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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 Home* * 
Established isso 
Published weekly by the Rural Publishing Company. 3SS West 30th Street, h'ew tort 
Herbert TV. Colling wood, President and Editor. 
John' J. Dillon, Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wm. F. Dillon, Secretary. Mrs. E. T. Royle, Associate Editor. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, $2.04. equal to 8s. Gd., or 
8Jjj marks, or lOJfc francs. Remit in money order, express 
order, personal check or bank draft. 
Entered at New York Post Office as Second Class Matter. 
Advertising rates, 75 cents per agate line—7 words. 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 respon¬ 
sible person. We use every possible precaution and admit the advertising of 
reliable houses only. But to make doubly sure, we will make good any loss 
to paid subscribers sustained by trusting any deliberate swindler, irrespon¬ 
sible advertisers or misleading advertisements in our columns, and any 
such swindler will be publicly exposed. We are also often called' upon 
to adjust differences or mistakes between our subscribers and honest, 
responsible houses, whether advertisers or not We willingly use our good 
offices to this end, but such cases should not be confused with dishonest 
transactions. We protect subscriber against rogues, but we will not be 
responsible for the debts of honest bankrupts sanctioned bv the courts. 
Notice of the complaint must be sent to us within one month o£ the time of 
the transaction, and to identify it, you should mention Tiik Rural New- 
Yorkkr when writing the advertiser. 
T HE New England Fruit Show will be held this 
year at Providence, R. 1., on Nov. 9-12. The 
local fruit growers’ association will help. Rhode 
Island has made some splendid fruit exhibits in 
former years, and the display this year will be 
finer than ever. When you come to think of .it the 
Southeastern part of New England has given the 
world a group of the finest apples now grown. These 
varieties are grown to perfection at home, and the 
Providence show will bring out some remarkable 
fruit. We have for years claimed that New England 
can produce finer apples than ever were seen on the 
Pacific Coast. Providence will prove it! 
* 
A WISE old farmer who has followed the dis¬ 
cussion about the value of the station bulletins 
sends us a clipping from an old magazine. This 
states that there is more knowledge now in the 
world than can well he handled, but what is lacking 
is a method of spreading it out where people can 
use it. It is something like the distribution of food. 
There is plenty of it produced, yet through faulty 
distribution there may be hungry people in the city, 
while 100 miles away food is wasting because the 
price offered for it is too small to pay the cost of 
gathering and shipping. No one will deny that our 
colleges and stations have added greatly to the 
knowledge of agricultural science. Yet the shortest 
trip out where farmers work for a practical living 
will show how little of this knowledge has been 
made available. What can be done to get this knowl¬ 
edge out to the people? There you have one of the 
big problems of agricultural education. As you 
know, our suggestion is to let practical farmers write 
some of the bulletins. 
* 
I N a quiet way, and without organization thus far, 
efforts are being made to increase the wheat crop 
in the New England States. Years ago the New 
England people produced most of their own flour. 
In 1879 the New England States grew 1,227,037 
bushels of wheat. In 1909 this yield had fallen to 
114.99S bushels. Vermont and Maine have been the 
wheat States—the two producing 99.20G bushels in 
1909. There are two reasons for the new interest in 
wheat growing. The poultry industry has increased 
rapidly of late, and wheat is a necessary food. Most 
henmen have large farms with considerable waste 
or unproductive land. Why cannot this be utilized 
for growing wheat? It is also true that many 
farmers believe that this country is approaching a 
period of very high grain prices. The European 
war will, finally, bring the world to our doors for 
food, and there is a general feeling that now is 
the time to increase our crops of bread-making 
grains. Our own opinion is that there will be greater 
profit in growing the native flint varieties of corn 
on the New England hills—rather than in sowing 
wheat. 
* 
T HERE is good work to be done through the farm 
bureaus, improvement societies or whatever 
name you may call them. The theory of secur¬ 
ing the aid of some expert in scientific farming to 
act as adviser is sound, as is the theory of organiza¬ 
tion. There is but one way, however, as we see 
it, for these organizations to succeed. That is for 
the farmers themselves to take hold of the organiza¬ 
tion, finance it fairly, and then control it for prac¬ 
tical purposes. Young men, untried in practical 
farming, however bright and well read they may be, 
cannot be expected, by their own efforts, greatly to 
change the character of agriculture. Yet, working 
as the true agent or investigator of a group of good 
farmers they may become of great service to the 
country. We think the great majority of these young 
men desire to work as true agent or representative 
rather than to try to force their opinions upon prac¬ 
tical men. We can see a dozen ways in which Such 
a young man can be very useful to an organization 
of farmers. Such farmers could not, as individuals, 
spend the time to investigate problems, but the 
county agent can do it for them when they agree 
upon what they want. Thus this farm bureau will 
give the farmers a chance to have certain import¬ 
ant work done which they could hardly do them¬ 
selves. The safety of the farm bureau lies iu self- 
help—the farmers themselves to control the move¬ 
ment and keep it free. 
* 
4 i HERE’S a shadow on the White House 
Death’s hand is at the door, 
\\ ith a message that conies ever 
Alike to rich and poor!” 
It is one of the horrors of war that it drives the 
mind from its duty toward the living and the dead. 
The war news from Europe has so absorbed public 
attention that comparatively few of our people have 
fairly considered the fearful sorrow which has fal¬ 
len upon President Wilson in the death of his wife. 
Mi’s. Wilson was a gentle and unassuming woman, 
yet of strong character and influence. She was a 
home woman, absorbed in her efforts to he helpful 
to her husband and daughters. Few people knew 
that she was ill. hut we may now realize the load of 
private care and grief whWi our President has 
carried silently and uncomplainingly through the 
hard public experiences of the past year. The warm, 
human heart of the nation goes out to President 
Wilson in these sad days with the earnest prayer 
that he may be sustained by a higher power in the 
tremendous tasks now before him. 
* 
D URING this frightful European war the policy 
of this nation should be one of strict and rigid 
neutrality. Every citizen should support the 
Administration in its efforts to avoid any official ex¬ 
pression of sympathy for one side or the other. In 
a general way we all have our ideas as to the merits 
of the dispute, hut not one in 10.000 can really un¬ 
derstand what it is all about. The conditions in 
this country are such that most of us cannot com¬ 
prehend the real feeling of the European people. 
Thus it would be the part of nonsense for this na¬ 
tion to enter any such controversy. Again, millions 
of our people came originally from Europe, and are 
tied by blood and bv memory to the “Fatherland” 
or the “home land.” We may respect their feelings, 
hut they came her# to make their home and help 
develop this nation on newer and more liberal lines. 
For this nation to adopt any policy except that of 
strict neutrality would be like mixing race hatreds 
together so as to form a political explosive. This 
nation should in this great struggle stand as the 
friend of peace and the world’s great provider. In 
spite of all its horrors, this war will bring ultimate 
good to humanity. Who will say that the frightful 
slaughter of Napoleon’s wars did not. in the end, 
give the masses of Europe a fairer chance? Before 
this war is over there will be less of autocratic, stern 
military government in the world. Some part of the 
loss and sorrow is sure to he felt in America, but 
if we can keep our heads and as a nation practice 
wisdom and self-restraint the future gain will be 
sure. We shall be in a position to secure the vast 
trade with South America which thus far we have 
failed to obtain. As a neutral nation, strong and 
honorable in its dealings with Europe, this nation 
will be expected, in time, to help settle terms of 
peace, finance the world’s business and feed and 
provide for Europe’s millions for years after the 
war closes. We have before us an unexampled per¬ 
iod of national honor and prosperity which may be 
obtained through strict neutrality and fair dealing. 
* 
T HE article by Mr. Ludwig calls attention to what 
we regard as one of the most important ques¬ 
tions of soil culture. It is called “soil sanita¬ 
tion” for short. There seems to be no question that 
many of our grain soils are filled with the germs of 
plant diseases which reduce or injure the grain crop 
as seriously as potato scab, tomato blight or leaf- 
curl do the crops which they infest. We have be¬ 
come familiar with a disease like scab or blight and 
we recognize the folly of cultivating or fertilizing 
1 iota toes unless we are willing to soak the seed or 
spray the vines. Such treatment of the seed and the 
crop is as important as the use of fertilizers. More 
so in fact, for the plant afflicted with disease can¬ 
not make profitable use of its food. We believe that 
some if not many western soils have failed to give 
profitable yields of grain—not because they were 
“worn out” buf because they were “sick”—that is, 
filled with germs of grain diseases. Applications of 
soluble fertilizers may give increased yields by stim¬ 
ulating the sick plants on such soils, hut clean seed 
and sanitary treatment would double the effect of 
• August 22, 
such fertilizers. This is one of the big, new prob¬ 
lems which both our scientists and practical men 
must work out. A farmer would not knowingly feed 
good grain and hay to swine or cattle so sick that 
they could only make half a normal growth. Yet 
that is what he is doing when he puts sick seed into 
a sick soil. 
* 
O NE of our New York readers was induced to take 
out an insurance policy to cover accidents to 
a farm hand. Some of the insurance agents 
are trying to make farmers believe they are liable 
under the compensation law even when that law ex¬ 
pressly exempts them. At any rate this farm hand 
was insured. He fell off a load of hay and was laid 
up for a few days. The insurance company was 
notified and sent, the following: 
We beg to acknowlege the receipt of your report of 
accident in the above case. The facts are as follows: 
“Lost control of horses going into barn with load of 
hay.” Also injured’s occupation is given as “fanning.” 
Section 3 of the Workmen’s Compensation Law, sub¬ 
division 4. which defines the meaning of the word 
“employee” ends with the following language: “and 
shall not include farm laborers or domestic servants.” 
In view of this language of the law injured will not be 
entitled to any compensation. Should he. however, make 
a claim for such please notify us immediately. Also if 
any forms are sent you by the Commission to be filled 
out kindly send them to us. and wo will instruct you in 
the matter. Likewise should the Commission serve any 
papers or subpoenaes upon you please mail them to us 
at this office at once. Kindly incur no expense on our 
account in connection with this case, except the doctor’s 
bill which has already been incurred. Please do not pay 
this but send the bill to us. 
Yours truly, 
THE FIDELITY & CASUALTY CO. 
To this the farmer made reply. 
I have read your letter over carefully. It would seem 
to me if what you say is so, and you must know what 
you are talking about. I do not need any insurance. 
Please tell me briefly what I do get for my money. 
You will see the point of all this. The farmer 
pays for the insurance, being told that he is liable 
in spite of the law’s wording. The man is hurt, but 
the company now states that under the law the 
man is not “entitled to any compensation.” The farm¬ 
er has the experience, the hired man has the bruises 
and the insurance company has the money! Why 
did they take the farmer’s money if they knew the 
law exempted him from liability? 
* 
G IVE us the power to make men and women 
think sanely and seriously about their prob¬ 
lems, and we will make history. It is hard for 
the average man to think. It means hard work and 
dog-like concentration of mind, and it leads a man 
to a point where he must face the truth with moral 
courage or else go through life trying to make ex¬ 
cuses to himself. Thus the majority of men are 
content with thinking that they think, while they 
actually wear the readymade thoughts of others 
much as they wear clothing. lie is the greatest 
benefactor of the human race wiio can make his 
fellow man think liberally and broadly. He is the 
oppressor of his kind who substitutes prejudice, 
superstition or partisan hatred for thought, and 
makes weaker minds think it is the true article. The 
new word “scatter-mindedness” expresses the condi¬ 
tion which prevents many from thinking. This 
trouble starts from childhood. In a discussion of 
what to do with our dull children, Prof. O'Shea of 
Wisconsin says: 
One cause of dullness is due wholly to the way in 
which children are trained from the second or third year 
up to maturity. This is lack of mental concentration. 
No child can get along very well in the home or in the 
school unless he can keep liis mind on the thing which 
is being said to him, or the task which has been assigned 
him, or the work he is trying to accomplish. If lie 
is distracted by everything that is happening around 
him, he will be certain to fall behind in the school; 
and he will be a cause of annoyance in the home, be¬ 
cause he cannot readily get the directions which are 
given him, and he cannot command his attention so as 
to do what is expected of him. 
This habit of mental concentration is one of the 
most important essentials of success in any enter¬ 
prise. Without it no man can think through a sub¬ 
ject, and unless a man can do that the subject is 
master of the man. 
BREVITIES. 
A VERY interesting account of garbage-fed hogs and 
cholera on page 10118. 
A dressing for sores on horses—one part standard 
carbolic acid and three parts sweet oil. 
A paint for houses or nests where vermin abound— 
one part crude carbolic acid and three parts kerosene. 
Swab it on well. 
No use waiting for the South American trade to be 
developed. Right in your own town people are sending 
100 miles away for food which you can supply. 
I)k. Clinton of Connecticut reports injury to leaves 
of Lima beans which could not be identified until it was 
traced to Paris green used with bran as a bait for cut¬ 
worms. 
The Hope Farm man has had much sympathy and 
good advice as the outcome of his adventure with the 
heifer. Here is a sample: “Mighty glad heifer did you 
no harm; should not advise bull-fighting as an exercise 
for you. Try golf, it is more fashionable.” What about 
hoeing strawberries? 
