356 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
May 14 
The Rural New-Yorker. 
THE BUSINESS FARMERS’ PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1860. 
Elbert S. Carman, Editor-in-Chief. 
Herbert W. Collinowood, Managing Editor. 
Frank H. Valentine, 1 . „ . „ 
Mrs. E. T. Rotle, J- Associate Editors. 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
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To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, equal to 
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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. 
Be sure that the name and address of sender, with name of 
Post-office and State, and what the remittance is for, appear in 
every letter. Money orders and bank drafts on New York are the 
safest means of transmitting money. 
Address all business communications and make all orders pay¬ 
able to THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
Corner Chambers and Pearl Streets, New York. 
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 1898. 
Typographical Union No. 6, of New York, one of 
the strongest organizations of printers in this counti-y, 
has gone into the vacant-lot farming work for some of 
its unemployed members. About 75 of them have been 
started in the work near Pelham, being given one-half 
acre each. It is said that all are very enthusiastic, 
some so much so that they want an acre each, and they 
will, probably, receive it if they prove deserving of it. 
That is the best possible form of charity that puts an 
unfortunate in the way of helping himself. It helps 
without pauperizing. 
0 
Though the cold, wet Spring has delayed work to a 
considerable extent, and has been unfavorable for 
many crops, it has been extremely favorable to the 
growth of clover and grass, and has given these crops 
such a start that a good yield is pretty nearly an 
assured fact. With the price of hay low, and a good 
crop of new hay probable, it is unlikely that high 
prices will prevail during the coming year. The sea¬ 
son has been favorable, also, to Spring seeding, and 
to the growth of wheat and rye. Commercial ferti¬ 
lizers are, also, likely to show greater results than in 
a dry season. Many insect pests, especially in the 
plant-louse family, are likely to be destroyed by the 
cold and wet. Taking all things together, there are 
many things about such a season to counterbalance 
the discouraging features. 
0 
The indications are that wheat is to go higher in 
price. There is a scarcity of grain in Germany, Italy 
and France. The last country has made wheat free 
of entry until July 1. The French tariff is arranged 
upon a sliding scale—raised or lowered to suit the 
home demand. For example, when the price of wheat 
is low throughout the world, the French tariff is raised 
to hold the home price of wheat at a high figure. 
When the French wheat crop is light and the price 
goes too high, the tariff is reduced so as to bring in 
outside wheat. It is claimed that politicians have 
something to do with the present change in the French 
tariff. Leiter, of Chicago, has, it is said, sold 7,000,000 
bushels to French dealers who wish to import it with¬ 
out paying any duty ! The truth appears to be that 
Europe expects a light world’s crop, and high prices 
for wheat. 
O 
Spain’s trade with the rest of the world amounts to 
more than $300,000,000. Our Department of Agriculture 
states that, in 1895, Spain imported $161,829,516 worth 
of goods, and exported $155,355,759 worth. Her most 
important dealings have been with England, France, 
Cuba and the United States—one-third of the total 
foreign trade being with France, while this country 
had only about six per cent of it. Spain imports each 
year about $50,000,000 worth of agricultural products, 
such as cotton, wheat, hides, sugar and wool. Coal, 
iron, fish and lumber are, also, largely bought. In 
1895, Spain bought of the United States $11,830,544 
worth of cotton, which was 75 per cent of all she 
secured. Most of the wheat bought by Spain comes 
from Russia. Turkey and Roumania. During the past 
five years, France has sent Spain an average of 45,967 
barrels of flour, while we have sent but 333 barrels. 
We buy of Spain chiefly wines, nuts and fruits. The 
Spanish have a system of tariffs with three grades or 
classes of duties. The highest tariffs have been levied 
upon American goods. Among other things, it may 
be stated that importation of American potatoes or 
sacks or packages in which they have been packed, is 
prohibited. This is, evidently, done to prevent the 
introduction of the potato beetle. 
Direct and immediate taxation ! 
Issues of interest-bearing bonds ! 
These are the two chief plans for raising the money 
needed to carry on the war. To issue bonds is to bor¬ 
row the money, which our children and grandchildren 
will be expected to pay. Direct war taxes will mean 
paying as we go—making the payments harder for the 
present, but easier and cheaper for the future. Per¬ 
sonally, we would go to almost any sacrifice rather 
than borrow money for family expenses ; having 
learned from bitter experience how hard it is to pay a 
debt that does not represent a profitable investment. 
We consider it a mistake for the Government to at¬ 
tempt to conduct this war with borrowed money. Such 
money comes out of the people too easily. Let us pay 
as we go, and let the taxes be arranged so that the 
well-to-do will pay their full share. 
O 
We agree in general with Mr. Gibbs’s argument, 
page 351, that it is best to plow corn ground as early as 
convenient. There can be no doubt that such soil, 
opened early and well stirred on the surface, will re¬ 
tain moisture better than when it is plowed late in 
hot weather—after the April rains. There are ex¬ 
ceptions, however, to every rule. It is evident that, 
to obtain the greatest benefit from Crimson clover, 
we must let it grow until late in May, at least in lati¬ 
tudes north of Philadelphia. This will suit corn 
better than most other ordinary farm crops. No one 
would think of plowing under Crimson clover or rye 
in early April, when a month’s growth will more than 
double its size and value. Thousands of farmers de¬ 
pend upon such crops for supplying the greater part 
of the vegetable matter needed in their soils. With 
them, the question of securing a heavy green growth 
is more important than that of early plowing, and it 
is best for them to plow and roll just before corn 
planting. 
© 
Last week, Prof. M. V. Slingerland discussed the 
plan of using Bordeaux Mixture, Paris-green and 
kerosene emulsion at one operation. He now sends us 
the following note describing further experiments : 
Our experiments have progressed far enough so that it seems 
quite probable that whale-oil soap can be used in combination 
with Bordeaux Mixture (properly made) and Paris-green, even at 
the rate of one pound of the soap to five gallons of the combined 
fungicide and poison. It also seems, from our experiments thus 
far, that the whale-oil soap and Paris-green can, also, be com¬ 
bined readily. The soap, apparently, makes a better Bordeaux 
Mixture, as it will not settle so quickly, hence requires less stir¬ 
ring. As to the important question of the effectiveness of each 
ingredient when thus combined, our experiments have just begun 
along this line. 
Such a combination might be expected to kill any in¬ 
sect, whether it eat the leaves or suck out the plant 
juices. It may be, however, that these different in¬ 
gredients will not kill as well when in combination as 
when used separately. Our entomologists must find 
that out for us. Possibly they will be able to give us 
a “balanced insecticide” that will make insects 
tremble. 
O 
V 
An English chemist, who has made a study of the 
milk problem of London, says that one dealer in that 
city finds it profitable to pay $1,500 a year in fines for 
adding water to his milk—in other words, he can 
afford to pay the small fine for the sake of selling 
water to his customers. This shows what an immense 
profit there may be to dishonest retail milk dealers. 
The English investigations show, just as do those on 
this side of the water, that 95 per cent of milk water¬ 
ing is done by the dealers and not by the farmers. 
The milk as it leaves the farm is almost always pure 
and fully up to the standard. One dealer after an¬ 
other adds water to it, and a customer who buys the 
watered article blames it all upon the farmer. A few 
producers here and there are selling guaranteed milk, 
absolutely guaranteeing that their milk contains an 
average of at least four per cent fat. These men 
never have found fault with their milk, and are able 
usually to obtain a little above the average retail 
price. There is no reason in the world why milk 
should not be sold on a guaranteed analysis of its but¬ 
ter fat, for that is the fairest standard of its value. 
0 
Farmers in western Kansas failed so long as they 
tried to grow corn and wheat. They worked hard and 
lived temperately and frugally, but failed, because 
there was not moisture enough in the upper surface of 
the soil to mature these crops. These men fought 
hard against fate, and retired only when they were 
starved out. They used the wrong kind of weapons. 
In that dry country, corn and wheat were out of place. 
It was like some man with an old muzzle-loading gun 
trying to hold his own against a modern breech-loader. 
Finally these men found that Kaffir corn and Alfalfa 
were two plants specially qualified by Nature to grow 
on the desert and provide the food elements that are 
found in clover and corn. Then they found that the 
fault was not so much in the country as in themselves 
for trying to grow corn and wheat under unnatural 
conditions. Corn and wheat represent failure—Alfalfa 
and Kaffir corn make success possible. There are many 
farmers North, South and East who, like the Kansas 
farmers, are growing crops not suited to their con¬ 
ditions. They may take their agricultural precepts 
from their fathers, or they may not have observed 
that changes in markets or methods have destroyed 
the profit in the old-time crops. The trouble is that 
they are out of harmony with the land and location, 
and must either fail or adopt the crops and methods 
that their conditions require. 
Q 
Pennsylvania is the first State to move against 
deviled butter. The State Dairy Commissioner issues 
the following statement: 
Butter placed upon the market that is produced by taking orig¬ 
inal packing stock and other butter and melting the same, so 
that the butter oil can be drawn off, mixed with skim-milk and 
rechurned, or if by any similar process there is produced what is 
commonly known as “ Boiled ” or “ Process ” butter, the same be¬ 
fore being offered or exposed for sale, shall be plainly labeled 
“RENOVATED BUTTER”. If sold in prints or rolls, this label 
shall be plainly printed in conspicuous letters, on the wrappers. 
If packed in tubs, the brand shall be printed in one-inch letters, 
on the top and sides of the package. If exposed for sale, un¬ 
covered, a placard containing the label shall be attached to the 
mass in a manner making it prominent and plain to the pur¬ 
chaser. 
The name “ Renovated ” may have a softer sound in 
the public ear than Tiie R. N.-Y.'s selection, but we 
believe that the word Deviled in good-sized letters on 
the packages of this devilish stuff would be far more 
effective. Now let other States take up the matter. 
It is said that the dealers and “ melteis ” of this but¬ 
ter pleaded for the word “ process” instead of “reno¬ 
vated ”, but they did not care to risk a lawsuit over it. 
© 
BREVITIES. 
IN MANILA BAY. 
’Twas an early morn in May, when we neared Manila Bay, 
Right and left the lazy Spanish cannon slept, 
With their fleet secure inside, rocking idly on the tide, 
Over mines and through torpedoes in we crept. 
Then they started in surprise—how they rubbed their sleepy eyes, 
How the iron bulldogs roared with rage and pain! 
Oh, the fight was fierce and hot, but we gave them shot for shot, 
For our hearts were full of vengeance for the Maine! 
But the Spaniards fought us well, oh, the coming years will tell 
How the Spanish banner never fluttered down! 
Oh, they faced the fiery breath, and they fought us to the death, 
Never quailing at the hellish cannon’s frown! 
’Twas a daring thing to do, but the old Red, White and Blue 
Held the promise of God’s destiny that day; 
For the future led us on, till the victory was won, 
And the star of Spain sank o’er Manila Bay. 
We were strangers far from home—but across the leagues of foam, 
They are telling of our daring, without shame; 
We shall live to show our scars, and the dear old Stripes and Stars 
Takes a higher place upon the roll of fame. 
WAR ! We A>'e Ready. 
Goes without saying—the dumb visitor. 
The consent trait will kill concentration. 
Always on hand— a case of “ Hear ! ” say. 
The tongue of the scold runs at a fumey gait. 
You can’t lubricate brains with elbow grease. 
The hypocrite cans cant for public occasions. 
The law may not always agree with the Lord. 
Art to be dull—the man with “ no ax to grind.” 
The hen’s crop of eggs is started in her own crop. 
A curse, to turn the children over entirely to a nurse. 
The head of the herd should be on the owner’s shoulders. 
Europe dallied over Armenia, America rallied over Cuba. 
Most people can lay plans better than they can hatch them. 
These are stirring times, said mother as she beat up the egg. 
Montana sheep are frequently poisoned by feeding on larkspur. 
Best clover hay brings $24 per ton in London. Little Timothy 
is sold there. 
It appears that there are insects with a mouth for potato bugs 
—see page 353. 
The brave have w'ills of iron. The coward changes a letter 
and makes it I run. 
Nothing better than cotton-seed meal and corn meal to feed 
with pasture grass. 
To sterilize drinking water, English scientists advise adding 
small quantities of chloride of lime, and later bisulphite of cal¬ 
cium to neutralize it. 
No, sir, what we call “ blood ” in a hog will not enable an 
animal to live on air and make pork out of water. Dish water is 
stronger than “ blood ” as a food. 
Austria purposes to prohibit the importation of American 
clover seed. Every pound of clover seed grown in this country 
should be sown on American soil. 
Can’t show your patriotism by killing a few of the Spanish 
soldiers, eh ? Too bad. Don’t give up, though; the Spanish have 
a habit of putting things off. Kill that habit and serve your 
country. 
Take equal parts of phosphateof soda and Rochelle salts, a tea¬ 
spoonful of the mixture every morning before breakfast in warm 
or hot water is excellent for constipation, or for gcutyor rheu¬ 
matic persons. 
Dr. J. A. Lintner, New York State Entomologist, died at Rome, 
Italy, May 5. Dr. Lintner did much for economic entomology; 
among other insect pests first described by him were the Clover 
midge and Clover beetle. He was a voluminous writer upon ento¬ 
mology. This news comes to us as we go to press. Dr. Lintner’s 
death is a great loss to science and agriculture. 
