30 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
January 11, 
FILTER FOR CISTERN. 
On page 1223 M. T. S. asks about fil¬ 
ter for cistern, and R. P. C. gives an 
excellent answer if the cistern is what is 
generally termed an open well. In New 
Jersey the term cistern is applied to a 
well-like underground container for 
storing rain water. They are water¬ 
tight and not affected hy underground 
water conditions. A filter may be con¬ 
nected and is essential to this type of 
cistern. 
The accompanying diagram, Fig. 15, 
shows a' simple filter much used, and 
one that gives good results. The water 
enters through pipe a, settles in settling 
chamber b, passes through perforated 
bottom c, through filtering chamber d. 
where it is clarified, then out of dis¬ 
charge pipe e, to the cistern. The over¬ 
flow f, should be connected to the 
overflow from cistern. The bot¬ 
tom is inclined so settlement will collect 
at g. Make the bottom, sides and par¬ 
tition of concrete; proportion one of 
cement to two of sand, v/ell tamped to 
make it as near water-proof as possible. 
If reinforcing is used the sides may be 
three inches and the partition two inches 
thick. For the filtering chamber get any 
convenient screen, having an abundance 
of one-quarter or three-eighths-inch 
holes, for the perforated bottom. Fasten 
securely, putting supports under it so 
weight of filtering matter will not press 
it down. Next bottom put a four-inch 
layer of coarse gravel, then a six-inch 
layer of fine gravel, then fill nearly to 
bottom of discharge pipe with clean, 
coarse sand. To clean the filter stop 
up discharge pipe e, and pour clean 
water in filtering chamber d, and pump 
mud and water out of chamber b. If 
this is done occasionally renewal of the 
sand and gravel is not often necessary. 
It is best to put a slab of reinforced 
concrete two inches thick over the top: 
proportion one cement to three sand. 
This may be easily taken off for clean¬ 
ing the filter. Make filter two feet 
wide; inside measurements given 
throughout. l. p. c. 
Adelphia, N. J. 
Draining the Salt Meadows. 
J. E. E., Norwalk, Conn. I am a com¬ 
parative stranger to the Newark, N. J., 
meadows, but crossing them a few times 
has made me wonder why more use can't 
be made of them, and one use that I 
thought might he made of them was this: 
To choose a favorable section, run a ditch 
around the border, and use the dirt to 
form a small dike. Then install one or 
more electric pumps, to work automatically 
as the water level rose, to keep down the 
water level sufficiently low to avoid in¬ 
jurious affects from brackish water. Then 
when the ground became sufficiently leached 
start raising berries and garden truck for 
the immense market nearby. 
Ans. —Those of us who cross these 
meadows which lie across the river from 
New York know that something of this 
work is now being done. These mea¬ 
dows are “salt marsh,” through which 
runs one large river and numerous small 
creeks. During the past year steam 
ditchers have been at work cutting 
ditches along the smaller creeks and 
throwing the soil up in the form of a 
dyke or bank. This lets the water drain 
out of the soil and holds back the 
tide. The water in the ditch may be 
pumped out over this bank into the 
creek. This has already dried out parts 
of the meadow so that gasoline plows 
have been used. In some other cases, 
instead of the ordinary digging machine, 
a large pump is used, which scoops up 
earth with the water and delivers it as 
a thick mud over the bank. The 
water slowly drains away and leaves 
the mud in a solid layer. In some cases 
acres of land have been raised a foot 
to 18 inches above the water. All this 
great tract of land will sooner or later, 
be made fit for cultivation. The De¬ 
partment of Agriculture at Washington 
has issued pamphlets which discuss 
such soil and its handling. 
The Use of Land Plaster. 
J. IT. W., Jordan, N. Y .—lias land plas¬ 
ter any value as a fertilizer? Does it in 
any way promote plant growth? Does it 
gather nitrogen from the air when sown 
on growing crops? 
Ans. —It is understood that the chief 
function of land plaster or gypsum when 
put on the soil is to make certain forms 
of potash available. It also supplies lime 
to some extent and also sulphur. It will 
have but little effect in taking nitrogen 
out of the air when thus used. When 
sprinkled in the stable or on manure the 
land plaster helps to retain the am¬ 
monia. This it does by “breaking up” 
or changing its form. The plaster is a 
sulphate of lime. In the manure or 
with decaying organic matter the plas¬ 
ter changes its form and makes sulphate 
of ammonia, which is held, while the 
carbonate of ammonia is in form of a 
gas which may pass off into the air. 
Later experiments make it evident that 
plants need more sulphur than was for¬ 
merly supposed, and this may result in 
an increased use of plaster. Of late it 
has not been much used except in sta¬ 
bles. 
Spreading Lime and Manure in Winter. 
F. E. P., Coldenham, N. Y .-—I have a 
piece of low ground, clay soil, plowed. I 
wish to cover it with manure: would like 
to spread it on this Winter. Would it be 
well to put on 30 bushels of lime per acre? 
If so, will it do as well to put lime on top 
of manure (barnyard manure), then har¬ 
row it in in the Spring, seed with oats. 
lJed-top, Timothy and clover? I am told 
that the lime should be harrowed in before 
the barnyard manure is put over the 
ground. 
Ans. —The rule is to put the lime on 
last and harrow it in. As for working 
in the manure it will depend largely 
upon its character. If lumpy and hard, 
like cow manure, we would spread this 
Winter and plow under. If fine, so it 
can be spread evenly, we should broad¬ 
cast after plowing and harrow in. Prob¬ 
ably the best way will be to spread this 
Winter and plow under. Then spread 
the lime and harrow it well in. The 
object in thus handling the lime is to 
have it work thoroughly down all 
through the soil. 
Hot Water Heater on One Level. 
H. B. R. wishes to heat his house by 
hot water with heater on same level as 
first floor. It can be done, and satis¬ 
factorily, too, though the circulation 
would be more rapid if the heater were 
a few feet lower. One of my neighbors 
heats a dwelling house by having a 
kitchen range with an extra large grate 
and fireplace surrounded pretty well by 
water surface. Another heats a green¬ 
house very satisfactorily with the boiler 
on the floor of the house, the flow pipes 
being about 18 inches to two feet above 
the top of heater, and the returns under 
the side benches about a foot below 
lower water space in heater. The cir¬ 
culation is quick and satisfactory. When 
water is heated from point of greatest 
density to 212° it expands round one- 
twentieth in bulk, and the circulation 
of a hot-water system is caused by the 
difference in weight between the warm 
water ascending and the colder and 
heavier water returning to boiler. This 
force is not great, but sufficient to give 
up the heat imparted to the water in 
passing through the heater. 
In making the installation with heater 
on same level as lower floor, be careful 
to have all pipe graded properly and of 
a sufficiently large size for the radiation 
required. Enter the radiators at the top 
with the flow, and leave at bottom with 
return. Take the main flow pipe from 
top of heater and rise directly to a 
point as high as possible (the ceiling of 
first floor would be correct), then carry 
flows to various radiators, running all 
pipe down hill to radiators, or if condi¬ 
tions necessitate it, a gradual rise away 
from heater will work satisfactorily. 
Smaller pipe can be used to supply ra¬ 
diators on second floor, and those pipes 
must each have a valve in, or these 
upper radiators will rob the lower ones 
of the hottest water. You will probably 
find those valves will be partly closed 
most of the time. It would be best to 
take a separate flow direct from top of 
boiler for second story, instead of tap¬ 
ping flow for lower story at highest 
point. ELMER J. WEAVER. 
DIBBLE’S 1913 
Farm Seed Catalog 
The largest, most comprehensive, 
strictly Farm Seed Book published in 
this country, beautifully illustrated, 
carefully written descriptions telling 
the exact truth about the 1913 Farm 
Seed Situation, is now ready for 
distribution 
We A re Headquarters 
ForSeed Potatoes. Warehouse 
capacity 75,000 bushels, 30 varieties 
and a new one proven by test of 
one hundred farmers the best yet. 
For Seed Oats. Annual sales 
30,000 bushels. Have a new variety 
this year weighing 42-45 lbs. per 
bushel and enormously productive. 
For Seed Corn of the highest 
quality, 90% germination or better. 
Sold on a money-back-if-you-want- 
it guarantee. 
For Alfalfa, Clover and Tim¬ 
othy Seed, D. B. Brand, 99.50% 
pure, the highest grade obtainable 
and sold subject to your test. 
With each catalog, if you ask for it, we send you without 
charge a package containing |0 SHHipIfiS of Dibble’s high grade 
Farm Seeds for testing. A postal card will do it. Address— 
EDWARD F. DIBBLE, Seedgrower 
Box B, Honeoye Falls, N. Y. 
1600 acres in our Seed Farms and we sell direct “from our Farms to yours ” 
DIAMOND JUBILEE EDITION 
C,GARDEN BOOK 
I 
'“PHIS book is a proof of 
our interest in all the prob¬ 
lems which confront the man who 
wants a garden, be he amateur or 
professional with acres or a plot of 
grass to work on. 
DREER’S GARDEN BOOK is 
our seventy-fifth anniversary gift 
to anyone who grows flowers or 
vegetables. Itcontains the accum¬ 
ulation of seventy-five years of ex¬ 
perience, and lists only tested vari¬ 
eties of all the old-time favorites, as 
well as the dependable novelties in 
flowers and vegetables. It also 
containscuitural articles written by 
experts, has 288 pages with photo¬ 
reproductions on each page, four 
color and six duotone plates. 
DREER’S DIAMOND JUBILEE 
GARDEN BOOK is not just a catalog 
—it is a book of valuable information. 
Sent free to anyone men¬ 
tioning this publication. 
tiE»A;DREER^,SSi^ 
Ilf 
II 
1 
HENDERSON’S SEEDS FREE 
To get our new 1913 catalogue, “Every¬ 
thing for the Garden” (204 pages, 800 en¬ 
gravings devoted to vegetables and flowers), 
send us ten cents in stamps, naming this 
magazine, and wewill send you free our famous 
50c Henderson Collection of Flower and 
Vegetable Seeds, enclosed in coupon en¬ 
velope good for 25c, and will also send our new 
booklet, “Garden Guide and Record,” a con¬ 
densed, comprehensive booklet of cultural 
directions and general garden information. 
PETER HENDERSON & CO. 
35-37 Cortland! Street New York City 
Choice Home Grown 
Field Seeds 
direct from the farmer to the 
user. All seeds best possible 
quality obtainable. We pay 
freight on all shipments. 
Write for samples and prices 
N. WERTHEIMER & SONS, 
Ligonser, Ind. 
TRY STOKES’ SEEDS THIS TIME 
I will send five io-rent packets of seeds, credit 
slip for is cents on next order and 1913 catalog— 
nil for 25 cents. Here is the list: 
Lettuce—Big Boston. Greatest heading kind. 
Radish—Scarlet Globe. Ready In 20 days. 
Tomato—Bonny Best. Earliest; productive. 
Asters—Stokes’ Standard. Many colors. 
Pansies—Stokes’ Standard. Finest French. 
Mail 25 cents at my risk and get seeds, credit 
slip and catalog. Catalog alone, FREE. 
WALTER P. STOKES. Dept. 130, 219 Market St., Philadelphia, Pa. 
* 4 Eberlc Quality" Seeds arc bound to grow if given 
the proper care* Years of cxperieuce enable us to 
offer you a wonderful variety of choice seeds, 
plants and bulbs at fair prices. 
Eberle’a 11)IB Heed Annual—Free, 
It describes our great collection ol' fresh seeds, in¬ 
cluding nearly every variety ofkuown worth. Con¬ 
tains much valuable information ami advice to the 
large and small grower. The most complete cata¬ 
logue we have yet issued und it’s absolutely free. 
Send for your copy today. 
F.W. EBERLE, 116 South Peahl St., Albany, N.Y. 
ALFALFA 
Ail Northern erown, guaranteed to bo 99 percent 
pure and free from dodder. Write for froe sample 
on which we invite yon to get Government tests. 
This seed should produce hay at $60 per acre] an¬ 
nually. Free instructions on growing. 
GRAIN AND GRASS SEED 
Northern grown and of .strongest vitality. We 
handle export grade only and can furnish grass 
mixture suitable for any soils. Write for catalog. 
WING SEED CO., Box 223 Mechanlcsburg, O. 
GUARANTEED ALFALFA SEED 
Absolutely pure, free of weeds, vigorous 
hardy, northern grown, non-irrignted. 
The kind that will grow on your land. 
Sold on approval. Get free samples 
and cultural instructions; big seed 
catalog end wholesale price lists. 
HENRY FIELD SEED CO.. 
Box 20, ShonaudoAh, Iowa. 
CLOVER $ 4fP 
and timothy ^MPterBu 
INVESTIGATE—B.st and Cheapest Seeding Known. 
Alsike Clover and Timothy mixed. Fully 1-3 alsike, a big 
bargain. Greatest hay and pasture combination grown. 
Write for Free Sample and 76-page catalog and circulars 
describing this wonderful grass mixture. Beats anything 
you can sow and ridiculously cheap. Wc handle only best 
tested recleaned seed guaranteed. Write before advance. 
A. A. BERRY SEED CO., Box 560, Clerlnda, Iowa 
_Alfalfa Book 
FREE 
of the alfalfa district 
and are the largest handlers of 
alfalfa in the U. S. We sell best grade 
seed at low price. Ask for Free Alfalfa Book) 
let. It gives complete instructions how to grow ( 
Alfalfa to insure enormous profits. 
Also big catalog of all Gordon and Field Seeds Froo. 
Bri«w*[^*j6COjj227SoMXjthStAJiicojnJjeb. 
