llOO 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established. 1860. 
Published weekly by the Rural Publishing Company, 408 Pearl Street, New York. 
Herbert W. Collingwood, President and Editor, 
John J. Dillon, Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wm. F. Dillon, Secretary. Mrs. E. T. Koylk, Associate Editor. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, equal to 
8 s. 6 d., or 8*2 marks, or IOH 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 60 cents per agate line—7 words. Discount for tim< 
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 
advertisings ourcolumns, andany such swmdlerwill be publicly ex¬ 
posed. Wo protect suberibers against rogues, bnt wo 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. 
* 
I am going to Washington to tight for parcels post. 
TIIKRON AKIN. 
That is what we get from the New York Congress¬ 
man who made his campaign straight at the people 
and wiped out a 7,000 majority. A live fighter can 
win. If Dr. Akin will make parcels post his single 
big issue and keep driving at it he will go up higher. 
We understand that Dr. Akin had one very effective 
campaign speech. It was a dinner pail of good size, 
out of which he took a lemon. Now let him carry 
about a “melon.” Inside of it is to be a dollar bill 
and another lemon to illustrate the usual division be¬ 
tween the express companies and the public. 
* 
Gov. Dix, of New York, should he left entirely free 
to make appointments. He will he held responsible 
for his State administration, particularly by the thou¬ 
sands of Republicans who voted for him and thus 
made his election possible. If we were in his place 
we should be inclined to resent any meddlesome inter¬ 
ference or advice. At the same time we should wel¬ 
come honest opinion and the expression of the reason¬ 
able desires of good citizens. With this idea solely 
in mind we suggest that Mr. Dix could hardly do 
a more popular or sensible thing than to reappoint 
Commissioner of Agriculture Raymond A. Pearson 
when his present term expires next Spring. This 
would mean the retention in office of a faithful and 
efficient State officer. It would also be accepted as evi¬ 
dence that Mr. Dix intends to give the State a busi¬ 
ness-like administration. From what we hear of the 
man we think he will recognize the force of such sug¬ 
gestions and work business rather than play politics. 
* 
W hat is needed in cotton culture is a picker that 
will take off the lint by machinery. At present cotton 
is picked by hand, so .that it is truly said that the cot¬ 
ton industry rests “upon the black thumb and finger of 
the common field hand.” A machine picker would 
revolutionize the industry, much as did Whitney’s in¬ 
vention of the cotton gin. Every week or so we find 
elaborate articles in the papers stating that a picker 
has at last been invented, and that the problem has 
been solved. In several cases this is followed by offers 
to sell stock in the companies which are promoting 
these pickers. Our investigations show that several 
in time be made to do fair work, but we caution our 
readers not to buy stock in any of the companies now 
being exploited. Thus far they can pick your pockets 
better than they can pick cotton. 
* 
In speaking of the New England Corn Show on 
page 1109, we say that Mr. Davis, the young man who 
won the first prize for growing over 103 bushels of 
crib-dry shelled corn on an acre, has done more of real 
service to Massachusetts than any Governor of that 
Commonwealth who has held office since the Civil 
War. We repeat that statement deliberately here. 
Most of the gentlemen who have presided at the 
State House will agree that law’s limitations make the 
Governor very much of a figure head. The most that 
he can do is to execute the will of the Legislature, or 
refuse to do so. Mr. Davis has shown how Massa¬ 
chusetts can provide more of her own bread, how 
waste land can be made productive, how farms can 
be doubled in value, and how in consequence a re¬ 
vised edition of the old-time farm life can he made 
THE RURAL NEW -YORKER 
possible. Such a man on his farm makes history in a 
way that no Governor can match by his work in the 
State House. There were a dozen other prize winners 
at this show of whom much the same can be said. And 
we would like to add the name of our old friend Wm. 
H. Bowker, who for years has acted the part of good 
citizen, and has been with the front rank of agricul¬ 
tural development. 
* 
“It suddenly seemed to me as if the men on the plat¬ 
form had hold of the wrong end of the question. It was 
not the young people or the fathers, but the women, the 
mothers, the wives, the sisters, the daughters, who must 
be interested and amused and anxious to go back to the 
farm.” 
This is from a woman who attended a farmers’ 
meeting and studied the audience. She found most of 
the men and a majority of the young people following 
the speakers, but the women of middle age or over 
did not show great interest. Many of them seemed 
too tired to he interested. While this is not true of 
all farm communities, it is a fact that the farm wife 
and mother does not receive the care and attention 
that she deserves. Many of these devoted women who 
have given their lives to their country’s service with 
far greater patience and courage than a soldier dis¬ 
plays ought to be exalted in public and private and 
estimated at their true worth to society. It has be¬ 
come a popular thing to discuss the ambitions of the 
young people and the profits of the farmer, to the 
neglect of the real needs of the patient farmer’s wife, 
who is the true spirit and power of the home. “Back 
to the farm” will be pretty much of a mockery unless 
the older women of the family can feel that they have 
their full share of all that is worth while in farm life. 
As usual there are many who will wait for some one 
else to tell how to help the farmer’s wife. It is a 
work for the individual—right in the farm home. 
Let father and the children all see to it that “mother” 
gets what she deserves and desires. It is not a work 
for the public speaker, but for you. 
* * 
Yes, we are still talking about what was known be¬ 
fore the last Legislature as the Lupton hill. This bill 
provided that commission men should give bonds, open 
their books for inspection and stand fair regulation as 
anybody should who handles another man’s property. 
This bill was held up, but it will be brought out again. 
Minnesota has a similar law, only stronger in its pro¬ 
visions. We asked the Attorney-General of Minnesota 
how this law has operated, and receive the following 
reply: 
I have conferred with those in charge of the Dairy and 
Food Commission and the Railroad and Warehouse Com¬ 
mission with regard to the effectiveness of our law regu¬ 
lating the sale of farm produce by commission merchants. 
The experience of the Dairy and Food Department with 
this law Jias been very satisfactory. The Railroad and 
Warehouse Commission found more trouble with carrying 
out its provisions. The sale of hay has never been satis¬ 
factorily conducted "in the large cities of this State. The 
conditions, however, have been much improved since the 
law was passed, and the general opinion is that with a 
little better provision for its enforcement, the law would 
be of great value to the residents of the agricultural por¬ 
tions of the State. lyndon a. smith, 
Assistant Attorney-General. 
Under this Minnesota law a commission man must 
obtain a license from the State Railroad and Ware¬ 
house Commission, and execute and file a bond wi'h 
the Secretary of State for the benefit of his con¬ 
signors. If a shipper receives no remittance or report 
of sale, or if lie is dissatisfied he may complain to the 
State Commission. This commission may compel the 
dealer to produce his books, records and memoranda 
for investigation. The man who shipped the goods 
may, if the State Commission’s report justify it, bring 
an action upon the dealer’s bond and recover what is 
due him. This State Commission may, for good 
cause, cancel the licence of any commission man. We 
have a trunkful of documents showing how farmers 
* 
We now have a Democratic House at Washington, and 
a Democratic Assembly at Albany, and a Democratic party 
pledged to a parcels post! But if we don’t look out a 
U. S. Senator will be elected who will endanger the whole 
business. How would it work if a circular letter from 
you were sent to all ou your mailing list (especially in 
the rural counties of the State), asking them to write to 
their members of Assembly to see to it that no one except 
he be in favor of parcels post be elected to the U. S. 
Senate? t. e. b. 
We are told on good authority that John A. Dix, the 
next Governor of New York, favors a parcels post. 
The Democratic'leaders also realize how popular the 
demand for postal legislation is. Evidence accumulates 
that a failure to give even decent attention to this de¬ 
mand was more responsible for ihe Republican defeat 
than any other one thing. The Democrats fully un¬ 
derstand that it was not a party victory but a general 
protest against conditions. We therefore feel more 
confident than ever before that a fair trial of parcels 
post will be made. We expect the Democratic House 
• November 2G, 
to pass a bill and put it up to the Senate to pass or 
reject it. There is no party on earth that would dare 
to reject such legislation. The long strike of the ex¬ 
press drivers in New York has destroyed the last argu¬ 
ment against parcels post except the old ones from the 
express companies. Circular letters and petitions are 
of little value. The thing that counts is the strong 
personal letter direct to the Representatives at Albany. 
Tell them what you want and then go out and talk 
parcels post wherever you go. A few r determined men 
in each county going about talking this just as if they 
meant it, will soon create public sentiment, and that 
we must have. The election of Senator will give the 
first real test of the new State administration. If 
they go wrong on parcels post they might as well buy 
their return postage to private life at once. 
* 
We do not like to print “big stories” of results in 
farming. They usually do far more harm than good 
by discouraging some who have tried hard to succeed 
and encouraging others who think they can match the 
record without labor and experience. These latter are 
often led to failure by such reports. After this ex¬ 
planation we print the following, which we believe to 
he fully authentic: 
Some time ago you asked for the result from one acre 
of fruit. I will send you the amount received from one 
acre of Alexander apples of 47 trees. 
RECEIPTS. 
386 barrels at $4..$1,544.00 
27 barrels drops at $2.50. 67.50 
Drops sold loose . 35.00 
Gross amount received.$1,646.50 
413 barrels at .35..$144.55 
Picking at .15 per barrel. 57.90 
- 202.45 
Net amount received.$1,444.05 
This orchard of Alexander apple trees has been thor¬ 
oughly cultivated and manured, and cover crops used. I 
should like to know if any sod-mulch orchard could show 
as good return. delos tenny. 
Hilton, N. Y. 
Most people in western New York know of Mr. 
Tenny and what he has done on a 20-acre farm. The 
fact of producing $164(3.50 gross on a single acre of 
early apples leads us to wonder what fruit growing is 
coming to. And the “sod mulchers” have their say 
too. A citizen of Syracuse tells how day after day the 
wagon from Mr. Hitchings’s farm passes with about 
$70 worth of apples aboard. Mr. Hitchings tells us 
that his boy took one load and brought back $108.50 
received for it. For years we have claimed that apple 
growing in the Eastern States would in time rank 
among the most profitable enterprises in which men 
can engage. And there is no profession under the 
sun which requires harder work, greater skill or 
greater patience and real courage than that of de¬ 
veloping a high class- fruit farm. The business lias no 
opening for shirks and dreamers, but calls for strong 
men who can endure. 
BREVITIES. 
Save the bones. 
Take our advice aud keep away from mushroom 
culture. 
The express drivers’ strike has pretty well clinched 
parcels post. 
Alfalfa is giving the Argentine Republic the right to 
compete with the world in meat, corn and wheat. 
There has recently been a meeting of the farmers’ 
club. The meeting took place at the head of many 
politicians. 
At the New England Corn Show one record of nearly 
40 tons to the acre of silage was reported. That beats 
Texas cactus. 
The New York State Fruit Growers meet this year at 
Rochester, January 4-6. As last year there will be a 
banquet. The plan of eating together- proves a success 
at most conventions. 
The Government has stopped printing 13-cent stamps. 
They were one of the curiosities of the postal service, 
useful on registered foreign letters when postage was 
five cents and registry eight. 
One of the most important things about potato culture 
is suitable storage. Many growers are obliged to sell 
right from the field, since they have no suitable storage 
cellar. The Colorado Station is soon to print a bulletin 
on potato culture which will describe a number of storage 
cellars. 
Let all these hay farmers who ask about using fer¬ 
tilizer on old meadows remember this: The best of fer¬ 
tilizer will not change weeds into good grass. If there 
is a fair sod of grasses fertilizer as a top-dressing may 
pay. If the grass has died out plow the sod and plant 
some crop before another seeding. 
A cat at the New York Zoological Gardens chased a 
rat. He was so intent upon this chase that he ran into 
a bear’s cage and was killed! Some human histories read 
that way. Some local sharper beats his neighbors out 
of their money. Then his cupidity leads him into “Wall 
Street” and that is the end of him. 
y 
We imagine that few of our readers knew that our 
correspondent, J. Yates Peek, is a musician of ability 
and taste. We do not often print music in The R. N.-Y., 
but on page 1108 will be found the song, “I Would Be 
True,” with music arranged by Mr. Peek. This little 
song has made its way into many homes and churches, 
and it is one of the things which The R. N.-Y. is glad 
to pass along. 
machines are being tried in Texas. They get off the 
cotton, but not in a manner satisfactory to growers. 
They might compare with the first crude attempts have been robbed by commission snides. Under that 
to harvest grain by machinery. We believe they will Minnesota law every one of such farmers could get 
his money. 
