1322 
The RURAL NEW-YORKER 
August 14, 1920 
Twenty Five Years 
of Success 
proves that 
the originator of 
Postum Cereal 
% 
was building upon a sure foundation 
when he devised this most famous 
of all cereal beverages. 
Where one used it in place of coffee, 
in the beginning, tens of thousands 
drink it today—and prefer it to coffee. 
Healthful, delightful to taste and 
satisfying to every one at table. 
Postum is now recognized as coffee’s 
one and only great competitor among 
those who delight in a coffee-like 
flavor. 
Sold everywhere by Grocers 
Made by Postum Cereal Co., Inc. 
Battle Creek, Michigan 
GRANGERS LIME 
“The Proven Soil Sweetener ** 
PROMPT SHIPMENTS) 
Write for Prices and Commodity Freight Rates 
GRANGERS MANUFACTURING CO., Succewon 
Grangers Lime Company 
SALES OFFICES: Hartford. Coon., Bridgewater, Mass. 
WORKS : West Stockbridge, Mass. 
Safety First for Trees 
■ Trees cost much more than they did. Save those 
you have. Rabbits, mice, and other rodents cannot 
B ies that are protected by 
Tree S. 
They’re especially strong and durable: heavily gal-, 
vanlzed; rustproof; easy to set up and remove; cer¬ 
tain protection for young and mature trees. They 
cost little and save many dollars. All sizes. Write 
for catalog R. 
Wickwire Spencer Steel Corporation. Worcester. Mass. 
This All Wool CAP $1.00 
Post 
Paid 
FOR MEN 
Sizes 6 3 A to 7% 
FOR BOYS 
Sizes 6 V 4 to 7 
Like illustration 
or new 1 piece* 
English shape. 
Made of fine all- 
wool, medium 
and heavy 
weight mater¬ 
ials; grey, brownand green mixtures and plaids; 
canvas peak with snap-button, eood sweatband and 
taped seams. State size, color and style wanted. 
ECONOMY MAIL ORDER HOUSE 
LYNBROOK. NEW YORK 
~ In business over 25 Rears 
Send lor catalogue of men’s and bogs' wear 
Good 
COMMON-SENSE 
REASONS 
Why 
BARIUM- / 
PHOSPHATE 
SHOULD BE USED ^ 
IN SEEDING DOWN 
Considering the high price of hay and 
grain, and the fact that a minimum 
amount of labor is required to grow these 
crops, farmers will seed a larger acreage 
this fall. 
Phosphorus is the most important fer¬ 
tilizing element in producing profitable 
crops of grain. Without ^phosphorus in 
abundance, stands are poor and yields 
are light. 
In growing Grass it is best to stock the 
land with phosphorus at the time of seed¬ 
ing and apply the soluble nitrates as a 
“top dresser” each spring. 
Clover Cannot Grow on an Acid Soil 
A MODERATE APPLICATION OF 
OUR ALKALINE FERTILIZER 
Barium-Phosphate 
Analysing 
28.00% PHOSPHORIC ACID 
7.00% BARIUM SULPHIDE 
Will Sweeten the Soil and Supply 
Phosphorus in an Ideal Form 
therebyinsuringvigorous stands of clover, 
and profitable crops of grass and grain. 
For these reasons i* will pay you 
to use Barium-Phosphate 
Let us send you our “worth while” books, 
“PHOSPHORUS AND MANURE” 
“B-P FOR FALL SEEDING” 
Headquarters also (or 
GROUND PHOSPHATE ROCK 
Witherbee, Sherman & Company 
2 Rector Street, New York City 
DO DITCHING THIS FALL 
L<* Prevent winter rains smothering the Boil. Put 
“ land in shape for early spring work. Get your 
ditching and terracing done now with 
/c, Farm Ditcher 
L- Terracer 
' —and Gradar 
Works in uny soli. M»kes -V fh.ptd dilch 
or oleanj ditcUcB down 4 ft. doep. All t took. 
Keren! Ido. AdjusUldc. Write for Free Book. 
0WEMSBDR0 DITCHER S GRADER CO, hie. 
Bos 334, Owensboro, Hi. 
10 Days Free Trial 
Countrywide Produce Situation 
POTATOES ARE REACHING LOW LEVELS AND 
MOST FRUITS AND VEGETARLES ARE 
LOWER THAN LAST YEAR 
The sensational decline in potatoes has 
been the feature of the season. Starting 
close to $20 per barrel in the early Spring, 
the price worked down slowly at first, 
and then faster. The slump came during 
the last two weeks of July, carrying the 
price well below $5 per barrel in some 
markets, or about one-fourth the season’s 
opening values, and $2 or $2 below the 
average a year ago. At that time the 
market, had begun to rise last year from 
the effect of the evident shortage in the 
Western crops. It continued to rise 
through September, and then declined un¬ 
til after the harvest season, resuming the 
advance again about the first of the year. 
This year there is no great shortage any¬ 
where. although the acreage is slightly 
less. Some States short last, year expect 
a record yield. 
PRESENT PRICES LOW 
Producers are getting about $1.25 per 
bushel, which seems low in comparison 
with other prices and with those of last 
year, as well as with the present costs of 
production, hut the price is far above the 
Summer average of the years preceding 
3917. In August. 1917. according to 
Government reports, producers the coun¬ 
try over averaged $1.93 per bushel, com¬ 
pared with $1.42 in 1918. with $1.75 in 
1917, with 95c in 1919. with 5(>o in 1915, 
with 87c in 1914, with (59c in 1913, with 
87c in 1912, with $1.36 in 3911, and with 
65c in 1910. 
GOING DOWN 
The market has other weak features 
besides potatoes. Most of the fruits and 
vegetables are now as low as last year. 
Dairy products, meats, grain, feeds, hay 
and cotton have declined considerably at 
times during the past month, and all sorts 
of general commodities have shown a fall¬ 
ing tendency, a part of the first heavy re¬ 
action from war levels. The coming 
raise in freight rates will tend to keep up 
the prices in the cities, hut not in distant 
producing sections. Under these condi¬ 
tions the jiearhy producers will have a 
further advantage, and we may look for a 
slightly wider spread between prices in 
sections close to all markets, compared 
with those from which the produce must 
travel long distances. Perhaps the remote 
shippers will be able to offset high trans¬ 
portation costs by the better quality of 
the goods. Thus the Southwestern canta¬ 
loupe growers take the cream of the mar¬ 
ket. getting $4 to $6 per crate, where 
Eastern shippers are getting $1.50 to $3, 
simply because of the reputation for qual¬ 
ity and appearance. The Northwestern 
apple growers did the same for many 
years and still supply the hulk of fancy 
table stock. There is more and more 
Eastern stock of equal or better quality, 
and Northern growers never would have 
obtained any great advantage if Eastern 
producers had been awake to their oppor¬ 
tunities. 
THE APPLE TROBLEM 
The price of the seasonjs apple crop 
is still an interesting puzzle. Early kinds 
are quoted at all sorts of prices. Few sell 
as high as $3. and many at low ranges 
of 50c to $1 per bushel. Supplies are 
liberal everywhere, hut the price seems to 
be considerably higher in the West than 
in the East. It is evident that there was 
a big crop of early apples. In each sec¬ 
tion there are one or two States which 
supply the hulk of early carlot shipments. 
Delaware is the heaviest Eastern ship¬ 
ping section at this time, and Illinois in 
the Middle West, while the hulk of ship¬ 
ments from the Far West at this time are 
from California. A little later a different 
series of States take leadership in supply¬ 
ing the market. Reports of the crop con¬ 
tinue favorable. The Baldwin, the lead¬ 
ing Eastern variety, made a rather scanty 
bloom compared with some other kinds, 
but the fruit has shown good size and will 
be satisfactory both in quantity and qual¬ 
ity in most sections. Greenings and Fall 
varieties are doing exceptionally well. 
The Southeastern States, especially Vir¬ 
ginia and West Virginia, will have as 
many apples ns they did last year. New 
York lias one of the largest crops on 
record, and the Middle West will have at 
least plenty for its own use. The North¬ 
west. will probably not have more than 
three-fourths as many apples as last year, 
but if they do not get caught in a freeze 
this year the competition may he quite 
active with Eastern stock. Altogether, 
the outlook is for plenty of apples, and 
there is more need than for many years 
for an active demand. 
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES FLOURISH 
Truck crops seem to be doing well in 
all sections. Even the Southwest has not 
had a very eerious> drought, and other 
regions have had rain enough, sometimes 
too much. 
•Prices continue very low for onions, 
reaching 60c per bushel in some markets. 
Farmers in the Connecticut Valley are 
worrying about the outcome of the crop 
from sets, which is expensive to raise and 
seems likely to meet an unsatisfactory 
market. The onion acreage shows some 
increase in New York State and a few 
other sections and will he considered 
ahead of the short crop of last year, but 
not a very large crop as compared with 
some preceding years. There appears no 
reason why the onions should not bring 
fair prices, especially for stock that is fit- 
for long keeping, and growers should be 
cautious about accepting the low offers 
that are being made based on the present 
very weak markets. The present weak¬ 
ness is the effect of the stock held over 
from the big Southern crop. This will be 
out of the way soon and the public will 
recover an appetite for onions sooner or 
later. 
Cabbage markets have been depressed 
for similar reasons, the result of immense 
shipments from the South. Prices may 
make some recovery, but the Northern 
crop is a large one, according to all 
accounts, the weather having been favor¬ 
able for cabbage iir the leading producing 
sections. g. b. f. 
Extermination of the Black Snake 
On page 1236, IT. W. B. complains that 
his premises are infested with black- 
snakes and asks for a method of destroy¬ 
ing them. Most of the smaller snakes are 
known to be decidedly beneficial to the 
farmer, inasmuch as they destroy vast 
numbers of harmful insects and noxious 
rodents. But when it comes to classing 
a snake as large as the so-called black- 
snake among the farmer’s friends, there 
is room for considerable discussion. It 
is true that it feeds upon rats and mice 
and similar pests when food to its liking 
is not available. And. so far as this is 
concerned, it is undoubtedly worthy of 
protection. But it greatly prefers a diet 
of frogs, which are. in all cases, bene¬ 
ficial. or of some of the birds which we 
desire to protect, and, lastly, they are de¬ 
cided nuisances in the poultry house. 
These habits militate against the larger 
species, and, when one has had, as I have 
had. a 6-ft. blacksnake seize him by the 
hand and coil its body around his arm. he 
will have little love for the larger snakes, 
even though some naturalists may claim 
that they are more beneficial than other¬ 
wise. 
Snakes are easily caught in traps, and 
a very good method is to place a trap or 
cage containing a few live rats or mice in 
the open field and surround it with small 
steel traps. A snake, seeing the rats, will 
attempt to get at them, and in so doing 
will be certain to blunder into one or 
more of the traps. Or a trap working 
upon the cumulative principle, in which a 
large number of snakes may be caught at 
a time, may he easily constructed with 
but little trouble. Essentially this con¬ 
sists of a pen made of woven wire of a 
sufficiently fine mesh, surrounding the 
cage. Several holes are made in the wire 
and a funnel is inserted in each, with the 
small end pointing inward. This is cov¬ 
ered with a glass door, hinged at the top. 
The snakes, in attempting to reach the 
bait, will enter the funnels, press against 
the transparent glass, which will move 
easily and thus afford an entrance. When 
the snake is inside the glass will drop into 
place, and no snake will have intelligence 
enough to open it. 
The most profitable way to utilize the 
carcass of a snake is to tie a string near 
the end of its tail. Then open its mouth 
and, with a sharp knife, cut through the 
tissues of the skin and unjoint the back¬ 
bone at the first joint. Then peel the skin 
down over the body and remove it. Rub 
the flesh side well with salt and allow it 
to dry for a few days. Then, by the aid 
of the string, it can easily be returned. 
Along a little before the strawberries are 
ripe, fill the skin with sand until it is well 
rounded out into the form of a living 
snake. Insert a couple of bright, shining 
beads in the eye-sockets, and place the 
stuffed skin in a conspicuous place in the 
strawberry bed. with the head raised a 
few inches from the ground, and rest as¬ 
sured that no bird will touch a berry that 
is within a radius of a good many feet. 
Properly tanned, a snake skin makes a 
thin, handsome leather, not very strong or 
very durable, hut highly suitable for cov¬ 
ering fancy boxes, belts, slippers, hand¬ 
bags and similar articles. 0. o. ORMSBEE. 
our Choice for Governor of N. Y. State 
THE BALLOT 
Liberty Hyde Bailey, Tompkins 
Frank M. Bradley, Niagara 
Seth J. T. Bush, Monroe 
Israel T. Deyo, Broome 
Samuel Fraser, Livingston 
Elon II. Hooker, Monroe 
Wesley O. Howard, Rensselaer 
Francis M. Hugo, Jefferson 
Nathan L. Miller, Onondaga 
Ogden L Mills, New York 
John Lord O’Brian, Erie 
William Church Osborne, Putnam 
Eugene II. Porter, Broome 
nenry M. Sage, Albany 
Alfred E. Smith, New York 
Silas L. Strivings, Wyoming 
Thaddeus C. Sweet, Oswego 
Win. Boyce Thompson. Westchester 
George F. Thompson, Orleans 
I Eugene M. Travis, Kings 
George F. Warren, Tompkins 
your choice is not in the list write it on 
this line 
REFERENDUM 
Would you be in favor of calling a 
tate meeting of farmers to formulate 
irm needs and policies and to sugges 
indidates who would be acceptable to 
irmers? _ _ Trk 
□ YES □ NO 
