1897 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
i9i 
1894, it was sown to winter wheat. The spring of 
1895 opened with a very poor stand. I sowed clover 
seed at the rate of six quarts per acre early in March, 
and obtained an excellent stand of clover which, by 
September, formed a perfect mat. This I turned 
under early in October, plowing a furrow eight inches 
wide, seven inches deep. I rolled after plowing. In 
the spring of 189G, I put on a heavy riding cultivator, 
and worked it both ways to the full depth of the 
plowing, then harrowed complete with a steel-frame 
lever harrow with teeth slightly inclining backward. 
Early in May, I opened furrows with a 15-inch fur- 
rower attached to a Planet Jr., fully six inches deep, 
three feet apart. In these furrows, I put a high- 
grade potato fertilizer analyzing five per cent 
ammonia, eight to ten per cent soluble phosphoric 
acid and 10 per cent actual potash derived from 
sulphate of potash, by means of a Spangler fertilizer 
machine adjusted to distribute 800 pounds per acre. 
This machine spread, mixed and reopened the furrow, 
leaving it about five inches deep. The potatoes were 
then dropped by hand 12 to 15 inches apart in the 
rows, without regard to which side came uppermost. 
They were then covered with a Planet Jr. with all 
the teeth removed except the two side shovels turned 
to throw together ; this covered about three inches 
deep, still leaving the furrow depressed. 
The potatoes were prepared as follows : Good stock 
selected seed potatoes were chosen. These were 
soaked 134 hour in one ounce corrosive sublimate dis¬ 
solved in 15 gallons of water, then spread about six 
inches thick on the barn floor to dry. When ready 
to plant, they were cut to two and three eyes. About 
five days after planting, the ground was harrowed 
with a sharp steel-fnme spike harrow, teeth inclining 
backward, directly over the row, making the ground 
very fine. About five days later, just as the potatoes 
began appearing, we again went over with the same 
harrow. One need not fear injury to the potatoes. 
About five days later, I went over the rows with 
Breed’s weeder ; this left the ground in as fine condi¬ 
tion as if raked with a garden rake. A few days 
later, when the potatoes were up about six inches, 
we gave them a deep cultivation with the five-tooth 
Planet Jr., teeth 13 i inch wide, going one round to 
each row, working the soil fully six inches deep, and 
running as close to the potatoes as possible. This 
was the only deep cultivation they received through¬ 
out the entire season. This harrow was followed by 
a 12-tooth Planet Jr. with a rake or pulverizer behind ; 
this left the ground in fine, loose condition below, 
and covered with a fine dust mulch. About a week 
later, it was again gone over with Breed’s weeder, 
which entirely destroyed any weeds before they had 
any chance to appear above ground. After this, the 
ground was cultivated once weekly with the 12-tooth 
Planet Jr., run shallow—not more than a couple of 
inches. This was kept up until within about three 
or four weeks of digging, and a cleaner patch could 
not be found—not a hand-hoe was used in the field 
from planting to digging. 
Here is my experience with potatoes kept in a 
rather warm cellar and badly sprouted, compared with 
the same variety from the same lot, but kept in a 
refrigerator and not sprouted at all. I planted four 
barrels from the cellar, and beside these, one barrel 
from the refrigerator. The refrigerator potatoes 
came up first, strong and robust, fully three days 
ahead of the others, and kept the lead for about 
three weeks. After this, I noticed that those kept 
in the cellar gained, and before they were six weeks 
old were ahead, and kept ahead the entire season, the 
stalks being fully six inches taller, heavier in propor¬ 
tion, and kept green longer. The refrigerator pota¬ 
toes died first, and yielded fully 25 per cent less pota¬ 
toes, with 50 per cent more small ones. These are 
hard facts, though contrary to popular opinion that 
potatoes never having sprouted, are stronger, less im¬ 
paired by sprouting, and will give a heavier yield. 
Such, in this instance, does not prove the case. 
Here are the results as to varieties and yield : 
The New Era, an extremely early potato, skin nearly white, 
very faintly shaded, flesh pure white, cooks light and mealy; one 
of the finest flavored early potatoes it was ever my good fortune 
to possess, yielded 350 bushels of Hue potatoes, and about eight 
per cent culls. 
Of Carman No. 1 I planted one barrel, on one-quarter acre. The 
yield was 109 bushels, with but seven bushels of small potatoes. 
This was at the rate of 430 bushels per acre. 
Orphan was a remarkably flue, strong grower, stalk and foliage 
dark green, retaining its healthy color until September. The 
tuber is clear, white-9kiuued, cooking fine and mealy, strictly a 
first-class potato. I iManted one barrel on one-fourth acre, and 
I obtained 106 bushels of extra-fine potatoes, but 0*4 bushels 
small ones. Yield, 434 bushels per acre. 
Dutton is a large, long, white-skinned potato, robust, healthy 
grower. I planted one barrel on one-fourth acre. It yielded 105 
bushels of fine, marketable potatoes, seven bushels of small ones. 
Yield per acre, 420 bushels. 
Great Divide is a grand late potato. I plauted one barrel. 
Yield, 104 bushels; yield per acre, 410 bushels, very few small 
ones. 
Of Maggie Murphy, I planted two barrels on one-half acre. 
Yield, 125 bushels; yield per acre, 250 bushels, but 4!4 bushels 
small. I had 50 potatoes of this variety that weighed 60 pounds, 
and had bushels of them weighing from one-half to one pound 
apiece, smooth without prongs. 
Rural New-Yorker No. 2 did poorly. I planted two barrels on 
one-half acre, and they yielded but 75 bushels, or at the rate of 150 
bushels per acre, some of them hollow. 
Carman No. 3. I think I was cheated in the seed of this variety. 
I paid $7.50 per barrel to a New York State man. I could see no 
difference between them and Rural New-Yorker No. 2. They 
looked alike, came up the same, had the same purple stalks and 
straggling growth. Planted one barrel on one-fourth acre, and 
got but 25 bushels, or at the rate of 100 bushels per acre. 
Early June Eating possesses no qualification to recommend it. 
It is not earlier than Early Rose, is a poor yielder, and fully oue- 
fourth of the tubers are black-spotted otherwise. It cooks mealy 
and is of fair quality. I planted one barrel on one-fourth acre, 
and got 30 bushels, or at the rate of 120 bushels per acre. 
Of White Star, I planted one-half acre and got 91 bushels of fine 
potatoes, few small ones. This is at the rate of 182 bushels 
per acre. 
Total yield, four acres, 1,120 bushels. From the 
above may be seen the difference in yield in varieties. 
Although seed of the newer varieties costs a trifle 
more, the difference in yield is from 200 to 400 per 
cent more. The above potatoes were all smooth, free 
from scab, showing the benefit of treating the seed. 
Most potatoes in this neighborhood not treated are 
scabby. These were worked entirely flat, and no 
more soil thrown to the row than possible. I have 
this ground now sown to rye and Crimson clover to 
be plowed under this spring. dr. j. h. funk. 
Berks County, Pa. 
WHAT THEY SAY. 
A Pruning Mask. —I am pruning, and for the past 
few years have found great comfort in a mask over 
the face to keep off the sun and wind. It often makes 
the difference between being able to stay at work or 
not during some days at this time of year. I wear 
spectacles, and to prevent the breath freezing on 
them, use a stiffish wire hooked behind each ear and 
bent ’round close to the face, just clearing the eyes 
and over the nose like a spectacle frame ; on this is 
run a thick piece of cotton, covering the nose and 
face to the beard, and short enough not to catch the 
breath. A rather loose tape from the corners under 
the chin keeps the wind from getting under, and 
turning it up over the eyes. See Fig. 88. c. t. 
Niagara, Ont. 
Profitable Use for Smai.l Apples. — Never be¬ 
fore was such a crop of apples produced in western 
New York. While 1,500,000 barrels were sold in 
barrels, and an immense quantity in bulk, the cider 
mills got all they wanted at about five to seven cents 
per 100 pounds, and still thousands and thousands of 
bushels were allowed to freeze and rot in the orchards. 
On our farms, we had a large crop. We put up about 
8,000 barrels of A1 apples, sold over 7,000 bushels to 
a cannery, and, instead of selling the poor apples for 
cider or letting them rot in the orchards, we put them 
in the barn basement, and have been making stock 
feed of them. We have 12 brood sows, due to far¬ 
row in March, that will weigh from 300 to 450 pounds 
each, and we have wintered them, so far, almost en¬ 
tirely on apples. All they get daily is nine bushels 
of these small apples, and one-half bushel (20 pounds) 
of coarse middlings to the lot, and they are in perfect 
condition—not fat, but fleshy and strong, and are 
getting excellent udders. As the middlings cost only 
1034 cents, and I could not have made the apples net 
over five cents per 100 pounds, and the nine bushels 
weigh only 450 pounds, the whole expense of feeding 
12 sows is only 33 cents, or less than three cents each 
per day. I know that the feeding tables give these 450 
pounds of apples a value of only 1.4 pounds of 
albuminoids, and 58 pounds of carbohydrates which, 
added to that in the middlings, would show a rather 
deficient amount for so much hog ; but the fact is 
still there, the sows are doing finely, and show a 
perfect state of health and full contentment. So I 
am forced to think that there is more in the apples 
thaD the chemist shows. It only confirms what I have 
long believed, that there is something/in succulence 
which is beneficial to the animal, beyond what can 
be measured by the chemist’s scales. 
But there is one condition connected with the keep¬ 
ing of these sows that should not be overlooked : they 
are in a roomy, warm basement, where the tempera¬ 
ture never gets below 45 degrees F. on the coldest 
day, and the pen is kept clean and well bedded. We 
have often wintered brood sows on mangels and 
wheat middlings, but this is the first time we have 
ever kept them for so long a time entirely on apples 
and middlings, and we are more than pleased with 
our experience. Hereafter, we shall never sell any 
refuse apples at less than one-sixth the price of corn, 
but shall feed them. J. s. woodward. 
Western New York. 
The Sneed Peach. —I notice a question under 
Ruralisms, “ Do you know about the Sneed peach?” 
I think I know all about the Sneed, and believe that 
a short history would not only be interesting to many, 
but of great benefit. The Sneed peach was originated 
near Memphis, Tenn., about 15 or 18 years ago, by 
Judge J. L. T. Sneed, an uncle of my wife, and it is a 
seedling of the Chinese Cling. Anyone familiar with 
the latter will readily see the resemblance in foliage 
and growth. I got the buds from the original tree 12 
or more years ago, and had them propagated and 
have had fruit nearly every year since they began 
bearing which, I think, was the second year. I tried 
for a long time to get the largest nurseryman in 
North Carolina to take hold of the peach, but he was 
hard to convince that there was any earlier and bet¬ 
ter peach than the Amsden June, and not until I got 
him to come to my place and see for himself the won¬ 
derful merits of the Sneed, would he be convinced. 
The Sneed is about 10 days earlier than Amsden 
June or Early Alexander, growing side by side. It is 
somewhat larger, ripens much better to the pit, is 
of excellent flavor, juicy, and when fully ripe, the 
skin readily peels off with the fingers. It has a large, 
full bloom and, therefore, is not so easily killed by 
frosts. It is, also, rather late blooming. The growth 
of limbs somewhat resembles the Weeping willow. 
It is simply a marvelous peach, and as I have often 
said, if I had only one peach tree on my place, it 
would be the Sneed. s. A. lowranck. 
Iredell County, N. C. 
Good Potato Culture. —The ground was plowed 
as early as it would do to work, and was thoroughly 
harrowed with an Acme harrow. A single shovel 
plow, a little over a foot wide at its top, was used to 
make the furrows into which the potatoes were 
dropped, the droppers walking on the side of the fur¬ 
row. The furrows were made as deep as possible. The 
potatoes were covered by using the same plow, throw¬ 
ing the soil into the potato row from each side of the 
row to be covered. This left a furrow on each side 
and nearly the middle of each potato row, so that, in 
case of heavy rains soon after planting, the water 
would settle away from the potatoes. It also left a 
ridge over them, enabling the ground to warm up 
more readily. Care should be used in covering so that 
the horse does not walk in the row to be covered, or 
step on the potatoes, as it would injure them to be 
bruised or trodden into the ground. Six to eight days 
after planting, and just before the potatoes were up, 
a drag was run across the ridges, making the ground 
as level as possible. This gave the ground a cultiva¬ 
tion, and destroyed the weeds that had just sprouted. 
When the potatoes were coming up, Breed’s weeder 
was run over them each way, and this was continued 
every three or four days until the vines were six to 
eight inches high. Then a cultivator was used once, 
plowing them thoroughly and deeply. A Planet Jr. 
horse hoe is a good tool for this purpose. A double¬ 
shovel plow may be used. After this, the weeds were 
kept down with hand hoes by scraping the top of the 
ground. The foregoing culture is on a line with Mr. 
E. S. Carman’s trench culture, and is a cheap and 
practical way to secure that excellent method of 
planting potatoes. albert Emerson. 
Illinois. 
Rooting Satsuma Plum Cuttings. 
As a fog is but a low cloud, and a cloud but a high 
fog, so the underground buds of a tree develop into 
roots, whereas the same buds, above ground, would 
have developed into leaves. From this, it must be 
apparent that the more buds on a cutting, the greater 
the chances to have it strike root. For this reason, 
particularly when hard-wood cuttings are made, they 
ought not to be made too short. But as a certain 
degree of warmth as well as moisture is necessary 
for the best condition of root-growth, the cuttings 
should not be buried too deep in the soil, and for this 
reason, it is preferable to place long cuttings in a 
slanting position, five to six inches soil on the lower 
end being an abundant covering. I have never tried 
Satsuma plum cuttings, but as I have had fair success 
with cuttings from trees which, in my opiniou, seem 
likely to be harder to root, I see no reason why these 
should not succeed with proper care. I would not 
