THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
November 
744 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Hehbekt W. Collinowood, Editor. 
Dr. Walter Van Fleet, / 
H. K. Van Deman. VAssoclates. 
Mrs. B. T. Roylk, j 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOEEAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries In the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, equal to 
8s. 6d., or 8*^ marks, or 10^ 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 ngalnst rogues, but we do not guar¬ 
antee to adjust trilling 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 Rural New-Yorker when writing 
the advertiser. 
Name and address of sender, and what the remittance is for, should 
•ppear 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. 
SATdRDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1901. 
10 Weeks for 10 Cents. 
We would ask every reader of this issue to turn to 
page 749, and see our announcement for trial sub¬ 
scriptions during November and December. To intro¬ 
duce it to new homes we will send the paper 10 weeks 
for 10 cents. See the inducements for getting up 
clubs. If you do not feel that you can get up a large 
club, you at least have one neighbor who would be 
glad to send an order on this basis. Tell him about it. 
* 
Many farmers are in the habit of husking their 
com in the field. This saves considerable heavy 
handling, and is not bad business in fair weather. But 
to sit in the field for hours at a time, when the 
ground is wet and the air cold and raw, is dangerous 
to health, and the husker is likely to get a cold which 
will stick to him all Winter. It is a good plan to have 
a few loads under cover to work at during cold morn¬ 
ings and damp days. There is enough work on the 
farm that is hard and disagreeable, without adding 
unnecessary burdens to work that may be done more 
comfortably. 
* 
Read and study Prof. Plumb’s article on stock 
foods. Oats and corn are high this year, and it is 
surprising what a difference this makes with those 
of us who must buy more or less grain. These grains 
have long been the standard for stock food. Many 
farmers still believe that there is no good substitute 
for them, 'luey also believe that a horse must be 
fed on high-priced hay, when it is a fact that bright 
and sweet cornstalks with bran and corn will keep a 
working horse in thrifty condition through the Win¬ 
ter. In a season like this one food economies are 
necessary for most of us, and no wise economy is 
possible without careful study of the principles of 
feeding. 
« 
Our northern readers begin to give their experi¬ 
ence with the cow pea this week. We believe they 
will clearly demonstrate the value of this crop for 
northern soils. We have repeatedly advised against 
cutting the vines for hay. We desired to prove the 
manorial value of the crop. We are sorry therefore 
that so many farmers have cut and cured the vines 
for hay. It hurts the feelings of a thrifty farmer to 
see anything with green leaves on it plowed into the 
ground. Much of this cow-pea hay will not make sat¬ 
isfactory fodder. The stubble and the roots alone will 
not produce nearly as large a crop as the whole plant 
would. Then the cow pea will be slated as “no good,” 
which will be entirely unfair! 
* 
What about J. W. Wadsworth and the agricultural 
committee of the'House of Representatives? The 
feeling is growing among American farmers that he 
is not the man to represent them as the head of this 
important committee. We have nothing against his 
personal character, and he is honored and respected 
by those who know him best. At the same time he 
has, for reasons best known to himself, placed him¬ 
self on record as opposed to the principles embodied 
in the Grout anti-oleo bill. The sentiment for this 
bill is strong, and constantly growing among farmers. 
As its objects and aims are made clearer the demand 
for its passage becomes stronger. There can be no 
doubt but that farmers are now more interested in 
its passage than they were one year ago. This being 
so, it seems evident that Mr. Wadsworth would be 
sadly out of place where once before he prevented 
the passage or this bill. He will hardly be prepared 
to maintain that he is right and that 5,000,000 farmers 
are wrong! The most graceful thing he can do would 
be to step aside and refuse the chairmanship. We 
hope he will do so, for it is not the most edifying job 
in the world to be compelled to drive tacks into the 
chair of an obstinate man. The farmers have the 
tacks and the hammers ready, however. 
* 
We have referred, from time to time, to the swind¬ 
lers who rob farmers, while professing to be purchas¬ 
ers of farm lands. Their plans vary, but the follow¬ 
ing is a common method: An Iowa farmer was re¬ 
cently approached by a man who offered a handsome 
price for his farm. He accepted, and the stranger, 
after paying down ?200 to bind the bargain, departed 
for a neighboring city, where he was to secure the ser¬ 
vices of a notary, and return next day. The same 
evening another stranger appeared, who also fell in 
love with the place, and became so enthusiastic that 
he offered the farmer $8 an acre more than the first 
man. The farmer decided to call off the deal, but 
when the first comer returned he insisted on hold¬ 
ing to the bargain, unless the owner would return his 
$200 deposit and $1,500 additional. This was done; 
the stranger departed, and the second would-be buy¬ 
er never returned. Of course the two men were in 
collusion, and the farmer was their victim. The ad¬ 
vice to avoid any important business dealings with 
strangers is aimost old enough to be worn out, but 
there is plenty of need for it yet. Such an important 
matter as the sale of property is surely too weighty 
to be undertaken without assurance as to the good 
faith of all parties to the contract. 
• 
AMERICAN APPLE CONSUMERS’ LEAGUE, 
ITS OBJECT. 
To make apple eating fashionable. Business in 
other lines of production has been doubled by con¬ 
vincing the public that it is the proper thing to wear 
or use a certain article. There are 40,000,000 Ameri¬ 
cans living in town and city. Educate them so that 
they will eat two apples each every day and you do 
more for practical agriculture than can be done in 
any other way. 
LEND US YOUR TONGUE! 
The League Pledge. 
I agree to call for apple in some form whenever I 
eat a meal at any public table. Should apple not be 
named on the bill of fare I will ask why not, and en¬ 
deavor to secure the serving of good eating apples. 
I will also encourage apple eating in my own family. 
It Costs You Nothing but a Little Tongue Service. 
The League has already induced a number of first- 
class hotels and restaurants to make a feature of 
good apples. 
* 
Some remarkable stories about apples and land 
come from Maine. The Maine fruit is fine in quality, 
and buyers are after it at from $2.25 to $3.25 per bar¬ 
rel. Last year one farmer tried to sell his farm for 
$500. This year he has 250 barrels of good fruit for 
sale! Another man bought half interest in a farm 
for $1,500, and this year has 600 barrels of the finest 
apples. In another case a man bought a farm several 
years ago for $1,000. Some of his friends thought he 
had made a fatal mistake, but this year he has 300 
barrels of fine fruit for sale. These things show what 
can be done on the cheap land which is for sale in 
New England. Not all at once—for it will require 
time, money, work and skiU to produce first-class 
fruit. We feel sure, however, that the market for the 
finer grades of apples is sure to be greatly developed 
during the next few years. People who buy this New 
England fruit will certainly remember the Maine 
apples, and demand more of them. 
The cost of feeding a farm horse is discussed this 
week under “Hope Farm Notes.” Some farmers who 
have never stopped to weigh and figure will say that 
$75 per year is altogether too high. They should 
send their horses to board at a city stable for a time 
and find out. City livery stables make a uniform 
charge of $1 a day for boarding driving horses. The 
wishes of the owner and needs of the horse are ob¬ 
served in regard to feeding and care. Stable men say 
that some horses are so peculiar about eating, and re¬ 
quire so much fussing, that there is but little money 
in it at this price, but on the average $1 a day gives 
a fair profit. The charge for work horses varies from 
$16 to $20 per month, or a little more, depending up¬ 
on the quantity of food they consume. Truck horses 
get little but hay and oats, and they work hard 
enough to have a good appetite. Of course they 
neither require nor get the care which is given to the 
driving horse, which is studied, and has his whims in 
regard to feeding gratified. The charge for shoeing 
work horses used on the pavements runs from $2.50 
to $4 per month. Let a farmer undertake to feed his 
horse or his family on city prices for a while, and 
he will be far better able to appreciate some of the 
blessings of the farm. 
It has been said that The R. N.-Y. is a local paper. 
Here is a little incident that throws light on the sub¬ 
ject. A German came to this country and went to 
work in south Jersey. He wanted information, but 
did not know where to get it. A friend who lives in 
Wisconsin—a subscriber to The R. N.-Y.—^finally 
wrote to the man in New Jersey advising him to con¬ 
sult our paper. So we received a letter written in 
German, which was answered. The fact is that The 
R. N.-Y. is local only in name. We have readers in 
Eastport, Me.; Provincetown, Mass.; Wilmington, N. 
C.; Orlando, Fla.; New Orleans, La.; San Antonio, 
Tex.; the City of Mexico; Santa Ana, Cal.; San Fran¬ 
cisco; Seattle, Wash; Duluth, Minn.; Mackinaw, 
Mich.; Buffalo, N. Y.; St. Albans, Vt. Draw a line 
through these points and you will see that very little 
of the country is left outside, and the enclosure is 
well dotted with readers. The fact is that The R. 
N.-Y. has a wider circulation than any other legiti¬ 
mate agricultural paper, and is truly a National pub¬ 
lication. 
Every good citizen is interested in the great prob¬ 
lem of keeping the farm home happy and prosperous. 
In the cities we are rearing up a generation of the 
lawless, indolent and vicious. The boys and girls of 
the farm are more favored, because they have some¬ 
thing to do. If only we can make their home life 
on the farm sail more attractive, and hold them 
there, they will have less desire for the attractions 
of the city. We do not pretend to say that all the 
country boys anu girls who come to the city fail and 
lose character. Quite the reverse is true, for without 
fresh supplies of country blood and brain the cities 
would fail. But wnere one giant comes and makes a 
place for himself there are five untrained and un¬ 
fitted for city life who fail to make a place and sim¬ 
ply join the ranks of the disappointed or hopeless. 
After a few years in the city they are often unfitted 
for true work in the country. Yes, the hopeful and 
happy farm home is now as it ever has been the best 
cradle for American citizenship. In every country 
town you will find great-hearted women who, silently 
and without recognition, are doing more for their 
country than any politician that ever lived in the 
town. 
* 
BREVITIES. 
Apple! Apple! Call for apple! 
Everywhere you go. 
Closely watch the bill of fare. 
And if apple is not there. 
Then proceed at once to pare, 
Cook and landlord down with care. 
They will come with smirking manner, 
Offering the big banana. 
Or the orange—be not shaken 
In the job you’ve undertaken; 
Call for pie or raw or bake, 
Sauce—no matter what you take 
If you only call for apple. 
Make your tongue proceed to grapple 
With this plan of education 
For an apple-eating nation. 
Before trying to stand on your dignity make sure 
that it isn’t cracked. 
Theory is as easy as eating mince pie—practice harder 
than the digestion of it. 
We want to enlist your tongue for service in the Ameri¬ 
can Apple Consumers’ League. Talk apples. 
A GOOD deal of ink has been shed in giving advice to 
the girl who asked for hints about earning money. It’s 
a good cause. 
Two great tests of friendship—to be asked to lend 
money without security, or to give a candid opinion of 
another’s poetry! 
Oil is largely used for fuel in the engines of south¬ 
western railroads. Northern roads have not yet at¬ 
tempted this oil burning. 
How does the politician temper his steal? He cries 
“save the party” to the shorn lamb—and the lamb saves 
it—so that he can be shorn again. 
According to our correspondents on page 745, the game 
laws and their stringent enforcement are really a bene¬ 
fit to the farmers, in increasing the demand for squabs. 
Regarding the recent article on Dutch Belted cattle- 
page 690—of course, we are glad to do justice to all. We 
would not willingly harm any worthy object or enter¬ 
prise. 
Is the “true steel” born in a man, or is it the fire and 
the hammering of life’s work and trials that does the 
tempering? The more you hammer some people the 
more they flatten out. 
We are told that in California electric power is trans¬ 
mitted from a mountain stream to a city over a wire 190 
miles long. This transmission of cheap power largely 
offsets the lack of coal. 
It has been reported that in Nebraska grasshoppers 
are caught by the millions in “hopper-dozers,” dried and 
pressed into cakes for poultry feeding. There Is evi¬ 
dently some truth in the statement. 
