VOL. LVIL
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., SEPT. 27, 1902.
NO. 39
TELL ABOUT HOME COMFORTS AND CONVENIENCES FOR THE WINTER MONTHS.
"Wm. 0." and "Matilda" Set a Good Example.
1st Premium.—nappy the man who farms from
choice of vocation, and thrice happy he who, being wedded to the farm home, can Improve It
without financial limitations.
But there ls a world-wide difference between
farming for the love of it and the living in It. Successful farming usually implies the living first;
the  loving  comes  later.
Now there Is Wm. O. He must farm for a
living, and he Is living just as well as he can.
But his living has limitations. By and by be
will   farm   for   the   loving.
There Is a mud hole at the front gate. Wm.
O. Is putting in a tile drain, good and deep. He
Is hauling earth to fill the mud hole and putting
on broken stone and gravel. The sagging old
gate has caused many a hot race after Jack and
Jerry-anna. Wm.      G.      is        putting      In      a
pair of good gate parts and putting up a new
gate, hinges and latch complete; and he bas not
forgotten the hitch rack either. . He has loaded
the old gate on the wagon and Is taking It to
the w.st wood lot. where he will mend it and
hang it to the beech tree, and take the bars to
mend the fence. He Is gathering some rotted
wood for Matilda to use when she pots her geraniums and chrysanthemums and winter blooming
bulbs.
Wm. VJ. lias crept .between 2 boards every time
he has gone from bouse to barn or barn to house
for two years. Now he is putting in the right
kind of gate, and has dumped two loads of gravel on the barnyard side, and made a good walk
on the yard side, up past the wood bouse and
Weil, to the back porch. He has put a force
pump in the well, and made tbe nicest platform
and sink,—it's just too nice and clean to think
of having! Later he will put up a windmill
and pipe the water Into the kitchen and milk
trough and stock tank, and then he will bave
to have a tank heater. And won't Matilda
make lots  of butter  then!
Win. <;. has been over, through and around every
building on the farm, and has repaired fines,
roofs, windows an.l doors, and fastened up every
hM.se board, and replaced every missing one. He
lias s..me kind of shelter for every bit of stock
on the farm, and plenty of feed boxes and troughs
uud quantities of straw and other kinds of bedding. Wm. G. has fitted up an old wagon just
purposely for hauling manure, and he will use
It  just  as  often   as  be  can.
The fences are all in good repair.. The wood
shell Is full of dry wood. Wm. G. has cemented
the old cellar, and made it frost proof, mold
proof aud rat proof. There will be plenty of
vegetables and fruit In it, and when butchering
time copes he cau salt his meat there and take
the   right   kind  of  care of  It.
He is going to try bis hand at white washing
and painting as si-on as the fodder Is cut and
the wheat town. Wm. G. has hauled all the old
rubbish out on the rise In the middle field, where
he feeds his pigs, and he will burn It there aud
have  a   mess  of   charcoal   and   ashes   for   them.
Wm. G. Is looking about for a few fruit and
shade trees, when be and Matilda can agree What
an.l when- to plant. Matilda sold her chickens
lust week, and she has calromlned the ceilings,
put pretty paper on the walls, put down a fresh
earpet, and made lota of cushions and faotetoofa
just for "every day and every day." She haa
cut up the idd Ingrain carpet and had a lot of
iii.e rugs woven, and fitted up all the old easy
chairs ami the old lounge, and got two new
chairs  aud  a  lamp.
Matilda likes to read, and she has subscribed
for three more papers and magazines. They have
tbe   i icest   big  reading  table!
Wm. G. has ordered a new dictionary, some
maps, a copy of Rnral Law, a veterinary book,
and a copy of Our Farming. I think he will get
s< me   more   books   before   Christmas..
When folks get such notions as Wm. G. and
Matilda, there Is no limit to the genuine comfort
of  the  farm  borne.
Rush  Co. 0.   A.   C.
Make the House as Snug as Possible.
2d Premium.—The first frost gives warning that
winter Is coming, and the wise man begins to look
around to aee what repairing Is needed to make
his home comfortable during tbe cold winter
months. In the first place he should see that
his  honse  is  made   as  snug  as  possible,   for  the
warmer the house the less fuel will be required,
and fuel will ba very high this winter. If tbe
house does uot bave a stone or brick foundation,
■M that the und.-rp inning Is In good shape,
and that the water will not run under the house.
Next see that the windows tit eh-sely and tbat
the glass is well puttied. Put In a. ne wdoot
sill. If the old one Is worn down in the middle,
A wooden button at the top of a warped door
will help to keep out the wind on a cold night.
After the house has beat) made as warm as possible, go to the wood shed (I hope It Isn't far from
th.' kitchen door; If It Is, move It up a little),
and make n sheltered way from, the door to lt.
Nothing gives a woman more cold than going
out in the snow and rain when she Is overheated
from baking, washing or ironing. And while
1 am sjieakllig of sin-Iters let me sugge-st the
well also. Don't let your wife stand iu the
rain. And now the wood house itself. lie sure
that the door Is on the hinges, aud that tho window will close. If there are cracks, stop them,
for if there ia anything more unpleasant than
ulgging an armful of wood out of the snow. It
is   carrying   It    Iu    after   It   Is   dug   out. Of
course you have a good supply of dry wood and
kindling, but if the kindlings are hard to procure
a Jar filled with corn cobs saturated with coal
oil will answer the purpose. Now the ben
house; make it warm also, for a good supply of
fresh eggs is noces-sary for winter comfort. Tar
paper makes a good lining, and will make a very
poor hen bouse warm; It is also a preventive of
vermin. Connected to the poultry house should
l>e a large shed, closed on all sides but the south.
The Boot should lie of travel, so that it will not
Ih* damp, and Biddy will enjoy tb-' grit when tne
ground   Is   covered   with  snow. Keep   the  drink
ing vessels and dust 1k>x here, and put up some
iii.e nests. If the sorguni tops and sunflowers
are hung up around the walls, the chickens will
btlp themselves an.l keep busy on a bad dav. I
forgot to mention n walk to the hen house. If
there isn't one, be sure and make one I *-fore tbe
bad ut-ather. There should l>o a walk to the
ban   also. Large,   flat      stones,   placed   a   foot
or more apart, make a cheap walk and one that
will   endure. Kvery   farmer   In   this   enlightened
day knows that the more comfortably his stock
Is sheltered In winter, the less feed It will take
to keep them iu good condition .Therefore It la
not necessary for me to aay much about the comforts of the barn. Only let me say that the
milk cows should receive careful attention. Their
stable should be clean and comfortable, for pure,
healthful milk cannot be Obtained from CQWB
kept In filthy stables. If the wife tends to the
chickens and milks the cows, (I hope, however.
that few wives have to milk In winter), she
shouhl have a good, waterproof, short skirt and
jacket, and rubber boots. In fact, every woman
who lives on a farm needs a pair of boots and a
short skirt. And now let me mention a few
comforts indoors. In the kitchen have everything that yen ran possibly get there. If the
pantry Is too small for the flour barrel, get a
t In flour bin, tbe kind tbat bangs against tbe
wall Is nice and takes up very little room. But
ter than this is a kitchen cabinet, with com
part ment s for flour, sugar, spices, etc., if you
bave space for one. If possible have a place Indoors to hang up the washing in bad weather.
Pnt in a gootl sink, so tbat all wash water and
waste water may ba emptied without going outdoors. If there Is a sunny window In the sitting room, be sure and fix a place for flowers. A
single pot of blooming flowers will make a dull
room bright. If your space Is limited, put an
iron bracket on either side of the window and
a book In the middle for a hanging basket. A
convenient flower table may be made, as wide as
the window and as high as tbe ledge, ami have
castors In the legs, ao that it may be mowed
I nun place to place. The legs of an old bedstead may be used. If there Is a little one in
the house, put Iron hooks ln the opposite walls.
so that tbe hammock may be hung up. Invalids also find this a great comfort, and others
who are not invalids sometimes enjoy It. I
might mention a great many other things that
would give comfort In winter, but I will only
mention one more. Don't forget to lay In a
good supply of books, magazines, and papers
for the long weeks when we must be shut Indoors.
Parke   Go. B.    H.
as far out in the room as convenient, so as to
heat al) the corners. A COoJ oil stove is a luxury   for   a   bed   OT  balh   room. Should   the   house
be old or open,  hare comfortables placed  at  tba
doora made as follow-; Take a strip of any
ni re material, sis inches wide and two Inches
longer than width 'if door; make iuto a sack, till
with   sawdust,     and   keep on   the  floor  -jit   the   dODC
to prevent drangttta ou tba feet. For lights, gasoline lamps with iiican.leseent burners five) excellent results, and as the price Is so much less
than formerly they are within the reach of all,
thus making the home bright and cherry of evenings, to ihe delight of tin- y.Hing people. The
most restful room we have ls a green room,
it is papered in plain green paper, with » bean*
1 if ul gold and white celling, with pink and yellow chrysanthemums on white with gold for border. We have used this paper for three years,
and it grOWl more beautiful. Laat winter llie
wilt ei- was an In valid for some months and she
never wearied of this room. It is always B
Comfort, As cheaply as cement walks can Im*
ii ada there Is no excuse for bringing mud into
the house during winter weather; even board
walks will prevent this. A light quillt with a
pound of ootlon. and nuide from eoloiv.l cheese-
Cloth to harmonize with the other furnishings,
Is a delight when one is resting on the couch,
listening to some member of the family read during the long winter evenings. A dressing ncqpe,
made from cashmere or other soft wool, is fine
for the father after the chores are done. With
this and the inevitable slippers with foot rests,
there, ls no excuse for the mother and children
to   spend   their   evenings   alone.
A few well-chosen potted plants must not i«>
omitted. Not too many, else they Iwcoine a
harden when the thermometer hovers near zero for
a    week   or   two.
The children should be provided with crocheted
slippers, to wear during the evening hours; otherwise the "baoefren" wW be worn out with their
noisy lillie fi-. t, tnd the little on.-s will be sent
to l.e.i before they bave enjoyed the "children's
hour."
Hut. above all. have liooks and periodicals In
abundance. Willi so many public libraries, aud
such excellent subscription rates, by denying ourselves a little then is no icasoo In starving tbe
mlntd. Within my personal knowledge there are
different famlllea who Spend nothing for reading
matter, but each week tbey spend enough for
tobacco to buy a book. No doubt If they would
discard the filthy weed and Invest the money formerly spent for this In a judicious manner for their
famlllea they would all feel this period to be the
happiest, most comfortable and best spent period
In   their   lives. C.   L.   H.
Hamilton   Co.
(general _\tvo&.
Premiums of $1, 75 cents, and 50 cents are given for the first, second and third beat articles
for the Experience Department each week. Manuscript should be Bent direct to the Indiana I"ar-
mer company and should reach us one week be
fore  date  of   publication.
Topiee for discussion in future numbers of tbe
Farmer  are  as   follows:
No. :t4.1, Oct. 4—Tell how to lay drain tile In
the   most  economical   and   effective  way.
No. 344, Oct. 11.—Give experience with fend
grinders.     Should   they   be   more   generally   usedT
No. 315, Oct. 18.—How should chickens be
tre*ted   through   the   winter   to   make   them   lay?
No. 34G, Oct. 25.—Is It b«*tter to spread manure
as hauled out or leave it In heaps? How can
you get the greatest value out of the manure
i rop 7
Utale Hews.
Have Books and Periodicals ln Abundance.
3d Premium.—The two most Important essentials for home comfort in winter are heat and
light. The first may be obtained by several
methods, but the one most generally used in the
country is a stove, with wood or coal fires.
When a furnace cannot be provided, the stove
may  be made  to  answer  the  purpose  by  setting
P. K. Wise, a prominent farmer of Hagers-
town, accompanied by others whom he has Interested, will gi» to Woiiiitehoe, Wash., and establish   a   colony.
Farmers In Howard county are unable to obtain sufficient help to cut the corn. They are
paying 7 cents a slunk, or $1.50 a day, with
Iniard.
I The yield of corn in the Big Miami bottoms
| this year Is remarkable. Louis Hayes, a farmer
living near Homestead, shows a stalk of corn
measuring seventeen   feet.
Dave Harris, of Summit sviilo. has a scheme
to beat the coal trust. His ten acres of sunflowers are ahout ripe and many of the stalks
are thre*1 inches ln diameter. By cutting them
green and piling them up until dry. be will
have cords of the best wood In  the country.
The wild animal which for months has been
frightening Um fanners in the vicinity of Ken-
nard has made its appearance north of Knightstown.
The growing °f walking sticks ls a special
industry.
A ton of soot results from the burning of 100
tons   of  coal.
Tehgraph rates in the United States average
double  thoaa   in   ITiiropa.
Iu   dry   airs   sound    travels   1,112   feet   a   second,
in  water 4,000  feet  and  in   iron  17,500  Cost
There  arc  25.000 pores iu the haud of a man.
I u   .l.i|'.-iil   M    par   cent   of   silk   spinners   are
women.
People who go barefooted and those who wear
sandals Instead of shoes rarely have colds In the
head   or   any   form   of   iutiu.-nza.
Fanners In several parts of New Jersey are
picking the second crop of strawberries. They
are being marketed for a good price at Philadelphia. ———
While digging fish bait lu the western part of
Macon county, Missouri, recently, James Perrin
unearthed    un    obi    pot    containing   about   $100   lu
U'ii.1      l-olll.
KHJah Norton, of Itangor, Me., conducts a for
farm near thai city ami says their raising ls
considerably more profitable than the raising of
vegetables   or   grain.
It Is asserted that If new tinware Is rubbed
with fresh lard aud then thoroughly heated In
the oven before It is used lt will never rust afterward, no matter how much It Is put lu the
water.
Elwood lb-, son, a farmer living four miles
southwest of Milton celebrated his seventieth
birthday last week. To the original quarter-
-crtion. while a log cabin stood iu the claim of
twelve acres, has been added nine hundred acres
since    1882.
The skin of (he diamond hack rattler Is utilized In Florida as a barometer. When preserved like rawhide and hung np the skin will begin
lo sweat at ilie first Indications of a storm,
even though several hours before the arrival of
ihe   atmospheric   disturbance.
Mrs. Ithamer D. Keiih, living in the central
part of Windfall, heard a commotion among her
Chickens In the park near the house. She hastened to Investigate. She discovered a chicken
hawk in a fight with Ihree heus that were trying    to   protect    their   chickens.
Mrs. Keith got a stick and went to fight the
bird. The hawk ai lacked her, attempting to bite
and claw ber about the face. One arm
badly lacerated but she got the best of tbe fight
and   killed   the   hawk.
Some, one was congratulating Senator Depew
recently no his appearance of excellent healtn
and sald:"I suppose you take lots of exercise."
The Senator replied: 'No. I hardly take auy
I don't walk when I can ride and don't climb
upsiairs unless compelled to do so. Why should
i.    Pnre waters are the quickest."
At the State Fair In Syracuse there was a race
between  two  flocks  of  gi-ese,   driven  by   women.
That marriage is more conducolve to long life
in wotueii than single life Is shown by the fact
that of the thirty-two women of over 100 years
revealed by ileiuiany's last census, twenty-nine
Wen widows and one married, leaving only two
old   maids.
Princess Victoria, tbs ten-year-old daughter of
iin' Qetinan Kmperor, is said to be a most
haughly little lady, with a very exalted Idea of
ber position ns :> royal princess. She Is much
beloved by her father, to whom her Imperions
manner Is the source of much amusemein.
Speaking of her to a friend recently the Kaiser
said: "Sometimes when talking to me she quite
forgot* that I am Emperor, but I am confident
that she never forgets for one moment that she
is   the   Kniperor's   daughter.
Mr. \V. H. La fuse, of Union county, told us
that his average wheat yield was :iS bushels per
ane. The estimated average of that county was
27   bushels.
•	
Thanks to W. M. Carrier and wife, Hendricks
county   for   some   flne   Wolf   river   apples. We
would like to kuow if this variety ls a free
bee Par. We doubt If it is, as tbe apples are
so large.
The average condition of the corn crop In this
Mate, September 1, as stated In the Government
Crop Reporter, of that date, was 99 per cent,
being the highest In any state except Nebraska,
101 per cent, and Missouri 102 per cent. Illinois
ranked 94 uud Ohio 93 per cent.