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THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Published weekly by the Rural Publishing Company, 409 Pearl Street, New York, 
Herbert W. Collingwood, President and Editor. 
John J. Dildon, Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wm. F. Dillon, Secretary. Mrs. E. T. Koylb, Associate Editor. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, equal to 
8s. 6d., or H u 2 marks, or 10 J t> francs. Remit in money order, 
express order, personal check or hank 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 
ns; 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. Wejproteet 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. We depend on our old friends to make this 
known to neighbors and friends. 
* 
We have had several letters about feeding strychnine 
to chickens as a method of killing hawks. We are 
now told that chickens and hogs are both immune to 
this poison. The explanation is a theory that both 
the animals and plant are natives of India, and prob¬ 
ably the animals became wonted to it before they 
were domesticated. No doubt the younger animals 
would be more immune than older ones. 
* 
New York fruit growers should heed the call! A 
great display of fruit is wanted at the State Fair. In 
former years exhibitors from outside the State have 
come in-with large collections. These “ringers” will 
not compete this year, and all the prize money will go 
to New York people. There has been some complaint 
in former years that these outsiders were permitted to 
compete. Now that they are barred out it is certainly 
up to the complainers to come forward and fill the 
vacant places. 
* 
The best season for using lime is here. It is “best” 
because as a rule lime is most economically used when 
seeding to grass, grain or Alfalfa. These crops have 
need of lime. It is better to put the lime into the soil 
rather than on top of grass and grain in Spring. There 
is one simple “best” rule for using lime, and that is 
to broadcast on the plowed furrows and harrow in. 
What form of lime shall we use? Both practical and 
scientific men seem to be coming to the conviction 
that the crushed limestone finely ground, without 
burning, is on the whole most satisfactory. There are 
some arguments for burned lime, but popular opinion 
seems to be turning to ground limestone as the best 
form. 
The discussion of the cost of growing a two-year- 
old heifer, on page 812, is a good illustration of the 
difference made by climate and local conditions. In 
Mississippi a common cow can be bought for $20 and 
used as wet-nurse for a well-bred heifer. As this 
cow can be sold for what she cost this nursing will 
pay, and the heifer is better than she would have been 
if grown largely on skim-milk. In Maine this “nurse 
cow” proposition would hardly be thought of, since 
the Winters are longer, milk is higher and the cow 
must earn her board. In Mississippi again silage and 
the by-products of cotton carry the calf over Winter 
much cheaper than grain through the longer northern 
Winter. We may yet find the South our most eco¬ 
nomical place for producing dairy cows. 
* 
We recently told of the formation of nitrates in 
Colorado soils. Certain brown spots appeared here 
and there, growing larger from year to year. Trees 
growing near these spots died, as well as Alfalfa, 
sugar beets and other crops. At first it was supposed 
that these spots indicated “black alkali,” but finally 
it was proved that the trouble lies in an excess of 
nitrogen. The soil is too rich! Great quantities of 
nitrates have formed in these soils—in one case there 
was an amount equal to 11 tons of nitrate of soda in 
a strip one inch deep over an acre! These nitrates 
are formed by a germ which has the power of taking 
nitrogen from the air and forming combination with 
lime, potash, soda, etc., in the soil. Much the same 
conditions are noted in parts of New Mexico, and it 
is a fair assumption that part of the deposits of nitrate 
of soda in Chili may have come from this source. At 
any rate this new discovery is likely to have great in¬ 
fluence upon future farming. These brown spots are 
becoming a great nuisance in Colorado orchards, but 
if this germ can be made to carry on its work in other 
soils, it may prove a great blessing in providing cheap 
nitrogen. Such a soil as the one containing 11 tons 
of nitrate could be leached profitably. This brown 
soil may be used to inoculate other soils, and thus 
start the formation of nitrates on farms where they are 
badly needed. It will probably be a long time before 
each farm can show its nitrate factory, yet there are 
great possibilities opening from this Colorado dis¬ 
covery. 
* 
Commissioner Driscoll, of New York, is after the 
ice men to make them weigh their ice. He caught 
one driver charging for a 300-pound cake which 
weighed 281 pounds. It is good profit to sell 19 pounds 
of air. Some of the largest ice dealers went to “see 
about it,” and this is what they got: 
“Now, the big dealers have got to do just what the 
fellow with a single cart and one old, lame horse has to 
do. He’s going to play fair on the weight question. And, 
gentlemen, if you don't like the law and carry it into a 
city court be prepared to carry it with your lawyers all 
the way to Washington. And then he prepared for some 
more things, too, for we'll write a new law and have it 
shaped right up to the form the best court decision calls 
for. You might as well come to camp now as any time.” 
That is what you might call “business.” Speed the 
day when dairymen can talk that way about their milk. 
* 
Last week we mentioned the drainage loans issued 
to farmers by the Ontario Government. In Germany 
the Landschaftcn associations have existed since 1709. 
These resemble to some extent our American building 
and loan associations, except that the German associa¬ 
tions are borrowers exclusively. A number of farm¬ 
ers combine and pool or lump their land and assets 
together. This society then issues mortgage bonds 
which are guaranteed by all members of the society. 
These bonds are offered for sale like the securities of 
other societies or companies. Various restrictions are 
made so as to protect the companies and guard against 
failure of members, but the principle upon which they 
work is clear. Suppose there are 25 farmers in a 
neighborhood with average value of land and stock of 
$5,000 each. They form a company with $75,000 capi¬ 
tal secured by all this property. One farmer wants to 
borrow $1500 at low interest. The company sells that 
value of its bonds; and this man becomes responsible 
to the company for it, and so on. In 1908 these Ger¬ 
man societies had borrowed on bonds $10,076,872. It 
was regarded as good security, and the bonds were 
bought like railroad or other shares. Here is another 
plan which might be operated in this country. 
* 
Since tile primary elections were held in western 
States there can he no doubt about the strength of the 
“Insurgent” movement. An “Insurgent” is one who 
believes that the Republican party has lost its old 
ideals and is now controlled by money interests and 
grafters. These men have very little faith in the old 
leaders of the Democratic party. Their object is to 
overcome the politicians in their own party, and thus 
make it the exponent of what they believe to be the 
common rights of the common people. The move¬ 
ment has its greatest strength among farmers and 
country people. While a great majority of western 
farmers have long been “Insurgents” at heart, they 
were powerless to make their influence felt until pri¬ 
mary election laws gave them a chance to select can¬ 
didates and control them. Just as soon as they ob¬ 
tained direct control over nominations the thing was 
done. Do not lose any time worrying over what the 
politicians say about Kansas or Iowa. These western 
farmers know their business, and will attend to it. 
We need just the same opportunity here in New York 
State. When we once get a fair primary election law 
you will see the same thing happen in New York that 
has just thrown out the politicians in Kansas. 
* 
There is a feeling this year among many growers 
that potato prices are likely to be low. “Supply and 
demand” becomes a farce when applied to potatoes as 
they were last year. Farmers in central New York 
or in Michigan were offered from 18 to 30 cents a 
bushel, while consumers here paid one dollar or more. 
The retail price remained as high as ever, and no at¬ 
tempt was made to increase retail sales. Many farm¬ 
ers who expect a repetition of this farcical trade ask 
what they can do with their crop. Can it be made 
into alcohol at a profit? In Germany and France 
large quantities of alcohol are made from surplus or 
waste fruits and potatoes. During the struggle for 
a repeal of the internal revenue tax on alcohol farmers 
were assured that in a few years they could make 
alcohol on the farm and use it for light, heat and 
power. But for this assurance they would not have 
helped mariufacturers repeal the tax. The results 
show that the farmers as usual did the work, while 
the manufacturers received the benefit. Nothing has 
yet been done to show that an American farmer can 
utilize farm products in a small way in alcohol mak¬ 
ing. Thus far the evidence is that such manufacturing 
will be done, if at all, on a large scale, somewhat 
August 20, 
after the plan of beet sugar factories and large cream¬ 
eries. A cooperative distillery on a good-sized plan 
will have the best chance for success. The Department 
of Agriculture has a bulletin coming in which cost and 
methods will be figured out, but we do not think it 
will give much encouragement for the individual 
farmer to start making alcohol. 
* 
Since I wrote you last I have written the Postmaster General, 
Washington, It. C„ with respect to E. G. Lewis, and have in 
reply received a pamphlet or memorandum of the Postmaster 
General in relation to the issuance of a fraud order July 
G, 1905, against the People’s United States Bank, its offi¬ 
cers and agents as such, and # E. G. Lewis, of St. Louis, 
Mo. I am satisfied on reading same that you are perfectly 
justified in your stand against Lewis, and to be com¬ 
mended by our right-minded citizens for the steps you 
have taken to protect the poor from being fleeced of their 
hard-earned savings. I am having the publication printed 
in our local paper, and wish that the united press of the 
country would reprint it. w. p. 
There are many people like W. P. who want the 
facts. No doubt some of them have thought that we 
are too hard on Mr. Lewis. We have yet to find any¬ 
one who will uphold his methods *ind records who is 
not interested in some of the many schemes instituted 
by Lewis for the purpose of raising money. People 
have argued with us to show that this Woman’s 
League is a great benevolent enterprise organized 
solely to give its members the privilege of a thorough 
education. We saw last week that the women of the 
League are now asked to do something more. They 
are asked to raise the money needed to save the Lewis 
property from bankruptcy. We take it that every 
dollar which banks and responsible institutions will 
lend has now been borrowed. Mortgages are coming 
due which may not be renewed, for it will be impos¬ 
sible to substitute “interim receipts” when strong finan¬ 
cial institutions demand their cash. The women of the 
League are now expected to put up the money to pay 
these pressing mortgages, and that appears to be what 
they were organized for. That Government report 
shows some of the manipulations of the old concern. 
Mr. Lewis has no doubt learned since then how to 
work out his schemes within the law, but the principle 
is apparently the same. It is very simple. You get 
hold of cash from a number of small investors—not 
one of whom is powerful enough to enforce payment. 
You then organize one new company after another, 
offer stock for sale, and use this stock to keep inves¬ 
tors quiet while you keep the cash. Let any unpreju¬ 
diced man read that Government report and he will 
agree with W. P. Find the person who objects to our 
course and you will see that he either has sent money 
to Lewis and is afraid of losing it, or has some con¬ 
tract or agreement out of which he expects to make 
money! 
BREVITIES. 
Every year leads us to advise the use of Alslke clover 
seed with the Red. On wet or sour land the Alsike is 
surer and it is a good hay plant. 
In Australia certain strains of White Leghorn hens are 
taking up the habit of brooding. This may or may not 
be a good thing—as you look at it. 
Now then, if you honestly said, “I do not know” 
every time a problem were put up to you—what else 
would your conversation consist of? 
Since our government bought Alaska .$162,686,455 worth 
of gold have been taken from it. What of it, when the 
annual potato crop comes to about the same figure? 
It seems that many a farmer bought what he thought 
was beardless barley this year only to find that nature 
never took the razor to it. The beards were full-grown. 
A gardener’s method of destroying dandelions in the 
lawn is to cut out the plant just at the ground level 
and then pour a few drops of gasoline on the cut surface. 
The “computing scales” are pretty good grafters. They 
give the butcher or grocer all the benefit of the fraction of 
the ounce. In one hundred sales he will get the money 
for six to eight pounds. 
A “demonstration train” which will pick up farm produce 
along a railroad and show how cheaply it could be car¬ 
ried and how much the shipper got from the proceeds 
would certainly demonstrate something. 
A citizen of Flint, Mich., has given a valuable tract of 
land for a public school—the consideration being one 
clover blossom each year. There is a chance for “flower 
day” ceremonies that would mean something. 
A farmer near Longmont, Cal., is said to have broken 
all records for a grasshopper harvest, having collected 
125 bushels of hoppers in three days’ work. lie will dry 
the grasshoppers, and feed them to his chickens next 
Winter. 
It is reported that old-fashioned Red cedar rail fences 
in middle Tennessee now supply material for the best 
grade of cedar pencils. The supply of suitable wood is 
scarce. Like Black walnut, which pioneers of the Middle 
West used to use for fences and clapboards, the Ited 
cedar reminds us of our national recklessness in destroy¬ 
ing natural resources. 
Not only does the Province of Ontario lend money on 
diainage loans, hut the experiment station will make 
drainage surveys for farmers. The only cost is for rail¬ 
road fares at one cent a mile each way and board for the 
surveyor. In this way an accurate survey can he made, 
so that when the tile is finally laid it will he put in right, 
'ibis country has a lot to learn from Canada in its treat¬ 
ment of farmers. 
