836 
I HE RURAL NKW-YORKKR 
December 14 
FARMERS' CLUB 
[Every query must be accompanied by 
the name and address of the writer to in¬ 
sure attention. Before asking a question, 
piease see whether it is not answered in 
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separate piece of paper.] 
Automobiles for Farm Work. 
Mrs. T. //. Hoskins, Vermont.—I hail with 
joy the prospect of this sure to come, bless¬ 
ing on the farm, the automobiie. When it 
reaches here w'ith its adaptabiiity to do all 
kinds of work the church bells shall be 
rung in its honor. A real Fourth of July 
celebration should be held in the vicinity. 
J could have saved $200 or $300 this year if 
[ had owned or hired such a machine. 
With such a machine a woman with a 
large orchard to oversee can do most of 
her work, especially if some frame can be 
devised to load and unload barrels and 
boxes. 1 gathered this year nearly 300 
bushels of apples and had only a wheel¬ 
barrow to bring them in. except when a 
neighbor gave an occasional lift. It is next 
to impossible to get help here this year, 
and poor and high-priced then. I did more 
work than two hands 1 hired to help me, 
:i> one day, and my apples were sorted and 
ll'eirs not as a rule. Are there automobiles 
for farms made yet in America? 
We have corresponded with makers of 
automobiles, and all but one say that 
their vehicles are made for road work 
alone. They are very expensive thus 
far, and run well only on hard, smooth 
roads. As there has been little if any 
demand for farm work yet, manufactur¬ 
ers have hardly thought of a machine 
strong enough to do all the work re¬ 
quired. One manufacturer when asked 
whether his autos had been used for 
turning farm machinery said: 
We have heard of a few cases where au¬ 
tomobiles are put to such usage. They are 
not built for this usage and would not ad¬ 
vise the use of an automobile for other 
work than that for which it is constructed, 
li would be much more economical to buy 
a small engine for such work as you de¬ 
sire, than to use a high-priced automobile, 
as there is undoubtedly more or less injury 
to the machine from this kind of work. 
Another replies as follows: 
The attempt to make use of the automo¬ 
bile, independent of the roat. service, for 
which it is built, we think entirely wrong. 
It does injury to the venicle, and it is 
shortly unfit for either service. Our steam 
automobile is constructed to take city .and 
country roads, and hills, and witn the ordi¬ 
nary road conditions to make 12 or 18 miles 
an hour. Our engines are about SVz horse- 
pow’er with the boiler sufficient capacity 
to supply steam. Fittings and ail connec¬ 
tions are constructed of best material that 
we can make, and attached and fastened 
securely to do this work. Suppose you 
mn this wagon back to the mill grinder, 
or saw, raise the hind wheels, and attach 
belt from this pow’er to do the other work, 
(he tendency of course will be and perhaps 
must be to run the engine right up to its 
limit with perhaps 500 or 600 revolutions, in 
order to get sufficient steam and power at 
the other machine. The natural result 
then is to rack the entire construction in 
the carriage, disturbing and loosening all 
connections, and in fact, very soon put it 
entirely out of commission. It has been 
done to be sure (not to our personal knowl¬ 
edge) but it is entirely wrong. You are 
using possibly a $1,000 investment in a 
splendid wagon to do ordinary farm work, 
when nothing is required but a simple en¬ 
gine and boiler. We could fit a party up 
to saw his wood, or grind his feed, and do 
such other work as you suggest with our 
machinery in splendid shape at a quarter 
of the cost of attempting to get this work 
f'ul of a carriage. 
The time may possibly come when a 
very strong machine, capable of doing 
all kinds of farm work, will be put on 
the market at a reasonable price. Most 
of the machines made at present are ap¬ 
parently fitted only for road work. 
Alfalfa Hay for Horses. 
B. T. C., Kimsas City. Mo.—Is Alfalfa a 
good hay for hard-worked horses? How 
does it compare with .an equal weight of 
prairie hay? What is a balanced ration, 
including Alfalfa hay, for heavy work 
horses? What especial danger is there, if 
any, connected with the feeding of Alfalfa 
hay to heavy work horses? 
The first cutting of Alfalfa cut late, 
.just as it is going off blcxim, makes the 
best of feed for hard-worked (not driv¬ 
ing) horses. It is worth, according to 
reliable tests, a trifie over three times 
as much as an equal weight of prairie 
hay. This is not generally known, but 
it is a fact. I kept over 60 horses one 
season hard at work from .July to Oc¬ 
tober on Alfalfa hay without any grain. 
1 do not know just what is a balanced 
ration for a work horse when he is un¬ 
der constant strain. When not worked 
much horses will get hog fat on plain 
Alfalfa. I feed when my horses are 
working constantly on the plow and 
other heavy farm work about three 
quarts of corn a day and what Alfalfa 
hay they will eat. If you had asked me 
for the proper ration for a cow I would 
have replied 7% pounds corn and 19% 
pounds Alfalfa hay for a 1,000-pound 
cow, but I have not yet lookea into the 
science of horse feeding. u. d. w. 
Kearney, Neb. 
Good Alfalfa hay is the very best of 
feed for hard-worked horses. Prairie 
hay has no more virtue than wheat 
straw that is usually alloweu to go to 
waste, and is simply a filling, or rough¬ 
ness to assist in digesting corn. Sheep 
will starve on prairie hay. As for a 
comparison of 100 pounds Alfalfa to 100 
pounds prairie, it is worth double the 
prairie hay. Many farmers work horses 
on Alfalfa without any grain at an. A 
balanced ration with Alfalfa is the usual 
amount of corn (two quarts or oats) 
with salt. When Alfalfa is cut green 
enough to be at its best, care should be 
used in getting the horses used to it, 
and always plenty of salt handy. I don’t 
think Alfalfa, when cut at the rignt 
time, is so likely to give horses the 
heaves as the other clovers. The heaves 
is a rare complaint in the West. 
Moran, Kan. J. c. n. 
Fruits for Central New York. 
W. F. //., Sherburne, N. Y.—1. Where only 
a few plums are to be planted, would you 
recommend the Japans in preference to 
the European or Domestica varieties for 
central New York? What can you say of 
the German prune for general planting in 
this section as compared with the Japan 
and other sorts? 1 have an exceedingly 
strong recommendation in favor of this va¬ 
riety from a grower at Hoosick Falls, 
who sa.vs he prefers it to all other plums 
and is the only fruit tree that gives him 
no trouble. Would it be likely to be fer¬ 
tile if planted alone? 2. Will you name a 
few of the most desirable apples for this 
section, both for home use and for market? 
Whether they are old varieties or new it 
makes no difference. 1 find in general opin¬ 
ion Spy takes the preference, with Rhode 
Lsland Greening and King clo.sely follow¬ 
ing. For very early use yellow Transpar¬ 
ent is becoming a great favorite. McIn¬ 
tosh is highly I’ecommended by some. 
Ans.— 1. As central New York is a 
region where the European plums suc¬ 
ceed quite well it would seem to me to 
be unwise to lay them aside entirely 
and plant the .lapan kinds instead. The 
varieties of the European type are the 
better of the two in quality except in a 
few cases, and when only a few plum 
trees are to be planted quality ought to 
be a prime factor. Such varieties as 
Princess Imperial (the old Green Gage), 
McLaughlin and Washington, ought to 
be grown wherever they will succeed. 
It is necessary to jar them to pre¬ 
vent the trees being ravaged by the 
curculio in most sections east of the 
Rocky Mountains. The name German 
prune is a class name rather than that 
of a variety; because there are a num¬ 
ber of varieties going under this title. 
Fellenberg is one of the best of these 
and is one of the surest to bear. It is 
self-fertile, so far as I have seen. The 
.lapan plums are well worthy of culture. 
Red June is one of the very early kinds, 
but it is not so good in quality as some 
of the others that ripen later, such as 
Abundance, Burbank and Wickson. Cli¬ 
max is a very new variety of fine qual¬ 
ity. 2. As to apples, it is probable that 
only Winter varieties are wanted. 
Northern Spy is one of the best in qual¬ 
ity and bears well when it gets started, 
but it requires some patience to wait 
until that time comes. Rhode Island 
Greening is excellent, and finds ready 
sale because it has an established repu¬ 
tation on the market. For home use it 
is equally good. Tompkins King is a 
good apple, being large, bright red and 
rich in quality, but the tree is very bad¬ 
ly affected by disease in most sections 
and the fruit falls off easily. Sutton is 
one of the coming apples, and is likely 
to supplant Baldwin, oeing of about the 
same size and color but better in qual¬ 
ity. The tree is hardy and productive. 
Boiken is another of the newer kinds 
that is finding favor among those who 
are gi owing it. The tree is remarkably 
desirable because of its hardiness, heal¬ 
thy foliage and reliable bearing quali¬ 
ties. The fruit is of fair size, yellow with 
a brilliant blush and of good quality. It 
also keeps well. Grimes is gradually 
making its way into public favor be¬ 
cause of its many sterling qualities. I 
do not know of a bad trait about it, 
either in tree or fruit, only that it is 
not a late keeper south of New York and 
Michigan, where it will keep under ordi¬ 
nary conditions well on towards the end 
of Winter. It is of the very first qual¬ 
ity in fiavor and will always demand a 
fancy price in market for this one rea¬ 
son. Besides, it is one of the most beau¬ 
tiful yellow apples to be found. I saw 
it recently in Central Market in Wash¬ 
ington, D. C., selling at $2.50 per 50- 
pound box. Jonathan is a match for 
Grimes in almost every respect, except 
that it is brilliant red and more tart 
in flavor. It brings a high price in 
market. It does not grow quite large 
enough in New York to suit some buy¬ 
ers, but its color and quality are excel¬ 
lent. McIntosh is good in color and 
quality, being brilliant red, very tender 
in flesh and of pleasant flavor. It is a 
seedling of Fameuse, is larger, is not so 
subject to scab and in my opinion so far 
surpasses that old standard as to make 
its culture practically needless. It has 
all its good qualities and more besides. 
In regard to Bummer apples, the Yellow 
Transparent is a very precocious bearer, 
but it is not of high quality and will not 
bear distant shipment well, because of 
its very delicate flesh and light color; 
the latter showing bruises very plainly. 
It is good to use as a filler between per¬ 
manent apple trees, but only a limited 
quantity should be grown. Oldenburg 
is later, but it is a good market apple 
and will always sell fairly well. Its 
quality is poor, but the bright red 
stripes, ability to endure rough hand¬ 
ling and the ruggedness and productive¬ 
ness of the tree will always give it a 
prominent place as a market apple. It 
makes an excellent filler between other 
trees. h. e. v. d. 
The discomforts of Influenza, the danger from 
Grip, and kindred disorders, can be modlfled and 
cured—perhaps altogether prevented— by a prompt 
resort to Dr. D. Jayne’s Expectorant.— Adv. 
E. ASPINALL 
DEALKK IN PUKE 
Fertilizer Materials 
Of all kinds for 
HOME MIXING. 
Canada Hardwood Ashes, Sheep Manure Ash, and 
all forms of German Potash Salts. Nitrate of Soda, 
Sulphate of Ammonia: Dried and finely ground Sheep 
Manure, Dried Blood and Tankage, Acid Phosphate 
Giound Bone, etc. 
We sell at CASH PRICES for cask only. 
In writing for quotations, state quantity. 
No lOO Beekman Street, New York. 
Kor sale about a dozen handsome high-grade, home- 
raised, unbroken Percheron Mares and Geldings, 
tiiree-quarters to seven-eighths blood; age four to 
seven years. JOSEPH C. EXTON, Union Farms, 
near Clinton P. O., Hunterdon Co,, N. J. 
TAR INCUBATORS 
We will send free on request our illustrated cat;i* 
lotyue of incubators, broodfrs, foods and remedte*^. 
Star Incubator Co., Bound Brook, 17.J.,or 38 VeseySt., M.Y. 
WE ARE MAKING 
thousands of miles of Page Fence annually—more 
tills year than ever before. Don’t you want some? 
PAGE U OVEN WIUE FENCE CO., ADKIAN,MICH. 
Poor 
Soils 
are made rich¬ 
er and more 
productive and 
rich soils retain 
their crop-pro¬ 
ducing powers, 
by the use of 
fertilizers with 
a liberal percentage of 
Potash. 
Write for our books—sent free — 
which give all details. 
GERMAN KALI WORKS, 
93 Nassau Street, New York City. 
Cyanide 
Guaranteed 98 to 99 per cent., for generating 
Hydrocyanic Acid Gas 
the most effective fumigating material, to 
destroy scale insects on fruit trees and 
plants. The only positive eradicator of 
the dreaded San Jose Scale. Endorsed by 
all Agricultural Experiment Stations. “ A 
perfect practical remedy,” says Prof. W. G. 
Johnson, State Etymologist of Maryland. 
MANUFACTURED BV 
The Roessler & Hasslacher Chemical Co., 
No. too WUIIani Stroot. Now York. 
WIRE FENCE AT WHOLESALE. 
AIbo Ooilsd spring, plain and Barb wire. Send for Cat. 
and prices. W. II. Mnrnwi A: <'o., J{o.x 57 . Leceburg, O. 
No Wraps, No Twists 
Tiik dfergQst 
¥ 
to destroy and weaken wire in the Frost Fence. Stays 
are fastened with a binding which never gives out. 
Double-strength Coiled Wire used. Write for cata¬ 
logue, prices, etc. The Frost Wire Fence Co., 
Cleveland, Ohio. 
Unto fnr pages, 60c. Testimonial! 
nuio lUI nuill free. l.R. PARKY, Parry, N.J 
December 1 to April 1, Orlando, Fla. 
P otatoes— Bovee,Carman.Cobbler.Harvest,6WeekF, 
Ohlo,R08e,Th'bred.85 kinds. C.W.Ford,Fishers,N.Y. 
A AT ■ Tfl C C—Selected Seed. Price-List Free 
r U I A I UC9 F- M. MARVIN, Sun, Mioh. 
AAaifCA New Early Yellow nCAOII 
UlfAfCO FREESTONE rCAIl 11 
Price list free. W. J. GRAVES. Originator, Perry, O. 
Trees, Plants and Bulbs 
Price-list free. See our Bulb Offer 
In October Rural New-Yerker. 
T. C. FURNAS & CO., Sheridan, Ind. 
SUCCEED WHERE 
Largest Nursery. OTHERS FAIL. 
Fruit Book Free. Result of 76 years’ eiperlenc* 
Glenwood Nurseries 
Most complete assortment of choice 
Ornamental Trees, Shrubs and Vines. 
Send for Descriptive Illustrated Catalogue. 
THK WM. H. MOON CO., MORRISVH,LK, PA. 
60 miles from New York; 30 miles from Philadelphia. 
Rogers Trees are Safe Trees. 
FRUIT 
The VALUE of my trees Is De¬ 
monstrated by the Truth of the va¬ 
riety. Order now. Get first choice. 
Stock saved for you till Spring Easy 
terms.Forfurther Information write 
me now. H. S WILEY, Cayuga.N.Y 
Cayuga Nur. tries. Est . 1S47- 
TREES 
URPEE’S 
Largest Mail-Order Seed House 
In the World. In buying 
BURPEE’S SEEDS direct by maii you 
get jour money’s worth in the Best Seeds that Grow—and you have your 
choice of Rare Novelties for 1902, which cannot be had elsewhere. Write 
to-day (a postal card will do) for our complete catalogue—FREE to aU who 
intend to purchase seeds. ATLiEE BTJBPEE & CO., Philadelphia. 
Fruits and Ornamentals. 
40 acres of Hardy Roses. 44 greenhouses of 
^ Palms, Fiens, Fern, Roses, etc. Correspondence 
_ __ _ solicited. Catalogue free, 48 years. 10(X) acres. 
THE STORES & HARRISON CO., Painsville, O. 
