070 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
December 19, 
“CORRECTING” THE MILK BOTTLE . 
The Sealer and the Dairyman. 
I notice on page 918 an article referring to the 
Superintendents of Weights and Measures of the 
State of New York, Mr. Fritz Reichmann, whom I 
met last Summer. I have no doubt that the weights 
and measures of the State need inspection, and often 
correction, and heartily agree with the quotation re¬ 
ferred to by Gov. Hughes, but it seems to me that 
there is an abomination on the other side when the 
law governing the weights and measures is such that 
it makes it possible (note the word possible instead 
of lawful), for a sealer tq go to the milk dealers 
of his territory and demand that he be allowed to 
test all their milk bottles and charge anywhere 
from zy 2 to five cents each for all bottles tested, 
whether sealed or condemned, which according to 
his own statement made to me last Summer in 
the presence of Mr. Reichmann is what the sealer 
of our county had been doing, I do not know from 
which of the three causes (for short weight, or 
measure), referred to by Mr. Reichmann; but if 
from ignorance there is need of a little education in 
their own department and one would hate to think it 
W'as from either of the other two. The law under 
which the superintendent acted in authorizing the 
sealer to test all milk bottles in the hands of the 
dealers is found in Domestic Commerce Law (Laws 
of 1896, Chap. 376), Sections 14 and 16. You will 
note that Sec. 14 authorizes the sealer to test weights 
and measures, etc., “which are brought to him for 
that purpose,” and Sec. 16 fixes the fees to be charged 
for such testing and sealing, and states that the 
fees shall be for weights and measures, etc., which 
he finds to correspond, or causes to correspond with 
the standards in his possession, so that if he finds 
milk bottles short measure he surely cannot “cause 
them to correspond with his standards.” I know at 
least two such charges which he collected and some 
others which the owners of the bottles refused to 
pay. Where a deqler has several thousand bottles 
even at zy cents each it makes it come pretty high, 
while at five cents it costs as much as the bottles 
themselves cost new, and according to Sec. 16 above 
referred to, he can charge 10 cents for eacji liquid 
or dry measure sealed. Of course this law was 
made when little or no milk was sold in bottles, so 
that now when such a large percentage of the milk 
is sold that way it makes it as some one has said 
“abominable now.” I am informed that the Super¬ 
intendent of Weights and Measures of this State 
is trying to have the law changed, putting the sealers 
on salary instead of being paid by the fees collected 
as is now the case. I think that is something which 
The R. N.-Y. and every other paper interested in 
the welfare of the dairymen and the public at large, 
as well as the dairymen themselves, should use their 
influence to carry through and so aid the Superin¬ 
tendent in bringing about this change in the law, and 
I think the testing of milk bottles especially should 
be done at the factories, because by testing the mould 
on which they are made it would guarantee all bot¬ 
tles made on that mould, whereas if it is done among 
the dealers it makes it so much more expensive and 
nothing like as thorough, as no dealer can have all 
his bottles together at any one time. I trust that 
at the next Legislature there will be changes made 
to make the laws fit the present conditions better than 
they do now, and think The R. N.-Y. can help bring 
this about, as it did making the “papers fit the cow.” 
Long Island. _ c. o. G. 
A PLUMBER’S OUTFIT. 
Many people regard plumbing work as rather mys¬ 
terious. This idea comes from lack of familiarity 
with the tools, which are simple and few in number 
for all ordinary jobs. They are not likely to get out 
of order, and their use is soon learned. A set as 
herein described may be had for as little as $10, and 
will do a large range of work on the farm. There 
are other styles on the market, but those named are 
the most useful and are standard. If pipe larger than 
iy 2 inch is used it is well to have it threaded in a 
shop, as it is hard work for the amateur above that 
size. 
The Armstrong pattern stock and dies, Fig. 459, is 
the tool for cutting the threads on the pipe. There are 
dies for the different sizes of pipe. In using this tool 
be liberal with lard oil. Common machine oil will 
not fill the bill, though it is better than nothing. In 
addition to the dies there is also a bushing put in 
where the thumb-screw shows. This fits over the 
pipe and holds the tool steady. Cut the thread far 
enough so that the end of the pipe will come a little 
way through the top of the die. Try the fitting, and 
if it does not screw on comfortably set up the dies 
a trifle and run over the thread again. In using 
turn the tool around once or twice and then back a 
trifle. This breaks the metal and makes operation of 
the tool easier. Careful thread cutting and accurate 
fitting is more than half the job. Before each thread 
is screwed into the fitting cover the threaded por¬ 
tion well with white or red lead mixed with raw 
linseed oil to the consistency of thick cream. A set 
of stock, dies and bushings, cutting sizes from one- 
half to one and one-half inch, costs about $3.50 
STOCK AMD DIES. Fig. 459. 
at the lowest price. Remember that pipe sizes are 
trade terms, and not accurate measurements. Fur¬ 
thermore, they refer to inside dimensions. Left- 
hand dies come extra. The novice will do well not 
to bother with them. Stick to the right hand and 
turn the tool to the right in using. 
Fig. 460 shows the manner of holding the pipe in 
the vise and the position of the thread cutter. Its 
operation is obvious. Take hold of the handles and 
turn to the right, pressing against the pipe. 
The style of vise shown in Fig. 461 is exceedingly 
handy, as it opens quickly and takes in all the ordi¬ 
nary sizes of pipe. It may be had for about $1.50. 
It should be securely bolted to the bench. The pipe 
cutter of the pattern shown at 2, Fig 462, will cut any 
pipe from % inch up to two inches. The wheels are 
VISE AND Vs-INCH TAP. Fig. 401. 
simply placed on the pipe—held in' the vise—and the 
handle gradually screwed up as the cutters work 
in. Turn the tool around the pipe, working back 
and forth. Use plenty of lard oil. Cost $1.50. 
After cutting a bur is left on the pipe. Take 
it out with the reamer, which is used in a bit 
brace. Reamer is shown at 1, Fig. 462. This 
shows the pipe before and after using. Cost 
REAMER, CUTTER AND FIFE WRENCH. Fig. 462. 
$1.00. A 16 or 18-inch wrench of the Trimo or 
Stillson pattern will take all common sizes of pipe, 
and give leverage enough to screw the pipe into 
place tightly. A little practice will tell one when the 
pipe is screwed into the fitting sufficiently. Price 
$1.50. A little tool known as a j^-inch tap—pipe 
size and thread—is very useful for threading a drill 
hole for an eighth-inch brass air valve to be in¬ 
serted where needed. Wallace h. miller. 
THE USE OF “FLOATS” IN MANURE. 
Comparison With Kainit. 
I am undecided whether to purchase South Carolina 
floats or kainit for use as an absorbent in the stables. 
I can buy floats at $15.50 f. o. b. Boston, and kainit 
at $13.50. The chemicals usually run a good even qual¬ 
ity. I understand that there is more plant food in the 
floats than in the kainit, and that whatever plant food 
there is in kainit is in sdme form of potash, while floats 
contains phosphoric acid, which is much more likely 
to be needed on medium to heavy loam soil. It is said 
that kainit applied to the soil in the Fall will kill or 
drive away many wlreworms and other injurious things, 
but it would seem to me that any benefits derived from 
the use of this chemical would be somewhat counter¬ 
balanced by the necessity which would arise for the in¬ 
creased need of basic slag or some other form of lime 
to counteract the effect of the salts of the kainit. We 
like to use some absorbent around and under the stables 
to conserve nitrogen and counteract unpleasant odors. 
Under the circumstances, which would you purchase at 
the prices named? t. 
Rhode Island. 
First make sure that we understand what is meant 
by “floats.” It is the phosphate rock, mined in parts 
of the South, and ground to a fine powder. When 
acid phosphate is made this fine powder is mixed 
with sulphuric acid, which dissolves the rock or 
breaks up the combination of lime and phosphoric 
acid. Thus the “floats” represent the ground rock— 
not dissolved by the acid. It contains lime and 
phosphoric acid, while the kainit contains potash. 
We prefer the “floats” as an absorbent. The kainit 
does not give a very neat apearance, and if too much 
of it were used the salt which <t contains might in¬ 
jure the feet of the stock. The “floats” look much 
like fine road dust and will absorb and hold the 
liquids. It is true that phosphoric acid is more like¬ 
ly to be needed than potash on medium or heavy soils. 
On light soils the reverse of this would be true. We 
do not think there is much in the theory that kainit 
will destroy wireworms or other insects unless used 
in such large quantities that the soil would be in¬ 
jured. It is true that continued use of salt in 
kainit or muriate of potash will make the use of 
lime more necessary. 
The use of “floats” in the stable or in the manure 
is growing, and is good practice. The phosphoric 
acid contained in the “floats” is not “available,” yet 
when it is used in manure the effect is shown on 
crops. The following note from Ex.-Gov. Hoard 
of Wisconsin is good evidence: 
“You ask for some of my personal experience with 
raw ground phosphate rock. I have been using it in 
manure now nearly three years; have purchased two 
carloads, a portion of which I have prevailed upon 
some of my neighbors to try. In 1907 I noticed, as 
did my neighbors, that my corn was unusually well 
eared, where manured with phosphated manure. In 
1908 the same thing ocurred. In addition I had an 
interesting experience with barley. One field was an 
Alfalfa sod that had been injured. I wished to re¬ 
seed it. The land was rich, and being an Alfalfa 
sod it was exceptionally favorable for an extra yield 
of the barley. It had been heavily manured two 
years before. On this piece I got 35 bushels per 
acre Another field, same size, had been well dressed 
with phosphated manure during the Winter and 
treated otherwise the same as the first piece. Both 
were sown to Alfalfa, and three pecks of barley to 
the acre as a nurse crop. On this piece I received 
51 bushels to the acre; this gain of 16 bushels per 
acre I attribute to the phosphated manure.” 
w. d. hoard. 
Any farmer can see the economy of using these 
“floats” if by some action in the manure the phos¬ 
phoric acid is made available. We pay large sums 
of money to the fertilizer makers for dissolving 
these floats with sulphuric acid. If any part of this 
can be done on the farm and in the manure pile we 
shall make a clear gain provided we can buy the 
floats cheap enough. The price quoted in the ques¬ 
tion asked above is too high. Gov. Hoard’s tes¬ 
timony shows that there is some action in the 
manure which fits at least some of the raw phos¬ 
phate to feed grain or grass crops. Whether this 
treatment would make it equally useful for garden 
crops is another question. Many of us know the 
effect that liquid manures have upon bones. You 
may put the bones in barrels, keep them saturated 
with liquid manure and covered with loam, and after 
a few months find them quite soft. Of course bone 
is an organic substance, while the “floats” represent 
a mineral; still there is evidently some dissolving 
action. It will pay farmers to try this experiment, 
and the results may lead to a renewal of the old 
plan of keeping the liquids separately in a cistern 
to be used for their action upon bones, “floats” or 
other materials. We are often asked whether it is 
practicable to use sulphuric acid as a solvent of 
bones, but we always warn inquirers against it; it is 
too dangerous for common use. 
