546 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
August 25 
SHADING THE SOIL. 
WHAT THE BRUSH AND SHOCKS DID. 
The phenomena described by C. P. A., 
on page 498, are probably due to chemi¬ 
cal changes produced by bacteria. The 
conditions he described are identical 
with those existing under a house, or 
even under a plank lying upon the ground. 
In the case of the house, the effect on 
the soil is very noticeable. The chemi¬ 
cal change is in the nitrogenous com¬ 
pounds. The nitrogen is present in three 
forms, only one of which is available for 
the plant. The two unavailable forms 
are changed to the more valuable form 
by the aid of bacteria. C. P. A. has ac¬ 
cidentally produced the best conditions 
for the work of these bacteria; that is, 
by a shading of the soil, he has given rise 
to a certain degree of moisture, neces¬ 
sary for the life of these bacteria. The 
season of the year naturally produced 
the right temperature. The other con¬ 
ditions, which I need not mention, were 
also probably present. While the shocks 
remained in the field, this action was 
taking place, and the most valuable form 
of nitrogen was accumulating in the 
shaded soil, at the expense of the less 
valuable forms. The same reasoning 
would apply to the brush alluded to. 
One of our most noted scientists (Bous- 
singault) noticed this same action. He 
found the increase of the available form 
of nitrogen, under a slab, to be as fol¬ 
lows : 
August 5, 34 pounds per acre. 
August 17, 222 pounds per acre 
September 2, 634 pounds per acre. 
September 17. 760 pounds per acre. 
October 2. 728 pounds per acre. 
Showing a rapid increase until the 
weather began to grow cooler in Octo¬ 
ber. We may conclude from this and 
other scientific experiments, that the 
nitrogen is changed to the available form 
by bacteria in the soil. One condition 
for the work of these bacteria, is a cer¬ 
tain amount of moisture, which was not 
present in the exposed soil, as C, P. A. 
says there was no rain. The shade prob¬ 
ably harbored some insects which may 
have had some effect. C. P. A. does not 
state whether it was dry after some of 
the shocks were blown over; but the 
wind would indicate that some rain fol¬ 
lowed. If so, the action would be but 
little more rapid under the shocks than 
elsewhere, and might even be retarded 
by too much moisture. 
The reason no similar effect was no¬ 
ticed in the case of the stacks, is because 
they shaded the ground during the cooler 
months, when this action nearly, or quite 
ceases, as the bacteria require a tempera¬ 
ture of about 70 degrees Pahr. In the 
case of the Ox-eye daisies, they were 
probably killed by having the sunlight 
shut out, while the grass, although pos¬ 
sibly retarded, was better established 
and was not injured so much. In the 
other cases, it will be noticed that the 
growth did not take place while the soil 
was being shaded, but after exposure to 
the sun. The beneficial change was tak¬ 
ing place in the shade, and the available 
form of nitrogen accumulating. 
Henderson, N. C. a. h. p. 
ANOTHER REASON FOR IT. 
On page 489, under Shading the Soil, 
C. P. A. asks why larger crops grow 
where the soil has been shaded than 
where it has laid bare. The result is due 
to the arrest of nitrogen by covering the 
soil. Nitrogen is continually escaping 
from the soil into the air, and any mulch 
arrests and holds this nitrogen, which 
becomes at once available as plant food. 
This is why our best farmers always 
advocate the necessity of keeping the 
soil covered with some growing crop. 
Our experience confirms this, and for 
many years we have allowed no land to 
lie bare. If a field must be carried o^er, 
it was sown in the fall. 
We have read a great deal lately about 
nitrogen traps for catching the nitrogen 
in the air, but I believe that it is the 
part of wisdom to trap it before it gets 
into the air and thus make sure that 
some one* else will not catch it. I am 
not opposed, however, to setting traps 
and catching some of the other fellow's 
nitrogen that has been carelessly allowed 
to escape into the air by allowing his 
fields to lie without a covering from July 
to May. I am quite sure that when 
farmers once utiderstand this question, 
fewer of them will allow their fields to 
be covered with standing weeds and old 
stubble during the late summer and early 
fall months. Fields that have been sown 
to grass in the spring with the wheat or 
oats, should be clipped as soon as the 
weeds start, Pasture fields intended for 
next spring’s crops, where weeds are 
now growing, should be mowed. The 
weeds and old stubble will make splendid 
crops in the way of a mulch. Anything 
that will shade the soil, whether a grow¬ 
ing crop, brush, weeds, stubble or ma¬ 
nure, will give the results spoken of by 
C. P. A. M. B. K. 
DeGraff, Ohio. 
TOMATO AND OTHER RURAL NOTES. 
Wanted, the name of an early, or extra 
early, tomato, of good size, smooth, and 
at least fair vigor of growth. None of 
the kinds I have tried for early bearing 
is satisfactory, the Atlantic Prize—the 
best of them—being a poor grower of sec¬ 
ond-rate fruit, and but four or five days 
earlier than Long Keeper. Perhaps some 
one of The Rural’s readers has grown 
an early tomato of merit, from The 
Rural tomato seeds sent out last year ! 
Of the newer sorts, I find the Stone ex¬ 
ceptionally good, but the Buckeye far 
surpasses any other kind I ever saw, in 
all points except earliness. It should 
have been named Perfection. I do not 
see how it can be improved upon. Vigor, 
productiveness, very large size, perfect 
symmetry of shape, and smoothness, sol¬ 
idity, few seeds, ripening evenly to the 
stem, rich, beautiful color, quality or 
fiavor the best, entire freedom from rot 
this very dry season, when Long Keeper 
rots badly—well, that’s the way they 
grow for me I All kinds are tied to 
stakes, and the laterals removed as they 
appear. I don’t know what it would do 
sprawling on the ground, the usual way 
in this locality. I find my method the 
best; it gives earlier and finer fruit, 
which is much easier to gather, and there 
is less loss from rot, etc. 
I have a selection of Ponderosa—which 
usually grows wrinkled, knotty and 
green around the stem, as well as flat in 
general shape—that is globular, very 
thick from the stem to the blossom end, 
very seldom knotty, but little wrinkled, 
and comes pretty true from the seed. It 
is much finer than the usual form of that 
variety. But the Buckeye beats it in 
everything except size. I have grown 
the Long Keeper for several years, since 
I found one plant among a lot of Rural 
seeds. Not knowing the name, I called 
it the Crimson Beauty, which I think 
still is a better name for it than Long 
Keeper. When the latter was sent out 
by Thor burn & Co., I got the seeds and 
found it the same as my Crimson Beauty. 
One trial of the Terra Cotta entirely 
satisfied my curiosity. The Lemon Blush 
is good, but the difference between it 
and the Golden Queen is trifling. 
I notice with some surprise that the 
Crescent strawberry is named as one of 
five that, in 15 years, is any improve¬ 
ment on older varieties. The Crescent! 
That crab apple of strawberries, whose 
only merit is great productiveness, and 
that is a fault, for it is a pity that it bears 
at all! [We alluded to productiveness 
and firmness — Eds.] 
I have noticed several times, regrets 
and apologies in regard to inability to 
immediately supply subscribers with all 
the plants promised last year. While I 
look forward with pleasurable anticipa¬ 
tions to the reception of some of the 
roses, and the gooseberry when it is con¬ 
venient, I by no means forget that I 
have a Brilliant grape vine eight feet 
tall, with one bunch of grapes (couldn’t 
resist the temptation to leave one bunch 
out of three that set); a vigorous Agnes 
Emily Carman rose bush, set in the fall, 
which budded and actually bloomed this 
spring, and which was never promised, 
but for which I have to thank The R. 
N.-Y.'s unexpected generosity. I have 
also several Carman potatoes from the 
three-eye piece sent me. w. 
Monroe, Wis. 
Don’t fire 
your barn! 
Drop a common lantern 
and it’s done. 
Side-Lift Lantern. 
The S. G. & L. Co. Lanterns have 
the Stetson Patent Safety Attachment, 
assuring entire freedom from this danger. 
They are perfect lanterns. They can be 
filled, lighted, regulated, and extinguished 
without removing the globe. 
Buy them of your dealer. He has them, or can 
get them for you if you insist. Send for our cat¬ 
alogue. 
STEAM GAUGE & LANTERN COMPANY, 
Syracuse, N. Y. Chicago ; 25 Lake St, 
Little Detective Scale. 
This scale weighs from one-quarter of 
a pound to 25 pounds. Every family 
should have one. Nothing could be 
nicer for weighing small articles. Price, 
with a year’s subscription, $3 25 ; with 
a new subscription, 83 Or given out¬ 
right for a club of seven new subscrip¬ 
tions. 
IN 
T)TJ There is probably no branch of 
Jl XvLfj? JL J. farming or stock-raising that is 
so sure to return a profit as the 
flock of sheep, and there Is prob¬ 
ably no branch so much neg- 
lected. A well-kept flock would 
W l-i H H l-» restore the fertility to many run 
A J-J A • down farms, and put their own- 
e 8 on the road to prosperity. 
But every man doesn’t know how to care for sheep, 
though be can easily learn. “ Sheep Farming” Is a 
practical treatise on sheep, their management and 
diseases. It tells In plain language how to select 
and breed them, and bow to care for them. It Is a 
little book worth three times Its cost to any farmer 
who raises sheep. Sent postpaid for 25 cents. 
Address THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
Cor. Chambers and Pearl Sts., New York. 
Money-Saving Combinations. 
W E have secured special rates for the papers mentioned below, and will give 
our readers the benefit of these low prices in combination with The Rural 
New-Yorker. We have selected papers that stand at the head of their class, and 
those that we can recommend to our own subscribers. At least one subscription 
for The Rural New Yorker must accompany every order. 
The N. Y. Weekly World. 
This Is the leading Democratic paper In New 
York. Gives In full the news from all over the 
world every week. Regular price, $1. 
In combination with Thb K. N.-Y'., II 65. 
Atlanta Constitution. 
This Is the great progressive Democratic weekly 
of the South. It Is a strong advocate of South¬ 
ern Itterests, and Is a reliable authority on 
Southern enterprises and development. Regu¬ 
lar price. II. 
In combination with The U. N.-Y. 11.50. 
Detroit Free Press. 
There are few people In the United States who 
have not laughed over the jokes and humor of 
the Detroit Free Press, either direct from Its 
own columns or In clippings from It In other 
papers. It Is a great family paper. Regular 
price, II. 
In combination with The R. N.-Y’., 11.75 
The Practical Dairyman. 
The only dairy and creamery journal puhl shed 
In the East. B. C. Powell. Editorial Writer; 
B C. Biles, Editor Creamery Department; Geo. 
B. Newell. Editor Cheese Department. Best 
dairy writers In America contribute. Regular 
price, 50 cents. 
In combination with The R. N.-Y., 11.35. 
The Ladies’ Home Companion. 
This Is a monthly paper full of good things for 
the ladles, young and old, containing stories 
from the best writers, helpful household hints 
and fancy and decorative work. Regular price, 
50 cents. 
In combination with The U N.-T., 11.20. 
California Orchard and Farm. 
This Is a monthly paper devoted to Pacifle 
Coast Rural Icdustry, with Dairying, Orchard- 
Irgacd Poultry-raising Departments. Regnlar 
price, 50 cents. 
In combination with The R. N.-Y., 11.25. 
j The Elgin Dairy Report. 
The dairy market paper. PuDllsbed every Mon¬ 
day Immediately after the close of the Elgin 
Board of Trade. Complete and reliable market 
Information. Regular price. II. 
In combination with The R. N.-V., 11.70. 
The Queen of Fashion. 
Most valuaole Ladles’ Fashion Jonrcal pub¬ 
lished for the money In the world. Handsome 
Illustrations each month of all the latest cele¬ 
brated McCall Bazar Glove-Fitting Patterns, 
besides general news of interest to any family. 
Patterns and styles always reliable and strictly 
np-to-date. A Free Pattern to each new sub¬ 
scriber. Regnlar price. 50 cents. 
In combination with The R. N.-Y., 11.30. 
I The Weekly Kansas City Star 
Addresses the farmer as a business man and a 
citizen. Doesn’t tell him bow to farm, but how 
to sell, and where and when, and keeps a vigi¬ 
lant eye upon his rights as a shipper, producer 
and taxpayer. All the newe. too, and plenty 
of "gcod reading ” for the family. Now read 
in 100,ro0 farm houses. Regular price, II. 
In combination with The R. N.-Y., 11.20. 
Ohio State Journal. 
Issued twice a week; is the leading newspaper 
of Ohio, printing more Ohio ' ews than any 
other, and reaching nearly every post-offlee In 
Ohio the same day of publication. Regular 
price, II. 
In combination with The R N.-Y., 11.75. 
THE AUGUST PREMIUMS 
are given every day. We repeat below the premiums that will be given for the 
largest club received each day for the last week of the month. Some of the prizes 
have gone to easy winners. There is time yet to win some of the best prizes. 
Following are the premiums for each remaining day in August: 
August 27. August 30 
Rival Fountain Pen 
This Is one of the best fountain pens made, i 
Hard rubber holder and gold pen. Regula j 
price, 13. I 
August 28. 
Rival Fountain Pen 
Same as August 27. Regular price, 13. 
Ausust 29. 
Rival Fountain Pen 
Same as August 27. Regular price, 13. 
Gentlemen’s Gold Chain 
This Is a fine rolled plated gold trace chain 
guaranteed to wear five years. Regular price, 13. 
August 3 1. 
Elgin Watch 
Watch No 12. Gentlemen’s Elgin watch, con¬ 
taining seven jewels, compensation balance and 
safety pinion, stem winding and setting ap¬ 
paratus, and all the latest Improvements. The 
case is solid nickel silver, open face, and the 
crystal Is made of plate glass so as to with 
stand any strain. Regular price, HO. 
