1895 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
537 
painstaking preparation of the soil. The use of 
chemicals on plants grown under such hig-hly artificial 
conditions, as florists’ carnations ai-e, is fraught with 
much danger, and the annual loss from experiments 
in that direction is quite large. If H. J. cannot get 
the proper compost at this late day, he may quickly 
make a passable substitute by getting some good soil 
from a potato, or corn field, preferably where a clover 
sod has been turned down, thoroughly incorporating 
with each bushel about two pounds of fine ground 
bone, free from acid, and a few days later, adding a 
small shovelful of unleached wood ashes to the same 
quantity of compost. To complete the list of fer¬ 
tilizing elements, pulverized sheep manure may be 
added later, at the rate of a quart to the bushel of 
compost. Owing to the presence of the wood ashes, 
a proportion of nitrogen will escape from the manure, 
but this is of small moment as it may be readily added 
in the form of liquid manure, during the growth of 
the plants. Even when using the above readily made 
compost, it would be better to line the greenhouse 
benches with an inch or so of chopped green sods in 
case decayed ones cannot be procured. They will 
provide good drainage, and will furnish some of the 
almost indispensable humus just when the blooming 
plants need it the most. w. v. f. 
Something About “Pear Blight.” 
A. T. T., Franklin Park, N. J.— Can Tub R. N.-Y. suggest a ny 
preventable cause for the trouble now being experienced with 
apple, pear and quince trees in this vicinity ? Small twigs at 
the outer ends of the branches, first turn a light brown and then 
a dark brown, the discoloration gradually extending back to the 
larger pox-tion of the limb. The trouble first appeared on apple 
trees, those most thrifty being equally affected with others less 
vigoi-ous. It has now reached pear and quince trees. The fruit 
on the diseased portions shrivels and makes no growth. Al¬ 
together the px-ospect is, to put it mildly, not very satisfactoi-y. 
Cherry trees, thus far, have not been attacked. Should the prog¬ 
ress shown during the past week by the disease, continue, it is a 
question whether the destruction of entire orchards will not soon 
take place. The twigs and larger branches affected, seem to be 
rapidly dying, or are eutix-ely dead. An examination by a magnify¬ 
ing glass, has failed to reveal (to me) any insect life as a possible 
cause. Nothing like it has appeared here befoi-e. 
A NS. —This disease, which has attacked apple, pear, 
and quince trees, is doubtless the mysterious bacterial 
disease known as “Pear Blight,”or, sometimes, “Fire 
Blight.” It has been known to attack these three 
kinds of fruit trees for many years, and I think it at¬ 
tacks only these kinds, which explains the exemption 
of the cherry. There is but one way to combat this 
disease, and that is to cut out and burn all infested 
parts ; no spray will have any effect upon it. The 
usual recommendation has been to cut out and burn 
the diseased parts as soon as they are noticed, no 
matter at what season of the year. But Mr. Waite, 
of the Department of Agriculture at Washington, has 
been making a special study of this disease, and con¬ 
cludes that the proper time to cut out the parts is in 
the fall after all growth has stopped. With the cessa¬ 
tion of growth in the tree, there is a corresponding 
checking of the spread of the disease, so that by wait¬ 
ing until fall or winter, one is more certain to get all 
of the diseased parts than would be possible when the 
bacteria are actively at work in the summer or grow¬ 
ing season. In cutting out, always cut off the branch 
several inches below where it appears diseased, to in¬ 
sure the destruction of ail the bacteria. The general 
opinion has been that the disease enters the tree 
through the blossoms, and Mr. Waite promises us a 
detailed accoun . of the trouble in a bulletin soon to 
be issued from Washington ; send for this. m. y. s. 
Treatment of Old Raspberry Canes. 
F. It. F., Plainville, 0. —1. Woxild it be advisable to remove the 
bearing wood from red raspberries as soon as the fruiting season 
is over, or would the new canes fall down or winterkill worse ? 2. 
Would wood ashes be good to spread on them ? When should 
they be applied to benefit next year’s ci-op ? 
Ans. —1. Our own preference is to cut out the old 
canes just as soon as they have borne their crops. 2. 
Yes, there is no fertilizer better than unleached wood 
ashes for small fruits, ltaw bone meal should be added 
to raise the per cent of phosphate, and to give nitro¬ 
gen. We would apply all fertilizers early in the 
spring. 
To Grind or Burn Bones. 
W. F. F, Brooklyn Corner, F. S.—l have a lot of bones. Which 
would pay me best, to give half to have them gi-ouud, or burn 
them and apply the ashes ? 
Ans. —In a ton of ordinary bones, you have, say, 70 
pounds of nitrogen and 400 pounds of phosphoric acid. 
If you pay half for the grinding,you will still have 35 
pounds of nitrogen, and 200 of phosphoric acid. If 
you burn the bones, you will lose all the nitrogen and 
save all the phosphoric acid. The phosphoric acid in 
the bone ash is not so soluble as that in the ground 
bone. The action of the fire gives it new combina¬ 
tions—not unlike the processes by which glass is made 
by melting sand. This bone-ash phosphoric acid is 
worth only about half as much as that in the raw 
bone. From these considerations, we advise you to 
have the bones ground, though the toll of half is too 
much to charge. 
Big Growth on a Grape Vine. 
L. F. B., Exeter, N. II .—I send a branch of a new seedling grape 
two years from seed, which bloomed two weeks before Early Ohio. 
What is the large bunch on it ? What is the remedy ? The vine 
has three small bunches of large grapes. It is vei-y thrifty for a 
two-year-old ; the branches are eight feet in length, and of a x-ed- 
dish tint. 
Ans. —The monstrous growth on the grape vine is 
caused by a gall insect. The growths which these 
minute insects cause, rarely do any injury to the vines. 
The galls should be cut off and destroyed. 
Fish Dressings as Manure. 
L., Scranton, Pa. —In our business, we make aboxxt 400 poxxnds 
of fish dressings a week. Would it pay xis at an expense of, say, 
25 cents per 100 pounds, to take it 15 miles in the country to put on 
land xxsed for gardening purposes? If so, what is the best and 
most practical way of using it ? The land is flat, sandy soil, but 
a little bit run down, and very much in need of manure or fer¬ 
tilizer of some kind. 
Ans. —No it will not pay to haul this fish refuse 15 
miles at a cost of $5 per ton. Of course, we can only 
estimate the value of such refuse—not knowing just 
what it contains. It is too bulky to carry so far with 
profit. If the farm were near by, we would advise 
you to spread the dressings over the soil and plow them 
in, using with them potash in some form, as wood 
ashes or muriate. The best crop to grow from this 
manuring would be corn, cabbage or melons. 
The “Pendulous European Beech.” 
F. E. B., Cape Girardeau, Mo. —TiikR. N.-Y. of July IS, described 
a pendulous Exxropean beech. Whei-e can I get one? When 
should it be planted and in what kind of soil ? 
Ans. —VVe think Stark Bros., Louisiana, Mo., can 
furnish it. If not the Storrs & Harrison Co., Paines- 
ville, O. We are not aware that this beech requires 
unusual treatment in any way. It is a slow grower for 
a few years, and a rich soil, or mulchings of manure, 
would help it. 
Muriate of Potash on Crimson Clover. 
B. F. A., Cloverdale, Ind. —How much muriate of potash shoxild 
be xxsed on Crimson clover? Where can I get it and how much 
will it cost? When should it be applied ? 
Ans. —We are using about 250 pounds per acre. 
More may be needed on some soils, but that is a fair 
dressing. Buy of any of the fertilizer houses adver¬ 
tising in The li. N.-Y. The price in New York is 
about $45 per ton. We apply ours when sowing the 
clover, but it may be broadcasted over it at any time 
during the fall. 
Use of “ Preservaline " in California. 
E. S., Los Angeles, Cal.— While x-esiding in Pennsylvania I read 
an article in Tub R. N.-Y. discouraging the use of Preservaline 
for milk. Upon coming here, I find that all the milk sold in Los 
Angeles, contains this drug. Is it fit to be taken into the system ? 
Will it affect butter made from the milk ? It is indorsed by about 
40 doctors of this city. 
Ans. —You must have some remarkable doctors in 
California, if they indorse such stuff. The New York 
City Board of Health decided that “Preservaline” is 
injurious to health. The preservative principle in 
this stuff is borax or its acid. This substance should 
never be taken into the system, except on the advice 
of a physician, although such physicians as indorse 
“ Preservaline” would not probably give any satisfac¬ 
tory “ advice ” on that point. This borax is eliminated 
from the system through the kidneys , entailing increased 
work on these organs. Kidney troubles are so preva¬ 
lent nowadays that this “ boraxed milk” is a danger¬ 
ous drink. The use of “ Preservaline” leads to care¬ 
lessness on the part of the dairyman. When he finds 
that, by putting in a drug, he can keep the milk sweet 
to the taste for a longer time, he takes less pains in 
washing cans or pans, and in cooling or airing the 
milk. That is why Prof. Henry calls Preservaline 
“ The dirty milkman’s makeshift.” It is a good name, 
because its use causes a neglect of cleanliness in 
handling the milk, and thus increases the liability to 
filth and disease. The Preservaline company have 
always claimed that they use no borax, while analysis 
of their samples shows plainly that they do. They do 
not dare to admit that they use borax, and that fact 
alone is enough to cast suspicion on their product. In 
our judgment, any milkman who uses this stuff is 
making a big mistake. 
To Cure a Leaking Silo. 
E. K. F., Granville, Vt.—l have a silo 11x20 feet and 20 feet deep 
over my cow stable. The floor is double-boarded with common 
lumber. The juice from the ensilage leaks through, and will rot 
out my barn. I wish to make it water-tight so that there will be 
no leaking, and shall put in pipes so as to take off the juice. What 
is a cheap and dux-able way to fix it and make the sides water¬ 
tight for four or five inches from the bottom ? Would moi'tar 
such as is used for plastering houses, laid on the floor and painted 
after it became dry, with hot coaLtar, answer, or would it be bet¬ 
ter to make it as for tarred i-oofing ? 
Ans. —In my opinion, if the floor and walls are air¬ 
tight, the remedy is not in cement floors or gas tar, 
but in allowing the corn to get more mature before 
cutting into the silo and, possibly, wilting a little 
even then. In my 10 years’ experience, I have never 
had any juice exude from a silo, and when I have in¬ 
vestigated other silos that have, it has been found 
that the ensilage was not fully mature, or not suffi¬ 
ciently wilted before putting in. If the silo must be 
repaired, make the bottom very solid, so that it can¬ 
not spring, or give. If plaster ci’acks and breaks, it 
shows that there is insecurity, and some day you may 
find the silo and its contents in the stable below. 
Make a cement of the best cement, put sharp sand 
with it, and plaster the floor, and up on to the sides. 
As it is drying, sprinkle it every day with water and 
prevent fast drying. Should coal tar be used, thin 
it with gasoline—keep fire or pipes 40 rods away 
until it is dry — apply freely and sprinkle sand 
on it while green to give it body. This application 
would give durability to the lumber of the silo ; at 
least, my silos so painted eight years ago, have as yet 
shown no signs of decay, and promise well for several 
years to come. In painting a silo with gas tar, I 
would never heat it, as thinuiug it with gasoline is 
quite as well in every way, and spreading it is noth¬ 
ing in comparison to the boiling and trying to spread 
hot tar. Of course, E. K. F. must not expect tar to 
make the walls water-tight, only to help preserve the 
wood. I have heard that cement painted with gas tar 
becomes about as hard as stoneware. If true, it would 
make a pretty dux-able floor for a silo. As to tarred 
roofing paper for a waterproof material in the interior 
of a silo, I would have but little confidence in it. 
My best judgment would be to take the floor out 
of the silo, build it down to the solid ground, -and 
then it would be safe, at least, and that is no small 
item in itself. If juice runs out of a silo, it is proof 
that the fodder is too green, and the corn should 
stand longer before being cut. john gould. 
How a “ Deafness Cure " Is Worked. 
A Header, Bansoille, F. Y. —Last year, at a gathering held in 
this village, a well-dx-essed man, seated in a carriage drawn by 
two white horses, with a driver by him, made his appearance, 
claiming to be a doctor of medicine and surgery, with diplomas 
from the best medical colleges of the world. He claimed to have 
a “ specific ” for deafness, especially catarrhal difficulties. He 
had several deaf persons get in his wagon and be treated (ainoug 
them the writer). He dropped about one-half dozen drops in each 
ear, previously holding a watch over the ears of the pei-son 
treated, which watch undoxibtedly had stopped. After treatment, 
he held a loxxd-ticking watch over the person’s ear, asking if he 
coxxld “ hear that now.” My belief is that he dropped a stimulat¬ 
ing medicine in the ear, because my ears felt in that way. The con¬ 
sequence was that he sold scores of bottles of his “ specific ” at 50 
cents per bottle, which he had marked in printer’s ink, “$2 a bottle, 
to be had at any time of the leading druggists at $10 a bottle, with a 
written guarantee to accompany such bottle.” He also sold a large 
number of bottles of catarrh medicine and “ Electric Oil” for all 
aches and pains, all of which seems to be .almost worthless so far 
as tried. He claimed to be worth a million and a half dollars, 
which he said he coxxld prove by any one who would go to the 
bank and consult “ Dun ” or “ Bradstreet.” He also pi-oduced a 
large handful of bank bills, saying that he would be responsible 
for his talk, as he would stay in town four days; but he was 
gone the next morning, having i-eaped his share. 
Ans.— This is a fair sample of the way such fakirs 
make a living. So-called cures for deafness and 
catarrh are favorite nostrums for them to sell, be¬ 
cause it is comparatively easy to make the average 
deaf man think he has improved in his hearing. He 
is so anxious to hear, that he often deceives himself. 
It is an old trick to use a watch that makes almost 
no sound in ticking. This is held at the ear before 
the “cure” is applied. Then after the “cure’ 
has been used, a watch that loolfs just like the other 
but which ticks with 10 times the noise, is held 
at the same ear. Of course, the patient hears that, 
and at once decides that the “cure” is responsi¬ 
ble for the difference. We could fill an entire 
issue of The R. N.-Y. with accounts of the tricks used 
by these fakirs. Many of the substances they use 
are undoubtedly injurious to the ear. There is little 
use trying to expose or denounce such fellows so 
long as people are willing and eager to be hum¬ 
bugged. How any man who knows anything about 
the structure of the human ear, can expect to be 
cured by a few drops of some unknown liquid, is one 
of the great mysteries of the day. Deafness arises 
from a great variety of causes. There can be no gen¬ 
eral “cure all” for it. As for catarrh, the home 
treatment of bicarbonate of soda and vaseline is bet¬ 
ter than anything a fakir can give you. 
What to Do for an Itchy Mare. 
F. E. B., Suncook, N. II .— I have a valuable mare that has, in 
warm weather, an eruption on the belly that seems to give her in¬ 
tense agony fi-om itching. She will follow us about the yard, 
holding xip her leg and begging in this way to be scratched. No 
washes we have used afford anything more than temporary re¬ 
lief. The eruption has dry, whitish scabs covering places the size 
of a man’s hand. What is the cause and the cure ? 
Ans.—A personal examination would be necessary 
to enable me to say definitely whether this skin erup¬ 
tion is due to the condition of the system of the 
animal or is parasitic. Try painting the scaly patches 
thoroughly with the compound tincture of iodine. 
Repeat in a week or 10 days if necessary. Internally 
give a laxative (one ounce each of best aloes and 
Jamaica ginger, either in ball or by drench) and follow 
by two tablespoonful doses of a mixture of one pound 
sulphate of soda, one-half pound cooking soda, one- 
fourth pound powdered nux vomica and one-half 
pound powdered gentian, to be given on the feed twice 
daily. f. l. kilbobnk. 
