples  on  every 
city  fruit  stand,  but  who  can  find  New  York  fruit 
there?  Tell  us  why  our  home-grown  fruit  of  better 
quality  should  he  delegated  to  the  job  of  making 
pie  and  sauce  while  the  Western  fruit  takes  the 
higher-paid  job  of  being  eaten  from  the  hand.  We 
onn  toll  you!  It  is  simply  a  great  tribute  to  the 
distribution  methods  of  Western  fruit  growers!  No 
one  is  doing  Ibis  for  New  York.  It  is  a  State  iob, 
and  can  and  will  he  done  by  the  Foods  and  Markets 
Department  if  they  can  have  money  to  work  with. 
There  is  no  other  agency  ready  to  do  it.  for  you  will 
understand  that  the  railroads  and  commercial  in¬ 
terests  go  outside  the  State  to  import  “bargains” 
in  food  which  do  not  relieve  consumers,  hut  which 
do  compete  with  our  own  crops.  Toll  us  who  can 
or  will  do  such  work  if  it  is  not  done  by  the  De¬ 
partment  ! 
* 
We  arc  interested  in  the  letter  from  TT  A.  IF,  on 
page  1 4155,  regarding  “Game  Laws  ami  Gun  Tatars.” 
We  fully  agree  with  him  in  every  respect  excepting  the 
statement  where  he  advises  the  posting  of  the  farms 
In  connection  with  this  we  would  say  that  we  not  only 
have  posted  our  farm,  but  induced  all  of  our  neighbors 
for  some  distance  around  to  do  likewise,  only  to  find 
that  the  gun  biters  use  our  notices  for  targets.  So  far, 
we  have  not  had  serious  accident  such  as  IT.  A.  II. 
speaks  of,  but  bullets  have  gone  near  enough  to  our 
men  and  some  of  our  neighbors  to  cause  an  unpleasant 
song  in  their  ears.  C.  0.  C. 
Broome  Co.,  N.  Y. 
IDS  brings  out  once  more  the  real  truth  about 
many  of  these  laws.  They  will  not  he  enforced 
for  us — we  must  enforce  them  ourselves.  If  the 
community  will  not  stand  for  them  and  fight  for 
them  the  laws  will  he  much  like  those  notices — a 
target  for  sporls  and  law-breakers.  The  farmers 
must  not  only  combine  to  post  their  farms,  hut  com¬ 
bine  to  defend  their  rights.  They  must  agree  to 
act  together,  and  at  a  given  signal  get.  together  and 
make  an  example  of  any  gun  toter  who  tries  to  get 
away  with  their  signs  or  fences!  The  way  to  enforce 
tlie  game  laws  is  to  enforce  them.  Do  not  stand 
waiting  for  the  sheriff  or  the  constable  to  do  the 
work,  but  get  right  out  at  the  signal  with  a  club  or 
pitchfork  or  the  weapon  that  comes  handy  and  drive 
the  intruders  right  out.  of  the  neighborhood.  A  few 
examples  of  this  sort  and  they  will  let  you  alone. 
“Who  would  he  free  himself  must  strike  the  blow!” 
Brevities 
The  Grimm  Alfalfa  is  making  some  headway  in 
Northern  New  England,  especially  in  New  Hampshire, 
where  170  farmers  are  trying  it  out  in  a  small  way. 
The  Forbush  plan  in  Massachusetts  to  license  the 
cats  of  Massachusetts,  causes  laughter  in  galleries,  but 
after  all  there  is  sense  in  the  argument  which  contends 
that  since  only  one  cat  in  five  is  a  good  ratter,  the 
(  *  hers  are  useless  or  worse,  because  they  destroy  mil- 
I  ons  of  insect-eating  birds.  Hence,  asks  Mr.  Forbush. 
why  not  thin  out  the  needless  cats  by  requiring  a  li¬ 
cense?  Why  line  a  man  ten  dollars  for  killing  a  song 
bird  and  let  him  keep  a  cat  that  destroys  many  birds’ 
