1028 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER 
A national Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes 
Established 1850 
Published weakly by the Rural Publishing Company. 409 Pearl St., New York 
Herbert W. Oomjngwood, President and Editor. 
Johx J. liiixosf. Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wh. F. Dillos, Secretary. Mrs. E. T. Roylk, Associate Editor. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, $2.01, equal to 8s. 6d., or 
marks, or franca. Remit in money order, express 
order, personal check or hank draft. 
Entered at New York Post Office as Second Class Matter. 
Advertising rates 60 cents per agate line—7 words. Discount for time orders. 
References required for advertisers unknown to us ; and 
cash must accompany transient orders. 
“A SQUARE DEAL” 
We believe that every advertisement in this paper is backed by a respon¬ 
sible person. But to make doubly sure we will make good any loss to paid 
subscribers sustained by trusting any deliberate swindler advertising in our 
columns, and any such swindler will be publicly exposed. We protect sub¬ 
scribers against rogues, hut we do not guarantee to adjust trifling differences 
between subscribers and honest, responsible advertisers. Neither will we be 
responsible for the 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. 
We are printing some brief papers on the English 
system of co-operative buying. These articles are 
written by a man who was in the lead of the move¬ 
ment on the other side. We see that these societies are 
mostly started by consumers. Without question thou¬ 
sands of buyers in our cities are anxious to deal direct 
with farmers in this way. It will take some time to start 
properly, but when it does start nothing can stop it. 
* 
The State of Virginia appropriated $30,000 to 
establish lime-grinding plants. The plan 'was to fol¬ 
low Illinois in using convict labor at crushing lime¬ 
stone for agricultural use. This limestone was to 
be sold at cost. Naturally private interests in lime 
making would object to such use of convict labor 
and suit has been brought to restrain the State from 
going into the lime business. It is claimed that the 
law is not “constitutional,” and years may be needed 
to decide, for the law mills grind slowly. 
* 
Tke New York Prohibitionists have nominated 
our old friend Clark Allis of Medina for Lieutenant- 
Governor. Mr. Allis is well known as a practical 
farmer. He is president of the New York State 
Fruit Growers’ Association. He is a man of solid 
character and ability, who knows what farmers need, 
and who has the force and courage to make such 
needs known. So far as we know this is the first 
time that a man directly representing practical farm¬ 
ing has been nominated for a large elective office in 
New York. Here is an opportunity for farmers to 
stand up and be counted by rolling up a big vote for 
Mr. Allis. 
* 
There is a strange, hard situation in Western Kan¬ 
sas. A new disease has killed off a large proportion of 
the work horses. Land has not been Fall worked— 
much less seeded. Without horse power what can 
be done? The advice is to use traction engines for 
seeding, at least. There are several such engines in 
every Western community, and three or four drills 
can be rigged behind each one. This will make rough 
and uneven seeding, but it will be better than none. 
Ten years ago the situation would be well-nigh hope¬ 
less. Now die traction engine will walk off with part 
of the trouble. ' 
* 
On the next page will be found an authorized state¬ 
ment from Mr. Theodore Roosevelt regarding our 
“four-sided platform.” 
1. A fair parcels post—transportation. 
2. Agricultural credits—liquid farm capital. 
3. Public supervision of middlemen—business pro¬ 
tection. 
4. A Federal “Blue Sky” law—investment security. 
It seems that a number of our readers sent this 
“platform” direct to Mr. Roosevelt. In reply they 
received this extract from the now famous Hartford 
speech. Mr. Roosevelt meets the issue fairly. He 
makes some broad promises, but this speech puts 
these four issues up where the politicians must up¬ 
hold them or run. All the parties favor agricultural 
credits and parcels post, but there are a good many 
different brands of these things! The mere name 
means little. Along with Mr. Roosevelt’s statement 
we begin a farmer’s argument for Mr. Taft. 
* 
Last season an apple dealer who had been buying 
a certain orchard for several years looked over the 
fruit carefully and offered $600. Soon after another 
buyer came along and offered $1,000. The farmer had 
known the first man a long time and seen his esti¬ 
mates worked out in the barrelled crop in a way that 
showed good judgment and a disposition toward fair 
dealing, but the offer of $400 more was too tempting 
to turn aside. The $1,000 man came with his helpers 
and decided that the best way was to make a first 
picking of the finest fruit and get it off at once. He 
THE RURAb NEW-YORKER 
would make sufficient deposit on this to cover its full 
value and in a few days they would be back after 
the other apples, which in the meantime would be im¬ 
proving. This sounded reasonable as explained by 
the buyer’s glib tongue, and the farmer, anxious to 
help the man who had apparently given him a good 
bargain, let it go in that way. The buyer never re¬ 
turned, and the farmer was left with his low grades 
and culls which when picked looked worse than he 
had thought. Instead of making $400 over the first 
man’s offer he lost about $100 on the deal. 
* 
Any improvement in our political conditions, to be at 
• all permanent, will have to come from an awakened and 
enlightened upright Christian citizenship that can and will 
fight for its liberties. Such a citizenship, instead of crying 
for new weapons, will effectively use those already at 
hand. The question that must arise in the mind of every 
patriotic citizen is, do we really lack such a citizenship, 
or dobs it only need an awakening? Time alone will tell. 
Our friend from Oregon told us that on page 981. 
Leave out the grafters and politicians and 90 per cent 
of the honest people remaining will agree that noth¬ 
ing but Christian citizenship can give us what we need 
in public life. People may not agree in their estimate 
of what such citizenship is, but they will agree that 
some high ideal is needed. Therefore our first ques¬ 
tion should be—what are the old political parties do¬ 
ing to inspire such ideals? We will all admit that 
when the Republican party started it did inspire such 
citizenship. It had nothing else to offer—and this 
fact was what gave it the life to endure. Is it doing 
anything to-day to inspire men to fight for their true 
liberties? We understand the conditions under which 
it is now directed, controlled or “bossed.” We ask 
that question in sober earnestness—will you drop “poli¬ 
tics” for a moment and answer it? The same of the 
Democratic party. What is there about its record or 
about the men who control it which justifies the belief 
that it can inspire this Christian citizenship, which we 
admit is needed? You may tell us how these parties 
stand on the tariff or other material questions, but 
we agree that some enduring ideal is the fundamental 
need of this country. Does anyone at the bottom of 
his heart see influences in these old parties which lead 
to this citizenship? 
And what are “the weapons at hand?” What can 
a scattered army of men who must work for a living 
do with the packed caucus and convention? Centuries 
ago, when true farming began, the English farmers 
were free men—each a fighter with his bow or other 
weapon. The system slowly changed and strong and 
far-seeing men assumed the work of fighting and 
“protecting” the farmers so that they might produce 
more. Finally the farmers found themselves without 
weapons—mere drudges for manorial lords who con¬ 
trolled the weapons and thus the men and what they 
produced. The old parties have brought the common 
people to much the same position in politics. What 
weapons have they left with which to fight their 
political lords? Awake at last, they find themselves 
in the position of men who must fight with bare 
hands against armored soldiers. That is why they de¬ 
mand the primary, the referendum and the recall. 
This country does not lack “such a citizenship.” 
It will be found in the couptry in our farm homes. 
The way to awaken it is to improve these homes. For 
years we have done our small best to help the farmer 
obtain a fair shar§ of what his labor sells for. In 
this lies the great hope for the improvement of the 
farm home—and from that the true awakening of 
that Christian citizenship which this nation needs. 
Very likely the first efforts to use the new political 
weapons will be crude and clumsy. Farmers may at 
first even wound themselves, but not one of these 
new weapons will be thrown away. We shall learn 
how to use them, in time, and by their use win the 
political freedom which is to give the plain farmer 
a fairer chance in the world. It will require long 
years. The growth must be as slow and solid as 
that of a tree. Many of us who are now fighting 
may not live to see it, but nevertheless we will fight on. 
* 
Does New York State buy much land for agricultural 
purposes? Would there be any use in trying to sell a 
farm to the State? Who would be the proper parties to 
address? n. c. 
During the past six months we have had several 
letters like the above. Evidently there are people 
who think the State is purchasing land for farm 
purposes. There is nothing to this idea. The State 
does not want to buy any such land. On the other 
hand, the State owns about 260 farms which it wants 
to sell. These farms are both large and small. The 
titles lapsed to the State through foreclosure of 
loan office mortgages. Some of them have been 
State property for many years and are now in very 
poor condition. They ought to be sold and we under¬ 
stand that 30 or 40 of the farms have been applied 
for. It is hard to place a fair price on some of them, 
October 5, 
as they could hardly be considered “bargains.” But 
the State does not want to buy any farms. Do not 
waste time fooling with any such proposition. There’s 
nothing to it. 
* 
Since you have been so long an advocate of Alfalfa, 
you will doubtless be interested in the following personal 
experience. Until recently we Lave fed farm horses on 
Timothy and mixed grass hay and oats mainly. Since wc 
have now no pure Timothy on the place, but only hay 
tvhieh contains a large percentage of Alfalfa, we began in 
June feeding our work horses on hay containing 50 per 
cent Alfalfa. We have been much pleased and astonished 
by the fact that since using Alfalfa the amount of grain 
required daily has been reduced 25 per cent, and now at 
the end of the season the horses are in better shape than 
in previous years, both in appearance and apparent health. 
They show as much life as formerly, carry more flesh, 
have withstood hard work better, and this at a saving 
of nine cents per horse per day. henry w. healy. 
No question about it, Alfalfa makes a substitute 
for grain. Our proposition is that harvesting the 
crop on an acre of good Alfalfa is like putting three 
or four tons of wheat bran into the grain bin. That 
is a good way for all of us to think about Alfalfa. 
We know what bran means and what it costs. 
* 
We wish you would tell us why the newspaper 
reporters are so willing to spread fake reports about 
food. Hardly a day passes without some report of 
poisons found in canned goods. The last one declared 
that arsenate of lead had been found in peaches 
canned in Georgia. The report went on to state 
that the poison had been traced to a spraying with 
lime-sulphur and arsenate. The Commissioner of Agri¬ 
culture in Georgia sends us a letter from the State 
chemist, who has examined many samples of the con¬ 
demned peaches. 
We have made a very careful examination of these 
peaches to see if any arsenate of lead was present In 
same. We have been unable to find any arsenate of lead 
In any of these canned peaches, and I will further state 
that we have never found arsenate of lead in any canned 
peaches submitted to us for examination. 
e. e. stallings. 
State Chemist. 
That ought to settle it, but the lie will go on doing 
damage to a legitimate industry. The circulation of 
such a story could do great harm to the peach in¬ 
dustry. In many sections Summer spraying is a vital 
necessity. The pickers and packers eat 30 or more 
of the sprayed peaches per day. 
* * 
During the past five years 18,571 packets of seeds 
have been tested in the seed laboratory of the Agri¬ 
cultural Department. One object was to compare 
what are known as “box seeds” with those obtained 
from mail order houses. The so-called box seeds are 
sold at local stores—usually in gaudy packets and 
with high “claims.” Only 60.5 per cent of the box 
seeds germinated, while of those ordered by mail 77.5 
per cent grew. The Department’s reason for this 
difference is given as follows: 
There is doubtless an economic reason for the higher 
average quality of the seeds sold by mail-order bouses as 
compared with the seeds sent out by many of the houses 
selling box seeds. It is possible for a new firm or one 
without reputation to purchase a large quantity of seeds, 
put them up in showy packets and boxes, and by means 
of attractive prices dispose of them to local merchants 
either on commission or by sale outright. Mail-order 
houses, on the other hand, are dependent for their trade 
on proportionately few new customers each year, their 
business being based largely on the satisfactory quality 
of their seeds whicti purchasers have used in previous 
years. 
Much the same argument might apply to a few old 
firms which sell the “box seeds” year after year. Yet 
it is undoubtedly a fact that the mail order houses are 
obliged to give fair satisfaction or lose their trade. 
1 heir customers are not obliged to patronize them 
unless they are satisfied. When a mail order house 
increases its trade and holds old customers there is 
good evidence of satisfactory stock. 
BREVITIES. 
Select the seed corn in the field—now. 
It is a good imitation of the “milk of human kindness” 
that attracts the sucker. 
Bulletin No. 502, issued by the U. S. Department of 
Agriculture, is entitled “Timothy Production on Irrigated 
Land in the Northwestern States.” / It will interest many 
farmers. 
A newspaper dispatch says that the price of milk is 
rising around Sharon, Pa., because the plague of flies is 
causing a serious shrinkage in supply. One would think 
the fly-killer ought to get busy. 
“Home canning.” A number of readers are trying 
this—“as a way of getting ahead of tfle commission 
frauds.” The value of their reports will come after the 
goods are sold. See how they keep and how much they 
bring. 
With the fear of bubonic plague and the knowledge that 
it is spread by rats, it is said that the price of cats has 
increased in the seaboard cities. Do not ask us to name a 
market for Tom or Tabby, for they are not auoted in 
“live stock” reports. • ' - • 
