150 
February 4, 19212 
The Rural New-Yorker 
the bvsixess fa hmejv8 taper 
A. National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes 
Established 1650 
Published weekly by the Itnrni Publishing Complin j, 333 West 30th Street,New fork 
TTgi iui-nT tv. CoLU-NGtroop, President and Editor. 
Jons' UlLLOX, Treasurer nod General Manager. 
Wm. F. Dm.o K, Secretary _M us. E. T. Uovi.r. Associate Editor. 
SUBSCRIPTION : ONE DOLLAR A YEAR 
To foreign countries In the Universal Postal Union, *2.04. equal to 8s. 6d., or 
8te marks, or 10 1 * francs. KetnU in money older, express 
order, personal check or bonk draft. 
Entered at New York Post Office as Second Class Matter. 
Advertising rates, *1-00 ts r agate line—T words. References required for 
advertisers unknown to us ; and cash must accompany transient orders. 
“A syU.UtE DEAL" 
We believe that everv advertisement in this paper is backed by a respon- 
Bible person. We use every possible precaution and admit the advertising of 
rtltablr houses otilv But to make doubly sine, we will make good any loss 
to paid subscribers sustained by trusting any deliberate swindler, irt espon- 
*ibfa advertiser? <«t misleading adv. no. mints m our columns, and any 
i-ucli swindler will be publicly exposed. We are nito often called upoll 
to adjust differences or mistakes between our subscriber and honest, 
responsible houses, whether advertisers or not. We willingly use our good 
offices to this end. but such cases should not be confuted with dishonest 
transactions. W< protect rnbscrlbtrs against rogues, hut we will not be 
rcsiipii-’lile for t>ic debts or honest hnnkrtints sanctioned by the courts. 
Notice of the complaint must be sent to us within one month of the time of 
the transaction, anil to identify it. you should mention This Rural New- 
Youkfr when writing the advertiser. 
I want to say. first. I never beard of a paper failed 
The R. X.-Y'. before last Fall. Husband went t<> town, 
and when be came back he said be subscribed for an¬ 
other farm paper. I scolded ban for doing so, because I 
said we take two already and not any 1 ever read come 
up with the-. He said. “Well. I did nut mean 
to. but I came up with two girls getting subscribers for 
Tiie R. X.-Y. and I could not get away.” I now want 
to say it conies up with the-if it is always as 
good as it is now. I want us to take it as long as we 
live. It has already saved me, no doubt, several dollars. 
Maryland. MRS. G. T. bailey. 
W E regard this as a high compliment, indeed. 
When a woman has a favorite paper and a 
rival is introduced to her husband by two gills, it 
surely must carry a strong appea 1 in order to win 
praise from the lady. 
sjc 
J UST as we go to press we received news of the 
death of Dr. Walter Van Fleet, which occurred 
January 26 at Miami, Fla. Old readers of The R. 
X.-Y. will remember our “Xotes from the Rural 
Grounds,” which recorded some of Dr. Van Fleet's 
valuable work in plant breeding and general horti¬ 
culture. In a later issue we will offer a fuller 
tribute to one whose genius has enriched American 
horticulture. 
* 
I would like to say to P>. C. of Massachusetts, who 
is worrying about his liens shaking their heads, that 
anvoue can cause a flock of hen- to shake their heads 
by'singing- whistling or even humming, although there 
are tones of cer ain pitch to which they do not object. 
It makes me smile to think how I worried about my 
hous shaking their heads, which I finally observed was 
caused bv mv habit of singing while caring for them. 
New York.' w. edwabu hixe. 
P ERHAPS this may explain a case which lias 
puzzled us for some time. A reader says that 
his hens are well bred and properly culled. They 
are well fed with a balanced ration, kept warm and 
dry—in fact, have all physical comforts provided. 
Yet they will not lay as they should. J his man goes 
about his chores singing and practicing his part in 
the church choir. Perhaps lie has not observed that 
the hens shake their heads. They do not cave for 
1,5s singing, and register their disapproval by refus¬ 
ing to lay. That seems the most plausible reason 
for bis failure as a lien man. We know a man uho 
practices on his cornet—very forcibly and regularly. 
What liavoe he would cause at. an egg-laying con¬ 
test! 
A MAX who lives in a large town in Xew Jersey. 
near Xew York, was awakened one night by a 
great disturbance in his chicken house. On go.ng 
out with a gun he found a dog busily at work 
slaughtering the hens. He had already killed eight 
good ones. The dog got away, but lie was seen and 
identified. He was traced to his home, but his owner 
refused to have him killed or to make good the dam¬ 
age. Now. “Jersey Justice” is famed throughout the 
land, but though she may seem stern and cruel to 
human beings. Miss J. Justice ever had a tendei 
heart for dogs. What can you do in such a case 
under the Xew Jersey dog laws? 
It might surprise you to know of the lack of sympathy 
shown bv some of the town officials. < hie gentleman 
was of the opinion that the town preferred dogs to 
chickens. and that this dog should be encouraged in his 
good work. 
That is what the owner of the lieus writes after a 
visit to the town Solons. It does not surprise us. Me 
are not surprised at anything put out by the block¬ 
heads who are ever ready to eat, yet have a supreme 
contempt for the people who provide their food. Tt 
is “good work” when a worthless dog cleans up 
eight useful hens! 
* 
A NUMBER of New Jersey readers have asked 
about a commercial license for their cars. 
Some of them are in the habit of carrying light loads 
of eggs, apples, etc., to private customers. Is it nec¬ 
essary for them* to take out a new license? On 
She RURAL NEW-YORKER 
application to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles 
we are told: 
Would advise that if any person makes a business of 
carting any merchandise or produce in their car to mar¬ 
ket for commercial purposes, it will be necessary for 
them to take out a commercial registration, but where 
they use their ears occasionally to bring butter, eggs or 
vegetables in to private customers, their car being used 
on all other occasions for pleasure purposes, the regu¬ 
lar license will suffice. 
* 
There is a farm in the Hudson Valley ibnt has been 
turned into a dog kennel. Gossip doesn't tell how the 
pups arrive there except “by auto.” and as there seems 
to be crookedness in most everything, it might be that 
some of these dogs are got in queer ways, as they seem 
to be very valuable; crated, sent by express. 
MRS. fc. H. 
NEW and very crooked business in stealing 
dogs has now been developed. In oue high- 
toned locality ou Long Island 10 high-priced dogs 
were stolen in December. These thefts are reported 
from many town around New York. Formerly it 
was quite a regular practice to steal dogs for re¬ 
wards. Some wealthy people think more of their 
dogs than they do of their children—having none of 
the latter. It was therefore a profitable business to 
steal a dog and then capitalize on the affection his 
owner held for him. This business was more profit¬ 
able. to an expert, than honest farming. Xow the 
plan is to steal the dogs, or entice them away, carry 
them to some distant place and sell them again. 
There is usually a good sale for well-bred animals 
and. unhappily, some buyers ask few questions when 
they get a superior animal. In one case the dog thief 
claimed he was a government agent, instructed to 
examine all dogs. He took the dog away—and that 
was the end of him. 
* 
HE Xew York State Wool Growers, at their an¬ 
nual meeting, expressed their confidence in the 
plan for pooling their wool, hut they are convinced 
that a more binding form of contract must be used. 
The wool market is advancing steadily, and the two 
years’ accumulation will probably soon be sold. Wools 
which could not be sold to local buyers at 15 to 18 
cents a pound now have strong market values at 
from oG to 45 cents. As for the plan of manufactur¬ 
ing State wool into blankets and cloth for direct sale, 
the sheep men practically stood still. They propose 
to manufacture the wool they now have at the mill, 
and not develop the enterprise further. They do not 
think the time is ripe to raise the capital needed to 
develop this business further. We are sorry for this 
decision, yet we recognize the situation. We have 
gone far enough into this matter to know that thou¬ 
sands of people are anxious to buy these woolen 
coods if they can only know where to get them. The 
sheep men seem to feel that a more cautious policy 
should he followed at this time—and they are the 
men most interested in the matter. 
* 
HERE are many well-intentioned xuen and wom¬ 
en in the city who are very much concerned 
over the great needs of country people. It may he 
the schools or the manner of living or the general 
“culture.'’ but whatever it is, these city folks assume 
that they have a wonderful message for country peo¬ 
ple Tn most cases they know little or nothing about 
farm life and are unable to adapt themselves to 
country conditions. They work hard and then won¬ 
der why their efforts are not appreciated—why the 
glittering gifts they offer are not accepted at full 
value. The trouble with these good people is that 
they cannot understand that they are not givers 
alone. The country people have more to offer them 
than they can ever give in return, and they will 
not go very far in their uplifting work until they 
realize that fact. They might with profit, learn a 
useful lesson from the popular story. “Main Street.” 
In this the heroine goes to a country town, assuming 
that she is very superior, and prepared to “uplift” 
the community. She merely strains herself in the 
lift, because she could not realize that the town 
people had more to offer her than she could ever give 
them. About the worst thing that could happen to 
country people would he the general adoption of 
some of the things which the city uplifters propose. 
* 
T is with great sorrow that we record the death of 
MVs. Cosgrove, wife of our old friend. Geo. A. 
Cosgrove. She lived to the ripe age of 82. and never. 
In any year of that long and active life, did she do a 
moan or selfish thing. Wo could fill a page with the 
truthful record of kindly, loving, sympathetic 
things which this strong woman accomplished. There 
are men and women who go through life attempting 
to stand on their toes and reach the high spots. 
There was nothing of this about Mrs. Cosgrove. She 
did. literally, what her hands found to do. right in 
her own neighborhood. There will be no great head¬ 
lines in the papers for her—no great orations—no 
spectacular monuments, but “the house was full of 
crying women who looked at. one another and said. 
•What can we do now?'” She was one of the plain 
country women, who, amid the holy silence of the 
hills, live their quiet and consecrated lives that the 
foundations of the world may be strong. 
* 
S UGAR beets grow well on Long Island. The 
climate and soil suit them, and some of the finest 
specimens have been produced on the island. The 
t' image is large; there is no question about the pos¬ 
sibility of turning ihc island soil into sugar through 
the beet. Even if this he true, is it likely that sugar¬ 
making will ever he developed on a large scale? 
There have been sugar factories in the East before 
now. but about all they ever developed was a scandal. 
Some of the island people are very enthusiastic. 
They figure that because the beets can he grown to 
advantage the factories must of necessity follow. 
That is not quite true logic. There are several things 
in between. Prof. G. F. Warren, in his “Farm 
Management.” puts the case well: 
Tt is so difficult to balance all the factors that farmers 
are justlv very slew tn change to untried things. They 
realize that no scientist can consider all these factors. 
Only experience can do that, Scientists showed that 
-Ugar beets could be grown in Xew York, and two big 
factories were built. They are gone now. The scientist 
forgot to consider which would pay better, the sugar 
beet or other crops of the region with which beets com¬ 
pete. So near large centers of population, the labor 
that, might he used to grow sugar beets is more profit¬ 
ably employed in growing such crops as apples, potatoes, 
and cabbages. 
m 
That applies well to the situation on Long Island. 
Farmers have formed the habit of growing certain 
crops, and they expect a certain sum of money per 
acre. It will not be easy to induce them to drop 
crops like potatoes and take chances on beets. 
* 
I T cannot be said that the agricultural conference 
at Washington contained any large proportion of 
“dirt farmers.” The list of delegates from New York 
State, printed on the next page, indicates that it was 
largely a gathering of leaders in farm organizations 
or in educational work. It was a selected gather¬ 
ing and not representative in the fact that the rank 
and file of working farmers had anything to do with 
electing its members, "“fore the gathering the 
statement was openly made that the object of the 
conference was to create a sentiment against the 
“agricultural bloc" now operating so successfully in 
Congress. Yet the conference passed a resolution 
congratulating President Harding and commending 
Secretary Wallace for calling the meeting. Then 
the resolution states: 
"And we commend and approve the action of those 
members of the House and Senate comprising the agri¬ 
cultural bloc wli<>. regardless of party, so early saw the 
emergency and have so consistently supported a con¬ 
structive program for the improvement of agriculture 
and the hollering of rural life.” 
We think it became evident to the forces which 
ruled the convention that a vast majority of our 
farmers approve the work of this “bloc.” This 
approval is based upon the general belief that there 
would have been no progressive legislation at all if 
this combination of Western and Southern Senators 
had not been made. We think the time has come 
come when most farmers are willing to stop trading 
for political advantage and put their strength solidly 
back of agricultural legislation. While the need is 
great and Ihe suffering severe, we think that the 
stronger class of farmers are inclined to he quite 
conservative rather than extra radical. We shall 
print full reports and studies of the conference. 
Brevities 
The boarder cow pays no feed bill. 
We know college men who are rank illiterates whet 
it comes to common sense. 
There are too many people standing on their toes 
trying to touch the high spots, and never looking at 
their feet. 
Efforts have long been made to find some medicinal 
principal in Alfalfa, but there seems to be none except 
a full supply of vitnraines for the cow. 
We understand that the Massachusetts trespass laws 
authorize anyone to arrest a trespasser on Sundays. 
This right is not apparently given ou week days. 
This is what a Californian says; “Shall keep a look¬ 
out for Mr. Berraug. lie should get here by 1P24 or 
1925. if he doesn’t get arrested for speeding.” If you 
ever saw a yoke of oxen run away you would know they 
are more dangerous than a “wild" car. 
Ix regard to using dry litter from the henhouse as lit¬ 
ter for the cows, many farmers do it. and it is one of the 
best wavs of utilizing the manure. If the hens are lousy 
the plan is a bad one, hut if the litter is clean it will 
work right. 
Some people have had trouble with a biting horse. 
Here is one report of a cure: “Years ago, a horse got 
in the habit of biting. I had a big sheep-skm mitten. 
I filled the wool part of the mitten chock full of red pep¬ 
per. When the horse started to bite she got the mitten. 
Three bites was all she ever took. She never offered to 
bite after that.” 
