February 2, 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE 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. 
P, K - FLKET ’ !• Associates. 
Mrs. e. T. kovlk, ( 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A TEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, 12.04, 
equal to 8s. (id., or 8Va marks, or 10 Mi 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 
bv 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 trilling differences between subscribers and honest, 
responsible advertisers. Neil her 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 nave 
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. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
409 Pearl Street, New York. 
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1907. 
TEN WEEKS FOR 10 CENTS. 
In order to introduce The R. N.-Y. t’o 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. 
These are anxious days for fruit growers. The mild 
weather has, without any question, started the peach 
buds. If we have later weather cold enough to fill the 
icehouses it would seem as if the peach crop were 
doomed. Most of our own trees are on northern and 
western slopes, and in sod or mulched, all of which 
seems to retard the buds somewhat. 
* 
When West Virginia was separated from the “Old 
Dominion” most people thought the new State would 
prove poor and backward. As a matter of fact, time 
has proved that few sections of the country of equal 
area are richer in natural resources and possibilities 
than West Virginia. The rough hills abound in coal 
and metal and gas, which mean good railroad service 
and towns with good spenders. While, miners are dig¬ 
ging the minerals under ground farmers may cultivate 
the surface successfully. On the rough ridges the de¬ 
velopment of orcharding is enormous, dhe output of 
apples and peaches will soon rival the coal production 
in value. Here are homes for thousands with limited 
capital who are driven from the city. A great State! 
* 
During the past two years 1 he R. N.-Y. has had 
much to say about the Spencer Seedless apple. Wild 
and foolish claims were made for this fruit by its pro¬ 
moters, and questionable methods were employed in 
trying to introduce and sell the trees. We called atten¬ 
tion to these things because we felt that planters were 
likely to be deceived and the legitimate nursery busi¬ 
ness injured by wild statements and unbusiness-like 
methods. As a result of this representatives of the 
Spencer Apple Company came to see us, bringing fair 
specimens of the apple, though small in size. Aftei 
sampling the fruit, and after a fair and good-natured 
discussion of its merits, the company has decided to 
abandon all claims for the apple except that it .is of 
handsome appearance, good quality, a long keeper and 
a novelty in the fact that it is practically without seeds. 
We think the company is wise in making this move, 
and in answering the great question which we have 
asked Mr. Spencer so often! We expect to print the 
statement in our annual horticultural issue. 
* 
People with two legs, one leg and no legs at all are 
invited to read the excellent article printed on the 
first page. Such a story will help anyone who carries 
a spark of hope in his heart. Last year we printed a 
fancy sketch of the way machinery might help two men 
each with one leg. We were trying to show how 
machinery enables a man to graft a horse s leg upon 
his own.' Mr. Tabor saw the article and realized that 
the truth of his experiences would be stronger than 
the fancy sketch. So he wrote the article. We do not 
know of a case where a misstatement of fact or a 
wrong impression appearing in 1 he R. N.-Y. has not 
been corrected from the observation or experience of 
some reader. It is known that we welcome such cor¬ 
rections. The thing about Mr. Tabor’s experience most 
interesting to us is the way he faced apparent mis¬ 
fortune and used it as a stepping stone for something 
better. He puts it well when he says that the loss of 
his leg forced him to work his brain harder. He is 
not the first man who has found that the proportion 
in value of head work to heel work is greater than 
16 to 1. We do not advise every man to have his leg 
cut off in order to learn how to think and plan, but we 
do urge all those who feel inclined to quit in the face 
of misfortune or affliction to read Mr. 1 abor’s article, 
and gain new faith and courage from it. 
* 
VINDICATION FOR A COMMITTEE. 
Last week we printed an article by Mr. E. W. Richter 
which appeared in The Jersey Bulletin. In the issue 
of the Bulletin for January 16 is another strong article 
by Mr. Richter, in which he calls upon the executive 
committee of the A. J. C. C. to vindicate itself by giv¬ 
ing “a detailed statement of the facts and circum¬ 
stances found and of the reasons on which its decision 
is based.” Mr. Richter puts the germ of the whole 
matter strongly in the following words: 
As stated in my last letter, public interest centers now, 
not so much upon the question of the fraud alleged to have 
been committed, but rather as to whether or not the Club 
made an earnest, persistent effort to discover it and, if found 
to exist, to punish its perpetrator as far as lay in its power 
to do so. 
That organization is a self-constituted tribunal, vested 
with, or assuming, legislative, judicial and executive powers. 
The proper exercise of its judicial prerogative requires, in 
its trials and deliberations, the same degree of thoroughness, 
fairness and impartiality as in a court—the same strenuous 
endeavor to further the ends of justice. 
That is the point exactly! Did the executive com¬ 
mittee make a fair effort to get at the facts? We 
claim that they did not. A farmer had good evidence 
to prove that a cow known as Dotshome Matilda 
Naiad 191403 is seven years old or more. On the 
books of the A. J. C. C. this animal stands registered 
as having been dropped August 31, 1903. Manifestly 
the cow bearing the number, if she be of the age given 
her by veterinarians and cattle men, could not be the 
one for which the A. J. C. C. has issued its certificate. 
Two other cows are also in question, but to avoid de¬ 
tail we call attention to No. 191403 as easiest to inves¬ 
tigate. Now it ought to be clear to anyone of average 
mind that here is a question touching the very life of 
the Cattle Club, and the value of its records. In the 
very nature of the case any such taint of suspicion 
should be wiped out by the Club and not by a court 
of law; for the A. J. C. C. ought to be able to clean 
its own records without the help of lawyers and courts. 
When the complaint was made to us we refused to 
consider the terms of sale or the dickering over pay¬ 
ment. We have not therefore discussed that side of 
the deal, and we refuse to be drawn into it and away 
from the point which is of vital importance to the 
public, and which we contend is the business of the 
Club to settle. Is that cow so old that she cannot be 
the one described under the number she carries? We 
confess that when we first approached the A. J. C. C. in 
the matter we expected that they would welcome such 
a chance to prove the puritv of their records. This 
assumption was increased by the letters received from 
the Secretary. He assured us repeatedly both by letter 
and in person that a most thorough and impartial in¬ 
vestigation would be made. He assured us and the 
buyer that the sworn statement, calling attention to the 
case was “proper” and that “ a committee will un¬ 
doubtedly be appointed to make a careful examination 
into the entire matter.” Bear in mind that all we have 
ever asked this committee to do is to send responsible 
and impartial men to examine those cows, and that is 
all we ask at this time. Months went by without a 
word from the committee. We interviewed the secre¬ 
tary, and were again assured that a full investigation 
would be made. Judge of our surprise when after all 
this delay and after all these definite promises we are 
informed in a roundabout way that the committee 
would do nothing! Now we still contend that it is 
clearly the business of the A. J. C. C. to clear up this 
snarl and establish, beyond doubt, the identity of these 
cows. The courts may properly settle the financial 
differences in this case, but this settlement of identity 
of the cow and the right to a registry number belongs 
to the A. J. C. C. alone. Let Jersey breeders reflect 
for a moment and see the possible consequences to 
their business from the possibilities of such a policy, 
and they will understand the real significance of this 
contest for a principle. Mr. Richter says he looks 
for a complete vindication of the Club. So do we (by 
a thorough investigation), but what answer can this 
executive committee give in explanation of broken 
promises and failure to investigate? The R. N.-Y. has 
hardly begun its contest yet. We have merely asked 
this executive committee to do its duty, and have 
made no particular effort to appeal to the public. We 
do not wish to injure the business or reputation of any 
honorable man, and for that reason have handled the 
subject in the way it has been presented. 
Each year sees more and more attention paid to thq 
economical use of chemical fertilizers. Many farmers 
have been prejudiced against them, not being walling to 
believe that the actual fertilizing element in these 
chemicals was the same as was found in stable ma¬ 
nure. The latter is always the standard for a farmer, 
and he must understand that the chemicals supply in 
a different form what the manure does before he will 
use them. It has been hard for some farmers to 
understand just how far nitrate of soda will go in 
feeding crops, and why its action is so much like liquid 
manure or thoroughly rotted dung. In his book on 
“Soils” Hillgard refers to a suggestion as to the origin 
of this nitrate. It is claimed that great herds of ani¬ 
mals, vicunas and llamas roamed over the. territory 
where the nitrate is found. These animals have the 
singular habit of dropping their manure in one and 
the same place. Each herd will have its definite place, 
and in this way large accumulations were formed. The 
theory is that the thorough nitrification of these de¬ 
posits of manure produced the material from which 
nitrate of soda is produced. The fact that this theory 
is considered probable will show a farmer how close 
the nitrate comes to his well-rotted manure in its sup¬ 
ply of nitrogen. Yet he must remember that the potash 
and phosphoric acid have been removed in the forma¬ 
tion of the nitrate, and should be supplied from other 
sources. 
* 
The New Jersey Horticultural Society passed the 
following resolution at its last meeting. All over the 
country fruit growers are demanding the same thing: 
In view of the great importance of the apple industry of 
the United States, we ask our Representatives and Senators 
of the State strongly to urge the continuance of the mini¬ 
mum duty as now imposed on green and dried apples by 
the German government. The minimum duty as now imposed 
is 50 cents per barrel, and it is proposed to increase it to 
$1.65 per barrel. On dried apples the proposed increase is 
about threefold. The above will become operative on June 
30, 1907, unless checked by our government. 
Here is a proposition which demands prompt and 
solid action on the part of fruit growers. This country 
has become involved in a “tariff war” with Germany. 
The chief reason for this is the high tariff on sugar. 
This hurts the Germans, because beet sugar making has 
become a national industry with them. The chief rea¬ 
son given for this sugar tariff is that it protects the 
“infant industry” of beet sugar making in this country. 
The Germans purpose to increase the tariff on a num¬ 
ber of American products, among others apples, which, 
, as we see, are to be taxed $1.65 a barrel instead of as 
now 50 cents. This higher tax would practically destroy 
our apple trade with Germany. That trade has now 
reached a large figure, and is growing. It should not 
be cut off, for with the great increase of orchard plant¬ 
ings we need every dollar of export trade we can gain 
or hold. Congress should be urged to make a fair trade 
with Germany, so as to hold the tariff where it is or 
decrease it. This is a question of great importance to 
fruit growers, and they should get hold of it at once. 
These resolutions are well enough in their way, but they 
will have little or no value unless they are backed up 
by personal letters. Get 1 after your Congressman at 
once! _ 
BREVITIES. 
A hard snowstorm is usually a good thing for us. It 
drives a good many farmers indoors, and they sit down and 
write us their experience. That is the sort of nitrogen 
the snow brings down. 
The California Experiment Station carries on a seed dis¬ 
tribution of its own—limited to new or rare seeds that seem 
promising and which require wide experimenting. Last year 
there were 799 applicants for these seeds. 
If you were 50, with no children and no desire to leave 
an orchard to others, what varieties of apples would you 
plant so as to get the most benefit from them? In other 
words, what varieties will come in hearing earliest? 
When you talk about scabby potatoes remember that 
scab is a disease—spreading by means of germs. These 
germs may be on the seed potatoes or in the soil. You may 
kill those on the seed by soaking in formaldehyde. Lime, 
ashes or manure will make the germs in the soil more active. 
Regarding butter coloring, this note comes from a Long 
Island correspondent: “It used to be a common practice be¬ 
fore chemical coloring was so much in vogue to scrape finely 
one or more carrots, pour boiling water on them, let them 
stand for about 12 hours and strain into the cream for 
the purpose of improving butter color.” Better feed car¬ 
rots to the cow! 
The report comes from the Canadian Northwest that the 
local government at Regina intends to acquire coal lands 
from the Dominion government for the purpose of operating 
mines on the public ownership principle. This is with the 
idea of limiting the possibility of fuel famine in Winter. 
No doubt recent experiences in the United States have 
brought this question before Canadian officials very strongly. 
Forest and Stream says that a man in the State of Wash¬ 
ington obtained a bounty of $7.50 on an animal scalp cut 
from a fur rug, and that it is believed this industry l;as been 
worked by a regular syndicate. Such bounties often result 
in some ingenious fraud, such as the case where bounty 
was paid on a bear’s snout in one State and scain in an¬ 
other, one defunct bruin being used to reap two bounties. 
