THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
185 
Hope Farm Notes 
Farm Work. —The farm is under snow 
drifts just now, but it is time to plan 
things. What shall we do this year ? On 
the lower part of the farm we have about 
an acre in strawberries—scattered in four 
patches. Part of these are in a currant 
patch—the bushes of which have been 
nearly ruined by the scale. These berries 
went into Winter quarters in good con¬ 
dition, and if frost or drought do not 
get them they should do well. We plan 
to set out about an acre more this year. 
Most of them will be started in rows 
five or six feet apart this Spring, with 
rows of peas, onions or early potatoes 
between. When this crop is removed 
strong large strawberry plants will be 
put in its place and well fed and culti¬ 
vated. We have something over eight 
acres of wheat and rye which will be cut 
early for forage—then worked up for 
corn or other forage crops. On the hill, 
among some of the young trees we have 
plowed considerable old sod. Part of this 
will be put in potatoes and part in corn 
—both followed by wheat and rye. Our 
patch of pansy plants went under the 
snowdrifts happy as larks. As early as 
possible they will be transplanted and 
offered for sale. As usual we shall have 
2,000 or more pepper plants, and the usual 
crops of onions, cabbage and garden stuff. 
I have just bought two more Cheshire 
sows, as our pork trade has paid well. 
There are now some 150 hens on the 
place—now doing very well. We would 
like to bring the number up to 350 at 
least by Fall. White Wyandottes and 
R. I. Reds suit us best. The orchards 
will require more time than ever this 
year. I do not know yet what Jack Frost 
has left on our peach trees, but this is 
our apple year anyway. Some of the 
young five-year-olds show a number of 
fruit spurs. At the back of the farm is 
one orchard of 375 peach trees three 
years old. We shall try to handle it this 
year as follows: As soon as the snow 
permits we shall give the trees a thorough 
soaking with “Scalecide,” one to 16 parts 
of water. There is but little scale in this 
orchard, but I want to make sure. The 
field is in sod—the grass having run out 
somewhat. Early in April I intend to 
broadcast about 500 pounds of basic slag 
and 150 pounds sulphate of potash per 
acre. A little later 150 pounds nitrate of 
soda will be added—putting this around 
the trees—not nearer than three feet. 
Then we shall haul in forest leaves until 
we have a great pile scattered around 
each tree—as far out as the branches ex¬ 
tend. This orchard is on the edge of 
our 30-acre chestnut wood, so the leaves 
are handy. The field will be cut three 
times or more, and the grass left on the 
ground. In June, or when the borers ap¬ 
pear, we shall pour hot lye on the lower 
trunks of the trees. We cannot handle all 
our trees this way, but in sod culture that 
is what we would like—plenty of food, 
plenty of mulch, plenty of spraying and 
nothing but fruit taken from the orchard. 
We expect to make short hauls for all 
our manure—crowding it heavily on the 
fields near the barn. I want good plow¬ 
ing and thorough working with spring- 
tooth, Cutaway and Acme. I consider all 
these tools necessary on our farm, and 
if I can possibly do it I want all land 
harrowed at least eight times before 
planting. Of course I know how much 
easier it is to plan things here beside a 
good dish of baked apples, but we are all 
ready for the season, and want to make it 
go. As usual the children are most anx¬ 
ious for Spring to come. They would 
like to have the present sleighing con¬ 
tinue up to apple bloom time! It is hard 
to discourage a child. While I was out 
West at one point in Missouri our train 
was late. There we waited on a side 
track for a solid hour. The mud was so 
deep you could not leave the car with any 
comfort, and the drizzle was falling. 
There wasn’t even an apple to eat! One 
or two of the passengers walked up and 
down the aisle, much as I have seen pris¬ 
oned beasts exercise. Others sat in a 
strange mixture of patience and discon- 
content. Some distance away was a 
school house. Just when our wait 
seemed most discouraging a troop of chil¬ 
dren came running out of the school 
house door and began to dance in the 
mud. I felt like getting out, joining 
hands and kicking up my heels with the 
rest of the children, but that would have 
spoiled the whole fun. The idea of a 
grown-up man finding anything in life 
pleasant enough to make him dance 
would have saddened the whole thing. 
Wife and Child.—I am sorry that our 
friend is obliged to write the following: 
In my article on raising farm help, page 
1 of), I am quoted as saying “No wife." I did 
not intend to be so understood, as I think 
I have one of the best wives in the world, 
and she is. with me in my scheme. We 
would be willing to take smaller ones, and 
grow them up, and be willing to submit to a 
fair amount of supervision in the matter. 
c. e. s. 
Too bad! Those of us who feel sure 
that we have “the best” not “one of the 
best” wives in the world can realize what 
it would seem to have her marked zero! 
We did the best we could with our 
friend’s writing—both with bare eyes and 
spectacles but we couldn’t make anything 
but “no” out of it. I haven’t heard from 
any boys or rich men yet. 
Here is a man who seems busy enough 
to keep out of mischief: 
My wife was taken with the grippe in De¬ 
cember. and at this writing she is slowly 
recovering, and I have been busy taking care 
of her and doing the housework during the 
day and running a night line passenger train 
the rest of the time. 
You see we have all sorts of people in 
the large Hope Farm family. I hope this 
conductor gets sleep enough. He tells 
me he hopes to end his days on a farm of 
his own. That is why he reads The 
R. N.-Y. When the great conductor of 
life comes along and sees these men who 
help he doesn’t punch the troubles on 
their ticket that he might. h. w. c. 
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lor the Asking 
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MUSICAL ECHO CO., Edison Distributors, Dept.26. 
1216 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pa. 
are guaranteed 
the best-working, easiest-running, longest-lasting, most reliab? 
- tarm and garden tools. Designed by a practical farmer. Do the work^ ^ 
quic^y nght, without injury to plants Made of the very best materials, 
with good honest workmanship. 
No. 17 Planet Jr Single Wheel Hoe Cultivator and Plow. One of the 
handiest implements ever made for gardening Ail cultivating parts are of high- 
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Planet Jr 12-tcoth Harrow, Cultivator and Pulverizer is a splendid tool ' 
for berry-growers and market gardeners —invaluable wherever fine, close work s 
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Bor 1107 V, Philadelphia, Pa. 
2SK 
the national 
A modern 
plow, 
quick to 
get Into 
highest 
favor. 
Thousand* 
in use. 
REVERSIBLE I 
LESS TURNING, 
more rapid work and no dead furrows. Right or 
left hand Sulky, right or left hand Walking 
Plow. Works equally well on level land or side 
hill, all soils. Ask your dealer to show you. If 
not there, write us for full particulars and testi¬ 
monials. 
BELCHER & TAYLOR A. T. CO., 
Box 7s, Chicopee Falla, Mas 9 . 
Make Plowing Easy 
By 
Using 
Wonder 
Plow 
Trucks. 
This truck will fit any beam, 
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plow. Regulates perfectly 
depth and width of furrow. Will balance plow in 
hard, dry, stony soil, and save a third of draft on 
horses. The plowman does not need to hold plow 
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Wonder Plow Co, r 32 7 Factory st., St. Clair, Mich. 
TIL E DRAINED LAN D IS MORE PRODUCTIVE 
Earliest and easiest worked. 
Carries off surplus water; 
admits air to the soil.# in- 
-— —- ■»>“'. avim ui nwainpy innu reclaimed and made fertile. 
Jackson's Hound Drain Tile meets every requirement. We also make Sewer 
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creases the value. Acres of swampy land 
Jackson’s Rot * " ‘ 
Pipe, lted and 1 ... 
for what you waut aud prices. 
CA 
A HEART TO HEART TALK 
With the Man Who Makes the 
BUCKEYE 
GRAIN DRILLS 
Mr, Farmer:—Let’s have a few minutes 
chat about that drill you’ll need for this sea¬ 
son’s seeding. I know 1 can tell you some things 
about Buckeye drills that will be valuable to you. 
Something familiar about that name? No wonder, it’s 
been going on farm tools for over 50 years. We have 
made this name famous simply by making farm tools that do better work; that 
last longer; that meet the farmers needs better than any other. 
There are reasons for this, and I want to tell you just what these reasons 
are. I’m going to begin with the Buckeye frame, because, like the frame to a 
house, the life of a drill depends very largely upon the strength and build of the 
frame. You see it’s the part that gets the wear and tear—the strain and jar— 
the part that carries the load. If it weakens, gets out of true—gives out in 
any part, your drill troubles multiply. 
That’s why we put so much brain and brawn 
into the Buckeye frame. It’s made of square steel 
tubing without riveted joints or malleable corner 
pieces. It can’t weave, rack, loosen or get out of 
true. Weather can’t harm it and there’s nothing 
to give out. 
Ask the Buckeye Man to show it to you and 
your own eyes will do the rest. 
The next vital part is the driving and feeding 
mechanism. The Cone Gear on the Buckeye is a 
marvel. Absolutely accurate in regulating the feed; 
easy to change; powerful in driving; economical in 
wear. It’s construction does away with all 
interchangeable gears and annoyances com¬ 
mon with other styles. It’s always there when 
wanted and the saving it effects in repairs is a big 
item. Should breakage occur in the Buckeye feed 
from obstructions, it requires the replacing of the broken 
cone section only, while on others it means replacing the entire feeding device. 
Be sure to ask the Buckeye Man about this. It’s been imitated by many, 
but never equaled. There’s nothing “just as good.” Next is our Double Run 
Force Feed—a positive and perfect feed that can’t skip, choke or bunch. It has 
two compartments—one for sowing large grains—one for small grains. 
Now, a word about the Buckeye famous Non-corrosive Glass Fertilizer 
Distributor—the only fertilizer distributor that can’t and don't corrode from 
the acids in commercial fertilizers. It’s the *lass feed plate that does the 
work. Sows all fertilizers and fine manures and does 
not grind them into paste. Can change quantity 
without stopping machine. This is the only satis¬ 
factory fertilizer distributor in use and found only on 
Buckeye Drills. 
Ask the Buckeye Man to show you this and also 
our disc seeding device. Also our Shoe Drills 
with Chain or Gang Press Wheel Coverers. 
Now, Mr. Farmer these are some of the many 
reasons why the Buckeye Drills are so popular. They 
are reasons why you should buy Buckeye Drills. 
P. P. MAST & COMPANY Dept. B1, Springfield, Ohio. 
