6812 
THE fiURAb N )i\V»YORKEK 
June 8, 
HAY MAKING IN WET WEATHER. 
Long experience with hay-making in 
wet seasons has forced the conclusion 
upon me that there are only three safe 
places for hay when it rains; in the 
mow, in the swath and standing uncut. 
But we cannot make hay without cut¬ 
ting it, and then if it rains before cured 
and mowed or stacked, just forget 
about it until dry, when if heavy, it 
may be teddered or raked into small 
windrows, given a little more sun and 
wind, and put under cover before the 
next shower. We have had several 
showery hay harvests here in the last 
few years, and in handling the hay from 
clover and Timothy meadows (mixed) 
that would make one ton per acre, my 
plan is to cut in the forenoon the hay 
to be stacked the afternoon of next 
day. Just before noon next day the 
hay is raked into windrows, left until 
after dinner, and put into stack without 
delay. If the sun is bright and the air 
dry, rather unusual in a wet spell, the 
hay may get too dry and crisp, but I 
much prefer it this way rather than 
mow-burned or musty. If it rains be¬ 
fore the hay is raked up nothing is to 
be done until dry, and I am glad that 
it is not in windrow. I never think of 
putting hay in shock any more, though 
the ha}' may cure with a better color 
that way, yet if we take account of 
labor and risk of getting wet and the 
necessity of spreading the hay again to 
dry, the plan is too expensive. If the 
hay gets wet in the windrow, a Summer 
shower sometimes catches us, we spread 
the hay out in the sun awhile to dry 
and rake it up again with the horse 
rake. Hay in shock or windrow dries 
out slowly even if torn up and spread 
out, but if in the swath when it gets 
wet the hay dries out quickly, may be 
raked up and mowed long before the 
hay in the shocks is ready to rake up 
again. Haymaking in a wet season is 
rather expensive, and we can hardly 
expect it to be of the finest quality, but 
we can manage to save the hay if wc 
will try, and yet have it free from dust, 
mold or mow-burn. If the hay is to 
be stacked a cover for both stack and 
wagon will be a great convenience and 
will save a lot of hay at times. In a 
wet spell the grass does not ripen fast, 
and wc can get along much better by 
not trying to do too much at once, so 
we make nearly a continuous operation 
of haying rain or shine, until done. 
Remember that the hay must be dry 
and have no dew or moisture about it 
when mowed or stacked and that it is 
better too dry than not dry enough. 
Ohio W. E. DUCKWALL. 
Artifical Stone Flooring. 
Can you give formula for the composi¬ 
tion flooring which is now so commonly in 
use in different colors, and put down over 
old floors? Many concerns are making and 
applying it and I believe many of your 
readers would be interested in knowing how 
to make and apply it. c. g. b. 
New York. 
There are as many artificial stones used 
for composition floorings as there are con¬ 
cerns in the business. The difference, how¬ 
ever, i* in the specific proportions of the 
substances. Most, if not all. use what is 
known as an “oxychloride” binder such as 
the oxides and chlorides of magnesium, 
with a filling material such as shredded 
wood or paper, sawdust, asbestos, torn 
cloth, sand, ashes, etc. If desirous of do¬ 
ing the work yourself, you can buy the ma¬ 
terial all ready for use. Usually you get 
two packages—the powder and a liquid. 
Mix the two together as you would mix 
cement, but make it stiffer or thicker. 
Then spread it over the floor to an average 
depth of about one-half inch. It will “set” 
over night, so that you can walk on it 
carefully, but several days will elapse be¬ 
fore you can use the floor, and it will be 
several months before the floor will become 
an even color all over. From time to time 
during those months white spots may ap¬ 
pear, which can be washed oft’, as they are 
merely the salts being thrown out. The 
floor wiil become almost stone hard, and is 
waterproof and fireproof. Any desired 
color can be given by adding earth colors. 
Such composition floorings have been used 
very successfully on some of the best rail¬ 
road cars for nearly 20 years. 
Specifically, the materials that make up 
the better known artificial stones for use 
as flooring are as follows: The powder: 
50 parts (by weight) calcined magnesite, 
15 parts marble dust or dolomite, five parts 
asbestos, 15 parts sawdust, 2% parts sili¬ 
cate of magnesium, 11 parts earth colors. 
Mix the above substances very thoroughly. 
The liquid: Equal parts of water and 
chloride-of-magnesium solution. Add the 
liquid to the powder until the mixture is 
of the proper consistency. In many cases 
the powder is mixed with 1% part of muri¬ 
ate of ammonia before adding the liquid in 
order to make a better union of the ele¬ 
ments. Commercially, the muriate of 
ammonia is mixed with the powder before 
shipping. Then, at the receiving point, the 
liquid and powder are simply mixed to¬ 
gether. 
In another composition flooring the ma¬ 
terials are so mixed at the shipping point 
that in order to render it ready for use 
water and burnt or calcined magnesite must 
be added at the receiving point. In this 
case. 85 parts magnesium chloride solution 
is mixed with 36 parts of a porous filler, 
such as sawdust. This remains moist and 
inconvenient to handle, so 25 parts of in¬ 
fusorial earth or fossil flour is added. This 
takes up the moisture and forms a coating | 
on the particles of sawdust. Then add to I 
the above mixture 100 parts of pulverized 
burnt magnesite and 43% parts of water. 
For coloring ocher, umber, red oxide, etc.-, 
may be added. 
The two formulas above given do not 
differ materially, as at least 25 parts of 
the burnt magnesite in the last formula 
simply acts as a filler and takes the place 
of the marble dust and asbestos of the first 
formula, while the infusorial earth combin¬ 
ing chemically with the magnesite furnishes 
the silicate of magnesium. If bought ready 
for use, the composition costs about 15 
cents per square foot, while if the manu¬ 
facturers furnish the material and put the 
floor down, it will cost about 30 cents per 
square foot finished. Any of the composi¬ 
tion floors may be waxed, if desired. Al¬ 
most all the specific compositions used are 
patented, but. for the most part, the 
patents simply cover the particular propor¬ 
tions of ingredients, and by altering the 
proportions and using various different in¬ 
ert filling materials, such as paper, cloth, 
sand, ashes, etc., or a mixture of filling ma¬ 
terials, the patents may be avoided. 
R. P. C. 
Acme and Disk Compared. 
What i_s the efficiency of the Acme har¬ 
row as compared to the disk or Cutaway? 
How will the Acme work on stony ground 
and will it fit cornstalk ground for the 
Fall seeding of wheat? C. w. M. 
Baldwin, Md. 
You cannot well compare the harrows— 
their work is entirely different. The disk 
or Cutaway stirs or chops up the soil. 
It is a digging tool. The Acme does 
not dig. but crushes, levels and stirs 
the upper surface. They should work 
in connection—the disk stirring up the soil 
and the Acme smoothing or fitting the sur¬ 
face. The Acme would not give a good 
seed bed for oats on a corn stubble. We 
have used a spring-tooth harrow for this 
purpose, but the Acme does not go deep 
enough. On stony ground the Acme rides 
over the stones and the teeth are worn 
down. Wc have worn out three different sets 
of teeth on one harrow. In small round 
stones the disk will push the stones aside 
and dig the soil, but with flat stones the 
disks ride over and leave the soil untouched. 
On such soil the spring-tooth does better 
work. 
Grain with Hairy Vetch. 
I have seen a reference to the use of j 
Winter spelt with vetch as a cover crop ' 
in Michigan. Can we not have more about 
this? Rye is usually recommended. 
j. p. p. 
We expect to hear soon from Mr. Red- 
field. who grows this Winter spelt, Prof. 
C. B. Smith, who is conducting experi¬ 
ments, for the Agricultural Department 
says: 
This Winter spelt is planted in the Fall 
and gives considerably heavier yields on 
the sandy lands of that section than oats do. 
and it has been found equally valuable as 
a horse feed or as a grain for dairy cows. 
In the growing of Hairy vetch for seed, rye 
has usually been used as a support crop, 
and for the further reason that rye will 
grow on poorer land than wheat. In this 
■combination, however, it is exceedingly 
difficult to separate the vetch seed from the 
rye without a special apparatus. We are, 
therefore, recommending throughout Michi¬ 
gan that vetch be planted with spelt as a 
support crop since both can be planted 
in the Fall, and the vetch seed is much 
more easily separated from the spelt. 
The Other Side of Hairy Vetch. 
The R. N.-Y. has been pushing Hairy 
vetch considerably, and it may not be 
amiss to say a word of caution to those 
who are thinking of using it extensively. 
We have used it for several years as an 
orchard cover; at first, with enthusiasm, 
but with less favor each succeeding year. 
The seed is expensive. With us a large 
percentage of the plants fail to grow in 
the Spring, while the Fall growth is too 
thin and sparse to be of much value, un¬ 
less it is sown very thickly. Worst of 
all, it fails to do well if continued on the 
same land, the difference being marked as 
soon as the second year. This is our ex¬ 
perience, and unless it behaves better in 
the near future we shall return to our 
old standby. h. w. h. 
Rhode Island. 
I would like to refer my experience with 
Winter vetch to some of your readers who 
have advised farmers to raise the same. 
I have read a great deal in The R. N.-Y. 
about Winter vetch. Last Summer I 
thought I would try it. I had an old farm¬ 
er sow it for me with rye; it was sown 
on the 21st of September. It came on in 
the Fall and grew about five inches high 
and looked fine, but this Spring my rye 
came on well, but I could not find one 
spear of vetch anywhere in the piece. My 
farm lies on a side hill and is naturally 
well drained and facing westward. I am 
not as yet discouraged with Winter vetch, 
as I have ordered another half bushel for 
this Summer, and will try to sow it as 
near the 15th of August as the weather 
will permit me to. c. w. L. 
Northeastern Pennsylvania. 
Worth Having. 
Vegetable Gardening, by II. L. Watts; 
510 pages; 110 illustrations. The best book 
we know on the subject. Full details about 
Seed, Planting, Fertilizers, Cultivation and 
Harvesting. For sale by The Rural New- 
1’orker, price $1.75. 
Low-Headed Apple Trees.— Orchardists 
are rapidly finding that in these days low¬ 
headed trees are essential, and to make 
low-headed trees it is necessary to plant 
good yearling trees and head them back 
low. I have started these trees by cut¬ 
ting back to within 20 inches off the 
ground and taking the best situated 
branches that form, not more than four 
on which to form the head. On the tree 
shown at Fig. 240, page 638. I would 
have cut off the two lowest limbs and 
would have cut out the two highest ones 
in the centre and then shortened back 
the four remaining. j. p.. 
For Sealing Jellies and Preserves 
(Pure Refined Paraffine) 
Just Melt and Pour Over the Preserves 
Seals absolutely air-tight 
Easy to use—Inexpensive 
POWER FOR THE FARM 
Complete No extras to buy. Starts easy and delivers big power. 
Ready to Run Water cooled—fuel tank in base—comes wired up ready 
to run m three minutes after unloading. Big stock on 
hand — we can make immediate shipments — all sizes. 
Uses Kerosene Wonderful econ- 
or Gasolene- omy. Operates 
BIG /SSSsSBM ^ successfully on gasolene, alcohol, 
pxTpfWTp jjjjv distillate, gas, kerosene (or coal oil.) 
^ *2 Size* to Let ua solve your 
BQOK“S rVaftX Select From power problems, 
rprr \aa\ Tell us what you want an engine to 
F lfcut do—we will give you an honest esti¬ 
mate of the best outfit for your needs. 
30 Days No chance to lose—we 
Trial. tako all the risk—if en¬ 
gine is not satisfactory in every 
detail return it—we pay the freight. 
As^ about complete Electric 
Lxgist outfits for country homes. 
gray motor company 
684 0. S. Motors Bldg., Betroit. Mich. 
Record Breaking 
Pumping Outfit 
Here’s a compact 
pumping outfit. Runs 
in any kind of weath¬ 
er. Engine is portable 
can Ijo nsed for many 
other jobs on the farm 
Will pump S000 gallons 
of Water for 6 Conts. 
WRITE FOR j 
PRICES 
Farmers Thresh Your Own Grain 
ELLIS CHAMPION 
THRESHERS 
Save enough to own the thresher. Be independent. 
get ready. 
Suit everyone. Both the profes¬ 
sional thresherman or the farmer 
who wants a home outfit will find the 
Champion rightly named. The picture 
shows ELLIS CHAMPION NO 2. It is complete . 
with stacker, tailings, elevator and grain bag 
ger. Connect it with steam, gasolene, tread or any 
other power, put in the grain and the Champion does 
the rest. No straw clogging. Any size. 
We ills, make tread and sweep horse-power, drag or circular saws, 
Onr catalog tells the whole story! ELLIS KEYSTONE AGRICULTURAL WORKS, Pottstawn, Pa. 
StandardALine of BARN EQUIPMENT 
Dairymen pronounce the PORTER supe¬ 
rior, more simple, durable and dependable 
than others. The well-posted man who 
wants the best always buys the PORTER. 
PORTER Perfect Stanchions line up the cows 
without interfering with their comfort. 
Our Sanitary Steel Stalls give perfect venti¬ 
lation and light throughout the barn and 
make it easy work to keep cows clean. 
Our barn fixtures include Litter Carriers, 
Feed Carriers aud Milk Carriers running 
on overhead tracks, PORTER Barn Door 
Hangers, Hay Carriers, Forks, Pulleys, 
Hay Slings and other tools. 
Write today for catalog of “Perfect Barn Equip¬ 
ment, ” mailed tree to anyone upon request. 
J. E. PORTER €0., OTTAWA, ILL 
GOODHUE 
WINDMILLS 
Less than 2V2C per dajr 
for a few years will not only buy an 8’ Goodhue Windmill 
and 30’ Tower, but will pay for all your pumping as well. 
You cannot begin to pump the water for your home, 
6tock and milkhouse for that sum in any other way. The 
time you lose starting and stopping an engine will amount 
to more than that. You simply cannot afford to use any 
other power for pumping. The average life of the Goodhue 
Windmill is 15 to 20 years, makiDg it the cheapest pumping 
power known. If you wish, we will insure our windmills 
and towers for five years against damage from any cause 
except willful neglect or misuse, for 50o per year. 
Goodhue Windmills are strong, durable and 
safe, are self-oiling, close governing and will get 
the most power out of any wind. Write us to¬ 
day for our catalogue and the details of our 
really remarkable proposition. Delays are 
expensive. Do not delay, 
APPLETON MFG.CO., 327 Fargo St., Batavia, Ill v 
