1666. 
Water-Glass Questions. 
C. H. F., Queenston, Ont. —Can Ihc solu¬ 
tion of water glass be used the second sea¬ 
son? If an egg should be broken in the 
solution would that spoil It or Injure the 
eggs that were already in the solution? 
Ans. —Many trials have shown the 
water glass solution properly made the 
first year may be used- the second time 
with good success. It should he heated to 
the boiling point in order to sterilize it 
before putting in eggs the second time. 
We have never had an egg break in the 
solution, but would suppose the liberation 
of so much decomposed matter would be 
attended with danger, and we would be 
inclined to remove all the eggs, strain the 
solution and sterilize it by heat before 
returning them. There is very little dan¬ 
ger of breaking the eggs in this dense so¬ 
lution if a wooden spoon or other tool is 
used for handling them. Tf the container 
is kept in a reasonably cool place during 
the Summer, such as an ordinary cellar 
it need only be covered enough to prevent 
the entrance of dust and retard evapora¬ 
tion to a reasonable extent. A covering 
of one or two thicknesses of cotton and 
the head of the barrel should be sufficient 
to preserve it in best condition. 
Propagating Shrubs; Dropping Apples. 
E. U. F., Stcrlintj, Kan. —How do you pro¬ 
pagate snowballs and A1 tineas? How tlo you 
prevent apples from falling from the trees 
before they are matured? The greatest ob¬ 
stacle to successful apple growing here ao- 
pears to be the dropping of the fruit; 
sometimes it nearly all drops. 
Ans. — Althaeas and snowballs are 
readily propagated by cuttings of half- 
ripe wood, taken just after the blooms 
fade. They are cut short, so as to contain 
no more than two or three eyes, and about 
one-half of the pair of top leaves left on 
the cutting, the other leaves being stripped 
off. The cuttings may be rooted in pure 
sand, made very firm and kept moist under 
glass in a greenhouse or frame. They are 
also rooted with less success from cut¬ 
tings of light grafted wood taken in Octo¬ 
ber and rooted in sand in a cool green¬ 
house. The dropping of apples has many 
causes. Some varieties are inclined to 
drop a great proportion of their crop, 
especially in southern climates. There 
seems no way to check or control it, ex¬ 
cept by thorough spraying while young 
with Bordeaux Mixture and Paris-green 
to control fungus diseases and insects. 
Imperfect apples are sure to fall anyway 
as maturity progresses. 
Resetting an Orchard. 
J. V., Trenton Junction, N. J. —We have 
an old apple orchard that is dying out, and 
would like to replace it with young trees. 
AVould it be advisable to set them in the 
same holes as the old ones? Does it need 
manure in the hole? 
Ans. —Tt would do no harm to set 
young fruit trees in the holes where the 
old ones are taken out, but other things 
being equal, it would be just as well to 
dig new holes in the spaces between the 
old trees after they have been cut down 
or pulled up. It is not good practice to 
put manure in the hole in setting young 
trees. Dig a wide hole two feet or more 
in diameter, and eight to 12 inches deep 
as may be needed, placing the rich or top 
soil in one pile and the subsoil in another. 
Cut out all broken or injured roots from 
the trees to be set, and freshen the ends 
of the sound roots with a slanting cut 
from below upward so that the fresh sur¬ 
face will rest on the soil. When the roots 
are in their natural position, set the trees 
in the center of the hole and carefully fill 
in around the roots with the best of the 
top soil taken out, sifting it from the edge 
of the shovel and working it between the 
roots with the fingers, shaking the tree 
meanwhile to get the earth in every crev¬ 
ice between the roots. When the roots 
are fairly covered, tramp firmly, then fill 
in with the poorer, or subsoil, tramping 
it firmly as it is put in place. The tree 
when set should stand little, if any deeper 
than it grew in the nursery row. The 
firmed earth should be banked up around 
the tree to shed water. About a third of 
the top should be cut, taking out weak 
and unnecessary limbs, shortening in the 
good ones so as to balance the top with 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
961 
the roots that have been cut away. It is 
a very good plan to scatter a pound or 
two of good commercial fertilizer around 
the tree after it is set, lightly working it 
in the soil, or mulch the trees with a 
wheelbarrow load or so of coarse barn¬ 
yard manure. This keeps the ground 
moist and furnishes the young tree with 
all the fertility it needs until the growth 
has made some progress. 
Planting of Maple Trees. 
I. II. M., Paterson, N. J. —Will you give 
me a few directions for setting out maple 
trees? I would like to set out quite large 
ones for shade, but want them to be sure 
to grow, so would set out smaller ones to 
have them successful. 
Ans. —Maple trees are usually very easy 
to transplant. Trees of even the largest 
size are moved with greater safety than 
many other kinds. Tt is only necessary to 
dig a wide hole in a place where tlie roots 
will not be interfered with by standing 
water, take up the trees, preserving the 
roots as well as possible, and set them 
slightly deeper than they stood before, 
compacting the earth all around them un¬ 
til the hole is filled up, and working it 
well between all the roots. All the bruised 
or injured roots should be cut back to 
sound wood, using a sharp knife, and the 
tops cut back severely, forming to some 
extent a future head. Trees three or 
four inches in diameter may even be cut 
back to bare poles with a good chance of 
making fine heads in the future. About 
the only thing specially to regard in mov¬ 
ing maples is to make the transfer as 
quickly as possible, and not allow the 
roots to dry out in the sun and wind. Tf 
it is necessary to transport them for any 
considerable distance, the roots should be 
carefully covered with wet burlap or bag¬ 
ging as soon as exposed, which should 
not be allowed to dry out before the tree 
is ready to set. 
Questions About Gladiolus. 
IT. F., Shenandoah. Iowa .—I wish some 
pointers about Gladiolus. First I want to 
know about growing them from seed. I have 
a very fine collection, and wish to grow 
some seedlings from them, but have been 
unable to g't the seed to grow. Where can 
I get the best blue varieties? I have prac¬ 
tically every other variety. What about 
the Groff strain? Arc they the best now 
known, as mary claim? 
Ans. —The Gladiolus seeds should be 
well dried and cured, as they are easily 
injured by dampness. They are best 
grown in a frame with a protection of 
glass or cloth to keep off dashing rain, 
which greatly injuries the young plants 
just after they have come through the 
ground. The soil need not be very rich, 
but should be well dug and fined, the 
seeds sown thickly broadcast or in drills 
four or five inches apart, covered one-half 
inch deep, and the soil well firmed over 
them. They should be thoroughly watered 
and shaded with wet burlap, or if in large 
quantities covered with an inch or two of 
ordinary excelsior, wood shavings, or 
packing material to keep the ground moist 
and prevent a crust from forming. We find 
about the second week of May the best 
time to plant them under these conditions. 
The seeds should come up in about three 
weeks, and the after care consists of 
careful weeding and working the soil be¬ 
tween the rows. Some protection should 
always be on hand to keep off dashing 
.rain throughout the entire growing sea¬ 
son, as if the little stalks are broken 
down, good bulbs are not likely to form. 
When the leaves die down in the Fall the 
little bulbs or corms should be dug and 
carefully sifted out. They may be kept 
in dry sand in any warm place, free from 
frost, or in any cellar that potatoes may 
be safely stored in, and planted next year 
in rows 18 or 20 inches apart, sowing 
them rather thickly and covering two 
inches deep. Thy should reach growing 
size by the second or third year. Where 
only a small quantity of choice seed is 
planted it may be very well sown in six • 
inch pots of light, rich soil provided with 
two inches of porous drainage in the bot¬ 
tom. The pots may be kept under glass 
or in a frame, as most convenient. Be 
sure they are thoroughly watered and 
cared for during thq growing season. 
The best blue varieties may be obtained 
from Victor Lemoine & Cie., Nancy, 
France. They are the originators of this 
strain and have all the good ones. Prac¬ 
tically none is offered in this country, 
though most fanciers grow some varieties. 
Groff has one strain of blue seedlings, 
but the colors we have seen are not equal 
to Letnoine’s variety. Groff’s strains are 
generally very good ones, but the varie¬ 
ties are very much alike and often lack 
character. _ 
Poisoning Sparrows.— On page 857 W. D., 
Ohio, asks the best method of poisoning 
English sparrows. I noticed at a time when 
on the farm, the sparrows were very anxious 
about some flax-seed in the barn. T saturated 
some seed with Paris-green, and put it. in 
the cupola of (he barn, where II was safe to 
have it. The English sparrows were very 
scarce in a short time. Of course anything 
that they are fond of eating prepared in 
(he same way will accomplish the same re¬ 
sults. o. n. s. 
The Fuel 
Saved 
“A Poor Stove is not 
Cheap at Any Price P 
With one motion the Lift Top Plate is raised 
and held up by an automatic catch, so the 
entire fire box of the Sd KRLING RANGE 
may be fed evenly with coal. Think what an 
immense saving of fuel the uniform fire in the 
N 
AN< 
means. Ordinarily two griddles have to be 
removed and the coal spread by either shovel 
or poker. Our Lift Top Plate saves time and 
allows only the proper method of feeding a 
fire with either shovel or coal-hod. r lhis fea¬ 
ture, too, is most admirable for a perfect broil¬ 
ing. One of the lids in the top plate is of 
sectional rings for small utensils, and remains 
undisturbed even, for the rings are specially 
weighted to hold in place. 
We are telling you of but one feature of over 
twenty used in the STERLING RANGE 
which contribute to the most wonderful kitchen 
stove in the world. Send for our free booklet 
E, and know why every owner of a STER¬ 
LING wonders how they ever got along 
without it. Ask your dealer to show you a 
STERLING RANGE, and don’t let him 
argue. If he cannot supply you, you’ll thank 
us in the end for directing you to one who 
knows “ It has no Equal.” 
SILL STOVE WORKS 
Rochester, N. Y. 
ICE PLOWS 
day. 
that will cut two rows at a 
time, runs smooth, draws 
with less draft than any 
other, pays for itself in one 
Also, ICE TOOLS. Write for prices. 
WM. H. PRAY, Clove, New York. 
Thompson’s 
>Sows all Clovers, 
ALFALFA, Timothy, 
Red Top and all Crass 
Seeds In any desired 
quantity. So close to 
the ground seed will 
not blow away In 
windiest weathor. |j 
WHEELBARROW 
Grass Seeder 
Light, but strong 
and durable. Over 
200 Thousand In 
use. Has led all 
broadcast seeders tor 
30 years. Catalogue 
troe. 
0. E. Thompson 
& Sons, 
Ypsilanti, Mich. 
COMFORTABLE 
when driving. Use 
a celebrated 
Lehman 
Carriage 
Heater. 
They burn Lehman 
Coal at a cost of 
2c. per day. 
350,000 LEHMAN 
HEATERS are in 
nse by farmers, 
horsemen, physi¬ 
cians and others, 
who recommend 
them. 
The LEHMAN is 
the original; others merely imitations. 
Special to Rural New-Yorker Readers. 
We will send you a celebrated LEHMAN 
HEATER. 14 inches long, brass ends and 
covered with fine Brussels Carpet, together with 
box containing 12 bricks of the world famous 
Lehman Coal (guaranteed to he the BEST in 
the World) on receipt of $2.25. Wo will ship 
order same day we receive it. Wo guarantee 
satisfaction or refund your money. 
Our goods have been on the market over 20 
years, ami are known everywhere as the Stand¬ 
ard. Beware of imitations. Ask for Booklet. 
LEHMAN BROS., MFRS., 
10 lloud Street 
New Vork 
J. W. F.RRINGER, 
45 1C. Congress Street, 
Chicago, Ill. 
Double-Action, Automatic, 
Self-Cleaning Manure-Fork Attachment. 
Greatest time and labor-saver out. Editor Michigan 
Farmer says: ’’ IT WILL BE CONSIDERED A 
NECESSITY UPON EVERY FARM." 
Quickly attached to any fork. 
FIRST 
It pays and 
speaks for it¬ 
self. Big wages to farm- ~ 
ers who get agencies for Winter work. 
and get Exclusive Territory. 
THE ONALOCHEN8, - - . llayton, Ohio. 
FENCE 
I Made of High Carbon colled wire. We 
I have no agents. Soil direct to user at 
factory prices on 30 days free trial. 
We pay all freight. Catalog shows 37 
styles and heights of farm and poultry 
| fence. It's free. Buy direct. Write today 
COILED SPRING FENCE CO. 
■ BOX 283. WINCHESTER, INDIANA* 
32 
§ 
—///A* 
LX 
Agents Wanted 
to sell the 
FROST WIRE FENCE 
Splendid opportunity fori 
up-to-date farmers. The Frost I 
never sags or stretches like woven j 
fence made of soft wire. w« Pay 
freight. Write for free catalog and terms. 
W, THE FROST WIRE FENCE CO., Cleveland, Ohio 
II. B. PlEAKh Sc CO., \(T. 29 Broad \rny, New York, N. f. 
HEAVIEST FENCE RIADE 
No. 9 Steel Wire. Weighs >6 more than 
most fences. A fence that will not rust. 
■I 
Send for Pence Book showing 
133 styles. Brown Fence* 
Wire Co.,Cleveland,©. 
Page quality begins in our furnaces. The 
molten metal is tested until it is found to 
contain just the proper ingredients to make 
Page - Wire — high carbon double - strength 
spring steel wire. 
High onough In carbon to give It double tho tensile 
I strength of common fence wire and the springiness of 
1 a high-grade wire spring. Coiled by the Page process, 
I it lets outand takes up like a spring; makes the feuce 
adaptable to all soil and climatic con- . 
ditions, and breaks the shock of ani- 1 
mals running into it without breaking ' 
theirnocbs.Ourbook isfreo.Writefor it. 
I'AOK WOVEN WIKK KKNCK CO. 
Box 74, Adrian, Mlcb. 
Sawing Outfit $10.20 
Wo uro selling this first-class Tilting Table Saw Frame 
for only $ 1 0.20. Thousands of them now in 
use. Perfect construction, made right 
tor left handed. We absolutely guar- 
lantee this Sawing Outfit satisfactory 
"in every detail. We have 8 other kinds 
of sawing machines, including Drag 
^Sawing Outfit, and we have saws, belt- 
. ing, etc. In fact, we are hind¬ 
quarters for Sawing Machines; 
have a larger line than any other 
firm and our prices are the lowest. This also applies to almost 
everything used on the farm and in the household. Our new 408- 
page money-saving book, Free. Write to-day and mention 
articles you are interested in. KALAMAZOO SUPPLY 
HOUSE, 718 Lawrence Sq., Kalamazoo, Mich. - 
FARMERS, IT WILL PAY YOU 
to use our FARMER’S FORGE OUTFIT on your 
farm in doing blacksmitliing and repairing. We have 
high endorsements for the thousands of Farmer’s Forges 
sold direct to farmers within the past ten years in every 
state and Canada. Our Forges have hearths 24x26 inches, 
U»4 inch blowers, run easy, and have all the first class 
qualities of high-priced forges. 
WE POSITIVELY GUARANTEE 
as large, as durable, do as much work and equal in every 
way any $10.00 forgo ou the market, and as represented or 
money refunded. 
SPECIAL WINTER OFFER 
Forge complete$3.50 orone Farmer’s Forgo, one anvil and 
vice combined, and one pair of tongs, all for $5.23. Ten 
carloads on hand. Orders shipped promptly. This offer 
may not appear again. J*" Write to-day. Send stamp for 
catalogue No. 12 and testimonials. 
G. A. S. FORG£ WORKS, Saranac, Mich. 
