1896 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
23 
FARMERS' CLUB DISCUSS 10IV. 
(continued.) 
has been satisfactory ; mine sold last 
fall for $3 per barrel. I think that the 
soil has a great deal to do with growing 
good Keiffers. My soil is sand, with a 
clay subsoil within 15 to 20 inches of the 
surface. I have cropped the orchard 
mostly with corn and buckwheat ; I have 
four acres that were sown to Crimson 
clover in buckwheat the first of last 
July, that is a solid mat on the ground 
from four to six inches high. I expect 
great things from it if it does not winter- 
kill. 
Another Potato Estimate. 
W. D. W. C., Bigler ville, Pa. —Here 
is my experience as to the cost of pota¬ 
toes. This year has been a bad one, on 
account of low prices and drought. I had 
4 % acres this year, on which I base my 
estimate : 
Use of land, 4*4 acres, at $3. $13.50 
Plowing, at $1.50. 6.75 
Harrowing, two times, at $1.50. 3.00 
Furrowing. 1.50 
Covering. 1.00 
Seed, 26 bushels at 50e. 13.00 
Cutting seed. 1.25 
Dropping seed. 5.00 
Fertilizer, three-fourths ton. 21.00 
Harrowing, after up. 1.50 
Working four times. 9.00 
Bugging three times. 3.00 
Breaking crust after showers, two times.. 1.50 
Digging, four days team and hands. 20.00 
Assorting and storing. 5.00 
Delivering to market. 20.00 
Cost of 4 Yi acres.$126.00 
CR. 
Cost of one acre. 28.00 
Yield of 4!4 acres.800 bushels. 
Yield per acre.178 bushels. 
Cost per bushel.16 cents. 
We must count the use of the land at 
about its cash value. Probably our land 
would bring $40 per acre,and S3 is enough, 
as that would pay interest and taxes. If 
our land is worth $100 per acre, it would 
cost $6.10 per acre to pay interest and 
taxes. The net profit per acre depends 
on prices received when we sell. 
Yield per acre.178 bushels. 
Small ones, per acre. 18 bushels. 
Marketable. 160 bushels. 
Selling price, 30 cents.$48.00 
Selling price, small ones, 18 bush, at 15c .... 2.70 
Total l’eceived for one acre.$50.70 
Cost per acre. 28.00 
Net profit......$22.70 
I have given figures of which I am 
positive, as the cost per acre and per 
bushel. I estimated the potatoes at 30 
cents, yet I received 40 cents for some, 
and 25 cents for 20 bushels, and 27 cents 
for 200 bushels ; for the rest, above 30 
cents, so 30 cents is a fair average. 
Light on the Pork Question. 
R. S. R., Middleburgh, N. Y. —To 
keep pork, have a clean, sweet barrel. 
Just cover the bottom with salt, and 
sprinkle a little between each layer. 
Cover the pork with strong brine. We 
use a stone, cut round like a barrel 
head, about two inches thick, to weight 
the pork and keep it from floating. The 
latter part of March, pour the brine off 
and scald it, until it boils ; skim it while 
heating. When cold, pour it back on 
the pork. On top of the stone, lay about 
a peck of salt in a coarse canvas bag. 
If the salt should dissolve through the 
summer, replenish. Use rock salt. 
Keep Your Business Secrets. 
B. G., Siiicksiiinny, Pa.—I have read 
the different articles as to the cost of 
raising a bushel of potatoes and the 
statement that they could be raised for 
five to ten cents per bushel, and make a 
profit in selling them at 12 cents per 
bushel. I think that the farmer who 
publishes his business in this manner, 
may not be a fool by any means, but is 
lacking in business sagacity. Our occu¬ 
pation now is about the poorest paid of 
any ; yet such statements have a tend¬ 
ency to make city people believe that 
there are untold riches in farming. 
Does the merchant, mechanic, manu¬ 
facturer, or coal dealer publish to the 
world the cost of his wares ? Oh, no ; 
these are their business secrets. Does 
your blacksmith state publicly that he 
can shoe a horse for 50 cents yet make 
a profit (a fact) ? But his price is $1 or 
more, and this you must pay, for even 
they and nearly all others (except 
farmers), have business combinations. 
Again, when a farmer raises a poor or 
non-paying crop (which is quite often), 
he doesn’t put them in the papers. It's 
only when he succeeds by working for 
almost nothing, and then being able to 
figure out an infinitesimal profit, that 
his vanity finds an outlet in the public 
prints. 
Dry Salted Pork. 
R. L. W., Ware’s Wharf, Va. —Mr. J. 
C. Senger says, on page 842, 1895 ; “ The 
logical inference is that the brine must 
be the cause of the trouble.” If so, why 
use brine ? Instead of a barrel, I use a 
box that will leak (but prefer shelves). 
I cover the bottom of the box with a 
thick layer of salt, then pack in one 
layer of hams, then a good layer of salt, 
then a layer of hams, then salt, and so 
on until they are all in. I then put in 
the shoulders, and last the middlings. I 
use plenty of salt, the pork will only 
take up a certain quantity. Do not 
handle until they have been in bulk 
about six weeks, then put on wood 
ashes, and smoke or not as you please. 
If it stays dry, I do not smoke, but if it 
commences to drip, I smoke until dry— 
of course I use saltpetre, etc. I have 
never used brine except in hot weather, 
and have never lost any pork. 
We would be glad to hear from those 
of our readers who have raised them, 
how they regard Bokhara clover (Meli- 
lotus), and Awnless Brome grass 
(Bromus inermis). It is said of the 
latter that it is valuable for pasture or 
hay, and thrives in dry or sandy soils. 
It is claimed that Bokhara clover is of 
value for soiling, and that in good soil, 
it may be cut three times each season. 
Bees are exceedingly fond of it as we 
know from our own experience. Sown 
August 10, 1894, in poor soil, the plants 
were May 24, 1895, six inches high. June 
19, the most vigorous plants were 28 
inches high. Most of the plants were 
spindling and but 16 inches high. They 
seemed to suffer from the drought. On 
July 1, the tallest plants were 33^ feet 
high and in bloom. The flowers, white 
in color and small, were borne in close 
racemes or spikes two to three inches in 
length. This would seem to be the time 
to make the first cutting. On July 11, 
the tallest plants were five feet, but 
there was too much woody main stem, 
the laterals having little foliage. The 
main stems were half an inch in diameter 
near the soil. The flowers are very 
sweet. 
August 9 we noted that the plants 
bloom constantly, every branch termin¬ 
ating with a spike giving food to num¬ 
berless bees. The plants then averaged 
from two to five feet. 
Bromus inermis, sown August 10, 1894, 
was, May 24, (1895), 13 inches high, re¬ 
sembling oats at that time. It began to 
bloom June 10. On June 17. it was 
ready to cut. The leaves were 18 inches 
long, the flowering stems three feet 
high. They have but a single small leaf 
above the mass of leaves below which 
form a thick mat. 
We do not find that this Hungarian 
Brome grass or Awnless Brome grass 
has been tried in this country to any 
considerable extent. But it seems to be 
worthy of extended trial. It is a per¬ 
ennial, and apparently very hardy. It 
grows much the same as does Couch 
grass, Triticum (Agropyrum) repens, 
soon taking entire possession of the soil 
with its creeping rootstocks. We have 
fed both Bokhara clover and the Brome 
grass to horses, and they seemed to rel¬ 
ish it. 
The Keepsake gooseberry, let us re¬ 
peat, will rank among the best of goose¬ 
berries of foreign origin. The berries 
are large, nearly round, and of excellent 
quality. It comes into bearing early— 
the second year, and has thus far been 
free of mildew. 
In the nature of things, we must go 
back to worthy plants—whose merits get 
a tardy recognition. Xanthoeeras sorbi- 
folia is reported as having been found in 
China in 1870. It was described and 
illustrated in the London Garden a few 
years later, and The R. N.-Y.,always on 
the lookout for promising novelties, re¬ 
produced the Garden’s portrait of the 
flower and its description of the plant. 
A little later, we purchased a plant, and 
still later, raised seedlings. It is one of 
the easiest plants to raise from seeds. 
The seeds are large, and germinate read¬ 
ily enough. The young seedlings bloom 
the second year. Except that larger 
plants die back unaccountably, it is per¬ 
fectly hardy at the Rural Grounds. How 
much further north it would prove hardy, 
we do not know. Xanthoeeras sorbifolia, 
or Sorbus-leaved Xanthoeeras (it has not 
received a “ common ” name) is a rnono- 
typic genus, that is, it is the only species 
thus far known. It belongs to the same 
natural order as does the horse-chestnut, 
viz., Sapindaee® or Soapberry family. 
The generic name is derived from Xan- 
thos, yellow, and Keros, a horn, allud¬ 
ing to the yellow, horn-like glands or 
nectaries between the petals. It appears 
to be difficult to propagate except from 
seeds. The little trees grow to the height 
of from five to fifteen feet, depending 
upon the richness of the soil and con¬ 
geniality of the situation. The racemes 
of flowers much resemble those of the 
ordinary white horse - chestnut. The 
leaves consist of 15 slightly serrated 
leaflets, as shown, half size, in our illus¬ 
tration from nature, and the fruit and 
seeds are shown, equally reduced. 
^ttisccllancou.s <2Umtbinfl. 
IN writing to advertisers, please always mention 
The Rural New-Yorker. 
Successful 
growers of fruits, berries, 
and all kinds of vegetables, 
know that the largest yields and 
best quality are produced by 
the liberal use of fertilizers 
containing at least lO% of 
Actual Potash. 
Without the liberal use of Pot¬ 
ash on sandy soils, it is impos¬ 
sible to grow fruits, berries and 
vegetables of a quality that will 
command the best prices. 
Our pamphlets are not advertising circulars boom¬ 
ing special fertilizers, but are practical works, contain¬ 
ing latest researches on the subject of fertilization, and 
are really helpful to farmers. They are sent free for 
the asking. 
GERMAN KALI WORKS, 
93 Nassau St , New York. 
Ec Bowker’s Fertilizers. 3 
SOLUBLE — ACTIVE—SURE. 
tBOWKER 
FERTILIZER CO., 
BOSTON A NEW YORK. 
FOR THE 
1 
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Farmer’s 
Wife. 
Gold Dust Washing Powder 
is the greatest help that was 
ever given entrance to any 
home. For the farmer’s wife, 
who has so many things to 
keep clean, it is the most effi¬ 
cient, most economical, most 
helpful help that can be pro¬ 
cured. Sold everywhere in 
large packages, price 25 cts. 
Gold Dust Washing Powder has 
an additional value to the farmer for 
destroying insects. Send us your name 
and address and we will mail youftin 
important booklet containing recipes 
for making kerosene emulsions, for 
spraying crops and trees and live stock. 
THE N. K. FAIRBANK CO., 
Chicago, St. Louis, New York, 
Boston, Philadelphia. 
CHAMPION EVAPORATOR 
vianaiia for maple, 
SORCHUM, CIDER, AND FRUIT JELLIES 
Write for 1896 Catalogue. 
Cider Machinery.—8end for catalogue to Boomor & 
Boschert Press Co., 118 West Water St., Syracuse,N.Y. 
GEO. J. RECORD’S 
DOUBLE-TIN SAP SPOUTS 
THE BEST AND 
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Over 6,000,000 in 
use. Ask your 
dealer or write 
for free sample. 
RECORD MAN U FAC ( UR INC CO., 
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Manufacturers of Spouts. Butter Pails. Cans. Etc. 
FRUIT PACKAGES &£ 
Also Beekeepers’ Supplies. 
Now is the time to order and 
get the DISCOUNTS. Cata¬ 
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BERLIN FRUIT BOX CO., 
Berlin Heights, Erie Co., Ohio. 
§ PRAYING 
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Our illustrated catalogue tells you HOW and 
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Western Agency: Henion & Hubbell, Chicago. 
EXPRESS PAID? 
Satl.fsetion Guaranteed or Boner Re- 
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Paid, for 
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trying to meet falling prices by rising earlier and working harder ? You 
might as well stop,—it’s not to be done that way. Get tools that do a week’s 
work in a day, and raise three bushels in place of one. The PLAN ET J R. 
Farm Tools will do it. One single tool combines a hand drill, plow, culti¬ 
vator, rake, and a wheel hoe that will beat six men. There are 20 others 
as good. Send for the PLA N ET J R. Book , {it's free), and give your mind 
a day’s work. S. L. ALLEN & CO., 1107 Market St., PHILADELPHIA. 
