676 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
September 23 
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, J 
Frank H. Valentine, VAssociates. 
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 
8 s. 6d., or 8* *4 marks, or 10y, francs. 
ADVERTISING- RATES. 
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Reading Notices, ending with "Adv.," 75 cents per 
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Advertisements inserted only for responsible and honorable houses 
We must have copy one week before the date of issue. 
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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, SEPTEMBER 23, 1899. 
FOR 25 CENTS. 
Have you sent us that trial subscription from your 
neighbor yet this season? If not, just speak to him 
about it the first time you see him. But speak quickly. 
We send him the paper now for the remainder of the 
year for 25 cents. We are looking for you to send 
just one this month. 
* 
The young man who, on page 670, speaks of the 
value of the short Winter course in agriculture, makes 
one good point. The boy who wants to stay on the 
farm and yet has no farm of his own must work for 
his father or work out as a hired man, unless he can 
do skilled work. The agricultural college will fit him 
for this skilled labor, just as the medical school fits 
the doctor, or the legal school fits the lawyer. The 
poor boy who can graft the “why” of the short col¬ 
lege course on the hard stock of the hired man’s ex¬ 
perience, will soon find a job at managing the labor of 
those who prefer to be always hired men. 
* 
The experiments at the West Virginia Experiment 
Station, referred to on page 675, in which it was 
shown that corn soaked in water gave better results 
than corn meal when fed to hogs, suggest the idea 
that many farmers have been throwing away a good 
deal of money—or its equivalent—in having corn 
ground for feeding. Water is usually plentiful. Our 
friend who tells us on another page that his wind¬ 
mill didn’t pump a drop of water for two weeks, is 
an exception. If simply soaking corn is better than 
grinding, it is, also, much cheaper. It seems of 
greater value for hogs than when fed dry. Will it 
be better for other stock? 
* 
“Why are you a farmer?” 
The writer was asked this question at a meeting of 
farmers, and thus started an animated discussion. 
After the meeting, a fine-looking, prosperous farmer 
came up and told this little story:— * 
“When father died, I was 16 years old, and I took 
the farm and did my best to make it pay. It was 
hard work, and after two years, I went to mother and 
told her that I was afraid I should not succeed. I 
shall never forget what she said: 
“Trust in God and plow close to your fence rows'. 
“I followed her advice, and now I can tell you that 
I am a farmer because I love the farm and am proud 
of my business!” 
About the only amendment we could make to that 
would be to rip out two-thirds of those fences, and 
plow the whole fence strip. 
* 
One of the Michigan food inspectors, who has been 
making a tour of the State, says that Michigan’s pure 
food law is working admirably in diminishing adul¬ 
teration. He says that, of late years, great quantities 
of imitation fruit jellies have been sold; these are 
made of glucose and corn jelly, colored to resemble 
the desired fruit. In one town, the inspector stopped 
the sale of imitation strawberry jam, which was made 
of corn jelly and glucose flavored with strawberry ex¬ 
tract, and further improved by the addition of hay¬ 
seed. The people of the town made a protest to the 
department, claiming that they had never tasted bet¬ 
ter jam, which does not speak very highly for the dis¬ 
crimination of the average consumer. The law per¬ 
mits the sale of such compounds when they are not 
colored or otherwise prepared to imitate the real ar¬ 
ticle, so the maker of that superlative strawberry jam 
shipped to the appreciative town a lot of the stuff 
that contained no coloring or seeds, but was in every 
other respect like his former consignment; but no¬ 
body would touch it. Spices, cream of tartar, sugar 
and extracts are very commonly adulterated. Some 
cream of tartar examined contained 45 per cent of 
plaster of paris. Plaster of paris, alum, and phos¬ 
phate of lime are common adulterants of cream of 
tartar. It is asserted that, before the present law 
went into effect, 75 per cent of the prepared foods 
sold in Michigan were adulterated. 
• 
The R. N.-Y. has championed the cow pea as a 
useful crop for many farmers in the North. Many 
acres have been planted at our suggestion. The vines 
are now green and thrifty—promising a good ma- 
nurial crop. Now we want a word before Jack Frost 
touches them and sends them to their coffin. They 
die easily. Some morning you will find them curled 
up and turning brown. In a wonderfully short space 
of time, the vigorous green mass will be limp and 
lifeless. Almost before you know it, there will be 
only a lot of dead stiqks like bean vines on the 
ground. We know from experience that the first im¬ 
pression is one of disgust and disappointment. You 
wonder how this tender plant, which shrinks to 
nothing at the touch of frost, can have any power to 
restore the soil. You will need to stiffen up your 
faith with the rods of an iron will. These cow-pea 
vines are “all right.” Let them alone, and go about 
your business. Plow them under in the Spring, and 
you will hear from them in due time. Have faith! 
* 
“This country is ours! We won it from the wilder¬ 
ness. We are satisfied to live in a conservative and 
simple way, and those who do not like our methods 
may get out of our country!” 
That seems to be about the position of the solid 
Dutchmen who inhabit the Transvaal, or South 
African Republic. Gold was discovered in the Re¬ 
public, and thousands of adventurers rushed in after 
it, just as, in former years, they rushed to California 
and Australia. These countries were so new and 
crude that the newcomers made their own laws. In 
the Transvaal, they found a strong, well-organized 
government, so that the story of California and Aus¬ 
tralia could not be repeated. England has espoused 
the cause of the “Outlanders,” and it is, probably, only 
a question of time before these brave Dutchmen will 
lose the independence they won after so much hard¬ 
ship and toil. As we understand the matter in this 
country, Americans should sympathize with the 
Boers—but Uncle Sam would better keep still until 
he has settled his job in the Philippines! 
• 
The Interstate Commerce Commission reports that 
discriminations are made in freight rates from the 
West in favor of exported grain. Grain coming from 
Chicago to New York for export out of the coun¬ 
try is carried for seven cents less per 100 pounds than 
that intended for home consumption, and similar dis¬ 
criminations are made to other ports. There is no 
apparent reason why such discrimination should be 
made against the home consumer. This thing works 
in two ways against the American. It increases the 
price of his flour, and it lessens the cost to the foreign 
buyer. The price of American wheat is determined by 
the price in the English market, so that, by cheapen¬ 
ing the cost to the English buyer, we run the risk of 
decreasing the price abroad, and thus decreasing the 
price to the farmer at home. This is another illustra¬ 
tion of the disadvantage to the American in running 
too much after foreign trade. We all want foreign 
export trade, but there is no sense in developing it in 
this way—at the expense of the American farmer and 
consumer. 
* 
The old-time farmer, whose working hours were 
“from sun to sun,” with chores in addition, would 
open his eyes at some of the modern regulations of 
hours of labor. Most farmers now count 10 hours a 
day’s work, and the same is true of a large part of 
the mechanics in the country towns, who are their 
own bosses. But many city artisans who are ruled 
by their various unions must work even shorter 
hours, whether they will or no. A new law goes 
into effect in New York State on October 1, regard¬ 
ing State employees on the canals. Thereafter, eight 
hours will constitute a day’s work. Heretofore, the 
locktenders have worked 12 hours daily, four men in 
two shifts being needed for each lock. After October 
1, six men will be needed for each lock, each of whom 
will work eight hours per day, but will receive the 
same pay as the man who formerly worked 12 hours. 
The same applies to all laborers on the canals, who 
will receive the same pay for eight hours’ work as 
they formerly received for 12. The position of lock 
tender never involved very arduous labor, and it is 
safe to say that none of these State employees ever 
worked as hard as, or any longer than, the average 
farmer, and that the pay was often better. It is well 
to have the hours of labor regulated by law, but the 
regulation should be done with a due regard to the 
rights of all concerned, and to economy in public ex¬ 
penditures. Too often, such laws are passed to pro¬ 
vide more places for partisan henchmen, and thus 
strengthen the power of the political machine. 
* 
France seems to be governed by its army. The 
common people, who work and pay the taxes, are 
finding this army a costly and criminal luxury. By 
condemning Dreyfus for the second time, the French 
army officers have held France up to the scorn and 
ridicule of the civilized world. There are Frenchmen 
who feel this disgrace keenly, but they seem power¬ 
less to shake off the cursed knapsack that has grown 
into the shoulders of France. The civilized world 
should take a hand in this affair, and stay away from 
the Paris Exposition. Many American exhibitors 
have already decided to withdraw. That is well 
enough, but a more effective “boycott” can be carried 
out by keeping visitors away from Paris. Let Amer¬ 
icans shun France until the moral sense of the nation 
is stung and driven to perform an act of simple jus¬ 
tice. Help the French to fight their own army! 
* 
BREVITIES. 
If you should ask me for a dollar bill 
For foreign missions or the like of that. 
I’ll bet you’d get it, for I’ve tried to kill 
A plate of mother’s pudding! Where’s my hat? 
I m gonter fill that woodbox while the spell 
^ Of that there pudding lasts—Jest take it down— 
That recipe will serve you mighty well— 
One cup of sugar, roasted till it’s brown; 
Take milk and cream, two honest gills of each— 
The best old Jersey gives, don’t want no dregs. 
Then when ye hear them Black Minorcas screech, 
Run out an’ pick four of their biggest eggs. 
Warm up your milk an' cream to boiling heat, 
Pour on your browned-up sugar—let it stand 
Until it’s all dissolved, then take an’ beat 
Them eggs an’ third cup sugar with a hand 
Steady an’ light then, when the other cools, 
Pour ’em together like ye would a cake, 
Give ’em a stir, then wash up all the tools, 
An’ shove it in the oven door to bake. 
Caramel pudding—that’s the name we give 
To that concoction, an’ you’ll say, I guess. 
You never did know halfway how to live 
Until you got your spoon inside that mess. 
“The frost is on the pumpkin!” 
The oyster crop is reported to be large. 
Iour “old fogy” doesn’t often die of “youngness.” 
“Baited” breath—the talk of the creamery shark. 
How about that fruit inspection law in Washington? 
The blue-blooded Thoroughbred may be called a bred 
stuff. 
The deed may dignify the day, but the day does not 
dignify the deed. 
Save the sweet-corn stalks. They’re hard to cure, but 
they’re worth it. 
Never— will we plant potatoes again without using sul¬ 
phur on the seed. 
Why, certainly, an Indian running amuck may be called 
a crimson rambler. 
Three things that never take any vacation—taxes, 
mortgage and duty. 
We corn the beef before we kill it, and then we corn it 
again before we eat it. 
Who ever digested an opinion through the mouth? The 
head is the place for doing it. 
“Yes! yes!” said the cook’s hand. “This bread knead¬ 
ing is a dough me stick operation. 
What book title is a favorite with the boys at this sea¬ 
son? “The Opening of a Chestnut Burr.’ 
Wiiat about the county fair that draws more money 
from the State than it pays out in premiums? 
We want some one to tell us why water from a flowing 
spring should be better than that from a deep drilled well. 
“Pure nonsensE!” It isn’t half so dangerous as when 
there is just enough sense in it to tempt people to try it. 
Our good old friend experience may safely crack a smile 
when people cut their wisdom teeth by gnawing on a file. 
Jack Frost got in his first bite at Hope Farm on Sep¬ 
tember 13. It was a half-hearted bite—we hardly felt 
his teeth! 
A little extra feed while they are moulting will help 
the hens. A small portion of linseed meal in the mash 
two or three times a week is beneficial. 
Your Texan will say that a wall around his State would 
include everything a reasonable man need ask for. All 
but a full market. Texas still needs little Rhode Island. 
The American farmer is still feeding the world. In 
August, this country sent abroad $5,671,023 worth of bread- 
stuffs and $2,231,275 worth of provisions more than in 
August of last year. 
Several years ago, when rye straw was very high, 
some New York State farmers bound their rye without 
thrashing. The grain actually brought more money by 
the ton than it would when thrashed and cleaned, by the 
bushel! 
Most men, when moving into a new section of country, 
have ideas of their own as to how things should be done, 
and they think they see many opportunities for improve¬ 
ment over “native” methods. There usually is room for 
improvement in some line, but. it is a safe plan to follow 
the customs of local farmers pretty closely until time and 
gradual experiments and experience warrant radical de¬ 
partures. 
