1961. 
T1IE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
753 
Events of the Week. 
DOMESTIC.—New York has appropriated $10,000 to be 
expended by a special commission of bacteriologists, which 
will make a study of pneumonia for the Department of 
Health, and endeavor to formulate measures which will cur¬ 
tail the alarming spread of the disease. . . . Survivors 
of the Slocum disaster and those who were bereaved by it 
met to the number of more than 300 September 2S in New 
York, and protested against the decision of the local steam¬ 
boat inspectors in their recent investigation into the causes 
of the disaster. They passed unanimously this resolution : 
“That we, the bereaved members of this organization, em¬ 
phatically declare that the whole responsibility rests with 
the board of directors and officers of the Knickerbocker 
Steamboat Company, who knew at the time of the disaster 
of the incompetency of their crew; and we further denounce 
and look for a speedy punishment of the negligent and in¬ 
competent Federal Government inspectors, Lund berg and 
Fleming, who wilfully and dastardly permitted this unlit 
vessel to be in commission without a thorough inspection 
of the appliances, such as life preservers, hose, etc., which 
came under their supervision." It was resolved to send a 
copy of the resolutions to President Roosevelt. . . . Fire 
in a wholesale glasshouse in New York caused a loss of 
$200,000 September 20. The following day, at a packing 
house tire in New York, 40 firemen were overcome by am¬ 
monia fumes, but there were no fatalities. It was a very 
dangerous fire, loss being $250,000. ... A llood struck 
Trinidad, C’ol., and the whole valley along the I.as Animas 
Kh-er September 30, devastating a wide section and causing 
a loss to property of about $1,000,000. Every bridge in the 
city of Trinidad was out,' the Santa Fe station was demol¬ 
ished. all of the railroads tied up and the telephones and 
telegraph service suspended. More than 30 city blocks in 
the residence and business portions were from two to four 
feet under water along the river. The flood was caused by 
a heavy rain, which had been falling for two days. Septem¬ 
ber 29 the storm assumed cloudburst proportions and the 
I.as Animas River went over its banks. October 1-2 further 
damage resulted, 12 persons being drowned at Watrous; loss 
$100,000. . . . Senator George Frisbie lloar died at his 
home, Worcester, Mass., September 30. He was born at 
Concord in 1826’. Ills father, Samuel Hoar, was one of the 
most eminent lawyers at the Massachusetts bar, an asso¬ 
ciate in practice of Daniel Webster, and a Representative in 
Congress. lie was driven from Charleston, S. C., by a mob 
which resented his appearance to defend some negro sailors. 
He presided over a meeting held in Worcester in 1848 to 
choose delegates to the National Convention that nominated 
\an Buren and Adams for President and Vice-President. 
••This," George F. Hoar wrote, “was the beginning of the 
Republican party,” and of his father. "His character has 
been to me the principal object of honor and reverence In my 
life.” Choosing the law for his profession, he studied at 
the Harvard law school and in the office of the late Judge 
Thomas, in Worcester. On his admission to the bar in 
1849 he settled in Worcester and began practice, and that 
city was afterward his home. Mr. Hoar was City Solicitor 
of Worcester in 1860, was President of the trustees of the 
Cit.v Library, was a member of the State House of Repre¬ 
sentatives in 1852 and of the State Senate in 1857. In 
1868 he was elected a Representative in Congress (the Forty- 
first). In this Congress he supported Sumner in opposition 
to General Grant's Santo Domingo scheme. Mr. Hoar was 
re-elected to the Forty-second, Forty-third and Forty-fourth 
Congresses, and was the life and power of many movements 
in behalf of education, labor and internal improvements, 
lie was one of the managers on behalf of the House of the 
impeachment trial of Secretary Belknap, and he awoke the 
conscience of the people and gave a great impulse to a wave 
of ofiicial and political reform. Mr. Hoar refused a re-elee- 
tion to the Forty-fifth Congress. lie was elected to the 
United States Senate to succeed George S. Boutwell, taking 
his seat March 5, 1877, and he was re-elected in 1883, 1889. 
1895 and 1901. Ilis term of service would have expired 
March 3, 1907. . . . October 2 forest tires burned over 
2,000 acres near Millway, N. .1.. and great activity was re¬ 
quired to save farm property. . . . October 3 tire de¬ 
stroyed the rug factory of the Fries-Breslin Company at 
Camden, N. .1.; loss estimated at $400,000. . . . Post¬ 
master-General Henry C. Payne died at Washington October 
4. lie was born at Ashfield, Mass., November 23, 1843. 
Reared in a New England homestead, he was trained to 
habits of great industry. When he was 16 years old he was 
graduated from an academy at Shelburne Falls, Mass. Two 
years after leaving school the Civil War was begun and 
young Payne presented himself for enlistment. Because of 
his diminutive stature he was refused admission to the 
t'nlon army. He then decided to go West, lie went to 
Wisconsin and located in Milwaukee, where he obtained a 
position as a clerk in a dry goods store. Mr. Payne began 
to take an active interest in politics in 1872 by devoting his 
energies to organizing the Young Men's Republican Club of 
Milwaukee, lie served as secretary and chairman of the 
County Committee. Displaying much ability in this work 
he was chosen chairman of the State Central Committee. 
In 1880,he became a member of the National Committee. 
He serve"d as a delegate to the conventions of 1SS0. 1888 
and 1892. The nomination of Garfield was in great measure 
due to his efforts. Mr. Payne was appointed postmaster of 
Milwaukee in 1876 and held the office 10 years. Success at 
tended Mr. Payne in his business ventures as well as in 
politics. He reorganized the street railway system of Mil¬ 
waukee. In 1885 he became president of the Wisconsin Tel- 
ephone Company. In 1893 he was appointed receiver of the 
Northern Pacific Railroad and in that year also was elected 
president of the American Street Railway Association. He 
was interested in building several towns in the timber belt 
of Wisconsin. It is announced that Geo. B. Cortelyou will 
succeed Mr. Payne. . . . Fire in a lumber yard at John¬ 
son City, Tenn., October 4, caused a loss of $200,000. 
ADMINISTRATION.—The reclamation service has struck 
a snag in the projec’t for the construction of a big irrigation 
system in California and Arizona, to be supplied from the 
Colorado River. Ambassador Azipiroz of Mexico has filed 
with the State Department formal objection to the construc¬ 
tion of the proposed dam across the Colorado at the Potholes, 
above Yuma, on the ground that injury might result to the 
navigability of the river, which would constitute a violation' 
of the treaty between the I'nited States and Mexico. The 
treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo provided that that portion of 
the Gila River forming part of the boundary line between 
the United States and Mexico should be free to the citizens 
and vessels of both countries, and that "neither shall, with¬ 
out the consent of the other, construct any work that may 
impede or interrupt, in whole or in part, the exercise of this 
right: not even for the purpose of favoring new methods of 
navigation.” The Gadsden treaty, which makes the Rio 
Colorado part of the boundary line, reaffirms and renews this 
agreement. The proposed dam was designed to be a low 
structure, which would catch and retain the big proportion 
of silt carried down the river, permitting the flood waters 
to flow over the top. It is alleged by the officers of the 
reclamation service that there is in fact no navigation on the 
Colorado River, but it is not denied that both the I’nited 
States and Mexico have declared the river to be a navigable 
stream. The Colorado, like all other navigable streams in 
the United States, is under the control of the War Depart¬ 
ment. and an act of Congress would be required to place its 
waters at the disposal of the reclamation service. Now that 
Mexico has entered objection to the construction of a dam 
and the diversion of the water, the outlook for the con¬ 
struction of the irrigation project is not bright. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—A National Potato Society was 
forced in England last Winter, and a great show was held 
under its auspices at the Crystal Palace, near London, Oclo 
her 11 and 12. The British had a great, potato boom last 
Fall, and it has not subsided yet, as sales are lively at $10 
a pound, and Archibald Findlay is asking $1,000 a pound 
for his new sort Million Makers. American visitors were 
made welcome at the show, lunch and conferences. The 
secretary o! the society is Walter P. Wright, Postling, Ilytlie, 
Kent, England. 
The seventh annual meeting of the O. I. C. Swine Breeder's 
Association was held in Live Stock Congress Hall on the 
grounds of the Universal Exposition, St. Louis, Mo., Oct. 14. 
TEXAS AND THE COTTON WEEVIL. 
I am not in the weevil district and depend upon reports 
for information, though I have the most reliable papers of 
our State. The damage done by the insect is very great, 
though no doubt some reports are exaggerated. I see no 
accounts of farmers leaving their lands on account of the 
weevil, but no doubt the renter class will do so, as they know 
little of any kind of farming except cotton. Most of the 
weevil district is adapted to fruit and truck growing, and, 
indeed, some of the counties largely quit growing cotton in 
favor of those crops before the weevil reaches them. Espe¬ 
cially is this true of the section known as East Texas. Aiy 
farmer who can make a living in the North out. of the soil 
can do well here. I was horn in Ohio, raised on a Michigan 
farm, and am now farming in Montague County, Texas. I 
see no reason why sheep would not be as profitable here 
with the small farmer as they were in the North. The 
Winter is short and open. Lands run in price from $2.50 
for unimproved land in the timber to $50 and $75 for rich 
improved black land farms, and there is room for many. 
Bowie, Texas. a. b. c. 
In this portion of the State (North Central) we have not 
yet been damaged to any extent. From Waco south is the 
country that is suffering, in the following counties: Mc- 
Lellan," Williamson, Limestone, Freestone, Brazos, Grimes, 
Burleson, Bastrop, Caldwell, Anderson, Henderson. Leon, 
Houston, Navarro. They are steadily coming north and going 
east, as I was told to-day by a very honorable man, who 
has just returned from a trip to that part of the State. He 
tells the worst I have heard yet, from a man whom 1 know 
will tell the truth. lie said that in Calvert, Ilearne, Bryan, 
Brazoria and several more places one-third of the stores 
were actually closed. Cotton is only making a bale to from 
six to 20 acres. He said one man had 3,000 acres in 
cotton and would not get 100 bales. The farmers are chang¬ 
ing their plans; are not depending on cotton so much for a 
money crop any more. There is a great wave of diversi¬ 
fication all over the country. We are getting more clear 
money out of our cotton than ever before. Land is rapidly 
advancing in price in this part of the State. I cannot say 
about the infected portion. Land is selling here from $15 
to $65 pei 1 acre. I have never known such a move for small 
homes. There is a great deal of cheaper land in other parts 
of the State. It is the renting class of farmers who are 
being hurt worse than anyone else. Land owners can shift 
to something else. Fruit, Alfalfa, potatoes, tobacco, sugar¬ 
cane and rice are being raised instead of so much cotton. 
Grapevine, Texas. J. w. b. 
AGRICULTURE IN MANITOBA. 
Some of our readers have asked what problems the exper¬ 
iment stations in the Far North are trying to solve. The 
following statement from the station at Brandon, Manitoba, 
will interest them : 
Manitoba is pre-eminently a wheat-growing country, and 
our experiments deal very largely with that product, but at 
the same time we realize that other branches of agriculture 
will sooner or later become the chief dependence of the 
farmer here, as well as in older settlements. The variety 
of wheat giving the greatest satisfaction to the buyer in this 
country is known as Red Fife, but unfortunately this variety 
is somewhat late in maturing. For years we have been en¬ 
deavoring to obtain a variety equal in quality, but ripening 
a week or 10 days earlier. Although we have obtained vari¬ 
eties from all parts of the world, and also created a great 
many by cross-fertilizing, we have yet to find one fully equal 
to the Red Fife for quality, although many kinds are from 
a week to 10 days earlier. \Ve also make a number of 
experiments each year in different ways of cultivating the 
land for a wheat crop. The prevention of the loss from 
disease aiso receives considerable attention. Our exper¬ 
iments with preventives of smut in wheat have been very 
successful, as we find that the spraying or sprinkling of 
the seed wheat with formalin or bluestone liquid prevents all 
loss from this cause. 
The culture of other grains, such as oats, barley and 
flax seed, is receiving considerable attention. We find that 
the yield of oats can be improved very materially by using 
first-class seed of a good variety like Banner oats. In 
former years the loss from smut in oats was very large, but 
since this farm has encouraged the use of formalin smut in 
oats is almost unknown. Corn is only grown here for fod¬ 
der purposes. We find that in spite of our northern location 
our crop of fodder corn is a large one and makes excellent 
silage. Grasses and other fodder crops, such as clovers and 
millets, are receiving considerable attention. For years it 
was thought that this Province could not grow clover suc¬ 
cessfully. By sowing the seed without a nurse crop we have 
had excellent crops of both the common Red and Alfalfa, but 
our heavy crops of grain usually kill out the clover if an 
attempt is made to grow both at the same time. 
Cattle, poultry and swine thrive remarkably well, and a 
number of feeding experiments are carried on each year 
with them. This Province is very prosperous at present, 
farmers are getting large returns. The price of their 
produce is high and values of everything are rapidly increas 
ing; as there are millions of acres of land still unoccupied 
for want of settlers, there is bound to be a steady growth in 
all lines of business. s. a. Bedford. 
Manitoba Exp. Fa rm. 
FOREIGN APPLE MARKETS 
The market is steady and demand good with slight im¬ 
provement for good fruit. Gravensteins, $3.50 to $4 ; Kings, 
$3.12 to $4.12. C. R. LAWRENCE. 
Boston. 
Cable advices from the principal apple markets of Great 
Britain report an active demand for all well conditioned lots 
landing and prices fairly steady. Gravensteins. Kings and 
Wealtliies are doing best, and their landing condition has 
been generally very good. The prices realized net in Boston 
from $2.25(1/ $2.75* per barrel and half-barrel cases $1.25(17 
SI.75. Latest mail advices mention the matter of the very 
low prices prevailing for most of the home fruit, in some sec¬ 
tions selling as low as 4(5 6 cents per stone (14 pounds), and 
advise caution in sending any inferior fruit from this side. 
Some Porters, Pippins and other sweet apples from this side 
arrived out in bad order, and sold at very low prices. They 
anticipate a very large demand for Baldwins, Kings and 
other hardy red "varieties at fairly good prices. 
Boston. _ GEO. A. COCHRANE. 
CROP PROSPECTS. 
I have made some inquiries, and from what I can learn 
beans in this vicinity will be about oue-half a crop. 
Newark, N. Y. C. e. c. 
Beans are one-third of a crop, or about one-half of last 
year’s crop. The short crop is due to the wet Spring. 
Monroe Co., N. Y. j. b. collamer & sons. 
Farmers in this section have their plowing for wheat well 
under way. Corn is only a fair crop. Late potatoes look 
well, but prices keep at 60 cents a bushel; most of it goes 
to the canning factory. Apples will be a large harvest, 
35 cents a bushel being offered for Kings, Spies and favorite 
varieties. J. w. p. 
Moran, N. Y. 
Apples a heavy crop, 50 to 60 per cent; barreling stock 
selling for $1.75. Potatoes 50 to 60 cents per bushel. Cab- 
bage .<4 per ton, good quality. Fall crop oats good, heavy 
yield. Hay heavy, good quality, selling for $S to $10 per 
ton. Wheat very light. Windfall apples selling for 15 cents 
per 100 pounds, or 7(4 cents per bushel. Beans heavy; 
buckwheat very poor, not much raised in this vicinity. 
East Hamlin, N. Y. g. h. k. 
Hop picking in this section is over, and there is about 
a two-thirds crop. Prices good, running from 30 to 32 
cents. Apple crop is very large here; trees breaking with 
the load, but most of the fruit is quite small. Peach crop 
along Canandaigua Lake is fine; better than the average. 
Plums are hanging on the trees: no market for them. 
Potato digging is just beginning. What 1 have seen so far 
are tine; very little lot and the yield is heavy. Prices 
about 45 cents. Beaus are turning out well. Blight lias 
struck them, but does not seem to have struck through the 
pod. Very few of the beans are damaged. The grapes in 
this section are very much better than had been expected. 
They are turning out very good except in patches where the 
hail struck. j. w. c. 
Naples, N. Y. _ 
PROSPECTS FOR FURS. 
The situation and present outlook of the fur business dates 
back to January sales, 1903. The offerings at that sale 
were comparatively small, the buyers plenty and anxious for 
goods. Results were very surprising to all shippers, as they 
got far more for goods than anticipated. The following 
March sale was not quite as good, yet a very heavy offering 
of skunk was on their hands in London at high prices. Still, 
in spite of all, dealers took them all at very high prices. 
Muskrat began going up and up, until it reached the highest 
mark known for years, caused by the American manufac¬ 
turers using them to imitate the little moleskin. The fad 
also extended in Europe. The June sales, 1904, however, 
were not so good for the muskrat, but the October sales, 
1904, went back to the high prices again on this fur. The 
results of January sales, 1903, and October sales, 1904, on 
muskrats, in spite of advices from C. M. Lawson & Co., 
London. England, who cautioned to go slow, made all dealers 
go wild and they paid wildcat prices, and in my opinion 
would have got their money back had not the Russo-Japanese 
war broken out. But instead all dealers lost heavily in 
January sales, 1904. Muskrat went to pieces, fell back to 
the old dull market, and are still there at present. Moleskin 
fad did not take as a fashion among consumers. The result 
of heavy losses, the eastern war still in force, and also 
heavy stocks of all principal goods in dealers’ hands abroad, 
especially Leipsic, is having a bad effect on the future fur 
trade. My honest opinion is that we all, as dealers, must 
go carefully this season, or the results of losses again will 
follow last season’s work. Yet, in spite of all. I think 
opossum, skunk, mink, fox, red and brown, will be in fair 
demand if not forced too high and put out of fashion or 
favor. LEMUEL BLACK. 
PROPOSED N. J. FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 
New Market, Middlesex County, November 14; Matawan, 
Monmouth County, November 15; Mullica Hill, Gloucester 
County, November 16-17; Salem, Salem County, November 
18; Clayton, Gloucester County, November 19; Harlingen. 
Somerset County, November 21 ; Verona, Essex County, No¬ 
vember 22; Hackensack, Bergen County, November 23; Look- 
town, Hunterdon County, November 25-26; Layton. Sussex 
County, November 28-29; Branchville, Sussex County, No¬ 
vember 30, December 1 ; Blairstown. Warren County, Decem¬ 
ber 2 ; Pennington, Mercer County, December 3 ; Moorestown, 
Burlington County, December 5-6; Blackwood, Camden Coun¬ 
ty, December 7: Vineland, Cumberland County. December 8; 
Williamstown, Gloucester County, December 9; Mount Holly, 
Burlington County, December 10; Shiloh, Cumberland Coun¬ 
ty, December 12-18; New Egypt, Ocean County, December 
16; Allentown, Monmouth County, December 17; Hamilton 
Square, Mercer County, December 19; Woodstowu, Sale.ni 
County, December 20-21 : Hammonton, Atlantic County, De¬ 
cember 22; Woodbine, Cape May County, December 23; 
Stewartsville. Warren County. December 26; Little York. 
Hunterdon County, December 27: Three Bridges, Hunterdon 
County, December 28; Ilightstown or Windsor, Mercer Coun¬ 
ty, December 29; Keyport, Monmouth County, December 30. 
Annual meeting of State Horticultural Society, January 5 
and 6. The thirty-second annual meeting of State Board. 
January 11, 12 and 13, 1905. For programmes of Institutes 
or of the annual meeting, address Franklin Dye, Secretary, 
Trenton, N. J. 
A GOOD GARDENER.—Skipping over to Auburn on the 
trolley from the State Fair Grounds, I visited the market 
garden of E. L. Thornton, which is located within and ad¬ 
joining the city limits, and contains in round numbers 100 
acres. Mr. Thornton, in practical, efficient gardening, holds 
first rank in the class known as “the men behind the hoe,” 
and in spite of the unfavorable season, his system of thor¬ 
ough tillage has resulted in the production of crops of 
unusual excellence. He uses no commercial fertilizers, but 
finds in the use of large quantities of Autumn leaves, gath¬ 
ered in the streets of the city, a mulch for shrubs and trees 
as well as an enrichment and an amelioration of the heavy 
soil. Stable manure is used of course, and the enormous 
waste or refuse of the garden is so carefully gathered ami 
composted as to become a safety bank that pays a per cent 
of Interest not limited by law. The crop allotments for this 
season were, in acres, as follows: Sweet corn, 25; sugar 
beets, 30; sweet turnips and garden beets, 6; tomatoes, 4; 
red kidney beans. 5; cabbages, 5; cucumbers, 4; carrots. 2: 
potatoes, "2; Hubbard squash and parsnips, 2(4, and grapes, 
berries and fruits, both large and small, making up the 106 
acres. c. f. b. 
A PROSPEROUS ITALIAN.—The following clipping from 
Grand Haven (Mich.) Courier-Journal shows what a poor 
man can do if he will only go at it right. My banker told 
me that the amount the Italian is said to have taken out 
of this country is not exaggerated. “A Grand Haven watch 
man discovered that an Italian was making a lodging place 
of a box car and ordered him out. He got out. but ex- 
plained that he was taking that method of protecting him¬ 
self from the weather and sand fleas because his capital of 
S46 or $50 was all invested in bananas and peanuts and he 
was trying hard to save expenses and catch on. But senti¬ 
ment and official duty had nothing in common with the night 
guardian and the Italian was told to keep out. lie kept out 
and also kept on selling bananas and peanuts from a small 
street stand. It was 10 years ago Salvador Belsito was 
bounced from the box car by Peter Cook, the corporation 
watch. A few days ago he took a notion to go back to 
Italy. He has gone. He took with him about $15,000 of 
single standard value. His fruit stand had become a store 
and he was no longer a "dago." but Mr. Belsito. Some say 
he will live permanently in Italy : others that he will return 
and double his money. There is no information how much 
Peter Cook, the night watchman, became worth during the 
io years past, but. however, he did not buy out Mr. Salvador 
Belsito, the box car dago." geo. c. bor<*k. 
BUSINESS BITS. 
The illustrated booklet issued by Williams Telephone and 
Supply Co., Cleveland, O., will be found of great value to any 
reader who contemplates putting a telephone in his house or 
who is interested in the construction or equipment of a line. 
It will be sent free on request. 
Swan’s brand of felt roofing has been standard for more 
than 20 years. It is sold direct to user and we dare say the 
homes and farm buildings of hundreds of our people are 
covered by this roofing. It is suitable for either flat or 
steep roofs. Anyone can put it on. If you are going to 
build or have leaky roofs write to the A. F. Swan Co., 114 
Battery Place, New York. 
Those who are intending to purchase feed mills this sea¬ 
son should not overlook the old reliable Quaker City, manu¬ 
factured by the A. W. Straub Co., Philadelphia and Chicago. 
It is a mill that well deserves attention. It has been manu- 
faetured for 38 years. It would long since have been off 
the market if it had not kept pace with the times and been 
year by year one of the best mills made. Catalogue and 
detailed information may be had by writing the company at 
either address. 
