1898 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
563 
How to Use a Weeder. 
(CONTINUED.) 
addition, I set cabbages and tomatoes. 
No hoe or finger work has been applied 
except at one end where the soil was 
moist, and I did not put pressure enough 
on the weeder to break up the soil. With 
my new machine, I can put the pressure 
on with my feet. I even stand on the 
head when I come in contact with a 
patch of Witch grass, or when I prepare 
my garden for planting. The crops 
mentioned above are all growing finely, 
and appear as though they had enjoyed 
the clatter of the weeder fingers among 
the stones, and the brushing of them 
against their leaves. The crops are too 
far advanced now to run the weeder ex¬ 
cept between the rows, and not then 
even to kill weeds, for there are none. 
The weeder should be run early cross¬ 
wise or diagonally across the rows of all 
crops where depressions are left in the 
rows in planting, in order to level the 
soil where the plant is to stand when 
growing. The fingers will then stir the 
surface there, and keep the soil light in 
the hills, and if run often enough no 
weed can grow. The only objection to 
going crosswise is the treading down of 
the plants by the horse. 
Witch grass needs different treatment 
from any other weed. After the ground 
is thoroughly harrowed, the weeder 
should be run crosswise to the harrow¬ 
ing, pressing the fingers well into the 
soil. This process will take out the sur¬ 
face Witch grass roots ; these should be 
carted off. The crops will get well up 
before the deeper roots send up their 
spires of grass. The after running of 
the weeder and always in the same direc¬ 
tion, will push these spires down and 
cover them, or partially do it, so that 
the grass gets discouraged, and the crop 
gets ahead and monopolizes the fertilizer 
and the soil. Did any of your readers 
ever mistrust that the hot rays of the 
sun are a factor in the blight of the pota¬ 
to crop or vine ? z. breed. 
North Weare, N. II. 
THE BEST POTATO SEED. 
THINNING AND I.ATE PLANTING. 
We have been interested this year in a 
comparison of second-size seed of early 
potatoes with large tubers cut to two- 
eye pieces. The advantage has been de¬ 
cidedly in favor of the large tubers. 
Late potatoes where the second-size seed 
was planted appear likely to give better 
results, but most experience goes to 
show that the small seed is not profitable 
for early varieties. Mr. Alva Agee, of 
Ohio, sends us the following note regard¬ 
ing this matter : 
There have been no exact experiments here, 
but some thinning in Held culture was done by 
one grower and believed by him to be profitable. 
I use almost exclusively large potatoes, cut to 
proper size, and have had less reason for thin¬ 
ning. Smaller potatoes were used in one field 
last Spring, and I thinned a few rows through 
the field as a test. The vines in the thinned rows 
now ha,ve more vigorous stalks, and I expect to 
find the tubers fewer and larger in the hill, but 
must wait until digging time to determine this 
point exactly. I found the thinning rather slow 
and laborious, but that does not matter if there 
is a profit from the labor. My attention was 
called to this practice last Winter by the experi¬ 
ence of a Lancaster, Pa., farmer who thins 30 or 
40 acres a year. He says that the thinning should 
be done soon after all the plants are above 
ground. 
The secret of success with very early potatoes 
for market is few sets in a hill with vigorous 
vines. If you are wishing to supply a demand 
for very early potatoes, you will do well to try 
the southern second-crop seed. My experience is 
that these little potatoes, planted whole, send up 
usually only one sprout; the sets are correspond¬ 
ingly few, and the potatoes reach marketable 
size very early in the season. In rich soil, for a 
medium late crop, “ seconds ” make satisfactory- 
seed for many growers; the whole seed is safest 
from rot in very early planting, but it is my 
belief that true southern second-crop seed for 
very early, and large potatoes cut to two eyes on 
an average, depending upon variety, for ordinary 
soils, are surest of making a profit for the grower. 
Last week, we talked with Mr. J. W. 
Killen, of Delaware. Mr. Killen, for 
several years past, has followed the plan 
of planting early rows of the first crop. 
For example, he will dig ripe potatoes 
about the middle of July, keep them in 
a dry place in the cellar for a few days, 
then cut them and plant them like ordi¬ 
nary seed, usually obtaining a fair crop 
of tubers when the vines are killed down 
by the frost. Last year, Mr. Killen 
planted potatoes in this way, cutting the 
seed several days before planting, and 
drying it. He did not have seed enough 
to finish the patch, and for the rest went 
to the cellar, cut fresh potatoes, and 
planted at once. The result was that 
the dried seed gave but few weak plants, 
while almost every one of the fresh-cut 
seed came up and yielded well. Mr. 
Killen says that he has quite frequently 
followed the plan of pulling out the extra 
vines or slips where there are too many 
in the hill. He says that he has set 
these out just like sweet potato plants, 
and obtained fair yields from these trans¬ 
planted plants. The second-crop pota¬ 
toes from this method of growing make 
very fine seed for the following crop, 
as they are in first-class condition for 
planting. 
HOPE FARM NOTES. 
The House Flies do not seem so numerous as 
they were last year. We have the doors and win¬ 
dows screened, but they will get into the house. 
We catch them on fly paper, and chase them out 
“ while we are resting,” but on the whole, there 
has been a smaller crop than last year. One rea¬ 
son for this is, I think, a change in the way we 
handle the horse manure at the barn. Last year, 
we used but little bedding, and kept a pile of the 
manure all through the Summer. This year, we 
use planer shavings for bedding, keep the ma¬ 
nure well scattered, and get it out on the land 
every few weeks. The scientists tell us that the 
fly can very rarely be induced to lay eggs on any¬ 
thing but horse and cow manure. When the ma¬ 
nure is spread out, they will not lay eggs on it. 
That is what we have observed, and I also think 
the planer shavings are objectionable to the 
flies. The shavings make the manure so loose 
and open that a few stout-legged hens with 
chickens shake it all apart, and the flies keep 
away from it. The horse manure pile is surely 
the headquarters for flies. 
Clover Seed.—The first Crimson clover seeding 
this year was on July 25, in two patches of sweet 
corn. The seed has started nicely. As most 
readers know, our way of doing it is to scatter 
about a peck of seed per acre through the corn 
and then cultivate with a light cultivator. A 
good plan is to have a piece of plank or joist 
hung behind the cultivator so as to smooth or 
rub down behind the teeth. The ground is so 
moist this season that we feel very sure of a good 
stand of clover, and we shall have all but one of 
the sweet-corn fields covered with it. The excep¬ 
tion is a field of the earliest corn which began to 
ear out before we got our clover seed. As an ex¬ 
periment, we sowed cow peas in a dozen rows of 
this corn at the last cultivation, and the peas 
have made a good growth thus far. The rest of 
this early corn will be cut off and sown to rye. 
Cow Peas and Soy lleans.—One field that in¬ 
terests us greatly is the thin sandy jjlace where 
we had a fair growth of Crimson clover. This 
clover headed out and formed seed. Then we 
broadcasted, in the clover, cow peas and Soy 
beans, and turned all under as well as possible 
with the Cutaway. The result is quite astonish¬ 
ing. The clover has reseeded so heavily that it 
eoversQthe ground already, while the cow peas 
and the beans are nearly a foot high. Thus far, 
the cow peas are very much more satisfactory 
than the Soy beans. They grow faster, and have 
made a better stand. Next year, we intend to 
plow all the clover and peas under for potatoes. 
I would like to have some one put on soil as poor 
as this is 20 loads of good stable manure per acre, 
and try it against our cow peas and clover. The 
more I see of the cow pea, the more I want to 
call it the poor man’s manure. Most poor farmers 
that I know have too much land, and the manure 
and fertilizers they can rake, scrape and buy are 
scattered over too much of an acreage. Most of 
them would do well to sow one-fifth of their culti¬ 
vated land to cow peas every year, and put what 
they can save and buy on the other four-fifths. 
By the time the whole farm had been cow-peaed, 
there would be an improvement in all crops. 
The Bush Fruits were full of grass and weeds 
after picking. The currants were picked first, 
and then we plowed the patch about four inches 
deep—pulling out the weeds between the bushes. 
Then, on July 1(5, we sowed cow peas all over the 
patch, covering with the cultivator. The rasp¬ 
berries and blackberries will be treated the same 
way—the canes, of course, being nipped or cut 
oil. This sowing cow peas among the bush fruits 
is an experiment. It looks reasonable, but I shall 
not advise the practice until I see how it comes 
out. 
Various Crops.—The late-planted peas seemed 
so weak and spindling that we gave them up. 
The ground was worked up with the Cutaway, 
and put into late cabbage. The rape is now 
growiug very fast. Hogs and chickens are very 
fond of it. The sorghum is nearly ready for the 
first cutting. While the stock certainly like it, 
I still think that corn will give us more fodder to 
the acre. The ground under the sweet apple 
trees is covered with fruit for which there Is no 
sale. The children pick up loads of these apples 
and haul them to the hogs and the chickens. We 
eat all the apple sauce we can, and the pen and 
yard folks certainly help us out. If we only had 
those trees fenced in, a drove of hogs would put 
those apples into fruit in quick time. Every hen 
man should make up his mind right now that 
such windfall apples are greatly relished by the 
hens. 
A Hot Sunday.—July 31 was a record breaker 
for heat at Hope Farm. Oh, but it was hot ! I 
might go ahead and tell how the Hope Farm 
folks spent it, but it would only be a tale of little 
clothing, attempts to sleep and a lazy observance 
of the day generally. We let the fire in the stove 
go out early and ate mostly cool food. The chil¬ 
dren kept comfortable, and enjoyed the day as 
they do every day for that matter. Our children 
work well—for little folks—and play well, too. 
I shall try to teach them to be industrious, and 
to use energy in their sports, also. I am an old 
ball player. I am not in the game now, but in my 
younger days, I could pitch all the curves. The 
game never did me any harm that I know of, and 
I shall do my best to make good ball players out 
of the Graft and the Scion. I have my eye on 
that Scion some day as a pitcher, and if the 
Graft only grows tall enough, I’ll have him be¬ 
hind the bat. It's going to be as good as playing 
the game over again to train and advise these 
little folks, and teach them how skill and cour¬ 
age aud self control are needed in sport as well 
as in work. But this is hardly the talk for a “hot 
Sunday !” The Bud wants to play ball, too—but 
she’ll get over that. In the meantime, it will be 
good exercise for her, by and by. 
July Egg Record.—Our hens laid 761 eggs in 
July, which averaged for the month 1 % cent each. 
Eggs are now worth 25 cents a dozen. The July 
eggs cost $4.64 for feed, and were worth $13.34. 
Our 10 old Minorcas 
are still at it. 
Here is their 
record as compared with last year: 
1897. 
1898. 
March. 
. 121 
150 
April. 
. 175 
172 
May. 
. 163 
206 
June. 
156 
July. 
. 114 
153 
724 
837 
Last year, these hens did not have a comfortable 
place to stay in. Our Winter-egg friends may 
say what they please, but a July egg at two cents 
is good property. We have 28 Minorcas—or what 
we call Black Business birds—that laid 366 eggs 
in July. It cost, for grain, $1.26 to feed these 
hens, and the eggs were worth $6.42 at our prices. 
Some of this year’s black pullets are beauties, 
and we look for them to beat their mothers and 
grandmothers on the nest. As readers know, 
one of the breeding pens was headed by a black 
rooster with Brown Leghorn blood. His pullets 
show a little brown feathering, and are as bright 
and lively as one could wish. These old Leghorns 
that were bought in New York last Fall have al¬ 
most quit laying. We ought to have sold them 
before now, but I wanted to see how they would 
hang on at their laying. I did hope they would 
come to the front in July and help us out in our 
figures, but 45 of them laid only 283 eggs during 
the month. We bought 65 of these old pelters 
and 20 have died. They laid 3,129 eggs up to 
August 1. But wait until we sell them, and then 
we will tell the whole story and give the exact 
figures. _ h. w. c. 
IT WILL STAND BY YOU. 
Active men, strong men, full of vigor and nervous 
energy, find in the outings ef Summer the relaxation 
which they most need. They find also the best tonic 
in building up the system in open-air exercise, 
which in Summer only can be freely enjoyed, but 
there may happen at any time, an accident to limb 
or frame whereby the flesh is badly bruised and per¬ 
chance the face disflgured. That simply reminds 
us that there Is one thing which in Summer outings 
we ought always to have about us. and that is St. 
Jacob’s Oil, the promptest aud best cur# for bruises 
that is known to sportsmen, athletes and seekers of 
outdoor pleasures. Have it handy, and it will stand 
by you for a good cure. — Adv. 
Galvan- '| \ 
hod 
' Steel 
Self-oiling, 
Best Governed, 
Acknowledged 
, to be the most' 
i powerful and 
‘durable made. 
I Wo have every-' 
1 thing the farmer ( 
needs in this line. 
Towers, 
Tanks and 
Pumps, 
> Cutlers, Grinders, 1 
Shelters, etc. 
DOWER and 
TUMI 
uiviPfNc MILLS 
Catalogue, full of valuable points, free. 
Appleton Mfg. Co. 
;27 Fargo St^ _ BATAVIA, ILL. ' 
RAMS 
The DOUBLE-ACTING RAMS 
open the valves as well as shut 
them oft with the power of the water. More 
water raised in proportion to waste then any 
ram made. No stopping. 
C. HODGKINS & SONS, Marlboro, N.H. 
FRAZER 
BEST IN THE WORLD. 
Its wearing qualities are unsurpassed, actually 
outlasting three boxes of any other brand. Not 
affected by heat. GET THE GENUINE. 
FOR SALK BY DEALERS GENERALLY. 
We are the largest C|np| 
manufacturers of.. ^ Ltt 1 
Truck Wheels 
for farm wagons in America 
Send for Catalogue 
Havana M^tal Wheel Co , Havana, III. 
LANE’S CARRIAGE JACK 
Bent in the world. All 
steel; unbreakable ; oper¬ 
ated by powerful com¬ 
pound levers, and auickly 
adjusted to anr beignt. At 
all hardware dealers, of 
LANE BROTHERS CO., Poughkeepsie, N. Y. 
Flri-Weathir-Lightning Proof 
Black, painted or galvanized metal ROOFING 
and siding; (brick, rocked or corrugated) 
METAL CEILINGS AND SIDE WALLS 
Write for Catalogue. 
Penn Metal Ceiling & Roofing Co..Ltd., Philadelphia 
Returned to Spain. 
She takes back her vanquished soldiers. We never 
took back a rod of Page Fence after a siege. They 
order more instead. 
PAGE WOVEN WIRE FENCE CO., Adrian, Mich. 
[ADAM 
THE FENCE MAN! 
Makes Woven Wire 
Fence that "Stands 
Up.” Cannot 8ag. 
Get his neweatalogue. It 
tells all about The Best 
i Farm Fence Made. 
W. J. ADAM, 
HOLD YOUR WHEAT 
may bo good advice if 
given at the right time, 
but to 
hold your hogs 
and other 
stock 
where you want them 
Is of equal 
Importance 
and applies at any 
time. We have the 
article that will do it. 
LAMB WIRE FENCE CO. 
Adrian. Mich. 
“BLUE BEAUTY.” 
If you want a gate that always gives satisfac¬ 
tion, you will have to get the “Blue Beauty” gate 
made by W. H. CLAY, Elizabeth, Ky. 
•&$T AGENTS WANTED..^ 
P OULTRY nettingat cut prices to reduce stock; rolls 
150 ft. long, 3-inch mesh 2 ft. wide, $1; 4 ft., $1.95; 
2-inch mesh, 2 ft. wide, $1.25; 4 It., $2.40; 0 ft., $3.50. 
Terms. $1 cash, with order, balance C. O. D. Barbed 
wire and wire nails cheap. Jas. Case, Colchester, Ct. 
FARM FOR SALE' 
-Meadow Brook Farm, 100 
acres, one-half mile from 
the prettiest village in Wayne County. Terms easy 
ALLYN BROTHERS, Palmyra, N. Y. 
NEW YORK’S £g£. 
takes place at Syracuse, week commencing 
August 29 and ending September 3. 
THE MOST ELABORATE EXHIBITION EVER 
OFFERED BY THE EMPIRE STATE. 
k WELL DRILLING MACHINERY, 
MANUFACTURED BY 
WILLIAMS BROTHERS* 
ITHACA. N.Y. 
| MOUNTED OR ON SILLS, FOFf 
\DEEP OR SHALLOW WELLS, WITH 
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SEND TOR CATALOGUE 
'ADDRESS WILLIAMS BROS.1THACAiN.V4 
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