1901 
TPIE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
569 
Events of the PVeek. 
domestic.—F ifty cases of smallpox among Indians 
are under quarantine at the Flathead Agency in .Mon¬ 
tana. The disease exists also among the Turtle Moun¬ 
tain Indians, and at some of the Sioux agencies, partic¬ 
ularly in the Dakotas, but outside of Flathead the attack 
is diminishing. Smallpox has again attacked the Winne¬ 
bago Indians on the reservation near Black River Falls, 
in Wisconsin, and scattered on private farms between 
there and Eacrosse, and the extinction of the tribe is 
threatened.Governor Davis, of Arkansas, has 
announced that he will recommend the repeal of the act 
which permits the public to witness hangings. It is 
estimated that 10,000 persons attended the execution of a 
negro at lattle Rock, July 26, and there were exhibi¬ 
tions of the side show variety on the ground. Young 
Lemoyne Jayne, who had seen the hanging, gave an 
imitation of it, and fatally injured himself. Because of 
this and the scenes at the execution. Governor Davis 
has decided to obtain the repeal of the law. 
Hundreds of homeseekers at El Reno, O. T., who failed 
to draw claims in the new Kiowa-Comanche country, 
are selling their tents, horses and wagons at a sacrifice 
in order to reach their homes. Many others, who have 
camped on the borders of the land for months, expect¬ 
ing that it would be opened by a “run,” are destitute 
and already suffering is apparent. Hundreds are diift- 
ing south toward the projected towns of Anadarko, Ho 
bart and Lawton, hoping that something may turn up. 
Many merchants and professional men drew claims, 
while hundreds of needy have found themselves without 
either the hoped-for land or money sufficient to pur¬ 
chase necessities.The Exposition Building at 
Kansas City, Mo., was destroyed by fire August 5. Ring- 
ling’s circus was in full swing in the grounds adjoining. 
The firemen had to drench the main tent, and the side¬ 
show tent was struck to save it after several big holes 
had been burned in it. Fully 10,000 persons were in the 
tents and about them, and a panic was narrowly avert¬ 
ed. The Exposition Building was built in 1888 and cost 
over $200,000. It was an enormous affair, built after the 
Philadelphia Centennial style with a steel and glass 
roof. It was the largest show building in the West. It 
was sold and was to have been toim down, so that the 
actual loss is not very great. There was no insurance. 
. ... X gasoline explosion in a grocery store at Phil¬ 
adelphia, Pa., August 5, killed eight persons and injured 
to others. A great deal of damage was done to adjacent 
buildings.The vault at the Selby smelter, at 
Vallejo, Cal., was robbed of gold to the value of $280,000, 
August 5, by thieves who tunneled under the building 
and broke in from below. ... A terrific explosion of 
nitroglycerin occurred at Bowling Green, O., August 6; 
one man was blown to atoms, several persons Injured, 
and much property damaged. The explosion was caused 
by the jolting of a wagon, in which 800 quarts of the 
stuff were being carried, when crossing a railroad track. 
. . . . True bills were found by the grand jury, of 
Bucks Co., Pa., charging John Kinney, manager of the 
Penn Valley Stock Farm, with the larceny by bailee of 
180 horses, valued at $180,000, and the embezzlement as 
agent of $22,000, the property of Sarah D. Cox. 
At Scranton, Pa., August 6, the proprietor of an under¬ 
wear factory was fined $27 for swearing at his employees, 
and also compelled to apologize to the young women 
whom he had thus offended. 
ADMINISTRATION.—The American consuls in the sec¬ 
tions in Central and South America affected by the 
revolution in Colombia and the war preparations in 
Venezuela send alarming messages to the State Depart¬ 
ment. Consul Hezekiah Gudger, at Panama, advised the 
Department that the state of affairs warranted the dis¬ 
patch of a war vessel to guard American Interests. Ow¬ 
ing to the fact that the President expressed displeasure 
wlien the State Department sent war vessels to La Guay- 
ra during the critical part of the negotiations incident to 
the war of the asphalt companies, the State Department 
requires very positive evidence that vessels are needed, 
before they are sent. The President is opposed to shows 
of force. The Machias was ordered to Colon August 7. 
PHILIPPINES.—A proclamation purporting to come 
from Malvar, the successor of Aguinaldo, has been is¬ 
sued, giving assurance to the Filipinos of the continua¬ 
tion of active war. American officials at Manila believe 
it was really written at Hong Kong by Agonclllo. 
Secretary Root’s order cutting off the use of commissary 
supplies by civilian employees is causing consternation 
among the minor clerks, whose expenses are thus 
doubled. Many of them claim they had an absolute un¬ 
derstanding, before leaving the United States, that they 
would be entitled to use commissary* stores. The order 
became effective August 1. Unless the salaries of the 
junior employees are raised many resignations are likely 
to be tendered. 
HAWAII.—The constitution of the United States pre¬ 
ceded the flag in Hawaii, according to a decision ren¬ 
dered by Circuit Court Judge Gear of the first circuit. 
He has already released on habeas corpus petitions 
three prisoners sentenced for infamous crimes after the 
resolution of annexation was passed by Congress, and 
was signed by President McKinley, on the ground that 
they were not convicted by a unanimous verdict of 12 
jurors. A wholesale jail delivery of murderers, burg¬ 
lars, larcenlsts and other criminals is threatened, under 
the decision, and Honolulu is greatly disturbed over 
the prospect. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—Fifteen carloads of Russian 
hard wheat arrived in Kansas City, Mo., July 29. Four 
more carloads are yet to come. There are 14,446 bushels 
of wheat in the consignment, and it is to be distributed 
for seed purposes in Kansas and Oklahoma. It is the 
greatest shipment of hard seed wheat ever brought to 
this country. 
The Dairy and Food Bureau of the Pennsylvania State 
Department of Agriculture will institute proceedings 
against oleo manufacturers to obtain a court interpre¬ 
tation of the new law governing the making and sale 
of the substitute for butter. 
The establishment of the Union Provision Company, 
of Somerset, Pa., was seized by United States officials. 
August 1. The company was chartered for the purpose 
of conducting a butter renovating establishment, and is 
capitalized at $15,000. It is alleged that the concern has 
been engaged in the illegal manufacture of oleomar¬ 
garine, samples of the product having been analyzed by 
the Government officials at Washington. 
Anthrax is reported among the cattle in several coun¬ 
ties of South Dakota. 
The forty-seventh annual fair of the Pennsylvania 
State Agricultural Society will be held in joint exhibi¬ 
tion with the Lancaster County Agricultural Association 
at Lancaster, Pa., October 1—4; secretary, J. P, Niss- 
ley, Hummelstown, Dauphin Co., Pa. 
C. O. Townsend and H. P. Gould, who have made en¬ 
viable records as State pathologist and entomologist re¬ 
spectively in Maryland, are now connected with the 
United States Department of Agriculture. They are 
succeeded in Maryland by G. L. Stewart and A. L. 
Quaintance. 
After a thorough inspection of western Nebraska, Gif¬ 
ford Pinchot, chief of the Bureau of Forestry, U. S. 
Department of Agriculture, and W. L. Hall, expert su¬ 
perintendent of the tree-planting division of the same 
bureau, believe that the sand hills and prairie can be 
converted into another such pine woods as northern 
Michigan. The forestry experts will bespeak the aid of 
western Congressmen to this end. 
As a result of pressure brought to bear on him by the 
nurserymen of the State, Governor Stanley, of Kansas, 
may remove E. A. Popenoe, whom he recently appointed 
State Inspector of nurseries. The nurserymen declare 
that there is no good reason for the appointment of such 
an official, as no such office existed prior to the time 
Governor Stanley named the inspector. A. L. Brooke 
and other Topeka nurserymen called on the Governor 
July 22 and asked him to remove the inspector. The 
Governor promised to settle the matter satisfactorily. 
The Southern Nurserymen’s Association met recently 
at Asheville, N. C., and elected the following officers: 
President, J. Van Lindley, Pomona; vice-president, Henry 
Chase, Huntsville, Ala.; secretary and treasurer, W. L. 
Wilson, New Chester, Tenn. 
The annual convention of the Society of American 
Florists opened at Buffalo, N. Y., August 6. 
CROP PROSPECTS. 
The apple crop is very light here, but we will have a 
nice light crop of our own, which was sprayed fairly 
well considering the season, and buyers are after them 
at good figures. We expect to pack in barrels again 
this year to suit the wholesale men, believing we can 
do about as well this time selling at picking time. We 
are hopeful of 1,000 barrels of nice fruit. We have had 
no dropping since May. We have a good peach crop, 
too, but the dry weather is hurting it very much. Peach 
yellows is making a raid on us this year. Several 
good rains have passed around in sight, but it is dry 
on the farm. It was wet enough on the road to market. 
Bradrick, O. u. t. c. 
JULY 29.—The worst drought and hot weather ever 
known in Illinois was ended in this section yesterday by 
a fine rain^ and we now have prospect of more, which 
will be thankfully received. Mercury reached 100 de¬ 
grees and above for a week or more at a stretch. Last 
Spring some of the best farms sold for $60 to $65 per 
acre here, which was an advance of about $10 per acre 
in 10 years. The corn cannot possibly make over half 
an average crop this year, which will no doubt check 
the advance in values of lands. Many cash renters will 
be left in debt. The average yield of butter from 100 
pounds of milk has been but 3.6 to 3.7. No Jersey cows. 
I have paid 15 cents per pound for butter fat, which 
made the milk from 50 to 60 cents per hundred. Drought 
cut down milk receipts, so there is nothing in it for any¬ 
one. w. s. s. 
Pleasant Valley, Ill. 
JULY 29.—We have had a wet season here since June 
1. Haying weather was very “catchy” before July 4; 
since then we have had two weeks of good hay weather. 
Oat harvest has been very bad; it has rained every 
night for the past week. Hay was a fair crop; wheat 
very uneven, some pieces being nearly ruined by the 
Hessian fly, while others near by were not injured at 
all. Oats are a fair crop. Corn fair on high land, but 
badly drowned out on low land. Potatoes are not very 
good on account of too much wet. Bugs have been 
very bad this year. The apple crop in this part of Mich¬ 
igan is almost a total failure, not enough for home con¬ 
sumption. I was talking with a traveling fruit buyer 
the other day, and he told me that there were no apples 
to speak of in western Michigan. Peaches and plums 
are generally a good crop. Milch cows are doing well; 
pastures have been good all the season in this locality. 
The second crop of clover is just booming now. 
Ottawa Co., Mich. h. l. w. 
JULY 29.—We have had all kinds of weather this sea¬ 
son. It was cold and dry until June 15, then we had 
some light rains with a turn to warmer, but no more 
rain until July 4, when we had a fairly good shower. 
Since then dry and hot. Corn was badly rolled; it was 
the warmest weather I can ever remember here, the 
thermometer reaching 100 to 109 degrees right along until 
to-day, when we had a heavy rain. It is almost im¬ 
possible to work a binder on low land at the present 
time. Corn made such a poor growth that I nearly 
gave up having any, but the hot weather set it boom¬ 
ing; it is tasseling out and setting for ears in fine 
shape, and promises a big crop. Potatoes will yield a 
good crop where the bugs have not eaten them up, but 
they have ruined a large part of the acreage. They did 
not come out of the ground until the late potatoes were 
up, and then the air was full of them; the hot weather 
was a picnic for them. We have never had bugs so 
thick before; one week would hatch and grow a full- 
sized slug, and we have not done with them yet. Culti¬ 
vating, haying and harvesting all came at once. Wheat 
is a fair crop, the best we have had in three years, and 
is nearly all in the stack. Rye a good crop, all cut, but 
is in the shock yet and sprouting some, with no signs 
of a chance to draw it. Hay was about one-third of 
a crop, generally secured in good condition. Oats are 
the poorest in years; so short that it is impossible to 
<-ut some of them. I see Mr. Garfield in The R. N.-Y. 
estimates the apple crop of Michigan at about one-half 
an average, and I think he is putting it far too high. 
No section I- have been in has nearly a half crop, and 
a good part of the country has none at all. They are 
scarce here. Harvest apples selling for 75 cents per 
bushel, and they are mighty small. Early potatoes are 
rotting badly since the rains commenced. w. b. 
Mecosta Co., Midi. 
JULY 31.—The outlook for apples is poor. Hay a good 
crop; corn looking well. Early potatoes poor; late ones 
give a fair showing for a good yield. Oats very poor; 
gi’asshoppei’s are eating the heads off. Some pieces of 
buckwheat are entirely destroyed. Wheat is a fair crop; 
it has been very hot here, but we have had plenty of 
rain lately. Most farmers have done haying. A great 
deal of rye has been harvested here this year. 
Gillett, Fa. 
AUGUST 1.—The apple crop in this section of the State 
will not average more than from 10 to 25 per cent of an 
average crop. Some orchards are almost entirely desti¬ 
tute of fruit, while others only give promise of a very 
moderate crop. Tent caterpillars did but little damage 
in this vicinity, but canker worms have done some 
damage where no spraying was done. The hay crop 
has been nearly all gathered in, and a full crop has 
been harvested. Barns are well filled as compared with 
the past two years. Grain is fairly good, while corn is 
growing finely. A fine rain July 28 and July 30 came as a 
benediction to the farmer whose crops were getting a 
little dry. There is some complaint that the potato 
yield will be light hereabouts. t. d. s. 
Madison, Me. 
AUGUST 6.—This is not a very good section of country 
for wheat. Most of the wheat raised here is Fultz, some 
white wheat, or the Red Chaff Mediterranean. The early 
seeded wheat suffered from the tly most, while the late 
seeded was practically free from it. No difference noticed 
in the varieties of wheat. e. t. 
Eikins, W. Va. 
AUGUST 5.—Since you published my report of June 
conditions have changed the prospect for a fair apple 
crop greatly. Insects and scab have got in their work, 
with the drought following. I now believe one-third 
will be a good estimate of the crop here. East and 
northeast of here 30 to 40 miles will be even less. Peaches 
set a very heavy crop, but will be poor; as very few 
growers thin, rot and premature ripening have set in 
Most varieties of plums are rotting very badly on the 
trees. Japans are a good crop. Abundance is ripening. 
Hay and wheat have been stored; cutting oats is in 
order. There will be a light crop. With a little rain 
corn will be a fair crop. Potatoes looking very poor. 
Ogle, Pa. _ a. w. h. 
Government Weekly Report. 
Lower temperature and good rains in the Missouri 
Valley have materially improved conditions, yet the 
drought is only partly broken in the section east of the 
Mississippi and north of the Ohio River. Texas is also 
badly in need of rain. New England, the Middle Atlantic 
States and the Pacific coast have had a generally favor¬ 
able week. In the corn belt late corn looks decidedly 
better, and reports would indicate that more than usual 
was planted late this season. In the Middle Atlantic 
States a fine corn crop is promised. In the Spring wheat 
section weather has been favorable for harvesting, and 
the work is completed in all except the extreme north¬ 
ern districts. The oat harvest is nearly finished, and the 
yield generally unsatisfactory. The prospect for apples 
is slim. In sections where a fair quantity of fruit set, 
it has been damaged by the extreme heat. Fall plowing 
is in progress in the Missouri Valley and Atlantic States. 
Facts About the Hessian Fly. 
Bulletin 194, just issued froni Cornell University 
(Ithaca, N. Y.) gives a careful statement of the situa¬ 
tion as regards the Hessian fly in wheat. It is said 
that for the past five years the average wheat crop in 
New York State has exceeded 7,000,000 bushels, while 
this year the fly has caused a loss of more than half of 
this amount, or a loss of $3,000,000! Experiments at Cor¬ 
nell and on other farms in various parts of the State 
show that the variety known as Dawson’s Golden Chaff 
has usually produced a full crop in spite of the ravages 
of the fly. The Dawson is a strong, vigorous variety 
with stiff, heavy straw. “It is a white-chaff, bald wheat. 
The grain is so light an amber that it is sometimes 
classed as white. Heads rather short, but very com¬ 
pact, and it yields beyond its appearance when stand¬ 
ing.” Five other wheats appear to be able to resist the 
attacks of the fly. These are called Prosperity, “No. 8,” 
Democrat, Red Russian and White Chaff Mediterranean, 
but none of them is equal to the Dawson. Reports from 
Canada, where the Dawson originated, indicate that the 
fly attacked it seriously, but in New York State it was 
nearly or quite insect proof. No one can tell just why 
this variety was able to resist the insects, though iis 
vigorous growth was probably the chief reason. Prof. 
Roberts suggests a trial of these varieties, and he wants 
the names of farmers who are willing to receive a peck 
or half bushel from the Station. The life history of the 
insect has now been well studied. The dry Augusts of 
the past few years have favored its development. Should 
there be a fair amount of rainfall in August this year 
it is quite likely that the late-sown wheat will escape. 
While it is not possible to set any date for seeding to 
wheat in New York it is thought that the best results 
will be obtained by waiting until after September 20 or 
25. Rich ground which will stimulate a quick and strong 
growth is desirable, and many farmers begin to argue 
that a fair dressing of fertilizer at the time of seeding 
will help. The fertilizer does not directly kill the fly, 
as some farmers seem to believe, but it stimulates the 
wheat plant so that it makes a quick, vigorous growth. 
It will pay farmers to send for this interesting bulletin 
and study it carefully. 
PAPER FRUIT BASKETS.—We used the paper straw¬ 
berry baskets more or less for several years, but have 
discarded them now. Though they were good in some 
respects they were inferior in others. It took time to 
set them up; and some of the pickers would tear them 
in putting together. They could not be nested, so wore 
inconvenient to carry under shelter at night, or when 
showers came up. Though they were “gift baskets” 
some would return them, and the pickers found they 
were stretched, so it took more berries to fill them. 
They were not stiff as wooden baskets, so bothered the 
pickers in. getting from the stands (when full of berries) 
to crates. We now get the wooden gift baskets. 
Cavendish, N. Y. l. a. k. 
