1897 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
723 
For the table, they are as good as any except the 
Game and, possibly, the Wyandotte. They make a 
large carcass of excellent meat, and fatten readily ; 
in fact, my experience has shown that with the proper 
kind and amount of food, there is no fowl on earth 
that will fill the bill as a practical hen any better 
than the Light Brahma.” 
Mr. Smith makes another point in saying : 
“To the intelligent breeder, there is plenty of 
scope for his skill to manifest itself, as they breed so 
true to the mark that one may accomplish wonders 
in a few years, and so manage his stock that slight 
defects m the parent bird, may be 
entirely overcome in the young chick.” 
In addition to these valuable quali¬ 
ties, they are the most lovable birds 
that one can possibly have in the 
yard. They are not scary or nervous 
like the Games, or “ hateful ” like the 
Plymouth Bocks, but are good-natured 
and as lovable as a dog ; in fact, one 
would get the idea from Mr. Smith 
that there is nothing in the poultry 
line that can touch the Light Brahma. 
He tells us that Dwarf or Bantam 
Light Brahmas have now been pro¬ 
duced which retain the shape and 
color-markings of the large bird, with 
the dwarf size of the Bantam. It is, 
certainly, interesting to talk with 
any man who has firm and settled 
convictions regarding the value of 
any distinct breed of live stock. Some 
men breed in a certain line without 
being able to give any particular rea¬ 
son for doing so ; but when one gets 
hold of a man who has faith in his 
breed, and is ready to meet objec¬ 
tions or criticism with argument 
founded on experience, we are quick 
to recognize the fact that he knows 
what he is talking about, and that 
he has been able to bring out some sterling quality 
in his animals. 
CELERY GROWING IN NEW MEXICO. 
We learn something every day. One of the things 
we have learned lately is the fact that no section of 
country can long hold a monopoly of any crop. 
Celery was originally a salt-water plant. It is best 
suited to damp, rich soils. New Mexico is one of the 
driest places on the earth, yet here is a single farm 
in that dry country producing 25,000 dozens of celery 
this season. But we will let W. M. Farmer, manager 
of Spring Brook Farm, tell his own story : 
“ Aside from our system of irrigation, which is, of 
course, practiced in all our western farming sec¬ 
tions, the actual cultivation of celery probably differs 
but little from that of any other country. In this, 
as in most places, celery has to be well fed, in order 
to grow well. We use large quantities of manure 
obtained from large cattle-feeding pens. Many heavy 
cattle owners who annually feed great numbers of 
cattle for market, do not cultivate a foot of ground, 
so have no use for the manure. In the past 18 months, 
I have hauled 1,200 loads from these cattle-feeding 
pens. I get this done by contract at 75 cents per 
load of four cubic yards—distance, two 
to three miles. 
“ Another method practiced on Spring 
Brook Farm is to sow rye in November 
and December, after the celery is har¬ 
vested, and plow it under next May or 
June. This rye grows six feet high, 
which we pull down with a heavy chain 
attached to the plow. The ground is 
irrigated immediately after the plowing 
is done ; the rye will be rotten in 15 or 
20 days, so that a heavy disk harrow will 
cut it so completely that we have no 
trouble with it. Rye will grow in this 
country all winter, so it can be sown at 
any time. Where we use the rye, it 
is not necessary to use a great quantity 
of manure; instead, we sow about 500 
pounds of bat guano per acre. This bat 
manure is obtained from caves found in numerous 
parts of New Mexico, and costs about $10 per ton. It 
is very rich in nitrogen, and is a wonderful stimulant. 
“We sow the celery seed in the open ground in 
April, and transplant during July and August. We 
set the plants in furrows about five inches deep, 
through which the water is run, usually the day 
previous to setting the plants. The water follows 
the setting immediately, thus insuring 95 per cent to 
live. If the work is properly done in every detail, 
our system of irrigation is so perfected, that it is al¬ 
most as easy as pressing the button. One man can 
easily irrigate 30 to 40 acres per day. This is done 
by setting a two-foot board in the ditch bank at the 
end of each row, with a small tin headgate set in this 
board near the bottom, with a hole of the desired 
size, covered by a slide made of tin, this giving us 
perfect control of the water. This farm is watered 
by a great spring of fresh water, flowing, probably, 
200 feet per second, many times more than needed. 
“ We find sale for our celery in Texas and other 
southern States. The celery grown in the Pecos 
Valley is pronounced by the trade to possess a superior 
nutty flavor not found in even the famous Michigan 
celery, and is particularly crisp and brittle. These 
qualities have created such a demand for our celery 
that our acreage has jumped from four in 1896 to 20 
in 1897, and will, probably, jump to 50 in 1898. The in¬ 
dications are that Spring Brook Farm will, in the 
near future, be the greatest celery producer west of 
the Mississippi River and east of California.” 
POTATOES PLANTED TOO LATE. 
We tried the “June method” of planting potatoes 
this year on a three-acre field. We were delayed by 
clearing the land of all stones, and got it in excellent 
shape. This was our last potato piece, and we planted 
it mostly to Carman No. 3 about June 10. We had 
heard of the success of the June-planted potatoes, 
freedom from bugs, etc., and so we expected good 
results. A heavy rain came soon after planting, and 
two-thirds of them failed to come up ; those that did, 
seemed to be on the grow-as-you-please plan. The 
bugs were here this year, and this piece was just 
right for them—leaves young and tender. The bugs 
sailed in and tried to clean out what had grown, but 
vigorous use of the Paris-green gun fixed them. 
They recovered from the bugs just in time to be 
ready for the blight which came in early August. 
The potatoes on that piece will cost us about $15 per 
bushel. Never mind, potatoes are high this year, 
and we had a good many dollars’ worth of experience. 
No more potatoes after May 15, and we doubt whether 
we plant any after May 10. We prefer to have them 
in by the last of April, but this is not always possible 
in this locality. Hereafter, we intend to plant largely 
of early or medium early varieties. 
We had a four-acre piece planted from May 1 to 10 
to early varieties. This has given us, despite some 
rot, about 1,000 bushels of fine potatoes, The follow¬ 
ing varieties were grown on this piece : Bovee, Barr’s 
No. 1, Acme, Early Norther, Early Harvest, Early 
Thoroughbred, Early Fortune, Early Michigan, 
Smith’s Early Six Weeks, Polaris, King of the Earlies, 
Algoma and Irish qCobbler. We like,the Bovee very 
much; on a trial plot, 12x32 feet, planted April 24, 
it yielded at a 350-bushel rate per acre, with no rot 
and but usual care. It bloomed June 10. The potatoes 
were ready to dig June 26, the vines dying July 1. 
The acre planted May 11 gave us 200 bushels, not 
counting some decay. We expect to plant it quite 
largely next year. Another variety which pleases us 
is the Early Michigan, which gave us at the rate of 
250 bushels per acre of very handsome potatoes. Both 
Bovee and Early Michigan are among the smallest of 
vines, but among the best of yielders. Early Thor¬ 
oughbred did first rate, although decaying somewhat 
more than other varieties. It has 
immense vines, larger than any other 
variety we grew this year. The tuber 
has many eyes,and should be cut small. 
Early Fortune is a good yielder with 
us, with less decay than any other 
variety. We shall not grow again 
Burr’s No. 1, Irish Cobbler and Smith s 
Early Six Weeks. The last two are 
of undesirable shape, and Cobbler the 
poorest yielder of all. Burr’s No. 1 
we have given two trials, and it has 
been a sore disappointment both times. 
We planted a 3J^-acre piece May 15 
to 17, which we think too late for 
best results. We prefer to have po¬ 
tatoes ripened before the blight 
comes, as it often does here in late 
July or early August. They must 
be planted early to be matured fully 
before this time. We had one-third 
of an acre of Sir Walter Raleigh. 
Their habit of growth is just like >R. 
No. 2, and it will be hard to tell 
them apart. They equaled any variety 
on the piece, but were stricken with 
blight before fully mature. On over 
one-half of this piece, we planted a 
new variety called White Beauty. It 
is a medium late potato, skin deeply 
netted, and the handsomest potato we ever saw. We 
think that it would prove a fine thing for those who 
grow late potatoes and for shipping, but it is not as 
desirable here, where early potatoes pay best. This 
season confirms some past seasons’ views—plant just 
as early as possible on dry or extra well-drained soil; 
fertilize well ; keep the weeder and cultivator going. 
We can, with these, succeed in either dry or wet 
weather. Dig as soon as fully mature. Grubs and 
wire worms will not trouble them after they are dug. 
Connecticut. h. G. manchesteb. 
SOME NOTES FROM CANADA. 
Clover seed sown in the spring without any so- 
called protecting or nurse crop has given me a fair 
yield of hay at two cuttings. At first the weeds got 
the start and I had to clip them. Notwithstanding 
this help, however, the first cutting had more weeds 
in it than were desirable. The second cutting was 
free from weeds, and though late, was got in without 
rain, The plants now stand about as close as they 
well can and, if circumstances favor, will give a large 
crop of hay next year. The ground last year was in 
corn and beans, and was not plowed this spring. 
Being a sandy loam, it was thought that the use of 
the cultivator and harrow was all that 
it required. I set out, as early as I could 
get the ground ready, on account of the 
long spell of rain, about half an acre 
of strawberry plants. These I planted 
in rows four feet apart and two feet 
between the plants in the rows. Mid¬ 
way between these rows of plants I 
sowed mangels and sugar beets. The 
result of this experiment is that I have 
a crop of roots that will amount to more 
than 600 bushels per acre, and a healthy- 
looking lot of strawberry plants. My 
reasons for trying this plan were, first, 
the ground was in a good condition for 
either crop; second, the same cultiva¬ 
tion would equally well suit the two ; 
third, the mangels would have more 
room to spread themselves while, at 
the same time, their shade would prove grateful 
to the strawberry plants, if one may be allowed 
to form an opinion from a consideration of their 
behavior in their wild or natural state and, fourth, 
each crop would have a wider range for its roots 
and a greater choice of food than if planted sep¬ 
arately in rows two feet apart. The harvesting of 
the roots has not hurt the plants, a cart with a four- 
inch tire being used for getting them drawn in. I am 
in hopes, indeed, that the loose and open condition of 
the soil, caused by the withdrawal of the roots, will 
prevent it from freezing so hard, and in that way 
prove a benefit to the plants. 
Ontario farmers have reason to regret the mistake 
SCENE IN AN ENGLISH BARNYARD. Fig. 303. 
A GROUP OF LIGHT BRAHMA COCKERELS. Fig. 304. 
