1903 
627 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
GRASS AND FERTILIZER NOTES. 
Hen Manure and Chemicals. 
What would be a good fertilizing mixture with hen 
manure for wheat and grass? I can make the hen manure 
fine so that there will be no difficulty in sowing 
Llttletown, Pa. a. j. b. 
For Fall use in seeding you can mix 900 pounds 
fine hen manure, 600 pounds acid phosphate, 200 
pounds dried blood or tankage and 300 pounds muriate 
of potash. On the grass we would use nitrate of soda 
in the spring. Any mixture of chemicals will depend 
on the price at which different forms of nitrogen and 
phosphoric acid can be bought. In some cases fine 
ground bone could take the place of the blood and 
acid phosphate. 
Fertilizer and Feed for Grass. 
Give analysis of fertilizer used by G. M. Clark, amount 
per acre and how applied, whether broadcast or in drill. 
How much and what seed does he use per acre? 
Chandlersvllle, O. c. j. l. 
The fertilizer used by Mr. Clark is about the fol¬ 
lowing mixture: 400 pounds nitrate of soda, 1,200 
pounds fine ground bone, 400 pounds muriate of pot¬ 
ash. Mr. Clark uses 14 quarts each of Timothy and 
Red top per acre with four to six quarts of Red clover 
per acre. He broadcasts this seed with great care 
going several times over so as to have an even stand. 
He uses from 600 to 800 pounds per acre each year. 
If we used the mixture of nitrate, bone and muriate 
here mentioned, we would use all the bone and potash 
in the Fall or early September and all the nitrate in 
Spring. This fertilizer is all broadcast by hand. 
Seeding Grass After Millet. 
I have five acres sown to Millet which when cut I 
want to seed down to hay. Please let me know how to 
proceed and what mixture to sow. Ground has not had 
anything done to it for many years and was completely 
;un out, the last crop being mostly dasles. Soil sandy 
gravel. I have plenty of horse manure at my disposal. 
E. T. B. 
We should not try to seed such a field after millet. 
It is not fit to put in permanent meadow. We would 
cut the millet, give it a good manuring and sow rye. 
Next year after the rye is cut we would work the soil 
thoroughly after the Clark method, manure it again 
and sow grass seed alone early in September. Mr. 
Clark advises 14 quarts each of Timothy and Redtop 
but on lighter and poorer soil you will be likely to do 
better with eight or ten quarts each. We would use at 
least 300 pounds of good fertilizer per acre in addition 
to the manure. We would delay the grass seeding 
for a year because we do not think you can fit the soil 
as it should be fitted in the short time after cutting 
millet. That weedy and wornout soil needs a thor¬ 
ough shaking up before trying to put it into per¬ 
manent meadow. July and August are far better for 
this work than September and after the rye is har¬ 
vested you can fit it properly. Of course you can cut 
the millet, spread manure, plow it under and seed 
with grass this Fall, but we think you will be better 
satisfied to sow the rye and wait a year before seeding. 
Definite Facts Wanted. 
I am much pleased with the series of articles on grass 
culture as set forth in The R. N.-Y. by Clark and Gar¬ 
rett. It seems as though Mr. Garrett has told about all 
of his side with few exceptions. It seems as though he 
had ought to tell us how long his meadows were kept and 
which grass stayed In best; also whether weeds run out 
his meadows' or for what reason he plowed up the mea¬ 
dow. We want honest facts and grass. Many times the 
good things the Rural tells us of do not help us here in 
the interior for the reason we cannot get the price those 
do who are nearer the large cities. We can get only 
about $10 for hay and sometimes not that, for these rea¬ 
sons it seems to me the cost of production should be 
more definite. I hope before you get through these grass 
articles a few things will be fully sifted, viz.: 
Kind and quantity of seed sown; kind and quantity of 
fertilizers used, when and how often and cost; kind of 
grass that stays in best and kind of grass that predomi¬ 
nates each year; quality of hay each season up to the 
14-year-old meadow; whether Timothy and Red-Top 
would not fill the bill without other grass, and If not, 
why not; whether any Alslke clover would be in the mea¬ 
dows after first year and how long; how to cure hay 
when it cuts five to six tons per acre; kind of machine 
used to distribute fertilizers. o. s. b. 
Alpine, N. T. 
We shall have to submit some of these questions 
to experienced grass farmers. Mr. Clark uses 14 
quarts each of Timothy and re-cleaned Redtop per 
acre in addition to clover. He has tried other grasses 
but sayis this combination is best for marketable hay. 
For feeding on the farm it is possible that some other 
grasses would help but when hay is sold, Timothy 
and Redtop give best satisfaction. As explained else¬ 
where Mr. Clark uses 600 to 800 pounds of fertilizer 
per acre, costing over $14. It is used part in Spring 
and in Fall. We should use the potash and phos¬ 
phoric acid and a little nitrogen in the Fall and the 
rest of the nitrogen in Spring. The Redtop stays in 
longer than the Timothy. Mr. Clark still has a fair 
stand of Timothy but in most cases the Redtop pre¬ 
vails. The quality keeps up well. This seems to be 
largely determined by the fertilizers used. We can¬ 
not say as to Alsike clover. Who can? It would 
be impossible to cure such a field of hay without a 
tedder. Mr. Clark begins cutting in the early fore¬ 
noon and follows the mower with a tedder, keeping 
the grass constantly shaken up. During the after¬ 
noon the hay is raked and put into good sized cocks— 
never left spread out over night. If the next day is 
clear the cocks are shaken open and aired and usually 
hauled to the barn in the afternoon. The tedder is 
the most important tool in curing this hay. If you 
could see the way five tons of hay bunch up on the 
field you would see the need of shaking it up to the 
sun and air. The fertilizers on Mr. Clark’s field are 
broadcast by hand. There are two kinds of fertilizer 
spreaders, one is in the form of a long low box on 
wheels, the fertilizer being fed out much like the 
grain from a drill. The other whirls the fertilizer 
out from a revolving disk. 
FUMIGATION FOR PEA WEEVILS. 
Every year we are asked how to destroy weevils in . 
peas. The Ontario Agricultural College at Guelph, 
Ont., issues a good statement of the facts about peas 
and insects in Bulletin 126. The two pictures shown 
at Fig. 239 are taken from this bulletin. The follow¬ 
ing account is given of the Canadian method of fumi¬ 
gating the peas: 
Immediately after thrashing the peas were put into cot¬ 
ton or jute bags. As soon as 30 bushels of peas were 
thrashed they were placed in a fumigation box for treat¬ 
ment. One pound of carbon bisulphide was poured out 
into three flat pans, which were placed on the top of the 
peas; the cover was then put on the box and weighted 
with heavy stones. After 48 hours the cover was removed 
and the box ventilated. The pans had become dry, as the 
CANADIAN APP.\RATUS FOR FUMIGATING PEAS. Fig. 289. 
liquid had changed into a gas, which, being much heavier 
than air, had sunk down amongst the peas penetrating 
them and killing the weevils. The quantity of carbon 
bisulphide used by us was larger than that usually 
recommended, as a pound or a pound and a half is 
generally considered sufficient for 100 bushels of peas, 
but we wished to err on the safe side. 
The fumigating box mentioned is shown in the up¬ 
per part of the picture. The lower part of this pic¬ 
ture shows how barrels may be used for fumigating 
if desired. The box shown is five feet long, 2 4-5 feet 
wide and three feet high. It will hold 30 bushels of 
peas at one time. It is made of pine lumber 1% inch 
thick, tongued and grooved. The end pieces are mor¬ 
tised into the sides. White lead is used at the joints, 
and the cover is lined with cloth. The box is so well 
made that it has been used for dipping sheep. Re¬ 
garding the use of bisulphide this bulletin states: 
“When pure it will not injure or stain the finest goods. 
The commercial liquid has an acrid taste, and an odor 
like that of rotten eggs. The vapor is more than two 
and a half times as heavy as air. Carbon bisulphide mav 
be purchased in small quantities from any druggist at 
about 30 cents per pound, or 40 cents per pint. For lar¬ 
ger quantities, better rates can be given by the druggist. 
The gas, or vapor, which comes from carbon bisulphide 
is not only combustible, but it is very explosive when 
mixed with air. Great care should, therefore, be taken 
to treat the peas in the daytime only, for a light or a 
flame of any kind brought near the liquid may cause a. 
serious explosion; and smoking near it should be possl- 
tively prohibited. Moreover, the vapor should not be in¬ 
haled, as it is very Injurious, even a small portion causing 
headache, giddiness, and nausea. The treatment with 
carbon bisulphide should be made in boxes, barrels, or 
“bug houses,” located some distance from the Insured 
buildings on the farm. With the strict observation of the 
preceding precautions, no one should hesitate to use 
the carbon bisulphide. As a matter of fact, we have 
never heard of any bad results following its use in the 
treatment of peas. ” 
The average weight of a cubic foot of silage is usually 
figured at 40 pounds. What is the weight of a cubic foot 
of hay? It will vary from two to nearly five pounds, de¬ 
pending pn the cufjng of the hay and the way it is 
packed. 
CORRUGATED IRON FOR ROOFING. 
A few years ago a neighbor took down a shed that 
was in the way, that had been covered with corru¬ 
gated iron 14 years, and it was still in perfect con¬ 
dition. It had a heavy coat of red lead and oil (raw 
oil) every two years. That was the secret of its good 
condition, never put tar or anything that contains tar 
on an iron roof. We have used during the last six 
years something like 175 squares of corrugated iron. 
A square contains 100 square feet 10 feet each way. 
We always first paint our iron on both sides with red 
lead before using at all, then when dry it will be in 
condition to use. For sheathing we use any kind of 
rough inch lumber nailed on four to six inches apart, 
then with each piece of iron we put on first a piece 
of heavy building paper, never tarred paper, each 
piece cut a little larger than the iron, the iron is 
nailed down with three to four rows about 18 inches 
apart, of heavy tinner’s nails about 1% inch long, the 
nails are driven into the bottom of the groove and the 
iron is usually given a lap of three inches. You can 
cover a roof very rapidly in this way and any handy 
man can do it. The object of the paper is to prevent 
chafing of the iron on the rough boards as the paper 
presents a smooth surface to the iron. When the iron 
has been nailed on go over all the nail heads with 
roofing cement, a cement that looks and feels some¬ 
thing like common putty, and is put on with the fin¬ 
ger, then give a coat of red lead again, that makes 
two coats on top of roof and one underneath and be¬ 
tween laps. An iron roof can be laid very fiat, one 
foot fall in 10 is ample. There is a top and bottom 
side to each piece which one can soon see with a little 
study. The rain will blow in if laid with the wrong 
side up. A corrugated iron roof ought not be walked 
on with shoes. In painting, walk in stocking feet. 
Our oldest roof is six years old and is in perfect con¬ 
dition; in fact, the iron is a little thicker than when 
first put on because of the red lead on it. The inside 
of the iron looks as fresh as if painted yesterday. We 
figure the cost of painting with red lead and linseed 
oil (raw) at 21 cents per square for materials and 
labor. Cost of iron here $2.50 per square. I can see 
no reason why such a roof should not last 100 years 
if kept painted. It is only a question of a few years 
before we shall all have to use something like iron or 
slate for our roofs. joy & son. 
Tennessee. 
NOTES ON SPRAYING FOR SCALES. 
Lime and Sulphur Without Boiling. 
In issue for August 15 you ask for information 
as to lime and sulphur wash without boiling. We 
used a barrel (50 gallons) of it last March, on apple 
and plum, one quarter pound caustic potash to each 
pound of sulphur. Trees were badly affected by 
scale are now loaded with fruit which shows very 
little scale. On several trees buds were partly opened 
and were scorched somewhat but it did not affect the 
blossoms, the trees in every case setting a full crop. 
Have been using crude oil for several years with 
varying success. It generally kills the scale but 
damages the fruit buds more or less, especially plums 
and peaches, even with only about 25 per cent, of oil. 
Chambersburg, Pa. i. a. 
When To Spray With Kerosene. 
I see Prof. Van Deman states that it is unsafe to 
apply oil sprays in Summer on account of injury to 
foilage, and advises that it be done in late Wint.er. 
A little experience here may interest you. Two years 
since I applied commercial kerosene, pure to peach 
and flowering cherry trees upon a cloudless day in 
early September, the cherry trees were injured 
slightly, the peach were wholly unharmed. This last 
July I applied pure kerosene to apple trees, and kero¬ 
sene emulsion (about 20 per cent oil) with no result¬ 
ant damage whatever. Several years since I applied 
pure kerosene to apple and plum trees in mid-Winter 
with the result that the trees were so damaged that 
in the following Spring they were dug up and de¬ 
stroyed. All may draw their own inferences and 
arrive at their own conclusions, but in the writer’s 
experience and judgment the safest time to apply 
all caustic and penetrating sprays is as late in spring 
as possible, before the buds are fully expanded but 
when the sap is started and the tree in active life. 
Only the expense would prevent my spraying note 
and I advise its trial later, when the foliage is largely 
fallen, and before the tree is entirely at rest. 
Long Island. theo. foulk. 
How to Make the Wash. 
I notice in your issue of August 15, page 578, Lime and 
Sulphur Wa.sh. I see nothing about that wash, but a 
good deal about potash. What solution or strength of 
potash is used? J. d. w. 
Noroton, Conn. 
The mixture of lime, salt and sulphur was formerly 
made by boiling the ingredients. It was found that 
by using caustic potash or soda the boiling might be 
omitted thus making a quicker and simpler job. The 
method is given by Prof. Lowe of the Geneva Experi¬ 
ment Station as follows; Take 40 pounds of lime, 
20 pounds of sulphur, 60 gallons of water and five 
pounds of either Babbitts potash or caustic soda. 
Dissolve the caustic soda in water and make a thin 
paste of the sulphur. Slake the lime in some large 
vessel using only enough water to make it boil rapid¬ 
ly. While it is slaking pour in the sulphur paste and 
then the caustic solution, keeping it stirred rapidly 
and adding water as needed. Keep stirring until all 
bubbling stops then dilute with water as needed for 
spraying. The rule is to use one quarter pound of 
potash or soda to each pound of sulphur. 
