558 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
August 18 
“CHARGING” WITH BORDEAUX MIXTURE. Fig. 191. 
crop. Rye is sown three or four weeks before wheat., 
and ripens three or four weeks before it. I have 
never grown any for seed. When I expect that the 
hay will be scarce and dear, I sow some rye for soil¬ 
ing in the Spring, but it is not a good food for cat¬ 
tle, and we much prefer Crimson clover, which is 
nearly as early, and is a far better forage for cattle, 
and especially for horses. The rye is grown for seed 
in the light sandy soils of the central part of Prance. 
Though some farmers sow oats before Winter, which 
often are killed by frost, we consider oats a Spring 
crop; we sow them in March or April, beginning 
sometimes in the end of February when weather suits. 
They are extensively grown in our country, and 
usually follow wheat. The yield is very variable; 
last year the average was not more than 25 bushels 
to the acre, and it will be the same this season, owing 
to the severe drought. In some years, the yield is 
as high as 40 or 50 bushels to the acre. 
Barley is also a Spring crop, and the time for sow¬ 
ing it is the same as for oats; and as a rule, farmers 
sow with it either Red clover or Alfalfa; they also 
often do the same with oats. Barley is not consid¬ 
ered a good paying crop by many farmers since the 
prices have declined, but they keep on sowing some 
every Spring as a catch crop with Red clover or Alfal¬ 
fa. In the north of France, where they grow large 
quantities of sugar beets, the usual rotation of crops 
is: First year, beets; second, wheat; third, oats or 
barley, with Crimson clover or Alfalfa. In the west, 
where we have neither sugar manufacturers nor al¬ 
cohol distilleries, there is no general rule, and every 
farmer has his own ideas, aiming to produce the 
most wheat possible, the wheat being his money crop. 
Other paying crops are fancy peas for seed, early po¬ 
tatoes, beets, mangels, turnips, Swedes, cabbages, 
etc., for seed. The method of culture is very much 
the same in Germany and Holland, though they grow 
less wheat than in France and more barley or rye. 
Le Vivier-sur-Mer, France. Raphael barbe. 
SPRAYING POTATOES. 
If there is any one farm operation which re¬ 
quires a special endowment of grace for those who are 
to perform the labor, that operation is spraying with 
Bordeaux either fruit trees or potatoes. If the ap¬ 
paratus with which the operation is to be performed 
is not first-class then all the more grace will be re¬ 
quired. Anyone who has ever sprayed knows the 
difficulties which are experienced, and one who has 
not sprayed would not appreciate the annoyances by 
being told. Much of the trouble can 'be avoided by 
doing the work as it should be done. The lime 
which is used is a frequent source of trouble. In 
slaking the lime water should be sprinkled upon it 
from a sprinkling can, and care should be taken not 
to make the mass pasty. The lime should be given 
what is known as a “dry slake.” After breaking 
down into a fine dry powder it may be sifted into a 
water-tight box and water slowly added and stirred 
into the mass of lime. If more lime is slaked than 
can be used at once it should be covered with water 
to prevent air-slaking. Forty pounds of copper sul¬ 
phate may be suspended in a barrel containing 40 
gallons of water, and in a few hours all will be dis¬ 
solved. When ready to spray potatoes stir thor¬ 
oughly the Bordeaux solution and dip out six gal¬ 
lons. This six gallons may be put directly in the 
barrel to which the pump is attached, or may be put 
into another barrel. It should be diluted by 10 to 15 
gallons of water before the lime is added. Remove 
from the lime box four to five pounds of lime and 
dilute with water till the milk of lime is produced. 
Add this dilute milk of lime to the dilute copper sul¬ 
phate solution in the spray barrel. As a test to show 
when enough lime has been added, a small bottle of 
ferro-cyanide of potassium should be provided. 
When a few drops of this material are added to the 
mixture of lime and copper sulphate, if a red brick- 
colored precipitate is produced it indicates that more 
lime is needed. If no precipitate forms there is 
enough lime. Then dilute until the barrel contains 
about 40 gallons of water. If Paris-green is to be 
added to the Bordeaux it should be added before the 
barrel is filled with water. From one-quarter to one- 
half pound of Paris-green should be used for 40 gal¬ 
lons of water. 
There is some question as to whether spraying po¬ 
tatoes with Bordeaux always pays. During years 
when the blight is prevalent it pays well, but other 
years when blight does not prevail it seems like so 
much work thrown away. If one is provided with a 
good force pump and some power besides man power 
to do the pumping, the work can be done econom¬ 
ically and well. Without it can be done well bet¬ 
ter not be done at all. The accompanying illustra¬ 
tions, Figs. 191 and 193, show how potatoes are sprayed 
at Cornell University. Fig. 191 shows the men fill¬ 
ing the spray barrel preparatory to going to the 
field. By means of a gear wheel the pump is worked 
by horse power. A part of the rod is shown which 
connects the pump with the wheel at the right of the 
picture. Fig. 193 shows the machine at work in the 
field. We have had seats arranged for the man who 
holds the nozzles, but have found that better work 
can be done if he walks. We have also found that 
better work can be done by having the nozzles held 
than by fastening them to a rigid bar. We shall con¬ 
tinue to spray potatoes with Bordeaux. While some 
years it does not pay, yet other years it does pay well, 
and we cannot tell whether or not it is going to pay 
beforehand. l. a. olinton. 
A HOMEMADE CORN-CUTTING SLED. 
A corn sled shown at Fig. 192 was used last season 
with satisfactory results. It is roughly constructed, 
and was partly an experiment. We were so well 
pleased with it that we shall do no more corn-cutting 
with hand knives, but will use this device instead. 
A HOMEMADE CORN-CUTTING SLED. Fig. 192. 
Two men ride it, and any good, steady 1,200-pound 
horse will handle it without any inconvenience. In 
making it we use two oak 2x4 scantlings, each six 
feet long, for runners. We found later that the sled 
worked better if the forward end were raised slightly; 
consequently, we made two false runners of the same 
material and fastened them to the bottom of the first. 
These additional runners were chamfered so they 
were about two inches in front and tapered to a point 
at the rear. In view of this change I would suggest 
that the runner be made of 2x6 stuff with the rear 
tapering to four inches. In some cases it may be 
found advisable to nail a four-inch board to the bot¬ 
tom of the runners to act as a shoe. The runners 
were placed 30 inches apart, outside measurement. 
Across these was nailed a six-inch and a foot board 
of the required length. At a point about 18 inches 
back of the front end of the runner, the platform 
makes an angle of a little less than 45 degrees with 
the runner. The platform is built back, carrying the 
slant for about three feet, when it will be about 18 
inches from the runner. The platform is then built 
back squarely for 16 or 18 inches farther. This 
platform should be built of as sound hard lumber as 
possible. It is surprising how the stubble scraping 
against the bottom as the sled passes over them 
after cutting the stalk will wear the bottom. 
In making our knives we took an old six-foot 
cross-cut saw and cut into two equal parts. Each 
blade was taken to the grindstone and the back 
ground to an edge. We were careful to grind only 
one side, and this the one on each blade that would 
be underneath when the small end was extended 
towards the front. At first we tried nailing the 
blades to the platform, but soon found that this was 
not sufficient to hold them securely. When they were 
bolted with round-headed bolts with heads beneath it 
was much more satisfactory. In order to hold the 
blades there should be at least six bolts through each 
blade. It is very important that the blades be held. 
perfectly rigid, otherwise the knife will work very 
unsatisfactorily. In punching holes for bolts care 
should be taken to see that they are so located as to 
resist best. As shown in Fig. 192, wires are used to 
hitch to, being passed through holes in the runners. 
A light chain will be much more satisfactory. Wires 
are very apt to wear in two and give more or less 
trouble. Just in front of pulling wires a guide iron 
on either side will be noticed. These are easily made 
from old light wagon tires or similar waste iron, and 
are important. If the horse crowds to either side of 
row these will often prevent sled from knocking 
down the corn. For a seat we used an old b'o'x, so 
that when nailed to platform it was two feet long, 
one foot high, and eight inches wide. Bottom was 
placed towards the front, and a board nailed across 
the back, making a place to carry corn cutter and 
whetstone or file. On top we folded a piece of old 
carpet, and held it in place by securely tacking an old 
bag over it. This may seem unimportant, but one 
will think differently after cutting 20 acres of heavy 
corn. On the platform three cleats will be noted— 
one in front and two on either side. These are im-. 
portant to brace feet against to prevent danger of 
slipping off in front of knife. No one should attempt 
to use a sled without some protection of this kind. 
We have used this sled in connection with a manu¬ 
factured cutter, and found it cuts closer to ground, 
pulled less corn, and was steadier to ride, though it 
did undoubtedly draw a little harder. With this sled 
two good men keep our silage cutting-box busy, 
though run by steam power. c. p. Reynolds. 
Shiawassee Co., Mich. 
PREPARING APPLES FOR COLD STORAGE. 
I have experimented with apples in cold storage 
for the last 10 years. I am sure that they keep bet¬ 
ter when wrapped, for I have kept them two years, 
by double wrapping, once with tissue paper and then 
paraffine paper. But apples can be kept easily if 
held at the proper temperature, even in barrels or 
boxes, not wrapped. The best temperature, we have 
found, is 33 to 35 degrees, but it should not change 
more than one degree in 24 hours. Apples can surely 
be kept if the proper care is taken in putting fruit in 
the barrels or boxes. I find that too many think that 
cold storage will keep anything, but in reality it does 
not pay to put in storage anything but well-matured, 
well-handled, well-packed apples. If so done success 
is sure. l. a. Goodman. 
Secretary Missouri Horticultural Society. 
Apples for long keeping should go into cold storage 
direct from the tree, with as careful and as few 
handlings as possible; they need not be wrapped in 
wax paper to insure the best results. Many cold- 
storage men use barrels with but one head, storing 
away one upon the other, thus allowing a slight ven¬ 
tilation; the majority, however, head each barrel 
with a gentle pressure, making a comparatively air¬ 
tight package, and believe it to be much the better 
way, the natural shrinkage (not decay) being much 
less than in any other form of package unless it be 
an air-tight box. I believe the barrel is preferable to 
the box, as less apples are liable to be bruised in the 
pressure; it is customary, however, to store them in 
the same package, be it either barrel or box, which 
later conveys them to market. Good fruit with care¬ 
ful handling will keep well by either method, the 
package containing the apples having less to do with 
the preservation, than the fruit itself. 
a. w. WILLIAMS. 
Ants and Aphis.—As to the ants in that Connecticut 
orchard (page 513), we do not think that it is the ants 
that are doing the damage, but they may be the primary 
cause of the trouble. The probable reason for the pres¬ 
ence of the ants is the fact that there are so many aphis 
on the trees, either tops or roots, or both, and these ants 
are using the aphis as cows, letting them live on the 
trees, and they live on the aphis. This is the generally 
accepted theory, we believe, and it seems true. It is also 
claimed that these ants will take the greatest care to 
spread and increase the stock of the aphis, so that they 
can get more food for themselves, and that is the reason 
they honeycomb the ground. We have seen the same 
thing in our neighborhood, but have found no positive 
remedy for it. Muriate of potash applied pretty strongly 
is good, as it overcomes the effects of the aphis sucking, 
and wood ashes is also good, but to kill the aphis we 
fear you would have to kill the tree. We tried crude 
petroleum, but it hurt the tree when applied to the ground 
strong enough to kill the aphis. When the aphis is above 
ground kerosene emulsion is the best remedy, and gets 
clear of them quickly. jos. h. black, son & co. 
COPPER-PLATING THE POTATOES. Fig. 193. 
