1901 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
391 
liopeJarmNotes 
TiMK TO Quit.— As it is still raining 1 
will try to discuss something more cheer¬ 
ful than potato prospects this week. They 
tell me that discussion “brings out all there 
is” in any subject. If there is any more 
rain locked up in the weather clerk’s chest 
1 wouldn’t for the world say anything that 
would “bring it out.” We have had all we 
need and a surplus. Let’s have something 
cheerful— here it is from a Massachusetts 
reader: 
“I note with interest what you have to 
say regarding the age limit. I think 45 too 
j tiling. I 'hiIlk a man should ‘keep the 
.saddle’ till liu at least. I shall be 47 soon, 
but do not expect to begin to grow old for 
"I) years yet. 1 put in 10 hours a day as an 
•industrial slave,’ and for recreation care 
for about an acre of fruits, vegetables and 
flowers. I feel no older than I did 25 years 
ago. I still Uiee a long day in the woods, 
and am still counted as ‘a good man’ on the 
base-ball diamond. I do all my cultivating 
and plowing (except turf) with hand tools. 
I have never tried to run this piece of hu¬ 
man mechanism with alcohol or nicotine. 
I do not believe hard work will hurt me as 
long as 1 eat well and sleep well. 1 am ac- 
(luainted with a farmer of 95 who helped 
haying, cultivated quite a jiiece of potatoes 
and corn last Summer, and is planting po¬ 
tatoes this Spring. 1 have akso known men 
70 and 75 knocking off good day’s work in 
the shop as cheerful and energetic as 
though 50 years younger. I am inclined 
to think that a man is just as old as he 
feels.’’ 
Indian Orchard, Mass. 
I have been reading a delightful book 
by Dr. J. J. Black, of Delaware, called 
“Forty Years in the Medical Profession.” 
Dr. Black says “a man is as old as his 
arteries,” and he goes on to tell some of 
the ways in which the arteries are broken 
down. I am startled to see how much diet 
and plain, honest living have to do with 
prolonging life. 
Long Iufe.— The question arises—how 
long would we live could we regulate life 
exactiy? Few would measure it by years, 
but rather by health and the ability to en¬ 
joy and master the forces of nature. I 
have lately been talking with two cele¬ 
brated experts about these things. They 
are very hopeful for great future victories 
over the germs wliich cause and spread 
disease. If we are to judge from the past, 
they say, scientists will yet master even 
the worst diseases, and practically drive 
them from the earth. Kven now some 
cases of consumption are being treated by 
cutting through the ribs and either taking 
out a part of the lung or tilling a diseased 
cavity with a healing liquid or gas. When 
these good days come the average pill- 
giver or drug doser will have to saw wood 
for a living. While we are not there yet 
we are coming to it. I asked my expert 
friends this question: “'rake a child well 
born, with healthy parents—and keep him 
under constant care so that he should not 
overwork or weaken any organ, or permit 
the germs of any disease to make serious 
inroads in his body—how long could you 
make him live?” 
“Most likely for 150 years!” “But,” add¬ 
ed one of them, soberly, ’ the last half of 
that life would not be happy. In spite of 
his health and good condition the man 
would be a ‘back number.’ 'i’he friends of 
his youtn would be dead, and old men do 
not make new friends readily. Such long 
life is possible, but the majority would 
vote it a mistake.” 
Plain liiviNG.— 'Phat seems sensible to 
me. 1 do not think 1 should care to live 
with the mere shadow and ashes of life 
around me. 'i'he very old are too often 
called upon to drink of the bitter dregs of 
the cup of life, it is evident, though, from 
wliat these doctors say, that this hus¬ 
banding of the powers of mind and body 
is a matter of plain and right living. As 
for •‘eating well,” 1 believe that for the 
man past 45 that means eating less than 
before, with more fruit and less meat. 
“Always leave the table a little hungry” 
is good advice to the grown-up man! No 
man can abuse his body witli rum and to¬ 
bacco and play baseball so well at 47 that 
tlie boys will choose him for an important 
match. I am a little lleshy at present, but 
if our friend will go behind the bat I will 
pitch for a few innings. 'Phat would make 
a "battery” of over 90 years, but we miglit 
make some of these smart young fellows 
“fan ..le air’ after all. Plain and clean 
living, a good square effort to do your 
duty, fair dealings with all men, a curb 
bit on your temper, faith in tlie good and 
thought before action—that strikes me as 
a method both sensible and scientilic of 
keeping the germs of waste and worry out 
of the body. As for the time to quit, as 
we never know when that time will come, 
why not try to be always ready? Right 
here I might add a thought that has caused 
some discussion between the Madame and 
yours truly. She read somewhere that 
trouble and trial sweeten and develop 
character. I asked her to name a char¬ 
acter among our friends that has not been 
embittered and made caustic by trouble- 
long drawn out and well rubbed in. To 
my surprise she quickly named several. 1 
thought I could quickly match them with 
trouble-soured individuals, but I think she 
beats me! 
Farm Notes.— We have a new reason for 
seeing some value in this cold, wet weather. 
Grandmother is in a hospital in New York 
recovering from a serious oiieration. Those 
who have had some friend under the sur¬ 
geon’s knife know wh.at it means to wait 
for news from the sick room! I-Iot, basting 
weather would be bad enough for Grand¬ 
mother, but this cool wet weather is in her 
favor. So when the rain slides down we 
can say: “It’s good for the patient, though 
bad for our patience.” Yes, the rain is 
good for grass, grain and 'Grandmother at 
least.We have begun to feed the 
green rye and clover to the stock. I would 
like to cut this grain for hay, but it could 
not be dried in any such weather. Rye 
hay is poor stuff if it stands too long. 
. . . . 'Phe Crimson clover came out 
nobly. During the early Spring it dawdled 
along, making little if any growth. Sud¬ 
denly it jumped up, and is now a fine crop 
Cut with the rye it makes great cow feed. 
. . . . The grass on the field where that 
Clark method of seeding was tried has im¬ 
proved. It is very thick, but not quite so 
tall as that on old meadows. I have no 
fields for comparison where the grass was 
sewn with grain, but there are complaints 
that while the Clark grass fields are thick 
they do not grow fast. One trouble evi¬ 
dently is that such fields were not fertilized 
as they should have been. You would 
hardly expect a pasture to provide for 
live cows as well as It provides for three. 
One great principle of the Clark method is 
that by using double the quantity of seed, 
and thoroughly fitting the soil, we more 
than double tlie number of growing grass 
plants. Of course, these plants must be 
well fed and watered if we expect them to 
make a satisfactory growth. I now expect 
one of my fields, at least, to give a heavy 
yield of hay—and pay for the extra time 
and seed.A part of our potato 
crop is six inches high. 'Phat part is, how¬ 
ever, limited to one plant. You will remem¬ 
ber a picture on p.age 205 of 'Phe R. N.-Y. 
of a potato that had grown into a bone. 
We planted that in a large pot, and then 
plunged the pot into a box of earth. I 
wished to study the root growth of that 
Iilant. It is very vigorous, and seems to 
be taking the strength out of that bone, 
which was part of the thigh of some ani¬ 
mal. 'Phat plant grows as if the bone came 
from a “kicker,” like Julia, with power to 
transmit its vigor. Our main potato crop 
is very late—part of it not yet in the 
ground. On farms near us the crop seems 
to be coming up slowly and unevenly. 
_ H. w. c. 
The Time io Quit. 
Some men must quit at 45 and from that 
on until the time comes that they must 
quit if there be a “younger h.and to take 
the reins” or no, and it does not depend 
altogether, either, on the question of right 
living. I knew a man who died at the age 
of 83 who probably would not have lived 
much past 70 if he had been relieved of all 
necessity for labor at 64 or 65. f. h. 
Plymouth Co., Mass. 
Yes, 45 is none too early to begin to get 
ready to get out of the harness. Suppose, 
as “Michigan Farmer” says, 15 of the best 
years of life should then be ahead. As 
farming goes they’ll all be needed In order 
to be in shape to “get out of the harness 
gracefully.” Ilow many at 60 years, who 
succeed in paying for their farms by that 
time, scarcely look around and take a long 
breath before they discover what they 
have struggled to pay for is almost turned 
to ashes in their hands when they try to 
sell or rent? 'i'he price has gone down, 
llie buildings and fences have “aged” as 
well as he, and at best are not “up to 
date” in equipment, and he'll be inclined 
to blame tlie tenant for lack of care, when 
in fact things were just ready to go to 
pieces. _ a. wetmore. 
Alfalfa Seeding.—I see the question is 
asked about seeding on Winter wheat and 
with Spring grain. I have seen a good 
catch on the wlieat where a smoothing or 
light harrow is run over the ground. 'Phe 
majority of the farmers here sow on the 
Spring grain that lias a light amount of 
grain sown nut to exceed 114 bushel to the 
acre. 'The Alfalfa is sown in front of the 
drill. Plundreds of acres are seeded in this 
manner, while but few seed alone. o. m. 
Onondaga Co., N. Y. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you will get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.” See our guarantee 8th page. 
For the land’s sake, use Bowker’s Fer¬ 
tilizers. They enrich the earth.— Adv. 
No. .f.o.'M, Conoonl .Spring Hu>rKy. 
I’rioe $CO.GO. 
No.‘JDlc.f.^iinopy Top<•suTiaKc. rru'e$9ti 
No. 002 Team Harness. Price $18.‘jo. 
No. !V»1 hnutry. 
Prii'e $38.30, with leatlier (luarter top. 
Buy Your 
Carriages 
Where They 
Are Made 
You can save two profits by buying your 
carriages, buggies, plufitons, surreys, 
wagons or harness right from our factory. 
We are manufacturers of vehicles and har¬ 
ness, and are absolutely responsible for 
every article that leaves our place. You 
not only have an absolute guarantee of 
protection, but you make 
A Great Saving 
It is an actual fact that you can purchase 
a vehicle or harness from us for 25 to 35 
per cent less than you can get the same 
value elsewhere. Wc sell at wholesale 
prices, have no agents or salesmen to pay. 
You get the benefit of all this saving as 
well as the dealer’s profit. 
With every purcha.S6 is a written guar¬ 
antee that If the goods we send >ou are 
not satisfactory, you can return tliem. 
We will pay freight cliarges both ways. 
.Send for manufacturers’ catalogue and 
see for yourself. It costs you nothing. 
THE COLUMBUS CARRIAGE AND HARNESS COMPANY, 
Box 772, Columbus, Ohio. 
THE WHEEL OF TIME 
k for all time is the 
Metal Wheel. 
We make them In all sixes and rari- 
- eties, '10 FIT AN V AXLE. Any 
i\ height, any width of tire desired. 
IJour wheelB are either direct or 
‘Stagger spoke. Can FIT YOUH 
WAGON pci^ectly without change. 
MO BREAKING DOWN. 
•No dryias out. No reutling Urei. Cheap 
because they endure. Send for eaU- 
loKue >nd prices. Free upon reqoeA 
Electric Wheel Co. 
Box 88 Quinoy. Ills. 
BUGGIES 
UNO HAKNESS 
TI1SI50 
TOPBOGCT 
YOG CAN BUY FROM GS AT FACTORY PRICES 
HUQGIES. PHAETONS. SURREYS, wagons. ALL KINDS OP HARNESS. 
We will sell direct to you a vehicle or harness as cheap as dealers 
miy their goods In car-load lots. Don’t pay prorUs to lulddleiiien. 
Our work is all high-grade, correct g tyle, and elegantly huished. 
SEND rnrr* niTlinoiir SHOWING LARGEST IINE 
FOR FREE CATALOGUE VEHICIES and harness 
ruK _ M||.|. UHIWLUUUL _ UNITED STATES. 
All Work Cunrnnterd and Slilpped on Approval. 
CONSUMERS CARRIAGE & MFG. CO., 
'iH'i So. Deaplainea Street, CNICAGO, ILL. 
..eather 
Quarter 
Top 
Buggy. 
$ 34-50 
BUGGIES 
$ 34-50 
Good Road Wagons, $24 
Send 
for our 
Free 
Vehicle 
Catalog 
Today 
Montgomery Ward & Co., Chicago 
Stxidebaker 
20iK Century Wagon Box, 
which possesses features and Improvements 
entirely new In wagon box construction, la 
but another Indication of the superior meth¬ 
ods of the Studebaker Shops and of the 
Studebaker Wagons. Indeed every detail 
as to design, material, workmanship, con¬ 
struction and flnl.sh of the Studebaker 
Wagons are peculiar to our own enormous 
and perfect plant, and not like those of any 
other. The result la a wagon that Is super¬ 
ior In every way. Ask your neighbor who 
has used one for years and see 11 he does not 
fully confirm these statements. Stop at 
your dealer’s and look the Studebaker 
Wagon over. If you don’t find It there, 
write to ns direct and we will tell you where 
you can see It In your locality. 
I Studeba-ker Bros. Mfg. Co., 
South Bend, Ind., V. S. A. 
Etuomakia. 
! II 
1 
i ' /^<iiS!5 
RkI 
If 
We are the largest manu¬ 
facturers of Steel Wheels 
and Truck Wagons in the 
World. Write for Catalogue. 
Havana CHI.) Metal Wheel Co. 
ON EARTH Keeps our conii>ettiors awake 
I night, to tell how wo do it. I 
DESCRIPTION— Selected second growth hickory 
wheels and gears; Norway iron clips and bolts; inch axle 
double collars, full length body looi>a, long body, any width. 
Solid s;>ring bellows back, with Ideal spring cross bar (spring cushions 
furnished in place ot cross bar it preferred) trimmed in dark green, tan or ' 
maroon leather, cloth er plush^g All wool ton lining, leather quarters and 
b ock stays.curved top joints (see cut), complete with storm apron, side cur¬ 
tains, boot and full length carpet. Nickel dash rail, hand rail and lazy back 1 
rail. Send for Big Free Cataiugi.e of Vehicles and Harness In Oolurs. A| 
buggy factory selling direct must pay all of their expenses, sal Aries, etc., oat of a few thousand buggies. Our , 
expenses are all paid out of our agricultural implement factory. A buggy factory would starve to death on the 
small profit we get on a buggy. Write ns before buying. The only plow factory in the world selling direct to 
the consumer. HAPCOOO MANUFACTURING CO., BOX 334. ALTON.' ILL. 
SPLIT HICKORY VEHICLES 
are made by the best workmen of the highest grade ma¬ 
terial obtainable. They have scores of little things about 
them which add to their beauty, siifety, comfort and dur¬ 
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SHIP ON APPROVAL. 
If It’s not equal to any vehicle you oversaw costing K more, don’t 
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suit your taste. This is our leat'her quarter top light buggy, with 
leather trimmings, full silver mountings, 
screw rlmwheels, long distance axles, braced 
and leather shafts. Material first- 
class throughout. Price, ii>48.50. 
Send for full catalog of Split Hickory 
Vehicles and Oak Tanned Harness at 
Taciary prices. 
OHIO CARRIAGE MFG. CO.. 
39 W. Broad St.. Columbus. Ohio. 
