December 1? 
8S2 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
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, | . . . 
Mrs. E. T. Royle, {-Associate Editors. 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
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THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
409 Pearl Street, New York. 
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1898. 
5 Send us a club of four subscriptions with $4, 
f 01* ant * we advance your own subscription 
one year free. New subscribers for next year 
will now get the paper from the date the sub¬ 
scription is received until January 1, 1900. 
NEW YORKS COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 
Two weeks ago The R. N.-Y. asked its readers to 
suggest or nominate men who, in their opinion, are 
qualified to fill the position of Commissioner of Agri¬ 
culture in New York State. Many letters have been 
received in reply, and the following gentlemen have 
been nominated : 
S. D. Willard, Geneva. 
Prof. I. P. Roberts, Cornell. 
Geo. T. Powell, Ghent. 
W. Judson Smith, Syracuse. 
J. S. Woodward, Lockport. 
A. R. Eastman, Waterville. 
C. A. Wieting, the present commissioner. 
The great majority of those who write favor Mr. S. D. 
Willard. We are in a position to state that neither 
Mr. Willard nor Prof. Roberts is or will be a candidate 
for the position. We think it proper, however, that 
the public should realize the high regard in which 
these men are held by the farmers of New York 
The plain farmers of the State who, unfortunately, 
do not have much to do with selecting men to repre¬ 
sent them, will, we think, indorse the following note 
from one of the best-known farmers in the State : 
I would nominate S. D. Willard, of Geneva, for the reason that 
he is in fullest sympathy with the best development that can be 
brought to the agriculture of our great State. While his experi¬ 
ence and knowledge have been largely along horticultural lines 
of work, he has a broad comprehension of the needs in agricul¬ 
ture, is executive in ability, quick of perception, and would make 
a strong and progressive man to give direction to the work of 
the Department of Agriculture. New York needs a strong leader, 
in the greatest of its industries, and one capable of helping 
farmers more successfully to meet the great competition that is 
forced upon them from every other State in the Union. 
We are able to state, on personal authority, that Mr. 
Roosevelt has not yet positively decided whom he will 
appoint. Of one thing farmers may be sure : Gov. 
Roosevelt will never be satisfied to permit the officers 
of the Agricultural Department to do mere police 
duty. The Commissioner of Agriculture, whoever he 
may be, will be required to broaden out his Depart¬ 
ment, and make it of more practical benefit to farm¬ 
ers. The R. N.-Y. will give fair support and en¬ 
couragement to the man of Mr. Roosevelt’s choice. At 
the same time, we reserve the right to attempt to 
show the possibilities of an Agricultural Department, 
for there is no reason why farmers of the Empire 
State should not have the best that can be had. 
In New York State, this season, several times as many 
were called for as could be held. Interest grows and 
attendance increases. Institutes are not profitable to 
certain classes, but farmers who have availed them¬ 
selves of their benefits, will vote them, on the whole, 
as worth all they cost. 
A New York man who had been out on a business 
trip in western New York during the Fall, said that 
the roads were “ something awful.” The mud came 
up to the hubs of the wheels, and it was about all a 
horse could do to draw an empty wagon. This man 
simply wasn’t used to our common country roads. It 
was a new experience to him, therefore more im¬ 
pressive ; but he said that he wouldn’t live in a country 
where they have such roads if he were given the best 
farm there. This is another straw showing the cur¬ 
rent of popular opinion on a subject of vital import¬ 
ance to every community. 
A Philadelphia seedsman, in a recent address be¬ 
fore the Florists’ Club of that city, observed that, 
when he first heard of a farmers’ institute, he con¬ 
cluded that it was an establishment for the care of 
aged and infirm farmers ! When, however, he attended 
a few of these institutes, he came to the conclusion 
that they might better be described as agricultural 
revival meetings, for they stirred up the listeners, and 
caused them to relate their experiences and successes 
—their failures, too—just as a great preacher stirs his 
congregation. It is 40 years since the old Bay State 
established the first farmers’ institutes held in this 
country, and the work has continued increasing its 
scope ever since. Certainly the institutes offer one of 
the best substitutes for an agricultural college course 
that may be obtained by the stay-at-home farmer. 
Complaint has been made that some of our export 
corn is not in as good condition as it should be. It is 
said to contain pieces of cobs, dirt, broken grains and 
other extraneous matter. Considerable quantities 
have been rejected, to the loss of the importers. Ship¬ 
pers should see to this, for this is one of our most 
active export grains, wheat being the other. Both 
are heavy, therefore more in demand for sending 
abroad rather than oats or other lighter grains. We 
can grow corn cheaply, and our Government has made 
special efforts during the past few years to attract 
the attention of foreign nations to this cereal, the 
demand has been steadily increasing and the price 
advancing ; this gratifying condition should not be 
interfered with by carelessness in the matter of prepar¬ 
ing for shipment. Let us send the best corn in the 
world, in the best possible condition, for we can beat 
the world on this crop, and there’s money in it. 
The recent snowstorm in New York City held up 
traffic for a number of days. The Street-Cleaning 
Department seemed powerless to remove the snow. 
In this City, every cart and wagon is licensed. The 
City has a right to impose any reasonable condition 
upon the holders of these licenses. It is now seriously 
proposed that all licensed carts and wagons be re¬ 
quired to report on the Mayor’s proclamation, and do 
one day’s work in removing the snow, under penalty 
of forfeiting the license. The City is to pay a fair 
price for the day’s work, and it is thought that, in this 
way, the streets would be promptly cleared of snow, 
and all would be fairly well satisfied. It is proposed to 
make this provision a part of every wagon license. We 
wonder what farmers would think if townships or 
counties were to require a license for each wheeled 
vehicle, and put in each license an agreement that 
the wagon must be called out for service on the public 
roads, whenever the authorities deem it necessary ! 
Some Long Island florists report a windmill swindler 
who has been visiting them of late. He represents 
himself as a repairer, undertakes to put the mill in 
order, and then obtains money in advance to buy some 
needed fittings. He leaves to buy these fittings, and 
then fails to return. It is quite likely that he will 
turn his attention from florists to farmers, so it will 
be well to regard any such wandering repairer with 
suspicion. 
At a recent meeting of farmers in New Jersey, the 
question was asked as to the pay of the speakers at a 
farmers’ institute previously held there. The inquirers 
seemed to be fearful that they couldn’t absorb enough 
to warrant the outlay. Institute workers are not, as 
a rule, extravagantly paid, and the work of a con¬ 
scientious, painstaking worker is very wearing. It is 
the testimony of the majority of farmers attending 
that they are well paid, and it is certain that a large 
class who do not attend, would be greatly benefited by 
doing so. The demand for institutes increases yearly. 
X Mr. Clinton’s statement of the situation at the 
Binghamton, N. Y., beet-sugar factory, indicates a 
hopeful outlook for this industry. Beets of high 
quality have been grown in the State, and sugar from 
them is actually falling out of the factory spouts. Dr. 
Wiley’s note, on page 848, gives another side of the 
story. It seems that the French and Germans readily 
see that, when once the Spaniards give up Cuba, the 
output of sugar from that island will be vastly in¬ 
creased. The Americans will push the industry as 
the Spaniards never could. Before England took con¬ 
trol of Egypt, cotton was grown there and exported 
to a limited extent. Under British direction, who 
doubts that cotton-growing will be immensely in¬ 
creased, to the advantage of England and the disad¬ 
vantage of the southern States ? In the same way, 
American enterprise and capital will, probably, so 
develop sugar production on the islands of the sea 
that our country will control the world’s market for 
sugar as it now controls that of corn and wheat. But 
where is the American farmer with his beet sugar to 
stand under this arrangement ? He will stand out¬ 
side in the cold. The capital in our city banks may 
find a rich investment in producing Cuban sugar, but 
the millions locked up in our lands must take a back 
seat. What American in New York State can expect 
to produce sugar on even terms with an ‘ ‘ American ” 
in Cuba ? 
At a recent institute, one of the speakers, in re¬ 
ferring to the common practice of farmers feeding 
hay and grain to stock merely to maintain their exist¬ 
ence through the Winter, asked, “ What return does 
a farmer get for the hay and grain fed to a dry cow 
in the Winter, beyond the pleasure of her company ? 
and when a man feeds a hog all Winter, which weighs 
no more in April than it did the previous October, 
what has he got for his attention and feed, besides 
the squeal of the pig ? ” Some of the farmers who 
practice this sort of feeding ought to answer the 
questions. 
• • 
Vegetarianism is increasing the number of its ad¬ 
vocates in this country, but they will receive very 
little comfort from the report upon conditions in Porto 
Rico, recently made public by Dr. Amadeo, a Porto 
Rican physician. He says that, through the Spanish 
tariffs, the working people of his native island have 
been compelled to live entirely upon fruits and vege¬ 
tables, and they show, in both mind and body, the 
results of insufficient nutrition. Dr. Amadeo implores 
the American authorities to permit the free entry of 
American food products, especially meat, that these 
poor half-starved people may improve their condition. 
He says that meat is the remedy for wasted muscles 
and inactive brains. It is not meant, by this, that 
dwellers in the tropics are to eat as much meat as 
people in cold climates, but that some meat is needed. 
The vegetarians often explain the dominance of meat- 
eating nations on the ground that a meat diet makes 
fighting people; but this does not altogether account 
for their industrial and commercial supremacy. 
BREVITIES. 
UNCLE SAM TALKS TURKEY. 
[A telegram announces that 5,000 carcasses of mutton, 250 
lambs, 133 tons of potatoes, 81 of onions and 22 of carrots have 
been sent from Australia for Dewey’s fleet at Manila.] 
What’s this I hear ? Australia has the job of selling sheep 
To feed our Yankee boys in blue ? That makes my dander creep! 
See here, young man, is this thing true ? Is this here sale a fact ? 
If ’tiB, I’ll put my glasses on an’ read the riot act. 
What do I hire you for, young man ? How do you earn your pay ? 
To set and let Australia feed them sailors while you play ? 
No, sir, not by a darn sight, you help this country’s trade, 
An’ Yankee farmers pay the tax with which you folks are paid. 
Confound your big “expansion” an’ your darned old “open door,” 
If that’s a sample of it, don’t you give us any more. 
We’ve got the mutton an’ the beef right here in Yankeeland; 
It’s plenty good enough to feed them boys—you understand ? 
Land sakes ! The money that I spend to educate an’ drill 
Our farmers to produce big crops—an’ then you fellers kill 
His chances with your “open door” that lets Tom, Dick and Harry 
Come in an’ kick his prices down, an’ then proceed to tarry. 
The farmer comes in first, young man, his boot is big and stout 
An’ if you give him second place, he’ll kick you fellers out. 
Potatoes are “ ground feed.” 
The talkative man sows the wind. 
A fat office is a good thing to lean on. 
A sore throat makes one a “ hard drinker ”. 
The tale end of the wind bag is at his tongue. 
“ Imperialism ” will imperil the farmers’ markets. 
Who wants an easy job with big pay ? Mr. Everybody. 
It is a wise man that can laugh over his youthful follies. 
Economize the emotions. They are too valuable to waste. 
“ Going along swimmingly ”—in other words, kicking hard. 
In Oklahoma “ stock melons ” are said to be better than roots 
for swine. 
A silo is being built on a farm in Alaska. How about the one 
on your farm ? 
Be sure to read Mr. Campbell’s article on Hogs in Apple Or¬ 
chards—page 848. 
Reports are that Campbell’s Early grapes have been sold for 
Black Hamburgs. 
The best evidence of moral tone is the ability to toe the mark- 
moral toeing you might say. 
The State of New Jersey appropriated only $500 with which to 
enforce the law against the San Jos6 scale! 
“ Fur on the tongue ” indicates a bodily condition that prompts 
one to “ make the fur fly ” in conversation. 
Whew! Think of farmers carrying butter and eggs to market 
while the bad roads keep the horses at home! Page 849. 
What honest man can object to the fellow “ with an ax to 
grind ” provided he will use the sharp edge for an honest purpose? 
Even In far-off Washington State, ground bone brings $20 per 
ton at the slaughterhouse. Westward the fertilizer bag takes its 
way. 
Young woman, shun the man who has an idea he is one of the 
lords of creation. You can get rid of him easier than he can get 
rid of his idea. 
Some people must go away from home to show what they are 
capable of doing. Possibly this is why Uncle Sam expects to do 
for dark-skinned people on his new islands what he has failed to 
do for 10,000,000 black and red men at home. 
The Hawkesbury Agricultural College of Australia has a 
baker and a carpenter on its teaching force. The course is 
arranged on the supposition that “ every farmer must know how 
to produce everything necessary to self support as a farmer, even 
though he be engaged in specific lines of farming.” 
