1911. 
THE RURAb NEW-YORKEH 
763 
TROUBLE WITH GRAPES. 
H. H. Eastport, L. I .—What may bo the 
trouble with my grapes, as they are 
sprouting from the ground or the roots 
while above, uothing or very little has ap¬ 
peared. The branches are not dead, and 
I have noticed on a number, that where 
the branch was cut sap accumulated. I 
cut my grapes on March 13. Is it pos¬ 
sible that they may have a disease? 
Ans. —This seems to be a case of in¬ 
jury of the buds by the severity of Win¬ 
ter or a late frost that caught them 
when they had started to grow and were 
in a very tender stage. As the vines 
were alive, which was proved by the 
sap flowing from cuts made, the diffi¬ 
culty must be with the buds. No disease 
that I know would affect the vines to 
cause the buds to fail to grow out at 
the proper time. The fact that sprouts 
are coming out from near the base of 
stems would also indicate that Winter 
injury of the buds is the cause. The 
variety may be a tender one. 
H. E. VAN DEMAN. 
HOW TO HANDLE HEN MANURE. 
Part II. 
Last week we discussed the weight and 
value of hen manure. Some years ago Peru¬ 
vian and other guanos were largely used by 
farmers. When pure these guanos consisted 
of the manure of sea birds. In the rainless 
regions of the west coast of South America 
vast numbers of sea birds go to certain isl¬ 
ands to breed and roost. As it seldom or 
never rains there the manure dries rapidly. 
Mixed with it are bodies of dead birds and 
fish on which the birds feed. This material 
is dug up and crushed to a powder and 
makes a fine fertilizer. Some farmers had 
an idea that hen manure is as valuable as 
this guano—because both are bird manure. 
This is not so. The value of manure de¬ 
pends on what the animal eats. These sea 
birds live largely on fish—food rich in nitro¬ 
gen and phosphoric acid. Naturally their 
manure is richer than that of hens fed 
largely on grain. Everyone knows that 
ground fish or meat would prove a better 
fertilizer than cornmeal. The same differ¬ 
ence must be found in the manure made 
from feeding them. 
Another difference is found in the fact 
that the guano is promptly dried and has 
no chance to heat and ferment—thus driving 
off its nitrogen—on the other hand, every¬ 
one who keeps poultry knows how quickly 
hen manure gives off ammonia, for this is 
plainly evident in the smell. As hen. man¬ 
ure is usually handled, probably half its ni¬ 
trogen is lost in this way. With other 
farm animals the solids and liquids are 
voided separately—and as all know the 
liquids contain most of the available plant 
food, and are most likely to ferment and 
send off ammonia. In the hen the solids 
and liquids are voided together. Most of 
its nitrogen is in the form of uric acid, 
which decays rapidly and forms ammonia 
quickly. When it is left exposed so it will 
heat there is great loss. Even when the 
floor of the henhouse is covered with sand 
and straw the ammonia in the droppings is 
so quickly driven off that much of the ni¬ 
trogen is lost. The same is true to a less 
extent of the droppings which fall in the 
yards or when the hens range about. In 
fact the only way to save the nitrogen is to 
get the fresh manure into the soil at once, 
or mix chemicals with it that will hold the 
ammonia. 
As stated last week, about all of the hen 
manure that we can be sure of is what is 
dropped under the roosts, and we can only 
be sure of that when something is done to 
hold the ammonia. At the Maine Experi¬ 
ment Station various plans were tried. In 
one case the manure was scraped from un¬ 
der the roosts and stored in barrels without 
any addition. In six months this manure 
lost more than half its nitrogen. The same 
thing happened when dry sawdust was 
mixed with the manure. When 40 pounds 
of land plaster were mixed with manure 
from ISO hens one-third of the nitrogen was 
lost. The same amount with 82 pounds of 
plaster and 15 of sawdust suffered no loss. 
The same was true when 54 pounds of 
kainit on 47 pounds acid phosphate were 
used with sawdust. These chemicals held 
practically all the nitrogen. “Kainit” is one 
of the German potash salts. When this was 
used the manure was moist and sticky, and 
hard to handle. The plaster left the manure 
in hard and dry lumps. The sawdust helped 
dry out the manure and gave it better con¬ 
dition for spreading or drilling. At the 
Maine Station it was found that 10 pounds 
of dry sawdust could be mixed or sprinkled 
over 30 pounds of fresh manure. As this 
was scraped up and put in barrels 16 pounds 
acid phosphate and eight pounds kainit can 
be added. This will give a mixture con¬ 
taining 1 % per cent, nitrogen, 4% phos¬ 
phoric acid and two per cent, potash, with 
about all the nitrogen saved. We must un¬ 
derstand that there is no use figuring on 
the value of fresh hen manure since the 
ammonia is so easily lost. Its value depends 
on the way it is handled. The first thing is 
to dry it thoroughly. It will not ferment 
except when moist and warm. Hoad dust, 
dry earth, sawdust, plaster, will all help 
dry it. Plaster does more, as it has some 
chemical action to hold the ammonia. A 
plan which we recommend is to use plaster 
freely under the roosts, scrape out often 
and store in a dry place. The hard lumps 
can be crushed and sifted when needed and 
mixed with chemicals as described in “The 
Business Hen.” 
SEEDING ALFALFA ON LONG ISLAND. 
“The Agronomist” advises us to seed 
Alfalfa in Spring, while The R. N.-Y. says 
seed alone in August. Are there special 
conditions which make Spring seeding safer 
on Long Island? reader. 
Our experience in New Jersey is in favor 
of August seeding. When sown in the 
Spring on our weedy farms the young Al¬ 
falfa plants have a hard struggle for life, 
especially in a cool, wet Spring. In August 
the Alfalfa grows faster, while most weeds 
have spent themselves. Most of our reports 
from along the Atlantic Coast show much 
the same condition. Long Island may be 
different. We should like to know. Here 
are three reports: 
I have not seen anyone who feels that 
Alfalfa is a success on Long Island. There 
are some fine fields. I don’t know of any¬ 
one who has bad better results from plant¬ 
ing earlier than August. The high price of 
hay turns farmers toward Alfalfa, and per¬ 
haps it is because of the very dry Summers 
we have had of late that it does not do 
well. NAT. TUTHILL. 
Suffolk Co., L. I. 
My personal experience with Alfalfa is 
rather limited, but, taking into considera¬ 
tion the liability of trouble from drought, 
weeds, etc., also my experience with the 
other clovers, I think the proper time to 
seed Alfalfa is in the late Summer, after 
August 20. On June 9 of this year I care¬ 
fully inspected a field of Alfalfa sown about 
August 20, 1910, and I call it a perfect 
stand. It stood knee high, the ground 
thoroughly covered, no weeds showing, and 
the heads not yet showing. Another piece 
sown in the Spring of 1909 came up well 
and made a fair growth last Summer, but 
this Spring is quite uneven and many weeds 
Showing. H. R. TALMAGE. 
Long Island. 
I have seeded Alfalfa in the Spring and 
Fall on Long Island. With the Spring seed- 
ings I made failures on account of the 
weeds having a full season to flourish. With 
the Fall seedings I never met with failure. 
One of the best stands I have was sown in 
August after a crop of oats and Canada 
peas had been removed. The land, a clover 
sod. had been used for growing turnips and 
seeded with rye at the last cultivation of the 
turnips. The turnips were topped in the 
field and tops left on the land. During the 
Winter it was given a heavy coat of manure 
fresh from the stables and plowed under in 
the Spring. One ton of lime to the acre 
was put on the furrow and harrowed in. and 
the oats and peas sown. After removing 
the oats and peas, the stubble was cut up 
with a disk harrow about once a week until 
a fair rain fell (about the 10th of August) 
when 800 pounds of a 5-8-8 fertilizer was 
applied per acre, harrowed in thoroughly 
and 20 pounds of seed per acre sown. I 
have heard reports of Fall seeding on heavy 
loam having the top roots broken by the 
freezing and heaving of the soil, but have 
never seen anything of the kind. My land 
is a sandy loam. I have a small piece of 
Alfalfa which has been cut eight years, and 
it lo good for eight or more years yet. 
The first crop was cut this season, June 1, 
when it was 36 inches high and just com¬ 
ing in hloom. The second stand is now 18 
inches high. I would not turn under a 
heavy growth of anything just before seed¬ 
ing. The seed bed should be fine but firm. 
Long Island. frank b. smith. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you'll get a quick reply and a 
“square deal.” See guarantee editorial page. 
— . = S 
To the Last 
Mouthful 
one enjoys a bowl of 
crisp, delightful 
Post 
T oasties 
with cream or stewed 
fruit—or both. 
Some people make 
an entire breakfast out 
of this combination. 
Try it! 
“The Memory Lingers* 
This monogram on the 
radiator stands for all 
you can ask in a motor car 
You Can Now Buy the 
Famous Chalmers “ 30 ” 
Fully Equipped—$1500 
This 1912 car, at its new price, in¬ 
cluding full equipment and all the 1912 
improvements, sets a new standard of 
motor car values. 
Last year this car sold for $1750, equipped 
with magneto, gas lamps, top and windshield. 
Think of it this year—refined and improved in 
every possible way, with thoroughly ventilated 
fore-door bodies, inside control, magneto, gas 
lamps, Prest-O-Lite tank, and including also 
Chalmers mohair top and automatic wind¬ 
shield—for $1500! 
Please remember that this is the sturdy car 
that was driven 208 miles a day for 100 days in 
succession; that made the trip from Denver to 
Mexico City; that has never been defeated in 
any sort of contest by a car of its own price 
and power; that holds the world’s light car 
speed record; that won the hardest Glidden 
Tour ever held. 
Remember that this car has given satis¬ 
factory service to 15,000 owners; that it is 
backed by an absolute guarantee for a year. 
We really believe, whether you buy a Chalmers or 
not, it is worth your while to see the new cars. 
We shall be very glad to send you our new catalog, 
and an introduction to our dealer nearest to you. 
Chalmers Motor Company, Detroit, Mich, 
Including magneto, gas and oil lamps, 
Prest-O-Lite tank, top, windshield, fore¬ 
doors, horn, tools. Made also as 4-passen¬ 
ger Torpedo, and Pony Tonneau and Tor¬ 
pedo Roadster. 
tq t j-y serves double purpose of a 
if lore nve c ° ver . cr °P or a grain crop. In either 
J case it pays to use the right kind of 
fertilizer on it—the kind that contains enough Potash to balance 
the phosphate. The mixtures we have told you to use on wheat 
are suitable for rye, but the 
POTASH 
may be even higher, since rye uses 
more Potash than wheat. 
Use from 200 to 400 pounds per acre of a 
fertilizer containing 6 to 8 per cent, of potash. 
If your dealer does not carry potash 
salts, write us for prices stating amount 
wanted, and ask for free books on Fall 
Fertilizers and Home Mixing. They 
will show you how to save money and 
increase profits in your fertilizer pur¬ 
chases. Potash Pays. 
GERMAN KALI WORKS. Inc. 
Baltimore: Continental Bldif. 
Chicago : Monadnock Block 
New Orleans: Whitney Central Bank Bldif. 
HARVESTER with Binder Attach¬ 
ment cuts and throws in piles on har¬ 
vester or winrow. Man and horse cuts 
and shocks equal witli a Corn Binder. 
Sold in every State. Price 820 with 
Binder Attachment. S. C. MONTGOMERY, of Texaline, 
Tex., writes:—“The harvester has proven all you claim 
for it, With the assistance of one man cut and bound over 
100 acres of Corn,Kaffir Corn and Maize last year.” Testi¬ 
monials and catalog free, showing pictures of harvester. 
NEW PROCESS MEG. CO., Salina, Kan. 
FUMA 
iiPIIII Jft ”, kills Prairie Dogs, 
™ m ™ Woodchucks, Gophers, 
and Grain Insects. 
“The wheels of the gods 
grind slow but exceed¬ 
ingly small." So the weovil, but you can stop their 
*with “ Fuma Carbon Bisulphide are doing. 
EDWARD R. TAYLOR, Penn Yan, N. Y. 
TRADE MARK REGISTERED IN U. S. PATENT OFFICE. 
Sold by Grocers. 
nodes 
Postum Cereal Company, Limited, 
Battle Creek, Mich., U. S. A. 
V_ 
(POWN FENCED 
n* 
Strongest, most durable fence 
made. Heaviest, closest wires. Double 
• galvanized. Practically indestructible. Stock ^ 
I strong Chicken tight. 14 to 35c per rod. Sample free. We pay frtT 
|Th^lrowinjenc^^Vir^o^)epl^^levelandj0hl<^ 
. . . MANUFACTURED ONLY BY . . . 
( lhe Rogers & Hubbard Co., 
Middletown, Conn. 
Send for free Almanac telling all about 
Hubbard’s “ Bone Base” Fertilizers. 
