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S3 he  RURAL  NEW-YORKER 
The  Rural  New-Yorker 
THE  BUSINESS  FARMER'S  VA  PEE 
A  National  Weekly  Journal  for  Country  and  Suburban  Homes 
Established  «.?0 
Published  weekly  by  the  Rnrn!  Publishing  Coinjunj,  BS.t  West  80ll)  Street,  Sen  Vork 
Herbert  W.  Collinhwoop,  IVerident  and  Editor, 
Jo  UN  J.  l>n.u>N.  Treasurer  ami  General  Manager. 
Wm.  F.  Dillon,  Secretary.  Mop.  E.  T.  Koyi.k.  Associate  Editor. 
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“A  SQUARE  HEAL” 
We  believe  that  every  advertisement  in  this  paper  is  backed  by  a  respon¬ 
sible  person.  We  use  every  possible  ptrecaution  and  admit  the  advertising  of 
reliable  houses  only.  But  to  make  doubly  sure,  we  will  make  good  a  ny  loss 
to  paid  subscriber*  sustained  by  trusting  any  deliberate  swindler,  irrespon¬ 
sible  advertisers  or  misleading  advertisements  in  onr  columns,  and  any 
such  swindler  will  bo  publicly  exposed.  We  nre  also  often  called  upon 
to  adjust  difference*  Or  mistakes  between  our  subscribers  ami  honest, 
responsible  liotiBes,  whether  advcrti-ers  or  not.  'Ve  ■willingly  use  our  good 
olliers  to  this  end,  but  such  cases  should  not  be  confused  with  dishonest 
transactions,  wo  protect  subscribers  against  rogues,  but  we  will  not  be 
responsible  for  the  debts  of  hoivu-t  bankrupt*  sanctioned  by  the  courts. 
Notice  of  the  complaint  must  be  sent  l<  i  i  in  otic  month  of  the  lime  of 
the  transaction,  and  to  identify  it,  you  should  mention  The  Rural  New- 
Yorker  when  writing  the  advertiser. 
There  seems  to  be  a  very  optimistic  feeling  among 
truckers  here  that  was  entirely  absent  last  Fall.  All 
are  looking  ahead  with  bright  hopes  for  a  good  season. 
In  early  Winter  stock  and  implements  at  farm  sales 
brought  practically  nothing.  Now  they  are  selling  for 
full  value.  This  I  think  is  a.  good  sign.  Anyway  we 
feel  that  optimism  is  a  partner  to  success,  and  that  no 
matter  what  the  undertaking  may  he.  if  a  man  tackles 
it  iu  a  hopeful  spirit  lie  has  already  more  than  half 
Won  Ollt.  TRUCKER,  JK. 
THERE  you  have  the  light  spirit  for  1910.  Thou¬ 
sands  of  farmers  need  just  that  feeling  that 
this  is  to  he  a  good  year,  because  it  will  bring  oppor¬ 
tunity.  While  Trucker,  Jr.,  writes  from  South  Jer¬ 
sey.  the  indications  he  sees  are  not  local,  hut  are 
appearing  in  many  other  places,  and  they  are  spread¬ 
ing.  A  brave  heart  puts  an  edge  on  the  sword.  Let 
ns  all  get  into  the  fight  this  year  with  good  spirit. 
Of  course  we  can  all  sit  down  if  we  want  to,  and 
imagine  all  sorts  of  dark  clouds.  We  can  watch 
for  the  sun  too. 
* 
NOT  long  since  we  had  a  letter  from  a  farmer 
who  complained  a  little  because  we  do  not  give 
considerable  space  to  the  Mexican  question,  “pre- 
pa  redness*'  and  many  other  "great"  issues.  A  little 
correspondence  developed  the  fact  that  our  friend 
has  bought  a  lot  of  coal  ashes,  thinking  all  ashes 
are  alike,  and  is  actually  using  the  wood  ashes  to 
dry  out  the  hen  manure.  Thus,  happy  in  the  dis¬ 
cussion  of  “large**  things,  he  is  robbing  himself 
through  failure  to  grasp  the  small  hut  important 
things  of  farming.  The  R.  N.-Y.  liahgs  to  the  mar¬ 
keting  question  as  the  biggest  thing  before  farmers 
today.  Any  man  can  obtain  a  large  and  varied  as¬ 
sortment  of  “news"  and  opinion  about  these  great 
world  events.  It  will  run  all  the  way  from  guff 
to  graft,  and  the  most  of  it  is  intended  primarily 
to  draw  the  attention  of  the  plain  people  away  from 
this  question  of  the  35-cent  dollar.  We  intend  to 
stay  by  that  question  for  life. 
* 
THE  scientific  men  have  been  figuring  on  the 
great  antiquity  of  Florida.  Most  of  us  are  too 
bu*v  with  other  matters  to  follow  them  in  their 
argument  and  proof,  but  they  now  conclude  that  a 
part  at  least  of  Florida  was  in  existence  probably 
two  million  years  ago.  We  are  not  able  to  dispute 
that  proposition,  but  we  are  very  sure  that  if  there 
were  any  real  estate  men  in  that  day  they  were 
telling  the  same  old  story  that  the  sharks  are  still 
putting  up  about  the  possibilities  for  a  back-to-the- 
hmder  to  make  a  living  and  a  fortune  on  a  sand 
hank  in  Florida.  These  fellows  have  done  more 
harm  to  the  State  of  Florida  than  anything  else  that 
ever  happened  to  it.  The  State  is  all  right.  There 
are  opportunities  there  if  they  are  handled  properly; 
and  as  a  Winter  residence  out  in  the  sun  the  State 
3s  hard  to  heat.  Do  not  take  these  land  sharks  ser¬ 
iously,  and  never  think  for  a  moment  of  buying  any 
land  in  Florida  until  you  go  down  and  look  at  it, 
and  if  possible  spend  a  year  in  the  State  before 
buying. 
* 
The  Farm  and  Home  of  Springfield,  Mass.,  must  be 
knocking  the  New  York  auction  market,  as  I  saw  in 
a  recent  issue  that  it  was  causing  a  glut  there  and 
growers  were  not  receiving  as  much  as  though  they  had 
marketed  through  the  regular  channels.  I  have  had 
ir  put  up  to  me  lately  several  times  that  all  legislation 
of  recent  years  has  been  in  favor  of  labor  and  the 
farmer  and  against  capital;  that  the  railroads  have 
been  legislated  against  until  they  cannot  make  enough 
to  buy  equipment,  etc.  I  wish  you  would  tell  me 
through  the  paper,  or  otherwise,  aside  from  parcel  post 
and  the  rural  delivery  what  legislation  of  a  national 
character  or  otherwise,  has  been  of  particular  benefit 
to  the  farmer  and  whether  such  legislation  is  of  especial 
benefit  to  the  farmer,  that  i;s,  class  legislation. 
Michigan.  J.  E.  may. 
$»  the  paper  you  mention  is  a  sister  of  the  Amer¬ 
ican  Agriculturist  it  follows  the  family  habit 
of  “knocking."  Parcel  post  was  not  elass  legislation 
for  farmers.  At  the  time  we  were  fighting  for  it 
the  chief  argument  was  that  it  favored  the  depart¬ 
ment  stores.  It  was  for  town  people  as  well  ns 
farmers.  When  you  hear  this  loose  talk  about  great 
legislation  for  farmers,  ask  the  speaker  to  tighten 
it  up  by  naming  any  such  legislation.  See  if  he 
can  name  anything  except  the  money  appropriated 
for  educating  the  farmer.  It  is  up  to  such  people 
to  name  something  besides  education  and  distribu¬ 
tion  of  free  seeds!  Farmers  are  offered  a  system 
of  education,  which  most  of  them  do  not  ask  for, 
while  the  bounties  and  special  privileges  go  to  other 
classes.  Probably  a  majority  of  our  farmers  would 
exchange  a  large  part  of  their  education  for  some 
of  the  legislation  which  railroads  have  enjoyed.  Do 
you  think  the  railroads  would  change? 
* 
Power  ditchers  ought  to  be  as  common  as  thrashing 
machines,  but  they  are  not.  Most  farmers  don’t  think 
they  can  afford  one  for  their  own  use,  so  the  question  is, 
how  can  we  best  dig  the  trenches  with  small  capital? 
New  York.  j.  b.  l. 
HAT  is  right  about  the  power  ditchers.  They 
are  practical  and  do  great  work.  In  parts 
of  Ohio.  Michigan  and  the  Middle  West  generally 
these  ditching  machines  have  doubled  the  farm  val¬ 
ues  of  great  sections  of  the  country  and  made  farm¬ 
ing  possible  on  much  rich  land.  For  many  years 
New  York  farmers  did  not  see  the  great  necessity 
for  drainage.  Now,  with  changes  of  crops  and  more 
fruit,  vegetables  and  especially  Alfalfa,  drainage 
becomes  a  necessity.  The  power  ditchers  should 
stand  in  much  the  same  relation  to  drainage  in  any 
community  that  thrashing  machines  do  to  grain, 
growing. 
* 
THE  Berkshire  Congress,  or  meeting  of  Berkshire 
hog  breeders,  at  the  New  Jersey  Agricultural 
College  was  a  great  success.  Nearly  500  people  were 
iu  attendance  and  the  Western  breeders  went  home 
satisfied  that  the  Atlantic  slope  is  to  make  enorm¬ 
ous  gains  in  meat  production.  At  this  congress  one 
Berkshire  boar  sold  at  the  record  price  of  $1125 — 
while  55  animals  averaged  $155  each.  The  meeting 
was  enthusiastic  and  businesslike  and  will  he  sure 
to  “boom"  pork  production  in  the  East.  Many  of 
our  farmers  are  just  beginning  to  realize  that  the 
hog  is  a  grazing  animal,  fully  capable  of  taking 
care  of  himself.  The  hog.  properly  handled,  will 
make  the  best  live  stock  for  many  fruit  and  truck 
farmers  and  his  merits  will  be  appreciated  more 
and  more. 
* 
WE  see  from  the  first  page  article  something  of 
what  the  motor  truck  is  doing  to  develop 
gardening  and  fruit  growing  around  Boston.  Mass. 
That,  city  is  well  situated  to  take  advantage  of  such 
traffic.  Good  roads  run  out  in  all  inland  directions, 
and  access  to  the  city  is  easy.  If  New  York  City 
had  any  such  approaches  the  feeding  problem  would 
be  much  easier,  hut  here  on  Manhattan  Island  all 
food  must  cross  the  water  and  that  means  slow  and 
costly  transfer.  In  all  large  cities  like  Boston  the 
motor  truck  is  quickly  revolutionizing  freight  and 
passenger  service.  Tt.  seems  evident  that  the  chief 
trouble  which  the  railroads  now  face  is  the  wonder¬ 
ful  development  of  this  motor  service.  Without 
question  railroad  men  see  this  coming — as  75  years 
ago  the  stage  coach  and  canal  lines  saw  the  rail¬ 
road  looming  up  behind  them. 
* 
Hon.  Charles  S.  Whitman ,  Governor  of  Yen'  York, 
lion.  Henry  M.  Sage,  Chairman  Senate  Finance 
Com  milt  re. 
Hon.  Win.  J.  Maier,  Chairman  Wags  and  Means 
Com  mittee. 
ARMERS  like  a  large  and  shining  mark  when 
they  load  a  pen  and  fire  off  a  stamp  for  the 
good  of  farming.  Our  New  York  readers  certainly 
have  such  a  mark  iu  these  three  names.  Gov. 
Whitman  told  the  State  Agricultural  Society  that 
he  did  not  pretend  to  understand  farming  or  its 
needs,  but  he  wanted  to  be  told.  When  the  Gov¬ 
ernor  of  a  great  State  takes  such  a  sensible  attitude 
it  is  the.  duty  of  every  farmer  to  help  him  out.  The 
other  gentlemen  named  above  will  have  most  to  do 
in  deciding  any  legislation  which  carries  an  appro¬ 
priation.  Now  we  are  convinced  that  a  great  ma¬ 
jority  of  the  farmers  in  New  York  want  to  see  the 
Department  of  Foods  and  Markets  given  a  fair 
chance.  Outside  of  those  who  can  deal  direct  with 
actual  consumers  no  farmer  is  fully  satisfied  with 
his  prices.  All  believe  that  the  present  system  of 
distribution  is  ancient  and  wasteful — devised  for  the 
purpose  of  giving  the  handlers  and  dealers  a  great 
advantage.  Since  these  interests  devised  the  sys¬ 
tem  they  have  the  advantage,  and  naturally  will  not 
give  it  up.  Nor  can  our  farmers  expect  that  the 
educators  or  leaders  of  agricultural  thought  can,  or 
will,  do  anything  really  vital  to  help.  They  are 
working  along  the  lines  of  increased  production, 
which  at  this  time  means  playing  right  into  the 
March  11,  1910. 
hands  of  those  who  maintain  the  present  system  of 
distribution.  It  follows  that  the  farmers  must  put 
this  matter  through  if  it  is  ever  to  go.  Say  what 
you  like  about  the  Department,  it  is  the  only  thing 
now  before  the  public  which  oilers  any  chance  for 
a  strong  definite  issue  over  the  subject.  That  is 
why  we  ask  you  to  come  right  in  and  help.  We 
ask  you  to  write  to  the  three  officials  named  above 
and  ask  them  respectfully  to  see  that  the  Depart¬ 
ment  has  a  fair  appropriation.  We  will  do  our  full 
share,  but  you  must  help  because  this  is  your  work 
as  well  as  ours.  Do  not  wait  for  others  to  write- 
do  it  yourself  at  once,  and  lick  a  stamp  for  market 
freedom  l 
❖ 
GT  TNCLE  HENRY  WALLACE"  of  Iowa  died  in 
U  Des  Moines,  on  Feb.  22,  after  80  useful 
years  of  life.  He  was  a  strong,  national  character; 
the  leading  citizen  of  Iowa,  and  the  best  exponent  of 
farm  journalism  this  country  has  get  produced. 
He  was  “Uncle  Henry"  to  everyone — a  strong,  lov¬ 
able  character  who  kept  to  the  very  last  the  strong 
interest,  in  humanity  which  was  the  dominant  sen¬ 
timent  of  the  man.  No  man  did  more  than  Henry 
Wallace  to  develop  and  direct  the  agriculture  of  the 
great  Central  West.  He  was  optimistic  and  at.  the 
same  time  full  of  the  plain  sense  and  humor  which 
came  to  him  as  a  heritage  from  his  Scotch  ancestors. 
And  Henry  Wallace  Avas  more  than  a  farm  editor 
seeking  to  increase  the  material  wealth  of  the  West. 
In  his  early  days  lie  Avas  a  preacher,  and  he  carried 
his  religion  and  his  hope  for  the  salvation  of  men 
into  his  everyday  work.  At  thousands  of  firesides  in 
Iowa  and  nearby  States  what  Henry  Wallace  said 
about  the  laws  of  agriculture  and  of  life  Avas  ac¬ 
cepted  as  gospel  truth.  And  the  best  work  of  his 
life  was  done  after  he  had  passed  60  years.  Dur¬ 
ing  the  past  20  years  lie  built  up  a  great  and  help¬ 
ful  business  from  its  very  beginning.  There  was 
nothing  of  the  sour,  lazy,  “retired  farmer”  spirit 
about  Henry  Wallace.  At  an  age  when  the  major¬ 
ity  of  men  feel  that  they  have  passed  their  useful¬ 
ness  he  kept  on  making  increased  use  of  the  golden 
experience  and  keen  knowledge  of  human  nature 
which  life  had  given  him.  Only  a  few  days  before 
his  death  we  had  a  letter  from  him  full  of  kindly 
spirit  and  hope  and  serene  plans  for  the  future. 
Henry  Wallace  will  lh-e  throughout  this  entire  cen¬ 
tury  in  the  hearts  of  the  Western  people,  but  the 
State  of  Iowa  should  erect  a  noble  monument  to 
keep  before  her  people  the  memory  of  her  leading 
citizen. 
* 
NOT  long  ago  a  farmer  in  Pennsylvania  said  he 
wanted  to  sell  his  Jersey  cattle,  move  into 
NeAAr  York  State,  and  buy  Holstein  as  he  felt  he 
could  make  more  money  making  milk  than  he  Could 
in  selling  cream.  Now  comes  another  farmer  not 
far  from  the  first  one  >vho  said  he  wants  to  sell 
his  Holsteius  and  buy  Jerseys.  When  asked  why, 
he  said  he  thought  of  buying  a  retail  milk  route. 
He  found  that  many  families  who  lived  in  that  town 
kept  Jersey  cows  or  their  grades,  and  sold  this 
milk  to  their  neighbors.  The  quality  of  this  milk 
sold  from  these  family  cows  had  established  a 
standard  which  milkmen  were  obliged  to  live  up  to, 
and  our  friend  found  that  the  Holstein  milk  was 
not  satisfactory  for  this  retail  trade.  Personally  he 
thought-  the  Holstein  Avas  the  best  cow  for  the  gen¬ 
eral  farmer,  but  he  had  run  upon  a  condition  cre¬ 
ated  by  the  family  cows  AVhich  made  it  necessary 
for  him  to  handle  Jersey  milk.  A  farmer  may  Avell 
think  this  over,  because  the  market  into  which  he 
must  send  his  goods  for  sale  is  governed  by  tastes 
or  standards  which  he  cannot  create  himself.  They 
are  made  for  him  by  others,  and  it  is  his  business 
to  live  up  to  them  if  he  can. 
Brevities 
Hot  air  usually  has  a  “nutty"  flavor. 
As  a  single  substance  for  fertilizing  lawns,  ground 
lime  5,s  best. 
More  turkeys  are  killed  by  lack  of  head  than  by 
“black  bead." 
If  you  do  have  a  garden  keep  i,t  busy — one  crop  fol¬ 
lowing  another. 
Good  remedy  for  a  “cold” — fresh  cold  air  taken  cop¬ 
iously  weeks  in  advance. 
We  told  you  we  should  try  to  give  better  potato  talk 
than  ever  before  this  year. 
The  expert  fake-hunter  learns  to  know  the  difference 
between  a  flat  head  and  a  level  head. 
This  question  keeps  coming  up :  If  Minorca  hens 
lay  a  larger  white  egg  than  Leghorns  why  are  not  more 
of  them  kept? 
Aaioxg  recent  short  term  subscriptions  is  one  for  the 
pastor  of  a  country  church.  A  member  think  his  pastor 
should  read  Mr.  Gilbert's  articles. 
We  feel  sure  that  many  failures  with  Alfalfa  result 
from  poor  fitting  of  the  laud.  “That's  good  enough!" 
has  killed  many  a  promising  experiment. 
