114 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
February 17 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Herbert W. Collingwood, Editor. 
Dr. Wai.ter Van Fleet, j 
H. E. Van Deman, > Associates. 
Mrs. E. T. Hoyle, ) 
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*4 marks, or 10 y t francs. 
ADVERTISING RATES. 
Thirty cents per agate line (14 lines to the inch). Yearly orders 
of 10 or more lines, aud 1,000-line orders, 25 cents per line. 
Reading Notices, ending with “ Adv .,” 75 cents per 
count line. Absolutely One Price Only. 
Advertisements inserted only for responsible and honorable houses 
We must have copy one week before the date of issue. 
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, 
persoual check or bank draft. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
409 Pearl Street, New York. 
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1900. 
Is there any man who has a right to say that 
farming as a business is a failure—that there is really 
nothing in it? Yes, we think so, but who is he? 
Why, he should be a man who has exhausted all the 
help that science can give him, and who has learned 
all that he can learn from the practical experience of 
others. Of course, he should also be a man who has 
studied out the possibilities and limitations of life 
for real pleasure and profit. If you can find a man 
who knows all that science and experience puts within 
his reach, and who has honestly measured the true 
aims of life, and will say that farming is a failure, he 
will be worth listening to. But where will you go to 
find such a man? 
* 
Gov. Rollins, of New Hampshire, startled the 
country last year by publicly asserting that country 
churches in that State are starving, and that religious 
sentiment is rapidly dying out. Members of the 
Grange in New Hampshire take issue with the Gov¬ 
ernor, and they certainly ought to know what they 
are talking about. This is what one of them says: 
In regard to statement made by Gov. Rollins about 
country worship falling off, he is in error. There is 
occasionally an old church shut up or turned into a 
Grange hall, but this is where the population has de¬ 
creased, or where the people have become intelligent 
enough to put away sectarianism, and to unite two small 
half-starved churches into one strong and vigorous one. 
It will certainly be a sad day for New England 
when the church is starved out. 
* 
The National Provisioner rightly says that America 
is the greatest food-producing nation in the world. 
It is also right in saying that England is by far our 
best customer for these food products It then says: 
There is another element in this country. It is the ele¬ 
ment which forgets all else at the sound of "liberty” or 
“republic.” These words have an inherent sweetness to 
the American ear. They lead the American heart to 
sympathy with the self-sacrificing and brave Boer. Added 
to this following are the large numbers of Germans, Irish 
and other Europeans who are pronouncedly anti-English. 
So it may be said that America is officially for the British 
and at heart for the Boer. Our Government should bal¬ 
ance between these two well, so as not to hazard our 
foreign trade, which is the chief matter. 
Oh, dear! Just think of it! We might lose the 
sale of a hog or a steer if we said what 90 per cent 
of the people in this country believe about the South 
African war! Do Englishmen buy food of Americans 
because they love us, or because they can’t get the 
same quality for the same prices elsewhere? 
* 
The R. N.-Y offers the proceeds from 1,000 new 
subscriptions as a contribution to the fund needed to 
press those anti-oleo bills through Congress. The re¬ 
sponse thus far has been slow, but the indications are 
that a fair sum will be realized. Most efforts to raise 
money for such purposes are discouraging, doubly so 
because the oleo men are well supplied with money. 
They do not need to “pass around the hat,” for they 
are really in a combination or trust. We realize that 
dairymen nave raised large sums of money of late. 
They have been asked to put up a dollar for this and 
a dollar for that, and their hard-earned dollars have 
brought nothing but disappointment. That was one 
reason why we made our contribution in the shape 
we did. Every man who puts up a dollar will receive 
fair equivalent in the form of a subscription to The 
R. N.-Y. We will also see that every cent is properly 
spent. Now, we cannot say more than we have in 
the past aDout the importance of these bills. The 
time to push them is now—not next week, or next 
year, but now. You dairymen cannot sit down and 
expect others to do this work for you. “Who would 
be free himself must strike the blow!” The R. N.-Y. 
has done its share, and as we said last week, “Mr. 
Dairyman—it’s up to you!” 
* 
It is a singular man who will not serve his country 
at the table. Some men who fail on the platform or 
in the pulpit, or on the farm, have great table possi¬ 
bilities. All such men should join the American Ap¬ 
ple Consumers’ League, and go about calling “Apple! 
Apple!” whenever they eat a meal at any public place. 
Whether they pay for their own meal, or have it 
charged to some one else—it’s all the same. We want 
to make those who sell food realize that it is the 
fashion to eat American apples. There are said to be 
8,000,000 brown people in the Philippines. It may be 
a glorious thing to educate them so that they will 
wear American shirts and American watches, but that 
business can wait, while we have 20,000,000 white 
people at home who don’t know what a good apple is! 
* 
During the last few years a new business has been 
established in America—the business of pugilism. In 
1899 there were 3,220 prizefights held openly—without 
restraint. In former years, when men wished to fight 
in the ring they were obliged to crawl off into some 
place where the law was unknown. Now, in some of 
our most “civilized” States the law welcomes and 
protects them. These fights provide business for 
thousands o l men who fight, or train others, who 
manage the battles, or who gamble on the contests. 
Beyond supporting a lot of human brutes, this busi¬ 
ness is of absolutely no value to agriculture or any 
other culture, except that of the worst forces in hu¬ 
man nature. It is a shame that New York should be 
behind Texas in legalizing this fighting business. 
What is known as the Horton law permits this fight¬ 
ing in New nork. r lhis law should be repealed at 
once. 
• 
It is reported that the seed crop was short last 
year. Seedsmen are not carrying as large a stock as 
usual. That is all the more reason why orders should 
be sent early. Some choice varieties may be all sold 
out before you order if you are late about it. The 
seed shortage may induce some weak-souled dealers 
to mix in a lot ol worthless old stun that has seen its 
best day—if it ever had any. it pays to buy of dealers 
who have a reputation to keep up, and who have been 
doing an honest business for years. Another thing 
about seed buying is that it pays to have the vitality 
of all seeds tested. It is just as important to know 
what per cent of your seeds will sprout as it is to know 
what per cent of your fertilizer is actual plant food. 
The United states Department of Agriculture will test 
samples of your seeds, and do it for nothing. You 
must remember, though, that you cannot expect a 
large proportion of any seed to germinate if you do 
not take care of it. 
* 
The committee which was appointed to find a way 
out of the New York State Fair tangle has agreed on 
a plan of action. The Commissioner of Agriculture is 
to have charge of the Fair—appointing a general 
manager and other officers. The Governor is to ap¬ 
point nine men to act as an advisory council. The 
State is to be asked to give $100,000 to pay debts and 
make improvements. All these things are to be in¬ 
corporated in a bill to be introduced in the Legisla¬ 
ture, and the State is also expected to “come down” 
with its annual appropriation of $22,000 for premiums. 
But what is to be done with the old Society? Under 
its present management, the Society has failed in 
the show business, but are there not other lines of 
work in which it can serve the State? We think so, 
and so do the hundreds of life members who have 
written us during the past 10 days. The committee 
seems to have considered the Fair question alone. 
Perhaps it was wise to do so, and leave the other 
matter to the next meeting of the Society. 
* 
Some of the members of the Grange in New Hamp¬ 
shire are after certain officials of the State organiza¬ 
tion with a stick whittled down to a needle’s point. 
One of the cardinal principles of the Grange is a de¬ 
mand for equal rights and privileges for all. As is 
the case in New Jersey, the New Hampshire railroads 
think they own the State. When they give a man 
a free pass they calculate that they have given just 
about what his tongue and soul are worth. In some 
cases that estimate is about right. Among others, 
they seem to have bought certain officers of the State 
Grange at this price. It is pretty business for a 
Granger to talk about equal rights and other prin¬ 
ciples of the order, and then turn around and accept 
a free pass while the others must pay! At the State 
meeting a resolution was offered putting the Grange 
on record as against free passes, but the free passers 
sat down on it. These men would, if they had their 
way, kill off all Grange work except the mere social 
features. Under their leadership the Grange can 
never become a strong moral force in public matters. 
Who can respect men who sell themselves for a free 
pass or a political job? Certainly not those who do 
the buying! We hope the loyal members of the New 
Hampshire Grange will keep up the battle. Under 
some circumstances a free pass is a badge of slavery. 
* 
One of the few compensations, for this country, of 
the deplorable w?r in South Africa, is the evident 
fact that the United States *s financially independent 
of Europe. It was thought at first that monetary de¬ 
pression in Lonaon, following the stoppage of the 
African gold mines, would be reflected disastrously 
on this side, but the fear is now seen to be ground¬ 
less. Although our financial interests have been very 
closely involved with those of England for many 
years, the unlooked-for course o* the war has not af¬ 
fected our affairs in any perceptible degree. Those 
who think our National salvation depends on aping 
Ola World methods of either business or government, 
have here an opportunity to perceive that America is 
always greatest when most original and independent. 
All hints and talk of alliance, either political or com¬ 
mercial, with any other country, are unnecessary and 
injurious. Notwithstanding the extension of wheat¬ 
growing in India and Argentina, we practically pro¬ 
duce food for the civilized world, and can afford to 
expend our surplus energies in trying to grow as good 
and just as we are great in extent and resources. 
* 
BREVITIES. 
One hundred years or more ago, Grandfather built a fence, 
A man of wondrous energy was he, and thought and sense. 
Grandfather was a thrifty man, he always picked a bone. 
With anything that stopped the plow, and most of all, 
a stone. 
And so, whenever he came across a stone, with zeal in¬ 
tense, 
With stalwart arm he’d quickly toss it straight into the 
fence. 
So day by day and year by year the stones Ite tossed and 
threw, 
And though at last the field was clear, the fence was hid 
from view. 
A stone’s a very little thing, but throw a score a day, 
And keep it up for 90 years, and on the heir you lay 
A burden that will make him groan, ’twill cost more 
than it’s worth, 
To move the stones so bravely thrown and utilize the 
earth. 
If Grandpa had but realized that mites may grow im¬ 
mense, 
By “adding to” he’d never made a target of that fence. 
A food stuff—the pig. 
Tighten up the tongue. 
A sound sleeper—the snorer. 
Promote, not demote agriculture. 
Jack Frost wears a coat of freeze. 
Last year Germany bought 53,492 tons of American bran. 
Mr. Greene, page 112, doesn’t like an alley in a hen¬ 
house. Isn’t he right? 
A small edition of the New Testament makes a good 
pocketbook—always full. 
Why should a fertilizer manufacturer refuse to tell a 
farmer what chemicals he uses? 
No, clear grit doesn’t usually get into a man’s system 
through his nose—from a grindstone. 
Early frost cut the cow-pea crop short last year. Seed 
will probably be higher to pay for it. 
Think of a farmer’s children craving fruit and vege¬ 
tables, and nothing to satisfy the craving with! 
Vermont farmers buy their fertilizer early—their easiest 
hauling is while the snow furnishes good sledding. 
The Agricultural Student says that a first-class battle¬ 
ship costs about as much as 4,000 miles of good macadam 
highway. 
You sow the cow pea and it minds its own business— 
grows alone. Oh, that more men would imitate the cow 
pea in this respect! 
The cow that has “Heaven for a shed” with no boards 
around her, may not have consumption, but will cer¬ 
tainly not fill the pail. 
No use talking, the man with a small farm, who wishes 
to raise hay for his stock, should work hard to get an 
acre of Alfalfa started. 
“Don’t rub your sore eye with your hand,” says the 
specialist, "your hand may not be surgically clean.” 
That’s good! The buttermaker’s hand should be “surgi¬ 
cally clean.” 
A reader says that he has just bought a farm in Penn¬ 
sylvania which has been in cultivation for 200 years, and 
still produces big crops of corn. What about that, you 
Western men? 
The wife who takes a husband in, for better or for 
worse, should view the largeness of her job—it’s laun¬ 
dress, cook and nurse, the while her husband takes the 
job of carrying the purse. 
When the doctor finds a disease with which he is not 
familiar, he is likely to look wise and attribute it to 
“some toxic principle.” Some speakers wonder what ails 
their audience. It may be another case of talk sick. 
Talk about trusts to a strong party man, and he will 
usually say that kerosene oil is cheaper because the 
Standard Oil Company has monopolized its output! Ask 
him why, then, the price has recently been Increased by 
30 per cent! You will probably “pause for a reply.” 
