222 
March 31 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
get his hair full of bees; then he goes off and eats 
the bees out of his bushy hair. Often in the night I 
have heard the skunk squeal like a little pig in the 
apiary when stung on the nose by bees. A neighbor 
who had an apiary caught 48 skunks in one mouth 
with two box traps near his beehives. h. f. w. 
San Diego Co., Cal. 
SCIENCE OF CHIMNEY BUILDING. 
What a Chimney Is; Its Care. 
Will you give expert rules for bullding_ farmhouse 
chimneys, and the way to treat a chimney when its ac¬ 
cumulated soot burns out? Is it best to put out the fire 
in the chimney, or let the soot burn and so clean the flue? 
How thick should the walls of a farmhouse chimney be? 
Waterloo, N. H. c. e. 
"WHAT IS A CHIMNEY?—Let us start a fire in a 
fire-place, or a stove, and consider the results. The 
flue is a mere column of cold air, or it may be a pas¬ 
sage-way for a stream of air from the house up the 
flue, or a stream of cold air down into the warmer 
house. Sometimes it is both these at the same time, 
and we may easily see with the mind’s eye what is 
going on in the flue. There are several interfering 
currents, all mingling, obstructing each other, and as 
the downward flow overcomes the upward current, 
the cold air flows down into the room. Then the up¬ 
ward current gains the ascendency, and the stream 
flows up tne flue. We make a fire, and the Whole 
column of cold air in the chimney has to be forced up 
by the warm air from the chimney, and some of the 
smoke goes up, while some is forced down by the 
cold air striving for mastery over the ascending warm 
current. The chimney is filled with a whirling mass 
of air and smoke, sometimes going up and sometimes 
coming down, until the heated current is sufficiently 
strong to lift the cold air with it; and if the draft 
from the fire is strong enough to occupy the whole of 
the flue and overcome any possible regurgitation of 
cold air from above, the flue acts satisfactorily. 
MECHANICS OF “SMOKING.”—There are some 
laws of mechanics which control the action of the air 
in a chimney, based on these facts: First, the fire 
starts an upward current of hot air and smoke. If 
the flue is c £ the right size to c ntain this current, and 
is smooth inside, so that there may be no rough pro¬ 
jections by wh'ich the current will be deflected from 
its course, and thus form eddies and back currents, 
which obstruct the main current of hot air from the 
fire, then ah will go well. Otherwise there will be a 
mass of interfering currents and eddies in the chim¬ 
ney, by which the smoke will be prevented from mak¬ 
ing its escape upwards. Further, the chimney must 
have the inlet from the fireplace made _n the form 
of a funnel, wide at the throat, and narrowing until 
the flue joins it. Then from this up the flue is to be 
straight, smooth on the walls, and it may taper 
slightly as it goes up, but it must be independent of 
all other flues, and carry its own smoke, without in¬ 
terference from any source. The outside chimney 
must be of sufficient height above the roof that no 
interfering currents from the slopes of the roof may 
obstruct the flow of the hot air and smoke. Thus it is 
a bad practice to have a chimney half-way up a slope 
of the roof, and not give it height enough for the 
escape of any back-curving current from the valley or 
roof slope. Tall trees are quite frequently the cause 
of smoking chimneys, as they cause eddies and inter¬ 
fering currents over the house. To make these rules 
plain, I give diagram of a well-constructed chimney 
for a fireplace at the right of Fig. 74. The same rules 
which control one of this kind, will equally affect one 
fed by a range or stove. This sketch shows the 
hearth of an open fireplace. The back of the chim¬ 
ney slopes forward to the throat, this throwing a 
large current of hot air directly into the throat. 
Some builders enlarge the flue above the throat. This 
is bad practice, for it causes a whirling current above 
the throat, the mass of cold air in the widened throat 
struggles with the ascending stream, and as the cold 
air alternately overcomes the ascending hot stream, 
puffs of smoke escape into the room. The best form 
of chimney is a straight upright flue. But there is no 
good reason why the flue may not slope from its di¬ 
rect course to join in a stack on the roof, but each 
flue must be entirely separate from all others in the 
stack. 
SOME BAD MISTAKES.—Sometimes the location of 
a house may be such as to cause smoky chimneys. A 
house on a steep hillside, over the crest of which pre¬ 
vailing winds may come down on to the house, will 
generally be made uncomfortable by bad drafts in the 
chimney. This difficulty has to be overcome by the 
simple addition to the chimney on the top of a guard 
made in the manner shown in the center of Fig. 74, 
by which the ascending current from the chimney is 
not obstructed, but is simply diverted through the de¬ 
scending openings through the cap; any upward 
stream of air from the outside simply increases the 
draft by flowing through the openings in the cap 
This example, given in the diagram at the left. Fig. 
74, of the common mistake of having open fireplaces 
in adjoining rooms, with one common chimney for 
both, may be useful as a frightful example of bad 
work. It is by no means a rare instance either. Here 
is a narrow throat, with a wide expansion of flue 
above it. This is of itself a great mistake, but the 
joining of the two fireplaces is much worse. The re¬ 
sult is that when the wind blows across the house it 
creates a strong draft on the windward side, while the 
back current causes the leeward fireplace to belch 
volumes of smoke, and when the wind is high the 
flame 'is blown quite out of the fireplace. In country 
houses this mistake is very common. A wall should 
be carried right up the center of the chimney to sep¬ 
arate the two flues. Then there would be no back 
current, and both chimneys would draw equally well, 
under any circumstances. 
CLEANING THE SOOT.—When one has a good 
chimney it needs constant attention, or it is a source 
of trouble. When hard coal or wood is burned, a kind 
of soot gathers in it which needs removal, or the draft 
is impeded. When soft coal is burned the rapid gath¬ 
ering of soot which is inflammable is a still greater 
annoyance. The soot of soft coal is easily got rid 
of if the chimney is safely built, otherwise it is a 
serious and constant source of danger. Sometimes 
builders will run beams through or into the walls of 
a chimney. One should know how this is. If the 
chimney is entirely safe, it is best to burn it out on 
a rainy day by making a wood fire and throwing kero¬ 
sene on it to start the soot burning. The only risk 
in this is a shingled roof and a dry time. It is an 
easy work to sweep down a chimney by means of a 
rope and a bundle of straw, or fine brush, tied in the 
middle of it. One on top of the house and one at the 
fireplace, thus sweep down the foul chimney very 
easily and safely. A thick sheet is placed over the 
fireplace to prevent the soot from escaping into the 
SUGGESTIONS IN CHIMNEY BUILDING. Fig. 74. 
house. In the country it is a safe and easy matter to 
burn out a foul chimney when the roof is wet or cov¬ 
ered by snow. The soft coal soot is a very valuable 
fertilizer, and a sure death to Cabbage worms, or the 
Flea-beetle. A full brick thick will be perfectly safe 
for any chimney. If the chimney is plastered inside 
and out, as it is built, the half brick will be thick 
enough to be safe, and there will be no risk in burning 
it out, always provided the roof is wet or covered with 
snow. _ H . s. 
Nitrate of Soda on Strawberries. 
How much nitrate of soda can be applied, per acre, to 
strawberry beds, without injuring plants or ruining crop, 
if applied broadcast while plants are dormant? Last 
Spring I applied at rate of about 200 pounds per acre, on 
a single row in the middle of field, when the plants were 
in full bloom, and could notice very little difference in 
fruit or foliage. After I had turned down the berry 
plants I sowed to cow peas. The cow peas, by the end 
of August, were fully twice as high, where the nitrate of 
soda was applied, as in the remainder of the field. I con¬ 
clude that in a clay loam sufficient nitrate of soda could be 
applied early in the season, to produce plenty of nitrogen 
to carry out any Summer crop. The R. N.-Y. has made 
a cow-pea crank of me; they are just my ideal to follow 
strawberries, to be followed by early cabbage; thanks to 
The R. N.-Y. a. g. w 
Reidenbach’s Store, Pa. 
We have never used over 250 pounds per acre. That 
ought to be enough. If you broadcast the nitrate do it 
early—while the plants are dormant. When the 
plants are in hills or drills we like to put the nitrate 
in a shallow furrow about 10 inches away from the 
plants. On some of the light, warm soils of Dela¬ 
ware, nitrate can be applied at time of blooming, and 
actually show itself in the fruit. On cold and heavy 
soils it will not act so quickly. As a rule, we do 
not believe in using nitrate in the Spring for straw¬ 
berries. We would rather force the plant hard dur¬ 
ing the late Summer and Fall. On heavy and reten¬ 
tive soils, nitrate will probably “carry out any Sum¬ 
mer crop,” but it would not be profitable to use it 
alone. Organic nitrogen, such as you buy in blood, 
tankage, fish or cotton-seed meal, will cost less, and 
will be just as available in late Summer. We wel¬ 
come every cow-pea crank. The more cranks the 
more cow peas; the more cow peas the more good 
farmers; the more good farmers the more pros¬ 
perity! The more prosperity—you finish it! 
The Farmers’ Club. 
Wood Ash Lye for Scale. 
Has wood-ash lye ever been tried on trees infested with 
San Josfe scale, and if so, what was the result? f. p. c. 
New Albany, Pa. 
Wood-ash lye has been tried on trees infested with 
San Jos6 scale, and with beneficial result. Any caus¬ 
tic, if sufficiently strong, will kill the scale, and this 
lye applied to the trunk with a brush, or in a spray, 
will kill three-fourths of all the scales with which it 
comes into contact. It will leave a sufficient amount 
untouched to reinfest the tree completely by the end 
of the following season. Applied on twigs and 
branches it is likely to injure the tree, and less apt 
to kill the insects, because of the greater difficulty in 
hringing the material into contact with them. 
[PROF.J J. B. 8MITH. 
Picking Attachment for Potato Diggers. 
Who can give information regarding an attachment to 
the Hoover potato digger for picking or collecting pota¬ 
toes? 
A wagon run behind the digger would be too cum¬ 
bersome, and require more horse power than eould 
be handled conveniently. I studied that idea in 1894, 
and experimented to the extent of hitching a 10-horse 
traction engine to my Hoover digger, with a float 
like a large stone boat attached closely behind, on 
which two men stood and shoveled the potatoes into 
sacks. So far as developed in a three-hours’ trial, 
there was “nothing the matter with that,” on ground 
clean and in good condition, but I have not since been 
in a position to repeat the experiment. It was re¬ 
markable how much better the digger worked with 
the superabundant uniform power. w. h. w. 
Potash for San Jose Scale. * 
Would there be any danger in using a solution of pure 
rock potash, or commercial potash, or of Babbitt’s pure 
potash as sold in the stores in tin cans, as a dip, or wash 
to kill scale insects on trees and currant bushes? l. b. 
Sparkill, N. Y. 
There will be no danger in using a solution of 
potash or rock potash, or of Babbitt’s pure as a wash 
to kill scale 'insects on trees. Used as a dip it will kill 
tender tips, and it should not be applied to the roots. 
I would hesitate to recommend its use on currant 
bushes at any strength greater than one pound of 
potash in three gallons of water. As a wash on older 
fruit trees, one pound of potash in one gallon of 
water can be used. This will kill a large proportion 
of scale insects; but not all. It is one of the most 
effective methods against the Scurfy scale applied 
early in Winter. It will not harm the Oyster-shell 
bark-louse, and will kill about 75 per cent only of the 
San Jos6 scale. [prof.] j. b. smith. 
The Chemicals for Fumigation. 
What amount of chemicals will be required to fill room 
space 19x15x7 feet in the fumigating of peach trees (nur¬ 
sery stock)? Where can the chemicals be purchased, 
and what chemicals are required? g. e. s. 
Craley, Pa. 
The chemicals required are potassium cyanide and 
sulphuric acid, both of standard strength. This room 
contains 1,995 cubic feet. For each cubic foot of space 
one-fourth gramme of cyanide is needed. Therefore, 
for this room, 498% grammes will be required. There 
are 28.35 grammes in an ounce; thus 17% ounces are 
needed. One-half more sulphuric acid, or 26% ounces, 
and one-half more of water, or 39% ounces will be re¬ 
quired. Put the trees inside the room, which must 
be airtight. Put the water and acid in a jar, and put 
this inside. Have the cyanide in a paper package, 
take a long breath, reach in and drop the package into 
the jar. Shut the door at once, and keep it shut for 
45 minutes. Do not enter the room for at least 10 
minutes after it is opened for airing. All druggists 
sell small quantities of the chemicals. The Roessler, 
Huslacher Chemical Co., 100 William Street, New 
York, sell the cyanide. 
Fertilizer for Nursery Stock. 
The question of finding out the most economical, and 
at the same time the most effective, form of fertilizer for 
use in our nurseries is one of great importance to us. We 
have, heretofore, depended entirely upon stable manure, 
part of which we purchased about town at a cost of ?1 
to $1.25 per load, and a part being produced by our own 
stock—horses, cows and pigs. One thing that we par¬ 
ticularly wish to know is whether it would be desirable 
and economical to combine chemical and animal fertilizer? 
We have draw r n several hundred loads of muck into our 
pigyard, which the pigs will thoroughly work over, but it 
occurred to us that if we mixed in some nitrate of soda, 
or some other nitrogen-furnishing product, it ought to be 
still more effective, and would perhaps make the chemi¬ 
cal fertilizer more available in a dry season than if ap¬ 
plied separately. Would there be any other substance 
better for the purpose than nitrate of soda? Of course, 
our object is to get as thrifty and vigorous a growth ot 
wood upon our stock as possible. j. p. 
Newark, N. Y. 
We would never mix nitrate of soda with stable 
manure. It is too soluble, and liable to leach out. 
Far better use the nitrate alone, as the trees seem to 
require it. Ordinary stable manure contains to the 
