1899 
Best Varieties of Cabbage. 
One of our readers wishes -to know which 
w T e find the best cabbage, both early and 
late, for a market gardener’s use. For 
late, he desires a small, solid head to keep 
over Winter. He says that he has tried 
different strains of German and Holland 
cabbage, but they do not stand the cli¬ 
mate or insects. He does not wish to hear 
from seedsmen, but does desire the experi¬ 
ence of farmers. Which varieties have 
you found best for Winter? 
In two years’ experience with Danish 
Ballhead, I have come to consider it one 
of the best keepers. I have also found 
Maule’s Surehead an, excellent late va¬ 
riety. It heads hard and sure, is not lia¬ 
ble to burst, and is a good keeper. Bur¬ 
pee’s Surehead seems to be a different 
strain, larger, but not so hard, more 
likely to burst, and somewhat Inclined 
to rot. E. C. GILLETT. 
New York. 
The correspondent desiring the best 
variety of early cabbage for commercial 
purposes, will sooner or later fall back 
on a good strain of Jersey Wakefield. If 
his trade calls for a small solid head, I 
know of no better variety than a select¬ 
ed strain of American-grown Winning- 
stadt, sown late. While no rule of prac¬ 
tice will be applicable, or suitable for 
every locality, or person, yet in my ex¬ 
perience the plan of sowing the seed in 
the place to be occupied by the plants 
has much to commend it. Personally I 
prefer the Wakefield for early, and Flat 
Dutch for late. After all, if a man de¬ 
sire a really choice strain of stock seed 
of any variety of cabbage, he will be 
compelled to grow it. With things as 
they are, seedsmen cannot afford to sell 
it. M. OAREAHAN. 
Pennsylvania. 
What Ailed the Squashes ? 
J. F. W., Ridgewood, N. J.—I had six Hub¬ 
bard squash which come up very nicely, 
and made about six feet of vine, but were 
attacked by something with the appear¬ 
ance of rot, very near the root. I could 
detect nothing which had the appearance 
of insects, but the vines all died. Can 
you tell me what it was, and the remedy? 
Ans. —Probably the squashes were af¬ 
fected by the larvae of the Squash borer. 
A little orange and black moth (Melittia 
satyriniformis) lays the eggs from 
which these troublesome borers are 
hatched, close to the roots of the vine. 
They perforate the stem, bore out the 
interior, and shortly enter the soil to 
form a chrysalis. The vines thus at¬ 
tacked may grow faiirly well for a time, 
but usually die suddenly in late July or 
August. By the time this is noticed de¬ 
cay may obliterate the ravages of the 
borer. The only practicable remedy is 
to examine the stems frequently during 
early growth, and destroy the moths, 
which are very sluggish in daylight, and 
may easily be captured. 
Marketing Young Evergreens. 
T. H. B., Essex Co., N. Y.—I can secure a 
large number of young evergreens, includ¬ 
ing White, Norway and Balsam spruce, 
and hemlock, ranging in height from two 
to six feet. Is there any market for such 
growing stock? 
Ans. —J. C. B. does not say whether 
the young evergreens are nursery grown 
or volunteer seedlings. If the first, they 
have a substantial value, which can be 
ascertained from the various nursery¬ 
men’s catalogues, but if they are wild 
seedlings, it is not likely that sale could 
be found for them until they have been 
transplanted and grown for a season or 
two under cultivation. It is seldom that 
natural seedlings can be taken up with 
a satisfactory root system, and planters 
are usually shy of collected stock. 
Rape and Alfalfa. 
TV. F. TF., Blauvelt, N. Y.— What time 
should I sow rape and Alfalfa? May the 
first be cured for Winter use, and can the 
latter be cut the first year? 
Ans. —Rape may be sown at any time 
from the middle of April to September 1. 
Many farmers sow it in succession, so as 
to have a series of green feeding crops. 
Probably a large proportion of the rape 
is sown at the last cultivation of corn. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
801 
After the corn is cut, the rape makes a 
rapid growth and gives a good Fall pas¬ 
ture for sheep. It cannot be cured like 
hay. The rape belongs to the turnip 
family; it may be called a turnip run to 
top, and 'is useful only as a green feed. 
Alfalfa, with you, would best be sown in 
the Spring. Usually, when well started, 
and with a favorable season, a small 
cutting may be obtained the first year. 
Cleaning a Cellar. 
Render (No Address).— Two years ago our 
cellar became infested with blue mold, 
which penetrated even into fruit cans. I 
sprayed with Bordeaux Mixture and fumi¬ 
gated with sulphur. That ended the mold. 
This recalls Mr. Norton’s fumigating ex¬ 
perience, recorded on page 735. I usually 
burn sulphur in the cellar four or more 
times each year, to keep it wholesome. T 
use about two to four ounces at a time. 
It never affects foods of any kind. Pota¬ 
toes sprout as readily as ever. The cellar 
is 15x24x6 feet and tight-walled. I con¬ 
sider it an excellent hygienic precaution. 
I have thought of putting chloride of lime 
in the till once or twice a year, but have 
not tried that yet. 
Ans. —The burning of sulphur in cel¬ 
lars, especially if inclined to be damp, 
as a hygienic precaution, is good prac¬ 
tice. The sulphurous acid gas, resulting 
from the union of the oxygen of the air 
with the sulphur, is a most effective and 
penetrating germicide. It is not likely 
to damage food products to any appreci¬ 
able extent, unless the fumigation is car¬ 
ried to extremes. Sulphur candles, con¬ 
taining a pound or so of sulphur, cast 
about a thick wick, are now sold by 
many druggists, and are very conveni¬ 
ent. Chloride of lime (is a disagreeable 
and somewhat dangerous disinfectant to 
use in a cellar, as its fumes sometimes 
render the lungs so irritable as to in¬ 
vite attacks of pneumonia. One can be 
suffocated by burning sulphur, of course, 
but the danger is very remote, if or¬ 
dinary precautions are observed, and the 
fumes are rapidly dissipated by ventila¬ 
tion. Chloride of lime continues to give 
out chlorine gas for many days after 
the application. 
The Strength of Rope. 
B. R., Broad Ford, Pa.—What Is the 
strength of rope of different sizes and dif- 
erent material? 
Sir John Anderson says in his book 
on The Strength of Materials: The 
strength of hempen ropes is found to 
depend primarily on the quality of the 
hemp fiber of which they are made. The 
fibers vary from three to 3% feet in 
length, and a number of them are 
twisted together to form a yarn; this 
twisting introduces the element of fric¬ 
tion, which effectually prevents the 
fibers from being drawn asunder. When 
a rope is twisted, it necessarily becomes 
shorter than the strands of which it is 
made, and the amount of twist given to 
ropes 'is usually expressed by the extent 
to which they are shortened; thus, if 
shortened one-quarter of their length, 
the twist is then said to be one-quarter. 
The nominal size of ropes refers to their 
circumference; thus a six-inch rope is a 
rope of six inches circumference. 
As a rule, new white ropes are stronger 
and more pliable than ropes made with 
tar. The tarred rope, however, retains 
its original strength for a longer period, 
especially when exposed to wet. Tarred 
ropes spun hot are stronger than tarred 
ropes spun cold, and are more imper¬ 
vious to water. The ultimate strength 
of ropes is usually considered to be 
about 6,400 pounds per square inch of 
sectional area. From some recent ex¬ 
periments made at Woolwich, the 
strength was found to range from 9,874 
pounds in a nine-inch rope to 10,783 
pounds in a two-'inch rope. The Wool¬ 
wich experiments teach three important 
lessons: 1. That there is much varia¬ 
tion in the strength of pieces of rope 
when cut from the same coil. Thus, the 
four-inch ropes range in tenacity from 
5% to 7 15-32 tons. The six-inch rope 
varies from 14% to 17 tons. The nine- 
inch ropes from 25 to 29 11-16 tons. The 
mlinimum strength shown in the experi¬ 
ments is that which should be relied on 
in practical calculations. 2. That there 
is considerable loss of strength from the 
tear, wear and exposure to the weather 
during a few months’ working. Thus 
the strength of an apparently good 
Italian hemp rope, after working, was 
only 10% tons, as compared with 14% 
tons, the strength of new i-ope. 
In 1894, extensive experiments were 
conducted at Cornell University by Mr. 
Palen. From these experiments we get 
the following data as to the strength of 
ropes: 
L—Manila rope, 
three 
strands, 36 ine: 
Measured 
circumference of 
rope in inches. 
1.625. 
long. 
Breaking 
load in 
pounds. 
. 1,750 
2.25 . 
. 3,680 
2.375 . 
. 4,750 
2.812. 
3.1875. 
3.625. 
4.375. 
4.75 . 
5.125 . 
.15,100 
2.562. 
. 2,850 
3.033. 
4.1875. 
2 .—Manila rope, 
four strands, 36 incl 
Measured 
circumference of 
rope in inches. 
2.825. 
long. 
Breaking 
load in 
pounds. 
. 4,250 
3.375. 
. 6,050 
3.75 . 
. 7,700 
4.25 . 
.11,140 
4.825. , 
.14,020 
5.375. 
.16,550 
3.1875. 
. 7,700 
3.125. 
. 7,630 
3.—Cast-steel 
wire rope, 
six strands. 
Measured 
Number 
Breaking 
circumference of 
of wires 
load In 
rope in inches. 
in strand. 
pounds. 
1.062 . 
.... 6. 
. 6,285 
1.375 . 
....19. 
.11,850 
1.563 . 
....19. 
.12,590 
1.595 . 
....19. 
.19,500 
1.780 . 
....19. 
.19,150 
1.938 . 
....19. 
.21,510 
L. A. CLINTON. 
Bogus Pictures. —During the Dewey 
celebration in New York the following 
sign was noticed in front of a photo¬ 
graphic gallery: 
HAVE YOUR PICTURE TAKEN; SHAKING HANDS 
WITH ADMIRAL DEWEY— 12 FOR 25. 
Those who went in found a small, 
slender man “made up” with gray wig 
and mustache to resemble Admiral 
Dewey. This citizen was ready to shake 
your hand while the picture was being 
taken. It may seem strange, but a 
goodly number had such pictures taken 
to show “the folks” at home. 
44 Evil Dispositions 
Are Early Shown. 
Just so evil in the blood comes out in 
shape of scrofula, pimples, etc., in 
children and young people. ‘Taken in 
time it can be eradicated by using Hood's 
Sarsaparilla, (America's Greatest Medi¬ 
cine. It vitalizes and enriches the blood. 
tt 
Never Disappoints 
9 CORDS IN 10 HOURS 
SAWS DOWS 
HIKES. 
BY ONI MAN, with the FOLDING SAWING BACHINB. It saw* 
down trees. Folds like a pocketknife. Saws any kind of 
timber on any kind of ground. One man can saw HORB 
timber with ft than 2 men in any other way, and do it 
BA 8 IIR. 163,000 in use. Send for FKKK illustrated cata¬ 
logue showing latest IJ1PHOVK1IKST8 and testimonials 
from thousands. First order secures agency. Address 
FOLDING SAWING MACHINE CO., 
65-57-69 No. Jefferson St., H-26, Chicago, IiL 
Eureka Harness Oil Is the best 
preservative of new leather 
and the best renovator of old 
leather. It oils, softens, black¬ 
ens and protects. Use 
Eureka 
Harness Oil 
on your best harness, your old har¬ 
ness, and your carriage top, and they 
will not only look better but wear 
longer. Sold everywhere in cans—all 
•izes from half pints to five gallons. 
Made by STANDARD OIL CO. 
FRAZER 
t AXLE GREASE 
BEST IN 
THE WORLD. 
: 
A Its wearing qualities are unsurpassed, ac- 
A tually outlasting 3 boxes of any other brand. ^ 
J Not affected by heat. B3f~ Get the Genuine. Y 
♦ ♦♦♦ FOR SALE BY ALL DEALERS. +♦♦♦ 
Largest manufacturers of 
Steel Wagon Wheels and 
Handy Truck Wagons in 
America. Guaranteed su¬ 
perior to any other make 
WRITS us 
Metal Wheel Go. 
HAVANA. ILLINOIS 
t .Before Buying a Mew 
Harness 
S«ud 5 ct.. In .tamps to pay pontage on descriptive cat¬ 
alogue 100 styles or single and double oak-tann*d 
Leather Harness to select from. Sold direct to th« 
conaumer at wholesale price. W® can save you njoaaF" 
KING HARNESS COMPANY. Mfrs.* 
212 Church St., Owego, N. Y. 
Sharpen your own Horse. 
THE BLIZZARD 
the greatest of all 
HORSEICECALKS 
Agents Wanted. Address, 
S.W. KENT,Cazenovia,N.Y. 
ANTI-TRUST PRICES 
Boad Carta S8.35, Boad Wagons $20 50. Top 
BuggieaS29.75,Phaeton8S40.5O,Surreya*47 50. 
Spring WagonB $30 50. Harness $3 75. Saddles 
$2 25, Bicycles $ I 6 45, Cutters $ | 3 95. Sewing 
Machines $ I 2.60. Stoves $3-75. Direct From 
Factory to User. EVERYTHING GUABANTEED. 
SEND FOB OUB CATALOGUE. ITS FBEE. 
Consumers Carriage & Mfg. Co. 
269-271 S. Desplaines St., CHICAGO, ILL. 
A Poultry Proverb : 
Cold Hens Never Lay 
Poultry-Houses that are lined with 
Cabot’s Sheathing 
PAinnuu 
are wind and frost-proof. A scientific 
insulator, ten times as warm as rosin 
paper, and costs only about one cent 
a foot. Indestructible by decay or 
vermin, and antiseptic. Incompar¬ 
ably the warmest sheathing made. 
Send for Samples and Circulars. 
SAMUEL CABOT,81 Kilby St.,Boston, Mass 
WEIGHT 
30 A LBS. 
^ TOOLS 
IN ONE. 
ivil. 
ind 
hardy. Great 
DRILLS 
UP TOi 
rzm — * ■■ money - sav¬ 
er. For $3.50 we will send this outfit and liberal terms to acenta. 
Mention thiB paper. Yonr money back if yon are notsatlsfied. 
BLOOMFIELD MFC. CO. Box 22, Bloomtield,Ind. 
I "••F-r-U V L. LJ \ 
Dietz Tubular Square Lamp | 
is most desirable for sheds and porches, also for barns, stables, 
outbuildings, etc., where “no smoking” is desired. This is an 
extra fine Lamp, made in three sizes, has no chimney, and no 
complication to make trouble of any sort. It has an improved 
burner and outside wick regulator; gives a very brilliant light, 
that the strongest wind cannot quench—and, in general, it gives 
universal satisfaction. If you cannot procure this Lamp of your 
dealer, we will deliver the medium size, No. 2, freight prepaid, 
to any point in the United States or Canada upon receipt of its 
price, viz., $6.00. 
The Catalogue, which we mailfree, will give you an idea of the extent 
of our title of Lamps and Lanterns. 
Established In 1840. R. E. DIETZ COMPANY, 87 Laighi Street, New York. 
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