The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-01-01
Farm, Garden and Household.
Profits of Cooperation.

Some eight or ten years ago, says the
Ne,D England Farmer, Joseph d.
Holmes, Charles Jordan, and William
Millard, three young farmers living
almost within o stones throw of each
other, decided to join in establishing
dairy milk route from their farms to
Pawtucket, Rhode Island, some six
miles away. Neither farm was large
enough to sustain route alone, but
the three together could do it easily.
Neither wanted to take the place of
middle man and do all the marketing,
nor did either wish to give up his bust
ness to a middle man. So they agreed
that each should take his turn on the
milk wagon.
The milk accounts are kept in one
book, and the buyers at the village
settle their bills by this book, whether
it comes by one or other of the members
of the company. Each of the three
men go with the wagon every third day
in regular order, unless for accomoda-
tion sake one goes trip for one of the
others. Each uses his own horse and
wagon, and each knows the amount of
milk that is taken from the different
farms every day.
The two trips that each one makes
every week enables him to market most
of his other produce, such as apples,
potatoes, sweet corn, tomatoes, and
other garden products, of which each
one raises considerable quantities,
without making special trips for such
purposes. Nor is there any hitching
up and going to store for purchase all
the buying, as well as selling being
done on their regular market days and
they are all in daily communication
with the post-office, which is no small
convenience to farmers.
Under this system of partnership,
the cost of marketing is reduced to the
minimum, while each bears his Just
proportion of the expenses, and re-
ceives equal share in all the advantages
of the combination. Since this ar
rangement has been established. all
their farms have been really enhanced
in value. The young men have increased
their stock and it is better fed and
better housed. Buildings have been
repaired and enlarged, more and better
tools purchased and the land is con-
stantly increasing in fertility and pro-
ductiveness. But little complaint is
heard from them about hard times for
farmers. They pay their bills, take
the papers, and know what is going on
in the world outside.
We lia,O UUvu fulI,iliaI ultlI ulIio t,,,n
pany from its organization, and believe
the example these men have set is
worthy of imitation by many farmers
who are now grumbling about the cost
OF getting their goods to market.
A Bad Beginning.
A colt should be handled every few
days; he should early feel the bit. the
bridle-reins, and the surcingle; early
learn to draw light loads, and not to be
afraid of sudden noises. 1t is no way
at all to bring up a colt to be as wild as
deer or to kick at the slightest provo
cation. By the time he is old enough
to be used he should have become thor
oughly trained, the time of his subjec-
tion having extended through all his
previous days. We have known farmers
who allowed their colts to grow up with
out the least handling. It would be al.
most impossible to catch them unless
they We're driven through a lane into
the yard and cornered, or were induced
to lenter the stable where it was con-
sldered feat to get on the halter. The
breaking (Which is a bad word) is
considered great event, and often
some public day will be selected. Be-
ing caught, the saddle put on by feat
OF deXterlty, fearless and strong
young man is selected to mount him,
and when he succeeds great is the ad-
mlratlon of the beholders. The horse
is simply frightened he would run.
but the curb-bit restralns him, and he
can only rear and perhaps kick within
limited bounds. To make him behave
himself a raw-hide or black-snake whip
is applied to his siles, and even over
his head, and we have seen the flesh
made bare. The poor creature. utterly
unable to understand what is required.
trembling in every muscle and nerve
and at last, finding out the extent to
which he is to be tortured, submits. and
then he is declared "broken." Truly
he is broken, as much so as a broken
merchant, and if he does not from that
day become balky or vicious it will NOT
be because his owner failed to take the
best possible means to make him SO.
Replacement of Hoof.
Generally horse that has lost hoof
by accident is thought to be beyond re-
covery, and as the injury is excessively
painful, the poor creature is DESTROYED
at once. But the natural replacement
OF the hoof seems to be a possible and
even probable occurrence under proper
treatment and favorable conditions.
We hear of horse in San Francisco
which had its hoof torn off by the wheel
of dray, and being not only valuable
but favorite, it was determined, if pos
C1h 70 off