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THE  RURAL  NEW-YORKER. 
ANSWER  TO  CORRESPONDENTS. 
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Killing:  Insects  with  Kainit. 
O.  A.  D.,  Campello,  Mass. — In  The  Rural  of  Feb¬ 
ruary  G  it  is  stated  that  on  a  farm  in  Somerset  County, 
N.  J.,  a  14-acre  field,  planted  to  corn,  was  treated  with 
muriate  of  potash  and  kainit.  On  the  plot  treated  with 
kainit  the  grub-worms  and  wire-worms  did  no  damage, 
although  the  field  was  infested  with  them  ;  where  the 
muriate  was  applied  some  damage  was  done  by  the 
pests.  Last  fall  I  bought  a  farm  near  the  sea-shore. 
The  owner  having  died  some  years  ago,  it  had  been 
rented.  The  land  is  a  moist,  sandy  loam,  varying  from 
brown  to  black  ;  in  some  places  from  10  to  18  inches 
deep.  Last  fall  about  five  acres  were  plowed,  as  I  in¬ 
tended  this  spring  to  plant  potatoes  and  set  straw¬ 
berries  in  alternate  rows,  I  his  land  had  not  been 
turned  over  for  30  years,  and  yielded  about  half  a  ton 
of  hay  to  the  acre.  My  intentions  were  to  use  a  com¬ 
plete  high-grade  fertilizer  for  potatoes,  and  muriate  of 
potash  and  ground  bone  for  the  strawberries;  but 
grub-worms  have  haunted  me.  In  reading  “  Gregory 
on  Fertilizers,”  I  find  that  he  quotes  Prof.  Dabney,  who 
speaks  in  the  highest  terms  of  kainit,  the  only  draw¬ 
back  being  its  saline  properties  ;  yet  he  says  that  500 
pounds  would  carry  with  it  less  than  three  bushels  of 
salt.  Of  course,  in  order  to  get  the  same  ratio  of  pot¬ 
ash  in  kainit  as  in  muriate,  the  amount  of  salt  is  in¬ 
creased.  Would  it  be  good  policy  to  use  the  kainit  as 
an  insecticide  and  fertilizer  rather  than  the  muriate  < 
Ans. — A  practice  which  includes  fall  plowing  and  an 
application  of  kainit  has,  in  numerous  instances,  par¬ 
ticularly  in  New  Jersey,  proved  successful  in  materially 
reducing  the  ravages  of  wire-worms  and  cut  or  grub¬ 
worms.  An  application  of  kainit  at  the  rate  of  500 
pounds  per  acre  is  sufficient  for  the  purpose,  and  will 
not  injure  the  foliage,  if  applied  when  the  latter  is 
dry.  It  is  the  custom  when  using  it  for  corn  or 
orchards,  to  spread  it  broadcast  and  thoroughly  harrow 
it  into  the  surface  soil.  The  greater  effectiveness  of 
kainit  over  muriate  of  potash  as  an  insecticide  is  prob¬ 
ably  due  to  the  chlorides  of  magnesia  and  soda  con¬ 
tained  in  the  former.  At  the  analyses  and  quotations 
given  the  cost  per  pound  of  actual  potash  would  be 
less  in  the  kainit  than  in  the  muriate  of  potash,  though 
of  course  the  labor  of  handling  would  be  increased  as 
the  content  of  potash  decreased.  Kainit,  owing  to  the 
presence  in  it  of  large  quantities  of  salt,  would  have 
a  greater  solvent  effect  upon  soil  compounds  than  the 
same  quantity  of  muriate.  e.  b.  voorhkes. 
Facts  About  Potato  Culture. 
C.  R.  IF.,  Miller's  Comers,  N.  Y. — Our  land  is  just 
level  enough  for  good  drainage  and  varies  from  sandy 
loam  to  what  is  known  as  clay  loam.  How  deep  should 
we  plow  for  potatoes  ?  How  deep  and  how  far  apart 
should  the  seed  be  planted  and  how  many  eyes  should 
there  be  to  the  piece  ?  *  Should  we  use  level  or  hill 
culture  ?  How  much  fertilizer  should  be  used  ?  I  have 
the  following  tools  to  fit  and  work  the  ground  :  a  good 
plow,  a  Clark’s  Cutaway  harrow,  a  smoothing  harrow, 
Planet  Jr.  horse  hoes,  an  Aspinwall  planter  and  a 
Hoover  digger. 
ANs.— The  depth  to  plow  depends  much  upon  the 
depth  of  the  soil.  For  the  current  crop  it  is  not  well  to 
turn  up  the  subsoil,  and  here  we  have  the  only  limit  to 
deep  plowing  except  the  capacity  of  the  plow.  The 
distance  apart  should  be  regulated  in  part  by  the 
variety.  For  those  of  moderate  vigor  we  prefer  one 
foot  by  three  feet,  as,  for  example,  the  Beauty  of 
Hebron,  Early  Rose,  etc.  For  the  Early  Ohio  six 
inches  by  three  or  even  2%  feet  would  suffice.  For 
late,  rank-growing  varieties,  18  inches  by  three  or  3% 
feet  would  be  about  right.  We  prefer  from  two  to 
three  strong  eyes  to  a  piece.  Here  again,  however, 
the  variety  must  be  considered.  If  the  eyes  are  close 
together,  more  eyes  should  be  planted,  so  as  to  give 
each  piece  more  flesh  to  support  the  shoots  until  they 
make  roots  for  themselves.  As  to  the  depth  to  plant, 
TheR.  N.-Y.  is  undecided,  It  is  a  problem  we  have 
been  tugging  away  at  for  10  years.  During  some 
seasons  a  depth  of  three  inches  has  given  the  largest 
yield ;  in  others  six  inches.  It  is  evident  that  in  a 
sandy  (loose)  soil  we  may  safely  plant  deeper  than  in 
a  stiff  soil.  Again,  in  a  dry  season  or  in  land  liable  to 
drought  deeper  planting  is  probably  advisable.  Five 
inches,  we  fancy,  would  be  deep  enough  in  any  soil. 
We  prefer  level  culture  by  all  means  upon  well  drained 
land.  Bradley’s  fertilizers  rank  among  the  best.  The 
quantity  of  fertilizer  to  use  should  be  decided  by  the 
fertility  of  the  land.  In  moderately  fertile  land  that 
needs  manure  with  every  crop  we  should  prefer  not 
less  than  1,200  pounds  to  the  acre. 
Tools  To  Go  With  “  Chemicals  and  Clover.” 
T.  J.  S.,  Shaker  Station,  Conn.— I  have  read  “  Chem¬ 
icals  and  Clover  ”  with  close  attention,  my  own  experi¬ 
ence  verifying  much  stated  in  the  pamphlet.  I  am  on 
the  lookout  for  improved  methods  of  farming  and 
better  machinery.  I  have  almost  every  kind  of  machine 
a  farmer  needs,  but  Mr.  Lewis  speaks  of  having  a 
satisfactory  potato  digger  and  hay  loader,  also  a 
one-horse  machine  for  sifting  plaster  and  Paris-green  on 
potato  vines.  Where  can  such  machines  be  found,  for 
if  there  are  any  such  I  cannot  afford  to  be  without 
them.  My  own  experience  with  potato  diggers  and 
hay  loaders  has  been  far  from  satisfactory. 
Ans.—  Mr.  Lewis  has  not  yet  found  a  satisfactory 
potato  digger.  The  Hoover  and  Pruyn  diggers  are 
the  best  that  we  know  of  now  before  the  public.  They 
are  of  heavy  draft,  as  they  have  to  be  in  order  to  do 
the  work  of  15  men  with  forks;  but  they  get  out  the 
potatoes  except  on  hilly  and  very  stony  ground.  For 
smooth,  level  ground  the  Rigby  digger  is  highly 
praised,  and  it  is  one  of  the  cheapest.  Mr.  Lewis  has 
tried  several  diggers;  all  have  helped  somewhat,  but 
none  has  been  entirely  satisfactory.  Digging  is  difficult 
on  his  land  because,  after  the  potatoes  are  too  large 
for  cultivating,  Crab  Grass  comes  in  and  forms  a 
heavy  mat  of  roots  and  grass  so  that  the  diggers  clog 
and  pull.  The  best  hay  loader  we  know  of  is  the 
Keystone.  The  only  complaints  we  have  ever  heard 
of  this  machine  were  from  those  who  used  it  on  very 
rough  and  rocky  fields  where  horse-power  implements 
never  could  have  a  fair  chance.  Mr.  Lewis  does  not 
use  dry  plaster  and  Paris-green,  but  a  water  mixture. 
The  machine  he  uses  is  made  by  Thomas  Peppier, 
Hightstown,  N.  J.  It  works  like  a  street  watering 
cart,  keeping  the  poison  and  water  thoroughly  mixed 
and  delivering  it  directly  upon  two  rows  at  a  time  as 
fast  as  a  horse  can  walk.  We  do  not  know  of  any  sat¬ 
isfactory  machine  for  applying  dry  plaster  and 
“  green.”  Mr.  Lewis’s  most  useful  tools  are  the  drill 
for  distributing  fertilizer  and  sowing  wheat,  the 
Aspinwall  planter,  Breed’s  weeder,  a  sprinkler,  a  two- 
horse  cultivator  and  a  binder.  He  wants  a  cheap  ma¬ 
chine  for  cutting  corn,  a  cheap  fertilizer  attachment 
for  a  common  harrow  and  a  potato  digger  that  will 
work  well  in  grassy  potatoes  and  sell  at  a  reasonable 
price. 
Poultry  Feathers  for  Fertilizer. 
S.  O.,  Pittsboro,  Ind.—l  have  been  hauling  poultry 
feathers  from  the  packing  houses  here  this  winter  and 
putting  them  around  my  berry  bushes.  I  get  them  for 
hauling  them  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile.  What  is  their 
value  as  manure  ?  The  blood  is  allowed  to  drip  on 
them  as  they  are  picked. 
Ans. — The  feathers  decay  so  slowly  that  they  are 
worth  but  little  as  a  fertilizer  and  will  show  little  or 
no  effect  the  first  year.  The  blood  on  them  will  be 
available  at  once,  and  the  amount  of  this  will  determine 
their  value  as  a  fertilizer.  If  all  the  blood  drips  on 
them  they  should  certainly  be  worth  hauling.  Used 
around  the  berry  bushes  they  will  serve  as  a  mulch — 
perhaps  as  well  as  straw. 
Blue  Grass  for  Potatoes  and  Onions. 
J.  C.,  Bargersville,  Ind.—l  have  a  piece  of  ground 
that  has  been  in  Blue  Grass  for  15  years ;  it  is  very 
rich  ;  would  it  do  to  plant  potatoes  in  this  sod?  Would 
it  be  a  good  plan  to  plant  onions  in  one  corner  where 
the  cattle  stood  a  great  deal  and  which  has  been  well 
coated  with  their  droppings  every  year  :  it  is  therefore 
very  rich. 
Ans. — We  prefer  for  potatoes  or  for  onions  to  turn 
the  sod  under  the  previous  year.  For  onions,  which 
need  to  be  kept  particularly  free  of  weeds,  this  would 
be  especially  necessary.  We  have  never  seen  soil 
which  was  too  rich  for  either  crop. 
Fertilizing:  for  the  Present  Year. 
R.  C.  S.,  Riverside,  Pa.— I  can  rent  ground  only  for 
one  year.  Would  it  be  advisable  to  use  a  good  grade 
of  fertilizer  or  manure  ?  The  ground  has  been  plowed 
up  for  four  years  and  I  use  it  for  trucking  purposes.  I 
have  been  raising  Boston  Market  Celery  for  three  years; 
it  is  the  most  tender  I  have  tried.  I  have  a  splendid 
trade  and  can  sell  all  I  raise,  but  there  is  one  objection 
to  it — it  won’t  bleach  except  just  at  the  heart  and  I 
have  to  tear  two-thirds  of  it  away,  so  that  it  takes 
three  or  four  stalks  to  make  a  five-cent  bunch. 
Ans. — We  would  use  muriate  of  potash  and  fine  raw 
bone — and  not  farm  manure.  We  fancy  that  celery 
raised  with  the  above  will  blanch  better  and  earlier 
than  if  raised  with  farm  manure.  Try  the  Pascal 
Celery. 
How  To  Dry  The  Grain. 
B.  B.  T.,  Franklin  Falls,  N.  H. — What  is  the  easiest 
and  cheapest  way  to  care  for  grain  that  is  not  dry 
enough  to  store  in  a  bin?  I  have  a  thrashing  mill  run 
by  water  power.  Most  of  my  customers  pay  toll  in¬ 
stead  of  cash  for  thrashing.  In  this  way  I  get  a  lot 
of  grain  that  is  far  from  being  dry.  Is  there  some  good 
February  27 
way  of  kiln-drying  it,  or  can  it  be  stored  in  shallow 
boxes  with  wire-cloth  bottoms  ? 
Ans. — We  do  not  think  you  could  kiln-dry  your 
grain  without  making  the  process  too  expensive.  We 
think  you  will  have  no  difficulty  in  saving  it  without 
that  expense.  Shovel  the  grain  from  one  bin  to  an¬ 
other,  whenever  it  shows  indications  of  heating. 
That  will  cool  and  dry  it  also.  Generally  a  few  hand¬ 
lings  will  suffice.  A  bin  of  grain  that  is  quite  warm, 
shoveled  into  another,  will  become  perfectly  cool  in  the 
transfer.  That  is  an  old  miller’s  plan. 
Nitrate  of  Soda  in  Tomato  Culture. 
J.  C.  A.,  Washington,  Ind.—  I  desire  information  on 
the  following  points  respecting  nitrate  of  soda  to  be 
used  on  tomatoes.  1.  What  per  cent  of  nitrogen  should 
it  contain?  2.  About  what  should  it  cost  per  hundred 
weight?  3.  Will  it  lose  its  strength  if  kept  long  before 
it  is  applied?  4.  Can  it  be  scattered  broadcast  by  hand? 
5.  Should  the  first  application  be  soon  after  the  plants 
are  set  out  ? 
Ans. — 1.  About  16  per  cent  in  nitrate  of  soda.  2. 
About  $2.25.  3.  No.  4.  Yes.  5.  We  should  apply  the 
nitrate  of  soda  just  before  the  plants  are  ready  to 
start  into  growth  if  we  wanted  to  secure  its  best  effect. 
There  is  an  objection  or  so  to  this  :  the  soda  will  in¬ 
jure  the  leaves  or  stems  whenever  in  contact.  We 
would  advise  thoroughly  mixing  it  with  twice  its  bulk 
of  soil  before  spreading. 
Chemicals,  Clover  and  Oats. 
J.  D.  H.,  Spencerport,  N.  Y. — Tn  “Chemicals  and 
Clover  ”  great  stress  is  laid  on  the  rotation — corn  on 
sod,  potatoes,  wheat  and  grass  two  years.  In  the  west 
of  Monroe  County,  N.  Y.,  I  do  not  think  we  could  fol¬ 
low  this  plan.  In  New  Jersey  people  can  plant  earlier 
and  sow  later.  Would  the  following  be  as  sure  of  good 
returns — corn  on  sod,  followed  by  potatoes  as  above  ? 
As  the  season  would  be  too  late  for  wheat,  could  we 
sow  barley  or  oats  the  next  spring,  then  wheat  arid 
grass — a  five-year  rotation  ?  We  cannot  sow  wheat 
safely  here  after  September  10  : 
Ans. — The  change  can  be  made  with  safety.  You 
can  follow  the  potatoes  with  oats,  using  one  bag  of 
complete  fertilizer  to  the  acre.  Then  follow  with  wheat 
and  grass  in  the  regular  rotation.  You  will  thus  have 
a  better  seeding  for  the  wheat  and  more  time  for  the 
potato  crop  to  be  grown  and  harvested. 
Miscellaneous. 
Condensed  Milk  Factory  Patrons. — P.  H.  S.,  Winthrop, 
Me. — Farmers  who  have  patronized  the  Borden  Con¬ 
densed  Milk  factories  have,  as  a  rule,  been  well  satis¬ 
fied  with  the  results  obtained. 
Collecting  Horse  Board. — J.  E.  F.,  Vischers  Ferry,  N. 
Y. — Certainly  there  are  laws  in  this  State  to  enable 
farmers  to  collect  pay  for  wintering  horses.  You 
should  never  take  horses  to  board  without  making  a 
contract  to  protect  yourself,  and  we  would  hold  the 
horses  until  they  were  paid  for  if  there  is  any  danger 
of  being  cheated. 
Fish  for  Manure.— C.  R.,  Chippewa  County,  Mich.— 
Fish  make  a  good  manure  for  corn,  grass  or  vegetables. 
They  must  decay  before  they  are  fully  available  as 
plant  food.  They  may  be  mixed  through  a  pile  of 
horse  manure  or  composted  by  themselves,  plaster 
being  scattered  over  the  pile. 
Trimming  Apple  Trees.—  J.  A.  A.,  Medfield,  Mass.— 
We  would  cut  a  limb  three  or  four  inches  in  diameter 
close  to  the  tree  always,  or  the  stub  left  will  die  and 
disfigure  and  injure  the  tree. 
Drilling  or  Broadcasting  drain. — B.  W.  B.,  Saratoga, 
N.  Y. — As  to  which  is  better,  to  sow  grain  broadcast 
and  harrow  it  in  with  the  Acme  Harrow,  or  prepare 
ground  with  the  Acme  and  use  a  drill  ;  most  farmers 
prefer  to  drill  in  the  seeds;  but  the  only  careful  ex¬ 
periments  that  we  know  of  indicate  that  larger  crops 
may  be  raised  by  broadcasting. 
A  Winter  Oat. — A.  D.  V.,  Lyons,  Wis. — We  know 
nothing  about  the  oat  described  as  follows  in  John 
Lewis  Childs’s  catalogue  :  “  It  is  exceedingly  heavy 
and  enormously  productive,  as  many  as  150  strong 
stems  having  been  counted  growing  from  one  stool 
and  bearing  6,342  grains,  all  from  one  seed.”  Our 
friend  may  rest  assured,  however,  that  there  is  no 
variety  that  will  go  through  the  winter  safely  in  this 
climate. 
Soil  Analysis  ;  Peanuts. — S.  L.  R.,  Williamsburg,  Md. 
— Send  a  sample  of  your  soil  to  Prof.  H.  A.  Alvord, 
College  Park,  Md.,  for  analysis.  For  peanuts  a  fer¬ 
tilizer  strong  in  potash  is  desirable.  Try  wood  ashes, 
kainit  or  muriate  of  potash  and  bone  flour. 
Blood-poisoned  Brahma. — Subscriber. — The  Brahma 
cock  which  had  “a  round  swelling  on  the  top  of  his  toe, 
which  gradually  enlarged  and  was  lanced  and  poul¬ 
ticed,  but  after  a  few  days  got  bigger  than  ever,  and 
in  spite  of  every  care,”  the  bird  died  probably  of 
blood  poisoning.  He  may  have  wounded  the  toe  and 
the  wound  perhaps  absorbed  some  poisonous  matter. 
Fowls  do  not  die  of  “  bumble  foot.” 
