i48 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
March 4 
Farmers’ Club Discussion. 
(■ Continued .) 
Some Freeze-Proof Kelffer Pears. 
C. C. W , Mobile, Ala.— Within about 
five miles of the Gulf coast in Alabama, 
the signs of coming spring are beginning 
to be seen. The Chinese quince buds are 
already in the green, the Kelsey plums 
nearly in bloom—a bad characteristic of 
this fruit Satsuma plum buds are just 
swelling ; the Le Conte and Keiffer pears 
are doing the same, and, with a continu¬ 
ance of the present warm, rainy weather, 
they will be in bloom by the end of Feb¬ 
ruary. This brings to mind tbe attempt 
I made nearly a year ago (on March 
19, 1892) to fight frost by means of 
smoke, but it turned out to be a fight 
with fire and smoke against a freeze, and 
I got badly whipped at that game, for at 
that time the trees were in full bloom 
and the mercury dropped to 24 degrees, 
the coldest night of the winter. A 
strange thing was that the Kei filer trees 
had dropped their bloom, and the fruit 
was then as large as peas but they stood 
the freeze, and very few blasted. Many 
of these trees still bore fruit on Novem¬ 
ber 1—over seven months from the time 
of setting. No wonder people condemn 
this pear as lacking in quality where 
it has only three or four months in 
which to do that which by nature re¬ 
quires twice the time. As for the 
frost and smoke business, I am inclined 
to the belief that all the good the 
smoke does is to shield the frosted plants, 
like a blanket, from the rays of the 
morning sun till the warm air removes 
the frost the same as a snow ball takes 
frost out of a frozen nose, or as cold 
water poured over a plant may save it. 
Of all the tomatoes I have ever tested 
for a field crop give me the Champion. 
Strong upright plants, set 3% or four 
feet each way, and worked with a Planet 
Jr. horse hoe, they never sprawl all over 
the farm. With this variety I can raise 
more clean, nice fruit to the acre than 
with any other sort I have ever tried. 
Here’s A Smart Fraud. 
A. G. S , Richmond, Mass.— On Friday 
lasta medium-sized man apparently about 
25 years of age carrying a small hand 
bag, stepped off the 11 A. m. train and 
inquired for the house of one of the trus¬ 
tees of the Congregational Church. Find¬ 
ing the man, he stated that he had been 
doing some work for the organist, who 
had directed him to the trustee, as the 
church organ also needed some repairs or 
tuning. Thinking he had stated facts, 
the trustee sent a neighbor to aid in tun¬ 
ing, with orders to pay the bill when the 
work was done. This “ fraud ” ran over 
the keys and claimed to find one that 
would not work, and climbing over in¬ 
side the organ brought out a piece of a 
tallow candle about two inches loner, 
that he claimed the last tuner employed 
must have left there, and it had worked 
into one of the pipes causing the trouble 
complained of by the church organist. 
He also claimed to have been in the em¬ 
ployment of Wood Brothers of Pittsfield, 
dealers in organs and pianos. The fact 
is, our organist never had seen or heard 
of this man who walked away with $5 
for the job. He came from Pittsfield 
where no doubt, he in some way learned 
the names of the organist and church 
trustees in Richmond, and being a small 
town with scattered population, the trus¬ 
tee did not learn the truth until some 
time after the rogue had left. He had 
given his name to be Fred Danforth: had 
a foreign acecut. He had some knowl¬ 
edge of organs, as he played fairly well, 
and was not as green as he appeared. 
Mr. Grundy’s Farmer Again. 
F. D. J., Millerton, N. J.—Now that 
Mr. Grundy’s man has had his second 
innings, it is our turn. Do give us a 
chance, for he has scored a point or two. 
He is lively and a good player at the 
farmer’s game, in his w*y. Let us weigh 
him in an even balance, for there is some 
integrity in him ; but there is one thing 
he does not understand, and two things 
that worry him, just a little. He does 
not understand the largeness of life in 
these days. He is worried over the poor 
management often discernible, not only 
among farmers, but all other classes. He 
is also troubled somewhat at the discon¬ 
tent among farmers, f take it that he 
often talks of these two subjects, and 
this has brought him into The Rural 
He is in good company. He need not be 
ashamed that he is fairly out of his den, 
and has to run now for his life. We are 
after him. He is too serious, and needs 
shaking up a little. His theories, though 
few, are worth considering. 
I say that he does not understand the 
largeness of life because he has taken a 
small one too seriously. He does not 
comprehend that there is to-day a regu¬ 
lar money blizzard raging. I do not 
mean that it is blowing money about; 
but I do mean that men’s desires to 
make money are blowing a perfect hur¬ 
ricane, and his are in it. He sees a man 
go down with a piano on his back. Being 
one of those men who believe that Provi¬ 
dence helps those who help themselves, 
he walks up to this poor fallen brother, 
buried under his $ 1,000 piano, and offers 
to help him up for more than half the im¬ 
plement is worth. In the storm the poor 
fellow is glad to get off so luckily. Mr. 
Grundy’s man smiles and chuckles at his 
own good luck. But what would he have 
done for a piano i f this little bit of misfor¬ 
tune to his fellow had not occurred? There 
is no evidence that he would have bought 
one at cost price. Must we curtail our 
life into such a small compass as to wait 
for two lovers to quarrel that we may 
secure some music for less than the cost 
of the maker ? How often will that oc¬ 
cur ? How about the life of the men who 
make pianos? If all were like this man, 
where would they obtain money to buy 
the farmers’ food? Moreover, when such a 
quarrel did occur, many might have some 
pity, try to persuade the two to make 
up, keep the piano, and make to them¬ 
selves a happy home. However this might 
be, we are not swimming in such a mud- 
puddle. We want to see some enjoyment 
as we go along and encourage others to 
live; we do not take to the standard that 
we are to make money off the misfor¬ 
tunes of others. We are not a part of 
the money blizzard which is blowing. 
We dwell quietly around a hearth large 
enough to warm the poor, and help 
others up out of their misfortunes. 
I would like to say something of the 
man’s worriments on some future occa- ; 
sion. Allow me to say this, by way of 
illustration and conclusion : I never see 
a bow-lagged man without pitying him, 
as far as possible. But when I see him 
trying to keep a pig up an alley, I have 
to laugh—I can’t help it. Mr. Grundy’s 
man is bow-legged ; no harm is intended. 
But when he tries to put the farmer’s 
troubles up an alley and keep them 
there, he is like a bow-legged man trying 
to keep a pig up an alley—we cannot 
help laughing. 
More About “ Woman’s Work.” 
Mrs. E. N. S,, Bashan, Wis.—I think 
“ Mrs. White” will have done one good 
work if she has given a few men a slight 
idea of how much many women are 
actually doing. “ A. W. S.” forgot to 
reduce his estimate to daily rations, 
which would make only a trifle over 2 % 
pounds apiece per day allowing that 
his estimates are correct, and in all pro¬ 
bability there were ,l goers and comers'' 
who would reduce that ration some¬ 
what too. But who ever heard of a barrel 
of crackers weighing 100 pounds ? So far 
as my knowledge goes, a barrel of 
crackers weighs from 31 to 34 pounds. 
And my loaves of bread average 1J4 
pound. Then he forgets—or perhaps 
he does not know—that many children 
from seven to 17 years old, eat as much 
as a full-grown person, and in many 
cases more. I know women, many ot 
them, who actually are doing more work 
every year than Airs. White’s report 
would indicate that she had done. This 
is not sa, ing that they are not doing 
more work than any woman ought, but 
I hardly think many of them would 
thank “ Mr.” A. W. S." for his pity. Our 
work does not seem so ver ? much, as we 
grapple with it day by day, but if we 
could p.le it all up at the end of the year, 
it would make quite a showing. 
Are you 
a cow’s tail? 
This is a startling question 
propounded by the Rural 
New Yorker , and is another 
way of asking a farmer if he 
Photograph of Fodder Com raised on is so much of a believer in sta- 
Baidwinsvin'e^ ni ass.' °* E ' Bryant ’ ble manure as to undervalue 
the use of chemical manures. Nothing equals stable 
manure in every respect ; but the 
STOCKBRIDGE MANURES 
are the best substitutes, and for some crops are supe¬ 
rior to it. They furnish to the growing crop at the 
right time, in the right forms and associations, all the 
plant food it requires for perfect maturity. 
1893 Catalogue sent free to any address. 
43 Chatham St., Boston. 
U PON our 250" 
acres of Nur¬ 
sery we have every 
class of Trees and Plants that is 
hardy in a northern climate; 
Fruit, Ornamental, Nut and 
Flowering. In our catalogues 
-jv,,. which are the most complete and 
^ elaborate published by any Nursery 
establishment in the world, all are ac- 
curately described and offered at 
one-half the price of tree agents. 
y Lovett's Guide to Fruit Culture tells all 
about fruits, their merits and defects, how to plant, prune, 
* cultivate, describes the best novelties, etc. Richly illus- 
_ trated, several colored plates. Price, 10 cts. 
Lovett’s Manual of Ornamental Trees and Plants is authoritative as well as instruc¬ 
tive. A model of excellence in printing and illustration. Price, with colored 
plates 15c. We successfully ship to all parts of the earth. 
J. T. LOVETT CO., JLittlc Sliver, New Jersey. 
SMALL FRUITS, 
TDCCO VINES, ROSES, 
I lUXd* ORNAMENTALS. 
REID’S ‘‘Timhrnll Ofrau/horru • * #500.00 IN GOLD for Best 10 BERRIES. 
Greatest Success 1111101011 OUlnUCllji Urates and Baskets. New Fruits a specialty. 
Have you received our Catalogue? If not, why not? Buy direct and save one-half. 
('«Su. d FREE E. W. REID, Bridgeport. Ohio 
EARLY OHIO GRAPE 
Ten da. vs earlier than any other variety. NIAC*Alt A and lOOottor kln d fl . ORNA3IKN f l Alii 
smiuBs, clematis, tubes, *c. Send for n c P.llRTlfiF fin Portland NY. 
Catalogue. Mailed free. Mention this paper. Addresa U« U U II11 
agents 
WANTED. 
'AfMF ” Pulverizing Harrow, Clod Crusher Leveler 
u _ AS now made, is a general purpose Harrow that 
does the whole business from start to finish, 
viz., it cuts, lifts, turns, crushes, pulverizes, levels 
and smooths, all in one operation. Is made en- 
Sliil tirely of cast steel and wrought iron —practically 
indestructible —and, withal, is the cheapest riding 
hi I harrow ON earth. Price of new style about 40 
p er cen t. less than old style j in fact, it sells for 
about the same as an ordinary drag. 
retomol 
*t convenient distributing SENT ON TRIAL ftt my expense if not satisfactory, 
DUANE H. NASH, Sole Mfr., MILLINGTON. NEW JERSEY. 
ROBINSON 
WOOD AND METAL PICKET FENCE MACHINf 
Has perfect, independent, spring tension, for each wire. Twiste 
wheel will not Injure zinc coating of wires. Weaves over splices in wl.e 
with ease. NO OIL required on the wires. Cheapest and best. (Agem 
wanted.) For prices and free catalogue address 
: 
I 
For MAPLE, SORGHUM, CIDER.and FRUIT 
Corrugated Pan over Firebox, doubling boiling capacity. 
Champion is as great a& 
i the latter was over the old ire* 
mailed fres on application 
IF9. ft, GRIMMMFG. CO.. Hudson. Ohio, fftrffand, 9t., and 
