358 
TIIE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
April 27, 
these young people. There wore two hired men and a 
hired girl, but all young people of the neighborhood, 
and a happy lot together. 
The fourth morning broke warm and sunny, with 
strong indications of a thaw. Old “Ollie” was getting 
very tired of our trip, and made but slow progress. At 
noon I became desperate over the situation. 1 had 
taken a lot of trouble to get that cow, and it began to 
look as though I should spoil her before I got her 
home, which was now about 10 miles off. An offer of 
$5 secured a sleigh and a good team. We loaded old 
“Ollie” in, and she sank contentedly down in the straw 
and finished her journey in comfort. The young cows 
and I followed after. It was dark when we reached 
home, and how good the lights looked shining from the 
windows! “There is no place like home.” 
J. GRANT MORSE. 
CROWING AND PRUNING RASPBERRIES. 
The Whole Story Well Told. 
Part III. 
PLANTING.—Of course the soil should be prepared 
as early and thoroughly as possible. The rows may 
be laid off uniformly and conveniently the required 
width with a two-shovel marker set at half the re¬ 
quired distance, setting the plants in alternate furrows. 
The furrows between these may be planted to some 
low-growing truck crops, as these will not interfere 
with the berries the first year if well cultivated. The 
furrows in which the plants are to be set should he 
drawn five or six inches deep, the fertilizer scattered 
with a free hand over them, and then the plow run 
through again to mix thoroughly. The plants are then 
set in the bottom of the fresh furrow, a little soil 
drawn over the roots and then securely settled by tread¬ 
ing. After this the furrow may be filled with small 
stirring-plow or hoe. As to distance between rows, I 
have found the distance already given quite satisfac¬ 
tory, but 1 have noticed that the outside rows of the 
“blacks” are somewhat more vigorous, indicating that 
perhaps better results might be obtained by thinner 
planting. Among the reds the Cuthbcrt is such a vig¬ 
orous grower that I would prefer the rows for this six 
feet apart instead of five. I am quite sure, too, from 
observation, that where the plantation is of suitable size 
and location to cultivate to advantage both ways, plant¬ 
ing in check rows from five to six feet apart each way, 
according to variety, would yield just as much fruit, 
reduce hand work in cultivation, and be nicer in every 
way to get through at picking time. It might be neces¬ 
sary with some varieties of blacks that do not stool 
freely to place two plants in a hill; but that would not 
be objectionable. Cultivation to maintain an earth 
mulch should be continued the first year among the 
reds until about August 1, and just as long among the 
blacks if the spreading vines permit. In after years 
cultivation, without plowing, is begun as early in the 
Spring as condition of soil will permit, and kept up 
regularly until the fruit is nearly ripe; then, after pick¬ 
ing is over, one more thorough cultivation completes 
the work for the season. The rows are wide, and with 
proper implements this work is done rapidly. In the 
blacks hand hoeing consists of going over the patch 
once after growth is well started, scalping off grass, 
weeds and young plants that start in the row, and such 
'as may have escaped the cultivator. As the red grow 
up irregularly from the roots, instead of from crowns, 
it is difficult to do much hoeing directly in the row, and 
usually not much is needed. But the row must be kept 
narrow by scalping off the young plants on each side. 
If this is done thoroughly once, when they are about 
eight inches high, nothing more will he required. 
Where there are no stones I think this work could 
be done with the horse implement, known as a grape- 
hoe. 
VARIETIES.—This market demands both reds and 
blacks in quart boxes, but in some markets reds can 
be sold to the best advantage in pint boxes. The fruit 
can also be handled in better condition in the smaller 
package. With regard to the relative merits of the 
two varieties, everything depends on demand and cir¬ 
cumstances. The market here requires both, with by 
far the greater demand for blacks. These are the 
most readily sold, though when buyers are found for 
the reds they bring a higher price. In the average value 
of crop per acre, I have found little difference; but the 
annual value of the reds has been by far the most 
uniform. With plenty of pickers I would favor the 
reds, but with a scarcity of pickers most decidedly the 
blacks, for the simple reason that a given number can 
gather about twice as many blacks as they can of reds 
in the same time. Of reds I have Turner, Miller, 
Cuthbert and King, and of blacks Kansas, Conrath and 
Hunger—much the larger portion consists of Kansas 
and Turner, because they were planted first; but all are 
desirable, each having its peculiar desirable features 
and faults. Turner has been very profitable. It is 
early, of excellent quality, hardy, a good grower, and 
fruit stands out nicely for picking; but it is too soft. 
Miller produces a fine bright berry of good size almost 
as solid as the blacks, that sells at sight, but the qual¬ 
ity is poor, the cane not as vigorous as might be de¬ 
sired, though hardy, and the fruit is much hidden. 
Cuthbcrt is a well-known late variety. It is an exceed¬ 
ingly vigorous grower and productive of large, conical 
berries; but the young canes grow up earlier and more 
luxuriantly than any other, and this, together with the 
praised by the growers. The purple varieties should 
bo treated in all respects like the blacks. 
BLACKBERRY CULTUR E.—Having gone so fully 
into the details of culture for the raspberry, as the 
proper culture of the blackberry is nearly identical a 
few words on the subject may not be out of place. The 
tall varieties require more space, never less than 3x6 
feet. They are propagated like the reds and pruned 
much like the blacks, but should be cut higher at the 
Summer pruning, about three feet; nor should they be 
cut nearly so close at the Winter pruning, for many 
varieties have their most fruitful buds near the end of 
the branch. There is,- however, a great difference in 
this respect, Taylor’s Prolific, for example, producing 
fruit abundantly on lower buds. The trailing black¬ 
berries or dewberries are propagated from tips like 
black raspberries, and are usually supported on stakes 
or wires, though a few report success with the treat¬ 
ment I have recommended for black raspberries the 
first year. For the small farmer with a good* market 
the intelligent growing of strawberries, raspberries, 
blackberries and grapes, following each other succes¬ 
sively throughout the season, is a sovereign remedy for 
that distressing malady, “Farming-don’t-pay.” 
Pennsylvania. __ o. l. hartman. 
CRITICAL TIME WITH SQUASH PLANTS. Fig. 158. 
drooping habit of the fruit, makes it difficult to pick. 
Also the berries are a little too dark when fully ripe. 
King is a promising early variety of good growth, pro¬ 
ducing an abundance of bright berries of good size and 
quality; but the berries are a little inclined to crumble, 
and they are liable to drop almost as soon as fully 
ripe. They should be picked often, and appear to be 
just what is needed for shipment, as the fruit can be 
picked at an earlv stage of ripening. Kansas is a mag¬ 
nificent variety with one great fault; some seasons the 
TWO GOOD FRIENDS. Fig. 159. 
bloom is imperfect and then the fruit crumbles badlv. 
Usually the berries are large and fine and always of 
the best quality. It is immensely productive, and while 
not of the earliest the fruit is nearly all sold before 
the price gets low. Conrath is a fine large berry three 
or four days earlier than Kansas, but not as productive 
and rather scant in number of canes. Hunger is an 
exceptionally fine, large, late berry, much like Gregg, 
but hardier. However, in wet weather it shows an un¬ 
attractive purplish stain, the result of red blood in its 
WIRE SCREENS FOR YOUNG PLANTS. Fig. 160. 
breeding. Probably the finest blackcap in existence is 
the Cumberland; it is reported vigorous, hardy and 
very productive. On our market it makes the finest ap¬ 
pearance. Having originated in this locality, it has of 
late been planted almost exclusively, so in its season, 
which is a little later than Kansas, the price is usually 
low. Last Summer on our market T noticed a few lots 
of extra fine large blacks among tbe very earliest. On 
inquiry I was told they were Eureka. They were highly 
DRAG THE MUDDY ROADS. 
I used the King oak plank scraper all last year on 
about V/z mile of dirt road, and the road is in the best 
shape 1 have ever known it. I think it is conceded by 
all road workers that some scraper like the King is 
the best tool known for dirt roads, and dirt roads arc 
what most of the roads in the United States will always 
be, even if all the improved roads are put in that arc 
proposed. There will always be times when a dirt 
road will be in bad shape, when the frost is coming 
out and when raining, but with a King drag to keep the 
center of the road always the highest, and all standing 
water off, the dirt road will be much improved. Do 
not wait for the road to get dry before working, but go 
at it when muddy; it lets the water off and packs the 
dirt like brick. Do just the opposite from good farm¬ 
ing; work the road when wet and the farm land when 
dry. I think the drag is better made from an oak plank, 
and old wagon tires can be used to bolt the plank 
together. I think it will pay every farmer to have a 
drag and use it whenever water stands in the road; 
use it in front of your farm and Qthcrs will follow 
your example. “Do it now.” clark allis. 
Medina, N. Y. 
R. N.-Y.—Mr. Allis will mail a little book telling all 
about this King drag and its work to anyone who sends 
him a two-cent stamp. 
RETURNS FROM AN IOWA FARM. 
I have been a subscriber to The R. N.-Y. for a 
number of years, and have noticed in its columns state¬ 
ments of farm accounts, mostly by eastern farmers. 
They have beep very interesting to me, and I have 
thought it might be interesting to some of the eastern 
farmers to read accounts from farmers in Iowa, so 
send you statement of my yearly sales and disburse¬ 
ments. I always balance my accounts the first of March, 
as that is the time farms change hands in this section._ 
My farm consists o: 164 acres, and is five miles from 
a town of 6,000 inhabitants. The farm has all been 
plowed except V /2 acre, which is a little too wet. I 
bought this farm 23 years ago, and paid $36 an acre; 
have put on improvements to the value of $4,600, and 
was offered $16,500 for the farm last Fall. The main 
money crops in this section are milk, hogs and cattle. 
The item for labor is for money I earned assessing the 
township, $100, and the balance is for labor my men did 
for neighbors, etc. I thought it no- more than fair to 
credit the farm with this, as I charged the farm with 
my own labor. 
RECEIPTS. 
Inventory . 
Milk . 
$19,775.00 
1,034.37 
998.75 
316.37 
Hors . 
Cattle . 
Rorrips . 
491.67 
Rees and honey. 
279.91 
Eggs . 
Poultry . 
39.84 
50.66 
potatoes ... 
934.29 
150.84 
PJnntK . 
105.70 
lTnv . 
66.95 
Grain . 
121.04 
88.40 
210.38 
100.00 
Increase in value of farm.. . 
164.00 
DISBURSEMENTS. 
Inventory March 1, 1905. 
$19,753.00 
403.10 
Taxes and insurance. 
(''attic . 
78.21 
148.70 
230.29 
Hired heip. 
Horse feed for help. 
Board for help. 
For my labor. 
664.86 
54.00 
300.00 
360.00 
28.28 
Rent of farm, 184 acres, at $4.25.. 
697.00 
2,224.73 
Total . 
$24,937.17 
Black Hawk Co., Iowa. H. R, brown. 
