904 
July 11, 
The Home Acre. 
NOTES FROM A MARYLAND GARDEN. 
Y EARS ago there was always a gap in 
the supply of sweet potatoes, but 
now, thanks to our curing houses. we 
have sweet potatoes all the year round. 
Now, the last of June, the sweet potatoes 
from last year’s crop are retailing for 
20 cents a peck, as the crop last year was 
unusually large and many have been 
kept over. Sweet potatoes of the South¬ 
ern yam class are getting more popular 
every year. The most popular of these is 
the Nancy Hall, a potato with the pump¬ 
kin-colored flesh, like the Pumpkin yam 
of the South. When the Northern people 
learn to bake sweet potatoes instead of 
steaming or boiling them they will learn 
the greater sweetness of the soft southern 
sorts over the dry Jersey kinds. Of 
course growers have to cater to the de¬ 
mands of their market and hence the Big 
Stem Jersey is grown for northern ship¬ 
ment. There is a potato known in the 
Baltimore market as yam, but not a true 
member of the Southern yam family. 
This is the Hayman, or as some call it 
the Southern Queen. This potato was 
brought from Brazil many years ago to 
Virginia, and was renamed years ago by 
a Northern seedsman Southern Queen 
and sent out under that name. The or¬ 
iginal name of Hayman was from the 
name of the sea captain who brought it 
to this country. This is one of the 
earliest sweet potatoes. It is not of the 
best quality in the Fall and early Win¬ 
ter, but in late Spring and Summer its 
quality is very good, and we are eating 
them now with much pleasure. Its great 
fault is the tendency to grow too large, 
and hence it should be planted rather late. 
It is the easiest to keep of any sweet 
potato. 
There is a sweet potato now much 
talked about in the South called the 
Early Triumph. I have never grown it, 
but those who have claim that it is sim¬ 
ply the Nancy Hall renamed. The popu¬ 
lar potato on the Raleigh. N. C., market 
is the White Barbados. This is a potato 
of the old Spanish type and a true repre¬ 
sentative of the Southern yam varieties. 
Baked in an oven the sugary sap will 
break through the skin, and it makes a 
delectable morsel. When I was a boy, 
in the old fireplace times, I thought that 
there was nothing finer than to put the 
old Spanish potatoes in ashes on the 
hearth and cover them with hot coals. 
A potato of this class baked in the 
ashes was something far ahead of the 
dry yellow Jerseys. If the Northern 
people ever learn how to cook the South¬ 
ern varieties they will learn their superior 
sweetness, but the Southern soft potatoes 
will not abide the steaming or boiling 
that Northern people use in the cooking 
of sweet potatoes. It takes the dry Jer¬ 
seys to stand that sort of treatment. In 
fact sweet potatoes of any sort are at 
their best only when roasted or baked. 
Our first sweet corn was pulled June 
20. This was from the variety called the 
Portland Market, the seed of which were 
sent me by an Oregon seedsman. Wheth¬ 
er actually grown in Oregon I cannot of 
course say, but the variety is about as 
early as any I have ever grown. My 
standard early corn has been for years 
the Norfolk Market, an improved variety 
of the old Adams Early, but this Oregon 
corn, planted later than the Norfolk, 
has come in ahead of it. 
Notwithstanding the intense drought, 
the Yellow Potato onions made a fine 
crop, and are now cured and housed. I 
plant these in September and after the 
Early green onions from sets of the Nor¬ 
folk Queen have been used, we use the 
offsets from the potato onions as green 
onions. 
Cucumbers also are on hand (June 
27) 
THE RURAb 
making new bloom, something I never 
saw in peas in this hot soil and climate. 
Crosby’s Egyptian beets are unusually 
good this season. I must have struck a 
greatly improved strain, for a more per¬ 
fect and early growth with small tops I 
have never seen. I have tried a number 
of varieties of the chard, some with pink 
leaf stalks and some with yellow, and 
two years ago I had a variety that grew 
so large that people thought it was rhu¬ 
barb, but the leaf stalks were flat and 
thin and not good. Then I got the Lucul- 
lus. This variety makes leaves of a 
light yellowish green, and crumpled like 
Savoy spinach, and the stalks are round 
and long. We are now eating the young 
leaves of the thinnings and find them the 
best of all Summer substitutes for spin¬ 
ach. Later, when the leaf stalks are well 
developed we shall cook these like as¬ 
paragus, and they make a fine dish. The 
Lucullus is certainly the best of the 
chards. 
The John Baer tomato, which was ad¬ 
vertised to make ripe fruit in 30 days 
after setting, has been out 60 days and 
has not yet made a ripe fruit, though well 
loaded with green fruit. The fruit seems 
to be uniformly very smooth, and one 
should not judge too hastily about its 
earliness this season of intense drought 
and heat, for we have not had rain 
enough more than to moisten the soil an 
inch or more since the first week in May; 
a little below the surface the soil is dust 
dry, and one wonders how plants live at 
all that are not watered heavily. The 
Brimmer, a late tomato, has fruit as large 
as the John Baer, and one of my neigh¬ 
bors has ripe Earlianas, though I have 
not. w. F. MASSEY. 
Maryland. 
NEW-YORKER 
have known farmers who scattered char¬ 
coal over green hay as it was put into 
the mow. Salt is the material generally 
used, and has been employed when the 
hay is not fully cured. 
SOME HAYING NOTES. 
T' 
ping 
said 
crop 
This 
are on 
our market growers have been ship- 
them for a week, and the price is 
to be good. The great cantaloupe 
of this section will soon be on. 
crop is later than usual owing to 
the long continued dry weather, but the 
melons are said to be forming finely. 
My early peas were a complete failure, 
burnt up, but I have had a great sur¬ 
prise in the success of a later sort called 
Sharpe’s .Queen. This has withstood the 
dry heat, and has given us a fair crop of 
very fine and sweet peas, and here the 
last of June the vines are still green and 
IIE picture at Fig. 374, page 903, 
shows a typical haying scene in the 
Middle West. Most of our read¬ 
ers can remember the time when all the 
hay was forked laboriously on the load 
by hand. Every pound of it had to be 
raised by the small of the back both in 
putting it on the wagon and in taking 
it off again. Many of our people, it is 
true, do the same thing now, but in a 
larger proportion of machinery comes to 
take the place of much of the old hand 
labor. As is shown in the picture the 
hay loader on many a farm takes the 
place of the fork. This machine runs 
behind the load, catches up the grass with 
its steel fingers and plays baseball with 
the bunches in a most effective way. The 
modern outfit, with a heavy team, can 
now drive into a field when the grass is 
ready and with fast walking horses gath¬ 
er up a load of this hay as rapidly as two 
men can well take care of it. 
In many cases it is taken up so clean 
that it is not even necessary to go o% 7 er 
the field with a rake. There are still 
many farms on which the hay-loader is 
not used. Some of them are too small 
and others are too rough or stony for 
the use of such improved machinery. On 
the smooth larger farms, however, this 
device is of great service and the scene 
pictured at Fig. 374 is a familiar one on 
many of our farms. 
At this season of haying several old 
questions always come up for discussion. 
One is whether after a storage Darn is 
filled with hay the building should be left 
open or closed in order to dry out the 
“sweat” which arises from the new hay. 
Some farmers believe that the doors 
should be left open in order to let in the 
air and thus cool and dry off the hay, 
while others declare that the doors and 
windows should be shut tight, with only 
a ventilator left at the top. We have 
heard some hot remarks over this ques¬ 
tion but the best authorities agree that 
it is better to close the barn after the hay 
is put in in order to get rid of the moist¬ 
ure. As the hay heats, vapor arises from 
it to the top of the barn. If the door 
is left open the cooler air from the out¬ 
side and especially at night will be like¬ 
ly to condense the vapor into moisture 
to remain at the top of the hay. If the 
barn is closed this vapor will pass off 
at the top through the ventilators, and 
thus dry out the hay sooner than if the 
barn was left open. 
Another question which frequently 
comes up at this time regards the use 
of salt in putting away damp or green 
hay, if it has been necessary to house the 
hay in advance of a storm or for some 
other reason hay not fully cured must 
be put into the house. Willi clover or 
Alfalfa hay there is danger in this from 
overheating or even spontaneous com¬ 
bustion, and farmers often use salt scat¬ 
tered over the hay as it is put in. 
are several reasons for the use of si 
der such conditions. The salt will ab¬ 
sorb considerable moisture, and when 
scattered over the hay will draw water 
and to a large extent lessen the danger 
from fermentation. In another way the 
salt prevents trouble because of its chem¬ 
ical action in delaying or preventing cer¬ 
tain ferments which might otherwise go 
on in the hay. The use of lime is also 
recommended for this purpose, and 'we 
BOSTON MARKETS 
Fruits and vegetables in Boston mar¬ 
ket have been fairly plentiful and rea¬ 
sonable in price as the rule. Strawber¬ 
ries are coming in very freely on account 
of hot. dry weather; quality is good, but 
size not as good as many wish in all 
cases; a few of these to fancy trade 
bring 40c. per box wholesale; good ber¬ 
ries go at about 25c. per box, while other 
grades range f.nm 8c. to 15c. per box, 
according to condition of fruit when it 
reaches the market. Pineapples, which 
have been plenty all Spring, are now 
short on account of drought in Florida, 
it is said; $3 to .$4.50 per crate are the 
prices on those. Bananas and oranges 
are plenty and cheap for the season, the 
former selling at $1.25 to $3.25 for yel¬ 
low, and up to $4.50 per bunch for reds, 
while the latter go at $2.50 to $3.50 per 
box. Southern watermelons 25c. to 40c. 
each and in fairly good supply. Canta¬ 
loupe about $2 per large crate. Blue¬ 
berries coming in and sell at 13 to 15 
cents per box; gooseberries about 10c. 
per box; currants about the same; rasp¬ 
berries 10c. per pint. A few 7 Baldwin 
apples left go at $3.50 per box; Western 
fruit $3.50 and $4. 
Onions and potatoes short and high; 
Texas stock about $4.50 per crate, Span¬ 
ish $7.50, Southern sets $4.25 per basket. 
A few Maine potatoes left, bring $2.30 
per bag at cars; new 7 Southern $4.50 per 
barrel. Sweets from Carolina $4.50 per 
crate. Asparagus plenty and demand a 
little slow, yet prices are fair. Jersey 
and Pennsylvania stock $2.50 per dozen; 
native $3 and $4 per box. Southern 
string beans $2 per basket; Southern 
cabbage $1.50 per barrel. Cucumbers 
cheaper at $2 to $3.50 per box ; lettuce 
30 to 60 cents per IS heads; bunch beets 
50c. per dozen bunches; carrots 50c. to 
75c.; white turnips 50c. to 75c.; yellow 
turnips $2.25 per box. Rhubarb 1^4c. 
per pound ; new green peas quite plenty 
at $1.75 to $2 for best per box; others 
around $1.50. Spinach about 40c. 
Butter coming in very freely and 
prices breaking slightly. Prices range 
from 26c. to 32c. The same story ap¬ 
plies to cheese, which brings 1414c. to 
lSy 2 c., according to quality. Eggs com¬ 
ing in quite plenty, but demand is good, 
and prices incline up instead of down; 
24c. to 32c. per dozen are the figures for 
different grades. 
Live hens go at 16c. and broiler chick¬ 
ens 25c. Dressed poultry 15c. to 20c., 
according to size and quality; broilers 
28c. to 30c. for native, while Western 
stock go 27c. Nice veal 15c. per pound; 
other grades 14c., • 13c., 11c: and 9c. 
Best lamb 18c.; good 15c. and 16c. At 
Brighton dressed hogs 11c.; live weight 
Sy>e.; live veals about 8c.; live steers 
about 8c.; good cow 7 s 6y>c.; others 5c., 
by selling 
er in my 
“freight paying, free trial 
tling plan.” I have invented 
Steel Frame Pitless Scale 
I Will Send My Scale 
On Approval 
To any business-like farmer who 
knows the profit in buying, sell¬ 
ing and feeding by weight and 
not by guess. Forty-nine years 
ago I first fought the scale trust 
to the buy- 
origina l 
before set- 
t h e BEST 
madewhich 
I sell for less money 
other reliable pitless scale. I 
approval and ask nomoneyuntil 
ory. New compound beam and 
free. Lot mo send a free price list. 
“JONES, He Pays The Freight.” Binghamton, N. Y. 
TRIAL 
30 DAYS 
Success with cheap kerosene or 
coal oil absolutely Ruaranteed. Try 
before you buy. Most economical, 
reliable and durable engine made. 
So simple and easy the wife or boy 
can start and run it. People every¬ 
where throwing away their old engines, buyfn#r Bes- 
B °piers and making money by it. Get one for your- 
*»fn- Be ahead of your neifirhborn. Runs fast or 
slow. V, ill do a dozen things at once. Wonderful 
beyond belief. Pays for itself in fuel saved. For 
special discount write at once. 
THE BESSEMER GAS ENGINE CO. 
• 23 Lincoln AVI. GROVE CITY PA. 
than any 
send it on 
satisfact- 
beam box 
CRIMSON CLOVER 
The great soil improver and valuable for early 
green food, grazing and hay crop. Special 
circular free, also sample and price of seed 
sent on request. 
Alfalfa 
High-grade American grown seed. Write for 
sample and price of seed also a copy of our 
Alfalfa Leaflet, free. If in need of Farm Seeds 
of any kind, please write to us for prices. 
HENRY A. DREER 
- PHILADELPHIA. PA. - 
Milch cows plenty but de- 
common milkers about $50 
4c. and 314c. 
mand light; 
each. 
General grain prices are lower at 
wholesale, but local dealers keep prices 
at high level of the past few -weeks. 
Mixed feed goes at $28 and $29 per ton ; 
bran $24; cotton-seed meal $33; gluten 
$30; cornmeal, per bag, $1.53; oats 36c. 
to 47c. per bushel. 
Hay is firmer and inclined upward on 
account of poor promise of present year’s 
crop*; $22 and $23 per ton is easy to 
obtain for good horse hay; other grades 
$15 to $20 per ton. Dry weather lias 
spoiled hay crop on any but low, moist 
fields or fresh seed land of good moist¬ 
ure-holding quality. Many have cut early 
fields that were drying up and turning 
yellow. Apple crop promises fair at 
present time; other fruit about medium 
or light. _ a. E. P. 
A Scotch servant shortly after her 
marriage met her former mistress, and on 
being asked how she was getting on, she 
replied: “I’m getting on fine, mem ; but, 
ah, I canna bide the man.”—Boston 
Transcript. 
“Lady,” said the unshaven man at the 
back door. “I’m on a hunger strike.” 
“Well,” said the general housework per¬ 
son sharply, “what do you want?” “Can’t 
you hear? I’m on a hunger strike. I 
want to be forcibly fed.”—Buffalo Ex¬ 
press. 
ALFALFA 
AMERICAN NORTHERN GROWN 
Guaranteed tobo99%puro and free from dodder. Write 
for sample on which we invite you to get (Jovcrnment tests . 
Wo do not handlo Turkestan “Dwarf Alfalfa” or cheap 
inferior European seed. We offer only tho very best. 
Our seed should produce hay at *60 per acre annually. 
Can usually furnish Kansas, Nebraska, Montana oc 
Dakota and Grimm Seed at very moderate prices, 
CLOVER and GRASSES 
Northern grown and of strongest vitality. We can 
furnish grass mixture suitable for any soils. 
WING SEED CO., Box »83 Mechanlcsburg, O. 
ALFALFA 
Now Is the time to get ready to sow alfalfa. July and 
August good months. Get our book, Alfalfa, The Wonder 
Crop, Free. Full information on how to successfully 
grow alfalfa. How to prepare the ground, protect and 
harvest. Earn 7* net on *1,000 an acre. Also tells about 
“NITRAGIN,” the famous inoculator. Write today. 
Calloway Bros.-Bowman Co., 275 Galloway Station, Waterloo low* 
“For the Laud’s Sake, use Bowker’s 
Fertilizers; they enrich the earth and 
those who till it.”— Adv. 
There 
lit uu- 
SWEETCLOVER $EED«te^*i&S; 
and circular how to 
grow it, sent on request. E. Barton, Box 29, Falmouth, Ky. 
VEGETABLE PLANTS 
CAULIFLOWER, CELERY, CABBAGE PLANTS. Leading 
Varieties. Large or Small Lots. Mail or Express. 
Catalogue Free. HA RRY L. SQUIRES. Remsenburu, N. V. 
CABBAGE PLANTS^ili^ ,? n0 
“utxn' BflEL HEAD*. FLAT DUTCH.'aLL 
SEASON, ALL HEAD SAVOY, and others—$1 per 1 000 
«8.f.O for 10,00(1. CELERY PLANTS-all leading kirnis 
V £ er J^LT C ,^? IFL0WER plants —$2 00 plr i.ooo: 
J. C- SCHMIDT - - Bristol, Pa. 
STRAWBERRY PLANTS 
For JULY, AUGUST. SEPTEMBER Planting. Runner and 
Pot-grown Plants. Also Raspberry and blackberry 
Plants. All Leading Varieties. Catalogue Free 
HARRY L. SQtflines, KEMSEN BiIkg, 0 N. Y. 
CabbaCB Plants - !? 00 -? 00 , r ' ate Cabbago Plants. All 
i 10 t , 10 Jea<i ' n e varieties at 90c. per 
1,000. Special Prices on large orders. DAVID RUHWAY, Hartly. Del. 
PLAIIT£t SWEET P0TA10. SI -SO per 1.000-CAULf 
■ •JFL0WER, S2 per 1.000. CABBAGE. SI per 1,000 
List free. W. 8. i'OllD & SON, Hartly, Delaware 
FRUIT TREES 
P?LL J0U, l! n ? Varieties at Loss Than Half Agents' 
Prices. Catalogue Free, Harry L Squires, Remsraburg, N. Y. 
Apple Barrels 
,Car lots or less. Prompt 
shipment. ltOHKttT 
GILLIES. Medina, N.Y. 
Hubbard’s ^ Fl Fertilizers 
Seeding Down 
Make new soil ag-aiu. If you have a pieee of land that is not producing 7 
as much as you think it should, write us about it. 
Write today f-.r our booklets. “Soil Fertility,” “The Urn-, Crop,” and “The Apple” and for 
other'farin subjects' "tmTVi’e^^mi^address. 111110 * 1 Va ' UaW * U,fonnation aboIlt and 
THE ROGERS & HUBBARD CO., Address Dept, a, Middletown, Conn. 
OFFICE AND WORKS, PORTLAND, CONN. 
