3o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
IAN. ii 
Ctteranj. 
MAGAZINE REVIEWS. 
H ARPER’S contains a profusely illus¬ 
trated article by Howard Pyle on 
“Jamaica, New and Old.” He pictures 
the island, not only as it is to-day, but as it 
was in times long past, in the days of su¬ 
gar Kings, slave-ships and pirates, aud 
describes Kingston, the town which once 
drew “ the commerce of the Western World 
to its wharves, until it became one vast 
store-house of wealth.” “A Russian Gener¬ 
al ” describes “The Russian Army,”—its 
organization, discipline, endurance, etc., 
both in the regular and irregular form. 
“ The Smyrna Fig Harvest” is a very in¬ 
teresting description of the small valley 
where nearly all the figs of commerce are 
grown, together with all the different pro¬ 
cesses of gathering, drying, transporting, 
sorting, pulling and packing them. The 
soil of the valley where they are grown is 
very deep and has the necessary quality of 
retaining moisture. The fig has been trans¬ 
planted into neighboring valleys but has 
not succeeded. It is incidentally remarked 
that a tract of soil almost identical had 
been discovered in California, and the 
climate also is similar. Several hundred 
trees planted there have thriven, although 
they have not yet reached an age necessary 
to test the full value of the fruit. Anna C. 
Brackett gives practical hints and sugges¬ 
tions in regard to horse back riding for 
women in an article entitled “ A Woman 
on Horseback.” Mrs. Lucy C. Lillie con¬ 
tributes “ Two Phases of American Art,” 
with illustrations from several rare works 
of American artists. “The Philosophy of 
Chinese” by John Heard, Jr., gives a 
glance into the intricate idioms of the lan¬ 
guage of the Celestials. Andrew Lang de¬ 
scribes, and Joseph Pennell illustrates, 
“ St. Andrews,” the charming college city 
in Fife. There are several pleasant stories : 
“Youma, Part I.” by Lafcadio Hearn: 
“ A Night at Ousely Manor by Katharine 
S. Macquoid ;” “Polly Dossett’s Rule ” by 
Elizabeth Stoddard; “ Barthdlemy de 
Macarty’s Revenge ” by Hon. Charles Ga- 
yarr6 and “ The Center Figger ” by M. E. 
M. Davis. Harper & Brothers, New York. 
■-- 
T HE varied contents of Peterson’s 
Magazine for January are introduced 
by a sketch of the life of Martin Luther, 
which is illustrated by portraits of Luther 
and his wife, the Monastery at Magdeburg, 
etc. The first installments of two of the 
promised novelettes are given: one “ A 
Romance of the Big Horn,” by Howard 
Seeley, the other “A Magnificent Mar¬ 
riage,” by Lucy H. Hooper. There are two 
New Year stories, a short story by Frank 
Lee Benedict, and several others. In the 
Mother’s Department the article on “ Diet 
in Cutaneous Diseases” is concluded. 
The Fashion Department, besides the 
usual colored plate of Paris fashions—con¬ 
sisting this month entirely of New Year 
reception dresses, gives a colored pattern 
of orange blossoms, leaves and fruit for 
side-board scarf. The supplement consists 
of a cut paper pattern for the popular leg- 
o’-mutton sleeve, an outline design of 
poppies for pillow sham, and a smaller 
one for corner of apron. Peterson Maga¬ 
zine Co., Philadelphia. 
--- 
CATALOGUES, ETC., RECEIVED. 
J OHNSTON HARVESTER CO.—This is 
one of the best concerns in the country 
for fair dealing and prompt business meth¬ 
ods. Their specialties are steel-frame bind¬ 
ers and mowers and reapers. They also 
offer disk pulverizers and cultivators of 
the most approved patterns. The R. N.-Y. 
takes pleasure in calling the attention of 
its friends to this house. “ The best is the 
cheapest ” is the basis upon which these 
goods are sold—do you know of any surer 
basis to work on ? Send for the catalogue, 
and if you decide to do business with the 
house tell us if the R. N.-Y.’s estimate of 
their business responsibility is not correct. 
The Johnston Harvester Co., Batavia, N. 
Y. 
Mixer for Plaster and Other Ma¬ 
terials.— Circulars from W. D. Dunning, 
Syracuse, N. Y. If we understand the 
matter, this is a machine that many 
farmers need. Such work as preparing 
plaster with Paris-green, home-mixing fer¬ 
tilizer or feed for cattle or horses is slow 
and laborious with the rake and hoe on the 
barn floor. This machine promises to do 
the work thoroughly and well. If it can 
fulfill its promise it will prove a great 
boon to farmers. 
Farmers’ and Planters’ Account 
Book. —This book is designed to aid farm- 
mers in keeping accounts. By means of a 
system of ruling the pages are so arranged 
into spaces that book-keeping is simplified 
and made quite accurate. We should think 
such a book would prove useful to farmers. 
Published by Josiah Holbrook, Lebanon, 
Ohio. 
Spangler’s Handy Shaft Holder.— 
Circular from Spangler, Jessup & Jones, 
York, Pa. This device purports to be a 
buckle and holder combined. It takes the 
place of the leather tug and is said to be 
handy and strong. It looks like a good 
thing if the pictures shown of it are faith¬ 
fully drawn. 
Aspinwall Potato - Planter.— Cata¬ 
logue from the Aspinwall Manufacturing 
Co., Three Rivers, Michigan. Every year, 
the R. N.-Y. feels called upon to speak of 
this excellent implement as one of the most 
ingenious machines ever devised by man. 
In spite of the failures last year, a heavy 
potato crop will be planted in 1890, and 
more farmers than ever will try to utilize 
horse power wherever they can. To all 
such men the R. N.-Y. respectfully sug¬ 
gests an investigation of this potato plant¬ 
er. It is well described and illustrated in 
the catalogue. 
Caw. 
“ Every Man is 'presumed to know the 
Law. Nine-tenths of all Litigation arises 
from Ignorance of Law” 
OWNERSHIP OF ICE ON A MILL-POND ON DIF¬ 
FERENT PEOPLE’S LAND. 
C. E. P., Hartford, Conn.— My property 
is located on a brook which was dammed 
years ago to afford water-power for run¬ 
ning a mill which is owned by A, He cuts 
the ice on the mill-pond adjoining my prop¬ 
erty. Has he a right to do this without 
my consent ? I have owned the land since 
April 1, and understand that former own¬ 
ers did not object to A’s taking the ice. A 
says I have no right to take ice or water 
from the mill-pond adjoining my property 
while I claim that I own to the center of 
the stream and can do what I choose with 
my own property. 
A ns.— It has been decided that a mill¬ 
pond used for the purpose of running a 
mill is an easement belonging to the mill, 
although it may cover the land of other 
persons. The mill owner alone has the 
right to cut ice on the pond, and has the 
use of all the water. When our inquirer 
purchased the land, he took it with this en¬ 
cumbrance upon it. The water privilege 
carries with it every use of the water: even 
the fish in the pond belong to the owner of 
the mill, and the right of using boats on it 
also is his exclusively. 
T. L., Seneca County, N. Y.—A sold a 
rather valuable horse to B, who soon sold 
it again to C, who after the deal was closed 
learnt that D had a chattel mortgage on the 
animal. Who is liable for the mortgage— 
A, B, or C ? 
Ans.— The laws of New York State re¬ 
quire that all mortgages must be recorded, 
and that without a proper record they are 
void. If the mortgage was properly re¬ 
corded, C is liable for the payment of the 
mortgage, but he may sue B for the 
amount who, in turn can sue A. A could 
transfer to B only the interest he had in 
the horse, and this alone could be trans¬ 
ferred by B to C. 
A SON’S CLAIM FOR SERVICES AGAINST AN 
INTESTATE’S ESTATE. 
T. M. L., Elmira, N. Y.—A farmer who 
owned a valuable farm and other property 
not far from here, had three sons. He spent 
considerable money in giving a good educa¬ 
tion to the eldest who never did any work 
on the farm, having settled in a distant 
city just after he left college. The farmer 
set the second son up in business in a small 
way in a neighboring town several years 
ago. The third son, now 28 years old, has 
worked steadily on the farm since he was 
18 and did odd chores before that. The old 
farmer lately died without leaving a will, 
and the two sons who left the farm years 
ago, claim as big a share of the property as 
the one who has worked steadily to keep 
up and improve the farm. Hasn’t the lat¬ 
ter a right to more of it f 
Ans. —No, though the case is a hard one. 
If the widow of the intestate is alive, she 
is entitled to a life interest in one-third of 
the real estate and has a right to one-third of 
the personal property after all just debts 
of the deceased have been paid. The rest 
of the real and personal property is to be 
equally divided between the children. The 
son who worked on the farm, however, has 
a just claim against the estate for services 
rendered. This claim must be presented 
to the administrator in the same way as 
any other claim, and, like other debts, this 
one must be paid before the distribution of 
the estate. 
DESCENT OF INTESTATE WIFE’S PROPERTY 
IN MINNESOTA. 
T. L. M., Winona, Minn.—A, doing busi¬ 
ness in a town, married the daughter of a 
farmer who, some years ago, inherited her 
father’s farm with other property. A short 
time ago she died without having made a 
will. What disposition do the laws of this 
State make of her property ? 
Ans.—T he surviving husband is entitled 
to hold for life, free of the intestate’s debts, 
the homestead belonging to her and one- 
third of any other land owned by her at 
her death, (the latter being subject, how¬ 
ever, to her debts,) together with one-third 
of her personal property. If the deceased 
wife left no kindred her whole estate goes 
to the husband. If she left children, two- 
thirds of the property, real and personal, is 
to be divided between them, exclusive of 
the homestead. After A’s death the home¬ 
stead too must be equally divided between 
the children. 
3. M. S., St. Joseph County, Mich.—A 
farmer who owned a fine farm and nothing 
else except the stock and other chattels on 
it, died a short time ago, leaving a widow, 
an 18-year-old son, and several daughters 
three of whom are quite young. He left 
all his property to his widow by warranty 
deed, with the verbal request that she 
should so arrange matters that the son 
shall have the farm at her death, but so 
that the three young girls shall have a 
home there, if they desire, until they are of 
age, unless sooner married. How can she 
do this at least expense ? Must she make 
a will or can she do so by deed to be deliv¬ 
ered to the son at her death ? 
ANS.—The best and simplest way of ac¬ 
complishing the desired object would be by 
a deed to the son containing the necessary 
stipulations. All rights secured by such 
an instrument could be easily enforced, and 
it would not invite litigation as a will is 
apt to do. 
g,Ui£retIatt£0u$: gMt’jertis'ing. 
Continental Steel Frame Binders, 
Mowers and Reapers. 
CONTINENTAL 
CULTIVATORS. 
DISK PULVERIZERS 
THE BEST IS THE CHEAPEST. 
THE JOHNSTON HARVESTER CO., 
•■M ild lor Catalogues. BATAVIA, N. Y. 
NEW STRAWBERRY 
“LADY RUSK” 
The best berry for long: 
ok 
__ distance shipments. Will not 
rut or melt down if packed dry. Hemlyuartt^rs for all 
leading varietiesof Berry Plants and ORAPL VINE8 
having 300 acres in cultivation. Catalogue IVoc. 
WM. STAHL, Quincy, III. 
ELLIOT’S PARCHMENT PAPER The Cheapest. The llcst. The Highest Quality. 
Over lO.tXKi progressive creameries, dairymen, farmers and 
" Etc., Etc. 
dealers indorse it In place of muslin or wax paper, for wrapping Butter, Cheese, Laro, Meat. Sausage, 1 
Good butter demands a good wrapper. Send for samples and testimonials to dealers in Dairy Supplies, or 
A. C. ELLIOT & CO., Paper Manufacturers, Philadelphia, Pa. 
FAY 
CURRANT 
HEADQUARTERS 
CRAPES 
^ARCES 
GRAPEVINES 
___ IN AMERICA^ 
yru/ PDA DEC ESTHER (white), and ROCKWOOD (blaekh originated by E W. BULL, orig r 
Pit If bnAr LOi inator of the CONCORD GRAPE. Also EATON, MOYER, and all others, newf 
and old. Best and Cheapest. Small Fruits. Free Catalogues. CEO.S. JOSSELYN, Fredonia, N.Y.j 
For Corn and Cob*, Feed and Tnble Meal. Grinds finer, runs lighter, 
\ iB more durable than any mill on the market. Send for Catalogue before buying. 
A.W.STRAUB A CO., Philada .Pa. I SPRINGFIELD IMPLEMENT CO.. Springfield, Ohio 
Territory East of Ohio. I Territory Weal of Pcunaylvauia. 
iOWS 
EVENLY and 
ACCURATELY. 
Easily ^ 
■^N^AdJusted. 
LIGHT. STRONG. DURABLE. 
AmillUWHEELBARROW 
CROWN GRASS SEEDER 
■*"-..Tjcnp ever made to 
nothv. All Iron wheel 
iicyole wheel. Hoppers 14 ft, long. No W 
. Send for circulars of this Seeder, and v 
I Fnrtllliir Drill,” the best on the market.' 
The very HKST IHnrhlne ever made to 
4 ow Clover and Timothy. All Iron wheel, 
in in. dlam.: like a Bicycle wheel 
i louring. No friction. 
the " Crown 6raln and 
CAM HUB. VIBRATORY LEVER. 
Thiu Machine can be set to sow 
the desired quantity (from 4 to 
25 lbs. per acre) instantly. Wire 
agitator not affected by weather 
Savra seed and time, and insuret 
good hay crops. Every one iru rrantai 
CROWN MANFC. CO./ 
PHELPS, N. Y. P.O. Bcxi) 
