THE STRAWBERRY SEPTEMBER 1907 



information which follows we are indebt- 

 ed to Ciarden Magazine: 



The gathering which dominates in its 

 importance is that of the Biennial Session 

 of the American Pomological Society fixed 

 for September 24, 25 and 26. This or- 

 ganization embraces in its membership 

 the leading fruit growers, orchardists and 

 scientific horticulturists of the country. 

 1 he valuable service rendered to com- 

 mercial horticulturists in its okl-fashioned 

 aspects, that is, fruit production, has been 

 untold. Of recent years the program of 

 the various sessions has shown a very 

 curious tendency to diiftaway from what 

 might be generally regarded as the strict 

 subject of the Society's interest and tends 

 towards intricate problems of horticultural 

 research. In other words, it has become 

 more scientific. 



The Society of Horticultural Science 

 announces its fifth annual meeting for the 

 same days as those of the thirty-first bi- 

 ennial meeting of the Pomological Society, 

 and the membership of this society is 

 formed exclusively of scientific investiga- 

 tors and workers in horticulture, and is 

 much more specialized than that of its 

 older sister from which it is an ofT-shoot. 

 At this year's session, the single topic of 

 plant breeding will be discussed. 



The National Nut Growers' Associa- 

 tion having its headquarters at Poulan, 

 Ga., has also fallen into line and announces 

 its session as continuous from the Pom- 

 ological Society. It will meet on Sept- 

 ember 26 to 28. This little society is 

 really exercising a very marked influence 

 in Southern states, and has been very ef- 

 fective in the rapid development of the 

 nut-growing industry, especially in pecan 

 nut-growing regions. Nut trees should 

 appeal very strongly to the f;irmer in al- 

 most any part of the country. 1 he trees 

 are multi-valuable; not only is their annual 

 crop worth while, but the trees themselves 

 have a timber value, and the hickory, 

 walnut and chestnur, from this latter point 

 alone, should be well worth planting by 

 the farmer. 



The National Council of Horticulture, 

 which was organized as an off-shoot of 

 the Society of American Horists for the 

 direct purpose of stimulating public in- 

 terest in horticultural matters of any sort, 

 will also meet during ihe horticultural 

 convention week at Jamestown (Septem- 

 2!^ and 24). This body was organized for 

 the purpose of stimulating horticultural 

 interest through the public press and by 

 means of other orgnnized agencies. It 

 cannot be doubted but that its uork has 

 been productive of real good during the 

 couple of years it has been in operation. 



Beginning on September 30 and on the 

 first two days of the following month, an 

 international convention on the important 

 subject of Plant Harditiess and Acclima- 

 tization will be held in New York, under 

 the auspices of the Horiicuitural Society 

 of New York. This meetiig is (ilanned 

 along lines similar to those of the very 



successful Second International Plant 

 Breeding Conference in 1902, organized 

 by the same society. It gave a great 

 stimulus to serious study of plant breeding 

 in this country, resulting ultimately in the 

 formation of the American Breeders' As- 

 sociation, which also includes the study 

 of farm animals. 



Growing Importance of Concrete 



THIS may be called the age of con- 

 crete, an age developed as a result 

 of the ruthless slaughter of the for- 

 ests and the consequent high prices of 

 lumber, prices so high that the man of 

 ordinary means finds it all but impossible 

 to make for himself a home of the mate- 

 rials that were comparatively inexpensive 

 even a decade ago. But a worthy sub- 

 stitute has been found that in some re- 

 spects is superior to lumber — in lasting 

 qualities, in protection from fire, in the 

 fact that paint may almost be dispensed 

 with, at least so far as the exterior of 

 buildings is concerned. Common sand 

 and gravel, mixed with a good quality of 

 Portland cement and molded in an inex- 

 pensive machine, make a material that 

 outwears graniie, as has been proved by 

 the wonderful concrete roads built in the 

 days of Rome's glory, which still stand as 

 the best type of highway construction the 

 world ever has known. 



That our Strawberry readers will be 

 interested to have some definite informa- 

 tion on this subject we are sure, and as 

 we have just received from the Colorado 

 Ag'irultural College some important sug- 

 gestions along this line, we pass them 

 along just as they come to us: 



Cement. — Use nothing but the best ce- 

 ment that can be obtained. It should be 

 in a fine, powdery condition and contain 

 no lumps. Cement should be stored in a 

 ilry place, as dampness is an element of 

 great danger. 



Sand. — The sand used should be clean, 

 sharp, and not too fine. It should be free 



from loam or clay, as these will tend to 

 destroy the adhesive quality and to retard 

 the setting of the cement. Clay mixed 

 with the sand may be removed by washing. 



By sharp sand we mean that the edges 

 of the grains must be sharp and not round 

 or worn off, as will often be the case with 

 sand found in the bed of a stream. Coarse 

 sand is better than fine sand. Fine sand, 

 even if clean, makes a poorer mortar or 

 concrete and requires more cement to thor- 

 oughly coat the grains. A large propor- 

 tion of the grains should measure from 

 one-thirty-second to one-sixteenth of an 

 inch in diameter. Some fine sand is nec- 

 essary to help fill the spaces between the 

 larger grains, thus saving cement. 



Water. — The water used should be 

 clean and free from acids or alkalis. For 

 making the best concrete, add just enough 

 water so that when all the concrete is in 

 the form and is well tamped, moisture will 

 show on the surface. The tamping is a 

 very important operation and the quality of 

 the work is dependent upon how well this 

 is done. Unless this is thoroughly accom- 

 plished the concrete is likely to be honey- 

 combed and imperfect, especially near the 

 forms. 



Proportions. — F"or ordinary farm con- 

 struction, as the making of floors, walls, 

 walks, gutters, etc., the following propor- 

 tion is to be recommended: 1 part cement, 

 2' 2 parts clean loose sand, and 5 parts of 

 loose gravel or broken stone. For floors 

 this should be tamped in to a depth of 

 from 5 to 8 inches. This should be fin- 

 ished with a surface coat 1 to IK inches 

 in thickness, composed of 1 part cement 

 and 1 '-■ to 2 parts of clean, coarse sand, 

 mixed. Nearly all constructions which 

 come in contact with water should be 

 covered with a mortar at least as rich as 

 the proportion last named, hor engine 

 foundation, 1 part cement, 2 parts sand 

 and 4 parts broken stone is best. 



In estimating the amount of material 

 necessary for a certain construction, do 

 not make the mistake of thinking that a 

 mixture of 1 barrel of cement, 2 '^ barrels 



STEEL ROOFING $1.50 



most economical and durable ■ 



roofing knonvn. 



Easv to put on, r'^niiirt-s no tools hut a hatcliet or a 



hnmmer. Willi or.l.uurv iiirn mill outlast any olhcT 



kind Thou^-iuids of satisi.d customcra evirvmhiTe 



have proven its virtues. Suitohle lor loveriii; auy 



Imildlna. AlPO lust for rVinni! aid Sidin;.-^ 



Flre-proot and LIghtnIn f -proof. Clj arc r and 



more Ia9tin«tlian«luufles. Will lu.t taint luiiiwat.r. 



Mu],.-s vour luii (liiii: cooler insumuur and "ariii'-r 



in winter. Absolutely perli-it. Bri..<l .Vew. *»-»« 



is our price for our No. 15 Cirade ol 1 at Si-mi-Hard- 



oned Steel Kocfui! and Sidinu. each sli.-ct .it in. 



wide and 24 in. loiii;. Our (.rice on the t orriiaated. 



lil (■ illustration, sheets 22 in. wi'lo by 21 in. Ion','. 



91.7a. lor 2.'.c tier square addit oiial me will 



furiii~h shei.ts 6 and S feet long. IM.el I'r. sW Brick Sid 



CeiliiiK per sq. ifS.OO. Al^o furnish hlandini,' Seam and 



WE PAY THE FREIGHT 



PER 100 SQUARE FEET. 



per sq. 



92.00 1 .1 ' steel li, ad (I 

 Crimped I OO Tl '. .Vt these I rice^ 



I points east of Colorado e\< ept tlkla.. 'l'f\. iiiul 

 liid, Ter. t'uota;ious to oilier iioiiils, on app'e anon 

 Satisfaction guaranteed or money refunded. 



Wg ship this roo''nK to any one answerine this Ail.. 

 C. O. D., with jirivilece of examination if you send us 

 ■J.'> percent of the amount of your order in cash: balance 

 to he paid after mate r:al reaches yiuir station. It not 

 found as represented, we will cheerfully refund your 

 ilei>osit. Ask for Catalog Mo.C.G, I'-V.) . Lowest 

 i.rieeson Koofint,'. Kave '1 rnrt:hs. Wire. Pipe. Fenciiiy. 

 I'lnmbinL'. Do.u-s. ll.>usi-lio;d Cioods and everythint; 

 n led on the I-iinii or In Ihe U..nie. 



WE BUY OUR CaCDS AT SHERIFFS' AND 

 RECEIVERS' SALES 



I CHICAGO HOUSE WRECKING COMPANY, Thirty-Firth ard Iron Sts.. CHICAGO. 



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