212 FIELD AND GARDEN PRODUCTS 



The price per ton of 2,000 pounds being known, it is very easy 

 to find the value of any fraction of a ton at $4 to $18 per ton. If 

 a farmer has 1,565 pounds of hay on his wagon, and the dealer has 

 bought it at $7 per ton, he finds, by looking across the table from 

 1,500 pounds to the column at the top of which is $7, that the value 

 of 1,500 pounds at $7 per ton is $5.25, the value of 60 pounds 

 21 cents, and the value of 5 pounds 2 cents, making a total of $5.48. 

 If the price was $7.50 per ton, he would also find the value of 1,565 

 pounds at 50 cents per ton, and add it to $5.48, the value at $7 per 

 ton. To find the value at 50 cents, first find it at $5, and take one- 

 tenth of that sum. The value of 1,500 pounds at $5 per ton is $3.75, 

 at 50 cents, 37.5 cents. The value of 60 pounds at $5 per ton is 15 

 cents, and at 50 cents it is 1.5 cents, making a value of 1,565 pounds 

 at 50 cents per ton, 39 cents, which sum, added to $5.48, gives $5.87, 

 the value of 1,565 pounds at $7.50 per ton. 



To find the value of any fraction of a ton at $7.40, $7.60, $7.70, 

 $7.80, or $7.90. find the value at $7 and add to it one-tenth of the 

 value at $4, $6, $7, $8, or $9. 



To find the value at $7.30, add one-thirtieth of the value at $9 to 

 the value at $7. 



To find the value at $7.25, add one-twentieth of the value at $5 

 to the value at $7 ; and to find it at $7.20, add one-twentieth of the 

 value at $4 to the value at $7. To find the value at $7.10, add one 

 one-hundredth of the value at $10 to the value at $7. (Y. B. 1898.) 



Spontaneous Combustion of Hay. Fires which are reported to 

 be caused by the spontaneous combustion of hay are by no means 

 rare. While some of them are doubtless of an incendiary origin, 

 others are really due to the cause assigned. Such a case was recently 

 reported by the Pennsylvania Station. The fire was discovered in 

 the haymow of the station barn. The mow was directly over the 

 cow stable. Precautions were taken to exclude drafts and, as there 

 was a sufficient supply of water available, the fire after a time was 

 extinguished. The fire was confined to the central portion of the 

 hay and a number of holes were burned through the ceiling of the 

 cow stable. These were so situated that it apparently would have 

 been impossible for the fire to have originated from any other cause 

 than spontaneous combustion. A considerable part of the hay was 

 thrown out of the mow. An examination showed that a large por- 

 tion of it was so thoroughly charred that it would crumble. Some 

 of the hay had not been subjected to so great heat and was only 

 browned in color. However, it was unfit for stock feeding. 



For several days previous to the fire a peculiar odor had been 

 noticed about the barn and a somewhat careful examination was 

 made to ascertain its source. The result of this examination seemed 

 to indicate that the rowen in this mow was heating, but no indication 

 of fire was seen or even suspected. This odor was noticed not only by 

 men working about the barn, but by other persons who had occasion 

 to pass on the leeward side within forty or fifty rods of the barn. The 

 odor was so strong that it was observed by many people and compared 

 by some to that of burning grain. While positive proof as to the 



