THE RURAL, NEW*YORKEK 
729 
Heading Off the Mole. 
Moles belong to the order inseetivora, 
and being voracious feeders upon grubs, 
worms, and other such ground pests, they 
well might be considered man’s ally in 
agriculture rather than as a pest in them¬ 
selves, were it not for the ruthless man¬ 
ner in which they tear through the 
ground, uprooting spring seeds and young 
plants in their hunt after insects. The 
well-cultivated and newly planted gar¬ 
dens are their favorite hunting grounds; 
consequently, they are very destructive, 
and very difficult to handle without caus¬ 
ing more destruction to tender and but 
slightly rooted plants. 
One morning last season I was shocked 
at the night work of the moles in my new 
clover lawn that was just beginning to 
show green. They had criss-crossed and 
ridged the ground until the entire sur¬ 
face of the plot presented a raised ap¬ 
pearance. I was in a quandary, and 
had about concluded to dig out the moles 
and replant the lawn, when I thought 
of the ever-present remedy about our 
grounds and poultry yard—kerosene. I 
took a gallon can with a long slim noz¬ 
zle, which I inserted deep enough in the 
runways to inject the oil considerably 
below the short roots of the sprouting 
clover, and applied a little of the oil 
every few inches along the runs, using 
an extra amount at the edges where the 
moles entered and left the plot. The next 
morning the ground had nearly all set¬ 
tled to its original level. To the few 
remaining raised portions I again ap¬ 
plied the oil and also at the edges of the 
plot, and there ended my troubles with 
the lawn so far as the moles counted. 
After a thorough sprinkling the ground 
settled evenly and the starting clover 
was none the worse for either the moles 
or the kerosene. The moles have never 
invaded that lawn since and this season 
I have a smooth well-matted stand of 
clover. I have continued to use the kero¬ 
sene treatment wherever the moles make 
themselves obtrusive. It has proved ef¬ 
fective in every case and solved the mole 
difficulty in a simple manner, while at 
the same time preserving this insectivor¬ 
ous animal for its line of usefulness. 
M. RUSSELL JAMES. 
Raspberries Winter-killing. 
We have a raspberry patch, not over 
an eighth of an acre, and for four years 
they yielded splendidly, there being a 
kirge increase in the amount of berries 
picked each year. The fourth year we 
picked over 26 bushels. A year ago this 
Spring we found about three-quarters of 
the bushes had died and we attributed it 
to the severe Winter and lack of snow. 
I hey came up from the roots and the new 
growth was very rank, so we anticipated 
a good crop this year, but this Spring, al¬ 
though the Winter has been mild here 
with the ground well covered with snow 
until late in February, we find a great 
many of the bushes are dead again. We 
have not fertilized them for two seasons, 
as they have grown so luxuriantly we 
thought possibly the ground had been too 
rich and this might, together with the se¬ 
vere cold a year ago, have been the cause 
of so many of the bushes dying. But this 
Spring we can find no reason for there 
being so many dead stalks. If you can 
give us any light on the subject we shall 
be grateful. c. m. b. 
Tilton, N. II. 
The conditions described in the above 
letter, can be the results of but two 
causes, late cultivation and copious Au¬ 
tumn rains following a prolonged and se¬ 
vere Summer drought. The results would 
be about the same in either case, or with 
a combination of both. It frequently hap¬ 
pens that during a prolonged and severe 
Summer drought very little attention is 
given to cultivation. The ground being 
dry and hard, weed growth is greatly re¬ 
duced and the necessity for cultivation 
during that time being entirely over¬ 
looked, also the arrested growth of the 
young plants is overlooked. When rains 
come at latter end of the season, weeds 
and berry plants take on new life, and 
commence vigorous growth, anyone who 
abhors weeds is apt to start in cultivat¬ 
ing to keep them down, and while sub¬ 
duing the weeds stronger and more vig- 
01 ous growth is promoted in the new 
canes, they go into the Winter immature 
with the result of a large percentage of 
them being Winter-killed to the ground 
before Spring. The same results are 
liable to occur, when late rains follow a 
Summer drought, when late cultivation 
has not been given. Also, if Autumn cul¬ 
tivation is practiced in a normal season. 
The cultivation of the raspberry should 
begin early in the Spring, and be con¬ 
tinued at intervals of 10 or 12 days until 
August 1. when all cultivation should cease 
for the season, so as to check the growth 
of the canes, that they may harden up for 
the Winter. Late cultivation promotes 
late soft growth that will suffer more or 
less during the Winter, frequently re¬ 
sulting in a large percentage of the canes 
being killed. k. 
Bulletins. 
We have had many requests from read¬ 
ers this Spring about “bird houses,” and 
how to make them. There seems to be 
renewed interest in caring for the bird, 
and many of our readers, and especially 
the children, are anxious to attract as 
many of these little friends as is possible. 
The Department of Agriculture at Wash¬ 
ington has issued Farmers’ Bulletin 609. 
entitled “Bird Houses and How to Build 
Them.” It gives many pictures and de¬ 
scriptions of such houses, tells where to 
place them, something about their care 
and a general discussion of the habits of 
some of our common birds. It is an ex¬ 
cellent pamphlet, and those of our readers 
who are interested in these bird problems 
ought to obtain this bulletin and make a 
study of it. 
A pamphlet that will interest all po¬ 
tato growers in the Eastern States is 
Joint Circular No. 1, issued by the Con¬ 
necticut Agricultural College Station. 
This gives in a concise form information 
about growing potatoes as a cash crop in 
Connecticut. This includes facts about 
varieties, culture, insects, diseases and 
fertilizers, stating the whole story in 
plain, simple language which any" one 
can understand. It is a good pamphlet 
for the potato grower. 
Peach Growing in West Virginia is the 
title of Extension Bulletin No. 1, issued 
from the Virginia Agricultural College 
at Blacksburg. This pamphlet has been 
prepared by G. C. Starcher, the assistant 
agriculturist at the College. This is a 
good pamphlet, giving a brief historical 
sketch of peach growing in Virginia, the 
proper soil for the peach, best varieties 
for the section, methods of culture, and 
also a good study of packing and hand¬ 
ling the crop. It is well illustrated, and 
taken altogether an excellent publication. 
One good thing about these pamphlets is 
the fact that they do not try to lay down 
any cast-iron rule for the reader to fol¬ 
low. That method of instruction may 
suit some people, but the great volume of 
country people will do better if they can 
have the principles clearly explained, and 
then be left free to go on and adapt them 
if they can to their own conditions. We 
have had too much of this rule of write, 
which in its way is worse than the rule 
of thumb. It’s much better to give the 
reader the foundation of fact, and let him 
reason it out in his own way. Of course 
we realize some of our people will not 
agree with this, but we state our own 
conviction after many years of observa¬ 
tion. 
Bird House for Martins. 
I have been interested in reading the 
article, page 558, about II. N.’s (Hanni¬ 
bal, Ohio) experience with his purple 
martin house. According to the U. S. 
Department of Agriculture, Bulletin No. 
609, the hole for the purple martins 
should be 2 y 2 inches, but if there are any 
starlings around Hannibal, Ohio, H. N. 
will save himself a lot of trouble if he 
will make the hole 1% inch in diameter 
and then put a smaller hole about 
seven-eighths inch in diameter along¬ 
side of the larger one, about even 
with the top. The 1%-ineh hole is just 
large enough for a martin, but they will 
not go in unless there is another hole, as 
their body just fills up the large hole, 
making the inside dark, and this they do 
not like, as they want to know where 
they are going. The smaller hole gives 
the necessary light and satisfies them. 
Starlings cannot occupy a house with 
1%-inch holes, as it is too small for 
them. A couple of weeks ago I built a 
martin house and used the 2%-ineh holes 
as recommended by the U. S. Bulletin 
609, but since then I have received the 
information I have given you, and I have 
made the house over again with smaller 
holes. h. R. b. 
Upper Montclair, N. J. 
“If any man here,” shouted the tem¬ 
perance speaker, “can name an honest 
business that has been helped by the sa¬ 
loon, I will spend the rest of my life work¬ 
ing for the liquor people.” A man in the 
audience arose. “I consider my business 
and honest one,” he said, “and it has 
been helped by the saloon?” “What 
is your business?” yelled the orator. “I, 
sir,” responded the man, “am an under¬ 
taker.”—Oregon Journal. 
1 
A Summary 
of Values 
We buy Clothcraft 
Clothes from a Cleve¬ 
land firm that has been 
in the business since 
1846—The Joseph & 
Feiss Company. 
In their big, clean, 
well-lighted factory 
the making of medium- 
priced clothes has be¬ 
come a science. 
It means a better 
grade of all-wool fab¬ 
rics, and linings, and 
improved tailoring of 
every detail from the 
soft roll of the collar 
and the unbreakable 
coat front, to the posi¬ 
tion of a pocket or the 
sewing of a seam. 
In a word — Cloth- 
craft at $10 to $20 
means more for your 
money—and steady 
customers for us. 
CLOTHCRAFT 
All W>ol Clotkes 
*10 io * 20 ^ 
The Clothcraft Store 
(IN YOUR TOWN) 
Write to The Joseph & Foiss Co., 636 St. Clair A ve., Cleve¬ 
land. Ohio, for the Clothcraft Stylo Prints, a sample of the all- 
wool Bento used in Clothcraft 5130, and a personal note of 
introduction to the nearest Clothcraft Store. 
for potatoes- 4 styles to choose from to suit your 
special conditions. We guarantee them to do the 
work we claim for them. All growers know that it pays 
to use diggers even on five acres-they save much 
valuable tune and save all of the crop in good condition 
NONAGE DIGGERS 
No. 155 » Wheels, 32 or 28 inch. Elevator, 22 or 
For V 20 inches wide. Thorough separation 
Heaviest If without injury to the crop. Best two 
Conditions | wheel fore truck. Right adjustment 
of plow, shifts in gear from the seat 
Can be backed,turnsshort into next row] 
Ask your dealer about them and 
write us for descriptive booklet. 
BATEMAN 
M’F'G CO. 
Box 20 
Grenloch, N. J. 
N.-Y. and you II get a quick reply and a 
“square deal.” See guarantee editorial page. 
Direct from 
Factory, 
to 
User 
2 H-P, $34.95 
4 H-P. 69.75 
6 H-P, 97.75 
8 H-P, 139.65 
12 H-P, 197.00 
16 H-P. 308.80 
F. O. B. Factory 
Portable Engine* 
Proportionally Low . 
WITTE Engines 
Kerosene, Gasoline and Gas 
Stationary.fskidded or on iron base), and Mounted 
Styles. Standard the world over for 28 years. Better 
today than ever. Why pay double price for a good 
engine, or take a poor or doubtful one for any price, 
when the WITTE costs so little and saves all risk! 
5-Year Guaranty 
On Efficiency and Dnrability. 
Dlreot from Factory to Users, for cash or on 
easy terms, at prices hitherto unheard of, for en¬ 
gines or these merits: Long-wearing, semi-steel, 
separable cylinders, and four-ring pistons: all verti¬ 
cal valves; automobile ignition; spark shift for easy 
starting; variable speed; and others, without which 
no engine can now be high-grade. I am Bimply shar¬ 
ing my manufacturing advantages with engine 
buyer-users—asking only one small factory profit. 
New Book Free The most 
*■—;-- easy-to- 
underetand engine book in the busi¬ 
ness. Gives the “inside” of engine 
selling as well as manufacturing. 
Shows my liberal selling plans with 
complete price list. Write me your 
full address to my office nearest you, 
for my prompt reply. 
Ed. H. Witte, Witte Engine Works, 
1891 Oakland Av., Kansas City,Mo* 
Office 188 , - Pittsburgh, Pa 
Cushman Light Weight Engines 
For AH Farm Work 
Most useful farm en« . 
gines. Built to run with¬ 
out trouble and do t h ing 9 
no other engines can do. 
Throttle Governed. Fric¬ 
tion Clutch Pulley. Run 
at any speed. Ve-y light 
weight, easy to 
move from job 
to job. 4H.P 
Handy 
.Truck 
weighs only 190 lbs. Sizes 
4 to 20 H. P. 10-year Guar¬ 
antee. Not a cheap engine, 
but cheap in the 
long run. 40-page 
Engine Book free. 
CUSHMAN MOTOR WORKS 
847 North 21st Slroot 
Lincoln, Nebraska 
| Throttle Governed-Steadyi^ Quiet 
| 
iIHumim 
Ullilillli uillHUllllu linn uni.imm. .ill I 
P Tp n n nn i | |ifffii 
THMlllnffi“i«liiinil|iMii|| 
me 
_ Lowest priced high-grade engine on market 
A wonderful little engine for farm work. 1 £ H. P. 
with great overload capacity. Parts inter¬ 
changeable. Spark-timing lever prevents in¬ 
jury to operator in starting; circuit-breaker 
saves needless current: device alters engine’s 
speed while running. Other 4 Write 
Jacobson engines. A for illustrated 
stationary and port- WW SI bulletin. 
able, up to 25 H. P. 
JACOBSON MACHINE 
MFC. 
Warren, Pa., U. S. A. 
Prices Now Less Than 
—.' jUi . 
HAY CAPS 
Stack, wagon and implement covers: 
waterproof or plain canvas. Plant bed 
cloth, tents, etc. Circulars, samples. 
HENRY DERBY 
453 Y, St. Paul’s Ave., Jersey City, N. J. 
Hf _ 
Increased output, reduced cost, 
m one, small profit makes lowest 
' SIHHI onglDe a Prices possible. 
H For 1 1-2 H.P. 
■ Galloway Midg- 
et. Other sizes 
I ■■■ in proportion 
Guaranteed 6 H.P. Mas¬ 
terpiece. engine sen¬ 
sation or the world in 
material, construction, 
low price. Shipped from 
Kans. City, Co. JR'ufFs, 
Mpls., Chicago, Water¬ 
loo, i Catalog free. -■ 
Wm, Galloway Company 
Bog 275 Waterloo, Iowa 
HAY BALING IS EASY 
With the Famous 
ADMIRAL 
MOTOR PRESS 
Leverage does the work. 
Write today for free catalog showing 
nay baling records. 
Admiral Hay Press Co., Box 101 Kansas City, Mo. 
Save All the Hay—Pay Big Profits 
Galvanized—Corrugated—Extra Quality Coating 
More economical than barns or-permanent sheds. Easy to put on and 
take oft. Made in sections, thus occupying little space when not in use. 
Made in all sizes. Are water-tight and rust-proof. Can’t blow off. 
Mr. Hammitt, Hardy, Nob., says: “Your cover preserved my hay fine I got Si 
a ton more for stack protected with your cover than for other stacks in same field. “ 
c ,, lh P saving on the first stack of hay will more than pay for your Martin Metal 
htack t.over. With ordinary Caro will last 15 to 20 years and save its coat or more 
on every stack. SI EC1AL OI* B fc.R! Write today for free, illustrated literature 
I and special introductory price. 
The Martin Metal Stack Cover Co., 300 N. Mosoly St., Wlchita.Kan, 
Stocks carried in Wichita, Kan.; Portland, Ore.; Omaha. Neb.; and Canton, Ohio. 
