102 
February 9, 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
this is more liable to be neglected than the good prepa¬ 
ration of corn or potato land, I lie first working should 
be with an implement that will tear tip the soil well. 
An ordinary peg-tooth harrow cannot do this. A 
spring-tooth harrow, a disk harrow or an ordinary 
riding corn' cultivator all do good work. Of the three, 
the spring-tooth harrow is the least desirable. It gath¬ 
ers corn stubble and other trash too much. I his can 
be said of a corn cultivator, too, but it is not so bad 
LOADING WITIIUI"! DIETING. Fin. .'IS. 
as the former implement. The disk harrow is really 
the best implement for loosening the packed soil in 
Spring. 'I'he revolving disks will not gather heaps of 
trash, but rather .cut it up. That is a great point in 
favor of them, for such heaps cause much trouble in 
the after work of harrowing and drilling, and may 
cause this yet when cutting the grain. 
One working up and one or two harrowings before 
seeding and two harrowings after sowing, will make 
a good seed-bed on most soils. More workings may 
be necessary on some soils. While, as has already 
been said, it is desirable to sow oats and wheat as early 
as possible, barley should be left until the soil is more 
warmed up. It is more likely to be injured by frost 
than the two former grains. If it gets a set-back by 
frost, it would better have been sown late. Of not less 
importance than the good reparation of the soil, is the 
proper selection of the seed. Much is neglected here 
yet. Farmers will go to a bin of. say, oats, and fill 
the bags for sowing regardless of whether there are 
weed seeds and light, chaffy kernels among them or 
not. Some farmers I have known to sow extra per 
acre of unrecleaned seed the amount that would be 
removed by a fanning mill. That is an easy way of 
getting over the redefining of seed grains, but it cer¬ 
tainly is not conducive to best results. Seed grain 
should be run over a fanning mill twice at least. Never 
mind if many kernels, perhaps half, “go over." They 
can be ground fine, this to crush the weed seeds so they 
may not pass whole through the digestive tracts of 
animals and sprout after all when the manure is scat¬ 
tered on to land, and fed to hogs. As good fanning 
mills will remove noxious weed seeds that would be 
left in by poor ones, the best machines should be pur¬ 
chased. There is st 11 some difference of opinion as to 
whether to sow thick or thin. Experiments conducted 
by the Illinois State Experiment Station a number of 
years ago, appeared to show that, within limits, there 
is little difference in yield whether grain is sown thick 
or thin. For all that, however, 1 much prefer thin seed¬ 
ing. That is when the soil is in a good State of culti¬ 
vation. On “thin” soils more should be sown per acre 
than on fertile ones, and not the reverse, as some sup¬ 
pose. This is easily explained by saying that grain 
stools less on the former than on the latter kind of 
soil. Thick sown oats are more liable to lodge than 
those standing thin. F. a. S. 
Metz, Wis. _ 
AN EXPERIENCE WITH ALFALFA MEAL 
Some months ago you made inquiry in The R. N.-Y. 
whether any of your readers had tried making or feed¬ 
ing Alfalfa meal. I have seen no reply to that inquiry. 
Previous to the inquiry I had thought of trying it, and 
will give you the result of my experiment. Early 
last Spring a neighbor had installed a chopping mill in 
a factory in which I am interested, with the under¬ 
standing that we could use his mill in return for fur¬ 
nishing power for his grinding. 1 had used it several 
times for chopping and cracking corn, and decided to 
try grinding Alfalfa on it. When my new crop was 
stored in the mow it looked so green and nice that I 
decided to use it frequently, if the mill would grind it. 
My first attempt was with a bag full, right from* the 
mow. It was too damp and had a tendency to wrap, 
but by feeding it slowly, and by running it through the 
mill three times, I got only a fair quality of meal. The 
chickens ate it so greedily when mixed with their 
mash, that I concluded to make further attempts at 
mealin~ it, after the chickens could not longer get fresh 
green grass. T ran the hay through the feed cutter and 
cut it into short lengths. I packed it in fertilizer sacks, 
and stood them in my furnace room until the Alfalfa 
was perfectly dry. I found this a big improvement 
over my first attempt, and after running it through the 
mill three times, I had as fine a quality of meal as one 
could wish for. It did not increase in quantity like 
cracked corn does. From four sacks of cut Alfalfa I 
got two sacks of meal. I was elated over my Alfalfa 
meal. I had visions of well-filled egg baskets all Win¬ 
ter, while my neighbors who were not in the secret were 
getting only a few. While I was wondering how I 
would better market my eggs, the owner of the mill 
came to me one day, after my last grinding, and in¬ 
formed me that I had ruined his mill, or at least lie 
would have to get new grinding plates, as those 1 had 
used were worn flat and dull, and he politely requested 
me to grind no more. Alfalfa on bis mill, as it was made 
for grinding grain and not intended for grinding hay. 
I wrote to the manufacturers of the mill, and also to 
other manufacturers of feed mills, for a mill that would 
make meal from Alfalfa hay but have received no fa¬ 
vorable answer t'o date. I would like to correspond with 
a manufacturer who makes a mill of that kind. I here 
are great possibilities in Alfalfa as a feed, 1 am sure. 
My meal was beautiful. When mixing it with other in¬ 
gredients for my mash, the green smoke would rise like 
smoke from a ripened puff ball. t. b. hoover. 
Pennsylvania. __ 
EXCELLENT SUGGESTIONS FOR MAIL 
PRIVILEGES. 
I wish to make suggestions as follows, because I 
think they may be enacted into law, and eventually 
give us a general package delivery law, because if both 
are adopted the Post Office Department will be a profit¬ 
making concern, and Congress cannot refuse to grant 
our wishes. 
The first suggestion is that franking or carrying 
mail under a penalty stamp be abolished, and all mail 
now so carried be in future fully prepaid by stamps or 
covered bv stamped envelopes. 1 hat special stamps 
A JERSEY AND A JEWEL. Em. 39. 
and envelopes be furnished by the Post Office Depart¬ 
ment to all persons who are now authorized to frank 
letters, or send matter under the penalty stamp, so 
that all matter is fully prepaid, Congress to appropriate 
enough to pay such postage. If you have seen the 
estimates of printed matter sent out by the Con¬ 
gressional Campaign Committees you will understand 
what a bonanza it will be to the Post Office,Department 
to recive pay for its work, instead of carrying this 
matter free. 
The next suggestion is that a package mail be estab¬ 
lished for the rural free delivery. Packages to be 
carried from any point on a R. F. D. line to the post 
office from which it starts, and to be there transferred 
if need be to any other R. F. 1). line originating or 
starting at that post office, or from the post office out 
over any free delivery route. The R. K D, carrier to 
be supplied with special stamps and sell them to cus¬ 
tomers or put them unon packages as required. Such 
stamps to be special in form and not for other use 
than on R. F. D. packages. To be of denominations 
of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 cents; carriers to be allowed 
a commission of 25 per cent on sales of such stamps; 
this commission in addition to salary paid to the car¬ 
rier; packages not tp exceed 100 pounds in weight. 
Suggested rate: not exceeding five pounds weight, 
five cents; over five »>ounds, under 15 pounds, 10 cents; 
over 15 pounds, under 25 pounds, 15 cents; over 25 
pounds, under 35 pounds, 20 cents; over 35 pounds, 
under 50 pounds, 25 cents; over 50 pounds, five cents 
additional for each 10 pounds or fraction thereof. To 
carry anything as a package exccnt first-class matter. 
We have the R. F. D. system; my plan gives the 
carrier more work and more pay. I think the commis¬ 
sion to the carrier miuht be more than 25 per cent. 
Possibly he might also receive a commission on stamps 
on package coming over bis route from the post office 
or adjoining R. F. D. lines. His compensation is by 
this plan from the sale of these stamps. The Post 
Office Denartment is out nothing. The interference 
with the rights of our masters, the.express companies, 
is nil, hence I think the plan may win if you take it up. 
Portland, Ore. w. v. s. 
PEACH CROWING IN THE DESERT. 
Seventeen years ago David Broadhead, of Utah, spent 
three days in jail under a two thousand dollar bond on 
a charge of perjury for declaring that the land which 
he had just homesteaded out of the desert would raise 
crops without irrigation. This year lie picked peaches 
measuring nine inches in circumference which were 
grown without irrigation on that same land. Mr. 
Broadhead’s holding is similar to thousands of acres 
lying in the sage brush area. This land was consid¬ 
ered fit only for grazing purposes, being for the most 
part covered with sage brush. Within the last few 
years people have discovered that fair crops of wheat 
could be grown on land which would raise good sage 
brush. This arid farming movement has extended 
throughout the arid and semi-arid region of the West, 
causing an immense increase in property values, land 
selling from two to 20 times what it was five years ago. 
Mr. Broadhead gives the history of his arid peach 
orchard somewhat as follows: 
Two years ago lie planted about 10 acres of peach 
trees in two lots. One was a large block containing 
most of the trees, the other a small area of not more 
than an acre in extent. The young peaches were irri 
gated thoroughly when first set out, and have been irri¬ 
gated at the regulation interval of perhaps once in two 
weeks throughout the growing season on the small plot 
since. On the larger block, however, Mr. Broadhead 
did not irrigate again that Summer, as he needed the 
water supply on other crops. The trees were v.ery 
thoroughly cultivated, however, a fine dust mulch to a 
depth of' at least four inches being maintained in 
the young orchard the entire Summer. An interesting 
exception to this were a few rows on one side of the 
large block, which were sown to oats among the small 
trees and regularly irrigated. The results were startling 
even to the owner. The young peach trees which had 
received only the initial irrigation after planting were 
as strong and vigorous as the block which had been 
irrigated regularly throughout the season, and were 
far in advance of those which were growing in the 
oats with irrigation. On many of the trees the new 
growth was over six feet in length, the leaves were 
large and of a good color, and in the Autumn the wood 
ripened up early with good plump buds. 
The following Winter was a severe one, and many 
of the irrigated trees died back, particularly those in 
the oat patch, but those on the unirrigated block stood 
the Winter much better than the others. Greatly in¬ 
terested in the result, Mr. Broadhead decided to follow 
up the experiment, and so irrigated none of the larger 
field, while he continued to irrigate the smaller plot to 
serve as a check. When seen by the writer in late 
August the trees had not had a drop of water during 
the Summer. They were now two years old, and some 
of the varieties had' borne a 12-pound peach basket 
of fruit that year. The fruit was firm, highly colored, 
of exceptionally fine flavor. Specimens of Heath fling 
were found which measured nine inches in circumfer¬ 
ence, and all of the fruit was of good size. The trees 
were the greatest surprise, however. They were equal 
in size to those in the irrigated plot, and the leaves as 
well as the twigs showed a good healthy growth. Again 
the season’s growth averaged over four feet, and it was 
not uncommon to find trees with new branches over six 
feet long. '1 he trees which had been started in the 
oats, even when irrigated, were far behind. 
The system of tillage was very thorough, and had 
made possible the growth of the trees. At least once 
in two weeks, and sometimes oftencr, during the Sum¬ 
mer Mr. Broadhead harrowed the ground, running 
across the slight slope upon which the orchard was 
situated. I'lie ground was stirred deeply and never 
allowed to form a crust. As a result tlie soil at a depth 
of two or three inches was damp, and the trees obtained 
enough moisture, though scarcely any rain fell after the 
first of May, and the total rainfall of the region does 
not exceed 10 inches during the year. At the last har¬ 
rowing in the Fall Mr. Broadhead sets the harrow so 
as to furrow deeply. In this way ridges are thrown 
across the field, which catch all the Fall rains, allow¬ 
ing them to soak into the porous soil. Not all arid soils 
will grow peaches without irrigation. 'I'lie soil must be 
light enough to maintain the mulch, and yet solid 
enough to retain the moisture. Light gravelly oi; sandv 
soils, no matter how well they are adapted for growing 
irrigated peaches, will not do at all. I his was well il¬ 
lustrated in one corner of the field, where the peaches 
stood where the soil degenerated into a coarse gravel. 
Here the trees with the same cultivation were backward 
and stunted. A clay loam with a fair amount of veg¬ 
etable matter seems to be the best. Thus it would seem 
DERRICK FOR LOADING CORN FODDER. Fig. 40. 
that not all lands which grow wheat without irrigation 
will grow peaches, but from the results obtained by 
Mr. Broadhead it would seem that thousands of acres 
of just such soil as lies on bis farm might be utilized 
for peach growing where now it stands unused, or is 
being utilized as an arid wheat farm. Beach growers 
from all over the State are watching the experiment 
with interest, and should next year’s growth prove as 
good as this many will plant orchards on the rich loams 
at the foot of the mountains. p. b. f. 
