266 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
March 23, 
The Rural New-Yorker 
77/A’ ROSIE ESS FARMER'S RAF Eh, 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Si burban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Entered at New York as Second Class Matter. 
HEKBEUT W. COL LINO wood, Editor. 
UK. waiter van Fleet, | Assoclttte8 . 
Mrs. K. T. Kovlk, ( 
John .1. Dillon, Business Manaser. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, 12.04, 
equal to 8s. 0d., or 8% marks, or 10 ‘/a francs. 
“A SQUARE DEAL.” 
We believe that, every advertisement in this paper Is 
backed by a responsible person. Hu/ to make doubly sure 
v-e will make good any loss to paid subscribers sustained 
by trusting auv deliberate swindler advertising in our col¬ 
umns, and any such swindler will be publicly exposed. \ve 
protect subscribers against -ogiies, but we do not guarantee 
to adiust trilling differences between subscribers and honest, 
responsible advertisers. Neither will we lie responsible for 
) bo 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 Nkw-Yobkkr 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. MARCH 23, 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. 
* 
Don’t forget to give us the facts of your experience 
in using the soil from an old Alfalfa field to “inoculate’ 
a new one. Does it pay? Remember—we are not 
seeking to prove one thing or the other—we want the 
facts just as they are. 
* 
“LEST WE FORGET!” 
IVc are still waiting patiently for that investigation 
promised by the A. J. C. C. IVe understand there has 
been some unavoidable delay m selecting members of 
the committee. We find that the interested public is 
watching this case with great interest. It involves a 
question of far more importance than the business deal¬ 
ings of two men! 
* 
We seldom print an article that has aroused more 
discussion than that story of the one-legged farmer on 
Long Island. People quickly saw the point, which we 
tried to make clear that affliction often carries a bless¬ 
ing with it. One interesting thing is that this account 
has caused several other successful one-legged farmers 
to make themselves known. We find that in a number 
of cases a crutch has enabled men to make greater 
speed toward home and competence. 
* 
So far as New England farmers are concerned, the 
tariff on wool is by no means as important as a suitable 
tax on dogs. Before the war sheep paid well in the 
New England hill towns. In the readjustment of farm¬ 
ing which has come with the end of free or cheap 
western land we have again come to a time when mut¬ 
ton and wool would pay on the pasture lands east of 
the Hudson. The danger from dogs causes most farmers 
to hesitate. In Maine the farmers have taken up this 
dog question as a regular State issue, and (he outcome 
of their fight will be watched with great interest. 
* 
No man can read history with any thought whatever 
without being impressed with the danger which comes 
to a nation when wealth accumulates in the hands of a 
few. The feeling of injustice which this unequal distri¬ 
bution brings makes men bitter and revengeful, but 
this is not the worst element in the destruction of man¬ 
hood. The most harmful thing that wealth creates is 
parasite or snob. These are manufactured out of the 
weaker members of the great middle class of citizens. 
The common working people who are neither very rich 
nor very poor have ever represented the strongest force 
in society. Their strength lies in their independence, 
their pride in labor and their willingness to be repre¬ 
sented for just what they are. When they begin to ape 
the rich, look with disgust upon the homely things which 
are their honest heritage, and bow to wealth and power 
even when thev know both are dishonest they become 
the meanest and most contemptible of snobs. 1 hey are 
deserters from the class of society who are under a 
double obligation to maintain the true spirit of a re¬ 
public. They become incapable of either joining the 
rich or adding real power to society. We believe the 
?nob is the greatest menace which wealth has started 
in this country. The plain people can and will deal 
justly with both riches and roguery when they really 
understand them. But let these people lose their sturdy 
old ideals and they are powerless to lead. What about 
it? See that your children do not become snobs. Hive 
them example and training that will keep them inde¬ 
pendent and free. No country home should ever de¬ 
velop a snob. 
* 
The “Knights of the Postage Stamp Society” prom¬ 
ises to become a good second to the Apple Consumers’ 
League. Every day brings letters from people who want 
to join. We have already heard from nearly every 
State from Maine to Mexico. Here is a note from 
Tennessee: 
Capital idea, the launching of the “Knights of the Postage 
Stamp.” Much needed. I want to become a life member. 
I also expect to spend a like amount in sending The R. 
N.-Y. in 10-week trials to progressive farmers. 
r. b. iienders. 
As we have explained, there is no constitution or by¬ 
laws to make trouble between friends. Each Knight 
pledges himself to spend at least 50 cents in writing 
strong personal letters to public men. He will not only 
give those who fail to do their duty a piece of bis mind, 
but try to add peace of mind to those who serve the 
people. Of course there can be no serious objection to 
a general observance of the second part of this Knight's 
programme. 
DO YOU WANT THE HALL? 
Those who have attended public meetings of farmers 
and fruit growers in New York State know that the 
Experiment Station at Geneva asks the Legislature to 
appropriate money for new' buildings and equipment 
as follows: 
1. The erection of an assembly hall that shall also pro¬ 
vide space for exhibition and demonstration purposes. 
2. The erection of three houses for members of the sta¬ 
tion stuff. 
3. The erection of cattle sheds. 
4. Extension of the poultry plant. 
5. The installation of an electric plant for lighting and 
motor purposes. 
It seems to be admitted by general consent that the 
last four of these items are greatly needed. We do 
not think the Legislature will seriously object to them. 
As to the need of an assembly ball at the station, there 
seems to be a fair difference of opinion. While the 
station is not supposed to be a place for popular teach¬ 
ing or for class-room work, as a college or school 
would be, there are many occasions when a gathering 
of people there would be very useful. At present there 
is no place at the station to accommodate an audience 
of over 60 people. Without question, if a suitable hall 
could be provided Granges, farmers’ clubs and societies 
could and would come to the station to study its work. 
We can readily see that such gatherings would be much 
more valuable if, while at the station, people could 
gather in a hall and hold a popular meeting. The 
products and apparatus could also be exhibited to better 
advantage. Briefly stated these are the arguments in 
favor of such a building. We think it probable that it 
would have an influence to bring the station closer to 
the people. Now do the farmers of New' York care 
enough about it to exert themselves or express an 
opinion? The R. N.-Y. believes in going straight to the 
people in matters of this sort, and w'e offer our readers 
a chance to express themselves. Are you in favor of 
building an assembly hall at Geneva at the expense of 
the State? If so please tell us so, with your reasons. 
If yon oppose such expenditure tell us so—also giving 
reasons. We cannot agree to print all the letters, but 
w'e will give a fair synopsis of opinions on both sides, 
and keep an accurate record of the votes. We cannot 
think of any fairer way to test the wishes of our 
farmers. How do you vote? 
* 
There is one mean falsehood which seems to fatten 
upon exposure. You may brand it again and again, yet 
it seems to be able to grow new skin over the mark 
and turn un fresher and more brazen than ever. We 
refer to the statement often made that a very large pro¬ 
portion of the female inmates of insane hospitals in 
this country are farmers’ wives. We have shown the 
falsehood of this statement many times. Now we are 
glad to print the following: 
Over two years ago I read in The New' York American a 
statement bv a well-know'n woman that “according to sta¬ 
tistics, 75 per cent of the female Inmates of the insane hos¬ 
pitals of the country are farmers’ wives." From the lecture 
platform I have heard the same statement. This did not 
agree with my observation, but I could not quote “statis¬ 
tics," so I began an investigation embracing the hospitals 
of Massachusetts. Pennsylvania and Ohio. I give the facts 
ascertained. In Massachusetts from five to 10 per cent of 
female inmates wore farmers’ wives. In Ohio it does not 
exceed 10 per cent. Tn Pennsylvania the hospital drawing 
from a territory containing the largest per cent of farmers, 
counts anion? its female inmates 11 per cent farmers’ w'ives. 
In the year 1905, 144 women w'ero received, only four of 
whom were farmers’ wives. It is time the scarecrow above 
referred to were taken down. It has not now and never did 
have any justification in fact, and is used to bring into dis¬ 
repute the noblest calling on earth. i. a. thayer, m. d. 
We agree entirely with Dr. Thayer. We collected fig¬ 
ures from the insane hospitals in New York and found 
practically the same proportion. But you can shoot 
holes all through the scarecrow and still it will show 
itself. There are some writers who seem to be abso¬ 
lutely determined to blacken and disparage farm life if 
they can. * 
Rev. Robert Collyer once read a poem at a banquet. 
He brought out the feeling of astonishment which must 
have come over the Normans, the Romans and others 
at their failure to subdue the plain people of England. 
Tliev took cities, built camps and overran the country, 
but they could not crush out the spirit of the people. 
The refrain to this poem ran a; follows: 
“They hadn’t measured [he Saxon grit.” 
Some of our public men will he just as much aston¬ 
ished when country people turn on them at last. They 
haven’t measured the power of the common people when 
right is on their side! 
* 
During the past year we have received at least a 
dozen complaints about road commissioners in New 
York who refuse to do their duty. As a rule the 
victim lives on some side road. Sometimes through 
town politics he has incurred the hostility of the town 
bosses. As a punishment his road is neglected—all the 
labor and-money being spent elsewhere. We have 
eases where people who pay heavy taxes are ignored 
in this way—no attention whatever being paid to their 
complaints. To show how powerless such people are 
we print the following letter from State Engineer 
Skene: 
In towns maintaining their roads under what Is known 
ns the "labor system"—that is. citizens working out: the 
road taxes, this Department has no authority, and, so far 
as I know, there is no way by which the commissioners 
enn be compelled to perform work on certain pieces of road, 
as they would probably say that they were using their best 
efforts to keep all of the road in good condition. The only 
way Is to elect highway commissioners who will, fulfill the 
duties of the office in a competent and fair manner. In 
towns under the “money system,” this Department has 
authority, and we endeavor as much as possible to have 
the moneys expended in a proper manner, and any complaint 
that the moneys are not being so expended Is promptly 
investigated. Frederick sicexe. 
State Engineer and Surveyor. 
In such cases therefore the only remedy lies in the 
hands of the people, who can, if they want to, select 
men to do the work Now is there any place in New 
York where a few determined men with a just griev¬ 
ance cannot, if they will, obtain a remedy? If there 
is let us know the name! 
BREVITIES. 
Why keep a pig that cannot grind his own grain? 
It takes sweep power to grind out a broom corn ! 
The people are learning things faster than the politicians. 
There seems to be very little let-up In planting Kieffer 
pears. 
Notice how many people are using sprouted oats as “green 
food" for hens. 
Not much encouragement for the use of sulky plows on 
small farms—page 234. 
A number of readers are coming to tell us how to sharpen 
the disks on harrow or cultivator. 
Those of us who live in the “snow belt” along the upper 
Atlantic coast have use for all our philosophy this W.nter. 
We are pleased to have readers apeak well of the Horti¬ 
cultural Number. Our plan has ever been to till this Issue 
with material that will make readers think, and lead them 
to tile the paper away for reference. 
That man on page 201 who wants to send his family to 
church while he surrounds an apple pie recalls the gourmet 
who said he on'y wanted two persons present when roast 
duck was served—himself and the duck! 
A CARI.0AD of Hood River, Oregon, apples were recently 
shipped to Vladivostok, Siberia. They were first, wrapped 
in paper, (hen put In pasteboard compartments like eggs, 
and then boxed, the box being wrapped in burlap and roped 
for convenience in handling. The apples will have an ocean 
trip of about 30 days. 
Is the Horticultural Number we printed an excellent arti¬ 
cle on “The Girl On the Farm,” by Mr. Crawford. We 
held this article some time before publication. When It was 
written Mr. Crawford had no bulbs or plants for sale. Now 
he is again in business, so that the statement at the end 
of his article needs revision. 
The Department of Agriculture suggests an experiment 
with the following sulphur wash for scale: 10 pounds caus¬ 
tic soda, 19 pounds sulphur, 50 gallons water. Make a 
paste of the sulphur with 5% gallons water, then add the 
caustic soda and stir occasionally for half an hour. Then 
add the remainder of the water and stir. 
The Atchison Globe asks: "Why not put a picture of the 
hen on the twenty dollar gold pieces and silver dollars? A 
good fat hen is worth 72 cents at any wholesale poultry 
house; a lion will pay for herself ihree or four times even- 
yea r. The eagle is a worthless bird, and is always looking 
for a tight, or an opportunity to steal.” 
People who complain of the monotony of farm life might 
try Rhodesia. South Africa, and thus mingle wholesome ex¬ 
citement with ngreulturo. The Rhodesia Herald says: “Mr. 
Troll ip’s farm, near Fort Gibbs, has been visited by two 
rhinoceroses lately. They are very truculent In their be¬ 
havior and are do'ng heavy damage to his crops, besides 
being a source of danger to all on the farm. Mrs. Tro’lip 
was also surprised by a crocodile when fishing on the farm. 
The reptile plunged into the water from the opposite bank, 
and made straight toward her.” 
