43o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
June 18 
time. We have contracted the building of our house 
for less than $1,200, but we are to make the cellar, and 
prepare the foundation. It is to be well built, the 
floor timbers framed into the sills, the outside walls 
covered with spruce sheathing. No. 1, that covered 
with heavy building paper and then clapboarded. 
I have given a good deal of time to the study of 
house plans for the past two or three years. I have 
seen many plans for city or village houses, but have 
seen no farmhouse plans. The most important points 
to me, are warmth and convenience. The outside ap¬ 
pearance is of secondary importance, but we do intend 
to have a dormer window in the front of the L roof, 
to light the kitchen chamber, instead of the slanting 
window in the end, which I drew in the plan I sent 
you. It would cost about $15 more, and we concluded 
to have that just for looks. AVe did not wish to build 
an expensive house with all modern improvements, 
for though a farm is more salable with good build¬ 
ings, it will not sell for enough to pay for them. 
You asked why I was led to adopt some of the im¬ 
provements which differ from the ordinary farmhouses. 
To begin with my outside woodbox. I have been an¬ 
noyed by the litter scattered on my clean 
floor by the bringing in of the wood 
twice or a dozen times a day. I have, 
also, been bothered by having the men 
come into my small pantry to wash at 
the dish sink, just at mealtime, so I 
planned my small sink next to the 
water tank where it would be convenient 
for the men, and leave my pantry to me. 
I had the sink and tank set in the re¬ 
cess, because it seemed to take less room 
than to have to travel around them. 
Every one can see the- comfort of a 
bathtub. I have, also, needed more cup¬ 
board and storeroom, so a plenty of 
cupboards and closets have been pro¬ 
vided. Again, for warmth’s sake, we de¬ 
cided not to have outside doors open 
into living rooms, they let in so much cold. Briefly, 
economy, warmth and convenience are the most 
important points to us. Harriet s. brewer. 
the soil how long this one-sided treatment could be 
continued without exhaustion of the soil and failure 
of crops. Hence I have always believed that a well- 
balanced manure would be the only safe average 
treatment to secure maximum crops, and to feel that 
we are not practicing exhaustion of our soil. 
Middlesex County, N. J. D. c. lewis. 
A Living from Poultry. —A reader in Summit, R. 
I., says that he is in a section of small, rough farms, 
where there are few progressive or successful farmers. 
Instead of trying to follow the crowd, he has gone 
into poultry, and has now 1,000 laying hens with 
nearly 2,000 chicks hatched since April 1, and all doing 
well. This man modestly says that he is a mere tyro 
in the business, although he has made a living at it 
for several years. He hopes some day to be able to 
write something about it when he has settled a few 
points more to his satisfaction. AA r e commend that 
statement to some of our poultry experts who are very 
ready to write, although it is doubtful whether they 
can possibly induce a hen to lay them a living. 
Farm Help AVanted. —A reader in AVashington 
SECOND PRIZE FARM HOUSE (VERMONT). Fig. 192. 
State, like many other farmers, wants help on the 
farm. He puts his wants in the following language : 
I want to hire a man and wife, with no children, able and will¬ 
ing to work on a farm. I will pay $30 a month at present, and 
increase the wages if they prove trusty. I want the man to help 
me work my farm, and his wife to help with the housework. 
Washington is a long distance from the Atlantic 
Ocean. Most people who go west now have their eyes 
on the Klondike, though it is not likely that many 
Klondikers will make over $30 a month and board. 
The trouble is to secure capable people who have no 
children, and are willing to work out in this way. If 
there are such people, we would like to hear from 
them, as there are, probably, plenty of farmers who 
would be very glad to obtain their services. 
Courage with the Weedkr. —Dr. W. O. Eastwood, 
of Canada, sends the following little note which, we 
think, will be appreciated by many farmers who have 
used the weeder for the first time : 
I have made a discovery, a small one, but may be worth report¬ 
ing. The sweet peas were about four inches high. The ground 
was caked hard on the surface, in consequence of some heavy 
rains. I wanted to break the crust. Using the steel rake, I broke 
it on each side of the row, a double one, but how to get at it in 
• the row, I was at a loss, until I chanced to discover that, by tak¬ 
ing courage, and striking squarely down right among the peas 
with the teeth of the rake, I could break up the crust without 
harming the peas. 
There are plenty of farmers who can tell a similar 
story if they would. As they : tood on one side of the 
corn or the potato field, with the horse hitched to the 
weeder, and looked at the young and tender-growing 
plants, it did seem as though the scratching weeder 
teeth would tear the whole thing up. AVe feel sure 
that some farmers have really backed out and taken 
the weeder back to the barn. Those who went ahead, 
however, have been well repaid for their courage, for 
it is astonishing how little damage will be done by 
the weeder teeth. There is an exception, however, in 
the case of early sweet corn, planted with manure in 
the hill; with such a crop, the weeder certainly will 
tear too much of it out, because the teeth get a grip 
on the manure, and pull the plants out with it. 
No More Stable Manure. —Chas. Siddon, of Syra¬ 
cuse, N. Y., has five acres of Crimson clover in a front 
field on the road. Last year, the field was in common 
clover, and as soon as it was harvested, half the field 
was plowed and sown to Crimson clover. The other 
half was mown the second time, and then plowed and 
sown to rye. This year, the whole thing will be 
plowed under and planted to cucumbers for pickles. 
On May 20, the rye was plowed under, three and four 
feet high. On Decoration Day, the clover was turned 
under, and a big job it was, as it stood two and three 
feet high. One man came 20 miles to look at it, hav¬ 
ing heard about it and being unable to believe the 
stories told. Several others came five miles to see the 
clover. Mr. Siddon says that he drew between 175 
and 200 loads of manure from the city each year, but 
the clover has put an end to that. He will sow cow 
peas where he intends to set strawberries next year, 
and if they do half as well as the clover, he will have 
no more use for manure to fill the land with weed 
seeds. 
Lehigh Greening Apple. —On May 25, we received 
from AA r . B. K. Johnson, Allentown, Pa., a specimen 
of the Lehigh Greening apple which he writes is only 
a fair sample of that variety, of medium size, though 
somewhat shriveled. It was in very good condition 
for a Greening at this time of year, and called by 
several persons who sampled it in the office, of very 
good quality. He says that it has been grown in 
Lehigh County, for upwards of 50 years, and so far as 
he knows, there are 26 bearing trees. It is the favor¬ 
ite family apple for all purposes in its season. The 
fruit is very large, dark green in Fall, turning to 
a golden yellow. He says that, July 18, 1892, three 
apples kept in an ordinary cellar were sent to the 
United States Pomologist in excellent condition. It 
certainly is an excellent apple. 
Lime and Potato Scab. —Prof. II. D. Bolley, of the 
North Dakota Experiment Station, was the first to 
study definitely the potato-scab fungus, and to prove 
the value of soaking seed in a solution of 
corrosive sublimate. He writes that, in 
Indiana, he definitely established the 
fact that the condition of an alkaline 
substance like lime in acid soils, tended 
to promote the production of potato 
scab, and in that way, the activity of 
the fungous growth was increased. In 
Dakota, the soil is markedly alkaline, 
and the pota to scab grows very abundant 
whenever it has an opportunity. The 
potato plant likes a neutral or alkaline 
soil in preference to an acid one. This, 
in part, accounts for the benefit said to 
have been derived by putting ashes and 
lime upon potato patches of the East. 
It also accounts for the fact that the 
growth of the scab fungus is increased 
these substances. Prof. Bolley states that, if 
by 
potatoes are planted upon ground which is free from 
the potato-scab fungus, and the seed is properly 
treated by the corrosive sublimate method, one may 
safely use all the lime and ashes desired, and thus 
produce a fine yield of potatoes and escape the scab 
If, however, the germs of the scab are either in the 
soil or on the seed, the use of lime or ashes will 
certainly be likely to increase them. There are very 
few old farms at present not well stocked with these 
germs. 
Tobacco Dust for Chicken Lice. —Tobacco dust 
will kill chicken lice, and there is no doubt about it; this 
I find to be true from recent experience. AVe have lost 
about half our little chicks, for many years past, from 
various causes, and the big gray louse is one of the 
worst of them. This year, we are keeping the lice 
down, and it is tobacco dust that does it, chiefly. In¬ 
stead of greasing them, as we have often done, we rub 
a little pure kerosene on the heads and necks of the 
chicks as soon as they are taken off the nest. This is 
better than grease, and soon evaporates. I sprinkle a 
handful or two of tobacco dust over the hen and chicks 
every week or so, as a preventive measure, and if any 
lice are seen on any brood, a good lot is put on them 
in the evening. The next morning, not one is seen. 
I paid only $1.25 for 100 pounds in Richmond, \ r a., and 
it can be had cheaply at almost any tobacco factory. 
II. E. VAN DEMAN. 
Spring Wheat in New York. —Statements have 
been made about a large acreage of Spring wheat 
sown in western New York this year. Some reporters 
have gone so far as to say that this crop has largely 
interfered with the acreage of potatoes. Farmers, it 
is said, were tempted by high wheat prices, there¬ 
fore try to cut across corners, by putting in Spring 
wheat. Our correspondence does not confirm these 
reports. In Erie County, the soil is not so well adapted 
to Winter wheat. There has always been some Spring 
wheat sown there, and a larger acreage than ever be¬ 
fore this year. It interferes with the oat crop this 
year, rather than with potatoes. \ r ery little seems to 
have been sown east of Genesee County. Edward F. 
Dibble does not know of a single instance of Spring 
wheat sowing this year, and has had no inquiries for 
the seed. Prof. Roberts does not know of any Spring 
WHAT THEY SAY. 
Loyal Canadians. —A dozen Canadian readers have 
written to say that Canada sympathizes with the 
United States in the war with Spain. One farmer 
says : “ Our people here sympathize with your country 
in its conflict with Spain, and feel assured of your 
success. A\ r e are intensely loyal to our own country, 
yet we hope that the United States will understand 
us better, and that the idea of annexing, subduing, or 
whatever those blatants mean to do with us, will give 
place to the concluding of a friendly alliance that we 
may be loyal to our kin.” 
Testing Soils with Fertilizer. —In The R. N.-Y. 
of May 21, one item about testing soils attracted my 
attention. It seems to me that such a test would 
hardly be sufficient to prove satisfactory or reliable, 
FIRST FLOOR SECOND-PRIZE HOUSE. Fig. 191. 
If the experiments made for a series of years by 
Lawes & Gilbert, of Rothamsted, England, prove any¬ 
thing, then no single test under ordinary conditions 
could prove anything definite. Let me give the results 
of one experiment made by me several years since on 
a ci'op of wheat. The field on which this experiment 
was made had not received any yard manure for four 
years, and in this instance, nothing was applied to 
the crop except chemical manures. Four strips of the 
width of the drill were treated as follows: 50 pounds 
of fertilizer were applied on each strip, with one 
element left out on three strips, and the fourth strip 
had a complete manure for wheat, these elements all 
being from the most soluble sources known. Ammonia 
was dropped from one, phosphoric acid from one, and 
potash from the third. On either side of these four 
strips, more was applied; an ordinary superphosphate 
on the one side and a high-grade complete manure on 
the other side. AVhat was the result ? No difference 
could be noticed during the growth of the crop, except 
where the ammonia was dropped. At harvest, no eye 
could detect any difference in growth or yield. The 
fact that no difference could be seen simply proved, 
by the experiment, that there was no deficiency of 
plant food in the soil, of any one element, to produce 
the crop. I think the next question would be to ask 
SECOND FLOOR, SECOND, PRIZE HOUSE. Fig. 193. 
