1905. 
TIIE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
171 
ANOTHER POWER SPRAYER. 
I use a three-cornered tower for spray¬ 
ing the large trees. See accompanying 
picture. It has one standard ahead and 
two behind. I have long rods with a nut 
on lower end, which are fastened to top 
of front standard on each side and run 
through the platform near the outer 
edge, so by drawing nuts up tight 
the rods hold the tower solid. We 
A THREE-CORNERED POWER SPRAYER. 
find that a three-cornered tower goes 
through between the limbs much bet¬ 
ter than a square tower. I have used this 
rig three years, but am now putting in 
gasoline engine. My rig worked very 
nicely, except that it was very heavy, 
weighing when filled ready to go with two 
men on, one to drive and one in tower, 
4.800 pounds, including wagon. You will 
notice that I use three horses. 
Wayne Co., N. Y. b. j. case. 
GOVERNMENT TESTS FOR SEEDS 
Buying on a Guarantee. 
As Is now pretty well known the Agricul¬ 
tural Department at Washington has a de¬ 
partment for seed testing. Fair samples of 
a package of seeds will be taken and tested 
for germinating power or for weed seed. 
We recently sent the following question to 
leading seedsmen : 
“Will you be kind enough to tell us if 
you would be willing to sell your seeds on 
the basis of Government Inspection? In 
other words, would you permit the purchaser 
to send a sample to Washington for testing 
and accept the report as a basis of sale? 
We would like 1o have your opinion regarding 
the value of this Government work.” 
Many replies were received. Some do not 
care to give a public opinion. The following 
are fair samples of the replies: 
For my part I am perfectly willing for the 
customer to submit samples to Government 
experts for test. The buyer must not ex¬ 
pect, however, to get perfect seed unless he is 
willing to pay the price. Seedsmen always 
stand ready to furnish a high grade of seed 
to such as are willing to pay a sufficient price 
for it, but as long as the buyer keeps ham¬ 
mering for lower prices and talks price only 
he is pretty sure to get what he insists on, 
cheat) seed. In such cases the seedsman 
should not be blamed, for he is always ready 
to give the customer what he most wants. 
If it is cheapness, cheap goes; if it is qual¬ 
ity. he gets it, provided he is willing to pay 
the price. The matter rests with the buyer. 
One man will write in and say: “I want 
the best possible clover seed,” and he will 
get something that will stand any test, no 
matter how rigid, hut it will cost him prob¬ 
ably $8.50 per bushel. Another farmer will 
write in to know if he can get clover seed for 
$7 per bushel. He will probably get it, but 
I would not promise that it would stand 
Government test. Any seedsman will guar¬ 
antee his best grades to stand Government 
test, hut the lower grades must he taken 
largely on faith. henry field. 
We believe our facilities for testing seeds 
are equal in every respect to the Govern¬ 
ment's. As you well know, we have one of 
the largest, if not the largest, market garden 
plant in New England, and probably more 
greenhouses than any oilier, and we believe 
thoroughly that the seed we put out is A 1 
in every respect. We can give any one of 
our customers who asks for it. the percentage 
of germination of the seed from the package 
he buys, for we have a system for keeping an 
accurate account of the tests of all our seeds. 
Consequently we cannot see wherein the Gov¬ 
ernment is in any better shape or has any 
more experienced men to do this won than 
we have. w. w. rawson & co. 
We would not object to sell seeds on the 
hasls of Government inspection, if that in¬ 
spection were made at the different seeds¬ 
men’s warehouses. 
.TOITN A. SAI.ZER SEED CO. 
We have been too many years in tht 
business to feel in need of outside assist 
ance }n determining tbe quality of our goods. 
As to whether we need watching—that, we 
suppose, is for the Government to say. So 
far as vegetable seeds are concerned, it is 
obvious that any tests made by the Govern¬ 
ment experts could decide nothing as to 
ij iid I i 1 if beyond their germinating power, 
which the seedsman, and, for the matter of 
that, the purchaser, is surely competent to 
ascertain. Every reputable seedsman satis¬ 
fies himself as to the germination of the 
seeds he sends out. It is manifestly his in¬ 
terest to do so. The question is not as to 
whether seeds will (/coir, but as to what they 
will produce when grown—with cabbage 
seed, for instance, whether it produces solid 
heads of the desired type, or bunches of rank 
loose leaves. As to the quality in this re¬ 
spect the purchaser must rely entirely upon 
the seedsman. The Government cannot help 
him. Let him buy from a reputable seeds¬ 
man, think less of a few cents' difference in 
cost, and his interests will be sufficiently 
protected. 
With grass, clover and some other field 
seeds, however, the situation is different, and 
it is our impression that it is to these that 
the Department of Agriculture has been di¬ 
recting its attention. It is not so easy to 
ascertain either the germinating power or 
the purity of these seeds. A sample may 
contain many noxious weeds which only the 
expert can detect. The work of the De¬ 
partment in reporting upon the purity of 
samples of grass seeds submitted to them 
has our hearty approval. Indeed, we have 
frequently availed ourselves of it. We also 
approve of their attitude with regard to 
adulterated Alfalfa seed, although we think 
that the farmer who buys his clover seed 
in the village grocery at a lower price than 
is quoted by a wholesale seed merchant gets 
all he is entitled to expect. Grass seeds are 
sold in the trade in three or four grades, ac¬ 
cording 1 o purity and germination. As we 
handle only the highest of these grades we 
have no hesitation in submitting our sam¬ 
ples to the experts of the Department of 
Agriculture. J. M. TIIOHBDBN & co. 
We would never think of raising any ob¬ 
jection to a customer buying seeds from us 
subject to the Government vitality test be¬ 
ing satisfactory. Government experts are do¬ 
ing very good work along all lines in the seed 
introduction bureau, but in some instances 
we think are to be criticised on what they 
consider the standard of germination. 
W. ATLKE BURl’EE & CO. 
We have always advertised that if seeds 
were not satisfactory they were to be re¬ 
turned to us at once, and we would refund 
the money which had been paid for them. 
It would not matter to us whether the 
customer returned them from the effect of re¬ 
ceiving a Government inspection report or 
not. The worst objection to Government in¬ 
spection is that it requires considerable time, 
sometimes several weeks, to obtain a re¬ 
port. These reports are usually asked for 
on clover and grass seeus, and the market 
price is changing so constantly that we would 
not want to have a long delay before seeds 
were returned to us. They are sold on a 
very close margin of profit, and at the end 
of the season price usually declines, and 
in case of customer being dissatisfied we 
would be obliged to stand the loss. Another 
objection to such a report is that the ordi¬ 
nary farmer thinks seeds should be abso¬ 
lutely perfect, and nature does not provide 
seed in that way. There is always at least 
a small per cent, of weed seeds in any lot 
of clover or grass seed, and really first-class 
seed might be rejected by the farmer for 
that reason, although the small per cent of 
weeds contained in same were of the most 
unobjectionable sort. iowa seed co. 
WANT TO KNOW. 
Rosxv Pear. —lias anyone fruited the 
Rosny pear? Is it a good hearer, and has 
it good qualities as claimed by persons hav¬ 
ing the trees for sale? b. gebiiardt. 
Michigan. 
Atlantic Strawberry. —Is there a variety 
of strawberry known as “Atlantic"? We saw 
them quoted as such in the market last sea¬ 
son. A Philadelphia commission merchant 
told me they were the finest shipping berry 
that comes in market. I have scanned every 
fruit catalogue that comes to my desk, but 
cannot find them listed. W, A. b. 
Seneca Go., N. Y. _ 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R.'N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.' 
GREER’S SEED OATS 
Straw medium length, stiff and strong, Oats 
pure white, heavy yielder, 65c. bu. $6.00 for 10 
bus. Bags, 15c. 
Monster Spring Rye. 
. $1.50 bu. $13.50 for 10 bus. 
Early Excelsior Potatoes. 
Two weeks earlier than the Ohio, and a better 
yielder than the late varieties. 
40'. lb. $1.00 for 3 lbs., postpaid. 
For 10c. we wi 1 send a packet of the earliest 
Tomato, Orr Trojan, and the new Giant Aster, 
Alice Roosevelt, and our handsome Catalogue. 
YOUNG & HALSTEAD 
3 Grand street, TROY, N, Y, 
VIEW OF OUR PLANTS 
They tell the story of great crops. The plants with the greatest number 
of feeding roots are the best evidence. A system of fibrous roots full of life 
and energy are the great s CCQ iOUse of power ,to grow wonderful crops of 
strawberries. 
CiVT-ALOGlTJE CFHEE 
T. C. KEYITT, - - Athenia, N. J. 
WAUKEGAN NURSERIES 
Evergreen and Ornamental Trees 
Fruit Trees, Shade Trees, 
Shrubs, Vines, Roses, Etc. 
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL 
R. DOUGLAS’ SONS, WAUKEGAN, ILL. 
-TVTVVVVTVTVVITTVVVVVTrVTVl 
It is all in the seed 
The profit from your farm depends as much on the 
seed you plant as your skill in cultivating it. It is an 
easy thing to gain from $5.00 to $15.00 an acre by 
wise choice of seed. Start right—the best farmer on 
earth can’t raise a big crop from poor seed. The same 
truth applies to vegetable and flower gardening. V 
Our Northern Grown Seeds 
are best for all soils and climates. Thev possess the vigor peculiar to all Northern 
plant life. Over 20 years of effort in seed breedingliavc been successful because we have 
kept constantly in view the most essential point—YIELD. Our latest and a very sensa¬ 
tional introduction is Peep’o Day Sweet Corn, earliest, tenderest, juiciest. 
For 16 cents, stamps, we will mail you 300 seeds Peep’o Day Sweet Corn—enough 
for 60 hills; also our 1905 Pictured Catalogue of Northern Grown Farm,Vege¬ 
table and Flower Seeds. If the corn is not wanted, we will send our 1905 
Pictured Catalogue Free. It contains special trial offers. 
N0RTHRUP, KING & CO., Seed GrowersMftbM 
New TOMATO from LIVINGSTON 
LIVINGSTON’S GLOBE 
In shape It is a beautiful globe. Among the 
first to ripen; fruit of large size, and size is 
maintained throughout the season; always 
smooth, firm-fleshed; ripens evenly, through 
and through; a fine g'ossy rose in color,tinged 
with purple; very productive. A remarkably 
good keeper; especially adapted to slicing or 
eating from the hand, as the flavor is very deli¬ 
cate and agreeable. Pkt. 20 cts., 3 pkts. 50 ets., 
7 pkts. $1.00. 
SEED ANNUAL FREE 
THE LIVINGSTON SEED GO. 
Box 144 Columbus, Ohio 
High Class Flower and Vegetable Seeds 
J 'or years we have been striving to show our many friends that we have a superior 
ec-tfon and stratus Of Flower and Vegetable Seeds. 
ARLINGTON TESTED SEEDS 
Are known to be true mid will s?row; we huve tented them nil. Now wo want all 
who are interested in acedg to have our 11K)6 catalogue. 
It la new; It la up-to-date, with the Intent noveltlea und apcelttltlea. 
Before you buy we waut you to see It. If you will send us your address, we will mull ittoyouFree. 
W. W» UAWSON iL CO., Seedumen, 12 And 12 FaneuH Hall Square, Boston, H&u. 
