1908. 
TH IS RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
233 
Starting Cucumbers in Hotbeds. 
I would like Information from some grow¬ 
ers in regard to growing cucumbers iu 
hotbeds. After crops of lettuce, radishes, 
etc., are removed beds are worked up in 
good condition and one hill of cucumbers of 
from three to four vines planted to each 
sash. The plants are raised In boxes and 
were transplanted just before they were 
ready to fall over. The variety I used was 
a White Spine, but the market demands a 
longer and greener cucumber. Sash were 
kept over vines, closing on cool nights, and 
were gradually hardened off as they ad¬ 
vanced in growth, and as first fruits set, 
sash were removed entirely. These vines 
received plenty of air and water, but aside 
from the large amount of rotted manure 
in the soil they received no fertilizer. 
Vines made a good growth and did not have 
the rust, and fruits were of good shape, 
considering the variety. From about five 
weeks’ picking the hills on an average 
yielded about three dozen fruits, not count¬ 
ing culls, and while this gave a profit, the 
yield was far short of what I expected. 
Benson, Neb. A. d. f. 
There are two reasons why the crop 
of cucumbers did not prove satisfac¬ 
tory. The first is, he did not use any 
phosphoric acid or potash in connection 
with his stable dressing. Second, the 
quality of his seed, which is one of the 
most important elements in profitable 
cucumber growing. It is a fact that 
the successful growers in this section 
have their own strains of seed, ob¬ 
tained by the most rigid and painstak¬ 
ing selection every year. These seeds 
never come into the market, and it is 
practically an impossibility to purchase 
any, so closely are they held. Orders 
even from a non-competitive distance, 
with no limit of price are declined. 
Now it will take but a moment’s rea¬ 
soning to see that seeds purchased in 
the open market from seedsmen who 
quote them by the 100 pounds cannot 
have the slightest attention paid to se¬ 
lection. They naturally must come from 
undesirable shapes, sorts and sizes. 
Maine. f. c. c. 
I have tried many varieties of cucum¬ 
bers in search of a long, slim, dark- 
green cucumber, and the very best I 
have discovered yet is Satisfaction, a 
greatly improved and perfected strain 
of White Spine. It produces an abun¬ 
dant crop of fine, straight, long cucum¬ 
bers of very dark green color when 
proper cultural treatment is given. 
A. D. F. might try the English varieties, 
the kind that are grown in greenhouses 
in Winter by large market gardeners. 
Prescott Wonder or Duke of Edinburgh 
are good, but seed is very expensive; 
some dealers catalogue it at 25 cents a 
packet of 15 seeds. I will mention two 
causes that may contribute to what 
A. D. F. thinks not a very profitable 
crop. Some seasons, owing to the ab¬ 
sence of insects the blossoms are not 
fertilized and therefore the vines are 
less productive. In that case “artificial” 
pollenization must be resorted to, the 
same as the greenhouse men practice. 
Then again, R. D. F. says that aside 
from the large amount of rotten manure, 
he uses no fertilizers. I don’t use such 
a “large amount of manure,” but use 
nitrate of soda, potash in the form of 
unleached wood ashes, and phosphoric 
acid in the form of acid phosphate. 
These soluble forms of plant food, early 
in the season when the ground lacks 
warmth, nourish the plants better than 
slower acting materials in stable manure. 
But after all is A. D. F.’s crop so un¬ 
profitable? He says he gets on an aver¬ 
age three dozen fruits (not counting the 
culls) from a hill that occupies the 
space under one sash, or 18 square feet. 
J hree dozen cucumbers at $1.25 per 
dozen (the price we get here), gives 
him the neat little sum of $9,075 per 
acre, not figuring the culls, which are 
worth from 25 to 50 cents a dozen. 
When you consider that he has taken 
off a crop of lettuce or radish from 
this ground before, and may produce 
one more crop the same year, to me at 
least it appears not very unprofitable. 
Ohio- J. H. BOLLINGER. 
In growing cucumbers in frames we 
use pretty much the same methods de¬ 
scribed by the inquirer. Different strains 
of White Spine vary so much that in this 
case I would try another strain that 
would promise to fulfill the requirements 
of the market. I would not consider the 
yield described as anything very disap¬ 
pointing. The large amount of manure, 
which would be just the thing for let¬ 
tuce, might furnish an excess of nitro¬ 
gen, causing a large growth of vines, at 
the expense of fruitfulness. The use of 
bone or other fertilizer rich in phos¬ 
phoric acid, scattered broadcast and 
freely worked in the beds before plant¬ 
ing, might be just the thing needed to 
increase the yield. c. weckesser. 
Ohio. 
ALFALFA 
Largest growers of Clover, Timothy and Grasses 
in America. We make a great specialty of 
Northern Grown Alfalfa Clover. Our 2.0th 
Century strain is pronounced by the Experi¬ 
mental Station as 99.95% pure. Nothing like 
it on earth. Catalog tells. 
Salzer’s Catalog Free 
It’s the most original seed book published and is gladly 
mailed to intending purchasers free. Or remit ioc 
and get lots of remarkable farm seed samples, includ¬ 
ing Alfalfa Clover, etc.; or send 14 c and we add a 
package of Farm Seed never seen by you before! 
John A. Salzer Seed Co., La Crosse, Wis. 
Kitchen 
SEEDS ENOUGH 
TO PLANT SPACE 20 x 30 
14 
To introduce our high grade seeds we will 
mail with catalog for 1908 on receipt of one 
dime in silver or stamps, one package each of 
Cabbage Lettuce Radish 
Cucumber Onion Turnip 
Beet Parsnip Tomato 
Parsley 
Seeds of carefully selected varieties grown 
from the best stock obtainable which will 
surelv please. Our 25c assortment of vege¬ 
table seeds is composed of 16 large packets, 
all choice varieties. Write today and ask 
for our $15.00 prize offers open to ail. 
BINGHAMTON SEED CO., 
119 Court St., Binghamton, N. Y. 
All Northern Grown and 
guaranteed to be 99 per cent 
pure. Should produce hay 
at $40.00 per acre annually. Write for Free Sample 
and instructions on growing. 
ALFALFA 
atf- 10.00 per acre annus 
and instructions on gro 
GRAIN AND GRASS SEEDS 
Northern Grown and of strongest vitality. We invito you to 
got Government Tests on our samples. Send for Cat. No. 23 
THE J. E. WING & BROS. SEED CO. 
Box 223, Meclianiesburg, Ohio 
PERFECT POTATO 
PLANTING 
Every farmer knows the importance 
of proper potato planting. Here’s a 
machine that does it perfectly. Has 
none of the faults common with com¬ 
mon planters. Opens the furrow 
perfectly, drops the seed 
correctly, covers it uni- . x - T _._ 
formly, and best of ail _ lron . , 
never bruises or (Improrod Robbins) 
punctures the ^ A Potato Planter 
seed. Send a 
postal for 
our 1908 
free 
Book. 
No Missis 
No Doubles 
No Troubles 
BATEMAN MFG. CO., 
Box 102i>GrenIoch, N. J. 
is the name of the most accurate and dur¬ 
able Hand Seed Sower on the mar¬ 
ket. Sows 4 to 5 acres per hour. 
bWrite for new booklet,’‘Sowing 
f for Results” and50th anniver¬ 
sary souvenir. 
fiOODELLCOMPANY 
14 Main St., Antrim, N. H,g 
Samples of Good Seed Corn 
AND *622 WORTH 
OF FINE RADISHES 
Interested in seed corn? If so I’ll mail you 
free samples of my reliable guaranteed seed corn— 
and I'll throw iu enough of a new kind of Radish 
Seed to raise $6.oo worth of early radishes. 
I make this offer because I want to get ac¬ 
quainted with you, and let you see some really good 
seed corn—real seed, not pig feed. 
I sell seed com, ear or shelled, or any other old way. It’s all tried 
tested, and proven. It goes to you on approval. If you don’t like it we 
traae back. That’s fair. 
WriheTo-day samples and th? radish seed. If any more vou 
^ want, just say sc y 
HENRY FIELD SEED CO., Box 26, Shenandoah, Iowa. 
for my corn book. It’s free and I throw in the 
samples and th~ radish seed, 
want, just say sc 
Af One Half City 
Seedsmen Prices 
Let us send you our catalog of seeds—It’s different. 
It tells you facts and why we can save you money and 
gives you a guaranteed square deal. Just drop a postal 
to-day and see the difference in buying your seed in the 
country or city. 
FORREST SEED CO., Box 34, Cortland, l\l. Y. 
BURPEE’S 
“Seeds that Grow” 
Catalog. 
are the Best Seeds that can be Grown. 
We do the testing,— You run no risk! If you 
garden either for pleasure or profit you 
should study “The Reading American Seed 
A postal card will bring you a copy by return mail. 
W. ATLEE BURPEE & CO., Seed Growers, Philadelphia, Penna. 
» 
SEED OATS 
NEW KHERSON, Sensation : Texas Red Rust¬ 
proof ; Early Champion and all the best varieties 
grown, at farmer prices. Big illustrated Catalog of 
Seed Corn and all farm and garden Seeds mailed 
FREE if you mention this paper. 
RATEKIN’S SEED HOUSE, Shenandoah,Iowa 
ONE REASON why you should have 
OUR CATALOGUE is because of its 
INVALUABLE CULTURAL 
DIRECTIONS. 
NO LOVER of vegetables or flowers 
can afford to be without it. 
Highest grade Alfalfa Seed and all other 
Clovers and Agricultural Seeds. 
MAILED ABSOLUTELY FREE. 
J. M. TIIORBURX & CO. 
33 Barclay St. Thro’ to 38 Park Place 
NEW YORK. 
Wood’s Grass 
and Clover Seeds. 
Best Qualities Obtainable and 
of Tested Germination. 
We carry one of the largest and 
best stocks in this country. 
Specialties that we offer to ad¬ 
vantage, are 
Alfalfa, Japan Clover, 
Tall Meadow Oat Grass, 
Paspalum Dilatatum, 
Johnson Grass, 
Bermuda Grass, etc. 
Our Catalogue gives fuller descrip¬ 
tions and information about Grasses, 
Clovers and Farm Seeds than any 
other seed catalogue published. 
Mailed free on request. Write for it, 
and prices of any seeds required. 
(k^seedS 
_ SA. 
■M* 
Make your planting a success 
by sowing good seed. Our (lower 
and[vegetable seeds areguaranteedi 
iresh and pure, and are sold atrea-' 
sonable prices. We supply farmers ^ 
who plant by the hundred acres,down 
tocoilections for the kitchen garden. 
. “ ave a number of new varieties that 
every tanner needs. Our new potato, “Big 
1 ■’f'yhicpd this season on our own 
f amis at the rate of 836 bushels per acre. 
for allgrowere! 8 It’s 8111116 
J. J. H. GREGORY & SON, Marblehead. Mass. 
“PRIDE OF MICHIGAN” 
CHOICE WHITE SEED OATS 
A new variety grown exclusively for us in the 
*■ * banner Oat producing county of the State. An 
early hardy Oat adapted to light or heavy soil. 
A large, plump, heavy berry, growing with a stiff 
straw and yielding 75 to 1U0 bushels per acre under 
fair conditions. The best Oat we havoever handled. 
Price, ’a bushel - 75c. 
1 to lO bushels - $ 1.00 per bushel 
lO bushels and over 90o. “ “ 
Bags free—F. O. B. Hudson, Michigan. 
Remit by bank draft, P.O. or Express money order. 
L. FRENSDORF & SON, 
HUDSON, - MICHIGAN 
Consult your bank as to our responsibility. 
rssEEDs 
__ 4*^^ For fresh¬ 
ness,purity and reli¬ 
ability, Ferry’ sSeeds 
are in a class by them¬ 
selves. Farmers 
have confidence 
in them because 
they know they 
can be relied up¬ 
on. Don’t experi¬ 
ment with cheap 
seeds—your sure¬ 
ty lies in buying 
seedssent out by 
a conscientious 
and trustworthy 
house. 
Ferry’s Seed Annual 
for 1908 Is FREE. Address 
D M. Ferrt & Co..D etroit, Mich. 
T.W. Wood & Sons, 
SEEDSMEN, - Richmond, Va. 
FARM SEEDS 
Medium, Mammoth, Alsike. Alfalfa, Clovers, clean 
and true to name. Timothy, etc., of extra quality. 
Direct to farmers. Price list. Write. 
0. C, SHEPARD C0„ 37 J Street. Medina, O hio. 
S econd-crop and Northern grown seed potatoes. 
Strawberry plants. Choice seed corn. Barred P 
Rock eggs from prize Stock, etc. My free catalog 
gives fuller and more complete information: 3(| 
years experience. J. W. HALL, Marion Sia, Md. 
