HANDY FARM APPLIANCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3591, 28 October 1905, Page 4

HANDY FARM APPLIANCE.

A Device That Serve# Every Purpose" ~ ot the Stone Boat. Several years ago the writer felt the need of something lighter and smaller than an ordinary stone boat for.con sying light articles around the farm. The result of some study was the device shown in the illustration, which the hired man says is “about the handiest thing on the farm.” It is, in fact, a ■ort of. cross between a stone boat and a bob sled. The length over all is five feet, the width 2% feet. The runners arc of hard maple, live feet long, ten Inches wide, and two inches thick, the forward end rising 3 >/ 3 inches. The hardpiece is also of hard maple plank, SO inches long, two inches thick and one foot wide. An oval hole three inches from the front edge affords a

means of attaching a chain for hauling. This piece is firmly fastened to the runners by six bolts —three at each eCQ —of which the heads are countersunk in the lower sides of the runners. The floor Is made of white ash boards, inch thick and 30 inches long, nailed crosswise, flush with the outer edge of the runners. This is surmounted on either aide by a hickory rail two inches thick and three inches wide, extending the entire length flush with the outside. These rails are secured in place by four Inch lag screws. Made thus of selected materials, and firmly put together, it has been in use, summer and 'winter, for five years, and is still nearly as good as new, save for the natural wear os the runners. For conveying plows, cultivators, other implements, seeds, etc,, hauling barrels of spraying mixture, removing bowlders, and other light short hauls around the farm, it has become almost indispensable. On a small farm it serves about every purpose of the oldfashioned stone boat, and is of much lighter draught.—George A. Martin, in N. Y. Tribune.

How to Fight Black Hot. Block rot has been causing serious loss among the cabbage growers, and the department of agriculture has been Investigating the disease, which, it is said, may be spread by the seed, manure and insects, especially slugs. Late-planted cabbage are less liable to damage than those planted early. The germ developsbest in very hot weather, while cool weather seems to check it. notation is advised as a means of prevention. The bulletin observes that the planting of other crops for a long seines of years seems to be the only satisfactory way of getting rid of the disease when it has onec become serious. Fields that have shown even a little of the disease should not be planted to cabbages or other cruciferous plants for several year*.—Agricultural Epitomist. Not a Good Thing to Do. We do not approve of tying trees to ■takes, though this is often recommended and often done. The bark is apt to be rubbed and injured in spite of watchfulness. Much better is it to reduce the size of the head so the tree will stand without aid. Nor would we hill up around a tree to brace it, because often, when the ground is soft in the winter, the swaying of the trees opens the earth about the stem, which la filled with water, and this, later, freezes and. kills the bark and damages the tree.—Eural World,

London fever hospital* can accommodate fi,ooo patients. There were 5,151 constables in Scotland in 1900, or one to every 847 persons. Of the 15,000 foxhounds in the United Kingdom oau are used in Eng.and, 1,500 in in-land and 500 In .Sew,and. From in mherii Russian pw*:. ,£70,000 worth of paper came into England lasi year. Formerly Norway supplied all the psp’.r pvdv used.

Norway is the only country in the world whose banks hold more specie in their safes than, they issue. British banks iu... m.ly £7O in hand for every £ 100 of issue. The famous eagles which used to haun* *’■ ■ "'"’s <■( Killarney, making t}, L ' ... . ■ ■ i !:■’ . N eii" mountain, „ n grouse and kids from the farms along the countryside, have been exterminated. The Mexican government is preparing to take decided steps to improve the breed A horses in that country, liy a lav, has just neon passed President Ida.-, is empowered to enter into contracts with perse.is who will establish horse-breeding farms.

Glass that has been properly annealed will stand variations of temperature perfectly well, but if this hasn’t been done it is likely to break instantly and without apparent reason. Frequently globes and chimneys fly to pieces when not properly heated. This is due to draught or moisturd urr.- » 1 w chimney, especially la imp i li.;, -I*o l s, which w* dl crack from tiyp to bottom even after the lamp hii.s been extinguished. Glass vases used for flowers frequently become coated with an nnp|t.;,y;;pi p vit in. the inaccessible parts of fh- inside. This is due to. decayed >■* ~;s of flowers that are left too long in the water. This deposit ntiT be removed by cleaning with a cuoth that has been dipped in pumice-srtone powder. '.lf *’ < ■« nr va-e XR .■ -ossi -...me c t ’ ' ’me, t .