1912. 
helped me in my effort to work out a plan that I 
hope is a little better for most conditions; a plan 
that should be found health-producing in the tree, 
economical, close to nature and that gets the results.” 
But where did you get your idea of combining 
culture and sod? 
“No doubt you have often noticed in a dry time 
a not much-used farm road partly covered with sod 
become slightly worked by dragging harrows, floats 
and other tools over it. Even the horses’ shoes some¬ 
times wear a mulch. Here I used often to be sur¬ 
prised to find moisture more easily than in the field.’ 
Now you say you have had great results in a pear 
orchard by cultivating a well-grown 
sod. How did you do it? 
“Briefly, the cultivated sod consisted 
in sowing Crimson or Bur clover in 
August on a very firm seed bed or pre¬ 
ferably in open furrows about one foot 
apart. Early in Spring, when clover 
gets well started, say two or three inches 
high, run over with double-action Cuta¬ 
way harrow set at light angle, and 
weighted if necessary to penetrate crust 
well. Two horses, handle a 20-disk 
easily. A little clover may be killed, but 
it will not hurt. The above harrow will 
do more work right on top of a crop 
without killing it than any tool I know. 
Repeat disking in one or two weeks; 
about three times will usually be enough. 
Handle the clover sod rougher each 
time. That which is killed will form 
mulch. A single-action is sometimes 
best for last working.” 
Do you mean to say that you go right 
in and tear the clover up? That is 
pretty rough treatment. 
“You can handle clover very rough, 
especially if planted in open furrows, 
making the field look as though all was 
killed, but it will come up again. What 
is accomplished? You have cultivated 
trees, worked clover, done a little mulch¬ 
ing, checked evaporation, and let air in 
soil.” 
Well, having cultivated the clover— 
what next? 
“Now let clover ripen and you will 
have mulch for the mulchers. In July 
disk, thoroughly, apply potassium and 
phosphate freely for strong bud produc¬ 
tion. This working is best done in a 
dry time. If it continues dry several 
workings can be given. You can kill 
several stands of Bur clover and still 
have enough to reseed. When a heavy 
rain comes your clover will come, and 
you are ready for another year.” 
I can sec that this starts a new crop 
and brings us round to where we started, 
with a crop of clover growing. 
“You have bad cultivation, mulch (no 
danger from fire), enough sod so that 
on most soils you would not mire up 
after a long rain, as is the case with 
plowed-under cover crop; a system good 
for a sappy cornstalk, young trees and 
maybe peach trees, but not for a bearing 
pear or apple orchard. Then, too, you 
have had plants to mature and die in the 
soil like Mr. Repp’s weeds. A man with 
the feel of his soil in his bones knows 
that this produces a certain physical con¬ 
dition of the soil that cannot be had 
any other way.” 
A FINE CLIMBING ROSE. 
One of the comments made by a person 
who saw a flourishing plant of Dorothy 
Perkins was that it looked more like 
an idealized picture of an imaginary 
rose bush than an actual reality, and 
when we look at the mass of bloom 
shown in Fig. 85 we can hardly wonder 
at this remark. For the truth is that no 
259 
U. S. GOVERNMENT SEED TESTING. 
How the Work is Done. 
It is generally known that the United States Depart¬ 
ment of Agriculture maintains a seed testing laboratory 
where either dealer or buyer may have samples of seeds 
tested for weed seeds or adulterations or for vitality. 
Many of our readers do not understand the functions of 
this bureau, or just what it docs. We have obtained the 
following Tacts by Interviewing the authorities: 
“About how many samples of seed are tested?” 
“The Seed Laboratory at Washington usually tests 
for purity some 3,500 samples of seed annually, and 
about the same number is tested by our five cooper¬ 
ative laboratories in connection with State experi¬ 
ment stations, making approximately 
7,000 samples tested for purity.” 
“Who make most use of the service, 
farmers or seedsmen?” 
“No distinction is made as to whether 
these samples are sent by farmers or 
seedsmen, but we are receiving rather 
more samples at the present time from 
seedsmen than from farmers. We feel 
that the indirect results of this work are 
much more important than the direct 
results, as there are sufficient farmers ob¬ 
taining samples of seeds from seedsmen 
and sending them to us for test, so that 
seedsmen appreciate the fact that any¬ 
one can have samples tested free of 
charge, and this, of course, is a very 
practical and important check on the 
seed trade.” 
“What kind of seeds are mostly sent?” 
“The seeds which are sent us for 
purity tests are mostly clovers and 
grasses. The varieties of which we re¬ 
ceive the greater number of samples are 
as follows, in the order in which named: 
Alfalfa, Red clover, Timothy, Kentucky 
Blue grass, Alsike clover, Red-top, (}r- 
chard grass, Crimson clover, and White 
clover.” 
“Can you see any results from the 
work thus far?” 
“From the results of our work over a 
number of years we are convinced that 
the proportionate number of samples of 
high-grade seeds on the market is in¬ 
creasing very rapidly, and that a larger 
proportion of the waste material is be¬ 
ing destroyed instead of sold as seeds 
every year. However, we find lots of¬ 
fered for sale which are not only worth¬ 
less for seeding purposes on account of 
the small percentage of viable seed pres¬ 
ent, but positively dangerous on account 
of the number of noxious weed seeds 
which they contain.” 
“What do you do in such cases?” 
“Publish the names of the dealers 
whose seeds are found badly adulter¬ 
ated. The bulletin containing these 
names can be obtained from the Agri¬ 
cultural Department at Washington. We 
are thoroughly convinced that the work 
which we are carrying on has helped 
to improve the general quality of seeds 
offered on the market. The work which 
we have done on adulterated seeds has 
no doubt contributed very largely to 
this, as we find dealers very much averse 
to having their names published in cir¬ 
culars like the above, and in general 
making an earnest effort so to conduct 
their business that they will avoid such 
publicity.” 
“What else is done?” 
“In addition to the samples of seed 
sent to us by farmers and seedsmen 
which we test for purity, we have every 
year tested large numbers of samples 
collected on the open market, to deter¬ 
mine the general conditions of the trade. 
We also examine samples of all lots of 
imported forage plant seeds, these be¬ 
ing submitted to us by the various cus¬ 
THI£ RURAL NEW-YORKER 
planting roses given some time ago. All roses need 
good drainage, and dislike sour wet soil. Work the 
soil well, enriching with well-rotted manure; if very 
light spade in some leaf mold; if tough clay lighten 
with burnt earth or some coal ashes. If drainage 
is imperfect dig a deep hole, and put some stones or 
broken bricks in the bottom; old bones are also good. 
If planting a rose or any other climber by a porch, 
be sure it has good soil, and not sterile subsoil from 
the foundation, which is often used for grading around 
a house. A light mulch of manure in the Fall, though 
not needed for protection, is desirable, as it is forked 
into the ground lightly in Spring, and in our experi¬ 
TWIGS OF KIEFFER PEAR. Fig. 84. 
CLIMBING ROSE DOROTHY PERKINS. Fig. 85. 
nurseryman’s colored plate could ever show, on paper, 
a greater wealth of bloom, or a more charming color, 
than this rose offers in return for the most ordinary 
care. The flowers, produced in full clusters, are 
borne profusely over the plant, their color being a 
charming pink, which becomes somewhat paler with 
age. The growth is extremely robust, shoots 10 to 
15 feet long being produced in a single season. There 
is a White Dorothy Perkins, which appears to possess 
all the virtues of the type, the flowers being white 
instead of pink. 
Perhaps it may be well to repeat some advice about 
ence gives good results in both texture and fertility 
of soil. A little bone dust stirred into the surface 
soil occasionally is very beneficial to roses. 
While no collection of climbing roses is complete 
without Dorothy Perkins, there are several others 
that show the same hardiness and freedom of bloom 
under ordinary garden conditions. The most beauti¬ 
ful of all in perfection of bloom and beauty of foli¬ 
age is Dr. W. Van Fleet, which bears a long-stemmed 
shell pink flower like a greenhouse Tea rose, totally 
distinct from other climbing roses hardy in this cli¬ 
mate. Tausendschon is also very desirable. 
tom houses, in order that we may keep track of the 
quality of forage plant seeds which are being brought 
into the United States. These custom-house samples 
indicate very clearly that there should be some sort 
of federal legislation prohibiting the importation of 
seeds of such low quality that they are unfit for 
seeding purposes. Last year at our Nebraska branch 
station, in addition to the other work carried on, 
some 12,000 single-ear germination tests of corn 
were made.” 
“Do you ever act as umpire in settling disputes be¬ 
tween buyer and seller?” 
