J903 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
8i9 
m SORTS. 
SPRING VETCH IN OREGON—You have printed 
at different times remarks on Sand (or Winter) 
vetches, but with us in Oregon, Sand vetches are but 
little sown, as the Spring vetch is so far preferable in 
every respect. Nearly all the farmers in the Willam¬ 
ette Valley sow the Spring vetch in the Fall, as our 
climate is mild, and rarely get a freeze enough to 
winter-kill. Many poor farms have been restored to 
fertility by the use of vetches. For a paying crop it 
is better than wheat or oats. For hay nothing can 
compare with it for cattle. Vetch hay will produce 
more milk and save mill feed to a greater extent 
than any other hay. Five tons to the acre is about 
the average (cured). Hundreds of acres have been 
sown already, some fields being inches high. It is 
necessary to sow some grain to hold the vetches up 
off the ground; oats, rye or cheat preferred, it being 
impossible to clean wheat out of the seed, if saved for 
a seed crop. Care must be taken not to sow on too 
rich ground, as they grow too rank and fall down. 
Somewhat troublesome to handle for hay on account 
of length of growth, and also must he han¬ 
dled right if seed is the object, as if too ripe much 
seed will be lost, and volunteer, but with ground 
plowed mellow a perfect mass of roots is readily 
available for the following crop. They have proven 
a blessing to farmers here, but in the East would 
have to be sown in the Spring, as they would not live 
through a hard Winter. k. .t. i.. 
Portland, Ore. 
KILLING THE OLD HORSE.—The 
question of how to put an animal the 
size of a horse out of misery is one that 
has puzzled more than one thoughtful 
mind. Some years ago it was my pain¬ 
ful duty, and my first attempt at sev¬ 
ering the soul from the body of one of 
the best horses that ever put foot on 
the pavements of B :stcn, where he 
wore out three wagons in the 16 years 
it was his lot to be my friend and serv¬ 
ant. I took him out of a carload of 
Ohio horses, and that very day and for 
16 years afterward he had done his 
work faithfully, cheerfully, without ever 
losing an hour or a meal, and looked 
well all the time and in all seasons. I 
thought that if a horse was ever en- 
titied to enjoy good old age, old nlack 
Biljy deserved to, and 1 sent him up to 
my farm to finish his days in peace, but 
the poor old creature got lonesome, re¬ 
fused to eat; he could not well reach 
the grass, and his teeth did not grind 
oats as they used to. He ran down so 
he was a pitiful sight, and seemed to 
reproach me every time I went up, for 
bringing him there. When it was realty 
agreed that he would be better off on 
the other side of the dividing line, I 
consulted a veterinary, who assured me 
that a well directed bullet would do the 
work the most satisfactorily; so I had 
his grave dug in the far end of a 'dis¬ 
tant field, him led to it, and shot by an experienced 
veterinary. The good old beast, even after he was 
shot, did the man a good turn, for he fell of himself 
in the hole. I did not and could not see the thing 
done myself, but I took the word of the three men 
present, that he could not possibly have suffered. 
Since then I have had several horses destroyed in 
that manner and with e^ual success. But I insist 
that it must be done by a man who knows his 
business. t.. it. n. 
LANTERNS AND WAGONS.—On page 775 the 
Hope Farm man wants the opinion of readers in re¬ 
gard to the best style of lantern to use in night driv¬ 
ing. We use what is called Dietz bull’s-eye reflector 
dash lantern. We have also used the plain lantern, 
but prefer the one with the tin reflector in back and 
bull’s-eye in front, for the reason that it throws the 
Vght much farther ahead of the horse or team, at 
the same time illuminating the roadway on either 
side of the vehicle for a considerable distance;^ also 
does not offer such a blinding or glaring light to those 
driving in the rear. I have heard it remarked this 
last-named feature is a source of much annoyance 
to those driving behind. We have never experienced 
the slightest trouble in keeping our lantern lit. We 
always carry it under the body of our rigs in about 
exactly the middle, and for attachment use what is 
known as the Warner lantern carrier, which is at¬ 
tached to the bottom of vehicles by four ordinary 
wood screws. All that is necessary is to press the 
top spindle of the lantern between the spring Jaws, 
which hold it firmly in place. To light or extinguish 
the lantern it must first be removed from the holder. 
as the width of the jawis of same wili not admit of 
the globe of lantern being raised for this purpose. 
Some drivers in this section who use this holder pre¬ 
fer to place it under the rear end of their rig instead 
of middle. This I believe merely a matter of choice; 
we prefer the middle. The style of lanterns we use 
may also be used as a dash light if preferred, but we 
have tried all ways with varying satisfaction, untii 
we finally decided upon the present method. The ad¬ 
vantages of carrying a light in night driving are too 
numerous and weli known to require mention here. 
As a matter of fact the law should compel all vehicles 
in the country to carry a light after sunset, A law 
of this kind is in force in many of the large cities, 
and surely if it is necessary to carry a light on a 
wagon in the illuminated streets of a city, the need 
is far greater on our narrow country roads, especi¬ 
ally on a dark night. Such a law of this kind could 
not be said to work any hardship, as the cost of keep¬ 
ing a light lit, of the kind mentioned above, is noth¬ 
ing compared with the benefits incurring from its 
use. Anything that tends to lessen the danger to 
life and limb is a benefit to man. Our American 
farmer is far too intelligent a person to need a law 
to bring this matter to his notice if it can be done In 
any other manner. I consider the matter fit subject 
for the thoughtful consideration of the agricultuial 
press of this country. Will the old reliable R. N,-Y. 
be the pioneer? h. w. f, 
Westchester Co., N. Y. 
“STOCK FOODS.”—Yesterday a sleek-looking young 
man with a new rubber-tired buggy, and colored 
L 
IMBERTWIG APPLE. REDUCED IN SIZE. Fig. 306. 
See Ruralisins, Pa^e 822. 
didver came to my place. At first I thought it might 
be some one sent to notify me that I had been hon¬ 
ored with some public office at the recent election, 
but knowing that I .had not aspired to any official 
position I calmed my fears and asked him his busi¬ 
ness. He said he was agent fo^r a wonderful stock 
food that would make old horses like young colts, 
and dry cows overflow the bucket. His little legend 
was well committed to memory, but a few leading 
inquiries as to its composition, etc., embarrassed him 
exceedingly. I kept a small sample of the stuff and 
put it under a microscope, and found that about 95 
per cent was celluiose, bearing a strong resemblance 
to pulverized corncobs, in fact the glazed part of the 
cob next to the germ of the grain was very much in 
evidence, being always hard to grind, as every miller 
knows. There was also some aromatic substance, 
but I did not make any analysis. The farming com¬ 
munity is being swindled to an alarming extent with 
these nostrums, and it is the duty of the agricultiiral 
press and our experiment stations to expose the 
fraud. Feed stuff will be scarce and high this Winter, 
and these glib-tongued agents will reap a harvest. 
Pennsylvania. j. ii. brinton. 
SHRINKAGE OF STORED POTATOES.—The store 
room, quality of tubers, time dug and time elapsed 
before storing all make a difference. The store room 
may be too damp; may be kept too warm; and may 
be too cold. If dry and cool (38 degrees) there will 
be little loss until they begin to sprout, when they 
shrink fast. The tubers may be fully ripe and soljd 
so as to hold their weight, or they may be “soggy,” 
green and will evaporate and wilt badly. There is 
a great difference in varieties. They may be drawn 
from the field and stored at once, when they will 
“sweat out,” or they may be stored in a barn, and be 
cured before final storing. They will sweat a little 
every time they are moved, but not so much as the 
first time. They may not be sorted close enough for 
storing, as some large enough to sell now will noc 
be large enough next Spring, after shrinking. Where 
they are closely sorted and no small ones are put in, 
the shrinkage of sound stock will not be over 10 per 
cent. Many claim twice that, but they do not sort 
the stock put in as closely as they would have to to 
sell on the market, and the loss is not shrinkage in 
weight as much as in sorting. Another factor is the 
dirt. When dug and drawn direct to the car there is 
considerable dirt sold that wilj be in the bottom of 
the bin next Spring. I think one lot of 2,000 bushels 
stored In the Fall that was purchased of farmers 
weighed out 1,800 in February and March. This stock 
had been dug three weeks, and was carefully sorted, 
when put into a regular potato storage cellar, where 
the temperature was regulated. The loss would be 
more in a farmer’s cellar. A farmer should get 10 or 
more centis per bushel in the Spring to make good 
“shrinkage” only. He should get five cents more to 
pay for extra labor and dirt. Fifty cents direct from 
the field is as good as 70 cents next March, all things 
considered, for ordinary crop. c. e. chapman. 
New York. 
CHANGING MELON SEEDS.—In regard to rais¬ 
ing successive crops of the same variety in the same 
location, scientists claim that better results can be 
obtained by changing location occasion¬ 
ally, but most practical seed growers 
pay little attention to it, and certainly 
some of the very best stocks m exist¬ 
ence have been developed by growing 
the seed in the same locality tor many 
consecutive years. In practice one sel¬ 
dom cares to plant the Identical spot to 
the crop for many years in succession. 
I certainly think that if one has formed 
an exact ideal of what he is trying to 
produce, and has adhered rigidly to that 
ideal in his selections for many years, 
he is liable, almost certain, to lose 
ground by using stock se d grown fls 2 - 
where and by different men. If there 
has not been a rigid adherence to an 
exact ideal, simply taking good melons, 
there probably would be a decided ad¬ 
vantage in using seed from equally good 
fruit grown elsewhere. As to melons 
cracking at bloom end, while it is large¬ 
ly the effect of unfavorable climatic 
conditions, yet the degree of suscepti¬ 
bility to such conditions is hereditary, 
and I would not save seed from fruit 
which were badly cracked. 
W. W. TRACY. 
SULPHATE OF COPPER FOR SCAB. 
—I read an article on page 755 asking 
whether a simpler remedy cannot be de¬ 
vised for Potato scab and blight. Three 
years ago last Spring I ordered some 
seed potatoes from a seed house, and 
they were quite scabby. I had none of the remedies 
usually applied in such cases, but I had some sulphate 
of copper and decided to try a solution of that, and it 
proved a perfect success. The next Spring I tried it 
again, and got It too strong and killed the eyes of the 
potatoes, so they did not grow. Both solutions were 
made by guesswork. If a solution of the right 
strength could be fixed it would be very easily and 
simply made and might perhaps prevent the leaf 
blight as well. How about Potato bugs; would it pre¬ 
vent their ravages? g. p. g. 
Ten or more years ago experiments were made with 
sulphate of copper solutions to prevent scab on po¬ 
tatoes, and it was soon discarded as much less effec¬ 
tive than corrosive sublimate and formalin, the two 
remedies now recommended. The sulphate of copper 
would have little or no effect on Potato bugs or the 
leaf blight. For these troubles the vines must be 
sprayed with Bordeaux and a poison, (soaking or treat¬ 
ing the seed will have no effect on things working on 
__H. V. SLTNGERLAND. 
BARRELS.—The farmers around here 
Bather up empty sugar barrels when they can get them 
and make them over to hold three bushels. If they get 
15 cents and the barrel costs 10 cents; 
I know of only about 100 new barrels got 
cents. It was impossible to 
get them at that price. I heard that some were sold at 
^ to 60 cents each. A good many of the apples were 
shipped in boxes made here, costing 15 cents, and holding 
^ ikjnk they gave good satisfaction 
There has been shipped from here 20 carloads, averaging 
barrels each; 15 cars went to Ottaw-a and five 
to Chicago. In Ottaw-a the barrels sold from $1.75 to $2.75- 
boxes, 75 cents to $1. In Chicago, barrels $3.50 to $1: boxes, 
$1.25 to $1.40. After paying freight. 40 cents, duty 75 cents 
P it netted the farmer about $2.25 
to $2.40 per barrel. All are sol(3 on commission 10 per 
cent. I would say that 90 per cent were Snow CFameu'se) 
apples, and they were the best I ever saw; l.'trge, well 
colored and clean. Some think the boxes should be made 
to hold P4- bushel, or two in make-a. barrel. a a 
Rrockville, Ont. 
