1911. 
723 
Ruralisms 
WHEN IS A HAIRY VETCH A WEED? 
H. 8., New Freedom, Pa .—I was much 
interested in the articles in The R. N.-Y. in 
regard to sowing Hairy vetch; and intend¬ 
ed to sow some in the corn at the last 
cultivation, but on page G42 a correspond¬ 
ent from Virginia states that it becomes a 
pest when once started. Is this a fact? 
If so what would you suggest to sow as a 
cover crop? Crimson clover seed sells at 
about 13 cents per pound here. I desire 
to increase fertility, have mustard on the 
farm, and have a hard job to get rid of it, 
and if the Hairy vetch is hard to get ex¬ 
terminated on mixed farming will not sow 
it. 
Ans.— The one objection to Hairy 
vetch is that it will seed itself like a 
weed when once started. As a “weed” 
it ranks with clover or Alfalfa; wher¬ 
ever it grows the soil will be improved. 
There can be no doubt about that, but it 
will work into the grain fields, go to 
seed and mix with the grain when 
thrashed. The vetch seed looks much 
like sweet peas and it is hard to sepa¬ 
rate them. In this way the vetch may 
make trouble on a grain farm. We ad¬ 
vise it for use on fruit or stock farms, 
but all things considered, we would not 
use it where small grain is to be sold. 
Bruised Cherry Tree. 
O. F., New Yo^k .—I have a cherry tree 
which I moved this Spring and the gum is 
coming out through the bark in a number 
of places. Is this not injurious, and what 
can be done with it? 
Ans.— The bark may have been brok¬ 
en or bruised and if so this might cause 
a little leakage of sap and it would nat¬ 
urally evaporate and leave a deposit of 
gum. There is nothing serious about 
this, so far as the slight slow of gum is 
concerned. If this symptom should con¬ 
tinue, and the tree show signs of failing, 
it would be well to send specimens of 
the bark and gum from the affected part 
to the experiment station at Geneva and 
have a report from the experts there. 
H. E. VANDEMAN. 
SWAMP ROOT. 
On page 686, W., Massachusetts, de¬ 
scribes the official Cassia fistula, Eng¬ 
lish name, Purging Cassia, pudding- 
stick (or pipe). It is “The dried fruit 
of Cassia fistula L. Natural Order 
Leguminosse.” Its native home is the 
East Indies, but found now in parts of 
Egypt, Africa and South America, both 
wild and cultivated. It is a tree from 
30 to 50 feet high, trunk of hard heavy 
wood, dividing into numerous branches 
at the top and covered with a smooth 
ash colored bark. Flowers are in long 
golden-yellow racemes. The fruit is a 
pod from 16 to 24 inches long, one 
inch in diameter, blackish-brown, divi¬ 
ded transversely into many small cells, 
each containing a smooth, reddish- 
brown, ovate seed imbedded in a black¬ 
ish-brown sweet pulp resembling the 
odor of prunes. The pods are used in 
medicine as a laxative. I do not know 
of any Americans using it, but foreign¬ 
ers use it to some extent. 
New Jersey. e. q, anewalt. 
In answer to “W,” Massachusetts, in 
regard to swamp root, from his de¬ 
scription I should say he means Cassia 
fistula (common name Purging Cassia). 
Habitat upper Egypt and India, and 
transplanted to other warm countries, 
also to the warmer parts of America, 
but it is not a root, being the dried 
fruit pods. The tree grows 40 to 50 
feet high; the pods when broken open 
have an odor resembling prunes with 
a mawkish taste. Tt was formerly used 
as a remedy in habitual costiveness, also 
used in the old confection senna. It is 
now used some by Italians, also used 
in drug display to advertise patent 
medicine, as it is a striking display with 
other drugs. Practically useless as a 
medicine, but is said to make a striking 
looking shade tree with the rattle of 
the dried beans. c. w. L. 
Dover, N. H. 
<J?HB RURAE 
HARDINESS OF PLANTS. 
A reader of The It. N.-Y., asks if the 
native plants of the Puget Sound country 
are hardy in Connecticut. As the same 
question comes from many other sections 
of the United States, I will try to an¬ 
swer. Every locality has its peculiarities 
in soil, climate and natural vegetation. 
Many plants grow wild in the arid dis¬ 
tricts of the West and succeed equally as 
well under rainfall conditions, and some 
of the richest forest flowers and evergreens 
do better when transferred to irrigated sec¬ 
tions. Mountain flowers and plants flourish 
in the valleys and lowland, bulbs give out 
fine foliage when taken to higher alti¬ 
tudes. One of the largest and best crops 
of tomatoes I ever harvested was produced 
in a high, mountain-walled valley where 
natives told me the tomatoes would not 
ripen. The ground was prepared in the 
usual manner, plants set at the ordinary 
season and the cultivation of the same 
order as that given in natural tomato¬ 
growing districts. But I saw the fruits 
mature, ripen and go to the buyers, who 
paid fancy prices for them, still protesting 
that tomatoes would not ripen at an alti¬ 
tude of 6,000 feet. Plants are transferred 
from their native homes and put in new 
soils many thousand miles away, to pro¬ 
duce even better results than in their origi¬ 
nal seedbeds. I have several specimens of 
trees, plants and flowers, shipped from the 
Bureau of Plant Industry, and different 
nurseries, in various localities, the speci¬ 
mens coming originally from China, Japan 
and other Oriental countries. They are 
doing well and seem to be right at home 
in the Puget Sound basin. I do not know 
whether the native plants of Puget Sound 
are hardy in any region except in the forest, 
only as people plant them and write me 
results. It seems to me that such plants 
as ferns, Rhododendrons, huckleberries, 
Spiraeas, evergreens and similar natives, 
should grow in any country, where given 
proper attention. joel shomakek. 
Washington. 
Destroying Paint Brush. 
Will you give the best and surest way 
to get rid of paint brush in places where 
you cannot plow ? l. f. s. 
Newark Valley, N. Y. 
Outside of plowing and cultivating the 
best plan is to broadcast coarse salt heav¬ 
ily. This will kill out most of the weed. 
Dust Spraying. 
On page 623 in regard to the advantage 
of dust method of spraying would not that 
apply equally if not more so to potatoes? 
Can you buy powdered dry Bordeaux that 
would combine with powdered arsenate of 
lead, and are there any hand machines 
made that will apply it effectually? 
Maine. o. a. k. 
Yes, dry or dust “spraying” is often used 
on potatoes and other vine plants. The 
liquid sprays are more popular, but the 
dust gives fair results. Several advertisers 
sell the prepared dust and the bellows for 
applying it. 
California Strawberries. —This valley 
is a heavy strawberry producer, the ship¬ 
ments starting in May and continuing 
steadily for at least six months. Beds are 
always left for at least five years, but 
when plowed up, berries are rarely planted 
on same ground again, as usually apple 
trees have been growing during the five 
years. No manure or fertilizer is used. 
Strawberry growers usually lease the land 
and when new fields are wanted, new land 
is leased. Japanese do all the work of 
cultivating, picking, etc., on a basis of a 
share of the proceeds. The gross returns 
per acre are very large. w. e. h., jr. 
Watsonville, Calif. 
Early Harvest Blackberry. —A corre¬ 
spondent of the “Indiana Farmer” says of 
this berry that it is early, but not hardy 
We have grown this berry for 20 years; 
never saw it winter killed, nor miss a crop 
of fruit in that 20 years. Although very 
early, yet it is one of the last to bloom. 
Last year it was the only variety that fruit¬ 
ed for us anything like a crop. The freeze 
on the night of May 26 did not harm it. 
We begin picking Early Harvest along with 
the black raspberries and continue picking 
as long as we do any other variety of black¬ 
berry. In 1905 we began picking Early 
Harvest June 29, and finished picking Au¬ 
gust 16, a period of 48 days. All things 
considered, we regard it the best kind on 
our place. I. u. H. 
Indiana. 
Weeds of the Farm and Garden, by Dr. 
L. H. Pammel. Every farmer needs to 
know weeds common to his locality, since 
knowledge of their habit of growth is the 
first requisite in fighting them. Few books 
on this subject have been issued in this 
country, and Dr. Pammel has made an ex¬ 
tremely useful contribution to farm litera¬ 
ture. Descriptions are given of common 
weeds, with numerous illustrations, noxious 
weeds are listed, there is a chapter on 
weeds of special crops, and others on weed 
laws and weed impurities. The list of 
poisonous weeds, while extremely con¬ 
densed, will startle those who do not 
realize the danger of such plants. Pub¬ 
lished by Orange Judd Company, New York; 
281 pages, 161 illustrations and copious in¬ 
dex, price $1.50. 
DJE3W-VORK3EJS 
Spray Your 
Potato Vines 
with 
Swift’s Arsenate 
of Lead 
D ON’T putter around with a stick and 
old tin pan, but get all the bugs 
and get them quick and easy. 
Swift's Arsenate of Lead mixes 
readily with water, does not settle 
quickly, can be applied with any 
pump. 
It sticks to the foliage through 
ordinary rains—one spraying lasts 
as long as three or four with the 
old-style mixtures. 
Use it on your vegetables and 
fruits, and get the yield your land 
can produce. It is fatal to leaf¬ 
eating worms and insects. 
MERRIMAC CHEMICAL CO. 
31 Broad Street, Boston, Mass. 
$45.00 
No. 190--Runabout 
Sells at retail at for $65. Easy 
riding, stylish and very durable. 
We defy competion with it. 
$48.50 
No. 290—Buckboard 
Retailers ask $70 for its equal. Our 
own pattern, strongly made, easiest 
rider known, and a general favorite. 
DIRECT FROM FACTORY 
We make the best New York State 
Standard Quality Wagens and 
sell them direct from 
factory to users at 
Wholesale Price# 
You save all dealer’s and jobber’s 
profits—from $20 io $40—and obtain 
our binding guarantee for one year 
from date of purchase. 
No Money in Advance 
Any wagon will be shipped to you 
for free examination and approval. No 
deposit or references required. 
Safe Delivery Guaranteed 
You take no risk whatever. Every 
wagon will reach you in perfect condi¬ 
tion, or it can be returned to us at our 
expense. 
$53.50 
No. 118—Top Buggy 
Fully as good as retails for $75, 
Will give years of service, nicely 
finished, and a bargain 
$53.50 
No. 350 —Handy Wag'on 
Removable seats, very strong, and 
one of our best selling styles. Can’t 
be duplicated anywhere for less 
than $70. 
Send for Catalogue 
Showing 200 styles of wagons and 50 styles of Harness. 
Every approved pattern is shown at a wide range of price*. 
ROCHESTER VEHICLE CO., 360 Main St., Rochester, N. Y. 
For Orchard and Farm ; 
All genuine “Cutaways” are intense cultivators and 
will increase your crops 25 to 50 per cent. Our Double 
Action ••Cutaway” Harrow is a wonderful invention 
—can be used in field or orchard. Perfect center 
draft. Drawn by two medium horses will move the 
earth twice on every trip. We can prove it. 
“Intensive Cultivation,” our new catalogue is Free. 
Send for it today. 
CUTAWAY HARROW CO.. 839 Mata St., Himnum, Conn. 
Gasoline Engines 
2^/2 and 3 % Horsepower 
Deyo Engines will always go. Don’t make 
the mistake of buying a balky engine. It 
is worse than none. Get the best when you 
buy and do not buy until you have seen a 
Deyo, Let us explain our liberal proposi¬ 
tion. Write for bulletin 2-B. 
DEY0-MACEY ENGINE CO.. Binghamton, N. Y. 
Manufacturers of Deyo Power Sprayers 
CHARTER 
FRANKLY, the 
is being sold so largely in 
3310 SIZES 
we are not interested in 
small ones. 
From 20 H. P. Up we have the 
Best Gasoline Engine as well as 
the Original of the World. 
CHARTER GAS ENGINE CO., Box 26, Sterling, III., U.S. A. 
INOCULATED ALFALFA SOIL 
75 cents per hundred, $10.00 per ton. F. O. B. Ash- 
ville, Pa. Send for FREE booklet “How to Grow 
Alfalfa.” Dr. H. SOMERVILLE, Chest Springs, 
Cambria County, Pa. 
gasoline, distillate, any fuel oil, perfectly—without change, 
Cheapest, Safest, Simplest 
POWER 
for b»m work, house work, mill work, dairy work, well 
work, spraying, sawing,irrigation,electric lights, pumping. 
Astonishing success. More power gallon for gallon. Hun¬ 
dred less parts. Patent throttle gives three engines for the 
price of one. Catalog free—tells how. 1 
Double duty tank revolutionizes cooling 
systems. Force feod lubricator—per- | 
feet oiling. Automobile muffler. 
Ball bearing governor. Starts in* 
stantly. No pre-heating. No 
crank. Experience unne«* 
essary. Women canoper* 
tate. Vibratio elimina* 
ed. Quality high—price 
low. Comes complete. 
Ahvaye hungry for 
work—and thrivoson it. | 
FREE TRIAL 
No obligation till satis* 
lied. 10-year guarantee. 
Engine Facts” free 
write for it NOW. 
Ellis Engine Co., 
51 Mullet! St , OETROIT, MICH. 
Bees on the Farm 
will help yon get more pleasure and more profit 
from Bee keeping. 6 months trial subscription 25c. 
Book on Bees and Catalog of Supplies sent free. 
THE A. I. ROOT COMPANY. Box 65. MEDINA, OHIO 
—99jXoo % Pure— 
American Ingot Iron Roofing 
Guaranteed For 30 Years 
Without Painting 
The Only Guaranteed Metal Roofing ever put on the 
market. Samples free. Write for a free book showing 
remarkable tests. A way out of your roof troubles. 
THE AMERICAN IRON ROOFING CO., Dent. 0. ELYRIA, OHIO 
