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380 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER 
A National Weekly Journal lor Country mul Suburban Homes 
Established tS50 
Published weekly by the Rural Publishing Comjmny, 833 West 30tli Street. .New York 
Herbert W. Colijngwood, President and Editor. 
Jonv J. Dillon, Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wm. f. Dillon. Secre tary. _ Mrs. E. T. Hoylk, Associate Editor. 
SUBSCRIPTION : ONE DOLLAR A YEAR 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, $2.01, equal to 8s. 61L, or 
8>„ marks, or 10 'a francs. Remit in money order, express 
order, personal check or bank draft. 
Entered at New York Post Office as Second Class Matter 
Advertising rates, 75 cents per agate line—7 words. References required for 
advertisers unknown to us , and cash must accompany transient orders. 
“A SQUARE DEAL" 
We believe that every advertisement in this paper is backed by a respon¬ 
sible person. We use every possible precaution and admit the advertising of 
reliable houses only. But to make doubly sure, we will make good any loss 
to paid subscribers sustained by trusting any deliberate swindler, irrespon¬ 
sible advertisers or misleading advertisements in our columns, and any 
such swindler will be publicly exposed. We are also often called upon 
to adjust differences or mistakes between our subscribers and honest, 
responsible bouses, whether advertisers or not. We willingly use our good 
offices to this end, but such cases should not be confused with dishonest 
transactions. We protect subscribers against rogues, but we will not bo 
responsible for the debts of honest bankrupts sanctioned by the courts. 
Notice of the complaint must he sent to us within one month of the time of 
the transaction, and to identify it, you should mention Tim Ri ral Nkw- 
Yorker when writing the advertiser. 
Among the mauy articles of war that may be partially 
discarded with peace that may be- of use to farmers is 
the flame thrower. I have tried it on a small scale, and 
know it is effective for getting poison ivy. etc., out of 
stone walls and bad corners where it is difficult to cut. 
It seems to me that The R. N.-Y. might get the data 
of fuel consumption, etc., and have some of this 
apparatus handed over to Farm Bureaus for use under 
their direction. I know of nothing better for clearing 
out brushes and bad roots we have neglected along our 
fences during the war. Why not try it? 
New York. JAMES M. REID. 
I1E flame throwers, like the poison gas. appeared 
during the great war as fearful instruments of 
destruction. The flame throwers shot a jet of blazing 
oil out of a pipe—driven by an apparatus like a 
knapsack sprayer. Until the Allied soldiers learned 
how to fight these flames the Germans inflicted 
hideous loss and suffering with this torture. We 
hope the Peace Congress will prohibit forever the 
use of such* cruel weapons. They are best employed 
against poison ivy and similar weed pests. This 
seems like a good suggestion, and we hope the M ar 
Department will bring over some of these flame 
throwers and try them out on our stone walls and 
fence corners. The scheme is not new. for the gaso¬ 
line torch lias been used in fighting insects. These 
flame throwers are more powerful, and we think 
they will prove useful. 
* 
Ml now comes a new agricultural nuisance—the 
European corn borer. A statement about this 
pest is found on page 360. It landed in Massachu¬ 
setts not so many miles from the landing place of 
the Pilgrim Fathers. Its evil work and influence 
will spread havoc and ruin throughout New England 
and the East unless these first colonies are found 
and stamped out promptly. It is said that that the 
Hessian fly was brought to this country in straw 
used as bedding by Hessian soldiers. These hire¬ 
lings were unable to blast our crop of liberty, hut 
the flies they brought nearly ruined the wheat crop, 
and still cause millions of loss. This corn borer is 
a companion in crime, and should he scorched out 
at once. 
* 
I have heard from a very reliable source that the 
United States Government does not intend to pay 
farmers the price promised them for their 1919 crop 
,,f wheat. Would it: not be well for farmers to refuse 
t<> buy bonds or solicit for them, or aid in their sale in 
am way. until there is an appropriation made for that 
purpose, and we are assured that the agreement will be 
fulfilled? Manufacturing and construction companies 
have been allowed to make large profits from war work, 
and the products from our farms have been sold at loss, 
according to reports of commissions appointed by tne 
Government to ascertain the cost of production. 
Michigan. A. M. B. 
W E have faith in the U. S. Government and be¬ 
lieve the guarantee will be fairly met. An 
actual statement of the outlook for grain shows that 
the 1918 crop will be cleaned up before the new crop 
comes on. Should we have any such season as has 
often been known this coming year’s crop will not 
leave any great surplus. We take the ground that 
the Government has made a solemn and definite 
contract with the wheat farmers and we believe it 
will be kept. These “reliable sources” usually turn 
out to be the little gang of manipulators who are 
trying to poison the minds of consumers against 
farmers. Pay no attention to them and do not make 
the mistake of saying you will not buy bonds because 
von feel the Government will not keep faith. The 
purchase of bonds should have nothing to do with 
any feeling of resentment. We have got to raise the 
money in order to bring our hoys back from Europe 
and distribute them hack into labor. That is our 
obligation as men and as Americans. To shirk that 
obligation because we think we are not treated fairly 
will give the big interests which oppose us just the 
argument they are after. We cannot possibly afford 
to stand hack and let these big interests finance the 
‘Jhe RURAL NEW-YORKER 
loan and thus become the great creditors of this 
nation. The loan is a good investment and farmers 
ought to take their share of it without consideration 
for what they call unfair treatment. We shall get 
together and attend to that all right. We shall con¬ 
tinue to have faith iu the Government and hack it up. 
* 
I wish to add my endorsement of the words of 
Mr. Fullager on page 277 as to the rural school 
sanitary toilet situation. It seems to me it is con¬ 
sidered fairly and with reason. The Education 
Department is not wholly wrong in its position, and 
I know many localities where something in the line 
of sanitary ‘ toilets should he required. In some 
others 1 very much question their desirability. I do. 
however, believe there should he an opportunity of 
appeal for any school district in the State from 
a ruling by the Department of Education as to school 
equipment At present they virtually make the laws, 
construe them and enforce them. From their decision 
there is no appeal, unless it is sufficiently objection¬ 
able enough to “rouse the nation.” Why should not 
the county judge have the final ruling when there 
is a serious difference between the department and 
some rural school district as to buildings or equip¬ 
ment. At least, why not have someone within the 
county who will listen to and decide such appeals? 
Ontario Co.. N. Y. f. e. R. 
1IE experience with the township school law last 
year shows what the people can do if they get 
together and try. There should unquestionably he 
an opportunity of appeal. That is an inherent right 
which should never be usurped, as has been done by 
the Education Department. We favor a campaign 
to provide for this right of appeal, and if our country 
people desire it we will start the hall rolling. As 
for the sanitary toilet, we shall give the arguments 
in favor of it a little later. 
* 
I F we may judge by the attendance. “Farmers’ 
Week” at Cornell this year was a great success. 
The figures of registered attendance are as follows: 
1915 
1916 
.3.548 
1917 
inis .. 
. 3.095 
There were no doubt at least 500 more who did 
not register. We are safe in saying that at least 
5.000 men and women from the country were at the 
college during the week. The open Winter made if 
possible for many farmers to use their cars, and 
there were great lines and hunches of these “gasoline 
horses” around the buildings. It is a great event 
when 5.000 earnest and intelligent country people 
can get together at the college which is to represent 
them in education. They not only learn and absorb 
information, but they influence and impress the 
management of the college in a way that is sure to 
count. These institutions must not he permitted to 
become “aristocratic” in any sense, yet we can 
readily see how. if left to themselves without close 
connection with popular thought, they might leave 
the ground and get up in the air. 1 hese great 
swarms of practical farmers and their wives coming 
to the college and exploring every corner of it do 
wonderful work in keeping the institution down to 
the farm. For a college cannot lift the farm or its 
family unless it is closely tied or riveted to its job. 
And the tics or the rivets must he fastened hji the 
farmers themselves. Two things stand out clearly 
this year. Our country people realize more and 
more that the practical side of farm life—the work¬ 
ing and money making—is not all there is to it. 
They see the value of culture and broad, clear think¬ 
ing. Then year by year the business side of farming 
is being reduced to definite figures of cost and values. 
Out of these things is coming the bigger and nobler 
struggle to obtain and uphold the plain common 
rights which belong to farming as an occupation. 
That is the way in which they must come if they 
are to endure, and great popular gatherings like 
that of Farmers’ Week make them surer and bring 
them nearer. 
» 
T HE campaign for 100 fruit trees on every farm 
goes on and the result will he seen on thousands 
of farms this Spring. There has been some criticism 
of the plan, hut most of it is based on the theory 
that 100 trees are too many for the average farmer 
to care for. All seem to agree that the farm should 
have some fruit growing on it. and if some of our 
people think 50 trees will come nearer their size— 
we accept the amendment. At any rate, an orchard 
and a fruit patch seem to us about as necessary on 
the farm as a good well. 
* 
T HERE are men and women who send their chil¬ 
dren to college and then find fault with the 
institution because it does not make some children 
into men and women of high intelligence and char¬ 
acter. Ask any college president of earnest char¬ 
acter and he will tell you that the work of the college 
March 1, 1910 
is limited to the home training which the student 
receives. Given a boy with the right sort of home 
training and the college can do wonders with him. 
Given a boy without this home training and no 
institution can make him great. This home training 
means obedience, self-restraint, respect of parents, 
clean ambition—the things which may he grouped 
under Christian character. These things make a 
solid foundation upon which the college can build 
a noble structure. Without them all the wisdom of 
the ages will seem but as a house built on shifting 
sand. And this solid foundation can only be built 
in the home through the influence and example of 
father and mother, so that the best part of a college 
education comes in the home training. The college 
cannot give your hoy that. That must represent 
your own sacrifice and devotion. 
* 
T HERE has to be a limit to folly as well as to 
wisdom in this discussion of the farmer’s prob¬ 
lem. Perhaps our opinion is biased, but we think 
the Boston Transcript has about touched the low 
note of fool talk in the following comment on a 
Massachusetts farmer who said: 
“The land is mine, and not the country's. I am 
through working early and late to fatten somebody 
else." 
Then comes the Transcript with this: 
To answer it. the question would Have to bo asked 
whether the farmer really lias any right to behave in 
any such manner. Has the nation no interest in his 
production of. food to sell as well as to have? The 
English law, on which our institutions are founded, says 
that it has. It recognizes no absolute private owner¬ 
ship of land. The absolute title is in the Crown, and 
the ownership of land in fee simple is but tenancy. The 
same principle prevails in this country, with the State 
in the place of the Crown. The law gives the Legis¬ 
lature the supreme power over the land. It may readily 
he seen, therefore, that the State will have something 
to say about the farmer’s abdication of his function as 
a producer of food, if the farmer should attempt it. 
Rut what would the State do with the land? Can 
it work my farm or yours and. with present prices 
for labor, material and product, make a better show¬ 
ing than we do? Tt never has done so. State and 
National farms are. as a rule, notoriously unprofit¬ 
able. In what way then would the country be better 
off after the State had recompensed the tenant for 
improvements, as it would have to do under any 
law? We will agree to find 100 farmers who will 
accept pay for their improvements and tenant lease 
and let the State run their farms. And the State 
would get tired running these farms at a loss inside 
of two years. 
* 
W E now ask every one of our New Jersey read¬ 
ers to help get an appropriation for a new 
horticultural building at the New Jersey Agricul¬ 
tural College. This building is needed as a part of 
the equipment which Jerseymen are fairly entitled 
to. The item for this appropriation was cut out of 
the annual budget and it is now up to the appropria¬ 
tion committee of the Legislature. Hon. Arthur 
Whitney is chairman of the Senate committee, and 
he will largely decide the matter. Senator Whitney 
is a fair-minded man. anxious to serve the people of 
New Jersey reasonably and well. If there is a 
strong, popular demand for this building, he will, we 
believe, favor it. and his decision will count. There¬ 
fore. we ask every Jerseyman and Jerseywoman to 
write Senator Whitney, and ask him to favor this 
bill. The address is Hon. Arthur Whitney, Senate 
Chamber. Trenton. N. J. Do it today. 
Brevities 
And never forgot the high cost of worrying. 
There will be an old-time sheep-shearing contest at 
the Massachusetts Agricultural College March 18. 
The seed corn seems to be iu far better shape this 
year than one year ago. 
Is it well with the well? Unhappily some farm wells 
receive drainage so that they would seem more of a 
success as a cesspool. 
The high cost of Red clover seed is troubling many 
farmers, and there will be less seeded than usual. We 
shall use more Alsike mixed with the Rod. 
CAN you find an attorney in your neighborhood who 
is not associated in some way with a railroad or some 
other public utility? 
We have a few correspondents who seem to take the 
Sunday papers as their guides in farming. They find 
sooner or Inter where such guides bring them out. 
One of the hardest problems we have is that of a man 
subject to epileptic tit - who wants a job as hired man— 
knowing he is subject at any time to an attack. 
All through the Eastern States farmers may expect 
a bad outbreak of nlant lice. Tobacco extract is a little 
surer death to these plant lice than the continued use 
of cigarettes will he to young hoys. 
Quite a number of our readers are able to tell how a rat 
carries an egg—having seen the rats while on the job. 
Such people are naturally pleased to realize that they 
can give information to John Burroughs. 
