432 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
May §8, 
■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, $2.04, 
equal to 8s. 6d., or 8V* marks, or 10 y 2 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 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 u's 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. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
409 Pearl Street, New York. 
SATURDAY, MAY 28, 1904. 
PRIZES FOR CLIPPINGS. 
As announced on page 400 we offer weekly prizes of 
$1.50, $1 and 50 cents for original clippings from local 
papers. The first lot will be found on page 428. This 
week’s winners are: 
Jackson Demary, Sullivan Co., New Hampshire. 
Mrs. Solon Fletcher, Wayne Co., Pennsylvania. 
C. S. Moore, Quebec, Canada. . . 
Clippings were sent from Maine to Kansas. Some 
of the clippers did not get just the right idea. We want 
original notes which first appear in the local papers. We 
have a number of good clippings which were evidently 
copied from other papers. These, however good, are 
barred out. We have received one clipping from an old 
copy of Moore’s Rural New-Yorker printed in 1870. 
Another is from an agricultural paper printed in 1867! 
This contest will continue for several weeks. 
* 
We are told that Gov. Herrick, of Oiiio, vetoed the 
appropriations for agricultural interests because he did 
not understand their importance. That seems like a 
poor excuse in view of the strong organization which 
we have been told exists among Ohio farmers. With a 
Governor who does not understand what farmers need 
and a Senator who was a confessed friend of oleo there 
is work for Ohio farmers to do. 
* 
That Michigan man (page 437) seems to be having 
unusual success in straightening out the kinks in the 
farm labor problem of his State. Of course it is too 
much to expect that all of these men will prove effective, 
but they are carefully selected and no doubt a fair pro¬ 
portion will stick to their jobs for the season, and some 
become permanent farmers. There is a wide difference 
between the hand-to-mouth, kicked-about life of the city 
street when looking for a job, and the three square 
meals a day and a night’s rest on the average farm that 
ought to appeal to the mass of unemployed who have 
enough muscle and gumption to do farm work. 
* 
We have given some estimates of the values of good 
apple orchards. Some of them were of necessity rather 
indefinite. Many farmers do not keep strict accounts, 
and it is sometimes hard to state just what the orchard 
earns aside from the rest of the farm. The following 
figures are taken from an accurate account, and repre¬ 
sent the returns from a well-kept orchard in a good 
apple section: 
Twenty acres apple orchard during 10 years produced 
13,853 barrels and 11,273 bushels. Average per acre per 
year 69% barrels and 56 1-3 bushels; sales .$26,415.46. Av¬ 
erage per acre per year $132.07. Cost per acre ,per year, 
packages, $21; labor, harvesting, $17.50; spraying, $5; till¬ 
ing, $3.75; pruning, $3; spray material, 75 cents; total cost, 
$51. Net receipts, $81.07. This would be a six per cent in¬ 
come on $1,351, or ten per cent on $810 per acr^. During 
the past six years the same orchards have produced an in¬ 
come of $19,515.14, an average of $162.62; a net income of 
$109.31, which is six per cent on $1,822. 
We are satisfied that many orchards have done as 
well as this, and some even better. Why, then, do some 
men complain that apple culture does not pay? Their 
figures, if they have any, will prove their statement! 
There are some men who seem to believe they can put 
an apple tree into any kind of soil and then let it alone 
without food or care to grow as it will. Others realize 
that the apple is at its best only in certain soils and 
localities, and that the tree must be fed and cared for 
like a child. There are half a dozen “systems” of 
handling an orchard. It does not make so much dif¬ 
ference which one a man adopts so long as he carries 
it out faithfully in all its details. There is no better 
investment on the average farm than a well-kept apple 
orchard. It not only gives an income, but helps the. 
sale of the farm. 
* 
W hen Gov. Odell signed the bill which provided for 
the Agricultural College the Cornell students celebrated 
with a whoop! I he whole college and most of the city 
turned out to shout for agriculture. Such demonstra¬ 
tions are common after some athletic victory, but it is 
a new thing to hear thousands shout at the end of a 
hard fought battle for agricultural education. We think 
it a good thing, tOG, and we believe that the shouts and 
cheers on the college campus will help quicken the 
blood in New York State agriculture. There was a 
banquet composed entirely of food grown on the college 
farm—including roasted wheat coffee. It was evident 
that while the celebration was intended as a well-earned 
jubilee the authorities feel that they are face to face 
with a grave responsibility. We said during the cam¬ 
paign that it was “up to the farmers” to decide whether 
the Legislature and Governor should provide for the 
college. It is now “up to Cornell University” to decide 
that the confidence shown by farmers was not mis¬ 
placed. Both Dr. Schurman and Prof. Bailey under¬ 
stand the situation, and they will rise to it. 
* 
The discussion of agricultural education in Hope 
Farm Notes, page 431, lays especial stress on the fact 
that the best sort of education is that which strengthens 
moral character, not the system chiefly concerned in 
producing what we term smartness. This fact is put 
very clearly by Herbert Spencer in a letter written to a 
friend here many years ago, and published for the first 
time since the great philosopher’s death. He says; 
You believe that the course of things in society is to be 
changed by teaching. I do not believe any such thing. 
Everywhere I have contended, and I contend still, that feel¬ 
ings, not ideas, determine social results—that everything 
depends, not upon intellect, but upon character, and char¬ 
acter is not to be changed in a day or in a generation. I 
have but one message—be honest; regard the equitable claims 
of others while maintaining your own. The disregard of all 
save personal interests is the underlying cause of your pres¬ 
ent state and of impending disasters. As I said years ago, 
apropos of American affairs, a fatal trait in your society is 
the admiration for smart men, and I believe I said, or im¬ 
plied, that a people among whom there is an admiratipn for 
smart men will come to grief. 
Thoughtful men and women already see the danger 
outlined by Spencer as a threatening factor in National 
life. In most of the great moral issues that have called 
out the best in this Republic, it has remained for the 
rural communities to cast the deciding vote. If we 
permit “smartness” rather than sound character to be 
the test of rural or agricultural education, we poison a 
powerful stream at the fountain head. The time may 
come yet when the destiny of a great«nation hangs upon 
this very influence. * 
* 
We have heat d of Mr. Hayward’s poultry farm before 
■—now we have an account of it. This is utilizing rocky 
New England pastures with a vengeance. Many of our 
western readers will gasp at the sight of these great 
rocks, but to those of us who were brought up among 
them they make a familiar sight. One reason why we 
print this article is to call attention to one of the foun¬ 
dation facts of American agriculture. Men have gone 
away from New England because it did not seem to 
them possible to make a living with plow and hoe 
among these ro;ks. They were narrowed down to cer¬ 
tain crops and methods, and instead of studying out 
new ones they followed the culture of the old ones Out 
West. No doubt some of these very men or their 
children raised the grain which Air. Hayward buys and 
feeds to his hens. Those western growers cannot hope 
to make the profit in growing the grain which the Yankee 
makes in feeding it. Thus the rocky pasture is made to 
beat the fertile western prairie acre for acre; not in 
actual production, but in taking advantage of oppor¬ 
tunity. Some of the Baldwin apples grown on this 
rocky soil are superb—the standard of excellence for 
export or home consumption. We have made the point 
again and again, and there are thousands of examples to. 
prove it, that the Eastern States, within the shadow of 
our great markets, offer superior opportunities for im¬ 
proved agriculture. These chances do not lie in direct 
competition with the natural products of the West, but 
in handling the finer and more delicate products which 
the best class of customers demand. It may be an egg, 
an apple, a broiler, a strawberry, or what not. We can 
learn to produce the best that can be made, and work 
until we find a market for it. Those who are satisfied 
to produce ordinary goods may cry “That ain’t farmin’,” 
but it is farming, and the highest type of it. Is Mr. 
Hayward any less of a farmer because he feeds 8,000 
hens on western grain than he would be if he fed only 
the few hundred which his own farm will feed? The 
plan of keeping hens shut up in small houses does not 
appeal to us. It is against what seems the nature of 
the hen to keep her a prisoner. One surprising thing 
is that Air. Hayward keeps but few of what we call 
the purebred.? Most of his birds are mixtures of all 
sizes and colors. He takes whatever the farmers choose 
to raise for him. He says he prefers the barred Ply¬ 
mouth Rocks, and one would think it would pay him to 
furnish good males of that breed to some of these 
farmers, somewhat as Air. Merwin, of Connecticut, pro¬ 
vides good sires for those heifer calves. We doubt if 
Air. Hayward will have many imitators, but he has given 
all a lesson in utilizing our own soil. 
* 
For some years Russia has been regarded as one of 
the w r orld’s great powers. England and European na¬ 
tions have gone on the principle that Russia was too 
strong to be trifled with, and have been cautious about 
coming into conflict with the Russians in Asia. The 
ease with which Japan has thus far beaten the Russians 
leads Europe to believe that Russia has been greatly 
over-rated, or that Japan is much stronger than was 
thought possible at the beginning of the war. There 
are many who still think the Russians will rally and 
push the Japanese into the sea by sheer weight and 
numbers. I his does not seem likely now, since the 
Japanese have every advantage of position and action. 
Americans generally sympathize with Japan, though it 
would be hard for most of them to tell why, except 
that Japan is the smaller and weaker nation. The Japa¬ 
nese soldier fights for his country, and has a clear idea 
of patriotic duty. It is doubtful if the ordinary Russian 
soldier could tell what the fighting is about. While 
Russia is fighting for more land and trade outlet to the 
Pacific, Japan is fighting for her very national life, and 
in such a struggle she naturally has the good wishes of 
Americans, although the form of government is such 
that we would not tolerate it for a moment. So far 
as American trade .goes Russia is the better buyer, and 
Japan is more likely to prove a competitor. If the Rus¬ 
sian fleet controlled the Pacific Ocean our exports of 
meat and breadstuff's would be much larger than now, 
for the Russians are heavier eaters than the Japs, and 
the Russian army is dependent upon foreign supplies. 
* 
SOME RULES FOR CAPITAL AND LABOR. 
Never hire a man you would not want to be seen 
speaking to in public. 
A look of recognition or a kind word will do more 
than a raise of salary. 
A cold shoulder is apt to make a man think more than 
he works. 
Don’t deceive yourself by thinking that if you can get 
an extra hour’s work out of a man it is clear gain. 
Alost men will steal it back twice over when you turn 
your back. 
Short hours and good pay net greater profits than 
long hours and small pay. If you want an extra hour 
pay for it. 
Don’t make a beast of burden of a man. Horseflesh 
is cheaper. 
If you wish to shine in the owner’s eyes make your 
team and tools shine. 
Never quit work half an hour early because the boss 
is away, nor shirk when his back is turned, for “murder 
will out.” 
Cater to the fancies of the owner. Labor has no 
better friend than Capital. 
Let Capital be considerate. It is absolutely dependent 
upon Labor. _ 
BREVITIES. 
•Soak the sorghum seed before sowing. 
Remember that rape will save grain in the bill for hog 
feeding. 
It is a patriot's duty to eat apples and cheese. You save 
money, preserve your health and promote two great indus¬ 
tries. 
We are looking for the honest man who will say he found 
it profitable to contract with a tree agent to plant and trim 
a fruit orchard. 
Find an old man who wants to live long and who has 
studied the art of living and you will always find an apple 
eater. IIow much better to pick up the habit in youth ! 
Wild bees seem to have suffered as much as. the domestic 
honey-makers during the hard Winter; they are very scarce 
this Spring. We do not, however, anticipate any shortage in 
the Potato-bug crop. 
Gov. Odell has signed the bill providing for the protec¬ 
tion of the black bear in this State. Bruin is thus officially 
announced an innocent and harmless animal. What do 
Adirondack farmers think about it? 
The Supreme Court decides that Congress has the right 
to say who shall come to this country as a citizen, that no 
Anarchist is wanted and that the Federal judges have the 
right to decide what an Anarchist is. 
This is the way a New York City man states an old prob¬ 
lem : “Have a good position, but do not care to waste my 
life between four white walls, and then have nothing to show 
for it but a puny, sallow-looking face.” 
