1421 
The Wayne Co. (N. V.) Situation 
Will yon tell me what business it is of Tnv. R. 
Y.-Y.'s whether the farmers of Wayne County, N. Y., 
elect or reject Charles II. Betts? j. b. k. 
Certainly, that is a fair question. A paper like 
The R. N.-Y. is a public institution. It goes every¬ 
where. and is admitted to he a representative of 
farmers and farm life. Thousands of our readers 
are good enough to say that we give expression to 
their thought and stand for what they desire. Among 
the things which we are asked to work for is rep¬ 
resentative government. Thousands of our people 
(many of (hem in Wayne County), firmly believe 
that agriculture has suffered because farmers have 
not been represented in public places by practical 
farmers or men who will put the needs of agriculture 
above any party politics. We share that belief, and 
for many years we have advised and fought for such 
representation. Among the strongest supporters we 
have had for this view are strong and influential 
farmers of Wayne County. 
A situation has now developed which brings out 
this principle as sharp and clear-as the edge of a 
razor. Mr. Charles H. Betts asks the people of 
Wayne to send him to the Legislature. This is the 
very same Mr. Betts who, two years ago, held office 
on the Food Commission. At that time the follow¬ 
ing resolution was passed by the N. Y. State Grange, 
the State Horticultural Society and many other or¬ 
ganizations. It was aimed straight at Mr. Betts: 
Resolved, That the present secretary of the Farms 
and Markets Council be requested to resign. 
Resolved. That we urge the Special Committee of the 
Senate and Assembly now investigating agriculture to 
recommend that a man known for his ability in agri¬ 
culture, one in whom the farmers of the State have con¬ 
fidence, be appointed secretary of the Farms and Mar¬ 
kets Council. 
Further be it 
Resolved,That the farmers do here and now express 
their deep resentment of the injection of politics into 
agriculture at this time and demand the administration 
of our agricultural affairs purely on a business basis. 
At the time this resolution was passed we accept¬ 
ed it as a plain statement of what our farmers (and 
particularly those of Wayne County > wanted. We 
think it is clearly our right and our business to ask 
whether these farmers have changed their mind. 
The answer to that question is mighty important in 
its bearing upon the future of New York farmers. 
The nomination of Mr. Betts puts the question up 
so that none of us can possibly evade it. His op¬ 
ponent. Fred W. Cornwall, is a farmer who knows 
what farmers want, and will certainly stand for their 
rights. We think we do no injustice to Mr. Betts 
when we say that he represents party politics with 
farmers’ rights secondary, while Mr. Cornwall puts 
farmers’ rights first. This situation is so clear and 
unmistakable that we think anyone will agree that 
it is a part of our business to ask. Do Wayne County 
farmers want to he represented by Charles II. Betts? 
Too Many on the Job 
New York City undertook to sell army food direct 
to the people, and an important part of this work 
was the distribution of goods from the piers or sta¬ 
tion, to places where the food was sold. Lilward .T. 
O’Malley, Deputy Commissioner of Markets, tells 
this story: 
“I went to the East Twenty-four:h Street pier to see 
how we were getting along unloading the barge. We 
were paying a big price for our truck.', and I wanted to 
be sure they were being kept busy. \\ hen 1 got to the 
pier I found the bargemen lying on the boxes, their 
rolled-up coats being used as pillows. The drivers of 
seven trucks were sit ling half asleep in their machines. 
“I asked a man on the barge what the trouble was. 
I was told that just as they were starting to work a 
delegate of their union happened along and told them 
they were not permitted to load the boxes on trucks. 
They could only put them on the pier. It was the job 
of another labor organization to get the food from the 
pier to the trucks. 
“As the tailboards of the trucks extended over the 
barge. I pointed out that it was easier to load the boxes 
on the truck than to carry them around the truck and 
put them on the pier. Finally the men offered a com¬ 
promise. They would load the boxes on to the tailpieces 
of the trucks, they said, but I would have to get men 
from another union to haul the boxes to the middle of 
the truck. 
“I found the delegate of the proper union, who got 
the men who are permitted to load the trucks. We 
paid the barge helpers 60 cents an hour. I believe. The 
newcomers got a cent a box, and each driver and truck 
cost us'$32 a day. After we got tilings under way it 
didn’t take long to have a string of trucks running from 
the pier to the various schools. 
“But I think I got one of the real reasons for the 
high cost of living. That is. tin* number of men who 
handle the various commodities before they reach the 
consumer. Just think, for one truck, a driver who can't 
do anything but drive, one man to put a box on the tail- 
board, and another to pull that box to the centre of 
the truck.” 
The Sugar Situation 
The following note comes from the Sunday Courier 
of Poughkeepsie, N. Y.: 
Is there a way that more sugar can be obtained to 
meet public needs during the canning season? I assume 
The RURAL NEW-YORKER 
that the big canners have had foresight enough to fill 
their bins with sugar, and that they will clean up big 
profits, but for weeks housewives have been denied 
sugar, and fruit which should he canned at home for 
Winter use is going to waste in huge quantities. 
Growers are experiencing losses of millions. What 
official agencies are charged-with exercising foresight to 
prevent suc-h a public catastrophe as this? Sales of 
sugar from government stores offer only slight relief. 
Many ugly rumors are afloat about this situation. 
The Courier wants to know the truth about sugar. 
Resentment is expressed on all sides. A little action 
now may save the necessity of passim, a loc of resolu¬ 
tions and filing a lot of reports during the open season 
for the same, which is rapidly approaching. Will you 
help to wake up the dead and slumbering? Get this 
situation straightened out before more damage is done. 
We can all better afford to do without sugar in the 
Winter than at this time. It is greatly needed vow 
in the homes of the nation. There must be ways of 
hastening the refining of sugar • and methods to spur 
the government to accelerate shipments to America now 
when the sugar is needed. 
Right now women would, if they could, can pears, 
peaches and other fruits, make grape juice, jelly, 
sweet pickles and other products. But they cannot 
get sugar. Local grocers will only allow two pounds 
to a customer. Department stores allow five pounds, 
but many women cannot buy from these stores. The 
result is that fruit prices are getting lower; the 
producer gets less. The canners seem to get till the 
sugar they need, and next Winter the consumer will 
be gouged because women cannot get sugar for pre¬ 
serving. This cuts down the demand for fruit, and 
next Winter the -consumers will be cursing the 
farmers for causing high prices. It all works to the 
advantage of the middlemen. Thus it will continue 
to work until we do something —and do it ourselves . 
Corn Belt Farmers Organizing 
The call for organization which The R. N.-5. is 
sounding is meeting with a hearty response here in the 
Central West. A large part of the counties in Illinois 
have Farm Bureaus, and we have a State association 
that is growing in membership by "leaps and bounds. 
This county organized a bureau and hired a county 
agent a year ago. The start was made with something 
like 300 members. There was not much enthusiasm 
among the farmers at that time for anything of that 
kind. They had not been educated up to a proper 
realization of the advantages of that kind of an organi¬ 
zation. But during the past year they have learned 
much; and even the worst kicker is now alive to the 
necessity of doing something if the agriculture of this 
country is to maintain its dignity and proper place in 
the economic affairs of the nation. Three weeks ago 
a “drive” was made to increase the membership of the 
county bureau. Special workers were sent to each 
township, who enlisted the help of local solicitors, 
choosing those who were already hustling members of 
the bureau. A quick canvass of the township was made 
in automobiles, and every farm owner and every tenant 
farmer was given an opportunity to enroll his name as 
a member of both the county bureau and the State 
organization. A fee of $10 for the county and $•• for 
the State association was collected; and the way the 
farmers wrote checks and signed up for both organiza¬ 
tions augurs well for the healthy development and use¬ 
fulness of both. The canvass of the entire county was 
made in less Thau one week, and at the close it was 
found that the county Bureau had a membership of 
between 1.500 and 1.600. and names are still being sent 
in. Before the close of the second year it is expected 
that the membership will reach 2,000. 
County Agent Sidney Smith ha- “made good" during 
the past year, and he is promised an assistant for the 
coming year. M>>re commodious quarters will be secured 
for him in the county seat, and the work of the bureaus' 
in the future will be such as to convince every doubting 
man, whether farmer or otherwise, that it is the one 
thing needed just now. when, in the reconstruction of 
the world, every other interest is looking out for itself, 
and the farmer, if he isn’t vigilant and resourceful, will 
be left to “hold the sack.” J. c. XICHOIXS. 
Macon Co., Til. 
Up-State Farm Notes 
PEDIGREED C(K’KERELS DISTRIBUTED.—In 
order to improve the egg-laying value of farm flocks, the 
Cornell Poultry Department is offering for distribution 
this mouth its .surplus April hatched S. C. White Leg¬ 
horn cockerels. These are from high line pedigreed 
.stock, best laying hens, mated to males of high line 
laying stock. A pedigreed record will be furnished with 
each cockerel, and the price will be nominal. $5, express 
collect. These will not be shipped out of the State, and 
but two will be sold to any person. The number sent 
to any one locality will also he limited to secure impar¬ 
tial distribution, orders to be filled in the order received. 
CABBAGE OUTLOOK.-—IT. A. Mark, Government 
crop reporter, recently visited Cortland County cabbage 
fields, and said they were bv far the best in the State 
or as far south as Florida. Domestics are now bringing 
$35 at the cars in this section. The reporter said the 
crop is so poor in other sections that farmers are talk¬ 
ing of $70 to $80 per ton for late cabbage. He thought 
this estimate exaggerated, but that cabbage was sure of 
a good price. The Government records show that last 
year 56,380 acres were planted, and but 40,080 this 
year. 
GOOD WORK FOR WINTER WHEAT.—Workers 
from the College of Agriculture and the Federal Depart¬ 
ment of Agriculture have made a survey of the Hessian 
fly plague ou Winter wheat, and through the Farm 
Bureaus have advised as to time of sowing, so- as to 
avoid this pest. Cortland County was found to have 
but one infested field, and growers here have taken 
advantage of the advice that it would be safe to sow 
early in September and secure the best stand possible for 
Winter. In Western New York counties the fly was 
showing an alarming increase, and farmers here have 
been advised to make their sowing the last week of this 
month. By co-operating with inspectors and with each 
other, growers hope to reduce the damage done by this 
pest. 
HONORS FOR CAYUGA FARMERS.—C" ruga 
County won the first prize in the county exhibit at the 
State Fair. It took second prize a year ago and third 
prize tw.o years ago. The wonderful display made under 
supervision of the farm and home bureaus showed a 
wide diversity of farm products in this county, each of 
which was given the amount of prominence in its 
exhibit that - it has in real* performance. This was a 
big factor in scoring the exhibit favorably. Statistics 
prominently displayed on the walls of the booth showed 
an unusual number of co-operative farm organizations 
and a wonderful system of general co-operation between 
all interests. The Farm Bureau officials insisted that 
their efforts were but secondary in making the exhibit, the 
real credit being due to 84 farmers of the county,, who 
furnished the exhibit.. The exhibit will be shown at the 
Cayuga County Fair at Moravia later in the month. 
Boys’ and girls’ clubs of this county took many prizes 
in State competition! There were 10 teams of three 
members each from eight counties that took part in 
free for all contests in various lines of work. Governor 
Smith and party spent some time studying their work 
and awarding medals. A Nassau County team won 
first on a cannery demonstration, with second place 
awarded to the canning team from Otsego County. The 
Chenango County corn and bean team won honors in 
the planting contest. 
LIVE STOCK AT THE FAIR—This was a banner 
year for cattle, horses, sheep and swine at the fair. 
Judges passed upon over 300 classes of cattle, 200- of 
sheep and 175 of swine without a protest from a single 
exhibitor. The eighteen hundred dollars offered-for best 
exhibits to be made by various counties of the State, 
recognizing the four dairy breeds, called out interesting 
competition. Otsego County won the sweepstakes for 
the collection of the highest type of animals, 45 in 
number. That county also secured the blue ribbon in 
the Holstein contest, and second place in Ayrshire and 
Guernsey classes. The Guernsey first honors went to 
Onondaga County exhibitors, who also won third place 
in Holstein exhibits. In Jerseys first honors went to 
Dutchess County, second to Chautauqua County, and 
third to Otsego County. In Ayrshires Steuben took 
first honors, with Otsego a close second. Otsego won 
the county premium for sheep, herd after herd from 
that county carrying off blue ribbons. 
PUMPKIN AND OTHER COMPETITION.—The 
hundred dollar cash prize each for the biggest pumpkin 
and squash shown at the fair, the competition open to 
the world, brought out a pumpkin grown by J. H. West 
& Son of Rochester, measuring 10 feet 5 inches in 
circumference, which won first honors. The biggest 
squash measured 10 feet 10*4 inches, and was grown in 
Ohio. The largest ear of corn was grown by G. W. 
Austin of Eagle Bridge. N. Y.; the second largest by 
D. E. Nichols of Marcellus. The bee men exhibiting at 
the fair made a - demand for bigger cash awards on 
honey and wax exhibits.- Though the premiums on 
some* 14 classes are higher in proportion now than in 
many other products of equal importance, these ex¬ 
hibitors have been- given the promise of at least double 
cash awards next year. This should be an eye-opener 
to would-be exhibitors in other classes, where the 
premiums are now too low to make it any inducement 
to exhibit. In maple products, for instance, there is 
but one class, with three prizes of $15, $10 and $5. 
Sugar and syrup should not compete with sugar and 
syrup! or with a general display, as is now the necessity 
under present classifications. But sugar should com¬ 
pete with sugar, with at 1“ • t three generous prizes. 
Syrup should compete with s. up, with equal premiums, 
and a general display should ’ ve a class by itself, with 
a larger premium. Heretoi e but few entries have 
been made, and these were handled and stolen by the 
public until maple products manufacturers show no in¬ 
terest in these classes, in one of the State’s big indus¬ 
tries. There was one new and really wonderful exhibit 
of bottled syrup at the fair, shown by the Cortland 
County Maple Sap Products Co-operative Association, 
in the Cortland County booth. The county failed to 
get a rating, though its exhibit perhaps attracted more 
attention because of the maple exhibit than did any 
other county booth. Yet as it predominated over the 
space given in this booth to milk and other big county 
industries, it failed to give the booth a rating, though 
being one of the most interesting exhibits at the fair. 
If the proper classes and awards were made for this 
industry there would be a general exhibit at the fair 
each year in maple products that could take its place 
on a par with honey, fruits and vegetables. Pet Granges 
and other farm organizations take action on these and 
other injustices, asking prompt correction of the State 
Fair Commission. 
WOMEN’S INTERESTS SLIGHTED BY FAIR 
COMMISSION.—A study of the State Fair culinary 
and canned fruits exhibits year after year has shown a 
very unjust discrimination against this important class 
of farm endeavor. The prizes offered are too meager, 
usually $1 for first and 50 cents for second, to warrant 
any busy farm woman’s effort. These capable cooks 
must necessarily come some distance, and they should, 
and they very surely would, make this a feature of 
value and interest, instead of the butt of ridicule it 
now is. if it were made worth while. When common 
vegetables have first awards ranging from $3 to $8 
each, with three proportionate prizes to each class, and 
when fruits and flowers fare as well, why should not 
the cooking of high-class foods receive equal attention? 
We need treble the present prizes at least, with four to 
five under each class, in order to make this a credit to 
the women of the State. At present the women of the 
city of Syracuse furnish considerable of the exhibit, and 
the quality of the products shown will not compare 
favorably with any fair-sized county fair exhibit in the 
State. The jellies this year were so poor in quality, 
also few in number, varying from a liquid state to a 
glue-like substance, that the judge of this class took 
the names of the exhibitors and will write them, sending 
recipes and asking that they try to improve the quality 
of products shown in future. There was only one can 
of meat shown, where modern day requirements should 
have brought out a big display in this highly important 
farm food. Women’s clubs everywhere and Granges of 
the State should take prompt action, demanding that 
the commission introduce more generous methods, and 
put this important line of work on the plane on which 
it belongs. There is plenty of room in the hall where 
the exhibit was shown this year to have displayed au 
exhibit five to 10 tiqios as big. M. G. £*. 
