1903 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
44i 
Events of the Week. 
DOMESTIC.—In a decision handed down May 27 Judge 
Adam.s, in the United States District Court, decided that 
the United States must pay for the British steamship 
Foscolia, which was rammed and sunk by the cruiser 
Columbia on May 28, 1898, in a dense fog off Fire Island. 
This occurred during the Spanish War. It was while 
running with screened lights and with just the ordinary 
lookouts, and without blowing the fog signals required 
by the rules governing the ‘‘road at sea,” that the Co¬ 
lumbia rammed and sunk the Foscolia. . . . At Alle¬ 
gheny, Pa., May 28, fire in a pork-packing establishment 
caused a loss of $100,000. . . . Because he kept a dog 
which went mad and bit several of his neighbors’ chil¬ 
dren Geo. J. Zoll, of Uouisville, Ill., is in legal trouble. 
Judgment against him for $1,000 was rendered May 28 in 
favor of Theresa Stengel, aged 11, who was bitten by the 
dog and sued for $10,000. The nine-year-old daughter of 
.lolin Meyer died of hydi-ophobia as a result of being 
bitten by the dog. and her father is suing Zoll for $30,000. 
Virginia M. Coleman was bitten on the leg and Charles 
Turner in the face by the dog. Each has brought suit for 
$20,000 damages. . . . The disastrous floods of the Mid¬ 
dle West May 29-31 have caused enormous property loss, 
and a loss of life conservatively estimated at 75. At 
North Topeka an additional element of horror was added 
May 30 by a great Are, caused by lime in freight cars, 
which was finally put out by heavy rajn, the firemen be¬ 
ing powerless. Many of the refugees who escaped were 
on the roofs of their houses for three days before res¬ 
cued. The War Department is furnishing food, shelter 
and the protection of life and property by soldiers of the 
regular army. Kansas City, Mo., suffered most loss, all 
industries being paralyzed, and the property loss being 
enormous. The city was left without gas, electric light 
or water, and the lack of water resulted in dangerous 
sanitary conditions. Packing houses were deep under 
water, railroad yards submerged, factories idle and street 
cars blocked. North Topeka, Kan., suffered very seri¬ 
ously. Keokuk. Iowa, has suffered heavy losses, the flood 
extending down the river as far as Hannibal, Mo. The 
Des Moines has risen to a greater height than ever be¬ 
fore known. The rivers began to fall June 2, leaving a 
trail of devastation which, throughout the entire flood 
region, is believed to cause a loss of nearly $10,000,000. 
The most serious feature now is the resulting sickness; 
in addition to the diseases following exposure and priva¬ 
tion measles, smallpox, scarlet fever and typhoid have 
anpeared among the refugees in several localities. . . . 
Oalnesville. Ga., was struck by a tornado June 1; many 
of the largest buildings in the place were destroyed, the 
loss of life was 125, and more than 300 were wounded. The 
properly loss was $000,000. Most of the dead were crush¬ 
ed under the debris of two large cotton mills. 
ADMINISTRATION.—August W. Machen, superinten¬ 
dent of free delivery in the Postofllce Department, was 
arrested May 27 in Washington, charged with receiving 
bribes amounting to about $22,000 from Groff Brothers, 
contractors for letter box fasteners, and was summarily 
dismissed from office by Postmaster General Payne. 
Machen gave bail in $20,000. He declared that his arrest 
was ‘‘a grand-stand play,” and, through his counsel, de¬ 
nied the charges against him. The Groff Brothers also 
were arrested and released on ball. Postmaster General 
Payne Issued an order May 28 reducing the salaries of 
assistant postmasters, financial clerks and bookkeepers 
in post offices all over the country, who by favor of Geo. 
W. Beavers, former Superintendent of the Salary and 
Allowance Division, now under surveillance in Brooklyn, 
have drawn larger salaries than they were entitled to by 
law. This is an entirely new feature of the postal scan¬ 
dals, and is a result of the scheme unearthed some time 
ago whereby clerks In post offices all over the country 
had been illegally promoted. The Investigation ordered 
by Mr. Payne many months ago showed that many as¬ 
sistant postmasters were receiving two-thirds, and in 
some cases three-fourths, as much salary as the post¬ 
master at the same office, and there were one or two 
ca.ses in which there was only $200 difference between the 
compensations of the postmaster and his assistant. In 
one Instance in New York State the salary of a post¬ 
master was $2,400 a year and his assistant receiyed $1,800. 
The latter was notified that his salary had been reduced 
to $1,200 a year. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—The Connecticut Agricultural 
College announces that 15 years is the lowest age limit 
for admission to its longer courses of study, while to 
three of the short Winter courses the eligible ages are 
16 years or older for farm, dairy and creamery courses; 
20 .vears or older for pomology course. To all the 
other short courses of the Winter school, including that 
in poultry culture, the lowest age limit for admission is 
15 years. 
The appropriation bill for the Pennsylvania State Col¬ 
lege provides $12,000 for the maintenance of the Depart¬ 
ment of Agriculture and $100,000 for the agricultural 
building and its equipment. The Director of Farmers’ 
Institutes, however, Hon. A. D. Martin, who introduced 
the first bill for an agricultural building, has generously 
volunteered to forego for the present year the aid which 
the College has been accustomed to render at the insti¬ 
tutes. This action on his part renders it possible for the 
College to resume the short Winter course in agriculture, 
which has been suspended for the past four years. 
The American Oxford Down Record Association will 
offer $60 in special prizes at the New York State Fair in 
1903, provided the Oxford breed is allowed a separate 
class. All stock competing for these prizes must be good 
specimens of the breed or no prizes will be awarded; 
niust be bred and owned by the exhibitor in the State 
of New Tork, registered in the American Oxford Down 
Record, bear the A. O. D. R. A. ear tag, and certificate 
01" registry under seal of the Association, presented at 
time of exhibition. This Association will offer $175 in 
special prizes to Oxford Down Sheep at the International 
Rive Stock Exposition. Chicago, Ill., December, 1903, and 
$75 will be offered at the Ontario Provincial Winter Fair, 
Guelph, Ont.. December, 1903. For further information 
addre.ss W. A. Shafor, Secretary, Hamilton, Ohio. 
Luther Burbank. Santa Ro.sa, Cal., the ‘‘Wizard of Hor¬ 
ticulture,” has received the semi-centennial gold medal 
of the California Academy of Sciences. The award ot 
the honor to Mr. Burbank was made by a committee coi - 
sisting of Wm. H. Mills, Prof. Wickson, of the Universl.y 
of California, and Hon. Elwood Cooper, president of tae 
State Horticultural Society. The medal is given to ihe 
Society by former Mayor James D. Phelan, and is award¬ 
ed seml-centennially to the person who has advanced the 
interests of agriculture to the greatest degree by the ap¬ 
plication of scientific principles and by his investigations. 
The regular quarterly meeting of Onondaga County (N. 
Y.) Pomona Grange was held June 12 with Fayetteville 
Grange at the home of F. E. Dawley. Fayetteville, N. Y. 
Among the speakers were State Master E. B. Norris and 
Prof. G. W. Cavanau;rh of Cornell University. 
At the recent meeting of the East Tennessee Farmers’ 
Convention at Knoxville, over 1,200 persons assembled A 
number of interesting addresses were given by prominent 
men, and the meeting closed with a visit to the farm of 
the experiment station. 
OUTLOOK FOR HAY AND FODDER. 
It is too early to give a definite estimate in regard to 
the coming crop of hay, but reports which we have been 
receiving show that very dry weather has been prevailing 
in the Eastern States and also in Canada. The prospects 
now are that the crop will be short in those sections. 
Western leports are more favorable. In regard to Al¬ 
falfa it does not meet with any demand in the eastern 
markets. f. williams. 
New York. 
Hay prospects compare favorably with any year for 
the last 10 west of Indiana and Michigan. The Chicago 
market does not take kindly to shredded corn, neither 
have we ever been able to establish much of an Alfalfa 
market here There are but few cars received, and only 
occasionally does it sell with any degree of satisfaction. 
Wisconsin, Michigan. Indiana and Illinois are inclined to 
think hay is going to be a little more clover mixed than 
last year. t. d. kandall & co. 
Chicago, Ill. 
During Ma.v Michigan suffered quite severely from 
drought, although we do not think it was quite so bad 
as through New York. However, the meadows suffered 
to some extent. We also had a heavy frost on the night 
of April 30. which cut the Timothy to some extent and 
will probably make it a little short. For the last week 
or 10 days conditions have been quite favorable for the 
growth of grass, but whether any damage was done 
previously we are unable to say. ferrin bros. co. 
Detroit. Mich. 
The severe drought that covers the Eastern States ex 
ists here in a very serious form; no rain in six weeks 
with the exception of one slight shower. The pastures 
and hay fields are parched, and have the appearance ot 
a mown field in August. If we have rains later perhaps 
some tame grass will spring up, supplying the farm¬ 
ers with hay for stock. As to shredded corn fodder and 
Alfalfa, it has never been used here, nor do I think it 
could be sold. w. a. vanderveer. 
Port E'wen, N. Y. 
In regard to the new hay crop in Maine and Vermont 
it is still very dry, and in Massachusetts, but we get a 
good report of the growing crop from Michigan and Ohio 
and part of New York, 'i'he shippers say they have had 
plenty of rain this week, and look forward to a good 
crop. In regard to shredded corn fodder, we have had 
some shipped from Michigan, and it was very unsatis¬ 
factory to the trade here in New England. We have sold 
quite a lot of Alfalfa, and that was very satisfactory; 
we have had it from Denver. Col., and from over all of 
Kansas. The freight is from $10 to $11 per ton, and^added 
to the cost of Alfalfa makes it come so high that those 
who are not acquainted with the feeding quality will buy 
something cheaper, but we have some customers who 
will take it .at any price. tucker, sanborn & co. 
Boston, Mass. 
CROP PROSPECTS. 
It is very dry here; we have not had any rain for a 
month. Potatoes planted two weeks ago are hardly 
sprouted. Clay ground it is almost impossible to 
plow at all. Grass is drying up; meadows tlKit can be 
plowed are being prepared for forage crops, if we do 
not have rain soon we will have no crops at all. 
North Volney, N. Y. f. l. b. 
There will be about half a crop of Winter apples; Sum¬ 
mer and Fall apples scarce, too many last season. 
Strawberries half a crop; early ones killed by freezing. 
Cherries the same; prospects good for blackberries. Corn 
planting is about over. May 27. Conditions are good for 
growth here, warm and showery; too wet in many parts 
of Iowa and Minnesota. Currant worms are the worst 
for years; have to abandon the crop. Dry weather for a 
month gave them a good hatching season. w. 8. s. 
Pleasant Valley, Ill. 
We have had in eight weeks one light shower that 
moistened soft dirt half an inch. Much ground remains 
unplowed, waiting for rain. Whole potatoes are being 
planted where they can be had, as cut seed will not grow. 
Strawberry plants newly set are mostly dead. Berries 
of all kinds will not be half a crop. Old beds of straw¬ 
berries will be the main dependence for another year. 
Timothy meadows will be a failure. Alfalfa cannot be 
over two-thirds of a crop for the first cutting. c. m. 
Onondaga Co.. N. Y. 
We are located in the midst of the dry belt, and are 
suffering from the long continuous drought. We had 
about one-fourth inch of rainfall recently, still we are 
not suffering as much as hard-clay farmers are. I had 
60 acres plowed before the ground got so dry; have 16 
acres sown or drilled with oats and seeded with Tim¬ 
othy, Red-top and clover, and rolled. I think I shall lose 
the grass seeding. I have 10 acres planted with field 
corn, five acres with early sweet corn, 15 acres to fodder 
corn; all came up nicely, looking well, weather consid¬ 
ered, and my men are running the weeder and cultivator 
constantly. I have five acres of early potatoes planted, 
came up, plowed under, came out again, and we are 
weeding and cultivating them. I shall plant five acres to 
late potatoes and sow 10 acres to millet as soon as we 
get rain enough to moisten the soil. We are hard press¬ 
ed for pasture, though not so bad as all my neighbors, 
all of whom complain of short feed or none. I have sown 
20 tons of wood ashes and eight tons of fertilizer. 
Mechanicsville. N. Y. p. j. s. 
Fruit was very badly damaged by the freeze. First 
prospects were fine, peaches excepted, for everything; but 
I'ears. peaches, plums, cherries and currants will not be 
vorth picking; grapes very badly damaged, also part of 
the apples. Well-mulched late-blooming strawberries, 
also raspberries and blackberries, are not damaged. 
Strawberry picking commences about June 1, and lasts 
three weeks, but will last longer this year. When the 
ground dried off in the last of April it was the cloddiest 
clod I ever saw; oats turned yellow, grass stunted, but 
recent rains have changed all this. 
Sangamon Co., Ill. benj. buckman. 
The freeze and sleet of May 1 did not do as much dam¬ 
age as first estimated. Cherries, plums, currants and 
gooseberries were totally killed, while apples, strawber¬ 
ries. raspberries and blackberries came through seeming¬ 
ly unharmed. Peaches bloomed freely, but only a few 
varieties are holding their fruit. Apples are nearly all 
dropping, owing^ to the freeze or the continued rains. 
For the past three weeks there has been an average of 
two inches per day of rainfall, sometimes falling gently 
for one to three days without ceasing, but usually in 
heavy downpours accompanied with more or less hail, 
doing much damage to gardens and fruit, 'riiere were 
five cyclones and as many hailstorms during one week 
within 75 miles of this place. Much corn is not ’.ilanted 
and whole fields that were planted are washed out. 
York, Neb. o. h. p. 
I cannot see that the frost has done us any harm, even 
in strawberries, which are most liable to injury of any 
fruit. It has been very dry, but last week. May 28, we 
had fine showers, which have helped, though we can 
stand a good deal more and be thankful for it. We have 
had more northeast wind this Spring than I ever remem¬ 
ber before, and it keeps cold; still the fruit is coming 
along finely, a few strawberries are beginning to ripen, 
and the Early Richmond cherries to color. It now looks 
as though we would have a fair, not excessive, crop of all 
kinds of fruit, and trees look very healthy. Meadows 
have suffered more from want of rain than anything else, 
and hay must be a short crop. Very little cabbage will 
be set this year, but the area of sugar beets is several 
times as much as ever before; these raised for the I.yons 
works. J. s. woodward. 
Nlag.ara Co., N. Y. 
BUSINESS BITS. 
Geo. P. Hammond & Co.. 34-.3G Little Twelfth Street, 
New York, are old-established receivers of fruits, vege¬ 
tables and choice farm products generally. 
We believe Fairbanks, Morse & Company, New, York, 
have a great winner in that little Jack of all Trades that 
they advertise in this issue. It is a simple little gasoline 
engine, and the different lines of work to which it can he 
put on the farm are set forth in the advertisement. We 
advise readers to investigate this modern power for 
farm work. 
For 36 years the Geo. Ertel Co., of Quincy, III., have 
been manufacturing baling presses, incubators, etc. If 
you contemplate buying a baling press you should inves¬ 
tigate the merits and points of superiority of the Gem. 
Send to the manufacturers for a valuable and Interesting 
book, showing the advantages the Gem baler has over 
other makes It will be mailed free to any address. 
For one month from the date of this issue the Kala¬ 
mazoo Carriage & Harness Mfg. Co., 142 Ransome Street, 
Kalamazoo, Mich., offer a regular $80 buggy for $45, ex¬ 
tending the privilege to the purchaser of trying it for 30 
days and then returning it if not satisfactory. They do 
not limit the number of buggies to be sold at this price, 
but the time limit is inexorable, the $45 price expiring in 
30 days from this date. 
Points of special merit claimed for the Red Ripper 
hay pre.ss, made by the Sikes Mfg. Co., Helena. Ga., are 
strength and light weight: one horse runs it, bale cham¬ 
ber contains two bales at once, so that the first can be 
wired while the second is being pressed; light draft, 
practically none when the hor.se i.s crossing bridge or 
frame of press; can be operated by two men, a boy and 
one horse; and Is sold very low. Distributing depots for 
northern buyers. Write for catalogue. 
Great Improvements have been made in farm imple¬ 
ments within the past few years. As a factor in this 
change the firm of P. P. Mast & Co., Springfield. O., has 
played no small part. Some of the very best improve¬ 
ments In seeding and cultivating machines have been 
due to the skill of their inventors. The Buckeye line of 
grain drills and cultivators are favorably known every¬ 
where, and their sales have been beyond all expectation. 
An interesting catalogue will be sent free. 
D. E. Stone. M. D., Mt. Plea.sant, Md.. says: ‘‘T have 
used Osgood Scales now for over a year, and am perfect¬ 
ly satisfied with them. If I were to pay $1,000 for a scale, 
I could not be better suited. The Sealer of Weights and 
Measures said that he had never seen scales so sensitive 
and accurate. When they are balanced, if you throw a 
straw hat on them the beam goes up. I can weigh any¬ 
thing from a load of hay down to a pound o£ butter.” 
Osgood on the beam is the best guarantee of merit. Terms 
are most liberal A postal will bring catalogue and full 
particulars from the Osgood Scale Co., 103 Central Street, 
Binghamton, N. Y. 
TURNING UNDER COW PEAS.-On page 402, P. P., 
Connecticut, asks as to sowing cow peas. He thinks there 
might be trouble about plowing them under if sown 
broadcast. I notice your answer does not offer him much 
help, but it does suggest a lot of work for him. If P p 
will clamp a revolving cutter to the beam of Ijis plow 
and adjust it properly he will have no trouble as to clog¬ 
ging, no matter how the peas were sown or how massive 
the growth of vines. The writer has been successful in 
turning under heavy growths of peas with a revolving 
cutter without difficulty. As to souring the land it has 
never had any such effect with us, but the effect it did 
have was very favorable for both grain and trees We 
prefer sowing the peas with a grain drill with ail the 
spouts open; one bushel per acre is about the prorier 
quantity. whs 
Rocky Hill. N. J. 
