1901 
FHE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
84i 
Events of the Week 
DOMESTIC.—Clement Studebaker died November 27 at 
his home in South Bend, Ind. He was born in Adams 
County, Pa., March 12, 1831. He made his start in life 
in South Bend in 1852 in the blacksmith business with an 
elder brother, Henry. A Government contract for a hun- 
<lred wagons was obtained, and the young firm trom this 
beginning grew to be the present Studebaker Brothers’ 
Manufacturing Company. Mr. Studebaker was twice a 
delegate to national Republican conventions. United 
States Commissioner for Indiana to the Paris Exposition 
of 1878, president of the Indiana Board or World’s Fair 
Managers and a member of the Pan-American Congress 
during the Winter of 1889-90.A fire on the East 
River front of New York City November 28 started in a 
lumber yard, and by the crash of a big wall, released a 
torrent of naphtha in the adjoining property of the 
Standard Oil Company. A sea of fire flowed down the 
street, and only the most strenuous exertion saved a big 
gas plant. The total loss is believed to reach $750,000. 
. . . . November 27 a collision occurred at Seneca, 
Mich., between two passenger trains on the Wabash 
Railroad. Both trains were wrecked, taking fire immedi¬ 
ately; 80 persons were killed, and 135 injured, many of 
whom will die. Of the dead, 50 were Italian immigrants. 
. . . . The ferryboats Sausalito and San Rafael col¬ 
lided in a dense fog in San Francisco Bay on November 
30, and the San Rafael sank. It is known that three of 
her passengers were drowned, and it is feared that others 
were lost.Near Altoona, Pa., December 1, Mrs. 
C. W. Burk and her four children were burned to death 
in their home, the house burning so rapidly that escape 
was impossible.'J'he South Carolina and West 
Indian Exposition at Charleston was formally opened De¬ 
cember 2. Senator Depew was the orator of the day, and 
a message of greetings was sent by President Roosevelt. 
. . . . The British ship Nelson, from Astoria for Cage 
Town, with lumber, turned turtle off the Oregon coast 
on December 3, and went down with her entire crew of 
28 men.The barges Gypsum Queen and Gypsum 
King are adrift in the Bay of Fundy with 10 men on 
board, having broken loose from a tow during the gale, 
December 2. Grave fears are felt for the safety of the 
men. 
CONGRESS.—The first session cf the Fifty-seventh 
Congress was opened December 2. Resolutions respect¬ 
ing the late President McKinley were introduced in the 
House by Representative Grosvenor, simultaneously with 
the introduction by Mr. Foraker in the Senate of the 
.same resolutions. The Secretary of the Interior sent to 
the House a copy of a resolution of the Legislature of 
Hawaii asking a duty on coffee, in order to protect the 
coffee industry of Hawaii. The presentation and reading 
of the President’s message and the adoption of resolu¬ 
tions for a joint committee to consider by what token 
of respect and affection Congress might express the sor¬ 
row of the nation upon the tragic death of the late 
I’resident McKinley was the only business in Congress 
December 3. Both Senate and House adjourned as a fur¬ 
ther mark of respect, the House until December 6. The 
message occupied about 2^4 hours in reading. While 
there are differences in regard to the utterances of the 
President on some of the subjects treated, all agree 
that it is a strong, well-written document, characteristic 
of the writer. The first five of the 45 printed pages cov¬ 
ered are taken up with the assassination of President 
.McKinley and discussion of measures that are needed 
to punish anarchists. After strongly eulogizing the late 
President and denouncing the assassin, the message 
urges action by Congress that will suppress anarchists 
at home, and prevent the coming to this country of per¬ 
sons professing principles hostile to all government and 
justifying the murder of those placed in authority. 
'I'he question of trusts was touched upon. There is a 
popular belief that the great corporations known as 
trusts are in certain features and tendencies hurtful to 
the general welfare. This is based upon sincere convic¬ 
tion that combination and concentration should be super¬ 
vised, and within reasonable limits controlled, and with 
this judgment the President agrees. He believes that a 
law can be framed which will enable the Federal Gov¬ 
ernment to exercise control along lines indicated in the 
message, but if Congress should decide that it lacks the 
constitutional power to pass such an act, he recom¬ 
mends a constitutional amendment. Immigration laws 
were pronounced unsatisfactory. An educational test is 
recommended, which would “tend to decrease the sum 
of ignorance so potent in producing the envy, suspicion, 
malignant passion and hatred of order out of which 
anai’chistic sentiment inevitably springs. Finally, all 
persons should be excluded who are below a certain 
standard of economic fitness to enter our industrial fields 
as competitors with American labor. ' Tariff revision 
is not recommended. The President says the condition 
of the merchant marine is such as to call for remedial 
action by Congress and the advocates of the Ship Subsidy 
bill are lencouraged by his utterances on this subject, 
although t..ere is no positive recommendation for the 
grant of subsidies as a direct means of reviving our com¬ 
merce on the sea. Several pages are devoted to urging 
action for the preservation of the forests and the wild 
game, and measures for establishing a system of irriga¬ 
tion for the reclamation of the arid lands of the West. 
With regard to the colonies, the President says all legis¬ 
lation should be shaped to establish healthy American 
communities who would own and till the farms, and that 
the land policy for the islands should be modeled on the 
United States homestead system. Cuba will soon be 
established as an independent Government, and “there 
are weighty reasons of morality and of National Interest 
why the policy of reciprocity should oe held to have 
peculiar application,” and the attention of Congress is 
directed “to the wisdom, indeed, the vital need of pro¬ 
viding for a substantial reduction in the tariff duties on 
Cuban imports into the United States.” The Philippine 
problem .s discussed at length. The earnest effort of this 
Government is being directed to assist the Filipinos 
along the stony path that leads to self-government. “We 
hope.” says the message, “to make our administration 
of the Islands honorable to our nation by making it of 
the highest benefit to the Filipinos themselves, and as 
an earnest of what wo intend to do point to what 
we have done.” Additional legislation is recommended 
for the iiatroduction of industrial enterprises. Recom¬ 
mendations are made for upbuilding the navy and for 
an increase in its personnel. This is regarded as essential 
to our honor and material welfare, as well as to our peace 
\n the future. The establishment and organization of a 
strong naval reserve is also recommended. 'The navy 
offers the only means of making our insistence upon the 
Monroe Doctrine anything but a subject of derision to 
whatever nations choose to disregard it.’ It is not 
deemed necessary to increase the army beyond its present 
size, but it is necessary to keep It at the highest point 
of efficiency. He recommends that provision be made 
for field exercises by at least a division of regular troops 
once a year. An extension of the Chinese Exclusion act, 
which expires next year, was advised. 
PHILIPPINES.—On account of insurgent activity in 
Batangas Province more troops are being sent from 
Manila to reenforce the garrison there.The 
financial situation in the Philippine Islands ‘s causing 
considerable alarm. The United States post office at 
Manila now refuses, except to Government employees, 
to issue money orders in exchange for Mexican silver, 
but merchants and others are forced to carry theii ac¬ 
counts in Mexican silver. The commercial community 
had relied upon the United States Philippine Commis¬ 
sion to continue accepting two Mexican dollars for one 
gold dollar, but the Commission is unable to act without 
the authority of Congress. The stores of Manila are 
compelled to accept two Mexican dollars for one gold 
dollar, while Chinese speculators are paying as high as 
six per cent premium in American paper money for 
American gold.American deserters are becom¬ 
ing very bold on the Island of Samar, and are believed 
to have planned the massacre of company C, Ninth In¬ 
fantry. It is generally understood in Manila that de¬ 
serters from the Ninth Cavalry, colored, are causing the 
trouble in the Province of Batangas. 
GENERAL FOREIGN NEWS.—The United States is 
preserving order on the line of the Panama Railroad, 
preventing either Colombians or Liberals from using the 
railway. Order is being preserved at Colon by American, 
English and French warships.Miss Stone and 
Mme. Tsilka are still held captive, and measures for 
their relief are no further advanced. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—The New York Experimeiu 
Station at Ithaca is preparing to send out weather re¬ 
ports to farmers, which will be furnished through the 
rural mail delivery. By this means farmers will receive 
warning of storm or frost in time to take precautions 
demanded by their work. 
Secretary Snow, of the State board of sheep commis¬ 
sioners of Wyoming, reports an auaost total absence oi 
scab and other infectious diseases among the range 
flocks. During the year ihe Government inspectors have 
condemneu only two droves. 
The National Live Stock Association will approve a 
bill to be submitted to Congress reserving to the Fedei’ai 
Government the exclusive right to prepare and sell anti¬ 
toxins. 
The Association of Agricultural Colleges and Experi¬ 
ment Stations met in Washington recently. After the 
adjournment of the convention, the Association of Agri¬ 
cultural Chemists spent three days in discussing ques¬ 
tions of chemistry dealing with adulterated foods and 
food products and other allied subjects. At the conclud¬ 
ing session, Dr. Wiley, the Chief of the Bureau of Chem¬ 
istry of the Department of Agriculture, was chosen the 
secretary for the forthcoming year. 
A part of the coming short course in agriculture at the 
Agricultural College of Kansas, at Manhattan, January 
7 to March 28, 1902, is live stock judging. Competent In¬ 
structors, for years judges at the great live stock fair.s, 
have been secured for this work of the short course, 
which is also to Include instructions in butter making 
and milk testing under competent instructors. 
Indiana breeders of Aberdeen-Angus cattle organized 
a State breeders’ association November 21. Thirty-six 
breeders joined the association. The election of oflicers 
resulted as follows: President, W. R. Pleak, Greensburg; 
vice-president, F. C. Fleming, West Lebanon; secretary 
and treasurer. Geo. Henderson, Lebanon; directors, T. 
C. Phelps, New Castle, and Geo. Swain, Pendleton. The 
annual meeting will be during the week of the meeting 
of the State Board of Agriculture. 
Representatives of the dairy boards of trade in New 
York met at Syracuse last month and organized a State 
Board of Trade, to look especially after State and Na¬ 
tional legislation. Organization was perfected and the 
following olficei’s elected; R. P. Grant, Clayton, presi¬ 
dent; W. A. Rogers, Watertown, secretary; B. D. Gil¬ 
bert, Clayville, treasurer. Executive committee: The 
three officers named, C. W. Richardson, Little Falls, and 
A. D. Martin, Canton. The president of each local board 
of trade becomes vice-president of the State association 
by virtue of his office. 
Symptoms of renewed discrimination against American 
meat are manifest in the new imperial inspection laws 
of Germany, which, when passed, it is generally sup¬ 
posed, will affect domestic as well as foreign produce. 
The new laws will become effective April 1, 1902, but only 
as far as imported meat is concerned. The date on 
which German meat will be subjected to the rigid new 
system is left open. The new law will absolutely ex¬ 
clude pieces under four kilos’ (eight pounds) weight. 
The American trade in these goods is not specially ex¬ 
tensive but very valuable. The feature of the law pro¬ 
viding for inspection at the boundaries of the country 
is desirable, but it makes possible a considerably earlier 
examination of meat than is possible under the present 
system of Inland inspection. 
The Wayne Co. (N. Y.) Fruit Growers’ Association 
met at Newark, N. Y., December 11, for the purpose of 
electing officers. 
The champion trotter Directum, with a record of 2:05V4, 
has been purchased by the International Stock Food 
Company, of Minneapolis, Minn., the price paid being 
$ 12 , 100 . 
The Virginia State Horticultural Society will meet at 
Richmond January 7-8, 1902. Secretary, Walter Whately, 
Crozet, Va. 
The New York State Breeders’ Association will meet 
at Rochester December 17-19. 
The next meeting of the Eastern New York Horticul¬ 
tural Society will be held in New York City. February 
12-13, 1902. Full notice of it will be given later. 
SHALL WE GROW WHEAT? 
'I’lie farmers in central New York have received such 
an impressive lesson this season, in the growing of wheat, 
that profit and loss in the business is now, for the first 
time, a subject of serious consideration. Whether to 
continue the buying of costly fertilizers and trying to 
raise a crop of wheat in competition with the great and 
growing West and the Hessian fly, or adopt some other 
system of farming, and if so what, is a question of seri¬ 
ous, special and immediate interest to the farmers in, 
at least, 20 counties of central and western New York. 
Aided by farmers’ institutes, experimental stations and 
the practical presentation of farming methods by 
acknowledged standard publications, the agricultural 
people all over our country, and especially in the Em¬ 
pire State, are beginning to “keep books,” and in the 
account book of one of our practical farmers is found, 
for the season of 1901, the following estimated cost of 
growing one acre of wheat: Plowing, $3; harrowing, roll¬ 
ing, drilling, $3; seed, $1.50; phosphate, $2; thrashing, $1; 
total cost, $10.50. The product of the field was an aver¬ 
age of 20 bushels, which is probably a liberal average 
in central and western New York, and the charge for 
thrashing does not include the feeding of horses nor a 
dinner for hungry men. The credit side had 20 bushels 
of wheat at 70 cents a bushel, or a balance for one acre 
of $3.50. Deduct from this the interest on the land at 
$50 an acre—which is $2.50—and we have $1 left for taxes, 
insurance and a new point for the plow. 
The continued low price for wheat in all of this sec¬ 
tion, taken in connection with losses by the chinch bug. 
the sparrows and the Hessian fly, has compelled our 
farmers to consider whether there may not be some 
product substituted in the place of wheat, in at least a 
part of farm management. The discussion has not yet 
become general, but up to this time, the predominating 
opinion Is for the raising of cattle for tne dairy or beef, 
or for both, and the inducement for this change is the 
belief that beef, in average price, will never be lower, 
and that wheat will never be higher; that the ranges on 
the vast plains of the Middle West are fast decreasing 
as -pastures and are being taken up as farms for the 
growing of wheat and corn. A discussion of the subject 
is not intended in this article, but simply and very briefly 
to call attention to a matter of increasing interest in this 
State. Figures and facts in dairying and in stock raising 
as contrasted with the growing of wheat, can be fully 
presented, and surely should be in a full and fair in¬ 
vestigation of such important departments in our agri¬ 
cultural industries. o. f. b. 
Auburn, N. Y. _ 
Crop Reports. 
The past season has been a good one in some ways 
for farmers. We realized a little over $100 from seven 
hogs this season. Gilt edge separator butter made on 
the farm is growing more in demand than ever before. 
A string of private families as consumers of it make a 
good market, and you don’t have to contend with the 
middleman. m. e. g. 
E. Smithfleld. Pa. 
Some localities throughout what is called the fruit belt 
of Illinois report an abundant crop of apples of good 
(luality, while others have only a fair crop. The amount 
of salable fruit is evidently above the average; of those 
grown for market Ben Davis would head the list; then 
would come Jonathan and Mlnkler. The price this year 
has ranged from $2.50 for firsts to $1.50 for seconds per 
21/^-bushel barrel. The culls go to the evaporator for 
from 15 to 40 cents per 100 pounds, according to quality. 
Good apples at the present time would bring $1 per 
bushel in bulk. Of course, we see times that we would 
be glad to get 25 cents per bushel for all Summer and 
Fall apples. j. w. m’c. 
Kinmundy, Ill. 
MICHIGAN NOTES.—We have been having very fine 
weather for Fall work. In our immediate vicinity this 
has been one of the best seasons in years. On our farm 
six acres of potatoes gave over 900 bushels of good 
tubers, without fertilizers. They were Sir Walter 
Raleigh, for main crop, with Pat’s Choice for a trial, 
which did remarkably well, and for early we had 275 
bushels of Early Wonderful, certainly the finest eating 
potato we ever tried. Our corn crop was also good, 
about 125 baskets per acre. We have our stalks in the 
barns and stacks, and cut all fodder as fast as we use 
it. Early in July we drilled three acres of Evergreen 
sweet corn on some new muck ground, drilling in rows 
28 inches apart with grain drill. It made a wonderful 
growth, completely covering the grround. The fodder did 
not dry out sufficiently to put into a stack or barn, and 
we have it in large shocks. In cutting fodder we cut a 
few bundles of this and a few of the husked stalks, and 
it makes a most excellent feed for sheep and cattle. We 
have had a very dry Pall, and pasture is thus short, and 
we are having to feed all stock now, although the 
weather is open and fine. Our Shropshires are in fine 
shape, and while the ram trade has not been quite up to 
expectation, the trade in choice breeding ewes gives 
promise of the best since we have been breeding them 
—about 15 years. It is certainly the proper time to start 
a good flock of sheep, as better animals can be bought 
now for the same money than in times when all sheep 
are high, and as the price of wool is becoming stronger, 
and sheep are being marketed faster than produced, I 
believe that another year will see great activity in sheep, 
and much higher prices prevailing. It is the great mis¬ 
take of the American farmer to sell out when stock la 
cheap, and buy back when it is high. A few good sheep 
can be kept on any farm turning weeds and other stuff 
that would otherwise go to waste into money, and they 
produce two good crops a year. A few of them on a 
farm will almost take care of themselves. It is only 
when they are kept in large numbers that they require 
special care, and the cost of keep becomes considerable. 
Choice animals of any kind or breed always bring pay¬ 
ing prices, while the common to culls always have to 
Ue sold at a loss. a. h. f. 
Allegan Co., Mich. 
