518 
THE R U R .A. L< I^EW-VORRER 
April 1915. 
Construction of Root Cellar. 
What is the proper method to pursue 
in locating and constructing a root cel¬ 
lar for the storing of apples, potatoes, 
cabbage, turnips, etc., to be used for per¬ 
sonal consumption, during the Winter? 
it. L. II. 
T HE root cellar may be constructed 
either wholly or partially under 
ground, and if the location is naturally 
well drained and dry, considerable sav¬ 
ing in the matter of cementing and water¬ 
proofing can he made. The location may 
be anywhere that the conditions are fav¬ 
orable, but a southeastern or southern 
exposure is preferable, particularly for 
the cave type of cellar, as the freezing is 
somewhat less severe and snow does not 
endure so long as when the exposure is 
facing away from the sun. In many sec¬ 
tions of the hill country, the cave type 
of cellar is the most popular. The site 
for this type of cellar should be quite 
a steep bank, and should be easy of ac¬ 
cess for team and wagon. This type of 
cellar may be any length desired (the 
lay of the ground permitting) but should 
be ratlier narow, the width ranging from 
10 to 15 feet according to the require¬ 
ments. For the construction of this type 
of cellar, a cut is made in the bank the 
desired width and length, and eight or 
10 feet deep at the highest point. The 
walls may be made of stone, brick or 
concrete (preferably the latter) and 
about eight inches thick, the entrance be¬ 
ing on a level with the floor of the cel¬ 
lar. The roof may be of wood or rein¬ 
forced concrete. If constructed of the 
latter it should be deck-shaped, and 
strong enough to bear the weight of a 
covering of 18 or 20 inches of earth, as 
a protection against frost. At the sides 
and top in front retaining walls will need 
to he erected to hold the earth from wash¬ 
ing away that must be placed against the 
sides to keep out frost. Two doors will 
be needed, the one opening inward and 
the other outward. One of them should 
be fitted with a window half its height; 
this window should be hung on hinges at 
the bottom, so it can be lowered for the 
purpose of ventilation on mild days. In 
the center of the roof an air shaft should 
be provided for the admission of cool 
fresh air, and the escape of impure air 
at all times; this is a matter of very 
great importance, as the fruit, etc., in 
ripening gives off more or less heat, and 
this must be regulated by admission of 
cold air from without. For a cellar 
10x12 feet and up to 12x18 feet, the air 
shaft should be not- less than 18 inches 
square on the inside, and long enough to 
extend IS inches or more above the 
ground outside and six inches or so below 
the roof inside. Openings four inches 
deep and 10 inches long, should be made 
at the top of the shaft, and roofed over 
with a four-sided roof, with low project¬ 
ing eaves, so that rain or snow cannot 
blow into the cellar through the air shaft. 
The bottom of the air shaft is fitted with 
a slide door or trap, by which the ven¬ 
tilation may be controlled and regulated 
at till times, to conform with the outside 
temperature, or the requirements of the 
roots and fruits stored therein, as indi¬ 
cated by their condition. 
The cellar must be reasonably dry, and 
if not naturally so, it must be made so 
by cementing, as fruit or root crops will 
not keep well in a continuously damp at¬ 
mosphere. When for any reason a wood¬ 
en roof must be provided, it should be 
of the gable type, joists should be laid 
<>u the walls and covered with seven- 
eighths flooring above and below, and 
have at least one thickness of good 
building paper between them. In the 
cold of Winter two feet of hay or straw 
placed over the floor will make the cel¬ 
lar frost-proof. When it is necessary to 
construct the cellar on level ground, it 
may be sunk the full height of the walls 
or only partially so, as seems best. If 
only partly below the surface, that por¬ 
tion of the wall above ground must be 
banked with earth sufficiently heavy to 
keep out frost, and in either type, if the 
roof is made of reinforced cement it is 
to be covered with earth, same as is done 
with the roof of the cave type. A wood¬ 
en roof for either of these types of cel¬ 
lar is to be in all respects the same as 
for the cave type, as is also the matter 
«.f waterproofing and ventilation. 
The entrance will have to be made by 
the use of steps, and may be arranged 
with an outside door over the steps and 
an inner or cellar door same as for the 
outside entrance to the house cellar. 
Along the walls may be erected, wide 
shelves or shallow bins for fruit, and 
small bins provided on the floor for the 
root crops, which should never be stored 
in large bulk. k. 
What to Do With Rye. 
I am planning to put in quite a few 
acres of Alfalfa, having proved already 
that I can raise it. Last Fall I plowed 
up quite a number of acres of meadow 
and sowed rye, which got a good start 
last Fall. I expect a big growth this 
Spring and I don’t exactly like the idea 
of turning it all under for Alfalfa. Sup¬ 
pose I cut that early for hay before it 
heads out much; would it not spring up 
and grow again, giving me a fair growth 
to turn under about July 15, so to go on 
and prepare ground to sow about August 
15? If rye is cut too early will it 
amount to much for hay, i.e.. will there 
he any goodness in the straw? I sowed 
vetch with much of the rye. F. M. c. 
New Jersey. 
Our experience shows that you can cut 
the rye when in bloom or a little before 
and get a fair quantity of rather infer¬ 
ior hay. It is not and cannot be first- 
class fodder, but stock will eat it after 
a fashion. After cutting a thin stand of 
rye will spring up and give a good crop 
for turning under. Our caution about 
rye is always to use lime when you plow 
it under—no matter if you have used it 
before on the same ground. 
Growing Peas and Oats. 
4 S the end of the oats is so much small- 
er and also stools out some it should 
v be plain that to sow an excess or 
even an equal amount of oats with peas 
would tend to smothor out the peas alto¬ 
gether. I should think the gravel loam 
would be excellent unless too dry. Peas 
require plenty of moisture in order to do 
their best. We raise a limited quantity 
each year, partly for a green soiling crop 
for the cows when pasture gets short, and 
partly for grain. We set the drill to sow 
all it will; I think about 14 pecks ; how¬ 
ever, it doesn’t get that much on an acre: 
about three bushels of the mixture, and 
mixed not over one-half bushel of oats to 
2Vfc bushels of peas. This gives plenty 
of oats to hold the peas off the ground, 
and also gives the peas a chance for their 
life. If sowing for hay alone it probably 
would be better to increase the proportion 
of outs another peck. 
Wayne Co., N. Y. dana p. waldron. 
On page 169, G. D. H. asks for infor¬ 
mation about peas and oats for hay. Last 
season (May 23) we sowed 1% bushels 
Canada peas and two hi sliels oats per 
acre on five acres for silage. We cut 26.8 
tons silage from three acres, and the 
other two we let ripen and cut for grain, 
from which we got a little better than 
20 bushels per acre. This would have 
been better if they bad not shelled, as we 
bad to use a mower, since a binder would 
not work in them. Our soil is a sandy 
loam, and inoculated very easily with¬ 
out the addition of commercial cultures 
for either peas or mover. We used a 
grain drill, sowing the peas just one way, 
then the oats, going over the field the 
other way. This is both easier and 
quicker than plowing, and we think it 
gives as good results. 
G. B. SCnERMEBIIORN. 
Cow Peas and Field Peas. 
E VERY year we have many questions 
concerning the difference between 
these two plants. Farmers are apt to 
confuse them. The Colorado Agricultural 
College prints this statement.. The cow 
pea is naturally a plant for the South: 
“There is a difference between cow peas 
and field peas. Cow peas are. really beans. 
Cow peas are a crop which is grown in 
the South. It requires a hot climate, and 
hot conditions for its development. It 
will not thrive at all in cool weather, and 
the least frost absolutely kills it. Field 
peas on the other hand are true peas, and 
will stand a very great deal of cold. They 
are not injured by slight frosts. They 
grow better in cool climates where the 
days are relatively cool and the nights 
quite cool. Cow peas are not adapted for 
Colorado conditions. In fact they can 
only be grown in a very few of the warm¬ 
er portions of the State. Field peas, how¬ 
ever, are an excellent crop for our high 
Colorado altitudes and cooler situations.” 
The disk is the best tool on the farm, 
aside from the plow. Colorado says that 
after applying manure to the surface of 
the ground, disking will incorporate it 
much more evenly in the soil, and reduce 
the harmful effects of excessive fermen¬ 
tation which occurs from plowing manure 
under. Sod that is dry, if disked before 
plowing will be more mellow, compact 
and surface less liable to excessive evap¬ 
oration. Root crops that are to be plant¬ 
ed on Spring-plowed land will do better 
if the land has been disked previous to 
plowing. When stubble remains on the 
ground, disking breaks it up into small 
pieces so that when it is plowed under 
the organic matter is more evenly dis¬ 
tributed. Before working under green 
crops it is advisable to trail them down, 
and cut them up with the disk. 
PJI• 
5* | 
Iplfsl; 
ilisilfs ; 1 
Northern grown. Pedigree stock, average germination 95-98 per cent. 
Dibble’s Mammoth Early Yellow Flint. Best for husking crop for 
the northern States. With us, matures in around 100 days. Stalks 8-10 
feet high, ears 10-15 inches long. Record yields—243 bushels from 
one acre in New’ Hampshire, 460 bushels from two acres in New 
York. Price, bushel, 52.25 ; 2-bu. bag, 54.00; 10 bushels, 517.50. 
For the f'lo. Where seasons are short and frosts come earlv, 
use Dibble's Early Yellow Dent and Dibble’s Improved Learning, 
and for the biggest growth of stalks you ever grew, with ears on 
them, plant Dibble’s Mammoth IVhit* Dent. Price, bushel, 52 00 : 
2-bu. bag, 53.00; 10 bushels, 513.50. 
Dibble's Big Red Dent. A new one worth trying. 
Samples for the asking and DIBBLE’S FARM SEED 
CATALOG FREE. Address 
EDWARD F. DIBBLE, Seedgrewer, Henesye Falls, N.Y., Bex B IV 
Headquarters lor Farm Seeds 
REAL SEED CORN 
SAULS 
[SELECT 
SEEDS 
is SEEDB 
Bnv pure seeds at bulk prices. Saul’s Seeds for field, 
garden or flower bed come up right, because carefully 
selected. 
- Specialties—Early Eureka,the moat productive White Ensilage Corn; 
Yellow Ensilage Corns; Saul’s Northern Grown Alfalfa Clover. I.one 
Pod Peas: Every variety of Grain, Vegetable. Garden and Flower 
Seeds. Write for 1015 Annual now and get right on seed values. 
CHARLES F. SAUL, 227 James Street, Syracuse, N 
Sit! GRAPEVINES 
69 varieties. Also Small Fruits. Trees, etc. Best rooted 
stock. Genuine, cheap. 2 samnle vines—10c. Descriptive 
price list free. Lewis Roesch, Box L. Fredonia. N. Y. 
SNAPDRAGON 
My specialty. G. S. 
—is the coming garden (lower 
Blossoms entire season. Postal 
for list, of choice new varieties. 
RAMSBURQ. Someraworth. N. H. 
Big, Luscious Strawberries 
—the kind that win great admiration for 
their beauty and flavor —can be grown 
right in your own garden. Allen’s True- 
To-Name plants assure you of large 
crops of big delicious berries. They are 
hardy and true-to-type—the result of 
over 30 years’ careful study and selection. They 
comprise all the early and late strains olthe standard 
varieties. Prompt shipment of any quantity. Fresh 
stock, careful selertion. All plants guaranteed 
truc-to-namc. Write for 
Allen’s 1915 Berry Book 
Gives latest cultural methods. 
Describes fully Allen's many 
varieties ot strawberries and 
other small fruits. It's free. 
Write for copy today. 
T^-W.F. Allen Co. 
72 Market St. 
Salisbury, Md. 
Strawberry Plants^;.™:',’, SS?&~£ 
tive Catalogue Free. Basil Perry. Georoetown. Del. 
•’SUPERB” Qfrou/hnrripc a success. Circular Free. 
Everbearing Oil dUUCI IIGS WILLARD B KIU.E, Swedesboro, N. J. 
C» pepio EVERBEARING RASPBERRY PLANTS —grown 
dl. on rav own fruit farm. Price reason¬ 
able. PAUL L. HEGGAN. Waterford, N. J. 
Strawberry Planlstt^'p'Sk. 
logue free. II. H. lienuing, K. 5, Clyde, N’. Y 
STRAWBERRY PLANTS 
1,000 for *1 as per new otter in free catalogue. All 
varieties and Everbearers. .Seed corn, potatoes, trees, 
vines, shrubs, raspberries and everything- 
AI.LEGAX NITKSKHY, ALLEGAN, MICH, 
NEW STRAWBERRIES 
Reliable, interesting and instructive— All about *he New 
Everbearers and other important varieties. Address 
C. N. FLANSBURGH & SON, JACKSON, MICH. 
STRAWBERRY PLANTS 
Earliest. Latest, Largest. Most Productive Varieties 
RASPBERRY, BLACKBERRY GOOSEBERRY, CURRANT. 
ASPARAGUS. RHUBARB. HORSERAOISH. CABBAGE. 
PLANTS. FRUIT TREES. GAR0EN SEEDS 
All leading varieties. Catalogue free 
HARRY L. SQUIRES _ Romsenburg, N. V. 
GROWN ON NEW LAND 
Thrifty plants, how to get them 
delivered to you free of Expiess 
charges. I have been in the 
Plant business 45 years. 1 will 
tell you how to grow si 
large cron in time of 
Drouth. 
If you receive my Cat¬ 
alogue it won't be thrown into the 
_ waste basket. Send me the names 
of all the Strawberry Growers you know. 
C. S. PRATT. - " READINC, MASS. 
Strawberry Plantilg^.’.’ 1 ?^^, 
makers. Cabbage Plants for March and April. 
Asparagus roots and all other Vegetable Plants in 
their season. Send postal for Free Catalog. PEN¬ 
ROSE PLANT 8TRUCKFARM, W. P.Drake, Prop., Dover, Dela. 
B UCK DIAMOND, Blackberry and other varieties, Raspberry 
and Strawberry plants; Asparagus and Rhubarb roots; 
Sweet Potato seed. Catalog free. M. N. B0RG0, Vineland, N. J. 
McKinley 
THE CHAMPION 
Main Crop Potato 
Form andcolormost in demand formarket; 
white skin; enormous yielder; has record of 
12 acres average 400 bu. to acre. Pound 
15 cts. postpaid, peck 60 cts„ (not prepaid), 
bushel $1.75—2 'A bu. $3.75; 5 bu. $7.00. 
Irish Cobbler, best early, peck 40c; bu. $1.25. 
Free SEED Catalogue. Write Today 
THE W.W. BARNARD CO., Dept. H, 
231-235 Wost Madison St., CHICAGO, ILL. 
Bethel Beauty Seed Potatoes 
‘ The peer of them ail for the main crop.” That’s 
what my customers say. and I’m willing to admit it. 
Also standard varieties. Unheard-of low prices. 
I L. WAKE, - - Gardiner, Maine 
Sweet Clover Seed-Cre l d e ye a iil la ^o 
bu. of 60 lbs. R. E. Purdy, Falmouth, Ky. 
L 
EEDLESS FIELD SEED 
We are trying witli all our might to furnish ab¬ 
solutely pure. Red, Alsike, Mammoth. Alfalfa, 
Timothy, Sweet Clover, and all other field seeds, 
with all blasted and immature grains removed. 
Write todav for free .ample, and imtriirtiooi 
“ flow to Know Good Seed." 
O. M. 8001T li SON, 23 Main 9*., Uirrivtlle, Ohio 
I 
OATS 
for seed purposes, four varieties, 80ets. per bushel and 
upwards. Bags free. Freight paid on 10 bushel ordei> 
to points in I’enna. and adjoining States. Catalog ami 
Samples FREE. Everything in Seed for the Fan 
and 
m 
A. H. HOFFMAN, LANDISVILLE, Pfl. 
Podisroocl Seed Corn 
This High Y lelding Yellou Kent Corn is the finished 
product of continuous breeding. Write for pamphlet 
and prices. CARL B. THOMAS. R. F. 0.. West Chester. Pa. 
PURE FIELD SEEDS 
(’lover, Timothy, A Hike, Alfalfa and till kinds ol 
PURE FIELD SEEDS direct from producer to con¬ 
sumer: free from noxious weeds. Ask for samples 
A. C. HOYT & CO., Box R, Fostoria, O. 
CERTIFIED SEED POTATOES 
Lowell Green Mountain, Dibble’s Russet, Earb 
Surprise, Clyde, Early Eureka. Write for special 
quantity price. FRANK LOWELL & SONS. Gardiner, Me 
FOR SALE 
Cow Peas. $2.50 bushel; Soy Beans. $2 60 bushel; 
Crimson Clover Seed. $6 bushel; Red Clover Seed. 
$9.50 bushel; Bean Screenings. $40 ton: Oat Flakes. 
$50 ton. Joseph K. Holla nil. Milford, Delaware 
j 
$1,000 an Acre 
Actually made growing the latest kinds of 
Ever-Bearing Strawberries 
THAT FRUIT SAME YEAR AS PLANTED 
Don’t buy until you write for my Free Catalogue telling 
what kinds to grow and how to grow them. 
C. S. KEMPTON, Long meadow. Mass, 
Grower of the famous Longmeadow Cantaloupe. 
Mr. Kempton was one of the first growers to take up the produc¬ 
tion of Ever-Bearing Strawberries.—(Eo. Farm and Home.) 
