1901 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
4o9 
Events of the t/Eeek. 
domestic.—T hirteen lives are reported lost as the re¬ 
sult of the floods in Tennessee. At Elizabethtown nearly 
100 homes were destroyed, and at Watauga there was 
also heavy loss. In North Carolina there wa.s also much 
damage, many cottages being flooded at Biltmore, and 
Asheville being shut off from railroad communication. 
The Cliffs Hotel, on the Catawba River, near Hickory, 
floated down the stream.The Presidential party 
started home May 25, the remainder of the trip being 
abandoned on account of Mrs. McKinley’s health. 
. . , . Two electric cars racing for a switch, while go¬ 
ing in opposite directions at Albany, N. Y., May 26, came 
into collision: live persons were killed and 40 injured. . . . 
An explosion in the Richland mine, Dayton, Tenn., May 
21, caused the death of 17 men.The schooner 
C. H. Hackley, of Milwaukee, was lost in a gale on 
I^ake Michigan, May 24; seven men drowned. 
The Tennessee River has flooded thousands of acres of 
land, and it is estimated that the farmers near Hunts¬ 
ville, Ala., have lost $100,000. 
administration.—T he United States Supreme Court 
has decided that the Porto Rican tariff act is constitu¬ 
tional. A synopsis of the decision is as follows: Terri¬ 
tory acQuired by this nation from a foreign power is 
part of the United States. The right to actiuire territory 
involves the right to govern and dispose of it. When 
acquired by treaty, the territory is subject to the dis¬ 
position of Congress. While a part of the United States, 
Porto Rico and the territories do not come within the 
Constitutional provisions relating to unrestricted com¬ 
merce between the States or the relations of the citizens 
of one Commonwealth to those of another. The Consti¬ 
tution is applicable to territories acquired by conquest 
or purchase only when and so far as Congress shall so 
direct. The power to acquire territory by treaty implies 
the power to prescribe upon what terms the United 
States will receive its inhabitants and what their status 
shall be in “The American Empire.” The people of the 
acquired territory are not subject to the merely arbi¬ 
trary control of Congress, but are entitled, under the 
privileges of the Constitution, to be protected in life, 
liberty and property. The Eoraker act is constitutional 
so far as it imposes duties upon imports from Porto 
Rico. The Supreme Court adjourned May 28 until the 
October term without announcing decisions in the re¬ 
maining insular cases. This is interpreted as meaning 
mat the court does not consider the status of the Philip¬ 
pines as parallel with that of Porto Rico. The Govern¬ 
ment intends to continue collecting duties upon Philip¬ 
pine merchandise. Solicitor General Richards believes 
that the President is free to govern the Philippines under 
the Spooner act as their needs may require. 
The Platt amenament was accepted by the Cuban Con¬ 
stitutional Convention. May 28, by a vote of 15 to 14. 
PHILIPPINES.—Reports from Manila show that there 
has been much laxity in commissary methods at Manila, 
in spite of the arrangements made for inspection. An 
easy opening for fraud—and one which must have seemed 
apparent from the beginning—was the privilege granted 
to civilian employees to buy foods of the commissary for 
their messes. These goods, it appears, have sometimes 
been bought in larger quantities than needed, and the 
surplus sold to outsiders. As Uncle Sam sells commis¬ 
sary goods at cost, and as such things are sold at very 
high prices by Manila merchants who import them, hand¬ 
some profits were easily realized.The prosecu¬ 
tion against D. M. Carman, Senor Carranza and others 
accused of trading with the Insurgents, has been aban¬ 
doned. The military autliorities consider that although 
the convictions of a number of Manila merchants would 
be practically certain were the investigations continued 
their prosecution would be inexpedient, as the consequent 
damages to business would outweigh the good accom¬ 
plished. Provost General Davis, who has reviewed the 
testimony in the Carman cases, said to-day that while 
Carman could be convicted of trading with the insur¬ 
gents, it would be unjust to punish him when nearly 
every trader in Manila is guilty of similar practices. 
. . . . A new army scandal has developed in southern 
Leyte, where several officers have been arrested on the 
charge of trading in permits to ship hemp from closed 
ports in that Province. 
GENERAL FOREIGN NEWS.—The proposition of the 
American Government to secure a reduction in the war 
Indemnity demands against China to $200,000,000 has been 
unanimously rejected by the representatives of the other 
powers, who will insist upon China paying the full 
amount claimed—$387,000,000. A despatch received in Lon¬ 
don from Pekin says that the Government of the United 
States will under no circumstances consent to any in¬ 
crease in the Chinese tariff, unless commercial advant¬ 
ages are conceded in return.At Waldenburg, 
Prussia. May 25, 21 miners lost their lives as the result 
of fire in a coal mine.May 24, an explosion in 
a Welsh colliery entombed nearly 100 miners; 70 lives lost. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—Consul General Mason, at 
Berlin, has informed the State Department that the of- 
lielal German crop report gives a discouraging outlook 
for German agriculturists. A long and severe Winter and 
tardy Spring is held to account for a very bad year in 
crojis. In a number of districts from 50 to 90 per cent of 
the whole Winter wheat failed. Clover has fared badly. 
John Z. Miller and Joseph Levering, general manager 
and superintendent of the Harrison Butterine Company 
in Kansas City, Kas., were arrested May 22 by A. E. 
Prescott, a deputy United States marshal, charged with 
violating the Federal laws for regulating the manufac¬ 
ture and sale of oleomargarine. Specifically, the two of¬ 
ficers of the Harrison Company are charged with de¬ 
frauding the Government in using oleomargarine stamps 
twice, an offense for which unusually severe penalties 
are prescribed by the oleomargarine laws and internal 
revenue regulations. However, from the, nature of the 
cases, it is an open question as to whether the men are 
really guilty of willful and intentional violation of these 
Federal laws and regulations. It is charged that large 
quantities of oleomargarine, returned to the Harrison 
Company as spoiled or damaged, would be removed from 
the pails and the pails refilled and shipped out itgain 
under the same stamps. The revenue officers contend 
that this is a violation of the law, as under no circum¬ 
stances can a pail, package or revenue stamp be used a 
second time, no matter if the contents are spoiled or un¬ 
salable. Inspector McCoy, who has worked up the cases, 
claims to have evidence to show that upwards of lu0,000 
pounds of oleomargarine have been returned to the com¬ 
pany since last September, while the records show that 
a comparatively small amount of this had been reported 
to the revenue office. The tax is two cents a pound. The 
penalty for violating the oleomargarine stamp laws in¬ 
cludes confiscation of tlie manufacturing apparatus, to¬ 
gether with oleomargarine and raw materials on hand, 
besides a line not less than $500 and imprisonment for 
not less than six months. 
The Orchard grass seed growers of Kentucky and In¬ 
diana, wliere about 75 per cent of the crop is raised, will 
combine again tliis year in the marketing of the crop. 
This was decided on at a recent meeting of 32 growers 
held at Goshen, Ky. Twenty-eight of those present voted 
to combine and to place the business in the hands of F. 
W. Hardin, of Louisville. Mr. Hardin states that indi¬ 
cations are for a shorter crop this year than last, and 
attributes this to the drought of last Fall and the de¬ 
crease of acreage, whicli lias been made necessary by the 
tiring of the land from successive crops. He thinks 
growers will receive more than $1 a busliel for this year’s 
crop. Growei's claim combination is made necessary by 
what they allege to be a league among dealers to refuse 
to buy seed till it is offered at their price. 
The American Seed Trade Association will hold its an¬ 
nual convention in Rochester, N. Y., June 11-13. 
The fourteenth annual meeting of the Florida State 
Horticultural Society opened at St. Augustine May 21. 
Six months in jail and a $iU,0U0 line is what it cost Albert 
T. Dow to make bogus butter and swindle Uncle Sam 
out of the revenue thereon. Dow conducLcd an Illicit 
oleomargarine plant at 2334 State St., Chicago, Ill., called 
the Fertile Valley Creamery Company. He received 
cream daily and sold it without the trouble of trans¬ 
forming it to butter. The revenue office asserts that it 
was defrauded of $4U,000 in special taxes on oleomargar¬ 
ine. The fine was promptly paid and Dow’s lawyer plead¬ 
ed to have the jail sentence set aside. Judge Kohlsaat 
refused. The line is tlie heaviest ever imposed by a 
United States Court in Chicago. 
Broom corn valued at $2Uu,UU0 was burned in Chicago 
May 27 by a tire which destroyed a warehouse. The 
broom corit was owned by VV. L. Rosenberg, a Chicago 
manufacturer. The building, wiiich was valued at $25,000, 
was owneu by the Cortland Wagon Company, of Cort¬ 
land, N. Y. 
Tlie Governor of New York has appointed the following 
delegates to the Farmers’ National Congress at Sioux 
Falls, October 1 to 10: Geo. L. Flanders and Fred J. II. 
Kracke, of the Department of Agriculture; Elliot B. Nor¬ 
ris, Master of the State Grange; Senator Henry S. 
Ambler, Edward A. Callahan, Frank E. Dawley, Geo. A. 
Smith, Gilbert M. Tucker, v» m. D. Barns, Dr. Henry G. 
Riffard, Frank Urner, W. H. Hallock, Benjamin A. Bab¬ 
cock, J. J. Dillon and W. E. Dana. 
CROP PROSPECTS. 
Nearly all of the smaller fruits have blossomed abund¬ 
antly. Apples quite well for the off year, with the ex¬ 
ception of R. I. Greening. f. e. p. 
Shoreham, Vt. 
The fruit trees of all kinds are blossoming vei-y full, 
and look now as though we would have a full crop. 
Plums fair and cherry blossoms are falling; apples are 
just in full bloom. h. f. w. 
No. Ferrisburgh, Vt. 
Apple, pear and cherry trees blossom full. Very few 
plums raised here, on .-.ccount of black knot. It has 
been impossible properly to spray trees on account of 
rain. Our fields are flooded; potatoes that are planted 
are rotten. e, w. m. 
Essex, N. Y. 
We never saw old potatoes so scarce at this date, as 
at present. Tins fact, with South Carolina new crop so 
seriously injured by drought, and North Carolina’s di¬ 
minished acreage and storm injuries, the outlook presents 
strong assurance of very iiigh prices for Nortli Carolina 
and Virginia crops. s. H. & e. h. frost. 
New York. 
The prospect for apples seems to be good, with the 
exception of the Baldwins; there is promise of abundant 
crops of cherries, peaches, plums and pears. The Winter 
grain never was put in the ground in poorer condition 
than last Fall, but I never saw it looking generally bet¬ 
ter than it does at this writing. e. v. a. 
Columbia Co., N. Y. 
From the outlook there will be an abundance of fruit 
of all varieties with the exception of apples, which will 
not be more than one-third of a crop at the best. Not 
wishing to count chickens before they hatch, I have 
waited to see tlie blossoms rather than guess at the 
buds. Where are those who prophesied a drought? I 
would like to have stood them out this forenoon. 
Applegate, N. Y. h. i. s. 
The fruit in this section wintered fairly. The cherries 
bloomed abundantly, the variety a small red, a native 
with us. There are not many of the English varieties 
near here. The pears are full where there are live 
trees. The apples alternate here quite a little. The 
prospect for grafted Winter fruit Is small. Spltzenburg 
is especially naked; Spy also, though our Spies have lost 
their bearing qualities; Baldwins are (part of them), 
very full. The peach trees have no blossoms this year; 
last year they were very full. a. t. 
Buel, N. Y. 
About a week ago apple blossoms began to appear. 
Rain has fallen nearly one-third of the time; about a 
day of misty weather, and for two or three days cool; 
mercury 45 to 55 degrees; little wind with the rain. 
Apple raisers and apple buyers are fearing bad effects 
from the continued rain. A ride of 120 miles the past 
week along the orchards of Monroe, Genesee, Orleans and 
Niagara counties makes me think that the estimate of 
apple men, that the bloom this year is not equal to 
more than one-third of last year, is about right. I 
have seen but two and hear of but half a dozen orchards 
with a bloom of the average of 1900; have seen perhaps 
a dozen orchards with a half of last year’s average blos¬ 
soming. Curl-leaf has developed on peach trees in this 
county very fast during the past week. 1 saw none on 
peach trees in the western part of Monroe County. Pears 
seem to be setting full. Wheat and grass are looking 
line. It is so wet in some parts of the county that only 
about one-half of oats are sown that were planned for. 
Orleans Co., N. Y. N. c. 
Apples show up now about in the order named: Twenty- 
Ounce, Russet. Snow, Cat Head, Hubbardston, good; 
Greening, King, light; some Baldwins where none last 
year; a few Spies. Pear, plum and cherry white with 
bloom; peaches light. Five steam sprayers, each said to 
have capacity of 1,800 gallons in 10 hours, have started 
within a radius of three miles of me this Spring. Every¬ 
one acknowledges the necessity of spraying, and there 
will be more done than ever before, but rain is bothering 
us just now. w. J. s. 
Albion, N. Y. 
The prospects for fruit are fairly favorable in this sec¬ 
tion of western Rutland Co., Vt. and northern Wash¬ 
ington Co., N. Y. The early varieties bloomed the full¬ 
est. The Winter fruit will not be as much as last sea¬ 
son. Plums and cherries bloomed full, also pear trees. 
There will be abundance of strawberries, field as well 
as garden berries. Some farmers sprayed when the fruit 
trees were in bloom. They seem to have the best results. 
Some of the farmers have their potatoes and corn plant¬ 
ed, but most of them have not planted all their corn yet. 
Those on low land will have to wait for dry weather, as 
the wet season has been a setback. Pastures are look¬ 
ing fine. 1 never saw a better prospect for grass at this 
time of year, especially on newly seeded. Old hay is 
being bought up and pressed. One man has a contract 
to load 25 cars. Benson, Vt., furnishes the most. Oats 
are looking well. Wheat looks fine. I am trying a piece 
of Ohio beardless barley; it is growing well, for it is on 
a side hill. J. s. C. P. 
Fair Haven, Vt. 
CROP AND WEATHER REPORT. 
During the past week crop growth in all sections east 
of the Rocky Mountains has been hindered by the cold. 
In the central valleys corn is coming on very slowly. 
The stand in Nebraska and Iowa is fair, and cultivation 
Is in progress. Planting is finished except in New Eng¬ 
land and the North Atlantic States, where the constant 
rains have prevented farm work of all kinds. Wheal in 
the Mississippi and Missouri Valievs needs rain, while 
in Marylanu, Virginia and North Carolina the crop is 
suffering from an excess of rain. Fly damage is reported 
in Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and iVlichigan. In Texas 
harvesting is in progress. In the Oi..o Valley the oat 
outlook is promising. Cotton conditions have improved, 
except in the Carolinas, where it has been injured by 
Hoods. Tobacco transplanting is going on rapidly. 
Plants are abundant except in Kentucky, where they are 
scarce and small. The western apple prospects are not 
so favorable as before reported. Apples are dropping 
badly. The latest reports on this crop in New Vork in¬ 
dicate a slight improvement. Flood damage in the Caro¬ 
linas and Tennessee is greater than was at first thought. 
The lovvlanus are flooded and tlie high ground badly 
washed. The crops of some farmers have been entirely 
wiped out. 
In Delaware fruits of all kinds are late. Blooms on 
tree fruits, Including peaches, is heavy. Strawberries, 
while at least lo days late, will be fair. Blackberries 
were injured by the cold Winier. Early potatoes are 
coming on m good shape. For some time the Florida pine 
belt has been in great need of rain. This condition is 
now relieved, and there is promise of a full crop. 
In spite of all that has been said about the superiority 
of Sicilian lemons to those from California, trade in the 
latter is moving along in great shape. A train of 10 
cars, which is said to be the first straight trainload of 
lemons ever sent from California for the East, is on its 
way to New York. The whole crop is estimated at about 
2,500 cars. 
i’he northern Georgia peach crop will be large. A 
number of orchards will give their first crop. Shipments 
of early varieties will begin shortly after the middle of 
June. Elbertas will not be ready for six weeks or more. 
The strawberry outlook along the Hudson Valley is 
quite promising, with the exception of those on wet 
ground, where the plants have suffered from the exces¬ 
sive rains. 
The financial condition of farmers in the Wilmington 
section of North Carolina is said to have materially im¬ 
proved during the past two years. The causes are the 
high prices of cotton last year and the development of 
the trucking industry. Truck farming worked hard and 
well managed has eaten up a good many mortgages in 
the Carolinas and Virginia. 
Caiitaloupe.s from North Carolina. 
What varieties of cantaloupes should be grown In 
North Carolina? What size of package would you recom¬ 
mend? What stage of ripeness should they be gathered? 
Would you advise shipments by refrigerator or open 
freights, cost considered, from this State? t. b. p. 
Hillsboro, N. C. 
We receive a great many cantaloupes from North Caro¬ 
lina, and we find the best method for packing is either 
in third-barrel baskets or a crate similar to the California 
orange boxes. The best varieties are the Netted Gem, 
Rocky Ford and Jenny Lind. We would not advise plant¬ 
ing any other but these three. If shipped in refrigerator 
cars they need not be picked until they are almost ready 
to part from the stem; if shipped by open freight they 
should be fully mature but not ripe. If ripe they will 
not carry. archdeacon & co. 
New York. 
The Eastern Shore ol’ Marylantl. 
Farming here is not done on such an extensive scale 
as in the days of slavery; many of the larger estates 
have been subdivided into smaller farms, many of which 
have been purchased by the northern and western set¬ 
tlers, and to-day produce 10 times as much as in former 
years, when trucking was unknown. The most successful 
farmer raises a combination crop; he keeps his herd of 
Jerseys, has two or three acres in strawberries, peach 
orchard, and from two to 10 acres for canning houses, 
pears and tomatoes, also asparagus. Last year the pea 
crop was a failure, on account of the louse. We have a 
good prospect for large fruit crop. Along the salt water 
rivers and Chesapeake Bay a failure in peach crop is 
unknown, especially on the low lands, which are subject 
to periodical Inundation. We have quite an advantage 
here over the remote northern and western settler, es¬ 
pecially in point of climate and market, being within 
easy access of Washington, Baltimore, Wilmington, 
Philadelphia and but seven hours to New York City by 
rail. In one of your recent Issues I noticed a picture 
of an English walnut tree. They grow large and vigor¬ 
ously wherever cultivated above tide water. T know of 
some very old and large ones; one owned by an old 
woman brings her about $25 a year. a. t. b. 
Cambridge, Md. 
