422 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
had dropped from his hand. This planter differs from 
most others in the fact that seeds which go into the ground 
are in plain sight. It is impossible for the seeds to escape 
being pushed into the soil. In fact, they are pushed with 
such force that on hard or stony ground some of them 
were split or broken. 
Shir Sling Hay Carrier.—O nr friends, F. E. Myers 
& Bro., of Ashlaud, O., have placed on the market a de¬ 
vice for handling grain, hay and fodder crops, which they 
claim is a radical departure from anything of the sort be¬ 
fore offered for sale. While designed for use as a sling, 
the running part of this device is suitable for a hay fork if 
desired. While the use of slings for unloading hay and 
grain is comparatively new, the practice is growing, 
because farmers find that they can use the slings for corn 
fodder, beans, flax or clover seed, as well as for the hay. 
Canning Vat; Evaporators.— What is the best plan 
for constructing a vat in which to cook canned vegetables? 
I wish to get heat by means of a pipe coming from the 
boiler of a 15-horse-power steam engine. What is also a 
good plan of evaporating vegetables ? What is the least 
expense for an outfit on a small scale ? 
Ans.— Scudder & Townsend, who have won a fairly 
national reputation for their canned goods, used for years 
a 60-gallon barrel with one head knocked out. A plumber 
can fit pipes to such a barrel so that it will work satisfac¬ 
torily. The barrel must have valves to allow the water to 
run in and out and also for controlling the supply of 
steam. There must also be a steam coil at the bottom. A 
double jacket steam kettle of 60 gallons capacity will 
cost $125. while the pipe attachments for both kettle and 
barrel will cost about, the same. The cans are lowered 
into the barrel by means of an iron cage which is 
attached to a pulley. The water "should boil fiercely 
before the cans are put in it. The cans remain in 
the boiling water awhile, and are then taken out and 
“ vented ” by punching small holes in the top, and then 
thev are again placed in the boiling water. Nothing but 
experience and careful experiment can tell one how long to 
cook. Except in the matter of sweet corn the business of 
evaporating vegetables is in its infancy. Sweet corn is 
taken while in the “ milk” state, boiled for a few minutes 
and then shaved from the cob with a sharp knife. It is 
then dried in an ordinary evaporator. Other vegetables 
are, we believe, managed in like manner. The prices for 
evaporators depend upon the size desired. Send to the 
manufacturers of evaporators who advertise in the R. N.-Y. 
for circulars. 
The Pulping Machines made in England do not re¬ 
quire that the roots should be cut up. My plan was to 
put cut-up fodder and pulp in alternate layers—about a 
foot of the former and four inches of the latter. Pat 
each layer down with a shovel and leave the heap for 12 
hours. It would then heat slightly; the fodder would be 
soft and have acquired the flavor of the roots, and the 
whole would be much relished by the cattle. L. 
Bucks County, Virginia. 
BUSINESS IN BOTTLED MILK. 
The FAIRFIELD DAIRY, which supplies the aristocratic 
suburban town of Montclair, N. J., with milk and cream, 
has obtained an enviable reputation for the quality of 
its products. The farm is situated in the township of 
Caldwell, about six miles from Montclair. The dairy is 
owned and managed by S. Francisco, who resides upon the 
farm and oversees the production, while the city agent, 
Geo. Freeland, resides in Montclair and superintends the 
distribution to the consumers. About 300 acres are occu¬ 
pied by the dairy, about 100 cows being kept. The herd, 
which was formerly much smaller, consisted originally of 
common and grade cows, but these have been improved by 
crossing with Holstein and Jersey bulls, and raising the 
heifer calves from the hest cows. The Holsteins, though 
heavy milkers, are not satisfactory, as the customers re¬ 
quire richer milk. The Jerseys, although not giving so 
much milk, furnish a quality that is more satisfactory to 
their critical trade. As an evidence of the superiority of their 
milk, Messrs. Francisco & Co., say that many of their cus¬ 
tomers have come to them from other milkmen, who sell 
milk at six cents per quart, though they charge eight the 
year around. The cows are pastured through the summer, 
but are stabled every night, and fed the entire year. The 
grain feed consists of corn-meal, wheat bran, and malt 
sprouts, and some oil-meal. Brewers’ grains are not fed, 
as they claim it is impossible to make good, healthful milk 
by their use. The oil-meal is fed to give a richer cream, 
but too much gives an objectionable flavor. Rye and oats 
are sown to be cut and fed green, when necessary to 
supplement the pastures. Corn is put in the silo for winter 
feeding, and the hay fed is grown on the place. Most of 
the cows are fastened in the stables in stanchions, because 
they occupy less room, but some of them are fastened with 
neck-chains, the stronger, more vigorous ones being put 
in the stanchions because they endure that sort of confine¬ 
ment better. 
About a scoopful of feed is given each cow at a mess. 
Milking begins at as nearly five o’clock morning and night 
as possible, Bummer and winter. The feed is of the best, 
everything being clean and sweet. The stables and cows 
are kept as clean as it is possible for them to be, and every¬ 
thing about the milk is scrupulously clean. As soon as 
the milk is drawn, it is at once bottled and the bottles are 
closed, and cooled by means of Ice. A partial supply of ice 
was obtained this year, but when this is gone, more will 
be purchased. Some dairymen are trying to get along 
with cold water, but Mr. Freeland predicts that when very 
hot weather comes they will have trouble with the milk. 
Their milk is all sold the day after it is drawn, though the 
night’s mess is kept separate from that drawn in the 
morning. This, of course, necessitates careful handling. 
They consider bottles the bestjfor serving tbeir customers 
for several reasons. Each quart of milk has the cream 
belonging with it, whereas, where milk is dipped from 
a can, those getting that from the top get much more 
than their share of the cream. The bottles are neater 
and more convenient receptacles for the milk, and 
give better satisfaction to the customers; there is a 
little more weight to handle in the packages ; but this is 
more than compensated for by the advantages of the sys¬ 
tem. The milk is all sold in bottles except that taken by 
some large boarding-house keepers who buy large quanti¬ 
ties. The cream that is sold is raised in a Cooley creamer. 
Butter is raised from the surplus milk. The trade of the 
firm requires such milk as the Jerseys produce, and they 
are working their herd in that direction as rapidly as pos¬ 
sible. The secrets of their success, if secrets they may be 
called, lie in keeping cows that produce good, rich milk, 
feeding and caring for them so that they will do their best, 
handling their milk so that it comes to the consumers in 
the best condition, and furnishing it in neat and attractive 
shape. They say that it costs something to do this, but 
they have secured a remunerative though discriminating 
patronage, and it is for their interest to retain it. The herd 
of cows used in this milk dairy would be noted anywhere 
as butter makers. The bull Bonfire, at the head of the 
herd, is a grandson of Eurotus and Mary Anne of St. Lam¬ 
bert. The success of the dairy upsets the old idea that a 
milkman grows fat by selling lean milk ! 
A WOMAN’S FARMING. 
No. I. 
In the first place the farm did not come to me, neither 
did I inherit it, neither was it left to me—I had to earn it 
by hard, honest labor, cent by cent, dollar by dollar, com¬ 
puting nearly the interest on a cent annually. I operated 
mostly with mixed farming, believing that to be the saf¬ 
est. I commenced in a small way at the foot of the ladder. 
I had been oneof those rarely-heard of unfortunates that 
could not make school-teaching a success. No matter 
how genteel and respectable the calling might be, I could 
not get on. To me the district school-house was the most 
lonely place on the face ot the earth. Generally seated on 
a bed of rocks or sand, where no living greenness could ex¬ 
ist, bleached and barren like the wasted sea-shore, with all 
sorts and sizes and temperaments to deal with, it was so 
desolate that I gave it up. I put my pride in my pocket, 
said goodbye to the old school-house, and weut home to 
my father’s house (he lived on a rented farm and barely 
made both ends meet), and went to raising poultry and 
eggs. When I beheld my mother toiling all day long 
waiting on and cooking for hired men, and saw the poor 
management out-of-doors—crops wasted from not having 
been put in in proper season, never properly cared for or 
harvested in good order—I said to myself that I could do 
better, I knew. I kept my own counsel, and accepted my 
father’s offer, namely, the poultry on shares, I to find all 
the feed, do all the labor, and furnish the family with 
groceries foi the table, and he to furnish the stock; that 
is, what was then on the place. I agreed to do this. The 
stock was a harum-scarum, half-starved lot of fowls of all 
colors, ages, sizes and breeds—a grand mixture of odds 
and ends. My father was one of that kind of men who 
believe that hens should get their living at least four 
months in the year. With him eggs were not of much 
account anyhow. They never entered into one of his items 
of farming. Summer and winter the fowls roosted out on 
the trees or under an old tumble-down shed. He was well 
enough in his way; there were hundreds just like him who 
believed “ book farming ” a sin ; but that age is with the 
past. 
I took the fowls and went to work with them. In the 
first place I engaged 10 bushels of buckwheat and 20 of 
corn in the ear, of a neighbor, and had it delivered. On 
the first count there were about 50 fowls and two forlorn 
old hen turkeys and one diminutive gobbler that had forgot¬ 
ten to grow in his youth and had settled down into a tough, 
hard little Kanuck, with neither grace nor beauty. How I 
look back at him with disgust* when compared with the 
beautiful Toms that I afterwards raised, bringing down the 
scales to 20 pounds at the age of six months. But there 
must always be a beginning.' I made my bargain in the 
early winter, being fully determined never to enter a 
school-house again in the capacity of teacher. I saw many 
ways in which I could help my mother, (who was getting 
on in years) at the same time. In the first place, I said : 
“That old shed has to be fixed up.” I wanted my 
fowls warm in winter. I must raise winter eggs: for I had 
studied the markets well, and knew I must cater to them. 
The farm was rented for a term of five years, and two 
had already expired. There were but three more. I got 
the owner to grant me the privilege of removing all fix¬ 
tures or glass exposures I might furnish. I got a lot of 
second-haud lumber and some windows from an old house, 
and with the help of a man handy at tools, made the old 
shed very comfortable. The next thing was to get the 
tough, stiff headed old birds that never thought of laying 
an egg in winter, to be content to roost therein ; and I 
conquered them at last. Very few were the eggs they gave 
me that first winter, but in the spring I had quite a large 
harvest of chicks and eggs. The old habit was strong in 
them, however; they would drop a few eggs just at the 
time when the market was glutted, and remain idle all the 
rest of the year. I saw how it was—I had to raise and 
train them to my notion. In the spring I purchased a trio 
of Brown Leghorns, being the first ever introduced or seen 
in the locality. It was at the time when these fowls were 
so very popular. I paid an extravagant price for them, 
but I doubled and trebled my money later on. I also 
got settings of eggs of Spanish and Minorcas. The first 
two years I did not make much from eggs : I did bettor 
raising turkeys. From this small beginning grew the 
farm. Later on will come the story how I met my failures 
and successes. C. b. 
TUNE 28 
Womans Work. 
CHAT BY THE WAY. 
GOOD many women swelter through the hot days, 
clad in some close stuff gown whenever going out; 
if some cotton is recommended, both forcomfort and econ¬ 
omy, they declare that cotton gowns cause too much extra 
work in washing. I can never agree with this; a pretty 
gown of French gingham, chosen with some regard for 
durable color, may be worn for shopping and unceremoni¬ 
ous visits an entire season, without looking soiled; if the 
wardrobe contains enough gowns to give it an occasional 
rest, it may be worn two seasons without washing. I speak 
from my own experience. The French gingham is as 
smooth as summer silk, and comes in beautiful colors and 
designs, flowered patterns, as well as stripes and checks, 
being seen this season. For such general use the gingham 
should be made up like a stuff suit. The foundation skirt 
should be of thin lining cambric, faced with the gingham; 
the skirt itself should be made with due regard for light¬ 
ness. A pretty and simple style is as follows : The front 
consists of one breadth of gingham, slightlv draped, so as to 
fall into a few folds at the top. It is caught to the foundation 
at the bottom, so as to prevent it from sagging. The side 
breadths were formed of three side pleats, caught to the 
lining about half-way up, so that they were held in place, 
while appearing loose; the back was gathered. No pad or 
steel was worn; the lightness of the material prevented it 
from looking too flat. The basque to accompany this skirt 
should be lined with the gingham, but the sleeves may be 
left unlined for the sake of coolness. A sleeve full enough 
to be gathered at the top is desirable. A new and pretty 
way of setting in the full sleeve is this: along the space 
to be gathered the edge is folded over like a hem, about 
three-fourths of an inch deep; the gathers are then run 
along, half an inch from the edge, making this hem like a 
little up-standing frill. The frill is narrowed, as it comes 
nearer the sides, being deepest just at the top of the sleeve. 
In putting in the sleeve, this frill is laid outside, on the 
arm-hole, so that when stitched in place, it stands up 
around the sleeve. It makes a very becoming sleeve, aud 
is very suitable to washing dresses. In cloth dresses, this 
little frill is often lined with a contrasting stuff. A very 
pretty gingham, made in this style, is 6cru, with narrow 
stripes of brown and red; it has trimmings of brown vel¬ 
vet, and is to be worn with a sailor hat of smooth brown 
straw. The entire outfit can be had for less than $5, and 
it is pretty, serviceable and stylish. 
* 
* * 
When a round spencer waist is becoming, it gives the 
opportunity for another pretty style in the foregoing 
material. A good many yoke w*aists are seen, but they are 
slightly different in form from those of previous years. 
The prettiest style is where the yoke is round, curving up 
over the shoulders, and the bodice gathered with a little 
upstanding frill, which is brought up over the yoke, which 
in this case looks very like the guimpes seen in children’s 
frocks. A broad-pointed girdle of velvet may be worn 
with this ; the sleeves may be full, gathered into a velvet 
cuff, and the neck may be finished with a turn-down velvet 
collar, if that style is becoming to the wearer. There seems 
no medium in collars at present: either they are high 
enough to choke one, or there is none at all. A great many 
dresses made without collars have the neck finished with a 
little pleated ruffle of the dress stuff, made high in the 
back and graded down to be low in front. This is very be¬ 
coming to young girls, as a rule, but of course the low 
collars are not suitable to any one with a long neck. 
The stiff, mannish chemisettes, which have betn in style 
for so many seasons seem likely to be as popular as ever ; 
they always look cool aud summery, and brighten up a dark 
gown. The newer styles in chemisettes have rather flaring 
Piccadilly collars, which are far cooler than tight ones; 
they are closed with neat pearl or gold studs, aud, with a 
neat little white lawn tie they look very jaunty. Buy a 
firm, stiff, but fine quality of linen lawn, aud make your 
own ties; they only need creasing into shape, and they cost 
the merest trifle. These little white ties are always the 
most correct for a woman ; next in preference is a little 
silk Windsor scarf, looped into a trim knot. Most young 
faces look well with man-like neck-gear and a sailor hat; 
the latter still seems the most popular summer head-gear 
on the market. We see them everywhere, in every color 
aud style of trimming. For general summer wear it is 
best to have no trimming except a band of ribbon ; in fact, 
I always think myself that much trimming looks out of 
place on such a hat. The nicest are of smooth Milan straw, 
either braid or chip; the latter is the newer, and makes 
the lightest possible hat. It is most tasteful when the 
trimming is just of the same tint as the straw. One sees 
many very elaborately trimmed sailor hats, covered with 
flowers or poor little birds, but the prettiest of the more 
elaborate trimmings is gauze ; a full double ruche around 
the crown covering the brim, and fluffy loops over the 
crown. It is very pretty, but not very serviceable, for dust 
aud damp soon ruin the dainty adorning. 
EMILY LOUISE TAPLIN. 
£tti.$rcUuncou,$ gulrcrtteinfl. 
In writing to advertisers, please mentiou the R. N.-Y. 
When Baby wa* sick, we gave her Caatorla, 
When she was a Child, she cried for Castorla. 
When she became Miss, she clung to Castorla, 
When she bad Children! she gave them Castorla, 
