1900 
THE RURAL" NEW-YORKER. 
71 
HOPE FARM NOTES. 
Faith Cures.— Some families run to pat¬ 
ent medicines. When Spring is over you 
will find a wheelbarrowful of empty bottles 
in the closet. When I was a boy we had 
to take sulphur and molasses regularly 
during the Spring. The Hope Farm folks 
are not badly addicted to the medicine 
habit. I think we use more vaseline than 
any other “cure-all.” One reason for this 
is that Madame doesn’t like medicine, and 
is opposed to what she calls “dosing.” 
When I say that on general principles she 
would rather take her husband's advice 
than to take medicine, most married men 
will understand the situation. I never knew 
until a short time ago how she came to 
have such a falling out with drugs. It 
seems that when she was a little girl the 
children all had malaria. The doctor came 
regularly, and every other day, if they 
were sick and complained badly, he gave 
them a dose—terrible in its taste and smell. 
The Madame reasoned that if she could 
only make the doctor think she was better 
she could dodge that dose. So she just 
made herself keep about and look cheerful, 
even though she felt ill, and the result was 
that she often escaped what the other chil¬ 
dren had to swallow. Now, that is a good 
example of what I call faith or will cure. 
In many cases strong mind is better than 
strong medicine, especially when you rub 
it in with good soap and water and wash 
it down with good ripe fruit. “Don’t forget 
a clean heart,” says the Madame. Of 
course not. You must use some of the fat 
of life with the ashes of self-denial to 
make a soap for the conscience. 
Business Chances.— Since printing that 
letter from the young man on page 23, I 
have had three letters from farmers who 
are on the lookout for partners. Here, for 
example, is one of them: 
“Why doesn’t your man take a partner¬ 
ship interest in poultry on some large farm, 
where he would need no capital except hi3 
own time and labor? I have just such an 
opening for the right party. Extent of 
business would be limited practically only 
by his ability to care for and make it pay. 
Best of market and natural advantages for 
all kinds of poultry. 1 have openings in 
other lines of farming for young men with¬ 
out capital. Farm, 1,600 acres.” E. a. h. 
That is what I have always claimed. 
There are plenty of farmers who have too 
much land, or are too old to push things 
as they would like. They need young men 
who have nothing but brains and energy to 
match against the capital and the land. We 
have often tried to bring such persons 
together in times past, but in most cases 
the union has not proved successful. We 
have heard both sides of the matter. The 
young man usually says that the farmer 
is too exacting and cranky. 1 suppose that 
means that he is conservative, and re¬ 
quires prompt and careful work. The 
farmer usually says that the young man 
is too “touchy” and headstrong, demand¬ 
ing his own way too much. I suppose this 
means that the young fellow feels like a 
spirited young horse hitched up beside an 
old-timer, who has counted every step that 
must be taken between sowing the oats 
in the Spring and eating them in the stable 
on a Winter’s day. “Bear and forbear”— 
that is the motto for such partnerships. 
The trouble is that some people read that 
“bear hard and bear on harder.” 
Gloomy Days.— Up to January 15 the 
Winter weather was nearly perfect. The 
days began to grow longer, and the sun 
took a fancy to us and seemed to make 
his will in our favor. Then, all of a sudden, 
he gave us a tough slice of his won’t. The 
dull, wet, gloomy days came on, with rain 
and fog. I’ll tell you, now, that our New 
Jersey fogs know their business. As you 
might say, they eat their way right 
through the stone walls of our farm¬ 
houses. They will pretty near eat up the 
house, too, unless the watchdogs, Fun and 
Faith, are on hand to head them off. The 
Hope Farm folks don’t like the fog, but we 
have to stand it, and we do our best to 
make merry through the gloom. Some of 
these nights, when I drive home, it is so 
dark that I can’t even see the horse. Old 
Frank is our mud horse, and it is a comfort 
to think that the honest old fellow is 
splashing his way toward home—a true and 
faithful guide. Sometimes, when he has 
pulled to the top of the hill, I let him stop 
to get his wind. Across the valley we can 
see the lights of home. Our folks have an 
extra lamp or two burning on such nights. 
The other night a trace broke, and I had to 
patch it up in darkness so dense that I 
could hardly feel the harness. This is one 
of the shadows of country life, but there 
are darker shadows under the electric 
lights in town that happily never touch us 
on our lonely and silent hills. 
Wet Weather Notes.—How the ducks 
do shine after a two-days’ rain! The fog 
has no fears for them; while the White 
Leghorns are dingy they are as white as 
3 now. It’s only a question of feed. Our ducks 
haven’t laid an egg yet. ... We find 
so many ears on the sweet corn that we 
shall husk it all. The stalks are packed 
away in barn and sheds, and by husking 
out the bundles we find a lot of fine grain. 
This is good wet weather work. I find 
that the grain of sweet corn is pretty hard 
on animals with poor teeth, and is not 
fully digested. . . . Now is a good time 
to overhaul the tools. The steel on the 
larger tools may be cleaned and scoured 
and greased with lard or tallow. The wood¬ 
work will feel more comfortable in a good 
coat of paint. ... We are experiment¬ 
ing with several homemade paints for 
fences and outbuildings. Some of the 
fences on Hope Farm need painting, and 
we cannot afford to buy the expensive 
mixed paints. We are trying various mix¬ 
tures of lime, whiting, cement, skim-milk 
and linseed. Wait till we see what they 
are good for. . . . The rains have taken 
nearly all the frost out of the upper soil. 
I think we could plow some of the up¬ 
lands. . . . It’s a good time now for 
some of you folks who are naturally happy 
and healthy to go and chirk up your un¬ 
fortunate and despondent neighbors. . . . 
I find that during our coldest weather we 
averaged 95 pounds of coal per day. This 
was burned in the kitchen range, a big 
sitting-room stove, and a small stove up¬ 
stairs for part of the time. 
Long Cornstalks.— They are quite a 
nuisance, especially in the manure pile. 
When you come to fork them over you 
find yourself in no frame of mind to do 
justice to your Sunday-school class. What 
a wonderful difference it makes when the 
stalks are cut or shredded! The stock eat 
more of them, and orts will be worth more 
for bedding or manure. I feel the need 
of a cutter of some sort. We also need a 
power, and I have my eye on a good tread 
power—but that is some distance off, I 
fear, for all these things cost money. W® 
even try to chop the stalks up with an 
ax or hatchet into a barrel, so as to soften 
them by pouring hot water over them, 
and leaving the mass to steam over night. 
This makes a sort of amateur silage, but 
is too slow for any large scale. The days 
of the long stalk are numbered at Hope 
Farm, but it will take dollars to cut down 
the days. 
Under a Thumb.— The Bud took a notion 
to do something the other night which did 
not agree with her mother’s ideas of law 
and order. It was finally necessary to say, 
“No, you cannot do it!” There was quite 
a tearful time for a while. 
“How would you like it, Mother, if you 
wanted to do something, and somebody 
said you couldn’t?” sobbed the little Bud. 
The Madame and I could hardly help smil¬ 
ing at this. The child seemed to think that 
we are able to do just what we please, 
without restraint or "calling down.” Some 
children are led to believe that their par¬ 
ents rule the universe. What a shock they 
receive when they grow up, to find how 
Father and Mother are under the thumb 
of both God and man! As we grow older 
and stronger we realize more and more 
how we are hedged in and held down, and 
forced to do things that we do not enjoy. 
It isn’t such a bad thing, either. I have 
often said that if you let men or women 
do just as they please, with every ambition 
gratified at once, they wouldn’t be worth a 
cent to society or to themselves. There is 
a power of strength in restraint. 
_ h. w. c. 
A number of fatal cases of meningitis 
in horses have been reported from west¬ 
ern districts. The veterinarians investigat¬ 
ing it believe the disease due to eating 
barley hay, which had been partly spoiled 
by wetting, which resulted in fungous 
growth. __ 
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, Q.P. A., Chicago.—Adu. 
BUY THE BEST. 
If you want the best low-down wagon you 
should buy the Electric Handy Wagon. It is the 
best because it is made of the best material; the 
best broad tired Electric Wheels; best seasoned 
white hickory axles; all other wood parts of the 
best seasoned white oak. The front and rear 
ELECTRIC 
hounds are made from the best angle steel, which 
is neater, stronger and in every way better than 
wood. Well painted in red and varnished. Extra 
length of reach and extra long standards sup¬ 
plied without additional cost when requested. 
This wagon is guaranteed to carry 4,000 pounds 
anywhere. Write the Electric Wheel Co., Box 88, 
Quincy, Illinois, for their new catalogue which 
fully describes this wagon, their famous Electric 
Wheels and Electric Feed Cookers. 
Largest manufacturers of 
Steel Wagon Wheels and 
Handy Truck Wagons in 
America. Guaranteed su¬ 
perior to any other make 
WRIT* US 
Metal Wheel Co. 
HAVANA, ILLINOIS 
^ ALL BRASS. 
__ "$17 outfit for $6.50, express paid, 
WilTspray a ioacre orchard per day. 100,000 in use. 
Satisfaction guaranteed or money refunded, llld. 
catalogue free. Agts. make from $5 to $15 per day. 
Hew Improvements. Free Trial. Mention this paper. 
P. C. LEWIS HFG. CO., Catskill, N. Y. 
Rcs'bfcwcc Of 
Ins PB Plums. 
H AMY W JoNES AlOtfTECI. 
M*** J 
‘50% Cheaper than Paint 
Cheaper to buy and apply, cheaper 
at first and in the end. If 
Cabot’s Creosote 
Shingle Stains 
lasted only half as long as paint it 
would still pay to use them, because 
the Creosote preserves the wood. 
But they are warranted to wear as 
well as the best paint, and so are 
“ 50 % cheaper than paint.” 
Samplos on Wood of 24 Co*ora and Sketchos sent free. 
SAMUEL CABOT, Sole Mfr., 81 Kilby St., Boston, Mass. 
Agents at all Central Points. 
4 Buggy Wheels, with tire on, 86.75 
With Axles and Boxes set, SU.75 
I make all sizes and grades. Carriage and 
Wagon Hardware every description. Cat. 
free. W. R. BOOB, Center Hall, Pa. 
SAVE the MONEY 
?you are spending on repairs and buy now wheels. 
4 It Is cheaper and in every way better. We sell 
[jt Buggy Wheels, 7-8 in. Steel Tire for $7.50 
'4 Carriage Wheels, 1 in. Steel Tire for $8.00 
Lother wheels for other purposes at equal- 
ily low prices. Write for price list No. 88 
Seontaining directions for measuring. 
WILMINGTON WHEEL GO., Wilmington, I>el. 
Low-Down, Broad-Tire 
Farm Tracks originated with 
us, and wo still sell direct 
to farmers three fourths of 
mi that arc used. 
FARMER’S HANDY WAGON CO., Saginaw, Mich. 
mmratsml 
mmmam 
ttuunt 
Fence 
is the only fence you can afford to put on your farms, 
plantations or ranches. Anything less than the best 
means continued trouble for you. 
The Ellwood Steel Fences 
are made of spring steel especially drawn for this fence. 
Galvanizing and weaving are perfect, insuring longest life 
to the fence. Costs no more than makeshifts. Sold by 
our agents in every town. If you fail to find an agent 
in your town write to the manufacturers. 
American Steel and Wire Co., 
CHICAGO, NEW YORK, SAN FRANCISCO. 
1,000 SAMPLES FREE 
■9 of our new Success fence ratchet 
which tightens any wire fence, new 
or old. Grips automatically as wire 
is wound on. No holes to bore In posts. Attaches 
midway of the fence. We will mail yon a sample to 
test if you will send us 12c. to cover postage only. 
Clr. free. W. H. MASON & CO., Box 67, Leesburg, O. 
m ppwn? 18 to 24 cents per rod. Built without 
rniH/Cl machine. First Inquiring, where 
)t introduced, gets special terms and agency. 
BUCHANAN FENCE CO., Box 258, Smlthville, O. 
M. M. S. POULTRY 
Half cost of Netting; 
Requires few posts, no 
rails. Best Bog, Farm, Yard, y-y-y 
Cemetery Fences ^- - ' 
/A/XZX 
Freight paid'. '/ \ w /'vry~y 
KANSAS STEEL A WIRE WORKS. Kansas City. mo. 
THE COILS IN PAGE WIRE 
have saved many BROILS among neighbors. 
PAGE WOVEN WIRE FENCE CO., ADRIAN, MICH. 
ML Mm Sm 
POULTRY FENCE 
Has more good qualities than all others combined— 
cabled selvage ana a cable every foot in height of fence 
Requires fewer posts and No Top or Bottom Rail— 
PLEA SING-SER VIC A BLE PR A CTlCAL — 
ECONOMICAL SATISFACTORY. 
Saves 50 percent. In cost ot completed fence. 
NOTE—Even If netting be donated, the complete I'enee 
will c-ont more than where M. M. 8. POULTRY FENCING 
1. used nt regular price. Deduct price of netting from 
Estimate No. 2, and nee. 
We also make llog. Field and Lawn Fencing. 
ESTIMATE No. 1 
6* rods 4-foot M. M. S. Poultry Fence made of 
No. 19 galvanized steel wire, @ 65c per rod 
61 posts, @ 20 cents .... 
Setting posts, 6 cents each ... 
No Top or Bottom Kail Required. 
No Labor Putting Rail on Posts Required. 
No Nulls to Attach Kalis Required. 
5 lbs. staples, ® 7 cents ... .35 
4 hours labor stretching up fence, @ 25 cents 1.00 
Total cost 
:xz: 
Pat. July 
? 39.00 
12.20 
. 3.05 
Pat. July 21, ’96. 
ESTIMATE No. 2. 
60 rods old-fashioned diamond netting. 4 feet 
in height, made of No. 19 galvanized steel 
wire, ® 65 cents per rod * “.00 
121 posts, @ 20 cents - - - - 24.20 
Setting posts, @ 5 cents each - - 6.05 
1 820 sq. ft. m top and hot. rail, $20.00 per il - 26.40 
30 lbs. 20d nails. © 5 cents - - - 1 50 
8 hours labor putting up rail. @ 25c. per hour 2.00 
10 hours labor stretching netting,® 26c pr hour 2.50 
101 bs. staples. @ 7 cents - - -70 
Total cost 
$ 65.60 
Draw your own conclusions and then write us for circulars. 
$102.35 
DE KALB FENCE CO., Box S, De Kalb, III. 
