Fitting Farm Land for the Potato Crop 
G OOD CROPS.—The pictures shown on this page 
were taken on a New York farm, in Allegany 
County. They show some of the best crops that can 
ho grown in New York or any other State. The chihl 
crop in particular would he likely to take a blue 
ribbon anywhere. Mr. Albert McIntosh, who sends 
these pictures, says that he has been in .‘10 different 
States, and came from the West to run a farm in 
New York. Not being familiar with potato growing, 
be wants to learn all he can about it. and he is 
going at the job properly. Fig. 50 S shows some of 
the potatoes raised this year, lie dug and sold 00 
bushels from half an acre, in addition to what two 
families needed. Now he is going after a crop next 
year that will be worth while. For instance. Fig. 
HOT shows one plant of Winter vetch. This was 
seeded with Spring wheat June 12. and was cut 
August 28. It made a growth of <5 feet 1) inches 
without inoculation, and no fertilizer except 200 
pounds of acid phosphate to the acre. 
PREPARING FOR NEXT YEAR.—Now Mr. 
McIntosh is figuring what to do so as to get good 
potato ground next year. His plan is to cut the 
wheat and vetch and then put on 25 loads of horse 
manure with plenty of straw to the acre. Then 
plow 8 or 0 inches deep, roll down well, and sow to 
rye. using 500 pounds of bonemeal to tin' acre. This 
rye will be plowed under next Spring, and then 
planted to potatoes. Being a newcomer, and not 
well acquainted with potato growing. Mr. McIntosh 
wants to know if this will he a good practice. This 
certainly will be, for that is the way to handle many 
of these soils in New York State. Their chief need 
is organic matter and phosphorus. The wheat and 
vetch stubble and tin* rye will supply the organic 
matter, and the bonemeal will tit out the soil with 
the needed phosphorus. It is a good program and 
ought to lay the foundation for a big potato crop. 
HANDLING THE RYE.—A few simple rules for 
handling the land next Spring should be observed. 
Do not let this rye get too large and hard before 
turning it under. In some cases farmers deceive 
themselves by thinking it. better to get all the growth 
they can out of the rye. After the rye 
makes its head the stalks are too hard 
and coarse to decay readily. By pul¬ 
ling a chain on the plow it is possible 
to turn them under out of sight, but 
unless great pains are taken to pack 
the land firmly after plowing (here D 
sure to be trouble. If the land is left 
open and loose the air works in and 
causes too much fermentation, and ai-<> 
dries out the soil. Most of the trouble 
observed 'when rye is plowed under 
comes from that practice. Also, if the 
rye is too large and tough when it is 
plowed un^r, much of it will be ripped 
out in planting the potatoes, and thus 
make trouble. If is better to plow 
the rye when not over 2 feet high. 
Then if is tender and much quicker to 
decay and give up its plant food. One 
of the best ways of handling the rye 
for this purpose is to chop it up with 
a disk harrow when about is inches 
high, and then plow. The harrow will 
tear up the soil and chop the rye in 
pieces. Then when the soil is plowed 
the land can be well worked, and there 
will be none of the trouble often ex¬ 
perienced when the tough full-grown 
rye is plowed under. At any rate. Mr. 
McIntosh is starting right to fit that 
land for a potato crop. Personally, we 
should throw in a small quantity of 
Alsike clover seed along with flu* rye. 
It will not make a heavy crop, but will 
add to the amount of organic matter 
ready in the Spring, and give back far 
more than the cost and labor. 
Death in the Well 
T HE following particulars of 
deadly accident at Springbrook 
N. Y„ are given to warn our readi 
about the danger of going down into 
wells. One man went down to clean 
out the well, which was about 25 feet 
flarresting a Slice of Watermelon. Fig. 50(i 
deep and -I feet in diameter. 'The sides of the well 
wore built of concrete, and there was only a small 
opening at the top. As is not uncommon in such 
wells, carbonic acid gas had accumulated at tne 
bottom. This gas is heavier than air. and unless 
thoroughly stirred up or blown out it frequently 
gathers in this way. The first man to go down into 
the well was promptly overcome: two others who 
rushed to help him toppled over as soon as they 
.1 Itobnsl I'lant of Winter 1 'etch. Fig. HOI 
reached the bottom. A crowd quickly gathered, and 
volunteers offered to go down to rescue these men. 
A ladder was placed into the well, and one after 
another men with ropes tied around them were 
lowered in. 'They were unable to withstand the gas. 
Among others was the pastor of the local Catholic 
church, who volunteered to enter the well. lie col¬ 
lapsed. and was brought, up in an unconscious con¬ 
dition. though finally revived. Then it became 
known that the gas had settled at the bottom of the 
well, and that the top was clear. When this was 
known men went down half the ladder and with the 
aid of a long pole succeeded in placing a rope around 
some part of the body of a man. and all the bodies 
were recovered. 
'The gas which gathered in the well in this way 
was the same as that which often causes death in 
the silo. This heavy gas. a deadly poison, sinks to 
tin* bottom of the well and remains there until it is 
drained off. No one should ever go down into i 
well or into a closed silo without first lowering a 
lighted lantern or candle. If the flame continues to 
burn, it is safe to enter the well or silo. If the 
flame goes out. it will mean death to enter. In the 
case of a well the trouble may be overcome by using 
a chain pump and working it briskly so as to pump 
out the foul gas and let down the air. Another way 
is to take a sack filled with chaff or some other light 
substance so as to make bulk and lower down into 
the well at the end of a rope. Churn this violently 
u| and down, thus stirring up the gas and mixing 
the air thoroughly through it. Anything that will 
stir up the gas at the bottom of the well and admit 
the air will help, but under no circumstances what¬ 
ever should anyone enter an old well of this kind 
without first testing it thoroughly. 
VS 
Some Crops on an Allegany County (N. Y.) Farm. Fig. 508 
Quack Grass—Is it a Friend? 
Just a few (lays ago I read in some newspaper that 
11 pack grass is now the farmer’s best friend, and the 
roots (dried) are sold at 50 cents per pound. In this 
article I read if was said to be the best and cheapest 
fertilizer. Have you read any such statementV Per¬ 
haps it was just natural gas from some 
optimist. w. u II. 
Nov York. 
I F you were to believe' all that you 
read in newspapers you would be a 
tit subject for an insane asylum in less 
than one year. That is particularly 
true of the agricultural matters which 
are printed in the daily papers, and 
this quack grass article is a fair sam¬ 
ple of it. It is true that there is a 
limited demand for the dried roots of 
quack grass. These roots are also 
known as dog grass, and are used in 
making remedies for bladder trouble 
a ml similar ailments. They ,.ve not 
sold at 50 cents a pound. A fair price 
at this time would probably be about. 
15 cents. There is only a limited de¬ 
mand for these roots: of course, if 
every one undertook to raise and sell 
them they would soon have no value at 
all. Most farmers regard quack grass 
as perhaps the greatest weed pest on 
the farm. If propagates not only from 
seed, but also by roots or underground 
joints, and thus if will run all through 
and over the farm if once started. In 
some parts of the country entire fields 
have been abandoned and thrown out 
of cultivation through the spread of 
this quack grass. It makes a fair hay. 
although but a poor yield, and is useful 
for pasturing sheep or hogs. Some, 
fruit growers consider it a good cover 
crop in their orchards, as it comes in 
without seeding and through its great 
growth of roots adds a good deal of 
organic matter to the soil. Aside from 
these limited conditions, the quack 
grass is probably t 1 m* greatest pest 
which Eastern farmers have to contend 
with, and is in no sense a friend of the 
farmers, especially those who are 
obliged to fight it continuously in order 
to keep it out of their fields. The vir¬ 
tues of foul weeds are soon exhausted. 
They are unprofitable tenants. 
