1901. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
821 
EVERY Boors GARDEN. 
Questions From a Beginner. —We 
are glad to use the following extracts 
from a letter received as a text from 
which to answer some questions which 
doubtless are facing many more at the 
present time, and the helps here sug¬ 
gested will aid in solving Some of the 
many problems constantly looming up 
before us. The questioner’s lot is sim¬ 
ply the common lot of all. G. H. T., 
Bloomington, Ind., writes: 
I commenced gardening last year, but 
with poor seed and drought have almost 
failed. I am depending on our village of 
6,000 inhabitants (State University), for a 
market, with close competition. I wish to 
grow only what I can handle myself, using 
no help regularly. 
A more careful statement of some par¬ 
ticular conditions, as to soil, distance 
to market, whether depending on the 
open or private market, etc., would as¬ 
sist much in pointing out more definite 
helps. But general conditions can to 
some extent be answered. The drought 
was of itself a sufficient source of dis¬ 
couragement, but in general can be met 
only with the best of soil and cultural 
conditions, and where irrigation is not 
practical or is not followed, they are 
the only remedies at hand. Liberal fer¬ 
tilizing, good seed, early and well plant¬ 
ed, with thorough tillage before and af¬ 
ter planting, will to a great extent miti¬ 
gate the dangers from the drought. But 
one of the most thoroughly disgusting 
and disheartening things to be met in 
all the field of horticulture is worthless 
seed, and no amount of fertilizing and 
culture will repair the damage. Some 
remedies have heretofore been pointed 
out in these columns, such as seed se¬ 
lection and plant breeding, and should 
be preserved for future reference. The 
immediate relief, however, is through 
some of the many reliable seed firms 
who advertise in The R. N.-Y. A re¬ 
quest by postal card will bring their 
catalogue, and many if not all can^ be 
relied upon for thoroughly good seeds. 
Close Competition. —^’fhis we must 
all face, for there is now no getting 
away from it, and it must be met first 
by cheap production, remembering that 
profit comes only after the cost of pro¬ 
duction is deducted. Second, by early 
crops as to season, and superlatively 
best as to quality. These conditions 
will invariably create demand and cor¬ 
respondingly high prices. Third, by the 
very best of soil conditions with inten¬ 
sive culture. Make one acre if possible 
yield double the former product, and the 
cost will be but little in excess of the 
old half-crop culture. The foregoing 
rules will as nearly as possible solve 
the problem of competition. 
I of course want the best paying crops, 
yet want to plant a succession, so I will 
have something all the season, and not be 
overstocked at other periods. I think it 
would suit me better to raise crops that 
take the least time to market. 
Referring to the first proposition, it 
would be entirely problematical to one 
living so much farther north. Your sea¬ 
sons should be at least three weeks 
longer than in our location, and the 
safest advice is to study your market 
and its demands. For one with little 
experience, the wiser way will be to se¬ 
lect crops of which you have some 
knowledge, and which you know will 
succeed well in your locality, and for 
the time being to do special rather than 
general gardening. A general line re¬ 
quires so much more time in producing 
and preparing for the market that this 
will be the wiser plan to start with, and 
let the more general woi-k come as ex¬ 
perience and market demand shall in¬ 
dicate. By a careful study of the mar¬ 
kets and your ability to handle the 
work, successions will to a great extent 
suggest themselves. The root crops, 
potatoes excepted, will as a general rule 
require more work in producing and 
preparing for market than peas, beans, 
corn and other crops that require no 
hand weeding in growing or washing 
and bunching for the market. Some of 
the former will have to be grown in or¬ 
der to keep up a supply, but of these se¬ 
lect what in your judgment will be the 
most available. Hotbeds and cold 
frames with plant protectors will be of 
great service in meeting the question of 
competition, but start in a small way 
at first with always a view to enlarging 
as experience comes. 
Marketing. —When the season for 
marketing approaches and you are rea¬ 
sonably certain as to what you will be 
able to supply, search out your custom¬ 
ers. As to general or private markets, 
I have found the latter most satisfac¬ 
tory, and far more stable as to prices. 
Cater only for the best trade of the city, 
and resolve to furnish strictly gilt-edge 
goods, put up in the finest possible 
shape, and do not be bashful in asking 
and expecting gilt-edge prices. Reach 
your customers through a personal let¬ 
ter, stating what you can furnish, their 
quality and when you can deliver. If 
the very best quality of products with 
promptness and regularity can be relied 
on, your customers will soon learn to 
expect you and be glad for your coming, 
and by soliciting orders for future de¬ 
livery the trade will soon be so well es¬ 
tablished that the uncertainty of market 
day will be reduced to the minimum. 
“How much land can I tend, and how 
shall I arrange it that I may get two 
crops off a portion of it at least?” The 
first question will depend almost entire¬ 
ly upon the kind of crops grown and 
the facilities for rapid work. Small 
crops requiring hand weeding will re¬ 
quire much more time than crops which 
can be cared for by hand tools and horse 
power. Study these matters carefully 
before beginning, as they will figure 
largely one way or the other in cost of 
production. Early sweet corn, peas, 
early potatoes, etc., may be succeeded 
by celery, late cabbage, butter beaus 
and late beets or even carrots. Pars¬ 
nips, late beets, salsify, etc., ought, in 
your country, to follow safely after early 
spinach, extra early peas and beans. 
But better to sow cow peas. Crimson 
clover, rye, etc., to plow down than dou¬ 
ble crop too much. These general rules, 
if followed, will, I hope, lead to some 
degree of success, although some fail¬ 
ures must be looked for. Others doubt¬ 
less are vexed with these, or similar 
questions, and the difficulties once 
known I shall be glad to help in remov¬ 
ing them. 
Frozen Riiurarr Roots. —Quoting 
from a contemporary, “With asparagus 
and rhubarb roots there is no forcing 
without previous freezing.” This is an 
entirely mistaken idea, as my success¬ 
ful crops are grown without it. True, 
the roots require a different method of 
handling, but very fine crops are grown 
without freezing, and by this means can 
be placed on the market before the crop 
can by any means be forced from frozen 
roots. This process, however, is very 
exhausting and kills the roots, but the 
gilt-edge prices fully compensate for 
their loss. Both methods are clearly and 
distinctively treated of in “The New 
Rhubarb Culture,” for sale by The R. 
N.-Y., price 50 cents. j. e. morse. 
Michigan. 
Naphtha for Grain Insects. 
Several Readers .—It is reported in a Kan¬ 
sas Station bulletin that naphtha may be sub¬ 
stituted for bisulphide of carbon in killing 
insects in stored grain. Is this correct? 
Ans. —I have not seen the recom¬ 
mendations in the Kansas bulletin, and 
do not recall any records of careful 
tests of gasoline for killing stored grain 
pests. But an authority on such ques¬ 
tions says: “Benzine and naphtha or 
gasoline are of some value as fumigants 
for some materials, but do not produce 
entirely satisfactory results with grain, 
their vapors being insufficient for the 
destruction of the adolescent stages of 
species which breed wholly within the 
kernel, while each of these reagents 
possesses an offensive and more or less 
persistent odor. They are open, more¬ 
over, to the same objections as bi-' 
sulphide of carbon, the vapor being 
about equally infiammable and more ex¬ 
plosive.” M. V. SLINGERLAND. I 
I For close skimming and 
’^quiet and easy running the 
National Hand Separator has no 
equal among hand separators, ^ye are 
ready to prove this at your home by 
sending a 
ISIATtOISIAL 
CREAIU SEPAR/ITOR 
anywhere on 10 days’ free trial, to be 
placed In competition, if you like, willi 
any other separator. If itdon’tback up 
every claim we make you can return it 
at once at our expense. Prices aston¬ 
ishingly low. For particulars, write ta 
NATIONAL DAIRY MACHINE CO. 
Newark, N. J. 
VYCT'dR 
W INCUBATORS 
The simplest, most durable, cheap- ^ 
est flrst-class hatcher. Money back \ 
I if not as represented. Circular ^ 
free; catalofruo Sc. We pav the 1 
freight. OKO. KRTKLCO.OulneV. III. I 
WROUQHT IRON PIPE 
Good condition, used short time only, new threads 
and couplings; for Steam, Gas or Water; sizes from 
to 12 Inch diameter. Our price per foot on ^ inch ii 
Sc; on 1 inch 3>ic. AVrite for free catalogue No. 67 
CHICAGO HOUSE WRECKING CO., 
W. 35th and Iron SU., ClIICACO. 
uU» 
In answer to many inquiries received 
from the farmers, tve are making them 
a proposition, which is worth money 
to them. 
IVO/I'T YOU WRITE TO US? 
Prolong your lives, save time anti 
money by having a 
telephone system on 
your premises. Our 
is up-to-date, being 
an automatic s y s- 
tem and so simple, 
that anyone can op¬ 
erate it. 
CHRISTMAS IS COMING ! 
WRITE US ANDWE WILL 
TELL Y OU ALL ABOUT IT. 
THE U. S. ELECTRIC MEG. CO., 
:KX) Etna Street, Butler, Pa. 
Do Not Cut Any Ice 
until you write for price of 
the Buckley ice Plow; it 
cuts two grooves at a time. 
Adjustahle to any size of 
cake; runs easy. Just the 
thing for 
farmers & 
small Ice¬ 
men. Some 
of our larg¬ 
est Ice deal¬ 
er s are 
nslDgtbem; 
will do as — 
much work as any $50 plow made; costs less than 
half that. Send for circular describing it and our 
full line of ice tools. Special price to introduce 
HOSS BROTHERS, 00 Front St., Worcester, Mass. 
m 
I and Its pfMsIbilftles under the Silag« 
i Bvstem—helne the theme of 
\"A BOOK ON SILAGE" 
I By Prof. F. W. WOLL , . 
oftheUnWersiiy of Wisconsin. Revised and up-to-date, neat- ^ 
ly bound Into a volume of 234paffe8. Itembracesfullintorm- 
ation from planting to feeding the crop, and includes working 
fdans and specifications for build Inga! I silos. Also embraces: | 
I— Silage Crops. II —Silos. 
Ill—Silage. lY—Feeding of Slla 
V— Comparison of Silage and other Feeds. 
VI — The Silo in Modem Agriculture, 
And Illustrations and complete plans for round and 
rectangular silos, dairy tiarns, tables of com- 
poonded rations, etc. Mailed for lOe. 
coin or stamps. 
SILVER MFC. CO. 
Salem, Ohio. 
CRE OF CORN! 
PATENT GROOVED 
Tire Wheels 
FOR 
Farm Wagons 
Aliy Size to Fit any Skein 
MADE O.VLY HY 
HAVANA METAL WHEEL CO. 
HAVANA, ILL. 
We are the largest manufac¬ 
turers of steel wheels and 
low down trucks in the U. S. 
Write for E^rtces. 
THE WHEEL OF TIME 
for all time ia the 
Metal Wheel. 
make them In all sizes and raii 
etle8,TOFITANY AXLE. Any 
height, any width of tire desired. 
Our wheels are either direct or 
stagger spoke. Can FIT TOCB 
WACON perfectly withont change. 
WO BREAKIWC DOWN. 
No dryiag oak No reeetting tirca Oheag 
Itecanee they endure. Send for cate, 
iogne and prices. Free upon rwjaeA 
Electric Wheel Co, 
Box 88 Quinojr, Ills. 
for this elecront 
Portland Cutter. 
It is very large and roomy, 
the body ^beautifully curved, 
making a very h&odaome cutten The run¬ 
ners and knees are hickory, steam bent. 
Shoes are extra bardeued steel, with 
turned heels, all clips, braces and bolts 
are Norway iron. Frame of body is made of ash. Panels white 
poplar; $eai and back are double bent. UPHOLSTFRKl), with 
fine Imported 14oz. Enslibh broadcloth; back and side panels are 
extra high, 8PK1.NG CUSHIO.S AM) B.iCK. Nickel daAh and arm 
rails. We have other styles; a nice swell body entter for 1(14.40; 
4 knee bobsled. $11.85; 6 knee, $12.00; also a full line of beauti- 
fnl plash and fur robes. HOllSK KL.\.\KKTS at one-half retail 
prk^s. A nice lineSLKKtll KKMeS and8haftchime8,atprice8 that 
wUl surprjie you. 8E.M) FOR Ol'U FUKK 320 PAGK CATALOG. 
MARVIN SMITH CO., 55-59 N. Jefferson St., Chicago, III, 
“Our Thanksgiving Proclamation” 
says the horse, “should he a united ap¬ 
peal to our masters on our urgent need 
for Veterinary Pixine.” “Agreed,” cry 
all! “Make it strong,” says the cow. 
“Inspired by the sweet relief from 
scratches and grease heel of years’ stand¬ 
ing ; old sores, wounds, cowpox, hoof 
rot, mange and swellings, we unani¬ 
mously beseech our masters to investi¬ 
gate its hea.ing power and win our 
heartfelt gratitude.” 
Money back if it fails. 
2 ozs., 25c. I At all Druggists and 
8 ozs., 50c. > Dealers, or sent 
5 lbs., $4.00 I prepaid. 
TROY CHEMICAL CO., 
T»OT. M. Y. 
RUBEROID 
THE 
POULTRY-HOUSE 
ROOFING 
As a water-proof covering for Poultry-1 
I Houses, UUBEUOlDhas no equal. Keeps 
tne houses cool during the warm weather, 
and warm In Winter, and the chicks dry and | 
I comfortable. The sun cannot melt it. 
THE STANDARD PAINT CO., 
100 William Street, 
NEW YORK. 
Worth 
SEXI> FOR SPECIAL 
REDUCED PRICES ON CUTTERS 
You Can Save One-Half Retail Prices. 
Our Cutterw are strictly first-class, latest 
styles, elegantly finished and built 
sell for much more than our present 
reduced prices. Every cutter shipped 
under a Poi»ltlve GITARANTKK. 
Money refunded if you are not satisfied. 
Robes and Blankets sold to the users at 
wholesxle prices. Save dealers* profits. 
B’E. A MFC. GO. 
Si., lIlKAdU, 'LL. 
Worth 
Retail. 
$30.00 
