I 108 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER’S PAPER 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban llomeii 
Establish'd tsiO 
TablUtird werkly by the Rnral Pnblithlnff Company, 333 Weft 30th Street,New fork 
Hkrbkrt W. Collinqwood, President and Editor. 
John J. Dillon, Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wjtf. F. Dillon, Secretary. Mils. E. T. Royle, Associate Editor. 
SUBSCRIPTION : ONE DOLLAR A YEAR 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union. $2.01. equal to 8s. Gd., or 
8'j marks, or 1014 francs. Remit in money order, express 
order, personal check or bank draft. 
Entered at New York Post Office as Second Class Matter. 
Advertising rates, kl.00 per agate line—7 words. References required for 
advertisers unknown to us ; and cash must accompany transient orders. 
“A SQUARE DEAL” 
We believe that every advertisement in this paper is hacked by a respon¬ 
sible person. We use every possible precaution and admit the advertising of 
reliable houses only. But to make doubly Bure, we will make good any loss 
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 subscribers and honest, 
responsible houses, whether advertisers or not. We willingly use our good 
office* * to this end, but such eases 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 Tiik Rural Nkw - 
Yorker when writing the advertise r. 
I value your paper highly and get a good deal of 
valuable information from it. though I pay the least 
for the same amount of valuable information from your 
paper of any paper that I take, and I take as many as 
I can got time to read. j. e. patterson. 
Pennsylvania. 
HERE are days when bargains ought to count. 
When we do not give more information for a 
dollar than you can buy elsewhere for llie same 
money we want to be told, so that we may increase 
the value. 
The only remedy is ‘‘Ask no questions and use the big 
siick.” o. A. it. 
Rhode Island. 
T HIS man refers to the proper treatment of auto¬ 
hogs. We agree with him. When you catch 
them right in the act—located in the tree or patch 
or garden—the time for argument or questioning 
has passed. You have the best sort of evidence 
right before you. and the time for using the “big 
stick” has arrived. Our favorite weapon would he 
a shingle or a whip properly applied. 
* 
('an you advise me of any method to use to prevent 
robins from picking the largest and best peaches as 
soon as they turn red and soften? I have only about 
30 trees, and I like to have the fruit ripen on the 
trees, as I do not market any. This year the birds have 
destroyed about a quarter of my choicest peaches, and 
if there is any possible way to prevent this I would 
like to try it. w. P. taylor. 
Niagara Co., N. Y. 
W E are always disposed to take a hopeful view 
of any trouble, but in the case of these red¬ 
breasted thieves we are obliged to admit that there 
seems no practical remedy. It is our sincere belief 
that the robins cause more damage to the fruit 
grower than hawks, crows or owls ever do, while 
these so-called birds of prey destroy far more insects 
and vermin. The robber robins are protected. We 
do not know of any effective way of saving tlie 
peaches except to put tents of netting or gauze over 
them, and that is not practical except with a few 
small trees. 
* 
We have some farmers who are interested in beef pro¬ 
duction. but before venturing too deep they are anxious 
to get all the figures possible on which to work. Could 
some of your subscribers give me their experiences on 
fattening steers, giving profit or loss? We would also 
like figures of profit or loss on baby beef. E. n. 
Monmouth Co., N. ,T. 
EAD Prof. Hinkler’s article on pages 1029-1030. 
We think it will he comparatively easy to feed 
and fatten steers on our Eastern farms, hut the 
trouble comes in selling the beef to advantage. 
There is a monopoly in that business which has 
practically ruined competition. In order to make 
the beef business pay there must be some sort of 
return to the old slaughter-house system, with inde¬ 
pendent. methods for distributing meat. With the 
growing organization among farmers it ought to he 
possible to market beef to better advantage. We 
would like to have full experiences from Eastern 
farmers who have tried this business. 
* 
L ET us hope there will be fewer deaths from 
silo poisoning this year than ever before. 
When partly filled silos are left undisturbed over 
iiiglit or for several days, carbonic acid gas is pro¬ 
duced. This is heavier than air and thus accumu¬ 
lates at the bottom of the silo when there is no 
opening for it to pass away. It is a deadly poison 
to all breathing things, and men who go into the silo 
when this gas is present will be overcome and prob¬ 
ably killed. No one should enter a partly filled silo 
until the blower has pumped fresh air into it for 
several minutes. If there is still any question about 
the silo, or about a well, tie a lighted lantern to a 
rope and lower it down. Tf the flame goes out, keep 
The RURAL NEW-YORKER 
cut of the silo. If the flame continues to burn, you 
may safely go down. 
S ENATOR PAGE of Vermont will retire from ac¬ 
tive public life at the end of his present term 
in the Senate next year. The people of Vermont 
would gladly re-elect him. hut we understand that 
the Senator does not desire another term. This sit¬ 
uation leaves the people free to suggest a successor. 
The citizens of Vermont are well able to make their 
own selection, yet a Senator of the United States is 
a public character, with an influence and power 
which is nation-wide. We may therefore, without 
impropriety, suggest a man for the position. That 
man is Elbert R. Brigham of St. Albans, the present 
Commissioner' of Agriculture for Vermont. Mr. 
Brigham is a big man, physically and mentally, the 
finest type of the Vermont fanner. Vermont is an 
agricultural State, and will always remain such. 
While the other New England States have varied 
interests of manufacturing and fishing, Vermont 
will ever find it necessary to depend on her farms 
for those things which make a State and support its 
people. It seems to us without question that such a 
State should be represented at Washington by fann¬ 
ers. We do not mean that such a man should be 
selected simply because he lives or works on a farm. 
What we do mean is that such a representative 
should have, first of all. that spirit and feeling which 
can only come to a man through working contact 
with the soil. In addition to this, such a man should 
have a trained and fully educated mind, a strong 
character, plain common sense and a healthy body. 
Mr. Brigham meets these requirements fully. We 
think he would make an excellent Senator for Ver¬ 
mont. and we invite a consideration of his qualities 
by the farmers of the State. 
* 
A T this season we always have many questions 
about the ownership of fruit trees which grow 
on or close to the boundary line. Let us get in 
ahead of the flood this year with a few facts as we 
understand them. Such a tree belongs to the owner 
of the land out of which it grows. If the trunk of 
the tree leaves the ground six inches over the line of 
your neighbor’s property, it belongs to him. You 
have no right to pick the fruit, even from the 
branches which spread out over your property. He 
has no right to come on your land to pick this fruit, 
hut he may do so when climbing in the tree. If you 
can show that the spreading limbs injure your prop¬ 
erty by shading or otherwise, you have the right to 
out them off up to your line, provided you do not 
cause serious injury to the tree. In many cases the 
tree grows out of the ground exactly on the line. 
Then it belongs to both parties, and they should 
share in the fruit. We can see from this the great 
folly of fighting over the ownership of such fruit. In 
such cases, if anywhere, the spirit of co-operation 
should previal. There is no use in being mean or 
small over the crop from such a boundary tree. 
5jc * 
T lIiE following sign, dedicated to the auto hogs, is 
reported from a Michigan garden: 
Truth crushed to earth will rise again, but vegetables 
will die. Be Careful With Your Feet. 
if there is any such thing as justifiable profanity 
it may he used in cases where these auto hogs 
trample over farm and garden. The mischief they 
can do with their hands is considerable, but what 
they smash down with their feet is even greater. 
* 
E do not fully agree with Mr. He Graff in his 
article on the hill farms (page 1099). We 
print it in order to give all sides a hearing, for that 
is the policy we seek to encourage. There is much 
of truth in this argument that the hill farms belong 
to an age now past. If at the time they were first 
taken up settlers had known what is now known 
about soils, many of these hill farms would never 
have been touched with the plow. Even if xve admit 
•that, there are now many other reasons why some 
of them should not he abandoned. Many of them 
are excellent for fruit growing or pasture, and there 
will always he a class of people who prefer to live 
among the hills. We have that feeling ourselves, 
and we can find many hill farmers who much prefer 
tlieir situations in spite of all the drawbacks which 
may easily be pointed out. In the end we shall find 
that this question cannot be settled by applying the 
common rules of science or “efficiency.” There is 
something of character and personal inclination 
which must also be considered. We think Mr. De 
Graff’s grandchildren will find these hills reasonably 
well populated by fairly contented people. 
September 10. 1921 
ONGRESS has, thus far. done two things for 
the Federal Land Rank system. The Treasury 
has been authorized to buy $30,000,000 worth of land 
bonds. This money will he used by the banks for 
loans. The banks have also been authorized to pay 
514 instead of 5 per cent on their bonds. The object 
of this is to make these bonds a more attractive 
investment. With this rate of interest and the tax 
exemption feature these Federal land bonds ought 
to appeal to any investor who wants a sure propo¬ 
sition at a fair interest rate. These bonds are par¬ 
ticularly good as an investment for farmers. Con¬ 
gress should now go further and improve the system 
so as to bring it down within reach of the tenant 
and hired man. 
* 
We are meeting considerable opposition from the local 
dealers, as they have a few “stools” planted, and when 
wc get favorable prices they approach members indi¬ 
vidually the next day. and offer to sell them for just a 
little less. The results are that the purchasing agent 
receives cancellations of orders, and the rest of the 
members go without the feed, as the minimum is a 
earload. They are cute enough to approach just enough 
members to break up the car: the rest must then come 
to them and buy. 
HAT report comes from a community where 
efforts are being made to establish a co-opera¬ 
tive buying organization. The methods here men¬ 
tioned are old and time-worn. They will be used 
against any organization which seeks to make its 
members independent. They are usually effective, 
for there are quite sure to he just enough members 
v. ho cannot realize that in order to make any per¬ 
manent gain through co-operation they must be pre¬ 
pared to suffer some temporary loss. You may trusl 
Hie dealers to find the weak spots in the fence if 
there he any. and break through them unless they 
are well braced. 
* 
W HAT is known as the agricultural “bloc" in 
Congress is coming to have great influence 
on legislation. This “bloc” is a group of Senators 
and representatives, largely from the Western 
States, it is strongest in the Senate, with its limited 
membership, where one State has as much power as 
another. The Senators who comprise this “bloc" 
represent about one-third of the nation’s population 
and more than half its territory. By combining with 
Senators from some of the Southern States these 
men are able to control much legislation. It is 
probable that no tax or tariff bill can be put through 
Congress without their consent. When President 
Wilson was re-elected it was thought that a perma¬ 
nent. combination between voters of the South and 
the Far West had been secured. The recent election 
dispelled that belief, but events have shown that a 
combination of Senators from these two sections can 
be arranged on many issues. The plan is much the 
same as that followed with great success by French 
farmers in their parliament. Through their ability 
to drop partisan politics at times and get solidly 
together on farm questions the representatives of 
French farmers have accomplished great, things for 
their industry. Such a “bloc” was never possible in 
this country before—since party lines were t<>o 
closely drawn. These ties are loosening every year, 
and these farmers fire able to put “agriculture first" 
in the articles of their political creed. 
Brevities 
A hen cannot lay well in December unless she feels 
well in August and September. 
Remember that Red clover, Timothy and Blue gva<s 
need lime to do their best, while Alsike clover and Red- 
top grass will grow on acid soils. 
Better begin soon to go over the hacks of tin* cows 
for warbles or cattle grubs. You can feel them as little 
lumps under the skin if they are there. Squeeze them 
out. 
A reader wants to know if Soy bean vines can he 
fed to horses. Surely. We have seen work horses in 
the South that had no other roughage, and they were 
in fine shape. 
Many a man of small size or of feeble frame finds 
himself in the position of G. F., whose letter is printed 
on page 1099. Some big brute takes advantage of his 
feeble condition to impose upon him. 
On July 20 we seeded Hubam clover, this represent¬ 
ing a cover crop after early potatoes. On August 27 the 
plants were about 15 inches high, with nearly six weeks 
yet to grow. We have never seen any other legume 
which gives such a growth. 
We had during the season many questions about the 
“sexometer.” a device for determining the sex of an egg 
Prof. M. A. Jull of the Macdonald College, Canada, 
tested it fairly on 53 eggs. The results proved the sex¬ 
ometer right 23 times and wrong 30 times! Most of 
us cau guess as well as that 
The New Tersey Department of Agriculture shows 
that a quart or milk contains 68.8 ounces. The ordinary 
“glass” of milk will average about nine ounces or 7*£ 
to a quart. In the cities it usually costs 10 cents a 
glass. That means 6 cents for a farmer and 75 cents 
for the consumer. Some “spread !” 
