742 
TShe RURAL NEW-YORKER 
May 2G, 1917. 
PUBLISHER’S DESK 
In view of the many claims we receive 
from subscribers against the various ex- 
i»i oss companies on account of egg break¬ 
age, tiie facts and figures made public by 
tlip Food Research liaboratory of the 
r. R. Department of Agriculture are in¬ 
teresting and instructive. The result of 
the investigation by the Department of 
Agriculture shows that there is an aver¬ 
age of about 25 eggs out of every 20 
dozen shipped broken or damaged before it 
reaches its destination. At the very low¬ 
est estimate, the loss on eggs broken in 
transit in one. year would amount to 
something like .$2,000,000. We contend 
tliat the express companies and railroad 
companies are largely responsilde for this 
loss, and yet a co-operative effort on be¬ 
half of shippers we believe might reduce 
tliis monumental loss to an ajipreciable 
extent. .Tust how to bring about a re¬ 
duction of this unnecessary loss is a prob¬ 
lem that should apj)eal to every shii)ppr, 
as well as every receiver of goods. As a 
result of the study by the United States 
.Vgricultural Department specialists, the 
following preliminary suggestions for the 
cmisideration of egg producers and egg 
shippers have been made: 
“Use only sound, strong, new cases and 
new lids. Never use old fillers and fiats. 
These are the cardboard partitions in the 
case. The specialists find that fillers that 
have once been used are very ai)t to have 
their “ears,” as the little projections that 
keep the eggs from the side of the case 
are called, bent or weakened so that the 
egg may it the box when the box is 
jarred or moved. At least five times as 
many eggs break in fillers that have been 
used, as when they are now and firm. 
Never fail to put excelsior, cork shav¬ 
ings or a little (juarter filler in the bot¬ 
tom of the fase so that the eggs will have 
an even cushion under them and be sure 
to spread excelsior et'enhj and plentifully 
over the top flat. The top layer has gen¬ 
erally twice as many broken eggs in tran¬ 
sit as has any other layer in the case. 
I'se more care in handling eggs to pre¬ 
vent cracked shells; do not permit eggs 
already ci'acked to enter the case. 
Each egg is a living thing in a fragile 
porous shell. They should not be exposed 
to the hot sun ; they should be kept in a 
cool place the same as sweet cream or 
butter. They should be disposed of at 
least twice each week. If packed in 
cases, only new cases and No. 1 fillers 
and flats should be used. Such a case 
and filler will cost a few cents more than 
a second-hand one, but first, it looks bet¬ 
ter. and appearances influence the price 
of every farm j)roduct; second, breakage 
and damage to unbroken eggs from leak¬ 
age, will be enough less in a new case to 
pay for the additional first cost, to say 
nothing about the advantage and satis¬ 
faction that comes from the delivery to a 
customer of a high-grade product in first 
class condition. 
It frequently happens that various sizes 
of eggs are packed in one case. Some of 
the eggs are exceptionally long, others are 
termed “fat” eggs—^being large around. 
When the exceptionally long or fat egg 
are packed in a case, breakage is sure to 
follow, owing to the fact that they fill 
the cells completely, which is practically 
the .same as placing the eggs together 
without any protection between them. 
These exceptionally long and fat eggs had 
best be kept for home use and only aver- 
iige sized eggs shipped.” 
We should like to have our people act 
on the above suggestions and watch the 
results. Then a little later on we should 
be interested to have reports from our 
poultrymen advising us whether or not 
the adoption of the above suggestions 
has in any degree eliminated breakage on 
their egg shipments. 
Through your paper. I found the ad¬ 
vertisement of Mead Cycle Company of 
Chicago, and wrote to them for cata¬ 
logue and prices. I received catal<)gue 
and prices, and agreements. I didn’t 
order at once, as many of the houses re¬ 
duce their prices almost every week, and 
also offer premiums to make people buy, 
same as Mead Cycle did to me. On 
March ISth, 1917, I ordered from them 
a Ranger Superb with five premiums 
free, and freight prepaid to my station 
for $32.75, and I mailed check for same. 
On the very m'orning after I mailed the 
order, I received from Geo. Lewis, man¬ 
ager, a letter with a $5 certificate or 
credit voucher to include in my order, 
for this wheel I bought. Instead of 
.$.32.75 I would have to include $27.75, 
but I had mailed $.32.75. This same day 
I wrote another letter including the $5 
certificate and told the manager either 
to return me .$5 or send me' the Ranger 
motor bike wheel, which was worth $.5 
more. In about a week I received the 
Ranger Superb by express, with $1.6.3 
expressage. and I didn’t receive the .$.5 
back. I wrote to them again, asking 
them t<t return me the $5 and .$1.6.3, 
which made .$6.63, but I received no an¬ 
swer from them. I wrote another letter 
and they didn't answer it, so I will leave 
this matter to you, hoping you may col¬ 
lect $6.64. as I thought it was e reliable 
hou.^e. j. s. P. 
New .Tersey. 
.1. S. I*, is mistaken in his statement 
that he .saw the Mead Cycle Co. advei-- 
tisenient in TiiK R. N.Y. We discon¬ 
tinued the Mead Cycle Co, advertising 
sev<‘r;il years ago. We took the subscri¬ 
ber's claim up promptly and upon receipt 
of our letter a refund of $.3.75 was made, 
the firm claiming the right to deduct 
$1.25 from the >$5 credit voucher on ac¬ 
count of a lamp which was not a regular 
equipment on the bicycle. The ‘.p5 certi¬ 
ficate provides that on account of this re¬ 
duction in the price, freight and express 
charges would be i)aid by the purchaser. 
The price previfui.sly quoted on the bi¬ 
cycle including the lamp was $32.7.5. 
We concede that under the conditions of 
the $5 certificate the purchaser must 
stand the freight or express charges, as 
the case may be, but we contend that any 
fair interpretation of the $5 certificate 
would mean that the previous i)rice 
(luoted for the bicycle should be rt'duced 
to the extent of .$5, and the subscriber 
was entitled to refund of the full $5. 
We have been unable to convince the 
Mead Cycle Co. that the.se view.s are just 
and we ai’e submitting this statement of 
the case for the considenitioii and guid¬ 
ance of the jiublic. 
With reference to my order .sent the 
Mankato Incubator Co., Mankato, Minn., 
the company insisted on shipping the in¬ 
cubator after I had cancelled the order, 
and I am sure shipment was made after 
cancellation, was received. I took the in¬ 
cubator home and gave it a fair trial. I 
worked with it for five days and five 
nights, but do what I would I could not 
get the heat ujt to what is required—102 
to 104 degrees. The best I could make 
with the lamp turned full blaze was 
.about 96 degrees. I put in the egg.< on 
the third day and very carefully carried 
out instructions, but it was no use. I 
shipped it back by express and I am in 
hopes that yon may get a refund of the 
$10.25 which I sent the company, or some 
])art of it. I enclose their guarantee, and 
you can see what they pledge to their 
customers. M. j. s. 
New York. 
Wo wrote the Mankato Incubator Co. 
in behalf of the subscriber in question 
and asked that a refund on the incubator 
be m.ide. The reply received contain.^ the 
following pertinent paragraph: 
“It is very clearly evident that this 
party ha.s made up her mind before she 
ever received the incubator that she did 
not want to keep it, and the ‘trouble’ in 
heating up was merely a subterfuge to 
try to work the machine back on us. Wo 
are always willing to do everything we 
can to satisfy every customer, by giving 
them a square deal, but we will certainly 
not be imposed upon.” 
Manuf.acturers of cheap incubators 
never have any difficulty in finding some 
pretext or another for avoiding a fair in¬ 
terpretation of their blanket guarantee 
when complaint is made. The stock con¬ 
tentions of such manufacturers are that 
the incubators are giving satisfaction to 
others and therefore the fault must be 
entirely with the customer. We h.ive 
previomsly referred to the deceptive 
methods employed by this etneern in or¬ 
der to secure orders, so that we are not 
surpri.sed to find the firm unwilling to 
live up to their guarantee under which 
the sale was made. 
I enclose bill of one case of eggs 
shipped to Ralph Dyer. .301 West 117th 
&t.. New York, on Oct. 22, 1915. for 
which I cannot get any money or even 
a reply to several letters T have written 
him. I am asking you to see what you 
can do about collecting it. These eggs he 
ordered shipped to him at the time they 
were billed. f. h. f. 
Mr. Dyer is another New Y^'ork party 
who is willing to supply his table at 
the farmer’s expense. If these individ¬ 
uals cannot furnish satisfactory refer¬ 
ences it will be wiser to refuse to ship 
to them. 
CLOTIICRAFT 
Clothes 512 to 525 
SERGE SPECIALS 
• 5130” Bine, $16.50 
•‘613(»” Gray,$10.50 
•‘4130” B1 lie .$20.00 
••3130 'Gray .$20.00 
Made by 
Tlie Joseph & FeiesCo. 
Clcvelaad 
Like ^ray? Want a 
gray suit that will look, 
fit and wear uncom¬ 
monly well and cost 
uncommonly little? 
Scientific tailoring 
makes a daily busmess 
of finding ways to 
better the product and 
lessen its cost. 
‘‘6130” Gray Serge 
Special at $16.50 is a 
splendid example of 
the fact that Cloth- 
craft Clothes—ready- 
to-wear—yield the 
utmost in fit;, looks 
and wear that can be 
given men and young 
men at moderate 
prices. 
The CLOTHCRAFT STORE 
IN YOUR TOWN 
Make work easier 
in. hot weather 
contort 
Hrery time you move your shouMers 
the "tive and take" feature adjusts 
with them. Tell your dealer you 
want President!. We will repair, re¬ 
place, or refund money on anypair 
(if mailed lo us) that in any way 
proves unsatisfactory. 
Look for the JV«W» tTr buckle and 
Euarantee ta? on every pair. Ac¬ 
cept no othera. All dealers, 
PRESIDENT SUSPENDER CO, 
SHIRLEY, MASS. 
Ask for Cat* 
aloe No. 274. 
The special 
shape teeth cut 
the weeds close 
to the htU and 
do not cover 
the crop with 
earth. 4U years 
actual service. 
Rear wheel furnished if desired. 
CUP YOUR WEEDS 
with a COLT 
Wood Beam 
Cultivator 
BATAVIA CUMP COMPANY. 215 Center St., Batavia, N.Y. 
i 
Ed.H.Witte 
YOUR 
ENGINE 
SHIPPED 
TO 
I Don't wait 4 to 8 weeks. Wire me your engine 1 
[order NOW. I’ll ship local to your destination! 
same day I get order. Make your WITTE Engine 1 
take the place of extra help—do twice as much. | 
WITTE Engines 
Sizes 2 to 22 H-P. Kerosene or Gasoline. Fully I 
Guaranteed. Sold on 90 Days’ Trial; Cash, PavJ 
ments or Deposit. Latest Prices by return mail. 
WITTE ENGINE WORKS 
S898i''’*<'>'«l Ave., 
Kan... City, Mo. 
)8 Emplr. 
Bldg., 
ttaburgh. 
Pa. 
PIMS, 
FREE 
Alone with oarhsP 
parts wo send FREE! 
plans, and permit to 
Build your own eon* 
Crete mixer under 
ourrisrhts. In that 
way you securo a 
practical mixer/ 
Cor all cem e nt 
work at a cost 
so lowyoa can 
not afford to 
mix concrete 
t>y band. 
Build Your 
'Own Batch 
CONCRETE 
MIXER- 
J Save bji 
f labor, 
money and baclcbreakinc 
. Sheldon's Batch Mixer repays 
__ _ - iV> . 
its cost ($11.60 up) on first small job 
lasts for years. Ideal machine foriarm 
' jobs—dMurned by a farmer for farmers. 
No other like it. Patented. Mixcs21-2 
cu. ft. a minute—keeps 1 to 6 men busy.- 
Has chain drive* self-tiltinsr dump, easily 
•noved* all parts firusranteed. Does work 
equal to $200 mixers. Built<iip machines* 
hand or power (1 1>2 h. p.)—or you can buy 
the iron parts and msko your own machine. 
Get Catalog and Special Offer 
Shows our full line of mixers which ore 
I sold direct to you on strooer firuarantee. 
ySO days trial privileiire. We want ten men 
in every county to accept our special 
co-operative offer rishMiow which will 
help you to secure a machine at little or 
no cost.Write us today. 
SHELDON MFD. CO. 
Box 375 Nehawka* Neb. 
i/^MixYour OwnConcreic 
HARRIS STANCHIONS 
insure increased profits from your herd. They 
make cows comfortable, are easily and econom¬ 
ically installed. Made of steel, wood-lined, 
they will give life-long satisfaction and service. 
I^Dp'F Illustrated Catalog ” 
* describes the Harris Line of labor- 
saving bam equipment. Please write forit today. 
The Harris Mfg. Co. SO Main St. Salem. Ohio 
PULLING BOTH WAYS 
A stout team is no use at one 
end of the rig if friction is hold¬ 
ing back at the other. Mica 
Axle Grease makes stronger 
pullers of your team. It’s the 
mica that does it. 
MICA 
AXLE GREASE 
Eureka Harness Oil 
makes harness soft, pliable and 
water-proof. 
Standard Oil Co. of New York 
Principal Offices 
New York Bullalo Albany Boston 
