1224 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
December 7, 
THE MAINE POTATO SITUATION. 
There’ have been many surprises in the 
Bangor, Me., potato growing and shipping 
business this season. During the grow¬ 
ing season the weather conditions were 
such that it kept the growers guessing as 
to what the outcome would be. When the 
harvest came it was found tliat_ the 
Aroostook crop was short at least 25 per 
cent and the Central Maine crop fully 2o 
per cent larger than the normal yield. 
Da ter the Government report showed one 
of the largest yields of potatoes ever known 
in the country and it was predicted that 
Maine would ' have to sell as low as 25 
cents the bushel. On the strength of the 
Government report prices ruled low for 
some time, selling f. o. b. Boston as low 
as 50 cents the bushel and in New York 
at 57 cents. In the meantime the stock 
from Northern New York and Michigan was 
arriving in the markets, showing a large 
percentage of rot. Gradually the price of 
the Maine product worked up from 50 and 
57 to 70, 72, 74 New York and Bos¬ 
ton at the same rate. ’The present un¬ 
looked forhigh prices have been brought 
about by two causes—rot and car short¬ 
age—and it is difficult to determine which 
is the largest factor. It is believed, how¬ 
ever, that the car shortage has entered 
very largely into the reasons for the raise. 
While good prices are ruling the growers 
are anxious to profit by them, but while 
the bins are bursting with the product, 
there they must stay until the railroads 
can meet the situation and supply cars to 
transport the product to the markets. The 
officials of the M. C. and the B. & A. 
appear to be doing all they can to meet 
the conditions, but are giving the shippers 
very little I’elief. The officials of these 
two railroads claim that the trouble comes 
from the unusual large crops the country 
over and they are unable to get their cars 
returned to them. On the other hand, 
some of the shippers say that there are 
very few cars belonging to the Maine lines 
that are allowed to go beyond or west of 
New York City, and therefore they are not 
used to transport the Western product. 
However, whatever is the truth, the fact 
remains that the car shortage in Maine is 
serious, and just how the large potato 
crop is going to be marketed is a conun¬ 
drum. The shipper who depends upon 
heater cars to transport his stock over the 
B. & A. will find he has a difficult proposi¬ 
tion to contend with, for the B. & A. has 
not got the cars. The officials of the road 
have given warning practically to this ef¬ 
fect. and have advised the shippers to line 
box cars so as to be sure of carrying fa¬ 
cilities, and this is being done all along 
the line. The Maine Central lines have, 
apparently, a good supply of heater cars, 
but nevertheless they are at this time un¬ 
able to meet the demand for such carriers, 
and the business of shipping with many of 
the shippers is practically at a standstill. 
Tlie Maine crop of potatoes is excellent. 
It is true that a little dry rot has shown 
in a few sections, but this can be said in 
any year. If the car shortage has con¬ 
spired to give the farmers high prices, 
then there will be no demonstration against 
the railroads by them, but if there are no 
cars to transport the stock the* price of 
potatoes might as well be at 25 cents as 
70 cents, for the potatoes are no good in 
the cellars. The lailroads are exerting 
themselves to their utmost to relieve the 
situation, but with very poor results so 
far as moving the stock. If there is any 
fault to be found with the railroads it is 
because of their unpreparedness, and they 
could not foresee the marvelous crops the 
farms of the country were going to produce 
in this wonderful season of 1912. 
Maine. c. e. e. 
THE WASHINGTON, D. C., MARKETS. 
Where Center Market now stands there 
has always been a public market. With 
the increase in the city’s population and 
with its prosperity this market has always 
kept pace. This market covers a large 
area in the heart of the city, and includes 
a number of structures. The main building 
is shaped like the capital letter E, with a 
smaller building in front between the two 
long lines. In the smaller building fronting 
Pennsylvania avenue, are housed the cool¬ 
ers and salesrooms of the packing houses, 
supplied with cold air from the refriger¬ 
ating plant of the Center Market. The 
market house proper has what is known as 
the Seventh Street wing, about 200 feet 
long and 80 feet wide, running in a south¬ 
erly direction along Seventh Street. A 
building of like size and shape extends 
along Ninth Street. The B Street wing, 
about 300 feet long, connects these Sev¬ 
enth and Ninth Street wings. In the court¬ 
yard is the four-story building which houses 
the refrigerating engines and' boilers for 
steam and electric current. The B Street 
wing was carried up three additional stories 
and these divided into cold storage com¬ 
partments for use by dealers in the market 
on equal terms, as well as by outside com¬ 
mission men and dealers in food supplies. 
Here are stored for farmers and haulers 
from nearby places produce shipped here 
and held in cold storage for future sales. 
Center Market ranks with the great pub¬ 
lic buildings of the Capital as a show 
place. Through the market hundreds of 
visitors and sightseers pass daily, some¬ 
times blocking the aisles so that the deal¬ 
ers stop work and become sightseers them¬ 
selves. Entering the Center Market at 
Seventh Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, 
we find along the east and west wall a line 
of grocery and produce stands, in the cen¬ 
ter a double line of butcher stands, upon 
which are displayed beef, lamb, mutton, 
pork and their products. Passing from the 
Seventh Street wing we enter the B Street 
wing; here we find a group of bakers’ 
stands, where can be bought all kinds of 
baker products. Along the south aisle is 
the fish market, where not only can be 
bought the local catch of fish, but fresh 
halibut from Seattle, salmon from Columbia 
River, Spanish mackerel from Florida, trout 
from Canada, in fact fresh fish from New¬ 
foundland to Florida on the Atlantic coast 
and the same from the Pacific coast. Much 
of this fish is shipped in cold storage, 
frozen solid, then thawed and placed on 
sale beside the local catch. Here also can 
be purchased oysters and all kinds of game. 
Passing from the fish market into the next 
aisle we come to flower stands rented by 
those who grow and sell their own prod¬ 
ucts. Special thought has been given to 
these flower stands, where the displays are 
often worth a long journey to see. We 
next come to the butter, egg, cheese and 
poultry stands, also produce stands rented 
by truckers, as well as by dealers. It was 
in this market that Ben Butler used to do 
his marketing, and one day his large dog, 
unknown to his owner, helped himself to a 
large piece of meat. When Mr. Butler again 
came to the market the butcher asked him 
what he would do in such a case. Mr. 
Butler told him to make the owner of the 
dog pay for the meat. Thereupon the 
butcher told him it was his own dog. Mr. 
Butler asked him the value of the meat, 
and was told $2. This he paid and later, 
it is said, sent to the butcher a bill for 
legal advice for $10. 
From this market the White House gets 
a large part of its supply. All the large 
hotels and boarding houses do the same. 
Here you can get fresh fruits from all 
the known world. Strawberries are on sale 
from December to July. From thirty to 
forty thousand people visit this market on 
a busy market day. Nearly all the dealers 
have a delivery system of their own. There 
is also a public auto delivery where patrons 
have their marketing sent home for 10 
cents to nearly all parts of the city. The 
telephone system is complete, so that nearly 
all the stands are connected with the city 
system. On each of the four sides of the 
market street cars pass, making it pos¬ 
sible for patrons to reach the market for 
one car fare from every part of the Dis¬ 
trict. There are in Center market 666 
stands and at this time all are occupied. 
On the B street front of the market is 
what is known as the retail farmers’ mar¬ 
ket. Here for two squares are designated 
spaces occupied by farmers, 50 or more 
along the market walls and as many wagons 
backed up to the curb. These two lines 
are sheltered by a steel shed. On the other 
side of B Street on busy market days there 
is another row of wagons, so that on busy 
Saturdays there will be from 250 to 300 
farmers on hand to get their 100 cents for 
their dollar, some of them coming as far 
as 35 miles. Here the consumer is pretty 
sure to get his dollar’s worth of fresh 
products. 
The truckers standing on this line dis¬ 
pose of a large amount of stuff on a mar¬ 
ket day. One who deals in eggs and butter 
has sold as high as 800 dozens of eggs in 
one day, and there are others who do as 
much. Another trucker has sold as many 
as 80 crates of tomatoes, a crate holding 
about three pecks. If these stands were 
placed side by side those inside the mar¬ 
ket they would make a line 26 squares 
long. On the west, between Ninth and 
Tenth Streets, are the wholesale commis¬ 
sion men. Here for a square are commis¬ 
sion houses in which are handled produce 
shipped to the city in bulk, the amount 
being quite large at certain seasons. A 
square further to the west, across Tenth 
Street, is what is called the farmers’ whole¬ 
sale market. On any Saturday morning 
can be seen two solid blocks of farm 
wagons backed up in three double rows. 
Here are farmers coming from every direc¬ 
tion, some as far as 40 miles, to sell their 
produce. As many as 500 farmers have 
been known to be here on a pleasant Fall 
Saturday. Here every morning all the 
corner grocery produce storekeepers and 
the hundreds of hucksters buy their produce 
direct from the farmer, so that many con¬ 
sumers of the city need to pay the middle¬ 
man but one profit. 
There are eight other markets in this 
city. The wholesale farmers’ market and 
three retail markets are owned and con¬ 
trolled by the city government. The li¬ 
cense law has been so made that the 
farmer and grower is not required to pay 
any fee to the city when they sell their 
products at the markets; but dealers and 
others are required to pay a license fee 
from $5 to $25 per year. In this way all 
that is possible is done to induce the 
farmer to come to the city markets and 
sell his produce direct to the consumer. 
The only charge is 10 cents, which is used 
to help pay the expense of cleaning the 
street. The Board of Trade has taken up 
the matter and are going to try this Win¬ 
ter and get Congress to build steel sheds 
over the farmers’ market, so as to protect 
the farmers as well as their produce iu 
bad weather. N. L. H. 
Washington, D. C. 
Your information seems deficient on some 
important facts of appie growing in Nova 
Scotia. The wave of cooperation started 
about 1906, with one company being formed 
of 10 members. By 1912 there are 25 or so 
companies of an average of 30 members. 
We have obtained legislation from the Nova 
Scotia government permitting the forma¬ 
tion of a central association, with a present 
capital of $50,000. The various companies 
provide the capital in equal shares. Mana¬ 
ger’s salary is at present about $3,000 net. 
but is likely to be increased. The Dominion 
government has one subsidized line of fruit 
steamers at present from Halifax, but has 
—do the clouds fall?—granted $10,000 to 
be used by the United Company’s direction 
for subsidy to another line from another 
and smaller port. We have company sales¬ 
men in England and also in local and 
Western Canadian districts. 
Nova Scotia. joiin buchanan. 
Farming without 
an INDIANA SILO 
is like carrying milk 
in a leaky bucket^ 
The Indiana Silo pre¬ 
serves all your crop and 
stops the leaks that drain 
your bank account. Puts fat on 
your stock, milk in your pails, money 
in your bank. You can buy an Indi¬ 
ana Silo and never miss the money. 
Write for booklet. Address nearest office 
INDIANA SILO CO. 
Anderson, Ind. Des Moines, la. Kansas City, Mo» 
318 Union Bldg. 318 Indiana Bldg. 318 Silo Bldg. 
Electric Light j 
| S\ for If; 
tfie J 
^ Make the farm house as 
bright and cheerful as the city home 
by installing a Dayton Electric Lighting 
outfit. Turn a switch and flood your 
premises, house, bam, gateways and 
driveways, with brilliant electric lights. 
Complete outfit, including engine, dynamo, 
switchboard, storage batteries, etc., S250.00 up, 
according to number of lights desired. Cheaper to 
operate, cleaner and safer than any other light. 
Write for complete information today. It will 
cost you nothing to find out about this wonderfully 
convenient lighting system. 
THE DAYTON ELECTRICAL MFG. CO. 
Largest man¬ 
ufacturers of 
Ignition and 
. Lighting 
•Apparatus 
exclusively 
in the U. 3. 
231 St. Clair St 
Dayton, 
Ohio 
YOUR OPPORTUNITY 
is NOW ,n the Province of 
SASKATCHEWAN 
Western Canada 
Do you desire to get a Free 
Homestead of 160 Acres of 
that well known Wheat Land? 
The area is becoming more lim¬ 
ited but no less valuable. 
New Districts have recently 
been opened up for settlement, 
and into these railroads are now 
belnR built. The day will soon 
come when there will be no Free Home¬ 
steading: land left. 
A Swift Current. Saskatchewan farmer 
writes:—"I came here on my homestead, 
March, 1906, with about 81000 worth of 
horses and machinery, and just 835 In cash. 
Today I have 900 acres of wheat, 300 acres 
of oats, and 60 acres of flax.” Not bad for 
six years, but only an Instance of what 
may be done iu Western Canada, in Mani- 
>ba, Saskatchewan or Alberta. 
Send at once for Literature, Maps, Rail¬ 
way Rates, etc., to 
J. S. CRAWFORD, 
301 E. Genesee Street, 
Syracuse, N. Y. 
[or Address. Superlntendentof Immigration 
Ottawa. Ont., Canada 
240 Page Book On 
Silos and Silage 
Most complete work on this subject 
published. Used as text book by 
many Agricultural Colleges. Gives 
the facts about Modern Silage Meth¬ 
ods— tells just what you want to 
know. 240 pages—indexed—over 40 
illustrations, a vast amount of useful infor¬ 
mation boiled down for the practical farmer. 
Tells “How to Make Silage”—"How to Feed 
Silage”—“How to Build Silos”—“How to Main¬ 
tain Soil Fertility by Silage System.” All about 
“Summer Silos” and the Use of Silage in Beef 
Production. Limited Revised and Enlarged 
Edition now ready. Send for your copy before 
too late. Enclose 10c in coin or postage stamps 
and mention this paper. 
Sliver Manulacturing Co.. Salem. Ohio 
Steel Wheels 
Fit all runni ngr gears. Get a new wagon 
just by buying wheels. Unbreakable, 
almost everlasting. All heights and 
tire widths. Also new Electric Handy 
Wagons. Write for book on “How 
to Make Old Wagons New.” Free. 
ELECTRIC WHEEL CO., Box 48. Quincy, III 
Don't Fail to 
Get Prices on 
Edwards STEEL 
Shinglesj 
If you only Jcnew A 
how cheaply, quickly y 
and easily you can ’ 
roof your buildings 
with genuine Ed¬ 
wards STEEL Shin¬ 
gles, you wouldn’t 
fool with any more .... 
prepared roofing or inflammable wood shingles. 
Don’t you know Edwards sells the world’s finest 
roofing direct from factory at lowest price ever 
known? Don’t you know Edwards pays freight 
clear to your station and guarantees prompt, safo 
delivery? And don’t you know that more thnu 
100.000 Edwards roofs have been put on and that 
never a one has failed to give PERMANENT sat¬ 
isfaction? Don’tyouknow thatan?/ man can easily 
lay Edwards STEED Shingles right over old roof 
or on sheathing? Don’t you know that Edwards 
STEEL Shingles are 
Rust-Proof, Fire-Proof, Rot-Proof 
Don’t yon know Edwards use9 a secret process 
which absolutely prevents rust from ever getting 
a foothold; that Edwards has patented an Inter¬ 
locking Device which mnkes a permanent water¬ 
tight joint? Don’t you know Edwards uses only 
the finest open-hearth steel for his shingles: that 
Edwards Galvanized STEEL Shingles never need 
painting nor repairs? Don’t you know that Ed¬ 
wards gives every buyer a signed S10.000 guaranty 
against fire by lightning; that Edwards STEEL Shingles 
not only make the most handsome roof but outlast THULE 
wood-shingle roofs and FIVE prepared-paper roofs? 
Well, then—why don’t yon writo Edwards a postal this 
minute and get by return mail his latest catalog 1273 find 
astounding factory prices? If yon’II give the Size of your 
roof, Edwards will make you a lump price on tho job. 
Get Edwards prices at once. (86) 
THE EDWARDS MANUFACTURING CO. 
. 1223-1273 Lock St. Cincinnati, Ohio 
WE BUY OLD BAGS 
SOUND AND TORN 
We Pay the Freight 
IROQUOIS BAG CO. 
725 BROADWAY, BUFFALO, N. Y 
"i ROSS SILO 
Only silo made with these com¬ 
bined foatures. Doors or. Hinges. 
Continuous Door Frame. Refrig¬ 
erator typo of Door and Door 
Frame. Oval Door Frame to fit 
exact circumference. Not a bolt 
In entiro door frame or doors. 
Extra Heavy Hoops and Lugs 
Roof Rafters and Anchors furnished 
Fit KE. Backed np by 63 years of exper¬ 
ience, Write for catalog which explains 
all. AGENTS WANTED. 
THE E. W. ROSS CO. 
Box IS Springfield. Ohio 
v^Ileiv a/foUand* 
Stone Crusher 
operate Will pulverize all stone for your own 
use—crush stone for your ne ghbors and town- 
ship and make big money. Whole pee 
month’s trial free. Write for 30 days 
catalog and low prices. , fifmgnL trial | 
NEWHOLLAND 
MACHINE C( 
Box 41,! 
Holland 
Pa. 
New 
w&wm a 
STOP* ^at high lifting into your 
high-wheeled farm wagon. 
I Of) 14 up that old running 
LiVt/n gear with broken 
wheels and pull it out of the 
weed patch from behind the 
barn. 
to what our free 
catalogue says 
about low-down steel wheels 
for that gear. It will make 
the handiest wagon you ever 
had on your farm. 
Havana Metal Wheel Go. 
Box 17, Havana, 111. 
LISTEN 
A Gut Your Barn Work in Half 
Most complete 
Une of barn equip¬ 
ment In tho world. 
Stop doing filthy barn chores. Star Litter Carriers will cut 
your barn work right in two—do ALL the dirty, disagree 
able part for you. 
STAR LITTER CARRIERS 
Just load at the drop—a push sends it to the spreader or 
manure pile; it dumps and returns automa tically. 
You’re through almost before you start. — — 
r r nn Plonc Valuable plans and in- 
nee rmilo formation by ouT| 
experts, also complete catalog of Star 
Karn Equipment. Bent froe. Send a 
rough layout of your barn, that s alt. 
HUNT, HELM, FERRIS & CO. 
3899 Hunt Street Harvard. IIL 
1 
■■■■ 
rd 
1 ’ * 
Because it is absolutely permanent. Cannot burn down or 
blow over. Defies heat and cold, moisture and storms. No 
Staves to paint, no hoops to tighten. Never needs repairing. 
Built of Vitrified Hollow Clay Blocks. 
Any mason can build one. Easy to fill and feed 
from. Once up it is permanent. 
Glazed surfaces are air tight and NATIONAL 
keep silage clean, sweet and palat- FIRE PROOFING 
able. No drying or rotting. Write for COMPANY 
FREE illustrated book on the silo. Dept. L, SYRACUSE, N. Y. 
