48 « 
THE RURAb NEW-YORKER 
April 13, 
THE FIGHT FOR PARCELS POST. 
The Rural School Teacher. 
The following letter is from the private 
secretary of a Congressman who is a pure¬ 
bred parcels poster. You see our letters are 
getting there. Keep them right up. 
I am not a Congressman; only a sec¬ 
retary to one, but the Congressman to 
whom I am secretary is in favor of the 
parcels post. I want to say that one 
letter sent by a constituent is worth 
•more than 10 petitions. We are doing 
a little missionary work. Whenever we 
receive a petition against the parcels 
post we answer by sending some litera¬ 
ture in favor of it, and in this way hope 
to let some of the people know what the 
parcels post is. It appears that the re¬ 
tail hardware men are scared worse 
than any other class of merchandisers, 
as in nearly every mail that comes we 
receive from one to a half-dozen let¬ 
ters and petitions from them. Bear 
down on having your subscribers write 
to the Congressmen and Senators, and 
also keep after them, until they give the 
matter more than “careful considera¬ 
tion.” The question of the parcels post 
has been before the public long enough, 
and no more time need be spent in con¬ 
sidering it. We are often in receipt of 
letters from large concerns asking that 
the parcels post be opposed, and then 
in the next paragraph they will ask for 
a one-cent postage on their letters. I 
am not in a position to know what the 
prospects are of getting a comprehen¬ 
sive parcels post law through, but it 
appears that some step in that direction 
will be taken during this session. 
Senator Raynor and Parcels Post. 
On page 293 we printed a spicy corre¬ 
spondence between Senator Isidor Raynor, 
or Maryland, and ffm. F. Allen. This has 
attracted attention far and wide, for Mr. 
Rayner so far forgot himself as to ask: 
“What am 1 supposed to know about itt” 
Since that Allen letter the Senator has 
shut up like a clam, and while thousands 
of parcels post letters have been sent him, 
we have not heard of even “careful con¬ 
sideration” in reply. On March 15. how¬ 
ever, Mr. Allen sent another letter to the 
Senator, as follows: 
ALLEN TO SENATOR RAYNER. 
On February 12, 1912, I wrote you con¬ 
cerning the free seed nuisance and the 
matter of a parcels post. On the 14th you 
sent me a letter that, in the opinion of 
hundreds who have read it, any self- 
respecting public official would be ashamed 
to sign. After receiving this on February 
15 I wrote you at some length concerning 
the free Government seed graft which a 
good many Senators and Congressmen 
seem to be so much in love with. I have 
one letter, on file from a prominent farmer 
who says that you sent him seed of a 
noxious and troublesome weed as flower 
seed, but then you say over your own sig¬ 
nature, “What am I supposed to know 
about those things?” These seeds you send 
out under your name, and you acknowledge 
that you know nothing about them, and 
then you have the audacity to pose as one 
who is trying to do his duty. The people 
of Maryland, the people of the United 
States, Mr. Rayner, expect you to go on 
record as opposing this nuisance and 
waste of public money. If you do not 
know that It is a nuisance and a waste 
then it is your duty to find it out. What¬ 
ever you may think about it, the public 
lias something to say and you are sure to 
hear from them. So much for your dearly 
beloved free seeds. 
Now about parcels post. If you have 
been asleep and do not know that the peo¬ 
ple of the United States are beginning to 
think for themselves on this question, you 
are very much behind the times. The peo¬ 
ple are beginning to learn that this is the 
only civilized country on the face of the 
globe that has not some form of parcels 
post, and what is more, some of them are 
beginning to learn the reason why, and they 
are telling some others that do not know. 
If you think. Mr. Rayner. that this much 
needed parcels post is going to die because 
“you are not supposed to know anything 
about it,” and because you are too dignified 
to answer an honest, simple question about 
these matters as to how you stand on them, 
etc., you are badly mistaken. If you are of 
the opinion that 40.000.000 or 50.000,000 
rural people and laborers throughout the 
country are going to give up parcels post 
because a dozen or so big carrying cor¬ 
porations and a few thousand country 
merchants who have been misled by the 
express company are opposing it, why you 
have some things to learn. The people of 
the country are waking up on this subject 
If you are not. With these few reminders 
I most respectfully ask you again to an¬ 
swer my letter of the 15tb, and I hope that 
you are man enough to say that you are 
either for or against these reforms. As 
well as myself there are a few hundred 
thousand others who have read our corre¬ 
spondence that are waiting for your an¬ 
swer. It iS up to yOU. WM. P. ALLEN. 
On page 330 you stated that the U. S. 
Bureau of Education had published a 
monograph on rural schools, where it point9 
to the fact that the education in rural 
schools leads usually to emigration to the 
city. My experience is further back. I 
have had charge of a rural school for 18 
years and my invariable experience has 
been when asking a normal graduate of 
teaching methods to receive the reply: 
“Oh ! I trained for grade fifth and sixth, 
etc.;” never have I had them say they 
were trained to meet the problems of a 
rural school. If we succeed in securing a 
normal teacher we question their normal 
standing as a student. We are told the 
best prepared go to cities. Is not the coun¬ 
try, as well as city, taxed to maintain 
these institutions? Where is justice done 
to the country taxpaper? I believe the 
Granges all over the country should in¬ 
vestigate and divert the studies of nature 
and agriculture to their natural territory. 
Of what use is agriculture in a city 
school? Only last week a prominent su¬ 
perintendent of the school of a town told 
me the normal graduates curled their lips 
and scoffed at the idea of “teaching in the 
country.” If this be true, then why tax the 
country people to maintain these schools? 
I can send you a paper where a normal 
graduate publicly scoffed at the request to 
call the attention of her pupils to the 
birds as they came in the Spring, for a 
few moments once a week. h. t. p . 
New York. 
Farm Boys and Girls, by William A. 
McKeever, professor of philosophy, Kansas 
State Agricultural College. The children of 
the farm are being studied nowadays as 
never before; teachers, journalists and poli¬ 
ticians are all having their say, and fre¬ 
quently in a way that seems to ignore the 
farm home itself. Prof. McKeever, how¬ 
ever, shows the uplift that comes from 
within, with the rural home and school 
working together with other influences of 
social betterment. It is an excellent and 
inspiring book, suggesting lines of improve¬ 
ment to be worked out by the farm com¬ 
munity itself—not a forcible “uplift” from 
outsiders, but rather the little leaven that 
“leaveneth the whole lump.” The betterment 
is to he threefold, moral, educational, and 
religions, and wise indeed are the sugges¬ 
tions made. Both parents and school teach¬ 
ers will find the book helpful, and it will 
be an excellent addition to the Grange 
library. Published in the Rural Science 
series by Macmillan & Co., New York ; 326 
pages, illustrated; price $1.50. 
'.’hen you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply and a 
“square deal.” See guarantee editorial page. 
Make Your Own CEMENT POSTS 
¥E“ PERFECT POST MOLDS 
Why buy wooilen posts when you can make for 
less money a cement post that will last gen¬ 
erations. The Ferfeet Post made by the 
Evans process will withstand both a tremendous 
shock and strain. It is all in the way the post is 
molded, reinforced and cured. Write us for full 
information about the Perfect Post Molds. 
CL0SE-T0-NATURE COMPANY. 78 Front Street. Colfax, Iowa 
Work 
Time and Money 
Witten Automatic Pump Cart saves labor 
and time In handling and moving 
material. Handiest thing on 
the farm, dairy, estate and 
residence. The 
WITTEN 
largo ca¬ 
ls light, 
— guaran- 
Write for 
It is free. 
Address 
THE BAKER MFG. CO., 
507 Hunter Building, 
Chicago • Illinois 
LOW-PRICED A J IT AO 
HIGH-GRADEr\. U 1 Uj 
Used cars rebuilt and guaranteed by manu* 
facturer same as new cars. Best for rural road*. 
A high-grade high-powered car for very little 
money. Postal brings full information. 
Stoddard Meter Ce. t 229 W. 57th St., New York 
Make Every Acre Net $200 Each Year | 
I An acre of berries will bring more net profit than ten acres 
of corn or wheat —With Less Work— five acres, more 
| income than tne salary of the average state senator. Berry- _ 
growing is a solid, permanent business. City people [ 
eating more and more berries. Prices are; 
i double what they were ten years ago. 
j Learn the facts. Get Knight's 1912 Book__ 
of Small Fruits. It’s free if you write soon. P" 
DAVID KNIGHT & SON 
jBox 106 Sawyer, Michigan! 
S TRAWBERRY PLANTS —Reliable rooncy-making vari¬ 
eties only $1.75 and $1.98 per 1000. New 1912 lllus. 
Catalogue free. S. A. VIRDIN, Hartly, Delaware. 
Orchard After Alfalfa. 
I would like to hear from growers who 
have planted an orchard after Alfalfa was 
plowed under. n. s. s. 
North port, N. Y. 
We would all like to hear from them. 
They will probably report a fine growth on 
the trees, for Alfalfa is one of the best 
crops to furnish plant food and humus. As 
for growing Alfalfa in an apple orchard—• 
it depends. We would not sow the crop 
in a young orchard for in an ordinary sea¬ 
son the Alfalfa will use so much of the soil 
water that the young trees would suffer. 
On strong soil, Alfalfa might safely grow 
in bearing orchards. In case of a very 
dry season we should cut the Alfalfa and 
leave it on the ground and not take out 
more than one crop anyway. 
THOROUGHBRED STRAWBERRY PLANTS-There is al- 
I ways a demand for Big Berries. That’s what 
our Plants Grow. Prices low for Quality Plants. 
Satisfaction guaranteed. WRITE TO-DAY. 
E. W. TOWNSEND, The FairDeauinoNursery- 
man, Box 2, SALISBURY, Maryland. 
(P S.—Headquarters for Fall-bearing Strawberries) 
WE GUARANTEE 
95% SEED CORN 95% 
GERMINATION “ ' 
Iowa Silver Mine; Boone Co. White; Reid's 
Yellow Dent; and Learning. We 
Give Ten Days’ Trial. 
ST0ECKERSEED CO., Bax6, PEORIA, ILL. 
$750.00 PRIZE CUP 
FOR BEST DISPLAY OF APPLES 
Preliminary Announcement To All 
Eastern Growers of Good Apples! 
For a Long Time You Have Contended That Your Applet Art Superior to 
Those of the West—Here it the Opportunity of a Life-time to Prove Itt 
The Coe-Mortimer Company Offers a Magnificent Solid Silver Cop 
(Value $750.00) for the Best 15 Boxes of Apples (Any 3 
Varieties, 5 Boxes to Each Variety)—The Apples Are to 
be Displayed at the American Land and Irrigation 
Exposition to be Held in New York City, 
November 15th to December 2nd, 1912 
This Offer it Open to Every Fruit Grower in New England, New York, New Jersey, 
Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia 
(Territory not mentioned is not included in the competition) 
There are no “string's” on this offer. The best apples win the cup, 
whether our fertilizers are used or not. 
No one connected with The Coe-Mortimer Company will have anything 
to do with judging the apples or awarding the prize. 
You should send for information in regard to this competition promptly. 
We honestly believe that your chances of winning the cup will be very 
much better if you use Genuine Thomas Phosphate Powder or E. Frank 
Coe’s Fertilizers. Of course you know that the apples that won the 
International Cup, the Gov. Foss Cup and the Gov. Pothier Shield at the 
New England Fruit Show in October, 1911, were raised with GENUINE 
TnoMAS Phosphate Powder (Key-Tree Brand). 
Why Not Put YOUR Fruit in the Prize Winning Class by Purchasing 
GENUINE THOMAS PHOSPHATE POWDER 
Key-Tree Brand 
FROM 
THE COE-MORTIMER COMPANY 
51 Chambers Street, New York City 
Our Booklet, “Up-fo-Date Fruit Growing with Thomas Phosphate Powder,” is sent free if you mention THE 
RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
. 1 , 000,000 
STRAWBERRY PLANTS 
Dozens of varieties. Plants large, thrifty, strong. 8PECIAI# OrFXB: 
1 00 plants of my famous Norwood or Heritage varieties for S 1 . 00 , 
postage prepaid. All varieties big yielders. Guaranteed true to 
name. Ornamental Tree*. Fruit Trees, SmaU Fruits, Vines. California 
Privet, Asparagus Roots, Spray Pumps. Write for free catalog. 
ARTHUR J. COLLINS, Box R, Moorestown, N. J. 
Asparagus Roots For Sale 
500,000 L’almetto extra large ones, also eight of the 
very best varieties of Strawberries on the market. 
We have selected these eight out of a hundred 
and fifty varieties, and think they are the best. 
Send for our 1912 catalogue and prices on all 
kinds of plants and seed. 
“Romance” Seed, Plant & Truck Farm 
CALEB BOGGS Ct SON, Cheswold, Del. 
QII DPI IIQ ASPARAGUS CROWNS reduced to $2.50 
OU ni LUO per M. Eggs for Hatching, $4.00 per 
100—W. W. and B. P. K. Send for free strawberry 
catalog. SLAYMAKER & SON, Wyoming, Del. 
For Reliable Seeds 
Bought direct from the farming community, and 
sold direct to the farmer;—Medium and Mammoth 
Clover, Alsike, Alfalfa, White and Crimson Clover, 
Timothy, Rape. Red Top, Blue Grass, Orchard 
Grass, Barley. Rye, Spring Wheat, all kinds of 
Seed Corn and Peas. Freight prepaid your Rail¬ 
road Station. Write for samples and prices. 
N. Wertheimer & Sons, Ligonier, Ind. 
SEED CORN- 
-Reid's Yellow Dent, Imp. Early Learning 
and White Cap. Tested Seed. Also SEED 
OATS. Catalog free. THEO. BURT A SONS, Melrose. Ohio. 
TESTED SEED CORN 
O F IMPROVED 
Golden Dent Gourd 
Seed variety. Have reports from 1910-11 crop, 
ranging from 99 to 115 bnshels per acre. Have bred 
this corn for the past 30 years. Write for Circular. 
EDWARD WALTER, Eureka Stock Farm, West Chester, Pa. 
Vegetable Plants 
Large transplanted plants of Cabbage, Tomato, 
Celery, Egg Plant, Pepper* Cauliflower. Write for 
Price List. THE J. E. HUTTON CO., Conyngliam.Pa. 
S EED POTATOES —Standard varieties, true to name, 
froml2 years’ selection. Strawberry plants.20 va¬ 
rieties. Send for prices. Homer B.Howe, Wellsboro, Pa. 
u-muii, I IU1 l,UUU . 
[TV , ^ 4-Sc'li’, * i .75 for i.000 ; *7.50 for 5,0 
Shipped flat; low rates. “They are entirely sati 
factory.”—R. L. Watts, Pennsylvania State Collef 
P. B. CROSBY & SON, CATONSVILLE, Marylar 
poll Kpavinn Strawberry Plants—Best v 
* au ucnnng rieties. Descriptive catalc 
free. BASIL PERRY, D-18, Cool Spring. Del. 
S TRAWBERRY PLANTS—Guaranteed true to name; 
good as grown: prices low. Descriptive Ulus. 
Catalog free. G. E. BUNTING. Selby ville, Del. 
OTRAWBEEEY PUANTS-A11 the new and 
O old varieties. Send for my New Ulus. Catalog 
for 1912, free. DAVID RODWAY, Hartly. Del. 
PI AMK ^HAT GROW—75 varieties—true to 
I LHIl 10 name. My free illustrated book tells 
how to plant and grow STRAWBERRIES, RASP¬ 
BERRIES, BLACKBERRIES, etc. Lowest price. 
A. G. BLOUNT, Hastings, N. Y. 
IT PAYS to INOCULATE 
PEAS—BEANS 
ALFALFA and CLOVER 
w™ FARMOGERM bTeS 
NITROGEN-GATHERING BACTERIA 
INCREASES THE CROP 
ENRICHES THE SOIL 
Book No. 11 contains valuable information 
IT’S FREE 
Earp-Thomas Farmogerm Co., Bloomfield, N.J., U.8.A. 
GET VIGOROUS WESTERN 
SEED CORN 
ForYourENSILAGE 
lean seb you high germination seed for! 
less than you pay the local* 
“^dealer for poor stuff. It will ’ 
produce from 30 to 40 ton* 
an acre on good land. Read^ 
what one customer says about it : 
‘Preble, N. Y.,Feb. 12, 1912.. 
Henry Field: I had ensilage' 
corn from you last year and it I 
was over 12 feet high, an earl 
onevery stalk, sometimes two. ’ 
Can you furnish me the same 
seed this year. W.W. ROOT. , 
Price— $1.50 per bu., freight prepaid, in la.. 111., 
. Mo., Neb., Kans., Wis., Ind. andOhio on4 bu. I 
or over. *1.75perbu. freightprepaidto state* ’ 
■ east and south of Ohio on 4bu. or over, 
Seed guaranteed satisfactory or your 
money back. Catalogs and samples 
free for the asking. Write me today. 
HENRY FIELD SEED CO.. 
Box-tj Shenandoah, Iowa. 
150 a 
BUSHEL 
FREIGHT 
PREPAID 
GUARANTEED ALFALFA SLED 
Absolutely Pure and free of weeds— vigorous 
id hardy—endorsed by Experimental Sta¬ 
tions and Alfalfa Authorities everywhere; 
on approval. Alfalfa will grow on 
your land. Write for Free sample. 
HENRY FIELD SEED CO., 
Bor 26 Shenandoah. Iowa. 
STRAWBERRY PLANTS THAT GROW 
All Standard Varieties. Also RASPBERRY, BLACKBERRY. 
CURRANT and GRAPE Plants and ASPARAGUS Room la 
ASSORTMENT. WARRANTED TRUE-TO-N AME, *nd of 
GRADE represented. Catalog with Cultural Instructions FREE. 
P WHITTEN. BOX if, BRIDGMAN, • MIOllGAN. 
