274 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
April 24 
cool water from below. In summer, it keeps the fur¬ 
row from drying out too rapidly, for by a thin mulch 
of two or three inches made by the harrow, the 
moisture can be prevented from evaporating. 
With E O, the capillarity is broken more than in 
E I, because it is not so flat and, therefore, the fur¬ 
row slice is not able so easily to draw water from 
below. Thus it more quickly becomes warm and dry 
in the spring, and would be a good furrow for corn. 
Keeping the same principles in mind, the reader can 
easily imagine the effect produced by such oblique or 
even upright furrows as E II and E III ; how the 
capillarity with the underlying soil is almost com¬ 
pletely broken, and how quickly the surface soil must 
dry out if left in that condition, and also how com¬ 
pletely they conserve the moisture in the subsoil. 
Cornell University. l. andebson. 
WHAT THEY SAY? 
How Teosinte Grows. 
Last year, I saw advertised in The R. N -Y., some 
trial packages of seeds from the John A. Salzer Seed 
Company, and sent for them. These packages con¬ 
tained one package of Teosinte (six seeds), of which 
four came up ; two were cut down by 
cut-worms. The other two grew very 
quickly after the first two weeks. As 
it was very dry and poor ground where 
planted, in July I cut off half, as it 
was killing some flowers I had planted 
near, and fed it to my calves ; they en¬ 
joyed it. September 23, it measured 17 
feet, and was more than a stout man 
could carry at once. The stalks are 
not so coarse as common corn, there 
are many leaves and many shoots from 
the stalks and from the ground but no 
seeds. I photographed it to give an 
idea how immense one little plant of 
Teosinte can grow on poor soil. I 
know the cows and calves liked it, and 
left the large corn stalks, but very little 
of the Teosinte stalks. I will try one- 
fourth acre on rich ground this year, 
and will never be without a plant of 
Teosinte in my yard, as it is very orna¬ 
mental. I send a photograph of my 
Teosinte plant—see Fig. 11G. Have any 
of the readers of The R. N.-Y. tried Teosinte for a 
dry winter feed or in the silo ? I planted Saghalin 
on the same kind of ground, and it was a failure ; 
it grew only two feet high. It may maice up for last 
year’s growth if it outlive the winter. 
Parkersburg, W. Va. mbs. anna meldahl wAtkins. 
Sulphur on Potato Seed. 
In Bulletin 120 of the New Jersey Station, Dr. B. 
D. Halsted gives the results following the use of sul¬ 
phur and other substances in preventing the scab on 
potatoes. The indications from his experiments are 
that no variety of the Irish potato is absolutely exempt 
from attacks of the scab fungus. The make-up of the 
outer layer of the tuber may determine the degree 
to which the variety is liable to attack. The best 
results in this experiment were ob¬ 
tained on soil which received 300 
pounds per acre of sulphur in 1895. 
Soaking the seed in a solution of cor¬ 
rosive sublimate checked the scab ; 
this mere soaking will not prevent it 
when the scab fungus is already in 
the soil. Sulphur stands at the head of 
the list as a scab remedy. Where the 
seed is soaked in the corrosive subli¬ 
mate, and sulphur is used in the 
drill, the scab is about as completely 
under control as we are likely to get it. 
of kainit has proved quite effective in 
the amount of scab, and the Bordeaux 
gave fair results. While rolling the seed in sulphur 
just after cutting has destroyed the scab fungus on 
the seed, it will not give a clean crop if the germs are 
already in the soil. Dr. Halsted says that rolling the 
freshly-cut seed in sulphur keeps it from drying out, 
and might well replace land plaster for this purpose. 
To test this matter, equal weights of potato seed were 
dusted with sulphur, acid phosphate, sulphur and 
acid phosphate mixed, while a fourth lot was left un¬ 
treated. At the end of a week, the sulphured seed 
weighed two ounces more than the untreated lot, 
and seven ounces more than that which was dusted 
with acid phosphate. Another set of seed was rolled 
in a concentrated fertilizer. Later, four pieces from 
each of the five sets were planted. All the pieces 
that were dusted with sulphur, and all those left un¬ 
treated came up, while none of the others ever grew. 
The plants and dead seed pieces are shown at Fig. 
119. It will be noticed that the sulphured seed has 
produced by far the strongest plant. These tests 
show that there is much less drying out of the 
potatoes where sulphur is used. A quicker and larger 
growth is obtained. In conclusion. Dr. Halsted says : 
The field experiments indicate that corrosive sublimate will 
check the scab when the soil is badly infested, but the mere 
soakinc of the seed is ineffective, and it needs to be added to the 
soil. The proper amount is not determined, for the quantity em¬ 
ployed proved injurious to the crop, and a very light yield 
resulted, mostly from a replanting of missing hills. The same 
failure of the plants to come up well was experienced with the 
kainit belts, and here, while the scab was checked, the yield was 
light. It is not unlikely that a proper amount of kainit mixed 
with sulphur, about 300 pounds of the former to an equal weight 
of the latter, would give a combination of fungicide and fertilizer 
that may prove of great value on the scab-infested farms of the 
potato-growing regions of our State. 
Netting for Peas —I find that the Rawson Clipper 
pea does much better on a trellis of poultry netting 
two feet wide. It yields more, is better picked and 
more easily hoed. The netting will last for years. I 
use it two feet wide, costing one cenfper running 
foot; use stakes of furring two inches wide. I cut 
the netting 30 feet long. My rows are 300 feet long, 
and I used 10 sections to a row. At the end of the 
season, it is rolled up on stakes, and stored for an¬ 
other year. Last year, I got peas for market in 60 
days, planted April 10, marketed June 10. This year, 
will put the 
readily cleaned out. 
Vermont. 
SAMPLES OF GOOD AND BAD PLOWING. Fig. 117. 
we planted April 1, but dare not hope to get them 
June 1. The above has been one of my most satis¬ 
factory experiments. b. w. p. 
Massachusetts. 
Raspberries Between Plums. —My plan has been 
to set Japan or native plums in rows 15 feet apart 
each way, and black raspberries as per diagram below. 
This leaves the rows 7 )4 feet apart. I use plenty of 
pure ground bone and hardwood ashes. My bushes 
are very thrifty. I cut them back in August, and as 
soon as the season will permit in April, I stake and 
tie the bushes, and cultivate one way thoroughly, be¬ 
fore they show much signs of growth. I then mulch 
the entire field with fine straw, taking a little more 
pains than many do. I find that, by doing this, 1 
can pick at quite an advantage. I believe that I can 
CLEARING NEW ENGLAND SPROUT LAND. 
TURNING IT INTO PERMANENT PA8TURE. 
In January last. I bought adjoining my farm, about 20 acres of 
sprout land of about four or five years’ growth. About one week 
with eight or ten men sufficed to break off the sprouts, and cut 
the brush, and in May when dry, I purpose to burn it over. Wbat 
is the best, quickest and most economical method to get this lot 
into permanent pasture? It would be, of course, difficult to plow 
on account of roots, but how about a spring-tooth harrow ? 
Would not that scarify the surface sufficiently to allow grass seed 
and grain Coats), to grow if sown in spring? Or should I delay, 
and sow rye in September? I have cleared many acres of rocks, 
but have never yet .subdued a wood, or stump lot. Some one 
speaks of stumping a lot with dynamite. Are the stumps and 
roots allowed to decay partly, or taken out green ? What is the 
process ? With what seeds should such a lot be seeded ? 
Worcester, Mass. c. e. r. 
Harrow, Stump Puller and Dynamite. 
In clearing stump land after burning, a spring- 
tooth harrow is the best tool I have ever tried. Get 
the simplest, strongest kind to be found (wooden 
frame if possible), and procure extra teeth and bolts, as 
you are sure of breaking many. Work the harrow in 
two sections, one horse for each. I think that you 
will be able to work in grass seed or oats so as to 
secure a good catch without trouble. Stumps will 
pull much easier after waiting three to five years. 
For pasture, use a variety of seeds— 
June grass, Tall Oat grass, Orchard 
grass, Red-top, Meadow Fescue, Tim¬ 
othy and Red, A 1 s i k e and White 
clovers. f. s. cooley. 
Mass. Agl. College. 
I believe that one horse, two men, a 
little dynamite and a Hawkeye grub 
and stump machine, answer the ques¬ 
tion fully, as regards clearing the land 
of stumps and roots in the best, quick¬ 
est and most economical manner. This 
would leave the land in condition for 
plowing, fitting and seeding. This 
machine will clear off two acres at 
one sweep, and will take out both 
large and small stumps, either “ dead 
or alive”. I have cleaned out Rock 
maple stumps, 3% feet through, with 
dynamite, by making a hole with an 
iron bar between two roots, working 
it in under the stump as far as pos¬ 
sible, and using a whole stick of dyna¬ 
mite for a charge. Three charges 
most obstinate stump in shape to be 
A. H. 
'"Vi*}?' 
II. E. II E.0. 
END VIEWS OF DIFFERENTLY-TURNED FURROWS. 
See First Page. 
E. I. 
Fig. 118 . 
The use 
reducing 
Mixture 
save enough this way to pay me for my extra work. 
There is no dirt on the berries ; it is clean for the 
pickers, and there are less grass and weeds to bother. 
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ends 
J. L. 
and 
T. 
As I stake in the spring, I trim all poor 
leave just the most desirable branches. 
Waverly, N. J. 
R. N.-Y.—The staking of raspberries may do very 
well for a small plot; but when they are grown by 
the acre, and the dozen acres, as they are in the rasp¬ 
berry-growing districts, it would simply be imprac¬ 
ticable. The pinching out of the tips before the canes 
are high enough to sprawl over, makes them stocky, 
and obviates the necessity of t. staking. 
In my opinion, the cheapest way to get this lot into 
permanent pasture would be to use a good spring- 
tooth harrow or an old-fashioned, long peg-tooth 
harrow. As soon as the ground thaws two or three 
inches, and is soft on top, but hard underneath, go for 
it with the harrow and work it until you are more 
than tired of the job. If you get at it at the right 
time, you can do a great deal of work this way at 
little expense. We do this kind of harrowing in 
orchards in early spring, as it saves plowing. As 
soon as possible after the work, sow oats and a per¬ 
manent pasture grass mixture. Do not feed too close 
the first season. It will help the soil to burn brush 
on the lot, but to harrow, it must 
be piled out of the way. 
Connecticut. n g. Manchester. 
Wait Until July Before Burning. 
I think that C. E. P. will be unable 
to get his brush dry enough to get a 
good burn early enough in spring to 
insure getting his grass seed started 
and big enough successfully to resist 
a usual midsummer drought. I should 
rather wait until, say July ; then 
the sprouts that are sure to start early will get a 
scorching that will give them an effectual set-back. 
I think that I would try an old-fashioned peg-tooth, 
A harrow ; it is of such shape that it will dodge about 
the stumps with less likelihood of being continually 
“hungup” over roots and stumps than the spring- 
tooth would be. I would brush the seed in with a 
bushy white birch, drawn by its butt end, or, per¬ 
haps, several if one is not large enough, chained to¬ 
gether by their butts with the draft chain. Winter 
rye could be sown if desired. The last of July 
and early August, is the normal time for most of our 
valuable cultivated grasses to start when self-sown, 
and if sown at this time, the fall rains and cool 
weather will give the grass a chance to get a good 
start, so that by the next summer, the roots will have 
sufficient hold on the soil to resist being pulled up by 
the grazing of stock. Oats I consider the worst crop 
that grass seed could be sown with. If the soil is 
rich enough to give the grass a good start, the oats 
are pretty sure to tumble down and smother the 
young grass ; and if not rich, the oats will appropri¬ 
ate all the available plant food before the grass can 
