1902 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
633 
MARKET NOTES 
HOPS.—Reports of firm markets come 
from all producing sections. In New York 
State the yield is disappointing, with much 
complaint of vermin. In other hop dis¬ 
tricts mold is said to be destructive. Pa¬ 
cific coast hops are selling higher than for 
several years. 
HELD-OVER STUFF.—A combination 
of holidays and hot weather is bad for the 
perishable fruit business, and the day 
after Labor Day saw a sorry lot of stuff 
here. Shipments made the previous Friday 
and Saturday had to be held over 2*6 days, 
as Saturday is a half holiday. Fruit in 
barrels, baskets and crates was leaking 
badly when opened Tuesday, and much had 
to be sold at a heavy discount. 
POTATO conditions continue highly un¬ 
favorable to the grower. There seems to 
be no end to the flood of Irish potatoes of 
good size and excellent quality. The mini¬ 
mum price for anything fair remains at 
75 cents, but with a very w T eak demand, 
which would warrant lower figures if hold¬ 
ers were obliged to force sales. There is 
also an over-supply of southern sweets, 
which sell at low prices. The South Jersey 
crop is not yet arriving in large quantities, 
and will probably meet better prices later. 
FRESH FRUITS.—The stock of apples on 
hand is large. Many are of excellent qual¬ 
ity, but early apples are risky things to 
hold, and it is often necessary for receiv¬ 
ers to force sales at cut prices. A range 
of $1 to $1.25 covers most present sales. 
The demand for peaches continues large, 
which is fortunate for handlers, as ar¬ 
rivals are heavy. At this time hundreds 
of families buy their annual supply for 
canning, which helps materially in getting 
rid of the quantity of dead-ripe nearby 
peaches received. As high as $1 per half¬ 
bushel basket wholesale is being paid for 
fancy Maryland, Delaware and Jersey 
fruit, while common ranges between 20 and 
50 cents. Bartlett pears are plentiful. 
Many growers have left them on the trees 
too long. These over-ripe pears are hard 
to sell, as retailers are afraid that they 
will spoil before they can be disposed of. 
The grape demand is weak and will con¬ 
tinue so until peach business slackens. In 
plums a fair canning demand is noted, 
with slightly increased prices on choice 
kinds. 
WINDFALLS.—During the Fall this term 
is always found in quotations of apples. 
It is indefinite, and may mean fruit badly 
bruised or so little damaged as to be nearly 
equal to hand picked. The wind is not 
always responsible for these windfalls. We 
know of farmers who harvest their fruit 
by shaking the trees, receiving for the 
bruised apples less than they would for 
half or a third of the same fruit carefully 
picked. If the orchard is in sod and the 
ground is kept free from loose stones, the 
apples falling on this grass carpet are not 
bruised much, unless they hit a big limb 
or drop on other apples. The old way of 
heading trees was to encourage them to 
penetrate vertically as much of the atmos¬ 
phere as possible. We have seen orchards 
where a 35-foot ladder is needed to get all 
the apples, and the job of gathering the 
fruit from these cloud-sweeping trees is 
nearly as perilous as climbing steeples. 
Apples dropping from such a height are 
usually shattered by the fall, and, if a big 
one hits a man on the head, he is likely 
to see stars. To harvest an orchard of 
these giants on a sidehill without break¬ 
ing bones requires considerable muscle and 
still more ingenuity. 
BUTTER.—The city trade is improving, 
as many who are away for the Summer re¬ 
turn the first week in September. Prices 
are one-half cent up from last report, 19M> 
cents covering most of the business in ex¬ 
tra creameries. The supply of lower 
grade creamery is large. Only a limited 
quantity of State dairy is arriving, and 
not much is wanted. No finer butter is 
made than some from State dairies where 
old-fashioned methods are used. This is 
usually disposed of in local markets, how¬ 
ever, and so much inferior dairy stuff is 
received here that the name State dairy 
is not attractive to butter men. The great 
butter famine and enormous prices, which 
it was said would closely follow the oleo 
law, have not yet appeared. It looks very 
much as though live cows would be able 
to handle the butter demand if given a 
fair chance. The new law has somewhat 
interfered with the trade of those export¬ 
ing butter to tropical countries. Butter 
has to be prepared for these shipments in 
such a way that the law requires that it 
be marked “adulterated” before it can 
leave this country. This brand seriously 
interferes with its sale on arrival at des¬ 
tination. It is said that these exporters 
intend to carry on their trade through 
Canada. One concern has already gone 
there, and others are filling orders through 
provincial sources. Shipments are being 
made via New York in bond, which, of 
course, frees the butter from any inter¬ 
ference by United States laws. 
TOMATOES.—The Jersey crop is pouring 
in rapidly. On account of the sunshine 
and dry weather tomatoes are ripening 
quickly, and growers have to jump around 
to harvest them in time to prevent loss. 
Prices received at present are about half 
of last year's figures, and must be very 
near cost of production, as we see quite 
fair specimens selling at 25 cents per bushel 
box, wholesale. The market is likely to 
brace up a little later, when the rush of 
first ripening is over. Most growers have 
a succession, but these later plantings do 
not. produce so large a yield at any one 
time. On account of the low price of early 
apples fewer tomatoes than usual are sold 
on the street fruit stands. 
ESSENTIAL OILS.—Several readers ask 
the meaning of the quotations given on 
wintergreen, wormwood and similar oils. 
The figures given are those asked con¬ 
sumers by wholesale dealers. Prices paid 
producers are largely matters of negotia¬ 
tion. A common way in selling these oils 
is to submit samples to wholesale drug¬ 
gists, asking for bids. The quality of 
different lots varies to such an extent that 
the price paid one would not be a safe 
guide for another. Essential oils made in 
this country in small lots are, mainly, pep^ 
permint, wintergreen, sassafras, spearmint, 
pennyroyal and ■wormwood. By far the 
most expensive of these is wormwood. 
Next comes peppermint; then spearmint 
and pennyroyal, while sassafras is the 
cheapest of the lot. The two factors de¬ 
termining price are market demand and 
difficulty of making. Wormwood is much 
less prolific of oil than peppermint, and 
has an extensive use in the manufacture 
of certain intoxicants, particularly ab¬ 
sinthe. Hence the price is high, the whole¬ 
sale consumer paying $6 or over per pound. 
Sassafras has but a limited use and is 
easily made, wholesaling at less than 50 
cents per pound. 
QUOTED PRICES.—But what do general 
market quotations mean anyway? What 
are they based on, and is any dependence 
to be placed on them? These are fair 
questions that arise in the minds of those 
who look over the quotations, and some 
have an idea that they are mostly guess¬ 
work. No publisher has any more right 
to quote apples at $1, potatoes at 90 cents 
or cabbages at $2.50, without being reason¬ 
ably sure that the prices named have a 
fair basis of truth, than he would to run 
an obituary of John Jones without know¬ 
ing that that individual was dead. The 
quotations given as New York prices are 
supposed to be based on actual sales. The 
prices of grain, butter and eggs are fixed 
upon the Mercantile and Produce exchanges 
every business morning, and trade about 
the city from day to day follows these 
figures closely. They may be cut or bid 
higher according as some seller is over¬ 
stocked or buyer is particularly anxious 
to get a special brand. On small fruits, 
vegetables and other products not dealt 
in on the exchanges the quotation often 
represents an average of several sales, 
learned by inquiry from reliable dealers 
on the street. The figures given in quota¬ 
tions are not to be taken as a cast-iron 
rule, but they are a valuable guide, show¬ 
ing the condition of trade and what actu¬ 
ally has been done. Values may vary con¬ 
siderably another day. Usually where 
goods are sold on commission the consignor 
has a right to expect that the price re¬ 
turned will be not far from the general 
quotation for that day. But this is not 
always so, as the shipper’s ideas of quality 
may not be correct or the market may 
have broken badly late the same day. As 
a guide, quotations are valuable, but one 
who considers them iron-clad, and fast 
colors, is likely to be misled. w. w. h. 
ALL SORTS. 
Death to Chicks.—As no one has at¬ 
tempted to explain why Mr. Mapes has 
trouble with weakly chicks I would like 
to give a little experience of mine along 
that line. About May 20 I filled two 300- 
egg incubators with eggs from the same 
flock of hens. The first hatch (230 chicks) 
was sold to a neighbor; he had no trouble 
with weak chicks at all. The other hatch 
(200 chicks) I kept myself. They were 
smaller than the first hatch, showing that 
they had been dried down too much. They 
began to dwindle in about a week, and at 
the end of two weeks were as small as 
when hatched. I lost about 40 per cent of 
them; the rest are growing nicely now. Out 
of 50 hatched by the hens at the same 
time we only lost one, which shows it was 
not the feed. I had one hatch before sev¬ 
eral years ago that I dried too much, and 
I lost nearly all of them. My Leghorn 
pullets hatched April 10 are beginning to 
lay now. g. b. 
Factoryville, Pa. 
Canned Goods.— The Canner Producer 
sums up this season’s work as follows: 
“There is a prevailing idea that the mar¬ 
kets will range rather high this season, 
especially on canned tomatoes, owing to 
the fact that the last season pack was a 
light one and the stock throughout the 
country was entirely cleaned up. while the 
pack this season is not sufficiently large 
to flood the markets. Be that as it may 
there is clearly evidence of no unusually 
largo crops this season, and much depends 
upon the condition of the weather during 
the next few weeks relative to crop yields.” 
Cocoa Fiber Refuse.— A query was re¬ 
cently made concerning the value of cocoa 
fiber refuse as a fertilizer. This is a 
crumbling dark brown substance remain¬ 
ing from the manufacture of mattings and 
fiber mattresses. The opinion given wa* - 
that this refuse is of low fertilizing value. 
It is, however, very valuable to florists as 
a propagating medium. Cuttings of hard- 
wooded plants root in it far more readily 
than in sand or soil, with a very small 
percentage of loss, and it is also desirable 
for germinating palm seeds. It is retentive 
of moisture, and soft-wooded subjects, such 
•as geraniums, do not root well in it, but 
for hard-wooded stove and greenhouse 
plants its value is great. It is not a ques¬ 
tion of fertility, but of mechanical con¬ 
sistency, which exactly meets the needs of 
the propagator. 
Lessons From Florida.— The Times 
Union has this to say about a land that 
has a tender side which Jack Frost loves 
to prod: “A small and inexpensive hot¬ 
house will do more for the Florida trucker 
than the doubling of his field—we are not 
striving to increase the product, but the 
profit. The melon or tomato kept under 
cover till it has escaped the danger of 
frost helps to fill the pocket instead of 
depleting it—we have heard of one gardener 
who shipped melons daily for two weeks 
ahead of his neighbors by simply cover¬ 
ing his vines at night with a palmetto leaf! 
Now, this two-weeks’ monopoly was worth 
more to him than all the rest of his melon 
crop, but next year others will try fhe 
palmetto leaf—next year he must either 
try another crop or do something else to 
distance competition. Apparent calamity 
taught the Orlando pineapple growers to 
cover their fields—now they would shade 
if assured there would be no frost for the 
sake of the greater size and beauty of 
the protected fruit.” 
Free Rural Delivery Boxes.— On Oc¬ 
tober 1 mail boxes satisfying the following 
requirements must be used on rural de¬ 
livery routes: 
Material.—All square or oblong boxes 
shall be made of not less than 20 standard 
gauge sheet iron or steel, and galvanized, 
the edges of which shall be supported or 
strengthened either by folding the metal 
back upon itself, or by riveting to the edges 
band iron or steel at least 1-16 inch in thick¬ 
ness and at least one-half inch in width, 
or by wiring with at least No. 10 gauge 
wire; provided if a box be made of a 
heavier material than 20 gauge, the above 
requirements as to reinforcements need 
not be observed. 
Circular, semi-circular or rounding boxes 
shall be made of not less than 22 gauge 
iron or steel; provided, however, that 
should boxes be made of black iron or 
steel, and galvanized after they are made, 
they shall not bo made of lighter than 24 
gauge. Circular, semi-circular or rounding 
boxes made so that there shall be no un¬ 
supported edges; and edges must be 
strengthened by either corrugating, bend¬ 
ing, curling or wiring with No. 10 gauge 
ware, or by folding the metal back upon 
itself, or by supporting by riveting to such 
edges band iron at least 1-16 inch in thick¬ 
ness and at least one-half inch in width. 
Workmanship.—All boxes must be made 
in the best workmanlike manner, and 
there must be no joints depending solely 
on solder to hold the different parts of the 
box together, but all joints must be either 
seamed, curled or riveted. Covers, lids or 
incasements shall be hinged or riveted in 
a strong, substantial manner, and edges 
of same shall extend down or lap over the 
mail-holding department for a sufficient 
distance, so that when closed it will thor¬ 
oughly protect the mail from rain, snow 
or dust under all circumstances. All ex¬ 
posed parts, such as rivets and hinges, 
must be galvanized. 
Size.—The dimensions of rural free de¬ 
livery boxes shall be, a square box, not 
less than 18x6x6 inches; if cylindrical, not 
less than 18 inches long and 6 inches in 
diameter, the capacity to be not less than 
488 cubic inches. 
Shape.—Experience has shown that boxes 
opening at the side or top are more con¬ 
venient than those opening at the end. 
Such boxes will be entitled to government 
protection. To tamper with one of them 
will mean a punishment of $1,000 tine or 
three years imprisonment. Boxes not 
meeting these requirements will not enjoy 
this protection. 
DANGER SIGNALS. 
No engineer would be mad enough to 
run by the flag which signaled danger. 
What the danger was he might not under¬ 
stand, but he would take no chances. 
It is different with the average man or 
woman. They at¬ 
tempt constantly 
to run by the dan¬ 
ger signals of 
Nature and that 
attempt costs 
thousands of lives 
every year. When the 
appetite becomes irregu¬ 
lar or entirely gives out, 
when sleep is troubled 
and broken, when there 
is a loss of flesh, when 
there is a constant feel¬ 
ing of dullness and lan¬ 
guor, Nature is hoisting 
the danger signal. The 
stomach and its allied 
organs are failing in their 
work and the body is los¬ 
ing the nutrition on which 
its strength depends. 
Such a condition calls 
for the prompt use of Dr. 
Pierce’s Golden Medical 
Discovery. It cures dis¬ 
eases of the stomach and 
other organs of digestion 
and nutrition, purifies 
and enriches the blood and builds up the 
body with sound, solid flesh. 
"Your kindness to me I can never forget," 
writes Mrs. Josie E. Clark, of Enterprise, Shelby 
Co., Mo. "I cannot express half my feelings of 
gratefulness to you. I had despaired of ever 
getting well. I had been in bad health for 
twelve years. Had aches all through me, numb 
hands, cold feet, and everything I ate distressed 
me; bowels constipated, was verv nervous, de¬ 
pressed and despondent. In fact, I can’t express 
half my bad feelings to you. When I first wrote 
to you I thought I could never be cured. I have 
taken six bottles of Dr. Pierce’s Golden Medical 
Discovery, and my health is now good. You 
have my honest recommendation to all suffer¬ 
ers. I think there is no medicine in the world 
as good as Dr. Pierce’s.” 
If constipated use Dr. Pierce’s Pleas¬ 
ant Pellets. They cure constipation, 
biliousness and sick headache. They do 
not produce the K pill habit.” 
RliDTIIDE CUKKr> ’ TRUSS FREE. You pay 
llU* I U**l- $4 when cured. No cure no pay 
ALEX. SPEIUS, box 831, Westbrook, Maine. 
CHARTER 
Gasoline Engine 
I T c r r\ Any Place 
I Sri) liy Any One 
UDLl/ For Any Purpose 
Statlonarlos, Portables, Engines 
and Pumps, Holsters, 
Sawing Outfits. 
Send for Illustrated Catalogue amd 
Testimonials. State your Power Needs. 
Charter Gaa Engine Co., Box 26, Sterling, III. 
THE M!ETZ & WEISS 
Kerosene Engines. Sizes, 1 to 60 H.P. 
Cheapest and Safest Power Known 
For pumping and electric light¬ 
ing, grinding corn, separating 
cream, sawing wood and all power 
pnrpoHeH. Hlgheat Award for 
Direct Coupled Engine and Gener¬ 
ator, Paris Exp., 1900; awarded 
Gold Medal Pan-Am. Exp., Buffalo, 
1901; Gold Medal, Charleston, S.C., 
Exp., 1902. Send for Catalogue. 
A. MIETZ, 128 Mott St., NcwYork 
The * f WeberJunior” 
Pumper 
Can also f 
be used I 2^ H. P 
for other | 
power 
purpos*. 
Is all complete, ready to at¬ 
tach to pump. Equals 30 men 
pump ing water. 
Uses but little gas¬ 
oline. Is shipped 
crated completely 
erected, all connec¬ 
tions made. Easy to start, any 
one can operate it. Evory 
one guaranteed. Other sizos 
up to 50 H. P. Send for cat¬ 
alog. Weber Gas & Gasoline 
Engine Co., Box 10 2 
Kansas City, Mo. 
IDE 
MACHINERY 
Best and cheap 
Send for cataloj 
BOOMER & BOSCRERT 
PRESS CO., 
lib West Water St. 9 
SYRACUSE, IS. X, 
WHICH? 
OSGOOD SCALE 
SHORT ON CORN 
Or LONG ON WHEAT f 
In either case you need a scale this 
fall and winter. Don’t put it off. We 
can sell you an Opt^ood Seale. 
High grade. Guaranteed. Built 
on honor and at reasonable 
prices and terms. Free Catalogue. 
Central St., Binghamton, N. Y. 
Dollars 
BUYS 
DELIVERED, 
An 800 Lb. 
GOOD SCALE, 
On "Wheels. 
PLATFORM 1 8 X 25 IN 
Cast Steel pivots, carefully 
tempered. Accurate, durable, 
well finished. Other sizes and 
SCALES S am « 
For circulars, address, 
JONES 
HE PAYS THE FREIGHT. 
BINGHAMTON, N. Y. 
Box 5. 
