592 
RURAL  NEW-YORKER 
The  Rural  New-Yorker 
THE  BCSISESS  FARMER'S  PAPER 
A  National  Weekly  .luurmil  lor  Country  and  Suburban  Homes 
ExhiUlixhtri  js.',o 
rnhlfobf-d  wrelily  by  llie  itural  Puhlltililnp  I'ampsny,  833  West  8OII1  Street.  -Npk  York 
Herbert  W.  OOLLIHOWOOD.  President  and  Editor. 
John  J.  Dillon,  Treasurer  and  General  Manager. 
Wm.  F.  Dillon,  Sw  votary.  Mks.  E.  T.  Hoyle,  Asaoriate  Editor. 
SUBSCRIPTION  :  ONE  DOLLAR  A  YEAR 
To  foreign  countries  In  the  Universal  PoRtal  Union.  ?2.04,  equal  to  8s.  6d.,  or 
8k;.  marks,  or  Wkj  francs-  Ret  nit  in  money  order,  cypress 
order,  personal  cheek  or  bank  draft. 
Entered  at  New  York  I'ost  Oillee  as  Second  Class  Matter. 
Advertising  rates, 75  cents  per  Attain  line — 7  words.  References  required  for 
advertisers  unknown  to  us  ;  and  cash  must  tu •company  transient  orders. 
“A  SQUARE  PEAL” 
Wo  believe  that  every  advertisement  in  this  pa|,er  js  backed  by  a  respon¬ 
sible  poison.  We  use  every  possible  precaution  and  admit  the  atiVei-tising  of 
reliable  houses  only.  Hut  to  make  doubly  sure,  we  will  make  good  any  loss 
to  TXtid  subscriber-  sustained  by  h  iMine  any  deliberate  sw  indler,  irrespon¬ 
sible  advertisers  or  misleading  advertisements  In  our  columns,  and  any 
such  swindler  will  bo  publicly,  exposed.  We  mv  also  often  called  upon 
to  adjust  differences  nr  mistakes  between  our  subscriber:'  anti  honest, 
responsible  bouses,  whether  mlveiiijicrx  nr  not.  We  willingly  use  our  good 
oflieea  to  ibis  end,  but  such  rases  should  not  be  confused  with  dishonest 
I  ransaett(>ri».  We  proteet  sub-.eitbei  against  rogues,  hut  we  will  not  be 
responsible  for  T)|C  debts  o|  honest  bankrupts  sanctioned  by  tie*  eburlK, 
Notice  of  the  complaint  must  be  sent  to  ns  within  one  month  of  the  time  of 
Die  transaction,  ami  lo  identify  it,  you  should  mention  THE  llmu  New- 
Yorkek  when  wiitlng  the  advertiser. 
EG.  LEWIS  is  working  his  latest  California 
•  land  scheme  with  ail  the  well-known  tricks 
of  the  trade.  In  the  “Atascadera  Colony”  women 
are  to  spend  a  beautiful  and  easy  life  raising  flower 
seeds.  “The  Woman’s  National  Weekly"  would  lead 
dupes  to  believe  that  each  year  this  country  im¬ 
ports  $20,000,000  worth  of  flower  seeds.  This  is  a 
lair  sample  of  a  Lewis  “fact.”  The  following  figures 
IT  pleases  us  greatly  to  receive  the  following  note 
from  an  old  friend  whose  picture  is  found  on 
page  57S: 
/z  C-«— tie. 
Uf  #**■  3  / 
(J &/  '-jf  oLcy  <Ly  Y- 
V/Lf.  ^j  -cr  (J  /  /Jl  <Js  JL<_  (  J 
Cja — thn^ 
C/ 
For  many  years  Franklin  Dye  has  been  secretary 
of  the  New  Jersey  Slate  Board  of  Agriculture.  It 
is  an  honorable  position,  and  Mr.  Dye  has  honored 
it.  His  record  lias  been  clean,  dignified  and  pro¬ 
gressive.  We  have  always  known  just  where  to  find 
Franklin  Dye — always  on  the  job  and  always  ready 
to  help.  We  join  the  hosts  of  friends  in  New  Jersey 
and  all  over  the  country  in  congratulations  to  the 
grand  old  man  of  Jersey  agriculture,  lie  is  81 
years  old.  and  as  we  see,  there  is  not  a  shake  or 
waver  in  his  signature. 
* 
The  Issue  Is  Made  Clear 
THE  Receivers’  and  Distributors’  Association.  Inc., 
contributed  a  new  element  to  the  battle  over 
show  the  annual  imports  of  such  seeds:  1912.  $138,- 
(.01;  1013.  $218,070:  1014,  $295,105;  1015,  $247,079! 
You  call  usually  divide  a  Lewis  statement  by  80  and 
have  a  fair  glimpse  at  the  truth — as  in  this  case. 
The  trouble  is  there  are  too  many  who  will  multi¬ 
ply  his  figures  by  80  instead  of  dividing. 
* 
Tor  might  send  ine  10  of  the  small  envelopes  and  I 
will  put  them  out.  The  fact  is,  it  has  always  seemed 
to  me  that  about  every  house  in  our  village  was  a  sub¬ 
scriber  to  The  U.  N.-Y.  It  is  the  most,  quoted  author¬ 
ity.  certainly  when  wc  get  around  the  big  stove  down  at 
the  store.  C.  E.  A. 
New  York. 
HE  “big  stove  down  at  the  store"  gives  out  a 
world  of  heat.  It  has  melted  the  "boom’’  and 
the  hopes  of  many  an  aspiring  candidate  for  honors 
and  office.  It  has  also  warmed  up  many  a  worthy 
cause  and  changed  history  again  and  again.  If  The 
R.  N.-Y.  can  stand  the  heat  of  that,  stove  the  politi¬ 
cians  at  Albany  know  that  what  we  say  about  the 
Foods  and  Markets  Department  is  not  bluff  or 
threat,  but.  cold  truth. 
* 
OUR  readers  remember  a  letter  signed  “L.  A.  G.” 
which  appeared  recently.  It  was  from  a  city 
man  who  talked  of  going  to  a  farm.  J.  Grant  Morse 
replied  to  the  letter,  and  was  criticized  by  many  be¬ 
cause  he  did  not  encourage  ha  ck-to-t  lie-landing. 
There  were  many  letters  about  it.  Now  we  have 
tills  note  from  the  original  inquirer: 
You  were  kind  enough  to  publish  my  letter,  and  also 
several  replies  to  it.  1  also  received  a  number  of  let¬ 
ters  from  persons  who  have  farms  for  sale,  and  some 
from  persons  who  want  a  partner  with  some  capital. 
From  the  information  I  have  been  able  to  receive  from 
the  above  sources,  especially  The  R.  N.-Y.,  1  have  con¬ 
cluded  that  I  would  not  be  satisfied  to  become  a  back- 
to-the-laiider  at  present.  But  I  want  to  thank  you  for 
the  information  and  help  you  have  given  me  in  clear¬ 
ing  up  a  subject  upon  whieh  I  have  had  considerable 
misinformation,  and  probably  saving  me  a  lifelong  re¬ 
gret.  L.  A.  0. 
We  think  this  man  is  very  sensible  to  wait  awhile. 
It  is  little  short  of  a  crime  to  encourage  or  induce 
an  uninformed  city  man  to  take  a  farm,  without 
fair  capital  or  experience,  and  break  away  from  all 
settled  habits  of  life. 
* 
IF  the  European  war  continues  much  longer  we 
think  the  U.  8.  Government  will  be  justified  in 
entering  the  drug  and  fertilizer  business.  The  pot¬ 
ash  supply  is  practically  exhausted  and  new  sup¬ 
plies  must  be  had  if  the  Eastern  half  of  the  country 
is  to  maintain  its  production.  The  kelp  and  sea¬ 
weed  along  the  Pacific  coast  contain  vast  quantities 
of  potash — far  more  than  is  needed  for  fertilizing 
and  manufacturing.  Private  capital  will  not  take 
the  chance  of  developing  the  industry  of  utilizing 
this  potash,  because  of  trade  uncertainty.  No  one 
knows  how  cheaply  the  German  potash  can  lie  sold 
when  the  war  is  over  and  trade  resumes  its  old 
course.  Owing  to  this  uncertainty  private  capital 
will  not  go  to  the  expense  of  equipment  and  labor 
needed  to  develop  the  industry  properly.  It  becomes 
a  matter  for  the  government  to  assume  as  a  war 
necessity.  We  think  sueli  a  proceeding  would  be 
justified.  For  (lie  public  good  the  government  should 
start  soon,  developing  the  business  of  extracting 
iodine  and  potash  from  the  seaweed.  Once  let  the 
business  be  developed  and  started  and  it  would  go 
on;  a  potash  supply  could  be  assured  and  this 
country  made  independent  so  far  as  its  fertilizer 
needs  are  concerned. 
the  Foods  and  Markets  Department.  This  associa¬ 
tion  states  its  purpose  clearly  as  follows: 
OBJECTS — To  oppose  in  every  legal  maimer  unjust 
govern  mental  interference  with  legitimate  business  and 
the  arbitrary  changing  of  I  trade  centers  and  terminals: 
to  protect  in  every  way  the  interests  of  receivers  and 
distributers  of  merchandise;  and  to  provide  a  conven¬ 
ient  means  whereby  they  may  present  their  aims  and 
desires  to  the  heads  of  the  city  nnd  State  governments 
and  to  the  public  generally. 
II  has  45  directors  including  half  a  dozen  lug  rail¬ 
road  men,  big  commission  interests  and : 
Retail  and  wholesale  merchants  and  shippers  in  prac¬ 
tically  all  lines  of  business,  not  only  in  Greater  New 
York,  but  in  all  parts  of  New  York  State  keeping  us  in 
constant  touch  with  150,000  citizens,  who  have  a  legi¬ 
timate  selfish  interest  in  our  object. 
On  paper  this  looks  like  a  formidable  army,  but 
when  brought  under  fire  it  has  little  besides  money 
to  fight  with.  A  large  proportion  of  the  members 
are  not  citizens  of  New  York  at  all.  They  live  in 
other  States,  and  in  order  to  make  a  showing  in 
numbers  the  ranks  are  recruited  from  clerks,  office 
hoys  and  others. 
Tliis  association  is  fighting  the  Foods  and  Mar¬ 
kets  Department  openly  and  without  reserve.  Noth¬ 
ing  ever  drove  these  interests  out  of  hiding  before. 
They  know,  however,  that  the  new  Department 
means  marketing  reform,  and  they  want  no  part,  of 
that.  So  they  throw  this  organization  together  and 
spend  their  money  trying  to  buy  “influence/’  They 
sent  25.000  letters,  each  containing  five  stamped 
postal  cards,  to  dealers  all  over  the  State.  Of 
course  those  men  do  not  know  how  to  approach 
country  people,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  two  more  ill- 
timed  or  foolish  letters  ever  were  used  for  political 
purposes.  However,  it  was  a  good  thing,  for  these 
fool  letters  showed  the  farmers  and  country  people 
just  what  they  are  lighting  against.  In  every  case 
thus  far  the  commission  men  and  their  organs  have 
hurt  their  own  cause  every  time  they  opened  their 
mouths,  because  in  their  ignorant  stupidity  of  the 
real  feeling  among  farmers  they  have  only  exposed 
their  own  selfish  motives. 
The  farmers  and  country  dealers  are  not  fools. 
They  see  this  new  association  spending  half  as 
much  as  the  entire  appropriation  of  the  Depart¬ 
ment.  in  sending  these  letters.  Of  course  they  both 
ask  why?  The  farmers  instantly  see  that  The  R. 
N.-Y.  is  right  in  claiming  that  these  big  interests 
are  trying  to  kill  the  Department!  Here  is  full  and 
complete  evidence  of  it — and  here  are  the  very  in¬ 
terests  whieh  have  so  long  enjoyed  the  G5  cents  of 
the  dollar!  Here  is  the  final  evidence  that  they 
will  light  for  the  last  penny  of  if  and  never  give 
up  a  farthing  of  their  own  accord.  No  other  De¬ 
partment  in  the  State  ever  brought  these  interests 
out  of  the  shadow  and  compelled  them  to  show 
their  hand!  The  country  dealer  knows  that  lie  can¬ 
not  prosper  unless  the  farmers  prosper.  What  ad¬ 
vantage  to  him  is  the  present  system  under  which 
the  lion’s  share  must  always  go  to  the  big  cities  and 
remain  there?  The  only  way  for  the  country  dealer 
to  prosper  is  to  have  things  changed  so  that  the 
farmers  will  receive  more  than  a  35-eent  dollar. 
While  it  may  be  said  that  the  new  Department  is  an 
experiment,  i/o  oilier  Department  in  the  State  ran 
be  called  even  an  experiment  at  petting  down  to 
the  vitals  of  this  big  question! 
Therefore,  while  these  big  interests  started  out 
with  unlimited  money  to  kill  the  Department  they 
1  ave  really  done  it  a  great  service  by  making  the 
issue  straight  and  clear.  On  one  side  we  have  these 
April  8,  1910. 
selfish  and  greedy  interests  trying  to  anchor  their 
special  privileges  by  piling  dollars  upon  them.  On 
the  other  we  have  a  great  army  of  working  farm¬ 
ers  with  postage  stamps  and  ballots  and  the  issue 
now  made  clear  and  open.  In  such  a  contest  we 
can  have  no  fear  of  the  result,  but  we  should  all 
thank  this  “association”  for  making  the  issue  clear. 
* 
Anyone  who  wants  the  troubles,  the  losses  and  the 
rows  i  undent  to  keeping  sheep  is  welcome  to  keep  sheep, 
and  to  give  advice  to  me  on  the  subject. 
YOU  ought  to  read  some  of  the  letters  we  get  on 
the  sheep  question.  The  great  majority  of 
farmers  admit  that  there  should  be  more  sheep. 
They  are  the  finest  stock  for  old  pastures,  make  a 
triple  return  in  meat,  lambs  and  wool,  require  less 
cate  than  cattle,  are  the  greatest  weed  cleaners  or. 
four  feet  and  would  enable  thousands  of  farmers 
to  remain  on  their  farms  when  they  can  no  longei 
run  a  dairy  or  do  general  farming.  Sheep  are  need¬ 
ed,  and  the  logic  of  the  situation  is  all  with  them. 
Shakespeare  said.  “Throw  physic  to  the  dogs!”  and 
logic  in  the  sheep  argument  goes  with  it.  The  sad, 
undeniable  fact  is  that  the  cur  dog  is  the  curse  of 
sheep  growing  in  the  East. 
* 
WHAT  keeps  the  free  seed  distribution  from 
Washington  alive?  The  following  anecdote 
is  told  of  Senator  John  Sharp  Williams  of  Mis¬ 
sissippi  : 
He  told  me  that  when  he  first  entered  Congress  be 
singled  out  the  free  sped  distribution  as  the  one  thing 
whose  influence  was  pernicious  and  which  should  be 
abolished.  He  went  at  it  with  all  the  enthusiasm  of  a 
neophyte — worked  day  and  night  at  it,  although  he  was 
warned  by  older  men  in  Congress  that  he  had  better  let 
it.  alone.  When  the  appropriation  bill  came  up  and  his 
motion  to  strike  out  the  item  of  free  seeds  was  voted 
upon,  he  found  there  were  seven  others  besides  himself 
who  voted  in  favor  of  striking  it  out.  He  remarked, 
with  a  twinkle  in  bis  eye.  lie  then  realized  that  if  the 
United  States  was  going  to  have  the  benefit,  of  his 
services  in  Congress,  he  had  better  abandon  all  effort 
to  abolish  free  seed  distribution. 
This  petty  graft  is  one  of  the  strangest  things 
connected  with  national  legislation.  Men  who  are 
at  heart  opposed  to  it  will  vote  to  retain  the  dis¬ 
tribution  because  they  think  it  a  personal  privilege. 
City  members  will  trade  their  quota  of  seeds  to 
country  members,  taking  stationery  and  other  pri¬ 
vileges  in  return.  We  wish  we  could  make  farmers 
understand  how  the  acceptance  of  this  foolish  little 
graft  lowers  them  in  the  eyes  of  Congressmen  and 
lobbyists  at  Washington.  These  rascals  say  with  a 
sneer  that  you  can  buy  the  average  farmer  with  a 
packet  of  seeds !  “That,  is  his  size,”  they  say. 
When  you  deny  it  and  tell  them  what  you  think 
of  them  they  will  show  great  bundles  of  letters 
from  farmers  demanding'  these  seeds!  What  can 
you  say  in  reply?  It  is  hard  to  see  this  petty  graft 
kept  alive  by  a  class  of  farmers  who  take  the  seeds 
and  denounce  larger  graft  in  high  places!  Along 
with  those  “free"  seeds  are  sown  the  seeds  of  sla¬ 
very,  for  the  acceptance  of  this  graft  justifies  the 
men  higher  up  in  getting  their  fingers  into  the  bag. 
■  —  ,  . .  — — - 
Brevities 
A  prone  tree  is  a  grafter.  The  way  to  change  its 
nature  is  to  give  it  the  right  sort,  of  graft. 
It  is  a  good  plan  to  keep  strange  horses  away  from 
the  tub  or  trough  where  your  own  horses  drink. 
This  demand  for  elean  advertising  is  being  carried 
so  far  that  the  Indiana  Experiment  Station  issues  in- 
structions  for  advertising  stallions. 
The  Ohio  Experiment  Station  says  that  time  is  lost 
in  plowing  ground  for  oats.  Disking  the  soil  pays  as 
well  and  is  much  less  expensive. 
Vetch  is  not.  I1  lime  plant  like  clover  or  Alfalfa. 
It  will  do  quite  well  on  a  slightly  acid  soil.  Lime 
would  be  better  when  the  vetch  is  turned  under. 
Many  readers  seem  to  confuse  the  Canada  field  pea 
with  the  Southern  cow  pea.  It  is  the  Canada  pen 
which  you  sow  with  oats  in  Spring.  The  cow  pea  can¬ 
not  endure  cold  weather. 
Many  samples  of  Alfalfa  seed  have  shown  up  poorly 
under  test.  There  was  a  low  per  cent,  of  germination 
and  many  weed  seeds.  That  may  he  considered  an 
argument  in  favor  of  transplanting  Alfalfa. 
Talking  with  a  farmer  in  Northern  China  Mary 
Gaunt,  an  Australian  journalist,  asked  him  how  much 
money  he  made,  as  a  rule.  He  answered  that  his  an¬ 
nual  profit,  in  a  good  year,  was  about  twelve  dollars, 
but  that  of  course  he  did  not  always  have  a  good  year! 
Some  of  you  clover  men  who  think  every  one  knows 
all  about  clover  wlmt  do  you  think  of  this?  A  farmer 
sends  a  bunch  of  Red  clover  to  an  expert  and  asks 
what  it  is!  Says  lie  finds  bunches  of  it  coming  up  on 
his  land.  His  horses  bite  at  it  and  ho  fears  it  may 
poison  them  ! 
East  November  a  box  of  Northern  Spy  apples  was 
sent  from  Hamilton.  Ontario,  to  an  army  officer  in 
France.  This  officer  was  transferred  to  Egypt  and  the 
apples  followed  him.  Before  they  reached  Egypt  the 
officer  was  sent  to  Greece  and  on  the  fruit  went  after 
him.  The  apples  reached  him  finally  the  last  week  in 
February,  and  were  all  sound  and  in  good  condition 
after  their  long  journey. 
Reach  Prospects 
