THE KUKAE NEW-YORKER 
585 
NOTES ON POTATO SPRAYING. 
Results of New Jersey Experiments. 
D r J. T. HEADLEE, the State Entomologist of 
New Jersey, reports the results of several po¬ 
tato spraying experiments which ought to be 
studied by farmers. Briefly stated, experiments 
show a profit of about $40 per acre by spraying po¬ 
tatoes with homemade Bordeaux mixture and ar¬ 
senic. These experiments ran over a period of 10 
years, and seem to prove without any question that 
spraying in New Jersey pays. The dusting method 
was tried alongside of a wet spray. This dusting 
gave good results, but the powder costs too much. 
If a powder could he obtained as cheap as the Bor¬ 
deaux mixture, this dusting would be 
a great success, as it would save the 
cost of pumping water, and making 
mixtures. The best dust was made by 
mixing dry arsenate of lead with sul¬ 
phur. Efforts to cheapen the dust have 
been made by reducing the proportion 
of load below 25%, and using some¬ 
thing cheaper than sulphur to mix with 
it. For instance, one mixture of two 
pounds of sulphur, three pounds of 
gypsum or land plaster, and one pound 
of dry arsenate of lead, gave very fail- 
results. In another case five pounds 
of the land plaster, and one pound of 
the arsenate of zinc gave good results, 
although not as good as where sulphur 
took the place of land plaster in this 
mixture. 
The cost of the homemade Bordeaux 
and arsenate of lead in water was in 
every case lower than that of the dust. 
In one experiment, for instance, the 
cost of dusting was twice that of the 
liquid spray, and the yield where the 
dust was used was a little less than 
the other. All the experiments prove that the 
liquid spray of Bordeaux and arsenate gave a fail- 
profit. In cases where it is not practical for one 
reason or another to use the liquids, the dust will 
certainly pay. As usual it is found that where the 
Bordeaux was thoroughly used, the black flea-beetle 
does not cause as much damage. For New Jersey, 
the following schedule of spraying has been worked 
out, 
1. Spray with Bordeaux and arsenate of lead mix¬ 
ture when the plants are about six inches high in 
such a fashion that all parts of the plant, stems, 
upper and under sides of the leaves will be coated. 
2. Repeat No. 1 every 10 days or two weeks later 
until the vines meet in the rows and 
stop further spraying. 
Four sprayings should be given 
even if the interval between sprayings 
must be shortened to permit the appli¬ 
cation of that number. 
4. If dust is to be used, the applica¬ 
tions should follow the same schedule 
as that outlined for the liquid, and the 
manner of application should be such 
in every case as to coat the entire plant 
completely. 
now as early as you can and put on at least 1.000 
pounds of air-slaked lime worked well into the 
ground. Then sow two pecks of Canada peas and six 
pecks of oats—as we have often advised. It will 
pay to use 300 pounds of a good fertilizer. Let the 
peas and oats grow until late June and then plow 
the growth under and fit the soil. Then seed the 
following mixture and work in : One bushel of buck¬ 
wheat. eight ounces Cow-liorn turnips, six pounds 
of Crimsor Jover and two pecks of rye. Let the 
crop alone. The buckwheat will die down at heavy 
frost, the clover and turnips will grow well during 
the Fall and the rye will live through the Winter. 
Next Spring plow what is left under and you will 
find the character of the soil improved. This is 
TWO PRIZE-WINNING STALLIONS. Fig. 205. 
not the cheapest way to do it, but in your section 
it will pay to spend some money to make such a 
piece of land productive. Large fields or small lots 
the plan is the same—provide drainage, store up and 
sweeten with lime and stuff with organic matter. 
THE PICTURES. 
P EAR ON THORN.—The picture at Fig. 204 was 
taken in Nova Scotia and shows a pear- 
tree in bloom at the time the picture was taken. 
This pear was grafted upon a thorn, the union of 
the wood being near the man’s thumb as shown in 
the picture. Scattered over the country are many 
remarkable cases of grafting; but men who love to 
IMPROVING TOUGH OLD SOIL. 
Will you help me in a matter of a 
Spring cover crop? The land is the 
usual white birch kind and rather low. 
It has been farmed and robbed for years, 
and finally abandoned. Two years ago 
we had a poor crop of Winter rye that 
was plowed under in June. Since that 
it has lain idle and there is quite a turf 
of wild grasses, not more than one or 
two Red clovers. It is a patch of about 
a half acre. I want to fit a part of the 
piece for a small family garden next year. 
The rest will perhaps be planted to fruit. 
I want to improve its condition so that 
it will be ready to use when I want it. 
I have to hire all heavy work done and 
plowing is high here, so have tried to 
find a crop that could be put in now and 
would last till next Spring. Have 
thought of Red or Sweet clover, turnips and buckwheat. 
Will you advise me. and also tell me the quantities of 
seed to use. I expect to put lime on after plowing. 
Northern New Jersey. e. p. c. 
H ERE we have a problem very common to your 
section. This tough old soil needs what we 
call the degree of L.L.D.—lime, legumes and 
drainage. You cannot make a successful garden 
until you make the soil more porous and crumbly. 
Fill it full of organic matter so it will hold moist¬ 
ure in a drought, and give it drainage so as to take 
the surplus water out in a wet season. Sooner or 
later in order to make the soil fit you must ditch 
that field and put in tile or stones with a good out¬ 
let. Lime and cover crops with some manure will 
do the rest. 
I>o not be satisfied with one plowing and seeding. 
into the wilderness to carve out a home with their 
axes. We hope that these old places will long en¬ 
dure. and be permitted to remain on many a farm 
in order that coming generations may get something 
of the lesson which they stand for. 
VALUE OF THE TOY HORSE.—Fig. 205 shows 
two prize-winning stallions side by side. The Shet¬ 
land is a fine specimen of the breed, and we print 
the picture to show the comparative size of this 
toy horse with the larger serviceable animal. The 
best, goods are sometimes tied up in the smallest 
packages, and there is a real demand for these toy 
horse's. Many people like to have their children 
grow up with the Shetland pony as an outdoor com¬ 
panion. and when the child is large enough to appre¬ 
ciate it. such people will buy a yearling 
or even a smaller colt and let the child 
watch its training and development. 
This is an excellent thing to do where 
the child is naturally fond of animals, 
and not headstrong and cruel as some 
children are. A child of that disposi¬ 
tion. however, should never have a 
pony around, as the little horse appre¬ 
ciates good treatment and deserves it. 
A broncho or a goat will be much bet¬ 
ter for the overbearing cruel child, 
and we must admit that some children 
have that sort of a disposition, al¬ 
though their parents and especially 
their mother may perhaps allude to 
them as “an angel child.” The com¬ 
panions of such a child, and especially 
its dumb companions, could tell another 
story. For a child of a good disposi¬ 
tion. however, there is nothing better 
in the way of a barn companion than 
an intelligent Shetland pony. 
THE CARE OF THE TURKEY.— 
Turkey time has come, and as usual at 
this season, hundreds of people con¬ 
clude that they will try raising turkeys. The big 
white fellow shown at Fig. 200 would make a good 
head of the flock for them. While we have many 
letters and articles from people who tell us how easy 
it is to raise turkeys, our own experience leads us 
to the conclusion that the successful turkey raiser 
is born and not made, and also that certain farm 
conditions must exist in order to make the business 
profitable. We find turkeys harder to raise than 
chickens. The young stock are very tender and the 
laying habits of the hens are such that considerable 
care and what one may call instinct are necessary 
to keep track of them. A large farm where a good 
range is possible, also seems to be necessary for 
success with turkeys. They do better 
on high dry situations where they can 
safely roam about without much re¬ 
striction. We have tried different 
breeds, but the White Hollands were 
the most satisfactory for our own situ¬ 
ation, where the farms are narrow and 
small, and where there are many gar¬ 
dens which the turkeys enter, causing 
more or less trouble. The white tur¬ 
keys are tame and gentle, although 
perhaps not quite as hardy as the 
Bronze or the Bourbon Reds. It is a 
great satisfaction and pleasure to see a 
flock of these white birds around tin- 
premises, and it is worth while to try 
to make them grow. Those who at¬ 
tempt it, however, will find that tur¬ 
key raising requires great care and 
judgment. 
THE HEAD OF THE FLOCK. Fig. 20(i. 
do the work have worked out some remarkable 
things in making this union of wood. 
THE OLD HOUSE.—The old house shown at 
Fig. 203 was photographed in Western New York. It 
shows an old log house or homestead—one of the 
pioneer buildings which sheltered an early settler in 
those parts. It has long been abandoned, but we 
are glad it has been permitted to remain as an old 
landmark, showing what our grandfathers endured 
in their struggle against the wilderness for a home. 
The modern young man or woman can see little in 
such a structure, and even if it were new and clean, 
it would be difficult to induce them to live in it. 
They have fallen upon better days, but the older 
people see, in the rude building, a monument to old 
times and the heroic spirit which sent the pioneers 
THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 
AND INFORMATION. 
HAVE noticed with especial interest 
the item in the “Hope Farm” col¬ 
umn. concerning the possibilities of 
obtaining information from the State 
College of Agriculture. Your corres¬ 
pondent asked. “Has the college any obligation to 
furnish to farmers information and advice on prob¬ 
lems that confront them?” In your answer you 
stated that “The college has a moral rather than a 
legal obligation.” There is at least an implied legal 
as well as a moral obligation, but the latter has al¬ 
ways proved a sufficient incentive As you said, 
“The college is willing to help in all reasonable mat¬ 
ters.” 
In fact, the college has a special system to han¬ 
dle the letters asking for information. Each letter 
is referred to some member of the faculty, accord¬ 
ing to the subject matter concerned. For instance, 
questions concerning soils and fertilizers are an¬ 
swered by some member of the Department of Soil 
Technology; questions concerning poultry are an- 
