August 14, 1915. 
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1 T ' ** -i f -' ' xr v{ v 
THE RURAE 
JtaA^VTTJJY 3HT 
NEW-YORKER 
tlio Grimm proves capable of increasing 
your yield of hay even a quarter of a ton 
per acre, this quarter of a ton will go 
a good way towards buying the 
Grimm seed every year. If the Cossack 
and Cherno will yield a quarter of a ton 
more than the Grimm, we should plan, as 
soon as the seed is available, to substi¬ 
tute these. If the Orenberg proves to be 
the best of all, we should plan to use it, 
but before we shall actually know what 
these varieties will do right here for us 
on our own farms, I think it is necessary 
that we give them a trial, and I think we 
are foolish if we rely too much upon the 
college professors to determine this ques¬ 
tion for us. I’lease do not think this ar¬ 
ticle is any criticism on college profes¬ 
sors. I wish there were more of them. 
Since there are only a few and we farm¬ 
ers are many, w T e can help ourselves in 
this matter, and I think we should do so. 
CHAS. B. WING. 
Inoculating for Alfalfa. 
As I am desirous of planting on my 
farm in New Jersey about 40 acres of 
Alfalfa, I want a little advice. At the 
present time I have a field which was 
seeded to Alfalfa two years ago, and I 
would like to know if I can take the soil 
from this field to inoculate the field which 
I contemplate seeding to Alfalfa, or if 
you would advise using manufactured 
bacteria. a. g. 
Brooklyn, N. Y. 
The chances are that soil from this Al¬ 
falfa field will contain the bacteria and 
be suitable for use. They are not found 
in all Alfalfa soils and you should have 
this soil examined to make sure. Dig up 
several plants and examine the roots. See 
if you find little bunches or nodules. If 
you find them this will be good evidence 
that the bacteria are present. Or you 
can dig up fair samples of the upper soil 
and send them to your experiment station 
at New Brunswick. The chemists can 
soon tell whether the bacteria are present. 
If they are, use this soil on the new seed¬ 
ing. It will pay you to be sure about 
this if you plan for a large seeding. 
Farming a Ravine. 
I have some rough land in Central In¬ 
diana. consisting of ravines, gullies, etc. 
I have the upland set in trees, mostly ap¬ 
ple. What can I put on the sides of 
these gullies ? They are so steep can¬ 
not spray. They are grown up to brush, 
mostly oak and sassafras. I would like 
to set something that will bring in some 
returns; had thought of mulberries. Are 
they subject to scale? How about Eng¬ 
lish walnuts? h. H. 
Twinsburg, O. 
If possible I would fence off these ra¬ 
vines and gullies, and stock them with 
sheep for a few years, till they cleaned up 
the brush and obnoxious growth. Then 
bow Sweet clover as permanent pasture 
for hogs and other stock. As Sweet 
clover re-seeds the ground annually there 
would always be a fine forage crop. 
Sweet clover is admirably adapted for 
sowing along ravines and gullies to pre¬ 
vent soil erosion. If the above plan is 
not practical then I would plant to nut 
trees native to our Indiana soil. The 
shellbark hickory, pecan and walnut will 
make good returns from such waste land 
if the owner is willing to wait for the 
trees to come into bearing. If there is 
a good growth of the right kind of oak 
growing in these ravines I would not de¬ 
stroy them, as future generations must de¬ 
pend on our wise policy of re-forestation 
for their timber supplies. 
S. H. BURTON. 
Sweet Potatoes; Cover Crops. 
1. What is the cause of newly set 
sweet potato plants showing a scorched 
or seared appearance on one side? As a 
result the plants are very brittle and 
break easily. One man here, because he 
saw black ants running up and down the 
plants, maintains that it is caused by the 
ants eating the plants, but I think 
it is sunscald. 2. Should the runners 
of sweet pootatoes be permitted to take 
root? Some claim to let them do 
so will make the crop less. 3. In sowing 
turnips, rye and vetch together for a cover 
crop and soil improvement, what amount 
of each should be sown per acre? 
Westport, Ind. w. a. l. 
1. The scorched or seared appearance 
of the leaves on newly set sweet potato 
plants is probably due to a disease called 
“black rot.” This can be determined 
definitely by pulling up the plant. If the 
root has black spots or a portion of it is 
black and decayed the disease is present. 
It is usually found near the bottom of 
the root. If the weather is favorable 
plants slightly affected will grow out and 
produce a crop. If the weather is cold 
and wet many plants will die. Stem rot 
is also troublesome. This disease shows 
in brownish discolored streaks all through 
the affected portion of the plant. It 
usually starts in the root and can be seen 
by splitting the root or breaking away a 
portion of the outside bark. Leaves turn 
a brownish yellow on plants affected with 
stem rot. I have never seen black ants 
injure sweet potatoes by eating the leaves. 
2. Sweet potato runners should not be 
permitted to root. It is hard to keep 
them from rooting in a wet season, but by 
going through the field with a harrow, 
having vine turners attached, one can 
keep the vines up out of the soil. When 
cultivated the last time it pays to use 
care in not throwing too much soil over 
the top of the plant. 
3. For the cover crop sow 20 pounds 
vetch, three pecks rye and one pound tur¬ 
nips to the acre. trucker, jr. 
Concrete Cisterns. 
I would like some information about 
cistern building. I read Elmer J. Weav¬ 
er’s article on concrete cistern, page 1237. 
Does that mean one does not need stone 
or brick walls, but only the concrete mix¬ 
ture for a durable job? I am always told 
it cannot be done unless first walled with 
stone or brick. Our soil here is very 
heavy, and I think it will not cave in like 
sand or light soil might. How much 
sand, cement, and limestone would a cis¬ 
tern eight feet deep, four feet square, 
require? MRS. j. G. S. 
Breinigsville, Ta. 
By following instructions carefully as 
given in several preceding articles Mrs. 
J. G. S. can I’est assured that she will 
have a thoroughly practical, waterproof 
cistern, without the use of brick, stone, or 
any other thing than good carefully laid 
concrete. Be sure to see the concrete is 
thoroughly mixed, and in a thin sloppy 
condition when placed in forms, and 
thoroughly tamped. The materials re¬ 
quired for a cistern eight feet deep and 
four feet square, using 1-3-6 mixture, 
would be eight bags cement, 22 cubic feet 
sand, 46 cubic feet crushed stone. To 
this should be added SO to 100 pounds 
hydrated lime. A l-2%-5 mixture would 
require 46 cubic feet stone, 25 cubic feet 
sand. 10 bags cement, 100 pounds hy¬ 
drated lime. Either of these mixtures 
would make a good job. E. J. w. 
An Overcoat of Hairy Vetch. 
Personally, we have not been very en¬ 
thusiastic in advising the use of Hairy 
vetch as a cover crop in our own section. 
We have tried it carefully, but in some 
way the soil does not seem well adapted 
to this crop and other crops have paid 
us better. There is no question, however, 
about the fact that many farmers have 
found vetch remarkably useful for cover 
cropping. Although this experience is 
different from ours we would advise a 
fair trial of the crop, for without ques¬ 
tion where it will grow it is very use¬ 
ful. The picture on our first page shows 
a crop of vetch and Crimson clover grow¬ 
ing on the farm of the Agricultural Col¬ 
lege of Rhode Island. Prof. II. .T. 
Wheeler who is greatly interested in 
these cover crops uses this picture with 
others in a bulletin entitled “Vetch and 
its Culture.” This photograph was taken 
early in June. The seed of clover and vetch 
was sown in corn at the last cultivation 
during the previous August. It made a 
thick heavy crop as may be seen in the 
picture and any farmer can well under¬ 
stand what it would mean to have such 
a crop to plow under for another crop 
of corn or in fact any Spring planted 
crop. The soil on which this crop was 
grown was of the ordinary character 
found through Southeastern New Eng¬ 
land, and this experience certainly jus¬ 
tifies farmers in giving vetch a thorough 
trial. The bulletin mentioned contains 
many interesting statements about this 
plant. It is sent by the American Agri¬ 
cultural Chemical Co., Service Bureau, 
Boston. 
Improvement through Cover Crops. 
To receive The R. N.-Y. is like the 
visit of an old friend. ’Way back in 1881 
and years following, in faraway Texas, 
we used to welcome its arrival, and study 
its columns with interest, as it gave us 
many facts and new methods to aid our 
farm work, and to-day I find its pages 
as meaty and well worth perusing as of 
yore. Its advocacy of cover crops and 
green manures are things I fully endorse, 
as I have practised them for years, with 
continued success in southern climates, 
and am now trying them out here, though 
my neighbors who are dairy farmers and 
sons of dairy farmers, are inclined to ridi¬ 
cule the idea that I can improve land 
without keeping cows. p. c. tucker. 
Vermont. 
Lime-sulphur and Peach Borers. 
What about the use of a lime-sulphur 
wash in prevention of the peach tree 
borer? What strength ought to be used, 
and is it certain that it will not kill the 
trees, and will it do the work? How 
about mounding, in this same connection? 
r. a. l. 
The usual strength for this use is one- 
eighth or one-tenth of the concentrated 
lime-sulphur and water. There have been 
some reports to use one-fourth or one- 
fifth, but we would not advise such a 
strong application. A mixture of one- 
tenth will not be likely to kill the trees. 
It will destroy a large proportion of the 
borers, but probably a few will still con¬ 
tinue their work. The use of the wash 
will greatly relieve the work of digging the 
borers out, as it will kill some of these in¬ 
sects and prevent to some extent the egg 
laying. Mounding or building a little pile 
of dirt around the base of the tree is use¬ 
ful in connection with the use of this 
wash. 
Ducks and Potato Beetles. 
I have just read your article on chick¬ 
ens and potato beetles, and would like to 
tell you what I read many years ago 
about one man’s experience with ducks. 
He trained them to eat the potato bug by 
mixing some of them In their mash, after 
which they would march up and down the 
rows eating them off the vines. This is 
worth trying. * . e. a. b. 
We saw the same article some years 
ago, and^ at once proceeded to give it a 
trial. We shut some Pekin ducks up in 
a box with a number of fat, good-sized 
potato beetles, and left them there for a 
time. The ducks refused to eat them. 
We also read that toads will eat potato 
beetles with relish, and so we tried the 
same experiment with the toad, in fact 
two of them. These toads were placed in 
a box in company with a number of the 
potato beetles. Neither of the toads 
would pay any attention to the insect, 
even when one of the children went so far 
as to put a beetle on the head of the toad. 
Either our stock was not hungry, or else 
they had not been trained to eat the 
beetles, and we should judge that the 
training would occupy more time than 
the service would be worth. We are still 
hunting for reliable facts to show that 
poultry will eat potato beetles. We know 
that they will pick off some of the egg 
clusters on the under side of the leaf, and 
they will possibly destroy some of the 
small beetles when first hatched, but we 
have never known them to eat the adult 
insects. 
Potatoes Failing to Germinate. 
On an acre half Early Rose and half 
Green Mountain, hardly a dozen Early 
Rose germinated, while the Green Moun¬ 
tain are growing finely. Both seeds were 
my own raising, selected when harvesting. 
All the planting was done by one man 
and the same fertilizer used. The Early 
Rose were on the ’ Ighest part of the acre, 
which is not the lowest of the field. Some 
Early Rose planted on a higher part of 
the same field have come up well. In 
both cases the land was in sod until the 
Spring of 1914. For a few weeks after 
planting the weather was dry and cool. 
Has any one had the same experience or a 
theory of explanation? H. G. 
New x-ampshire. ‘ 
Squirrel Money. —The North Dakota 
Experiment Station tells the following: 
A Bottineau County, North Dakota, 
farmer is making money on ground squir¬ 
rels. He poisoned those on his 400-acre 
farm according to the North Dakota Ex¬ 
periment Station formula which required 
three ounces of strychnine alkaloid at 80 
cents an ounce, 10 cents worth of sacchar¬ 
in and starch, and about two bushels of 
oats, or a total cost of $3.50 for mate¬ 
rials, which it took three days to distrib¬ 
ute. When through poisoning his boys 
picked up one thousand squirrels and 
saved the tails, which brought a bounty 
of two cents apiece, or a twenty-dollar re¬ 
turn on a three and a half dollar outlay 
for materials. All the dead squirrels 
were not secured, as some died in their 
holes. 
The Working Cat. —Here is a new 
use for the cat—chasing birds out of the 
garden. It is suggested by the Hamp¬ 
den Co. (Mass.) League: 
“When crops are attacked, about the 
only feasible way that I know to protect 
them against sparrows, is to cover the 
crops with a fine fish net, which is rather 
expensive. Some people have had some 
success by tethering cats, using a collar, 
leash and snap hook, which hook runs 
along on a wire stretched overhead, so 
that the cat can go along the rows. I 
have never seen this tried personally, 
but it is said to work. Probably some¬ 
thing would depend on the cat. Some 
cats will sulk and do nothing, while 
others will pass along the wire and chase 
the birds.” 
No good reason why kitty should not 
earn her dinner. 
Dl A MTQ-All LEADING VARIETIES OF CELERY 
" L.AI1 I O AND CABBAGE—9(lc. per 1,000; 5,000 
lots, $4. WILLIAM RI LEY, Torresdale, Pa. 
Cabbage and Celery Plants 
fine stocky plants, of all the Leading Varieties, $1 
per 1,000 ; 88.50 per 10,000. J. C. Schmidt, Bristol, Pa. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
H. N.-Y. and you'll get a quick reply and a 
“square deal." See guarantee editorial page. 
DREER’S 
Potted Strawberries 
Planted now will produce a full crop 
next year. Our M id-summer Catalogue 
offers best varieties and gives direc¬ 
tions for growing. Also offers sea¬ 
sonable Seeds and Plants of all kinds. 
Alfalfa, Crimson Clover, Vetch 
Best grades, Write for Leaflets and 
price of seed. 
HENRY A. DREER 
714-716 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pa. 
Pot-Grown 
Strawberry Plants 
as Rhown in the cut are much the 
The roots are all there—am! 
good roots, too. If set out in August 
and September will produce a crop 
of berrieR next June. I have the finest 
stock of plants in the New England 
States. Send for Catalogue and 
Pt'ice List. 
C.S.l’RATT, Heading, Mass* 
STRA WBERRY PLANTS *£?£££* 
including the FALL HEARERS, to select, from. 
Layer plants ready Aug. 20th. Send for Catalog. 
J. KEIFFORD HALL, R.0. 2, Rhodesdale, Md. 
STRAWBERRY PLANTS 
RUNNER and POT-GROWN for August and Fall plant¬ 
ing. Will bear fruit next summer. Raspberry, 
Blackberry Plants, Fruit Trees. Catalogue free. 
Agents wanted. HARRY L. SQUIRES, Remsenburj, N. Y. 
K ft Quarts of Strawberries Next Spring 
from 100 plants. All my plants are now well 
rooted. 100 strong-rooted young plants for $1.50. 25 
YEARS’ SPECIALIST. SEND FOR MI0-SUMMER Catalogue. 
T. C. KEVITT, - . Athenia, N. J. 
ALFALFA 
AMERICAN NORTHERN CROWN 
Our Fall Book tells how to succeed growing Alfalfa on 
any soil or climate east of the Missouri River; how to sow; 
bow to harvest; what to do to retain a perfect meadow. 
We refuse to handle Turkestan or “Dwarf Alfalfa,” our 
seed is aU American grown, guaranteed dodder free and 
09% pure. We can furnish Nebraska. Montana or Dakota 
and Grimm seed at very moderate prices, 
ftniaju a» cal ri We have the Cenuins Grimm 
ummm HLiHLIiH aa well as Hansen’s great new 
Siberian varieties. Also “Dakota 30” and Nebraska seed. 
A sure and economical way ol 
beginning the new hardy vac 
ALFALFA PLANTS 
rietiea. 
CLOVER and GRASSES 
Northern grown and of strongest vitality. We can furnish 
grass mixture suitable for any soils. W rite for prices. 
WING SEED CO., Box 233 Mechanicsburg, O, 
Guaranteed Genuine 
£—S • Everlasting * 1 j* 1 C 
Grimm Alralfa 
Produces plants with large branching roots which 
resist winter conditions. Leafier and of better 
feeding value than other varieties. 
Booklet, “How I Discovered The Grimm Alfalfa,” 
and sample free. I recommend July or August planting 
for this hardy Alfalfa. 
A. B. Lyman, Grimm Alfalfa Introducer 
Alfalfadale Farm, R. F. D. 3, Excelsior, Minn. 
SEED WHEAT 
VARIETIES THAT YIELD MORE AND RE¬ 
QUIRE LESS SEED. GROWN IN THE FAMOUS 
LANCASTER COUNTY VALLEYS. SMOOTH 
AND BEARDED SORTS. CLEAN-SOUND - 
GRADED. OUR ” WHEAT BOOK" FINEST 
YOU EVER SAW-WITH SAMPLES—FREE. 
A. H. HOFFMAN, Landisville, Lane. Co., Pa. 
Winter Seed Wheat 
JONES’ ST. LOUIS GRAND PRIZE and RED WAVE 
Grown in the Genesee Conn try from stock obtained 
of tlie Originator and Seed we put out, is selected 
and recleaned in our usual careful manner. Put up 
in! new Cotton bags, 20c. each. $1.65 per bushel. 
Hickox.Ramsey Co., Inc.. P. O.Box N, Batavia, N. Y. 
Seed WtLeat 
“ Stoner's Miracle” and Jones’ “ St. Louis Grand 
Prize.” Write for descriptive circulars and prices to 
j. n. McPherson, - scottsviUe, n. y. 
PURE FIELD SEEDS 
SEED WHEAT— Bed Wave. Poole, and Winter King. 
Clover, Timothy, Alsiko, Alfalfa, and all kinds of Pure 
Field Seeds direct from producer to consumer. Free from 
Noxious weeds. Ask for samples. BIG TYPE Poland China's, March 
and April pigs at reaaonable prices. A. C. HOYT & CO., Fsstoria. Ohio 
SEED WHEA 
Miracle, Gypsy, Mammoth 
Alfalfa. Vetch. Catalog 
W. N. 8CARFF, 
T— Poole. Red Wave. 
* Mediterranean. 
White Rye, Timothy, 
and Sample Free. 
New Carlisle, Ohio 
CaaH Wkpaf Read's Vermont. New variety. 
IV IlCcfl sown Sept. 20 th. aver, yield 
56 bus. to ncre. Write for eirc. G. A. Read, Charlotte. Vt, 
WANTED-Dawson Golden Chaff Wheat 
also PENNSYLVANIA WHITE RYE. Send samples, stating 
quantities can offer, and lowest prices. We are also 
in the market for other improved varieties of wheat, 
barley or rve, and shall be glad to receive offers of 
same. T. \V. WOOD & SONS, Richmond, Va. 
Russian Pitkus 
Supply limited. 
SEED RYE. Rank grower. Enormous 
yielder. >1.30 per bn. subject to advance. 
Order early. Cleverdale Farm, Charlotte, N. Y. 
APPI r DAPDPI C— Best standard. Hand made. 
HrrLC UHnltLLO Any number. Prompt ship¬ 
ment. ROUT. GILLIES, Medina, New York 
CUI F v F' HT SEED, of high quality, specially 
43 ’* treated for full, quick germination, 
p t /~\i rrn Prices and information on request. 
L/IvVJ V LK E. BARTON, box 29, Falmouth, Ky. 
ALFALFA SOII_ for Inoculation. 
” ” wwlt Send for circular. 
E. T. GILL, Haddou Farms, Haddonfield, N. J. 
