1894 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
345 
not cut a cane, mature or immature, old or new, dur¬ 
ing the season of growth. Adherence to these rules 
will give a permanence to the plant, limited only by 
the ability to keep the ground free from weeds, and 
to supply the fertilizer necessary to sustain such an 
enormous vegetable growth. .iefferson sherman. 
Marion, N. Y. _ 
What Say ? 
What Wile Kill Them ?—Will some of The R. 
N.-Y.’s readers give a practical way to kill garlic and 
sheep sorrel on a large scale ? c. b c. 
Philadelphia. 
Gasoline Engines —Have any of the readers of The 
R. N.-Y. had any experience with portable or traction 
gasoline engines for the purpose of hulling clover or 
any work of that kind ? If so, I would like to hear 
from them. p. p. w. 
Milford, Del. 
Clearing Land. —Will some of the subscribers of 
The R. N.-Y give their experience in cleariog land of 
timber and stumps—oak, chestnut and hickory ? 
When is the best time to cut, to keep the stumps from 
sprouting ? I have about 40 acres to be cleared, and I 
would like to get rid of the small stumps if possible. 
Is there a stump puller that is practicable to use on 
steep, rough land ? subscriber. 
Wire Fence and Pigs. —I desire to get some wire 
netting fence mainly for pigs, but at the same time 
one that would turn a hull or stallion. Prom the 
numerous catalogues received, I can fix on no choice 
and therefore would like to hear from some practical 
men who have given the different styles a trial. I 
have some pigs with some Berkshire blood. What 
breed would be best to fill the following conditions : 
I wish to get a first-class boar to cross with my stock, 
the progeny of which will most likely combine thrift, 
freedom from disease, rapidity of growth and marked 
ability as hustlers. An abnormally large hog is 
unnecessary. Quick growth and medium size are the 
main points. My hogs have a large grass range in 
summer, and grass roots (Johnson grass) in winter, 
supplemented, as far as necessary,iby grain, roots, etc. 
They will fatten on grain. A M. 8. 
Savannah, Qa. 
[Ever/ query mast De &ooompanie(l by tbe name and address of the 
writer to Insare attention. Before asking a question please see If It is 
not answered in our adyertlslng oolumns. Ask only a few questions at 
one time. Put questions on a separate piece of paper.] 
WAGES OF WESTERN FARM HANDS. 
will The R. N.-Y. publish a number of representative statements of 
the rate of wages paid farm help In various places and under stated 
conditions? No farm hands are to be had here. Laborers get 20 cents 
per hour. One faimer retains a lad that grew up with him and pays 
him 1200 per year and board. A 16-year-old boy applied to me for a 
job. I offered $6 a week, 5:30 a. m. to 6 p. m., and chores Sunday a. m. 
He wanted 10 hours, and refused single day’s work at 10 cents per 
hour—and board himself, of course. He wanted 15 cents per hour, 
and was very green at farm work. K. L. 8. 
Cape Cod. 
Farm Hands Ahead in Illinois. 
Good farm hands are hard to obtain; such as we 
have are paid 324 to 326 a month for 10 months or 
more, with board, washing and horse kept. The 
reason is that so many dudes, who take advantage of 
the farmer’s circumstances, won’t work for less than 
31.25 to 31.50 a day of 10 hours. J. m. c. 
Yates City, Ill. 
Wants His Own Way In Colorado. 
Wages are 325 per month through the summer, but 
much less in winter. We find it a difficult matter to 
secure good help. With the demand for cattle herders 
north of us in summer, men are more independent 
and, if they cannot have things pretty much their 
own way, will leave on short notice and go where they 
imagine work will be lighter and wages better. 
Colorado. chas. e. pennock. 
Younger Generation in Nebraska Likes the Town. 
There is no reliable farm help to be had. Some 
young men will agree to work by the season ; they are 
from the towns, no farmer boys are to be had at any 
price because they can make more working land on 
shares. The town boys will work perhaps a week, and 
do well if they stay a month ; they leave just to get 
back to town. Last season, I had four different boys, 
and I was not alone, for my neighbors in some cases 
had six to eight different ones. Wages are 320 to 322 
per month, and board and washing. The reason for 
all of this is, I believe, in the bringing up of this 
younger generation, both boys and girls, for it is 
almost impossible to get a girl to do housework. 
They are brought up in idleness, and do just as they 
please ; they always have had a living, and that is all 
they want except to run the streets and have a good 
time. Most of the old settlers here are renting their 
land, except what they can work themselves. By 
using gang plows with four horses, double harrows 
that cover 40 feet at a bout and all riding cultivators, 
we can get in a good crop. f. a. b. 
Rising City, Neb. 
Be Your Own Hired Man In North Dakota. 
This is an off year for hired men in this country. 
Heretofore men have been getting from 318 to 325 per 
month and board until harvest. This year 315 is the 
maximum, and many men are working for their 
board, not being able to get work at wages. Many of 
us find it necessary to do our own work. As an in¬ 
stance, last season my son and I seeded, cut, set up 
and stacked 240 acres of small grain, and did more 
work for other people than our thrashing help cost us. 
As we only just made a living at the current prices, I 
am quite sure we should not have made one had we 
hired our work done. It is usually hard to get good 
farm hands here, because the good ones get a piece of 
land and work for themselves. A. w. t. 
Seymour, N. D. 
Good Hands Scarce in Iowa. 
Wages for good farm hands are about 318 to 320 per 
month and board. It is hard to find good hands that 
take interest in the work, but there are plenty of 
tramps. There are several reasons for it; In the 
first place, the farmers try to get along with cheap 
help, and when needed the most they will leave, and 
about half of them are tramping for a job. Until we 
make it a misdemeanor to be a vagabond, we will 
have poor help. If we could have a supervisor in each 
township, or some official to look after them and make 
them work our roads, it would soon solve the question 
of getting good laborers and good roads. d. e. 
Manchester, Iowa. 
Populists Have Not Saved Kansas. 
Farm wages are low and many seeking work. Help 
by the month for young men of 16 years and up, is 313 
to 318 per month and board. The same men last year 
received 318 to 324. Day wages are 75 cents to 31 and 
board ; the same without board. Last year 31 to 31.50. 
Hours are 6 a. m. to 6 p. m. More are working for the 
lower wages than the higher. The average is about 
315 for the season. Wages are 35 to 38 higher during 
wheat harvest, about three weeks. Then they work 
from daylight till dark. We will have a half crop of 
wheat. 8. 8. D. 
Lamed, Kan. 
Wages Go Up as Prices Fall. 
Farm help is very scarce in this locality. Wages 
run from 312 to 330 per month with board, according 
to age and ability, Day help commands 15 cents per 
hour, or 31.50 per day of 10 hours, whether good, bad 
or indifferent workers, breakfast and dinner included. 
Two years ago, when I came on this farm, I hired 
day help for 12 3>^ cents per hour, and some as low as 
10 cents per hour. As prices for produce began to 
drop, wages went up, and it is only a matter of time 
when we shall be obliged to pay 20 cents per hour. 
Oar nearest market is Lawrence, Mass., and prices 
have, as a rule, been much better than in most places, 
as indicated by reports from all over the country. 
Rockingham Co., N. H. e. a. haskell. 
Knuckling in a Horse ; a Gtuack Treatment. 
W. IF., No. BULlngham, Mass .—I have a horse which 
has but one fault, and that is a weakness in the right 
hind foot in the pastern. He goes along all right on 
a level, but when going up a hill the joint seems to 
give away under him. I notice that when he puts his 
foot down solid and flat on the ground, it doesn’t 
seem to affect him any, but when he goes up hill and 
puts only his toe to the ground, it gives way and 
seems weak. I thought it was a sprain and bathed it 
in strong vinegar. That didn’t cure it, and I used a 
liniment composed of two ounces of olive oil, one 
ounce of oil of creosote and one ounce of oil of tur¬ 
pentine. That doesn’t seem to help it any. Some¬ 
times it will not bother him for months, but gener¬ 
ally it is worse in the spring of the year. The horse 
is about 14 years old. Gleason, the horse tamer and 
veterinarian, in his book says: Knuckliwg .—This is 
' a peculiar, loose, double action of the pastern of the 
hind leg and is a symptom rather than a disease of 
itself. Cause .—Disease in the hock joint and weak¬ 
ness in the part from the effects of sprain^ or other 
injury. It also accompanies occult and bone spavin. 
Observe .—Knuckling of the hind pastern is a symptom 
strongly indicative that the animal has had an attack 
of paralysis, or is likely to have one; at all events it 
clearly shows that either the brain or spinal cord is, 
to a certain extent, diseased, resulting in a loss of 
motive power in the pastern. Treatment .—Feed well, 
and give 15 drops of nux vomica three times in the 
day. If the hock joint be the cause, treat the hock 
as for spavin, or palliate the symptoms by applying 
two parts of olive oil and one part each of creosote and 
oil of turpentine, two or three times in the week.” 
I have examined the hock joint and it seems all right, 
and only the pastern seems affected. Have any of 
The R. N.-Y. readers had any experience with such a 
case ? 
Ans —From the description, I judge that the horse 
knuckles at the hind fetlock only in action, and not 
while at rest. The two forms of knuckling are quite 
different. The knuckling of the fetlock joint while 
at rest, is a partial dislocation or starting forward of 
the fetlock joint, accompanied by a more erect pas¬ 
tern, and is usually due to overstraining, as the re¬ 
sult of fast or heavy work. The condition is most 
commonly seen in hilly districts, and in fast road¬ 
sters. There is more or less weakness of the joint, 
depending upon the extent of the lesion. Knuckling 
in action will occur from the weakness. Rest, with 
the application to the fetlock of a stimulating lini¬ 
ment or a mild blister, will afford temporary relief, 
which may become practically permanent if the horse 
is used only for light or slow work; but when once 
really knuckled, it cannot be made as strong as be¬ 
fore. The knuckling at the fetlock in action, and in 
which there is no erect pastern or knuckling of the 
joint while at rest, implies little or no weakness of 
the fetlock itself. It is an involuntary rolling for¬ 
ward in the fetlock, and may be said to be to the hind 
foot what stumbling is to the fore foot. Such knuck¬ 
ling is due either to carelessness in the animal in 
handling itself, or to a slight loss of perfect control 
over the action of the limb. Some horses will knuckle 
when weary, and will rarely do so at other times. 
No satisfactory general treatment can be advised. 
The quotation given as to the cause and treatment of 
knuckling is simple quackery. f. l. k. 
Are These Cows With Calf P 
./. n., Jr., Naperville, TIL —Last fall I bought three 
cows that were brought here from Iowa. They calved 
in September, are well and give a good mess of milk, 
but have not yet shown any signs of being in heat, 
although a yearling bull has been with them for the 
last two months. What is the matter with them ? Is 
there a remedy, and what is it ? They have been fed 
on corn stalks, corn meal and bran. 
An8. —I am of the opinion that you will find that 
your cows are already with calf. Even if they are 
not, there is very little you can do to bring them in 
heat, beyond keeping them in good thrifty condition, 
not over-fat, and give them plenty of out-of-door exer¬ 
cise. If any are not with calf they will probably come 
in heat after going on pasture. p. l. k. 
Fruits for Eastern Massachusetts. 
G. L J., Union Springs, N. Y. — 1. With what varieties 
of apples and in what proportion is fit best to set out 
an orchard in eastern Massachusetts, six miles from 
the seacoast, and on the north branch of the Merri- 
mae ? I wish to ship to the Boston market and also 
to the home markets of cities only 10 or 13 miles away. 
2. What are the best grapes for that locality? 3. 
Would it pay to raise many pears for market ? If so, 
what varieties ? 
An8 .—1. Baldwin probably, with Gravenstein or 
Hubbardston. They should be chiefly winter vari¬ 
eties. For a late summer sort, Oldenburgh sells as 
well as anything. Gravenstein is much planted. 2. 
The best market grape for that locality is the Concord. 
3. Yes, some good winter sort. The variety would 
depend much upon the soil. Most of that Merrimac 
Valley land is too sandy for pears. If I were going 
there, I would look around among the orchards, and 
find out what is paying best on soil and exposure most 
like my own. t. h. hoskins. 
Cheapest Manure for Arkansas Strawberries. 
W. M. B., Newport, Ark. —I have about one acre of 
strawberries, mostly Gandy and Michel’s Early. I ex¬ 
pect to put out some Parker Earle and Princess this 
season. The land upon which they are situated is a 
run-down cotton field, having been farmed for about 
40 years without any manure or fertilizer to speak of. 
One-half the field is very sandy, while the other is 
heavier with a sandy subsoil. What is the best fer¬ 
tilizer and how much per acre? When should it be 
applied? I have tried stable manure, but have become 
disgusted with the weeds which I have to contend 
with. I can get all the stable manure 1 want for the 
hauling ; but will it pay me to use it and then pay for 
the increased labor to fight the weeds? How would 
cotton-seed meal do, applied while the plants are 
making their growth for next season’s crop? I can 
get this delivered for about 322 per ton. I have tried 
it on vegetables and it gives good satisfaction. 
Ans. —As explained on page 242, wood ashes and 
fine bone meal make about the best fertilizer for ber¬ 
ries. Read what was said then. Can you not get 
cotton-hull ashes at a reasonable rate? If you can, oy 
using 600 pounds of such ashes and 300 of fine bone 
flour per acre, you would have an ideal fertilizer. You 
are too far away to buy mixed fertilizers—the freights 
will make them cost too much. Unless labor is quite 
expensive, we do not think you can do better than to 
use the free stable manure, unless you can get ashes, 
either of wood or cotton hulls, for a reasonable price. 
Cotton-seed meal would answer, but at 332 a ton is 
more expensive than manure for nothing—that is, if 
you use modern tools for killing weeds. 
