496 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
June 22 , 
The Rural New-Yorker 
TUE BUSINESS FARMER'S PARER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Entered at New York as Second Class Matter. 
Herbert W. Collingwood, Editor. 
Dr. Walter Van Fleet, ) . , , 
Mrs. E. T. Hoyle, 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. 6d., or 8*4 marks, or 10% 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- 
limns, 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. 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 22, 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 
11 weeks for 10 cents for strictly introductory purposes. 
We depend on our old friends to make this known to 
neighbors and friends. 
* 
T hose Seedless apple men are at it again. They 
wrote one of our readers in Boston, telling him as an 
inducement that three prominent business men had each 
bought 100 trees! We wrote these gentlemen at once, 
and found that they gave orders for one tree, which has 
not yet been delivered! From all we can learn the 
Seedless people are still practicing the old game and 
using the old circulars ! 
* 
While so much is being said about reclaiming the 
arid lands by running water over them let us not forget 
how swamp lands are being saved by taking the water 
out. The reclaiming of tracts of the most valuable 
land in Illinois, land that never has been broken from 
the creation, is the newest thing in farming and one of 
the best. 1 he little story on page 491 gives an idea 
of what is being done. For centuries these swamps have 
been storing plant food away. All over the East are 
swamps and low places with soil richer than average 
manure. One good way for the eastern farmer to 
compete with “Arid America” is to dry out that part of 
wet America which lies on his own farm. 
* 
1 he Michigan State Grange has selected September 
30 for the purpose of improving rural cemeteries, and 
will call it Memory Day. Says the Grange leaflet: 
Tt is earnestly desired that all Patrons will enlist the co¬ 
operation of their neighbors and in some way beautify the 
burying grounds. Clear out untidy shrubbery that has 
grown rampant; repair broken gates and fences, reset 
hitching posts, till up unsightly boles or whatever suggests 
itself to put the premises in more orderly condition. 
The R. N.-Y. has referred to such work as this more 
than once, and we cannot commend too highly this ex¬ 
tension of Grange work. Many a dreary country grave¬ 
yard could be transformed by a little intelligent effort; 
native plants and shrubs are well fitted for its adorn¬ 
ment, and the expenditure of a little time each season 
may transform it from a dreary waste to “God’s Acre 
beautiful.” 
* 
There seems to be no doubt that this year’s grain 
crop will be short. Already prices of flour and feed 
have been increased. As the grain is out of the farm¬ 
er’s hands, the advantage of this increase will go to 
dealers and speculators. All over the East the cold, 
wet weather has delayed or prevented corn planting. 
Many farmers are discouraged, as they think it is now 
too late to mature corn. We expect to continue plant¬ 
ing flint corn up to July 4, trusting to a late Fall to 
ripen it. This flint corn may yet prove the salvation 
of a hill farmer, for it grows rapidly and with good 
culture gives a surprising yield. At Fig. 232, page 490, 
is shown an ear (exact size) of a flint corn now being 
planted at Hope Farm. This is part of the crop which 
Mr. Carrington Phelps of Connecticut told us about on 
page 410. Mr. Phelps grew 201 bushels of ears on 
an acre! It may be hard to convince some farmers 
that one can do more than play at corn growing with 
such small ears, but if they give these flints a fair trial 
they will be surprised at the result. We are sure to 
be up against a shortage of grain and high prices. 
The flint corn will help us out as nothing else will. 
A shipment of 70,000 southern daffodils, which 
reached Chicago Easter week, sold, we are informed, 
for 70 cents less than the express charges. The same 
week we heard of a consignment of 2,700 violets which 
sold in Philadelphia for $1. Such instances may aid 
reflection, after reading some of the accounts so often 
published of the florists’ extraordinary profits. There 
are plenty of men and women making a comfortable 
living by producing flowers, all over the United States, 
and there are a number whose living is more than 
comfortable, but there are also florists whose position 
is similar to that of the small farmer on a mortgaged 
farm. Economic changes, especially such matters as 
fuel, transportation, and increased rates on glass and 
other building materials, affect the florist very seri¬ 
ously, and opportunities for persons of small capital 
seem more restricted than a few years ago. We think 
beginners trying to work into this line should always 
study the possibilities of the local market before endeav¬ 
oring to meet the competition of a great city. 
* 
We get a little nearer the core of that Jersey cattle 
tangle. A watch might be out of order. It would not 
be an exact statement to say the watch was wrong. If 
we said the works were broken we would come nearer, 
but when we learn that the mainspring is broken we 
know the small point which discredits the whole watch. 
We have talked about the A. J. C. C. and the executive 
committee much as we would about the watch and the 
“works.” Mr. Shannon’s letter (page 497) puts us 
closer, for we are told that Prof. Henry S. Redfiehl 
plays the part of mainspring! That being so we will 
drop the others and talk straight at Prof. Redfield. 
Very likely he does not hear what people outside of 
his executive committee are saying. When a man un¬ 
dertakes to guide the commercial destinies of a great 
breed of cattle by giving what Mr. Shannon calls 
“opinion . . . both moral and legal,” he takes a 
large contract, and ought to welcome well-meant advice 
and honest opinion. He will therefore be glad to read 
this note from a New York dairyman: 
It is doubtless superfluous for me to say that I am heartily 
in sympathy with the position of The R. N.-Y. on questions 
of right or wrong. I wouldn’t take the paper if it did not 
have principles worth fighting for. As regards the A. .T. C. 
C., I am waiting for the new registry association, -which it 
seems must come if the A. J. C. C. succeeds In committing 
suicide, before I take any particular fancy for registration 
papers. 
Now, this man does not buy $10,000 cows, but he rep¬ 
resents a class of farmers who want herds of butter 
makers that will support the family. We are told that 
less than three per cent of the cattle in this country are 
purebred. The future market for breeding cattle must 
come from these practical men. They are not throwing 
away money. They know that a purebred animal may 
not give as much milk as one of their grades, yet she 
may be worth three times as much for breeding if her 
pedigree is right. Do her papers tie her to certain 
ancestors that are known to be great producers? A 
man cannot afford to wait for years to find that out by 
testing the heifer calves. The pedigree and transfer 
papers must be as sound as a government bond. Prof. 
Redfield and the man who sells the cow are responsible 
for the value of these papers. Talk about the regis¬ 
tered bull being half the herd—he isn’t as responsible for 
it as the man who sells him. We are told to deal onlv 
with honorable men. Good advice, but if the papers do 
not tie the man to the cow and represent his character 
what are they good for, and how can they reflect the 
man’s honor? But can the A. J. C. C. commit suicide? 
Certainly—once let the public believe that they care 
more about clearing their own members than about 
keeping their records pure and there wouldn’t be much 
life left. It is evident that many people are beginning 
to think so. We leave these thoughts with Prof. 
Redfield! 
* 
We are quite frequently asked questions like the one 
printed on page 490. Somehow there is a general idea 
among city people that the farm can and will provide 
for all. It is a pretty theory to say that a lot of city 
workers out of a job can go to the country and grow 
a crop through the growing season. We have asked 
the officers of many trades unions if such a scheme 
could succeed. They all doubt it, saying that the ex¬ 
periment tried by the typographical union could not be 
called a success. It is this experiment which Mr. 
Stewart tells us about, and his story' is the real thing. 
We have also asked opinions from a number of suc¬ 
cessful farmers, hard-headed business men. With one 
accord they say such a plan would fail. Yet out of 
every such experiment we think there would be several 
men who would remain in the country and do well 
there. To those of us who know what real farm work 
is, and how much skill and bulldog courage are required 
to fight a profitable crop through from planting to mar¬ 
ket, it seems strange that people should suggest farm¬ 
ing as an occupation for a company of ill-assorted and 
untrained workmen who do not go to the country for 
a home. 
It is said that if the Federal law is strictly enforced, 
interstate trade in ice cream will be Very seriously af¬ 
fected, as the new law rules that ice cream must con¬ 
tain not less than 14 per cent butter fat, and fruit ice 
cream 12 per cent. Some of the big dealers say that ice 
cream containing 14 per cent fat would be neither 
palatable nor profitable, the usual average of what they 
consider good cream being eight per cent fat. This is a 
good standard article, made from wholesome ingredi¬ 
ents. Some of the small dealers in the tenement dis¬ 
tricts, however, make “ice cream” with from one to 
three per cent fat, using skimmed milk, gum traga- 
canth and lard or cocoa butter, flavored, we infer, with 
pure fruit extracts made from coal tar. The Food and 
Dairy Commissioner finds a good deal of work in sup¬ 
pressing these frozen frauds every Summer. 
* 
A Western man who is a good observer agrees with 
what we say about the need of “fixing up” and beauti¬ 
fying the farm home and the town. 
I quite agree agree with you that there is need for more 
of this work in the West than in the East. This is prob¬ 
ably due to the fact that our country is new, hut it is due 
more largely. I believe, to the fact that our people have 
been so intent upon making money that they have missed 
many of the better things of life. It is to be regretted, 
too, but it is a fact nevertheless, that in the small towns 
and cities of the West are a great many retired farmers, 
men who have lived their lives on the farm and now have 
either rented the home place, or have turned it over to their 
children and have moved to the town or city. These retired 
farmers are not interested in better improvements; as a 
rule they are opposed to paved streets and those other 
things which make the more attractive cities. 
Now then, is this true where you live? If so, what 
reason do these retired farmers give for their action? 
We want to know the motives which lie below the deed! 
* 
What is the difference between grass and hay? If 
we understand that we strike the first principle of 
hay making. Green clover contains about 80 per cent 
of water, while good clover hay contains about 10 
per cent. Hay making consists in drying the water out 
of the grass as quickly as possible. A dry, brisk wind 
is more necessary to hay making than a hot sun, as 
all will see who remember what excellent hay is made 
in the shade of an orchard or in a large haycock kept 
from the direct rays of the sun. If we look at a plant 
under a microscope we can find a great difference be¬ 
tween the leaves and the stem. Water is far more 
readily thrown off through the leaves, and to cure grass 
quickly the leaves should not be dried first. You have 
probably seen clover with the leaves so dry that they 
rattle off, yet with stems so wet that you can squeeze 
water out of them. That was because the leaves, 
spread out to the hot sun on a still, day, were killed 
before they had a chance to throw off water. Had that 
clover been kept in cocks or windrows, turned over 
from time to time, the leaves would have kept green 
and would have “sweat off” most of the water in the 
stems. It is not safe to lay down any general rule for 
hay making, but in most cases green clover and grass 
will make much better hay if kept in bunches. 
BREVITIES. 
Think of the grain hills this Winter, and get in ail 
the corn you can. 
It is said of the night-hawk in the South that it asks 
less of men and gives more to him than any other bird. 
“Vi hat’s in a name?” Take that cow “Dotshome Har¬ 
mony.” Who will claim that she produces harmony in any 
home? 
No form of co-operation can succeed without at least one 
strong and dominant mind and other willing and appreciative 
helpers. 
A New Y’ork subscriber puts it this way: “It seems as 
though the man upstairs had gone away and left the faucet 
running.” 
“The rumshops got it ail.” says Mr. Stewart of those 
men who after farming all Summer had barely car fare to 
the city left. 
Phosphorus is not recommended as a rat poison. Cases 
have been known where the rats carried it into the walls 
of buildings and set them on fire. 
Now the medical men declare that kissing should he pro¬ 
hibited, since it may transmit disease, in the face of 
a storm of protest they modify by saying that a “sterilizing 
gargle” shpuld be used. 
Last week a correspondent told us how he plowed under a 
crop of vetch and obtained an enormous growth on young 
peach trees. That is like accepting a present of half a ton of 
nitrate of soda. We hear great reports from this vetch. 
A California rancher has produced a talking chicken, a 
cross between a parrot and a guinea fowl, we are told. It 
will doubtless be appreciated by those who keep chickens for 
society only, 
Mr. Van Deman recently stated that it seems impossible 
to retard fruit buds in Spring so as to hold them back 
from a late frost. It seems that some practical orchard 
men do not agree with this view. We shall hear, later, 
what they say. 
Experiments in California with oranges for packing 
houses show that only 2% per cent of sound, unbrushed 
fruit decayed in two weeks. Where the fruit was brushed 
the loss was six per cent. Where it was bruised when put 
in the house the loss was 37 per cent. The brushing in¬ 
creased the loss by actual injury or by spreading decay. 
Fruit that Is handled least keeps best. 
