568 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
August 17 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FABMEB'S PAPEB. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Herbert W. Cobbing wood, Editor. 
I)iu WABi'EK Van Fbeet, I 
H. K. Van 1)k.man. VAssoclates. 
Mrs. K. T. Koybe, \ 
John J. Dibbon, Business Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries In the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, equal to 
8s. Cd., or 8}^ marks, or lOJ^ frauc-s. 
“ 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 adveiUsers. 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, AUGUST 17, 1901. 
That Little Envelope, 
which you will find in this paper is intended for im¬ 
mediate use. It is arranged conveniently to carry 
back the name and address of one of your neighbors, 
with his remittance for subscription for the re¬ 
mainder of this year. There are blanks for the name 
and address, and you will notice a little pocket at the 
point of the arrow arranged for carrying coin safely, 
after the envelope is sealed. We hope you will at 
least take interest enough in the matter to hand this 
envelope to one of your neighbors who needs the 
paper, with a good word for the paper. A better way, 
however, would be to get his subscription and write 
his name and address in the blanks yourself. Then 
put 16 cents coin in the coin pocket of envelope, at 
point of arrow, put your own name and address on 
a slip of paper into the envelope, seal and mail under 
two-cent stamp. If you should get up a club of 10, 
you need send us only $1 with the 10 names. But be 
sure to send this one name anyway. The sooner you 
do it the more your friend will get for his money. 
Let yours be the first one back. We thank you in ad¬ 
vance for the interest that we feel sure every old 
friend will take in this matter. 
• 
The arid regions of the Southwest are held respon¬ 
sible for the hot winds which sear and wither farm 
crops in sections of Iowa, Nebraska and other parts 
of the West. If the desert could be made to blossom, 
through the aid of irrigation, these winds would be 
greatly lessened in intensity, if not altogether abol¬ 
ished. So say those who are now urging the National 
Government to give aid in building vast storage reser¬ 
voirs for the purpose of such irrigation. The influ¬ 
ence of vegetation upon climate is not very well un¬ 
derstood; there is no doubt, however, that the arid 
regions are largely responsible for the hot winds, and 
future generations may live to see them a thing of 
the past, 
* 
Last April D. R. Pease, of Tompkins Co., N. Y., 
gave his experience with Pear blight. We now have 
the following note from him: 
I would like to know how much Pear blight there has 
been in the State this season, and what success has been 
secured by those who have sprayed for it. We have had 
none this season, but our trees were washed once and 
sprayed twice. We have changed our mixture somewhat 
this year with good results. There is plenty of blight 
in our section this season where nothing has been done 
to prevent it. 
We would like to have full and complete reports 
concerning this disease—its extent, treatment, and 
also whether some varieties are more susceptible to 
it than others. Knowledge is power. The only way 
to make reports effective is to concentrate them. 
Send us the facts about Pear blight. We will try to 
sift the information thus received, 
* 
Niagara Co., N. Y., is to have a complete system of 
free rural mail delivery. A few trial routes were 
started, and proved highly successful. Now the whole 
county will be served. This means that 30,000 people 
or 7,000 families, all living outside of cities and vil¬ 
lages, will have daily mail service! Niagara is the 
fifth county in the country to have a complete system. 
We do not believe that this result would have been 
possible had it not been for the Niagara County Farm¬ 
ers’ Club. That big and lively organization is com¬ 
posed of wideawake and thoughtful farmers. They 
come together, exchange ideas, sor't out a few of the 
most practical things that farmers need and then call 
for them. They receive careful attention. The pow¬ 
ers that be become the powers that see to it that 
these things are done. Would that we had just such 
a club in every county of New York State! 
* 
There are some varieties of wheat better able to 
resist the attacks of the Hessian fly than others. 
That is not so surprising when we remember that 
certain varieties of fruits or vegetables are more 
nearly immune than others to insects or diseases. As 
an illustration. The R. N.-Y. No. 2 potato, with its 
thick, leathery foliage is not a favorite with Potato 
beetles when there are thinner-skinned varieties near 
by. Only a few years since we were assured by scien¬ 
tific men that there was little if any diffei’ence in 
wiheat varieties in this respect. Now the evidence 
seems to be clear that such a difference does exist. 
It is just such information as this that our scientific 
friends ought to dig out for us. We are glad that 
they wait until they know before “talking for publi¬ 
cation.” 
* 
This is the season when the so-called “lucky” far¬ 
mer has his innings. The weather conditions have 
all been against the crops on average soils. In the 
East rain after rain has soaked the ground, and in 
the West the drought has parChed it. Thus it has 
been impossible to produce even fair crops, and, as 
a result, there is barely enough produce in the coun¬ 
try to feed the people. We are selling windfall 
apples for more than first-class fruit will bring in 
seasons of plenty, and potatoes which in ordinary 
years would go to the pigs are eagerly called for in 
the market. Thus it is that a season of crop disaster 
is often best for the “lucky” farmer. And who is 
the lucky farmer? Does he really leave things to 
chance, or does he strive and study so to fit his 
ground and organize his crops and forces that each 
year will give him the largest possible yield? Our 
observation is that as a rule the men who do best in 
a year like this one also do well when the general 
conditions are favorable. In other words, those who 
are struck by luck are those who are always ready 
with the lightning rod of thorough preparation erect¬ 
ed and in good order. 
* 
The unimportant question as to whether one naval 
commander or another is entitled to more credit for 
the defeat of the Spanish war squadron off Santiago 
during the late war is to be fought out in an expen¬ 
sive court of inquiry, to the detriment of public busi¬ 
ness. Judged by the commotion this dispute has oc¬ 
casioned one might think the question involved was 
vital to the public welfare, but when it is considered 
that the officers concerned were trained and educated 
at the expense of the Government, have received a 
liberal compensation through a lifetime of prepara¬ 
tion for just such a contingency, and since were both 
promoted to a rank that ensures ample pension on 
retirement, it seems nothing more can be due them. 
The spectacle of individuals doing fairly well their 
ordinary duty is not so rare that hysterics need fol¬ 
low. Myriads of workers in every humble walk in 
life do as well every day without comment or ex¬ 
pectation of unusual reward. It would be more cred¬ 
itable and in keeping with modern ideas of civiliza¬ 
tion to find the public interested in a discussion 
whether the originator of the Concord grape, or of 
the Wealthy apple was deserving of the greater 
honor. These men fought tue grimmest of all enemies, 
poverty and obscurity, with no hope of substantial 
reward, and left results of permanent National value 
behind them, but even the names of these unselfish 
benefactors are known to few who profit by them. 
* 
The R. N.-Y. does not believe that Congressman J. 
W. Wadsworth, of New York, is a fair representative 
for the American farmer. The position he took on 
the question of taxing colored oleo is opposed to the 
desires of the great majority of American dairymen 
and general farmers. We do not think thait be is the 
right man to head the important committee of agri¬ 
culture. We have no personal feeling whatever in 
this matter. Our position is taken simply because 
the cause of honest butter, and indirectly the cause 
of honest agriculture, requires a friend and champion 
in this place of power and honor. In talking with 
farmers in Mr. Wadsworth’s district we have been as¬ 
tonished to see how general the feeling against him 
is. Yet, surprising as it may seem, thousands of farm¬ 
ers who believe that his action on the Grout bill is 
a direct injury to their business, voted for him! Why? 
The answer is usually the half-hearted and despairing 
statement that “he was sure of such a big majority 
anyway that it was no use to cast a single vote 
against him!” He ran far enough hebind his ticket 
to defeat a Congressman in an ordinary district, but 
the big party margin discouraged many of those who 
will usually put political friendship above business 
enmity. Of course the politicians can point to his 
big majority and call it a grand endorsement, but 
they know better—that is if, as they pretend, they 
know what the voters really feel and desire! We 
understand that thousands of farmers all over the 
country are writing to Speaker Henderson protesting 
against Mr. Wadsworth as chairman of the agricul¬ 
tural committee. We hope that there will be a tidal 
wave of such correspondence. 
* 
It has been demonstrated that mosquitoes can con¬ 
vey the malaria germ from one pei-son to another— 
and prick it in. It is also thought that they are able 
to help in spreading smallpox. Granting all this, we 
must still remember that mosquitoes are no more dan¬ 
gerous than they were before we knew so much about 
them. 'Such knowledge does not make them live 
longer or sting harder—it ought to make us put up a 
better fight against them. 
« 
People hear much about the abandoned farms of 
New England. Now and then we are told what the 
soil of these farms can be made to produce. The hay 
crop described on page 563 is a fair sample of what 
the hills of western New England are capable of. 
This beautiful country, fair in its way as any the sun 
shines upon, healthful and productive, is oecoming 
depopulated, although as a whole the population of 
the New England States is increasing rapidly. The 
movement has been away from the farms to the val¬ 
leys or water powers, where city and village have 
grown up. Yet there are many who left the farm 
years ago who find themselves crowded in the busy 
town. They, with their children, would gladly go 
back to the hills if they could only take some of the 
conveniences of the town with them. VVe believe 
that the telephone and the trolley will in time reach 
up into the hills and repopulate the old farms. 
* 
BREVITIES. 
Little Jersey cows is business. 
I’ll feed them and show no fear. 
But the biggest no-count critter 
Is the little dairy steer! 
Livin’ on the fame and record 
That his little sister’s made, 
Struttin’ round to claim attention. 
When his board bill h’ain’t ben paid. 
Hoppin’ lively as a cricket 
Mighty little thought of beef, 
Ridin’ on their sister s ticket 
Otherwise they’d come to grief. 
Ain’t you seen men, though, jes’ like ’em? 
Lazin’ ’round an’ ci’ackin’ jokes, 
Spendin’ lots o’ time in settin’. 
Livin’ on their wimmin folks? 
Great fat fellers, stout an’ hearty. 
Fit for work; each lazy lout 
Lettin’ wimmin folks support him— 
How I’d like ter roust'’em out, 
You jest sign my name unto it; 
Print it black ez it appears; 
Stout men ez will live on wimmin 
Ain’t ser good ez dairy steers! 
Fau sometimes spells fraud. 
Rape can be sown as late as September 1. 
Wanted— Asparagus with an oxhide—to resist the rust. 
Yes, it often pays to sit down judiciously on the ris¬ 
ing son. 
This country imported 17 bushels of potatoes from 
Peru last year. 
We advance the suggestion that you take a backward 
step from temptation. 
The Baldwin apple is at its best in New England. Is 
any apple really better? 
“Potato pomace’’ is the residue left in the manufac¬ 
ture of starch from potatoes. 
The man who has to take the gold cure may well suffer 
from a consciousness of inward gilt. 
Hay caps this year indicate that a farmer is getting 
some of the hayseed out of his hair. 
There’s another hard knot in the world’s tough plan, 
when a wmman says “Yes!” to a drinking man. 
We have a subscriber in New Hampshire who keeps 
7,000 hens, and is now marketing 2,000 eggs per day. 
The articles on page 574 seem to dispose of the “tramp 
creamery” story. Very pretty in theory but not practical. 
A GOOD thing to do with cow peas this year is to plow 
them under about September 1, fit the soil well, and seed 
to grass. 
What becomes of the fat in the milk when the cow is 
worried or uncomfortable? The chances are that it 
never w'as there. 
“Do more harm than good!” “Catch more friends 
than enemies!” That is what the entomologists say 
about moth traps. 
We find this a hard season for fitting the ground for 
the Clark plan of grass seeding. It Is impossible to get 
into the field with horse and tools. 
“Corn on Fall plowing yet looks well mornings; on 
Spring plowing it is badly wilted, and only partially re¬ 
covers nights,” says Mr. Warner on page 5G3. 
One great cause for debilitated poultry is undue con¬ 
finement at night. By “undue” we mean that they 
should be, to all practical purposes, the same as if out 
doors, from early Spring till late Fall. Plenty of air; 
but no damp floors. A slight draft, when fowls have 
been overfed and forced, frequently results in colds. 
