2 A 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
January 9, 
FARMERS’ CLUB 
[Every query must >e accompanied by the name 
nnd address of the writer to insure attention. Be¬ 
fore asking a question, please see whether it is not 
answered in onr advertising columns. Ask only 
a few questions at one time. Put questions on a 
separate piece of paper.] 
EDISON’S CONCRETE HOUSES. 
Recently The R. N.-Y. printed a state¬ 
ment about the new plan for making con¬ 
crete houses which Thos. E. Edison has 
devised. He has a set of hollow tubes and 
molds so arranged that they can be screwed 
together in the form of a house. When 
complete, liquid concrete is poured in, fill¬ 
ing the entire structure. After the con¬ 
crete is dry the molds are removed, leaving 
the complete house. There has been so 
much interest in the matter that Mr. Edi¬ 
son has prepared the following explana¬ 
tion : 
I now have a model, one-fourth the 
size of the house, designed by New 
York architects. This Winter I shall 
construct iron molds, and devise ma¬ 
chinery, whereby a full-sized house can 
he cast in 12 hours after the molds 
are in position. At the end of six days 
the iron molds arc removed and the 
house will be complete, including stairs, 
partitions, mantels, bath, etc., and after 
drying six days will probably be ready 
for occupancy. To build this house for 
$1,000, it is essential that it be erected 
on sandy soils, as the material exca¬ 
vated for the cellar is all that is re¬ 
quired to build the house, except, of 
course, the cement. The cost of the 
iron molds will be about $2f),000, the 
cost of the other machinery about $15,- 
000. From this outfit an unlimited 
number of houses can be erected. But 
houses cannot be erected for the price 
named, with a single mold, as the ma¬ 
chinery and the men would be idle sev¬ 
eral days. But, if say molds for six 
houses were used, the machinery and 
men would be kept in continuous em¬ 
ployment; erecting from 10 to 12 
houses monthly. The patterns which I 
am making are so devised that the same 
patterns can be used to make over 16 
different types of houses. It is probable 
that companies will be formed, who will 
have several molds, each of a different 
design and will go actively into busi¬ 
ness. I have not gone into this with 
the idea of making money from it. and 
will be glad to license reputable parties 
to make molds and erect houses, with¬ 
out any payment on account of patents. 
The only restriction being, that the de¬ 
signs of the houses be satisfactory to 
me, and that they shall use good ma¬ 
terial; but nothing will be done until 
the experimental house is erected. 
MULCHING A STRAWBERRY CROP. 
Owing 1o press of other business T did : 
not get my field of strawberries tucked 
away for the Winter until late in Novem¬ 
ber. Fortunately the mild open Fall pre¬ 
vented any injury because of my tardiness. 
This field of berries is one-tenth of an 
acre, growing in hills one foot by two 
feet. Before the ground became frozen 
about November 15, I put a man through 
the rows two foot way with a horse and 
cultivator. Two old shoes on front, fol¬ 
lowing two shoes were taken off. and on 
the rear a large shoe was placed to dig 
deep and make a furrow. This operation 
was followed shortly with a mulch of green 
New York City horse manure, 20 tons at 
.$1.60 per ton, with one-half mile to haul. 
In turn the manure was covered with salt 
or meadow hay, of which I used eight 
team loads at $5 per load. At present the 
field has the appearance of being a mat 
of hay several inches deep. That late cul¬ 
tivation was given for two reasons, viz.: 
this field is level with one or two slight 
depressions capable of holding surface 
water when the ground is frozen. The 
deep furrow and heavy mulch will prevent 
hard freezing in the bottom of furrow, and 
will let the water pass through quickly. 
As the mulch will remain on next Spring 
and the ground had become somewhat hard. 
1 thought it would be well to loosen it 
somewhat, thereby being in better condition 
to retain moisture at a critical time if 
needed. I will send a boy over the field 
next Spring, drawing the mulch from di¬ 
rectly over the plants. 
I am not afraid of getting too much 
fodder into my soil for strawberries or 
anything else. I would not use it too 
heavily as a mulch, however, as it would 
lie too close and perhaps kill the plants. 
Did that heavy shoe on the cultivator, in 
going so deep, injure the plants by de¬ 
stroying some roots? I think not, for sev¬ 
eral times throughout the growing season 
it was put through the rows, after which 
the hoeing made all level again. From past 
experience I have learned that for one to 
get large profits from strawberries I must 
have courage to follow out my ideas and 
pay heavily for labor, manure, etc., before 
picking a berry. geo. e. hart. 
Long Island. 
A Free 
Handbook on 
Gardening 
—I wrote it myself and 
some people who claim to 
know about such things 
say that it is really worth 
while. 
•—Twenty years of 
gardening and seed 
growing have taught 
me a few valuable ies- 
sons, and I am willing 
to give them to you free. 
—While I am out for all tho btisi- 
ness 1 can get fairly and honestly, 
if 1 can help you over some of tho 
rough places I will fool better. 
—If you have had trouble with 
any special crop, I can help you. I don't 
claim to know everything, but what 1 do 
know is at your service. 
—More than that, I will send you 
free samples of seed of varieties specially 
suited to yoilr conditions. Tell mo what 
you want most, and I will send it with my 
compliments. 
—Ploaso address mo personally. 
HENRY FIELD, Pres. 
Henry Field Seed Go » 
Box 26, Shenandoah, la. 
|j P. S—I forgot to say, 1 am in the seed 
P business and want to sell you your 
* supply of seeds. But tho catalog will 
tell you all al>outit. Send for it.—H. F. 
gardeners 
free copy of my 1909 Catalog 
It tells all about “SiokcM' Miimliird*”—“the 
weds for crops,” It explains my unique system 
of selling them; shows photographs of actual 
specimens grown from them, and gives coin* 
plete planting directions so as to insure you re¬ 
sults equally asgood. “Stokes’Standards” are 
the finest strains of the very best varieties of 
vegetables and flowers, brought to perfection 
after thousands of tests made during my more 
than 20 years’ practical experience. 
The Bonny Best Early Tomato 
is one of the “Stokes Standard*.” It’s a large, 
prolific, full-red, spicy tomato that is ready for 
the table before other varieties. 
Special 10c.Trial Offer:— send me loc.in stamps 
or coil)—and mention this ning-n/.ino—nnd 1 will semi 
you my new catalog and three 10c. packets of seed— 
one each ofmy “Bonny Best” Early Tomatoes, “Stoke** 
Standard” Sweet 1’eas and “Stokes’ Standard” Single 
Poppy (the famous Luther Burbank strain). Each ia 
unequalled in its class. 
STOKES’ SEED STORE 
DIBBLE’S 
Farm Seed 
CATALOG FOR 1909 
the leading Farm Seed hook of the year, is now 
ready for distribution. The cover design, printed 
in three colors, is a thing of beauty and the inside 
is handsomely illustrated with numerous half 
tones showing our seeds as they are. 
We are headquarters for Seed Potatoes, Seed 
Corn, Seed Oats, Alfalfa, Clover, Timothy, etc., 
and sell direct from our 1200-acre Seed Farms to 
yours at the lowest possible prices. 
The catalog is Free. Address 
EDWARD F. DIBBLE, Seedgrower, 
Box C, Honeoye Falls, N. Y. 
C LOVER SEED $6.25—Timothy, Onion Rets, Garden 
Seeds. Buy Direct. Glick’s Seed Farm, Lancaster, Pa. 
ccen nJITC-Hbjh-yielding. hardy, sure 
aCC.U UM I O cropper, "GO-DAY." Made 
87’v BUSHELS PER ACRE in Illinois. Highest 
yielder at Ill. Exp. Sta. for three years, and second 
highest in Ohio for last five years. Samples and 
catalogue free. L. 0. BROWN, Corn and Oats 
Specialist, La Grange, Cook Co., Illinois. 
ARfiFNTFUIL (French) Asparagus Roots 
nllui.li i bulk from imported seed; resistive 
to rust; large shoots; one year selected, $5.00 per 
M„ No. 2 $2.50; packed f. o. 1>. E. LAURENS 
BEEKMAN, Middletown, Mon. Co., New Jersey 
MEWGATE YELLOW 
I"ew crop. 
FLINT CORN 
SELECTED. 
161 bushel per acre on cob, 113 shelled. Price $2.50 
per bushel; 75 cents per peck. 
E. E. BURWELL, New Haven, Conn. 
S TRAWBERRY PLANTS—Rclial)le,nioney-niaking 
varieties, only $1.00 and $1.7.7 per 1000. New 1900 cata¬ 
logue Free. S. A. VIRGIN, Hartley, Delaware. 
THE ENORMOUS YIELD of 50.000 quarts ot 
*■ Strawberries now growing by my system on 
one acre. Send for CHART. 
KEVJTT’S PLANT FARM. Atlienia, N. J. 
STRAWBERRY PLANTS 
Send $2.00 for 1000 plants: 40 varieties finest 
Tennessee grown. Free catalog. John Light- 
foot, Dept. 36, E. Chattanooga, Tenn. 
850,000 
GRAPEVINES 
60 Yarletlog. Also Kmnll Fruits. Trees. Ac. Best Root¬ 
ed Stock. Genuine, cheap. 2 sample vines mailed for toe. 
Descriptive price-list free, Lewis Kocscli,iiox K ,Fi e(lonia,N.r 
|f| Grapevines <g| Afi 
V Sent Postpaid v 
— Strong, Hardy, Two-Year-Old Vines — 
A remarkable collection of grapevines at an ex- 
exceedingly low price. Rest varieties—red. white, 
black—just what the town man or the farmer needs 
for planting along fences and buildings. Vines can 
be arranged to cover unsightly places with beauti¬ 
ful foliage and ai the same time furnish fresh 
grapes for the table. We also offer 
5 Three-Year-Old Vines for $1.00 
These are strong, hardy vines, and will bear the 
year afler planting. Order now and vines will lie 
sent proper time to plant. With every order is sent 
free our valuable book bow to plant, cultivate and 
prune. Grapes are easily grown and should be in 
every garden. 
T. S. HUBBARD COMPANY, 
Grapevine Specialisls, Fredonia, N. Y. 
Established 42 years. 
The U. S. POMOLOGIST 
COL. GEO. B. BRACKETT, says: 
“I always told you I consider Delicious the 
best of all 'varieties you have introduced .” 
COMPLIMENTARY SPECIMENS 
of this famous Stark Delicious apple will be sent 
on request. Delicious is the greatest quality ap¬ 
ple of the day; selling at 50* more than Jonathan. 
Delicious trees are healthy, hardy, dependable 
everywhere, and bear incomparable quality fruit 
Without Delicious no orchard is complete. Send 
for the apples and our book "The Apple Delicious ’ 
which show’s Delicious and King David in full 
color and tells about other profitable sorts. Stark 
Trees are best; grown on scientific principles in 
our 10 nurseries and each tree has the Stark reputa¬ 
tion of 84 years behind it. Stock is most com¬ 
plete and of highest quality; apple, peach, pear, 
cherry, plum, grape, gooseberry, currant, black¬ 
berry, roses, Norway Maple, etc.,—everjtfhing. 
Write today for the Stark Fruit Book. 
STARK BRO’S Box 35, Louisiana, Mo. 
Absolutely Pure, No Weeds. 
j Ex. Gov. Hoard of Wisconsin, from 30 acres I 
sown to Salzer’s 20th Century Alfalfa, harvested 
within 24 weeks afterseeding $2500.00 worth j 
of magnificent hay.orat the rate of over $80.001 
per acre. Big seed catalog free: or, send 10c! 
in stamps for sample of this Altai fa, also Billion 
I Dollar Grass, Oats, Wheat, Barley, etc. Or, 
[send 14c and we add a sample farm seed | 
[ novelty never seen before by you. 
THE SALZER SEED CC., LaCrosso, Wis. j 
Burpee’s 
The Leading American 
Seed Catalogue For 1909! 
i The “ Silent Salesman ” of the World’s Largest 
Mail Order Seed Trade is a New BOOK of 174 
pages. It describes Rare Novelities which can 
not lie had elsewhere and tells the plain truth 
about the Best Seeds that can he grown,—as 
proved at our famous Fordhook Farms,— the 
largest and most complete Trial Grounds in 
America. Handsomely bound in covers litho¬ 
graphed in nine colors it shows, with tho beautiful 
colored plates (also in nine colors) Seven Choice 
Novelities in Vegetables, Three Suberb "Spencer” 
Sweet Peas and the most beautiful New Giant- 
flowered Pansies,—all accurately painted from 
nature. With hundreds of illustrations from pho¬ 
tographs and carefully written descriptions it is A 
Safe Guide to success in the garden and should 
be consulted by every one who plants either for 
pleasure or profit. While too costly a book to send 
unsolicited (except to onr regular customers), we 
are pleased to mail it FREE to every one who 
has a narden and can appreciate Quality in 
Seeds. Shall we mail You a copy ? If so, kindly 
name this paper and write TO-DAY ! 
W. ATLEE BURPEE & CO. 
“Boddington s Bountiful 
Is the Onion for Me” 
‘“Good from the Ground Up.’ I grew these magnificent 2- 
pound onions from Boddington’s Quality Seeds- several 2% 
pound ones.” For onions like these, sow indoors in January. 
5 Packets Quality Seeds, 25 Cents 
Postpaid, one full-size packet each of Bodclington’s Bounti¬ 
ful Onion, Early Model Red Globe Beet, 
Model Snowball Turnip, I'«r!y of Eariics 
Cabbage, and May King Cabbage Let¬ 
tuce. With each order we semi you a 
REBATE CHECK FOR A QUARTER 
To apply on orders for $i.oo worth or 
more of seeds or Bulbs from Bod- 
dington’s Garden Guide, a unique 
T 44 -pagc catalogue, handsomely illus¬ 
trated with engravings from life, beautiful 
color insert, art cover and concise cultural 
directions. Garden Guide mailed lrcc. 
ARTHUR T. BODDINGTON, Seedsman 
Dept. R, 342 West 14Ji Street 
X'tra Selected 
Home 
Grown 
True to 
Name. 
EARLIANA TOMATO-Special Stock; New 
Crop. Price per oz., 50c.; per *4 lb., $1.75. 
E. E. BURWELL, - New Haven, Conn. 
for onr special prices of Farm Seeds' 
dCHU Oats, Corns and Potatoes. Fine Stock. 
SMITH BROS., Seedsmen, Auburn, N.-Y. 
GREEN’S TREES GROW. 
“Success is simply doing something 
better than anybody else has done it.’’ 
A big business does not grow in a day or 
year. Diligence and upright dealing is 
required. 
Thirty years ago our business was 
started on a farm 12 miles west of 
Rochester, N. Y. Year by year it has 
kept up a steady growth. Today ours is 
the largest mail order nursery in the 
world. All orders are received through 
the mails. We employ no agents. We 
have four farms devoted to the best hardy 
trees, shrubs and plants, 
large packing and stor¬ 
age houses. Our long 
list of pleased patrons 
everywhere tell of fair 
dealing. 
We now have a big 
supply of plum, cherry, 
pear, apple and other 
trees in three sizes, the largest for the 
rich planter. The medium size for those 
who want a good orchard planting size, 
and a smaller grade for the man who 
knows that with good care he can catch up 
with those who bought the larger sizes. 
We have carloads of Carolina Poplars, 
flowering shrubs, roses, evergreens, 
grape vines and small fruit plants. Do 
not forget that we will make you special 
prices on many items we have in large 
lots. Send for free catalog. Green's 
Burpee Building, PHILADELPLIA, U.S.A. 
Nursery Co., Rochester, N. Y. — Adv. 
of all the desirable varieties. We liave grown a large stock to meet the needs of onr customers, 
old and new for Spring, 1909, delivery. It is a distinct advantage to you to place your order early. 
send r o r catalogue:. 
BAIUNTES BROS, Box8,Yalesville, Conn, 
GENUINE 
Thomas Phosphate Powder 
(BASIC SLAG PHOSPHATE) 
MAKES CLOVER AND ALFALFA GROW where they 
have refused to grow before. 
Gives Vigorous and Healthy Foliage to Your Fruit Trees, 
and High-Colored, Long-Keeping Fruit, 
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS 
17 to 19% Phosphoric Acid 35 to 50% Lime 
THE PRICE IS LOW 
Prices and Special Booklet, sent promptly if you mention Tnn Rural New-Yorker. 
THE COE-MORTINIER COMPANY 
Special Importers of THOMAS PHOSPHATE POWDER 
Sole Manufacturers of E. FRANK COE FERTILIZERS and PERUVIAN BRANDS 
24 STONE STREET, 
NEW YORK CITY 
