5o8 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
July 31 
HOPE FARM NOTES. 
In almost every neighborhood, there is 
some worthless locality known as a 
“bone yard,” where dead horses and 
other animals are taken for burial. It 
is generally some sterile, sandy place 
where nothing will grow. We have such 
a place on Hope Farm. It is a field of 
about 3% acres, too poor to grow any¬ 
thing but scrub blackberries. About 
five years ago, a tenant tried to grow 
corn on it. We could see, this spring, 
where he cut off the stalks not much 
larger than a lead pencil. What was to 
be done with the field ? The fertilizer 
“ experts” said, “Plow it up, use 1,500 
pounds of high-grade fertilizer per acre, 
and plant at once to potatoes ! ” That 
might answer, but we wanted a simpler 
and cheaper way of improving that soil. 
On May 19, it was worked over with a 
Cutaway harrow. Before harrowing, 
we broadcasted 1,600 pounds of basic 
slag and 500 pounds of kainit. This was 
mixed in the body of a low - down 
wagon, and scattered with shovels. It 
was harrowed in with an Acme harrow, 
and then 3% bushels of Early Black cow 
peas were broadcasted. They were 
worked in with the Acme, going across 
the previous harrowing with the teeth 
laid as flat as possible. The peas sprouted 
quickly, but made slow growth during 
the cold, wet weather of early June. 
With hot weather, however, they made 
a sudden start, and now cover the 
ground, standing about one foot high. 
Last year, this variety grew about 18 
inches high, and then spread in long 
vines over the ground. We expect to 
cut the crop for hay early in August, 
work up the stubble with the Cutaway, 
Ouk first Crimson clover seed was 
sown July 1(5, in two acres of Shaker’s 
Early sweet corn. The seed was scat¬ 
tered through the corn—seeding two 
rows at a time. After seeding, the 
ground was lightly worked with a 
diamond-tooth cultivator. Behind the 
cultivator, we hung a heavy board which 
scraped and leveled down the cultivated 
soil. This light cultivator is excellent 
for such work. A careful man will 
handle it so as merely to scratch over 
the surface, and that is all that is needed 
in seeding this clover. A picture of the 
cultivator is shown at Fig. 209. The 
field is poor, with streaks of open gravel 
through it. The corn had 400 pounds of 
fertilizer per acre in the drill, but is in 
fairly good condition—thanks to con¬ 
stant tillage. In the same field, are two 
acres of melons. Before planting, we 
broadcasted basic slag and muriate of 
potash on this melon ground. At the 
last cultivating, we expect to sow Crim¬ 
son clover seed on this patch. We want 
to see whether the slag and potash will 
make much difference in the growth of 
the clover. We have, in all, four bushels 
of the clover seed to sow. This enables 
us to sow it in half a dozen different 
combinations—alone and with various 
other crops like millet, turnips, squash 
and fodder corn. We do not expect the 
best of results in sweet corn. There is 
likely to be too much tramping in pick¬ 
ing off the ears, More seed was used 
than with ordinary field corn. 
XXX 
The fine Minorca rooster at the head 
of the pen of Black Business birds died 
last week. During the hot weather, he 
was taken suddenly sick. The symptoms 
THE DIAMOND-TOOTH CULTIVATOR. Fie. 209. 
and sow tb e whole field to Crimson clover. 
The cow pea is known in the South as 
the “ poor-land crop.” On poor, sterile 
land, it will make more fodder per acre 
than any other plant. On good land, 
corn will produce considerably more 
food, but on poor land, the cow pea will 
outyield even rye. We shall try to see 
what can be done with this old “ bone 
yard ” with potash and phosphoric acid 
alone, leaving clover and cow peas to 
steal the nitrogen for us. 
XXX 
I have been watching some Italians 
at work on a road near Hope Farm. 
They frequently make a meal off a chunk 
of bread and a large onion. They c:r- 
tainly eat but little meat, yet they work 
hard, and appear strong and rugged. 
One of the boys at Hope Farm handled 
a gang of negro laborers in Alabama. 
These men would eat half a pound of 
crackers and a box of sardines for break¬ 
fast, and a big ginger cake for dinner, 
and work hard all day with pick and 
shovel—keeping in good health and flesh. 
How is it done ? Such facts seem to 
upset all our theories of a “ balanced 
ration.” I have often wondered how the 
poorly and scantily-fed children in the 
cities ever live. I notice something of a 
difference in the feeding habits of our 
farm animals. One horse prefers corn, 
and will do his best work on it. The other 
wants oats. I notice the hens have vary¬ 
ing tastes and feeding habits. Of all 
grains, a hen seems to prefer corn. With 
plenty of meat, cut bone and grass, I do 
not think a hen will eat too much corn. 
The best thing about a balanced ration 
is satisfying the taste of the hen. 
were “vomiting” or throwing a white 
frothy matter from his mouth, and a bad 
diarrhoea with a greenish cast. This 
latter frightened the boys into thoughts 
of “ cholera.” The rooster was put in a 
“hospital” by himself and kept from 
food for 24 hours, with ginger and nux 
vomica for medicine. He died and was 
buried at once. As a rule, it does not 
pay to fuss with a sick bird. Starvation 
and nux vomica are about the only sim¬ 
ple suitable remedies for indigestion. 
Another Minorca rooster was at once 
put into the breeding pen. One result 
is a slight increase in the number of 
eggs. The last incubator hatch came 
out July 17. Out of 52 fertile eggs, we 
got 36 strong chickens, which is one ot 
the best hatches thus far. The incu¬ 
bator stood in a corner of the cellar close 
by an outside door which was open dur¬ 
ing the daytime. Twice during the 
hatch, the lamp was blown out by shut¬ 
ting the door. Once it was out all night, 
and the temperature of the eggs ran 
down to 72 degrees. h. w. c. 
SEASONABLE SCRAPS. 
Potato Notes. —In 1894,1 grew the Carman No. 
1 for the first time, and I thought it the greatest 
potato out; but the next two years convinced 
me that it was the most fickle potato that I had 
ever grown. The first year, it did well in the 
field, and kept fairly well. The vines were not 
dead that year till 123 days from planting, and 
showed no signs of blight. In 1895, the vines 
were dead 111 days from planting, some blight, 
yield light, and they sprouted the worst of any of 
12 kinds in the cellar. In 1896, they were ripe 108 
days from planting; blighted badly, but gave a 
good crop, and have kept the best of any kind in 
the cellar with the possible exception of Carman 
No. 3. They were stored in exactly the same place 
in the cellar this year and last, and I can’t ac 
count for their strange behavior. I have, also, 
grown the Sir William three years. The first year 
it sprouted badly, and it has the last year, but 
the second year it kept well. It is a great potato 
if it has rich, moist soil, but I think it has too 
much foliage to stand a drought. I have grown 
the Carman No. 3 two years, and I doubt whether 
I ever get a variety that will do better on my 
soil. It seems to do its best on a stiff clay that 
is rich in plant food, but deficient in humus. If 
the vines would only stand up a little longer, and 
allow later cultivation, it would be about per¬ 
fect. That this variety resists drought to a 
greater extent than almost any other kind, is my 
experience and, I think, the experience of nearly 
all who have grown it during a severe drought. 
I believe this is due to the fact that the vines 
carry so small an amount of foliage. A Carman 
No. 3 vine of a certain weight will have only 
about half as much leaf surface as will a Sir 
William vine of the same weight. Will the plant 
with large leaves use more water than the one 
with small leaves, both having the same quantity 
Of rOOtS ? E. TULLY. 
Trumbull County, O. 
Delaware County, Ind.— Weather hot and dry, 
rain needed. Thermometer registers 98 to 106 
degrees in the shade. Corn looks well in black 
land, waist high; on clay land is small. Wheat 
mostly in shock, thin on ground, but well filled. 
Meadows of all kinds good. Pastures good for 
the dry weather. w. A. h. 
Good Strawberry Crop. —I have just harvested 
a crop of Bubach and Jessie strawberries. From 
414 acres or less I have sold 1,02314 bushels with, 
possibly, 30 bushels yet to pick. If the patch had 
not been frozen out in some places, I think I 
would have picked, at least, 1,200 bushels. My 
Jessie plants have not looked right this season; 
they lack thrift and color. This crop was all 
raised with nothing but fertilizer, no manure 
used. My land is very stony (small cobbles). I 
give good cultivation and use plenty of the best 
fertilizer. g. d. 
Glenco Mills, N. Y. 
STRAWBERRIES IN COLORADO. 
“ Colorado strawberries, four boxes for a quar¬ 
ter!” has been the cry on our streets for four 
weeks past, bright, fresh, medium-sized berries, 
and of excellent quality. Carson City, 39 miles 
from here, beyoDd the mountains, had a great 
crop. It is sheltered on all sides by the hills and 
mountains, and the sunshine together with irri¬ 
gation and a naturally rich soil has told the 
story. They are mostly brought in spring wagons, 
and before selling a berry they are all looked 
over, so no mashed ones are allowed in theboxes. 
As fine strawberries as I ever ate I bought last 
week (June 25), seven full boxes for 40 cents, 
crate and all. They came fro m northern Colo¬ 
rado. There are a few wagons that sell their 
own berries, others buy them from the grower. 
At the same time that fair-sized berries were sell¬ 
ing four boxes for 25 cents, the large berries (of 
which one was more than a mouthful) sold two 
boxes for 25, or 15 cents a box; they were beauti¬ 
ful to look at, but one box of the medium-sized 
fruit would go as far as two of the large ones; 
the smaller berries pack in so much closer and 
there are no cracks. When one has to study the 
problem of economy, there is a great saving in 
buying the medium-sized fruit. 
Southern Missouri berries shipped in|early were 
very tart, mostly Wilsons, but the Wilsons raised 
by one of our marketmen from Carson City were 
just a pleasant tart, and of such rich quality, in 
fact, I could hardly believe they were that variety, 
and on inquiry found they were called the Jack- 
son Wilson seedling. Excellent gooseberries are 
sold by the growers, three quarts for 25 cents; 
good measure. The wild strawberry covers the 
mountains now (June 30) with its white blossoms. 
The wild gooseberry bushes are a sight to behold, 
loaded down with bloom ; in every little crevice 
among the great rocks and bowlders, they find a 
foothold. The cool air and high altitude seem 
yAMDARp OfTIOOfp 
189 
l 
cles $ 75 
One secret of Columbia superiority lies 
in the infinite care taken to bring all the 
features into harmonious relation. Well 
rounded and thoroughly adjusted in its 
smallest details it may be examined with 
minute scrutiny, 
with certainty of 
finding construc¬ 
tion that is not 
equalled nor even 
approached. There 
is beauty and 
strength in every 
line. ****** 
1896 Coiumbias, $60. 
Hartford Bicycles, 
$50, $45, $40, $30. 
POPE MFG. CO., 
Hartford, Coon. 
Catalogue 
free from any 
dealer; by 
mail for one 
2-c. stamp. 
to agree with them, as we find them 10,000 feet 
above sea level. Red and black raspberries 
grow in great profusion, we are told; they are 
just beginning to blossom. Currants, also, are 
found on these rocky slopes.;) 
The flora of these mountain wilds is something 
wonderful; in a morning walk last week, I 
counted no less than 21 varieties — and such 
beauties. A shrub resembling the snowball in 
leaf, with a large, single white 'blossom the 
people, here call the Thimble-berry; but it does 
not resemble what we called by that name in 
New York State. It bears a large, dark red berry, 
fiattlsh in shape, I am told. It is a beautiful 
shrub, and would be an ornament on any lawn. 
This great Cripple Creek district is the geologist’s 
and botanist’s paradise. Elegant specimens of 
Colorado spruce and pine are found here, and 
the mountains are clothed with a growth of 
aspen where the fir trees have been cut off. This 
is a strange and wonderful land. 
MRS. FREDERICK C. JOHNSON. 
Ill - health is the 
“Sword of Damocles” 
that hangs suspended 
by a slender thread 
above the heads of 
thousands of men. In 
the end-of-the-century 
rush and crush, men 
forget and neglect 
everything but money¬ 
getting. They forget 
5 that the facility for 
money - getting is in 
the long run dependent upon a sound 
mind in a sound body. The man who is 
too busy with his business to spare a mo¬ 
ment to look after his health, will eventu¬ 
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time to sleep, and time to look after the 
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Address, World’s Dispensary Medical As¬ 
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cloth binding may be had for 10 cents extrk 
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