THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
March 16, 
242 
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. Coi.lingwood, Editor. 
Dr. Walter Van Fleet, (. Associates 
Mrs. E. T. Boyle, ( Associates. 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
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TIIE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
409 Pearl Street, New York. 
SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 1907. 
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 few more remarks about those “appleless apple 
pies”! We learn that the original question came from a 
man. Very likely he was trying to get the better of his 
wife in an argument, or to attempt to stump the house¬ 
keepers who write for The R. N.-Y. He couldn’t do 
the latter. It can at least be said of Eve that she used 
a genuine apple. Adam and his male descendants have 
ever been more inclined to use the substitute! 
* 
What about grinding Alfalfa hay into meal? We 
conclude from information which comes from readers 
that the process is not practical on a small scale. Pow¬ 
erful mills are required, and the hay should be chopped 
and kiln-dried for best results. In a neighborhood where 
considerable Alfalfa is grown a large mill at some cen¬ 
tral place ought to do a good business, but the plan of 
farm grinding as we would corn or oats does not look 
promising. 
* 
Geo. A. Fulier, master of the New York State 
Grange, died suddenly on February 28. His loss will 
be mourned by thousands of Patrons and others who 
knew him as true friend, loyal Patron and far-sighted 
and public-spirited citizen. A quiet, unassuming man, 
Mr. Fuller won the confidence not only of members of 
the Grange, but all those who hope for the future of 
agriculture. Such men are missed, because what they 
stand for can only be gained through long years of 
patient and honorable service. 
* 
Does the pure food law undertake to determine the 
size of the package? We are asked by fruit growers if 
the law can compel them to use a certain definite 
amount or weight in making up their packages. Dr. H. 
W. Wiley answers the question as follows: 
The Food and Drugs Act does not regulate the capacity 
of boxes in which berries are packed. If, however, a state¬ 
ment should be made upon the crate or box of either the 
weight or the contents of the same, the boxes would then 
have to contain that weight or measure. h. w. wii.ey. 
Thus the pure food law seeks to compel those who 
sell food to live up to their guarantee, both as to quality 
and quantity. 
Prof. W. A. Henry has resigned his position as head 
of the Wisconsin Agricultural College. Ill health com¬ 
pels him to retire from a place in which he has helped 
make the most useful sort of history. The country owes 
a large debt of gratitude to men like Prof. Henry for 
the pioneer work they have done in the cause of agricul¬ 
tural education. Starting without even a good founda¬ 
tion in Wisconsin Prof. Henry has built up a firm, solid 
structure which has had much to do with the great 
development of that State. Not only has the work of 
the Agricultural College broadened and bettered the 
business side of farming, but it has made the farm 
home brighter and more hopeful and thus helped for 
good citizenship. It might be possible to catalogue the 
public services of Prof. Henry, and yet that would give 
but a small part of the service he has rendered to society. 
Thousands will testify to the acts of kindly personal 
sense and help which have built character, and given 
inspiration. When a strong man like Prof. Henry puts 
down the weapons which those in the front of the battle 
use and steps back to aid with council and experience 
we are glad to do him honor. 
* 
The call for “appleless apple pies” brought forth many 
recipes and some trouble. In our vigorous search for 
knowledge we are helped by the following question from 
Indiana: 
Have you or any of your readers ever noticed that when 
the roosters crow in the early part of the night, say from 
8 to 10 o'clock, it foretells rain or snow? I have been notic¬ 
ing this for some years, and have concluded that the roosters 
are quite weatherwise. I would like to hear from any who 
have observed. f. w. 
Indiana. 
We have always looked upon the surplus roosters as 
profit-less birds. If they are weather prophets we want 
to do them full justice. Who knows? 
* 
We have all probably noticed how prone people are 
to turn on the “under dog.” These folks put a thick 
cushion on the fence and sit there until they see which 
way the cat will jump. There, they assume, lies the 
milk in the cocoanut, and they get down and go after it 
with much show of bravery. The following comment 
by a farmer is appropriate: 
They remind me of a dog I used to own. I had two dogs 
at that time, one a bloodhound that was afraid of nothing 
and tlie other a fine collie. One day a strange dog came on 
the lawn, and the collie ran for his life, but the bloodhound 
collared the stranger and was shaking the life out of him 
when the collie butted in, got hold of his tail and looked 
oh, so vicious! 
It is a good thing to be able to place these fence 
warmers where they belong. 
* 
On page 114 we suggested that the experiment sta¬ 
tions ought to try to find what action, if any, stable 
manure has upon raw phosphates. 'I his is important, 
because the greatest cost of our phosphoric acid is due 
to the “cutting” or dissolving the phosphate rock with 
sulphuric acid. If by means of the chemical processes 
which go on in the manure pile we can fit the raw phos¬ 
phates for plant food we are that much ahead. Five 
years ago the Ohio Experiment Station showed that 
where the raw phosphates were used with manure there 
was a decided increase in the crop. While this increase 
was not equal to that obtained when acid phosphate was 
used with the manure, it was evident that the phosphate 
was affected to some extent. We are now told of a 
number of cases where the raw phosphates are dusted 
over the stables and in the gutters and then mixed with 
the manure. There is good evidence to show that it 
pays to mix these phosphates with the manure. Now 
will some station find out for us what is done to the 
phosphates to make them more available in the pile? 
* 
No one will be likely to deny that the evaporated 
fruit men in New York State have just reasons for 
forming an organization of their own. 1 o those who 
say that there are now organizations enough the answer 
is easy. This is an age of special things—not only in 
business, but in public life. Nc one can influence a leg¬ 
islature or Congress unless he can come with some sharp 
and well defined point, and then obtain strong pressure 
to drive it home. When men pass some general and 
indefinite resolution in a perfunctory way all they have 
the right to expect in return is a good sample of what 
is called a “jolly.” In order to obtain justice it is nec¬ 
essary to sharpen the demand down to the essential 
thing and then hit it hard. The evaporated fruit grow¬ 
ers are sharpening the point, and they have a right to 
expect all fruit growers in the State to help hammer. 
This evaporator question ought to be of particular in¬ 
terest to fruit growers in the Hudson Valley. We urge 
every fruit grower to write E. W. Catchpole, North 
Rose, N. Y„ president of the new association. 
* 
The articles by Prof. East' on corn growing are 
timely. We shall learn more about selecting seed and 
growing the crop in later issues. This subject is of 
very great importance to New England, for the mighty 
drain upon that country to pay the grain bill is more 
than most people imagine. - We have made an effort to 
obtain figures showing the grain bill in various Connec¬ 
ticut towns. Those reports represent estimates from 
farmers, dairymen and grain dealers, and are, we be¬ 
lieve, reasonably accurate—if anything under the mark. 
In the town of Stafford the estimate is $130,000 worth 
of grain sold each year. In Norwich $400,000, Rock¬ 
ville $125,000, Putnam $200,000, Simsbury $85,000, and 
so on. For the entire State of Connecticut we feel 
sure that the bill for grain brought from other States 
will amount to more than $10,000,000 in cash. And this 
drain threatens to grow larger and larger as poultry keep¬ 
ing develops. Great quantities of corn are planted in 
Connecticut, but the entire plant has great value for 
silage, and thus the larger growing kinds are being 
planted, the stalk being most in demand. This is one 
reason why the flint varieties are going out of use. 
Unless something is done to prevent it some of these 
# 
long-selected flints will be lost. That would be a gen¬ 
uine calamity for New England, for some of these va¬ 
rieties have been trained to grow under conditions and 
in a short period which make them the most desirable 
of all grain for that section. They should by all means • 
be saved for posterity. This work is even more impor¬ 
tant for New England than the corn judging and breed¬ 
ing of dent corn now being done in the West is for 
that section. 
* 
Prof. Fletcher gives on page 226 some historical facts 
regarding the Seedless apple. Probably the best indica¬ 
tion of its true value is the fact that Colorado growers 
will not plant it. Fruit growers everywhere have been 
watching the development of this business with great 
interest. Here is a letter just received from one of the 
best authorities in the West: 
There is nothing more to do now other than to sow some 
grass seed and put up a graveyard stone in memory of the 
Seedless. We doubt if they have sold sufficient trees to 
pay first cost of seedlings, to say nothing of hot-air ex¬ 
pense. You did it with your little hatchet. People have an 
idea that anything would sell if advertised. It may have 
been so 30 years ago, in the days of the Utah Hybrid 
cherry, a miserable little plum with about as much value as 
the Seedless. But to-day fruits at least must have merit 
and value, and if there is place for another variety should 
be better than any other variety of the same season. 
The gcntleihen who came to see us and who have 
abandoned the wild claims made by the old company 
evidently regretted that these claims were ever put in 
print. Unfortunately for them the apple has been tied 
to those statements, and we understand that agents still 
repeat them. So long as they do it is our duty to warn 
the public. The failure of the wild-cat part of this 
enterprise is an excellent thing for both growers and 
nurserymen. There have been fewer horticultural fakes 
than ever this season. 
* 
Some of the ablest men in the country find it neces¬ 
sary to live in Florida at least a good part of the year. 
The mild climate gives them a renewed lease of life, 
and they take pleasure in outdoor life. As truckers 
and fruit growers these men have been remarkably 
successful. They locate below the frost line, or where 
they can protect their crops, work the soil carefully and 
make a special study of fertilizing. In this intelligent 
use of chemicals they are teaching us all striking lessons. 
We have heard people complain because high-grade fer¬ 
tilizers cost more than low grade, even while they recog¬ 
nize the fact that chicken manure is worth more than 
ordinary stable dung. These men are not satisfied with 
the best ordinary goods, but demand the highest grade 
mixtures with 10 or 12 per cent ammonia, nine of 
phosphoric acid and 15 of potash. They are willing to 
pay in some cases $60 to $65 per ton for such goods, 
made of the choicest grades, and know that by so doing 
they get greater value than when they buy some $20 
“phosphate.” The higher the guarantee the surer they 
are of getting the most valuable forms of plant food at 
least cost. The cost of handling and freight is much 
less, and every pound of plant food is available at once. 
These men have worked out the fertilizer problem just 
as in former years they developed success in other lines 
of business. It is a waste of money to handle and pay 
for useless “filler” and inferior forms of plant food in 
a low-grade fertilizer. Success and safety lie in using 
high-grade goods. 
BREVITIES . 
Now we have a man who tells of a “minceless mince pie.” 
This government didn't feel like trying local option with 
the slavery question ! 
March 1 has been selected as “Orange Day,” on which 
date everyone is expected to eat at least one orange and as 
many more as possible. 
There must be a dozen carloads of oats wasted each day 
in New York out of the nosebags of horses. Who has a feed¬ 
ing bag that will not spill? 
“I am much pleased with your staying qualities when you 
get started in a good cause,” writes a New Y T ork reader. 
What better companion can one have than “a good cause”? 
Everybody who has handled leached ashes knows that 
the potash is washed out by the water which soaks through. 
Potash is washed out of manure in much the same way! 
Growers of seedling Iris must lie gifted with patience, 
for the late Sir Michael Foster reports raising plants from 
seed that had been lying in the pots five, 10, 13, 15 and 18 
years respectively. 
It is reported in the newspapers that pocket gophers are 
invading Kansas Alfalfa fields, and causing great damage. 
If any such invasion occurs it will lie nothing short of a 
catastrophe for any State where it happens. 
It was reported by the the trade that all storage eggs 
in stock were sold by the end of February, so that the con¬ 
sumer was reasonably sure of getting fresh stock. This 
ought to encourage the industrious hen to make a fresh 
start. 
The Michigan Experiment Station mentions green or 
black root-lice, which attack strawberry plants. In early 
Spring they appear on the leaf stems and foliage, and are 
carried down to the roots by ants. “Clean plants on clean 
land” seems to be the only safe advice. Soil on which corn 
and melons have been grown is most likely to be filled with 
lice. The plants may be cleaned by dipping in tobacco water 
before they are set. 
