S04 
woodchucks, etc., besides occupying much valuable 
space. To get them removed has been quite a prob¬ 
lem. Two miles of them has been disposed of in the 
last two years. Most of them have been buried in 
the road and low places. The one shown in the pho¬ 
tograph, P'ig. 357, was left until the last, because it 
was the heaviest, being on an average 10 foot wide 
on the bottom, 8 p 2 on top, five high and 725 feet 
long. This one was buried where it stood. This 
picture was taken while the work was being done, 
and fairly well shows how this was accomplished. 
A trench was dug along each side and filled to the 
top. Then another was dug across the end and 
more of the stones put into this one, the dirt from 
the cross trench being thrown back each time on top 
of the stones already placed, so it was well covered. 
That thrown out from the side trenches was then 
plowed over and all leveled off nicely. When com¬ 
pleted there was a little raise in the land, but not 
enough to prevent driving or working over it readily. 
The whole job cost $235, a little over 32 cents per 
running foot, the cost of a job of this kind being 
governed Iargelv by the nature of the soil to dig and 
the availability of cheap labor. In this case the soil 
could be shoveled out without using a pick very much. 
Italians were hired at $1.50 per day of nine hours. 
Luzerne Co., Pa. w. j. lewis. 
AN EXPERIENCE WITH TREE AGENTS. 
I was much interested in reading an article in a 
recent issue of The R. N.-Y. concerning the question 
of the right which a purchaser of nursery stock might 
have to cancel an order where circumstances are such 
that he cannot use the contemplated purchase. I had 
such an experience with a nurse^ firm, and they in¬ 
sisted on delivering the stock at my place, although T 
wrote them before the same had been shipped and 
told them not to ship it and gave my reasons there¬ 
for. They wrote back that their orders were not 
subject to cancellation, and that I must pay for it. I 
then wrote them that if they left it at my place in my 
absence it would be at their own risk and if I were 
present I should refuse to accept it. and they then 
delivered it during my absence. I heeled-in the stock 
and wrote them they could have it when they chose 
to call for it. They wrote me a great many times and 
finally placed the matter in the hands of an attorney. 
I told their representative that I wished they would 
bring suit against me, as I just wanted to write out 
the circumstances of the case for your paper. I think 
1 made a mistake in announcing my attentions in that 
respect, as they never did anything about it. Their 
claim was legally unsound, however, as the proper 
position for them to take in a case where cancella¬ 
tion is made is to sell the stock for what they can 
and the purchaser can then be made to stand any loss. 
I tried to get them to do that in my case, but they 
refused. My experience with these people is of such 
a character that I will never again give an order to 
an agent. Stewart n. dunning. 
Connecticut. 
R. N.-Y.—We have many reports from such deals. 
Now we would like to have some-one tell us what 
they ever expect to gain by signing such a contract 
with an agent. They usually pay more for the stock, 
and are no better cared for than when they buy direct. 
Why should anyone sign one of these contracts? 
Tree Agents and Unoccupied Farms. 
T do not know why a farmer should not sign a 
contract with a nursery firm as well as with any other 
firm. Personally, I would rather sign a contract than 
not. for then I have it in black and white, and each 
party knows just what they are to do. Tn my own 
case, I had read in the “Dakota Farmer” that I could 
buy nursery stock cheaper from the nurseries, and I 
looked through the advertising columns of all of my 
farm paper (five) for the address of a firm that sold 
direct to farmers, and did not find any. I wanted the 
stock and was not then acquainted with The R. N.-Y. 
1 think the firms that sell direct to consumers should 
do more advertising. My complaint with Rice Bros. 
Co. was not because I signed a contract nor because 
the price was too high, but that they failed to keep 
their part of the contract and replace the trees and 
bushes that died. I suppose that I could make them 
do so, but am afraid that the cost of doing so would 
be more than my claim ($7). 
The man in southwest Texas is having about as 
much experience as I am here in southern New York. 
I came here from South Dakota in the Fall of 1907, 
with $ 10,000 in cash, stock and mortgages. I bought 
a river farm of 124 acres for $6500. and paid $1,000 
down and $1200 more in three equal payments. I 
traded a mortgage for a hill farm of $200 acres, and 
got $960 difference. I bought more stock, tools and 
so on. Both farms were in a rundown condition, and 
it has cost me a considerable sum to establish them 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
on a paying basis, but have finally done so. I bought 
my South Dakota land for about one-fourth of what I 
sold it for, while I was a locomotive engineer in 
Pennsylvania. My health failed and I had to resign 
on that account. It is better on the farm and I weigh 
50 pounds less than I used to. l. n. s. 
R. N.-Y.-—This very experience shows that the con¬ 
tract was one-sided. The nursery firm would hold 
you tight for the goods, but did not fill their part b ,r 
replacing the dead ones. 
A COURAGEOUS APPLE TREE. 
Forty-odd years ago when I first knew the apple 
tree shown in Fig. 359 the part now lying prone on 
the ground from A to B was the upright trunk, then 
some eight inches in diameter. It was somewhat in¬ 
clined to the right (as here pictured), probably due to 
injury to the roots on one side by the plow, in con¬ 
nection with the prevailing westerly winds gradually 
crowding it over. As it continued to settle slowly, a 
prop the size of an ordinary fence post was keyed 
under where the branches began. As this gradually 
rotted away at the ground with consequent further 
inclination of the trunk, the tree attempted to right it¬ 
self by developing upright branches and lopping off 
overhanging ones, the latter process occasionally 
assisted by the saw of the owner. After the prop 
finally gave way a stove-wood block took its place, 
to decay and disappear in its turn, until the tree 
reached its present shape and condition; its roots at 
A, the upright trunk, well shaped and balanced, de¬ 
veloped from an ordinary branch, vigorous, and in 
all these years bearing its quota of fruit in every apple 
season. Is not this a fine example of courage in dis¬ 
tress? c. c. m'dermID. 
Michigan. 
STRUGGLE FOR ALFALFA IN MAINE. 
Evidence continues to accumulate that it is only a 
question of time when the farmers of Maine will be 
growing Alfalfa with profit. During the present 
Summer I have located probably 20 different farms 
where it has survived from one to four Winters. 
None of them has yet secured a profitable stand, 
and the common error seems to have been sowing too 
early. The picture, Fig. 358, was taken on the farm 
of George H. Caldwell, Kennebec County, July 31. 
The plot had been mowed the sixth of the month, 
yet the second growth averaged at least a foot high. 
Mr. Caldwell planted his Alfalfa on limed soil June 
10, 1910. He mowed it to check the weeds August 2 , 
and it went into the Winter with a growth of about 
one foot. The plot contains considerable grass and 
weeds, but what Alfalfa there is shows fine color and 
growth. Mr. Caldwell has at least abundant soil for 
inoculating his next experiment. 
Roland T. Patten, of Somerset County, sowed an 
acre of Alfalfa the last week in July, and at the 
present writing it could not possibly look better. Mr. 
Patten is one of the few farmers who keep accurate 
accounts, and he reports the cost of getting in the 
crop as follows: Plowing Fall of 1910, $2.50; har¬ 
rowing once in Fall and six times May 15-July 15, 
$3.60; one ton lime, $10; two tons ashes. $30; 20 
pounds seed, $4; preparing and sowing, $1; hand 
work on weed spots since sowing, 50 cents; total, 
$51.60. 
In figuring the profit from the crop when cut Mr. 
Patten will add $10 to the above cost on account of 
fertility left over from the preceding year, and $5 
for rent of the land each season. With reasonable 
success he can hardly fail to cut enough Alfalfa next 
year to pay for the original outlay, leaving the future 
crops to show a large profit. 
Maine. Christopher m. gallup. 
SCHOOL GARDENS AND TEACHING AGRI¬ 
CULTURE. 
Having read an article on school gardening in a re¬ 
cent number of The R. N.-Y., and being a teacher of 
several years’ experience, I venture a few remarks 
along this line. I notice the writer of the article is a 
resident of Arkansas, and, according to his statement, 
I infer that not much is being done by the State to 
encourage agriculture in the schools of ^he State. 
The Educational Department of the State of New 
York includes agriculture in its course of study for 
the professional training of teachers, and has outlined 
a course of study in “nature study and agriculture” 
which the teachers of the State are supposed to fol¬ 
low in the grades. Much of the work imposes no 
added burden on the teacher, as it can be profitably 
correlated with other subjects. The College of Agri¬ 
culture at Tthaca, N. Y., on request, furnishes leaf¬ 
lets to both teachers and pupils, each month. These 
leaflets are not theoretical, but are practical works 
prepared by eminent authorities along this line and 
September 9, 
follow closely the course of study outlined by the 
State. 
The writer states that school in his section is held 
during Fall and Winter only. This is to be regretted, 
as it does not afford so good an opportunity for 
practical work in school gardening. However, the 
germination of seeds and the growth of plants can, in 
a measure, be observed by the school. Seeds may be 
placed between blotters and kept moist and warm, and 
then watched closely each day. Other seeds may be 
placed in cans of earth, the cans or boxes placed in 
the school windows, and the earth kept moist and 
warm. This affords opportunity to watch growth of 
plants for some time, and can be done during cold 
weather when school is in session and the ground too 
cold for outdoor planting. Much good comes from 
talking with pupils about soil, drainage, etc., and the 
care of certain plants, mentioning conditions existing 
in the immediate vicinity. The teacher may visit the 
parents and interest them in the matter and can 
usually get their consent to let the child have a small 
piece of ground, all his own, where he can put to 
practice what has been learned the previous Winter. 
Not all this work can be accomplished by one teacher, 
but if each succeeding teacher conscientiously carries 
on the good work begun by his or her predecessor 
the pupil will soon have gained much practical knowl¬ 
edge of gardening. It does not necessarily follow 
that the teacher should be specially trained along this 
line of work, if he or she have a love for it. 
The Department of Agriculture at Washington, 
D. C., sends out, each month, to those who request it, 
a list of publications from which one may make selec¬ 
tions of works wanted. Many of these are gratis, 
while for some few a moderate price is charged. 
Then, too, the State Experiment Station furnishes 
many free publications in which the interested person 
may find much that is helpful. Encourage reading of 
farm papers. Being interested in this phase of educa¬ 
tion, I should like to read suggestions from others in 
different localities, as it seems that much good may 
accrue from it. ray p. travis. 
Yates Co., N. Y. 
GOING “BACK TO THE LAND.” 
I am at the age of 42 years, married, no children, a 
mechanic. 1 have worked indoors 27 years, and have all 
my life yearned for a farm, although I have absolutely no 
knowledge of farming or anything pertaining to such. I 
have saved quite some money, and also have a valuable 
partner and hustler,' my wife, who is not afraid of hard 
work, even to digging and rough work if called upon to do 
such. My idea would be to start a farm in the Hudson 
Valley, say with about 75 acres of ground principally for 
making milk and raising poultry and eggs, also taking 
Summer boarders. From time to time I have put this 
question to my friends who are not farmers, and they in 
reply give me some very discouraging answers. They tell 
me there is no profit or money, nothing but hard work 
attached to it. I don’t expect to make a lot of money, 
but could I expect a comfortable living by working hard? 
Could one man take care of about seven cows and say 
about 200 hens, and what would be the profit net per 
week of same? Would it also pay to take four or five 
Summer boarders? j. R R 
New Jersey. 
Very likely your friends are wise, yet they do not 
tell it all. There is hard work on such a farm. If you 
read the stories of those who write the farm diaries 
you will see that they get up early and stay late, and 
have no let-up through the day. If any man has an 
idea that such a scheme as you outline involves any¬ 
thing but hard and dirty work he should get away 
from it at once. Another thing the back-to-the-land 
man must be prepared for is the fact that he must 
make his own pay days. In the town he gets his 
money every week or month, and knows what he 
will have to spend. On the farm he is paid only 
when he sells something and collects for it. Instead 
of paying cash for all he buys he must learn how to 
get food and fuel out of the farm. Many fail in their 
efforts to change their business methods without any 
definite pay day. Another great cause of failure is 
the inability of the women folks to adapt themselves 
to farm conditions. They think they can endure, 
and they try to do so, but the work is hard, and 
when Winter shuts them in with snow and cold or 
muddy roads they miss the society of the town, and 
a terror falls upon them. 
This man has fair capital and has brought out 
a good plan. He can take care of the stock he men¬ 
tions, but no one can tell him how much income or 
profit per week he can expect. There is the great 
difference between town and city labor. With a “job” 
or a trade you can figure your income closely. On a 
farm there are so many things which might upset all 
calculations that no one who was wise would venture 
a statement. 
You will ask then what can a man hope to gain by 
going to a farm? Home, independence and a perman¬ 
ent job. These are the possibilities. He will work 
harder to start with than he would in town, but he 
will be his own boss and if he works with good judg¬ 
ment his property will increase in value and become 
more saleable. 
