1915. 
THE RURA.I> NEW-YORKER 
105 
THE LAND BANK. 
ITE directors of the Land Bank of the State of 
New York held a meeting at their rooms, 61 
Broadway, New York City, on Wednesday, Jan¬ 
uary 13, and adopted by-laws for the use of the board. 
T ‘] ie y also effected a temporary organization pending 
the regular annual meeting of the stockholders. The 
following officers were elected : 
President, Edward A. Newell, Ogdensburg. 
First Vice-President. David B. Hutton, Brooklyn. 
Second Vice-President, Wm. H. Judson, New York. 
Third Vice-President, Elmer E. Stratton, Troy. 
Fourth Vice-President. John G. Farwell, Geneva. 
Managing Director, Edwin F. Howell, New York. 
Treasurer, John .J. Dillon. 
Attorney, Judge Walter L. Durack, Brooklyn. 
A resolution was also adopted authorizing the officers 
to call in the cash subscriptions. The stock subscribed 
is $100,000, and it is estimated that if this cash is all 
paid in by January 22, the first annual meeting of the 
stockholders will be held on January 29. If there 
should be any delay past January 22 in the paying in of 
the capital, the certificate could not be issued by the 
Banking Department in time for the regular meeting, 
and the temporary officers would be obliged to hold over 
for a year. It is hoped, however, that the remittances 
for the subscriptions will come in promptly and that the 
first annual meeting will be held on the 29th. 
When the capital of the Land Bank is all paid in 
the enabling certificate will be issued by the Banking 
Department, and the Land Bank will then be open for 
business. 
Potatoes in Place of Grain. 
S. Consul Drayfus of Berlin has sent a state¬ 
ment about German methods of handling the po¬ 
tato crop. The imports of grain into Germany 
are of course, largely shut off and the German people 
are obliged to find substitutes for grain food. This 
they are apparently finding to a large extent in their 
potatoes. They are planning more intensive farming 
than ever, and are arranging to save, if possible all 
waste material. Potato peelings and beet heads are 
now kept in the country, and even collected in the 
cities, and brought to the farm to be used as cattle 
food. In ordinary times, it is said, that over three 
million tons of potatoes rot in Germany through lack 
of storage facilities. Drying plants are now being 
erected to take care of this loss. The government 
makes loans through the Department of Agriculture to 
help erect these plants for drying the potatoes. A 
large syndicate called the Potato Realization Co., has 
been formed, and factory owners pledge themselves 
to turn over to this company all their products not 
needed at home. This dried potato business has in¬ 
creased rapidly. The dried potatoes are valued and 
handled not unlike our evaporated apples, the amount 
of water which they contain being the standard of 
value. Potato flour is also being largely produced in 
Germany. It is now cheaper than rye flour and bakers 
are making bread which contains 15% to 20% of po¬ 
tato flour mixed with rye or wheat. The German 
government has decided to cut down the production of 
alcohol by 40%, the object being to leave more of the 
potato crop for actual food. 
The Potato Crop and Farm Leaders. 
O NLY a few years back when the price of potatoes 
went sufficiently high so that the farmers raising 
them could get interest on their money invested, 
as well as fair pay for their time raising them, 
a great wail was sent forth through the public press, 
and it was urged that duties be removed or reduced and 
importations encouraged in order that “our people” 
could get potatoes cheaper. This appeal of the con¬ 
sumer was heard and duties were reduced; but at 
the present time, when potato prices are so low that 
it means hardship to every grower, and insolvency ami 
ruin to many, how much sympathy is expressed for 
the farmer through the press of the nation? I would 
like to inquire what effort the Granges, farmers’unions, 
boards of trade or the government is making to encour¬ 
age or to develop an export trade, and if so what suc¬ 
cess are they meeting with? If no effort is being made 
to develop an export trade in potatoes is the farmer 
receiving fair treatment? Further, is not here a case 
where the potato raiser, remembering that Heaven helps 
those that helps themselves, can do some voting with 
postage stamps by writing to the master of the State 
and National Grange, the boards of trade, and to their 
Senators and Representatives in Congress, and ask 
that the necessary steps be taken to develop an export 
trade in potatoes? What effort is being made to get 
the trade of Cuba and the South American republics? 
I think it would be of interest to the potato raisers 
situated in sections where potatoes are now selling for 
less than the cost of producing if someone can answer 
the questions asked above. pekcie e. lee. 
Maine. 
R. N.-Y.—'There are thousands of potato growers 
who feet just as Mr. Lee does. The removal of the 
tariff has ha_d but little to do with the trouble, for the 
war in Europe has prevented imports of potatoes from 
Belgium or Germany. The retail price in our large 
markets is still high. For a long time there has been 
some export trade in potatoes to Cuba and other south¬ 
ern sections, but there is no probability that it could 
be increased enough to change the situation this year, 
when the crop is 75,000,000 bushels larger than last. 
No matter how cheap potatoes may be at wholesale 
it is not possible to make the retailers sell low, be¬ 
cause it costs as much to handle cheap as expensive 
potatoes. A great many would rather not sell pota¬ 
toes at all. The authorities might at least try to arouse 
interest in potato exports as they do in wheat. In our 
judgment the Grange certainly need to be stirred up 
to do something besides talk. It now has a great op¬ 
portunity to get in and lead in the battle for better 
markets. 
BIG QUESTIONS FOR FARMERS. 
T HERE are a lot of things in our business that 
must be looked into by the farmers. Take our 
county of Orange, dairying is carried on with 
hardly an exception on every farm. It does not 
take much mental energy to figure out that something 
must break soon in the dairy line. Feed higher, help 
demanding larger wages, boards of health wanting 
more done all the time, and the price of milk remain¬ 
ing stationary, canmt prove a good business proposi¬ 
tion for the farmer. We farmers here in Orange Coun¬ 
ty buy $60,000 worth of butter each year, perhaps 
more, all made outside from milk produced in some 
other section. We buy at least one liundrc ’ thousand 
dollars worth of meat each year not grown in the 
county, when it ought not to be necessary for a 
butcher’s cart to stop at any farmer’s door. 
In the matter of high priced feed, we are more than 
prodigal. We buy thousands of dollars worth of coarse 
feed, half of which should be replaced by substitutes 
grown on the farm, in the shape of silage, roots, cob 
meal, early-cut hay and Alfalfa. Then we spend other 
thousands for new milch cows, cast-offs from other 
dairies outside the county, when we should raise bet¬ 
ter ones at home and keep the money at home. There 
has been a Farm Bureau started in Orange County, 
and it is to be hoped some of these things will be rem¬ 
edied. GEO. E. HOWELL. 
Orange Co., N. Y. 
White Eggs in New York. 
I UNDERSTAND white eggs are not in as great de¬ 
mand as they used to be in New York City, or at 
least I have been so informed by a commission man. 
Is there anything in this report, or is it another 
method of getting around the price? This man com¬ 
plained of the size of the eggs at first, which was just, 
as they were small. As my birds picked up in produc¬ 
tion I was able to select the large eggs and get a case 
in about five days; these I shipped to him and disposed 
of the small eggs locally. He then wrote mo that the 
demand for white eggs was not very great; in fact to 
use his expression they were “Dead sticks.” s. o. v. 
New Jersey. 
Like other fads the white egg preference has its ups 
and downs. There are buyers in Boston who prefer 
white eggs, and New York customers who choose the 
brown, but the general tone of the market is the other 
way. In recent years some change in the New York 
preference has been noted. This is usually the result 
of extremely high prices for white eggs, which drive the 
buyers to brown shells, and finding that there is no 
difference in quality, a percentage stick to the brown, 
even after prices of white drop. That is what has just 
happened in the New York market, though on a larger 
scale than seen at one time before. White eggs became 
scarce and wholesaled up to 62 cents, but there was 
soon a falling off in consumptive trade that left the re¬ 
tailers stocked with eggs that they must sell at a dis¬ 
count. Of course they bought no more at the fancy 
prices, so the wholesalers had to make a heavy reduc¬ 
tion—15 cents per dozen in a short time, although 
white eggs were no more plentiful than before. This 
sounds contrary to common sense, but it must be re¬ 
membered that there is not necessarily any common 
sense in the fad features of a market. The rational 
method of buying eggs for food is on the basis of 1st, 
quality; 2nd, size; 3rd, color. More buyers than ever 
are working toward this practice. 
The Trade in Apple Products. 
W AYNE County evaporators have practically closed 
for the season. A few are yet working on the 
last runs. The early part of the season was not 
profitable. Later the market responded, and 
present holders of finished stock will realize good mar¬ 
gins, considering that this season all drying stock sold 
at very low prices per bushel, much fruit being bought 
as low as five and seven cents per bushel. 
Six cars of evaporated apples were ordered by the 
Rockefeller interests for the relief of the destitute Bel¬ 
gians, and of this order a heavy portion fell to Sodus 
houses. With the largest export outlet closed by war 
and the favored European markets affected by the mili¬ 
tary situation, it is quite impossible to transact the 
normal amount of business usually done at this season 
of the year. However, the foreign situation looks bet¬ 
ter from time to time, and some business is being done 
even under unfavorable conditions. The effect of the 
European conflict has been to cause American markets 
all over to come closer under the scrutiny of the dealers, 
and it is believed their efforts are being rewarded in 
increased domestic sales. The last few weeks have 
given a steady, consistent impulse to the market, and 
to a large extent this has been aided by American con¬ 
sumption. 
Trade in the fancy fruits has been chiefly in small 
lots, with business limited to actual requirements. The 
price remains steady at 8% to 8% cents. The outside 
is rarely obtained, excepting for small lots of strictly 
fancy stock. Jobbers are making slightly larger in¬ 
quiries, though so far the movement has been moderate. 
Choice stock is in relatively small supply and holders 
are asking 7 to 7% cents. The outside figure is firmly 
adhered to in nearly all instances, excepting possibly 
where a big order is placed. Prime stock has shown 
some export business but the movement is far short of 
normal. Spot business is quoted at 6% to 6% cents. 
Buyers are taking larger quantities, and still better 
conditions are expected within the next few weeks. 
No spot stocks of chops are in market. Small sales 
have been reported at $1.45 for prime in barrels, f.o.b. 
State points. Waste is quoted at from $1.40 to $1.50 
per hundred pounds for prime loose in barrels, f.o.b. 
The sales have been light. Light business is being 
done in dried raspberries at 22 to 24 cents per pound. 
The quantity put up was small this season, and but 
small stocks are held by the dealers. Sun-dried apples 
are quoted _at 6% cents for prime sliced, delivered New 
York and 5% cents for prime quarters. The supplies 
are not large, though inquiries have increased, indicat¬ 
ing a strengthening of the market. That the produc- 
tion.of the evaporated apple did not exhaust the possi¬ 
bilities of treating the fruit as a food product has been 
lately shown by a public service patent covering the 
making of a new form of table syrup from apple juice. 
This patent will make the discovery, which specialists 
believe will be of great value to all apple growers as 
a means of utilizing their culls and excess apples, com¬ 
mon property of any eider mill in the country which 
wishes to manufacture and sell apple cider syrup. The 
new syrup, one gallon of which is made from seven 
gallons of ordinary cider, is a clear ruby or amber- 
colored syrup of the consistency of cane syrup and 
maple syrup. Properly sterilized and packed in sealed 
tins or bottles, it will keep indefinitely, and when 
opened, will keep under household conditions as well 
as other syrups. It has a distinctly fruity aroma and 
special flavor of its own which is described as being 
practically the same as the taste of the syrupy sub¬ 
stance which exudes from a baked apple. The syrup 
can be used, like maple or other syrups, for griddle 
cakes, cereals, household cookery and as flavoring in 
desserts. a. ii. p. 
War Prices and Farmers. 
P ROF. ALFRED WESTFALL of the Colorado Agri¬ 
cultural College shows what war prices are doing 
for farmers and speculators: 
“The present European war is raising prices. Wheat 
may go to $1.50 or $2 per bushel, but only 23 out of 
every 100 farmers raise wheat, yet all farmers use 
flour. Potatoes may advance in price, but less than one- 
half of the farmers of the United States raise pota¬ 
toes. Potatoes are found on the table of practically 
every farmer. Cotton may sell for 15 or 20 cents a 
pound. Cotton goods are found in every farm home, 
but less than 25 per cent, of the farmers raise cotton. 
In past years, two-thirds of this crop has been sold in 
Europe. The war has closed European factories, and 
instead of advancing, the price of cotton may decline. 
At the present time no farmer raises everything he 
uses. War prices may benefit him in some respect, but 
the loss in others is sure to overbalance the gain. 
“It is the speculator and not the producer, who gains 
by sudden fluctuations in prices. This is illustrated in 
the case of the man who raises sugar beets. The price 
is fixed this year and a contract signed for next year’s 
crop. Last year the sugar company paid $5 per ton 
for beets and retailed sugar at $5 per hundred. When 
war was declared the price jumped to $9, but has since 
dropped to $7 and $7.50. When it was selling sugar 
at $5, the sugar company was making a comfortable 
profit. All over that is added gain. At present sugar 
is retailing at $7.50, which is an advance of 50 per cent, 
since war was declared. The company had contracted 
to pay $4.50 per ton for beets. Since the sudden ad¬ 
vance in the price the company can obtain for the 
finished product the price of beets has been advanced to 
$5. In other words, their price has increased 50 per 
cent., the producer’s only 11 per cent. As a rule, the 
producer’s gains are small but relatively certain. The 
speculator’s larger but less certain.” 
R. N.-Y.—Take the case of a Maine potato grower. 
As an indirect result of the war his crop does not bring 
the cost of production while “bread lines” of hungry 
men are found in the cities. The railroads are to have 
more for hauling freight. As a result of the war this 
farmer must pay more for his flour, more for his fer¬ 
tilizers, more for rubber boots, more for his sugar and 
so on. Where does he come in—or get off? 
T 
Government Crop Report. 
HE final report of the Bureau of crop 
gives the following: 
estimates 
Acreage 
Yield Farm Pr. 
bu. 
bu. 
Corn . 
103,435,000 
2,672,804,000 
.637 
Wheat . 
53,541,000 
891.017,000 
.986 
Oats . 
38,442,000 
1.141.060,000 
' .438 
Barley . 
7.565.000 
194.953.000 
.543 
Rye . 
2,541,000 
42,779.000 
.865 
Buckwheat . 
792,000 
16.881,000 
.764 
Rice . 
693.530 
23.649,000 
.924 
Potatoes . 
3,708,000 
405,921,000 
.489 
Sweet Potatoes.. 
603,000 
56.574.000 
.730 
Apples . 
258,900,000 
.573 
tons 
ton 
Ilay . 
49,145,000 
70,071,000 
11.12 
lbs. 
lb. 
Tobacco . 
1,223,500 
1,034,679 
.098 
The apple and 
placed as follows: 
potato yield by principal States is 
Apples 
bu. 
New York . 49.600.000 
Pennsylvania . 23.100.000 
Michigan . 17,200,000 
Virginia . 15,300,000 
Kentucky . 14,700.000 
Ohio . 13.300,000 
Missouri . 12.500.000 
West Virginia . 12.400.000 
North Carolina . 9.000.000 
Tennessee . 8,600,000 
Washington . 8,300,000 
Maine . 7,400.000 
California. 6.000.000 
Arkansas . 5,000,000 
Colorado . 4,500,000 
Massachusetts . 4.400.000 
Indiana . 4,300.000 
Illinois . 3.700,000 
Oregon . 3,600.000 
New Jersey . 3,400,000 
Vermont . 3,200,000 
Kansas . 3,100.000 
Wisconsin . 2,200.000 
Minnesota . 700.000 
Iowa . 1,600,000 
Potatoes 
bu. 
53,215.000 
28,140.000 
44,044.000 
7,280.000 
2,250,000 
14.250,000 
3,915,000 
2,592,000 
1.716.000 
1,505,000 
7,552.000 
33,800,000 
10,350,000 
1,500,000 
8,760.000 
4,185,000 
6,000,500 
7,440.000 
4,753.000 
9,936.000 
4,200,000 
4,464,000 
37.696,000 
30,780.000 
12,642,000 
Wisconsin Short Course. 
W ISCONSIN is developing a county short course 
in agriculture which promises well. Dean 
Russell of the agricultural college, says of it: 
By far the larger majority of children do not go be¬ 
yond the rural schools. Why? With the scarcity of 
labor which almost invariably obtains, the economic 
necessity of utilizing the services of the child on the 
farm often becomes overpowering, or his failure to con¬ 
nect his education with life leads to his abandonment 
of further training. The county short course presents 
a phase of vocational education directed with reference 
to the practical occupation of the region, a sort of a 
continuation school in agriculture which can be carried 
on without serious withdrawal of the student from the 
imperative duties of farm life. 
This county short course gives two Winter terms 
of agricultural study with the intervening time 
spent in agricultural work on the farm. The course 
is under direction of the county representative. It 
is a good thing, for it carries farm education home 
to the boy. 
