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THE RURAL NKW-YOKKEHi 
October 23 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FAB MRU'S PA PE II. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Extablished 1880. 
I’utjlWhrd weekly by the Hiirml I’uhlUhlnfr Company, WO IVarl H(rrrt, hew York. 
HbrbkbtW. Oolunowood. President and Editor, 
John J. Dillon, Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wm. F. Dii.T.ON, Secretary. 
Dr. Wai.tkr Van Fleet and Mrs. K. 1’. Royi,k, Associate Editors. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union. $2.0t, etinal to 
8s. (Id., or 8'ti marks, or 10*a francs. Remit in money order, 
express order, personal check or bank draft. 
Entered at New York Rost Oflice as Second Class Matter. 
Advertising rates r>0 cents per agate line—7 words. Discount for time 
orders. References required for advertisers unknown to 
ns; and cash must accompany transient ordoi'8. 
"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 ourcolmnns, and any such swindler will be publicly ex¬ 
posed. We protect suberibors 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 
Inmost bankrupts sanctioned by the courts. Notice of the complaint 
must bo sent to us within one month of the time of the transaction, 
and yon must have mentioned Tilt Rural Nkw-Yokkkh 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. 
A 
The “Wonderberry” !!!! It has now been pro¬ 
nounced a black nightshade by the botanists of the 
famous Kew hardens, the Royal Horticultural Society 
of England and the French National Society of Hor¬ 
ticulture. It has also been found growing in Mexico. 
And yet Luther Burbank has made no move to pay 
up his $10,000 offer! 
* 
President Taft lias come out squarely in favor of 
giving greater powers to the Interstate Commerce 
Commission. As we have often stated the Commis¬ 
sion lacks the power to enforce its own rulings. It 
has been an easy matter for the railroads to delay 
cases and continue to evade the law, while the courts 
were grinding out their long grist. The President 
wants a new court of five members to handle those 
commerce cases without delay. Other proposed 
changes will come before the next Congress. There 
will be one of the biggest fights ever known in Wash¬ 
ington over the effort to make the Interstate Com¬ 
merce Commission really useful to the people. Read 
the figures on page 922, to get an idea of the import¬ 
ance of this transportation question. 
* 
I noticed on page 810, your editorial remarks on par¬ 
cels post and express companies, and urging people lo wake 
iifi. Well, so long as (he average run of people do just: as 
you do, kick like blazes and vote “the ticket” (with rare 
exceptions), ho long will the express companies, and other 
abominations, and the Aldriclies, etc., and Cannons, keep 
their grip on our throats. 
Now the question is—does this hit yon? If it does 
have you any right or desire to hit back? Can you 
offer any fair excuse? Can you say there is no truth 
in that last sentence? The farmers of the North are 
directly responsible for some of the noblest legislation 
in the world’s history. That was when they broke old 
party lines and stood for moral questions. It is also 
true that they are responsible for some of the meanest 
and most selfish legislation on record. That was 
when they followed the politicians, and hung together 
in order to hang their best interests. Ask a farmer 
if he is an express package or a man and lie might 
feel insulted. Yet what is the truth while your 
Congressman helps to kill off a parcels post? Ibis 
year the farmers of Chenango County, N. Y., have 
their opportunity. Two men are candidates for the 
Legislature. N. P. Bonney stands openly and fairly 
for a direct primary law. There can be no question 
about his position—he is boss-free. W. A. Shepardson 
is the candidate of Senator Allds, the district boss, 
and one of the meanest politicians in the New York 
Senate. The issue between these men is clear cut 
and open. Now and then political opportunity comes 
to farmers. It conies this year to the people of Che¬ 
nango County. Come, gentlemen, rise above your 
party and vote for a principle. 
* 
Recently we spoke of the present fine chance to 
buy purebred stock. Now wc repeat it. Such chances 
come in years like the present, when feed will he 
scarce and high. Good bargains can he made this Fall 
before the Hocks and herds are settled for Winter. 
There is a greater demand than usual for good sheep. 
The sheep is one of the best of animals for a fruit 
or garden farm, since it will make good use of weeds 
and wastes. Horse breeding, too, is growing in favor. 
Good horses and mules are higher than ever, and our 
Eastern farms can produce the best. Tf a farmer can 
keep hut few animals, that is all the more reason why 
they should he good ones, and now is the time to con¬ 
sider improvement by bringing in new blood. 
During the year many reports of tree diseases 
have been published. "Yellows” in peach trees has 
appeared and many so-called “blights” in maple and 
other shade trees. Wc feel sure that much of this 
so-called "disease” is simply the result of the hard 
drought of the past two Summers, following the 
severe Winters. The trees were weakened by freez¬ 
ing and the roots killed in the dry weather. Many 
of these trees will slowly recover if cut hack and 
given good care. We believe too that some of the 
chestnut trees said to be dying with fungus disease 
have simply had their feeding roots destroyed by 
drought. 
* 
The figures given by Mr. Steiner on page 923 will 
surprise most of our readers. It seems that millions 
of dollars earned by foreigners in this country are 
•sent away to buy land in Europe. That accounts for 
the*fact that while so many men go away from the 
Danube countries farm land there does not lose value, 
hut increases. The system of keeping money in so- 
called “private hanks” is largely responsible for this. 
We understand that these banks are usually controlled 
by people who are interested in having this money 
leave the country. Postal savings banks would help 
stop this. These immigrants will deposit money with 
tiie government and a large share of such deposits 
would remain in this country, and he invested here. 
* 
We arc commanded not to covet the possession of 
our neighbor. The injunction is prohibitive—“anything 
that is thy neighbor’s.” We confess to a great tempta¬ 
tion at times to break this commandment. Resisting 
such a temptation may be classed as a virtue. We 
have no feeling of envy for one thing at least which 
many of our neighbors have gained. That is the posi¬ 
tion occupied by “our esteemed contemporaries” on 
this Wonderberry controversy. With two or three 
shining exceptions the agricultural papers occupy a 
most humiliating position in this matter. Some of 
them at least will appreciate the following extract 
from a private letter. 
I was recently visited by a man from the Department 
of Agriculture. We discussed Ihe “Wonderberry” and your 
campaign against thin fake. We agreed that you were 
right and that It takes nerve. My friend told me that 
not long ago a representative' of a leading agricultural 
paper called at the Department arid asked for news about 
new planlH or varieties. They started to tell him the 
truth about the Wonderberry. hut lie stopped them, say¬ 
ing : “Don't tell vie that; we would not dare la print it 
under the circumstances." 
It seems as if this ‘‘Wonderberry” proposition is 
loaded. What with? About the time we began to give 
the facts a rumor was started through the trade that 
John Lewis Childs was to spend $20,000 in advertising 
the Wonderberry next season. This was a very cun¬ 
ning scheme to keep the agricultural papers quiet. 
Whether intended for that purpose or not it worked 
like a charm. These papers reasoned that if they 
kept quiet they would gel a •'-lice of that money. They 
knew that the Wonderberry is simply a black n'ght- 
shade, inferior to the old garden huckleberry and not 
a new "creation,” since it has been known for some 
years in Mexico. They do not want to be told this, 
yet they get the information from their readers. Wc 
have seen letters that have been sent them, hot witii 
indignation, and the evasive and humiliating replies. 
These papers have tried to play a double game, and 
they will lose at both ends. That $20,000 will not he 
cut up among them, and they will lose the confidence 
of thousands of the best farmers in the country. For 
while this “Wonderberry” may he a small thing in 
itself, it is the representative of a mighty evil of 
fake and falsehood over untested novelties. The 
people know that it is the duty of a farm paper to 
fight this evil and not to foster it. No, we do not 
envy the “Wonderberry” record of our “esteemed 
contemporaries." 
* 
Who is to succeed James Wilson as Secretary of 
Agriculture? There is no indication now of any 
immediate change, yet it is but natural that farmers 
should consider the matter. We arc told from time 
to time that Congressman Scott of Kansas is slated 
for the Agricultural seat in the Cabinet. Mr. Scott 
is chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, 
which fact we understand is the main argument in 
his favor. From the farmer’s standpoint the argu¬ 
ments against his appointment arc many, lie is said 
to he in favor of “oleo,” and represents the meat 
packers rather than farmers. Should he be appointed 
there will be a burst of disapproval from the farmers 
that will surprise President Taft. Fast of the Mis¬ 
sissippi the feeling against Mr. Scott is very strong. 
We have been asked to support the claims of other 
men for the position—'some of them well qualified 
to represent agriculture. Our position is that mem¬ 
bership in the President’s Cabinet is not representa¬ 
tive. If we were President we should select a "politi¬ 
cal family” to suit ourselves and not be guided by 
what this trade or that profession demanded. We 
think that is President Taft’s privilege, and he should 
be left free to exercise it. We think he will hurt his 
administration if he selects a man like Mr. Scott, but 
after the facts are ‘before him he should be left to 
make his own choice. 
* 
Mr. Hitchings, whose orchard we arc discussing 
this week, is figuring on an auto-truck much like the 
one shown on our first page. Such a truck would 
take the load of six horses, and carry it up hill and 
down at twice the speed that the horses could make. 
Such things will soon be common in the country 
where produce is hauled for any great distance. 
Already farmers are using gasoline motors for plow¬ 
ing and harrowing. We shall show one at work in a 
couple of weeks. Many of the useful things which 
were thought to belong to city life are now going to 
the country—and more will follow. We see no pres¬ 
ent use for a flying machine on the farm, but the 
Wright brothers have taught us not to he afraid of 
what seems impossible. These men went ahead in 
their own way, not following the lines of “scientific 
investigation,” and worked out their problem through 
common sense. 
* 
What do you expect to gniu by repeating the claim 
that the producer gels on the nverage 3.3 cents of the 
consumer's dollar? Granting that you can prove any 
such claim, what good does it do? j. n. n. 
Wc would not print a line in The R. N.-Y. unless 
we thought it would do some good. This unfair 
division of the dollar hurts farmers and the busi¬ 
ness of farmers in a dozen different ways. We keep 
on repeating the statement because it is true, and 
wc see no other way of compelling people to sec 
the truth. I he constant repetition of these figures 
has already forced the daily papers and the maga¬ 
zines to take tip the subject, ft is now being dis¬ 
cussed where two years ago people never con¬ 
sidered it except to claim that farmers were re¬ 
sponsible for the high prices to consumers. I he 
result of this will be that city consumers will know 
where to place the blame for their hold-up. We 
tire paving the way for a great direct trade between 
town and country when parcels post is won. 
This discussion also compels farmers to compare 
the cost of production with the selling price of 
their goods. If they get Hut 3. r > cents of the con¬ 
sumer’s dollar, how many cents do they have to 
pay out in order to get this small proportion? There 
is no more forcible way of putting this contrast 
before the public, and when we can get it there wc 
shall have the solid foundation for several neces¬ 
sary things. On these foundations men will build 
co-operation and organization. From them they 
will learn what their section can best produce and 
how best to produce it, and then go on to learn 
how to sell so as to obtain a fairer share of the 
dollar. That is what will come in time from this 
continual analysis of the consumer’s dollar. It is 
the strongest argument we can imagine to make 
men realize the injustice of trade conditions, and 
think out a remedy, for among the hands which 
reach out along the line are the greedy fingers of 
politics, business corruption, and false education. 
Our object is state the truth and arouse public 
opinion. In the new novel of Western life, “A 
Certain Rich Man,” you will find the following: 
“For what you and he think is public opinion. It 
is not substantial; II is not palpable. Jt may not readily 
he translated into terms of money, or power, or vital 
force. But It crushes all these things before it. When 
this public opinion rises sure and firm and strong, no 
material force on this earth ean stop it. For a time 
it may 1 h? dammed and checked. For a day or a week 
or a year or a decade it may he turned from its channel; 
yet money cannot hold il ; arms cannot hold It; cunning 
cannot battle it. For it is God moving among men.” 
Wc know what it would mean to the farmer and, 
in a larger way to the Nation, if that consumer's 
dollar can he justly divided. Tt will be done when 
public opinion demands it, and though the politi¬ 
cians and the grafters mav sneer at it—they know 
full well that it is coming. 
BREVITIES. 
They are holding farmers’ institutes in Alaska. 
It will pay many of us lo pull the wool over our own 
eyes so that we can see more in sheep. 
The farm dog is being “improved” along with the other 
live slock. This seems to be proved by the dozens of dog 
pictures we receive. 
Tub Russian Government lias appointed a representative, 
Dr. Krystofoviteh, lo live in this country and report 
progress in agriculture. 
No, your Alfalfa record will not lie likely lo gel Into 
tin* lime-light unless you use lime. il must, he In the 
soil originally or you must put It there 
“Michigan’s Ice Box” is the name given by some to 
the upper peninsula. Yet on October -t peppers and po¬ 
tatoes were green and untouched by frost. 
Dakota held a "Durum wheat, flay.” On this day people 
of the State used Hour from durum wheat exclusively. 
Tiie object was to make Oils heavy-yielding wheat popular. 
j* 
