92 
American Agriculturist, February 3, 
With prices where they are, only a bum¬ 
per crop can make the farm pay a good 
return this year—and the i^t essential 
of a big profitable harvest is 
Hardy. Sis-Yleldlng, MIchlsan-Grown 
As Thoy 
Grows 
' Your name and address on a post card 
will bring you this valuable book—this 
Guide to Better Crops. It describes the 
best in seeds—gives cultural directions 
—shows how Isbell seeds are grown and 
quotes direct prices. It is one of the 
most helpful catalogs in America. And 
samples showing quality of Field Seeds 
in which you are interested will be sent 
free on request. Send today— It’s Free. 
S. M. ISBELL & COMPANY 
810 Mechanic St. (48) Jackson, Mich. 
Certified 
if Blue Tag v 
~ Seed Potatoes ' 
are guaranteed to be healthy, high yielding 
and free of mixture. 
For six years the potato acreage certified 
by this association has averaged over 200 
bushels per acre, or twice as much as the 
average yield per acre of the state. 
“Much superior to ordinary stock.”—Oswego 
County Farm Bureau Ass’n. 
“It is dependable.”—Dutchess County Farm 
Bureau Ass’n. 
“Has given more uniform potatoes and a better 
■ yield.”—Schuyler County Farm Bureau Ass’n. 
“Gave us an average increase of 64.5 bushels 
over the local varieties.”—Warren County B’arm 
Bureau Ass’n. 
“It is good business to buy seed from crops that 
have been inspected by specialists and certified as 
suitable seed.”—Onondaga County Farm Bureau 
Ass’n. 
The Blue 'Tag on every Bag certifies that the 
stock has passed three inspections by specialists 
from Cornell. 
Write us the quantity of seed potatoes you will 
need and the variety you prefer. Attractive prices 
will be quoted by return mail. 
N. Y. Coop. Seed Potato Asa’n, 
^^^^S^^B^neBldgMSyracuse^i^^ 
Inc. 
Early Plants—Early Prices 
Growers^ Association Betters Market Conditions 
N o part of the gard¬ 
ener’s yearly duties 
calls for a higher type of workmanship 
than the growing of early plants which 
are to be set out for the first crops and 
which are de¬ 
pended upon to 
skim the cream 
of the early 
markets. The 
man who grows 
wheat out west 
assumes little re¬ 
sponsibility be¬ 
yond meager 
preparation of soil 
and the purchase 
and planting of 
seed. The rest he 
leaves to nature. 
The man who 
grows plants 
under glass un¬ 
dertakes to guide 
them along lines which are not natural. 
His control is relatively complete. He 
accepts responsibility for the character 
of the soil, for temperature, moisture 
and ventilation, all in addition to the 
selecting and planting of seed. 
Comparatively few plant growers are 
masters of their art. Too many have 
failed to form a clear cut picture of the 
kind of plant that they want. Even 
possessing such a picture, they have 
failed to analyze the part which each 
factor plays in bringing the picture into 
reality. As evidence one needs merely 
to glance at the quality of plants so 
often set in the field. Ofttimes they 
are soft, spindling and unable to with¬ 
stand cold and wind; ofttimes they are 
over hardened to the point of stunting, 
and so unable to spring into rapid 
growth with the first line days. Seldom 
do they posses the uniformity which is 
the prime test of a real workman and 
which insures worth-while quantities 
for early sale and not a mere scatter¬ 
ing from the patch. 
Soil for Plant Growing 
The time to prepare soil for plant 
growing is eighteen months in advance. 
In this way it is possible to secure a 
blend—not a mere mixture—that will 
be light and friable, will contain ample 
humus and plant food, will drain 
readily and dry off quickly at the sur¬ 
face, at the same time that it retains a 
fair degree of moisture for the young 
plants. A soil that dries too readily 
requires too much labor in watering. 
A soil that holds too much water can¬ 
not be readily dried out when there is 
a period of cloudy weather. The result 
is rapid, soft growth if not actual damp¬ 
ing off. Soil for seedlings requires 
comparatively little plant food but when 
plants are nearly ready for the field, 
they are closely crowded and they 
make heavy demand on the nutrients 
to be found in the pot or flat or cold 
frame. Well rotted manure and bone 
meal are excellent. 
When a compost heap is started 
months in advance, the basis may well 
be dense sod cut from a sandy loam 
soil. This is heaped up with an equal 
amount of manure, is kept moist and 
is turned occasionally to insure uniform 
decay. 
The soil at hand in February may 
be modified by the thorough mixing in 
of very well rotted manure, or of sand, 
or of bone meal, according to need, but 
such a soil can never equal a good 
compost. 
When to Sow Seed 
Definite rules in plant growing are 
out of the question. Some like to start 
early and grow the plants very slowly. 
This takes valuable space, much care 
and extra coal, all of which might be 
used for lettuce production. Others 
grow the plants quickly and depend 
upon the last few weeks for hardening. 
The following suggestions are offered 
merely as a starting point for experi¬ 
ence. Assume a place where the aver¬ 
age date of last killing frost is about 
May 10 (If you do not know, ask the 
weather bureau or consult a frost map.) 
Tomatoes are usually set outdoors two 
to three weeks later than this, and cab¬ 
bage three to four weeks earlier. Fine, 
twice-transplanted tomato plants can be 
grown in eight to ten weeks. Cabbage, 
is transplanted but once, and can be 
brought through and 
hardened in 8 weeks. 
Growing plants in less time calls for 
higher temperature and more water. The 
longer time calls for lower temperature, 
less water and more ventilation. Six 
weeks is enough for lettuce and beet 
plants. Peppers and egg plants are 
handled about like tomatoes, but they 
require more care. Melons when start¬ 
ed under glass, are shifted only to the 
field and four weeks is sufficient. 
New York Market Gardeners Making 
Progress 
The New York Market Growers 
Association, W. L. Hundertmark, Mana¬ 
ger, has been striving for some months 
to better conditions for farmers on 
Wallabout and Gansevoort markets. 
The interest of the Manufacturers 
Association of New York was enlisted 
and a committee of that organization 
made a study of the situation. Their 
report has not been issued and will 
doubtless carry considerable weight. 
They recommend that speculators be 
excluded from the use of space intended 
solely for producers. They also recom¬ 
mend adequate comfort stations and 
water supply, that roofs be built over 
the stands, and that carrier service and 
charges be regulated. Action by the 
Board of Aldermen on an ordinance 
intended to legalize the special privi¬ 
leges which the speculators have 
acquired to the detriment of the farm¬ 
ers, has been delayed. 
Vegetables in Cornell Farmers Week 
Program 
Farmers’ Week at Cornell is set aside 
as a time when the farmer may journey 
to Ithaca and learn what the staff of 
the College of Agriculture may have 
that might be of service to him. A full 
schedule for four days, February 13 to 
16, deals with commercial and home 
gardening, including potatoes. Among 
the topics listed are: Vegetable Crops 
for the General Farmer; Standards and 
Grades for Vegetables; Better Seed, 
Asparagus, Celery and Cabbage, beside 
talks on insect and disease enemies. 
The New York State Seed Potato 
Growers’ Association is to hold its an¬ 
nual meeting at this time and there 
are to be a number of sessions devoted 
to the production and selling of this 
crop. The New York State Vegetable 
Growers’ Association is to take charge 
of an afternoon session, developing the 
service that growers may gain through 
organization. Full program may be 
secured by addressing the New York 
State College of Agriculture at Ithaca, 
New York. 
State Growers Plan Annual Meeting 
The .New York State Vegetable 
Growers’ Association plans to hold its 
annual meeting at Syracuse the first 
week of March. Detailed announcement 
will appear later. This organization has 
much to offer New York growers and 
the trip to Syracuse is worth while to 
take advantage of its service, to help 
develop its activities and for the sake 
of meeting and comparing notes with 
gardeners from all over the state 
SPRAYING FOR PEACH LEAF 
CURL 
ELMER WHITTAKER, MASSACHUSETTS 
The curling of the leaves, which fre¬ 
quently occurs in early summer, is a 
serious matter, even though the trees 
put forth new leaves. The curled leaves 
weaken the tree. Leaf curl is caused 
by a fungus which lives over winter 
on the bark and buds, and attacks the 
leaves as soon as the buds “break.” 
Dormant spraying is necessary to 
prevent it. Commercial lime-sulphur 
used at the rate and strength of 1 to 8, 
is the only effective preventative. It 
may be applied before the buds “break” 
in order to be effective. Much of the 
spraying done for curl is useless be¬ 
cause -it is done too late. If the pro¬ 
tective covering of the buds has bro¬ 
ken, and the green shows as little as 
one-eighth inch, it is too late to use 
the spray. Another effective spray is 
Bordeaux mixture, 5-5-5(). Both of 
these sprays must be applied after the 
leaves fall in the autumn, or before 
the buds hurst in the spring. 
By PAUL WORK 
Improved andPedigreed Seed 
PEDIGREED BARLEY. ConicH's two favorites. 
Featherston No. 7, six I'ow. Aliilia, two row. For 
description see our advertiseiiieiit .laiuiary 20th 
issue or send for circular. I’ricc, Featherston 
No. 7, $2.00; Alpha, $2.2.5. 
PEDIGREED SEED OATS, cleaned throitsh 
thorouRhly equipped warehouse and treated for 
prevention of .smut. Varieties—Cornellian. Vlclor.v. 
Crown and Golden Itain. For deacription see our 
advertisement .Tanuary 2Uth issue or write for cir¬ 
cular.- All varieties, $1..50 per Iriisliel. 
SEED CORN, New York State firown from se¬ 
lected ears in special fielils. 
I’edigreed Cornell Eleven and Improved Oil Dent. 
For description see our adverti.sement .lauuary 2Uth 
issue or .send for circular. Screened, $:i.uo per 
hushel. Tipped and butted for accurate planting, 
$5.00 per bushel. 
SOY BEANS, Black Eyebrow, an early sort. 
Bld.s fair to be most popular sort in New York and 
Pennsylvania. Price, $4.50 per hushel. 
HUBAM SWEET CLOVER. Scarified, high ger¬ 
mination and purity. Grown in New York. Price, 
small lots, 50 cents per pound, postpaid. Bushel 
lots or over, 40 cents per pound. 
All prices bags free, freight paid. All orders to 
be accompanied by 25% cash. 3% may be deducted 
it sending all cash with order. 
Investigation through Farm Bureau or Agricul¬ 
tural Colleges invited. 
HICKOX-RUMSEY CO., INC., Batavia, N. Y. 
Guaranteed true ,'to name. Direct to 
you. No dealers—no agents. 43 
years’ reputation for square dealing. 
“Kelly” Planting Pays 
Our new. Price List which ejuotes 
new and attractive prices is now 
ready. 
Send for your free copy of the 1923 
Catalog today. — NOW. 
Kelly Bros. Nurseries 
1130 Main St. Dansville, N. Y. 
You’ll never regret planting Kelly 
trees 
D SEEDS 
Grown From Select Stock 
•s-None Better— 53 years 
selling good seeds to satisfied 
customers. Prices below all 
others. Extra lot free in all 
orders I fill- Big free cata* 
logue has over 700 pictures of 
vegetables and flowers. Send 
your and neighbors’ addresses. 
COPPER 
SULPHATE 
98—100% 
We quote attractive prices. Special attention given 
to co-operative buying. 
We ship from any Atlantic port reducingfreiglit cost. 
Arsenical Spraying Material 
METEOR PRODUCTS CO., Inc. 
S8 Park Place New York 
Certified Seed Potatoes 
Sunnyside strain of Number Nines selected 12 years. 
Two first prizes New York State Fair 1922. Flant 
them to insure big crop of smooth white potatoes. 
Beautifully illustrated circular on request. Also 
Green Mts. and Cobblers, 
RILEY BROTHERS 
SUNNYSIDE FARM SENNETT, N. Y. 
STRAWBERRY PLANTS 
Hardy Nortliern Grown Plants, 
ilirect from tlie grinvtir. riglit 
the heart of tlie berry section 
of 
the State. Buy direct and 
middleman’s profit. Get (resit 
plants at grower’s prices. Ten up'' 
varieties. Our slogan—Honepy-' 
Quality — Keliahility. Catalogue 
free. 
HEYWOOD AND KLIMOVICH 
Central Square, N. Y. 
