1893 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
225 
weather happens to be dry before or at the time these 
roots are forming and the piece itself is exhausted, 
the shoot must perish. Our faith in the trench 
method grows stronger with every season. With no 
more fertilizer and on poor soil The R. N.-Y. manages 
to raise from one-third to one-half more crop on a 
given area than do its neighbors. 
A Slick Peach Swindler. 
L. H. C., Alger , Ohio. —There is a fruit tree agent in 
our neighborhood representing a nursery at Troy, 
Ohio. He carries with him a peach stock and root, 
says the latter is Canadian and the top American, and 
that therefore the trees will not come out in bloom for 
several weeks after other peach trees have come in 
that condition, and will thus escape the early frosts 
in spring. He also carries with him a very large peach 
which he says is of the same kind. He has too the 
early and late varieties, and when he sells a man a 
bill the latter must take both. The price is $1 per 
tree, and he is selling lots of them as he is quite a 
slick talker. Is he a swindler ? 
Ans.—W e should so regard him from the above 
statement. 
Fertilizer Farmers Want a Machine. 
O. S. P., Winslow, Me. —In this section where there 
is no fertilizer or manure, there is no crop. We need 
a machine such as I shall describe, and it is safe to say 
that could it be had, the use of commercial fertilizers, 
of ashes and plaster would be greatly increased, and 
great quantities of them are used now. We need a 
machine that will take half a ton of phosphate at one 
load, sow it in a strip, say 12 to 15 feet wide, and de¬ 
liver it as close as six inches to the ground, so that 
the wind will not affect it. It should be so made as to 
pass lumps a quarter of an inch or more in size. It 
should run on two wheels, and be attachable by a pole 
or tongue to the front wheels of an ordinary farm 
cart: and, finally, it should not cost over 320. Is such 
a machine to be had? We have all sorts of seed and 
fertilizer sowers, but they are neither satisfactory nor 
reliable. They lose a good part of the material, and 
have too little capacity. Ashes—and we use leached 
mostly—are sowed or strewed by the shovel; un¬ 
leached by hand, a slow, uneven and unsatisfactory 
method. Even the drills in use drop but a small frac¬ 
tion of what our crops need. Cannot some implement 
maker give us the thing wanted, so simple that the 
ordinary farmer can gauge and operate it as easily as a 
harrow. If it will sow seeds, all the better, but that 
is not the first requirement. When I can get such a 
machine, I am goingtouse fertilizers much more freely 
than I do now, and others will use tons where they 
use hundredweights now. 
Ans. —This is a sample of many letters. It is strange 
that implement makers do not try to meet this de¬ 
mand. There is a fortune for somebody in such a ma¬ 
chine. The Spangler Distributor does fair work, but 
is gauged for smaller amounts of fertilizer or plaster 
than the best farmers use. The company write us that 
their machine is used in Florida with a box capable of 
holding 800 pounds. This, we understand, is done to 
avoid frequent reloading on large fields, but the feed- 
ing-out capacity is not enlarged. Who will give us 
the machine farmers need ? 
More About “ a Bag of Fertilizer.” 
W. 1). L., Reldvillc, S. C. —The farmers in this section 
usually get their fertilizers in 200-pound sacks, and 
from guaranteed analyses they contain from about 20 
to 40 pounds of plant food generally. Now, why not 
give 20 pounds in 100-pound sacks ? What is a general 
formula of ingredients used to increase the yield of 
crops as sold by manufacturers to farmers ? What 
is the commercial value of each ingredient, and how 
and where can all be found? What is the proper pro¬ 
portion of phosphoric acid, potash and nitrogen in 
mixing ? 
Ans.— We think the question about the percentage 
of actual ferlility in the fertilizers was answered in the 
article on “ A Bag of Fertilizer” two or three weeks 
ago. Some manufacturers put up 100-pound bags 
when they are preferred by customers. The following 
table gives the average analyses of substances com¬ 
monly used in fertilizers : 
Nitrate of soda. 
Sulphate ot ammonia. 
Dried blood. 
Bone-black superphosphate... 
S. C. rock superpnosphate. 
Muriate of potash. 
Sulphate of potash. 
Katnlt. 
Ground bone. 
Wood ashes. 
Dissolved bone. 
Dried tlsh.. 
Tankage. 
Cotton-seed meal. 
Cotton-hull ashes. 
Nitrogen. 
1(5 
20 
14 
Pounds per 100. 
Phosphoric acid. 
id 
15 
<5.5 20 
15 
7 
10 
3 
Potash. 
50 
50 
12.5 
'd 
24 
These are the articles most commonly used in mak¬ 
ing fertilizers. If a high-grade fertilizer contains 18 
to 20 per cent of actual fertility you can see that it 
is more “condensed” than wood ashes, cotton-seed 
meal, or many other “ natural fertilizers.” We cannot 
give the commercial value of all these substances 
because they vary according to locality and freight 
charges. 
Nitrate of soda is a white substance like salt found 
in the rainless regions of Chili. It is one of the most 
soluble forms of nitrogen—dissolving in water about 
like common salt. Sulphate of ammonia is taken from 
the washings and vapor from gas factories where coal 
is distilled to form illuminating gas for city houses. 
It is a little less soluble than nitrate. Dried blood 
comes from slaughter-houses where the blood frorq 
animals is dried to a fine powder. Bone-black or bone 
charcoal is like ordinary charcoal only made from 
bones instead of wood. It is used for filtering or 
refining sugar—the melted sugar being passed through 
it. When it loses its filtering power the charcoal is 
treated with sulphuric acid, which changes it into a 
superphosphate. South Carolina rock is also made 
into superphosphate by the action of this acid. Muriate 
and sulphate of potash and kainit are called potash 
salts. They all come from the potash mines at Stass- 
furt, Germany. The muriate and sulphate contain 
about equal amounts of potash, but the former con¬ 
tains considerable chlorine, a substance found in com¬ 
mon salt, which is injurious to the growth of potatoes, 
tobacco or sugar beets. Kainit contains only about 
one-fourth as much potash as the others and consider¬ 
able chlorine. Dissolved bones are ground and acted 
upon by sulphuric acid. Dried fish or chum have 
been pressed to obtain fish oil and then ground up 
fine. Tankage is the ref use from slaughter-houses and 
the residue from rendering tanks, dried and ground. 
Of course the proportions of these elements needed 
for various crops will differ with different soils—some 
may need more of oDe element than another. After 
much study and investigation, the following propor¬ 
tions have been accepted as about right on ordinary 
lands where the special needs of the soil are not 
known : 
Nitrogen. 
Potatoes. 4 
Corn. 'i% 
Wheat. 3 
Grass. 5 
In 100 pounds 
I’hos. acid. Potash. 
11 
11 
S) 
7 
(i'^ 
(5 
As we have explained time and again, the analysis of 
a fertilizer gives but one side of its value. The sub¬ 
stances comprising it also enter into the calculation. 
It is much the same as Mr. Cottrell’s grain ration, 
mentioned on another page. The experts gave a 
simple ration that analyzed properly, but it would not 
do the work of the more complicated and expensive 
mixture. 
Saving a Canadian Farm With Tares and Rape. 
./. T., Ontario. —I have just acquired a run-down 
farm adjoining my own. Taking a 10-acre field at a 
time, would it, in addition to a good coating of stable 
manure, assist materially to get the land into rapid 
shape were I to pasture 100 sheep for six or eight 
weeks thereon, feeding them from racks spread over 
the field, or is there a better way of utilizing the 
sheep for the object sought ? 
Ans. —No quicker way, perhaps, could be taken of 
renovating this farm by the aid of sheep than the fol¬ 
lowing : Upon the first 10 acres apply the barnyard 
manure in the spring, and plow it under. Sow an 
acre of tares or vetches as early as possible after 
plowing. Sow enough of oats along with the tares 
to support them, otherwise they may be injured by 
hugging the earth too closely. Two weeks hence sow 
another portion of the field of equal area. Repeat the 
same a third time and a fourth, if the spring should 
prove an early one. As soon as the tares of the first 
sowing have commenced to bloom, cut away a small 
space and inclose it with movable hurdles. Put 
movable racks in this inclosure, cut the tares and 
feed in the racks as required. Move the racks from 
time to time as occasion may call for it. In tbis way 
the crop that grew on all the area thus sown to tares 
will be returned to the soil in the form of excellent 
manure. 
Cultivate the portion of the field not sown with 
tares after it has been plowed, as occasion may re¬ 
quire until the middle of June. Secure a fine pulver¬ 
ization and sow the Dwarf Essex rape broadcast 
or in drills. If wanted for a cleaning crop it should 
be sown in drills and cultivated. As soon as the tares 
are all used, the rape crop will be ready to pasture. 
The sheep may feed upon it at large. 
After the first lot of tares has been fed the ground 
may be at once plowed and sown to rape in drills, and 
so with the second lot. When the sheep have eaten 
off the first sown rape, then they may eat the last 
sown. When the sheep are feeding upon the tares, 
they should be inclosed in the hurdles at night only 
and at each end of the day while the sun is not hot. 
They should be removed to a shady pasture daily when 
the sun waxes warm. When feeding upon the rape, 
they may remain upon it day and night, but it is all 
the better at the same time to have access to a grass 
paddock. Probably twice as much manure would be 
necessary on the part of the field first sown to rape, 
as the tares gather large quantities of nitrogen from 
the air. This the rape cannot do. A field thus treated 
should be in good condition for growing any ordinary 
crop that would follow. But this plan will apply only 
to soils that will grow rape well. The character of 
the soil is not given. 
The process of enrichment with the next 10 acres 
would be further enhanced by commencing in August. 
The field might then be sowed to rye, and pastured 
by sheep in fall and spring until time to plow for the 
aforementioned crops. It would provide more even 
enrichment to devote one field entirely to growing 
tares and one to growing rape. The one which grew 
the tares could better do without barnyard manure 
than the other. 
Great care should be exercised in securing the 
Dwarf Essex rape seed. Last year the major por¬ 
tion of the rape seed sown on this continent was not 
true to name. To protect our farmers in this neigh¬ 
borhood as far as we can, we are testing the stock of 
seed laid in by our Guelph seedsmen. The spurious 
kind sown last year blossomed in two months after the 
seed was sown, whereas the Dwarf Essex does not 
blossom the same season. Nearly all writers who re¬ 
ferred to it called it the “ Bird Seed ” variety, which is 
a mistake. It was a larger kind, but its feeding value 
was not nearly equal to that of the Dwarf Essex. 
Ontario Ag’l Exp. Station. [pkof.J thos. suaw. 
Disease of an Idle Mare. 
T. E., Hobsonvllle, Oregon. —I rode a four-year-old 
mare that is with foal to town about 10 miles, and 
coming back on a frosty morning she acted in a groggy 
way and fell down. It was two hours before I could 
start home with her. The hind legs or back seem to 
be stiff and not sturdy. I drew from her about three 
quarts of blood which looked black. She is not over 
the trouble yet. What ails her and what can I do 
for b er ? 
Ans —The mare is suffering from an attack of azo- 
turia or ha^moglobinuria, a kind of poisoning of the 
blood, in which there is an over-supply of albuminoids 
or nitrogenous products in the system. It is essentially 
a disease of plethora combined with idleness, result¬ 
ing, when exercised, in a form of blood poisoning, 
from the imperfect oxidation of the excess of nitro¬ 
genous products which are in the blood. This con¬ 
dition or disease, occurs almost exclusively in horses 
that are well fed and in prime condition, or which 
have remained idle for two or three days or longer, 
on full rations. When exercised daily the horse is 
enabled to utilize or use the albuminoids ; but when 
idle on full feed, and especially if the food is rich in 
albuminoids, the system receives more than is re¬ 
quired for its use, and the result is an over-supply 
which is not perfectly oxidized. The products being 
retained in the blood in this imperfectly oxidized con¬ 
dition, act as a poison on the muscles and nerve 
centers. Horses that are out of condition, poorly fed, 
over-worked or running at pasture, never suffer an 
attack. r l he disease rarely appears while standing in 
the stable, but after a short drive or other active exer¬ 
tion. In the present case the animal was driven much 
further than is usual in such cases, before being 
affected. The mare already having made a partial 
recovery, should do well if properly fed and given 
daily exercise, to avoid the danger of a second attack. 
The diet should be light for several weeks, with an 
occasional bran mash or ground flaxseed to keep the 
bowels open. If there is still any weakness or stiff¬ 
ness of the muscles of the limbs or back, rub daily with 
a liniment of equal parts of strong aqua ammonia 
and sweet oil well shaken together, until the skin is 
blistered and the hair started, then once or twice a 
week, sufficient to keep up the counter irritation. 
Give two tablespoonfuls of the following powders in 
the feed twice daily: powdered nux vomica and 
nitrate of potash, each one-fourth of a pound ; sulphate 
of soda, one pound, mix. The attacks of the disease 
being largely due to high feeding and idleness, are to 
be prevented by regular daily exercise and a restricted 
laxative diet. A horse receiving full rations should 
have his feed reduced one-third to one-half when com¬ 
pelled to stand idle for several days. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
B. B. M., East River, Conn. —Try the Abundance 
plum. 
E. L S., North Truro, Mass. —We do not know about 
“ Leggett’s Spanish pink for vermin.” 
A. S.. Tioga Co., Pa. —For home use we recommend 
these varieties of grapes: Green Mountain, Esther, 
Colerain, Nectar and Moore’s Early. 
A. A. C., Paris, Canada—Yes, the Pearl tuberose 
bulbs started in pots will bloom earlier. Plant out¬ 
doors when danger from frost is over. 
N. H. , Curtis, Neb. —To save cabbage from the 
green worm, use Buhach or Pyrethrum powder, a 
tablespoouful to a gallon of water. This does not 
cost much, and it is probably more effective than any 
other of the many remedies or insecticides proposed. 
