3o4 
IHE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
April 18 
Ruralisms ; 
NOTtS FROM THE RURAL 0ROUNDS 
White Clover in Lawns.—E very once 
in a while I notice that you advise sowing 
White clover in a lawn seeded to good 
grass seed. I would strongly advise keep¬ 
ing it out ef any lawn, especially a small 
one. In our climate the stool of White 
clover heaves in the Winter; the f.rst time 
the lawn mower goes over it off goes the 
crown, and the result is a bare spot of feur 
to six inches. Of course, if lawn is rolled 
with a heavy roller, before cutting, this 
would not happen, but only a small mi¬ 
nority of householders own a roller. Again, 
why mix your seed? If lawn is properly 
made, with loam 18 inches deep, broadcast 
a little air-slaked lime and sow Kentucky 
Blue grass heavily and you will have a 
lawn to be proud of. G- l. c. 
Newtonville. Mass. 
Years ago it was considered good ad¬ 
vice to condemn the use of White clover 
in lawns for the reasons given above, and 
because of the patchy appearance of the 
clusters of white blooms when not fre¬ 
quently cut, but added experience has 
shown that on light or thin soils and 
under usual dooryard or farm lawn con¬ 
ditions a low-growing clover is quite 
necessary among the fine-leaved grasses 
to maintain the nitrogen supply. If all 
lawns were made with 18 inches of rich 
loam, cither Kentucky Blue grass or 
Red-top alone would make a good and 
quite permanent turf, but the average 
lawn seldom gets more than four to six 
inches of indifferent top soil, which does 
not long sustain these exacting grasses 
even with fair surface fertilization year¬ 
ly. White clover helps out wonderfully 
in such cases and may as well be sown 
with the grasses, as it will come in any¬ 
way by natural dissemination as the turf 
grows thinner. It seldom heaves suffi¬ 
ciently except on heavy clay soils for 
the crowns to be cut off by a lawn mow¬ 
er adjusted to a safe cutting height. We 
venture to say that the bare spots caused 
by cutting the crowns fill so quickly by 
extension of the true grasses into these 
spaces, enriched by the decaying clover 
roots bearing nitrogenous tubercles, that 
they will not long remain noticeable. 
Aside from its value as a soil improver 
White clover throws out many small 
leaves when closely cut. fine mat thus 
formed is agreeable in color and covers 
the soil well. The obtrusive blooms may 
be greatly reduced by mowing twice a 
week. The cutter bar of the mower 
should usually be adjusted to its high¬ 
est position, as most lawn mowers shave 
the turf too closely for best results. If 
you make a lawn as our correspondent 
directs Blue grass alone will answer 
well, but we would advise some clover 
for any method less thorough. 
fi'HE Rathbun Blackberry.—I have 
noticed that several nurserymen vho highly 
recommended the Rathbun blackberry last 
year have not catalogued it this season. 
What is the reason of this? Does it fail 
to come up to expectations, or is it difficult 
to propagate? I have wished to try it, but 
the price of plants has been extremely 
high. J. c. L. 
Goshen, N. Y. 
fi’da Rathbun blackberry roots very 
sparingly from tips, but propagates 
about as readily from root cuttings as 
other varieties. The roots are rather 
slender and not as numerous as with 
some of the standard kinds, but there is 
not much difficulty in getting up stocks 
to meet any reasonable demand. The 
Rathbun does not seem to be gaining 
greatly in popularity, though the finest 
blackberries shown at the Pan-American 
Exposition were of this variety. We find 
it here the most productive variety, 
bearing more large well-flavored berries 
than any other, but the canes are not of 
large growth and were killed to some 
extent in the Winter of 1901-1902, while 
Snyder and Taylor came through um- 
harmed. Erie and Early Harvest were 
more injured than Rathbun on the Rural 
Grounds the same Winter, but a’u these 
varieties seem to be in good condition 
the present Spring. Rathbun is a good 
variety to experiment with, but should 
not be largely planted except where 
thoroughly tested. 
Dandei.ion “Greens.” —With the first 
return of Spring comes a general han¬ 
kering for dandelion greens or salad. We 
may have abundance of spinach, kale or 
endive, and occasionally indulge in 
southern-grown rampion and corn salad, 
but the tonic bitter of early dandelion 
leaves is a particular quality that meets 
a general craving at this season. It is 
especially popular with foreigners from 
southern Europe, and tons of the young 
growths are daily collected in the mea¬ 
dows about large cities for domestic con¬ 
sumption, though some of it finds its 
way to the markets. Improved varie¬ 
ties are grown to a limited extent by 
truckers, but it is not usually profitable 
except where there is special demand, 
fi’lic starved plants growing in sod and 
waste places yield only a tough and 
stringy product, but cultivated plants, 
or common wild ones established on rich 
soil, give a good quantity of most suc¬ 
culent leaves coming out many days 
earlier in the season. We have tried th® 
French Garden dandelion, which has 
somewhat broader and more profuse fo¬ 
liage under cultivation than the wild 
type. A packet of seeds costing 10 cents 
was procured from one of our most re¬ 
liable seed firms. It was thinly sown in 
drills 20 inches apart in good heavy soil. 
The germination was very poor, prob¬ 
ably not over one-tenth of the seeds 
came up, so that little thinning was 
needed, but as growth progressed the 
plants were gradually reduced so as to 
stand about eight inches apart. No pro¬ 
tection was given the following Winter 
but growth started very early and was 
extremely vigorous. Eight-inch pots 
were inverted over a number of the more 
vigorous crowns and greatly stimulated 
growth by retaining the heat of the 
early sun. In a few days the pots were 
filled with a mass of clean bleached fo¬ 
liage standing stiffly upright, which 
could be cut at a safe distance above the 
crowns, and still yield a thick sheaf of 
brittle leaves all pointing one way, over 
seven inches long. The two-inch drain¬ 
age hole in bottom of pot affords suffi¬ 
cient light for rapid development of the 
foliage, which comes out a light golden- 
green color. In this condition it is most 
excellent for boiling, but if wanted for 
salads it is well to plug the boles or 
darken with a piece of slate or other 
opaque material, that will not readily 
blow away. The common European 
method for bleaching dandelion and 
similar plants is to cover early with an 
inverted V-shaped trough of boards, but 
for small quantities something similar 
to the pots is to be preferred. After 
the cutting season is over the plants 
may be cleaned up and fertilized, after 
which only sufficient cultivation to keep 
free of weeds during the growing sea¬ 
son is needed to put them in condition 
for another season, when a larger yield 
may be expected. The amount that may 
be taken from a few good plants is quite 
aistonishing, as they may be cut several 
times, and it will surely pay anyone 
particularly fond of this wholesome es¬ 
culent to cultivate it rather than depend 
on the natural supply. Other varieties 
of dandelion offered by a few American 
seedsmen are Improved Cabbaging, said 
to grow very upright and to form a close 
head somewhat like Cos lettuce and tbe 
Arlington, which is intermediate be¬ 
tween the French Garden or thick-leav¬ 
ed and the common wild kind. There 
are many other names, but they do not 
indicate real varietal differences. 
w. V. F. 
Tall Corn on Fertilizers. 
Mr. D. J. Trerise, of Parishville, N. Y., 
writes that he has used Bowker’ Fertili¬ 
zers for 10 years with good results. This 
year he planted fodder corn on 13 acres 
of old meadow land, on which no large 
amount of fertilizer had ever been ap¬ 
plied. In the Spring he plow'ed under a 
light dressing of barnyard manure and 
applied Bowker’s Corn and Grain Grow¬ 
er. 250 pounds to the acre in the drill. 
The rows were 3^ feet apart, and the 
seed, which was of the “Pride of the 
North” and “Perfect Ensilage” varieties 
was planted 18 inches apart in the rows 
by machine, and covered about two 
inches deep, fi'he piece w’as cultivated 
mostly with a Hallock weeder and with 
a horse cultivator a few times. The crop 
made its largest growth from August to 
late September, showing that the ferti¬ 
lizer was strong enough to carry the 
crop through to maturity. It was har¬ 
vested September 23 to 25, and the yield 
was estimated at 10 tons of fodder per 
acre. It stood eight to 11 feet tall, and 
filled a silo 16x16x30, with two men 
tramping while filling. 
Mr. Trerise adds: “Bowker’s Fertilizer 
is always good strength, free from for¬ 
eign material, and works perfectly in the 
planter; it carries the crop through to 
maturity.”— Adv. 
LEGTRIG 
METAL WHEELS 
saTeal Ire pairs and double the 
lifeof your wagon. Models of 
strength. Straight or staggered oval 
steel spokes. Any height, fit any 
wagon. Your old running gears 
made into a new wagon at small cost 
Write for free descriptive catalog. 
ELECTRIC WHEEL CO. 
Box 88 Quincy, Ills. 
For 30 days to the readers of The 
Rural New-Yorker. 
A Fine 
SILVER WATCH 
or China Tea Set, orToilet Set, or Parlor Lamp 
or Clock, and many other articles too numerous 
to mention, with an order of 20 lbs. of our New 
Crop, 60c. Tea, any kind,or ao lbs. Baking 
Powder, 46c. a lb., or an assorted order Teas 
and B. P. This advertisement MUST accom¬ 
pany order. 
THE GREAT AMERICAN TEA CO., 
P. O. Box 289. 81 & o3 Vesey Street, New York. 
When You Buy ET M C I I A F 
buy the best and 1 * O I I- ^ 
THE ROSS machinery 
is the best, and if you will send for Catalogue No. 45, 
we will tell you why. Send 10c for Prof, woll 8 
Book on Silage. Address, 
THE E. W. ROSS CO., Springfield, 0. 
A RURAL MAIL BOX 
Should be 
simple, neat, 
strong, and 
durable. 
A box may be 
approved by 
the P. M. Gen¬ 
eral and still 
not bo satisfac¬ 
tory to the pup- 
chaser. 
Our “Uncle 
Sam's Favor¬ 
ite” hasoflicial 
approval and 
also the ap¬ 
proval of thou¬ 
sands who are 
using it and 
know It's all right. 
BOND STEEL POST CO., 
Adrian, Mich. 
Strai^ni Straw, Rye and Wheat Thrasher, 
Combined with Spike-Tooth 0»t 
and Vrheat Thrasher. 
Our Machine will 
thrash Bye or Wheat 
without bruising oi 
breaking the straw, and 
tie it again in perfect 
bundles.Can be changed 
In fifteen minutes to a 
spike-tooth Oat, Wheat. 
Buckwheat, Barley and Corn Thrasher with stacker 
attached. Will thrash more grain with lest power 
than any Thrasher built Send for catalogue B te 
die GKANT-FERBIS COMPANY. Trey, N V 
!^AN JOSE SCALE. 
And other Insects can be Controlled by Using 
Good’s Caustic Potash Whale* 
Oil Soap No. 3. 
It also prevents Curl Leaf. Endorsed by Entomolo¬ 
gists. This Soap Is a Fertilizer as well as Insecticide. 
60-lb.Kegs,$2.50; 100-lb. Kegs, $4.50; Half-Barrel, 
270 lbs., 8 ^c. per lb.; Barrel, 425 lbs., S^c. Large 
quantities. Special Kates. Send for Circulars. 
JAMES GOOD, 939 N Front St.. Philadelphia, Pa 
SPRAY 
PUMPS 
Double-acting 
Lift, Power, Tank 
and Spray 
PUMPS 
Store Ladders, etc. 
Bam JDoor Hangers. 
HAYTOOLS 
of all kinds. Write 
for Cir’s and Prices. 
F. E. MYEK8 & 
BKO., Ashland, O. 
AGENTS 
wanted to sell 
RIPPLEY’S 
Orchard, Field, Wheelbarrow, 
A and 5 Gallon Compressed Air 
SPRAYERS 
and spraying mixtures. Breed¬ 
ers Supplies. Send for illustrat¬ 
ed catalogue and terms. 
RIPPLEY HDW. CO., 
Manufaetur«r$ Spraytr and 
#r« Suppluit 
Box Grafton, Ills* 
pumping. Compr«fB«<l air rani It to tpt^j . 
^ usTt of rlnef. Boy C4n carry and oparato. ' 
All working and contact part* of braM. Ixag 
llxw of high grade iprayerf for etery purpoie 
ibowD in Catalog F. It Is PRKM. Write al 
once If you want the agency. 
E. C. BROWN & CO., ROCHESTER, I. T. 
YINO 
Onrllne of sprayers ana applL 
ances fits every man’s needs. 
Han<i.Krvapsack,Buck®t, _ 
Field, Barrel, and Power 
sprayers.twenty styles. Bestnosales 
made, attachment., formulas, etc. 
Select the useful and reliable. Catalog 6ea 
THE DEKIKG CO.. Salem, Ohio. 
.tUemoMnU. tu 
No Excuse Now 
for letting the insects and disease 
destroy your fruit, vegetables, 
and flowers when this powerful 
ALL BRASS 
SPRAY PUMP 
hose and spraying nozzle will be deliv¬ 
ered to any express office east of the 
Missouri River or north of Tennessee for 
$8.00. It is made entirely of brass, there 
is nothing to rust out, wear out or give a 
moment’s trouble. It will handle any of 
the Spraying Chemicals, and will cover 
tree and vine with a spray as fine as fog. 
Send for full description. 
THE HAKDIE SPKAY PrilP HFG. CO., 
KO Lamed Street, Detroit, Slleh., 
and Windsor, Ont* 
Got the Best 
A. fiooit Spray Ihunp eanu big ^ 
profits and lasts for yean. W 
THE EOUPSE 
Is a good pnmp. As prao- 
U fruit growers we 
were using the com- 
,mon sprayers in our 
own orchards—found 
their defects and then Invented 
The Eclipse. Its succesB 
practically forced ns into man¬ 
ufacturing on a large scale. 
You take no chances. We have 
done all the experimenting. 
Large fuUv iUuetraUA 
Catalogue and TreatUt^ 
on Spraying — FREE. i 
JtfOKRlLL A MORLEY, Benton Harbor, Mieh. 
"Beat the 
Such things as Codling Moth. Curcnllo, Green 
Aphis, 8euly Burk, Sail Jose Seale, Blight, 
Etc., can only be defeated by frequent and per¬ 
sistent spraying. 
Spramotor 
has proven to be the best nil round 
spraying outfit on the market. Was 
owarded Gold Medal at Pan-Ameri¬ 
can Exhibition, and winner of the 
Canadian Government Spraying 
Contest. We mail free, booklet 
“A (Jnid Jlincon YourF.rm.”Askfor 
lit. Your dealer will sell you the 
Spramotor, or you can 
get it from us direct. 
SPRAMOTOR CO., 
Buffalo, N. Y. 
London, Can. 
SPRAI 
sprayers there 
are but three that clean the strain¬ 
er and stir the mixture. Their 
names are Empire King, 
Garfield ^nd Orchard 
I Monarch. 
I Their automatic agitators and cleaning brushes make 
' it certain that plants and foliage get their 
due proportion—never too much nor too 
little—of the mixture. They nev- 
er clog and the foliage is never 
harmed. These safe-guards with 
their perfect workings make them 
the best sprayers to be found. In¬ 
struction book on spraying, formu- 
- las, etc., free for tlie asking. 
? FIELD FORCE PUMP CO., 
2 11th St., Elmira,N.Y. 
The High-Pressure Double-Cylinder Sprayer. 
The Best in the World. Four Gallons Carried Easily. Made of heavy galvanized iron 
strongly braced and reinforced in every part. Heads sw'elled and double seamed, strong, two-inch 
force-pump with heavy rods. The most perfect working sprayer ever invented. It is also made of 
20 ounce copper, which will last a lifetime. Adapted for all classes of spraying. This sprayer, when 
filled and charged, which takes half a minute, will spray continuously for 15 minutes, and will throw 
a stream 30 feet high. It is especially fine for large work in potato fields, vineyards, tobacco 
plantations, fruit tree spraying, whitewashing, chicken-house spraying and greenhouse work. Also 
for applying disinfectants in bam, etc. Write for descriptive circular, showing five styles of Spray¬ 
ers and prices. Agents Wanted. NORTH JERSEY NURSERIES, Springfield, N. J, 
WATER. 
If you want water only when the wind blows a windmill will do your work 
and cost less money than our Ulder and Ericsson Hot-Air Pumps, but if yon want 
water every day while your flowers are growing and do not want your pump blown 
down when the wind blows too hard, no pump In the world can equal ours. We 
have sold about 20,000 of them during the past twenty-five years, which Is proof 
that we are not making wild statements. 
Our Catalogue “C 4” will tell you all about them. Write to nearest store. 
Rider-Ericsson Engine Company, 
86 Warren St., New York. 
239 Franklin St., Boston. 
692 Craig St., Montreal. P. Q. 
Tenlente-Rey 71, Havana, Cuba. 
22 Pitt St., Sydney, N. 8 . W. 
40 Dearborn St., CHICAGO. 
40 N. 7th St., Philadelphia. 
