i89i 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
73i 
A LISTENER’S NOTES. 
( Continued.) 
air space was left between the walls. The 
lower floor was of cement. At 10 feet from 
this was a floor of galvanized iron resting 
on 2x6 inch joists placed one foot apart. 
This iron floor sloped gradually to one side 
and a pipe formed an outlet for water. 
Ten tons of ice, costing $8 a ton, were put 
on the iron floor. It was kept at least 12 
inches from the wall on all sides, and 
covered with 18 inches of sawdust. Apples 
packed in barrels were placed below the 
ice and the whole thing was closed. The 
temperature kept between 40 and 50 de¬ 
grees. Some of the apples spoiled, being 
in poor condition when they were put in ; 
the others kept well and sold in the spring 
at good prices. The expense for ice is too 
great in Arkansas, but such a house might 
be made to pay at the North. The station 
also tried the plan of dipping apples in hot 
paraffine to prevent decay. It was a failure. 
The Wheats in Idaho.—I planted the 
Rural New-Yorker wheats as directed, on 
October 2, 1890, and harvested (?) them on 
July 7, 1891. A row of common rye was 
planted by their side. The rye was ready 
to harvest July 3; the Roberts, July 
5 ; the Willits, July 6, and the Bailey, July 
7. The Johnson, Beal and Stewart were 
later. On the 7th of July, a heavy hail 
storm lasting 10 minutes, pounded the 
wheats with hail stones 1% inchin diameter 
—a few measured two inches in length by 
IK inch across. The weather continued 
moist for a week. The thrashed wheats 
that were pounded into the ground and 
those lying on top sprouted. As soon as 
the weather permitted I gathered the little 
of each kind that was left. New stools 
grew from all the old roots except the 
Roberts. The Bailey did not stool so much 
as the others. From the second crop I was 
able to get a fair supply of seed. The Stewart 
gave 10 pounds from the second crop. 
Before the hail storm I had selected prize 
heads, but did not cut them. The plot 
showed the finest lot of wheat I had ever 
seen—the whole yield could not have 
been less than 50 pounds. One of my neigh¬ 
bors was willing to wager that it was over 
that amount. 
I believe these wheats are especially 
adapted to the high table lands of Idaho and 
perhaps the whole arid region. My wheats 
were thoroughly irrigated twice. My land 
is a sandy-loam wash from the hill with a 
good natural drainage. This little irriga¬ 
tion experience with the Rural wheats leads 
me to believe that they are not averse to 
irrigation, but take kindly to it. I shall 
plant common rye by the side of these 
promising wheats again this fall. A. L. R. 
Horseshoe Bend, Idaho. 
THE TRUTH ABOUT PUGET SOUND 
LANDS. 
A friend in New Whatcom, Washington, 
sends us a local paper containing the follow¬ 
ing : 
A correspondent of The Rural New- 
Yorker, who parts his name in the middle 
as W. Douglas King, has been on the 
Sound, and thinks the Whatcom soil is good 
to make bricks out of. He carefully avoided 
the Nooksack Valley, the beaver meadows, 
and alder bottoms, and made his conclu¬ 
sions from data gathered on what is de¬ 
nominated “hard pan.” He speaks of 
sleeping on stumps six feet in diameter. 
Any settler could have taken W. Douglas 
out and dropped him into a hollow stump 
where he could ramble around for a week 
without striking the shell, on solid stumps, 
or solid trees 12 feet iu diameter. He thinks 
it will cost $100 an acre to clear the land. 
Yes, it will cost $250 an acre to clear some 
of the land, and after it is cleared it will 
be good for nothing but its rock and brick 
clay. However, alder bottom can often be 
made ready for the plow for $25 per acre. 
He kindly speaks of 50-pound turnips and 
5 pound potatoes, but forgets to tell of 100 
bushels of wheat to the acre on Samish 
flats, and the immense yields of oats. He 
went to Anacortes and Avon to find agri¬ 
cultural lands. He did not discover any, 
and yet he condemns the Skagit Valley. 
He barely came in sight of the Skagit Val¬ 
ley. * • * Land that will produce five 
tons of hay to the acre, worth $15 per ton, 
ought to bring a good price. Altogether 
the gentleman shows lack of information 
rather that any intention to misrepresent. 
It is a pity he had not placed himself in 
cbarge of E P. Y. Day, Barney & Miller, 
or Collius & Powell, and really, while at 
New Whatcom he should have taken a 
squint at the Nooksack Valley, Sumas 
Prairie, Cottonwood Island, and other 
points where the agricultural yield is, to a 
rural New Yorker, absolutely incredlole. 
Mr. King sends this reply : 
“ I am sorry I failed to place myself in 
the proper hands to see Puget Sound, but 
being somewhat ‘hard-headed and unco- 
canny ’ in my ways, I paddled ‘ my ain 
canoo.’ For headquarters I used the office 
of Bacon & Eells, Whatcom, who make a 
business of ‘ farm loans ’ (at 10 per cent in¬ 
terest). I had therefore an opportunity of 
seeing the personnel of the Western Wash¬ 
ington farmers, and of finding out a little 
of the inside work, and where the best 
agricultural land of the country was and 
the names of the parties who would prob¬ 
ably sell at reasonable prices. 
“ I knew I was near the Nooksack Valley, 
where resides Jos. T. Mead, who took the 
fifth prize in the American Agriculturist’s 
potato contest, with a crop of 595 bushels, 
38 pounds. 
“ While I saw bricks made at Whatcom 
from clay, I did not think they were good; 
indeed, I thought them * no good; ’ but 
neither knew nor cared whether the fault 
was in the clay or the methods of the brick 
makers. 
“ Having passed through land booms in 
Florida and noted the results; seen the 
methods of Chicago land boomers and 
watched the results; compared the histories 
of places like Kansas City, St. Paul, 
Omaha, Denver, Los Angeles, etc., etc., 
and carefully calculated the value of land 
according to population, etc., my judgment 
of Puget Sound land was as given in The 
Rural of July 25. The prices asked were 
higher than those for which land can be 
bought to day near Chicago, a city with an 
assured future, “ destined to be not only 
the commercial center of the United States, 
but the seat of the United States Govern¬ 
ment; for the push, pluck and tact which 
secured Chicago the Columbian Exposition 
will also secure the transfer of the general 
seat of government from Washington, D. 
C., to Chicago.”—[Well! Well! Well!— 
R. N.-Y.] 
“ When I tell The Rural readers that I 
used myself for a measuring stick on a tree 
stump, I did not fall asleep on it. Chica¬ 
goans never rest ‘ up a stump.' I learned 
somewhat of the alder bottoms, but am 
sure no one could clear, drain and make any 
part of them ready for the plow for $25 per 
acre, and draining is imperative to the 
working of any Washington bottom, 
whether an alder or cedar swamp. My in¬ 
formation came from an old Wisconsin 
farmer now editing a paper in the Nooksack 
Valley. 
“ It might be well to state that Mr. Whit¬ 
ney, one of the reliable farmers and real 
estate dealers, who owns quite a large area 
of the Skagit tide flats, lost an orchard of 
about 20 acres owing to the tide breaking 
his dykes. The same might be said of Mr. 
Tillinghast. 
“ In conclusion, I traversed on foot over 
30 miles of the Skagit Valley, and was told 
by Mr. Bacon, of Bacon & Ells, that I had 
passed over the best farming land there. 
The Nooksack Valley is, I understand, not 
developed; while the Skagit Valley and flats 
are. 
“ I could have bought 10 or 20 acres by 
paying down $50 or $100 and ‘ throwing in 
plenty of jawbone and blue sky,’ but the 
conditions were such, owing to lack of good 
roads, existence of heavy taxes, and absence 
of most of the amenities of civilization that 
I hesitated to try to bring up a family, 10 
miles from nowhere.” w. DOUGLAS KING. 
SULLIVAN COUNTY, (N. Y.) COUNCIL. 
A county council of the Patrons of Hus¬ 
bandry of Sullivan County, was held at 
WhiteSulphur Springs, Thursday, Septem¬ 
ber 24. The morning session was taken up 
with musical exercises, an address by 
W 01 thy Master J. P. Royce, ant the ap¬ 
pointment of committees. 
Considerable valuable discussion came up 
on the question of growing potatoes, and 
the best time for digging them. Brother 
Knoll thinks he gets the best results by 
plowing up pasture land in the fall, cross- 
plowing in the spring aDd planting while 
the ground is fresh. Brother Gregory 
favored lime as a fertilizer, and Brother 
Royce was hardly satisfied that he knew 
just which is the best and cheapest fertil¬ 
izer. Brothers Mott and Duryea think that 
Grangers do not patronize their Grange 
stores as much as they ought. These gen¬ 
tlemen Insist that the middlemen get 
profits that should go to the producer and 
consumer. Brother David Grant, chairman 
of the Insurance committee, reported that 
he had found a general interest in favor of 
Grange insurance, and recommended that 
the committee be given more time to look 
into the subject. 
Quite a large display of vegetables and 
cereals was made by members of the conn 
cil. It was decided that Mr. John Williams 
had the best exhibit of cabbages, rutabagas 
and onions, as well as the greatest variety 
of vegetables in general, while Mr. J. P. 
Royce made the best display of oats, bar¬ 
ley, rye, Japanese Buckwheat on the stalk, 
and corn; and Mr. Henry Grant showeu 
the biggest pumpkins and the greatest 
variety of cabbages and potatoes, as well 
as the best Lima beans and sweet corn, and 
the finest cleaned buckwheat. 
The only premium is a yearly subscription 
to the American Garden, which goes to Mr. 
Williams. 
Brother A. H. Mills was chosen delegate 
to the State Grange, and Calicoon Depot 
was chosen as the place for the next council 
whlcn will be held the first Wednesday of 
next J une. w. L. JOYNU. 
Secretary Pro Tern. 
In writing to advertisers please always 
mention The Rural. 
nipVCT MILLS, Drag Saws, Circle Saws, 
1 BUaVC I House Powers, for Farm or Mill use- 
B. O. MACHINERY CO., ltattlc Creek, Michigun> 
ejTNAUE THIS PAPER ««erj time jou writ#. 
I WILL SELL MY FARM, 
AGO A cres Choice I.mid. well located In and ad¬ 
joining a city of 10.0C0 In the gas and oil belt of North¬ 
western Ohio Schools, churches and manufactories 
of the best. Three railroads, electric lights, and will 
soon have street railroads. Will sell or divide on time 
to suit purchaser, or excitative for available property. 
O. WKLSH, P. O. Box 88/, Defiance, Defiance Co , O. 
FOR SALE. CHEAP FARMS IN VIRGINIA. 
Timber lands and granite quarries. Mild climate. 
Good markets. Catalogue free. Correspondence 
solicited. THE VIRGINIA IMMIGRATION 
LAND AND IMPROVEMENT COMPANY, 
PE I ERSBUUG. VA. 
IF YOU ARE IN WANT OF A 
Burr-Stone Grinding Mi! 
for meal, fee«l, Ac. we offer you 
the best mill on the market at 
such a low figure it will pay 
you to write to us. They are 
the best constructed, least com¬ 
plicated and fastest grinding 
mills yet produced. SATIS¬ 
FACTION 
LEONAED D. HAEEISON, Box 
GIT ARAN- 
TEED. Send 
||2c. stamp for 
our 60-page 
I lluptrntcd 
Catalogue. 
E , New Haven, Conn. 
Pat d Mar. 
- nom spreader, 
1 
For Gaiting Horses and 
Colts. Prevents hitching, 
forging and interfering. 
Send for Catalogue and Testi¬ 
monial. Agents wanted. 
Knln mn’/.oo Wagon Co., 
Kalamazoo, Mich. 
Also Manufacturers of Surreys 
Buggies and Road Wagons. 
“THE FLOlllUV REAL ESTATE JOUR- 
NAL,” *1.00 a year. Arcadia, Florida. Cheap homes, 
cash or time. Samply copy, with State map, 10 cents. 
M iddletown nursery and fruit 
F ARM.— Peach trees a specialty. 600,000grown 
from Natural Seed and budded with great care. For 
sale very low to planters and the trade. Catalogues 
free. K. R. COCHRAN & CO.. Middletown, Del. 
Dairymen and Fruit-Growers 
Should get cheap lands near the lines running Milk 
and Fruit trains to Ch'cago. Finest of grass lands 
for dairy, ard the fruit land equal to New Jersey. 
Brices low. Say what you wish to Invest and we will 
furnish something that will make you rich. UNION 
INVESTMENT CO., J. R. Jackson Manager, 201 Inter- 
Ocean Building, t hleago. IfgfMentlon paper. 
SUTSTN Y SIDE. _F G?a e 88 V *n r d K Stoek 
Farm, near large city ; 737 acres-80n In cultivation, 
2i7 grass, IbO wood land, 100 acres flue river bottoms, 
absolutely Inexhaustible; uplands rich; farm well 
fenced and watered : nice residence on commanding 
situation; eminently healthy : ample outbuildings: 
everything In good repair. Average, 20 per cent net 
profit annually. $12,000. W. G. STEVENS, Flouston.va 
CLAREMONT Land Association, sK'ISf vi. 
Offers GOG eholce farms; .‘t.GGO handsome town 
lots on James River, with terms to suit purchasers 
Free circular. 
We were disappointed In the results produced by the $1 00 camera offered some time 
ago, so we take special pride in offering the much better “STUDENT” Camera, which 
includes all the necessary apparatus, chemicals, etc., but also Includes folding tripod, 
carrying satchel and shoulder strap. For the price it is the simplest, strongest, lightest, 
most, compact, easiest of comprehension, readiest in manipulation and cheapest complete 
outfit that we have ever seen. Price, $2 00, expressage prepaid, if 45 cents additional is 
sent. Or with a year’s subscription for $3.00 ; either a new subscription may be sent, or 
your own will be continued for a year from the time paid for. 
THE RURAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, Times Building, New York. 
French Achromatic Telescope. 
Few things are more interesting or useful in both 
leisure and busy moments in the country than a 
good Telescope, or harder to find. We believe that 
we have in this a thoroughly good Telescope that 
we can offer to our subscribers in confidence that it 
will give satisfaction. When extended it is over 16 
inches, and when closed 6 1-2 inches in length. On 
a clear day you can distinctly see the time on a 
tower clock three miles away. The moons of Jupi¬ 
ter can be seen with it. The Telescope tubes are 
made from heavy polished brass; the body is cov¬ 
ered with morocco, making a thoroughly substan¬ 
tial instrument. It is achromatic ; that is, does 
not blur the vision by a confusion of colors. Retail 
price, $4.50. Price to our subscribers, sent prepaid, 
$3.00. Given to any present subscriber for two new 
subscriptions and $4.00. Or, for $3.50 we will send 
the telescope, and extend your own subscription for 
one year. 
THE RURAL PUBLISHING CO., Times Building, New York. 
