1903 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
7o3 
ALFALFA IN MASSACHUSETTS. 
I would say to the Hope Farm man, 
don’t be discouraged about Alfalfa. I 
have been, but I hope I see a little day¬ 
light. I have twice tried within five 
years, and my failures about match 
yours. Now let me tell you why I in¬ 
tend to “try, try again.” About seven 
them on the ground than in the house. 
This, of course, would not do so well if 
the soil is clay or heavy so that it will 
not quickly dry up after rains. 
Salt for Pigeons. —Pigeons will not 
do well unless supplied with salt in some 
form. The best way I know of serving 
them is to take ground charcoal six 
parts, old mortar three parts, fine table 
years ago I put eight acres into grass 
After two years I saw a tew greea plants 
that would show green when the re¬ 
mainder of the field would be brown, 
and they always came on quickly after 
mowing. Upon examination I found 
them to be Alfalfa, and one was much 
the larger. In 1902 the field was broken 
up and a part put to cow peas, and later 
to rye for green feed. A small part 
where the Alfalfa plants were was not 
plowed till after haying this season, 
when that was plowed with the other, 
and all thoroughly worked with various 
harrows. A good coat of stable manure 
was worked in, and then barley. Red- 
top, Timothy, Red clover, Alsike clover, 
and just to experiment, a few pounds 
of Alfalfa were added. This was done 
and just finished as a good rain set in, 
and the field looked quite green inside 
of a week. I enclose an Alsike plant one 
foot in height that grew in 29 days, an<l 
the bariey if straightened up is more 
than 20 inches in the same time. I do not 
hope very much from the Alfalfa, for 
there is such a mass of vegetation all 
told that it will have a hard time. I 
greatly regret that Alfalfa has not a 
clear field all over. I have tried Alfalfa 
at other times not a hundred rods from 
this, and could not make it grow a foot 
in a year, but it was across a run and 
of a sandy nature. Now for the large 
plant of which I have spoken. After the 
seed was up on this ground, in walking 
across it I saw near the woods a quite 
large brush left on top of the ground, as 
the work was finished up in the rain, 
and just after dark. Imagine my sur¬ 
prise to find it to be the Alfaifa plant 
carried there by the spring-tooth har¬ 
row! The plant was loose on top of the 
ground, but the weather had been so 
wet that it was showing new sprouts. 
I carried it to the house and put a tape 
around the tap root about an inch below 
the crown, and found it six inches in 
circumference. When the plow cut it 
about eight inches down it was badly 
mutilated and about two feet was pulled 
up. As it seemed inclined to live and 
grow I put it in the ground and since 
had not seen it lill lo-day, and I find it 
has grown more than a foot in height. 
I asked the man who plowed the field 
about it and he knew not what it was, 
but said “the horses got hold of some¬ 
thing that made them squirm.” I am 
satisfied that Alfalfa is the forage plant 
above all others, and I hope yet to grow 
enough to feed my more than 50 cows. 
Summer and Winter. Q. w. h. 
Rochester, Mass. 
NOTES ON PIGEON CULTURE. 
Housing. —Pigeons may be kept with 
profit in almost any old building that is 
fairly tight and has a good roof. A loft 
appears to suit them better than the 
ground floor. For convenience of the 
attendant the roof or ceiling should be 
low enough so that all parts may be 
reached from the floor. The inside fur¬ 
niture may be arranged as best suits the 
owner, as the birds are easily suited. 
Even when there are plenty of nest 
boxes some birds will build their nests 
on the floor. The nest boxes should be 
arranged in some manner so as to be 
easily cleaned. The outside fly need not 
be large; 20 feet square is ample for 50 
pairs of breeders. This should be made 
from one-inch mesh wire netting to keep 
the sparrows out, or they will always be 
on hand at feeding time. If the soil is 
not sandy it should be filled in with sev¬ 
eral Inches of sand, and this should'be 
scraped off occasionally, so they will 
have a fairly clean place for feeding. I 
find it much more satisfactory feeding 
a supply before them all the time. The 
mortar, if not to be had from old build¬ 
ings or alterations of buildings, may be 
made up the same as for mason’s use, 
and allowed to dry thoroughly and then 
either broken finely or run through a 
bone mill. Plenty of good sharp grit 
and ground oyster shells must also be 
included in their bill of fare. Neither of 
these alone appears to supply their 
want, as they do much better when both 
are kept before them. J. e. s. 
Cleaning Harness. —It seems like 
quite an undertaking to clean a harness, 
and it cannot be done in a few minutes, 
but if one knows just how to go about 
it, it is not an unpleasant piece of work. 
It must first be taken to pieces, every 
strap unbuckled, and if an amateur is 
doing the work he should pay particular 
attention to the peculiar way in which 
back-strap and check-rein are buckled. 
If the harness is dry and stiff, give it a 
good soaking in warm water, using 
white castile soap and a brush to clean 
off the dirt. Hang it up to drain, and 
before quite dry apply neat’s-foot oil 
with a paint-brush. Let it dry till the 
next day. Then, if the harness still 
seems hard, apply another coat of oil. 
When the oil has soaked in, soap it all 
over with white castile s6ap, having 
sponge or rag moistened and very soapy. 
After this treatment, an occasional 
soaping will keep the harness in order 
for a long time. Before the harness is 
put together, any broken places should 
be mended. I use a needle and put shoe¬ 
maker’s wax on the thread. An awl is 
necessary in some places. 
SUSAN BROWN ROBBINS. 
PRIZE WINNINt BUTTER 
LAVAL MADE A S USUAL. 
The reports froia the different State Fairs now being held 
show the almost universal use of DE LAVAL machines in the 
making of the very finest quality of hutter, just as for fifteen 
years past. 
A few of the most important returns received within a few 
days are: 
New York—E. F. ROWLEY, Kennedy, N. Y , • ■ - 98 per cent. 
Iowa-C. D. ELDER, Manchester, Iowa, - - - 98?i per cent. 
Wisconsin—A. V. GROW, Whitewater, Wis., - - - 9814 per cent. 
Minnesota—L. LOHNBAKKEN, Butternut, Mmn., - 975£ per cent. 
.Sioux City—M. SONDERGAARD, Hutchinson, Minn., 985i£ per cent. 
The separator does not make the butter but it has much to 
do with the condition in which the cream goes to the butter- 
maker, and it is in this, as in every other feature of separator 
practicability, that the DE LAVAL machines are so markedly 
superior. 
A DE LAVAL catalogue—to be had for the asking—will 
make plain the differences between separators. 
THE DE LAVAL SEPARATOR CO., 
General Offices: 
74 Cortlandt Street^ 
NEW YORK. 
Randolph & Canal Sts 
CUICAGO. 
1213 Filbert Street, 
I’UILADELPHIA 
9 & II Drum in St, 
BAN FRANCISCO. 
121 Youvllle Square, 
MONTREAL. 
75 & 77 York Street, 
TORONTO. 
248McD‘’nnot Arenuo 
WINNIPEG. 
A Remarkable Hen.—I want to tell The 
R N.-Y. about my hen. ‘ During the past 
year I have sold $6.55 worth of eggs and 
chickens from her, and she is still laying. 
She began laying early in January and 
laid 126 eggs before she wanted to sit. 
This Is, I think, a fine record for a hen. I 
sold $3 worth of chickens during the Win¬ 
ter months. I sold eggs to the amount of 
$1.05, getting not less than 20 cents per 
dozen for them, and for some I got 25 
cents per dozen. This Summer I have sold 
$2.50 worth of chickens. The hen is a dark 
yellow color and has a rose comb. She is 
still laying and I sold to-day (September 
11) eggs for 20 cents per dozen. The total 
amount up to to-day is $6.55. I have never 
sold any of the eggs or chickens for breed¬ 
ing purposes. g. w. d. 
Farmvllle, Va. 
EarLabels 
rcilfTor'll iior SHEEP. HOGS 
r. 3.0 U nUn I and CATTLE from 
■‘Ri.nn per 100 up. 
Best on the market. Send for Free Catalogue Stockmen’s 
Supplies. F.S. BURCH & CO., 144 Illinois St. Chicag . 
Foster Steel Stanchion 
I Tho only completely acceptable device lor holding I 
cattle; made of steel; allows greatest freedom of 
head; cattle cannot spring or loosen it; easily op- 
perated. Once used suppinnts 
all others. W. G. Markham, 
of Avon, N. Y., says: 
}iaT«iizdIirer«Dtinftlcc8 of 
chions in my 8tablo->sono of them 
is equal to the Foster. 1 shall use 
it in preference to all otheni.*' 
AK^nts reap a harvest by se- I 
curing territory. Big Pay. i 
Send for circular No. 1 ‘i I 
FRANK H. BATTLES, 
Seed Grower, I 
Rochester, New York. 
9 I O'Bt) For 
I A 200 Egg 
INCUBATOR 
Perfect In oonstmction and 
action. Hatches every fertile 
egg. Write for catalog to*day. 
OeO. H. STAHL, Quiaey, III. 
PRESCOTT’S $ 
KEiors 
WINGING 
WIVKL 
TANCIIION 
COW.S CLEAN 
Swings forward while getr 
ting up or lying down. Locks 
back while standing. Full 
particulars free. PRESCOTT, 
^ 59 Beverly St., Boston, Mass. 
CYPHERS INCUBATOR, 
World’s Standard Hatcher. 
Uaed on 26 Gov. Experiment Statk>na In U. 8.. 
Canada, Anetnliaand New Zealand. Qod 
Medal at Fan-Am«rtean,Oct. lOOL KhP. circa* 
lar free Complete oatalogne, l80 p. 8x11 in* 
tor 10c* Ask Dearest office for book No. 1(il 
^ - C\ PIIKK8 INCtKATOK CO., 
Moisture f Buftalo*M.Y.,Ohi<M«o.UL.Bonon.MM8.. NevTork N.T. 
IfICTOR 
W INCUBATOI 
INCUBATORS 
The simplest, most dsrable, cheap* ^ 
eet &ist*ciasa h^her. Money back | 
if not as represented. CiFcnlar t 
free; catalogue 6o. We pav the ^ 
freight. GKO. KRTKLCO.Qniney. HI. 0 
-- 
COOK YOUR FEED and SAVE 
Half the Cost—with the w 
PROFIT FARM BOILER 
With Dumping Caldron.^ Empties its 
kettle in one minate. The simplest 
and best arrangement for cooking 
food for stock. Also make Dairy and 
Laundry Slovea, Water and Staam 
Jacket Kettles, Hog Scaldera, Cal. 
drons, etc. Send for oircnlars. 
D. R. SPERRY & CO.. Batavia. lU. 
DR. HESS 
Stoek Book Free 
A treatise on the diseases of stock and 
poultry, written by Dr. Hess (.M. D. 
D. V. S.), sent free to any address on 
receipt of answer to the following 
questions: How much stock have 
you? (number of head of each 
kind). What stock food have 
you used? Mention this 
paper. 
Prof. W. 5. Goss, Dean of 
Talladega (Ala.) College, 
say8oflt:“IthinkDr. Hess’ 
book a little gem. 1 shall 
keep it near me for refer, 
ence." 
The value of a food for producing weight is deter¬ 
mined by its digestibility. You frequently see one 
animal become thrifty and fat on a ration on which 
another continually declines. The fault is due to 
digestive differences. Dr. Hess (M.D., D.V.S.), by 
combininghis practical experienceasastock feeder 
with twenty years of study and practice of both 
human and veterinary medicine, has given the 
world an absolutely scientific preparation whicli 
provides for this very condition. Dr. Hess Stock 
Food is not a food ration, but a medicinal tonic 
and laxative, a doctor’s prescription for calling 
into healthy action every organ in the animal 
body. If the medical aud veteriuary colleges know 
of nothing better, it must be good. No unpro¬ 
fessional manufacturer can equal it. It keeps 
cattle up on their appetite to the very last day. It 
expels worms and produces the sleek, glossy coat, 
that finishing touch that commands the fancy price. 
Dr, Hess 
Stock Food 
rapidly forces the development of solid flesh and fat, and gives greater milk 
capacity to a cow. Keeps cattle, hors es, h ogs and sheen in perfect condition. 
I^r. Hess Stock Food In sold on a written 
guarantee. 100 Ib». for (>5.00 (except In Can¬ 
ada and Pacific Slope); nmaller quantities 
at a slight advance. Fed in small dose. 
Infurmntlou Bureau.— For any 
disease or con,dition for which Dr. Hess 
Stock Food, is not recommended, a little 
yeUow card enclosed In every package en¬ 
titles you to a letter of advice and a special 
prescription from Dr. Hess (M. D., D.'V.S.) 
In this manner yon are provided with a universal treatment for all stock diseases, either 
In the Stock Food Itself or In the special prescription to whlcli the little yellow card 
entitles you. Indorsements from physicians, scientists and stock feeders furnished on 
application. ^ CLARK, Ashland, Ohio. 
Alao mannfacturera of Dr. Hess Poultry Pan-a-oe-a aad Dr. Hess Healing Powder. 
Instant Xonee KHlcr KUla Lice. 
