238 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
the other feeds without the oil meal did well, too, and 
especially if quite a portion of bran and oats was used, 
so that, while the meal seemed to agree with all 
things, its benefits were not apparent to the eye ; or 
if. as in some eases, there was an apparent benefit, it 
did not justify the expense. At length, we came to 
the united conclusion, that oil meal was not necessary 
to the health of our animals, and that it cost more 
than it was worth as feed or an appetizer, and none is 
now used here that 1 know of. My own personal ex¬ 
perience corresponds with the ‘ Ruling of the Court ’, 
and to detail it would be to repeat.” — 
Do you use yard manures? No, for I have none. 
If you had, would you broadcast your grass field ? 
No, it kills out so much of the stand, and makes the 
grass coarse and light weight. The only place to use 
yard manures upon a grass field is when it is taken 
up for reseeding. 
April 2 
THE USE OF UME IN SEEDING. 
HOW, WI1KN AND WHERE TO U 8 E IT. 
Mr. O. H. Smith, of Cattaraugus County, N. Y., like 
many other dairy farmers, has had trouble in seeding 
to Timothy and clover. The soil seemed in fair con- 
a 
many views 
some, I have 
"INTENSE CULTIVATION” OF GRASS. 
A BOILED-DOWN EDITION OF MB. CLARK’S METHOD. 
[Extracts from a lecture given before the Milford Grange, 
October 26, 1897, upon Grass Culture, by George M. Clark.] 
I here are many theories and no theories about grass 
culture. The range covers plowing deep, shallow and 
but little, if any; harrowing with disks, springs, 
spikes, and not at all ; and as to leveling, that is 
seldom heard of. (Irass is sown with all sorts of com¬ 
pounds, and left to grow up through bowlders, yard 
manure, clumps of weeds, old hay, bogs of turf, etc., 
together with all kinds of grain, and it is seldom con¬ 
sidered that the only English grass grown upon 
newly-sown field comes up with the first sowing. 
We might liken the grass field unto the human 
family. If they are to have a long and successful life, 
they must be kept clean ; we must be thorough in 
this, the cleaner the better. There are 
concerning grass culture; you have 
others. 
I would prefer moist land, as that is the best for 
grass. I will deal with a plain field covered with stiff 
turf, and commence the work July 1. I would take 
a pair of 1,000 to 1,200-pound horses, a 24-inch-bladed 
revolving disk plow, a six-foot-bladed disk harrow, a 
Cutaway smoothing harrow and a grass hoe or under- 
ground rake. In July. I would plow it four times and 
harrow it four times. In August, I would plow it 
twice, harrow it eight times, level it four times, and 
use the grass hoe one day with one horse. September 
1, after cultivating two months, I would sow it to rye 
or Crimson clover, and April 20. with the revolving 
plow and disk harrow, most thoroughly mix the rye 
or clover with the surface, and then sow oats with 
200 pounds of oat fertilizer. July 1, or when the oats 
are in the milk, I would cut them for hay ; the fer¬ 
tilizer ought to make a large crop. Then commence 
again with the revolving plow, bladed harrow and 
smoother, and go over it three times each week until 
September 1, and with the grass hoe wherever neces- 
saiy. I would thus make the land clean, true, and in 
perfect condition, at which time I would sow 1(5 quarts 
How long should a field run before reseeding ? From flition ’ yet, somehow, the little plants would not live, 
five to seven years. 
( an grass be cultivated for a long period upon the 
same field ? \ es, indefinitely. Sixty days’ time is 
ample to tear up and destroy all vegetation upon a well 
cultivated field, and that can be done between June 
and September. The last field which I tried in that 
way yielded over six tons upon its best acre in one 
crop 10 months after it was sown. 
How many times would you stir the soil in culti¬ 
vating an acre as you have described? The plow 
disks would enter the ground six to eight inches, and 
pass through each inch of its surface four times. The 
harrow disks from four to six inches deep, and pass 
through each inch at least 10 times, and the smooth¬ 
ing harrow teeth 16 times through each inch, so that 
every inch of land will, during the process which I 
have described, have at least 30 sharp blades pass 
through it. 
Do you think it pays ? I know that it will double 
the crop. 
Have you ever figured to know about the cost of bushel of oats, three-fourths bushel of barley, one-half 
this intense cultivation? Yes, and I will now give bushel of Canada peas, and seeded with 12 quarts of 
you the results of the acre which I have previously Timothy and clover seed, half and half, to the acre, 
describedj: _ ‘ The grain was a good crop, but the main thing I was 
after was the clover, and I have it. 
Mt. Smith became interested in reading the articles 
on lime which 1 he R. N.-Y. printed a few years ago. 
He studied the bulletins of the Rhode Island Experi¬ 
ment Station, and now gives the results of his experi¬ 
ments. 
I have found the remedy in common stone lime— 
the same as masons use in buildings. It is slaked, 
either by water or air, and thoroughly cultivated into 
the soil. An acid has developed in our soil that is 
detrimental to plant growth, especially to Timothy 
and clover. Lime sweetens the soil.” 
“ When did you begin to use lime ? ” 
“ In 189f b 1 purchased a car-load of air-slaked refuse 
lime ; the makers have now given it a better name, 
and call it agricultural lime. I paid $3.63 per ton 
delivered at the railroad station. I had the ground 
plowed, hauled lime directly from the car to the field, 
spread it from the wagon broadcast, as nearly two 
tons to the acre as possible, and harrowed and culti¬ 
vated it into the soil very thoroughly. I sowed one 
FiK8T Season, from July 1 to September 1. 
Plowing eight times, 16 hours at 30 cts. per hour. *4 80 
Harrowing 12 times iy t day. ” 4 ">0 
Smoothing harrow, four times, one-half day . i 'kn 
Grass hoe, one day. * o'oo 
Sowing and harrowing in rye.. ’!. 
1*4 bushel rye..." "fT" ""f I"” i 30 
Second Season, Spring. 
Plowing four times. *3 ort 
Harrowing six times.. 3 00 
Sowing and harrowing with smoother.... i’tn 
Three bushels oats. . , 
200 pounds oat fertilizer and sowing'.'.’. PL, 
Gathering oats.' ..g ^ 
Total expense. 
Oat hay to oifset, 2‘/ 2 tons at *16 per ton 
.*36.00 
...37.50 
.*1.50 
Profit first year. 
Second Season, from July 1 to September 1. 
Plow eight times, 16 hours, at 30 cents. *4 so 
Harrow 16 times, 20 hours. . 
Smoothing harrow eight times, eight hours!!.’. 9 40 
One bushel grass seed. o’n,, 
600 pounds grass fertilizer. .i*) m 
sowing. ;;;;;;; . 
One day team seeding.! . ....... 3 op 
Spring, 400 pounds oat fertilizer and sowing in 
Gathering crop. .... ...... 6 0() 
Second crop, 200 pounds oat fertilizer and sowing 5 50 
Cutting crop. 6.00 
Total expense. *58~95 
Hay to offset, 554 tons at *15 per ton. 82.50 
Profit second season. $03 gg 
Thus you will see that, at the end of the second sea- 
s ° n > we have made a profit of $25.05. We will now 
of recleaned Red-top and 16 quarts of Timothy, also ^ ive tbe result of one more year, as each year here- 
600 pounds of fertilizer, and in the Spring, I would after wiU be the same ' 
add 400 pounds more. July 1, I would cut four or more 
tons of hay, and then add 200 pounds more of fer¬ 
tilizer. September 20, I would cut IX ton more hay. 
This is the story in a nutshell. 
One may ask, What becomes of the sod or turf with 
your method of plowing? Each one of the sharp 
blades of the disks enters the sod, cuts and twists out 
a piece, and by going over it a few times, it is cut 
and mixed with the surface soil. In fact, it seems to 
melt away and soon becomes plant food. 
One asks, Why-not use the common plow? There 
aie many reasons why not. It makes a plow crust, 
turns the sod in a hard roll beyond the reach of other 
machines, cuts off the subsoil water and causes pre¬ 
mature drought; in fact, stirs the earth too slowly 
for this generation. 
Why go over the field so many times ? Each time 
over changes the surface soil to the depth of six or 
more inches, and lets in more sunshine and air. 
Why not sow grass seed the first Fall ? An old field 
would not be properly aerated in so short a time. 
Why not commence in the Spring ? The land is too 
wet, weather cold, and usually some crop can be saved 
by July. 
Is the grass coarse when large 
No, it is exactly the reverse. 
What height of grass is required to make one ton 
upon an acre? If a good stand, in other words if it 
is as thick as it can stand, every six inches in height 
will produce a ton. 
Do you have any- trouble with such heavy grass 
lodging ? If a perfect stand, no. It can only crinkle 
a little at most. 
Can fertilizers be compounded to make grass stand 
stronger ? Yes, when the grass is weak, more potash 
is required. 
How late in the growth of the crop can fertilizers 
be used ? They should be used before the grass is six 
inches high,, but can be used with profit until the 
grass is one-foot or even two feet high. 
Has the weather any effect upon the use of fertilizers? 
Yes, all fertilizers containing nitrogen should be used, 
if possible, just before a rain. 
In the Rail, we will use 400 pounds grass fertilizer_*8.00 
Spring, 400 pounds oat fertilizer. in 00 
Sowing same. . , YJ. 
cutting erst crop.!!!!"!!!!!!!!!!.6 00 
Second crop, 200 pounds oat fertilizer arid so wing!.’!!! 5 ’an 
Cutting and securing crop. g qq 
Total cost. 
.*36.50 
Offset, 5(4 tons hay at *15 per ton. 82 50 
Net profit..*46.00 
These figures show an annual net profit of $46 per 
year, which is less than 1 have found, in fact, for many 
years. 
To Review the First Two Years. 
.*52.45 
Home labor. 
Fertilizers. 32 00 
Grass and grain seed. ..!..!!.!..!!!.!!....!!!! 4 75 
..'.!!!! 5!75 
Use of tools. 
Total cost..*94,75 
Offset, total eight tons of hay at *15.....120 00 
Total first two years. 
More than one-half of this is for home labor. 
„ The Third Year’s Crop. 
Home labor. 
Fertilizers. 
*25.05 
.*13.50 
. 23.00 
off If^ e ( Xpen f.i-.*36.50 
Offset, 5*4 tons hay at *lo. 82.50 
Profit. 
•146.00 
crops are grown ? 
Results OF My Two Crops OF 1897. 
First crop.155,409 pounds. 
Second crop. 53,020 pounds. 
^' ot a l.208,429 pounds. 
1 he fertilizers and labor of spreading them cost 
$575.87, or $5.50 per ton, for well-dried hay in the barn. 
The value of the total crop, when figured at $13 per 
ton, would be $L,355.11, and would give a net profit of 
$779.24; an average of over $48 per acre clean profit 
this year. 
Hubbardston Nonsuch Apple.— The statement of 
E. Hicks, on page 165, in reply to M. R., regardingthe 
Hubbardston Nonsucl> apple, is misleading—granting 
that the Hubbardston and American Blush are the 
same. In this latitude, at least, we never pick the 
American Blush until October 1 or later, generally 
after the King. The American Blush, or Hubbards¬ 
ton. is regarded here as a valuable Winter market 
variety, coming very early into bearing, and a very 
heavy bearer. For “good appearance, quality and 
productiveness,” M. R. could make no mistake in 
selecting this variety. . ffi A B 
Seneca County, N. Y. 
thing 1 was 
1 cut and secured 
more cattle food on six acres last season than in any 
five years since we have owned the farm—28 years. 
Another very marked and striking difference is that, 
where the lime was evenly put on and plenty of it, no 
son el was to be seen. On the other hand, where the 
lime was unevenly spread, the sorrel is quite visible.” 
“ Have you tried other kinds of lime ? ” 
“ Last year, I purchased another car-load of 16 tons 
in bulk, unslaked, which cost $4 per ton delivered. I 
slaked it myself, and applied to 10 acres, all plowed 
the previous Fall. Nearly all of the land to which 
this lime was applied, in previous years had failed for 
a meadow ; a part of it had been seeded four different 
seasons, and was a total failure; the grain, also, 
has been thin and light. The grain and grass seed 
were sown as the previous year. The grain was good, 
the stand for a meadow good last Fall, and wentHnto 
Winter looking very promising. This Spring, the 
little clover plants are showing nicely. I sowed a 
piece of rye last September ; about one-half of the 
piece was limed last Spring. As it now stands, the 
rye shows more than two to one where the lime was 
applied.” 
“ What kind of lime would you buy ?” 
“I would buy the unslaked every time. We have 
come to know that, in every loo pounds of slaked 
lime, either air or water-slaked, from 20 to 35 pounds 
of water are absorbed or contained in the lime. I put 
a sample of air-slaked lime that had stood covered in 
a barrel for four months into the stove oven, thor- 
oughly diied it, and found it contained enough water 
to make 20 pounds to 100 pounds of lime. I slaked 
with water some unslaked lime, set it in the cellar 
five days, and it contained water enough to make over 
40 pounds to 100 pounds of lime. I see that, when I 
bought the car-load of refuse lime that is air-slaked, 
which the dealer calls agricultural lime, I bought, at 
least, 400 pounds of water in each ton. Farmers 
should not buy water and pay freight on it; if we do, 
the refuse lime should come very cheap.” 
“ How do you know when your soil needs lime?” 
“ 1 test Jt with blue litmus paper, which can be had 
at drug stores. Fill a small bowl one-half full of soil 
from different places in the field, add enough water 
to make a stiff paste, and let it stand 15 minutes 
Don’t handle the paper, when wet, with the fingers. 
With a tablefork, push a strip of litmus paper, 1x3 
inches, into the soil, and let stand four minutes ; then 
with the fork, take it out, rinse off the mud from the 
paper, and dry it. If after drying, the paper stay red, 
there is evidence that the soil needs lime, the redder 
the paper, the more lime the soil needs. If the paper 
on becoming dry turn back quite blue, then the soil 
does not need lime.” 
“ When would you use the lime ? ” 
Prof. Flagg, of the Rhode Island Experiment 
Station, recommends making the application in the 
Fall, for the coming crop. He also has the opinion 
that liming every five to seven years would be desir¬ 
able, and says that the benefit usually derived from 
wood ashes is not due solely to the potash which they 
contain, but in a large degree, to the lime they con¬ 
tain. He also says that there is no doubt that, by 
using lime where the land has not become sour acid, 
it would be a detriment; so we see how 
that we know how to test our soils.” 
“ What is the best way you have found to put on 
the lime ? ” 
“ I have used it in various ways and I believe that 
important 
