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the: rural nkw-yorke:r 
361 
A MISSOURI SUNFLOWER CROP. 
A year ago the writer made inquiry 
through the columns of the Tiie It. N.- 
Y. for information regarding the culture 
of the sunflower as a commercial crop. 
Very little information was available, so 
we put in a crop as an experiment, with 
the result that for a money crop they are 
far better than corn (or at least they 
proved so this season with us). The se¬ 
curing of good seed we found to be the 
most important and most difficult thing 
in the making of a profitable crop. We 
bought our seed from a prominent west¬ 
ern seedsman for the Giant Russian. 
This is a large single-headed type with 
large striped light-colored seed. Often 
individual heads grow 15 inches in diam¬ 
eter. The seed we planted was grown, 
evidently, in close proximity to some 
other sort as probably one-fourth of the 
seed was of the old-fashioned variety 
which produces from five to 20 small 
heads to a stalk. This greatly reduced 
our yield. We prepared our ground the 
same as for corn and planted May 2, 
using the two-row corn-planter and drill¬ 
ing them three feet eight inches by 15 
inches. In the future we shall plant 
them three feet six inches by 18 inches, 
as 15 inches is too close. Perhaps 20 
inches would be even better. A mistake 
we made this season was not running 
our seed through a corn grader to even 
them up so the planter would do a bet¬ 
ter job. The seeds as they came to us 
were of all sizes. Sometimes there would 
be two or three drop in a hill, and then 
the large seed would cause the planter 
to miss two or three hills. 
During a wet season we replanted the 
missing hills with plants taken where 
they were too thick, but this does not 
pay as they do not start off soon enough 
after transplanting and the weeds get 
the best of them. Another year we shall 
grade our seed so they will drop evenly 
and will use an edge drop planter. The 
cultivation given was the same as for 
corn, three plowings with two-horse cul¬ 
tivator. 
Our method of harvesting was a bit 
more expensive than the method em¬ 
ployed by farmers some 15 miles south 
of us where the sunflower is coming to 
be a leading money crop. With them 
the heads are cut off as soon as ripe and 
hauled in and put in large cribs to 
thoroughly dry before thrashing, which 
is done in a common pea-huller run at a 
slower speed with part of the concaves 
removed. These growers often follow 
their wheat crop with sunflowers, plant¬ 
ing as late as the first of July, and real¬ 
ize $20 to $30 to the acre. Harvesting 
was not as expensive as we thought it 
would be. We drove along the rows with 
a two-liorse wagon with 40 bushel bed. 
One man walked and with a sharp prun¬ 
ing knife cut off the heads with a few 
inches of stem attached. lie took three 
rows at a time, throwing the heads 
into the wagon and with two men beating 
the seeds out against the sides of the 
wagon, they harvested an acre in half a 
day. By running through a seed clean¬ 
er all the broken heads, light seeds and 
trash were winnowed out. We found 
that the seeds beat out of the heads more 
readily in the morning or on damp days. 
From the 11 acres we harvested over -l 1 /* 
tons and, had it not been for the poor 
stand, (owing to uneven and spurious 
seed and a severe drought) we believe 
that we would have had six tons at least. 
•From conversation with a grower south 
of us we learn that the past season some 
men have sold their crop at figures right 
around $50 per acre. We leave it to 
the readers if it is a profitable crop, as 
the following are our figures taken from 
our books: 
To breaking 11 acres at $1 per acre $11.00 
To preparing 11 acres at 50c per 
acre . 5.50 
To 50 lbs. seed at 8c lb. 4.00 
To planting—team and man $2.50 
per day . 1.87 
To 3 cultivations 1^4 day each at 
$2.50 per day . 9.37 
To harvesting (3 men, 1 team) 
7% days at $5 per day. 37.50 
To cleaning seed, 3 men 2 days 
at $3.75 per day. 7.50 
'j'TO 74 
By 9300 lbs. seed at $3.75 per 
cwt.$34S.75 
Expense . 76.74 
ITofit on 11 acres .$272.01 
The St. Louis market quotations early 
this year were $4 per 100 pounds, but 
we sold to our local dealer at $3.75 per 
100 pounds. Market prices on sunflower 
seed fluctuate considerably; this season 
prices ranged from $5 to $2.50. We had 
no trouble with our seed spoiling, as it 
was left in the field until pretty well 
cured in the head. w. ft. M. 
Sikeston, Mo. 
WEATHER AND CROPS. 
February is giving us the Winter 
weather of the season. I have become 
local weather observer for the Weather 
Bureau, which adds another reason for 
being weather-wise. Stock is wintering 
well and feed seems in good supply. A 
cooperative creamery has just started 
here with strong competition, w. E. D. 
Hillsboro, O. 
We have just come through another 
cold snap; registering thermometer 
showed 11 deg. below zero at one time 
last night. 7 deg. below last week, with 
high wind. Nothing has thawed out 
since, so we cannot tell what may have 
happened to our peach buds. My opinion 
is that not a great deal of harm has been 
done. The great damage was done by the 
January freeze. c. E. L. 
Middleford, Conn. 
We have had up to this date a very 
mild open Winter, the coldest weather up 
to date being 12 degrees above zero. A 
great deal of plowing was done during 
the early part of Winter for this year’s 
corn crop. We have had several rain¬ 
falls during the last three weeks. Wheat 
is looking fine, with prospects of a bet¬ 
ter crop than usually. The past season 
was very dry here, and made crops short, 
but the mild warm Winter is making 
them feed further. Hay $10 a ton; corn 
85 cents; wheat $1: oats 70; potatoes 
$1. Clay peas $2.50 per bushel; pea¬ 
nuts $1.60. Good cows $50 to $75; good 
mares $150 to $225; horses $75 to $150; 
stock hogs $6 to $7 per 100 pounds. Hens 
10 cents pound; eggs 20; butter 20. 
Real estate is not selling much now, but 
high when a sale is made. w. h. 
Washburn, Tenn. 
Here in West Central Pennsylvania 
we are on the roof of the Alleghanies. 
The latitude is that of New York City, 
but we are from 1.400 to 2,000 feet above 
sea level. On one side our county drains 
into the Gulf of Mexico, on the other 
into Chesapeake Bay. The soil is gen¬ 
erally fertile, but not so deep, nor the 
season so long as in the grain growing 
sections. It is, however, quite well 
adapted to horticulture. Wild fruits and 
berries spring up quickly in the slash¬ 
ings or neglected fields and pastures. All 
the hardy vegetables and fruits grow well 
under good care and cultivation. Even 
peaches and Japan plums bear delicious 
fruit, but must be planted on the hill¬ 
tops, and then do not always escape frost 
damage to buds or bloom. Thousands of 
dollars worth of farm products, especial¬ 
ly horticultural products, are shipped 
into our towns from other sections 200 
to 500 or more miles away. Aside from 
tropical fruits and early fruits and vege¬ 
tables from the South, these can all be 
raised here, with the market at our very 
doors. But our old-time farmer raised 
grain to feed his horses while he worked 
at timbering all Winter and as much of 
the Summer as possible. As the old 
fields failed to bring crops, new ones 
were cleared. Finally it became neces¬ 
sary to farm all of them to make a liv¬ 
ing. So the large farm became the rule, 
which is generally adhered to even now, 
though efforts are made for better farm¬ 
ing. This has led to isolation, bad roads, 
poor schools, lack or social centers; 
to discouragement reflected in the desire 
of the more intelligent young people to 
leave the farm often aided and abetted 
by their parents, who are forced to recog¬ 
nize the better financial opportunities in 
other callings to be secured by educating 
their children in the towns. Mining, 
manufacturing, and railroad towns, such 
as we have, call for labor, and at a wage 
that the farmer cannot afford. 
Thus, to my mind, our future success 
here lies in the smaller farm whose la- 
lair can mostly bo performed by the own¬ 
er and his family, and whose market pro¬ 
ducts will be fruits and vegetables and 
poultry. These can be supplemented by 
some grain and hay to feed the neces¬ 
sary animals. Such a rearrangement of 
farm practice would put us closer to¬ 
gether and the increase in value of prop¬ 
erty and in numbers of workers to the 
square mile would mean increased abil¬ 
ity to support better schools and to im¬ 
prove the fewer miles of roads needed. 
I have learned that it pays to sell di¬ 
rectly to the consumer whenever possi¬ 
ble. But to be successful in so doing it 
is necessary always to have something 
to sell that is wanted : to be prompt, reg¬ 
ular, courteous and honest in marketing. 
We raise the earliest fruits and vegeta¬ 
bles that are hardy and otherwise adapt¬ 
ed to soil and climate to be followed in 
succession to the end of the season by 
others that experience has taught me are 
readily salable. This we aim to do by 
every economy of time, and labor possi¬ 
ble, in order to enlarge that 35-cent dol¬ 
lar without such hard and continuous 
exertion as to make life not worth the 
living. t. L. w. 
Clearfield, Pa. 
The High Cost of Leather Has Made 
Bootees Popular 
There is more leather needed today than ever before. The makers of 
automobiles are worried about the decrease in the supply. They are pay¬ 
ing fancy prices, and are taking the large share of the leather supply. 
That’s why leather shoe manufacturers have been steadily raising the price 
of their products, and why men who work hard for their money are wear¬ 
ing comfortable Hub-Mark Bootees. Every pair represents a 
decided saving because they last longer and giver better service. They 
keep the feet warm, dry, and comfortable. 
Hub-Mark Bootees are made from pure Gum Rubber and A1 
Duck, with leather insoles. They are reinforced at every point where 
the wear and the strain comes. They have no seams that can rip. 
Their soles and uppers cannot split nor crack. 
Note this :—Look for tire Hub-Mark on all kinds and styles of rubber 
footwear for men, women, boys, and girls. You can rely on anything you buy 
from dealers who sell Hub-Mark Bootees—they are square dealers. 
BOSTON RUBBER SHOE COMPANY, Malden, Mass. 
So" PRUNING SHEARS 
have an easy but powerful compound lever action 
which results in quick, clean cuts. Do not tire the 
hands even in cutting the toughest shrubbery. Es¬ 
pecially adapted for rapid, efficient work in cutting 
water sprouts and suckers, heading back young 
trees, trimming hedges, berry bushes, etc. Write 
today for free descriptive circular and pvires. 
STOREY MEG. CO., 1540 Macadam Road. PORTLAND OREGON 
ROYAL 
REX 
RUGS 
In order to introduce our Royal Rex 
Rugs to the readers of The Rural 
New-Yorker, we will send prepaid, 
one full size handsome 1914 pattern 
30 x GO rug for $1.00. Biggest value 
on earth for the money. If you 
think so, tell your friends, if not, 
your money back. Send to-day for 
one. State color wanted. 
PETERS SPECIALTY COMPANY 
403 ORDWAY BUILDING, NEWARK, N. J. 
Standard Fruit Books 
Successful Fruit Culture. Maynard... .$1.00 
The Nursery Book. Bailey. 1.50 
The Pruning Book. Bailey. 1.50 
Bush Fruits. Cord. 1.50 
American Fruit Cult.urist. Thomas.... 2.50 
Citrus Fruits. Hume. 2.50 
California Fruits. 'Wickson.$3.CO 
Dwarf Fruit Trees. Waugh.50 
Plums and Plum Culture. Waugh. 1.50 
Fruit Ranching in British Columbia. 
Bealby . 1-50 
Farm and Garden Rule Book . 2.00 
Live Stock and 
Types and Breeds of Farm Animals. 
Plumb .$2.00 
Principles of Breeding. Davenport. 2.50 
Swine in America. Coburn. 2.50 
Diseases of Animals. Mayo. 1.50 
Poultry Books 
Farmers’ Veterinary Adviser. Law....$3.00 
Principles and Practice of Poultry Cul¬ 
ture. Robinson. 2.50 
Hens for Profit. Valentine. 1.50 
Diseases of Poultry. Salmon.50 
FOR SALE BY 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
333 West 30th Street New York 
When you write advertisers mention The R. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply 
and a “square deal.” See guarantee editorial page. 
