THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
September 21, 
l02 
, NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS 
Irresponsible Seedsmen. —A valued 
correspondent thus recounts his experi¬ 
ence with radish seeds bought from an ir¬ 
responsible local dealer. The product is 
shown in Fig. 1344, page 699. 
I enclose photograph of some radishes, the 
seed of which was purchased from a local 
dealer as Vick’s Scarlet Globe for forcing. 
The radish on the left side is the only one 
that resembles the true variety in shape and 
color, and they were in the hopeless minority. 
Not over five per cent would have made a 
radish of any description, and they were 
of all shapes and colors so as to render 
the entire planting a total loss as far as 
this lot of seed was concerned. Hap¬ 
pily I purchased some of same vari¬ 
ety of radishes from an eastern grower 
and had as fine a lot as could bo wished at 
time of pulling. Gaideners are finding out 
very rapidly the difference between a grower 
and a dealer, especially a dealer who is 
inclined to be careless, or even worse 
There Is no satisfaction or redress for a 
gardener against the dealer who sells seed 
that is worthless. Their guarantee of 
“Heads I win, tails you lose” leaves no 
chance of their losing anything hut our 
trade, but that does not seen to worry some 
of them, as “a sucker is horn every minute.” 
Nebraska. a. d. f. 
There ought to be substantial redress 
for such betrayal of a purchaser’s confi¬ 
dence, whether or not the seeds were 
guaranteed as true to name by the dealer; 
but as a matter of cold fact the dealer in 
seeds has been practically relieved of all 
responsibility by recent legal decisions, 
when selling under the usual non-war¬ 
ranty clause. All he is required to do, as 
the law is now interpreted, is to deliver 
a package bearing the name of the variety 
called for. The purchaser has all risks 
as to crop results. All honorable dealers, 
however, stand ready to rectify obvious 
errors in filling orders, but do not hold 
themselves liable for losses beyond the 
original purchase price. Seed growers ap¬ 
pear to be held to stricter account, as the 
courts claim they are in position to know 
the exact nature of their offerings, while 
the dealer cannot ascertain the true na¬ 
ture of the seeds he handles as a middle 
man without long delay, and must, in the 
ordinary course of business, rely on the 
growers who produce them. There are 
doubtless rascally growers as well as ir¬ 
responsible seedsmen, and it is to the ad¬ 
vantage of all planters to deal only with 
establishments of good standing. It is 
safe practice to buy seeds only from mer¬ 
chants advertising in The R. N.-Y., as 
our publisher admits only those known 
habitually to give the “square deal.” 
Seed Growers. —It is not as simple a 
matter to procure seeds direct from grow¬ 
ers as might be imagined. Many suc¬ 
cessful growers dispose of their entire 
crop by contract, and do not care to fill 
individual orders. They do not advertise, 
and remain practically unknown except 
to the dealers whom they supply. Few 
growers produce more than a limited 
number of varieties, the seed stocks of 
merchants coming from diverse localities 
in all parts of the world, so that it would 
be a considerable task to place orders for 
a planter’s needs even if the various 
growers’ addresses could be procured. 
Probity counts even more in the seed 
trade than in most other mercantile pur- 
about the only practical method of re¬ 
ducing moles, and the commercial traps 
offered by dealers in garden supplies are 
generally admitted to be efficient in ex¬ 
perienced hands. Beginners often fail to 
catch their moles because the traps are 
carelessly placed over one of the many 
shallow feeding runs through which the 
animal may not pass a second time. With¬ 
out going into the natural history of this 
strange, destructive but energetic animal 
we would point out that the “runs” or 
tunnels made in cultivated soils by the 
mole are of two well-marked types: the 
shallow ridges and mounds made by his 
passage an inch or two beneath the sur¬ 
face of loose earth or ordinary sod, 
formed in his tireless hunt for earth¬ 
worms and subterranean insects, which he 
may not use again and the deeper, firmer 
channels that are not readily flooded by 
storms nor crushed by the trampling of 
grazing animals, that he maintains for 
permanent passage from one place to an¬ 
other. A careful survey of a mole’s de¬ 
structive operations in field or garden 
will usually show where the shallow 
feeding tunnel joins the more permanent 
one, and the trap should be set over the 
latter, first crushing down the ridge or 
compactly filling up the bore of the 
passage with earth so that the surface 
must again be raised to permit passage. 
Of the metal traps now in general use 
the Reddick is the cheapest, and as cer¬ 
tain as any when properly set, which is 
done by planting it firmly over the filled- 
in portion of the run with the prongs in 
proper line. The trap should now be 
sprung several times so that the prongs 
penetrate the earth to their full extent, 
then finally adjusted, seeing that the pan 
or trigger is not in close contact with 
the filled-in soil, so that the trap might 
be prematurely sprung by the advance 
heaving of the soil before the mole is 
fairly under the trap. This is a most 
important point, as on the proper placing 
of trap and trigger depends success or 
failure. In practice it is well to have a 
full half-inch of space between trigger 
and earth. From observation it appears 
the mole, when burrowing near the sur¬ 
face, first excavates a small passage with 
his extraordinary spade-like forefeet and 
then, with his muscular shoulders, he 
“hunches” the soil bodily upwards. It is 
at this moment the trap gets in its ap¬ 
pointed work, if not so closely adjusted 
as to spring before the pest is under the 
prongs. This apparently trifling wrinkle 
of keeping the trigger some distance 
above the obstructing earth, makes all 
the difference between continual failure 
and fairly uniform success. To rid your 
grounds of moles you must trap them, 
and to accomplish this the trap must be 
judiciously placed and set. w. v. F. 
Grazing New Seeding. 
It, R. T .. Virginia .—I have a 30-acre field 
of clover which was sown on the wheat in 
March of this year. There were also other 
grasses sown with the wheat, such as Tim¬ 
othy. Rod-top and Orchard grass, all of which 
seem to be standing well. Since harvest the 
clover has taken a tremendous start and is 
now two feet high and in bloom. What would 
you do with it? I am afraid if I graze it I 
will injure the other young tender grasses. 
My experience is that clover is injured by 
leaving to bloom and dry up without being 
cut. My inclination is to cut it, yet several 
of the old farmers tell me not to do it, but 
to graze it. I have seen young grass greatly 
injured by grazing in the Fall. What would 
The R. N.-Y. do under similar conditions? 
suits. The honorable dealer who secures Ans. —We would keep the stock off and 
a customer’s confidence will not willingly cut the second growth for cattle feeding, 
forfeit it. even where the law allows too We have had several mowing fields 
ample loopholes of escape, hut stands ruined by grazing the young seeding, 
ready to adjust errors in a reasonable Where clover is sown alone we would let 
manner. 
Trapping Moles. —The droughty weath¬ 
er makes painfully evident the ravages 
of moles in garden and lawn. A host of 
inquiries come as to the best methods of 
trapping or routing the destructive intrud¬ 
ers. It appears strange that in view of 
the general hostility of horticulturists 
toward moles the pest should not dimin¬ 
ish more rapidly in well-settled localities. 
It is evident that persistent trapping is 
it be pastured, but not a young seeding 
of other grasses. 
Killing Witch Grass. —I read in The 
R. N. Y. how to rid land of witch grass. 
I have an idea, which I have tried with 
great success for two years, and have got 
rid of all witch grass. Plow the land well 
and harrow it twice with spring-tooth har¬ 
row. Let it lie for two davs in the sun: 
then harrow again, and sow it with Japanese 
millet, thickly, after it has been well fer¬ 
tilized, and it will kill the witch grass en¬ 
tirely. h. n. r 
Winchester 
tV* /TC'f N. i y *■ . . \\y « twl J 
rTW 
“NUBLACK” 
Loaded Black Powder 
Shotgun Shells 
“Nublacks” are as per¬ 
fect as brains and in¬ 
genuity, coupled with 
first-class materials and 
modern methods of 
manufacture, can make 
them. They are sure 
fire, make even pat¬ 
terns, shoot hard and 
strong and will stand 
reloading. Ask for 
“Nublacks” next time. 
THEY HELP MAKE BIG BAGS 
THE MAN WHO SWEARS BY 
THE FISH BRAND SLICKER 
is the man who 
has tried to get 
the same service 
out of some 
other make 
Clean - Light - Durable 
Guaranteed Waterproof 
and Sold Everywhere 
at $300 
JLLU5TPATED CATALOG 
FREE FOR THE ASKING 
EXCELL 
ROOFING 
STEEL & SIDING 
IRON 
and 
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at lowest factory prices. We are man¬ 
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nor short length stuff. Every part of 
our roofing and siding is made in our 
factory from genuine Charcoal Iron, 
Double Refined Puddled Iron or Steel. 
Put on the kind of root that wears. 
Ours is guaranteed. Ifitisn’tthe best 
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it. Easy to lay. No experience needed. Tell 
ub about your building and let ub quote you 
factory prices. Write far Motal Goode Catalog 
No. R31 It Is free. 
THE UNITED FACTORIES CO. 
Cleveland, Ohio. 
■%#' It will pay yon to spray yonr 
■ ’ llljlY Fruit Trees and Vines for prot.ee- 
Kjk 1 tion from scale and all insect 
* pests and fungusdiseasea. FitKE 
® I nat ruction ltook shows the 
famous Garfield, Empire King, Orchard 
i Monarch and other sprayers; also gives a lot 
of formulas and other valnahie information. 
FIELD FORCE PUMP CO.. No. 2 11 th St.. Elmira, N. V. 
HURST POTATO 
SPRAYER 
0N FREE TRIAL 
FREE. 
|Nomon«y in advance—Pay when con* 
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acres a day. Doubles Your Crop—extra 
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5 YEARS. Wholesale Price (where no 
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keep It—pay when you can. Special 
|FREE OFFER for first one in locality. 
“Spraying Guide*’and full information 
H. L. IIUltST MFG. CO., 5G North St. Canton,!). 
Caldwell Tanks 
of Galvanized Steel are used 
everywhere. Sizes up to 1200 
gallons can be shipped set up 
at small cost for freight. These 
tanks are strong, tight and 
durable. Cost less than wood 
tanks. Ask for illustrated 
catalogue and delivered prices 
W. E. CALDWELL CO. 
Louisville, Ky. 
©SffiS) 
Wind Mills,Pumps, Gas Engines. 
Monarch 
Hydraulic 
Cider Press 
Great strength and ca¬ 
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gasoline engines, 
steam engines, 
saw mills, thresh- 
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Monarch Machinery Co., Rnom 161.39 Cortlandt St„ Ntv York, 
For BEST and CHEAPEST 
Wood Preservatives 
Address C. S. McKINNEY, Manager, 
CAltHOEINKUM WOOD-PRESERVING CO., 
60 Wall Street, New York. 
Keen Your Money" 
p In Your Fist 
Don’t give us a cent until 
you are satisfied. Bushel crates 
handle economically your crop of 
potatoes, garden truck, fruits, 
V etc. They’re best for stor- 
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please; they hold a bushel 
even full. More time for 
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when you use Geneva 
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for information how we 
send goods—no cash in 
advance. Book free. 
Geneva Cooperage i 
, Co., Box 20, 
Geneva, OmO. 
irt 
* 
Mica 
Axle 
Grease 
Helps the Wagon up 
the pi 
The load seems lighter—Wagon 
and team wear longer—You make 
more money, and have more time 
to make money, when wheels are 
greased with 
Mica Axle Grease 
—The longest wearing and most 
satisfactory lubricant in the world. 
STANDARD OIL CO. 
Incorporated 
SCALECIDE 
SAVE YOVR TREES THIS FALL SxU&S 
lORDER \ 
A 
\barrel | 
I NOtV , 
clogging. 92 percent oil—the largest amount with less water than is found in any 
spray yet discovered. We prove it. Order r ’ -. 
1000 gallo 
of Oni 
gallons costing3^0 to 3c at any station 
Thi 
iio Rivers. 
ere’s nothing cheaper. 
B. G. PRATT CO., Mfg. Chemists, 
11 Broadway, New York City 
FASTER AND EASIER THAN THE OLD WAY 
_ ' Run 
i it to any part of 
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yard over 
switches and 
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JjilJMMJlII 
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Will dump a load and re¬ 
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LOUDENS 
FEED AND 
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It’s all steel, hothlng to break or wear out. Can be . 
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Louden Machine ry Co„ 39 Broadway, Falrlield. Iowa. 
I 
J 
