11 ) 04 . 
TIIE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
7o5 
THE DAIRY EXHIBIT AT SYRACUSE. 
To what extent the butter and cheese exhibit at the State 
Fair is educational 1 am unable to say. As one sits quietly 
for a half hour and observes the crowd passing through the 
ball, and does not m the meantime see a single individual 
who carries a studied look, he is inclined to feel that it 
might possibly be more instructive than the present system 
would indicate. It is debatable whether or not a fair should 
carry with it school room instruction. If the full mission 
is competitive and the whole effect and study is focused 
upon the final awards the present scheme of management 
is fairly complete. That there might be far greater educa¬ 
tional advantages no one can doubt : whether it is expedient 
comes the question. I am led to this query from an expe¬ 
rience at our last State Dairy Association at Ogdensburg, 
when the butter makers were gathered in a room with Mr. 
Kracke, the Judge, and the cheese makers in another room 
with Mr. Richardson, the cheese judge, and there with sev¬ 
eral packages scored and discussed the merits and demerits 
with the interested parties, bringing out to my mind the 
most valuable and interesting discussion that I had ever 
beard. The State expert staff was represented, joining in 
tbe discussion when it turned to causes for good or evil that 
bad influenced the quality during the manufacture. Reading 
and talking does not educate like the doing. So in my opin¬ 
ion a half day set apart for cheese study and another for 
butter study under the conditions above mentioned would be 
worth many times its cost. I am not writing in a spirit of 
criticism, because 1 appreciate the labor upon the part of 
a very few men that makes possible such a long list of 
entries as were found this year in the cheese class, a total 
of 290. Do not think for a moment that these are all vol¬ 
untary. 1 have an opinion, but not the courage to put it in 
print.' naming the possible number that would he on exhibi¬ 
tion were it not for the earnest entreaties of the experts 
connected with the State Agricultural Department. But 
now, after giving due credit for till things done, I wish they 
would take another step forward. 
An interesting observation comes to light; that 80 per cent 
of the cheese exhibits were from the three cheese counties of 
northern New York. This certainly shows a commendable 
dairy activity. I had the privilege of examining a large 
number of the cheese, and while the scores were high there 
were many slight faults, and almost without exception di¬ 
rectly traceable to the condition of the milk, and not to the 
maker's ignorance. Of the 1.8*2 cheeses that I saw tried only 
one showed a direct lack of skill in manufacture, and I was 
informed that the same judgment would apply throughout 
the whole dairy exhibit. This same proof that the makers 
are more thoroughly equipped for their work than the pro¬ 
ducers of milk has been shown over and over again since the 
State Department has become effective. This leads one to 
say that the farmers’ care of milk is still the weak link 
in our creamery and factory business in New York State, 
and illustrates an old principle that the few are easily 
trained and organized, the many not so. Another lesson 
learned was that, after all, there is really but one type of 
cheese. The judge of the export class, Wesley McLeod, has 
been educated chiefly in the handling of export cheese, and is 
disposed to see things from that point of view. There were 
entered several 40 pound cheeses that from their size prop¬ 
erly belonged in the home trade class. The finest of these 
from a home trade standpoint he was obliged to score high, 
and there was no way around it. They were very fancy, and 
would he equally so either for an Englishman or an 
American. 
The information at hand concerning butter was not start¬ 
ling. A steady increase in Pasteurization seemed to he the 
one thing concerning the exhibit. All of which is easily 
explained. These objectionable flavors that come from un¬ 
sanitary conditions on the farm are quite largely removed 
by this' method, and while it seems wrong to condone filthy 
habits by this possible remedy, it may not be wise to permit 
a code of ethics to interfere with a practical method of 
improving the quality of table butter. I know from experi¬ 
ence that heating cream to 1.80 degrees will balance up much 
farm neglect. _ h. e. c. 
FRUIT NOTES OF THE N. Y. STATE FAIR. 
The struggle of the two rival societies, the Western New 
York Horticultural and the New York State Fruit Growers’ 
Association, was truly a battle of the giants, and attracted 
much attention. Probably never in the history of the fair 
lias such quality and quantity been shown. So evenly were 
they matched that the Western New York won by only two 
points, reversing the record of last year. The New York. 
State Fruit Growers made a display of .8.063 plates, the 
Western New York Horticultural Society 2,.87.8 plates. 
The New York State Experiment Station at Geneva 
showed 310 varieties of apples, 20o plums. 200 grapes, 100 
pears, 75 peaches and five of quinces, all of high grade of 
excellence, particularly grapes. The exhibits of Ellwanger 
& Barry, of Rochester, and S. I>. Willard, of Geneva, were 
large and fine, as were many of the individual exhibits. 
There were probably over 2,500 plates shown exclusive of 
those shown by the two societies and the experiment station, 
and all showed a remarkable degree of excellence. No one 
could look over this immense exhibit without being Impressed 
with the vastness of the fruit Interests of New York State. 
A lot of Alexander apples from the orchards of J. B. Colla- 
mer & Son, Hilton, deserve special mention. These apples 
were exhibited at the 1903 Fair: a barrel was then sent to 
St. Louis, remaining in cold storage during tin* Winter, 
opened and displayed at the St. Louis Fair, then returned to 
Syracuse, arriving there September 5, but 28 apples of the 
whole barrel being thrown out during the entire year. They 
were exhibited in two pyramids beside apples of this year's 
growth picked from the same tree. A more striking example 
of the benefits of modern cold storage would be hard to 
imagine. 
A new feature in arranging large collections of fruit en¬ 
tered for prizes was introduced by the Western New York 
Society, who selected from their large number of plates of 
fruit one of each variety, placing all varieties of apples in 
a compact block with no duplicates, pears, plums, etc., in the 
same manner, they in effect judging their own exhibit up to 
the point that each variety was represented by a single 
plate, thus simplifying the work of the judge and tending 
to much more accurate results. They also hope another 
vear to have all varieties arranged in alphabetical order for 
the convenience of all. Too much credit cannot be given to 
the secretaries of the two societies, Messrs. Hall and McKay, 
to whose unceasing efforts a large share of the success of 
the fruit exhibit was due. The exhibit shows beyond a doubt 
the wonderful possibilities of fruit growing in the Empire 
State, and that we have made hut a beginning toward the 
great end. _ F - G - T - 
CROP PROSPECTS. 
There js a good crop of cabbage here, but the farmers 
around here raise about enough to supply the Fall demand, 
but do not raise any for Winter storage. We generally buy 
in car lots in the western part of the State through the 
Winter. FRIEDMAN BROS. 
Schenectady, N. Y. 
I visited last week among tlie farmers of Summer Ilill. 
Cayuga <’o., N. Y., a town well-known for large potato and 
apple crops. The former crop this year will be lighter than 
last Fall, the potatoes smaller. The apple crop so far prom¬ 
ises big returns, although buyers are offering only 75 to 90 
cents a barrel. Late potatoes are looking tine. ,r. w. p. 
Corn is very backward, and will need all of September 
to ripen. Potatoes are very nice, no rot has shown as yet; 
did not blight very much; more tip-burn than blight. 
Buckwheat In tills section is light, and poorly tilled. Pears 
are scarce. Plums very plentiful, and no sale for them 
at any price with the local dealers. Apples are not a full 
crop, but the quality is extra line, mostly Baldwins and 
Greenings. No buyers for Winter fruit as yet. Fall fruit is 
selling for 50 and 75 cents a barrel, just the fruit, without 
tlie barrel. Barrels are .87 cents at the factory. 
Speneertown, N. Y. G. w. H. 
Our cabbage crop this year is very large, and will, "un¬ 
less the unforeseen happens to cut crop short,” we believe be 
about one-half larger than last year, and we had a fairly 
good crop then. The quality up to present time Is very good 
on domestic stock. Holland seed is looking line, but of 
course is not yet headed, it having four to six weeks more 
to grow. Racine and Green Bay are the two largest cabbage 
shipping points in this State, and finest qualities may bo 
had from those places. We are one of the largest shippers 
at this point. Potato crop is large and of tine quality. 
Onion crop only one-half, but of good quality. 
Green Bay, Wis. flatten produce Co. 
Potatoes in this section of Wayne Co., N. Y., are from 
one-third to one-half of a crop, not more; corn not more; 
cabbage good; buckwheat looking fine; oats extra good; 
wheat not one-fourth of a crop. Hay is a heavy crop; 
apples good, but not extra quality, selling at present by 
quantity from 20 to 25 cents per 100. Quantity of barreling 
stock not more than from 20 to 25 per cent. Peaches are 
plenty, but quality poor, selling for 50 to 70 cents per basket 
in market. Pears two-thirds of a usual crop, but poor in 
quality, worth in market 1 14 to 1 '/> cent per pound ; plums 
very short crop. Onions not more than half crop; quality 
poor; run very small. u. h. k. 
West Walworth, N. \\ 
The apple crop in this section is larger than it has been 
in five years, and is what we would call a line crop. The 
farmers tire being offered 75 cents per barrel for the fruit, 
the quality being tine and free from insects. The potato 
crop will be a huge one if the rot does not hint it, as we find 
in some sections about two-thirds of the potatoes are show¬ 
ing indications of rotting. Cabbage is very scarce in this 
section, there being very little grown. The price of pota¬ 
toes is about -K) cents. Onion crop will be very good. I lay 
crop large in this section, price being $9 for No. 1. This 
section has been*running to dairying for the last few years, 
and the acreage of wheat is not more than one-half of what 
it has been a few years back. c. e. w. 
Port Byron, N. Y. 
This has been the coolest Summer I have ever experienced 
in this State. It has been more like Wisconsin weather 
than Iowa. There have been but a few days that the mer¬ 
cury has reached 90 degrees, and it has dropped to 45 several 
times in July and August. Consequently it has not been a 
good season for the maturing of corn, which ordinarily should 
be well advanced at this time, most of it now being in the 
milk. What we need now is at least three weeks of dry 
warm weather. The small grain is nearly all thrashed in 
this section. Oats are running from 25 to 50 bushels; barley 
from 20 to -to ; not much wheat raised here; what there was 
of very poor quality on account of rust, light yield; about 
10 bushels; apples and plums are a heavy crop; no peaches, 
trees being nearly all killed last Winter. Potatoes are a 
good crop and good quality. d. o. f. 
Tipton, Iowa. 
THE POTATO CROP. 
All our reports.from potato sections are of a good crop, 
with some little blight in western New York and some rot 
In the Northwest. A tine crop in British Isles. 
Baltimore, Md. j. staum & sons co. 
We have had no definite report from any particular sec¬ 
tion, but from what correspondence we have had we should 
suppose that the crop is going to be exceedingly large this 
year, and that prices are going to rule low, especially through 
the Fall, if not later. Our market here to-day is from 48 
to 53 cents for Aroostook County, Maine, potatoes. 
Boston, Mass. ciiapin bros. 
In Ireland crops and quality of potatoes is exceedingly 
good: better than for some years past; best in the United 
Kingdom. Scotland, crops generally satisfactory, but signs 
of second growth appearing in some places. England, crops 
promised to be excellent, but unfortunately a second growth 
has set in, and tills has changed the prospects very consid¬ 
erably. Tubers are getting covered with small, and this 
stave of affairs seems to he pretty general all over the 
country. WM. MORGAN & co. 
Cardiff, Wales. 
The potato crop in this vicinity will be somewhat less 
than that of last year. While I am of the opinion that the 
crop is larger, the blight has struck the late potatoes in 
some sections so as to cut the crop, while in other sections 
they tire looking tine and are not troubled with blight, i 
should judge there will be about: 75 per cent of the crop of 
last year. In reference to cabbage, the crop of domestic or 
early cabbage is much larger than that of last year, while 
the crop of the late variety is no larger than last year, but 
th(‘ other will probably be about twice as heavy. 
Rochester, N. Y. horton & co., inc. 
We have a very fair crop of potatoes in New Jersey and 
Pennsylvania, though the latter State reports some blight 
and rot in some sections. 1 do not think from report that 
it will amount to much, from what information 1 have it 
looks as though prices would be from 50 to 60 cents through 
the Winter. It is not an easy matter to get reliable reports 
from growers before the late crop is gathered. Our nearby 
early crops have been not quite as heavy yield, but the 
acreage was much larger, and I think makes up for any 
shortage in yield. My opinion is there are considerably 
more potatoes in those States than last year. E. r. 
Philadelphia, Pa. 
Ottr advices from different sections of the country are so 
mixed that it is impossible for us to give a very definite 
report. There is no doubt that the crop all over the country 
is a large one. The only thing that we have to fear is the 
rot, which is reported to he bad in quite a few sections, par¬ 
ticularly Pennsylvania and New York. We were just talk¬ 
ing to a grower from Pennsylvania to-day, who claims to 
have 12,000 to 1.5,000 bushels of potatoes, and he says they 
are the finest he,has ever grown, and not a rotten one to lie 
found, while from other points not far from him we have 
word that there are fields they will not attempt to dig on 
account of the rot, so at this early day it is almost impos¬ 
sible to tell Just how the thing is going to turn out. Our 
opinion is that there will be lots of potatoes this year, and 
that they will be cheap. brown ,v m’maiion. 
Philadelphia, Pa. 
WESTERN MARYLAND.—The farmers of western Mary¬ 
land were never in a more prosperous condition than at the 
present day. With the disappearance of our forests the 
people's attention has been turned to agricultural pursuits 
and the soil has been found susceptible of producing good 
crops of grain, fruits and vegetables. Nearly all kinds of 
berries and small fruits do well here. There will be an 
abundant crop of apples this year. We have a good local 
market and excellent opportunities for shipping produce 
over the B. & O. and W. Va„ (’. & P. railroads. The price 
of most products this Summer has been high. Many large 
tracts of land have been divided into small farms, and these 
farms with Improvements often bring from $30 to $40 per 
acre. The early part of the season was wet, but is very 
dry now. Fall pasture will be short. J- a. s. 
Gortner, Md. 
THE OLEOMARGARINE SITUATION.—The National 
Dairy Union issues a statement showing the effect of the 
anti-oleo law. Briefly stated, the manufacture of oleo has 
been cut down from 107.045.028 pounds in 1900 to 48.071.4SO 
for 1904. 'I'lie fiscal year in each case ends on June 1. This 
reduction is due to the tax of 10 cents a pound on colored 
oleo, which the Supreme Uourt declares constitutional. The 
oleo men claimed when the law was passed that the price 
of pure butter would go to 40 or 50 cents per pound. Results 
have shown their error. As the oleo product shrunk the out 
put of butter increased. This increase has been heavy—10 
per cent in New York and 15 per cent In Chicago. Market 
prices are low to-day, but a reaction is sure to come. In 
speaking of the need of watching the oleo men the Dairy 
Union says: “So long as beef packers have oleo oil, neutral 
lard and’cotton-seed oil within easy reach, there will be a 
temptation to make oleomargarine, and so long as oleomarga¬ 
rine is made, every effort will be made to cause it to look 
like butter. There have been too many millions of dollars 
made in this business to permit it to be dropped. So long 
as the dairymen tire active personally and through their 
organization, the law will remain upon the statute books and 
be enforced. The minute the slightest lack of interest or 
watchfulness is discovered upon our part, our opponents, 
who are always organized, will seize the opportunity to undo 
our work of years. They may be compared to the Russian 
tleet which the Japanese have bottled up in Port Arthur. 
While the Russian vessels have been greatly damaged, and 
are not strong enough to openly tight the Japanese, what 
do you suppose would happen if the latter should leave the 
harbor entrance unguarded for a few hours, or even sleep til 
their posts? 8o long as the oleomargarine business is alive 
it, must be watched ; the minute the eyes of a strong organi¬ 
zation is off it, then will it come forth to harass our trade 
with the public by making raids upon our business through 
fraudulent methods.” 
WIRE FENCE IN NEW MEXICO.—I am much pleased 
with The R. N.-Y.’s course on various questions. Just now 
it is the barbed wire trust. Even in this dry climate a great 
difference can be seen in wire put up 12 or 15 years ago 
and that put up four or five years. The former is all in 
good condition, while the latter is wellnigh worthless; in 
fact, many claim the black painted will last fully as long 
if not longer. w. it. c. 
New Mexico. 
ILLINOIS WHEAT.—For the past 12 or 15 years there 
has been no wheat raised in this immediate vicinity ; chinch 
bug and fly put us out of business. There will not be 25 
acres of wheat sown in this township this season. When 
we raised wheat the usual method was to plow oat stubble 
as soon after harvest as convenient, put on some barnyard 
manure if convenient; if not no difference; harrow about 
twice, perhaps roll once, and from September 15 to October 
25 drill. This method used to be good for 20 to .35 bushels 
per acre. No commercial fertilizers are used on wheat, in 
Ibis part of the country. it. w. 
Mason, Ill. 
DIGGING POTATOES.—Nine out of ten of the farmers in 
this section are yet using hooks for digging potatoes; the 
character and general condition of the soil seem to demand 
this way of digging as a rule. Where the digger is used 
and with conditions right, from three to five acres can lie 
dug in a day, depending, of course, upon the yield and help 
to handle potatoes. One hundred bushels is about the usual 
day's work at picking up with the average man, possibly 
not so many after some of the diggers. The crop is all 
handled in bushel crates. These are so made that when 
empty one fits inside of two and three, taking only the room 
of two in handling and storing. These are drawn to market 
and the tellai on racks purposely made for the use, and no 
doubt is the most economical way of handling potatoes. 
J’rattsburg, N. Y. hileii brothers. 
GRASS AND OATS.—After the corn was cultivated the 
last time a year ago we sowed Timothy seed, and where the 
corn was not too rank it made a good catch and growth. 
Parts of the field this Spring hardly looked as though it 
would bring a paying crop alone, so we sowed oats at the 
rate of 1% bushel per acre and harrowed it well with a 
common smoothing harrow, and on most of the field the 
grass grew so rank and fast that it smothered out the oats, 
though it started well at first. We sowed tin 1 oa'ts as early 
as the ground was fit to drive over with a team, and at the 
same time sowed clover and by mistake millet on part of 
tin 1 field. The clover made a fine catch, but very few heads 
of millet ever showed in the rank growth of oats and Tim- 
othy. It: was low, rich bottom land. Most hay was light, as 
ttie season was too dry and cold. ' w. s. s. 
Elmoville, Ill. 
JERSEY POTATO DIGGING.-—Some of our farmers use 
potato diggers, but the majority of them have small patches 
and plow them out with a two-horse plow, scratch them out 
with a drag and then pick them up in baskets, in this way 
four or five men can gather about 300 to 400 baskets (five- 
eighths bushel size) per day. With the ordinary two-horse 
digger the same men can dig 400 to 500 baskets. One of 
our largest potato growers told me he dug with a four-horse 
digger, the Hoover, and loaded them on the cars, 1,000 bas¬ 
kets per day, with 10 men. Most of our men handle them in 
live-eighths truck baskets. The most economical way of 
harvesting in this locality is with a potato digger, provided 
the Crab grass ami weeus are not too bad. The two-liorse 
diggers do not work as a general thing satisfactorily where 
there are Crab grass and weeds. The four-horse diggers will 
work in an ordinary amount of this stuff, but are too expen¬ 
sive for the small potato growers, such as most of ours are. 
Burlington, N. J. e. r. 
CONNECTICUT TOBACCO.-—The growers this season ex¬ 
pect to harvest a crop worth $4,000,000. The .Sullield and 
Poquonnock districts lead, with crops respectively estimated 
at: $1,000,000 and $500,000. There are about 2,500 acres 
in the SufHeld district which will average about 2,000 pounds 
an acre. A number of growers say their crop must bring 30 
cents a pound, while others more moderate think 20 cents 
a pound only a fair price. Taking the latter figure, it is 
calculated that the value of the crop in this town may be 
reckoned at $1,000,000. The yield in tin* Bloomfield dis¬ 
trict will be from 1,800 pounds to 2,100 pounds an acre. In 
all about 500 tons has been raised and it is worth $275,000. 
The acreage grown in Bloomfield is from 500 to 600. Three 
kinds are grown, viz., Connecticut seed broad leaf, Connec¬ 
ticut shade grown Sumatra and Connecticut Havana. This 
year the Havana outdoor tobacco is largely raised by the 
growers. Connecticut broad leaf is raised in small propor¬ 
tion compared to tlie Havana. In and around Windsor 
1.300 acres was grown, and the weight tier acre will average 
about 1,900 pounds, the heaviest for 10 years. In value it 
will reach about $450,000. Poquonnock will harvest some¬ 
thing like 1.400 acres. A high value is placed upon the crop 
in this section, owing to its superior quality, and growers 
estimate that the total will reach $500,000. Granby’s small 
growers will place the product of 275 acres on the market. 
3'he total weight will reach about 550,000 pounds, and it will 
bring at least $ 120 , 000 . 
“GOOD ROADS CLUB” CLUBBED On page 634 O. W. 
Mapes spoke of tin 1 locpl Good Roads Club, which proposed 
to take care of a highway'. The sequel is described by Mr. 
Mapes in the Middletown Press: "it seems that the Maple 
Dale Good Roads Club is to die an early death, the town of 
Wallkill having refused to give it breathing space. The 
town board refuses to give it the contract for the care ot 
the Mount Hope Road, on the grounds that it would be 
establishing a precedent that might lie imitated in other por¬ 
tions of the town, and call for the expenditure of more 
money than the town can afford. What was the proposition 
offered? The club offered to give to the town a good gravel 
road in place of the present abomination of dirt and stones 
at an expense to the town of $50 per mile, and maintain it 
hereafter at no expense to the town except the amount of 
road tax regularly assessed against the property abutting 
on that particular road. 'I’lie day for scraping a little of 
the wash and stones into the road that has been doing duty 
for a century, and calling it a highway, has gone by. Gravel 
roads arc- wanted, at least on our more public highways. 
Suppose that there are 40 miles of these more public roads 
in Wallkill, and the citizens along every mile of it should 
come forward and offer to take them off the hands of the 
town in the same terms, is there any place under God’s blue 
heavens where $2,000 of public funds could be invested more 
satisfactorily? I am not ashamed to be known as one of 
tlie advocates of better roads in our town, and though cast 
down am not discouraged. I appeal to the traveling public 
and to the future for a verdict.” 
BUSINESS BITS. 
“Dr. Earl S. Sloan, Boston, Mass. Dear Sir:—I have 
used your liniment for more than ten years with the best 
results for horses and mules. It gives instant relief. As a 
counter-irritant I find it superior to mustard, as it gives 
relief and does not blister, i can cheerfully recommend it 
to stablemen and horse owners.”—John llann, St. Joseph, Mo. 
A man can’t sow thistles and pick sweet peas that is. not 
the same year. No more can you use common soap for shav¬ 
ing and expect a smooth, soft, comfortable skin. Toilet 
soaps are meant to cleanse; shaving soaps ought to soothe 
and soften. If you want to see the difference for yourself 
at the cost of a mere stamp for postage, write the .T. Ii. 
Williams Company, whose offer appears elsewhere in this 
paper. Remember it may be unjust, but a good many people 
judge you by your face. 
If Adam had used our building blocks his foundations 
would be still standing and the Garden of Eden could be 
easily located to-day. But what recommends it most is its 
cheapness. It costs less, is best and lasts longest. Don’t 
lose sight of these three points. If you want to be just to 
yourself before you are generous to those who want more 
than their share of your money, you will use our building 
blocks for every foundation you build, if you are skeptical, 
write for proofs. A postal will bring them. National Fire¬ 
proofing Co., Room 804. Bessemer Building, l’ittsburg. I’a. 
