1911 
THE RURAL, NEW-YORKER 
393 
“RENOVATING LAND.” 
On page 232 A. W. G. asks about 
using rye as green manure in renovat¬ 
ing a very poor piece of land, and says 
he put on $2 worth of fertilizer per acre 
to start with. I have renovated a piece 
of very good land something along his 
lines, only as my land was a little sour 
I used about a ton of wood ashes to the 
acre on the crop that was turned under, 
and let the second crop ripen and cut it 
with a reaper. I plowed as soon as the 
rye was off and then put 15 loads of 
horse manure on to the acre, harrowed 
six to eight times with a tongueless disk, 
and then sowed 500 pounds to the acre 
of a bone and potash mixture that runs 
about 3-18-13, and then harrowed about 
six times over with a common square 
harrow. Then I bushed it over once and 
sowed 20 quarts of Timothy seed to the 
acre, bushed it over twice more, once 
each way, and called it renovated. Of 
course it took some time, and the ashes 
and other fertilizer cost me more than 
$2 per acre, but the grass got a big 
growth before Winter came, and it will 
cut good crops of good hay for years.- 
I would like to mention also that we 
blasted out about 30 rocks and put a 
ditch through it. I hope A. W. G. will 
not have to do all I did, but he will 
make a mistake if he depends on green 
rye alone, or with $2 worth of fertilizer 
per acre, for that will give him very 
little plant food, but. if he uses the rye 
to make humus and adds stable manure 
or other fertilizer liberally with an eye 
to the future the future will reward 
him. will w. CLARKE. 
Connecticut. 
A Guarantee for Trees. 
It is now a well-known fact that most 
of the Catalpa trees that have been and 
are now being sold for Catalpa speciosa 
are some of the worthless varieties. I 
receive letters every week from men who 
have bought Catalpa trees from tree 
peddlers, and who of course have signed 
the ordinary nurseryman’s order blank 
agreeing to take the trees. This blank 
generally has a guarantee to replace all 
trees that prove not true to name, but 
sometimes lias no guarantee at all. After 
the farmer signs for the trees he learns 
of the great danger he is in of getting 
the worthless kinds of Catalpa. The 
matter of planting and caring for worth¬ 
less trees three or four years is serious, 
and the guarantee is not adequate at all 
to cover the loss incurred in case the 
trees are of the worthless kinds. Can 
a man who has signed an order after¬ 
ward demand a guarantee of say, five 
times the purchase price, or enough to 
somewhere nearly recompense him for 
loss of land and labor, and if the nursery 
selling the trees refuses to give such 
guarantee, can the farmer legally refuse 
to accept the trees or pay for them? 
H. C. ROGERS. 
R. N.-Y.—We do not see how a buyer 
after having signed a contract can legal¬ 
ly demand an additional guarantee un¬ 
less he could show that fraud had been 
had the Alfalfa started than the weeds 
began to come. There was red-root, pig¬ 
weed, ragweed and nearly every other 
kind of weed that, will grow on a clay soil. 
In August, there was Alfalfa on the rich¬ 
est side of the field that measured 22 inches, 
and weeds nearly twice as high.. Of course, 
this had to be clipped, so it was mowed 
the early _part of September with machine 
tilted as high as possible. It did not start 
much after this, but looked good when 
snow came. To be sure it is too early to 
tell whether this piece will be a success 
or not. but we wish to avoid the weeds 
next time. They have always been our 
stumbling block. We have another field 
that was in clover in 1909. It was mown 
twice. There was some Alfalfa seed mixed 
with the clover when sown, and it showed 
quite plainly at the second cutting. This 
clover sod was plowed under in March, 
1910. A light dressing of manure was ap¬ 
plied, and about 300 pounds of 14 per cent, 
acid phosphate to the acre. This was well 
harrowed in and it was planted to flint 
corn in hills three feet each way. The 
field contains about three acres, and we 
husked out over 350 bushels of ears. This 
field will be sown to oats and peas this 
Spring, with another application of acid 
phosphate, the oats and peas to be cut 
green. Here is my proposition. Leave a 
portion of this field unseeded and immedi¬ 
ately after the oats and peas are off plow, 
put on a dressing of manure, harrow thor¬ 
oughly and seed to Alfalfa. I don't think 
the weeds would bother any then. Would 
you advise putting on the manure? Also, 
would you use any fertilizer at this time? I 
shall apply the litmus test and use lime 
if necessary. Would you advise using the 
lime before the oats and peas are sown, 
or when seeding to Alfalfa? We can use 
soil from the other field, or get it from the 
experiment station if that proves to be a 
failure. 
Ans. —We should have clipped that 
first field several times through the 
Summer—starting before the weeds 
grew 10 inches high. With this re¬ 
peated clipping the Alfalfa would have 
had a better chance. Your plan for this 
year is a good one. We should spread 
the manure on the oats and pea stubble 
and plow it under. In order to be sure 
we should use about 300 pounds of a 
mixture of acid phosphate and potash, 
for Alfalfa will repay the best care and 
fair expense. If the lime is needed on 
that soil we should use it at the time 
of seeding to oats and peas. 
An Experiment with Land. 
I was much interested in J. B. W.’s re¬ 
ply to Mr. Hunt, on page 154. Now J. 
B. W. would have us suppose that every 
pound of plant food taken from the soil 
must be put back In order to hold the 
vitality of the soil. If this is true, then 
it would seem that the office of Nature is 
to manufacture and not to produce. I 
am only a “back to the farm” man, with 
limited experience, and not much knowledge 
of agriculture, and while I do not think 
that nature will produce juicy fruit out 
of stone, I believe she will do her share 
If met half way. For my own satisfac¬ 
tion I am going to disprove J. B. W.’s the¬ 
ory. I have one-half acre of sod (fair), 
which I am going to plow up and plant 
with potatoes, using 200 pounds of a fair 
grade of potato manure (400 pounds per 
acre) ; as soon as I get the crop off will 
sow to rye, to be turned under the fol¬ 
lowing Spring, when the ground will again 
be planted with potatoes, using 200 pounds 
of fertilizer. Next year ditto, and so on. 
I expect every year to see a larger crop 
of potatoes and a smaller crop of weeds, 
and to see the soil increase in fertility. (?) 
Schoharie, N. Y. a. j. h. 
We Do More Than Guarantee 
This Great Farmers Motor Car To You 
S O wonderful is the great value in the Abbott-Detroit, so firmly are we 
convinced of its ability to outlive the toughest conditions, so complete is 
our belief that no other car in the world is so well suited to the farmer 
because of type, strength and price, that we are willing to outdo all others in 
protecting our owners, in spending thousands of dollars, that others keep as profits, for giving 
regular instruction and maintenance service to all who purchase the Abbott-Detroit. 
When you get your Abbott-Detroit you will not only have the best motor car in the 
world at the price but you will have behind you a great organization of experts whose idea 
is permanence and not immediate profit and who will see to it that your Abbott-Detroit is in 
first-class condition all the time. 
This Remarkable “Pedigreed’* 
A bbot - Detroit 
Really Does Not Need A Guarantee It’s So Strong 
Every Abbott-Detroit turned out of our fac¬ 
tory is so perfect, so absolutely a unit in con¬ 
struction and so powerful right down to the last 
nut and screw that you can drive it over the 
worst roads and it will never give a sign of any¬ 
thing but magnificent balance and standardiza¬ 
tion. That’s why you have hardly any repair 
charges and the cost of running this car is way 
down to bed rock. It is easy to operate, easy to 
keep in good running condition, easy to keep 
looking like a brand new car. It requires little 
money and little attention for anything. 
There are many other cars listed at $1500 but 
by the time you have paid for all the extras you 
have expended up to $2000. The Abbott-Detroit 
at $1500 includes everything but top and wind¬ 
shield. It includes a complete electric light 
equipment of two electric headlights and com¬ 
bination electric and oil side and rear lamps 
and Bosch High Tension or Splitdorf dual igni¬ 
tion system. 
Continually bear in mind that the Abbott- 
Detroit has many features heretofore found only 
in motor cars selling up to $-1000. 
Write for the Book of the Abbott-Detroit in 
which we tell you everything about the car and 
what we do for you after you buy it. Let us give 
you a letter of iutroductiou to your local dealer 
so that you can see the car itself. Drop us a 
postal now before our supply of books runs out. 
Abbott Motor Co*, 
126 Waterloo St., Detroit, Mich. 
DISTRIBUTORS :|George L^Reiss, 1776Broatlw^-,N.Y. City; .1. II. Wright, 28 Market 
St.. Auburn, N. 
T. J. " ‘ 
N.Y 
Vulmrn, N. Y.; Burdick & Hartwell, Troy, 
Northway, 92 Exchange St., Rochester, N.Y.; 
; IT. II.. Roberts & Son, Elmira, N.Y.; W. E. Plq 
N. Y.; Bison Motor Co., Buffalo, N.Y., 
E. J. Montlgny, 33 Grant Sq., Brooklyn, 
iquette, 106S. Augusta Av., Baltimore,Md. 
Get double the r -- -*_ j. __,_ 
den implements, and secure bigger and better crops with less work. 
Planet Jrs do the work of three to six men. They do it more 
f i accurately, and cause a greater yield. They are the result of a prac- 
tic al farme r’s 35 years’ experience. Fully guaranteed. 
.’ 1 I No. 6.1 The newest Planet Jr Combination Hill and Drill Seeder, 
j ’ Wheel Hoe, Cultivator and Plow, opens the furrow, sows any kind of 
iI garden seed accurately in drills or hills, covers, rolls down, and marks out the 
/ ' next row—all at one operation. Perfect Wheel-Hoe, Cultivator and Plow. 
' , Planet Jr 12-tooth Harrow, Cultivator and Pulverizer is a won- 
t. derful tool for berry-growers and market-gardeners Works deep or shallow 
' » without throwing earth 1 on the plants, and pulverizes the soil thoroughly. 
I' j 1 1 Invaluable wherever fine close work is needed. 
1 1 You can’t afford to miss the 1911 illustrated 
Planet Jr 56 -page catalogue. Free 
‘£ 0^5 and postpaid. Write today. 
Manufacturers of all 
kinds of fruit baskets 
and crates. Write for 
Catalogue and Price 
List. 
WEBSTER BASKET COMPANY, 
Box 431. Webster. Monroe Co.. N. Y. 
HARVEY BOLSTER SPRINGS 
Soon save their cost. Make every wagon a spring 
| wagon, therefore fruit, vegetables, eggs, etc., 
[bring more money. Ask ior special proposition. 
Harvey Spring Co., JJLO-lithSt, Kaelne, Wi*. 
GUARANTEED 
used in securing the order, or that he 
knew that he was to secure the worth¬ 
less trees. After a man signs a con¬ 
tract he will be held to it unless he 
can prove that he was defrauded or de¬ 
ceived. A nurseryman sure of his trees 
might find it profitable to give such a 
guarantee. 
Some Alfalfa Questions. 
.4. IE. S., Oilboa, N. Y .—-We have a field 
of one-half to three-quarters of an acre 1 , 
w hich was planted to potatoes in 1909 and 
■well cultivated, plowed in the Fall of 1909. 
In the Spring of 1910 it was kept well 
harrowed, with Clark’s double-action Cut¬ 
away harrow. One ton of fresh burned 
lime was applied and well harrowed in. 
Cn June 23, 140 pounds of soil secured 
from the experiment station was spread 
broadcast and harrowed in, seeded to Al¬ 
falfa the same day. We thought that we 
had the weeds well subdued, but no sooner 
Get this Genuine Alectride Tool N 
Barman Supply Co., 160 Harrison SL, Dept .3583 Chicago 
Please send me free and prepaid book’ets explaining 
your tree trial offer ol your Alectrklc Tool ormdc«I 
Address. 
Grinder on Free Trial X. 
- 
Sharpen your tools at my expense.’ I want to show you that the ancient grindstone 
is a back number and that the emery wheel is a menace. I want you to try positively 
free this genuine Alectride Farm Tool Grinder. Alectride is the only true abrasive. It will merely 
not draw the temper from steel; It will sharpen the dullest tool in from 3 to 5 minutes, when coupon. 
the grindstone would take half an hour. Alectride never wears out. It does not glaze over. V 
I want to send a few of these machines out on Free Trial in every part of the United States. I want 
to put one in every locality. I want you to clip off and send the coupon at the upper right hand corner 
---JT-Ml --M-J.-=-.---*--»-•-» ■ , V* 
of this announcement and I will mail at once circulars explaining every detail of the olier I am making here. 
I Don’t Want Yon to Send Me a Cent of Your Money. I Don’t Want Any Promise 
r 
10 
Machines 
Ini 
I merely want to place this Genuine Alectride Grinder on your farm for a few days. Sharpen your dull axe, your dull scythe, your dull corn 
knives, your dull cold chisels, or hatchet, or ary dull tool you have. See how quickly 
and how easily it is done. See how Alecfride (made of 'die substance of precious stones) 
Sharpens your tools in Irom one-iourth to, one-twenty-f.ith ot the time required by a 
grindstone and does not heat nor draw the temper. Do ali this—give this machine the 
most severe tests—then unless you think that you positively cannot get along without 
y *iectride Tool Grinder, send it back at our expense. We’ll ask no questions. 
•v h take it back without a word, and we’ll pay the transportation charges. Kow send 
the coupon. Let us tell you ail about this wonderful abrasive and our free trial oEer. 
Remember —Alectride is really manufactured precious stones. It is even harder 
than the hardest diamond. Alectride will scratch a diamond and cut glass like a knife 
cuts an apple. Send the coupon today and get full explanation oi cm Qre.it tO Day 
Hard Enough * rroe OR®* - . Do this now. Do not delay. 
to scratch _ Ha nnan Supply Ccl, 160 Harrison St, Dept- 3583 
the DiantHdBPHMHMaMHiMHM 
Chicago, HL 
10 MACHINES IN 1 
1 One Sickle Grinder Wheel 
2 One Fine Grinding Wheel 
3 One Coarse Grinding Wheel 
4 One Harman Special Oil Stone 
5 One Saw Cummer 
6 One Sickle Holding Attachment 
7 One Scythe Stone 
8 One Harmon Special Razor Hone 
9 One Disc Grinding Attachment 
10 One Tool Rest 
