72 
February 3 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
The Rural New-Yorker 
) TEE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Herbert W. Collingwood, Editor. 
Dr. Walter Van Fleet, | 
H. E. Van Deman - , V Associates. 
Mrs. E. T. Rotle, ) 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign Countries In the Universal Postal Union, 82.04, equal to 
8s. 6d., or 8 Yt marks, or 10}4 francs. 
ADVERTISING RATES. 
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of 10 or more lines, and 1,000-line orders, 25 cents per line. 
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Remittances may be made in money order, express order, 
personal check or bank draft. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
409 Pearl Street, New York. 
SATURDAY , FEBRUARY 3, 1900. 
THE NEW YORK STATE FAIR. 
The R. N.-Y. has written several hundred mem¬ 
bers of the New York State Agricultural Society, ask¬ 
ing their opinion as to the best thing for the Society 
to do. Next week we shall give some of the replies. 
This week we can only give a bare statement of facts. 
A great majority oppose giving up the charter of the 
Society. They say that the old Society is strong 
enough to hold new men and new blood without 
breaking. A small minority wishes to give up the 
charter, and have a commission appointed by the Gov¬ 
ernor to conduct the State Fair. A larger minority 
wishes the Fair turned over to the Agricultural De¬ 
partment with one director in charge—something after 
the present plan of conducting the farmers’ institutes. 
A majority of our letters indicate that those who are 
ready to give public expression to their opinion are 
opposed to State control. They say that the Fair will 
then become nothing but a politicians’ nest! It is 
safe to say that the rank and file of the Society will 
fight hard against any attempt to give up the charter. 
We can promise some lively reading on this subject 
next week. 
m 
A Kansas man figures that the value of the cotton 
flannel used in making gloves for corn huskers in 
that State alone this year is about $4,150. These 
gloves last only a few days, but this material seems 
to be the best that has been found for the purpose. 
One husker will use about four yards of flannel dur¬ 
ing the season. 
• 
Do not think that the only use for hydrocyanic acid 
gas is for destroying scale insects. Prof. Johnson will 
tell us next week how it has been used for destroying 
rats and smaller vermin. Some of our woodchuck 
hunters may desire to try it, but we advise them not 
to. This gas rises, unlike bisulphide of carbon, which 
sinks. It is gratifying to see how fruit growers are 
becoming interested in this fumigation. They recog¬ 
nize that it is one of the great safeguards against the 
scale. That is just what it is! 
* 
What objection can seed-potato dealers have to the 
plan of selling their goods by weight instead of, as 
now, by the barrel? A “barrel” is an indefinite term; 
it may mean 150, 165 or 180 pounds. When we pay for 
100 pounds of potatoes we know better what we are 
to receive. It is true that varieties of potatoes differ 
somewhat in weight. This can be easily demonstrated 
by putting various samples into water. They will 
sink, the starch they contain being heavier than 
the water. Ado salt slowly and they will rise to the 
surface—those containing most starch remaining long¬ 
est at the bottom. It is true that the varieties vary 
somewhat, but “100 pounds” would be a more definite 
quantity than “a barrel.” 
* 
Connecticut farmers are on the lookout for a 
swindler, who has been going through agricultural 
districts, claiming to be agent for a patent corn 
sheller made in Ohio. He tells a glowing tale, and, 
on taking an order, receives part of the price, the 
remainder to be paid on delivery of the sheller. He 
does not appear again, and the “sheller,” when re¬ 
ceived, proves to be a piece of pine board, bound at 
one end with iron, the following directions accom¬ 
panying it: “Sit on the board and draw the corn 
over the iron end, and it can be shelled with ease.” 
The unlucky purchasers will realize very strongly the 
wisdom of buying farm machinery from well-known 
and properly-indorsed firms. 
\ A bill has been brought before Congress providing 
that duties upon imports may be suspended when 
their sale or manufacture is monopolized. It also 
provides for a commission to investigate the matter, 
and report to the President. It seems to us that the 
stiffest high-tariff men should be willing to accept 
such a bill. It would not destroy the principle of 
protection, because one of the arguments for a high 
tariff is that it will increase home competition, and 
thus bring prices down to a fair standard. When, 
however, a trust or combination has destroyed the 
home competition, and still enjoys the benefit of the 
tariff, it makes use of a privilege which belongs to 
the people. 
* 
Several years ago The R. N.-Y. went on record 
as saying that process or “deviled” butter would 
prove as dangerous to honest butter as oleo. Experi¬ 
ence indicates the truth of this statement. This 
process butter is injuring our foreign trade. Just as 
the foreign agents of our Government organize a 
nice trade in a European city, some rascal sends a lot 
of the process stuff and kills the business. The oleo 
men, too, are sharp enough to put their stuff on the 
market marked “process.” It is high time this pro¬ 
cess butter joined the procession of frauds. From 
the first we have objected to the polite way in which 
the authorities have handled this stuff. Stamp it 
“Deviled.” That is what it really is. 
* 
Since those Connecticut farmers began to tell about 
the electric railroads along country roads, questions 
have come in thick and fast. All through the East, 
and in some parts of the West, these light railroads 
are reaching out in the country. Experience shows 
that before farmers give up any rights to the owners 
of these roads they should know just what they are 
doing, and obtain a fair equivalent. At one place 
in New York State a company wants right of way for 
an electric railroad. Some of the farmers say that 
the road should run at the side of the highway, with 
rails heavy and broad enough to serve as wagon 
tracks wnile the regular wagon road is muddy. 
“You want the earth!” say the electric men at this 
proposition, but it is a good deal fairer than most 
of the deals made by these companies when they have 
their own way! 
* 
A Chamber of Agriculture in England has 
“resolved” against the use of all preservatives and 
coloring matter in homemade or foreign dairy 
products. This means about the same thing as a 
similar resolution would if passed by an American 
State Board of Agriculture. We must remember, too, 
that most of tne dairy cows in England are of breeds 
not remarkable for putting a high color into their 
butter fat in Winter. Little, if any, corn silage is fed 
in England. The natural Winter butter is light-col¬ 
ored, yet these dairymen are ready to sell their butter 
in its “natural condition” because they think this 
would compel foreigners to do the same. Such a law 
would be better than a high tariff for the dairy breeds 
of cattle. A butter cow fed on silage would turn out 
a “natural” Dutter that would sell for 25 per cent 
more than equally “natural” butter from a beef cow 
fed on hay. 
* 
The pension applications filed as a result of the 
Spanish war include nearly 15,000 widows, or about 
60 per cent, of the total number of applicants! Of 
course these applications are still to be passed upon. 
Of the Civil War pensioners less than 25 per cent, are 
widows. There are 8,175 widows pensioned on ac¬ 
count of the Mexican War, and only 9,204 surviving 
soldiers of that conflict. There are 1,656 surviving 
soldiers of tne Indian wars from 1832 to 1842, and 
3,900 widows. There is but one surviving soldier of 
the War of 1812, but there are 1,998 widows of that 
conflict on the pension rolls. Even the R'volutionary 
War has four widows drawing pensions. Later leg¬ 
islation has made some alterations in the status of 
these war widows. Judging from the applications 
filed as a result of the recent war, that $145,000,000 
appropriation will need liberal additions within a few 
years. 
* 
Army dentists are asked for by Gen. Otis, for the 
climate of the Philippines, together with the army 
ration, is causing great damage to the soldiers’ teeth. 
It is asserted that 50 per cent of the men are losing 
their teeth, and need immediate attention. The 
trouble is increased by tropical fevers, which often 
cause the teeth to drop out. The authorities realize 
that a soldier with defective teeth is not a healthy 
man, and official dentists are likely to be provided. 
The old soldiers used to say that a marching man is 
no stronger than his feet; in other words, that when 
the feet are neg 1 cted the whole man is in danger of 
collapse. Modern knowledge shows that tne teeth are 
equally important, and what is true of soldiers is 
equally true oi civilians. We must needs begin in 
childhood, by feeding our children on wholesome food, 
rich in bone-forming and muscle-making material, 
and we must insist on thorough mastication. We are 
inclined to eat too much soft food, also; no wonder 
the teeth are willing to go out of business, when we 
give them so little to do. The teeth are the guardians 
of sound digestion, and carelessness with them is 
bound to react on the whole system. 
* 
The water supply of Brooklyn comes largely from 
wells. These wells are sunk outside the city, and the 
water is pumped into reservoirs. There are so many 
of these wells that in some places the soil has been 
3ucked dry. A farmer, on land near one of these 
wells, brought suit against the city to recover dam¬ 
ages, because his soil had become so dry that crops 
would not grow. The pump had made his land a 
desert. The lower courts have decided in favor of 
the farmer. In his decision. Judge Hatch says: 
If the act is to be supported as the exercise of a legal 
right, then we must be prepared to say that the defend¬ 
ant may turn the area which it thus drains into a desert, 
and destroy at least for agricultural purposes, a large 
tract of land, without even the pretence of improving its 
own. That such result would not be in consonance with 
justice must be the answer of every rational mind. 
That seems to us good law and good sense. Water 
is more necessary than manure or fertilizer to a grow¬ 
ing crop. Mulching or cultivation cannot hold water 
against a powerful steam pump. The city might just 
as well steal a farmer’s crop directly as to steal the 
water in his soil, and we are glad that the law will 
prevent it. 
• 
BREVITIES. 
THE SONG OF THE PIG. 
The horse secures the warmest stall—he gets a bed of 
straw, 
And every dainty bit of grain goes straight into his maw; 
It s oats and hay for Dobbin, and a hot bran mash for 
Grey, 
Put let the piggy live on swill, and what they throw away. 
The cow is called the butter queen; she’s carded every day, 
ihe pig must go and card himself, or else uncarded stay. 
I lie silo s fragrant mess is heaped up to the manger’s rim. 
The moldy part is piggy’s share—that’s good enough for 
him! 
Work horse, driving horse, cow and sheep and hen; 
Eggs and butter, wool and work, every one with a pull. 
Cream yours, culls are mine, brag away, but then, 
1 m the chap that pays the rent, and keeps the barrel 
full. 
The farmer always takes his friends to see the shining 
colt; 
I hey linger at the latest tool and tighten every bolt. 
They always grease the buggy wheel to lighten Dobbin’s 
task, 
But mighty seldom do I get the simple things I ask. 
I furnish meat to feed the farm, and yet, ungrateful men 
To eat a piece of custard pie will go and court the hen. 
Deal gently with the good old cow—her feelings might 
be hurt. 
But jump on piggy’s feelings, for they're only made of 
dirt. 
Work horse, driving horse, cow and sheep and hen. 
You have got the softest job I ever, ever knew; 
Cream yours, culls are mine, brag away, but then, 
I will keep the barrel full and help the farmer through. 
What is your test for character? 
The brave man deals in I can ned goods. 
Some business that sweetens life—forcing rhubarb. 
Flood, frost and freight are three tough f’s in Florida. 
“A good tree bringeth forth good fruit”— when you take 
good care of it. 
That s right! There are men in this world who take 
no interest in principle. 
The pot-bellied cow has the capacity for food. Keep 
the pot boiling in the calf. 
A healthy woodchuck would wake from his Winter’s 
sleep to read the articles on page 66. 
Boston negroes object to the Boers in Africa because 
they have enslaved the African blacks. 
Old Grimes may be dead, but the flavor of a Grimes 
Golden apple would about bring him to life. 
The color standard for bread is its whiteness. Why 9 
Certainly not for its taste or healthfulness. 
“You are certainly a pole light bird,” said Miss Pullet 
as Mr. Rooster flew up to the roost beside her. 
Does the hired man love work? Read the answer in his 
actions 10 minutes before the dinner horn blows. 
As you work on keep this remark clear in your vision 
sticking, it’s only half to be alive, the other half is kick¬ 
ing. 
The country lounger may become a worse nuisance than 
the city hoodlum, for the latter has a policeman to look 
after him. 
A bill before the New York Legislature would with¬ 
hold State money from any county fair which permits 
gambling in any form. A good idea. With some men 
a string tied to a dollar is worth 10 yards of moral suasion! 
Readers are sending us circulars of a so-called air- 
pressure or compressed-air sprayer. Such a thing ought 
to be possible, and a large pump of this character is used 
in California. The little ones, however, look too much 
like toys. 
