1902 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
149 
hope farm notes 
Mice and Harness.—I am asked how to 
prevent mice from eating harness. We 
have no trouble with this, as our cats are 
able to harness about all the mice that 
appear around the barn. They have ample 
time to do this, and still come to the house 
and sit by the fire. Some people like to see 
a cat doze by the fire, but there is too 
much Yankee in me to enjoy a loaf in 
anything but bread and cake. I shall har¬ 
ness these cats some night by shutting 
them in the hoghouse, where a colony of 
rats have made a home under the floor. 
Those who have had harness eaten by 
mice say that salt scattered about the 
harness-room will keep the mice busy. 
They claim that the mice are after the 
"salt” crusted on the harness from per¬ 
spiration. They go on the theory that 
mice are like some men in the fact that 
they won’t work for their salt if they can 
find some one to give it to them. Carbolic 
acid in the harness oil is said to interfere 
with a mouse’s enjoyment of the harness. 
To be effective, the harness would have to 
be oiled more frequently than many pieces 
are. Give me cats as an antidote for mice. 
Horse Sense.— I have the following 
question from Iowa: 
“If a strawberry bed is mown in July 
after fruiting, there would be strawberry 
plants, clover, ragweed, and buckwheat, 
and other stuff among the mowing. If this 
is dried and a horse has access to it would 
the horse be apt to eat Anything that 
would injure him? Would strawberry 
vines, for instance, injure a horse?” 
I feel sure that it is perfectly safe to let 
a horse pick out his own fodder—just as 
safe as it is to let him run at pasture. It 
would not be safe to let a horse run to the 
grain bin at will, though some of our 
horses have broken loose in the night and 
eaten what they wanted without injury. I 
don’t believe there is any plant growing 
in a strawberry bed that will hurt a horse. 
I feel sure that ragweed contains a help¬ 
ful medicinal principle. As for strawbeny 
vines, when I was a boy they were steeped 
into a tea which certain wise old nurses 
said would cure malaria. Give the fodder 
to the horse and let him alone. 
Cost of Improvements.— I am glad to 
hear from many farmers who have tried 
to solve the water problem. Some of them 
get it to the barn and then take a vacation 
until the pocketbook can fill up a little. 
By right it should go to the house first. 
The women folks should march ahead of 
the cows, sheep and horses! Why, I once 
heard a man say that the barn stock rep¬ 
resented cash, income, while the women 
folks didn’t-therefore, the barn water sup¬ 
ply ought to come first. I would like to 
know just what the women folks did rep¬ 
resent to that man. The Hope Farm char¬ 
ity doesn’t begin at the barn it begins at 
the house, and stays there until it gets a 
fair growth, too. Sometimes a farmer sa>s 
to his wife: “I’ll have the water brought 
to the kitchen when I can afford it—in the 
meantime I’ll bring it for you!” Do you 
know how that comes out? About like the 
farmer who won’t raise strawberries be¬ 
cause it’s cheaper to buy them! I have 
looked over the water bills of a house in 
our county town where water is supplied 
by a large company. During the past six 
years this water has cost $91.50, and they 
have not had 30 per cent of the water we 
have used at Hope Farm! I grow warm 
over the subject of cold water. It is one 
blessing that all farmers should enjoy, it 
costs money to put in the water right 
where we want it, and I know well enough 
that many farmers cannot raise the funds 
needed for such fixtures. 
Public Needs.—As I view things, that 
is one of the most unfortunate of our 
social and political problems. The failuie 
of the common farmer to surround himself 
with the comforts of life is felt all through 
our social system. Not long ago 1 passed 
the night with a prosperous farmer. His 
house was heated by steam, he had a 
small acetylene gas plant, the water from 
a spring was piped all over his house, and 
a telephone hung in the corner. The 
wind was blowing an icy gale outside, but 
inside there was comfort, and all the kind¬ 
ly influences that should go with it. Why, 
it fairly melted the frozen good nature out 
of a fellow. I couldn't help estimating the 
influence for good upon American society 
if all worthy farmers could be housed as 
comfortably at that. Or, let me narrow it 
down to those who could afford to do it 
if they would transfer an investment on 
property that belongs to some one else 
and put it on or in their own homes. My 
belief is that a warm and well-watered 
house and telephone will do a good deal 
more for the farm than a mortgage on 
Neighbor Smith’s place or a bunch of 
county bonds! There are two things that 
1 would like to change. 1. The idea some 
well-to-do farmers have that it indicates 
a weakness to try to make their families 
as comfortable as they could be in town. 
2. The social and industrial conditions 
which have heaped benefits upon town and 
city and made it so difficult for the farmer 
to obtain things which must be bought for 
cash. 
Child Notes.—I had occasion to take a 
little trip last week, and the Bud and the 
Scion begged to go too. I believe it makes 
children think more of their home to go 
away from it. I am no politician, but the 
Bud shows signs of becoming a past master 
in “getting around” people, for she in¬ 
duced her mother to go away from home 
with us. I haven’t been able to do that 
but once since I was married! The little 
folks talked for several days about what 
they would order for their supper on the 
boat. When the big bill of fare was pre¬ 
sented I told them to read it and pick out 
what they wanted. Those little forefingers 
went spelling along the list. The waiter 
tried to be dignified and patient, but it was 
a hard job for him. After much study 
the little folks found four familiar words— 
fishballs and ice cream—and they ordered 
these dishes. Their theory seemed to be 
that all those other fine things might be 
good, but they were sure of fishballs and 
they were having too good a time to ex¬ 
periment. If they show the same judg¬ 
ment when they grow up they will not be 
likely to get very rich, but they will have 
fewer scars on their fingers than I have. 
. ... A Michigan friend wants to know 
what sort of poetry we read to our little 
folks. I read from “The Fireside Encyclo¬ 
pedia of Poetry”—an excellent collection 
of popular poetry. Whittier’s “Songs of 
Three Centuries” is another good collection. 
I think our little folks like Longfellow’s 
poetry best. It is clear and simple and 
direct. When I read Paul Revere’s Ride 
there are eight very wide-open eyes about 
me and the little ears are quite sure they 
can hear the “galloping hoof-beats of that 
steed” along the Wearimus Road. Of 
course the Bud has cried over “Bingen on 
the Rhine” and shuddered at “Mary the 
Maid of the Inn.” Wouldn’t it be worth 
about all the money a fellow could get 
hold of have the fun of feeling these simple 
things as the children do? I feel sorry 
enough for the poor little hothouse chil¬ 
dren who live in town with natural child¬ 
hood dried up—little old men and women. 
Our children will sit in the twilight of 
Sunday evening for an hour while I try to 
sing the old songs I knew as a boy 30 years 
ago. I must admit that these untried chil¬ 
dren constitute my entire audience. The 
others “beg to be excused” and truth com¬ 
pels me to say that the Madame shuts the 
door on us! 
About the Farm.— The days are rapidly 
growing longer, but the dull, gray weather 
has come with mud at noon and ice at mid¬ 
night. These days are trying on both good 
intention and grain seeding. For several 
years at about this time I have felt that 
the grain and grass must be severely in¬ 
jured. The great cracks in the ground and 
the heave and thaw are just what it does 
not want. Yet it has turned up in the 
Spring with a fair crop, and it will do so 
this year.The cold weather in¬ 
terfered with house painting. It was either 
too cold or too wet. The boys first put 
shellac varnish over all the knots and then 
brushed on the first coat of white paint. 
We used for this a ready-mixed paint di¬ 
luted with boiled linseed oil. The blinds 
were painted indoors during the coldest 
days.The shredded fodder still 
holds out and gives excellent satisfaction. 
We expect to feed it to all the stock up 
to April 15 anyway, and perhaps longer. 
We use it to bed the hogs, and I find that 
they eat up a good share of their bedding. 
.... We are greatly pleased with Rose 
—the little Yorkshire sow. Her nose is so 
short that she actually looks like one type 
of human beings. She has other ct aracter- 
istics which some men possess. After she 
became rested from her journey we put a 
grade white sow of about her size in with 
her. We have to pack in close at Hope 
Farm. It took Rose about five minutes to 
rise to the dignity of boss. She won’t even 
let the other sow eat from the trough with 
her. She gets what she wants and her 
room-mate tries the second table. While 
Rose has no use for her friend's table 
manners she has respect for her as a 
stove. Late at night when I go the rounds 
I find Rose snuggled into the warm corner 
of her nest, with the other pig crowding 
up close to keep her warm. There you 
have part of the human of it! h. w. c. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you will get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.” See our guarantee 8th page. 
FARM 
A POINTER 
for the careful buyer. 
Nineteen years and 
not a cent for repairs. 
Philo, III., Jan. 13.1902- 
Roderick Lean Meg. Co., 
51 anslield, O. 
Dear Sirs: Please send me 
latest catalogue spike and 
spring-tooth harrows. For 
19 years there has been used on my father’sand grand¬ 
father’s farm two of your steel-frame, spike-tooth 
harrows, four sections each. They have been used 
continually all these years, and give perfect satis¬ 
faction ; we never yet had a tooth to break or even 
come loose, and never spent a cent for repairs, 
alt bough each has worn out several draw bars. 
Hoping to hear from you, I remain 
Respectfully yours, 
J. K. RAYMOND, 
Our Catalogue tells the rest. 
RODERICK LEAN MFG. CO., Mansfield, 0. 
GAIN ACRES 
>y clearing that stumpy piece 
>f land. * Til K HERCULES 
Jstump Puller pulls any stump 
■ w j _ i -w_ — — : - Saves time, labor and money. 
Catalog FREE. "Hercules Mfg. Co., Dipt PS Centerville. low». 
We manufacture all of our fine 
line of carriages and buggies in 
our own factory, and make them 
so good that we are willing to 
ship any one of them anywhere on 
30 Days 9 Free Trial 
The decision is left with you. If 
you keep it, it will cost you about 
40% less than your dealers’price. 
If you return it, the trial will not 
cost you one cent. Yes, we 
mean every word of it. 22nd 
annual catalogue now ready— 
free. Send for it at once. 
CAUTION 
Our Weeder tooth so completely eclipsed all 
round tooth weeders that several manufacturers 
came out with ennningly devised imitations. 
The Eureka Mower Co., of Utica, N. Y., manu¬ 
facturers of the Davidson Weeder (flat tooth), are 
permanently enjoined as infringers of our patent, by 
order of United States Appellate Court, and liave 
made full settlement with us. For information to 
farmers and dealers (who are also amenable to the 
law), we give a quotation from the court’s decree, 
defining the scope of our patent. 
“Substantially round or equivalently shaped In 
cross section, and small in size, adapted to engage 
with the soil, and a flat spring, yielding npper por¬ 
tion.” Full copy will be sent on application. 
We now liave suit pending in United States Court 
against Keystone Farm Machine Co., of York, I’a. 
We shall instruct our agents to list (for future ac¬ 
counting) all dealers or farmers selling or using 
Infringing weeders In their territory. 
We do not desire litigation with anyone, but we 
must protect ourselves in the enjoyment of the rights 
justly ours as originators of the flat tooth weeder. 
Since our Anti-Clog Weeder lias proved a big in¬ 
vestment to more than 00,000 farmers in the United 
States, thousands have written us that rather than 
be without one now they would buy one every year. 
May we tell you all about it? Sell you one direct 
from factory and deliver at your depot, freight pre¬ 
paid, if your dealer will not supply yon. 
HALLOCK WEEDER CO, York, Pa. 
first order. 
WE’LL PAY THE FREIGHT 
and send 4 Bugicy Wheel*., Steel Tire on, - #7.26 
With Axles, #9.85. Rubber Tiro Wheels, 15.00 
I mfg. wheels % to 4 in. tread, Top Buggies, $28.75; 
Harness, $3.60; Repair Grade Wheels, $5.60. Write 
for catalogue, ordering instructions. Learn how to 
buy vehicles and parts direct. Umbrella Free with 
W. K• BOOB, 420 £. 7th St., CINCINNATI, OHIO. 
How to Drain Land Profitably. 
On every farm there is probably some land 
that could be made more productive by under¬ 
drainage. Properly drained land can always 
be worked earlier, and more profitably. The 
best and most 
economical way 
to drain is ex¬ 
plained in the 
book, “Benefits of Drainage and How to Drain,” 
which is sent free by JOHN H. JACKSON, 
76 Third Avenue, Albany, N. Y. 
POPULAR ROODS—POPULAR PRICES. 
Kte’Jew Universal 
HAND SEEDERS AND '. 
mitrT) 
CULTIVATORS. 
Suitable for every 
class of 
work. 
All styles. Only combination 1 and 2 wheel cultivator 
and drill mode. Everyway adjustable. All our tools 
have tough oak bent handles and are made of best 
material throughout. Send for catalog, describing complete 1 ine. 
Ames Plow Co., 54 MarketSt.,Boston. 
WHEN YOU BUY., 
BUY 
_The Best 
you can get for your money. Buy a 
a ArtgiSJU- 8 . Custom-Made Yehiele. We build 
X / a $38.00 Buggy and aell it for $26.95, 
V ^ A high grad** #60. Buggy for $43.85, 
Buggy Top $5.00, Tired Wheel* $5.75, Hickory Shaft* $1. 
We *ave you $10.00 on Rubber Tire*, It will pay to write 
for FREE Vehicle and Harries* CATALOGUE. 
U. S. Buggy & Cart Co.. 627 8th St., Cincinnati, 0. 
29 YEARS SELLING DIRECT. 
No. 212>£ Jump Seat Trap. Price, 81,0. 
fine as sells for $40 to $60 more. 
We are the largest manufacturers of 
vehicles and harness in the world sell¬ 
ing to consumers, and we have been do¬ 
ing business in this way for 29 years. 
WE HAVE NO AGENTS 
but ship anywhere for examination 
guaranteeing safedelivery. You are 
out nothing if n '-t satisfied. W e make 
195 styles of vehicles and 65 styles of 
harness.* Our prices represent the 
cost ot material and making, plus 
one profit. Our large free catalogue 
shows complete line. Send for it. 
No. 152 Top Buggy has % inch 
Kelly rubber tires and rubber cov¬ 
ered steps. Price, $73 00. Asgood 
as sells for $40.00 more. 
Elkhart Carriage & Harness Manufacturing Co., Elkhart, Ind. 
00. Different 
from the ordinary buggy, Is our latest style 
for 1902. We use Long: IMatance Axle 
with tell collar which keeps out all dust and 
mud, runs 1000 miles without reoiling. Combined Quick Shift Shaft 
Coupler and An tl-Kut tier, positively prevents all rattling, can change from 
shaft to pole in one minute. Wheels and Geur, every stick of timber guaranteed best second 
growth hickory, every forging and bolt best Norway iron. (Wheels furnished any siz«.) 
Piano Body, 20, 22or 24 inches wide, 55in. long. Corning Body, 24 in. wide. 
Trimmings. 
is i V. « i 1L 
Spring cushion and back, upholstered with best grade gold figured 
i green velvet or whipcord; high wings on seat cushion. Top 
k lined with a special light color to match seat trimmings, edges of lop lining pinked, back 
[stays pinked and stitched a special design to match top lining, bottom of body and panels 
Icarpeted to match trimmings. (Leather or dark broadcloth trimmings, dark top lining 
’ and carpet to match when desired.) 
ai;,, 1 , A 1 Maimllmio Dash rail, panel back rail, prop nuts, seat handles 
PlILKhl ITlOlIIUlIlgM. and hub bands. YVe use special cure to have 
trimmings, painting and everything to match. We give you choice of any stjTe upholstering and any styleandcolorpaiutingyou prefer. 
Uo Hoiro Nn A dltnfc but sell direct to you at wholesalesale prices |kj /fc MftfUCV We , shl P subject to 
Tf C HdVG nO ASCII INj and save you the middleman’s profit. IIV lTlVlxluBi examination witnont any 
money with order, and if you are not satisfied in every way, and do not feel you have saved money and have a better buggy than yon 
could have bought elsewhere for anything like onr price, return to us and we will pay all freight. YVe warrant our buggies 2 
ye»r* and guarantee suCe delivery. Do you want, or are you interested in any way in a vehicle or harness of any kind! 
If so, .end for our new free vehicle Catalogue. W e have all styles at prices that will interest and save yon money. 
MARVIN SMITH COMPANY, 63 N. JEFFERSON ST., CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. 
NOW FOR THE NEW SEASON. 
Since a satisfied customer is the best advertisemen t we could have, we 
propose to satisfy everyone that our 
Split Hickory Vehicles 
are the best made, and will ship anywhere on 30 Days’ Free Trial. Take 
it home, hitch to it, use it, and pay for it when you are satisfied that it is 
a bargain. We would not dare do this, if we did not know that every¬ 
thing we make would prove satisfactory. If you do not think they are 
the best, after a fair trial send them back. We won’t quarrel with you. 
Our new catalogue fully explains this plan and shows our full line of 
vehicles and harness; it is free. 
Ohio Carriage Mfg. Co., Station 39, Cincinnati, O. 
