1892 
THE  RURAL  NEW-YORKER. 
small  way,  one  acre  being  all  the  space  devoted  to 
potatoes  at  present.  Clover  is  perfectly  at  home  on 
this  limestone  soil,  while  corn  is  king  in  Illinois,  as 
you  know ;  hut  the  winter  wheat  belt  is  south  of 
latitude  41.  Rye  does  finely  here  and  would  have  to 
he  used  as  the  seeding  crop  in  the  rotation,  instead  of 
wheat,  no  doubt.  I  have  never  grown  rye  in  this 
western  country,  and  it  is  possible  it  might  lodge  and 
smother  the  young  grass,  our  soil  being  very  rich.  I 
thank  you  for  the  good  your  little  pamphlet  has  done 
me  in  strengthening  my  faith  and  encouraging  me  to 
go  ahead  in  this  direction.  P.  H.  monroe. 
“  Chemicals  and  Clover.” 
The  object  shown  at  Fig.  82,  represents  this  rotation. 
The  body  and  heart  are  a  bag  of  fertilizer.  The  head 
is  a  potato — the  crop  that  requires  the  greatest  skill 
and  care  in  its  culture  and  which  pays  for  the  whole 
rotation.  The  arms  are  wheat  and  grass  The  button¬ 
hole  flower,  clover,  gives  tone  to  the  whole  outfit, 
while  the  stout  legs  of  corn  carry  the  whole  body  on 
its  happy  course  to  profitable  farming.  Almost  every¬ 
body  has  read  the  old  story  of  the  dispute  of  the  mem¬ 
bers.  The  eye  thought  it  was  better  than  the  ear,  the 
nose  considered  itself  more  important  than  the  mouth 
and  so  on.  There  is  no  such  trouble  in  this  body. 
Each  part  knows  its  place  and  realizes  that  it  must 
have  help  from  the  others.  Uncle  Corn  is  a  steady  old 
fellow.  He  takes  the  smart  grass  and  clover  in  hand 
and  takes  the  roughest  mischief  out  of  them  before 
Prof.  Potato  admits  them  to  his  class.  Prof.  P.  is  too 
busy  to  train  boys:  he  wants  sober  workmen — not 
“  smart  alecks,”  to  help  him  invest  the  money  which 
the  farmer  puts  into  his 
hands  in  the  shape  of  fer¬ 
tilizers.  It  is  a  great  relief 
to  him  to  have  Uncle  Corn 
work  all  the  “  false  mo¬ 
tions”  out  of  young  clover 
and  grass  and  turn  them 
over  to  him  well  trained 
and  careful.  It  doesn’t 
pay  to  have  Prof.  Potato 
bother  with  small  invest¬ 
ments.  His  time  is  alto¬ 
gether  too  valuable  for 
that.  It  pays  to  give  him 
all  the  big  items  and  turn 
the  smaller  accounts  over 
to  Dr.  Wheat,  who  will 
make  first-rate  use  of  them 
and  leave  margin  enough 
to  send  his  two  office  boys 
—  clover  and  grass  —  to 
Uncle  Corn’s  school,  and 
all  are  satisfied.  So  it  is 
that  the  fertilizer  farmer 
puts  all  his  stable  man¬ 
ure  on  sod  and  plows  it 
up  for  corn,  because  corn 
is  the  plant  that  can 
make  the  best  use  of 
all  coarse  manures.  Corn  makes  a  fine  growth  and 
leaves  plenty  of  humus  in  the  soil  for  potatoes, 
which  come  next.  With  the  potatoes  the  farmer  uses 
from  1,200  to  1,500  pounds  of  fertilizer  per  acre,  be¬ 
cause  the  potato  crop  is  the  only  one  that  will  bring  in 
large  quantities  of  cash,  besides  being  a  most  liberal 
feeder.  Then  he  sows  wheat  and  clover  and  grass  and 
comes  back  to  the  regular  rotation.  This  rotation  is 
called  “Chemicals  and  Clover,”  because  the  fertilizers 
and  the  sod  supply,  in  a  cheap  and  handy  form, 
everything  that  stockmen  work  hard  to  supply  in  the 
form  of  stable  manure. 
A  Virginian  Hungry  for  Information 
One  surprising  result  of  the  publication  of  “  Chemi¬ 
cals  and  Clover  ”  has  been  a  series  of  loud  calls  for  fur¬ 
ther  information  regarding  fertilizers,  crops,  rotations 
and  methods  of  working.  These  calls  come  from  parts 
of  the  country  where  one  would  hardly  expect  farmers 
to  see  the  need  of  buying  fertilizers.  The  following 
letter  from  Rockbridge  County,  Va.,  is  typical  of  many 
others,  and  perhaps  as  hard  as  any  to  answer  satisfac¬ 
torily  : 
‘  ‘  Let  me  give  you  an  idea  of  my  agricultural  condi¬ 
tion  :  I  have  a  farm  of  700  acres,  500  of  which  are 
cleared.  I  plant  corn  on  sod  without  fertilizer  ;  sow 
wheat  on  corn  stubble  with  200  pounds  of  low-grade 
fertilizer;  follow  with  wheat  and  grass,  using  200 
pounds  of  fertilizer.  Then  I  keep  the  land  in  sod  for 
two  to  four  years,  and  then  begin  the  old  rotation 
again,  but  do  not  get  paying  crops,  and  use  the  fertil¬ 
izer  to  get  a  good  catch  of  grass,  as  that  is  my  main 
dependence,  as  may  be  seen  from  the  following :  I 
winter  100  head  of  three-year-old  cattle,  which  I  sum¬ 
mer  on  one  of  the  best  grass  farms  in  the  country. 
Now  I  cannot  give  up  the  cattle,  as  I  generally  make 
from  $20  to  $30  and  $35  per  head  on  them  when  sold  in 
the  pasture.  I  forgot  to  say  that  I  have  at  least  250 
i3i 
acres  of  level  or  bottom  land,  from  which  I  cut  the  hay 
for  wintering  my  steers ;  and  also  that  I  keep  eight  or 
nine  horses,  besides  colts,  and  five  or  six  milch  cows, 
and  25  sheep  and  about  20  hogs.  Now,  then,  while  I 
am  satisfied  that  there  is  money  in  a  rotation  of  corn 
on  sod,  followed  by  potatoes  fed  with  1,500  pounds  of 
high-grade  fertilizer,  it  would  not  suit  my  present  cir¬ 
cumstances,  for  the  reason  that  the  crops  are  too  bulky 
for  handling,  and  I  would  not  be  able  to  handle  them 
successfully  for  market  until  I  could  get  nearer  the  mar¬ 
kets,  etc.  Rut  I  know  how  to  handle  cattle  and  wish  to 
improve  my  land  so  as  to  get  paying  crops  of  corn  and 
wheat  and  grass,  for  this  would  help  me  to  feel  that 
with  the  money  made  on  corn,  wheat  and  hay,  I  could 
expect  an  improvement  all  around;  but  to  double  my 
crops  of  wheat,  corn  and  hay  would  give  me  more 
money,  more  hay  and  even  a  better  lot  of  cattle,  but  I 
would  not  sell  any  hay,  preferring  if  my  hay  crop  was 
doubled,  to  feed,  say,  100  more  cattle  a  year  younger 
than  those  I  put  on  grass  land,  and  hold  them  to  put 
on  my  grass  land  the  following  year,  enabling  me  to 
make  more  money  by  $10  to  $15  per  head  on  them 
when  sold  as  matured  steers  than  I  now  make.  Now, 
should  I  put  the  1,500  pounds  of  high-grade  fertilizer 
on  the  sod  (for  corn)  or  on  the  wheat  and  would  it 
pay?  How  should  it  be  broadcasted?  It  might  be 
sown  by  hand;  I  can’t  see  how  one  could  sow  it  by  a 
drill;  I  know  of  none  that  has  the  capacity  to  sow 
more  than  400  or  500  pounds;  but  it  might  be  scattered 
with  a  shovel,  if  one  knew  how  to  empty  the  fertilizer 
in  bags  placed  at  the  right  distances  apart  to  cover  one 
acre.  If  fertilizer  is  used  on  sod  for  corn,  should  it 
be  broadcasted  on  the  sod  or  plowed  and  harrowed  ir.  ? 
I  might  trust  some  money  on  10  acres  if  I  could  get 
information  on  these  points;  but  I  lack  it,  and  am  as 
hungry  for  it  as  my  land  is  for  plenty  of  fertilizer. 
.JOHN  I>.  STERRETT. 
We  would  like  to  have  some  of  our  fertilizer  farmers 
answer  this  letter.  We  do  not  feel  competent  to  give 
complete  advice.  In  such  a  case  experiment  alone  can 
give  a  satisfactory  answer.  We  should  by  all  means 
keep  the  cattle  and  use  all  the  manure  possible  on  the 
sod  for  corn — condensing  it  as  much  as  possible.  On 
several  rows  at  intervals  through  the  corn  we  would 
use  also  light  dressings  of  fertilizer  as  an  experiment 
to  see  if  the  manure  and  the  sod  fully  supplied  what 
the  plant  needed.  A  bag  of  ground  bone  or  a  bag  of 
muriate  of  potash  scattered  on  several  rows  through 
the  field  would  show  you  if  the  soil  needs  extra  potash 
or  phosphoric  acid,  which  is  the  point  you  need  to 
know,  as  the  sod  and  the  manure  doubtless  supply  all 
the  nitrogen  needed.  On  seeding  to  wheat  we  should 
broadcast  400  or  500  pounds  of  complete  fertilizer.  If 
the  grass  seemed  weak  and  thin  we  should  broadcast 
at  least  400  pounds  more  on  that.  The  result  will  be 
better  grass,  better  sod  and  better  corn.  The  extra 
fertilizer  will  mean  extra  feed  and  extra  cattle.  It 
would  not  pay  to  use  1,500  pounds  of  fertilizer  on  an 
acre  of  wheat.  The  only  way  such  a  heavy  dressing 
will  pay  would  be  to  use  it  on  the  potato  or  some  other 
crop  that  is  largely  water,  and  which  can  furnish  a  very 
large  cash  product.  We  would  suggest  this  experi¬ 
ment  :  Put  the  stable  manure  on  sod,  plow  and  plant 
corn.  On  one  acre  of  the  corn  use,  scattered  between 
the  rows  and  cultivated  in,  one  bag  of  ground  bone,  on 
another  a  bag  of  muriate  of  potash  and  on  another  one 
bag  of  each.  Watch  the  crop  and  see  if  it  responds 
better  to  the  bone,  the  potash  or  to  the  combination. 
On  several  acres  of  wheat  this  spring  use  from  one  to 
two  bags  of  complete  high-grade  fertilizer  per  acre.  If 
possible,  put  it  on  in  streaks  through  the  field  so  that 
you  can  readily  see  the  effect  on  the  wheat  and  the 
subsequent  grass.  Try  the  same  with  some  of  your 
meadows,  taking  those  that  are  poor  and  also  those  in 
good  condition.  Rroadcast  from  one  to  two  bags  per 
acre  on  the  grass  in  strips  through  the  field  so  that 
you  can  judge  of  the  effect. 
Take  10  acres  of  your  sod  and  give  it  a  good  dressing 
of  stable  manure  and  plant  corn.  In  the  fall  sow 
wheat  with  500  pounds  of  complete  fertilizer.  The 
following  year  sow  400  pounds  more  on  the  grass- 
Follow  this  rotation  until  the  meadows  fail,  and  then 
plow  them  and  plant  corn  as  befpre.  Use  nothing  but 
high-grade  goods ;  use  fertilizer  on  wheat  and  grass, 
and  all  the  stable  manure  on  sod  for  corn.  You  can 
use  the  wheat  drill  for  applying  the  fertilizer.  Get 
the  length  of  the  field.  There  are  43,560  square  feet 
in  an  acre.  Divide  this  by  the  length  of  the  field,  and 
the  product  gives  you  the  width  of  the  acre,  and  this 
width  will  give  you  the  distance  apart  to  place  the 
bags.  If  your  field  is  800  feet  long,  the  acre  is  a  trifle 
over  54  feet  wide.  To  put  on  400  pounds  of  fertilizer 
the  bags  should  be  27  feet  apart,  or,  if  the  rows  are 
three  feet  apart,  a  bag  to  every  nine  rows.  Of  course 
the  drill  must  be  watched  and  regulated  to  make  it 
run  evenly.  To  put  fertilizer  on  corn  or  other  rowed 
crops,  we  would  use  the  drill,  fixing  the  tubes  so  that 
the  fertilizer  would  be  delivered  between  the  rows. 
•  Apply  shortly  after  or  just  before  the  corn  comes  up, 
and  at  once  work  into  the  soil  with  Breed’s  weeder  or 
a  cultivator. 
Barnyard  and  Fertilizer  Shed. 
We  are  often  told  that  it  is  folly  to  use  fertilizers 
because  they  ‘  ‘  leach  out  of  the  soil  ”  and  are  lost.  Do 
you  think  this  is  a  reasonable  statement  to  come 
from  a  man  who  can  show  such  a  barnyard  as  that 
pictured  at  Fig.  81.  This  is  an  actual  picture  made 
from  a  photograph  taken  by  Prof.  I.  P.  Roberts.  How 
much  better  than  leached  ashes  was  the  manure  in 
that  yard  after  the  rains  and  thaws  of  winter  and 
spring  ?  We  have  laws  to  protect  farmers  from  rascals 
who  would  try  to  sell  them  leached  for  unleached 
ashes,  but  what  law  is  to  protect  the  farmer  from  him¬ 
self  if  he  permits  the  water  to  steal  the  best  part  of  his 
manure  and  carry  it  to  the  brook  that  has  no  use  or 
desire  for  it.  The  fertilizer  shed  is  a  cleaner  and  safer 
place  for  “  fertility  ”  than  the  barnyard. 
The  Strawsonizer  ;  A  Broadcasting 
Machine. 
We  have  had  considerable  to  say  about  this  English 
machine ;  now  we  show  a  picture  of  it,  (see  Fig.  83) 
taken  from  the  New  South  Wales  Agricultural  Gazette. 
The  picture  is  supposed  to  represent  an  Australian 
farm  scene.  The  machine  distributes  both  dry  and 
liquid  materials,  the  forcing  principle  consisting  of  a 
strong  blast  of  air  by  means  of  a  revolving  fan,  which 
works  inside  the  frame  and  is  turned  by  suitable  gear¬ 
ing  connected  with  the  wheels.  This  fan  is  powerful 
enough  to  blow  liquids  or  dry  fine  substances  through 
tubes  or  plates,  the  liquids  as  high  as  may  be  desired, 
and  the  dry  substances  to  a  width  of  15  to  20  feet.  It 
can  be  regulated  to  throw  any  quantity  required  and 
to  turn  with  greater  or  less  force.  It  weighs  about 
800  pounds,  and  is  easily  worked  by  a  single  good 
The  Strawsonizer;  A  Broadcasting  Machine.  Fig.  83. 
horse.  We  believe  it  is  not  yet  on  sale  in  this  country. 
It  ought  to  be.  We  need  a  good  machine  for  dis¬ 
tributing  fertilizers.  Why  cannot  some  inventor  give 
us  a  combination  harrow  and  distributor,  so  that  these 
two  important  works  can  be  performed  at  one  opera¬ 
tion  ? 
Fertilizers  Wanted  in  Wisconsin. 
The  R.  N.-Y.  with  its  persistent  talks  on  complete  fer¬ 
tilizers,  “chemicals  and  clover,”  etc.,  has  really  set  a 
good  many  of  us  farmers  not  only  thinking,  but  acting; 
and  I  notice  with  satisfaction  that  in  relation  to  com¬ 
plete  fertilizers  such  a  wheel  horse  of  agriculture  as 
Joseph  Harris  is  gradually  coming  into  line  with  The 
Rural’s  views.  In  his  Annual  for  1891,  on  page  71,  he 
says,  “  for  grass  or  hay  use  200  pounds  each  of  nitrate 
of  soda  and  superphosphate  broadcast  early  in  the 
spring,”  and  for  nearly  all  garden  vegetables  400 
pounds  each  of  nitrate  and  superphosphate  are  recom¬ 
mended.  On  page  72  for  the  year  1892,  he  advocates 
the  use  of  200  pounds  each  of  nitrate,  superphosphates 
and  muriate  of  potash  for  grass  or  hay.  For  vege¬ 
tables  he  recommends  the  use  of  300  pounds  each  of  the 
same,  thus  making  a  more  nearly  complete  fertilizer 
than  formerly. 
With  all  the  information  The  Rural  has  given  us, 
and  additional  information  obtained  from  other 
sources,  we  are  yet  groping  considerably  in  the  dark 
as  to  the  cheapest  and  at  the  same  time  the  best  mate¬ 
rials  to  use,  and  we  want  further  help.  On  a  part  of 
my  farm,  in  La  Crosse  County,  Wis.,  consisting  of 
sandy  land,  that  has  received  a  moderately  good  coat 
of  barnyard  manure  for  five  years,  corn  fails  to  pro¬ 
duce  good  and  sufficient  ears.  Though  the  stalks  and 
leaves  look  wonderfully  thrifty  nearly  every  season, 
yet  at  husking  time  the  crop  fails  to  yield  as  it 
ought.  Formerly  the  same  land  used  to  produce  35  to 
40  bushels  per  acre,  whereas  now  25  bushels  is  the 
limit,  although  the  land  is  seemingly  richer  owing  to 
the  Continuous  dressing  of  manure  it  has  received.  This 
land  has  raised  corn  for  about  10  years  in  succession, 
with  one  year  intervening,  when  oats  were  raised, 
yielding  50  bushels  per  acre.  Can  The  Rural  inform 
me  why  it  fails  to  produce  a  good  crop  of  corn,  since 
