232 
TH ED RURAL NEW-YORKER 
February 26, 
The Value of “Soap Dirt.” 
R. I)., Alt. Penn, Pa. I am getting the 
manure (shavings) from a soap factory, 
and have to pay 30 cents for a one- 
horse load. This manure I formerly got 
for 12% cents, but now he runs the soap 
dirt on the pile and it is soaked through 
with this lye or dirt. What do you think 
of its composition? It must contain a large 
amount of ammonia, as when i load it, it 
almost burns a person’s feet, and the smell 
is very sharp. This manure contains also 
a lot of bones, etc., so when you tread on 
they crumble to powder; supposedly from 
the high steaming. They run barrels of 
this liquid soap dirt into the sewer for 
want of use; and this 1 could have all for 
nothing by finding a way for transporting. 
Please let me know what you would do 
with this liquid dirt. It becomes like a 
jelly if cooled once. Would you put it at 
the trees or on the truck patch? Is it good 
for preventing borers? I am troubled with 
them on the apple trees. I have a live-acre 
truck farm and hence can make use of it 
in various places where nitrogen is needed. 
Ans. —In a case of this sort we 
should make sure just what we were 
doing and find out what the soap dirt 
contains. We have no analysis of such a 
substance. Take samples from several 
different loads, mix them together and 
send a fair sample of this mixed lot 
to your experiment station at State 
College. Arrange with the chemists 
there for an analysis. This stuff may 
be very valuable or it may contain 
some caustic that will be injurious to 
your trees or your soil. You can tell 
the odor of ammonia by smelling it, but 
the fact that this stuff burns your feet 
is no sign of ammonia or of real value. 
Here is a case where it will pay to 
know just what you are doing and 
nothing but an analysis will make you 
sure. _ 
Coal Ashes and Hen Manure. 
C. L. R., Purcellville, Va .—Is it a disad¬ 
vantage to the hen droppings in any way, 
to place hard coal ashes on the boards so as 
to keep them from being so compact? Do 
small fruits, such as currants, raspberries, 
quinces, plums, cherries, etc., profit ma¬ 
terially by fertilizing with hen manure and 
coal ashes? 
Ans. —No, sifted coal ashes make a 
fair absorbent for the manure. If 
properly handled they dry the manure 
and thus arrest decay. Do not use wood 
ashes for this purpose. The wood ashes 
contain about one-third their weight of 
burned lime. This lime or a part of it 
acts chemically to set free the ammonia 
in the hen manure in form of a gas. 
The object is to prevent the escape of 
the ammonia. This is partly accom¬ 
plished when the manure is promptly 
dried out. The coal ashes contain prac¬ 
tically no lime or potash; it adds no 
plant food of any consequence to the 
hen manure. Small fruits to make a 
full crop require large amounts of phos¬ 
phoric acid and potash. The hen manure 
is relatively weak in these elements, but 
rich in nitrogen. Used alone it will 
force a heavy growth of vine and leaf, 
but for best permanent results bone 
or phosphate and potash or wood ashes 
should be used too. 
Nitrate of Soda on Strawberries. 
Is nitrate of soda good to put on straw- 
berry plants that will boar in the Spring 
of 1910? If so how much is needed on 
a row 40 rods long, and at what time of the 
season? J. V. c. 
Muncie, lnd. 
You must remember that nitrate of soda 
furnishes nitrogen only. Unless we knew 
the soil had received plenty of potash and 
phosphoric acid we should use a com¬ 
plete fertilizer. About five pounds would 
be right for the row you mention, but. it 
is doubtful if nitrate alone will pay you. 
Use it just as the plants start in Spring. 
The True Lemon Cucumber. 
‘‘Lemon cucumber” was described bv a It. 
N.-Y. reader a few weeks ago, but the de¬ 
scription did not tally with what I have 
grown as “Lemon cucumber” for several 
years. There seems to be confusion on this 
point even among seedsmen. I have just 
seen a Chicago catalogue describing a “Gar¬ 
den lemon, or Lemon cucumber.” “of sweet 
melon flavor.” A few years ago I had seed 
of “Lemon cucumber” from a Western friend. 
The fruit from this seed resembled that 
which I was growing. The flesh, however, 
was soft, had a muskmelon odor and a 
mawkish melon taste. The leaves, also, 
were like those of the muskmelon. The 
plant which I believe entitled to the name 
“Lemon cucumber” was introduced by Jas. 
Vick’s Sons about 1901 or 1902. It is ap¬ 
parently a true cucumber (Cucuinis sativus) 
having fruit of a peculiar form, and I doubt 
if it is the result of a cross with any form 
of Cucumis Melo. While* I have liot ex¬ 
amined the leaves and flowers for minute 
botanical characters, I may say that the 
vines are not noticeably different from those 
of ordinary varieties growing alongside. 
The fruit, however, is unlike anything do- j 
scribed in Bailey’s Cyclopaedia of Horticul¬ 
ture. In size and shape it resembles a small 
orange, or the “Garden lemon.” In many 
fruits the “blow end" is like that of a navel 
orange. The color is yellowish green, with 
occasional darker green markings, turning 
to lemon yellow as it matures. It has 
the true cucumber flavor, is sweet and tender 
and entirely free from the acrid sap some¬ 
times present in other varieties. In my 
family the flavor is much relished, and as 
the variety is easily grown and prolific, we 
have used it every year since its introduc¬ 
tion. 
Cucumis Melo, var. Chito. Orange melon, 
Garden lemon, etc., is described by Bailey 
as having a leaf “smaller than the musk- 
melon.” (Evidently a melon leaf.) “Fruit 
size, shape and color of an orange or 
lemon .... cucumber-like flesh, with 
no muskmelon odor. Not edible in its 
natural state.” The “Lemon cucumbers" 
above described do not “fit these papers.” 
Barnard, N. Y. o. A. 
An Express Experience. 
The following amusing incident came to 
me yesterday. A friend was in Buffalo 
and had a package which weighed 80 
pounds, which he wished to send about 2% 
miles to another part: of the city. The 
truckmen would not touch it for less than 
.$2, and the express company would not take 
it at all. So he put an express tag on it 
and addressed it to his home. 22 miles away, 
then called the express wagon. They took 
it to the depot and drew.it to his home, 
then when he got home he shipped it back 
to Buffalo and they then delivered it where 
he wanted it. and it only cost 80 cents 
both ways. This is about as amusing an 
incident as I have known in some time. 
East Aurora, N. Y. h. b. d. 
Seed Time 
will soon be here. 
Spraying Must 
Be Done 
tins year more than 
ever to insure Good 
F ruit. 
We wish to recommend to you the 
H. E. FISKE SEED GO. 
Their 1910 catalogue states in a very 
concise manner the best varieties of seed 
to plant for a profit; the most useful Spray¬ 
ing Implement*; most important Perennials , 
Ornamental Shrubs and Trees; Mandy Lee 
Incubators and Brooders. 
A catalogue will be mailed for the asking. 
H. E. FISKE SEED CO. 
Faneuil Hall Square, Boston, Mass. 
Have You 
The Price List of CALL’S NURSER¬ 
IES, Perry, Ohio ? They have a large 
stock of The finest Fruit Trees. Deal 
direct. Prices low. Guarantee satis¬ 
faction. Also a large stock of Seed 
Corn and Oats. 
K EVITT’S strawberry catalogue 
IS FREE. T. C. KEV1TT, Athenia, N. J. 
PURE LIME SCREENINGS 
lime, car lots only, for $5.00 per ton in bulk f. o. b. 
cars at any point between Buffalo and New York, 
on the main lines of the N. Y. Central, Erie, D. L. 
& W., Penna., Lehigh, O. and O. R. It., of N. .1. 
Address J. W. BALLARD CO., Binghamton, N.Y. 
Melons, Cukes, Lima Beans 
and Tomatoes one to four 
weeks earlier if started in- 
PAPER POTS. 
P. B, CROSBY & SON, Oatonsville, Maryland. 
—Scarlet ('lover Seed, $7.50 to $8.50 
bushel; Red Clover Seed, $8.50 to 
$10.00 bushel; Cow Peas Seed, $2.50 to $2.75 bushel; 
Old Fashioned Buckwheat Flour, $2.00 per 100 
pounds: Onion Sets, $2.50 bushel; Alaska Peas, 
$f .00 bushel; Seed Potatoes, $3.50 bag. 
JOSEPH E. HOLLAND, Milford, Bel. 
FOR SALE. 
iL'/WNGSTONS 
Famous Tomatoes 
aro favorably known through¬ 
out the world. Twenty-five of 
the best sorts were introduced 
by us. Wo grow' more high- 
grade tomato seed than any 
other seedsman in the world. 
New Globe-Shaped Sorts: 
Globe, Hummer and Coreless are nearly 
perfect. Paeketof Globe 1G cts; Hummer 10 cts; Coreless 
15 cts.; the three sorts, one packet of each for 25 cts* 
Livingston’s Superb Onions 
Wo grow acres of Onion seeds on our farms annually. 
Livingston’s ( Southport White Globe 5c ) the It pkts. 
Private 
St ruins 
Southport lied Globe 
Ohio Yellow Globe 
Beautiful 130-Page Catalogue FREE! 
It's the finest^eed book of the 
year. Contain^ more than 250 
illustrations from photo¬ 
graphs. Practical cultural 
hints will help to make your 
work a success. Write for it 
today. It'e F-R-E-E 1 
THE L/VINCSTOm 
357 Hiob St., Columbus, Ohio 
GARDEN 
FREE! 
FIVE PACKETS FOR TRIAL 
We have arranged to give to each new customer 
absolutely free five regular sized packets of our 
Superior Guaranteed Garden Seed, your selection. 
Write today for 25c certificate, which entitles you to 
these free packets and our big 100-page Illustrated 
catalog, so you may make your selection and be¬ 
come acquainted with our seeds. If you give our 
seeds a trial we are sure you will become one of our 
pleased customers. Write today for our big 1910 100- 
page illustrated seed catalog. Address 
a. A. BERRY SEED CO., Box 2 08. Clarinda, la. 
8 Concord Grapes, 25c. 
12 Wood’s Imp. Cuthbcrt or 
12 Columbian Iiaspberry,50c. All Prepaid. 
Write at once for illustrated Catalogue and 
Bargain list. ALLEN L. WOOD, Rochester, N. Y. 
Muskrat, Mink, Coon, Skunk. 
Sell direct. U. A. TRAPPEItS’ SELLING ASSO¬ 
CIATION, E. M. Copeland, Sec., 4 Steubenville, O. 
Kansas Takes 
1,000 Overland Cars 
Our agents in Kansas have ordered for this 
season 1,000 Overland automobiles. 
Nebraska takes 750 — Iowa 1.000 — Texas 
1,500. Tims lias the Overland — after one 
year’s exx>erience—captured the farming 
states. 
It has captured the cities, too. New York 
City takes 1,000 Overlands this year. Boston 
takes 500 San Francisco 500— Washington 500 
—Philadelphia 450. 
Our agents have contracted for 20,000 
Overlands—for $24,000,000 worth of Over¬ 
lands- to supply the demand for this year. 
That’s a larger sale than any other car com¬ 
mands. 
Yet. two years ago few had ever heard of 
an Overland. This sensational success is due 
to the creation of a remarkable car. 
The Simple Car 
The success of the Overland is mainly 
due to its amazing simplicity. A 10-year-old 
child can master the car in five minutes. 
Push a pedal forward to go ahead, and 
backward to reverse. Push another pedal 
for high speed. There i3 nothing else to do 
but steer. 
Any man, with the simplest instructions, 
can run an Overland a thousand miles and 
back. 
There was never a car so easy to care for— 
so easy to keep in order. 
20 Per Cent Reduction 
The Overland’s success is also dvn to its 
price. No other maker ever gave nearly so 
much for the money. 
Y’et we have cut our costs this year about, 
20 per cent, through enormous increase in 
production. 
The Overland we sell for $1,000 this year is 
better than the $1,250 Overland last year. It is 
a 25 II. P. car witli a speed of 50 miles an hour. 
So with the $1,250, $1,400 and $1,500 Overlands. 
Each offers a fifth more than ever before for 
the money. 
All prices include Magneto and full lamp 
equipment. 
Ask for the Story 
The Overland story is one of the greatest 
business stories ever told. It tells how this 
car the creation of a mechanical genius—has 
in two years reached the topmost place in this 
field. And it tells all about the car. Send us 
this coupon today for this book. 
F. A. Barker, Sales Manag'er, A-63 
The Willys-Overland Co., Toledo, Ohio 
(Licensed under Seldon Patent.) 
Please mail me the book. 
To secure for our annual catalogue the largest possible circulation, we make 
the following unusual offer: To every one who will state where this advertisement 
was seen, and who encloses Ten Cents (in stamps) we will mail the catalogue 
described below and also send free of charge our “HENDERSON” COL¬ 
LECTION OF SEEDS, containing one packet each of Giant Mixed Sweet Peas; 
Giant Fancy Pansies, Mixed; Giant Victoria Asters, Mixed; Henderson’s Big 
Boston Lettuce; Freedom Tomato and Henderson’s Blood Turnip Beet in acoupon 
envelope, which when emptied and returned will be accepted as a 25-cent cash 
payment on any order amounting to $1.00 and upward. 
Is the title of our 1910 catalogue. It is a book of 200 pages with 700 
photo engravings direct from nature, 8 superb colored and duotone 
plates of vegetables and flowers. Complete and thorough in every 
respect, it embodies the results of sixty years practical experience. 
We believe it is the best we have ever issued, and the premier 
horticultural publication of the year. 
In addition, all ordering from this advertisement will receive a copy 
of our Garden Guide and Record, which we consider one of our most 
valuable publications. A handbook of condensed cultural information of 
which one of our customers who has had an advance copy,^says: It is the 
most complete, concise and comprehensive book of its kind. _ 
EVERY EMPTY ENVELOPE 
COUNTS AS CASH 
EVERYTHING FOR THE GARDEN 
Writ] 
$500 GIVEN AWAY! 
1ft 
Suggest a name, please, for Mr. Salzer's wonderful new seed corn. Get 1500 in gold 
lor your trouble.’ The new Corn can not be sold this season. It is too scarce. 
Samples can be had .or 4c stamps. Whether von get a sample or not, send in a corn 
name. Costs nothing to enter contest, which ends liny 10th, and learn the superiority of 
Salzer’s Reliable Seed 
Plant Salzer’s Seed Corn, Oats, Potatoes, Toma¬ 
toes, Strawberries, etc. Every kiud of reliable farm 
or garden seed at lowest prices. Salzer's Seeds 
never fill; sprout quickly; grow rapidly and produce 
heavily It is a positive fact that Salzer’s pedi¬ 
gree oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, clovers and 
vegetable seeds will increase your yields from 25 to 
100 per cent. This has been proven a thousand 
JOHN A. SALZER SEED COMPANY, 
144 S. 8th St., LA CROSSE, Wis. 
lA] 
times by our customers In the past years, for 
Salzer’s seeds never fail. Try us once and double 
your yields. Salzer's Seeds are bound to do it. 
Salzer's Big 1910 Seed, Plant and Tool Catalog Free. 
Name the nameless corn to-day. The big contest is 
gettin “ warm.” Decide now I You may win the 
$500 prize 1 Should another person offer same (ac¬ 
ceptable) name, the prize will be equally divided* 
SEND US YOUR FURS 
Make money on this year’s catch hy sending itto us- 
We Pay Hioliest Prices and Guarantee Satisfactory Returns. 
Shipments held separate oq request. We pay all 
express charges; and charge no commission. 
Get ourqfrlce list and shipping tags now. Let us 
kedp you posted. All sent free upon request. A 
postal brings them. Write today. 
References: EAST RIVER NATIONAL BANK. 
STRUCK - CHAITIN CO., 
Dei>t. F, 8 F. 12tU tit., New York 
tr-Uj .lax 1 
^COOD OF LIGHT 
ROM KEROSENE (Coal Oil) 
Bn rn i ng common kerosene the ALADDIN MANTLE 
LAMP generates gas that gives a light moro bril¬ 
liant than city gas, gasolino or electricity. 
Simple, odorless, clean, safe and durable. 
AGENTS MAKE BIG MONEY 
Is revolutionizing lighting everywhere. Needed 
in every home. Every lamp guaranteed Sells 
itself Our Sunbeam Burners fit other lamps. 
Ask our nearest office how you can get a lamp 
free or apply for Agency Proposition. THE 
MANTLE LAMP CO. of America.Desk 357 
Chicago, Portland, Ore.; Waterbury, Conn.; Winnipeg, Montreal, Canada 
