Building  a  Modern  Barn 
E  frequently  have  requests  from  readers  to 
tell  us  about  plank  frame  barns,  methods  of 
ventilation,  and  of  the  arrangement  of  windows  for 
fresli  air  and  sunlight.  All  barn  builders  who  are 
interested  in  these  matters  should  have  Bulletin  No. 
.  266  from  the  Wisconsin  Experiment  Station  at  Mad¬ 
ison.  This  gives  a  very  good  study  of  some  of  the 
most  important  things  connected  with  barn  build¬ 
ing.  It  describes  the  plank  frame  barn,  and  gives  a 
good  deal  of  attention  to  the  King  system  of  ven¬ 
tilating  farm  buildings.  The  picture  at.  Fig.  3S5  is 
taken  from  Ibis  bulletin,  and  shows  the  model  for 
a  plank  frame  barn.  The  frame  is  made  up  of 
plank  properly  braced:  the  use  of  heavy  timbers  is 
thus  made  unnecessary.  All  through  our  Eastern 
States  farmers  are  studying  the  question  of  barn 
building,  as  many  of  the  old  barns  are  coming  down 
with  new  ones  to  be  put  in  place.  While  you  are 
building  a  new  barn,  why  not  make  it  up  to  date 
and  fully  sanitary  at  a  moderate  cost?  This  bulle¬ 
tin  will  help  to  do  it.  There  are  many  little  'sug¬ 
gest  inns  in  this  bulletin  which  would  greatly  help 
barn  builders.  Fig.  384  shows  the  principle  of  the 
King  system  of  ventilation.  In  which  foul  air  is 
taken  out  from  near  the  bottom  of  the  room,  and  the 
purer  air  admitted  nearer  the  top.  At  Fig.  383  is 
shown  a  wood  overlay  for  a  concrete  stall.  This  is 
often  an  advantage,  as  the  concrete  floor  is  cold  and 
sometimes  makes  trouble.  The  hoard  overlay  is 
laid  lengthwise  of  the  stall,  and  arranged  so  that  it 
can  he  easily  removed  for  cleaning.  All  sorts  of 
wood  blocks  are  now  recommended  for  the  flooring 
of  the  stalls.  They  are  more  expensive  than  con¬ 
crete  or  wood,  but  they  are  sanitary  and  are  not 
cold,  which  is  the  chief  objection  to  concrete. 
Picking,  Packing  and  Shipping  Peaches 
Fart  II. 
WEATHER  CONDITIONS. — The  picking  of  fruit 
during  wet  weather  should  he  avoided  as  much  as 
possible.  The  wet  specimens  collect  more  or  less 
dirt  from  baskets  and  packing  tables  and  do  not 
have  the  bright,  clean  appearance  of  fruits  picked 
during  dry  weather.  Wet  fruit  is  also  more  sub¬ 
ject  to  mold  and  rot. 
METHODS  OF  PICKINGS. — The  actual  separating 
of  the  fruit  from  the  tree  deserves  attention.  If  the 
specimens  are  violently  pulled  from  the  branches 
many  twigs  are  broken,  and  the  specimens  them¬ 
selves  are  sometimes  bruised.  A  slight  twist  of  the 
fruit  will  usually  enable  one  to  harvest  it  without 
much  effort.  When  the  fruit  is  picked  rather  green 
the  stem  adheres  more  strongly.  During  or  just 
following  periods  of  drought  the  fruits  often  separ¬ 
ate  very  easily  from  the  stems. 
PICKING  BASKETS, — Several  types  of  picking 
baskets  are  in  common  use.  Where  the  lfl-qt.  Jersey 
or  Delaware  basket  is  used  as  a  market,  package 
it  also  serves  as  a  picking  basket,  thus  eliminating 
the  expense  of  special  baskets  for  picking.  The 
faults  of  such  a  basket  are  that  it  lacks  rigidity 
and  is  easily  tipped  over.  Twenty-quart  baskets  of 
a  similar  shape  are  used  in  some  sections.  These 
are  hotter  baskets  than  the  above  for  strength  and 
durability.  Where  peaches  are  shipped  in  the  six- 
basket  Georgia  carrier  a  special  picking  basket  is 
often  used.  A  half-bushel  wooden  stave  basket  with 
a  handle  that  can  he  turned  down  is  the  most  pop¬ 
ular  type.  They  are  rigid  enough  to  prevent  bruis¬ 
ing  of  the  fruit,  cost  about  20  to  25  cents  each,  and 
will  last  for  many  seasons  if  properly  stored.  Such 
baskets  should  he  free  from  any  sharp  projecting 
hoops  or  parts  upon  the  inside.  Various  devices  are 
used  to  assist  the  picker  in  supporting  a  basket 
while  it  is  being  filled.  A  so-called  picking  harness 
has  recently  been  offered  for  sale  and  Fig.  371,  page 
973,  shows  it  in  use.  It  permits  the  picker  to  use  both 
hands  in  the  actual  process  of  harvesting.  Where 
many  pickers  are  employed  it  is  well  to  adopt  a 
ticket  system  to  determine  the  amount  of  fruit  har¬ 
vested  by  each.  All  that  is  required  is  a  collection 
of  pastebocmrd  tickets  upon  which  numbers  are  print¬ 
ed.  A  certain  picker  may  then  lie  given  a  lot  of 
tickets  marked  No.  1  ;  for  example,  as  he  begins  to 
fill  a  basket  he  places  one  of  these  tickets  in  the  bot¬ 
tom.  When  the  filled  baskets  arrive  at  the  pack- 
T5he  RURAL  NEW-YORKER 
ing-house  the  pickers’  tickets  are  collected,  counted 
and  recorded  and  a  check  upon  each  man’s  work  is 
provided. 
CARE  AFTER  PICKING.— The  fruit  should  be 
transported  to  the  packing-house  nearly  as  rapidly 
as  it  is  picked.  During  the  early  part  of  the  day 
it  is  si  ill  cool  and  it  should  go  into  the  final  pack¬ 
age  in  that  condition  if  possible.  The  fruit  ripens 
rapidly  and  even  wilts  if  left  exposed  to  the  hot  sun 
in  baskets  for  any  length  of  time.  The  ideal  way 
is  to  get  the  fruit  off  the  tree  and  into  the  final  pack¬ 
age  without  delay.  If  roadways  have  pot  been 
planned  through  the  orchard  a  way  should  he  se¬ 
lected  and  the  mature  fruit  picked  from  the  over¬ 
hanging  branches  before  any  hauling  is  done.  A 
low  wheeled,  flat  wagon  is  a  desirable  type  to  use 
in  the  peach  orchard  for  hauling  the  fruit  to  the 
packing  shed.  Wagons  with  high  wheels  are  not  as 
easily  managed  among  the  low-headed  peach  trees. 
M.  A.  BLAKE. 
Who  Owns  the  Rabbit  ? 
HAVE  read  with  interest  your  article  on  page 
910.  relative  to  “Rabbits  vs.  New  York  Fruit 
Growers."  The  article  refers  to  a  man  who  lias 
suffered  damage  from  these  animals,  yet  I  will  ven¬ 
ture  to  say  that  this  same  man.  should  he  find  a 
hunter  on  his  farm,  would  at  once  forbid  him  hunt¬ 
ing  or  tresspassing  thereon.  In  a  section  where 
hunters  are  numerous,  and  are  privileged  to  hunt 
on  the  several  farms  of  a  community,  you  do  not 
find  that  rabbits  or  other  game  are  a  pest. 
An  investigation  will  reveal  the  fact  that  thou¬ 
sands  of  dollars  are  paid  each  year  by  the  hunters 
of  this  State,  as  license  for  the  privilege  to  pursue  a 
pastime  that  is  healthful,  and  invigorating  to  say 
the  least.  It  also  is  a  step  toward  preparedness, 
familiarizing  our  male  population  with  the  use  of 
firearms,  all  of  which  I  firmly  believe  should  be  pro¬ 
moted  by  good  sane  game  laws.  The  man  of  wealth 
of  course  can  own  and  protect  his  own  game  pre¬ 
serve,  eliminating  the  average  hunter  from  his  pos¬ 
sessions,  therefore  it  would  seem  that  such  persons 
should  be  privileged  to  hunt,  and  game  laws  should 
he  encouraged  toward  that  end.  It.  would  not  be 
a  very  expensive  or  tedious  matter  for  such  farm¬ 
ers  as  you  refer  to,  to  devise  some  means  of  pro¬ 
tecting  small  trees,  as  I  have  seen  it  done  by  crude 
means  or  by  means  of  bought  devices,  which  I  have 
seen  advertised. 
You  are  of  course  aware,  that  only  small  trees, 
shrubs,  etc.,  can  be  damaged,  which  would  be  for 
only  a  short  time,  yet  you  would  have  laws  passed 
that  would  quickly  exterminate  practically  the  last 
of  our  game  animals  which  if  protected  will  afford 
thousands  of  not  only  the  so-called  hunters,  hut  the 
farmers  and  their  sons,  as  well,  many  a  good  day’s 
outing  and  pleasure.  The  use  of  the  ferret  is  con¬ 
fined,  not  to  the  real  sportsman,  but  the  “game 
hog,"  and  affords  very  little  pleasure,  but  quickly 
exterminates  the  small  game.  I  trust  no  exception 
will  be  taken  to  my  good-natured  criticism  of  your 
article.  It  is  written  with  the  interest  of  thousands 
of  factory  employees  and  others  who  enjoy  a  day's 
pastime  in  the  fields  and  woods.  a.  g.  .tones. 
Chenango  Co.,  N.  Y. 
R.  N.-Y. — Surely  no  exception  is  taken  to  good- 
natured  criticism  or  discussion.  The  article  re¬ 
ferred  to  covers  the  correspondence  between  Mr.  T. 
II.  King  and  'the  Conservation  Commission.  Many 
of  our  farmers  who  have  suffered  at  the  hands  of 
wandering  hunters  will  not  take  much  stock  in  this 
argument  about  “preparedness."  Fires  have  been 
started,  gates  left  open,  fences  pulled  down,  stock 
shot  or  killed  and  children  wounded  or  frightened 
by  these  hunters.  On  our  own  farm  we  claim  that 
the  game  belongs  to  those  of  us  who  own  property 
in  the  neighborhood  and  we  try  to  keep  all  others 
off  the  premises.  The  game  is  grown  and  fattened 
on  our  land.  We  pay  for  growing  a  rabbit  the  same 
999 
as  we  do  for  a  colt  or  calf.  As  the  rabbit  grew  on 
our  land  it  belongs  to  us — the  same  as  other  stock 
grown  there.  If  a  stranger  comes  on  my  property 
and  kills  such  a  rabbit  why  has  he  not  the  same 
right  to  kill  my  calf  which  has  run  in  the  same 
pasture  with  the  rabbit  all  Summer?  Will  Mr.  .Tones 
tell  us  what  is  wrong  with  that,  or  what  right  he 
would  have  lo  come  on  my  farm  and  kill  the  rab¬ 
bit?  Why  should  a  rabbit  which  has  been  raised 
on  my  farm  he  put  at  the  disposition  of  the  public? 
A  Trick  of  the  City  Egg  Trade 
HERE  is  a  new  trick  in  the  New  York  egg  trade. 
Mr.  L.  B.  Sprecher  is  a  well-known  poultry- 
iirnn  of  Pennsylvania.  The  eggs  lie  ships  are  among 
the  finest  in  quality  of  any  that  come  to  New  York. 
Cf  course  such  eggs  sell  at  a  premium,  and  have 
been  successfully  handled  for  some  years  lay  one 
concern.  It  was  reported  that  certain  merchants 
<  n  tiie  East  Side  of  New  York  were  selling  these 
eggs  under  their  genuine  name  for  five  cents  a  dozen 
less  than  the  standard  price  for  that  grade.  A  de¬ 
tective  undertook  to  follow  up  and  see  what  trick 
was  being  played.  This  detective  saw  a  dozen  crates 
of  tiiese  eggs  at  the  express  office.  The  eggs  were 
loaded  on  a  delivery  wagon  and  started  on  their 
way.  'Pile  driver  stopped  to  deliver  another  pack¬ 
age,  and  while  he  was  out  of  sight  a  man  jumped 
on  the  wagon  and  removed  the  red  tags  from  all 
of  these  crates.  These  tags  were  carried  off  and 
put  on  other  cases  and  these  were  then  sold  as  the 
genuine  goods — the  tags  being  accepted  by  the  buy¬ 
er  as  evidence  of  honest  eggs.  Another  way  in 
which  honest  credit  was  worked  out  was  as  follows: 
These  eggs  are  packed  in  the  crate  very  carefully 
and  protected  with  excelsior  between  the  paper  fill¬ 
ers  and  the  sides  of  the  cases.  A  card  with  the 
words  "runs,  handle  -with  cave "  printed  in  red  ink 
is  tacked  on  the  side  of  each  crate.  These  precau¬ 
tions  became  known  to  some  of  the  egg  shippers, 
and  in  the  absence  of  the  name  of  the  shipper  they 
call  such  things  “excelsior  eggs."  The  original  crate 
when  emptied  was  bought  up  by  certain  parties  and 
refilled  often  with  inferior  eggs,  both  in  size  and 
quality.  Then  they  would  be  offered  as  the  gen¬ 
uine  stock  or  what  is  called  “excelsior  eggs."  Whoa 
these  frauds  could  not  obtain  the  empty  crates  they 
would  steal  the  tags,  tack  these  on  to  other  crates, 
then  till  with  inferior  eggs  and  sell  as  a  superior 
article. 
This  may  not  bo  a  new  trick,  but  it  will  he  new 
to  many  of  our  readers— some  of  whom  have  doubt¬ 
less  suffered  from  these  frauds  after  they  had 
worked  hard  to  obtain  an  extra  price  for  superior 
quality.  The  remedy  is  not  to  tack  these  tags  upon 
the  crate  at  all,  but  to  make  the  label  as  nearly 
as  possible  a  part  of  the  crate.  Then  have  the  crates 
numbered  or  definitely  marked,  and  insist  that  they 
are  sent  back  for  refilling.  This  scheme  of  stealing 
a  man  s  reputation  is  altogether  too  prevalent  in 
all  lines  of  produce.  Some  years  ago  certain  fruit 
people  would  go  into  the  market  and  buy  up  baskets 
and  crates  for  fruit  hearing  the  names  of  .T.  H. 
Hale  or  some  other  famous  fruit  grower.  These 
would  be  taken  home,  filled  with  fruit  again  and  put 
A  Plank  Frame  Barn.  Fig.  385 
on  the  market  for  sale  on  the  strength  of  the  repu¬ 
tation  of  the  well-known  grower.  This  scheme  has 
now  been  made  illegal  in  a  number  of  States,  but 
such  laws  are  very  hard  to  enforce  where  common 
honesty  will  not  show  a  man  that  he  never  should 
attempt  such  work. 
Tx  the  year  1913  France  exported  451,500  pounds  of 
truffles,  fresh,  dried  and  preserved,  21,600  pounds  com¬ 
ing  to  this  country.  These  shipments  had  a  value  of 
a  little  over  $1.35  per  pound.  Harvest  time  for  these 
curious  underground  mushrooms  is  from  August  to  the 
end  of  March,  trained  dogs  and  pigs  being  used  to 
search  for  them. 
