m 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
37 
EVERYBODY’S CARDEN. 
Just Before the Battle.— While 
January 2 is pretty early for actual gar¬ 
den operations it is a very opportune 
time for preliminary work. One writer 
on farm topics said that through an acci¬ 
dent lie was laid by from actual work for 
several months and was surprised to see 
that far better results had been obtained 
than in like periods when he had labored 
much and planned little. This is not to 
encourage any in dropping the work and 
engaging exclusively in planning, but 
rather to combine the two in reasonable 
proportion. It is good policy to decide 
what are the best crops to grow under 
our particular conditions, what ground 
is best adapted to each crop, and the 
proper soil treatment for that crop. Dif¬ 
ferent crops will require various kinds 
of fertilizer and the labor part of pre¬ 
paring and getting them in readiness 
will very easily combine and go hand in 
hand with the planning. Seed selection 
is a timely subject, and when so much 
depends upon kind and quality it is none 
too early to take stock. Testing is easily 
and variously done, and one of the most 
successful ways is to test with porous 
saucers such as are used for setting un¬ 
der plant pots. Set them into earthen 
plates or any vessel holding water, and 
the moisture will soon percolate suf¬ 
ficiently to give the seeds all that will 
be required. The seed can be spread up¬ 
on the bare plates or a sprinkling of 
sand, and if kept warm enough they will 
soon manifest their willingness to grow 
or otherwise. It can also be done in boxes 
or pans of sand. As a rule, 60 to 70 per 
cent of germination by these means will 
give good results in the open ground. 
The work pays and those who do it thus 
eliminate a very great uncertainty from 
their operations. 
Hotbeds. —In some localities they 
will soon have to be started. Excavat¬ 
ing for the beds will be pretty hard 
work for the diggers as Jack Frost has 
not been idle in these regions. The first 
early beds are far better made thus on 
account of the extra amount of manure 
required for a long pull. With the 
preparation of the beds comes also the 
repairing of sash or glazing and painting 
new ones. 
Plant Protectors are another indis¬ 
pensable convenience. Made of heavy 
tarred paper they cost but little either 
in time or money, and their worth is 
hard to estimate. Other kinds of pro¬ 
tectors, as plain boxes, boxes with glass 
tops, etc., are all practical and useful, 
and for those who can afford them are a 
good investment. To others, however, 
the cost is prohibitive, but the tar paper 
is in reach of all. 
Side Lines.— Some of these may he 
very profitably taken up by farmers as 
well as gardeners. In some localities the 
farmers follow this course to such an 
extent that it is hard to tell just when, 
farming leaves off and gardening begins. 
It is a good practice, and the small farm¬ 
ers are often able to turn as much clear 
money on two or three acres of sweet 
corn, cabbage, horseradish or like crops 
as from their entire regular crops. It 
would be time well spent for many farm¬ 
ers favorably located to plan for some of 
tlnse crops. There is easily $75 to $100 
in an acre of sweet corn properly man¬ 
aged, and more than that in horseradish. 
With the latter crop nearby markets are 
not so much of an object as it will stand 
storing for high prices and hauling or 
shipping to any distance. The sweet 
corn, however, is an entirely different 
matter and without easily accessible 
markets at the canning factories or the 
larger cities for immediate supply the 
grower will very likely get caught. Cab¬ 
bage also is worthy of attention as it 
may be easily stored to await favorable 
market opportunities or long shipment 
if necessary. So there is no reason why 
many of the ordinary farms may not be¬ 
come far more profitable than as at 
present conducted. 
A Problem in Celert Blanching.—I 
have some celery banked up and covered 
with leaves to keep from freezing, but it 
is not blanched. I think it was not banked 
early enough. Will it blanch where it 
stands so that it can be used later on, or 
is there anything that can be done with it 
Poughkeepsie, N. Y. H. l. c. 
You are not the only one who has had 
trouble this year, and I have seen very 
little if any of really fine quality. My 
own to some extent proved disappoint¬ 
ing, and much that I have seen from the 
Kalamazoo district was “off’ in quality, 
occasioned no doubt largely by the un¬ 
favorable weather. As to your own cel¬ 
ery it is hard to say just what is best to 
do, being unacquainted with your facili¬ 
ties for handling it. Were it mine I 
should remove it to the cellar and set it 
up close together in the loose earth of 
the cellar bottom packing the soil 
around the roots. It can also be packed 
in boxes the same way. The soil around 
the roots should be kept quite damp, but 
the stalks should be kept dry. Keep the 
cellar dark, and in some way warm 
enough to start growth a little, and the 
celery ought to blanch to some extent. 
The bunches should be set as close to¬ 
gether as possible and the cellar can be 
warmed with oil stove, lamps or in 
some convenient way. If growth can be 
promoted it will blanch more or less, 
and perhaps sufficiently to make most 
of it salable. J. e. morse. 
Michigan. ___ 
New Hampshire Notes. —I notice J. E. 
Morse, page 853, last volume, speaks of 
giving the base-burner a severe shaking 
to get it started to warming up the house. 
We think that shaking a coal fire shakes 
the fine ashes down through the grate and 
leaves the clinkers to stop the draft. When 
we want a good fire we^turn the grate, 
rake out all the ashes and clinkers then 
we have a nice clean fire. The last Jwo 
cases of eggs sent to Boston brought ‘45 
and 43 cents; received for 15 dressed chicks, 
96 pounds, 22 cents per pound. v. E. H. 
Lakeport, N. H. 
For the land’s sake, use Bowlcer’s Fer¬ 
tilizers. They enrich the earth.— Adv. 
P EACH TREES.—“Western New York State 
Grown’ FOR SALE. Low-headed for Orchards. 
Two grades. 2 to 3 feet tall, and 3 feet and up tall. 
General assortment of leading varieties. Write us 
quantity you can use. Close price quoted. 
C. W. STUART & CO., Newark, New York. 
CHOICE STRAWBERRY J’L.INTS. 
150.000 Climax.and 50 other best varieties at the low¬ 
est prices. Free catalogue will interest you; send 
for one. W S TODD, Greenwood, DeL 
YES.STE STRAWBERRY PLANTS for sale. 
True to name. J. I£. LOS EE, Elnora, N. Y. 
60 Varieties Strawberry Plants, ®a£Tum 00 
\ general line of Nursery stock. Send for 1904 Cata¬ 
logue now H. W. HENRY, La Porte Indiana. 
>END IOC, for Forty-page Booklet 
y (“EXPERIMENTS IN FARMING.’ 
Something about alfalfa; strawberry growing; 
sorghum as a stock food; directions for laying cement, 
etc Thirteenth thousand Address 
WALDO F, BROAVN, D. 5, Oxford, Ohio. 
TREES 
and PLANTS at Wholesale Prices 
Apple, Pear and Plum, $8 per 100. Cat free 
Reliance Nursery.Box 10.Genevans.Y 
TPCCC - One dollar's worth up at wholesale prices; 
I IlLLO secure variety now, spring payment; 80- 
page catalog G C STONE, Wholesale Nurseries, 
Dansville, N. Y* Established35 years- 
BEST PLANTS 
at the lowest possible prices. Best new and standard 
Strawberries, Raspberries nd Blackberries. Heavy 
Rooted. True to name. Satisfaction guaranteed. 
Catali gue free 
A Ii. WESTON & Co., R. F. D. No, 10. Bridgman, Mich 
SCRAPE VINES 
100 Varletlea. Also Small Fruit*, Trees, Ac. Best Root¬ 
ed stock. Genuine, cheap. 2 sample vines mailed for 10c. 
Descriptive price-list free. LBWIS BOB8CH, FredoaJa, 1.1. 
4 gS 
lARQAIN FRUIT COLLECTION 
Une ot our 12offers. EJ Echo Strawberry ,2 Wood’s 
Cuthbert Raspberry, 2 Erie Blackberry, 2 Fay’s 
Currant, 2 Concord Grape. 20 strong well rooted 
plants, prepaid for 60c. All Wood’s choicest. Ask 
for Bargain Circular, also General Fruit Catalog. Free. 
ALLEN L. WOOD, Wholesale Grower, Rochester, N. V. 
RCNM Fie WFT NEW jersey seed- 
UlU L UL IfLlj ling strawberry. 
“ The best one on your farm to-day”; statement by 
Fred. Tuezner, of Red Bank,N. J., June, 1903. Ournew 
catalogue BTee. Kevitt Plant Farm, Athenia, N. J. 
_ SUCCEED WHERE 
* Largest Nursery. OTHERS FAIL - 
"Fruit Borne Free. Result of 78 years’ experience 
r STARK BROS, Louisiana, Mo.; Dansville, N. Y.; Etc 
Fruit Tpppc tot the Cheapest 
null II oca Bit the Best. 
A complete line of nursery stock, Genesee Valley grown. Ni 
scale. Established 1889. Catalog free to interested parties. 
Geo. A. Sweet Nursery Co., 20 Maple St., Dansvllli, |.T. 
Defy the Coldest Blizzard with a 
Vestibule 
Storm Shield. 
It keeps the driver warm and dry as in a closed cab. 
It saves the horse against the wind and stops the 
strain on buggy top. Fits on any buggy and looks 
neat and firm. Curtains and windows disappear by a 
touch. No incumbrance—put on or off in two minutes. 
Sent on approval. Picture catalog free. “Are you 
with us ? ” 
REX BUGGY SHIELD CO. 
41 Oak Street, Connersville, Ind. 
YOU WANT IT. 'V'e want^youto have it. 
Our 1904 Catalogue now ready. The handsomest ami most com¬ 
plete catalogue of Seed Potatoes and Farm Seeds published. 
Potatoes, Corn and Oats painted from nature, 
copiously illustrated with photo engravings, showing our 
Northern-grown Seed Potatoes and other farm seeds. All the 
new and standard sorts at lowest prices consistent with the 
highest quality. This catalogue Is the catalogue for the bus!- 
*&“»* ndfor u t<Mlay ' Edward F, Dibble 
Sued Grower, Iloneoyo^aUs^JNYY._ 
Most Extensive Crowerof 
Grape Vines 
n America 
Introducer of 
CAMPBELL’S EARLY . The Best Grape 
JOSSELYN .... The Best Gooseberry 
FAY.The Best Currant 
Small Fruits.Catalogue Free. 
CEO. 8. JOSSELYN, Fredonla, N. Y. 
GRAPEVINES 
Cnrrnntl, Gooseberries, Black* 
berries, Raspberries, Straw, 
berries. Price List FREE. 
Send So itmmp for illustrated descriptive catalog. . 
T. S. HUBBARD CO. Fredonla, H. Y. 
EDUCATED TREES 
BRED FOR BEARING 
TRUE TO NAME because .all our Buds 
are cut from our own "'Fruit Belt” 
Bearing Trees. Illustrated Catalog free. 
WEST MICHIGAN NURSERIES, 
Box Ed, BENTON HARBOR, MICH. 
100,000 Apple, 200,000 Peach, 
30M. SOCK CHERRY. Low Prices. Catalogue. 
WOODVIEW NURSERIES, B. 2, Mt. Holly Sprlngs.Pa 
NORTHERN growa trees. 
Best climate, Best soil. Best for the Frnf 
Grower. Best for Agent and Dealer. Best Cats* 
togue, Best Prices. My treatment and trees mak* 
permanent customers. Once tried, always wanted. 
Catalogue free. Instructive, Interesting. _ 
- MARTTN w A uTj. Rochester, N Y . 
Strawberry Culture 
A 60-page book, makes you un¬ 
derstand the whole subject. Sent 
postpaid on receipt of 25c, silver 
or lc stamps. Worth four times 
the price. Money biickif vou don t 
think so. Beautiful illustrated 
Strawberry Catalogue Free. t 
W.F. ALLEN, SALISBURY, WO. 
THE TREE OF LIFE 
is one budded upon a branched root seedling, buds 
taken from bearing trees, grown upon the famous 
Michigan fruit land, dug by our root protecting 
treo digger and handled In our mammoth storage 
cellars. Small fruits and everything In nursery 
and greenhouse lines true to name at wholesale 
prices, ty We guarantee safe delivery. 
Catalogue FREE. Write today. 
CENTRAL MICHIGAN NURSERY, Kalamazoo, Mich. 
Michigan’ uMammothSuraericc HMMM. 
TREES AND SHRUBS 
IN GREAT VARIETY. 
WELL GROWN, HEALTHY AND TRUE 
TO NAME. Many New and Rare Plants. 
Largest Stock In the South. 
Illustrated Catalogue Free. 
P. J. BERCKMANS CO. (INC.) 
Frultland Nurseries, Augusta, Ga. 
Established in 1856. Over 400 acres In Nurseries. 
Elberta 
On account of its great size, 
its beautiful golden yellow 
faintly striped with red, and 
the rich, sweet and finely 
flavored fruit, the Elberta is 
THE GREAT PEACH 
forprofit. Tree handsome and a most prolific bearer. Our 
stock of Elbertas is superb, well rooted, shapely, thrifty. 
Many other excellent varieties. Also Apples, rears, 
Grapes, Strawberries, etc. General 1904 fruit catalog free. 
HARRISON’S NURSERIES, Bx 29, BERLIN, MD. 
Trees 
True to Name 
We sell only the best 
rooted, straight, clean, 
well branched trees, true 
to name, at attractive 
prices. 
For Sale at Bargain Prices 
New Niagara Peach Treea, 3 to 4 ft. high, at S8.76 
per too. Apple Treea, S6.00 per 100 and up. 
Standard Pears, 98.00 per 100 and up. Plums, 
910.00 per t 00 and Cherries, 916.00 per 10O and 
up. These trees are 4 to 5 feet high and desir¬ 
able for orchard planting. Send for our new 112-page 
Illustrated catalog. Send us a list of your wants for 
special prices. We can save you money. 
Green’s Nursery Co., Rochester, N.Y. 
Mention thie paper and get copy of Fruit Magazine free. 
AND PLANTS 
Free from Scale. New and Choice Varieties. 
MAPLE SUGAR MAKERS Rpays. “Norisk/" 
The GRIMM Sap Spout, Tapping Tools 
am! Covers ate perfect. Guaranteed 
increase In yield moie than pays the 
Investment In one season. 
Otherwise return purchase 
at nty expense. Only one 
bore. No Injury to trees, 
and better quality. Proper tapping 
only possible with the Grimm System. 
System and samples Free. Don't delay 
ordering. 
G. S. GRIMM, RUTLAND, VERMONT. 
ALL STEEL LAWN-FENCE 
CHEAP AS WOOD 
We make all kinds of 
Lawn, Farm, Park and Cem¬ 
etery Fence, AND SELL 
DIRECT TO YOU at manu- 
facturers' prices. SAVE 
AGENTS COMMISSION by 
writing for our rithb 
--— > - * 1 m . « » . CATALOGUE. 
UP-TO-DATE MANUFACTURING CO., 
985 North Tenth Street, Terre Haute, Ind. 
CHOICE STRAWBERRY PLANTS. 
500.000 Climax. $2 per M; all other leading varieties 
Write for prices. JOHN W. GREEN, BridgevlUe, Del 
Blackberries, Strawberries, Raspberries. 
Our FB£E CATALOGUE will save you money. MY£K & SON, Bridgeville, Del. 
5"*9 A | r\\JU I M Apples, Bartlett Pears. Montmorency Cherries. Large German Prunes. Elberta 
£3 L* 1 J tl I Iw Peaches and other leading business varieties of fruit trees bred from famous 
bearing orchards. The Tree Breeder tells the rest. It’s FREE 
THE TREE BREEDERS._ROGERS ON THE HILL, DANSVILLE, N. Y. 
STARK GRAPE NURSERIES are in the heart of the famous Chautauqua 
Grape Belt, which produces the finest vines grown in the U. 8. We have 
ora. 
GRAPF 
* nln. A *-*’ an immense stock of all leading sorts; quality perfect; prices low as those ot 
. » any reputable grower. Send us your orders— one vine or a car load. A com- 
▼ 1 lN CO |>tete lin e of fruit trees, small gjADIf QDA’C PORTLAND, N. Y. 
its, etc. Price List free. 
STARK BRO’S 
Louisiana. Mo. 
THOUSANDS OF DIAMONDS 
“BLACK 
will not be the cold, white Brilliants, but they will be the 
DIAMONDS 
WHICH ARE PRINTED ON EVERY BAG CONTAINING THE GENUINE 
“HUBBARD FERTILIZERS.” 
THEY ARE YOUR PROTECTION AND OUR’S. 
Ournew book, “ HUBBARD'S FERTILIZERS FOR 1904," is ready, and we will be pleased 
to send you a copy free. Send us your name and address, mentioning’ this paper. 
THE ROGERS & HUBBARD CO., 
MIDDLETOWN, CONN. 
Makers of the HUBBARD FERTILIZERS 
JAYNE’S TONIC VERMIFUGE 
CURES DYSPEPSIA and BRINGS HEALTH 
i 
