The RURAL NEW-YORKER 
159 
RURALISMS 
Root Knot on Tomatoes; Sub-Irrigation 
for Lettuce 
1 . I have about 10,000 ft. of glass, 
which I bought four years ago; grew let¬ 
tuce in Winter and cucumbers and to¬ 
matoes in Spring, until last year I sub¬ 
stituted potted flowers for cucumbers and 
tomatoes on account of club-root. I have 
not steamed beds (ground beds 485 ft. 
wide, rich soil), but used formalin once 
pretty thoroughly. I wish to go back to 
vegetables. Is there any way I can get 
rid of the club-root? Last Spring I had 
a few tomatoes in, and roots were full of 
club, like strings of sweet potatoes. I 
also planted some cucumbers in store 
boxes, and set on bed; had less than half 
of crop. Roots of cucumbers got through 
boxes and became infected. 2. Ls Skin¬ 
ner system of overhead watering for let¬ 
tuce considered good? Will it not rot 
the lettuce when pretty well grown? Is 
sub-irrigation practicable without a tight 
bottom? If so, how close should runs of 
tile be, and should they be laid level and 
ends turned up or stopped up to keep 
water in? My house i« 10 ft. wide. 
Salem, Ohio. h. e. c. 
1. The nematode, or eelworm, that is 
the cause of root knot is a very difficult 
parasite to control, the only effective 
means being steam sterilization. For¬ 
maldehyde is partially effective, though 
not nearly as dependable as thorough 
steaming. One part 30 to 40 per cent 
formaldehyde to 100 parks of water ap¬ 
plied at the rate of 1(4 gallons to each 
square yard of bench surface will be of 
great assistance in controlling this trouble 
where steam treatment is not feasible. 
After the application is made, soon as 
the soil is dry enough, it should be thor¬ 
oughly stirred aud allowed to dry off for 
10 days before any crops are planted. 
These nematodes attack over 400 species 
of cultivated plants, aud are more trouble¬ 
some in loose .sandy soils than in the 
heavier clay soils. 
2. The prevailing practice of the suc¬ 
cessful growers of lettuce in the Boston 
district is to incorporate large quantities 
of partly rotted manure in their soil to a 
depth of 15 inches or over, aud water so 
thoroughly at the time of planting that 
additional watering is seldom necessary 
to develop the crop, The experience of 
lettuce growers often is that even the ap¬ 
plication of water to the soil without ma¬ 
terially wetting the foliage has a tendency 
to encourage rot. Sub-irrigation is not 
recommended without the bottom of the 
bench being made watertight. Two 3-in. 
tile are used in a bed 4 ft. wide. At the 
end where the water enters a regular 3-iu. 
terra cotta elbow could be used, and un¬ 
der the soil regular drain tile placed end 
to end. These file should be anchored to 
Illustration shows Case 10-18 Kerosene 
Tractor pulline 2-bottom Grand Detour Plow, 
To avoid confusion, the /. t. 
CASE THRESHING MA¬ 
CHINE COMPANY desires to 
have It known that it is not now 
and never has been interested in. 
or in any way connected or affil¬ 
iated with, the J. I. Case Plow 
Works, or the Wallis Tractor 
Company, or the /. /. Cast 
Plow Works Co, 
Look for the 
EAGLE 
Our Trade Mark 
Below: Showing the Main Frame of the 
CASE 10-18 Tractor, cast in a single 
piece. Holes for bearings on each side of 
frame are bored in one operation by a 
special machine of remarkable accuracy. 
CASE "The Tractor with 
Strength that Bachs its Power 
Dne of the outstanding features of superiority 
of the Case 10-18 Tractor is the rugged strength of 
its construction. 
Now, bear in mind Ihe difference between 
Strength and Power. 
When you think of the Tractor you have, or the 
Tractor you ought to have, you probably consider 
it in terms of power. 
Right! — as far as it goes. The proper propor¬ 
tion of power to work is an absolute essential to 
economy and efficiency of Tractor operation. But 
tractor Strength, as embodied in the Case is 
the factor that stands between you and repair 
bills and the more serious losses due to breakage 
or delays. 
For instance, the frame of the Case 10-18 Tractor 
is cast in a single piece. In this one casting are 
fitted the bearings for transmission, rear axle and 
motor. Obviously, bearings, shafting and gears 
cannot get out of line. Once in place, they are in 
correct alignment throughout the life of the tractor. 
Other Features of the CASE 10-18 Kerosene Tractor 
Four cylinder motor, mounted crosswise. Eliminates bevel gears, chain or worm drive. 
the bottom of the bench in some manner, 
or they will easily be pushed out of line 
when the soil is removed. In experi¬ 
ments conducted in the growing of let¬ 
tuce with sub-irrigation rot was less no¬ 
ticeable than where the watering was 
performed in the regular manner, the 
weight was greater, and maturity some¬ 
what earlier. E. J. w. 
Simple and accessible clutch, pulley mounted on crank shaft,— where it belongs. It is on 
the same side with the steering gears making it easy to line up with belt driven machinery. 
Automatic control of motor temperature assures fuel economy. 
Cut steel gears running in oil and dust-proof throughout. 
Hyatt Roller Bearings. 
Worm-driven fan with friction safety clutch. 
Two speeds: 2‘A and 3'A miles per hour. 
Wistaria Fails to Bloom 
Will you tell me why a Wistaria does 
not bloom? I have a double dark purple 
Japanese Wistaria that is about eight or 
nine years old, but has never even shown 
a bud. The foliage is very luxuriant and 
beautiful each Summer, aud the vine 
looks perfectly healthy, but ir does not 
bloom. Would you advise cutting it back 
■considerably in the Spring, or do you 
think transplanting it would be of bene¬ 
fit? The vine is located on the east side 
of a building aud pretty well in the open. 
Sayville, N. Y. w. f. 
Common causes for tardy blooming of 
Wistaria are lack of moisture and fer¬ 
tility. If the specimen in question is 
near a building it may be planted in 
sterile subsoil left near the surface from 
excavating the cellar. It is a good plan 
when setting a young Wistaria to sink 
a •! rrel in the ground, fill it with rich 
eai and plant in it; this will give the 
yom vine a good start. We would not 
advis "ransplautiug your vine, for it is 
now well-established, and would suffer 
from rt noval. The Wistaria makes mg 
roots with few fibers, goiug down ery 
deep, and unless pot-grown, or fre< -ntly 
transplanted in the nursery row, • does 
not bear moving very well. Civ* i heavy 
mulch of well-rotted manure, stirring the 
finer fragments into the top soil it Spring. 
Pruning the vine back each year to spurs 
results in heavier bloom, and this is the 
common Japanese practice where the vine 
is trained around the eaves of a house, 
but the vine itself is more picturesque if 
it has no pruning beyond the cutting out 
of weak shoots. Some individual vines 
seem much slower tbau others in coming 
into bearing. We cau only advise fer¬ 
tility and patience. 
The Case 10-18 Tractor will most economically 
handle such work as operating a 2-bottom plow (as 
illustrated); 22 shoe grain drill; two 6 ft. binders; 
8 ft. double-action disc harrow; the largest manure 
spreader; Case 20 x 28 thresher with feeder and 
wind stacker; feed mill, or any other machinery of 
similar power requirement. Write for booklet illus¬ 
trating complete details of Case 10-18 construction. 
It will acquaint you with the special advantages of 
the Case 10-18 and enable you to judge all tractors 
with a new understanding. Free, on request,—a 
post card will bring it. 
J. I. CASE THRESHING MACHINE COMPANY, Inc. 
Dept. AN-1, RACINE, WIS. 
Making Superior Farm Machinery since 1842 
NOTH: We want the public to understand that our plows are NOT the Case plows made by the J. /. Case Plow Works CO, 
