610 
THE RURAIi NEW-YORKER 
July 25, 
PUBLISHER’S DESK 
We have the following notes signed by the pro¬ 
duce commission firm, Stevens & Simpson & Oo., 
262 Washington Street, New York, for collection : 
_ $47.81, dated April 25, 1907, and due in 90 days. 
$25.25 dated July 1. 1907, and due July 30, 1907. 
$25.25, dated July 1, 1907, and due July 16, 1907. 
The notes were issued to Allen B. Wells, 
Saratoga Springs, N. Y„ for produce shipped and 
sold on commission. 
We have had some inquiries during 
the last year about the Central Life Se¬ 
curities Co., of Maine, with offices at 
Chicago and New York. The plan was 
to make this a holding company for the 
stock of subsidiary companies which 
were to be organized in various States. 
The selling of stock was, of course, an 
important feature of the business. We 
regret that some of our people sub¬ 
scribed for the stock, and made first 
payments on it before the affairs of the 
company had come to our attention. We 
advised cancellation of the subscription 
and the payment of no more assess¬ 
ments. This was done, but in some 
cases suit was entered to enforce the 
contract, but of course the suits were 
never pressed to trial. Now the pro¬ 
moters of the company have been ar¬ 
rested on Postoffice inspectors’ com¬ 
plaints on the alleged grounds that the 
mails have been used for fraudulent 
purposes. The case is before the grand 
jury. Those who took our advice to re¬ 
sist the temptations to make great 
profits on stock of the company have 
nothing to regret. 
One thing more; I trust that The R. 
N.-Y. will always stand for a square deal, 
high or low, rich or poor. Wishing you 
the success you deserve so highly in stand¬ 
ing alone and so far in advance of the other 
so-called farm papers on the questions of 
such vital interest to the farmer, I beg to 
remain. c. f. w. 
Pennsylvania. 
We hope the time will never come 
when The R. N.-Y. will either refuse 
or neglect to stand for the square deal 
without regard to persons or positions. 
It may be said that the high and the 
rich are better able to care for them¬ 
selves than the poor and the lowly, but 
for that very reason the latter most 
need help and support, and when we 
help a poor man to make a start in the 
world we confess to just a little more 
personal satisfaction than when we 
merely help a man of means to do just 
a little better, no matter how worthy he 
may be. Do not get the idea from this 
that we discredit the successful and 
prosperous man. Far from it. Every 
man is entitled to the fruits of his labor, 
and if by intelligence, energy and perse¬ 
verance one succeeds where others fail 
the successful man if honest should be 
regarded as a public benefactor, and he 
usually is. When a boy I once heard a 
wise poor man say: “I would always 
rather live among wealthy farm neigh¬ 
bors than among poor ones like myself. 
I can get some favor of the prosperous 
neighbor, but the poor ones are as hard 
up as myself.” That is as sound a piece 
of philosophy to-day as it was when I 
heard it 35 years ago. 
On March 21 last I bought a Planet, Jr., 
No. 1. combined seed drill and cultivator 
from Joseph W. Kirchner, 156 North street, 
Pittsfield, Mass. I expected to get a new 
machine, but he -persuaded me to take a 
second-hand one. I paid him for it, and 
have his receipt for a No. 1. After re¬ 
peated demands he sent me a Planet Jr., 
No. 2, with no marker or attachments. I 
also paid him for a Humphrey hand hoe 
which he never sent. I am so far away 
I do not want to bother to sue him, but 
I would like to have him make good. 
Connecticut. c. e. 
We wrote Mr. Kirchner about this 
complaint, and asked him to send this 
customer what he bought and paid for. 
He replied that we had better leave the 
matter to the complainant and himself 
to adjust. We were willing enough to 
do this, but we have given him over a 
month, and no adjustment has been 
made. The amount involved is not 
large, but it looks like a deliberate 
breach of trust, and Mr. Kirchner’s re¬ 
fusal to send the implement he sold 
and receipted for would suggest the 
wisdom of ordering this kind of goods 
from some one who has more considera¬ 
tion for customers. 
What can you tell me abou the “Acousti- 
con,” made by the General Acoustics Co., 
1265 Broadway, New York City? Will this 
appliance do what it is claimed to do? 
I have been trying to have them send me 
one on trial, but they have an iron-clad 
contract that I must sign first that is 
nothing more nor less than a sale as far 
as I can see. Your “Publisher’s Desk” is 
a very helpful and interesting department 
and worth the subscription alone. 
New Hampshire. c. p. o. 
This is an instrument alleged to cure 
deafness. Our information and experi¬ 
ence is that these instruments are worse 
than useless. Sometimes they stimulate 
the membrane of the ear for a time, 
and the patient is led to believe he has 
received benefits, but the stimulation is 
nothing more than an irritation and 
soon the conditions become worse than 
before. Thousands of dollars are 
squandered yearly by people with ear 
trouble in payment for things of this 
kind. The manufacturers simply rely 
on the promise of relief to the afflicted 
for the sale of the implements at high 
prices. They do not give the promised 
relief, but, on the contrary, if their use 
be persisted in greater injury usually 
follows. 
I want to ask you what you know about 
the Creditors' League of Syracuse, N. Y. 
One of their representatives was here and 
wanted me to let him collect 205 old 
accounts. He to collect them for 50 per 
cent of the collections. I finally consented 
and he read a paper he wanted me to 
sign. He explained it very cleverly, and 
I signed it without readiug it myself. He 
said it was optional with me whether I 
sent any account or not. A few days later 
I received what they say is a copy of the 
agreement I signed. I have written them 
that I x’enudiate the whole affair, and will 
have nothing more to do with them. I am 
not afraid of them, for no court would 
uphold them, but they will annoy me for 
a time I expect. I send the papers to you 
as you may be able to save annoyance to 
others. reader. 
New York. 
The contract referred to provides that 
the farmer must send them accounts 
against 30 or more persons amounting 
to $300 or over for collection within 15 
days. In another clause toward the last 
of the contract it is provided very inno¬ 
cently that if either party fails to fulfill 
his part of the agreement he becomes 
indebted to the other party for $50. In 
other words, if the farmer fails to send 
30 accounts amounting to $300 within 
15 days he is to pay the Creditors’ 
League $50. We agree entirely with our 
correspondent. No court would enforce 
such a contract, secured under such 
circumstances, but it will save possible 
annoyance to avoid the contract entirely. 
In any event, before you authorize any 
person or agency to collect accounts for 
you, it will be well to make sure that 
you will be able to collect your share 
of the account from the collector after he 
has got it. Frequently this is a harder 
job than the collection of the original 
account. 
It scorned that T must give up The R. 
N.-Y., but thinking it over, and having a little 
herd of Jerseys (and they are doing finely), 
I felt for their reputation I must keep up 
with the paper. I have no high-sounding, 
jaw-breaking names for them, just Lucy, 
Laura, Jewel, Bossy, the Davis cow and the 
Brown Jersey, but they fit their papers and 
fill the pail. s. k. 
Chenango Co., N. Y. 
Everyone intex-ested in agriculture or 
stock raising, or having any sense of honor, 
should take pi-ide in a publication that 
has exposed fraud and dishonesty, and up¬ 
held the principle of right and honor and 
justice as The R. N.-Y. has done in this 
case. It seems to me that all who have 
read it will he now thoroughly confident 
that The R. N.-Y. is making honest, con¬ 
tinuous efforts for the rights of its lead¬ 
ers, and that it is “dependable’ in all re¬ 
spects. By reason of this case and other 
matters you have taken up within the 
past year I realize as never befoi-e the 
influence and power of a shower of well- 
directed postage stamps. l. q. 
Onondaga Co., N. Y. 
If we were to print all the letters like 
the above which come to us there would 
be nothing else in the paper. There 
never were such good friends as the 
members of The R. N.-Y. family. They 
see what this postage stamp vote is do¬ 
ing, and they also see that the larger 
the family the more power in the vote. 
Wherever they go these friends talk R. 
N.-Y., and hand out these little enve¬ 
lopes. Hundreds of these come back 
with the dime, and the great majority 
become yearly subscribers. We have 
plenty more of them for you if you can 
extend the work. j. j. d. 
THE MOST ECONOMIC HEN. 
In this day of many improved breeds 
it is the custom to depreciate all cross¬ 
breeds ; and it is easy to account for this 
feeling in the commercial interest in pure- 
breds which dominates the poultry press. 
As an ardent fancier I would be the last 
to decry the established breeds. Never¬ 
theless I would not confuse the two distinct 
phases of poultry, the beautiful and the 
useful. Aside from its commercial aspect, 
there would be but little interest in pure¬ 
bred fowls. As it is, when conducted with 
system and intelligence, it overshadows the 
utility side in profit. But just the same 
there exist a dozen (I might have multi¬ 
plied), who dabble in fancy-priced stock 
to one who really makes it remunerative, 
but finally content themselves with the 
practical profits—if any—at food prices. 
There is perhaps a growing tendency to 
regard merely the food market as the only 
source of returns, which is the safe course 
for the unversed in fancy points of fowls, 
including most farmers. To these there 
is no advantage in keeping to a pure breed, 
but a distinct loss, in the measure that 
judicious crossing may augment returns. 
In England the benefits of crossing are 
better appreciated; and poultry papers 
carry a long list of advei-tisements of eggs 
for sale from specified crosses. The Eng¬ 
lish utility breeder aims largely at the 
carcass, as eggs are brought in at less than 
cost of home production. With ourselves, 
where eggs lead meat in importance, the 
superior utility of the crossbred hen is still 
more marked. 
A half century ago it was a common 
practice for discriminating poultrymen to 
cross Pit Game males upon Partridge 
Cochin females to get the most dependable 
early and continuous layers. Our better 
knowledge of breeding pi-oblems comprehends 
the theory of such crossing. The early 
Cochins, although excellent layers, were 
handicapped by their “too, too solid flesh,” 
which was so modified in the offspring by 
the Game's vital temperament as to give 
a uniform type, following the Game closely 
in appearance, long-lived, wide rangers and 
good foragers, remarkable layers at all 
seasons, and superior as sitters and de¬ 
fenders of their young to anything else 
known then or since. The tendency of im¬ 
proved breeds is toward artificial extremes, 
but the result of such a cross is a short 
cut hack to nature and a return to vigor—• 
a trait that as the foundation of useful 
performance in any race of domestic ani¬ 
mals is too generally ignored. The ques¬ 
tion is pertinent: Why not make and per¬ 
petuate such a stock as an improved breed, 
thus averting the necessity of a cross for 
each generation? The best answer to which 
is to cite that principle in correct breed¬ 
ing which is lacking in thoroughbred mat¬ 
ings but regained in judicious crossing, 
which calls for the union of contrasted 
types as the indispensable condition of the 
highest virility in offspring. The long- 
continued breeding of Leghorns and Rocks, 
for example, has fixed their respective 
types. Although in a high degree arti¬ 
ficial, these remain vigorous, as is shown 
by their successful propagation. The theory 
underlying their advantageous blending is 
found in the fact that each type possesses 
a point of weakness which the other 
abundantly supplements, in addition to the 
impulse to vigor suggested by their mutual 
unlikeness. We may classify the Leghorn 
as of the nervous-sanguine type, the latter 
part of which term denotes “blood-forming,” 
or possessing the power to digest and as¬ 
similate food rapidly. Rapid production of 
eggs calls for cori’esponding l-apid develop¬ 
ment of blood, and it is this trait that 
causes their combs to grow rapidly and to 
large size. In sexual powei’s the Leghorn 
represents an unbalanced development, as 
compared with the normal fowl’s physique. 
The Rock represents the opposite tendency, 
its propensity to store assimilated food 
within the body being as marked as is the 
Leghorn’s laying tendency. The Rock is 
thus eminently calculated to supply the 
Leghorn's chief lack—adaptability to with¬ 
stand cold. The Pit Game has been crossed 
upon the Rock with good results as to 
improve laying capacity; but of recent 
years we hear little said of this cross, 
which would be superior where chicks are 
raised by the natural method. The half- 
blood Leghorn still remains somewhat 
flighty, and the management of such as 
sitters is a disagreeable task. 
The bi’eeder for eggs who is not circum¬ 
stanced to derive enhanced returns from 
purebreds would do well to test the benefits 
of judicious crossing. I use the term 
judicious advisedly, for the haphazard mix¬ 
ing of races is not to be compared with 
pure breeding. The flock should be alike 
for best results in feeding. Whatever the 
breeds to be crossed there is only one 
proper way, namely, the male of the 
smaller, more active type with females of 
the other extreme. Experience proves the 
opposite way unsatisfactory. The Leghorn 
-Rock ci’oss has been adopted by many 
bi’eeders for Winter eggs, having sur¬ 
vived a comparative test with the various 
purebreds for this purpose. The white 
varieties of both breeds are most commonly 
used, which gives a flock of uniformly white 
chicks. If the Barred Rock is used for the 
foundation, the cross of a white male gives 
a larger range of colors from barred to 
white, and occasionally a black chick; and 
a brown male with barred females produces 
a black flock, with some specimens show¬ 
ing reddish feathers. If both the Leghorn 
male and Rock females are buff this color 
is perpetuated. In a future article the 
writer will tell some of the ins and outs 
of the pure races of fowls. 
F. W. PROCTOR. 
INBREEDING OF SQUABS. 
What is the cause of pigeons when they 
have young in the nest, taking care of one 
and not caring for the other? j. w. w. 
Manorville, N. Y. 
The chief cause of this trouble, which 
is frequent and decidedly a thorn in the 
flesh among squab breeders, is “inbreed¬ 
ing.” Enough attention is not given to 
relationship of cock and hen when mat¬ 
ing. This inbreeding shows its results 
in the young, many of them not having 
strength enough to take the nourishment 
the parents offer them. Frequently they 
are malformed. You may prolong their 
existence one or two weeks by transfer¬ 
ring the frail ones to nests that contain 
a single squab much younger, but of the 
same size, but as the final outcome is 
inevitable, it is not worth the trouble. 
The best remedy is to remove the cause 
and to do this you must commence at 
the beginning. Keep a loft register and 
band all youngsters you intend to raise. 
When the time arrives for mating the 
young birds you can accurately tell by 
referring to their band numbers and the 
loft register whether or not the proposed 
new pair is related. If related, they 
should not be allowed to mate, for it 
surely and quickly brings trouble and 
financial loss. The loft register is of 
great value, and no squab breeder should 
be without it, if he wishes to be success¬ 
ful in the business. It enables him to 
tell without a doubt, just which pairs of 
breeders are his moneymakers. It brings 
to light the many pairs that are causing 
him only loss and trouble. These last 
should be promptly separated and mat¬ 
ed to new stock. In buying new stock 
be sure to get an entirely new line. An¬ 
other cause of poor squabs in the nest 
is vermin. If the nest is made of hay 
and straw and overrun with lice, the 
squabs cannot and do not grow. Still 
another cause is roup. But these are 
merely passive. Inbreeding is the main 
cause, and the one most to be feared, so 
make this your field of battle. 
Ohio. P. B. RUGGLES. 
212-PAGE POULTRY BOOK 
No poultry raiser can afford to miss reading our 
2ia-l J> age I 1 ree Catalog—illustrated with hundreds of 
pictures which help you to Make Money With Poul¬ 
try and Incubators. It is the latest news—always 
on practical discoveries and about Cyphers World’s 
Leading Incubators and Brooders. Write nearest office. 
CYPHERS INCUBATOR CO.. BUFFALO, N. Y. 
ixew York; Bob ton; Chicago: Kansas City; Oakland, Cal.; London, Eng. 
DC If III nilOlfC— Madison Square, N. Y., 
■ CIV 111 UvulVw December, 1907, Blue Rib¬ 
bon winners, April hatched. Pen of 5, good utility 
stock, $10. Leghorns, Single and Rose Comb, are 
real egg machines. Pen ol 6, April hatched, good 
utility stock, $10. Best, very choice, snow white, 
yellow legs, well marked, Pen of 6, for $15. Fifty 
pens, 1,000 layers. Also Barred and White Rocks, 
White Wyandottes and Japanese Breed Ducks. 
Largest plant in vicinity of New York City. Cor¬ 
respondence invited. Bonnie Brae Poultry 
Farm, New Rochelle, N. Y. 
EMPIRE STATE S. G. WHITE LEGHORNS, 
May hatched cockerels and pullets from my best 
stock $1.00 each. Yearlings, heavy layers, $1.00 each. 
Catalog free, C, H. ZIMMER, Weedsport, N . Y. 
R HODE ISLAND BEDS- You can buy high 
class Breeders from me now for less than half 
what they would cost you next winter or spring. 
You may return at my expense, if not satisfactory. 
Sinclair Smith, Box 153, Southold, Suffolk Co., N.Y. 
THE AMERICAN PET STOCK FARM, 
COLLINS, Huron Co., Ohio. 
All Breeds ol Dogs and Standard Bred Poultry. 
RARY PUIPIf Q —Prompt and safe delivery 1500 
DHD I UniuaO miles. World’s Best R. I. 
Reds 15c. each, $15 per 100. B. Rocks, Bl. Minorcas, 
Br. Leghorns, fOc. each, $10 per 100, Buff Oi’pingtons 
20c. each. CORNISH FARMS, Edwardsburg.Mich. 
V an Alstyne’s S.C.R.I.Reds—100 breeders for 
sale to make room for young stock. Send stamp for 
prices. Edw. Van Alstyne & Son, Kinderhoolc.N. Y. 
POULTRYMEN 
I —Send for our new 36-page illus¬ 
trated poultry catalogue. Abso- 
utely free. East Donegal Poultry Yards,Marietta,Pa. 
<1 
Send for our Terms 
to Subscription 
Workers now. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
409 Pearl Street, 
New York. 
