620 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
August 11, 
The Rural New-Yorker 
TUE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Entered at New York as Second Class Matter. 
Herbert W. Collingwood, Editor. 
Dr. Walter Van Fleet, I 
Mrs. K. T. Hovle, f Associates. 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries In the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, 
equal to 8s. Gd., or 8 Ms marks, or 10 Vi francs. 
on paper. To see these wonderful crops growing in 
the field, and realize what they mean, is a revelation to 
any man who feeds a cow. We are glad to state that 
on August 17 a meeting of the New Jersey Board of 
Agriculture will be held at New Brunswick. There 
will be a good company of farmers present, and this 
whole system of crop growing will be explained. We 
realize what it means for a busy farmer to leave his 
work, yet we also know what an inspiration it is to see 
these soiling crops. Therefore we advise all readers 
who can do so to attend this meeting. 
* 
“ A SQUARE DEAL.” 
We believe that every advertisement In this paper Is 
hacked 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 tlie 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 remittanco 
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 Pearl Street, New York. 
SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, 1906. 
TEN WEEKS FOR 10 CENTS. 
In order to introduce I he 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. 
* 
The modern farmer has good reason to hate the 
auto hog, and he expresses his hatred. Many centuries 
ago, when the farmer was a beast of burden, he had as 
strong a hatred for the horse—or rather the combina¬ 
tion of man and horse which ruled the foot soldier. By 
and by the horse became a worker instead of a fighter, 
and then the farmer saw its value. Now history may 
repeat itself. Automobiles will some day be cheaper, 
so that farmers can own them. Then we shall hear a 
different story. 
* 
The demand for high-class sanitary milk is gaining 
everywhere. Near every large town and city dairymen 
are fitting up places for the production of such milk— 
which will satisfy the inspectors. They call for experts 
to manage the dairy and handle the milk, and they find 
it almost impossible to obtain them. The dairy schools 
cannot begin to fill the calls for such men. If a boy 
has a taste for dairying it would seem like the surest 
sort of a sure thing for him to take a fair course at 
some dairy school and then wait for a position. He will 
not wait long. 
* 
Norway and Sweden buy a good many American ap¬ 
ples and would buy more if the fruit could be packed 
to suit. The import duty in Norway amounts to $2.25 
per barrel, which makes the fruit very expensive when 
packing is unsatisfactory. Complaint is made of the 
barrel package. Apples from Germany and Spain come 
in boxes and baskets, which are much more satisfactory 
to the Norwegians than barrels. It is reported that 
Norway has an abundance of poor or inferior apples 
in the mature orchards. If any fruit be imported it 
should be the best. 
* 
The daily paners reported that Germany had shut 
out American fresh meat by making impossible inspec¬ 
tion rules. This, we were told, was the result of the 
President’s action in demanding suitable laws. We 
suspected that this report came from the packers, and 
wrote Secretary Wilson about it. He says: 
In reply to your letter of the 20th instant, I beg to say 
that as fresh meats are not exported from this country to- 
Germany, the regulations you refer to will not Interfere 
with our shipments. The German regulations 'require that 
“fresh meat may he imported past the customs line only 
in entire carcasses, but the carcasses of neat cattle (with 
the exception of calves), and of swine may be cut in 
halves. The pleura and the peritoneum, lungs, heart, 
kidneys, and in case of cows, the udder also, must be 
attached to the carcass in natural connection.” It is im¬ 
possible for exporters in this country to comply with such 
conditions. ja.mes wilson, Secretary. 
* 
We have had several articles describing the methods 
of growing soiling crops at the New Jersey Experiment 
Station. Next week the subject comes up again. At 
this date green Japanese millet is being cut and fed to 
the cows with plenty of Alfalfa (third cutting) and 
green corn to follow. This remarkable system of feed¬ 
ing stock ought to be of very great interest to dairymen, 
but we realize how difficult it is to explain the system 
It is hard to interest the average farmer in Alfalfa 
by showing him a picture of the plant, or even by writ¬ 
ing about it. A man must see and realize the work 
Alfalfa can do. We probably all know of people who 
are capable of great things, yet whose outward appear¬ 
ance is but a badge of inferiority. People pass them by 
until some crisis or great opportunity presents itself. 
Then the man who is thought to be only an ordinary 
citizen rises to the occasion and shows his power. Then 
his former critics say: “I didn’t know he had it in 
him!” This is not unlike the mental process some men 
go through regarding Alfalfa. They may see a picture 
of the plant, or even hold a bunch in their hands, with¬ 
out being impressed—for it does not seem as strong as 
Red clover. They cannot see the power that is carried 
in the Alfalfa—the power to produce crop after crop 
each season, and to remain in its place for years, or the 
power to fill great barns, take at least partly the place 
of grain and add to the fertility of the entire farm. If 
men could see this power in the crop from the begin¬ 
ning the history of entire sections would be rapidly 
changed. 
* 
When we started out to learn all about the Seedless 
apple one of the best fruit authorities in the country 
wrote, “Keep asking questions. After a while the in¬ 
formation will come to you.” We have certainly kept 
asking where John F. Spencer got the apple, or what 
his original process of propagation is, but he is more 
silent than most graves. Here, however, is a letter 
from Virginia which may help out: 
I read in your paper that you are anxious to learn bow 
the seedless apple was produced. I am an old man, and 
I have beard bow since I was a boy, but I never tried it 
(I didn’t want any seedless apples). If you take a water 
sprout, or any of this year’s growth and put the top of the 
twig in the ground and root it, and then cut it off and grow 
it upside down you have a seedless apple tree. Whether 
this is true or not I can’t say; it would be well to try It. 
Albemarle, Va. j. c. G. 
Now, it is just possible that this is the original and 
delicate process which Mr. Spencer is said to have 
used. There is too much upside down and standing on 
your head about it to suit us, but possibly it is in this 
way that Mr. Spencer expects to take the seeds out of 
Baldwin, Northern Spy and other varieties! Now we 
will ask Mr. Spencer if this is the method he used! We 
shall have to assume that silence gives consent, and 
if we do not hear from him—are we not to understand 
that this is his secret? 
* 
“SCALE KILLERS” AT LARGE. 
We have heard people say that the San Jose scale is 
a great blessing, because it will- drive out of the fruit 
business all those who will not care for their trees. 
There may. be something in this, but it isn’t a circum¬ 
stance to the windfall which the scale has brought to a 
class of men who pretend to kill the insect. All the talk 
about scale badly frightens the people who have a few 
trees in small places. Their trees, both shade and fruit, 
seem like members of the family to them, and when 
they droop and begin to die the owners will do any¬ 
thing to save them. The tree faker is a good student 
of human nature, and he knows when to get in his work 
to best advantage. The more absurd his treatment is 
to those who know the habits of insects, the more 
plausible his argument and the greater his charge. Geo. 
T. Powell sends us an account of the work of the 
Buffalo Tree Disinfecting Co. Here is one of their 
contracts: 
The Buffalo Tree Disinfecting Co. hereby agree with 
--- to disinfect 11 Maple trees on premises 
known as -. above 11 Maple trees for the 
sum of $27, hereby agreeing to pay as follows—when work 
is done. Guaranteed for five years. 
Think of guaranteeing that a maple tree will be free 
from insects and disease for five years! What is the 
“treatment” ? They scrape and shave the bark for about 
five feet from the ground. Then they paint a band 
around the bottom of the tree, using some material 
which they claim will enter the circulation and through 
the sap. kill insects and cure diseases. To one who 
knows anything about the life of a tree this is about as 
sensible as it would be to offer to cure a wart on a 
man’s nose by cutting his corns—and charging him $10 
for the job. Yet it appears that these people have 
scraped and painted a large number of trees. Some of 
the victims finally became frightened and appealed for 
help. Here is a copy of a letter written by Mr. Powell 
after examining some of these mangled trees: 
For some time past inquiries for information have come 
to this office in regard to your treatment of trees. Copies 
of a so-called contract and agreement which you make are 
forwarded, together with the representations which you 
have made for your treatment. The experts on our staff, 
together with a representative of the State Department of 
Agriculture, have examined and investigated your work and 
your claims. We find a number of fruit trees on the 
premises of Edward L. Coster injured by the destruction of 
the cambium layer by the shaving and scraping off of the 
bark for a few feet, the bodies new being exposed to disease 
and decay. Tour claims as represented to us by different 
parties for whom you have treated trees that the materials 
with which you paint in a narrow strip or band about the 
bottom of the trees to disinfect the same and their action 
upon the sap is such as to make trees immune against 
disease and injurious insects, is without reason or possibil¬ 
ity. We find Mr. Coster’s Copper beeches after your treat¬ 
ment as badly infested with aphis as before. We also find 
the evergreen trees on Mr. Coster’s place, 30 years old and 
50 feet high, bleeding badly where you have scraped and 
shaved the bark from their bodies. The hardened pitch has 
accumulated in large bunches where the cambium layer 
has been injured. The opinion of our experts is that 
serious injury has been done to these trees by your treat¬ 
ment, and that the parties have ample grounds for claims 
against you for heavy damages: 
GEORGE T. POWELL. 
President The Agricultural Experts Association. 
Mr. Powell assessed the damage done to the large 
evergreen trees at $200. It is a shame that people who 
will mangle valuable trees in this way should be at 
large. If they tried their hand on live stock they would 
soon be in jail, yet the money loss from the work of 
some of these tree fakers is far greater. They should be 
subjected to their own treatment. 
* 
We are asked if there is any real opposition to James 
W. Wadsworth among farmers of the Thirty-fourth 
District. Is it all talk, or is there any solid basis to the 
reports of dissatisfaction? On page 572 we printed a 
resolution passed by the Pomona Grange of Genesee 
County. It will be understood that a “Pomona” is a 
representative gathering of the Granges in the entire 
county. At this meeting about 700 persons were pres¬ 
ent. When the resolution was put to a vote only two 
persons voted against it. Local Granges have been vis¬ 
ited, and found almost solidly against Mr. Wadsworth. 
The famous Niagara County Farmers’ Club is not in 
any way a political organization. Yet we feel sure that 
a large majority of its members will vote against the 
Congressman. The opposition to Mr. Wadsworth ap¬ 
pears to be based on broad and strong lines—no per¬ 
sonalities entering into it, but purely the question of 
misrepresentation of a farmer’s district. Mr. Wads¬ 
worth has taken the wrong side on oleo legislation, 
Federal aid for good roads and meat inspection. It is 
claimed by some that he opposes a parcels post. Farm¬ 
ers claim that these things are of vital importance to 
their business, and they must have a friend instead of 
an enemy at Washington. We are glad that the can¬ 
vass has taken this fair and earnest start. We under¬ 
stand that Mr. Wadsworth has never before had any 
serious opposition. It is expected that he will be re¬ 
nominated—the plan being to nominate a strong Repub¬ 
lican by petition, and he will probably be endorsed by 
the Democrats. This seems to be the most sensible way 
to do it, and with the present feeling in the district such 
a candidate will have a good chance. If the arguments 
against Mr. Wadsworth were personal or political very 
likely they would grow stale before election. As it is, 
they are of such a character that they will grow stronger 
the more they are analyzed. Farmers in the Thirty- 
fourth District have the greatest opportunity they have 
known for years to strike a direct blow for agriculture. 
Mr. Wadsworth seems to regard them as mice—let them 
show that they are men. 
BREVITIES. 
Who will be first to drive an automobile milk wagon? 
A total of 12,578,000 staves were required to hold the 
beer sold In barrels last year. 
Some people seem to regard It as a pleasant surgical 
operation to “eat their beads off.” 
Poor stuff—preachment without practice. This is cer¬ 
tainly a case where practicing of preachment makes perfect 
preaching. 
What do you think? After a man’s nose has been 
sharpened on the grindstone will it be more likely to get 
Into the business of others? 
On the next page will be found a statement of the de¬ 
sires of the Michigan Farm Products Association. This is 
a good subject for discussion by Michigan readers. 
Can anyone tell us of a case where eggs preserved In 
water-glass have been sold for just what they are in regu¬ 
lar market? If so, how much less than fresh eggs did 
they bring? 
A philosopher in the New York Sun puts it this way : 
“If all men were sharp there would be no sharpers. If all 
men could successfully launch a scheme there would be no 
schemers, and get-rich-quick swindlers would languish 
where a public as sophisticated as themselves was the only 
one to prey upon.” One great trouble is that it does not 
always make a man’s mind sharp by holding his nose to 
the grindstone. 
