1894 
THE RURAI NEW-YORKER. 
637 
NOTES FROM A GRAPE COUNTRY. 
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OP A FRUIT DISTRICT. 
A Fair and Honest Fair. 
Owing to the efforts of men who practice what they 
preach, fakirs and their ilk are paralyzed at the outer 
gate, and one finds a real “ fair” when he visits the 
annual meeting of the Yates County farmers, which is 
held at Penn Yan. But few, if any, entries are made 
by the professionals who go from one fair to another 
with fitted herds. The exhibits, products of the 
county, numbering about 2,000, were surprising in 
variety and quality. Situated in the grape belt, I ex¬ 
pected to see grapes, but hardly looked for 100 varie¬ 
ties of potatoes. The rapid increase in varieties has 
made it possible for unscrupulous men to rename old 
kinds to swell their list. But few are qualified to 
judge an exhibit fairly. Single expert judges will 
have to be chosen as in other classes, to give satisfac¬ 
tion. The Rural New-Yorker No. 2 was present 
under at least 10 different names. 
The poultry departments at all fairs are well filled 
this year, which shows that people are waking np to 
the possibilities of the egg basket. Here the farmers’ 
fowls, the White and Brown Leghorns, stood at th« 
head. At other fairs the professionals have shown 
the heavy breeds with buff color. Pun, fancy and fad 
on one side; business, utility and profit on the other. 
Take your choice. The right choice is very essential 
to success. 
The Home of a Fruit Grower. 
I accepted the invitation of Mr. E. C. Qillett, a warm 
friend of The R. N.-Y., to go home with him. He is 
as thoughtful and progressive a farmer as I ever met. 
Speaking of success in life, his wife said, “ It is sad to 
see any one striving to do uncongenial work. I know 
a young man who loves poultry and makes a decided 
success of those his father allows him to keep ; but be 
cannot induce the father to change his old methods, and 
grain growing will be continued until the boy is driven 
from the farm by the mortgage. If his natural talent 
for poultry keeping were made use of, he could pay the 
debt.” Master Gillett, who is about 12 years old, has 
embarked in the poultry business for himself. He is 
required to keep an exact record of all sums paid for 
fowls, grain, etc., as well as the receipts. He will be 
taught to study both sides of a question financially by 
this course in poultry. He has a fine lot of fowls and 
pullets for winter laying, but he has found out what 
many do not stop to consider. “It’s mostly outgo the 
first year, for I am just getting started,” was his way 
of putting it. 
Mr. and Mrs. Gillett are both lovers of horticulture 
and are constantly adding to their fruit acreage. The 
soil a sandy, clay loam, is easily worked, retains mois¬ 
ture, and is very fertile. The 50 quince trees of the 
Orange variety were bending to the ground with loads 
of perfect fruit. They were planted 10 feet apart and 
nearly touch between the rows although severely 
pruned. For the fruit from this one-sixth of an acre 
the average returns are at the rate of $150 per acre. 
“ I see the trees are covered with Bordeaux. Does it 
do any good ?” 
“ Yes ; you see this fruit is large and psrfect. The 
leaves are dark green and not dropping. Before I be¬ 
gan spraying, the fruit was knotty, gnarled and almost 
worthless. The leaves would be all off before this 
ti me.” 
“ How do you make it stick so ?” 
“ I use full strwagth and put it on till I get a coat¬ 
ing. That has been on since June.” 
The trees were still blue with it. As to the effect of 
spraying on future crops, Mr. Gillett said, “ I think 
all my crops show that the full development and 
maturing of the leaves give a vigor to the tree not 
otherwise to be obtained.” Two pear trees standing 
side by side were shown me. It was almost as impos¬ 
sible to find a perfect specimen on the one as to find a 
poor one on the other. Spraying made the difference. 
How They Eat Grapes Up There. 
Acres of vines, mostly Concords, loaded with clusters 
till there is hardly room for one more. Blue, black, 
red, green, white and yellow bunches were handed me 
to try till I was afraid to eat more. “ They will not 
hurt you 1 ” said he. “One cannot eat enough per¬ 
fectly ripe grapes to hurt him. It’s only unripened 
fruit that injures.” I began to believe it when he ate 
a five-pound basketful for breakfast. Only people 
who raise their own fruit realize the amount of pleas¬ 
ure and fruit one can gather in during the season. 
“ Why,” said Mr. Gillett, “ when we go to the field in 
the morning, we fill up on grapes. About 10 o’clock, 
when we get thirsty, we slip over and get a hatful; 
at noon, some mere, and that way all day.” How 
much would it take, do you suppose, to hire Mr. Gil¬ 
lett to give up his pleasures during summer, and al¬ 
most absolute leisure during winter, and go to the 
city to swelter in the heat and live on bread and meat 
and second-hand vegetables ? Tuere is no section in 
our State where it is impossible to provide an abund¬ 
ant supply of fruit for family use, yet too few are mak¬ 
ing use of this health-giving blessing. 
The apple crop is light in this section, yet his trees 
are well loaded, probably from the healthy growth in¬ 
duced from last year’s spraying. His machine, his own 
invention, is unique. A barrel on an old mowing ma¬ 
chine frame ; a sprocket wheel attached to the axle 
gives power, and a chain belt turns the pitman, which 
is attached to the pump handle and does the work, 
while he sits on the seat and drives. A rod connection 
and several nozzles enable him to spray three rows of 
pouatoes at a time. Several barrels are used to dis¬ 
solve the copper, and one is full of limewater. He 
uses the test for lime and does not bother to measure. 
No benefit is seen from spraying potatoes this year. 
The Help Problem; Other Fruit Notes. 
To settle the help queslion, a good married man who 
occupies a portion of the large house, was hired. This 
relieves Mrs. Gillett from the necessity of caring for 
so much room, boarding the help, and gives her 
needed rest. The man is always on hand, and the 
family can go to Florida or town during winter if 
they desire; for as Mr. Gillett said, “The fruit busi¬ 
ness has increased until the profits are not much 
larger than those realized by our “hill farmers,” who 
sell hay, potatoes, and keep stock on their cheaper 
land. But from December till April the fruit grower 
is at perfect liberty. The dairyman is a perfect slave, 
Sunday and all, the year ’round. 
I made the statement at an institute that the Cres¬ 
cent strawberry was one of the most profitable berries 
grown. I was hauled over the coals severely. Yet 
this year the reports from The R.N.-Y., the experiment 
stations and Mr. Gillett’s experience are the same. 
It’s hardy, early, prolific, sells well in market and 
will fight weeds. That last is no argument, for weeds 
should not be allowed. Mr. Gillett has a large field 
of cabbage. All Seasons is the favorite. He and his 
man, armed with hatchets, pushed over and cut from 
the stumps an acre of cabbage in 13^ hour. People 
with small patches cannot successfully compete with 
the systematic growing of any vegetable on a large 
scale. The transplanted plants are far ahead of those 
where the seed was planted in the hill. 
A large orchard of peach trees three years old is a 
venture. They have been severely pruned, but are 
very large and should bear next year. Young Keiffer 
pear trees are loaded with fruit, that on my farm 
would not bear in five years more. It is fruit soil. 
The pears are marked “canning pears” when shipped. 
Penn Yan is the market for a large section. The streets 
are crowded with farm wagons loaded with all kinds 
of produce. The grape wagons have wide boxes set out 
close to the wheels and several feet high. It’s quit^ 
a sight to see them at the yard waiting to unload, 30 
in a string, each having, perhaps, 500 baskets on. 
It is estimated that there are 15,000 acres of grapes 
in this section, and it takes about 3,000 cars to carry 
away the fruit. As a peculiarity of market, I was told 
that blue grapes should be sent to Philadelphia, white 
to New York, and red to Boston. 
The Grape Growers’ Union sells everywhere. Some 
of their grapes were toted up the mountains at Denver 
on the backs of mules. c. e. chapman. 
THE PROSPECT. 
An officer of one of the large life insurance com 
panics tells us that this season brings an unusually 
large number of lapses of life insurance policies. 
Last year thousands of men insured for the first 
time. Most of them did it to protect their families, 
as the outlook for business was gloomy and no 
one knew when the lowest ebb would be struck. The 
fact that many of these policies are not being renewed 
is taken as evidence that general business is getting 
better and that these men are satisfied that there is to 
be a gradual improvement. That seems reasonable, 
and we hope it is true. ^ 
It is very evident that there is sufficient land now 
under cultivation in this country. Any man who 
wants to farm and has a small capital, can own a 
farm. There is no monopoly of the land, and some 
owners have been most unwilling ones, complaining 
that they can get no offers from others when they 
want to convert their capital into money. The pres¬ 
ent holders of farms have hard-earned money in¬ 
vested, and the farms, as a rule, would sell for less 
than they cost 10 years ago. An abundance of food 
in average years is produced to supply the market and 
leave a surplus to depress prices. In view of these 
facts, the agitation of the question of extensive irri¬ 
gation of government lands is out of order. The 
great arid region, comprising more than 100,000,000 
acres that can be watered, is the property of the peo¬ 
ple, and individuals need cast no covetous eyes upon 
it. When the people need this land for the produc¬ 
tion of wheat and other food supplies, a plan can be 
made for its distribution to individuals for a fair 
equivalent. Just now no man wanting a farm, and 
having anything to buy it with, is crying for part of 
the arid region; and the man who has no money has 
no more right to ask for the gift of a farm than for 
the gift of a factory. If farm land were held out of 
the market in this country, as it is in England, there 
would be some reason in the demand for distribution 
of this Western land, even if a surplus of farm prod¬ 
ucts existed. As it is, promoters of the scheme for 
obtaining control of this government land, are work¬ 
ing for something else than merely homes for them¬ 
selves. The farmers of this country cannot afford to 
allow these men to succeed. We have had too many 
schemes that were worked under a great waving of 
the flag for purely selfish ends. Development of the 
resources of one’s country appeals to a patriotic 
spirit, but too rapid development always means dis¬ 
aster. If we water this great region and give it away, 
the product of Eistern farms will bring less money 
to spend, because there will be little or no profit in 
the business, and times in town and country will grow 
harder than ever. This irrigation scheme is a selfish 
one, in the interest of a few, and a menace to that of 
the masses. Kill it 1 ^ 
The problem of when to sell potatoes is harder than 
ever this year. Prices are fair now—right from the 
field—and yet there is every prospect that they will 
be very much higher before spring. Our opinion is 
that if a man has a first-rate place in which to store 
his potatoes and knows how to care for them to the 
best advantage, it may pay him to hold them; other¬ 
wise our advice would be to sell at once. A subscriber 
in Kentucky gets it about right in this note : 
My opinion Is that It la undoubtedly best to sell at 50 cents per 
bushel at digging time even If one were assured of double the price 
four months after siorlog. Handling, shrinkage and decay In four 
months usually reduce the amount stored about one-third, and 1 have 
never found out when to market a well grown crop. I bad this season 
about three acres In early potatoes, which produced 27i bushels of 
fair, smooth potatoes, and as I had no home market, I stored for better 
prices. Two weeks ago, I found that the potatoes were rotting ba.Jly 
and sold to a local buyer at 45 cents per bushel, tne 272 bushels being 
reduced to 112 bushels. Twenty-six bushels were culls, the remaining 
loss being by shrinkage and decay; and this Is my usual experience. 
Could 1 have held them two weeks longer 1 would have realized nere 
1X1 cents per bushel, us the crop In tne neighborhood Is entirely ex¬ 
hausted and potatoes have advanced In two weeks It to 2d cents per 
bushel. So you see this crop whether “ well grown or not, rimer pot to 
market." 
After all it comes down to a matter of knowing what 
the potatoes have cost. If you know that, you can tell 
whether the price offered represents a profit or not. 
A safe way to do business is to sell whenever a fair 
profit is in sight. 
BUSINESS BITS. 
Tub place to get cider machinery is of Boomer & Bosebert Press Co. 
Syracuse, N. Y. Get their catalogue. 
Tubub are lots of registered young Bsrkshlre pigs now at Park 
1< arm, New Brunswick, N. J. They w 111 be sold cheap, too. 
Tub h Orest Hose Is a new potato that will soon come into competition 
with old favorites. It was exhibited at tne Onlo State Fair by Prof. 
J. W. Christy, the originator, and certainly made a nice showing. 
Mu. John W. Hall, Marlon Station, Md., explains in his catalogue 
why his potatoes are called ‘'High-bred." Ue also tells something 
about second-crop potatoes for seed. Better send and get the cata¬ 
logue. 
lx Is always well to buy at ilrst band when possible—middlemen's 
proutsare saved In this way. Onion sets usually come high because 
they do not as a rule pass from producer to consumer. Mr. G. E. 
Kephart, Carey, Onio, Is now offering Egyptian or Winter onion sets 
cheap. Why not get them now? 
"Why are farmers willing to pay seedsmen more for seed than they 
are willing to pay another farmer?" Is a question asked by a farmer 
who has used Tub U. N.-Y. as a middleman. Is It true that they do ? 
If so, is It because the seedsmen make nig claims of yield, etc. 7 Any 
way, here Is Mr. U. H. Small, Mount Alto. Pa., with a tine quality of 
seed wheat at farmers' prices. Who wants it? 
You can get the same percentage of elements In other fertilizers 
that you get In hard-wood ashes; but there Is something about the 
comolnatlon of plant food elements in ashes, their chemical action on 
the soil, that make them superior to other products of the same 
analysis for plant food. A tree pamphlet on this subject can be 
secured of the Forest City Wood Ash Co., 9 Meichant’s Row, Boston, 
Mass. 
Have you considered what a pair of those wlde-tlre, low wheels on 
your wagon would save you this fall In gathering your corn, potatoes 
and other crops? They not only save tne team; but bring the wagon 
box down low, and save labor In loading and unloading. They also 
save cutting up the fields, and as there la no tire setting, another ex¬ 
pense Is saved. Send to the Empire Mlg. Co., Quincy, 111., for cata¬ 
logue. 
MB. T. J. DwYKB, the well-known proprietor of the Orange County 
Nurseries at Cornwall, N. Y., has just returned from Europe, and Is 
already Into his work with renewed strength and vigor. Those 
U. N.-Y. readers who have ordered from him In the past need not be 
reminded of the quality of his goods ; but to new or intending pur¬ 
chasers, we would say that bis goods are grown and packed under his 
own 8u,jerylston; and while there are larger nurseries in the country, 
we know of none better or more rell .ble. 
Pkoijauly no man In the country has done more for the maimed 
than A' A. Marks, 701 Broadway, New York. His artlllolal limbs are 
about as nearly perfect as It Is possible to conceive. It Is not uncom¬ 
mon to see men with these artificial limbs performing successfully 
and without Inconvenience the same duties performed by others with 
all their natural members. A treatise on aitlilclal limbs Is sent free. 
Anything In this line procured of Mr. Marks will be found all right, 
and formula for measurements Is given so that llmos can be sent to 
any part of the world. 
J. S. Collins & Son., Moorestown, N. J., have sent us their fall cata¬ 
logue of strawbertlss, raspberries, blackberiles, currants, gooseber¬ 
ries ilncludlng Columbus and Red Jacket), grapes, asparagus, large 
fruits. Including Japan plums, nut trees and ornamental trees. We 
have recently bad an urgent Inquiry as to where the Beebe straw¬ 
berry could be purchased. Several years ago our report of this va¬ 
riety was very favorable. It was announced by J. T. Lovett, but 
finally rejected by him. It Is a splendid variety as It showed at the 
Rural Grounds. It Is In Mr. Collins's list. 
