>908. 
261 
ALL KINDS OF APPLE CULTURE. 
We have orchard land that years ago 
was used for plow land, :l>ut through, 
neglect the cedars, young chestnuts and 
brush, mostly cedars, now form a dense 
mass, the tallest rising 20 to 30 feet. 
Will it do to cut this down, trim off the 
brush, and draw out the poles, then set out 
the trees in well-dug circles and lay the 
brush about them in low, broad piles, to 
decay and form a mulch? The brush 
would not be placed immediately against 
the trees. They would be protected by 
woven wire from mice. There would be a 
fire risk on account of the brush, "but after 
a couple of years this would disappear. 
The writer would gladly take this risk, if 
there are no other disadvantages. 
New England. N. e. c. 
This is a very important question to 
many farmers on rough land. They have 
neither time nor capital required to clean 
the land all at once as .T. H. Ilale does. 
They must do this by degrees, and would 
like to have the trees growing while t^ey 
do it. We have handled some trees this 
way and obtained; fair growth. The great 
danger is from fire. Our experience is that 
the soil under these brush piles becomes 
sour, and lime should be used. If anyone 
has carried this plan through we would 
like to have him tell us about it. 
Planting on a Hillside. 
Tlease give me your opinion of the fol¬ 
lowing plan: We have a side hill facing 
southeast, with timber above. The land 
used to be good ; has given 25 bushels of 
wheat per acre; has not been farmed in 
20 years. It gives but little pasture; the 
soil is thin and poor. I am thinking of 
setting it with apple trees. How would 
it do to dig holes two feet deep and as 
much in diameter, filling with good soil 
to give the trees a good start (labor is 
cheap this Winter), then sow with cow 
peas and clover and afterward mulch. Cul¬ 
tivation is not possible, as it would have 
to be done when help , is scarce and other 
work must he done. The same kind of 
soil and location a half mile away grows 
fine fruit. D 
New Jersey. 
We think this plan is practical and 
sensible. If you decide to mulch you 
should end by seeding permanent grasses 
on the hill. The clover and cow peas will 
answer for the first few years and will 
improve the soil, but later the hillside 
should go into grass. We should plow the 
middles, leaving a strip five feet wide 
along the rows of trees in grass and grad¬ 
ually seed down between. 
Alfalfa and Irrigation. 
The discussion in The It. N.-Y. regarding 
the best mode of caring for the apple or¬ 
chard is very interestng and the question 
an important one. The almost universal 
custom here, in this great apple section, is 
clean and intense cultivation. I am com¬ 
ing, however, to think that a mixed plan of 
cultivation and mulching would return very 
gratifying results. Since learning the pos¬ 
sibilities of Alfalfa, I am almost positive 
that if sown in our orchards and thor¬ 
oughly cultivated during the early Spring, 
thus killing every weed, then using or al¬ 
lowing to remain on the land every cutting 
as a mulch, the result would be vastly 
better than cultivation throughout the 
season. It is nature’s way of doing things. 
The leaves fall from the trees annually and 
thus conserve moisture and enrich the soil 
and hence the growth of the mighty forests. 
If one so desired, after the first cutting, 
hogs could be pastured in the orchard, at 
least, to some extent, and the land would 
become very fertile, and I think, suffi¬ 
ciently moist throughout the season. I am 
preparing to try quite a few experiments 
along this line and will report my success 
or otherwise later on. 
Oregon. martin Marshall. 
Alfalfa may do in old orchards and on 
soil where there is plenty of moisture, but 
we would nof use it in young orchards un¬ 
less they could be irrigated. It will rob the 
trees of moisture in most locations. On 
soil suited to Alfalfa we know that trees 
15 years old will do well on an Alfalfa 
sod as we have seen them growing. Where 
all the Alfalfa is cut and left on the ground, 
the trees make too much wood growth. We 
think hogs would hurt the Alfalfa seeding. 
e now have an orchard of Baldwin apple 
trees seeded to Alfalfa. As our Spring Is 
usually damp we would like to make hay of 
the first cuting, and leave the second and 
third on the ground. 
Sheep in an Orchard. 
Having very thrifty orchards of about 
1.200 trees, most of which are from 10 to 
'•> years old, and some of which occupy 
ground that I am afraid would be very 
liable to wash if kept under the yearly 
culture generally advised, I desire to ask 
if it would be advisable to cultivate and 
pasture with sheep on alternate years. I 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
have seen the practice of pasturing very 
dose with sheep and supplementing the 
feed of the sheep with some strong nitro¬ 
genous feeds strongly advised as a con¬ 
tinuous practice. Would you regard this as 
good practice, or would it be better to cul¬ 
tivate one year and pasture with sheep 
the following year. On account of liabil¬ 
ity of washing, could one get good results 
by plowing each year and seeding earlier 
than is generally advised. b. a. 
New York. 
We submit the question to our sheep 
men. We have seen orchards where sheep 
were kept and well fed on bran. The 
trees were in fine ondition. We are well 
satisfied with hogs for an orchard where 
there is a good supply of water. They 
tear up the ground, destroy grubs and 
leave the soil in fair condition for seeding 
to clover and rye in the early Fall. If 
sheep or hogs are used we see little reason 
for plowing every other year. 
The Use of Vetch. 
I have a large orchard and have been 
for a long time trying to study out some 
kind of plan for my use. I would like to 
suggest a plan I have worked out for my 
orchards which is as follows: I would sow 
them all in Hairy or Sand vetch. About 
the last of April each year I would run 
the mower over the land and clip what I 
could reach with the mower knives if the 
vetch was erect enough. I would leave 
it thus until the middle of June, at which 
time the vetch would have made enough 
seed to reseed the land. I would now use 
one of Clark’s double-action Cutaways and 
give the land a thorough harrowing. This 
would not injure the tree roots as plow¬ 
ing would; it would be a good cultivation 
for the trees and at the same time cut up 
and work into the soil the vetch and this 
would make humus, which is the life of any 
soil and especially important in orchard 
soil. The soil would be in a fine condi¬ 
tion and would also be reseeded in vetch 
for another Winter cover. I would take 
nothing off the land except apples. The 
vetch would also be adding nitro¬ 
gen to the soil almost the year round, ex¬ 
cept a short time in Winter. Each year 
just before starting the Cutaway harrow, 
I would apply sufficient quantities of phos¬ 
phoric acid and potash in shape of acid 
phosphate and muriate; would apply these 
broadcast with a fertilizer sower ahead of 
the harrow. I would not apply any am¬ 
monia as I would think the vetch would 
keep the soil well supplied with this. I 
would also apply lime in sufficient quantity 
for the trees’ requirements at some time 
during the year, but not at time of apply¬ 
ing fertilizers. I have tried Crimson clover 
here, but it winter-kills, and I think vetch 
much the better of the two. My idea Is to 
keep the orchards doing as well as pos¬ 
sible with a minimum of labor and expense 
with a maximum profit. This plan would 
probably not work in all climates, soils 
and conditions, but I feel pretty certain 
it would work in most of the Middle 
Atlantic States. a. h. h. 
Baltimore Co., Md. 
We would like to have this plan criti¬ 
cized or improved. If the orchard is large 
this plan would require considerable horse 
labor. It will mean much work to chop 
the vetch into the soil with a Cutaway. 
If the trees are not old we should throw 
part of the vines close around the trees 
and cultivate the middles—leaving vines 
enough for reseeding. In Delaware we 
have seen orchards in Crimson clover 
roughly plowed after the clover made seed. 
Then by working across the furrows with 
a spring-tooth enough of the seed was scat¬ 
tered to give a good seeding for a new 
crop. In theory the vetch ought to pro¬ 
vide nitrogen if anyone can give facts 
about such a plan we want them. 
Fertilizer for an Orchard. 
I purchased a farm in central New York 
that has an orchard on it 40 years old; 
never sprayed nor fertilized. I have no 
manure to apply at present, and thought 
to use nitrate of soda until I am able 
to apply stable manure, or would you advise 
something else? What fertilizer would you 
advise to use to seed clover with oats to 
insure a good stand; Land has not been 
cropped for two or three years. Soil level, 
well drained, clay gravel loam ; at one time 
heavily timbered with hard maple, oak, 
beech, and hickory. n l. o 
Illinois. 
We would not use nitrate of soda alone, 
as that supplies nothing but nitrogen. The 
trees will need phosphoric acid and prob¬ 
ably potash. Unless you are familiar with 
mixing chemicals we would use one of the 
“fruit and vine’’ fertilizers containing about 
two per cent nitrogen, seven of phosphoric 
acid and 10 of potash. These 1 proportions 
of plant food would be found in 200 pounds 
nitrate, 1,000 acid phosphate and 400 
muriate of potash. You can use this same 
mixture with 200 pounds dried blood added 
for the oats and clover. 
Try This 
Harrow 
FREE 
RETURN AT OUR EXPENSE 
IF IT DOESN'T PLEASE YOU 
Here is a harrow that looks very 
different from the old spike or spring 
tooth harrow. 
It is different. Every point of dif¬ 
ference is a point of big improvement. 
It is as much better than the old 
fashioned harrow as a modern plow is 
better than the Indian’s crooked stick. 
ACME 
Pulverizes the 
pl'wed land, crushes the clods 
The coulters or teeth of the "Acme" work 
as a gang plow. They turn over and pulverize 
the ground and give the crop all the soil’s 
benefit. Farmers will tell you that bigger 
crops grow after harrowing with’ an “Acme." 
FREE BOOK for Your Farm Library 
Write us today and we’ll send you free, a valuable 
booklet, A Perfect Seed Bed. It means money to you 
OUANE H. NASH, Inc., 
Box 38, Millington, N. J. 
STEEL 
DRUMS 
STEEL 
FRAME 
LAND ROLLER 
Get catalogue of 1, 2, 3 & 4 horse 
Tread Powers, Sweep 
Powers, Grain Separa-f 
tors, Hand and Power 
Corn Shelters, Grind¬ 
ing Mill, Corn Plant¬ 
ers, Cultivators, Steam 
and Gasoline Engines, 
8 to 25 horse, mounted or stationery, etc.' 
THE MESS1NGER MFG. CO., Box 1, Taiamy, Pa. 
When you write advertisers mention Thh 
R. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.” See guarantee 
FUMA 
Prairie Dogs, 
Woodchucks, Gophers, 
and Grain Insects. 
“The wheels of the gods 
grind slow but exceed¬ 
ingly small.” So the weevil, but you can stop their 
with “Fuma Carbon Bisulphide are doing. 
EDWARD R. TAYLOR, Penn Yan, N. Y. 
MOLINETlLL. 
Lightest Draft Plows 
Over 75 per cent of the draft of a plow comes 
in front of the line at which the man in the 
illustration above is pointing. 
This is the “wedge" that cuts, lifts and 
starts the furrow-slice to turning. 
The shape of a plow at this point determines 
whether the draft is to be heavy or light. 
All 
John 
Deere 
Plow 
Bottoms 
are narrow 
waisted” and 
shaped to enter 
the ground the way 
a thin wedge 
splits a log. John 
Deere plows are 
the lightest draft 
plows in the 
world. 
The Finest Booklet of the kind ever pub¬ 
lished will be sent free to you for the asking. 
It is full of handsome pictures of ancient and 
modern plows, plowing scenes from all coun¬ 
tries and contains an interesting story. 
Write for booklet . 
Ask for it by number 136 Mention this 
paper. 
Deere A Company, Moline, III., U. S. A. 
The Celebrated De Loach Mill 
The 
World’s 
Standard 
for 20 
Years 
We Set the Pace 
—Others do the 
Saw Your Own Lumber 
For lumber is lumber nowadays, 
and yon can do it better than 
the other fellow, with 
our help. 
A 15-year-old 
y boy can operate 
successfully. 
I Two hands cut 
' 5,000 feet per day. 
15.000 mills in use 
the world over. 
Vnriablo Feed. Friction 
Sot Works, Automatic Steel Tri¬ 
plex Dogs and Diamond Track produce 
results impossible with other mills. Send for 
catalog of Saw Mills up to 200 H. P,, Steam Engines 
,, cud Boilers, Gasoline Engines, Portable Corn and Feed 
Mata Tinners. Shingle Mills, Wood Saws und Water 
W nepls. Prompt shipment and we pay the freight. 
DeLOACU MILL MFG. CO., llox 303, BRIDGEPORT, AC A. 
ROOFS 
THAT NEVER 
WEAR OUT 
Sea Green & Purple Slate Roofs 
absolutely last forever. Being solid rock , they are spark 
and fire-proof. Reduce your insurance rate. Afford pure 
cistern water. Don’t require frequent painting and coat¬ 
ing like metal and composition roofing. Not affected by 
heat or cold. Suitable for all buildings, new or old. 
First cost —only a trifle more than short lived roofings. 
Let us settle your roofing question for all time. Don’t 
spend more good money for poor roofing. H WRITE TO 
US AT ONCE for our free book “ ROOFS.” It will save 
you money. Give us the name of your local roofer. 
THE AMERICAN SEA GREEN SLATE CO. Box 10, Granville, N. Y. 
PLOW THE EASY WAY- 
USE A WINNER PLOW TRUCK 
Don’t touch the handles, walk on the even ground and turn a 
smoother, straighter furrow. Holds plow steady in stoniest 
ground. A light boy or woman can do the work easily. 
3 Days Work In 2 Days 
and all the drudgery avoided. As good on side hill as 
bn fiat land plow. Saves the plow points and carries the 
plow anywhere. No use for wagon or stone boat. 
Try It 10 Days at My Risk. Write for descriptive 
matter and full particulars. Agents wanted. 
L. R. LEWIS, Mfgr.. Box 12, Cortland, N. Y. 
.WALTER A.WOOD 
CULTIVATORS 
We make two varieties 
of Cultivators; regular five-tooth and four¬ 
teen-tooth. On the “Queen” five-tooth culti¬ 
vator the frame is made of high carbon I 
beam steel, at once strong ana light and 
making snug seats for the tooth standards. 
These standards are made of two strips of 
steel and form a solid 
seat for the tooth, allowing up and down ad-1 
justment. Hillers and listers are attached by 
a pivoting loop and can be set at any desired 
angle. The construction effects absolute 
rigidity of the frame and no annoyance is ex¬ 
perienced on account of loose handles. 
The “Spike” Cultivator is a very 
useful little tool. Its teeth have 
two styles of points, are re- 
.. versible and can be set at 
•QUEEN” any angle. Expand and 
Cultivator contract as wide or as 
narrow as you wish. 
I Drop a postal for cata- 
flogue A and name of 
nearest dealer. 
r Walfar A. Wood Mowing & Reaping 1 
Machlno Co., Hoosick Falls, N. Y. 
SPIKE 
TOOTH 
CULTIVATOR 
