ISO 
THE RURAb NBXV-YORKEH 
February i t 
HOME-BUILT GASOLINE POWER. 
Where there are many large or medium- 
sized trees to spray, and where situated on 
fairly level ground, the gasoline power 
sprayer is the most suitable of all outfits. 
The cost of such an outfit is considerable, 
and it hardly pays the average farmer 'who 
has but 50 apple trees or less to spray to 
purchase such an outfit. But where sev¬ 
eral farmers wish to cooperate, or where 
one farmer produces the outfit for the pur¬ 
pose of spraying his own and his neighbors' 
orchards, as well as for the man who makes 
commercial spraying 1 a business, the power 
sprayer is just what is needed. Tall trees 
can be sprayed quickly and more thoroughly 
than with any hand power outfit, and when 
there is enough spraying to be done these 
large outfits can in a few years be made 
to pay for themselves and some besides. 
These outfits can be purchased complete, 
ready to hitch to with the team. However, 
I think we save some money by having it 
put together here at home under our di¬ 
rection, and besides, having it nearer like 
we want it. We were fortunate in having 
access to a well-equipped little machine 
shop, the machinist doing all such work 
as we were not capable of doing ourselves. 
We secured a set of second-hand low broad- 
tire steel wheels, but these run too hard 
over muddy roads and through soft or¬ 
chards, so we now have wooden wheels 
with four-inch tires, which originally were a 
part of a two-horse wagon. The rear 
wheels are 48 inches and the front wheels 
42 inches. Lower wheels would be much 
handier, though they seem to run corre¬ 
spondingly harder. The low-wheeled wagon 
or truck on the farm is a labor saver, but 
is little needed during the “soft” Spring 
weather. Unfortunately this is the very 
time when much of the spraying is done, 
hence the advisability of attaching higher 
wheels to the spray wagon. A system of 
blocks is fastened onto the rear axle and 
front bolster upon which the sills are 
placed. This does away with hounds and 
coupling pole. The oak sills are 3%x0 
inches, 12% feet long. These are placed 
lengthwise onto the blocked-up cross pieces, 
about two feet eight inches apart. The 
top of the sills is a little lower than the 
top of the rear wheels, while the front 
wheels turn under the sills. This is an 
exceedingly important feature of any spray 
wagon, as there is much turning while in 
operation, and the ability to make a short 
turn often means more efficient work. The 
front wheels should clear the sills by sev¬ 
eral inches, as a stone or other obstruc¬ 
tion may be struck while in the act of 
turning. Four heavy rod iron braces are 
fastened below rear axle, two on each side, 
the one extending backward and the other 
forward and diagonally up to sills where 
they are all bolted up against sills. The 
front brace is one length of iron rod, the 
middle is bent to fit around coupling pins 
between axle and bolster, the ends extending 
backward tone on either side) and fastened 
to sills like rear braces. The cab is built 
on the rear end and is six feet two inches 
long, 3% feet wide and four feet high. 
It is built of %-inch matched pine boards 
with oak posts. The floor is of heavy oak 
plank fastened directly onto the sills. 
The roof of the cab is flat and is built 
of two courses of matched pine boards 
nailed crosswise. The cracks were filled 
with white lead and the boards well painted 
between the courses and on top, so this fiat 
roof is practically water proof. This makes 
a substantial platform on which to stand 
while spi’aying. We have discarded guard 
rails as they are in the way and not neces¬ 
sary. However, a thick narrow strip nailed 
around the edge of platform affords a handy 
foothold. The pump and engine are placed 
in the cab, the pump being in right front 
corner and the engine at rear, directly over 
axle. One door at side of pump slides 
backward, while a similar door at side of 
engine slides forward, also a hinged door 
at rear end. The tank is placed on front 
end and is made of pine staves 1% inches 
thick. The four hoops are made of %-inch 
iron rod. Size of tank (outside), six feet 
long, three feet wide and 20 inches deep; 
capacity about 135 gallons. Some have 
larger tanks, but we have rather a light 
team, and this tank full, with the ma¬ 
chinery, makes load enough. 
Two footboards, one at front end of cab, 
and one crosswise under sills between front 
and rear wheels, a long box at side of tank 
for the extension rods, a wagon seat on 
front end of tank, a rack inside of cab for 
holding coiled hose, an extra length of 
hose for distant work, a small wardrobe in¬ 
side of cab, are all convenient accessories. 
It will be seen that this outfit is built for 
durability. The same machinery may be 
placed on a one-horse wagon, and with a 
smaller tank drawn by one horse, such an 
equipment would be all right for light 
horses when the orclxai’d and l'oads are 
level and smooth. david plank. 
Pennsylvania. 
A BACK-TO-THE-LANDER’S DIARY. 
Part I. 
[We print below actual extracts from the 
diary of a man who, as we see, wandei’ed 
about the country and engaged in all sorts 
of work before finally coming back to the 
old farm. This story is characteristic of 
hundreds who as man and boy have gone 
over much the same route.J 
July 27.—We drew in the last load of hay 
to-day. This is my last harvest on the 
farm; the place is sold and next Spring 
we are to have a sale to dispose of farm¬ 
ing tools, stock, etc. 
March 25.—The sale is over. In a few 
days I shall be packing my little trunk. I 
intend to go to Gloversville, N. Y.; have 
nothing in view. 
July 7.—No job yet. Worked a few days 
as extra in an ice cream parlor. My 
money is going faster than I like to see 
it go. - 
September 21.—I have been working in a 
grocery store since July 15; the boss says 
business is growing very dull. I suppose 
that means he will be able to get along 
without me. Well, I don't care much. I 
have to work 12 and on Saturday 18 hours. 
I am going to Albany. 
May 23.—Went to work to-day at a 
boax-ding school; am to take care of lawn, 
etc. The wages I am to get will just about 
“keep me going.” 
September 0.—Quit to-day; the old maid 
who owns the school wanted me to ’tend 
an ice cream stand on the street. 
October 12.—Struck a job driving a pri¬ 
vate team for an ice man. 
December 27.—This is the best job I have 
had since I left the farm; am saving a 
little money. The team I drive is a good 
one, and I enjoy driving, still I am not 
goiqg to tie up to this job for life. I have 
partly decided to go to a barber school in 
the Spring. 
April 3.—Have been in New York a 
month to-day. I am ahead of most of the 
“students” at the school and am doing 
outside work on Saturdays which helps to 
buy meal tickets. It is surprising how 
quick a meal ticket gets full of holes in 
New York. A paper roof on a henhouse is 
no comparison. 
May 22.—W— and I are going to Albany 
to open a shop. 
June 14.—We have the shop nearly 
ready; neither of us had much money. We 
bought two chaii'S, a couple of mirrors and 
some waiting chairs on installments. We 
had to paint and paper the place, but as I 
am something of a painter and W— can 
hang paper, this part did not cost us much. 
Now we are ready for customers. 
July 13.—W— and I went to the matinee 
to-day. “What is the use of hanging around 
the shop when nobody ever comes in ?” said 
W. ? We are located in a union neighbor¬ 
hood and as we will not join the union it 
looks as though we shall have lots of time 
to attend the matinee. 
August 1.—On going to the shop as usual 
this morning I found the shop closed. W— 
was gone, also some of my l-azors, hones, 
strops, etc. I went down and told the fur¬ 
niture man to come up and get his furni¬ 
ture. Thus endeth the first lesson. 
September 3.—Am going out to the hops. 
I have missed two years in succession. 
This will never do. 
October 4.—I have been working since 
hop-picking with contractor S— from Al¬ 
bany, putting in a water supply system 
for the village of S—. 
December 7.—Went to town to-day to 
consult a physician who said I had in¬ 
flammation of the stomach. 
January 21.—Have been staying with an 
uncle who lives near the old farm. My 
health is bettei 1 , but I cannot do much 
work yet. 
July 11.—I have been canvassing for a 
book for some time. When the general 
agent guaranteed me $15 a week and ex¬ 
penses I was inclined to think he was 
talking hot air but I have been able to do 
much better; still as every one knows, it 
is considered the right thing to treat an 
agent, and especially a book agent, like a 
stray dog, and although I do not think I 
am unduly persistent, still of course, I come 
in for the same treatment, and I am grow¬ 
ing disgusted. 
September 11.—Am going liop-packing. 
From this date until the time of my en¬ 
listment in the U. S. Army there follow 
notes reminding me of all kinds of fun, 
sickness, hunting and fishing trips. I 
worked in a barber shop at Youngstown, 
O., at carpenter work in Sharon, Pa., at 
painting on Long Island, as a waiter in a 
New York restaui-ant. I also go out in the 
hop fields and take a contract to build a 
dam for a fish pond, on which I do not 
lose money, but which nets me only 60 
cents a day for my labor (the dam is stand¬ 
ing yet and has never x-equired any repairs). 
The pond covers about seven acres and as 
I made a good job of the dam I was quite 
proud of my first contract. 
March 5.-—There is great excitement over 
the blowing up of the Maine. I have been 
thinking quite seriously of enlisting in the 
regular army. 
March 17.—As I am writing to-night 
some of the boys are dialling each other 
up and down the center of the room. In a 
corner near the radiator there is a gx-oup 
singing “Just break the news to Mother.” 
I have been here 10 days (Fort Slocum. N. 
Y.). There are about 25 of us “rookies” 
in this room. We have no bunks, nor even 
springs; we all have blankets, and I am 
fortunate to have an overcoat, which makes 
a good pillow, and sometimes, when the 
night is cold and the fires go out, it serves 
as a comfortable. At call to quarters. 10.45 
p. m„ each man rolls up in his blanket, 
and with his coat for a pillow proceeds to 
“saw wood.” When I am elected to the 
Senate I am going to introduce a bill re¬ 
quiring the iloox-s of all army barracks to 
be made of soft wood. 
May 2.—Still at Slocum. I have been 
“turned for duty” some time, and now run¬ 
ning the company barber shop. Thei’e are 
about 800 men on the Island, and only 
two barbers, and I have rather more busi¬ 
ness than I can attend to. Last pay day 
I collected about $125, but I worked almost 
night and day for it. 
June 10.—After I came out of the hos¬ 
pital my nerves were in such shape I could 
not go back in the shop. I have been de¬ 
tailed in the post bakery as assistant baker. 
I get extra pay and have no calls to an¬ 
swer. 
July 1.—Our lockers are packed and 
stored. In heavy marching order we are 
to take the Gen. Meigs to New York, there 
we take a transport. 
May 7.—-(Fort Adams, R. I., two years 
later). This is a vei-.v pleasant place, 
across the bay from Newport. I have been 
detailed assistant baker. The pay is better 
here. 
September 15.—I am up here in the 
woods (Maine) about 40 miles above Fort 
Kent, on 15 days’ furlough, hunting and 
fishing. We have a brush house in the 
woods and are having a fine time. 
December 24.—This is sure an awful cli¬ 
mate. I do not think there are 50 regular 
residents of Newport who are free from 
catarrh or some bronchial trouble. New¬ 
port is rather dull in Winter; when the 
season closes it loses about half of its pop¬ 
ulation. The old baker retires to-morrow 
and I become chief baker. 
February 9.—Yesterday was pay day. 
The men do not eat much bread for sev¬ 
eral days after pay day, and that gives us 
an easy time. I am helping a baker in 
Newport Friday nights, am also taking a 
correspondence course of study in steam 
and electrical engineering. 
March 8.—-In New York again. Tt seems 
good to bo back in civil life once more. I 
do not intend to reinlist. During the Win¬ 
ter at Fort Adams I was troubled with 
baker's asthma. a. j. h. 
Schoharie, N. Y. 
L 
Be First With 
Ripe Tomatoes 
Stokes’ Bonny Best Early To¬ 
mato loads all in early ripen¬ 
ing, quality, and produetivo- 
I ness. It produces perfect 
fruit until frost. 
r “Bonny Best is the best: 
ten days ahead of Earliana and 
far better in looks, flavor and 
crop,” reports Long Island R. It, 
Experiment Station. “Smoothest, 
, most uniform early red,” says Prof. 
Watts, Pennsylvania State College. 
"Best for forcing," says J. O. Glourley, 
Ohio Experiment Station. 
Bonny Best ripens clear to stem, without crack 
or roughness. Order now for early planting. 
Pkt. 10 cts., oz. 40 cts., % lb. $1.25, lb. $4, Postpaid 
Plant Stokes 7 Seeds This Year 
I will send fiveYO-cent packets, credit slip good 
for 25 cents on your next order, and 1913 catalogue, 
all for 25 cents. Here is the list: 
Tomato, Bonny Best. 
Lettuce, Big Boston. Greatest heading kind, 
lladlsh. Scarlet Globe. Ready in twenty days. 
Asters, Stokes’ Standard. Biggest, many colors. 
Pansies, Stokes’Standurd. Finest French blend. 
Mail 2$ cts. at my risk and get'sJeds, credit slip 
and catalog. Catalog alone, MR EE on request. 
WALTER P. STOKES, Dept. 130,219 Market St„ Philadelphia, Pa. 
Famous Tomatoes 
are favorably known through¬ 
out the world. Twenty-five of 
the host sorts were introduced 
by us. We grow more high- 
grade tomato seed than any 
other seedsman in the world. 
New Globe-Shaped Sorts: 
Globe, Hummer and Coreless are nearly 
perfoct. Packet of Globe 10 cts: Hummer 10 cts; Coreless 
10 cts.; the three sorts, one packet of each for 25 cts* 
Livingston’s Superb Onions 
Wo grow acres of Onion seeds on our farms annually, 
Livingston’s £ Southport White Globe 6 c ) the 3 pkts* 
Private < Southport Red Globe • 5c > for 
Strains ( Ohio Yellow Globe • • 6c ) 10 cento* 
Beautiful 130-Page Catalogue FREE! 
It's the finest seed book of the 
year. Contains more than 250 
illustrations from photo¬ 
graphs. Practical cultural 
hint9 will help to make your 
work a succoss. Wrlto for it 
today. It's F-R-E-E! 
Seed Oats, Spelte, 
Barley, Alfalfa, Tim¬ 
othy, Clover, Rape, 
Soy Beans, Cow Peas, 
Canadian Field Peas, Hun¬ 
garian Millet, Sugar 
Cane, Buckwheat, Seed 
FI T YU f\j Potatoes, etc., quality first 
SEED 
class. 1100 acres. Good farm 
seed catalog and samples if wanted free. Write 
us l»ofore you buy. 
YV. N* SearfT, Now Carlisle, Ohio 
M E LI LOT U S 
(SWEET CLOVER) 
One of the very beet soil restorers known, excel, 
lent for pasture or hay, A splendid preparation fori 
Alfalfa. Our seed is hulled, choice quality. Alba 
and Indica varieties. Can furnish Indica at less 
than wholesale prices. 
A I FBI C® All northern grown, guaranteed to 
MIbiHLIm be 99 per cent pure and free from 
dodder. Write for free sample. Our new catalog 
on Fiold and Garden Seeds mailed free. 
WING SEED CO., Box 823 • Mochanlcsburg,O a 
WEEDLESS FIELD SEEDS 
Are what we are trying harder titan ever to furnish our cus¬ 
tomers. FREE SAMPLES will show that wo come pretty near 
doing it. in many varieties wo DO IT. Red, Mammoth, Alsike 
Alfalfa, Timothy, Orchard Glass, Sweet Clover and all others 
Write to-day. 
0. M. SCOTT 6 SON, 50 Main Street, MARYSVILLE, OHIO 
Choice Home Grown 
Field Seeds 
direct from the farmer to the 
user. All seeds best possible 
quality obtainable. We pay 
freight on all shipments. 
Write for samples and prices 
N. WERTHEIMER & SONS, 
Ligonier, Ind. 
Once Grown Always Grown 
Maule’s Seeds 
Endorsed by more than 450,000 pro¬ 
gressive gardeners as the best ever 
My new Reed Catalogue Is a wonder. Con¬ 
tains everything in seeds, bulbs, small fruits 
and plants worth growing. W)0 illustrations; 
17fi pages. Any gardener sending his name oxi 
a postal card can have It for the asking. Send 
for it today. Address 
WM. HENRY MAULE 
1707-09-11 Filbert St., Philadelphia, Pa. 
Send 5 cents ( stamps ) mention this 
paper, I srill enclose in the catalogue 
a packet of the above OIANT pansy. 
OnionJ 
Seed 
/ I 
Mf / / 
If tit ill / f 
jgi i j I 
\ 
l \ )i 
85cperlb^H^S 
and up 
Write for FREE SAMPLES of our new crop onion 
seed; lowest wholesale prices, and Free Leaflet on 
onion culture. Catalog Free 
. All kinds of gardensceds 
at wholesale prices and freight ^repaid. 
Henry Field Seed Co.. Box 26 Shenandoah. Iowa./ 
?tRim 
Market gardeners and large planters 
everywhere place absolute confidence 
In Ferry’s seeds. Professionals make 
their profits by knowing where to put 
their trust. Ferry’s vegetable and flower 
seeds have averaged best for half a century. 
They are pure and they are vital. For 
sale everywhere. 
1913 Catalogue free on application. 
D. M. Ferry & Co., Detroit, Mich. 
Seed! 
Gregory’s “Honest” SEEDS 
produce the best of crisp vegetables ^ " ** 
and beautiful flowors. Lot ua provo this ia your 
garden by trying the following: 
supply* lettuce & Radish 10c 
We will mail largo packot each of May King and 
Curled Simpson Lettuce, Scarlet Globo and White Icicle 
Radish. Choicest strains of finest sorts. Enough for 
several sowings. Order as “the popular collection.” 
l?Brr Boautlful, Instructive Catalog. Helps 
H H to bettor gnrdons. Lists all good vegetable 
^ * ^^^^and flower soeds. Gives “honest” prices. 
Ask for your copy to-day. Sent FREE on roquest. 
J. J. II. GREGORY SON 
436 Elm St., Uarblehead, MhhSj 
v: - . ^ 
=H0NEST 
C2L IST* YT* O at ONE-KALF 
MmJ City Seedsmen Prices! 
1,1 Let us tend you our catalog' of seeds—It’i 
different. It tells you facts, and why we can save you money, and give you a guar¬ 
anteed SQUARE DEAL, Just drop a postal today and see the difference in buying' your 
The Right Seeds 
TO USE ARE THE BEST YOU CAN GET 
Buy direct from Harris who raises them and can 
furnish the very highest grade of seeds at the 
lowest possible prices. Harris’ Seeds are all 
tested and the results given on the label so you 
know just how many will grow. Get our Catalog 
and Wholesale Price List and buy direct at half 
agents’ prices. We offer some very fine improved 
varieties of POTATOES , OATS and C0J7/V, 
as well as the best VEGETABLE SEEDS of all 
kinds at wholesale prices. Catalog Free—it’s worth 
having. Ask for Market Hardeners 
wholesale price list if you grow for market. 
Joseph Harris Co. Coldwater, N.Y. 
