i9 
^903 - - the rural NEW-YORKER. 
EXPERIENCE WITH A CREAMERY SHARK CONCRETE WALL FOR BANK BARN. THE POLLED ALBION CATTLE. 
How His Teeth Were Filed. 
Wellsbridge, N. Y., has a store or two, post office, 
a milk station and a few dwellings. The farmers 
about are all dairymen, and are in a prosperous con¬ 
dition: moreover, they are spoken of as constituting 
a community where intelligence, higher than the 
average, is to be found. The creamery promoter 
came here and convinced the dairymen that a cooper¬ 
ative creamery would be much to their advantage, and 
offered, it is reported, to erect a building and fully 
equip it for $4,000, giving the farmers five years in 
which to pay for it, from their mitk dividends. The 
bargain was made and tne contracts signed. The 
building has been erected and equipped, and it is said 
to be a well constructed and equipped creamery, 
worth, perhaps, something in the neiglfljorhood of 
$3,000 or a little over. I'he moment the plant was 
completed, we are told that the promoter, agent, or 
whatever he styled himself, demanded the full pay¬ 
ment of $4,000, and what is more, pointed to the con¬ 
tract to show that the money was due. Many of the 
farmers were inclined to settle rather than have a 
suit, or trouble of any kind. Others thought best to 
look further before paying. Lawyer Flaesch, a young 
attorney from a nearby town, was consulted. It so 
happened that he had learned from a friend that this 
same company had been operating elsewhere, and 
had been compelled to settle on some other basis than 
terms of its own proposing. Armed with this knowl¬ 
edge and believing that the evidences of fraud and 
misrepresentation were so strong that the parties who 
constructed the creamery would not care to try it out 
in court, he and the farmers met 
the alleged representative of the 
company and endeavored to effect 
a settlement. The so-called agent 
tried his various schemes of bluff, 
etc., but finding none of them 
would work, he flounced from the 
meeting, leaving the understand¬ 
ing that he would settle on no 
other terms than those mention¬ 
ed—the original contract. A week 
later a member of the firm ap¬ 
peared. who, like the others, pre¬ 
ferred to talk with the farmers, 
and not with their lawyer, and 
finally agreed to a settlement. He 
was very smooth and nice, it is 
stated, like the man who secured 
the original contracts. The Una- 
dilla Times, which has taken a 
lively interest for the farmers, 
states that the member of the firm 
said he stood ready to make 
amends if his agents had in any 
way misrepresented matters. This 
statement made it possible to ef¬ 
fect a settlement, which was done 
by the firm agreeing to accept 
$G00 or $600 less than the contract 
price, and receive pay February 1. 
The attorney does not believe 
that any payment could have been 
enforced, as fraud vitiates an 
agreement. It would seem that the farmers were very 
fair in settling the matter, and settled it in true 
farmer style, paying, almost of their own accord, a 
good round price, and paying it promptly. The farm¬ 
ers’ company is to be incorporated shortly, as that is 
believed to be the best way to conduct the business. 
Now how did it happen that a score or more of intel¬ 
ligent business farmers could be got to sign a con¬ 
tract which was so different from what they supposed 
it to be? It has been explained in this way: The 
agent brought a contract of four large pages, closely 
printed. He knows every word of it by heart, better 
perhaps than the school boy knows his first declama¬ 
tion. He knows just what to read and what to pass 
over, with or without comment. Just where to call 
attention to a point and where to divert the attention 
from the real point. He reads the contract to the 
farmer, holding it all the while before his eyes, but 
using tact to keep him from seeing its real nature, 
tact that is worthy of better business. Tne writer 
has good authority for the statement that the agent 
for the firm here mentioned was defeated at four 
other places. In those cases, however, the nature of 
the contract was discovered earlier in the game and 
building was not permitted. During some warm dis¬ 
cussions at the Wellsbridge settlement, it was point¬ 
edly stated that the agent laid $300 on the table of 
the attorney in the former settlements, requesting its 
acceptance as a retainer, and all he would have to do 
would be to plead too much business on his hands 
when the farmers came to him to talk their matter 
over. Would that some new phraseology might be 
framed which would force itself upon the attention 
of farmers, warning them against signing strangers’ 
contracts! h. H, n. 
Expecting to erect a large bank barn next Spring, with 
a concrete vvaii about nine feet high by IS inches thick 
running clear around basement, and desiring to employ 
as many common field stones (cobblestones) in the struc¬ 
ture as is practicable to produce a solid, firm and durable 
wall, what proportion of coarse sand and cement should 
be used and how close together could cobblestone bo laid 
to be filled in with the concrete mixture? There is an 
ample supply of such stones on the farm and near at 
hand, which would mean a great saving to me in the line 
of exjiense fof material. Would an addition of lime be of 
any advantage? w. f. b. 
Nazareth, Pa. 
The principle of concrete construction means that 
the stone used must be covered completely with sand 
and cement thoroughly mixed, about four parts stone, 
four of sand and one of cement. It can be readily 
seen that only small stones can be used, and if there 
are no large stones obtainable this concrete structure 
can be buiU. If, however, large ones are obtainable 
I should by all means use them with enough quick 
lime mortar with one-tenth part hydraulic cement, 
building the wall two feet thick or perhaps feet 
at the base. Here we can use stone for nine-tenths 
of the whole mass, getting the bearings, one stone up¬ 
on another. If. however, these stones are small then 
dig out against the bank, build a cheap form for the 
front or inside, and mix the stone, sand and cement 
thoroughly together and turn into this form. As soon 
as the concrete “sets” raise the form and turn in an¬ 
other batch, and so on until the required height Is 
reached. Eighteen inches will be thick enough. In 
the concrete strength is secured by the hardening of 
the cement in the stone wall by direct bearing. 1 
should not care to use any quicklime in the concrete. 
But please do not put this barn into a bank and so 
shut out sunlight, an all-important and absolute 
necessity for a healthful stable, warm, dry and prac¬ 
tically germ proof. Don’t make any mistake, ii. e. c. 
THE LEHiCH GREENING. APPLE. 
The pictures shown on the first page. Fig. 7, were 
made from fruit sent us by W. B. K. Johnson, of 
Lehigh Co., Pa. While not of highest quality the 
apple seems to us well worthy of introduction. It 
will probably pay well in most markets. Mr. John¬ 
son wrote as follows about the apple on November 27: 
“The origin of this apple is lost. About 60 years 
ago grafts were sent to a Mr. Luckenbach, at Bethle¬ 
hem, Pa., from near Baltimore. For the last 10 or 12 
years I gave it particular attention, to find out its 
origin, addressing the Department of Agriculture at 
Washington, and the Maryland Experiment Station, 
but all our efforts to find its original home have so 
far proved a failure. It was formerly known as the 
Lehigh Valley Greening. The American Pomological 
Association recommended dropping the Valley, and 
it is registered as the Lehigh Greening. The fruit 
forwarded has been hurried along in its coloring by 
the sweating process. In its natural way of ripening 
it would be along in January when it would have this 
coloring. When you cut it notice the remarkable 
small core, many of our best Winter apples not more 
than half its size having double the size core; also 
notice its fine te.xture of flesh, its weight, fine grain 
and agreeable taste. The best or height of season is 
March, April and May; however, I kept them into 
July. When other apples are shriveled and have 
lost their flavor this is in its prime, in fact I was so 
taken with the fruit that in my apple orchard of 
about 1,300 trees I set 239 Lehigh Greening, being of 
different years’ setting up to 1901. I have over 100 
just starting bearing; from these young trees the 
samples sent were gathered, some of the largest down, 
to the medium in size.” 
The picture. Fig. 9, shows what is said to be a fair 
specimen of the Polled Albions. Mrs. Frankie Stan¬ 
ton. of Galeton, Pa., who is secretary of the Polled 
Albion Association, gives the following brief state¬ 
ment concerning the origin of this breed: “The breed 
of cattle known as Polled Albions was established by 
judicious breeding and careful selection for years, but 
by studying their records back a good many years 
they can be traced to four of the old breeds; Jerseys, 
Ayrshires, Holsteins and Durhams.” We learned of 
these white cattle through the question from a Con¬ 
necticut reader who wished to secure a herd of pure 
white animals, having named his place “White 
Farm.” We had a number of letters from parties 
who offered to supply white animals—most of the 
cattle being Holsteins. We know nothing about 
these “Polled Albions” beyond what Mrs. Stanton 
says. If an animal could combine the good qualities 
of the four breeds named it would certainly be a valu¬ 
able one. It would be hard to keep out all the bad 
qualities, yet what breeder will admit that his pet 
breed has any bad qualities? 
THE GINSENG BUSINESS FAIRLY STATED 
There is no doubt in the minds of many who have 
taken the time or had opportunity to investigate the 
ginseng business, that there is a lot of humbug in 
the air. There are a lot of boomers in the business 
of getting people to buy a little stock of roots or 
seeds, or both. They tell, in their circulars and ad¬ 
vertisements, of the marvelous prices the dried roots 
bring in China, which may be true in most cases, but 
they are small beside the prices 
they ask and get for what they 
sell. Last Fall I visited several 
of the ginseng gardens in the best 
section of New York for the 
growth of this plant, on purpose 
to see for myself the true state 
of the business, if that was pos¬ 
sible. I was treated with the ut¬ 
most courtesy by all the growers 
on whom I called, and was shown 
the inside of the matter, in all its 
departments. Some were among 
the largest growers and others 
had only very small beds. After 
looking over these gardens, and 
the business in general, it is my 
conviction that the business is 
not a humbug, but that there are 
humbugs in the business. By this 
I do not mean that those visited 
by me are humbugs, but that 
those who advise the general pub¬ 
lic to go into the growing of gin¬ 
seng arc perpetrating a fraud for 
their own immediate profit. The 
officials of the United States De¬ 
partment of Agriculture, here at 
Washington, tell me that one per¬ 
son is kept almost constantly 
busy answering letters of inquiry 
as to the culture of ginseng. They 
say too that most of the inquirers 
are persons of small means, and many of them wid¬ 
ows who are expecting to find something that will 
bring big profits for little outlay or work. They seem 
willing to put their little savings into the business. 
The boomers keep the people stirred up by their art¬ 
ful schemes, while they are reaping the harvest. 
There are a very few so-called companies that are 
trying to buy up the little growers and corner the 
stock, so they can still further raise the prices and 
reap all the profits. My advice is to beware of these 
boomers and their alluring offers. They hope and ex¬ 
pect to make so much out of the sale of little plants 
and seed that they will not care what becomes of the 
business after awhile. They are not selling the dried 
roots to be taken to China, which is the only market 
for it. except a very little that they may find unpro¬ 
fitable for seed production. There is no doubt a good 
market for the dried roots, but how long it will hold 
at the present high standard, or how soon and how 
low it will fall is unknown. That there will be profit 
in the growing of ginseng for market, under proper 
conditions, for some years to come I believe, but that 
the average grower v/ill make it pay I do not believe. 
While the reader may think he is to be one of the 
successful ones, it is wiser to believe the reverse. 
Ginseng plants are most exacting in their require¬ 
ments. They must have just the right climate, the 
right soil, and that is very hard to find or make; and 
they must have the very shadiest of shady locations. 
A cool, even temperature and deep, loose wood soil 
are essential. It is little evidence of future success to 
know that ginseng grows in the woods near where it 
is proposed to plant a garden. Common garden con¬ 
ditions will not do at all. Nor will a shady place in 
the w'oods do very well. Growing under sheds is the 
best way. The roots are almost sure to be stolen, un¬ 
less very closely watched. Insecurity is one of the 
main obstacles to final success. My advice is that 
nearly everyone let the ginseng business alone, and 
only plant after the closest study of the siibject. 
P. K. VAN DEHAuN. 
