1010. 
72 3 
THE GROWTH OF LAW. 
[The following entries from “Farmer -Smith’s Diary” 
will give an idea of the way law and license have been 
developed in Massachusetts.] 
Entry No. 1. 
March 14, 1900.—I built a lire under the boiler to 
cook rations for the pigs and hens, to heat water for 
stock, and steam the dairy tins. 1 loaded my wagon 
and drove to market as has been my custom for each 
Wednesday for the last 30 years, l sold a can of 
milk at Brown's grocery. I sold a veal at White’s 
market that I dressed last night. I sold a keg of 
vinegar at Gray’s restaurant; some cranberries at 
Black’s boarding house. Bought my supplies, fed my 
team and started for home. My horse was frightened 
by an auto on Beacon street and was nearly down to 
the public garden before I could hold him in, as I 
happened to be writing in my note book when he 
started. I reached home without other mishaps. As 
I was driving into the yard I saw the old fox that has 
caused me so much trouble near the henyard. I got 
the rifle as soon as possible and got a shot at him as 
he crossed the street. After putting up my team I 
found I had a half hour to chore time, so 1 burned a 
heap of brush back of the barn. This is 
the record of a busy day, and might 
read the same for any Wednesday for 
the last 20 years. What would have 
been my answer to a man who told me 
in, say 1900, that to perform that day’s 
work in 1909 would cost me $400? 
Entry No. 2. 
May 13, 1910.—For the first time in 
my long life of three score -and ten years 
I have been summoned into court. 
I was fined $13 for building a fire 
under a boiler that exceeded eight horse¬ 
power without a fireman’s license. 
I was fined $25 for using a boiler that 
was not provided with a safety or fusible 
plug. 
I was fined $20 for selling milk that 
was shy in butter fat. 
I was fined $25 for selling a veal with¬ 
out the inspector’s stamp on it. 
I was fined $25 for dressing the calf 
without a slaughterer’s license. 
1 was fined $25 for killing the calf in 
my barn, no room of which had been 
licensed as a public or private slaughter¬ 
house. 
1 was fined $25 for not holding a cer¬ 
tificate from a veterinary that the animal 
to be killed was in a healthy condition 
and fit for human food. 
I was fined $20 by the cruelty-to-ani- 
mals people for bleeding the calf, when 
they found the mark of the fleam in the 
calf's neck. 
I was fined $20 for weighing the calf 
on scales that had not been sealed for 
12 months. 
1 was fined $25 for selling vinegar 
that was 4.3 acetic acid and 1.7 per cent 
solids. 
1 was fined $10 for selling cranberries 
from a tin measure. 
I was fined $25 for baiting my horse 
on the street without a permit from the 
chief of police. 
I was fined $20 for spitting on the 
sidewalk without a permit from the 
board of health. 
I was fined $10 for stopping with my left hand to 
curb. (See street traffic regulations, Sec. 1, Art. 5, 
page 6.) 
I was fined $10 for not turning my team square to 
the right when backed up to the curb. (Sec. 8, Art. 5.) 
When I asked a “cop” how 1 could comply with that 
law with a country wagon that did not cut under, l 
was told I could pay my fine and buy a new wagon. 
I was fined $10 for driving down State street the 
north side of the Old State House. (Sec. 1, Art. 8.) 
I was fined $10 for taking a keg off my wagon on 
Bromfield street between g a. m. and 5 p. m. (Sec. x. 
Art. 9.) 
I was fined $10 for exceeding the speed limit when 
my horse ran on Beacon street. (Sec. 1, Art. 5.) 
I was fined $10 for not having the reins in my hand 
when my horse bolted. (Sec. 5, Art. 7.) 
I was fined $10 for leaving my team six minutes on 
School street. (Sec. 3, Art. 9.) 
I was fined $10 for discharging a rifle at a fox 
without a hunter’s license. 
I was fined $25 for discharging firearms across a 
country road. 
I was fined $25 for building a fire in the open air 
after April 1, 1908, without a permit from the fire 
warden. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
ELM TREES AND LIGHTNING. 
Do These Trees Increase the Hazard? 
Are elm trees dangerous close to buildings on account 
of lightning? a. o. s. 
The total result of studies upon this subject shows 
that buildings are much more liable to be struck by 
lightning if trees arc in close proximity. Lightning 
has a greater attraction for trees with tall pointed 
crowns, such as Lombardy poplars, spruces, firs, etc., 
than it has for trees with rounded crowns. It appears, 
also, that a solitary tree, or several trees grouped, are 
much more likely to attract lightning than a large 
group or a compact grove of them. The greater likeli¬ 
hood of the smaller number of trees being struck is 
not yet explained, but it is abundantly supported by 
observations. Trees situated in a level plain are more 
likely to be struck than are trees growing on slopes. 
This is likewise unexplained, but vouched for by a 
large number of observations. 
The poplars, oaks, and all sorts of conifers, es¬ 
pecially spruces, firs, cedars, and larches, are among 
the trees most frequently struck by lightning, with 
the exception of oaks, which have rounded crowns. 
Most of these trees arc characterized by a conical or 
somewhat pointed crown. So far as I know now, 
there is nothing to show that other species and kinds 
of trees are exempt from lightning. It is a fact, how¬ 
ever, as shown by observations, that the above-men¬ 
tioned trees are the ones commonly struck. The 
amount and kind of damage done to buildings and 
other objects near or beneath trees struck by light¬ 
ning varies widely according, apparently, to the char¬ 
acter of the bolt. Some objects, such as small build¬ 
ings, are known to have been torn to fragments, while 
in other cases a few rents are the only visible re¬ 
sults of the lightning. geo. b. sudwortii, 
U. S. Forest Service. Dendrologist. 
CLARK METHOD OF GRASS SEEDING. 
I wish to ask what success you had with the “Clark 
method” of seeding down, and do you know how others 
may like it? I sowed a piece much in that way only not 
so thick as he recommended, and I got a crop so thick 
that it did not seem to have much' nutriment in it, but 
was fine, bulky and loose. It does not seem to me that 
method would raise nice salable hay. F. m, c. 
Our experience with Clark’s method was very sat¬ 
isfactory. The first season we thought it would prove 
a failure. The three essentials that Mr. Clark de¬ 
manded were thorough preparation of the soil and a 
level field, heavy and even seeding of grass without 
grain, and heavy yearly fertilizing. Starting with an 
old meadow on an oat stubble Clark first tore up the 
sod or stubble with a Cutaway harrow. This work¬ 
ing is the opposite of. plowing. While the plow turns 
the furrow completely over, hiding the stubble, the 
Cutaway tears and rips up the ground, tossing up 
the grass and weeds into view. The old plan of re¬ 
seeding meadows was to turn the sod over out of 
sight, harrow and fit the bottom side of the furrow, 
which was then on top,, and seed. Mr. Clark objected 
to this because in a year or so the old grass and 
weeds in the sod work up and spoil the new seeding. • 
His idea was to seed permanently so that the meadow 
could be cut for eight years or more. To do this it 
was necessary to kill out the old sod, and Mr. Clark 
did this with the Cutaway, chopping and cutting again 
and again through July and August until no green 
growth showed. On the average he planned to work 
such a field at least 16 times during the Summer. 
To show how advice is sometimes mixed up we met 
a farmer who said he followed Clark’s advice and 
worked half an acre 10 times in two days and would 
not “work it any more for any man.” 1 hat was not 
following Clark’s advice at all, for his 16 workings 
were to be done at intervals of five days or so, and 
thus kill out all young growth. We 
once heard of a man who had about 
equalled Clark’s yield of six and eight 
tons per acre. On visiting him we found 
that his grass had been seeded after 
onions and that the onion crop had 
been worked about 20 times through 
the season. There can be no doubt that 
this intense culture gave the grass a 
great chance. The stones were picked 
up and the field levelled so that all de¬ 
pressions were filled up by using an 
iron-edged board for a scraper. Early 
in September Mr. Clark seeded at the 
rate of 24 quarts each Timothy and 
Red-top per acre—every effort being 
made to give an even seeding. A ferti¬ 
lizer which was not far from one-half 
ground bone and one-fourth each nitrate 
of soda and muriate of potash was used 
at the rate of about 800 pounds per acre 
each year. By following this method 
Mr. Clark grew enormous crops of hay, 
and kept up the yield for many years. 
He proved that in New England at 
least good hay crops can be grown year 
after year by the use of chemical ferti¬ 
lizers alone. 
Any farmer can see that this method 
requires great labor and considerable ex¬ 
pense. It is not adapted to a farmer who 
has only one team and who must handle 
and market his farm crops through the 
late Summer. It will pay such a farmer, 
however, to modify this plan when he 
does seed down, by making the soil as 
fine as possible, using more seed and 
more fertilizer. Eight years ago we 
seeded a scant two acres in this way. It 
was plowed and then worked about eight 
times, and the larger stones were picked 
up. We followed Clark’s directions in 
seeding, but did not use enough ferti¬ 
lizer. The following Spring was dry. 
The grass looked like a lawn, but grew 
but little over two feet high. Next year 
it was better and the field has been giv¬ 
ing us over two tons to the acre ever 
since with light application of fertilizer, 
thicker now than on any field where we 
used less seed or sowed rye or wheat as a “nurse crop.” 
The use of Red-top is advised when the hay is to be 
consumed on the farm. The fine Red-top growing 
among the blades of Timothy will add to the weight 
of hay and the Red-top seems to be a better feed than 
Timothy. If the hay is to be sold pure Timothy will 
be better, as Red-top is not popular as a market hay. 
We have found that Timothy requires lime, and will 
not live in a sour soil as Red-top will. In several 
cases we have sowed the two kinds together in an' 
acid soil and found at the end of three years almost 
pure Red-top, the Timothy having disappeared. 
An English agricultural council has “resolved” 
“That a system of apprenticeship be established by 
which scholars from elementary schools may be placed 
with farmers in order that they may receive instruction 
in the practical work of the farm." 
We hope that they will stick to this resolution, and 
that the idea will grow and stick to others. That is 
one of the most sensible plans for training good 
farmers we have yet seen. Keep these school chil¬ 
dren away from “model farms,” but let them go to 
successful men who know how to till the soil and 
yet have not forgotten they were once boys. 
A PAIR OF PERCHERON FARM LADIES FROM OHIO. Fig. 307. 
AN OHIO POTATO FIELD UNDER STRAW. Fig. 308. 
The grass is 
