1905. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
551 
THE USE OF A HAY LOADER. 
1 am using a loader, also side delivery rake. I believe 
there is an advantage in using both. On the small 
farm one man can load his hay, provided he has a 
hoy or girl old enough to drive the team. He could 
not, of course, load as fast as tho_ugh there were two men 
on the load, but he can still load nearly or quite as fast 
as two men could get it on the wagon without the 
loader. The use of a loader would necessitate using a 
horse fork for unloading at barn, as it would be almost 
impossible to unload a load put on with a loader, by 
hand. On the large farm the hay can be put on wagon 
as fast as horses can walk; two men on load and a 
boy to drive. I usually have one team on loader while 
one is unloading; in this way keeping loader at work 
nearly all the time, and the same boy can drive for both. 
If the hay was pitched on by hand it would be necessary 
if fast work was to be done to have hay bunched, and 
this takes at least one man. Where one has hay fork 
in barn to unload the hay put on by hand would not 
hang together nearly as well as if loaded by the loader, 
unless care was taken to spread hay over load instead 
of putting a forkful in a place, as is done when hay is 
taken off by hand. The side delivery rake is a great 
convenience to use in conjunction with loader, as you 
can rake a continuous windrow around out¬ 
side of piece, taking driest hay first, leaving 
the center until last. With the ordinary rake 
it is necessary to rake the whole piece be¬ 
fore a windrow is secured long enough on 
which to use loader. Many prefer the wind¬ 
row made with the side rake for pitching by 
hand or cocking. With the whole outfit, 
loader, side rake and horse fork in barn, one 
can handle hay with less expenditure of mus¬ 
cle, making horse power do more of the 
heavy work. To these should be added the 
tedder, as an important tool if time and an 
improved quality of hay is an object. 
Oneida Co., N. V'. e. l. carpenter. 
THE BEST STRAWBERRIES. 
I have been asked repeatedly which are the 
best varieties of strawberries to plant. This 
1 can answer by saying that the best are 
those that have the characteristics we most 
desire, and will best develop them on our 
own soil. To find this out, the safest course 
is to- plant varieties that are recommended 
by other growers in the immediate vicinity, 
whose methods of culture are the nearest like 
those the beginner proposes to follow. Next 
to such varieties arc the few standard sorts 
which have been well tested, and have a 
reputation of doing well everywhere. The 
leading points to be looked after, however, 
are vigor and reliability. If we are seeking 
to grow the largest and finest fruits possible, 
we should not waste our time on the ram¬ 
pant growing kinds; these will usually give 
us heavy crops of medium-sized berries with 
ordinary care and cultivation. In some sec¬ 
tions these are grown very extensively for 
the general markets, but if fancy berries are 
desired for a fancy market it will be neces¬ 
sary to sacrifice these characteristics in favor 
of size. We should remember the largest 
berries, however, arc not always the most 
profitable to grow. Frequently by changing 
conditions we change results, and as the 
strawberry is local in behavior, it is important 
to know the demands of local markets. 
During my thirty years’ experience with the straw¬ 
berry I have tested a great many varieties, beginning 
with the famous Wilson’s Albany, and since that time 
I have found about three of the standards that combine 
enough good points to be classed as reliable and profit¬ 
able varieties to grow for market. With a due amount 
of caution I will venture to name the Glen Mary, Win. 
Belt and Gandy; when these big ones make their ap¬ 
pearance in the markets the smaller kinds rapidly de¬ 
cline in price. 1 he Glen Mary is certainly a very pro¬ 
ductive variety; the plants are strong and robust grow¬ 
ers, with clean, healthy foliage, and they seldom over¬ 
crowd the rows when left to themselves. This we con¬ 
sider a very valuable characteristic. The color is glossy- 
crimson, quite firm, and quality better than is often 
found in large varieties; a very safe variety to plant. 
Wm. Belt is a most luxuriant growing plant, and re¬ 
markably productive; it is a little later than the former 
in ripening; it is very large; indeed, no other variety 
gives us so many large berries. The quality is of the 
very best; not quite firm enough to be classed as a good 
shipper, but safe for local markets. It is one of the 
most valuable varieties I have ever grown. The Gandy 
is a superb late variety, very firm and beautiful in 
appearance; the plants are strong and healthy; quality 
fair. It is more extensively grown in central New Jer¬ 
sey than all others combined. It is not, however, what 
l would call a productive variety. It is not a success 
on high ground, but on well-enriched, moist ground 
the berries are the most regular and handsome, and 
more attractive than any known kind. 
While growing the above standard varieties for sev¬ 
eral years we have tested a great many of the new 
kinds, and for one reason or another we discarded 
most of them. Senator Dunlap is a very promising 
variety; fruit is of good size, regular and finely finished; 
it is firm and of good quality; continues productive for 
a long time. The foliage is dark green, rampant and 
vigorous; in fact, this is its only fault. It overcrowds 
in the matted rows; if the plants could be spaced or 
thinned to a suitable distance its yield would lie sur¬ 
prising. It will probably be our best berry for general 
use. Of all new varieties I have ever tried the President 
is most interesting, See Fig. 2:29. At first appearance 
one is not favorably impressed with it, but, like some 
friends we meet, it has strong personality, and when 
we are well acquainted with its habits and requirements 
we admire it. The plants are strong growers, produc¬ 
ing' an abundance of dark green foliage, and standing 
very erect in size. It averages with the largest berries 
grown; in fact, the largest berries I have grown this 
year were from this variety. It is firm enough for mar¬ 
ket, and the quality is good. It will surely be a great 
berry for a fancy market, and one of the very best for 
hill cultivation. We shall not lose sight of the Presi¬ 
dent; it has many good qualities. t. m. white. 
Monmouth Co., N. J. 
BERMUDA ONIONS FOR TRANSPLANTING. 
Mow much Bermuda onion seed should he sown to produce 
sufficient sets to cover an acre? d. k. e. 
What seems to be a simple matter is after all quite 
a proposition for the amateur in growing and caring for 
a crop of small onion sets. There are so many chances 
of failure in not sowing the seed thickly enough; in 
not pulling at the proper stage; or in not thoroughly 
curing the crop, that the beginner is apt to give up in 
disgust. The sets, however, that one grows for himself 
are as a rule so much more satisfactory than those 
bought in the open market that the risk is*worth taking. 
Seed should be sown in good ground, well prepared, in 
drills 10 inches apart, 125 to 150 pounds of seed to the 
acre. Some growers sow later in the season in a poor 
or shady plot, sowing less seed per acre, counting on 
these adverse conditions to stunt and dwarf the crop. 
But my experience has been that it is better to put the 
seed in early in good rich ground, and sowing very 
thickly. Great care should be taken that the little bulbs 
do not get too large before they are pulled, as they swell 
slightly after pulling. These should be dried as soon 
as possible, turned frequently and stored on lath racks, 
in a cool, dry room, care being taken that they do not 
freeze. In the Spring they should be run over a screen 
to remove the top, or topped by hand, which latter is an 
expensive process. The sets most desired by growers 
here are those that have passed through a screen of 
three-quarter-inch mesh. It is difficult to state how 
much seed to use in producing sufficient sets to cover 
an acre; five or six pounds might be enough if all con¬ 
ditions were favorable. In an adverse season 20 or 25 
might be required. The Onion maggot seems to delight 
especially in working among the young plants, some¬ 
times to the extent of losing nearly all the crop. 
Connecticut. Joseph adams. 
R. N.-Y.—A bulletin issued by the New Mexico Ex¬ 
periment Station at Mesilla Park gives the best state¬ 
ment regarding transplanted onions that we have evC 
seen. It is printed in English and in Spanish. 
SHORT STORIES. 
COS I' OF AMMONIA.—In reading over my remarks 
on page 503 about the economy of using nitrate of pot¬ 
ash for fertilizer, I notice that I made a mis¬ 
take as to the degree of economy secured. 
The nitrate of potash cost me here $3.93 per 
hundred pounds, which makes the ammonia 
cost 11 cents per pound, or three cents less 
than in nitrate of soda. This would make 
the saving on 320 pounds of ammonia in one 
ton of nitrate of potash $9.60. m. morse. 
HEMLOCK WATER PIPES. —Some 
time since I noticed an inquiry in regard to 
using logs as pipes for carrying water. I 
have no experience myself, but a resident of 
this town put in a quarter of a mile a 
good many years ago (40 years, I should 
think), and it is in use now. He used hem¬ 
lock. If hemlock will last as long for water 
pipes as it does in a low meadow I work 
your inquirer will not live long enough to 
see them wear out. E. A. c. 
East Hartland, Conn. 
ORCHARDS IN BRUSH.—I notice on 
page 504, under heading “An Orchard Prob¬ 
lem,” you ask for experience of others. I 
have about 30 acres of this kind of orchard 
growing from eight years old down to one 
year. I would say mow the brush and briers, 
let them lie where cut, and then turn in 
the sheep, enough to keep everything down. 
Piling too much brush around each tree will 
make a cover for woodchucks and rabbits, 
and in time will all grow up with brier and 
brush, and all will have to be removed every 
year to cut them out. Such new land will 
soon come into good pasture, and lie can 
mulch his trees with manure and straw, 
swamp grass or something of the kind; then 
with the sheep he will get a crop each year 
and save expense. a. herrick. 
ALFALFA EXPERIENCE.—I read of 
the Hope Farm man’s Alfalfa venture, and 
presume you are not pleased with the out¬ 
come, but you have no right to complain. 
The 80 per cent weeds, 10 per cent clover and 
five per cent grass arc simply “nurse crops.” 
If you had taken one year more, used plow 
and harrow until weeds, clover and grass 
were completely exterminated, and the soil 
made rich, it is my opinion that you would 
have 100 per cent Alfalfa. I have heard of nurse 
crops for Alfalfa until I am impatient of the matter. 
Barley and oats have not sufficient intelligence to brow¬ 
beat weeds and coax Alfalfa. What will crowd weeds 
will crowd Alfalfa as well. In the season of 
1903 I put a little Alfalfa seed into grass and clover 
seed just to see what would come of it. The Alfalfa 
grew and has lived through two Winters, but is not 
large or strong. Early last Spring I discovered one 
Alfalfa plant near my garden, and as a trial I cut and 
dug the grass a little way about it, and I now have a 
plant of nine stalks, almost three feet in height, all 
aglow with bloom. This shows what it can do when 
all conditions are good. There is a right place and a 
wrong place to grow Alfalfa; a right way and a wrong 
way. You may well ask if I know the right and wromr 
why I do not take advantage of it. That is what I 
would like to know. T was sorry for the loss of the 
Hope Farm cow; T keep about 50 cows, and used some¬ 
times to have cases of so-called milk fever, but of late 
have not had it, and the only change T have made In 
management is not to emoty the cow’s udder for a 
few days after calving T don’t suppose it matters 
whether the udder is distended with air or milk. Why 
either should be effective of course we do not know, 
but the air treatment if applied in good time seems to 
be effectual. g, w, h. 
Rochester, Mass. 
STRAWBERRY UNCLE SAM. NATURAL SIZE. Fig. 232. 
See Ruralisms, Page 554. 
