1897 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
565 
cultural experts. In 1871, lie began to breed Jersey 
cattle on bis farm, The Wellbec, and is a pioneer in 
the breeding of this grade of stock in northern Penn¬ 
sylvania. In 1895, he was appointed Food and Dairy 
Commissioner of Pennsylvania, and is most earnestly 
working for the betterment of his constituents on the 
farms. His efforts in the line of thwarting the sale 
or manufacture of oleomargarine in the State, except 
where it is branded as such, have received the hearty 
commendation of the agricultural classes, and it is 
expected that still greater good will be the result of 
increased effort along that line. t. c. f. 
The Farmers’ Club. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the name and address of 
the writer to insure attention. Before asking a question please 
see whether it is not answered in our advertising columns. Ask 
only a few questions at one time. Put questions on a separate 
piece of paper.l 
The Best Early Grape. 
F. S. W., Sweetwater, Term. —Which is the earlier, more produc¬ 
tive and best market grape—Moore’s Early or Moyer? In what 
respect is Moore’s Diamond better than Niagara ? I don’t grow 
any of the above four kinds, and would like to get the facts. Of 
the 12 kinds I have, the Carman is the strongest grower. It didn’t 
bloom till the first week in June, but that didn’t save the berries 
from rotting a little, or being attacked by an insect which, I sup¬ 
pose, is a curculio, or one of its cousins. 
Ans. —Moyer is of little account. Probably Moore’s 
Early is the best early black and Green Mountain or 
Winchell the best early white. Colerain is a produc¬ 
tive white, though not so early as Green Mountain. 
Campbell’s Early is the most promising of the new 
comers. Diamond is a hardier variety than Niagara. 
The berry is not so large, but it is less foxy. We 
would be glad to hear from our readers as to the con¬ 
duct of the Carman. It doesn’t behave well at the 
Rural Grounds. 
Grafting Grapes ; Too Close Together. 
W. H. R. M., Foster, Ky.—l notice that H. E. V. D. advises graft¬ 
ing Wyoming Red grape with some more profitable kinds. I 
have a vineyard of 5,000 Concords that are unprofitable with me, 
while the Delaware and Moore’s Early do well on the same 
ground. The Concord usually rots, and does not bring the price 
the earlier kinds do. I am thinking of gra'ting every other row 
with earlier grapes, and training them on a wire trellis. This 
would leave the rows nine feet apart. Will H. E. V. D. give 
directions as to what kind of grafting to use on the grape ? Will 
Delaware do well on Concord stock? I would, also, try Camp¬ 
bell’s Early if I could get the wood. My grapes are now on stakes 
4x 4*4 feet. Would they do better in wider rows on wire, allowing 
more wood to grow than can be used with stakes ? 
Ans. —W. II. R. M. is correct as to changing from 
stakes to trellis. I do not wonder that his Concord 
grapes are unprofitable at so close planting as 4 x 4% 
feet. This is the old German style that was in vogue 
25 to 50 years ago, along the Ohio River, in Ohio and 
Kentucky. I have worked week after week in those 
old vineyards, and came to the concl usion then that they 
were crowded almost to death, and have it so recorded 
in my pomological notes. That plan will do in Ger¬ 
many and for the varieties there cultivated, but not 
for our climate and grapes. My advice would be to 
dig out three-fourths of the vines, or, at least, one- 
half of them. If the grower is not satisfied with Con¬ 
cord, and has good wood of Moore’s Early which does 
pay him, graft to that variety. Delaware will do 
well grafted on Concord. The cleft style of grafting 
is commonly used with the grape, and for old vines 
with large stocks like those of W. H. R. M., it is, per¬ 
haps, the best. However, almost any style will suc¬ 
ceed. The work should be done very early in the 
spring. Dig the earth from about the stock so as to 
enable the grafter to cut it off with a sloping cut 
from two to four inches below the surface. Split it 
and insert the scion at the upper side. Tying will 
not be necessary if the stub has sufficient elasticity to 
grip the scion firmly. No waxing is needed; but 
press a ball of wet clay about the wound, and bank 
up to within an inch or so of the top of the scion. 
h e. v. D 
Green Crops in a Pear Orchard. 
J. J. A'., Morristown, N. J— On looking over some old papers, I 
recently noticed in the October, 1889, issue ol Popular Gardening 
a description of Henry Lutt’s fruit farm in Niagara County, N. 
Y., and his method of cultivating his orchard of Dwarf Duchess 
pear trees, as follows: He plows the land the last of August, 
turning the furrows toward the tree row, and sows rye, which is 
allowed to occupy the space till early spring, when it is turned 
under, plowing away from the row. Then in May or June, a 
mulch of manure is applied about the tree, to remain until the 
August plowing, when this is turned in. Thus the land receives 
a crop of green manure and of stable manure annually. No 
blight had troubled this orchard for years. I have an orchard of 
standard Keiffers and Bartletts, and would like to pursue this 
mode of culture, substituting Crimson clover for the rye; but I 
am undecided as to whether or not the mulch would cause the 
pear roots to grow so close to the surface of the ground that they 
would be injured by the plowing. I would like some light on 
this subject. My trees have been cultivated every year since 
setting three years ago. 
Ans. —The plowing under of rye is of no benefit to 
the land beyond adding humus to it, which, of course, 
lightens and aerates it ; but it does not enrich it. 
The manurial elements which the rye took from the 
soil are merely returned. Crimson clover would 
gather nitrogen from the air and add materially to 
the fertility of the soil. I have seen this crop grow¬ 
ing in some of the best pear orchards of New Jersay, 
and heard of many more similar cases. One very 
large Keiffer pear grower in Monmouth County has 
used Crimson clover for several years, without plow¬ 
ing at any time, allowing the clover to fall down and 
mulch the ground. He sows at least 500 pounds 
each of muriate of potash and dissolved bone or phos¬ 
phate rock every year, but does not plow or other¬ 
wise stir the soil. This may be all right, but there 
may be a time when plowing will be desirable, and 
then it will be impossible without tearing the roots 
very badly. The mulching which J. J. K. thinks of 
doing will tend to make the roots grow to the sur¬ 
face. If the clover grows well, there will be very 
little need for the humus which the stable manure 
will supply, and the potash and phosphoric acid 
which it contains may be had much cheaper in the 
form of muriate of potash and dissolved bone or phos¬ 
phate rock. The clover will furnish free of cost all 
the nitrogen needed and, perhaps, too much. Pear 
trees should not be highly stimulated with nitrogen¬ 
ous manures, lest blight be invited to take hold in 
the tender, succulent growth. My plan would be to 
plow under the clover or work up the ground with a 
disk or spading harrow about May 1, and keep it per¬ 
fectly clean and mellow two inches deep up to 
August 1. Then seed to Crimson clover, h. e y. d. 
Growing Good Timbrel I Strawberries. 
S. S. B., Michigan .—The Timbrell, which we had given extra 
care, wae knotty, coxcombed, and altogether unlovely. Enhance 
was used on each side of three rows for polienization, and for 
long blooming and much pollen, it has no equal. We wish to 
raise good Timbrells, because many like them, and we would like 
to know how. We shall try a special field of Parker Earle below 
our pond where we can run water on them ad libitum. 
Ans.—P lant on level, moist, sandy loam, using no 
HON. LEVI WELLS. Fig. 237. 
stable manure, but high-grade fertilizer, broadcasted 
early in the spring and fall. I plant first row with 
Rio, second row Iowa Beauty, third row Timbrel!, 
fourth row Brandywine, fifth row Marshall, next Rio, 
Iowa Beauty, Timbrell, Brandywine and Marshall, 
and so on to the end. This is all there is to my suc¬ 
cess, which is simple, and goes to show that there are 
no secrets, and no booming for pecuniary interest. 
They are grown on poor soil, and only the same atten¬ 
tion is given as to the other varieties. 
JAMES F. BROWNE. 
What is “ Muriate” of Potash ? 
F. F. R., Kline's Grove, Pa .—I inclose a letter which I have re¬ 
ceived in response to an inquiry in regard to prices of muriate and 
sulphate of potash. It is exactly similar to that received from sev¬ 
eral other fertilizer firms. What does that 80 to 85 per cent mean? 
Does it mean that quantity of actual potash, or does it mean that 
the mixture they send contains that much muriate of potash ? If 
the latter, then how much actual potash does it contain ? I have 
always understood that muriate of potash was about one-half 
actual potash. If this contains but 40 per cent actual potash, is 
it not rather high in price ? It seems to me that the reply is 
rather misleading. 
Ans. —The letter referred to offers to sell “ muriate 
of potash, containing 80 to 85 per cent muriate at 
2% cents a pound, and sulphate, containing 90 to 95 
per cent at 2% cents par pound.” Pure muriate or 
chloride of potash contains potash combined with 
chlorine. The potash in this combination gives about 
63 per cent of the weight. In 100 pounds of absolutely 
pure muriate, there are 63 pounds of actual potash. 
As taken from the mines, however, the muriate is not 
pure. It contains from 15 to 20 per cent of salt and 
other substances. For example, a sample containing 
83% per cent of muriate would contain, in addition, 
14% pounds of salt, one pound of water, and about 
half a pound each of the sulphate and chloride of 
magnesia. The 83% pounds to the 100 of pure muriate 
will contain nearly 53 pounds of actual potash. In 
the same way, the actual potash in the sulphate con¬ 
tains 54 per cent of the weight, so that a 90 per cent 
sulphate contains just about half its weight of actual 
potash. The prices quoted are very fair for small 
lots. As most people now know, this potash is taken 
from mines in Germany. Much of it is sold to Ameri¬ 
cans in the original German bags, and this is usually 
pretty good evidence that the analysis is accurate. 
When to Plow Cow Peas. 
F. S., Fleetwood, Pa. —I have sown Black cow peas for green 
manuring. They have begun to bloom. When is the right time to 
plow them down ? 
Ans.—I t depends somewhat upon the crop that is 
to follow them. If for wheat or rye, we would plow 
them under at once, keep the ground well stirred 
with a harrow and, if possible, use a dressing of lime. 
If a spring crop, like corn or potatoes, is to follow the 
peas, we would let them grow until killed by frost, 
and then lie on the ground all winter. In the spring, 
we would chop the vines up with the Cutaway and 
then plow the whole mass under. In fact, that is 
what we shall do at Hope Farm this year. Our cow 
peas are now nearly waist-high in the best parts of 
the field. We are cutting the best of the crop for 
hay. This stubble will be broken up and seeded to 
Crimson clover as soon as possible. This will enable 
us to test the value of the pea vines alone as fertilizer 
against cow-pea hay and a crop of clover. 
Don’t Pay for a “Filler”. 
J. G. S., Few Alexandria, Pa. — A fertilizer firm, through their 
agent, are offering a fertilizer analyzing as follows: Ammonia, 
two to three per cent; phosphoric acid, three to five; potash, two 
to three, actual; price, $18 to $20, cash and time. They claim, 
however, that they use a tiller containing 60 per cent of humus, 
made from city garbage. Would the 60 per cent of humus be of 
sufficient value to make up in the selling price for the low per¬ 
centage of other parts, especially phosphoric acid ? 
Ans. —This analysis guarantees only 40 pounds of 
ammonia, 60 of phosphoric acid, and 40 of potash in 
one ton. In cotton-seed meal or tankage, dissolved 
phosphate roc« and muriate of potash, these 140 
pounds of plant food will cost about $11. It is folly 
to claim so much extra value for the “ 60 per cent of 
humus” contained in this fertilizer. If you have 
muck or peat on your farm, and can dry and pulverize 
it, you may take 600 pounds of cotton-seed meal, 400 
pounds of dissolved rock, 75 pounds muriate of poash 
and 925 pounds of dried muck, and have just as good 
a fertilizer as this one. Never pay for a “filler”. Do 
your own filling. 
Drainage with Stones. 
J., Jackson County, Mo. —I have a strip of land containing about 
six acres, about 10 rods wide east and west, which is the lowest 
part of my farm, except that on the west line of the strip there is 
a ravine which carries off the general surface drainage from all 
sides. The strip itself slopes toward the ravine, but in wet 
weather, it receives more water from the higher land than it can 
carry off. I desire to drain it. It is underlaid at a depth of from 
18 inches to two feet with an impervious blue clay, I have 
thought of removing the soil down to the clay, catting a 
trench in the clay and plastering it with cement mortar, and then 
covering the trench with flat stones, of which I have an abundance 
nearby. Would the cement mortar prevent the clay crumbling 
by reason of the action of the air, and is the plan otherwise prac. 
ticable? If I shall be compelled to use tile, should they be laid 
just on top of the clay, even though only 12 or 15 inches from the 
surface in places ? 
Ans.—T he conditions indicate that a drain cut at 
the base of the high land and parallel to the ravine, 
if sunk one foot or more into clay and filled with 
stones to the surface, would catch and carry off all 
of the water which comes from the higher land. It 
would not be necessary to cement the sides of this 
ditch, but if the water from the lower land come rush¬ 
ing over the top of the land, the draia would have to 
be filled with stones to the surface, but if this water 
find its way, first through the soil and theD passes 
along the level towards the clay floor, the ditch might 
be dug as indicated above and filled to within one 
foot of the surface. 
If a large amount of -water is to be carried, there 
should be a throat laid to the drain, by placing the 
flat stones against the floor of the ditch and against 
the bank in such a way as to leave a moderate-sized 
triangular space at the corner of the ditch free for 
the flow of water. Fill the rest of the ditch with the 
flat stones set edgewise, and leaned against the first 
one until the bottom of the ditch is covered. Then 
cover the whole with flat stones three or four thick¬ 
nesses or more laid parallel to the surface or flat¬ 
wise. If it is desirable to cover this drain, do not fill 
the drain full of stones; then fill the interstices at 
the surface with small stones, and place over them a 
layer of straw of about six inches depth. Then cover 
with the soil. If this drain is dug not less than three 
feet deep, and the stones are carefully laid, it should 
arrest the flow of water over the low land and do 
good service for many years. I think the frost and 
air would crumble the sides of the ditch and even the 
mortar, and since you have an abundance of stone, 
and cement mortar is expensive, by all means use 
stone to accomplish your purpose. If you have occa¬ 
sion to use tile, by all means place them 2% feet 
deep, although part of the ditch be dug in the 
heavy clay. The water will be far more likely to find 
the ditch if it be sunk from four to six inches into 
the clay than if it be laid upon the top of this clay 
floor. I. P. ROBERTS. 
