56 
.faunary 56 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homei. 
Established 1850. 
Hebbebt W. Collinowood, Editor. 
Db. Waltbb Van Fleet, 1 
H. E. Van Deman, > Associates. ' 
Mbs. E. T. Royle, | 
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 8^ marks, or 10*4 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 columns, and any such swindler will be publicly 
exposed. We protect subscribers against rogues, but we do not guar¬ 
antee 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 us within one month of the time of the transaction, and 
you must have mentioned The Bubal Nbw-Youkeh when writing 
the advertiser. 
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, .IANGARY 2(i, 1901. 
Last Fall we called on farmers to report the figures 
which buyers were offering for apples. The result 
was a mass of information which told the story and 
helped stiffen prices. Now we want at once the fig¬ 
ures offered by canning factories for peas and other 
vegetables. Send us as soon as possible a statement 
of what the canners offer, and a sample contract. The 
situation is such that these facts and figures sent right 
at this time will enable us to help the growers—espe¬ 
cially those who plant peas. Get together, farmers! 
Let us have these facts at once! 
* 
A I’OBTABLE thrashing engine was recently used in 
rather an unusual way by a New Jersey florist. The 
CO-horse-power boiler used in heating burst, and jt 
was impossible to heat the greenhouses. A steam 
engine belonging to a thrashing outfit was brought 
into requisition, steam being supplied by a one-inch 
pipe running from the dome of the engine, and con¬ 
necting with the large main of the greenhouses. The 
main return pipe was disconnected from the damaged 
boiler to allow exhaust steam to pass out. By this 
means frost was kept out of the houses until the 
boiler was repaired. Why not thrash Jack Frost as 
well as old straw? 
* 
It is easy to point out the advantage of airect deal¬ 
ing between farmer and consnmer. In many thickly- 
settled places it seems all wrong to pay a tribute to 
the peddler or the merchant when the farmer lives 
within a few miles of the people who eat what he 
produces. Some farmers like a retail business, but 
most of them seem to prefer a wholesale trade, except 
for such things as eggs and butter. Most farmers who 
have become experts at producing crops cannot afford 
to stop and peddle out their goods. At least they 
think so, but are they right or wrong? Mr. Town¬ 
send, whose methods are given on page 50, appears 
to have an original plan of selling. 
* 
On page 8 The R. N.-Y. made some statements 
about the use of oxygen which are wrong, and we de¬ 
sire to correct them. It is said that the French have 
devised some cheap method of separating the oxygen 
from the nitrogen as it exists in the air in a mechani¬ 
cal mixture. Oxygen promotes combustion. When it 
is present fuel burns with a fierce blaze and great 
heat, q'he oxygen itself does not burn, and will not 
add to the world’s supply of fuel. It may, perhaps, 
i)e used to make fuel burn more rapidly, and will pos- 
sibly save heat by giving a more perfect combustion. 
It will not, however, with our present knowledge of 
chemistry, add to the world’s supply of fuel, and we 
regret that our statement gave that impression. 
* 
A CERTAIN farmer was once made chairman of the 
political organization in his township. It was a close 
campaign, and many of the township chairmen were 
called to headquart rs to see the State chairman; 
among others our farmer friend was called. The 
question of distributing “literature” came up. There 
was one pamphlet in particular advocating a policy 
which this farmer felt sure was positively against the 
interests of country people. To his surprise the State 
chairman said that he was opposed to this measure 
personally, but that it was a good party policy to ad ¬ 
vocate it. Here was a man talking and writing with 
all his power in favor of a plan which he knew would 
result in trouble and injustice to many country peo¬ 
ple! The worst of it was that this man knew that he 
deliberately deceived thousands of honest, simple- 
minded men who had such confidence in him that they 
accepted bis suggestion as a political command! Sup¬ 
pose that man had spoken just what he believed— 
fearlessly and without dodging! His party would 
probably have rolled over him and buried him from 
view", yet the world would have been better for it. 
“Statesmen” are apparently much like other persons 
—perhaps “more so.” They believe in advancing their 
own interests first of all. 
* 
Oswego County, N. Y., is famous for the straw¬ 
berries which are fruited late in the season. The 
growers try to produce large, firm, high-colored 
berries that will stand long shipment. F. G. Tice is 
unquestionably one of the best growers in Oswego 
County. He can not only grow the fruit, but he can 
tell how to do it. That is why we asked him to write 
one of those “essential-principle” articles which we 
have promised. What we ask you to remember is 
that back of the 1,000 words which Mr. Tice has writ¬ 
ten stand several million little details which he has 
carefully attended to year after year! The next 
“essential-principle” article will discuss currants and 
their culture. It is written by W. N. Scarff, of Ohio, 
who had so much confidence in fruit growing that he 
borrowed every dollar he could raise to invest in fruit 
land. 
* 
.Some of the men who keep a pig in a little box or 
pen where the poor porker wallows in mud and lives 
on soup may open their eyes at the story of western 
hog-raising, told on first page. The western farmer is 
usually a man of large ideas—he grows crops on a 
large scale, and is used to methods which Eastern 
farmers call “liberal” or wasteful as they wish to 
speak politely or bluntly. We are apt to say that 
western farmers need to study some of the saving, 
smaller methods of the East. That is true, but it is 
no less true that many eastern farmers need to let out 
their belts and follow some of the larger practices of 
the West! In this matter of hog-raising, for instance, 
the eastern farmer will do well to take an ax, knock 
down his small pen, and let the hogs out into a field 
where he sowed rape, sorghum and other grazing 
plants. All the hog wants is a fair chance! 
* 
The Indiana Appellate Court recently decided a case 
involving the death of three cows caused oy their ex¬ 
perimenting on a diet of coal. Nelson Bart owns a 
large farm near Fort Wayne. A ditch was ordered 
across his pasture, and Freemont Sprangle, the con¬ 
tractor, who was working on the ditch, brought to the 
pasture a large amount of machinery, including a lot 
of coal and coal-oil waste. Sprangle’s men were 
boarding with Bart, and one of them, at the dinner 
table, gave out the information that Bart’s cattle were 
eating the coal. This was commented on as a very 
astonishing circumstance, but Bart still left the cows 
in the pasture. A week after two of them were found 
dead and the third dying. On cutting them open their 
stomachs were found packed full of coal. “It looked,” 
said Bart, “as if it had been hammered in.” One of 
them had also partaken of a liberal supply of coal-oil 
waste, which was found wadded with the coal. Bart 
sued Sprangle for negligence in leaving the coal with¬ 
in reach of the cows. The jury gave him a verdict for 
$150 for the value of the cows. This judgment the 
Appellate Court affirmed. 
« 
Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson has de¬ 
clared in favor of the Shipping bill which provides 
large subsidies for American ships. He says that 
farmers need better freight service to foreign countries 
and gives instances to show where important freight 
has been delayed. He then says that from every point 
of view we should not depend on foreign ships, but 
that Americans should carry American freight. Wo 
agree with the Secretary, though we know from ex¬ 
perience that it often pays better to hire some one 
else to carry your produce than to do your own haul¬ 
ing. If Mr. Wilson wishes to give the farmers real 
advice he should not stop with what they already 
know, but go on and tell us why the rich ship build¬ 
ers and steel makers need help from the Government. 
That is the point to be discussed. Why should the 
farmers be taxed to support a class of people who are 
better able to provide for themselves than most busi¬ 
ness men? Mr. Wilson is quoted as saying that he 
“knew from correspondence that there is a practically 
universal sentiment among the farmers in favor of 
the bill, and that those who are against it are mainly 
those who do not understand what advantages the bill 
will bring to the farmers.” Our experience and ob¬ 
servation indicate just the reverse of that statement. 
The farm papers of the country are outspoken against 
the bill. The few farmers who talk to us in favor of 
it seem to have an idea that it is a party measure 
which will make their party stronger with certain 
rich men, or in certain localities. There are many 
farmers who now see in their own business the results 
of former indirect taxation schemes. Hei'e is their 
•luestion, Mr. Secretary—perhaps you will answer it. 
Why, if our manufacturers can outdo the world on 
machinery and material, do they not build their own 
ships without help? 
* 
Here is a letter from a subscriber who writes what 
thousands think; 
We note your advice to snow United States Senators 
under with letters giving our wishes in regard to oleo 
iegisiation. Would they ever reach the eye of the 
Senator? Would not the omnipotent private secretary 
consign them ail to the waste basket and say nothing 
about it? I know that all classes in this vicinity are 
very anxious to have the Grout bill made the law of the 
land, and if our Senators ignore our wishes and inter¬ 
ests the time will surely come when they will hear from 
u.s. 
The impression that Senators do not see communi¬ 
cations from their constituents seems to be a common 
error. The idea was expressed before the Senate com¬ 
mittee during the hearing on the oleo bill by one of 
the oleo men. Senator Proctor, chairman of the com¬ 
mittee, corrected him, saying that all such communi¬ 
cations received attention, and while they could not 
remember the details of each letter, they always knew 
in a general way from such letters what the people 
want. There never has been a time in this country 
when farmers followed up these matters as they do 
now. The result is that never before did their wants 
receive so much consideration. One advocate of oleo 
in the hearing referred to told the committee that it 
was not the farmers, but other meddlesome individ¬ 
uals who were asking this law. He said: “You know. 
Senator, that farmei’s have no time to leave their 
plows and their cows and follow up legislators.” • 1 
know,” promptly replied Senator Allen, of Nebraska, 
“that they come pretty close to it at times.” The 
Senator knew more about that subject than the law¬ 
yer who was earning his fee talking for the oleo 
frauds. It is the farmers’ duty to let their Senators 
know that they do want this bill. Have no fear that 
your letter will not be read, A politican may not tell 
the people what he honestly thinks about them, but 
he is very glad to learn what they hone.stly think 
about him. 
* 
BREVITIES. 
THE ROGUE’S PARADE. 
Drum! Drum! Here they come. Fraud, Fake and Bun¬ 
combe! 
Ho! Ho! There they go. Led by Oleo! 
See him strut and hear him crow! 
“What do I care for law, you know? 
Honest butter’s on my track, 
But the boodle’s at my back! 
What care I for honest right? 
Greasy dollars win the flght!" 
Next come lightning rods—they drag bills In wads! 
See that canning shark? Now farm shins will bark! 
Ah! There! patent churn! Sign his card, you’ll learn 
That the sig. you wrote—turns up as a note, 
Here’s commission merchant thief 
Sucks you dry and then in grief 
You can only grunt and groan, 
He skips out for parts unknown. 
Toot! Toot! Better scoot! 
Here comes Uncle Public Wrath, 
See his gun? There’ll be fun! 
When through you he cuts a swath! w. w. h. 
Not much use for a snow shovel yet! 
Try Alfalfa, but don’t get crazy over it. 
A CHECK book removes one bait for a burglar. 
'raosE rules for the hired man’s treatment on page 51 
—are they fair? 
The French mushroom crop is said to amount to J2 • 
000,000 annually, 
Man puts his mind to most ignoble uses when he goes 
hunting ’round to find excuses! 
It’s a case of “roast” beef when an institute man gets 
his tongue after a scrub. 
Have you noticed any difference in varieties of 
asparagus as to their liability to rust? 
All a good man has a right to ask for is a fair chance. 
The oleoists had a fair chance to be honest! 
The way to make a boy “cranky’’ is to work him on an 
old-fashioned grindstone and hold down hard with the 
ax. 
Don't expect too much from the Grout bill. It will 
never feed your cows for you. or enable you to make 
clean butter from dirty milk! 
Which section of country will come out ahead— the one 
in which labor is skilled and high-priced, or the one in 
which it is poor and cheap? 
A KANSAS paper suggests this subject for debate at a 
local literary society: “Should a farmer invest his money 
in life insurance or cabinet organs?’’ 
Florists are somewhat disturbed by the rumor that 
the price of window glass will be increased again 16 per 
cent during January. The beneficent glass trust appears 
to be flourishing merrily. 
The growth of Water hyacinths in the St. John’s River, 
Florida, is again causing difficulty by blockading navi¬ 
gation, and the Government will be asked to aid in the 
removal of the plant. 
If my horse reaches two feet into my neighbor’s field 
and steais his grain I must pay for it. If his tree sends 
its roots over into my field for 10 feet and steals the plant 
food which T meant for my coim, must he pay for that? 
