VOL. LVIII
INDIANAPOLIS, MARCH 14, 1903.--TWENTY-FOUR PAGES.
NO.
Harvey's Florida Letter.
Bdltora  Indiana  Farmer:
Aa to my Florida letter of January 31st, please
substitute "row" for "tree", making it read*
$hoo vrartb on each row. Did I say the horse was
1*: feet high, otherwise I should have pieced
t Ih- .lot hy in.- '., au.l made It rend $5 worth on
each In.-, would Ih- about ri^ht. fnr Uie .".-ycur-
Olti trees I referred to; th.-y an budded on the old
n ot*. and gmw very fast, sometimes ten or
twelve feet In one season. Of course nursery
treea won't beef so soon. Oranges are wortn
12.00 to |8.60 a box now here; aod a three yoar
i id tree with three lioxes on it is worth $8 or
$10. They Increeae about a t>ox each year up to
80 yeara ol.l, an.) live to be l«K> years old; except
that    they   fro/..-   down   lit   is."-.",   and   in   1S!*T».      Tor
60 years th.-y never Celled to beer a erop. in
a good portion of Florida the treea never fronn
0ewn, and thia year have $50 to $100 worth or.
eaeh mature tree; well! now. take a 5-acre glove
of our three yeer old trees at $5 eaeh tree; 80
Uvea to tbe acre. Makes $400, and 5 acres $2,000
eacb year, and natural increase iu production
o $,vtfl more, and the oranges are the beet
in the world: not sour, thick-skinned, seedy seed-
lik.- California*, as the season here is more
favorable; it rains here in summer, while In Cali-
rornia It is dry. The oranges grown in these
Immense abeda are fine thick-skin, full of Juice,
and just dellctoua. I try to eat two dozen a day,
as I ean go across tbe street into Tap De Long's
grove and get half a bnahel for nothing <very
Slightly frosted) bnt good for present use. For
tbe good credit of Florida, they won't ship poor
.»: cnges. But some people ship California and
Mexico or Onba oranges here and mark them.
"packed in Florida," and so palm them off on
the people. < trangee hang on all winter unless
you  cut  tbe stems;   they don't  drop off.
So a good old man and wife ean have a wint 5T
home hero and work around in the pleasant Climate and live tongef, and enjoy more and have
a delightful home for his children and grandchildren to com.- to, after lie lias gone to his
long home.
Taxes; are most nothing, no gravel roads to keep
i'i'. nor a horde of tax gatherers, assessors, appia isms. Inspectors, overseers, office holders.
(lerks. stenographers. No sir! Florida doesn't
have truant officer?, either. The trustee or par-
LOta have to see tbat the children go ti school.
Another thing yon have to go and see to is giving
In your own property yourself for taxation, and
they ik-n't pay a lazy assessor to fool arouiia
tcwn ami shops to catch the people, at $3 a day
at.d free stationery. You go up to the county
sent and give in your property yourself, or at on
appointed day the assessor meets you at eftcfa
p. atoffice, one day. and then you pay or play.
md have to have a clear tax receipt before you
can nXe. No becft taxes, on "tax ferrets," no
rings or school book trusts or other leeches,
making life a burden.    So there! Good-bye.
A.  C.   Harvey.
Rural Delivery and Good Boade.
Editors  Indiana  Farmer:
Ten years ago as the advocates of free rural
delivery of tbe mails, it did not enter mv mind
lhat Millertou Farm, two miles from a railroad
town, and ratber isolated, could receive daily mail
at    the   farm   house   door   .and   yet    for   nearly   two
j ears has that convenience been afforded wltb
exception of one or twe days, on acoounl of roads*
condition- snow  drift,  and excessive  rein.
I thought th-en only of the densely populated
districts and suburban localities, but in < Irani
county upward of 90 mutes have been esiatdislied,
carrying mail to a large majority of the farm
N.ines,    and    generally    the    fanners    all   over    the
county by ii- and _2 o'clock an* reading tbe papers
nf the evening before an dearly morning issue.
and the editors of county town publications tel.
me   ihe farmers are strictly  in  it.
The weekly paper is a back number other than
the first class agricultural journals. The most
Important step is to maintain, and even extend these twentieth century privileges, hy heart;
co-operation of all concerned, in bettering the
condition of highways and mads; f.»r as yet tbe
number of the miles traversed by tbe
mall   carriers   have   gravel   roads,   especially      in
Pay the Boy, and  he  Will  Stay  on  the
Farm.
Fdltors Indiana  Farmer:
Having read li. .7. Jacob's letter on "Boys, stay
ou tbe farm." I believe I can add a few line?*
which may l>e of interest to the roeders of your
valuable paper. 1 see so many people write and
encourage the boy to remain on the farm, telling
hini it is the only place where ooe can live in
c» nifort. etc. Why not say a won! to the parents.
If we expect our boys and girls to remain on the
f.iiin, we must pay tbem something for their work.
1 retdee their board and clothes and the promise
cf a  horse  at   the  Hge  of 21.
A great many fanner boys and girls will work
at lujme until they are obi enough to go out In
company or attend school in some city <«■ town.
Ihey aee the boys and girls in town have better
doth.-s and more money than tbey, ami they say
t- theins.lv.s: "Why can't we go to town and
wrarfood clothes, like these boya and girls? And
when they go town, if they have a fair education,
the only recommendation they need U that they
came from tbe farm. Ixok at the factories, the
railroads, the electric llnea, machine shops, etc
Ihey are mostly filled with farmer boys.
Pay the boy and he will remain on the farm;
give them an Interest in name of the crops or
m me Btock, and he will stay on the farm.
Farming is tbe most independent life *n^>ro '*
Fortville.
Ro1»ert   T.lklns.
I N. P., Switzerland Oo., would like to see a
law passed granting to each township $100 a
year for the improvement of roads; that this
money mav be paid out to competent persons
fer doing the work, at a fair, moderate rate per
day. He thinks this sum, properly applied, woulo
keep tbe roads In good order, so that free delivery of mail would not be hindered. Tart or
the work should Im- done lu the spring, but mostly
In  tbe  fall.
Destroy the Crows and Sparrows.
Bdltora Indiana Farmer:
Then *!■ much said about protecting the blrdi
an.i enforcing tba game law.     I  venture that  if
ell the cases in the st.ite where Innocent blrda
like the lark, and robin were killed, were tried
before one justice of the peace it would not afford him tobacco money, for everybody is careful
not to hurl thos.- binls, for th.-y consider tbem
taelr   fiiemis.   and   try   to  save   tlieni   wherever   they
can.     Ae for the .juaU, chicken :nd pheasant   ft
will    00*1     average    one    faintly    10    ■    dozen    that
DM   uf   these   birds   In   a  year.
r..r   those   that    go   gunning    t lie   sp-ort    is   ab itit
ill   then'   is   in   it   for   them.       And   for   t lie   gam.
warden  and  his deputise,   if all  they   gain by   their
efforts wee put together it wonld not Im- enongh to
kOCP   -"Ies   (.11   their   BhoeS. You   see   bOm   little   1
think   of  so-called   bird   protection;   which   makes   a
n. . dless    expense.        All    this    Is    like    the    Fa liner
wbo   scolds   the   hired   man   over   tbe  shoulder  of
his  son.
If legislators and law makers knew the real
situation they certainly would change their base,
and strike where the fault lies. The real fact.*-
ari the birds exist only In small numbers, and I
1 lediit   that   unless   something  Is   done  to   remove
Tomato   farm   of   Henry   Fanoher.   near   Tyler.  Tex., on Cotton   Belt   Route.
Grant county, and the common and dirt road is
not what It ean be made by proper draining and
grading, hence a determined and united effort
should begin at once for putting the roads In the
beel possible condition by every means at command, early as the BMBOO will i>ermit of the lal>or
being   performed   with   best   results.
Eaeh farmer interested should extend his own
private drains to. and along the mad way. and
cross the same when- Med Ite. with proper Inlets
to drains, and my word for it from experience
MK years ago of crossing the road through Mil-
k-rton far min less than a mile 14 times (when
c^rrying out a system of drainag.• t t he water
has had a chance to get away or sink down ami
the roads nre now as dry as any to be found not
graveled, or with only one load against another
end ta end.  from  donation  and  land  tar.
In the good roads of summer Dncje Samuel's
ii.ail boya ride along with ease and comfort while
th< fanner toils on in the sun: but to-day the
farmer may sit by  his fireside with a reveres of
the "bitter and sw.-et," as his mail is brought
tc his door thr.sigh snow and slush and over
ti iles  of   very,   very   bad   roads. I.   M.
Weather Report for January, 1903,
Taken at Falrmount.
Bdltora   Indiana   farmer:
Mean maximum, highest average of any day. T>7,
; mean minimum. lowest average nf any
day. 0 degrees below saro; mean, '2V> degrees)
maximum, date i*Mh. 10 degrees; minimum, date
12th. 10 degrees beloW zero; greatest daily range.
19th, 22 degrees; range for the month, 08 de
grees: clear two days: fair 10: cloudy 13; snow
fell on 15 days of this month. 9 days in BUC-
i iihalitn J.  w.   Elliott.
Show Mercy to the Helpleee.
Editors   Indiana   Farmer:
We are glad, Mr. Kditor. to have you advise
your Grant cettty reader against torturing the
rats ns be suggested. It reminded me of when
I was a boy. a lady living near our hone, ami
who was a shouting church mem tier, came home
one Sunday from church, and on finding a little
Innocent mouse in her Hour chest, heated the
Ihovei red hot and literally roasted the little fellow, thereon, I confess It did Dot cause mr
to  have a  higher appreciation for her church.
Rockville. E.   K.   M.
ths real destroyers, which are tbS ROW and sparrow the voice of the song bird will soon Im- heard
no in->re in our land, au.l game birds will be a
thing of  the  past.        The  crow   that   destroys  tbs
kills   the young  binls  in  their  nests,   will
BOOU   obliterate   tlic   last   one;   for   there   is   no   t re*
so high, no vale ao lav where a bird can build her
nest that tbis black robber cannot find it, and If
the bird seeks human protection, and builds Its
BCSl near the house, then the little demon of Eng
lish sparrow will drive them away. The fact is
there an- but very few birds that ever live to sing
or fly.
I would anggesl that are step running ami houi-
lng and threatening the people, and go after th*
real fault, and spend your money 00 the SrOST end
■parrQW. There are en..ugh crows in Pulaski
county to furnish the whole state militia all summer  for target  practice. IVrry  Wilson.
Wlnamac.
"Nothing to Do."
Editors  Indiana  Farmer:
A great many people living on farms when asked
what they were doing say: "I have nothing to
do. Can nut do anything tiie weather is so
bad." Hut   it   is  not   too bed  for thett  to walk
or ride from one to five miles to town or a rniu-
inou (Miter at sonic country store and stay all
day. chewing, smoking and telling long windy
ti.le.s; trusting to Providence, ihe good house
V Ife.    the    old    cow .    and    tile    hell    to    keep    up    the
necessary  expenses of  the  family.       in  a  great
n any   cases   the   wood   house   empty,   stink   out   in
the weather .and the entire premises looking like
a  cyclone bad struck it.       Wake up brother farmer
come got  started right, by sheltering yonr stock,
tilling y-xur wood house .straightening up fences,
niling and mending your harness, painting and repairing farm implements, cleaning up grass seed
tot spring aowingi pruning your orchard, and
having your cattle dehorned before the weather
gets too v, arm. I_ook after drains on tho farm.
Keep   th.-m   open   nnd   the   washes   stopped   with
straw, and last but not least gel your clover seed
ready. *■ when the middle of March comes you
v 111    be   ready   and    wafting. Oel    your    tomato
boxes nady if you expect to gmw any Ibis sea-
... n. 0el   your   Seed   oats   and   seed   corn   ready,
tor  the   planting   time   will   soon   bs   here. When
the days get  a little   wanner whitewash      the out-
I olldluga and  fences.       show your neighbors yoti
are In earnest and before you know it your farm
v. Ill look different and your bank acc.mnt will 1k>-
tli' to grow. Try It this year ami see how yon
come out. J.  w.  C.
S'-utt   Oo.
 *••■—■*	
Uce Plenty of Salt.
I'd!tors   Indiana   Farmer:
After     churning     for     five    hOttTS   one     day   ami
three the next, my wife set aside as hopeless a big
churning of cream. On the next day h.-r patience gave out on a three hour trial of another
lot of cream. On both she had exhausted every
device,    known   to   the   careful   housewife,    to   make
the  butter  "oome,"   including aaltftng   the  cream.
le desperation she pot IS a big handful of salt,
and   iu   a   few   minutes   had   her  butter   all   right.
Tho former churning then received the same
t -eat ment. and aoon came tO time. Remembering several backbreaking ami finally h.ijieless efforts in the same line in my boyhood days I nm
g.sd   to   send   ynu    this    successful   solution   of    the
problem by my wife.       Her conqueror's look, .'is
she   announced   her   success,   on   my   n't urn   home,
w ill long be remembered. The cause of steb-
i ranees  on  the  part   of  cream   is  attributed   to
several    tUagS,    such   as   en-am   get t ing    too   cold,
or too hot, eo-wa no! salted, certain kinds of feed,
c. us   BOOn   to   bS    fed,    etc.,    hut    B    remedy    Is    the
Essential   thing.
J.   G.   L.   Myers,   M.   D.
What Drink Will Do.
Editors  Indiana  Farmer:
Last Monday a bright, hard working young man,
■-*• single, came to town afoot four miles. lie
rid some .shopping, but as. usual when be came
te town he w«.ubi  patronise the saloons.       When
1 is good Bother remonstrated be said he musi
lave It. he could not resist. He stayed lu town
until 9 p. m. The saloon keeper asked him to
stay till morning, bttl he wanted to go home. lb*
went across fields an.l through the woods, staggering and falling, as his tracks showed, in tbe
snow. He   happened   to  walk   Into  a   water  pOOd
ni a wood lot) two teet deep; there was snow on
the    pond    and    the    be    broke. He   got    out    ami
vent with his Wet clothes, and had nearly thn-e
miles to go to gel home. He did not get home
lill next day noon: a mystery where he stayed so
bug. His feet Wen frozen.  Slso his  hands,  as  Ir
was aero that morning. Ills mother soothed
him all she could, but he said "its no use." he
"would kill himself." He had said th*1 same
some days before that he would kill himself, be-
Causaj he could not go to town without getting
dmnfc. He   went    to   bed:    his   feet    had   tunion
1 lack. He   shot   himself   in   the   forehead.        Bis
patenta did not hear It, and found him next
morning   frozen   stiff     In   his   blood. ¥oung   and
.Id.  think of this when  you  see a  saloon.
Sunman,    Feb.   23. John   Bennett.
A Farmei Boy's Advice,
Fditora Indiana Farmer:
The farmers are getting ready for spring w*irk
amund here; there are not many cattle or teed,
:.nd hardly any hogs in this s.-etion of the county:
the stoek generally hns wintered well. I will
Iced three carloads of cattle this summer and two
'irs of bogs; I will have n good erop of eorn and
o.-.ts. The farmers will farm pretty extensively
around here, mostly grain fanning, an.l not mueh
stock raising. I don't know how they will keep
UP  the fertility of the soil   hauling everything they
raise to town, it leaves nothing on the la ml.
Boms day they will have to keep sb>ck or buy
<• Xpenslve fertilisers, They are reaping their
profits, now, but ft may take it all to rebuild their
worn out farms, and tiny may have to borrow
some other fellow's profits that Omne more slow?-,-
but sun1. lf we would all use good judgment it
U1 ul.I   Ih-  easy   to   hold   what   wr   have.
Farmer Boy.
A Filtering Cistern.
I IdItors   Indiana   Fanner:
1 have had two cisterns made, one after another, which caved in. nfter n few month's use.
Both Were cemented on to the s il but with brl.S
arch at the top. Then I decided to have one
that   would   not    cave   in. I   had   it    bricked   all
around from tbe bottom up. Then as I wanted
the water filtered I had about one-fourth of the
space divided off with soft brick clear to the top.
The obi Kngl ishma n who built It had no fa it h
that the water would filter throngh the bricks
but   he   olH>yes,I   orders. At   the   flrst   good   rain
the water was turned In to the larger space. Mr.
Kmrllshman was on hand to see the result. He
was surprised to s<-e tbat the small part In
which the pump was placed was filled as fu'n
St the larger space into which the water was convey, -d  from the roof.        It worked admirably.
Holly   Hurst.
What ls stated to-be a spring giving forth a
liquid resembling essence of violet both In perfume and chemical composition, has been discovered   In   a   valley  near   Mill:.n.   Aveyrow,   France.