624 
June “0. 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE HE SIN ESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Published weekly by the Kural Puhllehlng Company, 409 Pearl Street, New York. 
Herbert W. Collingwood, President and Editor, 
John J. Dillon, Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wm. F. 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. 63., or 8*2 marks, or 10*9 francs. Remit in money order, 
express order, personal check or bank draft. 
Entered at New York Post Office as Second Class Matter. 
"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 subcribers against rogues, but we do 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 Nkw-Yorkkk 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 
3 0 weeks for 30 cents for strictly introductory pur¬ 
poses. We depend on our old friends to make this 
known to neighbors and friends. 
* 
Mr. Patterson just about settles the iron or steel 
nail question in his article on the first page. The iron 
nails outlast the shingles, while the steel nails rust 
off when the shingles are nearly as good as new. 
Those nail pictures show us what is going on in cheap 
buildings which are supposed to be held together by 
steel nails. If that is the way they go, the time must 
soon come when their use will be prohibited for out¬ 
side work. 
* 
Any man who has growth in him is better off for 
getting out among strangers and observing their ways. 
New scenes, new faces and new ways help make the 
old ones better. We found it a good part of a course 
at an agricultural college to be obliged to work about 
as hired man on various farms. As all our readers 
cannot travel as they would like, we try to bring new 
scenes, new thoughts and new hopes to them, and 
that is the reason why we try to fill The R. N.-Y. 
with the earnest experience of plain people. 
* 
Prof. C. S. Plumb, of Indiana, speaks for every 
progressive breeder in the country when lie says: 
Our breeding associations in the past have seemed to 
feel that their greatest responsibility lay in registering 
live stock, in making transfers, and in advertising the 
breed. For a long time 1 have felt that they had a still 
greater duty, and that was to take an active part in 
preserving the integrity of pedigrees. The experience re¬ 
cently brought forward in the American Jersey Cattle 
Club simply corroborates my view of this matter. 
Some of the live stock breeders’ associations are 
now to have their trial by fire. Let us see how they 
meet it! 
* 
‘‘The Long Island Produce Association” has com¬ 
pleted its organization and will be ready to begin 
selling the potato crop about the middle of July. A 
large proportion of farmers at the east end of the 
island have joined. If they will only give loyal sup¬ 
port the Association will make a great success. The 
object is to handle and sell high-class potatoes and 
other crops under a trademark dealing direct wjth 
city retailers or handlers. The conditions on Long- 
Island are ideal for doing such work. It is now up 
to the growers to stand by the Association through 
thick and thin. 
* 
In the last few days of the special session of the 
New York Legislature a new bill providing for the 
slaughter of tuberculous cattle was introduced. This 
bill called for an appropriation of $200,000 to pay for 
slaughtered cattle. The maximum appraisement is 
put at $75, no distinction being made between a grade 
or a purebred cow. If, after slaughter, the disease 
is found to be localized in the carcass, the State will 
pay SO per cent of the valuation. If it is generalized 
50 per cent will be paid. In the past the payments 
have been 60 and 40 per cent respectively. If the 
meat of the slaughtered animal is fit for food it may 
be sold as such by the Commissioner of Agriculture 
and the proceeds from it and from the hide are to 
be paid into the State treasury. If an owner of cattle 
desire to have them tested with tuberculin, such test 
will be given, but we understand it to be the policy 
of the present commissioner not to compel this test, 
but to depend largely upon a physical examination. 
The bill prohibits the use of anything except pure 
tuberculin. It also provides for carrying out what is 
called the Bang system of handling cattle. Under this 
plan the suspected animals are kept in a herd by 
themselves, given good treatment so that they may, 
if possible, recover, and still not contaminate the rest 
of the herd. This bill is an improvement over the 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
one which Governor Hughes vetoed. It was quickly 
passed by the Assembly with only seven votes against it. 
The Senate cut down the appropriation to $75,000 
and then passed the bill unanimously. With what is 
left of the regular appropriation this will give Com¬ 
missioner Pearson $129,000 to pay for slaughtered 
cattle, with more promised if needed. There should 
now begin a definite and thorough plan for controll¬ 
ing the disease without frightening consumers out of 
their wits. 
* 
The personal letter from Brother Tucker printed 
on next page will shock many farmers, but is no sur¬ 
prise to us. A sincere man, deeply humiliated through 
advocating wrong, would admit his error frankly, 
and make no display of his resentment. Brother 
Tucker docs neither, but chooses the ignoble course 
of insulting farmers who have helped support him, 
and attacking with worse than insult those who have 
openly opposed his defense of fraud. It is well that 
farmers generally should know from his own words 
the sneers and contempt which Brother Tucker evi¬ 
dently holds for the plain people who must earn their 
bread by their own labor. No doubt Brother Tucker 
thought he could safely vent his spite in private let¬ 
ters. He would know better if he could see the col¬ 
lection of such documents which loyal friends and 
readers have turned over to us. jSome of them are 
clearly libelous and actionable, and they have been 
sent to us from all parts of the country. The abuse 
they contained was bitterly personal, for which we 
care nothing. When, however, he attacks our readers 
we think, as Mr. Small writes us, that they should 
be vindicated. That is why we print the letter. Our 
readers will, without doubt, do the rest. One of 
Brother Tucker’s “stupid farmers” has written us the 
following: 
“J and my father have taken The Country Gentle¬ 
man for 50 years, but it will never be renewed when 
the present subscription runs out!'' 
Opinions may differ, but it seems to 11 s that this 
“stupid” man shows intelligence of a high order. Ex- 
Governor Hoard, in writing of the outcome of^this 
cattle case, says: 
“I think that one of the most wholesome lessons 
has been read to the breeding class of the United 
States in this transaction that ever occurred. . . . 
I think you have done distinguished service to the 
future probity of the cattle breeding interests in the 
United States.’’ 
As for the Buffalo Fertilizer Company, Brother 
Tucker, although knowing better, has repeatedly- 
charged that Mr. Collingwood begged this concern to 
advertise. The truth is that Mr. Collingwood nevet 
in all his life solicited the Buffalo Fertilizer Company 
for one word of advertising! He has not even dis¬ 
cussed advertising with any firm whatever for years. 
He does not even pretend to know the rates of adver¬ 
tising well enough to figure the cost of an advertise¬ 
ment, for the editorial department is absolutely dis¬ 
tinct from and uninfluenced by the advertising. The 
R. N.-Y. has advertising space for sale at stated rates 
to reputable parties, but not one line of editorial opin¬ 
ion in this paper can be purchased even by a king's 
ransom. Possibly our advertising solicitor called upon 
the Buffalo Company. Circulars and letters from this 
office have no doubt reached them. Without question 
we would have accepted their advertising order had it 
come before the report of the New York State Fruit 
Growers’ Association, or before we studied the station 
reports. Had we accepted the advertising and then 
learned these facts we should have promptly can¬ 
celled the order. We do not profess we know that 
this company had, last year, the poorest official show¬ 
ing of any fertilizer concern in the country. We 
might, with justice, descend to Brother Tucker’s level 
and use what President Roosevelt calls “a short ugly 
word’ to accurately describe his insulting statement 
that a $10 advertising order would influence the edi¬ 
torial columns of The R. N.-Y. The man apparently 
cannot help judging the motives of others by his own. 
We confess to a feeling of pride in the knowledge 
that every man whose opinion we value will believe 
at once that neither a $10 order or a $10,000 order 
would induce The R. N.-Y. to uphold fraud, or be 
silent when the truth ought to be spoken. 
* 
There are two or three things that we all should 
remember when haying time comes. Hay is cured 
more by the wind than by the sun. Water is evap¬ 
orated from the grass through the leaves easier than 
through the stems. When the grass is spread out so 
that the leaves are rapidly dried it will take longer 
to dry out the stems. So long as the leaves are kept 
alive and green they will suck the water from the 
stems, and that is why hay, and especially clover, is 
better cured in the cock. The leaves are the best 
part of the clover anyway. If they are dried crisp at 
first they rattle off. In some cases in spite of all our 
care we find it necessary to house the hay before it 
is cured as we want it. Salt scattered over the mow 
as it is filled will help keep the hay. It absorbs mois¬ 
ture and also retards fermentation to some extent. 
Every year the argument comes up as to whether the 
barn should be shut tight or left open to get rid of 
most moisture from the steaming hay. We should 
shut it tight as possible. Then the vapor will rise 
from the hay and pass off at the top. If the barn is 
open much of this rising vapor will be condensed into 
water and remain on the hay. 
* 
Governor Hughes finally won out in his fight to 
pass the anti-gambling bills. At the regular session of 
the Legislature the bills were defeated by a tie vote. 
At the special session the line-up among the Senators 
was the same as before, but Mr. Wallace, who was 
elected in Orleans and Niagara Counties, voted for 
the bills and they were passed 26 to 25. The Governor 
signed them at once. This is a great personal victory 
for Governor Hughes and shows what can be done 
by sticking to a righteous cause with patience and 
courage. A dramatic scene incidental to the voting 
was the action of Senator Foelker, of Brooklyn, who, 
at considerable risk went from a sick bed and re¬ 
corded his vote for the bills. The people were with 
the Governor and the politicians against him. The 
former won, as they always will when they really try. 
* 
News comes from Albany that Frank E. Dawlcy is 
no longer in charge of the New York Farmers’ Insti¬ 
tutes. He was advised to resign, and finally did so. 
We are glad to see that Mr. Dawley begins to fall 
in with the suggestions made by The R. N.-Y. He 
should keep on and resign as State Statistician for 
the Agricultural Department, and also from the vari¬ 
ous breeders’ associations of which he is an officer. 
It cannot be said that he adds any great dignity to 
the State Grange as its representative on the Board 
of Cornell trustees. He should then settle with 
Squiers and Rogers, and thus make an end of the dis¬ 
cussion. We are asked by many what Governor 
Hughes has done about it. Apparently nothing. We 
understand that the investigation which he finally 
started was never finished. The definite charges 
against Dawley in which the State was interested seem 
to have been ignored. 
♦ 
The letter postage rate between this country and 
Great Britain will hereafter be two cents—the former 
rate being five cents. It is expected that a similar 
postal reduction will be made between this country 
and Germany. The argument is that this will lead 
to a large increase in postal revenues, since millions 
of people in this country with friends on the other 
side will write many more letters when the lower 
postal rate goes into effect. This has been the result 
with every reduction in postage. But what a commen¬ 
tary upon economy and justice it is to cut the rate 
on foreign postage down by 60 per cent, and still 
compel people of our own country to pay the old 
extravagant rates on parcels. If the argument that 
a reduction of foreign postage will increase the rev¬ 
enue is sound, a lower parcels post will do much 
more. It is the most needed public convenience to¬ 
day. The express companies and politicians have 
thus far been able to prevent Congress from giving 
the people a parcels post. The time has come to 
send a new set of men to Washington if the old set 
will not do their work. 
BREVITIES. 
IIe helps the Lord who helps the land. 
If you take our advice you will not try to seed grass 
with millet. 
Wonderful how an acre of good Alfalfa does till up 
the hay mow. 
Now they say even chewing tobacco is “adulterated” 
with western Alfalfa ! 
What about that “big-wing disease" of chicks referred 
to on page 513? Is it a common trouble? 
Rye flour is often used as a dressing for skin erup¬ 
tions. As a mush with molasses rye flour has a useful 
effect. 
A western city proposes a fine of $10 for every chicken 
allowed to run at large. What a paradise for garden 
lovers! 
Tell us your experience in putting salt or lime on 
green hay as it goes into the mow. How much did you 
use? The result? 
A convict in New York State recently brought a 
damage suit against the prison authorities because they 
had made him work more than eight hours a day. We 
may be old-fogyish in our ideas, but we think that 
people who object to the penal system ought to stay out 
of jail. 
The Russian duma may not be gaining liberty for the 
Russian peasants all at once, but it is not idle. A law 
has been passed which put the poison mark of skull 
and cross bones on vodka—-the Russian whisky. It is a 
true theory that no man can be worthy of freedom while 
he is a slave to liquor. 
