THE RUHAE NB\V*YORKER 
529 
500 BUSHELS OF OATS WANTED. 
The Department of Foods and Markets has a re¬ 
quest from a State Institution for 500 bushels of oats 
with the following specifications: 
40 pounds, white clipped, for immediate delivery, 
F.O.B. Yorktown Heights, New York, via Putnam 
Division of the New York Central. 
Farmers may send estimate to the Department, 71 
West 23rd Street. 
THE LAND BANK. 
HE Land Bank of the State of New York is now 
loaning its capital of $100,000 on first mortgages 
on real estate in the territory to which it is re¬ 
stricted by law. The loans are made through the Saving 
and Loan Associations in the State. The first loan has 
been awarded to the First Farmers’ Association of Sul¬ 
livan County. This association has been organized since 
the bill creating the Land Bank became a law. It is 
composed largely, if not entirely of Jewish farmers. 
The directors have also authorized the sale of an 
issue of $250,000 of 10-year bonds, at 4% per cent, 
interest per annum. As soon as the $100,000 of capi¬ 
tal is placed on mortgages, the bonds will be sold, 
and the money received from them will then be avail¬ 
able for loans through the associations of the State. 
Farmers should associate themselves with the asso¬ 
ciations now in existence or form new associations so 
that they may be in a position to avail themselves of 
the services of the Land Bank if a loan should be 
needed at any time. No formality is required to be¬ 
come a member of an existing association. You may 
become a member by paying 50 cents a month for 
each share taken ; or by paying $1 down, and as much 
or as little thereafter as you like; or by paying the 
full $100 for a share in advance. In the two former 
cases the dividends are added to the payments and the 
capital accumulates until the share is worth $100. In 
the case of the full advance payment, the dividend 
is withdrawn in cash. 
Every farmer must realize that if he is a regular 
member of an association, he will stand a much bet¬ 
ter chance of getting a satisfactory loan than if he 
is unknown to the members of the association. Of 
course, if farmers organize their own association they 
will be in a position to control its loans for them¬ 
selves. These associations afford the best possible in¬ 
ducement for savings. The payments are easily made. 
The returns are good and the money is safe. It re¬ 
mains in the neighborhood to build up home industry 
and it remains in the control of the people who own 
it. Through the handling of it they acquire exper¬ 
ience and skill and confidence in the use of it. This 
feature alone is regarded by many men of broad ex¬ 
perience as the most important function of the whole 
system. These are the men who regard the develop¬ 
ment of the man and the woman of more importance 
than the accumulation of wealth. 
No safe, sound and enduring system of credits can 
be built up in a day or a year. From the beginning 
we warned the man who was looking for something 
for nothing that he would be disappointed in the Land 
Bank system of the State of New York. It purposely 
avoided inflations, and inducements to borrow easy 
money without knowing how it was to be repaid; but 
if a man has credit in land values, he can get an ad¬ 
vantageous loan through this system provided he con¬ 
nects himself with one of the local organizations of the 
system. When rates of interest are high the borrower 
will always have to pay the current rate; but there 
will never be any bonus to pay, and when the money 
rates are low the rate will be low to the borrower on 
this system. Any other system of regulating interest 
rates on real estate mortgages would be disastrous; 
but as this system is developed the rate will be the 
lowest for high-class securities of any kind; but before 
we can hope to attain this end, we must establish a 
standing and a tradition for our Land Bank bonds, 
than which there can be no more secure investment in 
the world. The great advantage of the system is that 
mortgages may be written for a long term of years and 
paid off in small installments. The borrower will never 
pay any bonus, or any expense after the mortgage is 
once placed, and with each succeeding payment whether 
large or small, he has the satisfaction of knowing that 
the mortgage burden has become lighter. 
Farmers should get into these organizations. There 
is no chance of losing a cent. The money paid in need 
be but little. It is perfectly safe, and can be with¬ 
drawn at any time. 
35-CENT DOLLAR PROPOSITION. 
No. 1.—The Six-Cent Loaf. 
T is very encouraging to see the way the great papers 
and magazines are taking up this 35-cent dollar pro¬ 
position. The New York “Produce Review” says it 
is not only “absurd, but a demonstration of ignorance or 
willful misrepresentation to assert that producers get 
"nly 35% of the retail cost of products sold in this 
city.” We thought it was plainly evident to most peo¬ 
ple that there is such a thing as a 35-cent dollar. It 
i3 evident, however, that the Produce Review stands in 
need of education, and we take pleasure in aiding along 
that line. Do not take our word for it, but go to the 
"ther papers. 
“Collier’s” can hardly be called a trade journal or 
personally interested in talking 35-cent dollar, yet it 
recently analyzed the cost of a loaf of bread in New 
York. A pound loaf was bought at a corner grocery. 
This loaf weighed 12 ounces including the sanitary 
wrapper. The best of milling will convert from 70 to 
73% of the wheat into flour. We need not ask if the 
bakers of New York are shrewd enough to buy to the 
best advantage. One bushel of wheat will yield about 
44 pounds of flour. According to the statements of the 
best bakeries, seven pounds of flour must yield about 
nine pounds of bread. This means 57 pounds of bread 
to the bushel of wheat. On the basis of the loaf which 
“Collier’s” bought and weighed, this means 7G loaves 
and the loaf cost six cents on the day it was bought. 
The poor people of New York therefore were paying 
$4.56 for the flour in a bushel of wheat. In addition 
to the flour the miller or somebody else received the 
benefit of the bran, middlings, or other offal which sold 
for at least 1*4 cent per pound. Here then we have 
$4.56 paid by people of New York City for the flour 
obtained from one bushel of wheat. In spite of the 
high prices daily reported in the papers, we find that 
the majority of our readers have received not over $1.25 
a bushel for their grain. A large proportion of them 
were obliged to sell last Fall for one dollar or less. This 
then is the first example in figuring the 35-cent dollar 
which we put up to our friends of the “Produce Review.” 
Step up to the blackboard, gentlemen, with a piece of 
chalk, and tell us ho to much you. figure the farmer re - 
(eires out of the price of this loaf! We will take up 
from time to time other products, and we expect an in¬ 
teresting time when the “Produce Review” figures out 
tlie farmers’ proportion. 
A Problem in Algebra. 
Please submit this problem to the rural uplifters, ex¬ 
perts, scientists, and agricultural boosters abroad in the 
land. The average yield of potatoes throughout the 
country is 90 bushels per acre, and average price 20 
cents per bushel. If the yield were increased to that 
of Germany, 300 bushels on an acre, what would the 
price here be? w. ir. stout. 
Pennsylvania. 
I T is herewith submitted. If these potatoes were in¬ 
tended for human food alone such increase of crop 
would prove a calamity to many farmers. Every 
cost of growing, transporting and marketing the crops 
would, under our present condition, remain the same, 
while the price would fall below 10 cents a bushel in 
many localities. It is not likely that the German crop 
would ever have reached its enormous size if new uses, 
almost unknown in this country, had not been found for 
the tubers. This year with a surplus above food re¬ 
quirements of about 40,000.000 bushels it would be 
folly to double production without finding new outlets 
for the crop. Without question thousands of poorly 
paid people in our cities ought to eat more potatoes. 
They would save money and obtain greater food value 
by doing so, but it is hard to make them see it. Food 
habits are well fixed, and consumers demand the expen¬ 
sive wheat bread when potatoes would give them cheap¬ 
er and better food. If we are to increase the potato 
crop in this country we must find new markets and 
outlets. The South American trade is promising and 
thorough organization and business judgment will de¬ 
velop it. The Germans make great quantities of in¬ 
dustrial alcohol from potatoes. This is used for light 
and power, while the residue is fed to cattle. This 
alcohol making does not pay a direct profit, but it helps 
dispose of the crop and provides cattle food. 
Farm Papers and the Distribution Problem. 
I RE AD with great interest the article by Dr. G. M. 
Twitchell of Maine giving the results of the sale of 
a carload of potatoes, which was published on page 
449. Why is it that I can count on the fingers of 
one hand all of the alleged agricultural papers in 
America that ■welcome such articles? Is it enough sim¬ 
ply to promote production? I have reached the conclu- 
tion that a paper published ostensibly in the interest 
of the farmer that does not open its columns freely to 
a discussion of the present method of distributing farm 
products is unworthy of support. It is evident to me 
that the more we grow the more we shall have to sell, 
and the more the railroads and middlemen will get to 
handle; consequently the greater their prosperity. For 
instance potatoes here were 15 cents per bushel and 
60 cents in a nearby market, while apples worth 20 
and 30 cents not far away sold here for $1 and higher. 
Is it any wonder that many Western farmers are com¬ 
ing out for the government ownership and operation of 
the railroads? j. w. wititam. 
Cass Co., Minn. 
R. N.-Y.—Not the least wonder in the world. As for 
counting the papers on the fingers of one hand—the 
farm paper must put the true interests of its readers 
first or last. There can be no middle ground. If it is 
printed for the advertisers and the political grafters 
first of all the reader, or individual farmer will have a 
very small showing. The papers you speak of, which 
are to be counted on a few fingers are published first of 
all for their readers , and thus the farmers can make 
them useful. No farm paper ran erer rise higher than 
the motive which inspires its editor and publisher. 
New York State News. 
JERSEY MEN TO MEET.—The 47th annual meet¬ 
ing of the American Jersey Cattle Club has been called 
at the Club’s building in New York, May 5. Secretary 
Gow announces that the vote on certain amendments 
to the by-laws by members of the Club shows a ma¬ 
jority of 190 in favor of an entry fee of $10 per head 
on imported cows that shall meet the requirements of 
the register of merit. Also, a majority of 186 in favor 
of the amendment providing for an entry fee of $35 
per head on all other imported animals. The majority 
in favor of lowering the fee on transfer accompanying 
applications for entry of animals under two years of 
age to 50 cents (now the fee is $1) was 178. These 
amendments now become the law of the Club. 
CATTLE OWNERS DEMAND STRICTER QUAR¬ 
ANTINE.—At a meeting of cattle breeders in Syracuse 
recently with about 400 present, resolutions were adopt¬ 
ed demanding measures far more drastic than any at 
present in force regarding quarantine of stock against 
foot-and-mouth disease. Among the demands made 
were these: That horses from all areas be quarantined, 
and feet, mane, coats and tails be disinfected, as well 
as horse cars at points of entry into the State; quaran¬ 
tine on all shipments of live stock between counties <>f 
the State; that the Governor be requested to furnish all 
necessary funds and assistance for a complete quaran¬ 
tine ; that a law be enacted to provide for the proper 
and fair appraisal of all valuations for grade and pure¬ 
bred cattle, sheep and swine based upon the worth of 
the animal for its commercial utility as a breeding and 
producing animal at a value for each purebred animal 
of not more than $300, and not upon its value con¬ 
sidered as a diseased animal; that a board of appraisal 
be provided for. to consist of the Comptroller or deputy, 
the Commissioner of Agriculture or deputy, and a citi¬ 
zen breeder to be appointed by the Governor from a 
list of ten to be submitted by the directors of the na¬ 
tional association of the purebred registry of the breed 
affected; that all owners of cloven-footed animals shall 
post quarantine notices to prevent trespass on prem¬ 
ises where animals are confined; that officials of all 
towns and cities enforce the quarantine against va¬ 
grant dogs and cats and also upon the driving of cat¬ 
tle on the streets. 
CAYUGA COUNTY BREEDERS.—The Cayuga 
County Breeders’ Association last week elected B. B. 
Andrews, of Weedsport, president; Frank Gildersleevc. 
of Union Springs, vice-president; and J. R. Wait, of 
Auburn, secretary-treasurer. Dr. II. E. Merry, city 
veterinarian of Syracuse, addressed the breeders oil 
the foot-and-mouth disease and urged each breeder t<» 
establish his own quarantine as a precaution. Breed¬ 
ers, he said, cannot be too careful. j. w. n. 
City Consumers and Parcel Post. 
I or nearly a year this office has been instructing the 
consumer in the direct sale of farm produce with the 
view to his getting in touch with the farmer. To that 
end we have been publishing from time to time a 
farmers’ price list, of which we have put thousands in 
the Washington homes. The result of these efforts has 
been to bring up our daily parcels of perishable pro¬ 
ducts shipped direct from the farm to approximately 
300 per day. Just about 50 per cent, of these parcels 
contain eggs in quantities from three to 15 dozen to 
the parcel. The week-end shipments of poultry run 
about 100 parcels per day for Thursdays, Fridays, and 
Saturdays, while butter and other farm products will 
easily exceed an average of 125 parcels per day. Fruits 
dried and fresh, run at the rate of 34 parcels daily. 
At the request of several farmers I have compiled a 
list of 234 names of city consumers in New York, New 
Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D. C„ who have 
expressed to this office their desire to deal direct with 
the farmers through parcel post, or whose interest in 
the parcel post has been vouched for to this office bv 
other patrons of the office. I think there is a field for 
as successful work in inducing the farmers to write to 
the city consumers, and thus get in touch with the city 
consumers, as there was in a city post office urging con¬ 
sumers to get in touch with the producers. 
T „ ,. OTTO PBAEGER, 
Washington, I>. ('. Postmaster. 
Unrest Among Minnesota Farmers. 
F ARMERS’ Clubs are being organized in every sec¬ 
tion of Minnesota by experts from the Extension 
Division of the 8tate University and by profes¬ 
sors of agriculture connected with the high schools 
It has been estimated that more than 800 have now 
been started and the end is not yet. It was intended 
that these clubs should take up only such matters that 
relate to production, but the farmers, incensed by the 
low prices paid for farm products, especially for po¬ 
tatoes, the price of which fell to 15 cents per bushel, 
are kicking over the traces, and are paying more at¬ 
tention to the question of distribution' than to the 
matter of production. Some clubs have already de¬ 
clared for the government ownership and operation of 
the railroads, which gives the politicians lots of grief. 
Apples, which were a drug on the market in many 
parts of the country, sold here in Northern Minnesota 
at from $1 to 32 per bushel. Farmers are beginning ti> 
inquire why potatoes, which they have to sell, are so 
••heap, and apples which they have to buy, are so high 
m price, when there is a good crop of both. They feel 
that the present system of distribution is at fault and 
they propose to find a remedy. A State federation of 
all these clubs will be formed during the year at which 
these matters will be taken. Hogs also fell off nearly 
two cents on the pound, although pork products went 
up in price, and some farmers have started an agita 
tion looking to the building of a packing plant. There 
never was such a spirit of unrest among the farmers 
of Minnesota as there is today. The Winter has been 
mild, only one or two real cold snaps. It looks as 
though rough feed would be plentiful. We do not ex 
pect Spring to open in earnest much before the first .»t 
May. Settlers are coming in from all directions to b> 
cate on the cheap lands, some of which sells as low as 
$i per acre. This is a great clover country, and tie- 
dairy business is in the lead. j. w. wit ham. 
J. W. w. 
Grain Stocks and Movements. 
Concerning fly damage in the wheat sections B. W. 
Snow reports that fly is present in the wheat crop over 
a wider area and to a greater extent than for many 
years. Many complaints of damage may be expected 
in the next few weeks. 
• E ^l )0rt ® f ™ m Atlanta and Gulf ports for week eiul- 
Ma^h 20, compared with the period from Julv 1, 
1914, follows: 
Wheat, bushels 
Flour, barrels . 
Corn, bushels . 
< hits, bushels . 
Rye, bushels .. 
Barley, bushels 
Week ending .Mar. 
- 4.446.000 
- 396,000 
- 1.841.000 
_ 930,000 
- 374.000 
- 80.000 
20 
Since July 1 
238,799,000 
S.385.000 
22.623,000 
52,193,000 
10,066,000 
9.864,000 
From Argentine ports 
shipments were: Wheat, 
533,000 bushels; oats, 1, 
for week ending March 20. 
5.128.000 bushels; corn, 1.- 
700.000 bushels. 
Stable manure never contains more plant food than 
on the day it is made. The plant food may become 
more available through chemical action, but there is 
more or less loss the longer the manure is kept. 
