March 17, 
#32 
THE.RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
THE SMALL GARDEN MAN . 
Where is that crank Osier by this time? 
That man had not the remotest idea of what 
he was talking about. I am 55; am doing 
very laborious work in an iron bridge shop; 
have done the same work for the same people 
for 23 years. I never weigh over 127, get 
as low in weight as 116 pounds in Summer. 
I let no one get ahead of me, only on a lift. 
My height is five feet five inches. Yes, 1 
think the old man was “off his base." Hav¬ 
ing built three properties in these 23 years, 
having had a good garden, fruit trees, grape 
vines; a large lawn, lots of poultry and do¬ 
ing hundreds of jobs for my neighbors re¬ 
quired me to work from 12 to 16 hours a day. 
By the way, we had pienlant pie the first 
week in February. Dug up a hill of the rhu¬ 
barb after a hard freeze, planted in keg of 
dirt, and put in house; ityyrew nicely, water 
freely. Lilacs were in bloom in January; we 
broke off a . twig after a freeze, put in house 
In a jar of water, sprinkled and changed 
water; in three or four weeks it will be out 
in full bloom. While sitting by the fire some 
of these cold outdoor evenings I planted up¬ 
wards of 100 hills of potatoes. It pays; 
made paper boxes over the end of a 3x4 
block, pinned and filled with good soil, 
planted one and two eyes in each, then put 
these in a wooden box, keep dampened and 
warm. Nothing will grow nicer. In Spring, 
after frost, set out and one can be from two 
to four weeks ahead with nice potatoes. 
When setting out tear the paper apart if not 
well rotted. I expect to have my tomatoes 
out in bloom and ready to stake when I set 
them out. Having the garden well manured 
and spaded in Fall while dry makes it just 
fun to work It in Spring. 
Grapevines must be trimmed soon if not 
already done. Cut away more than one-half. 
I sacked a few bunches some years ago, and 
since then every year we sack more. Those 
so treated last until early Winter on the 
vine. My, but they are good ! The bees are 
very destructive here on all unsacked grapes. 
My arbor is the neatest I ever saw. Take 
real small posts, locust, or Osage orange'; 
plant on either side of walk, then get small 
buggy tires, cut open, nail this to posts, 
forming an arch overhead, then stretch wires 
the long way. It is pretty when covered 
with foliage and the fruit hanging under¬ 
neath. I trimmed out all the canes that 
fruited last year of raspberry, blackberry and 
dewberry soon after fruiting, mulched the 
ground well; will cultivate in Spring. Trim 
out the old currant and gooseberry stalks 
now; have none over three years old. Set 
a new strawberry bed every year; have none 
over three years. I spray with kerosene 
emulsion. The next time I write I will tell 
you how I kill every insect pest, except the 
honey bees. L. h. e. 
Ohio. 
Position of Greenhouse Thermometer. 
Jf. A. E., South Park, Wash .—Where Is 
the proper place to have a thermometer in a 
greenhouse? Should it be in the coolest or 
warmest place, banging up or lying down? 
Ans.— The best location for the ther¬ 
mometer in the greenhouse is about the 
middle of the house, thus getting the 
average temperature rather than the high¬ 
est or lowest. The thermometer should 
be hung up, and may either be suspended 
from the roof at a convenient height for 
the reading of the scale, or else attached 
to one of the center posts of the house. 
The latter method is a somewhat safer 
one, from the fact that when the instru¬ 
ment is securely wired to the post there 
is little danger of having it accidentally 
broken when carrying plants or other bur¬ 
dens in or out of the greenhouse. 
W. H. TAPLIN. 
The Valencia Onion. 
8. L. C., Iowa. —What kind of onion is 
listed in market price quotations as Valencia? 
Could it be raised in Iowa? Is it hardy? 
Ans.—T he large Spanish onion import¬ 
ed as Valencia or Gibraltar has been 
named Prizetaker by American seedsmen. 
Good home-grown seeds of this variety 
are offered by responsible American seeds¬ 
men. Imported seeds do not germinate 
well. It is not hardy, and is grown by 
planting seeds in hotbed or under glass 
eight or nine weeks before planting out. 
Transplant when size of lead pencil, set¬ 
ting six to eight inches apart in deep rich 
soil. __ 
Alfalfa Experience. —In Texas Farm and 
Ranch A. D. McNair describes a field of Al¬ 
falfa -which was very large choked out by 
Crab-grass. Two reasons are given. The 
field was chopped up with a disk harrow after 
the first cutting, which stimulated the crab- 
grass more than the Alfalfa. “The other 
mistake was to fertilize it with cotton-seed | 
meal. This may sound strange, but this is 
What Mr. Butler thinks after observing its I 
effect, and there is, indeed, a sound, scientific 
reason why it should be so and I think a few 
statements will make it clear. First—Alfalfa 
is a legume, which means that it gets its ni¬ 
trogen from the air. Second—Crab-grass is 
not a legume, which means that it gets its 
nitrogen from the soil. Third—Cotton-seed 
meal is a fertilizer whose principal plant 
food is nitrogen. It follows from the pre¬ 
ceding that an application of cotton-seed 
meal should stimulate crab-grass more than 
it should stimulate Alfalfa and this is ex¬ 
actly what it does do. If one wants a dem¬ 
onstration akin to this let him sow peas 
broadcast on land which is infested with 
crab-grass and let him fertilize part of the 
area with cotton-seed meal and leave the 
other part unfertilized and he will find that 
the crab-grass will take the peas on the fer¬ 
tilized area. The proper fertilizers for Al¬ 
falfa are potash, phosphate and lime.” 
The Clover Root Borer. —In some parts 
of the Middle West this insect is quite de¬ 
structive. Prof. L. O. Howard describes It in 
a recent bulletin. The insect passes the Win¬ 
ter as a beetle in old clover roots. During 
May they hunt for fresh plants or fields in 
which to lay their eggs, which are laid between 
the middle of May and June 20. These eggs 
are laid in a small cavity at the crown or 
sides of the roots. They hatch in a week 
and the larvae or grubs burrow down into the 
root. By August 1 most of them have passed 
into the pupal or chrysalid stage, and by Oc¬ 
tober they have changed to beetles, remaining 
in the roots during the Winter. They injure 
the clover by eating out the center of the 
roots. 
“The only preventive measure yet tried 
that gives any promise of success is Summer¬ 
fallowing as soon as the hay crop is removed. 
At this time the young are in an immature 
state and. if deprived of food, must perish. 
They cannot migrate from one clover root to 
another, and, if the meadow is now broken 
up, throwing the roots up to the hot sun and 
winds, these wither and dry, thus no longer 
supply the necessary sustenance, at this time 
so imperative to the life of the larvae, and 
they perish. Thus an invasion of a new field 
from an old one may be prevented. But if 
the fallowing be delayed, even for a few 
weeks, the larvae will then have for the most 
part passed into the pupal stage, during 
which no food is required, and plowing can 
have little or no effect upon them. This 
measure, together with the practice of al¬ 
lowing clover fields to stand only two years, 
would soon reduce the pest to subjugation 
In any community. No trouble seems to oc¬ 
cur in pastures. Once brought under control, 
it would seem that a system of rotation that 
involves mowing for hay and seed the first 
year, pasturing and then breaking up the 
ground the following year, if generally fol¬ 
lowed in a community, would suffice to keep 
the pest in subjection. Extermination is not 
possible.” 
This book of 152-pages makes no extravagant 
claims or statements. It aims to give facts only 
and is crowded with good things for the flower & 
vegetable garden, the hardy garden and the fruits. 
IN VEGETABLES, the book contains every 
variety and kind of known value for our climate. 
All the standard well-known varieties, and 
everything new which our experience and trials 
tell us would be of value to our customers. 
IN FLOWERS we have undeniably the best 
selection in America. All the leading and best 
German and French Pansies. The best and 
choicest of all the Eckford (the famous English) 
Sweet Peas. The latest discoveries and creations 
of that famous horticulturist, Luther Burbank. 
Then there is every conceivable kind of garden 
and lawn tool appliance. 
You can hardly afford to get along without 
VA (JOHAN’S SEED BOOK write fora FREE copy 
14 Barclay St., New York. 
DREER’S 
GARDEN BOOK 
for 1906 
\ 
Contains 224 pages of valuable aid 
to the garden and gardener. Every¬ 
thing worth knowing regarding the care 
and cultivation of more than 7000 varieties 
of seeds, plants and bulbs. A thousand illus- 
trations to aid selection and a thousand hint, 
to insure success. 
If you willscnd lOoentsforcostof mailing 
and mention this paper we will send 
Drcer’s Garden Book for 1906 
to any address and will also send 1 
packet each of choice varieties of 
Pink, Pansy, Poppy, Phlox, 
Aster aDd Sweet Peas free. 
HENRY A. DREER. 
714 Chestnut St.,Phila. 
Strawherrv Plants per 1000 i 
OUOWUCiry I IcUIlb Cabbage plants 81.< 
per lOOO. Big assortment trees, plants, shrt 
bery, roses, &e. Write for New Catalogue. CHA 1 
1ANOOGA NUKSJERIISS, Chattanooga, Tenn 
Make More Money 
Green Diamond Sugar Feed, made of ground 
grains and molasses, is just what you need to 
secure a richer and larger flow of milk and keep 
your stock in best condition. 
Drop us postal card and we will tell you 
how to make your live stock more profitable 
to you by using this medium priced feed. 
Write today. 
CHAPIN ;& CO., 
D. S. Morgan Building. BUFFALO, N. Y. 
SEEDS 
I offer seeds of SUPERIOR 
QUALITY at MONEY-SAVING 
_ PRICE. Order NOW. 
Canada Cluster Seed Oats, yield over 80 bu. per acre, 
$1.25 bu.; Timothy,$2; Clover, $9.50; Alsike,$8.50; Al¬ 
falfa, $9.50; Pure Red Top, 10 c.. per lb.; Orchard Grass, 
$1.85; 2 or 6 -rowed Barley, $1; Beardless Barley, $1; 
Iowa Gold Mine Corn, best Ensilage sort, $1.50; Learn¬ 
ing or Pride of North Com, $1; Spring Rye, $1.40; 
Spring Wheat, $1.50; Speltz, $ 1 ; Field Corn, Yellow 
or White, $1.25; Stowell s Evergreen Corn, $2; Golden 
Millet. $1.50: Hungarian, $1.25; Corn Planters, $1.50; 
Field Peas, $1.50; Mangel Beet, 20c.; Calf Weaners, 
30c.; Cow Weaners, 50c„: Crank (seed Sowers, $1.50; 
Stock Labels, $4.50 per 100 ; Sheep Dip, 50c. per pkt,; 
Cyphers Incubators and Brooders; Early Potatoes, 
$1.50; Bags, 18c. Everything for the Farm, Garden 
and Lawn. Catalogue Free. Established nearly forty 
years. F. H. EBELING. 214 Warreh Street, 
Syracuse, New York, Wholesale .and Retail Dealer 
and Importer of Seeds. Refer to any Bank here. 
1905 CROP. 
i We sell the best grade of 
i Garden, Field and 
Flower Seeds, Also 
Bulbs, that money will 
1 buy. We are recleaners of 
1 Clover, Timothy, Red Top, Blue 
i Grass, Mammoth White Rye, 
. Beardless Barley, Seed Wheat and 
a full line of Farm Seeds. 
Write for Catalog and Field Seed Prick List FREE. 
THE HENRY PHILIPPS SEED & IMPLEMENT C0„ 
115-117 St. Clair St., Toledo, Ohio. 
SiS 
Two Grand Prizes St. Louis Exposition. 
Now is the time to send in your order 
for our great new Potato NOROTON 
BEAUTY, the earliest ever grown. 
Fully as productive as any main crop or 
late sort. Handsomer in appearance and 
more uniform in size and shape than any 
other variety. 
PRICES: 
By Mall or By Express or Freight, 
Express Prepaid. Not Prepaid. 
1 lb.50 . 
2 “.75 . 
4 “ .#1.25 . 
8 “ .# 1.00 
15 “ (1 peck). 1.50 
y 2 Bushel (30 lbs.). 2.50 
Bushel (60 lbs.). 4.00 
Barrel (165 lbs.). 8.00 
For further particulars send for our Cata¬ 
logue. Mailed Free for the asking. 
J. M. THORBURN & CO., 
36 COETLANDT ST., NEW YORK. 
We make 
_ specialty of 
Farm Seed.—Cereal*. Grasses, 
Clover*, etc. If yon sow Young’s seed, 
you sow seed that’s been thoroughly tested; 
that’s pure and of the very best quality. Wo 
/will beglad to send you our new Seed and Farm 
J Book. Contains a choice collection of every- 
/thing that's needed for farm and garden, iii- 
f eluding Farm Implements, and also gives 
f special directions for successful cultivation 
| We are also headquarters for POULTRY 
f SUPPLIES. Yon can bny anything from incu¬ 
bators to insect powderB from.nB. It’s con- 
venlenttobuv allyour supplies from 
oneplaceandbesidesyousayo 
money. Catalog free.^ 
.TOBIAH YOUNG, 
2? Grand St-> 
Troy, N. Y. 
ur supplies irom 
s you s aviL. Mm \ 
SEED. 
Cw/ppf Gncn 500 bush- 8towell’s Evergreen 
OWCCl VU 1 II $1.75 per bush; 800 bush. Mason’s 
Favorite, an improved variety about 10 days earlier, 
with longer and sweeter kernels and more ears to 
the hill than any other similar variety. $2.00 per bush, 
and 300 bush. Country Gentleman, $2.50 per bush., 
cash. 8pecial prices on large lots. This Is grown 
from an extra fine selection for improving seed for 
canning purposes. 200,000 Aspar. Conov. and 
Palm., 1,000 $2.00; 100,000 Horseradish sets, 1,000 
$2.00(prepaid by mall, 100,35c.); 100,000 Rhubarb, 
100, $2.00 to $5. 00. Ludvig Mosbaek, Onarga. Ill. 
HURST’S 
POTATO 
. SPR AVER > 
Tfreetmal 
Sprays Everything. 
Potatoes, Truck, etc., 4 
rows at a time, 20 acres 
a day. Even 2-acre grow¬ 
ers say, "Pays for itsolf 
f i rst season, as it has so 
many uses. (Also a first class Tree Sprayer). 
Has HIGH PRESSURE, and delivers a"F0G"like spray. 
Perfect agitation. A11 working parts made of "BRASS . 
Runs very easy, a BOY 16 years old can eperate it with 
east. (Horse-hitch for hilly oountry). FIRST ORDER 
where no Agent, gets wholesale price, or will take extra 
yield one acre our pay. Sent on 10 DAYS' TRIAL—does 
not cost you one cent if not satisfactory. GUARANTEED 
for 2 yrs. We give one away, in each locality for a little 
help in Advertising. Write today for our liberal terms. 
H. 1. HURST MFC. C0„ 1501 North Street, Canton, 0^ 
WEBSTER BASKET CO. 
Manufacturers of the best 
WIRE SEWED 
BERRY BASKET 
Box 
ON THE MARKET. 
Get our catalogue with prices 
before ordering elsewhere. 
WEBSTER BASKET CO., 
35, Webster, Monroe Co., New York- 
niTQ Sensation—Enormous Yielder. Heavy, re- 
U A I O cleaned 60c. bu.; seed corn, $1.25 bu.; cat. & 
samples free. Theo. Burt & Sons, Melrose, Ohio. 
Potatoes— Bliss. Bovee, Cobbler, Harvest, Hebron. 
Ohio, Longfellow. 6 Weeks. 85 kinds. C. W. FORD, Fishers, N. V. 
RIIRPFR Farm Annual for 1906 
WmFlU Lb “The Leading American Seed Catalogue.” 
Mailed FREE to ail who want the BEST SEEDS that Grow I 
This Thirtieth Anniversary Edition is a bright book of 168 pages and tells the plain truth. With 
Cover and Colored Plates it shows, painted from nature , Seven Superb Specialties in Vegetables of 
unequaled merit and Six Novelties in Flowers,including Luther Burbank’s New Floral IVonder. 
WRITE TO-DAY I— the very day you read this advertisement. Mention this paper and address 
W. ATLEE BURPEE & CO., Seed Growers, PHILADELPHIA, PA. 
DIBBLE’S SEED POTATOES 
the best that can be obtained anywhere from any one at any price, because grown from selected seed 
on virgin soil in the cold North, stored in frost-proof warehouses, therefore, will grow. All new, standard 
sorts. Catalogue free. EDWARD F. DIBBLE. Seedgrower, Honeo^ff Falls, N, Y, 
Planet Jr. Garden Tool Quality. 
Half a million users regard the Planet Jr. line as the most practical, durable and dependable 
garden tools made. They stand the test of time, because “quality” is the Planet Jr. watchword. 
They wear well and give perfect satisfaction wherever used. . , 
Planet Jr. No. 17 is a particularly valuable tool. It is the best of our single wheel hoes, careful¬ 
ly tested by practical men and the latest approved pattern, with the greatest variety of tools we 
have ever offered. Frame is strong and convenient, having a quick change device which per¬ 
mits tools to be changed without removing nuts. 
Planet Jr. Harrow, Cultivator and Pulverizer is a great favorite with strawberry growers, 
market gardeners and farmers, because the 12 chisel shaped teeth do such thorough, fine, 
close work without throwing earth on small plants. The pulverizer usedvl with the lever 
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The Planet Jr. line includes Seeders, Wheel Hoes. Horse Hoes, 
Harrows, Riding Cultivators, (one or two row), Beetand Or¬ 
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gardeners need our 1906 book, which 
* .llj illustrates the machines .t work,, 
home and abroad. Mailed free. 
S. L.ALLEN ft COe 
Box 1197V 
Philadelphia, Pa. 
Nftii 
