davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05

heat it must be forked over, to
check the heat which would, if left
to run its course burn out the value
of the manure. Usually this work Of
shaking out and repiling has to De
done three or four times, with sew
eral days between the attacks. When
the mass is well-ripened and sweet
ened, which is usually when the heat
registers 100 degrees after the pile
has not been disturbed for thirty
six hours, 1t is ready to be mixed
with the soil; the proportions arc
two parts manure to one of soil. To
fill the boxes, spread a layer about
two inches thick over the bottom of
the box, and press down firmly with
the back of a trowel or a piece of
wood. Add another layer and press
as before. Repeat until the box is
filed to within two inches of the top
Water copiously, and cover with a
thick woolen cloth or a piece of old
carpet. Insert hotbed thermometer,
up very high) drops to ninety de-
grees remove the cover and insert
the spawn.
The propagation of mushrooms is
entirely different from that of any
other vegetable; neither seed, bulb
nor cutting holding any place in the
process. From the gill-like lining
of full-grown mushrooms fall in
Vulnerable spores. If the earth is in
just the right condition, mold-like
filaments develop, spread, and become
what we call spawn. This compli-
Gated process does not concern the
small mushroom grower, for he buys
spawn from the scotsman, just as he
would do for any other vegetable.
1t is sold in compressed cakes, or IN
bundles of rough shreds.
Cakes-or bricks, as they are often
called-are English spawn, and the
rough shreds French. The bricks OF
English spawn seem to give the best
results in this country, and are what
we have always used, both in the
horse cellar and in the large special
mushroom house. 1t should be broken
into small pieces about the size of a
hickory nut. Plant nine inches apart
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05
Caldwell Fancier's
Poultry Feed Mixer

d. a. Nurthman, OF Caldwell. who
spends his spare time raising fancy
chickens for show purposes. has just
finished building a novel feed-mixer
that is simple and can be built at
very small cost. The idea il free to
all, and the apparatus can be owned
by the poorest poultry raiser. Wurth-
man exhibited the mixer Wednesday
night at a meeting of the Essex
County Poultry Association, and it
met with the approval of everyone
present.
The construction Of the mixer IL
very simple. 1t can be made from
scrap boards. The principal part is
a box fifteen inches on all sides. with
a small door. so that the ingredients
can be put in and taken out. A
shaft is then run diagOnally through
two corners of the box. This is
mounted on a stand in the same man
ner as peanut-roaster. A. small
chute can be placed under the stand.
so that when tho feed is mixed it can
be run into receptacles Of any kind
without Inconvenience to the person
who IS opera ting the machine. A
crank is placed on one end of the
shaft, 50 that the box holding the
iced can be turned.
In demonstrating the apparatus Mr
Wurthman claimed that about q
dozen turns was sufficient to mix the
feed properly. He also explained the
idea of the square box, claiming thai
Ii the box was round the feed would
slide, but with the square corners Il
has as tendency to turn the feed over
4 box fifteen inches square Il
! capable of mixing nearly a bushel O
feed at a time. but these boxes car
be made any size.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05

ImproN emenU in the arrangement or
the farm kitchen will result in saving
the energies of some S,000,000 people
and make their work less heavy and
more enjoyable. according to Farm
ers' Bulletin No. 60I, issued by the
United States department OF agricul-
ture.
This bulletin, entitled THE Farm
Kitchen as a Workshop" discusses
not merely the proper location of the
kitchen with reference to other parts
OF the house, but gives details as to
the best methods Of treating its floors
and walls, and gives well tested floor
plans for the step-saving arrange
ment of the sink, stove, table and
other kitchen utilities.
The author Of the bulletin, in her
introduction. states that a small, COM
pact kitchen saves many steps and
much useless labor in the preparation
of food. This, however. is in homes
where the kitchen is merely a work
shop. and not used also as a general
purpose room, where meals are served
and where the family gathers to en-
ioy the warmth of the stove. Even
where a large kitchen is needed for
such purposes, however, logical ar
rangenent of its various features
with relation to each other will en-
able the housewife to do her Work
much more efficiently.
Whether the chief exposure Of the
kitchen shall be north. east, south or
west is a. matter governed by indi-
vidual preference and local condl-
tiong. A Kitchen which receives the
morning light is usually desirable.
Effort should be made, however, to
secure light from two directions and
cross ventilation. For this purpose
the kitchen should be located either
in a corner Of the house or in a
narrow part where there can be
windows on opposite sides. 1t is
well also, to locate the kitchen 50
that clouds Of dust may not be blown
in from the road, and it is Of even
greater Importance that the Kitchen
be 90 located with reference to barns
and other outbuildings that the pre-
/ vailing winds will not bring unpleas-
ant odors or flies from them.
/ small Kitchen Preferred.
! IN many farm houses a very large
! kitchen is provided, because 1t mus
/ handle the unusual cooking for har'
vest hands. The writer points ou
that it will be better to provide q
temporary shed or kitchen on th'
1 II.
/ inC devices, TO handle this unusua
rush. and thus allow the housekeepel
to have a smaller kitchen during thu
rest of the year.
The size of the kitchen, unless
large pantry OF a storeroom is pro
vided. is also governed somewhat b.
the amount of supplies which mus
be stored. In the case OF a farm
distant from town, supplies neces
sarily must be bought in bulk an
need sufficient storage space In sue
cases, it is sometimes wise to proyid
an extra pantry or storage room. l
arranging the pantry, however
especially If it be between the dtche
and dining-room, care should be use
not to make it TOO large, as a lon
passageway between these two room
adds necessarily to the labor Of tn
woman.
The kitchen. the writer finds, shoul
be so located that it will be especial
convenient to the pantry. dining
Il storeroom, cellar and woodshed.
the same time, access to other parts {
the house should be easy from tn
kitchen, although. as the write
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05

getting plants to force. Asparagus
roots don't divide, so seed has to be
sown to maintain supply of plants
at least three years old. What is
more. the plants are not worth re-
planting in the garden after they
have once been forced in the cellar.
However. asparagus is not a trouble
some seed crop, and it is easy to
start a few roots each spring if n
garden is large enough to accommo-
date such nursery beds. Seeds should
be sown in rows two feet apart, and
plants thinned out to stand eighteen
inches apart. Cultivate and keep
free from weeds, as you would any
other crop; manure thoroughly each
spring and fall to insure having
large. strong roots the third year.
The great advantage of the two
foregoing crops is the fact that no
manure, and very little moisture, is
required, so there is absolutely no
objection to their being grown in the
house-cellar Mushrooms border on
the Objectionable If large quantities
are attempted, but enough for the
ordinary family can be grown safely
without any fear OF annoyance. II the
compost for the beds is properly pre-
pared, and not taken into the cellar
until all the dlSaSTeeaDle ouoIS naNS
evaporated.
For the house cellar, beds can be
made in boxes foot deep. of any
convenient size, and they may be
arranged on shelves or in tiers. one
above the other. if a foot-space is
allowed between the top of one box
and the bottom of the next. The
compost for the beds is composed IF
thoroughly cured manure from the
horse stables, and garden soil which
has been under good cultivation, and
is free from the seeds of weeds. Fail
ing such supply. get grass sods, and
shake the grass from the roots.
Manure should be collected each day
tabout two-thirds droppings to one
third broken straw or leaves). Make
into n pile under a shed, and If very
dry. moisten with water and drainage
from a stable.
When the pile has generated strong
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05
MAKING THE FARM KITCHEN
AN EFFECTIVE WORKSHOP

points out it's unfortunate il The
kitchen is made the principal entry
way to the house She particularly
urges that it be on the same level with
the pantry and dining-room, as steps,
even II only one or two, mean the
extra work Of lifting and lowering
the body UP and down them many
times a day and lead inevitably to
greater breakage OF crockery. The
bulletin is very specific i'll condemnins
kitchens in Easements. 1t very en-
phatically urges that general traffic
through the kitchen be reduced as
much as possible. and especially that
it be not made a place where outer
clothing and hats are hung. #
Ventilation without Drafts.
In the Northern States, during cold
Gather. the windows in the kitchen
should be provided with board
which fits below the lower sash of
the window, with the lower sash shut
upon 1t. This arrangement will admit
air between the two sashes without
drafts. Very good ventilation with
out great loss of heat may be oh
tanned by the use of window screens
covered with cotton cloth. These
allow the outside air to enter with
out a draft, and also keep out dust
and dirt.
These cloth coverings viii be very
serviceable over pantry and store
room windows which are kept open
during the winter. In such cases
the cloth can be fastened on the
outside Of the window with thumb
tacks. Shades should be provided
for sunny windows and at least one
window in the kitchen should be
equipped with an adjustable shade,
which can be pulled over either the
upper or lower sash, or both
In cold districts loose windows and
cracks should be provided with win
dow strips or stuffed, and special
care should be given to chinking UT
the cracks between the frame of the
house and the foundations, so as tC
keep out the cold Double or storm
windows and storm porches are ad-
! vantages in very cold climates.
| For summer in Northern States, an(
! for all-the-year use in warmer re
! g.ons of the country, there should bs
a screened porch opening off from
| the kitchen on the side which is no
| exposed to the sun during the hot
| test part of the day. Much of thu
| kitchen work may be done here ant
| this will add greatly to the comfor
| OF the worker. Some prefer to hav'
such a porch open ON to the gar
den, but others find a screened porcl
| with no opening preferable, just be
| cause il gives better protection
against flies. All windows shout,
be. screened TO keep out flies an,
1 other insects which are disease car
riers and cause of discomfort
Where frame screens are not oh
tainable flies can he kept out b,
tacking wire netting, sixteen meshe
to the linear inch, over openings
The screens should cover the entir
window opening. so as to permit tn
opening of either sash.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05
Pollination of straw berries.

Please explain polliuation Of straw
berries and its necessity.
Caldwell. Is. e. NJ.
Some varieties OF Strawberries have
blossoms in which the flowers contain
at the centre the female organs or
pistils, which are surrounded by d
circle Of male organs, called stamens.
The stamens bear anthers, which
contain pollen that must come in con-
tact with the pistils before fertiliza-
ton can take place. In other Yarie-
ties the flowers contain at the centre
only the pistils. These flowers must
be pollinated in some way from the
flowers containing stamens, in orde.
that fruit be produced. The blossoms
containing both stamens and pistils
are usually readily fertilized.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05
prnninr and Moving Lilses.

I have some very tall lilacs in my
ward. Win It be best to remove them
10 where they can get more room,
or can I cut them back
Nutley. Ii. n b.
IAilacs can be cut back severely. IL
the pruning is done in June the plants
will make new growth, ana hover
buds that win open next year. II
the hlacs are on their own roots, no
trouble will result from this severe
pruning; but if they are grated
nIants. 1t may cause the roots to
sucker. in which case you will have
to discriminate between suckers and
the good branches on the cion, and
eliminate all the suckers. or they
will soon choke out the good growth
that the cion makes. The lilaes may
also be moved, either in the spring
or in the fall. The pruning Of the
liiacs viii tend to make them tlower
more profueely.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05
CROWNS Boston Ivy from seed.

Please tell me how to raise Boston
NV from seed. I have a iafge vine
which fruits freely. hit 1 aave not
been able to grow any plants from
seeds. l. ..
NeNark.
Gather the seeds IN the RAJ! as
soon as they are ripe; put tnem INTO INTO
t1ib with u little water and allow
me pulp to fernent. Then put them
N a sieve and wash of the pulp. Sow
The seeds in flats and place them IN
The greenhouse or coldrrame. OF.
taey may be stratified In sand ana
carried over until the following
srring. when they may be soWn.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05

riety with more than one designa-
ton. OF course, all American varie-
ties will not grow equally well at
Washington, but the society has two
other gardens, one at Cornell Uni
versity and an application for one In
Minneapolis, where roses that thrive
in more northern climates will be
placed to show what will succeed in
those less favorable locations.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05

nv son has sent me, from South
America. an orchid called the Santos
Spiritus. Please tell me what it Is
and how TO plant il.
Newark. c. A. NJ.
The Holy Ghost orchid (Peristeria.
slata) is a strong growing plant, and
succeeds best in the shady part of a
stove house. When making new
leaves or flower spikes, the plant
should be given an abundance of
water. and a well-established speci-
men can be given weak liquid
manure TO advantage. When the
new leaves have completely devel-
oped. the plants should be allowed 70
rest, giving them less water and re-
moving them to a cooler location.
Fibrous peat and loan that Is Well
drained is recommended as a COM
post in which to grow them. The
plants can easily be kept alive, but
they are difficult 70 flower; only by
liberal treatment can they be made
10 flower at all. and one cannot de-
pend upor an annual crop of flowers,
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05
ruberose Culture.

Will you please tell me waen and
how to plant tuberoses2
MRS. NJ. 5
To grow tnberQses outdoors, plant
them in The garden about tne NJ
feenfl, or twentieth of May, or just as
soon as all danger OF frost IS past.
se. the bulbs six or eight inches
apart. deep enough SO there will be
ors inch of soil over the bulbs. The
ssason may be hastened if the bulbs
are started indoors, early in May, in
egther pots or tlats, in moss or we'll
Grained soil containing leaf-mold-
'Fuberoses will grow in almost any
soil. but it should be rich and well
drained. II fertilizer be added, Just
before planting, put it deep enough,
50 it viii not come in contact with the
bulbs.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05

Please tell me when to prune the
SNOWFALL, weigela. spirea and hydran-
gea.
Montclair. NJ. ". X.
The time to prune the SNOWFALL,
weigela and spirea is in June or July,
after the plants have finished flower
ing. The pruning should consist
largely of cutting out of the towering
shoots and any old or decayed wood.
If pruning is done then it will re-
suit in more shoots Towering the next
year. Pruning in spring results in a
loss of blossoms the same year. The
hardy hydrangea should be pruned
early in the spring because il flowers
on the current years growth. This
Is also true of the spireas which
flower late in the season-from July
on-such as Bumalda, the commonest
form of which found in gardens are
Anthony Waterer and salicifolia.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05
ASK "THE QUESTION BOX
What You Want to Know About Gardening, Poultry and COm-
try Problems Answered by Experts.

This service
n
describe the
Question Box The
eHark,S y. j..
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05
FARM FACTS

Young trees are Liable to scald.
They can be protected by an erection
of boards on the southwest exposure
of the trunk. This will shade them
sufficiently to prevent scalding from
the sun.
To protect trees from injuries by
rabbits, wrap the trunks with heavy
building paper or some light wood
such as is used for strawberry and
grape baskets
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05

There are some worms in the soil
in which my ferns are growing. How
can l get rid OF them?
Newark. j. L.
Use lime water. To make it, dis
solve a piece of lime as big as a mans
fist in Il pail of water Decant the
clear liquor and use it for watering
the plant. One application will be
sufficient.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05
why Alfalfa Failed.

L have sown alfalfa several times
and it has failed to grow. Can you
tell me why, and what l must do to
mako It grow. or is it not hardy
here? II. NJ. II.
Irvineton.
Alfalfa is hardy in this section.
Tho following summary of bullentin
5i3 of the New York Agricultural Ex-
pertinent Station will probably ex-
plain Your failure;
Il The results from more than
100 cooperative experiments in grow
ing alfalfa located in over one-half
Of the counties of the State (New
York., indicate that, where neither
lime or incubation is applied the
chance of a successful crop is not
more than 20 per cent, or one chance
in five.
-. Where lime IS added TO the
land at the rate Of 1900 pounds per
acre the chance OF success is raised
to 40 per cent, or two chances out
o. five
g. Where inoculating soil is ap-
piled alone, at the rate of 200 TO 800
pounds per acre. the chance Of sue
cess is raised TO 90 per cent, or about
three chances out OF five.
=. Where both lime and inoculat-
ing soil are applied as above indi-
Gated the chance of successful crop
IS raised to about four out of five
chances"
The inoculating soil referred TO is
secured from some field in which alf-
alta is already growing successfully.
Curing sweet Potatoes.
VIII you be kind enough to tell me
how to cure sweet potatoes?
West Orange. w. b. c.
Sweet potatoes may be gathered
for the table as soon as they are
large enough. The main crop should
be left in the ground until the tubers
mature. This is told by breaking
the tubers and exposing them TO the
air If they are mature enough for
storing, the original color is main
tanned; if not, the broken surface
turns q black or greenish color. In
any case. they should be gathered
Immediately after the first frost. Be
fore digging, the vines are cut and
cleared away and the tubers then
dug with a hill sweep plow or like
tool. After drying in tile sun for a
few hours they are gathered into
small piles, where they remain until
removed from the field.
Sweet potatoes do not keep long
ullitT lIlt DtSi iuelHpIS VI HdA1dllL6'
and the most efficient method of
storing is still an unsettled one.
Large handlers store them in dry
rooms having good ventilation, and
keep the temperature at from 80 to
60 degrees Fair. When the tubers
are first put in storage and are 60
ing through the sweating period, the
temperature is run up to so degrees
Fair. The common method of
storage is 10 put the tubers in
cone shaped pile containing thirty
to fifty bushels. Over the pile a layer
Of dry. fine straw or hay, then a
layer of cornstalks, and on the top
of this two or three inches OF dry
sand are placed. The whole is then
banked two or three inches deep
with heavier soil.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05
Planting an Orchard with Dynamite.

win you kindly inform me where [
can get data or instructions in re-
gard to planting fruit trees. and par
Iicularly in regard to using a small
charge of dynamite in the bottom of
the hole to facilitate the root growth2
| have heard a great deal in favor or
this system and would like to learn
1ull particulars in regard to it.
Summit. I. A. r.
There is only one way to plant a
tree. Make a hole Of a sufficient
size spread the roots carefully and
then fiji it in Dynamite has been
used in places where holes could not
be dug easily and cheaply. If the
1aard- pan were near the surface we
believe that small charge Of dyna-
mite would be of assistance. In most
instances, however. land which re-
quires opening up oy dynamite will
not grow fruit successfully. How
ever. there is one orchard that We
linew of which was planted IN dyna-
mite holes, but it was in New Eng
land.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05
How to Grow Gerbera.

Please tell me how to grow Gerbera
Jamesoni.
East Orange. j. +. Z.
\ prominent grower OF this plant
grows it outdoors in the field and
transplants the plants in the fall to
the greenhouse, setting them in solid
benches. He finds that they do not
succeed in raised benches because the
plants are deep rooted. He has also
found that they are not particular
as to what kind of soil they are grown
IN, so long as it is rich. They must
have a sunny situation, and any house
which has a temperature which will
grow carnations successfully will give
good results with the Gerbera mot
lower than fifty degrees at night.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05

Blackberries and raspberries should
be laid down and covered with soil.
This may be done by bending the tops
down, loosening the ground on one
side and throwing few shovelfuls OF
earth over the canes.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05

1t is wise practice to stake all
newly set trees to prevent their being
blown over by high winds or tipped
over by heavy SHOWS.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05

As the weather grows colder corn.
may be fed much more literally than
during the summer. During the win
ter months many poultrymen make
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05

Tramp the snow around fruit tree
trunks to protect them from mice
which viii burrow on the surface Of
the ground.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05

In the fruit garden as soon as the
ground freezes mulch the strawberry
plants with straw, ,strawy manure or
other litter.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05

If you. haze been thinking Of doing
some grafting in the spring, you must
select the eions; tie them In bundles,
label them, pack in damp sand or
moss and store in a cool place.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05

To mulch the roses use half
decayed straWy manure, placed six
inches deep around the plants. The
more tender varieties. especially the
tea roses, should, OF course, be
wrapped in straw in localities that
have severe weather.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05

II the rhododendrons have not been
mulched, attend to the matter at
once. Leaves may be used II packed
on in o layer four to six inches deep,
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05

To protect the foliage of the rhodo-
dendrons from burning, cover it with
evergreen boughs or put up wooden
shields on the southwest side. This
is insurance against danger by bleak
winds and by sunburn.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05

Look out for sickness in the flock
during the cold weather, when they
are SO closely confined. Remove to.
separate quarters any bird that shows
signs of dropping. Give the poultry
plenty of fresh air. The muslin-front
house is the ideal proposition. You
must avoid draughts and dampness.
however, if you would have a healthy
flock.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-05

Chopped vegetables and cut greea
bone may be added to the poultry ra.
tion now. Beef scrap or meat meal
and table scraps are good. Some
poultrymen feed bran in open hop-
pers