754 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE liVSIXESS FAR^rElTS PAPER 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and t^uburban Homes 
Established isso 
Pnblitfaed weekly by the Rnral riibllRhln^ Company, S83 Weit 80(h Street, New fork 
Herbert W. Collingwood, PrcRident and Editor. 
JoH>t J. Dillon, Tre^'^jurer and General Manat?<*r. 
Wm. F. Dillon, Secretary. Mrk. E. T. Royle, Associate Editor. 
SUBSCRIPTION : ONE DOLLAR A YEAR 
To foreifrn countries in the Tniversa! Postal Tnion. equal to 8a. 6d., or 
8^ marks, or 10}^ francs. Remit in money order, express 
order, i)ersonaI check or bank draft. 
Entered at Xew York Post Ofllce as Second Class Matter. 
Advertisinff rates, 75 cents ))er ai?ate line—7 words. References reqtiired for 
advertisers unknown to us ; and cash must accompany transient orders. 
SI^UARE DEAL’’ 
We believe that every advertisement in this paper is backed by a respon- 
•ible i^rson. We use every pof^ible precaution and mlmit the afivertisinp: of 
reliable houses only. But to make doubly sure, we will make prood any loss 
to ^id subwribers sustained by trustinp: any deliberate swindler, irrespon¬ 
sible advertisers or misleadinj? advertisement.s in our columns, and any 
such swindler will be publicly exi>osed. We are also often called upon 
to adjust difierences or mistakes between our subscribers and honest, 
responsible houses, whether a<ivertisers or not. We willinirly use our good 
<«fices to this end , but such cases should not bo confused with dishonest 
toansaetions. >>e protect subscribe!*s against rogues, but we will not be 
resiwnsible for the debts of honest bankrupts sanctioned by the courts. 
Notice of the complaint must he s<*nt to us within one month of the time of 
the transaction, and to identify it. you should mention The Rural New- 
Torker when writing the advertiser. 
O N July 1 iin Act of Congress containing tlie fol¬ 
lowing becomes effective: 
That no letter, postal c;ird, c-ircular. newspaper, 
pamj)h]et, or publication of any kind containing any 
advertisement of spiritiious. vinous, malted, fermented, 
or other intoxicating licpiors of any kind, or contain¬ 
ing a .solicitation of an Girder or orders for said liquors, 
or any of them.^ shall be deposited in or carried by the 
mails of the United States, or be delivered by any 
postmaster or letter carrier, when addressed or directed 
to any person, firm. corjKiration, or association, or other 
addressee, at any jdace or point in any State or Terri¬ 
tory of the T'nited States at which it is by the law in 
force in the State or Territory at that time unlawful 
to advertise or solicit orders for such liquors, or any 
of them, respectively. 
Thi.s covers, or will sfioii cover. 01 towns in Con¬ 
necticut. and the following entire States: Alabama, 
Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, 
Idalio, Indiana. Iowa, Maine. Micliigan. Mississi))])!. 
Montana. Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Caro¬ 
lina. North l >akola, Oklahoma. < Hvgon. South Caro¬ 
lina. South Dakota, T'tali. Virginia. Wasliington and 
West Virginia. Tlie law is very strict. Any pub¬ 
lisher who knowingly iiermits any advertisement of 
li<inors to go into these territories may he fined 
$100 or im]n-isonm(Mit for six months. Tender the 
law it will l>c illegal for yon to mail a co])y of yo\ir 
local paper to a friend in any of these States if 
such {taper contains any liquor advertising. This 
law was forced thiMugli Congress by the ]>eoi>le who 
have Iteen annoyt'd by receiving letters and circulars 
offering Ibinor for sale. 
* 
A COIHIESPONDKNT sa.vs xve have had more or 
less about the “guff' written and spoken ity 
city iteople about farmers. "Now give ns a samide 
of what yon mean I" Dnt of many tlionsands Ave 
may take the following from the New York World: 
Milking is not a mysrery. A man with strong fore¬ 
arms can soon master tin* art ;ind outdo the experienced 
farm stripling. 1‘lowing is hard, but any lad who is 
up to a grocer's cart can tool a harroAv or horse-rake. 
British farmei’s. more conservative than our own. have 
had to acee[(t women as field hands, and unskilled 
women at that. 
0 
Tlie 'World is tiwing to sliow tliat tlie lalior ques¬ 
tion on tlie farms is a small matter after all. Do 
you siijqiose the writer of that ever milked a cow— 
or saw one dried off by a new hand? We would 
not like to turn liim loose xvitli a harrow in the 
young orchards I Tliere are several kinds of “gulf” 
—criminal, insane and the kind that is sinqily fool 
talk, and the farmers sire getting all kinds. They 
might liave been willing to stand for it in past years, 
but not now. when they are expected to “feed the 
world." Tlie man wlio^sends ns the above clipping 
says: 
Wc have taken city boarders for about 20 years, and 
I never saw one yet that would he worth his board as 
a farm laborer wlio was not born on a farm, 
* 
I XOTICE on page T0.^» a letter from II. II. L. It is 
Worthy of serious thought, and in my mind is the only 
solution to the (piestion of cheaper farm feeds. I un¬ 
derstand there are several co-operative mills and ele¬ 
vators now in the West controlled by grain raisers wlio 
I am sure would be delighted to ship direct to New 
York State dairymen if some one were to take it in hand 
and get them together. s. B. J. 
C .VN anyone name and locate these co-o]ierative 
elevators? We can easily find hnndi'eds of 
dairymen who want to organize and buy their grain 
in large lots, luit we liave found it difficult to find 
tlie big grain dealers wlio will sell that way. It must 
l>e evident to all that something must bo done to im- 
jirove this feed situation. Those articles by Prof. 
Minkler which begin this week show what is liap- 
jtening in New .Jersey, and the same thing will be 
more or less true all along the Atlantic slope unless 
this feed situation is improved. W'e recognize all 
the factors which enter into it. There are grain 
growers, manufacturers and millers, half a dozen 
different classes of dealers and consumers. We 
want no injustice done to any of tliem, but they 
Oic RURAL NEW-YORKER 
must all realize that as things are now done, too 
many men have a hand in the hag. Some of them 
liave got to get out or, following the nation's neces¬ 
sities, the handlers will be put out as has l)een done 
in Germany. There is no patriotism, much less busi¬ 
ness. in holding the Western grain growers and tlie 
Eastern dairymen apart, and tlie dealers cannot 
take any arrogant or selfish position if they exiiect 
to stay in the business. Thk B. N.-Y. offers its .ser¬ 
vices in trying to solve tliis liard feed question. 
Talk it out, find the best way. and then i»nt it over. 
The Germans made the vital mistake of neglecting 
this feed problem before the war, and they were 
forced to practice what amounts to confi.scation in 
order to settle it. The dealers can have the same 
thing in this country if they persist in any arbitrary 
policy. 
♦ 
.Tt’ST a few Avoids in regard to increased production. 
The substance of it is Ave do not get a price for farm 
ju’oduce that pays to produce it. I have three sons at 
Avork in the lumber AA’oods. They can get from .$.50 to 
$70 per month and Avork not over 10 hours per day, 
AA'ith best of board. It is too much of a gamble for nie 
to pay even $40 i)er month and board at the present 
jirices without a guaranteed iniuininm price fixed either 
i)y the government or some one. ,So I sliall produce 
what I can with the help of the younger ones and day 
liclp. I believe such men as E. R. Brown heljt to keep 
the farmer where he is. the hardest-Avorked and poorest- 
jiaid laborer in this great country. i.. e. r. 
St. LaAvrence Co., N. Y. 
ERE is a man from the famous “Nortli Country'’ 
—tliouglit to I>e represented l>y Elon R. BroAvn. 
Dur friend lias Mr. BroAA'ii's nnmlier doAA'n in hl.ack 
and wliite. Wliat he says about the farmers and 
tlieir AA’ork is right. For years we have lieen trying 
to put the trntli before our people and now, when 
the ]iinch comes, they see it. If tlie goA'ernment 
really Avants to increase crop production it .should 
first of all put a tax of $5 on every 100 Avords of 
advice Avhich town and city men undertake to offer 
to farmers. All this (diildisli guff Avhicli Ave read in 
the papers slionld lie taxed out of sight or liearing. 
Most of it is fool talk pure and simple, and it has 
no useful effect. It simply irritates and discoui’ages 
farmers avIio are doing their best to im*rease food 
production. As for Elon R. BroAvn. is it not one of 
the strangest freaks of iiolitb-al history that such a 
l»olitician should represent the great “North Coun¬ 
try" and particularly .Tefferson County? Practically 
the entire business of .Tefferson County (outside of 
Senator BroAvn's activities! is based uiion dairying. 
That is largely true of the entire “North Country.” 
.Tefferson has ,5S.0r»0 dairy coavs and a total of 91,176 
cattle. Tliere Avere 17S.4.S6 tons of silage and 145,695 
tons of hay jirodni'cd last year. Every man. woman 
and child in the county must depend directly or in¬ 
directly uiAon the coAA’ for ,a living. .Tefferson is a 
coAV country, but it seems as if Senator BroAvn con¬ 
sidered it a county of mulfs by tlie Avay he exi)ects 
the farmers to fall in at the crack of the party whip. 
It Avill he nearly IS months before Senator BrOAvn's 
jiresent term expires. That will giA-e ns time to find 
out Avhether Jefferson County dairymen AA'ill stand 
for BroAvn. 
♦ 
Community Cold Storage! 
HIS is one of the things which must come a*s 
a part of country life. It means a cold storage 
plant in a rural community so situated as to serve, 
say 250 farms. In it may he stored eggs, butter, 
milk, fresh meat or iierishables of any sort for fam¬ 
ily use or for market. A farmer might kill a sheep 
or hog or a beef at any time and put it right into 
this storage. He could come and get meat as de¬ 
sired or sell it to his neighbors. In ease the market 
Avas loAA’’ on fruit. A'egetaldes or other {lerishahle 
goods for the day tliere would be no need of sacri-. 
ficing ero])s. They could he stored until the imirket 
recovered. Tliei’e are a dozen Avays in Avhich such 
a plant could lie m.ide to serve the community. It 
is one of the things Avhich the future must liriug if 
farmers are to hold their oavii. I'nless they can 
(’(lualizc distribution farmers will he distributed out 
of business. Noaa* the electric lines are being Avell 
distributed over the country and tliere are great 
liossibilities in using the current for refrigerating. 
,1. H. Hale of Connecticut giA-es us this idea: 
In every part of the country Avliere there are eleetric 
lines either for poAver or lighting puriioses. there are 
times in each 24 hours Avhen there is a surplus of 
“juice.” Avhieli can. or ought to be had at bargain 
prices, and au.vAvbere in the eountry along these lines 
there can easily be aiitoinatic refrigerating plants, 
either big or little, that are operated by this cheap 
electric juice. Of course, they cannot be kept at ex¬ 
actly the same temperature as Avhere juice is at band 
all the time, but by alloAving them to be opened up 
only at the time of day when the juice is on I believe 
they can be kept at pretty close to any standard tem¬ 
perature desired. 
This is one of the great things for us to consider. 
This “juice” for daylight service ought to be clieap 
and a set of these storage plants, controlled by far- 
June 2, 1917. 
mers, put along the electric lines ought to prove a 
great help to farming. 
L ast week we gave some figures showing the 
co.st of bringing a carload of burros from Ari¬ 
zona to New York. Now we are surprised to find 
tliat a number of readers Avant to secure one or 
more of these little donkeys. It would hardly pay 
to ship these little animals singly, since the express 
rates are higli. hut if .50 or more AAere AA’anted a car¬ 
load could be brought to some central place and dis- 
trilmted. The R. N.-Y. is here to seiwe its readers 
in any honest enterprise, whether it lie collecting 
dollars or donkeys. If a sufficient number of our 
readers want donkeys, so that a carload Avill be 
made up let us knoAv. and perhaps Ave can organize a 
donkey club. It ouglit to require some one of i-are 
iiitelligeiice to net as executiA’e of a donkey club. 
* 
W E Avould like to print more of the letters 
wliich farmers and tlieir Avives are sending 
to the local papers. Many of tliem are remarkable 
for plain sense and clear expression of tliought. 
Tliey are usually (‘ailed out by some sneering or 
senseless remark by a city man avIio undertakes to 
tell farmers their duty. Tlie ■\,^"aterIlury (Conn.) 
American recently jirinted such a letter signed 
“Shophand.'’ Mrs. Barliara E. Gunn at once came 
hack Avitli a eoluiiin of liot sliot, and hei'e is a sam- 
ide of it: 
This man Avdio signs himself Shophand says: “If tin* 
farmer would get up and work as hard as'his father.” 
5Yhy should he? 'Would the Shophand be satisfied to 
work 10 or 1*2 hours a day as his father did at the same 
AA’age? iWhy does he strike for more pay and shorter 
hours? Does he not realize that by so (loing he himself 
is adding to the high cost of living? What right has 
he to demand that the farmer do more that he may 
produce more to be sold for less, so the shop man may 
buy his food cheaper when he is not willing to work for 
less himself to help reduce tlie cost of what he pro¬ 
duces, for the farmer's use. 
“Shophand” certainly ha.s tlie fliAor! He is floored, 
for Avhen you see liim doing at liis oavu job what he 
advises the farmer to do, you Avill see a Avonder. 
That letter Avas Avritten Avith a fountain pen—a 
fountain of Avisdom, courage and sense. That is tlie 
AAay to make tlie local jiaiiers useful. “We must do 
this Avork ourselve.s, for no one Avill fight or Avrite 
onr battles for us. 
* 
O N June 5 all young men, in this country, OA’er 
21 and under .‘II years old, must register and 
lie prejiared for a coiiscrijitive Avar draft. Congress 
has decided not to depend upon volunteers for the 
army, but lias given the President poAA'er to demand 
your boy or mine if bis services are needed. The 
choice in this first draft Avill ho left to the army 
officers, and they Avill doubtless lie as fair as any 
Avar measure will ]»eriiiit tliem to be. Apparently 
they aim to avoid taking young farmers or AA’orkers 
ill jiroductive industries, and they Avill doubtless 
pass those aa'Iio are most needed ity their jiarents or 
other dependents. AYe must all, hoAvever, realize 
tliat Ave have noAv eoiiie face to face Avith tlie stern 
reality of AA'ar. Its liard hand AA'ill now reach di¬ 
rectly into oAir homes and claim our children for 
service. Far too many Americans liave seen their 
<‘ountry draAvn into this horrible struggle Avithout 
realizing what it Avill mean, but iioaa', as the days 
go by, we shall all l>e lirought face to face Avith the 
stern facts of a imblic and priA'ate life Avhich can 
never be the same for ais again. There can be no 
turning hack or faltering noAV. There are great 
trials and sjierifices in store for all of us, and this 
first draft of soldiers will bring it all home to us. 
Tlie next fcAV years are to test this nation as by 
fire. .Speaking for the American farmer we know he 
Aviil do more than his sliare. 
Brevities 
Cottage cheese is food lit for the palace. 
AYe are having a great Ininch of Sweet clover experi¬ 
ence. 
Rome Avas started in a day. but it took much longer 
to build it. 
And noAv tlie avooI groAver Avith a ton of avooI to sell 
goes to bat. 
Ot'K AA’eather has deserted the enemy at last and come 
over to our side. 
Rvm ahvays rhymes Avith “bum”^—and thei*e is no 
other poetry in it. 
Ana' business Avhicli has no sentiment in it may be 
classed as robbery. 
Let every poultryman do Avbat he can to groAV corn. 
buckAvheat and mangels. 
Ix all this demand for extra service by farm workers 
why do we not hear more about the busy bee? AA’e 
shall need more SAveets. AVho can produce them more 
cheerfully than Mr. Busy Bee? 
The R. N.-Y’^. does not attempt to tell any man his 
duty. We haA^e all AA’e can do to keep Avithin gunshot of 
onr OAvn. We do try to gwe our reaciers the facts and a 
glimpse of the future. Then they must do the rest. 
