3 006 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
October 29, 
DRAINING WET SPOT.; 
Concerning that line of wet you have 
developed on your hillside and which on 
page 646 you speak of being able to drain 
with two lines of tile, I lived 20 years 
in a part of Missouri where hundreds of 
miles of just such “spouts” were dried 
effectually, but one line of tile laid in 
upper edge of the wet line. They were 
caused, as all surface springs and wet 
spots are caused, by a layer of imper- 
PLAN FOR DRAINAGE, Fig. 434. 
vious material lying horizontally across, 
under or through the hill, outcropping 
on its side. Water in sinking is checked 
wholly or partially and forced sideways 
to the surface. The Missouri method 
simply intercepts this movement by a 
line of tile laid at least six inches within 
the impervious stratum so no seepage 
can pass under the tile. The method is 
cheap and effectual, and no second line 
or any line within or below the spout is 
needed. The cut shows place for ditch 
and tile. J. S. T. 
Fredericksburg, Va. 
Crawfish and Frogs in Spring. 
M. IP., Bath, N. Y.—Are liza ds, crabs 
and bullfrogs In a spring any benefit to 
the water? Are they any harm? 
Ans. —In the first place it should be 
made clear that lizards and crabs do not 
live in springs. Lizards live in the 
driest places and are covered with 
scales; the four-legged vertebrates liv¬ 
ing in springs have a smooth slimy skin. 
They are salamanders. Crabs live in 
salt or brackish water, and have a body 
much wider than long, with the tail 
folded beneath it. The large Crustacea 
living in fresh water are much longer 
than wide with the tail curved down¬ 
ward but not folded beneath the body. 
They are called crawfishes or *cray- 
fishes. Salamanders, crawfishes and 
frogs feed upon small aquatic animals, 
hence they would tend to keep the spring 
free from these small creatures. But 
it is questionable if the latter hurt the 
quality of the water. The excreta of 
the larger animals would be much more 
apt to contaminate the water, and might 
even be the source of .micro-parasites 
which would thus gain entrance to the 
human alimentary tract and cause more 
or less trouble. While there is no 
definite evidence that frogs, salamanders 
and crawfish hurt spring water, their 
influence is likely to be more injurious 
than that of the smaller inhabitants of 
the spring whose numbers they would 
reduce. w. l. m’atee. 
U. S. Dept, of Agriculture. 
Care of Cabbages and Cauliflower. 
S. 17. R., Oydcnsburg, N. Y .—Will you 
give information on care of cabbages and 
cauliflower? Is it best to keep tbe lower 
leaves trimmed off, and is there any way to 
hasten their heading? 
Ans. —There is quite an ambition 
among amateur gardeners to raise early 
cauliflower, but the conditions necessary 
to succeed with this vegetable are not 
quite so easy to command as with the 
cabbage, and therefore probably not one 
in three who try it is successful. I 
will briefly state how early cauliflower 
can be most successfully grown. First 
the soil must be well broken and pulver¬ 
ized by spading or plowing. Mix through 
it a layer of three or four inches of 
strong well-rotted stable manure. The 
plants may be either those from seed 
sown in September and wintered over in 
cold frames, or else started from seed 
sown in February in a hotbed or green¬ 
house and pricked out in flats of about 
50 plants to each flat. Plants thus raised 
must be well hardened off, so as to make 
them strong enough to be set out as soon 
as the soil is fit to work in the Spring, 
which in this latitude is usually the first 
week in April. We often have calls for 
cauliflower plants as late as May, but I 
may state here for the benefit of those 
unacquainted with the growing of the 
cauliflower, the chances of their form¬ 
ing heads when planted in May are very 
slim indeed. The cauliflower delights in 
a Cool moist soil where it can establish 
a strong root system before the hot sun 
affects it in the early Summer. When 
the young tender heads are forming they 
should be protected by blanching them; 
this is done by drawing the leaves over 
the heads and tieing or pinning them with 
small beef skewers. As to varieties, the 
Early Snowball is very reliable. 
The cabbage is so easily raised as com¬ 
pared with the cauliflower that but little 
space need be devoted to its culture. 
Like all of its tribe, it requires very rich 
soil or an abundance of manure for its 
full development. The early varieties 
should be either raised in cold frames or 
in hotbeds, and planted out in the field 
or garden as stated for cauliflower. 
Thorough cultivation with an occasional 
application of nitrate of soda will hasten 
their growth. The early Jersey Wake¬ 
field is the standard variety to use for 
early use. t. m. white 
Monmouth Co., N. J. 
FUMIGATION FOR RATS AND, MICE. 
On page 064 we spoke of methods of 
cleaning a store-house of rate and mice. 
Among other methods suggested was that 
of fumigation with hydrocyanic' acid gas. 
Since that article was printed we have en¬ 
deavored to learn of cases where this plan 
was practically successful. Reports show 
that when grain warehouses were fumi¬ 
gated many dead rats and mice were found, 
and those that escaped alive evidently never 
came back. In the last report of the State 
Entomologist of Connecticut is an article by 
B. II. Walden giving an account of such 
fumigation. There were six buildings to be 
fumigated. Five of them were infested 
with bedbugs and the other was a grain 
and feed store infested with grain insects, 
and also with rats and mice which gnawed 
through the bags of grain. This feed store 
was 38 by 8S ’A feet and four stories high, 
the first and second story being 12% feet 
between the floor. There were comparative¬ 
ly few windows in the buildings. A part 
of the grain was stored in bins and the 
remainder stacked in bags. The chemicals 
were measured out as follows: First the 
cubic contents of each room was ascer¬ 
tained, and then for each 100 cubic feet of 
space the following quantities were allowed. 
Cyanide of potash, one ounce, sulphuric 
acid, commercial, one ounce by measure, 
water, two ounces. For example, on the 
first floor there were 42,037 cubic feet. 
This required 420 ounces of cyanide, and it 
was put in large separate vessels. The 
entire building was 134,519 cubic feet, 
which means 90 pounds of cyanide. 
The operating was done as follows: The 
cyanide for each vessel was weighed and 
placed iu a paper bag. For instance, on 
the first floor 60 ounces or five pounds of 
cyanide was put up in this way for each 
vessel. Cheap wooden pails such as are 
used for carrying water or candy were used. 
Into each one was put the proper amount 
of water, that is, twice as much water by 
weight as of the cyanide. When this water 
was in the pails one-half of its volume 
of acid was slowly stirred in the pails, 
which were placed some distance apart so 
as to give the gas a thorough chance to 
spread all over. The bags of cyanide were 
placed close to the pails. When everything 
was in place two men began at the top. 
They took a long breath, dropped the bags J 
of cyanide quickly into the pails and ran 
rapidly out of the room closing the doors 
instantly behind them. Care had been 
taken beforehand to make the windows and 
doors as nearly airtight as possible. The 
work should always be begun at the top oi 
the building and finished as rapidly as pos¬ 
sible. In some cases it is better to have 
the bags of cyanide tied to strings over 
the pails so that by cutting the strings the 1 
whole thing may be dropped at once with¬ 
out entering the room. When this work 
was done the building was locked and left 
closed for about 40 hours. The doors and 
windows were opened from the outside and 
the first floor thoroughly aired. The other 
floors were aired one at a time later. The 
grain insects were thoroughly cleaned out 
by this treatment, and many dead mice 
were found scattered over the floors, and a 
few' dead rats. Some of the rats evidently 
ran into their burrows and escaped, but 
they have not returned. We have other re¬ 
ports from those w'ho have used this deadly 
gas to kill the rats in smaller houses, and 
it usually succeeds. We cannot, however, 
make the w'arning too strong for those who 
use this material. It is a most dangerous j 
and deadly poison, and a single breath of it ! 
in a closed room may mean death. In j 
some of the reports given us the gas not ] 
only killed the rats and mice, but cleaned 
out a number of faithful cats who had been 
overlooked, and w r ere behind the bags of 
grain hunting for the rats. 1 
WIN ROOFING 
PROOF 
A roof that will last as long as the 
building must be proof against fire, 
rot, rust, acid, and chemical fumes, 
heat and cold. The only ready roof¬ 
ing about which this can be said is 
J-M Asbestos Roofing, because it is 
the only one made of indestructible 
minerals—Asbestos Rock Fibre and 
Trinidad Lake Asphalt. 
J-M Asbestos Roofing begins to save money 
as soon as laid. It never requires painting, 
graveling or repairs and it makes buildings 
degrees cooler In summer and warmer in 
winter. 
J-M Asbestos Roofing covers hundreds of 
the largestand finest buildings in all parts 
of the country. It is the ideal roofing for 
any building—anywhere. 
Be sure you get the genuine J-M Asbestos 
Roofing. We’ll tell you where to obtain it 
if your dealer won’t supply you. 
Write our nearest branch 
jfor Samples and Booklet C 48 
H. W. JOHNS-MANVILLE CO. 
Dal tlmorc 
Boston 
B«n*lo 
Chl<*po 
DalUfl 
Detroit 
KftufJie City 
London 
Cleveland Lob Angeles 
Milwaukee 
Minneapolis 
New Orleans 
New York 
Philadelphia 
Pitteburg 
Fan Francisco 
Beattie 
Bt. Louis 
For Canada: 
The Canadian H. W. Johni-Manvill* Co., Ltd. 
Toronto, Ont. Montreal, Uue. 
Wlnnepeg, Man. Vancouver, B. C. 
ROOF NOW 
QUALITY HIGH. 
PRICES 
t delay yonr roofing. 
We bought material when 
prices were low. That’s why you 
get same high quality Excell Metal 
Rooting at rock-bottom factory prices. 
Send name for figures. See how much 
you save. Then test the Bample and note 
the high quality. Excel) Roofing is made ot 
Genuine Open Hearth Steel or Iron, full weight, 
full gauge. A style for every si so and shape 
building and satisfaction guaranteed on every 
W purchase. Don’t pay till you see what you 
get. Wc take all risk. 
I .lAtK* Excell Roofing must 
sell itself toyou. Don’t 
delay—send your name 
on apostulnow fornew 
low prices,sample and 
big Book—Free. 
The United Factories Co., 
^ Dept.3i r .Cleveland Ohio. 
One Scuttle of Coal 
Instead of Two 
Don’t heap coal on the fire in the Control Range. 
Two layers of coal are enough. For this range burns 
all the fuel— gives a hotter flro—and saves the heat that 
other stoves u-aste. 
Use hard coal or soft coal, coke or wood—the result 
is the same. You get an even, intense heat from half 
the fuel necessary in other stoves. 
Other ranges let most of the fuel go up the chimney, 
unused. Or deposit it iu the ash-pit as half burned 
cinders and clinkers. 
But the Control saves that waste. It burns all the 
gases, everything that’s burnable, and leaves only a 
handful of ashes to a scuttle of coal. 
Burn Either Hard or Soft Coal, 
Coke or Wood 
Before you choose any range, go to the dealer hand¬ 
ling the Control. He will show you countless con¬ 
veniences and innumerable superiorities, from the 
Triple-Grate to the Oven Flue System that will prove 
you can save money by buying the Control. 
Read Our Money-Back Oiler 
Try this range in your kitchen for 30 days. Put it to 
every test. See how the Control will save from 30 to 
60 percent of your fuel bill. If it doesn’t do all we 
claim, we’ll refund every cent of the purchase price. 
Beside the 30-days’ preliminary trial, we give you a 
one-year guarantee that’s just as good as a government 
bond. 
Beautiful Baking With the Control 
Control Ranges are beautiful bakers. This is due to 
the currents of intense heat which encircle the oven. 
The bottom gets as hot as the top. the far side as hot as 
the fire-box side. 
It Is this even heat all over that makes good baking 
possible. 
In ordinary stoves the oven heat varies from day to 
day. You never can tell whether it will bo " slow ” or 
“ guick." 
Fuel economy and good baking are not the only points 
of superiority of Control Ranges. Ask your dealer 
about the other features. If your dealer is not supplied 
with Control Ranges, write us. We’ll give you the 
name of the nearest dealer who is, and send you our 
latest stove catalog G which tells you how you can 
save half your fuel money. 
ALBANY FOUNDRY CO„ Albany, N. Y. 
DON’T BUY A FARM 
GREEN MOUNTAIN Oil 
HAVE MANY SUPERIOR FEATURES i3lL/V7lJ 
GET OUR FREE CATALOGUE 
Creamery Package Mfg. Co., 338 West St., Rutland, Vt. 
UNTIL YOU HAVE SEEN CENTRAL NEW YORK 
T\7RITE our home office and secure an 
T ’ appointment with the farm salesman, 
who will show you more farms iu one day, 
from $25 an acre upward, than any sales¬ 
man in this section of the state. 
Most of these farms are situated in the 
heart of the lake country, have good trol¬ 
ley and steam railroad service, telephone 
and rural delivery accommodations. 
If you are in search of profitable as well 
comfortable surroundings, you cannot find 
a more desirable location than central 
New York. 
The Tuxill Realty Cl Improvement Co., 
307-8-9 Auburn Savings Bank Bldg., Auburn, N. Y. 
QTARI F MANIIRF for sale oil ears. McGirrSons. 
0 1 ADLQ lYlAllUllL 534 West 29th St., New York City. 
WANTFF1 flGENTS T0 SELL FARMERS’ ACCOUNT BOOK. 
TiHIIILU Easy to sell. Big inducements. Act 
Quick. Address, L. L. SYPHERS. Ft. Wayne, Ind. 
For Best EXTENSION LADDER at ^7.r oe8 
JOIIS J. I’OTTKIl,lt Mill St.. Binghamton, X. Y. 
Annie Barrels 
UUIIUIO GILLIES, MEDINA. N. Y. 
71 ACRES, half cleared, five room house, school, store, 
church, mill convenient. It. F. D . Other farms. 
0. M. PURNELL, Snow Hi.l, Md. 
rnn Oil r— Farm of 210 acres; fine fourteen- 
rUn uHLL room house; basement barn; forty 
cow stalls; large wagon house; icehouse; 23 Hol¬ 
stein cows; pair of mules; pair of horses; two 
brood sows; harnesses; mower; binder; rake; drill; 
manure spreader and small tools. Two miles from 
railroad town and milk shipping station. Circum¬ 
stances force the saleof this good Farm with Stock 
and Tools. Price, $8,500. Terms, part cash. 
HALL’S FARM AGENCY, Owego, Tioga County, N. Y. 
Farm Lands 
are alwavs productive, and with intelligent treat¬ 
ment will produce abundantly. Ideal climate, 
good markets, new list of special opportunities 
now ready. Rich lands from $10.00 per acre up. 
Large catalogue fully describing all details—free on 
request. Address to-day. DEPT “D.” 
MIDDLE ATLANTIC IMMIGRATION CO., 
COMMONWEALTH BANK BLDG., 
RICHMOND, - - VIRGINIA. 
Choice Virginia. Farms 
Along the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway As Low 
As $10 Per Acre 
Rich soil; mild winters ; nearby Eastern 
markets. For handsome illustrated booklet, 
“ Country Life in Virginia” (100 pages), and 
low twice-a-month excursion rates address 
(J. B. WALL, Real Estate Agent, 
C. & O. itullwny, Box N.Y’., Richmond, Yu. 
pOOD HOME FARMS and money makers at reason- 
U able prices in nearly all parts of New York 
State. Catalogue free to intending buyers. 
NORTHERN REALTY COMPAN Y, Syracuse, N.Y. 
APPLE and PEAR BOXES 
If interested 
send for 
sample 
and prices. 
TU B 
South Side 
MTg Go., 
Petersburg,Va. 
SIZE 
