June 10 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
436 
The Rural New-Yorker 
TEE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homei, 
Established 1850. 
Elbert S. Carman, Editor-in-Chief. 
Herbert W. Collinuwood, Managing Editor. 
Frank H. Valentine, j ._, 
Mbs. E. T. Royle, ^Associate Editors. 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries In the Universal Postal Union, 82.04, equal to 
8 s 6d., or 8 Yt 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, 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, postal order, express 
order, personal check or bank draft. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
409 Pearl Street, New York. 
SATURDAY JUNE 10, 1899. 
All communications intended for E. S. Carman 
should, until next October, be addressed to River 
Edge, Bergen County, N. J. 
The article on “ Manufacturing a Horse,” on page 
442, is well worth reading. It is a sound statement of 
breeding principles that will apply to all live stock. 
Spelling reform has always been a fruitful subject 
of discussion. Josh Billings made his reputation by 
his bad spelling. Phonetic spelling has had many 
advocates, and some admirers. The Chicago Board of 
Education has adopted for use in its business office 
the reforms suggested by the National Educational 
Association. The words in the list are altho, catalog, 
decalog, pedagog, demagog, program, prolog, tho, 
thoro, thorofare, thru, thruout. Is there any good 
reason why these are not as good as though spelled in 
the ordinary way ? It seems as though there are 
other words that might just as reasonably be added 
to the list. Judging from the way some people spell, 
this system ought to find many supporters. 
Raising Cream by Dilution —It has come to o*r 
knowledge that certain parties are attempting to col¬ 
lect a royalty from farmers who are using the “ dilu¬ 
tion process” of cream raising, claiming a patent on 
the process of dilution. Will you please inform such 
of jour readers as are desirous of using this process 
of extremely doubtful utility, that, while several 
forms of cans have been patented, no patent, so far 
as is known, has been issued covering the process of 
diluting milk with water as a means of separating the 
cream. A bulletin will shortly be issued from the 
Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station 
giving the present status of the whole matter. 
Prof, of Dairy Husbandry Cornell Univ. h. h. wing. 
• 
Several years ago, there was an outbreak of the 
Army worm on the farm of one of our experiment 
stations. The station people turned out in force, 
fought the worm, and conquered it. The daily papers 
made great fun of this occurrence, sneeringly saying 
that, of course, these scientific farmers were bound to 
have worms while the ordinary farmers escaped them. 
As a matter of fact, the experiment station was the 
very best place for the worms to visit. The workers 
there were hired by tbe Government to learn, among 
other things, how to fight and conquer insect pests. 
It was the best thing that could happen to have the 
Army worm attack them, so that they might have the 
actual experience in fighting it at home. 
It is a question among stock men as to whether 
farmers should produce the so-called carbohydrate 
foods, and purchase protein, or whether they should 
endeavor to produce both the carbohydrate and pro¬ 
tein foods without purchasing anything. This ques¬ 
tion must be decided by the circumstances which sur¬ 
round each farmer. If the relation between the area 
of the land and the number of animals to be fed is 
such that both carbohydrate foods and protein foods 
cannot be produced in sufficient quantity, our judg¬ 
ment is that the home effort should be in the direc¬ 
tion of carbohydrate foods, because those are more 
easily produced in abundance than the protein foods. 
There are really less difficulties in the way of growing 
the natural grasses and the grain plants, especially 
Indian corn, than in growing the several protein 
plants. In our judgment, there is no crop that should 
be substituted for Indian corn to be used in producing 
ensilage. If, after growing an abundance of corn and 
hay, the farmer has still space for protein crops such 
as peas and oats, Alfalfa, etc., then such crops should 
be included in those grown on the farm; but we 
would make sure of the corn first of all. 
• 
Even the so-called “fruit syrups ” served at the 
soda-water fountain are largely adulterated. Many 
of them never saw a fruit—"being cheap mixtures of 
chemicals. The best dealers are sharp enough to see 
that the public want pure fruit. You will find the 
crushed ripe fruit on their counters—ready for use. 
The better class of customers prefer this fruit. They 
understand what sickening stuff is offered in the so- 
called “syrups.” This is an illustration of what must 
be done on a larger scale. Show up the frauds. Make 
the people see what disgraceful stuff they are putting 
into their mouths ! Cultivate a disgust for fraudulent 
food, and put the men who poison or “ doctor ” onr 
dinner in jail. No use to fine them. They like that. 
It is a cheap way to run their trade. 
• 
• # 
Every year, after Decoration Day, there are many 
thoughtful people who question the wisdom and value 
of this holiday. When first established, it was almost 
entirely devoted to tbe beautiful custom of decorating 
the graves of the dead soldiers. As the boys and girls 
of 30 years ago grew to be men and women, the day 
lost much of its significance, and has now become 
largely a holiday devoted to sports and pleasuring. 
The old soldiers and their relatives have tried hard to 
keep up the old spirit of the day, but the age is against 
them. In one small town last Tuesday, we noticed 
perhaps 25 people, including the local Grand Army 
men, at the decoration services, while over 500 people 
attended the baseball game. It is a grave question as 
to whether Memorial Day, as now observed, adds to 
the strength and character of the nation. Our own 
idea is that it would be better to give up the present 
week-day calebration, and devote the last Sunday in 
May to the decoration services. 
Old Boston made an ordinance that no one should 
transact any business whatsoever upon “ the Lord’s 
Day, commonly called the Sabbath”. The tithing 
men who pressed complaints received no payment for 
their services, but modern informers do. Recently a 
grocer in Boston was brought before a local court for 
keeping open on the Lord’s Day. He paid his fine, 
and then demanded a summons for the informer who 
had caused his arrest. He offered to prove that the 
informer gained a living by going about obtaining 
such convictions, and therefore, he carried on his 
ordinary business on the Sabbath. The judge tried 
to make the grocer see the difference, but the late 
prisoner cited the original law to the judge, who 
finally refused to give the summons, without proving 
the grocer’s construction of the law to be incorrect. 
Much amusement was created in the court room by 
the incident, which will be likely to have some bear¬ 
ing on future cases of the same kind. 
Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Brigham 
gives the following figures to show the values of lead¬ 
ing farm crops produced by American farmers : 
1894 .82 442 461,066 
1895 . 2.667,600,222 
1896 . 2,474,465,201 
1897 . 2,613 589,878 
1898 . 2,628,771,035 
He says that, counting the value of farm animals for 
1898, we have the enormous sum of $4,520,348,506 
Our own figures show that the farmers of the country 
are $750,000,000 better off in values of stock and farm 
products than they were 10 years ago. This does not 
mean, however, that all farmers are better off than 
they were then ; some of them have lost money. The 
increase in wealth has not been evenly distributed, 
but the increased prices demanded for many supplies 
bear upon all of us. The general feeling among farm¬ 
ers is very hopeful, except in sections where insects, 
frost or drought have damaged the crops. 
City business men resort to all sorts of schemes to 
attract trade, and to outdo their rivals. Certain shoe 
stores have, for a long time, blackened and polished 
free, shoes purchased of them. Some stores which 
sell all kinds of men’s furnishing goods, do the same 
for all customers, and some go so far as to invite all 
to come in and get a shine, whether customers or not. 
Many clothiers offer to keep clothes pressed and re¬ 
paired for a year after purchase. One clothing firm 
has just made arrangements by means of which the 
business man may bring his dress suit to their store 
in the morning, go there at the close of the day, find 
bathrooms, barber shop, bootblacks, etc., at his ser¬ 
vice, and every facility for making himself present¬ 
able at reception or party, all for a merely nominal 
price. These devices are all for the purpose of at¬ 
tracting trade. They serve to bring people to the 
store, and once there, they are likely to take time to 
look around, will get interested, and become buyers. 
Why will not similar methods prove profitable to the 
producer of choice fruits, vegetables, poultry or dairy 
products? Special efforts must be made to attract 
those who have money to spend for such things. New 
and progressive methods of selling farm products are 
just as much in place as in any other line of trade. 
The State of Connecticut has a law which contains 
the following section: 
Section 2660.—No person shall sell, offer, or expose for sale, 
any milk from which the cream or any part thereof has been re¬ 
moved, without distinctly and durably affixing a label, tag, or 
mark of metal In a conspicuous place upon the outside, and not 
more than six Inches from the top of every can, vessel, or pack¬ 
age, containing such milk, and such metal label, tag, or mark, 
shall have the words “ Skimmed Milk ’’ stamped, printed, or in¬ 
dented thereon, in letters not less than one inch in height, and 
such milk shall only be sold or retailed out of a can, vessel, or 
package so marked. 
This permits the sale of skim-milk when marked as 
such, and this sale has proved a great boon to custom¬ 
ers, and a profitable thing for farmers. One creamery 
alone has sold $10,000 worth of skim-milk in one year 
to peddlers, who paid one cent a quart at the creamery, 
and sold it for time cents or “ two quarts for a nickel ” 
The sale of skim-milk in this way does not seem to 
injure the trade in whole milk. Dairymen agree 
generally that, with restriction, this law is wise and 
right. In Connecticut, it has provided a new income 
for the creameries. It seems to have helped the sale 
of whole milk by showing the buying public clearly 
what the difference between whole and skimmed milk 
is. We ought to have such a law in New York State. 
Any man should have the right to buy or sell skim- 
milk, provided he knows what he is doing, and tells 
the truth about the milk. 
• • 
BREVITIES. 
THE B08C PEAR. 
(Reprinted.) 
Dame Nature, in a happy mood, with care laid on the shelf,' 
Essayed to made a wondrous fruit, and quite outdo herself. 
She caught a wandering bee, and stole its sweetened store, and 
shook 
The dewdrops from the violet that grew beside the brook ; 
The sugar of the maple tree, the fragrance of the pine, 
And from the heart of purple grapes, she pressed the drops of 
wine. 
The sunny Summer Isles gave up their spices for her cup, 
And with the petals of the rose, at last she filled it up. 
A modest suit of russet brown—and Nature viewed with pride 
Her royal work, divinely fair, and yet unsatisfied 
That man should share her mixture rare, her envious fingers 
gripped 
The slender stem—to-day it shows how through her hand it slipped. 
But not outdone, Dame Nature said the Bose should ever be 
Of all perverse and cranky plants, the most outraceous tree; 
And so, until this day, it grows—a feeble, crooked thing, 
Like some weak body holding up the spirit of a king; 
And Nature’s great monopoly is rarely broken down, 
For only skillful hands may dare to work against her frown. 
The early worm is a “ bird.” 
The lazy man generally lays a stale egg. 
Too many God given privileges have been m an-cared-for. 
Why does “ oleo ” “ keep so well ” ? Any “ preservatives ” in it ? 
Who but a muttonhead would breed from a ewe-necked mare ? 
Paint, like charity, covers a multitude of sins—of the carpenter. 
Among other things named after Admiral Dewey, is a hog 
waterer! 
Power that Is “fathered by a waterfall” may be said to be sired 
by a dam! 
Put not your trust in trusts! There will be a time of reckoning 
some day. 
Apples are reported to be selling for 25 cents apiece in the 
Klondike. 
“The apple that pays the taxes,” is what one reader says of 
Ben Davis. 
A combination of Crimson clover and good black hen results in 
fine white eggs. 
“ When brooding sorrow sits upon your soul! ’’—Break her up. 
Make her do sc mething useful. 
The United States Government does not insure its property. 
Its fire loss has been very small. 
The weeds are laughing at you, are they ! Hoe! Hoe! Hoe! is 
the way to turn the laugh on them. 
Oh no! A cow doesn’t need extra salt when she is “fresh,” 
though Glauber’s salt beforehand is good. 
It’s sometimes quite surprising how a wise opinion acts when 
same would-be observer hasn’t noticed all the facts. 
An Alabama subscriber says that our “ Events of The Week ” 
department saves him 81 a year, which formerly went to a politi¬ 
cal paper. 
The wheat harvest has already started in Texas. A man start¬ 
ing now and gradually traveling north could find continuous 
work in the harvest field until September. 
The township of Arcadia, in Wayne County, N. Y., is to have 
free rural mail delivery. This was brought about by a petition 
from the Grange. A Government agent visited the town, and a 
committee of the Grange soon convinced him of its practica¬ 
bility. Farmers should cooperate more than they do. 
The total loss of farm animals from exposure and disease in 
the year ending March 31, 1899, was over 7,500,000 head. They 
were worth 875,000,000 ! Of this 826,000,000 was due to losses from 
exposure. What other business in the world could standal.ss 
of $75,000,000 in one year, and still go on with profit ? Farmer 
Uncle Sam is the greatest business man on earth. 
