1899 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
9o5 
Events of the Week. 
DOMESTIC.—An automobile ran wild on Fifth Avenue, 
New York City, December 14, at the time when the streets 
were crowded with people going to places of amusement. 
The trouble was caused by a cab running into the auto¬ 
mobile, knocking the motorman off. In his fall he 
clutched the lever turning on the power. The machine 
pranced over the sidewalk, rushed around in circles, and 
created great excitement until the motorman, whose leg 
had been broken, jumped on and turned the power off. 
. . . An institute for the deaf and dumb, at Edgewood, 
Pa., was destroyed by fire December 14, but the inmates 
were all notified of their danger by signs, and escaped in 
perfect order. . . . The Chicago trades unions and 
building contractors have decided to submit all differ¬ 
ences to a permanent board of arbitration, thus averting 
a labor war. . . . The Supreme Court has decided 
against the seizure of the steamer Buena Ventura on the 
outbreak of the Spanish War, and prize money will not 
be given for it. . . . The whaleback barge. No. 115, 
which has been missing on Lake Superior since Decem¬ 
ber 13, is given up as lost, with iter crew of nine men. 
She was loaded with 3,000 tons of iron ore, and valued at 
$50,000. . . . Lieut. Brumby, Dewey's flag lieutenant at 
Manila, died in Washington of typhoid fever December 
10. . . . The President has commuted to 20 yeai's’ im¬ 
prisonment the death sentences imposed by court-martial 
upon four American soldiers, members of a Washington 
regiment, in the Philippines, for brutal assaults upon 
native women. . . . Three small children were burned 
to death at Nicholasville, Ky., December 17, having been 
locked into their home while their parents were out. 
... A $1,000,000 syndicate purposes combining all the 
canneries in California. . . . The Produce Exchange 
Trust Company of New York City failed December IS, 
with liabilities of $11,649,000. It is believed that all de¬ 
positors will be paid in full. The failure was due to syn¬ 
dicate loans. Wall Street was in a very panicky con¬ 
dition at the time of the failure, and the Secretary of the 
Treasury announced that, to relieve embarrassment, 
dui'ing the next 30 days the Government will pay all the 
receipts from internal revenue taxation into the depository 
institutions, instead of into the Sub-Treasury. It is said 
that the Government will not offer to buy any more 
bonds, because the price has been foi-ced up too high. 
. . . January 1, the Pennsylvania Railx-oad will begin 
the operation of its pension department, by which old 
employees who have served the company for 30 years will 
be retired on pension. . . . Grain and lumber shipments 
fi-om Tacoma, Wash., are completely crippled by lack of 
ships. . . . Seven persons were burned to death and 
five injured in two eax-ly morning fires in tenements in 
New York City, December 19. . . . Admiral Dewey has 
renewed his request that the Chinese who served with 
him during the battle of Manila Bay be given the right 
to enter the United States free of restrictions. His letter 
has been forwaxded to Congress. . . . The passengers 
in a sleeping car on a Missouri Pacific express were rob¬ 
bed by masked highwaymen near Kansas City, Kas., De¬ 
cember 20, about $500 in money, six watches and five 
diamonds being secured. 
CONGRESS.—The treaty between the Sultan of Jolo 
and the United States, sent to the Senate, declaims Ameri¬ 
can sovereignty over the Jolo (or Sulu) Archipelago. 
Freedom of religious customs is to be permitted, and the 
Sultan’s territory is not to be encroached upon, except 
under military necessity. Slavery is sanctioned. The 
Sultaxx is to suppress piracies and punish offenders. An¬ 
nual subsidies, amounting to nearly $10,000 Mexican, are 
promised to the Sultan and his chiefs. . . . Representa¬ 
tive Williams, of Mississippi, (Dem.) introduced December 
14 a joint resolution proposing to surrender the Philippines 
to the natives on payment of $20,000,000. He also intro¬ 
duced a resolution to inquire into slavery and polygamy 
in the Sulu Islands. . . . The Currency bill debate 
closed December 15. It was quite heated, the Democrats 
denouncing the banking features of the bill, though they 
did not offer any strong opinions on silver. It was, how¬ 
ever, asserted that the bill was intended to establish the 
gold standard, and to break down bimetallism. The bill 
was passed December 18, by a vote of 190 to 150. . . . 
Senators Tillman, of South Carolina, and Bacon, of 
Georgia, offered resolutions for Philippine independence. 
. . . The examination of witnesses befoi-e the Roberts 
committee is progressing at Washington. All the evi¬ 
dence shows that Congressman Roberts has not only 
contracted polygamous marriages, but also that he still 
sustains the marriage i-elation with three women at the 
same time. . . . The Senate bill, with a few amend¬ 
ments, will be substituted in the Upper House for the 
Currency bill just passed in the House. Debate will be¬ 
gin January 4. . . . Such strong opposition has devel¬ 
oped in both Houses against the reciprocity treaties re¬ 
cently negotiated with France, Argentina and the British 
West Indies, that it is quite probable they will not be 
ratified. The reduction in tariffs is looked upon as a 
blow to the Republican policy of protection. 
CUBA.—Quantities of concealed arms are being given 
up in Cuba. December 13, the mayor of Tunis, in the 
Holguin district, disclosed the hiding place of three ef¬ 
fective field guns, 10,000 rifles, and a quantity of ammu¬ 
nition. . . . The work of disinteri-ing the bodies of vic¬ 
tims of the Maine began at Havana December IS. The 
bodies will be brought to the United States on the battle¬ 
ship Texas. . . . Gen. Wood assumed charge as Mili¬ 
tary Governor of Cuba December 20, in place of Gen. 
Brooke. He was welcomed with great enthusiasm. 
PHILIPPINES.—Col. Hayes captured large quantities 
of rebel supplies near Biacnalato December 13, including 
30,000 pounds of rice and materials for making explosives; 
1,800 Spanish pi-isoners have been received in Manila, and 
many more are on the way. . . . Lieut. Gillmore, of 
the Yorktown, who, with 14 men, was captux-ed by the 
Filipinos many months ago, has at last escaped, it is re¬ 
ported. Four of the men have been killed, and all have 
passed through great suffering. . . . Gen. H. W. Law- 
ton was killed in a fight with Filipinos at San Mateo, 15 
miles from Manila, December 19. He had just been nom¬ 
inated as Brigadier-General, and his death is a great loss. 
He was born on an Ohio farm 57 years ago, and dis¬ 
tinguished himself in the Civil War, and in several In¬ 
dian campaigns. His family is in need of aid. 
GENERAL FOREIGN NEWS.—Gen. Buller received a 
severe check from the Boers at the Tugela River De¬ 
cember 15, in his advance on Ladysmith. The British 
lost 11 guns, 82 dead, and 667 wounded; 348 missing. While 
the whole British nation is plunged into mourning by 
the recent xeverses, with their great losses, thei-e is no 
disposition to weaken in the conduct of the war, and the 
volunteer movement is so sti’ong that the government 
could enroll 200 t 000 men if desired. All the colonies are 
offering more troops; in Canada the Six Nation Indians 
ai’e anxious to send scouts. In regard to war finances, 
Great Britain is in a position to spend £250,000,000 if neces¬ 
sary without increasing taxation or adding to the na¬ 
tional debt. Lord Roberts, of Kandahar, whose only son 
has just been killed in battle, is put in command, with 
Kitchener, of Khartoum, as chief of staff. 
FARM ANI* GARDEN.—The horse cannery at Linnton, 
Ore., has been compelled to shut down, because this 
n.eat is now barred from France and Germany, tins 
measure being in retaliation for some of our tariff legis¬ 
lation. Sweden now offers the only market for canned 
or pickled horse. The trade with Holland was excellent 
until the embalmed-beef scandal, but since then, Holland¬ 
ers have declined to buy canned beef ox - canned horse 
from this countx-y. 
A boycott against the Union Stock Yards, Chicago, >s 
being discussed by live-stock shippers of the southwest, 
in consequence of the switching charge of $2 per car made 
by the western roads entering Chicago. Cattlemen say 
that strong action will be taken on this question in both 
State and National meetings of live stock associations. 
Tiie Illinois State Grange opened its annual meeting at 
Joliet December 12. There was a large representation. 
Grand Master Oliver Wilson, of Magnolia, presiding. An 
attempt was made to prevent the Grange from taking 
action on public questions, but resolutions were passed 
favoring a deep waterway from Lake Michigan to the 
Mississippi, the further extension of free rural mail de¬ 
livery, the election of United States Senators, x-ailroad 
and warehouse commissioners by direct vote of the peo¬ 
ple, and Government owneiship of railroads. The next 
annual meeting will be held in Peoria. 
The Pennsylvania State Board of Agriculture will ineel 
in the Supreme Court room, Harrisburg, January 24-25. 
Turkey has adopted prohibitoi-y restrictions against 
American flour, and unless some change is made, this 
Government may adopt retaliatory measures. 
The short coui’se at the Oklahoma Agricultural and Me¬ 
chanical College, Stillwater, opens January 3, extending 
to March 3. Among other subjects, instruction will be 
given on orchard and small fruits, botany, troublesome 
insects, etc. Director John Fields will be in charge of 
the course. 
The local fruit inspector at Vancouver, B. C., recently 
destroyed two carloads of Ontario apples, valued at $ 2 , 1100 , 
because they were badly infested with the Codling-moth. 
All such fruit are condemned at Vancouver. 
The beef now supplied to Gen. Otis’s troops in the Phil¬ 
ippines comes from Australia, reaching Manila after a 10- 
days’ voyage. The ships are loaded at Brisbane, and sail 
on a 10-day schedule, so the troops are now regularly sup¬ 
plied with fresh beef of excellent quality. 
In a lecture delivered to farm students at the University 
of Illinois December 14, F. F. Lyons, of Areola, stated 
that there would be a largely increased acreage of broom 
corn next year, seedsmen being unable to supply the de¬ 
mand, so there is likely to be an ovei-production. The 
world uses but 37,000 tons of this each year, of which two- 
thirds are raised in Illinois. Mr. Lyons said that broom- 
corn seed is as valuable for stock as oats. 
N. Y. STATE DAIRYMEN S ASSOCIATION. 
PART II. 
Thursday night. Dr. Joi-dan gave an instructive lecture 
on cattle foods, and the new State law governing the sale 
of feeding stuffs. The law went into effect December 1. 
Hay, straw, entire grain, whole or ground, bran and 
middlings are not covered by the law, but it includes 
linseed meal, cotton-seed meal, and mixed and chopped 
foods of every nature. It makes it illegal to adulterate 
cereal grains, corn, oats, etc., with waste products un¬ 
less the substances in the mixture are clearly stated on 
the package. The law provides that the name of the 
feeding stuff, the name of manufacturers, the place of 
manufacture, the percentage of protein, and percentage 
of fat, be affixed to every package of food contemplated 
in the law, or that the same information be fux-nished the 
dealer, who shipped in bulk. When a buyer purchases a 
feeding stuff in bulk or in his own bags, he is entitled to 
this information. Dr. Jordan exhibited samples of vari¬ 
ous mixed feeds. Cotton-seed meal and linseed meal, he 
said, are comparatively free from adulteration. Cotton¬ 
seed feed contains hulls; Sea Island cotton-seed meal also 
contains hulls, which reduce the percentage of protein. 
ihe outside hulls of corn, Dr. Jordan explained, when 
separated from the rest of the grain, are called corn 
bran; the hard flinty portion inside the hull is called glu¬ 
ten meal, the heart of the kernel contains starch. When 
all the grain except the starch is ground together it is 
called gluten feed. The manufactui-er buys the whole 
grain, takes out all he wants and sells back the part he 
does not want. In the case of oats, 30 per cent is hulls, 
these hulls are mostly crude fiber, and require a great 
amount of work in mastication and digestion. Only 
about 3.4 per cent of hulls is digestible matter. The 
mills sell these hulls back to farmers mixed with corn as 
mixed foods. The Geneva Station is charged with the 
enforcement of the new law. Manufactux-ers are obliged 
to file the above statement with samples of the goods at 
the Station in December each year, and pay a license fee 
of $25. Dr. Jordan has little patience with patent food 
stuffs. He says that they are worth just the value of the 
grain products they contain, and does not understand 
why anyone should pay from 25 cents to $2 a pound for it. * 
They usually contain charcoal, salt, saltpeter, sulphur, 
sodium sulphate, iron sulphate, fenugreek and ginseng* 
These are cheap articles, and, besides, the cattle do not 
need them. Medicating an animal for fear it will get 
sick he calls mean business. 
Major H. A. Alvord, of Washington, spoke briefly in 
reference to dairy products at the Paris Exposition. A 
commission is looking after the dairy exhibit from New 
York State. This will be turned over to the National 
Department, and Major Alvord promises to see that it 
will be properly exhibited. Hon. D. P. Witter was not on 
the programme, but was introduced to tell something 
about the investigation of the tuberculosis commission, 
of which he is chairman. The commission has, apparent¬ 
ly, failed to find any evidence to show that consumption 
is transferred from the bovine to the human family. He 
showed that the annual percentage of death from con¬ 
sumption had been reduced 15 per cent in Massachusetts, 
where bovine tuberculosis has been most prevalent, in 40 
years, due to better knowledge of the disease, and better 
sanitary conditions. If this can be done for the human 
family, he thinks equal results may be reached in the 
bovine family, and recommends spending a portion of the 
money in educational work instead of all in wholesale 
slaughter of the herds. Mr. Witter is opposed to the 
quax-antine law, as adopted by New Jersey and Massa¬ 
chusetts, because, he says, that the law has not been 
effective in those States. In one case 20 cows, which had 
responded to the test, after being taken from the cars, 
had no tuberculosis when killed. Cows subjected to the 
test three times, at intervals of 10 days, will not again 
respond, and dishonest dealers may inject them with the 
purpose of deceiving the veterinaries. I find that dairy¬ 
men and breeders are getting rather shy of the tuber¬ 
culin test. Every one who has had any experience with 
it is able to tell of some case where it proved faulty and 
unreliable. The consensus of opinion seems to be that 
it is best to depend on a physical examination by a com¬ 
petent veterinary. 
Friday morning, Seci-etary Dye, of New Jersey, told 
about the expex-ience his State has had with tubex-culosis 
laws and regulations. He says that their law has been 
gi’owing in favor among the dairymen. He justified the 
enactment and enforcement of laws to maintain the 
purity of dairy products, on the gx-ound that the con¬ 
sumer is an innocent party, and should be protected 
against unwholesome food. He said that the cow has 
been called into partnership with the human mother to 
feed and nurture the human family. It was estimated, 
he said, that New York people consumed 50 tons of 
manure annually in their milk, and he maintained that 
New York farmers should have more consideration for 
their imjxoverished land. 
Jared Van Wagenen, Jr., talked about the model butter- 
maker, whom he chax-acterized as a rare bird. He jumped 
on the creamerymen who boast of being px-actical when 
they are nothing but conservatively pig-headed. He 
says that practice and science cannot be divorced. They 
are combined attributes of the model creameryman. 
While not apologizing for slovenliness he made a brief 
plea for the creameryman who felt the necessity of roll¬ 
ing up his sleeves to clean a sepax-ator, and whose dress 
would not always be appropriate to the parlor or dining¬ 
room. He made a sti-ong plea for honesty in the creamery 
business, and suggested that the operator should be such 
a man as would i-efleet cx-edit to the community in which 
he enters, and in which he occupies something of a pub¬ 
lic and important position. 
Prof. E. B. Voorhees, of New Jersey, had the subject of 
Progressive Dairy Farming, which, he said, depended on 
two principles. First, reducing the cost of manufacture, 
and second, increasing the quality. Corn and Alfalfa 
are the two crops which enable the farmer to reduce the 
cost of milk. Weeding out the robber cows is another 
way of reducing the cost. One cow at the New Jersey 
Station made 12,000 pounds of milk, while another on the 
same feed made 4,500 pounds. The cow must be con- 
sidex-ed a machine, whose value is determined by the 
amount and quality of her product. He figured manui'e 
as an element in the economy of production. A well-fed 
cow voids 107 pounds of nitrogen, worth as much as the 
same amount purchased in fertilizers. Experiments made 
at the Station showed that it took 1.7 tons of manure 
leached six months to equal one ton of fresh manure, 
and that even when applied in these proportions, the yield 
of oats showed an increase of 229 per cent in favor of the 
fiesh manure, showing that the remaining manui-ial 
value in the leached manure was not as available as in 
the fresh manure. At the Station they increased the 
consumption of milk among their customei-s nearly one- 
third by increasing the purity and richness of the milk. 
Geo. A. Smith read an exhaustive paper on cheese-mak¬ 
ing, a synopsis of which will be given later. 
Resolutions were adopted favoring a law to put the 
testing of cattle for tuberculosis in the hands of the 
Agricultural Department; favoring a National law to 
prevent the false branding of dairy products as to the 
State in which they are manufactured; and asking the 
enactment of a National law to make oleomargarine sub¬ 
ject to the laws of any State into which it is shipped by 
interstate commerce in the original package. If this 
latter measure should become a law, it would remove 
the objections which the Agricultural Department urges 
against the Davidson 10-cent tax bill on colored oleo. 
Every man in the United States who owns a cow should 
ask his representative in Congress to vote for the passage 
of this bill. 
I he instructors got a little confused in explaining 
the principle on which the King system of stable 
ventilation is founded. The system contemplates a 
close building, with an inflow of fresh air through a 
shaft that opens into the room at the ceiling, and 
another shaft starting with an opening at the floor, 
and extending through the roof to the highest point 
of the building. The question was how the air laden 
with carbonic acid gas, which has a tendency to gravi¬ 
tate to the floor, on account of its weight, could es¬ 
cape through the latter tube. The warm light aix 
accumulates at the ceiling. The cold air from the in¬ 
flow tube being heavier, presses against the light air, 
and dx-ives its particles closer together, condensing it, 
and increasing the pressure in every direction. This 
pressure is exerted in the air at the opening in the 
outlet tube near the floor, and forces the air there out 
through the tube, where no extra pressure can be 
felt, just as water is forced up a pump by the pressure 
of the condensed air in the air chamber. The register 
near the ceiling in the outflow pipe is simply for the 
purpose of cooling the room by letting out the hot 
ail-. When this register is open, the pressure is re 
lieved, and no air will escape from the register near 
the floor. 
D. 
