Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1900-05-18
CHEAP FARM TELEPHONES.
Every Farmer Can Have One-How They
should ije Put In.

AEN''N -" E
should Be Put In.
1t is strange that every farmer does not
connect his home with his neighbours, the
p~ostofiice and the grocery store, when the
%cheapness of telephones are considered
and their usefulness fairly comprehended.
A writer in the New York Farmer saws
the organizer of "A successful farm tele-
phone service tells how a simple system
can be installed at a low cost. The first
requisite is to secure at least one man
who has sufficient practical knowledge of
electricity to sup~erintend the work of
installation. Telephones to serve the
purpose fairly well car be bought for S11
to S12 wholesale, and an extra quality
can be secured for S15, with two jar bat
terry power and with adjustable arm
attached to transmitter. The cheaper
instruments will last for years for farm
work; they are easy to handle and adjust,
and carry sound perfectly, provided the
battery is kept in working order. Too
many telephones should not he placed on
one circuit, or the talk will be weak, from
the resistance being excessive. One farm
circuit. which runs a distance of three
miles. has ten instruments on it. This is
about all it can carry. especially as It
is wired with common No. II galvanized
wire. which is liable to rust. and thus
involve greater resistance to the current.
Copper is being substituted for iron on
some lines which were originally put up
at the lowest cost. Copper is "A better
transmitter of current and does not
impair the diStinctness of the talk by cor
rosion. The average cost of iron wire for
farm lines is about s. per mile, while No.
If copper can be had for $2l. The poles
nav measure 6 20 5 inches at the base and
I inches at the top and % feet long.
They should be put 3 to ! feet in the
ground and l75 feet apart. Locust poles
are very serviceable. When the instru-
ment has been put up in the house, and
an insulated wire run out to meet the line
outside, ground connections should be
made by putting copper wire or rod down
/ feet into damp soil outside or in the cell
lar. This is needed to make the circuit
only when one line of wire i used instead
of two. 1t is a common practice TO start
out the lire wire slack from the house to
the first pole near it. so hat the vibration
from the main wire will not be brought
into the house, to the annoyance and dis
turbance of nervous peOple.-Mirror and
Farmer.
The Horse Not "a Back Number.
The display of nearly 81. O00. 600 worth
of roadsters in the parade of the Road
Drivers assOci 4tion in New York on
Saturday indicates that after all the
bicy Gle and the automobile have not yet
done SC much to displace the horse as
a means of diversion. Doubtless for
strictly unitarian purposes mechanical
devices will supplant the horse, Just as
the locomotive with its train of cars
superseded the s~tage-cOach. The auto
mobile may take the place of the horse
for actual service, but it cannOt in the
nature of things find the place in the
affections of men that the horse has es-
tahlished for himself. If it be true that
the tastes and inclinatiOns of men are
the product of environment during sue
cessive ages. it is plain that, having been
the companion ard servant of man for
many years. the horse along with the
dog. has a fixed place In the natural
affections Of men.
Last summer a considerable uuoaSi-
ness was manifested among breed
ers because foreign buyers were outbid-
ding Americans at the annual horse
sales. An apprehension existed that the
best of our stock would be taken abroad,
and that. being able to raise their own
roadsters and racing horses, the foreign
horse fanciers would not be compelled
to %patroniZn America when they sought
especially fine roadSters and mounts.
But this condition does not appear to
have developed 10 an alarming extent.
In a great measure the American horse
has become the standard of horse excel
lence abroad. The ''hrOnchu" is sought
by the British army for service i'm South
Africa the Missouri mule IS desired for
draft purposes; the superiority of Amer
lean draft horses j. recognized every
Where. Locally, Chicago has great in
terest in me horse trade. not only be-
cause much excellent stock is owned
here, but because this city i, the most
extensive horse market IN he country.
Altogether it does not appear that the
day Of the horse is over by any means.-
Chicago Record.