1900 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
23 
HOPE FARM NOTES. 
Capital Wanted. — I have never 
known the time when so many towns¬ 
people are asking about the chance of 
making a living in the country. Many 
clerks and small shopkeepers are losing 
their jobs, and the question of making a 
living becomes a great one to them. 
Here is a letter from a man in Boston: 
I am a young man, 25 years old, at pres¬ 
ent working on a small salary in Boston. 
I was in the drygoods business in a small 
town, and for two years ran a small poul¬ 
try farm at the same time, and made it 
pay. I made more from my poultry than 
I did from my drygoods business. But 
hard times made me give it up, and at the 
same time I had to give up my poultry 
business, and am now without a dollar ex 
cept the small salary 1 am now making. 
I am anxious to go into the poultry busi¬ 
ness on a scale large enough to make a 
paying business out of it, and know I can 
do it and make a success of it, but I have 
not the capital to go on. Can you suggest 
any way that I can get $3,000? Aren’t there 
companies that lend money that way on 
the plan of a building and loan association? 
My plan would be to buy a small farm of 
about 10 acres near a city, perhaps Bos¬ 
ton, and put my buildings up. That would 
cost in the neighborhood of the $3,000, and 
then would give a mortgage to cover the 
whole amount. I could get enough capital 
then to run my farm and stock it from my 
friends. I would be willing to sign papers 
over to whoever loaned me the $3,000, to 
draw only a living salary from the profits 
of the farm until I had paid the $3,000 back. 
That seems to me to be a perfectly fair 
bargain, and the person who loaned me 
the money would be secured, for the stock 
on the farm would cover any depreciation 
of value of the cost of the farm. 
I presume that if all the people in this 
country who wish to borrow $3,000 on 
what they call good security could be 
lined up together, we would have men 
enough to elect a President. In my ex¬ 
perience the man who lends the money 
always has his own ideas regarding se¬ 
curities. He must be cold-blooded in a 
matter of this sort, for the $3,000 may 
be part of what he has laid aside for old 
age. We borrowed from a building and 
loan association, but we could only get 
about 70 per cent of the tax assessor’s 
value of the property. To our friend, 
the security he offers seems ample, but 
let us take the other man’s side. Your 
buildings will be useful only for hens. 
Suppose our friend is disabled, or sup¬ 
pose his hens die off, and he becomes 
discouraged and quit the business! The 
property would be useful only as a hen 
plant, and probably not 10 per cent as 
negotiable as some other forms of prop¬ 
erty. There are three chances in five 
that the man who held the mortgage 
would lose money on it. I do not know 
of anyone in this part of the country 
who would lend $3,000 in this way, ex¬ 
cept it might be to some personal friend 
who had shown a natural taste for the 
poultry business. If you couid only find 
some old person, or an old couple, who 
have saved some money, and who now 
want a home, you might arrange to give 
them a mortgage on the place and a 
home with you. Such a plan would be 
good for all if it could be done, and I 
don’t see why age with capital anu youth 
with energy and hustle could not make 
a strong four-in-hand team. It ought 
to be possible to borrow money in such 
a business as you propose, but it is not 
easy. Some farmers who have made 
money would send it 1,000 miles away 
for investment rather than give a young 
man a chance right in their own neigh¬ 
borhood. 
Growing Fat. —You have come to 
middle age. The boys won’t choose you 
when they play ball, and the gir:s don’t 
care whether you come to tne party or 
not. Your wife brings out your last 
year’s vest, and you try to put it on, and 
find that the strap can’t be buckled. 
You first accuse the good lady of wash¬ 
ing it, but it hasn’t shrunk; you are 
growing fat, and the flesh isn’t going to 
be evenly spread all over. A day or two 
after you run against a man with a pro¬ 
truding stomach, which makes you 
stand back and think: “I wonder if that 
is what I shall come to!” Some men 
are like Short-horn cattle when it comes 
to getting fat. They generally develop 
the trade mark of an alderman before 
they realize it, and then it is too late to 
get rid of the badge. I would rather 
start early and fight it off, for it will be 
a fight with one who belongs to a fat- 
producing family. Our vegetarian friends 
must admit, I think, that their diet in¬ 
duces fat. The doctor’s advice for keep¬ 
ing down flesh is—stop drinking, eat 
less, exercise more. If the “big stom¬ 
ach” has already formed—it is there for 
good. The best thing to do is to keep 
good natured and eat little. The extra 
flesh is chiefly water. Keep extra water 
from going into the system, and take all 
you can of what does get in, out through 
the skin. Hard work, right out in the 
sun, is the best anti-fat remedy. It 
isn’t often that a hard-working farmer 
gets too fat. That is one of the blessings 
of agriculture. Some of us have ten¬ 
dencies that way, and it behooves us to 
head them off. 
The Cold Shoulder. —We were able 
to plow until nearly Christmas, and then 
all of a sudden Jack Frost jumped on 
the mercury and pushed it way down. 
New Year’s came with a light fall of 
snow and a fine “snap” of zero weather. 
I don’t like to make puns, but I must 
confess to the following as I went to bed 
on Saturday night: 
Why is Jack Frost like an enemy of 
England? 
Because he’s a freeze state bore! 
That’s pretty bad, I’ll admit, and to 
pay me for it I woke up to find the 
water pipe frozen at the barn. The hy¬ 
drant at the barn was open, but no 
water could come down from the tank. 
We located the frozen place at last, and 
it was just where we feared the weak 
point would be. It was at the tee, or 
shoulder, where the pipe enters from 
outside. When the workmen boxed up 
the pipe through the barn, they built the 
box only about a foot into the ground. 
We meant to have oanked up around 
that side of the barn with horse manure, 
but failed to do it in time, and of course 
Jack Frost caught us. It was our own 
fault, but that confession didn’t warm 
the pipe by a good deal. 
Thawing Out. —This stopped the 
Madame’s hot-water scheme in the 
kitchen—but it didn’t stop breakfast. 
We put a long hose on the hydrant and 
ran it through a window in the barn. 
Then we turned on the windmill, hoping 
that the well water might slowly thaw it 
out. The wind was too light, and the 
water too cool, anyway. We let it go 
until Monday. Our first idea was to dig 
in from the outside and pack hot ashes 
around the pipe. The soil was as hard 
as flint, and this could hardly be done. 
Finally we cut out a section of the box¬ 
ing and got at the pipe in the barn. 
Hugh and Charlie wrapped cloths 
around the pipe and kept them wet with 
hot water. After an hour of this we 
turned on the mill in a good wind. There 
was a struggle inside that pipe, and then 
what was left of the ice slowly gave 
way, and was forced up into the tank. 
Luckily the pipe was not broken. You 
may be sure we nave that point well 
packed now. We also keep the water 
slowly running on the coldest nights. 
Where one has a good overflow pipe it 
will pay to keep the mill running all 
through the cold snaps. The trouble is 
that many of them are still—with hardly 
a breath of air stirring. 
Everything. —We are still eating 
Rhode Island Greening apples. No fam¬ 
ily can part at night in anger if they can 
get together and surround a basket of 
good apples before going to bed. . . . 
A good habit to graft on the children is 
the “shut the door” habit. We make 
our children go back and shut doors 
carefully. When I was a boy they used 
to say to the man who left a door open, 
“I guess you were brought up in a 
barn!” These Yankees did hate to pro¬ 
vide fuel for heating all out doors. 
Our cooker pays well at any season of 
the year, but it gets its largest majority 
when it runs against Jack Frost. The 
little pigs will vote for it to a man. A 
bucket of hot boiled potatoes suits them 
well as a Christmas present. 
The ducks have no fault to find with 
frozen pipes or cold weather. Give them 
enough to eat, and they will squat in the 
snow and call it square. It is a mys¬ 
tery to me how a duck can keep warm, 
but they never seem cold.In 
September farmers were feeling sad over 
the short hay crop. Some of them won¬ 
dered how they could feed the stock. 
The open Fall has given us fine pastur¬ 
age, and we fed comparatively little hay 
up to Christmas. This open weather 
has been a great saving to our farmers 
—at least one month of hay feeding. 
Those who had rape, or clover, or other 
catch crops to help out are still better 
off. You may put this down as a New 
Year’s resolution at Hope Farm—Never 
will we let the late Summer pass with¬ 
out sowing some crop for Fall pastur¬ 
age.Hope Farm is steep. It 
runs up and over a high hill. In driv¬ 
ing up you come to a place where the 
grade is such that the horses must dig 
in hard in order to climb. I shall put 
a sign there as the line past which no 
stable manure is to be hauled. It must 
all go on the lower fields. Chemicals 
and clover on the hill. Short, level 
hauls for heavy and bulky loads. 
h. w. c. 
Tomato Varieties.— Tomato culture ir. 
England has been discussed copiously of 
late, last Summer being an exceptionally 
favorable season. We notice that a good 
many growers recommend Ladybird, both 
for culture outdoors and under glass. This 
variety is grown extensively foi canneries 
in this country, having all the virtues ex¬ 
cept brilliancy of color, and for this reason 
it is less favored here for the open mar¬ 
ket. One grower says that smooth-fruited 
varieties do not set so good a crop under 
glass as the corrugated sorts. Among 
sorts most in favor are Earliest of All, Best 
of All, and Frogmore Selected, which are 
being grown satisfactorily in this country). 
Conference, Comet and Polegate, the latter 
being particularly recommended for flavor. 
In the open air tomatoes are grown in Eng¬ 
land trained on walls or trellises, and one 
man reports especial success where trellis- 
grown tomatoes were planted in a mixture 
of coal ashes and stable manure. 
TheEgg 
Harvest 
is now. Hens will keep in beat 
condition, assimilate most egg- 
making food, and lay moHt eggs 
while eggs are high if you feed them 
SHERIDAN’S 
Condition Powder 
One pack. 25c.; large 2-lb. can 
f l.2U; ai x $5.00, prepaid. 
nil particulars “How 
to Feed for Eggs,” 
and sample best 
poultry paper, free. 
I. S. JOHNSON & CO. 
Boston, Mass. 
2000 PREMIUMS 
were awarded my fowls at 12 State Shows In 1899. 
FOWLS AND EGGS 
Send5c for illustrated catalogue. >UK wALC 
CHAS. 0AMMERD1N0ER, Box 86. Columbus, 0. 
F arm Raised Poultr y 
Pay the buyer because they are strong, 
vigorous, healthy and will breed heal¬ 
thy stoek. All rinu D »ICC n Our large 
stock woshipls [ AnlTI nAluCU Pou 11 ry 
Guide explains all, and tells how to make big 
money with poultry. Worth $So. Sent for only 1 Sr. 
JOHN BAUSCHER JR., Box 66,Freeport,lII. 
THE PROFITABLE HEN 
is the one that will lay both winter and summer. 
Green Cut Bone will make her do it. It has been/ 
found by actual experience to double the/ 
eggs in every instance where used. Theft 
ADAM 
GREEN BONE 
CUTTER 
cuts bone in the most satisfactory way U 
Leaves the bone In fine shavings easily consumed by chicks or 
mature fowls. Can’t be choked by hone, incut or gristle* 
Cleans itself. Turns easiest because it is the only cutter made with 
ball bearings. Several sizes for hamltM I I Jam Inlifit III 
and power. Catalogue No.8^ free, if ■U.ftUullljUUllOljlllm 
THE CROWN Im&Ss 
bones. For the poultry man. Best in the world. 
Lowest in price. Send for olronlar and testi¬ 
monials. Wilson Bros.) EASTON. FA. 
pr cost us 
Estur 
1 SU.PUWl— 
I MOISTURE. 
,wSu.r- _ - 
. REGULATING. 1 
StLf.VwuuTmGl 
Address nearest otfice. 
Boston, Muss. 
$4,000 \°oi[ s 15c 
, We have spent 1(4,000 on our new book, 
“How to Make Money with Poultry nnd 
Incubators.” It tells It all. Leading poultry 
men have written special articles for It. 192 
pages, Sx 11 In. Illustrated. It’s as good aa 
Cyphers Incubator 
—ami It’s the best. Out hatch any other 
machine. 16 page circular free. Send 15ctf. 
in stamps for (4.000 book No. 101. 
CYPHERS INCUBATOR CO. 
W oyland, N. Y. Chicago. Ill. 
1C VAII SEEK UNDOUBTED IN- 
lr Ivl CUBATOR VALUE 
perfect regulation, perfect application of heat, 
perfect control of moisture, immunity from lira 
by lamp explosion or super-heating. buy th* 
_ILLINOIS 
wutEJuix Capacity 50 to 400 eggs. Hot air or h‘>t water, a a 
youprefer. Egg chamber holds Jtmt what we nay It 
docH. Narsery under egg tray for newly hatched chicks. Before 
you buy an incubator or brooder send for our free book, “Illinois.** 
J. H. JONES, Box 10?, STREATOR, ILL. 
If you are a farmer or want to be one, 
send for the “Western Trail.” Published 
quarterly. Full of pointers as to settling 
in Kansas, Oklahoma and Indian Terri¬ 
tory. Handsomely embellished and con¬ 
cisely written. Mailed free. 
Address by postal card or letter. 
John Sebastian, G.P.A., Chicago.— Adm. 
The IMPROVED 
VICTOR Incubator 
hatches all the fertile eggs; Is 
simple, durable and easily oper¬ 
ated; 168 page catalogue contain- 
i nginformation and testimonial! 
Sent free. GEO. ERTEL CO., QUIHCY, ILL 
| Circular, free. 
Send 6c. for 
Ulna. Catalog. 1 
UITPU with the perfect, self- 
11 A I UII regulating, lowest 
priced first clasB hatcher—the 
EXCELSIOR Incubator 
Hatches the largest per cent, of 
fertile eggs at tne lowest cost. 
GEO. II. STAHL, Quincy, ni. 
'A MILLION TESTIMONIALS 
e not so con* Q H niVC) TRIAL 
_ Glueing as the OU U A I O FR EE 
^we offer on every incubator w e make. Every 
r r one self-regulating and 
— guaranteed. Over 15,000 
r B ANT AMS in use; hatching 
' 45 to 50chicks from 50 eggs. 
S ” Send 4 cents for No. 23 catalog. 
^Jnekeya Ineubator Co., Springfield, O* 
& 
310 First Premiums 
Awarded to the PRAIRIB STATE 
INCUBATOR. Guaranteedto operate 
in any climate. Send for catalogue. 
FIUIRIK STATE INtT IUTOtt CO. Homer City,Pa. 
when fed with the things eggs 
are made of. Eggs are mostly 
albumen, produced by the hens 
| from the protein they absorb 
’ from their food. 
Bowker’s Animal Meal 
gives a hen the maximum of 
protein and other egg making 
material. Always sold in 
yellow bags and packages. 
The Bowker Co., 
43 Chatham St., Boston. 
Incubators and Brooders 
Incubators from $5.00 up. 
Brooders from $3.80 up 
Catalogue free 
L. A. BANTA, 
LiRouier, Inti. 
FIRE PROOF INCUBATORS 
cents. 
Ninth year, Liberal 
terms. Catalogue 4 
S. H. Merryman, Box 4, Towson, Aid. 
ON’T SET HENS TH U^v. 
The Nat'l Hen Incubator beats old plan t 
3 to 1. Little In price but big moneymaker. Agta. ‘ 
wanted. Send for cat. telling how to get one free. 
Natural Hen Incubator Co.. BOS Col uni him, Neb* < 
Kev. H. lieuaer made a 1U0 Egg Hatcher, cost fl.00 
DEATH TO LICE 
D. J. 
On HKN8 and CHICKENS 
64-page book frek. 
LAMBERT, Box 307, Apponaug, R. I. 
ft PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK 
One which covers 
every detail of the 
- ■ ■ ' — ■ industry from In¬ 
cubation to market is our 20th CENTURY CATALOCUE. It will teach you 
from the practical experience of others what it would take you teu years to learn. Amongother 
khings it tells about the latest improvements In the world famous Reliable IncubtitorH 
‘and Brooders. Sent for 10c to pay postage. R eliab | e fog. & Brdr.Co.Box B 101 Quincy .III. 
