86u 
THE RURAb NEW-YURKEK 
August 10, 
EXPERIENCE WITH APPLE SCAB. 
I have had quite a curious experience 
recently in spraying. Anticipating from the 
peculiar seasonal conditions an unusual at¬ 
tack of scab, I had one block of Rome 
Beauty and McIntosh Red trees sprayed 
very thoroughly with lime and sulphur as 
soon as the blossoms had fallen and again 
two weeks later. I find to my surprise 
that so far as this spraying extended, both 
the apples and foliage are pretty badly 
marked with what appears like the apple 
scab. Nowhere else upon the farm was the 
lime and sulphur applied, and both the 
fruit and the foliage are generally clean 
and free from scab trouble. All of the 
trees had been sprayed for seven years 
during the Winter with soluble oil, and 
during the five years past, believing that 
there was a fungicidal effect following the 
use of oil, Bordeaux mixture and lime and 
sulphur, both of which injured the fruit 
more than the scab, were entirely aban¬ 
doned, and up to the present time for five 
years, excepting this one block, sprayed this 
season with lime and sulphur, we have had 
no scab to speak of. Here is a conundrum 
that some of our scientific friends are try¬ 
ing to solve. It is very evident that we 
have yet much to learn about the use of 
chemicals and their effects upon trees. 
There seems to be some adverse criticisms 
against oil which it seems to me are en¬ 
tirely unfounded, and are not based 
upon substantial facts. There is a large 
amount of tree injury at the present season, 
which is the result of trees going into a 
very cold Winter with immature wood, fol¬ 
lowing an Autumn that was very wet and 
warm. GEORGE T. POWELL. 
New York. 
A CONCRETE SEPTIC TANK. 
Since we printed the last article on dis¬ 
posal of farm sewage there have been many 
questions about building a “septic tank.” 
The plan shown at Fig. 305 is recommended 
by the cement manufacturers and is not 
difficult to carry out. The principle of the 
septic tank is simple. We want a long, 
watertight tank or cistern through which 
the sewage may slowly pass. A warm, dark 
passage is needed in which bacteria will de¬ 
velop and destroy the sewage and render it 
■harmless. When thus purified the sewage 
runs off as clear water. That is all there 
is to it. It should be put about 150 feet 
from a house—a little below ground level. 
For a medium-sized family two compart¬ 
ments each 4x4x5 feet will answer. The 
top and bottom are four inches thick and 
We have been working hard here for 
years, making good the overdrawn account 
of the predecessor who skinned the place 
for years. Sorrel under these conditions 
is a notice of protest, a notice that your 
account has been overdrawn, and liming 
such laud without putting anything on or 
allowing the crop to go back, but increases 
the need of sorrel. Take a poor field, leave 
flie sorrel on. instead of taking it off. it 
helps to make a mulch, and as it grows 
thicker other weeds and grass come in, 
and after two or three years quite a bit 
of clover will come in. I do not believe 
that sorrel comes in unless it is needed, 
and it is very accommodating, for after 
the land is fit for other crops or plants it 
takes a back seat. Just like a faithful 
old watch dog. i. C. k. 
Livingston Co., N. Y. 
Lime Made Grass Grow. 
A most striking demonstration of the 
need for lime on the old farm soils of cen¬ 
tral Maine has just been completed by 
Charles II. Gardner, one of the scientific 
and successful farmers of Somerset County. 
Last Fall he seeded down five acres with 
the standard mixture of Timothy, Red-top 
and clover, using for the first time an even 
ton of agricultural lime per acre. For a 
check on the experiment he left a strip 
clear across one side of the field unlimed. 
The difference in favor of the limed soil 
was fairly apparent last Fall, but the 
maximum did not appear until haying time 
this year. Over the field as a whole the 
grass stood about 3*4 feet tall before 
mowing, while on the check strip it was 
but little over one foot. The grass on the 
limed soil was all straight goods that would 
grade as the finest quality of mixed hay, 
while the strip was literally filled with 
sorrel and other foul stuff. From the five 
acres Mr. Gardner put into the barn 17 
loads that experienced observers declare 
would weigh a ton and a half apiece, while 
several hundred pounds per acre was left 
in the field where it had lodged so that the 
machine could not cut it. Furthermore the 
grass on the limed field has started up 
again at a rate indicating a second crop 
of at least two tons per acre, while the 
check strip is still sear and brown. Every 
farmer who has seen Mr. Gardner’s field 
this season has declared his intention of 
using lime on every foot of new seeding this 
Fall. C. M. GALLCl*. 
Somerset County, Me. 
R. N.-Y.—This lime and sorrel problem 
will require many experiences before we 
the division side walls eight inches. These 
are made of reinforced concrete. There 
are manholes in the top and five-inch tiles 
inserted as shown in the engraving. 
“Be careful that the outside end of the 
inlet tile to the charge tank is two feet 
and its other end 16 inches above tank 
bottom. The pipe leading from the charge 
tank is also set at the same sharp slope. 
The outlet tile from the discharge tank is 
two feet above bottom and with both ends 
level. By this arrangement of pipes, the 
sewage is kept in the tank to the depth of 
two feet and the ends of the tile in the 
charge tank are trapped or air-sealed, which 
aids the activity of a certain kind of bac¬ 
teria. Likewise, other bacteria are devel¬ 
oped in the discharge tank by means of 
the free circulation of air through the dis¬ 
charge drain tile and holes in the manhole 
cover.” 
A tank built in this way will dispose of 
the sewage, purify it and pass it finally 
away as clear water into a suitable drain. 
LIME AND SORREL QUESTIONS. 
Lime May be Overdone. 
I agree with the writer on page 778 
that it is time something was done about 
sorrel. In plain English, under the condi¬ 
tions we have here, it is time to make a 
“deposit.” In other words, the position 
he takes seems to be like that which would 
be taken by a lot of farmers who had been 
drawing chocks on the local bank, and be¬ 
cause the checks were not paid, from lack 
of funds, .some one of them would suggest 
that it is time something was done, and 
they hold an indignation meeting. If some 
one' of the crowd took my position and 
suggested that they make a deposit in the 
local bank of sufficient amount, their checks 
would be paid, it would be as I see the 
conditions here, year after year skinning off 
all that can be obtained, nothing put 
back to compare with the amount that 
would be needed for a square deal to the 
land. 
The lime business is overdone under such 
conditions. Lime is cheap and people who 
know nothing of its use, or its action on 
the land are doing more hurt than good 
with it. Take a poor old starved horse and 
give him a dose of arsenic, or some other 
powerful stimulant, and for a while he is 
right up in the bit. but when the effect 
wears off he is weaker than ever. A good 
substantial meal three times a day for a 
while would have a different effect. People 
are using lime here under much the same 
conditions, and the land gets poorer when 
the whole crop is skinned off. as you do 
not catch many of them putting anything 
back on the land that can be avoided, ex¬ 
cepting as at long intervals a field gets the 
water-leached remains of the crops that 
have been run through the cattle and the 
barnyard. 
cover it all. We have seen a good farming 
neighborhood where farmers used 1.500 
pounds per acre of a high-grade potato 
fertilizer. The soil was rich, and yet the 
sorrel turned many of the grass fields red. 
Sorrel sometimes grows at the edge of lime 
kilns and manure pits. There must be 
some use to be made of such a crop. 
A Boy’s Potato. 
I first began reading your paper along 
about 1882. or when you sent out the 
White Elephant potato. My folks were 
then taking the paper, and I was a boy, 
but on receiving the potato in the little 
wooden box. and packed nicely in sawdust, 
I planted the potato in the garden in four 
hills, and harvested about a gallon of pota¬ 
toes. The next year I again planted them 
and raised several bushels. After that my 
people raised the potatoes for many years, 
many times raising other varieties by the 
side of them, but the White Elephant gen¬ 
erally came out best. Nineteen years ago 
this Spring I began farming, and of course 
planted some of the potatoes, and while 
they may not be as pure now. I still raise 
what we call the White Elephant. They 
have a slightly reddish cast instead of 
pure white, otherwise they have the same 
general shape. About 12 years ago they 
seemed to have run out for us, as they 
failed for several seasons to yield well on 
our clay land. 1 then had some raised «>n 
sand one year and on gravel the next, and 
then brought them back to clay again and 
the yield for several years was surprisingly 
large and they have been doing well since. 
We always raise some other varieties also, 
but the Elephants generally outyield any 
other variety we have yet tried. Although 
they have not as nice a shape as some 
others, we like the flavor better than most 
other varieties, and. of course like the 
results. I still have the little box in which 
the potato came. I also had success with 
the Washington oats received as premium 
(a year after or before the potato!, but 
after I had succeeded in raising it to the 
extent of a part of a field my people at 
thrashing time allowed it to get mixed with 
another variety and I tell you it was uot 
encouraging to me as a boy at the time. 
I am now trying to encourage my boys to 
keep seeds as well as live stock purebred. 
Ohio. 0 . s. c. 
Evaporator Experience Wanted. 
Please ask readers to give full instruc¬ 
tions for building house evaporators, also 
their results therefrom. f. a. k. 
North Scituate, R. I. 
We have such an article coming, but it 
will be impossible to learn all you need 
about the business from printed informa¬ 
tion. It would be better for you to go 
direct to Sodus. N. Y., and see the evap¬ 
orator and how the business is conducted. 
ALL SORTS. 
After October 1 absinthe, which is being 
sold in increasing quantities through the 
United States, will be barred from impor¬ 
tation, and also from being transported 
from State to State. The Pure Food Board 
has decided that absinthe as a beverage 
is dangerous to health. This liqueur, dis¬ 
tilled from wormwood, affects the nervous 
system to a dangerous degree, the effects 
being more demoralizing than those of other 
alcoholic Intoxicants. 
A White Leghorn hen in Newton. N. .7., 
recently laid an egg measuring 9.5x7.5 
inches. It was soft-shelled, and was pre¬ 
served in alcohol for exhibition. 
Scientists propose measuring the feeding 
requirements of animals on the protein and 
the energy values, or therms of chemical 
energy. A therm is the heat required to 
raise the temperature of 1,000 kilograms of 
water one degree Centigrade. 
When the military authorities began 
their rat crusade in Manila, as a means of 
combating plague, they procured 15,000 
traps and 100.000 little plates to contain 
poison, a special kitchen being arranged to 
prepare the poison. Rusty bacon with 60 
per cent arsenic was found the most allur¬ 
ing ratbane. Between 700.000 and 800.000 
rats were killed by the authorities, of which 
between three and four per cent were in¬ 
fected with bubonic plague. 
The need of America is the educated 
farmer.—Governor Marshall. 
And the educated farmer is beginning to 
realize that his need is honest politicians, 
adds the Indianapolis News. 
Roads, Paths and Bridges, by L. W. 
Page, director U. S. Office of Public Roads. 
This is a new volume in the useful “Farm¬ 
er's Practical Library,” published by Stur¬ 
gis & Walton. The building, maintenance 
and repair of all sorts of roads is discussed 
—earth roads of various types, broken 
stone macadam, etc. ; sidewalks, including 
concrete, culverts, etc. The information 
given is clear and concise, and the book 
will be found very useful by local road offi¬ 
cers, as well as by farmers, who must often 
consider, on their own property, the prob¬ 
lems treated here. The book is illustrated, 
and contains 203 pages; published by Stur¬ 
gis & Walton, New York; price postpaid, 
84 cents. 
Tlie Timothy and clover hay crop was 
fine, and harvested without rain. The 
season has been unusually fine for harvest¬ 
ing, and consequently very hard on the 
corn crop, so dry. The corn was planted 
unusually late. The color is fine. On the 
whole a bad stand, not to exceed 70 per 
cent, bad seed, root lice and quite a good 
deal of chinch bugs. But little corn in 
bloom. The average corn is shoulder high, 
July 27. Much not waist high. Unless 
we * have an unusually favorable growing 
season and late frosts Central Illinois will 
have away below the average corn crop. 
Oats very good. Shippers offer 25 to 28 
cents per bushel. Corn is selling at 70 
cents. Baled hay 810 to .$12 a ton. I 
mean to hold for Winter market unless 1 
can beat that price. I was in my flat black 
soil field yesterday and the ground is 
cracking open badly. Signal Service pre¬ 
dicts showers to-day, which are needed 
badly. J. b. a. 
Taylorville, Ill. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you'll get a quick reply and a 
“square deal.” See guarantee editorial page. 
■nil I Fl/i ui V: 1 11 
u ^Double G1 
EXSS SzvsK 
Winter Gardening 
Without Drudgery 
With Sunlight Double Glass Sashyou never 
have to use any mats or boards for covering 
The two layers of glass take their place 
(ik»e picture above) 
Between the two layers of glass is a B s-inch 
layer of dry, still air. This transparent blanket 
affords better protection to plants than mats or 
boards; never shuts ont the light: savesexpense 
and labor and gives the best possible results. 
Glass held by springs; no putty used; can’t 
work loose, easily repaired. 
Great profit and pleasure from hot-bed and 
cold-frame gardening 
Under Sunliffht Sash you rail have plants for the field far 
earlier and t>etterthan yon ran under si nyle-#clasa sash. You 
ran have fresh vegetables and flowers for your own use when 
they are luxuries. lettuce and violets for instance all winter. 
\ GET THESE TWO BOOKS 
One is our valuable free catalog. Tlie 
oilier is by Prof. Massey, an authority on 
hot-l>e<1 and cold-frame gardening. In it 
he tells in an interest inland instructive 
manner how to make and care for the 
beds, what and when to plant. 
Tear ont this ad. Send it with 4c. in 
stamps, and your name ami address and 
we will send you the t wo books. Dolt now. 
Sunlight Double Glass Sash Co. 
924 E. Broadway, Louisville, Ky. 
Auto-Fedan 
Hay Press 
Let us place the Auto-Fedan on your farm and 
put it in operation. If it is not thoroughly satis¬ 
factory in every respect—if it will not bale hay 20 per 
cent cheaper than any other machine on the market— 
we will not ask you to buy, and will refund you tho 
freight nnd take charge of the machine. 
Write us todaufor catalog and prices. (37) 
Auto-Fedan Hay Cress Co., Box I , Albion, MIcU. 
HANDY BINDER 
J UST the thing for preserving files of 
Tiie Rural New-Yorker. Durable 
and cheap. Sent postpaid for 25 cents. 
‘Ihe RURAL NEW-YORKER 
409 Pearl Street New York City 
LIGHTNING! DO YOU RAO IT? 
WOULD 
YOU BE 
SAFE? 
Then Rod your buildings with THOMPSON’S COPPER CAULK LIGHTNING HODS. Our Rods 
are Endorsed by Farmer's Mutual Insurance Companies everywhere. Good Reliable Agents wanted iu 
every County. Protection Guaranteed. T. THOMPSON MFG. CO., Brighton, Iowa 
Engine belted to 
Gray Pump Jack 
ready for busi¬ 
ness. The hand¬ 
iest, easiest run¬ 
ning and most 
economical 
pumper in the 
world. 
Hot Weather Speciall 
Wonderful Pumping Engine 
Pays for itsolf in six months. No 
more “back-aching” pumping jobs. Great economy—cent an 
hour for fuel — uses kerosene or gasoline. Use it for 
pumping—spraying and running all tho small machinery. 
Big stock—immediate shipments—no delay. 
1 2 Sizes to There is a Gray engine for every job — all 
Select From sizes up to 36 H. P. Absolutely 
guaranteed. Also completo electric light plants for 
country homes. Ask for Electric Light catalog. 
30 Days Try any Gray engine for 30 days— 
Trial give it severe tests for power and 
economy—if not O. K. ship it back — wo pay 
tho freight. Write for special folder ”36-B” 
about special Hot Weather engine proposition. 
CRAY MOTOR COMPANY, 884 U. S. Motors Bldg., Detroit, Mich. 
Wheat and Clover 
Many farmers stick to wheat raising 
mainly because clover follows it in the rotation. 
But why not get the best possible out of both crops ? 
No crop returns better profit for the right fertilizer 
than wheat. 
What is the right fertilizer? That depends on the soil and 
on what fertilizer you have used on it. The longer you have 
used phosphate the sooner it will pay you to balance it with 
POTASH 
Insist on your wheat fertilizer containing 6 to 8 per cent, of 
Potash. Potash Pays on both wheat and clover. 
[f your dealer does rot carry Potash, write us for prices. naming 
quantity needed, and ask for our free book. “Fall Fertilizers.” it 
will show you how to save money and increase profits. 
GERMAN KALI WORKS, Inc. 
NEW YORK—42 BROADWAY 
CHICAGO—Monadnock Block 
NEW ORLEANS—Whitney 
Bank Bldrf. 
SAVANNAH-Bank & 
Trust Bldg. 
