522 
r H. Graham, secretary of the Huntingdon County 
association, not only handles wool for his members, 
but also aids in the’ disposal of lambs and sheep. 
The local units are fast growing and sheep flocks 
multiplying each season. 
FARMERS’ BENEFITS.—-TV. R. Beach is active 
leader of the work in the Bedford district. "That 
farmers are benefited is particularly noticeable at 
the grading stations." advised Mr. Beach in describ¬ 
ing the co-operative work. “Wool from one particu¬ 
lar farmer three years ago had to be put among the 
rejections on account of the seed and straw in it. but 
the wool from the same flock last season graded 
uniform, meaning a difference in price per pound of 
about 35 cents to the farmer, this being due to a 
little extra care being taken at feeding time and 
proper feeding racks used.” The work in Ontario 
is under the direction of R. W. Wade, secretary of 
the Ontario Sheep Breeders’ Association, a province¬ 
wide organization of breeders of various types of 
sheep. The wool is assembled at the fair buildings 
at Guelph, where experts of the live stock branch 
grade and bale the wool ready for market. Possibly 
no other wool association of Canada has worked out 
better organization than has Mr. Wade in this one, 
which has an excellent system for handling the wool, 
such as sending the farmer a receipt of the ship¬ 
ment. a check for $10 being also mailed as initial 
payment. When the wool is sold the balance, less 
cost of handling, is sent to the farmer. 
METHODS EMPLOYED.—The method employed 
here, as elsewhere, permits of giving each farmer 
credit for the amount of grades he produces and 
disposes of through the association. Until final 
grade, each farmer’s wool shipment is figured out 
on basis of pounds in each of the various grades, 
and his check covers the proportionate sums. Never¬ 
theless, since the higher grades rule in market price, 
there exists the incentive to produce the best possible 
wool, and thus secure the greatest price. 
WORK IN WESTERN CANADA.—'The"growth of 
co-operative wool distribution in Western Canada, 
especially in the three prairie provinces, has been 
even more pronounced, since here, in Manitoba, Sas¬ 
katchewan and Alberta, there exist wide areas of 
land adapted to sheep husbandry, already prepared 
by Nature with a coat of succulent prairie grass, 
which makes for economic wool and mutton produc¬ 
tion at small expense. In Alberta especially, as well 
as in sections of the other two provinces, the Winter 
is mild enough to permit of wintering sheep on the 
open range, sheltered by a straw-stack lean-to oi 
shack. During lambing season the lambs are born 
in special hospital buildings. In 1015 .T. F. Booth, 
market and co-operative commissioner of the Sas¬ 
katchewan Department of Agriculture, sent a mes¬ 
sage to sheepmen: “We will organize a co-operative 
movement for the handling of the wool of Sas¬ 
katchewan if you farmers will ship your wool in." 
The department simply acted as the agency for 
gathering together the wool of all farmers who 
wished to participate. This work has now been 
taken over locally by the f- mors themselves, so 
strong has become the movement, the marketing be¬ 
ing done through the Canadian Co-operative Wool 
Growers, Limited. Whereas, for the season of 1014- 
15 _ <ask;iTcn'e\\ a'lT T.aTi 170 farmers shipping in wool, 
representing (10.000 lbs., in 1010 there were ’.105. with 
a total of 555.000 lbs., while 1030 saw this expand 
to more than a million pounds. Co-operative effort 
has certainly placed the Western Canada sheep on 
a firm and profitable foundation. 
GROWTH OF THE BUSINESS.—P. G. Coop, 
provincial co-operative wool agent for Manitoba, re¬ 
ports a decided increase in the number of sheep 
owners who market rlieir wool through the co-opera¬ 
tive channel. “The grading system has had a marked 
effect, upon the quality of the wool." remarked Mr. 
Coop, “and graders, as well as grades, uphold the 
belief that the educational work in this connection 
is doing an incalculable amount of good and increas¬ 
ing the revenue derived by the sheep owners from 
the sale of wool. In former years, when wool was 
sold at a flat rate, the importance of keeping the 
wool in a clean condition and avoiding the tying 
with binder twine, as well as mixing the black and 
tan with the white and tags, locks and pieces, seedy 
and dead, with higher grades, was not appreciated, 
and resulted in a serious loss in revenue to the 
farmer and a serious wastage of a product so much 
in demand. It cannot be gainsaid that wool sold 
under the co-operative system has on an average 
brought a very much higher price than could have 
been obtained by the farmer selling to the local 
buyers. The fact is quite evident to the sheep 
owners, as evidenced by the increased numbei of 
patrons.” The Southern Alberta Wool Growers’ As¬ 
sociation markets a million pounds of wool annually 
The RURAL NEW-YORKER 
for members. Approximately 150.000 sheep are win¬ 
tered in the district near the international boundary 
line, where but a few grazed a few years ago. Thus, 
to increase sheep, insure the profits. 
EARL. W. GAGE. 
Sprouting Seed Potatoes 
Part II 
IDEAL STORAGE.—The ideal storage is said to 
be a frost-proof building with a glass roof and 
windows that may be opened to admit air. but it is 
our experience that results can be obtained in any 
warm, light room that is available. This is more 
of a problem for the grower for early market on 
account of the cold weather of March and April. 
We think the tray system will be preferred to that 
of spreading the seed upon the floor, as it allows a 
better circulation of air, and saves the labor of pick¬ 
ing them up again, not to mention the economy in 
space. The trays we are using were made on the 
farm with a power rip saw. out of some choice bits 
of pine and elm slab wood. They are 20 in. by 30 in., 
about 3 in. deep, with corner posts 0 in. high, so that 
when the trays are corded up, corner to corner, 
there will be a 3-in. air space between the layers 
of potatoes. The material for the sides is pine, and 
is sawed 1 in. thick: the spaced slats for the bottom 
may be pine: it may be a wire screen, but for sake 
of stability we like the pine. The corner posts ai’e 
of the elm, and are 1 % in. square. The uncut 
tubers are to be placed seed end up like eggs in a 
crate, one layer to a tray, and the trays may be 
corded up as high as they will receive light from 
the windows. When the cellar has been so cold the 
eyes have not started the drawing of the curtains 
will hasten the process, but the sprouts which start: 
in the light will be more stocky than those that come 
out iii the dark. The length found to be most desir¬ 
able is from one-half inch to iy 2 in. It does not 
seem necessary or wise to keep these tubers in the 
direct rays of the sun, for the greening and tough¬ 
ening process will be brought about before the win¬ 
dow. For the average busy farmer it. would mean 
considerable inconvenience, and it is to be remem 
bered that daylight is also sunlight in a modified 
form. 
CHOICE OF VARIETY.—I suppose the best va- 
A Canadian Wool Storage Warehouse. Fig. 213 
riety of seed to use will vary with different soils. 
We selected the Irish Cobbler, because it has done 
so well for Long Island growers, and we believed 
their soil to be much like ours, a dark brown, sandy 
loam. At any rate, it seems to have done veil for 
us in both yield and quality, yet some of our neigh¬ 
bors with a- little heavier soil complain of getting 
but two potatoes in the hill of this variety. The 
stock with which an early grower comes into com¬ 
petition is largely of very good quality, white, thin- 
skinned and round, and it would seem that unless lie 
knows his local trade prefers the red skin, he would 
do well to make his product as near to that standard 
as possible. When selecting his seed he should look 
for the tuber of immature growth, where the skin 
rubs slightly in digging, another secret of getting a 
good yield: it does not seem to matter if this growth 
has been checked by blight as long as the seed shows 
no effects of the dry rot. The early potato seems 
bound to blight in the warm, muggy weather of the 
first part of August, and it is the grower’s business 
to get there first with the best methods of spraying 
and cultivation that he can command. 
EARLY PLANTING.—Also there will be days in 
April 2, 1921 
the first part of April when the weather seems like 
May, or what we expect of May, that he will be 
sorely tempted to move those trays of sun sprouts 
out to the edge of the lot and begin. He will need 
to call to mind very forcibly the Spring of 1010, 
when there was a blizzard on April 20. We often 
plant the Maine Cobblers before the eyes have de¬ 
veloped with fur mittens on our fingers, but look out 
for the sun sprout; that half-inch of bottled-up 
energy is fully prepared to produce leaves on such 
short notice, and potatoes 10 days earlier than the 
local market expects. mrs. f. h. t;:xger. 
Potato Scab; Pedigreed Seed 
Five years ago last Fall I broke up a piece of sod 
ground that had never before been plowed. The follow¬ 
ing Spring I put on light sowing of lime and had it 
thoroughly disked, and planted with corn, potatoes and 
melons, raising a good crop of all. Potatoes showed 
seme scab, although I planted seed that looked perfectly 
clean. I treated same with formaldehyde and sprinkled 
powdered sulphur over all cut pieces. I put in same 
crops the following Spring, changing location of corn 
and potatoes and, as in the previous season, had a fine 
crop, but potatoes very scabby. A year ago last Fall I 
sowed rye on whole piece and had a good stand, and the 
following Spring plowed it under, put in potatoes, but 
they turned out with almost an extra amount of scab, 
if it were possible. Lime and commercial fertilizer only 
dressing used, except in the first year a light applica¬ 
tion of cow manure. What course should I pursue in 
effort to rid this land of scab? I am prepared toiet this 
land lie idle for several years if advisable. What is sup¬ 
posed to be the advantage in planting certified seed po¬ 
tatoes? J. G. WOODS. 
IIE germs which are responsible for the scab 
disease are found not only on the seed pieces 
but also in the soil. Some soils are badly infested 
with them When they are in the soil of course treat¬ 
ing the seed will not prevent scab. The treatment 
may kill the germs found on the seed pieces, but the 
new crop may be infected from the soil, so long as it 
is filled with the germs. We think this soil was 
infected, and that the manure and lime made the 
germs more active. That seems to account for the 
scabby potatoes. Sulphur used fi'eely in the drill or 
hill will usually help to reduce the amount of scab, 
but the only way to get rid of it in the soil is to plant 
other crops, like corn or cabbage, for several years, 
ard stop using lime. Manure usually increases the 
trouble from scab when the germs are in the soil, but 
most chemical fertilizers will not do so. 
The advantage of planting certified seed is much 
the same as that claimed for purebred stock. You 
get the advantage of good qualities inherited from 
good ancestors, and passed along to the offspring. 
The “pedigreed” seed has been for several years 
selected from the strongest and most reliable plants. 
The weak ones and those giving poor yields are re¬ 
jected. Tubers from a potato plant will produce 
other plants much like the parent, and thus when the 
inferior plants are culled out and “seed" taken only 
from the best plants, you stand a better chance of 
producing a larger and more uniform crop. That is 
the theory of “pedigreed seed." 
Fine Manure for the Garden 
There seems to be quite a difference of opinion when 
to spread manure for gardening. One advises to let it 
stand in the open during tin 1 Winter and spread it in 
the Spring, and then turn it under, or plow first, then 
spread and barrow in. Others advise spreading in the 
Winter and turning under in the Spring. I have a com¬ 
bination of hog. cow and horse manure, and at the pres¬ 
ent time have it in the yard covered over with boards. 
Cresskill, N. .T. d. d. m. 
OR garden culture we think it best to make the 
manure as fine as possible and harrow or rake 
it in after plowing. For farm work it usually pays 
best to haul the manure away from the barn each 
day and spread directly on the ground—to be plowed 
under in Spring. This saves labor by doing the work 
at a time when there is least to do, and thus avoiding 
it in the rush of Spring work. The manure never 
contains more plant food than when it is first made, 
and if it is to be washed out or leached this may 
better be done out where the crops are to grow. Mu 
r.ure for the garden is different. The garden crops 
are expected to make a quick, rank growth, and in 
order to give that the plant food must, be soluble and 
quickly available. For that reason a compost heap 
may well be used to ferment the manure. No doubt 
some of the plant food may be lost through this 
process, but what there is left is more available, and 
the coarse manure is broken up and made fine. 
Where manure and sods or old trash are piled to¬ 
gether with a little lime, fermentation starts, and the 
pule is well heated or cooked through the Fall and 
Winter. In the Spring the pile will be smaller and 
the manure may be spread almost like soil or chem¬ 
ical fertilizer. We think it better to spread this fine 
manure after plowing and harrow it into the upper 
part of the soil. Coarse manure is better plowed un¬ 
der; it cannot be well worked in with a harrow. 
