1914. 
'Tl-iK RURAL NEW-YORKER 
301 
[FARMERS’ WEEK AT CORNELL. 
Part IT. 
It is useless to try to describe all the things tluit 
you saw, or repeat all the things that you heard, 
at Farmers’ Week. If all of the hours of the day, 
of all the days of the week, that you could spend 
there, didn’t suffice to give you even a glimpse at 
everything on the programe in which you were 
interested, how could they he described in a column 
or two of print? But there were some things 
which must be mentioned. We can take it for 
granted that the scientific side of agriculture was 
well displayed; that is what an agricultural col¬ 
lege is for. If one went there to learn, knowledge 
was spread before him in the most attractive man¬ 
ner; he could have no one hut himself to blame 
if he went away empty. But there is another 
side to agriculture that is even more important 
than (he scientific side; and that is the home side. 
Without the development of this, agricultural 
science is the sorriest kind of failure. 
When our farms become merely work shops, and 
laboratories—hut they must never be allowed to 
become merely these. The women see this; and it 
is to the women that Farmers’ Week owes much of 
its value and attractiveness. The new building 
for home economics afforded space for some of the 
finest things of the week; and when audiences 
overflowed that, the splendid new auditorium, 
seating several thousand, was close at hand. In 
the basement of the first building was the cafeteria, 
and family groups about the small tables, and the 
long “bread line” doubling through the corridor, 
and stretching up the stairway to the floor above, 
showed the appreciation in which it was held. The 
deliciously prepared food, at extremely moderate 
prices,' made one wonder who was standing the 
loss at the financial end. 
Women understand the uselessness of trying to 
uplift the man with an empty stomach; so while 
the necessary foundation was laid in the base¬ 
ment, the work of developing the spirit was car¬ 
ried on in the auditorium overhead. Not only were 
the practical details of housekeeping discussed, but 
the no less practical value of art, literature, and 
music, in home making was demonstrated by ex¬ 
perts. Miss Hazard showed how valuable and 
interesting historical novels really are; Miss Mc- 
Closkey made art in child rearing, in literature, 
and in environment, a really tangible thing; while 
Mrs. Morgan performed the miracle of opening the 
ears of some, musically deaf, to the sublimity of 
music. Not classical music, beyond the reach of 
most of us, but the music of the heart and of the 
home. To few is it given to combine such technical 
knowledge and skill with an appreciation of the 
true mission of music and fervent desire to make 
it minister to all that is best in life. 
But to mention a few names is only to seem to 
discriminate where no discrimination is called for; 
one can only tell, however, about those things 
which he himself was fortunate enough to hear. 
One of the finest of these, in the writer’s case, 
was the recital upon the great organ in Sage 
Chapel. Here was music which many can hear but 
rarely in a lifetime. It is to the credit of Cornell 
University that departments other than the agricul¬ 
tural offer some of their best things to visitors on 
Farmers’ Week. m. b. dean. 
THE STORY OF A CO-OPERATIVE SUCCESS. 
Part IV. 
A LAND BANK.—To-day, in New York State, we 
have to borrow money from men who must have it 
repaid in a lump, and who either cannot or will 
not grant, as the case may be, any but the shortest 
terms. Their money must come back to them ready 
for reinvestment, which precludes payments spread 
over a term of years. In France and Germany they 
have systems of land bonds guaranteed by that same 
joint credit that has helped our Exchange. These 
bonds bear a certain interest, in addition to which 
those for whom they are issued pay yearly an ad¬ 
ditional one or two per cent toward their redemp¬ 
tion, which is charged off the debt. In brief, the 
system is a central land bank whose members are 
associations in many communities. Any member 
of an association may apply to it for a loan. The 
application is passed upon by the association to 
which the applicant belongs, men thoroughly fam¬ 
iliar with local conditions. It is then passed to the 
central organization, which offers the bond for sale. 
Guaranteed by the joint credit of the whole system, 
such bonds rank with the best government bonds as 
investment securities and are in steady demand. 
Those bonds run for long terms of years—40 years 
being common. 
PROPOSED LEGISLATION.—Last year a bill 
was passed by the Assembly, and reached its third 
reading in the Senate, to enable us to do that very 
thing. This year a similar bill will be introduced 
under the auspices of the new Banking Commission, 
with every chance in its favor, and it will pass if 
each and all of us does his share toward pushing it. 
And this bill is based on proven cooperative prin¬ 
ciples, proven not only in France and Germany by 
a hundred years of experience, but proven right 
here in New York by the many flourishing savings 
and loan associations. These have devoted them¬ 
selves to local city and suburban needs. The pro¬ 
posed bill will unite tliem all and open the 
door for rural associations to come into a tremend¬ 
ously strong joint credit plan, whose bonds will be 
as steady, reliable, investment securities as any 
government bond, because backed by that form of 
security which cannot run away and can only in¬ 
crease in value as time goes on. When once the 
land bank is established there is no reason why our 
growing Exchange should not look forward to mem 
bership in it, and our members be freed from the 
tyranny of private money lenders or the short term 
note which is all our banks can give us. We look 
forward to that end as one form of future activity, 
and we have learned that it is possible by actual 
experience in our Exchange work. But first of all 
each community must make its little start as we 
are doing and take its lessons in working together, 
giving and taking, living and letting live, for that 
is what cooperation means. Some will never learn 
the lesson (we have some) and they will have to 
be weeded out or left out 
Now, I haven’t read this paper to preach an 
ideal, nor have I read it to advertise our Exchange. 
I have read it to show how we are trying to make 
more money than before by cutting out the middle¬ 
man where we are consumers, and to find better 
ways of marketing, that we may get more than a 
35-cent dollar. It seems to us that there is a big 
field for work between Exchanges. Many here must 
produce things that we need to buy. We produce 
things you want to buy. By dealing direct I am in¬ 
clined to think we could do much business to mutual 
advantage, and our Exchange would be more tlmn 
glad to hear from others or individuals along these 
lines. 
NEW YORK STATE NEWS. 
Grape Growers Meet —At a recent meeting of the 
Chautauqua and Lake Erie Fruit Growers’ Association 
at Ripley, the proposition was endorsed to organize the 
owners of a majority acreage of the grape-bearing land 
of the belt into a cooperative association. Addresses 
were made by Prof. J F. Barker of Geneva, F. Z. 
Ilartzell and F. E. Gladwin of Fredonia, S. J. Cook 
and II B Rogers. Dr. Jordan of the Experiment Sta¬ 
tion was thanked for his interest in the growers of the 
belt. 
Abolishing County Financial Government.— 
Lewis K. Rock feller, chief of the Bureau of Municipal 
Accounts of the Comptroller’s office, advocated the abol¬ 
ishment of the present system of county financial gov¬ 
ernment, since it permits of so many irregular and ille¬ 
gal practices. lie is reported as saying that either the 
boards of supervisors should be abolished or that they 
should be permitted to exercise only legislative func¬ 
tions. He says that when the present bureau was or¬ 
ganized they found about as many systems, or lack of 
systems, as there were counties. Out ol 57 counties 
visited there were about 57 varieties of bookkeeping, 
and iu only four were there found methods worthy 
favorable comment. 
Violations of tiie Conservation Law.— A bill has 
been introduced in the Asesmbly by Mr Mackey which 
would amend the conservation law by providing that 
an action for penalties for violation of the law must 
be brought in the town where the penalty is incurred or 
in which the defendant resides, or in a town adjoining 
that in which he resides. At present the action may 
be brought in any town in the county in which the 
penalty is incurred, or if the defendant resides in an¬ 
other county then iu any town in the county in which 
he resides. 
Onondaga Farm Bureau. —About 100 farmers and 
others interested in the work of the Farm Bureau met 
in annual session at Syracuse, February 21. Much en¬ 
thusiasm was manifested in t e work aud 24 new mem¬ 
bers were added. E. A. Powell was elected president 
of the association; W. C. Hunt of Fayetteville, vice- 
president; W. W. Porter, secretary, aud .J. T. Roberts 
treasurer: S. A. Martin, agriculturist. M. C. Burritt 
was present and addressed the meeting. An advisory 
council was formed, one member being from each town 
in the county. Plans for the work for the present sea¬ 
son were discussed, and it was decided to ask the board 
of supervisors to increase their appropriation this year 
over that of last year, which was ,$1,000. 
Peach Buds Hit. —It seems beyond question from all 
reports that the peach buds in Western New York, and 
possibly in other sections, for the cold has been general, 
have been badly injured by the cold weather. In sec¬ 
tions where buds are usually immune they are found to 
be injured. 
Factory Managers’ Course. —The department of 
dairy industry at Cornell will offer a week’s course for 
the managers of dairy plants, where they may become 
familiar with the latest methods. Each person attend¬ 
ing will be allowed to specialize in that branch of the 
work in which he is most interested. The requirement 
for admission is that the applicant must have had at 
least one year’s experience as manager of a factory or 
creamery. The fee for the course is $5, and the course 
begins March 11. 
Efficiency in Farm Management. —This was the 
theme of County Agent Robertson at the farm exten¬ 
sion school at Adams. He showed that the average 
farm in Jefferson County comprised 143 acres, and the 
number tilled as 70. The average income of the farm¬ 
ers was $609. Of the 670 farmers visited by the agent, 
74 made less than $1 for the year’s labor or lost 
money ; 247 made between $1 aud $500; 204 made be¬ 
tween $500 and $1.000; 99 made between $1,000 and 
$1,500 ; 29 between $1,500 and $2,000; and only 17 
made over $2,000. The large farms made more money 
than the small ones. 
Agricultural Societies’ Bum,.— A bill has been in¬ 
troduced in the Legislature by Assemblyman Chase of 
Greene County which provides that any agricultural or 
horticultural society which has been incoroprated- under 
the laws of the State for a period of 25 years or more, 
and which has during that time held 24 or more exhibi¬ 
tions of farm produce of all nature, upon which cash 
premiums have been paid, shall be entitled to a share 
of the money which the State gives to agricultural and 
horticultural societies. J. w. D. 
FRUIT GROWERS AT POUGHKEEPSIE. 
The Eastern Meeting of The N. Y. State Fruit Grow¬ 
ers Association has become an index that accurately 
records the progress made by the fruit growers of the 
Hudson Valley. Despite the bad roads and stormy 
weather the hall was crowded and the interest is such 
that it was voted to hold a three day meeting next 
year. 
Professor Morrell’s address referred mainly to grading 
and packing fruit, and before the close of the meeting a 
resolution endorsing the grading and packing bill now 
before the State Legislature was adopted. 
Prof. Hedrick, of Geneva, spoke on “Ten Years Pro¬ 
fit from an Apple Orchard,” which gave an accurate 
account of all expenses and income for a 10-year period. 
Dr. E. P. Felt, State Entomologist, speaker on “In¬ 
sects in the Hudson Valley,” said a San Jose scale par¬ 
asite had been found quite abundant in the Hudson 
Valley and while it was doing much to check the scale, 
fruit growers were not warranted in neglecting their 
usual fight against this pest and should be as vigilant 
as ever 
J. R. Cornell, of Newburg, spoke on “Pear Growing.” 
He piactices intensive culture and is constantly on the 
lookout for the appearance of blight, cutting it out at 
the earliest possible moment its appearance can be 
discovered. 
Orlando Harrison, of Berlin, Maryland, told how 
they saved their peach crop from brown rot by thorough 
and timely spraying and during his talk told of their 
experience with college boys as help. Many condemn 
this class of help because some of the boys are prac¬ 
tically worthless or worse but it they would only stop 
to consider they would find other classes of help as a 
whole no better. 
In spite of the fact that the menu cards were lost 
in the storm by the express company and that most 
of the scheduled speakers were unable to attend, the 
banquet was as usual a great success. The Hope Farm 
man in a short talk tried to impress his hearers with 
the fact that the fruit grower who won honor for his 
section by growing prize winning fruit should be hon¬ 
ored by the home folk as the victorious athlete or war¬ 
rior is unusually welcomed home. The Key to his talk 
was that the fruit grower or farmer to win happiness 
and contentment with success must nave "joy in his 
job.” That he struck a sympathetic chord in this was 
shown by reference to this point by all the following 
speakers 
The surprise of the evening was given by Mr. Schule, 
the grape juice manufacturer and he kept the audience 
in a continual state of merriment. Dr. Butler of 
Poughkeepsie kept up this merriment and the banquet 
broke up without that tired feling that often follows 
long dry talks after a hearty meal. 
In point of average quality it is doubtful if the fruit 
exhibit has ever been equaled in New York State and 
the fruit growers of the Hudson Valley can feel justly 
proud not only of the plate exhibit but of the box ex¬ 
hibit as well. Baldwin, Greening, Northern Spy, King, 
Yellow Newtown, McIntosh and Lady Sweet were es¬ 
pecially strong among the older varieties, while the 
most prominent among the newer varieties were Jon¬ 
athan, Wagener, Stark, Rome, and Winter Banana. 
The Geneva Station made a handsome exhibit of many 
varieties in box faces and Messrs. Howe and Tubergen 
of that station judged the closely contested plate exhi¬ 
bits iu a way that did credit to themselves and satisfied 
most ot the exhibitors. Mr. W. S. Teator judged the 
box exhibits and most of the boxes scored very high 
both iu packing and in fruit. New York fruit graded 
and packed as were the boxes at Poughkeepsie would 
drive the Western fruit out of the market as it has 
quality as well as appearance. Will you do your part 
to help New York gain a packing reputation? g. r. s. 
NEW YORK STATE GRANGE. 
Part III. 
The trespassing by hunters on farm lands without the 
permission of the owner came up in a resolution for 
discussion, and while there was general unanimity on 
the point that hunters should obtain permission the 
question as to whether that permission should be in 
writing or verbal, caused lively debate by several dele¬ 
gates. Vote being taken those favoring a written con¬ 
sent were found to be in a majority. In the matter of 
kindness to dumb animals, a resolution emanating from 
Jefferson County asked that the time limit for confine¬ 
ment of stock in course of transportation on railroads 
be extended from 24 to 28 hours, which is the regu¬ 
lation in interstate transportation, without unloading 
for rest or feeding, except under certain unavoidable 
conditions. It was argued that stock was more comfort¬ 
able on the cars than when unloaded (is the argument a 
good one?) and that the additional four hours would 
land the stock in New York city without unloading. 
The McKellar bills now before Congress relative to 
the cold storage of food products were opposed in so 
far as they relate to fruit, which it was asked that the 
bill exempt, and that the limits for other farm products 
should be fixed on a reasonable and healthful basis, 
allowing restorage at any time or place within such 
time limits, but forbidding restorage for the purpose 
of extending or evading the time limit|” A large 
number of other resolutions were acted upon during 
the last two days of the session and we attempt mention 
of a few only at this time. 
Almost the last discussion of the session related to 
the State’s appropriating money for other colleges or 
schools of forestry than that at Cornell, and the friends 
of Cornell were in the majority, thus adopting the 
resolution under discussion. Invitations were received 
from four cities for the next annual meeting of the 
Grange, these being Oneonta, Oswego, Binghamton 
and Malone. The executive committee will decide on 
place later. J. w. D. 
