218 
PUBLISHER’S DESK 
Could you tell me if the Modern Supply 
Company of Ivewanee, 111., is a reliable 
firm or not? They advertise and say to 
send them .$1 for a sanitary belt and they 
will send prepaid material for beginning to 
make these belts which they will pay 15 
cents apiece or $15 per 100 for making, 
and will send money as soon as work is 
received by them. k. w. 
New York. 
This inquiry comes after all we have 
said about the work-at-home fakes. All 
such concerns simply want your re¬ 
mittance. They will never pay you 
anything for work at home. They pro¬ 
mise pay for the work to get the 
money. Never send a penny to a con¬ 
cern that makes such promises. 
Enclosed find, two advertisements clipped 
from “The I 
never saw these advertisements in The R. 
N.-Y., and as it is noted for carrying only 
reliable “ads,” I begin to believe those are 
fakes. They read very nicely, and if as 
represented they certainly must be fine 
things for the garden. As you are author¬ 
ity on all such things, I am troubling you 
for an opinion of them. w. s. 
Pennsylvania. 
The two advertisements referred to 
are the wonderberry, by John Lewis 
Childs, and the Great Wonder straw¬ 
berry, by Mills Seed House, which, 
according to the advertisement, was 
discovered in Germany. The latter is 
probably the Bush Alpine strawberry, 
which has been exploited more or less 
for the last 40 years. It grows from 
seed, but has practically no value as a 
fruiting plant. 
As to the wonderberry, Mr. Luther 
Burbank claims that it is a distinct new 
creation produced three years ago from 
crossing two well-known wild plants, 
and Mr. Childs is repeating Mr. Bur¬ 
bank’s claims for it in his advertise¬ 
ments and catalogues. ' It is seldom 
that a new r creation is launched on the 
horticultural world in advertisements 
before anything is known of it by hor¬ 
ticultural authorities. We do not re¬ 
call a single plant of real value ever 
having been so marketed. The custom 
is for the originator or introducer to 
send specimens in confidence to growers 
in different sections to test its behavior 
under different conditions. These re¬ 
ports make up the history of the new 
creation, and the information about it. 
If favorable, there is justification for 
offering it to the public as a novelty 
at prices above staple varieties. This 
plan gives the introducer the advantage 
of the free advertising publishers and 
others are glad to give a new creation, 
and it would seem to be the best way 
to introduce a plant of real merit. On 
the other hand, if an introducer had 
a fake or even a new but worthless 
plant, yet wanted to get the benefit of 
a year’s sale at high prices before its 
real character or want of merit were 
known, he would not resort to this 
practice, but would want to keep its be¬ 
havior to himself until he had profited 
by a season’s sale of a worthless plant. 
Let us be understood. We do not 
claim that this is the case with the 
wonderberry. We don’t know whether 
it is a new plant or not. It may be. 
Mr. Burbank says it is. If a new plant, 
we don’t know whether it has value 
or not. It may have. Mr. Burbank 
says it has. We simply know nothing 
about it ourselves, and we find no in¬ 
dependent authorities who do know 
about it. If it has value, we simply can¬ 
not understand Air. Burbank’s object 
in keeping it so much to himself. If 
it should prove a disappointment this 
year it can only do so after the profits 
of the first year’s introduction have 
been reaped and after growers had paid 
rather handsomely for the privilege of 
demonstrating its worthlessness. As 
The R. N.-Y. staff has had no oppor¬ 
tunity to test it, and recalling the his¬ 
tory of the Everbearing Crimson Win¬ 
ter rhubarb, the “Fadeless Flower,” 
and other equally worthless and much- 
lauded novelties by Air. Burbank, we 
made inquiry in usually well-informed 
circles. We received the following from 
W. W. Tracy, Sr., Superintendent of 
Testing Gardens under the U. S. De¬ 
partment of Agriculture, at Washing¬ 
ton : 
TH ED RURAIi NEW-YORKER 
I have no personal knowledge of the 
plant, but John Lewis Childs offers it and 
quotes Luther Burbank as claiming that the 
plant is a new species “produced by the 
combination of two very distinct wild 
species, Solanum guinense of West Africa 
and Solanum villosum of the west coast 
of America,” and claims that “neither of 
these wild species hears edible berries.” This 
last statement is not true, as Solanum 
guinense. already well known and quite 
extensively grown in the Southwest as 
garden huckleberry, produces fruit, which 
if allowed to get fully ripe, is quite palat¬ 
able either raw or cooked, and can be 
used as a substitute for other and better 
fruit. The plant is wonderfully productive 
through a very long fruiting season, and 
will thrive and give a large crop in dry, hot 
and semi-arid sections where it is very diffi¬ 
cult, if not impossible, to grow other fruit, 
and on this account it has some value for 
such locations, but it: is of no value ex¬ 
cept: as a curiosity in sections where bet¬ 
ter fruit can be grown All of the illustra¬ 
tions and descriptions of the wonderberry 
which i have seen would, though somewhat 
exaggerated, be applicable to the straight 
Solanum guinense. 
Dr. Galloway, Chief of the Bureau, 
also writes: 
All of the illustrations and descriptions 
of the wonderberry are exaggerated; 
furthermore the so-called wonderberry does 
not seem to be in any wise different from 
the ordinary Solanum guinense. 
The R. N.-Y. does not and would 
not carry any advertising for the Alills 
Seed House, and under the above sit¬ 
uation wc were obliged to refuse the 
wonderberry advertising. Anyone 
•wishing to refer to them will find the 
advertisements in almost any of the 
magazines or other farm papers. 
The Temple Pump Company of 
Chicago, Ill., sold one of their Master 
Workman gas engines to Mr. J. B. 
Leonard, of Chilhowie, Va. They guar¬ 
anteed it to do the work that Air. Leon¬ 
ard wanted it to do, and stipulated 
that if it failed to do so they would 
take the engine back and refund the 
money, less freight one way. The price 
of the engine was $350. The Temple 
Pump Company made the guarantee in¬ 
definite. They said that they would not 
abandon the engine or the purchaser, 
like other manufacturers of engines 
do, after they had the money, but that 
they would stick right by it indefinitely. 
Air. Leonard has never been able to 
get the engine to do the work. He 
finally demanded a return of his money, 
and this has been refused by the manu¬ 
facturers, who claim that the failure 
was due' to his own ignorance and 
carelessness. After going over all of 
the correspondence we felt that the 
Temple Pump Company had not kept 
their agreement with Mr. Leonard, and 
we requested them either to demonstrate 
the utility of the engine or return the 
money. They refuse to do either, and' 
we have cancelled their advertising 
order and will not carry the advertising 
again in The Rural New-Yorker. In 
later issues we will give extracts from 
the correspondence and the guarantee, 
so that readers can decide for them¬ 
selves as to the merit of the contro- 
versj'. We had a similar complaint 
some years ago about these engines, 
but the I emple Pump Company finally 
took it back and refunded the money. 
In issue of July 25, 1908, page 610, we 
gave the experience of a New York 
State farmer with the Creditor’s League 
(of Syracuse, N. Y. The farmer was 
told they would collect his old ac¬ 
counts for one-half the proceeds. This 
looked safe enough. The agent then 
read an agreement and requested the 
farmer to sign it, which he did without 
reading it himself. Later he found a 
clause to the effect that if he failed to 
send the Creditors’ League 30 accounts 
amounting to $300, within 15 days, he 
became indebted to the League to the 
amount of $50. The 15 days had ex¬ 
pired before his attention had been 
called to this clause of the contract, and 
suit was threatened. The farmer now 
writes as follows: 
About six week later another of their 
agents appeared, with the paper, claiming 
that it had become a note good for $50, 
but offering to settle for $25 and give a 
paid-up subscription for two years under 
which they would collect bills free of 
charge. At the same time he displayed 
a summons citing me to appear before the 
Supreme Court in Syracuse. This would 
make it necessary for me to employ a law¬ 
yer to defend the case, and to avoid the 
bother and expense I gave him the $25. I 
know where they gathered up $125 in the 
same way around here. I gave him the 
amount but never heard from them again. 
The District Attorney of the county 
reports that many similar complaints 
have been received but the contracts 
are cleverly drawn and appear to be 
legal evidence of a contract and can 
be enforced in the courts, as the law 
assumes a man knows what he signs. 
The relief is obvious—don’t sign. 
_J. J- D. 
CHARCOAL FOR POULTRYi,?rn S % e u^n^ e S 
pet better result from your poultry, by feeding Indian 
Brand Charcoal. Very valuable. Write to-dav 
THOMAS BROS. CO., 5 Allen Street, PHILADELPHIA 
DARRED ROCKS from my 175 egg strain. 
U Large, healthy vigorous stock. Good shape and 
color. , Eggs $1.50 per 15: $8.00 per 100. "The Four 
F OR SALK—Trullan Runner Drakes, $1.60 each. Also a few 
ducks and eggs for hatching. Pure hred J! P. Rnek Eggs. 
_ w - T. EASTON, Delaware, Ohio, Rt. No. 5. 
G IANT Squab Breeders for Sale—Jumbo 
Homers, Mondanes, Hen Pigeons, Runts Dra- 
goons, etc. Also, fine crosses for squab breeding of 
all these vaneties. Prices reasonable. Stock guaran- 
teed. S. Atwood, Centre St„ North Easton, Mass 
ORIGINATOR OF BUFF BRAHMAS 
2.i pullets $35 eggs from best exhibition matings $2 per setting, 
$10 per 100; utility pens $1 per setting, $5 per 100. SO per cent 
F " rnlshed ,,ir<ls f,,r Madison Square Garden 
that hr/i o°"‘ . M 8 "?* T vayB ,he that wins, but the one 
that bied the winner for them. White Muscovy Ducks *■> ner 
setting; 1 trio Half Wild and Bronze Turkeys $16 1 * i 
Satisfaction Guaranteed. 
Address LLOYD M. IlALLEMtECK, 
Poultry Judge Export, Catsklll Station. N. Y. 
.55 Buys 
the Best 
140-Egg 
Incvibactor ever Na.de 
Freight Prepaid 
Double cases ail over; best 
copper tank: nursery,self-regu- 
latlng. Rest 140-chicic hot-water 
Brooder, $4.50. Ordered together $11.50. Satisfaction 
guaranteed. No machines at any price are better. 
Write for book today or send price and save waiting. 
^elU^itjMncubjtoi^Ojj^Boj^^^^^Racine^Wis. 
[ We ship 
quick 
from St. 
Paul.Buf- 
I falo, Kansas 
| City or Racine 
Hatch With the Least 
Cost Per Chick 
That is what we guarantee you 
can do with the 
_ Invincible Hatcher 
Try It and If It don’t produce more strong, healthy 
chicks than anyother incubator, regardless of pri ce, 
send It back. 50-Egg Size Only $4.00. Same low 
prices on larger Hatchers, Brooders and Supplies. 
Write for 176-page FREE catalogue. 
The United Factorlca Co., Dept.X 31, Cleveland, O. 
51 Chicks from 50 Eggs 
At least 4 times from our 
self-regulating guaranteed-to- 
Hatch-every-hatchable-egg In- 
cub,tor costing 
ON 40 ' DAYS' TRIAL Write for names 
and addresses and description of this and other 
sizesof Incubators, Brooders and Poultry “fixins” 
BUCKEYE INCUBATOR CO., 
125 Egg Incubator $10 
and Brooder 
If ordered together 
1 send both for *10 
Jand pay freight. Well 
made, liot water, copper tanks, 
double walls, double glass door* 
Free catalog describes them. 
Wisconsin Incnbator Co., 
Box 80, Racine, Wis. 
we 
Send Us a Postal for a Price 
Just your name and address on 
a postal brings prices on all sizes 
of celebrated 
Racine Incubators 
and Brooders — guaranteed to 
hatch highest percentage of eggs. 
Liberal Free Trial Plan. Pest 
Incubator Proposition on the mar¬ 
ket. Postal brings all printed 
matter and prices at once. Address 
I ship quick 
from St. Paul, 
Buffalo, KansasJ 
City or Racine 
Racine Hatcher Company, Box 87 '. Racine,Wu, 
World’s Best Incubator 
Has stood all tests In all climates 
for 16 years. Don’t experiment, 
get certainty. Get a 
SUCCESSFUL 
Incubator and Brooder. Anybody 
can operate them and make money. 
Let us prove it to you. Booklet,! 
“Proper Care and Feeding ofj 
Chicks, Ducks and Turkeys,” 10c." __ 
Poultry paper, I year, 10c. Write for free catalog. ■ 
Peg Moines Incubator Co., 189 2nd St., DesMoines, la. | 
is our new- 
book f or the 
of poultry rais- 
’ers. Keep account of 
your eggs, chicks and 
profits. Our Diary 
shows how and also tells about our new! 
Incubators. It tells why our prices are 1 
so low. The Diary is free. Better write for ] 
it today. Tell us if you are thinking of buy- j 
ing an Incubator and what size you want. 
We pay freight. Geo. Ertel Co., Quincy, Ill. i 
Hatch Chickens by 
___ Stahl “Wood- 
steam ?" Hen .” 1 an , < } 
Excelsior” 
Incubators assure big hatches. 
Well-built, reliable, practical- 
thousands in use. Catalogue free. 
GEO. H. STAHL, Box72D Quincy.Ill. 
I MORE! EGGS 
Larger, more fertile, vigorous chicks, heav¬ 
ier fowls, larger profits by feeding cut bone. 
MANN’S latest model 
mnnii *3 bone cutter 
cuts fast, easy, fine; never clogs. 10 days free 
trial. No money in advance. Cat’lg free. 
F. W. Mann Co., Box 15, Milford, Mint 
AKA-SHEL SOLUBLE GRIT 
Bright, sharp, shining. Increase digestion. 
Makes bone and egg-shell. Ask dealer or 
send $1.00 for two 100 lb. bags f.o.b. cars. 
Order today. Booklet “ Hen Dyspepsia” 
and sample of maka-shel FREE on request. 
EDGE HILL SILICA ROCK CO., 
‘Box J, New Brunswick. N. .J. 
KEYSTONE FOODS FOR POULTRY 
Nourishing, clean; fowls a-nd chicks I 
thrive on them. We carry a big line of I 
all poultry and pigeon supplies. Book-1 
let and unique souvenir FREE. Write! 
now before they’re all gone. f 
Taylor Brow., Dcpt.M,Cnni<lcn,N. J.l 
COR CA| C—White Wyandotte cockerels and eggs 
run OHLL to batch. For descriptions and prices 
write E. FRANKLIN KEAN, Stanley, New York. 
February 27, 
C ""1B BOOK FREE 
1. Plymouth 'flock Squabs are largest, mo t 
prolific. We were FIIiST ; our birds and 
^sL^fhods revolutionized the industry 
Send for our 1909 Free 
Book, telling “How to Make 
Money Breeding Squabs." 
PLYMOUTH KOCK SQUAB CO 
335 Howard St. Melrose, Mass! 
PEKIN DUCKS and 
WHITE LEGHORNS Leghorn cockereh? 
, , . birds that have been 
bred from prolific layers and high scoring exhibi¬ 
tion stock at $1.50 each and up. We have "a few 
yearling cocks of the same strain at $1.00 each 
Also some yearling White Wyandotte and Barred 
Rock hens. This is a good opportunity to improve 
your flock at small cost, as our plant is much over¬ 
stocked. Imperial Pekin ducks and the genuine 
Japanese breed of ducks and incubator eggs in any 
quantity. Largest plant in the vicinity of New 
York City. Incubators 10,000 eggs capacity. Satis 
faction guaranteed. 
BONNIE BRAE POULTRY FARM. 
New Rochelle, N. Y. 
R. C. RHODE ISLAND REDS 
EGGS FOR HATCHING 
„ Mating List will be Sent on Request. 
SINCLAIR SMITH, 602 Fifth St., Brooklyn, N.Y. 
W ATSON’S STRAIN OF R. C. RHODE 
ISLAND RED, the greatest of all winter 
layers: Cockerels and eggs for hatching from this 
great strain. R. and S. C. White Orpington Cock¬ 
erels. Circular free. Send ten cents for sure cn 
for roup. IK A WATSON, Fredonia, N. Y. 
C OOK’S Strain Black Orpington Eggs,$8 00 
per 100; Seaman's Rhode Island Reds, $7.00 j>-r 
100. Few Elegant Orpingtons For Sale. DORo 
POULTRY YARD, 1601 E. 48th St., Brooklyn, N. V. 
I/AN AISTYNE S S. & R.C.R.I. REDS.—Eggs for hatchitv 
1 $6 and $8 per 100: SI. 50 and $2 per setting. Breedii ■ 
ckls. $2 to $5. Edw.Van Alstyne & Son.Kinderhook.N. V. 
BARRED PLYMOUTH ROCKS 
Standard of Merit Barred Rocks. Eggs $1 25 
avid $3.00 per 15eggs. Standard of Merit Mammoth 
White Pekin Ducks. Eggs $1.25 per 10 eggs. 
FAIR AVON POULTRY YARDS 
Lock Box 248. Easton, MARYLAND. 
Woodlands Farm 
Breeding Stock. Eggs forHatehlng from our famous 
trap-nested stock. Circular free. Box D, Iona, N J 
THOROBRED POULTRY PAYS 
(If you have the right kind) 
Our big, vigorous. White Leghorns lay more 
eggs, at less cost for feed and care. Our Eggs 
hatch strong chicks that live and grow faster 
than others. (Cost less to raise.) 
90 Per Cent. Fer tility Guaranteed. 
MOUNT PLEASANT FARM 
Rox Y. Havre de Grace, Md. 
250 acres of fertile land devoted to S.C.W.Leghorns. 
T oulouse Geese. Breeders. Eggs for hatching. Tin- 
keys, ducks, chickens. J. Bert McConnell, Ligonier, lnd. 
W HITE PLYMOUTH ROCKS-dire Fishel Strain. 
Kggs from tested layers $1 per 15, $G per 100. 75 per cent 
fertility guaranteed. ISAAC C. CLARK, IVim Van, N. Y. 
EMPIRE STATE S. C. WHITE LEGHORNS. 
Winners at N. Y. State Fair; heavy layers; Trios, 
$5. Eggs for hatching, $1 for 15, $5 for 100. Cata¬ 
log free. C. H. ZIMMER, Weedsport. N. Y. 
RED RARY Chicks 15c each, $15 per 100. Book 
r> i A*- " ort lers now. World’s Best R 1. 
Reds. Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit winners. 
Stock, eggs. Cornish Farms, Edwardsburg, Mich 
W HITE PLYMOUTHS-exclusively trap-nested, 
bred to lay. Eggs from best pens $2 for 15; incu¬ 
bator eggs $6 per 100. A. S. BRIAN, Mt.Kisco, N. V 
Le ___ 
and Irish Terrier Dogs. Choice Stock and Eggs. 
L arge Toulouse Geese, Pearl Guineas, ami 
White Rock Ckls. For Sale: Best Stock; Cir. 
Free. E. SCHIEBER, Route 2, Bucyrus, Ohio. 
5 Trios Mammoth Bronze Turkeys and 
100 bushels Improved Golden Dent Gourd Seed 
Corn. EDWARD WALTER, West Chester, Pa. 
G iant strain bronze turkey eggs 
—$3.00 per 10. R. C. It. I. Red Eggs. $1.00 per 15. 
Choice Shropshire Sheep. Write H. J. VAN DYKE, 
Gettysburg, Pa. 
E GGS $1.00 per 15, 92.00 per 40. From Thoroughbred 
liralimas, Kooks, Wyandottes, Rods, Leghorns, S. 11am 
| burgs. 14 varieties. Catalogue. S. K. HIOHK, Coopcrsburg, Pu- 
in BREEDS BEST POULTRY— Eggs or stock. 
T'U Write your wants. I will save you money. Big cat -, 
log 10c. JOHN E. HEATWOLE, Box A, Harrisonburg, Va. 
B arred rocks, brown leghorns, cheap 
bred to lay strains. NELSON BROS., Grove City, Fa. 
T horoughbred poultry—B est 20 varieties. 
Good stock, Eggs 15. $1.00; 40, $2 00. Catalogue. 
H. K. MOHR, Route 3, Quakertowu, Pa. 
P oultrymen—Send 10c. for our 19 n 9 Catalog, chock full of useful 
Information. Describes and illustrates 35 varieties. Y f oiican’ t 
afford to be without it. East Donegal Poultry Yards,MaiTet!a,l*n > 
S. HAMBURGS AND S. SEABRIGHTS. Green River 
i Yards. Clias. Stewart Davison, 60 Wail St. N. Y. City. 
S 
W 
HITE 
strain. 
WYANDOTTES—Excellent 
Eggs $1.00 for 15. Address 
laying 
ggs$1.0U for lo. Address 
STEPHAN KARL, Milford, Conn. 
B UFF, Wh. Leghorns, Eggs 75c. per 15, $1.25 per 30 :S.C. It 1. 
Red, Mottled Ancona Eggs, 90c. per 15, $1.50 per 30. Cata¬ 
logue free. JOHN A. ROTH, Quakertowu, Pa. 
W 
RIGHT’S AVliite Wyandotte Winners- 
Eggs $4.00 per 100: Baby Chicks $10.00 per 100. 
GRAND VIEW FARM, Staufordville, N. \. 
If You Keep Poultry For Profit 
KEEP THE BEST 
Buy your stock of 
S. B. & E. W. TWINING, Box 2 B, Yardley, Pa. 
THEY HAVE BRED 
UTILITY BIRDS F0R thirty vears 
Their efforts have crowned them with 
SUCCESS 
Write for their 1909 Booklet. It is sent free. 
