YL4 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
July 10, 
FARMERS’ CLUB 
[If very Query must be accompanied by the name 
and aduress of the writer to insure attention. Be¬ 
fore 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.] 
Nitrate of Soda ; Spraying Mustard. 
C. A. 8., Auburn , A'. 1'.—1. I bought 
some nitrate of soda and did not sow my 
corn, and so have not used it. 1 was go¬ 
ing to put a handful on each hill. When 
•is the best time, before a rain or after? 
I do not wish to hurt my corn; it is 
about eight inches high. 2. Is there any¬ 
thing that can be put on oats to kill the 
mustard when oats are a foot high? 
A NS. —1. Do not, under any circum¬ 
stances, put nitrate of soda on any crop. 
The nitrate would blast the corn if put 
directly on the hill. Scatter it at least 
six inches away from the hill and culti¬ 
vate it into the ground. We would put 
it on while the soil is dry. We do not 
think the nitrate alone will be satisfac¬ 
tory. It contains no plant food except 
nitrogen. This will force the corn to 
make a heavy growth of stalk, but the 
ear and grain will not fill out unless 
there is potash and phosphoric acid. A 
complete fertilizer, that is, one contain¬ 
ing all three elements would be better 
for the corn. 2. In the West and in 
some parts of the East mustard in grain 
fields is killed by spraying with a solu¬ 
tion of 75 pounds sulphate of iron in 50 
gallons of water. If this is put on while 
the plants are small the mustard will be 
killed, while the grass and grain will not 
be seriously hurt. 
Dry Bordeaux. 
f{. Oxford, A. V.— Is tbe following 
formula for dry spraying potatoes as good 
as Bordeaux Mixture for blight or rot? 
Sulphur, one pound ; copper sulphate, one 
pound, and 10 pounds of air-slaked lime, 
this to be used in a shaker with enough 
Baris green for the bugs. 
Ans. —We do not think so. We would 
rather take chances with the liquid Bor¬ 
deaux. A “dry Bordeaux” which has 
given fair results when dusted on the 
moist vines is made about as follows: 
DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING ABOUT 250 FOUNDS 
OF FOWDEU. 
Materials: One barrel good quicklime; 
10 pounds copper sulphate ("blue stone,” 
"blue vit'-ol”) ; two quantities of water, of 
four gallons each ; one wire sieve, about 18 
inches across, having 25 to 30 meshes to 
the linear inch ; three vessels, two that will 
hold about five gallons each, and one 10 
gallons or more. 1. Dissolve the blue stone 
in four gallons of hot or warm water. This 
may be done more easily by b nging it in a 
loarse bag just below the surface of the 
water. The solution when cold is practi¬ 
cally saturated. 2. Pick from the barrel 
of lime live pounds of the whitest and best 
lumps. Slack the rest to a fine, perfectly 
dry dust and spread it on a floor. 3. From 
the selected five pounds of lime and four 
gallons of water make a good “milk of 
lime.' 4. Pour the cold milk of lime and 
cold copper sulphate solution at the name 
time into a third vessel, and stir until no 
streaks of the green substance are to be 
seen in the resulting blue, thick mass. 5. 
Scatter the blue material (water and all) 
about in the lime dust and mix with a rake. 
The lime will absorb the water. 6. While 
this is still somewhat damp pass it through 
the sieve, using a wooden block to rub it 
through with. 7. Mix thoroughly and spread 
out to dry. A day or two will* be required 
for it to become thoroughly dry. It will 
keep indefinitely. If it is desired that more 
copper be present use proportionately more 
lime and water. In this case care must be 
taken to prevent caking while the final mix¬ 
ture with lime dust is drying. One may 
add finely ground Paris green as an in¬ 
secticide for canker-worm or Codling moth ; 
12% or 13 pounds to the above quantity 
is a good proportion. The dust is applied 
to the trees with any of the standard dust 
spraying machines, better while the tree is 
w<t with rain or dew. 
IOWA CORN AND POLITICS. 
A month ago tin* outlook for a crop was 
vciy gloomy indeed. More than 50 per 
cent of the acreage failed of a stand with 
the first planting from cold weather and 
poor seed. Our people have learned that 
unless a fair stand is secured it is best to 
disk the ground and plant again, as tilling 
in is never satisfactory on account of the 
start the weeds get before the corn ran 
be worked. The second planting, even 
when the same seed was used, came good, 
and the last 20 days have been ideal corn 
weather, and while the crop is from five 
to 10 days late now, it is making up fast, 
and farmers are saying that with favor¬ 
able conditions from now on, a new record 
will be made. To an observer of his fel¬ 
lows, it is as good as a continued-in-our- 
uext story to follow the moods of farmers 
from early Spring until the crop is made. 
I can sympathize with you in the re¬ 
ported action of your Legislature on the 
primary bill. Our law is several steps in 
advance of your proposed law, at least for 
our conditions, but it has its drawbacks, 
but upon the whole it is an immeasurable 
advance. The worst feature that we see 
now I can explain best by an illustration. 
It is said that a certain candidate for 
railroad commissioner paid more money for 
shrewdly written advertisements than his 
four years’ salary amounts to. Nearly everv 
paper in the State, regardless of political 
complexion, had a half page or more of 
such stuff for several weeks before the 
primary, and the greatest display was made 
in the papers that were factionally opposed 
to this candidate. They succeeded in land¬ 
ing their man, and he will probably be 
elected, and we shall be fortunate if the 
same interests do not defeat his running 
mate (we elect two this year), who is al¬ 
ways for a square deal. Our elections come 
once in two years, and we are nearly 
through with our second primary. The old 
methods were so firmly established that the 
first primary only succeeded in knocking 
out a cog here and there, but as the people 
come to understand tbe personal respon¬ 
sibility in the working out of the plan they 
take more interest and I believe that soon 
it will work as nearly in the interest of 
the people as politics can. Socially there 
is no question about the growth of popular¬ 
ity of the primary. To-day the Republicans 
held the most strenuous county convention 
we ever had. There was no candidate to 
name. The Issue was. should delegates be 
named for the State convention who were 
in favor of commending our Senators and 
members of the lower house of Congress, 
who worked with them, in their efforts to 
shape legislation so as to give the people a 
square deal ns they saw it. Two years ago 
the progressives could make little head¬ 
way : to-day they were in control from start 
to finish. The significance of this can only 
be understood when it is known that this 
county is known to be in the heart of what 
is politically known as the Q Reservation 
where politics has heretofore been shaped 
from Burlington. 
Last year we were neaijy drowned out, 
but for' seven months we have only had 
10.37 inches of precipitation. Haying and 
harvesting will commence after the Fourth. 
Oats seem to be filling well with short 
straw. Hay will be a light yield of good 
quality. Early potatoes are ripe, but 
rather under size : late ones will need more 
rain soon. Pastures have been good, but 
are getting dry; upon the whole farmers 
are feeling well. Jerome smith. 
MERCHANTS AND PARCELS POST. 
I cannot permit the statements made by 
Mr. Peterson, on page 021, to go without 
challenge. I, too, have been a merchant 
many years, and am an ardent advocate of 
parcels post, believing country merchants 
will be greatly helped In their compelition 
with city merchants, by being able to 
order quickly and cheaply many articles 
they cannot carry in stock, and by not 
carrying in stock much economy is ef¬ 
fected in way of capital, interest, store 
room, avoidance of shelfworn and unsold 
goods, etc., enabling the merchant to make 
lower prices, and yet better profits. But 
the part of Mr. Peterson’s article to which 
I take exception is where he claims the 
catalogue houses deal mainly in inferior 
goods, or the seconds of factories. As a 
merchant I have frequently been able to 
buy from the leading catalogue houses 
standard goods for less money than 1 could 
from the regular wholesale houses, or job¬ 
bers. from whom practically all merchants 
in small cities and towns buy their goods. 
I have bought hundreds of dollars worth 
of goods from two leading catalogue houses 
in the way of clothing, shoes, groceries, 
tools, and merchandise to sell, and have 
never seen any more indication of culls or 
seconds than when buying from the regr 
lar jobbers. It could not well be other¬ 
wise, for these houses grant any customer 
the privilege of returning any article not 
perfectly satisfactory, and pay all trans¬ 
portation charges, both ways. The coun¬ 
try papers, whose revenues come largely 
from advertising of local merchants, have 
for years said much about the inferior 
goods sold by the catalogue houses. This 
was for the double purpose of helping tin* 
local merchant and themselves, .but with 
no thought or wish to adhere to the truth. 
These merchants have had the papers print 
many editorials strongly advising reader■> 
to patronize home industries and mer¬ 
chants, saving the catalogue houses pay no 
taxes locally, support no churches, build no 
roads, and all such rot. But if tin* local 
mercnnnt can buy potatoes from some other 
town or State at less than the home price 
what does he do? Is the country mer¬ 
chant’s or the printer's wife particular 
when she buys a silk dress that it is 
made in her own State, nation, or in China 
or Japan? 
Manufacturers are in some degree to 
blame for the oft-told tale of “seconds.” 
low grade, etc. They have to make some 
excuse to the merchants who handle their 
goods for the fact that catalogue houses 
<an sell their products at lower pri< es than 
the merchant pavs in many cases. Anl 
what excuse so convenient and reasonable, 
so satisfying as that the manufacturer 
sells his seconds to the catalogue houses, 
or makes tip a specially low grade for 
them. I have talked with manufacturers 
who I knew to be truthful, who sold large¬ 
ly to the two leading catalogue houses, 
and was informed that said houses were 
as particular about quality as any of their 
other customers. There may be catalogue 
houses who do buy seconds, and possibly 
quote lower prices than their competitors, 
but they cannot offer to hare goods re¬ 
turned when not satisfactory, at their ex¬ 
pense. 
I have bought clothing made to order and 
ready made, from catalogue houses that 
gave me better wear and satisfaction than 
any I oyer bought-locally, and can say th t 
same as to shoes. I find it to my advnn 
tage even to order flour and sugar, staples 
that are supposed to be sold at close mar¬ 
gins. from these houses, and I live in New 
England, near the sugar refineries. I buy 
cocoa in five-pound cans for $1.38. while 
five half-pound cans locally usually coat 
$1.25, and quality is the same so far as I 
can see. At the present time I can buy 
rolled oats in Chicago at $2.18 per 00 
nound bag. or less than the price of flour. 
They are 50 per cent richer in protein, 
and 000 per cent richer In fat. than flour, 
and wo use them liberally in all our bread 
and biscuit, and uncooked with butter, 
cream or cocoa, to the great advantage of 
our children, at least. What do your rolled 
oats in packages cost per pound? 
There can be no question that a proper 
parcels post would be of great benefit to 
producers in the country, and consumers in 
the city, by cutting out the middlemen 
with their unfair prifits. By middlemen I 
mean the country buyer, express company, 
commission merchant, jobber and retailer 
in the city. These middlemen are the ones 
that will be hurt by a parcels post, and 
are the persons who have fought it. The 
talk about country merchants is merely to 
blind the public. A parcels post would do 
more toward helping the producer get a 
larger percentage of the consumer’s dollar, 
and the consumer get more for his dollar, 
than all the experiment farms ever thought 
of by railroads. economy. 
“For the Land’s Sake, use Bowker’s 
Fertilizers; they enrich the earth and 
those who till it. ’— Adv. 
Apple and Peach Trees' 
SALESMEN WANTED 
Mitchell’s Nursery, Beverly, Ohio 
Thomas Phosphate Powder 
(BASIC SLAG PHOSPHATE) 
The Best as well as the Cheapest Source of Phosphoric 
Acid and Lime, for Wheat and Other Fall 
Cereals, Grass, Clover, and Alfalfa. 
Thomas Phosphate Powder does not revert or g'o back to insoluble forms. 
Thomas Phosphate Powder is not washed out of the soil by heavy rains. 
It sweetens sour soils and makes them productive. 
Its Phosphoric Acid is very available. The Plants can use it all. 
(Analysis of nine samples by the Massachusetts Experiment 
Station shows 15.48 average available, see Bulletin 127, page 16.) 
It makes large, plump heads of g'rain and a heavy growth of straw. 
It gives unequalled crops of Grass, Clover, and Alfalfa. 
It drills perfectly. _._ 
Thomas Phosphate Powder Is Guaranteed To Contain: 
Per Cent. 
Total Phosphoric Acid. 17.00 to 19.00 
’ Available Phosphoric Acid. 15.00 to 16.00 
Insoluble Phosphoric Acid. 2.00 to 3.00 
Per Cent. 
Lime. 35.00 to 50.00 
Magnesia. 5.00 to 6.00 
Iron. 13.00 to 14.00 
Manganese. 7.00 to 9.00 
*(Uy Wagner'H Motho.l, as used at the Experiment Station at Darmstadt, Germany, and at the Massachusetts Experiment 
Station at Amherst, Mass. 
What the State Departments of Agriculture and the State Agricultural Colleges say in 
regard to Thomas Phosphate Powder (Basic Slag Phosphate). 
Prof. Alva Agee of the Pennsylvania Agricultural 
College says : 
“The Basic Slag contains effective Lime. Basic 
Slag tends to sweeten sour land and to keep sweet soil 
sweet. It favors clover. We must have clover, and 
where clover is failing, Basic Slag at prevailing prices is 
the best fertilizer 1 know of.” 
Hullrtin No. lOO of the Ohio Experiment Station 
says: 
"Experiments at this Station indicate that the total 
Phosphoric Acid of Basic Slag is practically as available 
as the available Phosphoric Acid of Acid Phosphate." 
Bulletin No. 6# of the Maryland Experiment Sta¬ 
tion, pages 28 and 29, says: 
“Slag Phosphate produced a greater yield at less cost 
than the average of the soluble Phosphoric Acid plots 
and Bone Meal plots." This test included throe corn 
crops, one wheat crop and one grass crop. 
Prof. II. J. Wheeler, in farmers bulletin No. 77, 
United States Department of A griculture. says: 
“It (Basic Slag) is an effective source of Phosphoric 
Acid for use upon all kinds of soil, and on account of 
its Lime, it is of special promise in the reclamation of 
exhausted acid soils." 
Alfalfa Seeding Time Is About August 15th. 
For the Alfalfa there is no equal. I had a very large crop this year of four cuttings of 4 to 6 tons per acre 
of very fine alfalfa, first crop average height of 44 inches and the other three crops about 24 inches each in height. 
(Signed) JOS. E. MAHON (Mowing 60 acres Alfalfa on Long Island.) 
The Best Time to Seed to Grass for Permanent Mowings is the Last of August or First 
of September. 
IT IS TIME TO ORDER YOUR SUPPLY NOW 
Our special booklet, “Fall Cereals and Forag'e 
Crops,” is sent free if you mention The Rural New-Yorker. 
The Coe-Mortimer Company 
SPECIAL IMPORTERS 
Sole Manufacturers of E. Frank Coe Fertilizers and Peruvian Brands 
24-26 Stone Street, New York City 
(We ship Thomas Phosphate Powder from New York, Boston. Mass.; Belfast, Maine; Baltimore, Md.; 
Philadelphia, Pa.; Old Forge, Pa.; Norfolk, Va.; Wilmington, N. C.; Savannah, Ga. and Charleston, S. C.) 
iLIGHTNIN 
Protection at Lowest Cost 
Don’t keep your family and proper*? 
in danger. Install a Scott lightning 
protection system. I selldlreet—atlow 
l cost - freight prepaid, with simple ln- 
Istructlons so you can put it up. 1 save 
you agents’ and dealers’ profits. 
Pay Nothing Until Satisfied 
, Order on approval. If not satis¬ 
factory,If nota Dig bargain, ship back 
at my eccpense. Write for liberal oirer 
ami freeoook of valuable information 
about Lightning. Address 
J. A. SCOTT, President 
THE J. A. SCOTT COMPANY 
Dept. I, Detroit. Mich., 
POTATO 
SPRAYERS 
ON FREE TRIAL. No money in 
advance. Pay when convenient. Doubles your 
"crop. Prevents blight, scab, rot, bugs. Spray FIRST, 
then pay us outof Extra Profit. Powerful pressure. 
r Cyclone agitation. Strong and durable. KruM valves, 
plunger, strainer,etc. Guaranteed T> years. Wholesale 
prices. We pay freight. Write us which machine you prefer, 
r and get free Spray iug Guide,Cat- , 
alog, and free Sprayer Offer 
to first in your locality. 
H. L. HURST MFC. CO., 
2810 North St., i 
Canton, O. 
HARRISON’S NURSERIES 
have been built up by quality trees from a small 
beginning to tbe largest nursery in America—more 
than 2000 acres devoted to growing trees, plants, 
vines and ornamental stock. Buy of a responsible 
grower and get what you pay for. Address 
HARRISON’S NURSERIES. 
Box 421, Berlin. Md. 
PEACH TREES 
FALL 1910 SPRING 1911 
We are prepared to qnoto prices and enter 
orders now for just what you want of our 
own grown trees. Don’t be disappointed 
again tbe coming season but order now. 
JOS. H. BLACK, SON & CO.. HIGHTSTOWN, N. J. 
C ABBAGE, CELERY. SWEET POTATOES. TOMATOES, BRUS¬ 
SELS SPROUTS AND CELERIAC.hest, variety fineplants 
$1 per 1,000; 10,000 for $7.50. J. C. SCHMIDT, BRISTOL,PA 
100,000 CABBAGE PLANTS ?‘ s S 00 t°; ^ 
soon. Let your orders come. DAVID RODWAY,Hartly,Del. 
C ABBAGE PLANTS-Premium Flat Dutch, Large Am. Drum¬ 
head. 15c per 100; $1.00 per 1000: 5000 for $4.50; 
10.000 for $8.00. B. PERRY, Cool Spring, Del. 
CTRAWRTRRY Dl /HITS of the Best Vari- 
OlnAVTDCnnT rLAIl I O eties- Descriptive 
Catalogue Free. BASIL PERRY, 0. 18, Cool Spring, Del. 
ONE QUART OF STRAWBERRIES £°l e a a ^ 
KEVITT’S SYSTEM. Send for my Mid-Summer 
Catalogue. T. C. KEVITT, Athenin, X. J. 
nr| ppu- best varieties. Fun count 
UE.LK.Ti I of heavily rooted, stocky plants. 
H. A. TODD, Doylestown, Penns. 
‘‘RANGER” BICYCLES 
Have imported roller chains ^sprockets and 
Pedals: New Departure Coaster Brakes and 
// ubs; Puncture ProofTires: h ighestp rade 
equipment And many advanced features pos¬ 
sessed l>yno other wheels. uarantced 5 yrs. 
FACTORY PRICES SX 
others ask for cheap wheels. Other reliable 
models from $12 up. A few good second¬ 
hand machines to $8. 
10 DAYS’ FREE TRIAL 
Iproval, freight prepaid, anywhere in U.S., 
r without a cent in advance. 1>0 NOTIJU Y 
£a bicycle or a pair of tires from anyone at 
any price until you get our big new catalog 
and special prices and a marvelous new 
offer. A postal brings everything. Write it now . 
T1RCC Coaster Brake Hear Wlic^els, lamps, 
I IllLv parts, and sundries half usual prices. 
Rider Agents everywhere are coining money selling our 
bicycles, tires and sundries. Write today. 
MEAD CYCLE CO., Dept. C80 CHICAGO 
Peach 
Baskets 
if 
2. 4, 6 , 8 , 10, 12, 14 and 
16-quart sizes. 
if 
Peach Covers 
1 
Wooden, Burlap and 
Cotton. 
erry, Peach and 
Grape Crates, 
etc. 
Write for PRICES and CATALOGUE. 
COLES & COM CANY 
109 & 111 Warren Street, New York. 
ESTABLISHED 1884. 
SEED WHEAT 
GYPSY WHEAT. Splendid standard variety 
proven by Ohio Experiment Station, test running 
20 years, to be tbe highest yielder of any variety 
in tbe state. We can please you if you are looking 
for good seed. Write today. Our catalog No. 23 
"How to Grow Alfalfa,” will be mailed free, 
WING SEED CO., Box 523, Mecbaniesburg, Ohio. 
rnn CAI C - late flat dutch surehead ano 
run OflLC DANISH BALL CABBAGE PLAHTS, $1 
per 1,000 or 5,000 for $4. We pack in nice cool moss 
to carry any distance. Send your orders for cab¬ 
bage plants to us and get the best. We are always 
headquarters for late cabbage plants. 
CALEB HOGGS & SON, Cheswold, Del. 
“New Modern” 
Sanitary Steel Stalls 
Wood or Steel Stanchions (chain or 
swivel hung). Litter and Feed 
Carriers, Watering Basins, etc. 
Glor Bros. & Willis Mfg. Co. 
53 Main Street, Attica, N. Y’. 
"EVERYTHING FOR THE EARS" 
