688 
September 17, 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
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,! . , 
Mrs* E. T. Koyle, ^Associates. 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, S2 04 
equal to 8s. 0d., or 8% marks, or 10Vi 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 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 transaction, and vou must have 
mentioned The Rural New-Yorker when writing the adver- 
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, SEPTEMBER 17, 190k 
THE PRIZE CLIPPINGS. 
0 
The first prize this week goes to Ohio, second to 
South Carolina, and third to Massachusetts, as follows: 
A. D. P. Young, Ashtabula Co., Ohio. 
Mrs. J. D. Shankland, Oconee Co., S. C. 
J. W. Adams, Hampden Co., Mass. 
We still offer weekly prizes of $1.50, $1 and 50 cents 
for the best clippings from local papers. 
* 
The memory of last Winter’s fearful cold comes up 
as the nights grow longer and cooler. While most of 
us hope we shall never again witness such a season 
as the last, we know that there will be many biting 
days. Let us plan for some way of keeping the farm¬ 
house comfortable. We have been surprised to see 
how many farmers are planning to put in hot water, 
steam or hot air fixtures. There is no reason why town 
houses should monopolize such comforts. 
* 
A number of reports come from places where Potato 
beetles have actually held up electric or steam railroad 
cars. The insects crowded upon the rails, making them 
so slippery that on down grades the wheels could not 
hold to the track. We have never known such an army 
of late Potato beetles as is now marching over our sec¬ 
tion. Deprived of their ordinary food of potato vines, 
they are attacking tomatoes, egg plant and peppers, and 
following the dug potatoes into cellars or storehouses. 
Seven years ago we had a similar experience, though 
the present bug crop is larger and apparently more 
active. 
* 
We attended a horticultural convention last Winter 
at which there were a number of speakers. Nearly 
every'one of them told what he zvas going to do, but 
what he really had done was not mentioned. Now the 
majority of us do not care what you are going to do. 
for we are after information. From what you and 
others have done that has been a success, or even a dis¬ 
mal failure, we may learn lessons that will help us 
greatly in our work. Please do not try a bluff at a farm¬ 
ers’ convention at any time, for sooner or later we 
shall catch you, and your fall will be mighty sudden. 
If you do not know, say so, and have our respect. 
Facts, not theories that will not work, are what we 
want. 
Several readers report success in the use of the 
“cultures” for inoculating seeds or soil. These cultures 
are sent from the Department of Agriculture at Wash¬ 
ington. They are moistened and put on the seeds or 
mixed with soil and scattered over the field. They 
contain the tiny bacteria which work upon the roots of 
plants like clover, Alfalfa or peas. In several re¬ 
ported cases this inoculation has given larger and 
stronger crops of peas. The difference between parts 
of the field where the cultures were used and where 
they were left out could be easily seen. Strange to 
say, the oats sowed with the peas that were inoculated 
were better than those which were not treated. How 
is this to be accounted for? No one claims that the 
bacteria could benefit the oats directly, as they did the 
peas, yet in some way the oats were able to obtain 
more plant food—at least they made a better growth. 
Il has been claimed that the oats “steal nitrogen from 
the peas”—that their roots actually feed upon the nitro¬ 
gen which the bacteria form on the pea roots. Those 
who have studied the matter with greatest care do not 
believe this is possible, and we must look elsewhere for 
the true reason. At present no one has more than 
a theory to offer in explanation, but we believe the 
explanation will be found, and that it will mean won¬ 
ders to the grain grower. 
* 
A critical study of the bulletins issued by agricul¬ 
tural and horticultural authorities often reveals the rea¬ 
son why many practical men belittle this form of in¬ 
struction. Some of them are models in every way— 
terse, convincing and full oi meat; other are ponderous 
armies of sesquipedalian words, which make the reader 
fly for refuge to the dictionary. The average man reads 
this with impatience, and his sentiments are best ex¬ 
pressed by the story of an old backwoods lawyer whose 
young opponent used just such elaborate language in a 
hog-stealing case. When the old man got up to reply 
he said: “Gentlemen of the j ury, my opponent has 
dodged with old Diogenes, socked with old Socrates, 
ripped with old Euripides and canted with old Cantha- 
rides, but what has it all got to do with who owns this 
here hog?” 
* 
We have given the figures showing the great exports 
of apples from this country. Last year this trade 
amounted to $8,237,894. We are often asked if any 
apples are imported from other countries. Yes, in 1898 
such imports amounted to $19,332.08; in 1899, $1(54,808.32; 
in 1900, $67,820.0(5; in 1901, $35,538.65; in 1902, $44,- 
752.89, and in 1903, $10,887.62. There is no fierce com¬ 
petition in this. Most of these apples come from Can¬ 
ada, though a few are sent from Germany. Some 
years ago a prominent Austrian visited this country, and 
made a careful study of our fruit growing sections. He 
went back convinced that he could plant several varieties 
of European apples and ship t! cm to this country at 
a profit. His theory was that Americans will became 
more and more discriminating, and demand apples of 
high quality. The craze now seems to be for planting 
red apples of low quality. In Austria and Germany 
green and yellow fruit is demanded, and some European 
varieties of this color are very fine. 
* 
We still receive letters from farmers on the wire 
fence question. No one needs to argue that the wire 
usually sold will not last. You may ride through any 
farm community and see rusty and broken wire on 
every hand. Much of this looks bright and clean 
when it is bought but, as we have seen, the pressure 
which wipes off all but a film of the galvanizing pol¬ 
ishes what is left so that some who buy it are deceived. 
All agree that the cost of making wire has been so de¬ 
creased that there is no excuse for trying to save a 
few cents in the cost of galvanizing. The wire manu¬ 
facturer, not the fence makers, say that the farmers 
will not pay for a good quality of wire. They know 
better. There are plenty ot farmers who are willing 
to pay a fair price for wire that can be guaranteed to 
last at least 10 years. Is it not nonsense to put up an 
expensive fence to last less than that time? Let us 
not be discouraged, but keep talking about good wire 
fence. Stir up public sentiment. 
* 
The description of soil sterilization given by Mr. 
Hulsart on page 683 will interest many. The process 
used has been adopted by florists who have suffered 
from the attack of “cutting-bed fungus,” the sand in 
which cuttings of greenhouse or garden plants are to 
be rooted being “cooked” by steam before admission to 
the benches. The same process has been applied where 
soil suspected of eel-worm (nematode) infestation was 
used in rose and carnation beds. We do not know 
how extensive this use of sterilized soil has become 
in the greenhouse, but believe that, as a rule, florists 
prefer to go farther afield for their soil, reaching 
out after new sources of supply, rather than take the 
trouble of sterilizing unless it seems the only way out. 
The sterilization of the sand used in propagating might 
seem a simple matter, when the same operation applied 
to the soil in all the benches would be a burden. At¬ 
tempts have been maae to replace the steam process 
with a chemical germicide applied by sprinkling, but we 
have no data as to the success secured. 
* 
A few years ago there was considerable boasting by 
journalistic and magazine writers about the vastness of 
our postal system. Two-cent letter postage through¬ 
out our great territory was a bold undertaking, and 
some self-congratulation on its instant success was 
perhaps pardonable. Since then our postal facilities 
have suffered an arrest of development that has de¬ 
generated into actual stunting. While about all 
other civilized nations have added the parcels post, 
postal savings banks and other conveniences directly 
touching the welfare of the people, we have remained 
almost inactive. The magnificent postal exhibits of 
Belgium, Germany and Japan at the Louisiana Pur¬ 
chase Exposition should wake us out of our com¬ 
placence, and foster an imperative demand for an up-to- 
date postal service. We no. longer can brag about 
the “biggest postal business on earth.” It may still 
be big, but it is far from good, measured by modern 
standards. Until we have a first-class parcels post 
we must submit to be classed as a back-number country 
as regards postal conveniences. 
* 
One of our readers in New \ork Stale has sent the 
following repo 1 1 of the behavior of his “Government 
seeds” to the Agricultural Department: 
Last 8piing 1 planted a paper of Hubbard squash in my 
garden, it was a contribution from the Department of 
Agiiculture ot the year before. I was not favored in that 
way this year. In accordance with printed instructions, 
"Please report, etc.," 1 have the honor to report that from 
that paper of seed 1 have now growing in my garden three 
different kind of squashes, viz., Hubbard, Crook-neck and 
another kind I do not know the name of. I believe the 
object of this seed distribution is for the distribution of rare 
vegetable plants, etc., and this paper of seed I think carries 
out this idea to perfection. 
It is not such a rare thing to plant “Government” 
Hubbatd seed and have it come up three distinct varie¬ 
ties. Instead of being rare that performance was 
pretty well done. This Government seed distribution 
is one of the greatest humbugs ever devised. It is 
just about as useful to the Agricultural Department ‘ 
as a black wart on a white man’s nose, yet it must 
stay there because the politicians in Congress demand it. 
* 
I he recent death of the Very Reverend S. Reynolds 
Hole, Dean of Rochester, England, removes one who 
may justly be termed the most eminent amateur rose 
grower in the world. He was founder and first presi¬ 
dent of the National Rose Society, of England, a con¬ 
stant exhibitor at rose shows and a regular contributor 
to the English horticultural press. He was also the 
author of several gardening books and of two volumes 
of reminiscences; bis “Book About Roses” is a classic 
in its line. Dean Hole was a constant refutation of the 
idea that old age must cut a man off from wholesome 
pleasures, or bring gloom and sadness in its train. He 
lived to be 85 years young, his presence a benediction 
to all around, his love for the garden, “the purest of 
human pleasures.” as Lord Bacon calls it, remaining a 
happiness and consolation to the end. When he visited 
this country, at the age of 75, he still retained the full 
strength and vigor of maturity, displaying the same 
genial wit and personal charm that figures so clearly in 
his writings. We like to dwell upon a life like this, 
where, with every opportunity for social advancement, 
and for association witn the great ones of this world, 
the better part was chosen, and keenest pleasure found 
amid those things that may give equal happiness to 
every one, rich or poor, who has the freedom of earth 
and sun. 
BREVITIES. 
Read the account of melon growing under glass In 
Rural ism#. 
A coffin joint—in the foot of the horse, an undertaker’s 
shop, the human throat! 
Most reports of trees planted on the mulch plan—and 
really mulched —are favorable. 
Will those who soaked or used sulphur to cure Potato 
seal) (his year tell us the result? 
No one will blow your horn for you without charging for 
the service more than the horn js worth ! 
A parcels post has been established between this country 
and Norway. Why shoulu the Norwegians benefit when 
Americans do not? 
The laws of Japan will not permit foreigners to fight in 
the Japanese army, but 10,000 American horses will help 
carry the Japs to victory. 
Keep the runners clipped from the newly-set strawberry 
plants. Unless they make good crowns this Fall, they will 
have a tough Winter and bear but few berries next year. 
A South American visitor in this city has cured dyspepsia 
by adopting a diet of plain everyday grass. Perhaps some 
of our sanitariums will adopt the idea, and advertise per¬ 
manent pastures for dyspeptics. 
The drought that sometimes strikes us at rye seeding time 
is here, and those who try to get in rye before the middle 
of September are wearing out plowshares, horse flesh and 
the plowman's patience at a great rate. 
A widow in a nearby town welcomed a burglar recently by 
throwing him downstairs and out of the house; she then 
telephoned for the police, who gathered him in. lie will 
have an opportunity to reflect upon Mr. Weller’s famous ad¬ 
vice : “Samivel, my boy, beware o' widders!" 
Tiie Colorado Potato beetle appeared in Belgium 20 years 
ago. The danger was recognized at once. Among other 
tilings pictures of the beetle were put in the public schools 
and childieu were urged to destroy the insects. In this way 
1 lie danger was averted—the insects were killed out. IIow 
much more useful to the State this was than the “fads" with 
which teachers experiment upon children 1 
So many floaters are drifting into Panama, evidently think¬ 
ing that a big boom in business and plenty of good jobs are 
at hand, that the United States Consul has sent out a gen¬ 
eral warning. He says that no one should come there unless 
he has definite arrangements for work or money enough to 
live on or get away if he desires. There is no boom and but 
little opportunity for placing up work of anything but the 
roughest sort. 
