12 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER’S PAPER 
A National Weekly Journal lor Country and Suburban Homes 
Established f8S6 
Published weekly by the Rural Publishing; Company. 409 Pearl St., New York 
Herbert W. Colungwood, President and Editor. 
John J. Dillon, Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wm. F. Dillon, Secretary. Mrs. E. T. Hoyle, Associate Editor. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, §2.04, equal to 8s. 6d., or 
marks, or 10}£ francs. Remit in money order, express 
order, personal check or bank draft. 
Entered at New York Post Odlce 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, but 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. 
There is one character that we find it hard to sym¬ 
pathize with. That is the regular reader of The R. 
N.-Y. who has bought trees from H. M. Whiting and 
now wants to get away from his contract. We have 
selected Mr. Whiting as a typical exponent of ‘“guff,” 
and explained his methods over and over so many 
times that it seems incredible that one of our readers 
should sign one of his orders. When such a man 
does this it seems to us one of those hard and irri¬ 
tating cases where the patient should take his medi¬ 
cine quietly and “never do it again.” 
* 
We are glad to give you the story of that Kansas 
road club in words of the men who organized it. 
You see what they did; got everyone interested in 
the subject up to the point where they were willing 
to work with pick and shovel. There must be some 
strong incentive before the average man will raise 
a crop of blisters over something which does not 
interest him directly. Perhaps it is easier to develop 
this interest in Kansas than on the Atlantic coast, 
but we doubt it. Human nature is much the same 
all over and a few patient and determined men in 
anv community can direct public thought and work 
industrial miracles among their neighbors. That is 
just what this road club did and they did it well. 
* 
The farmers’ conventions and meetings have as a 
rule been larger and more useful than ever this 
season. This is particularly true of the fruit meet¬ 
ings. More j r ounger men than ever before are to 
be seen, and they bring a spirit and confidence in 
the future which breeds enthusiasm. It seems too 
as if there were more town or. city people present, 
particularly at the evening sessions. This is a good 
sign, for it is a most important thing to get pro¬ 
ducer and consumer together on common ground. 
Many of the fruit growers’ meetings ptepare for this 
by filling the evening programmes with popular sub¬ 
jects, or even entertainments or by substituting a 
banquet. This may not be in line with the ideas 
of those who regard these meetings as schools, 
but we think the results show that it is a very wise 
plan. 
* 
Naturally at this season we have a flood of corre¬ 
spondence from our readers. As we have often stated, 
we doubt if there is a paper or magazine in the coun¬ 
try with a “family” of readers wherein such kindly 
and helpful relations exist as are found in The R. 
N.-Y. family. If we were to single out one from the 
thousands of letters from old friends it would be the 
following: 
Please find enclosed my renewal for 1913, also one 
10-weeks’ name. I feel like saying something nice about 
The R. N.-Y. after reading it for the last 18 years, but 
can't think of anything more appropriate than simply 
“God bless you in your efforts.” So I will wish you a 
prosperous New Year and remain 
• Yours truly, 
P. D. MILLER. 
We are able to read between the lines of that heart¬ 
felt note. No man could say more, and every word 
of it is sincere. 
* 
In New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and 
Chicago the price of storage eggs has dropped to a 
figure which allows only a moderate profit, instead of 
the extravagant percentage many speculators had 
hoped to get. The activity of the Housewives’ League 
in the various cities is clearly responsible for this re¬ 
duction, although some dealers insist that it is the 
result of “natural causes,” cold storage laws, etc. 
Others are prophesying very low prices in April, when 
buying for storage is normally heaviest, claiming that 
speculators will not take hold as usual unless a profit 
“worth while” is in sight. Those who have studied 
the workings of the egg market from an unbiased 
point of view, however, know that speculation in foods 
which nuts a market on an artificial rather than a nat¬ 
THE RURA.1> NEW-YORKER 
ural basis is pernicious in result. Some producers 
may profit temporarily by the reckless buying of 
plungers in food deals, but sooner or later a crash is 
sure to come which will bring disquiet and uncer¬ 
tainty to the market. If, as often happens, the specu¬ 
lator is in debt for part of the goods, the producer, 
who thought he sold so well, will share in the loss. 
Prices for fancy qualities usually range much above 
food value, but in medium to good grades the actual 
food value of eggs, as compared with other staples at 
the time, should govern the prices rather than the 
wilful or misguided actions of booming speculators. 
* 
We have repeatedly pointed out that the system of 
agricultural credits employed in Germany would not 
be suitable here in all its details. We may take some 
foundation principles but the details must be worked 
out to suit American conditions. The German people 
have peculiar habits of thought and methods of action 
which are very different from those found in America. 
The German army system, the character of the gov¬ 
ernment and national traditions all tend to make the 
German farmer obedient to control and naturally in¬ 
clined to co-operate. As all of us know the exact 
reverse is true of most American farmers. They 
have been taught for generations to be independent, 
and have not formed the co-operative habit. Thus 
we can see that details must be worked out to suit 
human nature as we find it on American farms. 
* 
The California people are prepared to make the 
most of parcels post from the start. Boxes of 
fancy prunes are put up ready for mailing, and 
after January i they will be sent all over the coun¬ 
try by parcels post. This is done largely to ad¬ 
vertise California products, and also to develop a 
retail trade right with the consumer. We believe 
that this example will soon be followed by other 
sections which have characteristic products to sell. 
We have little sympathy with the critics who are 
complaining that the form of parcels post is not 
what we need. Granted! The way to get what 
we need is to sail in and make this one so success¬ 
ful that we have only to ask in order to have it 
improved. At Pittsburgh too the report is that 
arrangements are being made with many farmers 
to ship eggs by mail. The thing is sure to develop. 
Do not be impatient at first, but stay by the system 
until you learn how to use it. 
* 
Every day brings us new letters about this “Luther 
Burbank Society.” These are forwarded from friends 
who have received the pleasant invitation to become 
one of the first “100 life members” at $ 151 . Most of 
our friends see the point at once. They have never 
done anything to warrant their being yoked in life 
membership with the “great” characters named in the 
printed list which is sent with the letter. These 
friends have sense enough to know that there is no 
reason why they should be selected for this great 
honor. We should judge that these circulars are 
being sent to thousands of people—each one getting 
the idea that he is to be one of 58 fortunate mortals 
selected from the millions of other more or less 
famous humans. It certainly is a great scheme. We 
do not know whether it is one of Mr. Burbank’s 
“origination” or not, but we will guarantee that the 
gentleman who started it could cross a basswood ham 
on a wooden nutmeg, plant the seed in the garden of 
a sucker’s mind and raise a crop of money. 
* 
As you know, we have taken the ground that men 
connected with our agricultural colleges and experi¬ 
ment stations should keep out of private business 
enterprises where their names or reputations would 
be used for promoting financial schemes. We have 
pointed out connections of this sort where the man’s 
official connection was cunningly used to promote 
a questionable business. We are glad to see that 
the U. S. Geological Survey takes strong ground 
on this point. No geologist connected with the 
Survey is permitted to own stock in any mining com¬ 
pany in this country. Nor is this all: 
Even after resignation from the Survey a geologist is 
in honor bound by a written promise not to act as an 
expert in mining litigation in any district that he may 
have investigated while on the Survey, until three years 
shall have elapsed since his resignation or until 10 years 
shall have passed since he made an official report on the 
district. It is supposed that after these periods of limi¬ 
tation the local information gained in his official capacity 
will have ceased to he of special advantage in current 
litigation. 
This is a fine position to take in these days when 
there is a craze for mining stock investments. The 
fake promoters would like to be able to say that 
some government geologist endorsed them. In ef¬ 
fect that is what the smaller promoters were a^ter 
when they engaged college men for their schools 
or schemes. 
January 4, 
For the past few weeks the New England people 
have been greatly stirred up over a vital railroad 
question. The N. Y., N. H. & H. railroad has ob¬ 
tained a practical monopoly of freight and passenger 
traffic in Southern New England. By ownership, 
lease or “understanding” this company operates rail 
and water routes so there is little or no competition. 
The Grand Trunk railroad has long desired direct 
communication with Boston and New York. The 
managers saw a way to accomplish this by building 
several short connecting lines which would give them 
an outlet through Providence, R. I. They obtained 
the necessary legislation from Massachusetts and 
Rhode Island, and began work on the short roads. 
The New England people felt that this meant the 
beginning of true competition in place of a hard 
monopoly. Suddenly the work stopped. The first 
explanation was that the European war had shut 
off credit in London and the Grand Trunk was 
unable to obtain funds. This did not satisfy the 
Rhode Island people who had given up too much 
to the new enterprise. They claimed that the Grand 
Trunk and the N. Y., N. H. & H. had come to an 
“agreement.” This means that instead of fighting over 
th traffic they would work together and divide it. 
The Grand Trunk would then be saved the expense 
of constructing its own roads and the “New Haven” 
would prevent rival tracks being built. Of course 
the Grand Trunk was under obligation to carry out 
its work—but what is' an obligation to the public 
anyway? An investigation led to the indictment of 
C. S. Mellen, president of the “New Haven” and E. 
J. Chamberlain and A. W. Smithers of the Grand 
Trunk. They must stand trial for conspiring to 
restrain trade. We shall not attempt to give the 
evidence or try the case in advance. We think it 
will be pushed to the limit and if these men are 
found guilty, after a fair trial, they should not escape 
with a fine, but they should go to jail and serve their 
sentences. 
* 
We have expressed our opinion of the attitude 
of the New York “Times” toward farmers and 
their interests. Now we come to express apprecia¬ 
tion. The “Times” carries this motto, “All the 
news that’s fit to print,” so we assume the follow¬ 
ing dispatch from Pittsburgh is correct: 
A week ago 125 carloads of cabbage reached the Pitts¬ 
burgh market. The wholesale price rapidly tumbled, aud 
finally carloads were offered for the freight charges, 
amounting to 88. Cabbages were sold for $1 a wagon 
load, and the buyer was allowed to pile the wagon as 
high as he could. Notwithstanding this only six carloads 
were sold and the rest rotted. According to information 
reaching the Chamber of Commerce, while this was 
happening the retail price of cabbage was the highest ever 
known here. A two and one-half pound head of cabbage 
was sold by grocers for eight cents. It is estimated that 
the grocer's profit was 540 per cent, if he paid the market 
quotation of 50 cents per 100 pounds, but if he bought 
a two-ton wagon load for $1 he made 0,400 per cent. 
That tallies with our own information as regards 
many of the large markets. We have for years 
watched the potato crop, only to find that the price 
to consumers varies but little whether the farmers 
receive 30 cents or 90 cents at their station. The 
middlemen and handlers will hold up the consumer’s 
price whenever they can. Yet the “Times” has been 
insisting that the farmers are responsible for high 
prices and that the railroads and middlemen are 
benefactors. Such papers are great advocates of 
the “two heads of cabbage” theory. According to 
their logic the great trouble was that there were 
not 250 cars instead of 125! The “Times” knows 
very well that while the farmers got nothing for 
that cabbage the railroads demanded pay for haul¬ 
ing every carload! 
BREVITIES. 
“Unlawful Iowa 'Weeds and their Extermination” is 
the title of Circular No. 5, issued by the Iowa State 
College. It conveys. information every farmer needs in 
just such handy form. 
The Bureau of Entomology of the U. S. Department of 
Agriculture has issued Circular No. 163, “Hydrocyanic- 
Acid Gas Against Household Insects,” which gives valua¬ 
ble instruction regarding this fumigation. 
The old English farmers put their advice about keeping 
barnyard manure into two lines: 
“Keep it moist and tread it tight 
And it will well your care requite.” 
That is pretty much the whole story. 
Not long ago a correspondent said that college base¬ 
ball players were exerting a good influence through the 
game! Now comes President Eliot of Harvard University 
saying that baseball is helping save the Chinese by driving 
out games of chance! 
Considerable work is being done with painting various 
substances on the truuks of chestnut trees to destroy or 
check the blight. Where the disease has only begun its 
work the spots may be cut out and antiseptic washes used, 
but thus far painting the entire trunk to prevent the 
disease lias not given great results. 
