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ONIONS FOR WINTER KEEPING. 
F. Jl. P., Montclair, Y. ./.— For several 
years past I have had great trouble in 
keeping my onions from rotting early in the 
season, in fact, a large number of those 
I grew last Summer are already in that 
condition. My onions are all grown from 
“sets,” and I have recently been told that 
such onions are only fit to be used in the 
Summer or early in the Fall, and to get 
good Wlnter-keepirig onions it is necessary 
to grow them from seed. Will you advise 
me if this is correct, and if so, what is the 
best method for growing them from seed? 
Should they be planted in a greenhouse 
and transplanted in the Spring to their 
permanent place in the garden? We have 
grown a fine lot of onions this year, and 
they were properly dried off for several 
months. 
Ans. —Onions when grown from sets 
will not keep in Winter, and it is a loss 
of time to attempt it. The sets of 
course have already passed through one 
Winter, to give them an early start the 
following Spring, and of course they 
mature the bulbs in Summer, while the 
weather is very hot, and entirely too 
early for Winter keeping. They invari¬ 
ably rot or exhaust themselves in sprout¬ 
ing. For Winter use they must be grown 
from seed, sown early as the ground can 
be worked in the Sprinjg. Ground ma¬ 
nured the previous Fall usually gives the 
best results, and such varieties as Yellow 
Globe Danvers, and Red Globe are con¬ 
sidered the best of keepers. A side dress¬ 
ing of nitrate of soda giver excellent re¬ 
sults when used on the onion bed. There 
is but one variety of onion that is im¬ 
proved by starting under glass, that is 
the Prizetaker. The season is too short 
in this latitude for this variety, and 
starting the seed early in March in green¬ 
house or frame, and transplanting to the 
open in May will give much larger on¬ 
ions than can be grown by any other 
method, and is entirely satisfactory. 
_T. M. WHITE. 
HANDLING SOIL IN DELAWARE. 
C. F. ][., Brooklyn > N. Y .— We have a 
1 O-acre farm which is considered a very 
good little farm ; has plenty of fruit, berries 
and asparagus. We have just bought it 
and intend to move on it in Spring, so would 
like to know what kind of fertilizer I should 
use for corn and potatoes; also for straw¬ 
berries. The farm is in Delaware, and is 
a light sandy loam ; grows good crops of all 
kinds, but was somewhat disappointed with 
our pear trees. This Summer they were 
covered with fruit so full we had to shake 
some of them off to keep them from break¬ 
ing the trees, but the leaves got all yellow ; 
four or five trees were affected this way, 
and I believe they died. 1 would like to 
know the cause of this. 
Ans. —One of the most unsatisfactory 
things one is called upon to do is to 
advise in regard to the fertilization of a 
soil, of which I can know hardly any¬ 
thing, except in a very general way. 
You say that your land is in Delaware. 
Now Delaware is a very small State, 
but in going from its northern to its 
southern end one will meet as many 
varieties of soil as are found on the 
whole Atlantic coast. Assuming that 
your place is in the southern or truck¬ 
ing section .of the State, I would say 
that its greatest need is for humus or 
organic decay, and no commercial fer¬ 
tilizer will furnish this directly. Our 
growers here (six miles south of the 
lower end of Delaware), find that they 
cannot depend on commercial fertilizers 
alone for many of their crops, hut can 
afford to use New York stable manure 
at a cost of $2.75 per ton delivered at 
railroad station. This furnishes humus¬ 
making material which the fertilizers 
lack. As a general truck fertilizer for 
sandy soils I worked out the following 
from experiments in the sand hill sec¬ 
tion of North Carolina: acid phosphate 
000 pounds; nitrate of soda 100 pounds; 
fish scrap 600 pounds; muriate of potash 
400 pounds to make a ton. This is used 
at rate of from 500 to 1,500 pounds per 
acre, according to the crop on which it 
is used and the condition of the soil. 
You can build up that soil through the 
use simply of acid phosphate and potash 
applied to the soil for growing cow peas 
to be made into hay for feeding, and to 
be followed by Crimson clover to plow 
THE K UHA L 
under in the Spring. But in setting 
strawberries now you will have to use 
the commercial fertilizer liberally, and 
after getting one or at best two crops 
of berries, the strawberry plants will 
heln you get the humus. Then do not 
fall into the common error of inexperi¬ 
enced people going to the country, that 
because you can keep a dozen hens with 
some profit, you can keep a thousand. 
This country is dotted over with the 
wrecks of poultry enterprises. Your 
pear trees probably were affected by 
fire blight, but of course I could not say 
positively without seeing them. 
_w. F. MASSEY, 
Manure for Mulching Strawberries. 
I notice in The R. N.-Y. inquiries in 
reference to the proper mulching of 
strawberries and I think perhaps my ex¬ 
perience might be of value to some, as 
it extends back over many years. I, use 
horse manure bought by the carload in 
New York City at about the time I want 
to apply it, as I prefer it fresh from the 
stables rather than have it decomposed. 
I aim to cover the vines two or three 
inches deep with this manure, not put¬ 
ting any between the rows until the 
coarser parts are raked off the rows in 
the Spring. T never had any damage re¬ 
sult from this covering, or even from a 
thicker covering, which will occasionally 
occur in spreading it on. Last season, 
Fall of 1908, I spread 100 tons on 4)4 
acres, and not a plant was injured, but 
a most vigorous growth was the result. 
I never use manure for mulching where 
leaves or shavings are used for bedding, 
nor do I like rotted manure for this 
purpose. I have sometimes used straw 
when I could get it cheap, but there is no 
fertility in it, and I am always in fear 
of its getting burned over. 
WALTER F. TABER. 
Dutchess Co., N. Y. 
Apple Pomace as Manure. 
A. C. P., Bouthbridge, Mans .—1 wish to 
know the value of apple pomace as com¬ 
pared with cow manure; also if it is of 
any value as a fertilizer for corn. Would 
it do to dump 10 or 12 loads down the 
scuttle and let the manure drop on top of 
it? Is if of any value to an apple orchard 
applied clear? My main crop is field corn. 
I can get all of the pomace I want for 
carting 2% miles. Is it worth it? 
Ans. —Judged by its plant food, we 
consider the pomace or cider mill refuse 
worth about three-quarters as much as 
average manure. As it comes from the 
mill it is often too sour to be of much 
benefit. We shall haul considerable of 
it this Winter, and spread under the 
apple trees, scattering lime over it as 
spread. We shall also experiment with 
it on land to be plowed next Spring for 
strawberries. We pay $0 cents a load 
at the cider mill—over two miles away. 
Your plan of mixing the pomace with 
the manure seems like a good one. W e 
should expect the manure to sweeten 
the pomace and make it very suitable 
for plant food. 
Poison in Wild Cherry Leaves. 
I might offer a warning to some who 
may not know. It is to the effect that 
wilted wild cherry leaves or peach tree 
leaves will kill cattle or horses. I lost 
a fine cow that way the past season. 
a. c. p. 
R. N.-Y.—We receive inquiries every 
year concerning the mysterious poison¬ 
ing of cattle, which proves to be due to 
wilted cherry leaves. The poison is 
formed by the action of two non-poison- 
ous substances present in the plant ; un¬ 
der certain conditions these compounds 
liberate prussic acid, a deadly poison. 
The fresh leaves are considered harm¬ 
less, the poison being formed as they be¬ 
gin to wither, but as it is volatile it soon 
passes off: hence it is only the partially 
withered leaves that are poisonous. The 
foliage of all the wild cherries is to be 
regarded with suspicion. The fruit is 
harmless, but the seeds or kernels are 
poisonous. The chief symptoms of 
black cherry poisoning In cattle are 
labored respiration, diminished pulse, 
numbness, fright, protruding eyeballs. 
IS! E W-YORKER 
convulsions, and death from paralysis 
of the lungs. There is always a percep¬ 
tible prussic acid odor (like bitter al¬ 
mond) in the breath. Death ensues very 
rapidly. We have no information re¬ 
garding cattle poisoning by peach leaves. 
Alfalfa Rack. —The picture of the 
feeding rack shown below, is taken 
from a bulletin of the Colorado Experi¬ 
ment Station, written by Prof. FI. M. 
Cottrell. This description is given: ‘‘The 
rack is made of 1 x 4 inch stuff. It is 
three feet high, six feet long and 16 
inches wide. The top is open, the ends 
solid, and the four-inch slats have four- 
inch spaces between them. The trough 
is four inches deep and extends seven 
inches beyond the bottom of the rack.” 
Plant Culti'iie, by George IV. Oliver, 
Propagator to the Bureau of Plant, Indus¬ 
try. U. S. Department of Agriculture. This 
is a particularly useful book, which lias 
been revised, and is now issued in a second 
edition. It gives an enormous mass of 
information in a condensed form, discussing 
all those practical points that are likely to 
interest the cultivator. It touches upon 
an immense variety of plants of all classes, 
hardy or tender, tint! will he found of espe¬ 
cial value to those entering the nursery 
and greenhouse business. There is a copious 
index, and it long list: of illustrations. A 
reliable manual of plant culture and propa¬ 
gation. Published by the A. T. De La Mare 
Printing & Pub. Co., New York. Price $1. 
The School Garden Book, by Clarence 
M. Weed, of the State Normal School, 
Lowell, Mass., and Philip Emerson, of Cob- 
bet Grammar School, Lynn, Mass. Nature 
study and school gardening are both assum¬ 
ing a prominent place in modern education, 
and the new teaching creates a demand for 
new text-books. “The School Garden Hook” 
takes the garden month by month, giving 
a calendar of operations, with explicit di¬ 
rections for various linos of work. The 
descriptive matter is so clearly written, and 
with such evident practical knowledge, that 
the book would prove very useful to any 
beginner in the garden, whether young ot 
old; indeed, one may go to many a preten¬ 
tious volume without finding the specific 
information conveyed by this little book. 
It is freely illustrated, and contains an 
excellent index. Published by Charles 
Scribner’s Sons. New York. Price $1.25. 
December 25 , 
Rich Lands In Florida. 
C, This cut shows a reproduction in miniature of 
a beautiful two color 
booklet, sent free to 
you, describing the 
magnificent opportu¬ 
nities offered fruit 
and vegetable 
growers in Florida 
Fine climate, two to 
three crops a year. 
Yields $500 to $1500 
net per acre. 
J, W. WHITE, Gen’l Ind. Agent, 
Seaboard Air Line Railway, 
Norfolk. - Virginia. 
WE WILL SEND YOU THIS 
CARPET SWEEPER 
If you send us a Club of 5 New 
Yearly Subscriptions at SI.00 each. 
Hand-nibbed and polished; nickel-plated 
trimmings; roller bearings—making sweeper 
run easy: a simple patented Brush Release 
allows easy removal of brush without spring¬ 
ing or bending the end-hand. The brushes 
are made of Chinese bristles, the hardiest 
best wearing stock. 
A HANDSOME, SERVICEABLE, 
LABOR SAVING ARTICLE. 
Sent express paid upon receipt of $5.00 for five strictly 
new subscriptions to THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
409 PEARL ST., NEW YORK CITY. 
SAVE MONEY 
On Your Binder Twine 
The Better Twines are now Cheaper Than 
“ Standard 99 or Sisal 
The users of binder twine can save a million dollars next harvest by buying the twines 
in which Manila hemp is used instead of buying Sisal, or “Standard” made from Sisal. 
There has been a big upheaval in the twine business this year owing to speculation 
and the corner in Sisal. There are only two kinds of fiber that are much used in twine, 
Manila and Sisal. If speculators establish a monopoly of these fibers it will mean exor¬ 
bitant prices for twine in a short time, and millions of dollars out of the farmers’ pockets. 
You twine-users can prevent this—simply by refusing to buy any twine made from 
Sisal. You will at the same time get cheaper and better twine 
But you must act sio'w. Don’t wait till spring—Don’t wait till next week. Go nous 
and tell your dealer that you must have twine next season which will run 550, 600 or 650 
feet to the pound. (Such twine is made largely from Manila hemp 'which is the best of fibers* 
Sisal isn’t good enough nor strong enough to make twine more than 500 feet per pound.) 
Do exactly what we say. We have made a careful study of the situation; we are 
sure our advice is correct and we give it to you in all honesty. Whether you buy 
PLYMOUTH twine orsomeother be sure to get a grade running 550 feet or more per pound. 
It is not out of place, however, for us to recommend two brands of twine, either of 
which will give you the highest degree of satisfaction. They are : 
Plymouth “Extra * 9 
Plymouth “Superior** 
Either of these twines is far superior to “Standard” or Sisal. They are stronger, 
smoother and they save time because the greater length in the ball will tie many more 
bundles without stopping to refill the twine box. 
It is reported that some manufacturers of Light Creen Tag 
twine are interested in the movement in Sisal 
to which we have referred. Whatever may 
be the case regarding other manufacturers, 
this company has absolutely no part in it. 
On the contrary, we are using every 
effort to maintain an open market. We 
wish to secure our raw material without 
paying tribute to any Mexican or other 
monopoly, so jhat we can supply twine to 
our customers at a reasonable cost. 
Wouldn’t you like to know 
more about these matters ? Then 
just drop us a line saying “Send 
Twine Booklets. ” 
Pink Tag 
■-V 
mm 
*53 
c„ 650 it. ttr it. 
PLYMOUTH CORDAGE CO., 
Entirely Independent. Established 1812. 
IVORTH PLYMOUTH, MASS. 
a 
a sUPKKIOR 
Average length per In. 
600 It. 
Guaranteed 
y Vegetable \ 
\GROWtNG I N't? 
w " lANATtZE’ 
A<\JU!STY 
~YTLOF{ID/\ JJt 
