684 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S FA PER 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Home* * 
Establixhed isso 
I’ulilMird nrrkly by the Kur«I PnblUhin? Compnny. 88it W>«t 80tb Street,New York 
Herbert W. Colling wood, President and Editor. 
John .1. Dnxo.v, Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wm. F. Dillon, Secretary. Mrs. E. T. Hoyle, Associate Editor. 
SUBSCRIPTION : ONE DOLLAR A YEAR 
To foreign countries in Die Universal Postal Union. $2.04, equal to 8s. 6d., or 
8!4 marks, or lOlo francs. Remit in money order, express 
order, personal check or bank draft. 
Entered at New York Post Office as Second Class Matter. 
Advertising rates, tl.00 per agate line—T words. References required for 
advertisers unknow n 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 Iors 
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 subscriber and honest, 
responsible houses, whether advertisers or not. We willingly use our good 
oflices to this end, but such eases should not he confused with dishonest 
t ran sac t ions. We protect subscribers against rogues, but we will not he 
responsible for the debts of honest bankrupts sanctioned by the courts. 
Notice of the complaint must be sent to us within one month of the time of 
the transaction, and to identify it, you should mention The Rural New- 
Yorker when writing the advertiser. 
There are a great mauy newcomers on the vacant 
farms in this section this Spring. If this is general 
throughout the State. I suggest that you got some new 
subscribers by having old subscribers pay for the first 
10 weeks for any new neighbor. A notice could be sent 
to the newcomer like this: “We welcome you to our 
neighborhood and wish for you prosperity and happi¬ 
ness. A trial subscription to The It. N.-Y. is being 
sent, you at the request of Mr. -. who is one of 
your new neighbors.” I may be wrong, but I believe if 
such a scheme was advertised many would spend 10 
cents to start in right with new neighbors. 
W. B. TAYLOR. 
F ROM our point of view the scheme is an admir¬ 
able one, and we print Mr. Taylor's letter as a 
suggestion. In any event, it is a fine thing to show 
some little courtesy to a newcomer and help him feel 
at home. We need far more of the old neighborly 
feeling in the country. 
* 
Unless we can readjust our railroad rates we will 
have to rewrite the whole agricultural geography of the 
United States. Our present rates will soon move our 
granaries to foreign shores, for today it costs .'50 cents 
per bushel to ship grain from Missouri to New York, 
and the same amount can be shipped by water from 
Argentina for 10 cents. 
T HUS spoke Herbert Hoover in his address to the 
Farm Bureau Federation—and he is right. If 
the farmers of the North Atlantic slope were to take 
a selfish view of the situation they might see in this 
situation an advantage to their business. To “a man 
without a country” it will make little difference 
whether the grain and feed for his stock comes from 
Argentina or Iowa. That was the spirit or argument 
which brought England close to losing the great war. 
The nation became so eager to develop “industry” 
that it neglected agriculture. Thus it became de¬ 
pendent of foreign countries for food. Not only that, 
hut it lost much of the old power and independence 
which came from a satisfactory farm life. The high 
freight rates from the West would, if continued, act 
somewhat like a tariff to “protect” Eastern agricul¬ 
ture. hut few things could he worse than for one 
section of Ihis country to prosper at the expense of 
another through such an unfair advantage. The 
present freight rates are ruining American business. 
'There must he a fair exchange hack and forth, but 
that will he impossible so long as the present extor¬ 
tionate rates continue. 
* 
I N the New York market reports California eggs 
are uniformly quoted higher than near-by fresh 
eggs. Why is this? Many of our readers are ask¬ 
ing the question, and we have investigated care¬ 
fully. As we write the California eggs are two cents 
above local quotations, and they have been four 
cents. It seems remarkable that eggs can be shipped 
3.000 miles to this market and then outsell eggs of 
the same size and even of better quality produced 
within 100 miles of this market. The explanation 
given by the dealers is that the California eggs are 
more carefully graded and more carefully packed. 
Many of the Eastern eggs are fully equal in quality 
but in some cases, at least, they are not uniform in 
color and size, and are not well packed. Tinted 
eggs will be put in with others, and eggs from pul¬ 
lets and mature hens are often mixed. The Califor¬ 
nia eggs are of uniform size and color. In this city 
the Hebrew' trade seems to lie a great consumer of 
white eggs, and this trade will demand the Cali¬ 
fornia product. The situation in the egg trade is 
not unlike that in Pacific Coast apples. As most 
of us know, some of this fruit is not of high quality, 
but every apple in the box is of uniform color and 
size, and seldom, or never, do you find an inferior 
apple in the pack. It is the superior grading and 
packing rather than the quality which sells these 
apples, and very much the same thing seems to he 
true of the eggs. The California poultrymen are 
organized. They are thus able to control their prod¬ 
uct, both in its production and distribution. Some 
The RURAL NEW-YORKER 
months ago it was found that some of these Cali¬ 
fornia eggs lacked quality and keeping power. The 
trouble was traced down to the feeding of fishmeal 
and some other foods. The plan of feeding was 
entirely changed,. with the result that the eggs 
proved satisfactory. That is but one illustration of 
what full co-operation among any line of producers 
can bring about. While the California producers 
grade and pack and ship through an organization, 
our Eastern poultrymen grade and ship as indi¬ 
viduals. so that the Western standard is more uni¬ 
form. Our Eastern henmen are the equal of any, 
and their hens are often superior, but California 
has complete organization, and that puts her ahead 
in the market. 
% 
R EPORTS from Washington show that foreign 
countries owe to the government and people of 
the Fnited States about $18.000.000.000. with interest 
increasing at the rate of ten millions daily. This in¬ 
cludes original war debts, war materials sold in Eu¬ 
rope, and hills due American merchants and inves¬ 
tors. Gold has been sent to pay those bills until 
nearly one-third of the gold supply of the world is 
said to ’he stored in this country. There is not gold 
enough to pay these tremendous debts. If they are 
to he paid at all. payment must, he made in labor 
coined into raw material or manufactured goods. 
This must he evident to anyone who will stop and 
think. World trade cannot be one-sided, and this 
country must buy goods of Europe and Canada if we 
ever expect to collect our debts abroad. That fact 
will complicate aii.v plan to arrange for a tariff that 
will he fair to all classes. The thing for farmers to 
demand is an even chance with others for protection. 
* 
T IIIS has been called an age of canned goods, for 
millions of people depend on canned food for a 
great share of their daily supply. Thus it happens 
that nearly every house has a pile of empty tin cans 
out somewhere near the hack door. The housewife 
usually prides herself on the variety of products 
she puts into cans. Does she realize that she helps 
to can mosquitoes? In many cases she does this very 
thing. It is a known fact that, the mosquito cannot 
breed unless the eggs are deposited in stagnant wa¬ 
ter. Drain the marshes and ponds and puddles and 
there can he no mosquitoes, for stagnant water is a 
necessity to its life. We know of farmers who have 
carefully drained every puddle or low place near 
their houses, and still the mosquitoes come. We tried 
that and still had a fine supply. On hunting for the 
reason we found a number of tin cans and pans part¬ 
ly filled with water out under the trees. This water 
was alive with the young mosquitoes which, later, 
came out by the hundred to make life a misery. We 
were simply canning mosquitoes without knowing it. 
Every tin can left partly filled with water around the 
the yard will he good for several hundred lusty 
bloodsuckers. It pays to make a business of cleaning 
up all such rubbish and draining or filling in all 
puddles. A little stagnant water around your house 
is a standing invitation for Mrs. Mosquito to pre¬ 
sent you with a fine brood of bloodsuckers. 
* 
How to shut off the auto-hog! Florida has solved this 
problem, and it is up to every other State to follow suit, 
in this up-to-date State they have a law that anyone 
who steals fruits, berries or anything else while riding 
along the highway, walking the highway, either day or 
night, shall be, upon conviction, fined $50 or serve 50 
days in jail, and it only needs that they shall be seen 
by one witness to convict them. The result is that while 
many groves and orchards are unfenced, scarcely any¬ 
thing is stolen. It is up to the farmers to have such a 
law passed in every Northern State to stop these thiev¬ 
ing practices. Make it so strong there shall be no alter¬ 
native. and whether the thief or thieves be male or fe¬ 
male. the full penalty must be paid. dr. e. f. f. 
Orange Co.. N. Y. 
OMETHING of that sort must be done, or there 
will he a tragedy on many a lonely road. As it 
is now, these thieves easily get away with their plun¬ 
der before “the law” can get hold of them. Such a 
law would not cause any trouble for the thousands 
of honest people who ride through the country, will¬ 
ing to pay for what they take, or buy. As it is now 
they suffer in reputation from the work of the minor¬ 
ity of “tourists,” who are out for what they can 
gather up. Unless they are given fair protection, 
farmers will surely take the law in their own hands, 
and brand these auto hogs with a whip. 
* 
N old acquaintance walks out of the shadow of 
the years and enters the limelight once more— 
Senator Elon It. Brown. He is to act as counsel for 
the committee which proposes to investigate the 
affairs of New York City, and there is no question 
about his ability and inclination to nose into many a 
dark hole. As a Senator Mr. Brown was more or 
less responsible for some of the worst and most in¬ 
May 7, 1921 
jurious agricultural legislation ever put over in this 
State. lie belonged to the powerful group of poli¬ 
ticians who looked upon agriculture as a field where 
a great crop of politics could be produced. Whether 
it,was a dog law. a milk investigation or a new de¬ 
partment. these men had no use for a farmer except 
as they could nail down his vote. Tie is not coining 
down here to uplift New York, or with any high 
ideals about making this a moral town. He is after 
political ammunition for his party, and we think he 
will find it. 
* 
W E are receiving a number of communications 
regarding rural schools. Some of them are 
unsigned, and most of these are very bitter in their 
criticisms. Of course we cannot use such letters. It 
is our standing rule never to print anonymous com¬ 
munications. In a discussion of this sort, in particu¬ 
lar we must have open and fair statements. Bear in 
mind, therefore, that no unsigned communication 
will be printed. Tf for some good reason the writer 
does not want Ids name published, that can be ar¬ 
ranged, but there must he some known person back 
of every letter. Some of the letters are very long. 
Please remember that we have not asked for long 
discussions or complaints. What we want is a strong 
answer to this question : 1 Vital do ire leant in our 
rural schools? 
* 
N April 20 the Dairymen's League “went over 
the top” in its campaign for pooling milk. At 
the end of that day they had 50.100 contracts cor¬ 
rectly signed and filed. The honor of signing the 
fifty-thousandth contract went to L. IT. Schofield of 
Millerton, Pa. The directors of the League now pro¬ 
pose to go ahead and start the pooling plan on May 
1. Their plans are not fully matured, hut it. is stated 
that League milk will ho divided into four classes. 
One class includes all milk sold in fluid form or to 
be turned into cream or skim-milk. Class 2 will 
include milk or products not sold in fluid form. This 
includes ice cream, soft, cheese, etc. Class 3 includes 
milk used for condensed or evaporated milk, milk 
powder and special forms of cheese. Class 4 includes 
all milk made into American cheese or butter. The 
prices for all except Class 1 milk will he determined 
by market, conditions. Final prices for May are an¬ 
nounced at $2.30 per 100 lbs. fluid milk. The direc¬ 
tors announce that: 
No matter in what class the dealer buys his inilk. the 
returns from it will bo pooled by the Co-operative Asso¬ 
ciation and every farmer will receive the average price 
of the whole except for differentials, such as freight, 
butterfat and quality. 
. * 
N OW it is said that Germany has few good horses, 
and in spite of tractors, farming cannot he 
pushed hard. Wayne Dinsmore quotes a traveler 
as follows: 
Even if there were horses, few would have money to 
buy them. Many are working by hand—turning over 
the sod with spades—men. women, hoys and girls. 
Others fortunate to have plows hitch on whatever live 
stock they have, a cow and a horse, a cow and a year¬ 
ling. a cow and a mule—some of the queerest combina¬ 
tions T ever laid eyes on. These conditions are not 
local : they're general. A man plowing with a cow 
hitched to his implement and his woman leading thi 
cow. Harnesses of rope or anything that will hold to¬ 
gether. Fortunate, indeed, is the man with a good yoke 
of oxen. 
It is claimed that the Germans need half a million 
good mares. The supply from Russia is shut off, 
and America is the only country to supply horses. 
The Germans would buy if they had gold to pay 
with, or if America could take their goods in pay¬ 
ment. They are not likely to buy our horses or 
other goods unless they can have credit or cash to 
pay with. We do think, however, that the breeding 
and feeding of good heavy horses will pay. 
Brevities 
Alfalfa growers in Utah pooled their Alfalfa seed 
and have just sold 1.250.000 lbs. in oue sale. 
Four ounces of corrosive sublimate dissolved in 30 
gallons of water will kill the scab germs on seed pota¬ 
toes, and also destroy many disease germs. 
T 11 F, American Farm Bureau Federation contributed 
431 carloads of corn (over 000,000 bushels) for the 
Starving people of Europe. This corn will be dried and 
shipped at once. 
Farmers ought to be able to see by this time that no 
other commercial or industrial interest will take care 
of them. If they expect to be provided for they must 
provide for themselves. 
The Pennsylvania chemists have found considerable 
adulterated turpentine on the market. It is adulter¬ 
ated with mineral spirits with a name closely resem¬ 
bling turpentine, yet changed a little. 
Another way to destroy ant hills on the lawn is 
I resented by Edward Hutchins of Michigan: “Soak 
their hills with the suds left, after washing, applied 
boiling hot. Boiling water might, serve as well, but 
the wash-water is convenient. Make a funnel-shaped 
opening in the ton of the mound, not too large, for con¬ 
venience in pouring in the water.” 
