1892 
THE  RURAL  NEW-YORKER. 
Wide-Tired  Wheels  Wanted. 
REPLIES  TO  RECENT  CRITICISMS. 
In  reply  to  G.  C.  M.  in  The  R.  N.-Y.  for  March  j,  I 
would  say  that  the  petitioners  in  this  township  do 
understand  the  matter  just  as  well  as  they  understand 
the  difference  between  a  plow  and  a  roller  ;  that  they 
are  not  cats’-paws,  hut  intelligent  and  prosperous 
farmers,  who  know  that  one  wagon  with  wide  tires 
is  worth  two  with  narrow  tires  for  farm  work.  The 
wagon  manufacturers  would  not  be  benefited  by  such 
a  law,  as  the  local  blacksmiths  would  get  most  of  the 
work  of  changing  the  tires.  When  G.  C.  M.  says  that 
the  manufacturers  are  pushing  the  matter,  he  makes  a 
statement  that  he  cannot  prove.  The  change  can  be 
made  on  any  common  farm  wagon  for  $15.  The  oppo¬ 
nents  of  this  measure  are  mostly  those  who  know 
nothing  about  the  benefits  of  wide  tires.  At  the  salt 
works  in  Syracuse  5,000  pounds  are  drawn  at  a  load 
over  soft  ground  with  four-inch  tires.  Does  any  one 
think  this  could  be  done  with  narrow  tires  ?  d. 
An  article  by  G.  C.  M.,  Greene  County,  N.  Y. ,  in  a 
late  Rural  amuses  me  because  the  ideas  there  ventil¬ 
ated  are  so  contrary  to  my  belief  and  experience. 
More  than  30  years  ago  I  went  with  my  father  from  this 
place  in  Vermont,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the  marble 
business,  to  Bennington,  20  miles  distant,  for  a  sand 
wagon  as  we  called  it — a  wagon  used  for  drawing  sand 
from  the  sand  bed  to  the  marble  mill  and  for  other 
purposes  for  which  a  wagon  with  a  box  could  be  used, 
and  I  remember  well  as  we  returned  through  the 
village  of  Shaftsbury,  the  district  school  having  been 
just  dismissed  for  the  afternoon,  the  children  ran  after 
us  crying,  “Just  see  that  wagon  with  cart  wheels!” 
the  new  wagon  wheels  having  5-inch,  or  at  least  4%- 
inch  tires.  Two  years  ago  I  drove  past  as  the  horses 
were  resting — four  four-horse  teams,  and  upon  the 
wide- tired  wagons  rested  four  blocks  of  marble  each 
of  which  would  weigh  at  least  10  tons.  The  wide  tires 
upon  the  sand  wagon  proved  so  successful  that  soon  the 
block  wagons  were  all  manufactured  in  the  same  way, 
and  in  time,  with  the  improvements  in  the  facilities  for 
handling  larger  blocks  of  marble  and  the  better  con¬ 
dition  of  the  roads  owing  to  the  use  of  wider  tires,  a 
load  of  marble  weighing  10  or  12  tons  would  now  excite 
not  nearly  the  admiration  and  surprise  that  a  six-ton 
load  would  have  aroused  in  those  early  days  ! 
We  found  that  the  wide  tires  were  also  a  great  advan¬ 
tage  on  the  farm,  especially  on  meadow  land  and  in 
moist  and  wet  places,  cutting  the  sward  less,  keeping 
the  road-bed  smoother  and  firmer,  and  drawing  more 
easily.  With  these  30  years’  observation  and  experi¬ 
ence,  I  would  not  accept  as  a  gift  a  farm  wagon  with 
narrow  tires  unless  I  had  the  privilege  of  putting  on 
new  felloes  and  wide  tires  before  using  it,  and  a  law 
to  compel  the  use  of  wide  tires  upon  wagons  intended 
for  heavy  loads  would  be  unnecessary  in  my  case,  for  I 
should  use  them  for  my  own  welfare  and  convenience 
and  the  good  of  the  community  as  well.  e.  l.  wyman. 
We  Want  Wide  Tires. 
We  farmers  understand  what  we  are  doing.  We  have 
talked  the  matter  over  with  those  who  use  wide  tires. 
They  tell  us  that  such  tires  are  better  on  the  farm.  If 
they  are  better  on  the  farm,  so  far  so  good.  They  will 
not  make  as  deep  and  narrow  ruts  on  the  road  as  nar¬ 
row  tires.  In  England  tires  six  inches  wide  are  used, 
und  the  roads  are  as  smooth  as  a  floor.  G.  C.  M.  must 
live  ’way  back  in  the  mountains,  and  has  not  been  in¬ 
formed  that  the  world  moves.  lie  does  not  understand 
that  in  Cortland  County,  N.  Y. ,  wide  tires  are  put  on 
old  wagons,  but  such  is  the  fact.  G.  C.  M.  must  have 
a  great  many  wagons,  if  the  change  would  cost  him 
$375.  We  can  get  good  new  wagons  for  $50  each,  with 
double-box  wliiflletrees  and  neckyoke.  G.  C.  M.  is  in 
favor  of  the  State  making  country  roads.  I  am  not, 
for  if  the  State  makes  the  roads,  it  must  levy  a  tax, 
and  the  farmers  have  to  pay  most  of  the  taxes  and  are 
already  heavily  taxed.  I  have  been  on  the  farm  64 
years ;  40  years  ago  people  were  using  tires  two  inches 
wide;  now  they  use  those  from  1%  to  1%  inch  instead 
of  two.  In  places  where  wide  tires  are  used  the  roads 
are  growing  better.  The  R.  N  -Y.  is  right  in  suppos¬ 
ing  that  wide  tires  do  not  mean  new  wagons,  w.  R.  H. 
Are  the  Dairy  Commissioner’s 
Agents  Honest  ? 
On  Saturday,  March  5,  William  Carroll,  a  restaurant 
keeper  of  155  Hudson  Street,  New  York,  who  had  been 
arrested,  charged  with  the  illegal  sale  of  fraudulent 
butter,  accused  W.  W.  Mateer,  the  person  making  the 
complaint,  and  who  is  an  inspector  in  the  State  Dairy 
Department,  with  urging  him  to  buy  butterine  of  the 
complainant,  and  that  his  arrest  was  made  to  spite 
him  because  of  his  refusal  to  buy.  Percy  W.  Sullivan, 
of  the  restaurant  at  133  Seventh  Avenue,  also  charges 
Agent  Mateer  with  trying  to  sell  him  butterine,  and 
he  has  made  an  affidavit  to  that  effect.  In  conversa¬ 
tion  with  a  Rural  representative,  Mr.  Sullivan  said  the 
time  was  somewhere  between  January  1st  and  15th 
last.  He  was  making  some  repairs  in  his  restaurant 
at  the  time,  and  was  in  the  rear.  He  saw  Mateer,  who 
bore  such  a  striking  resemblance  to  a  friend  that  he 
came  forward  to  shake  hands  with  him,  but  on  coming 
nearer,  saw  his  mistake.  Mateer  then  wanted  to  sell 
him  butterine,  but  Mr.  Sullivan  declined  to  buy. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  allegations  of  Carroll  and 
Sullivan  are  flatly  denied  by  Assistant  Dairy  Commis¬ 
sioner  Van  Valkenburg,  who  intimates  that  both  Car- 
roll  and  Sullivan  have  been  guilty  of  perjury.  Mr. 
Mateer  has  been  in  his  present  position  since  1884,  and 
bears  an  excellent  reputation,  which  it  will  not  be 
easy  to  destroy.  The  Rural  suspends  judgment  until 
the  matter  is  settled. 
Justice  McMahon  seems  to  have  considerable  sym¬ 
pathy  for  the  dealers  in  oleo,  if  we  are  to  judge  from 
the  stenographic  reports  of  Carroll’s  hearing  on  Satur¬ 
day  last.  Speaking  to  Carroll  the  judge  said  : 
“Well,  you  never  gave  them  any  money?”  To 
which  Carroll  answered  : 
“  No,  sir.” 
“  Or  any  other  valuable  consideration  ?” 
“  No,  sir.” 
Later  during  the  examination,  the  report  of  the 
stenographer  credits  the  following  to  the  justice  : 
“  Carroll,  I  want  you  to  get  some  one  who  can  show 
that  they  received  money  from  you.  The  actions  of 
these  men  are  very  suspicious.” 
Carroll  had  just  previously  sworn  that  the  men  had 
received  neither  money  nor  other  valuable  considera¬ 
tion  from  him.  How  then  was  he  to  comply  with  the 
request  of  the  Justice  ? 
We  make  the  following  extracts  from  the  stenog¬ 
rapher’s  report : 
The  Court:  “I  believe  that  these  men  have  been 
canvassing.” 
Commissioner  Van  Valkenburg  :  “  These  men  have 
been  employed  eight  years  in  the  Dairy  Commission 
and  this  is  the  first  time  anything  has  been  brought 
against  them.  If  there  is  anything  against  them  I 
would  like  to  know  it.” 
The  Court :  “  Since  I  have  been  Police  Magistrate, 
the  only  cases  that  have  been  called  before  me  are 
small  cases  of  poor  people — small  restaurant  keepers. 
I  think  you  make  exceptions  in  these  cases  in  favor  of 
big  people.” 
1 89 
The  Commissioner  :  “We  have  had  since  the  first  of 
January  several  cases  against  very  large  restaurants 
and  several  large  restaurants  were  prosecuted  before 
you.” 
The  Court  :  “  That  is  not  so.” 
The  Commissioner :  “  The  records  will  show  it. 
Among  them  was  one  Thorpe.” 
Business  Bits. 
supplementary  catalogue  notices. 
•T.  C.  Vaugiian.  Chicago,  III— A  catalogue,  100  pages,  of  seeds, 
bulbs,  bedding  and  conservatory  plants,  herbaceous  plants,  farm 
seeds,  fertilizers.  Three  colored  pages. 
Robert  Scott  &  Son,  Philadelphia,  Pa.— Roses  a  specialty.  Seeds 
of  all  kinds,  begonias,  chrysanthemums,  vines,  pelargoniums. 
The  Dingee  Conard  Company,  west  Grove,  Pa.— The  largest 
rose  growers  In  the  country.  Hardy  shrubs,  herbaceous  plants,  seeds 
of  all  kinds  (110  pages). 
Harris’s  Rural  Manual.— Jos.  Harris,  Moreton  Farm,  Rochester, 
N.  Y.— A  catalogue  of  seeds,  fertilizers,  etc. 
Schlegel  &  FOTTLER,  211  South  Market  Street,  Boston,  Mass.— A 
catalogue  (100  pages)  of  all  kinds  of  seeds.  Thirty-two  pagos  of  spec¬ 
ialties. 
T.  J.  Dwyer,  Cornwall,  Orange  County,  N.  Y.— A  catalogue  of  small 
fruits  of  all  kinds,  large  fruits,  hardy  shrubs  and  vines.  The  E,  P.  Roe 
Strawberry  a  specialty. 
G.  H.  &  J.  H.  Hale,  South  Glastonbury,  Conn.— a  list  of  small 
fruits.  Several  now  strawberries.  Hale's  Hardy  Poach,  otherwise 
known  as  the  Crosbey  and  Excelsior. 
JAmes  Vick’s  Floral  Guide  for  1892— A  handsome  catalogue  of 
80  pagos  of  plants  and  seeds. 
Samuel  C.  Moon,  Morrlsvllle,  Bucks  County,  Pa.— A  catalogue  of 
ornamental  trees,  vines,  fruits,  nuts,  etc. 
R.  D.  Hawley  &  Co.— A  catalogue  of  seeds  of  all  kinds— 32  pagos  of 
specialties. 
Lovett’s  guide  to  Horticulture.— J.  T.  Lovett  Company,  Little 
Sliver',  Monmouth  County,  N.  J.— One  hundred  pages  of  fruits,  largo 
and  small,  ornamental  shrubs  and  trees,  nuts,  etc.  Four  colored  pages. 
How  We  Made  the  Old  Farm  Pay.— By  Chas.  A.  Green,  Rochester, 
N.  Y.,  an  Interesting  catalogue  of  fruits  of  all  kinds  and  ornamental 
shrubs  and  trees.  The  Wilder  Early  Pear  a  specialty. 
Victor  Strainer  Pail.— Nine-tenths  of  the  milk  that  comes  from 
our  cows  Is  all  right,  yet  by  the  time  It  gets  to  the  consumer,  a  good 
share  of  It  Is  “  all  wrong.”  Why?  Because  of  the  dirt  and  111th  that 
fall  Into  it.  The  quality  of  the  milk  will  depend  upon  the  length  of 
time  this  filth  remains  In  It.  If  It  Is  strained  out  at  once,  tliero  will  be 
no  trouble.  If  It  stays  there  till  the  consumer’s  mouth  is  reached,  it 
will  make  bad  milk.  The  strainer  Is  the  guardian  angel  of  the  milk. 
The  Victor  Strainer,  made  by  the  Moseley  &  Pritchard  Manufacturing 
Company,  Clinton,  la.,  is  cne  of  the  best.  Send  for  a  circular. 
The  Standard  Butter  Company,  of  Owego,  N.  Y.,  which  was  recently 
described  In  The  Rural,  uses  Thatcher’s  Butter  Color,  and  speaks  of 
It  in  the  highest  terms.  Such  an  Indorsement  by  such  a  firm  Is  worth 
a  score  of  solicited  testimonials— It  wins  its  way  to  the  minds  of  those 
who  want  the  best. 
Strawberry  Sorting  Machine.— The  Florida  Fruit  Grower  gives 
this  description  of  a  device  for  sorting  berries,  In  use  by  some  of  the 
large  Florida  growers:  “  It  is  an  endless  apron  of  the  width  of  a  quart 
cup,  revolving  on  rollers.  It  may  be  made  as  long  as  desired,  six  or  eight 
or  more  feet,  high  enough  to  accommodate  a  person  standing  before 
It,  and  with  a  board  an  Inch  high  on  each  side  to  keep  the  berries  on 
tho  apron.  A  quart  at  a  time  is  emptied  on  It  slowly;  one  person 
turns  the  crank  with  one  hand  and  with  the  other  sorts  the  berries,  while 
the  feeder  at  the  Bame  time  picks  out  defective  specimens  as  they 
slowly  pass  along.  At  tho  end  the  berries  drop  down  a  short  Incline 
into  a  cup.” 
He  is  a  wise  and  prudent  farmer  who  utilizes  some  of  the  stormy 
March  weather,  when  out-of-door  work  Is  Impracticable,  to  give  Ills 
harness,  buggy  tops  and  leather  goods  generally,  a  dressing  which 
will  soften,  preserve  and  beautify  them.  Frank  Miller’s  Harness 
Dressing  Is  one  of  the  best  preparations  for  this  purpose  with  which 
we  are  acquainted.  It  Is  generally  kept  by  harness  makers. 
To  Test  Kerosene.— Some  one  asked  for  a  simple  test  of  kerosene 
some  weeks  ago.  Here  it  is:  Take  a  common  glue  pot  consisting  of 
two  kettles;  put  boiling  water  In  the  outer  one  and  kerosene  In  the 
Inner;  place  a  thermometer  In  the  oil  and  light  a  cotton  string,  let  It 
burn  a  few  seconds;  then  blow  It  out,  leaving  a  spark;  pass  this  spark 
over  the  surface  of  the  oil  about  one  quarter  of  an  inch  above  It,  and, 
when  the  proper  degree  of  heat  is  indicated  on  the  thermometer,  a 
slight  flash  Is  observed.  If  this  Hash  shows  at  1 10  degrees,  then  the  oil  Is 
“110  degrees  flash  test.”  There  is  not  the  slightest  danger  of  an  explosion. 
Hughesville,  l’a.  e.  a.  0. 
The  Mulley  Maker.— That  the  practice  of  dishorning  cattle  Is 
well-nigh  universal  in  many  parts  of  the  country  cannot  be  denied.  It 
Is  also  growing  In  favor  in  sections  where,  a  few  years  ago,  farmers 
protested  against  It  as  being  cruel  and  needless.  We  are  convinced  of 
this  by  the  frequent  calls  we  receive  for  proper  tools  with  which  to 
destroy  the  horns  on  calves.  The  Humane  Dehorning  Company  of 
Bloomington,  Wls.,  Issue  a  neat  circular  showing  just  how  the  opera¬ 
tion  should  be  done. 
Western  Fertilizers.— We  are  frequently  asked  where,  In  tho 
West,  fertilizers  are  manufactured  and  sold.  The  Michigan  Carbon 
Works,  of  Detroit,  Mich.,  does  a  large  business  through  Michigan  and 
central  West.  It  will  pay  any  farmer  to  send  for  its  little  paper,  The 
Homestead. 
KRAUS  SULKY  CULTIVATOR. 
PIVOT  AXLE.  Wheels  and  Shovels  Move 
Automatically.  ENTIRE  Majchine 
Guided  with  Foot  Levers. 
No  Slipping  on  Side-Hills. 
—  ALSO  — 
^  AKBON  SULKY  -b* 
Oombinlng  parallel  movement  with  pivot  axle  and  ad¬ 
justable  wheels.  One  or  two  horse 
WALKERS. 
rYr»r»’+  Rin/  o  Pnltii/nlnr  UNTIL  you  have  asked  your  dealer  to  see  the  KRAUS 
L  CL  GtfiLivatUi  or  write  us  for  catalogue,  prices,  terms,  etc. 
THE  AKEOK  TOOL  COMPANY,  AKliON,  O. 
OPRAY  m  FRUIT  TREES  !  VINES 
D  O  YOU  US33 
H.  J.  Baker  &  Bros. 
’  Complete  Chemical 
Manures. 
Made  to  furnish  the  EXACT  PLANT  food  REQUIRED  for 
EACH  PARTICULAR  CROP. 
They  Supersede  the  Use  of  Stable  Manure. 
The  estimated  values  as  published  by  all  the  various  Agricultural  Experiment 
Stations  prove  their  worth.  The  opinions  of  prominent  agriculturists  who  have  used 
them  for  over  20  years  sustain  our  claim  that  they  will  produce  paying  crops  of 
Smooth,  fair,  mealy  [  POTATOES.  Well  tilled,  deep  kerneled  ears  of  CORN. 
Large  and  solid  CABBAGE.  The  heaviest  yield  of  ONIONS. 
Wormy  Fruit  and  Leaf  Blight  of  Apples,  Peara,  Cherries,  CVPCI  ClflD 
Grape  and  Potato  Rot,  Plum  Curcufia  prevented  by  using  CAuLLulUli  OUTFITS. 
PERFECT  FRUIT  ALWAYS  SELLS  AT  COOD  PRICES.  Catalogue  show- 
ing  all  injurious  insects  to  Fruits  mailed  free.  Large  stock  of  Fruit  Trees,  Vines, 
and  Berry  Plants  at  Bottom  Prices,  ^dditew  WAL  STA11L,  (Quincy,  IBs. 
RPRAYINf 
The  finest  colors,  heaviest  weights,  I  A  Pm 
and  best  burning  quality  f  I  UDnLLU. 
“A  A”  Ammoniated  Superphosphate  Standard  UnXlD.  Fertilizer. 
One  trial  of  these  goods  will  produce  results  easily  observed.  Secure  of  our 
agent,  or  of  us  direct  (215  Pearl  Street,  New  York)  our  pocket  memorandum 
book  “  Facts  for  Farmers,”  mailed  free. 
