630 
SEPT 22 
machines, saw-mills, engines, clover-hullers, 
tile-mills, etc., are shown on the outskirts of 
these buildings in full operation, making a 
very lively and at the same time instructive 
display. The interest taken in labor-saving 
implements could easily be seen by the crowds 
that would gather around seeking the latest 
information on new grain drills, self-bind¬ 
ers, mowers, reapers, plows, potato-diggers, 
feed mills, tile mills, etc. A new power pota¬ 
to digger, the “Lewis," made by Lewis Hamp¬ 
ton & Co., attracted a great deal of attention. 
There have only been a few of them made, 
and as soon as thoroughly tested, a report of 
their action will be made through the Rural 
New-Yorker. A new grain drill known as 
the Clipper Press Drill, has steel runners 
opening the drill followed by iron pressure 
wheels which press the earth down evenly 
on the grain. The Wayne Agricultural 
Works had their new corn planter on ex¬ 
hibition, and also a new binder truck the 
front wheels of which can be removed, and 
which can be used in place of, and act simi¬ 
lar to the caster wheel in connection with 
their grain drill, doing away with the side 
lash on the horses. P. P. Mast & 
Co., showed their caster wheel attachment 
to the Buckeye drill, the same as lately 
illustrated in the Rural. They also 
have a new and valuable improvement 
in the shape of a rotary glass fertilizer dis¬ 
tributor with positive force feed. As glass 
will not corrode, fertilizers Lave no effect on 
it. A new lawn mower, known as the Conti¬ 
nental and made by the Continental Mower 
Co , with eight and nine-inch whee's for mow¬ 
ing lawns where the grass is eight or nine 
inches high, seems to be a very good machine. 
The Newark Machine Co. showed a new Fan- 
Mill known as the Monarch, which differs 
from other milks—it is set high so as to sack 
the graiu right from the mill; it makes from 
three to five separations, has a lateral shake 
and also an independent shake of the bottom 
sieves, and a deflecting and adjustable tail 
board to regulate the draft. This mill prom¬ 
ises to be a valuable device for the farmer. 
A new plow, the Economist, made by the 
Economist Plow Co., attracted much notice. 
This is a new light chilled or steel plow. The 
frame of the w heel and jointer and the stand¬ 
ard are of malleable iron; the share is divided 
into two parts, the point or nose is separate 
from the wing or cutting blade. Both nose 
and wiug are equal-sided or reversible, as soon 
as either part becomes worn od the bottom it 
is turned over, bringing the self-sharpened 
upper edge to the bottom of the furrow. It 
makes a very light plow, and if it proves as 
durable as its manufacturers claim—and they 
are old aDd tried men in the business—it will 
be a valuable addition to the labor-saving im¬ 
plements of the country. One of these plows 
will be sent to the Rural New-Yorker Farm 
and be reported on after it lias been tested. 
Binders were in great profusion and nearly all 
the grain States were represented by their 
favor te manufacturers.—The “Wood.’’ “John¬ 
ston,” “Minneapolis,” “Dennet,” “Buckeye,” 
“Esterly,” "McCormick,” “Champion,” “Dor¬ 
sey,” “Plano,” “Toledo,” “Fremont,” “Brown” 
and many others were shown to crowds of 
interested visitors. The “Buckeye” uew 
down or platform binder, being the first low- 
down binder to make a success, deserves a 
ittle mention. This machine is lower and 
ighter than ordinary binders, and can be 
worked by two horses The graiu is elevated 
over the main wheel only, requiring much less 
power to run the binder machinery. It will 
pass through a ten-loot gate. About a month 
ago I sa w this machine at work in afield of very 
heavy tangled oats and it did its work perfectly. 
A feature of this fair was the illumi¬ 
nation of the grounds at night by the 
electric light. This kept the crowd on the 
grounds until 9 or 10 P. M., and brought out 
numbers at night who otherwise could not 
have found time to visit the fair. The 
society would make a great improvement 
in their cattle show if they would comjiel 
exhibitors to put, up their cards giving names 
and breeding of the stock ou Tuesday at the 
latest. As it is, in many cases these cards are 
not up until Thursday morning and strang¬ 
ers, unless they happen to run across the ex¬ 
hibitor himself—which happens about one 
time in a hundred—nave to guess the stock. 
At the N. Y. State Fair this rule is compul¬ 
sory, aud one is not compelled to wait until 
the last day to find the cards up, while in 
many cases here they are not put up at all. The 
society could also improve on their judges of 
dairy cattle. w. H. K. 
Notes at the Ohio State Fair. 
The fruit looked rather sickly as seen by 
the electric light. 
There would have lieen an immense crush 
on the grounds on Thursday if about one-half 
of the 45,00 people present had not neglected 
the agricultural portion of the fair and paid 
attept'jqrj (rtcUisiyely to the horse trpft nod 
side-shows. The half that went for instruc¬ 
tion return thanks for this, as it afforded 
them a better opportunity to examine the ex¬ 
hibits. 
Prof. Lazknby, “ Uncle Waldo” and a 
number of other valuable contributors to the 
Rural visited the Rural's head-quarters on 
the grounds. 
Is there a Short-horn ring in the Ohio 
State Board? This question was often asked 
ou the grounds. The interest in Short-horns 
could be plainly seen when they were shown 
in the ring. They attracted three times as 
large a crowd as any other breed while show¬ 
ing. 
Mr. Easthope’s line herd of Jerseys de¬ 
served more competition than they had. He 
carried off the premiums too easily. 
In the sweepstake premiums between Kol- 
steins and Ayrsbires where milk alone stands 
first the Ayrshires have not a fair show. 
Why not give them a separate class like the 
Jerseys? 
The only trouble with the handsome Rural 
Fair Edition on the grounds was that there 
‘ ‘.wasn’t enough of ’em." k. 
for Wo mot 
CONDUCTED B¥ MISS KAV CLARK. 
STRAY NOTES FROM THE FARMERS’ 
WIVES’ CLUB. 
At the last meeting of our Club, care-worn 
looking Mrs. Reed said to her next neighbor: 
“1 do not see how it is, Mrs. Dewitt, that 
while you are older than I am aud have a 
larger family to work for and about the same 
amount of help that I have, that you always 
seem to be in such good spirits. I wish you 
would tell me your secret, for there must be 
one.” “Why,” replied Mrs. Dewitt, “I sup¬ 
pose there is something in natural tempera¬ 
ment, but I use all the head-work that I can 
and give myself a chauge of scene as often as 
it is possible, When I was a younger house¬ 
keeper I used to set myself to accomplish just 
so much, aud then crowd myself until it was 
done, no matter how tired I was; but I have 
learned better since then. Now’ 1 can look 
calmly at an unfinished piece of work. The 
other day I had been whitewashing over-head 
and was papering a bed-room upstairs, and 
thought perhaps I could finish it by night. At 
dinner-time William said to me, ‘Mary, I have 
got to drive over to the reaper works to get 
some repairs this afternoon, can’t you go, 
too ?’ How can I leave my papering, said I. 
‘Won’t that keep,’said he, ‘farcnere’ wives can 
always work,but they can only have recreation 
when it is convenient. Better get ready.’ So 
I closed the door ou my improvements, gave 
my girls directions about what waste be done 
in my absence, (for young girls must get ac¬ 
customed te taking charge now and then), and 
went, and what a lovely ride I had! Ten 
miles through a variety of country. Some of 
the way the road wound past groves that 
were as beautiful as parks, then a roiling 
prairie, where for the same amount of labor 
the farms show so much more than a farm in 
the openings. You may be sure that I noted 
the style of all the houses aud the door yards 
too. There is as much expression in a house 
and its surroundings very often as there is in 
the human face. The lawns that showed that 
much time had been spent on them usually 
had round beds of geraniums, which made a 
very brilliant show of color, or else walks bor¬ 
dered with foliage plants; but the plainer ones 
had beds of double Poppies, Sweet Peas,China 
Asters, Marigolds aud such old varieties. 1 
was always sure that some dear old-l'ashioned 
sou] lived in such places, even if I did not see 
her seated on the porch in a low chair, placid¬ 
ly knitting. In contrast with these things 
which brought back old times, was the wild 
flowers I uoted as we crossed the marsh be¬ 
fore reaching the town. It is a mile wide aud 
I do DOtknow how many miles long. The fall 
wild grass was green and luxuriant, and here 
aud there amongst it were the gay field 
Lilies, which almost Reamed to nod a friendly 
greeting to me, and the Queen of the Meadow 
bloomed in abundance, in the rich moist soil, 
and I saw a few stalks of the beautiful Cardi¬ 
nal Flower; but what seemed most natural was 
a quantity of Jewel Weed that grew on the 
side of a ditch. I thought of the days when 
as children we used te touc h the seed pods as 
they ripened, te see them fly open and throw 
the seed in every direction That afternoon’s 
ride, although it was August and the roads 
dusty, seemed to take a year from my age. 
Then the bustle of the lively little town was 
another agreeable diversion, as well as the 
happy meeting with old friends seldom seen, 
and the auiwwted talk pf Wifi huwneee mm 
and women at the tea-table gave us something 
new to think of, and the drive home in the 
cool evening completed the day’s enjoyment. 
In the morning 1 resumed my work w here 1 
had left off, and was abundantly satisfied 
with the progress 1 made.” Mrs. Reed still 
looked puzzled. “I wish I could do the same, 
but someway it always seems as if duty forced 
me to keep working constantly while there is 
so much te be done.” 
“But,” said Mrs. Dewitt, “it is not your duty 
te do more than you aro able to do and keep 
well and cheerful; you know the old hymn 
says: ‘It is not all of life to live.’ ” 
Neither is it all of housekeeping to see that 
your family is well fed aud clothed and your 
daily work done, unless you make the most of 
yourself, which you cannot do if you are al¬ 
ways over-worked. Dokinda. 
NEW STYLE OF THE “HOUR-GLASS. 
STAND.” 
MRS. C. S. JONES. 
The ordinary hour-glass-stand is greatly im¬ 
proved by forming them into little Japanese- 
looking affairs, instead of the old way of 
merely covering the skeleton with cloth ma¬ 
terial. Many persons collect a large uurnber 
of spools of the numbers ordinarily used upon 
the sewing machines, and these may be uti¬ 
lized with decided advantage ou these stands. 
Thus, having your circular or hexagonal, top 
and bottom pieces of one-inch pine lioard 
united by the 30-inch rod, take lengths of 
stout annealed wire upon which string (?) the 
spools, (using one or several sizes, as most con¬ 
venient. but arranging them regularly], one 
or more button-moulds, or the little spools up¬ 
on which silk, tape, etc., arc wound, placed 
between, forms a still better appearance. When 
all are strung, arrange the wires cqui-distant 
around the top and bottom, bringing them to¬ 
gether in the centre of the rod, passing the 
ends through holes bored in the proper places, 
though it is not necessary for them to extend 
entirely through the boards. These may be 
placed at greater or less distance apart, ac¬ 
cording to the fancy of the worker, but about 
three inches appears the best. Next make the 
top pieces perfectly smooth and give first a 
coat of white paint, followed when dry by two 
coats of Copal varnish. Prepare a number of 
designs, such as you find upon Japanese or 
Chinese wares, outlining and cutting them 
from letter paper; paste these upon the dry 
varnished surface and having some lamp black 
smoothly incorporated with varnish, with a 
very fine cornel’s brush go around each figure, 
then with a larger bristle brush, such as paint¬ 
ers use for sash work, paint the remaining 
ground. Give two coats, and when dry cover 
the surface with a wet towel, or moisten each 
figure, and when soaked remove the papers, 
wash off all paste and wipe cleau. if neces¬ 
sary, when diy, touch up or interline any fig¬ 
ures that can be thus improved with black 
paint, and give it a coat of varnish over the 
entire surface, followed when dry by a rub¬ 
bing with pulverized pumice-stone ou a wet 
cloth, rinse clean, and repeat until a highly 
polished surface is obtained. 
Paint all the spools in like manner, narrow' 
stripes of gold aud color round them, spirally 
or in rings. This is more easily done before 
passing the wires through them, and the entire 
stand should be ebomzed prior to fastening 
them in place. 
A bracelet made of the spools on which tape 
or braid is wound, strung on wire should bind 
the strands of wire round the upright at the 
point where they unite ill the centre, aud pen¬ 
dants of several sizes of but ton-moulds, tbo 
largest in centre gradually diminishing ut. each 
end, struug upon cord, should hang from the 
top of each w ire. Chains of wood suspended 
round the sides, add very greatly to 1 he fanci¬ 
ful appearance, and a neatly elionized mould¬ 
ing is a great improvement to the edge of the 
upper and lower boards. 
The lieauty of these tables cannot be realized 
until seen, and they are well worth a trial. 
TWO WAYS. 
EMMA C. STOUT. 
MRS. BEHIND HAND. 
“ Oh dear, how tired I am! Aud do the 
best I can 1 don’t see how I’m to get all the 
children ready for school. With the pears 
and grapes and peaches to keep me busy the 
best part of the day, 1 just have to hurry and 
rush so with the sewing that I'm not half way 
doing it. 1 shall have to keep two of the girls 
at home a week or two I suppose, and they’ll 
eompluin dreadfully about being left behiud. 
The baby needs his red flannel uudersuits this 
very day, but it ‘11 lie two or three yet before 
1 get them made. Pll have to sew on buttons 
after night aud John ’ll just have to go to 
town and buy stockings and leggings for the 
children, it’ll take well ou to ten dollars too; 
yvlieu J plight foot up their old dubs if I only 
had time. Dear! how our city company 
through August has thrown me back with my 
work. It was nice to have them here but I 
could get nothiug done.” 
MRS. BUSY-HAND. 
“ School begins iu two weeks; I must have 
the children look over their books to-day aud 
tell me w lmt. they need so I can get a supply 
of slates, pencils, pens, etc., when we go to the 
city next week to spend three days with un¬ 
cle. What a frosty morning! I’m so glad 
the children’s warm stockings and red flannels 
are all ready. Paul laughingly called me 
Solomau’s w ise woman yesterday when he gave 
me twenty-five dollars to spend for Winter 
clothiug and I told him every garment was 
ready. Butter and eggs hail bought the little 
new r material needed and the lost of July saw 
every garment folded a way ready for buttons 
and button-holes, no time for them while 
ruby currants and luscious berries invited us 
to prepare for Winter stores. August is a 
splendid • button-hole’ month, Rose says, aud 
it always proves so to us. Our fingers can 
easily busy themselves with such light, tasks 
while listening to the reading, music and enter¬ 
taining talk of city mints and cousins. It 
takes quite an array of button-holes for six 
little gii'l’s aprons. Then thoso happy, 
leisurely afternoons that we spent knitting 
tops, heels, toes or feet to last Winter’s hose 
and re-modeling the ribbed socks, of husband 
aud my two college boys, for leggings for 
little rollicking school girls. A 1 ittle ingenuity 
and bright dyes is all that is needed. It is 
surprising how, with these two commodities 
one can meet the needs of a largo family 
and yet there is not an oddly attired one in 
my flock. I shall keep the twenty-five dollars 
to assist Santo Claus in preparations for 
Christmas. This is the last day for preserves 
and jelly and not an empty can or jar shall 
stand to remind me that Summer fruits have 
been wasted. Winter is coming with long 
evenings for reading aud study. 
ABOLISH THE BARREL CISTERN. 
In the early days of Illinois if the settler 
was enabled to gut an empty barrel to put un¬ 
der the eaves of the Iog-cabiu, to catch the 
rain as itdesceudea from the roof of shakes, it 
was a source of happiness, aud gave an air of 
refinement to that primitive home, where Hope 
and Faith was the mainspring which carried 
them through many trials. Just before elec¬ 
tion was the time to get barrels. The “tavern- 
keeper” sold one to the pioneer, who took it 
home, and his wife was so glad she bowed her 
head over that barrel and “hurrahed for 
Harrison,” and smiled to hear the echo of her 
voice; although she never had heard of a “Suf¬ 
frage Convention.” 
After many years the log-cabin with the 
old whisky barrel was deserted for the new 
house, new furniture, and some of the modern 
improvements, there being as yet no new cis¬ 
tern. Now, the blue kerosene barrel, which 
is neutral in politics, stands beneath the eaves 
of the new house, as a monument to old-time 
necessities aud old customs. But it furnishes 
such a limited supply of soft-water that it 
must tie used very sparingly. 
We sav, roll that old barrel away, make a 
largo substantial cistern, get a stove with a 
reservoir, aud keep up with the times in your 
manner of living. Do not be made uncom¬ 
fortable for old times sake, but surround your¬ 
self with tile necessaries, and then you can 
take comfort and lie happy. 
Mary Edwood. 
Domestic (£ to noun) 
_ COND UCTED BY EMILY MA PLE. _ 
PEN THOUGHTS FROM EVERY-DAY 
HOUSE. 
ANNIE L. JACK. 
I tiave had so many pleasant lettere from 
Rural readers lately, some of them very 
unxious and kindly—“Are you sick ?” “Why 
don’t you write?’ and other questions till I feel 
as if I had been absent from my family aud 
was receiving a “welcome home.” The truth 
is that the department has been ro full, the 
articles published so faithful to our needs, that 
I have not felt “the spirit move me.” Aud 
then “ Aunt Mabby” is so kind, and tells us, 
to the best of her knowledge, the little things 
that housekeepers so often need, while Mary 
Wager-Fisher gives us much practical help. 
Before me lies a note now from a “farmer," 
and he says: " Woman’s work ou the farm 
would !>e greatly lightened, if they would act 
upon the good hints given by “Mrs. Fisher” 
and “Lora,” iu Rural of August 11th. They 
might then learn how to avoid much unneces¬ 
sary labor, uud feel better for it. 
A lady writing from Vermont, says: “1 should 
like to give readers of the Rural my way of 
doing up starched clothes, For thi ee hue shirts 
