1906. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
567 
SEVEN YEARS ON OUR TRUCK FARM. 
Progress from Poverty of Soil. 
PART III. 
FERTILIZER EXPERIENCE.—The long continued 
use of large quantities of muriate of potash had a tend¬ 
ency to compact the soil, and was replaced by high- 
grade sulphate. Last year the cane fruits, raspberries 
and blackberries, gave a hint of something wrong, and 
an investigation seems to show that they as well as 
their aristocratic relatives, the roses, object to nitrate 
of soda. For the coming season a special lot has been 
mixed for them, containing less of this and more or¬ 
ganic matter. There are other crops for which special 
mixtures would be some advantage, but to have a great 
number would hardly be practicable. The mixture used 
last year was satisfactory except as already noted, and 
was composed as follows: 300 pounds nitrate of soda; 
150 pounds dried blood; 200 pounds ground fish; 925 
pounds 16 per cent acid phosphate; 425 pounds high- 
grade sulphate of potash. This does not differ greatly 
from the mixtures successfully used during several 
former years. 
HUMUS AND COVER CROPS.—For some crops, 
including raspberries, blackberries, grapes, beans and 
corn, one-half ton per acre seems sufficient to produce 
a maximum yield; but with most of the others increased 
applications up to a ton and in some cases even more 
have proved profitable. To those who 
fear that the extensive use of chemical 
fertilizers will necessarily injure the soil. 
I wish to say that some of my land has 
had applications of from one-half to over 
a ton annually for the last seven years, 
has produced heavy crops each year and 
is more productive than ever. Nor must 
it be supposed that it is a case of special 
soil, for a brother of mine on different 
soil follows a similar system with prac¬ 
tically the same results, but complete fer¬ 
tilizers are used. For the small garden 
crops the fertilizer is put on broadcast 
and harrowed in. For the field crops it 
has been scattered with a free hand along 
and across the row, and mixed thoroughly 
by running the marker through again. 
And what of the humus supply? I think 
the importance of this is quite generally 
overrated and it is often unskilfully used. 
A good supply is desirable; some is im¬ 
portant, even essential to the production 
of crops; but this every soil worth the 
name contains, and I should not hesitate 
because of any lack of humus to attempt 
to grow a fair crop of vegetables on any 
soil that will produce any sort of a crop 
of those usually grown on a farm. The 
economical management of humus in a 
soil scantily supplied is often not under¬ 
stood. Two of the most important func¬ 
tions of humus are to permit the ventila¬ 
tion of the soil and the free distribution 
of roots, and humus-forming agents 
should be handled with these points in 
view. It is quite generally supposed that 
a soil well supplied with humus is re¬ 
quired for strawberries, and that a lack 
of it will result in inferior fruit or “nub 
bins.” I have observed that annual weeds 
allowed to grow up and die among the 
plants improved conditions. Acting on 
the suggestion I sow oats thickly among 
the plants the first week in September. This 
grows to a height of about six inches, the roots 
penetrating all through the soil. During the Winter it 
dies down and in the Spring the soil is loose and open 
instead of compact and harsh. The crop under this 
treatment has been immense and the fruit all that could 
be desired. In general practice, after crops are off, 
some cover crop is sown, usually oats or rye; these are 
generally put in with a drill to insure quick germina¬ 
tion and growth. Crimson clover would be more de¬ 
sirable than oats for early sowing only that taking one 
year with another the stand is uncertain. Rye is sown 
even after gathering the latest crops. It is generally 
supposed that a continued succession of cultivated 
crops tends to deplete the soil of humus. I am not so 
sure of this. There must be a tremendous root devel¬ 
opment to produce the large crops. These remain in the 
soil, and though the humus they produce is not as readily 
discerned as that of decaying sod, it must be there. 
HANDLING THE SOIL.—Plowing and cultivating 
receive -close attention. Care is exercised never to 
handle the soil when too wet. Witli the exception of 
two or three acres on which tlie rye is to be cut and 
the ground used for late cabbage and tomatoes, all 
the ground is plowed as early as the condition of the 
soil and other work will permit. The soil is at once 
harrowed and rolled, and harrowed again; then har¬ 
rowed after rains until planted, after which the culti¬ 
vator is used shallow and often as long as the growth 
of the crop will permit. No matter how busy the sea¬ 
son or how much work required no crop is ever plant¬ 
ed until the soil has been thoroughly firmed and pul¬ 
verized. Thus the early plowing and harrowing con¬ 
fine the abundant moisture of Winter and Spring in the 
great reservoir of the subsoil beneath; in addition to 
which the continued cultivation traps rain and dew 
and Summer showers, while the earth mulch produced 
prevents evaporation and the firm yet porous under soil 
puts the roots of the plants in direct communication 
with the immense store of moisture below. The land 
is elevated and rolling, more or less loose, containing 
considerable quantities of gravel and stones; but with 
these precautions taken, few, if any, crops have ever 
suffered seriously from drought. As in cultivation so 
in planting work is avoided when the soil is too wet. 
In this work advantage is taken of favorable weather 
conditions whenever possible; but lacking these the 
work is not long delayed, nor any chances taken with 
regard to securing a full and vigorous stand. The 
plants are set with a trowel, firmed by foot or closed 
hand protected with a glove, the print left open 
to receive a pint of water, which is later covered with 
a little loose soil. Plants so set will live under almost 
any weather conditions, nor is the task of watering as 
great as may at first appear. To convey the water, if 
a better outfit is not at hand, a few barrels on a wagon, 
another with open head, a large funnel, some pails and 
tin cups are all that is required. It is almost pathetic 
to see the helplessnes of some under trying weather 
conditions. I have seen a plantation of celery set in 
dry soil under a burning sun, the leaves withering and 
drying as planted, while the mighty Susquehanna, eas¬ 
ily accessible, flowed by only a few rods away. Most 
of the plants finally lived, but so crippled that the crop 
was a failure. 
PACKAGES AND PACKING.—After the produce 
is grown the next and one of the most important steps 
to success is careful and attractive preparation for 
market. In this a suitable package must always play an 
important part. For small fruits the standard crates 
and baskets were found satisfactory; but a uniform 
and satisfactory package for handling vegetables was 
not at hand. The principal features of a package suit¬ 
able for retail and store work are that it shall be light, 
durable, cheap, convenient and attractive. The recep¬ 
tacles in common use in our market were the half¬ 
bushel and five-eighths bushel stave baskets, and a 
three-fourths bushel woven basket. The first of these are 
generally used for fruit and the last two for vegetables, 
the five-eighths stave basket being most common. The 
woven basket was too expensive, and all were open to 
the very serious objections that they required too much 
room in loading, and would not stand securely over 
rough roads in hauling. It is usually difficult to intro¬ 
duce a strange package in any market, but I finally 
decided to use the all-slatted bushel box. This is a 
box or rather a crate made of strips of light wood se¬ 
curely nailed, 12% inches deep, 13% inches wide and 
15% inches long inside measure, a size intended to hold 
a bushel when scantily even full, so as to allow stor¬ 
ing one above another without crushing contents. They 
are bought in flat and nailed at home. We use them 
in handling almost every kind of produce, except small 
fruits and grapes, not only on the market but in the 
field as well. When goods were first offered for sale 
in these, the first question of course was: “How much 
do those things hold?” and some explanation and dem¬ 
onstrations were in order. They are larger than they 
appear. I soon discovered that when trcely filled they 
hold just twice as much as the standard five-eighths 
stave basket. This simplified matters greatly and they 
were soon quite generally accepted on that basis, are 
much liked at the stores, and are coming into general 
use in the market. With a neat strong package with 
name neatly stenciled on each end a long stride was 
taken toward both easy packing and quick sales; but 
the latter is further insured by great care in every 
detail of the former. Almost all goods are packed in 
two grades and sold for just what they are. We can¬ 
not go into details with each crop, but take tomatoes, 
for instance. A quantity of empty crates is taken to 
the field, the fruit carefully picked, stems removed to 
prevent cutting, and placed in crates. 
When a load of these is ready they are 
placed on a wagon and taken to shelter 
in the barn. Here they are wiped and 
packed for market. As I generally have 
plenty of other work to attend to, and 
this is within doors, my wife insists on 
superintending and helping with this task, 
her best helper being a trusty old lady of 
the neighborhood who has a liking for 
the work. Each fruit is taken separately, 
wiped clean and placed stem end down 
in one or the other of two crates ac¬ 
cording to quality. All culls that may 
have been picked are thrown out, the 
crates uniformly and evenly filled, and 
when the work is done there is no doubt 
left, but that if there is any demand for 
tomatoes those will surely sell. With 
practice this work is done quite rapidly. 
But in every line whatever time or work 
is required, the principle “What is worth 
doing at all is worth doing well,” is close¬ 
ly adhered to. 
MARKETING. — Quite unexpectedly, 
after a little practice, I found the market 
work rather agreeable. In fact, were it 
not for the necessity of night work and 
that the task has grown to such strenu¬ 
ous proportions, I should probably like 
it best of all. But it is the one work for 
which thus far it has been impossible to 
get much satisfactory help, as it requires 
a higher order of interest and applica¬ 
tion than the work of the farm. The 
work is carried on in two ways; on mar¬ 
ket days goods are sold in open market 
both at retail and in bulk to storekeepers 
and dealers. Whenever rush of crops 
makes it necessary, which is very fre¬ 
quent, goods are sold on other days from 
store to store. Harrisburg is one of 
those fortunate cities well supplied with 
farmers’ markets; there are five of them 
in different parts of the city, fortunately for the citi¬ 
zens and for the farmers as well. Moreover, these 
markets have the very desirable feature of being held 
at stated times and not, as in at least one city I know, 
where the market is open constantly with consequently 
slow and tiresome trade. The markets here are open 
from a few hours to half a day twice or three times a 
week. I selected the largest market in the city, open 
Wednesday and Saturday mornings. Considering the 
population this is a very large and well patronized mar¬ 
ket indeed. It is situated in a substantial brick and 
stone building, well supplied with large doors and win¬ 
dows and is 500 or 600 feet long, built in the middle 
of a wide asnhalt paved street. There are three aisles, 
intersected by crossing ways, faced by six rows of 
stands running the entire length. The stands or “stalls” 
are rather small and are rented at a moderate annual 
rate, largely to farmers with whom marketing is a side 
issue. It is open for business from early morning until 
noon. When applying for room in this market I found 
it all occupied, but was told I could have space along 
the north wall on the outside. This was already largely 
occupied by growers of small fruits and others who at¬ 
tend the market periodically in Summer, and being a 
cool shady place is well patronized by buyers. I se¬ 
lected a desirable space, and finding it a pleasant and 
handy place for handling large amounts of produce, 
and as there was not as much inconvenience from 
bad weather as might be supposed, I have retained it 
ever since, in preference to space later offered within. 
Pennsylvania- d. l. hartman. 
WORK OF THE ROSE BEETLE. REDUCED IN SIZE. Fig. 232. 
See Ituralisms, Page 570. 
