1906. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
863 
PUBLISHERS DESK. 
We are sorry to be obliged to fill this 
department from week to week with crit¬ 
icisms of houses and concerns who look 
for farm trade, but so long as good rea¬ 
sons for criticism continue we know of 
no better use for the space. The time 
was when a farmer had little or no re¬ 
dress when a man at a distance, be he 
commission merchant or dealer, got his 
goods, and made little or no return for 
them. He was equally helpless when he 
confidently sent his money for goods, 
and had in return something entirely dif¬ 
ferent from what he bargained for, or as 
often happened, absolutely no return of 
any kind at all—not even the satisfaction 
of a reply to letters of inquiry or protest. 
The amount involved was often small, and 
the parties being residents of different 
States litigation would be slow and expen¬ 
sive. This the rogues knew, and they con¬ 
tinued their small pilferings indefinitely 
and with impunity. Even perfectly re¬ 
sponsible houses which do a straight and 
legitimate business were often inclined to 
take advantage of the situation, and. not 
bother very much about the adjustment of 
a just complaint. 
Some of these people do not seem fully 
to realize yet that conditions have changed, 
and that the farmer has a means of reach¬ 
ing them through The R. N.-Y. When 
complaint is entered they are at first in¬ 
dignant, then abusive and often defiant. 
They cannot understand what business it 
is of The R. N.-Y. to interfere between 
them and their customers. They say so. 
Sometimes they threaten with lawsuits 
and other dire calamities, but if they are 
responsible, and wish to remain in busi¬ 
ness, the firm position of The R. N.-Y. 
convinces them that they would better set¬ 
tle. There are, however, a great many 
cases of hardened rogues that we cannot 
persuade to make good, and the only 
thing left to do is to show them up and 
save other farmers from loss through 
them. This is not an agreeable task. We 
would prefer to do other work, but so 
long as the abuses continue just so long 
we shall continue our efforts to correct 
them. If all the other farm papers would 
join us in this work the fakers and rogues 
could be driven out of business in short 
order, but some of them are heavy adver¬ 
tisers and they have no trouble to find 
space and even endorsement in the col¬ 
umns of many farm papers, especially in 
the cheaper grades. Even the better class, 
fearful to do anything to injure their ad¬ 
vertising patronage, surreptitiously avoid 
any unfavorable criticism of the rogues 
they have discovered. But you can help 
materially in this work by posting your 
neighbors. Make lists of the concerns to 
leave alone yourself, and give copies of 
them to neighbors and friends. 
As a rule, however, the advertisers in 
the farm press are as anxious to conduct 
an honorable trade as we can be to have 
them do so. Many of these are now 
dealing direct with consumers of their 
goods. Their success depends on their 
reputations. At times there may be errors 
to correct, and there may be honest mis¬ 
understandings on both sides, just as 
there are between people who deal hand 
to hand. In fact, in the latter case where 
verbal contracts arc made there are greater 
opportunities for differences than with 
distant houses where everything is nec¬ 
essarily in writing. Copies of letters 
should always be kept, and if correspond¬ 
ence and requests for corrections be made 
pleasantly and politely satisfactory results 
usually follow. Many manufacturers of 
farm implements and supplies are doing 
away with the agent system and deal di¬ 
rect with the farmer. The result is gen¬ 
erally a saving to the consumer, and the 
house that goes into it can succeed only 
by the strictest integrity. The faker is a 
bigger menace to them, if possible, tljan 
to the farmer. 
This is a synopsis of a letter just re¬ 
ceived from a Pennsylvania farmer: 
Last Spring I bought a bill of trees from 
Sheerin’s nurseries. Two different lots of 
trees bore two labels, a new label marked 
with the variety I ordered and an old label 
bearing a different name. The old one I pre¬ 
sume was overlooked. I wrote them at once 
inclosing the label, but received no reply for 
a couple of months and their answer then was 
evasive. What is their reputation? I see 
you do not carry their advertising, i. c. 
Pennsylvania. 
No, we do not advertise them. We 
gave our reasons for refusing their ad¬ 
vertising some time ago. Such complaints 
as the above have been numerous. Such 
evidence shows that the trees shipped are 
not true to name specified in the order. 
The farmer discovered .this through the 
carelessness of the packer in not remov¬ 
ing the old label, as he was no doubt ex¬ 
pected, if not actually instructed to do. 
Otherwise the grower would have to wait 
until the trees were in bearing before he 
could discover the deception. We are 
sorry that this subscriber overlooked the 
experience of other growers. It pays to 
buy nursery stock from reliable houses. 
Last Summer we inserted a small live 
stock advertisement for W. R. Selleck, 
Huntington, L. I., N. Y. We soon 
received a letter from a subscriber in 
Pennsylvania, who advised us that before 
we inserted the advertisement he had an 
order for pigs from Mr. Selleck with 
check for $10. The check was returned 
from the bank marked “no funds.” He 
had written Selleck and got no reply. We 
called Mr. Selleck’s attention to the com¬ 
plaint and he apologized and told us he 
had sent another check, which he did not 
do. A Delaware subscriber also reports 
that he bought pigs from Selleck, but 
could get no registry papers. He prom¬ 
ised us to send them, which he also failed 
to do. Selleck exhibits cattle in New 
York, and talks and writes in a way to 
inspire confidence, but the payment of that 
check and the sending of that pedigree 
would greatly enforce his suave words and 
smooth sentences. The advertisement 
was, of course, promptly dropped. Why 
should a man of this stamp be allowed to 
register stock in any breeders’ club? The 
accuracy of these records depends admit¬ 
tedly on the honor and truthfulness of 
the breeder, and the man who fails to 
make good protested checks and neglects 
to send registry papers after he has the 
money for the stock is not overburdened 
with honor or truthfulness. We propose 
to enter a protest with the Poland China 
Club and the Holstein-Friesian Cattle 
Club against Mr. Selleck. If a man will 
discredit his own check and violate his 
agreement would you take his word for it 
that he did not register a grade for a 
pure blood? Perhaps, after all, publicity 
is the best remedy for this class of breed¬ 
ers, and we propose to prescribe this form 
of pill. 
On Friday of last week we received the 
following letter: 
On September 22 I shipned to F. IT. Keeler 
& Co., commission merchants, 104 Warren 
Street, New York, 10 barrels of apples and 
have received a letter acknowledging sale of 
same but have not received pay. Will you 
please advise me as to my chances of collect¬ 
ing? I have written several times, but do 
not get any reply. A friend of mine told me 
that >ou helped him out of trouble with these 
peonle once, and advised me to write to you. 
New York. c. ward. 
We called on the manager of the com¬ 
mission house Friday morning and in¬ 
quired about this shipment. We got a 
promise that they would look it up and 
advise us. Not hearing from them we 
called on them again in the afternoon and 
were told that the account of sales had 
been sent to Mr. Ward during the day. 
We have not heard from him, but we as¬ 
sume he got it. As we have before said, 
this house has a satisfactory rating, but it 
is so organized that a farmer who wished 
to sue them for an account could not get 
papers legally served on them, the mana¬ 
ger being simply an employee, the firm’s 
attorney refusing to accept the papers and 
the members of the firm remaining out of 
sight. The many complaints charge them 
with refusing to answer letters, and with 
small returns. These are things for ship¬ 
pers to remember for the benefit of them¬ 
selves and their neighbors. Mr. Ward is 
not a subscriber to The R. N.-Y., but we 
are glad to be of service to him never¬ 
theless—all honest farmers are our 
neighbors. 
Next week is our special Thanksgiving 
number. It will be one of the most at¬ 
tractive numbers we have ever issued. Get 
your neighbor to send 10 cents for a 10 
weeks trial subscription and he will get 
this number. 
We are filling our vacant positions fast, 
but yet have room for a few bright active 
men to represent The R. N.-Y. in special 
territoty. If you would like the work 
make application at once. 
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ST. 
JACOBS 
OIL 
The Proved Remedy 
For Over 50 Years. 
Price 25c and 50c 
Cutaway Tools for Large Hay Crops. 
Jl CLARK’S REVERSIBLE 
BUSH AND B0Q PLOW 
Cuts a track 5 ft. wide, 1 ft. 
deep. Will plow a new cut 
rorest. His double action 
Cutaway Harrow keeps land 
true, moves 1.S00 tons of 
earth, cuts 30 acres per day. 
DOUBLE ACTI ON JOINTED POL E CUTA 
NO for 3E 
A- I IOC rr)D CIRCULARSTOlHEtil 
S CUTAWAY g 
< PL0W k» HARROW CO.q 
HIGGANUM CONN- 
U. s. A. 
STEEL 
WHEELS 
with wide tires double the use- 
fulness of the farm wagon. 
We furnish them any size to 
fit any axle. Cheaper than re¬ 
pairing old wheels. Catalogue/rre. 
EMPIRE MFG. CO.. Box70a. Quincy, Ill. 
ELY’S 
Dandy Hay Knife 
will do the work of an extra man, 
thereby saving more than its cost 
in one day. Can be used for cutting 
sod from ditches. Made of malle¬ 
able iron and steel, with oil-tem¬ 
pered steel knives. Combination 
hand and foot power makes it easy 
to work. Insist on having Ely's 
because it has many important 
advantages over other kinds. 
If your dealer doe«u’t keep them, write 
us and we’ll aee that you get one. Write 
to-day for free catalogue. 
THE0. J. ELY MFG. CO., Girard, Pa. 
For All Kinds 
of Roofs 
High or low roofs, factory or farm, 
flat or steep, in any climate the 
Lincoln Flint Coated Roofing is 
BETTER than iron, tin, slate, 
paper, tar or gravel. 
requires no paint until after years 
of use; is flint coated, has no tar 
and is absolutely waterproof and fire¬ 
proof. Send today for FREE sample, 
catalog, and special prices. 
Lincoln Waterproof Cloth Co. 
702 Church St., Bound Brook.N.J. 
INDRUROI 
ROOFIN 
Kequires no Coatincr or 
Paint. 
Acid and Alkali Proof. 
Elastic and Pliable 
Always. 
Strong and Tough. 
Absolutely Waterproof. 
Climatic Changes Do Not 
Affect It. 
Practically Fire Proof. 
Can Be Used on Steep or 
Flat Surfaces. 
Any Workman Can Put 
It On. 
No Odor. 
Will not Shrink or Orack 
Light in Weight. 
Does not Taint Water. 
Write for samples, prices and 
circulars. 
H. F. WATSON CO. 
ERIE, PA. 
I Chicago, Boston. 
Tlention R.N.-Y. 
WARREN’S 
IWALRUS 
‘roofing 
Tough and tight as a walrus 
hide, and just as pliable and 
lasting. Summer sun. winter 
| ice, wen’t affect it. It can’t rust and won’t 
i crack. Anybody can lay it. Send for sample. 
^jVarrer^Chemlczl^jl^^oH^attei^l^ewYor^ 
Cherry Fee l & Li . ttep 
*■- Carriers 
It is easy to make 
claims, and by adroit 
advertising, to get 
people to buy, but 
articles sold this way 
are often found in 
the scrajt pile. The 
Cherry is not this 
kind. It is the Pio- 
neer in its line, and 
is built lor service. Thousands are In continual 
use, and as time and labor savers, they stand un¬ 
equalled. They pay lor themselves every year. You 
cun not afford to do without one. Let us mail \ ju 
catalog telling you all about It. Also, about the care 
of manure, diagrams of installments, etc. 
CHERRY MFC. CO., 30 Briggs St., Fairfield, Iowa. 
A Never Failing Water Supply, 
with absolute safety, at small cost may be had by using the 
Improved Rider Hot Air Pumping Engine and 
Improved Ericsson Hot Air Pumping Engine. 
Built by us for more than 30 years and sold in every country in the world. Exclu¬ 
sively intended for pumping water. May be run by any ignorant boy or woman. 
So well built that their durability is yet to be determined, engines which were sold 
30 years ago being still in active service. 
Send stamp for "C4” Catalogue to nearest office. 
RIDER-ERICSSON ENGINE CO., 
35 Warren St., New York. 239 Frsnklln St,, Boston. 
40 Dearborn St., Chicago. 234 Craig St., West, Montreal, P. Q. ' 
40 North 7th St., Philadelphia. 22 Pitt St-, Sydney, N. S. W. 
Amirgura 96, Havana, Cuba. 
ROOFING 
PER 100 
SQUARE FEET 
Most economical and durable roof covering known. Easy to put on; requires no 
tools but a hatchet or a hammer. With ordinary care will outlast any other kind 
Thousands of satisfied customers everywhere have proven its virtues. Suitable for 
covering any building. Also best for ceiling and siding Fire-proof and water-proof. 
Cheaper and more lasting than shingles. Will not taint rain-water. Makes your building 
cooler In summer and warmer in winter. Absolutely perfect, brand new, painted red two 
sides. $1.50 Is our price for our No. 15 grado of Flat Semi-Hardened steel roofing and 
siding, each sheet 24 inches wide and 24 Inches long. Our price on tho corrugated, like 
Illustration; sheets 22 Inches wide x?4 Inches long $1.60- At25 cents per square additional 
wo will furnish sheets 6 and 8 feet long. Steel pressed brick siding, per square $2.00. 
Fine Steel Beaded Celling, per square $2.00. Can also furnish standing seam or “V” 
Hoofing. REIGHT TO ALL POINTS EAST OF COLORADO 
except Oklahoma, Texas and Indian Territory. Quotations to other points on application. 
Satisfaction guaranteed or money refunded. We will send this roofing to any 
one answering this advertisement 0. O. D., with privilege of examination if you will send 
us 25 per cent of the amount of your order In cash; balance to be paid after material reaches your Station. If 
not found as represented, you do not have to take the shipment and we will cheerfully refund your deposit. 
Ask for Catalog No. W-67. Lowest prices on Roofing, Eve Trough, Wire, Pipe, Fencing, Plumbings Doors, 
Household Goods and everything needed on the Farm or In the Home. We buy our goods at sheriff’s and re¬ 
ceiver’s sales. jCmCAGOHOUSEWRECKINGCOj^^aiyiHj^ROj^^EETS^^^^mCACg 
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