-M2PS*: 
PLAN 
4S8 
MABCH 20 
^kriculfitntl. 
PEAR TREE BLIGHT-POSITIVE REME¬ 
DIES, 
Tm« is a topic likely to be widely discussed 
during the Beason of conventions, and de¬ 
serves attention. Pertinent to the subject 
we publish in the Rural New-Yorker ex¬ 
tracts from a letter written u year or more 
ago by William Saunders of the gardens 
of the Department, of Agriculture. He says : 
Twenty years ago I became convinced of 
the almost invariable presence of fungoid 
growths in diseased plants, and have been 
liberal in the application of sulphur, lime, 
and other ingredients known to be destruc¬ 
tive of fungoid spores. 
When, therefore, Thomas Meehan a few 
yearn ago suggested that the so-called blight 
on the branches and trunks of the pear was 
due to the presence of fungi, I at once saw 
the force of his observations and conclusions, 
and it was a very natural resort to apply 
such remedies as were well known to be ef¬ 
fectual in similar cases. 
Another favorable consideration was the 
easiness of application ; it would not require 
much labor and still less of skill to white¬ 
wash the trunk and branches of a tree ; and 
the cost of materials was scarcely worth 
counting, in comparison with the result 
sought to be obtained, 
1 further recollected that the practice in¬ 
dulged in by some farmers in extending the 
operation of whitewashing out-buildings and 
fences so us to include the stems of the 
shade-trees in their door-j'ards (a practice 
which, regarded merely as an artistical em¬ 
bellishment, I bad frequently and somewhat 
earnestly condemned), resulted in the main¬ 
tenance of a smooth, clean bark, free from 
epiphytes and parasites, uud instead of doing 
injury, was evidently conducive to the health 
aud well being of the plant. 
During the summer of 1888 a standard 
pear tree, having a stem six inches in diame¬ 
ter, was observed to be almost girdled by a 
blight near the surface of the ground ; the 
bark for fully three-fourths of the circum¬ 
ference was black, indurated and dead. On 
close examination it was observed that the 
fungoid growth was rapidly encircling the 
trunk and would speedily destroy the plant, 
as had previously occurred to several trees 
in the same row. A thick coating of wash 
was spread over the affected parts, and iu 
the coui^e of a few weeks it became evident 
that “the plague was stayed." A cullus 
commenced to form along the margin of the 
remaining bark, and that tree is alive and 
well to this day. 
This was so far encouraging that 1 made 
semi-weekly examinations of the trees, with 
the view of applying the wash at any point 
where its necessity was indicated ; but un¬ 
fortunately the first indication of disease was 
generally a dead branch, with blackened 
leaves gone past recovery ; so the wash was 
of no use, and as It was not very ornamental 
it was for the time abandoned. 
It was then resolved to use the wash as a 
preventive, and durlug the following winter 
some of the more valuable trees received a 
careful application on the stem and over the 
main branches as higii up as could readily be 
reached from the ground. The results of 
these aud similar trials convinced me that 
this process, If it would not entirely prevent 
the blight ou the pear tree—and I am not 
satisfied that it will—is so far useful as to be 
worthy of genera] adoption, not only as a 
preventive of fungoid growths, but also as a 
valuable aid in the extermination of insects. 
The wash that I have used is prepared by 
placing half a bushel of lime and four pounds 
of powdered sulphur in a tight barrel, sla¬ 
king the lime with hot water, the mouth of 
the barrel being covered with a cloth. This 
is reduced to the consistence of ordinary 
whitewash, and at the time of application 
half an ounce of carbolic acid is added to 
each gallon of the liquid ; as a matter of 
taste in color 1 have added a small portion 
of soo), but 1 think that the white color is 
best for the trees. I generally apply it du¬ 
ring early spring before the leaves make 
their appearance, but I am convinced that it 
would be more effective if applied later; 
but then it would be difficult to do so when 
the tree is in foliage. 
-- 
BARING THE ROOTS OF PEACH TREES. 
An Ocean Co., N. J., correspondent of the 
Country Gentleman thus describes how he 
headed off the borers Lhut infested his peach 
trees;—Eight years ago I conceived the idea 
of baring the roots of the peach, apple and 
standard pear trees. As far as the peach is 
concerned, the plan is a perfect success. I 
; commenced taking the earth away from the 
roots of the young trees the second spring 
after setting out. the orchard, finishing the 
operation in the spring following. This plan 
of baring in the spring gives the exposed 
roots the whole of the warm part of the 
I year to get acclimated, and we find by the 
time winter sets in that the bark on the 
exposed parts of the roots is precisely like 
the trunk and branches, enabling them to 
withstand the cold of the severest winters. 
anil Useful. 
NOSE-BAG FILTERS FOR WELLS AND 
CISTERNS. 
Here is a description and illustration of 
what is called a “Nose-bag Filter for Wells 
and Tanks," which we find in an English 
paper, and is unpatented. There is so much 
HOLBROOK’S “NEW" REGULATOR SEED DRILL. 
I leave them uncovered the year round. No 
borer has over been seen on any of the trees 
so treated. I hoped that if the borers operate 
on the root branches at the point where t-hey 
entered the earth, that if one or two root 
branches were girdled and destroyed, there 
would still be five or six good ones left to 
preserve the tree In a state of perfect health. 
I am happy to say, on about twenty trees 
so treated, not one has lost a root by the 
borer, and a healthier lot of trees cannot be 
found in the State. I find the fruit on these 
trees of better quality than the same variety 
on trees not so treated. I find other advan¬ 
tages in root baring ; one, and at first a sur¬ 
prising one, is the trees take a firmer hold in 
the earth, the roots extend much deeper in 
the soil, and obtain moisture in drouths 
when other treeB are drooping. Through 
the excessive hot aud dry weather of last 
summer, my bare-footed peach trees, as my 
little youngster calls them, passed through 
the whole without a withered leaf, and 
seemed to enjoy it ; by their healthy looks 
one would suppose they did. 
-♦♦-*.- 
ARBORICULTURAL NOTES. 
Apple Trees Split by the Cold.—A corres¬ 
pondent of the Michigan Farmer, writing 
from Lenawee Co,, Mich., says The report 
is coming from many of the farmers of this 
vicinity that the long and severe cold weather 
has split our apple trees badly. I find some 
in my orchard that are split the entire 
length of the tiunk Hear to the heart and 
the crack on some opens nearly an inch at 
the surface. One of my neighbors reports 
inquiry for self-filtering cisterns among our 
readers that there is little doubt the sugges¬ 
tion which is hereby afforded will prove 
profitable to the readers of the Rural New- 
Yorker. The inventor says: 
I send you a drawing of a contrivance for 
filtering water in tanks and shallow wells, 
which I have adopted with good effect, and 
believe may be generally used for country 
houses and cottages where the supply of po¬ 
table water is derived from sources which 
are not always clear or inviting. I need 
hardly say that the object of the contrivance 
is not to secure chemical purification, but 
simply mechanical filtration, whereby the 
water may be cleared of solid matter in sus¬ 
pension. The name of “ Nose-bag Filter," 
will, of itself, explain its character. The 
suction-pipe—that is, the “nose" of it—is 
fixed in the core of the filter, and the water 
is drawn up after it has passed through the 
filtering material placed between the core 
aud the outer cylinder, both of which, it 
will be observed, are perforated. The per¬ 
forations are not continued to the bottom of 
the outside cylinder, in order that any sedi¬ 
ment in the tank or well may not find its 
way into the filter ; while the perforations 
of the core only exist at the lower end, so as 
to secure the full effect of filtration through 
the material surrounding it. Great care is 
required iu properly packing the suction-pipe 
in the core, that no water may be admitted 
but such as bus passed through the filter, i 
am not a believer in chemical purification by 
means of a filter placed constantly under 
water, and beg that it may bq quite under¬ 
stood that the object aimed at iu the present 
[ IHblAN PUBflZR CQll[ft 
SECTION OF TANK 
EsiSfiSciiS-. 
SECTION 
elevation 
that some of his trees are split in four and 
some five places as badly as he and I describe. 
Treatment of Young Apple Trees .—At the 
meeting of the Iowa Hort. Society James 
Smith of Des Moines said he would take up 
apple trees from the nurseiy at the end of 
the second season and bury them, tops and 
all, till spring, then plant with plenty of 
water. Prune sparingly. 
contrivance, and which I have fully succeed¬ 
ed in attaining at my own h ouse, is that of 
rendering disturbed, cloudy water perfectly 
pelucid. 
- ++-+■ --- 
WATER PIPE-INQUIRIES. 
I wish to inquire somewhat about water 
pipe. In 1858 I laid seventy-five rods of 
chestnut pipe, grooved and matched and 
| nailed together, giving an inch bore. The 
spring was dry the two succeeding years, 
and the third year the pipe was gone from 
decay. I next laid bored spruce, by 3% ; 
1 this lasted eight years. Gravel soil. I then 
put in clinch lead pipe. Beginning at my 
buildings, running back thirty rods and 
branching obliquely, laid to two springs. 
Now, here is a difficulty: — One spring is 
some seventy-five feet higher than the other, 
consequently the pressure is so hard at the 
junction that the lowest spring is not allowed 
to run at all and freezes up in very cold 
weather. Would a %-inch pipe from the 
junction tobuildings be sufficient to draw off 
both springs, or would au inch bore be re¬ 
quired ? What kind of metallic pipe would 
be the cheapest and best? No fear of lead 
poison, as the water is hard and soon coats 
the pipe with lime. Inch-pipe of lead would 
cost too much. Wouldn’t iron bo cheaper by 
far? Conveying water artificially is an im¬ 
portant subject in which very many are in¬ 
terested. W ill Rural readers give us their 
experience ? b. 
Jitdufitrml Jnijilem^ntf). 
HOLBROOK’S “NEW” REGULATOR SEED 
DRILL. 
The manufacturers of this Drill claim that 
it combines the best points ever produced in 
this class of machines, that it lias won the 
highest prizes In this country aud in Europe, 
given general satisfaction during the past 
five years, and is probably better known 
than any other implement of the kind in the 
world. They inform us that It has been re¬ 
modeled and further improved in the “New” 
Regulator for 1875, in simplicity, ease of 
operation, durability and style of finish, and 
will continue to be the standard machine for 
sowing all kinds of vegetable seeds. “ The 
greatest advantage this machine has over its 
competitors," say the manufacturers, “is 
its ‘ White. ’ Open Seed Conductor (which 
no other Drill now before the public is au¬ 
thorized to use), enabling the operator at all 
times to see the seed as It drops to the 
ground. This feature is of the greatest im¬ 
portance to the gardener, as many times a 
Drill may become clogged and he may go 
on sowing, as ho supposes evenly and regu¬ 
larly, and not until it is time for the plants 
to make their appearance does he discover 
the accident. This important point is gained 
by means of the ‘White’ Open Seed Con¬ 
ductor, which is secured by letters patent of 
the United States. It will also be noticed 
that the handles are so arranged that the 
operator stands upright and pushes the ma¬ 
chine along easily with the aid of his body 
and not by his arms, as in all other machines 
—a laborious way." The weight of the ma¬ 
chine is 35 lbs. Packed in a crate it meas¬ 
ures 234 cubic feet and weighs 46 lbs. 
-♦♦♦- 
INQUIRY ABOUT MOWING MACHINES. 
It is pretty early in the season to talk 
about mowing machines, but as there is an 
old saying tliat it is never too late to learn, 
so I believe it is never too early to learn. 
What is it about this new-fangled machine 
that has the cut all between the wheels ? 
My old machine used to work well, but it is 
worn out and I must get a new oue this sea¬ 
son, as I will have a hundred acres to cut, 
and the ground is not very smooth. My old 
machine has the cutter-bar away back of the 
drive-wheel, so I can see when it is coming 
upon a stone or a stub, and have time to lift 
it by the hand-lever so as to let it pass safely 
over. This is a great advantage in a mower 
to use upon such land as mine is. When the 
cutter-bar is away forward you are apt to 
run the knives into a knoll or up a stump be¬ 
fore you know it. Will some correspondent 
of the good old Rural give his opinion on 
the subject of mowing machines ? Paul. 
Chenango Co., Ill. 
—-♦ ♦ » 
NOTES AND QUERIES. 
Windmill Power.—In reply to a question 
in the Rural New-Yorker of Feb. 6th, in 
regard to wind-power, I may say - that I 
have had about two years’ experience with 
one of the Elba Mills, and that they are a 
grand invention — a durable aud very useful 
power for farm or shop. 1 prefer and have 
a 10-foot mill which -will griud ten bushels of 
feed an hour, and cut feed, saw wood, pump 
water to my satisfaction. It is a good in 
vestment, a great labor-saving machine.— 
Leroy 8. ISybrant, Niagara Co., N. Y. 
Excellent Gang Plows, B. S. is informed, 
are made and used iu the West, on the 
prairies* They are not so generally used in 
the East; but there is no need of sending to 
Europe for them. 
