M05. 
899 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Hope Farm Notes 
Thanksgiving Notes. —Our local weather 
prophet claimed that Thanksgiving would be 
clear and very cold. The boys were laugh¬ 
ing at him the night before, when the ground 
was a soft mud, but he was right, for the 
mercury fell over 35 degrees in 24 hours, and 
a hard wind blew from the northwest. Ex¬ 
cept for this wind it was a seasonable day. 
We had a big tire roaring in the open lire- 
place from early morning until late at 
night. Friends enough came to help us give 
thanks to make 10 turkey eaters for dinner. 
For the first time in its history Hope Farm 
provided the turkey, and in addition, pota¬ 
toes. apples, squash, onions, turnips, butter 
and cream and nuts. The bread was home¬ 
made and so was the pudding and pie. Uncle 
George provided the celery—the grocer, baker 
and butcher had no chance to get fat on 
that dinner. The remaining white turkeys 
came and looked in the window to see what 
had become of their two friends. It was a 
good day from the time we started the fire 
in the morning until I covered the last embers 
for the night. Julius got a day off from the 
navy yard and came out to be thankful with 
us. lie is a seaman on a United States 
gunboat. I call him “the man behind the 
gun," and if he will stay behind his beguns 
until they are finished he will sink the enemy. 
I tried 'to get Julius to dance a sailor's 
hornpipe, but be declined. There was a good 
long evening before the fire—no lamp needed 
—‘with song and story and recitations until, 
the time came for Uncle George and Aunt 
Margaret to go home. Then Mother got up 
and handed the Bible to Uncle George. He 
had left his glasses at home, but he didn't 
need them, for he recited the one hundred 
and third Psalm from memory. It was a 
fit ending for the day. I wish he had gone 
right on with the next Psalm also. I wish 
I could have had some of these sour and 
bitter and discouraged people sitting with us 
in the firelight that night as Uncle George, 
a man who has lived down troubles and 
sorrows, spoke those beautiful words: 
Ah for man his (lays are as grass : as a 
flower of the field so he flourisheth. 
For the wind passeth over it and it is 
gone-, and the place thereof shall know it no 
more. 
But the mercy of the Lord ts from ever- 
lasting to everlasting upon them that fear 
Him, 'and Ilis righteousness unto children's 
children 
To such as keep His covenant and to those 
that remember His commandments to do them. 
I don’t know, but I think some of these 
people would have been pretty well ashamed 
of themselves for growling as they remem¬ 
bered how far they had fallen below the 
line of plain duty. 
It was a great day for Hope Farm. The 
boys went out and hitched up old Ned, and 
the visitors drove ofT into the frosty night. 
Our folks drifted off to bed and left me 
alone bv the fire. A good day and a good 
year. In some ways we have had harder 
knocks than e'ver before, yet the farm never 
was more promising or hopeful than it is 
now. After all. one of the greatest things 
to be thankful for in middle life is that one 
can carry a hobby along with fresh and eager 
ambition tacked to it. One hobby that T 
am carrying is a belief that I can found 
a profitable orchard on these rough hills, and 
do it in a way that will put it within the 
reach of people who have little of either 
strength or capital. 
Weather Matters. —The cold weather at 
Thanksgiving lasted two days. Then a long 
rain set in, which soaked the ground thor¬ 
oughly. This rain was needed, for we have 
had scant rain through the Fall and some 
of the wells were clearing their throats. 
Tills soaking rain, before the ground freezes, 
will fill the soil and keep the wells and 
springs flowing. The strawberries are not all 
covered vet. Other things being equal 1 
would as soon have this soaking rain before 
the mulch is put on. It Is our turn for a 
mild Winter, as we have had two hard ones 
in succession. A fair amount of snow will 
suit us, and we are planning for considerable 
work in the woods. The wood on the fruit 
trees is pretty well matured, and we ought to 
have a good peach crop next year if the 
mercury does not go too low. I realize more 
and more that peach growing is a gamble 
In this country. Get the trees safely through 
frost and it is an even chance that rot will 
get the fruit if the scale doesn't. It is true, 
however, that nearly every crop we grow Is 
more or less of a gamble; onions, potatoes, 
berries, all are at the mercy of conditions. 
The gambler who wins is the one who knows 
most about the cards, and the man who gets 
most out of these gambling crops is the one 
wbo makes the best study of conditions— 
for conditions are the cards in the game of 
Nature. I heard a man say once that there 
were gambles in all crops except the child 
crop. I was not surprised to learn that he 
was a childless man. I^et him take half a 
dozen children and struggle for a while 
against inherited tendencies and barnyard 
environment, and see how he comes out. 
New Ideas.—I print the following note 
from a reader in Virginia, since it illustrates 
a point I have long had In mind: 
“In a copv af February 18th last. I saw 
an article headed. ‘Building a Fireplace, 
which I laid awav carefully, as I anticipated 
building a wash-house, with a large fireplace, 
last Summer, and as I did not know of a fire¬ 
place of that kind in this country that would 
draw well with a kettle on. I thought I 
would have it built by it. Since harvest 
I built the house, and when I got the ma¬ 
terial ready for the chimney I got an old 
man who 'had been building chimneys all 
his life, and claimed he knew all about it, 
but I never heard of one built by him that 
gave good satisfaction. I stayed by him all 
the time and required him to go by the 
paper. He got snorting mad sometimes; said 
anybody with any sense would know that 
that would not draw; the throat was too 
small. When 1 got it down to five inches 
I let him fall back and then build the stem 
and put an arch over it. We have been using 
it since, and it just draws splendidly. I 
feel I have got more than the worth of the 
paper out of it.” J • w - w - 
When that fireplace picture was printed we 
felt sure of it. because the man who sent it 
knows his busiuess. It was safe to follow 
him. I can imagine the feelings of that 
stone mason when the owner stood over him 
and made him work by copy. That is the 
way to do when you are sure of your model. 
The trouble is that many of us are not sure 
of what we do want, and thus we are at 
the mercy of mechanics or builders. The 
same thing sometimes happens on a farm, 
I know of one case where a woman with a 
dairy farm wanted to try Alfalfa. We helped 
her all we could with advice, and she seemed 
to have a good chance, but this was ruined 
by workmen, who made up their minds that 
the Alfalfa should have failure stamped 
upon It from the start. Of course they 
spoiled it—because it was “book farming. 
Happy is the man who feels sure of himself, 
and can stand over such fellows and make 
them "hew to the line.” You cau do this 
better with a chimney or a house than with 
a living thing like an animal or a plant ! 
Help ! Help ! Help !—That is about what 
we hear in every mail. A typical case is 
that of a dairyman in New York State who 
wants a man and his wife. He is mainly 
anxious for the wife, for he can get fair 
help outdoors, but it seems almost hopeless 
to try to get help indoors. His wife is over¬ 
worked, and must have help. After trying 
everywhere it is no wonder this man says : 
“I cannot quite understand why girls and 
women generally look upon housework as 
they do, especially in country. We always 
treat our help as one of the family, and surely 
would not consider them beneath us, if their 
general behaviour was good, simply because 
they were hired help.” 
That is a more important question in its 
bearing upon the future of this country than 
the tariff, free silver or railroad legislation. 
If any man can answer it I will vote for 
him to hold a place in the “Hall of Fame." 
For one reason, our modern system of edu¬ 
cation is wrong. It creates wrong ideals, 
and so far as I have observed, gives the 
children of poor parents a contempt for 
homely service and really useful labor. In 
a circular issued by A. It. Hill of the Mis¬ 
souri Teachers' College the following sensi¬ 
ble statement is made : 
“In my judgment, the most serious charge 
that can be made against our high school 
system is that it has not been satisfactory 
as a means of selecting the right persons for 
the right positions in life. The selection 
has been confined too narrowly to a basis of 
ability in abstract and formal studies, such 
as mathematics, grammar, and foreign 
languages. The boy adapted to efficiency in 
affairs, in agriculture, and in commerce has 
been eliminated from the system because he 
was not fit for the kind of narrow training 
it provided, though he was in every way 
most fit for extended training in the line of 
his own interests and genius.” 
If this training is ‘narrow” for the boys 
what is it for the girls? It is turning out 
an army of second-class typewriters and 
clerks who could have made good cooks and 
helpers. It is also responsible for many 
slack and inefficient housekeepers, who in 
turn spoil servants, so that the trouble is 
carried all down the line. I hear women say 
they would rather die than leave the city 
and work in the country. The ideals of 
modern society are wrong, and country people 
are suffering as a result. I have a letter 
from a woman who says she would rather 
see her daughter (if she had one) dead than 
married to an American farmer ! I will pay 
my best respects to her later. Really, I 
might to amend mv statement by saying that 
public education is not so much at fault as 
the fond and foolish parents who do not give 
their children the proper home influences. 
Protecting Trees. —A doctor in West 
Virginia wants to know : 
“S. T. Maynard advises painting trees with 
lime wash and Paris-green, one tablespoonful 
of Paris-green to two quarts of lime wash. 
Could this application in any way whatever 
prove injurious to the trees? If not, would 
it not also proves a germicide to the San Jost 1 
scale and other insect pests?” J. a. c. 
We feel about this as we did about that 
fireplace, because we think Prof. Maynard 
knows what he is talking about. Don’t put 
too much Paris-green in the mixture and then 
come back and say you followed directions 
and killed the trees. I have not tried it. as 
mounding around the base of the trees does 
the job for us. Paris-green will not kill the 
San Jos6 scale. That is a sucking insect. 
Paris-green Is useful only against those In¬ 
sects that gnaw and eat. 
Another man in New Y'ork asks; 
“Will a thick whitewash, of lime well 
seasoned with pepper or mixed with strong 
tobacco water keep mice from gnawing peach 
trees.” R- w. 
I don’t know, but I doubt It. I think mice 
will nest in tobacco stems, and I don’t believe 
the pepper would last long enough to do any 
good. I would rather risk the Paris-green 
wash. T think the tobacco would trouble 
rabbits more than mice. h. w. c. 
HUBBARD’S WINDOW SASH LOCK 
BEST ON EARTH. Not merely 
a catch, but a LOCK. Stops Burglars, 
Rattling Sash. Stops wind and Rain; 
out of sight. Safe for ventilation. 
$3.00 dozen; 25 cents each. 
Cauvassers wanted. Liberal offer, 
For terms, circulars, etc., apply to 
D. S. HUBBARD SON & C0„ 
259 Third Ave., Bay Shore, N. Y. 
THE WATERLOO 
GASOLINE ENGINE 
A POPULAR 
ENGINE AT THE 
RIGHT PRICE. 
Write to-day, 
Waterloo Gasoline 
Engine Co., 
WATERLOO. IOWA 
BEATS THE 
Grindstone 
Ten Times Over. 
Grind any tool, knife to mower 
sickle, with the 
Practical 
Grinder. 
3.000 revolutions of 
carborundum wheel 
per minute. Greatest 
abrasive known. No 
pressure needed, does 
not draw temper or' 
heat tools. Every 1 
home needsit. Write 
for price and circu¬ 
lar. A few good 
agents wanted. 
ROYAL MFC. CO., 226 E. Walnut St„ Lancaster. Pa. 
ICE 
la4. 
la Threa 
Bisea. 
CUTTING 1 w*th 7 
DOBSCII All Steel, Double- 
Bow ICE PLOWS. Marks aud 
cuta two rows at a time; cuts any size cake __ 
aud any depth, and does it with ease and economy. < 
Does the work of twenty men sawing by hand. Pays for itself tiP 
two days. No farmer, dairyman, hotel man or other can afford to 
be without it. Ask for catalogue and introductory prices. 
John Dortch A Sous. 2 26 W ells bt-.illl w uukec. W La. 
There is no great mystery about 
wagon-building. It’s just like the fellow 
said about making a piano: 
"Anybody could do it if he had the tools, 
could get the material and knew how.” 
For the same reason there is no mystery about the 
Studebaker Excellence, 
Studebaker Superiority 
Because we do have the tools—the best possible facilities for vehicle and 
harness making—the largest vehicle factory in the world (it covers 101 acres) 
and hundreds of special machines of our own invention. 
We do get the materials. Because we are the largest buyers of vehicle ma¬ 
terials in the world, we get first choice and we know how to choose. 
We do know how. Our "know how’’ is founded on more than 50 years experi¬ 
ence in successful vehicle making. 
But, more than that, our superior facilities, our extra choice materials, our ex¬ 
ceptional experience, are all backed by the determination to make every Stude¬ 
baker vehicle as nearly perfect as ingenuity, skill and care can make it. 
That’s why we maintain extensive laboratories for testing all materials used 
In our factory. 
That’s why we inspect and re-inspect every piece of work turned out by every 
department. 
And that’s why the Studebaker enjoys the reputation it has—more than a 
million in daily use—used the world over and growing every day in popularity. 
f- m 
THE STUDEBAKER 
A Wagon with a Reputation. I 
If you are a man who wants the best 
See the Studebaker Agent 
before you buy a farm wagon, a buggy, a carriage or anything in the vehicle or harness 
line. He will not ask you to buy on reputation alone. He will show you point by point 
wherein the Studebaker excels and you can see for yourself. 
If you don’t know a Studebaker agent, write to us. Enclose a 2 cent stamp and we’ll 
send you the Studebaker Farmer’s Almanac for 1906, free. Please address Dept.54 
Studebaker Bros. Mfg. Co., South Bend, Ind. 
Selling Agents Almost Everywhere. 
*• A D CTJI/ /l /’■> f I IE7 9 9 COMBINATION CIRCULAR AND DRAG 
/A DC /V A Vac U saw outfit with 5 h. p. engine 
Everything 
on one set 
of trucks. 
Simple, 
Strong, 
Easy to 
Operate. 
GASOLINE 
ENGINES 
and 
SAW RIGS. 
ABENAQUE MACHINE WORKS, Westminster Sta., Vt. 
Write for Free Cat. O. 
A SIMPLICITY GASOLINE ENGINE 
pnFP fill TQIII to any man who require, power on 
lllkk UH I nlML hi* farm. To prove that the SIM¬ 
PLICITY will do more work at leas cost In less time than any 
other power or any other engine, we will let you use It first, and 
then If satisfied you can pay for It on our easy term,. FREE 
TRIAL PLAN, catalogue allowing engine In use, Instruction aud 
experience books, all sent FREE to those who write. Address 
WESTERN MALLEABLE & GREY IRON MFG. 
CO., 30 Chase St., Milwaukee, Wis. 
CAPITAL 
GAS & GASOLINE 
ENGINES 
We will sell a 
sample 3*-2 H. P. 
engine at half 
price. 
C. H. A. Dissinger & Bro 
400 Cherry Street 
Wrightsville, Penna 
UK* 
Type A 
with 
Pump 
Tiere is no gas en¬ 
gine as simple as an 
Olds—compare it with 
others and this statement 
is proved. The repairs cost 
practically nothing . 
[The Most Economical Engine^ 
For pumping, sawing wood, feed grinding, 
churning, and all farm work. 
• . 
The reason why is interestingly told in our cata¬ 
log mailed on request. Tell us your require¬ 
ments and we will help you figure out what you 
need. Send for our catalog showing Type A (2- 
8 h. p„) Type G ( 8-60 h. p.,1 Types K and N (12- 
1200 h.p., used with our Gas Producer, it will 
reduce fuel cost 75 per cent.) 
Celebrated Picture Free. 
Forte in stamps to pay cost of mailing we 
will also send you Rosa Bonheur’s “Horse 
Fair,” the most celebrated animal pic¬ 
ture in the world, size 16x20 beauti¬ 
fully colored, suitable for framing. 
OLDS GASOLINE ENGINE WORKS. 
gQg Cbe.tDut St., Lui«1d,, Mich. 
Making Winter 
Money. 
In this country there is a vast oppor¬ 
tunity for the man on the farm to turn 
his winter days into money- There is 
work everywhere for a man who owns 
and knows how to handle a good, service¬ 
able power. And it does not take a tech¬ 
nical man, a trained mechanic to make 
money in this way. We do the technical 
part. We study the thing out and put it 
up to you. Then you make money all 
through the winter days when most of 
; your neighbors are idle. That’s what 
makes men prosperous and powerful in 
this country—taking advantage of the 
I opportunities that lie right at their door. 
Take the matter up with our Farm 
Power Men. Write about the work in 
[ your neighborhood and let us lay out a 
money making campaign f ryou. Itwon’t 
cost you anything to see /hat we can sug¬ 
gest. And don’t wait. Write now. Let us 
send you our free book on Farm Power. 
ADDRESS 
Fairbanks Farm Power Men, 
THE FAIRBANKS CO., 
NEW YORK. 
Scales, trucks , valves and fittings, gas and 
gasoline engines, /arm machines , machine 
tools , factory power transmission , 
factory supplies . 
Albany. New Orleans, Baltimore, 
Boston. Philadelphia, Pittsburg, 
Buffalo, Syracuse, Hartford, 
Bangor, Me., 
] London, England, Glasgow, Scotland. 
