i 014. 
THK RURAL NEW-YORKER 
1 1 83 
Potatoes on Old Soil. 
W OULD plowing sod land this Fall, 
sowing Winter rye, then turning it 
under in the Spring prepare the 
land for potatoes? We have a moist, 
rich soil, and all crops have done well 
this Summer. If this would not answer, 
would further preparation make it fit for 
potatoes, or must another crop precede 
them? H. L. c. 
Medway, Mass. 
It will depend upon the character of 
that sod. Old pasture land which has not 
been plowed for some years usually con¬ 
tains large numbers of grubs and similar 
insects which might injure the potatoes. 
Tt would he a mistake to plant potatoes 
directly upon such land, as the white 
grub would give much trouble. Such 
sod would be better if turned over in the 
Fall and left through the Winter in rough 
furrow, so that the air would work 
through and help to break up the sod. 
We should prefer therefore to plant corn 
on such a sod. If the sod is not well 
stocked with grubs and other insects, the 
plan you speak of will answer very well, 
but do it as soon as you can and seed 
rye. Next Spring plow this rye under 
and plant the potato seed deep. In our 
own experience this method of culture 
has given us better results than any other. 
It is a mistake to assume that the old 
sod and the rye will supply all the needs 
of a good potato crop; 600 pounds or 
more of a good potato fertilizer should 
he used for best results. 
Vaccination Law. 
I S the law compelling vaccination be¬ 
fore children can attend school con¬ 
stitutional? What can be done to the 
parents if they do not have children vac¬ 
cinated? I know of instances where chil¬ 
dren have died from vaccination, and but 
few die from smallpox nowadays. I 
heard a doctor say that he would as soon 
care for smallpox as measles. How do 
they figure this out? They say that if a 
child comes to school unvaccinated they 
will send him home, yet if he does not go 
to school they will compel it. c. I. M. 
Yes; the compulsory vaccination law 
has repeatedly been held constitutional by 
the courts as a proper exercise of the po¬ 
lice powers of the State. The only alter¬ 
native for those who object to vaccina¬ 
tion is to provide such educational facili¬ 
ties for their children as will meet the 
educational requirements of the State and 
excuse the children from attendance upon 
public schools. As a public health officer 
for many years, the writer has seen much 
of vaccination and has had a considerable 
number of smallpox cases under obser¬ 
vation I have never personally seen or 
known cf any serious results following 
vaccination, though I am well aware that 
lack of cleanliness during, or after, the 
operation or the use of impure virus 
might cause trouble. Such accidents are 
absolutely preventable, however, and can¬ 
not he charged against vaccination. So 
little fear of any accident have I that I 
have repeatedly vaccinated myself, and 
would do so again were I exposed to an 
outbreak of smallpox. The protection af¬ 
forded by vaccination is a variable one, 
particularly as to the time that it holds 
good, but no one who is at all likely to be 
•■xposed to this loathsome disease can af¬ 
ford not to avail himself of it. No one 
with the slightest acquaintance with the 
history of smallpox and its control by 
vaccination could fail to recognize the in¬ 
debtedness of humanity to this method of 
prevention. It is only because vaccina¬ 
tion has placed such a check upon the dis¬ 
ease that the present generation knows it 
only in its present mild form and has 
largely lost fear of it. The reappearance 
of a malignant type of smallpox, such as 
may come at any moment, would quickly 
banish all opposition to vaccination and 
cause the world to again recall the un¬ 
told horrors of the disease in pre-vaccina¬ 
tion times. M. B. D. 
The Agricultural Department at 
Washington is recommending Sudan grass 
as a forage crop for the Central Plains 
and the Southern States. This grass is 
closely related to the sorghums. It looks 
something like Johnson grass, but unlike 
that grass it does not propagate from 
root-stocks. Thus it will not overrun the 
entire farm and become a weed like quack 
grass, as Johnson grass does. It gives 
several cuttings a year, amounting to a 
heavy crop. The hay is of about the 
same quality as Johnson grass or Tim¬ 
othy. It has many advantages where it 
will do well. It is thought that this 
Sudan grass will take the place of the 
millet in many parts of the country, and 
is said to be worth trying all through the 
West and South, but it is not likely that 
it will prove very useful along the upper 
Atlantic Coast. 
THE MAIL BAG. 
Harrowing Timothy Sod. 
M Y farm is in Connecticut. I cut my 
Timothy late this Summer, a great 
per cent, of seed had ripened and fell 
to the ground. If I should harrow over 
this ground would that help falling seed 
to re-seed the ground, or would such oper¬ 
ation loosen roots of Timothy now stand¬ 
ing, causing it to freeze out in Winter? 
Would I gain anything by such an opera¬ 
tion? My ground has a very good stand, 
but is thinning each year. j. w. B. 
We doubt if you would gain much by 
this harrowing. It might quicken up the 
old grass a little, but would not hurt it 
seriously. It is very doubtful if this new 
seed will thicken the stand of grass. We 
have not been able to improve such a 
stand except by breaking up and reseed¬ 
ing. If the stand is still good top¬ 
dressing in Spring with a good fertilizer 
would be the most practical way of get- 
ing more grass. 
Cover Crop for Orchard. 
M Y young orchard, four years old, has 
been in raspberries, which I want 
to take out. Would you advise tak¬ 
ing them out right away to plow and get 
in shape for rye for cover crop, or would 
it start too much wood growth on peach 
trees? The orchard is apple, with peach 
as fillers. I have not had a crop of 
peaches yet. There was lots of bloom 
on them and they set well, but later dried 
up and dropped off. The trees have 
grown fast and are large and healthy- 
looking, the soil is not very rich, I think 
lacks humus; it is hard and cracked 
open. I. B. 
Columbiana. O. 
We should try and get the berry vines 
out at once and seed to rye and turnips 
or rape. This crop growing through the 
Fall will probably offset the effect of cul¬ 
tivation to get the ground ready for 
seeding. 
Yellow Wa c h for Buildings. 
W ILL you tell me how to mix a good 
yellow wash suitable for outhouses 
on my plantation, which are ex¬ 
posed to a tropical sun? b. b. 
Vego Alta, I*. R. 
For every 20 gallons desired, one bushel 
good hard burned lime, one gallon raw 
linseed oil. five pounds common table salt, 
five pounds (approximately) dry yellow 
ochre. Put sufficient water into a barrel, 
add lime slowly, keeping same well 
stirred, that it does not burn. When lime 
is boiling well add the ochre, which you 
have before hand-mixed to a very thin 
paste in a separate vessel. The amount 
of ochre will vary according to the depth 
of color desired. You must govern your¬ 
self. When ochre is mixed in, dump in 
oil; when oil is mixed in, then add salt. 
The life of this mixture is dependent on 
the length of time it takes to mix same. 
The object is to get the color, the oil, and 
salt, each thoroughly mixed into the lime 
separately and have all in before the 
lime stops boiling; then to take a piece 
of cheese-cloth or wire fly netting and 
strain wash through into another barrel 
before it is cold. I know of a barn 1 
helped coat as an apprentice 22 years 
ago with above mixture and it still wears 
on the sheltered side. My neighbor next 
door to me coated his barn last Winter 
with same mixture, and not a trace re¬ 
mains of it. Just understand what you 
are to do, and when bubbling time comes, 
do it. I have used this wash (not al¬ 
ways yellow, different colors) 22 years, 
and never had it go back on me. I have 
had employees mix same and more often 
than not, it turns out badly, because they 
will not attend to business at bubbling 
time. When adding ochre remember that 
the wash dries 50% lighter than when 
wet; make it twice as dark in the barrel 
as color you desire. a. f. e. 
Use of Bromo-Seltzer. 
I S Bromo-seltzer, the commonly used 
remedy for headache, regarded as a 
habit-forming drug by the medical 
profession? What are the common effects 
when used in excess? g. s. t. 
Cornwall Bridge, Conn. 
An analysis of “Bromo-seltzer,” made 
by the American Medical Association 
showed it to contain potassium bromide, 
acetanilid and caffein : none of these drugs i 
are considered habit forming in the usual 
sense of that phrase but the acetanilid 
is a heart depressant and in overdose dan¬ 
gerous. Several deaths have been re¬ 
ported from use of this nostrum and it 
would be well for those using it to assure 
themselves that they have no inherent 
weakness of the heart rendering them es¬ 
pecially susceptible to drugs of the na¬ 
ture of acetanilid. m. b. d. 
Destroying Poison Ivy. 
D O you know anything that will kill 
poison ivy? j. y. r. 
East Hartford, Conn. 
Grubbing out with the hoe and burning, 
and frequent cutting of the tops, wi'l ex¬ 
terminate the pest. Free application of 
hot brine to the tender young growth is 
destructive to it, but also destroys other 
vegetation. Concentrated sulphuric acid, 
a small quantity applied to the crown of 
each plant destroys it, but is dangerous 
to use. We are told that some stock 
browses on it quite freely. 
\ 7 \ ($ Journey* 0 
pprp \ armcofarm 
These 3^ L•Ill- 
Valuable Books 
W -I 
Write for 
I Your Copy NOW 
They contain infor¬ 
mation which will be 
worth many dollars to 
you — the truth about 
sheet metal. They tell 
why 
ARMCO IRON 
Resists Rust 
Every page contains interesting news about one of the 
most important subjects before you today — how to pre¬ 
vent the loss from rust. By word and by picture these 
books tell you the big money-saving facts, the real truth, 
about sheet metal—why you should insist on Armco Iron. 
Armco—American Ingot Iron lasts many times longer 
than ordinary sheet metal, because it is pure iron. Im¬ 
purities make ordinary sheet metal rust. Armco Iron is 
purified to the greatest possible extent and every pro¬ 
cess of manufacture which has a bearing on rust-resist¬ 
ance is subjected to constant care and study. No purer, 
more rust-resisting iron has ever been manufactured. 
“ Iron Roofs that Resist Rust” tells all about Armco 
Roofing, while A Journey to Armco Farm” tells how 
you can equip your farm — indoors and out — with better 
sheet metal articles. Some of the articles of 
American Ingot Iron on Armco Farm are: 
The trade mark ARMCO car¬ 
ries the assurance that Iron 
bearing that mark is manu¬ 
factured by 'I he American 
Bolling Mill Co. with the 
ski) I.intelligence and fidelity 
associated with its product^ 
and hence can be depended 
upon to possess in the highest 
degree the merit claimed for 
it. 
Resolve to have longer- 
lived sheet metal products. 
Send for these two valu¬ 
able books. Clip and mail 
coupon. 
Corrngalod Roofing. Torne Plate Shingles, Armco Tin 
Roofing, Rango, Walor Troughs, WalerTank, Rof.-lgcr- 
a(or. Silo, Slovos nnd Fnrnaoos, Cnlverls, Fence Posts, 
Milk Cans, Page Wire Fencing, Enameled Ware. 
The American Rolling Mill Co., Middletown, 0. 
Licensed Manufacturers under Patents granted 
International Metal Products Company 
THE AMERICAN ROLLING MILL CO. 
Box 553, Middletown, Ohio 
Please mail to me, free, “Iron Roofs 
that Resist Rust” and “A Journey to 
Armco Farm.” 
Name.... 
Address, ■„,,,,, ......,,,. 
Why buy a crusher that crushes only one 
size product when you can get a Wheeling 
which is adjustable to crush any size by 
simply making a quick adjustment. This 
makes the Wheeling Limestone Crusher 
as valuable for road work or concrete as for 
lime crushing—and you can start small 
and add capacity as needed—another ex¬ 
clusive Wheeling advantage. Think what 
it means in added earning power and 
adaptability to your particular requirements—no 
big nvestment at the start, 
WHEELINg 
^RUSHER 
WRITE FOR 
THIS BOOK 
tells how liming | 
increases crops | 
and profits. 
To change 
size of 
product 
just turn 
a nut. 
The Wheeling is steel-built—three 
times stronger than cast iron—lighter—runs 
with your own power. 
Made in seven different sizes for every crushing 
condition by the pioneer manufacturers of 
crushers. 
WHEELING MOLD & FOUNDRY CO. 
504 Raymond Street Wheeling, W. Va. 
illows one person to do sawing At 
■ left is Gray IndependentD> ag ^ 
‘ Saw Machine with power log g| 
"feed. Write now for Free Cata-^K 
log describing these money-making^ 
labor-saving machines. " 
A. W. GRAY’S SONS 
' South St., Middletown Springs, Vt. 
TESTED SAW MACHINES 
[iy Situated in the heart of Vermont, we’ve studied wood sawing problems at ( 
'■ first hand ever since 1840. There’s a Gray Saw 
Machine for every need—and everyone has 
proved its worth under exacting tests. 
Illustration at top of ad shows Gray Attach¬ 
able Saw Rig mounted with our 5 and 6 H. P. 
Engine. Rig can be attached to your own 
truck frame or wagon by home-made support - 
,, ,.-_ - - -—*- ing frame. Balance wheel provided with drive 
S t tters * P ulle y- Gra y Circular Saw Machine with slide 
table shown at right; extended table 
A money-maker for 
fall or winter 
work 
The leg is used for bracing th 
table to neutri 
lize the v 
b ratio 
caused by engir 
pull on f ram 
When you write advertisers mention The R. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reph 
and a square deal.” See guarantee editorial page. 
