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THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
August 28, 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Published weekly by the Kara! Publishing Company, 409 Pearl 8treet, New York. 
Herbert W. Collingwood, President and Editor, 
John J. Dillon, Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wm. P. Djlikjn, Secretary. 
Dr. Walter Van Fleet and Mrs. E. T. Rotlk, Associate Editors. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, equal to 
8 s. 6 d., or 8*2 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 ourcolumns, and any such swindler will be publicly ex¬ 
posed. We protect snbcribers against rogues, but we do not guarantee 
to adjust 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 The Rural New-Yorker when 
writing the advertiser. 
TEN WEEKS FOR 10 CENTS. 
In order to introduce Tiie 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. 
* 
“ } Tis not in humans to command success, 
But we’ll do more, Sempronius, we’ll deserve it.” 
To the ordinary observer it may seem as if we 
must look to this old sentiment for consolation in 
our quest for Mr. Burbank's $10,000! Well, no one 
shall say that in failing to win it we also failed in 
earning the right to divide it among our friends. It 
may be that Childs and Burbank, as well as our es¬ 
teemed contemporaries, feel that the incident might 
well be closed. To us it has only well begun. 
. * 
W eeds in the silo! There are farmers who never 
permit a weed to show in the corn, but they are not 
in the majority. Recently a farmer stated his case. 
His corn rows were crowded with weeds, and with 
present prices of hand help it would cost a small for¬ 
tune to cut the weeds from the drills. What should 
he do? The general advice seems to -be to cut the 
weeds into the silo with the corn. These weeds have 
some feeding value, and when mixed with the corn 
lose their disagreeable taste. Also the weed seeds are 
destroyed. Experiments in Vermont show that clover 
seed is about the only one that can go through the 
silo and then grow. 
* 
People who have seen a “moving picture” show 
know how life-like the presentment is. Why cannot 
the same plan be used to show pictures of farm life 
or ways of doing farm operations? Institute speak¬ 
ers often try to tell their hearers how to trim and 
plant a tree, or how to do other forms of farm or 
orchard work. In some cases pictures are shown, yet 
even with this help it is hard to make the instruc¬ 
tion clear. If the speaker could have moving pic¬ 
tures showing for example, a gang of men pruning 
an orchard or planting trees or spraying or picking 
fruit, every detail could be worked out. Who will 
be first to give us a good moving picture of farm 
operations? 
* 
The country is full of propositions to sell stock 
in so-called “co-operative” enterprises. Usually some 
one has a large slice of land in some far-off country. 
They want your money, and in exchange for it they 
offer to plant fruit or to grow grain or stock. At 
any rate, all you have to do is to pay up, and then 
wait patiently while these parties “develop” the 
property. There are a few legitimate enterprises of 
this sort, where a limited number of people have 
bought land and are developing it. In these cases 
the owners think they have a good thing, and do 
not rush out to sell stock to* any stranger. Most of 
such concerns, however, are simply in the game to 
sell stock. The matter of “developing” may or may 
not come later. Our fixed rule is to advise our 
readers to keep away from all such schemes—no 
matter how alluring the picture may be. Whenever 
we do this some of these stock peddlers come for¬ 
ward in great sorrow and regret that we have been 
“misinformed.” While, of course, there may be 
frauds in the business, the scheme which they are 
promoting is “all right.” They point a proud finger 
at various leading citizens who are back of their en¬ 
terprise ! Now, this sort of thing has been going on 
for a good many years. If there is any profit in it 
the facts ought to be in plain sight. Will some one 
come forward and tell us of any such scheme for 
planting bananas or other fruit or rubber by a stock¬ 
selling corporation that has ever paid out? We have 
called for this information a good many times, but 
never got it. Unlike Mr. Burbank, we specify the 
proof we want—not “prospects” or what the scheme 
may be worth, but what it has paid and is paying 
the stockholders. We refer to those promoters who 
offer stock to the public. Now, suppose you come 
forward “with the goods.” 
* 
“Your assertions have done me untold damage and 
put me on the defensive all over the zvorld.” 
—John Lewis Childs. 
This extract is taken from a recent letter written 
to us by Mr. Childs. We call his attention to the 
fact that if he is now “on the defensive” he was put 
in that position by his own words. What is he de¬ 
fending? The claims he made by word and picture 
when he offered the Wonderberry for sale. If our 
“assertions” were not true the character of the Won¬ 
derberry would quickly disprove them. Mr. Childs 
well knows that if his claims for the fruit had been 
reasonable and true all this ta'.k about it would be 
the most profitable advertising he could have. He 
would be comfortable and safe in his defensive po¬ 
sition, for the Wonderberry would fight the battle 
for him and win. If he must go “on the defensive” 
himself the public will regard this act as an admis¬ 
sion that the Wonderberry cannot stand alone and 
come up to Mr. Childs’ claims for it. Marching along 
with the “Wonderberry” will come the ghost of the 
“Japanese Wineberry” and other old friends that 
were launched with so much horn blowing. Even 
our friend Luther Burbank recognizes what this 
“defensive” position means. The San Francisco Call 
states in an interview with Burbank: 
Burbank admitted that he believed the berry had been 
too highly exploited by dealers, however. lie said they 
had made more than $20,000 out of its exploitation, while 
he had received less than a third of $1,000 as his share 
of the work. 
Mr. Burbank seems to forget that his own words 
gave Mr. Childs the basis for the extravagant claims 
that were made. Burbank’s figures take us behind 
the scenes and show how these plant creators 
rank with other toilers when it comes to handling 
the consumer’s dollar. As we understand him, the 
Wonderberry -brought him about $300, wnile Mr. 
Childs got $20,000. As we figure this, Mr. Burbank 
received one and one-half cent of the ultimate con¬ 
sumer’s dollar. It remains for those who have 
grown the Wonderberry to -say whether this is too 
large a proportion or not. 
* 
We have the following letter from a reader in the 
Eighteenth Congressional District of Pennsylvania. 
This district comprises the counties of Dauphin, Cum¬ 
berland and Lebanon: 
I believe all Congressmen have studied the little piece 
well, “I will give the matter referred to full considera¬ 
tion when the proper time comes,” or something to that 
effect. During the past few years I have written our 
Congressman, Marlin E. Olmstead, a few letters as to 
parcels post, tariff, etc. The replies were something like 
the quotation given above. I>ast Spring I wrote him that 
the farmers of his district were a unit in requesting this 
legislation, and that they would like to know in what way 
these matters will receive his consideration, and that these 
evasive replies are not satisfactory. I received no reply. 
But why should a big corporation lawyer and a member 
of Congress who occupies the chair during Mr. Cannon’s 
absence, or when that worthy takes the floor in debate, 
bother with the letter of a humble constituent who is try¬ 
ing io find out too much? What business has the humble 
constituent to meddle in the affairs of an influential Con¬ 
gressman who knows so much more and whose, time is so 
valuable? A - s - 
At the last election Mr. Olmstead received 27.717 
votes. We understand he spent $10,000. His op¬ 
ponent received 13,876 Azotes. Now what right has 
the individual voter to talk to a man with such a ma¬ 
jority? Much the same as a mountain spring has to 
tell the river what to do with its water. That is what 
the politicians would tell you, but there is another 
side to it. If all the springs agreed to hold back the 
water they contribute, where would the river be? 
With all pride and strength gone it would be begging 
and pleading for help from the little springs. The 
water cannot help flowing down hill. It must obey 
a natural law. Now the politicians would have us 
believe that men should obey the same law and sim¬ 
ply turn over their influence and power as the springs 
yield the water—without any right to say how that 
power shall he used. The springs are slaves to the 
laws of gravity. Men need not be such—for spirit 
and manhood teach them to hold back their influence 
and power when their servants do not use it properly. 
Congressmen who ignore their people do so because 
they size the voters tip as grumblers who never will 
bite. Let them once feel the ragged edge of a cut 
ballot and you will see them asking what they can do 
to save their place. 
As stated last week, nearly 50 persons have written 
about that “farm partnership” suggested on page 723. 
These letters are all serious and come from men and 
women who are evidently struggling with hard prob¬ 
lems. It is evident from what they write that the 
hired help question is a desperate one as they are 
situated. Most of them appear to he of middle age or 
older, without the strength to labor as they once did. 
They appear to have good farms and comfortable 
homes, but without children or relatives to help them, 
are at the mercy of hired help who take advantage 
of them at every turn. Some of the letters in which 
these people outline their •situation are pathetic in 
their earnestness. One can read between the lines 
and see how anxious they are to remain in the old 
home, and yet how desperate the problem has be¬ 
come. Now here are opportunities for honest young 
married people who are willing to work and who know 
how to bear and forbear. There are no doubt many 
such people right now who have hard work to make 
a living as they are situated. If they could make 
a combination with 'some of these elderly farmers 
and had the patience, good nature and tact to get 
on with them, there would be a mutual help. Tn 
theory the plan seems a good one, yet, knowing hu¬ 
man nature as we do, we should advise both sides to 
be very careful before they made permanent ar¬ 
rangements. 
* 
Some people seem to think that seedsmen are sim¬ 
ply in business to cheat their customers. We are 
personally acquainted with many seedsmen. They 
are for the most part honorable men of high char¬ 
acter who desire to satisfy their customers, both be¬ 
cause they find it profitable to do so, and because 
they wish to do a square business. Yet one well- 
known and reliable house recently received the fol¬ 
lowing letter: 
Inclosed is a bill of lading, supposedly, for seed corn 
which was never received. Mr. - informs me that on 
notifying your house, you sent a request for two dollars 
and some odd cents more, on receipt of which you would 
send the seed. This is a fraud trick which has been 
worked to death on farmers. If the seeds were shipped, 
and gone astray, the railroad company is responsible, and 
you, not I, have any recourse. You have been paid for 
the seed once, and I can assure you I would not Ik? 
swindled by the same gang of thieves twice. The amount 
is not sufficient to waste time over; you petty fakers are 
irritating, that is all. 
The facts in this case are interesting. A man in 
New Jersey ordered seed sent to his farm in Virgin¬ 
ia. This farm is located at a “prepaid” station— 
where there is no agent. Freight is taken from the 
car by the train crew and left on the plat¬ 
form—the owner coming for it at his con¬ 
venience. ‘As there is no one to take a 
receipt for the freight the carrier must collect prepaid 
charges from the party who sends the goods. In 
the case mentioned no freight was prepaid, as the 
buyer did not send the money and the freight 
amounted to nearly half the order. The goods were 
sent and reached Richmond, Va. There they were 
held up. The railroad refused to deliver them until 
the charges were paid to the prepaying station. The 
shipper informed the buyer and asked him to send 
the money. He refused to pay it, but sent the let¬ 
ter given above. As a result the seed was lost. The 
seedsman was not responsible. He shipped the seed 
in time as ordered. It was understood that the buyer 
was to pay freight on the goods. They were 
sent to a “prepaid” station and he could not 
get them unless freight was paid in advance. He 
had no right to expect the seedsman to pay the 
freight, and to complicate matters he did not send 
the bill of lading as stated. We understand that 
most seedsmen have trouble in shipping to these 
“prepaid” stations. There are many of them at -small 
points in the South. Purchasers forget that such 
freight must be paid in advance and when the goo.ds 
do not come they blame the shipper. They must re¬ 
member to have freight prepaid whenever they order 
seeds or other goods. 
BREVITIES. 
“If you don’t win—you can’t lose.” That is the way 
the California Horticultural Society asks for exhibits. 
The New York Department, of Agriculture is trying 
this Summer what it calls “shirtsleeves” meetings—that 
is, small gatherings on farms where neighbors come to¬ 
gether to talk over important matters. 
Last week we gave some of the things done on a Vir¬ 
ginia farm 10 miles back from a railroad. If anyone 
has a more “general-purpose” farm lie may have the floor 
to tell about, it. No doubt some of the operations on that 
Virginia farm are born ol necessity. Necessity and op¬ 
portunity produce prize offspring. 
The Connecticut fair at. Berlin, September 14-17 will 
offer several old-fashioned attractions. There will be 
plowing matches for both horses and oxen, walking and 
riding plows. We have always claimed that a plowing 
match is of far greater importance to farmers than a 
trotting match. We believe it will, if properly handled, 
attract a crowd. 
