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The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes 
Established tsso 
Published weekly by the Rural Publishing Company, 333 West 30th Street, Sew Tork 
Herbert W. Collingwood, President and Editor. 
John J. Dillon', Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wm F. Dillon, Secretary. Mus. E. T. Royle, Associate Editor. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR 
To foreiipi countries in the Universal Postal Union, 82.01. 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 Office as Second Class Matter. 
Advertising’ rates 00 eents per agate line—7 words. 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. Rut to make doubly sure we will make good any loss to paid 
subscribers sustained by trusting any deliberate swindler advertising m our 
columns, and any such swindler will be publicly exposed, we protect sub¬ 
scribers against rogues, but we do not guarantee to adjust tinning differences 
between subscribers and honest, responsible advertisers. Neither will we lie 
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 or 
the transaction, and you must have mentioned The Rural tsew-iorker 
when writing the advertiser. 
TEN WEEKS FOR 10 CENTS. 
In order to maintain the improvement and en¬ 
largements that we are now planning for The R. 
N.-Y., we should have a circulation of 200,000 copies 
weekly. We must depend on our old friends for 
this increase. To make it easy for these friends to 
introduce the paper to other farmers who do not 
now take it we will send it 10 weeks for 10 cents 
for strictly introductory purposes. We will appre¬ 
ciate the interest of friends who help make up the 
needed increase of subscriptions. 
* 
We must confess it. The R. N.-Y. is in the min¬ 
ority when it comes to advice about shooting chicken 
thieves. Letters come from all over telling what 
people would do or have done to the thief on the 
henroost. No doubt about it—some of our people 
have met with great loss, and regard the hen thief 
as little better than a skunk. We cannot convince 
them (hat it is better to load with coarse salt and 
aim high. 
* 
If you send 10 pounds of potatoes by mail and 
call them “seed" you are charged eight cents a 
pound. Send the same 10 pounds as food and par¬ 
cel post rates are charged. Why does Uncle Sam 
put this heavy tax on seeds? We have been trying 
for a long time to find out, but no one on earth 
seems to know except Ex-Senator Bourne. He was 
responsible for this rate when he put through his 
parcel post bill. lie apparently will not tell. This 
is what they call “an anachronism of the law” and 
this and one or two others will be cut out this Win¬ 
ter. Remember the mail bag also. Cut it out and 
use hampers for carrying parcel post packages. 
* 
Mr. Drew on page 1270 takes up that question of 
the city boy and the agricultural college. This prob¬ 
lem is hardest along the Atlantic coast, for the older 
cities are well filled with the “third city generation” 
of boys whose fathers and grandfathers were city 
bred. Four generations of town-bred men is about 
the limit, and these boys have the baek-to-tlie-lander 
fever. They rightly want to be trained for their 
work. The training at the agricultural college alone 
cannot fit them either for practical farming or for 
teaching farming to others. They must have some 
practical experience besides what they can learn 
at college. Why not make it a requirement of en¬ 
trance to an agricultural college that the student 
must show that he has worked six months or a year 
upon a genuine business-like farm? 
* 
The picture shown on our first page is taken from 
the photograph which won first prize in the contest 
for illustrations for our little book, “The Child.” 
Out of some 150 pictures submitted this scene by 
the fireside was most popular. In this case the 
artist well caught the spirit of the book. The pic¬ 
ture of “Mother” at the left of the fire seems to us 
one of the most striking and natural figures we 
have ever seen. We know that many a man of 
middle years will look at this picture and say in 
his heart, “That reminds me of my mother.” On 
Thanksgiving Day this year there will be thousands 
of just such waiting groups in homes where The 
R. N.-Y. comes like an old friend. Into some of 
these homes there will suddenly burst a flood of 
happy and noisy children, come with their parents 
to eat their Thanksgiving dinner at the old farm. 
In other homes the watchers by the fire may be 
visited only by memories of little people who have 
wandered too far away to come home. Rut blessed 
is that home in which there can be found a big 
fireplace with its roaring fire, where young and old 
may sit and read the past and the future in the 
glowing coals. The R. N.-Y. is thankful that at this 
thoughtful and happy festival it may come as a wel¬ 
come friend and guest into these homes, and rejoice 
or sympathize as one of the family. 
THE KU RAL NEW-YORKER 
There is one item which you have touched upon 
sometimes, but I think it will stand referring to oftener. 
That is, instead of the farmer investing in outside 
speculations, he should put his money into tile-draining 
his farm. People will stand a good deal of urging on 
that point. I well remember tile-draining a small spot 
on my farm in 1S98. and I thought at the time I was 
spending as much on the land as it was worth, but 
it has proved to be the best investment I ever made. 
That's right. A dollar in drains is a $1.75 dollar, 
as many have proved. We have seen thousands of 
acres once sour and stagnant made into “good soil” 
by drainage. The most productive acre on our farm 
was once an eyesore and a bad one at that. Drain¬ 
age wiped away the tears and cured the eyelids of- 
that acre. Oh! Why will farmers invest money in 
gold bricks when the same money would make a 
sure drainage investment right at home? 
* 
I think the farmers are sometimes ashamed of their 
calling, and perhaps think that their business is a nar¬ 
row one, and that they themselves are somewhat in¬ 
ferior to men of other callings. I would like to see 
that sentiment wiped out. I have often thought that 
where a farmer has had a big crop and has succeeded 
in marketing his produce at a big price,, he is always 
anxious to tell how he did it, and I do not know of 
any other business class who are willing to come to¬ 
gether and tell their competitors how to increase their 
sales or their profits, and how to decrease the cost of 
manufacture of their particular lines of goods. Taking 
these things into consideration, the farmers are the 
broadest-minded class there is, and they should be made 
to realize it. G. E. 
One of the great problems of today is this thing 
of getting farmers to realize that it is a privilege 
rather than a penalty to live in the country on a 
farm. Farmers are more generous givers of money 
and food and knowledge than any other class in 
the country. They give at first hand. You may 
hear some man giving half a million away. Every 
dollar of it came originally out of the soil, and in 
the majority of cases it was the balance of that 35- 
cent dollar. 
* 
The New York Agricultural Department has now 
issued licenses to G4S commission men—the majority 
in New York and Brooklyn. There has been an 
earnest effort to investigate and keep out the snides, 
but some few of shaky reputation have crept in. All 
these men have given a bond for $3,000 and they 
can he held on it for clear cases of cheating. That 
could not be said before the law was passed. In 
any ease of suspicion, complaint with proof should 
be made at once. Do not put it off, but get your 
proof into shape and act immediately. Several 
amendments to this law are needed, and we think 
the Legislature will be ready to act if the demand 
is made clear. Make your member understand (here 
is such a law before he goes to Albany. Then he 
cannot argue that it is new business to him when 
it comes up. We know of course that most com¬ 
mission men and their trade journals try to tell 
you the law is a failure. They would gladly make 
it so if they could. Before the law was passed many 
of the better class of commission houses admitted 
that abuses existed in the trade. The fact is that 
the commission men have given the Agricultural 
Department no aid whatever in clearing out the 
snides which are known to the trade. The law 
is working well, and with several amendments will 
give good protection to the shipper. 
* 
A subject with unlimited chances for discussion 
is opened on page 12S4. There are two directly op¬ 
posite views of the true value of purebred stock. 
The breeder assumes without making an argument 
that purebred cattle are superior. lie is justified 
in this. It has been proved 1.000 times. Then he 
wonders why farmers are slow to accept his argu¬ 
ment and invest in purebred bulls. One reason, not 
often stated, is that breeders have done most of 
their talking to other breeders. They have ignored 
the fact that the high-grade is the business dairy 
cow. For actual permanence on the average dairy 
farm, the grade is expected to give the people milk 
and to butter their bread. We have pointed this 
thing out to the breeders again and again, and tried 
to make them see that the improvement of the 
grade cows of a community would be a better ad¬ 
vertisement for their herds than sales to other 
breeders of purebred stock. Somehow it is hard 
for them to see the point, but too much talk about 
pure bloods frightens a farmer who must grow 
up to the pure blood through the grade. In Wis¬ 
consin it is proposed to inspect sires and judge them 
on the basis of their influence upon their daughters. 
Where these are of superior quality the owner might, 
after the English system, receive a subsidy. Let 
our breeders recognize that the most practical use 
for their good bulls is in improving grade herds. 
When they argue fairly for this point there will be 
no lack of demand for the bulls. The statements 
of the dairy farmer who follows this breeder on 
page 1284 cannot be answered or explained in a few 
words. This strikes the sore spot of modern Ameri¬ 
Noveiuber 2‘J, 
can farming—rural credits. Men without number 
can realize the value of pure blood, drainage, im¬ 
proved machinery, fertilizers and many other things. 
This value is evident to any thinking farmer, but 
such things cost money and lots of it. Where is the 
money to come from? Most of the advocates of 
improved farming confess that they must stop short 
when they come to this point. Will some of the 
practical farmers who have worked out tell us 
how they did it? 
* 
I have made use of your editorial on “treating” in 
recent issue. I happen to be superintendent of a Sun¬ 
day school, and for “World’s Temperance Day,” read 
your editorial with comments, and then said, “Let us 
introduce the thought into the church and the town,” 
and at once treated everyone in attendance with an 
apple. The cost was one cent each instead of five cents 
each, the usual cigar and light drink treat. Let the 
good work go on. h. e. cook. 
This editorial told how we use a good apple as a 
“treat” in place of a cigar or a drink of liquor. 
“Have something!" That seems to be a common 
way of closing an interview or a business deal or 
rewarding some little service. Men tell us that they 
smoke poor cigars until they are sick, or drink 
liquor when they should not touch it. in order not 
to offond some man they want to do business with. 
We have tried them. When we say “Have some¬ 
thing!” they smile, but it is a faded smile with the 
edges badly worn. “Have an apple!" You should 
see them brighten up as they bite into a good Spy 
or Baldwin. It is a great scheme—a money saver 
and a good “treat.” Have something! Have an 
apple! 
* 
Secretary' of Agriculture David F. Houston made 
a very sensible address before the National Grange, 
lie outlined the work of the Department, and natur¬ 
ally touched many subjects. He sees clearly the so¬ 
cial, educational and industrial advantage which 
the city child has over the child in the back country 
town. lie also sees that agricultural education 
must find a way to reach back and give the country 
child its fair share of our National heritage. Mr. 
Houston knows that many farmers need credit on 
long time loans, while a smaller class of farmers 
do not need such credit, or are already supplied. 
The need of the moneyless man is far more urgent 
than that of the man who has money to loan. If 
the two could be brought together the problem would 
he solved. But here is where Mr. Houston is dead 
right: 
The American farmer does not need or desire to be 
classed with those foreign people who are just emerging 
from a condition of serfdom and tutelage, lie asks no 
opportunity that is not afforded to every American 
citizen ; he asks for no legislation which shall give him 
credit on easier terms than his brother mechanic or his 
professional friend or his merchant may secure it. But 
he does ask to be assisted in creating conditions and 
machinery which shall enable him on a similar credit 
foundation to .secure his money at the same rates as 
any other class in the community. 
Give the American farmer the chance to use his 
property and credit for loans on equal terms with 
other business men, and he can take care of him¬ 
self. He should not ask for gifts or subsidies, but 
for a fair chance with others. 
It is absolutely clear that before the problems of 
rural credit and of marketing, the individual farmer, 
acting alone, is helpless. Nothing less than concerted 
action will suffice. Cooperation is absolutely essential. 
The same business sense and the same organizing genius 
which have placed this nation in the front rank in in¬ 
dustry must be invoked for agriculture. 
Here again Mr. Houston is absolutely right. This 
country is now so large, and the interests which 
handle and sell or produce are so large that the 
individual is hopeless, except as he may develop a 
small, direct trade. Ilis hope lies in organization, 
and the hope for organization lies in first being able 
to unite with his neighbor. 
BREVITIES. 
In beauty Ben Davis may bo the apple ot the eye. 
but the modest Greening is the apple of the pie. 
The great trouble with many apple pies is that the 
crusts are too close together. Not enough apple! 
It is a sad sight to ride through the country and see 
the corn fodder soaking in the rain. It is poor feeding 
stuff. 
In Pennsylvania April-stored eggs must be out of 
storage for sale by December 1 or he condemned. Such 
is the law. 
The Superintendent of the Philadelphia Aquarium. 
W. E. Meehan, recommends catfish culture to farmers, 
as they can be grown in small ponds unsuitable to many 
other fisn, and will provide a useful source of food 
supply at small cost. 
Roast turkey is not a necessity at Thanksgiving 
though very convenient. The best tasting Thanksgiving 
dinner we ever had was composed of chunks of fried 
salt pork between slabs of bread. It was the appetite 
rather than the food. 
The future of the untrained farm boy is not bright 
We are coming to the time when farm workers am 
dwellers will divide into classes somewhat after th ■ 
European divisions—some to be hopeless, untrained 
laborers. The farm child should have the best chan- 
which society can offer him. 
