The RURAL. NEW-YORKER 
The Thoughts of a Plain Farm Woman 
Catching Up. —Wc have finally caught 
up with ourselves as I write (June 7) on 
the farm crops, and things begin to look 
more auspicious for a good harvest. On 
every side one hears of curtailed crops 
and reduced acreage. It would certainly 
seem that those who can find the labor 
somewhere and then the ambition and 
grit to work overtime ought to cash in 
on their industry later on. Six and one- 
half million or less farmers of America 
have got to feed nearly a hundred million 
others, beside shipping their much-needed 
•‘surplus” abroad. This being the case, 
it must be good business to go ahead with 
full steam on and produce to beat all 
records. As so many are unable to do 
this on various counts, the farmers who 
are out to break former production figures 
should be well paid for their pains. At 
least we will hope that they are, as low 
prices for food this of all years wou'd be 
so discouraging to the comparative few 
who are willing to sweat 16 hours out of 
the 24 that the world would surely face 
a very real famine another season. 
A Late Season. —We will not harvest 
early potatoes until the middle of August, 
at the earliest. Formerly around the 
third to the fifth they have gone on the 
market, but the cold, late Spring has kept 
everything back, and we are really having 
our May now, instead of June, so far as 
the season is concerned. We are buying 
a two-horse sprayer and an inexpensive 
digger to aid us with the potato crop. 
Five acres looked a bit large to care for 
by hand this year to the two men. The 
ground was cultivated thoroughly after 
planting our “spuds” before they came 
up. This year also the men got after 
the corn ground ahead of the weeds, and 
dragged that several times before the 
sprouts appeared. We ought to have a 
better corn crop than last year, as it does 
appreciate much care. We are about 
ready to set out the cabbage field, and 
will go in for the early and red varieties 
particularly. The former is sure to inter¬ 
fere with siloing later on. but we believe 
that it will be the profitable crop to grow 
this year, so will try to manage them 
both somehow. 
Tosting Needed.— Ours has been one 
of the few farms in this vicinity which ts 
not posted against hunters, trappers and 
trespassers in general. However, since a 
little experience this Spring we are con¬ 
sidering the advisability of erecting 
barbed-wire entanglements to keep off so- 
called “sportsmen” who have no more 
sporting blood in them than the wood¬ 
chucks they so industriously hunt. A 
big buzz saw was placed up at the end 
of the farm on the edge of the woods, and 
it seems that the large iron wheel was 
used as a target or bull’s-eye for the im¬ 
proving of somebody’s marksmanship. At 
least, two holes from a high-powered rifle 
are now in the wheel, and we are putting 
our hands in our pockets to replace it. 
as its usefulness is now decidedly the 
worse for wear. This, of course, was 
just wilful meanness on somebody’s part, 
and could not even be condoned as acci¬ 
dental—such being the favorite excuse of 
the poor hunter who shoots a child or 
man or cow. Only the other day in our 
county a farmer went out to his fields 
after a milker who failed to show tin at 
chore time, and discovered her headless, 
hideless and in chunks, lying near the 
fence where her butcher had performed 
his neat job. The owner in this case sent 
immediate word to the sheriff as follows: 
“Put bloodhounds on the trail.” And 
who could blame him, even if the cow in 
question had not been a purebred and one 
of the best animals in his herd? To do 
such a job as that for the hide and pieces 
of the meat seems a little too much. And 
soon the season will be upon us when our 
priceless fruit crops will be at the mercy 
of the road marauders and sneak thieves 
who honestly appear to think that these 
:i,v the legitimate spoils of the passerby. 
As someone in The R. N.-Y. has previously 
remarked, people who would be shocked 
oeyond word at the idea of despoiling a 
city fruit stand jump from their cars 
aDan approaching a tempting orchard, 
beld or garden and take what they want 
with every confidence of personal clever¬ 
ness and a prank well played. To empty 
a shotgun into the back tire of such care¬ 
less moralizers might teach them that 
-.wo can play at that game, and that 
farmers have rights, even as does the rest 
°* the world. But all these are surely 
maddening in the meantime. 
Tire Auto Nuisance.— We live on the 
^tate road, and there is incessant traffic 
oast at all hours of the day and usually 
11 the night. The other morning we got 
up to find that uninvited visitors of the 
previous dark hours who had disturbed 
' I'll .i >n s t slumbers for an endless spell 
with the repairing of their car had backed 
up onto the lawn into the bargain, broken 
<iown several barberry plants growing in 
rue low hedge along the road, and had 
' , us as mementoes of the occasion any 
)in “" er . broken bottles, trash, papers, 
,uJ„ eS V° ( lron » au( l goodness knows what 
, ‘ . ‘ or us to clean away. But. such 
P ' s a . re > after all, an old story here. 
exn 0 of mC< I Summer’s night we go to bed 
Kv o i s 3e awakened at any minute 
‘ broken-down night joy-rider who 
or o ll f V , 1 front to mend his blowout, 
lonn r/o - th f r i - v t0 . California, or the 
rim Rasoline to get him on to 
forth J5 a 5 P um P’ instead of walking 
torth to find it ou his own. And the 
vivacious conversations and ear-splitting 
noises made by such drivers and their 
hilarious parties, whose ardor is not 
dampened in the least, apparently, by the 
enforced stop, makes the weary farmer 
and his family cringe and writhe in their 
beds, and devoutly wish that automobiles 
had never been invented. Our farmhouse 
seems to be the understood 'breaking-down 
point for the modern gas vehicle, while 
farther down the road another farmer 
lies awake nights expecting to hear the 
grand smash-up which occurs periodically 
at his place throughout the season. After 
all. this neighbor must get a better run 
for his sleepless nights than we do, as 
there is undeniable excitement in the ex¬ 
pectation of two or more cars gaily col¬ 
liding, while with us a tame puncture 
or the like which takes but a few hours 
to mend is all we can hope for the priv¬ 
ilege of being kept awake by the care¬ 
free un orists. Perhaps life on Hie top 
hill far from the exasperating exhaust of 
an exhausted engine lias its compensa¬ 
tions after all. 
Caring for the Cemetery. — Many 
people think that a house or farm situ¬ 
ated beside a cemetery—God’s Acre, as I 
love to hear it called—is most undesir¬ 
ably located, and if so, our farm is situ¬ 
ated ou the most unpopular site in town. 
But I cannot agree with such opinions, 
and to me our farm becomes richer in 
association and value because of its close 
proximity to departed friends. The old¬ 
est dated headstone in our cemetery ts 
1797. or around that time. It is an old 
burying ground, and yet is kept in such 
smooth, well-cared-for condition that the 
oldest graves are as clean-cropped and 
green as those of a much later day. and 
friends and visitors come from many miles 
to visit and lay tribute on the weekly 
mowed sod. Cemeteries which have been 
allowed to run wild, and in which one 
ventures with ' fear and trepidation of 
snakes and thorns are a disgrace to their 
communities, and in this day. and age 
ought not to be tolerated for a moment. 
Cemeteries today are usually managed by 
a local association and a caretaker is 
hired daily for the season to keep the 
whole in good condition. I imagine that 
it is the memory of the old-time laurel- 
run, sunken, friendless cemeteries which 
cause some folks to declare that they 
would not live beside one if the farm were 
given to them. Our cemetery is thronged 
each Sunday and holiday, and is the real 
beauty-spot of the village. Flags are 
kept on all soldiers’ graves, and it is the 
pride of the association’s members to see 
that the cemetery is kept immaculate, 
with a welcome for all who come to spend 
precious moments with their dead. Surely 
this is as it should be, and every year 
I note that more and more graves are 
being planted with shrubs and perennials, 
as well as the usual vases of cut flowers, 
all of which adds so much to the appeal 
of this sacred place. We have all driven 
out on country roads and around a sudden 
corner have occasionally happened upon 
a pretty, carefully kept burying ground, 
while the large one we left behind in 
our owu township was a sad contrast to 
this green oasis on a back road. People 
are evidently realizing their duty to the 
dead as well as to the Irving in this re¬ 
spect. and the last few years have wit¬ 
nessed the cleaning up and restoration 
of thousands of old. forsaken cemeteries 
throughout America. Village improve¬ 
ment societies, as well as public and pri¬ 
vate interests, often start the ball rolling, 
and it would seem that no more worthy 
task could be imagined for the various 
women’s church organizations than to 
take the neglected cemetery question for 
immediate settling, and proceed to raise 
money by all the ways known to church 
societies for this important purpose. My 
own experience has been that the ceme- 
1257 
teries associated particularly with cer¬ 
tain country churches are the ones most 
apt to be sadly run down; but this is 
probably not owing to their connection 
with the church. I do believe, however, 
that the church should take more of a 
hand in the care of our cemeteries than 
many of them see fit to do. 
Sugarless Canning. —We are not 
planning to can fruit of any kind this 
year, owing to its high price and scarcity 
and the corresponding price and lack of 
sugar. We put up much conserve and 
marmalade—rhubarb mixed with all sorts 
of odds and ends of fruit—and this will 
be our “sauce” the coming year, if any. 
We buy Hawaiian pineapple by the can 
instead of fresh pineapples, and use the 
fruit .slices, in salads and' desserts as 
wanted, while the liquid, of which there 
is always a. lot, is combined with the rhu¬ 
barb for pineapple conserve. We think 
this is just as good and just as cheap 
and much easier than to buy the fresh 
fruit, as there is no waste whatever nor 
valuable time spent in getting the whole 
to cook. We shall can quantities of veg¬ 
etables. if the garden does its part, and 
let .these make up for the sweeter" stuff 
which is so expensive today. I imagine 
many will go and do likewise if they 
take care.of the pennies. We are eating 
a. new pie these days, which everyone 
likes, but which is probably not so new 
after all. It is a one-erust custard pie. 
made with coffee—the coffee first being 
boiled with milk instead of water, and 
a bit of maple flavoring added to give 
just the right taste. With a tall meringue 
—ice cold—this pie is a favorite on our 
table. h. s. k. w. 
A man was being tried for selling 
illicit, whiskey. The liquor was offered 
in evidence. The jury returned after tak¬ 
ing fifteen minutes to come to a decision. 
“What is the verdict?” asked the judge. 
“We would like more evidence,” replied 
the foreman of the jury.—Everybody’s 
Magazine. 
Why ^Waterloo Boy 
Gives Maximum Power 
At Drawbar and Belt 
The engine of any tractor will deliver its maximum power only 
when shaft and axle bearings run without friction. Friction 
means wasted motor energy. 
The Waterloo Boy Tractor is equipped with heavy-duty roller 
bearings. Friction is reduced to the minimum. Engine 
efficiency is increased. Maximum power is delivered at draw¬ 
bar and belt. 
The small shaded portions in 
the above illustration show the 
exact location of the heavy- 
duty Hyatt bearings on the 
Waterloo Boy. They reduce 
friction,thusgiving maximum 
drawbar and belt power. All 
the gears shown above are en¬ 
closed in a dust-proof :t«e, 
and run in oil. 
Eleven Hyatt roller bearings are used on the Waterloo Boy. Three are on 
the engine extension shaft which operates the belt pulley, and carries the 
high and low speed gears. Two are on the intermediate shaft, whose gears 
transmit tractive power to the differential. Four are on the differential 
shafts, which drive the tractor, and two on the rear axle, carrying the rear 
weight of the outfit. These particular bearings have an established repu¬ 
tation for their special ability to reduce friction and conserve power. 
The Waterloo Boy engine is placed crosswise on the tractor frame. Thi9 
eliminates bevel gears. Bevel gears cause friction. Waterloo Boy drive i9 
direct through straight gears, another power-conserving feature. 
There are many other superior features of Waterloo Boy construction and 
operation. Its simplicity and accessibility, its powerful 12-25 H. P. engine; 
its ability to burn kerosene and burn it right, a pump, fan and radiator 
cooling system, all contribute to make the Waterloo Boy an especially good 
tractor for your farm. 
Wo have a booklet describing tho Waterloo Boy fully. You will want to 
read it. Address John Deere, Moline, Illinois, and ask for booklet WB-740. 
John Deere Implements, and 
Waterloo Boy Tractors and 
Kerosene Engines are distrib¬ 
uted from all important trade 
centers. Sold by John Deere 
dealers swerywhore. 
JOHN 
■MOLINE. ILL 
DEERE 
THE TRADE MARK OF QUALITY MADE FAMOUS BY GOOD IMPLEMENTS 
