282 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
April 16 
HOPE FARM ROTES. 
These are busy days at Hope Farm. 
The raspberries and blackberries have 
been wired up, the oats and early peas 
are in, the manure is all out, and the 
fertilizer has been mostly broadcasted. 
We like to get an early start. The first 
plowing we did was along the old fence 
rows. We have pulled all the inside 
fences up, and our plan is to raise strips 
of corn where the old fences stood. In 
each case, we find a strip of land 10 to 
12 feet wide, full of briers and stones. 
Many farmers have a habit of throwing 
the stones they strike while hoeing into 
the nearest fence row. We are now 
suffering for the good aim of many of 
these stone throwers. 
The earliest potato land has been 
plowed and worked twice with the Cuta¬ 
way. The clover on it was pretty small, 
but the time came for plowing, and over 
it went. We shall work it over several 
times more, and have it as near like an 
ash heap for fineness as possible. We are 
planning for about six acres of potatoes 
this year. The success of the Crimson 
clover changed our plans somewhat, and 
we now purpose to crowd our Summer's 
work upon three main farm crops— 
potatoes, sweet corn and sweet potatoes. 
As we are situated this year, we figure 
that these crops will give us the best net 
returns for our fertilizer and labor. The 
sweet potatoes will be set on a thin 
streak of sandy gravel that runs through 
the farm. It is now covered with a fair 
stand of rye which was sown about the 
middle of October. We sowed Crimson 
clover first among melons, but the stand 
was so poor that we Cutawayed it up 
and sowed rye. This rye will be turned 
under and rolled down when about 18 
inches high. Then at the proper time, 
the soil will be ridged and set to sweet 
potatoes. The future of that field is 
mixed up with a plan we have for keep¬ 
ing hogs and hens—but we can talk about 
that later. 
The strawberry plants are making a 
remarkable growth this Spring. I would 
like to keep them back, but it’s no use, 
for the warm days in the latter part of 
March drew them right up through the 
mulch. Some of the two-year-old Par¬ 
ker Earles kept in hills are a sight to 
behold for vigor and size. Of all our 
mulching materials, cow-pea vines have 
given best satisfaction. We like them 
better than stable manure, and they are 
much cheaper with us. 
Our hens laid 1,460 eggs in March, 
which were worth at the “ going ” prices, 
$23.36. Grain for the month cost $0.18, 
which gives us a good profit, if j’ou 
figure that way. As a matter of fact, 
we sold nearly $12 worth of eggs, used 
over 400 in the incubators, and ate the 
rest. Now that eggs are cheap, we pur¬ 
pose to “ fill up ” our big family and, if 
need be, salt a few down for future use. 
Eggs make children grow, and they save 
meat bills. 
Our pen of 10 old Minorcas laid 150 
eggs in March. Last March, they laid 
only 121. In the 13 months that we have 
had these birds, only one has ever 
thought about sitting. She thought 
better of it after 24 hours in jail, and 
hasn’t clucked a cluck since. The 33 
Minorca pullets laid 297 eggs in March. 
Five of the Plymouth Ilocks have gone 
out of the egg-rqaking trade, and are 
trying to incubate Minorca chicks. One 
came off with eight chicks at about the 
time the small incubator turned out its 
quota. We were tempted to put those 
chicks all together in the brooder and 
give the hens three weeks more of reflec¬ 
tion on another lot of eggs. Last year, 
we tried this with bad results. The 
chicks from the hens filled the brooders 
with lice before we were aware of it, 
and we lost a good many chicks. We 
don’t care to repeat the experiment of 
mixing hen and incubator - hatched 
chicks, if we can avoid it. 
Our pen of Leghorns laid 520 eggs in 
March. Readers will remember that 
these hens were bought in New York 
last Fall, at the market prices for live 
poultry. We keep no roosters with them. 
Near by them is a pen of heavier birds 
of about the same number, with several 
roosters. The 520 eggs laid in March 
brought $8.32, and their grain cost 
$3.24. Since these hens were bought, 
they have eaten $16.99 worth of grain 
and laid $17.25 worth of eggs. Several 
have died. They cost, delivered, a trifle 
over 40 cents each, and we could sell 
them to-day at 50 cents. So these poor, 
despised Leghorns have at last settled 
on the right side of the books. We shall 
keep them until they begin to stop lay¬ 
ing, and then sell them. Wait and see 
how they come out. We have learned a 
whole book full of information from 
them—the best of which is, Don't buy 
any more old bens ! That’s what dozens 
of good people told us, but like lots of 
other folks, we thought we knew better. 
So we do —now ! 
It is quite remarkable how quickly a hen 
may be upset and checked in her laying. 
A change to a new house or pen, a change 
in the food, or a difference in the weather, 
will make a remarkable hole in the egg 
record. By mistake, we neglected to 
water the Leghorns one day, and they 
went five hours without water. That 
day and the next, the egg record fell 
off nearly one-half. That is not to be 
wondered at when we remember that 
the egg is nearly 75 per cent water. 
Hens should always have pure water con¬ 
stantly before them. Left to themselves, 
I notice that they drink frequently— 
several times every hour. Our observa¬ 
tion is that the Leghorns are more 
susceptible to these sudden changes 
than our other breeds. The Minorcas 
are certainly less nervous than the 
Leghorns, the Plymouth Rocks are even 
less so, while the Brahmas don’t seem 
to have any “feelings” that we can 
trample upon. Every time a Brahma 
goes on the nest, all the children gather 
around the little house to make a dash 
for the egg before Mrs. Brahma herself 
can get a taste of it. Such watching 
would annoy a Leghorn so that she 
would quit laying, but our two solffl 
Brahmas shelled out 35 eggs in March, 
and never ruffled a feather. They cer¬ 
tainly have the steadiest nerves of any¬ 
thing in feathers that has walked the 
soil of Hope Farm. 
Talking of Light Brahmas, here is a 
note from a reader in New Hampshire: 
Your reference to the Light Brahmas in Hope 
Farm Notes, April 2, greatly interested me. I 
have started a small poultry plant here, and in¬ 
tend to cater to a first-class family trade in a 
nearby city. I now breed White W.vandottes, but 
their eggs are rather small, and not nearly as 
good color as this market requires. If you can 
obtain for publication, reliable information in 
regard to Light Brahmas, as egg-producers, I am 
sure you will confer a favor upon all subscribers 
whose market demands a large, brown egg. I 
am a subscriber for a half-dozen poultry papers, 
but rely on The Rural New-Yorker for' the truth 
regarding poultry matters. r. b. d. 
It would not be fair for us to speak 
definitely of the breed from our limited 
experience with it. We are so well 
pleased with our Brahmas that we shall 
use every egg they lay for incubation, 
and we now expect to buy more. I am 
satisfied that they lay the largest brown 
egg that hens can produce. They are quiet 
and hardy. In spite of their great size, 
we do not feed them any heavier than 
we do our Minorcas. I should say that 
too much corn would be likely to make 
them grow too fat and lazy, but that 
would be the feeder's fault. Breeders 
tell me that the well-bred hens will aver¬ 
age as many eggs as Plymouth Rocks. 
The inventor of the excellent Eureka 
nest has Brahmas on his farm at South 
Framingham, Mass., that have averaged 
over 165 eggs per year. This result has 
been obtained by careful selection of the 
best layers for breeding purposes. In 
our market, a white egg sells best. If 
brown eggs were wanted, I would, from 
our present experience, keep mostly 
Plymouth Rocks with Light Brahmas to 
compete with them until we could learn 
just exactly how they rank. We have 
had but little experience with Wyan- 
dottes. Their eggs seem pretty small to 
us. h. w. c. 
In Farmers’ Homes 
America’s Greatest Medicine is the 
Favorite. 
One of the strongest points in favor of Hood’s 
Sarsaparilla as America’s greatest medicine is 
found in the fact that it is the favorite family 
remedy in more Farmers’ homes than any other. 
Farmers must have good health, therefore they 
keep their blood pure with 
Hood’s Sarsaparilla 
Is America’s Greatest Medicine. $1; six for $5. 
Hood’S Pills cure all Liver Ills. 25 cents. 
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. 
and especially all Fruit Trees, shorild be propagated with a view to 
Long Life and Productiveness. Our principle is correct and 
needs no defense, but if in doubt, will furnish proof. Well-guarded 
Parentage in propagation, results in Sturdy, Vigorous Con- 
stitution in all plant life. No “ job ” or “ bargain lots ”. Customers 
in cold regions witness to Constitutional Hardiness of our 
Trees. We only promise best values and freedom from disappointment. New Catalogue ready. 
Estalflfshed WILEY & CO., Cayuga, N. Y. 
5,000 KEIFFER PEAR TREES 
'’hree years. Clean, bright, healthy, thrifty. Just the kind to plant a new orchard or REPLANT an 
>ld one. All the leading sorts of Fruit Trees and Plants. PRICES RIGHT. Catalogue Free. 
O’. OOXjTjIIVS. Mooreatown. 1VT. J. 
fob BUSINESS TREES for BUSINESS FARMERS 
HONEST TREES at HONEST PRICES, write to 
NURSERYMAN TO 
THE BUSINESS FARMER. 
ROGERS, DANSVILLE, N.Y 
Trees, Plants. prices ? 0 
For first-class stock all Standard Varieties: Apples, 8c.; Pears, 8c.; Cher¬ 
ries, 7c.; Japan and other Plums. 9c.; Currants, 2 year, $15 per 1,000; Marlboro, 
Cuthbert ttaspberries, $5 per 1,000; Strawberries, all good varieties. $2.50 per 1,000. 
Pr S n „ c g! ude T. J. DWYER & SON, CORNWALL, N. Y. 
J!„. TOO MANY STRAWBERRIES 
unless we sell about four million more plants, and you will not have any next year, unless you set some 
NOW. Don't put it off; order at once. Everything worth having in hardy fruits. Free catalogue. 
The Butler & Jewell Co., Cromwell, Conn. 
! Plants j 
! and Trees. 
| PEACH TREES (75 varieties); STRAW¬ 
BERRY PLANTS (50 varieties); PLUM 
T REES (Japan and European); APPLE 
1 TREES (100,000); Pear, Quince, Apricot 
^ | and Cherry Trees. BLACKBERRY 
; PLANTS grown from root cuttings. 
.! Raspberry Plants— a full list of Black, 
* J Ked,and Yellow kinds; also a full line 
! j of Nursery Stock of every kind. Illus- 
r tratedand Descriptive Catalogue free. 
JOS. H. BLACK, SON & CO., 
| Village Nurseries, - hightstown, N. J. 
*©©©®©3®*®e©©3®©©£©9©^©®© 
Peach for $15; 500, $8; frt. prepaid 
to any station east of Mississippi 
River. Nice, healthy well-rooted 
light two to three feet trees. A 
full stock of best varieties of Strawberry and other 
Small Fruit plants. Peach. Pear. Plum and other 
fruit trees at wholesale prices. No scale. Jersey 
Yellow and Red Sweet Potato Seed; No. 1 stock; $3 
per barrel of three bushels each. Address 
CHAS. BLACK. Hightstown. N. J 
PEACH TREES 
4 to 6 ft., at 2c.; 3 to 4 ft.., at 
all I yr., from hud, 
healthy and thrifty, no scale. Official certificate 
accompanies each shipment. Sample by express If 
wanted. Can ship any time. Trees kept dormant 
till May 10. R. S. JOHNSTON. Box 4, Stockley. Del 
IHNATUAN ADDIP The 6 reat money-maker. 
JUIlnlnMIl HiTLL Fine stock. Also full line 
of Fruit and Ornamental Trees, Grape Vines, 
Shrubs, Roses, etc. Prices reasonable. Send for 
free catalog. Over 150 acres in nursery. Established 
in 1869. Address THE GEO. A. SWEET NURSERY 
CO., Box 1605, Dansville, N. Y. 
Sutton Beauty 
From Bearing Trees. 
J. S. WOODWARD. 
Box A.Lockport.N.Y. 
nr Ann TREES, Sc. All kinds of stock cheap. 
I LrtUn Reliance Nursery, Box 10, Geneva, N. Y. 
W/ _ D A V CASH each WEEK the year round, if 
YY C I /\ I you sell Stark Trees. Outfit free. 
STARK NURSERY. LOUISIANA, MO., Stark. Mo., Rockport, III., Dansville. N. Y 
PARAGON SEEDLINGS 
cheap. Write quick for prices. 
H. M. ENGLE & SON. MARIETTA, PA. 
CHINQUAPIN. 
NUT AND FRUIT TREES 
of all desirable varieties 
Immense Stock. 
300 Acres—60 Years. 
book on Nut Culture, 157 pages, 
60 illustrations,telling howto pro¬ 
pagate, market and cook them. 
Price, $1, or free with an order of 
Nut Trees for $5. Catalogue Free. 
Parry’s Pomona Nurseries, 
Parry, New Jersey 
3 RATHBUN BLACKBERRY, by mail, for 50c. 
T. C. KEV1TT, Athenia, N. J. 
Ha Pq Favnritp lhe coming Strawberry 
nail 0 raiUlllCHest of 50 var. again 
the past season; 50 other kinds No.l stock 
Rasp., Black., &c. SECOND CROP 
Seed Potatoes ripen earlier & make 'arger 
crops than any others. Descriptive cata¬ 
logue free. J. W. Hall. Marion Sta., Md 
COR THE BERRY GROWER 
■ We supply the beat plant* of the bent vurietleH. 
It’s our 8peeialty, wo do only that. Strawberries, IU*p- 
berrlen, tthick berries, Currants, Gooseberries, etc. Write for 
prices and circulars, 
Ft. J. Stahclln, Box 4- Bridgman, Mint*. 
“Strawberry Plants That Grow.” 
Standard sorts, $1.25 to $2.50 per 1,000. Raspberry and 
Blackoerry Plants, from $3.50 to #6 per 1.000. Cat. free 
C. E. WHITTEN’S NURSERIES, Bridgman, Mich 
15,000 QUARTS PER ACRE^ 3 Sr“£ 
Earle Strawberry will yield it. The most productive 
Strawberry on earth. Plant no other. Write for my 
catalogue. • J. L. ARNOUT, Plainsville. Pa. 
S trawberry Plants.$1 to$1.25perM; Miller Red Rasp 
berry, $3.50 per M : Lueretia Dewberry. $2.50 per M. 
Now is the time to buy. I). W. MOSLEY, Dover. Del. 
1 uuigjiuj ouunuviij riaiuj ties $1 25 perl(M x) 
and up WM. PERRY, Cool Spring. Del 
STRAWBERRY PLANTS ala BARGAIN 
100 varieties. E. J. HULL, Olyphant, Pa. 
WANTED IN EVERY FAMILY. 
Sprayer for Extermi¬ 
nating Potato Hugs 
and Other Vermin. 
Sent charges prepaid to any express office in the U. S. 
on receipt«<i. THE eureka CO., Rock Falls, III. 
LEGGETTS 
po 
* G^F 
The Original 
Dry Sprayer. 
Dusts tree, bush or 
vine. Two rows of po¬ 
tatoes as fast as you 
walk, wide or narrow 
planting. No plaster 
or water used. 
AGENTS WANTED. 
Catalogue Fuee. 
LEGGETT&BRO. 
301 Pearl Street, 
New York. 
^u niiii iiiiiiiiiiiniiinniiiiiniuiiimiiinmimuimiinmimiiiiii 
WITH THE | 
GARFIELD i 
KNAPSACK 
ot the 
EMPIRE KING 
j Perfect agitators—^210 Scorching of 
j foliage—no leather CiWlbber valves. 
3 Catalogue free. Agents wanted. 
FIELD FOKCK PUMP COMPANY, 
18 Market St M Lockport, N.Y. 
: iiuiijiiiiiii:iiiiii!iiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiminifiiiiii 
PEPPLER and CLIMAX 
SIX-ROW 
SPRAYERS 
Horse power or hand pump. Most practical, simplest, most durable, , 
most perfect sprayers ever built. Either will spray 6 rows of potatoes, < 
cotton or vegetables at one passage—30 acres a day—throw 2 < 
sprays in any part of a tree, or 4 or more sprays at once in the • 
vineyard. Can be worked anywhere in any weather. Catalog, contains formulas, " 
spray calendar, etc., sent free. THOS. PEPPLElt, Box,20, Hightstown, N. 4 . 
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