April .‘10, 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established, 1850. 
Published weekly by the Kura! Publishing Company, 409 Pearl Street, New York, 
Herbert W. COLLTNGWOOD, President and Editor, 
John J. Dillon, Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wm. P. 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 
8 s. (id., or 8*2 marks, or 10 *2 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 apy such swindler will be publicly ex¬ 
posed. We protect suberibers 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. c We depend on our old friends to make this 
known to neighbors and friends. 
* 
The snide packers try hard to discredit “New York 
Baldwins,” but it would seem as if they ought to let 
dried apples alone. Yet 60 cases of “Choice Evapor¬ 
ated Apples,” packed at Rochester, were recently 
seized by the U. S. inspector and condemned under 
the pure food and drug law. They “were composed 
in part of filthy and decomposed vegetable substance.” 
That is a polite way of saying “rotten.” We say 
that plain and straight of this method of killing the 
reputation of New York fruit. 
* 
We hold up both hands and admit one question 
which we cannot answer. That is, where to buy a 
good milch goat at a fair price. We have already had 
over 100 applications from people who want a pocket 
edition or tabloid form of a cow. Apparently there 
are thousands of people in rural towns who think 
they can keep a couple of goats in two piano boxes, 
feed them well and get the family supply of milk. 
They seem to have figured this out right, but the 
trouble now is to find the goats. There is a good 
future business for some one who can offer well-bred 
milch goats. 
* 
We have at various times said that Maine offered 
as good an opening for farmers as any of the Eastern 
States. The soil is for the most part strong and the 
markets are good, but there is another feature to be 
considered. It. is expressed by the following from 
the Bangor Advertiser: 
We in Maine are not any of us far from the farm and 
all of us have the highest respect for the farmer as a 
producer and creator, who obtains his livelihood in an 
honest and creditable manner by hard toil and who fur¬ 
nishes the necessities of life permitting others to create 
the luxuries and the articles that, while seemingly essen¬ 
tial. are nevertheless not absolutely necessary to life. 
“The highest respect for the farmer,” when it is 
really sincere, is just about the finest national spirit 
which any country can show. 
* 
Now we make another call for volunteers to help 
us find the cost of growing a crop. All you have to 
do is to keep an exact record of the time you spend 
working one field. Multiply the number of hours you 
put in alone by 20 cents and the number you spend 
with the team by 40 cents. Call that the cost of 
labor and add the value of fertilizer and seed. In 
other words, charge good wages for yourself and see 
if the public will pay the bill. We do not see any 
other way to find out. Now will you volunteer for 
this simple experiment? If so, let us have the first 
statement of labor at once. Do not try to cover the 
entire farm this year but take one field that will be 
a fair average and keep accurate accounts. 
* 
If you think we are giving too much space to poultry 
just now we will ask you to consider a few things. 
Meat of all kinds is high. It is not likely that beef, 
mutton or pork will ever be sold at low prices again. 
With the tariff removed there might be imports of 
frozen mutton from Australia and Argentina that 
would help feed the people, but as a general proposi¬ 
tion cheap meat is a thing of the past. The result 
will be a greater demand for poultry and eggs. In 
Europe the hen and the duck have come to the rescue, 
and we shall see the same outcome here. No animals 
can produce a ton of meat more rapidly than a flock 
of ducks. No animal will give a larger supply of 
sound food in proportion to her weight than a good 
hen, well kept. All this being so, poultry culture 
becomes a very important topic for discussion, and 
we are after the most sensible information we can get. 
thec rur.au neav-a orker 
We are not done with that Lupton bill before the 
New York Legislature. You will remember that 
under this bill commission merchants will be com¬ 
pelled to give bonds and make prompt returns. The 
bill was first sent to the general laws committee. 
It was then amended and sent to the ways and means 
committee, where it still slumbers, since there are 
many mean ways of putting bills to sleep. Now we 
understand Mr. Lupton will introduce another bill. 
This one will be stronger than the other, and will 
be proposed as an amendment to the present agricul¬ 
tural law. In such case it could be referred to the 
agricultural committee, in which case it would have 
a chance. This legislation is needed. It interests 
you as a shipper, and we shall never obtain it unless 
you and other farmers use your influence to push it 
through the Legislature. Get after your representa¬ 
tives at once. 
* 
At a low estimate, there are 250,000 fakers in this 
country who are in one respect only like lilies of the 
field—“they toil not.” Yet they live well and burn 
money. There must be at least 100 “suckers” to 
every faker, or else these parasites would be obliged 
to go to work. The way to reduce the number of 
fakers is to curtail the suckers. This cannot be done 
by law, but you may help by refusing to bite at any 
of the great schemes for getting rich quick. There 
are too many farmers who, if they make $100, feel 
that they must rush off and invest it in some stock 
or in some land scheme, or in a gold mine. Why 
not have faith in your own farm, and put that money 
into drain tile or lime, or into the home, or use it 
in one of a dozen different ways to make your own 
land more productive and valuable? We may not 
be able to drive all the fakers to manual labor, but 
we will do our best to reform the suckers in The 
R. N.-Y. family. 
“It isn’t the party label that counts in such a time 
as this; it is the essential purpose with which public 
service is offered and given. In the House 1 shall 
be quite as glad to work with the Republican in¬ 
surgents in their light against the forces of reaction 
as I shall to lend my aid to my own party when their 
efforts are directed to the same end.” 
That sentiment was expressed by James S. Havens 
after the election in the 32d New York Congressional 
District. Mr. Havens received 24,808 votes and Mr. 
Aldridge 18,977. In 1908 this same district gave Mr. 
Perkins, a Republican, 10,177 majority. These figures 
show that 15,998 votes were changed, the Democratic 
ticket gaining 1,950 and the Republican losing 14,048. 
No wonder Mr. Havens says the party label does not 
count any more. The label did not fit the man in the 
case of Mr. Aldridge. Hereafter no party can live 
long in this country unless it can stand for some 
moral principle and some higher ideals than are rep¬ 
resented by a soiled dollar! It has been evident for 
the past two years that the so-called leaders in New 
York were sitting over a volcano. Mr. Aldridge 
simply tried to hold down the first eruption. What 
an object lesson would be given if a few such char¬ 
acters as Senator Depew and Timothy L. Woodruff 
would come out where the people could get at them 
with votes. If Aldridge had been elected nothing 
would have saved the Republican party, for 
men everywhere would have reasoned that its 
voters lacked the courage and strength to arise 
and clean their house. The farmers and country 
voters of Monroe County did a wonderful work on 
election day. We knew they would rise to the oc¬ 
casion. They have done far more than they dreamed 
they were doing when they repudiated the party label, 
knowing the wearer was not the true variety. Not in 
half a century has there been such a notable victory 
for the principle of clean politics and direct expression 
of opinion. And one of the great things of the cam¬ 
paign was that both candidates went on record in 
favor of parcels post. 
* 
For years we have urged our readers to experiment 
with Alfalfa. Many have worked with the crop until 
they have it established. Every one of them will agree 
that each acre of Alfalfa has made them an annual 
present of the equivalent of one ton or more of wheat 
bran. There cannot be any question about the in¬ 
creased value to every crop of a rotation when Al¬ 
falfa is grown and fed on the farm. We now urge 
readers to try another crop—the Soy bean. Mr. 
Wing has told us about it and those who are still 
more interested should read Farmers’ Bulletin 372 
from the U. S. Department. The Soy bean is now 
changing the plan of feeding cattle in Europe. The 
Japanese take out the oil and export great quantities 
of the dry meal. This is taking the place of linseed 
and cotton-seed meal and giving satisfaction. Thou¬ 
sands of farmers who grow Alfalfa have been able 
to cut their grain bill in two. The grain and straw 
of Soy beans will enable them to make another cut. 
This crop is not a permanent one like Alfalfa, but, 
like corn, planted each season. It ought to prove very 
useful on a fruit farm where stock must be kept and 
where tillage is needed for the trees. Planted in 
drills and cultivated we think it will prove better, all 
things considered, than corn or cow peas. It is one 
of the crops which ought to be thoroughly tested by 
everyone who has stock to feed. 
* 
We would like to convince many of our readers 
that it pays to make the house and yard attractive. 
Too many country people do not care; and they get 
in the habit of letting things go so that the house 
stands like a great box in a rough, untidy yard. Any 
man who has cleaned up his grounds, planted a few 
flowers and shrubs and made a lawn will tell you how 
such work pays. In our country a strong climbing 
rose or an ivy vine clambering over a house would 
be worth at least $100 in the selling value. There 
may be a few places where neat surroundings would 
not add to the farm’s value, but there are not many 
of them. In the great majority of cases, lawns, flowers 
and paint increase the value and make the farm more 
salable. And yet, while this is a good argument it 
is not the best one. The very act of cleaning up and 
making the grounds tidy helps a farmer and his family 
as few other things will do. Home is made more at¬ 
tractive. Wife and children take more pride in it, 
and there is more “spirit and joy in life.” Consider 
the lilies of the field!” Let us get more of what they 
represent into farm life. 
* 
Judged by his letters we should call Senator N. B. 
Scott of West Virginia one of the most remarkable 
public men in this country. On page 525 you will find 
one of his letters and what he got in return. There 
is a Senator who seems to think a single county in 
West Virginia as large as Germany. This man is put 
on a committee to decide postal matters, and yet he 
does not know of our present postal rate with for¬ 
eign countries. Another West Virginian wrote the 
Senator to stop sending him free seeds. Plere is an 
extract from the Senator’s reply. If anyone can show 
a more foolish statement from a member of Congress 
we want to see it. 
“You speak of wiping out the sending of seed, but 
if zve should do that there zvould be a clamor and howl 
going up from every farmer in the United States, and 
life zvould not be worth living.” 
Now, sir, as a farmer you see yourself as Senator 
Scott sees you. We though you had higher ideals 
than free seeds, but it seems not. Senator Scott says 
you would howl at the thought of losing them—and 
he ought to know. However, let us thank the Senator 
for picking one ripe truth, at least. He says that 
“clamor and howl” take all the joy out of public life. 
If the people only knew it they ought to send a man 
to the Senate and then go to sleep, leaving the Senator 
to do as he sees fit. It is “clamor and howl” for the 
people to say what they want and insist that their 
Senator shall get it for them. And yet, what is the 
Senator there for if not to put that “clamor and 
howl” into legislation or else stand up and show that 
it is wrong? The way to get parcels post therefore 
is to raise such a “clamor and howl” about it that in 
order to make political life worth living Senator Scott 
and other gentlemen like him will harness their giant 
powers to the cause and pull it along. But is such 
a “political life” as Senator Scott has given West 
Virginia “worth living?” What do West Virginians 
get out of it? If as Senator Scott says a few 
packets of free seeds will keep them quiet there is 
no more to be said. If not, they can be trusted to 
raise a fine crop of “clamor and howl.” 
BREVITIES. 
Scandal is a very effective soiling crop. 
And do not forget to raise your share of Senator Scott’s 
“clamor and howl” crop. 
Ten to one there is a surplus of lawyers, doctors and 
clerks in your county and a shortage of farm help. 
The suggestion was made at a local English farmers’ 
meeting that all moles should be killed at public expense ! 
Next! 
Well, sir—if people cannot get beef, pork or mutton 
at fair prices, they will eat more eggs and chickens. Mrs. 
Hen is coming to the front. 
A Pennsylvania woman burned her husband’s wooden 
leg as the only way to prevent him from going to a 
saloon. The judge upheld her. 
Now they are talking once more about bread made of 
Alfalfa flour. Better let Alfalfa alone as human food. 
What it does for brutes is enough. 
The United States Government buys coal for quality—- 
on analysis. Samples show how much actual fuel a ton 
contains and how much heating power it can furnish. 
The figures show that 182,000 persons attended the 
various farmers’ institute meetings in New York last sea¬ 
son. Of course, many of these attended several sessions. 
In England the trade in worn-out or “sore” city horses 
has become so bad that Parliament is asked for a law 
authorizing inspectors to kill all such animals that aie 
found “doctored” or badly lame or diseased. 
