1013. 
THIS RURAL NEW-YORKER 
1383 
Profit is the greatest incentive to production and 
compulsory education that the world has ever known. 
The farmer is human, lie works for money, and he 
will intensify and diversify whenever it pays him to do 
so, and no amount of well-written formulas or mons¬ 
trous exhibits will permanently influence him quite so 
much as a dollar tit the end of the row—not a theo¬ 
retical dollar, but one he can put in his pocket. 
The 35-cent dollar is not theoretical. It is a 
fact, which does not till the pocket. No other class 
of workmen in the nation will labor willingly, with¬ 
out profit. Why expect farmers to do so? Some of 
our philanthropists argue that it is a duty for 
farmers to work harder and increase their produc¬ 
tion in order that food may he cheaper and the 
35-cent dollar have 10 cents bitten out of it. Some 
of these gentlemen own railroads or factories or 
stores.' Let them carry out their own programme— 
double-track their railroads and double the output 
of boots and blankets and hats and clothing. That 
will cheapen these necessities and help the people. 
Why not start this and give us all an object lesson 
before telling our farmers to do it? Make it pos¬ 
sible for the farmer to obtain a 50-cent dollar and 
he will see that there is food for all. 
* 
No, the good old steam engine has not become a 
back number; it is still the backbone for many 
farm jobs. Two years ago a Connecticut man gave 
a dozen or more uses for his engine. Some one 
called it a “fake.” Now our friend comes back. 
When he said that no one could do so many things 
with steam, this same party would have been still more 
in doubt if he had seen me about a week ago putting 
100 pounds live steam from my barn through the water 
pipes to the spring to clean out the scale and rust that 
had accumulated therein and nearly choked. Also he 
would have been interested, perhaps, to see me steril¬ 
izing the brooder house, getting ready for the Spring 
hatch, by putting 300 degrees steam into the hovers, 
and many other applications. 
Now comes the Kansas Experiment Station with 
another use for steam. There has been a frightful 
loss from mill insects, which injure the flour and 
grain stored in the mills. Fumigation with poison¬ 
ous gases will check them, but does not extermi¬ 
nate. It has been found that heating the interior 
of these mills to 120 degrees destroys the bugs. 
In a mill flour accumulates in recesses, and insects 
breed in places inaccessible to the gas or vapor of any 
fumigating material, but heat passes through all 
these obstructions and penetrates the innermost recess¬ 
es. To fumigate with hydrocyanic acid gas requires 
from two to three days, and this long shut-down in a 
mill, with the additional cost of the material, is a 
large item of expense. There is, moreover, an element 
of danger to the operator. With the heat, since it can 
be applied from Saturday night to Monday morning, 
there is no loss of time, very little expense, and no 
danger to the operator. 
Thus the mill owner can turn on the regular sup¬ 
ply of heat and do a thorough job. We can well 
believe after this the power of steam to clean 
things up. 
* ’ 
During your long fight for parcel post to loosen the 
strangle-liold of the express companies did you ever 
dream they would be driven to become philanthropists, 
in accordance with enclosed clipping? No doubt the 
power of these great organizations, properly harnessed, 
could be made beneficial. y. N. b. 
New York. 
The clipping referred to gives the following: 
DIRECT BUYINC AS CURE. 
Urged by Well Fargo to Beat High Prices. 
It was said yesterday afternoon at the ollice of Wells 
Fargo A Co. that the officials are just beginning to 
realize the possibilities of the company’s order com¬ 
mission and food products department inaugurated on 
August 1 to offset inroads made by the parcel post. 
Wells Fargo & Co. is acting without charge as the 
"middleman” between the producer and the consumer. 
Under the law it cannot as a common carrier do busi¬ 
ness as a shipper or as a commission merchant, being 
restricted to the express business. It has a right, how¬ 
ever, to find all the sellers and buyers it can to increase 
its business so long as it charges nothing for its services. 
We had no time to dream while that “strangle¬ 
hold” was on. We were thinking of the stupidity 
which was displayed by those express companies. 
Had they shown any vision or business sense at all 
it is doubtful if the American people could have 
obtained parcel post for 25 years. Instead of show¬ 
ing any liberality or desire to satisfy the public, 
they fought every effort to give the public its trans¬ 
portation rights. A group of foxes would have had 
brains enough to know that the great good-natured 
public would snap its chain of patience at last. The 
express companies seemed more like a group of 
donkeys absolutely misjudging the temper of the 
public. Starvation at the end of a pitchfork will 
drive the closest miser to philanthropy. For years 
the public used its pitchfork to feed the finest hay to 
the donkey. Now the shining points are bare—the 
donkey must work for his hay. The spectacle of 
the express companies cutting out the “middleman” 
in order to curry favor with the public makes us 
think we have moved on a little since Vanderbilt 
made his famous remark concerning this same 
public 1 
A recent article in “Popular Mechanics” told of a 
variety of corn which grows 17 feet high. The field 
is said to be located near Downers Grove, Illinois. 
Tt is said that this corn produced 40 ears to the 
stalk, and there is a picture of a most remarkable 
stalk of corn with a man standing beside it, looking 
like a child beside a great oak tree. The article 
also states that the seed which produced this mar¬ 
velous corn was produced by the “Government Ex¬ 
periment Station.” Some of our people who have 
not raised corn enough this past season to half fill 
their silos would be greatly pleased with a variety 
which grows 17 feet high, with 40 ears to the stalk. 
With as many ears as that they ought to be able to 
hear the pen signing a check for several thousand 
dollars of profit. We sent to the department to 
learn about this marvelous corn. This is what we 
get in reply: 
“The article is so indefinite and absurd that ice 
have not considered it worthy of attention .” 
That is high authority, and our advice to our 
friends when some guff manufacturer comes along 
offering that corn for sale, is to imitate the De¬ 
partment of Agriculture and consider it not worthy 
of the attention of any member of the household ex¬ 
cept the watchdog. 
* 
As stated last week the Inter-State Commerce 
Commission has approved sweeping reductions in the 
parcel post service. On January 1 there will be: 
An increase to a 50-pound weight limit in the first 
and second zones, and an increase to a 20-pound limit 
in the remaining zones. 
A reduction of third zone rates from seven cents for 
the first pound, and five cents for each additional pound, 
to six cents for the first pound and two cents for each 
additional pound. 
Reduction of fourth zone rates from eight cents, first 
pound, and six cents additional to seven cents first 
pound and four cents additional. 
Reduction to fifth zone rates from nine cents first 
pound and seven cents additional to eight cents first 
and six cents additional. 
Reduction of sixth zone rates from 10 cents and nine 
cents to nine cents and eight cents. 
Increased weight limit in first and second zones from 
20 to 50 pounds, and increased weight limit in all other 
zones from 11 to 12 pounds. 
On March 15 books and printed matter will be 
put into the parcel post class with the rates above 
eight ounces and parcel post weight limits. In the 
first and second zones the weight limit is raised to 
50 pounds, with a rate of five cents for the first 
pound and one cent for each pound additional. Most 
of the shipments of farm produce will be made in¬ 
side the first two zones, or 150 miles. The following 
figures show what it will cost to mail packages after 
Jan. 1. Up to 150 miles a 20-pound package will be 
carried for 
24 cents 
and 
one of 
50 pounds 
for 54 
cents. In 
the other 
zones the 
weight 
limit 
is 20 
pounds and the rate figures 
5 cut as follows from New 
York City: 
©o 
§ 
TT 
© r-4 
O 
I 
© — « 
® U 
O Q « 
S3 *-• © 
§ s . 
•o -O w 
<D 
nSS 
v w 
s° , 
*>•© © 
a® 
si o g 
-CO-. 
Weight 
Pounds 
'Co q 
eoi-i 3 
wo fl 
rr co w 
£ sa 
s°a 
s-a 
Rate 
Rate 
Rate 
Rate 
Rate 
Rate 
12. 
.28 
.51 
.74 
.97 
1.21 
1.44 
13. 
.30 
.55 
.80 
1.05 
1.31 
1.56 
14. 
.32 
.59 
.86 
1.13 
1.41 
1.68 
15. 
.34 
.63 
.92 
1.21 
1.51 
1.80 
16. 
.36 
.67 
.98 
1.29 
1.61 
1.92 
17. 
.38 
.71 
1.04 
1.37 
1.71 
2.04 
18. 
.40 
.75 
1.10 
1.45 
1.81 
2.16 
19. 
.42 
.79 
1.16 
1.53 
1.91 
2.28 
20. 
.44 
.83 
1.22 
1.61 
2.01 
2.40 
Compared with present express rates mailage un¬ 
der parcel post will be cheaper than express in the 
first three zones, about even in the fourth, and more 
expensive in the others. This increase of weight 
and lowering of rates is the result of popular sup¬ 
port of parcel post. Within a year of its first trial 
the public have made it an absolute necessity, and 
compelled the government to extend the privilege. 
* 
For Heaven’s sake keep away from quacks, you bur¬ 
dened ones! Do not be lured by attractive advertise¬ 
ments and promises that your fat will be taken off by 
some hokuspokus and without self-denial and effort on 
your part. 1 am afraid that many persons don’t realize 
the danger they run in trying to reduce rapidly, taking 
off 50 or 60 pounds in a few weeks. That can be done 
and is done by quacks, but frequently to the permanent 
injury of their patient. 
Ex-President W. II. Taft thus joins the society 
of gruff demolishers. Probably there are Americans 
who do not regard Mr. Taft as the highest authority 
on how to be President, but In* is an expert on flesh, 
lie left the White House weighing 341 pounds after 
a campaign which would have reduced most of us 
to skin and bone. Now he weighs 271 pounds—a 
loss of 70. The “fat reduction” quack is about the 
slickest duck in the entire foul business, lie ranks 
with deafness and drunkenness fakers in their knowl¬ 
edge of the frailties and weakness of human nature. 
One of them sends to his victims the picture of an 
immensely fat woman walking painfully in a city 
park, with a young man dodging out of sight to 
avoid her. Below is pictured the same woman—now 
a shapely, fine springy figure, walking away from 
two great bags which represent the fat which “Prof. 
Leanem” has “reduced.” The young man who form¬ 
erly ran out of sight is now beating the Marathon 
record in his haste to catch this beautiful creature! 
We have actually known fat people to send for these 
treatments and take them—unknown to their friends 
or family—all the while eating fatty foods to excess. 
Ex-President Taft sums up his advice in this way: 
“Oct a good doctor and follow his advice with all 
your strength and will.” 
* 
Very frequently we hear from farmers in New 
York State, who think they are not fairly treated 
by the local creamery. They are supposed to sell 
their milk by the Babcock fat test, but the test will 
vary or run very low without cause. Sometimes such 
men send fair samples of their milk to the experi¬ 
ment station and find far more fat in it than the 
creamery allows. Under the law the Commissioner 
of Agriculture is authorized to make tests of any 
milk received at butter or cheese factories and de¬ 
termine their efficiency. This will be done on 
request. In one recent case, where the test seemed 
very defective, we took the matter up with the 
Department. Here is the result of an investigation: 
We found samples in such condition that reliable test 
could not be made of same. The butter-maker was 
instructed how to care for his samples, and on the 
next testing day our agent assisted in the testing and 
found samples to be in very good shape. We found 
that the butter-maker at this plant was conducting 
tests in a very slipshod manner. 
They have now got this butter-maker so that his 
tests are fair to all. Here was a case where some 
of the patrons were losing credit for some of the 
fat in their milk. It was not, apparently, a case 
of dishonesty, but rather carelessness, but it cost 
these patrons a lot of money. Hereafter, when 
there is any doubt concerning these tests, patrons 
should apply to the Department at once. Say noth¬ 
ing about it to others but let the Department tester 
come unannounced so as to get a fair sample of 
every-day work. 
Government Crop Reports. 
The final estimates given out December 15 are: 
Corn, area, 105,820,000 acres; yield, 2,446,988,000 
bushels; farm value December 1, 60.1 cents. 
Wheat, area 50,184,000; yield, 763,380,000 bushels; 
farm value, 70.0 cents. 
Oats, 38,390,000 acres; yield, 1,121,768,000 bushels; 
farm value. 30.2 cents. 
Rye, 2,577,000 acres; yield, 41,381,000 bushels; farm 
value, 63.4 cents. 
Barley, 7,499,000 acres; yield, 178,1S9,000 bushels; 
farm value ,53.7 cents. 
Buckwheat. 805,000 acres; yield, 13,833,000 bushels; 
farm value, 75.5 cents. 
Potatoes, 3,668,000 acres; yield, 331,525,000 bushels; 
farm price 68.7 cents per bushel. 
Hay, 48,954,000 acres; yield, 64.116,000 tons; farm 
value, .$12.43 per ton. 
Tobacco, 1,207,900 acres; yield, 947,399,000 pounds; 
farm value, 53.7 cents. 
Ohio Crop Report. 
The Ohio Department of Agriculture makes the fol¬ 
lowing report of conditions December 1.: 
Wheat—Condition compared with an average, 101 
per cent. Amount of crop of 1913 sold as soon as 
thrashed, 44 per cent. Damage by Hessian fly, 3 per 
cent. Damage by White grub, 1 per cent. 
Corn—Area as returned by Township Assessors, 2,- 
988.115 acres. Estimated average yield per acre, 36 
bushels. Total estimated production, 108,864,120 
bushels. Put into silo, 9 per cent. Date of cribbing, 
October 17. 
Clover—Area sown in 1912'eut for seed, 37 per cent. 
Average yield of seed per acre, 1.41 bushels. 
Apples—Probable total yield compared with last year, 
37 per cent. 
STATE AVERAGE PRICES. 
Clover seed 
Wheat . . . 
Corn . 
Barley ... 
Oats . 
Rye . 
Potatoes . 
Hay . 
Alfalfa ... 
Per Bu. 
. . • $ i .34 
... .90 
... .66 
... .65 
... .41 
... .71 
... .90 
Per Ton 
- .$12.94 
.. 15.00 
Hugh McElroy gives the following cotton crop esti¬ 
mate : 
1913-14. 
North Carolina .... 808,000 
South Carolina .... 1,473,0(10 
Georgia . 2,385,000 
Florida . 80,000 
Alabama . 1,545,000 
Mississippi . 1.24S.000 
Louisiana . 365,000 
Arkansas . 825,000 
Tennessee . 381,000 
Oklahoma . 680,000 
Texas . 3,852,000 
Va., Mo., Cal., etc.. . 86,000 
Total commercial 
crop, including 
iinfers .13.72S.000 
— RALES- 
1912-13. 
935,000 
1,260.000 
1,889,000 
60,000 
1.367,000 
1.050.000 
393,000 
805,000 
290,000 
1.057,000 
4,902,000 
96,000 
1911-12. 
1,156,000 
1,729,000 
2,867,000 
96.000 
1,736,000 
1,216,000 
399,000 
940,000 
459,000 
1,056,000 
4,297,000 
150,000 
14.104,000 16.101,000 
