582 
RURAL NEW-YORKER 
Things to Think About 
and his wife would use your program we 
could feed the world. I am glad that 
some farmers are contented to work and 
feed their own. I wish there was a law 
The Tallett Bill'for Rural Nurses 
A bill has been introduced into the 
New York Assembly by Mr. Tallett of 
Madison County, to amend the county 
law in relation to rural nurses, and mak¬ 
ing an appropriation for their salaries. 
This bill was introduced at the request 
of the State Suffrage Association, and is 
the only measure carrying an appropria¬ 
tion that suffragists have asked of the 
Legislature this year. Among its pro¬ 
visions, this bill asks the following: 
Public nurses shall be appointed in 
each county, by the Board of Supervis¬ 
ors, by a majority vote, in such manner 
that there shall be one nurse for every 
ir»,()00 of the population, and major frac¬ 
tion thereof, of the county, residing out¬ 
side of the boundaries of any city having 
a population of 10,000 or upwards, but 
there shall be at leas-t one such nurse for 
each county other than a county wholly 
contained within a city. A person so ap¬ 
pointed shall be chosen from an eligible 
list certified by the State Civil Service 
Commission, pursuant to the civil service 
law and rules. f)nly registered nurses 
shall be admitted to examinations for 
such position. A nurse so appointed shall 
hold his or her position during good be¬ 
havior, and the Board of Supervisors may 
remove any such nurse only for cause. 
Each such nurse shall receive, in full pay¬ 
ment of his or her seiwices, an annual 
salary of $1,200, payable in monthly in¬ 
stallments. Such salary shall be paid by 
the State, out of any moneys appropri¬ 
ated therefor. The expense of mainten¬ 
ance of such nurses shall be borne by 
the county, and it shall be the duty of 
the Board' of Supervisors to appropnate 
and provide moneys therefor in the same 
manner as for other county charges. 
Such maintenance shall include traveling 
expenses and the cost of equipment ordi¬ 
narily carried by nurses, but shall not in¬ 
clude clothing or food for the nurse, ex¬ 
cept as herein otherwise provided. The 
Board of Supervisors may, however, al¬ 
low an account for board or lodging or 
both, if the County Superintendent of the 
Poor shall certify that the same Avas 
necessarily incurred while the nurse was 
caring for a patient who was unable to 
provide such board and lodging. 
Sec. 49-g. Duties of Nurses; Stiper- 
visiou. The Board of Supervisors shall 
create a committee of three of its mem¬ 
bers to supervise the duties of such 
nurses. Such committee may make rules, 
regulations and orders defining the duties 
of such nurses. The committee may as¬ 
sign any nurse to a particular town, 
village or other locality for a stated 
period. In such case, the local health 
authorities having jurisdiction of such 
town, village or locality shall designate 
the patients to be attended by the nurse 
and the duration of such attendance. 
Such committee of the Board of Super¬ 
visors may revoke any such assignment at 
any time and make a new assignment of a 
nurse to another village, town or locality. 
It may also, in any case, designate di¬ 
rectly the individual patients to be at¬ 
tended. Any such nurse shall be subject 
to call, at any time, in emergency cases 
upon the requisition of a duly licensed 
physician except while the nurse is in 
actual attendance upon a patient. The 
duties of a nurse appointed by any Board 
of Supervisors shall be perfonned wholly 
within the part of the county lying out¬ 
side of a city of 10,000 inhabitants or 
uj)wards. No charge shall be made or 
collected for the services of any such 
nurse, either by the Board of Supervisors 
or such committee or the nurse. 
The bill asks for a State appropriation 
of $175,000 to carry out its provisions. 
A similar bill has been introduced in the 
Senate by Mr. Whitney of Saratoga 
County. 
We have referred more than once to 
the need of skilled nurses in rural com¬ 
munities ; a need that has been met in 
Australia, New Zealand, and we think 
Western Canada also, by government aid. 
One of the nation’s most valuable assets 
is the healthy child, and wherever skilled 
aid and advice is given by accessible 
trained nurses we see a reduction in the 
infant death rate. In providing for rural 
niu-ses we are giving another city help 
and comfort to country women, and we 
think Mr. Tallett’s bill should be widely 
discussed, and strongly endorsed, by those 
who have the interests of the rural sec¬ 
tions at heart. 
Wood and Water 
There is a saying, which is a true one, 
that “to please the cook, keep her well 
supplied with wood and water.” Now, 
here is one objection (?) to having water 
on tap in the kitchen, and the fuel bin 
right handy, for then the man loses one 
great opportunity of pleasing the house¬ 
wife (or cook), notwithstanding the many 
and great advantages of having water on 
tap and the fuel handy. To prove that 
old saying is a true one, I would remark 
that my mother kept a man four years, 
who did scarcely any work except keeping 
the woodbox filled with wood and the 
water pails always filled with water from 
the well. This man was a diplomat, 
though otherwi.se a useless creature. He 
looked to his bread and butter, for he 
lived only to eat. He would look at the 
woodbox, and when getting nearly empty 
would, of his own volition, fill it up; the 
same with the water pail. If the fire was 
not burning well he would, of his own 
volition, get kindling wood to improve it. 
Best of all, he never w’ould have to be 
told to do any of these chores. He was 
an inordinate eater, but his diplomatic 
ability in pleasing the cook made him a 
welcome guest. There is a lesson in this 
for other men; it has been a les.son to me, 
for if I wish to please my mother (our 
housewife) I cannot do better than to 
supply her with plenty of wood and 
water. After finishing barn chores and 
separating milk I fill wmodbox and water 
pails. Then, when mother gets up and 
observes that there is a good supply of 
wood and water for the day, she gets in 
IVooc? Shed 
Woodhox and Kitchen Arrangement 
good humor and usually keeps so for the 
forenoon, for mother is like most other 
women, and has her sour spells. There 
is a good deal of poetry in all that we 
read about “mother.” When one lives 
and worlTs with mother, she appears to 
differ very little from anyone’s else moth¬ 
er, and is not at all the paragon of per¬ 
fection we so often read about. Since 
having to do much of my own work 
(many would call them chores) I have 
tried to make as many conveniences for 
myself as I pos.sibly can; and I am 
pretty handy with tools, and can usually 
do a good deal of these thing.s mj'self. In 
the matter of wood, I have it pretty con¬ 
venient. This alteration I made last Fall. 
I give a sketch of the wood-room and 
shed at end. As to water conveniences, I 
still have the old oaken bucket, “the fun¬ 
gus-grown bucket, that hangs in the well.” 
My well is 52 feet deep; too deep for a 
hand pump, us the lift would be .24 feet. 
j. A. m’donalu. 
A New England Woman’s Ideas 
(Continued from page 580) 
get along just as well. If your wife 
takes the place of a hired man, do you 
pay her what a hired man gets? Y’'ou 
should, so she can be sure of a head¬ 
stone after she has passed beyond. When 
your wife is in the house at evening, do 
you help her with her work, or do you sit 
and read The R. N.-Y. to her? It is all 
very well for a woman to care for a few 
hens, a small strawberry bed or a vege¬ 
table garden, and she can help milk w’ere 
you sick, but a wmman who has little 
children should be treated like a queen. 
Y’'ou say a boy of 14 can take his moth¬ 
er’s place. What good would a boy be at 
his age if his mother had worked as you 
speak of, and God pity your daughter! 
As your boys grow older they will not 
have any respect for their mother or 
wives, but look on them as the Indian 
does on his squaw. Your daughter w'ould 
only see the sad side of farm life, and 
say, as I did, that I “would never marry 
a farmer’s son.” You say if every farmer 
that some of these “idle” men who are 
living on their wives, could be made to 
help the farmer. They can’t take the 
place of our dear sons Avho have been 
called to fill the army, but they could help 
win the war. Every farmer’s w'ife who 
has a .son old enough to go to war or help 
feed our soldiers has done her “bit” with¬ 
out going outdoors to work. 
YANKEE GRANDMA. 
Epsom Salts in Buckwheat 
I noticed in a recent issue of The R. 
N.-Y. that the Cherry-tops are suffering 
from a breaking out from. the use of 
buckwheat pancakes. I wull tell you 
what I do, and everyone who u.ses buck¬ 
wheat cakes should try it, as it is no 
trouble and but very little expense. I 
have always used it and my mother also, 
and none of my family ever has the least 
bit of a rash or anything from the use 
of buckwheat. For a family of four I 
take a teaspoonful of Epsom Salts and 
put it in the cup with the soda when dis¬ 
solved in the morning for the cakes. I do 
this every morning just as regularly as 
I use the soda, and you can never taste 
it in the cakes. For a larger family use 
in accordance. I think this will help a 
great many from the unpleasantness of 
using buckwheat, as I know of a great 
many who gave up the use of buckwheat 
just on account of the rash it caused. 
MRS. M. L. B. 
I see that some of The R. N.-Y. folk 
are having “buckwheat rash.” We use 
the ounce of prevention. For our family 
of three I dissolve one teaspoonful of 
Epsom salts and a half teaspoonful of 
baking soda in warm water and stir in 
my batter each morning. I have used it 
over 40 years, and never have any 
trouble. I* hope it may help others. 
New York. MRS. M. E. P. 
EVENTS OF THE WEEK 
DOMESTIC. — William .Tenniugs 
Bryan has been served with a subpoena 
to testify for the defense in the trial at 
San Francisco of a group of Hindus and 
others charged with conspiring to foment 
revolution against British imle in India. 
Daniel .1. Moran, employed in the re¬ 
pair shops of the New York Central Rail¬ 
road in West Springfield, Mass., was 
placed under arrest April 8, charged with 
malicious destniction of property. He 
pleaded not guilty. He is spe.ifically 
charged with removing Avorking parts 
from a big traveling crane. This is not 
the first time machines have been tam¬ 
pered with. The police believe Moran is 
the tool of others. 
Discovery that small tubes, which are 
supposed to have contained a cement to 
be used in finishing gas masks, and which 
are sent forward Avith the masks them¬ 
selves, have been empty, has led to an 
inquiry at New Britain, Conn. Officials 
believe persons with, ulterior motives have 
been responsible. 
German px'isoners of war held by the 
United States in camp at Fort McPher¬ 
son, Ga., are to be employed by the State 
of Georgia on road Ayork this Spring and 
Summer, it was announced April 8 at 
the War Department. Plans are also 
under consideration by the War Depart¬ 
ment for the working of enemy aliens in¬ 
terned at Fort Oglethorpe, Ga. Interna¬ 
tional law prohibits any government from 
compelling interned aliens to perform 
menial Avork, except that from which they 
derive a direct benefit, but many of the 
enemy have asked for the privilege of em¬ 
ployment, and the I'oad improvement 
idanned by the Georgia State p)vernment 
Avill provide some of them Avith occupa¬ 
tion. 
Legislation to prevent idleness among 
able-bodied citizens of Miissachu setts 
during the Avar was introduced in the 
House of Rejxresentatives April 8. The 
bill would rexiuire a man Avho said he 
could get no Avork to repoi-t to the State 
Board of Labor and Industries. The jxen- 
alty named in the bill for failure to com¬ 
ply with its provisions is a fine of not 
more than $100 or impri.sonment for not 
more than three months, or both. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—The War 
Department announced April 4 that fur¬ 
loughs Avould be granted to enlisted men 
to enable them to engage in farming dur¬ 
ing the present season. Only the men 
not under orders to embark for overseas 
duty will be furloughed. “Commanding 
officers may grant such furloughs,” says 
the War Department statement, “within 
prescribed rules, whenever it appears that 
they will contribute to increase farm pro¬ 
duction. It is, however, desired to re¬ 
duce to a minimum interference with the 
progress of military training and preixara- 
tion. Furloughs granted xinder this order 
will be for short periods, largely for seed¬ 
ing and harvesting time.” 
A gardeners’ conference under the aus¬ 
pices of the National Association of Gar¬ 
deners was held in Boston, April 18. 
Merchants in the Boston wool trade de¬ 
cided April 9 to refrain from buying, of¬ 
fering or .selling any aa'ooI in the United 
April 20, 1918 
States until a definite statement is re¬ 
ceived from the Government in reference 
to its recently announced intention to 
exercise its option on the country’s wool 
supply. The decision was made at a |oint 
meeting of the war emergency committee 
and the executive committee of the Bos¬ 
ton Wool Trade Association. It was also 
agreed to refrain from taking any assign¬ 
ments of any avooI in this country. The 
resolutions adopted invite all wool trade 
operators and manufacturers of the coun¬ 
try to join in the spirit and intent of the 
resolutions. 
Beginning at midnight, April 10, Swift 
& Co. must suspend all dealings in eggs 
in New York City for a period of 3() 
days. This is the penalty meted out by 
Mr. Hoover in approving the recommen¬ 
dations of the Federal Food Board by 
which the corporation was found guilty 
of violating regulations in the sale of 12 
carloads of eggs. Swift & Co. are di¬ 
rected to invest their profits in the egg 
deal, $.3,000, in Liberty Bonds and to 
turn over the bonds to the New York 
Chapter of the American Red Cross. A 
copy of the judgment will be posted on 
the door of the company’s office during 
the entire period its egg department is 
closed for business. C. H. Zinn & Co., 
who acted as brokers for the packers, are 
su.spended from dealing in eggs in New 
York City for seven days, beginning at 
midnight, April 10. The Federal Food 
Board’s recommendation called for a 30 
days suspension. In making a change 
Mr. Hoover directed that C. II. Zinn & 
Co. are to apply their profits in the trans¬ 
action, about .$750, to the purchase of 
Liberty Bonds for the Red Cross. Zinn 
& Co. paid 48 cents per dozen for the eggs 
and charged Swift & Co. a brokerage fee 
of half a cent a dozen. Swift & Co. dis¬ 
posed of the eggs at prices averaging 51 
cents. The deal took place five days 
after the Food Administration fixed 45.i5 
cents per dozen as the price for eggs. 
WASHINGTON. — President Wilson 
April 4 signed the bill authorizing the 
third Liberty Loan after the House, ac¬ 
cepting minor ameiKlments of the Senate, 
had passed it and it had been forwarded 
to the White House. Before the legisla¬ 
tive programme for the loan had been 
completed the Treasury Department 
earlier in the day had announced the pro¬ 
visions of the neAv loan. The issue of 
bonds for the third loan will run for 10 
years, maturing on September 15, 1928, 
bearing interest from May 9, which will 
be payable twice a year, on September 
15 and March 15. The amount of the 
loan will be $3,000,000,000, but the Treas¬ 
ury Department reserves the right to ac¬ 
cept oversubscriptions. The interest rate, 
as previously announced, will be 4% per 
cent. On the third Liberty Loan a cash 
payment of 5 per cent with the subscrip¬ 
tion will be required instead of 2 per 
cent, as in the case with the second loan. 
The other payments then will fall due as 
follows: May 28, 20 per cent; ,Tuly 18, 
35 per cent; August 15, 40 per cent. 
Officials are confident that larger pay¬ 
ments than the required 20 per cent will 
be made on May 28, and also are hopeful 
that many subscribers will pay in full at 
the start, thus affording the Treasury De¬ 
partment an opportunity to redeem a 
large part of the certificates of indebted¬ 
ness Avhich are due on May 9. 
All Avoolen mills*in the country Avere 
directed by the War Department, April 
5, to hold their looms at the service of 
the Government from noAV until .Inly 1 
to insure adequate .supplies of cloth for 
uniforms. Manufacturers of civilian 
clothing who get any of the output of the 
mills Avill do so under special Goveniment 
permits. 
The first step Ai-as taken Anril 5 by the 
War Industries Board, through the Fuel 
Administration, to bring about a decided 
curtailment in non-essential products. An 
order was issued by Dr. Garfield at the 
instance of the board requiring all piano 
and other musical instrument factories to 
reduce the operating time of their plants 
30 per cent for a period of (50 days. Ne¬ 
gotiations are in progress between the 
War Industries Board and the factory 
owners affected to utilize the idle time in 
the manufacture of aircraft and other 
war supplies. 
Nine billion dollars is the approximate 
co.st to the United States of one year of 
war. More than one-half has gone in 
loans to allies and Avill be repaid eventu¬ 
ally, over one-third has been spent for 
the army and military establishment, one- 
tenth for the navy and one-fifteenth for 
shipbuilding. Just one-sixth of this big 
war cost has been provided by taxation 
and other ordinary sources of revenue and 
the remainder has been covered by the 
sale of Liberty Bonds and certificates of 
indebtedness. 
OBITUARY.—.lohn Harrison Dick, 
editor of the Florists* Exchange, died at 
his late residence, Brooklyn, N. Y., March 
25, aged 40 years. Mr. Dick was a native 
of Scotland, having been in this country 
but a few years. He was well known in 
Great Britain as a horticultural writer, 
journalist and lecturer, and Avas con¬ 
nected with many horticultural societies 
on both sides of the Atlantic. His work 
here had brought him in close touch with 
American horticulture, and he was the 
author of several standard books on 
kindred subjects. He is survived by a 
Avidow and young daughter in this coun¬ 
try ; one brother in the British army was 
killed early in the war, while another, 
who took part in the Gallipoli expedition, 
is now reported on the French battle line. 
