19 J 2, 
THIS RURAL, NEW"YORKER 
9 
OLD HAY AS FERTILIZER. 
C. D. H., Harwich, Mass. —1. If decaying 
vegetable matter is good plant food, and 
hay after being eaten and voided by ani¬ 
mals is good plant food, wbat is the value 
of old dead bay to plow under? There are 
scores of acres near me that have not 
been cut fo'r many years. The only cost 
will be cutting and carting. 2. If there 
is potash in seaweed will it pay to cart 
it two miles, or is it worth 50 cents per 
one-horse load on the land .lust as it comes 
from the beach? I can hire it carted for 
50 cents per load. What is the best way to 
apply it, natural or burned, and quantity 
desirable? C. D. H. 
Harwich, Mass. 
Ans—A ton of such dead hay as 
you speak of should contain not far 
from 25 pounds of nitrogen, 20 of potash 
and eight of phosphoric acid. This is 
at best a guess, for the hay may have 
lost more or less by leaching. It will 
pay to haul and spread like manure, or 
use as absorbent in the stable or the 
manure pile. The objection is the seed 
of grass and weeds that you will put 
into the soil. Yes, it will pay to haul 
the seaweed two miles. Do not try to 
burn it. Either spread it direct on the 
grass or compost it in the manure. 
GROWING THE ONTARIO APPLE. 
J. P. O., Hudson, Mass .—In 1905 I pur¬ 
chased a farm in Hudson, Mass. On It 
was an orchard of young apple trees of 
several varieties; the trees are now about 
10 or 11 years old and are just commencing 
to bear. Forty of them are called On¬ 
tario by the person from whom I purchased 
the farm. The trees came from a nursery 
near Buffalo, N. Y. I do not find an 
“Ontario” mentioned in any standard work 
on fruit trees. It probably is a Canadian 
apple named from Province of Ontario. 
Can you give me any more information re¬ 
garding it? It is a Fall apple, ripens for 
use about November or December. I send 
three specimens. Many of them grow muen 
larger than, these; it is a splendid pie 
apple and ought to bring a good price in 
the market, but as one of the largest con¬ 
cerns in Fanouil Hall market, (Boston, 
said to me. “How do you expect an apple 
to sell that nobody ever heard of?” 
pose and with all seriousness and energy. 
He strove with all his might to abolish the 
free seed distribution by the politicians in 
Congress, but without avail. 
He was once elected as Lieutenant-Gov¬ 
ernor of Missouri, but was not an office 
seeker nor an ordinary politician. During 
the Civil War he led a regiment of home 
guards against the invading Confederate 
forces and was, therefore, .called botli 
Governor and Colonel. Mr. Column was a 
great lover of horses and owned and per¬ 
sonally oversaw the breeding and training 
of over a hundred standard roadsters on 
a farm near St. Louis. He was identified 
with horticulture, planted orchards and was 
one of the oldest members of the American 
Homological Society ; the meetings of which 
he often attended, and the same is true of 
his connection witli many other kindred so¬ 
cieties. 
I became personally acquainted witli Gov¬ 
ernor Column during my residence in Kan¬ 
sas some 90 years ago, and we gradually 
became warm friends, which relationship 
increased up to his death. He spent a sea¬ 
son with me in Southern Florida and per¬ 
sonally assisted in planting the first trees 
in the pomelo and mango orchards that I 
have since increased to over 100 acres. 
Last April he visited me at the pecan 
orchard in Louisiana and we there spent 
our last season together on earth. He took 
great delight in looking over the trees then 
Just coming into their first blooming. He 
was an ardent sportsman and we had sev¬ 
eral fishing trips together and he went 
sailing with me on our Concordia Lake. 
When I took him to the station he bid me 
a last and loving farewell in the car; with 
tears streaming down his face and the 
words, “God bless you Van, I may neve 1 * <»# 
you again.” He was a true friend, air. 
Column was born near Richfield Springs, 
New York, May 10, 1827, and passed to the 
world beyond November 3, 1911, being 84 
years and nearly six months of age. His 
mental faculties were unimpaired to the 
last and lie was physically strong for his 
age. He was at his office desk only a day 
or two before he passed away, and was re¬ 
turning from an agricultural meeting in a 
sleeping car when a stroke of apolexy over¬ 
took him in his berth, from which he never 
regained consciousness, and died before he 
reached his home in St. Louis. He leaves 
one son, three daughters, several grand¬ 
children and a host of friends. Blessed be 
the memory of Norman Jay Column. 
H. E. VAN DEMAN. 
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 Price 
You Get Your Roof at 
and Profits Besides 
When Your Neighbors Buy 
Edwards Roofing 
Because They Like Yours! | 
This is our special Agent’s Proposition f 
in a nutshell. It is open right now to one 
man in each community. If you are the 
man, write us at once! Get the whole 
proposition. You place yourself under no 
obligation. You can have an everlasting 
roof of Edwards Interlocking “Reo” Steel Shingles on your house, barn or 
other farm buildings and let it make money for you. 
Edwards "REO” Steel Shingles 
Made Rust-Proof and Rot-Proof by Our “Tightcote” Process of Galvanizing 
. Each and every one of the high-grade Bessemer Steel Shingles is dipped singly into molten 
zinc. This gives heavy, uniform coating and covers all edges. No raw edges exposed to the 
weather. Edwards interlocking feature makes solidest roof. Lasts a lifetime. Comes in sheets 
5 to 12 feet long, 24 inches wide. Galvanized or painted, all ready to put on. 
Hammer and nails all that is required. Anyone can do it. Can be applied over 
wood shingles or sheathing 12 inches apart. 
$10,000 Ironclad Bond Lightning Insurance 
We agree to refund the amount paid in every case where a roof covered with 
Edwards Interlocking “Reo” Steel Shingles is destroyed by lightning. This 
guaranty is backed by our 610,000 Ironclad Bond and stands forever. Ask for 
Big Free Roofing Catalog No. 173 , with special low prices. Freight prepaid. 
Send dimensions of your buildings and we will quote you cost. Write today. 
THE EDWARDS MFG. CO., 123-173 Lock Street, Cincinnati, ObJ9 
Ans. —The editor writes me that the 
specimens are really the variety known 
as “Ontario.” This variety is listed by 
Prof. Beach in “Apples of New York.” 
My recollection is that it originated in 
Ontario Co., N. Y., whence the name. 
It is a fine apple of the Snow-Mclntosh 
type, doubtless with some of that blood 
in it. It resembles the latter in shape 
and high color. It has not been gen¬ 
erally grown, hence is not known. I 
consider that it has no points of super¬ 
iority over either of the above named, 
to warrant its setting instead of them. 
The point raised by the Boston man is 
one to be emphasized, and one which it 
will be well for many to heed, who are 
inclined to set many trees of varieties of 
more or less excellence, but not known 
in the markets. Life is,too short to do 
too much educating of the consuming 
public as to varieties of fruit possessing 
no qualities not already possessed by 
established sorts. For this reason I 
would not set the Ontario. The ques¬ 
tioner already has them coming into 
bearing. I would therefore not think 
of changing. I do not stand for any 
false branding with intent to deceive; 
but inasmuch as the Ontario is of such 
high quality and of the same group, I 
should brand them Snow or McIntosh. 
The man who buys them as such would 
get his money’s worth and be pleased 
as if he had the real thing. If this 
seems like decit, why, salve the con¬ 
sumer by calling them Snow or Mc- 
Intosh-Ontario, with a hyphen between! 
This will be the truth, and for those who 
patronize hyphenated hotels like the 
“Waldorf-Astoria” or “Bellevue-Strat- 
ford” it may enhance their value. 
EDWARD VAN ALSTYNE. 
ANOTHER GREAT AGRICULTURIST 
GONE. 
The oldest agricultural editor of the 
present day and one of the ablest and most 
useful and faithful of all men who have 
served American agriculture and horticul¬ 
ture has recently left us. This was Hon¬ 
orable Norman J. Colman, who established 
Column's Rural World at St. Louis, Mo., 
and for 64 years conducted it editorially, 
and with unusual ability. He had the love 
of rural life and its people at heart, and 
along with a clear and educated mind and 
a frank and generous spirit. Mr. Colman 
was a public speaker of rare ability, having 
a clear voice and splendid command of lan¬ 
guage. 
In 1885 he was called to be Commis¬ 
sioner of Agriculture during President 
Cleveland’s first term, and conducted that 
office with marked ability, and it was near 
the close of his term and partly owing to 
his influence that the office was 'elevated to 
a place in the President’s cabinet, he being 
the first Secretary of Agriculture. Mr. 
Colman was the father of the State experi¬ 
ment stations; he established the Divisions 
of Pomology, Vegetable Pathology. Ornith¬ 
ology and Mammalogy (now the Biological 
Survey), and greatly increased and stimu¬ 
lated all the various lines of work in the 
United States Department of Agriculture. 
There was not a good thing that he did not 
favor nor a bad thing that he did not op- 
TIED DOWN 
20 Years’ Slavery—How She Got Freedom. 
A dyspepsia veteran who writes from 
one of England's charming rural homes 
to tell how she won victory in hefl 20 
year’s fight, naturally exults in her tri¬ 
umph over the tea and coffee habit: 
“I feel it a duty to tell you,” she 
says, “how much good Postum has done 
me. I am grateful, but also desire to 
let others who may be suffering as I 
did, know of the delightful method by 
which I was relieved. 
“I had suffered for 20 years from dys¬ 
pepsia, and the giddiness that usually 
accompanies that painful ailment, and 
which frequently prostrated me. I never 
drank much coffee, and cocoa and even 
milk did not agree with my impaired 
digestion, so I used tea, exclusively, 
till about a year ago, when I found in 
a package of Grape-Nuts the little book, 
‘The Road to Wellville.’ 
“After a careful reading of the book¬ 
let I was curious to try Postum and 
sent for a package. I enjoyed it from 
the first and at once gave up tea in its 
favor. 
“I began to feel better very soon. My 
giddiness left me after the first few 
days’ use of Postum, and my stomach 
became stronger so rapidly that it was 
not long till I was able (as I still am) 
to take milk and many other articles of 
food of which I was formerly compelled 
to deny myself. I have proved the 
truth of your statement that Postum 
‘makes good, red blood.’ 
“I have become very enthusiastic over 
the merits of my new table beverage, 
and during the past few months have 
conducted a Postum propaganda 
among my neighbors which has brought 
benefit to many, and I shall continue to 
tell my friends of the ‘better way’ in 
which I rejoice.” Name given by Pos¬ 
tum Co., Battle Creek, Mich. 
Read the little book, “The Road to 
Wellville, in pkgs. “There’s a reason.” 
Ever read the above letter ? A new one 
appears from time to time. They are genu¬ 
ine, true, and full of human interest. 
/■Earn $10 a Days 
Sawing firewood, lumber, lath, posts, etc., on 
contract work. You can cat more and cut much 
easier with a 
Herlzler & Zook at 
Portable Wood i3dwV 
As low as 
Absolutely cheapest and best saw made. Guar¬ 
anteed 1 year. Our $10,000 bond protects you. 
Sold at factory prices—$10 and up. 
Save middleman’s profit. Oper¬ 
ates easier than other saws be¬ 
cause stick is low and saw 
draws it on as soon as it 
touches the saw. Only 
810 saw to which ripping 
table can be added. Money 
refunded and freight paid 
both ways if unsatisfactory. 
Send for catalogue. 
HERTZLER & ZOOK CO. 
Box 3 , Belleville, Pa. 
Insoluble plant foods are cheap in the beginning but may be dear in the end. 
We feel good when we hear that the soil contains enough Potash to raise 5000 
crops, but we feel tired when we discover that it will take 1000 years or so to make 
it available. We will be converted into plant food ourselves long before that. 
The acids derived from green manure may 
make insoluble phosphate of lime more avail¬ 
able. But the feldspathic Potash in the soil 
is less soluble in these acids than in the 
...., _ . . , , , slightly alkaline waters of the best soils. A 
little soil Potash becomes available yearly, but not enough to provide for profitable crops. 
Crops have two periods of Potash hunger. One just after germination and the other 
when starch formation is most rapid — when the grain is filling. Rational fertilization 
requires ample available Potash at these periods and if you provide it you will find that 
rotasb rays. Send for our pamphlet on making fertilizers. 
German Kali Works, Inc. 
Continental Building, Baltimore Monadnocfe Block, Chicago 93 Nassau Street, New York 
POTASH 
Don’t Hold That Plow- 
Use a WINNER PLOW TRUCK 
With or without seat. Avoid the wrenching and twisting that 
makes you lame, sore and tired. Easier on the horses, too. 
Pays for itself by doing better work and more of it. Gauges 
width and depth of furrow. Fits any plow beam. 
A Boy or Girl Can Plow as Well as a Man 
Best device made for holding a plow. With seat it makes a sulky plow of your walking plow. A suc- 
cess on the eastern stony farms as well as on the western prairie. Ship hack If not ftfitlufletl. There’s not a single chance to 
take. Thousands or pleased customers all over the U. S. A trial will please you, too. Don't ask your dealer for the Winner Truck. 
He will tell you it s ‘no good” because there’s more for him in selling you something costing four or five times as much, see ? 
Send to-day for my tree book with money-saving Introductory oiler. 
_L- R. LEWIS, Box 12. Cortland. IN. Y. 
10 Days 
Free 
Trial 
RHODES DOUBLE GUT 
PRUNING SHEAR .. 
RHODES MFG. CO., ^ 
GRAND RAPIDS, HICH 
Dept.' 
Y 
‘Pat d June 2, 
1903 
HTHE only 
1 pruner 
made that cuts 
from both sides of 
the limb and does not 
bruise the bark. Made in 
ail styles and sizes. We 
pay Express charges 
on all orders. 
Write for 
circular and 
prices. 
MODEL 
1893 
Ttlarlin “i 
REPEATING RIFLES 
The Special Smokeless Steel barrel, rifled deep on tht 
Ballard system, creates perfect combustion, develop! 
highest velocity and hurls the bullet with utmos 
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The mechanism is direct-acting, strong, simple and perfectly adjusted 
It never clogs. The protecting wall of solid steel between your head anc 
cartridge keeps rain, sleet, snow and all foreign matter from getting intc 
the action. The side ejection throws shells away from line of sight anc 
allows instant repeat shots always. 
Built in perfect proportion throughout, in many high power calibres, it i: 
a < f u ‘ c k handling, powerful, accurate gun for all big game. 
Every hunter should know all tho Tf/rrr /rr* characteristics. 7/7ar/isi firearms Co 
Ssnd for our free catalog. Enclose 3 stamps for postage. 157 Willow Street New Haven, Conn 
