468 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
June 24 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMERS PARER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes,, 
Established 1850. 
Elbert S. Carman, Editor-In-Chief. 
Herbert W. Collingwood, Managing Editor. 
Frank H. Valentine, I . „ . . _... 
Mrs. 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. 6 d., or 8 J 4 marks, or 10 J 4 francs. 
ADVERTISING- RATES. 
Thirty cents per agate line (14 lines to the inch). Yearly order* * 
of 10 or more lines, and 1 , 000 -line orders, 25 cents per line. 
Reading Notices, ending with “Adv.R 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 24, 1899. 
The charge that oleomargarine contains borax and 
salicylic acid as “ preservatives ”, does not seem to be 
sustained. We have written a number of public 
chemists, but all agree that they have never found 
these chemicals in oleo. They have found paraffin, 
however, in large quantities—as high even as 11 per 
cent. This is a worse adulterant than a small amount 
of borax. 
• • 
Subscribers who are changing their addresses 
should be careful to notify us of the change imme¬ 
diately. A new law prohibits the forwarding of 
papers or publications from one address to another, 
unless full postage is paid upon them. Heretofore 
such mail matter has been readdressed and sent on, 
without extra charge, but the new law does not per¬ 
mit this. The Government appears to have lost 
money on second-class mail matter for some time, and 
doubtless, this new regulation is designed to stop 
one of the leaks. 
■ 
The American Seed Trade Association, during its 
recent meeting, discussed the urgent need for paper 
fractional currency, and pledged its members to UEe 
all possible means to influence legislation in this 
direction. Seedsmen understand that their mail¬ 
order business from rural districts would be greatly 
extended by the issuance of this currency. If other 
associations of business men join in the movement, 
the concerted effort will, doubtless, result in the de¬ 
sired effect. Strange to say, most of the opposition 
to fractional currency aud better rural mail service 
comes from the very business men who might be 
helped by better facilities for country business. 
» I 
Admiral Dewey is one of the few living public 
men who grow in public estimation as the world 
learns more about them. He does not talk or write 
long letters or articles. Prompt, fearless and sure, 
he goes at his duty, and attends to it. Officious peo¬ 
ple talk to him about a nomination for the Presidency. 
Without a moment’s hesitation, he stamps on the 
proposition, and ends it. He might have reached this 
country on July 4, and received the greatest welcome 
ever given a human being in modern times, but he 
would have none of it, and will come home quietly 
and leisurely. The American people try to raise a 
fund to buy him a house. He declines it, and would 
rather have it devoted to needy veterans. That is 
Dewey. A strong, brave, modest and loyal American 
without bluster or bluff. He is great because he has 
retained the homely, sterling virtues of the common 
man. Would that more of the roarers and politicians 
who class themselves among our ‘ 1 great men ” would 
learn a wholesome lesson from the silent, strong and 
modest Dewey I 
• • 
Gov. Sayers, of Texas, has called a convention of 
the governors to discuss the question of anti-trust 
State legislation. One of the questions to be brought 
up is in reference to charters obtained in New Jersey 
or Delaware. Special efforts are made to secure fees 
from these corporations. New Jersey makes a prac¬ 
tice of granting franchises to all sorts of associations, 
and no questions are asked about their purposes or 
tendencies. Gov. Sayers hopes to get a number of 
governors to agree to refuse admission to all corpora¬ 
tions which obtain their franchises in New Jersey. 
This, he thinks, will do something toward putting a 
stop to the present practice of incorporating in New 
Jersey, and then operating all over the country, even 
in States where they could not obtain a separate 
charter. Mr. Havemeyer, of the Sugar trust, says 
that the tariff is responsible for the formation of most 
of the great corporations. He also said that his com¬ 
pany could pay dividends, even though the actual 
business was run at a loss. A profit could be made at 
gambling in the stocks ! 
When buying any article that contains steel, we 
are informed that prices are likely to go higher. 
Every one expects that steel wire, rods or bars will 
cost more. The steel market is so unsettled that 
manufacturers of farm implements say they cannot 
be sure of buying their materials at fair prices. Now, 
there is plenty of iron and coal in the country, and 
the cost of making steel has been greatly reduced of 
late years. We were told that the combination of in¬ 
terests or “trust” would simplify the business, and 
reduce its cost by avoiding the expenses of competi¬ 
tion. It was reasonable then to expect that the 
public would share in the industrial benefits of the 
steel trust. Instead of this, we are expected to pay a 
larger tribute than ever. A small body of men secure 
a monopoly in producing steel. By doing this, they 
reduce the cost of producing a pound of the steel, and 
having done so, they turn about and charge the pub¬ 
lic more for it. Now, is this statement fair or not ? 
We want to hear from farmers who find the price of 
steel goods declining. 
0 • 
American exports for May were nearly 817,000,000 
less than in May last year. This shrinkage was 
chiefly in breadstuffs and in cotton. It means both 
smaller exports and lower prices. Last year’s May 
export trade was about the largest ever known for 
that month. The war had something to do with it, 
as Europe laid in heavy supplies to provide for possi¬ 
ble new complications. The present outlook for a 
great trade with Europe is not promising, because 
short crops at home will cause a greater home de¬ 
mand, which must be met first. This country will 
make an immense exhibit of agricultural products at 
the Paris Exposition. The Department of Agricul¬ 
ture is preparing to show how America can feed the 
world if need be. One special feature of this exhibition 
will be a great cold-storage room in which fruit and 
other perishable articles will be kept. If this is 
carried out right, it is sure to call increased attention 
to American food products. The American farmer, 
however, has a strong competitor in the European 
chemist, who is a master hand at making wastes and 
cheap substitutes into so-called “food.” 
0 0 
The cause of rural free delivery is gaining ground, 
but the gain is very slow. A farmer recently sent us 
a letter, and at the bottom, wrote this comment: “I 
have to carry this letter three miles to get it into 
Uncle Sam’s hands, while he lays it on your desk with¬ 
out extra charge.” The city man writes a reply to 
the letter, and drops it into a hole in his office build¬ 
ing within 20 steps of his desk. Uncle Sam does the 
rest for him. But Uncle Sam stands still at the coun¬ 
try post-office, and says that the farmer must leave 
home to get that letter. Why doesn’t Uncle Sam 
mount his bicycle and carry the mail to the farmer ? 
The chief reason is that this same city man objects ! 
He wants the best service for himself, but says it will 
cost too much to give the farmer what he asks for. 
There is only one part of such a man’s make-up that 
it pays to argue with. It’s his pocketbook ! It does 
seem as though a city business man ought to know 
that the closer he can get to his customers, the better 
it is for him. There is something wrong about a man 
who doesn’t realize that better mail service in the 
country would increase the chances for his doing busi¬ 
ness direct with the farmers, and thus save part of the 
middleman’s share. 
0 
0 0 
A few years ago, two human brutes agreed to fight 
a prize-fight in the State of Texas. The Governor of 
Texas, finding that the State laws would not permit 
him to stop the fight, called the legislature together, 
and had the laws amended so that the prize-fighters 
had to go to Mexico to settle their business. One 
after another the southern and western States fell in, 
until Nevada was thought to be the only place where 
men could legally get down to a lower level than that 
occupied by respectable dogs. Yet, two weeks ago, 
right here in New York City, one of these same prize 
fighters was knocked insensible by a bigger and 
stronger brute. The chief of police and other “ lead¬ 
ing men ” looked on, and no one seemed to see the-sin 
and degradation that New York publicly put on by 
permitting this brutal contest. We remember the 
time when these fighters and their friends sneaked 
out to some farmer’s barn, and fought by the light of 
lanterns. No need of that now. They are “pro¬ 
tected ”, and may fight in public. Shame on New 
York ! Must we import a few officials from Texas ? 
It looks like it. 
Every mail brings letters from farmers who have 
lost their hay crop in consequence of the drought. 
What can we now plant that will make Winter fod¬ 
der ? Through Orange County, N. Y., the drought is 
causing great loss and suffering to dairy farmers. 
Millet may yet be sown with hope for a fair crop, 
provided we have rains in July and August. Sorghum 
with us has proved an excellent dry-weather crop, 
but there is nothing that will give more fodder to the 
acre than corn. It may be sown up to August 1 in 
this latitude, with hope of securing a fair crop of fod¬ 
der. The proper place for this corn is in the silo, but 
it may be cured and fed dry. Bromus inermis is a 
grass quite new to most farmers, which has given 
very good yields on the dry western plains, where it 
takes first rank as a hay grass. The R. N.-Y.’s ex¬ 
periments with it go to show that, in its place, it is 
as useful as Crimson clover. We doubt, though, 
whether it can be sown now so as to provide fodder 
for next Winter. The southern cow pea will make a 
fair growth before frost as far north as Orange County, 
N. Y., but dairymen will most likely be disappointed 
in it if they attempt to use it for hay. This plant 
makes really a bean vine—better for the soil than for 
the cow. 
0 
0 0 
BREVITIES. 
Jay Gould was called a mighty man, “ a wizard of finance 
No doubt he —Napoleon made all of Europe dance; 
Abe Lincoln took his humble pen and, at a siDgle stroke, 
He struck so hard at slavery—the black man’s fetters broke. 
Charles Dickens wrote his living words on hearts of old and 
young, 
Payne’s verses touch the world’s heartstrings, when Home, Sweet 
Home is sung; 
They lived their brief ambitious lives, and left behind a name— 
And yet the happy echoes of the trumpet note of fame 
Gave them no keener pleasure than is heaping up my cup; 
I’m driving home to Mary with the mortgage all paid up. 
The mortgage like a shadow brooded at our door for years, 
It sapped my strength and vigor, it has swallowed Mary’s tears; 
But now, Thank God 1 It’s canceled! I can seethe folks at home, 
The children out there by the gate, to watch for me to come. 
And Mary, smiling like a girl, I almost hear her sing, 
You’ll see her wet eye shining when we burn the hateful thing. 
Here’s where we turn, old Dobbin—see them running down the 
road ? 
Yes ! Yes ! You’ve earned your stable, for you helped us lift the 
load. 
My hair has long been graying, and I’m past my prime, I know, 
And Mary’s face is faded, but we own the farm, and so, 
Pour out the dregs of living, for hope’s wine of life is clear, 
I’m driving home to Mary with the canceled mortgage here! 
Not how much, but how well. 
The man who says most may do least. 
Drink plenty of pure water for rheumatism. 
You’re right! Sharp practice dulls honesty. 
Come now—down with the Wild cherry trees! 
Memory is said to be “the registry of conscience.” 
Special advice for the story-teller—dock your tale ! 
A pane of glass is the only thing with two bright sides to it. 
Yes, sir, a man gets pretty close to his desserts in this world. 
There were many failures with the first plantings of sugar 
beets this year. 
The blessed rain when showers drop—the cursed reign when 
drought’s on top. 
Does the early apple crop pay in your locality ? Wnat are the 
best two varieties ? 
There is a man in New Jersey, whose name is Freely S!p. Let 
us hope he is a Prohibitionist. 
A fellow’s good manners will run from the bung unless he can 
cultivate taste with his tongue. 
The “tartar” on the teeth is a lime salt from the saliva. It is 
worst with those who are troubled with uric acid. 
Not much sense in a “ vacation ” that puts a young man on a 
bicycle where he works harder than he did while earning his 
living. 
Hudson River fruit growers have used Paris-green heavily this 
year for the currant worm. This is about the first season for 
this use. 
The latest comes from a Chicago paper, which reports a new 
brand of goat—an automobile—constructed exclusively for lodge 
purposes. 
A hen will drink at least one-half pint of water a day in hot 
weather. An eggis more than three-quarters water. Any cheaper 
feed than water ? 
Spain prohibits by law the cultivation of tobacco. What rea¬ 
son ? The Bank of Spain has a monopoly of the sale and manu¬ 
facture of tobacco. 
The outlook for better prices for eggs for the next year is good. 
The quantity in cold storage is said to be less than usual at this 
season. Push along the pullets! 
The Kansas Experiment Station seems to have struck about 
the right plan to secure newspaper notice by printing short 
practical notes in place of long bulletins. 
The lay that lies in a lazy hen 
Is laid out fiat as a pan-cake when 
You shut her up In a narrow pen. 
It appears that a good many peach growers in Georgia did 
not sit down and grieve when the freeze killed their trees. They 
worked up the ground, and planted cantaloupes, and now there 
is a good promise for an excellent crop. This is the way to do 
it—when the peaches are knocked out, put up the best possible 
substitute, and face the music again. 
A company has actually been formed in New York, with a 
capital stock of $100,000,000, incorporated under the laws of South 
Dakota, which promises to take passengers to the Paris Exposi¬ 
tion in 30 hours in air-ships. A speed of 100 miles an hour is 
promised, though no working model has yet been built. The prin¬ 
cipal business of the Company so far seems to be to sell stock. 
