1896 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
383 
the surface, and thus keep the ground wet for a long 
time in case of rain. After they had plowed two or 
three strips, I had occasion to pass where they were 
at work, and 1 found that the last plot plowed was 
entirely too wet, and said so to one of the men who 
replied, “I thought so, but supposed that you knew 
your own business.” The soil was turned in large 
clods which, after becoming dry in the drought that 
followed, were almost as hard as bricks. 
The berries made a poor growth that year and a 
small crop the next. The piece was plowed after the 
berries were picked, when up came the bricks made 
by the former plowing. It was harrowed thoroughly, 
but could not be put in good condition. Crimson 
clover was sown, and a poor stand and small growth 
marked the spot. In the spring follow¬ 
ing, the clover was plowed under, and 
oats and Red clover were sown, each 
being much lighter there than in other 
less fertile portions of the field. The 
field is now planted to potatoes. The in¬ 
jured portion is improving, but much 
of it is in lumps the size of peas, and 
the present drought has almost pre¬ 
vented the potatoes from sprouting, 
while a rod away, they are breaking the 
surface of the soil. The clover sown 
with the oats was not as good a growth 
last fall as the Crimson clover sown 
after the berries, but when turned under 
this spring as soon as the ground was 
dry enough, there was a much greater 
quantity of both roots and tops than 
was given by the Crimson clover one 
year ago. 1 think that I shall try both 
kinds after berries this year. If the Red 
will make as robust a growth this fall, 
it is more valuable than the Crimson. 
Strawberry Suggestions. —Pinch 
every blossom from the newly-set 
strawberry plants as fast as they ap¬ 
pear. A row ofcParker Earle plants set one year 
ago, was allowed to bear. The result was a weaker 
row than those alongside from which the blossoms 
were removed, and it has not yet overtaken them. 
Is it wise to put the rows as close as suggested by 
Mr. Chapman ? I have some closer—2% feet, and 
others three feet apart. A late planted piece that 
failed to make a sufficient number of runners to war¬ 
rant allowing them to bear, was turned under this 
spring, and the ground re-set. I shook the soil from one 
plant of Parker Earle, and found roots 24 inches long, 
nearly as long as those mentioned by Mr. Crawford. 
Will not strong plants in rows three feet apart, use 
and require all the space given ? g. a. parcels. 
Bradford Co., Pa. 
STEAM POWER IN SPRAYING. 
It is safe to say that any man who has worked a 
spraying pump by hand has had moments of wishing 
for the time to come when steam power 
would step in and save his back. The 
plan of working the pump by means of 
gearing attached to the wheels, is not 
very satisfactory as, when the wheels 
stop, the pump stops, too, and in order 
to do an effective job, much of the 
spraying must be done while standing 
still by the tree. 
Two years ago, we told of a California 
man who mounted a portable steam 
engine on a wagon, and used it to work 
the pump. Now we are able to show 
how this very work is being done in 
New England. The apparatus shown 
at Figs. 126 and 127 was devised by Mr. 
Edwin Hoyt, of New Canaan, Conn., 
and is pictured in the last report of the 
Connecticut Experiment Station. 
The engine mounted on the wagon is 
capable of producing five or six-horse 
power, at a pressure of 100 pounds. It 
is connected, as shown in Fig. 126, with 
a 300-gallon tank. This tank is parti¬ 
tioned off so as to hold 75 gallons of 
pure water for the boiler, and 225 
gallons of the spraying mixture. It is bolted and 
ironed all through, and cost $40. Mr. Hoyt advises 
the use of half-inch hose, as it is lighter to handle, 
and the strain is not so great. He uses two lines, each 
100 feet long. If need be, six or eight lines may be 
used at one time, thus covering a wide territory. 
Mr. Hoyt finds the McGowen nozzle excellent for 
his purpose. It will throw a shower of fine spray 
vertically through 30 feet or more of still air, and is 
economical of the solution. The boiler shown in the 
picture, uses wood or coal for fuel, and is used for 
other purposes; but for spraying alone, Mr. Hoyt 
says that he would use a boiler heated by oil. 
Fig. 127 shows the outfit at work with two lines of 
hose. The cost will vary from $275 to $375, according 
to size. It is possible that this offers a chance for 
some enterprising man to invest some money in a 
profitable enterprise, and take up the business of 
spraying, as he would that of thrashing. 
SOME USEFUL NATIVE FERNS. 
Few gardens are without some corners or other 
places where hardly anything will grow, because of 
lack of sunlight, aad in such places a collection of 
our wild ferns is just the thing to plant. Even in 
more open places, such as on the northern or eastern 
sides of a building, ferns do well, and often suit the 
position nicely. But though delighting in shade, they 
do not care to be closely overshadowed by trees. 
Indeed, a somewhat open place, made shady by some 
near-by building or tree, is better than being directly 
under trees. If branches overhang the plants, form¬ 
ing too heavy a canopy, they will not do their best. 
Among our native sorts, are so many different types 
of growth, that when a fair proportion of them are 
got together, there is a varied and pleasing collection. 
The following are some of the best: Onoclea sensi- 
bilis, Osmunda Claytoniana, Osmunda cinnamomea, 
Osmunda regalis, Polypodium hexagonoptera, 
Struthiopteris Germanica, Adiantum pedatum, Dick- 
sonia punetilobula, Woodwardia Virginica, Asplenium 
thelypteroides, Asplenium Filix-foemina, Woodsia 
obtusa, Cistopteris bulbifera, Cystopteris fragilis, 
Aspidium Goldianum. There are also several ever¬ 
green sorts, which are particularly desirable because 
of their cheerful appearance in the winter season. 
These are : Polypodium vulgare, Asplenium ebeneum, 
Antigramma pinnatifida, Antigramma rhizophylla, 
Scolopendrium vulgare, Aspidium acrostichoides, 
Aspidium spinulosum, Aspidium cristatum and Aspid¬ 
ium marginale. The larger growing sorts of the 
whole list are the three Osmundas, the Struthiopteris, 
Asplenium thelypteroides, Aspidium spinulosum, 
Aspidium Goldianum and Aspidium marginale. 
The Osmunda cinnamomea is the Cinnamon fern, so 
called because of its fertile spikes resembling sticks 
of cinnamon, when they are ripe. In favorable 
places, I have seen fronds of it four feet in length. 
Early in spring, when the fertile fronds are displayed, 
this fern is very ornamental. Scolopendrium vulgare 
is the Hart’s tongue fern, a rare sort in our country, 
but common enough in England. It has a broad, en¬ 
tire, green frond, quite distinct from any other wild 
fern. Antigramma rhizophylla is the Walking fern, a 
useful sort for covering damp rocks. Where undis¬ 
turbed in its native wilds, I have seen large bowlders 
completely covered with this fern. 
Some of the most useful ferns we have are among 
the Aspidiums. Besides the large size most of them 
attain, and the evergreen character of others, there is 
the graceful outward curving of the fronds of Mar¬ 
ginale and the lively green of Acrostichoides. The 
latter is so pretty and so green in midwinter, that it 
is popularly known as the Christmas fern. 
As ferns have fine, hairlike roots, they like a light, 
though good soil. Sand, well-decayed leaf mold and 
loam are excellent for them, insuring 
easy piercing by the roots, and moisture 
in summer. Ferns do not like to be dis¬ 
turbed about the roots. After planting, 
place a lot of forest leaves about them ; 
they prevent weeds springing up, and 
seep them moist. The desirability of 
ferns is mentioned at this time, as they 
are now in full growth, and may be 
transplanted now if desired ; or marked 
for removal in the fall. 
Pennsylvania. .Joseph mkklian. 
WHAT THEY SAY. 
Hardiness of Japan Plums. —In south¬ 
ern Connecticut, my experience is slight¬ 
ly different from Mr. Woodward’s. Here 
the Satsuma has failed to bloom, al¬ 
though full of blossom buds which have 
not swollen at all. Abundance is next in 
tenderness, showing but few blooms. 
Next in order is Normand, then Bur¬ 
bank, on which not more than one-half 
the blossom buds opened. Ogon, Red 
Nagate and Berckmans have been unaf¬ 
fected by the peculiar trials of the winter 
In previous winters, when peaches have been cut off, 
Japan plums have gone through safely with lower 
thermometer—the minimum here last winter was 10 
below. Satsuma bore a full crop here first in 1891, 
and has had a full crop every year since, on all trees 
old enough. Peaches have failed here fully half of 
that period. 
It may be some peculiarity of this past winter, per¬ 
haps its sudden and extreme variations of tempera¬ 
ture, which may not soon again occur, which caused 
the trouble. Here, also, as with Mr. Woodward, 
some varieties of Domestica have succumbed to the 
winter, particularly Clyman, and some Americans,, 
especially Brunswick. The Sneed peach seems to 
have withstood the winter better than many of the 
others. f. 
A Tub Silo. —A tub or round silo may be safely 
built anywhere that it would be dry enough to build 
a stack of hay. Very little labor, therefore, is re¬ 
quired in preparing a foundation. At 
first it was considered necessary to 
underdrain the site and set the bottoms 
of the boards forming the sides in cement 
This does not do any harm, but can be 
dispensed with. If the location selected 
is reasonably dry, simply remove all 
stones or other obstacles from an area 
equal to the bottom of the silo, and 
make it as nearly level as possible. One 
is then ready to build the silo, which is 
nothing more than setting up and match¬ 
ing the lumber. The silo is, when built, 
nothing but a huge barrel with heads 
knocked out, standing on end. The 
greatest height possible, with a tub¬ 
shaped silo, is 32 feet, that being the 
extreme length of matched lumber. The 
majority are 20, 22 and 24 feet high. 
The number of hoops will, also, de¬ 
pend upon the height. Six will do for a 
20-foot silo, and one more for every ad¬ 
ditional two feet in height. The hoops are 
made of round %-inch iron. For a silo 
13 feet in diameter, it will require two 
20-foot lengths of iron for each hoop. 
The hoop is made in this way : The ends of two strips 
of iron are fastened together by forming hooks and 
linking together, and cutting a thread on the opposite 
ends for several inches with nuts to correspond. 
After putting the hoop in place around the silo, pass 
the ends through a hardwood block, and wrench the 
nuts until the desired tightness is obtained. When 
the hoops are all on, cut out doorways at convenient 
spaces for removing ensilage when taken out to be 
fed. Make the openings only between hoops, and 
cleat with heavy strap iron before sawing out. 
Batavia, N. Y. j. w. B. 
About Evauoratkd Tomatoes. —My own experience 
is limited, but amply sufficient to enable me to assure 
ENGINE, PUMPS AND TANK, FOR SPRAYING LARGE TREES. Fig. 126. 
ENGINE THROWING SPRAY IN ACTUAL PRACTICE. Fig. 127. 
