1805 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
853 
FARMERS’ CLUB DISCUSSION. 
(CONTINUED.) 
after butchering 1 , put a good layer of 
Turk’s Island rock salt in the bottom, 
then a layer of pork. Pack very tight. 
Then put in another heavy sprinkling of 
salt, and so continue till all is packed. 
Don’t be afraid of using too much salt, 
as pork will not take any more than it 
needs. After packing, make a brine of 
the same kind of salt, strong enough to 
bear up a potato, and sufficient quantity 
to cover the pork well, and pour on when 
cool. Put in the barrel a well-fitting 
cover, and a heavy stone on this to keep 
the pork under the brine. One must keep 
the pork under the brine all the time. 
Why Saloonkeepers Handle Sills. 
A. B.,Federalsburgii,Md. —Referring 
to the item concerning the marked 700 
$10 bills, the remark that figures cannot 
lie would seem to be somewhat out of 
place, in this case. The fact that 410 
bills were turned in by saloonkeepers, 
may indicate only that 410 men pur¬ 
chased one beer each, and thereby com¬ 
pelled the saloonkeeper to change an 
inconveniently large note for each, re¬ 
turning him $9.95 in change. What it 
does not indicate, is that the said 410 
bills were spent in the saloon. A man 
must eat, and the wages of operatives in 
New England towns are usually more 
than half due for the current board, to 
say nothing of other necessary expenses. 
I never enter a saloon for any purpose, 
but know of many who make it a prac¬ 
tice to get their checks and large bills 
changed in them, the saloonkeeper being 
prepared to do this in order to catch 
custom. 
Bacteria Worse Than Cow. 
L. M. St. J., Canajoharie, N. Y.—I 
have nothing to say against the state¬ 
ment that, “ There are three causes for 
an unpleasant taste in milk or cream 
outside of what happens to it after it is 
taken from the cow.” I have repeatedly 
encountered the one referred to by Prof. 
Wing, but much oftener those that are 
only explained by the bacterial theory. 
I cannot agree with The R. N.-Y. that 
our scientific friends carry this theory 
too far. In my own experience, it as¬ 
sumes, each year, a greater import¬ 
ance. The sooner we understand that 
these bacteria are like plants — use¬ 
ful plants and weeds—that a room or a 
section of country may be prolific in one 
or infested with the other, that a low 
or high temperature will destroy the 
vitality of one and not of another, and 
that other conditions will accomplish 
similar results, the better we shall suc¬ 
ceed. 
IMP0RTANTIF TRUE. 
The generally accepted theory of suc¬ 
cessfully transplanting trees is this : 
“Preserve all the roots as far as practica¬ 
ble; remove all wounded roots; cut back 
the top of the tree to correspond to the in¬ 
jury sustained by the roots.” This seems 
to accord with the principles of plant 
growth as generally understood. All of 
our plants, whether fruits or ornamental 
trees, have been transplanted according 
to this view of plant life, and we have 
met with a full share of success. 
A single exception occurs to us : When 
we began our practical work of horticul¬ 
ture, a lot of pear trees was ordered 
from a well-known nursery firm, the 
selection of kinds and sizes being left 
to the firm. The trees arrived as or¬ 
dered, but we were distressed to find 
that the roots were so closely pruned 
that only the large roots—mere stubs 
five or six inches long—remained. At 
first we thought to send them back, but 
it was already late m the spring, and it 
would give us a deal of trouble. We 
decided, therefore, to plant them with 
all the care we would have given to 
trees with ample roots, such as we ex¬ 
pected to receive, and then to report the 
failures to the firm that sent them. The 
result was that every one of these trees 
grew, and they grew thriftily, many of 
them being alive and healthy to-day. 
With this introduction, the only light 
we can throw upon the subject from our 
own experience, we will place before 
our readers the gist of a letter from our 
friend H. M. Stringfellow, of Galveston, 
Tex. He insists that the whole theory 
and practice of tree planting, as handed 
down from time immemorial, is wrong. 
In other words, trees when transplanted, 
need fewer and shorter roots, rather 
than many and longer roots. Instead of 
large holes and carefully spreading out 
the roots, and working in the soil by 
hand, as now practiced, he would pre¬ 
pare his soil, stretch a strong line with 
tags tied at the desired intervals, make 
a small hole with a dibble a couple of 
inches in diameter, put the trees down 
the proper distance and, when a row is 
done, turn back and tramp thoroughly. 
The tramping he regards as very im¬ 
portant. 
Ilis directions for root pruning are : 
Hold the tree top down, and cat all roots back 
to about an inch, more or less, sloping' the cuts 
so that when the tree is set, the cut surface will 
face downwards. Experience has shown that 
these roots are generally emitted perpendicularly 
to the plane or surface of the cut. This final 
pruning should be done shortly before planting, 
so as to present a fresh surface for the callus to 
form. If trees are to be kept some time, or 
shipped by a nurseryman, about two inches of 
root should be left, the planter to cut back as 
directed when the tree is set. About a foot of top 
should be left; more or less makes no difference. 
If the tree is well staked, three feet may be left 
without diminishing the growth much. 
Mr. String-fellow’s chief insistence is 
that trees treated in this way will live 
longer and be far more vigorous and 
healthy. The planter in his haste for 
fruit, “demands large trees with plenty 
of roots and top, to support which and 
to make them live, the nurseryman often 
transplants several times. This gives a 
mass of fibrous roots which will insure 
their living, but practically dwarfs them 
and destroys their future usefulness.” 
The value, from an economical point 
of view, of his method is claimed to be 
almost beyond computation. There is an 
enormous saving to the nurseryman in 
digging his stock ; an equally great sav¬ 
ing in packing. Instead of great bales of 
tops, roots, moss, bagging and rope, and 
labor of putting up the same, or large 
boxes containing thousands of pounds of 
the same useless dead weight, a thousand 
root and top-pruned trees could be 
packed in a medium-sized, tight box, with 
a layer of wet moss in the bottom to 
maintain a moist atmosphere, and 
shipped with perfect safety around the 
world. The saving to the buyer will be 
even greater. It would be hard, he says, 
to estimate how many hundreds of thou¬ 
sands of dollars are annually paid by 
planters to railroads in charges on worse 
than useless tops, roots and packing. 
It appears that Mr. J. H. Hale is the 
only nurseryman, thus far, that cares 
publicly to advocate Mr. Stringfellow’s 
method of pruning roots for transplanta¬ 
tion. He practiced this close root-prun¬ 
ing upon the 100,000 peach trees set in 
his Georgia orchard, and less than one- 
half of one per cent failed to grow, all 
making the most vigorous and even 
growth he has seen in any orchard in 
America. Mr. Hale says that he is thor¬ 
oughly in favor of this system of root 
pruning. It is plain that only trees 
which make roots readily would thrive 
if so severely pruned. We dare say 
that evergreens, magnolias, hickories, 
etc., could not stand it at all. There 
need, however, be no speculation about 
the matter. The advantages or disad¬ 
vantages of the system may easily be de¬ 
termined by experiment stations and 
others who deem it worthy of scientific 
investigation. 
We do not see that the demand for 
large fruits of all kinds grows any less, 
and the quince is no exception. We have 
received a quince from Wm. Mustard, of 
Ripple, Ind., known as the Missouri 
Mammoth, and lately introduced by 
Albertson & Hobbs. It weighs 1% 
pound, measures about 13 inches in cir¬ 
cumference either way, is quite regular 
in form, and of a clear yellow color. The 
quality is about likd that of the Orange. 
We wonder whether the quince may be so 
improved in quality that one would rel¬ 
ish it as he would a pear or apple. 
Winesap.— Just at this time, the Wine- 
sap is offered for sale at every stand 
and grocery store. The color attracts, 
and the quality holds the buyer. It is of 
a deep, glossy red, and that is the color 
that all seem to prefer. Its quality is 
fine, being, as we would describe it, a 
combination of the Esopus Spitzenberg 
and the Snow apple (Fameuse). Its size 
is about that of the Snow, though in 
many parts of the country, it is larger, 
ranking as a full medium in size. They 
are now retailing in the grocery stores 
at 50 cents a so-called half bushel, meet¬ 
ing with a readier sale than the York Im¬ 
perial or even the Esopus Spitzenberg. 
It thrives best in Oregon, Pennsylvania, 
Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio. 
Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, Iowa, 
Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado. 
South Carolina, Geogia, Indiana, Texas. 
New Mexico. 
We think that the Beniucasa cerifera 
or Cassabanana, a fruit of which, sent 
to us by J. E. Normand of Marksville, 
La., was described in last week’s Rural- 
isms, was first raised in this country by 
Prof. Bailey of Cornell University, and 
described by him in a bulletin issued 
either early in this year or late in 1894. 
The bulletin in question is not at hand. 
We find seed of it offered among the 
vegetable novelties of Thorburn’s cata¬ 
logue of this year under the Chinese 
name of Zit-kwa. The fruit, it is claimed, 
is excellent for preserves or sweet 
pickles. We had forgotten that seeds of 
the Benincasa were planted at the Rural 
Grounds with other cucurbitaceous nov¬ 
elties, all of which were destroyed by 
the tornado. 
In writing to advertisers, please always mention 
The Rural New-Yorker. 
Tobacco. 
No crop varies more in qual¬ 
ity according to grade of ferti¬ 
lizers used than tobacco. Pot¬ 
ash is its most important re¬ 
quirement, producing a large 
yield of finest grade leaf. Use 
only fertilizers containing at 
least io% actual 
(K a O) 
in form of sulphate. To in¬ 
sure a clean burning leaf, avoid 
fertilizers containing chlorine. 
Our pamphlets are not advertising circulars boom¬ 
ing special fertilizers, but are practical works, contain¬ 
ing latest researches on the subject of fertilization, and 
are really helpful to farmers. They are sent free for 
the asking. 
GERMAN KALI WORKS, 
93 Nassau St., New York. 
E: Bowker’s Fertilizers. 
SOLUBLE — ACTIVE—8URE. ? 
SZRflWkTR FERTILIZER CO., ^2 
uUlll\Lll BOSTON * NEW YORK.—« 
Cider Machinery—Send for catalogue to Boomer & 
Boschert Press Co., 118 West Water St., Syracuse,N.Y. 
^0feM®t0MQteT®T®tQT®TQT®TQtet®tQt(-.t®tQt0t®T <i); 
Cold 
Dust 
On Every 
Farm 
in this 
Country 
would mean a saving of more than 
half the labor required to keep 
things clean without it. 
Gold Dust Washing Powder is 
in millions of kitchens now and 
will be in millions more when tried 
I by hard worked women who have 
never used it. 
In cleaning and scrubbing any- j|i 
thing its aid is invaluable. It does m 
something no soap or other cleanser 
will do— cuts the grease on milk 
>st pails, pans, churns, &c. With its 
aid you can keep your dairy clean 
anasweet hi half the time , with half 
H the labor , at half the expense. Sold 
% everywhere in large packages, 25 c. 
H each. 
Gold Dust Washing Powder has 
an additional value to the farmer for 
destroying insects. Send us your name 
and address and we will mail you an 
important booklet containing recipes 
for making kerosene emulsions, for| 
spraying crops and trees and live stock, 
THE N. K. FAIRBANK 
Chicago, St. Louis, New York, 
Boston, Philadelphia. 
co„ | 
CHAMPION evaporator 
vainma ivn for maple, 
SORGHUM, CIDER, AND FRUIT JELLIES 
Write for 1898 Catalogue. 
THE G. II. GRIMM MEG. Cl)., Hudson, Ohio, or Montreal, P. Q. 
moloflAta. 60,000 In use. We areU.8. Headquarter* 
for Spray Pump*, and Insecticide*. Catalogue, Spray 
Calendar, and fall Treatise on Spraying,^ FREE. 
4 "7 spraying Outfit EZ.f\ 
9 I a • Express Paid, for 
P. C. LEWIS MFC. CO., Box 05 Catskni, N.Y. 
Eclipse Spray Pump 
Indorsed by leading authorities as the best Pump on 
the market. Perfect agitation of material. Relia¬ 
bility, Durability and Economy fully secured. Solid 
Brass and Combination Nozzdes. Extension rods in 
Brass and Bamboo, Hose and Spraying Specialties. 
We pay the freight until March 1. Send for catalogue. 
MORRILL & MORLEY, Benton Harbor, Mich. 
SPRAYING CROPS: Why, 
When and How to Do It.— By Prof. Clar¬ 
ence M. Weed. Illustrated. 
This little book tells in plain, understandable 
English, just what the ordinary farmer and fruit 
grower most needs to know. It describes all the 
insecticides and fungicides used in spraying; all 
the principal appliances used ; tells when to 
spray; what precautions to observe ; describes 
the insects and fungi against which it Is neces¬ 
sary to guard; in fact, is a complete, condensed, 
convenient handbook on the whole subject. Price, 
in stiff paper covers, is hut 25 cents, postpaid. 
Horticulturist’s Buie Book. 
By Prof. L. H. Bailey. It contains, in handy 
and concise form, a great number of rules 
and recipes required by gardeners, fruit 
growers, truckers, florists, farmers, etc. Dis¬ 
cusses injurious insects, fungicides, and gives 
tables for planting, etc. Cloth, 75 cents. 
Third edition, revised. 
Fruit Culture, and the Laying Out 
and Management of a Country Home. 
By W. C. Strong. Illustrated. A guide to the 
culture of fruits suited to the owner of a hom e. 
Considers the choice of location, preparation 
of the soil, how and when to plant, and gives 
a short descriptive list of the popular varie¬ 
ties of each fruit. Instructions in pruning 
and cultivation, descriptions of diseases and 
insect enemies, with remedies, and a chapter 
on propagation, make the book complete for 
the amateur. Cloth, $1, postpaid. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Corner Chambers and Pearl Streets, New York. 
