234 
RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
afield djjnrjra. 
CAMPBELL’S LATE HOSE POTATO. 
In your issue for March 15, page 170, Mr. 
Geo. W. Campbell has considerable to say 
about what I wrote as my experience the 
past year -with his Late Rose potato, which 
was published in your paper of Feb. 8. I 
have carefully re-read that letter, and I can 
see nothing there that ought to displease Mr. 
Campbell. If Mr. Campbell thinks so high¬ 
ly of the potato, why did he not send me $10, 
and have, me send him my Late Rose pota¬ 
toes that wore grown from the seed he sent 
me t If the soil was ho uncongenial, why did 
the other varieties mentioned do so much 
better than his Late Rose, on same soil and 
culture ? Mr. C. does not mention the fact, 
nor try to solve the question, why it wus so. 
If Mr. Campbell does not know me, the 
senior editor of the Rural does, and also 
that 1 never have written for controversy— 
only to state facts, and give my opinion from 
the results of such facts as have occurred 
under my observation and experiments. 
I accidentally had a few furrows plowed 
on this same piece of land, in 1870 ; planted 
three rows of Early Rose potatoes thereon, 
and the land on both sides was meadow ; the 
result was a yield of more than 300 bushels of 
large, nice polntoes'pcr acre, the best crop 1 
ever had. The potatoes were not cultivated 
nor hoed that year ; does that look like un¬ 
congenial soil ? 1 had intended to plow and 
plant an acre or two at that time, but busi¬ 
ness pressed, and only a few furrows wore 
planted, as stated, also tho result; and who) 
I planted that ground last spring, after being 
well manured, and a crop of corn grown 
thereon in 1871, I thought, and still think, I 
had an extra good piece of congenial soil for 
potatoes. Other people see that letter in a 
very different light from Mr. Campbell. I 
ltfive had numerous letters congratulating me 
.on the fairness of my statements, with the 
request that I take some new sorts and test, 
and give the result, either for or against, as 
the case may be. 
As Mr. Campbell has sent you a number 
of statements in favor, I will give you one or 
two sent me ; but I shall withhold names, as 
I have no right to make public private let¬ 
ters, as that would be a breach, of confidence 
that no true gentleman would like to do in 
such a case. One letter says, ‘‘your experi¬ 
ence agrees with mine,” etc.; another, “I 
must give jyou my experience with Camp¬ 
bell’s Late Rose. I planted 21 hills of one 
eye each in my garden. 1 harvested 87 lbs., 
of which 47 lbs. were small potatoes ; many 
of the large ones were scraggy. They were 
very strong—totally unlit, for table use. 1 
planted, side by side with them, 21 hills of 
one eye each of Thorburu’s Late Rose. T 
harvested from them 135 lbs. of very hand¬ 
some potatoes ; there were but 4 lbs. of small 
ones. The cultivation was precisely alike 
with both.” Mr, A. 8. Nash of Westport, 
Conn., in Rural of March 1, gives his expe¬ 
rience with Campbell's Late Rose; says he 
received si \ small ones for a pound, planted 
on dry, gra velly loam ; the result a less yield 
than I gave ; ho also said ho “knew of some 
parties who bought a bushel of Campbell’s 
Late Rose who thiuk they are a humbug,” 
Wat the soil of all these parties uncongenial f 
It would seem so, certainly, from the result. 
E. Ryder of Putnam Co,, N. Y., in Country 
Gentleman of March 13, says he “had l lbs., 
last spring; they were very small; he cut 
them to single eyes, and planted them in a 
select spot; harvested them late, and had two 
barrels, leaving, perhaps, a bushel on the 
ground, rotten. Those put hi the cellar con¬ 
tinued to decay unt il I do not think there is 
a bushel of sound ones among them—the seed 
procured direct of Mr, Campbell.” L. liis- 
ley, Linn Co., Iowa, in same paper, same 
date, says lie “sent to Mr. Campbell for a 
package, and planted them on new, good 
soil; the yield was equal to the Peerless 
planted by the side of them, and lie has never 
been able to discover any difference in them 
—both too soggy to be called good for the 
table ; not to be compared with the Early 
Rose or White Peach Blow.” He says “Mr. 
Campbell might have made a mistake in 
sending them,” and says he “would like to 
know of Mr. C. if the Late Rose so nearly re¬ 
sembles the Peerless ?” 
As Mr. Campbell said he could fill your 
paper with such testimony as he sent you, so 
I could send you much more of the same 
opinion as my own : but your readers can 
see there are two sides t< > the position taken 
by the writer, who has no interest but to 
serve liis brother farmers, while Mr. Camp¬ 
bell wishes to sell his crops at great prices. 
I will modify my position and say, all farm¬ 
ers at the North had better get an earlier 
potato than Campbell’s Late Rose ; also that 
1 don’t wish to plant all I have, and all read¬ 
ers of jthe Rural who will call on me can 
have a sample to test the coming season, fret 
of charge; and those («r a part, at least, 
while the potatoes last) who live at a distance 
can have samples sent them by mail, by send¬ 
ing me money enough to cover cost of put¬ 
ting up, and to pay postage, as I intend to 
dispose of a buBhel or two of them in that 
way ; but if some of them should bo affected 
with tho disease, and escape my notice, T 
don’t want to be blamed therefor, as Mr. 
Campbell Bays they never rot. I think 
otherwise. Jonathan Talcott. 
Romo, N. Y„ March 21. 
ALSIKE CLOVER. 
A Calhoun Co., Mich., correspondent of the 
Country Gentleman says of this clover: 
The plant bears a greater resemblance to the 
common white than to the red clover. It 
yields two mowings annually, if cut expressly 
for hay when in full bloom, which in this 
latitude is generally the last of June or the 
first of July. But if cut for seed it should 
stand about two weeks later, then affording 
abundance of superior pasturage for all kinds 
of stuck. The seed is cut from the first crop. 
The Alsike, when left to seed, has its stalks 
and leaves yet green when its seeds are ripe, 
and produces much better hay than the red 
clover -when cut. for that purpose. 
Tho weight of seed required to be sown is 
from 3>^ to 1 lbs. per acre, which is au abun¬ 
dance. The seed being much smaller, a leas 
quantity is required than of the red clover. 
Four pounds of Alsike will seed more land 
than ten pounds of red clover. The seed is 
sown at the usual time of Rowing common 
red clover, on wheat, oats, rye or barley. It 
generally yields from throe to eight bushels 
of seed per aero. The head is formed with 
pods, like common white clover, with several 
seeds in each pod. 
1 have tried Alsike by the side of red clover 
four successive yearn, wed sown at the same 
time and in the same field, and find that cat¬ 
tle, horses and sheep will not graze on the 
red clover so long as they can get a good bite 
on the Alsike. My experience is, there is no 
i other clover equal to it for the purpose of 
feeding cattle, sheep and horses, and I believe 
it to be equal to the red clover as a fertilizer. 
It will flourish on dry and moist land,—does 
not suffer i rons the severest frosts or drouth 
as red clo/er does.—is as free from fuzz or 
dust as Timothy ; hence it will not cause 
horses to cough and heave aa red clover hay 
does. It will grow from one to two and a- 
half tons of superior hay to the acre, accord¬ 
ing to the season. 
1 t hink 1 never had a greater growth of red 
clover than I raised four years ago, growing 
from three to five feet in length. Alsike has 
many more branches, leaves and blossoms 
from the main stalk than the red clover ; 
the hay is therefore much finer, and fur 
superior in quality. In fact, it is of the same 
nature as the common white clover, which 
all fanners will understand, except growing 
so much larger size. All farmers know, who 
have had experience, that common white 
clover pasture is far superior to any red clo¬ 
ver ; therefore if it would grow large enough 
to mow it would make much better hay than 
red clover. Alsike clover blossoms furnish 
an abundance of honey for bees; they can 
work on them as well as on the common 
white clover, and can gather honey much 
faster. 
To SOW the seed mix the quantity' of seed 
with the quantity of plaster you wish to sow 
per acre evenly, and bow as if sowing plaster, 
except on smaller lands. In so doing you 
sow your seed at the same time that you sow 
your plaster, saving tho labor of going over 
the field twice, and it can be sown much 
more evenly. As the seed is so small, and 
such a little quantity is required per acre, it 
is difficult to hold the quantity in the hand or 
fingers that is required, if sown by hand, 
Plaster should be sown as a fertilizer, as on 
red clover. 
--*•-*■-*—-- 
PROFITS OF HOP GROWING. 
J. V. Scoville is reported to have made 
the following statement at a recent meeting 
in Central New York:—Said a hop grower 
to me the other day : “ The present high 
price of hops has turned our farmers crazy.” 
But let me suggest an old adage:—“Think 
twice before you leap.” Don't embark in 
hop growing until you have firmly resolved 
to continuo the business for a series of yews, 
through sunshine and shadows. It’s a per¬ 
plexing business, but we are willing to en¬ 
dure almost anything to make money. It 
necessitates a large expense at the very out¬ 
set. The usual system of planting makes 700 
hills to an acre, which require, to be properly 
poled, 1,400 poles. Good selected Canada 
polos could scarcely lie delivered on the 
ground for less than twenty cents, or at a 
cost of $280 per acre, and I know of many a 
yard where such poles have cost twenty-four 
cents apiece. 
A good drying house with the proper equip¬ 
ments, could scarcely cost less than $1,000 at 
present, and then, with your bop-yard plant¬ 
ed the previous year, you are ready to realize, 
provided the crop is not blasted and the 
brewery men are willing to give you remu¬ 
nerative prices. I am unable to present the 
actual cost of cultivating an acre of hops, as 
the conditions of the ground vary so much, 
but I have often heard reliable men say that 
they would as soon take care of an acre of 
hops as an acre of corn. But I can give you 
some idea of the cost of harvesting, by pre¬ 
senting the result of a single day’s picking in 
my own yard. Tho names Of thirty-six 
pickers appears on my r list, though tho actual 
number was scarcely leas than sixty, includ¬ 
ing large and small. The {older ones picked 
in regular boxes, uud the younger ones in 
straw hats and baskets. Borne families picked 
as high as seven and eight boxes, and the 
amount per box paid to tlioBc who boarded 
themselves was 45 cents, and those who 
boarded 80 cents. The following table pre¬ 
sents the matter in detail: 
Number of boxes.... „ MX „ 
Amount of liopH dried... 1,135 lbs. 
A voravo welsht per box... 12X lbs. 
I’nld pIckeTS In lots...$45 03 
Paid Pole pullers. 11 00 
Paid for boarding pickers. 12 SO 
1‘iiUt for 33V lbs. sacking, Included in 
weight of hops above........... t (» 
Paid for drying 1,135 lbs. of liops, at 2 eta. 22 70 
Total.. .<8 
No allowance is mode for in dividual time or 
labor. This makes the cost of harvesting 
alone Sfj cents per pound, or $85 per 1 housand 
pounds, equal to $170 per ton. Hops are a 
good paying crop at twenty cents u pound, 
but when we get fifty or sixty cents, as is 
sometimes the case, then we get a glimpse of 
the “golden fleece.” From six to seven acres 
of Imps the grower not unfrequently receives 
$1,000 or $5,000. 
CUTWORMS AND CORN. 
A correspondent of the Country Gentle¬ 
man says -Immediately after the corn is 
planted, sprinkle on the hill, over the covered 
grains, about one tablespoonful of salt to 
each hill. More will do no harm, but how 
much more the corn would stand I do not 
know. A tablespoonful is enough, and per¬ 
haps less would do. That is ull. 1 have bur¬ 
ied cut worms in salt and left them there a 
long time without doing them any apparent 
harm, and they will crawl over salt without 
hesitation or any seeming annoyance, but 
they will not eat the young corn plant if 
there is u little salt in its sap. That seems to 
be the explanation of its protective influence. 
Allow me to repeat that the salt should be 
put on the corn bills immediately after the 
planting, that it may be dissolved by the 
rain, dew, or other moisture in the air, and 
thus reach the roots 4»f the plant greatly 
diluted by mixture with the soil, and there¬ 
fore safe to the young and tender plant; and 
also that it may beat the roots, where it may 
enter the sap of the plant, not at the leaves, 
where it can only destroy. 
-♦♦♦- 
SOWING CORN. 
A correspondent at Rahway, N. J., asks 
the best way of sowing corn for soiling pur¬ 
poses— whether broadcast or in drills ; also 
the best time to sow if intended for winter 
use ; and if one kind of com is superior to 
another for this use. We reply that we have 
found it most profitable to sow thickly in 
drills 2)i feet apart, and cultivate with a 
single shovel-plow or small cultivator. For 
winter forage we have sown it as Jate as the 
15th of July, and by persistent culture (the 
ground being rich, as it should be,) got very 
large crops, and seemed- them before frost. 
We shall be glad to record the experience of 
farmers. 
-- 
FIELD NOTES. 
Lucerne .—We have several inquiries about 
this forage crop. Have any of our readers 
any experience with it i Practical experi¬ 
ence from men who have grown, or are grow¬ 
ing, it is better than anything we can say 
about it, for we have had no experience with 
it. 
Potatoes should be planted as early as pos¬ 
sible. They do not require a rich soil, but do 
best with enrichment hi the hill Ashes are 
among its best fertilizers. 
offap Oh - ei no mi). 
ARTIFICIAL MANDRE FOR CORN. 
In reply to “Curiosities” I would say that 
he should have stated the nature of his soil. 
Most artificial fertilizers pay best on heavy 
soils. I have used several kinds of super¬ 
phosphates on sandy soil and find them to 
pay well except in dry seasons. Enoch Coe’s 
superphosphate of lime gives the best satis¬ 
faction to farmers of this vicinity. To insure 
a good crop of corn it should be applied twice 
in the hill at planting and at the first hoeing 
covering it with the soil; lot) lbs. to the acre 
each time. 
1 keep about forty fowls, and clean the 
manure out from under their roost every two 
weeks and put it in barrels ; then cover tho 
floor with gypsum, ashes or lime. 1 also save 
all night soil, and, adding it to the above, flud 
that 1 have about two Ions of manure which 
1 think better thun most of the phosphates, 
poudrette, &c. In preparing it, for use I 
spread it upon a floor (cement is best), scatter 
corn meal over it every other day and let tho 
fowls pulverize it ; then screen it, thresh the 
hard lumps and screen again. I use a good 
handful to three hills of corn and two of po¬ 
tatoes, and the increase in corn will more than 
feed the hens the next year. G. e. l. 
-♦-*-♦- 
SLOPPING WASHES. 
A correspondent of the Rural Sun recom¬ 
mends the following mode Cut pieces of 
the yellow locust roots a foot long ; make 
holes with a sharpened stake made with a 
foot rest, like a boy’s stilt, and place the 
roots in them, in lines across the wash. Be¬ 
hind and in front of these peg down poles, 
and between the lines of poles place ribbons 
of Bermuda grass sod, well tramped in. Tlie 
poles will keep the water from washing up 
the sod until it, sends down its roots ; that is 
all it asks. The locust room will send up 
bushes which will soon become trees. The 
grass will catch the silt, hold it, grow up as 
it rises ; while the bushes will not only help 
in this way, but also arrest wash of all kinds. 
Before one hardly realizes it, he hits a gully 
converted into a gentle undulation and is in 
possession of a lot of fence posts, worth 50 
cents for each seven feet in length. 
HOW TO HANG HOGS. 
A CORRESPONDENT of the Western Rural 
says :—Take the hind wheels, axle-tree and 
reach of u common lumber wagon. Fasten a 
common farm ladder to the axle-tree, and the 
reach. Let tho ladder extend live or six feet 
behind the axle-tree. Buck tho hind end of 
the ladder on to the bench where your 
dressed hog lies, roll him on to the ladder, 
then let one man or lad take hold of the for¬ 
ward round of the ladder and play horse and 
trundle it five or ten rods to where you wish 
to hang the hogs. Ground the forward end 
of the ladder and your hog is in position for 
the gallows. Try it once and you will never 
lubber lift again. 
•-- 
HUSKING CORN. 
An Illinois coiTespondent of the New York 
Tribune, gives his method :—Fit your wagon- 
box to hold thirty bushels, then put at least 
a foot and a-half hang-board on the opposite 
side ; tie the horse next to you t.o the other 
one’s home, to keep him from eating; then 
take two rows, catch the ears with the thumb 
toward the point, strip both sides nearly at 
once, and give it a wrench with your right 
hand at the same time. In good eorn a good 
hand will in this way crib sixty bushels in a 
ECONOMICAL NOTES. 
Applying Ashes to Potatoes— My experi¬ 
ence in applying ashes to potatoes, with the 
host results, has been to put on a single hand¬ 
ful to each lull soon after they are planted, 
and before they get out of the ground. I 
have increased my crop one-half by so doing. 
By making an experiment in the same field, 
bv leaving a row without ashes, I have seen 
the result. I consider ashes better than plaster 
for potatoes ; worth to me 23 ets. per bushel. 
— J. D. Randall. 
Milkweed .—Can you or some of your read¬ 
ers tell me how milkweed can be killed ? I 
have a valuable piece of land that is badly 
covered. Any information on the subject 
will be thankfully received by an old— Read¬ 
er op the Rural. 
Rotter and Harroic Wanted .— Will you 
allow me room to Rsk your readers for a 
draft of a wooden roller for rolling land; 
also a draft of the best kind of iron drag for 
rough land I—Elijah Betts. 
c 
