72 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
February 2 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
EstahlisTud 1850. 
Herbert W. Colbingwood, Editor. 
Dr. Walter Van Fleet, 1 
H. E. Van Deman, vAssociateB. 
Mrs. E. T. Rotle, 1 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries In the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, equal to 
8 s. 6d., or 8V4 marks, or lOH francs. 
“ A SaUARE 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 trilling dillerences 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 Rural New-Yorker 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, FEBRUARY 2, 1901. 
We wish again to remind our old friends that a 
club of four names with $4 will secure a renewal of 
the club-raiser’s subscription for one year—^the five 
names for $4. There are many subscriptions expiring 
now this month. Why not take an afternoon and 
work up a club in your neighborhood? We have 
other inducements for those who take an interest in 
the matter. For one new name we will send you any 
one of these books: 
Celery Growing and Marketing.1.00 
Landscape Gardening, Long.BO 
For a club of four, any of these books: 
Horses, Cattle, Sheep and Swine, Curtis.$2.00 
First Lessons in Agriculture, Gully. 1.00 
Practical Farm Chemistry, Greiner.76 
The Spraying of Crops, Lodeman. 1.00 
The Nursery Book, Bailey. LOO 
Fertility of the Land, Roberts. 1.25 
The books are sent post-paid. They are cloth 
bound, and the best and latest books on these sub¬ 
jects. This is an opportunity for young men or old 
to get books. 
* 
The use of clover as feed and fertilizer extends back 
for over 2,000 years—yet there are still farmers who 
know little about it. In parts of the West “clover 
farming” is a regular feature of agriculture. The 
clover, in rotation, keeps up the fertility of the farm, 
and provides for the manufacture of meat or milk. 
Somehow, of late years, the agricultural writers have 
stopped talking about clover—as though the time had 
come to lay this good friend aside with the dust- 
covered relics of old days. We are glad to announce 
an “essential-principle” article on “clover farming” 
by L. N. Bonham, of Ohio. 
* 
Secretary Gage went before the Senate Agricul¬ 
tural Committee with an argument against the Grout 
bill. In the report of his remarks we are told: 
He explained that many of the Inspectors were not ex¬ 
perts and could not detect oleomargarine without an¬ 
alysis. He also said that there was not adequate force 
to see that the oleomargarine law was carried out In 
every particular. He pointed out that there were 4,000 
dealers in Chicago, and that it would be impossible to 
watch them all. The collection of the revenue was the 
main object of the department. 
That is just the point we have often made. After 
the oleo gets out of the factory it is impossible to tell 
what becomes of it all. It is certainly easier to tax 
it in 17 factories than to watch it in 17,000 stores! 
* 
Some remarkable statements about the power de¬ 
veloped in the modern locomotive are made by George 
H. Daniels, of the New York Central Railroad. He 
said, among other things, that a single locomotive 
hauled a passenger train of 15 cars from New York to 
Albany, a distance of 143 miles, in three hours and 15 
minutes. This train weighed 1,832,000 pounds, and 
was 1,212 feet, or nearly one-fourth of a mile, in 
length. The rate at which the train traveled was 44 
miles per hour, which was the regular scheduled time. 
Another train weighing 608,000 pounds was hauled 
from New York to Buffalo, 440 miles, in eight hours 
and 15 minutes, an average speed of 53% miles an 
hour. It is wonderful to think how the modern loco¬ 
motive has been developed. But here is another side 
of the problem which is worthy of consideration, A 
single miner working with his ordinary tools in a 
coal mine may haul out, ready for use, five tons of 
coal. That represents the force of a man working 
with ordinary tools; yet half of that day’s work 
placed in a modern engine will haul this enormous 
train from New York to Albany. It is a striking il¬ 
lustration of the increase of power produced by the 
application of concentrated force. Compare the labor 
of the man in digging coal, and the wonderful powec 
of that coal when placed in the engine, and we have 
an illustration of what may be done with skill, econ¬ 
omy and proper management in any department of 
life. Think what a powerful force the boiler calls to 
life from the slumbering coal! Man is master over 
material things, as ne is able to arouse and control 
the slumbering forces of Nature! 
* 
Illinois is to have a seed-corn inspector, who will 
visit all the reliable seed-corn growers of the State, 
and report on the work done. The inspector will de¬ 
cide the seed value and market condition of corn held 
by each grower. The work will be under the super¬ 
vision of the Illinois Seed-Corn Growers’ Association, 
the matter being discussed at the meeting of this so¬ 
ciety, recently referred to in The R. N.-Y. A. D. 
Shamel, instructor in farm crops at the State Uni¬ 
versity, has been chosen as inspector. Since so many 
agricultural interests are founded upon the corn crop, 
Iliinois shows far-seeing wisdom in this system of in¬ 
spection. 
To what extent did the war in Africa benefit the 
trade of this country? One would expect that with a 
great army to feed England would require great 
stores of extra food, and that this food would be sent 
to Africa without unloading. The results are surpris¬ 
ing. Here are some figures showing our total exports 
to Africa during the past 10 months of 1899 and 1900: 
Agricultural implements 
Horses . 
Corn . 
Wheat . 
Wheat flour . 
Cotton cloth . 
Steel rails . 
Boots and shoes. 
Canned beef . 
Hams and pork. 
Lard . 
Butter . 
1899. 
1900. 
$313,242 
$182,575 
10,910 
1,762,617 
349,626 
626,569 
605,386 
529,075 
1,126,458 
639,993 
437,101 
219,428 
502,988 
438,569 
126,865 
105,693 
461,899 
412,446 
31,993 
25,619 
177,944 
162,250 
2,061 
1,592 
Thus with the exception of horses the war has hurt 
rather than helped our trade with Africa. There prob¬ 
ably were extra shipments of food direct to England 
in consequence of the great drain upon that country, 
but these figures knock the force out of the old argu¬ 
ment that war makes a permanent market for the 
farmer! 
“God made the country; man made the town!” That 
quotation, with variations, is frequently heard, and it 
is as true now as ever. The town is a selfish place, 
and ever has been. Men who grow up amid brick and 
stone lead an artificial life. Competition is fierce, life 
is hard and intense, there are few opportunities for 
the calm refiection and settlement which the human 
heart and mind require. The average townsman who 
has only his head and hands—all perhaps imperfectly 
trained—is constantly under the lash, and it is no 
wonder that middle life finds him cynical and unhappy 
rather than hopeful. We do not pretend to say that 
all country people can show in their lives and char¬ 
acters what our modern business system has squeezed 
out of the town dwellers. There have been in the 
past, and there always will be, farmers who fail to 
grasp their opportunities, and others who are by na¬ 
ture unfitted for country life. Yet when this is said, 
we believe that history will show that in the past, 
great moral reforms—events that have ennobled and 
dignified mankind—have usually been organized and 
started by what we call country people. We think 
that the people of the town have followed rather than 
led in public enterprises which demanded personal 
sacrifice and self-denial. The nation that deliberately 
feeds the town upon the just share of the country 
home will surely die. 
If horticulturists would fight the San Josd scale in 
their orchards as hard as they fight about it in their 
conventions the insect would soon vanish from the 
earth. At the Western New York Horticultural So¬ 
ciety President W. C. Barry prevented a discussion on 
the subject by a personal appeal which was, to say 
the least, in bad taste. He referred to the work done 
by his father, and actually refused to accept another 
term as president unless the Society would agree not 
to discuss the matter of fumigating nursery stock. Mr. 
Barry doubtless desired a peacefui meeting, and he 
without doubt felt that a fierce discussion would in¬ 
jure or break the Society. He gave the impression, 
however, of using the powers and political machinery 
of a politician to cut off a fair and open debate. The 
R. N.-Y. firmly opposes such methods. The people 
are modifying their views regarding the scale and 
fumigation, and this is no time for the nurserymen 
to adopt such methods in order to keep fruit growers 
quiet. The Society finally agreed to ask for an appro¬ 
priation of $25,000 with which the Commissioner of 
Agricuiture will enforce the present law. Let this 
law be honestly enforced, and if it does not answer 
let us have one that will do the work. The nursery¬ 
men must not get the idea that they are the only ones 
to be considered in this matter. The fruit growers 
have far more at stake, and any effort to stifie their 
views at public meetings should be sternly condemned. 
* 
A CERTAIN farmer whom we know has made a suc¬ 
cess in fruit growing. He has spent time and money, 
and learned some things which are worth almost as 
much to him as a patent would be in some lines of 
trade. One day a merchant, in a nearby town, drove 
out to the farm and left this word for the farmer: 
“The next time you come to town I wish you would 
come to my store! I want to talk with you about 
business.” The farmer went out of his way to call at 
the store, and found this “business” proposition wait¬ 
ing him: 
“Now Mr. Farmer, I expect to set out about 500 fruit 
trees next Spring, and I want you to tell me what 
varieties to buy, how to set them and how to take care 
of them. Tell me the whole story! . , , Thanks! 
Have a cigar?” 
The farmer gave the information. He got home so 
late that his chores dragged and his wife scolded him. 
As he milked the last cow this thought ran through 
his mind: “Suppose I had sent word to Mr. Mer¬ 
chant that I wanted to see him at the farm on busi¬ 
ness. He comes expecting to sell a good bill of goods 
and I say to him: 
“1 think of opening a store out here so as to get the 
trade of my neighbors. I want you to tell me where 
to buy my goods, how much you pay, and all your 
trade secrets of buying and selling. Thank you for 
the information! Have a drink of spring water!” 
One can imagine the ianguage of the merchant at 
such a proposition, yet why is one thing worse than 
the other? Why do people seem to think that all the 
trade secrets of the farmer should be made public 
property? Why does the storekeeper fill his pockets 
with apples in the farmer’s orchard, yet iook as black 
as a thunder cloud if the farmer takes a peanut out 
of the basket on the counter? If you will answer 
these questions, we will vote you the wisest man of 
the age. 
* 
BREVITIES. 
When pie plant gdvea the first good mess. 
With nice hot biscuit, I confess. 
Our folks feel good. Pop says, “I guess 
You or ter have a bran-new dress.” 
“An’ you a coat,” I sez, “no less!” 
He sets down there with little Bess, 
An’ tosses her wdth fond caress. 
An’ sum o’ his ol’ tenderness 
Outside his good ol’ heart will press 
An’ paint his eyes an’ face! Yes, yes! 
I know our folks will always bless 
The day that pie plant gives first mess. 
An’ it’s jess so with sparrergiass, 
An’ every other garden sass. 
When peas an’ greens an’ onions pass, 
With all the others of that class, 
I jest set down my work an’ say, 
“1 do now humbly bless the day 
'I'hat showed our folks the certain way 
'J'o make the kitchen garden pay.” 
An’ while I’m made o’ livin’ clay 
That garden is a-gonter stay. 
Don’t waste live words on dead issues. 
There’s both room and company down foot. 
The motive is not always father of the method. 
A sin! a sin! Not to have eating apples in the bin! 
Yes, we deride a hobby when we have to get off and 
walk! 
Think of a man striking 40 without knowing what his 
forte is. 
Some people must dig out facts, and others must rub 
them in. 
Yes, the true catty comb is the tongue—It has cata- 
combed many a character. 
We need plum trees that know how to grow into good 
shape. Most of them are too bunchy or too straight. 
We would like to see the pardoning power taken away 
from the Governor and put in the hands of the State 
Legislature. 
No, my friend, you will never hatch out the money 
needed to remove the reputation of a patch by sitting 
down upon it. 
“Spitz” is the name we used to have for the Esopus 
Spitzenburg apple. “Spits” might do as a name for a 
Ben Davis out of place. 
An old retired farmer who has lent some money to 
two other farmers, sends their subscriptions, because 
he says he will be surer of his interest, if they read The 
R. N.-Y.! 
The Mississippi Apple Growers’ Association, in con¬ 
vention recently, adopted a resolution condemning the 
existence of the English sparrow, and petitioning the 
Illinois Legislature to continue the bounty of two cents 
a head on each sparrow killed. Do fruit growers gener¬ 
ally hold this view? 
