190S 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
385 
Hope Farm Notes 
Dishwater and Bigs.—I doubt If my 
opinion on the dishwater question is strong 
enough to stand before the following testi¬ 
mony: 
‘‘Let the Hope Farm man tell J. D., of 
North Carolina, that if he feeds dishwater 
where soap is used I will guarantee that 
his hogs will not only not die, but will 
improve in flesh and bristles. Further he 
will never have one to w'hich it is fed die 
of cholera. I keep a bucket in which 
scraps from vegetables for dinner, the sift¬ 
ings of flour and meal and dishwater (in 
which homemade soap is used) are put and 
carried after breakfast and dinner to pigs 
at house lot, and they thrive best of any 
on the place. When I have any that is 
puny and does not thrive at the barn lot, I 
bring it up to the house lot and with the 
above feed it is soon the sleekest pig on the 
place and I give soap dishwater the credit. 
1 never knew soap dishwater to injure, but 
know hickory and oak ashes are good pre¬ 
ventives of cholera also.” a. w. smith. 
Georgia. 
Mr. Smith once gave me a piece of Geor¬ 
gia ham for dinner which is still a pleasant 
memory. I must say that it beat an> thing 
that Billy Berkshire’s children have yet 
produced. If that ham was concentrated 
dishwater it will take a strong argument 
to offset it. We raised a calf on weak dish¬ 
water once and it made it so strong it ran 
into a wire fence hard enough to break 
Ita own neck! Now let some one argue 
that dishwater will kill a calf! 
Local Markets.—E very now and then 
some farmer far back from the towns writes 
to say what he would do if he had our 
markets. The country where we live is 
filled with little towns—the homes of com¬ 
muters who work in New York and go 
and come every day. Some of these people 
keep a few hens or work a small garden, 
but most of them buy all their food. Back 
in the districts where the "commuter” is 
unknown he may be regarded as a great 
benefactor of the farmer, but some of us 
who are nearer to him could tell another 
story. For example here is a discouraged 
Jerseyman who lives close to a town: 
"Owing to the fact that I am in the milk 
business, it is unnecessary to say that I 
am short of cash. All milkmen are who 
pay their bills. We are a little worse than 
the ordinary, however, as we are in the 
grasp of the commuter, who votes the 
heaviest taxes upon you and expects you 
to sell your products for nothing or he 
will bring them out from the city.” 
You see from this that the business of 
dealing direct with the consumer is not en¬ 
tirely a bed of roses. There are some sharp 
thorns in it. Some of these men will vote 
for new schools and lights and paving un¬ 
til every acre of your farm aches under the 
burden. They escape with poll and dog 
tax—and then you should see the great 
baskets and bundles of supplies they lug 
out from the city when by every right 
their trade belongs to the local farmers 
and storekeepers. When such men buy 
the produce which originally comes from 
the distant farms there can be little left 
for the producer! Yet such a farmer 
might be better off with the pittance he re¬ 
ceives than he would be to deal direct and 
pay the taxes the commuters vote for him! 
Farm Notes.—O ur first plowing was done 
March 28. The ground was hardly fit, 
and turned up lumpy. Farmers in the 
lighter soils around us had been plowing 
for a week. We are in no great rush to 
plant this year. We have no oats or 
barley to seed and no clover seed to sow. 
As for early vegetables—the hotbed is the 
place foh all but peas. . . . w . 
Grass made a remarkable start. We usually 
put fertilizer on our grass about April 16, 
but this year it is growing so fast that we 
used the fertilizer two weeks ahead. We 
use a grass mixture containing nearly five 
per cent of nitrogen, eight of phosphoric 
acid and six of potash—about 5<X) pounds 
per acre. Nitrogen is what grass needs on 
our soil. The grass came through the Win¬ 
ter nicely, as there was much snow on the 
hills. This grass was put in as near to 
the "Clark ” system as we could get at 
reasonable expense except that we seeded 
wheat with the grass. There is a fine 
stand and we have fertilized it properly. 
We have done our duty—now for the 
grass.The mice have girdled 
several good-sized peach trees—working in 
under the mulch. Hugh has bridge-grafted 
them until the lower part of the stem 
looks like a well dressed broken leg! These 
girdled trees were the first to show buds, 
and are now considerably in advance of 
others. Charlie’s explanation is that be¬ 
ing cut off from the root the sap in the 
trees “had to go somewhere” and went to 
the buds. If that follows girdling it 
might be well to cut some of the smart 
young folks off from home support for a 
time and thus make them work out the 
possibilities that are in them!. 
Nobody knows how many miles I walked 
•on the last Sunday afternoon In March 
looking at the young trees. Up and down 
row after row over the hills and back 
again. Our folks could not understand 
why I should prefer this tramp to sitting 
by the fire with a good book in hand. 
Every one of these trees appeals to me like 
a personal friend. I know every one of 
them. As the little buds swell on the ap¬ 
ples or burst out on the plum and peach 
they preach a whole sermon in patience 
and hope—which is just what I need. Here 
these shapeless sticks, with their roots cut 
off, have been standing hopelessly through 
the cold and disagreeable Winter—hopeful 
because of the promise that went into the 
ground with them. Here it is. After all 
the weary waiting Spring brings it out in 
the bursting bud. It’s enough to make a 
man ashamed of himself for going about 
under the shadow of trouble with doubt 
and questioning in his heart. I wish I 
could make the little folks see what I see 
in this awakening of dormant life but in 
order to feel it they must go through the 
sorrow first. But what comfort a fellow 
can take in growing along with his apple 
orchard! 
The Little Polks.—T he little school has 
prospered this Winter. The Madame has 
always said that she will do her best to 
teach her children at home until they are 
12 at least. I have felt that there are 
some advantages in the public schools, but 
I am forced to admit that where a careful 
teacher can have charge of a few scholars 
at home they are far more likely to be well 
rooted in principle and character. It seems 
to me that the average public school 
teacher has too large a job—with so many 
little ones to attend to that the individual 
cannot have the care he really needs. . . 
The Madame fell a victim to a book agent 
who got her to sign for a “History of Am¬ 
erica” delivered in small “parts.” I am a 
reformed book agent myself, and I hope 
when my apples come in bearing to make 
money enough to go over my old route and 
buy back the books I induced certain peo¬ 
ple to purchase. The Madame bought this 
history for the children to read. Her idea 
is that since it comes in small parts or 
magazines the little ones will read it as it 
is delivered while, if it came in the form of 
great books they would only look at the 
pictures! I want my children to understand 
the history of their country so that they 
can help make coming history like good 
citizens. 
You must expect great things from them! 
No, I do not. They are only plain, aver¬ 
age little mortals with no promise of any 
great deeds. They are likely to fill humble 
places in the world’s army, but I want 
them to be clean, and hopeful and useful. 
When my little girl came to me the other 
day and showed me how she is darning my 
stockings—with a door knob for a darning 
ball—I felt prouder of it than I would be to 
hear her speak in three languages. Why? 
Because she learned to do this, pricking her 
little fingers repeatedly, so that she might 
help Mother and show her love for Father! 
H. w. c. 
B. B. CHASE ^ 
MEDICATED J V \ 
Crumbs of Comfort 
E;»siest Shoes oh I'ixrtli. 
Positively Cures CORNS, SORES, TENDER FEET 
Postage paid, $2.00. Send for particulars to 
Cflivsrs SHOE HOUSE, Port Jervis, N. v 
■Vllf DCCI% Pivot Axit Spring Tooth 
ini: IfCCU CULTIVATOR 
pulverizes every inch of ground, kills all weeds 
and helps preserve moisture. Ideal Implement for 
rough, stony land. Widely adaptable. Deep or 
shallow cultivation. Three extra teeth forms per¬ 
fect riding harrow. Removal of a bolt forms rigid 
axle cultivator and gangs swing independently. 
SHIPPED ON APPROVAL. 
If not found In your town, write us for catalog and 
Speolill Introductory Price. Agents and dealers 
wanted In all new territory. 
,^REED MFC. CO., Kalamazoo, Mich. 
THE EFFICIENT HILLER 
is a labor-saving implement for 
hilling all kinds of plants grown 
in rows from 20 up to 44 inches 
apart. The adjustable moldboards 
insure placing the soil close 
to and over the roots of 
plant at each side, protect¬ 
ing the plant from exces- 
_I sive moisture, drought and 
heavy winds. Point and moldboards are steel; 
designed to follow Cultivator. Write for circular 
V. A. WUITBECK, Aquetuck. N. \.£ 
Straight Straw, Rye and Wheat Thrasher 
Combined with Spike-Tooth Oat 
and Wheat Thrasher. 
Our Machine irlU 
thrash Bye or Wheat 
without bruising oi 
I breaking the straw, and 
tie It again in perfect 
.bundles.Can be changed 
— -_ _ *ln fifteen mlnu^ to a 
^^*“**^ spike-tooth Oat, Wheat, 
Buckwheat, Barley and Com Thrasher with stacker 
attached. Will thrash more grain with less power 
than any Thrasher built. Send for oatalojrae 8 to 
the QRANT-FERBIS COMPANY, Troy, N. Y. 
Tires 
so, 
res I 
98 
sterling 
Puncture 
Proof Tires * PerPair 
are the best made. Con¬ 
structed on puncture 
proof lines. No solution 
in them. Guaranteed for 
One Year. Complete 
catalog of tires from $ 2.00 per pair up, .sent FREE. 
Delaware Rubber Co. 657 Market Street, Phila¬ 
delphia, Pa. Send for big Catalog. 
tll “SLOW-FEED 
MANGER’’ 
Makes a horse eat slow. Pre¬ 
vents waste. Price. SI.1)0 com- 
17-inch, 25 lbs. plete, having seven pockets. 
Send for list of it, and for list of YANKS. 
BROAD GAUGE IRON STALL WORKS, 
63 Elui Street, Boston, Mass. 
WELL 
DRILLING 
MACHINES 
Over 70 sizes and styles, for drilling either deep or 
shallow wells in any kind of soil or rock. Mounted 
on wheels or on sills. With engines or horse powers 
Strong, simple and durable. Any mechanic can 
operate them easily. Send for catalog. 
WILLIAMS BBO.S., Ithaca, N. S. 
Two Million Tons of 
BASIC SLAG FERTILIZER 
Sold in 1902. 
Send all Orders to 
J'^OOIO 3E1. Ja3SEy 
400 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pa. 
AGRICULTURALSALT 
pays for itself first year. Benefit 
lasts for several seasons. Write 
for information and prices. 
THE EMPIRE STATE SALT CO., 
Lo Rov. N. Y. 
RfirnC plank save timber and cash. Best, cheap- 
DQIIIO est, strongest. 6,000 In 44 States. Book for 
stamp. Shawver Brothers, BeUefontalne, Ohio. 
STUDY THIS FENCE, 
Note how splendidly it is maile. See the extra heavy top wire and tlie large, strong middle 
wires. Note how completely it is inter-woven. 'I'here is no chance for stay wires to slip or 
shift, making large and irregular meshes. There are no loose ends to untwist, unravel and 
injure stock. In its weaving, there is ample provision for contraction and expansion, so that 
it is never known to break or sag asa result of extreme heat or cold. In any height from 18 to 
54 inches. Strong and handsome, proof against all kinds of stock. Write for catalogue. 
CUYAHOGA WIRE A FENCE CO., Oept. M, Cuyahoga Falls, O. 
WATER. 
If you want water only when the wind blows a windmill will do your work 
and cost less money than our Rider and Ericsson Hot-Air Pumps, but If you want 
water every day while your flowers are growing and do not want your pump blown 
down when the wind blows too hard, no pump In the world can equal ours. We 
have sold about 20,000 of them during the past twenty-five years, which Is proof 
that we are not making wild statements. 
Our Catalogue "C 4” will tell you all about them. Write to nearest store. 
Rider-Ericsson Engine Company, 
35 Warren St.. Nkw York. 
239 Franklin St., Boston. 
692 Craig St.. Montreal. P. Q. 
Tenlente-Key 71, Havana, Cuba. 
22 Pitt St., Sydney, N.S. W. 
40 Dearborn St., Chicago. 
40 N. 7th St., Philadelphia. 
ImprovedMa^re spreader 
This is the only machine made that will spread evenly and perfectly all kinds of manure, wood 
ashes, salt, lime, etc. Tears apart, makes fine and distributes ft 
evenly the hardest caked and coarsest manure, no matter how full 
of straw, corn stalks, etc. Machine is greatly im- rL iy . 
proved for 1903. The driver does not have to leave 
the seat from the time he leaves the manure heapun- 1 '. 
tll he gets lack again. Send for latest catalog describing allim- Kj ' . • . 
proveinents and telling “How to Crow Big Crops." Mailed free. 
Remember that the only original and genuine Kemp Manure 
Spreader is made by us and the patents thereon have been T 
fully sustained by a recent decision of the United States 
Kemp Burpee Mfg. Co,, Box 38. Syracuse, N. Y. 
CAUTION! 
When you are purchasing a 
ROOFING 
for your houses and outbuildings, be sure that the 
name “RUBEROID” is stamped on every three 
feet of the material, as in the cut, throughout the 
full length of the roll. You will then know that 
you are getting the genuine Ruberoid Roofing, 
which has been the standard for Eleven Years, 
and not one of its poor imitations. Ruberoid 
is water-proof and fire-resisting. Never melts, rots 
or tears. Lasts for years. You can apply it 
yourself. Send for samples and Booklet K. 
Address Dept. K, 
THE STANDARD PAINT CO., 
ICO William Street, New York. 
