6 
rHE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
January 4 
; Rural isms ; 
<TT Y T T T T V V T T T » 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS. 
Asparagus Preparations. —The early 
advent of freezing weather has started 
the Jersey asparagus growers to hauling 
manure for top-dressing their fields. For 
several past Winters the ground has 
frozen for such short intervals only 
that it was not easy to cover some of 
the larger plantings in a satisfactory 
manner, but there will doubtless be am¬ 
ple opportunity this season. Successful 
asparagus farmers in Monmouth County 
use 10 to 12 tons of good yard manure 
to the acre in this manner each season. 
The local supply is seldom sufficient. 
Most of the manure is procured from 
New York dealers, costing about $2 per 
ton delivered at the railroad sidings. It 
is gorged with water, but is generally 
in a sufficiently advanced stage of de¬ 
composition to handle well. The cost 
and expense of hauling and spreading 
runs the actual fertilizing value very 
close, and with most field crops there 
would be little margin for profit, but 
the influence of the Winter applications 
on asparagus is so marked as to leave 
no doubt of its utility. Where 10 to 50 
acres are grown this represents quite 
an outlay, and the asparagus beds here 
require an appreciable slice of some of 
the immense heaps of stable fertilizer 
that accumulate along the railroads on 
the Bei'gen meadows during the Fall 
months. As soon as the soil is dry 
enough to work in the Spring this mulch 
of yard manure is plowed down, turning 
it under about eight inches, then the 
rows are ridged up as high as possible 
with a large plow, and leveled off with 
scrapers or harrows until about a foot 
of soil covers the crowns. The shoots 
are cut by passing a special knife down 
by the side of the selected one until it 
cuts through obliquely about 10 inches 
from the top, as soon as they have made 
an inch or two of growth above the 
surface, the object being to get stems 
that will trim seven to nine inches long 
when bunched, and be nearly all white 
below the tip. As soon as the cutting 
ceases in May or June additional fer¬ 
tilization is given, mainly in the form 
of high-grade chemicals, of which from 
400 to 1,000 pounds per acre may be 
used, and the ridges leveled with the 
plow and harrow. Cultivation begins 
as soon as the rows show plainly, and is 
kept up as long as there is danger of 
weeds going to seed. In these days of 
rust too much care and attention can 
scarcely be given if a fair crop is ex¬ 
pected. The past season was not par¬ 
ticularly favorable to the development 
of rust, as the excess of rain was stimu¬ 
lating to well-treated asparagus, and it 
made a comparatively strong and late 
growth, yet some particularly fine fields 
were badly affected. Palmetto rusted 
more than ever before, while Argenteuil 
held out well, though weak plants show¬ 
ed some pitting. No variety is exempt, 
but the two named have so far been less 
seriously affected, as the rust patches 
are usually confined to limited areas on 
the stalk, and do not shut off sap circu¬ 
lation, while in the Conover and others 
the mycelium seems to spread all 
around, and thus quickly kill the af¬ 
fected stem or branch. The difference 
seems to be in a more or less resistant 
quai.^y of the tissues. 
Planting Young Asparagus. —Grow¬ 
ers almost without exception prefer one- 
year plants for setting. One-year roots 
are covered with fibers which perish at 
the end of the next season, and the root 
circle grows so large that but little of 
the new root growth can be secured 
when dug and thus vital connection 
with the soil is delayed, though growth 
from stored energy may start very vig¬ 
orously. The land is thoroughly pre¬ 
pared as early as possible by deep plow¬ 
ing and the incorporation of sufficient 
manure or fertilizer, which may run to 
10 or 12 tons in one case and 1,000 to 
1,500 pounds in the other. The furrows 
are struck out about five feet apart and 
made as deep as possible by plowing 
both ways, the object being to get the 
crowns of the young plants about 10 
inches below the surface. It is generally 
necessary to throw out some loose soil 
with the shovel to secure this depth at 
all points. The plants are set about 18 
inches apart in the row, requiring a lit¬ 
tle over 5,000 for an acre. The dis¬ 
tances vary somewhat with different 
planters, but the market demand for 
large stalks has a tendency to induce 
wider planting than formerly. The 
practice of fertilizing in the trench at 
planting is now almost discarded, 
though at one time deemed of the great¬ 
est importance. It has been found that 
asparagus, like many other plants, can 
be fed most effectively from the surface. 
If trench fertilizing is favored well-de¬ 
composed manure is spread two or three 
inches deep on the bottom of the furrow, 
and worked into the soil to a similar 
depth. The plants are set with care, 
and the roots immediately covered with 
two or three inches oi fine soil, which 
is well pressed around them. The sub¬ 
sequent filling of the trench is done with 
a small plow or cultivator passing along 
the rows, the idea being to fill in gradu¬ 
ally as growth progresses. Missing 
plants are replaced in June, and a thor¬ 
ough and generous cultivation kept up 
through the whole growing season. As 
asparagus does not give any return un¬ 
til the third year after setting it is a 
common practice to grow beets, carrots, 
rutabagas, or even lettuce and dwarf 
peas between the rows, as during the 
unproductive years, the sale of these by¬ 
products materially reduces tne expense 
and the soil appears to benefit by the 
shade provided sufficient fertility is 
maintained. A light cut of good qual¬ 
ity is generally to be had the third year, 
and the next still better, but it is not 
until the fifth and subsequent years that ‘ 
full crops are to be expected. As plants 
die out during the second or third sea¬ 
sons they are replaced by careful grow¬ 
ers with strong reserve plants kept for 
the purpose, but afterwards there is lit¬ 
tle chance to establish new plants 
among the strong clumps. An import¬ 
ant operation is the clearing of the fields 
in late Fall of the ripened stales before 
the berries fall, as the seeds sprout 
freely in Spring when covered with 
earth. The little seedlings make the 
most troublesome weeds one could im¬ 
agine when allowed to gain a foothold. 
w. v. F. 
THE CENTRALIZED SCHOOL AGAIN. 
On page 792, last volume, appeared a 
letter on the centralized school system 
lrom the standpoint of one who has been 
a victim of the laws on that subject in our 
State. From the circumstances brought 
cut by that letter it seems to me that the 
law ought to be so made that where a 
school has been closed, conveyance must 
be furnished to take the children to the 
central school. But through a blunder or 
purposely, I am unable to say which, a 
loop-hole was left so that no conveyance 
was obliged to be furnished, and those who 
had children of school age must get them 
to school as best they could. The blow 
falls heavily on the poorer classes, who 
may be so unfortunate as to live at some 
distance from the town, and will eventu¬ 
ally drive them from the country to the 
towns. It seems to me that the farmers 
are shortsighted in the matter, because 
the labor question is becoming a very seri¬ 
ous one, and anything that will encourage 
the poor man, who generally is blessed 
with a large family of children, to stay 
in the rural districts ought to be consid¬ 
ered. But in this particular case it seems 
to be a mere question of dollars and cents. 
Enlightenment, patriotism,, liberality, are 
all absorbed. While others by magnificent 
gifts of money and time are trying to 
For the land’s sake, use Bowker’s Fer¬ 
tilizers. They enrich the earth.— Adv. 
raise the standard of American intelli¬ 
gence, to give to each, the rich and poor 
alike, an opportunity of seeking a higher 
level, these few voters, because of an 
error or oversight (I hope it was), in the 
law can block the wheel; can undo for 
perhaps $100 more than some generous 
whole-souled men can do with $1,000. 
Now I am not Interested in this partic¬ 
ular case, but it gives our (Jefferson) 
county a bad reputation, wdiich is un¬ 
merited. We are not all so greedy and 
unpatriotic up here. There are a few who 
are interested in the cause of humanity 
outside of our own home, and I think the 
lew are in the majority, and 1 hope the 
readers of The R. N.-Y. will not judge of 
the whole people of the county by those 
in that one school district. I regret that 
we have such citizens in our midst. Surely 
they can never be counted in the great 
family of li. N.-Y. readers, as no reader 
ol your paper would ever do so ungener¬ 
ous or ungrateful a deed. The only ex¬ 
cuse I can offer for them is that there are 
others in other places, and we know it 
when we read that they have been taken 
in by a gold-brick swindler or creamery 
shark or something of that sort. Money 
gained or hoarded, unjustly ground from 
the poor, seems to be more slippei'y than 
the natural legitimate earnings of labor 
or capital. You may put me on record 
over my signature, and i will sacrifice my 
best friends if need be in repudiation of 
the affairs of that school district, and 
would never give my voice or vote to close 
a school without furnishing a suitable 
conveyance to take the children to the 
central school. 1 hope there may never 
be another such case. j. m. p. 
Jefferson Co., N. Y. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you will get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.” See our guarantee 8th page. 
A Boon To 
Humanity 
U what ovsrybody says who 
has used 
St Jacobs Oil! 
For It cures the most diffi¬ 
cult cases of Rheumatism- 
after every other form •# 
treatment has failed. 
St. Jacobs Oil never falls. 
It Conquers Pain 
Pries, 35c and 50c. 
SOLD BT ALL DEALERS IN MEDICI** 
TWIGS AS MANY EGGS 
and twice the profit when hens have raw cut bone. 
Mann’s Bone Gutter Mode!, 
Open hopper and automatic feed cuts all bones, meat 
and gristle, without waste, easier and faster than any 
othertype,orsenditback. |0 DAYS TRIAL FREE— 
no money in advance. Free catalog explains all. 
We also manufacture Clover Cutters, Feed Trays, 
Corn Shellers, Granite Crystal Grit. Etc. 
F. W. MANN CO., Box j 5 , MILFORD, MASS. 
A FRIEND 
to poultrymen—to chickens. 
Adam Vw Cutter 
It runs easily because it has 
ball bearings. It cuts clean, 
kly and perfecly. Makes a fine 
3 shaving such as chickens re- 
e. Before you buy send for 
catalogue No. 83 
J. ADAM, JOLIET, ILL. 
~ r -r -V 1 - 
_ ->x -w/ 
Corn 
removes from the soil 
A* 
n 
0 
large quantities of 
Potash. 
The fertilizer ap¬ 
plied, must furnish 
enough Potash, or the 
land will lose its pro¬ 
ducing power. 
Read carefully our books 
on crops—sent free. 
GERMAN KALI WORKS, 
93 Nassau St., New York. 
tiaBBBHKtaBaanmBHM 
ERE 5 MONEY 
IN FARMING” 
If you understand modern 
methods as taught by our 
Agricultural Course. 
Cost trifling compared with 
money-making ideas gained. 
Win. 1*. Brooks, Ph. I). 
(Mass. Agricultural Col¬ 
lege), Head of Department. 
Course based on “Brook’s 
Agriculture,” (3 vois., 800 
pp., 300 Illustrations). Just 
from the press. Free to all 
students. Send for 35-pp. 
illustrated booklet, free 
W0F 
Jhe Home Correspondence School 
SPRINGFIELD, MASS. 
3 
Cider Machinery.—Send for catalogue to Boomer & 
Boschert Press Co., 118 West Water St., Syracuse,N.Y 
= NO SPAVINS = 
The worst possible spavin can bo cured in 
45 minutes. Ringbones, Curbs and Splints 
just as quick. Not painful and never has 
failed. Detailed information about this 
new method sent free to horse owners. 
Write today. Ask for pamphlet No. 88 
Fleming Bros., Chemists, Union Stock Yds., Chicago. 
^PRACTICAL 
Any size 
form; 
double, 
kcom- . 
SSS* 
For 
all 
UHOH. 
plat- 
single, 
or 
bina- 
/ 
.OSGOOD 
SCALES / tion beam. Free catalogue. 
Special offer. 30 days’trial. 
OSGOOD SCALE CO., 
103 Central St. Binghamton, N, Y. 
A M JV g CJI 
Gasoline Engine 
I T C P TV Any Place 
IlShl) By Any One 
For Any Purpose 
Stationaries, Portables, Engines 
and Pumps, Holsters 
Send for Illustrated Catalogue and 
Testimonials. State your Power Needs. 
Charter Gas Engine Co., Box 26, Sterling, III. 
THE MIETZ & WEISS 
Kerosene Engines 
Cheapest and Safest Power 
Known. For pumping and 
electric lighting, grinding 
corn, separating cream, 
sawing wood, and all pou<er 
purposes. Awarded Gold 
Medal Can-American Exp., 
Buffalo, 1901. Send for Cat. 
A. MIETZ, 
128 Mott Street, New York. 
Pu mper^ 
n also I jT 
used I 2% H. P \ 
r other 0 ■ 
Can also 
be _ 
for other 
power 
purpos¬ 
es r 
p u m p ing water. 
Uses but little gas¬ 
oline. Is shipped 
crated completely 
erected, all connec¬ 
tions made. Easy to start, any 
lone can operate it. Every 
one guaranteed. Other sizes 
jup to 50 H. P. Send for cat- 
ijalog. Weber Gas & Gasoline 
Engine Co^ Box 102, 
Kansas City, Mo. 
traoc mark 
Neverslip Cadks 
are just what their name indicates. They 
Neverslip. 
JUST THE THING 
for Farmers. 
They save horses from slipping in icy and slippery weather. Are self- 
adjustable, self-sharpening, and any child can insert or remove them. 
They save you time and money, and you always have a sharp horse. For 
sale by all shoers. If not by yours, write 
NEVERSLIP MANUFACTURING COMPANY, New Brunswick, N. J. 
