{ title: 'The Otsego farmer. (Cooperstown, N.Y.) 1885-1910, February 27, 1886, Page 1, Image 1', download_links: [ { link: 'http://www.loc.gov/rss/ndnp/ndnp.xml', label: 'application/rss+xml', meta: 'News about NYS Historic Newspapers - RSS Feed', }, { link: '/lccn/sn87070110/1886-02-27/ed-1/seq-1/png/', label: 'image/png', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn87070110/1886-02-27/ed-1/seq-1.pdf', label: 'application/pdf', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn87070110/1886-02-27/ed-1/seq-1/ocr.xml', label: 'application/xml', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn87070110/1886-02-27/ed-1/seq-1/ocr.txt', label: 'text/plain', meta: '', }, ] }
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- Written expressly for Tis Orszao Fama, - alive with different kinds of small game, ~Otherwise have been dull and fatiguing. H. I. RUSSELL, Publisher, VOL. IX. COOPERSTOWN, N. Y.,..SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1886. Farm Hopics. Ronilfiscences of Farm:Life of Olden ‘TIFISI. Stories, dam—go. 10. - BT E. BAKER, ' 'The manufacture of maple sugar,. with our fathers, was-an important part of farm industry. There were'very few out fte.mugar orchard. The-days spent in the \sugar bush\ will ever be remembered «mong the pleasatit ones of early life. The woods in those early times were and our gun and skill at marksmanship was often called into use and practice. 'These little pastimes took the hardness all out of much of the work. which would In our earliest experience the sugar ma- ple trees were \tapped\ with an axe, a box being-cut slantingly up the-treein such a manner that the sap would flow to {ts low- er corner, then a gouge was driven in and. paepout called \spile inserted into the gouge ont, and by it the sap was conduct- ed so thatit would drop into a trough, made of 'the half of a basswood. or white maple, of the length of from two to three feet, asd whigh would hold about three or four gallons of sap. | The inside ends of the trough were burned to a conlover their surface, to prevent the sap from leaking out, by its following the pores in the grains farm upon which it. was set. used to preserve from drought a fine spring which would otherwise dry up. - It would in a fow years form a forest of fine materi- al for lumber or fuel. - Bearcely a farm ex- ists upon which a maple grove would not soon become a thing of beauty and profit, and- add many times: its actual cost to the Besides such things add charms to farm ife. No man but what rexiembers with pleasure the past of time spent in the occu- pation -of sugar malting. If he found no joy and satisfaction in it, he was wrongly compounded, He was not made of the right material for happiness, Right here let us say that. it is probably entirely de- pendent upon ourselves whether we are happy or miserable, but if we find no fun in so innocent and interesting employment as sugar making, we would be miserable if owning a forest which instead of sweet sap, ran pure gold. One of the greatest blessings to our race is, that riches are not at all an coséntial ele- ment of happiness. Happiness may flee from want, but it never depends upon wealth. 'When we chase riches, and sac- rifise all to obtain them, as some do, and worship gold as their God, we are chasing a shadow and doing homage to a dumb idol. - Equally wrong is he who fails to ac- cumulate what is necessary for support, and to supply all nécessary. needs. True Tappiness does not depend at all, upon ones bank account or the amount of cash he - wages than in cither the above, and in ad- er, blacksmith, or carpenter, and better dition a trade that is well worth to its pos- sessor more than would be a cash capital of five thousand dollars, and not one of your would-be smart native born young men, will apply for the position. Some natures would spurn theided of obtaining money or even food at a kind of employment not useful and productive of good, Such reap enjoyment from life and labor. But those who care not how they obtain their living if they only get it, te- gardless of doing anything useful or good, simply stay, they do not live, True hap- piness follows no such lives, 'When the command was given that ''in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread,\ it was by a higher power than man, and its force or truth has never been modified, or changed. The drone who is able to work, but lives like a leech on the toil of others, has never known the satisfaction of true- independ- ence or the joy of living upon ones own earnings. Buch-have never yet found out the objects and ends, and aims of life, the grand .and noble purposes for which they were given an existence, | What greater error can creep into socie= ty, or one that causes more misery by opin- jon, than that of looking upon any kind of useful labor, as degrading or dishonorable, or to be avoided. Society is fled with a class of that kind of self deluded fools. It has ever been s ive. have lived. around, us. Every community hasits mod- house. A FARM AND FIRESIDE JOURNAL. ent ideas of the ends and aims of life were taught to her own daughters who. were now arriving at womanhood. They were fitted for useful as well as ornaniqntal lives. The mother married again and lived long and happily and recently passed the river. The daughters still live, an honor to socie- ty, the mothers of fine families, filling their mission on earth as right principles ever dictate. R © Buch lessons are yearly repeated all els, as well as victims. Whoever or what- ever degrades labor, or tends to make it dis- honorable, reacts upon society. . We have often been amused at the com- plaints of women in relation to help in the Aud whose fault isit? Modero women seem to have combined to make housework degrading, | They have carried it to such an extent thit many young wo- men would literally starve, rather than take a place in a neighbor's kitchen. Common consent of women, has given such help a reduced social position. Itis reacting, as it should. - Until \help\ is used, and treat- ed us it should be, it will continue to bear such fruits, | Itis the very seed sown that is harvested in this hougehold crop. . If its inconvenience and pressure could all full upon the Fight parties we should rejoice. 'The comical part of the matter is, that the lady of the house is now compelled herself to do this menial labor, which if called honorable would never lack for will- \Association was held in Milford, Tuesday in his statement that only creameries can Otsego County Farmers' and Dairy» men's Association. Reported expressly for Tux Orezco Fanxen. ay it 8. MATEESCN, The sixth sembannual meeting of the Otsego County Farmers' agd. Dairymen's and Wednesday, Feb. 16th and 17th, 1886. A large number were present, and the meet- ing was a successful and profitable one. Turspay Arternoon.-The mecting was called to order by Major.C. P. Root, President, at 2 o'clock., The Secretary, H. S. Matteson, read the minutes of the last meeting, which were adopted. The President operied the meeting with an address; in which he showed some of the needs of the dairymen at the present time, especially calling their attention to the mantifacture of bogus butter, and thought that the only way to compete with it was to make a quality that they could not imitate-gilt edge creamery. His re- toorks were timely and were discussed quite extensively by those present, espe- cially in regard to private dairies and cream cries. He also referred to the importance of saving all the manure on the farm, such as liquid and all usually wasted. Mr. Matteson differed with the President make first-class butter. ° H. S. Sherman thought that if the time speat in going to aud from the factory was put into éxtra work u’fi‘imflkgess, that subject was sifait taken up. planted TERMS, $1.50 TorspAy Bven Mr. . Wilber desuics that' an- sowed torn is wofth more than an fere Mr. Lyon advocated igvibg sowed mature beforé usitig. '. Plants Bis cord &o that the rows run nofth and éouth, - Mr. Jenks read' a paper entitled \\Sqomé Farmers of. Otsego of the 'needs of the County.\ R WronEspar Monnmnc. --The session opened with a good attendandg. . . ~'... Question: \When is it best to water horses, before feeding gtain of after?\> Dr. Thayer spoke df the digestive pro- cess of the horse, and thinks no trouble > afises from drinking water at.a reasonable temperature. © Mr. Jenks said he thought it better to feed little and often; and not a large quan: tity at once. c LoL Mr. Geo. Field thought fhat kay. Aid feed. should be fed together, and in support of this he gave os on illustration M». Clark's process and success of feeding tofether. ' Mr. Lyon supported the sam theoty;- - which séems to be the experiencé of many: -> farmers. . . Mr. Lyon read a paper entitled \Foo F1, and what part does 'the butter maker con-\ tribute:to the, world's supply?\ 'The essay was very instructive and many 11113511413\ facts were brought out.. _ He said ter contributes. Dxf very little to the food % ~<in a out-fromy the trunk of of the wood endwise through the trough.\ The sap was gathere@Bypulls carsiod by aid of the \sap-yoke and stored either a big tree, or in largo tubs called sap hold- ers.\ - The yoke was made to fit the should- ers and extend out sixteen or cightcen inches at right angles to the shoulders, and a hook attathed by a string at each ehd-to hook into the bails of the pails, thus trans- ferring the weight of the sap from the arms' to the shoulders, a greut saving of strength if a large amount of carrying was to be performed. ~ The sap was usually boiled in fron ket: | tles attached by chains to a lugpole und hanging in a row, so that a large log could be rolled up to them on cach side, and a fire made between the logs and around the | kettles. - The number of those kettles was | suited to the amount of sap to be boiled. We in our sugar making days used five mostly, and besides had one for use for j \sugaring off.\ . The place for boiling would be selected at the point where the sap could the most conveniently be collected, and usually a sort of tent or cabin made, for protection in case of storm. In 1888 the writer recollects going iuto the sap-bush and re- | maining day and night until over five hun- dred pounds were manufactured, boiling continuously every day. | Our books ever ; formed a part of our necessary outfit, and although never allowed to interfere with our work, yet daily and nightly, we wereabsorb- Ing their contents, Tho-sugar depended entirely upon the perfection of its manufacture, for its qual- ity and color. Maple sugur if made per- fectly free from all foreign substance, and | improved and saved. the whole of life may can control over and above. that necessary to render himself, and hi lependents, com- fortable. a success in life gan be learned from sugar making. | It shows us that it depends en- tirely upon doing the right thing at the right time. | It avails nothing to tap maple trees too early or too late. | They must if they yield their sweets be tapped at just the right time. | So it is in all things else. The right time is the time, - No other will answer, - After the sugar season has passed, no more success would attend an attempt for sap from a maple, then from a bemlock orany other tree. Bo with most of the acts of our lives. We, too, must: save and make available the sap when it runs. | If we let it waste it is gone forever, | So in business life. Money or gain does not often come in a , continu- ous stream. | It bas its seasons, and if not be a Waste. - When we can gim we must improve und nccumulite for use. in times One of the most. important lessons of | such-phantoms for imagrhet fixppiness-and We bave seen the senoledodie out of so many of them, that in every new case we seu-amew vietim: - Bill, people will chase position as they do gaming and lottery pur- chases, - Whoever wins by either does it at { the loss of somebody else. - Gambling and lotteries may occasionally enrich one, but when they do it is by spoiling and impover- ishing others. | A regular species of stcul- ing. Not so with the man who labors at a | useful calling. Such is Gods nobleman. | He is filling bis mission. | He is keeping the command. | He is enriching the world. He is benefitting his race. - Me is adding to , the means and: success of fadividuals and | nations, - Fill in country with men and women of this class and it will boom with | prosperity. | It will biossom with beauty i and success. - Fill a country with the idle, | unemployed, and unproductive and all would suun perish of want, These are truisms which need no proof., They are | self evident fucts, i when guins couse. Auother lesson is that of purity, no guin. if we bad kept so clean as to need no after cleansing. A gentleman once wanted a coachman and advertised that at such a day and hour he would give nudience toall appHcants. from sap directly frout the tree, is always ure of the sap to air, and from impurities in its manner of manufacture. 'The care trken in preventing scorching upon the sides of the kettles, bad much to do with color, as a little burned thus, would con- siderably darken a large batch. The sap being boiled to syrup and strain- ed while hot through a cloth strainer, wool- en flannel was the best, was allowed to set- tle and then \sugared-off a process requir- ing some skill if perfectly successful. Us l ually some substance, generally new milk, or eggs, was stirred into the syrup at the beginning of the operation, which, ss it heats, rising to the surface, taking with it in the form, of scam, much of the impuri- ties contained in the syrup. Perfectly clean syrup needs no cleansing operation. Bugaring off in the woods was one of the pleasant novelties of this sugar making business. Lets bevy of farmers' daugh- ters, and if convenients mixture of city girls, visit the sugar camp on such an oc- easion, and if pure unmixed fun was not the result, somebody was at fault. - We re- member many occasions where It was not wantlag, we are certain. If we dould get half a doges pair of nice jaws stuck togeth- er with suger waz, the fun was never les ened thereby. When once melted loose they were if possible, sweeter, and much mare tempting, than before. Maple sagar was used for most purposes of sweets among our early settlers, With the exception of honey, no other sweet was often used. . It is really to most testes, even wday, unexceled. _ No sweetening equals | it for pies, poddings, or deserf. | Noother has its fine peculiar flavor. | Great advance has been made in its manufacture within a few years. | It can, with care, be now made in great perfection. It is an article which will Ercresse in value and become more and mote a Iomnry as time advances, and the | pass a rocky gorge o | would it be safe to drive to it.\ + 'The first answered. a foot from its edge. ‘The second said six inches. four inches. The fourth two inches nfl If we: would be perfect, wa must be free from [his or her proportion of work, only i lew vice. We should not even be taluted by ! hours per day would: suffice to supply all its color. Even if by: clarifyng we can our wants, again become comparatively fuir, there is | others must nll the gup. We would have been far better | must support the idle, . Socie such basis. . Who but the buse, and un- j his is taken in spite of guns, dead. crows | Many offered their services. | When all lycum ago, fiir, inteil were seated be commenced asking ques- | snc bad many suitors. tions, to sullsfy himself of their fitness, | aught her that to labor herself, or to mar- Among the queries propounded for answer |ry u laboring man, would degrade her. rapacity, was this: \Buppose it became necessary to' She must murry rich and live a life of lux» which would be sure death, how close All 'people are supporlc-a'by the labor of somebody. - If cach inember of society did As idleness increases, labor of ; 'The workers | xists upon , principaled, wish to be the drones ? 1 If we live with open eyes, life is full of ; We havelived toobserve its many We knew a young lady some filly igent, and captivating. | Her mother had lessons, phases. ~- ft fast the right-sultor came He was rich, gay and charming. | People said she lind truly wou a prize. | Life start ed as if a fair sea was to continue through The third | its whole voyage to its remote end. But the iman who knows nothing of ' safe as farther off. - The fifth satd the edge; making money, seldom knows how to use, lot the tire even with the edge of the rock. ©or save it. - Years pased. Luxury, caseaud The sixth would risk half the width of the 1 idleness told fast upon the forgme. Every- ! tire upon the rock. - Theseventh answered ; body can spend money, whether they earn | most safe position.\ It is needles to say he was the one enploy- | only op. ed. Keep as far as possible from every . was soon gone and Never taste alcoholic liq- , the face. urs, and you will never form a habit of . dren had. been | drunkenness. - Never use tobacco and you | no trade; no sel < as ' ly yet thirty years of age gave up, sicken. , pit Tall in life. will save much trouble and expense, universal habit. - Neverfisea profane word, and the babit of using such language will | got have \ corrected. We might con- tinue the list to every evil of life. But it is not necessary. Safety from all such precipices and places to fall in life, is in keeping at the farthest possible distance from them. If there used to be fun in sugar making under our old system, how much more should there be now in these later times and under improved methods, We now | fine tin buckets, nice galvanized fron spouts for use, in tapping trees, with a small augur-bit of just the right size, good sugar house buildings, arches, and improv- ed pans for bofling, a team for bauling the [up, Th all changed. Not one half the actual muscular labor required as fifty or sixty years ago. 'We have sometimes thought that Isbor at anything, co matter what, hed lost much of the zest of former times Possibly young men and boys donot cow pésess the mustle and vigor their fathers Cid. Certainly there wees among those cf to- 'all such places of danger I keep the far- , it or not. h thest distance possible from them, as the | The husband sought to increase his means well as the slavery of a vile, evenif almost | ed and died. - The w The income annually lessened. His efforts to gain thus, by speculation. Al ened pew avenues of loss. orld really lost noth- { ing by his demise. The wife during these years had been opening her eyes to the folly of her moth- ors early teachings. | She saw many of her rej’ ted. suito prosperous. | She work, and the al cess, and independence, was not ing after all. . From the ruins of her own and her husband's fortunes, years before she thought | in she now by the aid of friends was enabled to save a small cottage. She looked about to see what she could do to earn a livelihood. | She had already learned the lesson of bodseseeping, and economy from sheer necessity. . A maiden Jady, a good tefloress, was among her neighbors. She induced ber to take up her abode with her and they together carry on the business. The plaw was a successfrom the start. - By daing well and on time, the promied work, they were never Iscking patrozmage: By continuing the business@ p #5: easy beits.] gaiped, beip aphyedl‘ailskmfl : intel More was img-ussistunce:- Tho Crow, , ct daves o Written expressly for Thm.cfrirpo®Fknsen, As the crow is much praised for a little good that he does, let us look for a moment ut his evil deeds. - It is soon enough to ap- prove or condemit the fellow when we know on which side his bulance stands. He cats some grubs and angle worms, and late in the yeur, grasshoppers, | A few other insects when pressed by hunger, and his goods works are done for this county. \Hecatsall kinds of grain, fruits of many kinds, snakes, bees, Mzzurds, frogs and toads, eggs, young birds, others when he cun catch them, and young poultry. You can see him soon aiter sowing, go- ing over wheat, rye, outs, and buckwheat fields, picking up whit he can find, snd hold, and that is no small amount. One crow, if unmolested, will ‘dvstroy one-eighth of an acre of corn in two days. Multiply that by seven to get the work of two weeks, while the corn is coming up and tender, and that product by four thou: gand, the estimated. crow population of Otsego County, (a small estimate) and we bave three Cousand five hundred acres of corn destroyed in this county cach year by crows, or one-fifth the whole. Many a farmer can tell you more than ope-fifth of and other scares. He destroys large quantities of sound ; wormless apples, cherries, berrics, chestouts 'and other good fruits, when they are not within gun-shot of the house. | 'That near 'ness also. saves a few bees and little birds i which would otherwise fall victims to his He basalmost exterminated bumble bees of ver, which depénds largely upon them for ' fertilization, rarely bear seed, and has about ‘givon up trying. | The lizzards, frogs, and ' toads which he destroys, are all friends of <the farmer and gurdner, | Insects are their food. , Young chickens, turkeys, ducks and goslings, find the crow their worst enemy 'as soon as they are out of reach of their protector's shot-gun. Even old turkeys and geese cannot save their young from crows, as they can from hawks, for they, like wolves, hunt in poverty stared them in ; packs and when the old bind is chasing one During these years three chil- away from her young, others will seize the born. - Having no pluck, / littic ones and bear them off. Four years If reliance, the man scarce-ism I saw crows playing the same game with a pair of killdeets that nested. in the pasture and now we have no more kill deers. The sparrows, fiycatchers, warblers, vircas, buntings, larks, finches and blue birds, the farmers' musical little friends, | are becoming scarce in our county compar rs, well married, bappy and | ed with their numbers years ago, because began to realize that:ch the crows. | They are smart enough to bility to command suc-; be far more dangerous enemies to little o degrad- ' birds than are hawke or weasels, or cats, or | even their other most dangerous enemies, which nine | boys and so called naturalists, who destroy exhaustible, l thous&nds to fil cabinets and deform ladies' hate. _ So Insects multiply and bird songs cease. t __. -_-g 44 { Ifikisbe ‘_ Sy coca ime t red clo- | Dzirttxe to Exersa-We have heard of this being done, but have never seen it. In fact we doubt whether it ever really happens, for the cost and labor of draining is go great that we cannot imagine ncaseof its being incurred, when there id no need of it. - Where draining would do nio good, be- cause peediécs, the land would obvicusiy be in sach a shape, orthe soll of a natime that 10 one would bestapid enough twover do draining. Butonland thatGeedsdrain- with ordinary npplinnces the finest quailty of butter might be made at home, Several farmers spoke on the subject of expense of commercial fertilizers. W. 8. Jenks spoke in regard to the pig and said he thought that animal was one of the most profitable kept because nothing fed him was wasted and the manure he will make being a valuable consideration, Dr. W. A. Thayer followed with re- marks on the pig and in support of Mr. Jenks, > An invitation was extended the Associa- tiow by Messrs. Amos Bissell & Son to in- spect their blooded stock of Hereford cat- tle and Clydesdale horses, | The Association adjourned for that purpose. | The herd contains several 1st prize animals, winners both at N. Y. State Fair, and at the Royal Show in England. The herd is a 18ry fine one ind numbers nearly forty head. After returning to the hall the discussion of the olcomargarine question was again brought up, and much was said of the way in which it is made. f George Field thinks that to stop the manufacture of it will decrease the value of Western Ranchmen's cattle from thrte to four dollars per head, and so injure ong see- tion while it benefits another, H. S.'Matteson guye the price of tallow at the present time, and claimed that the manufacture of olcomargarine did. not af- feet the Runchmen at all, so litle if any suet was used., Mr. Jenks thinks better butter should be made by the furmers, and then oleomargar- ine could not compete with it. James F. Clark spoke of the manufac- ture of oleomargarine. He bad visited the | factories and had scen it made and stated that he believed it made of diseased swine and of material without the slightest re- gard to cleanliness, refuse fats, acids, &. . H. S. Sherman. does not think we have a right to prohibit its manufacture, but can tax the article and compel deslersgo sell it for what it is. . Otis Lyon thinks we can prohibit the raanufacture, for they violate the Inws and ure criminals. Mr. Saxton wants a law to stop the col- oring of oleomargarine and thinks it can be drawn from the market in this way. Jas. F. Clark does not think we can stop the coloring of it, but as it has been shown to prohibit its make, by law. summer nights?\ feed. color of butter *\ variations. -- 222% liquor trafic?\ F. T. Jarvis answered the question b fertilizers, cach advocating the makip d sp\ fog thg.cove sepuld: require would-- -- saving of farm. manures, lhlfiffié‘mfidfimn menfifl'fifimh clicese in- - ~ to be injurious to health we have a right Dr. W. A. Thayer spoke of the origin of olcomargarine and thinks since it has become so adulterated and is injurious to the health we have a right to suppress it Question: ''Does it pay to stable cows D. W. Gsullp answered it no, because the cool night time was best for cattle to Question: ''What would be the pstural Answered by Prof. Donaldson from deep yellow to which food of cowsznaking the Question: \Doés the _sile of oleomar | garine darsage this-country as mach an the} w supply, of the country; that all the butter # cow would make in a year would sistain _ life in a man but one- burtdred-days; -and, creased its food properties over Eng: five fold. It takes forty pounds of milk to make one pound of pork, and. teu pounds of meal to accomplish the same results; af: ter the pork was niade, the food properties of one pound only equaled one pound of meat; thus representing a waste of 90 per cent in feeding meal to hogs: James F. Clark said he thought the Hul: steins compare favorably with the Jerseys as millers, and spoke a good word in their favor. Question: \'The use of posphates in the cultivation of hops.\ Mr. Clark, who has had several years experienct with 'phosphates, considers the use beneficial. - He puts it on the hill on top the ground. Mr. Wilber likes ashes better for som® purposes. Has usédphosphates gflflnka it beneficial. He puts a shove of com- posted manure in the hill when planting __ ° hops. ArtEnxdox Session. -Question: How can we prevent rot in potatoes?\ Dr. Thayer said that the rot is & fungus growthand the potato should be dug as soon as ripe to prevent itsspread. | method is to sprinkle lime on the ground after hocing the last time. Mr. Wilber said that:the burbauks have kept from! rotting where other potatoes have failed. Question: ''Is it practicable to saw or: «chard grass?\ } Richard Wilson says that on dry land pastures ha thinks it a good thing. > Question: 'Is a silo profitable?\ Mr. Wilson has had good-success with one for four years, arid thinks com stalks the best for ensilnge.. His silo is built of - tone and cost $400. Ca#s wilt eakonalls, ago in preference to hay unless itis very fine. Has wintered 88 cows. ~ A paper was read by Prof, Donaldson on \The Earth, whatit is and what itis for.\ The essay-was an.abl-production- -- -: and was both interesting and Instructive; - A committee of Milford farmers wore . appointed to organize a Farmers' Associa- tion for the town of Milford; and they're: ported with a call, for a meeting on Fri evening, Feb, 26, in the opera house block Dr. Thayer read a paper entitled \Ad~ . vice to Young Farmers,\ in which that farming has most inde and respectable ensployment from memorial . 20 Question: \Best fime to trim b F. T. Jarvis advocated February time
