1899 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
57 
Farmers’ Club. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the 
name and address of the writer to insure atten¬ 
tion. Bifore asking a question, please see 
whether it is not answered in our advertising 
columns. Ask only a few questions at one time. 
Put questions on a separate piece of paper.] 
SEA WASTE AS MANURE. 
THE VALUE OF KELP. 
Kelp a Mixture. —A correspondent on 
the Massachusetts coast wishes to know 
the value of kelp or sea waste—marine 
plants which are washed up on the shore 
and left by the waves. Farmers alcmg 
the shore usually obtain large quantities 
of this kelp during the Winter and 
Spring, and some of them claim that it 
is equal to stable manure in fertilizing 
value. Prof. Wm. P. Brooks, of Am¬ 
herst, says that kelp contains a number 
of different species of sea weeds, and 
also more or less sand. The following 
figures refer to perfectly fresh sea weeds 
If the kelp is more or less decomposed, 
or has been exposed to the weather, it 
will have lost considerable nitrogen, and 
also soluble potash by leaching. From 
these figures, a farmer may get the 
weight of a cord of kelp, and calculate 
its relative value, as compared with 
stable manure. This, however, will not 
tell the whole story. The adaptat'on of 
manure to the different crops, the rapid¬ 
ity of its action, and its physical effect 
must, also, be considered : 
“ The plant which constitutes the bulk 
of kelp in many localities is the ribbon 
weed. Fresh ribbon weed, with about 
87 per cent of water, will contain, in one 
ton, 4.6 pounds of nitrogen, 1.2 pound of 
phosphoric acid, and 6 2 pounds of potash. 
Rock weed, in many cases, is abundant 
in so-called kelp. One ton of this, con¬ 
taining about 77 per cent of water, will 
furnish about 4 8 pounds of nitrogen, 1.6 
pound of phosphoric acid, and 12.4 
pounds of potash. 
“So-called seaweed proper or eel 
grass may, also, be of interest, though it 
is less generally used for manure than 
the others. One ton of this, containing 
81 per cent of water, will furnish about 
seven pounds of nitrogen, 1.4 pound of 
phosphoric acid, and 6 4 pounds of pot¬ 
ash. One ton of average stable manure 
will furnish about 116 pounds of nitro¬ 
gen, 5 6 pounds of phosphoric acid, and 
10 6 pounds of potash. A cord of stable 
manure weighs about 2% tons. 
Where Best Used. —“ Along the Mas¬ 
sachusetts seaboard, kelp is extensively 
used for such crops as cabbages, onions, 
clover and grass. Its freedom from 
weed seeds recommends it, especially for 
onions. It appears to be better adapted 
to soils of the lighter class than to those 
which are heavier, probably largely be¬ 
cause of the great amount of common 
salt it contains. This substance attracts 
water, and helps to compact the soil. 
“ Kelp is a quick-acting manure. It 
appears to be best generally to spread it 
broadcast, and to plow it in for all hoed 
crops, but it is extensively used for grass 
lands as a top-dressing. The eel grass 
decompo ; es much more slowly than kelp 
and rock weed, and probably, chiefly for 
this reason, it is seldom applied directly 
to land. If it can be dried, however, it 
makes excellent bedding. The best use 
for it appears to be to employ it as bed¬ 
ding in hogpens, yards, etc., and later to 
pile the manure made in such places, al¬ 
lowing it to heat, under which circum¬ 
stances the seaweed becomes sufficiently 
decompos e to exert its full manurial 
effect. 
“ Kelp has been used as a manure for 
potatoes, but there appears to be consid¬ 
erable evidence to the effect that it in¬ 
jures the quality, especially if applied 
in the Spring. This is, undoubtedly, 
due to the chlorine which it contains. 
This injurious effect may be largely ob¬ 
viated by applying kelp in the Fall, in 
which case the chlorine will be largely 
washed out of the soil before Spring. 
“It will be noticed that the kelp is 
not a well-balanced manure. It con¬ 
tains a fair amount of nitrogen and pot¬ 
ash, but relatively a very small amount 
of phosphoric acid. In order to use it 
to the best advantage, some fertilizer 
which will supply con' iderable phos¬ 
phoric acid should be employed with it.” 
WM P. BROOKS. 
Working Up a Poor Farm. 
P. M. Z., Carbon County , Pa. —I would like the 
best and cheapest method of restoring a farm 
that, from neglect and litigation, has been prac¬ 
tically abandoned for a period of 20 years or 
more. Would Crimson clover or cow peas be 
preferred to m vnure, available at about $1.50 per 
wagon-load on the ground. The subsoil is clay 
or shale, no limestone, southern incline, well 
drained. Should I plow and lime first? Your 
strong championship inclines me to Crimson 
clover and cow peas, of which little is known 
here. Would it be advisable to plow under a 
Fall crop of either ? 
Ans. —The best may not be the cheap¬ 
est in this case. If you have $300 or so 
to spend on stable manure, and can use 
it at the rate of 15 loads or more per 
acre, you can start this Spring and, by 
cultivating thoroughly, obtain fair crops 
of corn, potatoes or oats. In the Fall, 
you can sow Crimson clover or rye in the 
corn and after early potatoes, to be 
plowed under the following Spring. 
Tuis, of course, will mean an immediate 
cash outlay, but you will obtain some 
return in crops this year. If you use 
cow peas, you must wait one and, per¬ 
haps, two years for returns. A slow but 
sure way to improve the farm would be 
to use cow peas and fertilizers. To do 
this, we would work up the soil, and 
broadcast about $5 worth per acre of a 
mixture of one part muriate of potash 
and three parts of dissolved phosphate 
rock. Then sow about June 1, a bushel 
or five pecks of cow peas per acre. Let 
them alone until the following Spring, 
and then plow in the dead vines, and re¬ 
peat the operation or use a good dress¬ 
ing of lime in place of the fertilizer. 
Oar experience shows that $2 worth of 
nitrate of soda used witn the cow peas 
in addition to the potash and rock, 
would pay. After plowing in two crops 
of cow peas, you can expect to raise a 
good crop of corn by using a fair amount 
of manure or fertilizer. Cow peas will 
grow on poor soil, while Crimson clover 
needs feeding. 
Lice on Cattle. 
A. S. C., Ballston Center, N. Y. —Can you tell 
me of anything that will remove lice from cattle? 
I have tried thymo-cresol on milch cows, apply¬ 
ing it in the proportion of 1 to 40 along the 
backbone and about the necks and heads, twice 
a week, but have not been wholly successful. I 
used a sponge in applying it. 
Ans —If the thymo-cresol was fresh 
and the application thorough, we see 
no reason why your treatment should 
not have been effective. In any treat¬ 
ment, it is necessary to repeat one or 
more times at intervals, because more of 
the insects are likely to hatch from eggs 
already laid, and these must be treated. 
Some report good success with tobacco 
water, made quite strong. Care must 
be exercised in using a liquid in co d 
weather to keep the cattle in a warm 
place. Any insecticide must be used 
very thoroughly to insure success. 
A Pensioner’s Check; Colony Scrip. 
G. B., Mapleton , Me .—1. Can a bank charge for 
cashing a pens.oner’s check? If so, how much 
is allowed bylaw? What can be done with a 
bank or banker who overcharges, or refuses to 
cash a pensioner’s check without getting at least 
25 cents or more, and how should he be proceeded 
against ? 2 Can a colony or other cooperative 
body legally issue colonial or other scrip for 
money for use among themselves bearing its own 
members’ likenesses and signatures, colonial 
name, etc , yet similar in style or makeup to the 
United States paper money ? 
Ans —1. The cashing and collecting 
checks by a bank is a mere matter of 
business. It costs a bank for postage, 
express charges, and clerk hire to collect 
checks. It is a custom among bankers 
to charge a small amount to cover these 
expenses. Some banks do not charge 
their regular customers for collecting 
checks. There is no law governing the 
amount they may charge. They may 
refuse to cash a check without inviting 
damages. A pensioner’s check is not 
different from any other, neither is a 
bank under any obligation to cash a 
pensioner’s check unless it be a bank of 
United States Deposits. 
2. The issuing of scrip for money re¬ 
sembling the United States notes, by a 
colony or corporation, is expressly pro¬ 
hibited by statute, and the fact that it 
is for use among the members of the 
colony or corporation does not relieve it 
of its illegality. Such a privilege can¬ 
not be obtained from the Government, 
and if attempted will likely result in 
statutory punishment. R. d f. 
(Continued on next page.) 
When the children are 
hungry, what do you give 
them? Food. 
When thirsty? Water. 
Now use the same good 
common sense, and what 
would you give them when 
they are too thin? The best 
fat-forming food, of course. 
Somehow you think of 
Scott’s Emulsion at once. 
For a quarter of a century 
it has been making thin 
children, plump; weak child¬ 
ren, strong; sick children, 
healthy. 
50 c. and $ 1 . 00 , all druggists. 
SCOTT & BOWNE, Chemists, New York. 
BIG SWEET CHESTNUTS 
New Japanese varieties forornamentinggrounds and 
estates, and profitable orcharding New Japan plums, 
big Peaches, big Berrios, etc. Free catalogue. 
.J. II. HALE, South Glastonbury, Conn. 
OLOR and flavor of fruits, 
size, quality and ap¬ 
pearance of vegetables, 
weight and plumpness of grain, 
are all produced by Potash. 
Potash, 
properly combined with Phos¬ 
phoric Acid and Nitrogen, and 
liberally applied, will improve 
every soil and increase yield 
and quality of any crop. 
Write and get Free our pamphlets, which 
tell how to buy and use fertilizers with 
greatest economy and profit. 
GERHAN KALI WORKS, 
93 Nassau St., New York. 
WANTED!—Farm Foreman 
for a 100-acre fruit farm near Cleveland. Must be 
experienced in modern horticulture and a good all- 
’round farmer—mechanical enough to run pumping 
engine, and attend to improvements being made. 
Married man preferred. Give full address, particu¬ 
lars as to qualifications, and llrst-class references, 
especially as to honesty, ability, industry and per¬ 
sonal habits. This will be a good, permanent situa¬ 
tion for the right man. Apply by mail to 
B. S., care Omo Farmer, Cleveland, O. 
PI ANT < V~ Kaspberry nnd Strawberry Plants at a 
iLHIi I 0 very low price. Our catalogue tells all. 
WM. CARSON A SONS, Rutland, Ohio. 
if you give our wonderful new straw¬ 
berry a suitablo name. Catalogue free. 
1,000 var. T. C. Kevitt, Athenla. N. J. 
O [ |your Strawberry and Raspberry Plants 
13 ■ from the Ridge Plant Farm. All grown 
on new ground. Send for price-list. 
G. W. WINCHKL, Proprietor, Tobinsport, Ind. 
Gladstone Strawberry Plants! TOS? 
this variety in every State in the Union, I will on re¬ 
ceipt of $ 1 . send one dozen plants, prepaid, to any ad¬ 
dress. Send for cir. F. F. MERCEllON, Catawissa. Pa 
I A P A N pll * J MS, 6c * All kinds of stock CHEAP. 
Jnln H Rxlianck Nursery, Box 10, Geneva.N.Y 
McPIKE w gra^ 
Has taken all premiums. 8 end for catalogue and 
prloe-llst. SILAS WILSON CO., Atlantic, la. 
Qfl lfJIDICTlEC Strawberry Plants, 11.50 
OU VHHIC I ICO per 1 , 000 . 8 end for catalogue 
now. U. W. HENRY. La Porte, Ind. 
CTDAUIDCDDV PLANTS. Sixty varieties. 
O I It ft If DC 11 it I *1 per 1,000 up. Catalogue 
free. A. J. MCMATH, Onley, Va. 
FOR $1] 
POSTPAID f 
1 Wilder Currant, 1 Pomona Currant, 1 
Brilliant, 1 Campbell's Ka. Grape (with 
seal). J. S. Sugden Box 104, Canton, Mo. 
STRAWBERRY PLANTS CDCC 
100 varieties. K. J. HULL, Olyphant, Pa.l 
DIRECT SALES TO FARMERS 
WITHOUT TRIBUTE TO 
MIDDLEMEN OR AGENTS. 
Our Entire Production goes Direct from Factory to Farm. 
Analysis. PhosAcid. Ammonia. Actual Potash. 
Pure Raw Bone Meal. 
Four Fold Fertilizer. 
Big Bonanza “ 
Potato Special “ 
Grain King “ 
Acidulated Bone, Meat & 
Blood with Potash. 
Write for sample and book. 
. 22 to 25$ 
4 to 5 $ 
... * 
$ 24.00 per to 
. 9 to 10“ 
2 to 3 “ 
2 
to 
3“ 
16.00 “ 
9 to 10“ 
2)4 to 314“ 
4 
to 
5“ 
20.00 “ 
9 to 10“ 
3)4 to 4)4“ 
6 
to 
7“ 
23.00 “ 
9 to 10“ 
1 to 2 “ 
4 
to 
5“ 
18.00 “ 
9 to 10“ 
4 to 5 “ 
8 
to 
9“ 
25.00 “ 
WALKER, STRATNIAN& CO., 
Herr’s Island, Pittsburg, Pa. 
High-Grade BONE FERTILIZERS are best, most per¬ 
manent and cheapest. Our goods are especially adapted to 
spring crops. Special brands for potatoes, corn and oats, 
supplying plant food available for immediate use, and leaving 
something for future grass crops. None better or cheaper. 
I. P. THOMAS & SON CO ■ 9 2 PHILAl?E L pYgA® PA® - ’ 
JADOO FIBRE 1 "” 
JADOO LIQUID 
ARE INVALUABLE TO THE GROWERS OF 
Vegetables, Fruit, Plants »r Flowers 
SEND FOR CATALOGUE AND FR/CES. 
POTATOES 
TRUCK 
CORN 
OATS 1 
For Sale by all prominent Seedsmen, and by 
THE AMERICAN JADOO COMPANY, 
815 Fairmount Avettue, Philadelphia* Pa. 
