1904 
369 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Events of the Week. 
DOMESTIC.— The worat accident that has occurred in 
tlie American navy since the blowing up of the Maine 
in Havana Harbor happened April 13 on the battleship 
Missouri while at target practice off Pensacola. Five 
oilicers and 24 men were killed outright by the ex¬ 
plosion of a 13-inch gun in the after turiet, and three 
more men died later, Explosions also occurred in the 
handling room, and only prompt and eiticient work on 
the part of Captain Cowles and his officers prevented 
tlie explosion of a magazine and destruction of the ship. 
The magazines and handling room were quickly Hooded, 
and Captain Cowles led a rescuing par<.y below, bringing 
out one seaman in his arms. The explosion is thought 
to be due to what is known as a “back tire” or “blow¬ 
out.” ... A heavy snowstorm swept western and 
northern New York, April 15. In North Tonawanda the 
snow was 14 inches deep. Five inches of snow fell at 
Buffalo, and the street car lines were kept in operation 
by the constant use of snow plows. In Syracuse the 
snow was three inches deep, and Oswego County reported 
good sleighing. Street railway travel there was main¬ 
tained under difficulty. . . . Andrew Carnegie has 
created a fund of $5,0(10,000 for the benefit of “the de¬ 
pendents of those losing their lives in heroic efforts to 
save their fellow men, or for the heroes themselves if 
injured only.'* Provision is also made for medals to be 
given in commemoration of heroic acts. The endowment 
is to be known as "The Hero Fund,” and consists of 
$5,000,000 of first collateral five per cent bonds of the 
United States Steel Corporation. The trust is placed in 
the hands of a commission. . . . Fire April 15 dam¬ 
aged the smelting works of the St. Louis Smelting and 
Itelining Company, at Howard Station, Mo., to the ex¬ 
tent of $200,000. A number of railroad freight cars and 
adjoining property burned; increasing the total loss to 
$250,000. . . . April 17, with a roar that was heard 20 
miles away, tlie Mississippi River cut through Killie- 
krankie Neck in Davis Bend and resumed its old chan¬ 
nel through what has latterly been known as Lake 
Palmyra. The change of channel has restored Davis 
island, the old plantation of Jefferson Davis, to the Mis¬ 
sissippi mainland, and converted Kellogg’s Landing, La.; 
into an island. Killiekrankie Neck was only 500 yards 
wide, but the sudden change in the river route was none 
the less unexpected. The Mississippi River is shortened 
about 20 miles by it and half a dozen plantations are 
affected and may be injured during the present high 
water. . . . Warrants were issued April 16 for the 
arrest, on the charge of mutder, of F. M. Cunningham, 
Pennsylvania State Mine Inspector, and Mill’red Sowden, 
Superintendent of the Harwick, Pa., mine, in which an 
explosion on January 25 last caused the less of 178 lives. 
The coroner’s jury returned a verdict holding these men 
responsible for the disaster, and recommended that they 
be held for the action of the grand jury on the charge 
of murder. The jury finds that the explosion was caused 
by “blown-out shot” igniting gas and coal dust. Among 
tlie reasons assigned for placing the responsibility upon 
Cunningham and Sowden are these: That there was in¬ 
sufficiency of ventilation, due to the accumulation of gas 
at the bottom of the air shaft; that Mine Foreman 
Brown and Fire Boss Gordon did not comply with the 
mining laws; that Inspector Cunningham violated the 
mining laws by allowing a longer time to elapse than is 
required in making his official inspection, and that Sow¬ 
den violated the law in not signing mine foreman and 
fire boss report books. The jury also censures the Alle¬ 
gheny Company for not attending to the Harwick mine 
according to law. . . . Fire started in the business 
part of Toronto, Canada, April 19, becoming beyond 
control within an hour. Aid was sent from Buffalo, 
Montreal, London, and Hamilton; but the fire spread 
until the damage amounted to over $13,000,000. 
ADMINISTRATION. — Prompted by complaints of 
ranchmen of the Northwest through Representative Mar¬ 
tin, of South Dakota,, that it was their belief that a beef 
trust existed among the western packers to the restraint 
of trade and to the detriment of producers and consum¬ 
ers, the Government has begun its investigation. James 
A. Garfield, chief counsel of the Department of Com¬ 
merce and Labor, and assistant to Secretary Cortelyou, 
went with Inspector Carroll, of the Department of Agri¬ 
culture purposely to make inquiry at the Chicago stock 
yards. Other men have been sent to Kansas City, Oma¬ 
ha and all large cattle markets, while two representa¬ 
tives of the Government have been sent to attend range 
meetings throughout the Northwest among the cattle 
raisers. Mr. Garfield will compile these reports and sub¬ 
mit them to Secretary Cortelyou, and on this will be 
determined whether there exists a trust. . . . The 
House, April 18, passed a bill for the relief of tobacco 
growers by removing the internal revenue and special tax 
from unstemmed leaf tobacco in the hands of growers. 
The measure has the favorable recommendation of In¬ 
ternal Revenue Commissioner Yerkes, and is a substi¬ 
tute for the several measures to remove the tax from 
unstemmed and twisted tobacco. 
GENERAL FOREIGN NEWS.—Admiral Makaroff and 
600 men lost their lives by the destruction ef the battle¬ 
ship Petropavlovsk off Port Arthur April 13. Grand Duke 
Cyril was wounded. The disaster was caused by a Jap¬ 
anese torpedo. The squadron was returning to the har¬ 
bor after steaming out to meet the Japanese fleet, whose 
reinforcement caused a Russian retreat without fighting. 
The Petropavlovsk struck a torpedo under Golden Hill 
and turned turtle. The Bayan was damaged by five 
Japanese warships near Port Arthur, but the cruiser 
succeeded in reaching the harbor with the aid of two 
other Russian vessels A 15-minute bombardment of the 
forts followed A Japanese torpedo boat attack preceded 
the bombardment. The Russian torpedo-boat destxoyei 
Beystraschni was sunk, with loss of at least 45 men, and 
the battleship Pobieda was severely damaged by a mine. 
Serious rioting took place at Knarkoff. Russia, because 
of Russian reverses and the enormous cost of the war. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—L. R. Taft, of Agricultural 
College, Michigan, has been tendered the appointment 
as chairman of awards for the horticultural department 
at the St. Louis World’s Fair. 
R. W. Marston. Boll Weevit Commissioner for the S.ate 
of Louisiana, who has been in Texas for several weeks 
investigating the Cotton boll weevil pest, claims to have 
discovered that all the weevils can be quickty killed by 
sprinkling the plants with Paris-green. 
CROP PROSPECTS. 
Work is not proceeding rapidly among the farmers. 
The season is late, but ii it comes warm win no doubt 
make up lost tune before July. Main clop here is po¬ 
tatoes for early; a lew onions are put in, but tlie acreage 
is small. Acreage, of potatoes will probably increase 
somewhat. H - M. 
Orient, L. I. 
Garden operations are very backward, possibly two to 
three weeks behind last year. While farm worn is some¬ 
what behind, there is nothing veiy pressing, hotbed and 
greenhouse plants are backward. Judging irom the de¬ 
mand for garden seed it seems as though the acreage of 
truck would be considerably increased, especially sweet 
corn, tomatoes ana early potatoes. As regarus sweet 
corn it is likely that early varieiies will be short, owing 
to the scarcity of good seed. Beans and peas are scarce, 
but quality of seed fairly good. John jeannin, jk. 
Rensselaer Co., N. Y. 
Did Cattaraugus has not failed to put in full time the 
past Winter. We had 125 days actual steauy sleighing, 
and can boast of using pitchforks more weeKs and 
months in the year than any other county, it is now 
April 18; not a furrow has been plowed in this section; 
heavy freezing the past lour nights, and a spienuid sap 
run lor maple syrup. We think there is plenty of fodder 
in the country, but many are out of fodder lor their Uairy 
of cows and compelled to buy nay and feed. Hay, $10 
to $12 per Lon; potatoes, $1 per bushel; apples plenty at 
fair prices. Hired farm help scarce; prices high. 
Little Valley, N. Y. o. h. s. 
Farm work in this section is fully two weeks behind 
last year. At the present writing (April Is) the ground is 
covered with fully six inches of snow, which fell on the 
lath. To-day it is thawing some, and if it continues io 
thaw snow will be gone in a day or two, which will make 
the ground very wet and retard farm operations. Hot¬ 
house plants are about as usual, and are doing nicely, 
bit it required lots of coal to keep houses warm for the 
last few days. I have at present about 100,000 tomato 
plants growing in hothouse, all doing nicely. We raise 
extra early plants for early tomatoes for Buffalo mar¬ 
ket. It is too early to plant melons in greenhouse yet: 
we plant about May 6. I think there will be less melons 
planted this year, as some have given up muskmelon 
growing in this section. 1 shull plant about the usual 
acreage. Prospects for fruit crop seem ali right at this 
writing. w. s. m. 
Hartland, N. Y. 
So far as this section is concerned, the operations oil 
farm and garden are about two weeks behind; weather 
is coid, ice one-half inch thick formed this forenooon 
(April 20) on a tub under a hydrant in my back yard. 
Thermometer at 24 degrees this morning; ground is 
turning up well, frozen dry. With the possible exception 
of cucumbers and sweet corn a full acreage is assured. 
Seed of the two named is scarce, high and very poor in 
quality. i>oor stands will be the rule. In consequence of 
continued low temperature, plants under glass are about 
keeping even with things outside. Potatoes as a money 
crop are attracting considerable attention; as usual, 
when seed is high a more than ordinarily large plant¬ 
ing will be made. The increasing prevalence of blight is 
a serious menace to the welfare of the crop, very few 
grwers give serious attention to the necessity of treat¬ 
ing seed in formalin both for scab-spores or spraying in 
the field for fungus. m. a. 
Kingston, Pa. _ 
EWES THAT MUTILATE LAMBS. 
I see inquiry made by W. H. F.. Llgonier, Ind. (page 
331), about injury to young lambs. I had just such 
trouble; watched the flock and found it was one of the 
ewes. She would take lambs three weeks old and bite 
their feet off and tails also. The way I cured mine was 
to pen her up by herself, fatten her and cut her ihroat. 
My neighbor and I are witness to this. e. s. r. 
Basom, N. Y. 
I read with interest the communication on page 331, in 
regard to the mutilation of newly dropped lambs. While 
I can suggest no remedy, it is plain to me that it was 
not done by rats, minks, ground hogs, etc. In the Fall 
of 1874 my father bought a flock of ewes at the Cin¬ 
cinnati stock yards. The following Spring, at lambing 
time, we were as much puzzled as W. H. F. as to what 
was eating the tails, feet, and, In one or two instances, 
the nose off the lambs. We guessed everything, even 
blaming the house cats, until we found the mothers of 
the lambs were doing it. This we saw done repeatedly, 
and my recollection is that the 50 ewes raised not over a 
dozen lambs. I can advance no theory as to the cause 
of it, as it happened but once in our experience with 
numerous flocks fed and cared for in the same way. 
We, with most • other farmers in this vicinity, have 
dropped the sheep business many years ago because the 
dog industry is being worked overtime. Although we 
have a dog law, few dogs are returned to the assessor 
for taxation, so the sheep fund is so far behind that 
flock owners become discouraged wailing after damages 
have been allowed. w - 
Shandon, O. 
1 have had a good bit of such trouble; lambs’ tails have 
been eaten off very much until this year I had but one 
lamb that was troubled that way. 1 think it comes from 
ewes being too fat and fed on too heating feed. I used 
to feed my ewes on corn and oats before lambing, and 
this year used oats and bran. My ewes were not poor, 
but in good condition, but one ewe was very fat. She aie 
the tail of her lamb. Wnen they do that I put some tar 
on the place, that stops them and heals the sore. I 
think when they are fed on strong feed they have too 
much fever and pain at lambing time. R. aiooke. 
Chester Co., Pa. 
On page 331 we read how W. H. F. has been annoyed 
by having new'iy born lambs mutilated and even tor¬ 
tured to death by some animal eating off the feet and 
tails. Various animals are suspected of the criminal of¬ 
fense; even the groundhog (woodchuck), who now has 
many indictments against him, is a suspect. We have 
observed that cats, nogs, sheep and cows are prone to 
the seemingly unnatural act or habit of nipping off tlie 
extremities of their newly born while grooming them. 
W. H. F. will have to seek a remedy to apply to me 
mother sheep. I incline to the belief that this abnor¬ 
mal habit in animals is not necessarily an indication that 
some element of food nutrition is or has been absent from 
the feed, although unwholesome feed or an unbalanced 
ration may have an influence in the establishment of 
this habit. This practice seems to be identical with the 
eating of eggs by well-fed hens; not that they always 
need egg diet, but that they have in some way learned 
the practice that will terminate when we ourselves eat 
the hen. Men do not always chew or smoke tobacco and 
drink intoxicants because of a lack in their food of some 
necessary element that these supply, or that these al¬ 
ways afford pleasure to the palate. A recent writer pre¬ 
scribes a cure for sows that are destroying their pigs. 
His plan is to pour sold water on the back of the head, 
and the trouble is at an end. This treatment would re¬ 
duce a feverish condition, or might bring the animal to a 
more sane or docile condition of mind. As in the case 
of W. H. F. s sheep having practiced cannibalism two 
seasons I would be disposed to start a new Hock, yet he 
may possibly learn of a direct cause and then determine 
a remedy. c. h. watts. 
Pennsylvania._ 
BUSINESS BITS. 
We hope R. N.-Y. readers did not overlook the offer 
of Melrose Silver Co., Hartford, Conn., in the issue of 
April 16; 28 pieces of silver plate wex - e offered for $5. This 
is a direct offer from the manufacturer to you, and the 
set would surely cost more than double the price at any 
retail store. It is worth looking into. 
Those of our people who are musically inclined will be 
interested in the announcement of Cornish & Co., YVash- 
ington, N. J., in this issue, whether they need an in¬ 
strument at the present time or not. This company will 
teach their customers to play free, if they have no local 
teacher. Just send for the Cornish Album. 
Since so many of the homes of our people are now be¬ 
ing supplied with telephone connections, the firms offer¬ 
ing to sell apparatus direct should secure a good trade. 
Une of the latest manufacturers to make an appeal lor 
this trade is the Connecticut Telegraph &. Electric Co., 
Meriden, Conn. This is a reliable firm, and catalogue 
will be sent free for the asking. 
T. J. Weber, Milford, Mass., writes as follows: “Hav¬ 
ing given your liniment a good trial, I find it is the very 
best article of its kind in existence. My wile sprained 
her ankle very badly. After using two bottles of Tuttle s 
Family Elixir was able to be about as usual. I cannot 
say enough for Tuttle's Family Elixir.” Tuttle's Elixir 
is equally effective for horse ailments. Send for “Treat¬ 
ise on the Horse,” free, to Dr. S. A. Tuttle, 30 Beverly 
St., Boston, Mass. 
The attention of our readers is directed to the Hurst 
field and orchard sprayer offered for the first time to 
The R. N.-Y. readers. As tha name indicates, it is de¬ 
signed for both orchard and field work. It sprays four 
lows of potatoes at one time; for orchard work the arms 
are removed and a fine mist can be thrown to the top 
of the tallest tree. Another important feature of the 
machine is that it can be run by hand as easily as an 
empty wheelbarrow, and when it is desired for field work 
a horse may be hitched to it. For full information ad¬ 
dress the manufacturers, H. L. Hurst Mfg. Co., Can¬ 
ton, O. 
The Columbus Carriage and Harness Company is a 
large carriage and harness manufacturing concern that 
formerly sold its output through dealers in the usual 
way. Later they adopted their present plan of selling 
direct from their factory to users. Under this plan the 
man who wants a carriage can get it for a third less 
than he could of a dealer, because he saves all the deal¬ 
er’s profits. He can buy one carriage for the same price 
that a dealer who buys a hundred would have to pay 
Nothing could be fairer or straighter than the business 
methods of this house. If upon receipt of your purchase, 
you should be dissatisfied they will refund your money 
in full and pay the freight both ways, thus eliminating 
all risk from the transaction. You can get the illus¬ 
trated catalogue free by writing to the Columbus Car¬ 
riage and Harness Company. Columbus, O. 
IT. 
MUST HAVE 
siisgf/ FRosT 
saassIlBEST 
esasSHaMHEAPEST 
The weight, quality and strength to turn all kit 
of stock, and last a life time. Does the flimsy wot 
wire fence contain these qualities ? You knowtl 
it does not, while we know that the FROST do 
Catalogue free. 
THE FROST WIRE FENCE CO.. Cleveland. Ot 
D|>raf Mail Many new routes will go in this yea* We 
nuiai Ifldll want name and address of every inan who 
sends i n a petition. DAV PnPP to first one sending 
We will send a DU A lIlCC us full information. 
BOND STEEL POST CO.. ADRIAN. MICH. 
66 
FUMA 
WW kills Prairie Dogs, 
' ' Woodchucks, Gophers, 
and Grain Insects. 
“The wheels o f the 
gods grind slow but 
exceedingly small.” So the weevil, but you can stop 
“Fiima Carbon Bisulphide” “.?<>“? 
FDWARD R. TAYLOR. Penn Yan, N, Y- 
EVERY COCK’S CROW 
proclaims the safety of the Hock if they are fenced 
with PAGE POUL’I RY FENCE. It’s stronger. 
PAGE WOVEN WIRE FENCE CO.. Adrian. Wirhiran. 
JONES h£ PAYS THE FREICHT.” 
DOLLARS 
BUYS A “GOOD” 800 LB. SCALE. 
HARDENED PIVOTS. SLIDING POISE. 
PLATFORM 18 X 25 IN ON WHEELS. 
also WAGON SCALES. 
All JONES scales have simple CONSTRUCTION the 
BEST of MATERIAL, the FINEST FINISH, are freight 
paid, and satisfaction Is GUARANTEED Every size and 
made at equally low prices. Besides, we can save you 
on other FARM NECESSITIES we have PRE- 
MI U MS that go with our scales, wagons, tools, harnesses, 
watches, clocks, clothing, dishes, groceries, bicyles etc. Send for 
premium list Ma to-day. Qf BINGHAMTON, 
Box. 189 BINGHAMTON, N. Y. 
BEST 
and 
Cheapest 
LOW PRICES 
Donot always stand for cheap quality. 
Inourcaso it moans that wo manu¬ 
facture and market our Roods by the 
most economical methods. Wo buy our 
materials in lots of thousands of tons, 
and make ADVANCE FENCE on the 
most perfect and up-to-date fence 
machines. But where we savo our 
customers the largest amount is in 
our unique method o f selling 
farmer at Wholesale Prices ON THIRTY DAYS FREE TRIAL 
thus Buying our customers both the jobber’s and the dealer’s profit*, and giving you a better opportunity to 
try the fence in actual use than your dealer will give you. If after 30 days use you are not perfectly satisfied 
you can ship the fence back to us at our expense and we will refund your money. No conditions attached 
except that you give it a fair triul. Get our new FKEE FENCK BOOK and study fence construction. 
You will be a better judge of fences after you have read it. Styles of fence illustrated—a fence for 
every requirement of the farmer. We Fay the Freight on 40 rods or more. Your name and address on 
a postal card will bring full information and wholesale price*. Write today. 
ADVANCE FENCE CO.,' 1221 Old St., Peoria, III. 
CUTAWAY 
TOOLS 
For Large Hay Crops 
Clark’s Reversiile 
Bush and Bog Plow 
Cute a track 4 ft. wide, 1 ft. 
deep. Will plow' a new-cut forest. 
Hls Double - Action Cutaway 
Harrow keeps the land true, 
moves 18,000 tons of earth and 
cut« 30 acres per day. HU Re¬ 
versible Disk Plow cuts a fur¬ 
row 5 to 10 In. deep, 14 In. wide. 
All of these machines will kill 
witch-grass,wild mustard, ehar- 
lock, hardback, sunflower, milk¬ 
weed, thistle or any foul plaut. 
8eud for circulars. 
Cutaway Harrow Co, 
Hlgganum, Conn., U.S.A. 
