102 
TH IS RURAL, NKW-YORKEK 
year’s ousiness alone amounted to 577,716 packages, This is for its cars and engines. The Staten Island 
with a grand total of 2,891 cars. During the past Rapid Transit Railway is bonded for five millions 
five years this Exchange has paid the farmers for a t 4 per cent for 37 years. The road gives its in¬ 
potatoes an average of 61 cents per bushel, or $1.68 vestment as $4,800,000 in its report to the Govern- 
per barrel. This is a higher average than was ever ment. It is mortgaged for more than it is worth, 
before known in that section—Monmouth County, taking the road's own figures. 
N. J. The total business for 1912 amounted to $941,- Many illustrations might be given, but these will 
765.51, which, owing to the lower price for potatoes, give an idea of how the railroad business is financed, 
was not quite as large as the year before. There The road is built and mortgaged with money at 4 
are now 1,227 members of the Exchange. The paid- per cent or 5 per cent on 50 or 100 years’ time, 
in capital stock has increased from $7,000 at the start When these mortgages are due they are renewed for 
to $75,195, and a dividend of 5 per cent, was declared, another long period at a low rate of interest. It is 
The Exchange not only sells produce for its mem- not the intention of the owners of our railroads that 
bers, but also buys seed potatoes and fertilizer. Last the bonds will ever be paid. Why should the mort- 
year it went so far as to keep an inspector in the gage be paid? The rate of interest is low and the 
field throughout the territory where rot and blight debt is part of the “capitalization” of the road, and 
were reported, and this inspector traveled through the public is expected to pay on the basis of the 
this section, rejecting stock that was badly rotted capitalization. The profits are made and declared on 
and seeking to obtain the cleanest potatoes that could the “stock,” and new stock is issued and the public 
be had. An immense amount of fertilizer is bought i c called on to pay interest on the new stock. Roll- 
and distributed among the members of the Exchange, ing stock for the road is purchased on time at 5 
It owns three warehouses with a floor space of per cent for 10 or 15 years, and the engines and cars 
21,500 square feet, and a mixing capacity of 5,500 a .re worn out by the time they are paid for. Some- 
tons. The object of the Exchange is to give its mem- times 20 per cent or 25 per cent of the cost of the 
bers what it calls a pure mixture of fertilizer, with- equipment is paid when purchased. When this outfit 
out any foreign material to be used as a filler. This i s worn out more is purchased on time as before, and 
fertilizer is sold to members either in cash or on this is continued while the road lasts, 
credit. The fertilizer may be delivered through Jan- The fact is, our railroads are built and maintained 
uary and February, settlement being required March an d operated on borrowed capital at low rates of in- 
lst. The members pay either in cash or a bankable terest on long time, with mortgages renewed indefi- 
note, and if a note is given the maker pays the in- nitely, and the owners of the railroads put up little 
terest, thus placing the man who pays cash and the money. They do, however, own the stock and take 
man who gives a note on a fair basis. An idea of the profits, and that is why we have our railroad mag- 
the business done by this Exchange is obtained from nates and kings. No farmer would expect to bor- 
the following figures, for the year ending Noyem- row all the money necessary to buy a farm and give 
ber 30, 1912. a mortgage at its full value and renew the mortgage 
“ “ fertilizer and chemicals . 127,202.09 * ^ due during his lifetime. Jso farmer would 
“ “ seed potatoes, poison, pkgs., etc.... 93,088.41 expect to buy his stock and tools and pav nothing 
The gross profit for the year was.$29,281.72 , * - s 
General expenses . 22,073.42 down or at most one-fourth of the purchase price 
Leaving net profits of.7^0,708.30 and hav , e the life P eriod of the animal or tool pur- 
This permits a dividend of 5 per cent, a 5 per cent c ^ iased ’ n to pay for his equipment and a rate 
allowance for depreciation on property, and a surplus ot a P er cer, t interest. That is, no American farmer 
of $1,736.04. At the present time there is in the " oldd expect any such good fortune. In New Zea- 
treasury a fund of $26,539.26 of undivided profits. ^ and their Government will advance nearly the full 
This with the capital stock of $75,195 makes a total P urc hase price to a man buying a farm, and if the 
capital on hand of $101,734.26, which has grown from ^ and 1S purchased from the government he can get 
$7,000 in five years. This is certainly a remarkable ^ ie ^ oan a t A J / 2 per cent on 36 years time. 
statement of business organization among farmers. _ F - N - c. 
We are constantly receiving requests from our read¬ 
ers for constitution and by-laws to govern a success- ^ CALIFORNIA POULTRY CONTEST, 
ful farm organization. On page 173 we print the Now there is to be still another poultry contest 
by-laws of this Monmouth County Exchange, and it —this time in California—the Pacific Coast egg-lay- 
would probably be hard to find a more businesslike ing contest. This started at Napa January 8, and 
model for farmers to follow. will run six months. It will be conducted by the 
» All »nln fa dm rorniTC Napa County PoultF y Association. It seems that the 
KAIL/KUALI VS. rAKIM UKLLHIo. majority of this association are utility poultrymen. 
I have 200 acres of unimproved land in Michigan The fanciers held a good poultry show, but now 
that is well adapted to growing fruit. The land is comes this egg contest to give the utility men their 
located three miles from a railroad station, which is innings as we see by the following there are some 
the county seat. Apples would be the principal fruit new features: 
grown and the best apple market in the United States, The man who can demonstrate that he has a heavy 
Chicago, is readily accessible. The business of grow- laying strain of any variety* will make good money from 
ing and marketing apples, if properly managed, is tlie sale eB « s> as Hie majority of poultry keepers want 
very profitable. The land is worth $2,500, but as I that T',? 7 I”*' "“"*«*■ of eggs. There ecr. 
Y ’ tainly cannot be any better method to demonstrate a 
have not the money to develop the orchard I have heavy laying strain than in a poultry contest. 
tried to borrow the necessary capital, but cannot get The contest will be held in a building built especially 
more than $250, giving the land as security. for t,le con tcst an< I the us *e of the Poultry Association. 
\T~„, T , ■ «•. . c It will be 50 feet wide, by 120 feet long, and will have 
JNow 1 wish to compare my ability to finance an , . „ . „ f. , 
J ' . 70 pens six feet by 10 feet. Each of the pens will be 
orchard with the method used by the railroads of equipped with roosts a dropping boards, two nests and all 
the country in financing their business. When a other equipment that should go with a properly cared for 
railroad is to be built a small section is built, then a breedin s P en - Each pen will have six females and, if 
mortgage is placed on the completed section for ■T* 0 ? 7“* .7‘' ""I' , T V” 
. . . 1 . ject in placing the male bird with the pen is to have 
neaily or quite its full value, and another section is eggs for hatching from those pens, demonstrating a heavy 
built and that mortgaged for nearly or quite full laying ability, thereby benefiting the owner of the pen to 
value as before, and this process completed till the the extent of receiving one-half of the money from all 
road is built. Likewise the rolling stock is pur- , egg8 8old for * atcldng P^es The ability of a heavy 
. , , . .... , laying strain to produce strong healthy chicks can also be 
chased on long time and paid for out of earnings. demonstrated. 
Let us take some specific illustrations. The Flor- Thcse egg contcsts scem to bc the resu | t of a 
1 a aSt 0a . S * 1S rn0i tgeged for 51 million f ce ]; ng ,hat the poultry shows do not really help the 
dollars; 20 millions draw 5 per cent and 11 millions poultry ipdustry Judging a hen by her head and 
a per cent. le tota cost of t ic road and equip- ta j] f ea t bers n iay he all right for those who consider 
ment as given by the road s officials is 39 millions. • , , . 
„ these the most important things about a hen, but 
ihere is five millions of stock all owned by Mr. Flag- . t , , , „ ., f c. 
, _ . , „ 3 ° most people must depend on the egg for profit. The 
ler. Only recently the Interstate Commerce Commis- . . , , ,, . , ., , 
. ... J , . egg contest seems to be the most sensible method yet 
sion denied the road the right to raise its rates to . • . . ... c , 
... _ . & devised to select the best families of hens, 
make the farmers of Florida help pay for the new _ 
90-mile bridge over the Florida Keys. The Union 
Pacific R. R was built in sections, and each added TRUE FIGURES OF GASOLINE PLOWING, 
section mortgaged to pay for the next, although the On page 26 I notice inquiries regarding a prac- 
road received donations from the Government which tical farm tractor. I bought a small tractor last Fall, 
more than paid for the road. a nd your readers may be interested in my experi- 
The New York Central R. R. is bonded to-day for ence and in the figures enclosed. I am practicing a 
over 500 millions, and 200 millions bear Zy 2 per cent three-year rotation of wheat, clover and potatoes, 
interest on mortgage running 100 years, the balance and, to secure the deep mellow seed bed which pota- 
of the mortgage draws part 4 per cent and part 4 y 2 toes require, I purchased three deep tilling machines, 
per cent. Its equipment trust obligations run 15 years to which I first hitched three and later four horses, 
and draw interest at Ay 2 and 5 per cent interest. 1 plowed, last season, 74 acres with these machines. 
February 8, 
using horses, and last Fall 55 acres with them for 
next season, using the tractor. All the data comes 
from my “diary,” in which a record is kept of all 
man and horse labor, and from my journal and 
ledger. The tractor is run by a two-cylinder opposed 
engine developing from 23 to 24 horse power, and 
weighs 5,000 pounds. It has a 24-inch rear wheel 
face, with rim extensions and front wheel face of 
six inches, giving a bearing surface of five feet. I 
tried the machine in digging potatoes and found that 
the wheels in passing over the rows did not hurt 
the tubers. I at present keep 10 horses, which cost, 
for maintenance, interest and depreciation not con- 
sidered, $954.51. The sale of four 
horses, 
harness, 
and a portable engine will about pay 
leaving the investment the same. 
for the 
tractor, 
Labor cost per hour . 
Horse “ “ “ . 
Tractor “ “ “ oil .037 
1.5 gal. gasoline .2475 . 
. .2843 
Cost with horses. 
Plowing. 
Horses 2410 hrs. (® .076 . 
Men 603 “ “ .166 . 
. 183.16 
. 100.10 
Harrowing. 
Horses 658 hrs. @ .076 .. 
Men 192 “ “ .106 . 
. 50.01 
. 31.87 
$365.14 
Cost with Tractor. 
Plowing. 
Tractor 159.1 hrs. fuel . 
Two men 318.2 “ @ .166 . 
45.26 
. 52.26 
Harrowing. 
Tractor 65.8 hrs. fuel . 
One man 65.8 “ @ .166 . 
18.72 
10.92 
$127.72 
Balance in favor of tractor . 
Maintenance of 10 horses . 
** 4* it 
Fuel cost of tractor . 
$572.71 
64.00 
$237.42 
954.51 
636.71 
Actual money saving per year in main¬ 
taining six horses and tractor in¬ 
stead of ten horses . 
$317.80 
Labor Cost. 
Plowing and harrowing, horses . 
“ “ “ tractor . 
$181.97 
63 74 
68.23 
Total saving . $386.03 
Time required to plow one acre. 
Horses . 2 .72 hours 
Tractor . 2 .15 “ 
Gain due to greater speed and fewer stops. 
The money saving is only one of the benefits I 
expect to reap from the tractor; I can plow when 
the ground is just in the right condition, for my work 
can be shoved, as we have successfully operated the 
tractor at night; I can push my wheat cutting and 
Summer plowing regardless of heat; I can quickly set 
the tractor for thrashing, wood sawing, etc., and 
have an abundance of power delivered to the belt. 
Pennsylvania. 
HARRY K. FOWLER. 
DAMAGE FROM RAILROAD FIRES. 
You seem to be always helping or advising some 
one out of all sorts of troubles; now what can you 
say or do for us? Must we quietly and meekly sub¬ 
mit to having our wood lots and often our grass 
lots burned over as often as enough combustible 
material accumulates and dries on the ground to 
carry fire? One side of our farm runs up to the 
Putnam Division N. Y. C. R. R., but is separated 
from it by a small stream of water which ought to 
protect us, and it does protect us many times until 
a good west wind find other conditions favorable 
for the sparks, or rather, chunks of hot cinder that 
are carried over the brook. Perhaps on account of 
this brook our own farm has suffered less than any 
of our neighbors along the road, and many fires that 
come to us have travelled from our neighbors. An¬ 
other precaution I have taken is to burn over a 
strip of our wood lot along the creek, but we do 
not like to do that with a field of hay. Our last 
fire here occurred December 10, which seems to have 
been a general burn-out all along the line. A freight 
train, north bound, went through here shortly after 
noon, and as far as I could see the track, perhaps 
nearly a mile, one fire after another sprang up im¬ 
mediately behind it. Fortunately, for us, there was 
a stiff easterly wind, so the other fellows got it. The 
same evening I had occasion to go to New York on 
one of the Putnam trains, and in nearly every case 
where the road runs through woodland the woods 
were burning (we commonly express it that way) or 
had been burned over. It is not necessary to go into 
details as to damages from such fires; everybody 
knows what it means, and yet when you go to the 
management of the road they will require you to ex¬ 
press your loss in dollars and cents, which is not easy 
to do, and sustain your claim. Personally we have 
not had any serious losses through these fires outside 
the wood lot, which is not very large, and are not 
trying to collect any claim now. The point I am 
after is this: Is it not possible for the management 
of the road to prevent most of these fires by equip¬ 
ping their locomotives with proper spark catchers as 
required by law? e. j. liekert. 
Westchester Co., N. Y. 
R. N.-Y.—Apparently all we can do is to keep 
the fires burning under the printer’s ink. There i* 
no question about the fact that these railroad fires 
do start from sparks or coals thrown from the 
engines and in most cases the railroads will settle if 
pressure can be brought upon them. 
