1005. 
TI1H RURAL NEW-YORKER 
497 
PUBLISHER’S DESK. 
This morning’s mail brought two letters 
from Massachusetts to my desk. Here is 
one of them : 
Isn't it somewhat singular that people in 
the rural districts need so many warnings 
against crooks and sharpers? Do get-rich- 
quick schemes appeal to them more forcibly 
than to others? I believe you are doing 
good work educating your readers and teach¬ 
ing them how not to he caught with glitter¬ 
ing promises. c. f. w. 
Massachusetts. 
It is a mistake to suppose that people 
in rural communities need more warning 
in this matter than other people. There 
is just as much trickery and more crook¬ 
edness successfully practiced in the cities 
as in the country. The sharpers in the 
city play a different game, but they get 
the people’s money just the same, and 
there is no attempt to warn them of the 
danger. The daily papers report only 
the big cases, and that after the damage 
is done. 
The other letter is as follows: 
In reference to your expose recently of 
W. E. Barnes, Providence. R. I., you will find 
enclosed clipping from Providence Evening 
Bulletin, of June 10, from which you will 
see that he will not trouble farmers for the 
next twelve months. g. w. a. 
Massachusetts. 
Old readers will remember Mr. Barnes 
had the effrontery to send The R. N.-Y. 
a check in advance with an order for 
advertising same as he was running in 
several of the eastern farm and local 
papers. Our investigations showed that 
he was a crook of the first rank. We 
returned his check, .and exposed his 
methods. As one result of the exposure 
the postal authorities cut off his mail 
facilities, and subsequently the U. S. 
Grand Jury found an indictment against 
him on two charges, one of the counts 
charged him as follows: 
Pretending to he a cattle dealer and a 
dealer in general farm products, to wit, hay, 
butter, potatoes, eggs and apples, and that 
he wrote letters and mailed the same at the 
Providence Post Office soliciting and thereby 
intending to induce readers of his advertise¬ 
ment to send him farm products on credit. 
Barnes promising to pay cash within a short 
period of time. The indictment charges that 
in truth he fraudulently intended by his 
representations to get possession of all such 
farm products with intent to convert them 
to his own use, and that he did not intend 
to pay for the same. 
Barnes admitted his guilt, but pleaded 
for mercy on the ground that he would 
pay as fast as he could, but it was shown 
that he had previously served a term in 
prison in Vermont, and that he deliber¬ 
ately and systematically planned to beat 
the farmers who shipped him goods. The 
judge sentenced him to a fine of $10 and 
one year in the State prison.. 
Some publishers contend that exposing 
frauds is not a legitimate function of a 
firm paper. We think it is. What is the 
good in raising big crops and fine animals 
if rogues are to get all the profits? The 
R. N.-Y. spares no pains or expense to 
give the best information on production; 
but we are not satisfied until The money 
for it is in the producer’s pocket, and even 
then we want to brand the hand that 
would pick the pocket. 
Some of our friends seem to be in 
doubt as to whether we can yet send “The 
Business Hen.” We want to say that we 
have one for every subscriber on the list 
all ready to send out the day the renewal 
is received. Furthermore, it is our stand¬ 
ing rule to return the dollar to anyone 
who would in any way feel dissatisfied 
with his bargain. If you want the book 
to-morrow send the renewal to-day. 
PRODUCTS , PRICES AND TRADE. 
Strawberries. —The season is at its 
height, and I have seen more choice berries 
for the last three days than all the rest of 
the season. As usual the Hilton and Irving¬ 
ton fancy have brought highest prices. These 
are grown with a heavy mulch and are thus 
entirely free from sand, no matter how many 
heavy rains there may be. The wholesale 
range for choice berries has been 12 to 16 
cents, but the great bulk go under 10 cents, 
owing to short baskets, dirt or defective 
size or quality. 
Potatoes. —Trade has been very good, but 
receipts of southern new stock are the heav¬ 
iest of the season, and prices are still further 
depressed. No. 1 Rose have sold as low as 
$1.25 per barrel, and seconds down to 75 
cents. This upsets the calculations of those 
who have held old potatoes, which are now 
going at 75 cents to $1. Ordinarily they 
would bring between $2 and $3, but new are 
so abundant and cheap that they are within 
the reach of all. Potato growers have found 
financin' profit a scarce article this season. 
A Bill Posting company has just been in¬ 
corporated in New York State for nearly half 
a million dollars. It is to be hoped that no 
extensive increase in the disfigurement of 
rural landscapes is contemplated by this con¬ 
cern. There are now too many rocks, trees, 
fences and barns plastered with invitations 
to take So and So’s whisky or pills. I have 
been through sections where whole farms ap¬ 
peared to have been sold out to these bill 
posters. Enormous signs were painted on 
roofs and sides of buildings, boards nailed to 
trees, and the whole place, as one ap¬ 
proached, had the appearance of a county 
fair in full bloom. 
A Supposed Milk Deal. —It is announced 
that that most strenuous competitor of the 
Borden Condensed Milk Co. in this country, 
Henri Nestle, is to give up his American 
trade. It is understood that the Nestle Com¬ 
pany’s invasion of the United States was 
in retaliation of a like attempt of the Bor¬ 
den Company in France and Switzerland. 
The new move is supposed to be the result of 
an agreement to keep out of each other’s pas¬ 
tures in future. 
Butter. —It has been a long time since 
any considerable quantity of extras has sold 
below 20 cents. Favorable weather in pro¬ 
ducing sections has increased the output, 
and some of the best has sold at 10 V 2 . The 
lower grades are maintaining a comparatively 
high level, packing stock being only four or 
five cents below the price of extras. State 
dairy holds up well. There is something 
about the flavor of dairy made June butter 
which many people prefer to creamery. One 
of the chief drawbacks is a lack of uni¬ 
formity which the machine handled product 
of the large creamery secures. With the 
facilities on most farms it is hard to get 
the same degree of ripeness for two lots of 
cream or to work the butter just the same. 
This causes some variation in the layers of 
a tub or jar which can hardly lie avoided. 
A short time ago a dealer asked me to look 
at a package of dairy butter he had received. 
It was nicely made and had a flavor and 
fragrance which turns bread into a luxury. 
I am not acquainted with the farm home 
where that butter was made, but know so 
many others that have turned out such but¬ 
ter that I could see the fresh pasture, pure 
mountain stream running through it, content¬ 
ed looking cows, clean milk room and uten¬ 
sils, and what is scarcest of all, clean stable. 
Creamery extras will never drive such butter 
out of the market. 
No Need for Complaint. —An exchange 
prints a statement from a large fruit grower 
to the effect that he is well satisfied with the 
treatment he has received from railroads and 
iced car companies. He considers that any 
law tending to lessen the privileges of the 
refrigerator car concerns would work a de¬ 
cided harm to the shipper. It is somewhat 
superfluous for such an extensive user of iced 
cars to say that he has no complaint to 
make. Why should he? It is easy to see 
that the present refrigerator car system is 
arranged for the convenience and profit of 
just such large-scale shippers. But what 
about the hundreds of smaller men, who can 
ship only one to 10 carloads, and who must 
take any sort of service, or no service at all, 
and see the fruit rot while waiting for cars? 
O. they have no rights that anyone need 
resp'ect. Why should they try to grow a few 
acres of peaches when the work can be done 
so much better and cheaper on a large scale? 
The spirit of present day business is to root 
out the small man or make him a minor ele¬ 
ment in a feudal system, which it is sup¬ 
posed that this country has no use for. Most 
commendable work has been done by these 
large scale farm operators, but very few 
men are fitted by nature or fortune to carry 
on such work. If they were plentiful they 
would soon fill the markets, make their lands 
a burden by over-production, and thus become 
business suicides through their own industry 
and shrewdness. But no less commendable 
is the work of a man with 100 acres or less 
who through hard, intelligent work turns out 
a product comparatively small, but equal in 
quality to the market offerings of his big 
brother. Just what service this smaller cit¬ 
izen has a right to demand from common car- 
i iers, Congressmen and other supposedly pub 
lie servants, he must decide, and in his vote 
he holds the power to work out justice for 
himself. 
Cotton Reports. —The newspapers of late 
have had much to say about an alleged leak 
in the Government report on the cotton crop. 
The statistics officially collected by the De¬ 
partment of Agriculture are supposed to be 
withheld from the public until a certain day 
and hour, when they are telegraphed in all 
directions as soon as possible, and it is 
claimed that certain outside parties have had 
part of this information and used it for 
financial gain several hours in advance. Such 
charges have been made before, but the De¬ 
partment claims that owing to the way the 
figures are handled any extensive leak would 
be impossible, and has not been able to trace 
any bad faith on the part of employees. The 
“leak” is called merely a good guess. An¬ 
other investigation is now being made. All 
of these crop statistics are of value to pro¬ 
ducers, handlers and consumers, but the one 
upecial feature of secrecy until uniform and 
instant dissemination is made is of practical 
Importance to only one class, the plungers 
and speculators, the “longs” and “shorts” of 
whom are ready to fly at each other’s throats 
on receipt of any definite crop information. 
Whether it is really worth while for the De¬ 
partment to furnish this information dished 
out in such manner as to egg these specula¬ 
tors on to any such man-eating display may 
be doubted. These Government crop forecasts 
do not always pan out. according to the facts 
that develop later, but they are without doubt 
the best reports that are compiled, as the 
Department has better facilities, putting 
more time and money into it than any other 
organization. If one speculator can get these 
facts even a short time before his opponents 
in the business he is forearmed and in a quiet 
way can sell or buy according to the trend 
of the report. In a critical time such infor¬ 
mation might be worth thousands of dollars. 
Whatever news leaked out in advance would 
be for this purpose, and the result of a prac¬ 
tical bribe, which even Government employees 
have not shown themselves totally averse to 
taking. The whole question can be boiled 
down to very small compass: Who are these 
reports made for, the planter, cotton user 
and the party who may be called the legiti¬ 
mate jobber or handler of the fiber, or the 
pure and simple speculator, who does not 
touch five bales of cotton in a year, yet who 
dominates the market, pocketing the hog’s 
share of the profits? All but the latter 
would be satisfied with the report given out 
in whatever manner most convenient for the 
Department, minus the secrecy which adds 
to the expense and puts such pressure on 
the honesty of Government employees, h. 
HOW WE USE DYNAMITE. 
I was quite interested in the article on 
the use of dynamite by Susan Brown Rob¬ 
bins, page 439. I can testify to the efficiency 
of dynamite in ridding land of rocks, as I 
have used it for that purpose to some 
extent, and have been in a position to 
watch its effects in the hands of others, 
and thought a description of the methods 
used in this section might be useful. With 
us, instead of drilling a hole in the stone 
we take a bar and punch a hole under 
the stone, or as nearly so as possible, and 
then, fixing a charge, we place it in the 
hole, shoving it in with a stick as far as 
it will go; then tamp with mud or soft 
earth as snug as possible, light the fuse 
and then run, (being careful not to omit 
the running part). In fixing the charge, 
instead of removing the paper and putting 
in the dynamite loose, we open one end 
of the cartridge, and with a sharp pointed 
stick make a small hole in the end of the 
stick of dynamite. Then, after adjusting 
the cap on end of fuse, slip cap into hole 
in end of dynamite, press the paper 
wrapper around the fuse and tie with a 
string. This method has been found to 
work very satisfactorily around here, and 
saves the labor of drilling the rock. 
Sometimes it will throw the rock out of 
the ground without breaking it, in which 
case lay a charge on top of the rock, cover 
with a few shovelfuls of soft mud, lay on 
top as large a stone as one can lift, light 
the fuse and skip. For a small stone or 
a flat rock a part of a stick or charge will 
sometimes do the work, in which case we 
cut the cartridge up in pieces with a knife, 
while on larger stones a heavier charge 
is necessary, although I have never used 
more than a half pound for a blast. Here 
we use 75 per cent dynamite for rocks 
and 60 per cent for stumps, as we find 
that gives best results. H. h. t. 
Naples, N. Y. 
Cows That Chew Bones. 
G. M. M., Petoskey, Mich .—What is the 
cause of cattle eating old bones? They are 
in fairly good condition, but seem to be crazy 
for old bones. If it is a disease, what can I 
do for it? 
Ans.— This is caused by a lack of 
phosphate and lime in the food. The 
animal craves this bone-forming material, 
and the system is out of condition—creat¬ 
ing a depraved taste. The remedy is to 
supply the bone-forming material. Bone 
flour, a large handful each day, mixed 
with the grain, will relieve the cow. Wheat 
bran and linseed meal are the best bone¬ 
forming foods. Oats are good. 
Hog worms are costly 
Pratts Vet. Worm Powder. 
Made by Pratt Food Co., Phila. Over 30 years old. 
A J.Liu miuur aim egg money ynQp 
is a big item to the farmer’s IllUriC. 
wife. She can increase her 
egg production by feeding E.VIUI9 
Mixed Grains 
I —a combination of cereals specially suited 
I to poultry, with 7 years of success behind it. 
A Money-Saving Catalogue Free. 
| HIHTET SEED C0„ 83 ELLICOTT ST., BUFFALO, N. Y. 
WOMAN WANTS 
The butter and egg money 
POULTRY SUPPLIES 
UNION LOCK poultry fence stops small 
chicks,fits uneven ground, don’t sag or buckle, 
and is easily erected. Satisfied customers say 
it’s best. We sell at factory prices and pay 
freight. Orders filled without delay. Write 
to-day for catalogue of farm, lawn and poultry 
fences. CASE BROS., Colchester, Conn. 
POULTRY 
•ooooooooo 
We keep ev-1 
_ — mb J erything in the) 
>POULTRY LINE— Fencing, Feed, Incu-J 
ibators. Live Stock, Brooders—anything— I 
tit’s our business. Call or let us send you J 
tour Illustrated Catalogue—it’s free for the f 
tasking—it's worth having. 
>Excelsior Wire & Poultry Supply Co.,< 
>Dept. H.G. 26 & 28 Vesey Street. New York City. 
SQUABS PAY £!£! 
Easier, need attention only part of 
time, bring big prices. Raised in one 
month. Money-makers for poultry- 
men, farmers,women. Send for FREE 
BOOKLET and learn this rich home 
industry. PLYMOUTH ROCK SQUAB 
CO.. 335 Howard Street, Melrose, Mass. 
Cyphers Incubator 
J guaranteed to hatch more and healthier 
. chicks than any other or your money back. 
._ ^Absolutely self regulating. Price $6.60 
J STRICTLY |^»ndup. Send for 212 page (8x11 Inch..) c.t»!<*u. 
I'AirmU/lTir II and poultry guide. Free, if you send us names of 
JunII Uro friend* lntereited In fowl poultry. Wrlto to 
THROUGHOUT t cyphers incubator co 
Buffalo. Boston, Chicago, New Tork, Kansas City or San Franclsoo. 
REGISTERED ANGORA GOATS.-Pairs 01 
, , , W r A to for prices and information. 
MELROSE STOCK FARM, Cincinnatus, N. Y. 
S COTCH COLLIES, Spayed Females, two to 
eight mos. Circ. SILAS DECKER, Montrose, Pa. 
snnmH nni i if piip^ * r >From trained 
OUUIUn uULLIl. ruro, dogs. Eligible to record. 
None better. Booklet free. L. H. Devolld, Caldwell.O. 
CpTTFR P||PQ for sale. For prices & descriptions. 
ol it cn ruro wnte w. c. todd, wuiiston, Md. 
Var's Poultry, Pigeons, Parrots, Dogs, Cats. 
Ferrets, etc. Eggs a specialty. 60 p. book. 10c. 
Rates free. J. A. BERGEY, Box 8,Telford.Pa, 
90 
EGGS FOR SALE Selected, 75* cents. 
Choice fine laying strains. W. Wyandottes, Baired 
P. Rocks. R. I. Reds, S. C. W. Leghorns. 
O. LINDEMARK, L. Box 93, Gt. Barrington, Mass. 
S. G. WHITE LEGHORNS 
____ Yearlings 75 centa. ♦ 
HILANDALE FARM, Brooklyn, Ohio, R. F. D. 2. 
EMPIRE STATE S. C. WHITE LEGHORNS 
Won two first premiums at New York State Fair,1904. 
Trios, $5; Eggs, $1 per 15; $5 per 100. Catalogue free. 
ZIMMER BROS. R. D, 41. Weedsport, N. Y 
ROSE COMO W. LEGHORNS 
Prize Winners at the Best Shows. Eggs *1 
for 15; $3 for 50; $5 for 100. Half price after June 
first. L. C. HILLS, Delaware, Ohio. 
S. C. WHITE LEGHORNS 
Eggs for hatching from mature birds. We have been 
breeding 'Business Leghorns” for 10 years. Send for 
circular and prices. White & Rice, Yorktown, N. Y. 
WE WANT TO BUY 
1,000 Brown Leghorn Chickens. State price, point of 
delivery. Hudson Valley Farms,Glens Falls, N. Y. ; 
C hoice Stock for Sale.—Hocks, Wyandottes, Leghorns, 
Mlnorcas, Turkeys, Ducks and Guineas. Also Lice 
Killing Nest Eggs, sample mailed. 5c.: dozen. 50c. 
Agents wanted. Pine Tree Farm, Jamesburg, N. J. 
WHITE ORPINGTONS, 
BUFF ORPINGTONS, ERMINE FAVEROLLES 
SALMON FAVEROLLES. ’ 
Send for list of winnings, also copy of "What is a 
Faverolle? They are free. 
T , , „ J. H. SYMONDS, 
Importer and Breeder, Metuchen, New Jersey. 
PEKIN DUCKS AND 
WHITE LEGHORNS 
April hatched Ducks. $1.50 to $2.50 each. Duck Eggs 
80 cents and $1.15 for 11; and $6 and $8 per hundred. 
Leghorns are the real egg machines. Eggs for hatch¬ 
ings, 80 cents and $1 for thirteen; and $5 and $6 per 
hundred Largest plant vicinity New York City. 
80 pens, 2,000 layers. Cut of same in Cyphers cata¬ 
logue. Agent Cyphers incubators, brooders, etc. 
Correspondence invited. 
BONNIE BRAE, New Rochelle, N. Y, 
Orpingtons, Buff, Black, White. 
Why not have the very best obtainable? First cost 
may be a little more, but you get the stock and blood 
from the grandest winning strain in America and 
from the largest Orpington breeder. Send for forty 
T? g . P ^ illust J , . atecl Othbigton catalogue, also Mating 
List describing thirty-two breeding yards and prices 
of eggs. The blood from the largest winners at New 
i°rk the past three years are in these yards. 
Box 78, WILLOW BROOK FARM, Berlin, Conn. 
