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THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
April 27, 
Burning Horse Manure. 
H. 0., West New Brighton, N. Y .—The 
big stables in great cities nowadays, in¬ 
stead of removing the fresh horse manure, 
burn it, reducing it to ash in a specially 
built furnace for that purpose. Can you tell 
me the fertilizer value compared to ordinary 
horse manure aged for the garden purpose 
(not artificially burned)? I say there must 
be a vast difference and perhaps an excess 
of potash, while my friend says that this 
is so highly concentrated that all the dif¬ 
ferent elements or ingredients are brought 
out more strongly. 
Ans. —Are you sure of your state¬ 
ment about this burning? We have 
asked stablemen about it, but thus far 
not one has located such a burner. On 
the Erie Railroad we pass in the morn¬ 
ing two piles of horse manure eight feet 
by 10 and at least a quarter of a mile 
long. This is brought from the city, 
well watered and sold to farmers. 
A ton of fresh horse manure with 
straw will contain about 12 pounds of 
nitrogen, 1,425 pounds of water and 250 
pounds of organic matter. If this ton 
be completely burned all the water will 
be driven off, all the organic matter 
destroyed and all the nitrogen lost. 
There would be left of the ton only 
about 65 pounds of ashes. These ashes 
would contain about 12 pounds of 
potash, five of phosphoric acid and four 
of lime, which would represent all the 
useful plant food. You could buy this 
amount of potash and .phosphoric acid 
in chemical fertilizer for about 85 cents! 
You will see there is no “excess” of any¬ 
thing in such ashes. The most valuable 
element in the manure is nitrogen and 
this is always lost through burning. 
Alfalfa on Limestone Soil. 
J. D. 8., Hagaman, N. Y .—My farm has 
soil that lies very close to the rock; in 
some places the rock is not covered at all, 
still it produces well in a dry time. This 
rock is what they call limestone. Is it the 
limestone that is used to sweeten the soil 7 
The farm is a good one and always haa 
been. Would it he on account of this stone 
wearing away into the soil? There has 
always been lots of commercial fertilizer 
used and it does not seem to make the soil 
acid. It will grow fine clover. Now, could 
I raise Alfalfa here without applying lime? 
Will what is called burned lime answer 
or will the ground rock be best? The 
lime that is made in kilns can be had 
near here and cheap, the rock must be 
shipped in and costs $5 a ton delivered. 
There is no Alfalfa grown near here; clover 
is the stand by yet. 
Ans. —This is evidently limestone 
soil and the crushed rock would be 
what we call ground limestone. Such 
soils are always naturally strong and 
usually grow clover and Alfalfa well. 
Of course we cannot tell whether the 
Alfalfa will grow without lime or not. 
We should think so from the fact that 
clover does so well. The burned lime 
will answer, and since it is cheaper 
than the ground limestone we should 
use it. 
Alfalfa Inoculation. 
Regarding the “Farmer’s Nitrogen Mixer,” 
on page 397, can you tell me what kind of 
clover II. E. Kruger sows, whether the 
Mammoth varieties or Alsike? We have 
used rye in this way for years, plowing it 
under in the Spring. In order to get bac¬ 
teria for starting Alfalfa, in other words 
to inoculate the soil, what would be the re¬ 
sults In saving the manure from cows fed 
on Alfalfa hay? Would the germ be de¬ 
stroyed In passing through the animal? 
Brookfield, Mass. c. t. q. 
R. N.-Y.—We understand Mr. Kruger 
used a mixture of Red and Alsike clover 
seed. You will need lime in New England. 
Yes; the manure from stock fed on Alfalfa 
hay will help inoculate the soil. 
Fertility for a Garden. 
I have a large backyard which has al¬ 
ways been a lawn; this year I intend to 
make a garden, and in order to get good 
results seek your advice. Last Autumn I 
spaded the sod under with a small quan¬ 
tity of manure and spread a liberal layer 
on top. which I intend to spade under as 
soon as the weather permits. This soil is 
clay. Would a small quantity of coal ashes 
mixed with it help to keep it from packing? 
What proportion? Do you think it advis¬ 
able to use garbage as a fertilizer, or would 
this have any ill effect on the vegetables 
grown? a. l. s. 
Pennsylvania. 
Yes; a fair application of sifted coal 
ashes worked into this soil will help keep 
it open and loose. Add enough to make the 
surface looks gray end rake or harrow thor¬ 
oughly in. We would not use the garbage 
directly in the soil. Ferment it first in a 
compost heap and then use like manure. 
What Cover Crop ? 
We have about seven acres on which we 
have planted corn and potatoes for two 
years, and now propose to sow it down. 
As a cover crop we had intended to put 
in oats, but the fact is oats do not thrive 
well in our section of Putnam County, 
N. Y. They either make short straw or 
the yield is small. This land has been 
very heavily manured, most of it is moist, 
but not damp land lying low, with large 
light soil hillock on one side. We have 
had good crops off this land. What cover 
crop would we put in instead of the oats 
that would increase our forage? We, of 
course, intend to sow with the cover crop 
Timothy. j. 
If oats do not thrive we should sow 
either beardless barley or imported German 
Spring rye. The latter makes a good 
Spring growth with us, and while not 
equal in quality to barley or oats, gives fair 
forage. We should use a -light seeding of 
Canada peas with the oats. 
Oats and Peas. 
In order to raise more hay on my farm 
in Lancaster Co., Pa., I contemplate sow¬ 
ing oats and peas for hay. Should the 
peas be cow peas or Canada field peas, and 
about when should this bfe cut? How much 
pea seed to the acre? h. k. m. 
New York. 
Do not sow cow peas with oats. The 
cow pea is a warm weather plant and will 
rot in the soil like beans if sown when 
oats ought to be started. The Canada 
pea is a cold weather crop and should go 
with the oats. Later, in hot weather, the 
cow pea will thrive, but the Canada pea 
would fail. 
Oats and Peas in Sod. 
I wish to put down a field to oats and 
peas. The field has a light sod. In a case 
of this kind would you advise me to sow 
the peas broadcast before plowing, and 
plow about four inches deep, or would it 
be better to plow and then put oats and 
peas in together with drill? The majority 
of farmers In this section use drill for oats 
and peas. I am sure where you have stalk 
ground that peas should be plowed under, 
but with sod would like to have a little 
advice. h. 
Amenia, N. Y. 
On soil where a drill will work evenly 
this is a good way to put in oats and peas 
—better than plowing under with a sod. 
We should plow the sod and then chop it 
up with a disk or Cutaway—then drill. 
Speltz with Vetch. 
I remember reading somewhere that 
vetch could be grown with speltz and the 
seed readily separated. I have not been 
able to find a description of speltz and do 
not know if it is a Winter grain and suit¬ 
able to sow with Winter vetch. I have 
wished to find some kind of grain or grass 
that might be sown with Winter vetch, the 
seed of which could readily separate from 
vetch. Can you tell me if speltz is suitable 
for that purpose? m. m. 
Massachusetts. 
This was probably a report we had from 
Michigan. Speltz looks like a cross between 
barley and oats. We have tried it in New 
Jersey, but did not consider it equal to our 
other small grains. We think it better 
adapted to the interior rather than to the 
Atlantic coast. It may, however, be bet¬ 
ter to use with vetch and we would like 
to have fair experience on this line. The 
Department of Agriculture issues a bulletin 
on speltz. 
Sulphur for Potato Scab. 
Can you give me any information as re¬ 
gards mixing sulphur with fertilizer to pre¬ 
vent scab, what quantity to use and what 
effect it might have on the soil if used 
long enough? _ f. t.. 
Sulphur is often used dusted on the cut 
seed. We know that it has some effect 
when_ used in this way to prevent scab 
and it keeps the seed piece from rotting. 
As for mixing with fertilizers Prof. J. P. 
Stewart says: 
“In regard to the mixing of sulphur and 
fertilizer for application to the soil as a 
preventive of scab. I would say that we 
have no evidence whatever that it could be 
of any service. Sulphur is nearly or quite 
insoluble under such conditions, and conse¬ 
quently its effect -would hardly be worth 
considering.” 
How is Lumber Measured? 
I bought from our lumber merchant 160 
feet of rough lumber, to lay a floor 12x12, 
thinking to have 16 feet left. But when 
I came to lay floor I lacked eight feet of 
having enough. I went to our merchant, 
told him about shortage, and told him he 
could see it for himself any time; as room 
is just 12 feet square it is not hard to 
figure. But he informed me that he did 
not measure lumber in that way any more 
(with tape line), but counted the boards 
instead. For instance, a hoard one inch 
thick, in the rough, unmatched, if it meas¬ 
ures 314 inches wide is counted four; if 
5*4 is counted six, etc. I talked with a 
carpenter from Iowa. He says it is a steal, 
but said that all yards, so far as he knew, 
were measuring by the same count method. 
Is this done in all of the States, and what 
is the remedy? j. h. t. 
Lynville, Wis. 
R. N.-Y.—The way to get at these things 
is first of all to know what the common 
practice is. How do they measure in your 
locality? 
Heating a Water Tank. 
I see two answers to my inquiry (with 
cuts) for a heater for a cement tank. But 
in neither case do they take into considera¬ 
tion the fact that they require constant 
heat or in a cold climate like this thev 
would freeze and burst in about one hour 
after the fire went out. I have in mind 
two plans that might work; one is to 
build a narrow furnace or flue of concrete 
and over this lay a sheet of boiler iron for 
a nart of tank bottom, and build the tank 
over that, having the flue walls wider than 
the boiler iron and continuing them on! 
up to complete tank. The other is a water¬ 
tight firebox with a flue extending just a 
little above overflow, with an extension 
door with neck long enough to reach 
through the side of tank so you could put 
in fuel and take out ashes; have this built 
right in tank. Would there be serious ob-, 
jections to either plan? The first plan of¬ 
fered would be all right if valves were 
provided and a peteock put in so pipe could 
be drained when not in use. The pipe 
should extend into tank so valves could 
be placed inside of tank. 
South Dakota. w. h. heald. 
“BI DWELL” 
TWO YANKEE FARM INSTITUTIONS. 
A Farmers’ Club.—A n example which 
could be followed in any town in any State 
in this country to mutual advantage is 
set by the Medway Farmers’ Club of Massa¬ 
chusetts. Certain intelligent and go-ahead 
farmers living between the towns of Hollis- 
ton aDd Medway have formed this club for 
the purpose of social intercourse, study and l 
exchange of ideas. They meet twice a 
month at homes of the members, chiefly 
in the evenings, from September to April 
inclusive. About one hour is devoted to 
study and exchange of ideas on informa¬ 
tion sought by any member, after which 
doughnuts, cakes, fruit and coffee or cocoa 
is served and a social time enjoyed. At 
some meetings a speaker is obtained to 
address on some important subject of in¬ 
terest to the members. In this way they 
keep thoroughly posted on what is going 
on, the best methods of doing things, and 
get acquainted and interested in each 
other’s aims, interests and needs in a 
friendly and cordial way. To be brothers 
in the true sense of the word is a great 
thing, and a little organization or club of 
this kind can do worlds of good in any 
locality, and is sadly needed in many, i 
It is just what is needed to make j 
farm life happy and prosperous, and 
cannot be too highly spoken of. Life in 
the country can be enjoyed and improved 
by social intercourse and study on farm 
subjects to a great extent at neighborly 
gatherings or clubs of this kind. This 
club has a regular programme arranged 
and a subject for discussion at each meet¬ 
ing, so that all may speak on the subject; 
in fact all are usually asked, and by this 
method many bashful ones will get up 
courage and supply some good ideas many 
times. It is every one’s duty to himself 
and his neighbors to do what he can to 
make country life enjoyable and successful 
in the fullest sense, and in these very ways 
it will be accomplished if all take hold 
and do their full duty both to themselves 
and to others. 
All Year Canning Factory. —One of the 
finest factories in Massachusetts is to be 
used as an all-tbe-year-round canning fac¬ 
tory. It is claimed this will be the larg¬ 
est, best-equipped and most thoroughly 
sanitary factory in the United States, and 
will be conducted under the Dr. Wiley 
idea of a pure food canning business. It 
is situated in Ilopkinton in a central farm¬ 
ing district, and yet within easy reach of 
Boston market, from which much surplus 
produce will be obtained when prices are 
low both in and out of season. What is 
bought to-day will be shipped by night 
freight and be at the factory the next 
morning, all ready to go to work on. Peas, 
sweet corn and tomatoes will be the main 
lines, but all kinds of fruit and vegetables 
will be used in their season, and in Winter 
baking beans, poultry and meat products 
will be used, thus working the plant to 
advantage all the year round. It is 
claimed that Massachusetts is the best 
location in the United States for this 
business, for the reason that here all 
kinds of raw produce can be obtained, 
while elsewhere only one or two kinds can 
be got in one section ; for the others they 
have to send to some other section and 
pay a heavy freight charge, or else have 
another factory in these other sections 
where what is wanted is raised. While 
the prices offered are perhaps low. yet with 
intelligent and careful study on the sub¬ 
ject crops can be raised for this purpose 
and will pay as well as or better than 
some of the systems used and crops raised 
about here in the past. They can be tried 
for a season or two asj. side lines, and if 
found successful can be made the main 
issue. It would seem as if peas and sweet 
corn could be raised to advantage on the 
dairy farms of this section, as the vines and 
stalks would help out the feed question 
when pastures are short in late Summer 
and Fall, and thus largely pay cost of 
crop, leaving money received from the 
canning factory as profit. a. e. p. 
7 
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