1284 
October  7,  1916, 
75he  RURAL  NEW-YORKER 
HOPE  FARM  NOTES 
I  have  a  fruit  farm  on  which  there 
is  quite  a  quantity  of  early  apples,  Grav- 
enstein  an<l  King.  As  the  King  appfes 
must  be  kept  some  little  time  before  they 
have  their  color  and  flavor,  what  is  the 
best  way  to  keep  th&ni  for.  say  a  month, 
or  until  much  cooler  weather?  I  am 
building  a  dirt  cellar,  but  as  yet  it  is 
not  Completed.  Would  they  keep  in  piles 
fin  the  ground,  or  in  barrels  with  holes  in 
side,  like  potato  barrels,  left  under  a  tree 
out  of  the  sun,  and  kept  covered  against 
rain?  w.  e.  r. 
Connecticut. 
shape.  They  want  this  variety,  and  that's 
all  there  is  to  it.  Wo  have  a  number  of 
trees  of  Black  Ben  Davis  and  York  Im¬ 
perial.  The  fruit  is  well  nigh  perfect. 
I  will  match  our  Black  Bens  against  any 
in  the  country,  yet  no  one  wants  them. 
Our  customers  will  not  buy  them  after 
eating  Baldwin  and  Spy.  I  do  not  know 
how  it  is  elsewhere,  but  in  this  country 
no  one  wants  Ben  Davis  if  they  know 
what  it  is.  We  could  sell  five  times  our 
present  supply  of  Baldwins,  but  We  must 
chase  off  into  other  pastures  to  get  rid  of 
the  Bens  and  Yorks.  I  have  heard  peo¬ 
ple  say  they  preferred  these  varieties. 
crop.  When  seeded  alone  so  as  to  get  a 
fair  start,  the  first  season  it  is  "great 
stuff.”  I  should  always  seed  it  alone  and 
not  with  grain  crops.  When  we  know  how 
to  handle  it,  I  believe  this  Sweet  clover 
will  prove  a  great  blessing  to  fruit  grow¬ 
ers  and  live  stock  men — especially  those 
who  keep  sheep.  While  1  never  bad  a 
slieep  on  the  farm  I  believe  this  animal  is 
bound  to  come  back  to  the  Eastern  coun¬ 
try,  and  that  Sweet  clover  will  be  its 
companion. 
New  Jersey  Cotton.— What  if  I  say 
we  have  cotton  plants  past  their  bloom  at 
Hope  Farm?  Some  of  you  will  say  this 
they  could  be  started  under  glass  on  a 
large  scale  and  put  out  quite  cheaply 
with  a  machine  so  as  to  cover  quite  a 
large  area.  In  South  Jersey  such  plants 
would  mature  but  it  is  not  likely  that  the 
culture  can  be  made  to  pay  yet  Still, 
who  can  tell?  The  South  is  evidently 
coming  as  a  dairy  and  beef  producing 
section — giving  the  world  many  of  the 
things  which  our  fathers  thought  must 
always  be  produced  at  the  North.  It 
will  be  no  more  strange  if,  in  return  for 
this,  the  people  at  the  North  learn  how 
to  adapt  cotton  or  other  crops  to  their 
conditions  and  make  them  succeed. 
We  are  putting  the  Fall  apples  into  a 
dry  cellar — in  large  baskets.  They  color 
and  keep  well  in  such  storage,  but  we 
expect  to  sell  them  all  before  the  last  of 
October.  If  we  had  no  cellar  we  should 
put  the  fruit  in  large  baskets  or  open 
barrels  and  set  them  under  the  trees  so 
they  would  keep  in  the  shade.  Rome  of 
our  big  low-headed  trees  would  be  good 
for  this  purpose.  The  object  is  to  keep 
them  out  of  the  sun  and  let  the  air  freely 
circulate  around  them.  In  case  of  storms 
the  apples  must  be  covered  so  as  to  shed 
the  rain.  This  outdoor  storage  in  Fall 
will  usually  keep  them  well.  For  Win¬ 
ter  storage  on  a  small  scale  the  Yi,cmont 
Experiment  Station  has  found  Bordeaux 
mixture  a  help.  The  apples  may  be 
dipped  in  the  mixture,  letting  it  dry  on, 
and  then  packed  in  dry  oak  sawdust. 
Handled  in  this  way  the  fruit  keeps 
sound  and  plump  for  nearly  a  year.  Of 
course  it  should  be  wiped  off  before  using. 
The  apples  evidently  keep  well  after  this 
treatment,  though  some  may  object  to  eat¬ 
ing  sulphate  of  copper  on  their  fruit ! 
Storage  Needed. — Every  year  as  our 
trees  grow  larger  we  see  more  clearly  the 
need  of  good  storage,  This  is  particular¬ 
ly  true  of  McIntosh  Bed,  which  is  to 
he  our  main  crop  in  the  future.  This 
beautiful  apple  is  ready  to  pick  in  Sep- 
We  are  prepared  to  make  some  of  them 
happy,  if  happiness  ever  got.  inside  the 
beautiful  skin  of  a  Black  Beu. 
Sweet  Clover. — I  can  make  a  first  re¬ 
port  on  the  behavior  of  this  clover  under 
various  conditions.  We  seeded, it  in  the 
oats  and  peas  in  late  April.  This  was 
in  an  old  orchard  of  high-headed  trees. 
The  oats  and  peas  were  good,  but  there  is 
only  a  scattering  stand  of  the  clover. 
Next  we  plowed  under  a  field  of  straw¬ 
berries  which  became  too  weedy,  and 
seeded  Sweet  clover  alone  about  the  mid¬ 
dle  of  July.  Here  we  have  a  fine  stand 
which  could  be  cut  this  Fall  to  give  a 
light  crop.  About  two  weeks  later  we 
plowed  another  strawberry  field  and 
Sowed  Sweet  clover  with  turnips.  An¬ 
other  ex-cellent  stand.  Then  during  a 
wet  time  we  scattered  Sweet  clover  seed 
in  late  July,  over  an  orchard  where  there 
was  a  light  stand  of  rye  and  Alsike.  This 
growth  was  cot  and  left,  on  the  ground 
over  the  clover  seed.  Here  we  have  only 
a  light  stand  growing  on  with  the  Alsike. 
Then  we  mixed  Sweet  clover  in  with  the 
Alsike  seed,  and  used  as  a  cover  .crop  in 
the  corn.  The  Alsike  is  making  a  good 
growth  but  tbe  Sweet,  does  not  seem 
likely  to  survive.  I  concluded  that  Sweet 
clover  needs  lime  more  than  the  Alsike. 
It  is  practically  useless  as  a  Fall  cover 
Jerseymnn  is  either  trying  to  tell  a  large 
story,  or  else  lias  some  seed  to  sell. 
Neither.  We  have  cotton  plants  grow¬ 
ing  outdoors  past  the  bloom  and  likely 
to  make  a  little  cotton  if  frost  will  hold 
off.  No — we  have  no  special  variety  of 
Jersey  cotton,  and  we  are  not  to  advise 
cotton  planting  for  New  England  farm¬ 
ers.  The  seed  came  from  a  friend  in 
South  Carrilina.  It.  was  started  early  iu 
the  greenhouse  and  handled  much  like 
tomatoes.  In  May  the  little  plants  were 
sent  us  and  we  put  them  out  as  we  would 
peppers  or  eggplants.  It  was  a  very  un¬ 
favorable  season  for  such  work  as  the 
weather  was  damp  and  cold,  and  cotton 
must  have  warm  weather.  The  little 
plants  stood  still  for  awhile,  quite  un¬ 
certain  as  to  their  stay  in  New  Jersey’. 
At  last  we  had  a  few  of  our  perfect  Juno 
days,  am]  the  cotton  plants  threw  off 
their  homesick  feeling  and  started  to 
take  notice.  Here  they  are  close  to  frost, 
not  very  large  but  ready  to  spin  out  the 
fibre.  Another  year  we  can  make  cotton 
ripen  I  am  sure,  as  wo  know  better  how 
to  do  it.  And  cotton  culture  in  New  Jer¬ 
sey  is  not  such  a  dream  after  all !  The 
old  State  reaches  far  down  tbe  coast  into 
the  warm  water  of  the  Atlantic.  1  should 
say  that  the  little  plants  would  stand  ma¬ 
chine  planting  well.  I  have  no  doubt 
ir.  w.  c. 
Texas  Watermelons 
On  page  1012  there  is  a  picture  of 
watermelon  time  in  Georgia.  I  beg  to 
correct  you  in  regard  to  that  picture;  it 
was  taken  at  Scottsville,  Harrison  Co., 
Tex.,  on  tbe  place  belonging  to  the  Stand¬ 
ard  Orchard  Co.  It  was  taken  by  C.  W. 
Shrivel*  tbe  latter  part  of  July  <>r  early 
in  August.  1918.  1  stacked  up  the  mel¬ 
ons,  which  had  been  collected  for  seed, 
and  also  placed  tbe  little  negro  on  the 
pile,  and  have  the  original  picture  and 
also  some,  hotter  watermelon  pictures  here 
taken  in  the  same  patch.  As  your  motto 
is  fair  play,  I  think  you  will  give  the  cre¬ 
dit  of  the  melon  picture  to  East  Texas 
and  not  to  Georgia,  w.  .T.  ri’DYKH. 
Arkansas. 
B.  N.-Y. — Certainly  let  Texas  have  the 
credit.  The  picture  was  reported  to  us 
as  a  Georgia  product,  and  it  looked  like 
one,  but  if  Texas  is  responsible  for  it  let 
the  Lone  Star  State  go  to  the  front 
Some  years  ago  a  Georgia  friend  told  us 
of  a  scene  in  a  seed  store  where  seed  of 
a  fine  melon  was  being  saved.  rnhe  mel¬ 
ons  were  cut  and  a  great  crow  :  of  ne¬ 
groes  had  been  invited  in  to  eat  All 
that  was  required  of  them  besides  eating 
melon  was  to  spit  out  the  seeds  into  a 
trough  !  A  mountain  of  melons  was  melt¬ 
ing  before  these  faithful  eaters.  *  Bossi- 
ldy  a  crowd  of  Texas  darkies  could  have 
beaten  Georgia  at  this  game. 
tember,  yet  it  should  not  be  sold  then. 
During  the  Fall  the  market  is  stuffed 
with  inferior  fruit,  and  unless  your  cus¬ 
tomers  realize  the  great  superiority  of 
McIntosh  that,  splendid  apple  will  not 
bring  what  it  is  worth.  It  should  be 
kept  in  storage  until  about  Christmas, 
and  then  put  on  the  holiday  market. 
Handled  in  that  way  it  would  be  very 
profitable.  Selling  it  right  from  tbe  tree 
is  not  unlike  turning  off  a  lot  of  fine 
Jersey  heifers  with  a  hunch  of  ordinary 
beef  cattle!  Much  the  same  is  true  of 
Northern  Spy  with  us.  Here  at  the  last 
of  September  our  trees  are  covered  with 
beautiful  specimens — as  fine  as  any  I 
have  seen.  Yet  they  must  be  sold  during 
October  like  a  Fall  apple — unless  they 
are  kept  in  storage.  North  of  us  the  Spy 
is  a  Winter  apple,  hut  with  us  it  ranks 
in  ripening  with  Gravenstein  and  Mc¬ 
Intosh,  and  will  not  keep  like  Baldwin 
or  Greening. 
Other  Varieties. — I  think  more  of 
Sutton  Beauty  each  year.  That  compact, 
upright  head  broadens  out — with  years 
and  fruit — much  as  you  may  have  seen 
some  narrow  and  close  human  head  mel¬ 
low  and  enlarge  as  experience  works  into 
it.  I  call  the  Sutton  a  little  better  in 
flavor  than  the  Baldwin,  and  the  two  are 
very  much  alike  iu  appearance.  We 
have  a  few  trees  of  Twenty  Ounce  which 
gave  a  heavy  crop  this  year.  The  fruit 
is  very  large  and  handsome,  but  is  quite 
ready  to  drop  before  it  is  fully  matured. 
One  row  of  Twenty  Ounce  will  show  a 
lot  of  big  discouraged  apples,  letting  go 
at  the  least  provocation,  while  right 
alongside  will  he  Ben  Davis  hanging  on 
w^th  an  iron  grip,  which  cannot  be 
shaken.  The  Twenty  Ounce  is  of  rather 
low  quality,  yet  I  find  it  a  favorite  with 
people  who  want  baked  apples.  Very 
likely  it  is  tiie  size — as  for  me  one  baked 
McIntosh  is  worth  three  big  Twenty 
Ounce.  There  is,  however,  a  good  market 
for  big  specimens  of  this  apple.  A  few 
trees  of  Gravenstein  pay  us.  I  would  not 
advise  too  many  of  them  for  this  loeality, 
unless  there  is  good  storage,  but  the  fruit 
does  w'ell  and  sells  well.  Baldwin  re¬ 
mains  our  standard  variety.  There  are 
better  apples,  but  good  old  Baldwin  com¬ 
bines  a  number  of  fine  qualities  which 
make  him  a  family  friend.  When  of  me¬ 
dium  size  and  well  colored  in  the  sun 
Baldwin  shows  dessert  quality.  When 
baked  as  he  should  be  he  melts  up  the 
troubles  of  life,  and  for  pies  and  sauce 
and  dumplings  few'  varieties  except 
Greening  can  beat  him.  Our  customers 
know  Baldwin  by  name  and  color  and 
ELECTRICITY  FOR  EVERY  FAR 
A  THOUSAND  Delco-Light  salesmen  and  service  men  are  carrying 
Delco-Light  into  every  nook  and  corner  of  the  country. 
Carrying  electricity  with  its  convenience,  its  safety  and  its  economy 
to  every  farm  and  country  home. 
Bringing  brilliant,  modern  electric  light  to  take  the  place  of  danger¬ 
ous,  dingy,  troublesome  lamps. 
Bringing  safe,  economical  electric  power  to  take  away  the  drudgery 
of  farm  work. 
Adding  the  final  touch  of  modern  comfort  and  convenience  to  farm  life. 
Delco-Light  is  a  complete  electric  plant — furnishing  ample  current 
for  light  and  sufficient  power  for  operating  light  machinery. 
It  operates  on  kerosene,  gasoline  or  gas — starts  on  pushing  a  button 
and  stops  automatically  when  batteries  are  fully  charged. 
^  So  simple  a  child  can  care  for  it — thoroughly  dependable 
and  trouble  proof. 
Price  complete  with  batteries  $275 — f.  o.  b.  Dayton 
Write  today  for  the  new  Delco-Light  book 
JUSkTI  The  Domestic  Engineering  Company,  Dayton 
-  DISTRIBUTORS t  - 
P.  E.  ILLMAN 
403  S.  Clinton  St.,  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 
Ohio 
DOMESTIC  ELECTRIC  CO.,  Inc. 
18  Vesey  St..  New.York  City 
J.  S.  SNYDER 
716  N.  Broad  St.,  Phila..  Pa. 
DELCO-IIGHT 
LIGHTS  HOME 
PUMPS  WATER 
separates . .  I  III  1 1  mill 
if;? 
■bbbbs 
By 
mSmm 
