6 
THli RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
January 6 
fARhcf{5’CLU|3 
DISCUSSIONS 
^ M 
,ii A' 
A Hotel Keeper On Borax. 
F. G. R., Bknkington, Vt. —Having 
had a number of years’ experience in the 
hotel business, it necessarily follows that 
T have had no little experience with 
roaches, and for that reason the Ruralism 
about this pest in a recent issue attracted 
my attention. Many people suppose that 
the Persian insect powder will destroy 
flies, roaches, etc , if the powder be 
scattered about so that they will run 
over it. Applied in this way it is per¬ 
fectly harmless to them. But applied as 
dust in the air it soon lays them out. 
Borax as an article of food is quite harm¬ 
less to roaches. From the fact that the 
borax drawer is the place where roaches 
most do congregate, is no evidence that 
borax does not kill the pests. It is not 
at all likely that the same roaches make 
a second visit to the sweet tasting borax. 
To be effectual the powdered borax 
should he scattered where the roaches 
run—it should he extremely flne and very 
dry. If people who use borax as above 
stated will notice some of the insects’ 
secret recesses, they will find roaches 
without heads. Why ? Among those 
“who know” it is known to be a fact 
that the roaches in running over the 
borax get it on their feet, and attempt to 
get it off something after the manner in 
which a cat washes its face, and in these 
desperate attempts break their heads 
off. But once hoeing a garden does not 
keep the weeds out for all summer. 
Eternal vigilance with borax will so 
nearly exterminate roaches that one will 
be little inconvenienced or annoyed by 
them. Phosphorus paste, with a little 
molasses added, daubed around crevices 
and cracks where they run, is an excel¬ 
lent exterminator, but it is nasty and a 
deadly poison to have about. I do not 
like the Buhach, pyrethrum, Persian, or 
insect powders. They do not kill, but 
scatter them to all parts of the house. 
This is my experience after using hun¬ 
dreds of pounds of them. 
The Mills Grape. 
Geo W. Casipbkll,, Delaware, O.—In 
The R. N.-Y. of December 2, Mr. Bird, of 
Ann Arbor, Mich., says that he finds the 
Mills grape a beautiful variety of fine 
quality, keeping until March—the long¬ 
est of any in a collection of 80 kinds. He 
fears, however, that it will prove, like 
other hybrids, unhealthy. This grape, I 
believe, originated in Canada, and was 
claimed to be a hybrid cross between 
Creveling and Miller’s Burgundy. Many 
years ago, when the Creveling was first 
introduced, and was favorably regarded 
as an early variety, I made the same 
cross, and raised perhaps 20 seedlings. 
Not one of them made a healthy or vigor¬ 
ous vine, and not one lived to bear fruit. 
Naturally I felt distrustful of vines of 
this parentage, but as the Mills was in¬ 
troduced and recommended by one of our 
most reputable firms, I bought one of the 
best vines that could be procured, and 
planted it in what I considered the best 
locality in my garden, and near by sev¬ 
eral of my own seedlings, with the Nec¬ 
tar, Brilliant, Colerain, Gsertner, Camp¬ 
bell, (Munron’s) and others in its imme¬ 
diate vicinity. The first year, I think 
none of these vines had any spraying, 
or any other treatment beyond ordinary, 
clean cultivation. The Mills 'started 
promptly in spring, and seemed at first 
promising, and made a growth of about 
three feet. I noticed nothing special with 
the vine until towards the latter part of 
the season, when I found it badly mil¬ 
dewed and nearly defoliated, while the 
other varieties above named were still 
green and healthy. When I pruned my 
vines, in November, I found the wood of 
the Mills absolutely dead down to the 
collar—not a ripened bud on the season’s 
growth. I cut it down, and made a 
mound of earth over it, to see if it would 
survive the winter. It did, and started 
rather late the next spring; but the 
growth was feeble, and although I used 
sulphur and lime to prevent mildew, it 
was again attacked, and made no ripe 
wood upon its 12 or 14 inches of growth. 
Although again covered, it never started 
again. 
One of my amateur friends in southern 
Ohio told me that he had succeeded in 
growing and fruiting a Mills, and brought 
to one of our horticultural meetings a 
fine specimen cluster. Upon inquiring 
hew he had succeeded, when I had failed 
so completely, he attributed it to con¬ 
stant spraying with the Bordeaux Mix¬ 
ture. Twice afterward he sent me wood 
from his vines for propagation, from 
which I grew plants from single eyes, 
under glass; but the foliage was invari¬ 
ably so unhealthy when transplanted to 
open ground the following season that 1 
threw them away as of no value for this 
locality. It was the most unsatisfactory 
of any, even of the hybrid vines, I had 
planted, though the Downing was nearly 
as bad. All the other kinds above named 
as being planted in the same immediate 
vicinity are strong, vigorous and healthy 
bearing vines. My experience indicates 
that the Mills cannot be safely recom¬ 
mended for general planting, though it 
may succeed in some places with special 
care, or where climate and soil are suit¬ 
able. 
Maine Sweet Corn Agala. 
G. S. P., Winslow, Me —In reply to 
the query of Mr. Talcott, in regard to 
Maine sweet corn, I have seen Mr. Drum¬ 
mond again, and he tells me he obtained 
a trifle over 3320 for bis eight acres of 
sweet corn last season, and saved, in ad¬ 
dition, 310 worth of seed from the field. 
He plants in rows three feet apart and 
hills 18 inches apart, thinning to four 
stalks per hill. I do not know the name 
of the variety. The system in vogue 
here at all our canning factories gives 
the farmer exactly what his corn weighs. 
It is husked, sorted over, run through 
the cutters and weighed, and he is paid 
two cents per pound for the clean corn. 
In my opinion no more uncertain crop is 
grown, yet the possible yield is so great, 
and the fodder so valuable, that most 
farmers near a factory raise some every 
year. 
The Blossoms of Plum and Cherry. 
O. M. L., Minnesota City, Minn. —In 
The R. N.-Y. of December 15, page 840, 
inquiry is made in regard to plum and 
cherry seeds. I have had no e xperience 
with the cherry; but having experi¬ 
mented with native plums for more than 
30 years, I can answer the question with 
some assurance. If plum trees stand 
near together, and bloom at the same 
time, all kinds will freely mix, and a 
very minute quantity of ripe pollen, that 
adheres to a receptive stigma will prove 
potent. Some varieties will bear fruit 
only when pollenized by others ; as the 
stigmas do not become receptive, until 
they have shed their own pollen. The 
seeds of such fruit will invariably produce 
numerous kinds that may be somewhat 
like either or both parents. Some varie¬ 
ties will, though receptive to other pol¬ 
len, freely pollenize their own blossoms, 
whether isolated or standing in groups. 
If a natural tree, that is one not grafted, 
be entirely isolated so as not to be 
exposed to the influence of other pollen 
and bear fruit, the seeds will produce 
trees bearing fruit very similar or at 
least having the same general character 
as that of the parent. When some kinds 
produce fruit true to seed it is because of 
these conditions. 
As to Steel Roof Ins:. 
A. A. H., Bellows Falls, Vt. —In re¬ 
ply to the question by E. G. in The R. 
N.-Y. of December 16, I would say that 
I have all my buildings covered with 
steel roofing. The past season lightning 
struck in several places near here, but I 
have never heard of a building being in¬ 
jured by lightning that was covered with 
steel. When the contract was let for the 
construction of my buildings, the specifi¬ 
cations called for roofs boarded tight 
with matched boards, and papered under 
the steel, but I changed them, and had 
joints left between the boards and no 
paper used on the roofs. The reason for 
this change was that if the roofs became 
damp and frosty the paper would 
hold the moisture and be more likely to 
rust the under side of the steel than if 
there were no paper there. 
Over-Mannriiifi: Fmits. 
G. S. B., Cromwell, Conn. —I have 
never used too much manure on either 
strawberries or black raspberries. I did 
make a fool of myself once by using too 
much of the wrong kind on strawberries, 
killing a lot of nice plants by applying 
nitrate of soda. I once over-manured a 
small patch of red raspberries which I 
wanted to force to a certain yield per 
plant. I secured my yield, but so weak¬ 
ened my plants by forcing that I lost the 
two following crops hy the canes winter- 
killing, although the same variety win¬ 
tered perfectly with less manure and 
cultivation in an adjoining field. I have 
also fertilized blackberries too highly 
causing a superabundance of wood, not as 
hardy as where less was applied. The 
fruit, also, was hardly as good and much 
more difficult to get it picked clean as 
the bushes were more branchy. Pickers 
don’t like to reach in among the bushes 
when there are berries on the outside 
to gather 
Some California Irrigation. 
S. L. J., Santa Barbara, Cal.—I can¬ 
not give any information on sub-irriga¬ 
tion, as we do all our irrigating by means 
of hydrants and sprinklers. We use 
sprinklers on lawns, and dig a basin 
around trees and rose bushes and let the 
water run in the basin until it is full; 
after the water soaks away, we fill up 
the basin and rake the soil level. We 
water as often as needed. 
{Contimxed on next page.) 
“Almost as 
Palatable as Milk” 
This is a fact with regard 
to Scott’s Emulsion of Cod 
Liver Oil. The difference 
between the oil, in its plain 
state, is very apparent. In 
Scott’s Emulsion 
you detect no fish-oil taste. 
As it is a help to diges¬ 
tion there is no after effect 
except good effect. Keep in 
mind that Scott’s Emulsion 
is the best promoter of flesh 
and strength known to 
science. 
Prepared by Scott A Bowne, N. Y. All droKClsts. 
Buckeye Wrought Iron Punched Kail Fence. 
aiio manafactarera of Iron Creatine, Iron Turbine ant 
Buckeye Wind Knelnea, Buekaye Force Pumpa, 
Buckeye, Globe and Champion Lawn Honera. Bead 
for TUufttrated Catalogue and Prices to 
MAST, FOOS A CO. SPRINGFIELD, O. 
!8d4.-Estab(ished 39 YearG-i893 
THE OLD RELIABLE 
HALLADAY STANDARD, 
HALLADAY GEARED and 
U. S. Solid Wheel 
WIND MILLS 
Guaranteed to be the 
BEST MADE. 
A/soPumps.Tanks. Corn Sfiellers, 
Feed Mills, Stalk Cutters, 
Haying Tools, Saw Tables, Etc 
8EMO FOR CATALOGUE 
y.S.WlNDEN6iNE&PUMPC0. 
Hi SiTer »t., BATAfU, ILL. 
In writing to adTertiaera pleaae alwaya mention 
Thi Rubai.. 
Hood’s'^'>Cures 
“ I am glad to recom¬ 
mend IIood’8 Sarsapa¬ 
rilla and Hood’s Pills. I 
have suffered very much 
with severe 
Sick Headache. 
Afler taking six bottles 
of Hood’s Sarsaparilla 
and two boxes of Hood’s 
Pills, I am cured of that 
terrible disease. I know 
Hood’s Sarsaparilla Is the best medicine I ever 
took.”.. Mrs. H. M. Lattin, Pine Valley, N. Y. 
Hood’s Pills cure liver ills. 250. per box. 
Entirely of Steel. No Castings to break. 
Strongest and simplest Lever Arrangement 
on the market. Write for Descriptive Circular. 
RODERICK LEAN MFC. CO. 
MANSFIELD, OHIO. 
[STEEL PRESSED 
Farmers YOUR Produce 
To F. I. SAGK & SON, 183 Resde St., N. Y., 
Receivers of all kinds of Countkt Paonuca, In¬ 
cluding Game, Live and Dressed Ponltry and Dressed 
Calves. SpecialM«j>—Berries, Grapes, Apples, Pears, 
Uoney, Onions, Potatoes and Butter. Correspond¬ 
ence and consignments solicited. Stencils furnished. 
Reference: Dan’s o; Braosireet f Commercial Re- 
pons, to he found at any bank. 
“ECONOMY IS WEALTH.” 
Canvassers wanted to sell the 
Improved Hall Typewriter. 
Writes all languages. 
Price, 8130, Great induce¬ 
ments to agents. Send lor 
catalogue and terms. Address 
5. TYPEfRITEE CO.. 611 WasMflgtOIl St., BOSTON, MASS. 
WIFE 
CANNOT SEE HOW YOU DO 
IT AND PAY FREIGHT, 
ingM&cbiDe, iritb » complete set of at¬ 
tachments aod guaranteed for 10 pears Shipped any¬ 
where on 30 daps* trial. No moneu requirsd tn 
t>anee. 75.000 now in use. World’s Fair M^al awarded. 
But from factory, save dealers* and agents’ profit 
Write to-day for our LARGE FREE CATALOGUE. 
Oxford Bfg. Co., 342 Wabash Aie., Chicago, 111 
GABLED FIELD AND HOG FENCING. 
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Also Steel TVeh Picket Fence and Steel Wire 
Fence Board. Write for o'rculars. 
DeKALB FENCE CO.. 17, Hifih St., DeKalb. 111. 
BEST LINE 
CHICAGO AND Sr LOUIS 
KANSAS CITY 
TWO TRAINS DAILY 
