11H4 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
December 10, 
could set the price of potatoes at $1 per bushel than if 
he could get only 40 cents. R. N.-Y. readers were 
promised a statement of our four acres of potatoes, 
and as we have just finished digging we can give it 
now. 
The piece was one-half of a field we had seeded to 
Alfalfa with rather poor catch in 1908; was cut for 
hay in 1909. Being very busy last Fall I hired my 
neighbor to plow the piece at $2 per acre. It was a 
hard job for the team as well as the man, but was all 
finished in good shape. Plowing, $8; harrowing four 
times with double Cutaway two days at $4, $8; mark¬ 
ing, $1.50; planting, two men two days, $6; 40 bushels 
seed, $0.40; cultivating and hilling, $10; digging at $5 
per acre, $20; one-half ton fertilizer 0-10-8, $11, mak¬ 
ing a total expense of $70.90, or $17.73 per acre with 
potatoes in the cellar. There will be another expense 
of about five cents per bushel to market them. Our 
yield was 767 bushels good potatoes in cellar and 75 
bushels with more or less dry rot that will be boiled 
and fed to chickens and hogs. Figuring these at 40 
cents, what they could have been sold for, we have 
$300.80. Less expense, $70.90, this leaves $235.90. 
This is considerably less net profit than we obtained 
in 1907 or 1908, but much more than last season. 
Fig. 488 shows how our potatoes have been planted 
for some years back. While this way cost much more 
than the dropping by hand and covering with horse 
power, it is, to me, worth much more for three rea¬ 
sons. First, in case of dry season, the seed pieces are 
down where they can get much more moisture than 
they would if planted on top. Second, there are no 
sunburned ends. Third, there is no danger of freezing 
before being dug by any freezing weather we may 
have. Some in this vicinity have lost heavily the last 
two seasons. Our potatoes that were undug at the 
time were not hurt in the least. Fig. 489 shows a 
part of a row of one kind that went over 400 bushels 
to the acre. Had the whole piece been planted to this 
kind our profit would have been much more. The 
yield in this section is very uneven, some getting only 
25 bushels good potatoes to the acre; some fields are 
at least half spoiled by the dry rot. c. I. hunt. 
Livingston Co., N. Y. 
CONCRETE COW STABLE. 
Tar Paper and Cinders With Cement. 
In answer to H. A. J., Vermont, as to the best way 
to concrete cow stable, having had quite a number of 
years’ experience with cement I enclose you sketch of 
properly preparing for floor on wood joist. The con- 
DIAGRAM OF FLOOR. Fig. 486. 
traction of wood plank under concrete would be sure 
to crack the floor. In order to overcome this the 
method shown in diagram is used; note the beveling 
of top of joist; this not only gives bearing for con¬ 
crete, but straightens it over joist to get raise for 
standing floor space on top of joist, 2x4 or 2x6, ac¬ 
cording to depth of gutter that is wanted. Concrete 
when ready for top coat should be three inches over 
top of joist. The most important thing is the tar 
paper, and it should be done in the following way: 
First floor with one-inch boards between joist, so that 
concrete will come one inch above joist and three 
inches thick; level this off well and cover over with 
one thickness of tar paper. Let the paper lap three 
inches, then use hot pitch and cover again with paper. 
The paper should be rolled out in the hot pitch care¬ 
fully so it adheres together. Do the same with the 
third layer; then swab over the entire floor. See that 
all paper joints are thoroughly cemented together be¬ 
fore applying this paper. Concrete should be allowed 
to set at least 36 hours. Cover tar paper with two 
inches of concrete and one-inch top coat, which should 
be put on immediately after concrete is laid, so that 
both will unite solidly together. 
Concrete should be made of hard coal steam cinders; 
it is not necessary to use any sand, but should be 
mixed one to four, top coat one to two. The same 
plan should be used if concrete is placed on ground. 
A good treatment on top of this floor after top coat 
is thoroughly dry is to paint over with two coats of 
asphaltum. This will seal top water-tight. To paint 
top the floor should be floated smoothly and not 
troweled, this will furnish a bond for the paint. The 
reason for using cinders is the great difference in 
weight; if on ground stone, can be used. If used on 
top of plank floor at least two thicknesses of tar paper 
should be put on top of plank, and well pitched before 
applying concrete, which should be three inches thick. 
The paper should not be fastened to plank, as it is 
not only to make water-tight, but also to allow for 
contraction and expansion of floor. 
New Jersey. w. b. rodenbaugh. 
HARD TO KILL OUT ALFALFA. 
At your request I will give similar experience to 
that of J. W. B. of So. Solon, Ohio: I plowed one- 
half acre of old potato ground in Spring, 1909; 
limed and sowed to Alfalfa, with no nurse crop, no 
inoculation. I had crop in Fall of Alfalfa, weeds and 
witch grass, a disgusting mess for my first experience. 
What roots there were, wintered fine; I let stand till 
last of June, 1910, when everything was mown off, 
the sod plowed under, disked thoroughly and planted 
to fodder corn. It was cultivated once, hoed by hand 
once. Under these conditions there is a better growth 
of Alfalfa, and it has a brighter, thriftier look than 
before, with the corn about four feet high. I find on 
pulling up the plants they come from the old roots 
ir about the same proportion as with J. W. B. of Ohio. 
There are also young plants still coming up. This 
being a very dry season with me, I do not understand 
how it could grow at all under these conditions. I 
supposed when plowed up that was the end of it. 
Vermont. w. wilder. 
In connection with J. W. B.’s experience with 
Alfalfa reappearing after plowing under (page 943), 
I submit mine, as I have often wondered how a stand 
ct this plant could be got rid of. I planted August 20, 
using nitro-culture, one-half bushel to acre; got a 
good stand. It did well until after January 1, then 
mostly heaved out. (Wanted tile draining.) In 
Spring I cultivated with two-horse machine, and 
drilled oats with hoe drill; a lot of Alfalfa in oats. I 
plowed under stubble after oats, cultivated well, and 
seeded to wheat. Alfalfa was in wheat next year, not 
so much, some in hay for two years following. Last 
Spring I plowed for corn, gave usual harrowings, and 
worked twice with Cutaway, still have Alfalfa in corn. 
From J. W. B.’s account, it is evident that the new 
growth was from old roots, not seed The shoots on 
undisturbed plants start from the root stems as deep 
as six inches from the surface. Seedling plants come 
single stemmed, shoots from roots come in bunches. 
Newark, Ohio. w. a. i. 
Alfalfa Will Live in Massachusetts. 
Several years ago I became interested in growing 
Alfalfa, from articles which appeared in The R. N.-Y. 
I was advised by many not to try it and by some to go 
slow, as Alfalfa would not survive the Winter in 
Massachusetts. After reading all available Alfalfa 
literature and consulting Washington and Amherst, 
I decided to try one-third of an acre. This was sown 
in drills August 11, 1908, on rather heavy clay loam. 
A large crop of peas was taken off previous to sowing 
the Alfalfa. The land had been well manured in the 
Spring, the pea vines were harrowed in and the soil 
was limed 2400 pounds to the acre. The seed was not 
inoculated. Three and four large crops per year have 
been cut, and always fed green. Grass has worked in 
between the rows, also clover, but the crops this year 
have been heavy. So this piece has gone through two 
Winters and has survived and is looking well. All 
sorts of experiments have been tried with it. It has 
been cut close late in October, some mulched and some 
left bare. Through it all none has winter-killed. In 
August, 1910, two more pieces of half an acre each 
have been sown, and both look well, having reached a 
growth 16 inches tall by November 1. These lots 
were inoculated with “Farmogerm,” and weigh one 
pound to the square foot, root and top. 
Now does Alfalfa winter-kill in Massachusetts? 
Perhaps the above' experiments are not conclusive, 
having grown only during two Winters, but the fol¬ 
lowing facts from one of the largest dairy farms in 
the State (Punkatasset Farm) may be of interest to 
the readers of The R. N.-Y. and especially to those 
who reside in the old Bay State: Lot No. 1, area one 
acre, sown June 10, 1904, inoculated with culture from 
Washington; two big crops cut this same Summer, 
top-dressed after second cutting with stable manure. 
One crop of hay and two and three crops grass have 
been taken from this area every year. Grass and 
clover have worked in some; it was limed heavily. 
From this acre 60 head of cattle were fed twice a day 
this past Summer, aggregating 36 days. The saving 
in the grain bill was 25 per cent. This lot has never 
winter-killed. Lot No. 2, area one-third of an acre, 
sown August, 1908, crop fed green, doing well, never 
has winter-killed. Lot No. 3, area V /3 acre, sown 
August, 1909, three cuttings; fed green, not winter- 
killed. Lot No. 4, area one acre, sown August, 1910, 
was seven to eight inches tall on November 1, 1910, 
doing well. 
All the above lots were limed, and are doing so well 
that Mr. Hutchins will sow seven acres more next 
year. With the foregoing record, will anyone hesitate 
about sowing Alfalfa in Massachusetts? If any farmer 
wants to start with Alfalfa and is afraid it will winter- 
kill, let him sow vetch with it in late July or early 
August, then later plow it in and sow rye. From 20 
to 30 tons of vegetable matter will thus be added to 
the soil and the next year a bumper crop of corn 
should be raised. The vetch should be sown first, 
deeper than the Alfalfa, then harrow and roll. If 
inoculated and properly manured one should get a 
wonderful crop to plow under. It may not pay to 
plow under such green crops where manure can be 
had in quantity and for a low price, but many farmers 
are so far from the cheap source of supply that the 
above method might turn the scale between success 
and failure in farming. c. w. Prescott. 
Middlesex Co., Mass. 
A MASSACHUSETTS FARM COMMUNITY. 
There is much sympathy expressed in the papers 
these days for the farmers, and I think a lot of it 
wasted. Here, in this little town of Granby, Hamp¬ 
shire County, Mass., with a population of 750, with 
206 poll tax payers, while there are no very wealthy 
farmers, there are no very poor ones. The land in 
the north and east is rocky, gravelly and sandy, while 
in the south and west it is excellent for farming. It 
was in this part of the town the world’s record for 
corn—103 bushels shelled flint corn per acre—was 
raised this year. The tax rate is low, $15 per $1,000 
this year; three years ago only $10 per $1,000. There 
was a time a few years back when the income from 
six hives of bees paid the taxes on a 75-acre farm. 
It is an old town; there are living here now de¬ 
scendants of families who settled here in 1787. Within 
a radius of two miles of the center are five farms 
where grandsons are running the old homestead, 
men 40 years old. Some of the small farms have 
been sold to Canadians, a few to Poles. Those who 
have business ability and willing to work make good. 
I have in mind a Canadian, who bought an old horse 
and wagon and began to peddle milk about 20 'years 
ago; he was so poor he had to pay for his milk each 
day. He gained, bought a small place, sold it and 
came to town with a family of eight children ; bought 
a small farm, going in debt $1,500. In three years’ 
time had paid $1,000; he has good teams now, and 
still peddles milk, buying most of it. This man can 
hardly read, yet has made good. The town main¬ 
tains good schools; they have consolidated them; 
while not ideal, yet it is the best under conditions. 
Barges take them from the different parts of the 
town to the center, costing the town $967 for trans¬ 
portation in 1908. We have a high school with two 
teachers, about 25 pupils enrolled, graduating classes 
of three or four each year, and as a usual thing, two 
go to higher institutions of learning. A Congrega¬ 
tional Church at the center, where all attend, a sep¬ 
arate chapel building where evening meetings are 
held, and the Ladies’ Benevolent Society furnishes 
suppers every two weeks during the Winter, at popu¬ 
lar prices. Social and literary entertainments follow. 
In this building, twice a month, the Grange meets; 
it has a membership of 90. Ofttimes when some 
prominent speaker is to be present, it opens Grange 
and the town is invited in. There is also a hustling 
woman’s club, with meetings once a month. It has 
been remarked by people that they never saw such a 
small town with so much going on. 
It is a dairy town; there are over 1,100 cows on 
the assessor’s lists; milk sold in nearby cities, none 
shipped. One man makes a specialty of buying and 
selling cows, handling over 1,200 cows in a year, and 
an average of 50 calves a week. Many of the homes 
have steam heat, others furnaces, and bathrooms are 
no curiosity; household machines down to vacuum 
cleaners, and not the cheap ones either. The major¬ 
ity of the women do their own work, and most of 
the farmers keep only one hired man the year around. 
The men have hay loaders, harvesters, potato planters 
and diggers, and many have either gasoline or steam 
engines to do their work. We do have trouble in 
keeping help; as we are only V /2 miles to electrics 
and a five cent fare to the city, many go to get their 
hair cut and never come back. Some pay their men 
every Saturday night, and as a usual thing their 
wardrobe isn’t worth coming back after, so we are 
left. 
There is one farm here of about four acres, man¬ 
aged and worked by a woman who has made good 
in raising pet stock. She has on hand now about 
3,000 mice—white, black, chocolate, silver, maltese 
and buff colored mice; 500 rats, white and spotted, 
also 500 guinea pigs. Many of these are used by the 
medical schools. I don’t know how many rabbits; she 
also has the Japanese waltzing mice, tiny black and 
white spotted ones. A favorite pastime of these is 
waltzing or spinning. They move so quickly one 
cannot distinguish their heads or tails. We have a 
library with over 3,000 volumes, open twice -a week, 
and it is well patronized; also own and operate a 
town telephone, with over 50 subscribers. On stormy 
days the women do a great deal of visiting by ’phone. 
The people are well fed, well clothed, busy and a 
contented lot. dairyman’s wife. 
