1 891 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
547 
FARMERS’ CLUB DISCUSSION. 
( Continued.) 
■whence come all the heat, light, etc., 
of which the planets are the recipients 
has a supreme control, and subordinate and 
dependent upon this influence are others 
of varying and of constant power. Lunar 
influence is one of these, easily distinguish¬ 
able and important. For example, a period 
of seven days and one of 14 when the weath¬ 
er duplicates itself. These are aliquot p arts 
of the period of the lunar revolution, and are 
just as evident to the observation of the in¬ 
telligent observer. The same day of the 
week brings us generally the same weather, 
although other influences operate to pro¬ 
duce some variation. The observation of 
the last five years has seemed to show that 
the most violent storms of wind occur at 
the moon’s librations. Astronomers are not 
much disposed to observe the weather and 
scientists and sailors look for signs in the 
air and clouds. This accounts for the 
slowness with which this science has made 
progress in practical form. The telegraphic 
signals will be, however, of less importance 
whenever the true science of meteorology is 
fully understood, and a compendious 
almanac will lie upon the table of every in¬ 
telligent farmer and every mariner. At 
present the time of the moon’s librations 
can be found in the American Ephemeris 
only, or in the British nautical almanac. 
A MODEL RAILWAY. 
The Burlington Route, C., B. & Q. R. R. 
operates 7,000 miles of road, with termini in 
Chicago, St. Louis, St. Paul, Omaha, Kan¬ 
sas City and Denver. For speed, safety, 
comfort, equipment, track, and efficient 
service it has no equal. The Burlington 
gains new patrons, but loses none.— Adv. 
Tiie R. N.-Y. has had occasion during 
several years past to allude to the high 
prices which forced tomatoes, or tomatoes 
out of season, bring. Prof. Bailey, of Cor¬ 
nell, has been experimenting with tomato 
culture under glass and the following are 
some of the results arrived at: 
1. The tomato can be forced for winter 
bearing to advantage, but it demands 
close and constant attention. 
2. A tomato house should be very light, 
warm, and the roof should be at least five 
feet above the beds or benches. 
3. An abundance of sunlight is essential. 
4. The temperature should be about 60 
to 65 degrees at night and 70 to 80 degrees 
during the day, or higher in full sunshine. 
5. House tomatoes demand a rich soil 
and a liberal supply of fertilizers. 
6. In this latitude, house tomatoes bear 
when four or five months old. 
7. Tomatoes like brisk bottom heat. They 
may be grown in large boxes or upon 
benches; 18 inch-square boxes, placed about 
a foot apart, and containing four plants to 
the box, afford one of the neatest and best 
means of growing tomatoes. 
8. Winter tomatoes must be trained. 
From one to three stems, depending upon 
the distance apart of the plants, are al¬ 
lowed to grow from each plant. These 
are trained upon perpendicular or ascend¬ 
ing cords. The plants must be pruned as 
fast as new shoots appear. The heaviest 
clusters should be supported. 
9. Water may be used more freely early 
in the growth of the plant than later. Wet 
the soil thoroughly at each watering, rath¬ 
er than water often. When the fruit begins 
to set, keep the atmosphere dry, especially 
during the middle of the day. 
10. In midwinter the flowers should be 
pollinated by hand. This may be done 
by knocking the pollen from the flowers 
when the atmosphere Is dry and catching 
it in a spoon or other receptacle, into which 
the stigma is thrust. 
11. One sidedness and much of the small¬ 
ness of house tomatoes appear to be due, 
at least in part, to insufficient pollination. 
a. One sidedness appears to result from 
a greater development of seeds upon the 
larger side. 
b. This development of seeds is appar¬ 
ently due to the application of the pollen 
to that side. 
c. An abundance of pollen applied over 
the entire stigmatic surface, by increasing 
the number of seeds increases the size of 
the fruit. 
d. The pollen, either directly or indi¬ 
rectly, probably stimulates the growth of 
the fruit beyond the mere influence of the 
number of seeds. 
12. The second crop of fruits is obtained 
by training out a shoot or shoots from the 
base of old plants, by burying the old 
plant, or by starting a new seedling crop. 
The first method appears ta be the best. 
13. House tomatoes In this latitude 
yield about two pounds to the square foot. 
The amount of the first crop does not ap¬ 
pear to influence the amount of yield in 
the second crop from the same plant. 
14. Lorillard, Ignitum, Volunteer, Ith¬ 
aca, Golden Qnen and Beauty have been 
found to be good winter tomatoes. 
15. Insect pests are kept in check by 
fumigating with tobacco, and the spotted 
mite by Hughes’s fir tree oil. Fungi are 
controlled by ammoniac il carbonate of 
copper and Bordeaux Mixture. 
FINALLY. 
The following letter has been received 
from Mr. J. Horace McFarland of Harris¬ 
burg, Pa.: “The very interesting discovery 
in regard to the efficacy of the hot water 
spray in destroying that bothersome pe t, 
the rose chafer, reminds me that I was on 
the ragged edge of that discovery seven or 
eight years ago! At that time I was en¬ 
deavoring to save two or three fine, large 
Baltimore Belle bushes which were terribly 
attacked by the bugs, and found that they 
were quickest killed by shaking them into 
a basin full of very hot water; cold water 
they seemed rather to enjoy, but hot water 
did the business. It may be interesting to 
note that experiments were made about 
the same time with a view to destroying 
the black aphis, which so persistently feeds 
upon chrysanthemums, by hot water. It 
is known that this pest is hard to dislodge 
out-of doors, and after a good many failures 
with tobacco decoctions, I tried hot water. 
I found that dipping a plant for three or 
four seconds in a bucket, with the water at 
a temperature of 125 degrees, Fahrenheit, 
would kill about one-third of the bugs, 
while water five degrees hotter got away 
with a few more of them and bothered the 
plants a little. But 140 degrees did the 
business—for both the lice and the plants. 
Both died the death ! I have an idea that a 
hot water spray would be useful in this 
connection, but have now no plants to ex¬ 
periment on.”. 
Beebe is a new mid-season strawberry 
of some promise, being, as is claimed, of 
large size, a prolific yielder, and the quality 
is “ rich and mellow.” It has a perfect 
blossom. 
J. T. Lovett, of Monmouth County, N. 
J., renders his report on the newer straw¬ 
berries in Orchard and Garden. His reports 
are usually conservative and trustworthy.. 
Yale, although a berry of good size and 
excellent quality, has proved a failure. The 
plant rusts and burns badly. On cool, 
heavy soil—soil upon which the Jucunda 
succeeds—it will prove a fine sort. 
Crawford has behaved surprisingly well. 
Owing to the prolonged drought, the plants 
made but a short growth and gave bit a 
light yield, yet the berries were large and 
excellent. This, like the Yale, evidently 
requires a rich, heavy, cool soil for success.. 
Lovett’s Early gave ripe berries on May 
22, the earliest date Mr. Lovett has ever 
gathered ripe strawberries,, and as a gen¬ 
eral purpose, all-around variety, it ap¬ 
proaches more closely perfection than any 
other thus far produced. Beginning to 
ripen early, as it does, it continues to near 
the close of the season, and owing to its 
vigor of plant, it maintains a good size and 
good form to the end. It does not give so 
good a yield at any single picking as some 
varieties that grow quickly, but during the 
whole season, from first to last, he has yet 
to see a strawberry produce so much fruit 
upon a given space and under neglect. 
Gandy as a choice late sort is an entire 
success. In size and firmness It is all that 
can be desired, and in vigor and growth it 
is satisfactory, but under ordinary culture 
its yield is not so great as many expect.... 
Michel’s Early is the earliest, l. e., 
ripens its entire crop the earliest of any va¬ 
riety he has yet fruited, and the berrries 
are of fair size. In quality and quantity a 
poor medium. 
Parker Earle.— Mr. Lovett, regardless 
of The R. N.-Y.’s advice to the contrary, 
was afraid this was not going to prove 
worthy of the name it bears, but he is hapoy 
that he was wrong. What a glorious va¬ 
riety it is indeed ! For beauty, yield and 
mild, pleasant flavor, it will be a long while 
before a superior will likely bs found. It is 
not, however, firm enough for shipping 
well. 
Shuster’s Gem holds its own as a beau¬ 
tiful, prolific berry of large size. There is 
yet to appear the variety of a brighter 
flame colored scarlet. As a market berry 
its only weakness is Its lack of firmness ; 
as a berry for the home garden It has none, 
except The R. N.-Y. must add quality. 
Mrs. Cleveland is truly democratic and 
is so attractive as to at once arrest one’s 
attention among acres of others. The plant 
is simply perfection; the berries of good 
size, form and color—beautiful and so 
sweet. Strange to record, the variety Is de¬ 
cidedly prolific. 
Edgar Queen is a sort of glorified Sharp¬ 
less, resembling that variety very closely 
in both plant and fruit, but it has a pistil¬ 
late blossom and yields fully double the 
quantity of fruit of the Sharpless. 
Jucunda Improved has been again one 
of the finest and most attractive of sorts, 
the berries resembling closely the old fav¬ 
orite, and the plant growing and yielding 
splendidly without petting. 
Lady Rusk has proved neither a decided 
success nor a decided failure—about “ half 
and half” one might say. In yield it was 
all one need ask and the berries were firm 
but lacked size and beauty. The plant 
seemed to suffer greatly by the drought.... 
Walton failed utterly. The plant suc¬ 
cumbed to the unfavorable weather, hence 
the berries were poor, small and very 
scattering. 
Waldron is a decided success. Plant a 
strong grower and clean ; berries large to 
very large and produced in profusion. It 
does not appear to be very firm and is not 
especially attractive, but on the whole pos¬ 
sesses, he thinks, much value... 
Eureka has merit also. The plant is not 
of the strongest growth but healthy, and 
the fruit is fine and produces very frealy. 
It is also quite firm, fairly attractive and 
good. 
Florence is another descendant of the 
Jucunda, giving handsome berries of good 
size but in limited numbers. It is unsuited 
to donmouth as it requires a heavy, cold 
soil. The plant is, however, a better grow¬ 
er than its parent. 
Sadie grows well and is wonderfully pro¬ 
lific but the berries are so small as to ren¬ 
der it valueless, in fact they were so small 
even at the first of the season that it was 
not worth while to gather them. 
Iowa Beauty is a perfect beauty indeed, 
so far as beauty, form and color go. In 
quality it equals its good looks and the 
plant is a good though not strong grower 
and an abundant yielder. 
Viola is the old Monarch of the West 
under a new name. 
A few days ago the Rural Grounds were 
favored with a little visit from a leading 
member of the Society of American Flor¬ 
ists—a prominent horticultural writer as 
well. 
The editor of The R. N.-Y. remarked 
that he had succeeded in crossing the 
gooseberry upon the black (European) cur¬ 
rant. “ Yes,” interposes his wife, “ and 
this is the third year I have tried to effect 
this cross in vain, much to my vexation.” 
“ Why,” gallantly remarked the visitor, 
“ we all give you the credit for that kind 
of work.” 
“ Ah,” replied the editor’s wife, earnest¬ 
ly, “ I am but the tail to the kite.” 
Our distiiiguished visitor was, in fact, 
right. The “tail of the kite” was really 
tho kite itself. What a self-sacrificing, 
self-squelching, devoted, altogether blessed 
creature is a loving wife ! 
How much of an editor’s Inspiration; 
how many editors and farmers and men 
of any other occupation whatever “absorb,” 
as if it were quite legitimate to do so, the 
credit tnat as a matter of fact belongs to 
their pitient, unobtrusive wives ?. 
WORD FOR WO HD. 
-N. Y. Herald: “ Many poor people, 
ambitious of social distinction, are kept 
down by trying to keep up.” 
“The man who bothers us when we are 
busy is a bore; the man who refuses to be 
bothered by us when he Is busy is a crank.” 
-Life: “It takes more than beef and 
bone to make winners.” 
-Christian Union: “Political parties 
are numerous, small, and, for the most 
part, Ineffective; they have never been 
weaker than at present.” 
-W. I. Chamberlain: “Not until I 
investigated the commercial fertilizers as 
State Inspector, did I really believe in 
them. If I had known 20 years ago, as I 
do now, how to use them on wheat to be 
seeded to grass and clover, I could have 
brought up my farm more rapidly at less 
expense than I have done with manure.” 
-Christian Union: “If drugs are so 
efficacious, why is it that of the two oppo¬ 
site schools of medicine, the allopathic and 
the homeopathic, the latter in general 
practice are quite as successful as the 
former, and I believe more so—because, if 
they don’t heal, they don’t kill ? And the 
hydropathists are successful, too. In fact, 
any let-alone system of practice makes as¬ 
tonishing cures.” 
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