7a > 
THE RURAL N E W-YORKER 
Be perfectly quiet with her. blit don't, be foolish 
about it. Just behave in a quiet normal manner. 
Put the hame harness on her with no breeching 
to be in the way, and put the chain bit and pulley on 
her head. Take her out and lead her around a 
little, and then let her trot around you, stopping 
her often and teach her to come up to you whenever 
you ask her to. This is imperative. Don’t go any 
farther with her until she will come up to you 
without hesitation whenever you ask her to. If 
you have quite a time of it teaching her this, put 
her in the barn a little while both to rest yourself 
and the mare. Then take her out and go over the 
same thing again, and if she has evidently learned 
to respond to the cord, I would hitch her to the 
empty stone boat. 
Rome will say that this is a foolish thing to do. 
They would advise hitching her to a light two¬ 
wheeled cart, and let her go off on a run, when she 
would probably stop somewhere where it would be 
next to impossible for you to do anything with her, 
and she would score another victory and add so 
much to her stock of wilfulness. In all probability, 
she will refuse to draw the boat. Of course you 
have the cord on her. and you will ask her to come 
to you just as you did before you hitched her to the 
boat. Insist that she does do this, and if she throws 
herself, proceed to tie her legs together and go away 
and leave her to reflect. Let her reflect good and 
plenty, and when you release her. don't show any 
resentment against her. Be good to her. Hub her 
legs where the rope held her, and let her nibble a 
little grass and give her a drink of water. Then 
hitch her to the stone boat. If she goes down again 
it is good evidence that she has not reflected enough, 
so give her a double dose of it. There are very few 
horses that do not prefer drawing a stone boat to 
lying with their legs tied, and there are few that 
haven’t brains enough to understand the situation 
in (be course of time. 
I do not believe that there is a horse on earth 
that will refuse to go at the proper behest of the 
chain and pulley if they will stay on their feet, and 
there are very few that will not stay on their feet 
after being “hog-tied” for a proper length of time. 
W1 len she draws the boat around willingly, put the 
regular bridle and lines on her and try to drive her. 
If she refuses, put the chain and pulley back and try 
again. Keep trying until she either gives up or you 
are satisfied that it is not worth while to bother 
with her any longer, in which case a sufficient dose 
of chloroform or a shotgun at short range will re¬ 
move her from troubling you further. 
J. GBANT MOBSE. 
HARVESTING THE WHEAT. 
Tart II. 
THRASHING.—The next consideration is that of 
thrashing, and the first point under this is how soon 
to thrash. If thrashing be done from the stack, the 
wheat should not be thrashed until it has gone 
through the sweat. If, however, as is usually the 
case in the corn belt, it is thrashed directly from 
the shock, it should be done just as soon as possible 
after it has cured out enough to thrash well Every 
day that it stands after that adds to the loss from 
the birds and other sources, and increases the dan¬ 
ger of damage by the weather. In order, then, to 
avoid losses we should, when thrashing from the 
shock, get it done as soon as possible. With good 
drying weather at harvest time, ten days to two 
weeks should be ample time between cutting and 
thrashing. When it comes to the actual process of 
thrashing, probably the most important precaution 
to observe, aside from that of securing a good ma¬ 
chine and thrasherman to do the work, is in the 
proper method of feeding. Nowadays most machines 
are equipped with self-feeders, so that the rate, 
regularity, and other details of the feeding depend 
on the teamsters. The feeding need not be slow— 
most machines will handle the grain as rapidly as 
two men can supply it—but it should be as steady 
and regular as possible. The heads should go into 
the machine first. Several years ago, when the old- 
fashioned “straw carriers” were still in use, I heard 
a young man who had been working on the stack 
near the carrier say that when the sheaves went 
into the machine heads first there was always more 
grain in the straw than when they went in butts 
first. I have always doubted somewhat the ability 
of any man to make reliable observations under 
such circumstances, and I am now quite certain that 
he was wrong. I would rather accept the word of 
an old thrasherman acquaintance of mine who did 
a great deal of this work before self-feeders were 
known, and who has “fed” many hundred or thous¬ 
and loads of wheat into the machine. His advice 
was to feed heads first, and his reason is as follows: 
If you have ever watched a sheaf as it goes into the 
cylinder, you have, no doubt noticed that it starts 
in slowly. The cylinder does not seem to draw it 
much at first, but thrashes through the ends of the 
straw. A moment later the rest of the sheaf goes 
through with a rush. Now then, if the sheaf goes 
through heads first the cylinder gets a hundred licks 
at the head before they get to going rapidly; but if 
the heads go through last they go through with a 
rush and so are not exposed to nearly as much 
thrashing as if they had gone through first. Inas¬ 
much as I have personally observed that this de¬ 
scription of the action of a sheaf in entering the ma¬ 
chine. and inasmuch as the line of reasoning seems 
clear and correct, there seems to me to be no rea- 
sonable doubt but that, for the best thrashing, the 
wheat should go into the machine heads first. The 
chief precautions, then, in harvesting wheat, are not 
to cut too soon, to shock well, and to thrash just 
as soon as it is cured out and dry enough to thrash 
well. Such procedure will insure the minimum of 
waste in getting the grain into the bin. n. e. mehx. 
A NEW YORK OAT CROP. 
The big stack shown at Fig. 254 was built on the 
farm of one of our readers. Mr. C. A. Robinson, 
Allegany Co., N. Y. Mr. Robinson knows how to 
grow oats. This is what he says about it: 
“This stack was grown on six acres, mostly flat 
land, that is, valley land or sometimes called creek 
bottom, loam with clay subsoil. Barnyard manure 
was used for fertilizer. Variety was Canada Clus¬ 
ter; drilled in 2M* bushels per acre, and yielded about 
50 bushels per acre as measured by thrashing ma¬ 
chine. My farm is situated in Allegany Co., N. Y. 
I do not “pose” as a high-toned or even exemplary 
farmer, yet I have my ideas regarding the way 
some things should be done, and among them is the 
idea that I am a firm believer in a very thorough 
preparation of the soil for a seed bed before sowing 
any kind of grain. As to the size of the stack, it is 
20 feet square and I don’t know how high, but the 
man on the side of the stack is standing pretty near 
the top of a 23-foot ladder.” 
NATIVE CATTLE OF THE PHILIPPINES. 
The United States Government has an experiment 
station in the Philippines, and various farms and 
substations where a good deal of experiment work 
is being done. Among other things efforts are be¬ 
ing made to improve the live stock of that country. 
Of course, everyone understands that left to herself 
NATIVE CATTLE ANI) TWIN CALVES. Flo. 253. 
with little help by man, nature will finally select 
the most adaptable animals for the climate and re¬ 
gion. They may not be the most profitable, but ti ey 
will contain the elements of strength most needed to 
sustain themselves in that particular section. Man 
comes in with a selection of individuals for breeding, 
and as he learns how to select properly, and is will¬ 
ing to give better care and food, the live stock of 
that region improves, and becomes better adapted to 
the use of man. In tin* Philippines there were cer¬ 
tain breeds or families of live stock which had be¬ 
come adapted to the climate and food, and to the 
primitive needs of the people. One part of the gov- 
Juue 7, 
eminent work in agriculture is to improve the breeds 
of animals by retaining the rigid health and strength 
of the native, and building upon it the improved 
qualities of the breeds that are recognized in other 
countries. Thus the Americans found a strong, hardy 
race of horses, small, but very active and tough, a 
number of high-class stallions of the recognized 
breeds were taken to the islands, and the introduc¬ 
tion of this improved blood is producing a very good 
class of horses. These horses are larger than the 
natives, and carry many of the characteristics of 
the improved breeds. Much the same is happening 
with cattle, and the introduction of improved blood 
into the native stock is producing a class of excel¬ 
lent animals. To show the foundation of this im¬ 
proved stock, we show two pictures taken from the 
Philippine Agricultural Review. The upper picture 
is the native bull which took first prize at a recent 
live stock show. The lower picture shows another 
first prize group. In the foreground are two twin 
calves beside the full grown father and mother. 
From this small, though hardy stock, will be pro¬ 
duced in time a class of cattle hardy enough to 
withstand the trying climate of the Philippines, and 
yet far superior in quality and productive power to 
their native ancestors. In a larger way this same 
thing is going on in the production of grade cattle 
everywhere. The native stock do good service for 
a time, and become hardy and well adapted to a cer¬ 
tain climate, but they do not give the returns from 
their food and care which are most profitable. Then 
comes crossing with one of the improved pure breeds. 
The result is a grade, usually retaining the hardi¬ 
ness of the mother, and the transmitted dairy or 
meat qualities of the father. This is why the grade 
cow makes the best business cow for the business 
production of milk and butter. 
POISON IVY SEASON IS HERE. 
\Ve are troubled a great deal along our lane with 
poison ivy. I have tried all methods that I ever hoard 
of for eradication, but up to now have not been suc¬ 
cessful. We have about 125 children here, and some of 
them suffer intensely, even being laid up for a time 
from the effects of this ivy. I have ordered it grubbed 
out with a grubbing hoe, but our men suffer from its 
effects to such an extent that I have not the heart to 
order any of them at it again. Personally, I was always 
immune, and tried my own hand at it, but soon dis¬ 
covered that my immunity must have passed. I then 
cast my eyes around for some chemicals, as the ground 
on which it grew would not be injured, because we 
never grow anything along the line of the lane. Re¬ 
cently I heard of a weed destroyer. I got a gallon can 
and found it did the work effectually by absolutely 
withering up these plants, but a gallon does not go very 
far, and the price being $1.25 a gallon would make it 
quite expensive. While the directions, however, are to 
dilute it with 4!) gallons of water I found unless it is 
used strong it would not have any effect whatever on 
the ivy. Have you any experience whatever? Could 
you give me any information as to the best means of 
eradication? Do you know of any chemical or combina¬ 
tion of chemicals which could be used over it to do 
stroy it? albert oetixger. 
Pennsylvania. 
Crude carbolic acid would doubtless be much 
cheaper than the commercial weed killer, and is 
excellent for killing poison ivy. As it does not cor 
tode metal it can be applied with a pump or sprayer, 
but the best method is to apply from an oil can to 
the crown and stem of each individual plant. If it 
is sprayed it should be diluted with 15 to 30 parts 
of water and kept well agitated. A strong solution 
of caustic soda is also effective; it should always 
be sprayed over the plants in hot dry weather. If 
you will mow the tops in June and July, and then 
pour caustic soda over the surface, you will do much 
to destroy the plants. The soda will render the 
ground sterile for some time, hence is not advised 
on arable land. If the person who works with the 
ivy rub pure olive oil over face, neck and hands 
before exposure to it, the risk of poisoning is much 
lessened. As the volatile oil that carries the poison 
usually clings to clothing, and may thus cause fur¬ 
ther poisoning, it is well to wear overalls that may 
be discarded or kept for such work only. After the 
work is done, sponging face, hands or other exposed 
flesh with grain alcohol is a useful precaution; the 
toxic oil is not soluble in water alone. 
We have had a regular congress of poison ivy ex¬ 
perts in The R. N.-Y.. and here are some of their 
remedies: Fresh leaves and stems of jewel-weed or 
touch-me-not, bruised and rubbed on (this weed is 
often found growing near poison ivy) ; bruised leaves 
of English plantain or ribgrass; tincture of grin 
delia; tincture of witch hazel applied hot; hot 
brine; solution of hyposulphite of soda; creolin. di¬ 
luted to five per cent, strength, applied on absorbent 
cotton, and renewed as it dries out; sugar of lead 
in alcohol, saturated solution. This is poisonous, 
and must be used carefully. Pure olive oil is also 
very helpful, a poison ivy cure given by the Flor¬ 
ists’ Exchange is !)<> per cent, of olive oil and lb l>i' r 
cent, of carbolic acid. It must be mixed by a drug¬ 
gist who has appliances for making a perfect emul¬ 
sion. Do not allow it to get into the eyes. This is 
said to give relief with tin* first application and com¬ 
plete cure with a little further treatment. 
In destroying poison ivy, wnen dried vines are 
burned make the fire in an open place, and do not 
get to the windward of It, as the smoke is likely to 
cause poisoning. Stove wood to which the ivy ciiugs 
is dangerous, too; its burning often causes inflamed 
eyes. 
