1436 
7h€ RURAL NEW-YORKER 
November 15, 1924 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER 
A National Weekly Journal l'or Country and Suburban Homes 
Established isso 
Published weekly by the Rnral Publishing Company, 833 West 80th Street, New Fork 
Herbert W. Collingwood, President and Editor. 
John J. Dillon, Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wm. F. Dillon, Secretary. Mrs. E. T. Hoyle, Associate Editor. 
L. H. MURPHY, Circulation Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION : ONE DOLLAR A YEAR 
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order, express order, personal check or hank draft. 
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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. Rut to make doubly sure, 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 
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 The Rural New- 
Yorker when writing the advertiser. 
The rural school bill is as dead as old “King Tut,” 
but our friend the enemy is not yet convinced. I am 
told it will again be introduced this Winter. 
HAT is from an observer at the recent meeting 
of school superintendents. We must remember 
that “Old King Tut” was buried for many years, but 
he became a very live subject for discussion when 
his tomb was opened. The backers of the late rural 
school bill will never entirely give up their plan to 
change our system of rural education. It would 
seem as if the ordinary human mind would realize 
that under present circumstances evolution of the 
school system is to be preferred to revolution, but we 
are evidently dealing with minds which cannot be 
called ordinary. It is doubtful if these school fanat¬ 
ics can help acting as they do. Their whole plan is 
based on the autocratic idea that the officials and 
the experts know what is best, and that parents and 
taxpayers should give way and accept what is 
offered them. They and their arbitrary methods are 
responsible for the uprising which culminated in 
that great meeting at the Albany capital. Should 
they attempt the same tactics this coming Winter we 
can safely promise them stronger opposition than 
ever. 
* 
N page 1328 we said that we did not know of 
an “up-to-the-minute” book on horticulture. 
We must now change that opinion after examining 
“American Fruits,” by Samuel Fraser. This is by 
far the best book on the subject that we have ever 
seen. It takes rank with Henry's “Feeds and Feed¬ 
ing,” or Van Slyke’s “Fertilizers and Crops,” and is, 
in its way, even more complete and interesting than 
either of these classics of farm literature. The book 
covers the entire subject—the index running from 
A to / (Aberia Gardneri to Zizyplius jujuba). The 
book describes all fruits grown in America, and also 
how to propagate and grow them, and how to sell 
them to advantage. All this is told in a clear, un¬ 
derstandable way, and beautifully illustrated. Sam¬ 
uel Fraser is a thorough horticulturist and a good 
writer. He has that rare combination of a full 
knowledge of his subject and the ability to tell his 
story interestingly. The great American book on 
fruit growing has arrived. Few can ever realize the 
immense patience and labor required to prepare such 
a monumental book as “American Fruits.” 
* 
W E have been speaking of changes in distribut¬ 
ing milk—bringing far distant territory into 
competition with localities which a few years ago 
had practically a monopoly. A case of this kind is 
found in Pittsburgh. Milk is now being carried in 
tanks from points 100 miles away in Ohio. Two big 
thermos bottles are mounted—one on a truck and the 
other on a trailer. The combined capacity is over 
2,500 gallons, and the trip is made in about nine 
hours. The cold milk in these big tanks loses less 
than two degrees during the trip. At both ends of 
the trip pipes are used for loading and unloading. 
But a few minutes are required for cleaning the 
tanks. On the whole there is a great saving in cans 
and labor. It looks as if this system will be devel- 
open further wherever the roads are good. In time 
we think there will be a system of pipe lines running 
out of the great cities to creameries or stations in 
the country. We do not mean that milk will be run 
through these pipes like water from a spring, but 
that pneumatic tubes will be used much like the 
system now employed in carrying mail, or, on a 
small scale, for cash service in department stores. 
Cans of good size and shape can be filled at the dis¬ 
tant station and shot through such tubes to the city. 
Those who smile at this should remember what 
grandfather would say could he come back and see 
some of the things which are now regarded as neces¬ 
sities. 
* 
WO weeks ago we spoke of the race between the 
White Leghorns and R. I. Reds at the Connec¬ 
ticut egg-laying contest. They had it nip and tuck 
until finally they flew under the wire. During the 
last week the Leghorns put on a burst of speed and 
won. The Reds had the lead for 31 weeks, but fal¬ 
tered at the home stretch. The final score was (10 
birds in each pen), Leghorns, 2,531; R. I. Reds, 
2,518. The Reds, however, provided the best bird 
out of 13,000 that have performed at the Connecticut 
contest. This pullet laid 324 eggs during the year— 
a remarkable record for any breed. It was a good 
race, and the best pen won. The Reds were beaten 
by having one or two lazy sisters in their ranks. 
When we consider that the Reds are a “made” breed 
of quite recent origin it is remarkable how they have 
come to the front as egg producers. And when their 
egg laying is over they give us a piece of meat that 
is more than a mouthful! 
* 
N the death of Secretary of Agriculture Wal¬ 
lace, President Coolidge asked for suggestions 
from farmers as to a new Secretary. He did not 
presume to appoint any particular choice, but would 
like to know what farmers want. This has started 
quite a lively contest. A number of names have 
been suggested to us. Among other thus named, are 
D. A. W. Gilbert, Massachusetts Secretary of Agri¬ 
culture; Elbert S. Brigham of Vermont, II. E. Stock- 
bridge of Georgia, Dr. J. G. Lipman of New Jersey, 
and Sherman J. Lowell of New York. We know 
nothing of President Coolidge’s personal wishes in 
the matter. If we were in his place we should make 
our own choice and select a man who, first of all, 
could be thoroughly trusted as a personal adviser. 
He should be a good executive, and fully understand 
the needs of agriculture, but first of all would come 
the element of personal confidence. We would not 
care for a Cabinet of “master minds” put together in 
order to suit geographical sections or groups of vari¬ 
ous interests. Washington had such a Cabinet, and 
was driven nearly frantic by the quarrels between 
Jefferson and Hamilton. We think the new -Secre¬ 
tary of Agriculture will come from the West. That 
is the section where, today, farm problems are most 
pressing, and some big western man would seem to 
be best fitted for the job, though there are several 
eastern men who would fully fill up their corner of 
the Cabinet. 
* 
GOOD survey of the situation shows that, on 
the whole, there will be a shortage of straw¬ 
berry plants next Spring. A few growers report a 
full supply of most varieties, while other have barely 
50 per cent of their usual requirements. In some 
cases full supplies are reported, while at points 50 
miles away pa-i, of the crop will be very short. As 
all know, some varieties are naturally strong plant 
makers, while others make but few runners. Some 
of the most desirable varieties are of the latter class. 
In the face of this condition there is likely to be 
more than the usual demand for plants next Spring. 
During the war, labor was hard to obtain, and many 
gardeners and fruit growers plowed up their berry 
fields and stopped planting. They are going back 
faster and faster, and thus far the market has ab¬ 
sorbed the crop. Within the next few years the ten¬ 
dency will be to over-plant, and thus spoil the mar¬ 
ket. At the present rate of increase, that is not 
likely to come for a few years, but in time the busi¬ 
ness will be overdone. Our advice is to plant no 
more than can be well cared for with the ordinary 
labor supply. 
* 
O many wonderful things are happening these 
.days that it is impossible to keep track of them 
all. There was, however, a blast of explosives the 
other day which may be said to shake the entire At¬ 
lantic slope in its future consequences. Far down 
beneath the Hudson River, two great tunnels, or 
holes, have been slowly approaching each other. One 
started from the Island of Manhattan—the other 
from the Jersey shore. Slowly, far beneath the river 
waters, they have been extended, until the other day 
the final blast blew down the thin barrier between 
them, and they met. So accurately had the engi¬ 
neers done their work that these tunnels met only 
one inch out of line. Now the tunnel will be rapidly 
finished, so that within a few months cars or tracks 
may run straight through under the river without 
change. It is a great engineering feat, which will 
lead to other even more wonderful developments in 
transportation. It marks a great growth in friend¬ 
liness and co-operation. In 17S7 New York and New 
Jersey were much like two foreign countries in their 
domestic and trade relations. New York placed a 
tariff on all boats bringing wood or farm produce 
from New Jersey. Then the Legislature of New Jer¬ 
sey, in retaliation, forced New York to pay a tax of 
$150 per month for the plot of land near Sandy Hook 
lighthouse. Such were the incivilities of life in the 
old days; now the two States unite in building this 
great tunnel, with the knowledge that it will mean 
one of the greatest migrations of population ever 
known in history. It will mean the practical aban¬ 
donment of lower Manhattan as a place of resi¬ 
dence. New Jersey will become the backyard of the 
great metropolis. Millions of people will come to the 
great city for their daily work, and go home at night 
to gardens and open places in upper New Jersey. 
And the food and raw material for the great city 
will no longer be floated over the river, but through 
this and other tunnels, and over great bridges, will 
be brought direct from farms and far-off points of 
supply. There will come a new generation of peo¬ 
ple, different from any we have had before—brought 
iq in country homes or small open towns, with a 
clearer idea of the needs and desires of country peo¬ 
ple. This wider distribution of the people and this 
quicker and more direct distribution of food will 
have a profound effect upon the habits of the people 
who live along the Atlantic coast. There will be 
other even greater changes in transportation, and, on 
the whole, after a fair readjustment, we think the 
result will be helpful, for it will serve to scatter the 
population of great cities and develop the country 
places. So that in time the echoes and vibrations 
of that mighty blast beneath the river will be heard 
and felt all over the Atlantic slope. 
HAT article on care of the teeth, by Dr. Wright, 
is worth all your attention if you have any¬ 
thing to do with the future of children. The poet 
tells us truly that “the mill will never grind with 
water that is past,” and just as truly no man can 
ever eat successfully without his natural grinders. 
It seems from this article that the teeth, like the 
arms or legs, need work, and plenty of it, in order 
to keep in proper condition. The old-time plan of 
giving the hard crusts to the children was not cruel¬ 
ty or a penance, but a kindness—though it did not 
seem so at the time. The teeth need work, and 
plenty of it. It seems that even when milk and 
other mineral-containing foods are given in full 
supply, the mechanical part of tootli-making must 
not bq neglected. Chewing, biting into food which 
requires good grinding, is one of the essential things. 
A good mellow apple that one may bite into and 
chew is one of the best tooth preservers ever made. 
It not only exercises the teeth, but it gives a tooth- 
wasli which ranks with the best. Dr. Wright thinks 
the great use of pre-digested breakfast food a poor 
thing for the teeth, since chewing is unnecessary. 
Dr. McCollum takes the same ground, and insists 
that the craze for eating these soft and de-mineral- 
ized breakfast foods has proved about the worst mis¬ 
take of diet which the American people have taken 
up. There should be no child labor amendment as 
applied to the teeth. Exercise them. Make them 
work as long as you have any. He who urges his 
children to chew hard crusts does them a service. 
Brevities 
Tact beats a tack in handling a family. 
The faster you travel on the wrong road the worse off 
you are. 
Of the bramble fruits the blackberry is most tender 
and the red raspberry most hardy. 
There are still many people who seem to regard the 
Fall-bearing strawberries as a myth. We picked a fair 
quantity of good berries on election day. 
It is a fine thing to hear a young man say: “My 
father was the best man I ever saw and the best friend 
I ever had.” 
One of the best ways of obtaining an “up-to-the- 
minute” book on farming and fruit growing would be 
to make a full scrapbook from weekly issues of The 
R. N.-Y. What book can give you more? 
One of the wrong things which some people persist 
in doing is to use a cobweb for trying to stop a cut from 
bleeding. How can you think of anything more likely 
to cause blood poisoning or disease than the dust on a 
cobweb ? 
It needs to be repeated over and over that manure 
never contains more plant food than on the day it is 
made. It may be made finer and the plant food more 
available by proper handling, but there will be a small 
but steady loss the longer it is kept. 
No, we never had success in using w T ood ashes to fer¬ 
tilize strawberries. There seems to be too much lime. 
This year a workman made the mistake of burning sev¬ 
eral piles of brush on the strawberry land. The bad 
effect was plainly evident in the growth of plants. 
