1472 
Vt-1 iC Ft URAL NKW'-’iUKKKK 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER 
A National Weekly Journal lor Country and Suburban Homes 
Established isso 
I’nbllsbed weekly by <he Rnral Publishing Company, 3S3 West SOih Street. Sew lorfc 
Herbert W. Collingwood, President and Editor. 
John J. Dillon, Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wm. F. Dillon, Secretary. Mrs. E. T. Koyle. Associate Editor. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, $2.01, equal to 8s. 6d., or 
8!j marks, or 10)4 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” 
tVe 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 subscribers against rogues, but we will not 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 to identify it, you should mention The Riral Nkw- 
V orker when writing the advertiser. 
They all were looking for a King 
To slay their foes and lift them high; 
Thou cam’st, a little baby thing 
That made a woman cry. 
O Son of Man, to right my lot 
Naught but Thy presence can avail; 
Yet on the road Thy wheels are not, 
Nor on the sea Thy sail. 
My how or when Thou wilt not heed. 
But come down Thy own secret stair, 
That Thou may’st answer all my need— 
Yea, every bygone prayer. 
—George Macdonald. 
T HE question of successful free markets in New 
York City has come down to a contest between 
the retail storekeepers and the consumers. The 
butchers and the grocers sell farm produce at high 
prices. They pay high rents and there are too many 
of them anyway. The entire system of retailing is 
extravagant and wasteful, yet the retailers fight to 
keep it up. The free markets, even as a crude ex¬ 
periment. have already shown that the public may 
buy their food to far better advantage by cutting out 
several middlemen. The butchers and grocers plain¬ 
ly see that if this new system is permitted to de¬ 
velop the outcome is sure. The public, once clearly 
shown that with one useless middleman out of the 
way, their food becomes cheaper, will demand a 
revision of the whole system of distribution. This 
will mean direct trade with only the necessary hand¬ 
lers between the consumer and the producer, and 
both classes benefited. In all this discussion no one 
who looks at the subject fairly wishes to injure the 
needed handlers of produce. The great effort is to 
cut out the parasites who fatten upon the share 
which rightfully belongs to the producer. The New 
York retailers are trying to kill off the free markets, 
while the organizations of buyers and labor are fight¬ 
ing for them. Out of the conflict will come educa¬ 
tion in buying, which is the thing to make direct 
dealing possible. 
T HESE articles on Alfalfa growing in Central 
New York mean far more than you may think 
at first glance. Wherever Alfalfa thrives pros¬ 
perity follows. No other plant has so fattened the 
soil and made so much of history as Alfalfa. The 
Argentine Republic, in South America, has put itself 
upon the map almost like a miracle, and Alfalfa is 
probably more responsible for this wonderful growth 
than any other single thing. The American desert 
has been made rich and habitable by Alfalfa and 
water. It is the surest thing known that any section 
which systematically encourages the production of 
Alfalfa on soil well adapted to it has a sure mort¬ 
gage upon fhe future. That is one reason why the 
Alfalfa section through Central New York is to be¬ 
come the great garden spot of the upper Atlantic 
slope. Its cities and its farms will feel the effect of 
the great wealth which, year by year, this wonder¬ 
ful plant is bringing to the soil. We believe this 
thoroughly, yet we do not join those who urge far¬ 
mers everywhere to grow Alfalfa. We believe there 
are some, yes, many, sections iu New York where the 
crop will not pay. There are thin, sour lands too 
far from limekilns or wet, undrained tracts not 
suited to this remarkable crop. At present the cost 
of fitting such soils for Alfalfa will prohibit its use, 
and Soy beans, Alsike clover and vetch will, we be¬ 
lieve, pay better. Some useful legume plant may be 
found adapted to any soil in the State, and its use 
may in time prepare the soil for the king of them all 
—Alfalfa! 
T HE time has come for some one to prepare a 
thoroughly complete and comprehensive history 
of American agriculture. What a story that 
will present to the skilled historian! From the 
rude beginning at growing corn and beans on aban¬ 
doned Indian commons to our present marvellous 
system of crop production! Into that growth is 
woven the life of a mighty nation; for after all the 
story of a nation’s bread is the vital thing in its his¬ 
tory. We hope some one well equipped for the work 
will take up this history and make it complete. 
C HRISTMAS is essentially a children’s holiday— 
founded upon the birth of a little Child, and 
built out of the pure faith and trusting love of 
children. We older people perhaps do not realize it 
but Christmas becomes a happy and helpful holiday 
in proportion as we go back into childhood, and all 
that childhood means. Some of us have come to 
the time when we must live most of our years in 
memories. We may confine ourselves to our own 
sad thoughts, or we may live with the world’s mem¬ 
ories which great winters have preserved in books 
for us. The future belongs to the child qnd we who 
are older can view it hopefully and sweetly only as 
we can take from children the true, unspoiled view 
of life. That is why the little child is after all the 
best and most valuable asset a country can have. 
That is why a man’s children should mean far more 
to him than all his worldly possessions. This true, 
unpurchased love and faith of the little child is the 
greatest thing in the world. The glory of Christmas 
comes from the fact that at this season we come 
nearer to realizing it than any other time. And 
what is this thing about the child which lifts us all 
at Christmas into a higher and clearer view of happi¬ 
ness? A hopeful trust in others, a confident, un¬ 
afraid certainty that some wise, higher, loving 
power will protect and provide! It is after we 
grow away from care-free childhood that we begin 
to feel that fraud, fighting, and all the mean and 
hateful qualities are needed for the struggle of life. 
Do we not know that men have fought and distrust¬ 
ed and stood apart for all these years, only to find 
that the plain common people are no match for the 
strong at such tactics? This Christmas, with its sad¬ 
ness of war, and its curiosity for the future, ought 
to teach us all the futility of battle and bluff. Can 
you not see that after all the child’s faith is stronger 
than father’s fight? As farmers and as men in the 
mighty peaceful struggle which is now coming for 
industrial rights, we must realize this Christmas 
Day that before we can hope to win we must set 
the nation an example of true co-operation and hon¬ 
est brotherhood. 
I T looks as if the good old apple were to have a 
fine Christmas present this year. Several per¬ 
sons have written about a report that diluted 
cider vinegar has been found to be a fine mouth 
wash and preservative for the teeth. In order to be 
sure of the matter we consulted one of the most ex¬ 
pert dentists in New York. lie says that a profes¬ 
sor at Columbia College has been working for some 
years in an effort to learn the cause of tooth decay 
and a simple means of prevention: 
He has found that fruit acids dissolve mueine, and 
mucine deposited on the teeth forms mucilaginous films, 
which films hold or envelop the acid product of the 
bacteria in direct contact with enamel on sheltered por¬ 
tion of the teeth, thus permitting the full chemical ac¬ 
tion of the acid to go on undisturbed. Now the ques¬ 
tion we are trying to prove is, if dilute fruit acids, such 
as cider vinegar, say one part to four of water, will 
dissolve the envelopes without injury to the tooth sub¬ 
stance, and will thus prevent decay of the teeth. 
There is nothing sure about it yet. but the out¬ 
look is very hopeful. Some excellent results have 
been obtained but it is not regarded as a full dem¬ 
onstration yet. Should this plan of saving llie teeth 
succeed, as we hope it will, our old friend the ap¬ 
ple comes into a new job—as toothbrush and tooth 
preserver. Instead of scrubbing your teeth with a 
brush all you have to do is to eat a mellow, raw 
apple! It cleans the teeth and its gentle acid plays 
havoc with the bacteria. This thing of using a fine 
Baldwin or Northern Spy as a toothbrush is the 
best yet. We must plant more trees to keep up with 
the market! 
T HAT article on dairying in New England sug¬ 
gests the way we must all work to relieve the 
situation in many of the large markets. So 
long as there is a surplus of milk sent to Boston and 
the other large cities the dealers and contractors 
have the advantage, and can dictate prices. Create 
a shortage in place of a surplus and the advantage 
shifts to the producers so long as they are organ¬ 
ized. Therefore it is good management to use more 
December 10,' 
and more of the milk in creameries for butter or ice 
cream, as all the milk thus used is kept away from 
the cities, and to that extent reduces the surplus. 
The same thing is true of the New York produce 
market. Vast quantities of food are sent here and 
then shipped out again, often for sale in a market 
not 10 miles from the farm, where the food was pro¬ 
duced. This great surplus of food enables the deal¬ 
ers to dictate prices. It gives the railroads a double 
charge for carrying it. and the handlers have about 
three chances to take their share. Oue way to over¬ 
come this is to see that local markets in towns and 
cities throughout New York are supplied first of all 
with local grown produce. Elmira, Utica, Bingham¬ 
ton, and all the rest, are now using products which 
are grown on New York farms, sent to this city for 
sale and then sent back to the local market. All this 
adds to the surplus here, gives the dealers a better 
chance to dictate prices, and adds greatly to the cost 
of carrying and handling. Local co-operative clubs 
for selling and buying will help settle this. The way 
to relieve this big market is to take care of the local 
markets first. 
H ERE is a Christmas present which would be 
highly appreciated by the farmers north of 
Trenton, N. J. We want hardy strains of Crim¬ 
son clover which we may use as manurial crops— 
seeded in the corn or after Summer crops and plow¬ 
ed under in Spring. The present strains of Crimson 
clover are doing wonders for the Southern soils, but 
they are too tender for Northern planting. With us 
Crimson fails to pass through our hard month of 
March, nine times in 10. While it more than pays for 
seed and labor in its Fall growth alone, our farmers 
want a clover that will live over and grow rapidly 
in Spring. A hardy Crimson would fill the bill ex¬ 
actly and would save thousands of dollars now spent 
for plant food. The wise men have found hardy 
varieties of Alfalfa to suit the North. Now let them 
play the part of scientific Santa Claus and give us a 
hardy Crimson clover. 
A TO one can lay down rules or systems for fartn- 
Y Each man must work that out for himself, 
using all the information and experience avail¬ 
able and as the farmer's knowledge and ability to 
think groics so will his management grow and 
change. e. m. m. 
If we could give each of our readers a valuable 
Christmas present we would select the power to make 
each and every one of them appreciate and under¬ 
stand the truth of that statement. Sometimes we 
have people come and ask for a sure rule or “sign.” 
“Do not tell me to figure it out myself,” they say. 
“I want you to do it for me and tell me just exactly 
what to do.” We think more children at school are 
spoiled and mentally crippled by making their 
studies easy than in any other way. The little 
things are not taught to think and reason for them¬ 
selves, and thus they go through life handcuffed by 
a cast-iron rule to the habit of depending upon others 
for original thought. No farmer can succeed by fol¬ 
lowing “signs'* or by doing just what others tell him 
to do. The best teacher gives him the truth of gen¬ 
eral principles and stimulates him to go on and 
think out his own problem. Many are called—few 
are chosen—those few are the thinkers who break 
free from the slavery of the rule and the “sign.” 
BREVITIES. 
Wood ashes for s. ur land. 
Cull apples make a good “green food” for poultry. 
Let’s organize a society of people who agree never to 
jump at conclusions. 
May Santa Claus your presents stack and in your 
stocking put no tack. 
It surely is a period of life to be called shocking 
when children get so wise they take no stock in Christ¬ 
mas stocking. 
A great world we live in—supplying bullets with 
which to make orphans and then providing bread for 
the orphans our bullets have made. 
Wisconsin has a law under which a farmer may 
have the soil of his farm fully tested for $5. Over 200 
farmers applied for this test 1 st year. 
“The hot-air artist from Madison County.” Our cor¬ 
respondent on page 1452 wants to hear from this char¬ 
acter. There are 10 Madison counties in the country, 
and no doubt they can all produce artists” iu the 
heated atmosphere liue. 
In a recent issue a reader asked if the old slat and 
wire fence had proved durable. At h .st a dozen peo¬ 
ple have come trying to sell him a fence machine. That 
is not what he wants—he wants to know if this 
fence will equal woven wire. 
The neighborhood terror! He or she who purposely 
spreads abroad the error. Lord knows that all of us 
stumble on the way, all of us make mistakes. All of 
us get gay. What’s the use of writing down all the little 
slips? Better far forget them—better close the lips. 
