June 1, 
448 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. 
Or. WALTER VAN FLEET, I Assoclftt .. s 
Mrs. K. T. Boyle, f Associates. 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, 
equal to 8s. (id., or 8 y a marks, or 10 y a francs. 
“ A SQUARE DEAL.” 
We believe that every advertisement in this paper is 
hacked 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, JUNE 1, 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. 
* 
The second prize contest for photographs, ending 
May 18, resulted as follows, the awards being in the 
order below: 
F. H. Stoneburn, Jefferson County, N. Y, 
J. P. Cockburn, Ontario, Canada. 
Boult & Stevens, New York. 
A number of the other pictures received are of de¬ 
cided interest, and will be paid for later. It must be 
remembered that we are obliged to consider the quality 
of the picture for engraving as well as the beauty of 
subject or composition. 
* 
At the coming meeting of the Holstein-Friesian As¬ 
sociation of America (Syracuse, June 5) the following 
resolution is to be discussed: 
It shall be the duty of those offering cattle for registry 
to certify upon the applications for registry of the same 
that, they have made careful comparison of the diagrams of 
the color markings with the animal and And them to be 
substantially true and correct. The Board of Officers may 
direct the Secretary to expunge from the record the pedi¬ 
grees of any cattle the diagrams of the color markings of 
which are found not to lie substantially true and correct. 
A sensible proposition. The Holstein breeders de¬ 
serve success when they do their utmost to make “'the 
papers fit the cows.” There must be some individual 
mark by which a particular animal may be known. We 
have good evidence to show that a grade Jersey was 
registered and sold as a purebred animal. She has been 
traced to her death by a telltale mark. 
* 
After you read that article about Massachusetts game, 
on first page, it may be well to hunt up a history and 
read about the relations between game and the common 
people in France and England a century or more ago. 
The game laws have become a nuisance in many parts 
of the East. Two years ago a New Jersey farmer had 
all his crops destroyed by a herd of deer. The law pro¬ 
tected them, but gave the farmer no chance for redress. 
It won’t do to shrug your shoulders and say this doesn’t 
concern you, because there are no protected wild ani¬ 
mals about your place. You are wrong—it does concern 
you when any of the common rights of a farmer are 
run over to please “sportsmen” or those who have no 
practical interest in farming. Out of the injustice of 
this game problem will grow greater forms of injustice 
which finally make an «nd of a republic. Reform the 
game laws in the interests of those who own the land! 
* 
Colorado and Kansas have been struggling for pos¬ 
session of the waters of the Arkansas River. This 
river rises in the Rocky Mountains and flows through 
Colorado and Kansas. Western Kansas is dry and bar¬ 
ren, without irrigation, and the water of this river was 
used successfully for farm purposes in both States. The 
tract under irrigation in Colorado grew larger and 
larger, thus requiring more and more of the water which 
the river carried. Being nearer the head of the river, 
the Colorado farmers had the chance to take what they 
needed and let the remainder pass on to Kansas. They 
took so much of it that for some miles over the Kansas 
line there was little left. Kansas brought suit to enjoin 
Colorado from taking all this water on the ground that 
by doing so the value of the river for navigation, power 
or irrigation was destroyed. In defense Colorado claimed 
that it had full power over the water in the State. The 
Supreme Court has just decided in favor of Colorado on 
the ground apparently that while some damage had 
been caused in Kansas the gain and improvement of 
land in Colorado more than offset it. In case of future 
trouble the court reserves the right to compel a fair 
division of the water. 
* 
The names of those New York Senators are still in 
print under the suggestive heading “Remember Wads¬ 
worth.” The following question has arisen in connec¬ 
tion with this campaign: 
“The R. N.-Y. calls itself The Business Farmers’ 
Paper. If that is true, zvhat right has it to go into 
politics?” 
Webster gives two definitions of “politics”—as 
follows 
1. The science of government; that part of ethics which 
has to do with the regulation and government of a nation 
or state, the preservation of its safety, peace and prosperity, 
the defense of its existence and rights against foreign con¬ 
trol or conquest, the augmentation of its strength and re¬ 
sources, and the protection of its citizens in their rights, 
with the preservation and improvement of their morals. 
2. The management of a political party, the conduct and 
contests of parties with reference to political measures or 
the administration of public affairs, the advancement of 
candidates to office; in a bad sense, artful or dishonest man¬ 
agement to secure the success of political candidates or 
parties; political trickery. 
Probably not one man in a thousand thinks of the 
first definition when he uses the word. The second 
meaning is invariably in mind when people speak of 
“going into politics.” That being so, we answer that 
The R. N.-Y. has no right to be in “politics,” and will 
not under any circumstances get in. If there is any 
politics in holding up these Senators to public view it is 
the higher and nobler kind. We select the men who can 
be reached directly by farmers regardless of their “poli¬ 
tics,” and urge our readers to defeat them. What Gov¬ 
ernor Hughes is trying to do falls clearly under the first 
definition which we print above. Every honest man 
knows in his heart that the things which the Governor 
stands for in their relation to State or Nation are in 
“the defense of its existence and rights.” Farmers have 
been cursed by politics and politicians too long. The 
.worst evils that confront them to-day are largely the 
result of party politics. The politicians and grafters 
bank on the proposition that farmers will always sup¬ 
port the ticket, no matter who is on it or what it stands 
for. That is why the farmers of the North are responsi¬ 
ble for the noblest and also for some of the most dan¬ 
gerous legislation in American history. They can domi¬ 
nate their party if they want to, and bring it back to 
first principles. For the first time in years there is a 
man at Albany \Vho points the way back to popular gov¬ 
ernment. Do you believe in that form of government 
or don’t you? You will have to write your answer on 
the backs of these Senators. Last week we printed a 
note from Onondaga County. Now here is one from 
Columbia: 
It is humiliating to have such men as Sandy Smith from 
my home, John Raines and other Senators representing rural 
districts, blocking the work and policy of Gov. Hughes. 
Farmers in my district have been fooled by having such men 
as State Chairman Woodruff come up here and join the 
Grange. He does not care a rap for farmers or the Grange 
except to use them to make votes. I have written the Gov¬ 
ernor that Ixni Payn and Sandy Smith do not represent the 
sentiment of their district, though they handle the caucuses. 
Sanford W. Smith is supposed to represent Columbia, 
Dutchess and Putnam Counties, because he received 
16,927 votes against 15,669 for his opponent. At the 
same election Gov. Hughes, on the same ticket with Mr. 
Smith, received 17,407 votes in these same counties. If 
Mr. Smith claims that the district endorses what he 
stands for because he got more votes than his oppo¬ 
nent, he will have to admit that his district also en¬ 
dorses Gov. Hughes by the same argument. Yet Mr. 
Smith voted against the Governor—therefore he mis¬ 
represents his district because the Governor polled 480 
more votes! Had Mr. Smith said publicly before elec¬ 
tion that he would vote as he did, he never could have 
been elected—as everybody, including himself, knows! 
* 
Mr. Ballou gives us a sensible article on beautifying 
the unsightly places around the backyard or farm. Such 
things pay in half a dozen ways. It makes a place more 
salable. Even the man who says he doesn’t believe in 
such things is impressed by neatness and beauty. He 
could not tell you why it is, but clean buildings and tasty 
flowers and shrubs appeal to him. Then again, such 
things make home more attractive. The children 
come to realize that the farm is not entirely a 
place for grubbing away at hard work. It is a rare 
child that is not born with some love of the beautiful. 
Some of them leave the farm because, somehow, they 
feel that the home surroundings cannot satisfy this love. 
When a farmer gets on in years there are few things 
more comforting than the power and desire to add beauty 
to the material work of his hands. By all means make 
the farm and its surroundings as attractive as we can. 
We would add to Mr. Ballou's list the Scarlet Runner 
bean, which we greatly admire as a screen; its beautiful 
scarlet flowers are very showy, and it always gives us a 
fine crop of tender beans. This is a great favorite in 
Europe, where it is often grown in city yards. 
* 
We find farmers wherever we go using more and 
more concrete in place of lumber. This is especially 
true where lumber is high and there are beds of good 
sand. Will the concrete stand the strain? In a recent 
address before the Cotton Convention P. Austin 
Tomes spoke of the great durability of concrete: 
While speaking of the monolithic nature of these buildings 
it might be well to mention a warehouse at Tunis, North 
Africa, which was built of reinforced concrete and which, 
owing to the yielding nature of the ground under the founda¬ 
tion, settled on one side to such an extent that the top of 
the building was sixteen feet out of plumb. The building 
was finally righted by excavating under the high side and 
gradually lowering until it was again in a normal position, 
although some seventeen feet below the former level. No 
cracks or other damage was reported. 
Concrete is a monolith—that is, a single stone struc¬ 
ture, and is standing the test of earthquake, flood and 
fires. Farmers can well afford to make greater use of it. 
* 
It seems evident that the executive committee of the 
A. J. C. C. do not realize what people think of their 
actions. Perhaps they don’t care, but they may be in¬ 
terested in the following, which is a good sample of 
public opinion; 
Do the pavers fit the cows? —Don’t for a moment think 
that (he public has forgotten the importance of the report 
in the Dawley-Rogers matter. Everywhere I hear this dis¬ 
cussed, not alone by members of the A. J. C. C., but by 
other club members and by farmers as well. The general 
opinion is that the report was to the effect that the papers 
did not fit the cows. Can’t you see this was a case where 
one party was a member of the Club and the other 
not? Is anyone so foolish as to think for a moment that if 
the papers had fitted the cows the report would not have 
been delayed but would have been telegraphed? So when 
no copy was made and the report trusted to the express it 
is almost proof positive that it was not what the Club 
wanted known by the public. In other words the papers did 
not fit the cows and the public, will consider that the A. J. 
C. C. have acknowledged the same. Keep at them. The 
people are with you. y. s. woodward. 
* 
Here comes a man who doesn’t like what we sav 
about “big stories” on page 400: 
“We have not yet been able to find any plant food in 
words.” Shame on you. If not, why print anything? I)o 
you not know that the plant food your words have furnished 
the brains of your readers has made them the best farmers 
of their respective communities? 
There is a difference between words and ideas. We 
heard of a man once who sowed cracked corn because 
it went farther than whole seed. He didn’t understand 
that each seed must have a live germ if it is to grow. 
There is plant food in an idea or suggestion which 
haunts a man so that he cannot get away from it. There 
is nothing in a mere string of words which play all 
around the vital point yet dare not touch it. Our friend 
goes on to say that “big stories” often stimulate men 
to do better with what they have. True, but they also 
lead men to leave the safe, slow road of progress and 
get out over their head! 
BREVITIES . 
We print what we do in The R. N.-Y., because we think 
it’s true. If you know it isn’t tell us why at once! 
Common human rights. We want no more, and will not 
be satisfied with less. 
Which is harder for the beginner—raising young turkeys 
or keeping ice without sawdust? 
As a rule “Dot air" is not desired, bjut how we would en¬ 
joy some from the weather maker. 
We are told to “put on the shield of faith.” Most of us 
fimd a hole in it of our own making. 
Who knows of a case where song birds have been poisoned 
by spraying with Paris-green or other forms of arsenic? 
Did you ever know a man who was very much in favor of 
reform so long as it hits the other fellow and doesn’t strike 
him? 
Can anyone tell us of a scheme for providing a hot-water 
system for a fair-sized house with heat from a kerosene 
flame? There is considerable demand for such an outfit. 
Here is one from Rhode Island:—“I wish we had a 
‘Rural Rhode Islander,’ as we have a bunch of grafters in 
this State who have got your Albany crowd ‘skinned a 
mile.’ A pamper of your kind would stir them up.” 
Trichinosis is a disease of man, hog and rat. It is 
caused by eating uncooked flesh containing a parasite, 
Trichinella Spiralis. Rats and hogs pass the disease from 
one to another. When pork is thoroughly cooked or cured it 
becomes harmless. 
Not long ago the Hope Farm man told a reader that there 
was no general interest in old papers and books. There 
seems to be more reverence for back numbers than we 
thought. Half a dozen people have already written asking 
how to get some of those old papers. 
The discussion about the danger in using lead water 
pipe is up again. A fair statement of it is about as follows: 
Lime water will form a coating over the inside of the pipe, 
so that there will be little danger. Pure, soft water may 
take enough from the pipe to cause lead poisoning. 
