‘Ihe RURAL NEW-YORKER 
595 
Water is a Great Surface Destroyer 
I T attacks every kind of surface on the farm. Water and 
moisture absorption causes wood to swell and split; to 
pull out of socket when it dries; and to rot away. It makes 
rust eat into metals, and puts working parts out of the run¬ 
ning* A good spar varnish is the best water-proofer known. 
Sherwin-Williams REXPAR Varnish 
is a great surface saver 
USE 
REXPAR 
ON 
Tractors 
Drills 
Harrows 
Plows 
Spreaders 
Wagons 
etc. 
It has beaten out all other brands under govern¬ 
ment tests. It was found to be the most protec¬ 
tive varnish against wear, heat, cold; and won on 
all submergence tests. Rexpar’s protective quali¬ 
ties alone make it pay you to varnish all your 
farm implements and all other equipment which 
comes into contact with water or moisture— 
everything you want to protect against wear, de¬ 
cay and rust. Use it also to protect the bright 
paint colors on your implements, to keep them 
fresh and new looking right along. 
USE 
REXPAR 
ON 
Separators 
Table Tops 
Handles 
Churns 
Milkers 
Buckets 
etc . 
Value of Stored Fertilizer 
A near-by dealer lias a quantity of fer¬ 
tilizer on hand which has been stored for 
some time, perhaps two years, in an old 
tumble-down building. This fertilizer has 
stood on a board floor, but has been either 
wet or frozen a good deal of the time. 
It would be necessary to handle the fer¬ 
tilizer loose, as the sacks are entirely 
gone; probably some of it would have to 
be dried and all of it would have to be 
pulverized. Some of this is acid fertilizer 
and the remainder grades containing pot¬ 
ash and some nitrogen. Of what fertiliz¬ 
ing value would this be? Provided there 
is fertilizing value in this, and if the 
retail value of fertilizer in this section 
ranges from .$20 to $40 per ton. what 
could I afford to pay for it? w. j. 
New York. 
There is only one way to find out the 
true value of this stuff. Have a fair 
sample of it analayzed. If there is any 
large quantity of it, such sampling will 
pay. Such fertilizer does not. lose very 
much of its plant food under such con¬ 
ditions. The chief loss would be in nitro¬ 
gen. The nitrates, like nitrate of soda, 
might be partly leached out if the fer¬ 
tilizer were kept wet aud the organic 
nitrogen, like blood or tankage, might 
lose some ammonia if permitted to heat. 
The loss would not bo great, but the fer¬ 
tilizer packs hard and must be crushed 
in some way fit to be spread iroperly. 
We should say. considering loss of plant 
food and difficulty in handing, that the 
fertilizer is worth about half the former 
retail p ice. 
Formalin for Soil Sterilization 
I am about to start early garden plants 
in flats under glass. I wish to use for- 
malin to prevent “damping off.” Would 
you advise as to strength of solution aud 
quantity required? E. K. 
Ossining. N. 1'. 
In using formalin for soil sterilization 
the beds are prepared for planting. Then 
they are watered thoroughly so that every 
part is well soaked. The beds are left un¬ 
til the surplus water has drained away, or 
about long enough so that an inch of soil 
ean be raked without the soil adhering to 
the rake. There are two reasons for water¬ 
ing: To bring all bacteria aud fungi into 
an active stage of life, and to take the 
least amount of formalin to complete the 
task. In a dry soil the pests are generally 
in a resting stage, and are harder to kill 
than when active. The soil is raked 
finely about an inch deep just before ap¬ 
plying the mixture. This allows it to 
soak in the more readily, and keeps it 
from spreading over the surface. The 
mixture is composed of 4 lbs. of 40 per 
cent formalin to 50 gals, of water, and 1 
sal. per square foot of area i.s required. 
The soil should be soaked to the bottom, 
and allowed to stand from 10 days to two 
weeks before planting. If planted too 
soon the young, tender plants are in¬ 
jured. This solution kills fishworms and 
other tender-skinned insects, but will not 
destroy the nematodes or root-galls. 
‘‘Damping off” is not affected by for¬ 
malin, but calls for control of ventilation 
aud moisture. T. ir. t. 
S-W MAR-NOT Varnish 
Sherwin-Williams make three kinds of 
varnish. This is because there are three 
such widely different uses for varnish. 
Rexpar is the outside varnish, you know 
all about it. S-W Mar-Not is made es¬ 
pecially for the floor because a floor gets a 
different kind of wear. You walk on it, 
and move heavy furniture on it. So it 
must be extraordinarily tough. Mar-Not 
fills all these needs, beautifies wood grain, 
gives the richest luster, and is waterproof. 
Use it on floors, stairs and linoleum. 
S-W SCAR-NOT Varnish 
is a special varnish for furniture. It 
makes old furniture look new, takes a 
beautiful polish, stands hard knocks 
without scarring, and will not mar from 
hot dishes, or boiling liquids overturned 
upon it. These three great varnishes, 
Mar-Not, Scar-Not and Rexpar, fill every 
need in the whole varnish world. They 
keep everything in prime condition, look¬ 
ing fine, save much wearing out, and cost 
of replacement. Use them for all the 
varnishing you ever do. 
Boole <1 We mail free instructive books on every use of Farm Paints for pro¬ 
tecting implements, and buildings of wood, metal, or concrete. Also 
on Spraying Materials, Cattle Dips, Disinfectants and Vermicides. Write for 
any or all of them. Address, The Sherwin-Williams Company, 613. Canal Road, 
N. W., Cleveland, Ohio. * 
Lime for Top-dressing 
I notice that I. C., page 372. still 
thinks well of your opinion, although he 
says you modify your statement about 
the top-dressing of lime, and he wants to 
know when is the best time to spread it. 
You need not modify your statement too 
strongly, for I have been experimenting 
for five years with the different ways of 
putting lime on the land so as to get the 
very best results for Alfalfa, and I find 
it a waste of time to top-dress the soil 
with it. Of course, if you sprinkle'it on 
lightly it will not cake, nor is there 
enough, when put on lightly, to benefit 
the land. I have seen the lime when put 
on thickly lie on top of the laud for two 
whole years. Now my opinion, after 
studying and experimenting for five long 
years, is to spread it ou at plowing time 
and work it in thoroughly at the last two 
diskings. It must be worked well into 
the soil to get results, just as vou ad¬ 
vised. ' j. L 
Ballston Spa. N. Y. 
^ as this burned lime or ground lime¬ 
stone i There would be a difference. We 
would not use burned lime as a top-dress¬ 
ing on grass or young grain. We think 
burned lime should always be worked 
into the soil when used. With limestone 
--not too fine—it is different, aud we 
must admit that there have been cases 
where top-dressing meadows or pastures 
gave good results. In our owu pasture 
"e shall continue to work the lime into 
the soil. 
Sherwin-Williams 
Products 
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for every purpose. 
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COLLINS PLOW COMPANY 
20.14 H.mo.hlro St.. Quincy, III. 
1 
Save 25 % on Roofing; 
CENTURY Roll Roofing is sold direct 
from factory to you. Best and cheapest i nAmerica 
Long guarantee. Freight paid. 11 shipping points. 
CDCC Send for samples, catalog aud bargain 
■ 11 —— prices. Write today. 
CENTURT MFG.GO. 333 Metropolitan Bldg. E.SUouls.111. 
Free Catalog * n colors e^iaim 
■ -—§ how you can save 
money on Farm Truck or Road 
Wagons, also steel or wood wheels to 04 
any running * 
gear. Send for 
it today. 
Electric Wheel Co. 
48 Elm St.,Quiiicy,tll. 
When you write advertisers mention The R. N.-Y. and you’ll get a 
quick reply and a “square deal.” See guarantee editorial page. 
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1 ° " AH I E.LF subscriptions for Rural Nkw- 
ORKKR in Ohio, Preter men who have horse or auto. Address 
J. C. MULHOLLAND, General Delivery, Columbus, Ohio 
or 
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