478 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
June 18, 
Ruralisffls | 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS 
Asparagus in Two Years From Seed.— 
Our trial of glass-grown asparagus plants, 
mentioned on page 774, R. N.-Y., for No¬ 
vember 9, 1903, has turned out a great 
success. The seeds, a good sample of the 
Palmetto variety, were sown March 2, 
1902, in an ordinary greenhouse flat or 
shallow box containing four inches of 
soil, and provided with the usual auger 
holes for drainage. The seeds had been 
previously soaked in warm water for 24 
hours. During April all weak and mis- 
shapen plants were pulled out, leaving 150 
of the most perfect and vigorous speci¬ 
mens. In early May the flat was trans¬ 
ferred to a cold frame for the purpose of 
hardening off the plants, which had grown 
nearly five inches high, and had formed a 
dense mat of roots through the soil. 
When ready for planting, about the mid- 
die of the month, a plot of sandy soil was 
plowed and fined in the usual manner, and 
furrows plowed out five feet apart. Three 
pounds of high-grade potato fertilizer to 
each rod were sown on the sloping sides, 
and mixed by raking the soil back into 
the furrow until it finished five inches deep 
with three inches of fine, enriched soil 
at the bottom. The soil was then washed 
away from the roots of the asparagus 
plants in the flat, using a small-nozzled 
hose with pressure from an elevated water 
tank. When disentangled the plants were 
carried to the field in a pail of water and 
immediately set out, 18 inches apart in the 
furrows, placing the roots in the natural 
star-like positions as nearly as possible. 
A few inches of fresh earth were com¬ 
pacted about the roots and subsequent cul¬ 
tivation depended on to fill up the trenches 
as the plants gained in height. There was 
no perceptible check to growth, as few 
roots were injured, and at the close of the 
season there was little difference in size 
between this lot and an equal number of 
two-year-old Argenteuil asparagus plants 
set in the same plot in a similar manner 
a few weeks earlier. The following year, 
1903, both lots sent up strong shoots, 
many of marketable size, but none was 
cut. They were again fertilized with a 
similar amount of high-grade chemicals 
and well cultivated through the season, 
peas and dwarf beans being grown be¬ 
tween the rows. By September, 1903, 
there was no apparent difference in the 
size of the clumps of the two lots, though 
the varietal habits of growth could be 
distinguished, Palmetto having more nu¬ 
merous and somewhat smaller shoots. 
Two-Year and Four-Year Plants.— 
The present Spring, two years from plant- 
ing, a fine, early crop of immense shoots 
appeared on both lots, and were closely 
cut until May 15, when all further growths 
were allowed to develop to strengthen the 
roots for next year. They were practi¬ 
cally equal in size and yield, though the 
glass-grown Palmetto plants are only two late in blooming that it must be protected 
tendency to make solitary shoots of great 
size under high culture, but the amount 
of marketable “grass” produced by the 
two varieties is very similar. 
Eulalia the Best Winter Mulch.— 
For Winter mulch on strawberry plants 
we used marsh hay, lawn clippings, aspar¬ 
agus tops, stable litter, sweet corn fodder 
and Eulalia stover, all put on in late No¬ 
vember. The unusual severity of the Win¬ 
ter made an excellent test of the adapta¬ 
bility of these various materials. Eulalia 
stover proved by far the best protection, 
plants covered with it retaining their green 
foliage quite intact until the growing sea¬ 
son, while nearly all leaves were black¬ 
ened or killed under the other coverings. 
Unprotected plants were almost without 
exception severely injured, most old plants 
being killed outright, while the young run¬ 
ners were harmed to a noticeable degree. 
Corn fodder made a fair protection, but 
harbored mice, and was disturbed by poul¬ 
try when allowed to run over the beds. 
Stable litter, marsh hay and lawn clip¬ 
pings packed down under the beating rains 
and snow pressure, exposing the crowns 
to zero winds. Asparagus tops are too 
brittle, and are blown off by high winds. 
Eulalia stems retain their elasticity the 
whole season, lie light and loose, shelter¬ 
ing the plants in frost, while affording 
them the needed light and ventilation dur¬ 
ing thaws. The feathery tops catch and 
retain the snow better than the other 
mulches tried at the same time. The new 
Spring growth of the strawberries easily 
penetrates Eulalia stover, which may be 
allowed to remain for the purpose of keep¬ 
ing the berries off the ground. The seeds 
never ripen in this latitude, so no grass 
or foul seeds are added to the soil as is 
usually the case with other mulching ma¬ 
terials. It is so light and open that rot 
is not encouraged among the berries in 
a rainy fruit season, which constitutes the 
principal objection to salt or marsh hay 
as a mulch in fruiting time. If kept dry 
after the picking season is over it is in 
fair condition for another season’s use. 
The only trouble with Eulalia is its scar¬ 
city and the length of time, three or four 
years, required to grow a crop. When es¬ 
tablished, however, it lasts, with increas¬ 
ing yield, for many years. Old clumps 
of Eulalia, 10 years planted, are largely 
killed out by the past Winter on the 
Rural Grounds, but younger plantings do 
not appear to be harmed. It is easily prop¬ 
agated by division. An account of the 
usefulness of Eulalia stover for Winter 
protection of tender plants was published 
on page 38, current volume of The R. 
N.-Y. 
The Beautiful Hardy Aster. —The 
hardy perennial Asters are most desirable 
border plants, making neat and symmet¬ 
rical growth during Summer, and burst¬ 
ing into a veritable avalanche of bloom in 
late Fall. There are now many named 
kinds. We illustrate in Fig. 204, first 
page, Aster Amellus Bessarabicus, deep 
purple in color. One of the largest flow¬ 
ered varieties is sold as A. grandiflorus, 
It is pleasing violet-blue in color, but so 
years from the seed, while the Argenteuils 
are four years old. In the first instance 
the root systems were not injured, and 
the plants never checked in their growth, 
while a close selection of strong plants 
was made soon after germination, all weak 
individuals being rogued out. The Argen¬ 
teuil plants, in the usual manner, hall been 
crowded two years in the seed Bed and 
the roots more or less mangled in digging 
and subsequent handling. The check in 
growth when transplanted at this age is 
severe enough to offset any advantage 
gained by the greater size. It seems en¬ 
tirely practicable, where only a few hun¬ 
dred plants are needed, to start them in 
the greenhouse, window garden or hotbed 
and have a fair supply of excellent aspar¬ 
agus in two or three years. As to the 
varieties, both Palmetto and Argenteuil 
succeed well here, and appear to resist 
rust better than other kinds. Thay are 
very much alike. Argenteuil has greater 
like a Chrysanthemum in many localities 
Aster Mrs. F. W. Raynor has large crim¬ 
son-purple flowers, and blooms in Octo 
ber. Some of the finest hardy Asters are 
native to the eastern United States, mak- 
nig a most conspicuous floral feature in 
late Autumn. We all notice the millions 
of little white, blue and pink Asters bloom¬ 
ing in company with golden rod. The 
New England Aster, A. Novae Angliae, is 
one of the most showy and is frequently 
cultivated. The type species has bluish 
flowers, of good size, but there are white 
and rose-colored varieties listed in plants- 
men’s catalogues. Hardy Aster plants 
generally sell for 15 cents each. They are 
long-lived and easily grown. w. V. F. 
Father: “What are you crying about, 
Bobby?” Bobby (between sobs) : “I 
don’t want to go to school to-day.” Father: 
“Why not?” Bobby: “Sis jilted the 
teacher last night.”—Puck. 
SOY BEANS IN CORN. 
I cannot give you any information from per¬ 
sonal experience, but I have been watching the 
experiments of my neighbors. Most of them 
plant the beans with the corn, using about 
one-third beans and one-third corn less per 
acre. There are some who are pleased with 
the crop, and think it helps to make a bal¬ 
anced ration, but I think that there are more 
who have tried them here who think they will 
not pay the extra cost of harvesting, as the 
beans bother the corn harvesters, and are still 
worse if the corn is cut by hand, and are go¬ 
ing to give up planting them. The best corn 
raisers here will not plant them until better 
results are obtained. h. w. h. 
Randallsville, N. Y. 
The beans are planted with the corn. Some 
mix them with the corn and some plant them 
between the rows, having their ground marked 
in checks and plant beans between the corn 
hills one way. Some mix them in with the 
corn and plant them with planter, and some 
mix with corn and drill them. They are cut 
with the corn and put in silo the same as the 
corn and at the same time. I have never 
raised any myself. Some think they are a 
great help to the silage, making it better for 
stock. Where they mix them with the corn 
they are cut with harvester just the same as 
corn. j. f. p. 
East Hamilton, N. Y. 
WE WANT TO KNOW. 
I have two acres of land seeded badly with 
Canada thistles; will some one who has had 
experience give.me the best method of getting 
rid of this troublesome plant? 
Ohio. j. a. D. 
Cannibal Chickens. —Why should White 
Leghorn chickens, incubator hatched, be can¬ 
nibals? What in excess or deficiency have 
they in their composition that should de¬ 
velop such an abnormal appetite? They are 
now more than six weeks old. Since they 
were 10 days old until the present time every 
few days they get a spell of this kind. With¬ 
out any apparent reason they will attack the 
foot, head, ear or eye, wing joint, or softer 
parts of the body, and a single squawk of 
the attacked chick calls the whole brood with 
their sharp little beaks, and in a very few 
minutes the carcass is demolished, unless 
some one is on hand to make a rescue. Their 
food from the beginning has been the most 
approved “chick food,” plenty of fresh water, 
sand grit, coal ashes, bone meal every few 
days, occasionally fresh meat, and a run of 
about 30 square rods to a hundred chickens. 
Little grass grows in their yard, but cut 
grass is supplied them. As far as I have read 
the books they have everything that should 
grow perfect chicks, and it is true not one 
has been lost by disease, but they have man¬ 
aged to dispose of 20 per cent of the whole 
flock by cannibalism, and it looks as if the 
end was not yet. Did any other chicken 
raiser ever have this trouble, and how did 
they overcome it? Pennsylvania. 
“BE GOOD” 
TO YOUR HORSES 
USE FRAZER’S AXLE GREASE 
AND MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM. 
Recognized as the STANDARD 
Axle Grease of the United States. 
Many Thousand Tubs of this Grease are sold 
weekly to theTruckmen of New YorkCity, their 
Trucks are loaded heavy and a saving of both 
time and money is made, one greasing lasting 
two weeks or longer. 
Ask your dealer for FRAZER’S with Label on 
It saves your horse labor and you too. 
SOLD EVERYWHERE. 
Frazer LubricatorCo.,83 Murray St., N.Y 
When you frrite advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you will get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.” See guarantee, page 8. 
Farm Wagon only 821.95. 
In order to introduce their Low Metal Wheels 
with Wide Tires, the Empire Manufacturing Com¬ 
pany, Quincy Ill., have placed upon the market a 
Farmer’s Handy Wagon, that is only 25 inches high, 
fitted with 24 and 30-inch wheels with 4-mch tire, 
and sold for only $21.95. 
This wagon is made of the best material through¬ 
out, and really costs but a trifle more than a set of 
new wheels and fully guaranteed for one year. 
Catalogue E, giving a full description will be mailed 
upon application by the Empire Manufacturing Co., 
Quincy, Ill., who also will furnish m^tal wheel* at low 
prices made any size and width of tire to fit any as le. 
You can 
cover SO to 40 acres 
per day with 
"She Waisort 
Four Bow Potato Sprtyir 
Straddles 2rows,sprays 
4 at a time. Wheels ad- 
just for different widths. 
Sprays to any fineness and gearing of pump to wheel of 
cart gives any pressure desired. Automatic agitator and 
suction strainer cleaner. It never spoils foliageor clogs. 
Free Inatructlon and formula book ibowl 4h« famous Gerfleld, fm* 
pire Kinr, Orchard Monarch and other eprajera. Write for It. 
FieldForcePumpCo., 2 Ilth St.,Elmira, N.Y. 
// vim'S:!I 
Brown’s 
No. 3 
Potato 
Sprayer 
[ sprays 4 to 8 rows, any width, with finest mist or 
fogatone passage. Constanthigh powersupplied 
from both wheels, no lost motion. Mechanical 
agitator. A new era in rapid thorough spraying of 
potatoes, vegetables, small fruits and vines. Write 
today for free book of all sprayers, 
, E.C. Brown & Co., 268 State St., Rochesfer.N.Y. 
RCHARD PROFIT 
0 depends upon working all the 
»fruit into a salable product, 
cider for 1 nstance. If clear and 
pure it sells readily at a profit. 
The best is produced by a 
HYDRAULIC c,d p e r!ss 
Made in varying sizes, hand or: 
power. Catalogue tree. 
HYDRAULIC PRESS MFC. CO., 
38 Cortlandt St., New York. 
potato 
and 
BLIGHT. BOXAL kills both. 
Dust on or spray on. Book free. 
BOWKBB INSECTICIDE CO. 
N. Y., Boston & Cincinnati 
WHALE 
SPRAYING SPAR 
FRUIT GRADERS 
Interest too. W.H. 
-OIL SOAP 
Compressed-Air Spraying Ap¬ 
paratus, Chemicals for Spray¬ 
ing, etc. Our Catalogue, Neces¬ 
sities for the Orchard, will 
, OWEN# Fort Clinton# Ohio# 
C U T A WAY 
TOOLS 
For Large Hay Crops 
Clark’s Reversible 
Bush and Bog Plow 
Cota a track 4 ft. wide, 1 ft. 
deep. Will plow a new-cut forest. 
Hie Double - Action Cutaway 
Harrow keeps the land true, 
moves 18,000 tons of earth and 
cuts 30 acres per day. His Re¬ 
versible Disk Plow cuts a fur¬ 
row 6 to 10 in. deep, 14 in. wide. 
All of these machines will kill 
wltch-grasa,wild mustard, char¬ 
lock, hardhack, sunflower, milk- 
wssd, thistle or any foul plant. 
Send for circulars. 
Cutaway Harrow Co. 
Higganum, Conn., U.8.A. 
HUBBARD’S FERTILIZERS 
ARE 
THE 
BEST ON EARTH. 
Manufactured by THE ROGERS & HUBBARD CO., Middletown, Conn. 
“ Hubbard’s Fertilizers for 1904,” sent free to any address. 
