38Q 
TH li RURAL NEW-YORKER 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homea. 
Established 1850. 
Published weekly by tbe Rural Publishing (ionjinny, 400 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 
8s. Gel., orK'e marks, or 10*2 francs. Remit in money order, 
express order, personal check or hank draft. 
Entered at New York Post Office as Second Glass Matter. 
"A SQUARE DEAL." 
We believe that every advertisement in this paper is hacked 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 bo publicly ex¬ 
posed. We protect snberibers against rogues, but wo do not guarantee 
to adjust trilling differences between subscribers and honest, respon¬ 
sible advertisers. Neither will we be responsible for tbe 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. 
* 
We have not yet found the name of that packer of 
“Choice New York Baldwins” whose finger marks were 
shown on page 253. The barrel has been traced to the 
wholesale grocer in the South, but there comes a hitch. 
It is pretty well admitted that the chief trouble with 
the apple situation this year is the failure of the 
public to buy the fruit. The retail price has been 
too high, and one reason for this is poor quality. The 
retailer had to throw out too large a share of the 
barrel. Now who puts this trash into the package? 
Whoever does it hurts the trade! 
* 
Here’s the best of good luck to that Long Island 
Produce Exchange. We will do all we can to help it 
along. Those farmers are on the right track. They 
have the soil and climate, and the skill needed to 
produce high-class potatoes. There is no reason why 
these dry mealy tubers should be sold at the same 
price that people pay for the imitation rubber or soggy 
putty balls which are sometimes called potatoes. Nor 
should the last-named class of tubers be branded 
“Long Island.” With a guarantee and the power to 
enforce and defend it these Long Island farmers will 
be far better off. We shall give an outline of how 
they are trying to organize. 
* 
A meeting of growers and buyers was held at 
Rochester, N. Y., April 11, to consider the apple 
situation. It is hoped to organize a great association 
for handling the crop of western New York. Under 
the present system there can be no uniformity of 
method in packing and shipping. All recognize the 
evil effect of this, for fruit is put on the market, 
every barrel of which injures the reputation of New 
York apples. There can be no definite standard and 
absolute guarantee until some powerful organization 
can have control. It was claimed at this meeting, and 
we think rightly,, that if New York apples had been 
graded and guaranteed properly they could all have 
been sold at fair prices this season. As it was many 
consumers felt that a barrel of apples was much like 
a prize package, and no one wants to invest in a chance 
in hard times.' Those growers and buyers have a 
chance to put their industry on a sound basis, and we 
sincerely hope they will be able to get together. 
sfj 
It doesn’t require such an effort to be cheerful over 
this Dawley case when we get such letters as this: 
Do not think the farmers of New York, alone, are inter¬ 
ested in that cattle case. The farmers of Connecticut are 
interested too. Last week at one of our regular Grange 
meetings we debated the question “Resolved, That Gov. 
Hughes was justified in refusing to take action in the 
Dawley cattle case.” The decision was unanimous in 
favor of the negative. Afterward a vote was taken to 
show the most popular farm paper in this vicinity. Of 
those -present 26 took Tun It. N.-Y., 11 The Farm and 
Fireside, seven The Connecticut Farmer and five The. 
Country Gentleman. By this you will see The R. N.-Y. 
has a commanding lead, and we are still working for new 
subscribers. Enclosed find three new subscriptions. 
Connecticut. N. t. g. 
Nothing did more to keep alive the agitation against 
slavery than the debates in the old New England 
lyceums before the war. Country people saw the 
issue clearly, and every time they debated it they 
made the truth stand out like a sword. The Grange 
now offers opportunity for debate and we are well 
satisfied to let these farmers wipe the cobwebs away 
from the principle in this cattle case. They will do 
it, and gain skill and courage for other public duties 
at the same time. The R. N.-Y. can well keep as 
serene as a June morning over the situation, while 
people feel as they do about this case. 
Mr. F. B. Keeney, who has been investigating the 
Dawley cattle records for the A. J. C. C., has sub¬ 
mitted his report to the Club. We are informed that 
the Executive Committee (Mr. Keeney being a mem¬ 
ber) will meet on Thursday, April 23, to consider this 
report. The annual meeting of the A. J. C. C. will 
be held at the Hoffman House, New York, on May 6. 
Mr. Keeney’s report is awaited with much interest. 
Mr. Flanders, of the Agricultural Department, at the 
request of Governor Hughes, is also conducting a pri¬ 
vate inquiry. He recently visited F. D. Squiers and 
cross-questioned him for some five hours—obtaining a 
good deal of information which Mr. Keeney did not 
take. Mr. Squiers, by the way, seems to be a very 
much questioned man with facts which seem to thrive 
on questions. We again moved the Dawley libel suits 
for trial last week in the Supreme Court term at 
Syracuse. Mr. Dawley’s attorney succeeded in getting 
it put over for one week. We shall again move for 
prompt trial at the end of the week. 
* 
The Country Gentleman says it has played “no 
small part” in increasing sales of goods made by the 
Buffalo Fertilizer Co. by 36,000 tons per year. We 
call attention to Mr. Tucker’s own figures of analysis, 
which prove so conclusively the value of these fertil¬ 
izers that “no further comment” need be added. 
Available 
Ammonia Phos. add Potash Shortage 
G. 2. 
8. 
10. 
Celery and potato.... 
.F. 1.76 
8.02 
9. 
$1.72 
G. 4. 
8. 
7. 
Garden truck . 
.F. 3.26 
8.17 
6.40 
2.65 
G. 4. 
7. 
10. 
High grade manure... 
.F. 3.65 
9.30 
6.96 
1.79 
An explanation of This figuring is found on the 
next page. Thus Mr. Tucker has shown by his own 
figures that this company should pay back $2.65 on 
each ton of “Garden Truck” sold this year, and $1.72 
and $1.79 on each ton of the others. If Mr. Tucker 
knows, as he says, that the bags from which he took 
his samples were actually shipped and sold, lie knows 
at least that the papers did not fit that lot of goods. 
He should find where they went, and make good the 
difference. What else can he do after printing such 
figures to show that the Buffalo goods are true, and 
that the Station work is unreliable? Since Mr. Tucker 
still dodges our questions we may as well answer them 
ourselves. We have the proof from his own office 
that the Buffalo Fertilizer Co. did buy 16,500 copies 
of The Country Gentleman containing that “independ¬ 
ent investigation.” The public records and vouchers 
at Albany also show that Dawley did buy copies of 
The Country Gentleman and pay for them out of 
State funds! 
* 
Governor Hughes has appointed Prof. Raymond A. 
Pearson of Cornell as Commissioner of Agriculture 
to succeed Commissioner Wieting. A picture of Prof. 
Pearson, taken some years since, is printed on the next 
page. People are less concerned about what Prof. 
Pearson has done than with what lie will do as the 
head of this important Department. He is competent 
in every way, by training, capacity, instinct and ambi¬ 
tion, to give the State a clean, businesslike and educa¬ 
tional administration. Few men have ever assumed 
the head of a department of New York State with 
a greater opportunity than now opens before Prof. 
Pearson. We regard the office of Commissioner of 
Agriculture in New York second only to that of 
Governor in its importance and power for usefulness. 
That is because it can be made to appeal directly to 
the most important class of citizens, and the one 
most worthy of real help—the farmers. It cannot 
be said that the present administration appeals 
strongly to this class. It was horn in a political deal, 
and it is no secret that as at present organized the 
Department is a very strong political machine. Now 
Prof. Pearson is not a politician, and does not want 
to be one. He is a scientist and educator first of all, 
with a capacity for organization which will enable 
him to build up the Department on strong and sound 
lines. We believe he will surround himself with 
clean and able men. and insist upon honorable and 
effective public service. Prof. Pearson’s specialty is 
dairying. This is one of the greatest interests of 
New York, and it must he adequately represented 
and properly handled. The great fruit-growing in¬ 
terests also need attention, and some recognized expert 
in fruit growing should be prominent in the Depart¬ 
ment. There has never been a time before in the 
history of New York when the farmers were so ready 
and glad to co-operate with the Department. A Com¬ 
missioner who would really serve them must hold 
their confidence. They will rally to the side of an 
honest, fearless man as soon as they have tested him. 
They will expect much from the new Commissioner, 
for he has been selected out of a group of well-known 
and able men. They will judge him more by the 
ideals he establishes in the selection of his associates 
than by anything else, because they recognize the 
value of character, and will demand it in their Depart- 
April 25, 
nient, especially in places where now grave suspicion 
is to he found. The new Commissioner will have 
troubles enough of his own without shouldering any 
burdens of suspicion from the former administration. 
No one who realizes the size of the job will underrate 
the magnitude of the task before Prof. Pearson. We 
hope and believe that he will rise to his opportunity, 
and give the State an object lesson in clean and 
effective government. He will have the support of 
The R. N.-Y. in every worthy move. 
* 
THE EASTERN CORN CROP. 
We begin this week a series of pictures showing the 
growth of a corn crop. The others will follow next 
week. Two weeks after planting the child must stoop 
down to reach the tiny plant. At the end the great 
stalk over 17 feet long, represents the growth of 99 
days above ground. No crop in the world will give 
such enormous results in a similar season. No crop 
responds so well to good culture and heavy manuring. 
America has a monopoly of the corn crop. If it 
would grow in England as it does in this country the 
bill which Great Britain now pays for grain and feed 
would be cut down in half. Yet American farmers 
do not make use of this great crop as they might. In 
the East corn growing fell off some years ago, owing 
to the low price at which western corn could be sold. 
At that time corn was actually sold and used as fuel 
in Kansas and Nebraska towns. Now, in our local 
market, we are obliged to pay $1.45 per 100 pounds 
for corn—not always of good quality. As we feed 
them, dry well-cured stalks are worth at least $14 
per ton, compared with our price for hay. With two 
tons of stalks and 60 bushels of grain per acre corn 
growing ranks with most other farm crops in profit. 
We can also leave the ground seeded with clover and 
turnips or with rye after the corn is taken off. We 
urge our eastern farmers to raise more corn at the 
same time that they try to grow Alfalfa and more 
clover. On many farms there are rough fields or pas¬ 
ture lands which have not been plowed in some years. 
1 hey are usually sod-bound and often sour. We 
have found that corn grows better on these sour soils 
without liming than any other grain. Our experience 
is that when these old fields are plowed, fertilized 
reasonably, and planted with flint corn they will 
give a surprising yield of grain and forage. We 
think the small flint varieties are better for this pur¬ 
pose than the large-stalked dents. With present high 
prices for grain it is the best kind of a business pro¬ 
position for a farmer with spare land to increase his 
corn crop. Do not believe those who tell you that 
you must have manure in order to grow corn. Some 
of the largest yields on record have been grown with 
chemical fertilizers and sod. Mr. McLennan this week- 
makes about the best argument we have seen for a 
silo and against dry handling of corn. With a good 
silo and a barn full of Alfalfa or clover hay a dairy¬ 
man ought to feel that he is pretty well supplied with 
ammunition. But corn is the backbone of farming 
where there is any stock to feed. A good dressing of 
chemical fertilizers on some of those old fields will 
stiffen that backbone this year. 
BREVITIES. 
Fixe birds do not always wear fine feathers. 
That Ohio hay sling (page 379) beats a hired man. 
How are the peach buds? They hold sunshine or shadow 
for some of us. 
Last year France sent to this country $19,886 worth of 
Alfalfa seed. The price charged American buyers is 
about 10 cents a pound for the French seed. 
The State of Kansas owns a proprietary poison for 
killing prairie dogs and gophers. It is made at the Ex¬ 
periment Station and sold at cost to farmers. 
The manure spreader man who got the manure out dur¬ 
ing the Winter has the start of you this Spring with 
manure hauling, plowing and spraying all in a bunch. 
Now we are likely to have different families or strains 
of Alfalfa—not unlike different varieties of apples or 
breeds of cattle. At the Kansas Station great differences 
in Alfalfa plants were noticed, and they are to be kept 
separate for breeding, or as “mother plants.” 
I>o not concentrate or scatter any of your money on 
that “Concentrated Bordeaux Mixture” advertised last 
year from Philadelphia, it has been tried and found 
wanting—in everything but water. While, if the claims 
were to fit the mixture there should be 50 cents worth 
of copper in a gallon, the chemists at Washington found 
only a value of 1 (A cent! Why make this company a 
present of 48)4 cents? That, and a postage stamp will 
pay for five 10-cent subscriptions to The K. N.-Y. 
The pods are not (o be denied in this cattle case. We 
have received dozens of verses inspired by tbe ill-fitting 
papers on live stock. We know what it means to encour¬ 
age the verse-making desire, yet we may be pardoned for 
selecting the following from several dozen gems of thought: 
When Tucker started out to run 
This celebrated cattle case, 
lie thought it would be only fun 
To keep the Rural in its place. 
And so with sneer and bitter fling 
He laid the law down stern and load, 
Bui now lie’s through with bullying. 
And goes about supremely coiced.” 
