222 
TIIE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
March 10, 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAVER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established i860. 
funny part of it is that some Republican Congressmen 
are blaming the Democrats! Keep right at them, and pin 
them down to an expression of their own stand on the 
question. Make the hardest fight on the proposition to 
consolidate third and fourth class matter. 
Herbert w. Coli.i no wood, Editor. 
I)K. WALTER VAN FLEET, I>. , _ 
Mrs. K. T. Boyle, (Associates. 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal 1‘oslal Union, $2.04, 
equal to 8s. (id., or 8VSi marks, or 10 ‘/j 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. 
TIIE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
409 l'earl Street, New York. 
SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 1900. 
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. 
* 
* 
A strong effort is being made to induce Congress to 
remove the tax on what is called “denaturized alcohol.” 
This means alcohol changed in its nature—in this case 
treated so that it cannot safely he used as a beverage. 
When thus changed it can be used as a fuel and, we 
understand, for manufacturing purposes. The present 
tax on grain alcohol is $2.07 a gallon, which is said to 
prohibit its use in many useful ways. We are told that 
Germany leads the world in chemical industries, largely 
the result of cheap alcohol. In Germany this is largely 
made from potatoes and, as a result, the German potato 
crop is several times larger than the entire crop of this 
country. The alcohol thus made is used in chemical 
manufacturing and for fuel. For the latter use it has 
given great satisfaction, and seems to have changed the 
character of several German industries. Without doubt 
the removal of the alcohol tax in this country would in¬ 
crease the product from corn and potatoes. This would, 
without doubt, stimulate potato culture to some extent 
and provide a new outlet for the crop in time of over¬ 
production. At present prices for grain we doubt if the 
change would make much difference. Grain prices al¬ 
ready seem too high for those of us who must buy. We 
can also see how the increased use of fuel alcohol 
would change industries to the benefit of country people. 
The chief objection to the increase of alcohol manufac¬ 
ture lies in the fact that there is already far too much 
intoxicating liquor. When “denaturized,” however, 
the use of this alcohol as a beverage would be prac¬ 
tically impossible. 
No farmer or rural dweller should vote for any Con¬ 
gressman who will not promise squarely to support the 
consolidation of third and fourth class mail matter. 
The effect of this will be to enable Americans to mail 
packages of merchandise up to four pounds at eight 
cents a pound! This is a small part of the mail service 
which justly belongs to us. If any Congressman refuse 
to vote for it cut him out! 
* 
When San Jose scale strikes a village it usually 
makes short work with the dooryard and garden fruit 
trees and bushes which house owners have planted and 
cared for with so much interest. There is a brief fight 
with a hand sprayer and various remedies, but enough 
of the creatures dodge the dose to cover the tree again, 
and after a few trials the job is given up. The large 
orchardists with power sprayers arc able to keep this 
pest in check, hut w'e have not heard of any marked 
success in fighting the scale in a small way. Wc wish 
to hear from readers with small plantations who have 
conquered this enemy with hand power. Fell what you 
did and how you did it. The experience will help hun¬ 
dreds of villagers to save their cherished trees and 
bushes. 
* 
Here comes the old question which seems to have 
more lives than 500 cats: 
Is there any (ruth lu (lie report that “on accounl of be¬ 
ing isolated, more farmers’ wives' become insane Ilian any 
other class of women in lids country?" 
There is no truth whatever in the statement. It is 
one of those unhappy falsehoods which seem to thrive 
upon denial. We have at different times collected 
statistics from many insane hospitals. The great ma¬ 
jority of insane women come from cities and factory 
towns. The proportion from farm homes is very 
small. In making up statistics most towns under 3,000 
inhabitants are classed as “rural districts” and insane 
people sent from little towns arc classed as “farmers.” 
Conditions of life in many of these little towns are far 
more depressing than on a farm and they are responsi¬ 
ble for many melancholy women. The statement about 
farmers’ wives is a lie—too contemptible for any fair 
minded person to repeat, 
* 
We will begin our list of letters from Congressmen 
this week with the following from Hon. S. M. Spark¬ 
man, of Florida. One of our readers wrote Mr. Spark¬ 
man, asking him to support the parcels post. This is 
what lie gets in reply: 
1 have yours of the 12th instant, and nolo what you say 
regarding (lie Parcels Post bill. 1 have been making con¬ 
siderable Inquiry into Ibis matter, and do not believe our 
Republican friends will let any bill of that kind be reported 
at Ibis session of Congress. 'Pile Post Office I Apartment 
claims dial: die expense would lie so enormous dial the 
Government could not afford it. Of course, that would 
depend upon what is charged, but I do not think any bill 
of that kind will stand a ghost of a show this session. 
With very best wishes, 1 am. Yours very truly, 
Washington, I). C. s. m. sparkman. 
That’s an opinion at least. You see Mr. Sparkman 
dodges gracefully when asked what he will do. I hose 
awful Republicans will not give him a chance to vote 
either way, therefore he "ain’t sayin’ nothin’.” The 
The report of the Armstrong Committee of the New 
York Legislature, which investigated the insurance com¬ 
panies, was a strong document. It gave a fair state¬ 
ment of the fraud and extravagance which was un¬ 
earthed. It was proven that the great insurance com¬ 
panies have been throwing away money in useless sala¬ 
ries and foolish expenses, and corrupting legislatures and 
individuals with hush money. The story was a dis¬ 
graceful one, and there were some who became discour¬ 
aged, ready to curse the entire business of life insurance. 
We took a more hopeful view, kept up our policies and 
felt confident that in the end insurance would be safer 
and better for the shaking up. We still believe it. On page 
223 will lie found I he recommendations which this com¬ 
mittee suggests to the Legislature. There seems little 
doubt that most of them at least will be finally put in 
the form of laws. We also think that some National 
law will result from this investigation. We arc hopeful 
that such laws will be enforced, because public opinion 
has been aroused, and the people have the power to 
compel enforcement. Perhaps the most useful recom¬ 
mendations are those which guard the election of trus¬ 
tees, and the one compelling yearly distribution of divi¬ 
dends. One of the worst features of the present system 
is the plan of lidding the dividends back. This accu¬ 
mulates an immense surplus, and the policy holder must 
die or live out his full term before he knows what his 
money is earning for him. Without doubt this inves¬ 
tigation is one of the most hopeful public overhaulings 
of recent years. The men who gave their time to the 
work and hung on to the end until they dug down to 
the core are public-spirited citizens, and deserve well of 
their countrymen. 
* 
The latest charge brought against the common house 
mouse is that it is the principal disseminator of pneu¬ 
monia germs. It is a quite generally accepted theory 
that in many human diseases due to microbe infection 
the germ or organism at some stage of existence passes 
through an inferior animal, and acquires a certain ma¬ 
lignancy in doing so. Thus the infections of yellow 
fever and malaria seem to be transmitted by means of 
mosquitoes, and the distressing bubonic plague of Ori¬ 
ental countries by fleas and rats. The pneumonia germ, 
usually referred to as pneumococcus, it is claimed, can 
he detected at all times in the mouths and throats of 
healthy persons, and it is only after acquiring a special 
virulence that it is able to invade the lungs and cause 
pneumonia. The old idea was that the pneumococcus 
was able to infect the lungs when the system is de¬ 
pressed from tlie effects of cold, overwork or unusual 
exposure, but the promoters of the mouse theory think 
the infections are generally due to germs that have been 
rendered virulent by absorption into the system of the 
mouse. The common house mouse is said to he very 
subject to the disease of pneumonia, and is the only 
animal in close contact to man that is susceptible. Mice 
abound everywhere, and are particularly numerous in 
houses with defective plumbing, where pneumonia is 
most common, as they pass readily from floor to floor 
near badly fitted pipes. Mice consume all kinds of or¬ 
ganic matter, and readily devour germs that may he in 
chance expectoration or waste food, and while suffering 
the disease, which may or may not end fatally, they 
are likely to distribute the malignant form of pneumo¬ 
coccus where it can be inhaled or absorbed by hu¬ 
mans, thus causing attacks of this dreadful disease. 
Whether or not the mouse is the sole distributor of 
pneumonia germs, or whether he is guilty at all of 
spreading the disease, he remains a most disgusting nui¬ 
sance. bight him with cats, traps and substantial con¬ 
struction of dwellings. Mouse-proof houses are not as 
common as they should be. 
* 
Among the claims made for the Spencer Seedless 
apple is the story that John F. Spencer produced it 
by a mysterious and delicate process of propagation. 
It has been intimated that one great value of the apple 
is that it indicates what can be done with other fruits 
by following this remarkable method. Last year Mr. 
Charles Waters of Washington claimed that he found 
this apple as a seedling and gave samples of the wood 
to Mr. Spencer. We have now received the following 
letter from Mr. Waters. 
I mailed to you yesterday a box of the “Seedless apples’’ 
of the stvmo stock I furnished J. F. Spencer of Colorado. 
They have been kept In a dwelling house, quite warm. 
Last Spring I got possession of two trees that were in an 
orchard that has not been plowed for 10 or more years. I 
plowed and manured these trees, cut top off heavily and 
have scions enough for 1,000 grafts, and want to sell them, 
n few to a man, so they can he compared to the Spencer 
apple. The Secretary of Wisconsin State Horticultural So¬ 
ciety wrote me lately after seeing some of the apples I sent 
him. lie advised me to charge $1 for enough scions to 
graft 25. 'They will keep well until July. I think the De¬ 
partment at Washington, 1). C.. Is satisfied that the Spencer 
Seedless is the “Waters Virginia Seedless.’’ 
White Salmon, Wash. ciias. waters. 
The apples came and have been carefully tested. They 
appear to us exactly like those brought here by Mr. 
Scheu of the Spencer Company. Wc can detect no es¬ 
sential difference in appearance, flavor or core. The 
apple is of inferior quality, and would never hold its 
own in market against the best sorts now in cultivation. 
When Mr. Waters wrote before we invited Mr. John F. 
Spencer to correct the statement if he cared to do so, 
but he has not been heard from. It appears, therefore, 
that this wonderful process is nothing hut taking wood 
from a seedling tree and grafting it upon other stock. 
BREVITIES. 
Wiiat can we do to Improve pastures? 
The Jack of all trades is a do-all-purpose man. 
Mr. White tells the asparagus story on page 207. 
Spend no time hunting for an honest man until you can 
see one in the glass! 
The California Fruit Grower wants the army canteen re¬ 
established because it will Increase the sale of California 
wine! 
We doubt the wisdom of depending upon petitions in 
favor of needed reforms. A strong personal letter is much 
better. 
There are, it is said, 34 colored students In the Kansas 
University while more than half the students in the Uni¬ 
versity of Missouri work their own way. 
A writer in The Iowa Homestead says he formerly spent 
much lime In sewing patches on grain hags, but now he 
makes a thick paste of (lour and water, puts the patch over 
the hole and irons over with a hot flatiron. 
The State of New Jersey is stirred up over the automo¬ 
bile law. Country people want safer roads, slower speed 
and Jail for the auto hogs. The trouble is that sports and 
“flyers” from outside the State undertake to dictate the 
auto laws. 
This from a man who thinks of trying immigrant labor: 
“I am thinking of trying that kind of labor. Our Ameri¬ 
can laborers will either drive a man to Hie asylum or out 
of business: the better we treat them the worse they act." 
They are not all that way. 
Now Dr. Wiley is attacking the Innocent cranberry; he 
says It naturally contains benzole acid, and its continued 
use is extremely deleterious to health. Between embalmed 
turkey and benzoic cranberries the unhappy consumer is 
lucky U! lie escapes with his life. 
Some good results are reported from the use of K.-L. 
mixture for spraying. The chief trouble seems to lie that 
people will not mix the 11 mold and kerosene properly. If 
they will not do this simple work as they should they cer¬ 
tainly will not succeed with lime and sulphur. 
According to a recent decision of the food inspectors of 
the Department of Agriculture, raspberry vinegar cannot 
lie sold under that Innocvu name, as vinegar is a condiment, 
and not a beverage. Hereafter such articles must be brand¬ 
ed in a way that will indicate their true character, and it is 
suggested that this fluid be described as “raspberry bev¬ 
erage." 
"Beatitudes, generalities and meaningless dithyramblcs,” 
Is tho comment of (lie Mark Lane Express on a recent 
speech of the new English Prime Minister, in a discussion 
of British agricultural problems. But England lias no 
monopoly of orators or writers who can start from nowhere 
In particular and with high-sounding phrases proceed to get 
nowhere. 
The New Jersey fruit growers have trouble with robins 
—here is what the sea gulls do on Hie California coast: 
“Col. Abbott is having (rouble with the sea gulls which are 
eating all Hie putty from ihe skylights of his San Lorenzo 
stables. He Is afraid to kill Hie guITs for fear of violating 
Hie law, and has appealed to Byrne Bros, to put some mix¬ 
ture In tho next batch of putty that they use on the sky¬ 
lights that will not he so tasty to the scavenger birds.” 
