1912 . 
THE RURAb NEW-YORKER 
403 
Ruralisms 
A “CALABASH FARM.” 
E. L. S.j Truro , Mass .—The enclosed cir¬ 
cular was handed me to-day by a young 
friend who is agent for the seeds. It looks 
to me as though it belongs in the ginseng 
and Belgian hare class. 
Ans. —African pipe gourd or cala¬ 
bash culture in the warmer parts of 
the United States has passed the ex¬ 
perimental stage, and promises well as a 
commercial venture in a limited way, 
but scarcely merits the glowing en¬ 
comiums bestowed on the new industry 
by a Chicago exploiting company which 
kindly offers seeds to confiding 
purchasers at four cents each, or 50 
for $2. Seeds are now offered by 
several prominent seed houses at 10 to 
25 cents the packet, and are also being 
distributed free of cost by the U. S. 
Department of Agriculture to those who 
will engage to report results. 
The African pipe gourd is a variety 
of the true gourd vine. Lagenaria 
vulgaris, a variable species, producing 
under cultivation hard-shelled fruits of 
most diverse size, shape and coloring, 
from the tiny nest-egg type to that of 
the gigantic “Hercules club,” almost six 
feet in length. It is a strong-growing 
pumpkin-like vine, with handsome lace¬ 
like white flower? followed by crook¬ 
necked bottle-shaped gourds with rinds 
of exceedingly dense texture, well fitted 
in form and substance to replace ex¬ 
pensive meerschaum and hard wood 
pipes. They have long been cultivated 
for the purpose in South Africa, and 
the introduction of the seeds to this 
country seven or eight years ago by 
the U. S. Department of Agriculture, 
was not without difficulty, as the Afri¬ 
can growers were averse to exporting 
the seeds, but enough of the true vari¬ 
ety was secured to make practical tests 
throughout all localities where it could 
be expected to thrive. While best 
adapted for hot, dry climates, it grows 
well as far north as Philadelphia, 
particularly if planted in warm south¬ 
ern exposures, making vine lengths of 
15 to 25 feet in a season, and perfecting 
a dozen or more “pipes” or gourds. 
The culture is similar to that of the 
squash or melon, except that the vines 
require more space. The hills should 
be spaced 12 to 15 feet apart each way 
and not more than two plants should 
be allowed to the hill. The vines must 
trail on the ground, for if supported 
by stakes or trellis the pull of the 
fruits will spoil the characteristic 
natural crooks near the stem that gives 
the special value, for pipe-making. 
Only the mature, perfect gourds or 
calabashes are useful for pipes. The 
minature ones are too thin, the necks 
are frequently marred with fungus 
spots and insect bites and there are 
many objectionable crooks — indeed 
curves of every radius—and often per¬ 
fectly straight club or bottle-shaped 
fruits are found on the same vine with 
those properly curved. For this reason 
it is proposed to provide boards with 
holes and pegs on which the young 
gourds may be placed as soon as the 
bloom withers, and the neck thus arti¬ 
ficially trained or shaped by bending and 
holding the pliable young fruits in 
place, changing the pegs as growth pro¬ 
gresses until the rind is sufficiently set 
or hardened to retain permanently the 
desired form. 
A thousand or more good fruits may 
be grown to the acre each of which when 
worked to proper shape and provided 
with mouthpieces and plaster or meer¬ 
schaum inner bowl, may become a 
marketable pipe, but the industry does 
not, even at this stage, promise bonan¬ 
za profits. The pipes must all be 
finished by hand, as they are not uni¬ 
form enough to be worked by ma¬ 
chinery and are now quite abund¬ 
antly offered in most cities at 50 cents 
or more apiece, acording to finish. The 
cost of manufacture is proportionately 
so great that makers do not appear 
willing to pay much over 50 cents the 
dozen for the perfectly formed and 
well cured gourds free from blemishes, 
necessary for their purposes. Circular 
Bulletin No. 41, Bureau of Plant In¬ 
dustry, which may be had on applica¬ 
tion to the Department of Agriculture, 
Washington, D. C., gives detailed in¬ 
formation as to the character and pros¬ 
pects of this new industry. v. 
[ Fitting Soil for a Lawn. 
IF. K.j Sea Cliff , N. Y .—I have about two 
acres of ground which I intend to sow to 
grass, part for lawn, about next September. 
What do you think would be a good crop 
or crops to grow to plow under? Soil 
sandy loam, sandy subsoil, location high, 
sloping to west and north, plowed last 
October. Grass- run out, mostly narrow¬ 
leaved plantain. Neighboring soil grows 
clover; do not think soil is very sour. I 
have barnyard manure to give slight cover¬ 
ing. I expect to use borne when seeding. 
I shall give good plowing again in Spring. 
Ans. —To make an enduring lawn you 
must kill out the old grass and weeds, 
stuff the soil with organic matter and 
make the surface level and fine. We 
should* spread manure this Spring and 
plow once more. Then seed oats and 
Canada peas as often described here. 
In June plow this crop under and broad¬ 
cast a ton per acre of burnt lime. Har¬ 
row it well in and plant cow peas or 
field beans three feet apart each way. 
Give the most thorough culture both 
ways, killing all weeds with the hoe. 
Late in August plow this growth under 
and level the field, smoothing out all 
holes or depressions. Then seed heavily 
with lawn grass seed, brushing or raking 
it lightly. Use some sulphate of potash 
with the ground bone when seeding. 
Commercial Pansy Growing. 
“Marketman,” writing in “The American 
Florist,” gives the following practical ad¬ 
vice on pansy culture : 
“While the proDer method of production 
may be Fall sowing, we have always held 
that the Spring-sown plants live longer 
and resist more heat. No doubt this se¬ 
vere Winter has hurt many a Fall sowing, 
hence we run no great chance of losing 
out on seeds put in now. 
“For a number of years we have sown 
pansies about February 1 in warm hotbeds; 
as soon as the first character leaf forms 
we dibble in other frames 2%x2% inches 
apart.. These second frames we plan to 
have in the form of spent hotbeds where a 
crop of lettuce or radishes has been re¬ 
moved. As soon as the young plants have 
a good hold we remove the glass and substi¬ 
tute cheese cloth. When severe weather is 
over we remove the cloth. That way we 
produce sturdy plants, as good as one could 
wish for. About May 1 they are in bloom. 
To sell these we cut them out in square 
blocks with a knife in such a way that 
any four will fill a quart basket. If a little 
judgment is used in selecting colors these 
baskets are very attractive and when put 
on sale they are simply irresistible—people 
will see them and buy them at sight, so 
much so that we have been unable to supply 
the demand. We have tried all ways of 
selling from the commission merchant to 
the market stand, and the most successful 
has been a department store. They handle 
them on small commission and each and 
every lot is sold as soon as exposed. We 
have also tried various strains of seed and 
considering cost and results, a good strain 
of German pansies leaves nothing to be de¬ 
sired. As compared with vegetables in hot¬ 
beds or frames, the money returns from 
pansies is like four to one.” 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply and a 
“square deal.” See guarantee editorial page. 
STAR 
WHEELBARROW 
SEEDER 
SAVES 
TIME 
LABOR 
and 
SEED 
T HIS ia a high grade tool for tho high grade farmer. 
Sow your grass seed when you’re ready. Never miml 
tlio wind. Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. 
If your dealer does_not handle the STAR, write to 
STAR SEEDER CO., Box R, Shortsville, N.Y. 
DON’T HANDICAP 
Your Fruit Crop—give it a chance. 
8pray MODOC 
LIME SULFUR SOLUTION 
now. MODOC ia scientilically mode 
from pure iugredieuts. It is a suro 
killer of Sau Jose scale, Blister Mite. 
Demand MODOC 
of your Dealer and tell us if he cannot 
supply you. Write for valuable spray¬ 
ing oircular. 
THE MODOC CO., 
108 Fourth St., Fernwood, Pa. 
MODOC 
THE SCALE KILLER 
Foster Steel and Wood 
Increase Your Dairy Profit 
Little Giant Hand and Power 
5 P/f4 Y E RS 
Increase Your Fruit Profit 
Write for our prices and illus¬ 
trated catalog before buying 
OSTER STEEL STANCHION CO. 
06 Insurance Bldg., Rochester, N. Y 
Gould’s Spray Pumps and Jack 
Makes Spraying Easy with Your Engine. 
BUCKEYE INCUBATORS and BROODERS. 
D. C. KAUFFMAN, 35 West Phila. Street, YORK, PA 
This handsome new 
edition of our complete 
spraying guide is free to 
our customers. Shows all 
the different insect and fungus 
pests and tells what to use for each. Gives 
method of preparing twenty or more of the 
most effective insecticides and fungicides. 
The most complete book of its kind ever issued. 
Full information on spraying every fruit or vege¬ 
table that needs spraying—from apples to water¬ 
melon. It is the result of our long study of 
spraying conditions, and is a practical book easily 
understood and helpful in a way not duplicated 
in any other guide. If you have any spraying to 
do, you ought to have this book. Send for our 
catalog telling more about it and how we ship 
HURST 
Spraying 
Guide 
FREE 
OIM FREE TRIAL 
Absolutely no money in advance, no bank de¬ 
posit, no note. We manufacture all kinds of 
sprayers, from the small hand outfits to the 
power sprayers shown below—a sprayer for 
every need. All Hurst Sprayers have brass 
ball valves, brass plungers, 
packing bands, etc. In fact, all the work¬ 
ing parts that come in contact with the 
solution are brass. They develop high 
pressure, are easy to operate and have 
thorough agitation. Quality the highest 
and price the lowest is our motto. 
We will ship you any kind of a sprayer you want 
on free trial—if it don’t suit you, sendit backjifyou 
keep it, you can pay cash or we’ll wait till next fall 
for our money and the extra profit from spraying 
will more than pay for it. We pay the freight and 
guarantee our sprayers for five full years—that 
shows that they are made right. Write to-day for 
our big free catalog and condensed spraying guide 
and get our special offer of a Free Sprayer to the 
first in each locality this season. Be first and 
save money. 
THE H. L. HURST MANUFACTURING COMPANY 
28IS North Streot, Canton, Ohio 
GET HIGHER PRICES FOR 
FRUIT-SPRAY YOUR TREES 
Spraying decides whether your 
fruit will grade “fancy” or go in 
with the “culls.” Spray, and you 
destroy swarms of moth, broods 
of scale, and no end of fungus— 
but spray right, using a 
SPRAY| 
PUMP 
and get the service that you pay 
for. Deming outfits wear well, 
work easily, and pay big 
dividends in better fruit. 
, They last for years with 
few repairs, or none. 
Commence spraying now— 
plant new orchards, but take 
care of the old one,too. Con¬ 
sult your dealer,or write us. 
THE DEMING COMPANY 
280 Success Bldg., Salem, Ohio 
Man ufacturers of Pumps for All 
Uses. Agencies Everywhere 
Deming 
IVe can stand back of our Guarantee 
because we manufacture every part of the 
DEYO POWER SPRAYER 
Ten years of practical demonstration has shown 
the DEYO to be so far in advance of other 
sprayers that there is no comparison 
Write for free ILLUSTRATED CATALOG 14C. 
THE DEYO-MACEY ENGINE CO. 
BINGHAMTON, N. Y„ U. S. A. 
DEYO POWER ENGINES, i^t« 15H. P. 
Send for Catalog, 15-C. 
LIMESULPHUR HYDROMETER ,;sfdByAIIP ” 
Price By Mail Wfth Teat Q J 
Jar and Instruct Iona.— V A 
Agent* Wanted Everywhere 
k ive Fruit-Crowers 
CARBONDALE INSTRUMENT CO.. Carbondale, Pa. 
The DOMESTIC 
POWER SPRAYER 
has a pump that can 
always be kept good as 
new by replacing a few 
inexpen¬ 
sive parts 
easy to 
get at. 
It has many other good points that will pay you 
to investigate if you need a Power Sprayer. 
4 sizes. Catalog for asking. 
DOMESTIC ENGINE & PUMP CO., Box R, Shlppensburg, Pa. 
y with the Comet 
Surest Results 
Comet Sprayers are Easiest to Operate 
Simplest in construction—foot Rest is at¬ 
tached or detached instantly—Have complete 
Agitator and Brass Screen which prevent 
clogging of pump. This double acting spray throws 
a continuous stream 50 feet or spray tineas a mist. 
Tho fruit saved from a choice tree will more than 
pay for it. You need It for your orchard, vines, 
lawns and plants. Very durable— all brass. Weighs 
only 6 pounds. Thousands of fruit growers and 
farmers have proved It a success. Just try It for 
applying liquid poisons, fertllllzers, etc. The re- 
sultswill surprise you. Best proposition for agents. 
Send us a postal for full information about this 
superior sprayer now. Get after the tree and plant 
pests early and make more money. 
H. B. RUSLER MFG. CO, 
Dept. 6 JOHNSTOWN, OHIO 
Price 
$3.50 
to 
$4.50 
Agents 
Wanted 
What Sprayer? 
Use tho sprayer that does the most! 
work most thoroughly at the lowest costj 
Brown’s Auto Spray 
No. 1 fitted with Auto Pop Nozzle—mos 
powerful and efficient hand outfit. Cap 
acity 4 gallons. For large sprayers—! 
Brown’s Non-clog Atomic Spray Write 
for low prices and Free Spraying Guide. 
The E, C. Brown (’o., 2S Ja y St., Rochester, N. Y. [ 
UP-TO-DATE 
FRUIT 
GROWERS 
Many good apple growers are using Lime-Sulfur, but the most up-to-date growers in the United States, Australia and 
Africa use “Scalecide”—not because somebody else is using it, but their own judgment and experience tells them that 
the greatest perfection in fruit and foliage is produced by the continued use of “Scalecide,” with less labor and less 
expense. “Scalecide” has no substitute. It is the only oil containing distinct fungicidal properties. Write for proofs. 
One barrel of “Scalecide” will spray as many trees as 314 barrels of the best commercial Lime-Sulfur, and do the work 
much better. A postal request to Dept. “N” will bring you by return mail, free, our book, “Modern Methods of 
Harvesting, Grading and Packing Apples,” and new booklet, “Scalecide—the Tree-Saver.” If your dealer cannot sup¬ 
ply you with “Scalecide,” we will deliver it to any railroad station in the United States east of the Mississippi and north 
of the Ohio rivers on receipt of price. 50 gals., $25.00; 30 gals., $1(5.00; 10-gal. cans, $6.75; 5-gal. cans, $3.75. Address, 
B. G. Pratt Company, 50 Church Street, New York City. 
