420 
June 14 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
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. Walter Van Fleet, I . , at _ 8 
Mrs. E. T. Boyle, Associates. 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, 
equal to Us. 6d., or U1& marks, or 10!£ francs. 
“ A SQUARE 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 trilling 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 us within one month of the time of the trans¬ 
action, and you must have mentioned The 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, expresf 
order, personal check or bank draft. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
409 Pearl Street, New York. 
SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 1902. 
“Mapes the hen man” can shut his eyes and see 
rich visions of the possibilities of 100 acres of land on 
which roam 10,000 hens! We are glad that he prints 
along with this vision, a few of the clouds that 
darken the view. Mapes has had his eyes sharpened 
by many years of hen study. That is why he might 
find the $10,000 where most of us might find a loss! 
* 
The New York Consolidated Milk Exchange at its 
last meeting voted to make a 10-cent cut in the price 
of milk, beginning with June. This brings the price 
down to $1.21 per 40-quart can in Jersey City for 
shippers within the 26-cent freight zone. From this 
must be deducted ferriage to New York, and station 
expenses at points where such charges are made. 
‘‘We told you so!” say the oleo men! What did you 
tell us? That milk and butter would go out of reach 
of the poor! 
• 
We have received letters from most of the State 
Grange lecturers giving opinions about the proposed 
canal across the Isthmus. The great majority favor 
it. Some are indifferent—a very few oppose it. We 
print typical letters from various parts of the coun¬ 
try, not having space for all. So far as we can learn 
the preference among these farmers is for the Nicara¬ 
gua route. Many of them believe that the suggestion 
for buying the remains of the Panama enterprise is 
only a scheme for delaying the whole thing. 
* 
Very likely you have seen a man start out with a 
new idea. He has spent years of silent study over it, 
and knows that the principle is sound. The wise men, 
so-called, have spent years in gathering wisdom of 
the cut and dried variety that is in line with popular 
thought. The man with his new idea shocks them, 
because it is entirely opposed to their own study and 
experience. The way they proceed to “jump” on the 
heretic will make every nail in their boots ache! Un¬ 
less the man has sharp sand mixed in his clay he will 
quail before such an attack, and put his new idea 
away for safe keeping. It is a good thing for hu¬ 
manity when such a man is prepared to hang on until 
his very earnestness makes his idea popular. 
* 
The interesting announcement is made by the well- 
known inventor Edison that he has practically per¬ 
fected a new electrical storage battery of much great¬ 
er range and power than those now in use, and but a 
fraction of the weight. He declares light automobile 
delivery wagons will soon be offered the public as 
low as $150 each, and that self-propelled pleasure 
carriages will soon be in reach of everyone who can 
afford a horse at present prices. Few things are more 
important than the possibility of making cheap and 
practical storage for electrical energy, and it would 
seem that city dwellers who must endure the horrible 
din of straining iron-shod horses on the slippery 
stone pavements would most welcome the idea. Elec¬ 
trical delivery wagons, even of the present heavy and 
ineffective makes, are rapidly growing in favor, and 
it is likely that the demonstration of a cheap and 
superior motor will quickly increase their number. 
The effect on farm life of even the most sensational 
improvement in automobiles will doubtless be slow 
and very gradual. The horse is so useful about coun¬ 
try homes; he is adapted for so great a variety of 
work, and affection for him is so ingrained among 
farmers that his replacement must be very gradual, 
but a really cheap and practical automobile would 
quickly displace great numbers of driving, delivery 
and dray horses, especially in the larger towns, where 
electrical energy is readily to be had. 
* 
Every now and then we read of students at an agri¬ 
cultural college who want the name of the institution 
changed. That word “agricultural” hurts their feel¬ 
ings. They would probably feel insulted if one were 
to call them farmers—though probably the greater 
insult would be given the profession of farming. But 
what is the matter with such young people anyway? 
Who is to blame for the fact that they are ashamed 
of the noblest and oldest business on the face of the 
earth ? Can it be that those who teach them have lost 
the true spirit of agricultural education or is it the 
fault of fond but misguided parents? Whoever is at 
fault the fact remains that such students do the cause 
of the American farmer more harm than good! 
• 
The man who thinks that farming is the hardest 
sort of work, and longs for a job of manual labor in 
the city, would be surprised at the work done by 
porters in the shipping departments of large whole¬ 
sale houses. These men do more hard, straining 
work in a day than most farmers have to do in a 
month. A few hours of wrestling with cases weigh¬ 
ing 400 to 600 pounds, in the fiery breath of close 
rooms or pavements in July, would convince him 
that there are worse jobs than farming. From $9 to 
$16 per week covers the pay of most men who are 
doing unskilled manual labor in this city. This may 
seem large to farm hands who do not realize that 
board and other expenses often make it melt away 
to a sum below farm wages. 
• 
Owing to a defect in the New York law the man 
who sells another a drug for “preserving” milk or 
butter cannot be convicted of crime. The man who 
buys the drug and puts it into his milk, can, if dis¬ 
covered, be convicted, fined or imprisoned. Is it fair 
to fasten the crime upon the farmer in this way? 
Why not? We cannot imagine a milk-shipping farm¬ 
er in New York who does not know that the law pro¬ 
hibits the use of such drugs. He must understand 
that the stuff he uses is poison, for this has been pro¬ 
claimed from one end of the State to the other. If 
then he persists in doing what he knows is against 
the law and harmful to those who drink the milk, 
how can he complain when he is caught at it? We 
hope that the next Legislature will fasten the crime 
to the seller also, but the milk poisoner deserves all 
the law can give him! 
• 
Every day brings reports of accidents resulting 
from the use of automobiles on the public highway. 
There are some careless drivers who go dashing reck¬ 
lessly through the country, scattering destruction be¬ 
hind them. These frightful snorting things are 
enough to frighten any horse—even the faithful old 
family roadster will kick out with his heels and run 
in terror! What can farmers do about it? The law 
holds that the auto has a right to the highway, and 
that it is the business of the driver to get his horse 
used to it. That may be true, but the use of the auto 
should be restricted. Its speed should be regulated, 
and it should be considered a crime for any incom¬ 
petent person to go out alone with one. While a pub¬ 
lic highway is supposed to be for the use of all, those 
whose homes border it and who use it for business 
should have first rights. Make the auto driver be¬ 
have himself. 
The last census report shows that on June 1, 1900, 
there were, in New York, 226,720 farms valued at 
$888,134,180. With farm implements and live stock 
added the total valuation reaches $1,069,723,895! The 
total value of farm products for 1899 was $245,270,600. 
which was $83,677,591 greater than that of 10 years 
before. Mere figures show little until they are com¬ 
pared with values of known products. Judged in this 
way the farms of New York make a showing that 
should make every farmer proud of his calling! 
Value of New York farms.$1,069,723,895 
Total pensions for 1901. 138,531,483 
Total school expenditures. 213,274,354 
Total all commercial failures. 113,092 376 
Freight earnings of all railroads. l,052,835!sil 
Total cotton crop. 334,847 868 
Total corn crop. 751,220,034 
Total of all minerals. 1,067,605,587 
Total public debt. 1,044,739,119 
A full column of such figures might be given, but 
these are enough to show the vast importance of the 
agriculture of this one State. The land, buildings, 
implements and live stock of New York farms, if sold 
at their true valuation, would pay all pensions, all 
school expenses, settle the year’s commercial failures 
and have enough left to buy a year’s crop of cotton, 
all the potatoes and all the rye! These farms, if 
sold, would wipe out the entire public debt, pay for 
one year’s supply of all minerals dug out of American 
soil, or pay all freight earnings on American rail¬ 
roads! The figures are startling, and it must be re¬ 
membered that these farms not only support those 
who own and work them, but thousands of others 
who merely pass from hand to hand what the farms 
produce! Let us suppose for a moment that these 
farm values were as quickly available as the fixtures 
or stock in some other enterprises! 
• 
There will be quite general satisfaction throughout 
the world at the ending of the South African War. 
In this country a vast majority of the people sympa¬ 
thized with the Boers in their struggle for liberty, 
yet their final defeat was regarded as inevitable. In 
the final settlement they seem to have gained some 
advantages, and probably their future will be surer 
and better because of the war. While they have been 
obliged to submit to overwhelming forces they have 
shown the world what a few determined men can do 
in defence of a cause which they consider just. The 
Boers have shown men how to fight for their rights, 
and their defeat will mean victory on many another 
field. When a few farmers are able to hold back a 
great nation for nearly three years there is hope for 
farmers elsewhere who must fight for their rights— 
not with powder and shot, but with argument and 
ballot. 
• 
Every year there are many questions about cur¬ 
ing hay. Early-cut grass contains more moisture 
than that which stands until dead ripe, and is harder 
to cure. Hay is grass with the water taken out of 
it. This water is removed by the wind—a hot breeze 
while the sun is shining giving ideal haymaking con¬ 
ditions. The easiest way for the water to be taken from 
the plant is through the leaves. When these leaves 
are dried and killed first of all there will be consid¬ 
erable water left in the stem, and this will move out 
very slowly. When the leaves are left fresh, they 
suck or pump the water rapidly from the stem, and 
thus dry it quickly. Cut down two trees in full leaf. 
From one take every green leaf at once and let the 
leaves on the other slowly wilt and die. You will find 
the first tree wet and soggy, while the other is dry- 
having been sucked or pumped by the leaves. These 
things explain why the best hay is made in the shade. 
The leaves are not withered, but keep on pumping 
water from the stems and “sweating” it out. Clover 
especially is best cured in the cock. Its thin, broad 
leaves are quickly wilted in the hot sun, while in the 
pile they keep at work. We must remember that 
some samples of early-cut clover contain over 1,600 
pounds of water in every ton, and that 1,500 pounds 
of the water must be taken out in a short time! One 
reason why the tedder makes such a useful hay tool 
is that it breaks the stem and gives the water a 
chance to escape. 
• 
BREVITIES. 
Bluff is poor stuff. 
What a road nuisance an automobile may become! 
Clean milk, Pasteurized and kept cold, needs no poison! 
"Yes, I am egg bound,” said the hen as she started for 
the nest. 
Who agrees with the Hope Farm man about selling 
weedy seeds and stock? 
Keep the children busy—not too much work, but enough 
to make play seem really play. 
A hard taint in a man’s pedigree comes from ances¬ 
tors who said “’taint so’’ without reason or request. 
The Treasury Department considers that 15 per cent 
of water is all that should be found in good butter. 
Why do we describe potato planting at this late date? 
Because the late crop in northern localities has not yet 
been planted! 
Mr. Cook s articles on cement for building purposes 
will surely interest farmers. The use of this material is 
spreading with wonderful rapidity. 
Arrangements have been made to move the agricul¬ 
tural and horticultural school at Briarcliff Manor to ex¬ 
cellent quarters near Poughkeepsie. 
The short hay crop may tempt some farmers, who 
know better, to let the grass stand until it is hard as 
straw before cutting. Don't do it. You will gain little 
if any in bulk, and lose much in actual nutriment. Cut 
early. 
It is settled that the oleo makers may manufacture 
all the colored oleo they care to before July 1, when the 
new law begins. All such oleo-*must be sold or removed 
for consumption before that date, or be taxed 10 cents 
per pound. 
The hot and sticky farm days have come at last. They 
seem worse just now because the Spring has been cold, 
so that when the mercury jumps suddenly up it touches 
us like a hot iron. Thus far the season has been disap¬ 
pointing. The dry weather held the grass back, and the 
late frosts nipped the fruit buds. Now that Summer has 
really come we must all let out every link in order to 
catch up. 
