JO IS. 
THE) RURAL NEW-YORKER 
3 
WHAT AILS THE POTATO CROP? 
Potatoes are my main money crop, and I have had 
nothing but failure for the past three years, after 
having done all that others do and more. My method 
of trying to grow them was as follows: First year 
clover sod top-dressed with manure, at the rate of 25 
tons per acre, planted to corn, which ran about 60 
bushels per acre; second year planted to potatoes, 
fertilized at the rate of 500 pounds per acre of 7-11 
phosphate and potash. Northern grown seed, Early 
Ohio, thoroughly worked and sprayed with Bordeaux 
and arsenate of lead; fair leaf growth, season some¬ 
what shortened by drought, but not enough to do 
much injury, as my neighbors had fair crops. Yield 
about 50 bushels per acre of fine smooth good quality 
medium-sized potatoes. Third year manured again at 
the rate of 25 tons per acre, planted to potatoes, same 
seed; season, growth, culture, etc., about same, yield 
also about same, but somewhat larger in size. Fourth 
year seeded to rye in Fall, which made a fine growth, 
being a perfect stand shoulder high when plowed 
under (could not plow sooner on account of wet 
(weather). Rolled after plowing, worked 
down fine with Acme harrow, again 
rolled, soil mellow, in ideal shape; 
planted, and rolled again, which I 
thought was necessary on account of 
the large amount of green rye turned 
under. Yield after giving them culture 
as never before, working them to per¬ 
fect weedless cleanliness; worked them 
11 times and hand-hoed. Planted 233 
bushels, return about 500 bushels salable 
potatoes. As I have made up my mind 
to grow a profitable crop, could you 
reason out the cause of my failure. I 
wrote the Ohio Experiment Station, 
stating the facts as above. The only 
cause they could give was that the seed 
was diseased, which I do not believe, 
as my neighbors tried some of them 
and had good crops. My soil is a mel¬ 
low clay loam which does not get hard, 
underlined with a hardpan subsoil, but 
which does not affect it badly as the 
natural surface drainage is good. The 
above yield may look hardly reasonable, 
considering the soil, manure, etc., but 
it’s a fact and I would like to know the 
reason, for next year I am proceeding 
as follows: Clover and Timothy sod, 
plowed this Fall, top-dressed at the 
rate of about 20 tons manure well 
rotted, to the acre, with fertilizer run¬ 
ning 4-8-10, all forms easily soluble. 
Open ground sowed to buckwheat in 
July, got a perfect stand, knee high; 
would have sown to Soy beans or cow 
peas but could not get seed. When 
plowed middle of September, sowed tq 
vetch and rye; the color and stand of 
which is now a pleasure to behold. The 
same to be plowed under and fertilized 
same as clover sod. I have all new 
Northern grown seed, finer than which 
I have never seen. I hope you may be 
able to help me solve this conundrum. 
College Hill, O. j. h. 
R. N.-Y.—It is very hard for an out¬ 
sider to do more than guess at such a 
problem. Here we have good soil, well 
supplied with plant food, and the crop 
well cared for, yet an inferior yield. 
In addition to this question J. IT. 
sends the following as his own conclusions in the case: 
The aforesaid matter weighing heavily on my mind, has 
brought me to the following reason for the cause of my 
failure: First, that the long cold, wet Springs we have 
been having for the past three years were of such a 
nature as to retard the release of the needed plant food : 
the crop having but a short growing season, it was well 
on to maturity before the proper condition set in, when, as 
we generally have about that time, a drought set in which 
would further tend to reduce the yield. Therefore, I have 
concluded to supplement the clover and green crops 
plowed under with fertilizer of such forms as are readily 
available. Second, that the incorporation of such large 
amounts of organic matter tended towards making the soil 
of such an acid nature (it being slightly acid as it is, 
but not liurtfully, ns I always get a fair stand of clover), 
as to cripple the activity of the micro-organisms needed 
for maximum crop production. That I, therefore, shall 
have to resort to tile drainage and liming with proper 
crop rotation before I can pocket my expectation. 
We believe he is largely right in this. While the 
soil is well filled with manure and organic nitrogen 
little if any of this may be in an available form. 
The soil may be a little sour and somewhat cold 
from lack of drainage, in which case this form of 
nitrogen would be slow to act. Thus the crop is 
not pushed on from the start, but cannot make its 
best growth until the soil becomes warm. The best 
brands of commercial fertilizer are made on the 
theory that they must carry nitrogen in several 
forms—nitrates, ammonia and also organic forms. 
Thus the crop always has available nitrogen within 
reach—from the start. If we had that field we 
should follow the plan our friend has marked out— 
use the fertilizer he mentions or nitrate of soda alone 
and later try to tile drain and lime the field. 
DEVELOPMENT OF FRUIT COLOR. 
One of the interesting studies at the recent exhibit 
of the Maryland Horticultural Society in Baltimore 
was the variation in color on the different varieties of 
apples grown in different sections of the State. Since 
good color has an important bearing on the financial 
returns to the grower, there were some interested 
seekers of information as to the methods of securing 
high color. One grower especially was anxious to 
know why his fruit failed to develop the proper 
amount of color. He had left his fruit on the tree 
just as late as he dared, but still they failed to cover 
the dull green surface with a bright attractive red. 
lie had pruned his orchard rather severely and had 
kept it thoroughly cultivated. As a result he was 
getting a tremendous growth—some top grafts making 
eight feet of growth in one season and over an inch 
through at the base. He was not using a cover crop. 
This case illustrates the necessity of thoroughly un¬ 
derstanding the underlying principles of orchard man¬ 
agement and good judgment in applying such knowl¬ 
edge. The highest color as a rule is found on that 
part of the tree most exposed to the light, it develops 
best on trees in sod or on those making only a normal 
growth, and, as would naturally follow, on trees 
planted on moderately dry soils. The main object of 
pruning, fertilizing and tillage is to get a tree with 
an open head, sturdy limbs able to bear a load of 
fruit and sufficient growth to produce fruit of mar¬ 
ketable size. Over-stimulation in this direction is just 
as bad as not enough and, as far as color is con¬ 
cerned, it is worse. When trees are making a too 
vigorous growth, cultivation should be diminished, 
cover crops grown to use up excess moisture and 
plant food and pruning during dormant season should 
not be severe, as this has a tendency to stimulate more 
growth. Root pruning and judicious Summer pruning 
tend to check the growth, but ordinarily are not prac¬ 
ticable. Applications of phosphoric acid and potash 
have the same effect and at the same time have an 
important influence in developing color and quality. 
Color seems to be associated with injury. No doubt 
many persons have observed the development of red 
color on the surface of the fruit around San Jose 
scale injury. It is well known that the use of arsenate 
of lead on peaches injures the surface sufficiently to 
cause the development of high color. Whether the 
same result follows its use on apples has not been 
sufficiently tested. w. r. ballard. 
Maryland Experiment Station. 
SAVE THE YOUNG TIMBER. 
In view of the fact that the chestnut blight is not, 
as some farmers claim, a theory on paper, but a 
terribly destructive disease, and is spreading rapidly 
in our forests; so rapidly in fact that a tract of 
chestnut sprout land that is wholly free 
from it is almost impossible to find, I 
should like to urge upon the readers of 
The R. N.-Y. who are land owners 
what I believe to be one very import¬ 
ant step in our provision for the fu¬ 
ture. Of course a great many people 
do not believe in making any such pro¬ 
vision, and to them what I am writing 
is pure foolishness. I would strongly 
urge upon those who do believe in look¬ 
ing ahead, particularly the young farm¬ 
ers, the necessity of conserving our 
young timber of all kinds, but espe¬ 
cially of two kinds that will go a long 
way toward taking the place of chest¬ 
nut in our farm building operations, the 
poplar and the oak. The first is con¬ 
sidered less valuable by most farmers, 
when as a fact if allowed to grow large 
enough for logs it makes fine lumber 
for all interior work except floors; is a 
good farm timber for everything above 
the sills, is easy to cut and in most 
sections grows rapidly. The second is 
very highly prized for firewood, and on 
that account large quantities are cut 
when very small, which if left standing 
would grow into valuable timber in 
time. Of course it makes growth rather 
slowly, but the farmers of the future 
in this part of the country will be fac¬ 
ing a timber famine when the chestnut 
is gone, and gone it will be in a few 
years, and when that time comes they 
will be glad of the growth it does make. 
Our grandfathers built houses with 
White oak frames which are in many 
instances standing strong and true 
to-day. Good White oak sills will last 
as long as any timber that grows in 
this State, and for use on the farm 
where they grow are cheaper than any¬ 
thing that is shipped here from out¬ 
side, while for wood repairs on farm 
machinery, wagons, slabs, etc., White 
oak is the last word; there is nothing as 
good. The Red and other oaks are not 
as good as the White, but they make 
good frame stuff except sills and for 
Fig. 3. planks and rough boards they will take 
the place of chestnut to a large extent. 
Even if we build of concrete we must have lumber 
for forms, and we want it as cheap as possible. The 
Red or Yellow oak will fill this want nicely. I be¬ 
lieve that the farmer who leaves these small trees 
standing, not only these two but all kinds that will 
grow into building timber, when cutting his wood for 
home use or for market, is not only doing his duty to 
the future, but will be repaid financially by the in¬ 
creased value of his woodland in the years to come. 
Save the young timber should be the rule on every 
farm. will w. clarke. 
Connecticut. 
The United States Government investigated a liquid 
carrying the glorious name of "Gran liquere Della Stella 
Elixir Tonico Stomatico.” With our limited knowledge of 
Italian we recognize tonic and. stomach, but the chemists 
found 20 per cent of wood alcohol, and the seller was 
sent to jail for nine months. 
According to the latest quotations given the Treasury 
Department upon pet stock for use in the Public Health 
Service, white rats are quoted at $3 a dozen; white 
mice, $0 a dozen; Japanese dancing mice, $12 a dozen; 
rabbits and guinea pigs, $6 a hundred, monkeys, .$12 each. 
A SNOWY CHRISTMAS WITH A THICK OVERCOAT, 
