1902 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
6o9 
EVERYBODY'S GARDEN. 
Home-Grown Seed. —I know of no 
reason why every garden should not be 
an experimental ground, and every gar¬ 
dener to a great extent at least, his 
own seed producer. One thing is cer¬ 
tain, if we know our soil conditions and 
market demands we ought to be the 
best judges of the varieties that will 
most nearly meet those conditions and 
demands. For my own trade, which has 
almost invariably been private, I have 
found certain special varieties more 
profitable than those in more general 
cultivation. For instance, with tomatoes, 
our general market demand is almost 
exclusively for the crimson or purple 
varieties, while for my trade I have 
found nothing better than the Success 
or Honor Bright, which are among the 
very reddest of red varieties; these for 
the medium or late sorts, while for a 
first early I think it will be long before 
the Fordhook Fancy will be superseded 
by a better one. These have proved 
eminently successful with me, while an 
adjoining neighbor, with different soil 
and a different trade demand, is very 
sure that he could not use them at all. 
Thus circumstances must to a great ex¬ 
tent govern cases and this of itself is 
sufficient reason why intelligent seed se¬ 
lection right in our own gardens is of 
the utmost importance. This by no 
means precludes the idea of trying new 
varieties, but the rather is an argument 
in its favor. For in testing new sorts 
we often find something far better than 
we already have. The same general 
principles hold good with nearly all 
kinds of vegetables, and this is why we 
recommend a sort of home experimental 
ground in every garden. Thus we may 
prove all things holding fast to that 
which is good. 
Improving Types.— For several years 
I have been experimenting with differ¬ 
ent vegetables to improve upon certain 
points, as earliness, smoothness, long- 
keeping qualities, etc., in tomatoes or 
other sorts. These experiments have 
been varied as to results, but on the 
whole there has been marked improve¬ 
ment. When we consider the universal 
tendency of vegetable life to go back to 
the original, it is little wonder that im¬ 
proved types, except with the greatest 
care, degenerate so rapidly. These are 
always busy days in the garden and lit¬ 
tle time is ever found at this season of 
year for vacations; but there is no bet¬ 
ter time or place to hunt for really de¬ 
sirable things than just now—and right 
in our own gardens. The vegetables 
that under ordinary care do well upon 
our own grounds will, under special 
care, improve if only proper precautions 
are taken in selecting the seed. This 
makes added work and care these busy 
days, but there is no sort of question as 
to the final outcome, provided the work 
is well done. A certain hybrid tomato 
of fine table quality, but very rough and 
irregular as to habit of growth was in¬ 
troduced and placed upon the market a 
few years since. Obtaining some seed 
of an improved strain of the same to¬ 
mato I started in with the view of elimi¬ 
nating the rough habit and improving 
the keeping quality. I am still working 
upon those points, with the results of a 
perfectly smooth tomato now, and for 
keeping qualities I know of no tomato 
that equals it. They grow so uniformly 
smooth now that the habit seems to be 
thoroughly established. Selecting the 
very finest specimens from the hill pro¬ 
ducing the smoothest fruits was the or¬ 
der followed, and the same plan con¬ 
tinued for a series of years seems to 
have accomplished the desired results. 
The long-keeping qualities have been 
worked out upon the same principle. 
Simply to place the fruits side by side 
under exact conditions, then sow the 
seed from the longest keeper in the lot. 
I believe all vegetables are susceptible 
of improvement, and why not do it at 
home and upon our own grounds? 
Saving the Seed. —We try to care for 
the seed just at the right time, and the 
“right” time ordinarily is just when the 
vegetable is thoroughly ripe. I hate the 
job of washing the seeds out of rotten 
vegetables. I do not believe it the best 
way to do, but prefer to do the work 
while the vegetables are still sound. 
Saving sufficient seed for home necessi¬ 
ties requires but little time of itself, and 
we are always sure of knowing just 
what we are planting. For tomatoes or 
other small seeds that require washing, 
we use an ordinary flour sieve. Opening 
the tomatoes we scoop out the pulp and 
seeds with a spoon, discarding the meaty 
portions. Lacking running water, we 
hold the sieve partially submerged in a 
pail or tub of water, and rub the pulp 
through the sieve by hand or turning 
the crank, provided we use the little 
round crank sieve so commonly in use 
now. The pulp is readily worked 
through leaving the seed in fine condi¬ 
tion. When thoroughly cleaned it is 
placed on three or four thicknesses of 
cheese or other loose cloth and dried in 
the sun. Care must be taken to thor¬ 
oughly dry it before storing away, else 
it is liable to mold. When sufficiently 
dried we put it up in firm paper sacks 
and carefully label, so there is no dan¬ 
ger of getting mixed up at seeding time. 
For squash, pumpkin and other large 
seeds we use a much coarser mesh sieve 
and the seed is dried as above. All 
seeds are thoroughly cleaned ready for 
sowing before storing away, as we think 
we get better results than by allowing 
the vegetables to rot before washing out 
the seeds, or worse still leaving them 
to dry down in the filth with no washing 
whatever. We endeavor to carry the 
same general principles into all our 
work, allowing only the fittest to sur¬ 
vive. By the foregoing I would not be 
understood as ignoring the seedsmen, 
as we patronize them liberally every 
year. I am sure that with many varie¬ 
ties we get better results with their 
seeds than we could possibly obtain with 
the home grown. Especially is this true 
when growing several varieties that mix 
badly when grown in close proximity, 
corn, squashes, melons, etc., are of this 
class, and the seed is changed every year 
except when growing a single variety of 
any sort. 
The Kindergarten. —It seems to me 
that there is no place like the vegetable 
or flower garden in which to teach the 
boys and girls the first principles of use¬ 
ful and profitable work. With faculties 
once aroused and set in motion and their 
efforts directed by older heads and stead¬ 
ier hands they become apt pupils. Our 
own garden is a sort of trysting place 
where we talk with our girls about the 
vegetables and the flowers. We find 
that they are not only interested in tne 
work, but apt in choosing between the 
good and the bad. They are quick to 
search out the best tomato plant or bean 
stalk, and a particularly fine sweet pea 
or morning glory will catch their eye 
instanter. In fact, they are out to see 
the garden the first thing in the morn¬ 
ing and their eyes are sharp to see what 
new thing has developed through the 
night. We sometimes think that they 
read Nature’s book more readily than 
their school readers. But we are taking 
the chances, and believe in the end that 
they will know the latter better by a 
previous acquaintance with the former. 
Now somewhere in our gardens, there is 
a better and more thrifty and fruitful 
tomato, bean, pea or other plant growing 
than any of the rest in the garden. That 
is the one to mark carefully and watch 
for developments. Once pointed out, the 
children will know them as well as we 
ourselves know them. We take pains to 
give these plants special care, hoeing 
often and fertilizing. When any imper¬ 
fect or worthless fruits or flowers set, 
they are removed so that they shall not 
become leeches to sap the nourishment 
from the perfect ones. When fully ma¬ 
tured the finest are gathered and with 
the seeds carefuiiy prepared for storing 
away, we feel reasonably sure that some 
substantial progress has been made. In 
fact we know that there is double cause 
for rejoicing, for the labor bestowed in 
the betterment of the plants has been 
developing the very best of all crops, 
the girls. 
What Are We Doing? —Well there is 
plenty of work and more to follow. 
Some of the crops of course are laid by, 
but the harvest is coming in apace. It 
is high time now that the onion seed and 
sets should be in the ground. Mr. 
Greiner says that for sets, Prizetaker is 
best with him. I believe there is very 
little room for argument, although some 
other varieties will be good, especially 
with some slight protection. For the 
seed I shall try the hardy white this 
Fall. It is quite new but will, I believe,, 
prove a good variety. The early Spring 
bunching onions are always in demand 
either at home or on the market, and 
even a small space will be better than 
none at all. The spinach ground will 
be a nearly minus quantity witn me this 
Fall, but what little ground is available 
will be utilized. It is time now to pre¬ 
pare the ground even if the seeding is 
not done for two or three weeks to come. 
The more weeds destroyed before sow¬ 
ing the seed the less there will be to 
bother the spinach. So the rule is to 
cultivate early and often, as some peo¬ 
ple do their voting. Whatever ground 
becomes vacant after the spinach limit 
is reached will be sown to rye for a 
cover crop. j. e. morse. 
Michigan. 
Permanent Meadow for Sheep. 
I have some uplands now yielding a little 
Timothy hay, but we should get from 
them much more feed, and wish the same 
to remain in permanent meadow, hay to 
be fed to sheep. The land is White oak 
or a sandy clay soil, but not badly worn. 
How should we handle this land? What 
kinds of seeds should be sown? When is 
the best to sow? If fertilizers, besides the 
sheep manure are to be used, what kinds 
and when applied? e. g. s. 
Athens, O. 
If it is desired to keep the land in 
permanent pasture then a good admix¬ 
ture of Blue grass and Red-top seed 
should be scattered over the field after 
the sod has been well disked with a disk 
harrow or Cutaway. Then a dressing 
of stable manure will be of much value, 
or any good standard mixed fertilizer. 
I should, however, recommend the 
stable manure in particular. Such seed 
can be sown in September or in early 
Spring as soon as the ground can be 
worked. If it is proposed to grow rough 
feed, then no better feed for sheep can 
be grown than Medium Red or Alsike 
clover. This may be sown in the Spring, 
and in April if desired. Some, however, 
sow as early as February in southern 
Ohio. Usually clover is sown on wheat, 
and follows the wheat crop. If one has 
no wheat, then the land should be 
plowed and fitted as for any other crop 
in the Spring. I should seed heavily, 
using 15 or more pounds per acre. If 
you can succeed with Alfalfa on your 
land, then you will get a very superior 
sheep feed. You cannot fit your land 
too well. Alfalfa requires a first-class 
mellow, fine seed bed. Then sow broad¬ 
cast and drag in, using about 20 pounds 
of seed per acre. This should be done 
late in April or early May. If the land 
is well spread with good stable manure 
its cropping ability should be good. 
c. s. p. 
Good Advice. —The Farmer’s Guide says: 
“We are asked how much debt a man with 
a quarter-section farm should carry. That 
depends. Assuming his farm to be worth 
$12,000 and the man a hustler, turning his 
attention wholly to the production of meat 
products on his farm and not running a 
steam thrasher, he might swing a debt of 
$7,000 at five per cent. Still, this will make 
him sweat and grunt before he gets it paid, 
We believe it is a mighty good time to 
shorten sail in the matter of indebtedness 
during these days of agricultural prosper¬ 
ity and not load up to the limit, as so 
many are doing. The money loaners will 
have their innings again some day.” 
Never let a little child's cold “run or.” There is 
sure danger and perhaps death at the end of it. The 
Infantile organs are always helped by Dr. D. Jayne’s 
Expectorant, and the little ones like it.— Adv. 
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. 
This booklet tells how 
to uiako tnonev on the 
farm and outlines pur 
course of home study in 
Modern Agriculture. 
Under Prof. \VM. P. 
Brooks. Ph D., of the 
Mass. Agricultural Col¬ 
lege. Treats of soils, 
tillage, drainage, ferti¬ 
lizers, crop rotation, 
stock-feed! ug.poultry-raisiug, dairy¬ 
ing. etc. Also Horticulture under^ 
Prof.BAlLEv, of Cornell University,! 
and Agricultural Haeteriotogy under 
Prof. Conn, of Wesleyan. 
,Fu!l Commercial, Normal and Aca* 
demic Departments. Tuition nomlnul, 
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Tlie Home Correspondence School,! 
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Study Agriculture. 
It Will Pay. 
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Send your address. 
RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE, KINGSTON, R. I. 
School of Practical Agriculture 
and Horticulture. 
Courses In Fruit Culture, Gardening, Landscape 
Gardening and Farming Begins September 9, 1902. 
Open to men and women for training in practical and 
scientific work. Catalogue. 
G-EO. T. POWELL, Director. 
BrlarcIIff Manor, N, Y. 
1 In writing, mention advertisement, art 
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