804 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
EVENTS OF THE WEEK. 
DOMESTIC.—The American Express 
Company announced .Tilly 17 that it will 
distribute among its shareholders as a 
stock dividend 45,000 shares of Wells 
Fargo & Co. capital stock. Wells Fargo 
stock was selling at 111, making the dis¬ 
bursement amount to $4,995,000, equal 
to nearly one-fourth of the American 
Express Company’s capitalization of $18,- 
000,000. Under the terms of the dis¬ 
bursement shareh' -1 ' >rs of the American 
Express Company on July 31 will get 
one share of Wells Fargo stock for 
every four shares of American Express 
Company stock. 
July 20 it was decided by many of the 
Paterson, N. J.. silk strikers to treat 
with the employers without reference to 
the I. W. W. The strike began on Feb¬ 
ruary 25. The manufacturers have lost 
their Spring and Summer orders, amount¬ 
ing to many millions. The strikers have 
lost $5,250,000 in wages. Many small 
tradespeople have gone to the wall be¬ 
cause they could no longer carry on busi¬ 
ness by the credit system. Business gen¬ 
erally in the Silk City has suffered to 
an extent that cannot be estimated. 
The Post Office Department announced 
July 19 important changes in the opera¬ 
tion of the parcel post system, includ¬ 
ing an increase in the maximum weight 
limit on packages from 11 to 20 pounds, 
a reduction in the rates of postage with¬ 
in the lirst and second zones and the 
substitution of a convenient rate chart 
for the elaborate parcel post map in 
determining postage rates. The changes 
will become operative August 15. 
The factory of the New England Fire¬ 
works Company, at Winchester, Mass., 
went up in a puff of smoke, the result of 
an explosion. July 19, carrying with it 
Ernest Borelli, the manager, and three 
workmen. Borelli was thought to have 
been killed when portions of his cloth¬ 
ing, his eyeglass case and some coins 
were found in the vicinity. But a search¬ 
ing party discovered him in a clump of 
bushes a mile from the scene of the ex¬ 
plosion, almost denuded of clothing and 
unable to remember what had happened. 
He was taken to the hospital, but was 
later sent home. 
Fire threatened to wipe out an entire 
city Mock in the wholesale district at 
Indianapolis, Ind., July 19. The loss is 
estimated at $250,000. 
The mutiny of 20 Chinese on the 
steamship Comus, arriving July 21 from 
New York, caused a panic among the 
passengers. One of the mutineers was 
probably mortally injured by a bullet, 
three others were wounded and First 
Officer M. L. Proctor was slightly in¬ 
jured. A general fight took place on 
the forward deck of the steamer. The 
officer had ordered all the Chinese to the 
hold when about 40 miles from New 
Orleans. The Orientals protested the 
heat was too intense. When Proctor in¬ 
sisted six of them rushed him to the 
rail to throw him overboard. Mrs. Flor¬ 
ence Shaw, a stewardess, battled her way 
among the Chinese and prevented them 
from throwing Proctor into the sea. The 
Chinese were being brought here to act 
as strike breakers for the United Fruit 
Company, whose seamen recently walked 
out. Each is under $500 bond. 
The $102,000,000 penalty suit insti¬ 
tuted by Texas against the Standard Oil 
and other companies allied with it was 
settled unexpectedly July 21. when the 
Standard Oil Company of New York, 
one of the defendants, paid $500,000 in 
the Eighth District Court at Greenville, 
Texas. The penalty was paid under an 
agreement of settlement. By its terms 
John I). Archbold and H. E. Folger, Jr., 
of New York, of the Standard < >i 1 Com¬ 
pany, who are majority stockholders in 
the Magnolia Petroleum Company of Cor¬ 
sicana, Tevas, another defendant, agree 
that their stock is to be held by trustees 
who will be selected by Attorney-General 
B. F. Looney. It is further agreed that 
the Magnolia and the Corsicana Petro¬ 
leum companies, the latter being also a 
defendant, shall be operated independent 
of the Standard Oil interests. 
Trapped by flames in the second floor 
of an antiquated convict cage, thirty-five 
negro prisoners were burned to death 
at the Oakley convict farm, twenty miles 
from Jackson, Miss., July 21. The build¬ 
ing was constructed 10 years ago of the 
lumber taken from a discarded peniten¬ 
tiary, and there Avas no fire fighting 
apparatus. 
Fire in the four-story factory of the 
Binghamton Clothing Company, Bing¬ 
hamton, N. Y., July 22, caused the death 
of at least 05 persons, mostly women and 
girls. Property loss is $230,000. The 
vigilance which was meant to guard the 
factory employes from a disaster of this 
kind was their undoing. The frequent 
fire drills held by the inspectors had 
rendered them careless, and when the 
alarm was sounded they took their time 
in leaving the building, only to find their 
exits cut off. Then they resorted to the 
fire escapes, but had scarcely reached 
them when a burst of flame from the 
factory windows enshrouded them, and 
several persons roasted to death in sight 
of rescue. The fire, which it is believed 
was started by the careless throwing of 
a cigarette butt or match, in its sud¬ 
denness bears resemblance to the Triangle 
Waist Company holocaust in New York 
City, where 147 lives were lost when 
inflammable material upon which the 
employes were working and waste which 
littered the floors blazed up with in¬ 
conceivable rapidity and set the impris¬ 
oned workers jumping from the windows 
to their death. 
July 22 fire caused a loss of $500,000 
at the American Agricultural Chemical 
Company’s plant at Weymouth, Mass. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—A joint an¬ 
nual meeting of the Canadian and Ameri¬ 
can Peat Societies will be held at Mon¬ 
treal, Canada, on August 18, 19 and 20. 
Opportunity will be given members of 
the societies and their friends to visit 
the two largest peat fuel plants on the 
continent, and see them in full operation. 
These are located at Farnlmm and Al¬ 
fred. 
Speakers at the annual field day of 
the Massachusetts State Grange, Barn¬ 
stable, Mass., August 1, include Prof. J. 
C. Graham, Massachusetts Agricultural 
College; Prof. II. J. Franklin, of the 
Cranberry Experiment Station; N. P. 
Hull, secretary National Dairy Union; 
Evan F. Richardson, lecturer Massa- 
chu. tts State Grange, and Wilfrid 
Wheeler, secretary State Board of Agri¬ 
culture. 
The Noav York State College of For¬ 
estry, Syracuse, has issued a bulletin 
describing a Summer forestry camp to 
be held in the Adirondacks during Au¬ 
gust, continuing for four weeks, and 
opening at the beginning of August. It 
will be a camp of instruction along for¬ 
estry lines and not an outing. The 
camp will be in charge of W. A. Mc¬ 
Donald. a graduate forester, and in¬ 
struction will be given in field work, 
elementary forestry and Avoodcraft. 
Many other studies will be available and 
from tAVO to five instructors will be con¬ 
stantly in the camp. Bulletins may be 
obtained on application to the New York 
State College of Forestry, Syracuse, 
N. Y. 
Arrangements have been concluded be¬ 
tween the Noav York State College of 
Forestry at Syracuse and the Palisades 
(N.J.-N.Y.) Interstate Park Commission, 
whereby the College of Forestry Avill 
prepare and carry out a plan of man¬ 
agement for the 14,000 acres of forest 
land controlled by the Commission and 
lying along the Hudson River. This is 
the largest and most valuable area of 
timberland in Southern New York. 
Sixty-one members of the American 
Commission on Agricultural Organiza¬ 
tion. Co-operation and Rural Credits, who 
have been investigating the systems of 
farming throughout Europe and the 
British Isles, sailed for New York, July 
IS on board the Cedric. Representatives 
of both the Irish and English boards 
of agriculture were present to bid them 
farewell at QueenstoAvn. 
The Department of Horticulture of 
the Panama-Pacific International Ex¬ 
position calls attention to its $1,000 cup 
to be awarded for the finest unnamed 
noAv rose never before exhibited. Com¬ 
petition is open to all. The exposition 
opens February 20, 1915, and because 
of the mild climate the management ex¬ 
pects to have the outdoor exhibits grow- 
iug in the ground at least seven months 
in advance of that date. 
In anticipation of the neAV tariff act 
admitting free of duty meat and 
meat products Secretary Houston of 
the Department of Agriculture has de¬ 
tailed I)r. A. I>. Melvin, Chief of the 
Bureau of Animal Industry, to go to 
South America to investigate the slaugh¬ 
tering, canning and general packing house 
business of that continent. Secretary 
Houston also has ordered Dr. E. C. .Toss 
of the Bureau of Animal Industry, Avliose 
headquarters are at Portland, Ore., im¬ 
mediately to proceed to Australia to make 
a similar investigation there. 
MICHIGAN CROPS. 
July IS. The pear crop will be much 
lighter than it first promised, as they 
were badly injured by the freezes right 
after blossoming time and they kept drop¬ 
ping biully for a month, while at the 
same time the orchards Avere affected 
with the fire blight, the worst it has been 
for a great many years. Early apples 
are a very good crop this year, and those 
that sprayed avcII have a profitable crop. 
Late apples are a much lighter crop 
but the sprayed fruit promises well. 
Berrien Co., Mich. a. r. n. 
The apple crop about here is larger 
than last year, I think. Some orchards 
not as good, but should say, 75 per cent, 
of a full crop. Pears, 75 per cent.; 
peaches, 40 per cent.; plums, 90 per 
cent. g. c. 
Van Buren Co., Mich. 
July 15. Dry, hot weather, not very 
long extended, but accompanied by high 
winds, has divided the small fruit crop 
of this section by three or four. Early 
apples will be about one-half of a normal 
crop. Winter apples promise at least 
80 per cent. Peaches Avill probably total 
nearly what was produced here a year 
ago. Plums are few; pears not over 25 
per cent, of a normal crop. 
Berrien Co., Mich. c. H. H. 
July 16. Apples light, my oavii less 
than 20 per cent, of last year, and very 
scabby after being sprayed three times. 
About half the orchards here sprayed. 
As to prices, no apples here ready for 
market. d. w. 
Lenawee, Co., Mich. 
Peaches and plums seem to be about 
the same as last year. Apples are a 
little less than one year ago. Potato 
acreage normal. Corn is looking well, 
but is about a Aveek later. Oats are look¬ 
ing best in years. Wheat is a good crop 
and just ready to harvest. Hay was 
only medium. w. M. 
Oceana Co., Mich. 
July 18. Early apples are about one- 
fourth crop; Winter apples about one- 
half crop. Quality fine in orchards that 
have been sprayed and cared for. All 
Michigan has more apples this year 
than last. We have about the same 
amount of peaches as last year. Pears 
only one-fourth crop; plums, one-fourth 
crop. f. n. 
Berrien Co., Mich. 
July 17. Apples will be perhaps 50 
per cent, of a normal crop, not quite so 
many as last year, but much better in 
quality. Peaches about 25 per cent, of 
a crop as compared with 1911. Pears 
and plums about 50 per cent, of a crop. 
NeAvaygo Co., Mich. h. s. 
Peaches here, 50 per cent.; plums, 30 
per cent.; apples, 30 per cent.; pears, 
25 per cent.; cherries, Fall crop, bring¬ 
ing now, SAveet, $2; sour, $1.50 per one- 
half bushel crate. There will not be 
as many peaches as last year. a. j. h. 
Ludington Co., Mich. 
July 15. Apples better than 1912, a 
full crop of good quality in well-sprayed 
orchards; scab bad on most of others. 
Peaches only fair; Elbertas half crop or 
less except in favored locations; other 
varieties good; average not as good as 
1912. Strawberries Avere fair crop, late 
varieties being full crop. Prices, $1 to 
$2.50 per 16-quart case. June and July 
rains mean full crop raspberries and 
blackberries. Huckleberries and currants 
just coming on market at $1.50 to $2 per 
case. AV. W. C. 
Benzie Co., Mich. 
July 17. Small fruits have been very 
light here OAving to frosts, Avith high 
prices prevailing. Grapes are generally 
estimated at 50 per cent. Frosts did 
considerable damage and the vines Avere 
much reduced in vitality by the severe 
attack of mildeAV of last season. The 
crop promises to be of good quality and 
high prices are anticipated. Apples have 
dropped badly and some varieties have 
blighted to a considerable extent, h. t. 
Berrien Co., Mich. 
We Avill not have more than 50 per 
cent, of peach crop in this locality. Apple 
crop is good but heavy drop. Good berry 
crop and price is about the same as last 
year. j. e. m. 
Manistee Co., Mich. 
July 17. In this section, known as the 
Custer peach belt, peaches are about 50 
per cent, of a crop; apples, 80 per cent.; 
cherries and pears, full crop. Hay crop 
good and Ave look for a large second crop. 
Potatoes, corn, beans and all root crops 
promise a large yield. This has been a 
favored spot this season. Rain and sun¬ 
shine just when needed. d. a. ii. 
Mason Co., Mich. 
The following are ruling prices in our 
section : Potatoes, 25 cents a peck ; ap¬ 
ples, 15 cents quarter peck; cabbage, 
five cents per head; beans, 10 cents per 
quarter peck; peas, 10 cents per quarter 
peck: raspberries, 15 cents per quart; 
blackberries, 10 cents per quart; beets, 
two bunches five cents; carrots, tAvo 
bunches five cents; hogs, nine cents; live 
cattle, nine cents; live calves, nine to 
1214 ; oats, 45; Avheat, $1; corn, 75; hay, 
$16 per ton for old, no new hay on mar¬ 
ket yet; straw, $8 per ton. Fruit and 
berry crop very light on account of late 
freeze in May. Wheat, fair crop; rye, 
good, but not filled well on account of 
dry weather. We had no rain for three 
weeks, for over one week 85 to 98 de¬ 
grees heat; all crops suffered. Now too 
much rain; oats will be a good crop, 
corn looks well, potatoes looking well, 
all crops are improving. p. r. 
Allison Park, Pa. 
July 12. The present week has been 
very favorable for farming operations. 
Wheat about all in shock; crop above 
average and quality good. The oats 
seem to be the only crop that suffered 
from the intensely hot, dry Aveek closing 
July 5. Prospects scarcely more than 
50 per cent, at present. After a poor 
start corn has about caught up with the 
season. Help is very hard to obtain and 
some fields must suffer from lack of cul¬ 
tivation through the harvest season. The 
present week about ends the cherry pick¬ 
ing. The yield has been about 75 per 
cent of normal, and the price has aver¬ 
aged about $2.50 per bushel. The Pic¬ 
kett orchard of 120 acres has been mar¬ 
keting an average of 400 bushels per day 
for two weeks. They av i 11 not finish un¬ 
til about the 15th inst. Raspberries have 
yielded about the same as cherries, and 
the price about $3 per bushel. Black¬ 
berries seem to have a berry set wherever 
it is possible to place one. Outlook for 
peaches along the lake remains good; 
scarcely any plums; pears light crop. 
The tAvig blight in apple trees is quite 
prevalent throughout this section. Pear 
and quince trees are also affected. This 
trouble is not very well known or gener¬ 
ally understood in this section. Many of 
the farmers ascribing the brownish ap¬ 
pearance of the leaves to the effect of 
the early .Tun*' frosts. Ilogs bringing 
$8.50 to $9 this week; cattle, choice 
steers, $7.50 to $8; sheep, choice wethers, 
$4 to $1.50; ewes, $3.25 to $3.50. Wheat. 
$1; corn, 57; oats, 35; potatoes, old, 40; 
new, 35 a peck; butter, 20; eggs, 18; 
foAvls, 13; broilers, 22. f. ». 
Huron Co., O. 
Prices of horses and cattle and farm 
produce in Fort Edward and Arg.vle, 
N. Y., are as follows: Horses of 1,400 
or over, from $250 to $350; 9(H) to 1,200 
pounds, $150 to $250; three-year-old 
August 2, 
colts. $150 to $250; two-year-old, $75 to 
$150; prime dairy cows, $60 to $75; fair 
stock, $40 to $50; canners and fertilizer 
frames, $10 to $30; veal calves, liog- 
dressed. 14; live, nine. Butter in trade 
(no cash for butter here), 28; eggs, part 
cash and trade, 25; potatoes, old, 50; 
new potatoes, $1.20. Old oats, 53; rye, 
75; corn, 80. We pay $24 a ton for 
bran, $25 for middlings. Buckwheat, $1 
per bushel. Milk delivered at station in 
Fort Edward, $1.25 per cwt. F. M. G. 
Fort Edward, N. Y. 
July 14. Corn well advanced, some 
in tassel; damaged some by wind and 
hail the past week. Wheat all harvested, 
more than half hauled; Avill not be more 
than 40 per cent crop in this county. 
Berries of all kinds about the only kind 
of fruit this year. After two Aveeks of 
extreme hot and dry weather we have 
had plenty of rain; oats beginning to 
ripen. Grass about half cut; meadows 
light this year. Cattle scarce and high. 
Not much avooI sold yet; farmers think 
they ought to have 25 cents for Avashed 
wool. Free trade bill a heavy loss to 
farmers. av. b. ir. 
Morgan Co., O. 
No dairy products are sold from this 
section of Maryland. Strawberries sold 
at eight cents per box. Sugar corn, 30 
cents per dozen by wholesale. Green ap¬ 
ples, 50 cents per basket. The truckers 
complain that they do not get their share 
of the prices. w. ii. n. 
Bengies, Md. 
Prices obtained by farmers are: Black¬ 
berries, eight cents quart; raspberries, 
$2.75 crate, four to five cents pint. The 
outlook for berries is good. H. s. m. 
Berlin, N. J. 
Farm help here is very scarce. For 
this reason harvest is much delayed. 
There is considerable wheat to harvest 
yet. Wheat is a very fair crop. The hay 
crop was good and Avas harvested in 
good condition. Timothy iioav being cut 
is a very heavy crop. The potato yield 
will be the largest for years. In Little 
Britain, Drumore, Fulton and Colerain, 
the acreage is 25 per cent more than 
last year. The early varieties are iioav 
being taken up which are mostly dis¬ 
posed of in the local markets at from 85 
cents to $1 per bushel. The corn here is 
exceptionally fine, more regular than in 
many parts of the county. The produce 
is mostly sent to the Lancaster and Ox¬ 
ford markets. Butter, 28 to 30, cream¬ 
ery, about 35; eggs, 22. b. a. b. 
Quarryville, Pa. 
July 15. Eggs, 22; butter, 30; 
cheese, 14; raspberries, per quart, 14, 
from the fields, Avholesale ; cherries, 10 
•cents per quart. Veal, live weight, nine 
cents; foAvls, 15, live weight. Milch 
cows are scarce and bring from $60 to 
$80. Good young horses from $200 up as 
high as you care to go. Considerable old hay 
remains in the farmers’ hands, for Avhich 
buyers are offering $14 to $16 at present. 
The present crop will be beloAV the 
average and not very good quality, as 
the meadows Avere hurt by the late 
frosts, which caused a large acreage, 
being plowed and soavii to buckAvheat 
Spring grain is looking good but needs 
rain ; corn is doing well considering the 
cold dry weather. c. 
Argusville, N. Y. 
Our main crops are potatoes, cabbage, 
hay, and a little surplus Avheat, rye, oats, 
dairy and poultry products. There are 
some black raspberries also grown. No 
grain or hay being sold yet. Berries are 
bringing 5 to 5^4 cents per quart. But¬ 
ter, 23 cents; eggs, 25. No cabbage or 
potatoes ready yet. Good dairy coavs 
are worth from $60 to $90. There is a 
poor stand of potatoes. Cabbage is a 
little smaller acreage than last year and 
later. Ilay is a medium crop. Apple 
outlook much below last season. Drop 
has been heavy. A hailstorm went 
through here July 10 which did con¬ 
siderable damage, in some instances en¬ 
tirely ruining grain and planted crops. 
Ontario Co., N. 1’. c. B. aviiite. 
COMING FARMERS’ MEETINGS. 
Summer Field Meeting, Massachusetts 
State Grange, Barnstable Fair Grounds, 
Barnstable, Mass., August 1. 
Apple sIioav and convention of the In¬ 
ternational Apple Shippers’ Association, 
Hotel Statler, Cleveland, ()., August 6-8. 
Wisconsin State Horticultural Society, 
Sturgeon Bay, August 20-21. 
New York State Fair and Grand Cir¬ 
cuit Meeting, Syracuse, N. Y., September 
Lancaster Fair, Lancaster, Pa., Sep¬ 
tember 30-October 3. 
t Vermont Corn ShoAV, Windsor, Vt., 
November 5-7. 
Third Indiana Apple ShoAV, Indianapo¬ 
lis. November 5-11. 
National Grange, Annual Meeting, 
Manchester, N. II.. November 12. 
NeAV England Fruit Show, Horticul¬ 
tural Hall, Boston, November 12-16. 
Maryland State Horticultural Society, 
Maryland (Top Improvement Association, 
Maryland Dairymen’s Association. Mary¬ 
land Beekeepers’ Association and Farm¬ 
ers’ League, Baltimore, November 17-22. 
The Capital Poultry and Pigeon Asso¬ 
ciation will hold its annual show at 
Washington, 1). ('., December 2-6. 
St. Mary’s Poultry Club; lirst annual 
show, St. Mary’s Pa., December 18-19. 
Peninsula Horticultural Society, an¬ 
nual Winter meeting Easton, Md., Jau- 
tiafy 13-15, 1914. 
