thmU (Tapirs. 
HARROWING CORN AND POTATOES. 
HENRY IVES. 
Harrowing young corn and potatoes objec¬ 
tionable ; but harrowing them supplement¬ 
ed by hand work and harrowing before 
the crops appear are advisable ; a po¬ 
tato hook better than a hoe for the 
first working of corn and other crops; 
a new, unpatented implement for cxd- 
tivating young corn and potatoes ; 
it combines the advantages of hand and 
horse power, and has none of the faidts 
of other tools; how any farmer can make 
and use it. 
A statement in the Farmers' Club, page 
596, to the effect that the Rural is entirely 
opposed to harrowing young corn and pota¬ 
toes, remiuds me of my first attempt to follow 
out this kind of “book farming,” as it was 
called, for as I planted a good deal of corn 
and potatoes each year, I found the great need 
of resorting to something of the kind, by 
which “horse work” might be made in some 
way to aid more in the tillage of these crops, 
so largely dependent on hand hoeing in their 
culture. Accordingly, one year, after corn 
was just well up, I put on the team and light 
drag, and after hardening my heart against 
this, my favorite crop, and shutting my eyes 
to the harsh treatment it was receiving, 
I drove a few bouts, but not enjoy¬ 
ing that kind of work at all, I quit, 
thinking I would rather do the work by 
hand even if it cost twice as much. Then I 
took a light four-pronged, round-tined potato 
hook, and going over the rows I had harrowed 
I drew it, comb-fashion, through any hills 
that were dragged down to straighten them 
up, and through those hills that had not been 
worked enough I passed the fork lightly, and 
this I found gave fine tillage at this early stage 
of their growth, and the result showed that 
the dragging, supplemented by hand work, 
was a step in the right direction towards sub¬ 
stituting horse for hand work in these crops. 
I also learned, incidentally, that a potato hook 
is a much better tool than the hoe with which 
to do the first working of the corn, as I went 
on doing the balance of the field with the 
same tool, and I have made similar use of it 
every year since, finding it quite superior to 
the hoe, either in the field or the garden, for 
all light, delicate, first work among cultivated 
plants. But in reference to the Rural’s 
statement, I would infer that it does approve 
of harrowing before the crop is up, which is a 
practice I would strongly recommend, for I 
know it is a great help in tillage, especially of 
potatoes, which are usually such a lojig time 
in coming up, that if the ground was not har¬ 
rowed a crop of weeds would pre-occupy their 
place, and, sooner or later, hand work would 
be needed to eradicate them; but if the ground 
is thoroughly dragged just before the plants 
come up, the first crop of weeds is 
wholly destroyed, and the potatoes com¬ 
ing on in clean, freshly tilled land, 
will soon occupy the hills to the ex¬ 
clusion of any more weed-growth during 
the season. This harrowing of corn and pota¬ 
toes before they are up 1 have continued to 
practice ever since; but for several years I 
have refrained from harrowing them after 
the plants were up, (although many leading 
planters recommended it); but I objected to 
the practice on the same grounds on which 
the R. N.-Y., objects to it, and my objections 
would be as strong to day as ever even if the 
farmer did the job with the best tool for the 
purpose which the market affords. 
While using the potato hook, as stated 
above, I conceived the idea that a tool might 
be made to be operated by a horse, and work 
two or three rows at a time, in the same way 
as fast as the horse would work: but it should 
be a lighter implement, and one more under 
the driver’s control than any harrow I have 
seen, and the ground before planting should 
be put in fine tilth, and the surface should be 
made tolerably even; for if cumbered with 
clods, stones and trash, these will greatly inter¬ 
fere with such fine, delicate tillage as this 
must be, and if the surface is uneven, some 
hills will receive too much, while others wily 
get too little scarifying. The Thomas smooth¬ 
ing harrow, the most approved tool the mar¬ 
ket affords us for such work, is much too heavy 
to suit me, and the teeth are too large, and, 
worst of all, they are set rigid in their frame. 
It will be also noticed that teeth projecting 
straight down, will give a lighter and better 
movement of the surface soil than those 
slanting, as they ride through it more 
like a sleigh runner; nor will they 
knock or drag down the plants nearly 
as much as the slanted ones do. Accordingly I 
found it necessary in this case, as in many 
others in the course of my farm experience, to 
construct a tool for this new and special work, 
for which no general-purpose harrow proved 
adequate. 
Having, as I think, been quite successful in 
making and using such a tool, and as it is not 
patented, so that any farmer may make one 
for himself, in the hopes that they will do so, 
and also that they may receive as much bene¬ 
fit from its use as I have, I here give a descrip¬ 
tion of my mode of making it. First I obtained 
the teeth from two old horse hay-rakes,— 
about 40. Then I framed together two three 
by three pieces for the rake, or drag-beams, 
the rpar one eight feet, and the other 8% 
feet long. The two are framed a foot apart, 
and into these I insert the four foot rake, 
teeth five inches apart in each beam, and pro¬ 
jecting back so that the rear ends reach down 
almost perpendicularly to the ground, while 
the beams may be a foot above it, and these 
two gangs of teeth work all the ground, in 
passing within inches of one another. 
Thus it will be seen, a small and very flexible 
spring tooth, passing in an upright position 
very delicately through the plants, in the hill, 
will do fine surface working of the ground 
enough to kill any weed growth that may 
have begun in it, and without scarcely dis¬ 
turbing the corn or potato plants in the least. 
To mount the implement for work 1 very 
much prefer attaching it to a farmer’s sulky 
as I call it, 6uch as almost any farmer 
can construct as a cart, with 2>£ or 
three feet wheels, three feet apart, with a 
seat, and lever to elevate it. The body of the 
harrow should be placed at right angles to 
wheels, and just behind them, and should be 
drawn by two iron beams bolted to it, and 
passing up just inside of the wheels, being 
suspended and drawn from the fore part of 
the cart frame. With this and a team 
straddling the second row of a field, it will 
work that row and the ones on each side of it; 
that is, three rows each time in passing the 
field, and the driver on his seat, lever in hand, 
lifts the harrow, turns into the next three 
rows, and so on, doing from 20 to 25 acres a 
day, as I did this year in dressing more than 
60 acres of corn and potatoes, three or four 
times over, and the work gave about as good 
results as hand-hoeing up to the time the crops 
were of full growth. A plainer way for using 
the tool, would be to fasten the draft pole to 
the center of this drag, and with two handles 
to hold it, walk to operate it; or for one horse 
make the harrow head two-thirds the length 
of this, and attach two fills and handles, and 
do two rows at a time. I have been thus 
minute in describing this, as it is a new tool, 
so that it is not in the market, but it is one 
that a farmer can make for himself, and I am 
sure he will find it of great service to him. 
Batavia N. Y. 
MUCK ON A NEW ENGLAND FARM. 
Best way of utilizing it for manurial pur¬ 
poses; the best muck poor in phosphoric 
acid and poorer in potash;: best effects 
when used on light soil with a complete 
fertilizer; caution needed in using it ex¬ 
tensively; its value as compared with farm 
manure; excellent as a deodorizer and 
absorbent of liquid manures; muck varies 
greatly in its fertilizing constituents and 
in its effects on various soils. 
The following letter was received from a 
young farmer in Massachusetts: 
“I have recently bought 20 acres of worn- 
out New England land, with an acre or more 
of muck from three to five feet deep. What 
is the best method of preparing the muck for 
application to the land, aside from fermenting 
it with stable manure? What is the value of 
average muck as compared.with stable man¬ 
ure?” 
FROM T. H. HOSKINS. 
The best way to prepare swamp muck for 
manurial use, aside from fermenting it with 
dung, is to draw it under a shed and let it 
drain, and otherwise become as dry as it nat¬ 
urally will. Then mix with it, by shoveling, 
from two to four bushels of unleached wood 
ashes to each cartload of muck, and let the 
mixture stand three or four months before 
applying it. This should be done only if the 
muck is known to be of good quality. Muck, 
even if good, contains but little phosphoric 
acid, and less potash. It is therefore not a 
complete fertilizer, and when used alone 
rarely appears to do good to the crop. Pre¬ 
pared as above, the potash and phosphoric 
acid of the ashes are a real amelioration. The 
potash not only makes it more complete, but 
by its caustic action helps to decompose the 
muck, and liberate its nitrogen from its more 
or less insoluble combinations. Mu 2 k so pre¬ 
pared is most profitably applied to a light 
soil, poor in organic matter, especially where, 
in addition, some 300 to 500 pounds of a good 
complete commercial fertilizer are to be appli¬ 
ed per acre. Before getting out a large^quanti¬ 
ty of muck, the quality of which is unknown, 
*t would be wise to dry a few pounds, and send 
it for analysis to your State experiment station. 
In case ashes are not to be had, then the 
next best way would be to use about a bushel 
of fine air-slaked lime to a load, mixing in 
the same way. This adds little or nothing to 
the plant food, but neutralizes the organic 
acids of the muck, and helps to make its ferti¬ 
lizing constituents more available. To im¬ 
prove it still more, mix with it, at the same 
time, a bushel of fine ground bone and 30 
pounds of muriate of potash—all these to each 
ordinary cart or wagon load. The mixing 
should be so evenly and completely done as is 
conveniently possible, and it is always well to 
let the mixture stand some time before using. 
A cautious and experienced farmer will never 
go in very heavy on muck, until by carefully 
taking it in various ways, on a rather small 
scale—say an acre—he finds out how it is go¬ 
ing to work on his land. 
The value of average muck compared with 
(average) stable manure, is rather a stiff prob¬ 
lem to solve. I should say about as ten cents 
compare with one dollar, but you must know in 
each case what the “ average” is, and wheth¬ 
er you have it. If it is all guessing, you ought 
to be a good guesser, to make it pay. 
Orleans Co., Vt. 
FROM G. H. RICE. 
This is a subject in which I am much inter¬ 
ested at the present time, as I had 300 loads 
thrown out this spring in Florida, to be used 
in experimenting on my orange grove nurse¬ 
ries. My intention is to have a careful an¬ 
alysis made with reference to the particulai 
use and conditions of the case. I have been 
accustomed to the care and use of peat-muck 
composted with stable manure or the refuse 
from abatoirs from my earliest remembrance, 
as my father commenced to use it on his farm 
60 years ago. My experience is that as a 
deodorizer to use with strong or liquid man¬ 
ures, it is the very best. To obtain the best 
results, it should be thrown out and submitted 
to the weather till pulverized; then when dry 
it should be put under cover and be used as 
needed. It varies so much in quality and the 
soils to which it is likely to be applied, even 
on the same farm, are so varied, that no gene¬ 
ral rule would apply or meet with like re¬ 
sults. Usually heavy clay soils would not be 
much benefited by an application of muck, 
while light, sandy loams might be much im¬ 
proved with good fine muck applied directly 
to the soil. 
Worcester Co., Mass. 
FROM P. M. AUGUR. 
I should value the muck as an excellent ab¬ 
sorbent; but its intrinsic value as a fertilizer 
is not usually great. Moreover, it usually 
contains an acid which is neutralized by the 
ammonia of the compost heap, fixing that and 
becoming improved itself. So the value of 
the muck depends largely upon Its use. There 
is considerable organic matter, largely car¬ 
bonaceous, consequently it is a good deodor¬ 
izer, and, therefore, useful. Its mechanical 
effects also upon a light soil would be good; 
but compared with the same bulk of good 
stable manure it would, of course, be very 
much less. 
Middlesex Co., Conn. 
FROM STEPHEN HOYT’S SONS.. 
Swamp muck is not of much value as a 
manure alone, excepting upon quite thin 
land, and then it should be hauled out in the 
fall and dumped, a load in a place, over the 
field, to lie through the winter subject to al¬ 
ternate freezing and thawing. It would be 
still better if a bushel or two of ashes could 
be mixed in through it after it has been out a 
month or two. We consider muck of no great 
value except when it is hauled out in fall and 
winter and exposed to frost and the weather. 
The following summer it will be dry, fine and 
in nice condition to be used behind cattle as 
an absorbent, or to be composted with stable 
manure or to put in the hog-pen. By its use 
in this way we believe one load of it and one 
load of stable manure will be equal to two 
loads of stable manure. We would use from 
one-third to one-half muck in composting,and 
when it and manure are worked together we 
believe the compost would be worth as much 
per load as all manure, and more, unless the 
manure was kept from heating. When the 
muck has been exposed to the elements through 
the winter it is excellent to scatter over the 
barn-yard where the cattle run. We think 
its greatest value consists in its use as an ab¬ 
sorbent. There is much difference in the 
quality of muck. If one has plenty, by haul¬ 
ing it upon the soil near by he can tell whether 
it has value on that soil when used alone; but 
we doubt if it will ever pay to use it alone. 
We have hauled out thousands of loads and 
composted it with fish, ashes, guano and ma¬ 
nure, and have had excellent results] from 
using it in this way. 
Fairfield^Co., Conn. 
CONDUCTED BY MRS. AGNES E. M. CARMAN. 
CAKE! 
A Cake Symposium 
All Sorts of Cake That You Can 
Name. 
Favorite Cakes, Plain and Rich. 
Angel, Cup, Half-Pound, Happy Valley, 
Bath, White Mountain, Fruit, Berwick 
Sponge, English Walnut, Ice-Cream, Deli¬ 
cate, Number, Silver Cocoanut, French 
Cream, Light Fruit, Corn-Starch, Dried 
Apple, Orange Layer, Lady Rowe, Ribbon, 
Lemon Jelly, Washington, Favorite Cook¬ 
ies, Rose Layer, Etc., Etc. 
Excellent Recipes From Expe¬ 
rienced Cooks. 
TRY THEM. 
Cake is the CANE of Life. 
Again: Cake is the CAIN of Life. 
Use good butter. 
Don’t “guess” at your ingredients. 
The “rule of thumb” is not infallible. 
Molasses is an excellent substitute for bran¬ 
dy in fruit cake. 
Beat, not stir, cake-batter. This drives air 
into, and not out of, the mixture. 
Wash firkin or very salt butter before 
using. 
A successful cake-maker told the writer 
that she preferred eggs a week or more old for 
cake to those newly laid. 
When cocoanut is to be added to the batter 
it is better to grate it the day before wanted. 
If spread out and somewhat dried there is no 
danger of the cake being heavy. 
Keep coffee-cake tightly covered that it 
may retain the coffee aroma. 
It pays to know that your oven is of the 
right heat for the particular cake you are 
baking. 
A Philadelphia confectioner made the 
statement to us that water was much better 
than milk for ^mixing cake batters, but that 
you could not make a woman believe it. 
ANGEL CAKE. 
Four ounces and a heaping tablespoonful 
of flour, twelve ounces of powdered sugar, the 
whites of eleven eggs beaten to a very stiff 
froth, (flavor with rose before beating) a tea 
spoonful of cream of-tartar and a little salt. 
Mix the sugar, flour, salt and cream-of-tartar 
together and sift through a very fine sieve six 
times. Then stir in lightly the beaten whites. 
Bake in a new pan, without greasing, for 40 
minutes. After taking from the oven, invert 
the pan and place upon cups or tumblers until 
the cake is cold, then remove and cover with 
a thin icing. No soda is used. A pan with a 
tin tube in the center is preferable for baking. 
MRS. THOMAS D. CARMAN. 
Our favorite cake is a very simple one, but 
we think it delicious with fruit or preserves. 
We call it, not very correctly, 
HALF-POUND CAKE. 
The ingredients are: 
One pound of sugar, one pound of flour, 
one-half pound of butter, one teacupful of 
milk, four eggs. Flavor to taste. Whip up 
the sugar and eggs, putting in one egg at a 
time. Then stir in the milk and flavoring, 
following this with the flour, which must be 
very thoroughly beaten into the batter. Pour 
into paper-lined tins and bake in a .steady 
oven for 45 minutes. This quantity should 
make two loaves. The 'oven' must be well 
