56o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
July 20, 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established, i860. 
Entered at New York as Second Class Matter. 
p t_ 
Herbert W. Collinowooh, Editor. 
Dr. Walter Van Fleet, I * 
Mrs. K. T. Uoyle, j-Associates. 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, 
equal to 8s. 6d., or 8 Yj marks, or 10 y a 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 
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 the 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 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, JULY 20, 1907. 
TEN WEEKS FOR 10 CENTS. 
In order to introduce The R. N.-Y. to progressive 
intelligent fanners 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. 
* 
While it is early yet to form any decided opinion 
about the coming apple crop, the indications are that it 
will as a whole be small. In some parts of the West 
failure is reported. New England prospects seem to be 
fair at present, while it is hard to obtain a fair average 
of conditions in New York. We look for a shortage 
of fruit. 
* 
In one of the rose-growing districts adjacent to New 
York the florists have to pay $150 an acre for surface 
soil—merely a shallow layer to use in the greenhouses. 
A few years ago they paid $00 an acre for the same, 
but increasing demand, combined with a real-estate 
boom, has caused the rise in prices. In some cases it is 
necessary for a florist to buy a farm to supply himself 
with soil. Modern floriculture has made us acquainted 
with many wonders, but we have not yet developed the 
possibility of growing roses without soil. We have, 
however, learned how to remove the surface soil and 
then by means of chemicals and green manures to make 
a new layer on top of the earth. 
* 
The Apple Growers’ Congress meets at St. Louis this 
year on August 13 and 14. This is probably the most 
important fruit growers’ meeting of the year. Our 
eastern growers ought to attend it, and become better 
acquainted with the western growers. There is likely 
to be a large attendance this year. -Clark Allis, of 
Medina, N. Y., has arranged for special railroad rates, 
and it will be possible to make the trip at light ex¬ 
pense. The meeting will include a trip through the 
corn and apple country that will be an eye-opener to 
our eastern friends. Mr. Allis says about these western 
men: 
The western fruit growers have great big red hearts that 
look like Ben Davis, but are tender as Jonathans. 
There is no higher compliment in the language of 
pomology. The writer expects to be on hand. Let’s all 
go and see these western apple orchards. Mr. Allis 
will give full informaltion. 
* 
The discussion about the best way to produce big 
strawberries was started by an amateur, who probably 
wanted to astonish his friends regardless of cost. He 
set strong potted plants in early August, cultivated and 
manured them well and obtained very strong plants. 
They were well mulched and cared for, yet somehow 
it took more than seven to fill a quart. What did he 
lack in his treatment? Probably if he had picked off 
the bloom, so as to leave one or at most two good ber¬ 
ries to each spray he would have had larger fruit. That 
it is possible to grow such monsters is shown by the 
picture of a Dixon berry on page 555. Mr. Grafe, the 
originator, brought the berry here, and we vouch for 
(the statement that this picture is exact size. It is not 
likely that such great berries would pay in practical 
culture,’yet without doubt the large fruit of such varie¬ 
ties as Marshall, President or Wm. Belt will pay where 
one is near a fancy market. The labor cost of grow¬ 
ing such fruit is considerable, for much hand work is 
required. It is no job for a lazy or impatient man. 
There will be an election of Senators in New York 
State this Fall. That gives us a chance at those Sen¬ 
ators who opposed Governor Hughes without any “side 
issues” or any main issues except the one vital point of 
government by the people. If, as is hoped, the Legis¬ 
lature will also give us a law requiring direct nomina¬ 
tions the old “rings” in rural New York counties will 
be badly smashed. Next year, with a presidential fight 
in full swing, these Senators might come before the 
people and plead that a vote againsit them might hurt 
their party. They can make no such plea this year, for 
the only contest is the one over their record. Thus we 
have them right out in the open, where the ballots can 
be put into them like knives. As soon as the new dis¬ 
tricts are settled upon we will print the facts and show 
farmers just where these men are to run. In the mean¬ 
time get ready for them, and do your best to prevent 
their nomination. Get out among your neighbors and 
see that your town either goes on record against them 
or makes such a showing in opposition that the politi¬ 
cians. will know what is coming. It is doubtful if either 
you or your children will ever again see just such a 
combination of opportunities to act the part of good 
citizens as you have this year. Begin now and keep 
working until the polls close in November! 
* 
We trust that Prof. Henry S. Redfield is able to real¬ 
ize the character of the information which people are 
trying <to give him. If he doesn’t learn much about the 
Jersey cow and old-fashioned ideas of honesty and fail- 
dealing it will be because such an education cannot be 
absorbed. We go this week first to British Columbia 
for the following snowball: 
I have been watching with great interest to see how 
the papers will fit the cows. What I cannot understand is 
that the other large breeders do not take it up, as it is 
bound to do them harm. I have some Jerseys myself, and 
1 wanted to get a good bull calf from the — farms. They 
wanted $500 for one. There were three others who were 
going in with me, but after they saw how things were they 
backed out, as they said that if the seller was a member 
he could sell them any old thing, and they have bought a 
Holstein. It is out of my reach to-buy it myself. Maybe 
they will try to do something when the whole of the Jersey 
breed come under suspicion. p. r. 
We think we can assure Prof. Redfield and members 
of the A. J. C. C. that this feeling is spreading like a 
fire. It might have been put out with a glass of water 
at any time during the past year. In our travel through 
the country we stop in New York State—where all the 
parties are known. Here is a man who speaks the 
sentiments of hundreds: 
I have been interested and pained by the Dawley, Rogers 
and A. J. C. C* controversy. I do not understand how it is 
that Dawley’s cow Is thrown out of the Club while her 
owner is retained. One of my neighbors, an A. J. C. C. 
breeder, who recently paid $500 for a bull calf at auction, 
said to me: “Dawley ought to have been put out of the 
club, and you or I would have been.” s. d. g. 
Seneca County, N. Y. 
Exactly! Prof. Redfield will see at once how these 
men cut right down to the core of the trouble. Unable 
to fit the papers to the cows or to tie the man to the 
papers they attempt to square the whole thing by fitting 
an eight-year-old horn on a five-year-old cow! Now, 
having left the lands of snow and of apples, we go to 
Florida and hand Prof. Redfield the following lemon: 
I certainly like the way in which you have handled the 
“cow” deal. It seems to me that if no fraud was intended 
Mr. Rogers would have been given the Information which he 
was entitled to, without the necessity of seeking legal 
redress. The way in which the investigation was conducted 
by the A. J. C. C. would lead intending purchasers to seek 
some other breed to answer their purposes. It is too bad 
to leave the Jersey under a cloud. She has won a high 
place in the estimation of dairymen. e. f. m. 
Lemon City, Fla. 
We could go on through every State in the Union if 
need be, but short visits make long friends. If the 
members of the A. J. iC. C. are willing to sit still and 
see the credit of their breed injured in order to main¬ 
tain the dignity of Prof. Redfield and his committee, it 
is their privilege to do so. Such action, however, seems 
to us to fit the practical business of breeding Jerseys 
just about as well as that eight-year-old horn fits that 
five-year-old cow! 
* 
Much was said about the famous automobile law in 
New Jersey at the time of its passage. The theory of 
the law was well enough, but ft has become pretty much 
of a farce in practice because it is not enforced. It was 
hoped that the “speed limit” would compel the auto 
drivers to slow down in villages, or on country roads 
so that human life would be safer. These hopes have 
not been realized. The machines dart along our roads, 
in many cases showing utter disregard of the law. Con¬ 
stables and policemen are usually unable to make a case 
in court, and if there be a conviction the penalty is a 
paltry fine of a few dollars. That law needs just one 
thing to make it effective—a little of the so-called stern 
Jersey justice. Lodge a few of these auto hogs in jail 
and feed them on prison fare of bread, water and pota¬ 
toes—to the limit of time. When they found that they 
were up against the real thing their machines would 
crawl inside the speed limit with little trouble. Ever 
since the first trail was cut through the wilderness and 
called a road certain men have claimed special rights 
and privileges to travel over it. They claimed this 
right by reason of superior blood, or brawn, or boodle, 
and the man on horseback felt justified in telling the 
man on foot to get out of his way. Our highways be¬ 
long just as much to the laborer who walks barefooted 
in the dust as they do >to the auto driver who covers 
him with dust. 
* 
Now we have another illustration of the power of 
public opinion which ought to put new courage into 
every honest man. Wm. Rockefeller has a great tract 
of land in the Adirondacks which he has turned into a 
private park—well guarded by private keepers. The 
town of Brandon lay within this territory, and Mr. 
Rockefeller desired to destroy the town and make it a 
part of his estate. He bought part of it, but among 
others Oliver Lamora, a veteran of the Civil War, re¬ 
fused to sell his home. Mr. Lamora, a poor man, with 
little beside his small pension, resisted as best he could, 
efforts to drive him away. With such backing as he 
could get he fought the case from court to court, and 
won. All sorts of efforts were made to force him out, 
but he stuck. Finally, in the face of a remonstrance 
signed by 74 persons who got their mail at Brandon, 
that post office was given up and a new one opened at 
Bay Pond, several miles away and in the heart of the 
rich man’s park. It was necessary for Mr. Lamora to 
go or send to Bay Pond in order to receive his mail. 
Mr. Rockefeller obtained an injunction restraining La¬ 
mora or anyone representing him from going into the 
Rockefeller property. Thus the old soldier could not 
go to the post office for his mail. His only income was 
the small pension received from the Government, and 
the check for this was sent to Bay Pond. As he was 
denied access to this post, office the desperate situation 
of the old man can be imagined. He fought through 
the war over the world-old struggle of common rights 
against special privilege, and yet here was the United 
States Government apparently aiding a rich man to 
crush out a poverty-stricken soldier. It looked like a 
hopeless case, and yet nothing is ever hopeless in this 
Republic when right walks at its side. A few fearless 
men took up this matter and made it public. Papers 
were found to print the facts, and make the principle 
back of it all clear. Letters hot and steaming with in¬ 
dignation went to the President and the Post Master 
General. If anyone thinks patriotic feeling is 
dead in this country let him go straight to 
the people with a clear-cut issue of this sort. 
All the wealth in the oil wells and the rail¬ 
roads could not keep men quiet. Such a storm was 
aroused that the Post Master General could not stand 
against it. I he post office at Bay Pond will be given 
up and re-established at Brandon. Oliver Lamora has 
fought a greater battle for the American people in this 
contest for civil rights than he ever could with a musket 
on the battlefield. We find unbounded hope and en¬ 
couragement in this incident. The plain people of this 
country can still do wonderful things with the pen if 
they will only have faith. No public official, from 
county clerk up to the man in the White House, will 
dare stand by an unjust thing when the plain people 
Stand up and point a finger at the injustice. The next 
thing in New York State is to run these State Senators 
out of public life! Up and at them. How we wish the 
two United States Senators from this State could be 
reached by the ballot! 
BREVITIES . 
How many eggs In water glass? 
You can judge some men by their adjectives. 
We shall, sow field beans in place of cow peas. 
The prudent man stops to find out where he is at. 
Now begin to pack the old hens away in chicken pie. 
The old flag treatment for the public rascals—make them 
see stars and wear stripes. 
The man who continually “squeezes for the last: cent” 
will get his hand burned in the end. 
A New York farmer bought what he thought was clover 
seed—put it In, and got a fair stand of Alfalfa. The seed 
adulterator, “scatters seeds of kindness” now and again after 
all. 
Crimson clover seed over one year old is doubtful, but 
will often germinate. Better test such seed before sowing 
much of it. The Department of Agriculture at Washington 
will test it for you. 
A writer in The Florists’ Exchange says a mixture of 
lime and alum scattered where the rats run will get rid of 
the vermin. On putting foot or nose to this mixture they 
run for water and we do not blame them. 
The drivers of refuse wagons in this city struck for a 
few days. The filth accumulated and disease threatened. 
It takes longer for such things to be noticed in the country, 
but let there be no strikes in the job of cleaning up. 
We recognize a kindred spirit in this Pennsylvania man : 
“Rain, rain, rain, and I am thinking of my 40 acres of hay 
and 20 acres of wheat to be harvested. But I gue§s. L 
won’t cross the bridge until I get to it. T have done toof 
much of that in my time. Foolish? Yes; but we can’t’ 
always help it.” 1 
