•Ghe RURAL NEW-YORKER 
987 
To the New York Legislature in Special 
Session 
Since January first last and August first, the 
average price of B grade milk of 3.3 per cent, fat 
content (which is the grade and quality of the 
bulk of milk sold in New York City) has been 4.1 
cents per quart to the farmer. 
The cost to the consumer in bottles has been 
from 11 to 12 cents. For other grades and con¬ 
densed milk and <?ream, the difference between 
price at the farm and cost to the consumer has 
been still greater. It takes three 3 'ears to raise a 
cow, and four .vears is her average milk producing 
period. Yet the dealer gets twice as much for dis¬ 
tributing a quart of milk as the farmer gets for 
producing it. You know the dealer gets too much 
of the consumer’s 12 cents. 
Last Winter Senator Towner introduced a bill to 
provide a pasteurizing plant and milk market in the 
cit.v. so that the Department of Foods and Markets 
might distribute milk through the grocery stores in 
bottles, and demonstrate just what the cost of*dis¬ 
tribution actually is. You were not asked to buy 
the milk, nor to deal in milk. You were simply 
asked to furnish the Department with utilities to 
make a very practical demonstration of the cost of 
distributing milk. 
You said the bill was revolutionarj'. It interfered 
with vested interests. It was socialistic, and finally 
and conclusively it was, you said, unconstitutional. 
You would not even let it come out of the commit¬ 
tee for a vote. And so the farmer goes on produc¬ 
ing milk for less than the cost of production, and 
three times within the j’ear dealers have advanced_ 
the price to consumers. 
Under the alleged necessity for cheaper food, you 
now meet in special session for the express purpose 
of reducing the cost of food. Your present bill 
makes the Towner bill look very conservative in¬ 
deed. You will not deny that it is more revolution- 
ar.v and more socialistic than the Towner bill. If 
that bill was unconstitutional, in what way can your 
bill be made to harmonize with the fundamental 
State law? 
If you are at all sincere wlij’’ not admit that your 
arguments against the Towner bill were not valid, 
and pass that bill as the first act of the special ses¬ 
sion? In this way you can reduce the average cost 
of bottled milk to the consumer three cents a quart, 
and pay the faimer -what he has received for milk 
this year. You can pay him the extra cent a quart 
he should have now, and yet reduce the cost to the 
consumer two cents a quart. You can save on dis¬ 
tribution three-fourths of the price to the farmer. 
J’his is specific and definite. Here you can do some¬ 
thing Avorth while. Will you do it? 
If you really want to reduce the cost of food, what 
nossiiile reason have 3 'ou now against the Towner 
bill? 
System for State of New York Potato Crop 
This year the Federal and State governments ap¬ 
pealed to farmers to increase the production of 
food, Avith particular emphasis on potatoes. The 
farmer responded, and a large production of general 
food products is promised. A large crop of po¬ 
tatoes is practically a.ssured. 
The State and Federal authorities are now anxious 
xo help the farmers harvest and store and market 
the potatoes efficiently and economically, so as to 
get a fair I’eturn to the farmer, and by economic 
distribution deliver them to the consumer at as low 
a price as is consistent Avith a fair return to the 
pi'oducer. The plan proposed is: 
1. A thorough organization of px*oducers in local 
associations. 
2. Careful grading and packing of potatoes. 
3. Individual farm storages. 
4. Community storages and warehouses. 
5. Concentration of all sales in one agency. 
6. Provision for loans through the Federal bank¬ 
ing system to groAA-ers Avhile the crop is being held. 
7. Regulate shipments to supply the demands of 
the ti-ade Avithout creating a glut in the market. 
8. Inci’ease consumption of potatoes by reducing 
the expense between the producer and the consumer. 
It is proi>osed that each local section of growers 
organize into a co-operatiA’e association under the 
co-operative laAv, each member taking one or more 
shares of stock at $.5 each. Each producer Avill ap¬ 
point his a.ssociation as his agent for the grading, 
distrilxution and sale of his potatoe.s. The associa¬ 
tions would be organized Avith regular officers and a 
board of directors and a business manager who Avill 
not be an ofticer of the as.sociation. The bu.s'iness 
manager may A'olunteer his services Avhen the re¬ 
quirements are normal, but when considerable time 
is rexiuired for his work, the manager should be 
employed on a stated salai*y under a definite con¬ 
tract. It is better that the manager should not be 
an officer. The officer hires himself and bosses him¬ 
self. He serves two masters. The association AAdll 
get better results if it hires and dii’ects a competent 
manager. 
The local exchange Avill elect one member as a 
trustee to represent it as a stockholder in the stock¬ 
holders’ meetings of the Noaa’ York Potato S.ales 
Company’. 
The NeAv York Potato Sales Company will also be 
incoiTorated under the co-operative Iuaa’ of the State 
of New York. Its stockholders Avill be the local 
potato groAA’ers’ associations in the State. The by¬ 
laws AA’ill provide that each local exchange become 
a stockholder for one or more shares of stock in the 
New York State Sales Company. The directors 
will be elected from the trustees representing mem¬ 
ber exchanges. 
All of the potatoes. groAvn by any member of the 
local association except what is used fer home con¬ 
sumption, will be pledged to the local association for 
sale and for grading and shipping. The local ex¬ 
change in turn will pledge the potatoes in Its control 
to the New York Potato Sales Company for distri¬ 
bution and sale. The New York State Sales Com¬ 
pany will return the full amount for which the po¬ 
tatoes were sold in original check of buj’er, Avith 
account sales; and the local exchange will return a 
check to the New York Potato Sales Company for 
selling brokerage. All claims for shortage or dam¬ 
age shall be assumed by the local exchanges. 
The NeAV York State Sales Company will work 
in co-operation with the State Department of Foods 
and Markets, the New York State Food Supply 
Commission, the farm bureaus and the Federal 
Food Commission. Pi’ovision will be made for is¬ 
suing receipts for potatoes held in properly super¬ 
vised storages. 
The Federal Resei’A’e Board has already classified 
potatoes as a non-perishable staple, and loans upon 
Avarehouse receipts may be rediscounted at reserve 
banks for periods of ninety daj’s. These notes are 
subject to one renewal, so that a grower can carry 
an account for six months, which Avill be more than 
sufficient time to cover the canning time of potatoes. 
In order to secure the storage receipt as a pledge 
for a loan, the organization is neces.sary in order 
that proper, certification of the quality of the goods 
and the condition of the storage may be made by 
an authoritative agency to the banking system. The 
Federal ReserA’e rate for rediscounting this paper 
through the local banks is now 8 ^ 2 % in most States. 
All the authorized agencies of the Federal Govern¬ 
ment in the State of NeAV Yox’k are noAA- co-opei’ating 
to effect this organization for the purpose of effi¬ 
ciently controlling and economically marketing the 
potato crop of the State of Noav York. Through the 
farm bureau sj’stem, the Food Supply Commission 
and the Department of Foods and Markets, organiza¬ 
tion papers have been prepared and are available 
for the organization of local units. An experienced 
organizer may also be had on application to consult 
Avith growers and complete legal organization.s. For 
further information and requests for organizers, ap¬ 
plication should be made to the Department of Foods 
and Markets, 204 Franklin St., New York. 
John J. Dlllon, 
Commissioner. 
The Market Biii Needed 
Last Winter Avhen the farmers killed the original 
Wicks bill. Senator Wicks requested Commissioner 
Dillon to present the provisions of the bill that 
Avould in his judgment be acceptable to the agricul¬ 
tural interests of the State. This was done, and 
the bill Avas considered at length by a joint meet¬ 
ing of the agricultural committee of the Legisla¬ 
ture, Senator Elon R. BroAvn being present. Eveiy 
condition of the bill was considered and informally 
approA’ed bj’ the members of the committee, includ¬ 
ing Senator Bro\vn. When the Senator presented 
his Wicks bill No. 2. however, none of these provis¬ 
ions Avas recognizable in the nexv bill. When used 
at all the teeth Avere draAvn out of them. The only 
Aveakness in the bill as ixroposed Avas a proA’ision for 
a three-headed commission to be appointed bj’ the 
GoA’ernor, instead of a single-headed commission, 
which all experience proves to be the most efficient. 
If Senator Brown Avill fish the bill submitted out of 
his files and present it to the Legislature he Avill 
have a bill that Avill fill every requirement of the 
food and market situation in time of peace or Avai*. 
He Avill haA-e eA-ery practical farmer in the State of 
New York behind him. Governor Whitman will ap¬ 
prove it and there Avill no longer be any AA’orth-Avhile 
opposition in the Legislatui'e. GoA'ernor Whitman 
has noAv recommended eA'ery important provision in 
the measure presented to Senators Wicks and 
BroAvn at their request, and discredited by them at 
the time for the pretentious and impotent Wicks 
bill No. 2. 
The Farm Seed Problem 
We are being deluged Avith advice on raising bigger 
crops. We are being inundated with catalogs showing 
that seed prices are aviating. The Government prom¬ 
ises relief but as far as this Avriter is concemed re¬ 
quests for sources of reasonable seed quotations are 
filled by a list of dealers from whom seed may be pur 
chased. Quotations from these Government advei 
tised dealers are freqxiently 25 to 50 per cent, highe 
than those of regular neAvspaper and farm publication 
adA'ertisers. Why not mobilize the expeidment stations 
as seed producing farms? With the highly paid and 
presumably trained men in charge of a high-grade seed 
production in abundance should, at least theoreticafly, 
result. CARL BOSECK. 
Alabama. 
HIS is a new one. Very few, if any, of the ex¬ 
periment stations are prepared to grow large 
quantities of seeds. Some of them have developed 
new varieties and some make distribution of choice 
seeds. As for doing much to help the farmer to 
cheaper seeds the experiment stations have blocked 
out too much of what they call “research” to get 
into the seed business. In any event it is too late 
now to get under way for this jmar. The most 
promising thing would be for the farm bureaus to 
organize such a trade. Some farmers produce small 
grain, corn and potatoes, beans and similar crops 
plenty good enough for seed. Mobilize them, find 
AAffiat they have and get buyers to combine so as 
to buy in good-sized lots. Right now is the time 
to begin with seed wheat and rye and clover seed. 
The Government may have to take this work up 
later, but why wait for that? If any farmer has 
good seed grain let him get to his farm bureau 
agent at once. 
The New Food Bill 
A few of the features of the new food law are 
stated as follows: 
The food bill gives the Government full control dur¬ 
ing the war over foods, feeds, fuels and fuel oils, nat¬ 
ural gsis, fertilizers and their ingredients and all tools, 
utensil's and equipment required to produce such “nec¬ 
essaries” as they are classed. 
Comprehensive powers are given to assure an ade¬ 
quate supply of these necessaries and their equitable dis¬ 
tribution and prevent any monopoly, hoarding or distri¬ 
bution of them. 
A minimum price of not less than $2 a bushel is 
fixed for wheat, beginning next year, and prices for coal 
and coke also are to be set by the Government, which is 
authorized to seize the factories and mines, if necessary. 
The" Government is empowered to purchase, sell and 
commandeer these necessaries. 
A fund of .$150,000,000 is provided, Avith an addition¬ 
al $10,000,000 for the purchase and sale at cost of fer¬ 
tilizers. 
Power to regulate grain and other markets to prevent 
speculation is given to the Government. Federal agents 
are prohibited from soliciting or inducing contracts 
with the Govi rnment for products in which they are in¬ 
terested. 
It i.s genei’ally expected that there will be a gen¬ 
eral decline in prices of coal as a result of this 
legislation, as the law gh’es the Food Commissioner 
poAver to regulate coal prices, and all seem to ad¬ 
mit they are now too high. The price of .$2 per 
bushel for wheat will go into force next year, and 
will continue during the Avar. In England a higli 
pi'ice of AA’heat is to be guaranteed for six years re¬ 
gardless of any peace. 
Heavy Crop of Peaches Expected to Sell 
V/eli 
Representatives from the Bureau of Jlarkets, De¬ 
partment of Agricuicure at Washington, Avere re¬ 
cently investigating the condition of the peach crop ia 
Southern Jei-sey. They reported that the Georgia crop 
is completely cleaned up; 'fie West Virginia crop is 
short, and the Ozai*k Mountains of Missouri will not 
furnish an.VAvhere nea.r as many peaches as usual. These 
government experts claim that New Jersey has one of 
the very heavies'- crops it has ever had, and that for the 
next month New .lersey, Delaware and Maryland Avill 
have the market to themselv'^s. In fact, the Federal 
Bureau of Markets is so much concerned about the ab¬ 
normal conditions that they have practically decided to 
establish a temporary office in one of the heavy peach¬ 
shipping districts of Southern .Tersey so that the more 
distant markets, especially around the Great Lxikes, 
may receive some shipments from the East. ITammon- 
ton, Vineland and Glassboro are being consixlered for 
the temporary office of the marketing bureau. 
Surely the prospects are far different this season than 
they wei'e two years ago. when New .Terse'- >'''ivvt‘ind 
and Delawai*e had their last bumper crop. During that 
season the Soxithern States as well had a heavy crop. 
Furthermore, not _ only carloads but tniinloads of 
peaches wei’e coming into the Eastern markets from 
the Ozark Mountains of Missouri. This year the heavy 
crop of New Jei’sey, Maryland and Delawai-e Avill have 
the Eastern markets to themselves, and the cities around 
the Great Lakes, in Pennsylvania and the Northeast 
will be anxious to get the heavy crop of peaches which 
is to be shipped from the favored sections. The peach 
crop from New York and New England will probably 
be large, but they are several weeks later, so that they 
will not compete very seriously against the heavy ship¬ 
ments which New .Tersey, Maryland and Delaware will 
send out before Labor Day. w. k. kimr at.l. 
