sie 
THE RURAIv NEW-YORKER 
August 12, 
FARMERS’ CLUB 
[ Every query must be accompanied by the 
name and address of the writer to insure 
attention. Before asking a question, please see 
whether it is not answered in our advertising 
columns. Ask only a few questions at one time, 
pn' questions on a separate piece of paper.! 
Buckwheat in an Orchard. 
O. C., Pomona, Y. Y. —I have a 15-acre 
Baldwin apple orchard, 26 years old, which 
was plowed in April. About 200 of the 
trees had manure plowed under, the rest 
had a mixture in the proportion of 1.000 
pounds of 8.55% tankage and 400 pounds 
of 50% potash, 250 pounds to the acre. It 
was harrowed until June 17, and then one 
bushel of buckwheat was sowed to the 
acre. What should I gain by plowing it 
under, sowing rye to be plowed under next 
Spring, or should I let it stand until next 
Spring and let chickens feed on it this 
Fall and then plow under? About 100 
trees have a good crop of apples; trees 
have grown from one inch to 14 inches 
this Summer. The buckwheat is from six 
inches to three feet in height now. 
Ans. —Under these circumstances we 
should let the buckwheat alone. It will 
mature and fall down, covering the 
ground for Winter. If you plow late 
and sow rye you will be likely to start 
a new growth on the trees which might 
he winter-killed. Grass and weeds will 
grow after the buckwheat until frost. 
Getting Alfalfa Started. 
J. K. S., Washington Borough, ra .—I 
have a piece of ground on which I would 
like to start Alfalfa, but do not quite un¬ 
derstand how to go about it. The land is a 
medium soil with gravel, well drained, but 
clover has not done what it should on 
part of it. The piece is about five acres. 
Wheat was cut this Spring and manured 
well. We are now plowing it. I can get the 
best of hydrated lime, and also can get soil 
from an adjoining field where Alfalfa has 
been grown for several years. 
Ans. —That soil ought to produce 
good Alfalfa. As clover does not do 
well we may assume the land is sour. 
After plowing the land we should 
broadcast at least 3,000 pounds of lime 
per acre and harrow it well in. Keep 
the harrow moving whenever any green 
growth appears, so as to make the sur¬ 
face fine and mellow. About August 
IS, or before if you have a good rain, 
put on 500 pounds to the acre of soil 
from that Alfalfa field. Dig out the 
upper six inches where you can find 
the little nodules or bunches on the 
Alfalfa roots. Sift out the stones and 
roots and scatter the fine soil evenly. 
Select, if possible, a cloudy day for 
this. Then broadcast about 20 pounds 
of good seed per acre, and work seed 
and soil in with a light harrow or 
brush. Use 400 pounds or more of a 
fertilizer containing 2 / per cent nitro¬ 
gen, seven of phosphoric acid and eight 
of potash. Carry out this plan faith¬ 
fully and you will have done your part 
in starting Alfalfa. 
Work On a Rhode Island Truck Farm. 
This is a 16-acre farm, run almost ex¬ 
clusively for the Summer resorts, three of 
them lying within one and one-half miles. 
Within the 16 acres are about four acres 
of peaches two of apples, one of straw¬ 
berries, one-half acre of currants, one- 
fourth acre of pears, one and one-half oi 
asparagus and another of a variety of 
things, such as rhubarb, raspberries, black¬ 
berries, etc., and one acre of grass. A few 
cherry and plum trees are among the ap¬ 
ples, as are also the henhouses and yards, 
our business being to supply Summer peo¬ 
ple with fruit and vegetables. Monday 
morning finds us busy, and particularly so 
because we believe that we should “Re¬ 
member the Sabbath day to keep it holy,” 
so that no preparations are made on Sun¬ 
day except the principal one—to keep it 
as a day of rest. 
About 5 a. m. we detail the two men 
to cut the asparagus, and gather some let¬ 
tuce and rhubarb, after which they join 
the rest of us on the strawberry bed. and 
nine persons all told had 75 boxes of 
strawberries with which my son and my¬ 
self started immediately after breakfast. 
We visited two of the shore resorts and 
returned shortly after 2 P. M. The two 
men meantime cultivated all they could | 
until my return, when I called them to put 
up the horse, and we thinned corn, which 
I always drill, until six o’clock. My son 
witili several pickers finished the straw¬ 
berry bed. Those berries we use for to¬ 
morrow, and in the afternoon pick for the 
next day. We had about one-lialf bushel 
of cherries gathered also. About 5 o’clock 
the electric freight stopped at our drive¬ 
way and put off some southern pro.duee, 
for we sell not only what we raise, but a 
full line of fruit and produce, ninning a 
regular huckster team. 
Perhaps a few words about asparagus 
will not come amiss. Many beds are ruined 
by late cutting. On June 1 I leave one 
sialk to each st.ool. and a week later I 
leave another. At all times those not 
larger than a lead pencil are allowed to 
grow. These few stalks give the plants a 
chance to breathe and relieves what must 
be to them a desperate effort for breath. 
Of course a bed so kept cannot be wheel 
harrowed; it must be hoed, but two or 
three days’ cutting will pay the bill. 
West Barrington, R. I. F. t. j. 
TWO SIDES OF THE MIDDLEMAN 
QUESTION. 
Getting a fair share of the consumer’s 
dollar is a very hard matter, for the mid¬ 
dleman looms up very large between the 
producer and the consumer. Sometimes the 
same thing can be done by taking up the 
matter at the other end. Here is what a 
Western New York Grange accomplished 
not long after it admitted to membership a 
wideawake city man who had bought a farm 
in its territory. The city man knew a few 
things anout prices that the older members 
of the Grange may have known also, but 
which they did not know how to get around, 
lie set them to buying supplies by the car¬ 
load, and this is the saving that he has made 
in a few of the articles that he happened 
to need for his own use: Anthracite coal, 
SI.56 per ton; bituminous coal, .$1.75 per 
ton, for thrashing and other uses; mid¬ 
dlings and bran, ,$4.50 per ton; flour, not 
less than 50 cents per barrel. Of course, 
this does not help support the country mer¬ 
chant very liberally, but the city Grange 
man is not troubled about that. He says 
that had the country merchant charged a 
fair profit on these articles ne would never 
have thought of going around him and buy¬ 
ing at wholesale. It is not denied that 
there are two sides to this question. The 
country merchant says that If the farmers 
would pay their store debts promptly it 
would be possible for the merchant to sell 
at a much lower figure than he does. An 
instance of this sort in the practice of one 
merchant is brought to mind by the above 
case. The merchant was a financier, and, 
moreover, a good friend of his customers. 
When any of them had run up an account 
as large as he thought he ought to carry for 
them he notified them that they must reduce 
this amount before he could sell them any¬ 
thing more. The practice, however, is 
largely for the country store to display 
notices that it sells for cash only, with the 
mei'chant wishing generally that he had 
the backbone to live up to the rule. If 
these abuses could be cut out of the coun¬ 
try trade there would be much less occa¬ 
sion for the Grange to asert itself by cut¬ 
ting out the retail dealer. What is the 
l’eason it cannot be done? J. w. c. 
New York. 
President G. M. Twitchell of the Maine 
Fomological Society predicts a short apple 
crop. With the buyers and packers shout¬ 
ing “a big crop of apples and low prices,” 
it will be well for growers to take note 
of conditions. The apple crop of the East 
will fall below 1910, while the same report 
comes from the extreme West. Whether 
because of the absence of bees and birds, 
the long and severe drought, or the very 
hot wave just as the blossoms opened, or 
for some other cause, we now know that 
the set of fruit all over the Eastern and 
Middle States is very irregular. Reports 
from the far West are not favorable for a 
full crop. The yield in Maine will be con¬ 
siderably less than in 1910. One condition 
to be kept in mind is the abnormal size of 
Winter apples at this season—July 8—and 
with this the color, by which varieties may 
be distinguished. Whether this indicates 
early maturity or not can be determined 
only as the season progresses. The pres¬ 
ence, at this early period of the Fall web- 
worm and the evidence of destruction will 
necessitate a sharp eye and knife, constant 
watchfulness and a good fire. 
“For the Land’s Sake, use Bovvker’s 
Fertilizers; they enrich the earth and 
those who till it.”— Adv. 
NO BETTER ROOFING MADE 
AT DOUBLE OUR PRICE 
1 Ply, $1.20 Per lOO Sq. Ft- 
2 1.50. 
3 " 1.80 “ . 
Send For Samples and Our Complete 
Mail Order Catalog —Free On Request 
MANUFACTURERS DISTRIBUTING CO. 
Pittsburgh’s Mail Order House 
Dept. H. Pittsburgh Pa. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you'll get a quick reply and a 
“square deal.” See guarantee editorial page. 
Seed Wheat and Rye 
ST. LOUIS’ PRIZE, RED WAVE and LEIP’S 
PROLIFIC WHEAT 
NEW PITCUS RYE—A Very Superior New Variety 
Hairy Vetch, Alfalfa and Grass Seeds of highest 
grade at right prices. Please ask for price list. 
JOSEPH HARRIS C0 M COLDWA N T E E S YOR k 
SEED WHEAT 
GYPSY WHEAT. Splendid Standard variety, 
proved by Ohio Experiment Station, test running 
20 years, to be the highest yielder of any variety 
in the State. We can please yon if you are looking 
for good seed. Write today. Onr Catalog No. 23, 
“How to Grow Alfalfa,” will be mailed free. 
WING SEED CO., Bax 523 Mechanicsburg, Ohio 
‘The Best Seed Wlieats 
Come from Maplewood, acknowledged the leading 
Seed Wheat Farm of America. Not the cheapest, 
but the very best, and most value for money asked. 
Write to-day for price list, samples and reports of 
customers who have tried our wheats. Also Short¬ 
horn Cattle, P. C. Hogs and wool-mutton Shrops. 
MAPLEWOOD STOCK AND SEED FARMS, Allegan, Michigan. 
AUGOST is the time to sow ALFALFA without a "nurse 
crop” but ALFALFA will not thrive without LIME. 
Our LAND LIME is especially suited to the needs of 
ALFALFA ns it contains the quickly soluble “quick lime” 
which will feed the plant this Fall, and the slowly acting 
calcium carbonate, which will act next Spring. LAND 
LIME requires no slaking, does not burn the HUMl'S in 
the soil, and can be spread with a drill. The Experiment 
Stations recommend applying about one ton of Lime per 
acre. Why not try raising a small patch this Fall ? 
Write for prices, circulars and samples. 
THE SOLVAY PROCESS COMPANY, SYRACUSE, NEW YORK. 
FRUIT TREES 
We are ready to take orders for Fall Delivery 
for BLACK’S QUALITY TREES. 
. . . Send for Booklet . . . 
JOS. H. BLACK. SON & CO.. HIGHTSTOWN, N. J. 
TREES! 
The 
By the Millions. A complete line 
at wholesale prices. Large supply 
of peach trees and Privet Hedging. 
Westminster Nursery, Westminster, Maryland 
CDIIIT TDEEZC flND plants of all kinds at 
I IIIII I I IILLO Reasonable Prices. Send 
for Price List. BASIL PERRY, D. 18, Cool Spring, Del. 
Tnrrp for fall planting. We 
I U Li La V have the finest stands of pear, plum, 
I IlLLtJ and cherry ever grown in the Upper 
Genesee Valley. Write us today. 
KING BROS. NURSERIES, Bansville, N.Y. 
2000 Acres in Nurseries—JO Valuable Farms For Sale, 
■-- Harrison s Nurseries, Berlin, Md. 
Alfalfa Clover 
should be sown during August and Sep¬ 
tember. We offer high-grade American 
grown seed and will send sample and 
price on request. 
Crimson Clover 
the great soil improver; also earlv green 
food, grazing and hay. Special circular, 
sample and price of seed on request. 
Winter Vetch 
(Vicia Villosa) 
Valuable as a winter cover crop and for 
green manure. Extremely hardy. Write 
for price. 
Dreer’s Autumn Catalog 
Ready early in September and mailed free to 
all applicants; offors Seeds, Plants and Bulbs 
for Fall planting. Write for a copy. 
HENRY A. DREER 
PHILADELPHIA, PA 
CaoH Whoa! Read’s Vermont. New vari. 
ww MvCJl ety, sown Sept. 20. Aver- 
yield 56 bus. to acre. Big money in wheat. Write 
for circular. G. A. Read, Read’s Exp. Farms, Chariotte.Vt. 
TIMOTHY <5FFn an< l alsike, both new crop, 
l linu ■ n l uULU and without a single weed. 
Also alfalfa, vetch and crimson clover. 
O. M. Scott & Son, 100 Main St., Marysville, Ohio. 
JONES SEED WHEAT 
Pure and Well Cleaned. “St. Louis Grand Prize” and 
“Red Wave.” Two of the best yielding and fly re¬ 
sisting wheats grown. Semi for samples and prices 
to J. N. McPHERSON, Pine View Farm, Scottsviile. N. Y. 
GOOD SEED WHEAT“MS m in * ,, oh“ t ' I v»?LtS; 
that bring results—35 to 48 bushels per acre. Red 
Wave, Gypsy, White Fultz, Improved Poole, Har¬ 
vest King, Rudy, Winter King and Red Wonder. 
Ask for our Special Wheat Circular; it’s free. 
MACE & MANSFIELD, Greenville, Ohio 
SILVER LEAF CHOICE RED SEED WHEAT 
for sale, weighing G3 pounds to the bushel (limited 
quantity). Apply to CHAS. 0. SMITH, Fairground, N.Y. 
ALFALFA SOIL FOR INOCULATION 
. , . Send for Prices and Circular . . . 
E. T. GILL, Haddon Farms, Haddonfieltl, N. J. 
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. 
(CONSULTING SPECIALIST in soil improve- 
raent, crop growing, dairy husbandry and gene¬ 
ral farm management. L. W. LIGHTY, East Berlin, Pa. 
APPLE TRFF^~ A,! liinc,s Trees and Plants. 
Prices reasonable. Salesmen 
Wanted. Mitchell’s Nursery, Beverly. Ohio 
APPLE BARRELS'LL!. 5PJM 
or Hoops. ROBT. GILLIES, Medina, N. Y. 
1000 to 1500 Grains Pro¬ 
duced From a Single Seed 
You can increase your yield 20 to 30 per cent, by 
sowing only Yz bushel Miracle Wheat to the acre- 
The stems first grow outward rather than upward, and 
some of the stools measure 16 inches across! 
Miracle Wheat 
Grows From 
* s a new .wheat of peculiar and phenomenal growth and of 
wonderful milling qualities. No experiment. It has been 
grown for over six years in Virginia. You owe it to yourself 
to at least investigate it. 
Write today for booklet— free. Also tell us how 
much seed you now sow per acre, what your average 
yield per acre has been, and how many acres of wheat 
you expect to plant this Fall. 
The Stoner Seed Wheat Company 
3451 Walnut Street, Philadelphia 
