1905. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
251 
“CHEMICALS AND CLOVER° UP- 
TO-DATE. 
Development of a Fertilizer Farm. 
Part I. 
For nearly 20 years we have studied 
ths operations on the farm of D. C. Lewis, 
Cranbury, New Jersey. That means four 
times around a five-year rotation composed 
of the ordinary farm crops, such as pota¬ 
toes, wheat, hay and corn. We have 
heard much about the transfer of such 
crops to the richer lands of the West. 
For a time there were many who be¬ 
lieved that the average eastern farm 
could not produce wheat, corn and hay at 
a reasonable profit. This belief was based 
on the theory that the fertility of an 
old farm could not be maintained without 
stock feeding and that the sale of hay 
from such a farm means gradual exhaus¬ 
tion. Now, the cultivation of Mr. Lewis’s 
farm dates back to the Revolutionary 
War. He stopped the feeding of steers 
because it did not pay, and for the past 
20 years practically all of the hay has been 
sold. Yet in spite of all this, the farm 
was never stronger or more productive 
than it is to-day! Surely a system that 
will bring about such a result is well 
worth studying. 
I have said that Mr. Lewis follows a 
five-year rotation. Starting with pota¬ 
toes, the field in which they grew is 
seeded to wheat and Timothy, with clover 
added in the opring. The wheat is har¬ 
vested, after which the grass is cut two 
years. The first year’s crop is largely 
clover—the second mostly Timothy. The 
sod, after the second crop of hay, is 
plowed and planted to corn—after which 
potatoes follow once more. This is 
known as the Mapes system of cropping. 
The peculiar features of it, new 20 years 
ago, but now largely copied, are heavy 
dressings of chemical fertilizers on the 
potato crop and all the stable manure 
made on the farm crowded upon the sod 
and plowed under for the corn crop. The 
fertilizer used for the potatoes is so 
combined that it not only supplies avail¬ 
able fertility for the potatoes, but also 
provides food for one crop of wheat and 
two of grass! 
During the past five years, or through 
the last round of the rotation, the busi¬ 
ness of this 90-acre farm—70 acres in 
cultivation—is stated as follows: Total 
sales, five years, $15,514.87; cost of labor 
and fertilizers, $5,486.37. These figures 
of cost do not include insurance, repairs, 
seed or renewals. These would be as 
great or greater withi another system of 
farming. Our object is to compare the 
working expenses of this fertilizer farm¬ 
ing with that of others. There are, of 
course, fertilizer farmers or truckers who 
produce asparagus, fruit and similar 
things who show larger total sales, but 
here is a farm still growing the old- 
fashioned crops which it has done for 
years! 
To get a clear idea of the products sold 
from the farm take the sales statement 
for 1904: Hay, $631,77; wheat, $219.93; 
pork, $35.68; milk and calves, $741.04; po¬ 
tatoes, $1,436.65; corn, $308.54; total, 
$3,373.61. Cost of labor and fertilizers, 
$1,298.28. We shall see when figures for 
the entire five years are given that in¬ 
comes from the farm vary as the rotation 
changes. This is most noticeable in po¬ 
tatoes, which represent the money crop. 
The 70 cultivated acres are divided quite 
accurately into four fields. One of these 
fields is of lighter, open texture, while an¬ 
other is considerably heavier. Naturally 
the first is better for potatoes, while the 
other is better for grass. When the ro¬ 
tation brings the potato crop to the soil 
most naturally adapted to it, and the sea¬ 
son is fair, the potato crop brings consid¬ 
erably more money than when planted on 
the heavier field, even with the same 
amount of fertilizer. On the other hand, 
the hay crop on the heavier field will most 
likely be larger. It is also found that 
when the potato crop is short the follow¬ 
ing crops of wheat and grass are likely 
to be larger, since less plant food than 
usual was taken by the potatoes. 1 hus 
this rotation, being so nicely adjusted, 
permits little loss. 
Most farmers who study these figures 
for the first time will ask how it is pos¬ 
sible to sell $631.77 worth of hay and 
$741.04 worth of milk and calves from a 
70-acre farm! They can see how one of 
these items might be correct, but how 
can one sell milk and also that from 
which milk is made? As we shall show 
later on, this milk represents the stalks 
of the corn put in the silo, or shredded 
dry and fed with grain purchased with the 
money obtained by selling the grain of 
corn. A part of the clover is also fed 
to the cows. The interesting changes 
which led to this feeding of the stalks 
will be explained when we come to the 
corn crop. Of late years Mr. Lewis has 
been experimenting with Alfalfa, as he 
was quick to realize how this plant would 
help feed his cows, leave more hay for 
sale and provide more fertility for the 
farm. We shall describe some of his ex¬ 
periments. This year, for example, he 
will plant an acre of early potatoes be¬ 
side his present Alfalfa field. When the 
potatoes are dug Alfalfa will be seeded, 
using soil from the old field for inocu¬ 
lation. 
The keystone of this system of farm¬ 
ing is the heavy use of fertilizers on the 
potato crop. Let us start our study of 
the rotation and its results with that crop. 
First, here are the financial returns for 
five years: 
VAI.UH OF POTATO CROP. 
Year ending March 31, 1901... 
Year ending March 31, 1902... 
Year ending March 31, 1903... 
Year ending March 31, 1904... 
Year ending March 31, 1905. . . 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply and 
“a square deal." See guarantee, page 18. 
$829.54 
1,864.82 
763.13 
1,436.65 
580.12 
Total .$5,474.26 
These figures show how the crop varies 
from year to year, owing to seasons, soils, 
prices and prevalence of rot and scab. 
They show us that the only safe way to 
figure when a rotation is followed care¬ 
fully is to take the average of a series 
of years. We will discuss the fertilizing 
next week. H. w. c. 
SEEDS 
Cl ARDEN, Field and 
Flower Seeds, Clovers 
and Timothy, Beardless 
Spring Barley, Blue 
Grass, Orchard Grass, 
Bed Top, etc. 
We can also offer Feeding Corn, and Oats in car 
lots track yeur station. Write for Field Seed Price 
List, also 1905 Annual Seed Catalog mailed free. 
THE HENRY PHILLIPPS SEED AND IMPLEMENT CO. 
115-117 St. Clair Street, Toledo, Ohio. 
AJjTQ Sensation and Silver Mine, the oat wonders 
UR | O 123 bu. per acre. Prices low. Catalogue 
free. Theo. Burt & Sons, Box E.. Melrose. Ohio. 
Long’s White Tartar 
A Magnificent Variety, 
produced by intelligent selec¬ 
tion of best heads for seed for 
many years. Yielded 2.000 bus. 
on 19 acres on our farm last year. Write for our 
catalogue and "surplus list.” We offer many Seeds, 
Potatoes, etc., at reduced prices for a short time. 
Joseph Harris Co., Seed Growers, Coldwater, N. Y. 
OATS 
SWEDISH SELECT OATS 
Described by the U. S. Dept. Agriculture: " Now 
probably the best American oat.” We want to tell 
you why. Description, price list for the asking. Also 
Sir Walter Raleigh potatoes. J. M. Fluke, Nankin, O 
Seed Potatoes and Oats 
Most profitable varieties. None better. 
Pure Early Rose and Sir Walter Raleigh, bu. $1.00. 
bbl. $2.50. White Shonen oats. bu. 60c., 10 bu. $5.00 
New Golden Fleece oats, bu. $1.00. 
K. W. McAllen, Fannettsburg, Pa 
CHD CAI 'CRIMSON CLOVER Seed, $5.50 
rUll wALE bushel; Cow Peas, $1.75 bushel 
2nd growth Seed Potatoes, $3.00 to $3.50 barrel; Onion 
Sets, $3.00 bushel JOSEPH E. HOLLAND. 
Milford, Delaware 
SEED SOWERS 
Field's Reid's 
Yellow Dent 
The big brother of the original or Illi¬ 
nois type of Held’s Yellow Dent. Bred 
to lit the Iowa idea o( longer ears, 
rougher grains, plenty of vigor, and a 
big yield. Same perfect form, hand¬ 
some color, deep grains and straight 
rows, but a bigger, better type every 
way. I sell it either ear or shelled. 
Catalog, photographs, and samples 
free and I throw in a package of 
watermelon seed and one of flower 
seeds besides. Send for them today. 
HENRY FIELD 
Seedsman 
Box 26 
Shenandoah, la, 
**Thc oar ued com man. 1 
Hulst’s Improved Eight Rowed Yellow Flint 
This seed has been taken for the last four years 
from stalks having two good matured ears, and the 
best ears taken; was cut up and well matured long 
before tier first frost. Stouts in the best part of the 
field yielded at the rate of 110 bushels shelled corn 
por acre. Seed from carefully selected ears, and tips 
shelled off by hand; price SI.50 per half bushel. $3.00 
per bushel of 58 lbs,; bags free Address 
PETER D. HTJLST, Billing** Dutchess Co., N. Y, 
FINE QUALITY SEED, 
cleaned and Tested. Special Prices 
to Far- 
All Recleaned_ 
mers and Market Gardeners. 
Timothy, Red Clover, Alfalfa, White and Alsike 
Clover, Redtop, Kentucky Blue-Grass, German Mil¬ 
let, Spring Rye, Barley Seed, Cow Peas, Soja Beans. 
Oats: Learning, Pride of the North, Mastodon, Cu¬ 
ban Giant and ail kinds of Flint and Sweet Corn; all 
varieties of Garden Peas; Mangel Beet; Essex Rape 
Onion Seed. Implements for Farm, Garden ant 
Lawn. Catalogue free. CHAS. F. SAUL, 220-224 
James Street, Syracuse, Now York 
E. L. Clarkson’s Clermont and Nevis Farm’s 
Pride of the North Yellow dent Seed Corn. Earliest 
to mature and a heavy yielder. Price, shelled, bags 
included bu. 75c.; bu. lots and over $1.25 per bu 
F. O. B. 
- A. E. BOUER, Mngr., R. F. D. Tivoli N. Y 
DIBBLE’S FARM SEEB. 
Seed Potatoes, Northern grown, vigorous and pro¬ 
ductive. Ail the new and standard kinds. Any Quan¬ 
tity from barrels to carloads. Seed Oats, Twentieth 
Century, best variety on earth. 440 bushels on four 
acres last year. Fine heavy seed thoroughly reclean¬ 
ed. Seed Corn, New 80 Day Dent. Earliest Dent 
Corn grown. Mammoth Yellow Flint and Improved 
Learning. All corn tested germinates 90 to 98 per 
cent. ALFALFA, CLOVER, TIMOTHY and GRASS 
SEEDS. We are headquarters for Farm Seeds. Cat¬ 
alogue free. 
Edward F. Dibble, Seedgrower, Honeoye Falls, N. Y. 
FIELD SEEDS 
Medium Red Clover, Timothy, Alfalfa, Alsikav Ken¬ 
tucky Blue Grass, Red Top and Beardless Barley. 
Direct to Farmers. Samples and prices on application. 
M. L. WHITE, Seedsman, Noblesville, Ind. 
Carman Seed Potatoes 
Carefully selected L. I. stock; 5 bu. lots, SI. 50, 
10 bu. lots, SI. 40, 25 bu. lots, SI. 30. 60 bu. lots, 
SI. 25. For larger lots, prices on application. 
J. B. BKOWN, Box 115, Bridgehampton, L.L, N.Y. 
GENUINE IRISH GOBBLER POTATOES 
Considering earliness, productiveness, eating and 
keepingqualities, this is the greatest potato on earth. 
Our seed Is from the original stock and we guarantee 
every bbl. to be genuine. Our stock is limited, but 
we are booking orders as far as It goes. 
EDWARD KIGG, Jr., Burlington, N. J. 
Unique Collection 
Japanese, Muroran and Soramame, German, Swedish, 
Mexican and Bush Multiflora Beans, one packet each, 
postpaid 50c. Write for prices on Peas, Beans, Oats, 
Corn, etc. EDW. E. EVANS, West Branch, Mich. 
Corn 
We ohallenge the world to pro¬ 
duce a more proMflo, early, big 
eared corn variety than Salcer’s 
Home Builder, »o named be¬ 
cause 60 acres of this fine oorn 
yielded so heavily that its net pro¬ 
ceeds built a beautiful home for the 
lucky possessor. See catalog. 
Here are some of the yields our 
oustomers had of this corn 
15? bu. per acre. 
By John Flagel, La Porte Co., Ind. 
160 bu. per acre. 
By O. E. Michael^ Mont. Co., O. 
196 bu. per acre. 
By Richard Spaeth, Lake Co., Ind. 
198 bu. per acre. 
By J. D. Walker, Hamblem Co., 
Tenn. 
220 bu. per acre. 
By Lawrence Scheistbl, Ogemaw 
Co., Micb. 
225 bu. per acre. 
By J. W. Massey, Crockett Co., 
Tenn. 
804 bu. per acre. 
Ray Stearns, Ransom Co., N. D. 
says: ** Ripened in 120 da vs. 
Yielded 304 bu. per acre. Next 
year I will grow 400 bu. per acre 
from it” _ 
National Oats. 
Enormously prolific. Does well 
everywhere. It won't let your acre 
produce less than 100 bu. Try it. 
BlUlon Dollar Grass. 
Most talked of grass in America. 
Would be ashamed of itself if it 
yielded less than 14 tons of splendid 
hay per acre._ 
For 10c. In Stamps 
and the name of this paper, we 
will gladly send you a lot of farm 
seed samples, well worth $10.00 to 
get a start with, together with our 
mammoth 140 page Illustrated 
catalog:, describing such novel¬ 
ties as Arid Land Barley, Macaroni 
Wheat, Two Foot Oats, Pea Oat, 
Teosinte, Victoria 
Rape. Send 
the lOo. to¬ 
day. 
sAr 
h 
f 
June Eating Seed Potatoes 
No blight.no rot, no scab. Other varieties. 
E. A. HILL, Windham, N. Y. 
Fine Seed Corn 
Very best varieties for GRAIN and Ensilage. Biggest 
yielder, 200 bushels per acre. Lowest prices, $1 to 
$1.25 per bushel. 25 celebrated varieties of STRAW¬ 
BERRIES, $1.25 to $1.50 per 1,000. Send for free 
catalogues. S. A. VIRDIN, Hartly, Del. 
50c 
All Kinds 
All Prices 
and up. Booklet with Calendar free. 
■ SEEDER MFG. CO., Box 4. Homer, Mich. 
MAINE SEED P0TAT0FS. 
Prices given on any quantity delivered in New 
York. Catalogue. CARTER & COREY, Preeque 
Isle, Aroostook Co.. Maine. Over fifty varieties. . 
Seed Potatoes 
AT 
WHOLESALE PRICES 
Our Seed Potatoes are grown In the 
Northern partof Aroostook County, Maine, and 
are fine. Garden Seeds, all varieties. Send 
for our Catalogue. 
Free Premiums 
Thos. Griswold A Co., 
36 Maple Ave., So. Wethersfield, Conn. 
Business Establishkd 1845 
Crosby Early Sweet Corn. 
a pure strain for seed, in quantities from one 
to two hundred bushels for immediate delivery 
at $2 50 per bushel f. O. b. express or freight. 
Cash with order. 
RIVERSIDE FARM 
Nashua 
New Hampshire 
PISOS CURE FOR 
CURES WHERE ALL ELSE FAILS 
Best Cough Syrup. T-astes Good. 
Use in time. Sold by druggists. 
CONSUMPTION 
THEILM ANN’S—The Seedmen—carry a full line of Garden 
and Field Seeds. Onion Seed a specialty. Write to-day for 
their catalog and Special Prices. 
THE TflKILMANN SEED CO., - Erie, Pa. 
"j Honest Seeds 
at Honest Prices” 
By Honest Seeds we mean the best that grow. 
By Honest Prices we mean no trust prices. We 
belong to no combination or association, we 
make our own prices. Peas, Sweet, Silo and 
Flint Corn, Seed Potatoes and Onion Sets, at 
exceptionally low prices. Drop a postal for 
our catalog, it tells you how to get seeds 
at 3c. a package, and at wholesale prices. 
Forrest Seed Co., Cortland, N. Y. 
Tiougknioga Valley Seed Gardens 
