408 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
March 29, 
LIVING BEANS FEEDING CORN. 
After reading your answer to S. B. 
V. on page 336 I feel it my duty to take 
up this matter of crops not receiving 
any benefits where a cereal is grown 
with a leguminous plant. I have been 
experimenting with Soy beans for the 
past four years. I made the statement 
at a farmers’ institute a year ago that 
the corn, when planted with Soy beans 
on inoculated soil, would derive the 
benefit from the nitrogen obtained from 
the air by the nodules on the roots of 
the beans. The conductor took issue 
with me and made the same statement 
you do regarding the next season’s crop 
being the one to derive the benefit. So 
to prove my assertion I sent to Ohio 
and purchased 200 pounds of soil from 
an old Soy bean field, and took a piece 
of land which had been badly run, and 
securing an ear of Early Calico corn 
I planted four rows from this one ear. 
In the first two rows I planted some 
hills three kernels of corn to one bean, 
in some two kernels of corn to two 
beans, and threw in a small handful of 
the Ohio soil in each hill. The other two 
rows I planted four kernels of corn in 
each hill and gave all four rows the 
V 
DIFFERENCES IN CORN CROP. 
same care during the season, with the 
following result: 
Where I placed one bean with three 
kernels of corn all started well until the 
bean and corn had grown something 
over a foot high; the bean began to 
grow sickly and soon withered and died. 
Where I planted two beans and two 
kernels of corn both grew stocky and 
healthy, and kept green long after the 
corn planted alone had dried up and was 
apparently ripe. I then sent word to the 
institute conductor to come and see 
whether my assertion was not true. He 
admitted I was right; he reported the 
same to the New York State Agricul¬ 
tural Department at Albany. I met him 
at Syracuse in December at the State 
Dairymen’s convention at his request. I 
had two ears of corn, one from each 
lot, photographed and a statement of 
my experiment written out and attested 
to by two reputable citizens who helped 
and watched the entire experiment. I 
enclose you a post-card (see above) 
copied from this photograph. The one 
ear and stalk weighed 12 ounces, the 
other 24 ounces. If your assertion is 
true, please explain this difference. You 
could see a marked difference in every 
hill where beans were planted and where 
not. You may call this a foolish story 
or what you wish; I know this to be a 
fact, and have good men to back my 
assertions. anthony collson. 
Chenango Co., N. Y. 
R. N.-Y.—We sent this, to the scientist 
who answered the question for us and 
have received this comment: 
“I can only say the weight of the ex¬ 
perimental evidence is all against the 
associated plants receiving any apprecia¬ 
ble benefit until the leguminous nodules 
complete their development and begin 
to decay, which would ordinarily be too 
late in the season. The nitrogen is sup¬ 
posed to be fixed in proteid or organic 1 
form by the bacteria inducing the nodu- j 
lar growth on the roots and to be avail- j 
able only to the host plant or legume 
itself in this form, and useful to ac¬ 
companying plants in the event of the 
death or cessation of growth of the bean 
plant, when the proteids would quickly, 
under favorable conditions of tempera¬ 
ture and humidity, be attacked by the 
ordinary organisms of decay and con¬ 
verted into nitrates, available to any 
nearby plants whose roots might absorb 
them in solution. This is not ordinarily 
expected to occur until the season fol¬ 
lowing, but there is a rather widespread 
popular idea that corn at least gets 
material benefit from Soy beans, cow 
peas or other fast-growing legumes 
sown with it. 
“Mr. Collson’s account and photo¬ 
graph of corn ears grown with and 
without Soy beans in the hill certainly 
appear to bear out this idea, but it can 
readily be imagined that errors may have 
occurred in his experiment. One swal¬ 
low scarcely foretells the Summer, and 
a single experiment, however striking in 
result, is not convincing. In view c f the 
widespread currency of the idea of im¬ 
mediate benefit to associated plants from 
legumes, comparative trials should be 
made on a scale sufficiently extensive to 
settle the matter.” 
NEW JERSEY NOTES. 
February Cattle Tests. —Chief In¬ 
spector Charles McNabb of New Jersey has 
rendered to the commissioner on tuber¬ 
culosis in animals a report covering the 
tests of cows and results during' February. 
The report shows that 488 cows were 
tested before their entrance into New 
Jersey; that 290 were tested after enter¬ 
ing the State; that the number reacting 
and slaughtered was 11. 
Appraisements of native cattle slaughter- ' 
ed total $2,836. The amount received 
from meat and hides sold (slaughtered 
under inspection) was $922.90. There 
were received from shippers of imported 
cattle for testing, $242.50. Charts and 
letters from veterinarians show 18 head of 
incoming cattle condemned in tests made 
outside the State. This, added to the 11 
condemned after entry, gives a total of 
29 head. 
Honey to be Expensive. —According to 
expert apiarists, the open Winter will be 
responsible for a higher price for natural 
honey. The current price is 25 cents a 
pound, and a rise of several cents is ex¬ 
pected. The many warm days of the past 
Winter aroused the bees from their normal 
state of inactivity, made them active, and 
as a consequence, hungry. As there were 
no natural sources of supply, such as the 
flowers from which they draw their sweets, 
they ate much of the honey they had stored. 
Hence there will be a shortage with cor¬ 
respondingly high prices. 
To Improve Farming. —The new agricul¬ 
tural demonstration bill, which has been 
introduced in the New Jersey Legislature 
by Assemblyman Kays of Sussex County, 
is in line with a recommendation of the 
message of Governor (now President) Wil¬ 
son, as is perhaps a forerunner of what 
we may expect from the present national 
administration. Besides this bill suggests 
a plan which other States would make no 
mistake in following. The bill creates a 
State Department of Farm Demonstration 
and provides that the Governor shall ap¬ 
point a Superintendent of the Depart¬ 
ment, term six years; salary, $3,000, to 
devote bis entire time to the work of farm 
demonstration throughout the State. The 
superintendent is to appoint a county 
superintendent in each county, these county 
superintendents to work in cooperation with 
the State Department. No opposition has 
developed to the bill and it is practically sure 
of passage. The exact purpose of the meas¬ 
ure is contained in the following preamble: 
“For the purpose of assisting the farmers 
of this State to care for and improve the 
conditions of the soil, to increase the pro¬ 
ductivity of the farms and the value of 
farm products, the State superintendent of 
farm demonstration, hereinafter provided 
for, is hereby authorized and directed to 
conduct a continuous course of demonstra¬ 
tion of the most improved and scientific 
methods of agriculture in the various coun¬ 
ties of this State, selecting for purposes of 
demonstration farms in the various counties 
of this State which are most convenient 
of access to the majority of farmers of 
such counties, the owners of which con¬ 
sent thereto and agree to coooperate in 
such demonstration work. 
“The demonstration work contemplated 
by this statute shall be performed by the 
owners of such farms under the direction 
of the State Superintendent and the county 
superintendent, as hereinafter provided, and 
the farms upon which such work is in 
progress shall be open to the inspection 
of all persons interested in such work, in 
order that the results therefor may be 
as clearly and widely observed as possible. 
The funds appropriated for this purpose 
by the State and by the counties shall be 
used only, except for the payment of sal¬ 
aries and expenses, as hereinafter provided, 
in giving field instruction on their own land 
to such farmers as may be selected by 
the State superintendent, as a part of 
the regular business of farming, and no 
part of such appropriation shall be used in 
maintaining a State farm, or in conducting 
experiments not in the line of regular farm 
work, nor in the distribution of literature. 
Such demonstration work upon any partic¬ 
ular farm may be abandoned at any time 
when it becomes evident that for any rea¬ 
son the demonstration work upon that par¬ 
ticular farm fails to produce the proper 
results. d. t. h. 
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Saves Seed 
Increases Yield 
Improves Grade 
“The Drill That Pays for Itself” 
Bigger Profits from Grain Crops. You are not making near all the money 
you can from your grain crops — if you are not using the Monitor 
Double Disc Drill. For example—with wheat it saves one-fifth the seed 
and increases the yield 3 to 7 bushels per acre. The increase with other 
grains is in the same proportion. Can you afford to lose that much on 
every acre every year? 
Deposits Seed at an Even Depth. The Monitor sows in front of the 
bearing. Other drills sow behind the bearing. This particular 
feature of the Monitor gives it a very great advantage. The 
downward turn of the discs carries the grain into the 
ground and deposits it at the bottom of a clean, wide furrow, 
in two rows, one inch apart. Every grain is covered 
uniformly with moist soil. 
Every Grain Grows. None of the seed is dragged to the sur¬ 
face to shrivel in the sun, or be eaten by the birds. Every 
seed germinates. Sow one-fifth less and still get a better 
stand than with the old style drills. 
All come up at the Same Time. The proper placing of 
seed and uniform covering with moist soil causes the 
grain to come up and ripen evenly—increases the yield 
and improves the grade. 
The Monitor Cannot be Clogged in any soil, mud, gumbo, 
weedy or cornstalk ground. This 
added to the fact that Monitor drills 
need not be set so deeply insures 
one-third lighter draft. 
Saves Its Cost in One Year. Hun¬ 
dreds of farmers have paid for a Monitor out of the increase in 
yield and the seed it saved on a small acreage of grain the first 
season. Won’t it pay you to investigate a drill that promises to 
pay for itself in one year and to put that much more money 
in your pocket every year thereafter for many years to come? 
Don’t waste another season. Ask your implement Dealer to show you this wonderful 
drill or write us at once for booklet that tells all about it. Address Dept. 111. 
Look 
for the 
Flying 
Dutchman 
Dealer 
= MOLINE PLOW COMPANY, Moline, III. 
jj" Eastern Branch, ADRIANCE, PLATT & COMPANY, Poughkeepsie, N. Y. 
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GRAND SWEEPSTAKES TROPHY 
($750.00 Sterling - Silver Cup) 
BEST STATE EXHIBIT OF POTATOES. 
AT THE 
New York Land Show 
1912 
WON BY 
TheE. L. Cleveland Company 
HOULTON, Me. 
T HE largest seed potato nouse 
in the United States. Compe¬ 
tition open to the entire United 
States and Canada. Messrs. E. L. 
Cleveland Company also won the 
First Prize for Best County Exhibit 
of Potatoes. (Silver Cup valued 
at $200.00.) 
The E. L. Cleveland Company use 
E.FRANKC0E 
FERTILIZERS 
E. Frank Coe Fertilizers have 
been the business farmer’s favorite 
for over fifty-five years. Why not 
follow the example of these lead¬ 
ing commercial potato growers. 
You ought to rend "The Story of A Profitable Potato 
Crop” written by an Aroostook County, Blaine farmer. 
A copy Is sent free on request. 
The Coe-Mortimer Company, 
51 CHAMBERS STREET. 
NEW YORK, N. Y. 
RARftAIN<v — 20 acres—hi*h elevation on Btono road’ 
ummnmo 1#y#l la „ a ftll tumble, % mile to trolley,etc.* 
story 6-room and attic house, chicken house, 6 colony 
houses, settling estate; only $2,600 cash, Immediate possession. 
No. S8,0. D. Rose Farm Agency, 31*32 Korst>Rlekey Hide. Branch 
offices, Rose Bid*., Newtown-Parry Bldg., Lan^horne, Peuua. 
FARM 
fruit, 2 
O NE of the Best Farms on the Banks of the Hudson, 210 acres . 
6 miles of river view ; 60 acres in standard varieties of fruit; 
100 acres of dark sandy loam; 1 mile from boat landing ; hi mil; 
from W. 8. K.B. ; l new house with inoderu improvements ; e 
farm house, 2 tenant houaeu ; mostly slate roofs ; no brush or 
stoue. Will sell all or part. Elias dates, Owner, Coxsaekia, N. Y. 
