io6 
February 10, 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
THE BACK YARD GARDEN. 
Having closed up the business of the 
old year, the month of January finds us 
planning for the year to come. Already 
the plant vender is advertising his choice 
new varieties for Spring planting, and 
the outlook indicates greater activity for 
the year to come than ever before. What 
a wonderful change has a half century 
wrought in the principal cities of Amer¬ 
ica! Sixty years ago Manhattan Island’s 
means of communication with the outer 
world was mainly confined to steam and 
ferry boats. Except the Harlem Railroad 
no steam cars were seen south of the 
Harlem River. Five or six trains a day 
started from Chatham Street with horse 
power, crept slowly up through Centre to 
Thirtieth Street, connected there with a 
locomotive, and reached Harlem in about 
one hour from City Hall. North of Thir¬ 
tieth Street was a desolate expanse of 
open country, with here and there a squat¬ 
ter’s hut. Central Park was then a howl¬ 
ing wilderness, in which there was dan¬ 
ger of getting lost. Lumbering omni¬ 
buses, moving at the rate of four or five 
miles an hour from the Battery to Thir¬ 
tieth Street, comprised the sole means 
save that of hackney coaches for passen¬ 
ger travel. Pent up in this contracted 
space many thousands of mechanics, arti¬ 
sans, clerks, bookkeepers, etc., with their 
families, had little or no opportunity for 
inhaling the fresh country air save occa¬ 
sional holidays upon excursion steamers. 
But now how different! Rapid transit 
has enabled thousands of families in mod¬ 
erate circumstances to acquire homesteads 
10 or 15 miles out, with sufficient land for 
a garden, while allowing the breadwinner 
to pass daily to and from his city work. 
No longer are his children compelled to 
inhale stifling odors and vitiated air, pe¬ 
culiar to crowded city homes. Fewer 
hours of labor now prevail, affording more 
time night and morning for improving and 
beautifying the home plot. Tiie R. N.-Y. 
doubtless now has thousands of readers 
within a radius of 15 miles of the City 
Hall where it counted its dozens 40 years 
ago. 
It was about the year 1870 that the 
writer, after confinement for upward of 
20 years at employment among bricks and 
mortar, succeeded in getting a place a few 
miles out where he could have a garden. 
He had been told that running a garden 
was an expensive luxury. He had read 
Charles Dudley Warner’s racy book, “My 
Summer in a Garden,” in which the tal¬ 
ented author figured out that the potatoes 
he raised cost him about five cents apiece 
and other vegetables in proportion; that 
’’pussly” and other weeds got the best of 
him, especially “pussly.” Still the would- 
be gardener didn’t “scare” much. He 
stuck to the hobby, thinking that even if 
the peas, beans, etc., did cost him more 
than their market value, his possible im¬ 
provement in health while engaged in 
their cultivation might more than compen¬ 
sate. And he found that it did. Many a 
Saturday afternoon, coming home after 
a hard week’s work, fatigued enough to 
go to bed at once, he found that two or 
three hours’ work among the vegetables 
positively rested him, affording as much 
renewed strength and vigor as a good 
night’s sleep. And if his peas and string 
beans and Summer squash did cost him 
more than similar products at the public 
market they were enough better much 
more than to make up the difference, for 
he knew how long they had been picked. 
When he started in he was a greenhorn at 
the business. Everything had to be learned 
by experience, and of course he made 
many blunders, some of them costly. For 
instance, when the Sharpless strawberry 
was first introduced he bought a dozen 
plants at a cost of $1.50. Owing to im¬ 
proper planting 11 out of the 12 died. 
With care, however, he succeeded in get¬ 
ting from the single plant about two 
dozen plants the first season. Some old 
cultivators are inclined to turn up their 
noses at book farming, In a few things 
they have no doubt learned ah that is 
Worth knowing. But in the who!? r?t>ge 
the intelligent, practical book-farmer who 
has utilized and combined the experience 
of others with his own will be likely to 
come out ahead every time. In future 
papers the writer hopes to give some of 
the results of his experiment in the little 
backyard garden—his failures and suc¬ 
cesses—what best to plant and the best 
method of planting—trusting they may 
prove of some value to those who may 
be interested. h. h. boardman. 
New Jersey._ 
Building Small Greenhouse. 
G. IV’., New Knoxville, O .—How should I 
build a small cheap greenhouse, to be used 
by a beginner? 
AnS. —The cheapest form of small 
greenhouse js probably that with the 
roof composed of ordinary hotbed sash, 
with walls formed of posts and boards at 
back and front. The wall at the front of 
such a house should be two feet six 
inches in height, and at the back six 
feet, with a walk down the center of the 
house dug out to a depth of 18 inches 
or more in order to give headroom enough 
to walk through. The walls should be 
built of matched lumber, such as barn 
boards or German siding, in order to 
make a tight job, and would be better if 
lined with felt paper, while the roof sash 
should rest upon rafters of 2 x 3 lumber. 
Every second or third sash upon the roof 
should be hinged at the bottom, so that 
it may be raised as a ventilator in warm 
weather, the remaining sashes being fast¬ 
ened down securely. The most satisfac¬ 
tory heating apparatus for a greenhouse 
of such character would be a small hot- 
water boiler with coils of two-inch iron 
pipe extending the full length of the 
house, four to six pipes being needed to 
maintain a temperature of 50 degrees dur¬ 
ing zero weather, according to the height 
of the walls and the location of the house. 
The best aspect for such a house would 
Tools for 
The Farm 
Keen Kutter quality tells in the actual use of the tool. 
Keen Kutter Tools are not retired by an occasional snag 
or “ tough proposition.” They are made to stand hard 
work and lots of it. They hold their edges, do not 
break easily, and last long after poor tools have gone 
to the scrap heap. The 
Keen Kurren 
brand covers a complete line of tools. In buying any kind of 
tool just see that the name Keen Kutter is on it and you have 
assurance of full satisfaction. Keen Kutter Tools have been 
Standard of America for 36 years, were awarded the Grand 
Prize at the St. Louis Fair, and are the best that brains, 
money, and skill can produce. 
Some of the kinds of Keen Kutter Tools are : Axes, Adzes, Hammers, 
Hatchets, Chisels, Screw Drivers, Auger Bits, Files, Planes, Draw Knives, 
Saws, Tool Cabinets, Scythes, Hay Knives, Grass Hooks, Brush Hooks, 
Corn Knives, Eye Hoes, Trowels, Pruuing Shears, Tinners’ Snips, 
Scissors, Shears, Hair Clippers, Horse Shears, Razors, etc., and 
Knives of all kinds. 
If your dealer does not keep Keen Kutter 
Tools write us and learn where to get them. 
Every Keen Kutter Tool is sold under this 
Mark and Motto: 
" The ‘Recollection of Quality Remains 
Lons After the Price is Forgotten." 
Trade Mark Registered. 
SIMMONS HARDWARE COMPANY, 
St. Louis, U. 8. A., 898 Broadway, New York. 
C,.SIMMOw$. 
Keen 
mm 
Head for 
Tool Booklet. 
HOW 
You Get This New 
TONGEELESS Disc Harrow 
on Thirty Days’ Trial 
FREE 
be fronting the south, thus having the 
high wooden wall on the north side, and 
getting the full benefit of the sun during 
the short Winter days. The cost of such 
a structure would vary somewhat accord¬ 
ing to the quality of material used, and 
also according to the ability of the owner 
in construction work. w. h. taplin. 
BEATS THE 
Grindstone 
Ten Times Over. 
Grind any tool, knife to mower 
sickle, with the 
Practical 
Grinder. 
3,000 revolutions of 
carborundum wheel 
per minute. Greatest 
abrasive known. No 
pressure needed,does 
not draw temper or ‘ 
heat tools. Every 1 
home needsit. Write 
for price and circu¬ 
lar. A few good 
agents wanted. 
ROYAL MFC. CO., 226 E. Walnut St., Lancaster, Pa. 
ON THE 
OOKOtJT 
FOR A 
so is 3 ^our boy. Don’t disappoint 
your boy, and your boy won’t 
disappoint the hawk, should 
he come looking for trouble 
around your chicken yard. 
If your dealer can’t sup¬ 
ply you, we send direct; // A 
express prepaid, any /fr Useful 
Stevens shotgun, rifle M/ Catalogue 
or pistol, on receipt 
of catalogue price. 
J. STEVENS ARMS 
AND TOOL CO. 
290 High Street 
Chicopee Palis 
Mass. 
U. S.A. 
Free 
The greatest 
variety of 
Stevens shot¬ 
guns, rifles and 
pistols that can 
be seen. It tells 
how to choose a rifle, 
test it, sight it and 
protect it, Sept free for 
two 3-cegt stamps, 
' It’s this way— 
An entirely new feature Is embodied In 
the construction of this Harrow. 
The Forward Truck,without any Tongue, 
positively relieves the horses of all Neck 
Weight and Side Draft, and allows them 
free, easy movement. They have just an 
even, steady pull. 
Why should a team, that Is already hav¬ 
ing a hard time to work and travel on rough, 
uneven ground, be hampered and annoyed 
by the Threshing of a Tongue, and by the 
weight of a Harrow Frame? 
There is absolutely no reason for It. 
To give you a chance to examine this 
Harrow for yourself, and to prove to you 
that It Is exactly as represented, and that it 
will produce the results claimed for it, we will 
send any size you select, on a 30 Days’ Ap¬ 
proval Test, all Freight Charges Prepaid. 
If you find the Harrow to be exactly as 
represented, and to work as we claim It will, 
you pay for It: Cash or easy terms as you 
prefer. If not, send it back at our expense. 
See What Mr. Weaver says: 
Dexter Mo., Oet. 26, 1905. 
American Harrow Co., Detroit, Mich. 
Gentlemen: We are pleased to write you that the No. 
1418 Tongueless Disc has been received and thoroughly 
tested, and found not wanting anywhere. 
We have at last a long felt want supplied—a Tongue¬ 
less Disc. W T e hava concluded that the draft of this 
harrow is one-fourth less; three horses will draw this 
harrow with as much ease as four horses will any tongue 
disc made. Wo have often wondered why a tonguoless 
disc was so long in getting made. We are surely pleased, 
and trust you will never make anything but Tongueless 
Disos.—Yours respectfully, L. F. WEAVER, 
This Harrow is built on right principles ' 
—No Side Draft. 
—No Neck Weight 
—No crowding of team in short turns 
—Just even, steady pull. 
—Front Truck carries weight of Frame, 
and controls movements of Harrow. 
—Ball bearings take the end thrust 
—Double levers make handling easy. 
All our output goes direct to the farmers 
on the 30 Days’ Approval Test Plan, with 
time to pay If you wish. 
The Detroit Tongueless Disc Harrow Is 
protected by exclusive patents and manu¬ 
factured and sold only by us. Write today 
for booklet giving full description and prices 
that will please you. 
Say when you want to use the harrow, so 
we can take care of you 
right. 
Orders for Spring de¬ 
livery are already com- i Sizes 
Ing from every State / for 
in the Union. Jj J All Purposes 
AMERICAN HARROW COMPANY 
1627 Hastnltfs St., Detroit, Mich. 
KEEP AHEAD OF THE WEEDS 
Poor crop weather seems to be the best kind of weather for 
weeds. The user of Iron Age Implements has the advantage 
in any kind of weather because he can get over his crop 
oftener, cultivate it better and kill the most weeds with the 
least amount of labor. Two of the famous 
IRON ACE 
IMPLEMENTS 
are shown. They are weed killers, crop makers and labor 8avers. The No. 1 
Wheel Hoe with its attachments enables one man to accomplish more and 
better work than three men by any other method. TheNo. 
Cultivator is wonderful for its adaptability to 
^varying work and conditions. Send for the New Iron 
Ace Book which describes the full lineof Iron AgeSeed- 
ers, Wheel Hoes, Cultivators, Horse Hoes, Fertilizer Dis¬ 
tributors, and a full lineof Potato Machinery consisting of 
Planters, Sprayers, Cultivators, Diggers. Free on application 
BATEMAN MFG. CO., Box 102,Grenloch, N. J. 
Ui£ Lou Dillon 
Tandem Garden 
Cultivator 
Suits the practical gardener because it cultivates either between or astride the rows, 
and he goes along at an easy, continuous walk. One simple movement without the 
use of wrench or tool of any kind makes it possible to always furrow the soil at just 
the desired depth. You must not put this cultivator on a par with the common hit 
and miss garden cultivator. It works so easily and accurately that it is the 
greatest help to amateur gardeners, women, truck farmers, and, in fact, 
anyone who wants to save time and do good accurate work. 
The Lou Dillon cultivator works as easily as a lawn mower. It is in fact, 
the only garden cultivator that is practical for a woman or child, as it is 
the only one made that they can push. 
We will take the cultivator back and give back your 
money if it don’t do your work better and in Jess time 
than any garden cultivator you ever used. 
Write for free descriptive catalogue and prices. 
Scliaible Manufacturing Co.» 
Albion, Michigan. 
w " —' 
