Jjhe RURAL NEW-YORKER 
651 
Legislative Happenings at Albany 
the new wicks bill.—^T he new Wicks bill, 
now known as the Farm and Markets bill, passed 
the Senate last week, and has now gone to the 
Assembly. The organization claims that it will 
be able to secure its passage in the Assembly also. 
Several conferences and caucuses were held on the 
bill in the Senate, and it became virtually a party 
measure. Farmei's largely have lost interest in this 
bill for the reason that it doesn’t change any im¬ 
portant law, but merely changes the appointive and 
administrative methods of laws already in exist¬ 
ence. Under the bill, if it becomes a law, the 
Governor Avill appoint a commission of ten and 
this commission will administer the agricultural 
law, foods and markets law, and the weights and 
measures law. It will appoint the commissioners 
of these departments which will come under the 
jurisdiction of the commission. 
A WEAK MEASURE.—Everybody Is apologizing 
for the weakness and inefficiency of the measure. 
The excuse for it is that a more effective measure 
could not be adopted, and it is suggested that with 
this as a foundation the radical measures will be 
read into it or provided later. As a matter of 
principle and farm interest the bill ought never 
to become a law. There is no good to come from 
lumbering the legislative books with new laws that 
are no better than the old ones, and in this par¬ 
ticular case it is generally admitted, even by the 
friends of the new bill jis it stands, that the old 
law was the better of the two. Whether the ad¬ 
ministration of it or the later modifications of it 
woi’k good or ill is yet to be determined. Only 
one result is now apparent—it softens the sting of 
the walloping that the farmers of the State admin¬ 
istered the original Wicks bill. 
THE TOWNER-SMITII BILL.—The fate of the 
Towner-Smith milk bill is yet in doubt at this 
writing. Senator Towner is putting up a strong 
fight for it, and he has at least a fair prospect of 
getting it out in the Senate for roll call. This bill 
if adopted would provide the means for the only 
possible solution of the milk distributing problem 
in the City of New York, and for other large 
cities of the State. The most powerful organiza¬ 
tions netting money in the world are opposed to it, 
and some men in the I.egislature representing milk- 
producing sections are strangely indifferent, when 
they do not openly oppose it. Some of them will 
lirobably have an accounting with their constituents 
l>efore they are elected to succeed themselves in 
their present positions. 
THE NEW ATTORNEY-GENERAL.—On account 
of illness Egbert E. Woodbury, Attorney-General of 
the State, has resigned, and Assistant Attorney-Gen¬ 
eral Merton D. Lewis was elected by a joint ses¬ 
sion of the Legislature last week to fill the unex¬ 
pired term. The election of Mr. Lewis was prac¬ 
tically unanimous, the only exception being the vote 
of two Socialists who for sentimental reasons voted 
for a Sociali.st candidate. Attorney-General Lewis 
has served in both branches of the Legislature and 
on the Constitutional Committee. lie has shown a 
sympathetic interest in agricultural affairs, and his 
election to this iinimrtant State service Avill be ap¬ 
proved by farmei-s who ai'e familiar with his work, 
as well as by the general business interests of the 
.'^tate. 
College Education and Freedom 
strange stories come to us about some of the 
things which are hai)])ening in education. As yet 
they are only stories and we have not fully cor¬ 
roborated them, but they are told in such a way, 
and by people of such character, that they seem to 
bear the stamp off truth. We are told that certain 
• 
large foundations or educational funds are being 
used to dictate or form the oi)inions of our col¬ 
leges. It seems that a number of the weaker col¬ 
leges, and some of the agricultural colleges, feel 
the need of larger funds and endowments as their 
work develops, so we are told they often apply to 
the societies mentioned for financial help. The 
nianagei-s of these in.stitutions proceed to make an 
investigation. 
The course given at the college is carefully ex- 
amim'd and representatives come to the college and 
spend some little time in studying class-room work. 
We are told that the greater part of this investiga¬ 
tion is given to the classes in social economics and 
political economy. If the teachers in these depart¬ 
ments are liberal and radical, and if they are t6ach- 
ing their students what they ought to regarding 
the truth of such matters the college is usually 
politely informed that there are no funds available 
for it. If, on the other hand, the work in these 
departments is simply safe and sane, colorless, and 
therefore harmless, the aid is usually forthcoming. 
We are also referred to a number of people who 
were formerly connected with some of these col¬ 
leges or any work particularly applied to the life 
of country people. Some of these people are on 
record as saying that they feel the limitations of col¬ 
lege life, that they knew of many improper things 
and unwise methods which ought to be exposed so 
that the plain people would know about them. 
These men have gone so far as to say that they 
hope the time would come when they would be free 
from college life and its limitations, and therefore 
free to go to the public and expose certain prac¬ 
tices which are eating the heart and soi^l out of 
agricultural education. The time comes when these 
men resign or work out of their place in the col¬ 
lege, and those who know them expect at once that 
they will carry out their indicated wish, and give 
the'truth to the public. Instead of that they sud¬ 
denly di*op out of sight, and are seldom heard from 
again except now and then with some perfunctory 
statement or some essay or book which advises the 
peo])le to be content with what they have and stop 
all thought of radical development. Many of us 
have wondered what happened to these men, and 
why their flame was blown out just as soon as the 
desired opportunity came to them. We are now 
told that most of the.se men when they become free 
apply for and accept various pensions from the 
funds mentioned above. Thus they seem to throw 
off the yoke of college service, and in its place put 
on a chain, for having accepted a pension out of 
funds largely acquired through immoral extortionate 
practices they cannot possibly appear as the champ¬ 
ion of the common people. We are told that these 
things are being done more and more. We have no 
actual proof of it, but the statements are repeated- 
1.V made and we think it about time, in the interests 
of our colleges, and those who teach- in their class 
rooms, to explode the rumor if it is not tme. 
Therefore, we print this statement and shall be 
very glad to have a fair discussion of it, not based 
on hearsay evidence but upon the facts. To what 
extent does an endowment or a pension limit free¬ 
dom of thought and action? 
The Farm Labor Needs 
In view of the many efforts being made by organ¬ 
izations of all .sorts to enlist persons for farm labor, 
the New York State Food Supply Commission an¬ 
nounces that the present situation does not call for 
the immediate employment of women as farm hands, 
nor considerable numbers of men and boys from the 
cities without farm experience. Farming is an occu¬ 
pation requiring special skill. The immediate need 
of farmers is for boys and men who have had farm 
exi)erience and who can be immediately useful on 
the farms. Such help must be found larg('ly among 
schools. Colleges, and industrial or other pursuits in 
which persons Avho have recently come from the farms 
are engaged, among retired farmers, -and in vaiious 
occupations in country towns. 
The commission feels warranted, in view of the 
food interests of the nation in this crisis, in making 
an urgent appeal to boys and men everywhere who 
have h:id farm experience to volunteer for farm work. 
Industrial and commercial concerns emidoying such 
help are ui’ged to make possible and to encourage the 
release of all such per.sous. 
There will be need later for untrained boys, men 
and womeTi in the’harvesting of crops, and the mobil¬ 
ization of city labor for the farms should be directed 
toward this end. The commission urges all organiza¬ 
tions attempting to mobilize farm labor to work 
through the Commission so as to avoid duplication and 
wasted effort. 
The commission further calls attention t() the great 
need for reliable women in the farm home. ilany 
farmers will be unable to engage more help on the 
farm unless, at the same time, they can engage addi¬ 
tional help in the home. Applications for positions 
or for farm help should be addressed to the commis¬ 
sion, Albany, New Y"ork, or to the county farm agent. 
The following statement has been issued by the 
commi.sSiou appointed by Governor Whitman on food 
supply: 
WANTED.—At once, men and boys who have had 
actual farm experience to work on farms. Also, 
women for farm housework. Show your pati-iotism. 
Work on farm.s and help increase your country’s food 
supply. 
FARMl'IRS.—Do you need additional labor on the 
farm? 
Are your shipments of seeds, fertilizers, or machin¬ 
ery held up? Can you get what you need? 
Do you want help in the control of insects or plant 
diseases? 
Do you have difficulty with storage and shipping 
facilities, containers, or marketing problems? 
Do you need a .short-time loan for farm purposes? 
If so, apply to the Master nf your local Grange or to 
the State committee at Albany. 
To enroll for farm work or to obtain help on any 
of the foregoing or other matters, apply to the Com¬ 
mittee’s county representative in the county Farm 
Bureau office. 
Nmv YORK STATE FOOD SUPPLY COMMISSIOX. 
Albany, N. Y. 
Seed Treatment of Potatoes 
Diseases Concerned 
Issued by the Extension Service of the New York 
State College of Agriculture. 
COMMON S'CAB.—Scab is caused by a pai’asitic 
bacterium which attacks the skin of the potato tuber. 
It is carried through the Winter, in soil, in manure, 
and on the potatoes themselve.s. The growth of the 
organism is favored by an alkaline soil. To control,—• 
1. Rotate potatoes widely with other crops. 
2. Use care in the application of manure, wooil 
ashes, lime, or alkaline-producipg fertilizers. 
.3. Treat the seed before planting. 
RtlTIZOCTONIOSE.—The fungus Rhizoetonia nolani 
causes injury in several ways: (T) It rots the young 
sprouts, resulting in missing hills and an uneven stand : 
(2) affected vines often produce nothing but small' 
and worthless potatoes; (3) a black .scurf is devel¬ 
oped on the surface of otherwise healthy tubers. 
Control by rotating potatoes with hay and cereal 
crops, and by disinfecting the seed with corrosive sub¬ 
limate. 
BLACK LEG.—The bacillus causing black leg at¬ 
tacks the .stalks and kills the plant. It is harbored 
through the Winter in or on the surface of the seed. 
The disease is controlled by the removal of affe<‘ted 
plants from the seed plot, and by selecting and disin¬ 
fecting the seed. 
POWDERY SCAB.—This new disease may often 
be prevented from becoming established in the soil by 
disinfection of the seed. 
CORROSIVE SUBLIMATE TREATMENT. 
DIRECTIONS."—1. Soak the tubers for hours in 
a solution made by adding four ounces of powdered 
corrosive sublimate to every 30 gallons of water. 
2. As the powder is soluble with difficulty in cold 
water, it .should first be dissolved in a quart or more 
of hot water. Do not use a metal vessel for this pur¬ 
pose. 
3. Wooden troughs or tubs may be used for the 
treatment, but it is believed that barrels make the 
handiest containers. An inch hole is made in the 
side of each barrel, near the bottom, and fitted with 
a wooden plug. The barrels are then set on a plat¬ 
form high enough so that the solution may be drawn 
off into a tub or a pail. 
4. Fill the barrels with uncut potatoes and cover the 
potatoes with the .solution. At the end of hours 
draw off the liquid, empty the tubers, and refill the 
barrels. Add fresh solution to replace that taken up 
by the treated .seed. 
5. Treated tubers should be spread out in shallow 
piles and allowed to dry. The plants will come through 
the ground more quickly if the seed is permitted to 
green and start sprouting before planting. Treatment 
may be made, however, at any time previous to cut¬ 
ting. 
0. Corrosive sublimate solution lose.s strength with 
each successive treatment. It should not be used more 
than three times iinless some of the original solution 
is added, and even then it should be thrown away after 
the fourth using. 
PRECAUTIONS.—1. Corrosive sublimate is very 
poisonous. Keep the solution and the treated potatoes 
away from children and .stock. 
2. Corrosive sublimate corrodes metal, thereby lo.s- 
ing .strength. Wooden receptacles should therefore be 
used. 
3. Treat whole jiotatoes, not cut seed. 
4. It is IMPORTANT to use the right strength or 
solution, and to soak the seed for no more and no less 
than the required length of time. 
THE FORMALDEHYDE TREATMEN'r. 
DIRECTIONS.—^Soak the tubers for two hours in a 
solution made by adding one. pint of 40 per cent, for¬ 
maldehyde solution to 30 gallons of water. Treatment 
can be made as described for corrosive aublimate. This 
solution can be used repeatedly, as it does not lose 
strength during the- operiition. It is effective against 
scab, but is not .so effective in controlling rhizoc- 
toniose. 
Notes from Department of Foods and 
Markets 
. 204 Franklin St., New York City 
Aptil 2G, 1917. 
EGGS.—Market lower. This is the storage season 
and buyers are holding off for lower prices. Fancy 
State and nearby hennery whites, ffuc to 37c; -State 
and nearby gathered whites, .‘!4c to 3i)^c; fancy State 
and nearby hennery browns, .l.lc to .3(>c; State and 
nearby hennery brown and mixed gathered, .33c to 
341 / 20 . 
BUTT'ER.—Market lower. Fancy Western creamery 
buttei’, 41c to 42c; extras, 41c; firsts, .39^c to 40i/>c; 
best Eastern dairy, in tubs, 40c; in prints, 40c to 42c; 
in mixed packagc.s, 3Sc to 40c. 
CHEESE.—^Market firm. Prices lower. Old cheese. 
New York State large white and colored, 26c to 26i/^e; 
State part skims. 10c to 21c. New. cheese, State large 
white and colored, 25i/^e to 26^c. 
LIVE POUI/TRY.—Express receipts light. Fowls, 
24c to 25c; stags, 17c to 18c; Spring ducks, 26c to 
28e; geese, 18e to 20c; live rabbits, 26e to 28c per 
pound; broilers, 45c to 50c; old roosters, 16e. 
DRESISED POUI/TRY.—Fowls, 27c to 2Sc; broil¬ 
ers, 40e to 50c. Old roosters, 19c to 21c; Long 
I.sland Spring ducklings, 26c. 
LIVE CALVES.—Market 2c lower than la.st week. 
Fancy calves, 12%c to 13c; good to prime, 12c to 
12%c; common. 11c to 12e; buttermilks, 7c to 8c; 
yearlings, 7c to 7ViC. 
DRESSED CALVES AND LAMBS.—Dressed veal 
plentiful and lower. Fancy white meated calves, 16c 
to 17c; good to prime, 15%c to 17c; common, 14c to 
1414c; buttermilks, llc to 13c; hothouse lambs lower 
and in good supply, .$6 to $9 each. 
(Continued on page 657) 
