64 
THAT CORN CONTEST. 
Remarks from Indiana. 
The proposed corn contest between the 
East and the West might result in much 
good to both sections. If it is true that 
the East can grow over 100 bushels flint 
corn per acre on their soils, long tilled, 
then we of the West want to know how 
they do it. We do not do so with our 
large-eared dents which run from 14 to 
10 ounces to the ear. If we get 80 or 90 
bushels we think it a big crop. In 1875 I 
told a New York farmer that the corncobs 
of Western corn were larger than the ear of 
flint corn, cob and all. There must have 
been a great change since then in one or 
the other. There are two difficulties in 
the way that I hardly know how to re¬ 
concile. One is in setting the price mat¬ 
ter. Corn here is worth about 35 cents 
per bushel (ear corn 68 pounds). It is 
never sold shelled—always in the ear. The 
other is the distance between sections 
would make it very inconvenient for esti¬ 
mates. Yet we need something to spur 
us Westerners to better farming. The 
average Hoosier farmer, if put on a New 
York farm that has been in. cultivation 
over 100 years, would go to the wall 
quickly, while the live Yankee farmer on 
our rich river soils would soon have a 
competence. J. h. haynes. 
Indiana. 
R. N.-Y.—Only one Western man (from 
Iowa) has yet offered to come into the 
contest. Eastern corn growers will grow 
some large crops anyway. In such a con¬ 
test we should insist upon a scientific 
test for the yield. It would not answer 
to measure the yield in baskets or simply 
weigh it. We are not trying to see how 
much water can be stuck to a corncob. 
There must be a fair amount of corn taken 
as a sample, and analyzed to find the 
amount of water, and then the whole thing 
figured down to a basis of 12 per cent of 
water and no more. That would be fair 
to both sides. Many of the so-called corn 
yields are guesses or weights of wet corn 
without any definite standard for compari¬ 
son. 
Kansas Is Heard From. 
If The II.-N. Y. persists in her eastern 
corn bluff to the Western States we may 
feel under obligations to show her a thing 
or two, for Kansas is considered a Western 
State, though she should be in a class all 
by herself. What Kansas might do under 
remarkable conditions is still left for the 
future historian to pen. But that she can 
excel all other States in production un¬ 
der adverse conditions has been proven 
many times beyond the school boy’s count. 
We still have corn and cobs to show, with 
premiums three years in succession, how a 
neglected, almost abandoned piece of 
ground, produced 96 bushels of corn per 
acre without manure or fertilizer, with 
two cultivations, and several harrowings. 
Then next year adjoining 100 bushels with 
one cultivation and two harrowings. This 
corn was produced under very unfavorable 
conditions, so much so that neighbors 
planting the same day, a few rods away, 
produced less than 10 bushels per acre of 
very inferior stuff. This corn was sold as 
seed to farmers at $1 per bushel, but we 
charged bankers $1.50 and had orders we 
refused to fill as far off as Oklahoma. Now 
Is it all climate. State, soil or conditions? 
But isn’t there something in “the man be¬ 
hind the gun?” Just as you will find in 
those great milk records, it isn’t all of tho 
cow’s doings. john e. hinshaw. 
Kansas. 
It. N.-Y.—We are not taking about seed 
corn sold at high prices or estimated 
yields. Our proposition is to grow dry 
shelled corn with not over 12 per cent of 
water and sell it not for seed but for ac¬ 
tual food in the nearby market. The fod¬ 
der, too, is to count. If Mr. Hinshaw 
thinks this is a bluff, will he come into 
the game with one or 10 acres? 
NEW YORK STATE FRUIT GROWERS’ 
ASSOCIATION. 
The best meeting ever held in this State 
by a horticultural society was called to or¬ 
der on the morning of January 4 and was 
continued without the least abatement of 
interest until late afternoon of the 6th. 
This association is growing very rapidly in 
numbers with a corresponding financial 
strength, and still more rapidly in strength 
of purpose to protect the fruit growers 
and extend the industry. It not only 
places the most up-to-date information be¬ 
fore its members at its annual meeting, 
but. holds an eastern meeting at Pough¬ 
keepsie every Winter and a Summer field 
meeting each year in localities where the 
growers can see what others are doing, and 
compare methods. Nor does it stop here. 
It sends out several crop reports each sea¬ 
son that members may keep in touch with 
the prospects from the various fruit centers 
and be in a position to know the value of 
their fruit when selling time comes. The 
secretary not only gathers data from the 
members, but gets reports from reliable 
sources all over the country, and the crop 
reports of this association have proved as 
near correct as any reports published. They 
THE RURAh NEW-YORKER 
January 21, 
have saved thousands of dollars to mem¬ 
bers. The association also handles fer¬ 
tilizers and spraying chemicals for the 
benefit of its members. 
The Geneva Station filled two long tables 
with fruit and a small exhibit illustrating 
methods of propagation. Beside many 
standard varieties shown they exhibited 
many of their ww seedlings, most of 
them being crosses on Ben Davis by Jona¬ 
than, McIntosh. Esopus and Mother. It 
will take some time to determine the hardi¬ 
ness, habit and capacity of the trees of 
these crosses, and until this is determined 
it will be impossible to judge the merits 
of any of these varieties. The association 
offered liberal prizes to be competed for 
by members with New York State fruit 
only. There were 29 exhibitors, and all 
things considered I believe it was the finest 
show of fruit ever exhibited at one of these 
meetings. The exhibit of boxed apples was 
very fine, and it was hard to make people 
believe it was not Oregon or Washingtpn 
grown. For the best three boxes, fruit, 
packing and package to be considered, there 
were prizes of $10, $6 and $4, and the 
winner of first also won the silver cup 
offered by B. G. Pratt. W. S. Teator, of 
Upper Red Hook, won first and cup ; Henry 
D. Lewis, Annandale, second, and Leslie 
Farmer, Medina, third. Some very fine 
boxed fruit was shown that was not placed, 
and the collections and single plate ex¬ 
hibits contained some extra fine apples. 
The fruit was judged by students from 
Cornell, and awards were made by scoring. 
They were very careful in their work, and 
with one or two exceptions all the exhibi¬ 
tors seemed satisfied. 
The Wolcott Fruit Growers’ Association 
exhibited several plates of apples in the 
non-competitive class, and D. Maurice 
Wertz, of Waynesboro, Pa., showed extra 
fine specimens of Ben Davis, Mammoth 
Blapk Twig. Grimes, York Imperial and 
Jonathan. Some of these varieties seem to 
need a longer growing season than we 
have in New York to come to their full 
development. Bartlett pears as hard as 
they were when picked were shown by the 
Brighton Cold Storage Co., and in the 
competitive pear class Sheldon and Flem¬ 
ish Beauty were shown in good condition. 
Cornell University had a good box pack¬ 
ing exhibit in charge of students under 
Prof. Wilson, and the crowds that gath¬ 
ered around this booth would seem to in¬ 
dicate an increasing interest in the box 
package among New York growers. Dif¬ 
ferent style boxes, a packing table and 
box press were shown, and all the steps 
in the operation were carried on by the 
students. The plant pathology and ento¬ 
mological exhibits from Cornell and 
Geneva came in for their full share of 
attention, and those in charge were kept 
busy giving out the latest information m 
their lines to the older growers and start¬ 
ing new beginners on the right road to 
insect and fungus control. 
The manufacturers of orchard machin¬ 
ery and spraying rigs and materials were 
out in force and did a very large business. 
There was dynamite to clear the land, 
plows and other tools to subdue it, and a 
ditching machine to open drains through 
it. Two gasoline power tractors were ex¬ 
hibited. Actual work in the field and or¬ 
chard will point out the defects and sug¬ 
gest changes in these tractors that will 
soon bring them to a practical basis where 
for the large farmer and orchardist they 
will be more economical than horse power. 
Power spraying rigs were out in greater 
numbers than ever before, and practical 
improvements are constantly being added 
to these machines. Hand pumps, nozzles 
and shut-off devices added to the display, 
with every agent claiming superiority for 
his goods. Insecticide manufacturers were 
out in full force, with concentrated lime- 
sulphur and arsenate of lead the leaders. 
The popularity of lime-sulphur was shown 
by the large sale of hydrometer sets for 
testing it. The oil sprays are still in the 
field however and some fine boxed fruit 
was shown by the manufacturers to show 
the results from the use of sulfocide and 
like sprays. There were also exhibits of 
pruning tools and ladders, and basket 
manufacturers were out extra strong, some 
showing boxes in addition to their basket 
displavs. Nurserymen are realizing the op- 
portunitv for making sales these meetings 
afford them and are turning out stronger 
every year. If all their customers could 
receive trees as good as those shown their 
complaint departments could be shifted to 
their order filling forces. Many exhibits 
had to be turned away from lack of 
room. 6- k. s - 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.” See gifarantee page 16. 
Silver King 
Potatoes 
If you have read Mr. C. I. Hunt’s account of his 
potato crop you will be interested in trying the 
varieties he raised. Two of them. Silver King and 
Pan American, Mr. Hunt bought of us. We intro¬ 
duced these varieties and have pure seed at very 
reasonable prices. 
We also have many other varieties of both early 
and late potatoes, as well as seeds of all kinds, 
including 
SOY BEANS—Early varieties grown in New 
York State. 
ALFALFA—Very high quality seed, free from 
dodder and weed seed, and 99 per cent. pure. 
VETCHES, OATS, high grade SEED CORN 
and vegetable and farm seeds of all kinds. 
Please ask for our Catalogue—FREE. 
JOSEPH HARRIS CO., Box 31, Coldwater, N.Y, 
K 
I 
Fresh, pure, reliable, and hand selected- 
such are Gregory’s Honest Seeds. Try 
these extremely profitable varieties:— 
Symmes Blue Hubbard Squash, Vickery’s 
Forcing Cucumber, Gregory’s Imp. Orig¬ 
inal Crosby Corn, Imp. Yellow Globe 
Onion. Will double previous profits. 
Free—Gregory’s New Catalogue 
One of the finest seed books published and 
much the most helpful. Write to-day for 
1911 copy—sent only when asked for. 
J. J. H. GREGORY & SON, 
1 4 Elm St, , Marblehead, 
^HONEST:' 
|E£E 
WATCH FOR OUR ANN O UN CEMENTS 
OF OUR OTHER PRIZE WINNERS 
If you have nob received a copy of our handsome 
ANNUAL MEMORANDUM bools, we shall he glad 
to send you one If you mention Rural New-Yorker. 
There 
Were 
2000 
Perfect 
£ars 
[on the 
Pyramid 
from 12)4 to 
14 inches 
long. 
There 
Were 
3000 
Perfect 
Ears 
on the 
Cone 
none of them 
less than 12 
inches long. 
GOLD MEDAL CORN GROWN ON PERUVIAN VEGETABLE GROWER 
On One Acre of Flint Corn Mr. Bates Raised 
One Hundred Seventy-Three and Three- 
Tenths (173.3) Bushels of Ears Weigh¬ 
ing 70 Pounds to the Bushel 
Allowing 43 per cent for moisture and cob, and reducing to 
12 per cent moisture basis (average moisture in crib-dry corn) 
we find that Mr. Bates produced 
One Hundred Forty and Three-Tenths 
Bushels (140.3) of Shelled Corn Per Acre 
(56 lbs. of shelled com to the bushel) 
The yield was certified to by three competent men (as 
sworn to by them before the clerk of the courts at Worcester, 
Mass.) The Worcester Magazine says:— 
“The authorities present at the Com Show give this yield the 
credit of excelling any record of Flint Corn in this country. 
Truly a wonderful tribute to Mr. Bates’s skill as a farmer, 
to New England soils, and to 
PERUVIAN VEGETABLE GROWER 
with which this remarkable crop was raised. 
If you are a business farmer you ought to know more 
about Peruvian Vegetable Grower, the Highest Grade Corn 
and Vegetable Fertilizer on the market. 
MANUFACTURED ONLY BY 
THE COE-MORTIMER COMPANY, 
Sole Manufacturers of E. Frank Coe Fertilizers and Peruvian Brands 
24-26 Stone Street, 
NEW YORK CITY 
THE ONLY GOLD MEDAL 
Given at the Great Nezv England Corn Exposition, 
Held at Worcester, Mass., November7th to 12th, was awarded to 
Hon. Theodore C. Bates 
NORTH BROOKFIELD, MASS. 
For CROP and for EXHIBIT 
Those who visited the Com Exposition will recall the Great Pyramid and Great Cone of Corn near the entrance. 
GOLD MEDAL CORN! 
