648 
September 12 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
The Rural New-Yorker 
TUE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes, 
Established 1850. 
Herbeiit W. Collingwood, Editor. 
IJK. WAi.TER Van Fleet,! 
Mus. K. T. Koylb, f Associates. 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
SIJBSOBIPTION: ONE DOLLAB A YEAB. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, 
equal to 8s. 6d., or 8^4 marks, or 10*4 francs. 
“A SOU ABE DEAL.” 
We believe that every advertisement in this paper is 
backed by a responsible person. But to make doubly 
sure we will make good any loss to paid subscribers 
sustained by trusting any deliberate swindler advertising 
in our columns, and any such swindler will be publicly 
exposed. We protect subscribers against rogues, but we 
do not guarantee to adjust trifling differences between 
subscribers and honest responsible advertisers. Neither 
will we be responsible for the debts of honest bankrupts 
sanctioned by the courts. Notice of the complaint must 
be sent to us within one month of the time of the trans¬ 
action, and you must have mentioned Thk Rural New- 
Yorker when writing the advertiser. 
Name and address of sender, and what the remittance 
is for, should appear in every letter. 
Remittances may be made in money order, express 
order, personal check or bank draft. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
409 Pearl Street. New York. 
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1903. 
See Next Page! 
We ask every subscriber to read the announcement 
on next page and hand the little envelope to some one 
who is not now taking The R. N. Y. This will help 
him and indirectly benefit you, as it will help us to 
make the paper better than ever. We must have 
those 100,000 subscribers. The envelope with a word 
from you will bring one of them. 
* 
“Why should I join the Apple Consumers’ League?” 
says a farmer’s wife. “I do not travel much. I usual¬ 
ly carry my own lunch when I do go, and I cook so 
much at home that I would like to try new food when 
I get a chance.” The most effective missionaries are 
not those who go out and personally tackle the 
heathen. Those who work at home are no less im¬ 
portant. The farmhouse kitchen is a college of apple 
eating. The love of apple is spread in pie, sauce, 
dumpling, fry, baked, and every guest or member of 
the family should go out with apple on the tongue to 
spread the glad tidings. Why, the farmer’s wife is 
the mainspring of the whole League. The talkers 
are the hands on the clock—she is the “works.” 
* 
In the face of the threatened short crop of corn ex¬ 
ports of that grain have been enormous. Last year 
in the seven months ending July 16,327,244 bushels 
were sent abroad. During the same seven months of 
this year exports were 67,102,972 bushels, and even 
this vast quantity was 20,000,000 bushels short of the 
figures for 1901. It is true that the increased foreign 
demand for corn has increased the price to the grow¬ 
er, but we must remember that this means also a 
much higher price to the eastern feeder. One result 
of this will be a larger acreage of corn in the Eastern 
States. Farmers now know more about manurial 
crops and fertilizers, and combinations of these will 
enable them to compete with western corn growers. 
When corn sells at one dollar a bushel on Long Isl¬ 
and a farmer who knows his trade can make more 
out of it than a Kansas farmer with corn at 50 cents. 
* 
In The R. N.-Y. for July 18 we gave the opinions of 
our best American agricultural chemists regarding 
the use of silage-fed milk for condensing. As is well 
known, the Borden Condensed Milk Company will not 
permit their patrons to feed silage. We have long 
felt that this iron-clad rule is not fair to many dairy¬ 
men, considering the known value of silage as a Win¬ 
ter feed. We asked the Bordens to reply to the state¬ 
ments made in favor of silage, and now on page 653 
we are able to give their side of the discussion. This 
is one of the most important matters connected with 
the feeding of dairy cows, and the discussion surely 
will not end with Dr. Morris’s assertion that pure 
and wholesome milk cannot be made from good si¬ 
lage. Such a statement reminds one of the lawyer 
who was asked to get a man out of jail. He looked 
over the papers in the case and said: “Why, they 
can’t put a man in jail on such evidence.” “But he’s 
ilierc tioic!” said his friend. Other condensing com¬ 
panies use silage milk and urge their patrons to build 
silos. There are hundreds of dairies in the country 
where certified milk is specially prepared for chil¬ 
dren and invalids, and silage is freely fed to the cows. 
We venture to say that millions of strong, healthy 
babies are fed on silage milk. In fact, these things 
are clearly understood by the majority of people who 
know anything about milk, and the question is 
whether there is anything about the operation of con¬ 
densing which makes silage milk peculiarly unfit for 
use. Thus far it must be admitted that the Bordens 
have not met this point, and we still think that it 
would be fairer for them to permit the use of in¬ 
spected silage rather than totally to condemn the use 
of a valuable feed. 
* 
An excellent review of the cotton situation is given 
on page 652. In the discussion which has been start¬ 
ed over the attempt to “corner” the markets many 
statements have been made as to the ability of for¬ 
eign countries to produce cotton. It has been assert¬ 
ed that frost is necessary, as otherwise the vines would 
not be destroyed, so that the cost of removing them 
would be too great. There is no frost in Egypt, but 
there cotton is grown under irrigation, and after ma¬ 
turing the lint the plant is said to dry so that it is 
easily handled. We believe there are vast tracts of 
land in Africa which can be utilized for cotton grow¬ 
ing, If prices for American cotton are forced too high 
by the stock gamblers we regard it as certain that 
England, Germany and France will develop cotton 
growing in the “Dark Continent.” The case is differ¬ 
ent with corn, for this country has what amounts to 
a monopoly in the production of that grain. 
• 
Last year a tight was started for the Agricultural 
College at Cornell. Some who might have helped 
were silent, while others did their best to kill off the 
plan by saying that there was no use trying to move 
the Legislature. In spite of this opposition friends of 
the College kept at it and came closer than most peo¬ 
ple know to complete victory. At various times we 
were sneered at for trying to arouse the farmers 
rather than to tickle the politicians. “You can never 
get the people to take interest in the plan again,” 
they said. We thought we knew better, and events 
are justifying that belief. The campaign has already 
opened three mouths earlier than last year, and what 
is more, the political leaders are now talking. The 
fight last year showed the politicians an army of vol¬ 
unteers. Now that drilling is going on the politicians 
want to head the army—and they are wise in their 
desires. Last year the various farm organizations in 
the State respectfully asked for the appropriation. 
Now you will see them demand it in words that no 
man can fail to understand. That is the way to ob¬ 
tain what you want. 
* 
The Committee on Commercial Law of the Ameri¬ 
can Bar Association, in session at Hot Springs, Va., 
in its report made some drastic recommendations for 
legal measures to curtail the encroachments of trusts 
and monopolistic combinations. The proposals are: 
1. A graduated tax on all corporation fi’anchises, in¬ 
creasing the rate with each addition to its capital until 
10 per cent was levied on the last one hundred millions. 
2. A Federal statute requiring every corporation en¬ 
gaged in interstate coin.nierce to reduce its rates 50 per 
cent to and from every point where, by merger or other¬ 
wise, it had prevented competition. 
3. The entrance of the State itself into the field as a 
producer and seller oi commodities in opposition to the 
great trusts where it is necessary to restore the force of 
competition. 
With the tax club or State competition the trusts 
may doubtless be brought under subjection, and it is 
not easy to see how otherwise these lawless combina¬ 
tions may be controlled by legal enactments. The 
lawyers, many of whom have been active in creating 
trusts and in devising means to enable those already 
in existence to evade the law, are not moved by an 
especially high sense of public duty in making these 
recommendations. They find that as about all exten¬ 
sive industries except agriculture are now monopo¬ 
lized by a few combinations legal business is rapidly 
declining, as few are able to combat these monsters of 
monopoly, and must submit to their exactions. There 
will be a very pretty fight when our legal friends go 
at the trusts in earnest. 
The letters on the bird question are still pouring 
in, and thus far only one man takes the side of the 
winged robbers. Even the entomologists begin to say 
that some of the song birds have been greatly over¬ 
rated as insect destroyers. Here is the hardest hit yet' 
I wish to add my testimony concerning birds. I am so 
much opposed to cruelty that I do not kill any kind of 
animal, fish or bird, for fun or for food, nor eat those 
killed by others, but I believe self-protection justifies one 
in killing insect pests which destroy our crops, which are 
our living. I know of no insect pest which is as destruc¬ 
tive as the robin, which is well named. For two years my 
entire crop of berries has been destroyed by birds. I 
can’t afford to starve to death for the sake of having the 
birds sing at my funeral. They deserve no more con¬ 
sideration than singing mosquitoes or Potato bugs, or 
anything else which lives on the labor of others, j. a. w. 
Why are these men turning all of a sudden on the 
birds? One reason is that they have begun to think 
and observe for themselves. They accepted the state¬ 
ments of others for a long time. Now they think for 
themselves and act. The best thing about it is that 
they are learning how, and will do the same thing to 
larger and more dangerous public thieves than the 
robin. 
* 
Gov. Odeli. is attending some of the agricultural 
fairs and talking about various matters—including 
the proposed barge canal. At Poughkeepsie he is re¬ 
ported to have said: 
If you are satisfied that commerce will follow, if fac¬ 
tories and furnaces will come to give employment to our 
people, then, in the interest of the State as a whole, it 
is your duty to authorize the expenditure which the Legis¬ 
lature has certified to you as necessary for this purpose, 
leaving the question of payment for the considei'ation of 
those who have fulfilled their pledges In the past and 
who have promised to make provision for this expendi¬ 
ture, large as it is, without adding to your burden of 
local taxation. 
That is fair enough, but suppose on the other hand 
farmers are not satisfied that these things will fol¬ 
low. The Governor can then find no reason for ob¬ 
jecting if they decide to vote against the canal. The 
Governor very wisely does not try to prove that the 
present canal has brought furnaces and factories to 
the State. Does he really believe that floating barges 
loaded with western grain through the State will act¬ 
ually cause factories to be built? Gov. Odell is wise 
not to advocate the canal scheme without reserve. 
He knows very well what would have happened last 
year if two farmers in each rural voting precinct had 
kept at home to butcher or cut wood instead of 
voting! 
* 
We do not like to see land remain bare during the 
Fall and Winter. There are stronger reasons this 
year than ever why soil should be covered with some 
growing crop, even though it be late-sown rye. Of 
course all hilly land is better for a cover crop, since 
it prevents washing, hut the chief reason why some 
living crop should occupy the land is that during the 
Fall a great loss of nitrates occurs. The humus or 
vegetable matter in the soil furnishes organic nitro¬ 
gen. This is usually not put into such a form that 
plants can use it until the hot weather at the end of 
an ordinary Summer. Then it is made over into ni¬ 
trates rapidly. These nitrates are soluble in water 
and are easily washed out of the soil hy surface wash¬ 
ing or by drainage water. If some thrifty crop like 
rye, clover or turnips follow corn or potatoes the 
greater part of the nitrates will feed them and thus 
bo saved. Even weeds are useful to follow a crop, 
since they hold the nitrates, but of course it means 
much better farming to follow one farm crop with 
another. This year the weather has been so cold and 
wet that the nitrates have not been formed as usual. 
Should there be warm weather in September and Oc¬ 
tober this most valuable form of nitrogen will be rap¬ 
idly formed and lost if the ground is bare. It is 
therefore good practice to sow rye or vetch after the 
corn is cut. 
BREVITIES. 
Time is all the money some men have. 
Mr. Hinman, page 643, is a grass doubter. 
The best advertising agent is a satisfied customer. 
Keep your nitrate of soda under cover until next Spring. 
Some one asks for mineral food for pigs. Why not try 
pig iron? 
The man with a chip constantly on his shoulder is sure 
to catch the ax. 
Never cut a corner that will prevent your being 
“square” with your friends. 
Don’t burn the falling leaves; there are plenty of better 
uses for them about the farm and garden. 
What’s in a name? A woman may change it, or a 
man can make it worthy of all respect—if he will. 
How much does it profit a farmer to have a fine local 
market if he cannot hire helpers to handle his crop? 
A FEW dollars invested this Fall in shrubs and hardy 
ornamental plants will add permanent value to your 
home. 
The recent exposures of “graft” in public and private 
positions of trust make us think the time has qome to 
top-work the whole stock with common honesty. 
It is stated on page 654 that a hog’s size is limited. We 
do not give him bone-forming foods to try to exceed this 
limit, but to make him come up to it. In the same way a 
man must be well fed on “sand” to make him do his best. 
This is a bad season for planting smutty wheat. Kill 
the smut before sowing. Spread the wheat on the bam 
floor and sprinkle it with one pound of formalin in 50 
gallons of water. Then shovel into a pile and let it stand 
for 12 hours. 
The Pennsylvania Dairy and Food Commissioner has 
seized for analysis certain brands of beer and black¬ 
berry brandy. As these are not dairy products, the 
Commissioner is asked for his authority in considering 
them foods, and a somewhat involved ‘question has been 
brought up by this action. , 
One of the prettiest things in the garden during the 
latter part of August and through September is Clematis 
paniculata, a hardy vine with masses of fragrant white 
flowers that suggest jasmine or orange blossoms. It will 
make a growth of 20 to 25 feet In a season, and is ad¬ 
mirable for covering a porch or arbor. 
