54o 
THE  RURAL  NEW-YORKER. 
Aug.  20 
with  the  growing  of  small  fruits.  F.  W.  Steuhmer, 
also  of  Ilammonton,  raises  vegetables  and  eggs. 
And  so  I  might  go  on  and  give  a  score  or  more  of 
illustrations  with  which  I  am  personally  acquainted, 
but  these  will  do  to  show  the  value  of  poultry  as  an 
adjunct.  If  instead  of  having  a  big  flock  of  100  or  200 
fowls  of  a  “  hit  or  miss”  character,  the  farmer  would 
cull  out  all  old  fowls  and  pick  out  the  most  serviceable 
ones,  and  then  mate  them  up  into  families,  headed  by 
good  thoroughbred  cocks  or  cockerels,  he  would  soon 
learn  the  value  of  a  well  protected  hennery.  There 
is  no  use  in  trying  to  keep  poultry  on  the  “hit  or 
miss”  plan.  Well  cared  for,  they  are  a  profit:  neglected, 
they  are  a  loss.  If  every  farmer  properly  situated 
would  give  the  business  the  proper  attention,  it  would 
not  be  long  before  Uncle  Sam  would  have  to  give  up 
the  large  importations  he  is  annually  compelled  to 
make  from  abroad  in  order  to  supply  the  increasing 
demand.  michael  k.  boyer. 
Horticultural  Gossip. 
It  is  said  that  300,000  olive  trees  have  been  planted 
recentlj7  in  the  vicinity  of  Pomona,  Cal.  We  read 
such  statements  with  the  greatest  possible  interest, 
because  they  argue  that  our  children,  if  not  we  our¬ 
selves,  will  once  more  be  able  to  procure  pure  olive 
oil.  We  have  tried  our  best  to  get  it,  but  we  have  not 
had  a  bottle  of  perfectly  pure  olive  oil  in  20  years,  nor 
do  we  believe  there  is  any  in  our  markets,  despite  the 
assertions  of  the  importers.  Pure  olive  oil  has  a  tinge 
and  odor  peculiarly  its  own,  and  in  early  life,  forty 
years  ago,  when  it  was  the  cheapest  oil  we  had,  sell¬ 
ing  (in  its  crude  shape)  for  less  than  whale  oil,  we  had 
to  do  with  it  largely,  and  so  became  familiar  with  its 
bouquet.  What  we  get  to-day  is  not  “the  thing.” 
Perhaps  our  California  friends  have  a  little.  If  they 
have  any  to  spare,  the  writer  of  these  lines  would  like 
a  few  bottles. 
A  paragraph  is  going  the  rounds  of  the  papers  to 
the  effect  that  if  a  tablespoonful  of  saltpeter  (nitrate 
of  potash)  is  dissolved  in  a  pailful  of  water,  and  a 
pint  of  the  water  is  put  around  each  squash  hill,  it 
will  kill  the  striped  squash  beetles,  and  also  be  a 
powerful  fertilizer.  It  is  all  right  as  a  fertilizer,  but 
it  won’t  kill  the  striped  beetles  “  worth  a  cent.”  I 
tried  it  five  years  ago  on  both  cucumber  and  squash 
vines  with  no  good  results  so  far  as  the  bugs  were 
concerned— it  didn't  disturb  them  in  the  least. 
In  southern  New  York  the  present  season,  red  cur¬ 
rants  have  been  the  most  profitable  small  fruit  cxop. 
They  have  generally  yielded  well,  though  not  so  hea^y 
a  crop  as  we  have  known,  and  they  have  sold  well. 
There  has  been  a  steadily  increasing  demand  for 
them,  and  it  is  not  likely  to  grow  less.  We  should  be 
glad  to  see  them  plentiful  enough  to  drive  out  the 
miserable  imitations  of  currant  jelly  with  which  our 
markets  are  supplied.  The  great  bulk  of  it  is  entirely 
innocent  of  currants  or  any  other  fruit— a  miserable 
combination  of  gelatine,  acid  and  flavoring. 
It  is  many  years  since  1  have  eaten  a  fine  \  irgalieu 
or  White  Doyenne  pear,  owing  to  the  fact  that  they 
have  been  so  generally  attacked  by  the  fungus  that 
causes  them  to  crack  and  grow  bitter.  Of  more  recent 
years,  the  Flemish  Beauty,  another  superb  pear,  has 
been  affected  in  the  same  manner,  and  it,  too,  has 
been  growing  scarce.  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  we 
can  successfully  grow  these  fine  pears  again  by  using 
the  copper  fungicides  freely.  They  are  both  too  val¬ 
uable  to  be  allowed  to  sink  into  desuetude  without  a 
determined  effort  to  save  them. 
Five  or  six  years  ago  a  peripatetic  tree  vender 
called  on  me  and  wanted  to  sell  me  some  tree  currants. 
I  told  him  that  he  and  his  tree  currants  were  alike 
frauds,  but  the  fellow  was  possessed  of  infinite  cheek 
and  immense  good  humor,  and  refused  to  get  angry. 
Finally  he  insisted  on  making  me  a  present  of  one, 
just  to  demonstrate  that  he  was  right  and  I  was 
wrong.  He  sent  it  to  me  and  I  set  it  out.  Just  as  I 
expected,  it  is  nothing  but  the  ordinary  currant,  the 
lowrer  buds  of  which  had  been  cut  out.  In  a  few  years 
the  sprouts  came  up  thickly  enough,  and  its  tree-shape 
was  not  to  be  seen. 
Leavings. 
A  Potato  That  Doesn’t  “  Run  Out.”— I  have 
planted  the  White  Star  for  years  and  have  never 
changed  seed.  I  dig  more  bushels  per  acre  now  than 
when  I  obtained  the  first  of  this  excellent  variety. 
Better  cultivation  and  careful  selection  of  seed  may 
have  caused  this  ;  but  I  mention  it  because  this  is 
one  instance  in  which  “  changing  seed”  has  not  been 
necessary.  In  fact,  I  am  certain  that  I  have  improved 
the  original  White  Star  in  shape  and  size,  and  the 
quality  never  was  better.  Year  after  year  I  have 
selected  for  seed  large,  smooth  tubers,  medium  in 
length  and  about  as  large  around  near  the  ends  as  in 
the  middle.  The  Star  tapered  from  the  center  toward 
the  ends  when  I  planted  it  first,  but  this  is  not  its 
general  shape  with  me  now7.  A.  i).  warner. 
Perseverance  and  Salt  for  Canada  1  histles. — I 
have  had  a  little  experience  with  these  pests  and  suc¬ 
ceeded  in  killing  them.  The  method  followed  by  the 
correspondent  who  lately  asked  for  a  way  of  killing 
them  was  good  enough,  but  he  should  have  added  a 
good  deal  of  perseverance  to  the  salt.  My  plan  w7as 
to  put  at  least  a  good  handful  of  salt  on  every  plant  I 
could  find  and  keep  a  close  watch  of  the  place,  going 
at  least  once  a  week  and  salting  every  one.  If  other 
vegetation  interferes  with  hunting  for  them  it  should 
be  kept  down  or  killed.  If  practicable,  it  would  save 
labor  to  pasture  the  ground  where  they  are.  f.  l.  c. 
Fertilizing  Orchards. — My  system  of  cultivation 
for  an  orchard  I  like  better  than  any  I  ever  saw  or 
heard  of.  For  those  who  have  no  sheep,  and  no  capi¬ 
tal  to  invest  in  fertilizers,  it  will  produce  a  good 
growth  of  wood,  and  plenty  of  fine  fruit.  Get  a  good 
clover  sod,  then  plow  early  every  spring,  turning  the 
furrows  on  edge,  but  not  over  ;  the  clover  will  grow 
and  cover  and  mulch  as  well  as  reseed  the  ground,  b.  t. 
Late  Potatoes  from  Second  Crop. — At  the  winter 
meeting  of  our  Missouri  Horticultural  Society  in  1890, 
a  season  famous  in  these  parts  for  a  miserable  failure 
of  the  main  potato  crop,  there  was  exhibited  as  fine  a 
lot  of  potatoes  as  I  had  ever  seen.  On  inquiry,  I 
learned  that  they  w7ere  from  small  potatoes  that  had 
grown  in  the  cellar,  and  which  had  been  planted 
quite  late.  s.  m. 
The  Farmer  Who  Kicks. — It  must  be  a  difficult  task 
to  publish  a  paper  that  will  please  all.  In  a  late  Rural 
a  Michigan  reader  washes  the  editor  to 
Talk  less  of  butter  and  cheese. 
And  a  little  more  of  the  accursed  thieves. 
In  the  same  issue  Mr.  Grundy  doubts  whether  The 
Rural’s  attacks  serve  any  good  purpose,  and  fears 
they  will  lead  farmers  to  think  that  the  hand  of  every 
man  who  is  in  trade  is  against  them.  Mr.  Willets, 
who  barely  missed  being  elected  Governor  of  Kansas 
on  the  People’s  party  ticket  two  years  ago,  once  told 
me  that  he  was  sure  he  kept  in  the  middle  of  the  road 
during  that  canvass  because  both  old  parties  popped 
away  at  him  at  an  equal  rate.  It  seems  quite  possible 
that  The  Rural  has  found  that  “  middle  way”  which 
“  is  best.” 
Mr.  Grundy  always  finds  it  easy  to  say  whatever  he 
wishes,  and  writes  entertaininglj7,  but  the  tone  of  his 
criticism  is  not  justified  by  the  facts.  He  thinks  that 
he  has  discovered  that  the  reason  wrhy  some  farmers 
are  hard  run  and  howling  is  because  their  expenses 
exceed  their  profits.  There  would  seem  to  be  no  ques¬ 
tion  but  that  a  condition  in  which  expenses  exceed  in¬ 
come  would  tend  to  make  any  man  “  hard  run,”  but, 
supposing  that  every  one  did  know  how  “  to  practice 
rigid  economy”  and  keep  expenses  below  receipts,  that 
would  not  prove  that  justice  was  abounding  through¬ 
out  the  earth.  It  is  a  current  belief  among  farmers 
that  many  classes  of  business  men  are  learning  to  elimi¬ 
nate  competition  as  a  regulator  of  prices  by  the  forma¬ 
tion  of  trusts  and  pools,  and  that  the  outlook  for  them¬ 
selves  is  not  a  happy  one. 
It  is  very  true  that  he  who  “  dawnses  with  McAllis¬ 
ter”  should  help  recompense  the  fiddler,  but  if  a  farmer 
knows  that  lie  could  foot  all  such  bills,  provided  he 
paid  no  unjust  tribute  to  other  classes,  then  why  has 
he  not  a  right  “to  howl  ”  until  he  gets  his  own.  if 
howling  helps,  and  then  “  dawmse.”  In  other  words, 
each  man  should  have  what  he  earns,  and  the  fact  that 
he  can  even  lay  up  money  without  getting  all  his  dues 
does  not  relieve  him  from  the  moral  obligation  to  de¬ 
mand  that  the  thieves  be  relegated  to  the  rear. 
There  is  an  offensive  assumption  by  not  a  few, 
usually  not  farmers,  that  the  man  who  objects  in  a 
vociferous  way  to  trusts  and  combines  and  other  bands 
of  marauders,  is  a  ne'er-do-weel  who  raises  poor  crops 
in  an  expensive  manner,  and  who  spends  more  than  he 
makes.  The  inference  is  an  unjust  one.  Manly  acts 
are  not  necessarily  inspired  by  the  almighty  dollar.  I 
know  men  wrho  are  increasing  the  fertility  of  their 
farms  every  year,  w7ho  never  dance  unless  the  fiddler 
is  paid  in  advance,  and  w7ho  have  no  reason  to  be  at  all 
embittered  w7ith  this  world,  and  yet  who  regard  it  as 
their  duty  to  vote  and  talk  against  the  encroachments 
of  a  plutocratic  spirit  as  exemplified  in  the  acts  and 
demands  of  a  few  classes  of  our  fellow  citizens. 
The  farmers,  when  not  controlled  by  the  sentiment 
of  manufacturing  towns— those  in  Western  and  South¬ 
ern  States,  for  instance — believe  that  tribute  is  paid 
by  them  to  men  whose  wealth  is  so  great  that  it  is  a 
menace  to  the  well-being  of  the  country.  Many 
believe  that  combinations  have  found  means  for  taking 
more  than  their  share  for  handling  the  produce  of 
farmers.  What  if  farmers  can  live  within  their 
incomes  “  by  rigid  economy,”  or  without  it?  In  either 
case  they  are  unpatriotic  and  unmanly,  as  many  see 
it,  if  they  do  not  demand  that  justice  be  done.  The 
“howling”  in  this  country  has  been  done  by  million¬ 
aires  before  Congressional  Committees,  demanding 
additional  subsidies.  The  protest  by  the  farmers  comes 
from  men  who  believe  in  the  equality  of  man,  and 
The  Rural  is  an  exponent  of  their  views.  A.  agee. 
[Every  query  must  be  accompanied  by  the  name  and  address  of  the 
writer  to  Insure  attention.  Before  asking  a  question,  please  see  If  It  Is 
not  answered  In  our  advertising  columns.  Ask  only  a  few  questions 
at  one  time.  Put  questions  on  a  separate  piece  of  paper.] 
Shall  We  Use  a  Land  Roller  ? 
We  desire  to  learn  what  practical  benefits  are  to  be  obtained  from 
rolling  land  with  a  heavy  roller.  Will  you  be  kind  enough  to  answer 
the  following  questions  from  your  own  experience? 
1.  When  and  for  what  crops  do  you  roll  land? 
2.  What  special  benefits  and  what  objections  have  you  noticed? 
3.  On  what  soils  and  under  what  circumstances  would  you  not  roll 
land? 
4.  Have  vou  tried  rolling  grain  crops  in  spring  after  clover  seeding 
or  sowing  fertilizers? 
5.  In  short,  why  do  you  roll  land? 
Just  as  Useful  as  a  Plow. 
I  use  a  three-section,  eight-foot  roller  about  24  inches 
in  diameter  and  750  pounds  in  weight.  Like  that  of 
all  farm  implements,  its  use  must  be  controlled  by  a 
little  judgment  and  common-sense.  I  aim  to  roll  the 
meadows  every  spring,  and  sometimes  the  pastures  ; 
after  drilling  in  oats  or  barley  I  roll  ;  the  first  thing 
after  plowing  sod  for  corn  or  potatoes,  I  roll  ;  and  as 
one  of  the  implements  in  fitting  land  for  a  seed  bed, 
the  roller,  is  ofttimes  almost  indispensable.  The  right 
time  to  use  it  on  meadows,  here  on  our  clay  lands  in 
Madison  County,  N.  Y.,  is  as  soon  after  the  frost  is  out 
of  the  ground  and  the  land  sufficiently  settled  to 
hold  up  a  team  without  poaching  as  at  that  time 
many  roots  may  be  settled  into  the  ground  that  other¬ 
wise  might  lie  on  top  till  dried  out  and  dead  ;  all  the 
small  cobbles  and  hummocks  thrown  up  by  the  frost 
will  also  be  leveled  into  the  ground,  and  so  the 
meadows  will  be  made  suitable  for  good  work  with 
mowers,  tedders,  rakes  and  hay  loaders.  I  roll  the 
first  thing  after  plowing  sod,  for  the  reason  that  the 
harrows  will  do  more  than  as  much  again,  and  better 
work  after  the  roller  than  before.  If  one  waits  too 
long,  or  until  the  meadows  are  thoroughly  settled  and 
dry,  rolling  will  do  but  little,  if  any  good.  One 
shouldn’t  roll  after  drilling  or  sowing  oats  or  barley  if 
his  ground  is  clayey  and  wet,  as  a  surface  crust  will 
be  likely  to  form,  through  which  it  will  be  hard  for 
the  young  plants  to  break  and  so  much  more  damage 
than  good  may  be  done  ;  but  if  the  soil  is  in  such  a 
condition  that  no  surface  crust  will  be  formed,  one  can 
roll  at  once,  so  compacting  the  earth  about  the  seed, 
crushing  and  pulverizing  the  small  lumps  and  fitting 
the  land  for  the  harvesting  machines.  I  do  not  roll 
winter  wheat  after  drilling  in  the  fall,  but  sometimes 
I  do  so  in  the  spring  after  the  ground  has  become 
sufficiently  settled  to  hold  up  a  team;  and  many 
rollers  have  grass  seeder  attachments  that  sow  the 
seed  just  before  the  roller,  and  this  is  getting  to  be  a 
popular  way  of  putting  on  the  clover  seed.  I  have 
seen  splendid  results  in  reseeding  meadows  with  a 
poor  catch  by  going  over  them  at  the  right  time  in  the 
spring  with  roller  and  seeder.  With  us  the  roller  is 
almost  as  indispensable  in  our  farm  operations  as  the 
plow  or  harrow.  J  w.  goodell. 
Gives  Plants  Better  Standing  Room. 
1.  When  the  weather  is  very  dry  I  like  to  have  the 
roller  follow  the  plow,  that  is,  I  roll  all  that  is  plowed 
the  same  day.  It  pulverizes  the  lumps  and  retains  the 
moisture  far  better  than  any  other  method  I  know  of. 
For  wheat,  oats,  etc.,  I  work  the  soil  fine  and  mellow 
and  roll  it,  then  drill  in  the  seed,  leaving  the  ridges 
undisturbed ;  if  there  is  a  light  rain  it  goes  to  the 
roots  of  the  plants,  and  in  winter  they  hold  the  snow 
and  afford  more  protection  than  if  rolled  after  the 
drill.  For  corn,  potatoes  and  planted  crops  I  some- 
•  times  roll  after  planting,  which  leaves  the  ground 
smooth  and  compact ;  in  good  shape  for  cultivation 
when  the  plants  are  small. 
2.  In  the  spring,  here  in  Steuben  County,  Ind.,  as 
soon  as  the  ground  will  bear  so  that  the  team  will  not 
sink  in,  I  roll  the  meadows  and  all  the  wheat  sown  on 
corn  stubble,  and  if  a  dry  time  comes,  I  roll  oats  after 
they  have  been  sown.  The  soil  is  compressed  and 
firmed  and  the  tender  roots  are  nourished  and  make  a 
faster  growth  for  the  plants,  and  more  plants 
live,  making  a  better  stand  than  when  the  soil  is  too 
loose,  consequently  the  crop  gives  a  better  yield.  I 
pick  up  only  the  larger  stones  and  roll  in  the  smaller 
ones  which  keep  the  soil  cooler  and  moister  in  dry 
weather,  and  act  as  a  drain  or  filter  in  wet  weather. 
In  rolling  the  meadow  the  bunches  and  roots,  as  well 
as  the  stones  and  chunks  raised  by  freezing  are  pressed 
down  and  a  nice,  smooth  surface  is  left  for  the  mower. 
It  is  a  decided  benefit  to  roll  sod  plowing  before  it  is 
harrowed.  There  are  no  objections  when  done  at  a 
suitable  time. 
3.  I  would  not  roll  land  when  it  is  wet.  It  would 
be  better  not  to  roll  clay  and  heavy  soils  at  all  than  to 
roll  them  when  too  wret. 
