34o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
May 11 
Farmers’ Club. 
[Every query must be accompanied by 
the name and address of the writer to In¬ 
sure 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.] 
Roofing Information Wonted. 
./. Z'. A’., Ivory, Md.—lt any of your readers 
have used Ruberoid or Red Rope roofing 
for sijf years or more I would like to hear 
through Tuk R. N.-Y. what they say of it. 
Ans. —We would like to hear from 
readers about this. 
Paper Baskets for Fruit. 
Ij. O. V. A., Bethel, Ay.—What do you 
think of paper berry baskets? Do you 
think they will answer the same purpose 
as the wooden ones? I think they will 
make a very neat package. They are 
cheaper than the wooden ones, if they will 
answer the same purpose. 
Ans. —Dealers here do not think high¬ 
ly of paper fruit baskets. It is doubtful 
whether they will stand long shipments. 
When the fruit is moist the paper “goes 
down” rapidly. We would like to hear 
from shippers. 
Fertilizers that Sour Soil. 
IP. O. It., (tiiinierlirnt.—Does the use of 
acid phosphate increase the sourness of 
the soil or tend to sour it? 
Ans. —Yes. It has been found that 
acid phosphate, muriate of potash and 
sulphate of ammonia increase the acid 
in the soil when used in large quan¬ 
tities. On soils naturally inclined to be 
sour it would be necessary to use lime 
every few years when these fertilizers 
v/ere used. It seems to be true, how¬ 
ever, that Potato-scab germs will not 
develop well in acid soils, and acid fer¬ 
tilizers may be better where scabby seed 
is used. 
Fertilizer for Strawberries. 
V. J). It., Wilmot, O .—Would it be all right 
to drill fertilizer with a grain drill on a 
strawberry bed before setting out plants? 
What kind of fertilizer do you advise? 
Ans. —Yes, many farmers use the 
grain drill for dropping fertilizer. We 
would rather put the fertilizer in nar¬ 
row strips (18 inches wide) where the 
plants are to be set. We think this is 
better than broadcast sowing. You can 
do this by tying the tubes on the drill 
together so as to drop the fertilizer in 
strips. The fruit and vine fertilizers 
made by the manufacturers are good. 
I'^or a home mixture we like 400 pounds 
nitrate of soda, 400 pounds muriate of 
potash, 400 pounds fine ground bone and 
800 pounds dissolved rock. 
How Much Cement Needed? 
J. G. L., Louisville, Qa.—l wish to build 
cow stalls and desire to make a cement 
gutter. Gutter will be 18 inches wide, six 
inches deep on one side and 10 inches on 
other, 60 feet long. Will require sides to 
gutter, so suppose it will be 36 inches out¬ 
side to outside. How many barrels of ce¬ 
ment would be needed? What fall would 
you give it? How much per foot, or how 
much fall in the 60 feet? 
Ans. —In all the cities in this vicinity 
one orders cement, uses what he neids, 
and the seller takes back what is left. 
Por this reason I have never estimated 
the amount of cement needed per cubic 
or square foot. Have so far estimated 
only the total cost—cement, gravel, 
sand, labor. Your job ought to cost 
from five to six cents per square foot— 
three inches of grout and full one-half¬ 
inch top coat. One of my men alone 
under my directions would do the work 
in one day, and it would take about two 
barrels of cement and four cubic yards 
01 gravel. You could screen out of the 
gravel the sand needed for top coat. 
Two barrels best Portland cement $5, 
four yards gravel $2, and expert man for 
work $2.50. A cement contractor here 
\vould charge you for that job fully 14 
cents per square foot, because it would 
be out of his line, and would make him 
trouble and care in forming the gutter. 
I would not try to curve that gutter, 
because it could not be properly plas¬ 
tered without a curved trowel. I would 
give it a fall of one-quarter inch to the 
foot if convenient. One-eighth or even 
less would carry off the fiuid if not ob¬ 
structed. 1 have a 10-inch drain 834 feet 
long with eight-inch fall, and the water 
runs quite rapidly. All the sidewalks 
in this city of 18,000 population must be 
made of cement, and there are perhaps 
a half dozen contractois for this work, 
and they make money at eight cents 
per square foot of walk. Beginners are 
apt to waste a good deal and spoil more, 
and therefore I caution such to go slow 
and take the utmost pains till they “get 
the hang of it.” s. e. r.vknev. 
Indiana. 
What to Do With Bones. 
Ileiidcr, Warwick, N. V.—I have several 
tons of calf bones which have been in a 
pile until many are partly decayed. What 
method can I use to pulverize and put 
them in condition to use as a fertilizer? 
Ans. —This question is asked every 
Spring. You cannot make fine bone 
meal on the farm without a steamer and 
powerful grinder. You can soften the 
bones by packing them in layers with 
wood ashes. Put an eight-inch layer of 
broken bones at the bottom of a box or 
barrel. Then put a layer of unleached 
wood ashes, then more bones, and so on 
to the top. Keep the whole mass well 
wetted with liquid manure or urine. In 
90 days the bones will be quite soft and 
can be smashed with a maul or heavy 
shovel. This will not equal the fine- 
ground bone which the manufacturers 
sell, but is about the best you can do on 
the farm. 
Manurial Value of Corncobs. 
O. S., Unodilla, Mich .—I wish to know the 
manurial value of corncobs. Can they be 
subjected to any treatment that will hasten 
decomposition and make them available 
for plant food? What soils will they ben¬ 
efit most? What fruits or vegetables will 
be aided by their use? Would there be 
value enough in their use to warrant the 
purchase of them? What could one afford 
to pay for them? The same questions ap¬ 
ply to refuse cornstalks after they have 
been fed to stock. Would iime and plaster 
hasten the decomposition of either, and 
preserve the fertilizing properties? 
Ans. — zi. ton of average corncobs will 
contain 10 pounds of nitrogen, 12 of pot¬ 
ash and two of phosphoric acid. These 
fertilizing substances are worth only a 
few cents less than those in a ton of 
horse manure, yet it is clear that the 
corncobs plowed in as they are would 
not produce a good crop. It would not 
pay to try to rot them with lime. It is 
more economical to burn them. True, 
by burning you lose the nitrogen, but 
the fuel value will more than make up 
for it. A ton of the corncobs will pro¬ 
duce about 17 pounds of ash, which is 
very rich in potash. There has been 
some argument about the difference in 
ash elements between corn kernels and 
corncobs. A ton of corn kernels when 
thoroughly burned would leave 30 
pounds of ash—nearly twice as much as 
from the cobs. There would be eight 
pounds of potash and 13 pounds of 
phosphoric acid in the ton of kernels. 
We would use the refuse cornstalks for 
bedding and absorbents, and plow them 
under for manure. It is much better to 
shred or cut the stalks. 
Plaster in the Stable. 
F. li., .Middletown, Del.—Ever since I can 
remember my father used to use land plas¬ 
ter on his barnyard manure when com¬ 
posting it, and I have followed his ex¬ 
ample. For some time past we havt been 
following your advice by using it in our 
cow and horse stables, but we don’t know 
just how much plaster we should use to 
hold all the ammonia and yet not waste 
the plaster. What is your advice? 
Ans. —We consider it good practice 
to use the plaster in the stable. 
Formerly large quantities of plaster 
were used directly on the soil or 
in the manure pile. That practice has 
been largely given up. Prof. E. B. Voor- 
hees, of the New Jersey Experiment 
Station, gives his practice as follows: 
“About one pound of plaster is used for 
three cows daily, though we are not par¬ 
ticular in reference to this point, as we 
obtain the Rancocas waste plaster, 
which costs but $2 per ton, plus the 
freight. We sprinkle it in the gutters, 
on the platforms, and everywhere there 
is any moisture, and find that it ab¬ 
sorbs very readily the odors, and prob¬ 
ably fixes most of the ammonia, which 
would under other circumstances be 
lost.” This “Rancocas” plaster is a 
waste product from the manufacture of 
phosphorus. 
Prof. I. P. Roberts, of Cornell, gives 
his practice as follows: “We have used 
gypsum or land plaster in our stables for 
many years. About two tons suffice for 
the Winter for 20 cows. The stables are 
fiist cleaned and swept, for if a good 
deal of moisture is left in the gutters it 
will require rather more gypsum than 
we use. It is always sprinkled wherever 
the stable floors are damp from coming 
in contact with either solid or liquid 
droppings. There is no doubt in my 
mind but that this is not only scientific 
in principle, but thoroughly useful and 
beneficial in practice. In order to be 
available gypsum requires large quanti¬ 
ties of moisture, and the liquids do not 
furnish more than is necessary to make 
available even the small quantity which 
I have recommended. I may say, how¬ 
ever, that our stable floors are smooth, 
being paved, except where the cattle 
stand, with hard-burned bricks well 
laid. They were some that were not 
hard enough for paving in the city, and 
were procured at a reasonable price. Of 
all the flooring I have tried these bricks 
appear to be the best. They are clean 
and tidy, are easily swept and do not 
appear to dampen the stable like cement 
floors. I have no means of knowing, but 
I imagine the expense of such a floor is 
a little more than an asphalt or grout 
floor. However, this has worked so sat¬ 
isfactorily that I cannot but recommend 
this method of cow floor where one 
wants neatness, durability and compara¬ 
tive freedom from dampness. If wood¬ 
en gutters more plaster than we use 
would probably be necessary. 
MOTHERS.—Be sure to use “Mrs.Wins- 
low’s Soothing Syrup” for your children 
while Teething. It is the Best.— Adv. 
Magnolias and 
Japanese Maples 
Grafted In this country. 
Japanese Holly 
(ILEX CRBNATA). 
The finest Redfre plant known, everfrreen, new, of 
exceptional beauty. Send for further description. 
Parsons & Sons Co. Ltd., 
FLUSHING, N. Y. 
Cow Peas. 
The Famous 
Forage Crop 
and Soil 
Improvers. 
WE ARK HEADQUARTERS for these and all 
Southern specialties, including Soja Beans, 
Velvet Beans, Pearl or Cat-tail Millet, Teosinte 
Bermuda Grass, Ensilage Corn, Spanish Pea¬ 
nuts, Chufas, Sorghums, etc. 
Write for prices, and our interesting Catalogue 
giving full information about these crops. 
T. w WOOD & SONS, - Richmond, Va. 
Sweet Potato and Tomato Plants. Price¬ 
list free. CALEB BOGGS & SON, Cheswold, Del. 
Sweet Potato Plants.—Jersey Yellow 
$1.50 per 1,(K)0. 100 by mail, 60c. 11 kinds. Send for 
circular. F. S. NEWCOMB. Vineland, N. J. 
Meaachoice standard varieties. Car- 
1 Qrin wlS man No. S, $1,85 bbl. See last week’s ad 
S. J. SMITH POTATO FARM, Box B, Manchester.N Y 
carman No. 3 $ 3.00 
sir Walter Raleigh and Early Bovee $4.00 per bbl 
ailbbls. 4bu. Dewey, the great cropper. Wholesaio 
llst/ree. GEO. A. BONNELL. Waterloo. N. Y. 
Imes* ( CARMAN No. 3. 
Bligllt - Proof ) To prove superiority of our 
Seed Potatoes) 
1901 Catalogue. Free, { The W. B. Imes Seed Co 
gives particulars ( Smith, Mich ’ 
pOR BADE—200 lbs. of Giant Argentenll Asparagus 
Seed. This variety of asparagus is the earliest 
largest and most prolific asparagus grown on the 
American continent. Price. $1 per lb. Addrnim 
WM. C. GBRATY, Youngs Islana, S. C. 
Cam seed @ 16 to $7 per 
mi vfliw hu.; 500 bn. Crimson Clover Seed a 
15 per bn.; 2,000 hu. Cow Peas a $1.25 to $1.7$ per bn. 
J. K. HOLLAND, Milford, Del. 
Packard’s Ensilage Seed Gern 
write to-day for circular and sample. My seed 
corn Always Gbows, If you own a silo, you need 
my Early Mastodon corn. Makes one-third heavier 
crop than Learning. Other varieties. 
PACKARD. Seed Grower, Dover. Del. 
Cumberland Raspberry Plants for Sale 
or Exchange. P. SUTTON, Exeter, Luzerne Co., Pa. 
100,000 
POTTED STRAWBERRY PLANTS. 
Ready July. 49 Varieties. List free. 
T. C. KBVITT, Athenia, N.J. 
o”,'" PENNELL STRAWBERRIES 
this year. Send for Circular and Supplement, What 
the Growers Say, to JOHN W. PENNELL, 
South Norwalk, Conn., Rural Del. 37. 
prices on Peach Trees reduced. Trees kept dormant 
and in good condition until June 1. Llstofvar. 
on application. R. S. Johnston, B. 4, Stockley. Del. 
Dlsntfi Snfl Tl'OAfi Eldorado and 
riiinis dim lICCSRathbnn Blackberry; 
2.000 Pomona and Red Cross & Wilder Currant. Also, 
100,000 Fruit & Ornamental Trees at lowest rates. Write 
for prices. Lawrence Nursery Co., Lawrence, Mass. 
SUCCEED WHERE 
Largest Nursery. OTHERS FAIL. 
Baai Fret. Result of 76 years' experience. 
BROS., Louisiana, Mo.; Danaville, N.Y. 
Pear Possibilities 
are realbLed to the fullest it you plant 
standard KIEFFER PEARS. 
Our Stock is renowned for vlfor» rapid 
fijowth, absolute freedom from diMaae, etc., 
is enormously productive, large, handsome fruit, 
good seller, npen^late. Everything for theorch* 
ard and garden; Strawberries, Asparagus, etc. 
Harrison’s Murseriesy Box 29 llerUn« Hd« 
Headquarters 
for the October Purple Plum and 
Oreen Mountain Grape. The largest 
New Eng-land nursery. ,500 acres. Stronp 
stock of all fruits, ornamental trees and 
shrubs. Catalogue free. 
STEPHEN HOYT’S SONS. New Canaan, Conn. 
KIEFFER 
% to % inch. 
Wickson Plum, % to 2^ inch 
I have a surplus of Kieffer, and will close 
them out as follows: 
No. 1. ^ to I inch.at $15 per 100 
KIEFFER 
at $12 per 100 I Ben Davis Apple, to 1 inch.at $13 per 100 
at 8 per 100 | Bartlett Pear, to 1 inch.at 10 per 100 
C. A. BKNNKTT, Robbliisvllle, N. J. 
HRIMSON GLOVER 
■ «**** special circular aescrioing uses oi i^rimsou 
V henry A. DREER, 714 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pa. 
In sowing this valuable clover it is im¬ 
portant that American seed is used. We 
supply genuine Delaware seed only. Our 
special circular describing uses of Crimson 
SLUG SHOT 
KILLS CURRANT WORMS, Etc. 
Used successfully 21 years. Sold by Seed Deal¬ 
ers. For pamphlet on bugs and blights, address 
B. HAMMOND, FLshkill Landing,N.Y. 
1901 
THE SOUTH SIDE 
FRUIT CARRIERS AND BASKETS 
PETERSBURG, VA. 
WRITE FOR CATALOGUE AND PRICES 
