The  RURAL.  NE>“.YORICER 
427 
Dirt  Bands  for  Early  Vegetables 
OMPARISON  WITH  SODS. —  T  was  very  much 
interested  in  the  account  given  by  William 
Perkins  of  growing  early  vegetables  with  the  use  of 
inverted  sods.  My  father  used  this  method  for  years 
with  great  success,  and  it  still  has  many  friends 
among  my  brother  gardeners.  But  I  believe  that 
the  majority  of  gardeners  in  my  section  favor  the 
paper  band  method  of  starting  early  plants,  as  we 
seem  to  think  that  it  is  less  trouble  and  expense  to 
use  the  bands.  It  is  certainly  less  labor,  and  labor 
costs  money.  I  have  grown  early  cucumbers  for 
years  by  the  use  of  the  dirt  bands,  and  find  that  by 
their  use  I  can  gain  about  two  weeks  in  market,  and 
also  get  away  from  the  striped  beetle. 
STARTING  CUCUMBERS.— For  cucumbers  we 
use  the  simple  cold  frame  with  the  bands  placed 
therein  in  flats.  These  dirt  bands,  as  you  know,  are 
simply  strips  or  ribbons  of  paper  with  a  slit  in  them 
so  they  fold  into  a  bottomless  “pot”  or  ring  without 
a  bottom.  They  come  in  various  sizes,  the  most  com¬ 
mon  used  being  the  ones  that  will  make  up  into  a 
3- in.  or  4-in.  diameter  size.  Their  cost  is  small, 
running  about  $2  or  ’ess  per  1.000  for  the  4-in.  size. 
They  come  in  the  flat,  and  a  person  can  fold  up 
several  thousand  in  a  day.  For  cucumbers  we  use 
the  3-in.  size.  When  ready  to  plant  we 
spread  a  sheet  of  newspaper  in  the 
bottom  of  the  flats,  which  are  made  by 
cutting  canned  tomato  cases  into 
slices  about  3  in.  deep,  with  strips  from 
the  cover  of  the  case  nailed  across  for 
the  bottoms^of  the  flats.  Then,  on  the 
newspaper  bottoms,  we  place  the  bot¬ 
tomless  paper  bands,  fill  them  with 
dirt  to  about  in.  of  the  top.  drop  in 
a  few  cucumber  seeds,  and  then  sift 
dirt  over  the  entire  box.  This  work 
can  l»e  done  in  any  place — a  shed,  the 
barn,  or  even  the  house  cellar.  The 
flats  can  be  piled  up  one  on  top  of  the 
other  for  a  few  days  if  desired  until 
the  shoots  begin  to  show  through  the 
dirt:  then  they  are  carried  at  one’s 
convenience  and  placed  in  the  cold 
frames,  and  kept  therein  until  time 
for  removal  'to  the  field,  care  being 
taken  to  air  them  and  gradually 
harden  them  off  for  the  final  transfer. 
We  use  Davis  Perfect  for  our  market, 
and  plant  seeds  in  the  bands  about  one 
month  before  time  for  setting  in  the 
field.  Field  setting  time  here  is  about 
May  15.  I  like  the  dirt  band  method 
on  account  of  ease  in  handling  in  grow¬ 
ing  any  considerable  amount.  When 
ready  for  setting  in  the  field  it  is  very 
convenient  to  take  up  a  flat  containing 
20  “hills,”  place  it  under  your  arm. 
auU  walk  along,  depositing  the  ball  of 
plants  in  the  furrows  almost  as  one 
would  drop  potatoes. 
SETTING  THE  PLANTS.— The  field 
is  properly  prepared  and  marked  off 
by  furrows  each  way,  leaving  the 
squares  4x5  ft.  The  banded  plants  are 
dropped  in  the  intersections  and  some 
dirt  drawn  over  the  band,  or  rather 
about  it  with  a  hoe.  We  never  tear  the 
bands  open,  but  set  them  direct  on  the  bottom  of  the 
furrow.  The  roots  soon  grow  out  through  the  open 
bottom,  and  the  paper  sides,  if  allowed  to  stand  out 
the  soil  a  half  inch,  seem  to  deter  the  cutworms. 
The  plants  are  about  3  in.  high  when  transferred  to 
their  field  quarters,  and  are  in  far  better  condition 
to  withstand  the  attacks  of  the  beetles  than  are  the 
tender  plants  that  come  up  from  seed  planted 
directly  in  hills  where  they  are  to  remain. 
EARLY  TOMATOES. — This  dirt  band  method  is 
also  largely  used  by  our  growers  of  early  tomatoes, 
only  instead  of  a  3-in.  band  these  growers  use  the 
4- in.  The  plants  are  first  started  in  flats  or  on  the 
greenhouse  bench,  about  a  hundred  to  the  square 
foot  being  started.  When  about  an  inch  or  so  long 
they  are  transplanted  about  an  inch  apart  each  way. 
and  as  soon  as  they  crowd  another  transplanting  is 
given  so  that  they  stand  about  2x3  in.  Next  they 
are  transplanted  into  4-in.  dirt  bands  in  the  cold 
frames.  From  that  time  on  they  are  handled  tie.1 
same  as  the  cucumbers.  Sometimes,  instead  of  the 
flats  being  used,  newspapers  are  spread  out  on  the 
bottom  of  the  cold  frame,  and  the  bands  placed 
thereon,  thus  making  the  entire  cold  frame  a  sort 
of  flat.  This  gives  good  results,  but  the  labor  of 
transferring  from  the  frame  to  the  field  is  much 
greater.  In  this  case  a  low  wagon  with  a  wide  flat 
platform  is  used.  A  trowel  is  needed  to  lift  the 
bands  from  the  frames  to  the  wagon,  arid  a  carrying 
board  is  used  in  the  field  for  transferring  from  the 
wagon  to  the  permanent  locations.  I  vote  in  favor 
of  the  dirt  band  every  time.  c.  o.  warford. 
A  Good  Test  for  Hubam  Clover 
IX  regard  to  A.  .T.  Pieters’  inquiry  as  to  yield  of 
Hubam  clover  hay.  last  season  we  sowed  one  field 
to  this  clover  as  follows: 
The  soil,  a  heavy  clay  loam,  was  given  a  top¬ 
dressing  of  stable  manure  during  the  Winter  (about 
15  tons  per  acre),  then  in  April  plowed  and  ground 
limestone  worked  in  at  the  rate  of  two  tons  per 
acre,  the  field  was  well  fitted  and  rolled,  the  Hubam 
seed  broadcast  on  at  the  rate  of  30  lbs.  per  acre, 
lightly  dragged  in  and  rolled  again.  This  field  was 
sown  May  2,  and  on  August  S  it  was  cut  for  hay. 
being  at  that  date  from  30  in.  to  3  ft.  high,  and  on 
some  theblooms  beginning  to  show.  An  average  square 
rod  was  saved  out  and  weighed  as  soon  as  cut. 
weighing  134  lbs.  in  the  green  fresh-cut  state,  that 
being  equal  to  10  tons  700  lbs.  of  green  weight  per 
acre.  Then  this  was  dried  into  hay  and  weighed 
again,  weighing  41  lbs.,  or  equal  to  over  three  tons 
of  cured  hay  to  the  acre.  This  field  was  in  potatoes 
(lie  previous  year,  and  there  was  some  ragweed  and 
heartsease:  should  say  about  20  per  cent  of  the 
growth  being  these  weeds. 
This  hay  was  of  nice  quality,  the  stems  fine  and 
leafy.  It  was  fed  to  the  sheep  and  young  cattle, 
and  eaten  with  a  relish,  there  being  very  little 
waste;  in  fact,  not  as  much  as  is  usually  left  when 
feeding  the  first  cutting  of  Alfalfa.  The  field  was 
plowed  soon  after  and  kept  fitted  until  September, 
and  seeded  to  Alfalfa.  This  started  well,  and  I  ex¬ 
pect  it  will  come  through  the  Winter  nicely.  The 
Hubam  seed  was  inoculated,  and  the  roots  had  many 
nodules  on  them,  so  have  reason  to  expect  good  re¬ 
sults  with  the  Alfalfa. 
In  the  oat  field  Hubam  seed  was  mixed  in  with 
the  other  grass  and  clover  seed  at  the  rate  of  5  lbs. 
per  acre,  setting  the  drill  to  sow  that  amount  ex¬ 
tra.  On  the  low  moist  ground  it  came  on  well  and 
the  forepart  of  October  gave  a  clip  of  around  three- 
fourths  ton  of  hay  per  acre,  it.  being  from  1(4  to  2 
ft.  high,  and  lots  of  blossoms,  the  bees  having  a 
feast,  as  it  kept  good  long  after  the  other  late 
flowers  were  gone.  On  the  upland  it  gave  only  a 
scattered  growth,  due  largely.  I  think,  to  lack  of 
the  ground  being  firmed  down  enough  for  this  plant. 
The  field  received  1(4  tons  of  lime  per  acre,  and 
from  300  to  400  lbs.  acid  rock  drilled  in  with  the 
oats.  It  was  corn  the  year  previous  and  then 
manured  well. 
We  also  had  a  field  grown  for  seed.  This  was  in 
drills  28  in.  apart,  sown  with  a  garden  seeder  set 
at  mark  for  celery  seed.  This  field  is  rich  loam,  and 
was  limed  at  rate  of  four  tons  per  acre.  The  clover 
gave  an  immense  growth,  some  plants  over  8  ft. 
high.  Owing  to  the  protracted  rains,  part  of  this 
field  could  not  be  kept  free  from  weeds,  and  so  was 
cut  into  the  silo,  being  the  first  loads  in  the  filling. 
'I’he  balance  was  left,  and  when  ripe  harvested  with 
a  corn  harvester.  This  season  we  plan  to  broadcast 
8  to  10  lbs.  of  Hubam  clover  seed  to  the  acre  on  all 
our  Spring  seeding,  of  course  also  sowing  our  regu¬ 
lar  mixture  of  Alsike,  Alfalfa,  Medium  Red  clover 
and  Timothy.  We  also  plan  to  arrange  the  grass 
seeder  on  the  grain  drill  to  sow  some  Ilubam  on  the 
corn  rows  in  drilling  in  the  silage  corn.  This  may 
not  make  growth  enough  to  add  much  to  the  crop, 
but  if  treated  with  inoculation  it  will  help  to  inocu¬ 
late  the  ground  for  Alfalfa,  and  is  worth  trying, 
anyway.  r.  e.  o. 
Fulton.  N.  Y. 
Roadside  Markets  in  Wisconsin 
HOUGH  a  long  way  from  New  York  State  I 
am  much  interested  in  what  your  contributors 
have  to  say  about  roadside  market  stands.  In  this 
State  these  stands  are  just  springing 
up.  but  I  have  seen  no  reports  on  the 
results  or  sales.  Our  own  farm  is  on 
Highway  No.  15 — the  great  concrete 
highway  from  St.  Louis  to  Chicago. 
Milwaukee  and  the  whole  length  of  the 
whole  State  of  Wisconsin  to  Lake 
Superior,  some  700  miles.  From  May 
till  late  October  this  highway  is  full  of 
cars  to  and  from  the  great 
playground  of  Wisconsin,  where  the 
rs  camp  on  lakes  and  rivers  or 
forest-covered  hills,  as  suits  their 
fancy.  A  few  go  to  hotels  and  resorts, 
but  most  of  them  camp  out.  Fishing, 
tramping  and  berry  picking  are  the 
main  occupations  or  recreations.  Most 
of  these  tourists  prepare  their  own 
meals  with  their  camp  outfits,  and  they 
buy  supplies  as  they  travel.  Actual 
count  made  by  State  highway  authori¬ 
ties  numerous  times  the  past  Summer 
showed  never  less  than  2.0(M)  cars  a 
our  farm,  and  on  Labor 
cars — a  majority  going 
after  a  week-end  in  the  woods. 
We  look  forward  to  a  roadside  stand 
where  we  hope  to  dispose  of  hundreds 
of  bushels  of  apples  in  a  few  years. 
Our  orchard  of  1,000  trees  has  just 
begun  to  bear.  We  had  about  4(H) 
bushels  of  fine  apples  last,  year;  85 
per  cent  of  the  trees  are  McIntosh  and 
Wealthy,  that  do  exceptionally  well  in 
this  location  and  produce  attractive 
and  salable  fruit. 
While  Wisconsin  apples  looked  like 
a  drug  on  the  market  in  October,  we 
are  selling  ours  now  out  of  cold  stor¬ 
age  for  $2  per  bushel.  Million.^  of 
bushels  of  potatoes  sold  in  this  State 
last  year  at  21  to  30  cents  per  bushel. 
Thousands  of  bushels  were  left  in  the 
ground,  as  it  did  not  pay  to  dig  them.  The  State  pro¬ 
duced  last  year  nearly  40,000,000  bushels  of  apples. 
{JADGEB. 
The  Inside  Route  to  Florida 
THE  R.  N.-Y.  has  been  caught  napping.  I  refer 
to  the  comments  about  the  inside  route  for 
boats  from  New  York  to  Jacksonville  in  the  article 
“Touring  Florida  In  a  Boat.”  There  has  been  an 
inside  route  for  years,  and  many  boats  go  down 
each  Fall  and  return  the  following  Spring.  I  know 
of  several  that  left  Bridgeport  last  Fall.  They  will 
be  back  again  in  May.  When  you  get  ready  to  go 
just  step  around  to  the  Custom  House  and  find  the 
Marine  Department,  and  tell  them  what  you  propose 
to  do.  They  will  furnish  you  for  30  cents  with  a 
small,  compact  book  and  set  of  eight  small  charts, 
showing  the  depth  of  the  water,  the  lights  and  the* 
buoys,  the  channels  and  the  reefs  and  all  the 
numerous  details  that  the  navigator  needs  to  keep 
his  mind  serene.  This  book  is  entitled  “Inside 
Route,  New.  York  lo  Key  West.”  It  is  a  Govern¬ 
ment  publication.  There  is  one  stretch  of  150  miles 
down  around  Cape  Fear  where  you  must  go  outside, 
but  there  are  numerous  inlets  where  you  can  run  in 
for  shelter.  At  a  speed  of  10  miles  an  hour,  sailing 
all  day.  you  can  make  the  trip  in  about  four  days, 
they  say.  but  I  should  want  to  be  more  deliberate. 
FLOCK  MONTHLY  SHEET 
3 fit  H40f  U-i 
”  ki  l  m  IM  -JH1L  Wi 
j sm  jm  A  S  A  M. qf  jj/./j  .vy  [ar/Jr, 
Art  S3 1 
741 
H-sfL 
Jill 
tourists’ 
playg 
visito 
William  Johnstone's  Poultry  Account.  See  I’ayc 
day  passing 
Day  0,220 
South 
A  small  flock  of  sheep,  such  as  are  beginning  to  appear  on  many  Central  New  York 
farms.  There  will  be  more  of  such  flocks.  There  is  a  good  outlook  for  sheep  and 
sheepmen  just  now.  There  ought  to  be  a  few  sheep  on  every  farm. 
