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THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Fnblhhed weekly by the Rural PubliKhln^ Company, 409 I’earl Street, New York. 
Herbert W. Oollingwood, President and Editor, 
John J. Dillon, Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wm. F. DlLLON, [secretary. 
I)r. Walter Van Fleet and Mrs, E, T. Rovle, Associate Editors. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, equal to 
8s. 6d., or 8'a marks, or 10*2 francs. Remit in money order, 
express order, personal check or bank draft. 
Entered at New York Post Office as Second Class Matter. 
Advertising rates 50 cents per agate line—7 words. Discount for time 
orders. References required for advertisers unknown to 
us; and cash must accompany transient orders. 
“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 columns, and any such swindler will be publicly ex¬ 
posed. We protect suboribers against rogues, but we do not guarantee 
to adjnst, trilling differences between subscribers and honest, respon¬ 
sible 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 Thk Rural, New-Yorker when 
Writing the advertiser. 
. ■ ■■ ■ .. _ _ _ , w . _ 
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 pur¬ 
poses. We depend on our old friends to make this 
known to neighbors and friends. 
* 
Plant Corn. 
Plant Corn 
Plant Corn. 
PLANT CORN. 
PLANT CORN 
* 
Two years ago the Massachusetts Agricultural 
College started a Summer school. It was originally 
arranged for school teachers who might be inter- * 
ested in elementary science and the teaching of 
agriculture in public schools. It turned out that 
the great demand was for practical instruction in 
agriculture and horticulture. This school was a 
great success from the start, and this year 18 dif¬ 
ferent courses will be offered. This Summer teach¬ 
ers’ school is probably the best one in the coun¬ 
try, and the effect of it will be seen in the school 
system of Massachusetts. 
* 
Scotch and Irish potatoes of fair eating quality 
are being sent to New York and. sold at a little 
over $2 for 168 pounds. This includes 80 cents 
tariff. These potatoes are well liked by consumers, 
and are found in a good many markets 100 miles 
hack from the sea coast. There cannot be much 
profit to growers on the other side, but these im¬ 
ports of potatoes determine the price for our native 
crops. Last November we pointed out the fact 
that these European potatoes would make high 
prices impossible in our sea coast markets. We are 
now informed that a good share of the American 
crop has been held hack. Chances for high figures 
on this stock are now very remote. 
* 
The following incident is vouched for and will 
do to go on record: 
It may interest you to know that “Nell Beverly” had 
sufficient influence to keep a thirsty man sober a whole 
day recently. An acquaintance of mine usually takes 
Saturday as a day for a spree, is usually drunk all (Jay. 
Last Saturday morning he stopped at the house and 
wanted something to read. I gave him “Nell Beverly, 
Farmer.” lie told me that he was so interested that he 
stuck to it all day and forgot to go after his whisky. I 
doubt if he has been sober on Saturday with that excep¬ 
tion for two years. 
We know that the book has been the means of 
banishing the hard cider barrel from several farm¬ 
house cellars. We also know of one case where 
reading this book induced a young couple having 
a liard struggle on a farm to make a solemn re¬ 
solve never to contract another debt. 
* 
At Albany eminent lawyers are arguing before 
committees over a bill to prohibit the use of feathers 
from certain birds for millinery purposes. The 
Audubon societies wish to prevent the slaughter 
of these birds. They would make better prog¬ 
ress and show more practical sense if they offered 
a substitute for these feathers. Women decorate 
their hats with feathers to make themselves at¬ 
tractive—not to rejoice because the birds are killed. 
Why do not these Audubon societies have a few 
hats trimmed with brilliant feathers from our domes¬ 
tic fowls to show that the wild birds are not needed? 
From White Leghorns and white turkeys through 
R. I. Reds to the old Jersey Blue breed practically 
every shade of color can be obtained from the poul¬ 
try yard. The use of this plumage would stop the 
needless slaughter of wild birds, and increase the 
returns from an American industry. Here is a 
chance for women who are interested in country 
life to start a crusade in favor of the good old 
hen. Let them make these domestic feathers fash¬ 
ionable, as apple eating has been stimulated by the 
Apple Consumers’ League. 
* 
THF DIRECT NOMINATIONS BILL A DIS¬ 
APPOINTMENT. 
The New York direct primary bill (see next page) 
is disappointing. In its present form it would not 
greatly improve the present method of nominating 
candidates. We feel that Governor Hughes and his 
advisers missed a great opportunity when they failed 
to insist upon the principle of nomination by petition. 
For more than a year The R. N.-Y. has advocated 
the principle of direct nominations. We have made 
a careful study of the system as worked out in other 
States, and have discussed the matter with thousands 
of farmers who have seen the plan in operation. The 
more the report is examined the more evident it be¬ 
comes that direct nominations in the Western States 
have proved specially valuable to country people. 
They have been brought closer to all public 
offices, and have been enabled to make their political 
power felt directly. .There is no State in the Union 
where farmers are in greater need of just that direct 
influence over nominations than in New York. We 
know that farmers understand this. The feeling is 
so strong among country people that if Governor 
Hughes had suggested a law framed upon that of 
Wisconsin or Illinois, insisting upon the principle of 
nomination by petition, no power on earth could 
have prevented its passage. The people had the 
right to expect that sort of a law, and anything short 
of it is a disappointment. We do not know why the 
framers of this bill substituted nominations by com¬ 
mittee for petition. We judge that following the 
usual course of reformers they weakened in fear 
that something might be done to injure the political 
machinery of the party. That seems t.o be the ghost 
which unnerves the arm that should strike 
down to the root of the evil. No stronger evidence 
could be asked for by any fair man that under pres¬ 
ent conditions the politicians are the party, and that 
no real reform can be gained so long as we recog¬ 
nize these politicians at their own game and give 
them the preference. 
The two chief defects in the bill are the plan 
of nominations by committee and the failure to in¬ 
clude United States Senators in the list of candidates 
to be voted for. There are too many elections and 
too many committees. Let any man with common 
sense ask himself if under this new plan the county 
committee would be much different from the present 
political committee from his county. It is all very 
well to say that they ought to be different, but every 
man knows in his heart that just as long as we 
imitate the old convention plan the politicians will 
control. This plan of nominating committees is 
merely an imitation of the convention plan. The 
political disease is not a case for treatment on the 
principle that ‘'like cures like,” but a case for the 
surgeon’s knife. Some absolutely new and radical 
method of nominating candidates is needed. The 
plan of nominating bv petition has proved effective 
in the West and South, and would prove so here. 
It is also a mistake to give the committee nomina¬ 
tions preference on the ballot. That would place 
all the other candidates at a disadvantage and 
would discourage fair opposition. The politicians 
would keep up their present political organizations 
and by handling the money and the patronage in a 
campaign they would influence the nominating com¬ 
mittee very much as they now influence conven* 
tions. The convention system or any imitation of 
it has become fundamentally wrong through the con¬ 
trol of politicians, and it is the first thing to get 
away from in direct nominations. The people of 
this State should have a chance to indicate their 
choice for United States Senator. The proposed 
bill is vitally weak in the fact that it denies them 
that choice. While some of the politicians are 
howling against the bill, we believe they are secretly 
hoping it will pass, for it will enable them to con¬ 
tinue their control, and the outcome of it under 
their control will sadden and disgust the people who 
have been hopeful for direct nominations. Sooner 
or later this bill must be amended so as to substitute 
petition for committee nominations, vote for United 
States Senator, and what is known in the West as 
the second choice of candidates. These amendments 
should be made now before the bill comes up for 
final passage. The time is ripe for it. the sentiment 
has been developed, and the right kind of a bill 
can be passed. Once let the opportunity go by 
and all the work must be done over again. 
April 3, 
The New York State Drainage Association has 
been formed. Such an organization was needed and 
can do much good. Not only is New York State 
behind in the matter of drainage, but the laws of 
the State regulating drainage are extremely de¬ 
fective. Such an association seems to be needed to 
educate farmers and fruit growers on the subject 
of drainage and to enable them through organized 
effort to secure proper laws regulating outlet ditches 
where same are needed over, through, or along 
neighbors’ adjoining lands. One good way for New 
\ ork farmers to compete with western irrigated 
lands is to make their own soil better by taking 
the water out of it. 
* 
On page 216 we gave some notes on the life his¬ 
tory of the “cattle grub.” According to the ento¬ 
mologists the eggs of this insect are laid on the 
heels, legs and flanks of the cattle. The animals 
lick the eggs off and the little grubs attach them¬ 
selves to the wall of the throat. They bore through 
and work back along the hide and settle on the 
animal’s back, boring a hole through the hide and 
often reaching great size. Now we have had a 
number of letters from farmers who say this state¬ 
ment is nonsense. These men claim that the egg 
is laid directly on the animal’s back. At the time 
of his death Prof. M. V. Slingerland was preparing 
a statement showing just how the insect develops— 
hut it was left unfinished. That will explain why 
these many letters have not been answered before. 
The subject will be taken up by other entomologists. 
* 
The New York Legislature should give the Agri¬ 
cultural Department the power to conduct its legal 
prosecutions. No sound argument can be made against 
this proposition. \Ye have explained how the cases 
of violation of the agricultural law are turned over 
to the Attorney General's office and how delays or 
abandonment have occurred. These cases require a 
technical training which the ordinary lawyer does not 
possess, and it will be a great advantage if the Agri¬ 
cultural Department can develop experts in that line 
and force the cases without delay. This transfer 
of authority will not cost the State any extra money. 
The fines collected now would pay expenses, and 
these fines would be increased if prosecutions were 
pushed as they should be. This is of enough im¬ 
portance to warrant farmers in demanding legislation 
that will give the Agricultural Department the power 
it should have. 
* 
I agree with your frequently repeated confidence in the 
influence of the postal card, and only wish the farmers 
would literally bury Congress with them, but they won't 
unless some one writes the cards for them. Will you ac¬ 
cept a suggestion, viz., that The R. N.-Y'. get up a card in 
proper form all ready simply to sign and address and 
stamp? I think if such a card was put in the hands of 
most men they would do the little that was left to get 
their personal appeal before their Congressman and Sen¬ 
ator, also think they would be willing to pay for the cards. 
F. R. T. 
We gladly accept suggestions. This one has been 
made before. We would willingly furnish the cards 
if we felt that such postage stamp voting would 
be effective. It would rank with “petitions” and 
“resolutions,” and, after the first dozen cards, any 
politician would conclude that it was what Senator 
Root calls manufactured sentiment. These men are 
quick to notice such things. The only thing that 
makes them thoughtful is the plain, straight, original 
letter from the man who means business. Do not 
depend on petitions or circular letters, hut “write 
them a letter from home.” If you cannot get your 
neighbor to write send an extra one yourself. Let 
your wife write it, after paying postage on a large 
package, or after being held up by an express com¬ 
pany—and sign your name to it! That will make 
a good combination of language and responsibility. 
BREVITIES. 
A half truth makes a good whole lie. 
The latest novelty reported to us is a “boneless duck.” 
Before you plant peach trees hunt for borers and kill 
them. 
The "Georgia Supreme Court delivers the judicial 
opinion that calling a person a liar is real provocation 
for a fight. But suppose the title were a true one. 
A demand for oleo oil is reported from Turkey. The 
true Turks eat no lard, and as cattle are few butter is 
high. The pure beef oil could be sold in large quantities. 
Several tilings about nitrogen must be understood. 
Whenever you burn any substance containing nitrogen 
you drive it away as a gas. The same is true to a less 
extent when you mix lime with organic nitrogen. 
The yak. sometimes called the grunting cow, is a na¬ 
tive of Tibet, where its milk feeds the people and its 
hide brings money. A small herd of yaks will be brought 
to Canada for experiment purposes. We hope the grunting 
habit will not spread to. other Canadian cows. 
