1909. 
THE RURAI> NEW-YORKER 
106 
THE VALUE OF SWAMP MUCK. 
On page 82 is a note about swamp 
muck. I will not venture an opinion 
on the value of swamp muck on agri¬ 
cultural lands. If I were going to use 
it in this way I’d compost it first, say, 
for a year at least. But for trees and 
shrubs either in the nursery or in per¬ 
manent plantings I have found it most 
excellent. In every case, however, I 
have composted it for one or more 
years before using; then when used for 
nursery purposes have spread it thickly, 
three inches or more over the ground, 
and plowed it in; for tree specimens 
have mixed it with the good soil to be 
filled into the holes, say, one-fourth of 
the composted muck to three-fourths of 
the ordinary filling. Tree roots take 
to it admirably; they seem to love it. 
In the case of heavy loam or clay soils 
composted muck is excellent for open¬ 
ing or lightening the ground. In pre¬ 
paring the great Arnold Arboretum at 
Boston for planting the director, Prof. 
C. S. Sargent, used the composted muck 
from a swamp very largely in the tree 
holes before planting the specimen 
trees. See now their magnificent growth 
and proportions! william falconer. 
R. N.-Y.—Our experience shows that 
Mr. Falconer is right in this estimate of 
muck. It should first be well composted 
if we expect any benefit from it the 
year it is used. As stated before, we 
have put the raw muck around trees in 
the Winter and put lime on top of it 
in Spring. 
Crimson Clover in New York. 
How far north in New York State 
can we sow Crimson clover in the corn 
and expect success ? 
I suppose there .is no locality in the 
State of New York where Crimson 
clover is the success that it is in south¬ 
ern New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, 
etc. Yet there are localities where it 
does fairly well. I have seen splendid 
crops on certain portions of Long 
Island in the sandy soil. The farthest 
north that I am positive of its having 
been a decided success is with George 
T. Powell, in Columbia County. I think 
it is more a question of adaptation of 
soil in our State than of climate. New 
York is beyond the limit of its most 
satisfactory culture, but where the soil 
is favorable it is still possible to grow 
Crimson clover but without this favor¬ 
able soil it is very uncertain. Here 
in Ithaca, we find it too uncertain to 
warrant our paying much attention to 
it. although we have had a few excel¬ 
lent successes with it. I think I have 
seen fine stands of Crimson clover in 
Oswego County, but only where the soil 
conditions were favorable. 
J. L. STONE. 
HOW MUCH OF THE DOLLAR? 
I have been much interested in the 
articles on how much of the dollar the 
farmer gets; I have been trying to get as 
much of the said dollar as possible for the 
last 39 years. I think the farmers are 
somewhat to blame for that. If a farmer 
has a big crop of a certain kind, for in¬ 
stance, apples, and ships them to a com¬ 
mission house, he should remember the 
commission man will not handle them for 
the fun of the thing. He is in the com¬ 
mission business to make money, and when 
the retailer gets the apples he is in for the 
same purpose. About three years ago I 
had a crop of apples, I was not feeling very 
well at the time, and thought if I dis¬ 
posed of the apples at a fair price I would 
do so. I had about 1,200 bushels, hand¬ 
picked, consisting of Baldwin, Ilubbardston, 
Walbridge, Wealthy and Smith’s Cider, so 
put an advertisement in a Pittsburg paper, 
telling what I had to sell. In a few days 
I got a letter inquiring for prices on the 
lot. I answered the letter and gave the 
price 35 cents per bushel in the orchard. 
The inquirer wrote me again telling me to 
ship him a carload right away. I wrote 
him asking him to come or send some one 
to see the apples, as I didn’t care to 
ship them before inspection. He wrote me 
hadn’t the time, but to ship them anyway. 
That closed that transaction, as I did not 
ship. I then went to one of our local 
commission men and told him what I had. 
He wanted to know my price and I told 
him 35 cents. He said he would come 
up and see them. He came and he told me 
that he didn’t think there was an orchard 
in this neighborhood that had as nice a 
lot of apples. lie said the apples were all 
nice and seemed to be all right, but my 
price was too high. I asked him how 
much he was willing to pay for them. He 
said 25 cents per bushel and we were to 
help pick them off the ground and put them 
on his wagons. I thought I might as well 
put them on my own wagon and sell them 
myself. I then went to some of our local 
storekeepers and offered them at the same 
price they were paying the commission 
men. One of them told me afterwards that 
I was about 10 cents per bushel higher 
than the commission men but he kept on 
buying and has bought from me ever since 
when I called on him. I often see farmers 
come to town with a load of produce, and 
if they don’t happen to strike the market 
right and make a sale they will go around 
to people and offer their products at re¬ 
tail for the same as the storekeepers pay 
wholesale. I think if the farmer will 
study his own market and offer a good 
article at the regular market price lie will 
get his share of the dollar; it is the 
middle man who gets the dollar the farmer 
should have. I never have anything to 
bring back home that I take to town to 
sell. I have about 55 acres, and my sales 
average from $1,200 to $1,500 per year. 
Beaver Falls, ra. j. s. 
Subduing a Swamp. 
8. J. F.j AJcrotij O .—I have a piece of 
swamp that is ditched, but has never been 
worked. What would be the best crop to 
pht on it to work out the wild vegetation? 
Ans. —If the swamp has been drained 
so that it can be worked properly we 
would plant corn the first season and 
give good cultivation. Then you can 
use a coat of lime and seed to grass. 
Destroying Stumps; Leaf Mold. 
8. F„ Ohestei-j N. J. — 1. Some time ago 
you published a little article telling how to 
destroy old stumps with some sort of acid. 
1 cannot find that particular paper, though 
I have all of the others, and I have a few 
unsightly stumps in a field that would be 
much better for their absence. I thought I 
would try that particular method of get¬ 
ting rid of them. 2. Has old leaf mold 
that has lain undisturbed for years any 
particular value as a fertilizer, aside from 
potting house plants, etc.? I am using it 
in the gutters behind my cows as a sort 
of absorbent for the liquids. I do not 
think that it would injure the manure 
any; I thought it might help some. 
Ans. —There is some mistake about 
this stump-destroying scheme. We have 
not advised the use of acid or salt¬ 
petre, but have shown that such “pro¬ 
cesses” do not pay. This so-called ad- 
Hce goes through the papers every 
year. We have never given it. Pull 
the stumps or blast them out, or burn 
them by keeping a fire burning on the 
windward side. The leaf mold -is val¬ 
uable worth as much as manure when 
sweetened. It is usually too sour to 
nse at once. You are making good use 
°f it. It will absorb the liquids and 
these will help sweeten the mold. It 
will all help the manure. 
Gel A NEW HOLLAND 
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The price is low 
but the mill Is the 
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dealers to sell It on 
trial. Ask you r 
dealer. If he does 
not keep it, write 
us. We will give 
you the name of _ 
another nearby dealer to see, or ship you th_ mill 
you want from our factory or Western branch to 
save time and freight. 
One of them will just fit your ease. We want to 
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runs easier and does better work than any other 
mill, regardless of price. 
Adaptable to all kinds of power. Furnished w ith 
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■ Box 13 New Holland, Pa. 
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Practical field tests with the fertilizing elements, Potash, Phos¬ 
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CORN 
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Largest Manufacturers of Iron and Steel Hooting in the World. 
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/Box 1107-Philadelphia, Pa 
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CLARK’S REVERSIBLE DI C\\\T 
CUTAWAY SULKY^ 1 ^ FLUW 
The Only PERFECT REVERSIBLE 
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CLARKS 
Cutaway 
tools 
Is controlled at the end of the furrow 
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For many years the favorite because it is “the 
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137 Central Ave., Millington, N. J. 
