36 
THIS KUR.AI> NEW-YORKER 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you'll get a quick reply and a 
“square deal.” See guarantee editorial page. 
Next Year’s Harvest 
cannot equal last year’s, 
unless you help the soli. 
The Soil Reeds Lime 
Cropping makes the soil acid 
because plants use alkaline ele¬ 
ments faster than they use acid 
elements—the acid ele¬ 
ments art; left behind. 
Lime combines with the 
acid to make your soil 
sweet and productive 
once more. Lime releases 
plant foods in the soiL Lime 
doubles the effectiveness ol 1 
your fertilizer. Lime makes a 
. clay soil more porous while it 
' binds and holds together a sandy soil. , 
. When purchasing and spreading , 
/ costs are subtracted from total crop , 
/returns—Solvay will be found to be 
the most prolltable form of lime you 
can use on your land. Solvay pays 
best. It will pay you to investigate. 
Prices to Consumer, Car lots, $1.50 
per net ton in bulk; $2.50 per net ton 
in 100 pound paper bags. F. O. B. our 
plant, Jamesville, N. Y. Send for ‘‘Ret. 
ting More Crops,” a valuable book of in¬ 
formation for farmers, which we will dis¬ 
tribute FREE while the edition lasts. 
THE 80LVAY PROCESS CO., 
601 Milton Av., Syracuse, N. Y. 
Gasoline Engines 
Wood Sawing Outfits , Three Styles, All Sizes 
M AKE MORE MONEY — DO LESS WORK 
'Y7’OU need on yonr farm an engine that starts 
-*■ when you want it to and that keeps going nntil 
the work is done. That means EXCELSIOR. 
Hundreds of farmers who have used the best other 
makes say they never knew what a real engine could 
do until they bought the EXCELSIOR, but we do 
not ass you to take any man’s word. We say, 
"Try the EXCELSIOR on your work without the 
payment of a cent until you are satisfied thatit is 
what wo say—the best running, most durable, and 
most economical engine you ever saw. If we do not 
prove that to your satisfaction, send the engine 
back.” You can have the engines on wheels with 
saw attachment or without or on skids, and we 
make all sizes from l^-H. P. up. Tell us the size 
of your farm and how big an engine you need and 
get our offer. Write today for catalog and other 
information. 
R. CONSOLIDATED GASOLINE ENGINE CO. 
202 Fulton Street New York City 
* 
Planters 
Cultivators -^pp*’’7n0°/ 
Omners «^P° tal ° Planting 
More important than ever. 
r fhe U • S. will export potatoes this 
r " year. Every bushel raised will be 
needed. Potash is scarce. Seed 
r will be high. This planter 
f puts one piece only in every 
/ space, saves at least or* 
r bushel of seed every acre* 
[no injury to seed, no 
[ disease carried, best 
distribution of 
Serti lizer. 
Ask your 
dealer 
to 
BIGGEST 
YIELDS 
with 
show 
you 
planter 
and write 
us for free j 
illustrated 
booklet. 
Bateman 
M’f’oCo. 
Box 25 
Orenlocn. 
H. J. 
THE GASOLINE ENGINE ON THE 
FARM. It« operation, repair and uses. 
By Xeno W. Putnam. 
This Is the kind 
of a book every 
farmer will appre¬ 
ciate and every 
farm home ought 
to have. Includes 
selecting the most 
suitable engine for 
farm work, its 
most convenient 
and efficient in¬ 
stallation, with 
chapters on trou¬ 
bles, their reme¬ 
dies, and how to 
avoid them. The 
care and manage¬ 
ment of the farm 
tractor in plowing, 
harrowing, har¬ 
vesting and road 
grading are fully 
covered; also plain 
directions are 
given for handling the tractor on the road. 
530 pages. Nearly 180 engravings. 
This book will be sent to any address prepaid for 
TWO NEW YEARLY SUBSCRIPTIONS 
or Twenty Ten-week Trial Subscriptions 
or Four Yearly Renewal Subscriptions 
or One New Yearly Subscription and Two 
Renewal Subscriptions. 
The Rural New Yorker, 333 West 30th St., N. Y. 
EVENTS OF THE WEEK. 
D OMESTIC.—The almshouse at Cam¬ 
bridge, Mass., tvas burned, Dec. 27, 
the firemen being hampered by frozen 
water pipes. Five persons lost their 
lives. 
Dec. 28 a bowlder detached from a 
slide of rocks on Republican Mountain, 
Georgetown, Col., crashed through four 
houses, killing one woman and injuring 
others. 
The United States Government dis¬ 
patched a long note to Great Britain, 
Dec. 28, insisting upon an early improve¬ 
ment in the treatment of American com¬ 
merce by the British fleet. It gave warn¬ 
ing that much feeling had been aroused 
in this country, and that public criticism 
was general over unwarranted interfer¬ 
ence with the legitimate foreign trade of 
the United States. This results from the 
British search for contraband materials, 
which has caused unreasonable detention 
of cargoes. The protest caused no sur¬ 
prise and little resentment in England. 
The German government has notified 
this government that American consuls 
in Belgium must be acceptable to the Ger¬ 
man military authorities, and that it is 
desirable that some of the consuls be 
withdrawn for the present at least. Ac¬ 
cording to the view of officials the Ger¬ 
man government does not ask the United 
States to accord recognition of German 
political status in Belgian territory, so 
there is full confidence that the question 
will be satisfactorily arranged. The 
United States is determined not to recog¬ 
nize that part of Belgium controlled by 
the Germans as German territory in ad¬ 
vance of the adjustment which can come 
only with peace in Europe. 
Reports of unrest in the Philippines 
have caused some anxiety at Washington. 
Several arrests have been made, but few 
details are given out. 
President Wilson celebrated his 5Sth 
birthday, Dec. 28. The first to send tele¬ 
grams of congratulation were King 
George of Great Britain and President 
Cabera of Guatemala. 
Earnings of nine large express com¬ 
panies for August just reported to the 
Interstate Commerce Commission show a 
further loss of business by them to the 
parcel post service. The Adams, Ameri¬ 
can, Can dian, Globe, Great Northern, 
Northern, Southern, Well-Fargo and 
Western express companies had aggre¬ 
gate gross revenues for August of $11,- 
691,546, a decrease from the correspond¬ 
ing month of last year of $1,123,000. 
For the first two months of the current 
fiscal year the decrease was $1,797,000. 
The combined operating income showed 
a deficit of $271,000, whereas a year ago 
there was a profit of $100,000. For the 
two months the deficit was $77,000 as 
against a surplus of $377,000 a year ago. 
The Adams, American, Southern and 
Western all operated at a loss in August. 
David Robb, a national organizer of 
the United Mine Workers of America, 
spent between $300 and $400 of union 
funds for arms in the week preceding the 
attack by strikers on the Chandler mine, 
according to Robb’s testimony, at Canon 
City, Col., Dec. 28, in the trial of seven 
ex-strikers charged with the murder of 
William King in the Chandler battle of 
April 26, 1914. Robb, one of the de¬ 
fendants. was called to the stand for 
cross-examination when the trial was re¬ 
sumed after the Christmas recess. lie 
said the money expended for arms had 
been raised by the six unions of miners 
in Fremont County. The witness said 
the guns were brought for purposes of de¬ 
fense. He denied that he had incited 
the strikers to organize the attack on 
Chandler. 
MEXICO.—The State Department has 
been officially informed that Maytorena 
has withdrawn his forces from the 
trenches around Naco. burning his shel¬ 
ters and taking his men five miles south. 
This would take them wholly out of gun¬ 
shot range of the American border. Sev¬ 
eral dispatches were received by the War 
Department. Dec. 30, from. General Hugh 
L. Scott, chief of staff of the United 
States Army. It is understood that Gen¬ 
eral Scott has reached an agreement with 
both sides for the establishment of a neu¬ 
tral zone at Naco by making Naco a neu¬ 
tral town. General Villa’s forces have 
suspended their attack on Ebano, in the 
oil region west of Tunpico, and are at¬ 
tacking Tuxpan, the noted oil port of 
the Gulf of Mexico south of Tampico. 
The indications are that the Villa cam¬ 
paign against Tampico has been post¬ 
poned and that military activities will be 
concentrated by the Conventionists 
against Tuxpan, with a view to driving 
a wedge to the coast, separating the Con¬ 
stitutionalist forces in Tampico and Vera 
Cruz. The arrival of the Villa forces in 
the vicinity of Tuxpan marks the first 
appearance of the Conventionist troops 
on the east coast of Mexico. Tuxpan is 
an oil port, second only in importance 
to Tampico. 
THE EUROPEAN WAR.—Dec. 26 
the British made a raid on Ouxhaven, at 
the mouth of the Elbe, with cruisers, 
aeroplanes and submarines, dropping 
bombs on points of military importance; 
actual damage is unknown. The British 
loss was one aviator. Cuxhaven was de¬ 
fended by mine fields, forts and Zep¬ 
pelins, the latter appearing ineffective 
against warships.Dec. 26 a Zeppe¬ 
lin dropped 14 bombs on Nancy, France, 
about 10 miles from the German fron¬ 
tier, several civilian’s were killed and 
wounded; no public buildings destroyed. 
The following day French airmen 
dropped bombs on the fortifications at 
Metz.Petrograd reports that, Dec. 
26, eight persons w T ere killed and many 
wounded at Sochaczen, Russian Poland, 
by bombs from a German aeroplane. 
.A British airman dropped bombs 
on Brussels, Dec. 27, seeking to destroy 
airship hangars.Dec. 25 a German 
aeroplane invaded England and was at¬ 
tacked by three British biplanes aided by 
anti-aircraft guns. A furious battle en¬ 
sued over the Thames not far from Lon¬ 
don, but the German raider escaped by 
clever manoeuvring and daring. No dam¬ 
age was done.Heavy fighting con¬ 
tinues in Flanders, the Allies’ cruisers 
aiding in bombarding coast positions held 
by the Germans. The French Govern¬ 
ment claims an important advance in 
Upper Alsace, which is denied by the 
Germans. Positions in Flanders are lit¬ 
tle altered.The Russian General 
Staff claims decisive victories over the 
Austrians along the River Nida in south 
Poland and in the Carpathians. More 
than 10,000 Austrians have been taken 
prisoners in the most recent battles. The 
Austrians are in full retreat and their 
newest offensive movement seems to have 
gone to pieces. Russia says officially that 
the Germans have been blocked at the 
Rivers Bzura and Ravka, west of War¬ 
saw.An official statement given out 
in Paris and summarizing the situation 
in Poland says that the Germans have 
advanced from southern East Prussia to 
Mlava in north Poland and indicates that 
the invaders are developing strong flank¬ 
ing movements on the Russian right and 
left flanks.The German War Of¬ 
fice says merely that slight progress was 
made in attacks along the Rzura and 
Ravka rivers and that east of Tomaszow 
(southern Poland) a German offensive 
was continued successfully....... Italy 
landed marines at Avlona, Albania, Dec. 
25, and took possession of the town, 
hoisting the Italian flag. This action 
was taken on the ground of a rebel up¬ 
rising and consequent disorder. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—Plans for 
the fifth annual meeting of the New York 
State Vegetable Growers’ Association, 
February 9, 10, 11, and 12, are rapidly 
taking form. The program is this year 
to include four days instead of three. 
Friday being given over to the discussion 
of seed problems from the point of view 
of the seed grower, the seed dealer, the 
seed planter, and the professional plant 
breeder. Richard Hittinger of Boston is 
to be present for two lectures to discuss 
the greenhouse and intensive outdoor 
vegetable production. Emmor Roberts of 
Moorestown, N. J., will discuss the melon 
crop and the growing of vegetables for 
cannery. Members of the staff of the 
College of Agriculture and growers from 
within the State will fill out a program 
of exceptional merit from the viewpoint 
of the man in the field. The annual ban¬ 
quet is to be held on Thursday evening. 
Inquiries may be directed to the secre¬ 
tary, Paul Work, Ithaca. New York. 
The suit of Ralph O. Brown and Wil¬ 
liam E. Choisser against the Northern 
Pure Seed Co., at Butte, Mont., for 
damages alleged to have been sustained 
by Russian thistle accumulating on the 
seed company’s land and blowing onto 
the land of the plaintiffs, was decided by 
a jury, November 19, in favor of the 
defendants. Each plaintiff had sued for 
$3,000 damages. 
Officers were elected for the ensuing 
year and Kansas City, Mo., was selected 
as the place for holding the 1915 con¬ 
vention of the Western Association of 
Nurserymen at the twenty-fifth annual 
convention of that organization, which 
opened at Kansas City, December 9. E. 
J. Holman, Leavenworth, Kas., was elect¬ 
ed secretary-treasurer of the association 
for the fourteenth successive term. C. 
C. Mayhew, Sherman, Tex., was elected 
president and Lloyd C. Stark of Louisi¬ 
ana. Mo., elected vice-president. 
The Marion Co., S. C., Potato Grow¬ 
ers’ Association has been formed for the 
purpose of handling their Spring potato 
crop cooperatively. 
The Chicago Municipal Bureau of Em¬ 
ployment is trying to place unemployed 
men in that city on surrounding farms. 
There is a shortage of farm labor in the 
vicinity, and a constant demand for hired 
men, especially on dairy farms. 
COMING FARMERS’ MEETINGS. 
Fruit Growers’ Association annual 
meeting, Rochester, N. Y., Jan. 6-7-8, 
1915. 
January 9th to 15th, inclusive, 1915 
Mid-Winter Exposition, State Fair 
Grounds, Columbus, Ohio. Corn, Apple, 
Dairy and Poultry Shows combined. 
Annual farmers’ short course. Purdue 
University, Lafayette, Ind., Jan. 11-15, 
1915. 
Massachusetts Fruit Growers’ Asso¬ 
ciation annual convention, Horticultural 
Hall, Worcester, Mass., Jan. 13-14, 1915. 
Cooperative Associations of the State 
of New York, second conference, Utica, 
January 13, 14, 15, 1915. 
Virginia State Horticultural k ociety, 
nineteenth annual convention, Winches¬ 
ter, Va., January 13-14, 1915. 
Georgia State Horticultural Society, 
Athens, annual meeting, Jan. 19-20. 
Pennsylvania Horticultural Associa¬ 
tion and Pennsylvania Vegetable Grow¬ 
ers’ annual meeting, Wilkes-Barre, Pa., 
Jan. 19-21. 
Madison Square Garden Poultry Show, 
New York, 26th annual exhibition, Feb. 
12-1S; secretary and superintendent, 
Chas. D. Cleveland, Ef ntown, N. J. 
New York State Agricultural Society 
January 9, 
75th annual convention, the Capitol, Al¬ 
bany, N. Y., Jan. 20-21. 
Vermont State Poultry Association, 
eighteenth exhibition, St. Albans, Jan. 
19-22; secretary, M. D. Jarvis, St. Al¬ 
bans. 
New York State School of Agriculture, 
Morrisville, Farmers’ Week, Jan. 25-29. 
South Dakota Improved Live Stock 
and Poultry Breeders’ Association an¬ 
nual meeting, Mitchell, S. D.. Jan. 26-27. 
Connecticut Dairymen’s Association, 
annual convention. Unity Hall, Hartford, 
Conn., Jan. 2G-27-28. 
New Jersey State Board of Agricul¬ 
ture, 42d annual meeting. State House, 
Trenton, Jan. 27-29. 
New York State Vegetable Growers’ 
Association, fifth annual meeting, Feb. 
9-10-11, Ithaca, N. Y. 
Second annual meeting of the New 
Hampshire State Department of Agricul¬ 
ture and the thirtieth annual meeting of 
the Granite State Dairymen’s Associa¬ 
tion, Manchester, N. II., Feb. 10 and 11, 
1915. Fred Rasmussen, secretary. 
THE MAILBAG. 
Veneer Tree Guards; Spraying Peach Trees 
L AST Spring we planted a peach or¬ 
chard and in Fall placed veneer tree 
guards around each one. Will it be 
necessary to remove the guards in the 
Spring, or may they not serve as some 
protection against borers? Is it advis¬ 
able to spray the trees every season, and 
if so when and with what? L. H. n. 
Youngstown, O. 
We should leave the guards on if the 
wire fasteners are not too tight. They 
may help to some extent as the egg from 
which the borer hatches is laid on the 
trunk of the tree. We should examine 
the trunk below these guards for the gum 
and sawdust from borer work and it may 
be necessary to remove the guards to get 
at the insect. We think it pays to spray 
with lime-sulphur every Spring. Even if 
there is no scale this mixture helps with 
brown rot and other diseases. 
Sawdust Around Trees; Hardwood Ashes. 
1 HAVE a lot of hardwood sawdust 
(mostly oak). Would it do to spread 
it under apple trees to keep grass and 
weeds from growing? The sawdust is 
fresh made. The trees are 25 to 40 years 
old with an occasional young tree. 2. We 
have some unleached ashes (hard wood). 
With reference to garden and orchard, 
apple, pear and peach trees; how could 
we use the ashes to best advantage? 
Vermilion Co., Ill. J G. 
We would not use the fresh sawdust 
under the trees without using lime with 
them. The sawdust contains an acid 
which injures some kinds of soil. It kills 
out the grass and also stops growth in 
some cases. We should mix the sawdust 
with manure, let it decay before using, 
or spread a good coat of lime on the 
ground before using the sawdust. 2. 
The wood ashes can be used in the orch¬ 
ards or any part of the garden except 
where potatoes are planted. 
Mice Girdling Trees. 
L AST Fall I put three or four shovel¬ 
fuls of dirt around my young peach 
trees. In the early Spring I noticed 
that about one-third of the trees had been 
girdled by mice. What will stop the 
mice from girdling them? Do you think 
that rubbing the trees with beeves’ liver 
will be of any value? L. F. K. 
Youngstown, N. Y. 
More likely this damage was done by 
rabbits. Mice very rarely work over 
bare ground to gnaw the bark. The 
smear of blood or meat will help; so will 
painting with strong lime-sulphur, but 
the surest protection is fine wire screen, 
thin wood veneer or even cornstalks tied 
around the trees. 
Why Do Colored Races Endure Heat ? 
H OW is it that a colored man can 
stand more sun and heat than a 
white? Had it not been for a much 
greater evaporation on the colored sur¬ 
face the case would be reversed. G. o. 
Massachusetts. 
We are told that in all the dark- 
skinned or tropical races the sweat glands 
are more highly developed than in people 
who live in colder climates. As evapora¬ 
tion is a cooling process this would ac¬ 
count for the negro’s ability to stand the 
heat. 
Feeding Frozen Mangels. 
I HAVE a few mangel wurzels, but 
unfortunately I did not have them 
well enough protected, and they are 
now frozen. I noticed an article a few 
years ago stating that frozen beets were 
dangerous to feed cattle. Can you tell 
me about it? Suppose they were cut 
when hard frozen and thawed out over 
night in a warm room and fed to the 
cows for the morning feed? Will they 
do for pigs or chickens after being 
frozen? w. H. G. 
Schwencksville, Ta. 
It is not the freezing that hurts the 
beets, but rapid thawing. If the frost 
can be taken out slowly, in a cool room 
or in cold water, they can be safely fed. 
Do not put them in a warm room. Let 
them thaw slowly. 
