lht RURAL NEW-YORKER 
A New York Milk Expert Out West 
We enclose a clipping from the Kansas City Star. 
Some “nut” from New York City, named North, came 
here, hired by the city at $2,000 per week, to look over 
the milk situation. Of course he gave his O. K. to the 
milk trust that handles the milk in Kansas City. They 
pay farmers from 12 to 18 cents per gallon for raw 
milk, and retail the same milk at 16 cents per quart. 
Then, to cap the climax, the said North milked a cow in 
the lobby of one of the big hotels. Of course that makes 
him a milk expert. Do you know anything about Mr. 
North? lie is supposed to come from New York City 
or thereabouts. H. H. 
Missouri. 
Yes, we know Dr. North, and he qualifies for an 
expert all right. Some years back he started a milk 
farm near Trenton, N. J., for a couple of philan¬ 
thropic high-class millionaires, and the reason they 
did not die poor was that they quit and left the farm 
and equipment to Dr. North. It lasted him. we be¬ 
lieve. less than six months. Then Dr. North con¬ 
ducted a milk investigation during the city adminis¬ 
tration of Mayor Mitcliel. to the amusement of the 
public and the edification of the city milk trust. The 
milk dealers are usually a source of revenue to Dr. 
North, and he is always an asset to them. From the 
clipping referred to we judge the Missourians got his 
measure quickly. Here is an item : 
This expert was supposed to come here with an open 
mind, lie was contracted for, this man North, at a sal¬ 
ary of $2,000 a week, for eight weeks, or $16,000. How 
long had he been here before it became apparent that 
he was not “impartial.” even in the slightest degree? 
How long before his utterances branded him as a propa¬ 
gandist for the dairy companies’ product? 
Another Leg of Mutton 
On page 955 'I read about Hugh Smith’s sheep, lambs 
and prices. On July 19 we had for dinner a leg of 
lamb; paid $1.75 for it. It was Western meat—what 
is called here “Chicago dressed.” That lamb’s leg bone 
was so tough that when I tried to crack it (after tak¬ 
ing meat off) to make broth, I had to take a stone 
mason’s ^-lb. hammer. I am no featherweight, either. 
Perhaps Mr. Smith’s sheep had got to be a lamb by the 
time it got here. H. e. t. 
The retail prices for meats are shocking, as com¬ 
pared with what the farmer receives. There seems 
to be no restraint whatever. The former attempt 
at a law to prevent profiteering was a failure. It 
was declared “unconstitutional,” and the lawyers in 
Congress must have known before they passed it 
that the courts would not uphold it Nothing has 
been done since then to protect the public from 
these food pirates. As for mixing mutton with lamb, 
that seems to be as easy as mixing labels. We used 
to know a man who had a standard joke whenever 
he carved. He used to say. “Will you have ram, 
lamb, sheep or mutton?”—and he could usually cut 
either from the same leg. 
A Letter from the Ox Express 
Most of our readers will remember our story of 
Mr. and Mrs. Berrang of Connecticut. They started 
to cross the country, to the Pacific coast, with an 
ox team. It is evidently a slow journey, but this 
worthy couple do not care for that. They are having 
a chance to “see the country”! We know our readers 
will enjoy the following letter from Mr. Berrang: 
So many people who are readers of The R. N.-YL 
have been on the lookout for the caravan, guessiug on 
the route we would take from Connecticut to California, 
and when they really see us passing their doors they 
lose interest ih everything else for the moment; there¬ 
fore it may be of interest to other readers who have 
not the good luck to see us personally to write some of 
the high and low lights of the trip, so far as we have 
gone. We are now at Washington, I). C„ arriving in 
the District limits about 7 p. m., then moved on. until 
about dark. We located an open grove on Florida ave¬ 
nue where we pitched camp, June 13. Not being satis¬ 
fied with the location, as there was no grazing for the 
oxen, we moved away early the next morning, and 
located at Camp Meigs, one of the dismantled war 
camps, where there was plenty of grass, plenty of 
room, shade trees and other conveniences, and as the 
thermometer hovered around the 90-degree mark daily 
for 18 days, we took advantage of the situation to let the 
oxen rest while some repairs were made; repainting the 
house-wagon, also adding screens to keep out the pesky 
mosquitoes, etc. So far the trip has been one grand 
picnic. The Winter, as everyone knows, was not severe. 
There were but six nights we felt it cold enough to 
keep one burner of the oil stove going. We were tied 
up one week in Hoboken. N. J., by the only snow we 
encountered, February 20. On March 2 we left for 
Jersey City, March 10 we moved to Newark, March 28 
we moved to Elizabeth. Here two of the creatures 
became sick—indigestion. April 4 we moved to Cran¬ 
ford, N. ,T.; April 5 moved to Rahway, N. J. Here 
the oxen were frightened and ran away a half block, 
doing some damage to bicycles lying in the gutters. 
April 0 we moved to Metuchen; on the 15th we left 
New Brunswick; here we did considerable maneuvering 
to have shoes put on the oxen ; by a little strategy we 
got it done. Then we moved off to Princeton, then 
1 renton, N. J. This is the town where street signs 
noint backwards. There the police would like to have 
us believe cattle were not permissible on their “cow 
oath” streets—only automobiles, it is presumed. If 
l’renton is the heart of New Jersey, I wonder where the 
brains are? 
By May 2 we reached Philadelphia, Pa. Here the 
police were all good fellows, truly showing the spirit of 
brotherly love. When we left they would have given 
'is the statue Of William Penn if we could cart it along. 
May 15 we moved on to Chester. One night we 
camped a few miles from a powder mill which blew up 
about 11 p. m. Now we got into the rolling country 
of Delaware; up one hill, down the other. Wilmington 
is surely a city of ups and downs; don’t know if more 
downs than ups.. Anyway, we camped a few days at 
Shellpot Park, a veritable Paradise. A big field of 
grass for the cattle, creek running through the grounds, 
plenty of shade trees, amusements, etc. Decoration Day 
we crossed the Susquehanna River at Havre de Grace. 
Here we passed President Harding, who made mention 
of seeing us in the Baltimore Sun. June 8 we went 
through Baltimore, and then on to Washington. 
J. C. BERRANG. 
Value of American Farm Property 
The latest census returns show the following com¬ 
parative value of farm property in this country: 
January 1. 1920 April 15, 1910 
All farm property. 
Land and buildings (re¬ 
vised) . 
Land alone . 
Buildings . 
Implements and machin¬ 
ery . 
Live stock . 
Average value per farm : 
All farm property.. . . 
Land and buildings.. 
Land alone . 
Buildings . 
Implements and ma¬ 
chinery . 
Live stock . 
$77,925,989,073 $40,991,449,090 
66,334.309,556 
54.90.3.453.925 
11,430.855.631 
3,595,317.021 
7.996,362.496 
12,085 
10.287 
8.514 
1.773 
558 
1,240 
34.801.125,697 
28,475,674.169 • 
6,325,451,528 
1.265,149,783 
4,925,173,610 
6.444 
5.471 
4.476 
994 
199 
774 
INCREASE BETWEEN 1910 ANI) 1920 
Amount Per Cent 
All farm property.$36,934,539,983 90.1 
Land and buildings. 31,533,183,859 90.1 
I/and alone . 26.427.779,756 92.8 
Buildings . 5,105,404,103 80.7 
Implements and machinery.... 2,330,167,238 184.2 
Live stock . 3,071,188.886 62.4 
The following tables group the States into districts 
and shows itemized values in 1920: 
Value of All 
Farm Property 
United States.$77,925,989,073 
New England. 1,173,019,594 
Middle Atlantic _ 3,949,684,183 
East North Central.. 17,245.412,555 
West North Central. 27,984,547,351 
South Atlantic . 6,132.917.760 
East South Central.. 4,419,466,237 
West South Central.. 7,636,237,632 
Mountain . 4.077,692,301 
Pacific . 5,307.011.460 
United States . 
New England . 
Middle Atlantic.... 
East North Central. 
West North Central 
South Atlantic. 
East South Central. 
West South Central. 
Mountain . 
Pacific . 
Buildings 
$11,430,855,631 
429.343,334 
1.340.461,647 
2,891.572.987 
3.074.326,148 
1.201.091.568 
747,552,131 
882.669,924 
361.369.204 
502,468,688 
Land Alone 
$54,903,453,925 
488,125.250 
1,661,676,107 
12,046.118,684 
21,395,063.051 
4.000.681.904 
2,916.141.232 
5.426.146.973 
2.802.552,678 
4.166.948.046 
Implements & 
Machinery 
$3,595,317,021 
92.387.525 
359.152.336 
786.076.796 
1.163,341.332 
283,980.857 
176.064.880 
311,245.074 
190.710.423 
232.357.792 
It will be seen that in the New England and Mid¬ 
dle States the values of buildings and implements 
combined is greater than that of land alone. In the 
West the case is different, for land values are many 
times greater than equipment! 
A Connecticut Milk Feeding Experiment 
In March. 1921, all the children of the public schools 
in Meriden. Conn., were weighed under the supervision 
of agents of the Farm Bureau and Storrs College. A 
report of this work was made to each school, giving the 
number and percentage, overweight, normal, and under¬ 
weight. Interest centered chiefly on those so far below 
normal that they were considered undernourished. Rec¬ 
ords of individual children were kept by the principal 
and teachers. Cards were sent to the parents of all the 
children, stating the present weight and the number of 
pounds that the children ought to weigh. A blue star 
was pasted on the cards of children who were normal 
or overweight. There was much rejoicing over these 
blue stars—children were very proud to be dubbed 
“prize” children. 
A talk was then given by the representative of Storrs 
College on the value of milk as a food. A plan was 
presented by those interested in the movement by 
which milk could be served at school to all those chil¬ 
dren who wished to buy it. In the school which came 
under my observation about one-half the children re¬ 
sponded. Not all of these were under-nourished, but 
most of them did not weigh as much as they should. 
A half-pint bottle of milk was served to each child 
for 4 cents. Straws were furnished free by the school 
authorities. The milk was served at the morning re¬ 
cesses. 10:15-10:45. The bottles, except those for the 
kindergarten, were opened by the janitor. They were 
placed on tables at each end of the lower hall where 
the boys and girls could get them easily as they passed 
out at recess. The milk for the kindergarten children 
was sent to their room, where it was served by the 
teachers. In order to have as little confusion as pos¬ 
sible, and to avoid asking teachers to give their time at 
recess, the following plan was evolved : 
The “milk drinkers” wore listed by grades, said list 
being in the hands of the principal. Four groups were 
made of these, boys and girls, upstairs and downstairs 
pupils. Tables were placed in the lower hall, one on the 
boys’ side and one on the girls’. The bottles for the 
downstairs milk drinkers were placed at one end of the 
table, and those for the second-floor children at the 
other. A box of straws was placed between the groups 
<>i oottles. As the children filed out at recess thosi 
drinking milk left the line, took a bottle of milk and a 
straw, and then passed out after the others. In pleas¬ 
ant weather the children preferred to drink their milk 
out of doors, but on rainy days they were allowed to 
999 
Remain in the hall. Milk for absent children was sent 
to their homes during the recess period if near the 
school house; otherwise at noon. 
The milk was paid for in advance. Each teacher col¬ 
lected, on Monday, the amount due in her room for the 
week, and sent the money to the principal, who paid the 
milkman on Friday. Undernourished children, unable 
to pay for their milk, were served with the others. 
This milk was paid for from a fund provided by Storrs 
College and by some generous patrons of the school. 
In June the undernourished children were weighed 
again. Most of them had gained in weight, although a 
few showed no gain. On the whole, it was a most satis¬ 
factory experiment, and many parents are hoping that 
it will be taken up again when school reopens in Sep¬ 
tember. e. b. s. 
Rural Schools—A Suggestion 
In considering the rural school problem we must re¬ 
member the trite saying. “It is a condition, not a theory, 
that confronts us.” When the little red schoollmuses 
were first built they were filled, often to overflowing, by 
the children of the adjoining farms. Since the popula¬ 
tion has surged to the cities the districts that formerly 
furnished 20 to 30 pupils now average less than seven. 
These children are often of such varying ages that 
scarcely two belong in the same grade. Under tnese 
conditions a teacher qualified to teach all grades is re¬ 
quired. and the children lack the interest and stimulus 
that comes from class fellowship. From a theoretical 
viewpoint the solution seems nlain ; consolidate the dis¬ 
tricts, build modern school houses, obtain teachers suit¬ 
ed to different grades, and furnish transportation for 
the pupils. But here actual conditions interfere. Sel¬ 
dom can even three or four country districts be consoli¬ 
dated without necessitating long drives over poor roads 
in all kinds of weather for most of the pupils. Parents 
naturally oppose the exposure of small children to the 
elements during the school year as it is now constituted. 
The plan for a continuous school year of nine or 10 
months, with a long Summer vacation, is one of the 
ideas of city origin that has been fastened on the country 
school. People who hark back to the simple, thorough 
teaching of 40 or more years ago. tell us that the-Sum¬ 
mer was the time for young children to attend school, 
and in the Winter the older boys and girls had their 
chance. Even in cities people with clear vision are 
beginning to dare to say that many small children would 
be better off in school than they are on the streets in 
Summer. 
Why, then, can we not adopt a system that will 
include the advantages of modern ideas and exclude the 
reason for the strongest objections to our school system 
as it now exists in rural districts? Give us the sani¬ 
tary sehoolhouse, built as well and located as centrally 
as possible, and send the children of the lower grades to 
school for the six months of each year, beginning the 
first of May. During this time many more could walk 
to school than in Winter. Those residing at such a dis¬ 
tance that transportation became necessary would not 
be exposed to the elements in severe weather. At the 
end of the term furnish an outline for home work in 
domestic science and hygiene, or other work, to suit 
individual cases, and leave the small children in charge 
of the parents during the Winter months. 
During the other half of the year let the higher 
grades have the use of the school for intensive study. 
These children are older and stronger and are better 
able to withstand the long rides in inclement weather. 
Their work could be arranged somewhat like that of 
students at the agricultural schools. While it must 
include the essentials of an English education, the work 
in science could be planned with especial reference to its 
practical application during the pupils’ vacation em¬ 
ployment. S. G. 
Starting a Farmers’ Business Organization 
I have read with intense interest your editorial on 
page 908, asking what was going to take the place of the 
local dealer or middleman. We have had some experi¬ 
ence in our community running our own business, and 
believing that you like to have statements of experi¬ 
ences, I will tell you something about the workings of 
the newly organized Adirondack Farmers’ Co-operative 
Exchange, Inc.. Port Edward, N. Y. This company 
was financed and organized by men who have believed 
and still believe that they have been charged exces¬ 
sively by certain dealers and middlemen for service 
rendered. Whether this be true, time will tell. How¬ 
ever, this company was incorporated in February of 
this year with a capitalization of $50,000. $35,000 of 
which has been authorized and issued. We have a well- 
equipped warehouse with modern machinery suitable 
for all kinds of custom milling. Our plant is so located 
that all purchased feeds are delivered on the trestle on 
a level with the top story, so that from thereon all grain 
moves down hill until it reaches the farmers’ wagons. 
We have a modern office and use the bookkeeping sys¬ 
tem recommended by the G -L.-F., which, with the aid 
of the especially equipped National cash register, pur¬ 
posely for co-operatives, makes an absolutely airtight 
system. 
On June 14. 1921. the date of our first annual meet¬ 
ing. Manager II. A. Becker reported for 100 days’ busi¬ 
ness $52,000, with a net gain of $3,700, after success¬ 
fully competing with our strongest competitors and 
paying 6 per cent on money invested. 
We have applied for. through the D. & II. Railroad 
Company, and have received, the tariff which allows 
us to do business under the milling-in-transit priv¬ 
ilege. This enables us to receive straight ears of grain, 
turn it into milled feeds and reship in mixed cars at a 
minimum cost. Thus we propose, in the near future, 
to bring G.-L.-F. service into considerable portions of 
Washington, Warren and Saratoga comities. 
In cases where an individual dealer seems to be ren¬ 
dering exceptional service I would recommend that the 
more influential farmers talk with him and try to instill 
into him the benefits of co-operative effort. He will 
usually see the light, or. in other words, “the hand¬ 
writing on the wall.” If he cannot' be convinced, then 
it seems to me it is a case of the survival of the fittest. 
Speaking generally, I think the quicker we proceed 
to carry on our own business and learn to dispense with 
the high-priced services of the dual-purpose middleman, 
the sooner we will enjoy success to a degree to which 
we all aspire. I think the farmer quite capable of car¬ 
rying on any business, as records prove, and why not 
his own? In organizing and maintaining our co-opera¬ 
tive enterprises, however, let us not forget to consult 
freely with our bankers and lawyers. 
In our newly organized business we are encouraging 
cash sales in every way possible, believing the farmer, 
a land owner, has the finest basis for a loan at any bank 
of any person in the world. Ezra R. Dickinson. 
Washington Co., N. Y. 
