388 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER: 
June 2 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Herbert W. Coi.linowood, Editor. 
Dr. Walter Van Fleet, 1 
H. E. Van Deman, ^Associates. 
Mrs. E. T. Royle, | 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, 12.04, equal to 
8s. 6d., or %% marks, or 10*4 francs. 
ADVERTISING RATES. 
Thirty cents per agate line (14 lines to the inch). Yearly orders 
of 10 or more lines, and 1,000-line orders, 28 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, 
personal check or bank draft. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
400 Pearl Street, New York. 
SATURDAY JUNE 2, 1900. 
According to the estimates of naturalists, each 
baby robin requires for its proper maintenance about 
14 inches of tender angleworms every day. Assuming 
the usual number of nestlings as four, Mr. and Mrs. 
Robin must provide 56 inches of angleworms daily 
for their progeny, in addition to their own bill of fare. 
It will be seen that both father and mother must be 
good providers, and they are certainly examples of 
tireless industry. Anyone who is fond of arithmetical 
problems may calculate how many miles of angle- 
worms are yearly consumed by the robin crop of the 
United States. 
* 
During the past week the oleo fight in Congress 
took a new turn. Mr. Wadsworth, of New York, in¬ 
troduced a new measure which was designed to cut 
off the Grout bill. This drops the 10-cent tax feature, 
and makes certain regulations for packing and mark¬ 
ing the oleo. The Agricultural Committee wrangled 
over this bill, the majority demanding the original 
Grout bill. The House is evidently ready to pa'ss that 
measure, but the oleo men hope to control the com¬ 
mittees. It is a shame that two New York Congress¬ 
men, Payne and Wadsworth, are at the head of these 
committees and working for oleo. 
• 
Our California friend, on page 382, shows how it is 
too easy to dispose of the San Jos§ scale in that 
glorious climate. The little ladybug does the busi¬ 
ness without calling for any appropriation or issuing 
any bulletins. Let no eastern fruit grower be de¬ 
ceived by this statement. The ladybug will not live 
through our Winters. She has been tried and found 
lacking in furs. It will also be a mistake to assume 
that the San Josd scale is harmless, and may, there¬ 
fore, be left alone. It i's a dangerous pest, and, like 
all such things, is easiest killed as a baby. That is 
why the fumigation of nursery stock should be de¬ 
manded. 
* 
A correspondent on page 389 refers to the uncer¬ 
tainty of land titles in Cuba. The same trouble ap¬ 
pears to exist, even in greater degree, in the Philip¬ 
pines. It is said that more than half the occupied area 
of the Archipelago is in dispute, including great tracts 
of improved agricultural land and improved property 
in the heart of Manila. The newly-appointed Philip¬ 
pine Commission will have to take up this problem at 
once. It would certainly appear unwise for inex¬ 
perienced purchasers to buy property in any of our 
new dependencies, until there is assurance of un¬ 
clouded titles. Indeed, some of our citizens hold that 
Uncle Sam himself would find it difficult to read his 
own title clear to that newly-acquired real estate of 
his. 
• 
Chicago has proved her character as an enterpris¬ 
ing city in many ways, but her government has been 
furiously assailed as incompetent, extravagant and 
dishonest. But this city, so commonly represented 
by the opposition to the government as utterly bad, 
has set an example worthy of imitation everywhere, 
and wholly in favor of the helpless citizens. After the 
first day of July next every article of food is to be 
labeled and sold for what it actually is. The right of 
the citizen to make, offer and sell, or to buy, just 
what he may wish, is fully recognized, but he is to 
be protected against fraud in every way. Oleomar¬ 
garine is to be labeled precisely for what it is in its 
proportionate ingredients; milk that has been doc¬ 
tored is to carry its character conspicuously; medi¬ 
cines are to show exactly of what they are composed, 
and canned cream is to have its proportion of fat 
shown. In fact, the purchaser and consumer are fully 
protected against fraud, and they must be conspic¬ 
uously informed of the character of what they pay 
their money for. At last right and justice in this re¬ 
spect are to be insured to the consumer in Chicago. 
* 
Dr. Murphy, President of the New York City Board 
of Health, is reported in the New York Herald as say¬ 
ing that he will take legal measures to prevent the 
withholding the regular supply of milk from New 
York City. The writer is interested in the production 
of milk. We have bills yet due for milk delivered to 
New York dealers four years ago. We are now pat¬ 
ronizing a farmers’ cooperative creamery. By what 
process of law is President Murphy to compel us to 
repeat the experience of four years ago? We invite 
him to begin his legal processes without delay. We 
beg to remind him, however, that he could find a 
more promising field if he would turn his legal search¬ 
light on the Consolidated Milk Exchange and the"'' 
methods of its members. 
• 
“Well, the calves have won!” 
That is the remark said to have been made by Con¬ 
gressman S. E. Payne, of New York State, when the 
House of Representatives ordered him to do his duty. 
Mr. Payne is chairman of the Ways and Means Com¬ 
mittee. He did the uest he could to stifle a fair ques¬ 
tion proposed to the Secretary of the Treasury about 
the composition of oleo. Mr. Payne and his friends 
had not measured the strength of the sentiment for 
honest butter among Congressmen. The oleo men 
thought they had won, because they controlled the 
leaders, but the rank and file refused to be led. They 
turned on these “leaders” and led them right up to 
their duty, and haltered them to it so that they 
couldn’t get away! 
“The calves have won!” 
Correct! Mr. Payne is evidently not built on dairy 
lines, either mentally or physically. He didn’t want 
the calves to win, it appears; he would rather have 
his friend, the painted hog, come in first. What a 
man to represent a dairy disti’ict! 
• 
\ A learned and responsible justice of the Supreme 
Court of New York in a recent address on the sub¬ 
ject of trusts and monopolies, declared that discrim¬ 
ination in railroad transportation rates was the root 
and foundation of all the advantages and oppressions 
of the various trusts. While not committing himself 
as to the advantages of Government ownership of 
railroads, which in the eyes or the law are nothing 
but public highways, he said that it would be well if 
the Government appointed every freight agent, as 
then all would know the real rates for transporting 
products, and added that the ueath penalty would 
not be too great for any agent convicted of making 
discriminations in rates. This is a strong position, 
but anyone who has occasion to use the railroads in 
any capacity as an individual knows that the grossest 
injustices are constantly practiced. The farmer, of all 
producing occupations, must bear the brunt of these 
discriminations, paying exorbitant charges on every¬ 
thing he buys and sells, and getting the poorest ac¬ 
commodations that can be grudgingly doled out. The 
trusts grow fat on the special rates granted by the 
railroads, and are now in turn capturing the manage¬ 
ment of the roads themselves. The time may be near 
when some radical measure like the one proposed by 
the experienced and far-seeing judge may be impera¬ 
tively needed. 
* 
The farmers who produce the milk which comes to 
New York City have seen little of the great prosperity 
which they read about in the papers. They receive 
1% cent per quart for their milk, while the city con¬ 
sumer pays more than three times as much for it. 
The farmer owns the farm and the stock, takes all 
the business risk, and yet receives scarcely 30 per 
cent of the retail price of his product. Unlike the 
grain or hay grower, he cannot hold his product if 
the price is not satisfactory, for it fs short-lived. No 
wonder that the result of this is a general depression 
among milk farmers, and a fearful shrinkage in farm 
values. How can it be otherwise when 70 per cent 
of what the consumer pays must go to those who 
merely handle the milk? Right in this fact lies the 
germ of the present efforts to obtain a fairer share at 
the farm end. The farmers do not desire to increase 
the price to consumers, but they do feel that they 
should receive more than the bare 30 per cent of the 
price which is now doled out to them. A little reflec¬ 
tion on the part of city people ought to-show them 
the justice of the farmers’ position. This outcry 
about a “milk trust” or a “strike” among farmers is 
both silly and cruel. The poor and the weak, who 
know what it is to be under the thumb of hard mas¬ 
ters, should not be deceived by the foolish talk in the 
daily papers. The farmers who make a demand for a 
fairer share of the price paid for what they produce 
are, like them, held down by hard masters who have 
taken advantage of their necessities. The city has no 
just quarrel with the farmers, but rather with those 
nearer at hand—the dealers who dictate prices. 
• 
Not long since certain good people were arguing 
that the fruit business is sure to be overdone, because 
so many growers are planting trees. These good folks 
seem to think that every young tree that is put into 
the ground is sure to grow into a veteran. There 
is a hard and rocky road before each tree. Blights, 
bugs and brainless owners conspire against them, and 
each year seems to introduce some new scourge. Mr. 
S. D. Willard writes us as follows concerning another 
tree killer: 
We are just now fighting the Forest tent-caterpillar, 
which has appeared in such quantities as to cause much 
apprehension in regard to the results in our orchards. 
They were bad last year, but nothing equal to the pres¬ 
ent. We have, during the Winter trimming, destroyed 
probably 2,000 of their egg clusters, but for several days 
past we have been destroying them as found upon the 
bodies and limbs of our trees; from 100 to 200 nests per 
day. Of course, by this I do not mean the tents in 
which are found the Apple tent-caterpillar, as their 
habits are entirely different. I understand that they 
are very abundant all through the country, and the in¬ 
stances are rare w’here any attention is being given 
them. We find them more abundant upon the stone 
fruits than on the apple or pear, and I do not know 
how to account for this. It is really the worst fight we 
have ever had with anything in the shape of insect life. 
I am satisfied that the majority of orchard men have 
given this but little attention, and really are not advised 
as to the difference between this and the ordinary tent- 
caterpillar. It certainly is an awful scourge. 
Now, then, where is the man who said that all these 
tree killers are sent as a sort of special providence to 
aid the man who is willing to fight them? He Is hav¬ 
ing his innings just now. 
BREVITIES. 
Well, boys, I guess we’ll plant that corn to-day 
Off yonder by the woods; yes, crows are thick 
In that back lot—ain’t gut no time to play 
With scarecrows—I know how to make 'em sick. 
Now, Johnnie, bring that tar an’ sorter stir 
A pint right in that pail of seed; you, Fred, 
Go in where Mother is an’ just ask her 
To let ye have them ashes in the shed. 
Now sift the ashes in an’ dry It out, 
That’s right! Now, boys, come on—it’s gettin’ late. 
See that old crow? Caw! Caw! Hark at his shout! 
He thinks he’s gut us now—but you jest wait. 
Them crows are knowin’ birds—they’re watchin’ us, 
Let’s set down here at this end of the row 
An’ watch ’em—there they go without no fuss; 
See that one scratch? He’s found the corn! Ho! Ho! 
Don’t like that tar? Jest see him spit it out! 
Try one more—Eh! I’ll bet that burned his tongue. 
Caw! Caw! That’s right! Your hopes are up the spout. 
Fly home and tell your folks with every lung 
That we ain’t buildin’ scarecrows in our corn 
Fer crows to laugh at—tell ’em all to come 
An’ try their teeth on tar—from early dawn. 
Come, boys, let’s plant this field an’ then go home. 
Get ready for the census man. 
Read the article on Mosquitoes and Malaria, page 395. 
Is our best apple region a place where corn won’t grow? 
Remember that house flies breed chiefly in horse ma¬ 
nure. 
Why give the women folks scrub tools for their scrub¬ 
bing work? 
It is almost impossible to buy seed of the Japan Barn¬ 
yard millet this year. 
It costs nearly as much to shoe a team of city horses 
as it does to feed a farm team. 
A new anti-canteen law Is before Congress. This one 
ought to hold water and keep out wine. 
The electric machines used in tabulating the census re¬ 
turns will, it Is said, displace 10,000 clerks. 
A cent of direct oleo tax is worth a dollar spent in 
trying to inspect and prevent fraudulent sales. 
It seems that wire fence telephones are most useful 
in dry countries and nearly useless in wet weather. 
This country actually imported 6,563 bushels of corn 
last year. Three-quarters of It came from Mexico. 
Now, then, doctor, if you know of any worse drugs for 
children than those found in an ordinary cigarette- 
name them! 
“Yes,” said the henpecked husband, as he assumed re¬ 
sponsibility in the absence of his wife, "I am a proxy 
mate principal.” 
There are two sorts of “clean men.” One always 
carries around the scent of soap. The other is naturally 
clean, and does not stick to filth. 
When you get older, my son, you won’t bet on a theory 
till you have tried it. For Nature is coy and she likes 
to upset your scheme when you think you’ve applied it. 
Mr. Buckman says on the first page, that he knows he 
doesn’t know so much about apples as he did 15 years 
ago. That frank confession speaks of much accumulated 
wisdom. 
Last year this country is said to have exported more 
meat products, leaving out lamb and mutton, than all 
the rest of the world combined. The amount was nearly 
$200,000,000, and the foundation of all this trade was the 
corn crop. 
