129S 
Payment of Railroad Men 
Can you tell me if under government control of the 
railroads wages are uniform for similar grades of work? 
I am a track-w’orker, and I am sure men on other lines 
doing the same class of work that I do get more money. 
New York. F. T. s. 
The chairman of the Railroad Wages and Working 
Conditions at Washington sends us the following 
rates of payment, made effective Sept. 1, 1918; 
(c) For all track foremen, establish a basic mini¬ 
mum rate of seventy-five (75) dollars per month, and 
to this basic minimum rate and all rates of seventy- 
five (75) dollars per month and above, in effect as of 
January 1, 1918, prior to the application of General 
Order No. 27, add twenty-five (25) dollars per nnonth, 
establishing a minimum rate of one hundred (100) dol¬ 
lars per month. 
(d) Rates of pay for all assistant track foremen 
w’ill be five (5) cents per hour in excess of the rate paid 
laborers whom they supervise. 
(g) For track laborers and all other classes of main- 
tenance-of-way labor not herein named, who on Janu¬ 
ary 1. 1918, prior to the application of General Order 
No. 27, were receiving less than sixteen (16) cents per 
hour, establish a basic minimum rate of sixteen (16) 
cents per hour, and to this basic minimum rate and all 
hourly rates of sixteen (16) cents per hour and above 
add twelve (12) cents per hour, establishing a minimum 
rate of twenty-eight (28) cents per hour, provided that 
the maximum shall not exceed forty (40) cents per 
hour. 
We should say that under this rule all track fore¬ 
men and assistant foremen receive the same pay¬ 
ments, while there seems to be a difference in the 
rate paid to laborers—no doubt based on their effi¬ 
ciency. The Administration issues a circular giving 
full directions for making complaint when there is a 
question of wages. The employee must put his com¬ 
plaint in writing, and it will be taken up by the 
Dii’ector of Labor. 
Farm Bureaus and Institute Workers Meet 
EXTENSION WORK.—There were a lot of good 
things at the conference of farm bureau men and the 
institute w'orkers which closed early in November. It 
was called extension service all right—and such it was. 
The extension specialists were there and the old- 
fashioned in.stitute worker could hardly be regarded as 
the shining light. There were lectures that had little to 
do with farming, but they were good. President Schur- 
man gave one of these, in which he recounted his ex¬ 
periences and observations in the warring countries 
the past Summer. He was in England when our Amer¬ 
ican boys became too uneasy to be restrained, and they 
plunged into the fight in France practically without 
orders, and won their battle. That heartened the Allies 
to such an extent that they have been driving the enemy 
ever since. In this way the Americans rendered a 
service far in excess of anything that could have been 
expected of them. Fortunate they won. 
PRESIDENT SCHURMAN ON THE ALLIES.— 
President Schurman also paid a splendid tribute to the 
British Navy, which has made the carrying on of the 
war possible. Had it not been for that the German 
Navy wmuld have swept the seas and our efforts and 
those of other nations would have been of small avail. 
The sacrifices of the English, the French and the Ital¬ 
ians have been beyond our conception, and in comparison 
we in Amei’ica have made none. Then the dependencies 
of Great Britain, such as Canada, India and the others, 
have acted nobly. India, that Germany expected would 
revolt almost at once, has furnished a million and a 
quarter of men. Agriculture has a part, as for instance, 
in France, where the speaker found the farms in splen¬ 
did condition even up to the firing line. These farms 
have been tilled, he said, exclusively by women. He 
believes, however, in the shortage of live stock, and 
thinks as many others do, that there will be a great 
demand for our cattle, horse.s, etc., when the war is 
over. I am inclined to note here Dr. Warren’s views, 
who docs not fully agree in respect to this large de¬ 
mand. We are not greatly short in this country on 
animals, and there is little reason to believe that Europe 
is particularly so. 
ANIMAL DISEASES.—Dr. Moore talked about an¬ 
imal diseases and those of humans also to some extent. 
He suggested that while this awful war is going on 
and lives are being sacrificed to such a dreadful degree, 
there is a still greater feacrifice of lives to tuberculosis, 
a preventable disease. Eighty per cent of live stock 
losses are from preventable causes. Farmers ought to 
realize this. Dr. Moore thinks that closer contact with 
the veterinarian should be sought. It is his province 
to prevent trouble in herds to an extent greater than 
to make cures from disease. 
FARM BUREAUS.—The farm bureau menibership is 
growing, and provision is being made for it to equal 
65,000 this year. It is not expected it will reach this 
figure, and perhaps may fall short of 60.000, but prepa¬ 
rations are in progress for a considerable drive in 
membership. These bureaus will have an oversight of 
institutes, perhaps we might say, while they last. Com¬ 
munity work by the bureaus is regarded as vital, and 
the institutes this Winter under college direction can 
hardly be regarded as other than community work. 
With increased membership there is likely to be closer 
inquiry, especially when retrenchment comes w’ith the 
closing of the war, as to whether communities are get¬ 
ting from the bureaus what they pay for. It needs 
organization to carry on all this. So argues Prof. Bab¬ 
cock, who has much concern for the bureaus. 
FARMERS’ INSTITUTES.—Institutes are assigned 
formally by D. P. Witter, an experienced man in insti¬ 
tute work. There are several speakers already provided 
who are closely in touch with farming, and are consid¬ 
erably of the old type of institute worker. These are 
men who have been farmers and who are more or less 
in control of them. Some do considerable real farming. 
There are, however, well toward one hundred days of 
institutes called for, even a few more days than were 
held last year. It would seem that the college and the 
bureaus will be called upon for much of this work, or 
more farmers will be needed in institutes. I am quite 
hopeful for the work of the Winter, but am still a bit 
anxious respecting it. 
BUREAU OF CO-OPERATION.—It would seem 
that the new co-operative law is working out well in 
this State. C. R. MTiite has charge of the bureau of co¬ 
©■/ic RURAL NEW-YORKER 
operation, and he gave a short talk respecting the law 
and its workings. There is no stock in the co-operation 
under this law. It seems that there are legal com¬ 
plications which render it impossible to^ issue stock. 
It must be an association of farmers. No others can 
join, I understand, and if a man ceases to be a farmer 
he ceases to be a member. A membership fee may be 
charged if desired, and the association may be for buy¬ 
ing or selling or both. Then it may be for one fine or 
many lines. To secure working capital bonds are issued, 
and profits may go to pay off the bonds, or may be 
apportioned to those who have bought or sold through 
the association, and in proportion to the business they 
have furnished. 
FERTILIZERS.—The fertilizer question for New 
York State is an important one. It is the opinion of 
Prof. Cavanaugh and of the farm folks present that we 
may for the most part ignore potash. Acid phosphate 
furnishes a needed element, and at the same time helps 
to liberate some of the vast quantities of potash in most 
New York soils. Tests, both at the stations and on the 
farms, indicate that there is no appreciable gain where 
potash has been added to a liberal application of acid 
phosphate. Acid phosphate is high in price this season 
and a little hard to get. Better buy it early. Nitrate 
is practically off the market, and will remain so until 
after the war. Even lime is being curtailed. This 
seems ill advised. Regulations on some of these things 
are made without enough knowledge of real problems of 
the farm and some of them are not very reasonable. 
THE POOD ADMINISTRATION.—It may be 
doubted whether the life of a State Food Administra¬ 
tion these days is all that could be desired. Mr. Tre- 
man, the up-State man for New York, seems pretty well 
fitted for the task and is inclined to look on the amusing 
side of some of the apparently insurmountable difficul¬ 
ties. He says plainly that the milk questions of New 
York have been a dreadful bungle. He is more closely 
in touch with producers and more sympathetic than the 
average administrator. He predicts that the milk ques¬ 
tion will be in better shape within a month. Farmers 
are still a bit skeptical over this, by reason of past 
experiences. Sugar is a serious question, and seems 
likely to remain so for some time. 
MARKET QUESTIONS.—How to get a greater uni¬ 
formity of markets and to secure quotations froni va¬ 
rious markets promptly and reliably was a topic of 
discussion led by F. E. Robertson. It was decided to 
leave the matter for the central office of farm bureaus 
to work out with the Department of Foods and Mar¬ 
kets. There is now no uniformity of markets, particu¬ 
larly in the small up-State towns. 
FARM DISCUSSIONS.—Only a small number of 
the old-time institute men wmre present. There were 
times when these men met together and discussed some 
questions of interest to farmers. In these groups some 
of the college men were present to lead discussions. 
Tractors, ditchers and milking machines were among 
the things talked over. Tractors are doubtless to be 
used in New York State more than they have been, and 
there are a good many now. Milking machines seem to 
have many admirers, and while there are some critics 
these are generally on some minor point or some nieth<^ 
of operation. At this date there are a very few ditch- 
ing machines in the State, and I am inclined to think 
that the number may not be increased rapidly. It wsts 
about (10 cents to di^ a rod of 2%’f^^t ditch, and this 
on rather favorable land. H. I.. 
Wool Prices and Back Farms 
In a recent issue of The R. N.-Y. in_ speaking of 
cotton prices you surely show a very fair margin of 
profit between producer and consumer. Yet it seems to 
be a fact that the spinners were not satisfied, and a 
delegation went to Washington with the avowed purpose 
of having cotton prices reduced to about 25 cents per 
pound. What is more, they would have succeeded but 
for a little group of Southern Senators who were very 
much on the job. Opinions vary, but price-fixing, which 
is a necessarv war trouble, seems to lead to unlimited 
other troubles, but when administered for the sole profit 
of the manufacturer is likely to lead to misunderstand- 
in"' It is sure that with cotton reduced there would 
be"little or no reduction in cloth. The spinners would 
simply wink the other eye and pocket the difference. 
In the. case of the woolen manufacturer the thing 
seemed to work out. Most of us believe there is spread 
enough between dollar wool and seven-dollar army shirts 
to make everybody rich east of the Connecticut River. 
It is also admitted we wool men were due for dollar wool 
but for the action of the War Industries Board. As it 
is, the manufacturers simply had a bonus of 80 cents a 
pound handed them at the wool gi-ower’s expense. I 
have had a long and very pleasant correspondence with 
officials of the Board, and while they admit that the 
woolen manufacturers are making undue profits the only 
satisfaction I get is that the situation will be corrected 
next year. If the war ends and the English manufac¬ 
turer gets his wool at 31 cents, and we have world¬ 
wide free markets, the situation will surely be corrected 
with a club. 
In this section we have hundreds of old farms which 
are exactly adapted to sheep, and many or most of them 
are half-tilled or deserted. Dollar wool was just the 
incentive to put these old places on the map. As it is, 
they contribute little or nothing to war work, and the 
valuation is rapidly running down, which boosts the tax 
rate that much higher for the man who really tries to 
farm. They are an eyesore and a disgrace and a hind¬ 
rance to edmmunity welfare, and a perpetual discour¬ 
agement to the men who really try to make life better 
worth the living on these old hills. It looks to many of 
us as if instead of spending two millions of dollars to 
send the returning soldier boys to the swamps and 
wilderness Secretary Lane could find use for all his 
splendid talents and the money available repopulating 
our so-called wornout farms of the Atlantic States. 
Such of us as have had experience with them know that 
sheep, limestone and manure will put these farms on the 
map ea.sily, and a contented and prosperous countryside 
would put life in the dead towns, open the churches and 
rebound to honor and credit of this nation. 
Most of us have tried milking. Where the whole milk 
is disposed of the farmers are fairly prosperous at 
present, but making and trading out butter is a back¬ 
breaking and unsatisfactory way of making a living, 
while the cream bu.siness is a libel on highway robbery. 
Sheep is the solution of the labor, economic and trans¬ 
portation problems of the back farmer with the long 
haul. At present prices they are about an even break 
figured scientifically, but where one owns his own hills 
and does most of his work sheep are easy and clean 
money.. It is a pity that those who rule could not get 
the point of view of the country dweller himself. But 
farmers, seldom put their ideas in written form, and few 
farm papers or any others will bother with the pro¬ 
ducer’s complaints. Long experience with organization 
makes the average farmer distrustful. Yet organization 
is the only solution of the problem. I believe and hope 
the solid foundation laid by devoted men will bear fruit 
in this coming generation of young men on these old 
farms. b. l. uatuawat 
Schuyler Co., N. Y. 
Up-State Farm Notes 
Cabbage Seed Oetlook Bad. —A Central New Yon 
seedsman reports information received from leading 
wholesalers that many growers will probably have to go 
without Danish cabbage seed in 1919. A large portion 
of the seed to be offered for sale will be old stock of un¬ 
certain germination. It is probable that seed will brin* 
.$20 a pound at retail, possibly more, on account of th« 
shortage. A few growers of Central New York hav« 
grown their own seed from best type heads for a few 
years past. Some of this has been tested by the vegeta¬ 
ble department at Cornell University and found to yield 
five tons more per acre, all other conditions equal, than 
commercial seed. This seed is now mostly sold in ad¬ 
vance at $20 per pound, postpaid. Surely it pays farm¬ 
ers to grow their own seeds of many kinds of vegetables 
developing an improved, thoroughly acclimated, highei 
yielding type than can be bought of the usual dealers 
Cabbage is a little peculiar in some of its demands, bu^ 
will repay a study of its needs. 
Military Note.s. —Central and Western New York it 
swept by a wave of sorrow and pride by the news of the 
deaths of a large number of its gallant sons in recent 
drives on the war fronts. The old Third Regiment Na¬ 
tional Guard, State of New York, now the 108th Infan¬ 
try and part of the famous 27th Division, suffered 1,157 
c^jsualties in an attack on the Hindenburg line Septem¬ 
ber 29. 
Farmers Lose Heavily. —The Aurora Condensed 
Milk Co., which had operated in St. Lawrence Co., 
went into the hands of receivers owing the farmers ii 
that vicinity $.300,000 for milk. This is a regrettable 
case of the State officers responsible for the enforce¬ 
ment of the law to protect the farmers. Section 5.5 of 
the Agricultural Law provides that every firm, associa¬ 
tion or corporation engaging in the business of buying 
milk or cream for shipment must procure a license from 
the Department of Agriculture, which shall only grant 
such license when satisfied that the applicant is of good 
character and financially responsible. The intentioB 
and effect of this law is for the Department of Agricul¬ 
ture to protect the farmers in their dealings with pur 
chasers. This is only one of several instances when 
milk buyers are doing business on the farmers’ money, 
without giving farmers bond or other guarantee of pay¬ 
ment. Sheffield Farms has bought the Aurora plant fo» 
$185,000. 
Government Food Price Standards. —Some up- 
State consumers regard the published list of retail food 
prices as suggested by the Food Administration as a® 
invitation to retailers to raise their prices and add to 
the profits they were previously satisfied with. Retail 
cheese prices are named as 38 to 41c, when local stores 
are asking 32 to 38c. Potatoes are priced at $1.50 and 
are being sold at cars within sight of purchasers’ homes 
at 90c per bushel. Cabbage is quoted at 2 and 3c pei 
pound, -when the farmer is carrying it past the grocers' 
door at $10 per ton. Beans, rice, onions and othei 
staples share the same attention. It would seem best il 
retail prices are to be fixed to have them conform to the 
varying conditions in this wide country. Foods at great 
distance from the point of production are necessarily 
higher priced. But in up-State cities much of the food 
staples are produced on farms surrounding them, and 
can be had at much less cost than in New York City 
and other big centers. Consequently up-State consum¬ 
ers, under present conditions, are sometimes held up by 
retailers very unjustly. The public market seems to b« 
the only weapon of defense for both farmers and con¬ 
sumers, but that is an inconvenience under nresent man¬ 
agement of such markets, for cold weather buying OJ 
selling. 
Real Cost of Dairy Labor. —Since the New York 
Milk dealers refused to recognize one point, and on« 
only, in the new Dr. Warren formula for estimating 
the cost of the production of milk, viz., that farmers 
should receive 3,3c an hour for their expert work as 
dairymen, the Onondaga County Farm Bureau, with J. 
R. Teall as manager, has completed a quick survey of 
actual cost of labor in producing milk on 17 leading 
dairy farms of this county. The average cost was 
found to be 42 per hour, based on data from farms 
employing 32 laborers, and three farm managers. The 
pay of the laborers averages 29.4c an hour, and of the 
managers 55i^c an hour. The dealers give as a reason 
for objecting to .33^c the novel one that farmers worked 
longer hours than other laboring men and therefore 
should not be paid so much per hour. 
Farm Notes of Interest. —Dairymen selling milk to 
Syracuse dealers will receive $.3.81 per 190 lbs. for milk 
during November, according to a telegram from the 
Federal Food Administration, or a rise of 10c. This 
will not mean an increase in price here to consumers 
A Lapeer, Cortland County, man has sold 24 head of 
cattle to Cortland buyers for .$2,400. Cattle in this sec¬ 
tion are very high if near the milking period. Harford 
Mills farmers get $3.50 a bushel for buckwheat. Hay 
is bringing $21 a ton, pressed and delivered at stations, 
Many Western and Middle Western buyers are taking 
over numbers of Central New York farms this Fall, 
often buying entire equipments and taking immediate 
possession. At many recent auctions farm machinery 
and other equipment, even in well-worn condition, is 
bringing extremely high prices. Onondaga County farm¬ 
ers, during the recent administration, received State 
money for live stock destroyed, as follows: For tuber¬ 
culous cattle, $.34,8.36; for horses with glanders, $165; 
for sheep killed by dogs, $1,808; for cattle with foot and 
mouth disease, $40,683. m. f. q, 
A Campaign by Florists 
The florists of the United States have just opened » 
co-operative advertising campaign, with the slogan “Say 
it with flowers!” The National Society of American 
Florists and Ornamental Horticulturists Is managing 
this publicity system, and through it the piiblic is taught 
that not only the nearby florist is accessible, but that 
the telegraph delivery system enables a buyer to send 
flowers through a local intermediary to distant friends 
on both sides of the Atlantic. The flower trade is now 
Buffering many handicaps in fuel shortage, labor troubles, 
and high prices of all materials needed both in retail 
and wholesale trade, but they keep going ahead with a 
cheerful optimism that sets a good example to all other 
lines of business. The fraternal helpfulness that has 
always been characteristic of florists’ organizations and 
the kindly feeling among individuals, with its entire 
absence of trade jealousy, offers an excellent ideal foi 
agricultural interests. 
