1895 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
265 
RURALISMS — Continued. 
In raising corn—whether sweet or 
field—the greatest foe we have to con¬ 
tend against is the blackbird, and to a 
lesser extent, the crow. Just so soon as 
the germ pushes though the soil, the 
birds are ready for it. Last year, fully 
one-half of the plants of our corn experi¬ 
ment ground, were destroyed, and not 
less than one-quarter of the second 
planting. Tarring the seed seemed no 
protection. It isn’t the kernel the birds 
are after; it is the tender first leaf, 
rather. 
It occurred to us that it might be a 
good idea to raise little beds of duplicate 
plants, and to transplant them when of 
suitable size. This was done. Each 
plant was taken as we would transplant 
tomatoes, with some adhering soil to the 
roots, and carefully set in the missing 
places. But corn plants do not take to 
transplantation. They were long in re¬ 
covering, and gave a late, light crop of 
ears. In short, transplanting didn’t pay. 
Mr. S. P. Okie, of Long Island, writes: 
The qStation from Prof. Waite in The R. N.-Y. 
of March 2, in regard to the pollination of fruit 
flowers, is to me a flashlight on a hitherto dark¬ 
ened subject. We have a solitary Bartlett pear 
tree in our dooryard in full maturity, vigorous 
health, and about 30 feet high, which never bears 
more than two or three pears, and most years 
not one; yet it blooms profusely. Is this tree a 
celibate ? Can I improve its fertility by hanging 
branches of bloom from other pear trees on its 
boughs this spring ? 
It may be that we are going a trifle 
too fast in making out lists of pear trees 
that are assumed not to be self-fertile. Is 
it safe to conclude that because the Bart¬ 
lett, for example, fails to fruit for a sea¬ 
son, or for several seasons, in one local¬ 
ity, it would fail also in other places if 
far away from other varieties ? We have 
trustworthy information that one Bart¬ 
lett orchard is fertile and another sterile, 
both being too far away from other 
trees to be helped by them. We hear, 
too, of isolated Keiffers that bear no 
fruit. Does this prove that the produc¬ 
tiveness of Keiffers depends upon foreign 
pollen ? Is it positively known that any 
variety of pear is in all places and under 
all conditions, dependent upon pollen 
from other flowers in order to set fruit ? 
The writer knows of two old Bartlett 
trees—one on a Long Island farm (the 
tree is over 70 years of age), the other 
near the Rural Grounds, both being at a 
considerable distance from any other 
pear trees—that have, during most sea¬ 
sons, borne abundantly for many years. 
May it not be that too rich or too poor 
a soil has to do with an earlier or later 
maturity of the anthers (pollen), or of 
preventing a simultaneous maturity of 
the stigmas and anthers ? Other causes— 
moisture, dryness, too close planting, a 
high or low elevation, a northern or 
southern exposure—may also induce self 
sterility. 
Years ago—as our older friends may 
remember—we planted in the same plot 
all of th« then-popular varieties of sweet 
corn. It was found that some kinds ma¬ 
tured the tassels (male) and silk (female) 
at the same time. In others, the pollen 
was shed before the silk was receptive, 
while in others the silk was receptive 
before the pollen was shed. The trial 
was made a second year in a different 
plot. The result was that had we con¬ 
cluded that certain varieties matured the 
tassels before the silk, certain other 
varieties the silk before the tassels, while 
others matured the silk and tassels simul¬ 
taneously, the conclusions would have 
been as often erroneous as correct. 
We would advise our friend to try root 
pruning. Placing other pear branches in 
bloom in the tree would probably be of 
little service. The petals of the flowers 
would wilt directly and envelop the pis¬ 
tils. We would prefer to graft here and 
there some other variety. 
A subscriber (E. M. B.) writes that he 
sprouted the Carman No. 1 potato sent 
to him last year, in the greenhouse, and 
cuttings taken off were rooted until he 
had 42 plants in all. About June 1, they 
were planted out in rather poor soil, but 
with a good application of fertilizer. 
They started to grow immediately, but 
the cut-worms destroyed all but 12 hills, 
which gave him, when dug, 30 pounds 
and 5 ounces of potatoes. Had it not 
been for the long drought, he is confident 
that he would have had 50 pounds from 
the same hills. 
If our friends care to be guided by The 
R. N.-Y.’s plot experiments of last year, 
they will not sow Crimson clover in the 
spring. 
Bulletin No. 84 (Cornell Station, 
Ithaca, N. Y.) has for its subject, “ The 
Recent Apple Failures of Western New 
York.” Prof. Bailey tersely tells us 
how to avoid failures in four words : 
“ Till, Feed, Prune, Spray.”. 
In every corn plot or field, there are 
more or less barren plants ; that is, 
plants that produce no silk (female) ears, 
for, in a sense, the male panicle is just 
as much an “ear” as the female, and as 
a matter of fact often produces both 
male and female flowers, maturing im¬ 
perfect ears, bearing a few perfect ker¬ 
nels of corn. Planted in the same way, 
the conditions all being the same, in so 
far as we can determine, why is it that 
one plant produces from one to three 
perfect ears, while its neighbor produces 
none ? How much do these barren 
plants reduce the yield of grain per 
acre ? How may we insure that every 
plant produce an ear or so ? That ought 
not to be a difficult problem to solve. 
But it is. We have never heard any 
rational explanation of the cause. It is 
true, as we all know, that corn planted 
too close, will give a maximum of male 
plants. But it is also true that, if the 
plants grow at certain distances apart 
that are supposed to insure the largest 
yields, there will still be a considerable 
proportion of impotent plants. 
All of us may have noticed that the 
plants that give the most ears (the most 
grain) are those which grow near the 
edge or outside of the field, while the 
most of the sterile plants grow in the 
interior of the field—the center, indeed. 
In most kinds of corn (sweet or field) 
the pollen and silks (pistils) are not 
mature at the same time. The center 
plants are sheltered from the wind, while 
those nearer the outside get the wind 
whenever exposed to the quarter from 
which it blows. The interior plants 
are partially or wholly sheltered from 
the wind whichever way it may blow. 
The result is that if their own pollen 
is not effective, the silk receives no 
pollen while receptive, and the ears 
are abortive. Is not this theory an argu¬ 
ment in favor of small corn fields ? The 
great yield at the Rural Farm (over 130 
bushels of shelled corn) was produced 
on something less than one acre. 
ARMSTRONG & McKELVY 
Pittsburgh 
ANCHOR, 
Cincinnati. 
ATLANTIC, 
New York. 
BEYMER-BAUMAN, 
Pittsburgh. 
BRADLEY, 
New York. 
BROOKLYN, 
New York. 
COLLIER, 
St. Louis. 
CORNELL, 
Buffalo. 
DAVIS-CHAMBERS, 
Pittsburgh. 
ECKSTEIN, 
Cincinnati. 
FAHNESTOCK, 
Pittsburgh. 
JEWETT, 
New York. 
KENTUCKY, 
Louisville. 
JOHN T.LEWIS * BROS.CO 
Philadelphia. 
M0RLEY, 
Cleveland. 
MISSOURI. 
St. Louis. 
RED SEAL, 
St. Louis. 
SALEM, 
Salem, Mass. 
SHIPMAN. 
Chicago. 
SOUTHERN, 
St. Louis and Chicago. 
ULSTER, 
New York. 
UNION, “ 
Whatever 
the price, Pure White Lead is the best and 
cheapest paint, because of its great spread¬ 
ing power and durability. Properly applied, 
it never chips or scales, thus forming the 
best possible base for subsequent repaint¬ 
ing. The price of Pure White Lead is now 
lower than ever before in this country (see 
list genuine brands). 
Tint the White Lead to any shade of color desired with the Na¬ 
tional Lead Co.’s Pure White Lead tinting colors, prepared especially 
for this purpose. Send for pamphlet giving information and color-card. 
It is free. 
NATIONAL LEAD CO., 
i Broadway, New York. 
THE “TIP TOP” 
— 
CORN PLANTER 
has all the latest improve- 
# 
ments, including Check 
Rower, Drill and Fertilizer. 
It does excellent work, is very 
L 
neat and strong; all steel and 
iron. Purchasers always like 
it. Send for full description. 
KEYSTONE MFG. CO.. 
V 
■ 
Sterling, 111. 
i# 
We have Branch Houses well located. 
# 
Mention this paper. 
w 
*********** 
ECLIPSE CORN PLANTER. 
Will plant 
Corn, Beans, 
Peas and Beet 
Seed in hills , 
drills <t checks, 
i n distances 
desired. It is 
the only Planter that will distribute all fertilizers, 
wet as well as dry, with a certainty, in different 
amounts, each side of the seed. Send for circulars. 
ECLIPSE CORN PLANTER CO., 
Enfield, Grafton, Co., New Hampshire. 
Warranted the best 
Corn Dropper and most 
f ierfect Force-feed Ferti- 
izer Distributor in the 
I world. Cond for Cataloguo. 
ADDRESS, 
. A. B. FARQUHAR CO. 
_ YORK, PA. 
Send for Large Illustrated Catalogue. 
IM b P i^Tn E g D s Corn Planter and Fertilizer. 
PERFECT WORK, ALSO FOR 
whether stony, 
sward'or mellow land Beans, I eas 
and 
Beet Seed. 
Made only by 
Ames Plow Co. 
BOSTON AND 
NEW YORK. 
£W"Send for Circulars and Catalogue. 
TURNER’S NEW "NOISELESS 
Iron Roller. 
Best and most durable field roller ever offered 
farmers of the United States. Sold direct to farmers 
at lowest wholesale price. Send for descriptive cir¬ 
cular, showing a new feature not used on any other 
roller made. GEO. O. P. TURNER. Churchville, N.Y. 
FARMERS. 
This is tlie Plow you want. If 
your dealer doesn’t handle it, 
write to us direct. 
CThe lightest draft and best general purpose plow 
In the world. Right or left hand. 
THE UNIVERSAL PLOW CO ., Wooster , 0. 
NOT 
GET 
THE 
BEST 
? 
“SUCCESS” ANTI-CLOG WEEDER. 
<dso “SUCCESS” JR. DIGGER saves and makes money 
on the farm We make SPECIAL PRICES FOR 
INTRODUCTION. Sendforfull particulars of the 
Saving Tools. 0. Y. Hallock & Son, York, Pa. 
The Rural’s teachings of those days 
(15 years ago) have had a very decided 
effect upon the culture of corn. Shallow 
cultivation, surface manuring and plant¬ 
ing in drills are now the accepted method 
of raising great crops. 
Prophets Predict 
heavy rains this year in Hay-time. 
Save hay, time and money, by buy¬ 
ing our Hay Carriers. Forks. &o. Spe¬ 
cial prices to introducers. Do not miss 
them and catalogue. Address 
OBOILN BROS., Box B, Marlon, O. 
— —TiH f l i fl'iTr't lflMMBMM—f—MBU HI—M LUaj 
Scott’s Emulsion 
of Cod-liver Oil, with Hypophosphites of Lime and Soda, 
is a constructive food that nourishes, enriches the blood, 
creates solid flesh, stops wasting and gives strength. It is 
for all 
K 
Wasting Diseases 
like Consumption, Scrofula, Anaemia, Marasmus; or for Coughs and 
Colds, Sore Throat, Bronchitis, Weak Lungs, Loss of Flesh and 
General Debility. Scott’s Emulsion has no equal as 
Nourishment for Babies and Growing Children., 
Buy only the genuine put up in sahnoti-colored wrapper. 
Send for pamplet on Scott's Emulsion. FREE. 
Seott &. Bowne, N. Y. All Druggists. 50 cents and $ I . 
UHAMrlUN 
H im uimiu 
For MAPLE, 
CIDER,and FRUIT .J ELIUKS.'"Hiui U ’ 
' corrugated pan over firebox, doubling 
ooiling capacity; small interchange¬ 
able syrup pans (connected 1 
dphons), easily handled 
lor cleansing and 
storing; and a per¬ 
fect mi tom n tic 
regulator. The 
Champion is as 
great an improve- 
ment over the Catalog 
Look pan as the Free, 
latter was over the 
°!d i.on kettle hung on a fence 
THE G. H. GRIMM MFG. CO., 
HUDSON, Ohio, & MONTREAL, Quebec. 
CIDER 
MACHINERY 
Hydraulio, Knuckle Joint and Screw 
Presses, Graters. Elevators, Pumps 
etc. Send for Catalogue. 
BOOMER & BOSCHERT 
PRESS CO., 
I 18 W.Water St.. SYRACUSE. 
CIDER PRESS 
The only press awarded meda 
and diploma at World’s Fair. 
HYDRAULIC 
Send for free catalogue 
and full particulars. 
HYDRAULIC PRESS 
MFG. CO. No.4 MainSt. 
Mt, Gilead, Ohio. 
HANNING MACHINERY and SUPPLIES. 
UHI1I1II1U D. G. TRENCH CO., Chicago, IlL, 
and £ arnham F, Y. Mention this paper. 
