1 !>10. 
THU) RURAL NEW-YORKEB 
36 
The Farmer’s Wife as Poultry Keeper. 
Probably many others than the writer 
of the New York Post’s editorial, know¬ 
ing little or nothing of farm conditions, 
and seeing the price of eggs mount high¬ 
er and higher, have felt like blaming 
some one that such an inconsequent 
thing as an egg should cost so much 
more than seems reasonable. Is “the 
farmer making such good profit out of 
his staple crops that his wife is disin¬ 
clined to spend an hour or two each day 
caring for chickens and searching the 
barns, stables and fence corners for 
eggs?” Well, probably farmers’ wives 
do not do as much hard work as did 
their grandmothers who lived upon 
farms. But have we not been severely 
blamed for not leading a more leisurely 
and refined existence? Has it not been 
pointed out to our discredit that we had 
time only to twist our hair up into a 
hard knot, wear faded calicos and have 
hard and knotted-jointed hands? 
It is no new thing that a man, feeling 
the pinch of some domestic annoyance, 
should look about to find if some woman 
were not remiss in her duty. Nor is it 
any wonder that city dwellers noting 
the cost of fresh breakfast eggs should 
wonder why somebody's leisure is not 
devoted to turning out a fortune by 
filling the markets with fresh eggs. “The 
simplest of labor,” one would argue; 
"the hen a sturdy little creature capable 
of picking up her living anywhere, a 
henhouse a matter of a few nails and 
boards, a basin of corn night and morn¬ 
ing, drink at the brook, and nothing 
more but to go out at the pleasant sun¬ 
set hours and search barns, stables and 
fence corners’ and come in with a pretty 
basket heaped high with such costly 
fresh-laid treasures as city people 
are glad to purchase at almost any ruin¬ 
ous price.” 
Now, the facts are that in New Eng¬ 
land almost every farmer’s wife is a 
poultry keeper. Here and there is a 
woman who dislikes hens, or one who 
has so big a flock of youngsters in the 
house that she cannot look after outdoor 
work, or at another farmhouse the chil¬ 
dren have grown large enough to turn 
poultry keepers. But scattered between 
the farms are small houses, some for¬ 
eigner’s cabin amid stumps and newly- 
grubbed out brush lands, old houses gone 
with a few acres of land to people glad 
to have a roof over their heads, and 
seldom the poorest of dwellings without 
its flock of hens; often where foreign- 
born brawn and muscle have taken root 
will be seen a long line of snug poultry 
houses. Where farmers’ wives used to 
he a good deal hampered by lack of snug 
henhouses there has gradually come 
about a change; one after another our 
farmers have succumbed to the idea that 
there is money in poultry, and now that 
the invention of wire netting enables 
them to keep the hen’s destructive toe 
nails out of mischief she has come to be 
looked upon as a friend and not simply 
as one of the most annoying nuisances 
a garden or newly tilled field can know. 
Probably more than twice as many hens 
are kept in New England to-day than 
the farms of :i0 years ago could show. 
Then why does the price of eggs soar 
as high as 50 or 00 cents a dozen every 
December? The balance of money val¬ 
ues is one of the puzzles no wiseheads 
have yet reduced to certainties. Push 
wages up and up and rents, taxes, food 
stuffs, and eventually everything money 
buys seems bound to climb to keep the 
balance even. When beef is high it can¬ 
not be expected that so fair a substitute 
for it as eggs and poultry should not 
feel that added demand which raises 
prices. 
Fashion is another factor in controll¬ 
ing prices. Among people priding them¬ 
selves upon caring for the refinements 
of life the hot roll, the cup of perfect 
coffee and the soft-boiled egg arc count¬ 
ed the correct accompaniments to the 
fruit upon the breakfast table. 
With so good a market demand are 
our country housekeepers letting the 
chance to make money from poultry go 
by as a lost opportunity? Not in many 
instances. One of the curious things 
about the hen is that she will never hold 
herself amenable to the multiplication 
table. Given twelve hens and you may 
have eight or nine of them laying a good 
part of the year. Raise the size of the 
flock to 120 and when you are getting 
s 0 or 90 eggs a day you fairly hold your 
breath lest roup or cholera, limber neck 
<>r scaly leg, apoplexy or bumble-foot, 
should count you a shining mark. But 
there will not be long periods when an 
SO or 90-egg record need keep you 
awake nights. A farmer’s wife can keep 
120 hens at a profit, but it will not be 
the profits of a 12-hen flock multiplied 
by 10. And somehow one never hears 
of diseases ravaging the small flock. 
She would have to be a woman of en¬ 
durance and daring who should decide 
to feed her family on baker’s food and 
tinned stuffs, wear tailored garments 
and send washing and ironing to the 
city laundry, while she made a fortune 
off keeping a thousand hens. 
Every little while the experiment is 
tried of going heavily into poultry as a 
farm adjunct. An unmarried son with 
his father’s resources to draw upon buys 
incubators and brooders, and fences in 
several acres of land. He indulges in 
eggs of fancy stock and lays large plans. 
But as the poultry business is one in 
which it seems absolutely necessary to 
begin modestly and learn as your flocks 
increase those in search of second-hand 
poultry netting can usually buy cheap 
a year or two after a young man has 
set out to show his parents how to make 
money from hens. Where a father pro¬ 
vides each of his children over 10 years 
old with a small henhouse and yard 
there are often very cheerful stories to 
tell of what the young folks have accom¬ 
plished, each for himself or herself. But 
if all were known it is probable that a 
good deal of prompting and help came 
from the mother who knew the ways of 
setting hens, the needs of small chicks 
and the best ways of outwitting skunks, 
weasels, rats and hawks, and who al¬ 
ways remembered. In fact a woman’s 
faithful vigilance and patience in doing 
little things seem so necessary, especial¬ 
ly in caring for young chicks, that it 
would be hard to find the farmer who 
could boast of himself as a successful 
poultry raiser, but of farmer’s wives 
who arc skillful handlers of paying 
flocks of moderate size you may find 
almost as many on a day’s drive as you 
can count farmhouses. r. itiiamar. 
Shrimp Stew. 
This is a nice supper dish for cold 
weather and it is very quickly and easily 
prepared. The proportions are a can of 
shrimps and a quart of milk. Put the 
milk on to heat where it will not scorch. 
Wash the shrimps in cold water, then 
with a sharp knife remove the black 
spinal cord from each one and cut each 
shrimp in two or three pieces. Add 
them to the -hot milk, season with but¬ 
ter, salt and pepper and let it boil up 
once. Serve with crisp oyster crackers, 
common crackers or croutons. 
Individual Puddings.— For the sake 
of variety try cooking bread pudding in 
greased cups, allowing one for each per¬ 
son. Remove the puddings when done 
and serve with clear lemon sauce. 
s. B. R. 
Washing Silk or Woolen. —Get an 
ounce of soap bark, cost about five 
cents. Put it into a gallon of cold water 
and heat it boiling hot, strain it, dilute 
it somewhat, and wash the goods. Do 
not wring but let drip until right to 
iron, and iron on the wrong side. This 
quantity is sufficient for an ordinary 
dress. Do not rii»se, but if two waters are 
needed use the bark in both. If cash- 
mere has been dyed let it dry, then dip 
in the soapbark water and follow the 
above directions and it will come out 
with its age renewed. It also removes 
the shine from black silk, and is excellent 
for black woollen goods. Michigan. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
li. N.-Y. and you’ll Ret a muck reply and 
“a square deal.” See guarantee page 12. 
FOUNDED 184? 
Standard Prints 
Old-fashioned honest j 
quality of our grand¬ 
mothers’ time is still in 
these standard calicoes 
after more than 65 
years— 
Simpson-Eddystone 
Prints 
Beautiful new de¬ 
signs, printed in colors 
that will not fade, on 
cloth of exceptional 
quality, make these the 
cotton dress-goods of 
enduring service. 
If yourdealerhasn’tSimp- 
son-Eddystone Prints write 
us his name. We’ll help 
him supply you. 
The Eddystonc Mfif.C©.,Phila*»Pa. 
Established by Wm. Simpson. 
i\ 
From Bakery to Farm 
Soda crackers are a long time 
on the road to the country store, 
and from there to the country 
home* But 
Uneeda 
Biscuit 
—no matter how far they jour¬ 
ney, never become travel worn* 
As you open their moisture proof 
protecting package you always 
find them not only store, fresh, 
but bakery fresh—clean, crisp 
and whole* 
A package costs 5c* 
(Never Sold in Bulk) 
NATIONAL BISCUIT COMPANY 
& 
jFIoricfa L/ands 
Offer You an Opportunity to become Independent in a Short Time. 
BIG PROFITS ARE MADE 
Dn Fruits and Vegetables. You are close to the Best Markets in the Eas t. 
Quick Transportation, Low Freight Rates. 
The West Coast of Florida is famed for its climate. There are no killing 
frosts or icy winds. The land is rich, and with a little assistance nature produce 3 
always a bountiful crop. Two and three crops a year, yields $500 to $1500 
net, per acre. 
A beautiful and instructive booklet has been compiled by a western man 
which describes all details. This will be sent to any address free of cost. Write—■ 
Jl. W. WHITE, Gen’l Ind. Agent, Seaboard Air-Line Railway, Norfolk, Virglnlt 
Don’t Punish Yourself And The Clothes 
any more by rubbing them. Cloan them with the 
EASY” non-friction steel washer. It lasts a life¬ 
time and saves its price four times a year. Our 
now book, worth dollars to you, Is free. 
DODGE & ZUILL, 224-V Dillaye Bldg., Syracuse, N. Y. 
Makes and burns its own gas and 
produces a pure white, steady, 
safe, 10O candle power light. No 
wick, smoke, dirt, grease or odor. 
THE BEST TIGHT 
Lighted instantly. Over 200styles, 
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tui: MUST LIGHT CO. 
] 01 E. 5th St., Canton, 
WESTERN CANADA 
Prof* Shaw, Well-Known Agriculturist, Says: 
"I would sooner raise cattle in Western Canada 
^ _tha n in tho corn bolt of the United Status. 
I Food is cheaper and climate better 
I for the purpose. Your market will 
I improve faster than your farmers 
| will produce the supplies. Wheat 
I can be grown up to the 60th parallel 
J (800 miles north of tho International 
I boundary]. Your vacant land will 
j bo taken at a rate beyond present 
I conception. Wo have enough people 
I in tho United States alone who want 
I homes to take up this land." Nearly 
70,000 Americans 
will ♦•liter and make their Homes 
In Western Canada tills year. 
1900 produced another large crop 
of wheat, oats and barley, in addi¬ 
tion to which the cattlo exports 
was an Immense Hem. 
Cattle raising, dairying, mixed farming and 
grain growing in tho provinces of Mani¬ 
toba. Saskatclicwan and Alberta. 
Adaptable soil, healthful climate, 
splendid schools and churches, and 
good railways. For settle™' rates, de¬ 
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reach tho country and other particulars, write 
to Snp't of Immigration, Ottawa, Can., or to 
tho Canadian Government Agent. 
J. O. Duncan, Canadian Government 
Agont, Hoorn 30, Syracuse Hunk Build¬ 
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(Uso address nearest you.) (6) 
A LEATHER TOP 
RUBBER SHOE 
For Farmers, Lumbermen and Sportsmen. 
You can’t find a better 
protection from snow and 
wot than the Manitoba 
soft leather top rubber 
shoe. After a trial you 
will never be satisfied to 
wear heavy felt boots. 
They are neat, close til¬ 
ting and light in weight. 
Made in all heights from 
8 to 10 inches. Will out¬ 
wear any high rubber 
shoe or pac that you ever 
saw. The Top is of a solt, 
pliable, durable and pract¬ 
ically waterproof leather 
known as Special Chrome. 
Beware of cheap 
Imitations made of 
split leather. Snell 
shoes will wet 
through quickly. 
The tops are lilted 
with Copper Klon¬ 
dike Eyelets and Rawhide Laces. 
The Over is made of Lite purest Rubber. There 
arc two distinct vamps of heavy duck with layers of 
rubber between, fastened together under great 
pressure. 
The Sole is made to stand the hardest wear. The 
Manitoba is an honest made Shoe that will give hon¬ 
est wear, because the right kind of material and 
workmanship is put into it. 
When you want any high 
grade, satisfactory robber 
boot or shoe ask for the Gobi 
Cross Brand, made by a com¬ 
pany that is “not in a trust.” 
The Beacon Falls Rubber Shoe Co. 
New York Chicago Boston 
Ask for Gold 
Cross, Manitoba. 
&**o>- r*c» 
Trade Mark 
Look lor tho 
Cold Cross 
Fertile Farms in Tennessee 
*$5 to $10 per acre* 
Fortunes are being made on fertile Tennes¬ 
see farms. They raise big erops of Canta¬ 
loupes, Cabbage, Tomatoes, String Beans, 
Green Corn, etc., also Homes, Cattle, Sheep, Swine, 
Poultry and Eggs. Write me at once for L'reo 
Literature. I’ll tell you how to get one of these 
splendid farms for $5 to $10 per acre. Act quickly! 
II. F. Smith, Traf. Mgr., N.C.S 8t.LB r .,P«pl.C. Nashville, Term. 
