982 
RURAL NEW-YORKER 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE EUSJXESS FAE^rER•S TAPER 
A NaflonBl WooUly Journal for <’oiintry and Hiihiirban Ilomco 
Established iSSO 
I'nbliKhrd nrrkij by tbr Kiiral I’uhlishini; Company. 8SS Wmt 80!h Strort. Nrw fork 
IlKUiiEBT W. Cou.iyGWooD, President and E<litor. 
John J. 1)ii.iX)N, Treasurer and General Mnnaprer. 
\Vm. F. Diixon, Secretary. Mks. E. T. Povle. Associate Editor. 
SUBSCRIPTION : ONE DOLLAR A YEAR 
To foreitrn oonniries in the I’niversal Postal Pnion. Si2.04. equal to 8s. 6d., or 
8b> inark.s. or 101* franca Kemit in money order, express 
order, personal check or hank draft. 
Entered at New York Post Office .os Second Class Platter. 
Adverti.sln(r rates. To cents per appite line—T words. References reqnired for 
advertist*rs unktiown to us ; and cash must accompany transient orders. 
“A SQUARE jSeAE” 
IVe believe that every advertisement in this pape,r is backed by a respon¬ 
sible iici'son. tVe use every i)Ossihle precaution and admit the advertising of 
j eliahle houses only. Put to make doubly sure, we will make pood any loss 
to iiaid subscribers su.stained by trustinp any deliberate swindler, irrespon¬ 
sible’ atlvertisers or misle.'uiinp advertisements in our columns, and any 
such sa-indler will be publicly exposed. We are also often called upon 
to .'uliiist differences or mistakes between our subscribers and honest, 
jcsponsible houses, whether advertisers or not. We willinply use our pood 
offices to this end, but sneh cases should not be confused with dishonest 
transjictlons. We protect subscribers apainst ropucs, but we will not be 
responsible for the debts of honest banknipts sanctioned bv the courts. 
Notice of the comidaint must be sent to us within one month o# the time of 
the transaction, and to identify it. you should mention The Ri-hal N'ew- 
Yokker when writinp the atlvertiser. 
A n article on tlie new iiotato trouble or disease 
by I’rof. G. I’. Clinton bejrins Ibis week— 
luiKo 070. It seems to be due to a lack of moisture 
striking plants that were not pro])erly fetl. Several 
of our leading scienti.stis have apparently come to 
the conclusion that on the lighter potato soils the 
lack of potash is making itself felt. This is not 
so much evident in a smaller yield as in the health 
of the plant and its inability to resist disea.se or 
drought. It has long been surmised that potash was 
not only one of the essential plant food elements but 
a tonic for the plant as well. 
Ik 
I N .some sections of the Hudson Valley a genuine 
“yellow ])erir’ is appearing. This is orange 
liawkweed, very aptly named “devil’s paint bnish.” 
Originally introduced as a jiretty floAver, it has be¬ 
come a weed and a genuine pest. In some sections 
the fields are thickly painted with it, and it is 
crowding out u.seful plants. It has no value, and is 
luining great tracts of useful land. Nothing but 
thorough culture will kill it out, and that is im¬ 
possible on thousands of acres where it has spread. 
It will do more harm than some of the insects and 
diseases which the State has fought so hard, and 
ought to be wiped out before it spreads further. 
I RECENTLY came across a sentence which expresses 
hi good deal in a few words, which I believe you will 
{ippreciate. n, ii. s. 
Indiana. 
Is ORGANIZED agriculture is individually selling 
unappraised products to a tvell-mformcd body 
of buyers." 
That is just what it is. The original American 
farmer came forw;ird with a fine fur from some wild 
animal. Men like John Jacob Astor would buy it 
lor a handful of powder and shot, a few beads or 
a drink of rum. Yet when it turned up as a coat 
or cape for my lady’s back in Paris or London it 
brought $1,000 or more. From that day to this the 
individual farmer has been selling “unappraised 
])roducts” for about what the oi’ganized bu.vers and 
handlers will give him. A comparatively few farm¬ 
ers are able in some way to deal direct with con¬ 
sumers and have something to say about prices, but 
the great mass of producers must take what is 
offei’ed them. Thei-e is only one way out—organiza¬ 
tion. And the farmers must do the woi-k themselves. 
Whenever they delegate this work to lasers, agents, 
commission men and handlers they will pay three 
times as much as the service is worth. 
* 
I WAS much impressed with the fine agricultural 
country of Central New Jersey. South of New Bruns¬ 
wick I saw the most wonderful crops of wheat, rye, 
cats, barley, corn, potatoes, Timothy, clover and Alfalfa 
that I have ever seen growing anywhere. Not much 
dairying in evidence, and farms not well watered. _ I am 
wondering if such magnificent crops are the rule in that 
sea-bottom soil. What a place for a fortune in apples 
(some varieties), and pears. I wonder why they 
haven’t started it. W. S. T. 
ES, such crops are the rule all through that sec¬ 
tion of New Jersey. Since the State was 
pushed up out of the sea ages ago most of it has 
steadily grown in strength and fertility. The farm¬ 
ers raise more corn to the acre than is done in 
Iowa, and more wheat to the acre than in Minnesota, 
There is no State in the Union less understood by 
the rest of the world or with greater natural ad¬ 
vantages, Swing a line 00 miles long around Trenton 
and you will cover the most thickly,, populated sec¬ 
tion in the world. A large proportion of Jersey 
farm land may be worked by tractors. The State 
has probably the best road system in America, and 
you cannot get S miles away from a railroad line! 
The only trouble about New Jersey is the inability 
of the Jerseyman to talk about his owe State! 
A BIG question comes up for discussion under 
Hope Farm Notes this week. In the imme¬ 
diate future we are to see great tracts of land, now 
idle, put -into cultivation. Mo.st of this land will be 
located near large market.s, and we think stvamp 
lands will be given first choice. Such .soils are 
naturall.v rich, and when drained and limed they 
Will soon start into food production. They are 
level, or nearly .so. and tractors and other powerful 
machinery can be used. Now what effect will these 
lig farms of new land have upon the bu.siness of the 
smaller fanner? At first thought it would seem that 
he can hardly compete at the production of ordinar.v 
food with these well-organized and capitalized farm¬ 
ing operations. As farming develops we think there 
will be more and more of it ci’owded in around the 
big markets, and this must force a change in the 
kind of farming followed further hack among the 
hills. There are people who think these big farm 
enteriirises will drive out the smaller farmers, Imt 
we do not think that follows. No machine, however 
strong or ingenious, can over take the place of the 
human hand. The four fingers and the thumb will 
always enable their owner to woj-k out the mastery 
of the brain. This country is so large and its future 
needs are so tremendous that there will be a place 
for all. We think the small, well-worked farm, 
serving as a unit of a strong co-operative organiza¬ 
tion, wili be the most prosperous farm of the future. 
I CANNOT but feel that the government lias been 
very shortsighted in its treatment of the farmers. It 
creates a feeling of resentment in the minds of every 
farmer -when the government grants the railway unions 
an eight-hour day, vetoes a bill lengthening the work¬ 
ing hours of the Government employes from six to 
seven hours, and at the same time urges the farmers 
to put in long days, vetoes a bill designed to give them 
a fair price for their wheat, and fixes an arbitrary 
price on avooI without consulting a single farmer as to 
whether the price is a fair one or not. As a matter of 
fact, when you take into consideration the price of 
help, feed, machinery, and other farmers’ supplies, I 
believe the price of wool is too low. While the war 
lasts I see nothing for the farmer to do but to “grin 
and bear it.” but we should be organizing so that after 
the war we .shall be in ,a position to as.sert ourselves 
and get what is rightfully our due. 
JOHN C. COTTRELL. 
R. COTTRELL is a candidate in the primary 
for the New York Leghslature in Washington 
County. Both of his opponents are village people, 
and the farmers thus have a chance to decide 
whether they want to be represented by a farmer or 
not. It is up to them—for Washington is an agri¬ 
cultural county and thus dominated by farmers. 
The R. N.-Y. is often asked to help give our farmers 
a fairer chance in law’making and public representa¬ 
tion. Our possibilities for help are limited. We can 
only show the way, help organize public feeling and 
stand for what we think is right. Beyond that point 
the farmers themselves must do the work. 
“W7(0 would be free—himself must strike the 
bloxc !" 
After long years of talk and planning the farmers 
of Washington Co., N. Y., have a chance to nominate 
and elect a farmer to represent them at Albany. Do 
they really want a man who knoAvs their life and 
needs and will think and speak for them? Other 
farmers need such a man even if Washington County 
does not yet realize it. We have faith to believe 
that these farmers understand the situation, and 
that they will get right back of Mr. Cottrell and put 
him over. 
» 
O NE of the most prominent dairymen in Centi*al 
New York writes us as follows: 
I believe the League will be stronger because of the 
recent discussion, and personally I fail to comprehend 
how any man can hope to command the respect of his 
friends or elevate his own character by attem.pting to 
tear down the record of Mr. Dillon or of anyone else. 
The support of The R. N.-Y. inspired the farmers to 
stick in the milk strike. 
Thinking fai*mers everj’wdiere are coming to the 
same conclusion. As usual, such farmers take plenty 
of time to think out a proposition, and then decide 
as their sober judgment dictates. In the present 
case it has now been made clear that The R. N.-Y. 
has suggested a plan for strengthening the Dairy¬ 
men’s League and increasing its efficiency. Naturally 
this involved some criticism of policies and acts of 
the present officials, but in no way suggested any 
disloyalty or a lack of confidence in the League. 
That was clearly understood, and we state confi¬ 
dently that a majority of League members support 
the programme we ^suggested wholly or in part. 
Now, on the other side, there has been no resort to 
argument or no effort to defend policieg or answei 
critici.sms. There has been only an effort, as our 
friend puts it, to tear down a record for useful 
service. Granting that these long tirades are true 
(and they are not), what pos.sible good can their 
recital do to the League? Why should $10,000 or 
August 17, inis 
more of money belonging to dairymen be spent in 
attempting to blacken character and befoul a record, 
viien such work cannot possibly aid the sale of 
one extra quart of milk? The R. N.-Y. was on the 
front line fighting for the farmers long before many 
of the.se politicians were out of the cradle or through 
the district school. They never dreamed of putting 
up any fight until a few of us stood out and took the 
blows alone when fighting was not fashionable. 
At the time of the “milk strike" there was prac¬ 
tically no one else to put up a public battle, and we 
did the best we could. Farmers of Ncav York 
started with us in the prime of their young man¬ 
hood, and have grown up to be grandfathers with 
their confidence in The R. N.-Y, growing with each 
year. They have helped us in a dozen fights when 
we had no help from other papers or from officials, 
and they knew how these fights have always termi¬ 
nated. It would take the soundest kind of argu¬ 
ment and the white, blazing truth to destroy the 
confidence of these farmers, and they well under¬ 
stand that thus far there has been no argument or 
answer—only a poor, feelile and transparent attempt 
at blackmail. 
» 
T he old question of using lime in apple orchards 
is coming up, once more. We would like to 
hear from our readers who can tell us about apple 
trees growing in strong limestone soils. Does such 
soil suit some varieties more than others? Our 
own experience has been that apple trees usually 
pi'efer a sli.ghtly acid soil. There is usually little 
need of lime excejit to grow the clover needed for a 
cover crop. Prof. Headden of Colorado tells of 
cases where qpple trees planted in soils tinderlaid 
with sulphate of lime or gypsum Avere severely in¬ 
jured. We would like to knoAV just what results 
our readers have observed from the use of lime on 
apple trees. Personally, we doubt its value, though 
we do not believe the u.sual quantity Avould do any 
harm. 
Next Winter, if I can find the time, I may ask the 
favor of the use of your columns to enable me to get 
in touch with the rest of the wool associations in the 
State. I Avish very much th.at Ave might effect an organi¬ 
zation of our local associations into a State organization, 
and l.ater perhaps a national organization composed of 
our State associations. I believe AA'e should get in shape 
so that if in the future the government continues to fix 
the price we are to receive for our wool we will be in a 
position to have something to say about it. J. C. c. 
Y all means. We w’ill not AA^ait to be a.sked. but 
AA’ill promptly call upon all wool growers’ 
associations to send on names of officers. We should 
all get together and form a big State organization. 
There is no other AA-ay. Unless Ave do it Ave shall be 
sheared closer than aa’c can ever .shear our sheep. 
We pull the avooI over our OAvn eyes Avhen Ave think 
Ave can handle wool as individuals and get its full 
value. When it comes to price-fixing any admin¬ 
istration Avill administer the bitter dose to the unor¬ 
ganized Industries. We must not stand still and 
bleat like the cAA'e, but back off and strike like the 
buck if need be. Come out and get together. 
* 
TiiEirE is one very grave objection to advertising in 
your paper. Such adA^ertisements sell more goods than 
one has. One has to hustle for more goo<ls or return 
money. I never like to return money when I once get 
l.old of it. J- E. S. 
Vermont. 
T is true that few people like to give up a dollar 
Avhen they once get their fingers on it. That is 
a characteristic of human nature Avhich you aauII find 
all along the way from Vermont to Texas. If a 
man Avauts to get a good reputation as an advertiser, 
however, he can hardly do better than send back 
a feAV lots of money AA-ith the honest .statement that 
he is sold out. The action Avill be so unusual that 
people AA'iH go around talking about it as they AA'Ould 
of any nine days’ Avonder. The advertiser will go 
doAvn in history as a man AA’ho Avould rather refuse 
money than sell substitute goods, and AA’here can he 
get a better business reputation? 
Brevities 
Cover crop! Cover crop! Cover crop! 
Every surplus rooster is a pro-German. 
See that the young pigs get plenty of bone or Avood 
ashes. " 
He Avho goes gunning for trouble Avith a brass baud— 
Avill find it. 
Thousands aauII try making syrup from sugar beets 
this j'ear, A good thing to exhibit at the fair. 
Better start the pullets in training for egg-laying. 
It looks easy to leave them to hunt their OAvn living, 
but it will pay to feed. 
It is said that loAvm has a woman coAv-tester. She is 
a graduate in agriculture and domestic science, and 
took up the Avork of cow-testing because she liked it, 
and also to relieve some man for heavier war work 
