■Ghe RURAL NEW-YORKER 
1219 
Drifting From the Farm 
EOI’LE slioiild know tlie truth about fanners 
and farm conditions. It is not by an.y means 
a one-sided i)r<)i)osition, as certain cit.v' papers would 
have us l)elieve. It is true that .some farmers are 
now fairly j)rosi)erous. Tliey are so .situated that 
they can make tlieir crops to tlie best advanta;?e, 
and pet bipb i)rices for them. They are well sup¬ 
plied witli capital, and have u.sed it wi.sely to im¬ 
prove their farms and secure a fine outfit of nia- 
chiner.v. With the.se advantapes they are doinp well, 
and in sjtite of the fearful price they are ohliped 
to pay for necessities, they have had a good sen.son. 
In most ca.ses practically all of their .surplus will go 
into Libel ty bond.s. 
On the other hand, many farmers are in desperate 
condition owing chiefly to their inability to obtain 
helpers. Some of them are on mortgaged farms, and 
have incurred debts in order to buy equipment or 
stock. Now through a shortage of labor they cannot 
make full use of this equipment, and cannot even 
harvest the crops which they have been able to grow. 
They find themselves in competition with the manu- 
factnrer.s. coal miners and transportation com- 
panie.s—all of whom are able to outbid them for 
labor ,and all of whom have a price or a profit guar¬ 
anteed. As an instance of what is going on in some 
sections, we print this letter from Pennsylvania: 
With the exception of potatoes and buckwheat, the 
farm crojis of thi.s county are about up to the average 
in quantity and quality. The early potatoes are a 
failure. On my own farm T had six acres which harvest 
about 25 bu. per acre of marketable tubers. Ilarring 
early frosts, the late crop will be better. Iluckwheat is 
not filling well. Owing to the increased cost of produc¬ 
tion on the farm, and the shortage of laborers, many 
farmers are becoming discouraged. Tho.se who can do 
flo are accepting other employment on the side to make 
a few dollars to help pay expen.ses. The writer married 
the best woman in the world 12 years ago, and settled 
on a run-down farm of 80 acres free from debt. About 
$2,000 was borrowed and spent in these years, besides 
the earnings of the farm, to improve the soil, buildings 
and equipment. Owing to the fact that it .seems to be 
impossible to repay this money from the returns of 
the farm, although the receipts in 1017 were almost 
$0,000, I have “accepted a position” as telegraph oper¬ 
ator, and am working 10 to 21 hours per day to help 
TJncle .Sam, and get on my own feet. There are many 
instances in my own community—and it is an appar¬ 
ently thrifty one—where the head of the family _ is 
working away from home and the farm work is being 
done by small boys, and the already overworked women. 
The excuse, or rather reason, is the .same—mu.st have 
more money. Although the prospects for high prices 
wer(' never more promising on the farm, and up till 
within a year I have been an optimist, the outlook is 
not very brilliant to say the least, ll. W. if. 
Mercer Co., I'a. 
There is no question about this movement away 
from the farm by farmers of this class. While prices 
are high and i)rospects for the future seem good, the 
great advance in all farm necessities has made it 
necessary for a farmer to employ more working cap¬ 
ital, and these men go into other occupations in order 
to find that capital. And here is another side of the 
matter not often considered: 
This is a coal mining section, or is getting to be very 
fast. Wages are high for mine work ; usually the mines 
pay more than the price of two bushels of-wheat for a 
day’s wmrk of nine hours, d’he farmers are fast leaving 
the farms to work at the mines. If things continue as 
they are now, farming will soon be a thing of the past 
here. It might be a surprise to some persons who are 
almost facing a coal famine to know of the thousands of 
acres of unused coal here, and also the price the farmer 
gets lur ton in tlie ground. The price per ton in the 
ground runs from 10 cents to 25 cents, owing to the loca¬ 
tion. o. P. R. 
('larion Co., Pa. 
When a man can earn, in one day’s labor, the price 
of two buslnds of wheat, it will need some strong In¬ 
ducement to keep him at farm labor. As tbe labor 
problem gets harder there will be more and more 
ca.ses of transfer from the farm to other occupations. 
Many of the.se workers will go back to the country 
after the war. but there is no doubt about the present 
drift away from the land. 
The Price of Live Hogs 
Is it true that the government has fixed a price for 
live hogs? J- S. 
No. 'J’he Food Administration has not fixed any 
jirlces except those on wlieat. Tliey have tried to 
“stabilize” hog prices by stating that the price 
should not fall below ISVa cents per pound. Mr. 
Hoover puts it this way: 
So far as we are able we will continue the assuranee 
of a minimum .$15.50 per hundred for average of jiackers’ 
droves at Chicago for hogs farrowed this Fall. We can 
recon.sider the outlook in a few months as to tlie exten¬ 
sion of tins again to Spring farrowing. I have myself 
little doubt that we will lie able to eontinue. I do want 
it made clear in all tliese matters of price influence liy 
file government that this is not a guarantee—it is a 
policy, and tins policy will only lx* defeated li.v some 
unlooked-for interruption in distribution, transportation 
or consumption—a risk of war we must all take. 
K committee appointed to .study the whole matter, 
made this report: 
Tlic prices so far as we can effect them will not go 
below a minimum of about $15..50 per hundredweight 
for the average of iiackers’ droves on the Chicago mar¬ 
ket until further notice. ♦ ♦ * As to the hogs far¬ 
rowed next Spring (1010), we will try to stabilize the 
jirice so that tlie farmer can count on getting for each 
100 iionnds of hog ready for market, 10 times the aver¬ 
age cost, per bushel of corn fed into tlie hog.s. Let 
there be no misunderstanding of this statement. It is 
not a guarantee liacked liy money. 
At this figure of 10 times the price of corn, with 
average prices for tlie past few months, the price of 
hog.s ought to run about $1S per hundred. 
Troubles of a New Voter 
Ever since we women have been promoted to the 
ranks of voters I have wanted to know something. I 
have asked some of the men why they were Republicans 
or Democrats, as the ca.se might he; and I was not 
much enlightened as to what either party stood for. So 
now I come to you. Can yon not tell ns what each of 
the above parties stands for, as well as tlie Socialists and 
I’rohibitionists? I do not mean tliat T want the whole 
party platform of each; what I want to know is what 
are the principal things for which each’ party stands, 
and what are .some of tlie main issues at present. 
New York. mrs. o, l. s. 
Tt is safe to say Unit if you could line up tlie first 
100 men yon met and a.sk them to explain why tliey 
belong to a certain party, not more than 10 of tliem 
could give an enlightening answer. What sort of an 
answer is that? One tliat would liolii such a woman 
as Mrs, S., who has no pro.indico oitlicr way, and 
really wants to know tlie difference, if an.v, between 
tlie dilTerent political principles or plillosoidiies! 
All the.se men might make their meaning clear to 
other Democrats or Kepuhlican.s, lint tliey cannot, to 
save tlieir lives, ])oint out tlie es.sential differences 
to one who has no prejudice or inlierited politics! 
’File fact is tliat a great majority of oiir voting jiopu- 
lation have a few facts, a few sectional prejudices, 
a. few cla.ss or race hatreds, grouped in their minds, 
and thus believe that they liave a full political 
philosopliy. That probably explains wliy so many 
men cannot bring themselves to vote for their neigh¬ 
bor, a man tried and true, if lie happens to be on 
the other side of the political fence, and the political 
“leaders” say the “old party Is in danger.” This 
al.so exidains wliy it is not po.ssihle to explain such 
things clearl.y in print. Any attempt to do .so fairly 
would ho seized upon iiy tlie political leaders and 
branded as “disloyal” or unpatriotic. Ocnerally 
.speaking. National political (piestions liave been 
largely sunk In a general effort to figlit the 'war 
throiigli. Roth jiarties will siiiqiort IM-esident Wilson, 
but the Republicans reserve the riglit to criticize 
wliat they think is unwise policy. In State matters 
the issue is clearer. The Republicans support tlio 
administration of Gov. Whitman as it stands, and 
the I’rohiliitionists have also nominated the Gover¬ 
nor. Tlio Democrats attack tlie adniini.stration as 
extravagant and in some respects unwise, d'hose 
wlio lieiieve tliat (Jov. Wliitinan lias given the State 
an lionest, etlieient, wi.so and clean administration 
will vote for him in tlie expectation tliat lie will do 
the same in tlio future. Tliose wlio do not holievo 
the adniiiiisf ration lias lieen wise or fair or econom¬ 
ical will ojipose the Governor on the tlieory that a 
continuation of the policy for the past four years 
will not 1)0 best for the State. 
The Steuben County Potato Growers* 
Association 
For years tlio .soil of Nortliern Steiilien County, New 
York, has produeed an exeei)tioiiall.v tine (piality of 
potatoe.s, and tlie farmers of tliat seetion liave depended 
upon their sale for a large part of tlieir easli income, 
Willie tlie most modern nietliods of culture are followed, 
it is not iinnsnal to obtain a yield of 2(K) husliels per 
aero upon steep hillsides where plowing in and plowing 
out is somi'time.s done. Tliis consists f>£ following tlio 
plow witli tlie ent seed and dropping it at the liottom 
of every tliird or fourth row. The next round of tlie 
plow ooviM'S it, and, wlien the field is plowed, it has 
been planted. 'I’lie same plow, skillfully handled, tiini.s 
a furrow slice at harvesting time Imvlng most of the 
potatoes clinging to its exjiosed side. A iiotato liook 
gets tlie rest. 
It is tlie dominanee of iiotuloes as a easli crop tliat 
1ms made tlie lieginning of eo-oporation among Steuben 
farmers pos.sible. Tliere has long been dissatisfaction, 
not only witli the prices paid liy local buyers, Imt with 
tlieir unreasonable fluctuations from day to day, and 
with variations not caused by market conditions. Four¬ 
teen hiiyers in the territory covered liy tlie a.ssoeiation 
Imve heretofore competed for tlie potato growers’ pat¬ 
ronage. Last year tlie prie«* ofl’ered at one shipping 
station early in tlie season was $1.50 per biisliel. An- 
otiier buyer but five miles away was paying $1.10; and 
still otliers ni'iirliy would give imt $1. At the opening 
of the iiresent season $2 ja'r liundredweiglit was ottered 
by local buyers. OMiis price (luiekly advanced to $2.50 
and then to $2.05. The following day it dropped to 
,$2.25. There lind been no market fluctuations within 
this time, and tlie a.ssoeiation had secured for its mem¬ 
bers a uniform price of .$2 10 per luindredwcight after 
dedneting 10 per cent of the gross price and setting it 
aside in a “saving.s” fund, to he divided later. This 
variation and unreasonable fluetiiation in prices each 
year was one of the factors wliieli led Steuben farmers 
to decide that they could market their own potatoes at 
a very consideralile saving to themselves. 
In the Summer of 1017 a rej)resentative of the De¬ 
partment of Foods and Markets visited Steuben 
County and urged the formation of a co-operative selling 
association. In December of that year 11 men, repre- 
.senting four .shipping stations in two town.ships, met 
and organized under the State co-operative law.s, filing 
a charter at Albany. Actual co-operation had begun. 
No potato grow’cr need lie told that the sea.son of 1917 
was a disastrous one in the history of that crop. Any 
new organization that could handle potatoes and sur¬ 
vive that year would show a vitality little le.ss than 
marvellous. This Steuben County Association not only 
.survived, it increa.sed its membership from 11 to 262, 
and did a business of over $76,000. They boldly esti¬ 
mated at the beginning of the season that they might 
ship .”5 or 40 cars of potatoes. At its clo.se, they found 
that they had actually .shipped 141. 
The as.socintion met with losses, of cour.se. There are 
.still claims pending again.st the railroads for $5,000 in 
frost damages. Other claim.'- for smaller amounts are 
equally valid. A car of seed p.-'tatocs sold for $500 and 
.shipped to Memphis, Tonn., brought .$150 upon its ar¬ 
rival. It had been kept six weeks upon the road and 
reached its destination after the planting season was 
over. Rut, in spite of adver.se conditions, which it is 
hoped will never he duplicated, the fiscal year was closed 
with $2,000 in undivided profits in the treasury. 
Pro.«pects for the present season arc very favorable 
indeed. The lir.st year’s business was done under the 
handicap of inox[)erience and lack of many needed facil- 
itio.s. Tliese are being overcome. Instead of no ware- 
hoiKses for temporary storage, the association now has 
throe acquired liy purchase, one by lease, and one under 
con.strnction. A sixth is being negotiated for. The ono 
under construction will hold 15 carloads of potatoes and 
will cost the local branch building it $2,500. 
The a.ssoeiation had hardly been organized before it 
received an application from the North American Fruit 
Exchange for the privilege of handling its shipments. 
A contract was made witli its nearest sub-sidiary, the 
Ea.stern Fruit and Produce Exchange at Rochester, and 
that contract has been renewed. When a car has been 
loaded at one of the .shipping points, the exchange is 
notified by telephone, and shipping directioms for it are 
received. Through its agents covering many States, the 
exchange is kept informed as to market conditions, and 
i* able to direct the car to a point where its contents 
are needed. Last year the as.sociation’s potatoe.s were 
distributed from Maine to the Gulf Coast; from the 
Atlantic to beyond the ^ILsslssippi. For this .selling 
service the association now pays a uniform fee of $15 
per car. 
To promote uniformity in returns to growers, a system 
of weekly pooling of receipts has been adopted this 
year. Each shipper receives the average price per 
bushel of the week in which his potatoes went to mar¬ 
ket. I’en per cent of tlie f. o. 1). price is deducted by 
the association and placed in a saving.s fund. From this 
fund expen.ses and unavoidalile lo.s.ses are paid and the 
lialaiice i.s returned to the members in proportion to 
the amount and value of tlieir shipment. Present indi¬ 
cations are tliat tlie savings fund of the first three weeks 
will pay all tlie iiresent year’s expen.ses. It has been 
found that four cents jier Imsliel will pay all loading 
expenses, tlie potatoes being graded according to Federal 
regulations liy means of a meclinnical grader. 
While having a well workod-oiit set of by-laws for 
its management, tlie a.s.sociation is .simple in its form 
of government. It has seven branches, called local 
iiniia. each of wliich elects a director for the county 
association. Each also elects a local committee of three 
members, who, witli tlieir director, have full charge of 
weighing and loading, tlie securing of needed local 
eipiipment, etc. Tlie County Association’s board of 
seven directors appoints tlie Inisiness manager and has 
general supervision of tlie Im.siness. 'fhe business man¬ 
ager employs nil hel]), secures information as to crop 
and market conditions for tlie members, has charge of 
the insiiection, gra<ling, and packing of products, and, 
under a.s.sociation rules, eontrols tlie brands and labels 
used. Ho also has full charge of the .sale ami marketing 
of as.socintion products. It,i.s unnecessary to .say that 
the success of the season’s operations depends very 
largely upon the efficiency of the hiisini'ss manager, fi^he 
association has a Avell-cquiiqied Ijiisiness office and a 
sooretary-trea.surer, .Mr. Fred Hopkins of Wallace, N. Y., 
in whose charge all inisiness communications are placed. 
M. R. DEAN. 
Potato Improvement 
Cortland County potato seed for Long Island and 
Now Jersey truckers have jiroved so snoeessfiil that tho 
growers are planiiirig to moot the great demand for seed 
next Spring witli larger and better supplies than ever. 
One member of the Potato Growers’ Association has al¬ 
ready sold his entire crop at $2.70 per bushel, with the 
open market price from fiOc to $1.25 a bushel. This 
seed is rogiied out for di.seases of all sorts, and the yield 
improved by hill sel('ction. J’he farm bureau of this 
county thi.s year selected 100 hills of potatoes from each 
of tho ten test plots wliere the i)Iants were healthy and 
ahsolnti'Iy free from mo.snic disease or leaf roll. In tho 
Spring these potatoes will he carefully cut in two, one 
part being planted in Cortland County, the other sent to 
I.ong Island growers, ’fhe oliject is to determine wheth¬ 
er seed planted in Long Island or in its native county 
will develop more or less of tlie diseases named. Rot 
has attacked many commercial fields over the State, 
Digging is well hi'giin now in miin.v eoiinties, and the 
price drops dally. Ninety cents per bushel at the car 
track is tlie latest, being paid in Central New York. 
Allegany (’oiinty jiotatoes are yielding well, with little 
rot, blit drought conditions produced a poor set in many 
places. . ('ayiiga County i.s also planning for tho sale of 
seed potatoes to Long Island growers, using hill selec¬ 
tion for improvement of yield. \r. o. F. 
