7o4 
TIIE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
September 24, 
The Rural New-Yorker 
TEE BUSINESS FABMER'S PARER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Herbert W. Collinqwood, Kditor. 
Dr. Wai.ter Van Fleet, i 
Mrs. K. T. Uoylk, J-Associates 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, 
equal to 8s. 0d., or 8 Vi marks, or 10 Vi francs. 
“A SQUARE DEAL.” 
We believe that every advertisement In this paper Is 
hacked by a responsible person. Hut 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 he sent to us within one 
month of 1 lie 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 he made in money order, express order, 
personal check or bank draft. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
409 Pearl Street, New York. 
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1904. 
THE PHILADELPHIA ROSE. 
Some of our new subscribers have been promised that 
field grown plants of Philadelphia Rambler rose are 
ready to send out. This was an error. These fine 
plants are now growing vigorously and will not be in 
condition for safe shipment until checked and rendered 
dormant by frost. They will be mailed as soon as it is 
safe to take them out of the ground. It will be a few 
weeks yet. Those who are expecting them will receive 
them in the best possible condition by this little delay. 
We are confident all will be pleased with the vigor and 
beauty of this valuable rose. Pot-grown rose plants 
may be shipped at any time, as their roots are com¬ 
pressed in a narrow space, but field-grown plants are 
larger, stronger and in every way better adapted for Fall 
planting. The little delay now will give you a strong 
plant and a good bloom next June. 
* 
CHANGE IN PRIZES. 
The prizes for best clippings this week are awarded 
as follows: 
J. T. Roston, Anne Arundel Co., Md. 
E. Pomeioy, Hartford Co., Conn. 
E. Hollister, St. Louis City, Mo. 
We shall discontinue the prize clippings for a time, 
but now offer prizes for photographs suitable for use 
in The R. N.-Y. We want clear, distinct pictures of 
farm scenes or objects. Landscapes are not desirable, 
but pictures showing single or small groups of persons, 
animals or implements. We offer prizes of $2, $1.50 and 
$1 for the best pictures sent during the next two weeks. 
* 
New candidates for the office of Assistant Secretary 
of Agriculture are bobbing up all over the country. As 
we have stated before, the Secretary of Agriculture 
should have the right to select his own assistants with¬ 
out interference. If we were in Secretary Wilson’s 
place we should insist upon this right. What seems to 
be wanted is a politician who can talk all day and say 
nothing, draw his salary and look wise. It seems that 
there are a good many citizens who feel that they can 
do all three of these things in the name of agriculture! 
* 
Tiie immigration authorities did a good job in deport¬ 
ing the gypsies recently landed here from Europe. We 
already have an ample supply of tramps and wanderers 
of all sorts. There is plenty of room in this country for 
people who believe in home, and wish to earn an honest 
living, but the other class of immigrants cannot be barred 
out too thoroughly. Since early youth we have seen 
bands of gypsies in various parts of the country, almost 
every year. In every case they have been considered a 
menace to children and property and a general nuisance. 
Their visitations are often tolerated only through fear of 
fire and plunder, or worse, that might result from of¬ 
fending them, and people are always glad when they 
move on. 
* 
Farmers in Missouri use large quantities of fertilizers. 
It was recently charged that certain parties are mixing 
coal ashes, sand and other bogus materials, bagging the 
mixture and selling it as “high-grade” goods. While a 
few such mixtures may be offered we feel sure that the 
amount is limited. Missouri has an excellent fertilizer 
law, and it is well executed. If there were any such 
frauds the inspectors would soon smoke them out. The 
fact is that fertilizer swindling is a losing game, for the 
experiment stations can make short work of the bogus 
analysis. There are said to be farmers even in New 
England who buy fertilizers every year without knowing 
anything about nitrogen, potash or phosphoric acid. 
Even such men are protected by the fertilizer laws, while 
those who study the bulletins and make use of station 
literature can protect themselves. 
* 
The question about New England orchards which is 
answered this week is one of dozens which come from 
South and West. For many years New England and 
the East generally have been considered good places 
“to go away from.” This idea was carried out until 
land values on the hill farms fell to absurdly low figures. 
At the same time land values in some of the Middle 
States went too high in proportion to the income from 
average farm crops. We believe that a reaction is set¬ 
ting in. We shall find that the eastern hills are well 
suited to the production of apples and live stock, and the 
low prices at which they are now offered will surely 
attract buyers. Who would have thought 25 years ago 
that New England could draw settlers from the West 
and South? At that time the attraction was all the 
other way. Yet now our correspondence shows that 
many western men are seriously considering the possi. 
bilities of the hill lands at the East. 
* 
make the “midway” larger and “better” next year. We 
doubt the truth of this rumor, for too many people pro¬ 
tested against the shows, and it is a matter of history 
how the disreputable exhibition of a few years ago 
nearly wrecked the State Fair. 
* 
It is customary at most horticultural meetings to offer 
prizes for the best packed box of apples. I'he object is 
to call attention to the small package, as well as to learn 
how it can be packed so as to carry well. Most of these 
boxes are shipped short distances, or even packed at 
the exhibition. This does not give the best chance to test 
the carrying quality of the package, which is one of the 
most important things about it. It is not difficult to 
place apples in the box so they will look well, but it is 
a much harder thing to pack them so that after a trip 
of several hundred miles they will arrive in good condi¬ 
tion. We must learn to pack in this way before we can 
hope to make the box package popular. We suggest 
that this year prizes be offered for the box which stands 
shipment best. Let the boxes be shipped by express a 
distance of say 200 miles, all opened together at the 
exhibition and the prize given to the box which has 
carried its contents in best shape. Details can be worked 
out, but such a contest would be instructive and useful. 
It might be well to have a box of California fruit bought 
in the regular market opened at the same time the prize 
boxes were examined. 
* 
In the discussion of the fence wire problem thus 
far we have tried to be conservative and fair to all. 
An evil of this sort cannot be removed by abuse or 
rash statement. Among the sufferers are the manufac¬ 
turers of wire fence, who do not manufacture wire. 
Here is what one of them says: 
Previous to the consolidation of practically all wire mills 
in the United States during the Fall of 1898 we had but 
little trouble in securing from two to three wire mills gal¬ 
vanized wire that was entirely satisfactory for fencing pur¬ 
poses, hut within the past three or four years the wire 
produced in the combination or the outside mills has not 
been satisfactory. It is our impression that a poor quality 
of material is now used and less care observed. We are 
satistied that the trade has just cause for complaint, and we 
fear that they will have, so long as galvanized wire is pro¬ 
duced by a very few manufacturers. Our experience has 
been that a heavy galvanizing on the wire will flake when 
at sharp angles, permitting the rust to set in and destroy 
the wire. A light weight of galvanizing when good material 
is used and properly applied will undoubtedly give the best 
results. 
We repeat what lias already been said, that the wire 
now offered for sale is greatly inferior to that formerly 
sold. Thus far we have been careful to say that much 
or most of the trouble is due to the policy of wiping 
the coating of zinc galvanizing down to a mere film. 
Claims are now made that in some cases no zinc at all 
is used, but merely a bath of lead or pewter. We are 
investigating these reports in the only way to find 
out the truth. It is certain, however, that farmers 
are suffering a great wrong, which will not be righted 
until they speak in such plain language that their 
words will get through the galvanizing which now 
surrounds the trusts which control the situation. 
Reports at the State Fair show that the corn crop is 
disappointing. While some fields are good, most of the 
crop is very backward. It will be left to grow as long 
as possible, but even with the most favorable Fall season 
it will not make a full crop of grain. The silage cutter 
manufacturers told about the same story—short yields 
and a large hole in most silos. 
* 
Stick it out! Don’t give up! You have been getting 
experience along that line for years, but dig a little 
deeper and a little harder and really know why it hasn’t 
been a success. Know more about that crop than any¬ 
body in your county, your State. Why not? To give 
it up now means all the experience lost and a beginning 
at the bottom of something new. You may be right on 
the verge of success now, so again we say, stick it out! 
* 
The Vermont Agricultural College will ask the Leg¬ 
islature for a suitable dairy building this year. The 
need of this building is clear—no argument can be made 
against it. The State which gave to the nation Justin 
S. Morrill, the father of agricultural education, has 
failed to do justice to its own college. Here is a chance 
for the farmers of Vermont to exercise their power. 
Let every one of them get back of this dairy building 
and push it through the Legislature. 
* 
Let all progressive fruit growers remember Apple 
Day at the St. Louis Fair. On October 4 apples will 
be distributed free to all who attend the Fair. There 
is no fund available for buying the fruit, and the 
managers must depend on voluntary contributions. 
Here is a chance for apple growers to help a worthy 
cause. The Superintendent of your State fruit ex¬ 
hibit will give you full particulars. It will pay to 
donate a few barrels of fruit. Some things are increased 
by scattering them. 
The New York Slate Fair was a success. The good 
weather brought fair crowds and the exhibits were 
attractive and complete. The best part of the fair con¬ 
sisted, as it always does, in the people who attended. 
It is hardly possible to obtain new or striking novelties 
in the exhibits. Fruit, animals, vegetables and imple¬ 
ments are shown year after year without any particular 
attempt to introduce new features. While the crowds 
pass through the various buildings comparatively few 
are interested enough to make a careful study of the 
exhibits. This is because the competition, such as it is. 
is beyond the reach of most farmers. In live stock, for 
example, fine specimens of the various breeds arc car¬ 
ried around from one fair to another like race horses 
on a circuit. Large sums of money are paid in prizes 
for these animals, while the high-grade cow, sheep or 
hog which must ever be the rent or mortgage payer, is 
never seen at the State Fair. What makes the fair a 
success is its social feature. Farmers meet old friends 
or make new ones. People from all over the State can 
come together and compare notes. It is a great outdoor 
round-up for farmers. Take a farmer ljving back on a 
hill farm. During the year at home he may possibly 
see 150 new people. At the State Fair he sees thou¬ 
sands of new faces. It means a broadening of life and 
a stirring of life’s forces to watch the crowd and realize 
that you are a part of this great busy throng. A few 
minor criticisms and suggestions may justly be made 
this year. The toilette arrangements were very bad. 
There is no excuse whatever for the disgraceful appear¬ 
ance of the building used for this purpose. The man¬ 
agement tried the experiment of admitting a “midway” 
or collection of variety shows. There was nothing par¬ 
ticularly evil about any of these shows, but it was 
evident that many visitors regretted to see them there. 
A rumor was circulated that the managers tried these 
shows as an “experiment” this year, and expected to 
BREVITIES. 
Why not talk Alfalfa Instead of politics? 
Hold fish are death on young mosquitoes. 
There seems to be a poor outlook for evaporated fruits. 
A si’Kci men of Wolf River apple at St. Louis weighs 
ounces. 
Bank the price of 500 glasses of beer and see where you 
come out! 
Bordeaux Mixture on potatoes will never lake the place 
of fertilizer and cultivation. 
The world is full of people who want to substitute some 
Impure fat for elbow grease. 
The lime and sulphur wash does not seem to do the entire 
business for the San Jose scale. 
For cauliflowers under glass, Hilt Kdge, Dwarf Krfurt and 
Karly Snowball are esteemed varieties. 
Let (lie experts show how to make lime and sulphur and 
other washes at the horticultural meetings this year. 
Prof. Vookhee.s says that planer shavings are better for 
cow manure than for horse. Less likely to ferment. 
The experiment station of Hawaii has opened a warfare 
on mosquitoes. A feature of this is a public poster printed 
in five different languages, and giving rules for killing the 
young skeeters. 
Druggists in New York City are now forbidden to sell at 
retail any carbolic acid stronger than a live per cent solu 
tion, unless the purchaser presents a doctor's prescription. 
This ordinance is due to the number of suicides by carbolic 
acid. 
Dogfish have caused so much damage to Canadian fish¬ 
eries that the Government is going to build three reduction 
plants to convert the finny pirates into fertilizer and glue. 
The fishermen will benefit by finding a market for otherwi e 
worthless intruders into their nets, and the farmers will 
benefit later by this source of fertilizing supplies. 
A I*each grower in western New York recently complained 
of the low price for peaches. “Suppose there had been no 
damage from scale or frost or fungus,” he said, “you could 
not have given peaches away.” Yet in spite of low prices 
not one person in 10 in New York alone had half the peaches 
lie wanted. The trouble lies in distribution, not production. 
