1134 
September 18, 1915. 
THE RURAL. 
Farm Mechanics 
Septic Tank Again. 
Will you give me instructions to be 
used in making a cement septic or sew¬ 
age disposal plant for a private family? 
We are only 50 feet from our neighbor, 
and must necessarily try to keep from 
contaminating his drinking water. The 
tank I have in mind has two or three 
tanks or vats; one for solids and the 
other one or two for liquids, which finally 
flow off, after being purified by passing 
through layers of stone, gravel, charcoal 
and sand. F. F. F. 
liaspeburg, Md. 
Sewage disposal for private dwellings 
by means of septic tanks is a modern de¬ 
vice which has, apparently, not yet been 
standardized. Plans for such tanks range 
from very simple to very complicated, and 
all seem to work well. The effluent from 
the septic tank is now disposed of through 
drain tile laid beneath the surface of the 
ground rather than by passing it through 
a filter bed as you suggest, the former 
method being more simple and equally 
satisfactory. For a more complete de¬ 
scription of septic tanks than it would 
be practicable to give in these columns, 
you are referred to the bulletin, “Sewage 
Disposal for Country Homes,” published 
by the New York State College of Agri¬ 
culture at Ithaca, N. Y. This is free to 
residents of the State, and will doubtless 
be sent to residents of other States so far 
as practicable. Bulletin 57, from the U. 
S. Department of Agriculture at Wash¬ 
ington, D. C., and Circular of Informa¬ 
tion 34, from the University of Wiscon¬ 
sin at Madison, Wis., also treat of the 
same subject. My only suggestion with 
regard to the plans given in these, and 
other, treatises on the subject is that 
many of them are more complicated than 
necessary. I know of simple concrete 
tanks with a single line of drain tile lead¬ 
ing from them that have long worked sat¬ 
isfactorily, and, if building one for my¬ 
self, should avoid some of the compli¬ 
cated, if ingenious, devices of sanitary 
engineers. M. B. D. 
Ventilating a Refrigerator. 
How can I ventilate a refrigerator 
which is built into the building? I have 
such a one, and it gets a musty smell. 
I have the ice rack near the floor, which 
holds 800 pounds of ice, but I have no 
ventilation. There is a small window 
10x12, glass, double, that is up five feet 
from floor. Would it do to open this 
window part way? ? The walls of the 
refrigerator are two inches, dead air 
space on outside, then four inches filled 
with charcoal, with ^-inch asbestos on 
inside of studding and sheathed with 
shiplap. It gives good service, except 
that musty smell. G. L. H. 
Mayfield, Mich. 
Any attempt to allow a circulation of 
outside air in a refrigerator will result 
in a greatly increased ice consumption 
and usually in a higher temperature of 
the product stored. For this reason re¬ 
frigerators are usually built as tight as 
possible, even the drain pipe being 
trapped to prevent the entrance of out¬ 
side air at this point. There is, how¬ 
ever, an internal circulation of air, due 
to the difference in weight of the cold 
air surrounding the ice and the warmer 
enveloping the products stored, and this 
can be used as a help in keeping the air 
content of the refrigerator sweet, as it 
moves the odors about, bringing them in 
contact with any deodorizer that may be 
used. Charcoal is a cheap material that 
has this property of absorbing odors to 
a marked extent. A liberal quantity of 
it exposed in E. II. L.’s refrigerator 
will do much toward keeping it sweet. 
It should be placed in a broad flat con¬ 
tainer or wire basket, so that it is well 
exposed to the air for best results. Of 
course, it is understood that great care 
must be exercised to keep the refriger¬ 
ator free from bits of food, etc., that 
might get scattered on the floor or food 
sh Ives. 
If the storage room is damp a quant¬ 
ity of calcium chloride—not the washing 
powder sold under that name—will ab¬ 
sorb much of the dampness, and aid the 
charcoal in keeping it dry and sweet. 
E. H. s. 
Land Measurement. 
In reading the reply to D. J. F., page 
95G, on “Land Measurement,” I think 
where he asks: “In writing a degree with 
other numbers in land measurement, etc.” 
that he refers to the proper method of 
marking the distance and direction on a 
map of the land, or in writing the same 
in a deed. On maps it is usual to mark 
as follows: No. 108° W. 45 ch. 201., read¬ 
ing “North 108 degrees West 45 chains 
20 links, however, in writing it in a deed 
describing the land it is usually all writ¬ 
ten out, as “North One hundred and eight 
(108) degrees, (and minutes —if there be 
any) West, Forty-five (45) Chains, twen¬ 
ty (20) links”—which safeguards against 
alterations or errors which might occur 
if figures only were given. J. v. clark. 
New York. 
Long-lived Cedar Posts. 
I put a fence around my garden in 
1873 using cedar posts and heart pine 
railings and pickets. This fence is good 
now. I put a fence around my orchard 
using cedar posts and oak plank. The 
plank rotted long ago, but I put wire 
on the posts and it is good now. There 
is a fence here that has cedar posts in 
it that was built in 1855. I have never 
used iron posts, and do not know how 
long they last. I can buy cedar posts 
for 10 cents each. They are from four 
inches to seven inches in diameter at 
the small end. Some say that they will 
not hold nails, but they hold as well as 
locust. G. Q. P. 
Virginia. 
Events of the Week. 
DOMESTIC.—Forty-five survivors of 
the White Star liner Arabic, which was 
torpedoed by a German submarine on Au¬ 
gust 10. arrived at New York, September 
2, on the steamship Adriatic of the same 
company and the American liner St. Paul. 
All united in affirming that the Arabic 
was sunk without warning, and added 
that the German U-boat which sent her 
to the bottom used as a decoy another 
ship, the Dunsley, which was sinking 
at the time from a previous attack. 
James F. J. Archibald, a well-known 
American war correspondent, was de¬ 
tained by British authorities at Fal¬ 
mouth, England, Aug. 31, on the ground 
that he was carrying diplomatic papers 
from German and Austrian officials here 
for delivery in Germany. The papers 
were taken from him and he was al¬ 
lowed to proceed to Holland. This in¬ 
cident, together with cases of forged 
passports previously investigated, will 
add to the difficulties of American trav¬ 
elers in Europe. The seized papers are 
embarrassing to the Austrian Embassy. 
September 2 two Americans were kid¬ 
napped and murdered by Mexicans near 
Brownsville, Tex. Sept. 3 Americans 
were fired on near Old Hidalgo, and 
Sept. 4, in the hottest border battle yet 
fought, one Texas Ranger and fifteen 
Mexicans were killed near Hidalgo. The 
battle lasted three hours before the 
rangers succeeded in driving the Mexicans 
from their position across the Rio Grande 
near Old Hidalgo. Sept. 7 much uneasi¬ 
ness was felt in Brownsville, Tex., as 
many Mexicans entered the city daily, 
and a concerted rising is feared. 
Two men were killed and two more 
seriously injured when a a terrific ex¬ 
plosion tore apart the Marano Fire- 
works Factory in the Granton district 
of North Bergen, N. J., Sept. 3, and then 
burned the. shattered structure to the 
ground. The cause of the explosion is 
unknown. 
Sept. 3 13 bodies had been taken 
from the wrecked submarine F-4 at 
Honolulu, more being found in the wreck¬ 
age. 
Sept. 4 the Allan Line steamer Hes¬ 
perian (Canadian) was torpedoed off 
the Irish coast; 32 lives lost. One 
American is reported among the lost. 
James J. Cassidy, vice-president and 
general manager of the Postal Transfer 
Service, Inc., was held in $20,000 bail 
by United States Commissioner Clar¬ 
ence S. Houghton, Sept. 7, at New York, 
charged with using unlawful means to 
increase the compensation received by 
his company from the Government for 
the carrying of mails to and from termi¬ 
nals and sub-stations south of Forty- 
second street. Cassidy and Daniel W. 
Harrington, his assistant, are accused of 
resorting to the bribing of postal em¬ 
ployees in order to carry out their al¬ 
leged scheme, which under the Federal 
law constitutes a conspiracy to defraud 
the United States. It was asserted that 
the Government had lost more than 
$100,000 a year through the alleged 
frauds. 
Another treasure train bearing a ship¬ 
ment of British gold from Halifax, N. S., 
arrived at New York Sept. 7. The con¬ 
signment comprised $S0,000,000 in gold 
and securities. 
Sept. 8 serious forest fires were re¬ 
ported along the Canadian and United 
States side of the Rainy River between 
Spooner, Minn., and Fort Frances; also 
near Stratton and Pine Wood, Minn. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—Farming 
with dynamite and plowing up hedge-rows 
with a 2.000-pound brush breaker drawn 
by a high-powered engine, were features 
at the Middle West tractor demonstra¬ 
tion at Bloomington, Ill., recently. 
Methods of breaking the ground with 
NEW-YORKER 
dynamite to stir up the subsoil were il¬ 
lustrated by sample shots. 
Many wolves are reported hanging 
about the outskirts of Norman, Okla., 
especially about the dumping grounds 
and from there up to the State univer¬ 
sity, and a wolf drive is being planned. 
The animals are of the gray and black 
varieties, with numerous coyotes. Many 
poultry yards have been decimated in 
their forays. 
OBITUARY’.—Edwin Lonsdale, super¬ 
intendent of the W. Atlee Burpee seed 
farm at Lompoc, Cal., died recently, 
aged 70 years. Mr. Lonsdale was a 
native of England, coming to this country 
about 45 years ago. He was widely 
known in floricultural circles, being a 
former president of the Society of Amer¬ 
ican Florists, and connected with various 
other horticultural organizations. He 
was in business as a florist in Philadel¬ 
phia for many years, and was head 
gardener at Girard College before settling 
in California. His wide knowledge and 
genial personality made him a weljl- 
known figure in commercial floriculture 
throughout the country. 
Coming Farmers’ Meetings. 
New Y’ork State Fair, Syracuse, N. Y., 
Sept. 13-18. 
Central Canadian Exposition, Ottawa, 
Ont., Sept. 10-18. 
Bergen County Fair, Ilohokus, N. J., 
Sept. 14-18. 
Interstate Live Stock Fair, Sioux City, 
Iowa, Sept. 20-25. 
Genesee County Fair, Batavia, N. Y., 
Sept. 21-25. 
Trenton Inter-State Fair, Trenton, N. 
J., Sept. 27-Oct. 2. 
Farmers’ National Congress, annual 
meeting, Omaha. Neb., Sept. 28-Oct. 1. 
Provincial Exposition and Horse Show, 
Westminster, B. C., Sept. 28-Oct. 2. 
International Dry Farming Congress, 
Denver, Colo., Oct. 4-7. 
American Royal Live Stock Show, 1 
Kansas City, Mo.. Oct. 4-0. 
International Wheat Show and Expo¬ 
sition, Wichita, Ivan., Oct. 4-14. 
Fifth annual apple show, Indiana Hor¬ 
ticultural Society, Indianapolis, Nov. 
6-13. 
Chrysanthemum Society of America, 
annual show, Cleveland, Ohio, Nov. 10- : 
14, 1015. Special show, San Francisco, ! 
Cal. 
Paterson Poultry Association, annual 
show, Paterson, N. J., Nov. 10-20. 
International Live Stock Exposition, 
Chicago, Nov. 27-Dec. 4. 
Berks Corn Contest, Reading, Pa., Dec. : 
24. j 
Reading Pigeon and Poultry Associa¬ 
tion, annual show, Reading, Pa., Dec. 
6 - 11 . 
Pacific International Live Stock Ex¬ 
position, No. Portland, Ore., Dec. 0-11. 
Annual Corn and Grain Show, Tracy, 
Minn., Jan. 3-8, 1016. 
Vermont State Poultry Association, an¬ 
nual show, St. Albans, Vt., Jan. 18-21, 
1010 . 
National Western Stock Show, Denver, 
Colo., Jan. 17-22, 1916. 
National Feeders’ and Breeders’ Show, 
Fort Worth, Tex., March 11-17, 1016. 
A Swedish farmer who lived on his 
wheat farm in Minnesota was taken ill, 
and his wife telephoned the doctor. “If 
you have a thermometer,” answered the 
physician, “take his temperature. I will 
be out and see him presently.” An hour 
or so later, when the 'doctor drove up, 
the woman met him at the door. “How 
is he?” asked the doctor. “Veil,” said 
she, “I ban put the barometer on him 
like you tell me, and it say, ‘Very dry,’ 
so I give him a pitcher of vati r to drink, 
and now he ban gone back to work.”— 
Youth’s Companion. 
When you write advertisers mention 
The It. N.-Y. ami you 11 get a quick 
repiy and a "square deal.” See guaran¬ 
tee editorial page. : : : : 
rnrr 7 5Exquisite 
IT If OL Wall Paper 
Write us a postal today. Jff) Mt g f? 
Lotus mailyou this big 
book of the very latest, ^ , 
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patterns shown in many years. Don’t select your paper until you 
pave seen them. Beautify your entire home and do it at small cost. 
Our remarkably low prices befrin at 6c for a double rolll 
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This big new book tells how you can do the 
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Don’t miss these 76 original patterns we 
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—-just say, “Send Wall Paper Book.” 
Store* 
8620 Store* Bldg., New York 
Guaranteed To Kill 
Every Scale 
It Reaches. 
What? V 
rgci 
or—your 
money back. Only 3 “Do’s” , 
and “Don’ts.” It’s also the best dormant 
spray for larvae, eggs of insects and fungi. 
Easily prepared, easily used. No burning, no') 
clogging, but does do the work. 1 bbl. t 
mixedl to 15 will spray as many trees until i 
they drip as 3 bbls. lime sulphur 1 to 10. 
10 years on the market. Nationally endorsed. A 
Send for free booklet. “ ‘Scalecide’, the . 
Tree Saver." Write today. jA _ 
B. G. PRATT CO.. Dept. N 
50 Church Sh.N.Y. ^ ' 
Give Young Trees a Chance 
Don’t allow gnawing rabbits and rodents to 
get in their deadly work when you can effect¬ 
ually prevent their ravages by the use of 
EXCELSIOR WIRE MESH. Why expose young 
trees to such danger when you can secure this 
substantial, heavily galvanized, rust-proof 
mesh at a cost which is nominal, considering 
the service it renders? Write for particulars. 
WRIGHT WIRE COMPANY 
Department R. Worcester, Mass. 
Tygert 
Fertilizers 
^Are good fertilizers i 
WE WANT AGENTS 
J. E. TYGERT CO. 
28g S. Del. Av. Philadelphia 
TYPEWRITERS^ 
LrlecH $15.00 up. SOLO or RENTED 
anywhere at % to ^ MANUFACTURERS' 
PRICES, allowing RENTAL TO APPLY 
ON PRICE. Free Trial. Installment 
payments if de«ired. Write for catalog-16 
TYPEWRITER EMPORIUM, 34-36 W. Lake St, Chicago 
srMOVE TO MARYLAND 
The State for Thrifty Farmers. Delightful, healthy I 
climate. Good Land, Reasonable prices. Close to bigl 
markets of large cities of the East. Send for freej 
descriptive booklet & map. 
STATE BUREAU OF IMMIGRATION, 
62 Hoffman Boilding, Baltimore. Md. 
The gardener who gets the high prices is the one who sends his crops 
to market in the winter. You can overcome nature by forcing 
your growths under Duo-Glazed Sash. 
Plants and flowers in ordinary hotbeds may freeze, but they’re safe if you 
use Duo-Glazed. No covering required. Your plants get all the light with 
nochanceof frost. A good living can be madewitb 
three acres under Duo-Glazed Sash. 
Double Class Forms Air Chamber ^ 
Two layers of close-fitting glass make a non- 
conducting air chamber that protects your plants 
just as the space between wall and plaster keeps your Ya; n 
house warm. 
Duo-Glazed Sash is weather-proof, has no springs, 
putty, sprigs or plugs; made of best red cypress, 1% inch 
thick, with extra strong tenons. Will last a life time. A 
boy can glaze it. 
Sash and Greenhonies 
made in man; aizea 
to Hit, and skipped 
read; to nse. 
Gem and Little Gem Greenhouses and garden frames with Duo- 
Glazed Sash for the home. Hot water heating plants. Thoroughly 
good in construction and low in price. 
Write for free catalog of Sash and greenhouses, with prices. 
403 Wyandot Street, 
PAYTON. OHIO 
Callahan Duo-Glazed Sash Co., 
