1904 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
39 
Hope Farm Notes 
Winter Living.— Last week I spoke of 
using a telephone, and now someone wants 
.to know when we put one in at the farm. 
We have not been able to get one at the 
farmhouse yet, but this leads me to ex¬ 
plain that we came to the county town 
for a few months this Winter. Fhillp 
wanted to go home to see his mother in 
Norway, and Hugh wanted to visit his 
home folks in Michigan. Those things and 
some private reasons prompted us to try 
our luck in town during the cold months. 
Some years ago I got hold of a lot in the 
town and began to study the workings of 
building and loan associations. I thought 
I saw a chance of getting a home, and 
slowly accumulating a little property, so 
we borrowed money of our local associa¬ 
tion and built a cottage on this lot. We 
lived there a while, but' then found it 
necessary to get out on a farm. We rented 
a place for three years and then bought 
the present Hope Farm, borrowing money 
from the same association to pay for part 
of it. In the meantime the town cottage 
was rented. The rent more than paid the 
monthly building and loan dues, and left a 
little for taxes, so that the tenant has 
really been paying for our property! The 
tenant left for the Winter and so we came 
back for a few months to try the little 
house again. The farm lies about 10 miles 
away, and is easy to reach. We are there 
frequently. Charlie and his family hold 
the fort this Winter. He will take care 
of the stock, sell the apples and pork, do 
some painting and repairing and cut fence 
posts and clear up a field for planting. 
Such help as he needs can be hired by the 
day. Early in Spring we can all get at it 
again and push the growing season hard. 
We have a cow and some hens in town, 
and all hands are snug as bugs in a rug. 
The little boys and Ida take care of the 
cow and the pony—we haul clover hay and 
stalks from the farm to feed them. This 
gives us among other things a good chance 
to realize what a blessing (financial and 
otherwise) it is to have milk, fruit and 
vegetables of your own. We have a young 
heifer here that will eat less than 10 cents' 
worth of grain a day. It would cost more 
than $10 a month to buy the milk she gives 
at the prices others pay. We could bring 
down Genevieve, who is just fresh, and 
sell $10 worth a month besides our own 
supply. The little boys do pretty well 
at caring for the stock—with some watch¬ 
ing—but I agree with Mr. Manchester 
when he says that feeding a good cow is 
a responsible job. One thing we miss is 
the pure water on the farm. I am always 
afraid of town water, and always want it 
boiled before drinking it—and boiling 
makes Tt flatter than a pancake. We 
bring drinking water from the farm, and 
this has put me on the track of a new 
game. When the weather gets a little 
milder we hope to try bottling our spring 
water and putting it on the market in a 
modest way. 
I don’t want anyone to think that the 
Hope Farm man has become either a tired 
or a retired farmer because he follows the 
Madame and the children to the town cot¬ 
tage for a few months. I have all I want 
to do. If we had 10 times as many apples 
and onions as we grew this year we could 
sell them all at good prices in this town. 
A man right here during this eating sea¬ 
son can find customers for a vast amount 
of stuff that would be slow' of sale when 
handled by middlemen. A good business 
man can far more than pay rent by living 
right among his customers, learning what 
they want and then telling the boys to 
bring it in from the farm. I can see pos¬ 
sibilities for local trade this Winter that 
I did not think of. Suppose I had three 
or four tons of good squash and 500 dozen 
of good celery right now. With a stock 
in our town cellar the little boys could 
take orders over the telephone and de¬ 
liver goods with the pony! I have a va¬ 
cant lot here—naturally very strong soil. 
I now see that it is admirably adapted to 
growing Prizetaker onions. This year I 
want to work up that lot, handle it right 
and transplant the onions right here. They 
will attract attention as they grow, and 
will advertise themselves. Many of such 
things occur to a farmer when he is 
brought up close to the people who are 
to buy his goods. When I first started 
with the town lot I planted a small or¬ 
chard of plum trees. Now I find them 
alive with the San Jos§ scale—in fact, so 
much alive that the trees are nearly dead. 
There are one or two young sprouts from, 
most of them which seem to be thriving. 
I shall dishorn these trees by' cutting 
them far back—then paint with lime and 
sulphur wash and try to make new heads. 
I find the scale all over the blackberries 
and currants. 
Farm Notes.— The weather has been 
cold and disagreeable. There is quite 
enough snow to make it uncomfortable to 
be out. It is risky shipping apples in 
baskets or boxes during such weather, 
but we have kept them goipg by express 
without any loss. We have begun to ship 
a few Russets, though it is early for that 
variety. The Greenings are still firm and 
solid. The best of the Baldwins have gone, 
but the smaller ones are very fine. Uncle 
lild sent us a box of oranges for New 
Year’s. They were very nice, but 1 prefer 
a good apple.The old horses 
hold their own pretty well. Major is 
growing grizzled but though his legs ar 
a little stiff his disposition is limber 
enough—and who wouldn’t prefer disposi¬ 
tion to legs? Now is the time to feed lin¬ 
seed meal to the old fellows. I look for 
milder weather soon, and then we can 
turn the old veterans out in the barn¬ 
yard to sun themselves and come as ne i 
to kicking up their heels as their stiff 
joints will permit.Even while I 
was writing about ‘‘milder weather” com¬ 
ing a cold wave was on the way. It 
swooped down upon us with a whirl of 
snow and sleet. My! But it was a fierce 
one! 1 remember that 25 years ago I drove 
the supply team for a lumber camp in 
Michigan. In just such a storm as this 
the gray mare balked with a big load and 
right in the woods! The children have big 
eyes as I tell them how I finally got out. 
I am better at telling about it than 1 
would be at doing it over again. 
It is a long way yet to corn planting 
time, but we have many questions like 
this: 
"Tell in detail your method of tarring 
seed corn, and how you plant the tarred 
seed on a fairly large scale. Is tarring 
an absolute safeguard against crows?” 
The way we do is to blow the seed corn 
clear of dust and take an ordinary bucket 
about two-thirds full. 1’hen pour on top 
a big spoonful of gas tar. Then with a 
big iron spoon stir and stir until your arm 
begs for a rest, by which time the corn 
will be well blackened. It may be neces¬ 
sary to pour on more tar from time to 
time. The object is to have every kernel 
thoroughly blackened. We then stir in 
wood ashes or bran to dry the corn and it 
is ready to plant. We plant by hand, 
though I am told that the tarred corn, 
well dried, can be used in a planter. Wi'h 
us such corn is practically safe. The 
crows and chipmunks dig out a few hills, 
but rarely care to taste it a second time. 
One of our cornfields is right in the woods, 
where ordinary corn would be two-thirds 
destroyed, yet when tarred seed is used 
we lose barely a dozen hills. We do not 
find the North Carolina tar which comes 
in cans as useful as the gas tar. 
The Rural New-Yorker's 
OLD LINE LIFE INSURANCE CLUB 
This club has been organized to meet 
the need of The Rural New-Yorker’s read¬ 
ers for the following reasons: 
The farmer, his family, and his hired 
help have every good reason to carry all 
the good Life or Investment insurance 
within their means. 
They have not always been successful in 
the selection of a company, frequently, but 
unknowingly for a time, paying good 
money inio irresponsible concerns repre¬ 
sented to be Old Line Companies. 
Their selection as to the plan of policy 
has not always been in accord with the 
particular need they had in mind. 
They have frequently bought their poli¬ 
cies at the highest rates instead of the 
lowest. 
They have in most cases wished for ex¬ 
perienced, trustworthy counsel to aid in 
their decision, but wfiich has seldom been 
their privilege. 
Through the organization of this Club it 
is hoped all these obstacles will be entirely 
removed and place The R. N.-Y. readers in 
possession of all the facilities which the 
banker, lawyer and business man of the 
larger cities enjoy in attending to this very 
important matter, which so often provides 
the only resources at death for dependent 
ones, or for one’s own needs when he finds 
"he is not as young as he used to be.” 
This is certain; the readers of The R. 
N.-Y. will be dealt with honestly, have 
their life and savings insurance placed 
with one of the. very best companies for 
their own interest and get their value, in 
the goods they want, at the lowest possible 
cost. 
It will help young men and women to 
save for the future, which they must do 
if they would succeed, with reliable insur¬ 
ance on their lives included, and having 
more privileges than any savings bank af¬ 
fords in the event of their inability to con¬ 
tinue the payments. 
It will help men and women of families, 
or young men contemplating marriage, to 
get the insurance they under no circum¬ 
stance should be without, with entire sat¬ 
isfaction. 
The membership is limited. Prompt ap¬ 
plication should therefore be made. 
All particulars as to membership, cost, 
plans of insurance will be furnished on re¬ 
ceipt of the following particulars: Name 
in full, age, date of birth, if married, 
names, ages and occupation of each mem¬ 
ber of family. Address 
Selling Farm Produce.— Every time I 
write a word about children and farm 
business someone asks if we are not afr a 
the children will be laughed at if they are 
known as farmers! Few tilings make me 
more indignant than a suggestion of that 
sort. When anybody at Hope Farm be¬ 
comes ashamed of the fact that he is a 
farmer, and that his bread depends on 
farm work, he couldn’t get away too quit 
for me. Our children are brought up to 
understand that the farm is not only their 
home, but the place where their living is 
to be made. They are proud to sell apples 
or milk or onions, because we all try to 
put respect and character into those crops. 
The Hope Farm man can see no shame 
whatever in carrying a basket of fruit or 
onions provided the bottom layer is as 
good as the top and the middle better than 
either. Our children are brought up to 
have respect for simple and homely things. 
It is my ambition to make them good 
farmers—plain, honest citizens. Some of 
the young people of to-day are enough to 
give an old-timer a severe headache. They 
are pushed far beyond their capacity until 
they really think that "smartness” is 
character and monkey-like imitation is 
originality. The fault is chiefly with thpir 
parents who give their children to under¬ 
stand that a soft-handed handler of goods 
is superior to the actual producer. Of 
course I realize that most old-timers like 
myself have forgotten how the world 
really looks to a young fellow. Perhaps 
it ought not to appear to them just as i' 
did to me, for I am forced to admit that 
the world has changed since I was a boy! 
Still, with my experience, I can see that 
unless this country gets into the control 
of a small body of men so that ordinary 
men and women are to be mere apes o 
subordinates, doing what others tell them 
to do, these young people give no evidence 
of being able to stand alone. I do not 
blame the young people half as much as 
I blame their parents—poor, weak mis¬ 
guided folks who imagine that the so- 
called polish which “society” puts on a 
boy or girl is superior to the sterling 
character which can only come through 
somebody's self-denial. Why, such folks 
consider the bootblack a more necessary 
citizen than the shoemaker. 'I'hey toil and 
slave and skimp and even dodge some of 
their bills in order that John or Mary may 
appear as well as richer children. Can 
they not see what a false position they 
put their children in? None of that at 
Hope Farm! 
Another thing that I blame some well- 
to-do people for is that they push their 
children out into competition with boys 
and girls who need every cent they can 
earn. A man well capable of keeping his 
daughter at home to help her mother—and 
paying her for it—will get her a job at 
small pay. The girl does not need the in¬ 
come, but she not only takes a job from 
girls who do need it, but she works for a 
low figure and thus keeps down the price. 
1'his thing is all wrong—for the first girl 
does not even learn to support herself. 
H. W. C. 
CIENTIFIC GRINDING MXLjlS grind Corn 
in the ear, or Grain in any form. Strong, exact, 
'reliable. Catalogue D mailed free. 
FOPS MFC. CO., Springfield, Ohio. 
Q 1 nt|Q of Plank save Timber and Cash. Cheapest, 
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stamp. BHAWVKR B BOTHERS, Bellefontaine, Ohio 
VICTORY FEED MILL. 
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Grinds faster, finer and with 
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Are built strong, well made of 
good material, and will last 
a lifetime. Small size adapt¬ 
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Made in four sizes for 1,4 ,8 
and 10 H. P. Free Catalogue. 
THOS. ROBERTS, 
9 it. Springfield, O. 
C. E. RAFFERTY, Secretary, 
The R. N-Y.’s Old Line Life Insurance Club, 
106 East 125th Street, Now York City. 
AH Service Garden Tools. 
A word to truck gardeners and those who ap* 
preciate perfect working tools for growing vegeta¬ 
bles for their own households must be timely here. 
The last few years have wrought many changes in 
all classes of implements. In none is this change 
more marked than the state of perfection that has 
been reached in gardening tools. This subject can¬ 
not be mentioned without bringingup the Planet Jr. 
line, manufactured by S. L. Allen & Co. Box 1107 V, 
Philadelphia. It is not to be wondered at that the 
Planet Jrs. have attained so great popularity, find¬ 
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There are the best of reasons for it. It is because 
these tools, one or another, in one or another of 
their many variable forms, meet exactly and fully 
every single need and purpose of gardeners from 
seeding to last cultivation. This is forcibly illus¬ 
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herewi th. Readei s should note carefully the many 
attachments. We show it as a seeder in which form 
it plants in hills or drills at all proper distances 
apart. It is the work of but a moment to convert it 
into a hoe, cultivator or plow, capable of the great’ 
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cultivating, furrowing, ridging etc., either between 
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all Planet Jr. tools. There are some forty of them, 
single seeders, hoes, etc., others combination tools 
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special need. Readers in any way interested in 
gardening should be interested in the Planet Jr. 
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tones showing Planet Jrs. in garden or field scenes 
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tool. It may be had for the asking 
I 
Don’t Bay Withoat Rending Ow 
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It is bright, interesting, practical. It tells Just 
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yiCTOR 
Incubators 
g are truthfully pictured and their 
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Factory Price 
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We are the only genera! merchandise house 
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$}Q80 
“LEADER” Road 
Wagon — Imitation 
leather trimmed: 
carpet, wrench and 
shafts: just as illustrated. Write for further 
9 25' 50 
"CHALLENGE” 
Buggy—24 in. body, 
cloth trimmed; top, 
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Write for details. 
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Send a postal today for our Vehicle Cat. No. El. 
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A special circular quoting our entire lire of 
Sleighs, Sleds, etc., will be sent at the sains 
time, if you request it. 40 
The Bantam 
I beats 'em all. On© ouBtomer writes he ob¬ 
tained 61 chleks from 60 eggs. The 
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time. Catalogue proves 11—sent free. 
Buckeye lneubator Co. 
Box, 28, Springfield, O. 
Save Two Thirds 
of the oil and get 20 per cent more chicks 
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IFE PRESERVERS 
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orders promptly filled from 
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Clay Center, Ncl>,. Indtunupolls, Ind. 
JOOD RESULTS. 
to be absolutely aure about it use th. 
n RELIABLE INCUBATORS & BROODERS 
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They Will Tell You 
Ask the most successful 
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Box 32 .Ithaca, N. Y. 
