846 
there that do not keep any cherry trees for sale on any 
other stock, because of the reasons already given in 
this reply to the one asking for my views on the sub¬ 
ject I do not think there is any doubt about the 
Mazzard being the stock for the sweet cherries, and 
there are those who claim that it is the best for the 
sour class also. On this latter point I am not con¬ 
vinced as yet, because I have never tried it or seen 
where others had tested it out. I would not have 
sweet cherry trees on Mahaleb stocks as a gift, judg¬ 
ing by what I have seen. H. E. van deman. 
USE OF PLASTER; SEEDING RAPE. 
I note what you say in respect to the use of land 
plaster. While we all know that land plaster adds 
nothing in the way of fertilizer, yet if by its use we 
can double the growth of the vetch and plow them 
under we certainly have added to its fertility. If the 
first crop is taken off for feeding and this second 
growth is turned under we here on our deep heavy 
soils find it pays, and that it takes a good many 
years to find out. Again, if we get twice as much 
fodder and feed it all to the stock and return the 
manure made to the ground the plaster has again more 
than paid for its application. 
I also note what C. S. M. says on feeding rape 
to cows, and with all who have given their opinion, 
he says, “I have had no experience,” but is quite 
certain it will taint the milk. Now I will back actual 
results against theory any time, especially if a good 
theory is on the side of the experience. The turnip is 
very hard and almost woody, while the rape for a 
greater part of its length is as tender as a string 
bean, and will break like a pipestem, and the cows 
when allowed to pasture on it soon learn to reject 
any that is at all hard. In fact, it has been the fact 
that they waste so much of it if given free range 
that I have not used this method more. I think 
every practical dairyman believes that it is best in 
changing rations to do so gradually. So in feeding 
rape or kale I have always begun by feeding a small 
quantity and gradually increasing to the full ration, 
as I would with oil meal or any concentrated food, 
but I found by experience that no ill effects came 
in the quality of the milk when cows were allowed 
to remain in the rape all day. I never eat turnips 
and cabbage, but find I can eat the rape greens, and 
the children of the neighborhood think the tender 
stalks almost as good as candy. S. 
Oregon. 
R. N.-Y.—Several other readers say that they have 
fed rape freely without any trouble from tainted 
milk, and we give their statements as they come. With 
us rape, unless fed right after milking, appears to 
make the milk taste like turnips. 
Land plaster or gypsum is sulphate of lime. Dur¬ 
ing the period before and shortly after the Civil 
War plaster was largely used on many Eastern farms. 
It was usually put on the clover, and for some 
years gave good results, increasing the clover crop. 
Finally it began to fail as a fertilizer, and at last 
had little or no effect. Its use was discontinued and 
it is now but little used. Why did it first help the 
clover and then fail? Investigation showed that the 
land plaster when put in the soil brought about a 
chemical change by means of which potash was made 
available. As it appeared in the soil the clover and 
other plants could not use this potash. 
The plaster brought about changes which made a new 
combination of potash, more available than before, 
and in this form the clover could use it and then grew 
luxuriantly. So long as this went on the plaster gave 
good results. There finally came a time when those 
particular forms of potash were used up. The plaster 
could not then make the potash available, and thus 
the crop did not thrive as before. This is the history 
of a section where formerly plaster was largely used. 
Jt helped in other ways, but this was probably the 
most important. Tn the Eastern States plaster is still 
used more or less in stables and manure piles to hold 
the ammonia, but seldom used as before directly on 
the land. 
THE TALE OF A SEED AGENT. 
It is the ambition of The R. N.-Y. not so much 
to make the lion lie down with the Iamb as to try to 
act as fake killer, and thus incidentally as fool pre¬ 
server. In spite of all we have said, the meanest and 
boldest fakes still string radiant words on a bare 
hook and catch their full crop of suckers! For in¬ 
stance, here is a contract which we have had photo¬ 
graphed, Fig. 116. 
This means corn at $6 per bushel, oats at $2.75 and 
potatoes at $9. You do not know that those varieties 
are any better than those you have had on your farm 
for years,' except that the agent tells you so! And 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
what did the agent who sold this order say? Here is 
the story plainly told: 
Guff From a Seed Agent. 
What can you tell me about C. I. Read, who was 
taking orders for Robt. J. Gunson & Co., Rochester, 
N. Y., from a seed firm that he claimed to be a 
partner in? He stated that the farm is in the north¬ 
eastern part of New York State, and gave his address 
as C. I. Read, Port Kent, N. Y. The seed farm con¬ 
tains 1400 acres, and they make a specialty of growing 
TREE ON MAHALEB STOCK. Fig. 115. 
The uncongeniality of the Mahaleb stock is shown by the 
attempt at overgrowth by the part above it. 
potatoes, corn, oats and barley. He claimed there 
are over 50 people in the family, all related to the one 
family, and they hire 16 extra men. They all live 
on this farm. He was taking orders for seed last 
July, 1910, in the town of Skaneateles, N. Y., and 
sold to my brother, T. Klasi, 30 pounds E. Rochester 
corn, $3; 64 pounds Sterling oats, $5.50; 10 pounds 
Comet potatoes, $1.50. Mr. Read claimed his corn to 
be superior to all other corn, and said his cornstalks 
produced 4% per cent protein, while other stalks only 
produced 1% per cent. He said 30 pounds corn would 
Copy of Contract lor Oooda; to be left with Purchmaw. 
ROBERT J. GUNSON A CO., Rochester, N. Y, Grower! of Finn Seed*. 
Gimicti •«* wttVi fnllrMviner goodfi. for which I «UH TO 
u > 
_,___ed to be deducted from roybilL Any variety not true to u»ne fc 
be replaced free, or purchase price refunded. All stock to be in good cooolUcm. 
! It is understood I am to call for the goods when notified either personally or by 
! mall. If I fail to call within ten davs after being notified and the goods become 
damaged or destroyed.'! stall be beholden for the amount of my order thfe satna 
I as ill received the goods. 
It fs further agreed that this order is not subject to countermand, 
and that the only terms or conditions of sale existing between me and 
the salesman are those stated hereon . 
It Is understood your salesman has no authority to make any other 
«»rnta than those stated above. 
■*£ 
Si 
|U 
if 
Jr 
85 
QUANTITY. 
VARIETY. 
i 
ct». 
_ ....bu. 
3-0..lbs 
JL 
Ad 
JL 
Id. 
... Qajbl. . 
• " * 
lbs 
4a crxiMLc/... . 
/ 
. 
lbs 
* 
pq Purchaser’s 
55 P.O. Address. 
Agent's 
A SEED AGENT’S CONTRACT. Fig. 116. 
plant three acres, allowed three kernels to the hill, and 
would yield 100 bushels to the acre. He also claimed 
his corn grew no suckers, but instead it commenced 
to leaf out near the ground. They originated the 
corn by splicing two kernels of different varieties to¬ 
gether. 
Their oats are superior to other oats. They claim 
this variety will not lodge; it has a new kind of root 
March 18, 
which allows it to rock more freely, a sort of a spring 
motion. There is more to' these oats, but I have for¬ 
gotten it. Potatoes are grown from seed planted one 
bushel male to four bushels female. These potatoes 
are guaranteed not to blight or dry rot, and go 200 
bushels per acre. Will you tell me if Robert J. Gun¬ 
son & Co., Rochester, N. Y., is a reliable firm to buy 
seeds from? I am afraid of fakers, and will appreci¬ 
ate any information on this subject a. f. klasi. 
What Mr. Klasi forgot is probably the story that 
the original oat was grafted on a clover root. Since 
then the oat plants develop tap roots like clover and 
do not blow down or suffer from drought. It Is no use 
wasting words upon any man who tells such stories. 
He is a confounded liar. He ought to get three inches 
of the pitchfork and then have the dog tear off his 
clothes to use as napkins! No use analyzing his state¬ 
ments or buying his seeds or doing any business 
whatever with the firm such a man represents. If be 
tells such stories about his seeds he is an enemy of 
the farmer and ranks with the San Jose scale, peach 
borer, grain weevil or bedbug, and deserves to be dug 
out, sprayed with carbolic acid and then fumigated. 
Any farmer who would patronize such a liar, or the 
firm which keeps such a man in the field, needs a 
guardian if not a padded cell. 
MORE MICHIGAN POTATO DIGGERS. 
I read in The R. N.-Y., page 199, of a champion 
potato digger who hails from upper Michigan having 
dug 105 bushels of potatoes in 8]4 hours with a 
common potato hook. One who has dug potatoes 
day after day with a hook or fork, and knows the 
hard, wearisome work it is, and knows by dint of 
hard, strenuous work and nerve the possibilities that 
may be accomplished in a day, would say to dig 105 
bushels in 8 7 A hours is very good indeed; but we 
have a champion also, in the person of William 
Strait, who hails from Michigan, who has beaten 
the above record several times. In fact, he has held 
the record for Michigan for several years, and as 
far as known is yet entitled to wear the belt. I 
employed Mr. Strait and another man, John Wolf, 
to dig my potatoes last Fall and pick them up, giving 
them four cents a bushel. William Strait did all the 
digging and John Wolf all the picking up. About 
eight years Mr. Strait dug in 9]/ 2 hours 205 bushels, 
keeping two busy to pick them up in the same time. 
But the following is the record Mr. Strait made 
last Fall on my farm: On October 10 one-half day, 
61 bushels; October 11, one day, 127 bushels; Octo¬ 
ber 12, 106 bushels; October 13, 84 bushels; October 
14, one-half day, 71 bushels, which was in the fore¬ 
noon. In the afternoon of same day he started in 
to beat his own former record of 205 bushels in 9 ]/ 2 
hours, and in five hours he dug 110 bushels. Mr. 
Wolf picking them up. That night Mr. Strait walked 
seven miles to a dance and was back to my farm 
for work the next morning, which was October 15, 
when in 4]/ 2 hours he dug 102 bushels, making in 9 l / 2 
hours 212 bushels. On October 17, he dug 124 
bushels; October 18, 116 bushels, and October 19, 
135 bushels. In the part of the field where Mr. 
Strait did his record digging the potatoes yielded 
240 bushels per acre. He did all the digging with 
a six-tined fork, and never worked over 10 hours in 
one day. No small amount of praise is due Mr. 
Wolf, who picked up the potatoes, for it kept him 
very busy to pick up so many potatoes, as any one 
will know who tries it. While these men in both 
digging and picking up my potatoes made a great 
record, and as I believe a hard one to beat, yet their 
whole job of digging and picking up while working 
for me was a wonderful performance, for endur¬ 
ance and amount of work turned off day after day. 
Oceana Co., Mich. J. w. mitchell 
r. N.-Y.—Next! If this is not the limit we will 
let some other Michigan digger have place. Just 
why it is that these champions are all located in 
northern Michigan is more than we can tell. Mr. 
Strait must have walked a very straight line at that 
dance. In the two days he dug 283 bushels besides 
his dancing and had half a day to spare. At four 
cents a bushel he earned $11.32 to be divided with the 
picker. Well, sir, the $12 hens, the $200 cows and 
the $75 hogs may fall back. They are playthings 
besides this digger and dancer. 
One of the things which fruit growers in situations 
exposed to frost are considering is orchard protection 
by heating. In California and Colorado, especially in 
cold “pockets” or valleys, many crops have been saved 
by building fires or burning coal or oil in metal pots. 
On still nights it is quite possible to protect the frmt 
from ordinary frost, hut when the wind is blowing 
there is trouble. The question is so important that 
we want the facts. We know that some of our readers 
have been fighting frost, and we want their experience. 
Our people can settle about any farm question when 
they get at it, and here is a hard one for them to take 
up. 
