1903 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
871 
Hope Farm Notes 
Mice and Clover.—T he following ques¬ 
tion comes from New Y'ork: 
“Do you think mice would be apt to 
gnaw young trees in Winter when they 
liave a good growth of Crimson clover 
around them? We have been mounding up 
around our young trees as a safeguard, but 
the thought came to us that so long as the 
mice have tender clover to eat they would 
not molest the trees." 
I have never thought of this before, but 
I cannot remember a case where mice havi; 
done much damage where the trees are 
surrounded with green clover. We have 
one young orchard in this clover, and the 
trees have been banked the same as the 
others. It doesn't take much time to do 
this work and it pays to keep both mice 
and men out of temptation. Our worst 
damage from mice has been done where 
the trees w'ere mulched. The mice nest 
under the mulch, and with the bark of the 
tree close at hand seem to prefer eating in 
the house to going out after food. They 
do not like to cross fresh dirt to reach the 
tree, and so when the mulch is pushed 
awa.v and earth banked around the tree 
they seldom touch it except in case of a 
deep snow. The Crimson clover keeps 
green all Winter, and I think they would 
prefer it. Y'ou never can tell, however. I 
have seen a boy \Yith a new hatchet and 
plenty of firewood to cut up to go and try 
the edge on a fine tree! Better keep the 
hatchet away from the boy except while 
he is at work, and better mound the trees 
anyway as a form of insurance. It Is easy 
to do and doesn’t hurt the trees. 
Losses in Manure.— The same friend 
asks this question: 
“When horse manure heats so that it 
burns dry, what proportion of the phos¬ 
phoric acid and potash is destroyed?” 
None—unless it is leached out. We must 
remember that w’ood ashes contain potash 
and phosphoric acid but no nitrogen, al¬ 
though the wood had .some nitrogen before 
it was burned. The burning drove off the 
nitrogen because it took the form of a gas man who succeeded. 
and thus escaped into the air. The potash 
and phosphoric acid were not changed in¬ 
to gases by the burning and therefore they 
remained. Now much the same thing is 
true of the manure. When it “burns dry” 
or becomes firefanged part of the nitrogen 
is sent off as a gas in much the same way 
that tire sends away the nitrogen in the 
wood. This heating has no effect on the 
phosphoric acid and potash in the manure, 
as they remain solids, and are not changed 
to gases. The fact is that the heat of the 
fire often makes the phosphoric acid less 
available—as boiled cabbage is less diges¬ 
tible than raw. The way in which these 
elements are removed is by leaching. Put 
manure on a hillside—leave the pile open 
mulched, the stalks all shredded and the 
wood all cut. so what was the use of com¬ 
plaining when Nature makes us a little 
present of nitrogen in the form of a snow 
blanket? There wasn't quite enough of it 
to make sleighing, but who expects to have 
everything good at one time? Surely not 
the Hope Farm folks. The old horses feel 
the sting of the early Winter. Their old 
joints become stiff and they limp a little. 
Major always swells around the feet and 
hocks when we begin feeding shredded 
fodder. Linseed meal and bran help him, 
but corn fodder usually “stocks” an old 
horse in cold weather ... I hoped to 
get rid of all our pork before December 1, 
but in spite of all we have three large ones 
and nearly a dozen little pigs on hand. It 
may seem best to winter some of the small 
ones over for pork next year, but I do not 
like to do this. When you lack skim-milk 
the pigs cost for wintering about all they 
are worth. We keep them warm and dry 
and feed clover hay and shredded fodder 
with their grain, and also turnips, but it 
is a question whether they make enough 
gain in Winter to make such feeding pay. 
Our cheapest pork is made in Summer and 
Fall, when the pigs can have pasture and 
apples. The future problem at Hope Farm 
is how to grow apples, onions and small 
fruit during Summer and sell the onions 
and apples during Winter. Horses are 
needed to W'ork crops and hogs, under our 
system, make pork out* of the wastes; but 
it is no part of our plan to winter a single 
idle animal. All plans are likely to be up¬ 
set and this Winter we have .several ani¬ 
mals that are worse than useless. It has 
been a bad season for selling cows, and I 
am feeding at least one more than I ought 
to. The old horses too are of little use in 
Winter, but they do not cost much .and we. 
keep them as a matter of sentiment—which 
is not perhaps a .good thing for a Farmer 
to have. . . . Few men, from choice, 
would attempt to drive a pig out of a gar¬ 
den in the presence of the woman he most 
desired to please. The exception, of 
course, would be in the case where the 
woman had first tried to drive the pig and 
failed! She would certainly admire the 
I thought of these 
tell me what the trouble was? Was it In 
the seed, soil or climate?” 
In our county sweet corn is a leading 
crop. Our farmers know how to grow it. 
but this year it ran all the way from total 
failure to 60 per cent of a crop. The price 
went to ?.?.50 and $1 per 100, and those who 
got a crop were well repaid. Our own 
crop was late, and far below an average. 
We consider the failure due to the cold, 
wet season and lack of sunshine. The 
st.alks grew well on the lighter soils, but 
ears would not form. Even when they 
did the quality was very poor. Possibly 
that hen manure forced the corn to make 
a big stalk and then failed to furnish 
potash and phosphoric acid enough to 
make the ear. In looking over some poor 
cornfields this year I have noticed several 
fine stalks standing up tall and green, far 
above the rest of the field. In each case 
I found that these stalks grew where 
some old manure pile stood, or where 
brush had been piled. In spite of the big 
stalks the ears were all out of proportion. 
While nitrogen is necessary for all crops 
I think it is useless to try to raise good 
sweet corn without an abundance of pot¬ 
ash, phosphoric acid and sunshine, ir. w. c. 
things the other night—substituting cat for 
pig. The Madame and I were going to 
the county town with tw'O of the children. 
They were anxious to take the two gray 
cats, so they were packed in a basket with 
.a string tied around it. With the train in 
sight there was a baby earthquake inside 
that basket, and both cats jumped out and 
ran all over the station with the children 
after them. I was told when a boy that 
my baseball playing was time wasted but 
had it not been for that practice I never 
could have caught one of those cats on the 
fly by the tail! If you want to test your 
dignity and ability to refrain from using 
language just chase a cat in a crowded 
room with a lady of decided views and 
The Heather in Lore, Lyric and Lay, 
by Alexander Wallace. The charm of the 
heather has often been felt by those who 
have no actual association with it or with 
its native land. Appreciation of Scottish 
literature has much to do with this senti¬ 
ment, but it is only w'hen we study the 
plant itself that we learn how closely It is 
intertwined with the national life of the 
Scot. In the volume discussed the author, 
who is a Scotchman, furnishes a detailed 
hi.story of the plant, froni a botanical and 
horticultural point of view, as well as 
treating on its economic uses, its folklore, 
traditions, poetry, legends, etc. It is not 
generally known that the heather has been 
found growing wild in some parts of the 
United States, and also in Canada. An ac¬ 
count of the discovery of the plant on the 
American continent, and of the discussion 
ensuing thereon, is here fully given. An 
interesting and valuable part of the book 
is devoted to the poetry and songs of the 
heather. Selections have been made from 
the poetical works of Ossian, Burns, Scott, 
Hogg, Leyden, Tannahill, Blackie, Steven¬ 
son and many others of the Scottish poets 
and song writers not so familiarly known. 
There are selections from the prose works 
of Queen Victoria. Ruskin, Carlyle, Scott, 
Smollett, Pennant, Macmillan, Logan. Ley¬ 
den, Black, Professor Wilson, Dr. Johnson, 
Boswell, Burke, Munro, William Winter, 
Dr. Van Dvke and other well-known au¬ 
thors. We find the book most interesting; 
it has evidently been a labor of love on 
the part of the author and the careful re¬ 
search embodied in It will have a perma¬ 
nent value. Full cloth. 2S0 pp.; freely 
illustrated, the frontispiece being a beau¬ 
tiful representation of sprays of white and 
purple heather, in color, from a painting 
by a prominent New York artist; price, 
postpaid, $1.50; published by the A. T. De 
and much of the potash and less of the ability to express them to direct the chase! Mare Printing and Publishing Co., New 
phosphoric acid will be washed out by 
rains. Suppose we put 15 tons of manure 
in a pile, keep it dry and let it “firefang.” 
A large part of the water goes off as steam 
and from 25 to 40 per cent of the nitrogen 
with it. Even though this nitrogen be lost, 
so much of the water went with it that a 
ton of what is left may contain more plant 
food than a ton of the fresh manure. You 
will not destroy phosphoric acid and pot¬ 
ash by heating, though nitrogen is lost. 
Send a man who is worth anything througli 
the fire and heat of trouble, and while 
some of the eagerness to grow into fresh 
trouble will be burned out of him, the solid 
character and sound judgment cannot be 
driven away. 
Buckwheat Hulls.- Another New York 
man asks this question: 
“We can obtain buckwheat shucks free 
from a mill for bedding. Can you give the 
manurial value of them?” 
I would pay for the chance to get those 
hulls. They compare well with stable ma¬ 
nure. 
Pounds in one ton. 
Nitrogen. Phos. acid. Potash. 
Stable manure.10 6 13 
Buckwheat hulls.10 2 10 
Of cour.se no one expects that the hulls 
We got the cats .and the children carried York 
them on the train. It was a sight to .see 
the little fol'.cs hugging tne wild-eyed little 
things which started at each unusual ob¬ 
ject ready to send their sharp claws out 
through the velvet. In their fright they 
would have sent their weapons into the 
little arms that were trying so hard to 
protect and calm them. Rather than have 
the little cats act in this way, as some 
humans do, I was glad to help stroke them 
and keep them quiet. My advice as an ex¬ 
pert is to box a cat securely before you 
ship it on a train. 
Sweet Corn.—I venture to s^y that 
many gardeners had about the experience 
of this man: 
“I want to know what was the trouble 
w'ith my sweet corn this year. T had about 
one-eighth of an acre on ground that I 
had corn on last year. I planted seven 
kinds, some early, medium and late varie¬ 
ties; planted May 10. I put on about a 
double handful of fine hen manure around 
the hill when the corn was up four inches 
and covered it with dirt. It grew well, 
some of it at least seven and eight feet 
tall. I took pains to pull out to three 
and four spears to the hill, and pull off 
apart. I did not get more than one ear to 
a hill, and short ones at that. Can you 
$13-^® 
will give as good results ton for ton as the the suckers; planted about throe by 3U feet 
manure oven though they contain nearly 
as much plant food. As everybody knows, 
the nitrogen in the manure is more avail¬ 
able. The hulls are excellent for bedding. 
Some poultry keepers say that there is 
nothing better for use as litter on hen¬ 
house floors. In the stable they will ab¬ 
sorb liquids, mix well with the manure, 
and add to its value. A good farmer should 
be glad of such chances to obtain plant 
food. A man in Indiana told me that In- 
was able to get 30 tons of corncob .ashes 
for the hauling. His neighbors laughed at 
him for taking them, but if we had such 
a chance in New Jersey we would haul 
those ashes in daylight and tack the 
American flag on the wagon. Such a 
chance would be worth a celebration. 
Farm and Home.— The first snow fell on 
December 2. It was a good one—leaving a 
thick coat on the ground. The strawber¬ 
ries were all covered and the trees all 
MOTHER AND CHILD 
Scott’s Emulsion is cod 
liver oil made almost as 
palatable as milk. It is easy 
and soothing to the weak 
stomach; it checks the ten¬ 
dencies of children toward 
thinness. 
Scott’s Emulsion gives 
strength to weak mothers be¬ 
cause it creates healthy flesh 
and new blood. 
Nursing mothers will find 
a special value in Scott’s 
Emulsion because it insures 
a flow of rich, nourishing 
milk for the baby. More and 
better than a medicine; 
Scott’s Emulsion is a food. 
We’ll send you a sample free upon request. 
SCOTT & BOWNK, 409 Pearl Street, New York. 
PRESENT ARMS 
FOR CHRISTMAS 
' ' 
Give the boys and 
girls what they 
want and make 
them happy. It 
may be your boy 
does not want a 
STEVENS 
RIFLE OR SHOTGUN 
If so, he’s a peculiar 
boy. Teach him to 
use one properly. We 
can help you with 
Our Free Book 
It tells all about the 
“Stevens,” also articles on 
hnntingr, fishing, camping, target shooting, etc. 
When your de^er won’t supply the “Stevens” 
we sell direct, express paid. 
J. STEVENS ARM*’ 'NI» TOOih CO. 
A Clrvhr Puzzlb I 775 Main Street 
for 4c. in stamps, | Cnicopee Falls, .Uass. 
The Brightest Light. 
The cleanest, strongest, steadiest, 
(made on the cold blast principle,) 
the one which does not leave you 
I fro 
DIETZ 
in the lurch by blowing out, comes from 
Cold Blast 
LANTERNS. 
They are the most cooronlent lanterns 
made. You never remove the globe for j 
fUUug, trimming or lighting. There is I 
I no chance for aCcldenta with them. I 
iThen there’s satisfaction In knowingl 
I the lantern you carry Is not the dim,! 
I quivering, smoking Kind. Learn howl 
and wliy they are better than otliers by 
writing us for free lantern book. You 
can make your choice from raaay. Then 
see that your dealer gets it for you. 
R.E. DIETZ 
CaMPANY. 
s; I.aight St., 
New York. 
Established 
1840. 
... -ft 51 
TELEPHONES 
For Farmers’ Lines. 
Organize an exchange In yoni 
community. Full particulars fn^ 
nlshed. Catalogue free. 
THE NORTH ELECTRIC CO., 
152 St. Clair Street, 
C- N. 801. CLEVEI.AND, O. 
Animal Meal 
Makes hens lay. 
Makes chickens grow. 
’"‘Bowker 
43 Chatham St.| Boston 
BOOK ABOUT IT FREE. 
RUBEROID 
TRADE mark REGISTERED 
ROOFING 
STANDARD FOR 
TWELVE YEARS. 
LASTS INDEFINITELY. EASILY 
AFFLIED. 
WEATHER-FKOOF. 
EIKE-K E SISTIN G. 
Manufactured solely by 
THE STANDARD FAINT CO. 
Department K. 
100 WilUam Street, N. V. 
buys Sweep Grinder. 
We have 7 styles and 
sizes. Crushes and 
grinds ear corn coarse 
or fine, shelled corn 
wheat, rye, barley, 
katfir corn. etc. singly 
or mixed. Special 
inducements Now 
Write for circular. 
“Fe«dliig £zperimentr. 
$13.26 
buys Best 
Tilting 
Table BuzzSaw ever made. 
Guaranteed superior to any 
$25.0Usaw. fistyleslorsaw- 
ing cord wood or long 
poles. Price 24 inch saw 
blade *5.20,26 in. 86.00, 2X 
in. 86.80,30 in. 87.60. All 
described in our Agricul- 
$R.35 to $12.65 
fvr our Kcouomr 
Food Cookers. C4st 
iron kettle and steel jack 
eL Burn anj kind fuel 
Cook anything. Handjfor 
butchering and 100 other 
fana uses. 3 other stjlci./l^^I Iinplemen^atalo^ 
prices $4.30 and up. | 
SEND FOR FREE CmiOGUE. 
name and address in the blank space tST Make 
an X to show what article you are s pecially inter 
ested in. Cut ad out, send to us and we will mail 
you ourNew Large Free Agricultural Implement 
Catalog and special Free Trial offer. Write today 
60 c 
for 
fami. 
ly 
corn 
ler. 
Use It lur saellin^ 
pop corn or largest 
field corn. 10 styles: 
>hellers for hand and 
power. 
$ 1.70 and upl 
* for Family 
Grist Mills. Grind 
all grains* coarse or 
fine. 7 styles and 
sizes for hand use. ; 
ssg.ss 
■ two he 
for this 
tw’ohorsesweep 
power complete, two 
sweeps, spring hitches, 
22 ft. tumbling rod* S 
couplings. Two speeds, 
32 and 10^ revolutions 
to each round of team. 
4 horse ' nwer $27.45, 6 
horse pov.er $30.80. Also 
Tread Powers* Steam 
Engines* Boilers, etc. 
for 
Self 
Feed 
Power 
Corn Sheller. Has 
positive self feed,shells 
clean. Capacity 40 to 
70 bu. per hour. Hard 
wood frame, steel 
shafts. 10 inch pulley 
Sacking and wagon 
box elevator extra. 
One hole hand Bheller $4.10, 
\Var«bou*« Power Sb«U«r 
our catalogue. 
’I 6 E® 
No. 9 Dia¬ 
mond 
grinder 
with 3 sets 
6in. burrs. 
Grinds ^ 
coarse or fine. 
All sizesfcr2to 15h.p. 
Rubber Belting 
2 inch 3)(c ft., .8 inch 
554 c ft., 4 inch Sl^c ft., 
6 inch 13c. All sizes 
at lowest prices. 
Pulleys. Wood or 
iron. Shafting, hang' 
ers, sprocket chain 
and ail supplies. 
SHIPPED ON FREE TRIAL 
fail to get our Special tYee Trial Offer. Address 
MARVIN SMITH GO. 
CHICAGO. ILLINOIS. 
GRINDS 
corn, 
wheat, 
rye, 
oats, 
bar¬ 
ley* 
kaffi] 
corn 
and all grains, 
coarse or fine, singly or 
mixed. Only mill 
which will crush and 
griud ear corn with 2 to 6 
h. p. Capacity 10 to 45 bu. 
per hour. Furnished with 
or without crushers and 
elevators. 41 other styles 
and sixes. 
Most liberal terms 
ever made. Don’t 
