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HomeMy WebLinkAboutL I Agronomist - 1914 Vol VII No 6Ihis Year's Happiness is Yours for the Making. Vol. VII~ Number 6 ~ January I, 1914 bong Island Agronomist & Monthly Record of Fa~t~ Together With Deductions Based I~pon Natures Pr~l~al Demonstrations CURRENT 6LEANINGS In double quick time the promction of the birds is going to be a mighty populsr item. With every r~ght-mlnded city man and woman working for them, we now have not only those who love wild things simply because they ~are nature loveru, but we have graduully joining the ranks of bird defenders the most oheerviBg ~_nd thinking folks in the great army composing the agricultural world. Europe is awakening a~d recognizing that all 'the little feathered beauties, including those frequently looked upon as natural irritants are really absul?tely indispensable toman, because of their never ending destruction of insect pests. The radio active rays may have been busy around Neighbor' Matheson's Colonia~ Fort Piantation at Lloyd Neck, Long Island, for ourold friend James Kirby could not keep down the average weight of his sugar beets under six pounds and four ounces, although he is a scientific gardener and undoubtedly urgently yearned to raise the so-called standard Spring radish. style affectedby the West, weighing sometimes as much as three-quar~e:£s of a pound, occasionuliy a little over. He also had the- pleasure of stewing away 2180bushels of corn from 10~ acres, varieties. Eureka. Long's Champion. and King philip. The' tand this was grown on was plowedand cross-plowed in the Spring, marked off in rows three feet apart and seed planted by band in the rows every thirty inches. Cultivated by horse every ten days wh~1~ it was safe to use ~ horse without breaking the stalks. The field was. in hay in 1912 and after the hay was cut the field was plowed and fitted and'sowed to Japan buckwheaL In November 1912. twenty loads of stable manure to the acre was spread, which was turned under in the Spring. At the first hoeing 400 lbs. of Farmer's Friend fertilizer to the acre was worked i6te the hills. His Danvers carrots insisted on weighing between two and three pounds and were as smoo.th ~ as a lily, while his mangels he was forced to permit to grow until they weighed on an average of 22~ lbs. apiece. Potatoes, crop and quality exce.llept: Yet we hear 1913 was an off year. Every fruit~rowe.r, whether a commercial orchardist, a farmer or suburbanite w~'th a few fruit trees for home use, will find of value a book, et recently publish_ed by the Stark Bro's Nozseries .and Orchards Company · ~uis]ana% -Mo:: ~l~ch treats in considerS, hie detail' the most appre~'ed m~/~ip~ o~ pl~n~b~tl.nin~,, cultivation ~ertilization and geperal care of ~;b~ orchm*d, ~'~e~' spraying how ~vhen. and w]~ formulas ete .... 2 Messrs. Stark Bros. will be glad to senda copy of their "Orchard and Spray Book" free to those who request it. 1,000,000,000 fine, husky little fishes hatched last year at Coldspring Harbor hatchery of Long Island. The rest of the good old Empire State hatched out 1,500,000,000 more. Long Island always has been a great place for fish as Daniel Webster and~the old time York State governors knew, hence came to Smithtown and other choice spots for speckled beauties whenever they got a day off. - In the American Poultry Journal we note that manufacturers of artificial limbs are seeking a substitute for English willow, used because of its combined lightness and strength. Here's another good chance for Long Islanders. English willow of all varietie~ grows vigorously on Long Island. See the magnificent trees at Hunting~on. Babylon, Yaphank, and Orien~ Last year a willow that came ~o us for experimental ~urpeses from Neighbor Falrchlld of the Government's Bureau of Plant Introduction, had made growth in a single year of nine feet and the little twigs We planted two years ago are now most vigorous trees, with an enormous growth of branches. This was labeled Madagascar willow and certainly, would make splendid stuff for baskets, chairs or artificial limbs. Pomona Grange of Suffolk County is starting to work rlght~ and not only passed a resolution, but they have started a petition to the Department of Agriculture ~o m. aintain the quarantine of foreign potatoes. From the outlook now we trust the Grange will urge the Bureau of Agriculture to extend the quarantine to all potatoes from all countries. We have enough foreign bugs and blights to fight and need import no more. Pluck and perseverence invariably arrive as did our strenuous little hlker, neighbor Rosalie Jones, just elected Overseer of Suffolk's Pomona Grange and she had to travel some re win out against the sure enough msn running for the office. The operating expenses of the big Eastern railroads have increased faster than their gross earnings, with the result that net operating ~ncome has nor increased sufficiently to furnish the additional return on the additional investment in the past three years. In 1910 the~e companies showed net operating income equal to 6.28 per cenr~ on their property inves~men~ In 1913 thi~percenmge had fallen to 5.36 per cent, Their gross earnings m 1910 to 1919 increased $187.00~,000, while operating expenses and tares increased $201,000,000. A nice little snow flurry on the night of the tenth, pleased all childhood and while it was barely a veneer upon the ground it picked out the salient points and presented one of Nature's superb pictures that only country dwellers enjoy. The latest proposal is a traveling Agricultural and Industrial Exposition, billed to show under a tent in 26 cities. It may be a go if it has a big fund behind it and can secure a large and varied collection to carry along. A provisional charter has been applied for in order to establish the University of Long Island. We knew it would come and the time will be all-fired short between the establishment and the quick development to a phenomenal success of both this University and the Agricultural University ulread~; under way. No place in the United States has either the situation or the conditions surrounding it that will approach wlthi~ gunshot of Long Island. The only marvel is, that the many~ who have long known this have slept on the job: Congress seems to have decided that the agricultural contingent is worthy of something~more than the annual distribution of packets of free seeds, and ha~ arranged to pass a law which'will mightily aldt~e Department of Agriculture of the Nation, andof each and every State, in placing before the farmer iff the only practical way the knowledge, regarding the ways and means to keep' up food production and check the innumerable imported enemies thereto, which has cost the United States billions to secure. The appropriation of $10,000 for each and every State which appropriates a like amount, in order to place practical men on the ground in farming Communities, will at least put us on a par with our energetic Canadian ne. ighbors, who long ago adopted this "get that" practice, but it will have no particular affect on the high cost of living, which is not influenced in any way, manner or form by the present prices paid producers. Nor will anything tend to increase the acres' production as long as the producer is cortalr~ that this merely means a louver price offered him by the Nation's food speculators. Long Island's 1913 summer season closed on the morning of December 8th, the thermometer dropping to 28. Four degrees below freezing discouraged most of the flowers, numerous varieties of which had been furnishing cheery decorations for the farm homestead. ASSORTED "'AUTONOMY" AUS-GE-SPIELT Uncle Sam's agricultural head, Neighbor Houston, has from the very start been chopping out dead wood, clearing up the hedge rows surrounding and running through practically every section of Uncle Sam's domain and whipping his mi~ht~ important department into' business shape. He is gradually bringing order out of chaos and dragging the colossal aggregation of isolated branches into one homogenous body, and has adopted that mighty satisfactory slogan used by our Empire. State Governor, Neighbor Glynn--"Means, not Men." Most truthfully he says: "What is needed is a basic plan for co-operation, co-ordination, the development of s common feeling and teach work all along the line." This is a very pat summary of ' exactly what is a crying need in the new United States Agricultural department, just as itis in that of the Empire State's. ~Iis eariyrealization of the fact that "the United States has not yet reached the end of the pioneering stage" will prove of immense value. It will not only create confidence in the department, but serve to cut out a lot of the very dangerous teachings based solely on some individual's inner consciousness or happenings occuring in a quart can or a wire hanging basket, both items of velue as a basis for scientific research but extremely dangerous when placed in the hands of the genera] public, the vast majority of which has had no oppertunity to delve deeply into the intricate labyrinths of the inumerable sciences part and parcel of the agricaltural profession. He also incidentally speaks of the Government crop reporhs as "estimates." Many of us who have followed them closely have been convinced that some of the figures on which these estimates werdbasedwere merest guess work~ and at times s~rong suspicions have been aroused that they were even worse than that~ These estimates of the Government show that the year 1913 Was a mighty poor crop year, the lowest with the exception of 1911. This is the reason given for various price hoists to the consumer but we have not discovered any reason ~or the reduced figures offered and in the majority of cases accepted for 1913 crops by the producers. Corn made the poorest yield for a quarter of a century. Neighbor Houston notes that "in many instances the farmer doesn't get what he should for his products: the consumer is required to pay an unfair price." We can assure the Secretary that he is dead right, as we discovered in the year 1906 by a practical investigation lasting thirty- six hours only, and without the necessity of holding a single solitary mass 4 meeting, passing innumerable "whereas" resolutions or appaintlng various and sundry committees to make investigations in or, er that reports could be mede for the filling of empty pigeon holes. We have always firmly believed in the simple, and, as we have sometimes heard it called, crude methods COmprised in the sentence--The way to investigate is to investigate after cancelling all orders for whitewash. ENGL/flli WALNUTS We have frequeuUy been asked if English or Persian walnut trees could be found on Long Island and take pleasure in edvisin . interested inquirers · , that Joseph Schriever of Port Jefferson, and the ~untington Historical Society at Huntington, have fine specimens 'upon their places. YALUABlf KNOWLEDGE FOR 15 CENTS By sending the small sum of money spec/fled above e~nt of Documents, Washimrt~n D ~ ~ to the Superintend- .~.ulletin. lq.o. 513 be sent, ~ 'will' ~,~:_a_nu L~clues.'.t~ng that Farmers' ~-~.¥ =~per~, mey wdl enable even a ~,r,[;~=,~_._~:,~m..~ne work of a famous ~.~-e~,_r,~o..w~n~ ~.part,e.ul. ar home plot iS~o~e~g~%sh ~t~. e,.birds with which ~,~ ~ne earth with bi,~ ~ ....... ~# ,~se morner Nature BUSINESS MEIBOD$ ..... :-~ m caeca. Like the sweet potato growers of that strip of land I lng south of Wilmington, Delaware, and celled the Del-Mar-¥1a peninsula, [~& caul/flower growers of Long Island have adopted business methods, and iasteed of leaving their ~ost important tran~aetioas ~ the hande of outSiders have s~are of.the price paid by consumers ~L, ~e_~m~a lit.tie int nearer a ad~ reeoras .have been broken this ~e~'r fo~:~'~~ ~.s ~ne. smpme~t is concerned e~xp. ress tram, drawn by two enoq~s has '*~-~-u~n~tue i~on~- .Island caal/floWer c_~on~t~m,m,~ anyw~.r~ from ave thoasa-J ,~eded WI.th, caal/flower, each car ~rea.~..ael~cac~, raised only to .erfecti~o~ s~e_v, en .thousand heads of this appamngtothinkofone. --~ . ,, ~un~ ~s~and, Iris a going from Lon~ Islan~ ~..u~_r_te~r to one_-.thlrd of a mdlion heads of fully half the trams, are used to ~eliw~e[[-efng,erat~-ca.rs, which make u cities of the mid~t- w.~. .... =~ ~z~ese oeautfful flowers to 'P Ne ----o .... oome of the ~:]:nn~sth~s°:tou~e~oSnf~] egnoZ~r~oa~ecf°re'g~ers:.many of Whom have not them have been raising caul~ower for but two years Yet one of thes ~eonre~r~getlc twen. tle.th century Americans has o~ - ~ · _. e LONG ISLAND YOUNG FOLKS, CORN ~ ~o~rs worm Oezore October hadclosec[ CLUB ' This year the management of the Long Island Eallro .en~ourage the young fo[ks of the Io~*-n ~ .' ed planned to ~rn!e:pntr!zn~!h~.aoP_/~eraeg~i~u[~Urre~e] d~etrhe°ni~t'linae~d cmaaulki~o~~ gre~t advandceee~ payment of a fee of any description u~,~g en.c~ea to enter without the potete and corn alubs; ten finls~n-: ~eep..mce.res. t was shown in the P , rteen fimshed m th . ports on their f?l reports; but two finished in th~ e~.c~orn club, only th rteen send' ~ in cron ~ndW~.e~n ~ remembered that caul/flower i ......... arkably small e~rem~ely, attractive. The corn~ ub ~*~ ;~e.x.t_r_e_~e~? w.e!l and hence is ~v~e.n' De,ow proves. ~ .o .=fy m~erestmg, as the table wmle most of the contestants are from Suffolk CoUnty, both shores being represented as Well .as the Central section, one entr ' ~N,assa~u County and one is from Oueene o .~ .. y IS, however, close to enough ~0 that al1 the ~]a~s eoul~t~e r~nno_r_~er to Keep the table ~ogm~pact 5 LONG ISLAND YOUNG FOLKS' CORN CLUBS 1913 ExpJanatory: "Q" equals Quality, 25 points possible; "U" equals Uniformity, l0 points possible; "H" equals freedom from disease and general conditlo~ 10points possible; "S" equals Size, 10 points possible. Under Commercial, "Y" equals Yiel.d in bushels per acre; "C" equals Cost in dollars and cents for the prodantion of the acre of corn; "P" equals a profit figured at the rate of one dollar per bushel, this figure being found to closely approximate the value of corn and fodder, when ]~oth these products were sold by the raiser. "I" equals th.e profit rel?rtad by the raiser, in one or two cases being based on the selling price oz corn in their locality; in other cases based on value to themselves and still other cases on sale representing corn and fodder both. In a number of eases neither corn nor fodder was sold, but all was consumed on the farm, presumably by the animals belongin~ to the older gen~ratlon but for which the young folks are cortaibly entttiod to the value, hence in order to bring all on equal terms the column "P" is worthy of study and it will be noted that in spite of eousiderable vauiation in cost, 'the profits of the throe winners and several other contestants a~e fairly close, "R" represents the points given on the report sent in. The ~reater part of the reports are complete in every particu- lar, a few of thembeing of very great value because of the precision shown in the keeping of every deta'l from start to finish; B shows Cost per bushel to raise the corn. In scoring the commercial yield the full 45 points were given to the man showing the ffrea.test yield and the .other contestants' percentage was computod on their yield as compared wtth these 45 points taken as equalling maximum, or lOOper cent. The total score was made up by adding to the agricultural score the points given for the report and then adding this tetsI to the total points received for the commercial end of it. or yield. And on this combination total, the judges, Mrs. D. T. Hibckley, Wading River; Mrs. H. B. Fullerton, Medford; Mr. EzraTuttle of Eastport, representing three sections of the Island awarded the prizea . . We greatly regret that space prevents our giw'ng some of the more 'striking reports in full. This being impossible we are forced to boil down a brief summary of those points noted by the contestants which have most value for comparing various methods used and conditlous which existed. In order th secure uniformity the club mates were iustructod to charge 15c an hour for all labor; 25c an hour for one horse; and 40c an hour for two horses. Three witnesses were required and every boy was promised a square deal and he got it. The winner, James Albert Hawkins of Brookhaven, about the centre of the South shore, raised 114 bushels in this off year at a cost of 63c a bushe. He did not sell his corn, but estimated its value at 50c a bushel, while his foc~der, making 335 sheaves, he estimated at 4 1-2~ Cut worms he fi~res cu~ off at least twenty-five bushels, as the worms killed ,c!ese to one-third of his stand. He used land that had been used as pasture for 10 years or more." He plowed six to six and a half inches deep, used 9 1~2 quarto of Eureka Yellow Dent seed, tarred. He used 3,494 pounds of mixed sheep, cow and horse mahure and 409 pounds of llme applied between the rows. The land was harrowed four times before the planting, May 13; was cultivated once in May, thirte'en times in June, fifteen times in July, four times in August. These dates show that when he was able to spare time he got into his corn acre, sometimes but half an hour, and at no t~me was he able to give more than four hours to the work, averaging approximately an hour on each date noted. On May 31st he replanted the missing hills and on June 20th and 21st replanted the corn destroyed by worms. After the corn was up he applied ~anure broadcast in small quantities, as time permitted, on the following sates--May 27, June 26, July 5, 7, 8, 14, 15, 22, 26, 28, sometimes being able to put on but three or four wheelbarrow loads at a time. On June 26th, just about the beginning of dry weather, he applied broadcast 200 pounds of sheep manure and 56 ~afions of liquid manure. He used no commercial fertilizer. His s~coess was unquestionably largely due to his faithful cult~v.at~on, although circumstances at times permitted him to work but a very sew minutes. Most of the cultivation was done by hand, either hoe or Planet Jr. A horse weeder was used for 1 hour on M~y 28th. A one horse cultivator was put in for 1 1-2 hours on July 17th. Corn was planted on May 12th and 13th. It was cut Sept 24th 25th and 27th, and husking was finlsh?d October 24th. This young man's report is remarkably neat, busi- nesslize and complete and every single item of cost is noted and charged, including twine for tying sheaves. Labor is accounted for even to a quarter of an hour and the carting of the corn to the'crib is specifically charged up against the corn. Soil, "Sandy Loam." William H. Barnes of East Hampton, on the South Fluke, came in a close second,, he also made a very complete report, sending, as did the winner, a separate sheet on which smallest details were noted. He plowed about five inches deep harrowed twice, using a disc harrow and spike tooth. His var ety, like the winner's was Eureka Yellow Dent. of which he used one and one-third peeks, planting May 7th and 19th in hills four by four. His corn was not tarred, but like the winner's planted on land that had been in natural grass both in 1911 and 1912: cultivated June 12th and 13th with an Iron Age cultivator; July 3rd with s sulky cult~vater; June 13th hand hoed. The corn was cut October 14th and 15th and husked October 28th and 29th. Ail items are given, including string and carting to the crib. As fertilizer he used three wagon loads of fish scrap, ten wagon loads, without side boards, of ~table manure, one.wagon box fu of hen manure, three bags of corn fertilizer. 2-8.8;one bag potato fertilizer, 4-8-7. He applied the fish scrap and manure broadcast; the hen manure was applied with a shovel after plowing and disked in. The corn fert izer was spread around the hills, while the potato fertilizer was spread broadcast ~nd harrowed in. Soil, "Loam." Horace E. Mort, of Eastport, South Shore, who came in a close third although having a smaller yield than the two first men, shows the biggest profit. Like the other two his land had been in hay in both 1911 and 1912. He plowed eight inches dee0, harrowed twice before planting, and twice before the ~orn came up. He used ten tens of manure, whichhe estimates was fifty per cent. wa~er; 800 pounds of lime, and 140 pounds of nitraze of soda, the Iast item beingsowed broadcast by hand. He planted four quarto of the Mort White Cap Dent. He did not tar the corn, and sowed it in hills four by four. He planted it on May 20th, using a hand planter; harrowed May 24th and 28th; cultivated with a team one way $~ne 9th and 20th; crossed i~ with one horse June 26th; cultivated it one way with team July 10th. Cut the corn September 25th and husked it October 20th. Sold the bulk of his corn.for 8.~ cento a bushel, and about one-eighth of it for 64 cents and got 3~ cento for 335 sheaves of stalks. He says more cultivation was needed badly, but he neglected to give it. "Light Sandy Soil." Albert J. Halsey of Southumpten, on South Fluke, althoughbut.fourteen · · *nners, He also used land thwt gut the corn September ' " "Sandy Lo am." dun est of the contestantS and ..... · C, olver of l~icksville, the ~'~L. g He ~lunted on land in corn 'time soil, Sandy Lo ' -~ ~ a North Shore boy. .He us..e_dllgaln2d: that ~ad sweet corn ,n .~u~...,~wedtWiC~. ' He uses xe~,'o°~w,~2 ~f nitrate of .lowed 7 inches dee. p ,a.~..~r-~ -~ lbs. acid phosp, hate, ~_~'~ feet apart. ¥4~ bs of 4-9-7Ier~lz~.~'~.~]i hess artlntner, ow., ,o~_~. Cornwas · ntedA nl 26 ~ . our times,,Jm , , ~od% pl~.~ :- ~4P~ three tunez, J_un..e ,f2 ~,+~n Stony13~arn' ,- cul~vat~ $ feet; cul. t]vated ,, ' t soft. . April 19th, ~ feet by ~ ~..~ked m October. L~gh - ~ ~-~ had been m Arthur Chanmn~g Do~. ~12 Plowed 10 mche.s d~e ~ %et by 2 feet 9 tatoes in 1911 ana c°m.~.n'~Oso~ved b~oadcast` pmn~eu~ e i~ August. po of fertihze.r ' 'n Jul and ~..c . used 1170 l~,U~_._&.~d twice m June, tw~.c~e ~ hYus~ed October 15th. Soil, inches· ~m~,~.a~ ~ planted May r~b~ an . Loam" .... ~at hadbeen in sed both 1911 and mq12 He plowed m ~p~ ~ __~ then harrowed ~our.~ R~< bY $~ feel Walter Sep_t?.r ~2~o plowed five incus.s a.ee~p ?~ in June, onCe i,n, I . Planted · Y ke used land nee' used 24 Ju Y~rnon Wells, of N~r,t_h_ Flu ?_~_ inches deep; harrowed o_~.,~emicai 1911, potatoes m 1912,~ P~ loads of horse man. u.r~e,_ li2aOth.l~3 feet~ 9 roches ~cilizer, 5ah scr~p ~an_~...~+~ ~.co in {~ay, three umes m , by 3 feet 9 mches~__~.°~th. ,, Yellow Subso?.. ___~' in 1911, sweet corn ~n~ · uD' cut Septe.m..u~ o ~eo Brambdla o~ ~esky-~.~ dee-' harrowed once.. -~-~-~d the 22nd chicken ma. nu . '~.tember 23rd. Sand)' s~c '-:~hths of an acre; he used~ of MaY a.na c~u_~.o.y~f Nesconset had o.~.y~nv~d ~i~ht inches deep .ann, land in turnips m.l?~l~a.~nd,,.a~ of chlcken manu~re:_·*_~°.-?~d harrowed harro.wed , 8th 9 frequently,. ~ue ~ · · L ~. f l~torth ~ d . . e ha~owed three 2]. ~ er M~Cab,e~o ~ n{nw d five to slx inches de ?J~--oond nonnds of time~;.' pta?te.d.,.o lee~.~.~Sj Planted May 20tn; ?_~_Xi-in very incomplete; chermcal ierunZe-,+~-~ 5th of June. Thru repor~.~_~rt slimed. The corn once a week ~.r~rr~ea oat as required,,,nor~ Wvie~J~-%l~,aria fifty bu.s.hels. costs were n_.°_~=~ and the - estimates o~ ~_,~s~t~nt the repot t could nave been ruled out upo. n. re~P~auth of the contestan% p.n? ~:~ --~**in= things ~leteils, but reeogmzLng tn~..Utuee and hoping to aia n]~m_.p.~v~e'~ a~d other probably his fi~ ....... we extended the cos ..... cure missing wmghte shipshape an.o.m m 9 so that at least'the reporm of .all co,n, te~tants might be complete. _On receivlng notice that tbe first "estima. te was foun ,d to be ~rron .eo.us.o,y ado ,ut, 50 bushels and as no weights were given, at all, the commercla~ slue coma not be accurately figured and hane~ this .contestant could not,be placed. The revised "estimate" of yield however, would no~, when ~,ded to th.e. number of points gained in the ajgricultural end, have bcon.su,ffi, ti.eat to a prize, so that while we muca regret having even a single incomplete record in the tables we feel that the comparison ma~' be of real aldafld ace ermlt it to have a place "Mixed soil rather hght." be It~ves us great pleasure ~ know that one of.Long Island's teachers has taken a very strong interest in that very important branch of the country boy's education, a.~.iculture. Miss J. M. Howland, formerly in charge of the school near Middle Road, Riverhead, greatly enc0ura~ed and abl:~ assisted our young Neighbors Duchnowskl and McCabe by laymg out their fi'elds and helping them in many ways. FARMERS' Xkl~S PRESENT From Christmas Day 1913, foreign ~p,o_tate crop destroying diseases are barred, so Neighbor Brown Long Island s Congressman advises us. Better late than never, Uncle Sam! ,~,NOTIIER RECORD Therd are might~ few reco:~ds which Long Island. d_~es not hold or is preparing to annex within a year Or two. Its railroad ~s today ahead of'a~_y other railroad in the United States, in percentage of steel.cars used for the safety of its passengers and is not satisfied yet. Ninety more steel cars have been ordered. IDFA[ HOME OR COMMERCIAZ CRACI/-A-JACK 35 acres one mile from station at Valley Stream.. Long frontage on two roads. All under culfivationl heavily m..a.nured a.n.d part, of land now .cov_e~r crops. Brick farm house and other buildings. Aoout. ~our acre, s eq~ppe~a with overhead irrigation, i100 peach, 100 cherries, 200 plum, strawberries, 1000 raspberries, 1000 currants, 500 dwarf apple, an.d poars~ e.~d other fruit Trains to New York and BrooklYn every 30 mmu~es, l~n e to New York markets in four hours. Price $35,000. Will rent. Owner, ' DR. E. G. ECKSTEIN, 68 West 85th St. New York City. RfAL WORKERS The fofiowing, written by a grange official, describe,~ the..worth..w, hile work just taken up by the grangers now working on .mooeru unes wire up to date equipment Seldom do we find an organization only a year old, with its machinery · in full working order, and producing almost 100 per cent. efficiency, but like * any substantial rule, there is always to be found an exception,' and in .this case it is evidenced in the Suffolk County Pomona G.r~.nge, orgamzed December, 1912 and at its fifth quarterly meeting at Mattituck, Deca.mber 2nd, 1913, its strength was meet ~orclbly demonstrated. The membe~ch~p of the Pomona Grange. is made up from the Subordinate Granges, c;f which Suffolk County now has eleven, with four, and perhaps a greater nUmber to be organized within the next month. The eleven granges are org~a~.iz.e~. and doing effective work at Port Jefferson, .Manorville, Rivernead, matt~- tuck, Southold, Orient, Fisher's Island,-East Hampton, .Brldgehamp~n, Southampton and Eastport~ with defiul? p. rop. osed. organiza.t.ion at Hul.tsv~l. le, Smithtewn, Northport, Brentwood, Medfore aaa prespec~ve orgamzauon at other points . At the Pomona meeting, among some of the ~m .i~.rtant~ work .do~i~na~ for which the grange went on record was the adopting or a resoluu . request Governor Glynn to appoint Mr. Ezra A. Turtle, on the Board .of ~r~tees of the Long Island Ag~eultural Scho?l wh.e.., thee n~.t Suffolk County's representation occurs. In wew o~ the xae.t r. na~ A. Johnson, ~he newly elected head of the Long Island Agricultural ~c~.om wi 1 not be engaged in active instruction work for some time, a resomUon was adopted asking him to give a part of his time to extension or missionary work on Long Island, by way oflectares or such other methods as might seem best s~iited to meet local requirements. Cornell was also appealed to in the matter of conducting experiments of local need. Action was taken on quarantine of potatoes from foreign countries and the Secretary instructed ts communicate with th~ United States Department of 10 Agriculture, requesting continuance of the embargo now existing in relation to certain Countries and to extend the embargo to all countries including Canada. What is unquestionably the most important and doubtless will prov~ the most effective step yet taken in getting the preducer and consumer together was the~j creating in the Grange of an officeknown as the "Burea. u of Information and Markets"--the duties of the chief of this bureau w~ll bi to keep n touch at all times with the farmers of Long Island, and, at the same time, with the consumer, the individual, the organized consumers' leagues, hotels, restaurants and the like, so that any farmer hawng any farm products of any kind for sale may be advised Of a customer for such. The Subordinate Granges will establish similar offices, which will co-operate with the Pomona office and if the State Grange in session at Poughkeepsie, February 8, 4, 5 and 6, 1914, establishes such office, then the Pomona Granges of the State will co-operate with that office. There are more than 110,000 Patrons of Husbandry in Hew York State besides 844 on Long Island, wit~ membership of each of the Subordinate Granges being eular~ed at practically every meeting. One grange at its last meeting took m a class of 20. Eight of the eleven granges are but a little more than a year old and some of them started with a charter membership of over 100. FARMERS' INSTIltlTES Schedule for farmers institutes on Long Island foe this winter, is as follows: East lqorthport, January, 12--13; Bddgehamptun, january, 13--14; Orient, January'lSth; Southold, January 16--1'/; Mineola, January 19--20. The actual value of these meetings depends in a great measure upon what the farmers themselves make them--in other words, the support given, chiefly by way of attendance. If the farmers' institutes are to exist they should be made to yield forth all that is within them and if we are to have speakers and instructors to participate in these institutes by all means we should have only the best; those who are thoroughly conversant W/th the subjects they attempt to handle, and who are fully familiar .with the practical phases thereof. It should be insisted upon that the subjects handled at length at these meetings chouldcover these branches of agriculture of most interest to the community, in which they are held. .. The Iastithte meetings, like other gathermgs where the farmers, their wives and children assemble, are of infinite value if for no other reason than social advantages and the good that always accompanies an exchange of ideas. The meetings should be attended in greater numbers and with more enthusiasm than has been the case the last couple of years. TBE 6RAN6E GETS BUSY In a Brooklyn Eagle editorial t?ubllched December ~th, 1913, we extracted sundry pertinent points, all of which is worthy of most careful perUsal: ,. "We are to see co-operation m the fo .nn. of a Bureau of Markets, winch shall pro~dde a link ~oetween farmer and c~ty buyer. "It will be interesting, to note the measure of success attending a movement so timed as to join the revolt which at the other end of the line is expressing itself in the formation of Housewives' _Leagues and other Organizations to reduce prices through purchase direct from the producer. In intelligent and systematized co-operation lies the opportunity of the Bureau of Markets, which W. P. Hartman, a Fullerton pupil, is to direct~ What the Cauliflower Association and the Potato Exchange have done in the marketing of particular crops, that and more may the new bureau do in the handling of all farmproduce, until the farmer shall have demonstrated~- that the art of merchandising, is a part of his stock in trade no less essential than the art of agriculture." The above was inspiredby the action taken at the December meeting of Suffolk County's newly established Pomona Grange of the '.Patrons..of Husbandry, and brings up in the minds of those of us who have hued ha~x a century or so, the real object for which the Grange was established, sids- tracked by a combinat/on of reasons but internal dissension and politics playing most important parts. Its later develo]~ment into a special community uplifter has been strong and steady aha its new Bureau of Markets will establish it as the worth while practical co-op, and solve for the out-door producers the problem which is responsible for many abandoned farms. 11 LONG ISLANO YOUNG fOLKS' CLUB A father of one of the contestants in the 1~18 Potato Club, ~-emarked a short time ag_o,: "The boy s crop this year has perhaps, of itself alone, provedthe deciding point in his life. He has two years yet of high school and has been in doubt whether to remain an the farm or to train for certain lines of work in the city. Throughout the grbwing season he gave close attention not o*niy to his crop but showed an awakened interest in the other crops on my farm as well as those of our neighbors. After he had harvested the crop, completed the report blank, he stated his final conclusion to be to complete high school and asked me if it would be possible to take the agricultural course at Cornell, to which request I readily acquiesed. "! h-ave been farming all my life and have given my whole attention to my farm operations, but never, until the boy's report blank was completed, had ,I, any conception of the actual cost of production and the net returns. nt to see the boy in the Clubs for 1914 and expeot hlm, as well as m sel~ ~oaprofit as much b~ so doing as is trne. of this season's work. ~_:~.e_p,r~_.~, ~v-o-f tee ~rents of the contestants but that of the ]~eople~ isuent~emen~i~h~b~r~o~ds in whi~ch the contestants live, also a great numuer o~ others who come in touch with the work--either directly or indirectly. Registration for the 1914 Clubs is now open, and full details regarding the work will gladly be supplied upon request. We have every reason to ex ct a big membership in next year's clubs, and hope for the co-operation ofP~agrlcultural hnd' horticultural societies--the Granges, Boards of Trade Already the following prizes h~ve been offered: The Long Island RailrOad Company, $25, First; $15, Second; ~10, Third; in each of the three clubs. The Suffolk County Agricultural Society, through its Secretary, Mr. Harry Lee, l~iverhead; $10, First; $5, Sec~.ad; in .each o.f .t.he~three.clubs:. The (~ueens-Nassau Agricultural Society, turougn ~ts ~ecre~ary, mr. L°ttThe Long Island Branch of the Coreell Student's Aasociatiou,' throug~h its executiv~~committee, Mr. Arthur L. Downs~ Mattituck, Mr, J. G. K. Duet, Fort Jefferson Station, and Mrs. M. D. Rutter, patehogue, Diploma, First; Certificate, Second, in each of the three clubs The WilmeroAtkinson Company, publishers of the Farm Journal, Philade phla, Pa., $10 in Gold, First Prize, Corn Club. nt of A rlculture,'Washington D. C., we have the F.rem the Departm~ g · ' 's Bo. s' Corn Club at Anderson, Mo., who as the drouth made his crop a failure, instead of submitting a negative report, inscribed the following: No use for a boy to look forlorn ' When it's too dry in the Ozarks to raise good corn. He can feed the fodder to the goats I used the harrow, then the plow. I plowed it deep and close at first, But it remained dry as dry could be. I looked and looked and looked in vain-- If I do not succeed I'll try again.- 'd, ----~-~ ~- the ~art of the majority of the young folks a,t Riverhead Fair of 1913 by their mckm~e..s._..to~le~a~r~n,l~heldre~r~eatestconcern points that they might be strengtih, ~e_n_e~_~ s,n~°~w~h~'~score i~ 1914, thus the leader in the owing of that particular crop on Long Island- . we are ngnot authoritatively advised o~ any grower w, hose ~el,d, .o~f l~ota~'oes exceeded that of the suecessful, 1913 contestant' Are you. kindly tell us who, where and how much. LONG ISLAND--ITALY Both these mighty important terrestrial spots were r. ecognized by Gov- ernor Glynn when he appointed Neighbor Pettee of Jammca as a New York State representative to the National Conservation C~ngress. Neighbor Pettoe has worked hard not only to help his fellov~ countrymen to become good Americans, but he has gladly and strenuously labored to promote any cause which would benefit his adopted co~mtry, the Blessed Isle. Hence we rejoice that he has received recognition to which his good work entitles him. LOCAL CORN O-UBS The Corn Club game ts getting to be remarkably popular and blds fair to rank along with ~olf, bridge whist and the tango. Over in our old home town, Huntington m a contest for a purse of gold, Neighbor Joselyn of Coldspring Harbor won out on "Leaanng" with a yield of just a little short of five tons of corn on the cob to the acre. Neighbor Kirby of Fort Hill, Lloyd Neck, came in second with a little over four tons of "Long's Champion." Oyster Bay, Brookville, Huntington, East Northport" and Half Hollows did not quite n~ake the riffle. DOUBIF BARRgLED FOGS Neighbor Marion, down at Oceanside~ Long Island, is raising hens and although a new comer to the Blessed Isle, he is showing in a brass band. .way what a combination of scientific .knowledge regarmng poul.tr~r ratsmg, obtained at Cornell under N.eil~hbor Rice, backe~ by.the salu.br}.ous.ness of Long Island's climatic condltwns, can produce nr. st hop out or ~ne nox. One of his Orpingtons laid a four ounce egg with a c~rcumference of seven inches. That is pretty nearly a double up on the usual thing. Yet not satisfied with showing what big things could be accomplished under the healthful conditions of the Blessed Island, it was found on breaking the egg that inside waS another, perfectly formed, absolutely normal egg. She. produced three of these remark.able egg~. in twelve da}~s, the. _la?t .one weighing six ounces, length 3 1-4 roches; gtrth 8 roches; wld.t~a 21-2 mcn?. Eggs 80c. a dozen, not half enough to go round and plenty or room on' tae Island still unoccupied Think it over! SAFL'*~' FIRST--COURTESY ALWAYS Tble hns long been the keystone of the Fennsy'e urch of succoss. It has been adopted as a slogan and is being instilled into the minds of all rnilro~d men as the factor u]~on which all operntians are based and in hand with it goes courtesy, which doe~ not in any way conflict with loyalty. For courtesy on the part of everyone connected with a great public utility corporation is loyalty to .that corporation. And courtesy is a wonderful asset to everyone, p. art/eularly those in business, and as the op. euln~ oaragraph of a little booklet on this subject just issued by the Long/slana l~ailroa~ to its employees reads "Common. courtesy, is the bus~.ness, e`f e,,vsr~ man who meets the public, in any capacity, be it ever so numme. little further on nelghbor Gibson says: "In handlinl~, the publ. ic we .must all take the public as it is and not as it should be." There ~s a dehcate suggestion that some portion of the public, at least, doesn't reciprocate in kind. That this is unfortunately a fact is known by all those who serve the ~oUblie. A p,h,,ilosophieal paragraph that appeals to us strongly is the llowing: The man whose business it is to meet the public, who resists impatience Withpatlence, and temper with calmness, is gaining the respect and sympathy of every witness to the situation and the offender will re~ret hisact inhis first reasoningm~ment.... 'The increaslng pres~,oerity or an institution depends absolutely upon the good will of an increasing number of individuals,' and these individuals include the impatient, the discourteous and the unreasonable along with the patient, the courteous an~t the reasonable, all of which go to make up a composite--the public. Every man in every position, wants to mount higher, but merely wanting does not get him hil~her" In closing w~ have an absolute classic a. nd everyone who will give ~t a few moment's thought will recognize ~ts true strength -- "Returnlnggood for evil is not just a religious law, it is a natural law, it is returning ~cienry for deficiency." 18 LONG ISLAND BIRDS Neighbor Ro7 Latham, of Orient, L. I., has kindly giwn this splendid h/story of his friends, the feathered wonders, who live upon or ~sit our Blessed Isle and so help man in the growing of food plants: "The following notes are a brief review of certain birds of more than common interest, that have been observed in this vicinity through the Summer and early Autumn. "0n July 2, a torrid day two great TURKEY BUZg .~.~S, .o~r VULTU, R, ES came soaring in from the South. T. he l. azy. scavenge~r..s~un~er_..e~_:~a_ro_uh~a_~.~ the ether, or perching on the tilled land, while the mmch~evous crows amused themselves by pickin~ at the big visitor's toes. "This bird is a rare, though regular summer visitant from th.e..Sou..th. Recor~ls for the .E.a. stern e.n.d of L.oog~I. si,and, a~ppear~ .to b.e,scan~ ,w~ om_%r on numerous occasions on Western end of Long Island and once as far EaSt as GreenportJ The writer has yearly records covering ten years, between May andDecember. The Species often occurs, two in company. . UPL.~D PLOVgR were obtained during its ruination period, July to September. This is the best showing for this .raptdly decreasing wa~. er several seasons. It is a handsome, useful specms of the grass~ uplands ann cultivated fields, gleaning its food largely from the insect orde~ Orthoptera. Its quavering, plaintive notes are the most thrilling and touching sounds in Nature. It is to be regretted that man's hand has practically w~ped such a splendid bird out of exmtence. "On August 30, two BLUE-GRAY GNATCATC. HEES were..observed diligently hunting moths. This interesting little bxrd occurs w~tu us as a rare and somewhat irregular summer vlsitaut, where it strays after the nesting season. Braisim gives but four records of this species .on Long Island between 1849 and 1907.' The writer has several records since 1900, but this is the only instance where two have occurod in company. ~'A KENTUCKY WARBLER was recorded on September 14..There are but two other records for this warbler on Long Island known to the writer. The date is late, but it was met on that remarkable bird-day succeeding the unseasonably low-temperature of September 13, when it seemed that all the migrants in the North had been hurried to our Island in a night. The Summer resident birds had tarried and the arrival of the Autumnal transients and Winter residents in advance of their usual time ga~e me my RECORD LIST published records for Long Island; .seve. ral w. ero nea,riy, ,a month in advance of any previous known records, whmh m cLmte remar~ame. .. and CANADIAN WARBLER were settin~ new l.ate reco. rds.. ~W~I~Ta~s ~1~1~, yet their usual time of appearance from the North m the 20th to 30th of September. increasing numbers. Altho these Northern breeding species spend ~he summer with us they do not nest here. However, it is hoped that discovering the .1,o, culity favorable to them they may in time breed on Long Island. As most of our birds migrate by night, nearly each day at this season records the departure of some much appreciated Summer songster, and further records the arri.val of som.e t. ransian.t e.n?ou~, .or~S~ennt~,iWn~n~er insect question or coliectlng abundantly within itself the seed of weed pest It is at this very sea,on, when day foiiowing day, thousands of warblers, vireos, kinglets, in company with a host o~ others are HOUSE-CLEANING THE flit from tree to tree and twig to twig, while a myriad of "Breathes there a man or woman with soul so dead" that they can decide after reading the above tribute to man's and woman's truly best 14 friends to permit openly or silently the criminal maiming and murdering for "snort" or pelf the feathered tribes whose decrease has already increased th~labor, the .cost and the uncertainty of that most needful of all worldly professions the production of food? In order to make lqeighbor Latham's record exact for those who preserve such records, we here call attention to the fact that in our June issue, 1913, the period of time which the red breasted Merganser (shell drake) is noted as a common visitant "to January 10." This January should be 3'une, the Merganser of course doesn't favor us with his presence for any such extended period. INJIJI~IE$ DIJE TO SCIENCE A few years ago, before Long Island fruit trees had been sucked dry by that imported pest, the San Jose scale one of the best men and loveliest natures that ever inhabited the Blessed Isle cheered up his neighbors, who hated the very thought of a spray pump and didn't yearn/or knowledge re- gardlng insecticides. He wrote an articIe assuring Long Islanders that they need not worry about the San Jose scale; ~hat some day nature would wipe the critters out; and their fruit trees would go on giving them something for nothing just as they had since 1640 something. And the neighbors, knowing that our good and well beloved friend knew much re~ardin~ grow- ing.things and~lthough of mature years was still active physically and right up with the procession mentally, were filled w/th cheer and as nature has not yet decide~l to take all the San Jose scale back to Chifia .where it has flourished for over two thousand years, Ieland neighbors got out the ax or let the wind blow down many of the monuments to injudicious scientific teaching. This same fatal form of scientific agricultural help-out is now being spread through numerous channels regarding a natural enemy discovered and introduced to check the destruction wrought annually by this mighty mite. Firmly I believe a natural check exists. Just as firmly I believe the United States Agricultural Department will find it and introduce it. But we shall keep right on spraying. Likewise we shall keep on urging every- body within the sound of our voice or within the reach of the AGRONOMIST to keep the pressure up annually or better still, twice during the dormant season, until we know posit/vely that the last member of thn San Jose family has embarked for the Flowery Emp?e. A new semi-selentific or pseudo-scientific apparition has arisen from the sea or from the ether. It is mighty dangerous teaching and undoubtedly will cause injury to many who have held up the addition of organic matter to their soils long since denuded of it. This new theory was apparently started by some one to explain why North Shore pota ,W crops were so much lower in quantity than those of the South Shore in this erratic year of 1913, We havebeen tol~l that a careful test has been made to discover whether or no the "radio active" rays from the wireless station at Sayville meanderin, g through the atmosphere to Cape Race was responsible for the variation ~n LonlzIsland's potato crop. A carload of manure was dumped at Floral Pari~ and this remained moist for sometime. Another carload was dumped out in the short potato country and dried up almost immediately. Presumabl~, both of these carloads of manure were carefully watered until they contained exactly the same percentage of moisture, and they were then sealed in air tight cars until they reached their respective destinations, where findoubtodly men carefully trained in scientific work were entrusted with opening them and at 'precisely the same. moment and under exactly the same climatic conditions. By means of a private wire connecting the two. stations the two setsof observers were kept in constant touch; in case the air showed variation in moisture content the fact was immediately transmitted. Of course both thermometer and hygrometer readings we. re kept during each minute of this carefully (?) conducted scientlfii effort to discover whether or no radio-active waves either forced precipitation or perceptibly checked it. Undoubtedly directly over each pile of manure delicately adjuited electric indicators were erected, in order that each red/o-active ray passin{~ over the sacred manure piles were registered., intensity, dura[lan, altitude of each major and minor ray that from th~s mass of scientifically accurate data something mlght be determined. Of course it was also necessary to erect aerial targets in order to find the exact spot at the East end o4 the Island over which the personally conducted streak of radio-act~vlo rays were passing and presumably glass insulators were erected on ail sides to prevent any possible intorferer~ce by the innumerable radio-active rays sent forth from vessels or frqm. the innum,- erable stations existing on the land. If those in charge of this immensely interesting and tremendously expensi'~e experiment will visit the Long Island Railroad Experimental Stations, we would be very glad indeed to furnish exact data regarding the amount of rainfall for several ~ears past at both Wading River and Medford Stations, and also would be glad to lay · b~fore them records of rainfall at Southampton at Stony Brook and at I~len Cove, and various other sections of the Island, as well as New York City. We were favored in our early youth by schooling along scientific lines. Hence were deeply interested in any scientific work and sincerely trust that th~ finding of the committee will prove conclusively that electricians are right regarding the fact that these radio-active waves do not follow in one straight and narrow path, but diverge to the four quarters as the picking up of messages at points far from the one for which they were intended, seems, up to the presert time, to demonstrate. It wilt be found of course when ail the data is plotted that one of the reasons that the manure pile at the East end of the Island dried up while that at Floral Park remained damply moist, was because Floral Park was one of the spats visited by heavy localshowers, while the location of the East end manure pile didnot happen to be visited at that particular time by showers of exactly the same volUme. Further investigation will find that throughout the growing season of 1913 heavy rainfall was eRjoyed in the center of the Island, while fifteen miles away at Wading River there was no precipitation whatever. At other times precisely the reverse was also true. Even more remarkable was the fact that the North Side, where the crops were lower in volume this year than usua, the rainfall was most copious when sections which had very near the normal crop were not favored with the pre. cipita.tio~n.s of~.moistare. ' Radio-active waves may or may not induce or prevent ram~al~. 'rne reason however for the difference in potato crops this year was due entirely to a terrestrial difference, rather than any mysterious electrical effects. The country in which potatoes are grown in the South Shore has not had its natural humus worked out, while much of the North Fluke section has plantations of not~toes on acres on which the humus ap~olied by immediate ancestors of th'e present growers had been entirely utihzed by innumerable croppings and it is a well established fact that soil without humus or decaying 'organic matter of some description at once refuses to produce crops, no matter in what quantity minerals or chemicals may be applied. EVERY $~100 CE~TS No one not even an intimate friend or a member of our family, would accuse us ~'f being experts either upon questions of finance or of railroading, but we decline to take second place when it /~omes to recognizing a square deal, and as the following a~ticle, found in the l~orth American, of Philadelphia, the latter part of November, covers a matter in which all the people are deeply interested, it fills the space immediately following: "The result of applying the doctrine that a railroad should be permitted to charge only fair and just rates, instead of 'all the traffic will bear,' can be deduced from a study of the Pennsylvania Railroc. d. ~'This is conceded to be the WORLD'S GREATEST RAILROAD, better equipped and more efficiently managed than any other. The policy u on which it has been financed, as adopted by the pioneer management, ~as been consistently maintained. "The immense capitalizatior.. $732,943,268 represents mone~/ actually pat into the property; no part of it represents water. The Pennsy is preeminent among railroads for having an investment of virtually ONE HUNDRED CENTS FOR EVERY DOLLAR of capital. "The established view as applied to the Pennsylvania, is that it is entitled t.c rates that will make the capitalization productive of fair dividends to the stockholders. '~l'he company has further fortified its position by putting scores of millions out o~'earnlngs into betterments. While this money came from the public, it must not be forgotten that, under the more Cust~m~ry system, it would have been dissipated in "melon-cutting," 16 "The policy of railroad financing, which puts a substantial percentage of earnings hack into betterments, is not only wise but necessary, In England, which is the only other country of first-class rank where the railroads are entirely in pr vato ownership, the greed of the stockholders for dividends has compelled the managemonts to Increase capital whenever betterments are necessary. As a result, the companies are so lcaded down that a general collapse of the system is only a matter of t/me. Government ownership, on terms of reorganization that will be extremely painful to the grasping stockholders is almost inevitab e "If ' ' - . all the railroads of the country were capltahzed like the Penhsyl- vunia, the problem of just rates would be comparatively easy Grunti~ .for argument's sake, that the management is marked by the ~naximum og~ numan efficiency, the Pennsylvania would be entitled, to charge rates high enough to pay a fair dividend upon its capitalization. APPL~ DAY The .Intern.ational Apple Shipper's Association, of which U. Grant Borden m Chairman, with headquarters at Baltimore, Md., are busil~ engaged tolling the people of the country what the~upple really is--what ~t means to the producer as an income-yielder when properly handled, graded and packed, and at'the same tim~ enlightening the honsewives as to its . merits for culinary uses. This Association has recently published a booklet ehtifled "Housekeeper's Apple Book," in which is contained among other things, 197 receipts for preparing the apple, each one tested and approved by one of the leading experts in domestic economy. This booklet is htailed free upon application to the Chairman. October-21st of each year has been set apart to celebrate feast-day of the apple, when this national fruit is to be talked about, devoured, bought, donated or what not just so the apple figures in the transaction. Thus will 'our great American fruit boom itself. i.0t46 1SlAin0 RAILROAD W[AI#ER BUREAU gg{~0RD, NOVEMB[R, 1913 THERMOME][R Garden City Hunting~on Amityville Wading River Medford Sag Harbor Eastport Greonport Day Night 69 30 46 62 29 43 633045 602943 682847 642744 712647 622545 662845 612741 672948 642846 71 27 47 64 26 42 65 32 46 61 30 44 flYGROMEI[R Day Night Garden City 100 47 82 100 48 90 Huntington 100 53 88 100 58 86 Amityville 109 37 85 100 41 87 Wading River 100 41 83 100 61 89 Medford 100 ~8 82 100 62 92 Sag Harbor 100 48 82 100 51 84 Eastport 100 42 74 100 46 80 Greenport 100 47 85 100 55 88 AIILouelslandAw. 68 29 46 62 28 44 AI]Lo~gdaudAv~, 1004482 100~88 b' .Growling weather throughou~ the month; the low temperatures were "~ rmr aun not fatal. Only sts really cloudy days. .Medford rainfall 2 inches, · Wading River had almost 2 2-8 inches~ Neighbor 3aggar at Southampton finda a trifle over 2 inches. .. RESP[CTFULLy SIIBM I~fED ]*HE LONG ISLAND RAILROAD COMPANY ~THE LATCH STRING IS ALWAYS OUT AT BOTH EXPERIMENTAL STATIONS) 6Uffolk Bulletin Print, Huntington, Lono Ioland. Cabbage Seed A crop locally grown in this area in the early 1900 period (1900-1930). The great depression and the fact that seed growing mostly moved to the west coast put an end to this crop. Seed was sown in drills about the first of August so the plants would not make a large head by November. As cold weather set in the cabbage rows were loosened by the cabbage plow (plow displayed). A row of plants were set aside using a pitchfork. A furrow was plowed up and down with a moldboard plow to make a trench. The plants were then placed in the trench in an upright position and pressed together. Dirt was then plowed up against the plants and then covered using the large ridger displayed here. In early spring the sides of the ridge were plowed away and the dirt pulled off the top with hoes. Lots of hard work; also very dirty work as the ground was usually damp and the side leaves often rotten. Large heads were slit with a knife to allow the stalk to grow. Dirt was hoed over the roots. Hoeing and filling the dirt around the plants was a continuing process to control weeds and to keep the stalk upright. When the seed pods were mature enough, the plants were cut or pulled and laid on the ground to dry. One hazard was a damp spell causing the seeds to start germinating, a potential disaster. When dry enough to thrash, a large cloth was made from burlap bags opened flat and sowed together to make a 12 to 15 ft. square. D~n area was cleared, the cloth spread out, a couple of wood barrels laid down, and plants brought in to be thrashed over the barrels. Hot work! I can still see Grandpa with seeds stuck in the wrinkles of his neck. Seeds and pods were winnowed, some in the field. Then the seeds were bagged loosely so the seeds could dry. Then the bags were spread on the barn floor or out in the sun. This was done carefully so the seed would not mold. Dry seed was then delivered to an agent of a seed company. This was an intensive labor crop suited for the family farm. As the saying goes, I know, I was there.