1912. 
THE RUR41» NEW-YORKER 
606 
Ruralisms 
Quack Grass in Irises. 
J. 8., Highland, N. Y .—Can you tell me 
how to rid an Iris bed of quack grass? 
Ans. —The only advice we can give is 
to grub it out, every spear of it, with 
as little disturbance as possible to the 
Irises. If it is an old bed, long set, it 
would be the better for lifting and re¬ 
setting after flowering is over, and this 
will enable one to cultivate well and 
rake or fork out the grass; if lifting of 
the plants is not desired, hand work 
with one of the little sharp-pronged 
weeders is the only thing. Grass al¬ 
ways works into Iris and Narcissus 
beds, and we begin to clear it out as 
soon as it shows in Spring. Of course 
if the quack has spread into the lawn 
and adjacent garden, it is bound to get 
into permanent borders, where it is a 
great nuisance. 
Grass for Shady Place. 
C. G. G., Lenox, Hass .—Can you sug¬ 
gest a grass that will grow in the shade 
and drip of trees, maples and elms? Grass 
seeds for such places sold by nurserymen 
has not been ft success. 
Ans. —The best grasses for shady 
places are Wood Meadow grass (Poa 
nemoralis) and Rough-stalked Meadow 
grass (Poa trivialis). Both of these 
thrive in shade, but the latter does not 
succeed on dry land. Crested Dog’s- 
Tail grass (Cynosurus cristatus) thrives 
well in the shade, but prefers a rich 
moist soil; however, it does well on al¬ 
most any soil, and is found in most 
grass mixtures. We advise a combina¬ 
tion of these three; it is quite possible, 
however, that you would get them in 
most prepared mixtures for shady 
places. Extra care must be given in 
providing fertility in this unfavorable 
situation; it should have been well pre¬ 
pared beforehand, and it may be stimu¬ 
lated still further by several light top- 
dressings with nitrate of soda. 
Hardy Persian Walnuts. 
8. P. M., Pennsylvania .—I would like to 
hear about the hardy and prolific bearing 
Persian (English) walnuts that are grow¬ 
ing throughout New York, New Jersey, 
Pennsylvania and Delaware, or any other 
State. Let any of your readers who have 
such or know of such trees tell us about 
them. No doubt there are others also 
that may be Interested in such informa¬ 
tion. 
Ans. —There are many trees of the 
Persian walnut growing and bearing 
here and there over the Eastern States, 
from New York southward, but nearly 
all on the eastern side of the Appalach¬ 
ian Mountains. Not all the trees that 
are planted there suceed, for some are 
too tender to endure the severity of the 
Winters and the sudden changes of 
temperature. West of these mountains 
and east of the Rockies the ranges of 
temperature are still greater and there 
is less success. It may be that still 
hardier kinds will be brought to light 
or developed that will be as hardy as 
our native species of walnut and thus 
greatly advance the culture of this 
valuable tree and its fruit. Those who 
may know of any varieties that are 
specially valuable and have not been 
made known beyond their immediate 
locality should let the fact be known. 
H. E. VAN DEMAN. 
Experience with Persimmons. 
I have read the persimmon article on 
page 486 by S. H. James, and I am led 
to explain why Josephine may not be 
better for market than Early Golden. I 
grant it is larger, and more honeyed in 
taste, but when fit to eat it parts from 
the calyx, and if picked before full 
maturity, is the worst one to pick I 
know of, in fact should be clipped by 
shears. This may be all right if the 
persimmons are to be processed to re¬ 
move astringency, but if held in crate or 
otherwise to self-ripen, some will ma¬ 
ture sooner than others, and there must 
not be too much rehandling. Also the 
color is not so good as Early Golden, 
and it is a few days later, which affects 
price. Early Golden bears just about 
the right amount, Josephine too much 
often. Josephine is a little too soft. 
Early Golden may be shaken from the 
tree by using a long pole (12 feet) with 
hook at end, and the fruit is not in¬ 
jured, and while not so high in quality 
as Josephine, yet it is very good anil 
stands any amount of handling, and 
looks very fine in the box. I think 
Miller the largest and best late one, 
yet Fall breezes sometimes catch it. 
Silkyfine is not very desirable, yet a 
few of the first ripening are excellent 
in quality. Kawakania is very large, 
too soft, medium early in quality, and 
is not productive. Marion is not de¬ 
sirable. _ B. BUCKMAN. 
Illinois. 
Denatured Tobacco for Insecticides. 
For several years experiments have been 
going on at Wye Agricultural College, in 
England, to determine the practicability 
of producing nicotine from home-grown to¬ 
bacco cheaply enough to permit farmers to 
use it as an insecticide in orchards and 
hop-gardens. For this purpose it is in¬ 
valuable, but the price of this important 
article has been prohibitive. The inland 
revenue authorities have agreed to exempt 
the home product from taxation, providing 
that the crop shall be so denaturalized that 
it can be used as an insecticide only, and 
for no other purpose. They have even 
agreed to permit the importation of nico¬ 
tine for this purpose duty free, if it be 
effectually denaturalized at the port of en¬ 
try. The college authorities propose to use 
sulphur and sulphate of copper as denatur- 
ants, and expect to provide the nicotine in¬ 
secticide at less than one-third of the rul¬ 
ing market price. Last year, which was an 
exceptionally favorable one in England for 
tobacco growing, the nicotine produced at 
Wye amounted to 150 pounds an acre, and 
it is estimated that 120 pounds an acre 
would be an average crop. 
Making Bokdeaux Mixture. —There have 
been several requests for an easy way to 
make Bordeaux Mixture. Here is the ad¬ 
vice given by the Utah Experiment Station 
to its Boys’ Potato Clubs. This Bordeaux 
is used to prevent blight on potatoes and 
other diseases: Four pounds lime, six 
pounds copper sulphate, to 50 gallons of 
water is perhaps the most effective formula 
to follow. The mixture must be properiy 
applied for good results. Dissolve copper 
sulphate in a barrel containing water, by 
placing crystals in a clean sack and sub¬ 
merging in water from 15 to 18 hours. 
Use a pound of copper sulphate to every 
gallon of water. This solution can be kept 
for several weeks. In another barrel slack 
quicklime, using a gallon of water to each 
pound of lime. Stir well, while lime is 
slacking to prevent burning If the lime is 
covered with water, it can be kept for sev¬ 
eral weeks. When ready to make the mix¬ 
ture, two half-barrels are necessary. Into 
one put six gallons of copper sulphate 
solution and add 18 gallons of water. 
Into the other put four gallons of lime 
solution and add 22 gallons of water. The 
two dilute solutions are then poured to¬ 
gether into a barrel which contains the 
spray pump. The mixture is then ready 
to be sprayed on the potato vines. If one 
desires to mix only a small quantity or 
enough to spray the plat grown for the 
contest, he may use smaller proportions, as, 
one quart copper sulphate solution with 
four quarts of water, and one quart of lime 
solution diluted with six quarts of water. 
This poured together will make three gal¬ 
lons of Bordeaux mixture. In making a 
small quantity of the mixture, wooden 
buckets can be used. Use a quart mason 
fruit jar to dip out copper sulphate solution. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
II. N.-Y. and you'll get a quick reply and a 
"square deal.” See guarantee editorial page. 
BUILDING FOOD 
To Bring the Babies Around. 
When a little human machine (or a 
large one) goes wrong, nothing is so im¬ 
portant as the selection of food to bring 
it around again. 
“My little baby boy fifteen months old 
had pneumonia, then came brain fever, 
and no sooner had he got over these 
than he began to cut teeth, and, being 
so weak, he was frequently thrown into 
convulsions,” says a Colorado mother. 
“I decided a change might help, so 
took him to Kansas City for a visit. 
When we got there he was so very weak 
when he would cry he would sink away 
and seemed like he would die. 
“When I reached my sister’s home 
she said immediately that we must feed 
him Grape-Nuts, and, although I had 
never used the food, we got some and 
for a few days just gave him the juice 
of Grape-Nuts and milk. He got stronger 
so quickly we were soon feeding him 
the Grape-Nuts itself, and in a won¬ 
derfully short time he fattened right up 
and became strong and well. 
“That showed me something worth 
knowing, and when later on my little 
girl came, I raised her on Grape-Nuts, 
and she is a strong, healthy baby and 
has been. You will see from the little 
photograph I send you what a strong, 
chubby youngster the boy is now, but 
he didn’t look anything like that before 
we found this nourishing food. Grape- 
Nuts nourished him back to strength 
when he was so weak he couldn’t keep 
any other food on his stomach.” Name 
given by Postum Co., Battle Creek, 
Mich. 
All children can be built to a more 
sturdy and healthy condition upon 
Grape-Nuts and cream. The food con¬ 
tains the elements nature demands, from 
which to make the soft gray filling in 
the nerve centres and brain. A well fed 
brain and strong, sturdy nerves abso¬ 
lutely insure a healthy body. 
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. 
SWIFT’S ARSENATE OF LEAO 
HIGHEST QUALITY 
Insect Pest Destroyer! 
Easy to mix — sure to kill. Death to all leaf-eating insects. Save your 
trees, fruits and vegetables. Put up in paste or dry form. 
(Conforms to the National Insecticide Act of 1910.) 
Be Sure and Ash for S WIFT’S 
and thus always secure GUARANTEED HIGHEST QUALITY. 
FOR RALE BY LEADING DEALERS EVERYWHERE 
MERRIMAG CHEMICAL CO. 
Send for Circular. 34 Broad Street, Boston, Mass. 
“BI DWE LL” 
r J^HE BATAVIA MACHINE 
-L CO., Inc., of Batavia, New 
York, are noiv ready to ship on 
short notice the celebrated C. H. 
Bklwell Bean Threshers, Pea 
Hullers, and Bean Harvesting 
Machinery, also the Batavia Grain 
Separators. 
Our line needs no introduction 
as thousands are now in use from, 
the Atlantic to the Pacific. 
Write for our 1912 catalog 
Batavia Machine Company 
Batavia, New York 
Have “a roof that’s proof” 
Proof against rain, snow, 
sun, wind, heat, cold, 
sparks, alkalis, acids — 
everything that harms or¬ 
dinary roofs. Get the 
roofing made of Nature’s 
perfect weather-proofer— 
LJI 
'THE TRINIDAD-LAKE-ASPHALT 
mAW 
Trinidad Lake asphalt con¬ 
tains natural oils that keep 
Genasco “alive” and defensive. 
Manufactured asphalts won’t 
do that—they dry out; and 
roofing-s made of them crack 
and leak. Real economy 
prompts you to get Genasco. 
Mineral or smooth surface. Comes ready 
and easy for you to lay. Ask 
your dealer for Genasco. 
rite us for samples and the 
Good RoofGuideBook—free. 
1 U\\Wt/w/l The Kant-leak Kleet, for 
'■ .FJ/&11 smooth-surface roofings, 
nlakes seams tight without 
cement, and prevents nail- 
leaks. 
The Barber Asphalt Paving Company 
Largest producers of asphalt, and largest 
manufacturers of ready roofing in the world. 
Philadelphia 
San Francisco 
New York 
_ 
Chicago 
rnDAY w e Make 
Bucket, Barrel, 4-Row Potato Sprayers, 
Power Orchard Rigs, etc. 
There’s a field sprayer for every need, pro¬ 
nounced by all experts the world’s best line. 
THIS EMPIRE KING 
leads everything of its kind. Throws 
fine mist spray with strong force, no 
clogging, strainers are brushed and 
kept clean and liquid is thoroughly 
agitated automatically. 
Spraying Calondar Free. Write for di¬ 
rections and formula. Also catalog on 
entire sprayer line. We have the sprayer 
to meet your exact wants. Address 
FIELD FORCE PUMP CO., 
2 1 1th SI., Elmira, N. Y. 
Prevent blight, 
destroy insects which play 
havoc with your crops. 300,000 suc¬ 
cessful gardeners and orchardists 
will tell you—use— 
Brown's Auto Spray 
40 styles and sizes. For B acres of field 
crops, or 1 acre of trees, use Auto Spray 
No. 1—hand power, 4 gal. capacity—Auto 
l’op, non-clogging nozzle—all kinds of 
sprays with instant change. For large 
sprayers, Brown’s 
Non-Clog Atomic Nozzle 
—the only nozzle made that will spray any solution 
for days without clogging. Adjustable for all spruys. 
Write for Spraying Guide FREE. 
THE E. C. BROWN CO., 28 lay St., Rochester, N.Y. 
UMLSULPHUR HYDROMETER MlESST 
Price By Mail With Teat < 
“‘Cl 
Jar and ln*tnjctloi>*„.. V1 
Agents Wanted Everywhere 
CARBONDALE iNSTRUMENT CO., Carbondale, Pa. 
GUARANTEED FOR 30 YEARS. 
M BTHiTIlifiM 
*9.841Money back or a new t 
99.84%^^ Money back or a new roof if it de- 
PUREV teriorates or rusts out. No painting 
or repairs required. Our Indemnity Bond pro¬ 
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mg. Write for big illustrated book FREE. 
The American Iron Roofing Co. 
Station D ELYRIA, OHIO. 
10,000 tligh 
Lifts Saped 
Electric 
Easy work for you, light draft for horses. The 
one unbreakable, low-down handy wagon. Steel 
wheels, all heights and tire widths. Save rutting. 
Send for free book on labor saving farm hauling. 
ELECTRIC WHEEL CO., Box 48 , Quincy, III. 1 
Low-Down Steel Wheel Wagons 
Are fast replacing the high farm wagons for 
general farm work. The reason is plain. The 
Low-Down wagon makes easier work for the 
man and no harder for the team. One man 
can do most of his farm work alone with the 
Low-Down wagon. Get our free catalogue. 
HAVANA METAL WHEEL CO., BOX 17 HAVANA, ILL. 
GOOD 
CULTIVATION 
If you would Lave a 
bigger, better garden, 
good cultivation is 
absolutely necessary. 
. n , • The home gardener, 
trucker, small fruit grower, can decrease labor, increase 
crops and profit by using Iron Age tools. Our 
Single and Double Wheel Hoes are strong, , 
jight, compact. Easy to push—make garden¬ 
ing a real pleasure. Special attachment* for t 
dozen uses. Perfect weed killers, cultiva¬ 
tors, hillers, etc. We are wheel hoe 
specialists. If you nead a garden tool, 
you need an Iron Age. Attachment* 
can be added as needed; they re¬ 
duce tool expense. Ask your 
dealer to show them. And send 
for free booklets of com¬ 
plete line garden, or¬ 
field labor- ' 
saving tools. 
A postal will bring them 
promptly. Bateman M’f’g Co., 
Box 1021, Gtcnloch, New Jersey. 
