12 04 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
February ID, 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER’S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1800. 
Published weekly by the Rural Publishing Company, 409 Pearl Street, New York. 
Herbert W. Colli ngwood, President and Editor, 
John J. Dillon, Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wm. F. Dillon, Secretary. Mrs. E. T. Roylk, Associate Editor. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union,'$2.04, equal to 
8s. Od., or 8bj marks, or lO^ francs. Remit in money order, 
express order, personal check or bank draft. 
Entered at New York Post Office as Second Class Matter. 
Advertising rates 50 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 
responsible person. But to make doubly sure we will make good any 
loss to paid subscribers sustained by trusting any deliberate swindler 
advertising in ourcolumns, and any such swindler will be publicly ex¬ 
posed. We protect subcribers against rogues, but we do not guarantee 
to adjust trifling differences between subscribers and honest, respon¬ 
sible 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. 
TEN WEEKS FOR 10 CENTS. 
In order to introduce The R. N.-Y. to progressive, 
intelligent farmers who do not now take it, we send it 
10 weeks for 10 cents for strictly introductory pur¬ 
poses. f We depend on our old friends to make this 
known to neighbors and friends. 
* 
We do not believe for an instant that it costs the 
United States Government nine cents a pound to 
handle copies of The R. N.-Y. as mail. Including 
the letter postage for which this business is respon¬ 
sible, the government makes a large profit out of 
this publication. Give us a fair parcels post and we 
guarantee that our readers will make that profit five 
times as large. 
* 
We never saw anything quite like the demand for 
milch goats. A few years ago this little animal was 
considered a good subject for jokes, and that was 
about all. Since the article on page 103 was printed 
we have received over 25- letters from people who 
want to buy a goat. It seems as if the craze for 
buying goods ,n small packages, extends to milk pro¬ 
ducers. Seriously, there seems to be a good chance 
for some one to get rich producing “the poor man’s 
cow.” 
* 
The banquet in connection with the Connecticut 
Pomological Society meeting was a great success. 
Last year the banqueters confined themselves to fruits, 
nuts and grains—with apples in half a dozen styles. 
This year, in spite of the “meat boycott,” more sub¬ 
stantial food was offered. Those social gatherings 
are very useful. With "knowledge crying at every 
corner,” farmers can obtain information without great 
trouble. What they need more than lectures or 
bulletins is personal confidence and fair trade one 
with another. 
* 
The greatest lime crank in the country will lose 
his enthusiasm when he comes to sow lime with 
shovel or hand with a breeze blowing. Many such 
have sat down with aching eyes and burning throat 
and nose to ask for a machine for drilling lime. 
We show them how to make one on page 131. The 
original sketch was made last Fall by I< L. Allen. 
Our .correspondent, C. S. Greene, made c~ > found 
that it worked well and then made photographs which 
we show this week. This is one of the articles 
which- 'can be made to “more than pay for a year’s 
subscription.” Now is the time to make a machine. 
r r " : 
* 
-■ i. . • . j 
The New York Central Railroad w.U establish 
three experiment farms along the line of its road. 
The objeet is to take poor or worn-out farms, develop 
them so they will pay a profit, and then sell them 
and develop others. Our correspondent, Mr. T. E. 
Martin, will have charge of ttoe work. No better 
man could be secured, and we know that with the 
capital and equipment which the railroad will furnish 
these farms will be improved. What benefit, if any 
will come from it? President Brown of the Central 
frankly states - that it is a good business for his rail¬ 
road to increase farm products, and improve farming. 
It makes more railroad business and that is what he 
is after.- There is no sentiment about it. President 
Brown will show, if he can, that capital, well handled, 
can be used to advantage in farming. As a matter 
of fact, no one knows that half so well as thousands 
of farmers who need this capital and cannot obtain 
it. We believe that Mr. Martin will make these 
farms productive. The Central will get its money 
back and more in the sale of produce and land. It is 
not likely, however, that this sort of demonstration 
will prove of any particular benefit to the class of 
farmers who most need help. 
A bill before the New York Legislature calls for 
an appropriation of $50,000 as an emergency fund to 
be used in fighting the Gypsy and Brown-tail moths 
in case these insects get into the State. This bill 
ought to pass at once. The Commissioner of Agri¬ 
culture ought to have every means at his disposal to 
make a dead set at these insects. If they once become 
established there will be a heavy loss. If the San Jose 
scale could have been kept out of New York by the 
expenditure of $5,000,000, the money would have been 
well invested. Yet when the scale was known to be 
coming our fruit growers could not believe the danger. 
Now they know. 
* 
I have been somewhat surprised that you have let 
Ballinger down so easy. I believe him very bad, and am 
much surprised that Mr. Taft has not asked for his 
resignation instead of a whitewash investigation. 
New Jersey. p. v. d. 
We have not let the Secretary down at all. We 
still hope there will be no “whitewash” about that 
investigation. If there is we will do our best to 
peel that whitewash off and show the flakes. T he 
R. N.-Y. does not fight against men as individuals 
except as they represent policies and acts which are 
dangerous to human rights and liberties. If Sec¬ 
retary Ballinger stands for the men who are trying 
to steal land, coal and oil which belong to the people, 
he ought to be driven from public life, if not denied 
the liberties of private life. Let us not pass judg¬ 
ment until the investigation is over. Fault has also 
been found because we do not denounce Senator 
Allds of New York because he is accused of taking 
a bribe. We have often expressed our opinion of Sen¬ 
ator Allds. We think he is one of the most dangerous 
politicians in the State. In this case he is entitled to 
a fair hearing before final judgment is passed. If 
they whitewash him we will do our best to make 
that whitewash a badge of dishonor. 
* 
SATURDAY, MARCH 12. 
That is the date on which our Knights of the Post¬ 
age Stamp are to spend six cents for their country. 
Each one will write three letters, one to his Repre¬ 
sentative in Congress, and one to each of his Sena¬ 
tors. One of our readers suggests that we ask our 
public servants (masters) the following questions: 
ist. Are you in favor of giving the farmers a 
parcels post on the same basis a"s in Great Britain 
and Europe? 
2d. If you are against it, please give your reasons? 
3 d. If you are in favor, what action have you taken 
to promote it? 
4th. Who are the interests that oppose it, and who 
are their agents in the House and Senate? 
These are good and we hope you will express them 
in your own language and send them right along. 
Now. if you will do this simple thing and get your 
neighbors to do it also, we shall have over 4,00,000 
letters pouring into Washington on Monday. Pin 
those men right down. Make them say yes or no, 
and make them answer the last question in particular. 
Now gentlemen—get ready and remember the date! 
* 
“Boycott the stuffing!” The city consumers seem to 
have made a fizzle of their “meat boycott.” We 
would now like to start one on the part of the farmers 
against the stuff or worthless matter in purchased 
plant food. The annual fertilizer bill is enormous. 
In New Jersey alone nearly $3,000,000 are spent for 
chemicals. A large share of this is paid for handling, 
mixing and transporting “stuffing,” that is, the ma¬ 
terial which is of no value whatever as plant food. 
We are supposed to spend our money for nitrogen, 
potash and phosphoric. acid. We might buy high 
grade goods and get in one ton 450 pounds or more 
of actual plant food. Another low-grade mixture 
carries only 200 pounds. In one case we pay more 
than twice as much for carrying, mixing and bagging 
all this “stuffing” as we do in the other. The 
Connecticut Station shows that in 10 high-grade fer¬ 
tilizers analyzed in its laboratory, $30 would buy 74 
pounds nitrogen, 120 pounds available phosphoric acid 
and 128 pounds of potash. In six of the lowest grade 
$30 will buy only 25 pounds of nitrogen, 171 of 
phosphoric acid and 43 of potash. At the regular 
trade prices for chemicals this means $10.50. or more 
than one-third of the whole thrown away for the 
“stuffing” in low-grade goods. Here is a good chance 
for a profitable “boycott.” We would not buy any 
fertilizer except cn the basis of its analysis of nitro¬ 
gen, available phosphoric acid, potash or lime. The 
man who gets away from this 'safe ground is on 
shifting sand. Several cheap substances are offered 
this year. One of these is “Lava fertilizer.” Prob¬ 
ably some of our people have seen the extraordinary 
claims made for this material. It is said to be genuine 
lava from a volcano, and for this reason almost 
supernatural virtues are claimed for it. We should 
consider it just as we would other fertilizers, by the 
analysis. The stations found less than 20 pounds 
of nitrogen, five pounds of phosphoric acid and two 
pounds of soluble potash in one ton. This plant food 
is worth less than $4 at best, while the price for 
‘ Lava” is $15. It is our opinion that sifted coal 
ashes with some wood burned in the fire, with a 
small quantity of blood, tankage or nitrate mixed in 
would give as good results as “Lava.” 
* 
What does John Lewis Childs mean by continuing 
to boom the Wonderberry in the face of the facts? 
o. w. i. 
In reply we can hardly do better than refer our 
friend to St. John, ix :21. 
“He is of age; ask him—he shall speak for himself.” 
From the following note we infer that a good many 
people have already taken this suggestion: 
Now, some time in December, John Lewis Childs sent 
me his catalogue as usual. I took the order blank and 
wrote: 
“I am a subscriber of The Rural New-Yorkf.r, and as 
you still keep up the Wonderberry you will understand 
why I withhold my patronage.” 
Well, he sent back two typewritten sheets, but I shall 
not bite. h. e. v. t. 
It is evident that the Knights of the Postage Stamp 
are do'ing business right out in broad daylight. The 
Wonderberry has been advertised in the great maga¬ 
zines. More than 100 of our readers have sent us 
the advertisement torn from these magazines with 
letters expressing their opinions. We sent eight of 
these letters in a bunch to one magazine which has 
been foremost in fighting humbug and graft. These 
magazines accepted the advertisement on the strength 
of Mr. Burbank’s name. They certainly have no 
excuse now for repeating it, for they have been told 
in plain language what it stands for. Just see what 
public opinion has done with the farm papers in this 
Wonderberry campaign ! 
* 
The following statement appeared in the Philadel¬ 
phia North American: 
Salem, N. J.. Feb. 1.—A hog deal that furnishes another 
angle to the high-cost-of-living discussion has just taken 
place here. A farmer killed two hogs aud a Salem butcher 
agreed to buy them, the price being satisfactory. The 
farmer said he'd like to have the hams and shoulders, and 
again the butcher agreed. After the farmer put the hams 
and shoulders on his wagon he remarked : 
"Well, what's.the balance coining to me?” The butcher 
figured a moment and replied “There's nothing coming to 
you : you owe me $2.85.” And the farmer was obliged to 
pay it. 
The butcher's figures were correct—the farmer's were 
correct. The butcher bought the entire hogs at a whole¬ 
sale price, and the farmer was charged at retail prices 
for the hams and shoulders—although that was not under¬ 
stood when he made the bargain. 
There you have the story of the producer’s share 
of the consumer’s dollar. This man sold the entire 
hog at wholesale and bought about one-jhird hack 
at retail. He owed the butcher $2.85. If you think 
this story is overdrawn sell some of your produce 
to a commission man or at wholesale, and then go 
into the best markets and buy some of your own 
goods. We have friends in Florida who barely get 
enough for a box of grape fruit to buy back a single 
dozen. We are glad that this form of analysis has 
struck the high places. As will be seen on page 210 , 
a L T . S. Senator found that at the prices paid for beef 
in the Senate restaurant a four-year-old steer would 
bring $2,000 or more. The farmer receives $60 to $80 
for this same steer. 
BREVITIES. 
We would specially like your experience regarding that 
Alfalfa question on page 217. 
You are right—with strong clover or Alfalfa you can do 
about what you please with farm land. 
Among the agricultural products of Liberia, Africa, are 
six kinds of monkey skins. They are bought from natives 
and paid for in “powder, gin, salt or tobacco!” 
You may have seen the “literature” booming the culture 
of Eucalyptus trees in California. The booming is over¬ 
done. The boomers have gone so far as to misrepresent 
the statements made by the Department of Agriculture. 
Dozens of people are asking about planting apple trees 
on rough, unplowed fields. Our advise is never to try it 
unless you are willing to feed the trees well and pile the 
mulch around them. If you will do that you can make a 
good orchard. 
Since last April about 200,000,000 eggs have been in 
cold storage in Jersey City warehouses. The refrigerator 
men say that the highest price received for storage eggs 
was 28 cents, and they blame retailers for the high prices 
exacted from consumers. 
Now we are told of 100.000.000 acres of suitable farm 
land in Alaska ! It is said that the grain grown in this 
refrigerator makes the finest seed. Beware of the next 
fake who offers “Alaskan seed.” The chances are that its 
name came out of the cold depths of his imagination. 
In answer to many questions we state that fresh sawdust 
contains an acid which, in large quantities, would injure 
the soil. The manure liquids are alkaline and so are the 
ferments in the manure pile. When the sawdust is used 
as an absorbent- and mixed with the manure it is neutral¬ 
ized and is safe to use on the soil. 
