BIO 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER’S PAPER. 
A Nation*! Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homei. 
Established 1860. 
Published weekly by the Rural Publishing Company, 409 Pearl Street, New York* 
Herbert W. Collingwood, President and Editor, 
John J. Dillon, Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wm. P. 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. 6 d., or 8*2 marks, or lOkt 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 swindlerwill be publicly ex¬ 
posed. We protect suberibers against rogues, but wedo not guarantee 
to adjust trifling 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 bo 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 
30 weeks for 30 cents for strictly introductory pur¬ 
poses. We depend on our old friends to make this 
known to neighbors and friends. 
* 
A young man asks about fanning. He cannot think 
of failing, he says, because if he does “people will 
have the laugh on me.” No one will have “the laugh” 
on him unless he tells big stories of what he intends 
doing. The big boast before operation is like sticky 
paper to attract “the laugh” later. Our advice is for 
a man to approach a farm proposition with silent 
humbleness. If people “give you the laugh,” take it 
with another laugh. It isn’t poison, it will not kill 
you. It may be just the tonic you need to grow wise. 
* 
Thirty years ago the writer helped plant one of 
the pioneer orchards in northern Colorado. Out of 
”50 trees only four lived, and apple culture was voted 
a failure. Since that time patient and far-seeing 
men have been at work studying varieties and methods 
of culture, until now Colorado has $8,000,000 worth 
of apples in sight this year. There is to be a great 
apple exposition in Denver in January. When we 
were there last Michigan apples sold at five to 30 
cents a pound. This great development has been 
made under the spur of necessity. Similar energy and 
study would do wonders for our Eastern growers. 
* 
Here we have Mr. Allen of Ohio telling us never 
to burn any vines or trash, but to plow everything in 
for humus. Then comes Air. Martin to tell us that 
he burns the potato vines because he finds that when 
he plows them under trouble from blight follows 
them. On our own farm we would not follow the 
practice of either. We rake the vines and put them 
around young fruit trees as mulch. They are excel¬ 
lent for this purpose. It would pay any farmer to 
have a mulched orchard on his farm and get the 
mulching habit fixed. That would give him great re¬ 
spect for weeds and trash which can be cut and piled 
around trees. 
* 
A reader sends us a newspaper clipping about a 
very important matter, and says: 
I don't doubt that you will get this story from many 
sources, but if we all refrain from sending for this 
reason you might not get it at all. 
We are all apt to conclude that some one else will 
do the thing which comes to our mind. The result 
is the work is not done. We hope our people will not 
operate in that way. You may see some statement in 
your local paper which is in line with what we are 
trying to do. Your experience may help settle some 
problem discussed in The R. N.-Y. We want them 
all. If you wait for some one else to supply these 
things we may not get them at all. 
* 
When an organization claims to represent farm¬ 
ers it cannot be too careful about the men who stand 
for it in public. This is of particular importance 
right now when farmers are trying to act independ¬ 
ently in their own interests. One rural county in 
New York has been particularly cursed by a gang of 
local politicians. The farmers know it, and they are 
doing their best to organize to put these human para¬ 
sites out of business. There was recently held a 
large picnic which gave a chance to put the truth 
before these farmers in a public speech. Both the 
Dairymen’s League and the State Grange recom¬ 
mended a speaker, and he came. Our information is 
that as soon as he reached town a knot of politicians 
got hold of him and stayed by him through the day. 
When he came to speak this man went out of his 
way to attack Gov. Hughes and direct nominations. 
T El K RURAL NEW-YORKER 
and made a personal plea for the very politicians 
whom the farmers are desirous of putting out of busi¬ 
ness. We do not know whether this man was duped 
by flattery, or whether there was any bargain about 
it, but he did more damage to the cause of agricul¬ 
ture in that community than a month of earnest work- 
can repair. It is not only discouraging but humiliating 
when men come out openly to battle against poli¬ 
ticians to have a man who is supposed to represent 
their own organization come and attempt to upset 
their work in this way. 
* 
When you get Burbank's $30,000, tell us what you 
intend doing with it. h. N. s. 
We gave up counting chickens before they are 
hatched many years ago. We prefer to wait until the 
chicks hatch, grow- up and lay eggs and the eggs are 
sold and paid for before doing any counting. Mr. 
Burbank’s offer may yet prove an infertile egg in 
spite of our proof. We might make a little sugges¬ 
tion, however. Mr. John Lewis Childs writes us that 
he does not need the money he made by selling the 
Wonderberry. Burbank says this sum amounted to 
$20,000. Now', suppose Mr. Childs puts up his $20,000 
alongside of Burbank’s $10,000. If others wish to 
come in they will be welcome. With the money thus 
obtained let us start a trust fund for the benefit of 
those “creators” and originators wdio in their old age 
find themselves without comforts or home. We have 
only to remember the sad declining years of such 
men as E. W. Bull, Jacob Moore and J. H. Tibbetts 
to realize how nobly such a fund could be employed. 
Society has done great things for Luther Burbank— 
loading him with praise and creating, as he tells us, 
a value of nearly one dollar each for his words. We 
judge, from wdiat he tells us, also that society has 
dealt kindly with Mr. Childs for “introducing” such 
novelties as Dwarf Rocky Mountain cherry, Chinese 
Lantern plant, Japanese Mayberry, Strawberry-rasp¬ 
berry, etc. We take it, therefore, that both of these 
gentlemen will at once fall in with our suggestion. 
* 
We wrote John Lew'is Childs as follows: 
“We again offer you all needed space in which to 
repeat your claims for the berry.” 
Mr. Childs takes advantage of this offer to send us 
3,200 words in u'hich he carefully refrains from re¬ 
peating his claims. We print his entire letter, w'ord 
for word, though he fails to name the seedsmen who 
substituted or to give the other names we called for. 
As for his botanical authority, we think Dr. Bedell 
disposes of it effectively. We believe that Dr. Britton 
himself will agree with what Dr. Galloway wrote last 
week. 
“Of course one can set dozen differences in the 
leaves, internodes, sice of flowers, fruit, and seed, but 
these differences are all found to merge if the field 
study is sufficiently extended.” 
Probably no one knows better than Air. Childs that 
the public will accept Dr. Galloway’s statement about 
the Wonderberry as conclusive. Having proved our 
case regarding the botanical character of this plant, 
we will let the public decide as to its merit and econo¬ 
mic value. As for the influence of The R. N.-Y., we 
repeat to Mr. Childs what we have, said before. In 
the end the truth must prevail. If the Wonderberry 
is what Childs and Burbank claim, its behavior under 
cultivation will end the controversy. The R. N.-Y. 
might just as well try to sweep back the ocean as to 
use its “influence” against a plant which could live 
up to the extravagant stories started by Mr. Burbank 
and padded out by Mr. Childs. If he fully believed 
his own claims it is reasonable to suppose that Mr. 
Childs would stand boldly out and repeat them with 
the most serene confidence. Instead of that, when 
offered the chance to do so while the berry is ripening, 
he carefully evades the point. 
* 
A committee representing the New York Legisla¬ 
ture has been through the West “studying” the re¬ 
sults of primary nomination laws. Readers have sent 
us clippings giving the results of most of the hear¬ 
ings held by this committee. All sorts of testimony 
was offered, as was to be expected. It seems evident 
that very few if any persons outside of the profes¬ 
sional politician would go back to the old plan of 
caucus nominations. It is frankly admitted by many 
that some of the direct nomination laws are not per¬ 
fect, and that they need strengthening. Most of the 
members of the New York investigating committee 
were opposed to direct primaries from the start. They 
appear to seize upon every admission that the West¬ 
ern State laws are not perfect as evidence that the 
principle is wrong. Of course they know better, for 
if they have given any thought to the subject, they 
must realize that no one can expect to launch an ex¬ 
periment of this sort perfect from the start. It must 
be tried and tested just as all improvements in po¬ 
Septembtr 31, 
litical methods have been developed. As we have 
followed the course of that investigating committee, 
its members must be now convinced that the prin¬ 
ciple of direct nominations has become permanently 
established in the West and South. Let us see if 
they will have the courage to tell New York people 
that one central truth. 
* 
There may be less said than formerly about the 
San Jose scale, but the insect is still with us. The 
following typical letter comes from Camden Co., 
N. J.: 
I have been noticing that the scale (Fan .Tose) in our 
pear orchard was decreasing; it has never been sprayed, 
so it would not be from that. Yellow jackets mostly and 
some bumblebees, also wasps can lie seen alighting on the 
leaves and picking parts of the leaves. Are they eating 
scale? n. e. v. 
No, the yellow jackets and bees are not eating the 
scale. The orchard is evidently afflicted with the pear 
psylla. This insect secretes a sweetish liquid—the 
young being covered with a frothy mass. This is very 
attractive to bees, wasps, hornets, etc., and is easier 
to obtain at this season than nectar in flowers. In 
taking this liquid Prof. J. B. Smith tells us that the 
yellow iackets do not injure the little insects. This 
is no doubt what the hornets and bumblebees are 
doing. They are not bothering the scale at all. It 
has been reported here and there that the scale is 
“dying out.” There may have been a slight check in 
some localities, but as a whole there is no particular 
decrease in its work except where spraying is kept up 
systematically. We warn our readers against the folly 
and danger of supposing that they can afford to stop 
fighting the scale. 
* 
The express companies have thus far succeeded in 
holding up parcels post legislation. This is evidence 
of their power. Evidence of some of their practice 
shows them in an even worse light. Many of the 
Southern States have enacted strong prohibition laws. 
Yet it appears that considerable liquor is brought into 
these States and sold. The express coiripanies play 
the part of rum seller. Packages of liquor are sent 
C. O. D. addressed to “John Smith.” Suppose you 
are a drinking man and want beer or whisky. You 
go to the express office and ask if there is an express 
package for “John Smith.” There is, not one but 
several. You select the one you want, pay the 
charges, and take your selection of liquor away. No 
questions are asked. The rum seller express company 
is within the law and makes a good profit on the 
transaction. No wonder the Portland Evening Tele¬ 
gram says: 
Could an express company be engaged in a dirtier busi¬ 
ness? Could it give a more flagrant exhibition of its 
contempt for the law and its determination to make 
money, any sort of .money, in any way, so it got it? It 
is the same old story of the lottery companies when the 
Federal Government legislated against them with the de¬ 
termination to wipe them out, and when they were de¬ 
barred from the use of the mails, the express companies 
.stepped in and took up the business. It was only after 
specific legislation had been passed directed against the 
express companies and imposing rigid penalties, that the 
business was destroyed. 
And this very rum-soaked money is used to kill off 
any attempt to get a fair parcels post bill through 
Congress. Look at it from any point you will, and 
the whole thing is an outrage. 
BREVITIES. 
Cold type for the hot air humbugs. 
Why should we hand the cream and cake forever to 
our friend the “fake”? 
Dr. II. W. Wiley would have marriage license refused 
to any girl who cannot cook a good meal. 
“P. T. Baruum used to say that the people loved to 
be humbugged. Do they? Not the horticulturists over 
Wonderberries.” h. n\ s. 
Germany is developing a special breed of dogs for 
police helpers. They are called German Shepherd dogs 
and are bred for “a good nose.” 
There is some drunkenness in prohibition Maine, but 
the papers seem to fit the crime, $10 and costs with 30 
days in jail and 30 days additional if fine is not paid. 
Wiiat's this? A dog tax of one dollar a dog in 
Georgia? If they can collect it the argument of the 
saloon men that Prohibition bankrupts the State will be 
overcome. 
“I can say, had I taker, your paper one year ago I 
would have about $500 more on this day. One fellow bad 
a great scheme to make money, and I had no experience, 
but I have now. Your paper will help against another 
scheme.” e. d. o. 
At the New York farmers’ institutes this Winter our 
correspondent H. II. Lyon will talk about the “unoccupied 
farms” and the chances' for making them useful once 
more. This is one of the most important problems of the 
day, and Mr. Lyon has made a study of it. 
The late rains were not of much use to potato farmers 
on the light soils of New Jersey. We recently saw a 
number of them digging potatoes while the vines were 
green, and with a light yield. The rain had simply 
started prongs or nubs on the tubers without otherwise 
increasing their size. 
