©36 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
December 28 
FARMERS’ CLUB 
[Every query must be accompanied by the nam» 
and address of the writer to insure attention. Be¬ 
fore 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.] 
TALKS ABOUT BUCKWHEAT. 
J. M. M.. page 891, would like to know 
about buckwheat. We call it a fine chicken 
food. After chicks get to weigh about one- 
half pound they can be kept almost entirely 
on it. and it would take the place of corn 
for all large birds. It is not a very good 
hog food, but ground it will make a lot of 
thin mflk by feeding cows from two to four 
quarts per day. d. s. 
Connecticut. 
You wan; to hear from buckwheat grow¬ 
ers, page 891. We keep 250 hens, and feed 
considerable buckwheat and like it for part 
of the Winter rations. We do not feed it 
very heavily during the hot weather of 
Summer, and do not feed it to hogs at all. 
We raise buckwheat on our poorer fields, 
(back pasture lots). The yield is liable to 
be somewhat variable, cool weather during 
August being favorable to a good yield 
of grain. Our yield this season from three 
acres was 102 bushels. We have also pur¬ 
chased 50 bushels at $1.60 per hundred 
pounds for hen feed. j. p. 
New York. 
We almost always have a small piece of 
buckwheat for the liens. It is good for the 
land, where it is poor, and we like to see 
the bees on it when it is in bloom. It 
makes good honey. We try to cut before 
it is too ripe, and give it to the hens in the 
Winter and let them thrash it out. It gives 
them something to do when they are shut 
up. It also makes a good litter to throw 
the corn on, along with oat, rye and millet 
chaff. Given with the regular ration I 
have never seen any had effects from it. 
Though it is best kept out of the barn 
and hog pen. Used as a bed for pigs it 
first makes them sore and then kills. It 
makes cattle sick. We think it pays to 
plow it in. . p. w. k. 
Rhode Island. 
1 would advise the Louisiana man to plow 
buckwheat under as soon as possible, and I 
think he will always have plenty of buck¬ 
wheat, as he will find it hard to get rid of 
in that climate. Buckwneat is a cold cli¬ 
mate grain, and a very poor one at that for 
a farmer to grow. It is poison to a hog. It 
makes a good feed for hens or turkeys, if 
fed with corn and oats. There is a grain 
which is largely grown in northern New 
York where it is too cold for corn to be a 
sure crop, called Indian buckwheat, or more 
properly', Negro wheat, that makes good 
hog feed when ground. Buckwheat is con¬ 
sidered a lazy man's crop, or if sown by a 
good farmer it is as a filler. If for any 
reason you cannot get a crop of oats or corn 
on a piece of land in time to he sure of a 
crop then sow buckwheat, or if there is a 
wet piece in your cornfield sow it to buck¬ 
wheat, as it will keep the weeds down and 
lighten up the soil. It Is at the best an 
uncertain crop. It should be sown when 
the chestnut is in full bloom. If when fill¬ 
ing it gets a few hot snnny days it will 
blast and not amount to anything but straw, 
which is useless, as nothing will eat it un¬ 
less starved to it, and it irritates any ani¬ 
mal that lies on it, especially a hog. This 
year ft was a failure with ns in this sec¬ 
tion (Saratoga County), and flour is four 
cents a pound, so we are for the first time 
eating wheat cakes this Winter, f. e. w. 
New York. 
I notice on page 891 an inquiry froci 
Louisiana in relation to buckwheat as a 
feed. I have lived all m.v life (over a half 
century) in the land of buckwheat. I have 
used it as a daily diet for at least eight 
months in the year for all of that time. 
All the people in this part of the State 
do the same. Many of them live principally 
on a diet in which buckwheat occupies an 
important part nearly the year aronnd. 
Most of them find it the most wholesome 
food they can use. If you want to find 
a good healthy hoy, man or woman, who 
have a digestive apparatus that shows 
healthy food all their lives, go among the 
"buckwheaters’’ for them. I believe the 
idea that it affects the human skin is all 
bosh, born of unfounded prejudice. It is 
possible that in rare cases there is founda¬ 
tion for the statement that it originates 
a rash. The allegation was once made in 
my father's family, hut investigation proved 
it was pork or fat, instead of buckwheat 
that caused the eruption. So far as I have 
been able to observe, not one person in one 
hundred is so affected by the use of buck¬ 
wheat. Buckwheat middlings are well 
known as one of the most valuable of 
nitrogenous foods obtainable. They are 
from 23 to 28 per cent protein. When fed 
with corn and oats they are among the 
most valuable of foods. The buckwheat 
contains hut about 8 per cent protein, or 
about the same as oats. Buckwheat is ex¬ 
tensively used in this section in connec¬ 
tion with other feeds as a part of hen diet. 
I never heard of injurious effects from 
feeding buckwheat as a part of the diet of 
cattle, hogs or hens. c. l. peck. 
Pennsylvania. 
Nitrate of Soda on Truck. 
,7. 7?., Florissant, Mo .—Does nitrate of 
soda hasten maturity of trucking crops? 
Ans. —No; nitrate of soda is more 
likely to retard maturity since it forces 
growth of leaf and stems. We have 
kept tomato vines growing and delayed 
ripening by using nitrate of soda late 
in the season. Lime, potash and phos¬ 
phoric acid will quicken maturity. 
Lime or Wood Ashes on Orchard. 
B. B., Stratham, N. If .—Last Spring we 
planted 10 acres of apples, plnms and 
peaches on newly plowed land, commercial 
fertilizers alone being used. The trees were 
repeatedly cultivated and made a very satis¬ 
factory growth except a patch of about an 
acre, where even a cover crop of oats failed 
to grow. I have tested the land and find it 
sour. I have been advised to lime the place, 
hut would not wood ashes be equally as 
good for the sour soil, and at the same time 
add potash for the benefit of the trees? 
Ans. —If that soil is sour the lime 
will help it. The lime and the potash 
in wood ashes will sweeten the soil. A 
ton of unleached wood ashes ought to 
contain about 700 pounds of lime and 
potash—about half as much lime as in 
a ton of average “lime.” Then you 
should use about twice as much of the 
ashes in order to get the neutralizing 
results you would from a ton of lime. 
Grafting Weeping Mulberry. 
IT., Lcxinf/ton, Ky .—Will some one who 
has personal knowledge say whether it is 
practicable lo graft the head of young Rus¬ 
sian mulberries that are 12 to 15 feet high 
with Teas weeping mulberry, and also 
whether the native mulberry is a suitable 
stock for same? Can mulberries he budded 
either at the conventional time or in the 
Spring with dormant buds? It may be of 
Interest to say that persimmons, which do 
not hud kindly at the usual season, will 
make almost a perfect stand using dormant 
bads. 
Ans. —The Teas weeping mulberry 
can can be worked on our native Morus 
rubra, or on Morus multicaulis. In the 
North the common native Red mulber¬ 
ry would be the best stock. There is no 
difficulty in grafting the mulberry, 
and I suppose that the use of dor¬ 
mant buds might be possible, but I 
have never tried this. With persim¬ 
mons I have succeeded best by making 
a ring-bud at the top of the cut-back 
stock. This is to cut out a ring of 
bark and insert a similar ring with the 
bud, and then wax it as in grafting. 
This could be done with dormant buds 
if it was practicable to get the bark with 
the bud off at the time wanted. With 
the mulberries I would use an ordinary 
cleft-graft, putting two grafts on a 
stem not less than seven feet tall. 
w. F. MASSEY 
Keeping Old Ice. 
F. II. S., Bakersville, Conn .—I have an 
icehouse half full of ice. Can I keep it 
through next Summer, and how? Some peo¬ 
ple say it will not keep. 
Ans.— There is no difficulty whatever 
in keeping ice over from one season to 
another. This is done every year, and 
in many cases on a large scale. We 
frequently have occasion to do this in 
connection with our cold storage plants. 
Results are always satisfactory. If the 
ice has been stored in sawdust or other 
packing material remove all packing 
carefully from the ice, digging down at 
the sides to the floor, or to the bottom 
of the lowest tier of ice. It will prob¬ 
ably be found that the pile of ice is 
rounded at the corners and top. It is 
necessary to remove these rounded por¬ 
tions, and in refilling the icehouse, re¬ 
place with new square cakes of ice, and 
build up to the top of the ice remaining 
in the house. The new ice and old ice 
should be brought to exactly the same 
height by hewing off to bring them lev¬ 
el; then the old and new ice may he 
bonded together by placing the first tier 
of ice in such a way as to break joints 
where the new and old ice come togeth¬ 
er. Above the ice may be stacked up in 
(he regular way, alternating the layers 
so as to break joints and form a solid 
bend. Chips and irregular pieces of ice 
must not be used for filling out between 
the new ice and old, as when meltage 
begins, a settlement is likely to occur, 
which may do damage to the house or 
result in airholes which will cause ex¬ 
cessive meltage. In further explana¬ 
tion: If the ice is properly stored in 
the house and properly packed with cov¬ 
ering the meltage of ice will occur on 
top, bottom and sides entirely, or prac¬ 
tically so, and none whatever in the 
center of the pile. This being the case, 
ice in the center of a mass will last in¬ 
definitely. There might be conditions, 
however, where the ice was carelessly 
packed and carelessly covered, that 
would result in a meltage throughout 
the mass, and in this case there might 
be some question about desirability of 
trying to carry it over from one season 
to another. Where the icehouse is 
half full, as above stated, it would seem 
that it would be in the form of a solid 
mass, and that it could be carried over 
without difficulty by following above 
directions. madison cooper. 
Watertown, N. Y. 
WANT TO KNOW. 
Hot Air Engines. —I would like infor¬ 
mation in regard to hot air engines, as 1 
presume that many of them are in use 
by members of the R. N.-Y. familiy. Are they 
reliable? Are they adapted to both deep 
and shallow wells? How long does it take 
to get one started after you fire up? I 
understand that they furnish no power 
other than for pumping. If so this wifi 
lie no objection as we will use one for 
pumping exclusively, tint we must have 
water every day. I have a gasoline en¬ 
gine, hut sometimes it will run and some¬ 
times not. J. H. S. 
Houghton. Mieta. 
R. N.-Y.—While other forms of power 
are being discussed will some of those 
who have used the hot air engines report? 
H. E. VAN DEMAN. 
For the land’s sake use Bowker’s Fer¬ 
tilizers.—They enrich the earth.—Adv. 
The best winter investment 
any dairy farmer ever made 
is a 
DE LAVAL 
CREAM SEPARATOR 
Its use means profit and 
satisfaction combined. 
Send for new catalogue. 
The De Laval Separator Co. 
Randolph & Canal Sts. i 74 Cortlandt Street 
CHICAGO I NEW YORK 
WlfWMWfflJwWWM 7 i! WOT i r i! r i i \ r h i h » o wri 
IHjMWWlliini IIIIIIIIIIIIII mi IIIIIIIIII 
AM 0 \ : \ i! r i i’ \ 0 ’i f 'j C 'j C h i f j <1 r i tj h l f i £ r i t? Mil 
ilEWWWWWMWWWWWWWWWAl! 
tmamentai Fence 
lawns, churches and cemeteries — also heavy 6teeJ 
picket fence—sold direct to consume*. Catalogue Free 
WARD FENCE CO., Box 600, DECATUR, 1ND. 
AN EAR 
Corn 
Grinder 
light power. Will grind ear corn or 
kind ofsmall grain into ideal feed. 
Can be regulated to suit power. Larger 
mills for stronger power. Sweep mills, 
and geared. Write for booklet, 
and guarantee. 
The Star Mfg. Co. 
73 Depot St., New Lexington, Ohio 
SHIP YOUR 
POULTRY EGOS, 
Butter, Squabs, 
Fruits, Vegetables 
-TO- 
PATCH & ROBERTS, 
1117 North Market Street, Boston. 
500,000 
TREES 
100 varieties. Kinds adapted 
to all localities. Tree stock 
finest grown; strong rooted, 
shapely, vigorous. Packed 
for safe delivery everywhere. 
Satisfaction g u a r a n t e e d. 
lew ( ainloffiic quoting prices that please. 
HARRISON’S NURSERIES, Box 29, Berlin. Md. 
TREES - PLANTS 
Fruit, Shade and Ornamental 
No Scale or Diseases 
Illustrated Catalogue Free 
P. J. BERCKMANS CO. me. 
Fruitland Nurseries, Augusia, Georgia. 
^Established 18.10 ____ 
Good Trees! Good Fruit! 
Good fruit comes to him who plants good trees. 
' 1 have the good trees; do you want the good fruit! 
Catalogue and instructions, '‘How to care for trees 
and plants for best results’’ free. Address, 
MARTIN WAHL, Nurseryman, Rochester, N. Y‘ 
BARTLETT 
PEAR TREES 
f Ornamental Trees, Shrubs, 
I Vines, Roses. Evergreens and 
Herbaceous Plants. Readies 
( NELSON 
Extra Fine, 2 Years l Agents Wsnted, 
BOOLE, 
Batavia, N.Y. 
We 
grow them 
by the million. To 
prove they are healt hy and 
vigorous wo otter (5 fine Spruces 2yr. 
old Free to property owners. Mailing 
expense 5 ct., which semi or not. A post¬ 
al will bring them. Catalogue free. 
Nursery Co., Box 66, Osage Iowa.. 
POTATOES.—Bovee, Cobbler. Portune, Harvest, Hint', Raleigh 
Ohio, Reliance, Six Weeks; So kinds. C. W. Ford, Pisltera, N.Y 
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. 
STRAWBERRY PLANTS 
‘—Send for 
__ I Catalogue. 
KKVITT PLANT L ABM, Athenia, N. J. 
IR&HAQE 
FARM AND GARDEN TOOLS. 
Save most time and labor. Do best work. Write for book. 
BATEMAN MFC. CO., Box 102, Crenloch, N. J. 
COIL SPRING FENCE 
Made of high carbon Steel Wire 
Horse-high. Bull-strong, Chick¬ 
en-tight. Sold direct to the 
Farmer at lowest manufac¬ 
turers prices on 30 Days Free 
Trial, freight prepaid. IOOpage 
Catalogue and price-list free. 
KITSELMAN BROS., 
Box 230 MUNCIE, IND. 
FENCE Strongest! 
'Made of High Carbon Double Strength 
IGoIled Wire. Heavily Galvanixed to 
prevent rust. Have no agents. Bell at 
factory price* on 30 days’ free trial. 
We pay all freight. 37 heights of farm 
and poultry fence. Catalog Free. 
COILED SPRING FENCE CO. 
Box 203 Winchester, Indiana 
9 CORDS IN 10 HOURS 
BY ONE MAN, with the FOLDING SAWING MACHINE. It 
saws down trees. Folds like a pocket knife. Saws any kind ot 
timber on any kind of ground. One man can saw more timber 
with it than 2 men in any other way, and do it easier. Send for 
FREE illustrated catalog, showing latest IMPROVEMENTS 
end teMimuiiixls from thousands. First order eecures agency- AddieflO 
FOLDING SAWSNC MACHINE CO., 
168*164 E. Harrison Street, Chicago, llllnol*. 
3GERS TREES “FIT THE LABELS.” 
iBargains in Plum Trees, 
Vines and Plants 
Special low prices on Apple, Peach, Plum and Dwarf Pear Trees, 
Roses, also Asparagus Roots, Currant Bushes and other small fruits. 
Order trees direct from our nursery and save agent’s prouts and 
half your money. 
Everything you want for Orchard, Garden, Lawn or Park. Send 
to-day for Green's Dollar Book on Fruit Growing, also for our Fruit 
Catalog, and a copy of Green’s Fruit Magazine, all a gilt to you. 
One Elberta Peach Tree, one Red Cross Currant 
Bush, one C. A. Green New White Grape Vine, one 
Live-Forever Rose Bush, all delivered at your house by mail for 25 cents* 
GREEN’S SAMPLE OFFER: 
Live-Forever Rose Bush, all delivered 
GREEN’S NURSERY COMPANY. Rochester, N. Y. 
Box 100 
