1903 
549 
EVERYBODY'S GARDEN. 
Early Tomators. —The first picking 
of tomatoes was made July 13, or 45 
days from setting. Was this early? No, 
not for many sections of the country at 
least. But in so far as we are aware, 
they were the first picked in this local¬ 
ity, early enough at all events to catch 
six cents per pound. This was too late 
to suit us, and in the future we hope to 
make an earlier start. This year, how¬ 
ever, we were not in position to grow 
any plants, and Shattuck Bros., of a 
neighboring town, grew for us, and a 
fine sturdy lot of plants they were. But 
here is where we are dissatisfied, they 
should have been out three weeks earlier, 
which would have given us top prices ali 
this time. For some reason grdwers 
here think it unsafe to set previous to 
about May 25. Asked why, they say that 
there is usually a frost about that time 
which is liable to cut them down. 1 
have never known just why setting pre¬ 
vious to that date was particularly dan¬ 
gerous, but most of them think so, and 
I shall let them think on. But for my 
own part I shall set whenever ground 
and plants are in condition. If some¬ 
times I get caught on the corner, of 
course I shall be out the plants. I have 
always argued and still believe that the 
money is in the early crops. Of course 
there are chances to take and I have 
often been warned that I was planting 
too early, but it often happened that 1 
iiad crops ready for market when some 
of the monitors were waiting a little for 
theirs to mature. 
Needed Rain. —We have been looking 
for rain. It didn’t seem very long since 
we had generous showers, but the 
ground was getting dry and the culti¬ 
vators failed to turn up much moisture. 
The corn leaves were rolling and the red 
raspberries were getting very thirsty, 
and there was fear for the late potatoes 
and especially for the blackberries. Kit- 
tatinny was beginning to ripen and 
would probably carry through pretty 
well, but Taylor’s Prolific is a marvel to 
see as to quantity set on the bushes. It 
would require a deal of moisture to carry 
such a setting through safely, and we 
were anxious that they should receive 
no check. Yesterday afternoon one of 
the feminine contingent about the place 
remonstrated with me for hauling in 
some hay, saying that I would frighten 
away the rain which was threatening. I 
hauled the hay and the rain came in the 
evening. By and by, however, things 
took a turn and the rains descended, and 
the floods poured and the winds beat up¬ 
on things in general, and for miles away 
as I learn to-day the corn fields are flat 
and the oat fields and uncut meadows 
are level as the mowing machine could 
lay them. No serious damage was done, 
but withal much good. Lots of wheat 
and hay was wetted, but a day or two 
will dry that out. Along our grape trel¬ 
lises we had a good many posts that 
were rather uncertain a® to their posi¬ 
tion in the rows. To-day, however, they 
are certainly on the ground, and there 
is no doubt as to their standing or oth- 
eiwise. The next number on the pro¬ 
gramme will be to set some new posts, 
and brace up others. It makes more 
work for the cultivators, for on our soil 
the next step after rain is to break up 
the surface just as soon as the tools can 
get at it. The rain forms a crust, then 
when the sun and the wind get to pump¬ 
ing away the moistui’e goes up through 
that solid coating by the ton, and the 
next we know we are dried out below 
and the plants are clamoring for more 
rain. 
Min.oHiNG.—In past years we have 
done considerable mulching and Invari¬ 
ably, I think, with good results, espe¬ 
cially in dry weather. Corn, cabbage 
and other vegetables always responded 
quickly, so I was induced to follow it 
up this year, but for other purposes than 
to conserve moisture. Last Spring I 
found that we had some pretty serious 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
problems with weeds. We decided that 
we could mulch them out of the grape 
and berry rows more cheaply and easily 
than we could hoe them out. Quan¬ 
tities of coal and wood ashes (mixed) 
were to be had for the hauling, and so 
we hauled not half what we needed, but 
as many as we could. These was thick, 
tough sod along the grape rows (not of 
my leaving, but there just the same), so 
on the ashes went. Where they were 
poured on liberally the grass does not 
appear, but rather a thick coating of rot¬ 
ted sod. I think the effects upon the 
grapes are already visible; at least, oth¬ 
ers who have examined them say so, and 
the gooseberries and currants thus treat¬ 
ed are in much better apparent shape, 
for the weeds have stepped down and 
out. Upon a lot which I have for the 
present Summer are some Baldwin apple 
trees very heavily loaded. I feared they 
would be calling loudly for moisture be¬ 
fore long, as heretofore, I judge, they 
have known little either of sod mulch or 
clean culture methods, but a kind of go- 
as-you-please system. There was a patch 
of weeds near by, high as my head and 
thick as need be. I used that trash; 
weeds, grass, burdocks, everything, to 
mulch the apple trees, and now I am go¬ 
ing to watch results and note the out¬ 
come. j. E. MORSE. 
Michigan. _ 
A DISCUSSION OF AGRICULTURAL 
PAPERS. 
The other evening, after the work of 
a harvest day was over, my wife and I 
were sitting on our porch enjoying the 
passing of day and the coming out of 
night, and after the mother had recount¬ 
ed the day’s sweet doings of the girls 
and the new steps of the baby boy, all 
asleep upstairs, with the safeguard of a 
mother’s prayers about them, and I had 
reported on the progress of the harvest, 
the health of the new little Jersey, the 
thrift of the colt and the greediness of 
the Berkshires, and what a big lot of 
Timothy we would cut from the tract 
being mowed the sixth year, our con¬ 
versation gravitated to the agricultural 
press. My wife said: 
“1 think there is much more individu 
ality noticeable in agricultural journal¬ 
ism than in any other class of publica¬ 
tions—notably newspapers and literary 
journals. In many of the latter there is 
a sameness both in what we may call 
‘policy’ and in the character of the mat¬ 
ter published, and a great similarity in 
the mechanical make-up of the publica¬ 
tions themselves. In the agricultural 
journals of the better class we find a 
manifest differentiation, or a moving to 
place, each one having a different trend 
and occupying a characteristic position.’ 
I said: “Yes.” 
“Yes, and sometimes of course as with 
us individuals of lesser magnitude not 
endowed with the supreme right of in¬ 
fallibility enjoyed by editors, we are dis¬ 
appointed in not seeing the place, the 
ideal, quite filled.” 
“Yes.” 
“But it seems to me that they have 
these distinctive features and you are 
well justified in subscribing for all of 
them—all the good ones.” 
“Yes.” (One likes to have his wife 
hunting justifications for his weak¬ 
nesses.) 
“And we certainly can notice in the 
last few years a vast improvement in 
these agricultural publications as a class 
as well as individuals. This may be 
largely due to the keenness of competi¬ 
tion, or It may be accounted for by the 
hypothesis that ‘the sun do move’—or at 
least our son does, for the minute my 
back was turned this morning that 
boy-” 
“But the papers,” I said, recalling her 
from her boy, “you mention their indi¬ 
viduality. I had not noticed this point 
so minutely. The number of really 
prolific agricultural writers is compara¬ 
tively small, and I notice from time to 
time their names in almost all the pa¬ 
pers, so how do you account for the in¬ 
dividuality of the publications when that 
is one of the strongest points marking 
good writers?” 
“All the writers are not good either 
in conception or expression, but the pol¬ 
icy or trend of the editors regulates that 
point in the acceptance of articles sub¬ 
mitted, so that the stone rejected by one 
editorial builder may become the crown 
of the temple for some other editor. 
This does not at all vitiate the personal¬ 
ity of the writer, for he can maintain it 
as well in writing about growing of 
strawberries for one paper as in an ar¬ 
ticle on the conservation of fertility for 
another. Again, all papers do not have 
equally good and discriminating editors, 
and a number of such papers may he 
good in spite of that handicap, mainly 
from force of circumstances, for in¬ 
stance-” 
“But give me instances of good ones 
within practically the same atmos¬ 
phere.” 
“Easy enough. The R. N.-Y., Tribune 
Farmer and American Agriculturist are 
all good and all as different as possible, 
being good.” 
Then the next day came The R. N.-Y. 
and on page 488 I find even you, Mr. 
Editor, whom my wife has paid the com¬ 
pliment of being good (please continue 
to merit it), kicking about some poor 
“hack” who has tried to pull your edi¬ 
torial leg. My wife is rejoicing in the 
growth of the farm paper, you are point¬ 
ing out possibilities of its decline and 
fall. When two such doctors disagree 1 
can scarcely be expected to know where 
I am at. My wife is right of course. She 
is so even when she disagrees with my 
own opinion, and must be when she goes 
counter to yours. On one point I am 
sure we all three agree. The agricul¬ 
tural press is the greatest force in edu¬ 
cation to-day, and in a field where most 
needed. w. f. m’spabran. 
Pennsylvania. 
ARE THE SCIENTIFIC MEN ASLEEP? 
I wish The R. N.-Y. could see its way 
clear to do some hammering at the ex¬ 
periment stations on the subject of in¬ 
secticides for Potato beetles. T^e recent 
article by Prof. Blodgett is only a sam¬ 
ple of the way about all the stations 
look at the matter; Paris-green or ar¬ 
senic in some form, a tiresome repeti¬ 
tion. This article reminds me of an in¬ 
cident In the early days of the telephone. 
A sea captain same into my ofllce and 
expressed a strong desire to become ini¬ 
tiated into Its mysteries. I called up my 
father and they had a very satisfactory 
conversation. When he came back to 
the main office I asked what he thought 
about it. With a deeply puzzled expres¬ 
sion on his face he replied: “Well, I sup¬ 
pose it’s so, but I don’t believe it.” Now 
hasn’t Prof. Blodgett read the bulletin 
issued by the Maine Station last Fall 
showing a crop of over 300 bushels of 
potatoes per acre by the use of oxide of 
zinc? If he does not know that thou¬ 
sands of farmers have permanently 
abandoned using Paris-green surely the 
Maine Station results should have told 
the fact that arsenic is not necessary, 
and with the actual demonstration that 
zinc oxide will do the work the question 
is thrown open to the stations to dis¬ 
cover something else which can be given 
to the public, as of course this remedy 
is patented. It Is no slight matter to 
get rid of the abominable poison, but 
the attitude of the stations in continual¬ 
ly advocating Paris-green and in not 
making any effort to find any other rem¬ 
edy leaves the field open for the pat¬ 
entees to make a fortune. Certainly it is 
the province of the stations to lead and 
instruct, but they fail in this instance, 
and show no desire to investigate. 
Maine. f. o. c. 
Yellow Turnips.—The R. N.-Y. speaks 
of drillingr yellow turnips. The Golden 
Ball, Yellow Stone, Yellow Aberdeen and 
Yellow Globe are all yellow turnips, 
grown by sowing broadcast and without 
cultivation, like rutabagas. Some of my 
customers like the yellow best, some the 
white, but I do not think my cows know 
the difference. k. s. h. 
Connecticut. 
Farm Wagon only 921.95. 
In order to Introduce tUeIr Low Metal Wheels with 
Wide Tires, the Empire Manufacturing Company, 
Quincy, Ill., have placed upon the market a Farmer’s 
Handy Wagon, that Is only 25 inches high, fitted 
with 24 and 30 Inch wheels with 4-lnch tire, and 
sold for only $21.95. 
This wagon Is made of the best material through¬ 
out, and really costs but a trifle more than a set of 
new wheels, and fully guaranteed for one year.v Cat¬ 
alogue giving a full description will be mailed upon 
application by the Empire Manufacturing Co., 
Quincy, Ill., who also will furnish metal wheels 
at low prices made any size and width of tire to fit 
any axle. 
WE LEAD THE WORLD 
We are the largeat manufac¬ 
turers of Grooved and Plain 
Tire Steel Farm Wagon 
Wheels in America. We 
guarantee our patent 
Grooved Tire Wheels to 
be the best made by anybody 
anywhere. Write us. 
HAVANA METAL WHEEL CQr 
HAVANA, ILL 
ELECTRIC 
Metal Wheels 
will give you a new wagon and a 
lifetime’s service out of your old 
running gears. They are the 
modern great service wheel. 
Made to III any wagon, adapted 
to every duty. Straight or stag¬ 
gered oval steel spokes, broad 
tired, any height desired. You 
will be through with repairs and save money, fields 
and labor of horse and man. Write at once for our 
catalogue. It’s free for the asking. 
ELECTRIC WHEEL CO., 
BOX 88 Quincy, Illinois. 
n_„,^„fortholeaBtinoney.foranJpurpoM 
I nB IHOST 
Fearlesa Kullway Horse I’owera. 
W« make them for 1, 2, Sand 4 horses, with speed 
regulators. Unequalled for Cutting and 
Grinding Peed, Sawing Wood, Thresh* 
ing, Pumping Water, etc. Also make 
Threshers, Engines, Feed Cutters,silos 
etc. JUuntraUd Catalog Free. ’ 
HAKDEK MFO. CO., 
Oobleaklll, N. Y. 
Straight Straw, Rye and Wheat Thrasher 
Combinetl with Spike-Tooth Oat 
and Wheat Thraslier. 
Onr Machine will 
thrash Kye or Wheat 
without bruising or 
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 less power 
than any Thrasher built. Send for catalogue B to 
the ttUANT-FERRIS COMPANY, Troy, N. Y. 
corn SHELLER8 
We manufacture 2 to 8 horse 
Sweep Powers, 1 to 4 horse 
Tread Powers, Level or even 
id; 5 sizes Separators, Feed 
and Ensilage Cutters, Feed Mills, 
Saws, Plows, Steel and Wood 
Rollers, Engines, 3 to 25 H. P., 
mounted or stationary. 
MFG. CO., Tatamy, Pa. 
<»9n HARNESS FREE. WHITE TO-DAY Foil 
O £• U Special lieduced Friee on a Top Rugry 
& Faetorj Prices on all Kinds Vehicles k Harnoea 
^<I0^8UMEKS CAUJUAGE A MFG. CO. 
So. l>eHpiuluc8 St.* CHICAGO* ILL- 
® WE’LL PAY THE FREIGHT 
and send 4 Ruggy Wheels* St««l Tire on, • 
With Rubber Tiros* $15.00. I mfg. wheels ^ to 4 in. 
tread. Top Buggies, $28.75; Harness, $S.6(X Write for 
catalogue. Learn how to buy vehicles and parts dlreet. 
Wagon Umbrella KUEE« W« B. BOOB* Ciacinutt* O- 
GRANULATED LIME FOR FARMS. 
Especially prepared to drill with crop same as phos¬ 
phate. Kstablished In liSlT, in Somerset County, Penn. 
Write for circular. Successor to R. M. Beachy. 
C. J. YODER, Grantsville, Md. 
Monarch Stump Puller 
Wlllpnllfl-foot stump In three mi notes. 
Gnaranteed to stand 250,000 lbs. strain. 
For lllnstrated catalogue and dlsoonnts 
address MONARCH GBrTBBBB CO., Lone Tree, la. 
Visit Our Exhibit 
at the Pairs; let us show you the simple construc¬ 
tion, and, the quality of wire In The PAGE. 
PACE WOVEN WIRE FENCE CO., Adrian, Mich. 
CHARTER 
Gasoline Engine. 
For Grinding, Shelling, Fodder Cutting, 
Threshing, Pumping, Sawing, etc. 
STATIONARIES, PORTABLES, SAWING 
AND PUMPING OUTFITS, ETC. 
Send for Illust’d Catalog & TesUmoidals. 
Stato Toup Powaa Mmoda.' 
CHARTER GAS ENGINE 00.^ Boi 26 STERLING, ILL. 
