-* 7 ~ 
lie was doomed to pass his life—a 
haunted man—shadowed to the grave. 
But he looked, and saw on the grass 
before him—not three bleeding human 
forms, but three big skunks with an un¬ 
usual amount of white in their fur! 
That was the “enemy” the family had 
been waiting for. These skunks had been 
stealing the chickens, and the campaign 
had been planned for some days. They 
had no human enemies in that community. 
It was one of the most neighborly places 
you ever heard of. Each family was 
eager to do some service to another. The 
deaf man simply got started wrong on 
his facts, and imagination did the rest, 
until he had this desire to kill a skunk 
turned into a bloody family feud! Let 
me tell you this: A big proportion of the 
troubles and fends between neighbors and 
relatives are just about as sensible and 
have just about as much real foundation 
as this mix-up of skunks with hated 
neighbors. H. C. 
Curing Sumac Leaves and Berries 
Can vou tell me of an inexpensive and 
proper wav to cure sumac leaves and ber¬ 
ries? F - E - n - 
Crawford, N. J. 
The leaves should be gathered in July, 
since the percentage of tannin is greater 
than at any other time, and growth is 
practically complete. The terminal growth 
of the present year is cut close to the 
wood of the previous year, dried care¬ 
fully and thoroughly, spread upon a floor 
and thrashed with a flail. This breaks 
the leaves from the woody stalks, which 
are raked off. They contain some tannin, 
and also a considerable amount of dye 
stock, but the percentage is too small to 
pive them much value. The leaves are 
then "round and packed in rather close- 
meshed burlap sacks. The canes will put 
forth a new growth, and this may be 
harvested later, though two cuttings will 
materially reduce the crop of tl>e next 
season. The berries are gathered by 
breaking or cutting the entire clump at 
any tim ? after they have fully assumed 
their red color, but before severe frosts 
have touched them. They are spread 
upon slatted racks in an open shed, which 
will afford a good circulation of air, but 
will protect them from the rain. Appar¬ 
ently they contain very little moisture, 
but it L pretty difficult to dry them suf- 
iiciently to prevent heating if solidly 
packed in deep bins. They would best 
be stored upon slatted shelves, and in 
layers not more than six or eight inches 
deep. 
The berries yield a dye of considerable 
value. They have a sharply acid flavor, 
very pleasant in small quantities, but not 
enough pulp to give them any value as 
a fruit or a dessert. Still they impart 
a pleasant flavor to vinegar and to vari¬ 
ous beverages, and if boiled and sugar is 
added to the water, a very cooling and 
refreshing beverage results. The seeds, 
with the acid flavor removed, have a 
flavor strongly suggested of that of al¬ 
monds. Also, an oil of considerable value 
may be extracted from them. Since the 
advent of the cheaper mineral dyes, I am 
not aware that they have any commercial 
value. It is claimed that they form an 
important Winter food for various kinds 
of birds, but my observations are to the 
effect that no bird will eat them. 
The leaves are also extensively used in 
dyeing, and still more extensively used 
in tanning. In fact, they are used almost 
exclusively in tanning the flue Italian 
leathers.' For this purpose the Sicilian 
variety is used exclusively in tanning 
the white leathers, but the Virginian and 
the smooth-leaved varieties, both of which 
grow abundantly along the entire Atlantic 
Coast and far inland, contain a greater 
percentage of tannin. However, it is 
more difficult to eliminate the coloring 
matter sufficiently to allow their use ex¬ 
cept for the darker leathers. Back in 
the early seventies the gathering of sumac 
leaves formed an important industry in 
many parts of this country, and some 
shipments abroad were made; but a 
change in the tariff whereby they were 
placed upon the free list, where they have 
since remained, put that industry out of 
commission. We now import normally 
nnd chiefly from Italy about 20.000.000 
11 o1 ^ ground leaves annually, at a 
declared valuation closely around three 
cents a pound. Conditions during the 
nast few years, however, have greatly 
lessened the supply, and at the same time 
nave added a cent a pound to the declared 
valuation. c. o. obmsbee. 
Sunflowers and Beans 
Last Spring a happy thought cam 
e, which, at least to me. was enti 
nginal, and which I followed up 
Planting sunflowers in three-foot squ 
( our-loot would be better if vou 1 
the room), and when the plants \ 
about six inches tall I planted dost 
bei ^ ls - 1 Panted the I 
f .. ' y m, on< ? er - T G e scheme was a 
stiili-o beans took to the big, sti 
irii.v f° sunflower as naturally i 
A' 1° the bottle, maturing in f. 
out nVi-fWH th * e suu .flowers are heai 
later m, , # i make Sood chicken 
there has been no cbm 
the bearish St ?- ke ? an(l tree branches 
Michigan ! 0 Chmb ° U - 
sles ” • My little sister’s got 
lv “win”™ u 0h ’ so h fl s mine.” 
"Ot Ilinrtt ' 1 I b(?t 5,011 m - V little Si: 
§<m AD 8 w«s aSlCS t '“*“ yom ' s 1,a6 ”- 
JW RURAL. NEW-YORKER 
1443 
“BROOKLYN 
BRAND” 
SULPHUR 
COMMERCIAL FLOUR SULPHUR, 99/4% pure, for making Lime-Sul¬ 
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SUPERFINE C OMMERCIAL SULPHUR, 99, r 2% pure for dusting purposes. 
FLOWERS OF SULPHUR, 100% pure. Also Crude Nitrate Soda, Saltpetre 
and Muriate Potash. 
BATTELLE & RENWICK 
80 Maiden Lane, New York 
Write for price lists 
135-ACRE EQUIPPED FARM BARGAIN 
H mile from village and K. R. 15 acres timber, sugar 
bush and evaporator. Good set of buildings, running 
water, Id head cattle (1 registered) team, tools and crops 
included, for if ? , So 0. Serious illness, reason for selling 
Write for complete list of farms for sale 
MAXbF.VIf, I,K REAL ESTATE AGEXCT, Inc.. Dept. 1. Ole.n, N. T, 
A SMALL FARM IN CALIFORNIA 
will make you mor« money with less work. 
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1 ittlfA C 3 ' *’ fi antl 11 acres. S3,300 to 
r arms 85 ,500. Bargains. LESLIE K. 
SMITH. Tel.. 29X6 and 2917, 442 Atlanti. St., Stamford. Conn 
For Sale-Frmf and Dairy FARMS 
Free list. HARRY VAIL, Hew Milford, Orange Co.. N. Y. 
y Insure the Gate Receipts of V 
Your Fairs Against Rain x 
REGISTERED LIVE STOCK INSURED against death from disease or accidents. 
We also insure the loss of PROFITS AND FIXED OVERHEAD CHARGES 
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ItealdenL 1 4 onager O’NEILL, MOLTZ & HEAVNER 
Insurance in all its branches 
SPARK PLUGS 
U SE Champion Spark Plugs to 
cut truck costs. 
They aid greatly in profitable, 
continuous truck operation, by 
ending many of the costly delays 
for repair and adjustment. 
Champion No. 3450 Insulator 
effectively withstands the constant 
shocks, heat and vibrations to 
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duty work. 
Champion dependability ac¬ 
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having been adopted as standard 
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truck, tractor, and engine manu¬ 
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spark plug. 
' There is a Champion Spark Plug 
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Be sure the name Champion is on the Insulator 
and the World Trade Mark on the Box. 
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Toledo, Ohio 
Keep Your Truck Going 
GRANGERS LIME 
••Tne Proven Soil Sweetener” 
PROMPT SHIPMENTS 
Write for Prices and Commodity Freight Rates 
GRANGERS MANUFACTURING CO.. Succeworp 
Grangers Lime Company 
SALES OFFICES: Hartford, Conn., Bridgewater, Mill* 
WORKS: West Stockbridge, Mass. 
AGENTS W ANTED 
Active, reliable, on salary, to 
take subscriptions for Rural 
New-Yorker in New Eng¬ 
land. Prefer men who have 
horse or auto. 
Address :— 
The Rural New-Yorker 
333 W. 30th Street New York City 
