102 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
February 6 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Herbert W. Collingwood, Editor. 
DR. WALTER VAN FLEET, I Assoclatas 
Mrs. E. T. Boyle, ( Associates. 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries In the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, 
equal to 8s. 6d., or 8% marks, or 10% francs. 
“ A SQUARE DEAL,.” 
We believe that every advertisement in this paper is 
backed by a responsible person. But to make doubly 
sure we will make good any loss to paid subscribers 
sustained by trusting any deliberate swindler advertising 
in our columns, and any such swindler will be publicly 
exposed. ) We protect subscribers against rogues, but we 
do not guarantee to adjust trifling differences between 
subscribers and honest responsible advertisers. Neither 
will we be responsible for the debts of honest bankrupts 
sanctioned by the courts. Notice of the complaint must 
be sent to us within one month of the time of the trans¬ 
action, and you must have mentioned The Rural New- 
Yorker when writing the advertiser. 
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, FEBRUARY 6, 1904. 
NOW FOR POSTAGE STAMPS. 
The time is now just exactly ripe for the postage 
stamp vote in favor of the New York Agricultural Col¬ 
lege. The bill is before the Legislature; the Governor 
and leading members favor it. All we need now is a 
whirlwind of letters from citizens to show that there 
is a real demand for the college. Do not wait over 
night, but sit down as soon as you read this and write 
to your Senator and Assemblyman, telling them in the 
strongest words you can coin that you want this new 
college building. Go at them at once! Lick a stamp 
for the farmers’ college. 
* 
Does it pay to use Bordeaux Mixture on potatoes? 
The experiment stations say that it does—practical 
farmers are not so sure. We are constantly receiving 
questions about this. There is a demand for facts. 
Evidently some farmers have tried Bordeaux without 
receiving the benefit they expected. We would like a 
clear statement of any facts you may have to give. 
* 
Some combination of lime, sulphur and salt seems 
to be the most hopeful weapon to use against the 
San Jos6 scale. No one seems ready to say just what 
the best combination is, but both scientists and prac¬ 
tical men are at work upon the problem, and they 
will, in time, find something cheap and effective. We 
must not expect them to do it all at once, but they 
certainly must keep at it. 
* 
Indications are that the trade in chemical fer¬ 
tilizers will be heavier than ever before this year. 
Southern farmers will use fertilizers freely, since 
cotton is high and likely to remain so. Fruit growers 
are increasing their orders, and there is a growing 
sentiment in favor of using potash and acid phosphate 
with stable manure. All these things help to give the 
trade in chemicals a boost. 
* 
The long-continued cold weather is making trouble 
in some parts of the South. Houses are often thin and 
open—not built for cold weather and people have 
suffered severely. On the Maryland peninsula plowing 
usually goes on all through the Winter and straw¬ 
berry plants are set out after December. This year it 
has been impossible to start a plow since December 
1. All work is behind—in fact, the delay is greater 
than that caused by big drifts farther north. Still the 
solid freezing will do that soil good. 
* 
We are often asked the reason for using lengthy 
botanical names, which tax both tongue and memory, 
when we have short, familiar titles that convey the 
same meaning. This criticism sounds quite reason¬ 
able, yet, when we study the matter, we find that the 
familiar title does not always convey the same mean¬ 
ing, and that the universal language of science is the 
only one absolutely certain. We recollect hearing two 
of our friends in New Jersey debating over wild 
honeysuckles. “Such a lovely pink,” said one. “Why, 
they’re red and yellow,” said the other. Further ques¬ 
tions showed that the upholder of pink honeysuckles 
referred to the native Azalea nudiflora, known in some 
sections as Pinxter flower, while her opponent meant 
by red and yellow honeysuckle the wild columbine, 
Aquilegia Canadensis. Neither of these plants has 
any right to the name of honeysuckle, which belongs 
to the Lonicera in its various forms, yet local nomen¬ 
clature has bestowed i<t upon both. We need not go 
to the other extreme, and ask for a peck of Solanum 
tuberosum when we need potatoes, but we may just 
as well acknowledge the propriety of botanical names 
after all. 
* 
The recent death of Josiah Hoopes removes the last 
cf the famous trio who gave the first notable public 
commendation to the Kieffer pear. At the time of the 
Centennial Exposition the committee on exhibits of 
new fruits consisted of William Parry, Thomas Mee¬ 
han and Josiah Hoopes. This committee realized the 
commercial value of the Kieffer, and their endorse¬ 
ment did much to give it a start in public esteem. 
Whatever the future may hold for it, we cannot over¬ 
look the vast amount of money this pear has earned 
for its planters, and we realize the wisdom of those 
far-seeing pomologists who were among the first to 
recognize its merits. 
* 
On page 100 Mr. Manchester speaks of the unprofit¬ 
able cow that “takes too good care of herself.” We 
have seen cows that went to the other extreme, and 
would turn themselves into hatracks or porous shad¬ 
ows unless all the time coddled. They lacked the 
quality known as “heartiness,” so much valued by 
experienced handlers of live stock. The cow that 
licks out the corners of the feed pail or box in the 
effort to get the last scrap of grain and takes in every 
wad of hay as though it tasted good is worth having. 
If too beefy she can be turned off quickly at a profit, 
but we do not care for any milch cow but a “hearty 
feeder.” She will take care of her owner as well as 
herself. 
* 
Zero weather is an educator in house warming—at 
least it starts an investigation. Many a farmer and 
his wife have decided by this fearful Winter to put 
some sort of heating apparatus in their house be¬ 
fore another year. This is right, for the farmhouse 
has greater need of warmth and comfort than even 
the town home. What shall it be—steam, hot water 
or hot air? This will be the question before many a 
farm household during the next six months. The 
best is good enough for a farmer, but what is best? 
A good argument can be put up for each of these 
systems, and we would like to give a fair statement 
for each, with full items of cost. Will those who have 
used air, steam or water in farmhouses tell us why 
they prefer one system to another, and just what the 
first cost and fuel cost amount to? This is the fair¬ 
est way we know of to settle the matter. 
* 
We have been asked to give the figures showing the 
cost and income of the canals in New York State. The 
report of the State Comptroller for 1902 shows that, 
since 1817 a total of $320,250,603.38 have been spent on 
the canals. The most expensive year was 1856, when 
$10,845,493.12 were spent. The next largest yearly 
expense was in 1874—$7,711,963.14. The total expense 
of actual repairs is $45,081,913.58. Tolls are recorded 
from 1821, when $2,200 were collected, to 1883, when 
the total was $271,706.49. The heaviest tolls were col¬ 
lected in 1863—$5,028,431.32. The total amount re¬ 
ceived from tolls during the 63 years in which they 
were collected was $134,837,814.26. Up to 1836 a salt 
duty was levied, which yielded in all $2,055,458.06. 
Sales of land have yielded $320,518.15 and rent of sur¬ 
plus water $164,594.88. The canal tax has yielded 
$78,798,571.97. If the canal is to be enlarged at heavy 
expense the money needed to do the work might well 
be supplied by farmers or smaller investors. In the 
western part of the State we meet some farmers who 
predict wonderful prosperity for all when the large 
canal is completed. Such men would surely be glad to 
invest their savings in small canal bonds! 
* 
New Jersey robins and other fruit-eating birds 
were so destructive last year that growers were al¬ 
most driven to distraction. Estimates place the ag¬ 
gregate losses at all sorts of figures up to $10,000,000. 
Whether this great amount was reached or not mat¬ 
ters little to the individual grower when his own 
cherries, berries, grapes and even early apples vanish 
before the voracious birds, bringing his years of labor 
and expensive preparation to naught. He asks only 
the same right to defend his crop from destruction 
by birds as he has to fight disease or noxious insects. 
A bill is now before the Legislature permitting far¬ 
mers and gardeners to kill birds on their premises if 
actually engaged in destroying their crop. Such birds 
are not to be sold, given away, shipped from the State 
or in any manner converted into merchandise. There 
would seem no reasonable objection to £uch a law, 
as it would tend to preserve an important industry, 
now seriously threatened by the unexampled increase 
of a few bird species of mo re than doubtful economic 
value, but inconsiderate sentiment among those ig¬ 
norant of the true situation is likely to hamper its 
progress through the Legislature. Fruit growers as 
a rule do not wish to harm these graceful creatures, 
but they feel they must have relief or go out of the 
business. The balance of nature has been so upset by 
indiscriminate protection of bird life that wild fruits 
no longer suffice these hordes of robins, and they 
have become an intolerable pest to the fruit garden. 
It is “up to” the State to authorize reasonable means 
of relief or pay all damages caused by over-protected 
birds and game animals. 
* 
Last week we referred to a bill now before the 
Legislature which aims to take the Geneva Experi¬ 
ment Station out of the hands of the Board of Con¬ 
trol. We do not hesitate to say that this is one of the 
most dangerous bills, affecting the value of the Sta¬ 
tion, ever put forward in this State. It should be 
killed without mercy. The plan is to put the entire 
work of the Station in charge of the State Depart¬ 
ment of Agriculture, tying the director’s hands and 
taking all authority from the present Board of Con¬ 
trol. How is it possible that such a change could be, 
for a moment, contemplated? The following public 
statement from Albany throws a little light on this 
matter: 
Last Summer a fertilizing company in Onondaga 
County sent samples of its product to Director Jordan for 
an analysis. They failed to come up to the require¬ 
ments. In a bulletin issued periodically by Director 
Jordan he published the result of his analysis of the 
fertilizer. Of course the farmers had no further use for 
that brand of fertilizer. 
You see the point. Since it is impossible to bulldoze, 
bribe or coax Director Jordan from doing his duty it 
is proposed to cripple him—cut off his power and 
make him a mere figurehead. Now a figurehead is 
the last thing the farmers of New York want at the 
Station. Of what good are figures about a fertilizer 
or any other inferior goods if the director is to keep 
them in his head? What is he there for? To help 
farmers, or to sit still and twirl his thumbs? The 
farmers of New York ought to feel proud of the fact 
that they have a competent and fearless man at Gen¬ 
eva. They should stand by with a club and knock 
down any man who attempts to put a collar and chain 
on him. Senator Raines has introduced a bill which 
will protect the Director and give him increased free¬ 
dom to publish fertilizer analyses. These two bills 
are in the hands of the agricultural committees of 
Senate and House. The Catlin bill, which seeks to re¬ 
organize the Station, must be stamped to death. 
Write at once to Hon. Henry S. Ambler and Hon. 
James M. Graeff and tell them that you favor Senator 
Raines’s bill, and that you oppose any change in the 
management of the Station. Do this at once. 
BREVITIES. 
Don’t lay dyspepsia to eggs! 
The first requisite of a good road is perfect drainage. 
Feed charity and business separately. They do not 
mix well. 
Do not sigh for a big farm until you have mastered a 
small one. 
Some men ring true; others could if they would, but 
they are very much afraid to ring. 
There seems no reason to expect that sulphate of 
copper will be lower in price this season. 
While we must wait to save up the necessary money 
to buy a lump of radium, let us not neglect to let our 
own light shine. 
Remember that when a man talks about Bordeaux 
Mixture with a 5-5-40 formula he means five pounds 
of lime, five pounds of copper sulphate and 40 gallons 
of water. 
Read what Mr. Mapes says about pale eggs, on page 
OS. We have noticed this peculiarity in many eggs during 
the present Winter. There is apparently little coloring 
matter in white corn. 
Our correspondent, F. H. Ballou, has been appointed 
horticultural assistant at the Ohio Experiment Station. 
This is an excellent appointment, for Mr. Ballou has 
made his living as a fruit grower. Such men know what 
fruit growers want and need. 
The students at the Missouri Agricultural College are 
reported to have adopted this “college yell:’’ 
“Horses, cattle, sheep and hogs, 
Turkeys, chickens, ducks and dogs; 
Feed ’em, fatten 'em, make ’em thrive. 
Agriculture—19—6.” 
The newspapers report that Japan is trying to corner 
all the camphor in sight, in consequence of approaching 
war. This sounds as though our friends from Tokio 
meant to bombard Johnny Bear with mothballs, but the 
explanation is that camphor is used in the manufacture 
of smokeless powder. 
We have many questions about the value of hen ma¬ 
nure for potatoes. In our experience hen manure on 
average soils has given heavy vines but not the best 
yield of tubers. The best way to use hen manure is to 
crush it fine and mix with chemicals. It is not always 
possible to mix it, but we would always try to crush it, 
and not use in solid chunks in the hill. 
Large quantities of the improved horseradish referred 
to on page 96 could be sold in this market for a con¬ 
siderable time at least, as it would displace the knotty, 
branchy roots so often offered. This does not mean that 
every farmer ought to go into the horseradish business. 
That would soon upset the trade. Those who have suit¬ 
able land and get right at it will have the cream of the 
profit. 
