©72 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
August 30, 
FARMERS’ CLUB 
[ Every query must be accompanied by the 
name and address of the writer to insure 
attention. Before asking a question, please see 
whether it is not answered in our advertising 
columns. Ask only a few questions at one time. 
Put questions on a separate piece of paper.! 
TRANSPLANTING ASPARAGUS. 
When should asparagus be trans¬ 
planted? I have a tine row I raised from 
seed last Spring, and do not know 
whether it could be transplanted this 
Fall or whether I must wait till Spring. 
Will it be large enough if set this Fall 
so we could use it next Spring? 
Castile, N. Y. K. B. G. 
If the plants have been well grown 
they can be planted to permanent quar¬ 
ters next Spring. (I do not advise Fall 
planting). Asparagus is naturally a 
long-lived plant, and if properly planted, 
fertilized, and eared for thereafter, will 
produce good sprouts for IS or 20 years 
after coming into bearing age. There¬ 
fore it will pay to manure heavily, and 
dig or plow and pulverize the soil well 
before planting. A deep and rather sandy 
loam soil is best suited for asparagus 
and if it is dug 1S-24 inches deep, mixing 
a plenty of well-rotted manure with the 
soil, the full depth of digging, all the 
better. For home use, beds should be 
formed five to six feet wide, in which 
three rows may be planted, the two 
outer rows being one foot from the ridges 
of the bed; the walks between the beds 
should be not less than 24 inches wide. 
In planting a line is stretched where the 
row is to be, and with a garden spade 
a narrow trench about six inches deep 
is made. The plants are set in with 
roots spread out and the crown of the 
plant as close to the side next to the 
line as possible, placing them about 12 
inches apart in the row, cover the crowns 
to a depth of about three inches, after 
which it will be well to rake the ground 
over lightly every week or so to keep 
down the weeds until the plants begin 
to grow, Avhen the hand cultivator may 
be brought into use, and the bed grad¬ 
ually leveled off as the plants grow. 
Thorough and clean cultivation is essen¬ 
tial for best results. The plants will 
produce a partial crop the second year, 
but a full crop cannot be expected until 
the third year from the establishment of 
the beds. 
Although asparagus is a hardy plant, 
it will make an earlier and more vigorous 
start in the Spriug if the roots have 
not been subjected to hard freezing. It 
is therefore advisable to cover the beds 
in early Winter, just before hard freezing 
sets in. with three or four inches of rough 
manure, which will not only act as a 
good Winter mulch, but the leaehings 
from the manure will act very beneficially 
as a fertilizer. In the Spring the rough- 
age is to be raked off, leaving all the fine 
manure, etc., remaining, which should be 
worked into the soil. This is best done 
with a spading fork. If at any time 
after three or four years additional fer¬ 
tilizing seems necessary, an application 
of pure bone meal or superphosphate of 
lime applied as a Spring top-dressing at 
the rate of 500-600 pounds to the acre, 
may b:? profitably used. This is to be 
sown broadcast on the beds and hoed in. 
K. 
EARLY CABBAGE. 
Will you let me know when to sow 
cabbage seed to have it ready April 1, 
and what kind is the best? F. D. 
Ashland, Pa. 
To have cabbage plants ready for set¬ 
ting out by April 1, it will be necessary 
to sow the seed in the cold frame about 
September 15, and carry the plants over 
Winter. Early Jersey Wakefield is the 
most reliable sort for Fall Lowing, as it 
is very hardy and therefore less liable to 
injury from freezing than most sorts. 
When the young plants are about five 
weeks old they must be transplanted in 
rows in the cold frame, about 500 plants 
to each 3x6-foot sash. The frame should 
be located in a sheltered position, where 
the north and northwest winds cannot 
strike it. If there is no natural shelter 
a tight board fence six feet high must be 
erected as a wind-break. The sashes 
should face the south or southeast. In 
the handling of young cabbage plants, in 
cold frames, the fact should he borne 
in mind that they are almost hardy, and 
will stand considerable freezing with¬ 
out injury, but to keep them in the 
proper condition for withstanding the 
cold of Winter the sash should not be 
put ou for a month or six weeks after 
planting to their Winter quarters; that 
is not till about the first to the tenth 
of December, unless a severe cold spell 
comes for a day or two, which may hap¬ 
pen, but if it does become necessary to 
protect them thus temporarily be sure 
to remove the sash again as soon as the 
cold spell is past, so the process of 
hardening the plants for cold weather 
may be continued. During the Winter 
the plants should have air every day the 
temperature is high enough to permit 
it. On clear days when the temperature 
is not below 20 degrees in the shade, they 
should be abundantly aired, by tilting 
the sash up at the back, or removing 
them altogether if the day is warm 
enough. If the airing and hardening 
process is carefully attended to the 
plants will not need any protection, other 
than that afforded by the sash, unless the 
temperature drops to 20 degrees or more 
below zero, when mats or shutters will 
be necessary, as an additional protection. 
If the stems of the plants should be split, 
from freezing in Winter, care should be 
taken when planting them in the field in 
Spring that the plant is set deep enough 
to bring the split part below the surface. 
If this is done no injury will result, and 
as good crop will be realized as if the 
stems had not been damaged. Many 
gardeners have discontinued the practice 
of carrying plants over Winter in the 
cold frame, depending entirely on Spring- 
grown plants for their early crop. Seed 
is usually sowu in the hotbed about 
February 1 and by careful attention to 
the handling and conditioning of them 
they are made ready for the field about 
April 20. K. 
RYE A TOUGH GRAIN. 
I have often wondered why more peo¬ 
ple do not sow rye. Those farmers who 
have poor soil or soil that is rough and 
stony, places where the soil is shallow, 
where wheat will scarcely grow at all; 
these places, if sown to rye will often 
produce a good crop. A field close to 
my place which has bceu “farmed out,” 
as we say, and which was intended for 
wheat in the regular crop rotation, was 
sown last season half to wheat and 
half to rye as an experiment. The rye 
yielded about twice as much as the wheat 
grain, and straw in proportion. The 
rye had the poorer side of the field at 
that. I have sown rye on new ground 
with the timber recently chopped off, 
and so stony and stumpy that I could 
hardly scratch up enough loose seed to 
cover the soil, yet raised a fair crop. 
As is well known it makes a good cover 
crop for orchards, to be plowed under in 
Spring. Last year I let a patch of it 
stand in a two-year-old peach orchard 
and as was to be expected the rye made 
the trees look yellow till harvest time. 
The grain grew up higher than the tops 
of the trees. This year the same plot 
was planted in potatoes and the trees 
have now fully recuperated. Where 
rye is grown on very rich soil there is 
danger of the grain “lodging” before har¬ 
vest, and the practice of some is to 
pasture it for a short time in Spring, 
which prevents such a rank growth. 
Several disadvantages of rye that may 
be noticed are its tendency to spread 
all over the farm and particularly to mix 
with wheat, and also the disadvantages 
that grass does not “catch” as well in 
rye as in wheat, and especially when 
the former grows ran!:. Altogether it 
may be said that rye is a very advan¬ 
tageous crop if properly handled. 
Pennsylvania. david plank. 
Home-Burned Lime. 
We have lots of timber,-also limestone 
on same ground. Would it pay us to 
burn our own lime, and how much is it 
safe to put on an acre of the fresh lime? 
Can you give us method of burning same? 
Railroad charges are so high they are 
prohibitive. w. K. 
Illinois. 
We should try burning the lime. On 
page 370 we gave a short account of such 
lime burning in Kentucky. Try the 
same plan, substituting wood for coal or 
build a kiln of stone and fill with layers 
of limestone and wood. The Department 
of Agriculture at Washington will send 
you a bulletin on liine burning. 
STRAWBERRY PLANTS 
For August and September plan ting. PnspbarrynPa. 
Blackberry Plants and PruitTrees- GATALOGUE F EEj) 
HARRY L. SQUIRES, - Geed Ground, N. Y. 
P 
OTASH 
AYS 
9 
,CU 
Profit in Wheat 
Wheat is profitable if the yield is good. A fjood 
yield is insured by using the right fertilizer. 
No crop gives better profits for a small fertilizer expen¬ 
diture provided intelligence is used in buying, and a 
fertilizer is used that is suited to the soil. Almost any 
fertilizer will increase the wheat crop, but why not get the 
one that will give the best profit? This is the kind in which 
the phosphate is balanced with 
POTASH 
( , Insist on 6 to 8 per cent, of Potash in wheat fertilizer. Some of 
1\. a "' the best growers use 10 per cent. If you have trouble in getting 
SU ch brands buy Potash and add it yourself. We will sell it to 
you in any amount from 1 bag (200 lbs.) up. Write us for 
prices, naming amount needed, and for free book on “ Fall 
Fertilizers. ” It will save money for you. 
GERMAN KALI WORKS, Inc., NEW YORK — 42 BROADWAY 
Chicago—McCormick Block 
New Orleans—Whitney Central Bank Bldg, 
Savannah—Bank A Trust Bldg, 
Atlanta—Empire Bldg. 
San Francisco—26 California St. 
ALFALFA 
AMERICAN NORTHERN GROWN 
Guaranteed to be 99 $ pure and free from dodder. 
Write for sample on which wo Invite you to got 
Government teats. We do not handlo Turkestan 
“Dwarf Alfalfa” or cheap inferior European seed. 
We refuse to handle anything but the very best. 
Experiment Stations agree that American Seed ex¬ 
cels all other. Our seed Bhould produce hay at $60 
per acre annually. Write for catalog and foldor 
which contains valuable information that you 
should know about. We are sure it will interest you 
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 Mechanicsburg, O. 
Be sure and see our exhibit at the N. Y. State Fair, 
Horticultural Building. 
I Dollar-Mark Wheat 
—38 Bushels An Acre 
Forty acres this year yielded 1520 bushels, 
right iu New Jersey. 
Stokes’ Pollar-Mark Wheat isforEastern 
farmers, Originated from plant that pro¬ 
duced 142 beads from one grain. Hear! 4 to 4)4 
long, plump, bearded, white chaffed, with 
large solid red grain that brings top price. 
Strong 4-foot straw—seldom lodges. 
Half bushel of seed Sows an acre. 
Every plant stools out, making 10 
to SO heads. 
Brought $1 a pound 5 years ago. 
Price now: Peck $1; Vi Bushel 
i enough lor acre) $2; Bushel 
$3.50 ; 10 Bushels $30. Try it. 
CRIMSON CLOVER. Sow 
now 15 lbs. to acre. Peck $1.50; 
Bushel (60 lbs.) $5 ; 10 Bushels $45. 
WINTER VETCH ( Vicki VilJosa). 
Lb. 10 cents, 100 lbs. $9. Sow 40 lbs. 
to acre, with % bushel rye. 
Send for my farm seed 
circular—FREE 
Walter P. Stokes 
Dept. 130, 
Philadelphia 
700,000 Fruit Trees 
The best varieties, both 
|| new and old, and the best 
jj methods of planting to raise a 
|j full crop of Strawberries next 
1 year, are fully particularized in 
DREER’S 
Mid-Summer Catalogue 
Also the best varieties of Celery, 
Cabbage Plants, etc. 
A most complete list of the Best Hardy 
Perennial Seeds for summer sowing. 
Also vegetable and farm seeds for sum¬ 
mer and fall sowing. Select list of sea¬ 
sonable decorative and flowering plants. 
Write for a copy and kindly 
mention this weekly — FREE. 
HENRY A. DREER PHILADELPHIA 
Mgitni 
plants, vines and shrubs at 
half agent’s prices. Strong, 
healthy, all first quality and guaranteed true. All 
Dansville grown and Fresh D ’g. No San Jose Scale. 
Special bargains for fall planting, lllns. Catalog free. 
DEXTOA. WILLIAMS A DEMON, W liolesnle .Nurserymen 
2# Elm Street, Duus.illc, K. I. 
Nursery Stock of Sterling 
Quality 
Hardy Seed Wheat 
Finest seed wheat, all cleaned, graded 
and tested. Growa in the heart of the 
most prolific -wheat soil in the world — 
the fertile valleys of Lancaster county. 
Graded Seeds Mean Bigger Crops 
You cun easily grow SO to 40 bushels 
per acre. Many varieties, smooth and 
bearded —and all big, heavy yieiders. 
I They possess wonderful vitality, 
ij Valuable Wheat Catalog—Free. I sell 
( “direct from farm to you. No middle¬ 
man's profits. Money back and all 
charges paid if not satisfied. 
A. H. HOFFMAN, Box 30,Landisvllle,Lancaster Co., Pa.* 1 
Extra fine 1 and 2-year budded Apple and 
Peach. Asparagus Plants, Cherry, Pear, Plum, 
Raspberry etc. Shade Trees, Shrubs and 
Hedging. Write now for our Wholesale Planter Price List. 
We will sare you money and give you satisfaction. 
THE WESTMINSTER NURSERY. Box 129. Westminster. Md. 
,800 Bushels Seed 
Highest Yielding Varieties 
SEED WHEAT{! 
Also Mammoth White Rye, Timothy. Alfalfa, Vetch, 
Crimson Clover, etc. Catalog and samples free. 
W. N. SCAKFF. Ilox 14, New Carlisle, O. 
Red Wave Seed Wheat for Sale'^Ti. “ 
straw. Fly proof. C. R. MEILEN, R. 0. 5, Geneva, N. Y. 
Pakkan’a Dlanlc Beets. Lettuce, Kohl-rabl, 
baDUdge riallld jq per lOOU. Tomato, Sweet 
Potatoes. $1.50 per 1UUU. Cauliflower, Peppers, $2 per 
1000. Send lor list. J. C. SCHMIDT, Bristol, Pa. 
WEEDLESS FIELD SEEDS 
Guaranteed 99.50* Pure 
with all blasted and immature grains 
removed, is what we are trying to furnish 
our customers. Timothy, Alsike, Red, 
Mammoth, Alfalfa. Vetch and all c'her 
varieties of the same high test, at prices no 
higher than other good seed. Samples FREE. 
If you want “How to Know Good Seed” write 
for Circular. 
O. M. SCOTT & SON. 70 Main St., Marysville, O. 
PURE FIELD SEEDS—SEED WHEAT 
(RodWave and Winter KingKILOVER, TIMOTHY, 
ALSIKE, ALFALFA AND ALL KINDS OF 
PURE FIELD SEEDS direct from producer to con¬ 
sumer: free from noxious weeds Ask for samples. 
A. C. 1IOYT & CO., - FOSTORIA, OHIO 
700,000 Fruit Trees 
FOR KALI, FLAMING 
You wantthebest Fresh Dug 
Genesee Valley grown trees 
when you plant this fall. 
Guaranteed True to Name 
Isell them direct from Nursery 
to planter at wholesale prices. 
DO NOT BUY until you write 
for mv free illustrated catalog. 
tVKI.LS WHOLESALE NURSERIES 
Bnx 42. BA.4SVH.LK. S. T. 
PROTECT YOUR TREES 
I.ess than One Cent each will protect 
your trees from Mice and Rabbits dur¬ 
ing the Winter. Call’s Nurseries, Terry, 
O., are selling the Rest Tree Protector 
made. Write them for Prices. 
Standard Apf3le Barrels 
Car lots or less. ROBT. GILLIES, Medina, N. Y- 
s 
EEDS FOR FALL 
SOWING 
Red Wave and St. Louis Prize winter wheat. 
Wisconsin Pedioree aud New Pitkus rye, both very 
superior kinds. 
HAIRY VETCH ALFALFA 
99 per cent pure 99.92 per cent pure. 
Grass Seeds of highest quality and lowest 
possible prices. Price list. free. 
JOSEPH HARRIS CO.. 
Soed Growers 
Moroton Farm, Coldwator, N. Y. 
KINGS 
Invite you to come to Dansville. 300,000 fruit trees to sell 
Apples 2-yr. 5 to 7 ft. at $120.00 per 1,000. Peaches. 1-yr. 4 to 6 ft. 
at $80.00 per 1,000. Gunranteed„true to name, free from scale, 
and aphis. Visit us now or write at once. Prices will advance. 
Buy from a reliable Arm on a rising market. „ 
KING BROTHERS NURSERIES, - DANSVILLE, N. Y. 
