1898 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
769 
usually put up for curing - flint corn in the field. I 
then tie near the top, draw out the horse, and begin 
setting more fodder around the shock formed, stand¬ 
ing it as perpendicularly as practicable. I generally 
build mine six or seven feet in diameter at the bottom, 
very tall fodder larger, small not so large. When 
as large as desired, I use a rope put around to draw 
the tops together, and when well drawn together, bind 
with a small cord or large twine. Then I take a few 
handfuls more of fodder, and set up around the tops 
of the stack, placing them so that the butts will be 
about half way up the sides of the stack. By placing 
carefully, the cap sheaf, as it may be called, can be 
made to stay in place until it can be bound above the 
tops of the fodder in the stack ; I use a step ladder. 
This will prevent the water getting into the stack, 
and the fodder will cure finely. 
I never move it into the barn until wanted for use, 
and only a few stacks at a time, as it keeps much better 
in the stack than in the barn. You will notice that I 
never bind my fodder into bundles. If unbound, the 
butts will fit to the ground, and a stack set up as I 
have described will never cripple down or blow over. 
I use, for hauling from the field, a one-horse tip cart, 
and put a load in a stack. I load butts forward, and 
dump in a pile. Let one man stand behind gathering 
the tassel ends in his arms, lifting slightly and pulling 
backward as the cart dumps, so as to make the load 
fall in a smooth pile. m. m. 
Massachusetts. 
Farmers’ Club. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the name and address of 
the writer to insure attention. Before asking a question please 
see whether it is not answered in our advertising columns. Ask 
only a few questions at one time. Put questions on a separate 
piece of paper.1 
Fertilizers Regardless of Cost. 
I. C., Cady's Falls, Vt. —What ingredients can I buy at any 
ordinary drug store to make a balanced fertilizer? I care noth¬ 
ing for the cost, and want as pure goods as I can buy. Potash I 
can buy by the can. Is copperas pure nitrogen ? Phosphoric acid 
I can buy, but the druggists tell me that it will ignite in the air, 
and has to be kept covered by water. I do not care to pay for 
the waste material which, I understand, is 75 per cent of the 
commercial fertilizers that are on the market. 
Ans. —For the purpose you mention, we suggest 
phosphate of ammonia, phosphate of potash, and 
nitrate of potash. These substances are expensive, 
but there is no waste in them, and they will make a 
highly-concentrated and soluble fertilizer for use in 
greenhouse gardening. We do not consider it practi¬ 
cable to use them out of doors. Copperas is sulphate of 
iron—of no value as a fertilizer. In fact, it is usually 
injurious to crops. Unless you have had considerable 
experience in the use of fertilizers, we would not 
advise you to spend much money on these concen¬ 
trated goods. It is true that an average high-grade 
fertilizer may contain only 25 per cent of actual 
plant food. Many contain less than 18 per cent, but 
the •* waste,” or part of it, is necessary in order to 
hold the nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash in reli¬ 
able and stable forms. A piece of beefsteak contains 
only about 35 per cent of actual nourishment, but we 
do not use a solid beef extract in place of it. 
Fall Plowing; Fertilizers or Manure. 
F. M. D., Cincinnatu8, N. Y..— Would it pay to plow land in the 
Fall, and then replow in the Spring, that is, land for planted 
crops ? I draw all manure fresh from the stable, and as I use a 
great deal of straw for bedding, it makes it rather coarse for 
harrowing in the Spring, and I had thought of the plan of re¬ 
plowing so as to get it down in the soil a little more. Do you not 
think a farm can be improved cheaper and quicker by using 
Crimson clover and keeping a large stock of poultry and cows, so 
that it will be necessary to buy a quantity of grain, than by buy¬ 
ing phosphate ? 
Ans. —In our own section, the only land that we 
would plow in the Fall is a tough, old sod in which the 
weeds are thick. We would plow such land with the 
furrows up straight, believing that the action of the 
frost in Winter would break this land up and destroy 
many roots of grass and weeds. Except in a case of 
this kind, we would not plow land in the Fall. The 
plan of plowing such land twice—Fall and Spring— 
is a good one, if you have time in the Spring to fit the 
land properly. We would cross-plow in Spring, that 
is, run the furrows across the furrows made in the 
Fall. Your plan of hauling horse manure to such 
land during the Winter, and plowing it under in the 
Spring, ought to give good results if the land is rea¬ 
sonably level, so that it will not wash badly. We 
have never had great success with harrowing coarse 
manure into the ground. In order to harrow proper¬ 
ly, the manure should be fine and very evenly spread. 
No general comparison can be made between fertil¬ 
izers and manure. It depends much upon location 
and care of the soil. With us, we think fertilizers 
and green manures like Crimson clover and cow peas 
are better suited to our system of farming than live 
stock husbandry, although we are now planning an 
experiment with feeding more hogs on crops like 
clover that would otherwise be turned under as green 
manure. It is a question whether the average farmer 
can buy grain, and feed it to better advantage than 
he can buy fertilizer. It takes good judgment and 
good farming to buy grain, and feed it to advantage. 
On the other hand, where fertilizers are bought at 
high prices, it requires good judgment to get your 
money back from them. 
Grain for Sheep Feeding. 
A. N., Hedgesville, N. y.—I expect to feed a car-load of lambs 
this Winter. The grain feed will be oats and buckwheat. Would 
it be advisable for me to sell the buckwheat for 75 cents per 100 
pounds, and buy buckwheat middlings at $9 per ton, or corn at 
25 cents per bushel in the ear ? 
Ans.—T he buckwheat middlings will be far prefer¬ 
able to the whole buckwheat for feeding to sheep. At 
the prices mentioned, I would recommend selling the 
buckwheat and purchasing middlings and corn. A 
ration composed of two parts corn meal, one part oats, 
and one part buckwheat middlings will make almost 
an ideal grain feed for sheep. The digestive portions 
in such a mixture would be as follows : 
Dry 
Pro- 
Carbohydrates 
matter. 
tein. 
and fat. 
Pounds. 
Pounds. 
Pounds. 
200 pounds corn meal. 
11 
142.2 
100 pounds oats. 
. 89 
9.2 
53.2 
100 pounds buckwheat middlings. 86.8 
23.7 
50.5 
Totals. 
43.9 
245.9 
Nutritive ratio, 1:5.6. 
If, in addition to the grain ration, some clover hay be 
fed, the above mixture should give good results. If 
mixed hay or straw, increase the amount of buckwheat 
middlings. l. A. c. 
Grain Ration for Dairy Cows. 
L. It. S., Hampshire County, Mass .—What is the best graiu ration 
to be fed with ensilage, hay and corn stover, bran, gluten feeds 
and meal, and cotton-seed meal being obtainable? I have been 
feeding equal parts of bran, cream gluten, and cotton-seed meal 
about six pounds a day. 
Ans. —L. R. S. does not state whether he is feeding 
his cows for the production of milk for the market, or 
for making butter. In milk production, less care need 
be exercised in the selection of the feeds than in the 
production of the highest grades of butter. The ration 
which is given below, however, is well adapted for 
either of these purposes. The variety of foods hereto¬ 
fore used is a good one, and if fed with care, should 
give valuable results. The proportion in which the 
various Concentrated foods can best be used depends 
quite largely upon local market conditions, so that it 
is difficult for one not acquainted with local circum¬ 
stances to compound the most economical ration. For 
the best results in feeding, the kind as well as the 
amount of food should be made to vary in accordance 
with the productiveness of the animals, instead of 
feeding all animals alike. In order to accomplish this, 
it is wise to start with a foundation or basal ration 
that shall be uniform for all animals of the herd, and 
to feed a second grain ration as a supplement to this, 
which shall be varied in amount according to the milk 
yield of different animals : 
Fok Cow8 Giving 10 to 20 Pounds or Milk. 
Dry 
Carbo- 
matter. 
Protein. 
Fat. 
byd. 
Lbs. 
Lbs. 
Lbs. 
Lbs. 
Corn ensilage, 20 pounds . 
. 7.4 
.30 
.22 
4.2 
Corn stover, 5 pounds. 
. 4.3 
.13 
.06 
2.3 
Hay, 5 pounds. 
. 4.3 
.24 
.06 
2.1 
Wheat bran, 4 pounds. 
• 3 5 
.48 
.11 
1.5 
Cream gluten, 3 pounds. 
. 2.8 
.91 
.37 
1.1 
Total . 
. 22.3 
2.06 
.82 
11.2 
Nutritive ratio, 1:6.3. 
Foil Cows Giving 
20 to 25 
Pounds. 
Basal ration (above) . 
. 22.3 
2.06 
.82 
11.2 
Protein mixture, equal parts cot- 
ton-seed and Buffalo gluten, 
1 
pound . 
.30 
.08 
.3 
Total . 
. 23.2 
2.36 
.90 
11.5 
Nutritive ratio, 1:5.7. 
Foil Cows Giving 
r 25 to 30 Pounds. 
Basal ration (above) . 
. 22.3 
2.06 
.82 
11.2 
Protein mixture, 2 pounds . 
. 1.8 
.60 
.16 
.6 
Total . 
. 24.1 
2.66 
.98 
11.8 
Nutritive ratio, 1:5.3. 
C. 8. 
PHELPS. 
Onions and Celery Under Glass. 
J. //. C., Deadwood, S. D.—i. I would like your opinion 
as to a 
large, good-keeping and nice-appearing onion, of mild taste, for 
starting in the greenhouse and transplanting outside. 2. Will 
frost hurt onions, if left, for curing, outside after pulling ? 3. In 
a back number, you mention celery as being grown in a cave; 
then why not under greenhouse benches? 
Ans. —1. The Prize-taker meets all of the require¬ 
ments of this case except, possibly, the keeping quali¬ 
ties. It will not keep as long as Wethersfield or 
Danvers; at least, this has been my experience. It is 
an exceedingly large, mild-fiavored, yellowish-white 
onion of fine appearance, but will rarely mature in the 
North from seed planted in the open ground in Spring. 
The seed is, therefore, sown in hotbeds or greenhouses 
in February or March, and the plants transplanted 
later in the field. I have no doubt that other varie¬ 
ties would do well if transplanted. 
2. Onions will not be seriously injured by a slight 
freezing while curing, but if allowed to freeze and 
thaw often, much injury is likely to result. Such 
treatment causes them to start into growth after they 
are stored. Onions are frequently kept frozen through¬ 
out the Winter covered with several inches of hay or 
other material to prevent frequent thawing and 
freezing. 
3. Celery could, probably, be matured under green¬ 
house benches, but the plants would require to be 
grown during the earlier stages on the benches or, at 
least, receive as good care as greenhouse lettuce or 
radish plants. Celery was successfully grown as a 
late Winter crop in the greenhouses of the Cornell 
Experiment Station. Much difficulty was at first ex¬ 
perienced in blanching it; the means employed in 
out-door culture failed entirely. Finally, it was found 
that heavy wrapping paper, with a smooth surface, 
tied closely about the plants, would blanch them with¬ 
out causing rot. A record of the work may be found 
in Bulletin No. 9G, Cornell University Agricultural 
Experiment Station, from which the following is 
quoted : 
“ The seeds for one of our crops of house celery 
were sown December 10, 1894 ; pricked off, January 
8 ; planted in beds, February 6 ; first tied up in paper, 
April 12 ; second tying, May 9 ; celery fit to use, May 
21 to June 20.” Frederic crankfield. 
Wisconsin Experiment Station. 
Favorite Plants of Rose Bugs. 
E. W. W., Farmingdale, N. J. —1. I have at hand R. N.-Y.s giv- 
ing the names of plants which rose bugs prefer to grape blos¬ 
soms. In none of these numbers is the species of early-blooming 
Spirseas, or of early-blooming Magnolias given, which are the 
most valuable for this purpose. If I had not hand-picked the 
bugs twice each day this season, I should not have had a grape ! 
By this you will realize how I shall welcome any aid to grape cul¬ 
ture. 2. What would you mix with nitrate of potash (saltpeter) 
to supply phosphoric acid in an entirely soluble form, and in 
what quantity to produce a properly-balanced fertilizer for frui 
trees in tubs (for orchard house) ? 
Ans. —1. Of the Spiraeas, we would chooseS. sorbifolia 
and S. Aruncus. Of Magnolias, we would select maero- 
phylla, tripetala and glauca. Rose bugs prefer these 
blossoms to those of the grape. They are, also, very 
fond of the flowers of Viburnum lantanoides. 2. 
With nitrate of potash, we would use superphosphate 
—acidulated S. C. rock—using just about twice the 
quantity as of the saltpeter. This may be used in 
quantities varying from 250 to 1,000 pounds per acre 
(or at that rate in tubs) according to one’s means and 
aims. 
Will Rape Destroy Canada Thistle ? 
J. S., Illinois .— I have seen a newspaper article which states 
that rape and Canada thistles hate each other, and will not live 
together in the same field. Therefore, it is said, the way to clean 
out the thistles is to grow a crop of rape. Is there any truth in 
such a theory ? 
Ans. —An experience of 10 years in growing Dwarf 
Essex rape has convinced me that it is of no more value 
in destroying the Canada thistle than is any other crop. 
I now have rape growing on land which has been used 
for growing rape for the past three years. The crops 
have all been very heavy, standing two to three feet 
high, and there are scattering Canada thistles now 
on the piece which are looking decidedly healthy, and 
show no ill effects of the treatment they have re¬ 
ceived. I have always planned to till the land thor¬ 
oughly for a few weeks before sowing the seed, and 
in this way, destroy any weeds that might start, and 
at the same time prepare a suitable seed-bed. Best 
results will be obtained by a light seeding, not over 
four pounds per acre when sown broadcast, and this 
light growth of plants will not cover the ground 
early enough in the season to check the growth of so 
persistent a weed as the thistle. My object in grow¬ 
ing rape is to provide a large amount of nutritious 
feed for the sheep, rather than to cleanse the land, as 
I can do that more effectually by cultivation. 
Genesee County, N. Y. frank d. ward. 
Bisulphide of Carbon for Poultry Lice. 
J. R., Niles, Mich .— If bisulphide of carbon is such a wonderful 
Insect exterminator, why would it not be just the thing to solve 
the problem of how to get rid of lice in the henhouse? What 
would be the best way to use it ? 
Ans. —The trouble is that, while this substance is 
sure death to all forms of breathing insects, it is also 
sure death to larger animals. It will destroy lice, but 
would be very difficult to apply so as not to kill the 
fowls as well. It also burns readily, and is, there¬ 
fore, dangerous to use, as even a lighted cigar or pipe 
might cause an explosion. Its vapor is heavier than 
air, and naturally settles to the floor of a room. In 
order to make sure of the lice, they would have to be 
“ herded and driven down to the bottom of the room,” 
and probably few people would care to undertake that 
job. In killing insects that live in stored grain, or 
woodchucks or other animals that burrow into the 
ground, this sinking quality of the gas is a desirable 
thing, because it finds its way down through the mass of 
grain or into the hole. \Ve have heard of the plan of 
hanging wide-mouthed,small bottles directly under the 
roof, and pouring from time to time a quantity of the 
bisulphide into these bottles. Poultry breeders gen¬ 
erally, however, seem to know very little about it. 
and most of them do not think this substance worthy 
of a place in the list of remedies for the destruction 
of poultry lice, unless it is poured into all cracks and 
crevices, and the door closed, opening it an hour 
later. In our own experience, we have found a kero¬ 
sene spray so effective for destroying vermin, that we 
don't care to try the bisulphide of carbon. 
