1898 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
453 
M9NG the * 
ARKETMEN. 
WHAT I SEE AND HEAR. 
Odd Potatoes. —Although these are still quoted in 
the market, one sees very few of them. Any one so 
unfortunate as to have them on hand, is trying his 
best to sell them, and no reasonable offer is refused. 
Receipts of new potatoes have been liberal, and the 
result is that the prices of these are now lower than 
the prices of old potatoes were a short time ago. As 
the new are preferred to the old, the old must go 
begging. The old-potato market in this city is usually 
about over by June 1. 
X X X 
Berry Speculators.— Around the market districts, 
one frequently sees a man with a single crate of ber¬ 
ries and a few paper sacks, doing quite a trade in sell¬ 
ing by the quart. These men have no regular occupa¬ 
tion or place of business. They simply buy a crate of 
berries of a commission merchant when they can buy 
it cheap, buy a few paper sacks to wrap the baskets 
in, and start business anywhere on the curb, some¬ 
times in front of the store where they buy the berries. 
This business is usually done when berries are low in 
price, and a man who is shrewd in buying as well as 
selling, can pick up quite a little cash from the trade 
he ropes in in this way. 
X X X 
Watermelons Are Here. —That hot-weather fruit, 
the watermelon, arrived in quantity nearly as early as 
the hot weather did, this year. Already the street 
stands are selling them, which means that the price 
is not high, and on a hot day, they sell like hot cakes, 
albeit much more cooling than the latter. The street 
stands cut them up in slices to suit the pockets of their 
customers, and one frequently sees a slab of ice cov¬ 
ered with small slices of watermelon, which retail at 
one cent each ; needless to say, that these venders get 
a good many slices out of a melon. In the restaurants, 
one gets a good big slice of melon, right off the ice, 
for 10 cents. Hot weather always makes a big de¬ 
mand for watermelons, and a cold spell of weather al¬ 
ways knocks the watermelon business into a cocked 
hat. 
X t X 
High-Priced Strawberries. —There was a straw¬ 
berry show of new varieties at the American Institute 
Farmers’ Club on Wednesday, and some very fine speci¬ 
mens were exhibited. Among others, was a new vari¬ 
ety which has been considerably talked about during 
the past year or two. The berries are very large, but 
rather coarse-looking, but the originator, who was 
present, claimed that he had been getting, wholesale, 
this season, 10 to 25 cents per quart, while other 
strawberries had been selling anywhere from 5 to 10 
or 12 cents. The big berries are the ones that usually 
bring the highest price, although not always of the 
best quality ; but if people will pay for size instead of 
quality, it is the part of wisdom for the grower to try 
to please them. Some of the best quality berries I 
have seen this year were of only medium size. 
XXX 
Sizes of Strawberry Baskets. —I have frequently 
noticed the varying sizes of strawberry baskets which 
the venders contend are quarts. In the beginning of 
the strawberry season, they were extremely small, 
holding but little more than a pint. Any one buying 
these under the impression that each basket holds a 
quart, might think he was getting strawberries cheap; 
but when we consider the actual amount the basket 
contains, they are not so cheap. As the season ad¬ 
vances, and strawberries become more plentiful, the 
baskets grow larger, some of them nearly double the 
size of the earlier ones ; but I never yet heard of a 
vender trying to sell these as two-quart baskets. 
Nearly every dealer in baskets has the different sizes 
for sale, and the more elastic a man’s conscience is, 
the smaller the baskets he tries to palm off on his 
customers. 
X X X 
Prices of Wheat. —The grade of wheat that is 
always meant in quotations of the speculative market, 
is No. 2 red. Wheat actually of this grade will always 
sell, because there is always a demand for it. When 
wheat falls below the No 2 grade, it is an uncertain 
quantity, because it cannot be used to fill contracts, 
and seldom for selling to exporters. The price it 
brings depends just upon the b .yer who happens to 
want it. These grades of wheat are much like the 
goods in a country store. There are certain lines of 
goods that everybody wants, and they are always sala¬ 
ble ; while there are others that only here and there a 
man will buy, and the storekeeper never knows 
whether he can make a sale of them or not. While the 
No. 2 grade of wheat is a speculative grade, there is 
really more speculation about the price of the lower 
grades. 
X X X 
Paddy’s Market. —Ruralisms of May 21 told us 
about Paddy’s Market. Our artist had difficulty in 
getting some good pictures, but Figs. 202 and 203 show 
some typical scenes in this market. The wagons are 
turned broadside to the walk, with the horse turned 
toward the street so that the wagons stand nearly 
end to end. It would seem as though the regular 
tradesmen along the street would object to this com¬ 
petition. It is said that this market was formerly on 
Eighth Avenue, but the storekeepers there protested 
against it so vigorously that it was moved to its pres¬ 
ent location about a dozen years ago. In six months 
after its removal, they wanted it back again, but it 
didn’t return. It draws the crowd, and gives regular 
dealers a chance to advertise their goods to people 
whom they might otherwise not reach. Some of the 
products sold here are very fine, but many are pretty 
poor, and the weights and measures used are manj of 
them intended to deceive. Much of the poultry and 
PADDY’S MARKET—WITH AND WITHOUT WHEELS. FIG. 202. 
fish have a smell and look more ancient than honor¬ 
able, while some of the veal offered had a very youfig 
and tender appearance. But it's an interesting place 
to visit, and one can learn much of the human nature 
of both buyer and seller. f. h. y. 
A FEW HAY NOTES. 
Tracks and Track Ropes. —A reader in Michigan 
says that steel hay tracks do not take well in his local¬ 
ity, as they get out of shape. Wooden tracks are 
largely used. There is some bother with track ropes, 
when first put up, as they stretch a good deal. One 
man doctored his rope by hitching one end of it to a 
large tree, and the other end to a good span of horses. 
He let them pull on it all they could, about 10 times, 
and that took the stretch out of it, so that they had 
no further trouble. 
Some Vermont Practices. —A reader in Vermont 
says that he cuts two crops of hay each year. His 
land needs top-dressing every second year, and new 
seeding every fourth year. When new seeding is 
necessary, he sows it with millet, as soon as possible 
after harvesting the first crop of hay. The best time 
he has found for top-dressing, is immediately after 
PADDY’S MARKET—BABIES NOT FOR SALE. Fig. 203. 
the first crop is cut. This man regards the tedder as 
the most helpful machine in the hay field. 
Clover in Massachusetts. —Mr. Eldridge Cushman, 
of Massachusetts, would never use a tedder in clover, 
but would bunch up in bunches of about 50 pounds, 
and turn these bunches from time to time with a fork. 
He wants a week, at least, to cure clover properly. 
He says that, with good weather, good machinery, 
good help and a good yield, he has secured hay at an 
expense not exceeding $1.50 per ton. Under unfavor¬ 
able conditions, the expense may be three times as 
much. He also says that there is no better time to 
top-dress grass land, than just as soon as possible 
after it has been undressed. 
Long Island Hay Barns. —On parts of Long Island, 
hay farmers make a barn of peculiar construction. 
The sides are composed of doors. Beginning at one 
end, loads are driven through and dumped into the 
barn. When one space is filled, loads are driven 
through the next door, and so on until the whole barn 
is full of hay. These barns are built long, and wide 
enough for an entire load to be driven in. 
Sleds in the Hay Field. -Mr. S., of Paulding County, 
Ohio, says that, when hay is to be stacked in the field, 
he uses sleds 8 feet wide by 12 feet long, with runners 
made of 2 by 6-inch plank. This sled has a light slid¬ 
ing platform, and one horse is hitched to each sled. 
He can generally find a boy who will ride the horse 
for the fun there is in it. One man in the field pitches 
the hay on to the sled, and one man at the stack 
pitches it off. In this way, quick and easy work is 
made of stacking. The 3-inch tire wagon or truck 
makes the best hay wagon. It runs easier than the 
narrow tires, and can be used with less injury on soil 
and grass. Mr. S. believes in feeding the hay on the 
farm, and considers it a mistake to sell the hay, 
although it is often a great temptation to do so. 
Hay Rakes. —A reader in Toledo, Ohio, says that 
the revolving hay rake is better for the meadow than 
the spring-tooth, as it does not tear up the roots of 
grass. For a new meadow, he would use a revolving 
rake, although it does not glean as cleanly as does the 
sulky. This man says that Timothy is very sensitive 
to odors and foul atmosphere, and should not be stored 
in a mow close to a hogpen or other strong-smelling 
places. Strange to say, he does not value clover hay 
highly, except for cows, and even for cows, he would 
dampen and sprinkle with bran before feeding. He 
wants a boy or two up in the hay mow to tramp the 
hay as it is put in. Some farmers use the bull for this 
purpose, lift him up into the hay mow with the hay 
slings, and lead him about with the rope. 
THE TAX ON INSURANCE POLICIES. 
The new War Revenue bill levies taxes upon insur¬ 
ance policies, fire, life and accident. There has been 
some question as to how this tax may be paid, and we 
corresponded with a number of leading companies in 
order to learn something about the matter. 
John A. McCall, president of the New York Life In¬ 
surance Company, says that the revenue stamp tax 
does not affect old policy holders in any way. It 
applies to new policies. The officers of the several 
companies are considering just how this tax will be 
collected hereafter. 
Robert A. Granniss, vice president of the Mutual Life 
Company, says that the proposed tax is in the nature 
of a stamp tax “ on any policy of life insurance, or 
other instrument by whatever name the stamp shall 
be called, whereby any insurance shall hereafter be 
made upon any life or lives, for each $100 or frac¬ 
tional part thereof, eight cents on the amount in¬ 
sured.’’ It thus appears that this particular tax does 
not affect existing policies or the premiums payable 
thereon. 
The secretary of the Equitable Life Insurance Com¬ 
pany does not understand that the law imposes any 
tax on life insurance policies issued prior to its enact¬ 
ment. 
/ 
S. C. Dunham, counsel of the Travelers’ Insurance 
Company, says that all stamp taxes imposed by the 
War Revenue bill upon insurance policies must be 
paid by the companies. Outstanding policies are not 
affected in any way, but stamps must be affixed by 
the company writing the insurance to all policies 
hereafter issued. 
M. A. Stone, president of the Greenwich Insurance 
Company, says that this tax will, undoubtedly, be 
paid by the company, and not by the policy holders. 
“Of course,” he says, “all the expenses connected 
with the business of insurance eventually fall upon 
the policy holder, and theoretically, these additional 
expenses will likewise have to be paid by him. But 
we do not anticipate that the tax will be of such im¬ 
portance that any immediate increase of rates will be 
made.” 
The tax, therefore, does not seem to be considered 
specially important by the companies, and there will, 
probably, be no particular contest over it. 
BUSINESS BITS. 
Mr. Geo. Granger, of Hornellsville, N. Y., says that, if Gom- 
bault’s Balsam does not take off any bunch from a horse, it is be¬ 
cause it is not used properly. He has cured very bad spavins 
with it. 
Steel hog troughs and water tanks will, probably, cost a little 
more on the start than wooden ones, but they have the advantage 
of being easier to keep clean, and will last long enough to make 
up the difference. The Hall Steel Tank Company, «3 N. Ashland 
Avenue, Chicago, Ill., make a line of these goods, and will be glad 
to send catalogue of them. 
We are just in receipt of a 50-page pamphlet description of the 
Moody-Sharples system of dairying. In brief, the system consists 
of a central creamery with outlying receiving stations when 
necessary, and a separator on every farm to separate the milk 
when first drawn from the cow, the cream being gathered by 
wagons from the creamery, and the sweet, warm milk being fed 
on the farm. The pamphlet gives the system in detail, and points 
out its disadvantages as well as its advantages. We think P. M. 
Sharpies, West Chester, Pa., would send a pamphlet if you ask 
for it, as it helps advertise his separators. 
The only absolute, sure way to rid milk of foul odors is by aerat¬ 
ing and cooling it. Simple cooling will not suffice, for the cooling 
of milk without aeration thoroughly locks up and holds the odors. 
On the other hand, the aeration of milk destroys or sets free the 
bad odors entirely. The best possible results are to be obtained 
by aerating and cooling the milk at one and the same time. This 
feature is the prime advantage of the perfection Milk Cooler and 
Aerator. It presents a very large surface for the action of the 
air on the thin sheet of milk as it passes over the outside surface. 
As the inside is filled with cold water or ice water, it cools com¬ 
pletely in the same operation. L. R. Lewis, Cortland, N. Y., is 
the manufacturer. 
