1909. 
THE RURAL. NKW-YOKKER 
931 
EVENTS OF THE WEEK. 
DOMESTIC.—Canada'8 National Buffalo Park no longer 
i xists, and the herd of buffalo purchased at enormous ci- 
jM'iise at l’alilo, Mont., Is being rapidly driven northward 
by prairie tires, which destroyed the huge corral fence 
75 miles in length. For weeks past prairie lires have 
l>oen ravaging the country around Walnwrigbt, Alberta, 
and the damage will run into millions. October 5 the 
S00 head of buffalo were reported to be stampeding for the 
north country, driven to a frenzy by the rapidly ap¬ 
proaching flames. How they will ever be rounded up again 
no one seems to know, or how they will be kept until 
a new corral is built for them. . . . The department 
store of Bonnewltz & Co. at Van Wert, Ohio., and the 
hardware store of Jones & Tudor at Main and Wayne 
sir-els were burned down October (1. The loss is $300,000. 
. . . The Arkansas River at Tulsa, Okla., has touched 
the lowest level reached 'n twenty-live years. The drought 
has become serious, and work in the oil fields is practically 
at a standstill, there being no water to operate the 
machinery. . . It was announced at Nashville, 
Tcnn., October 7, that “near beer” dealers are liable for a 
tax of $1,500 per year each, tlie State, the county, and the 
city each being entitled to $500. Preparations were made 
by James R. Jetton, State revenue agent for middle Ten¬ 
nessee,to begin at once the collection of this tax. Al¬ 
though the last legislature passed a revenue act which 
included “near beer” saloons, the tax 1ms never been col¬ 
lected. . . . Armed men of Mahnomen, Minn., brought 
to a sudden end October 0 the efforts of William E. John¬ 
son, Inspector of the Department of the Interior, and ids 
five assistants, to close the saloons in the White Earth 
Indian Iteservatlon, in accordance with the Government 
prohibition order Issued thirty days before. The Govern¬ 
ment oUlcers went into a saloon and began to break the 
liquor bottles when the armed posse arrived, and put 
them all under arrest. . . . Gulf, Colorado and Santa 
Fe train No. 17, from Kansas City to Galveston, was 
wrecked October 8 at Iieidenheimer, four miles south of 
Temple, Tex. Four persons arc dead and 30 injured. 
A defective rail caused the entire train to turn over. 
. . . Wa.vcross, Ga., was swept by a (ierce wind and 
electrical storm October <i, whleh resulted in great prop¬ 
erty damage and cost tile life of A. I*. Perham, editor of 
I lie Way cross Herald. The storm came suddenly and in a 
few minutes was over. Many houses were unroofed and 
every telephone, telegraph and electric wire wns down. 
It was one of those wires that killed Editor Perham. He 
stepped from his office to see what damage had been done 
and as he gained the street he was struck in the breast 
by u dangling live wire. Several other persons were in¬ 
jured by coming in contact with live wires and a number 
of horses were killed. . . . Twenly-oiglit lives were 
lost in a coal mine explosion at Wellington, Vancouver, 
October 5. The place Is supposed to have been set on 
lire by men working with open lights. The liberation of 
gas from a pocket is supposed to have caused Hie ex¬ 
plosion and afterdamp followed quickly. . . . Heavy 
.gineral rains fell October 8 all over north Texas, break¬ 
ing a drought that has lasted practically a year, there 
having been only two £ood shower days in Hint time. 
Winter crops and cattle ranges will be largely beneiilted. 
The water famine at Dallas lias been much relieved. 
Snow was falling generally October 8 in the Texas Pan¬ 
handle, the earliest fall In the history of that section. 
Four inches was reported from Dalhurt. . . . One per¬ 
son was killed and eight others were injured October 8 
at Greene, forty miles north of Waterloo, lowa, in an 
accident on the Chicago, Itock Island and Pacific. The 
locomotive of a passenger train picked up a loose plank 
which broke a switch and caused the wreck. . . . Four 
persons were burned to death iu a fire which destroyed 
a brick dwelling house at Nashville, Tenn., October .8. 
Several others were rescued. Two persons were arrested 
on suspicion of having started the fire. ... A few 
eases of pellagra have recently been discovered in New 
York, according to (‘apt. Joseph F. Biles, United States 
Army Surgeon, who with Surgeon Henry J. Nichols Ims 
been conducting a series of experiments at the Illinois 
State General Hospital for Insane in Peoria and else¬ 
where, The experiments have convinced the array sur¬ 
geons that tin* commonest origin of pellagra is not to 
be found in spoiled or fermented corn but in Impure water. 
The patients afflicted with the disease bad, it was found 
on investigation, lirst undergone an affliction of the in¬ 
testinal tract resembling dysentery, the result of taking 
Impure water. , • • The Federal Grand Jury at 
Ouialm, Neb., October 8, returned indictments against 
eighty six alleged bunco steerers from nineteen States in 
connection with the big stone gang of swindlers in Coun¬ 
cil Bluffs, or which K. C. Mabray, now under arrest, Is 
said to be tin* leader. The charge is Hint of using the 
mails to defraud. The swindlers secured more than $1,000,- 
ooo in iwo years. . . . The two burglars who entered 
I Ik* borne of Mrs. Sophia Htaber at 455 East Eight¬ 
eenth street. Flat bush, N. Y., on the night of July K and 
killed Mrs. Stubcr In a light with her sou, Edward, were 
eiitcnced to deal b for their crime October 8 by Justice 
Crane In Hie Supreme Court, Brooklyn. Both men bad 
taken part in many burglaries, brutally attacking persons 
who resisted robbery. ... A meteor weighing more 
lban 200 pounds fell on the farm of VV. P. Nickerson, 
Norwood, Mass.. October 7. A man employed on the 
place discovered a fence broken and a large hole in the 
round, and notified Mr. Nickerson that some one had 
been bli nking fences and also that rabbits were' burrowing, 
Mr Nliekerson investigated and bad the meteor dug out 
of the ground. It resembles iron slag, being the color of 
late, rough and corrugated on the outside, but of solid 
formation In general. . . . Charles W. Morse, the 
convicted banker, must within forty days go to Atlanta, 
;in., there to begin a term of fifteen years in the Federal 
prison unless the United States Supreme Court grants a 
writ of certiorari. The* Culled Stales Circuit Court of 
Appeals affirmed October II his conviction by a jury in 
he Circuit Court of misapplication of tin- funds of the 
National Rank of North America and of making false 
mi tries in the books of the bank and false reports to the 
Comptroller of the Currency. After the decision of the 
higher court bad been handed down Martin \V. I.It lie- 
ton. counsel for Morse, asked the court for forty days 
lay of Its mandate that he might have lime to prepare 
Ids application to the Supreme Court for n writ of cer¬ 
tiorari. The stay was granted. There is no direct ap¬ 
peal to the Supreme Court in such cases. . . Canou- 
'liet, the Sprague mansion near Narragansett Pier. R. I., 
"as burned with most of its contents October 11. Former 
Governor William Sprague, who with the rest of the house¬ 
hold got out safely when the blaze was discovered, at¬ 
tempted to return for some valuable papers and nearly 
lost bis life. Tie was saved by the coachman. Michael 
Glen, who, when the old man was almost overcome, 
nicked him up In Ids arms and carried him from the 
building. The loss on the house and contents Is placed 
by Mrs. Sprague at $350,000, on which there is about 
$200,000 insurance. Sparks falling oil the roof from the 
wide chimney is lielieved to have started the blaze. 
. . Arguments for defendants in the Panamn libel 
suit brought by the United States Government against 
the Indianapolis News and the New York World were 
made at Indianapolis October 12, the defendants In this 
ease being ediaor and publisher of the Indianapolis paper. 
Federal Judge Anderson decided in their favor, and they 
were discharged. . . . Key West, Fla., was a mass 
of wreckage October 11 as a result of the West Indian 
hurricane which rushed up from the Gulf. At least one- 
half of tlie city was in ruins, the property loss being 
estimated at about $2,900,000. The city was in utter 
darkness owing to the disablement of the electric light 
plant, and the State troops were patrolling the streets 
in order to prevent looting. The city officers have asked 
the United States to allow the regular troops to be used 
as guards until order is restored. So far as known, no 
human lives have been lost at Key West, but scores of 
horses and other animals have been killed. The property 
loss Is appalling. Over ten of the largest cigar factories 
are in ruins, among them the Havana. American, Martinez 
and Uuy l-opez. Several bank buildings were partially 
wrecked, the First National being among Ihem. Then* 
was great loss to shipping. Havana suffered great loss 
from the storm, find it is said that 12 lives were lost in 
that city. It is believed that there has been considerable 
loss of life along the Florida keys, where extensive rail¬ 
road construction is in progress. 
FARM AND GARDEN. Farmers’ Week at the College 
of Agriculture, Cornell University, Ithaca N. Y., will be 
held February 7-12, 1910. 
James Wilson, Secretary of Agriculture; Milton Whitney, 
chief of the bureau of soils in the Agricultural Depart¬ 
ment; Representative John W. Dwight of the the Thir¬ 
tieth New York Congress district and John A. Stewart of 
left New York October II for Albany, where they started 
on a motor ear trip to Tompkins, Madison and Chenango 
countles for the purpose of Investigallug soil conditions 
in those counties with a view to providing means for re¬ 
claiming abandoned farms. 
Secretary of the Interior Ballinger gave out the fol¬ 
lowing statement at San Francisco October 11 : “The 
disposition of the phosphate lands of the Rocky Mountain 
States presents emergencies calling for legislation. All 
the known areas of phosphate lands in the public domain 
are now under temporary reservation awaiting Congres¬ 
sional action. Common prudence demands that this fer¬ 
tilizer be disposed of with such restrictions as will re¬ 
quire its domestic use, so far as possible, n the renewal 
of the fertility of the American farm, rather Ilian permit 
of Us exportation. Respecting coni lands, since 1900 no 
coal land entries have been permitted to be made in Alaska, 
pending requests upon Congress for legislation to pre¬ 
vent the monopolization of the vast Helds of lids valu¬ 
able deposit lying in this territory, and to secure authority 
for permanent reservation for naval purposes." 
ttie goods. Most buyers are suspicious anil fear they will 
not receive a fair quality of apples. “L. R. 'I'." lias 
offered In some eases to ship the apples—the buyer to 
pay If they are satisfactory. This incident shows anew 
that there are thousands of people who want to buy 
apples or other produce direct from the grower. If there 
could he a parcels post in fair-sized packages at a low 
rate the trade would be enormous. Our correspondent 
above states the case well. 
TARIFF ON THE CANADIAN FRUIT TRADE. 
On page 830 you say among other things: “Western 
Canada gives a great market for American fruits. Last 
year $5,309,840 worth of green fruits were imported in 
spite of the high Canadian tariff’s. Tile duty on apples 
is 40 cents a barrel, anil on berries and grapes two cents 
a pound.” 
You are scarcely correct in the statement that “West¬ 
ern Canada imports $5,309,000 worth of green Ameri¬ 
can fruits.” I’lii* Canadian trade returns snow that in 
the year ending with March last Canada's Importations 
of American fruits of all kinds, including nuts, was 
only a fruetlou over $0,000,000. It is scarcely probable 
that over live sixths of that total represented imports 
Into a paid of the Dominion containing only one-seventh 
of our population. Nor is it quite fair to charge Cana¬ 
dian fruit growers with selfishness In the matter of 
tariffs on imported fruits. Bananas, which Canada does 
not grow, but which do compete with Canadian grown 
apples, were imported into the Dominion free of duty 
to tin* value of $l,38ti,000 In 1909; oranges or grape 
fruit, which are in the same class, were imported duly 
free to the value of $1,098,000. Out of over $0,000,000 
worth of fruit Imported by Canada from the United 
States in the lust lineal year only $2,452,000 worth paid 
any duty at all. 
It must be remembered, too, that the (ollection of duty 
is not confined to one side of the border. While 40 cents 
a barrel is charged on American apples entering Canada, 
25 cents a bushel, or 75 cents a barrel, is charged on 
Canadian apples entering Hie United States. Largely as 
a result of this disparity in tariffs on our principal fruit 
product we lind that while Canada imported $ii.0tt0.0l»0 
worth of American fruits in 1009, only $380,000 worth 
of Canadian fruits were sold in the United States in 
the same year. I wholly agree with your view as to 
the rate of tariffs on fruits now existing, but: I extend 
Hull view to the tariff’s on both sides of the line. These 
two countries lying side by side, one with a surplus of 
fruit at one point and the other with a surplus at 
another, and with differing seasons of production, should 
have absolute free trade In an article of such prime neces 
sit.v to good living. For that policy I would bald up both 
hands, and I believe the overwhelming majority of Cana 
dlan farmers would do the same. w. i„ smith. 
A DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE. 
At the suggestion of Dean Cook of the Canton Agri¬ 
cultural School there lias been evoked a very energetic 
organization known as (lie “Northern New York Develop- 
ent League,'’ whose action hopes to secure the results 
expressed lu tin* title. The league is composed of jin-in 
hers of several northern counties. At. a meeting at <)g 
densburg it was agreed that tin* subject discussed should 
be “Water Storage," and the speeches were of exceptional 
merit. The speakers evidently knew just vvliat they were 
talking about. Assemblyman Merritt of Potsdam gave 
u history of previous legislative attempts, and advocates 
an amendment to the State constitution In regard to 
some restrict ions in handling Stale lands, also the crea¬ 
tion of a conservation commission, and said In substance: 
"In I lie mind of the public ‘conservation’ means many 
tilings. One commission should coni nil them all. The 
cities will need water from 1500 feet alsive sea level, and 
tho supply is Inexhaustible, both for sanitary and me¬ 
chanical purposes. The State owns no waterfalls; but 
ft lias sill's for reservoirs. Prosperity and waste of 
natural resources have gone hand in hand. Men live but 
forests disappear. We Imve got to save our farms and 
our forests, or else make a desert of our homes." The 
present writer’s knowledge Is not sufficient to form a 
good Judgment, and lie would like to have some of the 
views of the R. N. Y. renders. Perhaps I may in* preju¬ 
diced, as I am not a pulp man and have no sympathy 
with certain forms of pulp legislation. While the White 
Poplar was used, which is a sliort-lived tree at the best, 
it was a good economic factor, hut since it has attacked 
the second growth spruce from seven to 10 Inches in di¬ 
ameter, I believe that it is a selllsli and destructive in¬ 
dustry. _ J. IS. DDUBOtS. 
FROM PRODUCER TO CONSUMER. 
tin page 851 L. It. 'I', wanted to know lmw he could 
dispose of some 000 bushels of choice apples, asking If 
lie could not find private customers If lie were to adver¬ 
tise in your paper. You advised him to cultivate his 
own market. That Is (lie only way to do as tilings an¬ 
al present. i tried once to deal directly with the con¬ 
sumer when I was the producer, but it cannot lie done 
except In your home market. I shipped a carload of 
apples to a point iu North Dakota, and a ear of potatoes 
to a point in Tennessee, when I was growing those crops 
in Michigan. I sent a man in charge in both cases to 
can- for Hu- fires and to make tin- sales, with instructions 
to sell to private parties if possible, or to retailers. Tin¬ 
man was to hire a drayman and deliver the goods at 
Hu- consumer's residence. In fact my plan was to cut 
out tin- middleman if possible. But in both cities I 
found this could not in- done. 1 would be compelled to 
take out a huckster's license, costing $25, which, of 
course, was out of the question. The only tiling to be 
done was to sell to the wholesaler, and that was wlmt 
was done. All the laws are in the Interests of the mer¬ 
chants. The wholesalers and commission men have tin- 
law in I heir l’avor. Now how is it ill a small way? Sup¬ 
pose I deal direct with my New York farmer for a 
Winter’s supply of apples, say three barrels. The dray 
Dill would he nearly ns much from tlie railroad depot as 
the freight from New York. The wholesaler gets the 
frull in ear lots and keeps a drayman busy making de¬ 
liveries. hence can supply Just as cheaply as if I buy 
direct from Hie producer. 
Let us take an example of a supply of butler and eggs. 
These cannot Is- purchased in large quantities for best 
results. The freight rates are comparatively high oil 
these articles, especially for short distances. Then the 
dray bill for a small <-onsigntnrnt is all out of proportion 
as compared to carload lots or drayloads, so I find again 
that my best and most economical way is to deal with Ihe 
rctai! store. The city dweller must put up with perish¬ 
able goods of a poorer quality, because It takes a longer 
time to travel from the producer to the consumer via 
Hu- route of the commission man, the wholesaler and the 
retailer. The minimum charge by rail or express is 25 
cents, which prevents small shipments of perishable pro¬ 
ducts that would last a few days In the average family. 
The express usually makes delivery at the consumer's 
door, but their rates are exorbitant and prohibitive. So 
we are compelled to keep an army of middlemen to handle 
the produce of the farm and deliver it to the consumer of 
tin- city, and it comes to (he consumer In a “wilted" or 
stale condition. Then too. the middlemen know they have 
a monopoly, and so get Hu- profits Hull might to lie di¬ 
vided between the producer and the consumer. A parcels 
post would help to solve that problem, but with the pres¬ 
ent Intlueiiee of the express companies In UmigresR there 
Is little hope of parcels post in the near future. Tin- 
rail roads could help to solve I in- problem if they would 
arrange for small parcels of farm produce put up In uni¬ 
form packages and carried on fast trains with free de¬ 
livery, as is provided in England and on the continent 
of Europe. But in tills country we are all looking after 
the big tilings, and so the railroads look for the large 
traffic and do not eater to a select - and small trade. They 
also doubtless have a mutual understanding with the ex 
press companies and keep out of tlielr field. y, c. n. 
It. N. Y. The man who told about his apple crop lias 
picked up some trade by the mere mention tlint in* lias 
PROGRAM OF NEW ENGLAND FRUIT SHOW. 
Tuesday, October 19, the show will be opened by Gov¬ 
ernor Ebon S. Draper of Massachusetts, wlm will make 
a short speech. lion. J. Lewis Ellsworth, president of 
the organization, will give an address of welcome. The 
official Judging will commence at noon: judges. II. S. 
Wiley, Cayuga, N. Y. : Win. A. Taylor, Washington, I). C.; 
Charles Lailer, of Boston. 
At. 2 I*. M. students' apple packing contest will be 
la-id, each man to pack a barrel and one liox. Trams 
representing the agricultural colleges of Massachusetts, 
Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire will compete. Jn 
I tie evening, from 7.30 to 9.30 P. M., concert bv Colby’s 
Ladies' Orchestra. Wednesday, October 20, 10 A. M. 
Students' judging contest. Student ten,ms from t in¬ 
state agricultural colleges of Maine, Massachusetts, Ver¬ 
mont. and New Hampshire will compete In Judging Class 
C. Sections 2, 0, 7, 9 and all of Class G. Sub-Class 
L Both the students’ apple packing and judging con¬ 
ies! are arranged under the auspices of the New Eng¬ 
land Federation of Agricultural Students. A cup will 
be awarded to the team winning In each event, and 
prizes to the individuals in eaeii team. Students judg¬ 
ing and packing contests under the direction of j-rof. 
V. It. Gardner, Orono, Me. I.ecture by Mr. George T. 
Powell of Ghent, N. Y\, at 3 I*. M, ' Subject, "Some 
Essentials in the Production of High-Grade Apples” 
Discussion will follow. Subject. “Orchard Management 
and Varieties for New England," followed by discussion 
Demonstration, l P. M. Best methods of packing apples 
iu both boxes and barrels. 
Led ure, 3 P. M., by Mr. C. II. Iliggins of Arlington, 
Mass. Subject, “Orchard Spraying and Power Sprayers.'® 
Demount rut ion, I P. M„ of best methods of pa, king 
apples in Dot li boxes and barrels, conducted b\ Prof. 
F. C. Sears, Amliersf, Mass. Thursday, October'21, tl 
A. M., demonstration of best methods of packing apples 
in both boxes and barrels. :} 1\ ,\l., led ure, bv Win V 
Taylor, of Washington, I). C„ Pomologlsl of the Depart¬ 
ment of Agriculture. Demonstration at 4 1*. M of 
best met boils of packing apples in both barrels and boxes. 
Friday, October 22, II A. M., demonstration of best 
methods of packing apples in both boxes and barrels. 
Saturday, October 23, at I A. M. and 2 P. M. I lien- 
will be demonstrations in the best methods of cooking 
fruit. At 4 P. M., demonstration in packing apples In 
barrels and boxes. On Sunday. October 24, show will 
is- open from 2 P. M. to 10 P. M„ and there will he 
music both afternoon and evening. The school children 
of Boston will la- asked to seo tin* show three mornings 
one hour before the opening. 
We live in the east central part of Pennsylvania. 12 
miles from Bloomsbu eg, the county seat of Columbia 
< aunty, along Little Fishing Creek, a great country for 
raising buckwheat. The crop was not up to the average, 
owing to Hu- drought we Lad. lasting from June until 
tile present, broken only by light rains occasionally. The 
yield per acre runs from 20 to 30 bushels per acre. Corn 
is short crop. Seeding very bard to get out. Prices 
range as follows: Wheat, $1 per bushel; buckwheat. 
I u reins per liushei; rye. 75 cents per bushel; oats. 50 
cents per bushel; corn, SO cents |K-r bushel; potatoes, 75 
cents per bushel: eggs, 2s cents a dozen; butter 30 
cents a pound; fat hogs, 9 cents a pound. Horses sell 
from $100 to $150 each; cows from $20 to $50 each. 
DELBERT PARKER. 
THE OHIO HT.NCE LAW.- in a receiil issue of The 
R. N. V. tills statement is made: “The statutes of your 
State read : ‘The owners of adjoining lands shall build 
and maintain in goad repair all partition fences hi-cween 
them In equal shares’ unless they otherwise agree in 
writing." This is the new line fence law passed In 100-1, 
and Hint pari of it which says shall build was declared 
uneonstuttonal hy our Ohio Supreme Court last February. 
The old law which stood for over 100 years did not com¬ 
pel any one to build a line fence, but did compel every¬ 
body to fence in his own stock, and that Is what we 
are doing. This new law would make us fence in or 
out our neighbors’ stock. c. e. m. 
Defiance, Ohio. 
Prop. L. If. Bailey says “I advise country girls not to 
accept (lie proposal of any young man until he promises to 
provide tin* house with water supplies and a sanitary 
kitchen.” 
It is said that on a German farm crop records have been 
kept since 1552. the wheat yield in that year being 12.5 
bushels per acre. From 1897 !o 1904 tho‘yield of wheat 
P'-r acre was 40.1 bushels. In most parts of Europe the 
wheal yield lias continued lo increase, which we may well 
hear In mind when people begin to talk about worn out 
soils. 
More Ilian 750.000 prairie dogs have been killed by J. 
\V. Holman, official destroyer of the T T . S. Government in 
the Southwestern Stales, during the past eight months 
The Government pays 1 M* cent a head for the pralri dogs! 
and Mr. Holman says he expects to destroy more Fan a 
million more before next Rummer. Poisoned grain Is used. 
These little animals have proved extremely destructive 
to agriculture. 
