THE RURAL' NEW-YORKER 
1896 
821 
AMONG THE MARKETMEN. 
WHAT I SEE AND HEAB. 
The market for hothouse lambs opens at Christmas 
with a demand from a very few customers for some 
choice ones weighing 25 or 30 pounds. These are 
generally ordered specially for the occasion. The 
general market does not open until later, when some¬ 
what heavier weights are required. None but an 
expert should dress these lambs. 
t X X 
“ Anything new?” I asked in one store, which was 
pretty well filled with grapes in five-pound baskets. 
“ Yes; at Thanksgiving, when we wanted a lot of 
choice grapes like these for our trade, the shippers 
held them back, and now that the market is dull, 
they have nearly swamped us. Just the way with 
some of these shippers ! Always shipping their goods 
at the wrong time I” 
X t t 
Those with poultry to ship, should bear in mind 
the Christmas and New Year markets. These holi¬ 
days come on Friday, and supplies for each of the 
days should be here on Monday, or not later than 
Tuesday morning early. The directions for prepar¬ 
ing and shipping poultry given in The R. N.-Y. of 
November 21, will hold good now. Geese and ducks 
are largely required for Christmas, and fine turkeys. 
Choice fowls and chicks are in demand to some extent, 
also. Capons and broilers, although in demand to 
some extent at all times, meet their heaviest demand 
after the holidays, and from then until spring. 
X X X 
Many market reports quote “ prime Timothy hay.” 
There isn’t a bale of such hay that comes into this 
market in a year, according to the standard used in 
grading hay. Such a grade must be absolutely pure 
Timothy, without a spire of anything else, of perfect 
color and quality. It would likely have to be hand¬ 
picked and assorted to conform to these requirements. 
How many farmers could go into their meadows or 
mows and get together a bale of such hay without 
some such process ? Considerable quantities of salt 
hay are sold here. It is used mostly for packing, and 
is said to be superior to any other packing material 
for some purposes. It is claimed that it excludes 
frost better than is done by other materials. 
X X X 
The season for Christmas trees and greens used for 
decorations is now at hand. Already the Ground pine 
is coming in. One commission man had a shipment of 
five tons, and sold four of it to one man. Few of the 
commission men care to handle this kind of goods. 
People who make a specialty of florists’ supplies do 
better with these. Many of the evergreen trees come 
from Maine, whole cargoes coming by water, and 
others in car-loads. Holly and Mistletoe are imported 
largely, the best coming from England. But our own 
country furnishes considerable quantities, Virginia 
and southward being the source of supply. The ex¬ 
tent to which these decorations are used by the city 
people would surprise many a dweller in the country 
who might have similar decorations for the gathering, 
but doesn’t go to the trouble. Christmas wouldn’t be 
Christmas, and the plum pudding would lose half its 
flavor were the Mistletoe and Holly lacking, not to 
mention the Christmas tree and the other decorations. 
Many of these greens come already made up into 
various decorative designs, ropes, etc. It is a pleasing 
sentiment, and a profitable one to many people. 
t X X 
I was much interested in watching the unloading 
of a car-’oad of dressed beef into one of the big 
dressed meat warehouses. The car was run along¬ 
side. A stout frame-work carrying a single track, 
extended from the car to the building, and inside the 
latter the track branched in various directions. 
Swung on this track on wheels, somewhat like those 
on the big sliding door of the barn, were a large 
number of sharp iron hooks, a hook to each wheel. 
One of these was run up to the car door, a man inside 
hooked on a quarter of beef, a man on the ground 
pushed it into the building, where other men run it 
to where it was to hang till wanted. When it is to be 
taken out to wagons which distribute it through the 
city, it is carried in the same way, no lifting being 
required except to take it from the hook and lay it in 
the wagon. Whole carcasses of sheep are handled in 
the same way. When the weather requires it, the 
cars are refrigerated, and the warehouse is a cold 
storage house, so that the meat can be brought di¬ 
rectly from the great western slaughter-houses, put 
into cold storage here, kept for a long time, if neces¬ 
sary, and still keep on improving. Meat so kept is 
more tender, and is considered better by most people, 
than that freshly killed. 
“ You ought to have seen a box of quail I received 
this morning,” said one of the commission men who 
handles lots of game. “ They were wrapped sepa¬ 
rately in neat papers, every one packed in evenly 
and neatly, with here and there a head peeping out 
of its covering. When I took the cover off, they 
looked as pretty as a picture, and I sold them right 
away.” “But were they any better than the ordinary 
receipts, and can you get any higher prices for them 
so packed ? ” “ The birds were no better than plenty 
of others I receive not so well packed, and I couldn’t 
sell them for any higher price to jobbers who supply 
hotels and restaurants ; but those who supply the 
fancy grocers will pay more. I got 25 cents per dozen 
more on account of the style of packing.” 
X X X 
I was talking with a man who has had 40 years’ ex¬ 
perience in the commission business, about the con¬ 
dition in which a great deal of produce is sent into 
market. He gets many small shipments from farmers, 
some of whom, at least, either do not know how to 
assort and pack their produce properly, or else do not 
use the knowledge they possess. He said that, of 
many of the apples received, if seven barrels were 
sorted down to four, the shipper would have less 
freight, cartage and commission to pay, and would 
get fully as much for the four as now for the seven, 
and perhaps, more. His father was in business when 
Horace Greeley began farming at Chappaqua, and 
sold some of the first produce the great sage ever sent 
to this market. Neither the editor-farmer nor his 
help understood the proper method of preparing 
produce for market, and the result was that some of 
the first shipments were nearly unsalable, and much 
of it brought hardly enough to pay expenses. So we 
see that even an editor who had such a far-reaching 
influence made mistakes when he got out of his regu¬ 
lar line of work. k. h. v. 
SIMMENTHAL AND NORMANDY CATTLE. 
PRIZE BUTTER AT THE LIVE STOCK SHOW. 
Last week, I mentioned the new breeds of cattle, 
Simmenthals and Normandys, and their progeny 
TYPICAL NORMANDY COW. Fig. 273. 
when crossed with Jerseys. The Simmenthals are a 
Swiss breed, and it is said that they have been bred 
pure in that country for over 200 years. “ They are 
celebrated for their enormous production of milk and 
butter on little less than pasture in summer and hay 
in winter. These animals are the pets of the Swiss 
farmers, and, under their system of handling, give in 
a year 9,000 to 12,000 pounds of milk, from which are 
made 450 to 500 pounds of delicious butter.” What’s 
the matter with American dairymen that such a breed 
of cattle has been in existence for over 200 years, and 
they haven’t discovered it sooner ? The cows are 
said to weigh from 1,800 to 2,500 pounds, and the 
bulls from 3,0C0 to 3,500 pounds. Those on exhibition 
didn’t begin to approach this weight, and I should 
judge from their appearance that they didn’t weigh 
more than half that, though the weight of the three- 
year-old bull was said to be 2,030 pounds. They re¬ 
mind me much of the Guernseys, both in general 
appearance and in color, though they differ from 
them in some points. The color of the breed is said 
to be fawn and white, the former color predominat¬ 
ing. Those shown were mostly a solid fawn color. 
A heifer of this breed was illustrated in The R. N.-Y. 
May 30 last, and a description of the breed as found 
in Germany, given by Mr. Sarg. 
Two calves were shown, about five months old, the 
product of a cross of the Bimmeutlial bull upon Jer¬ 
sey cows. By this cross, it is hoped to produce cattle 
having all the valuable qualities of the Jerseys, but 
without their weaknesses. The calves were both of 
the solid fawn color of the Simmenthals. Mr. Have- 
meyer’s experiment will be watched with interest. 
Of Normandys or Normans, there was a consider¬ 
ably larger showing ; Mr. Havemeyer exhibited as 
many as of the Simmenthals, and Mr. Chester W. 
Chapin had an even dozen. The cows of this breed 
are anything but uniform in color and markings. 
The prevailing color is dark brindle with white spots. 
One spectator remarked that they looked like a lot of 
scrubs. One of the beauties of a breed is uniformity, 
and this the Normandys have not. But they are big, 
strong-looking animals, and look as though they 
might well fill the bill for a general-purpose breed if 
such a one is desired. These cattle are from France, 
and their importers tell wondrous tales of their hard¬ 
iness and vigor. They are especially recommended as 
being free from any tendency to tuberculosis. This 
is, probably, because they are never pampered in 
their native country. They are deep chested, giving 
evidence of great lung power. They are said never 
to be housed in stables, their only protection being 
open sheds. They are a very old breed, it being 
claimed that they date back 800 or 900 years. They 
have large udders, prominent milk veins, and their 
tendency is to turn their feed into milk rather than 
fat. They seem to be very docile. The yield claimed 
for them is 7,000 to 8,000 pounds of milk yearly, 
which will make from 300 to 350 pounds of butter, 
that commands the highest prices. “ It is, moreover, 
the only butter that will keep sweet for a long period, 
or bear transportation without being salted.” The 
milk is not so rich in butter fats as that of the Chan¬ 
nel Island breeds, but the yield is greater. The 
meat, both of the beeves and the veals, is said to be 
superior. The weight is given as, bulls, 2,400 to 3,000 
pounds, and cows 1,500 to 1,800. One of Mr. Have- 
meyer’s bulls on exhibition, dropped March 1, 1895, 
weighed 1,255 pounds. Mr. Chapin had a stand in 
one corner of the restaurant where samples of Nor¬ 
mandy milk were given away—a good way to introduce 
it. This breed was illustrated and described in The 
R. N.-Y. of August 29, 1891, also in April G, 1895. 
Two calves were shown that were the product of a 
cross of a Normandy bull upon Jersey cows. They 
were a little over five months old, of a dark brindle 
color, and had the appearance of being strong, 
healthy and vigorous. A picture of a typical Nor¬ 
mandy cow is shown at Fig. 273. 
In the butter exhibit, Ayer & McKinney took first 
prize, their butter scoring 100. The second went to 
the East Granby Creamery Company, of Connecticut, 
with a score of 97. The scoring was done according 
to the following scale of points : 
Flavor 
Body- 
Color .. 
Salt... 
Style.. 
15 
25 
15 
(0 
Total. ioo 
In quality of stock, the show was a success ; in 
attendance of the public, it was not. This was, prob¬ 
ably, largely owing to the shortsighted policy of the 
management in adhering to the high admission fee in 
spite of the protests of many of those who plead for 
a lower admission. It should not exceed 50 cents, 
and more money would be taken in if only 25 cents 
were charged. Then, again, some special features 
should be provided. If the whole process of butter¬ 
making could be carried on afternoon and evening, it 
would be a great drawing card, as well as a means of 
education in the methods of manufacture. It is use¬ 
less to try to make the Live Stock Show a society 
event like the Horse Show, and it must be run on 
lines that will appeal to the common people if it is to 
be a success. It is the intention of the management 
to make the dairy department an extensive and 
special feature next year. There is a place for this 
show in New York if run on the right lines, f. h. v. 
BUSINESS BITS. 
Ross Bitos., of Worcester, Mass., are eastern agents of the 
Economy tank heater, made by the Economy Mfg. Co., Homer, 
Mich. Send to either address for description, if interested in 
heaters. 
Tub Nordyke & Mammon Co., 270 Day Street, Indianapolis, Ind., 
send a u Book on Mills,” and sample of meal ground by their 
mills, to those interested in grinding grain. They have 28 different 
sizes, and have reduced prices this year. 
Those who have i-ead “ Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush,” know 
the matchless power of pathos and humor of which Ian Maclareu 
is the master. He has engaged to write three new stories for the 
Youth’s Companion. See our combination offer on page 828. 
It is often a convenience to know just where to get dairy sup¬ 
plies of any kind needed. C. E. Buckley, Dover Plains, N. Y., an¬ 
nounces a willingness to till all such orders, large or small. He 
is the manufacturer of the Buckley Improved Watering Basin 
and orders entrusted to him will be sure of careful attention. 
Many farmers like the gas engines for small power, such as 
churning, separating, and running other farm machinery. One 
thing about them, they start up business at once, and consume 
no fuel before or after the machinery starts. Charter Gas Engine 
Co., Box 26, Sterling, Ill., make one, and will gladly send particu¬ 
lars. 
If you have trees to cut down or logs to saw, better look into 
the merits of the Folding Sawing Machine. It is claimed that one 
man can saw more wood with it in one day than two men can cut 
with another saw or ax. It folds up so that one man can carry it 
anywhere, and saw down trees as well as cut them up when 
down. The Folding Sawing Machine Co., 66 South Clinton Street, 
Chicago, 111., will send full description. 
