634 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
August 26, 
uralisms 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS 
Beware of the Dew. —Poets and senti¬ 
mental writers have always had much to 
say of the freshness and beauty of the 
morning dew. We may well grant the 
charm of its myriad diamond sparkles, as 
viewed with the rising sun. but the plant 
grower is constantly reminded that each 
tiny drop may favor the development of 
some disease germ that later may destroy 
the plant. Dews that are soon dissipated 
by the early rays of the sun do little 
harm and are doubtless refreshing to 
plants, but the clinging kind that accom¬ 
panies damp, cloudy weather is a verita¬ 
ble nursery for all sorts of fungus mis¬ 
eries. The moisture left by rain does not 
to the same degree favor growth of 
germs, as it is more evenly distributed, 
seldom endures as long, and the fungus 
spores have been largely washed away. A 
morning shower may to a great extent 
lessen the possible danger from a heavy 
and lasting dew. On a hot. wet and sticky 
morning, we always feel inclined to turn 
the hose on all growing things within 
reach to wash off sprouting spores before 
they have penetrated the leaves, and feel 
certain we have prevented blights and 
mildew in roses, strawberries and other 
susceptible plants by so doing, as those 
out of reach of the spray promptly 
showed infection. A fungus spore needs 
moisture, and in its presence at the proper 
temperature sends out a sprout that 
grows over the surface of the leaf or 
tender stem until it finds an open breath¬ 
ing pore, which it enters and proceeds 
to feed upon the cell contents, just as the 
rootlets of higher plants absorb dissolved 
plant food from among the soil articles. 
If the moisture dries up before the sprout 
is sufficiently advanced, or the spore is 
dislodged by falling rain, no harm is done. 
Some fungus spores appear fixed by glu¬ 
tinous matter, and others are not greatly 
checked by partial drying out. but most 
of the injurious kinds depend on still 
moisture, like dew, for successful and un¬ 
interrupted germination. The spores of 
Asparagus rust start into greatest activ¬ 
ity during the heavy morning dews of 
midsummer. Millions are killed by quick- 
evaporation, but enough survive to infect 
the plants during the ordinary weather 
of the season. Should profuse rains oc¬ 
cur the plants show less infection and at 
times appear to outgrow the pest. 
Dew in Glasshouses. —One of the 
great advantages of greenhouse struc¬ 
tures lies in their ability to keep off dew 
as well as to control temperature and 
protect from wind. Dew forms quite as 
readily under .glass as outside on chilly 
nights, if ventilation is withheld and no 
fire heat maintained, but by judicious 
management of heat and ventilation the 
foliage of the contained plants may be 
kept dry, even if outside radiation is ex¬ 
treme. Every glasshouse man knows 
what to expect if he finds his rose, toma¬ 
to or grape leaves fringed and beaded 
with dewdrops in early morning. Unless 
quickly dried, syringed or covered with 
fungicides, an outbreak of mildew or 
other pest of similar character is immi¬ 
nent. Glasshouse plants do not kindly 
endure “copper plating” or chemical 
sprays of any kind. The problem is to 
keep the foliage dry during the hours of 
gloom and darkness, and to wash it. when 
needed, with water at a forcible pressure 
in sunlight so that it will dry too rapidly 
to permit the disease spores that remain 
to germinate. During protracted dull 
weather spraying is reduced to the mini¬ 
mum. while extra ventilation and suffi¬ 
cient heat to dry the excess of moisture 
is maintained. The foliage of tomatoes 
is kept as dry as practicable at all times. 
Protection from dew-alone, provided there 
is always sufficient moisture at the 
roots. with an occasional forcible 
washing <*f the foliage in bright 
weather to remove the dust and in¬ 
sects, enables us to grow many desirable 
plants that do not otherwise succeed. As 
horticultural science advances protection 
from dew may rank in importance with 
defence from frost, winds, insects, birds 
and other destructive agencies. While 
dew is the almost universal nidus or 
germinating medium for the spores of 
plant diseases, it is, on the other hand, the 
most helpful means of holding the reme¬ 
dies when applied in powdered form. Dry 
pulverized fungicides and insecticides 
blown on when the leaves are well cov¬ 
ered with dew are at once dissolved or 
moistened, and ready to begin their cura¬ 
tive work. 
Great Weed Growth. —“Dog day” 
weather, hot and humid, with bacterial ac¬ 
tivity at its highest pitch, setting free soil 
nitrates in their most available form, is 
always highly stimulating to the growth 
of weeds as well as of more useful plants, 
but rarely have we seen such an over¬ 
powering rush as is now going on. 
I he cool and dry weather of Spring and 
early Summer made weed control quite 
easy, but the intense heat wave of mid- 
July deeply warmed the soil, and copious 
showers have since well-filled it with 
moisture. Ragweed, red-root, • crab- 
grass and Portulaca or purslane are in 
consequence growing at a most astonish¬ 
ing rate, the plants where not disturber 
attaining prodigious development before 
attempting to seed. This unusual activ 
itv of growth is shared by beans, melons, 
corn, tomatoes and other heat-loving 
Summer crops. Cornfields that seldom 
produce stalks more than eight feet high 
arc now crowded with dark green masses 
towering 12 feet or m^. Capable farm¬ 
ers and gardeners, far from being dis¬ 
couraged at this almost phenomenal weed 
growth, are attacking the intruders with 
energy, realizing that a weed disposed of 
before it has smothered a crop plant or 
ripened its seeds may almost be consid¬ 
ered a gain, as it has rescued some solu¬ 
ble plant food that might have leached 
away, and that the useful crop has gained 
additional cultivation in the act of weed 
destruction. Jt is hard to kill some of 
these rank weeds in rainy weather, but if 
kept stirred up they make little headway, 
and generally fail to develop seeds. Fields 
properly cleaned at this season are likely 
to be less troubled with weed pests in 
succeeding years. The overwhelming 
weed growth that swamps a neglected 
crop may possibly be turned to advantage 
if plowed down before seeds have formed, 
and the land sowed to a legume or Win¬ 
ter cover crop. Considerable humus must 
be gained by utilizing a thick weed 
growth in this way, though such treat¬ 
ment cannot generally be considered good 
farm management. 
Crab-grass and Carrots May be Use¬ 
ful. —Crab-grass is no longer considered 
an unmitigated evil, though it is a hard 
master when it gains the upper hand. 
On sandy land it forms a most effective 
Winter cover, holding light snows and 
preventing the soil from blowing away 
during dry winds, and its marvelous sys¬ 
tem of fibrous roots opens up soils of 
denser character. Of course Crimson 
clover makes a far more valuable Winter 
cover, but the catch is uncertain on poor 
land, while the Crab-grass farmer is al¬ 
ways sure of a stand. Where Crab- 
grass is appreciated cultivation ceases in 
time to allow it to mat well over the fields. 
Wild carrot is a picturesque nuisance, and 
has but few champions, yet its long, 
tough roots, deeply penetrating hardpan- 
1 ike subsoil, seem to have a useful effect. 
We have in mind certain fields of baking 
clay loam, so devoid of humus and fer¬ 
tility that corn and grass would not grow 
without copious manuring, so restored by 
five years’ growth ot volunteer carrots 
that the soil color was darker when 
broken up. and a profitable crop of corn 
was grown without manure. Some minor 
weeds and a thin coating of White clover 
came in during the last years, but the 
restoration must chiefly be credited to the 
carrots. Theoretically, carrots cannot 
add anything of value not already in the 
soil, but the shading of the surface, open¬ 
ing of texture and the action of the long 
tap-roots in bringing plant food from 
levels below that of ordinary cultivation, 
must surely have been beneficial. Weed 
cropping is not high farming, but in these 
days of scarce and costly farm labor, 
when much land cannot be tilled with 
profit, it is well to consider the possible 
redeeming traits of weeds, and every 
practicable method of soil restoration. 
W. V. F. 
OMPLETE fertilizers con¬ 
tain the three essential 
ingredients— Potash, phosphoric 
acid, nitrogen—and they must be 
in the right proportions to suit 
the different crops. 
We have a book, “Plant-Food,” 
which explains these things fully 
and interestingly. It is free to 
farmers—let us send it to you. 
Address, German Kali Works, 93 Nassau Street, New York. 
WHAT DO YOU SAY? 
Several hundred thousand farmers say that 
the best investment they ever made was 
when they bought an 
Electric 
Low wheels, wide tires; easy work, light draft. 
We’ll sell you a set of the best eteel wheels 
made tor your old wagon. Spoke united with 
bub, guaranteed not to break nor work loose. 
Send for our catalogue and save money. 
ELECTRIC WHEEL CO.. Box 88. Quincy,III. 
WE LEAD THE WORLD 
We are the largeat manufac¬ 
turers of Grooved and Plain 
Tire Steel Farm Wagon 
Wheels in America. We 
guarantee our patent 
Grooved Tire Wheels to 
be the best made by anybody 
anywhere. Write us. 
HAVANA METAL WHEEL CO. 
BOX 17 HAVANA. ILL 
You 
can pul- 
y orize ,1 
more tlior- r U 
oughly and 
spread more 
evenly with the 
Standard 
Manure Spreader 
because It has a different Beat¬ 
er, a different liake and llood— 
load not thrown high In air and 
blown about. 8pr«a<is full width 
and does not vary in width. 
Erdgats Moves Away From Load. 
One lever raises endgato and puts en¬ 
tire machine in operation. Non break¬ 
able mechanism to change feed. 
Spreads 5 to 35 Loads per Acre. 
Two apron chains. Write for 
catalog describing simplicity 
and strength. 
THE STANDARD HARROW CO., 
Dept. K ( Utica, N. Y. 
Jklakeroof Uarrotvt, Cultiva* 
tors, Potato UarveoUrt, 
£tc. 
1™ R CUTAWAY HARROW CO. 
CLARK’S REV. 
BUSH PLOW and HARROW 
Cuts a track 5 foot wide, 1 
foot deep. Connects sub- 
fO'l water. Can plow a 
newly cut forest, stump, 
bush or bog land. 
CIjAUK’B J)hl. ACTION 
IT A If A r Moves 18,000 
VlUlVui" A Ions of Earth in a liny. 
Send for Circulars. 
HIGGANUM, CONN., U.S.A, 
II- YULI WA 
Well 
IF YOU WANT A MACHINE FOR 
DRILLING OR 
PROSPECTING 
with either Rope or Pipe Tools, write to us de¬ 
scribing your work, stating depth of wells and 
size of Bits or Drills you want. Our machines are 
the latest and most durable, and the greatest 
money earners ever made! Results guaranteed. 
LOOMIS MACHINE CO., TIFFIN, OHIO. 
APPLE BARRELS AND BOXES, pKT 
Prompt shipments. R. GILLIES, Medina. X. V. 
Goodhue 
Wind 
Mills 
Our hand¬ 
some free 
booklet explains their many ad¬ 
vantages, and tel Is about our new 
INDESTRUCTIBLE 
TOWERS. 
It gives much valuable and practical informa¬ 
tion that should be in the hands of every farmer. 
Send for it to-day and ask about our 
Windmill Insurance Policy. 
27 
APPLETON 
FARGO ST. 
MFG. CO 
BATAVIA, I 
:y. 
J 
n A I HI and FERTILIZER 
GRAIN DRILL 
The YORK FORCE FEED DRILL combines 
lightness with strength. Most complete drill made. No 
complex gearing to get out of order. Boxes are close to 
ground. Kasily Fully 
regulates —t Guaranteed 
quantity 
of seed 
or fer¬ 
tilizer. 
AWARD¬ 
ED COLD 
MEDAL 
St, Louis 
World's 
Fair. 
Weight, — 
Only 700 lbs. 
A gents Wanted. 
Write for catalogue. 
THE HENCH&DROMGOLO CO. _ 
Mfra., York, Fa. HADIS ALSO WITH DISC 
WICH- 
SELF 
Horse 
HAY PRESS 
Tl.e Baler for speed. Bales 12 to 18 tons a day. 
Has 40 inch feed hole. Adapted to bank barn 
work. Stands up to its work—no digging holes 
for wheels. Self-feed Attachment increases 
Capacity, lessens labor, makes better bales and 
does not increase draft. Send for catalogue.' 
Sandwich Mfg. Co„ 157 Main St., Sandwich, Ills. 
HARNESS 
We sell custom made oak-tanned leather harness direct to the 
individual at factory prices. And we warrautitto be the best 
made for the money. Only the linest selected stock used. Noth- 
itiK cheap or trashy. Guaranteed to give satisfaction or money 
back. Illustrated catalogue F and price list free ou request. 
T11K KING HARNESS GO., 0 Lake St., Onego, Tioga Co.,N’.Y, 
Harrow Saves Horseflesh 
your team will do more work, 25% easier, with 
this JDiso Harrow, because it has no tongue to batter 
them on the sides, and yank them nearly off their 
feet. The picture ulmost tells the wholo story of the 
Detroit Tongueless Disc Harrow 
This remarkable improvement in Disc Harrows 
has a Front Truck instead of a pole. Team gets 
r ight down to business no worry, no neck weight , no 
side draft. Our sales of tho JletroItTongueless 
Illic II urroiv are enormous. It’s just wliat thol 
farmers want. It pays for itself In saving of time, 
labor and horseflesh. Helps you out in tho busy 
season, when time is cash. Write at /' 
once for our Special proposition. 
Ask for our on-time terms, if not 
convenient to pay now. Send 
to-day for free catalogue giv¬ 
ing full descriptions 
of our 12 
sizes. 
Each 
machine 
fully 
guaranteed, 
American 
Harrow 
Co.. 
1616 Hastings St., 
Detroit. Mich. 
made 
by the Trust 
A 
