636 
August 27 
NORTHERN GARDEN NOTES. 
Celery. —The celery patch should be 
thoroughly worked if good results are to 
be expected. The cool nights of August 
and September are best suited to the 
growth of the plants, and only by fre¬ 
quent cultivation can we conserve the 
moisture which is so essential for a rapid 
growth. Celery should never be handled 
while wet with dew or rain; the work can 
best be done in the afternoon of the day 
following a' rain, when the soil will pack 
firmly around the plant. Handling is the 
process employed by gardeners to make the 
plant grow erect. 1 he plant is drawn to¬ 
gether with both hands, and then held 
upright with the left hand while the earth 
is drawn up and firmly packed with the 
right. Then the operation is reversed, 
holding the plant with the right hand 
while the soil is packed with the left. If 
the work has been well done, the plants 
will stand erect, so that a furrow thrown 
up on each side with the horse hoe will usu¬ 
ally be sufficient until the plants show a 
tendency to spread. If the varieties 
grown are the so-called self-blanching 
kinds, one more hilling with the hiller, 
trimmed with the hand hoe, will complete 
the blanching. Another good way that 
has become popular, when early celery is 
wanted, is to drive stakes three inches 
wide between plants in the row, say three 
to every 13 feet, then placing an eight 
or 10-inch board on edge against the 
stakes, securing the same by additional 
stakes on the outside of boards, being 
careful to exclude the light from the 
plants next to the soil. 
While this manner of blanching will 
produce very fine-looking celery, the qual¬ 
ity is not as good as that blanched entirely 
with soil. Of the varieties used for early, 
the Golden Self-blanching is preferable 
to White Plume, and is less liable to rust. 
The later varieties, such as Perfection 
Heartwell and Pascal require more ridg¬ 
ing up, and are grown without the use 
of boards. It is essential in the growing 
of celery that the plant should not be dis¬ 
turbed while wet. and precaution taken 
to keep the soil out of the hearts of the 
plants. I shall have more to say latei 
about storing for Winter. 
The Tomato Patch.— Tomato plants 
at this date should be well set with all the 
fruit the season will ripen. A common mis¬ 
take made by most amateurs is to set 
tomato plants too close, thus producing a 
heavy growth of vine that covers the soil 
and prevents evaporation, shading the 
fruit, thus retarding the ripening. An¬ 
other mistake is to cut off the surplus 
branches, which only induces the plant to 
start more branches, which in turn make 
the foliage still denser. What we want 
is to check the growth of the plant. I 
have employed tne following method for 
years with good results, so much so that 
1 have had but few green tomatoes when 
frost came: After the second or third 
picking we check the growth of the most 
vigorous plants that are well set with 
fruit by breaking down the branches from 
the main stalk, sometimes leaving only a 
small portion adhering to the main stalk. 
It is easily done by placing the picking 
basket on the hill instead of in the row. 
Later in the season, if the basket is not 
sufficient, we walk on the prostrate 
branches, thus further mutilating the 
vines. This treatment may seem rather 
severe, but if it were possible to check 
the growth by starvation the same results 
would be obtained. 
Early Bunching Onions. —Gardeners 
in this section are now preparing the 
ground for the early bunching onions. A 
piece of well-drained soil that has grown 
a crop of snap beans or late peas is usual¬ 
ly selected. A good application of manure 
is plowed under, and the piece well har¬ 
rowed. The variety used is a perennial 
onion that was introduced into this coun¬ 
try from Holland several years ago. It 
differs from the Egyptian Perennial top 
onion, as it is grown from seed instead of 
tops. The seeds are sown in the Spring 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
in rows as for sets. The piece is kept 
clean from weeds until about August 1, 
when the tops are mowed off with a 
scythe. The plants are then dug, the soil 
shaken off and allowed to dry for a few 
days in the sun, when the sets or plants 
are set in rows twelve inches apart in 
the soil mentioned above, two inches apart 
in the rows. In a week the sets will have 
started to grow. They will need no fur¬ 
ther attention except a few hoeings with 
a wheel hoe, no mulching being used, as 
they are perfectly hardy. The tops die 
down during the Winter, but start again 
the first warm spell in Spring. As soon 
as growth starts we break off the de¬ 
cayed tops, and as soon as possible ridge 
up the rows with wheel hoe, thus bleach¬ 
ing a portion of the stalk. The set will 
have multiplied from two to four times; 
thus, instead of having one onion, as in 
the case of ordinary sets, we have from 
two to four onions about the size of a 
lead pencil, and bleached three or four 
inches of their length. They are usually 
ready for market two or three weeks be¬ 
fore onions obtained from sets. They 
have the advantage over the Egyptian 
perennial onion of being a pure white in 
color. They never form a bulb. That 
portion of the patch left unsold can be 
left standing to produce seed, and will 
multiply many times during the Summer. 
This onion can be used for forcing under 
glass in Winter. j. jeannin, jr. 
Planting Onion Sets in Fall. 
IF. R. FOakland City, lnd .—Is it safe to 
plant out onion sets grown from seed in Fall, 
and cover with straw to protect from Winter V 
Many potato onions are grown here in that 
manner, but not any from sets. I live in 
southern Indiana, due west of Louisville, Ivy. 
Ans. —Presuming that the onions were 
to be grown for early bunching, while 
there might be an advantage in setting 
them in the Fall, the risk is too great. 
While it is possible to winter over the 
sets under a straw mulch, I would prefer 
to set Egyptian Perennial onions, or bet¬ 
ter yet, the White Perennial onion sets 
that have been grown from seed the past 
Spring. If the questioner desires to grow 
large onions for early ripening, I would 
still prefer to plant the sets in the Spring. 
J- J. 
Tobacco Stems as Fertilizer. 
J. IF., Harrisburg, Pa ,—Can you give me 
any information as to the value of tobacco 
stems for a fertilizer for potatoes? Are they 
as good as commercial fertilizers for early 
potatoes, and how should I use them? 
Ans. —Tobacco stems vary greatly in 
composition. A fair average as compared 
with average stable manure is shown by 
the following table: 
POUNDS IN ONE TON. 
Nitrogen. Phos. Acid. Fotash. 
Stable 
manure.... 
10 
G 
13 
Tobacco 
stems.... 
47 
14 
120 
Potato 
fertilizer. .. 
70 
160 
130 
Thus the stems contain over four times 
as much plant food as the stable manure. 
As compared with a high-grade potato fer¬ 
tilizer the stems are low in phosphoric 
acid. For an early crop the stems would 
not be equal to the fertilizer because they 
lack phosphoric acid and the nitrogen is 
not so available. For early crops, while 
the soil is cold some form of soluble ni¬ 
trogen must be used. The fertflizer can 
supply this, while the stems will not do so. 
For later crops the stems will answer if 
you can use acid phosphate with them to 
supply the phosphoric acid. We would 
scatter them in the hill or drill before 
planting. __ 
COSGROVE'S HEN NOTES. 
Chicks in Small Quarters. —April 28 I 
had 83 chicks hatched from 117 eggs. I par- 
titio"ned off part of two scratching sheds, put¬ 
ting 40 chicks with two hens in one shed, and 
43 chicks with two hens in the other shed. 
The space is only 6x8 feet that is partitioned 
off in each shed, and until within the last few 
days these chicks have not been out of that 
space. They have grown so far as I can see 
just as well as those which are at liberty; 
have feathered out fairly well and twice I 
have shipped cockerels from among them for 
broilers, weighing 2‘/> pounds each. The pens 
were not cleaned out until a week ago, the 
droppings being five to six inches deep, but 
being dry there was very little odor; if they 
had become wet and the sun shone on them in 
a few hours the odor would have been un¬ 
bearable. I have raised chicks in these sheds 
every season for the last five or six years, but 
never kept them there so long before, and it 
is a constant wonder to me that they should 
have thriven so well in such small quarters, 
no matter what care as to feed, etc., was 
given them. It goes without saying that 
these chicks received good care, being fed and 
watered three umes a day, supplied with green 
food in the shape of lawn clippings, also with 
ground charcoal and grit. But that 43 
chicks could be kept in a space 6x8 feet from 
the time they were halcheu until they weighed 
2 to 2*/ 2 pounds each I would not have be¬ 
lieved if I had not demonstrated it myself. 
I do not advocate any such practice, but men¬ 
tion this to show what it is possible to do 
wnen compelled, as I was by press of other 
labor to let these remain so long in small 
quarters. 
Killing Lice. —Now is the time when the 
hen man must watch closely for lice. The 
chicks in my brooder house did not have a 
louse on them that 1 could find; I have ex¬ 
amined them frequently. I took the brooders 
out of the house two weeks ago and put some 
2x3 inch scantling with corners rounded oil, 
raising them about three inches from the 
ground, for the chicks to roost on. This 
morning 1 turned those roosts bottom up and 
found hundreds of the round-bodied roost lice 
red with the blood of my chicks. An appli¬ 
cation of Lambert’s Death to Lice Special dis¬ 
solved in kerosene oil destroyed the lice in 
short order. Some small houses with move- 
able yards attached that were used to shut 
up setting hens also got very lousy. For 
these I put about four tablespoonfuls of crude 
carbolic acid in a pail of whitewash and gave 
them a thorough washing. This w T as done 
two weeks ago, and I have not been able to 
find a live louse in them since. The month 
of August is the worst month in the year for 
hen lice. I once took some oil that had been 
run through the milling machines in a gun 
factory until it was as thick as molasses and 
painted the bottom of my hen roosts, and 
it kept lice away for months. Kerosene oil 
will keep them away about three hours; as 
soon as it evaporates they will be doing busi¬ 
ness at the old stand the same as ever. 
G. A. COSGROVE. 
DAIRY NOTES. 
Cows are not doing as well as last year; 
pastures are better, but flies are worse. Cat¬ 
tle were so closely confined last Winter (owing 
to the severity of the weather) and fed so 
much grain, because of a shortage of fodder, 
that they were not in as good condition this 
Spring; one other reason is that milk brought 
a better price last year, and cattle were 
pushed to their greatest capacity; the reac¬ 
tion has come. Rockdale Creamery Co. paid 
only 70 cen.s for June as against 80, 85 and 
00 paid by the Bordens and other creameries, 
I know of but one farmer who has fed grain 
this Summer. Glutens and bran cost us from 
824 to $26 per ton. The general feeling 
among farmers is that they will not increase 
their dairy, but will rather weed out the poor¬ 
est and wait awhile before buying more. A 
few have raised some good heifers. The hay 
crop is good, but the general outlook for dairy¬ 
ing is not as good as last year. E. M. P. 
Fast Guilford, N. Y. 
Seedling Peach Pits. —The peach pits 
which are sold to nurserymen from North 
Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee are gath¬ 
ered principally in the mountains of these 
States, where the main crop of peaches are 
seedlings. These are the best for many rea¬ 
sons. In the first place, there are none of 
the diseases on the roots of these trees, espe¬ 
cially on the native seedlings. They make 
a much hardier seedling, and come up better 
than the seed of improved varieties. The 
seeds are small and tnere are more of them 
to the bushel. They are saved by persons 
who have small orchards and dry or can the 
fruit by hand, being saved in small quantities 
until they are dry and delivered to us, and 
there is no danger of their being heated by 
being piled in large piles. There is no one 
variety better than others, the main object 
being to get seed from seedlings where there 
are no root diseases, such as yellows, etc. 
North Carolina. john a. young. 
For the land’s sake, use Bowker’s Fer¬ 
tilizers. They enrich the earth.— Adv. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you will get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.’' See guarantee, page 8. 
$20 
for $3. 
During another week we will 
send, prepaid, on receipt of S3, the 
complete collection up to date, of 
“Shoppell’s Modern Houses.” com¬ 
prising 27 books (weight 80 pounds), 
in which are described and fully illus¬ 
trated 850 Building Designs. Re¬ 
turnable if not satisfactory. This 
extraordinary offer ($20 worth of 
books for $3) is made on account of 
our removal. Address The Co¬ 
operative Building Plan 
Ass’n, 108 Fulton St., 
New York. 
< DDI C DADDCI Q —Buy now and save money 
All LX DMnnLLOi R 0 bt.Gi]lies, Medina, N. Y. 
NEW CROP TIMOTHY SEED. 
Extra Choice, ,$1.65 per bushel. 
Bags, 15c. Direct to Farmers. 
Special price in large lots. 
THE O. C. SHEPARD CO., MEDINA, O. 
\—Crimson Clover Seed, $4 per bushel. 
Cow Peas. $1.75 and $2 per bushel; Seed 
Sweet Potatoes, $1 per bushel. 
J. E. HOLLAND, Milford, Del. 
FOR SALE- 
choice SEED RYE. 
Our Seed Rye is grown in the light soil district of 
New Jersey, and produces big crops when sown on 
heavy land. 8amples and price on application. 
EDWARD RIGG, Jr., Burlington, N. J. 
SEED WHEAT. 
A NEW VARIETY; Over 40 bushels per acre 
Three Years in Succession. 
Brother Farmer: If you are Interested in wheat that 
is sure to yield large crops; heavy crops this season 
stood perfectly straight where so heavy that binder 
would not elevate much more than half a swath: 
with only 1RJ bushel seed per acre. Write me for full 
information, prices and flattering testimonials of 
satisfied farmers. Address, 
S. P. SHEPARD, North Amherst, Ohio. 
SEED WHEAT. 
Improved FULTZ—the greatest average ylelder of 
all varieties; grains as large as California Long- 
berry. Outyielding all leading varieties by side of 
which lt has been grown. Vigorous, hardy, and a 
great stooler, with good stiff straw: will stand more 
raiD in shock than any variety tested by me. An 
Ideal Wheat. My 1D04 crop is especially fine. I 
also have FULZO-MEDITERRANKAN grown 
from seed purchased from Indiana last Fall; seeds 
tested before shipping. Second to none in equipment 
for caring for. handling and preparing wheat for 
seed. Tenth Year. Samples sent on application. 
Price of each variety, by mail postpaid, 1 lb. 25 cents. 
By freight or express, one-quarter bushel, 50 cents; 
one bushel, $1.50: 10 bushels or more. $1.40 per bushel. 
Bags free. Purchaser pays freight W. OSCAR 
COLLIER, Easton. Md., Grower of Standard Farm 
Seeds. Originator of Improved Fultz Wheat. 
CHOICE SEED WHEATS 
All the leading sorts, and some new ones, the sensa¬ 
tion of the age. Kings of the Wheat Field. Samples 
and beautiful illustrated Catalogue 20 free, if you 
mention this paper. 
MAPLEWOOD STOCK FARM, Allegan, Mich 
W HEAT 
Mealy Wheat, free from Cockle and Rye. We have 
i Kentucky Giant, Fultz, American Wonder, and Daw¬ 
son Golden Chaff. Write to-day. 
The Theilmann Seed Company, Erie, Pa. 
PECAN TREES AND NUTS seed lingtrees,(1,2 &3 
years old.) TheG. M. Bacon Pecan Co. (Inc.) Dewitt,Ga 
_ FRUIT BOOK 
, shows in NATURAL COLORS and 
accurately describes 216 varieties of 
fruit.. Send forour liberal terms of distri¬ 
bution to nlanters. —Stark Bro’s. Louisiana. Mo. 
inn kinds apples 
I V w All varieties for summer, fall 
and winter. Ben Davls y always a fa¬ 
vorite, Baldwin, Win© Bap, ©to. Trees strong 
and well rooted, nealthy, shapely. Oura Is the 
best climate In the world for fruit tree develop¬ 
in'*"* Write for free 1904 catalogue, 
llarrlhon’s Nurseries, Bx 29,Berlin, Md. 
CHOICEST FRUIT 
and Ornamental Tree*, Shraba, Rotes, 
Plants and Bulbs. Catalogue No. 1 free to 
Durchasers of Fruit and Ornamental Trees. 
No. 3 free to buyers of Holland Bulbs and 
Greenhouse Plants. Try us; satisfaction 
guaranteed. Correspondence solicited Cist 
greenhouses. 1000 acres. 
THE STORKS & HARRISON CO. 
PAINESVILLE, OHIO. 
WANTFR - FAKM MA NAGER—A thoroughly 
It Mil I LU competent and successful man to man¬ 
age large farm in Michigan. Must be a good stock- 
man and able to furnish the best of references. 
Straight salary or if preferred, a proposition from 
the right party to work on shares will be considered. 
Address, ESTATE, Box 823, Saginaw, Mich. 
POTTED STRAWBERRY PLANTS.» 
T, C. KEV1TT. Athenia, N. J. 
I POTTED STRAWBERRY PLANTS. 
Lowest prices. PETEli SPEER, Passaic, NJ, 
LARGE LUSCIOUS STRAWBERRIES IN 1905. 
From our STRONG POT GROWN PLANTS offered in our Summer Catalogue. A full crop of fruit 
ten months after plants are set out. Plant now, we have the best varieties for market and home 
use. We have in five-inch pots, now ready for planting and late bloom, all the best hardy Roses, 
Honeysuckle and ClematiB; also Boston and English Ivy. A full line of selected FRUITS and 
ORNAMENTALS for Autumn planting. Stock first class. Prices reasonable. 
I APJnQPADC fiAQHCWINfi and the beautifying and enriching of the Home ground our leading 
LMHUOUMiL UMnULRinU specialty. We will be pleased to call at d see you on this matter, or 
call at our Nurseries and see our stoe k. Our Catalogue mailed free. Write for it to-day. 
T. J, DWYER db OO., CORNWALL, 3NT. Y. 
CRIMSON CLOVER 
The great soil improver. Valuable 
alic for early green food, grazing 
and hay crop. Special circular 
free, also sample and price of seed 
on request. HENRY A. DREER, 714 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 
