596 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
August 19 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Herbert W. Collingwood, Editor. 
H. E. Van Deman, ) 
Frank H. Valentine, \ Associates. 
Mrs. E. T. Roylk, ) 
John J Dillon, Business Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, equal to 
9s. 6d., or H l /t marks, or 10y* * 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 iino. 
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, 
409 Pearl Street, New York. 
SATURDAY, AUGUST W, 18.9.9. 
There has been much complaint from nursery¬ 
men in the past, of delay and damage to imported 
nursery stock on its passage through the New York 
Custom House. The nurserymen, at their recent Na¬ 
tional convention, took action on this, and entered 
complaint to the Treasury Department. The result 
has been an investigation, and orders to remedy the 
abuses complained of. This is another example of 
the effectiveness of co-operation in securing desired 
action by the Government. Why can’t the farmers 
get together and agree as to what they want? 
* 
We are sorry to see that some readers are just get¬ 
ting ready to sow Crimson clover seed. This seeding 
should have been done before. North of New York 
City, only the most favorable season will ever bring 
the clover through if sown later than August 15. Of 
course there are exceptional cases where the clover 
has done well when sown in September, but in our 
own experience, late July or early August is the 
best time for seeding. This clover is so useful when 
well handled that we are always sorry to see a farm¬ 
er try it for the first time under such conditions that 
it does not have a fair chance. 
* 
A fakir in Michigan has been selling seeds of a 
“Cuban rose” in the small towns. He carried a 
small shrub in a tightly-covered box, the plant be¬ 
ing deluged with a cheap perfumery, so that, when 
the box was opened, the odor would fill the room. 
He assured his hearers that this perfume continually 
radiated from the plant, and then sold three seeds 
for 50 cents, collecting 25 cents, and stating that he 
would call again at a certain date to collect the re¬ 
mainder if the seeds turned out to be satisfactory. 
Of course, he did not come back. The seeds were 
sweet peas. This recalls a suave street vender in 
Chicago, who used to sell damaged parsnip seed, per¬ 
fumed with cheap extracts, for “real imported Eng¬ 
lish lavender.” 
♦ 
Oregon’s coyote scalp bounty seems likely to be a 
decided embarrassment like a good many other bounty 
laws. This law calls for a bounty of $2 for each 
coyote killed. A special tax of one cent a head upon 
all sheep was expected to create a fund for this pur¬ 
pose; when this is exhausted, funds will be provided 
by a tax of one-fourtli of one mill per dollar on all 
other property, real and personal. When the law 
went into effect, many hunters began to make coyote 
killing a business, and, according to the present rate 
at which claims are presented, the expense to Uma¬ 
tilla County alone will be nearly $25,000 for the first 
year. Oregon authorities compute that, taking an 
equal rate in 20 counties in the State, 13 counties be¬ 
ing eliminated from the computation, the total for 
one year will be $245,280! In Umatilla County, the 
money raised by the special sheep tax has long been 
exhausted. Apparently, this scalp bounty means a 
grievous burden in local taxation. 
* 
The Illinois Dairy Union is conducting a vigorous 
campaign against oleo. It is asserted that the Chi¬ 
cago market is flooded with “fake” butter, and the 
Dairy Union recently sent out a warning circular to 
each of the 600 retailers in the city who have licenses 
to sell oleo. It is asserted that nearly every holder 
of a retailer’s license is selling oleo or butterine 
when customers ask for real butter, some of this 
stuff being labeled “Fancy Jersey,” “Pure Holstein,” 
etc. A falling off in the sale of butter and a decrease 
in the demand for milch cows at many dairies, are 
said to have contributed to the investigation by the 
Dairy Union. It was known that the demand for 
butter had not decreased, while the increased demand 
for beef fat at the stockyards, from oleo manu¬ 
facturers, had been sufficient to increase prices. It 
was evident that the consumers ordered as much 
butter as ever, yet retailers cut down their orders 
for the product. It is said that some of the most 
persistent violators of the law are groceries and mar¬ 
kets in the residence districts, and butter stores down 
town. The action of the Dairy Union is commended; 
concerted action of this sort is the most valuable aid 
food and dairy commissioners can receive in enforcing 
oleo laws. The people are learning that they must 
enforce laws as well as make them. 
* 
On page 590, Fruit Grower regrets that more time 
was not given before enforcing the law against the 
pony barrels. Doubtless, there will be hardship to 
some in its enforcement, no matter how long it may 
be delayed; but the greatest good to the greatest 
number must govern in this matter. Fruit Grower 
admits the desirability of a uniform standard size for 
barrels. The R. N.-Y. has strongly advocated them 
for many years, and has repeatedly shown the ad¬ 
vantages, to the fruit growers themselves, of these 
barrels. As well give 14 ounces for a pound in sell¬ 
ing articles by weight as sell one of these fraud bar¬ 
rels for a full barrel. The law provides that they 
may be marked to distinguish them, so there is no 
reason for delay in enforcing the law. 
* 
Free delivery of the mails in rural districts is 
spreading. Here is a report from Montgomery 
County, Indiana: 
We have had rural delivery for two months, and every¬ 
body is delighted with it. The mail delivery has already 
more than doubled; most persons take daily papers. It is 
thought that the rural mail in this county will soon 
more than pay expenses. 
That is the way it goes everywhere. The intelli¬ 
gent farmer wants what “is due him.” He pays his 
share of the taxes, while there are thousands in town 
and city who enjoy the benefits of free mail delivery, 
yet never contribute a dollar for the support of the 
Government. Give the farmer a chance, and he will 
soon make the new service pay expenses. What a 
foolish, short-sighted policy it is for the city mer¬ 
chants to oppose free rural delivery. It is coming in 
spite of them! 
* 
The newspapers have been making some wild 
statements about the outbreak of tuberculosis in ex- 
Governor Morton’s Guernsey herd. It appears that 
there has been no official examination at all. None 
of the animals has been condemned, neither is any 
member of the herd to be killed. Some suspected 
animals are quarantined, and probably, some news¬ 
paper reporter saw them, and started the report. All 
the cows that are furnishing milk for the New York 
market are tuberculin tested, and certificates are held 
ready at any time for the New York Board of Health. 
It is a shame that the newspapers should circulate 
reports of this character. Some ignorant or careless 
reporter starts the story on the way, and it gathers 
slander and injury as it goes. We are very glad to 
state the facts in the matter, for all breeders of dairy 
cattle will rejoice to know that this fine herd has 
not been condemned for slaughter. 
* 
About 10 years ago, The R. N.-Y. printed an ar¬ 
ticle on Skunk farming. We had a picture of the 
farm and the skunks, and it was a true story of ac¬ 
tual operations. This farm ran for a year or so, and 
then the neighbors protested against it. Public sen¬ 
timent was even stronger than the odor, and the 
farm changed to some more fragrant live stock. 
Since then other skunk farms have been started up in 
various parts of the country. They never last long. 
Some disease breaks out among the skunks, or some 
local board of health declares the farm a nuisance. 
Hardly a week passes that we do not receive a letter 
from some one asking how to start a profitable skunk 
farm. There is, apparently, only one way, and that 
is to let all skunks alone. They are useful members 
of society, for they will destroy their weight in white 
grubs and other insects. Give the skunk a wide 
berth, and don’t attempt to “farm” him! 
* 
On the next page, Prof. J. B. Smith, of New Jersey, 
gives some sensible advice about handling the San 
Jos6 scale. It would be easy to work up a genuine 
“scare” over this case, and insist upon cutting down 
and burning hundreds of useful and ornamental trees 
and shrubs. We are glad that the authorities at the 
New Jersey Experiment Station take as wise and 
fair a view of this matter as they did in regard to 
the tuberculosis question. The Station people stead¬ 
ily opposed the claim that all cows that reacted 
from the tuberculin test should be slaughtered, and 
they proved the justice of their position by actual 
experiment. It’s the same with the San Jos6 
scale. Instead of scaring the people and urging the 
wholesale destruction of orchards, a simple and ef¬ 
fective method of fighting the scale is proposed. Of 
course, if after fair warning, a man will not try to 
save his trees, it would be better for his own sake 
and for his neighbors to cut them down and burn 
them—but give him a chance to save them first. In 
the case reported the scales were obtained on nursery 
stock. Here is another argument right at home in 
favor of fumigating all such stock before it leaves 
the nursery. It may be true that fumigation would 
not prove so-effective in New York as it is in Mary¬ 
land, because in the colder countries the scales may 
be dormant at the time of shipment. It is, however, 
the best safeguard we have at present, and buyers 
should demand it. 
* 
In some parts of New York State, agents are at 
work demanding a royalty from farmers who have 
bought so-called dilution milk creamers. These 
creamers consist of cans of peculiar shape in which 
the milk is surrounded by ice water, or cold water 
is poured directly into the milk. These agents claim 
that there is a patent on this method of diluting milk 
to “drive out the cream.” A New York farmer sends 
a letter to Agricultural Commissioner Wieting in 
which he says: 
Their mode of collecting was done principally by 
threats of bringing suit in a United States Court; as most 
people did not care to defend a lawsuit, they paid. In one 
instance, they called upon a woman (her husband being 
absent) and informed her they could take her body, un¬ 
less she paid what they demanded. I know of six in this 
vicinity who have paid $3 to $4 each, and can send you 
the names of many more should you deem it necessary. 
Of course, this man is not a subscriber of The R. 
N.-Y. We have warned our readers half a dozen 
times not to pay a dollar of such tribute. If one of 
these rascals came to our farm with such a state¬ 
ment, we could guarantee him a mixture of hot water 
and clog’s teeth that would dilute the cream of his 
enjoyment below the legal standard. There is no 
patent on this device. First thing you know, some 
one will claim a patent on the scheme of lying on 
the ground to drink out of a spring. 
• 
BREVITIES. 
It was a Boston school-marm, I am told. 
With spectacles on nose and solid hold 
On English letters, who was heard to stuff 
A mighty meaning in the word “Enough”l 
This^lady, chaste as ice, observed the sport 
Among the young folks at a beach resort; 
The whispered nothings, walks beneath the moon, 
Vows and vacations that expired too soon. 
This brainy lady, after careful thought, 
Not from her own experience, I ought 
To state, evolved this problem hard and tough; 
“Transpose the letters in the word ‘enough’, 
Change them about and make two words which show 
‘Enough’ is not enough!” In vain they throw 
The six plain letters e-n-o-u-g- 
H—into words. We give it up! Then she, 
Blushing behind her spectacles, with shrug 
Of shoulder, said: “The letters spell one hugl” 
A dirty dish rag is a rag weed. 
Study the shape of the two cows—page 602. 
Did you ever know a cow to blow her own horn? 
How much help will the second crop of grass give you? 
Don’t patronize the dealer who attempts to patronize 
you. 
It seems that the manufacturers were “long” on 
“short” barrels. 
Another good man under the banner of Ben Davis—Mr. 
Dwyer’s notes, page 595. 
Mr. Van Deman says that the first pullet of this year’s 
breeding to lay, started on August 3. 
What glue shall a man use to stick him to his work? 
Well, now, an insect makes his own glue! 
Is it better to have great expectations, and fail to real¬ 
ize them, or to expect less and not be disappointed? 
A Chicago report says that present prices of hogs mean 
40-c:ent corn, so corn prices are likely to be maintained. 
In some localities, the stem rot of potatoes is ruining 
the crop. It starts with the seed piece, and works up the 
stem. Sulphur used on the seed ought to help it. 
The “mechanical mixture” of kerosene and water is 
likely to take the place of kerosene emulsion. That is a 
good thing, for few farmers like to make the emulsion. 
A baby carriage that can be folded up into very small 
compass is one of the latest inventions. Some people 
would like babies that can be folded up and put away 
after the same manner. 
Is it true that few successful men are educated, as 
slated by a correspondent on page 575 in last week’s R. 
N.-Y? If so, education must be a bad thing. What con¬ 
stitutes a successful man, anyway? 
A Detroit fruit dealer found about half of the baskets 
in a lot of raspberries from some Michigan growers, with 
false bottoms, and holding just enough berries to cover 
the bottoms. Did the hired man or the boys do it? 
In the Utah poultry experiment reported last week, one 
Light Brahma pullet consumed seven pounds of oyster 
shells during the year, and laid 129 eggs. A Brown Leg¬ 
horn pullet used one pound of shells for 165 eggs. What 
about that? Where did the six pounds of shells go to? 
