1005. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
181 
Hope Farm Notes 
Farm Notes. —The weather has continued 
cold, but on the whole we seem to have lost 
a little snow since last week. Now and then 
there comes a day with bright sunshine, so that 
snow actually melts for a few hours. Night 
freezes it up again. The drifts are still deep 
on the hills, and I am afraid the mice are at 
work on the young trees. V. T. ('ox, of 
Ohio, writes in a recent letter about Ihe work 
of mice in his orchard. 
While the rod doesn't locate much money the 
advertisement locates a good many suckers. 
There is money hidden in every farm. We 
have some in the soil of Hope Farm—put 
there many years ago. H is in the form of 
nitrogen, potash and phosphoric acid. A good 
"mineral rod" to bring some of this hidden 
money out is a hoe in the hands of a stout 
man or boy. We expect our fruit trees to 
find some of this money for us. 
Good Food.—S ome weeks ago I expressed 
my opinion regarding the virtues (and odors) 
ot sauerkraut and keeping it with salt. A 
good German friend of mine in Oregon says 
he is afraid I don’t like the Germans or 
their kraut. He tells me how to make it and 
then says : 
"I have found the mice doing a little dam¬ 
age to some trees that were mulched. Two 
Maiden Blush four years old have been pulled 
out; the bark was all eaten off under ground, 
and most of the roots, but there was no sign 
on top of the ground Just under the mulch ; 
it was clear under the top of the ground, and 
there was a great hole dug out so they could 
get to the roots and main stem, but just 
where the dirt was put I did not find out. 
A few trees are girdled just at the top of the 
ground, but there do not seem to be many of 
them, nor many mice either." 
I ought to have put wire cloth around the 
trees. That’s an ought that will bear repeat¬ 
ing many times. I have seen tlie statement 
somewhere that mice increase as snakes are 
killed out. I think there is much truth in 
that, for it seems sure that snakes destroy 
many mice. The foolish custom of killing 
every little snake that runs in sight ought to 
be overcome. I much prefer to have the 
snakes left in my orchards. ... In spite 
of the cold and snow we are all good-natured 
and able to turn out for three good meals a 
day. Our plans for the Spring are pretty well 
completed—now give us a chance at the 
ground. 
Florida Alive. —While most of the orange 
trees are alive it must be confessed that the 
Winter is almost the coldest Florida has 
known in many years. The Madame speaks 
of seeing women going about wearing furs, 
which is not what we dream of the land of 
flowers. However, they were able to send me 
some fresh violets as a valentine. The pota¬ 
toes are now about all in. We shall try a 
small planting of Refugee beans as an ex¬ 
periment. String beans often bring high 
prices, although in some years they can hard¬ 
ly be given away. That’s one trouble with 
truck growing in Florida—you can’t tell 
what your stuff will do. I find some people 
who are blue about the early potato crop. 
The country still has a great surplus of old 
potatoes on hand. They are very low. It 
is thought that this surplus will pull down 
the price of the new crop. Well, one thing 
Is sure. This is a good season for a farmer 
to buy good seed of the new varieties. 
I have a circular from a Florida nursery¬ 
man who seems to be a cheerful soul. This 
Is what he says: 
"We are happy to say that, notwithstand¬ 
ing the late unpleasantness in the way of 
cold weather, we are in position to till both 
large and small orders with first-class nursery 
stock. We had about fifteen thousand fine 
orange and grape fruit trees heeled in under 
our big protection shed, and the foliage on 
these is as bright and green as if Florida 
had never seen a frost. We kept small fires 
going under this shed and larger ones out¬ 
side, for three nights—firing about twenty 
acres in all. Satsuma trees, both in grove 
aiu> nursery, needed no firing. They are 
absolutely sound without it.” 
That’s right! That’s the way to look at 
things. I shall not plant an orange grove 
in our section of Florida, as Jack Frost has 
given us too many warnings. I have heard 
this talk about the hardiness of Satsuma 
oranges, but I will let others plant the trees! 
• . . In spite of the unusual cold thou¬ 
sands of northern people are in Florida. 
There are 21 people in Unde Ed’s house, ex¬ 
clusive of servants. It is no small job to 
keep 21 stomachs filled, provide pillows for 21 
heads and resting places for 42 arms and 42 
logs! One helpful thing is that Florida is 
the region for good nature. Somehow when 
a man gets south of Jacksonville, he doesn’t 
care much what happens. The Czar might 
be killed, but it wouldn’t bother the Florida 
health hunters. There is something about 
the air and sun that makes you feel like roll¬ 
ing in the sand and kicking up your heels and 
saying: "What odds does it make!" It is the 
fact that this folding has grown to be a habit 
with those who live in Florida that makes the 
hotels and boarding houses depend on New 
York storage houses for supplies! 
‘Doctoring.”- —There are many requests for 
information at this season. Here, for exam¬ 
ple, is a Jerseyman : 
“Can anyone prefix ‘Doctor’ to his name, 
who has not studied medicine, but who can 
cure disease without drugs?" 
In New Jersey I understand you can “doc¬ 
tor ’ your name without offending the law. 
The States vary in this respect : in Massachu¬ 
setts you could not use the title without ob¬ 
taining a license or certificate. In New Jer¬ 
sey you can use the title, but you cannot 
practice without a certificate. By “practice” 
I mean treat a patient, and take' pay for it. 
ion may care for him or save his life if you 
can, and charge no fee, but if you are paid 
tor it the law can stop you unless you can 
show a physician’s license or certificate. 
Some years ago, fids same question came up 
•' p ' v ^ ork with regard to dishorning catt le, 
l lie law gave practicing veterinarians the 
right to do this. A farmer could cut the 
norns from his own stock, or do it for his 
neighbor, but If he took pay for doing it he 
was liable to fine. The title “Doctor” goes 
back to 1384. It was and is a title of honor 
from an institution of learning. Some titles 
are very cheap. I have some friends who 
persist in calling me captain, though I have 
never had full command even of myself. 
Mineral Rods. —Here is another hopefu 
citizen from Alabama : 
“A certain advertisement states there is i 
man in New York somewhere who has a min 
eral rod that is warranted to find lost or hid 
aen money. I understand he rents it for 10 pe 
cent on the find. I know of some being hid 
aen; would like his instrument to locate it 
i., ^ 0I1 - , n °t carry his advertisement am 
snow of him, please let me know.” 
No sir—we don’t know the gentleman witl 
ro< T We have heard that is i 
lavorite advertisement for country papers 
"For eating, the kraut has to be boiled at 
least two hours. There are different ways to 
prepare it. When boiled, some like it one 
way. some another; don’t like it the first way. 
So you see, if you tasted kraut once, you can¬ 
not opinion about it; have to try again. 
Kraut wants to be eaten with the proper 
dishes, mostly dumplings and pork; dump¬ 
lings prepared a right way. 1 am not sure 
if you would not say eating this kind of dish, 
“That is a good change with my everlasting 
fishballs and baked beans.” 
There is no German blood In me that I 
know of, but I have great respect for the 
Germans. As for kraut, mv experience may 
be limited, but some one else may have my 
share. Yet, when I realize that here is a 
man who evidently prefers a dish of kraut to 
well-browned fishballs, I shall have to say 
“Bless you !” even though I hold my breath 
when I do It. The fishballs and beans are 
plenty good enough for me, yet this is a wide 
country, with lots of room for sauerkraut. 
I’m too old to begin on new and strange 
dishes! 
Painting Peach Trees. —Here Is a case 
of trouble from California : 
"I set out quite a lot of peach trees last 
Spring, and about that time 1 saw an article 
from a Texas man—A1 wood, I believe the 
name was, although I am not sure about the 
name—-saying that white lead paint would 
protect tlie trees from rabbits and other gnaw¬ 
ing animals, so I tried it on part of mine 
that were exposed most to the rabbits. Now 
I can say that it was a sure protection from 
the varmints, but I find when I went to prune 
the frees this Winter that everv tree that was 
painted was dead to the ground. They grew 
all Summer and the tops remained green and 
full of sap, but the bark was entirely dead 
and turned black. So I am out 240 trees, as 
nice and thrifty as one could wish, a year’s 
time and a lot of hard labor. I write this 
so that some other poor confiding man doesn’t 
go and do likewise. Why should the trees 
grow throughout the season and then die, 
when the paint was applied in March? Every 
tree that was not painted is all right. I 
used pure white lead and linseed oil.” 
s. e’. k. 
The man you mean is Prof. Alwood, of 
Virginia. lie told of painting apple trees as 
protection against rabbits and borers, but he 
did his best to say that he could not advise 
this painting of peach trees. Some people tell 
us they have used the paint on peach trees 
with good results, while others report failure. 
The “poor, confiding man” simply didn’t read 
the article through, or didn’t read it straight. 
It sometimes cools our feet to Jump on these 
“scientific fellers,” but in this case the jump¬ 
er has no cause to jump. He should jump on 
himself! 
Advertising Apples. —The following clip¬ 
ping is sent with special compliments to the 
Hope Farm man : 
“My grandmother was an awful ambitious 
woman.” said a native of a well known island 
off the coast of Maine, “and when she was 
dying and the doctor had told her she had 
only about an hour to live she asked her 
daughter to bring her some green apples. She 
sat up in bed and pared two panfuls of them 
and they lay back with a satisfied sigh. 
“Well, said she, "I’m determined that the 
folks that come to my funeral shall have 
enough apple-sass for once In their lives.”— 
Lippincott’s Magazine. 
I am something of an apple eater, and have 
done part of my duty in pushing apple eating 
along. This lady beats me. I will resign 
my claim to being the original member of the 
Apple Consumers’ League in her favor. Her 
work continued after her death. This should 
give us all increased courage to spread the 
good news about apple eating. I cannot do 
better than stop right here to eat a russet 
and a Baldwin—this makes six for me to¬ 
day. Come, gentlemen, have something—an 
apple! h. w. c. 
century Wagon Box and Rack 
One of the most convenient, useful, and labor-sav¬ 
ing articlesever offered to the furmer. Substan¬ 
tially made and flnishedfroni best materials. Mal¬ 
leable castings and very strong. When closed it is 
available for hauling corn, potatoes, wood, live 
stock,etc. By suspending canvas or muslin from 
top, inside, -wili hold 100 bushels of bulk grain. 
SIDES CAN BE LOWERED INSTANTLY 
And it becomes a solid rack for hauling hay, straw, 
fodder, sheaf wheat etc., with ample strength and 
capacity for three tons. Very convenient for 
husking corn with side lowered as shown in cut. 
Made 14 feet long and regular widths. Sold direct 
to farmers at manufacturers’ prices, freight pre¬ 
paid. Write for Catalogue and prices. 
MODEL MEG. CO. Box 
67 Munclc, Ind. 
A low wagon 
at a low price. 
Ilundy for 
farmer. 
Will carry u 
loud any¬ 
where a horse 
can travel. 
Low Down Wagons 
soon earn their cost on any farm. 
Steel Wheels 
for farm wagons. Straight or stag¬ 
gered spokes. Any size wanted, any 
width of tire. Hubs to fit any axie. 
For catalogue and prices, write to 
Empire Mfg. Co., Box 70 H Quincy, III. 
BW Save Time, Labor and Money 
No. 110 
Iron Age 
Orchard 
and Variety 
Cultivator. 
Iron Age 
(Improved 
Kobhlna) 
Potato 
Planter* 
or seventy years Iron Age Implements have been helping farmers and 
gardeners everywhere to produce better crops with less labor, and 
every year marks Some new improvement where improvement 
is possible. To-da.v there is no combination of farm and 
garden tools so well calculated to save time, labor and 
money as the Iron Age Implements. 
A Few of Them 
Described 
The No. 6 Iron Age 
Double aiul Single 
, "Wheel Hoe, Hill and Drill Seeder, with one 
pair of handles and the Interchangeable parts will open the furrow, plant 
cover, make level, weed, hoe and cultivate with half the work and twice 
the speed of hand methods. It’s a winner from start to finish. 
The No. 1 Iron Age Double nml Single Wheel Hoe is just the tool 
for a small garden, handy for a woman or boy. Very light,, and easy run¬ 
ning on account of the high whee ls. Wil l pay for its keep in a week’s time. 
No. IlO Orchard and Variety Cultivator, 
designed for tlie orchardist, butavailable for all 
purposes common to the fruit grower. Can 
be used as a fallow plow; opening furrows 
for irrigating or planting purposes and ia , 
a strong all-round cultivator that will /// 
make the orchard pay. 
The No. 8 Iron Age Hill and Drill 
Seeder is light, simple, strong and 
capacious. Tlie seed hop¬ 
per holds four quarts and 
delivers tine or coarse seed 
properly and evenly with 
accurate spacing. An invaluable tool for large 
gardens or market and farm gardens. 
The Iron Age Improved Robbins) Potato 
Planter an invaluable time saver for the potato farmer. Drops one 
hundred per cent of seed on from 4 to 7 acres per day. No doubles, no 
misses, no bruised seed. This machine, like all Iron Age Implements, will 
stand the hard knocks of real service, and may also be used witli entire 
satisfac tion in planting peas, beans and corn, 
■ The Iron Age Four Row Sprayer is a posi¬ 
tive necessity on all farms where successful 
potato culture is desired. Rapid and thorough 
In Its work, preventing blight and bugs, making 
better crops, larger yield, and assuring better 
quality. Has orchard attachment. 
If you want to save 
time, save labor, and 
make money, it will pay 
you to write for Iron Age, 
our new book for 
, 1905, describing in 
detail these money making implements as well 
as Iron Age Horse Hoes, Riding and Walking 
Cultivators, Spring Tooth Cultivators, Fertilizer 
Distributors, etc. 
It will soon be planting time. Write for 
the book now. A postal card will bring it to you 
BATEMAN MFC. CO., 
Box 302, Crenloch, N. 
— — — *- 1 *^— 
HENRY B.HYDE 
FOUNDER 
HY * 
*■ ’* J.WAIEXANDER 
, 1JL.S1DENT 
J.H.HYDE 
VICE PRES1DEN1 
’ N EARLY PREPARATIONS 
~ are necessary to secure 
from nature the future harvest. 
- - Have you made early 
lL.|^/Preparations to secure the 
> ^ | harvest of your life’s work? 
I, ! 'i\ -K An adequate Endowment policy 
| f \ in the Equitable will provide 
I for your maturer years, if you 
1 u J l l* ve - And will protect your 
* y V family meanwhile, if you die. 
fVL rf 
! ir i 
f&U > !■'I 
Splendid opportunities for men of character to act as representatives 
Write to GAGE E.TARBELl, 2 nd Vice President 
Send this c-mpon f or particulars or write 
The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States, 12 Broadway, N.Y., kImIs 
Please send me Information regarding an Endowment for I. 
Issued to a man.....years of age. 
Name. 
Address. 
