44o 
June 22 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMEB'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Herbert W. Collingwoow, Editor. 
Dr. Walter Van Fleet, / 
H. B. Van Deman. J-Associates. 
Mrs. e. T. Koyle, \ 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries In the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, equal to 
Ss. Gd., or 8J^ marks, or lOJ^ 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 sub.scrlbers against rogues, but we do not guar¬ 
antee to adjust trilling differences between subscribers and honest, 
re.sponslble adve»tlsers. Neither will we be responsible for the debts 
of honest bankrupts sanctioned by the courts. Notice of the complaint 
mu.st be sent us within one month of the time of the transaction, and 
you must have mentioned TuK Kuhal 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, JUNE 22, 1901. 
Asparagus is a crop that seems to offer good 
chances to the careful grower. Prices have been good. 
The use of this vegetable is constantly increasing. 
The rust has killed out many fields, and kept many 
farmers from starting new ones. These things warn 
careless growers to shun asparagus, yet Invite good 
and careful farmers to try it. During the season we 
expect to give a good deal of attention to this crop— 
especially with reference to the best method of fight¬ 
ing the rust. 
* 
During the 10 months ending in April the total ex¬ 
ports from this country amounted to $1,238,554,264. 
Of this $84,784,364 worth was carried in oars, $64,- 
927,406 in American ships and $1,088,842,498 in for¬ 
eign ships. The proportion of imports brought in 
American ships was larger, but it is true that England 
and Germany are doing most of Uncle Sam’s foreign 
delivery. The question is, would he better off to do 
it himself? If so, how much? Enough better to af¬ 
ford to pay a big price for the privilege? 
ilt 
If any farmer is frightened into selling his apples 
at the first low offer this year it will be his own fault. 
Careful reports are coming in from the sections where 
fruit is grown largely for market. The cold wet sea¬ 
son has undoubtedly hurt the prospect for apples. 
Even where the bloom was very heavy many trees 
have but little fruit. It is, of course, still too early 
to make definite predictions, but as compared with 
same date in former years the outlook is for a low 
apple crop—which ought to mean high prices. 
* 
It is said that farmers in a section of eastern 
Washington are about to try a novel plan for mar¬ 
keting their wheat. These wheat fields are on high 
ground, and great canons make carting it to market 
a difficult job. The new plan is to build a cable tram¬ 
way from the bluffs to warehouses on the Snake 
River, about two miles distant. From this cable will 
be suspended baskets each holding a two-bushel sack 
of grain. It will work on the gravity system, and it 
is expected that from 250,000 to 400,000 bushels will 
be handled on it this year. 
* 
New Jersey is the mother of trusts and the nurse 
of oleo peddlers. These bogus butter rogues come 
across the ferries into New York and attempt to sell 
their stuff. Now, as appears from the statement on 
page 444, they send little boys with their wagons, 
hoping in that way to escape detection. This is their 
latest wrinkle of conscience, and it is the smallest 
business yet—in all respects. It is bad enough to 
turn a man’s conscience into tallow, but to turn the 
cream of a young boy’s life into lard gravy is a mas¬ 
ter stroke in wickedness—even for an oleo rogue. 
* 
One of the large life insurance companies is making 
total abstinence from intoxicants an object to its 
policy holders, since those who agree to abstinence 
during the life of the policy will get cut rates. The 
innovation was adopted at the solicitation of some of 
its largest policy holders, who based their claims on 
the ground that mortuary statistics showed a higher 
death rate among men who drank than among those 
who were abstainers, and that consequently the 
policy holders who did not drink were being charged 
to make good the losses, accruing from those who did. 
This plan of making non-drinkers preferred risks has 
been in vogue for some time in the old world, though 
new to the United States. The new class will include 
any accepted policy holder declaring himself a total 
abstainer, who would agree to remain such during 
the life of his policy. Among the men at whose in¬ 
stance the plan was put in operation are John Wana- 
maker. Dr. Edward Everett Hale, Booker T. Wash¬ 
ington, Senator Frye, Senator Tillman and ex-Mayor 
Hewitt, of New York. 
* 
OuK reports indicate that the Green pea-louse is 
becoming destructive once more. The wet weather 
held it in check, but now it is doing great damage 
in several localities. At Moorestown, N. J., a new 
spraying machine was tested. It is an expensive ma¬ 
chine which picks or shakes up the vines and thor¬ 
oughly sprays them with the whale-oil soap solution. 
It works so well that experts declare that it solves 
the problem where peas are grown on large areas. It 
is not likely that smaller growers can affoi’d such a 
costly machine. If the pea-louse continues its de¬ 
structive work the industry of pea growing for can- 
ners may be forced into the hands of a few very large 
growers, who can plant large areas and use these 
machines. 
* 
We know of people who went to a seaside resort 
last Summer. They demanded pure milk, but were 
served with an article that would not sour. It was 
actually so drugged with chemical “preservatives” 
that it would remain for days without going through 
the process of souring. Think of giving such stuff 
to a baby, or even putting any quantity of it into 
the strongest stomach! The milkman finally agreed 
to give them milk that would sour—'that being the 
most practical test they could think of to prevent tlie 
delivery of milk that might almost be used for em¬ 
balming purposes! That is the most remarkable milk 
test we ever heard of. Is it not a shame that this 
drugged and poisoned milk should be sold? We be¬ 
lieve that most of these dangerous chemicals are 
added by dealers in the city. Any man who will drug 
milk should be treated as a common poisoner. 
• 
The Central-Hudson Steamboat Company nas de¬ 
cided to make some changes in its plan of carrying 
empty fruit packages. They agree to charge three 
cents for each empty crate or tray carried rrom New 
York, and to reduce the freight rate on full packages 
three cents per package. The rates for gift packages 
will not be changed. The Company takes this action 
as a result of the conference with fruit growers re¬ 
cently reported in The R. N.-Y. When the notice of 
these changes was first sent out growers were not 
fully satisfied, as the statement was too indefinite. 
Another committee called on the steamboat company 
and finally secured an exact statement. Empty fruit 
packages will be handled the same as any other 
freight. These packages will be receipted for and 
agents will be required to count and deliver as they 
would if filled with goods. The company agrees to 
have help enough on the docks to sort out the 
“empties” and see that they are properly delivered. 
The company certainly shows a disposition to be fair, 
and we believe this change will benefit regular ship¬ 
pers of fruit. 
• 
On a good many northern farms, haying, hoeing 
and even planting will crowd into June this season, 
but we fear that a good many farmers will feel so 
behind on account of the unusual wet season that has 
forced the hay crop to early maturity and so hindered 
planting, that they will put off haying a week or two 
later than usual rather than commencing a week 
earlier. This will be very poor economy. Even if 
one does depend much upon silage, early-cut hay is 
one of the most important parts of the cow’s ration, 
and one cannot afford to put off haying. It will be 
better if possible to get extra help and push the hay¬ 
ing early. The cows will repay very handsomely all 
through the year when fed on good early-cut hay. 
There is just about twice as much nutriment, or 
rather digestible protein, in the early-cut as against 
the later-cut hay. The tendency this year will be to 
plant before properly fitting land, but we have found 
that expensive, and future cultivation can be decided¬ 
ly cheapened by having the land in good shape before 
planting. Otherwise you will have extra cultivation 
to do, besides hand hoeing in the busiest season. 
* 
For the past few years The R. N.-Y. has discussed 
the use of compressed air as power for spraying. We 
have pictured several machines which did the work 
well, because they were strong and capable of with¬ 
standing a powerful pressure. All this has created a 
demand for small sprayers which may be operated by 
an air pump. Some manufacturers have taken advan¬ 
tage of this demand by making extravagant claims 
for their machines. They issue circulars picturing 
women putting out fires, men washing wagons, and 
other jobs which would require the full force of a 
powerful pump. A customer sends for one of these 
famous “sprayers” and receives a can holding per¬ 
haps 10 quarts with an outlet perhaps the size of a 
pipe stem. Naturally, after reading the flaming cir¬ 
cular the buyer feels that he has been swindled. In 
his wrath at finding that he cannot wash windows or 
wagons he forgets that he can spray vines and shrubs, 
and throws the whole thing aside. The manufacturer 
has no business to make these foolish claims for his 
little sprayer. The buyer has no more business to 
believe that any human being can ever give him a 
business machine for the price of a mere toy. 
• 
The following letter from a reader in New York 
State enables us to explain an important matter: 
1 am interested in the contemplated pure butter law, 
and in what way can I exert the most good for the 
cause? You have mentioned in The R. N.-Y. that one 
Wadsworth is antagonizing the cause of the cow. What 
is the position he holds, and by whom is he appointed? 
M. J. u. 
The “one Wadsworth” referred to is J. W. Wads¬ 
worth, a Memoer of Congress from New York State. 
He is chairman of the House Committee on Agricul¬ 
ture. We believe that he did all he could to delay 
and defeat the Grout anti-oleo bill. He was finally 
beaten in his own committee, and on the floor of the 
House, but in spite of all he was able to hold the bill 
back so long that it failed in the Senate for lack of 
time. He went before the Senate committee and did 
his best to defeat the bill there. The Grout bill is 
and was loyally supported by the plain, working 
farmei-s of the country. Many who never make or 
sell a pound of butter support it because the under¬ 
lying principle of it is opposition to fraudulent or 
counterfeit food pi’oducts. Farmers demand the pas¬ 
sage of this bill both individually and through their 
organizations. The following propositions therefore 
seem fair and clear: 
1. The majority of American farmers demand the 
Grout anti-oleo bill. 
2. James W. Wadsworth is determined to prevent its 
passage if he can. 
3. The chairman of the Agricultural Committee can 
exert great influence for or against the bill. 
4. The farmers have a right to demand that the 
head of this important committee shall be a friend 
and not an acknowledged foe. 
Mr. Wadsworth was appointed by the Speaker of 
the House, Hon. D. B. Henderson. The most effective 
work that this correspondent or others like him can 
do now is to write a strong letter to Mr. Henderson 
at Washington protesting against Wadsworth as 
chairman. We would make such letters brief and 
strong with no possible chance for any “if” or “but.” 
It is entirely possible to write Wadsworth out of his 
place. By so doing we shall spike one of the great 
guns of oleo. Up and at him! 
• 
BREVITIES. 
“Show me the perfect man!” the speaker cried. 
With arms aloft and large mouth open wide; 
"Show him or name him!" Then he paused for breath, 
And through a stillness that was like to death, 
A little man on a back seat arose— 
He cleared his throat and stood upon his toes. 
One of these little dried-up, hairless men, 
As nervous and important as a hen. 
“Know ye this perfect man?” the speaker said. 
“I’ve heard of him full oft, but now, he’s dead, 
Too good to fit our faulty human plan;' 
My wife’s first husband was the perfect man!” 
Has hot weather really come? 
The ant is a good professor of "animal Industry.” 
How do the newer strawberries behave with you? 
We never before found such a demand for “bedbug 
cures.” 
The fumes of hydrocyanic acid gas “go anywhere for 
business.” 
What with new bugs and blights and old weather 
fruit growing has a rocky outlook. 
We are obliged to skip a week in the articles on soil¬ 
ing at the New Jersey Experiment Station. 
Let your neighbor buy experience if you will, but 
thank him for results—don’t laugh at him. 
In England it is a finable offense to sell oleomargarine 
containing more than 10 per cent butter fat. 
“No,” said Mrs. Apple Tree to Mr. Rain, “your re¬ 
marks do not set well with my young folks!” 
The wet weather has kept the Potato beetles back. 
Many have been killed, but “there are others.” 
It looks as though there might be something in this 
plan of selling live chicks from the incubator. 
Why, yes, the horse’s jaw or a home grinding outfit 
will help destroy the mill due which eats up profit. 
How can a farmer hope to get the best work out of a 
machine until he has mastered it, and knows how It 
works? 
A sample report— “Herkimer, N. Y.: Heavy frost here 
Sunday night, June 9. Wet, wet, wetter. No plowing 
to speak of. And everybody blue inside and out.” 
One of the ostriches at the Central Park (New York) 
menagerie died recently. The bird had had violent at¬ 
tacks of coughing, and consumption was supposed to be 
the cause. An autopsy showed that the lungs were af¬ 
fected, not by tuberculosis, but by a collar button and 
kernel of corn, which the bird had in some way got into 
its windpipe. 
