<aTH13 RUKAb NEW-YORKER 
205 
1018. 
POINTERS FOR POTATO GROWERS. 
Onic Cause of Failure. —As a potato 
grower I was interested in the article on 
page 3, “What Ails the Potato Crop?” 
My first answer right off the reel would 
lie “lack of nitrogen,” and after much 
thought I still think this had qnrte a 
bit to do with J. H.’s failure. In the 
past 1 have thought that the potato 
did not like civilization, hut did its best 
oil new ground that had been cropped 
by man but little, and the less the bet¬ 
ter the potato seemed to do. I have 
changed my mind much as to this in the 
last few years, for I have found that 
even in our oldest settled sections, like 
the Eastern counties of Pennsylvania, 
where man has made condition right 
(which 1 believe any potato grower can 
do in any place) lie has obtained yields 
as great as arc grown anywhere. This 
being true it is only a question of just 
what to do under different conditions for 
almost anyone anywhere to raise a good 
crop. 
Requisites for Success. —While good 
seed and proper preparation of the soil 
are powerful factors in producing good 
crops, there are others just as powerful, 
of which we practically know nothing. 
Here on my farms in Southern Maine I 
would rather have an old field that has 
had the hay mowed and taken off every 
year for 40 years, and not a particle of 
manure or fertilizer applied during that 
whole period, than have as fine clover 
s-k1 to turn under as one ever saw, pro¬ 
vided there have been several crops of 
potatoes grown where the clover sod 
was. As far as my experience goes it 
doesn’t make much difference whether 
these several crops of potatoes were 
grown in succession or in a three or 
four-year rotation covering a period of 
10 to 12 years. I am perfectly well 
aware that some men will sit up and 
gasp at such a rank casting aside of all 
precedent, and go on and prove that this 
cannot lie so by their own experience 
on their own farms. Good; lot them 
prove it on their farms until the human 
race stops eating potatoes, hut what I 
would like to see done is for them to 
prove that I am not right for the condi¬ 
tions on my own farms. There seems 
to lie some element not taken by the 
grasses which accumulates in the soil 
that the potatoes need. Old pasture land 
is noted for growing good crops of po¬ 
tatoes if moisture conditions are favor¬ 
able. 
A New Idea. — I have a great deal of 
sympathy for J. II., and respect for his 
determination to raise a good crop. My 
idea is that the potato needs some ele¬ 
ment, perhaps in very minute quanti¬ 
ties, winch is not found in some soils, 
and lacking this it will not produce 
enough of a crop to make its growing 
a source of profit. I have advocated the 
use of sulphur for dusting the seed tu¬ 
bers as they were cut, for several years, 
for 1 thought I got a better yield by so 
doing, than T did where 1 used land 
plaster for this purpose. Two years 
ago one of my townsmen tried mixing 
about 300 pounds of sulphur per acre 
into the fertilizer lie used in the drill 
when planting, and while 1 did not see 
the field myself I have been told by 
those who did that it showed very 
marked results, both in growth of tops 
and yield of tubers. This is one case; 
another of my townsmen living a little 
over two miles from me in a direct 
line, learning of the result the first 
one got, tried sulphur in the same way 
on his soil last Summer, and if anything 
his results were far worse than if he 
had not used sulphur at all. The last 
man’s soil, or that part of it at least 
where lie had potatoes last season, did 
not require any sulphur, while evidently 
the first man’s did. That sulphur is the 
only element some of our soils need 
more than what we apply in our com¬ 
mercial fertilizer I do not for a moment 
suppose; that sulphur may he lacking 
in some soils to an extent that pota¬ 
toes will not produce a paying crop looks 
possible, and the same may be true of 
some of the other elements. My desire 
is through The R. N.-Y. to get sulphur 
tried out by one or more potato grow¬ 
ers in each State, and have them give 
the results at the end of the season 
through The R. N.-Y. 
Method of Application. —Whether it 
shall he mixed with the fertilizer and 
nin in the drills at planting or broad¬ 
cast, each must determine for himself, 
but the whole field should be treated 
alike as to fertilization. If the sulphuc 
can he run in a few rows and then the 
same number planted without, so as to 
have several tests on the same field, all 
the better. The R. N.-Y. lias a great 
family of readers; if they would get to¬ 
gether in this way and try out these 
things, sulphur this year and something 
else next, we would take much more 
interest in it than vve do in experiment 
station work. Moreover I believe ex¬ 
periments carried on by the farmers 
themselves, even if no more conclusive, 
are far more valuable to them than ex¬ 
periments carried on by paid men. I 
have already got one man in Eastern 
Pennsylvania and one in New Jersey to 
try the sulphur the coming season. We 
ought to have at least 15 to try it in 
as many different States. 
Fertilizer Suggestion.— I would say 
one word more to J. II. Use not less 
than one ton per acre on one acre at 
least, of a 4 8-10 fertilizer, and have it 
in two brands; one for planting which 
has its nitrogen in slower forms than 
nitrate of soda using one-half ton when 
planting, and one-half ton of the hoeing 
or top-dressing brand, which should have 
been from one-third to one-half of its 
nitrogen in the form of nitrate of soda 
when the potato plants have just well 
broken ground, burying plants, fertiliz¬ 
er and all three or more inches deep. 
The plants will at this time have quite 
a root system, and the application of the 
fertilizer containing the nitrate will give 
them a quick start. This method is 
proving as well adapted to Pennsylvania 
conditions as it is here in Maine. Here 
is another point in the growing of po¬ 
tatoes which would he interesting to 
have one or more in each State try, and 
report results. e. a. Rogers. 
Maine. 
Australian Blue Grass; Evergreen Vine. 
H. j. H., Marion, Conn. —1. Where can I 
get seed of the Australian Blue grass for 
a trial? 2. Is there any climbing vine 
that will keep green all Winter? 
Ans. —1. We infer that this inquirer 
refers to a new grass seed recently re¬ 
ceived by the Department of Agriculture 
from one of its foreign correspondents. 
Apply to the Office of Plant Introduc¬ 
tion, Bureau of Plant Industry, Depart¬ 
ment of Agriculture, Washington, stat¬ 
ing what the seed is required for, and 
your application will be placed on file. 
It may he some time before the Depart¬ 
ment has sufficient seed to send it out. 
2. There are few reliably hardy ever¬ 
green vines for our latitude; we can 
only recommend the true English ivy, 
lledera Helix, and Euonymus radicans. 
English ivy is often quite hard to estab¬ 
lish, because, while the roots are hardy, 
the shoots will he killed back season 
after season, so it is well to give pro¬ 
tection the first three seasons. We 
would mulch the ground, and give the 
tops a light covering of evergreen 
boughs. Sometimes it suffers badly 
from sunscald, and under such condi¬ 
tions it is helpful to remove the af¬ 
fected leaves in early Spring, which will 
cause a vigorous and compact growth. 
Euonymus radicans has a dwarfer 
growth than ivy, seldom climbing higher 
than 10 feet, hut it is hardy, neat in 
growth, clinging closely to the wall or 
support, and its rather small oval dark 
green leaves are very attractive. There 
are several variegated forms of it. It 
is a very useful covering for low walls 
and rockeries. 
Wiikn you write advertisers mention Tun 
It. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply and a 
"square deal." See guarantee editorial page. 
Pure Field Seeds 
('lover, Timothy, Alfdko, Alfnlfa mid all kinds of 
Pure Field Seeds direct from producer to con¬ 
sumer ; free from noxious weeds. Ask for samples. 
A. C. HOYT & CO., rOSTOKlA, Ohio 
Big Four Seed Potatoes For Sale 
Outylolded over l.(HK) varieties. Yields M) to KM) 
bushels to the acre more than others. New York 
customer reports yield of 470 bushels. Kill. Can't 
you soe that extra yield Is Just like finding money? 
Work with the heavy ylehlors. I’rtOO, barrel, $4.IK), 
10 barrels, $.t. r >. bushel, $1.60. 
I. I,. YVAHK, - - Gardiner. Maine 
flITC—llomP* Green Mountain. Wonderful now variety. 
WH I O yields l!l» heshclH to aero. Absolutely rust 
proof. Out-yields Swedish Select: five ywar tost. Circular 
free, 0. A. ItF.Ah, Il.-Uil*. F,|„.rlm<-nt Kni-nnt, Charlotte, Vt. 
WEEDLESS FIELD SEEDS 
Aru wlut we art* Irving lwir«lrr Hum Aver to furnish our ciin 
Ihhicih. I- II I*'. !•* SAM Ills will hlmw tlml wo rotno pretty near 
t|"ftig It. In hi iiny varlutI on \\4a IN) IT. Itcd. MniiiiiioIIi, AUlk* 
Mfitifn. Timothy, Orchard (ir.uiN, Swoot Clover mid nil othnm 
Writ# to* day. 
0. M. SCOTT ft SON, 50 Mnln Street, MARYSVILLE, OHIO 
ALFALFA FOR SALE 
Fift y tons of tlrst and twenty tons of second nutting 
of the finest Alfalfa, baled and ready to ship. Just 
what the dairyman must feed to get. host, results. 
$20 por ton, 1’. O. 15. McLennan Farm, Fayetteville. N Y 
1511 SEEDS 
aro constantly got.tl n« bettor. 
Plant thorn for best returns 
from garden and farm. Our own 
farms and trial grounds provo 
the merit of our sends overy your. 
You will like results they give In 
1 /our garden. 
Liberal Seed Collection 10c 
Oroiiby’fi Boot, Crlup-ni-Ico Lettuce and Poarl 
Itadiwh uro throo of our oho I cost vegetable spocial- 
tion. Top-Notch Climbing Nanturtiumu nmlSpcncor 
Soo lling S'.voot IViih Miirpanfi all othertof their kind. 
Five liberal puckota “Truo lilua** Vegetable and 
l lowor Keodu 10c poitpald. 
Beautiful Catalogue FREE 
Doscrilmii and illustrutoft all that in good 
In vegetable, flower and field Moods. Holpe 
gardeners do the right thing. Write 
for it to-day. 
THELIVINGSTON SEEDCO. 
224fii(h St.. Columbus, Ohio 
FERRYS SEEDS 
Ferry's Seeds prove their worth at 
harvest time. After over fifty years 
of success, they arc pronounced 
the best and surest by careful 
planters everywhere. 
Your dealer sells them. 
1913 Seed Annual tree on 
request. 
D. M. FERRY & CO. 
DETROIT, MICH. 
Pay Big 
Froquontly yiohi hundred¬ 
fold and 100 buaholfl per acre 
aro often hnrvented. Kxtra-tlifn 
hull* and ntilToNt Ntraw mako '‘.Swe¬ 
dish Soloct" the !)Offi all round oatof 36 
leading norti. Send fitnjnp for sample 
and got (ipocial price. 
Beautiful Catalog Free 
Fully describes all th« best field and garden 
seeds and tells how to grow hlggeNt crop*. 
Oivos “truo-to-nature" illustrations and 
honest prices for “Honest Seeds.’* Your 
free copy is waiting for a postcard re¬ 
quest. Please ask for it TO-DAY. 
J. J. H. GREGORY Sc SON 
536 Elm St, MarbWitid, Mass. 
nIiSit 
CARFFS 
ALFALFA 
All Northern crown, guaranteed to bo 99 percont 
puro and froo from dodder. Write for free sample 
on which wo Invite you to get Government toats. 
This seed should produce hay nt $00 per aero] an¬ 
nually. Froo Instructions on growing. 
GRAIN AND GRASS SEED 
Northorn grown and of .strongest vitality. We 
handle oxporb grade only and can furnish grass 
mixture suitable for any soils. 
m a mm ■ ■■ g\ Wing’s Mikado,Sable 
VllV »nd Mongol are the 
fjf U 1 heaviest known yield- 
era. Are nil oar own 
new varieties obtainable from ns only. Mikado 
has record of 37 bn. por acre. Will grow on poor 
soil and greatly Improve It. Write today for catalog. 
WING) SEED CO., Box 323 Mochanicsburg, O. 
Seed Oatn, Spoltz, 
Harley, Alfalfa. Tim¬ 
othy. Clover, Rape, 
Bov Moan*. Cow I'oaii, 
J" Canadian Field Pros,Hun- 
L. El garian Mil lot, .Sugar 
Cano. Buckwheat, Send 
jLf N 1'outocn, *to., quality Orat 
I ^ ^ claim. 1100 aarr*. Hood farm 
nee.l catalog ami aampUsif v ait tod froo. Writ* 
u« boforo you buy. 
%V. JN, Hourlf, New Oirlbla, Ohio 
CH JK A 1' 
Nows !■ Tha 
Tims to Buy 
Price* sure ta 
rise. Suva 
money by buy- 
in:: before advance. Got our special low prices and 
fr®« aamploi of our Iowa Grown New Crop Recleaned 
Tested Clover and Timothy Seed. Also alfalfa, aliike, 
Kwcct clover, all kinds grass seed. 1013 catalog froa 
quoting all Hold saeds. Save money by writing 
A. A. BERRY SCUD CO.. Box f QO CLARINDA, IOWA 
SOD SEEDS 
*<£- BEST IH THE WORLD 
Price. 3.low All Othw. 
In’ I will give a lot of new 
V sorts free with every order f 
fill. Buy and test Return if 
*not O. K.—money refunded 
Big Catalog FREE 
Over 700 illustrations of vege¬ 
tables and flowers. Send yours 
-— and your neighbors’ addresses, 
M. SHUM WAY, Rockford, Illinois 
[ 
at OKTE-IIALF 
City Seedsmen Prices! 
^ 111 Let in tend yon our catalog of seeds—It's 
diifcrent. It tells you f&cts, and why we can save you money, and jjivc you a guar¬ 
anteed SQUARE I)LAL, Just drop a postal today and see the difference in buying your 
seeds in country or city. FORREST SEED CO., Box 32, Cortland, N. Y. 
PLANT 
DIBBLE’S SEED POTATOES 
im<l if you have done your part in furnishing proper soil well fertilized with good 
culture your crop is assured. 
Dibble’s Seed Potatoes are northern grown from carefully selected stock seed, 
each variety grown on soil especially adapted to its best development and our :10 
varieties comprise all that are worth growing. Wo make exhaustive tests in tield 
culture and offer only kinds that will make money for our customers. 
Immense stocks on hand, our three warehouses arc filled with the choicest Six 
Weeks, Red River Ohios. Cobblers, ManisteeH. liovces, Queens, Heinous, Nortlmrs 
Rose, tireon Mountains and a score of others, early intermediate and late. HO.OtXI 
bushels in all and our prices arc right as we ship direct from our 1,(MKI acre Seed Farms 
to yours In any quantities from barrels to carloads. We also have a new potato for 
mam crop introduced by us Iasi year that KHI farmers tested and pronounced "the Itest 
potato they ever grew” and at least a score said, “outvielded other varieties2 to 1." 
This is the variety to grow if you wish to 
DOUBLE YOUR CROPS 
and the price is very reasonable this year owing to heavy yields. Wo consider this 
new variety t he best potato we have ever grown in the many years we have been in 
the seed potato business. Dibble’s Seed Catalog, the leading American Farm .Heed 
Hook, beautifully illustrated and containing accurate and truthful descriptions writ¬ 
ten by our Mr. Edward F. Dibble, a practical Farmer and Seed (.rower, a man who 
knows Farm Seeds of the best Seed Potatoes, Oats. Corn, Hurley, i). B. Brand. 99.60* 
pure Alfalfa. Clover and Timothy seed, and ten sample packets of Dibble’s high grade 
harm Seeds for testing, Froo. 
Address EDWARD F. DIBBLE, Seedgrower, Bo* B, Honeoye Falls, N.Y. 
HEADQUARTERS FOR FARM SEEDS 
Buy your seeds direct from us ; cut out agent’s profits. We 
deal direct with our thousands of fanner customers. 
Salzer’a Rejuvenated White Bonanza Oats 
Prize winning, heaviest yielding oats known. Sworn-to yields of 
60 to 266 bush, per acre. Your land can return the same to you. 
Salzcr’n Hardy Alfalfa 
is the biggest, quickest, most dependable money maker. 
Our alfalfa on Gov. Hoard’s farm produced over $S0 of 
hay per acre. Potatoes 
S^Salzer’s Earliest 
tjj 
yielded 464 bushels to the acre 
for the editor of Rural New Yorker. 
Send lor Catalogue and Big, I-rce Premium List 
containing valuable premiums tor homo, kitchen < 
For l<>« wo will gludly mull one package e 
■> tl.000 Prize Maruuols Wheat, noth Century Altai 
•quoin Wheat, 20th Century Attaltn. 
Ikmun/u Oats ami many other farm seed packages, 
together with our great seed book. Now Is the 
time to send your dime. 
JOHN A. SALZER SEED CO. 
Ill S. Elf| tith SL, LaCroMc, Wls. 
and (arm. 
each 
