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453 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Business. 
BUSINESS IN BUYING BAGS. 
Mr. Terry’s Tactics. 
I bought my grain bags last year in August of a whole¬ 
sale dry-goods house in Cleveland, after comparing the 
prices with those quoted to me from other places. As to 
the how I bought them, a letter was written asking for the 
lowest price per bale of Amoskeag and Stark A brands, 
cash to accompany the order. I find I can almost invaria¬ 
bly do better by writing than by going in person. Probably 
my hands and face are so sunburned that they think me 
“ only a farmer ” when I go in person, while in a letter this 
is not quite so evident. At any rate the bags were obtained 
at wholesale rates. They cannot be bought in this way of 
large jobbers except by the bale of 100 bags. I use a good 
many, as all my wheat is sold for seed and sent off in new 
bags every year. Two or three farmers wanting each a few 
bags can club together and get a bale or two. The difference 
in price between buying in this way and at retail is usually 
three or four cents a bag. Last fall I wanted several hun¬ 
dred burlap sacks in which to send off potatoes. I wrote in 
every direction, but failed to find any large manufacturers. 
Dry-goods firms do not handle them. At last I came 
across a large dealer in feed who bought second-hand coffee 
sacks largely in which to ship his goods. These seem to be 
sacks in which coffee is imported. They are nice and just 
as good as new. These I bought for $8. per 100. We could 
sew up two bushels of potatoes in the smallest and 234 in 
many of them. 
To store bags from one season to another we simply pile 
them up, when entirely dry, in the store-room up-stairs in 
our house, where we keep our years’ supply of flour, 
groceries, etc. Our house is mouse-proof. They would 
probably be safe anywhere in the tool-house or barn, if 
not touched for a year, as we keep so many cats that mice 
and rats give us no trouble. We do not mend many bags, 
as they are sent off new with our produce. For my wife 
to spend much time mending a 16-cent bag, after it got 
old, would be about as foolish as to darn a pair of 12-cent 
socks when the heels are all gone. I fear I should scold if 
I caught her doing either. I am not wasteful either; but 
time can be better employed. It would be better for her 
to come out and ride my sulky cultivator under a canopy 
top and earn 10 times as much. Evenings ? She had 
better be reading and resting than working for, say, a cent 
or two an hour, just because she is a woman, while I sit 
with my heels up, buried in The Rural. If farmers would 
all get rid of rats and mice it would save their wives 
much bag mending. Speaking of these burlap sacks re¬ 
minds me of a good use I put a couple of hundred of them 
to last fall. When loading a car of potatoes I would take 
100 sacks with a bushel iD a sack, with our two teams, and 
while 1 was gone to the car another man would fill another 
hundred sacks, using a wooden shovel. When I got back 
two men would hand the sacks to me in the wagons, 
and in a very few minutes I would be on my way to the 
depot again. This is a fast and easy way of moving pota¬ 
toes from the barn or cellar to a car. A man handling 
many ought to have at least 200 sacks. Grain bags would 
not be so good, as the potatoes cannot be so easily shoveled 
into them. T. B. terry. 
Summit County, Ohio. 
A New York Farmer’s Methods. 
Every farmer should have a number of grain bags. The 
number should depend, of course, upon the size of the farm 
and the kind of crops raised, but there should be enough 
to enable him to handle the grain speedily when drawing 
it to market. Farmers cannot afford to buy articles of any 
kind simply because they are cheap, and this applies with 
decided emphasis in the matter of selecting bags. There 
are a number of brands holding 234 bushels each, that can 
be bought for 16 cents in the leading city stores; but they 
are not profitable for the farmer, as they are of light weight, 
tear easily, and soon wear out. Seedsmen and shippers of 
beans use them largely for shipping purposes, and for that 
they are well adapted as all the shipper asks is that the bag 
shall hold together until it reaches its destination. 
Sometimes country store keepers try to palm off these 
shipping bags as the best, and unless the buyer is some¬ 
what familiar with the different grades, he is liable to be 
taken in, and pay a “ No. 1 ” price for a very poor bag. I 
think it would be wise never to buy bags in a country 
store, as usually there is only one kind on hand and there 
is no assortment to select from, and therefore one cannot 
judge as to the weight or manner of making as well as 
when there are a dozen different brands before his eyes, as 
in a large city store. Never buy bags at auction, as the 
first wear and use is the best. By far the best grain bags 
sold in this section are stamped “ Stark A, Seamless,” and 
they can be bought for 20 cents each in Rochester. My 
brother has a number of these that father bought at least 
15 years ago, and they are in good condition to-day after 
all those years. Of course they have been patched some¬ 
what, but with an occasional patching and good care when 
not in use they may last 15 years longer. The first 
thing which I wish to say about patching bags is, that 
one should not ask the women folks to do it. To be sure, 
men are not very handy with the needle, but with coarse 
carpet thread and needle after a little practice a man can 
put a neat patch on a bag if he has the disposition. Use 
strong canvas, overall stuff, or bed ticking for the 
patches, and put them on the inside. I have seen bags 
patched on the outside with remnants of old sheets that 
would last perhaps for one using. The poorest kind of a 
patch is a wisp of hay stuck in the hole, and there are 
thousands of farmers who patch their bags in that way 20 
times a year. A bag is something that should not be 
borrowed or lent, as it is rarely returned in as good condi¬ 
tion as it was when lent. If you do borrow bags from 
your neighbor, just look them over and patch them up 
well before you return them. When not in use, store the 
bags in a room that is free from rats and mice. The odor 
of grain or feed, that remains in the cloth, attracts these 
rodents, and in a short time they make sad havoc with a 
lot of bags, if allowed free access to them. 
We buy about 150 three-bushel sacks of phosphate each 
year, and after the sacks have been washed free from all 
taint of the fertilizer, they are very desirable for handling 
oats, barley, or other light grains, and with good care last 
a number of years. The millers and shippers in our 
nearest market town are very obliging in keeping a large 
number of bags on hand for the use of the farmers whose 
grain they buy. For the last two years they have furnished 
me with all the bags I needed in drawing off grain. If all 
buyers would do this, farmers would not need many bags 
of their own. I have seen a tight wagon-box that would 
hold 75 bushels of wheat loose, that cost but $15 to make, 
and it seems to me that if every large farmer had such a 
box it would be a very convenient thing in handling grain, 
as it would do away with the need of bags, and save lots of 
time as a consequence. EDWARD F. dibble. 
Lima, N. Y. 
BUSINESS IN BERRY PICKING. 
The following additional answers to the questions 
printed in last week’s issue have been received. 
A Minnesota Estimate. 
Raspberry plantations differ so much in yield, training, 
etc., that it is not possible to mention any definite number 
of pickers that would be required to keep 15 acres of black¬ 
caps properly picked. From 45 to 60 would be needed, the 
number depending on the expertness of the pickers and on 
the weather—whether it hastened or retarded ripening. 
In this neighborhood the average wages of pickers, includ¬ 
ing board and lodging, is about two cents per quart. The 
best method of boarding and handling is to erect cheap 
shanties provided with straw beds and woolen blankets, 
furnish the provisions and let the pickers do their own 
cooking unless there are good facilities for them to board 
at their own homes. I have never had any experience In 
drying the fruit; but would estimate that it could be 
done for one cent per quart where there is a sufficient 
supply to warrant putting up suitable fixtures for the 
purpose. J. 8. HARRIS. 
Hennepin County, Minn. 
Picking Blackberries in Illinois. 
The number of pickers required to the acre will depend 
on the crop, the stage of ripening, the weather, the pickers 
themselves, and other things. At the first picking one or 
two may pick the berries ripening on an acre; while in the 
hight of the season it may take, say, seven or eight for 
raspberries, and 10 or 12 for strawberries or blackberries, 
so it is out of the question to depend on a certain number; 
for the grower cannot afford to allow the 10 to spend their 
time doing the work of one or two at the first picking. 
Strawberries are notable for ripening slowly until a certain 
point, and then coming in with a rush, swamping all cal¬ 
culations, especially in hot, showery weather. I never 
have been able to save a large crop in good condition in 
such weather, and never expect to. I have 15 acres of 
Snyder Blackberries, and usually commence and end with 
about 20 pickers and one overseer ; but it takes 150 or 200 
pickers for the main ripening. When the rows are black 
with ripe berries 40 pickers .can not get away from one 
good overseer; but if the berries are thin half that number 
will give him all the exercise he wants. It is generally 
supposed that women are the best berry pickers; but I 
have not found it so : there is very little difference between 
them and men. Usually, children up to 12 or 13 years are 
a nuisance. Often a No. 1 picker may count up at night 
100 quarts in good shape, while a little boy or girl has 
gathered only 20, and these in bad condition, despite the 
overseeing. In a good season, the Snyder will give over 
200 24-quart crates to the acre; but this may be reduced 
half by dry, hot weather. 
Two cents is the usual price paid per quart for gathering 
berries, bnt many pay only a cent and a half, the pickers 
boarding themselves. I make Saturday afternoon pay-day. 
To steady pickers who do their work well and hold their 
tickets to the end of the season I give a quarter of a cent 
extra. Both tickets and punches are used. Red raspberries 
cost more for picking than other berries. 
The method of boarding depends on the locality. It is 
usual for the hands to attend to this themselves, but some¬ 
times tents and temporary houses are provided free. Near 
towns where the acreage is not large, all the pickers board 
at home; but in berry centers all conceivable means of 
boarding and lodging them are employed. Fence comers 
and freight cars are made lodging places and rough-and- 
ready supplies from the grocers and bakers have often to 
suffice. Here in the country, wagon loads of pickers come 
from a distance often of 10 miles, returning home in the 
cool of the evening each paying 10 cents perhaps for fare to 
the driver. beuj. buckman. 
Sangamon County, Ill. 
BUYING GOODS AT WHOLESALE. 
I have just read T. B. Terry’s letter in The Rural for 
May 31, on wholesale buying for family use, but not hav¬ 
ing noticed the letter to which this seems a sequel, I may 
not have all the points quite clear in my mind. Mr. 
Terry’s arguments are good. They are Grange arguments, 
though I should judge from the letter that he did not be¬ 
long to the Order. The supplies for our house have been 
bought at wholesale nearly ever since our Grange was 
organized. At first it was difficult to find stores which 
were willing to engage in the Grange trade, in our small 
cities, and purchases were made in New York. Later the 
inland cities saw the matter in a more favorable light, the 
argument of money down on receipt of the goods proving 
a conclusive one. Mr. Terry, no doubt, buys for a large 
family, and unbroken packages (original ?) are not too 
large for a year’s supply, so he is independent in regard 
to buying, but in smaller families the advantage of co¬ 
operation is easily seen. Our home grocers feel a little 
hurt in regard to farmers buying their supplies out of 
town; but as they never hesitate a moment in regard to 
buying clover seed, potatoes and other farm products 
from a distance, when they can buy them cheaper, we can 
see small cause for complaint. Not only groceries but tin¬ 
ware, garden seeds and farm implements can be bought 
much cheaper from first hands, unless one chances to be 
within the district of some established agency. The profits 
in farming are too small to admit of carelessness in either 
buying or selling, and our experience tallies with Mr. 
Terry’s—that “ no influence or prestige ” is necessary to 
induce a wholesale dealer to sell wholesale orders at whole¬ 
sale rates. s. A. LITTLE. 
Wayne County, N. Y. 
FRUIT NOTES. 
Spraying Grapes.—I have just been looking at my 
grapes. I had sprayed for the “rot”—as I supposed 
thoroughly, using the Bordeaux Mixture and applying it 
with a Field force-pump, through a Vermorel nozzle. 
Only five days ago I had double-sprayed all my vines, 
going up on one side of the row and coming back on the 
other, and I felt pretty certain, judging by the light of last 
year’s experience, that I had got ahead of the rot for this 
season. I knew that the weather had been unfavorable, 
having been hot and rainy for several weeks, and I knew 
that about the 10th or 15th of June was a critical time here; 
but I was not prepared to find anything worse than a few 
leaf spots and an occasional rotten berry. But the grapes 
are rotting badly. I shall spray again on Monday; but 
without faith. As usual, where the foliage is the thickest, 
the rot is the worst. A few varieties, such as Cvnthiana 
and Perkins usually escape with little damage ; but, alas 
for the main crop here I 
Cherries. —So far only five or six varieties of cherries 
have ripened with me this season; but among these are 
Wier’s No. 2, Amarelle Bouquet and French Amarelle 
that are comparatively new. The first is a seedling of 
the Early Richmond, that was introduced with many others 
by D. B. Wier, formerly of this State. The growth of the 
tree is much the same as that of the parent; the fruit is of 
the same size, ripens a few days later and is perhaps a 
little better in quality. The pit is more flattened and 
somewhat larger. It has fruited here three years and 
seems to be productive; color red. The Amarelle Bouquet 
is a variety distributed by Professor Budd some years ago. 
The tree is very dwarf in habit. Trees planted in 1885 are 
only five feet in hight and have borne full crops for three 
years. The fruit, however, is small and somewhat bitter ; 
it ripens with the Early Richmond and is red in color. 
The French Amarelle grows thrifty and tall and has very 
fine dark-green, glossy foliage, but is, I am afraid, “ more 
ornamental than useful,” as its fruit, though large and 
good, sets very sparingly—color yellow with a blush; two 
weeks later than Early Richmond. I applied the Bordeaux 
Mixture on the following dates, April 25 and 30 ; May 16 
and 31, and June 14 and 16, giving a double dose the last 
time. B. BUCKMAN. 
Sangamon County, Ill. 
IMPLEMENT NOTES. 
Ertbl’s Victor Hay Press.— This press is made by 
Geo. Ertel & Co., Quincy, Ill. The Victor press has been 
before the public for 24 years and has always given satis¬ 
faction. Those who want a good hay press will do well to 
correspond with the Ertel Company. 
Detachable Broad Tire. —An enterprising firm in 
Western New York has put on the market a device for 
changing the width of the tires of farm wagons. The wide 
tire is simply a thick iron band just large enough to pass 
around the wheel, and fitted with suitable bolts for fasten¬ 
ing it to the rim of the latter. These tires will cost from 
$14 to $18 per set of four—the price depending on the thick¬ 
ness of the iron, which ranges from one-fourth to three- 
eighths of an inch. A set of new wheels with four-inch 
tires will cost $30 or $35. 
Grinding Feed by Wind Power.— Hundreds and 
hundreds of farmers and dairymen can testify to the con¬ 
venience and economy of grinding feed for stock on their 
own farms, rather than hauling their grain over miles of 
rough or muddy roads and paying heavy tolls. In my es¬ 
timation there is no power in the world so convenient and 
economical as a Halliday geared wind-mill. How large a 
wind-mill would be required to do the work of six horses ? 
A wheel 25 feet in diameter possesses six-horse power in a 
good, strong wind, but there is not one farmer, feeder or 
dairyman in 50 who needs a six-horse power if he uses a 
wind-mill. If he has to furnish horses and driver, then it 
is economy to do as large a quantity of work as possible in 
the shortest possible time, but not so when wind power is 
employed. Wind power costs nothing after the original 
outlay, except oil for lubrication, and by having proper 
elevators and bins, the grinding can be done when the 
men are busy in the field, or asleep, for that matter. 
o. t. a. 
R. N.-Y.—The Halliday geared wind-mill is made by the 
U. S. Wind-Mill Co., of Batavia, Ill. Send for the cata¬ 
logue issued by this company and see what is said about 
the use of wind-mills for grinding feed. 
New English Implements.— At the recent show of the 
Bath and West of England Society a number of interest¬ 
ing machines were shown. The English papers speak of two 
of these as follows: “ Perhaps the most striking novelties 
in the showyard are the combinations of carts and wagons 
with weiglng machines. The weight of the body of the 
vehicle and its contents is lifted off the wheels by a lever, 
and is shown immediately on the self-registering steel- 
