932 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
December 30, 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Herbert W. Collingwood, Editor. 
Du. Walter Van Fleet, 
Mus. E. T. Kovle, 
J- Associates. 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, 
equal to 8s. (id., or 8% marks, or 10 francs. 
“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 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. 
ing hopes. He bought packets of the “culture” and gave 
them careful treatment in the laboratory. They were 
found to be worthless for practical purposes. The bac¬ 
teria were killed by drying, or were too feeble to mul¬ 
tiply. This was under the most favorable conditions— 
i-n the hands of a farmer the chances for usefulness 
would be still smaller. This does not prove that the 
bacteria are of no value, or that some method of soil 
inoculation will not prove useful. It does show that 
this boasted plan of distribution is unreliable, to say the 
least. Now, after the great splurge made by the Depart¬ 
ment over this thing, wouldn’t you think several gen¬ 
tlemen at Washington would like to make themselves 
as small as the bacteria are said to be? One good thing, 
however, is that there hasn’t been a peep from the 
Department since the exposure last Summer. 
* 
California orange growers now intend to try for 
the Northern Europe trade. They think they can ship 
fruit to England and points north of Holland so as to 
compete with fruit from Spain and Italy. This is what 
we are told: 
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 RURAI. NEW-YORKER, 
409 Pearl Street, New York. 
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 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. 
* 
Next week we shall give a fair synopsis of the Agri¬ 
cultural Department’s investigations of fence wire. We 
regard this as among the most practical work the De¬ 
partment has ever done. It is a first-rate thing to begin 
the new year with. We shall have better wire when we 
wake up and demand it. Those who sit down, waiting 
for others to get the wire for them, will rust worse than 
the wire. 
* 
We hear from some faint-hearted people who say that 
since the Postmaster General falls down over the par¬ 
cels post they expect we will quit talking about it. 
Why—we shall talk all the harder about it. If we had 
so little perseverance as that we would take a month 
off, hunt up some good bulldog and sit down beside him 
for inspiration! Quit? When Congress gives us a par¬ 
cels post—not before! 
* 
Wherever we go we find farmers who are putting 
comforts and conveniences into their houses, buying new 
stock and tools and building and repairing barns. “I’ll 
make sure the grafters don’t get this money!” they say. 
In one way. the shaking up which the insurance business 
is getting proves a good thing for farmers and general 
business. It means fewer savings sent away to strangers 
for investment, and much more spent at home for 
things that are needed. It’s a good thing in half a 
dozen different ways. 
* 
The Winter has been “open” thus far—with bright 
weather and very little snow. There is a general be¬ 
lief that a heavy coat of snow helps the soil—especially 
grass or grain crops. Snow is “the poor man’s ma¬ 
nure” because it washes a small amount of nitrogen 
out of the air and protects plants from the heave and 
settle which go with frost and thaw. Bare ground, on 
the other hand, is helped by the alternate freezing and 
thawing of the warm Winter day. The soil is opened 
and broken by this action, especially an old sod with 
the furrows left rough. 
* 
What do you mean by a “rebate,” and how can it 
hurt business? We get these questions from dozens of 
people. We hear of a large store in the West which 
undersold competitors. The game was to show the orig¬ 
inal bills for goods and railroad bills and charge 10 per 
cent extra. At these prices other merchants were 
obliged to close their stores. At the end of six months 
the “successful” store received quietly a “rebate” or a 
portion of the cost of the freight paid back to them. 
There was enough of this to make a fine profit. The 
competitors got no “rebate.” With the greater powers 
given the Interstate Commission, if the railroads were 
caught at such a trick, the lower rate would have to 
go for all! 
* 
We all remember how, last year, the papers and mag¬ 
azines were full of wild talk about “nitro-culture.” It 
looked to some as though the world of toil and sweat 
and economizing on the farm had come to an end. The 
little packets of “bacteria” from the Agricultural De¬ 
partment and commercial houses were to revolutionize 
farming. We were to soak the cotton and the bacteria 
would do the rest. Prof. Harding, of the Geneva Ex¬ 
periment Station, has thrown ice water upon these glow- 
Tbe railways propose to join in the experiment by giv¬ 
ing a lower rate to Europe than they do to New York. 
The new rate to Europe -is $1. as against $1.25 a hundred 
pounds to the Atlantic seaboard. 
Think of it! These railroads intend to carry a box 
of oranges 6.000 miles for $1, while they will charge 
$1.25 for carrying the same box 3,000 miles! Now 
read what the Attorney General said—on page 900. If 
we had the desired powers given to the Interstate Com¬ 
merce Commission this sort of thing would correct 
itself, for the railroad would make its own rates. If it 
saw fit to cut down rates for certain favored shippers, 
that would be taken as evidence that it could do the 
same for all, and the lower rate would be the standard. 
It stands to reason that if the railroads can ship oranges 
to England for less than they now charge to New York 
the present rate is too high. This great desire to 
increase our export trade by giving to foreigners special 
prices and advantages is an outrage, because it is large¬ 
ly done at the expense of Americans. The railroads 
appear to charge too much for carrying food for Ameri¬ 
cans in order to experiment with carrying goods to 
foreigners. 
* 
The Hon. Thomas C. Platt has stated his position re¬ 
garding a parcels post. He is waiting, he says, to see 
what the people want! Some desire has been expressed 
to learn how the other half of New York's Senatorial ex¬ 
hibit stands on this question. We wrote Senator Depew, 
and on December 12 received this illuminating reply: 
Answering your letter in regard to the parcels post 
bill. .1 am awaiting with much interest the provisions 
of the bill and the recommendations of the Postmaster- 
General. Very truly yours, 
waiting game. It is doubtful if they adopt the same 
method in dealing with express, insurance or railroad 
matters, or with political contributions. Of course Sen¬ 
ator Depew will recall Milton’s famous line: 
“They also serve who only stand and wait.” 
Milton referred to his blindness—though deprived of 
his sight he would not remain the slave of misfortune. 
Senator Depew comes neatest to resembling Milton in 
the fact that he is blind—not physically as the poet was, 
but in a sadder and far more ignoble sense He “stands 
and waits”—but who does he think he is serving? Sure¬ 
ly not the people who made him what he is! However, 
let us take the Senator right at his word! The Post¬ 
master General recommends that third and fourth class 
mail matter be bunched, as we explained last week. 
This is a very small favor, but if Senator Depew will 
favor it we shall consider that he has inched in the 
right direction—with a long distance still to travel. 
* 
Tn looking over the last volume of The R. N.-Y. we 
find 940 pages, carrying the record of a year’s service 
As these pages were filled week by week we thought 
they held our best work. Looking them over now, after 
the ink has grown very cold, we confess to a feeling of 
dissatisfaction. The record must stand, but we feel 
that it can be improved, and so we look hopefully for¬ 
ward to the new year, where the past year’s gain in 
experience, confidence, insight and maturer Judgment 
can find expression. We hope to make The R. N.-Y. 
for 1906 carry the solid qualities of the past, with a 
good growth of firm live wood full of fruit buds We 
could fill a page with sincere expressions of approval 
from readers, but we prefer to make the paper speak 
for itself. We do not as a rule make definite promises 
for the future, because much of the policy of the paper 
is shaped by the expressed desires of our readers. We 
have, however, arranged for a number of strong fea¬ 
tures, a few of which are mentioned. 
Alfred Johnson, of New Jersey, will tell in his own 
words how he left the city when past 50, ran in debt 
for a little farm, and paid out. He handled hens and 
small fruits and sold most of his produce at wholesale. 
This is not the story of a "great success,” but a plain, 
earnest statement of the way a common man gained 
home and competence by his own labor. We feel safe 
in saying that nothing quite like this history has ever 
appeared in print. 
M. Garrahan, of Pennsylvania, will write a series of 
articles on restoring worn-out soil. We have long regard¬ 
ed Mr. Garrahan as one of the most intelligent farmers in 
this country. He bought a farm that had gone into 
retirement and by shrewd and careful management 
brought it into such shape that the crops of a single year 
have sold for more than the original cost of the farm. 
Mr. Garrahan will tell in easy, simple language just how 
this was done, and what he would do with another such 
farm. As a study of the practical use of chemicals and 
green manure crops these articles will rank as classics. 
Geo. A. Cosgrove, of Connecticut, will give during 
the year a record of the business done by his flock of 
hens. We shall be told each month how many eggs 
were laid and what they brought, the amount of grain 
consumed and its cost and methods of care, conditions 
of fowls and other items which interest hen men. The 
business of this successful hen farm will be opened like 
the works of a watch, and readers may ask questions 
or discuss details. 
These are but three of dozens of new features we 
have in mind. Dairymen, sheep men, small fruit grow¬ 
ers. orchardists—practical and honest men in every line 
of farm labor—will give us their best. Needless to say, 
the home and its needs will not be neglected, for we 
remain on record as saying that no product of the farm 
can compete in value with the home crop. In short, our 
ambition for 1906 is to serve our readers faithfully and 
fearlessly, and we confidently expect them to spend the 
year with us. 
BREVITIES . 
A SOFT job for one means a harder job for another. 
If you have any other place like home we are sorry for 
you. 
Don’t make any New Year’s resolutions. Mend a few of 
the old ones. 
There are some farms where a pile of dry stove fuel would 
be the most appropriate New Year's gift for mother. 
Skimming books means taking out the skim-milk and leav¬ 
ing the cream. A good remedy is to talk with the children 
about the books tliey read. 
“Compulsory education in domestic training” is the latest 
scheme for settling the female help question. We want to 
know who is to do the educating? 
Those cocoa-fed broilers described by Mr. Mapes on page 
926 may cost as much as though they were fed on chocolate 
bon-bons before they reach the consumer. 
What about Mr. Cosgrove’s problem? Read the “Autobi¬ 
ography of a Thief" and see that, a criminal must be severely 
punished before he will admit that crime does not pay. 
The Hope Farm man did not make the New Jersey Legis¬ 
lature, but he can make life a burden for some one who did 
—until the State agrees to pay for damage done by wild 
animals. 
The Delaware State Grange endorsed the Pennsylvania 
Railroad’s action in shutting off free passes—said to be 
about the first complimentary word these farmers have said 
about the road. 
A Chicago physician says that no one should perform hard 
bodily or mental labor before eating. A good many of us 
would like to know how we are ever going to get anything 
to eat if we don’t. 
The water ways on the Delaware Peninsula offer about 
the only fair chance for freight competition with the rail¬ 
roads. No wonder the State Grange demands that these 
streams lie kept open. 
To show how everywhere farmers are hunting for fertiliz¬ 
ing materials we may say that vulture’s manure is sold at 
Johannesburg, South Africa, at $35 per ton ! Analysis shows 
that it is worth nearly $80! 
One of our reade-s in Oklahoma went to Louisiana and 
bought a farm. Not being satisfied with the labor he rented 
the farm to the best colored man he could find, and also 
made him a yearly subscriber to The R. N.-Y'. Then he said, 
“Me to Oklahoma !” 
One correspondent says that fence wire put up 15 years 
ago, which cost $2.75 per 100 pounds, is perfectly good yet, 
while wire put up six or seven years ago. at a cost of $4.25 
per 100, is entirely rusted out. Ix>t’s see, aren’t we told 
that the consolidation of vast commercial enterprises, which 
destroys competition, really operates to the advantage of 
the consumer? 
We recently asked a good farmer in Michigan to tell us 
how to take care of tools in Winter. This is his answer— 
quite acceptable : “Yon know I couldn’t do it while my own 
were under the hospitable care of the apple tree, and by the 
time ! had thpm housed. I was behind ‘She procession, so I 
send you instead my renewal for the coming year and one 
10-weeks subscription.” 
The poets are often after us this year. Here is a sam¬ 
ple from Pennsylvania : 
“Inclosed you will find a silver bug. 
Well known for its national fame: 
It settles upon the editor’s desk. 
And hands in another name. 
"That name, though but a unit, 
nelps build a mighty list, 
And generally brings an eagle 
Down, into the editor's fist.” 
We can stand a large number of eagles. 
