Norwich Bulletin Newspaper, April 7, 1917, Page 14

HOW TO RAISE BETTER POTATOES (Written Specially for The Bulletin.) For my own part, I don't believe that there s any always “right” way in any sort of farming operations. There are ways which are better than other ways. That is clear enoush for any heretic to admit. It's better to plow ground before planting rath- er than sow seed on the wunturned sward: The expérience of ages has taught us that muth. But, having ac- cepted that common starting-point, I don't believe it's possible, from there on, to lay down rules for cuitivation which shall hold good for ail sorts of soil on all kinds of farms with ten or eleven million different farmers and nobody knows how many varieties of seed. It is ons great fault of the so- called “scientific” farmers and their ieaders at the agricuitural colleges and experiment stations that they tend to become dogmatic. They are apt to assert, flatfooted, that every farmer ought to do so-and-so with such-and- such croos. This is, after all, not to be wondered at. They are great fellows for making laboratory tests and working out things to the minth decimal for the sake of acg¢uracy. ‘When théy use materials, proven as to chemical i and level with chemical the reactions which result are 'ways the same. There is an actual mathematical cer tainty about resylts. X plus Y al- vs makes XY. Two and two always One part of hydrozen and parts of oxygen, chemically united, aiways form water. When they use their test-tubes and their delicate balances things always come out “just so.” It. is not to be won- dered at.—it is only natural that they should tend towards dosmatic state- ments about reactions in nature and out of doors. But we common farmers, who wouldn’t kmow what to do with a test tube if we had one, and who have been bumping UP mAny YVears ag: st the always unexpected and unpredict- able in asricultural performance, we are inelined to look with some sus- picion on any man who attempts to instruct us on the basis of mere the- ory, or even of theory c oborated, by v laboratory tests. he proof of the mardding is in the eating.” The proof of sood farming is in its gesults. The combination of so-many pounds of such-and-such a fertilizer tain rate underlaid by houider-cla¥ Tmay wonders in 1216. The same combina- tion on a light gravel Toam may do the same crop mo more good than a teaspoonful of rainwater. Nay, the same combination, with the same crop, same mucky soil may the very in 1917 rove a frizzle Sometimes experienced old farmers also get into the habit of dogmatizing about right methods, from an entirely aifferent direétion. They have learned by leng how to handle things on their own farm: found the secret of s e good crops, even when the nel are complaining about having luck with th Not unnaturally, ven for And so they gradually come a point where they = ready to down the They are in- clined to say: “If you'd only do things as I do, you'd get as good resulis as I n't always from a braggart either. Tt is not infrequently born of a sincere wish for the wel fare of their meighbors, and a real villingness to ‘“steer them right.” For my own information and be- hoef, I'm always glad to hear what the | end station reople say, and 1 forgive them, be- forehand, for any and all_the superl- may assume. If I can get ®ood and workable practi- suggestion to improve one of my crops out of twenty pazes of labor- atory demonstrations and “test-plat” experimentation, I'm eager to get it. I'm so much to the zood when T've sot 1t. Similarly, if T can get one equally workable hint from some plain farmer man of my own class who has done tnings and can tell how he did them, T'm eager to get it and try it out. It may succeed with me. Bven if it doesn’t the trial may suggest ‘some modification which, fitting more close- professors experiment ¢ | those iy to my may work out very eatisfactorily. One doesn’t want to’'say that every- thing's fish which comes to his net. But, -the wider his net and the finer fts mesh, the more real fish he'll catch n fish-inhabited water. ‘What you and I want is not half so much to have our own way, as to raise bouncing big crops and get good prices for them. If I can get bigger crops at the same cost, or equal crops at a less cost, by using certain meth- ods, I don’t care a rap whether the successful method is suggested by Profeasor Bl‘l\k of the Agricultural college, or by 'plain old “Uncle Ike,™ my neighbor en the back hill road, whé simply despises “scientific farm- in or should I care if I could win out by a combination of the two;—by using some of the professor’s theoret- jcal ideas married to some of “Uncle Ike's” praetical demonstrations. It makes much less difference which foot you put out first than it dces that vou start and keep going So as to “git thar with both feet.” Take, for example, the matter of Potatoes. There are a tremendous number of varieties, some seeming to prefer one sort of soil and some an- other. And there are more than eleven hundred and eleventy-eleven kinds of sofl, right here in Eastern Connecti- cut. Moreover, there have been just about 1917 different kinds of scasons in the last 1917 years. And the next one may not be exactly like any of its predetessors! A of the biggest seedsmen in the United States, who makes a point of printing in his annual catalogue sug- gestions as to the best methods of treating various crops, heads the po- tato department by a frank admission that there are so many ys™ . that he doesn't among them to choose and so deciines ‘o_give any advice. Which is candid if not helpfuil | would really like to find out some way to raise peiter potatoes and more of them than I do. Not but that I can raise them, after a fashion. I get tolerable crops, as compared with other growers. But ninety vears ago, when the fields were new to cultiva- !tion, my grandfather used to get, vear after year, an average vield of a bush- el from thirteen hills.” This from the {same fields which now often scant a bushel from fifty hills. } i T've tried every combination of man- ures and fertilizers 1 could hear of or study out, with and without lime, with level cultivation and with hilied-up . with seed in three-foot check- ard with it dropped in furrows a apart, with fertilizer above and |below the eeed, h seed cut to |tWo eyes w. seed just cut in half, rith sprayings of Bordeaux and Paris grcen and sprayings of plain arsenate land sprayings of seven different pat- cnted bus or spore killers:—and T've |never yet got a crop to measure up to of the olden times. | _I'd really like to, once more, just to |show that T was 'most as much of a man as my grand-dad, at least! A correspondent in Windham county, | who used to be troubled both with rot {and white zrubs in his potatoes, tells me that he hasn’t had any trouble with eltner for five years, that hie has raised good crops of high keeping and fine eating qualities, and that his treatment also tends to prevent blight. Here is his plan:— After the ground is prepared and flurrowed “I sow just enough fine salt in the bottom of the furrow to make rthe dirt look a little white, say about a tushel ard a half to the acre: Then I sow in ona kolf the phesphate I in- nd to use and drag nl! In with a chain or small la (anfthing to mix up the salt ani fertilizer with the dirt). T have ready some flour of sui- phur and land plaster both thoroughly fired and mixed at the rate of one pound sulphur to two pounds plaster. This quantity does for three bushels of cut potatoes. I put a bushel ané a If of potatoes into a barrel, add kal? myv enlphur-plaster mixture and roll e barrel till the cut sides are thor- oughly dusted. Then I plant and cover as soon as possible. 1 think if the mixture remained on lons it might hurt the germinating quality of the seed. When the plants break grousnd I put on the other half of the fertilizer and with a cultivator cover up fertil- zer, plants and all. By the way. I lieep the weeder running often enough Moran & Connors CUSTOM-MADE GLOTHES You need not build yourself to fit a suit ordered from us. It will be built to fit you. clothing allowance, and you’ll be better satisfied, better dressed, and better off in every way. .- mild laxative, she will have littie nesd doctor’s services. 2 § i success suggests any test to any other Windham county potato grower, it is at his service. Since it has worked weil with him, it might with others. And then, agaim, 1t might not. The only way to tell is by finding out, each one for himself. On my own ground I have not found the lime-sulphur dusting, which i have thoroughly tricd out, any ad- antage. I have never used sait, in ihe furrow or elsewhere. Think I shall on a few rows this spring. Tkat little trick of adding fine fertilizer when the tops are breaking through, and then covering tops, fertilizer and all with a fresh spraying of dirt flung sver them from the outside caltivator teeth—I use the “hces” for the pur- pose, set almost square across.—has 2elpel me on occasions, more than any other one thing. One year, when a frost threatened, I used the shovel plow. The tops were up three inches or more, and I had no time to put on fortilizer. I buried those tops clean cut of sight, thouzht with consider- able trepidatior. It seemed as if many of them wou'd necessarity be broken Jft by the weight of dirt flung over them. But, that night's frost stiffened the erust all over the field-—would have frozen down every exposed tip if i had left any,—the perky green things pushed up through it within a short week, even ranker and darker green than at first, and I dug eatable pota- toes that year earlier than ever be- fore. { On my lands, I'm afraid of salt. I don't even use it any more on my as- raraguspbed, because experience has shown that 1 get better crops with- out jt. But a trial on two or three short rows wiil tell me whether it nurts my potatoes or not. If it doesn’t, but actually keeps off blight and rot, it's about the cheape® and easiest preventative I know of. I don’t suppose my correspondent would claim that his method was ab, lolutely and necessarily the best for all possible soils and under ali possi- ble conditions. 1 certai jput out any method with ciaims. But it i= more than possible, since it works well with him, that it might work well with other farmers having comparable soils and fairly seasonal conditions. 4 Anyone can tell by trying for him- self in a small way, at first. THE FARMER. LETTERS FROM TWO STATES Tolland Ceunty COLUMBIA Burial of Mra. Florence L. Manning —One Hundred and Eight Members Secured For Branch of Red Cross— Birthday Surprise Party. Charles B. Buck who recently sold his farm near Chestnut Hill station is to move into the tenement in the Old Inn which has for several vears been occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Horace Brizgs. ck and Griggs are both vil War veterans. . have ending a week in Brooklyn, N. Miss Harriett K. Porter, instructor in the Wainut Hill school for girls, Nat tic, Mass, is spending the vacation with her parents, Mr, and Mra. H. N. Porter, as is also her brother, Ran- dall Porter, a student at Wesleyan university, Middletown. John Bogue of New York spent tie week end with Mr. and Mrs. James A. Utler. Burial of Mrs. Manning. The body of Mrs. Florence Loleland Manning, who died recently in Wor- cester, Mnass, formerly resided in Co lumbia ald was brought here Monday for burial in the family Jot in the Columbia caometery. Cecil L. Gates and family who have been spending the winter in New York, are at their home in this place, to remain during the spring. John Mulligan and his sister, Willimantic were guests Sunday Mrs. Kate Woiff. The first peep grogs Sunday evening. Several new bungalows are erected at the lake. The April meeting of the Ladies’ Aiq society, which was to have been held 'rueskduy afternoon, was postponed one weel of of were heara to be Getting in Taxes. Tax Collector Brousseau held a re- ception at Yeomans hall last Monday and relieved some of the tax pavers of their surplus money. The amount of the grand list is $427,357. Amount of taxes to be collected $6.321, an increase of nearly $200 over last vear. When the grange held its meeting Wednesday evening. a class of nine was instructed in fiyst and second de- grees. Enroll For Red Cross. Last week on a stormy afternoon 19 ‘women assembled at Yeomans’ hall and discussed the matter of forming a lo- cal chapter or branch of the Red Cross Each of the 19 pledged herself to be- come a member. It was voted to have a whirlwind_campaign to canvass for members. The town was divided into a number of small districts and can- vassers appointed for each district. The canvass was completed last week and Tuesday afternoon a meeting was held to hear the report of the commit- tee ang one hundred and eight mem- bers were secured, and $113 cash. Mrs. Fannie Dixon Welch gave an inter- esting talk on the Historv and Mission of the Red Cross Movement. An or- ganization will be completed as soon as the proper blanks are obtained. On next Monday evening Miss Tabor of WIlemfle will meet the members and insiruct them in P#a Cross work. Tuesday afternoon the members will meet for work and further business. Noted Here and There. Mrs. W. H. Kneeland is visiting her danshters in Hartford. Mrs. Carrie Frost, Me~ daughter. Miss Eleanor Frost ang Miss Evelyn Wood- ward, have been spending the week with _friends in Boston. Miss Evelvn Woodward was given 2 surprise birthday party recently at Yeomans hall. Mrs. Fannie Dixon Weish was in Hartford Wednesdav and attended the hearing before the committee on Wo- man ,Suffrage at the capitol. Mrs. Welch is chairman of the Tolland County branch of the Conecticut Wo- man Suffrage association, and was one of the speakers at the hearing. WILLINGTON Sunday afternoon there were 40 at Bible school. For the theme of his sermon, Rev. Mr. Parker took _the words of Governor Holcomb's Fast Wn. Next.®Sunday there will be the us mal service at three o'clock with ser- ers. At 7.30 the Sunday school con- cart will be given. The flag was in evidence Monday and each day since on the community pole in the center of the Commeon and at _peariy every home on the Hill. W. C.T. U. soclal Saturday ng with Mrs. W. H. Hali was very pleasant and much enjoyed. The annual state meeting of the W. A. B. H. M. is to held Aprii_1ith at the Central Baptist church, Norwich. ANDOVER | Students at Bungalow During Va tion—Sunday School Election. mon, special music and memorial flo\v-l - f Holds Annual Miss Vera Stearns, a teacher in ew Jersey is spending the Easter, acation at the home of her parentis, Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Stearns. Mrs. W. Gage, Mrs. Charles Woolley, Miss Phiilips and Miss Olive Sage of Hartford are spending a few days in town. Horace and Lester Manning, Wane Wright, Charles Miel and % Heinhold { Nordland, Hartford high school boys spent their Easter vaeation at the morning bungalow. Kent Newton an a friend were at Riverknool. Came for Retiring Supsrintendent. The annual election tock place in the £unday schooi the first Sunday in April. C. L. Wright was chosen su- perintendent; Mrs. L. W. Burt, asgist- Mrs. Ward ,Talbot, secretaiy rd Fuller, treasurer; and Mrs. Willard Fuiler, superintendent of the Home Department. Randall Jones the retiring superintendtnt received a handsome cane from the school hav- ing served for four year: Charles Burgess and Mr. Evans of Hartford spent Monday in.town, after trout of which they took home a nice string. Rev. £ord preached church Sunday. Church Committee. At the annual meeting of the Fc c eiastical sSociety of the Congrega- :lonal church the following eommittee was elected for the ensuing year: Charles L. Backus, Herbert A. Thomp- son and Charles L. Wright. Luther W. PBurt was chosen treasurer in place of Erskin Hyde, who declined as he had served faithfully for seventeen ,en"(-. Arthur H. Benton was chosen clerk. Martin L. Williston of Hart- in the Congregational STAFTORD Auction at Frank Thompson’s —Amos Ginholt Injured at Mill. | The meeting of the Stafford grange was held last Tuesday evening. Mr. and Mrs. Albert Crosier and D. W. French and family have moved to Jiliville, Mass. Frank Thompson sold his househokd furnishings at auction Saturday. L. C. Pupney has returned from Meredith, N. H., where he has been émployed the past winter. Mre. Raymond Paton of West New- ton, Mass., has been a guest of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Park. A stated communication of Wolcott lodge, . & A. M., was held last Thursday evening. Cellector Burwell was at the store of F. A. Lasbury Thursday afternoon to re¢eive the town taxes. Injured at Mill. Amos Ginholt recelved painful in- juries recently by having his arm caught in the spinning jack while at his work in the Phoenix mill. Church Supper. The regular supper of the Universa- list church was held Jast Wednesday evening. The hostesses were Mrs. J. M. Dimock, Mrs. Milton Soule and Mrs. J. T. Sibley. G. Sault has resigned at Somers- worth, N. H. Miss Jane Session has returned from Providence, whers she has been spending the winter, The postpened meeting of the Staf- ford business men’'s association will be_held next Monday evening. Mrs. Inez La: is the guest of her som, <. Pz.lul.u:ury of s;mn.ugg ‘Norman ips has resigned at H. F. Cady" o Towns in the Canary Islands are to be provided with a long distance tele- phon: ce. s. TURKEYS, B ... 40c 50-LAMB-50 Choicest Spring and Yearling Lamb — FOREQUARTERS, Ib. 14¢ LAMB for stewing Ib 121¢ Native Milk-fed CHOICE CUTS e NATIVE DRESSED FRESHLITTLE PIG PORK CHOPS, b. ... .21c Lean Choice Cuts CORNED BEEF, b...14c SIRLOIN STEAK Ib. N. B. Compan P W, 10c pkg. Sc 5c pkg. 4¢ i ¥ |( MOHICAN| e, s e S SR S Made Fresh Daily By Expert Workmen At This Store dozen SPICE CAKE, loaf....10c LARGE SQUARE LAYER CAKES, each. .20c Granulated s - 10 Ibs. 79¢ With 50c Purchase of Other Groceries LARGE LAYER CAKES Mocha MARSHMALLOW BEST BREAD, RYE BREAD, loaf....10c LARGE RAISED DOUGHNUTS, dozen.13c RIPE BANANAS at This Department SHOULDERS 1b. 19¢ G POWDER, 1 Ib. tin...39¢ léfl]:&'c’s‘fo;\srm& CHILI SAUC cE"""—"25c 16 iy 4 COCOA, '/zuI; tin....22c lBAKING CHOCOLATE COVENTRY Fureral of Judson D. Thompson— Fiske-Schell Wedding—Home Guard Meeting Monday Evening. The funeral of Judson D. Thompson who cied at St. Joseph's Mospital, day morning, from pnefagonia, was held from his home here Sunday uft- ernoon at 3 o'clock, Rev. Harold S. Winship, officiating and was largely attended. Burial was in the family lot in the Center cemetery. He is survived by his wife, five children, two sisters; Mrs. Burton G. Carpenter of South Coventry, Mrs. W. S. Green of “his place and two brothers, Frank of Montague, Mass., and Lewis C. of Willimantic. Fiske—Schell. At the close of the morning service iast Sunday, Miss Annie M., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Schell and Clarence S. Fiske, soit of Dr. léaac P. Fiske, were married by Rev. Harold §. Winship the pastor. Mr. and Mrs. Fiske will spend two weeks visiting various places of interest. Property Inventoried. The real estate and personal pro- perty of the late Charles W. Lee was inventoried Tuesday by J. N. Wal- bridge and F. W, Chase. . Robert W. Pitkin is. visiting at the home of his uncle, Henry Gager in Palmer, Mass. hc mid-wéek prayer meeting will be held at the home of Deacon W. F. Pitkin Wednesday evening. Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Storrs of Spri LA 1251 ore spending the week with (heir son, G. H. Storrs. L. Abbott and Mrs. Eva Daggett of Wiilimantic were guests of Miss Sarah 13. Perkins this week. Mrs. Alice Peaslee of Springfield, Mass., has spent the week with her brother, F. Chase. Albert F. Newell commenced work Tuesday for Henry Whiting the fruit grower, of Mansfleld, where he s en- gaged for the seagon. Gpod Friday Prayer Meeting. A special prayer meeting was in the chapel Friday evening. subject was “Jesus’ last week,” cluding the resurrection. Home Guard Meeting. A meeting’' will be held in the inter- est of the Home “Guard Monday eve- nii in the chapel hall. Hon. Frank P. Fenton will make an address. The post-surgeon will aleo be present. It is boped that many will enllst at that time. “The school will reopen on Monday, after the Easter vacation. Wood suitable for the manufacture of maches has been discovered in the eastern part of the country. 14 The in- Company of Home Guards to Be Formed—Mt. Hermon Student Leads Service. The C. E. service Sunday evening was very. interestingly conducted by Mr. Foote, & student from Mt Her- mon. Schools in town will reopen Monday after a week's vacation. Mrs. G. A, Littie was In East Hart- ford jast week the guest of her daught- er, Mrs, James Martin Mias Helen Jo the guest of her sister, Mrs. Howard Hart, during her Easter recess. Mrs. Antia Jones and daughter, Miss Florence Jopes, of Middletown, were in town the first of the week, Miss Florence E. Bmith of Cromwell is at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. E. T. Smith for the Kaster re- cess. . \ Miss Claza Post of Hartfora has been héme for a short vacation. A company of Home Guards is to he formed in Heébron. J. W, Hewett has Been appointeq fecruiting officer. MARSHALL’S The Specialty Store Dress Goods, Silks and Linings, Corsets, Gloves and Hosiery, -Muslin and Jersey Ribbed Underwear, House Dresses, Petticoats, Sweaters, Etc. FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN We Never Sacrifice Quality For Prices "' OUR PRICES ARE THE LOWEST AND WE GIVE ROYAL GOLD TRADING STAMPS 101 MAIN STREET P. S.—Receiving office for CITY DYE WORKS French Dyeing and Cleansing