4 08 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
May 8. 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
FoMUhed weekly by the Itural PiihliKhftip Company, 409 Pearl Street, New York, 
Herbert W. Colling wood, President and Editor, 
JOHN J. Dillon. Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wm. F. Dillon, Secretary. 
Dr. Walter Van Fleet and Mrs. E. T. Royle, Associate Editors. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, equal to 
8 s. Cd , or 8*2 marks, or lOks 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 ourcolumns, and any such swindler will be publicly ex¬ 
posed. We protect suberibers against rogues, but we do not guarantee 
to adjust trilling differences between subscribers and honest, respon¬ 
sible advertisers. Neither will wo 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 advertiser. 
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. 
* 
For some months now we have asked our readers 
to name any of the plant “creations” of Luther Bur¬ 
bank which have run the gauntlet and proved them¬ 
selves of practical value. This request has been 
brought to the personal attention of those who intro¬ 
duced these creations. We have been willing and 
anxious to print the names of any of these things 
which have really enriched horticulture. Our readers 
know the result. It is a poor showing for the vast 
amount of horn-blowing and promises which came 
ahead of those “creations.” The offer to print the 
■names of any Burbank success is still open. 
* 
t The manure question in cities and small towns is 
getting serious. Local boards of health are trying 
to stop unloading or hauling manure through the 
streets. In Washington, D. C., efforts are being made 
to prevent farmers from hauling the manure even in 
“sanitary wagons.” The next thing probably will be 
an ordinance forbidding horse stables in certain parts 
of the city limits on the plea of bad smells and breed¬ 
ing flies. All this works as a hardship for farmers 
and gardeners, many of whom are obliged to use 
manure on their colder soils. The country cannot 
afford to have all this plant food wasted, even to 
save the noses of a few delicate citizens whose ances¬ 
tors were farmers. 
* 
The coffee-growing States of Brazil have put up 
a fund of $750,000 to advertise and push the sale of 
their coffee throughout the world. They claim to 
have the best coffee that is grown. They figure that 
the way to increase sales is to prove this claim to 
the coffee drinking public. You cannot advertise per¬ 
manently unless you have the goods and can guaran¬ 
tee them. What Brazil is doing marks the way for 
States or communities. New England Baldwin apples, 
Florida oranges, Cape Cod salt fish, Long Island 
potatoes and dozens of other things have superior 
merit. The way to increase their sales and to get 
what they are worth is to have faith in them and 
let the public know it. 
* 
The R. N.-Y. believes firmly in the principle of 
fair play. We want first of all fair play for farmers, 
but this could not be had without treating other 
classes fairly. We have argued that all forms of 
plant food should be admitted freely into this country 
without tariff or hindrance to trade. As one reason 
for this policy we claimed that free imports of plant 
food would not interfere with any American industry. 
Exception is taken to this statement, as will be seen 
by the article on next page. The manufacturers of 
sulphate of ammonia claim that they need protection 
and are as much entitled to it as others. Here seems 
to be about the only “infant industry” that is left. 
We print the article because it is our policy to give 
all sides a fair hearing. 
* 
Not a day passes that some farmer does not ask 
advice about investing money. As a rule he feels 
inclined to buy some stock in a company which needs 
money to develop a patent or- a gold mine, a rubber 
plantation or some similar enterprise. The promises 
read well, but invariably our advice is to hold on to 
the money. Far better spend it putting water into 
your house or taking water out of the farm in drains 
than to hand it over to speculators. Now, however, 
we are prepared to put you in line with a good thing— 
where the investment is sure. The end of cheap grain 
has come. Never again will corn and wheat go back 
to the low prices of a few years ago. They are both 
likely to go higher, and the demand will increase. 
You cannot do better than to invest some of your 
surplus in the grain crop. Break up what you can 
handle well of old meadow and pasture and plant 
corn—using a good dressing of fertilizer. -Take good 
care of the corn and follow it, if you can, with wheat 
and rye. The time has come when you can invest vour 
money in good seed, good tools and good fertilizer 
right on your own farm and make more than any 
gold mine can pay you. We have given you a sure 
tip. Plant every kernel of grain you can care for, 
and feed it to the limit. 
* 
The campaign for direct nominations in New York 
ended in a farce. Who is responsible for this in¬ 
glorious outcome? When the Legislature met there 
was a strong demand for direct nominations among 
country people. Many members of the Legislature 
had agreed to vote for such a hill, and many more 
knew that they would have to vote for it or stay at 
home. The State Grange met and endorsed direct 
nominations. They did this because they had great 
confidence in Gov. Hughes. They supposed, of course, 
they were endorsing the principle and the methods 
which had become a part of history in western States. 
The one thing above all else which, for years, the 
Grange has worked for is some system whereby the 
individual can assert himself. The great army rep¬ 
resented by the Grange stood ready to fight, and with 
such confidence in its leaders that they endorsed the 
plan before they knew what it was. Then came delay 
after delay. Instead of fighting the army stood mark¬ 
ing time, waiting to know what it was to fight for. 
Gov. Hughes must have known that the only possi¬ 
ble chance for obtaining direct nominations in New 
York lies with the country vote. History shows that 
the movement for direct nominations in other States 
has been carried through by farmers and country 
people. Yet the Governor apparently paid little heed 
to the advice of farmers or their friends. The hill 
seems to have been dictated by city interests and 
framed by city lawyers, who apparently knew little 
about conditions in the country. At any rate it fell 
like a wet blanket upon the only class of people who 
had power _to force it through the Legislature. There 
were thousands of intelligent men all over the State 
ready to fight, and with a clear knowledge of what 
was needed. The Governor came to them with his 
scheme for political committees, with the preference 
and advantage given their candidates. It simply took 
the heart all out of that waiting army. Had they 
been less able to see just what those political com¬ 
mittees would come to the farmers might have backed 
the bill and made a fight for it. It is not what they 
need and they know it, and so in surprise and dis¬ 
gust they stood still. The politicians saw at once 
that there was no power back of the bill, and they 
kicked it out of the Legislature without ceremony. 
The best friends that Gov. Hughes ever had now 
feel that this bill was a compromise in favor of the 
political machine. We believe that Gov. Hughes 
threw away the greatest political opportunity which 
New York has offered in 50 years when he failed 
to take the advice of the men who know and repre¬ 
sent the real farmers. The thing to do now is to 
get together back of a bill which will really satisfy 
the people and build up a fighting spirit once more. 
* 
Last year a well-known breeder of purebred cattle 
argued that the associations should try to induce 
breeders to register their stock as calves. He opposed 
the plan of holding the cattle in some cases until they 
are over a year old before registering. Now the 
American Guernsey Cattle Club will at its next meet¬ 
ing act upon the following amendment to their con¬ 
stitution : 
The fees for all American-bred animals shall he $2.00 
for animals owned by non-members, and $1.00 for animals 
owned by members of the Chib. 
All animals must be registered before the day they are 
six months of age, except, however, if the date of birth, 
sex, sire or dam, together with sketch of color markings 
he filed with the Secretary of the Club on- a form pro¬ 
vided for such purpose within thirty days of the date of 
birth, such animal may then be registered at any time 
within three years of the date of birth on payment of 
the regular registration fee. There shall be no charge 
for the filing of the birth reports. 
All animals over six months of age, for whom a birth 
report has not been filed, can lie registered only with the 
approval of the Executive Committee and on the payment 
of a fee of $10.00. 
The fee for imported animals of any age shall be $10.00 
to non-members, and $5 to members of the Club. 
It is claimed that many cases -of fraud have oc¬ 
curred in substituting one animal for another. For 
instance, a valuable cow drops several calves which 
die. Later the cow herself dies. The breeder has 
kept several animals from inferior stock about the 
right age and quietly registers them as yearlings or 
two years olds. The plan suggested by the Guernsey 
men would help prevent such fraud. With this breed 
the color map would be a great help—more so than 
with the solid-colored breeds. We notice that prac¬ 
tically all the associations are tightening the lines 
and studying methods for closer inspection. The bus¬ 
iness of breeding cannot stand many more scandals. 
* 
The New York State Department of Agriculture 
has issued a pamphlet picturing the agricultural ad¬ 
vantages of New York. It is remarkable what an 
argument the State can put up when it once begins 
to talk. Inside her 47.620 square miles she offers 
every opportunity which a farmer in the temperate 
zone need' ask for. Nearly 6 , 000,000 New Yorkers 
raise little or nothing of what they need for food 
and clothing. Every farm in the State is reasonably 
near a railroad and market. Where farm land in 
the West is selling at $100 per acre, New York soil 
capable of growing more corn can be bought for 
$50 or less. The produce from the New York farm 
will also sell for at least one-third more than an 
equal grade on the western farm. We claim that 
to-day New York offers better chances for a farmer 
with a fair capital than any other State in the Union! 
* 
We keep urging readers to try to start Alfalfa. 
Each year adds to our knowledge of this plant, and 
we are more hopeful that it can be made to succeed 
in the East. On our own farm we have one field 
which, early in the Spring, we were ready to abandon 
as a failure. We limed it and have used a fair 
amount of manure. Now, as the season comes on, 
we find a fair stand of Alfalfa after all. We also 
have it growing in drills, for we believe the crop is 
of so much value that it will pay to cultivate it as 
we would corn, in order to get it started. There is 
no doubt about the great need of lime in most of our 
eastern soils. If anyone asks why all this fuss to 
get a stand of Alfalfa, the best answer will he to 
send him into a section where the crop does well. 
When a man thinks of taking the equivalent of four 
tons of wheat bran from an acre, and doing it year 
after year, he knows what Alfalfa means. Such a 
result is well worth working for. 
* 
A correspondent complains because there is a dif¬ 
ference in the weight of a bushel of seed offered by 
seedsmen and that of pure, clean seed given by the 
Agricultural Department. Thus the seedsmen give a 
certain number of pounds of grass seed as a bushel. 
We are told that an actual bushel weighs more. The 
explanation is that there is a legal weight for most 
seeds—uniform in many States. For a number of 
the grasses, like Blue grass, Red-top and Orchard 
grass this legal weight was established before the 
present perfection of cleaning machinery, and was 
based on the weight of the seeds as taken from the 
thrashing machine rather than on clean seeds. Thus 
the legal weight does not correspond with the actual 
weight of a measured bushel of clean seed, the weight 
of a bushel of clean seed often being from two to 
three times that of the weight established by law. 
Seeds are usually sold by weight rather than by 
measure. 
BREVITIES. 
This country produced nearly 20,000,000 barrels of 
salt last year. 
If you ever have a chance to buy tobacco stems at a 
fair price—get them. 
When hens get lazy we make them work for their food. 
A good remedy for men, boys and girls also. 
The Iowa Experiment Station finds that good "starters” 
for butter-making can be made from sugar or condensed 
milk. 
Here is a good sign for your faim : 
BUSINESS HOURS BELONG TO THE BOSS! 
Thou sJmlt not steal time. 
The New York Legislature appropriated $10,000 for 
experiments in grape culture in Chautauqua County. The 
work will be directed by tlie Geneva Staiion. 
It is said that Fatten who “cornered” wheat, made 
$5,000,000 out of his deal. Who did it come from? The 
loss must eventually fall upon consumers of flour. 
One of our readers says he is very busy making money 
(for the railroads and express companies). lie lives in 
Florida, but be has comrades elsewhere! 
That Connecticut woman farmer this week says she 
walks all she can. We have long believed that many 
people are chained (o ill health because they are grafted 
to a chair. 
Who are the people making ail this noise about leach¬ 
ing agriculture in the public schools? Do they know 
what agriculture is and can they teach it? Arc they 
farmers, or people who make a living from the land? 
Now comes California with raisin day—April 20. The 
object is to get people to eat raisins and show that "a 
pounds of raisins is equal iu food value to nearly a pound 
and a half of. beef.” A large contract that; now for a 
dried apple day. 
