i89i 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Business. 
ELECTRIC MOTORS FOR FARM WORK. 
Referring to the communications on pages 93 and 133 of 
The Rural on the subject of electric motors for farm 
work, I am inclined to think the correspondents have got 
hold of a difficult matter. Electric motors are excellent 
machines in their proper places, and were their use reison- 
able, no one would be more pleased than I to encourage 
farmers in the belief that every hill-side brook is a desir¬ 
able site for an electric power plant. 
Electric motors are very costly machines compared with 
farm machinery in general. A three horse power motor 
of the best make, such as the Thomson-Houston, sells at 
about $350 f. o. b. at the works; the price quoted is for the 
motor only, and does not include the necessary wiring, 
belting, etc., to say nothing of the source of power or the 
cost of the same. 
Electric motors are now built very simple, durable and 
efficient for stationary work, such as, for instance, sawing 
wood, elevating, butter-making, pumping water, etc. 
Where sufficient work is done to make it profitable to use 
a motive power, there is nothing better or more economi¬ 
cal than a good electric motor, provided in all cases, cur¬ 
rents can be rented from a light or power station in the 
vicinity at reasonable rates. Wiring is costly and the far¬ 
ther one is located from the source of power, the larger 
will be the size of the wire required. 
Prices outside of the large cities do not vary much for 
furnishing currents to operate motors, generally averaging 
$10 a month for horse-power on yearly contracts. There 
is no practical difference in the prices charged by plants 
operated by water, as the necessary hydraulic apparatus 
to control water power usually costs more than machinery 
of the same capacity to be operated with steam, while 
repairs for wear and tear in a water plant are usually 
much higher in proportion than the first cost when com¬ 
pared with those for steam plants. 
It is not a pleasant task for me in any way to etract 
from what may appear to be a new field of usefulness for 
the electric motor, which I consider one of the brightest 
hand maiden* given to man during the nineteenth century, 
but it seems proper that the line should be drawn at 
plowing and mowing, especially so in the manner sug¬ 
gested by Mr. Charles Barnard, on page 133, at least until 
we can buy a wireless motor light enough to propel itself 
on soft ground. 
I have a farm of 500 acres on which is located excellent 
water power and I have for some time owned a dynamo 
electric machine capable of generating from 60 to 70 horse 
power, but I am offering the dynamo for sale, as I do not 
think it wise or profitable to place a dynamo on the farm 
for the purpose of furnishing power to motors or even to 
light farm buildings. 
I once saw a steam plow system at work near Fargo, 
N. D., similar to that described on page 133, except that 
seven plows were placed on each side of a Y frame, one 
side only being used at a time. That was some years since, 
but the scene is not forgotton, for amid the shouting of 
engineers and the sinking of engines in the vain efforts to 
advance on the soft red river mud, the fire alarm was 
sounded, and only quick work prevented a prairie fire. 
I can scarcely imagine a greater burlesque on agricul¬ 
tural progress than the steam plow scheme then appeared, 
unless it be a farmer running around a field with a plow 
on wheels, one end of which is tied to a stationary electric 
motor in the manner suggested by the correspondent on 
page 133 of The Rural. edward j. o’beirne. 
Engineer, Litchfield Co., Conn 
THE BUSINESS OF DOG BREEDING. 
The dog show just closed in this city was quite a remark¬ 
able affair, being second in interest and attendance only to 
the great horse show. Thousands of good people dislike a 
dog and would not have one about their houses. They 
will excuse us if we remark that one reason for this is that 
they never made the acquaintance of a really good dog. 
The curs and the whelps may well be exterminated. Let 
the good dog live and thrive! 
Some of the finest dogs in the world were exhibited at 
this show. Dog breeding pays with those who realize the 
value of pedigree and find out what the dog buying public 
want. The rage among city people just now is for large dogs 
—the larger the better. Great Danes, Mastiffs, St. Ber¬ 
nards and Newfoundlands are wanted by young women as 
protectors and body guards. Another class of idle women 
want pugs, lap-dogs, spaniels, etc., and are ready to pay 
for them. The dog breeder doesn’t spend his time sneer¬ 
ing at such people and ridiculing their tastes. He goes to 
work and breeds what they want and uses as keen energy 
to supply the largest, smallest, handsomest or ugliest pos¬ 
sible animal as the Jersey breeder uses to make great but¬ 
ter cows. The business represents his bread and butter 
and he is out for what there is in it. There is a great call 
from farmers for shepherd dogs and rat terriers. The 
Collie is a great favorite where sheep or cattle are kept. 
He is intelligent and bright and can be taught to care for 
stock. Farmers are the best customers for these dogs and 
thousands are sold every year. Terriers of different sorts 
are wanted as watch dogs. The best watch dog is a little 
fellow with a big bark. 
The intelligence displayed by some of these dogs is sur¬ 
prising. They can be taught to defend sheep or calves 
instead of attacking or worrying them, while they are as 
loyal and true in defending their master or his family as 
any man could ever be. If it would only result in thin¬ 
ning out the miserable curs that infest our country 
neighborhoods and substituting for them well-bred and 
useful animals, The R. N.-Y. would welcome the dog¬ 
breeding business as one of the most useful branches of 
American agriculture. 
BIG STORY CHOPPED FINER: A GRAND MAN. 
IF. B. H., Iona County. Mich .—I would be extremely 
pleased to see an explanation of a statement on page 33 of 
The R. N.-Y, of January 10, near the top of the middle 
column. The statement is that a certain “expert” made 
$200 from one square rod of ground. I have always be¬ 
lieved the story of Jonah swallowing the whale, because 
it is in the Bible. [Will our friend delight us and astonish 
the world by mentioning in what newly-discovered codex, 
text or edition of the Bible his new version of this old 
story can be found ? The old versions all intimated that 
it was the fish that had swallowed the prophet.— Eds.] 
Had I found it in The Rural as an original story I should 
have doubted its truth ; but could as easily believe that 
Jonah had swallowed the whale, stern foremost, as to be¬ 
lieve the above statement. 
Let’s try a little figuring right here: In an acre of land 
there are 160 square rods, and 160 multiplied by 200 would 
be 32,000, or $32,000 for the product of a single acre, accord¬ 
ing to the above statement. 
This writer says that in one or two instances he had 
raised one dollar’s worth on a square rod, which I could 
very readily believe ; but what is the difference between 
the value of his crop and that of the other man? Why, it’s 
the difference between one and two hundred, or one hun¬ 
dred and ninety-nine. 
ANSWERED BY T. B. TERRY. « 
That is right, friend Hopkins; when you cannot swal¬ 
low a thing, spit it right out, and don’t choke over it, and 
give The Rural a chance to cut it up finer for you. The 
Rural does not deal in big stories, but in facts. 
Owing to their being out of one’s line, he sometimes may 
think them too large to swallow. Now the “ expert” was 
Mr. Crawford. The product raised on the exact square 
rod was gladiolus bulbs. I am not posted in this line, and 
have forgotten just the variety and treatment. I think 
he spoke of them as California seedlings; that he sowed 
the seed and grew them. But this I know : that he said 
the product of the square rod at the wholesale price he 
could got for them would bring him $200. Of course, sold 
out in a small way they would have brought much more. 
And I know further, friend H., that he said he had done 
much better than this, on small plots. Now, if you knew 
Mr. C. as well as I do, you would believe this to be exactly 
so. All honor to friend Crawford! With only about two 
acres of land to work on for all purposes, except his lawn, 
he has made himself an authority in his line the country 
over, and his reputation stands without a shadow of re¬ 
proach. Moreover, he has given his sons a college educa¬ 
tion, and the world two or three of its choicest varieties of 
strawberries. He Is a very modest man, and would not 
thank me for these words, but they are fully deserved. 
Maine Cannery Prices.— The canners in different lo¬ 
calities here near Portland pay for sweet corn and other 
vegetables as follows : Sweet corn is put up in one-pound 
cans for which, last season, they paid $2 per 100 cans. 
They paid for squash $10 and for pumpkins $6 per ton. 
East Deering, Maine. G. M . a. 
Prices for Pickles.— The pickle factories of Brooklyn, 
Napoleon and Norvell, three adjoining townships located 
in the southeastern portion of Michigan, contract for 
about 700 acres of cucumbers. The contract price, de¬ 
livered at the factory, is 42 % cents per bushel of 54 pounds, 
grade 4>£ inches and under. L. f. t. 
Brooklyn, Mich. 
Traction Engines.— Throughout many parts of Penn¬ 
sylvania, Ohio and neighboring States, it is a very common 
thing to see traction engines puffing their way along the 
roads, dragging thrashing machines, sawing outfits or 
loads of grain and potatoes up and down hill to business 
or market. The use of the traction engine means improved 
roads, improved bridges and improved neighborhoods. 
Many of our readers want to know about the use of these 
engines. We would refer them to the catalogue of C.Ault- 
man & Co,, Canton, Ohio. This pamphlet gives an excel¬ 
lent account of the engines used and the way to use them. 
It also describes the thrashing machines made by this firm. 
A “ Power Converter.”— The circulars of the Shondy 
Manufacturing Co., Rockford, Ill., contain pictures and a 
description of an attachment for a windmill by which, it 
is claimed, a simple pumping outfit may be madeto do 
the work of a geared mill. All who have investigated the 
matter know the heavy cost of gearing machinery. This 
“converter” saves much of this cost and enables the 
farmer to do such work as grinding, churning, etc., at a 
very small cost. The device is simple and easily under¬ 
stood from the pictures in this circular. 
IMPLEMENT NOTES. 
Planet Jr. Plow.— What about the Planet Jr. Irish 
potato digger ? Will it do good work on clay land ? Is 
there any walking digger that will do better work on clay 
* an( * ** A. C. T. 
Matawan, N. J. 
-A- Ns - This is a potato plow—a broad share with prongs 
behind to sift the potatoes from the dirt. It works about 
as well as any of the other potato plows. The Rigby dig¬ 
ger is a good one. 
Potato Tools.—Is Breed’s weeder the thing to culti¬ 
vate young potatoes ? Is there no danger of injuring the 
young plants ? Is it best to run with or across the rows 
when using it, or does it matter which way ? I am pre¬ 
paring to plant early potatoes on clover sod turned six to 
seven inches deep last fall; would going over this twice 
with the Cutaway harrow, and smoothing off with 
Thomas smoothing harrow be the best preparation, to be 
followed by an Aspinwall planter ? H. t. h. 
Ans.—B reed’s weeder is an excellent implement. The 
company is reliable. With care and judgment the plants 
will be left uninjured. Run up and down the rows when 
the plants are large ; when they are small you may run 
across them, the danger being that the horse may step on 
many plants. This treatment may answer well, but we 
believe it would pay to plow again and then work with 
the harrows. Potatoes do well on fresh-plowed ground. 
New Use For Potato Planter. —My corn was check- 
rowed—an excellent thing for me—the ground was marked 
one way with a marker and then cross-marked with the 
Aspinwall Potato Planter, which put in the fertilizer and 
covered it, leaving a small ridge. Two men followed with 
hand planters, putting the seed in these ridges at the cross 
marks, care being taken not to plant too deep. This was 
my best success in fertilizing corn. Distributing the fer¬ 
tilizer all along the row Is much better than doing so only 
in the hills. j. h. r, 
Fayette Co., Pa. 
R- N.-Y.—By using the corn-planting attachment of the 
Aspinwall all hand work might have been saved. 
NOVELTIES AND STAPLES. 
From the Catalogues. 
E. & J. c. Williams, Montclair, N. J.—A catalogue of 
fruits, small and large. A conspicuous feature of this 
catalogue is that not one thing offered is unduly praised. 
G. H. & J. H. Hale, South Glastonbury, Conn.— a 
catalogue of small fruits. It opens with an interesting 
article entitled “Looking Backward,” while further on 
the questions, Where to Plant, How to Prepare the 
Ground, What Fertilizers to Use, When and How to 
Plant, etc., etc., are answered in a concise way. 
E. W. Reid, Bridgeport, O.—“ Everything for the 
Fruit-grower ” is the title of this catalogue. The novelty 
list of strawberries is well selected, while the general list 
is unusually full. Palmer, Muskingum, Pioneer, Glad¬ 
stone and Cromwell are among the raspberries which have 
not as yet fruited at the Rural Grounds. Pears, apples, 
plums, quinces, etc., follow the small fruits, and nut and 
ornamental trees, shrubs, roses etc., close the list. 
Chas. A. Green, Rochester, N. Y.—A catalogue of 
fruits—large and small. The Alaska Quince, Wilder 
Early Pear, Saratoga Plum, Farnsworth Strawberry 
and Gladstone Red Raspberry are specialties. What is 
said of the Alaska Quince and Saratoga Plum will interest 
all who cultivate those fruits. Mr. Green Is the intro¬ 
ducer of the popular Shaffer’s Colossal Raspberry. The 
R. N.-Y. considers that Mr. Green is well entitled to rank 
among the foremost American pomologists. 
D. M. Ferry & Co., Detroit, Mich.— An Illustrated 
catalogue (100 pages) of seeds. A good thing about this 
house is that it owns extensive trial grounds in which are 
tested all the novelties before they are placed in the lists. 
Three tomatoes are offered which are among the very best 
in cultivation, viz.: Optimus, Early Red Apple and Atlantic 
Prize. We doubt if, all things considered, there are three 
better kinds. The Mammoth Summer Crook-Neck Squash 
is probably the best of Its kind. We would especially call 
the attention of those who like sweet peas to the variety 
described and illustrated on page 78. The name is Blanche 
Ferry. It is a dwarf needing no support. It is early, bear¬ 
ing large, pink and white flowers with long stems. 
Geo. W. P. Jerrard, Caribou, Me.—A catalogue of 
seed potatoes, early corn and vegetable seeds “grown in 
the cold Northeast.” Mr. Jerrard says that he plants only 
smooth, handsome potatoes of desirable shape, and discards 
every prongy one, or such as show tendency to any form 
of disease. By this care he has established strong, hardy 
strains of nearly all the kinds he sells. Each spring he 
furnishes this pedigree seed to farmers, who raise their 
crops for him on contract. Such many years’ selected 
seed stock, grown in the cold northeast country, gives satis¬ 
faction everywhere. Stored in cool cellars during the win¬ 
ter, the tubers remain perfectly dormant, so that when 
spring comes they have no appearance of sprouting, even 
late into May. Send for the catalogue. 
Ellwanger & Barry, Rochester, N. Y.—A catalogue 
of roses. As regards arrangement and classification this is 
the best rose catalogue published. Directions as to plant¬ 
ing, pruning, the insects which infest the plants and how 
best to subdue them fill the opening chapter. The general 
list is cut up into divisions and classes. For example, 
Division I comprises those blooming in June or July, viz., 
Prairie, Austrian and Moss Division II comprises per¬ 
petual or autumnal roses. Class I, Bengal or China; Class 
II, Bourbon; Class III, Noisettes; Class IV, Teas and 
Hybrid Teas, etc. Finally there is a simple alphabetical 
list for convenience In referring to the varieties in the dif¬ 
ferent classes. The merits of each variety are presented 
with evident caution not to overpraise. 
V. H. Hallock & Son, Queens, N. Y.—A large cata¬ 
logue (100 pages) of plants and seeds for the conservatory, 
vegetable and flower garden, lawn and field, with five 
colored pages. On the first are shown “Margaret” Carna¬ 
tion, a perpetual blooming variety that is said to bloom in 
three months from the sprouting of the seed, and the new 
Polyantha Rose, Clothilde Soupert; on the second are 
shown seven varieties of hardy perennial phloxes. Then 
we have a page of begonia flowers measuring not less than 
four inches in diameter and of all colors except shades of 
blue, which have not yet appeared in this magnificent 
class of plants. A page showing 10 typical varieties of 
gladioli follows, ffhis house is noted for its magnificent 
collection of these popular flowers, perfect in all ways ex¬ 
cept perfume. Finally, we have a colored page of vege¬ 
table novelties, notable among which are the White Peach 
Tomato, the Vandegaw Cabbage and Everbearing Cucum¬ 
ber. Prominent among interesting plants are the Great 
Japan Wineberry ($4 a dozen), Trifoliate Orange, Elmag- 
nus longipes (described and illustrated in The R. N. Y., 
page 525, of last year’s volume), the Sunset Plant, Moun¬ 
tain Fleece, Manettia Vine, etc , etc. 
