73o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
November 2 
Corn on Sod; Potato Rot. 
G. M. E., Vineland. N. J.—Tn looking 
over The R N.-Y., this line came under 
my eye. “ Ren us your pent up thought.” 
So 1 thought that I would give a little 
of my experience with Crimson clover 
and corn. 1 turned under a fine crop of 
clover, fully two feet high, and planted 
corn on the ground ; it grew finely until 
it commenced to ear, then the dry 
weather came, and it dried up, too, so 
that I shall get very little corn. The 
fodder is the poorest 1 ever raised, but 
of good size. Adjoining this piece, I 
have another piece of corn, where the 
clover nearly winterkilled, on account 
of too late planting. There the fodder 
is not dried up nearly so much as on the 
first, and there is more corn. On a piece 
of land adjoining the last named, I 
turned under a fair crop of clover, say, 
about 12 to 14 inches high. In this piece 
was a small spot about 16 by 30 feet 
where the clover stood fully two feet 
high ; on this spot, the fodder is much 
the largest of any, but is dried up more. 
I think the corn would have been much 
the best on the large clover, if we had 
had plenty of rain ; but 1 fail to see why 
the corn should dry up more there. 
Another thought that may do some of 
your readers good, is this: I dug my 
early potatoes, and soon after putting 
them iu the cellar, they commenced to 
rot so badly, that 1 thought 1 would 
lose them all. Rut a friend told me to 
put some shell lime on them, and it 
would stop the rot; 1 did, and it stopped 
the rot entirely. Although it makes 
them white with the lime, 1 consider 
that better than to have them black with 
rot. 1 used one bushel of shell lime 
on about 50 bushels, which costs here 10 
cents per bushel. 
R. N.-Y.—One trouble may have been 
that the clover sod was not packed 
down hard enough. Our experience is 
that whenever sod is not pressed down 
firmly, it dries out rapidly, lor the air 
has a better cnance to circulate through 
it. If you could have rolled that sod, 
you would have kept out the air, and 
made a better storage place for moisture. 
Improving a Tenacious Clay Soil. 
Alva Agee, Ohio. —Under the head¬ 
ing, “ What Say V ” in The R. N.-Y. of 
September 28, R. W. describes his soil, 
and wonders whether subsoiling will 
cure, or help cure, the trouble. Opinions 
from persons at a distance are often of 
little value, but it seems to me that this 
land needs underdraining. It is not best 
to put drains too deep in such tenacious 
clays ; but when placed 20 inches under 
the surface, the water finds its way 
down, and the air enters. Subsoiling 
may help temporarily, but a blue clay 
runs together very soon after being 
stirred, and one cannot hope to make it 
porous, or eapaole, either of holding a 
store of moisture through droughts, or 
furnishing drainage in wet seasons by a 
single stirring when the breaking plow 
is used. What is needed is a change in 
the mechanical condition of this clay, 
and the best means to that end is under¬ 
draining. The presence of air m it will 
work a change, and that is secured by 
tiles. 
If there is a practicable outlet, and the 
land is worth the investment, I would 
put in drains every two rods, using 23^- 
inch tile, which is sufficiently large on 
hard clay bottom, and will open up air 
passages about as well as larger the, 
while considerably cheaper. I would 
put the drains not over two feet deep, 
and where the blue clay extends to the 
surface, 18 inches is a safer depth. The 
trenches should be filled with surface 
soil. Then buckwheat or corn should be 
sowed, and the crop plowed under, run¬ 
ning the breaking plow across the drains 
to lead the water into them. This plow¬ 
ing under should be done in the fall 
after hot weather is past. Judging by 
my experience with a pipe clay that was 
hardly as tenacious as some blue clays I 
have seen, I would expect to see a 
marked improvement in the mechanical 
condition of the soil after such treat¬ 
ment, and to be able to get and keep 
good stands of clover. This method in¬ 
volves considerable expense, but tena¬ 
cious blue clays cannot be permanently 
improved at slight expense. 
The New Imperial Tomato. 
A. A. H , Bellows Falls, Vt. —I no¬ 
tice in The R. N.-Y. of October 5 what 
Mr. L. R. Jones, of the State Experiment 
Station says of the New 1 mperial tomato. 
Having grown this new tomato for six 
years, and tested it with over 100 of the 
leading varieties, I feel that I am pretty 
well acquainted with it. This season 
I had about 4.500 plants, and grown on 
ordinary farm land without trimming or 
racking up, these vines have averaged 
over 1 x /i bushel of ripe fruit to a vine. 
The plants were not put out in open 
ground until after June 1, and on July 
22 we commenced picking ripe fruit for 
the seed. No such crop of tomatoes as 
regards both quantity and quality has 
ever been seen in this part of the coun¬ 
try. We have picked hundreds of bush¬ 
els that would run from 4 to 4% inches 
in diameter to each specimen. Some of 
the seed scattered from the first washing 
about July 25 came up and produced 
ripe fruit on September 25, 60 days from 
the seed. 
Carman Potato; Cutting Corn. 
G. H., Appleton, N. Y.—Hurrah for 
the Carman No. 1 potato. 1 saw the big 
potato yield of H. C. R. reported in The 
R. N.-Y. of September 21, so I went out 
and dug my potatoes. There were 104 
good-sized ones, besides a few small 
oues, and they weighed 52 pounds. The 
largest weighed 1% pound, and a good 
many weighed one pound each. They 
are smooth and beautiful. I had one 
small potato last spring, and made nine 
hills from it by cutting very fine. 
Corn cutting is about over for this year, 
and it is marked with progress also. 
How many devices have arisen of late to 
cut corn, and what an emancipation they 
make for farmers’ backs ! We read a 
great deal about corn binders made 
especially for cutting corn, and but little 
about cutting it with grain binders ; but 
one of my neighbors this fall had a field 
of very large ensilage corn, 11 feet high. 
He engaged to have it cut with a corn 
binder, but the machine could not cut it, 
although it wonted well in small corn ; 
it tied too near the butts, and scattered 
the corn badly. At the same time, the 
agents of a grain binder came and fast¬ 
ened a bow of iron on the back of the 
grain binder that my neighbor uses, and 
he cut the entire field without a break. 
How I Tan a Hide. 
W. S. Jr., Johnsons, N. Y.—I think 
that I have an easier way than that 
given by W. K. T., of tanning a sheep 
skin. Wrestling with a barrel and 
scythe might do for a tanner or currier 
skilled in scraping hides ; but the aver¬ 
age farmer is likely to cut holes in the 
skin, to say nothing of his fingers. The 
low price of skins, and the comfort de¬ 
rived from robes and rugs made from 
well-tanned skins, led me to purchase 
several. 1 had no time to waste, but 
wanted the skins nicely tanned. Part 
of them were fresh, the rest had been 
rolled in salt for a week or more. I 
spread the skins, flesh side up, swept all 
salt and coarse dirt oif, covered the flesh 
side with a mixture of two parts salt 
and one each of alum and saltpeter, 
folded the flesh sides together, rolled 
tightly, and placed in a cellar or cool 
place for 8 or 10 days. Then I brushed 
off all salt again, placed them iu a bar¬ 
rel, pounded out in a strong soapsuds, 
with a clothes pounder, until as clean 
as desired ; then rinsed. If one has a 
clothes wringer large enough, put them 
through that. Care should be taken that 
the suds be not too hot. I put my first 
skin through a washing-machine filled 
with a very hot suds, then through a 
wringer; it came out clean and white, 
also well-cooked, tender as a chicken, 
and full of holes. The next time the 
water was not so hot, and it came out in 
fine shape. While still warm, stretch 
and nail to the side of an unpainted 
building, flesh side exposed to the sun, 
for several days, the hotter the better. 
When well dried, take down ; they will 
be very stiff. Lay on a bench, flesh side 
up, get a piece of No. 1 or 2 sandpaper, 
and go at it; a few minutes’ work will 
make a skin as soft as one could wish. 
Growth of Wood m Canada. 
R. D., Campbellford, Ont. —I saw a 
paragraph in a late issue of The R. N.-Y. 
which stated that a Willard plum had 
made a growth of three feet during the 
season. I have a Burbank plum which 
is in its second year from planting, and 
it has made a growth of seven feet and 
lateral branches. My Abundance plum 
made a growth of five feet, and Crosby 
and Champion peaches, and Shense or 
Acme apricots all made growths of four 
to five feet. 
Waterproofing Greenhouse Boards. 
G. M. S., Duluth, Minn.—C. P. Bar¬ 
nard, page 652, speaks of not being able 
to obtain any preparation for dressing 
the bottom boards of the greenhouse on 
which the plants stand, and their conse¬ 
quent rotting out in a short time. My 
wife wishes me to say that she is using 
for this same purpose, a waterproof oil 
dressing, manufactured in this city. It 
is easily and quickly applied, and two 
coats liberally applied, so thoroughly 
waterproof the boards that they shed 
the water to perfection, and it preserves 
the boards perfectly. The dressing is 
very valuable for many purposes, par¬ 
ticularly for shoes, as it keeps the water 
out, makes and keeps the leather soft 
and pliable, and produces a very hand¬ 
some luster. 
(Continued on next page.) 
|ttisccUanrou£ ^UlvcrtisintR 
In writing to advertisers, please always mention 
The Rubai. New-Yokkek. 
On Top 
No other preparation has 
ever equaled in success, 
sales, or cures, the won¬ 
derful record of 
Hood's 
Sarsaparilla 
The One True Blood Purifier. 
Hood’s Pills cure Liver Ills. 25 cents. 
HERRICK SEED CO., 
INCORPORATED, ROCHESTER, N. Y. 7 
Purity and Quality Guaranteed. AGENTS WANTED. 
PDIHCnil ni nvc Thelareest handler 
OnimOUH vLUVE.lt of American-grown 
Crimson Clover Seed In the United States. Is JOSEPH 
E. HOLLAND. Grower and Jobber. Milford. Del. 
Also, Cow Peas, Winter Oats, Timothy Seed, etc. 
SEED POTATOES. 
We have a few barrels, surplus stock Carman 
No 1 and No. 3, carefully selected, and will be sold 
right. M. GARRAHAN. Kingston, Pa. 
fian||l!| 11 a | SEED POTATOES. 400 
U All III UN no. I barrels. The lot $3 per 
barrel. E. B. EDWARDS, Avoca, Steuben Co., N. Y. 
AGENTS WANTED. 
Salary and Expenses paid, or HIGHEST commission. 
Unequaled facilities. Stock all home-grown. BEST 
ever raised. Great demand for our NEW and very 
valuable SPECIALTIES All our Agents suc¬ 
ceed. Apply immediately. 
THE GENEVA NURSERY. Geneva, N. Y. 
Established 1846 
One of the largest and best known in the country. 
W. & T. SMITH, Proprietors. 
HEADQUARTERS FOR 
Paragon Chestnut Trees 
The most valuable large chestnut on the market 
to-day. Send for circular. 
H. M. ENGLE & SON, Marietta, Pa. 
If you want the best rasp- |LJ| II | C" 
berry in existence, plant Iwl I La La CL I % ■ 
Beware of SPURIOUS varieties offered CHEAP by 
unprincipled dealers. Original headquarters for 
MILLER. Also. PEACH, APPLE, PEAK, 
PLUM and NUT TREES 
CHAS. WRIGHT. Seaford, Del. 
GRAPE VINES 
All old and new varieties Extra quality ■ nrrnntctl 
true. Loire*! rate*. Descriptive Catalogue Free 
T. S. HUBBARD CO.. FREDONIA, N. 
300,000 PEACH TREES, 
20.000 Apple, 900.000 Asparagus Roots. Millions of 
Strawberry Plants. Twenty-page Catalogue free. 
CRIMSON CLOVER SEED. 
BERLIN NURSERIES. - - - BERLIN. MD 
p II f| I P C Peach Trees a Specialty. Prices on apnli- 
U11 UI U L cation. R. 8. Johnston, Stockley, Del. 
w Y ::;, PEACH 
Plum, Pear, Apple, Clierry or Quince 
Orchard, or anything in the way ofSmall 
Fruits, Ornamental Tree* or Shrub*, 
Japan, Holland or other Bulb*, write us 
your wants and we will quote you low prices. 
Everything of the best—for Orchard, 
Vineyard, Lawn, Park, Street, Carden 
and Conservatory. Millions of Treat, 
Shrubs, Roses, Vines Bulbs, Plants, etc. 
Price List and Catalogue Free. 
42nd Year, 1000 Acres. 29 Greenhouses, 
THE STORRS & HARRISON CO., 
PAINESVILLE. OHIO. 
Fruit Culture, and the Laying Out 
and Management of a Country Home. 
By W. C. Strong. Illustrated. A guide to the 
culture of fruits suited to the owner of a home 
Considers the choice of location, preparation 
of the soil, how and when to plant, and gives 
a short descriptive list of the popular varie¬ 
ties of eacb fruit. Instructions in pruning 
and cultivation, descriptions of diseases and 
insect enemies, with remedies, and a chapter 
on propagation, make the book complete for 
the amateur. Cloth, $1, postpaid. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Corner Chambers and Pearl Streets, New York 
TREES 
FRUIT AND ORNAMENTAL. 
ELLWANGER & BARRY, 
Collections in America. 
160-page Catalogue Free. 
Small Fruits, Grapes, Shrubs, Roses for 
FALL Planting. Largest and choicest 
Mt. Hope Nurseries, 
Rochester, N. Y. 
YES, SEVERAL TIMES; that’s the way customers send to Rogers for Trees. 
They order once and then stick to him. Daily orders from old customers prove 
this. Are you a regular customer? If not try us once, and you soon will be. 
REMEMBER, it’s a pleasure and a profit to handle and plant ROGERS’ FKKSH- 
treks ANS ' ILLE ISAAC C. ROGERS, Rogers’ Nurseries, Dansville, N. Y. 
TRIUMPH 
The Latest and Largest 
Yellow Freestone PEACH, 
^EMPEROR 
MERCER { 
The only Yellow Freestone PEACH 
Ripening with Amsden. 
The only Sure-Bearing, 
Non-Rotting CHERRY. 
For full descriptions send for Catalogue (lOc.) We will send our Beautifully JUus. Catalogue with 
the Col’d Plate* of the 3 Wunderfill New Fruits, and 1 Emperor Peach June Bud by 
mail, postpaid tor LOc, JOS.ii. BLACK,SU5 & CO., Village Aurscries. ilightstown, Ji. J. 
FRUIT TREES, 
SMALL FRUITS, VINES, ROSES, 
ORNAMENTALS, Crates & Baskets. 
ELDORADO 
BLACKBERRY. 
“They.SURPASS all others” 
says E. S Cabman. R. N. Y„ and 
H. E. Vandeman, U. S. Dept. 
LORENTZ 
PEACH. 
Don’t pay double prices^* Ulus. Catalogue REID’S NURSERIES, Bridgeport, Ohio. 
