652 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
August 31, 
FARMERS’ CLUB 
f Every query must be accompanied by 
the name and address of the writer to in¬ 
sure attention. Before asking a question, 
please see whether it is not answered in 
our advertising columns. Ask only a few 
questions at one time. Put questions on a 
separate piece of paper.] 
Sweet Clover and Alfalfa. 
S. D. E., Umpqua, Wash. —I want to try 
an experiment of sowing Sweet clover and 
plowing it under to inoculate the soil with 
the proper bacteria, and plant Alfalfa. Do 
you know of this having been done, and 
with what success? What is the best time 
to sow the seed, and how long should it be 
left before plowing ui der? Is there any dan¬ 
ger of Sweet clover becoming a pest? Will 
stock eat it at any stage? How much seed 
per acre should be sown? 
Ans. —Send to the Illinois Experiment 
Station at Urbana for bulletins on Alfalfa 
and Sweet clover. We understand that 
soil in which Sweet clover thrives has 
been used successfully for inoculating Al¬ 
falfa. We also understand that it is 
about as hard to get one started as the 
other. We would like further informa¬ 
tion from those who have handled Sweet 
clover. 
Wheat After Alsike. 
W. ir. C. (No Address). —A new meadow, 
mostly Alsike clover, that, was live feet high 
in places, and lodged, has cut an immense 
crop and does not seem to start. Would it 
be safe to sow to wheat this Fall? . We 
sowed Red clover, Timothy and Red-top in 
wheat one year ago, but Alsike came out 
ahead. This is a gravel soil and heavily 
manured; raised about five crops of corn, 
previous to wheat last season. Our usual 
rotation is corn, wheat and meadow, manured 
about every second year. 
Ans. —Most likely wheat would lodge 
following such a rank growth of clover. 
Corn would be a safer crop, but if it 
seems best to sow wheat we would use 
fertilizer with it. It will be asked—why 
use fertilizer on soil that is already too 
rich for most crops? Because this soil 
is evidently too rich in nitrogen. This 
causes grain to grow too fast, with a soft 
stem which easily breaks down. Use a 
mixture of potash and phosphoric acid 
on the wheat and you will “balance” the 
extra nitrogen, give a stronger stem and 
a larger head. 
Lime for Apple Trees. 
IT. n. P., Cincinnati, O. —I have some six- 
year-old apple trees to which the mulch 
method has been applied for three years. 
There is a good growth of Timothy with a 
little clover on most of the ground. In 
places soil is thin and sandy, and where the 
grass is light, sorrel grows. I am thinking 
of working a little lime into the soil for a 
few feet around each tree. What kind of 
commercial fertilizer would you advise me 
to add to the lime, and how much? I also 
think of putting a six-inch strip of galvan¬ 
ized Iron wire screen (four wires to the inch) 
around each tree as a protection against 
mice. Will this be sufficient, or would you 
advise a wider strip? 
Ans. —The lime will probably help such 
soil. We would rather give the entire 
field a fair coating of lime, instead of 
working a little close around the trees. 
We would use a mixture of three parts 
fine ground bone to one part of muriate 
of potash—three pounds of the mixture 
scattered evenly around the trees about 
as far out as the branches extend. The 
six-inch strip of netting will give protec¬ 
tion from mice, but is not wide enough 
to prevent damage by rabbits. 
Baled Shavings and Lime. 
C. M. J., New Britain, Conn. —I am using 
baled shavings for litter under my cows. I 
have an idea that they have a tendency to 
sour the land. Have any of your readers 
any information on this point? How would 
it do to sprinkle the manure pile with lime 
every few days? Would that have a tend¬ 
ency to neutralize the action of the shavings 
and prevent acidity of the soil? 
Ans— Fresh baled shavings will sour 
the ground, as they contain a strong acid. 
The liquid manures of the stable are alka¬ 
line and will neutralize this acid if the 
shavings are well soaked. In some cases 
too many shavings are used, and they are 
not soaked or soiled with manure. We 
have reports from those who say such 
shavings have given trouble, while many 
others use them very successfully. Lime 
put on the manure pile would help neu¬ 
tralize the shavings, but it would cause 
more or less loss of ammonia. If the 
lime is to be used at all we would rather 
use it on the soil after the manure is 
plowed under. We would use the shavings 
until they are thoroughly soaked and 
soiled, and let them stand in the pile as 
needed with the stable liquids drained over 
them. Plow them under when needed and 
use broadcast after plowing and well har¬ 
rowed in. The action of this lime in the 
soil would be somewhat like that in the 
manure'pile, but the soil would absorb and 
hold most of the ammonia, while in the 
pile it would escape. 
Re-Seeding a Meadow. 
E. C. F., Mcndham, N. J. —What is the 
best way of reseeding a field which was 
seeded last Fall in rye with Timothy? 
The rye, being very heavy and falling 
down in places, smothered much of the grass 
out, and where the grass seemed good at the 
time of reaping the rye, it has since died out 
apparently. Some, however, has some sign 
of life, but this dry weather is very hard 
on it. The field is just in front of the resi¬ 
dence, and is studded with trees and shrubs, 
and it is therefore important to reseed with¬ 
out plowing it, as it is a very hard field to 
plow, on account of the trees. Wo sowed 
cow peas previous to putting in the rye, 
and no doubt that accounts for its being so 
rich. Would this Fall or next Spring be 
best to reseed, and would it be possible to 
do it without plowing it up altogether? 
Ans. —Wc should seed this hall, before 
September 15 if possible. You will have 
to tear up the soil with some sort of tool 
before seeding, but it is not necessary to 
use a plow. A Cutaway or disk harrow 
will do it, or a spring-tooth harrow fol¬ 
lowed by a cultivator will give a fair fit¬ 
ting of the soil. We have worked up 
small fields in which there were trees 
with a one-horse cultivator so as to get 
a fair seeding. 
Ailing Peach Trees. 
J. L. G., Highwood, Conn. —What is the 
matter with my, peach trees? They were set 
out two years ago last Spring, first-class 
trees; 90 of them were set on land just 
cleared of woodland, plowed and harrowed 
before setting trees. No barnyard manure 
ever used on them; last year three pounds 
of fertilizer per tree, this year four pounds 
bone, fish and potash. The trees were set 
on land near the house which has a coat 
of manure every year. Of the trees near 
the house several are dead; they have places 
on the trunk of the tree where gum comes 
out, sometimes two or three spots, then a 
dozen or more. Of. the 90 trees in the other 
lot none is dead, but two or three are not 
looking right, and just under the soil the 
gum is more liquid, and the bark on some 
trees under soil about two inches is half 
gone around the tree. Ail of the trees are 
not affected so far as I can see. I dug 
around quite a number and found only one 
borer. 
Ans. —I can only guess that the roots 
of these peach trees, that were only two 
inches under the surface, were frozen too 
hard in Winter, and that the gum on 
trees above ground is caused by San Jose 
scale, with which his neighborhood is 
well infested. The Winter injury might 
not occur again, and for the scale, if he 
has 100 or more trees planted, he knows 
or ought to know what to do. 
NORMAN S. PLATT. 
Bi.astixg Stoke —In the blasting of rocks 
by fire the whole process is very simple, and. 
in reality, is only the uneven contracting 
and expanding of the stone itself. When 
breaking stones, it is first cut with the 
sharp edge of the sledge hammer, on its 
smoothest surface, as near as possible par¬ 
allel with the grain, in a straight line from 
edge to edge. If the stone is too unwieldy 
to be finished with the hammer, then, after 
cutting, build a fire on top of it, not around 
it. or even under it, and keep burning for a 
couple of hours. After the stone has become 
heated, the cracking, caused by the uneven 
expansion, may be heard quite distinctly. 
Now, when this part has been done with a 
little common sense, rake off your fire and 
spill a pail of water over the stone. The 
cracking will be heard very plainly, and by 
repeating this, in a few minutes the con¬ 
traction caused by the water on the hot 
stone will add as much to the efficiency of 
the blast as the fire did. When your stone 
has cooled sufficiently to be handled, you 
will find, in nine cases out of ten, that your 
initial cutting has split clear through, and a 
few strokes with the hammer will open the 
crack wide enough to insert a crowbar for 
prying apart. It will not be necessary to 
run farther from this blasting than to be 
safe from the sparks of the fire. In conclu¬ 
sion, would like to say that any one who 
calls this blasting is liable to speak of the 
milking of a cow as an eruption. A. s. 
New York. 
- OG 
Wood’s Grass 
and Clover Seeds. 
Best Qualities Obtainable and 
of Tested Germination. 
Fall is the best time for sowing. 
You rest and improve your land, 
aud rest yourself, by putting fields 
down in permanent grasses and 
clovers. 
Write for Wood's Descriptive 
Fall Catalogue, telling best kinds 
to sow, quantities to sow per acre, 
and giving full information about 
all seeds for fall -planting, both for 
the 
Farm and Garden. 
Catalogue mailed free on request. 
T. W. WOOD & SONS, 
Seedsmen, - Richmond, Va. 
The Largest Seed House In The South 
—00 - 
BASIC SLAG PHOSPHATE. 
(.THOMAS PHOSPHATE POWDER.) 
The Best Phosphate for Seeding Down to Grass, Wheat, Rye, 
and All Fall Sown Grains. Unequaled for Fruit 
Trees, Clover, Alfalfa, and Pasture Lands. 
Send us a postal card with your name and address, mentioning 
Thk Kurai. Nkw-Yokkkr and we will tell you WHY tlie above is 
true, and we will send you our Booklet, “A Remarkable Fertilizer, 
Basie Slag Phosphate and Its L'ses.” 
THE COE-MORTIMER CO., 
Special Importers of BASIC KI.A(», NITRATE OF SODA and 
POTASH SALTS. Sole I nited States Agents for (•enuine 
Peruvian Otiano, Manufacturers of High Grade Fertilisers. 
>4 Stone Street, 
New York City. 
FERTILIZER LIME etc., address 
WALTON QUARRIES, Harrisburg, Pa. 
Write for Net Price Illustratkd Implement Cata- 
logue. Robert (J. Reeves Co., 187Water St., NA.Cifcy 
riii | nnnn 1908 FROM OUR MID-SUMMER 
rULL UnUr STRAWBERRY PLANTS, feeud 
!or List. Kevitt’s Plant Farm, Atheuia, N. J. 
c 
HUM SON CLOVER— My own growing: lat. New York City. 
Fresh new recleaned seed, tl.S.'i per pk., >5.00 per bushel. 
ISRAEL M. KAUFFMAN, Belleville, Mitflln Co., Pa. 
CflD CHI C-2.000 bushels Crimson Clover 
I (ill OALE Seed, $3.75 bushel. Address 
JOSEPH E. HOLLAND, Milford, Delaware. 
if you sow Knox’s Seed 
16 WHEAT CROPS .... 
is. per acre. Imp. Poole, Rudy. Invincible, Silver 
near and others. Valuable booklet sent free. 
HLLIS K, KNOX, 14 Newport Ave., Intercourse, Pa. 
Gold Coin Wheat, 
tiff Straw, no smut, hardy, yield over 40 bushels; 
$1.25 per bushel. Bags, 15 cents. 
DLEWILD FARM, - • Ludlowville, N. Y. 
CHOICE SEED WHEAT 
“Gold Coin,” also Large White Rye, 
very superior quality, for sale. Produced 40 bushels 
to acre grown on my farm Huntington, L. I. Address 
CHAS. D. SMITH, Fairground, Long Island, N. V . 
SEED 
WHEAT 
The Right Quality. 
The Right Varieties. 
The Right Prices. 
Booklet Free. 
A. H. HOFFMAN, 
Bamford, Lane. Co., Pa, 
When you write advertisers mention Tiie 
R. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply and 
•a square deal." See guarantee, page 8. 
CHOICE SEED WHEAT. 
"Rural New Yorker No. 6." White, Bald, “Shepards 
Prolific,” Red, Bearded. Both excellent hardy vari¬ 
eties that often yield 30 to 40 bus. per acre. Under 10 
bus. $1.25 per bu., 10 to 50 $1.20, 50 to 100 $1.15, 100 or 
more $1.10 per bu. Sacks free. Cash with orders. 
J, N. MAC PHERSON, 
Pine View Farm - Scottsville, N. Y. 
Si The best varieties, both & 
new and old, and the best 
methods of planting to raise a 
full crop of strawberries next 
year, are fully particularized in 
Dreer’s 
Mid-Summer Catalog 
Also describes and prices the best 
strains of Celery, Cabbage and other 
vegetable plants. 
A select list of the best Palms, 
Ferns, and decorative plants. 
Seeds of old-fashioned Hardy 
Perennials and other flowers for 
summer sowing. 
Write today for a copy and please 
mention this magazine—FREE. 
HENRY A, DREER, - Philadelphia. J 
s» 
••The Great Dain” 
Corn Cutters suit 
every corn grower in 
America. Every ma¬ 
chine is of the famous 
“Dain” quality 
with exclusive feat¬ 
ures which mean much 
to economical farm 
tool buyers. They are safe, ser¬ 
viceable, satisfactory money-mak¬ 
ers. Sold by dealers. Free circu¬ 
lar tells all about them. Write to 
DAIN MFG. CO., 
[Ottumwa - ■ la. 
c 
o 
R 
N 
S 
APLEWOOD SEED WHEATS BEST 
Three Wonderful new sorts. The Best of 
the Rest. Our seed will increase your yield 
20 to 100$. Free samples and catalogue No. 22, 
telling why our Seed Wheats are best. Write today. 
MAPLEWOOD SEED WHEAT FARMS - - Allegan, Mich. 
CUTAWAY TOOLS FOR URGE HAY CROPS. 
Clark’s Reversible 
Bush & Bog Plow 
Cuts a track 5 ft. wide, 
1 ft. deep. Will plow a 
new cut forest. His double 
action Cutaway Harrow 
keeps land true, moves 
1800 tons of earth, cuts 30 
acres per day. 
DOUBLE ACTIONS JOINTED POLE CUTA 
o' - ) fa Vl\ 5ENDF0R 
- UI U CIRCULARSTOTRt 
NO h . CUTAWAY 
DZ more SgSggpiife, harrow 
«=£ USE \ CO. 
>—3 FOR (tegi, 0 'jJ HIGGANUM 
PLOW. i - .. «; . 
Jointed Pole takes all weight off Horses 
and keeps their heels away from the Disks. 
His Rev. Disk Plow cuts a 
furrow 5 to 10 in. deep, 14 in. 
wide. All Clark’s machines 
will kill witch-grass, wild 
mustard, charlock, hard¬ 
back, sunflower, milk weed, 
thistie or any foul plant. 
Send for circulars to tho 
CUTAWAY HARROW CO., 39 Main St.. Hiaaanum, Conn. 
For BEST and CHEAPEST 
Wood Preservatives 
Address C. S. McKINNEV, Manager, 
CAHBOLINEUM WOOD-PRESERVING CO., 
60 Wall Street, New York. 
APPLE BARRELS. 
Four Factories, 
Prompt Shipments. 
Koht. (Ullics, Medina, N. V, 
Nurseries Pay Cash Weekly 
and Want More Salesmen Every¬ 
where. Best Contract, Best Outfit, 
’ Largest Nurseries--with an 82-Year Record. 
STARK BRO’S, LOUISIANA, MO. 
w 
Largest 
^ STARK 
APPLE TREES 
r-O NOTHITNTGr BUT APPLES 
ROGERS ON THE HILL, Dansville, N. Y. 
Dwyer’s Pot Grown Strawberry Plants 
Strong, healthy plants from selected stock of choicest fruiting varieties sure to give 
satisfaction aud PRODUCE A FULL CROP IN 1908. 
We also have a full line of Fruits and Ornamental Trees, Plants, Vines, etc., for 
Fall Planting. We do Landscape Gardening in all its branches. Catalogue Free. 
T. J. DWYER &. CO., P. O. Box I, Cornwall, New York. 
THE BOSS POTATO DIGGER 
works well in 
'stony ground 
and on side hill. 
Digs every row. WARRANTED. 
Thousands in use. Write for 
prices. Manufactured by 
E.R. ALLEN FOUNDRY CO., 
Corning, N. Y. 
