1901 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
55 
HOPE FARM MOTES. 
Shkedded Fodder. —I spoke last week 
of our Leslie or St. Albans corn shred¬ 
der. We have a good supply of dry corn¬ 
stalks. They were cut and cured prop¬ 
erly, and I feel sure that they are worth, 
ton for ton, half as much as good Tim¬ 
othy hay. The horses did not eat them 
well. They nibbled off the leaves and 
upper stalk, and left the long butts un¬ 
touched. I don’t think we realized over 
40 per cent of the feeding value of the 
stalks, and the manure gave us the back¬ 
ache every time we looked at it. After 
much thought I decided to get a shred¬ 
der. This machine is adjustable—that 
is, you may, if you like, put in a regu¬ 
lar knife-head which slices or chops up 
the stalks in the usual way. If you wish 
to shred, this knife-head can be taken 
out and another put in its place. The 
shredder consists of a number of small 
sharp teeth. If you were to put small 
sharp chisels at the ends of your fingers, 
and then claw at the fodder sharply with 
the palms down you would give a fair 
imitation of the work of this shredding 
cylinder, which runs at the rate of 1,000 
revolutions per minute, and fixes those 
stalks so that they take very little stock 
in themselves when they feel the touch 
of those fingers. 
All, Broken Up. —We were able to hire 
a portable steam engine. A big “bar¬ 
rack” behind the barn was full of husked 
fodder. Charlie fastened the shredder to 
the barn floor, put on the belt, ran his 
eye over the whole outfit and said; “Get 
up!” There was a hiss and a groan, and 
off they went. A big bundle of tall, 
thick cornstalks lay on the table. All 
through the Fall this bundle had been 
lying in the barrack bragging that no 
live animal on Hope Farm was man 
enough to destroy its identity. Other 
bundles had been carried into the barn, 
and a few days later they came out of 
the back door to the manure pile—a lit¬ 
tle stripped and bruised, but still— 
stalks. These old veterans called over to 
their friends in the barrack, “Never 
touched me! Wait till we get on his 
manure fork!” 
So the big stalks on the table of the 
shredder had no fear until they began 
to move. Then they surely thought 
something had hit them. A big fluted 
roller caught them and hauled them 
along to where a whirling shower of 
keen, narrow knives pounced upon them 
and tore them so that even the cornfield 
crows would despise them. There was 
a roar and a shriek, and out they 
dropped so smashed and mangled that 
when the few fragments reached the 
manure pile their former comrades fail¬ 
ed to recognize them. It was about as 
practical a change as it would be if you 
buried a big stalk in the ground and 
grew a young, tender one from it. With 
60 pounds of steam the engine made play 
with the cutting knife-head. With 80 
pounds the shredding cylinder made her 
puff! The difference in power was shown 
in the fodder! 
Corn Hay. —The shredder worked so 
well that the boys kept on until the en¬ 
tire barrack was emptied. It filled a big 
box stall and three other small ones, be¬ 
sides a big lot on the barn floor. It may 
not all keep—but we will have a chance 
to find out! We use a bushel basket for 
feeding; the stuff is really too fine and 
silky to handle with forks. The horses 
now eat over 85 per cent of the stalk— 
that is, they handle more than twice as 
much as they did when the stalks were 
fed whole. The orts are now chiefly the 
pith and the lower part of the stalks, 
which were damaged by rain in the bar¬ 
rack. We have begun feeding waste beet 
molasses along with the shredded fod¬ 
der. This molasses is very thick and 
heavy. We mix it with water and pour 
the mixture over the stalks. I am not 
yet able to tell what value to put on such 
molasses. We have fed no hay thus far, 
and do not expect to feed any up to 
April. 
Crude Petroleum. —We get numerous 
letters like the following: 
On page 832 Prof. H. E. Van Deman 
says that more than 26 per cent of crude 
petroleum is dangerous to fruit trees. 
Bulietin 14 of the New Jersey Experiment 
Station says use it clean. N. w. 
The facts are that “crude petroleum” 
varies considerably. Some of it may be 
used clear without damage, while other 
samples would kill the trees if it were 
not diluted. The safe way is to have 
the oil tested, for there is a reliable test 
that will show when the oil is danger¬ 
ous. I know about this, because your 
humble servant happens to be an office 
holder. Yes, I know, the people of Ber¬ 
gen County defeated me last Fall by a 
great majority—but “you can’t keep a 
good man down.” The Governor of New 
Jersey evidently knows an expert when 
he hears about him, for I have been ap¬ 
pointed San Jos6 scale commissioner. I 
have the tools for testing the oil, and 
after I have tried some experiments of 
my own I will attempt to tell about it. 
Belated Cow Peas.— A friend in 
Pennsylvania sends these questions: 
Please tell me, if you can, whether Black 
cow pea seed on the stalks standing in 
the ground at this time will grow if taken 
care of now? They were ripe before the 
fiosts came and were left in the ground 
through carelessness. I do not wish to go 
to the expense of harvesting if the seed 
will not grow. My idea is those that have 
not came in contact with the ground would 
ba all right, but the others I am afraid 
are partly rotted. c. D. Q. 
We are in much the same boat. A 
large share of the Black cow peas were 
never picked. Many of them have shell¬ 
ed out and are, of course, worthless. 
Some are still in the pods—held up from 
the ground. They look plump and clean, 
but I doubt whether they will make good 
seed. Our test is to pick a few, dry them 
carefully and then see whether they will 
sprout. They may be planted in a flower 
pot with a house plant, or put in a ger- 
minator. This can be made by placing 
two sheets of moist blotting paper be¬ 
tween two dinner plates. Put the cow 
peas between the pieces of paper ana 
cover with the plates. If any fair pro¬ 
portion of the peas sprout it will pay to 
pick them. We doubt whether the Blacks 
will sprout. The Whippoorwill pea has 
a very hard thick pod, and is more like¬ 
ly to be alive. 
WiNTEE Jobs. —I have had a number 
of suggestions about profitable jobs for 
the Winter. 1 don’t know whether they 
are all tested or not. Here is a new idea: 
In regard to profitable Winter labor on 
farm, spoken of In Hope Farm Notes, 
please accept the following suggestion for 
what it may be worth: A few acres planted 
to witch hazel might be worth trying. The 
seed could be bought of Thorburn, of New 
York, the plants set about six feet apart 
each way, and in a few years would be 
ready to be cut, bundled up and sent to the 
factory where the oil is distilled. The 
sprouts from the stumps would probably 
be big enough to cut the next Winter, and 
each succeeding Winter you would have 
work that would require no special skill 
and that would bring cash returns. 
That seems sensible, but I am not fam¬ 
iliar with crops of that sort. I have 
heard of farmers who distill these es¬ 
sential oils, and if there are any such 
among our readers I wish they woulo 
tell us about it. Surely the extract of 
witch hazel is soothing and wonderfully 
healing. Perhaps the work of extracting 
it from our loafer fields would heal the 
face of the farm and sooth the gall of 
the mortgage on my pocket nerve. I 
will look that scheme up. It evidently 
beats broom corn! Still another scheme 
for Winter jobs is suggested by a Cape 
Cod man as follows; 
One of The R. N.-Y. hobbles Is the dis¬ 
position of the old dairy cow. Of course, 
if you have a cow that for sentimental 
reasons you refuse to make Into beef, all 
right. But an old cow may make decent 
beef. I always have mine butchered— 
killed one December 8; sold something over 
three-fourths to neighbors, and have now 
just put away a piece of round or chuck 
frozen hard to try to keep frozen through 
next thaw. I think you could solve the 
problem of Winter work by picking up old 
cows in Fall—new milkers or otherwise- 
feed them fat and take the milk as you go 
along. When the milk will no longer pay 
for feed, butcher and dispose of best you 
can. If no better way make Into mince¬ 
meat and so find a market for unsalable 
apples. 
I have heard of this before, and feel 
quite sure it would work. If sheep could 
be bought at fair prices I think they 
would pay better, for the butchers will 
take such small carcasses. Cows have 
been very cheap the past season in some 
of the dairy districts of New York State. 
At one time I thought of buying several, 
but gave it up for good reasons. While 
old cows do not make the best of beef 
they may be fattened so as to make fair 
quality. The beef business in our part 
of the country is entirely controlled by 
the dressed-beef trust! I don’t know 
about the justice of a family that eats 
as few pies as the Hope Farmers selling 
“pie timber” to others! h. w. c. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you will get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.” See our gruarantee 8th page. 
Af!MC 
PULVERIZING HARROW 
Clod Crugher 
Leveler 
Agentg 
Wanted 
TRIAL 
To be returned at my 
expense if not satisfactory. 
The best pulverizer and cheapest Riding 
Harrow on earth. We also make walking 
Acmes. The Acme crushes, cuts, pulverizes, 
turns and leve s all soils for all purposes. 
Made entirely of cast steel and wrought 
iron— Indestructible. 
Catalog and Booklet, '^An Ideal Harrow," by 
Henry Stewart, mailed free. 
Freeonboard at New York, Chicago, Columbns.T/Ouis- 
vllle, Kansas City, Minneapolis, San Francisco, etc. 
DUANE H. NASH, Sole Mfr., 
Millington, New Jersey, and Chicago, Ill. 
$2.50 CASH " ‘Bte 
n||VVfl|| Knife Grinder 
UUIIUR EVER MADE. 
$5 CASH 
Buys a $10 ROOT 
CUTTER 
at the 
CUTAWAY HARROW CO. 
Higgannm, Conn. 
EXTENSION HARROW. Send for circulars 
Wood Saw Machines 
6 sizes: hand or seif-feed. 15 to 75 cords per day. 
.SMALLEY and IIATTI,E CREEK Drn» 
Saws. No. 2 Self-Feed Battle Creek Drag Saw, 
for 2 to 4 horses. Price 
For 185.00; with power com- 
Fnrin, ll | f!M plete, floO. Famous 
Forest yElectricCircularSaw 
— Machine. 
Factory The best 
Jjong Timber 
or Pole Saw 
on Earth. 
We also 
make En¬ 
silage and Fodder Cutters, Grinding Mills, the 
Battle Creek BoltlngorSlatMill. Farm Powers. 
Cat. and Introduction prices to any one namlni; this paper. 
SMALLEY MFC. CO.,Sole Makers, ManItowoc, Wis. 
Big Gartioners 
frequently fail to secure normal profits 
because dry weather prevents crops from 
utilizing stable manure; it “fire fangs,” 
burns up and dies. This trouble does 
not, cannot arise where they use suffi¬ 
cient supplies of 
Nitrate of Soda 
to force all their crops to early maturity. 
The cheapest and viost effective of all 
Nitrogenous fertilizers. Write for free 
book to John A.Mj 'ers, 12-0 John 
St., New York. JS'itrate for sale by fer¬ 
tilizer dealers everywhere. 
Write at once for Uai of Doaterm. 
Choice Vegetables 
always bring high prices. 
To raise them success¬ 
fully, a fertilizer con¬ 
taining at least 8 % 
Potash should be used. 
Our books furnish useful information on 
all subjects relating to 
Droadcast 
])! Seeding is made easy and 
effective by the 
Gaboon 
g^oadcast Seeder 
„ / . sows five times faster than 
f/// ’ by liand. Saves one-third the 
^ seed. Sows absolutely even, 
thus insuring good 
/ , crops. Does’t wear out. 
/ Anyone can nse it. Ask •" 
11 ■ . 
your dealer about it. 
GQODELL COMPANY, 
14 Main Street, AHTRIH, N. H. 
LIGHTNING SEED SOWER 
0*Ouaranteed to sow 60 acres per 
day (either horseback or on 
foot) of Oover, Timothy, Mil- 
lot, Flax, eto. Will be 
Mat to any Post Office $ | At 
on receipt of. liZu 
If not satisfactory, money refunded. 
Olrooiars free. Agents wanted. 
W. J. BUSS, 53 Day St. Golden, lit 
THOMP 
CRASS 
Bows al I cloTcri sndany other 
grui, no matter bow 
SON’S 
SEEDER 
Sows 20 to 40 Acres a dAj. 
BcAta iba wind And wet* 
SpaoUl Hopper for 
wheat, oats, etc. 
Weight onlx 40 lbs* 
LASTS IN* 
BEFINlXELTe 
Don’t bay a seeder until 
yon iMiud tor our free UiuA> 
traled catalogue. 
O.LThompson & Sons.^CV."* 
DRILLING 
Machines 
Over 70 sixes and styles, for drilling either deep or 
shaUow wells In any kind of soil or rock. Mounted 
on wheels or on sills. With engines or horse powers. 
Strong, simple and durable. Any mechanlo can 
operate them easily. Send for catalog. 
WILLIAMS BROS., Ithaca, N. Y. 
LAND DRAIN TILE 
(Car-loads or less). 
Sizes, 2, ^14, 3-lnch and 
np to 16-inch. 
WILLIAM T.LEGGETT& CO. 
1025 Liberty Avenue, 
Pittsburgh, Pa. 
Can we Save 
, You Money 
on a vehicle, harness 
or a fly netl 
Bftoaose we have no agents. 
we really dolt! We .ay ye.. Can wo prote It without coat to 
I Weean. How! We will .hip you a harneM, saddlo or vehicle, 
tout yon sending a. ngle cent, and let yon look it over at your 
;hthonse and if you don’t find we have given you the biggest 
gain yon ever saw or heard of. return the good, to n. at our ei- 
w. rt'e give with each vehicle a fl yeariron-cladguarantoe, 
ecting you from poor material and workmanship. Our vehlcls 
tiogne describes the largest line of buggies, road wagon., pbae- 
•oriies, .prinr wagons and earts, bamesa and fly nets 
r shown in one book. It . free. Send for It, 
rvin Smith Co. 55-59 N. Jellersoo St. U*2 Chicago, 111. 
Goulds “KerowatefSpraver 
For Emulsifying and Spraying Kerosene 
and Water. 
Endorsed by the leading Horticulturists and State Experimental 
Stations. A kerosene sprayer which accurately proportions the 
mixture for any desired strengrth. Built in three sizes, for tank, 
barrel or knapsack use. There is a great demand for them. Ask 
your dealer or write direct to us. 
“How to Spray, When to Spray, What Pumps to Use,” a valu¬ 
able Booklet, free for the asking. 
The Goulds Mfg. Co., 
SENECA FALLS, N. T. 
Warerooms: 16 Murray St., New York. 
