246 
The  RURAL.  NEW-YORKER 
February  17,  1923 
General  Farm  Topics 
Shavings  Bedding  for  Manure 
Can  you  tell  me  whether  it  is  advisable 
to  use  manure  from  cow  stables  where 
the  cows  have  been  bedded  in  shavings? 
If  so,  how  long  should  the  manure  stand 
before  putting  it  in  flower,  beds,  vege¬ 
table  garden,  lawns  or  fields?  m.  G.  R. 
Millbrook,  N.  Y. 
We  would  not  use  such  manure  on 
flower  beds.  The  shavings  contain  an 
acid  which  will  have  a  bad  effect  upon 
the  soil,  unless  it  is  neutralized.  When 
the  shavings  soak  up  the  stable  liquids 
assist  in  the  fertilization  of  the  blossoms 
on  the  named  varieties.  It  is  possible  to 
restrict  the  growth  of  the  fox  vine  within 
rather  close  limits  through  pruning.  It 
will  be  impossible  to  restrict  it  as  closely 
as  one  could  the  cultivated  kind,  because 
naturally  it  may  be  a  stronger  grower. 
F.  E.  G. 
Cuttings  from  Grape  Trimmings 
I  expect  to  cut  off  four-year-old  grape¬ 
vines  for  the  purpose  of  renewing  their 
in.,  tied  into  bundles  with  the  butt  ends 
all  at  the  same  level  and  end,  and  buried 
in  loose,  well-drained  soil.  The  butt  ends 
should  be  at  the  top,  and  the  bundle 
placed  deeply  enough  so  that  4  or  5  in. 
of  soil  will  intervene  between  the  cut  sur¬ 
faces  and  the  air.  When  the  soil  has 
warmed  in  the  Spi'ing  these  are  planted 
out  in  a  trench  so  that  when  stood  up¬ 
right  the  top  bud  will  just  be  above  the 
level  of  the  ground  when  the  trench  is 
filled.  F.  E.  G. 
The  Pipeless  Furnace 
I  am  about  to  build  a  house,  and  would 
like  to  have  it  heated  with  a  reliable  heat¬ 
ing  system.  The  difference  in  the  cost  of 
4.  Would  the  pipeless  furnace  affect 
the  sale  or  rent  of  the  house?  N.  T.  O. 
Dobbs  Ferry,  N.  Y. 
I  have  heated  an  eight-room  house  with 
a  one-pipe,  or  “pipeless”  furnace  for  six 
years,  and,  from  my  own  experience, 
should  answer  your  questions  as  follows: 
1.  Our  upstairs  rooms  being  used  for 
sleeping  only,  we  give  them  only  as  much 
heat  as  naturally  escapes  up  the  closed 
stairway  and  :from  the  smoke-pipe  of  the 
furnace,  which  is  carried  to  the  second 
floor  before  entering  the  chimney.  This 
takes  the  chill  from  the  rooms  and  makes 
them  comfortable  for  sleeping  and  dress¬ 
ing.  By  opening  the  stairway  door,  we 
can  warm  these  rooms  quickly.  '  Heat 
tries  to  get  up-stairs.  With  an  open  stair¬ 
way.  I  should  expect  that  the  trouble 
would  be,  not  to  warm  the  upper  rooms 
but  the  lower. 
and  are  composted  with  the  manure  they 
are  improved  as  plant  food,  but  we  ad¬ 
vise  the  use  of  'lime  along  with  them. 
Winter  Grape  Cuttings 
Is  it  advisable  to  take  grape  cuttings 
from  vines  which  have  been  trimmed  dur¬ 
ing  the  Winter?  Will  cuttings  grow  well 
if  taken  from  vines  left  intact  until  after 
freezing  up  and  then  planted  in  the 
Spring?  ,  _  F-D-J- 
Mountain  Falls,  N.  Y. 
Cuttings  for  grape  propagation  may  be 
taken  any  time  after  the  dormant  stage  is 
reached  in  the  Fall  up  until  three  or  four 
weeks  previous  to  leafing  in  the  Spring. 
Usually  they  are  made  during  January 
and  February,  or  after  several  days  of 
cold  weather.  It  is  not  advisable  to  take 
cuttings  from  vines  that  have  been  pruned 
any  great  time.  In  other  words,  make 
the  cuttings  as  soon  as  possible  after  the 
canes  have  been  severed  from  the  vines. 
F.  E.  G. 
Fox  Grape  Near  Domestic  Varieties 
I  have  a  fox  grapevine  in  my  garden, 
taken  from  the  swamp  and  planted  at  the 
end  of  a  row  of  domestic  grapevines.  A 
neighbor  tells  me  that  fox  grape  will 
cause  the  domestic  grapes  to  go  back  to 
the  wild  state.  Will  it?  Can  I  prune 
and  train  that  fox  grapevine  as  I  do  the 
garden  grapes,  or  must  I  let  it  grow  and 
continue  to  run  as  it  does  in  the  swamp? 
Maryland.  H.  s. 
The  fox  grapevine  in  proximity  to  your 
cultivated  varieties  will  in  no  wise  affect 
the  latter  unfavorably.  On  the  other 
hand,  if  both  bloom  at  the  same  time  pol¬ 
len  from  the  fox  species  may  materially 
2.  Yes, -the  pipeless  furnace  is  very 
dusty.  So  is  any  other  hot-air  furnace 
that  I  have  ever  used,  and  I  have  used 
several.  On  this  account  alone,  I  should 
install  steam  if  putting  in  a  heating  plant 
for  my  own  use  again. 
3.  I  consider  the  pipeless  furnace  more 
economical  in  fuel  than  the  ordinary  type. 
The  only  way  to  know  this  definitely 
would  be  to  operate  the  two.  side  by  side, 
which,  of  course,  is  impracticable,  but  my 
experience  with  houses  and  furnaces  leads 
me  to  believe  that  the  pipeless  is  slightly 
superior  to  the  multi-pipe  furnace  in  this 
respect.  My  furnace  uses  six  tons  of 
hard  coal  annually,  and  I  can  see  little 
difference  between  exceptionally  hard  and 
exceptionally  mild  Winters. 
4.  That  would  depend  upon  the  notions 
of  the  prospective  buyer ;  I  would  pay 
more  for  a  house  heated  by  steam  or  hot 
water.  M.  b.  d. 
Clergyman’s  Exemption  from  Taxation 
Has  a  clergyman  any  legal  right  to  ex¬ 
emption  from  taxation  on  real  estate  in 
New  York  State?  If  so,  to  what  extent? 
Would  he  have  a  legal  claim  for  moneys 
already  naid  in  for  taxes?  E.  e.  b. 
New  York. 
A  Caterpillar  Snow  Plow  at  Work  on  a  Country  Road 
growth.  I  am  wTondering  if  I  could  suc¬ 
cessfully  use  any  of  the  lateral  ends  for 
cuttings  at  this  season,  and  what  I  shall 
do  with  them  in  the  interval  until  plant¬ 
ing.  Also,  how  best  to  plant  them,  if 
planting  is  feasible?  Varieties  are  Con¬ 
cord  and  Niagara.  W.  G.  N. 
Pottstown,  Pa. 
The  past  season’s  canes  from  these  vines 
may  be  cut  into  lengths  of  from  10-12 
a  pipeless  furnace  compared  with  a  hot- 
water  system  makes  it  worth  while  in¬ 
vestigating. 
1.  Won’t  there  be  a  vast  difference  in 
the  temperature  of  an  upstairs  room  com¬ 
pared  with  the  temperature  of  the  room 
where  the  pipe  comes  up? 
2.  Does  the  pipeless  furnace  make  the 
house  dusty? 
3.  Is  the  pipeless  furnace  cheaper  to 
operate?  That  is,  does  it  take  less  fuel? 
The  real  and  personal  property  of  a 
minister  of  the  gospel  or  priest  of  any  de¬ 
nomination,  being  an  actual  resident  and 
inhabitant  of  this  State,  who  is  engaged  in 
the  work  assigned  to  him  by  the  church 
or  denomination  to  which  he  belongs,  or 
who  is  disabled  by  ill  health  from  the 
performance  of  such  duties,  or  over  _70 
years  of  age.  is  exempt  from  taxation  in 
the  State  of  New  York,  but  the  total 
amount  of  such  exemption  on  account  of 
both  real  and  personal  property  shall  not 
exceed  $1,500.  N.  T. 
The  BEST  is  the  CHEAPEST! 
This  Always  Was  and  Always  Will  be  True 
USE  THE  MAPES 
FAMOUS  FERTILIZERS 
The  Standard  for  Half  a  Century 
BASIS-BONE  AND  GUANO 
Availability  Without  Acidity 
Choicest  and  Most  Varied  Forms  of  Plant  Food 
We  are  pleased  to  announce  that  during  the  Fall  and  early  Winter  we  have  received  two  cargoes  of 
the  highest  grade  Peruvian  Guano,  and  that  ample  stocks  are  assured  for  a  long  time  to  come. 
Send  for  Price  List  and  Descriptive  Circular 
THE  MAPES  FORMULA  &  PERUVIAN  GUANO  CO. 
Hartford  Branch:  239  State  Street,  Hartford,  Conn.  143  Liberty  Street,  New  York  City,  N.  Y. 
