THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
478 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PARER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established laao. 
Hekiiekt W. Coi.i..in«wooi), Kditor. 
])H. Wai.tkk Van Feeet, / 
11. K. Van De.man. -Assoclale.s. 
MK8. E. T. UOYI.E, \ 
John J. Uileon, Bnsliie.s8 .MansKer. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To I'orelKii countries In the Universal Postal Union, S>2.01, equal to 
Ss. (Id., or murks, or lOJiJ francs. 
“ A SOU ARE 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 differences between subscribers and honest, 
responsible advertisers. Neither will we bo 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 UuraIi New-Yohkek when writing 
the advertiser. 
Name and address of sender, and what the remittance Is for, should 
appear In every letter. 
itemittances may be made In money order, express order, personal 
check or bunk draft. 
THE KUKAU NKW-VORKKK. 
4U9 Pearl Street, New York. 
SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 1901. 
We are beginning to get reports from farmers who 
tried the so-called Clark metjiod of seeding grass. 
Rome few carried out Mr. Clark’s plan exactly; others 
followed his advice to the extent of using more seed 
and working the ground twice as much as ever before. 
So far as we have heard all speak well of the plan, 
though it is too early to give a fair report yet. in 
our own case this method of seeding has not proved 
all we hoped for, but is much better than the grass 
on nearby farms seeded in the old way. 
« 
We are informed that the Grout anti-oleo bill— 
probably under some other name, since Mr. Grout 
will not be in Congress—will be introduced in Decem¬ 
ber, as soon as Congress meets. It will go through 
this time. There will be some delay if J. W. Wads¬ 
worth remains chairman of the Agricultural Com¬ 
mittee. Farmei-s should begin to grub the stumps out 
of the i-oad now. The stump-puller in this case is 
Hon. D. B. Henderson, Washington, D. C. This 
stump-puller will not work unless power is brought 
to bear upon him. The power of 10,000 strong letters 
protesting against Wadsworth will start him! 
* 
We have several times referred to the great stone 
dam which the English are building across the Nile 
in Egypt. It is a mighty stone wall one mile and a 
quarter long and 90 feet high above low water level. 
It will hold back 1,000,000,000 tons of water—forming 
a lake 144 miles long. When this dam is completed 
millions of acres of now barren land will be made 
fruitful. As the result of this work the crops of 
Egyptian grain and cotton will be tremendously in¬ 
creased, and it is probable that within a few years 
this country will feel the effects of it in a loss of 
trade in agricultural products. Ever since our Civil 
War England has been searching the earth for a spot 
where she can supply her own mills witn cotton. The 
Germans, too, are experimenting in Africa with the 
same end in view. The saving and use of the Nile 
water will make. Egypt one of the grain bins of the 
world, and a strong force in agriculture. 
* 
In many sections of western New York farmers say 
that there is an increased demand for farms. Prices 
have, in some cases, risen $5 to $10 per acre; farms 
are being sold and are considered better security than 
for some years. There are many reasons for this. 
Fruit lands are valuable because it is well understood 
that choice Winter apples are likely to be good prop¬ 
erty for several years to come. Electric railroads are 
stretching out through the rural districts, and tele¬ 
phones ring their bells in many a lonely farm home. 
Rural mail delivery is also becoming a fixture. All 
such things bring the farm and its occupants closer 
to the city or town, and thus give greater value to the 
farm and a broader life to the farmer. Take the rural 
telephone alone. Few who have not enjoyed its bene¬ 
fits can understand what a convenience and blessing 
it is to the farm home. Not long ago we asked a 
farmer to tell us how the small grain and grass were 
looking. We expected only a report from his imme¬ 
diate locality, but in a few minutes he “phoned” all 
over his county, and was then prepared to give ac¬ 
curate information. Many a farmer who formerly 
loaded his wagon with produce and hauled it to mar¬ 
ket at a venture can now learn by telephone just what 
the dealers want, and arrange his load accordingly. 
In most sections the town has for years been gaining 
at the expense of the country. We thiuK that the tide 
is now beginning to turn, and that the telephone, the 
trolley and othqr conveniences will give the country 
.something of its old power and position. 
Mb. Chapman gives us, this week, some notes on 
the cost of a quart of milk, which were picked up at 
the institutes. One of the men he quotes figures a 
salary for himself as a part of the total cost. This 
idea of drawing a salary out of the business will be 
new to most farmers. The small dealer or storekeeper 
in town, with about the same money invested in his 
business that the farmer has in his farm, does not 
usually figure a salary for himself. The farmer’s 
time ought to be worth more than that of the hired 
man. Yet, unless he puts a certain amount of cash 
aside out of the year’s income his estimates of cost 
will be more or less guesswork. Such estimates are 
interesting and good comparison, but they do not 
compare in accuracy with the estimates of manufac¬ 
turers who deal only with dead things. There must 
be more or less guesswork in estimating the cost of 
living things. 
We have had a large correspondence with farmers 
who say they wish to find good steady farm hands 
or partners. As a rule such people say they do not 
want married men with children. In many advertise¬ 
ments the same statement is made—childless people 
are desired. This is probably natural enough. In 
many cases children are annoying, especially if they 
are not well trained. Yet, in most cases, the man 
who loves his children and has ambitions for them, 
will make the best farm help. We cannot afford to 
shut out the children if we wish to encourage steady 
young men to make a useful mark on our farms 
either as hired help or partnei's. We have no doubt 
but that this decree against children has caused a 
good many young men to turn away from farm labor 
and seek employment in some other line of industry. 
There is no better place for the little folks than on a 
farm—whether they be the children of the boss or of 
the hired man. Older people whose own children have 
either died or gone from home will often find a real 
blessing in helping the little ones of others. 
Thebe are a few sour-spirited individuals who seem 
to think that agriculture is “played out,” and that the 
old-time spirit and independence of the American 
farmer is a myth. Such people ought to attend a 
meeting of the Niagara County (N. Y.) Farmers’ Club. 
They would receive a mental and spiritual shaking 
up that would sweeten them for the rest of their days. 
We attended the March meeting at Newfane. It was 
held at a small hamlet, and the roads were knee-deep 
with mud, but how those farmers did turn out! They 
packed two large churches to the doors and some 
could not get in at all. It was an audience that would 
inspire any speaker—clean, clear-headed, prosperous 
farmers and their wives and daughters. “How do 
you manage to do it?” we asked. “Well,” said one 
farmer, “farming is our busine-as. We believe in it. 
We think we have the finest country in the world! 
We are proud that we are farmers and we are glad to 
get together and prove it.” We could not help think¬ 
ing how agriculture would be ennobled and benefited 
if just such a club could be maintained in every farm¬ 
ing county in this country. Truly, the farmer will 
be destined to sit on a far-back seat if he waits for 
the middleman and the politician to carry his flag. 
Yet, how that flag would wave on the heights if he 
would carry it forward himself! 
* 
Thebe has been a lively "milk war” in Boston dur¬ 
ing the past 10 days. In that city, as in most others, 
the contractors or dealers have controlled the market 
and screwed the producers down to a mere pittance. 
The latter organized to protect their rights and en¬ 
deavored to keep back enough milk to prevent a sur¬ 
plus, and thus force the dealers to offer fair terms. As 
usual, the dealers attempt to secure the needed milk 
by going out along the railroads and offering higher 
prices to distant farmers. They hope, in this way to 
obtain milk enough to beat the producers, and having 
done this they will control the situation once more, 
and screw down prices to suit themselves. The presi¬ 
dent of the Milk Producers’ Union sent out the follow¬ 
ing letter: 
To the farmers and milk producers of Maine, Vermont 
and New York; 
Brothers: In this section we are making a light for a 
fair deal and a chance to live. The milk producers of 
the section supplying Boston have many grievances, 
and have been to a great extent under the thumb of the 
milk trust, a trust by which the consumer does not gain 
by lower prices, and the producer is scrimped down. 
This trust is trying to deprive the producer of a fair 
living. We are fighting for our lives. If the farmers are 
true to each other we shall win. We know the farmers 
of this section—we know they are true—and we feel con¬ 
fident that we shall win. To you the trust is appealing. 
They are offering you big money for your milk and extra 
favorable terms. We believe that you will refuse their 
bribes, that you will reject their “30 pieces of silver." 
Were you on strike we would not sell your foes milk at 
?r> a can. Will you help us now by doing as we should 
do? ’Next year you may have the same fight as we are 
April i!} 
having hOW. Do Uhtti others as ybii Would have them 
do unto you. 
That strikes the nail right the head, and it'will 
be both sad and strange if any of these distant milk¬ 
men are so shortsighted as to sell out their brothers 
in Massachusetts. As we go to press it looks as 
though the milk producers would win at least part of 
their demands. Victory would be sure if the farmers 
would only hold together. 
« 
Every year or so some one starts a fierce discus¬ 
sion as to the evils attending the use of tobacco. After 
many hard words from either side the discussion dies 
out, and the use of tobacco goes on as before. Per¬ 
sonally we have no use for tobacco except for killing 
certain insects. We never acquired the tobacco habit 
or “slavery,” and after listening to all the arguments 
from those who use tobacco we have no wish to be¬ 
gin. Last Summer about 1,000 Cuban teachers attend¬ 
ed a Summer school at Harvard College. While there 
they were accurately weighed and measured in order 
to compare them with American teachers. Among 
other striking results it was shown that the average 
American woman was about the same size and weight 
as the average Cuban man. In giving the reasons for 
this small size of the average Cuban Dr. Sargeant 
mentions the excessive use of tobacco: 
Tobacco may be a solace to the aged, a force regulator 
for many, and even a food to some persons, through the 
property it posse.sses of lowering organic activity. But 
this is the very reason why it should not be used by 
aspiring youth who wish to attain a vigorous manhood. 
Excessive smoking produces disturbances in the blood, 
mucous membranes, stomach, heart, lungs, the sense 
organs and in the brain and nervous system. When in¬ 
dulged in freely by the young, the habit of smoking 
causes impairment of growth, premature development and 
physical prostration. This custom alone, if universally 
practiced by one or two generations, would certainly tend 
to dwarf the people who become enslaved by it. 
We believe that this statement of the case is per¬ 
fectly true. Tea and tobacco, when used by the aged, 
seem to prevent wastes of the body, and thus actually 
save food. For the young, however, we question 
whether there is any worse indulgence than tobacco, 
and especially cigarette smoking. The nation that 
permits it will be sure, in a few generations, to de¬ 
generate into a race small, nervous and weak. 
BREVITIES. 
The famous cow's of Denmark, 
Are fed on Yankee grain; 
We ship it o’er the ocean. 
And back it comes again 
In yellow balls of butter. 
For England and the South, 
To fill to over fiowing 
The market’s yawning mouth. 
We feed the cows of Denmark 
We help the Dane to churn; 
We can’t dis Dane our market 
Thought he disdains our turn. 
Have we no Yankee bossies 
To eat our corn and bran? 
Where is our four-legged pari nor? 
Where is our dairyman? 
Here’s to the Yankee heifer, 
Here’s to the Yankee cow; 
Bother the herds of Denmark 
Stay with the home kine now. 
Our first plowing was done April 2. 
We hear much complaint of cane blight in bush fruits. 
Is it a part of duty to help one who will not help him¬ 
self? 
It is the little wormy apple that makes the market 
drag. 
No man ever advances any worthy cause by mere 
imitation. 
Tub Hessian fly has done some damage in western 
New York. 
The Indications are that the Pea louse will be lively 
this season. 
Neither a blind man nor a blockhead can hold the 
spray nozzle and win. 
Yes, he who gives a bag of Hour or of potatoes to a poor 
widow is sack-religious. 
Some of those who “want the earth’’ must “eat dirt’’ 
and still remain unsatisfied. 
Mighty few saloon patrons among those who love 
apples and eat them regularly. 
What think you of “G. A. C’s” argument for dirt 
floors in poultry houses on page 277? 
Why buy or sell wood ashes or hen manure by the 
bushel? Weigh a bushel of it and bargain by the pound. 
A much advertised bedbug poison consists of an ounce 
of corrosive sublimate dissolved in a half-pint of alcohol 
and one gill of oil of turpentine. 
A western reader tells the Hope Farm man that five 
acres of land will provide a living for an average family 
How many five-acre lots on your farm would do it? 
Some farmers will shudder at the advice to u.se a ton 
of fertilizer to the acre as our Long Island friend ad¬ 
vises—page 267. Yet, that’s the way they do it on the 
Island. 
Most farmers find an objection to sowing clover seed 
on the snow. When the snow melts the seed is likely 
to wash together and grow “bunchy.” The plan of sow¬ 
ing when the ground is honeycombed with frost and 
filled with little cracks seems moat popular. 
