2l4 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
March 11, 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Herbert w. Collingwood, Kditor. 
Dr. Walter Van Fleet, /. As „ oclttte8 
Mrs. K. T. Kovi,e, t Associates. 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, 
equal to 8s. 6d., or 8% marks, or 10*4 francs. 
“A SQUARE DEAL.” 
We believe that every advertisement in this paper is 
backed by a responsible person. Hut to make doubly sure 
we will make good any loss to paid subscribers sustained 
by trusting any deliberate swindler advertising in our col¬ 
umns, and any such swindler will be publicly exposed. We 
protect subscribers against rogues, but we do not guarantee 
to adjust trifling 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 to us within one 
month of the time of the transaction, and you must have 
mentioned The Rural New-Yorker when writing the adver¬ 
tiser. 
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, MARCH 11, 1905. 
TEN WEEKS FOR 10 CENTS. 
In order to introduce The R. N.-Y. to progressive 
intelligent farmers who do not now take it, we send it 
10 weeks for 10 cents for strictly introductory purposes. 
We depend on our old friends to make this known to 
neighbors and friends. 
* 
Borrowing money with no intention of paying is a 
vicious practice into which many young men fall. They 
take advantage of the good nature of business associa- 
ates, who dislike to refuse the loan of a dollar or two, 
when asked as a special accommodation, even though 
they never expect to see it again. Such holdups, while 
an injustice to the lender, work far greater injury to 
the borrower, as they engender habits of selfishness and 
extravagance seldom got rid of. Debt is excusable when 
working capital is needed, but never to provide luxuries 
or even personal comforts for oneself. 
* 
You will remember that Hon. Thomas C. Platt, in his 
famous letter about the parcels post (see page 154) 
used the following words : 
“Very likely, some time—perhaps after I am dead — 
this subject may become one for thorough considera¬ 
tion.” 
We find people who accept this statement as meaning 
that Senator Platt will oppose a parcels post as long as 
he lives. We think that must be a mistake. The Sen¬ 
ator merely thinks the question is a small one because 
comparatively few people have given him their views. 
It will be a real kindness to Senator Platt if you let 
him know how you stand on this question. By all 
means send him a letter at Washington and tell him 
you want a parcels post! 
* 
The Supreme Court has clinched another legal nail 
in the anti-trust campaign. The State of Texas passed 
an “anti-trust” law prohibiting combinations designed to 
prevent competition. Various oil companies combined 
to hold the price paid for cotton seed at a fixed rate. 
Another company was formed to work in connection 
with the oil companies—one to buy the seed at a fixed 
rate, and the other to sell the cotton-seed meal back 
to the farmers as a fertilizer. Thus the farmers were 
held tip at both ends. The State of Texas brought 
suit against these oil companies to cancel their licenses 
because they violated the State law. The State won, 
but the case was carried up to the highest court, which 
now declares that the State has the right to prevent 
such restraint of trade inside its territory as will injure 
its citizens. Thus inch by inch the courts are building 
the rights of the people. We must understand that 
these decisions alone do not settle the matter. They 
only give the authorities a chance to do their duty. It 
is for the people to insist that this duty is done. 
* 
Now and then some one comes forward to wonder 
why legislators are so shy about passing anti-dog laws. 
Such people cannot realize bow strong the dog is as 
a political factor. It has ever been so. Even in the 
French Revolution, when the people killed their king, 
upset the state, and did their best to abolish what the 
church stood for, they held back from the slaughter of 
dogs. It is reported that Santerre, who commanded the 
National Guard, thought that while they were killing 
noble and ignoble men and women the time was ripe 
for killing stray dogs and cats. The people forced him 
to back down. They went on killing humans by the 
hundred, but insisted that life should be kept in the 
dogs. Much the same spirit, or at least an echo of it, 
is found in every State or township in the country. 
“It doesn't make much difference,” says the average 
voter, "whether you love me, but you have got to love 
my dog.” The legislator who loves his office usually 
ends by dodging the dog. We have collected facts about 
the dog laws in the various States which will startle 
some readers when they are printed. 
* 
Every year some one starts up the old discussion of 
the advantages of locating a laundry at the creamery 
where milk or cream is brought. It is claimed that this 
is a central point where steam is available for washing. 
We have never found much enthusiasm for the plan 
even among manufacturers of laundry machinery. Chas. 
Howell Cook, of New Jersey, who is interested in nearly 
30 creameries, gives the following opinion: 
The subject of a laundry in conjunction with a cream¬ 
ery has been brought lo my attention. The thoughts of it 
are most distasteful, and they are diametrically opposite, 
should not, in my opinion, be anywhere near together under 
any consideration. The practical plan, and one which I am 
now considering, is having one at a central point so that 
people when they go to the creamery can bring their laun¬ 
dry at the same time, having it on a basis that will enable 
the farmers to avail themselves of it, relieving the fam¬ 
ily of a very large amount of labor, and putting it at a 
price that would pay them to do it rather than hire the 
help, if they can. although now it is almost impossible for 
them to do so. Such a condition, with telephones, and free 
rural delivery, would, in my opinion, nearly bring the 
“ideal” conditions for our agricultural community. 
I he last time we had this up the general opinion was 
that most farmers were not enthusiastic over a pub¬ 
lic laundry because it will not bring in any new money. 
It will really prove an expense—saving work for the 
women rather than money for the men. 
* 
Long Island people are up in arms against the Long 
Island Railway Company, and making a brave fight for 
their rights. Thousands of poor people who work in the 
city have built homes on the Island—some of them pay¬ 
ing. in installments. They have a right to fair railroad 
service, but it is safe to say that the Long Island Rail¬ 
road gives them poorer service than any other road 
reaching New York. Having a monopoly, with com¬ 
petition from other steam roads crushed out, this com¬ 
pany furnishes poor cars, slow engines with frequent 
changes and delays. Not content with this, the com¬ 
pany actually increases its rates until they are in some 
cases 30 per cent higher than those on other roads. 
For example, the cost of an annual ticket to Mineola 
is $105.48, while on the New York Central the cost to 
White Plains is $70.20. Think of what it means to 
compel a workingman to pay $25 or $30 extra for a 
year’s travel! The Railroad Company defend them¬ 
selves by saying that increased expenses demand in¬ 
creased rates. Many of these expenses are due to costly 
experiments, unnecessary officers with big salaries. 
This railroad policy will stop the business growth of 
the Island, and discourage worthy people who built 
homes there in good faith. The saddest part of it is 
that local newspapers, who ought to champion the cause 
of the people, are silent because they arc afraid they 
will lose their free passes! Shame on the papers who 
will play the part of Judas for a free pass! There is a 
bill before the Legislature at Albany which will compel 
the Long Island Railroad Company to give a fair rate. 
Help the people of Long Island to push it through! 
* 
A friend asks whether it is possible to gather wild 
violets at the South in February and March, and ship 
them to the New York market at a profit. We are 
obliged to negative such a proposition very emphati¬ 
cally; these scentless native violets, pale in color and 
often short or weak in stem, cannot at any time com¬ 
pete with the glasshouse product. At the time the 
question was asked fragrant double violets sold at 
wholesale in New York for 25 to 40 cents a hundred, 
and as they were increasing in supply every day (for 
the bright, sunny days of February and March always 
make violets bloom very freely), it can be seen that the 
woodland flower is crowded out. In May we often see 
nearby wild violets sold on the street for five cents a 
bunch, together with the marsh marigold or swamp 
buttercup, but these do not compete in any sense with 
florists’ flowers. At the present time outdoor Spring 
flowers from the South have not made a great im¬ 
pression on northern markets, though there seems no 
reason why some of the bulbs, such as Narcissus, 
should not be produced, say in Georgia and the Caro- 
linas, just as the Channel Islands and the south of 
France produce them for London and Paris. But to 
sell in a critical market these flowers must be of per¬ 
fect finish, and many outdoor flowers do not come up 
to these requirements. Transportation charges are 
high, and delays mean ruin to this perishable stock. 
In England or in France flowers are sent all over the 
country by parcels post, to the great convenience of 
shippers. If you are interested in shipping flowers 
cheaply, 'why not ask a few pointed questions about 
parcels post, addressing Hon. Thos. C. Platt, Washing¬ 
ton, D. C. 
“Do not permit the agitation of this vital topic to 
cease,” says the manufacturer who writes on page 199 
about fence wire. lie may rest assured that it will not 
cease until farmers have a chance to buy guaranteed 
wire. We have been astonished at the way people have 
entered the discussion. Here is a letter from a Penn¬ 
sylvania reader: 
As to fence wire, could not the companies making the 
wire determine upon certain specifications that would in¬ 
sure good wire somewhat as they now do for structural 
steel? I.et a deviation from standard size of over a cer¬ 
tain small amount in any part of a roll he a sufficient 
cause for its rejection; similarly let a certain tensile 
strength with a certain elongation before rupture be re¬ 
quired for each size of wire; a certain bending test would 
also he necessary, and certain conditions as to galvan¬ 
izing and corrosion could he required, making the State 
experiment stations the umpire to whom any wire which the 
farmer suspected could be referred, and making their de¬ 
cisions final. Then those who wanted the cheap wire 
could get it, while these demanding good wire would know 
that a roll bearing the brand of a responsible steel com¬ 
pany was good, or if not they would have to remove it 
at their cost and replace it with good material As to 
nails, I think a similar series of tests could be arranged, 
with great advantage to all users. h. j. m. 
That is exactly the principle we are contending for. 
First, there must be a standard—what metal, what size, 
and what form of galvanizing will give the most durable 
wire? Knowing this, we can buy our wire or reject it 
on the statement of the experiment stations, just as 
we now buy our fertilizers. The Government, when it 
buys steel plate, or the large builder when be buys 
structural steel, can hire chemists to do this testing. 
The farmer must have such work done for him, as it 
is now done with fertilizers and foods. That is the 
living principle in all this discussion. Such work will 
benefit both manufacturer and consumer. 
* 
They have had an experience with a cannery com¬ 
pany at Danbury, Conn., that is worth putting on rec¬ 
ord. Representatives of the company came to Danbury, 
and in the usual way called for subscriptions of stock. 
A large amount of stock was subscribed for, and farmers 
met to talk the matter over. After some talk a 
committee was appointed to go to New Milford and 
examine a canning factory located there. This commit¬ 
tee, after an investigation, made a report, a portion of 
which follows—taken from The Evening News: 
We inspected the plant with some of the directors and 
found the building and equipment very crude and poorly 
constructed; the roof leaks badly and already needs re¬ 
pairing. The engine is almost worthless and is not. fit for 
use this season without repairing expenses. We found 
that most of the farmers feel dissatisfied with the prices 
that they got for their produce, and as yet have been but 
partly paid, and that the directors were compelled to in¬ 
dorse their personal notes for $8,000 for ready cash with 
which to operate the plant, and have taken a mortgage 
on the plant to protect themselves. We found further that 
Messrs. Disbrow and Merchant have interviewed a number 
of farmers and found considerable dissatisfaction. We 
found that the New Milford Company has a quantity of 
canned goods in storage, the estimated value being approxi¬ 
mately $8,000, which, if they can sell, would probably hut 
release the mortgage. 
The result was that the meeting “resolved” that all 
business relations between the farmers and the cannery 
company “be and are severed.” The farmers should 
resolve to stick to their resolution. Of course the pro¬ 
moters claim that they can collect their money—holding 
that their contracts for stock are as binding as notes. 
There are very few cases in the history of such a trans¬ 
action where such contracts can be collected. The far¬ 
mers should take the position that they do not care to 
build now, and will wait until they are ready. But 
why did they not investigate before they signed any 
contracts ? 
BREVITIES. 
The cement question is a solid one. 
People are still asking what water glass is. 
At last we have a fair report on the experiment of poking 
a powder into a tree to kill insects and cure disease. 
Of course you will make a special point of preserving that 
big Horticultural Number of The R. N.-Y. Just think how 
many practical questions it will answer for you during the 
year! 
Ax average sample of apple pomace contains about half 
as much nitrogen and one-fourth as much potash as average 
stable manure. The phosphoric acid is hardly worth con¬ 
sidering. The pomace could be used for mulching apple 
trees. 
The U. S. Department of Agriculture has just issued Bul¬ 
letin No. 56, Nomenclature of the Apple, a catalogue of the 
known varieties referred to in American publications from 
1804 to 1904, compiled by W. II. Ragan. This bulletin con¬ 
tains 383 pages, and forms a very valuable reference work. 
Ix a recent speech in support of pure food legislation. 
Senator Stewart asserted that much of the “fresh meat” 
served in Washington hotels has been five years in cold 
storage. This is not very reassuring, when we think how 
quickly such food becomes dangerous after removal from 
refrigeration. 
We recently pictured some so-called “Fancy Baldwins” 
that came out of a barrel of apples bought in Florida. Here 
is one result of that sale : “Since then we haven’t ordered 
any more, although we crave for them; there hasn't been 
any in town either since. I haven’t ascertained why ; any¬ 
way it's six barrels of apples that miss being eaten in this 
place every week.” That is part of what you get by selling 
bogus goods. 
