1897 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
5o5 
WHAT I SEE AND HEAR. 
One firm vvnich exports apples extensively, and has 
been in the business for 17 years, says that there is 
no money in the business for them. They are also 
importers of foreign fruits, and the firms with which 
they deal on the other side want American apples ; so 
it is to their advantage to send these men apples, and 
they get their returns in other ways. This is prac¬ 
tical reciprocity. But one can but think that, if a 
firm that has been 17 years in the business, and knows 
all the ins and outs, can’t make any money exporting 
apples, there isn’t much chance for any one without 
experience in the business. 
X X X 
A conspicuous feature in New York’s streets is the 
large nimber of push-carts, which contain every con¬ 
ceivable kind of merchandise for sale. One enter¬ 
prising vendor had his cart loaded with all kinds of 
bicycle supplies. Most of these carts sell at lower 
prices than the stores or regular standkeepers. Many 
of them sell fruits of all kinds, a large proportion 
of which are bananas. But just now few bananas 
are seen, the carts instead being loaded with Califor¬ 
nia fruits—pears, peaches, plums, prunes, etc. The 
sale of these is large now, because the prices are 
such that the mass of people can afford to buy. 
X X X 
The R. N.-Y. has had considerable discussion pro 
and con on the subject of free packages for fruit. 
Many berry growers fought against giving the baskets 
with the fruit, but most of them have been willing to 
compromise by getting their crates returned and let¬ 
ting the baskets go. A new factor has arisen in San 
Francisco. The Board of Health is said to have issued 
a circular to shippers cautioning them against using 
berry baskets and other fruit packages a second time 
upon penalty of confiscation. This is likely to prove 
effectual. The germs of disease are often conveyed 
by means of packages which are returned to be re¬ 
filled, and their destruction is a precautionary meas¬ 
ure to guard against this. 
X t X 
On Monday, July 19, the largest quantity of Cali¬ 
fornia fruit ever disposed of in a single day, was sold 
on this market, at auction—28 car-loads, comprising 
pears, plums, prunes and peaches. A few years ago, 
this would have been an excessive supply for a week. 
Of this quantity, 23 car-loads, comprising 590 lots, 
were sold in less than three hours by a single auc¬ 
tioneer, Mr. E. L. Goodsell, the pioneer in this method 
of selling California fruit. The market remained 
firm, the trade taking care of this immense quantity 
without any trouble. Bartlett pears sold for 82 to 
82.35 per box ; plums and prunes, 75 cents to 83 60 per 
box, and peaches up to $1.35 per package. This trade 
has been increasing with marvelous rapidity during 
the past few years. 
X X X 
The wool dealers of New York City have been 
making active efforts for a long time to increase the 
wool trade of the city, and make this the important 
wool market of the country. To that end, a Wool 
Exchange building was erected to serve as a head 
center of the wool trade, and now a weekly paper, 
devoted to this trade, and edited by a member of the 
Wool Exchange, has been started. Arrangements 
are now being made for the first auction sale of wool 
at the Wool Exchange. A catalogue is being pre¬ 
pared, and this sale will be a marked event in the 
wool trade of this city. The probability of an early 
settlement of the tariff question is expected to be 
favorable to the wool trade, by removing the uncer¬ 
tainty under which it has so long rested. 
X X X 
One of the great department stores in this city, has 
installed a big churn in one corner of its grocery de¬ 
partment, and churns butter twice a day for the 
edification and enlightenment of its customers. A 
man with a remarkable flow of language tells of the 
production of the milk from their own tested herds 
in the country, of the care taken in feeding and car¬ 
ing for the cattle, the handling of the milk, etc. 
Then samples of the butter are given out, and butter¬ 
milk is sold at three cents per glass. The butter is 
sold for 25 cents per pound. Of course, it’s a big ad, 
as many city people never saw a churn, and have as 
little idea of the way butter is made as they have of 
running a bank. It’s a drawing card, anyway, judg¬ 
ing from the number of people crowding around that 
corner. These big department stores are much like 
the old country stores that one finds away from the 
large towns; about the only difference is that the 
former don’t sell agricultural implements, for these 
are not needed by the customers. But they do sell 
everything that one needs to eat and wear, and to 
furnish a house from top to bottom. They also sell 
wood and coal, drugs and patent medicines, dogs, 
cats, birds and other pets, pictures, plants, etc. At 
least one of them has a greenhouse on the roof from 
which all kinds of house plants are sold. They also 
take photographs, pull one’s teeth, have a bank, 
telegraph and telephone offices, and a physician in 
attendance to care for those who are taken ill. One 
of these stores is worthy a visit for the entertainment 
and instruction it affords in modern ways of doing 
business. f. h. v. 
OBSERVATIONS ON THE SHOW OF THE ROYAL 
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND 
FOR 1897. 
The 1897 show of the Royal Agricultural Society of 
England was held June 23-29 at Manchester, and to 
me, an American, it presented a phase of the agricul¬ 
tural exhibition of more than passing interest. The 
admission price at the gates grew less and less, as the 
show neared the end. On Wednesday, it was five 
shillings (81 35), on Thursday and Friday, half a crown 
(62 cents), on Saturday, two shillings (50 cents), and 
Monday and Tuesday, a shilling each day (25 cents). 
The reason for this as given to me was because it 
brought in a more select attendance the first day, 
which is regarded as the most important, for then is 
when the judging takes place. Such a price of ad¬ 
mission, I fear, however, if applied at one of our 
American State fairs for the first day, would sadly 
curtail attendance. 
Passing within the gates, an entirely different spec¬ 
tacle presents itself, from what one is accustomed to 
see on our American fairgrounds. The buildings are 
all on a beautiful green turf, and but little in the way 
of soil walks or drives is to be seen. Nearly, if not 
all the buildings are temporary, yet neat in character. 
On each side of the entrance, ranging away in the 
distance, was a series of shallow-fronted, neatly- 
painted sheds, in which seedsmen, prepared cattle, 
dog and other feed stuff dealers, etc., make most at¬ 
tractive exhibits. These exhibits would have done 
credit to a national exposition. Numerous small 
structures were erected on a special space, such as 
greenhouses, etc., for visitors to inspect, while there 
was a large show of agricultural implements, wagons, 
carriages, etc. The exhibit as a whole, however, 
could be divided into two great groups, live stock 
and implements. There were no catch-penny schemes 
on the grounds, and such a thing as a fakir was not 
to be seen. There was no horse trot, Wild West show 
or other exciting exhibition. 
The exhibit of live stock was a thing in which the 
people took a just pride. There were entered 981 
horses, to compete for 817,940 worth of prizes; 821 
cattle, to compete for 810,525 worth of prizes ; 649 
sheep, with 86.375 prize money; 185 pigs, with 83,310 
prize money, and 867 fowls, competing for 81,290. 
Leaving out poultry, there were 4,270 entries of stock 
competing for 840,715 worth of prizes. The competi¬ 
tion was of the sharpest kind, and crowds of intelli¬ 
gent-looking people were constantly watching the 
judging, which was finished as nearly as possible the 
first day. There were numerous rings—two or three 
for the horse judges, several for the cattle, and more 
for sheep and pigs Crowds watched the horses, 
cattle and sheep, including many women, who over 
here seem to take great interest in the stock, quite a 
number being exhibitors, including Her Majesty, the 
Queen. The awards were made by two judges in the 
ring, after which the animals marched about the 
ring once or twice, the prize-winners leading in order 
of merit. 
On the day following the judging, a small pamphlet 
was distributed, giving a list of the prize-winners and 
their winnings. It is also important to note that, at 
the hour of opening of the show, a catalogue of the 
stock and implements exhibited was ready for deliv¬ 
ery to those who wished to use it. Each animal was 
numbered in his pen, and when exhibited in the show 
ring, a large number on a card, hung about the horns 
or neck, and a similar card on the arm of the groom, 
advised those using the catalogues of the animals in 
the book, as therein was given the name, breed, short 
pedigree and other facts. It is a most commendable 
plan. Each day following the judging, a grand 
parade was given of the different breeds of stock, 
which was a most interesting and instructive event. 
This show comes nearer to being an educational 
medium than any other agricultural exhibit of which 
I know. A working dairy was in operation each day, 
in which students from dairy schools took part. A 
well-known English poultry expert and lecturer gave 
a daily poultry demonstration. In a large gauze tent 
on one part of the grounds, a bee expert, with a 
swarm of bees and bee-keeping utensils, gave an ex¬ 
hibition of bee driving, and at frequent intervals 
during the afternoon, gave lectures on bee manage¬ 
ment. Demonstrations were also given of the drying 
and evaporating of fruits and vegetables. Much of 
the value of most of these lectures, however, was 
curtailed, in the fact that an admission fee was 
charged to hear them. The society would have done 
a good thing for Eoglish agriculture, it seems to me, 
if these lectures and demonstrations had been entirely 
free, and so have drawn a great crowd. To be sure, 
one could see the working dairy exhibit, but to sit 
down on the grand stands, it was necessary to pay 
for the privilege. 
On two different days, interesting competitions were 
engaged in, one of blacksmiths in shoeing hunters 
one day and draft horses the other, making the shoe 
and putting it on, and the other a buttermaking com¬ 
petition, both of these competitions being open to the 
United Kingdom. 
There was a great show of print butter and cheese, 
but owing to the unsuitable condition, the butter in 
numerous instances melted badly and presented a 
sorry spectacle, although when first shown, it made 
a most excellent appearance. 
At convenient points here and there over the grounds 
were placed toilet rooms, providing excellent accom¬ 
modations for both ladies and gentlemen. Numerous 
eating rooms and stands were also provided, in which 
a first-class lunch or dinner could be secured. In my 
experience, I have never seen public caterers on fair 
grounds serve such well-prepared, suitable food, as 
was given the public at this English Royal Show. 
Another thing which struck me as a great convenience 
was this : The different railroad companies had fixed 
up offices on the grounds, and established bureaus of 
information, solely for travelers. And at points here 
and there about the grounds I noticed time tables of 
large size posted on bill boards, giving public informa¬ 
tion concerning the movement of trains. 
The implement exhibit was very large, and covered 
much space, but generally, the class of tools were 
heavy and quite unsuited to American conditions. 
Two sheep shearing machines were in operation each 
day, and the crowds were so great about them during 
shearing time that many people could see nothing at 
all. Manchester, one of the large cities of England, 
contained an extra crowd during the show, and street 
cars, busses, cabs and carriages conveyed an immense 
throng to the grounds each day, regardless of cost of 
admission. The City of Manchester itself gave the 
show substantial financial encouragement in offering 
money for prizes, and in every way the masses showed 
distinct appreciation of their Royal Show. 
Glasgow, Scotland, July 6, 1897. c s plumb. 
Statistics show that the Chinese and Japanese are 
slowly changing their food. These countries are im¬ 
porting more wheat and flour with each year. In 1896, 
the United States sent 943,073 barrels of flour to these 
eastern countries, and the chances are good that this 
trade will increase. As the Japanese become bread- 
eaters, they will demand more wheat, and they must 
look to this country for most of their supply. It 
seems like a singular thing that the wheat market 
of the world should be affected by a change in the 
food habits of two eastern nations. 
BUSINESS BITS. 
Tub writer has spent many a day cutting corn and shock¬ 
ing it in the good old-fashioned way, with rye straw bands around 
the tops, carrying the bundle of straw from shock to shock. The 
modern way, however, seems to be the easier one of using the 
Holdfast corn binder. The Tie Co., Box 77, Unadilla, N. Y., make 
this tie, and will be glad to tell you all about it. 
We fear that we have caused Mr. R. M. Welles, Towanda, Pa., 
as well as some of our subscribers, some annoyance in making 
his advertisement read S2 per 1,000 for celery plants, instead of 
$.1 as he wrote it. It was simply one of those errors on our part 
that will sometimes be overlooked In proof-reading. We trust 
readers who ordered will excuse the error on our part. 
ThERE is no occasion for sour milk, even in hot weather, if 
cleanliness be observed in pails and cans, and the milk properly 
cooled and aerated. The Champion Milk Cooler Co., 39 Railroad 
Street, Cortland, N. Y., send free a little book that gives useful 
instruction on this matter. The object of the book is to adver¬ 
tise their Champion coolers, a very good object, as the cooler is a 
most useful one. 
Hard work with a hoe was once the only method of extracting 
potatoes from the earth. But in this era of advanced farming 
methods, the potato farmer is permitted to bang up his hoe, sit 
in comfort and take his ease on the seit of a Dowden potato 
digger. It does toe work swiftly and thoroughly while the driver 
directs the horses. These perfected implements are fully war - 
ranted and sold at a price all can afford to pay. A catalogue will 
be sent on application to Dowden Mfg. Co., Prairie City, la. 
Almost every farmer knows from experience that the repair 
of machinery costs more in proportion than the original machine. 
This, besides the loss of time and patience, makes it desirable to 
purchase such machinery as is subject to little breakage. The 
ensilage cutter should be especially safeguarded, as a single 
breakdown stops the whole force. Accidents will happen, and 
carelessness will have its rewards in breakdowns; but the Ross 
cutters have been known to run for years without a single acci¬ 
dent, and their capacity for work is, apparently without limit, 
depending only on the size of the machine, and the ability of the 
operator to feed it. It may cost a trifle more than cheaper 
makes, but one breakage would, probably, make up the differ¬ 
ence. Free catalogue from E. W. Ross Co., Springfield, O. 
