The RURAL NEW-YORKER 
364 
March 11, 1922 
crosses, however, it will not be possible to keep the 
ewe Jambs for breeding stock, as their tendencies t" 
breed in the Spring will become more and more 
erratic with each subsequent crossing. No matter 
what breed is finally chosen, the principles which 
will be given may be applied equally well to any of 
the breeds. 
TIME OF BREEDING.—The natural time for 
sheep to breed is in the months of October and 
November, when the temperature is fairly cool. 
While it is true that Dorsets and the other breeds 
mentioned will breed at nearly any time of the year, 
to get uniform success it is necessary to simulate 
the conditions existing during those months in so far 
as is possible. In New York State the temperature 
is nearest like that of October and November in 
April and May. It would be desirable to breed them 
a little later, so that the lambs might all arrive 
after the ewes are in their Winter quarters, and thus 
escape the internal parasites, hut in the normal 
season, June is too warm for sure breeding. In the 
Fall the ewes are in a gaining condition, and in the 
Spring the tendency is to lose flesh. Reverse these 
conditions as far as a little feed will do it, rising 
those feeds that contain a maximum of succulence, 
such as silage, turnips, carrots, mangels and cab¬ 
bage. supplemented with corn, wheat bran or oats. 
The ewes should not be fat, but should be getting 
fat at the time of breeding. 
MANAGEMENT OF SIRE.—The ram should be 
in good condition, but not fat. at the time of turning 
in with the ewes. It i. advisable to use a young 
iam, and to feed him well while in service. Con¬ 
siderably better results will be. had if the ram is 
turned in with the ewes at night and removed day¬ 
times. especially if the sheep are out on pasture; at 
the same time it will conserve the energy of the 
ram. If desired, two rams may be employed, turn¬ 
ing one in with the flock one week, and using the 
other ram the next week. Remove the rams from 
the flock on or before the flrst of November. Ewes 
which are not with lamb then will he in condition 
to breed the next Spring, and late lambs are of little 
value, and not to be countenanced in the hothouse 
lamb business. 
SUMMER CARE.—Summer care of tlie ewes is a 
very vital factor in getting good, healthy lambs. 
Three things are necessary—grass, water and shade. 
As for grass, good native pasture, clover or Alfalfa, 
will be found satisfactory. If the ewes are in good 
condition, no grain will he needed while on pasture. 
In fact, stronger and more vigorous lambs will he 
had if grain is left out of the breeding ewe's ration. 
If the pastures become scant and dry in the Fall, as 
they often do after a hot season, supplementary 
pastures will have to he resorted to, such as rape 
sown in the Spring grains, or rye and oats sown in 
September for this purpose. The water supply 
should be fresh and clean, and so arranged that the 
excrements will not contaminate it. If the flock is 
forced to drink out of tiny streams or stagnant pools 
they will become badly infested with internal para¬ 
sites. Fix it so that the sheep may drink out of 
raised troughs or tubs, and this source of danger 
from parasites will be eliminated. 
Story of a Successful Orchard 
Part II. 
“You have not mentioned fertilizers. What do you 
use?” 
“Thus far we have used no fertilizer of any kind 
on either our young or old trees. The splendid 
growth and fruitage of our young trees, und the 
vigor, and annual fruitfulness of our old trees seem 
to indicate that our soil is fairly well supplied with 
the necessary elements in a form that is readily 
made available by our tillage methods. So long as 
growth and production are satisfactory, the question 
of fertilizers need give no serious concern, but the 
wise orehardist should watch for any indication of 
weakness, and he prepared to make such tests as 
may he necessary to determine what may be needed. 
The flrst three or four years we use catch crops in 
First Aid to the Car 
T HE picture below comes to us entitled: “Help¬ 
ing Uncle Paul Warm Up Henry.” Some of 
us had begun to ask, “Where is the Winter?” 11 
seemed as if we were not to have the company of 
Jack Frost. We know exactly where Winter is now 
Helping Uncle Haul Warm Up Henry 
SHADE NECESSARY.—During the heat of the 
day shade will he sought and needed by the flock. 
If there is not natural shade in the pasture from 
trees, it is well to supply it by erecting rough frames 
covered with burlap or other material to give shelter 
from the direct rays of the sun. If the ewes are 
forced to seek shade along the fences, the rich grass 
there will become infested with parasites, and when 
the first lambs are big enough to eat the grass they 
will become infested with these deadly enemies. 
CARE OF THE EWE.—The breeding ewe should 
not be housed much. Both she and her lamb will 
he healthier if she is kept out dr doors at all times, 
except when it is stormy. Nothing is so depressing 
to a sheep as having the fleece become waterlogged 
in a cold storm, and the flock should be brought to 
shelter when there is evidence of an approaching 
storm. Heavy dews in the Fall months are nearly 
as bad, and it will be found the safest plan to bring 
the flock to the barn at night when it begins to get 
cool. This will protect them from the cold and 
damp, and allow the caretaker to keep a close watch 
on the ewes which show evidences of lambing. If 
signs of lambing are apparent, the ewe should be 
separated from the rest oi ue flock and put in a pen 
for that purpose. Many r vs there are no outward 
signs that this is going to happen; however, tl*? 
greatest number of lambs will be boro during the 
night, and if the flock is under shelter the risk 
of having a lamb get chilled when born in^e pas¬ 
ture is eliminated. 
New York. 
—right close to us, and the cold has had a depressing 
effect upon many a car and truck. Whatever the 
faults of old Gray and Dobbin, they never treated 
us as the car does some of the frosty mornings. 
our orchards, but after that time cover crops are 
needed to maintain the soil in proper condition.” 
In reply to the question, “To what extent will de¬ 
pletion in soil fertility manifest itself under your 
conditions,” Mr. Mann replied: 
“I have sometimes said the best farmer is one 
who sells the largest amount of water at the highest 
price. However, in comparing soil elements which 
enter in crops of 400 bushels of apples and 23 
bushels of wheat, the wheat crop would require 35.40 
lbs. of nitrogen, or 11 l /j lbs. more than the 400- 
bushel apple crop. The wheat would require 13.35 
lbs. of phosphoric acid against 2 lbs. in the apple 
crop. The potash content of the wheat crop would 
be 9.15 lbs., compared with 3.S lbs. in the apple 
crop.” 
“To what extent do you employ tillage, and what 
are its advantages?” 
“Tillage is a permanent*'method with us. We 
usually begin in the Spring and continue until mid¬ 
summer, using a tractor with the double-acting disk 
and * ! g-tooth harrow. We have not plowed our 
orchard for several years. By tillage we conserve 
the moisture, and make latent fertility available. 
While our soils may have suflicieut mineral content, 
the tree could make no use of it without a regular 
and abundant supply of moisture. This condition 
is also necessary .to excite the chemical and bacterial 
activity required to reduce the inert minerals to an 
available form.” 
“As to varieties, what ones do you find best 
adapted to your methods?” 
“Really, Ihe variety question is difficult to answer 
satisfactorily. The adaptation of varieties is to 
some extent a local and even a personal question. 
Some varieties have a wide range, but even these 
are likely to he affected to some extent by soils and 
local conditions. Our experience has been limited to 
comparatively few varieties, hut all those we have 
planted in our young orchards seem to lmve reacted 
favorably to our methods, yet some have averaged 
much more per tree, as we would expect. For fillers 
we select those varieties that are more likely to pro¬ 
duce abundantly while young. For permanent trees 
we care less about early fruitage, and consider more 
the character of the free as to perinuirorit health and 
fruitfulness, and the commercial value of the fruit as 
judged by its selling prices in the market, and keep¬ 
ing quality in storage. With these points in view 
we have planted Guno, Wealthy, Boiken, Oldenburg, 
Yellow Transparent and Wagener, mainly as fillers. 
Thus far we have found the Guno the strongest 
grower, and most productive. Many five-year trees 
produced three to four bushels per tree, and 1,000 
trees of that variety at. five years of age produced 
1.100 bushels. Boiken and Wealthy come next, with 
Oldenburg rather low in product, though the latter 
is usually considered an early hearer. Among the 
permanent trees the Rhode Island Greening showed 
a marked tendency to hear at five years, and many 
of the trees produced from one to two bushels per 
tree. Quite a number of Baldwin trees produced as 
much as 1*4 bushels per tree. Most of the Baldwins, 
however, have as yet produced little or no fruit. 
Practically all tin* fruit produced on these young 
trees lias been from terminal buds and not from 
fruit spurs. In many cases the side buds on the 
previous year’s growth, as well as the terminal bud, 
produced blossoms, giving the cluster of blossoms the 
appearance of a raceme. Many of these produced 
fruit which appeared on the twigs of the previous 
years as clusters, some of which contained as many 
as a dozen or more fruits, suggesting Ihe manner of 
fruiting of the pomelo or grapefruit. While this 
manner of hearing is not normal to the apple, yet it 
seems to have a good effect, as these branches bend 
downward and outward, forcing the tree to become 
broa ler and lower in form.” 
Mr. Mann is an exception to the Biblical adage 
that a prophet is without honor in his own country. 
In his new home, the people in his own village and 
county, as well as State, are enthusiastic over the 
success with which he is meeting. A large fruit 
grower in this part of Ihe State declares that Mr. 
Mann has been of inestimable value to a section 
which 20 years ago was considered in respects un¬ 
favorable to apple production. Mr. Mann's orchards 
are the objects of many visitors who have learned 
of his remarkable results. In half a dozen years lie 
has attained tlit* rank of one of Ohio’s foremost hor¬ 
ticulturists and worthy citizens. w. J. 
Ohio. 
Grafting Fruit Trees 
Part II. 
W IIAT PLANTS GAN BE I NT E RG R A FT EI > ?— 
It is frequently said that only plants of the 
same genus can be intergrufted. This is not strictly 
true. We must remember tlial genera, subgenera 
and species are hut human attempts to express de¬ 
grees of relationship and, being human and artificial, 
are necessarily imperfect. The pear intergrafts 
with the quince, thorn and mountain ash, all of 
different genera, while the common cherry will not 
intergraft with the black cherry (Primus serotina), 
although belonging to the same genus. Generally 
speaking, the closer the botanical relationship the 
easier and more permanent the graft. Besides 
botanical relationship, Dmdoii enumerates the fol¬ 
lowing points which govern the ease of intergraft¬ 
ing; The plants should thrive at the same tempera¬ 
ture; the period of growth should he the same, ever¬ 
greens seldom thriving on deciduous plants; there 
should be about the same vigor: there should he a 
similarity ill density of woods, ligneous and herb¬ 
aceous annuals and perennials not uniting readily; 
there should be an analogy in sap, the Norway maple 
with its milky sap not uniting well with the other 
maples which have a watery sap. Of the common 
fruit trees, those with seeds, the apple, pear and 
quince, are readily grafted. The pear is grafted on 
the quince to produce dwarf trees. The pear and 
