1429 
Shoeing Horses On the Farm 
Is TiiEi!E now a bill before the Legislature of New 
York State prohibiting farmere; from shoeing their own 
horses on the farm if they see fit or feel capable? If 
so I think it a very bad thing. There was a neighbor 
of ours who had his team shod in a local union shop 
today. They were shod with new shoes, No. 5 never-slip 
calk.s, $12 for the job. It seems to me that farmers 
will have to do more of their own shoeing. s. w. B. 
There is no such law. We doubt if any such 
law could be passed, and should it be passed by 
the Legislature it could not be constitutional. Last 
year we understand the horseshoei’s tried to pass a 
bill relating to licensing horseshoers. The reason 
given was that many men are shoeing horses who 
know little or nothing about it, and that only quali¬ 
fied men should work for the public. It was probably 
on the principle of the law regulating the practice 
of sawing or clipping the horns of cattle. Under 
this a farmer cannot dishorn cattle and charge for 
the work unless he has a veterinarian’s license. We 
should go slow in advising every’ man to shoe his 
cwu horses at home. It requires more than the 
ability to drive a nail and pull a rasp to flit a horse¬ 
shoe properly. You must know something about the 
hoof of the horse, and have good judgment. We 
have seen horses that were crippled by poor shoeing. 
Profits and Possibilities In Farms 
In reply to Mr. Williams’ communication on page 
1385, I would say first, that I have been a reader and 
subscriber of The R. N.-Y. for sometbing over 30 years 
and I have always considered it optimistic; neither, I 
think, am I a pessimist; I merely stated the facts and 
The R. N.-Y. is not to blame for the showing made. 
As to our cattle feeding experience during the past 
Winter, I think that upon a careful analysis of costs 
and conditions we can get pretty close together. Mr. 
William.s states that he doubled his money; so also did 
we, or nearly so. In our case cattle were fed on a 
small farm of 50 acres; no cheap Fall or Spring pas¬ 
turage. They ate during the Winter high-priced hay. 
Although it was mixed clover, it sold in the barn at 
$21 per ton. Mr. Williams says his steers ate soft 
corn and fodder, which it would seem he considered 
valueless. Our cattle also consumed the soft corn and 
forage which grew on six acres of land, and it probably 
cost as much to produce as it would had the corn been 
hard, with a yield of 100 or more bushels per acre. 
Oats were sold in the Spring at $1 per bushel; bran 
cost about $50 per ton, and cornmeal $90. Your cor¬ 
respondent evidently has a larger faimi and cheap hill 
pasturage, which is good in both Fall and Spring. Under 
these conditions he probably made some money, but he 
did not double it, if he makes any accounting of costs. 
I know many men who are going to feed cattle this 
Winter; all of them on large or good-sized farms where 
cheaper forage is available, such as clover hay from 
which the seed has been thrashed. On these farms much 
corn is soft this year, and in these cases it is a gootl 
business proposition, and also good farming, to keep 
all roughage on the laud. I think the really good far¬ 
mer one who loves his soil, hates to see the wind blow 
a single straw away. Such a man would feed stock 
and not complain of a small apparent loss, if by doing 
so he keeps all manure for his soil, his descendants and 
posterity. I fully agree with Mr. Williams that farm¬ 
ing is an ideal life, especially for the man on a good- 
sized farm where there is room for his diversified in¬ 
terests and ample capital. I see no reason why a man 
so situated, with steers, milch cows, sheep and hogs, 
with his home and fireside, wife and family, should not 
be as prosperous, happy and contented as perhaps he 
may be in heaven. F. A. sebley. 
Ontario Co., N. Y. 
American Agriculture and American 
Labor 
On page 1350 I read with great interest, “Do Far¬ 
mers Understand Their Own Problems?” Here we see 
a strong delegation of representative labor men under 
the leadership of Mr. Gompers going to Paris right now 
to confer with like representatives (labor leaders 
always) while the peace conference is getting under 
way, and to continue during the sessions of that body. 
AVhy? To be in a position to mould the action in that 
peace conference toward a fair attitude in all matters 
of the peace settlement affecting labor and laboring 
people. Will any such questions arise? They doubtless 
will. In this pending adjustment of world affaii-s and 
world-wide intere.sts, has the American farmer anything 
vital at stake? More important yet, is it not of greatest 
national concern the attitude the rest of the world takes 
toward American agriculture, and the relation that is 
establi.shed between American agriculture and the agri¬ 
cultural interests and activities of the rest of the 
world ? 
Has anyone heard of Mr. Gompers or any of his 
party being refused a / «port? If these men go in the 
interest of American laoor, why is not the Council of 
National Defense charged to brood tenderly over these 
vital national interests in this period of reconstruction? 
American labor probably has shown sufficient .solidarity 
to convince the most doubtful of its entire confidence in 
its own ability to look out for its own interests. What 
about American agriculture? We are just emerging 
from a period of quite long enough prolonged world 
crisis, and one of the pivotal factors in this crisis has 
been the unremitting effort of the American farmer. 
This patient member of society has been fawned upon, 
flattered, scolded, coaxed, handled in every way and 
always except the right way, to the end that the Allied 
world be fed during this time of stress and danger. And 
lie has done the job he was given to do in spite of all 
the fool obstacles that were placed in his way. 
Now, like the American laborer, the American farmer 
wishes to inform himself first hand as to the imminent 
changes impending in his business. He asks no aid 
from anyone. He bears himself all expense of his iu- 
7he RURAL NEW-YORKER 
ve.stigations. with the result that he is told to stay at 
home and tend to his job. 
Probably the commission mentioned is the one headed 
by President Kenyon 0. Butterfield of the IMassacliu- 
setts Agricultural College. Doubtless this commission 
will learn much of advantage to the country. It cer¬ 
tainly should. Pi’esident Butterfield has invited a well- 
known head of the horticultural department to be a 
member of this commission. Rut how many actual 
farmers appear in the make-up of this departmental 
body? For one, I shorild like to know. 
If this action of the State Department is willful and 
planned it is an everlasting insult to the American 
farmer; if it is only the autocratic action of some minor 
biireau chief it can be easily rectified. I hope Mr. 
Pinchot will keep right after the State Department until 
he gets what his fanner constituency deserve his having. 
The way in which The R. N.-Y. calls attention to this 
episode is just one of the incidents that make the publi¬ 
cation of vital worth to the entire farming population 
of the country. I certainly enjoy your fair and square 
policy; and the fact that no wrong is so big or strongly 
intrenched that you fear to attack it. 
Michigan. CH.tU{LES it. hilton. 
R. N.-Y'.—Our understanding is that Mr. Pinchot 
protested to the Secretary of State, but* that no notice 
was taken of him. 
Business, Home and Party Emblems 
On page 1314 you ask: “Can anyone tell us why 
these State and Federal officers and commissioners are 
all afraid of strong combinations of middlemen, like 
milk distinbutors and commission men?” It seems to 
me not so much a matter of fear as of ordinary common 
sense. They are only using the same intelligence that 
we use in our farming. We don’t try to plow in a 
stone quarry. We don’t sow oats in a swamp, or culti¬ 
vate a field of old stumps. We put in our work where 
there is some prospect of getting results. 
_ Now, most of these officials either want to continue 
in the offices they hold, or be elected or appointed to a 
Reproclneed from the Reclamation Record. 
One View of the 0-reat Farm Scheme 
better one. To do this they must cultivate the crops of 
votes and influence. So the wise official cultivates first 
the field of big business. Results here are sure, and it 
must be kept free from weeds. Next he gives his atten¬ 
tion to little business, tries to give a little time to labor, 
but does not bother with the farmer field because labor 
there is useless. The votes and influence of farmers 
are fixed and immovable. For example, practically 
every farmer in the county believes that Ilerbert Hoover 
has been unjust to farm interests, but if the Democratic 
party should nominate him for President every Demo¬ 
cratic farmer would support him, and it is equally true 
that if the Republicans nominated him the Republican 
farmers would vote for him. Can you imagine him 
getting any support from big business if he had been 
unfair with their interests? 
We have just elected a new Governor, named Smith. 
If he proves to be unfair to farm interests how many 
Democratic farmers would vote against his re-election? 
If he was to do everything he could to favor farmers, 
how many Republican votes could he win? On the 
other hand, if he doesn’t perform to suit big business 
they will do all in their power, and probably succeed, 
in preventing his nomination for Governor of any other 
office. Failing in this, they would use all their influence 
to elect his opponent. Big business never lets party 
loyalty interfere with business interests. Regardless of 
party it stands by the officials that do its bidding, and 
punishes those who do not. IVhen farmers learn to do 
the same they will get anything \yithin reason that they 
may ask for. 
As long as we think more of a party emblem than 
we do of our business or our families we will get scant 
favors from officials, because we are not worth culti¬ 
vating. R. L. SPENCER. 
Chautauqua Co., N. Y. 
Now then, is Brother Spencer right or wrong? At 
the close of this year we have a good time to ask the 
question. Pei'sonally, we know a good many farmers 
who have gained the power of putting home and busi¬ 
ness above the party and emblem! But how many of 
such farmers do you know? As a direct question, ai‘e 
you one of them or not? 
The Soldiers and Farms 
A few weeks ago The R. N.-Y. featured Secretary 
Lane’s proposal of developing a quarter of a billion 
acres of waste land, to be used as farms for returning 
soldiers; and the same kind of propaganda is to be 
seen in nearly every publication. Now why will cer¬ 
tain people in "Washington persist in the fallacy that 
the economic principles which control all other lines 
of business do not apply to agriculture? 
I believe that if 250.000,000 acres of virgin soil, 
muck, stumps and arid land, should be developed 
by the Government for tillage, and should be intensively 
cropped in normal times, the effect would be as disas¬ 
trous to America as armed invasion. The farmer knows 
that at all times his margin of profit is slender, and 
that competition is more severe than in any other 
branch of human endeavor. He should realize that if a 
quarter of a billion acres of virgin soil is to be developed 
for tillage, an equal area of less favored land must be 
abandoned. 
One or two million American farms now self-sup¬ 
porting and mor(! or less profitable, will grow up to 
brush and briar.s. Five million people would be bank¬ 
rupt. Five billion dollars’ worth of land would have 
no^ further value. And in addition to this the enter¬ 
prise, at the vei-y conservative outlay of $20 per .acre, 
would cost another $5,(X)0,000,000. george hall. 
Westchester Co., N. 'Y. 
R. N.-^Y.—We want a fair discussion of this land 
plan. We think many of the plans for “reconstruction” 
will be formed around this suggestion of providing 
farms for the returned soldiers. It is therefore impera¬ 
tive that we know just what this scheme is, and what 
it will lead to. 
Up-State Farm Notes 
BIGGEST PIG IN STATE.—Frank Haron, a 15- 
year-old Freeman boy, has perhaps grown the biggest 
pig in New York State this year. Several hundred 
Steuben County boys and girls competed for a cash 
prize for the best pig, the contest closing November 15. 
The Steuben County Juvenile Pig Club awarded first 
honors to Frank’s pig, which had gained 359 lbs, in 180 
days, or nearly two pounds a day. 
COAL COMING IN.—^The coal scarcity is beginning 
to lift in some of the small towns. Canastota received 
5 carloads last week, and has more on the way. Mo- 
Lean has several carloads, and may soon have moi’e. 
In most cases the farmers are allowed a half ton or 
possibly a ton only, giving all a fair chance at the sup¬ 
ply. Chestnut coal has been scarcest, very Uttle being 
received even yet, and this being sold only on agreement 
to take certain amounts of pea or stove coal, or both. 
In some towns farmers are allowed none at all. 
iMILK DISCUSSED WIDELY.—Besides the lively 
discussion on the retail milk question going on in Syra¬ 
cuse, Rochester has been conducting an investigation 
under the auspices of the University of Rochester. A 
state of affairs not pleasing or creditable is disclosed, in 
that although located in a dairy section, with a very 
short haul, the retail price is within a fraction of one 
cent of New York City prices. The result is that thou¬ 
sands of babies are found to be without milk. Erie 
County has also been investigating, and the county food 
administrator suggests that milk supplies be controlled 
as public utilities are controlled. The press of that city 
says that unless private milk distributing concerns effect 
a great change in their handling of milk this will be the 
order of things at an early date. Because of its enor- . 
mous fqod value, and because everyone uses it, it is e.s- ' 
sential that milk be produced as cheaply as is compatible I 
with safe handling and reasonable profits, and public 
sentiment here doubts if these ends can ever be attained 
under private management. In Herkimer there is a hot 
discussion because the board of health ruled that all milk 
for the city muk be pasteurized. Some of the physicians 
maintain that piire raw milk is superior to that which 
has been pasteuidzed. Up-State dairymen are interested 
in the evidence of Jacob S. Brill, former president of the 
Dairymen’s League, in the John Doe proceedings as to 
the cost of milk in New York. Mr. Brill testifies that 
rough, man-handling tactics were approved by the 
League in the milk war a few years ago, and that he 
refused to permit the executive committee to force him 
into becoming a “rubber stamp” president, a view of his 
action new to dairymen. 
NEW DAIRYMEN’S OFFICIALS.—The State 
Dairymen’s Association elected the following new offi¬ 
cers at the great Syracuse meeting: Prof. H. C. Troy 
Ithaca, president: H. .1. Richardson, Lowville, vice- 
president; Thomas E. Tiquiu, Albany, secretary; R. R. 
Kirkland, Philadelphia, treasurer; directors, Harvey 
Harrington, Lowville; D. H. Grandin, Jamestown; W. 
A. Mather. Adams; H. O. Lange, New York; D. W. 
McLaury, Milford, and J. H. Hannahs, Watertown. 
TO GUARD FARMERS AGAINST DISHONEST 
FEEDS.—In the absence of Dr. Eugene Porter, of the 
Foods and Markets Department, Seward A. Miller, 
counsel for the State Department of Farms and Mar¬ 
kets, explained the efforts of the State to protect farm¬ 
ers from unscrupulous feed manufacturers. He read a 
list of rules promulgated by the department, and effect¬ 
ive .Tanuary 15, 1919, chief of which was one saving the 
manufacturer must state on the outside of the 'bag the 
quantity of inferior ingredients used, and to place a 
yellow tag on the bag if it contains more than 10 per 
cent fiber, or less than 9 per cent proteins. He said 
the department had been grea ly influenced in making 
out these rules by Dr. W. H. .Iordan, of the Geneva Ex¬ 
periment Station, long a leading expert in feed analysis 
and values. A feature of this disciussion at the last ses¬ 
sion of the Dairymen’s League at Syracuse was the de¬ 
bate between Dr. .Iordan and Robert Sellew, an agent 
of one of the larger feed houses. The latter contended 
th.at the manufacturers sought to give the customer a 
feir deal, though they aimed also at making a profit. 
Dr. .Iordan favored limiting the sale of mixed feeds by 
prohibiting dealing in mixtures not descriptively labeled, 
preferring the sale of pure feeds and bv-prod'ucts. and 
letting the farmers mix their own feeds. Mr. Millet- 
said he thought this plan would eventually be adopted 
as the fairer one, and the more economical for the cus¬ 
tomers. At present the manufacturers are onlj’ re¬ 
quired to list inferior ingredients need, not naming the 
amount of each. Many mixtures in popular use have 
become so heavy with worthless ingredients that stock 
do not thrive on them, and even refuse to eat them. 
Mr. Sellew said the present practice w.-is all right, as 
manufacturei-s should not be exiiected to give formulas 
for the use of rivals, and that if farmers were dissatis¬ 
fied they need not buy the second time. Mr. Miller 
pointed out the fact that it had been made impossible 
in many sections to buy anything else, and the objec¬ 
tionable mixtures had to be used. The vitamine theory 
was discarded by Dr. .Iordan as a test of value in feeds, 
saying digestibility was the test, and he wanted things 
sold for what they are. Mr. Miller thought the manu¬ 
facturers would willingly comply with the proposed 
new ruling, because if they failed to label their pro¬ 
ducts properly they would violate the national food 
and drug act and would render themselves subject to 
Federal as well as State prosecution. The department 
can also avail itself frequently of the power of inspec¬ 
tion of feed factories. n. g. f. 
