38 
January 15 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
LOOKING BACKWARD, POTATO-WISE. 
We have no reason to value The R. 
N.-Y. Trench system to-day less than at 
the end of the first season that the 
method suggested itself to the writer. 
This was in the year 1883, or thereabouts. 
We are addressing ourselves now to our 
more recent readers. Our old friends, it 
is assumed, know all about it. 
In our earliest potato experiments, 
carried on in a small garden plot back 
of our home, we often wondered why it 
was that some hills yielded few potatoes, 
others fairly well, while others yielded 
enormously. Was this owing to differ¬ 
ences in the soil ? This did not seem 
reasonable, because hills close together 
would show this notable difference. It 
certainly was not owing to manure or 
culture, because the entire plot was 
manured and cultivated just the same. 
It would seem that the difference in 
yield must be due to the preparation of 
the soil. Would it be possible, we asked 
ourselves, so to fit it as materially to in¬ 
crease the entire yield and to insure the 
different hills yielding more nearly the 
same ? 
What would be the best depth to plant 
the seed pieces, and should they be single 
eyes, several eyes, small potatoes or large 
potatoes ? Would it be desirable to 
place the manure or fertilizer under or 
over, and what quantity of either or 
both, and how much of it, could be profit¬ 
ably used ? Would it be better to firm 
the soil, after preparation, or would it 
be better to leave it as friable as pos¬ 
sible ? The central question was this : 
llow can we increase the yield of pota¬ 
toes without proportionately increasing 
the cost of production ? 
The Trench system was the first that 
suggested itself as being likely to solve 
this problem. The soil of our garden 
plot was fitted much the same as any one 
would prepare ground for potato plant¬ 
ing. Then trenches were dug about 
eight inches deep and a foot wide, and 
afterwards several inches of soil raked 
back. Upon this, the seed-pieces were 
placed (a foot apart), ranging in size 
from one-eye pieces to whole potatoes. 
These pieces were then barely covered 
witli soil, and the fertilizer strewn all 
the way from at the rate of 200 to 2,000 
pounds to the acre, and then the trenches 
were filled level with the adjacent soil. 
Of course, the different experiments as 
to the size of the seed, as to the best 
depth to plant, as to the amount of fer¬ 
tilizer, were not all carried on during 
the first season; one or the other or 
several of them were taken up separately, 
year after year. 
We have been taught by these experi¬ 
ments that no one may say at just what 
depth potatoes should be planted ; that 
no one may say what the size of the seed 
should be ; that no one may say just how 
much or what kinds of fertilizer he 
should use, and this because the seasons 
vary. But this one thing we have 
learned, viz., that, let the season be what 
it may, let the soil be what it may, the 
Trench system is helpful in the way of 
securing a larger product. 
On this garden plot, we have raised in 
certain trenches as high as at the rate 
of 1,800 bushels to the acre. In the con¬ 
test between The R. N.-Y. and the Farm 
Journal, made in 1888—an extremely un¬ 
favorable season—the R. N.-Y. No. 2 
yielded at the rate of 1,076 bushels to 
the acre, and this yield was sworn to 
by a committee of five well-known agri¬ 
culturists who saw the potatoes dug and 
weighed. 
In The R. N.-Y.’s Women’s National 
Contest, inaugurated in 1888 (there were 
over 1,000 competitors), nearly all of the 
prizes ($1,000 in all) were awarded to 
those who adopted the Trench system, 
the highest yield being 1,061% bushels 
to the acre, the area, being one-twentieth 
of an acre. 
Contemporaneously with the Women’s 
Contest, though announced afterwards, 
another was conducted by the owners of 
the American Agriculturist, supported 
by a number of enterprising men. The 
prescribed area was one acre. The first 
prize, $1,100, was awarded to Mr. C. B. 
Coy, of Presque Isle, Maine. This crop 
was raised in strict accordance with Tiie 
R. N.-Y. Trench system, and amounted 
to 738 bushels. 
On a level field of impoverished soil, 
we carried on through five seasons, an 
experiment to ascertain how much high- 
grade potato fertilizer could be profitably 
used. Here is an average of the results: 
Bushels. 
Natural soil, without fertilizer, per aere.... 146.66 
220 pounds yielded.156 
440 pounds yielded.187 
880 pounds yielded.229.16 
1760 pounds yielded.313 
The following will show the total aver- 
(i Continued on next page.) 
Hood’s Sarsaparilla 
Absolutely cures scrofula, 
Salt rheum, 
Dyspepsia, rheumatism, 
Catarrh and all diseases 
Originating in or promoted 
By impure blood. It is 
The great nerve tonic, 
Stomach regulator and 
Strength builder. 
B erry Boxes 
Best Whitewood, 
@ $3. 5 o looo. rpjJSr 
Send for New Catalogue, FREE. 
Peach and Grape Baskets. 
Melon Baskets. 
1 Oc. for Detail Drawing of a new Berry Crate. No 
hinges; no division slats. T. C. Kevitt, Atlienia, N.J. 
«■% POTATO SUPERIORITY 
fouiulTn Olds’ seed Catalogue 
All the Ktandard varieties and the best, new ones, such as 
•'Sj^jftVlgorohn, Hovee, .Sir Waller Raleigh, Early Mich., 
| Acme, Carman’s 1 and it, Smooth stock, pure seed, 
1 low prices. Also all kinds of Choice Field and Harden 
See<1s. Send I I A| HQ Drawer G, 
_forcataiogue.LiL«ULUO) Clinton, Wl8» 
Q . - J For the finest, largest Loui- 
OCvtl rCwdllhsiana pecans for planting, 
address S. H. JAMES, Mound, La. 
O-.-. J Medium Bed, $3 60 per 
UlOVcf O660 bu ; Mammoth, $3 75. 
w w www carefully recleaned. 
Sacks free. Sample of either for 2-cent stamp, liovee 
Potatoes; $2 per bu., 2nd size. $1 60; other varieties, 
$1 per bu. J. M. FLUKE, Nankin, c hlo. 
Clover and Timothy Seed £ „ f n 
PAUL S. STEAUN8, Prairie City, Ill. 
“Mortgage Lifter” 
Mr. Frank Jobes developed this heaviest, best yield¬ 
ing and most profitable variety of Oats. Named it 
“Mortgage Lifter” because it would seem impossible 
for a mortgage to stay on the farm where it is grown. 
'Not many for sale—a trial bushel, $ 1.25 ; jo bushels, 
$ 7 . 50 . Order early to secure some—at least write me 
about them. 
FRANK P. JOBES, Honeoye Falls. N. Y. 
Specialties at Baird’s Nursery. 
Peach trees by the 1,000 or car load, Japan Plums 
and Erie Blackberry plants from root cuttings. If 
you want to buy, our prices will interest you. 
D. BAIRD & SON, Baird, Monmouth Co., N. J. 
STANDARD VALUE 
Counts for more in the selection of fruit 
trees than almost any other place. Why ? 
Because fruit trees are bought on faith. We 
have the standard kind of all the leading 
varieties.Fruit Tree**,Berry Plant*, 
Everirreeiiis etc., etc. Strong, healthy 
.trees free from Black Knot, Yellows, 
Blight, Scale, etc., etc. Do not place your 
spring order until you get our catalogue 
and prices. Sent free; write to-day. 
J.W. MILLER CO.Box 268,Freeport,III. 
MUNGER 
I w | 200 acres in plants. 
THE NEW RASPBERRY 
for “FANCY MARKET.” 
Money in it. Catalogue free. 
>V. N. SCAHKF, New Carlisle, Ohio 
STRAWBERRY PLANTS"* CT Kc£5 
CLYDE, GLEN MARY, WM. BELT and BIS¬ 
MARCK. Catalogue free. 
ENOS W. DUNHAM, Stevensville, Mich. 
IF YOU WANT STRAWBERRY 
WILL ( 
crkin vaiid ti Aur ft 
PLANTS 
GROW 
SEND YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS 
to W. FALLEN JB 
SALISBURY. MD. 
’ AND HE WILL SEND YOU HIS 
32 PAGE STRAWBERRY CATALOGUE 
"CONTAINING 17 LARGE NEW STRAWBERRY 
ILLUSTRATIONS.FREE - ALSO SAMPLE COPY 
of the STRAWBERRY CULTURIST 
AND SMALL FRUIT GROWER » SEND NOW.IT WILL PAY YOU. 
FLOWER 
NOVELTIES 
And $200 thrown in 
For a Name 
In FS9 we shall introduce two new vegetables, 
A New Tomato and a New Beet, f. 
We want names worthy of each anti will pay ^ 
for them. To those who wish to test them In lb98 
we will send our 
Banner Prize Col lection of Seeds 
It Includes one packet of seed of each of the above 
and one packet each or New Shirley PoppleH, 
Coaino* “Hawn” and the New Japanese 
MornIna Glory All sent for 4 Ha 
I ncluding our ’98 MANUAL I 
Johnson & Stokes, 
Dept 44 217-219 Market St, 
PHILADELPHIA. 
The Finest 
Garden 
in the neighborhood this year, 
will be yours—if you plant 
My new Seed and Plant Book for ’93 contains 
everything good, old or new. Hundreds of ; 
illustrations. 4 colored plates. Full of business 
cover to cover. Mailed free .to all who mention 
where they saw this advertisement. Address 
WM. IIKMtV MATLE, 1711 filbert St., Phllndelphln, Pa. 3 
iSSTREES 
BOO varieties. Also GrupetsSmnllI riiltisete^TeKt root¬ 
ed stock. Genuine, cheap. 2 sample currants mailed for 
U)c Peso, price list free. LEWIS KOKSCIL, Eredonln. S. L, 
PEACH 
TREKS, 3c. Allkindsof stock cheap. 
Reliance Nursery, Box 10, Geneva,N.Y. 
PEACH TREES 
75 Varieties in Stock. 
Largest stock of Peach Trees in the 
country. Descriptive Catalogue FREE 
JOS. H. BLACK, SON & CO., 
Village liesr series, HIO HTSTO WN, N. J. 
HARRISON’S 
BERLIN, SID., 
have one and a half million 
PEACH TREES 
grown from natural seed. Send for prices. 
The best 
seeds grown are 
PFerry’s. The best ’ 
seeds sown are Ferry’s. 
■ The best seeds known are I 
"Ferry’s. It pays to plant' 
FERRY’S 
Famous Seeds 
Ask the dealer for them. Send for 
FERRY’S SEED ANNUAL 
and getall that’s good and( 
new—the latest and 
fnX a the best. | 
D - M - FERRY & CO.,] 
Detroit, Mich. 
from carefully selected 
cabbage, onion, carrot, 
beet, &c., and yet at as low 
prices as seed raised from trash. 
Try the Surprise Pea , warranted * 
to be the very earliest of all the 
wrinkled sorts. Try the Enormous 
potato (604 bus. per measured acre) 
the best of all the early beets, the new 
cabbage, cucumber, lettuce,etc. To have 
the best garden you will need our cata¬ 
logue, It contains the best varieties of vege- 
table seed, many of them of our own raising. 
The Flower Seed page is of particular inter- | 
est to wife and daughter. It is Free. 
JAMES J. II. GREGORY A- SON, 
Estahliiihed 4:< year*. Murbluhead, Mass. I 
Seeds! Seeds! 
74th Annual Priced Catalogue of 
VEGETABLE, FARM AND FLOWER SEEDS, 
is now ready and mailed FREE to all applicants. 
BRIDGEMAN’S SEED WAREHOUSE, 
37 East 19th Street, New York City. 
mnke a beautiful ami at¬ 
tractive home. None are 
■more easily grown or more 
beautiful in their effulgence of bloom, than our 8ur- 
prlhp Collection of XnhttirtluinH. It contains twenty 
i of the handsomest and newest varieties; thousands 
| sold last year. Pkt.,30seeds,5c;75seeds, 10c; oz. 20c. 
Bent Vegetable and Farm Seeds, and anything that 
anybody wants in the seed line of tested and stand¬ 
ard varieties. Our selection: 7 pkts. Choice Flower Seeds, or 7 
pks.Selected Sweet Peas, or 7 pks. Choice Vegetable Seeds, for 10c. All three 
collections for 25c. Our handsome catalogue free with each order. 
PAGE SEED CO.. Box F.Qrecne. Chenaneo Co.. New York 
W/ra DAV FDF’ir’HT ls on| y one OJ aiarK '■* uiaiiengi 
TY v5 I f\ I I lit lUN I full 12 plainly show WHY Stark Bro’s grow and 
sell the most trees. Then, we will not cut quality no matter how LOW our price 
If interested in trees or fruits drop postal for CT 1 ni/ 17 T> ITI TP RAfi U 
new edition; finest, most complete yet issued D I T I\ LJ 1 I DUvIV 
sent free. STARK BROS, Louisiana, Mo. Stark, Mo. Rockport, III. Dansville, N.Y. 
50,000 Peach Trees 
FREE FROM DISEASE, for Fall and Spring. 
Crawford Early, Crawford Late, Stump, 
Triumph, Chair’s Choice, Smock, Mt. Rose, 
Oldmlxon Free, Greensboro, Crosby, Hill’s 
Chili, Elberta, Sneed, Alexander, Champion, Globe, Beer’s Smock, Salway, Troth’s Early, Wheatland 
and lots of others. CHEAP. Catalogue Free. ARTHUR J. COLLINS, Moorestown, N. J. 
DWYER’S 1898 CATALOGUE 
of FRUIT TREKS, PLANTS, VINKS and ORNAMENTAL STOCK. 
Standard Varieties and Novelties. Prices low. Stock llrst-class, 
mailed free. T. ,J. DWYER & SON, 
Orange County Nurseries. Cornwall, N. Y. 
PROSPERITY-1898 
These two seem to have become connected in the 
public mind. “Better times in ’98,” tire what all 
hope for. With better times come increased demand 
and better prices. Prices of trees were never lower, 
and now is the time to buy, for the prices have “struck bottom.” If you are thinking of planting 
trees of any kind, and want the best, let us tell you about ourtrees. Our prices are not the “ lowest 
on earth”, but if you want honest trees at honest prices, drop us a line. No cut prices, fair to one, 
fair to all. ROGERS NURSERIES, Dansville, New York. 
ARE RELIABLE. 
Everything grown in Reid’s Nurseries ls 
healthy, well-rooted and true to name. Every effort: 
made to save expense to customers. We sell direct and ship 
direct, saving fifty per cent, on Trees, Shrubs, Vines. Write for cata¬ 
logue, estimates or suggestions. Try Star Strawberry, Eldorado 
Blackberry. REID’S NURSERIES, Bridgeport. Ohio? 
TREES-SHRUBS-ROSES 
The largest and most complete collections In America, including all desirable 
novelties. General Catalogue (168 pages) free. Every intending buyer should have 
it. “An indispensable catalogue•”—Country Gentleman. 
ELLWANCER Sc BARRY, Mount Hope Nurseries, Rochester, N.Y. 
SEEDS, ROSES, PLANTS, Etc. 
I advertise themselves. Tlie best always 
1 cheapest. Can supply all your wants from 
Flower and Vegetable Seeds to Street 
I Trees at low rates. Try us, can refer you 
' to customers in every state and territory in the 
Union. Forty-three years of square dealing has made us patrons and friends far and near. Have 
hundreds of carloads of 
FRUIT AND ORNAMENTAL TREES, SHRUBS, ROSES, PLANTS. 
We send by mail postpaid Seeds, Bulbs, Roses, Plants, Small Trees, Etc. Safe 
arrival and satisfaction guaranteed; larger by express or freight. OUR- CATALOGUE, an ele¬ 
gant book, magazine size, profusely illustrated tells it all, FREE. Send for it today and see what 
values we give for a little money. 44 th year. 32 greenhouses. 1000 acres. 
THE STORRS & HARRISON CO., Box 187, Painesville, O. 
