THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
February 10, 
114 
The Rural New-Yorker 
77/A BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Herbert W. Collingwood, Editor. 
Dr. Walter Van Fleet, ( » 
Mrs. K. T. Hoyle, ^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 Mi marks, or 10 Vi 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. 
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month of the time of the transaction, and you must have 
mentioned Tiie 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, FEBRUARY 10, 190G. 
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. 
* 
We sometimes wonder if the more or less eloquent 
and gifted gentlemen who contribute to the life of farm¬ 
er’s meetings really know what practical farmers think 
of them. It might be a complete education for them if 
they did. Silence does not always “give consent,” for 
if practical farmers felt as sure of their words as they 
do of their hands there would be great fun at some of 
these meetings. 
* 
Egg speculators who did not get rid of their cold 
storage holdings early in Winter are swallowing a bit¬ 
ter dose. Whether to sell now at 10 or 12 cents or 
hold in the hope of a long spell of real Winter in Feb¬ 
ruary and March is the question. Judging from the 
urgent efforts to put these refrigerator eggs into trade 
channels even at present low prices, those who look for 
a rising market are in the minority. 
* 
Potato rot caused heavy loss in many parts’ of Europe 
last year, and thorough spraying with Bordeaux Mix¬ 
ture seems to have paid well. Comparative trials in 
Belgium, a great potato country, showed that fields 
sprayed three times with Bordeaux yielded twice as 
many marketable tubers as unsprayed fields, other 
conditions being the same. Those sprayed but once 
yielded about 80 bushels per acre more than adjoining 
fields. 
* 
President Roosevelt told a committee sent by the 
National Grange that he expected to see the parcels 
post established. The Postmaster General also predicts 
that we shall have a parcels post in “the near future.” 
That’s good, but what does “near future” mean? The 
President said nothing about it in his message and the 
Postmaster General said he did not think it desirable 
at this time. That is where he differed with millions 
of his fellow-citizens, and what he told the Granges 
indicates that he has seen a great light. Drops of ink 
on paper do make a great illumination. 
♦ 
We often meet fruit growers of long experience who 
say that had they known just what varieties were suited 
to their soil they could have made their farms far more 
productive. One man told us recently that if he had 
planted Bartlett pears in a field where now stands a 
good peach orchard he would have made many thousands 
of dollars extra. Another man grew fine Maiden Blush 
apples on a certain farm. He sold that farm and bought 
another nearby. Of course he planted more “Blush” 
apple trees, but when they came into bearing they were 
quite inferior, and would not sell as first-class fruit.. 
There was something about the soil of the new farm 
that was not just right for this variety. The best suc¬ 
cesses in future fruit growing will be made by those 
who learn to suit the variety exactly to the soil. With¬ 
out doubt certain of our best fruits are grown nearest 
to perfection in streaks or pockets where just the con¬ 
ditions of soil and air are found. We must find those 
places and make use of them. The study of various 
soils which the scientific men are making will prove 
about the most useful work they can do if it is done 
in such a way that w r e can combine with it the observa¬ 
tion of practical men. 
Many persons were shocked at the penalty (10 years’ 
imprisonment) imposed upon the captain of the tragic 
steamboat General Slocum. The persons who were 
morally guilty of that horror will, in all probability, 
live out their lives unpunished by human justice. The 
unfortunate who pays for their greed and cupidity had 
grown gray in service, and bore an excellent character 
in his profession. But it must be remembered that, once 
afloat, the captain of any vessel is held absolutely re¬ 
sponsible for the lives put in his care. If he tacitly per¬ 
mits the conditions which, as in this case, render his 
command a menace to life every moment she is afloat, 
public safety demands that he be held responsible. But 
we should all feel more assurance against a repetition of 
such tragedy if we could learn that the public officials, 
whom we pay to guard our lives and property, were 
entirely blameless. Rotten fire hose and useless life 
preservers do not give us this impression. 
* 
A reader sends us the following clipping, from a poul¬ 
try paper, which he says illustrates the “half rooster 
type of poultry man 
T have seven Black Minorca hens that laid from January 
1 to June 30 1,326 eggs.—S. D. Critterden. 
The average is 120% eggs, or 110% dozens, or 102 settings 
of 13 eggs each. If (he eggs only bring him 20 cents a dozen 
he has paid for one year’s feed for (he hens, and has $7.55 
with the eggs laid the remaining six months for his profit. If 
you put his eggs at $2 per setting and then deduct. $15 
for feed and .$35 for a year’s advertising, he will have 
.$144 and six months' produce of his hens for profit, but 
we have made no allowance for accidents nor am I figuring 
the man. 
It’s a good thing he didn’t figure the man, for if 
figures will lie what would such a man do when tied to 
them? As we make it there are 181 days in the period 
mentioned. If each one of the seven hens laid one egg 
each day there would have been 1,267 eggs. Some of 
them must have laid two eggs a day. Mapes ought to 
get hold of this flock at once. Yes, this is certainly a 
rooster man—a game sport! 
* 
The development in power sprayers has been wonder¬ 
ful. The engines at first were crude and heavy. Now, 
the size and weight has been reduced and the power 
increased. Steam outfits are used not only for spray¬ 
ing, but for cooking lime and sulphur and heating water 
for various purposes. Gasoline, too, is doing work in 
great variety. For example J. B. Collamer & Sons, 
well known in western New York, make the following 
statement: 
Tills is what our engine is doing for us: It does all the 
pumping in and out of tank when spraying; when through 
spraying it is placed in our launch. It runs our boat eight 
miles per hour and carries 15 people. Then if is brought 
home in Fall. We sawed about 100 cords of wood last Fall. 
Now we are using it to cut cornstalks about twice a 
week to feed 15 head of stock. 
That •seems to be pretty near the limit. Yet very 
likely the engine will also be used to drive a dynamo 
and light house and barn or convey power to various 
parts of the farm. It is impossible to estimate the 
value of a handy engine which can be moved about in 
this way to various parts of the farm. 
* 
The disease known as Asparagus rust has, in some 
places, nearly ruined the business of asparagus growing. 
In eastern Massachusetts asparagus is a leading crop— 
worth thousands of dollars to farmers. Some of these 
growers were not disposed to stand idly by and see 
their business destroyed, and so they have organized 
the Massachusetts Asparagus Growers’ Association. As 
no adequate way of controlling the rust disease has been 
found, these growers purpose to hunt for a variety 
which will resist the rust. The Massachusetts Exper¬ 
iment Station will work with the Association, and will 
begin this year experiments in breeding and testing 
varieties. It may not be possible to obtain a variety 
which will be entirely rust proof, but we know that some 
varieties are more resistant than others. This resist¬ 
ance can be increased by breeding and selecting. These 
Massachusetts growers are going at it in just the right 
way, and every asparagus grower in the State ought to 
join. Of course the Station can work more effectively 
with a large and complete organization. This is the 
way for farmers to help themselves. A single farmer 
working alone could hardly hope to obtain what he 
needed in a lifetime. Ten thousand of them working 
with the Experiment Station and using the scientific 
plant breeders will reach results in a few years. 
Thomas Hollis, Concord, Mass., is secretary of the 
Association. 
* 
A law suit for libel in this city recently has proved 
a celebrated case. A so-called society paper made a 
business of blackmailing wealthy or prominent people by 
threatening to print scandal about them. Such people 
often have weak spots in their habits, and it often hap¬ 
pens that hints or suggestions about them would hurt 
their business or their position in “society.” The owner 
of this paper played upon the weakness or vanity of 
such people, and forced many of them to pay blackmail 
in order to be put on what he called his “immune” list. 
A judge on the bench helped in this nasty business, and 
the editor of another paper gave the facts about him. 
The judge brought suit against this editor for libel, and 
after a long trial the verdict was against the judge. 
Now the owner of the “society” paper has been arrested 
for perjury. The outcome of this trial is a satisfaction 
to all who realize the value of a clean and self-respect¬ 
ing paper. There are a few rascals who fatten on this 
sort of blackmail. If not paid their price they will 
attempt to tear down in a dozen lines the character won 
through long and self-denying years. They will hold 
up worthy objects until their price is paid, and at¬ 
tempt to wrap a cloak of character and sanctity about 
disreputable people or plans if they are paid for it. Such 
rascals not only cause individual sorrow and loss, but 
they weaken the confidence which the public may have 
in papers which endeavor to be clean and worthy of 
confidence. We have always felt that of all public 
teachers the editor should be most careful of his state¬ 
ments—particularly those regarding individuals and their 
conduct. Printed words can never be recalled, and a 
stab given in this way may remain unhealed for life. 
* 
The Niagara Co. (N. Y.) Farmers’ Club is probably 
the most successful organization of its kind in the 
country—at least in the East. It has just celebrated 
its twenty-sixth birthday by holding one of the largest 
meetings in its history. The influence for good of this 
club is seen all over the county in better farms, com¬ 
fortable homes and contented farm families. Dozens 
of such clubs have been started in New York State, but 
most of them have died, or lived on with small attend¬ 
ance and influence. Why does one club succeed while 
another fails? There are several elements which con¬ 
tribute to success in Niagara County. Farmers have 
interests in common. They are mostly fruit growers, 
growing some grain and keeping some stock. What 
interests one interests another, and this common in¬ 
terest has overcome some of the prejudices which exist 
among farmers. Then there are a number of “workers” 
—men of high character who spend time over the club’s 
affairs, and do not shirk their duty. It often happens 
in farmer’s clubs that a few men keep things going until 
all are tired or disgruntled. One may not think his 
work is recognized, another did not get an office, while 
a third cannot stand criticism with patience. They stop 
working, and the club stands still like a rundown clock. 
In Niagara County the workers keep at it all the time. 
They have made the club popular. It is a part of the 
social life of the county. The women are interested. 
The meetings are usually held in a church, where the 
women serve dinner and supper. This secures the 
cooperation of the church people, and makes a pleasant 
feature of each meeting. We think, however, that the 
strongest element of success lies in the social and moral 
features of club life. Many farmers’ clubs have devoted 
their attention to the material things of farm life— 
and died. The Niagara County Club recognizes the 
spiritual side of farm living, and has succeeded. It 
deserves success, and we wish that a similar club could 
be organized and kept up in every rural county in 
America. We do not know of any way in which more 
hopeful history could be made at this time. 
BREVITIES. 
Wiiat about the blueberry thief—page 109? 
The “rolling stone” usually lias “wheels in his head." 
A good share of us will consult wants rather than needs. 
That’s where we run behind. 
The recent confession of Mapes the hen man calls out 
about as much comment as Cosgrove’s horse thief. 
In sections where most farmers keep sheep the dog ques¬ 
tion does not give much trouble—public sentiment favors 
the sheep. 
The latest theory is that house mice convey pneumonia 
—are the chief cause of its spread ! In this view of the 
case, how about cats? 
During the last 10 years Europe has used about 10,000,- 
000 tons of nitrate of soda. Germany uses nearly twice as 
much as any other country, and France comes next. 
If we could only turn cur dogs into popular education, 
as suggested by our Georgia friend in Hope Farm Notes, 
what an intellectual nation we should become! It would 
most likely be cursory. 
Next time you contrast your lot as a poor man on a 
lonely farm with that of some great financial magnate, 
comfort yourself with the thought that you can keep your 
name out of the “society" papers without paying for the 
privilege. 
After glancing at the Government reports on adulter¬ 
ation of field seeds, one interested reader wants to know 
why Uncle Sam shouldn't apply the same system of in¬ 
vestigation to his own free seeds, and tell us frankly all 
about them. 
It is reported that Denmark is shipping milk exten¬ 
sively in tank cars, this service being cheaper and more 
satisfactory than the use of cans. The tanks are wooden 
casks inside covered freight cars. It is stated that Illinois 
and Wisconsin are testing this method of shipping milk 
in bulk. 
The mayor of a southern city is said to have been fined 
$20 recently because he referred to a newspaper reporter 
as a liar. We know nothing of the merits of this case, 
but possibly the Intention was to apply the term to report¬ 
ers as a class, in which event the fining would seem a 
perversion of justice. 
