522 
^he RURAL NEW-YORKER 
April Ci, 3 918 
From Kodak Ssigative 
Kodak 
on the Farm 
Photography serves a double purpose on the farm. In the 
taking of home pictures, in the keeping of a happy Kodak record 
of every outing, in the making of pictures of one’s friends and 
the interesting places that are visited, it appeals to country people 
and to city people alike. 
But on the farm it has even a wider business value than in the 
city. Many city people use the Kodak in a business way. It can 
be so used on every farm. Its indisputable records, showing com¬ 
parative pictures of crops that have had different treatments, are 
invaluable. You see such comparative pictures in the farm papers 
frequently. You can make them for your own use on your own 
farm, and they will be of direct value to you. 
Pictures of livestock are not only interesting to keep, but fre¬ 
quently such pictures serve to close a sale; pictures have frequently 
settled line fence disputes; pictures showing the growth of trees, 
the effects of this and that kind of pruning often prove invaluable 
to the orchardist. 
And you can make such pictures the simple Kodak way. You 
can finish the pictures yourself—or can have this work done for 
you. And it is all less expensive than you think. 
Kodak catalogue free at your dealer’s or by mail. 
EASTMAN KODAK CO., 
.'^9.'^ State Street, Rochester, N. Y. 
m 
f I// 
A Size for Every 
Engine and Motor 
Piston rings prevent escape of gas and power. 
They must fit exactly or there is compression 
leakage, excessive carbon, and power loss. 
The scientific construction of 
McQUAY-NORRIS 
PISTON RINGS 
assures equal pressure all around the cylinder 
walls. They are made in all sizes to fit every 
model and type of engine, automobile, tractor, 
etc.—every size accurately gauged to fit the 
particular model of motor. 
Your local dealer or garage has —or can get 
— our data book of piston ring sizes of prac¬ 
tically every engine and motor made. This 
will tell exactly what rings you need. Com¬ 
plete size_ assortments are carried by more 
than 300 jobbing and supply houses all over 
the country from which you can be quickly 
supplied. Over 2,000 unusual sizes and over¬ 
sizes— all widths and diameters — are kept 
constantly on hand at the factory ready for 
prompt shipment anywhere. 
McQUAY-NORRIS 
RINGS 
A special ring for engines that pump oil. Used 
in top groove only of pistons to control excess 
oil, with McQuay-Norris \e^k- ^oop- Rings in 
lower grooves to insure maximum compression 
and fuel economy. 
SEND FOR FREE BOOKLET^ 
“To Have and to Hold Power’*^^^ 
simple, clear explanation of piston' 
rings, their construction and operation. 
Mfd, by McQuay-Norris Mfg. Co. 
2878 Locust St. St. Louis, Mo. 
Copyrijrbt 1917, McQuay-Norris Mfif. Co. 
3F 
An Indian Woman’s Com Crop 
On page o20 tvc qiiotocl from Dr. G. 
I.. Wil.sou's mouograpli on “Agriculture 
of the llidatsa Indians,” telling how Bnf- 
falobird-woinan cared for her stiuandi 
crop. The same authority tells how the 
Indian woman grew' and harvested corn, 
a very important crop, Keans w'ere 
grow'u between the corn rows, sometimes 
over all the field, but more often in a 
liortion of it only. The Indian women 
regarded the wild gooseberry as their 
calendar for corn-planting; when the old 
women of the village, going to gather 
fiiawvood, saw that the gooseberries Avere 
in full le;if they began to plant corn. 
Kiich year the corn was planted in the 
same hills, the old dead roots and refuse 
being raked olf and burned. No manure 
was ever used ; the Indians did not like 
to liaye the droppings of horses or cattle 
in their fields, and always removed them 
after their horses had been turned into 
the fields in the Tall. They knew that 
manure brought weeds, and that worms 
and insects were found in it; therefore 
they did not Avant it in their gardens. 
'J'he fields Avere fenced, and it Avas the 
Indian custom to put the fence not on 
Indian Coni-DrijUiff rialform and, shell¬ 
ing Booth. Fig. 268 
the exact boundary, but about 15 feet 
from the growing crop, so that the 
horses could not lean over and nibble it. 
The corn field was not ploAved; the 
old hill was w’orked up with the hoe, 
about 18 inches SApiare, and the soil 
stirred w'ith the fingers to make it level. 
The seed was then presscnl into the soil 
half an inch, and the hill patted firm 
with the hand. The toavs were about 
four feet apart, and the hills the same 
distan<!e apart in the row'. If the hills 
were too close the Indians called them 
“smell-eaeh-other,” and knew they would 
not produce large plump ears. The last 
corn planted, if the season Avas late, was 
soaked in tepid water to induce rapid 
sprouting. Seed used to replant hills 
destroyed by eix>ws or magpies W'as also 
soaked. If warm w'ater Avas not availa¬ 
ble, Buffalobird-w'oman said she Avonld 
sometimes put these last-i)lante<l kernels 
in her mouth tt) wet them, but the In¬ 
dians thouglit these month-Avetted ker¬ 
nels j)i\>duced many “goo.se-npper-roof- 
of-month” ears. 
If a woman was .sick, or otherAvise 
unable to do her oAvn jjlauting she 
would cook a feast and invite the mem¬ 
bers of 'her age society, asking them to 
plant her field for her, and the Avomen 
Avould unite to do the Avork, like Avhite 
Indian Food Cache for Winter Storage. 
Fig. 269 
W'omen at a (piilting bee. Hoeing began 
when the corn w'as, three inches high, 
and continued until it was eight to 18 
inches high, hilling being done as the 
silk appeared. Magpies, cr(»ws and black¬ 
birds Avere A'ery destructive; so Avere 
spott(Kl gophers. A scarecrow was made 
of sticks and an old buffalo robe, but 
the Indians found that the croAA's soon 
became accustomed to the, motionless 
figure.^ A platform or stage Avas often 
built in a garden. Avhere the girls and 
young Avomeu Avcnld sit and sing, keeping 
birds and other thieves UAvay. Horses 
might break in, or boys might steal the 
greem ears to roast them. Evidently boy 
uatui'C is much the .same, Avhether wear¬ 
ing a red skin or AA'hite. The older 
Avomeu and girls Avorked at porcu))ine 
embroidery as they watched. There 
was usually a little booth covered Avith 
hide near the Avatching stage, in AA'hich 
the watchers cooketl casual meals, visit¬ 
ing one another, and having a sort of 
picnic. The yo’^hs of the village Avould 
visit tlie gardens and try to make the 
girls smile at them, but unless they Avere 
relatives, the young girls did not talk 
to the young men, and the Indian mothers 
Avatched over their daughters very care¬ 
fully. 
A second planting of corn Avas made 
when the Jnneberries AA^ere ripe, to pro¬ 
vide green^ corn to be eaten later in the 
season. The green corn w'as boiled on 
the C(d), or slielled from the cob, ixnmded 
in a mortar, and boiled without fat, or 
shelled off and mixe<l Avith beans and 
fat into that purely American dish, 
succotash. Green corn Avas dried, in a 
manner quite similar to the practice of 
wiiite housekeepers; it was half boiled 
on the cob, then shelled off (usually with 
a sharp mussel shell) and dried in the 
sun on an eleA'ated stage. 
The ripe corn was husked, then spread 
to dry out on an elevated platform. The 
illustration. Fig. -268, shoAvs a drying 
platform, the small box-like striicture 
underneath being a shelling booth. Avhei'o 
the Indian women AVorked AA'hen the corn 
Avas _ dry enough for shelling off. At 
husking time the young men helped with 
the work, and the feasting and jollity 
mad6 it like a white farmer’s hn.sking 
bee, except that the work was done in 
tlie field, instead of in the barn. Tlie 
husked corn Avas braided into long 
strings to hang on the drying stage, as 
Avell as heaped upon it. and here again 
the white farmer has copied from his 
red-skinned forerunner. In shelling the 
Indian women .sat in the little booth and 
thrashed the grain off with sticks. The 
final storage of the corn is shown in Fig. 
2(>0, Avhich gives a sectional view of 
a food cache containing squash, shelled 
corn and corn on the ear. 
Work of a Drag Saw Outfit 
We have been getting out a lot of 
wood this Winter, as we undex'stand it 
will be badly needed another Winter. 
There are hundreds of logs that will 
take a lot of labor splitting and work¬ 
ing up ready for the buzz saw, and would 
like to ask whether any R. N.-Y. readers 
have had any expei-ience with a drag saAv 
outfit in working up these large logs. To do 
it with a .swing .saw would require large 
engine and lots of power to run such a 
large circular saw as would be neces¬ 
sary to cut off such large logs. The 
drag saw, as I understand it is called, 
like running a ci'ossout by power, would 
.save a large amount of labor, much 
heavy lifting and take much lessj poAver 
I suppo.se, unless there are other druAV- 
backs, not foreseen by one not having 
the experience, and that is whj' I thought 
some of the llTJUAL readers might he 
able to advise from actual experience. 
Theories do not always work out satis¬ 
factorily in actual ixractice. .T. o. R. 
Livingston Co., X. Y. 
There are liumlreds of others in mncli 
tlie same position. Many farmers have 
been cutting wood for next year’s fuel 
market. Have any of our readers n.sed a 
drag saw? If so, will they give their c.r- 
licrirnce rc'gardiug the points asked for? 
Packing Eggs for Mailing 
.Vt this season of the year a great 
many })eople w'ish to ship a sitting or 
two of hatching eggs by mail, and are at 
a loss to knoAV just hoAV to pack them. 
The following method I have found most 
satisfactory, both for mail and express 
shipments: Line a basket Avith paper 
ami a layer of excelsior, lay egg on 
corner of a 0 by 12 or 8 by 10 sheet of 
paper (the only good use I ever found 
for poor literature) and roll up corner- 
Avise. This leaves two long end-s of 
ixaper. Fold one down on each side of 
egg and roll up again in another sheet, 
folding doAvn on other two sides, thereby 
making a protection for all four sides. 
Next wrap a handful of excelsior around 
egg and treating all in similar manner, 
pack closely in basket, tucking in every 
bit of excelsior basket will hold, round¬ 
ing up the top with it. Now cut a piece 
of stout Avhite cibth about one inch 
larger all ai’ound than top of basket. 
This may be scAved on, but a neater, 
(luicker Avay is to tuck under splint at 
top of basket, with a case knife, leaving 
no raAV edges in sight Tuck in from 
under side. Alway.s label “eggs” in 
large letters and tie .shipping tag to han¬ 
dle Avith address of receiver and sender 
on it, stating plainly which is Avhich. 
Grape or mai'ket baskets may be used^ 
but be sure to tie handles of market 
basket securely together at top to pro¬ 
tect toil of basket. Insured parcel post 
beats express every time, 
Michigan. mrs. ir. Kennedy. 
Combination Flour 
The article by L. H. D., page 116, is 
right to the point. I, too, am a house¬ 
keeper. I also had been speaking along 
these very lines to our grocer. Another 
rea.son for the combination flours, aside 
from the handling of so many different 
kinds, is. that I find it difficult to get some 
of the flours recommended by the Food 
Administration. Small dealers in rural 
districts, are not able to get for their cus¬ 
tomers just what they Avant. I have not 
been able to get barley meal this Winter, 
though I have tried. I believe that the ma¬ 
jority of housewives are conscientiously 
trying to help the Government in their 
food-saving campaign, and the combina¬ 
tion flours would he a great assistance to 
the Government, as well as ourselves. 
Connecticut. B. F. H, 
