892 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
December 7, 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS EARNER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Published weekly by the Rural Publishing Company; H. W. 
Collingwood, President; Dr. Walter Van Fleet, Vice-Presi¬ 
dent ; John J. Dillon, Treasurer; ffm, F. Dillon, Secretary; 
409 Pearl St., New York. 
Entered at New York as Second Class Matter. 
Herbert w. Collingwood, Editor. 
DR. WALTER VAN FLEET, 1 . , _ 
Mrs. E. T. Hoyle, Associates. 
John J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, 
equal to 8s. 0d., or 8% marks, or 10Mt 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 tlie 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, DECEMBER 7, 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. 
* 
Among the men who deserve well of farmers every¬ 
where is Prof. Henry L. Bolley, of North Dakota. Prof. 
Bolley originated the method of killing smut on seed 
grain by using formaldehyde, and treating seed pota¬ 
toes to prevent scab. Let any farmer think what it 
would mean to him if he had no way of destroying 
those disease germs, and he will realize what he owes 
to Prof. Bolley. Is these days, when the soldier, the 
“captain of industry” and the so-cajlcd statesman oc¬ 
cupy the front of the stage, it rejoices us to refer to 
the men who, in quieter lines, serve their country— 
often without recognition. 
* 
Some people keep a “Daily Resolve” hanging on the 
wall of their rooms. It is usually a thick cardboard 
upon which are printed some excellent rules of con¬ 
duct. We fear that some of these good people give the 
card but a hasty reading when they are late and break¬ 
fast is ready, and they feel fairly well satisfied with 
themselves! When trouble comes they give a more 
careful reading. We might suggest the following to 
those who hold some public office in the name of 
“agriculture 
“I will this this day remember that I am not work¬ 
ing for myself, but for the people. I am expected to 
earn money and not burn it. I was not put on this 
job to see hozv much graft I can get , or how many 
political pipes I can lay down, but to do fair, honest 
zvork for the farmers of my State—and that is what / 
will do, or get out of the job!” 
* 
There are sections or “pockets” large or small 
throughout the country where certain crops are at their 
best. Farming of the future, especially in the Eastern 
States, means learning where these places are, and 
adapting the right crops to them. For example, there 
is a small section in the Hudson Valley where the 
Spitzenburg apple grows to perfection—the fruit is never 
as good elsewhere. We know a man who made a great 
success with the Maiden Blush apple on a certain farm. 
He moved a few miles away, and naturally planted this 
variety, only to find it quite inferior when it fruited. A 
few years ago report was made that Alfalfa was a very 
doubtful proposition in Vermont. Now it is found that 
the soil of the islands in Lake Champlain is well suited 
to Alfalfa. For some years Sweet clover has grown 
spontaneously there, and now the Alfalfa grows without 
inoculation for either seed or soil. For years these 
islands have been noted for their fine fruit. Now, in 
connection with Alfalfa growing, dairying has become 
a large industry. We venture to say that these spots 
of land off in the lake will grow richer and more pro¬ 
ductive, because it has been found that Alfalfa will grow 
there. That is what has happened in every section 
where this wonderful plant has established itself. There 
are hundreds of places to-day poor to the verge of 
abandonment because people have not found the crop 
best suited to the soil. 
The Spokane Review prints the following sensible 
remarks: 
What does the young farmer run the risk of losing when 
be goes to town, enters a saloon and takes a drink? Sta¬ 
tistics prove that he runs the risk of losing success in farm¬ 
ing. What does he gain? Nothing that brings success 
in farming. 
No farmer ever helped his business or made busi¬ 
ness friends by gaining a reputation of frequenting a 
saloon. Of all people on earth farmers, and especially 
young farmers, should cut the saloons out of their list. 
We have seen how, in the South, fanners have been 
driven to support prohibition in order to handle the 
farm labor question. The liquor evil is even worse 
among farm laborers in some parts of the North. No¬ 
where is there greater need of strong temperance senti¬ 
ment than in farm homes. 
* 
The best object lesson in stock-breeding is a fine 
grade cow—daughter of an ordinary scrub and a well- 
bred bull. The contrast between mother and daughter 
shows the quality of the father as few other things 
can. We are told that less than two per cent of the 
cattle in this country are purebred. The rest are 
“natives,” with more or less of the blood of some well- 
defined breed. The grade or native is the business 
cow for most farmers who cannot afford a herd of 
purebred cattle. The breeders of purebred animals 
make definite claims about the value of their stock. If 
it be a practical value the best place to demonstrate it 
is in the herds of men who keep cows for milk, meat 
or butter. The superior grade cow is the best evidence 
of this value. That is one reason why we think one of 
the best displays at a fair or cattle show would be a 
good bull with several of his daughters by ordinary 
cows. Good pictures of such grade animals ought to 
make a good argument, yet we find it difficult to induce 
breeders to obtain them. 
* 
There are people who still claim that those stories 
of apple crops in western New York cannot be true. 
The argument is about as follows: “I never raised 
any such crop, nor did any of my neighbors, there¬ 
fore, it cannot be done.” We would like to ask what 
proof will satisfy these critics. The director of the 
United States Geological Survey says that last year 
brick and tile to the value of $129,591,838 were made in 
this country. That represented clay dug from the 
ground. Suppose we mentioned a case where $15,000 
of clay was taken from one acre. It might be perfectly 
true, and it might be true that a reader had 10 acres 
of good brick clay on his farm. Yet that would not 
prove that he could get $150,000, or that it would pay 
him to make brick. As for this apple culture, while 
some varieties will do fairly well almost anywhere, 
there are certain sections where the crop is most at 
home. That is the case in western New York, and 
the men who produce these great crops have spent 
a lifetime in studying how to do the work. Let a man 
remember all these things before he puts his own re¬ 
sults as the limit of human possibility. 
* 
Four years ago a bunch of bananas was shipped' 
from Columbia, S. C., to a small town in the same 
State. The bananas were damaged in shipment and 
a claim was made for $1.75. The railroad disputed it, 
and the case was carried through to the Supreme 
Court, where it has been decided against the railroad. 
Justice Brewer, in writing the opinion, said: 
The matter to be adjusted is one peculiarly within the 
knowledge of the carrier. It receives the goods and has them 
in its custody until the carriage is completed. It knows what 
it received and what it delivered. It knows what injury 
was done during the shipment and how it was done. While 
in this case, the penalty may be large compared with the 
value of the shipment, yet it must be remembered that small 
shipments are the ones which especially need the protection 
of penal statutes like this. If a large amount is in contro¬ 
versy, the shipper can afford to litigate. When there is but 
the trifle of a dollar or two the shipper cannot well afford a 
lawsuit, and yet justice requires that his claim be adjusted, 
and paid with reasonable promptness. 
We are glad to see that the “little fellows” have a 
chance after all. Usually the railroads and express 
companies think they can treat the little man with 
profound contempt. It is a helpful thing that a case 
involving a few dollars can be carried to the Supreme 
Court and settled right. 
* 
One of the best authorities on farming and soil fertil¬ 
ity west of the Mississippi writes the following in a 
private letter: 
Inasmuch as we have no acid soils to speak of and do not 
use commercial fertilizers, I hesitate to express an opinion 
on this subject. I hope the time will never come in my 
day when I shall be obliged to take up this vexed question 
of commercial fertilizers. In fact, I am clearly of the opin¬ 
ion that they are unnecessary in our glaciated districts 
where a proper system of farming has been carried on, 
and are simply one of the scourges and whips which the 
Almighty uses to lick us into good farming. 
The head of the school committee in “The Hoosier 
Schoolmaster” laid down this principle—“No lickin’, no 
lamin’!” If chemical fertilizers are whips some of 
our eastern farmers ought to be wise beyond their 
years. We feel sure there are plenty of places in Iowa, 
Kansas and Missouri where potash and phosphoric acid 
would pay a good profit if used judiciously with the 
manure. We realize, however, how the western people 
feel about this matter. Some years ago the writer was 
asked to go to a western State and talk on some of 
the most important things connected with eastern 
farming. Our most important question was the use of 
fertilizers, but when the western men learned that they 
cancelled the engagement at once rather than have 
fertilizers discussed. 
* 
Industry was greatly advanced when inventors 
learned how to utilize the iron ores which contain phos¬ 
phorus. Left in the iron or steel this phosphorus made 
a brittle metal. The simple plan of using lime with the 
melted iron ore made many of these ores available, as 
the lime made a chemical combination with the phos¬ 
phorus and thus removed it. This gave pure iron and 
made a combination of lime and phosphoric acid, which, 
in basic slag, gives an excellent fertilizer. Now we are 
told of a new process for preventing rust on steel or 
iron. The plan is to treat the metal with a form of 
phosphorus which prevents or retards oxidizing. If this 
be true we shall take the phosphorus out of the ore 
and then put a part of it back into the steel. But let 
us not be too sure about this. A rustless steel is greatly 
to be desired, but a false story about it might make a 
fortune for a faker. 
* 
Eastern meat buyers have little reason for thank¬ 
fulness this year, when they learn the prices of meat. 
If meat producers had shared in the rise in price we 
would feel better over it, but figures do not show it. 
Here are average prices in the New York live stock 
market—covering a period of 16 years. 
PRICES OF GOOD TO PRIME STEERS. 
1891. 
to $15.75 
to '5.80 
1901 . 4.50 1o 5.50 
1902 . 4.50 to 6 25 
10AR 4 25 to K 9S 
1904 
. 4.50 
to 
6 00 
1005 . 
to 
to 
to 
5 50 
1906 . 
1907 . 
. 4.00 
5.75 
6.00 
Now every man who buys meat knows that he is 
paying more to-day than at any time during the past 
15 years We keep an accurate account in our own 
family 'and the figures show that the cost of meat is 
25 per cent above that of five years ago. In fact meat 
prices are so high that many people of moderate 
means can only afford it once a day—the cheaper cuts 
at that. Flour, butter, apples and other foods are high, 
but farmers who produce these things receive at least 
a share of the increase. These comparatively low 
prices for live stock, in the face of a rise in retail 
prices of meat, are very discouraging to many eastern 
farmers who are well situated to produce beef or mut¬ 
ton. So long as the price of live stock and meat 
are alike regulated by monopoly both producer and 
consumer must suffer. Some day there will have to be 
a combination of eastern cattle men to butcher and 
sell stock. 
BREVITIES . 
Guilt-edged success. Not an unusual brand these days. 
White grubs in sod. We do not know of any better way 
of cleaning them out than to put a few good hogs at work 
with the nose free to dig. 
At the Iowa Experiment Station pigs on clover pasture 
and fed corn alone made cheaper gains than any other com¬ 
bination. Clover and corn are a great pair. 
In response to our request people are sending us valuable 
clippings from local papers. In this way we are able to keep 
track of many useful things which might otherwise escape 
notice. 
A California law forbids building a fire on one’s own 
land without first obtaining a permit from a fire warden. It 
is said that a Japanese was fined $25 for burning potato 
vines on an 80-acre field ! 
If this “divining rod" business is based upon an electrical 
action anything that would shut off the current from the 
earth ought to prevent the rod from turning. Get the “water 
witch’’ to wear a pair of thick rubber boots! 
That rye chaff, mentioned in Hope Farm Notes, has two 
disadvantages, which are, however, no reflection on its 
manurial value. It is very unhandy to load in bulk, and the 
man who did the loading would spend most of his spare 
time picking rye beards out of himself. 
Some of the extract manufacturers seem ready to declare 
that Dr. II. W. Wiley was a contributing factor to the late 
financial flurry, presumably because he destroyed public con¬ 
fidence in coal tar flavoring and hayseed strawberry jam. 
That sounds something like the wail of the oleo men. 
Three weeks ago we spoke of the importance of keeping 
farm papers up to the standard and yet selling them at a 
price within the means of all. Democratic ideas are making 
headway in Russia largely through books and pamphlets. 
For a time quite expensive books were printed. They were 
bought anfi read largely by the well-to-do—the class which 
had least need of them. Finally the same books were printed 
so that they could be sold at a very low price. Then they 
got into the hands of the poor and lowly and were read 
and thought out. Anyone who is engaged in producing 
agricultural literature may well think that experience over. 
