1911 . 
THE RURAb NEW-YORKER 
809 
ADVICE FROM HOME. 
Every week we receive questions from 
people who could obtain far better ad¬ 
vice within a mile of their own homes. 
Many of these questions are about va¬ 
rieties or local methods of handling 
crops. We try to help them, but al¬ 
ways endeavor to make it clear that 
they would much better go to some 
local grower for advice. Why cto these 
people go by the men best qualified to 
help them and approach a stranger? 
Here is one side of it—we would like 
to hear from the questioners also: 
I once heard a young man say he had 
sent the same question to four different 
papers and they all gave a different an¬ 
swer ; he appeared to enjoy the fact, too. 
Another illustration of- human nature as 
we see it almost everywhere, came under 
my own experience some 30 years ago. 
I ‘was for those times quite largely inter¬ 
ested in strawberry raising, employing a 
number of help. What was my surprise 
to be informed by one of my day help 
who lived near on a small farm that he 
wished a few days off as he expected a 
few thousand strawberry plants at the 
express office next day, and he wished time 
to set them out for himself, as he was 
intending to grow strawberries too. In 
fact he had kept it so secret I had not 
heard of it before, and I was told by the 
help that he said he could raise bigger 
berries than I was doing, and beat me all 
out on prices. He had bought two vari- 
tles which were commercially worthless, 
and as the plants bearing perfect blos¬ 
soms were also worthless, and practically 
all died, all he received from the land was 
an inferior late crop planted after he had 
plowed the strawberries all under and 
then planted to something else. Now why 
that man expected to learn more about 
varieties of strawberries In 10 minutes 
from a catalogue than on a place where 
he knew many dollars were spent in test¬ 
ing new varieties, and the varieties grown 
commercially were paying good profits, was 
something I could never understand. Yet 
I meet every little while men who have 
bought trees or plants from catalogue or 
farm paper description when they might 
have made hundreds of dollars by asking 
and receiving advice to fit their condi¬ 
tions from some friend or neighbor. Then 
there is the lazy man who sits down, 
asks a string of questions and expects some 
one else to put in the thought and time 
to 'tell him the whole business, and really 
expects to learn it all by no effort on his 
part. But why mention others, for we 
meet all kinds of people? To-day I was 
expecting a young man from out of town 
to inspect my filler orchards. He wrote 
asking full particulars in regard to plant¬ 
ing one. My answer was “Come and see 
and learn something if you can that will 
help you.” I have no time to spend on 
people who do not really care to learn. 
The weak point in the whole matter is 
where papers try to advise when they know 
little or nothing of the local conditions 
which surround the questioner, and would 
do much more to help such people by ad¬ 
vising them to consult with some one in 
their line of business who has made good 
at it and understands local conditions as 
well as markets; such a man can help 
a beginner very much and few refuse it 
to a deserving person. h. o. mead. 
ALFALFA IN ONONDAGA CO., N. Y. 
Part II. 
Curing the Crop. —Naturally a crop as 
heavy as Alfalfa and cut when it is green 
requires good weather and two or three 
days for curing. Some growers dry it more 
than others, but all agree that it should be 
cured enough to prevent heating, but should 
not get so dry that the leaves will fall off 
when it is raked and carted. Only a small 
proportion of the crop is cured in the cock 
and most of that is done early in the season 
or in threatening weather. Under very fa¬ 
vorable conditions Alfalfa may be cut early 
one day and drawn to the barn on the after¬ 
noon of the next day. but the larger part 
of the crop remains in the field until the 
third day after it is cut. When caught in a 
hard rain the tedder is sometimes used to 
aid In getting the water out of the hay. 
The side delivery rake is used bv many 
farmers and is highly commended. The 
quantity of hay obtained varies with the 
character of the land and with all the con¬ 
ditions which modify the yield of other 
farm crops, but in good soil the three cut¬ 
tings total from three to five tons per acre. 
What Becomes of Alfalfa.— -In the 
places visited a great deal of Alfalfa is fed 
to cows which are kept to produce milk for 
the city markets. But, partly because of the 
large amount of work involved, though prin¬ 
cipally because of the high cost of produc¬ 
tion as compared with the price obtained 
for the milk and the restrictions which are 
Imposed upon producers by various author¬ 
ities, the dairy business is being curtailed. 
Some farmers who formerly kept 20 or 30 
cows each, now keep only one or two. They 
are selling Alfalfa instead of milk. Con¬ 
siderable Alfalfa is fed to horses. It was 
formerly regarded as an unsafe feed, but 
there are many horses in this vicinity which 
have been eating it for years. One man, 
and only one, said that he wetted the hay 
before feeding it. He has a horse that is 
more than 20 years old, is well and active, 
and has had no hay but Alfalfa for many 
years. On the Oandee Poultry Farm in De- 
Witt, where 3,500 hens are kept, a good 
deal of Alfalfa is given to the feathered 
stock. It is fed whole to the hens, but is 
cut into short pieces for the chicks. There 
are a few Alfalfa pastures. Some Alfalfa is 
fed green to help out the grass pastures 
when they begin to fail in Summer. Last 
fall C. D. Andrews, of Geddes, put a few 
loads of Alfalfa in a silo which he did not 
have quite enough corn to fill. It kept well 
and the cows liked it and did well when it 
was fed to them. Probably it would have 
been still better if it had been mixed with 
the corn. There is a ready sale for all the 
Alfalfa of which the growers wish to dis¬ 
pose. Quite a quantity is sold loose on the 
Syracuse market. The present quotations 
tre $15 to $16 per ton. Every year hun¬ 
dreds of tons are baled and shipped to Bos¬ 
ton, New York and other hay distributing 
centers. Last year buyers paid $15 per ton 
and baled the hay, or $17 if the seller did 
the baling. 
Permanence of Alfalfa. —If the land is 
good, is properly prepared for seeding, a 
fair quantity of manure or fertilizer Is 
used at the time of sowing, and a good 
catch follows, an Alfalfa field may be ex¬ 
pected to remain highly productive for an 
indefinite period. There are many fields 
which have been down eight or 10 years 
and are in excellent condition. If the 
ground is top-dressed every three or four 
years, as is the case on some farms where a 
large number of cows are kept, a good 
yield can probably be obtained for 20 years 
or more, but as the roots of old plants 
reach a large size and contain a great deal 
of matter that will be valuable as a fertil¬ 
izer when they decay, it is probably best to 
plow and reseed at shorter intervals. The 
natural period of high productiveness of a 
field can bo considerably prolonged by 
promptly fertilizing and working in a mod¬ 
erate quantity of seed where thin spots ap¬ 
pear. 
Sweet Clover as a Preparatory Crop.— 
Some writers have suggested the sowing of 
Sweet clover as a preparation on soils in 
which Alfalfa is not easily started. In this 
investigation no one was found who was 
confident that such a course would give good 
results, though one or two men thought 
there was a possibility that it might be 
beneficial. After a study of the two plants, 
the writer formed the, opinion, in which 
most of the men who were consulted on 
this point concur, that Alfalfa can be 
grown wherever Sw.eet clover thrives, and 
that the sowing of the inferior crop as a 
preparation for the better one is worse than 
useless. If tried at all it should be as a 
last resort, after liming and inoculation 
have been tested and have failed. 
The Common Fame. —In every place that 
was visited Alfalfa is held in the highest 
regard. Not a case was found in which a 
man who has ever grown Alfalfa on his 
own land wishes to give it up. The only 
unfavorable criticism heard or heard of was 
by a tenant farmer, who was not noted for 
either skill or industry, who complained that 
the hay was hard to cure and the land was 
hard to plow ! The area given to this crop 
Is increasing. Farmers who were skeptical 
for a while are testing it now, and men 
who have grown it, as some of them have, 
for from 15 to 30 years, are growing more 
rather than less than they have in the past. 
On many farms from one-third to one-half 
of the land that is under cultivation is in 
Alfalfa, and on some practically all the 
ground that produces hay is in this crop. 
All farm crops do well after Alfalfa, and 
the fields on which it is grown increase in 
value and productiveness. j. e. r. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you'll get a quick reply and a 
“square deal.” See guarantee editorial page. 
FOUND RIGHT PATH 
After a False Start. 
‘‘In 1890 I began to drink coffee. 
“At that time I was healthy and en¬ 
joyed life. At first I noticed no bad 
effects from the indulgence but in course 
of time found that various troubles were 
coming upon me. 
“Palpitation of the heart took unto it¬ 
self sick and nervous headaches, kidney 
troubles followed and eventually my 
stomach became so deranged that even a 
light meal caused me serious distress. 
“Our physician’s prescriptions failed 
to help me and then I dosed myself 
with patent medicines till I was thor¬ 
oughly disgusted and hopeless. 
“Finally I began to suspect that coffee 
was the cause of my troubles. I experi¬ 
mented by leaving it off, except for one 
small cup at breakfast. This helped 
some but did not altogether relieve my 
distress. It satisfied me, however, that 
I was on the right track. 
“So I gave up coffee altogether and 
began to use Postum. In ten days I 
found myself greatly improved, my 
nerves steady, my head clear, my kid¬ 
neys working better and better, my 
heart’s action rapidly improving, my 
appetite improved and the ability to eat 
a hearty meal without subsequent suf¬ 
fering restored to me. And this condi¬ 
tion remains. 
“Leaving off coffee and using Postum 
did this, with no help from drugs, as I 
abandoned the use of medicines when I 
began to use the food drink.” Name 
given by Postum Co., Battle Creek, Mich. 
“There’s a reason,” and it is ex¬ 
plained in the little book, “The Road to 
Wellville,” in pkgs. 
Ever read the above letter ? A new one 
appears from time to time. They are genu¬ 
ine, true, and full of human interest. 
MAKE MONEY 
for FARMERS 
It is easy to make lumber for 
yourself and neighbors with an 
AMERICAN mill. All sizes. 
Work rapidly with light power. 
No experience needed. Get 
Free Catalogue and Low Prices. 
American Saw Mill Mach’y Co. 
V 29 Hope St.,l!ackettstown,N.4. 
1582Terminal Bldgs., New York 
Steel Wheels 
will make yonrold farm wagon n AAlf 
as good as new. Save money bo- DUUIV 
I cause they never need repairs. __ __ 
' Write for our big free book tell- fc tt ft 
ing all about them and how they * 11 ■* l - 
pay. Empire Mfg. Co., Box 90-0 Quincy, III. 
DO YOU NEED PAINT? 
LET ME SEND YOU MY PAINT BOOK. It will tell you all you want 
to know about paint and painting. The best paint is the cheapest paint. 
I make the best paint. INGERSOLL’S PAINT has been made for 69 years. 
It is made with scientific accuracy from the BEST MATERIALS, thor¬ 
oughly combined by machinery—you cannot make GOOD PAINT with a 
stick by hand-mixing. Other paints are sold by dealers or supply houses. 
This method requires salary and expenses of traveling salesmen and profits 
for jobbers and retailers. These extra expenses and numerous profits YOU 
MUST PAY when you buy the paint. If the price is low the measure is 
short or the quality, pool—usually both. 
I Can Save You One-hall Your Paint Bills 
One-half the price you pay the retailer represents the factory cost of 
the paint. The other half is required for middlemen’s profits and expenses. 
Our paint is shipped fresh from the factory direct to you. You pay simply 
the factory price. You pay no salesman; noi hotel bills; and no middlemen 
of any kind. The dealer or supply house may offer you a paint at our price; 
but THEY CANNOT GIVE YOU OUR QUALITY OF PAINT AT OUR 
PRICE. They must add the cost of their expensive method of selling and 
middlemen’s profits; IF they give you the Ingersoll QUALITY of paint the 
cost will be DOUBLE OUR PRICE. 
Don’t Use Cheap Paint 
offered by dealers and supply houses. They may save you a little on first 
cost, but no more labor is required to paint your buildings with INGER¬ 
SOLL PAINT than with inferior store paint. Poor paint always makes a 
building look shabby in six months or a year, and is sure to make you 
regret the little saving in the first cost of the material. INGERSOLL 
PAINTS will give you long years of satisfactory service and LOOK WELL 
ALL THE TIME. 
Ingersoll Mixed Paints have held the Official en¬ 
dorsement of the Grange for 37 years 
We can refer you to pleased customers in your own neighborhood. 
We make it easy for you to buy paint direct from the mill. The book 
will tell you the quantity needed. The order will reach us over night, and 
the paint will be on the way to you in twenty-four hours. Let me send 
you my FREE DELIVERY PLAN. Send your address for a beautiful set 
of Sample Color Cards and our Paint Book. We mail them FREE. 
If You Want Paint, Write Me. Do It Now, I Can Save You Money 
O. W. INGERSOLL, Prop. 
NO. 248 PLYMOUTH STREET, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK 
OUR BOOKLET 
When the Going is Hard 
Contains information that is well worth your 
time to read. The discussion on "A Wheel 
with One Spoke” is worth DOLLARS to you. 
We tell you why a wooden wheel Is 
dished, which is something many wagon 
manufacturers do not know. There are about 
twenty-five other articles just as interesting. 
DAVENPORT ROLLER-BEARING 
STEEL FARM WAGON 
The 
Modern 
Wagon 
There are many reasons why the DAVENPORT is the wagon for the farmer today. 
Among these are: 30% to 50% Lighter Draft. Increased Carrying Capacity. Does Not Carry 
Mud. No Repair Bills, No Tires to Reset, and Many, Many More^ 
Better Investigate. Write for the booklet and also 
for our Package No. 36. Both sent FREE. 
JOHN DEERE PLOW COMPANY 
. . . - THE ROLLER RE..,NO 
THE ENGINE THAT WILL 
GIVE YOU NO TROUBLE 
m nevn is the only engine built 
UL I U without packing. You 
can never have blow-outs or leaks. 
Fewer working parts than any other 
engine. Built only in two sizes 
—and 3J4 H. P. The strongest 
engine built. Write for bulletin 11-B 
and receive a handsome watch fob free. 
DEYO-MACEY ENGINE CO. 
BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK 
Manufacturers of DEYO POWER SPRAYERS 
NGI 
-■c 
NEv 
gasoline, distillate, any fuel oil, perfectly—without change. 
Cheapest, Safest, Simplest 
POWLR 
for barn 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 ongines for the 
price of one. Catalog free—tells hoxo. 
Double duty tank revolutiQnizes cooling 
systems. Force feed lubricator—per¬ 
fect oiling. Automobile muffler. 
Ball bearing governor. Starts in¬ 
stantly. No pre-heating. No 
crank. Experience unnoc* 
essary. Women can oper- 
tate. Vibration elimina- 
ed. Quality high—price 
low. Comes complete. 
Always hungry for 
work—and thrives on it. 
FREE TRIAL 
No obligation till satis¬ 
fied. 10-year guarantee. 
4> Engine Facts" free 
write for it NOW. 
Ellis Engine Co., 
51 Mullet! SI., DETROIT, MICH. 
A LOUDEN LITTER CARRIES changes barn drudgery into child’s play. 
With wonderful worm gear (an exclusive Louden feature) 1 pound 
pull on chain lifts 40 pounds in box— boy can hoist half a ton. 
Raises and lowers any distance up to 25.eet. Stands where put; can’t 
fall. Kill the box, raise it and give it a shove. It carries the load out of 
the barn to manure spreader or litter heap, wherever you want its dumps 
load automatically and returns to you. „ 
The Louden Way 
Keeps barns clean and sanitary—Keeps cows healthy—they will give 
more and richer milk. Saves time, labor and money. A Louden Litter, 
Carrier will save its cost many times in a year. 
Loudens special electro-galvanizing process gives all Louden pro¬ 
ducts a beautiful, lasting finish. Looks clean—easy to keep clean— 
never rusts—lasts much longer than ordinary hot process galvanizing. 
Our 40 years experience in fitting barns ia at your service for the asking. 
Hand your dealer a rough ground plan of your barn, and ask him to 
mail it to us for price. This will entail no obligation eitheron your part 
or the dealers. J)on’t accept any carriers but LOUDEN’8. There are 
none "just as good.” Write us for comp’ete catalog of bam equipment 
and valuablo book on manure values. 
LOUDEN MACHINERY CO., (jOl Broadway. Fairfield, Iowa. 
