1906. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
79i 
PUBLISHERS DESK. 
It seems the farmers’ cooperative 
schemes have not been all worked out yet. 
It will be remembered that we reported 
some time ago the failure of the National 
Supply Company, Lansing, Michigan, with 
500 creditors aggregating $85,000 indebted¬ 
ness. Stock of the company had been 
sold farmers at $10 a share, with the as¬ 
surance that they could buy goods at in¬ 
side prices, and that they would also re¬ 
ceive a dividend on the stock, which was 
to double in value. This followed closely 
after the failure of the Cash Buyers’ 
Union of Chicago, which was organized 
also on the cooperative plan, and stock 
sold in the same way with the same assur¬ 
ance of advantage and profit to the far¬ 
mer. In this case the farmers of the 
Northwest put up a million dollars all 
told for stock in the company, every cent 
of which they will probably lose. 
The latest is an Ohio corporation, which 
has been incorporated for $500,000, with 
reported and alleged assets of about $75,- 
000. They are reported to have a little 
real estate which is mortgaged, and some 
manufacturing plants which are reported 
to have been purchased in exchange for 
stock in the company. The company is 
reported to have no president, and refuses 
a detailed financial statement for commer¬ 
cial purposes. Their agents are selling the 
stock at $25 a share, making, as is re¬ 
ported to us, much the same claims for 
benefits and profits formerly made by the 
other concern referred to. From these 
estimates farmers can see just about what 
they are buying. A company showing 
assets of about $75,000 is incorporated for 
$500,000. That is, for every $25 a farmer 
pays for stock he has at best an asset be¬ 
hind it of $3.75. What does the farmer 
get for his other $21.25? Some of our 
subscribers in the Middle West are ask¬ 
ing our opinion of an investment of this 
kind. We have never known anything 
but failure and disappointment to the 
farmers who become stockholders in co¬ 
operative concerns. We certainly would 
not advise the purchase of stock at par in 
any concern which is stocked for six to 
seven times its nominal value. 
Some time ago we called attention to a 
class of publishers of cheap papers which 
work up fake schemes to interest farmers 
in papers whose usefulness in themselves 
would not command or merit attention. 
We referred to one notorious case in 
which farmers were induced to subscribe 
to the paper under the pretense that the 
subscriber at the same time became a 
member of a society which would control 
and increase the price of farm products. 
Inspired evidently by the apparent number 
of farmers who became hoodwinked by 
the allurements of the scheme, another 
publisher of the Fast has now taken up a 
modified edition of the same thing. If 
the little remittance farmers made these 
fake papers was the whole of it there 
would not be so much loss to their vic¬ 
tims, but the schemes usually involve loss 
of time and money to the farmers in the 
carrying on of the scheme. In some 
cases this gets to be quite serious. That 
the schemes are sure to fail, and prove a 
loss to those who take it up, matters not 
a pin to the selfish schemer. It serves his 
purpose for the time being, and by the 
time it has failed he has another sensa¬ 
tion to spring. These are the papers that 
advertise and boom—for a price—the 
Seedless apple and Vineless potato. 
“Money in the Dirt” is the heading of 
a new advertisement of W. M. Ostrander 
in some of the farm papers. It at once 
suggests the “Dirt in the Money” that 
the publisher gets for such advertising. 
We would like to know what apology a 
publisher would give his subscriber for 
carrying advertisements like this and the 
Seedless apple in his paper. The well- 
informed farmer will, of course, escape a 
bad investment, but how about those not 
so well advised? 
Referring to inquiries we repeat that 
F. H. Keeler & Co., commission mer¬ 
chants,- 104 Murray street, New York, 
have a commercial rating all right, but we 
find them so organized that a shipper who 
has a grievance against them cannot get 
service against them of papers to call them 
into court. The business is apparently 
run by an employee, and the officers of the 
company could not be found when it was 
attempted to serve papers against them. 
For this reason, coupled with the fact 
that many complaints have been entered 
by shippers, we would not carry their 
advertisements. 
Fumigating Nursery Stock.—I have but 
very little faith in fumigation, and i know 
of instances where it has injured the trees. 
We prefer most decidedly to dip the trees 
just before planting in the mixture of salt, 
lime and sulphur, the same as the spray 
mixture, then take the trees by the roots and 
dip the tops. Then every fruit grower will 
plant his trees with a greater degree of cer¬ 
tainty and faith, and have more confidence 
that his trees are free from insects and 
diseases for a short time at least. 
Maryland. oruando harrison. 
A Japanese Luncheon. —A writer in Texas 
Farm and Ranch gives an interesting account 
of a visit to a rice farm which Japanese are 
operating in Texas. The following descrip¬ 
tion of the luncheon is given : 
“I was* invited to Mr. Takayama’s quarters, 
where he gave me a Japanese lunch, all the 
food being imported from Japan. We were 
served first with pickled bamboo stalks. This 
was a sweet pickle, and had it been spiced 
as our home housekeepers .put it up. would 
have excelled our cucumlters. Next was 
brought in a small can about two inches in 
diameter in which was one dozen cooked 
robins, which when taken from the can were 
round. These were canned with the heads 
on and were quite salt. Then a relish made 
of eggplant, turnips and parsnips was served, 
which had a very fine flavor and was quite 
a relish. Of course, it goes without saying 
that excellent tea was served all the time, 
our cups being kept full, but there was no 
cream or sugar with it. At that time my 
host's waiter brought in several small sticks 
about one foot long, slightly curved. I was 
asked what I thought they were and I re¬ 
plied whet-stones for a scythe. My host 
laughed, picked up a small knife lying at his 
side and commenced to shave it in a saucer. 
These shavings resembled the present-day 
breakfast foods and tasted very much like 
them. I was informed that it was dried 
fish. I was told that they use this in their 
soups and that cooking brought out a most 
pleasant flavor.” 
BABY’S TORTURING HUMOR. ' 
Ears Looked /as If They Would Drop Off— 
Eaee Mass of Sores—Cured by Cuticura 
in Two Weeks For 7.c. 
“I feel it my duty to parents of other 
poor suffering babies to tell you what 
Cuticura has done for my little daughter. 
She broke out all over her body with a 
humor, and we used everything recom¬ 
mended, but without results. I called in 
three doctors. They all claimed they 
could help her, but she continued to grow 
worse. Her body was a mass of sores, 
and her little face was being eaten away; 
her ears looked as if they would drop off. 
Neighbors advised me to get Cuticura 
Soap and Ointment, and before I had used 
half of the cake of Soap and box of 
Ointment the sores had all healed, and my 
little one’s face and body were as clear 
as a new-born babe’s. I would not be 
without it again if it cost five dollars, in¬ 
stead of seventy-five cents. Mrs. George 
J. Steese, 70t Coburn St., Akron, Ohio.” 
When you buy 
WET 
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you want 
complete 
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and long 
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These and many 
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TOWER'S 
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You cant afford 
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'/ftHBJUd'O 
A J TOWER CO BOSTON v5 A 
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■ ■ n * THE HENDRICKS 
Press will Earn its Cost in One 
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will bring you our 
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Free Catalog. 
D. B. Hendricks & Co. 
Cornell St. 
KINGSTON, N. Y. 
MAN OR 
WOMAN 
wanted to travel, distribute 
samples and employ agents. $18 
a week, expenses advanced. Lo¬ 
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/JEG1.KK CO., 370 Locust St., Philadelphia. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
I t. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.” See guarantee, page 14. 
WHAT DO YOU SAY? 
Several hundred thousand farmers say that 
the best investmentthey ever made was 
when they bought an 
Electric 
Low wheels, wide tires; easy work, light draft. 
We’11 sell you a set of the best steel wheels 
made for your old wagon. Spoke united with 
hub. guaranteed not to break nor work loose* 
Send for our catalogue and save money# 
ELECTRIC WHEEL CO.. Box 88. Quincy,III# 
THEY LAST FOREVER 
STANDARD 
STEEL FENCE POSTS. 
Are to be Driven 
ONE-THIRD CHEAPER 
THAN WOOD POSTS. 
Can be uped with plain, barb or 
woven wire fencing. Posts made 
for all requirements. Over 75,000 
sold. Twenty miles of fencing 
erected on one estate. Write for 
circulars,price list and reference to 
J. H. DOWNS. 
335 Broadway, N. Y. 
Factory near Pittsburg. 
FENCE 
Made of High Carbon coiled wire. 'Wo 
have no agents. Sell direct to user at 
factory prices on 30 days free trial. 
We pay all freight. Catalog shows 37 
styles and heights of farm and poultry 
fence. It’s free. Buy direct. W rite today 
COILED SPRINC FENCE CO. * 
Box 263. WINCHESTER, INDIANA 
r I BE A RAILROAD MAN I 
I Our “Course by Mail” will fit you in a short time 
I for either Railway Fireman or Brakeman so you 
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LThe Wenthe Ry. Corr. School, Box 632, Freeport. Ill, 
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druggist, or by mail. Samples Fr66 for stamp. 
DR. R. SCHIFFMANN, St. Paul, Minn. 
Get Well 
Acquainted 
With The Mutual 
Q It has been in existence sixty-three years. Public confidence and patronage have 
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The Mutual Life 
Insurance Company 
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•1 The new management of the Mutual Life has been in control for nine months. Its report for the first 
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C[ If you would like to know for yourself the latest phases of Life 
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policy, consult our nearest agent or write direct to 
The Mutual 
Life Insurance Company, 
New York, N. Y. 
