The RURAL NEW-YORKER 
884 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER 
A National Weekly Journal lor Country anil Suburban JlnmcM 
Established !SuO 
Pnblinhrd weekly by the Kura) Publishing Company, 333 West 80th Street,New Tork 
Ukrbkkt W. Colli no wood, I'reKidont and Editor. 
John J. Dillon, Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wm. F. Dillon, Secretary. Mas. E. T. Koylk. Associate Editor. 
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“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 |«ikl 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 houses, 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 be 
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 Thk Rural Nkw- 
Yorkkr when writing the advertiser. 
O NE of our correspondents took a little trip off 
through the hills of New York State: 
We stopped for gasoline at a crossroads store, and the 
proprietor wanted to know where we were from. 1 told 
him. and what my name was. 
“What! Are yon the fellow that writes for The 
R. N.-Y.? Why, I have known you for years.” 
I find that 'by putting on the Rural as a sort of 
cloak of respectability. I can get a welcome almost any¬ 
where. 
Wc imagine it would be impossible to get two 
miles from a R. N.-Y. subscriber in any part of New 
York that is reasonably well settled. Whenever two 
subscribers meet they are like members of a family. 
They have something human in common. And we 
take it from the following that subscribers are 
thicker than peas in New Jersey: 
Everyone in my neighborhood is a regular subscriber 
to your valuable paper. Could throw a stone from my 
place and hit seven, nside from myself, joiin insley. 
* 
S it a wdiite elephant or a big tractor? That seems 
to be the question regarding the nitrate plant 
at Mussel Shoals, now being discussed in Congress. 
In 1916 Congress appropriated $20,000,000 and in¬ 
structed the President to find the “best, cheapest 
and most available means for producing nitrate.” 
This nitrate was necessary for the production of 
explosives, and also for agriculture. At that time 
wo were obliged to depend on foreign countries for 
our supply. Witli the money given by Congress the 
Government started several nitrate plants, the most 
important being at Muscle Shoals, Ala. At this point 
the Tennessee River runs in such a way that, great 
water power can he developed, and this power is 
necessary in the artificial production of nitrates 
from the air. During the war the Germans devel¬ 
oped this nitrate production wonderfully. It has 
been said that they fought the last two years of the 
war on “the melted snow from the Alps Mountains.” 
That is another way of saying that they developed 
the power of falling water so that they could pro¬ 
duce all needed nitrates. Before the war Germany 
imported from Chile about 116.000 tons of pure nitro¬ 
gen as nitrate. The German nitrate plants erected 
during the war are capable of producing over 500,000 
tons of nitrogen each year. Thus by developing chem¬ 
ical processes Germany is no longer an importer, but 
lias a surplus for export. When the armistice was 
signed the plant at Muscle Shoals had not been com¬ 
pleted, and the contest before Congress is over the 
question of spending money to finish the work. It 
has been estimated that about $30,000,000 will be 
needed to put the plant in full working order. If 
ir is not finished the money already spent will be 
lest or remain idle. In Congress the lines are closely 
drawn between two distinct classes. Opposed to the 
plan of finishing the work at Muscle Shoals are most 
manufacturers of chemicals, the importers of ni¬ 
trates from Germany and South America, and the 
large fertilizer companies. The chemical manufac¬ 
turers are interested in products of their own. The 
importers know that if this plant once goes into full 
operation American nitrates will in. time undersell 
the imported product. They are making the plea 
of economy. We must cut down public expenses. 
Here is a chance to save $30,000,000. Even if the 
money were spent, the nitrate plant would be noth¬ 
ing but a white elephant on the Goveraruent’s hands. 
On the other side are the farmers. They say that 
prices for fertilizer are extortionate, largely because 
the cost of nitrates is too high. This plant, when 
completed, could reduce the price of nitrates by one- 
half. It will make America entirely independent of 
foreign countries for its supply of nitrates, both for 
manufacturing and for agriculture. It will not be 
a white elephant, but a great, powerful tractor— 
not something to be fed, but something to feed the 
people. That is the way the two sides line up over 
this question. We think the farmers have the better 
argument in any fair and broad view, and we think 
Congress should finish the job. 
& 
AN any reader give us the facts about any 
proved case where sheep or other live stock 
have been killed by pasturing in a sprayed orchard? 
Our advice has invariably been that when reasonable 
care is taken there is little or no danger from such 
spraying. By “reasonable care” we mean using 
some standard strength of poison and spraying it 
evenly over the trees.* Under such conditions it 
does not seem possible that any serious damage can 
result. In most of the eases where stock have been 
injured we have found some accident or carelessness 
responsible. In one case the dregs of the tank were 
dumped on the ground. Til another the nozzle was 
permitted to “blow off” and leave a puddle of spray, 
or one or two trees were drenched until the liquid 
ran away from them in streams. When these things 
happen there is danger, for stock will hunt out these 
puddles or dumps of poison and lick them up. We 
now have a ease where a sheepman thinks his stock 
were killed by an ordinary and careful spraying, and 
we would like all the facts we can obtain. We must 
all remember that sheep are quite sensitive to many 
materials. One of our readers, referring to this, 
says: 
Several years ago T saw even goats killed by eating 
a little tarred corn, and I note in the papers that there 
was heavy loss in a flock of sheep that had pastured 
on the lawns of one of the New York parks. This fol¬ 
lowed one of the holidays, when many people picnicked 
on the grounds. 
* • 
MONO the questions submitted to the people by 
the Farm Bureau Federation is one regarding 
roads. Should the market roads he completed before 
the main thoroughfares are finished? We under¬ 
stand that this means the smaller side roads which 
run back from the main roads to the farms. If that 
is correct, there can be but one answer by people 
who consider the real welfare of the country. The 
smaller market roads should be finished first. These 
roads are “feeders” in more ways than one A vast 
proportion of the country’s food must be carried over 
these roads before it can be shipped. Only a small 
proportion of working farmers live on what may be 
called “Main Street.” If we are to have any ade¬ 
quate food supply or an intelligent farming class, we 
must make easy going between the farm and the 
market. The most useful traffic in the country is 
that bringing food in from the farms. A load of 
milk or of potatoes or wheat is worth far more to 
the country than a load of “tourists” scorching along 
some smooth main highway. The side roads or feed¬ 
ers should be attended to first. 
* 
If we could get people drinking more milk and loss 
soft drinks, it would be good for all concerned. I went 
to a Sunday school picnic the other day. I couldn’t 
begin to estimate how much “tonic”, and other “rot” 
those kids swallowed! Then they took back the bot¬ 
tles, got. two cents for them, and bought lollypops and 
other cheap candies. Now, if those kids had drank as 
much milk and ate as much popcorn as they drank 
tonic and ate cheap candy, they would have been far 
better off. of course. Why not the slogan, “Drink a 
glass of milk a day!” Make the fashion and it will 
“go.” I’d like to see it tried. If I were a parson 
on the edge of “retirement,” instead of going into “in¬ 
surance,” etc.. I do believe that I’d get somebody to 
set me up with a stand for milk and popcorn. 
ELL, why not? How can we expect city folks 
to increase the consumption of milk unless 
we show them the way? The “soft drinks” con¬ 
sumed at the usual country picnic or celebration 
would float a small vessel. The same amount of 
milk consumed at such places would benefit the 
people and increase trade. The “milk bars” appear¬ 
ing at such gatherings are good. They should be 
encouraged by all means. Who will join us in cut¬ 
ting out all “soda” and “pop,” and calling for milk 
instead? The “pop” in the soft drink does no one 
any good, but there is “pep” in good milk. 
* 
“The Oriental is undersized and ‘ready to grow 
whiskers and sit down for his children to cure for ’ 
when he is fifty years old or earlier A’ 
HAT is what Dr. E. V. McCollum told the Con¬ 
gress committee which is considering a bill to 
brand “filled milk” as a counterfeit dairy product. 
The point is that the milk-consuming nations, or 
those peoples which use most milk in their diet are 
as individuals superior in size, vigor and power to 
people who do not consume milk. Just now we are 
having a run on the “cocoanut cow” in the use of 
cccoanut oil for milk and butter counterfeiting. 
“Filled milk” represents an effort to substitute iu 
the world’s economy a half-clad, lazy native lying 
July 2, 1921 
under a cocoanut tree for a self-respecting and indus¬ 
trious dairyman. The fight against these milk and 
butter substitutes is more than a question of dollars, 
important as that may be. National child health 
comes into it. There can be no substitute for milk 
in children’s diet. We have in our family a small, 
undersized Japanese boy. He is now drinking at 
least a quart of milk per day—“and you ought to 
see him grow.” 
tk 
PARTY of New York people recently completed 
an auto journey across the continent. At Seat¬ 
tle, Wash., they figured a trip of 3.605 miles. The 
actual running time was 154 hours, at 23% miles 
an hour. They used 326 gallons of gasoline and got 
on the average 12% miles from a gallon. They re¬ 
port reasonably good roads as far as Bismarck, N. 
D. We may compare such a trip with that being 
made by Mr. and Mrs. Berrang with their ox team. 
They started from Connecticut in December and on 
June 7 passed through Baltimore! It will take them 
nearly two years to reach the coast—and what will 
happen to their oxen on the mountain tops and in 
the desert? They do not worry about that until the 
snowdrifts and the hot. sands come in sight. Our ox 
team passengers see more of the country and are 
probably happier than those who scorch along in 
cars. For if one have the right spirit and the proper 
“joy in the job.” lie may lie as happy in a man-pulling 
job as he ever could he in a Pullman. The man to 
be envied is lie who can find contentment in a hill¬ 
side cabin as well as in a palace. Usually the dweller 
In each of these places envies the other for either 
health or wealth. 
* 
MPATIENCE has always been one fault of the 
American people. That will ever he one feature 
of public life in a republic. There is a large ele¬ 
ment which is never quite willing to give a new ad¬ 
ministration a fair chance, or to give an old adminis¬ 
tration opportunity to work out a new plan. If after 
a few weeks or months all the wrongs are not made 
right, this impatient element will find fault and 
attempt to break down plans or policies. This criti¬ 
cism is usually destructive, for no sensible substitute 
is offered. Our State and Federal governments are 
so tied up with polities and legal technicalities that 
it would he next to impossible for an admWiistra- 
tion of saints to clean out all the injustice and 
wrong at once. With our peculiar temperament as 
a nation it is likely that any man who started in to 
cut and slash without considering things as they 
are would do more harm than good. History reveals 
the lives of thousands of men who pushed a little 
ahead of the thought of their followers and were 
promptly pulled down and destroyed by the very 
people who should have supported them. Right at 
this time dozens of great reforms in business and 
politics are under way. Some of them have not yet 
found the right road, but they will find it in time if 
we give them a chance. Constructive patience is 
better than violent fault-finding. 
IIE new Commissioner of Farms and Markets in 
New York is Judge Berne A. Pyrke of Port 
Henry, Essex County. Judge Pyrke is well known 
in Grange and Farm Bureau circles throughout 
northern New York, but has not taken a prominent 
part in State-wide matters. One of his eulogists 
says of him: 
He can prepare a potato patch as successfully as he 
can prepare a case for the courts, sit in council over 
an indisposed cow as wisely as preside over a trial; 
draw the day’s lacteal production from a bovine herd 
as cleverly as the opinion of a disciple of Blackstone. 
Of a morning he superintends the chores at his 
farm. The afternoon finds him in the meshes of legal 
lore. The evenings he spends with the Grange. 
He will have need of all this training and more in 
his new position. Tiie R. N.-Y r . wishes him well, 
and will give full support to every honest effort to 
improve the condition of Now York Farmers. 
Brevities 
There can be no question that some of the lighter 
cultivating tractors are very useful. When conditions 
are right they do good work. 
You take the man who goes broke because he would 
not. charge a fair price for his goods when he had a 
chqnce! Do you feel like mending him? 
Most farmers who try raising sweet potatoes at the 
North make the mistake of planting on rich soil. The 
sweet potato gives better results on poor sand. Do not 
let the vines root at the joints. Where the vine growth 
is too heavy Ave should try pinching such vines hack— 
on a few plants, at least. 
We submit the following as a new nursery rhyme, 
composed by one of our readers: 
I will not touch tobacco; No! 
Said Little Willie Nice; 
I dare not, for I need it all 
To kill the apple lice! 
