7ht  RURAL  NEW-YORKER 
1201 
Nature  Notes 
Electric  Scarecrow 
I  took  an  old  kitchen  clock,  substituted 
the  dial  with  one  of  fiber  somewhat 
larger.  Then  I  took  five  insulated  tele¬ 
phone  wires  and  removed  the  insulation 
at  one  end  and  twisted  and  soldered  them 
firmly,  leaving  one  long  enough  for  con¬ 
nection.  Then  I  secured  them  on  back 
of  clock  and  placed  them  equidistant  on 
edge  of  fiber  dial  bending  them  over  in 
front  as  shown  at  A  with  insulation  re¬ 
moved  at  end. 
A 
Then  on  the  minute  hand  at  end  is 
soldered  a  copper  wire  which,  passing 
over  wires  at  A,  makes  connection  every 
12  minutes,  ringing  a  door-bell,  placed  in 
a  box  and  put  out  in  the  field  where  the 
crows  pull  up  the  corn,  the  whole  being 
connected  with  two  cells  of  dry  battery. 
The  bell  does  not  ring  during  the  night, 
the  connection  being  broken  at  B  as 
shown,  the  wire  being  pulled  up  and 
hooked  on  the  spring  as  shown  at  B  and 
is  released  by  the  hour  hand  at  early 
morn,  the  wire  springing  back  making 
contact  with  metal  of  clock.  Then  the 
bell  striking  on  a  an  pie  pan  makes  a 
wonderful  racket  every  12  minutes 
through  the  day.  In  the  evening  Avlien 
winding  the  clock,  pull  up  the  wire  at  B 
and  there  you  are.  This  saves  ifie  bat¬ 
tery  through  the  night.  T.  J.  SMITH. 
Massachusetts. 
Windmill  Scarecrow 
I  enclose  sketch  of  an  easily  made 
windmill  scarecrow.  This  mill  will  turn 
in  a  light  breeze,  and  being  without  a 
vane  will  shift  towards  all  points  of  the 
Detail  of  Windmill  Hcarecroxo 
compass.  In  the  picture  A  is  4x4  post 
with  rod  C  of  hardwood  or  iron ;  B  is 
2x4  block  with  hole  II  in  end  fitting 
loosely  on  rod  C ;  O  is  rod  in  end  of  post ; 
D  is  shaft  of  broom  handle.  This  should 
pass  loosely  through  hole  G  in  2x4  block. 
E  is  arms  of  1x2  with  hole  for  shaft.  The 
arms  revolve  on  this  shaft.  F,  fans  of 
light  weight  material.  I  am  using  covers 
of  carbide  cans.  I,  weight  balancing 
fans.  J.  S.  A. 
Connecticut. 
How  to  Throw  a  Lariat 
Will  you  tell  me  how  to  make,  handle 
and  throw  a  lariat?  Also  how  they  hob¬ 
ble  their  horses  in  the  West,  when  they 
let  them  go  to  feed?  These  things  would 
come  in  handy  to  me  many  times. 
Brattleboro,  Vt.  H.  M.  T. 
It  is  a  difficult  matter  to  tell  on  paper 
how  to  use  a  lariat ;  a  person  becomes 
efficient  in  practice,  While  the  question  of 
hobbles  is  very  simple. 
A  lariat  is  usually  a  hard-twist  or 
bard-laid  manila  rope  of  about  7/16  in. 
and  from  30  to  35  ft.  long,  with  small 
loop  in  end  for  use  as  a  hondas.  This 
may  be  done  by  tying  a  knot,  single,  in 
end  of  rope,  then  tie  another  half  square 
knot  about  5  in.  back  from  this  end. 
Place  end  with  knot  in  through  this  knot 
from  opposite  side,  to  help  hold  open, 
then  draw  down  tight,  then  run  other 
end  of  rope  through  this  loop,  and  your 
rope  is  ready  for  use.  In  using,  make 
whatever  size  loop  is  desired.  Usually 
the  loop  is  made  about  6  ft.  long.  Hold 
this  in  right  hand,  with  a  foot  or  more 
of  noose  and  rope  extending  past  the 
hand,  then  coil  the  remainder  of  the  rope 
In  the  left  hand,  with  small  finger  hold¬ 
ing  onto  end  of  rope  so  that  the  rest  may 
be  extended  when  the  noose  is  thrown. 
Only  in  exhibition  work  is  a  noose 
whirled  when  being  thrown  at  a  standing 
object ;  otherwise  it  is  pitched,  and  av 
fence  post  makes  a  good  object  to  prac¬ 
tice  on. 
In  this  country  we  use  almost  any¬ 
thing  as  hobbles.  However,  they  have  com¬ 
mercial  hobbles,  which  are  strong  leather 
bands  to  fit  around  the  fore  leg  of  a  horse 
below  the  knee,  connected  together  with  a 
chain  from  8  to  10  in.  long,  with  a 
swivel  in  the  center.  However,  we  often 
use  a  piece  or  rope,  or  burlap  sack,  for 
the  same  purpose,  the  object  being  to 
hold  the  horse’s  feet  close  together  so  he 
cannot  take  a  long  step.  Care  should  be 
taken  not  to  get  them  too  tight,  as  it  will 
make  the  leg  sore.  A  rope  is  a  bad  thing 
to  use,  as  the  weather  conditions  cause 
it  to  contact  and  expand. 
Wyoming.  F.  A.  JONES. 
Take  about  40  ft.  of  in.  hard  twist 
rope.  Any  kind  will  do,  but  a  stiff  rope 
works  best.  Braid  an  eye  about  4  in. 
long  in  one  end,  by  doubling  back  the  end 
and  working  the  strands  smoothly  under 
each  other,  same  as  making  a  splice; 
draw  other  end  of  rope  through  eye,  leav¬ 
ing  about  10  ft.  for  throw  loop.  Coil 
free  end  of  rope  in  left  hand,  grasp  one 
side  of  loop  and  main  rope  about  a  foot 
back  from  eye,  with  right  hand,  spread 
out  the  loop  and  toss  or  throw  with  a 
spreading  motion,  allowing  rope  in  left 
hand  to  pay  out  freely.  A  little  practice 
will  give  an  idea  as  to  best  way  of  throw¬ 
ing  ;  some  swing  rope  over  head  and 
catch  an  animal  by  head  or  feet,  as  they 
wish,  but  that  is  expert  work.  To  become 
a  good  “roper”  requires  a  good  rope,  lots 
of  patience  and  plenty  of  practice. 
Hobbles  can  be  made  of  rope  or  heavy 
leather  straps;  fasten  just  below  horse’s 
knees,  allowing  a  spread  of  12  in.  or  more. 
Rope  is  apt  to  chafe  the  legs  and,  when 
wet.  is  some  job  to  get  off.  A  pair  of 
regular  hobbles,  made  of  heavy  leather, 
with  swivel  chain  spread,  costing  about 
$1.50,  will  be  more  satisfactory.  A.  L.  G. 
Sage  Brush.  Idaho. 
WANT  TO  KNOW 
Controlling  Land  Crabs 
Can  you  tell  us  of  any  way  to  rid  a 
lawn  of  land  crabs?  We  have  drained 
a  swamp  with  French  drains.  Water 
comes  from  a  wet  weather  spring,  exact 
place  unknown.  iWe  have  made  a  beau¬ 
tiful  lawn,  but  it  is  just  perforated  with 
holes  about  1  *4  in.  in  diameter,  and  at 
times  the  edges  are  piled  with  soft  wet 
mud,  making  it  most  impossible  to  run 
lawn  mower.  Perhaps  some  of  your 
readers  have  had  the  same  trouble. 
Coraopolis,  Pa.  h.  e.  j. 
Protecting  Rose  Bushes  from  Mice 
What  can  be  done  to  protect  rose 
bushes  against  the  ravages  of  mice  in  the 
Winter,  where  they  have  to  be  covered 
to  protect  them  from  the  cold  and  snow? 
Vermont.  w.  J.  n. 
CONTENTS 
THE  RURAL  NEW-YORKER,  SEPT.  22,  1923 
FARM  TOPICS 
The  Combination  Family  Basket  .  1198 
Hope  Farm  Notes  .  1208 
An  Explosive  for  Farmers  .  „ .  1209 
LIVE  STOCK  AND  DAIRY 
Turn  Out  for  the  Dairy  Show  .  1209 
Improving  a  Dairy  Ration  . . . .  1212 
Sheep  or  Dairy  . 1212 
Fattening  Feed  for  Pig  . 1212 
A  Sheep  Herder’s  Monument  .  1214 
Curing  Green  Fodder  .  1214 
Shingles  or  Roofing  for  Barn  .  1214 
“Ton  Litter  Club’’  .  1214 
THE  HENYARD 
Hen  Thief  Gets  Six  Months  .  1209 
Turkeys  With  Roup  .  1215 
Fattening  Capons  . 1215 
Broody  Hens;  Swollen  Face  . 1215 
Discovering  Non-sitters  .  1215 
Egg-laying  Contest  .  1215 
HORTICULTURE 
Handling  Some  Tough  Land  .  1198 
Some  Greenhouse  Problems  . 1199 
New  York  State  Forest  Nurseries  and  the 
Wood  Lot  .  1200 
Training  Currants;  Pruning  Grapevines  ..  1200 
New  England  Notes  .  1200 
Protecting  Rose  Bushes  from  Mice  .  1201 
Fall-sown  Sweet  Peas  .  1203 
Sorting  Fruit  . 1205 
WOMAN  AND  HOME 
From  Day  to  Day  .  1210 
Catering  for  the  Thrashing  Crew  ....1210,  1211 
The  Rural  Patterns  .  1210 
Pomona  Lace  . 1211 
Fire  Precautions  .  1211 
Uncooked  Pepper  Hash  .  1211 
MISCELLANEOUS 
On  Rural  Schools  and  the  Proposed  Bill 
1197,  1198 
Chemical  Toilets  in  New  York  Schools...  1198 
Old  Questions  About  Cider  .  1199 
Electric  Scarecrow  .  1201 
Windmill  Scarecrow  .  1201 
The  Champion  Woodchuck  Hunter  .  1201 
How  to  Throw  a  Lariat  .  1201 
Controlling  Land  Crabs  .  1201 
The  Evergreen  Bag-worm  .  1203 
White  Grubs  and  European  Corn-borer....  1203 
Don’t  Work  too  Hard  .  1205 
The  Government  and  the  Railroads .  1205 
Caring  for  a  Revolutionary  Soldier’s  Grave  1205 
Another  Poison  Ivy  Remedy  .  1205 
When  is  a  Road  a  Highway!  .  1206 
Editorials  .  1208 
Waste,  or  Government  Distribution  .  1209 
Publisher’s  Desk  .  1218 
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In  our  experimental  work  with  Iris  we,  of  course, 
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333  West  30th  St.,  New  York 
