56 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
January 28 
Short Stories. 
A Sugak-Bket Experience — One of 
my neighbors has given me the expense 
of raising three-quarters of an acre of 
sugar beets—no fairy tale, but actual 
facts. The land was an ideal piece, eas¬ 
ily worked, not a stone, and clean. He 
says no more sugar beets on his plate : 
Rent of % acre at $10. $7 50 
7 pounds of seed at 12V* cents per pound .. 88 
200 pounds phosphate at$l 50per 100pounds 3 00 
Use of drill. 25 
1»4 day’s plowing at $3 per day. 4 50 
Yt day’s harrowing at $3 per day. 1 50 
Ys day’s sowing at $1.25 per day. 62 
Cultivating 13 times, 2*4 hours each time, 
32J4 hours, at $1.25 per day. 4 88 
Four days’ weeding and thinning at $1.25 
per day. 5 00 
Digging, topping and hauling to depot. 15 00 
Total.$43 13 
Total yield, weighed at depot before load¬ 
ing, 11 tone. 
Weight reported at factory, 7 tons 1,750 
pounds at $5. 30 88 
Loss. $3 25 
Cortland County, N. Y. j. r. h. 
Wood Ashes and Moisture. —A reader 
in Wisconsin, describing his experience 
with Crimson clover, says that, when¬ 
ever he uses wood ashes heavily on a 
heavy clay soil, tile-drained, the sur¬ 
face always becomes very moist, even 
when they have had no rain for weeks. 
This moist condition of the soil always 
enables him to secure a good catch of 
Crimson clover, and the wood ashes seem 
to be responsible for it. It is difficult 
to explain fully how such results are ob¬ 
tained. The alkalies, when added to 
clay or heavy soils, make them more ad¬ 
hesive or sticky, so that they absorb and 
retain more water. The pores of the 
soil appear to be clogged, and the circu¬ 
lation of the water is retarded. That 
is, probably, the best explanation that 
can be made regarding this condition. 
Second-Crop Potatoes. —In southern 
New Jersey, the past season, large quan¬ 
tities of second-crop seed potatoes have 
been grown. Around Mullica Hill, hun¬ 
dreds of bushels were raised, and crops 
of 40 barrels to the acre were not un¬ 
common. These potatoes were planted 
the last of July, and the damp, long 
season carried the crop through. In an 
average season, it is doubtful whether 
the crop would have matured. This will 
mean a good many dollars left in the 
pockets of the farmers next Spring, that 
would otherwise have gone for northern 
seed. The second-crop seed seems to be 
growingvery popular among these farm¬ 
ers, and the chances are that the experi¬ 
ment will he tried again in future years. 
It is doubtful, however, whether they 
will be able to mature the crop in an 
ordinary season. 
Round Siloes. — W W. C. in The R. 
N.-Y. of January 7, reports me as saying 
that the square silo is better than the 
round one. What I said was that, in 
Ohio, so far as I know, there had been 
an abandonment of round silo building— 
not abandoning those already built, and 
the square silo with rounded covers had 
come back into fashion. I am aware 
that the round silo is a good one, but I 
still doubt whether it is any better than 
one with horizontal girts, and lined in¬ 
side with three-inch-wide pitch pine 
flooring. Lately I saw a round silo 
hooped with four bands of Page wire 
fence. The ends of the hoops were 
wrapped around a 4 x 4-inch oak stick, 
and brought together, or nearly so, by 
two bolts. The tension of the wires was 
pulling all the time, and when the silo 
was empty, the pull of the wires would 
keep the staves close together, and leave 
no cracks. When filled a slight expan¬ 
sion of the wires would prevent bulging 
of the staves. j. g. 
Petroleum and Roads. —Recently we 
spoke of the use of crude petroleum in 
roadmaking. It appears that an oil pipe 
in Pennsylvania, located near a road, 
began to leak, so that the ground was 
saturated to some extent with oil. It 
was noticed that, where the oil was used, 
the mud dried up and the surface became 
hard, and remained so This road was 
naturally so bad that the effect of the 
oil was soon noticed, and the experiment 
was repeated in other places with similar 
results. Major M. Meigs, a civil engineer 
in Iowa, read of this matter, and decided 
to experiment with the oil. The Stand¬ 
ard Oil Company sent a tank containing 
130 barrels of petroleum. It was used 
on very muddy roads near Keokuk with 
great success. The petroleum prevented 
the earth from becoming wet, by forming 
a water-proof crust, and a barrel of oil 
covers a strip 100 feet long by 12 feet 
wide. 
Convict Road Work. —The supervisors 
of Oneida County, N. Y., are preparing 
to use convict labor for improving coun¬ 
try roads. Just now they are planning 
to buy a complete roadmaking outfit, 
consisting of crushers, engine, steam 
roller, dump wagons and other outfits 
needed for crushing and handling. The 
chances are that a new shed will be 
erected at the Utica jail where the work 
of stone crushing will be carried on. The 
present idea is to locate a road for im¬ 
provement, and then set prisoners from 
the county ja'ls at work draining it and 
putting it in shape. Stone will be drawn 
and dumped by the side of the road in 
piles of about 400 tons. Then the stone 
crusher will be brought, and those rocks 
broken near the spot where the material 
is to be used in road building. If these 
convicts can be handled economically, 
and the work done in a business-like 
way, it would seem as though the plan 
would work well. It would be hard to 
think of any business in which convicts 
would conflict less with free labor than 
in the business of crushing stone and 
building roads. 
The Artichoke Fraud. —On page 21, 
we printed an account of an agent in 
New Hampshire who is trying to sell 
what he called French artichokes. He 
claimed great value for the root, and 
charged $3 a bushel for seed. He claimed 
that the Vermont Experiment Station 
raised the seed, and gave him authority. 
Since our other answer was printed, 
Prof. J. L. Hills, of the Vermont Station, 
writes us that this claim is an absolute 
falsehood, as far as that Station is con¬ 
cerned. Their seed came originally from 
Michigan. The French White artichoke 
seems to be well liked by most live stock, 
but it is not a complete food, and cannot 
take the place of a grain ration. He 
says that the agent who goes about mak¬ 
ing these claims may safely be put down 
as a fraud. This is not the first time 
that men have tried to use the experi¬ 
ment station as a tool for obtaining 
money under false pretenses. The cream¬ 
ery shark tried to do this with the New 
York Station, but Dr. Jordan soon put 
an end to that. How foolish for any 
man to claim that any root will fully 
take the place of grain and hay. It is 
no more foolish, however, than many of 
the stories that are told by successful 
swindlers. 
Farm Institutes in Ohio. —In Hamil¬ 
ton County, O., we hold four regular and 
one or two independent institutes each 
year. The State furnishes two speakers 
for each regular institute ; we fill the 
rest of the time with local talent. More 
than one-half the time is taken up with 
home papers and discussions. School is 
dismissed at the places where the meet¬ 
ings are held for the two days ; the schol¬ 
ars sing, and during the evenings, we 
use from 10 to 15 of these boys and girls 
for short papers, recitations and read¬ 
ings. They attend the day meetings, 
and take an interest. These will be our 
institute workers in a few more years. 
At Newtown, there were four papers 
by home people ; three were by young 
men, one by the oldest horticulturist in 
our county. His topic was, The Catalpa 
Speciosa the Coming Tree. This was an 
excellent paper, and as this old man, 87 
years of age, mounted the steps to the 
stage, he was applauded by every one. 11 
was a treat to have a man of his age with 
so much vigor meet with the farmers. A t 
Blue Ash, we had 12 papers by home tal¬ 
ent, and all the institutes in the county 
were held two days and two nights. The 
farmers’ wives brought their baskets 
filled, and at the meal hour, every one 
went to a large hall where several tables 
were filled with good things—not roast 
pig, but ground hog, chicken, turkey, 
beef, coffee, bread, cake and pies. The 
attendance averaged about 400 for each 
meeting. The attendance increases each 
year. The institutes are doing the farm¬ 
ers of the county much good. The farm¬ 
ers of the county are expecting much 
from these yearly institutes and the ex¬ 
periment stations. We find the inde¬ 
pendent institutes fully as interesting 
and instructive as the regular ones, and 
many papers written and read by home 
farmers are fully equal to the State 
speakers. The institute has come to 
stay in Ohio. F. R. F. 
Plainfield, O. 
At the village of Trail, Ohio, two weeks ago, 
four brothers of one family were married to four 
sisters of another. This double, double knot 
was tied by one minister, and all the parties were 
farmers, ages ranging from 18 to 28. 
Experiments conducted in New Jersey with 
kites showed that, when the temperature at sea 
level was 26 degrees above zero, at a height of 
728 feet, the thermometer registered only 1.4, a 
difference of 12. We are satisfied to stay on the 
surface of the earth in cold weather. The new 
style kites were successfully used for hauling 
sleds over the snow. 
Speaking of danger from incubator lamps, .T. 
E. Stevenson makes the point that most cases of 
fires arise from overheated brooder lamps He 
says that incubator lamps are very rarely burned 
up to their limits, while brooder lamps are offer 
turned up far too high. We think, however, it 
would be too fine a distinction for the insurance 
men to draw a line between incubator and brood 
er lamps. 
That Pimple 
On Your Face is There to Warn You 
of Impure Blood. 
Painful consequences may follow a 
neglect of this warning. Take Hood’s 
Sarsaparilla, and it will purify your 
blood, cure all humors and eruptions, 
and make you feel better in every way 
It will warm, nourish, strengthen and 
invigorate your whole body and prevent 
serious illness. Remember 
Hood’s Sarsaparilla 
Is America’s Greatest Medicine. Price, $1. 
Hood’S Pills cure all Liver Ills. 25 cents. 
for folks who do not 
get their seeds in the 
ground In time. Before 
buying them you need 
our catalogue. 11 Is 
betterthan ever. Killed 
with truthful 
PHOTOGRAPHIC 
Illustrations 
We’ll send it free if 
you need seed. 
JOHNSON & STOKES, 
217 anil 219 Market Street, 
lMillmU-lphln, Pa. 
NatureWontWait 
T 
IF YOU PLANT 
THE RIGHT SEEDS 
My new Seed Book tells all about the best van 
eties of Cubbagre and everything of interest 
in seeds; how to grow them for profit, etc. 
Write ¥““ flention ' 
to-day FREE this Paper 
and will send you a sample parkageof 
Buckbee’s Rockford Market Cabbage. 
The BEST on earth, 
together with Beautiful and Instructive 
Seed mid Plant Hook. 
H. W. BUCKBEE, 
Rockford Seed Farms, 
P. 0. Box 5 15 
Rockford II 
I 
SK 
FREE 
BOOK 
Write for it to-day. It will pay you. no matter 
how many others you have. CHOICEST VKG. 
ETA RI.ES, FLOWERS null GRAINS. SEKI» 
POTATOES, FRUIT PLANTS mid TREES. 
Careful and prompt attention given all orders. 
Satisfaction Guaranteed. 
Send us the addresses of 5 or moreofyoui friends 
who buy seeds or plants and we will send you 
2 Pkts. Choice Seeds Absolutely Free. 
1 oz. Sweet Peas, the very best only 10c.; lb. 25c. 
FORD SEED CO., 
Dept. R. N. Y., Ravenna, Ohio. 
B 
URPEE’S 
Farm Annual, / / 
An elegant new book of 176 pages,—gives much 
valuable information about BEST SEEDS, and 
offers thousands of dollars in CASH PRIZES. 
FREE to anv address sent on a postal card. 
W. ATLEE BURPEE & CO., Philadelphia, Pa. 
POTATOES!^? 
Largest Seed POTATO growers In Amerlen. 
The‘•Kuril! New-Yorker” gives Salzer’s Earliest 
a yield of 164 bus. per oere—rlpeln S28 days. See 
Putaloirue for prices. 0 11 r great Seed Rook, 10 
Faria Seed Samples, worth #10 toget 11 start,for 
^ 1 postage. JOHN A. SAtZEBSBKUCO.JuCroMe.WU.^ 
i yyVVVyW YtfVY tf VV V V VV Y WVY > 
WE’LL BUY OR SELL CFFH** 
TIMOTHY, CLOVER, ALSIKE (jELIIU 
SEND SAMPLES FOR OUR BIDS. 
Sew methods of cleaning enable us to save all the gooi 
seeds and remove all the weed seeds. We can therefor* 
pay fair prices for seeds—every quality— and can Mli 
clean seeds at close prices. Booklet Seed Sens* fre* 
we WHITNEY-N0YES SEED CO.. BUFFALO. N. t 
ood and Cheap 
BEST in the world from 1 cent per 
packet up. Celebrated for strong 
and rapid growth. Postage paid. 
Large lot of extra packages 
free In every order. Oldest re¬ 
liable seedsman in the west. Send 
yours and neighbors address for 
prettiest large catalog ever printed. 
R. H. SHUMWAY, 
ROCKFORD, ILL. 
SEEDS 
Seeds! Seeds! 
am 
BEST SEEDS ON EARTH! 
DIRECT FROM GROWER TO PLANTER. 
From Saginaw Valley Seed Gardens. 
Michigan Northern Grown Seed Potatoes, 
Vegetable, Flower and Field Seeds. Every¬ 
thing in Seeds at lowest prices 
To Introduce my superior Northern 
Grown Seeds everywhere, I will give away, 
Absolutely Free as Premiums 
1,000,000 Packets of 
Vegetable and Flower Seeds 
Send your name and address to-day for my 
SEED' HOOK which tells how to get THE 
, I1EST SEEDS KIIEE. Seeds that will grow. 
HARRY N. HAMMOND, 
Seedsman. 
Box t 2. Fifield, Mich. 
FORMERLY, DECATUR. 
75th Anniversary Catalogue of 
Vegetable, Farm and Flower Seeds, 
Is now ready, and mailed l'ree to all applicants. 
BRIDGEMAN’S SEED WAREHOUSE, 
37 Bast 19th St., New York City. 
gpen DUE Bill FREE 
H. H. mm To get new customers to test my seeds 
1 will mail my handsome catalogue 
for 1899, lithographed and beautifully illustrated, and a 10c. 
Du© Bill, {rood for 10c. worth of seeds for trial, absolutely 
free. It is full of bargains. All the Bent Seeds, Bulbs, 
Plants, Hoses, new Fruits, Farm Seeds, Potatoes, 
etc., at lowest prices. Ten Great Novelties offered without 
names. I will pay $50- FOR A NAME for each. Don’t buy 
pour stock until you see this new catalogue. Several varieties shown 
in colors. Great inducements for orders this year. You will be 
mrprlscd at my bargain offers. Send your address on Postal to-day. 
Tell your friends to send too. Old customers will receive a copy. 
F. B. MILLS, Seedsman, Box T9, Hose Mill, N.Y 
CCnC From the GROWER. sTed'potatoTs. 9 ’ 
■ ■IsV Raised on our own Farm. Prices the lowest possible. Send for 
our Catalogue now—this very hour. It costs you nothing and you ought to see 
it before buying any seeds. Jos. Harris Co., Moreton Farm, via Coldwater, N. Y. 
Dreer's Garden Calendar™ 
An up-to-date Catalogue of the best new and rare, as well aa 
the cream of the standard varieties of 
Seeds, Plants, Bulbs, Etc- 
A handsome book of 168 pages, profusely illustrated, mailed FltEE to 
those who state where they saw this advertisement. 
HENRY A. DREER, 714 Chestnut St., Phila., Pa. 
