THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
July 2 , 
5 I 2 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country a- 1 Suburban Homes. 
Established. 1850. 
Herbert w. Colling wood, Editor. 
Dk. Walter Van Fleet,) . 
MltS. K. T. Ho VLB, (-Associates 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, $11.04, 
equal to 8s. (Id., or 8 1 /. marks, or 1 oy 2 francs. 
“A SQUARE DEAL.” 
We believe that every advertisement in this paper is 
hacked 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 col¬ 
umns, and any such swindler will he 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 transaction, and you must have 
mentioned The Rural New-Yorker when writing the adver¬ 
tiser. 
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. 
TIIE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
409 Pearl Street, New York. 
SATURDAY, JULY 2, 1904. 
THE PRIZE CLIPPINGS. 
The first prize this week goes to Michigan, the second 
to Vermont, and the third to New York, as follows: 
H. B. Howe, Berrien Co., Mich. 
Mrs. Wm, Weeks, Rutland Co., Vt. 
Mrs. I. D. Cook, Genesee Co., N. Y. 
We still offer weekly prizes of $1.50, $1 and 50 cents 
for the best clippings from local papers. 
* 
The following is from a busy farmer who has no time 
to play at this season: 
The last number of Tiie R. N.-Y. was particularly 
“meaty.” I don’t often read everything in any paper, 
but did read all of the last It. N.-Y’. 
We like to compare The R. N.-Y. with other papers 
now—during the hot, working season. Then it is that 
farmers want “meat” in their mental ration. No fixing 
up for “dress parade” for us if we can help it, but every 
issue representing the best v/e have. 
* 
On page 47G answer was made to a question about the 
transfer tax. As was stated, the Legislature is con¬ 
stantly adding to the law, usually for the purpose of 
extending the scope of the tax charge. By Chapter 41 
of the Laws of 1903, real property passing to lineal de¬ 
scendants, if of the value of $10,000 or over, is taxable, 
like personal property, at the rate of one per cent, and 
if the' real and personal property taken together amount 
to $10,000, is likewise so taxable. A reader calls atten¬ 
tion to this matter. 
* 
Readers sometimes wonder why we print articles 
which argue against what the great majority believe 
to be fixed principles. Some men have become so fixed 
in their opinion that they cannot bear to hear the other 
side discussed. It is our policy to give all sides a fair 
hearing when the arguments can be presented honestly 
and without personal offence. It is a mistake for any 
man to think he knows all there is to be known about 
any subject The limitations of human life are too great 
to enable anyone to gain complete knowledge of even 
the simplest proposition. Fair discussion is the life of 
learning. 
* 
While the past few days of warm weather have 
helped the corn it is still far behind. There must be hot 
weather ahead if we are to save the crop. Wheat will 
without doubt give a total yield less than last year. That 
means costly bran and middlings. The country needs 
a big corn crop a great deal more than it needs a pres¬ 
idential election. As we must have one let us hope we 
may have the other also. There has been a great corn 
acreage planted. With fair weather and careful tillage 
the crop can be pushed through. Keep at it. When you 
follow a horse or mule and cultivator up and down the 
corn rows you do your country more good than the man 
who marches in a torchlight procession. 
* 
The horrible disaster in this city in which over 1,000 
people lost their lives on a burning steamboat was the 
result of negligence. The steamer was a death trap, the 
crew were underpaid and undrilled—even the life pre¬ 
servers and fire appliances were rotten and worthless. 
The boat was supposed to be “inspected” by Government 
inspectors, but this seems to have been a mere farce. 
The inspectors drew their salaries and did little—the 
crew made haste to save their own skins when danger 
faced them—and helpless women and children were sent 
to an awful death. It is saddening to learn in this hor¬ 
rible way how rotten oiir public service is becoming. 
We pay men to protect our lives and property, and they 
forget most of their duties in their rush for “graft.” 
* 
He was a pretty good farmer, and making a good 
living, but had the misfortune to have three or four 
thousand dollars left him. He began to take things 
easy, went to town a little oftener, bought a good many 
things he didn’t need and could easily have gone with¬ 
out. Didn’t intend to use any of the principal, but there 
were several opportunities to double his money, and 
he took it out of a safe investment at fair interest to 
get 10 to 20 per cent. It is all gone now, and there’s a 
good-sized mortgage on the farm and “farming doesn’t 
pay” any longer. It’s the man, not the business. 
* 
Potato growers in the East say that the Potato beetle 
crop is short this season. In some localities they have 
hardly appeared at all thus far, though in ordinary sea¬ 
sons they are due early in June. They may come later, 
but thus far very little spraying has been necessary. 
Farmers believe that the fearful cold of last Winter 
destroyed many of the beetles, though the scientific men 
appear to think that cold is rarely harmful to such in¬ 
sects. At any rate, the beetles have given the potato 
plants a rest, and they are grateful for it. The vines 
never looked better where the crop has been well tilled, 
banners also think that the vines are better because it 
lias not been necessary to use Paris-green. There is a 
general belief that the arsenic sprays injure the plant, 
weaken the foliage and thus set it back. Certainly the 
vines are better where no spraying has been done. 
* 
We may reassure the young lady mentioned by Prof. 
Slingerland on page 508 who took a combination of red 
ants in hypophosphites, by referring to the fact that such 
an infusion would have been viewed with much ap¬ 
proval by mediaeval physicians. Ants appeared in many 
of their prescriptions, as a valued stomachic, and as a 
cure for languor, a view many of us will indorse, in 
cases of external application. Lumbermen in the north¬ 
ern camps are credited with using black ants occasion¬ 
ally as a sauce with their daily ration of beans, when 
deprived of vinegar; this because formic acid, which oc¬ 
curs naturally in ants, is practically identical with the 
acetic acid of vinegar in flavor and properties. It is 
a case of applied science in homely life. We do not, 
however, care for a too intimate association of ants in 
our daily bread, and Prof. Slingerland’s answer is likely 
to be helpful to others. 
* 
The probable effect of the Supreme Court decision 
on oleo is discussed by dealers on page 513. They take 
the sensible view that the regulation of the oleo out¬ 
put will steady the market and give producers and 
dealers a chance to balance demand and supply. This 
was not possible while oleo was being freely made and 
sold. One case was left undecided by the Court. This 
referred to the use of palm oil in coloring the oleo. The 
revenue officials decided that the use of this oil is illegal, 
but appeal is taken by the oleo men that this being a 
vegetable oil the maker is justified in using it—as much 
so as is a farmer in feeding carrots or cornmeal to his 
cow in order to deepen the color of the cream and but¬ 
ter. We do not believe the Court will permit the use 
of this palm oil. Even if they should do so, it is within 
the power of Congress to prohibit its use by special 
law—and that we will have if need be. 
* 
We shall never have in this country a satisfactory 
parcels post until the farmers understand what it will 
mean for them and demand it. We well remember how 
slow and indifferent many farmers were when the ques¬ 
tion of free rural delivery came up. We had many let¬ 
ters from farmers who sneered at the idea, and said the 
daily mail service was not needed; was a useless ex¬ 
pense, and that it would injure farmers more than it 
would help them. The only thing that could win these 
farmers over was the service itself in successful opera¬ 
tion. When they saw the convenience of having their 
mail brought to them each day they were converted— 
forgot their former opposition, and became the strong¬ 
est workers for rural delivery. They were like the men 
we have known who when a telephone line was sug¬ 
gested opposed it and did their best to stop it until 
some important errand came up and five minutes at a 
neighbor’s ’phone saved them miles of travel. Then 
their opposition changed to support. It will be just 
the same with this demand for a parcels post. Many 
already feel the need of it, but still more do not yet 
understand how it will benefit them. When this point 
is made clear they will join in a rush that cannot 
be resisted. The history of the anti-oleo legislation 
shows what can be done by educating the people and 
pointing out clearly how their rights are invaded. The 
man who lives in a town or city cares little about a 
parcels post because he does not see that he needs it. 
He is close to stores where if he has the cash or credit 
he can buy what he wants. It is different with a man 
living in the country. Unless he has a bank account 
and can send a check for his purchase it will cost 
some member of his family half a day’s time to go to 
town for a money order or to register a letter. It will 
cost a fair share of a day’s profits to pay the express 
charges on the goods he wants to buy. Now think what 
would happen if the farmer could have fractional cur¬ 
rency or some convenient form of sending monev 
through the mail. He could send his order by tkc 
mail carrier, and under a parcels post system the goods 
would be returned to him by the same carrier at a fair 
rate of postage. lie could not only purchase in this 
way, but sell goods also. The man in town who thinks 
a parcels post would mean nothing to him could in this 
way deal direct with the farmer to the advantage ot 
both. The R. N.-Y. regards this matter of extension 
of the postal service as of more direct importance to 
farmers than any other question now publicly dis¬ 
cussed. This is the year to make one’s wants known. 
A new- Congress is to be elected, and every man who 
goes to Washington must be made to understand how 
the people feel about this matter. Here is an issue on 
which every rural dweller can unite. We shall try 
through the Summer and Fall to bring this home to 
you and you and you, until it is so much a part of your 
home that you will fight for it. 
* 
Driving along a country road recently we passed a 
saloon. In front was a changeable sign. As we ap¬ 
proached the building the sign clearly read : 
FIRST CHANCE. 
As we passed on and came directly in front of the 
sign a single word was displayed: 
HOTEL. 
Driving past and glancing back we saw the words: 
LAST CHANCE. 
We never tarry in front of a rumshop, and as we 
drove quickly by the letters forming the word hotel 
seemed jumbled up, and we read: 
TO HELL! 
After all, that was just about the most appropriate 
sign that could be put over a rumshop, for between 
tbe first and last chances the road to ruin runs broad 
and clear. We wish the true sign over the saloon was 
so clear that all could read “as they run.” 
★ 
Many cctton growers in Texas are thoroughly dis¬ 
couraged by the injury done by the Cotton boll-weevil. 
They see no way for a small grower to fight this insect, 
and they are trying to sell their land and move! Move 
where? They do not know, for it is only a question of 
time before the insect will follow them and force them 
to move again. Right where these men are throwing 
away their land other farmers are turning to stock, 
fruit or vegetables, and making far more than they ever 
did growing cotton. The land is rich, but the cotton 
growers, by throwing it all upon the market at once, 
have destroyed its selling value, and it can hardly be 
given away. Here we have evidence of the misfortune 
that comes to a farmer when he is cursed with the “one 
crop idea. Such a farmer convinces himself that 
farming consists in raising only one crop—cotton, 
coin, potatoes or whatever it may be. I he time comes 
when, through no fault of his, the crop he has grown 
for years in no longer profitable in that locality. When 
one crop leaves a neighborhood another always takes its 
place, but the farmers we speak of stick to the crop 
rather than to the farm. They chase the old crop to a 
new farm rather than try the new crop on the old farm. 
1 hat is the trouble with these I exas cotton growers. 
If they would stay where they are and learn to grow new 
crops they would be far better off. 
BREVITIES. 
When the clover grows “sick” try Dr. Lime. 
IIot weather has come. The corn crop welcomes it. 
Before you hank on a big statement discount it a little. 
Forty acres of corn to the man seems large to some 
of us! 
What is a paragrfile? It is a sort of lightning rod used 
in French vineyards to draw electricity from the air and 
prevent hailstorms. 
It is remarkable how many eastern farmers are putting 
a little seed of Alsike clover with tiie Red when sowing. 
This Alsike helps especially on low or sour land. 
A man may not kill a robin, but there is no law to prevent 
a cat from doing so, according to our legal friend on page 
oil. A way around the bird question is to let a smart cat 
into it. 
When a Japanese soldier feels that he has failed his 
country he promptly commits suicide. The scrubs in your 
barnyard who eat their heads and your pockethook off will 
not put themselves out of the way. 
No combination of chemicals or of cheifflcals and green 
crops can quite equal well-rotted stable manure—but in some 
situations the manure costs twice as much as a substitute, 
with 95 per cent of the manure value! 
