1568 
had, having bought them about one and one-half 
years ago for another purpose. They cost at that 
time about' $100, but I understand they would cost 
more at this time. The water motor cost $42.75, and 
the generator and switchboard about $125, making 
a cash outlay of $207.75, including batteries, which, 
as stated, I already had. 
While the spring flows 50 gals, per minute, only 
about 25 gals, can pass through the 1%,-in. pipe, if 
the pipe is left entirely open, and when reduced to 
-an opening small enough to maintain sufficient pres¬ 
sure to drive the motor to best advantage, only 
about 13 gals, per minute is used. The manufacturer 
of the motor sent with it two jets, one %-in. and the 
other 5/1G in. I found that both were entirely too 
large and had Babbitt metal poured into one of them 
and an opening 3/1G in. made, which works quite sat¬ 
isfactorily. The pressure registers 05 lbs. with the 
valve closed, but drops to SO lbs. when the valve is 
open. It seems incredible that 13 gals, could pass 
through a 3/lG-in. hole in one minute, but it does. 
Some time when pipe is not so expensive. I plan to 
relay the line with larger pipe, probably 3 in., and 
will then have, by using all the water in the spring 
and a larger motor, about 3 horsepower. But for 
lights 1 do not need more power than I now have. 
I am not an engineer and would not offer advice 
to J. K. M. against the judgment of K. II. S., who 
doubtless knows what he is talking about, but if I 
were situated as he is I would not rest until 1 had 
power from that GO-gal. spring to light my premises. 
It is doubtful if he can use the kind of motor that I 
have, because he has not sufficient pressure, but with 
25-ft. fall and GO gals, per minute he can operate an 
overshot wheel that will, in my opinion, furnish him 
all the lights he needs, and at cost that will be very 
little, compared with the value oftlae outfit. 
Georgia. w. l. william son. 
Powers of the Federal Reserve Board 
You have recently stated that the Federal Reserve 
Board cannot help those storm-beaten farmers of New 
York bv making loans. Will you tell us why not t 
S. K. 
This seems to be a case of “Jle is of agv. (isle him! ” 
The following letter explains: 
There is nothing that the Federal Reserve Board or 
the Federal reserve banks can do in the way of extend¬ 
ing direct financial assistance to farmers to enable them 
to rebuild, as Federal reserve banks cannot make direct 
loans to individual borrowers, their transactions being 
confined to banks which are members of the I ederal 
reserve system—member banks obtaining accommoda¬ 
tions from the Federal reserve banks by endorsing and 
rediscounting with the Federal reserve banks the eligible 
paper given them by their customers or by discounting 
their own short-time notes secured by such of their 
customers’ paper as is itself eligible for rediscount. 
The matter would seem to me to be one which the farm¬ 
ers should take up direct with the banks in their com¬ 
munities. e. hakbing, 
Governor Federal Reserve Board. 
When a Private Road Becomes Public 
Our farm is located on a small bay, at which point 
we have a dock and shipping building. This is on the 
east side. On the west and south sides it borders on 
the public highway. About five years ago we secured 
a road through our farm for the use of our customers. 
This is a public or town road. Now we have two roads 
running through the center of the farm. These are 
private, but are used by the public as public roads, not 
only for viewing the farm, but also as a shorter route 
from the village to farms to the east of us. If we ever 
desire to close these roads, can we do so, or can the 
public claim a right to travel these roads by virtue of 
the many years they have been open to their use. If 
the farm is sold, this matter might seriously affect its 
sale. Gan you inform us as to our legal rights in the 
matter? The roads are not marked private. H. 
New York. 
This point was referred to the State Highway 
Commissioner and the following opinion has been 
given: 
Section 20D of the Highway Haw provides that any 
lands which have been used by the public as a highway 
for 20 years or over shall become a public highway. 
My understanding of your case is that the roads in 
question have not yet been used by the public as a high¬ 
way for 20 years. If this is true, the public has not 
yet acquired title by the user under the section of law 
quoted, and you may prevent such acquirement if you 
so desire by closing these roads one day in the year. 
Such closure acts as a bar to the acquirement of title 
bv the town. CHAS. VAN amtutrgii, 
Third Deputy. 
An Alfalfa Seed Crop in New York 
Is there any reason why farmers cannot raise Alfalfa 
seed in New York State? The crop grows well in many 
sections and the seed ripens. Is it inferior to seed 
grown elsewhere? Would not the seed be worth more 
than a cutting for hay? Perhaps we have a “new 
industry” here. n. b. l. 
New York grows good clover seed, and we know 
that Sweet clover and Alfalfa seed both mature in 
this State. Many seedsmen and growers believe that 
Alfalfa seed from the Northwest or from the dry 
plains is superior to any other. The following notes 
tell the story as we see it: 
The subject resolves itself at once into the question 
whether tlw production of seed is more profitable than 
hay. Personally I doubt if we can compete to advan- 
Iht RURAL NEW-YORKER 
tage with the West in the production of seed. As I 
understand it, the seed does not always fill, and it is 
more or less of a gambling crop. When it does make 
a good yield, it brings in quite a large financial return, 
but it seems to me that with the increasing of-freight 
rates, we will eliminate the Western Alfalfa from our 
markets and will make higher values for the hay in 
the Hast. The West would naturally develop more 
along the seed lines, since the product is not so bulky 
and can be handled to better advantage all around. 
The lack of definite knowledge on the part of many 
farmers prevents them from entering the business. 
While I think Alfalfa seed can be produced at a profit. 
I feel, however, that our business will show more profit 
in producing hay for tin 1 market and purchasing seed 
from lees favored sections for shipping. B. E. u. 
There are a number of farmers from the West who 
sold out and came to this section during the past few 
years. I have canvassed a number of these Western 
men regarding Alfalfa seed and find no evidence to 
show that the Western seed is superior to local seed. 
Several said they “had heard,” etc., but there is no 
& 
Annual IS ic it I Clover in Rhode Island. Fig. o(J2 
definite evidence. I have also canvassed the local 
Alfalfa growers, and many have tried both kinds of 
seed, but find no difference. I think the main reason 
Alfalfa seed is not grown extensively in this section is 
an economic rather than a cultural one. In the West 
the Alfalfa gets a fine start during the Spring rains. 
During the late Summer there is little or no rain, and 
at this time the Alfalfa seed matures, cures aud is 
thrashed out. The labor problem is very simple, and 
the crop requires the minimum handling. 
In New York State at the season the seed matures, 
we have almost daily rains, at least through this sec¬ 
tion. The seed would be very difficult to cure undei 
such conditions, and even if we were able to cure it in 
time, the labor involved would be so much more than 
to simply harvest the crop as hay. that I doubt if ade¬ 
quate returns could be secured. The proposition looks 
very similar to the green pea crop grown in this section. 
A few growers have attempted to mature pea seed, and 
some have been successful, but the great proportion 
of the seed is grown in the Middle West. The seed 
grown here is just as good, but due to the wet weather 
it costs more to mature pea seed .than, to buy Western 
seed. Where local growers tried to mature pea seed 
a large per cent became moldy and rotted, despite all 
precautions taken. 
We have tested and examined New York State Al- 
.1 Much-grafted Aggie Tree. Fig. 50J 
falfa seed here, and it is fully as plump as Western 
seed, and gives as good a ratio of germination. Be¬ 
cause of environmental conditions, I would rather have 
local seed for planting than imported, if it could be 
grown at a profit to the producer. T. H. TOWNSEND. 
Madison Go., N. Y. 
Can We Clip Alsike Clover? 
There is a sentiment here which condemns the cut¬ 
ting of Alsjke clover which has just come up this sea¬ 
son. because.it is said that cutting at this stage will 
ruin it; bi^t‘j|j know that the cutting of Red clover 
at this fitajff Srtfill improve it. Now. will it do to cut 
that whichC&ths .only sown this Spring? Will it injure 
a white-nosed Horse to pasture on it? I have heard 
many times that it would. If so, how prevent the in¬ 
jury? E. A. M. 
Ohio. 
I believe that Alsike clover , ” !l l stand clipping 
October 9, 1920 
just the same as Red clover, and that there is some 
thickening of the clover due to this; that is, the com¬ 
petition of weeds and stubble is removed, and of 
course the growth looks heavier, but there is sonic 
consideration in this clipping that should he looked 
after. I do'not like to clip Alsike clover after Au¬ 
gust 15. as the amount of growth that comes up for 
Winter production is limited if cut later than this 
Practically the only reason that Red clover is clipped 
in our section is to remove the weeds. I have seen 
instances where the cutting of a fourth crop of Al¬ 
falfa the first of October ruined the crop completely. 
Winter weather being severe enough to kill it out. 
In our experience Alsike clover is valuable as any 
other clover for pasture, and tlie theory that it will 
injure a white-nosed horse pastured upon it is bosh. 
I do not know what injury comes from this, but it 
may be something else than the clover pasture. 
c. M. B. 
Why Potato Seed is Slow to Sprout 
When you want to know anything ask The It. N.-Y. 
and if they can’t tell you. why there is “no sucli imi- 
inilc.'’ 1 want to know why potatoes fail to come up 
in the Spring for four, five and six weeks. Four years 
ago I planted a piece of Todd’s Wonder and about 
half of the seed laid in the ground from five to seven 
weeks before it came up. and then it was no use. Last 
year I had quite a lot of hills tint did not hr Nik ground 
for six weeks; this year about one-third of mv field 
failed. 
The seed was brought out of the cellar and laid in the 
sun for a week or so until the eyes began to show life. 
Then I cut it myself, leaving two eyes at least on a 
piece ; the fertilizer was spread in the furrows, not put 
in hills, and a lot of soil kicked over it when the seed 
was dropped. Some sprouts did not show until the sec¬ 
ond hoeing; that is. after the potatoes had been planted 
eight or nine weeks, and some came up when the others 
were blossoming. 
Massachusetts. d. w. p. 
O one can answer such a question positively. 
No doubt our readers will give a variety of 
reasons from experience. We should say that either 
the soil or the seed was at fault. There may have 
been spots in the soil unusually damp or filled with 
certain elements which held back the sprouts. There 
never was a piece of land exactly uniform all 
through. More likely, however, the trouble was with 
the seed. In any field of reasonable size we know 
that potato plants often vary greatly in size and 
vigor. Some are evidently feeble from the start. 
They are slow to come out of the ground and never 
make full growth. The difference between the strong 
and weak plants is as evident as that between chick¬ 
ens or all animals, including humans. We know that 
there are naturally small and feeble specimens which 
usually convey their lack of vigor to their offspring. 
In most cases little effort is made to select potato 
seed from the most vigorous plants. The crop is all 
mixed together and, in the Spring, selection is made 
by size, or the seed is taken as it comes. Thus there 
are quite sure to be a number of tubers from the 
feeble plants mixed in with the others. That might 
account for part of the trouble, since seed from those 
poor plants would lack the vigor needed to make a 
quick start. 
Again, in ordinary storage, some tubers may he 
more likely to be injured by frost or other causes 
than the rest. A potato may be close up to the side 
of a cellar wall and during a cold snap it may he 
partly frosted. It is not injured in appearance or 
for cooking, but the vitality of the sprout may he 
weakened. Or the potato may be overheated in the 
cellar so as to weaken the sprout without killing if. 
An ordinary observer would not notice anything 
wrong about such seed, hut when cut and planted 
the weak sprouts could not keep up with the others. 
Novel Example of Grafting 
HE apple tree shown is at the Ohio Experiment 
Station, and contains over 400 different scions, 
representing many of the apple varieties and seed¬ 
lings found in Ohio. The grafting has been done 
for a specific purpose, that of testing out seedlings 
ns found over the State, and also some seedlings 
produced at the Ohio Experiment Station. The 
scions are grafted to tree, and a small tag put just 
above the grafting point with a number. This num¬ 
ber corresponds to fhe record in the office, and 
within a few years after a scion has been secured 
it is possible to judge the quality of fruit that has 
been produced. If an apple of unusually good 
flavor and quality is obtained, it, is possible then to 
graft wood from the already bearing scion into a 
whip that can he used in regular orchard practice. 
C. M. BAKEB. 
R. N.-Y.—Something of this plan is suggested for 
the old trees often found in country school yards. 
They could be grafted to many different varieties— 
several from each farm in the district—or to new 
trees. It would make an interesting experiment for 
the pupils. 
