3l2 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
APRIL 18 
WE WANT TO KNOW. 
[Here we propose to print, from time to time, ques 
tions which stem to demand a gem ral discussion. 
Many questions cannot be answered prrperly by any 
single Ind vldual. They very properly demand a 
wide discussion, and the answers will be valuable 
when made up from the actual exp< rlence of observ 
ing men. We respectlu'ly call upon our friends to 
aid us in solving these problems. Be kind enough to 
send us a brief account of any experiences you may 
have had in these lines.— EdsJ 
Cabbage Ensilage.— Can the leaves from 
cabbages marketed In July be saved in a 
silo ? If they can, what is their value as 
food for stock ? J. P. WATTS. 
Clearfield Co., Pa. 
R. N.-Y. Who can answer this ? We 
have fed plenty of cabbage green or fresh, 
but should think it would make offensive 
ensilage. Will it? 
How About This ?—Having one extra 
can that I do not use for milk in my 
creamer, would it be advisable to put the 
cream, while being gathered for a churn¬ 
ing, in this can, at the same temperature— 
45 degrees, at which the milk is set? 
Churning is done every third day. E. w. 
Killing Strawberry Grubs.— Last May 
I set four acres of strawberries in what 
had been a cornfield the previous year. In 
July they were attacked by large white 
grubs, there being from one to five in a 
hill, eating off the roots of whole rows. In 
cultivating they were thrown out between 
the rows. Who has had a like experience ? 
Will they appear again this year ? What 
will kill them ? I would like to hear from 
berry growers who have had the same 
trouble. J. B. s. 
Utica, N. Y. 
R. N.-Y. Probably the corn was on sod. 
The grubs thrive on the grass roots aud it 
will be next to impossible on such soil to 
get rid of them while the sod remains. 
Fighting Sparrows.—W hat is the best 
method of trapping or poisoning the Eng¬ 
lish sparrow ? F. F. G. 
Alta, Ill. 
R. N.-Y.—The Department of Agricul¬ 
ture at Washington prints a volume weigh¬ 
ing more than 150 sparrows, detailing the 
methods of fighting the pests. Let us hear 
from those who have tested these methods. 
An Ensilage Question.— Would en¬ 
silage spoil on top in a silo 10 by 12 feet in 
area by 16 to 18 feet in depth, while being 
fed to 8 or 10 cows, and would it be good 
policy to build one as small as that ? 
Five Corners, N. Y. F. L. G. 
WE KNOW. 
About That Hired Man I 
There is a great amount of grumbling 
among the working classes of men and 
women in farming districts, and for sev¬ 
eral years I have been much inclined to 
favor their cause. Experience is said to 
be a dear teacher, and so I find it. To be¬ 
gin with, the hired help are in reality 
“ cocks of the walk.” They claim all the 
privileges of the home; they get the high¬ 
est wages and demand every cent of them, 
regardless of loss or absolute waste of time. 
They destroy implements; they use teams 
and spoil their usefulness for a fair day’s 
work by being out late at night; they want 
to be allowed to stand aronnd in the house, 
lolling on the window sills, tables or backed 
up against something by the half or whole 
hour, and to take twice the necessary time 
to do the little chores in the mornings and 
evenings. They leave off work at four or 
five o’clock to do them, so as to get an early 
start to town, to say nothing of working 
as the shop-hands do—on “ whistle time.” 
The married man is even worse than the 
single, especially if his family live on the 
place; or, worse still, in the farmer’s house. 
He drops his ax or his hoe every half hour 
at the least to take a bite or a drink, and 
25 minutes are lost every time, and more 
if visitors are in the house. The children 
are allowed to use the supplies in what 
way they choose—nails and screws, saws 
and baskets, or whatever comes to hand. 
If the master chances to be around they 
are told not to meddle with them, but they 
do not heed. 
The men get the best wages, no matter 
how incompetent they really are. Now 
there are grades of pay in all other employ¬ 
ments, but the farmer is obliged to pay a 
man that is not capable of earning even fair 
wages except under the constant surveil¬ 
lance of a foreman, just as much as he 
could get if really earning it. The farmer 
cannot be at the heels of all his help, and 
if he could, he would lose much of his time 
directirg them, and it is the time wasted 
in a year that largely swells the loss. The 
farmer’s family must exercise self-denial 
to make up. In my experience the young 
man about 18, and the middle-aged man, 
are the best help on the farm; the first is 
not so commanding and self-sufficient; the 
second has more sense and better habits. 
He knows he has arrived at that age when 
it is dangerous to sneak. 
The habit of some farmers of paying good 
wages and giving the hired hands wood and 
house rent is bad. Their pay must be 
mill prices, and their wood is usually cut 
and hauled, not in their own leisure hours, 
but in the employer's time. Nay it is even 
cut up and brought in for their wives in his 
time, while the real mistress has to bring 
in her own. The farmer who acts in this 
way, loses much valuable time, and gets 
no thanks whatever for his kindness. The 
shop hands get no more pay, and have to 
furnish all their wood and vegetables, 
which are often supplied to the others. 
There is little profit in a farmer’s paying 
for the raising of garden products and giv¬ 
ing them away, or in buying good teams 
for his help to use first. SUBSCRIBER. 
Chemicals for Strawberries ; Varie¬ 
ties. 
I have for years been carried away with 
the idea I received from older growers that 
stable manure was absolutely essential to 
the growth of good strawberries, and con¬ 
sequently I have saved all the manure 
made on the place for use on them, growing 
my other berries entirely on commercial 
fertilizers. More recently I have extended 
my strawberry plantation beyond the fer¬ 
tilizing power of my barnyard, and find I 
can raise better plants and finer berries on 
commercial fertilizers containing a small 
percentage of nitrogen than on stable 
manure which was so highly nitrogenous 
and made such soft berries. The straw¬ 
berry is a gross feeder and it always pays 
to fertilize it liberally. A ton to the acre 
is none too much to apply of a high-grade 
fertilizer. I would rather apply $50 worth 
of fertilizer aud harvest a $400 crop than 
apply $10 worth and harvest a $100 one, for 
the labor costs as much in one case as in 
the other up to the harvesting. 
The best time to set strawberries is in 
the spring. Set them in parallel rows 3% 
feet by IX feet, and keep them in narrrw 
matted rows. Cultivate often; keep the 
ground clear of weeds, and after the 
ground has frozen in the fall, cover the 
rows with a mulch of old hay or similar 
substance. In the spring the mulch may 
be removed from over the plants and left 
between the rows to keep the ground moist 
and the berries clean. For the home gar¬ 
den there is no one berry which possesses 
more good points than the Gipsy. This 
fertilized with the Gandy would give a 
supply of the finest berries for a long time. 
For the early market the Haverland, 
Bubach, Warfield, Crescent, and Michel’s 
Early unquestionably take the lead, and 
there is no doubt that the Haverland will 
soon crowd the Crescent entirely out of 
existence. Eureka, Gandy, Sharpless, and 
Belmont are the most profitable late varie¬ 
ties. Mrs. Cleveland, Sadie and Great 
Pacific are promising new ones. 
Considering the ease with which this 
fruit can be grown, the low cost of choice 
varieties of p>ants, and the quickness with 
which we receive such rich fruits of our 
labor, is it not a disgrace that there should 
be one American farm-home lacking an 
abundant supply ? G. S. BUTLER. 
Litchfield Co., Conn. 
Early Planted Potatoes.—“ G. E. P.” 
on page 226, is certainly right as to the 
early planting of potatoes in most soils. 
Potatoes need cool, moist weather, and a 
drought in midsummer is always a serious 
matter with them. It is my experience that, 
four years out of five, very early planting 
pays best. A few years ago I planted a 
field in March, and the ground was soon 
after planting covered with snow. Neigh¬ 
bors wagged their heads and said they pre¬ 
ferred to have their seed out of the ground. 
The yield was about 220 bushels of large 
tubers per acre—nothing extraordinary, it 
is true, but double the yield I obtained from 
another field planted later the same year. 
Early planted potatoes will set earlier than 
those planted a few weeks later, even if the 
ground is too cold between the two plant¬ 
ings to allow the first planted to make any 
apparent start. The only objection to 
extremely early planting is that the rains 
pack the ground hard, and it requires 
thorough stirring while the plants are very 
small. My observation and experience 
tend to convince me very thoroughly that 
potatoes on most soils should be planted as 
early as possible. The White Stars that 
“G. E. P.” used were not as well adapted 
to late planting as some other varieties. 
Their growing season is long, at least it is 
in southern Ohio. They require a very rich 
soil a id lentyofrain. I have raised 1,400 
bushels of extra fine tubers on a trifle over 
4X acres; but regard the variety as too 
risky in my latitude owing to the heat and 
usual drought in August. ALYA AGEE. 
Don’t Sow Buckwheat.— In reply to the 
question of M. W., of Spring Lake, Mich., 
on page-272, I would sow Mammoth Clover 
with the rye already on the ground and 
harrow it in at once. Let the rye take care 
of itself. The harrowing will not kill 
much of it; but this advice will probably 
reach him too late. The next best crop 
under the circumstances would be potatoes 
or beans, planted about the first week in 
June, and then he should seed to clover 
with the next succeeding crop. I would 
never seed with buckwheat on dry, sandy 
land. I have succeeded in seeding with 
buckwheat on land too wet to be sown in 
season to other grain. I am writing with 
reference to medium poor sandy land in 
this latitude. F. wilcox. 
Juneau Co., Wis. 
A Good Investment.— Mr. Parkhill, of 
Mercer County, N. J., tells me that he paid 
for seven acres of apple orchard and six 
acres of woodland $614. The apple orchard 
contains about 300 trees. The outlay for 
three years has bean, interest on $614, 
compounded, $115. 19; gathering and 
marketing fruit, $200; total cost, $929.19. 
I have not here the figures for 1888, 
but there was some fruit that year. 
The income for 1889 was $480 ; and that for 
1890, $309. The sales for two years 
amounted to $789; so that at present the 
orchard and woodland have cost him only 
$149 15. The apples are Smith’s Cider—the 
most productive and most widely grown of 
all varieties in this section. Nothing was 
expended on this orchard in the way of 
cultivation, spraying or fertilizers. 
Mercer Co., N. J. i. j. blackwell. 
Wanted by 
Our Subscribers. 
Inquired for in Recent Letters. 
ADVERTISERS, TAKE NOTICE. 
Cheshire Swine, 
Shropshire Sheep, 
Wyandotte Fowls. 
Indian Game Fowls, 
Rat Terrier Dogs, 
Fox Terrier Dogs, 
Angora Goats, 
Shetland Ponies, 
Potato Diggers. 
Hay Slings, 
Wheel Hoes, 
Hay Loaders, 
Milk Testers. 
We are always glad to inform our 
readers concerning their wants in the line of 
proposed purchases and letters of inquiry 
are always promptly answered. Before 
writing, however, we suggest that subscrib¬ 
ers loolt carefully through our advertising 
columns, where they will ustially find 
most things advertised that are used on 
the farm 
A YOUNG MAN of 20 will work hard on some 
farm during the summer in exchange for flrst- 
class board Address C. K. ESTABROOK, General 
Post Office, Brooklyn. 
275 ACRE FARM. 
Fertile, warm early soil. 
Good Grass Land. 
Good Butter Farm. 
Good Truck Farm. 
Good Fruit Farm. 
Good Poultry Farm. 
Deposit of Pink Granite. 
Deposit oi Fine Molding Hand. 
Famous Spring oi Pure Water. 
Those “Dry” Boots.—I n The R. N.-Y. 
of April 4 I saw a plan for drying rubber 
boots, with illustrations, by hanging them 
with the feet uppermost. There is no 
chance for the steam to escape; it will, 
therefore, rise into the feet, so that it will 
be hard to dry them. By hanging them 
feet down, the steam can escape through 
the legs. They will dry quicker and better 
than in the way shown in the cuts. Try it. 
South Orrington, Me. G. H. D. 
PimllanMUiSi 
When writing to advertisers, please 
mention The Rural New-Yorker. 
Bee-Keepers’ Guide. 
Sixteenth 1,000 just out. Price reduced to 
$1.00. Every Farmer and Bee-Keeper should have it. 
It is plain, practical and scientific. Liberal discount 
to the trade. Address 
A. J. COOK, 
Agricultural College, Michigan. 
ENSILAGE 
The SILO is rapidly being adopted in all 
sections of the U. S. and portions of Canada as 
the cheapest possible means of harvesting and 
feeding the corn crop; no waste, no husking, 
no grinding, no toll to pay, nor time to lose,and 
a reserve of green feed for all seasons of the 
year when pasturage and other crops may fail. 
Double the number of stock can be kept on the 
same number of acres under cultivation. 
Our Catalogue embraces valuable information 
and detailed instructions on the subject, as well 
as description and prices of the FAMOUS 
“OHIO” 
Ensilage and Fodder Cutters 
THE SILVER MFG. CO., SALEM, Ohio. 
Twenty-seven miles from Boston. Six good manu¬ 
facturing village markets within seven miles; one 
mile from railroad station, post-office, etc. 
(jar FOR SALE AT LOW PRICE. 
May be divided into two farms. Two bouses, 
barn. etc. 
Address “ FARM,” care The Rubai, Nrw-Yorkkr. 
MUSHROOMS: 
How To 
Grow Them. 
BY 
Wm. Falconer. 
For home use fresh Mushrooms are a delicious, 
highly nutritious and wholesome delicacy; 
and for market they are less bulky than eggs, 
and, when properly handled no crop is more re¬ 
munerative. Any one who lias an ordinary house 
cellar, woodshed or barn can grow Mushrooms. This 
is the most practical work on the subject ever 
written, and the only book on growing Mush¬ 
rooms ever published in America. 
The whole subject is treated in detail, minutely 
and plainly, as only a practical man. actively en¬ 
gaged in Mushroom growing can handle it. 
The author describes how lie himself grows 
Mushrooms, also how they are grown for profit 
by the leading market gardeners, and for home 
use by the most successful private growers. 
The book is amply and pointedly illustrated, with 
engravings drawn from nature expressly for this 
work. 
Is nicely printed and bound in cloth. 
Price, postpaid, $1.50. 
THE RURAL PUBLISHING CO., 
Times Building, New York. 
KING OFTHE ROAD MAKERS 
Forster’s Patent 
ROCK BREAKER 
FOR MACADAM 
properly cubed. No gear wheels to 
break. 'Product 10 to 200 tons ner 
day, according to size. Over 450 
in use FOR COARSE AND FINE 
CRUSHING. Does the work of any 
other breaker with one half the 
S ower and one third the expense for 
eeping in repair. 
Only manufacturers. Correspond¬ 
ence solicited. 
TOTTEN & HOGG FOUNDRY CO., 
23d Street an- Railroad Ave., 
PITTSBURGH, PA. 
WO MEW BOOKS, 
“Advanced Lessons 
in English Gram¬ 
mar.” By W. H. 
Maxwell, Superin¬ 
tendent of Schools, Brooklyn, N. Y. Cloth, 12mo. 827 pages. 60 cents, A clear, 
full, judicious, progressive text-book for advanced grammar and high school 
grades. “Appletons’ School Physics.” By a corps of distinguished scien¬ 
tists and teachers. Cloth. 12mo. 544 pages, $1.20. Just the book to arouse the student 
or general reader to enthusiasm for Natural Science study. Accurate, comprehensive, 
authoritative, entertaining. , ^ 
Complete Price-List and Descriptive Pamphlet free on application to the 
American Book Company, 
CINCINNATI. CHICAGO. 
Please mention The Rural New-Yorker. 
NEW YORK. 
