The RURAL NEW* YORKER 
Calla Fails to Do Well 
I have a Godefrey calla lily which is 
five years old and has bloomed a couple 
of times, having only one and two flowers 
on it, which do not open up nicely. The 
plant grows very tall and when it gets 
four or five leaves they bend over and die 
off. I have tried keeping water under 
it but that does not seem to do any 
good. What is the proper care and cul¬ 
ture for this calla? Does it need a rest 
during the Summer months? R. R. 
Olive Bridge, N. Y. 
The calla called Godefreyana is a 
dwarf variety of the well-known calla of 
greenhouse culture, |botanically Zantedes- 
chia aethiopica. To obtain Winter bloom, 
it is necessary to give this plant a rest 
through the Summer months. It is cus¬ 
tomary to dry the plants off by grad¬ 
ually withholding water in late Spring 
and early Summer, until the foliage yel¬ 
lows and withers, when the pot contain¬ 
ing the root is laid on its side in a 
sheltered place, where it will remain dry, 
until September. It is then repotted in 
good loam, and started into growth. While 
in vigorous growth occasional doses of 
liquid manure will be helpful. It re¬ 
quires a light place, with a minimum 
temperature of about 55 degrees. The 
weak spindling growth in this case may 
have resulted from lack of rest last Sum¬ 
mer, also from lack of light, warmth 
and fertility. While the calla requires 
abundant moisture, a sour, stagnant con¬ 
dition of the soil results from keeping the 
pot standing in water. It is a greedy 
feeder, and must have abundant fertility. 
If it is not dried off as described it will* 
continue to grow through the Summer, 
with poor results during the Winter sea¬ 
son. 
How to Raise Celeriac 
Recently you had a short article on 
growing celeriac. I started to l-aise cel¬ 
eriac several years ago, and after failing 
the first two season I succeeded in rais¬ 
ing some. I can now raise tubers that 
are worth growing. 
I get my hotbed started as soon after 
March 1 as I can. I sow the row about 
half an inch wide. As the seed must 
necessarily be covered very lightly, it 
must be moistened morning and evening. 
If too much water is put on the seeds 
will be washed out. At least, it will take 
about three weeks to germinate. That is 
one reason -why it should be started in 
the hotbed. If it is planted in the open 
ground the plants will be so small when 
the hot weather comes on that they will 
burn up. That is what happened to 
mine the first year. The second year I 
started it in the hotbed and it burned up 
there too, because the roots were not 
properly developed. 
Now, as soon as the plants are high 
enough I take a pair of scissors and cut 
the tops off. I repeat this from time to 
time and pull out the weak plants to 
give room for the others to develop. By 
the first week in May I have plants with 
a good root system, long roots and plen¬ 
ty of them. I spread the roots fan-shape 
and set them as deep as possible. In this 
way I lose scarcely a plant and in the 
Fall I have roots two or three inches in 
diameter. dr. j. b. butts. 
Illinois » 
Vitality of Clover Seed 
F. A. Welton of the Ohio Experiment 
Station speaks of the chances in sowing 
old clover seed. What he says may also 
explain why clover often appears some 
years after seeding. Quite likely these 
“hard seeds” that he refers to remain in 
the soil some years without sprouting, 
and finally, when conditions are right, 
appear. 
In view of the scarcity of new home¬ 
grown seed and the poor quality of much 
of the foreign seed, the farmer who 
chances to have good clover seed left 
over from past years is fortunate indeed. 
Tests of seed which had been kept for 
four or five years in a comparatively dry 
place and free from insects gave 95 per 
cent germination for Red clover, 99 for 
Mammoth. 92 for Alsike, and 89 for 
white Sweet clover. 
In fact the proportion of seed to grow 
often increases with age up to several 
years, due to the presence of many so- 
called hard seeds. Such seeds, it was 
I. are waterproof at temperatures 
favorable to germination and do not 
grow. With age the seed coats gradually 
soften and a larger percentage grow. 
Germination tests may be easily made 
by counting out 100 seeds, say. and plant¬ 
ing them in a pan of moist soil. If kept 
in a warm place the good seeds will 
grow in a few days. 
465 
The Superior 
Corn Planter 
Gives Every Kernel 
the Right Start in Life! 
No farmer can afford to 
slight—in any degree 
whatever—the vitally im¬ 
portant work of planting. 
When prices are high a 
bumper crop means bum¬ 
per profits. When prices 
are low, more reason than 
ever to make every acre 
produce its utmost. 
Play safe on the seeding- job' 
Start right — or you cannot 
possibly realize full profits 
on your long days of prepa¬ 
ration. cultivation and har¬ 
vest. A worn-out grain drill 
— an inefficient planter of 
any kind—robs you of bushels 
— and dollars—which you. 
cannot afford to lose. 
1MPLICITY, strength and re¬ 
markable accuracy—these are 
the outstanding features of Super¬ 
ior Corn Planters just as they are the qualities that 
have made Superior Grain Drills world-famous* 
If you want your corn so planted that it can be 
worked easily and made to produce the greatest 
number of bushels per acre, then by all means 
see the Superior Corn Planter at your dealer’s. 
Like all Superior machines, this planter is ruggedly well 
built. There is a noticeable absence of springs and com¬ 
plicated parts For example, there are no clutches on the 
feed rod to get out of order. 
Either flat drop or edge drop plates can be used without 
changing hoppers—and as plates are moving steadily at all 
times almost perfect filling of cells is assured. Row adjust¬ 
ment 28 to 48 inches—two-inch spacings. Double marker. 
Instantly adjusted for drilling. Special plates can be fur¬ 
nished for planting Beans, Peas, Peanuts, Kaffir Corn, Beet 
Seed, etc. A fertilizer attachment can be placed on the 
plain planter at any time. This is a Corn Planter of truly 
Superior quality. Write for full details today. 
Superior 
Potato Planter 
What the Superior Drill is to the 
grain farmer, this planter is to the 
potato grower. Sturdily built for 
long hard service—and does a clean, 
efficient planting job. li is a one- 
man picker-planter and because both ground wheels 
drive the feed, steady, continuous planting is assured 
under all conditions. Works perfectly on hillsides. 
The Superior will plant from five to eight acres per 
day—dropping seed from 10 to 36 inches apart. Steel 
hopper. Steel bottom with agitator to insure even seed- 
flow. Steel wheels with wide-face tires. Hyatt bearings. 
Write for descriptive folder. 
Buckeye 
Cultivators 
Plant with Superior— and cultivate 
with Buckeye. It’s the direct route to 
better crops and bigger profits. Buck¬ 
eye cultivation means easier work 
and best possible results—always. These highest-qualitv 
implements are remarkable for simplicity of operation, 
lightness of draft, balance and flexibility. And like all 
products of the Superior r'lint, they are sturdily builr of 
finest materials—to give long years of dependable service. 
The Buckeye line is unusually complete. It includes 
both Riding and Walking Cultivators, One and Two-Row 
—and horse and tractor drawn machines. Write tot the 
Buckeye facts in full. 
THE AMERICAN SEEDING-MACHINE COMPANY, Inc. 
SPRINGFIELD, OHIO 
For heavy 
mulching 
and hilling 
The variety of ways in which Planet Jr. 
No. 8 horse hoe serves makes it invalu¬ 
able throughout the season. With the 
lever-operated wheel set for deep culti¬ 
vation it works upafine, 
loose mulch. Set close 
with hillers and rear 
shovel it is particularly 
handy for hilling corn, 
potatoes, and all field or 
truck crops. No. 8 is 
stiff and steady, ageneral 
favorite all over the 
world. Write for 
Planet Jr. Catalog. 
S.L. ALLEN & CO., Inc. 
Largest Manufacturers of 
Specialized Field and 
Garden Tools in the World 
Dept. 38 
5th & Glenwood Ave. 
Philadelphia 
Look for "Planet Jr 
\ J 
Prices 
World’s Best 
Roofing 
“Reo” Cluster Metal Shingles. V-Crimp. Corru¬ 
gated. Standing Seam. Painted or Galvanized Roof- 
Inge, Sidings. Wallboard. Paints, etc., direct to you 
at Rock-Bottom Factory Prices. Save money— get 
better quality and lasting satisfaction. 
Edwards**Reo” Metal Shingles 
have great durability—many customers report 16 and 
20 years’ service.Guaranteed fire and lightning proof. 
Free Roofing Book 
Get our wonderfully 
low prices and free 
Bam plea Wesell direct 
to you and save you all 
in-between dealer's 
profits Ask for Book 
No. 178 
LOW PRICED GARAGES 
Lowest prices on Ready-Made 
Fire-Proof Steel Garages. Set 
up any place. Send postal for 
Garage Book, showing styles. 
THE EDWARDS MFG. CO. 
323-373 Pike St. Cincinnati. 0. 
Edmonds’ Poultry Account Book 
Price $1. For sale by The Rural New- 
Yorker, 333 W. 30th St., New York 
