THE  RURAL  NEW-YORKER. 
54i 
18'J2 
I  have  tried  and  like  the  plan  of  rolling  grain 
crops  in  the  spring,  especially  if  clover  seed  is  sown 
rather  late. 
5.  I  roll  land  to  crush  clods  and  make  the  surface 
smooth  and  even ;  to  press  the  soil  for  a  good  firm 
seed-bed  and  to  retain  moisture,  which  will  secure  an 
early  start  and  a  strong  growth  for  the  young  plants, 
enabling  them  to  withstand  better  the  extremes  of  wet 
and  dry  weather,  as  well  as  heat  and  cold  and  the  rav¬ 
ages  of  insects  and  yield  a  better  profit  for  the  labor. 
L.  I.  C.  YOUNG. 
Seeds  Like  Close  Packing. 
1.  I  use  the  roller  on  all  crops  in  their  season,  the 
conditions  being  right.  2.  It  compacts  the  earth 
closely  around  the  seed,  thereby  insuring  early  and 
even  germination.  3.  In  case  of  clay  or  other  lands 
when  wet  and  sticky,  rolling  would  leave  them  in  a 
condition  to  become  baked  and  in  my  judgment  would 
cause  injury.  4.  I  never  have  ;  but  have  no  doubt  on 
lands  sown  to  wheat  the  roller  could  be  used  at  the 
right  time  with  benefit,  pressing  the  frost-lifted  plants 
back  into  the  ground,  and  giving  them  a  chance  to 
make  new  roots,  thereby  gaining  new  life  when  other¬ 
wise  through  their  weakened  condition  they  would  be 
lost.  5.  To  put  the  land  in  a  proper  condition  for 
crops  by  pressing  the  soil  closely  together,  breaking 
lumps  and  clods,  making  a  smooth  surface  so  that 
harrows  and  other  surf  ace- working  implements  may 
not  be  impeded  in  their  work,  and,  after  the  seeding, 
to  make  a  nice  surface  for  the  harvester  to  work  on. 
I  would  roll  meadow  lands,  picking  up  scattered  stones 
and  other  rubbish  if  there  be  any,  and  place  them  on 
the  roller  and  take  them  to  the  ends  of  the  field  where 
they  could  afterwards  be  reached  with  the  wagon  and 
taken  to  some  place  out  of  the  way.  This  would  clear 
and  smooth  the  fields  and  make  them  ready  for  the 
mower  at  one  operation.  No  farmer  who  has  hay  to 
cut  can  afford  to  neglect  this.  In  fact  here,  in  Wayne 
County,  New  York,  I  consider  the  roller  as  essential 
in  its  place  as  any  of  the  other  implements  on  the 
farm.  w.  h.  gridley. 
1.  I  use  the  roller  for  all  crops  as  fast  as  I  plow.  2. 
By  its  use  the  ground  is  fitted  with  less  labor;  grass  is 
less  liable  to  start  between  the  furrows;  a  better  bed 
is  provided  for  crops,  which  stand  dry  weather  better, 
and  the  ground  works  much  better  for  all  crops  for 
which  a  cultivator  is  used.  I  have  never  found  any 
objection  to  the  use  of  a  roller,  unless  the  ground  was 
wet.  3.  I  use  the  roller  at  all  times  unless  I  try  to 
get  in  a  crop  when  the  ground  is  wet.  4.  I  roll  oats, 
as  I  think  they  then  stand  all  kinds  of  weather  better. 
5.  Because  the  ground  is  better  prepared  with  less 
labor,  a  better  seed  bed  is  obtained  for  crops  and  they 
stand  dry  weather  better  and  are  heaved  out  less  by 
frost.  All  seed  will  germinate  sooner,  the  crops  will 
grow  better  and  act  better  in  every  way. 
R.  W.  SALISBURY. 
1.  Here,  in  Wood  County,  Ohio,  I  roll  all  my  land 
directly  after  plowing  in  spring  and  fall  and  also 
meadow  and  wheat  as  soon  as  the  land  is  dry  enough, 
so  that  too  much  soil  will  not  gather  on  the  roller.  2 
A  great  increase  in  hay  and  grain.  No  objection  unless 
the  ground  is  rolled  when  too  wet.  3.  I  would  not  roll 
land  when  too  wet,  especially  a  clay  soil.  4.  I  have 
seen  the  best  of  results  from  rolling  land  after  sowing 
grass  and  clover  seed  in  the  spring.  5.  Because  I 
want  the  best  of  results  from  my  labor  and  land. 
GEO.  W.  LOOMIS. 
1.  I  roll  my  land  in  preparing  it  for  all  crops  here, 
in  Summit  County,  Ohio.  2.  The  especial  benefit 
noticed  is  that  such  crops  as  potatoes,  corn,  etc.,  can 
be  worked  much  sooner  after  they  come  up,  when  the 
land  has  been  rolled  than  if  it  has  not.  3.  I  never  roll 
land  when  the  soil  sticks  to  the  roller.  4.  I  always  roll 
my  wheat  in  the  spring,  and  claim  that,  one  year  after 
another,  doing  so  will  increase  the  yield  five  bushels 
per  acre.  a.  j.  shields. 
The  Clover  Seed  Crop. 
NOTES  FROM  SEED  GROWERS. 
1.  When  do  you  sow  clover  for  a  crop  of  seed? 
2.  How  Is  It  cut  and  handled?  What  Is  a  good  yield? 
3.  When,  where  and  how  Is  it  thrashed  and  stored? 
4.  When  sold?  How  does  it  compare  with  other  crops  for  profit? 
5.  What  is  done  with  the  straw  or  haulm? 
A  Michigan  Man’s  Practice. 
1.  The  clover  is  sown  with  wheat  or  oats,  generally 
early  in  the  spring,  although  some  prefer  to  wait 
until  the  ground  is  settled  and  the  weather  warm ; 
then  we  sow  and  harrow  with  a  light  harrow,  and 
think  the  wheat  is  also  benefited  by  the  harrowing. 
2.  If  the  small  or  medium  seed  variety  is  sown  the 
general  practice  is  to  cut  a  crop  of  hay  the  last  of 
J une  and  then  let  the  second  crop  go  to  seed.  If  the 
Mammoth  seed  is  sown,  some  pasture  until  the  first  or 
middle  of  June  ;  others  prefer  to  let  it  grow  and  go  to 
seed.  The  former  practice  will  generally  yield  most 
seed.  From  two  to  three  bushels  of  the  small  seed  and 
from  three  to  five  of  the  Mammoth  per  acre  is  con¬ 
sidered  a  good  yield,  although  I  have  known  the  large 
to  yield  7 %  bushels  per  acre  on  10  acres.  When  we 
had  self-raking  reapers  they  were  used  to  cut  the  seed, 
as  it  could  then  be  raked  off  in  windrows  ;  but  the 
self-binder  has  made  them  a  thing  of  the  past,  and  the 
crop  is  now  cut  with  the  mowing  machine  and  raked 
with  the  horse  rake  when  the  dew  is  on  it,  after  it  is 
well  cured.  This  method  wastes  considera  ble  seed  ; 
some  have  a  sheet-iron  platform  to  fasten  on  to  the 
cutter  bar  of  the  mower  and  one  man  walks  and  rakes 
it  off.  This  does  good  work. 
3.  Thrashing  is  done  with  steam  power  and  the 
Birdsell  and  Victor  hullers  which  thrash  it  from  the 
straw  and  hull  and  clean  it  at  one  operation.  All  who 
possibly  can  thrash  in  the  lot,  do  so.  After  it  is  in  the 
windrow  it  is  bunched  in  fair-sized  forkfuls  just  before 
thrashing.  Two  teams  and  a  man  to  each  team  are 
needed  and  two  men  to  pitch  it  on  to  the  wagon  and 
one  to  take  care  of  the  straw.  If  much  wet  should 
come  after  it  is  in  the  windrow  it  has  to  be  turned  or 
it  will  grow.  Those  who  cannot  thrash  in  the  field, 
stack  and  cover  with  corn  fodder  or  marsh  grass  and 
thrash  as  soon  as  they  can. 
4.  The  seed  is  usually  sold  as  soon  as  thrashed,  for 
the  early  market  is  generally  the  best  (this  is  one 
advantage  in  having  the  seed  ripen  early).  It  is  sold  to 
dealers  in  our  local  market  where  it  is  recleaned  and 
bagged  and  then  shipped  to  other  markets.  It  is  often 
ahead  of  other  grain  crops  for  profit. 
5.  The  straw  is  usually  drawn  out  in  winter  or 
spring  and  plowed  under  for  manure.  p.  a.  ,r. 
As  They  Do  In  Pennsylvania. 
1.  Clover  is  usually  sown  in  the  spring,  at  any  time 
from  the  latter  part  of  March  until  the  beginning  of 
May,  on  ground  that  had  been  seeded  in  wheat  or  rye 
the  previous  fall.  Some  farmers  prefer  to  sow  when 
the  ground  is  lightly  frozen;  others  claim  that  when 
the  grain  is  about  six  inches  high  so  that  the  young 
clover  is  shaded  when  it  sprouts,  is  the  best.  2.  The 
first  cutting  of  clover  is  used  to  make  hay,  and  the 
second  crop  is  used  for  clover  seed,  the  first  being  al¬ 
most  worthless  for  seed,  as  very  few  seeds  are  to  be 
found  in  it.  The  crop  is  gathered  as  soon  as  the 
heads  turn  brown,  usually  in  the  beginning  of  Sep¬ 
tember.  3.  It  is  generally  first  thrashed  in  a  common 
thrashing  machine  to  separate  the  heads  from  the 
stalks  or  straw,  after  which  it  is  passed  through  a 
clover  huller.  4.  Hardware  merchants  handle  the 
seed.  It  is  a  profitable  crop  nearly  every  season,  and 
is  more  profitable  than  many  others.  5.  The  straw  is 
used  for  bedding  the  same  as  any  other  straw. 
Elizabethtown,  Pa.  h.  u.  c. 
The  Seed  Is  Clear  Profit. 
Clover  seed  is  the  source  of  a  considerable  income  to 
the  farmers  of  Allegan  County,  Mich.  The  seeding  is 
usually  done  on  wheat  early  in  the  spring,  preferably 
on  a  light  snow,  though  good  results  are  obtained  by 
sowing  as  soon  as  the  ground  becomes  dry  enough  to 
be  harrowed,  which  operation  undoubtedly  is  also 
beneficial  to  the  growing  wheat.  To  get  a  good  crop 
of  seed  the  first  or  hay  crop  should  be  cut  as  early  as 
possible.  The  seed  is  usually  cut  by  a  reaper  and  is 
drawn  directly  to  the  thrasher  or  stacked  or  stored  in 
the  barn  according  to  circumstances.  The  thrashers 
or  hullers  used  are  made  expressly  for  the  purpose 
and  clean  the  seed  for  the  market.  The  straw  or 
haulm  is  considered  of  little  value  except  for  manure 
or  bedding  for  live  stock.  The  crop  is  a  variable  one, 
running  from  half  a  bushel  to  four  bushels  and  some¬ 
times  (though  very  rarely)  more  per  acre.  Taken  in 
connection  with  the  hay  crop,  however,  the  seed  is 
considered  so  much  clear  profit.  e.  h. 
Some  Wine  Questions  Answered. 
I.  S.  A.,  New  Salem,  N.  J. — An  article  in  a  recent 
issue  of  The  R.  N.-Y.  commended  the  course  of  Gen. 
Bid  well  in  destroying  his  vineyard  of  wine  grapes ; 
while  on  page  496  the  paper  commends  the  conversion 
of  Florida  oranges  into  wine.  Why  not  tell  us  once 
for  all  whether  the  paper  is  for  or  against  the  business 
of  drunkard  making  ?  The  information  might  interest 
other  readers  than  myself. 
Ans. — The  “  orange  wine”  that  we  referred  to  is  not 
an  .intoxicating  drink — at  least  that  is  not  what  we 
commended.  We  urged  the  saving  of  the  pure  juice  of 
the  'orange  in  as  perfect  form  as  possible.  What  we 
said  was  that  it  is  impossible  to  keep  the  entire  orange 
for  any  length  of  time,  yet  the  juice  alone  might  be 
squeezed  out  and  preserved  by  itself — thus  finding  a 
use  for  the  surplus  fruit.  We  answer  your  second 
question  as  you  propound  it.  We  are  “  opposed  to  the 
business  of  drunkard  making,”  including  the  excessive 
use  of  certain  patent  medicines  which  analyses  show 
to  be  largely  composed  of  brandy  and  rum. 
Chemicals  and  Clover. 
J.  T.,  Taunton,  Mass. — I  have  read  Chemicals  and 
Clover.  I  wish  to  know  if  it  is  the  practice  to  sow 
clover  alone  or  other  seeds  with  it  ?  I  have  a  lot  that 
has  been  planted  in  potatoes  a  number  of  years  ;  shall 
put  it  in  clover  this  fall  ?  I  want  to  leave  it  two 
years,  and  then  plant  potatoes  again. 
Ans. — No  ;  the  practice  is  to  follow  the  potatoes 
with  rye  or  wheat,  and  to  sow  Timothy  seed  with  the 
grain  crop.  In  the  spring  clover  is  sowed  on  the 
young  grain.  Thus  farmers  get  a  crop  of  grain  and 
a  good  catch  of  grass.  The  grass  might  be  sowed 
without  the  grain,  but  the  chances  would  not  be  so 
good  for  a  perfect  “catch.”  Sowing  clover  alone,  in 
the  fall,  would  be  a  risky  business.  Using  the  grain 
crop  is  surer,  and,  in  most  localities,  more  profitable. 
Fertilizers  for  Canadian  Wheat. 
W.  S.,  Beamsville,  Ontario,  Canada. — Which  of  the 
undermentioned  fertilizers  had  I  better  use  on  my 
wheat  land  this  fall  ? 
NO.  1 — GUARANTEED  ANALYSIS. 
Ammonia . 3^  to  5  per  cent. 
Phosphoric  acid . ti  to  8  ‘- 
Potash  (actual) . 3  to  4  “ 
The  phosphoric  acid  in  this  brand  is  derived  from 
bone.  It  costs  $40  per  ton. 
NO.  2— GUARANTEED  ANALYSIS. 
Ammonia . ■ 2 %  to  per  cent. 
Phosphoric  acid  (soluble  and  precipitated).!)  toll  percent. 
Potash  (actual) . . 2  to  ‘W  per  cent. 
In  this  brand  there  is  no  bone,  but  Canada  phos¬ 
phate  rock  takes  its  place.  It  costs  $35  per  ton.  Which 
is  best  and  cheapest  for  wheat,  and  how  much  would 
it  be  wise  to  apply  per  acre  ?  Ought  I  to  go  as  high 
as  400  pounds  per  acre  ?  My  field  is  pretty  good  clay 
loam,  with  eonsiderable  gravel  in  it,  and  is  naturally 
well  drained.  Three  years  ago  it  was  sowed  to  wheat, 
liffhly  manured,  seeded  down  with  Timothy  and  clover. 
It  produced  22  bushels  to  the  acre.  Last  year  it  was 
mowed  twice  and  gave  a  pretty  good  cut  both  times. 
This  year  there  were  fully  two  tons  of  Timothy  per 
acre,  the  wet  season  favoring  it.  I  don’t  expect  the 
crop  of  wheat  to  pay  the  extra  cost  of  the  fertilizer 
But  I  have  no  manure,  and  I  am  about  sure  that  if  I 
sow  it  without  some  plant  food,  I  won’t  get  more  than 
15  bushels  per  acre,  and  perhaps  won’t  get  a  good 
catch  of  grass  seed.  Certainly  I  may  not  look  for 
heavy  meadows  for  the  next  two  years,  and  then,  three 
years  from  now,  I  am  sure  to  have  a  pretty  poor  field. 
I  don’t  want  to  farm  in  that  way  ;  I  want  my  land  to 
improve,  even  though  I  may  appear  to  be  sinking 
money  at  present.  I  am  convinced  that  chemical  fer¬ 
tilizers  are  my  only  resource. 
Ans. — Neither  of  the  above  formulae  quite  suits  the 
case  as  we  should  view  it,  assuming  that  nothing  is 
known  as  to  the  actual  or  special  needs  of  the  soil. 
Taking  the  minimum  quantities,  the  first  fertilizer  is 
not  worth  over  $25  a  ton.  The  second  fertilizer  is  not 
worth  over  $24.  The  proportions  of  No  1  are  about 
right,  though  we  would  prefer  more  phosphate.  In 
our  own  case  we  would  sow  muriate  of  potash  and 
bone  phosphate  just  before  drilling  in  the  wheat,  and 
then  sow  nitrate  of  soda  in  early  spring,  in  small 
quantity,  say  50  pounds  to  the  acre.  Of  the  above 
fertilizers,  not  less  than  500  to  800  pounds  to  the  acre 
should  be  used  on  poor  land.  We  should  broadcast 
the  fertilizer  and  then  drill  in  the  seed.  The  bone, 
phosphate  and  muriate  of  potash  will  be  cheaper  than 
the  complete  fertilizer  and  will  probably  give  as  good 
results  if  nitrate  of  soda  is  added  in  the  spring. 
Working;  “on  Tick.” 
E.  W.,  Dundee,  N.  Y. — What  is  the  name  of  the  in¬ 
closed  specimen  ?  It  is  a  parasite  of  the  acarus  fam¬ 
ily,  I  think  ;  but  my  brother,  an  experienced  farmer, 
stoutly  repudiates  the  thought  that  it  is  a  product  of 
his  farm  and  insists  that  we  imported  it  from  the 
classic  shades  of  Boston.  He  fails  to  recognize  it  as 
any  of  the  various  ticks  which  he  has  found  on  the 
animals  on  the  farm.  It  had  attached  itself  to  one 
of  the  members  of  the  household,  and  was  very  loth 
to  give  up  its  hold  ;  indeed,  it  proved  a  veritable  Shy- 
lock  and  would  have  its  pound  of  flesh. 
Ans. — The  insect  was  sent  to  Prof.  J.  H.  Comstock, 
who  says,  “The  mite  is  a  tiik,  belonging  to  the  genus 
Ioxodes.  I  am  unable  to  tell  definitely  what  species.” 
Miscellaneous. 
C.  J.  L.,  New  Baltimore,  N.  Y. — A  combination  of  hen 
manure,  ground  bone  and  ashes  will  make  a  goqd  fer¬ 
tilizer  for  rye,  but  we  should  prefer  to  mix  the  hen 
manure  and  bone  and  apply  the  ashes  separately. 
Nitrate  of  Soda  Alone. — J.  S.,  Albany,  N.  Y. — Instead 
of  mixing  the  nitrate  of  soda  with  hen  manure,  we 
would  use  it  by  itself  in  the  spring.  Broadcast  the 
hen  manure,  and  harrow  or  work  it  into  the  soil. 
Then  use  the  nitrate  around  the  plants,  working  it  in 
with  hoe  or  cultivator. 
O.  B.,  Pomfret,  Conn. — The  peaches  sent  were  in 
such  an  advanced  state  of  decomposition,  that  it  was 
impossible  to  positively  identify  them.  They  did  not, 
so  far  as  we  could  see,  resemble  any  known  variety. 
Were  they  not  seedlings  ? 
O.  J.  O. ,  Yorktown  Heights,  N.  Y. — The  legal  standard 
for  cider  vinegar  in  this  State  requires  it  to  contain 
4%  per  cent  by  weight  of  absolute  acetic  acid  and  not 
less  than  two  per  cent  by  weight  of  cider-vinegar 
solids  upon  full  evaporation  over  boiling  water.  You 
can  probably  get  the  apparatus  for  testing  it  of  Eimer 
&  Amend,  of  205-211  Third  Avenue,  this  city. 
