280 
The RURAL NEW-YORKER 
February 19, 1921 
BOWKERS 
F E RTILI Z E R.S 
J- 
"FOR THE 
LAND’S SAKE' 
use ^4 
BOWKERS ^ 
FERTILIZERS 
Since 1873 BOWKER’S 
Fertilizers have been 
mortgage lifters. They 
have made farming 
more profitable by help¬ 
ing to keep down pro¬ 
duction costs and pro¬ 
ducing bigger yields. 
BOWKER’S are qual= 
ity fertilizers from start 
to finish. “For the 
land’s sake”—see your 
Bowker dealer noW. 
The Ute W. H. Bowker we* one of the 
first fertilizer manufacturers to apply the 
science of chemistry to the manufacture 
of fertilizers. His helpful book “Plant 
Food" will be sent to you without charge 
if you mention this paper. 
FERTILIZER CO. 
BOSTON NEW YORK 
SWEET CLOVER SEED 
Prices of eeed and instructions for winter sowing sent 
on request. Bokhara Seed Co., !•> ?8,Falmouth, Ky. 
Black Raspberry Plants good, healthy plants; 
delivered parcel post. Half c;«sh with ordon remainder 
on delivery. Order early. Holden, K. K. !>.. Kden, >. V. 
For Sale-Mangel Beets w B . DEWITT, Skam-atol**, ,\.Y 
Manual o! Farm Grasses 
Describes all the agricultural grasses of the U. 8. 
Gives information on grass crop areas, meadows, 
pastures, lawns, and grass seed. The author is 
Systematic Agrostologist. 17.S. Dept, of Agriculture. 
Illustrated by Sti figures. Price, $2.00 postpaid. Addrcaa 
A. S. HITCHCOCK 1867H, Washington. D. C_ 
CERTIFIED SEED POTATOES 
RURAL RUSSETS 
Patted all disease inspections by Cornell specialists 
PEDIGREED SEED OATS 
CORNELL SELLCTION No. 115-40 
One of the best from over 400 selections tested 
WRITE TOR DESCRIPTIONS AND PRICES 
K. C. LIVERMORE. R. 2, H0NE0YE FALLS, N. Y. 
IRISH COBBLER SEED POTATOES 
The early potato without a fault. Write for our low 
prices. G. \V. DAWSON Dickinson Center, N. Y. 
Best Seed Potatoes i. & SI.DKliiuE SONS,’ Vuii.rc, N. Y. 
riL i Pooch Delicious Apple. Montmorency Cher- 
CIDeridredOn ry. Kelloggs Premier and other hi raw- 
berry for immediate orders. I.ow prices. Spring deliv. 
cry. Order now from BRIDGEVILLE NURSERIES, Bridgevillc. D«l- 
PEACH TREES 
Apple, etc. 50,000 
straight, well root¬ 
ed trees. Standard varieties. Improve value, ap 
pearance and pleasure of farm, garden, and orchard. 
Free catalogue, MITCHELL'S NURSERY. Beverly. Ohio 
Masters Plant Setter 
Saves Caber—Saves Expense 
Pays for Itself Every 
Day Used 
Transplants Tobacco, To¬ 
matoes, Sweet Potatoes, 
Cabbage, Strawberries, 
Eggplant and all similar plants. 
No Stooping-No Lame Back 
Each plant set, watered and covered 
—one operation. A full stand; no re¬ 
setting, an earlier crop. Most prac¬ 
tical planter ever invented. Is guar¬ 
anteed to set three times as fast and 
easier and better than hand work. 
Money back if not satisfied. Write 
for Free illustrated literature. 
MASTERS PLANTER CO., Dept. 15 Chicago, IIL 
GRANGERS LIME ESSENTIAL 
“Carbonate of Lime (raw 
limestone), we may as fairly 
confess, is the very keynote of 
successful Alfalfa culture. 
Drainage and carbonate of lime 
are the two essential things. All 
the rest that can be added will 
help; these two are indispens¬ 
able.” 
GRANGERS MFG. CO.. (Succe.s.r) 
GRANGERS LIME CO. 
Hartford, Conn. Bridgewater, Mas*. 
Works : West Stockbridge, Mass. 
GRAPE VINES 
Gooseberries Currants 
Raspberries Strawberries 
Best, varieties. Well-rooted and vigorous plants 
Catalogue sent to you free. Write for it today- 
T. S. HUBBARD CO., Box 20, Fredonia, N. Y. 
CHAMPION NURSERIES 
have been dealing direot with planters for 
thirty years. Send lor free catalogue of apple, 
peach, cherry, plum and pear trees: grapevines, 
small fruit plants, ornamental trees, shrubs, 
viues, roses, etc. Ail clean thrifty stock. 
H. J. CHAMPION & SON 
PERRY - - LAKE CO., OHIO 
r^-. . • ■■■■■-—■ 
It When you write advertisers mention 
II The Rural New-Yorker and you’ll get 
I a quick reply and a “square deal.” See 
guarantee editorial page. : : : 
MAMMOTH 
CLOVER 
Guaranteed True to Name 
Sowing Mammoth and reaping a 
crop of Ued. What a loss? Our 
guarantee of genuineness is your 
protection. We select and clean 
our seed to insure freedom from 
weeds and dead grains. 
Compare onr Seed with others. Use 
test "How lo Know Good Seed” in 
Scott's Ssod Book. Write for this booh 
and quotation on Scott’s Mammoth. 
a M. scon & SONS CO.,94 Sixth St,Marysville,Ohio 
XATrtnA A ctioc ITnleached,packed in hags, *18 
TV UUU /YallCO per ton F. O. B. Swarthmore. Pa. 
W. H. LEIDY, - Swarthmore, Pa. 
There are three distinct methods of 
dressing skins, and many variations of 
each. The first method consists of tan¬ 
ning by means of tin astringent substance, 
called tannin, and extracted from the 
bark or leaves or fruits of trees of vari¬ 
ous kinds. This is true tanning, and is 
used for the manufacture of thick, hard 
leather. This method gives the strongest 
and most durable leather, but it is ex¬ 
pensive, inasmuch as it requires from *»ix 
to 18 months, during which time the tan¬ 
ner must keep his money tied up in ma¬ 
terial. The second process is called 
“tawing.” and consists of impregnating 
the hides with mineral substances of va¬ 
rious kinds. This is a much quicker 
process of making a soft, pliable leather 
of only moderate wearing and tensile 
qualities, when compared with that made 
by the bark process. It is also used more 
extensively than any other method iu the 
dressing of light furs, but it. makes the 
heavier furs, like the goat skiu, rather 
too stiff and hard for ordinary purposes. 
For such skins the third method, which 
is known as oil-tanning, is greatly to be 
preferred. This method consists of im¬ 
pregnating the hides with oils of various 
kinds. It makes the softest and nicest 
kind of leather, but it is less durable than 
either the other methods, and it also re¬ 
quires an immense amount of elbow 
grease. 
Assuming that the skin is fresh, about 
as it came from the animal, the tirst 
proc- -s is to wash it thoroughly, through 
several courses of strong soapsuds. This 
will probably soak it sufficiently, even if 
partially dried. After washing and wring¬ 
ing and stretching until you think, you 
have stretched it enough, repeat the pro¬ 
cess for good measure. Then lay the bide 
on a table, flesh side up, and sprinkle 
well with fine salt. This will open the 
pores for the admission of the oil. and 
also bring the water out. Let lie 12 
hours. Shake off the salt and wipe the 
skin dry, at the same time removing all 
integument from the hide. Cover again 
with salt. Let lie another 12 hours, and 
brush and wipe again, and repeat this 
process until the salt will remain dry, 
except for such moisture as it may absorb 
from the atmosphere. Then melt equal 
parts of neat’s-foot oil and tallow (mut¬ 
ton tallow is best) together. Heat as 
hot as you can bear your hand in it. 
Hub this into the hide, touching every 
part. Work all the oil into it that the 
hide will absorb. Dry iu moderate heat 
and work in more. So continue until 
hide will take no more, or until oil begins 
to come through on the opposite side. 
Then rub with wheat bran- until all oil 
is removed from surface, and work bran 
into the hair iu case oil has come through 
Sawdust or corumeal will answer, and the 
Indians use dried and finely pulverized 
clay, but the bran is considered to give 
the best results. 
If you have followed directions, and 
have used plenty of elbow grease, you 
have now a soft, pliable, waterproof hide, 
suitable for a garment of any kind, and 
one that will endure a great many years 
of wear. Eventually, however, the oil 
will become rancid and impart a slight 
odor. Also if it is repeatedly wetted and 
rapidly dried it will become hard and 
stiff, and it is not. impervious to the at¬ 
tacks of insects. These defects may be 
remedied by smoking. This is done by 
tacking the hide to the inside of a box, 
preferably the top, of sufficient size and 
conducting smoke into the box similarly 
as hams are smoked. Smoke from a 
smoldering fire of rotten wood will give 
the quickest results, but it will also im¬ 
part a more or less unpleasant odor, so 
it may be best to utilize that from a quick 
fire of some odorless wood, like dry maple 
or beech. The skins are now thoroughly 
well tanned, but should be well beaten, 
similarly as rugs arc beaten to clean them 
of dust and bran. Then the hair is 
combed and straightened, after which it 
may be colored if desired. Any of the 
commercial dyes used in coloring wool will 
answer the purpose. There are several 
firms making a business of tanning and 
dyeing skins, and they will do a better 
in the matter of coloring. 
In the matter of rabbit skins. These 
do not give as good results as other skins, 
for the double reason that the skins are 
as thin and as easily torn as paper, and 
they shed their hairs very freely. How¬ 
ever, something may be done with them. 
Assuming that they are dry. they should 
he soaked until they are soft and pliable 
and all blood stains can be removed. 
Then three parts of alum and one of salt¬ 
peter arc dissolved in soft water, in th° 
proportion- of a cupful of the mixture to 
a gallon of water, and the skins are 
soaked in this for about a week, being 
pulled and stretched as often as three 
times a day. This will set the hair and 
toughefl the skins the best of any known 
preparation, but it will make the skins 
hard and harsh, and possibly inclined to 
break in the folds. To remedy this, use 
the oil as recommended for dressing goat¬ 
skins. Rabbit fur may be colored to any 
desired shade, and while it lasts makes a 
close imitation of many of the highest 
grades'of furs, even being used in suc¬ 
cessful imitation of seal, beaver and er¬ 
mine. I will venture the assertion that 
00 per cent of all the 1 so-called bearskin 
coats and robes and rugs that have been 
placed before the public during the past 
10 years originally grew on the backs of 
goats. As for myself, I have worn a fur 
coat during the past eight Winters, and 
have been delighted with its warmth, 
lightness and appearance, that was war¬ 
ranted to me to be of genuine Afghanis¬ 
tan buffalo skiu, an animal unknown to 
the naturalists, but which I know to be 
nothing but a goatskin, pure and simple. 
C. 0. ORMSBEE. 
The Mung Bean 
Some of the seedsmen are offering what 
they call the Mung bean (Phaseolus 
aureus). They claim iarge things for it, 
stating that it is superior to either cow 
peas <>r Soy beans. What is the truth 
about it? j. l. 
During the past two or three years 
several enterprising growers and seeds¬ 
men have exploited the Mung bean. Some 
rather extravagant claims have been made 
for this crop, and at the same time ex¬ 
orbitant prices have been charged for the 
seed. The Mung bean is cultivated 
throughout the southern half of Asia, in 
the adjacent Malayan islands and quite 
generally throughout the eastern portions 
of Africa. The seeds are used almost ex¬ 
clusively for human food and the straw 
is fed to cattle. In China the Mung bean 
is used extensively for beau sprouts and 
iu the manufacture of a bean vermicelli. 
The Mung bean was known in the 
United States previous to 1835. About 
1853 it was grown under the names of 
Chickasaw pea and Oregon pea. Thie 
later became known as the Newman bean, 
and was cultivated to some extent in the 
Southern States. The varieties of the 
Mung bean are fairly numerous, about 20 
having been introduced and tested by the 
Department of Agriculture during the 
past 15 years. Notwithstanding that the 
varieties of this crop exhibit a w ale range 
nf comparative excellence, it is doubtful 
whether the beau will prove a permanent 
addition to American agriculture. 
As a field crop the Mung bean is di¬ 
rectly comparable to the cow pea and 
the Soy bean. However, it has nowhere 
proved superior to either of these crops. 
It is not a« vigorous a plant as the cow 
pea, and therefore not able to combat 
very successfully with weeds. As a seed 
producer it is far inferior to the Soy 
bean. At the present time it is grown to 
a small extent in Southern Missouri, par¬ 
ticularly as a forage, and to some extent 
iu Texas as a seed crop. 
The Chinese restaurants throughout our 
Northern States use a considerable 
amount of the Mung bean for sprouts, 
which you find iu the chop suey and simi¬ 
lar dishes. All of this seed used by the 
Chinese is imported from China. 
The general conclusion that has been 
reached from extensive tests by the De¬ 
partment of Agriculture, as well as sev¬ 
eral experiment stations and individual 
co-operators, is that under present eco¬ 
nomic conditions the Mung bean is not 
to be recommended as a farm crop. 
W. A. TAYLOB. 
