2 
wheat plant well repays generous cultivation, 
but a good soil enables it to endure without 
complaint, much negleot ot‘ this kind. 
In reply to Mr. Mason's inquiry, in the Rural 
of Dec. 22. I would say in the first place, that 
the soil he describes—the bottoms “ a medium, 
heavy, slightly sandy loam, throo to four feet 
deep, resting on a sandy, porous subsoil,'’ the 
uplands, “of the same general character but 
with a greater proportion of sand’’—comes very 
far short, of being typical wheat land. Such 
soil as this, will require careful haudling; it 
will become easily “ run down,” and when once 
down, it will need skill and patience to bring it 
into condition again. 
The best way to grow wheat, is not to grow it— 
if I may bo pardoned the Hiberniauism—upon 
land such as that described above. Wheat ought 
not to grow on such land oftener tbau onoe in 
four years, and during the intervening throe 
year’s, it ought to grow one hoed crop, which 
should have been heavily manured and thor¬ 
oughly tilled. The two remaining crops, wheth¬ 
er of forage or grain, should be wholly consum¬ 
ed upon the farm. If clover or the tame 
grasses are safe orops, tbe farmers of Dodge 
Go., have a remedy within easy reach. If this 
land can be laid down to clover or some one of 
the tame grasses, and pastured for two years, a 
long stride will have been taken in the direction 
Of its regeneration. As to the possibility of em¬ 
ploying commercial fertilizers in tbe growing of 
wheat. I question much if anywhere west of the 
great lakes they can be profitably employed for 
this purpose. These are very simple directions, 
and they have a strong flavor of old fogyitm, it 
may seem; nevertheless, there is no “ hocus 
poo us” in the business of farming ; there is no 
such a thing as satisfying the wants of a hungry 
field with the contents of one’B vest pocket; no 
possibility of making condition powders, pills 
and drugs satisfy a soil exhausted by a long 
round of dissipation. What such a soil needs is 
plant-food, liko in character to that which it has 
so freely yielded the thriftloss husbandman, and 
tins will be best obtainod by the farmers of the 
whole country, by growing largely of forage 
plants, grains andgrassos, for consumption upon 
the farm. ^ 
Mr. Mason and his neighbors will do well to 
beware of the error so often made by improvers, 
in supposing that a greater variety and a better 
arrangement of crops, are alone sufficient to in¬ 
crease the fertility of the soil. A farm may be 
utterly ruined while tilled to the letter of the 
most approved rotation. The whole secret lies 
in returning to the soil what has been taken 
from it in crops sold from the farm j and 
whether this is done by feeding stock upon the 
farm, by greeu manuring, by summer fallowing, 
or by the use of commercial fertilizers, must he 
determined by the surroundings of the farm¬ 
er. 
ABOUT WHEAT GROWING IN GENERAU 
In the letter referrod to above, the writer, 
after stating that wheat is the staple crop for ex¬ 
port in his State, goes on to say : “the result is, 
the whole country is under mortgage for bor¬ 
rowed cash, Btore, machine and other debts and 
taxes.” So far as I have observed, mortgaged 
farms are the necessary concomitants of every 
distinctively wheat growing country. The 
reason of this is not far to seek. While wheat 
brings a large and quick return in cash, per 
acre, it requires a large outlay, in cask, to pro¬ 
duce it. In the first place, the considerable 
wheat grower must own a drill (cash or note at 
12 per cent.,) then he must procure a harvester, 
(cash or note as before,) and hire harvest hands, 
paying the highest wages (cash) ; thou oomes 
threshing (cash,) with the summer’s waste that 
always attends this operation. Compare the 
growing of wheat with that of corn. The grow¬ 
ing of the latter crop ontails upon the farmer 
not a single expensive operation. The entire 
labor of the corn bold, from turning the first 
furrow to cribbing the corn, may bo performed 
by the farmer unaided, and when the crop is 
harvested it may be turned to half a dozen uses 
from which wheat is debarred by its very na¬ 
il ture. 
To grow wheat in a now country is generally a 
necessity to the pioneer, and often it is a profit- 
! able crop, but if after this time, wheat grow¬ 
ing is allowed to attain to anything liko a spec¬ 
ialty, it is pretty certain to bring upon the farm¬ 
er a long train of evils, among which are 
“ mortgages, ” which will only be “ lifted,” when 
he adopts a course of mixed husbandry, 
Manhattan, Kas. 
$ 
FRUIT GROWERS IN COUNCIL. 
Discoveries and Suggestions of 1877 . 
The twenty-third annual meeting of the 
Western N. Y. Hort. Society held in Rochester 
Jau. 23-25th was altogether one of the most in¬ 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
teresting and profitable in its long and suc¬ 
cessful experience. A great mass of facts 
elicited from discussions, and in the papers and 
addresses, and some of these are of great im¬ 
portance. 
In calling the meeting to order, President 
Barry congratulated the Society on the progress 
made during the past year. Small fruits have 
been unusually abundant and low priced. Tho 
partial failure of the apple and pear erops has 
alone prevented a more serious depression in 
prices. But tho American market is extending; 
Western New York is near the sea-board cities, 
and of winter fruit it is now generally conceded 
that Woetern New York apples will keep better 
than those of other localities. Hence wo are 
reasonably sure of a good market for all the 
good fruit which can be grown. He would ad¬ 
vise tho planting of apple orchards under proper 
conditions and in suitable localities, as confi¬ 
dently now as at any time during the last twen¬ 
ty-five yearB. Work in fruit-growing is sure to 
be well paid, provided always tbe work is well 
done. 
Tho election of officers and appointment of 
committees w ere the first business,and resulted in 
the choice of tbe following officers for 1878. 
President—P. Barry. 
Vice President—J. S. Woodward, H. E. Hook¬ 
er, A. 0. Yonnglove. 
Secretary and Treastirerv-P. C. Reynolds, 
Rochester. 
Executive Committee—James Vick, Rochester; 
I. II. Babcock, Lockport; H. H. Farley, Union 
Springs; E. A. Powell, Syracuse ; D. H. Henry, 
Geneva. 
STANDING COMMITTEES. 
On Native Fruits—J. J. Thomas, Chas, Dow¬ 
ning, Wm. C. Barry, E. Moody, G. Zimmer- 
mau. 
On Foreign Fruits—W. R. Lazenby, Georgo 
EUwanger, T. C. Maxwell, H. N. Langworthy, 
C. A. Green. 
On Nomenclature—Chas. Downing, F. Barry, 
J. J.‘Thomas, D. W. Beadle, George G. At¬ 
wood. 
Entomology—J. H. Comstock, C. D. Zimmer¬ 
man, E. W. Sylvester, II. T. Brooks, Wm. Saun¬ 
ders. ^ 
Ornamental Trees and Plants—George Ell- 
manger, C. M. Hooker, T. C. Maxwell, George 
Moody. 
Garden Vegetables—E. S. Hayward, John 
Craino, C. H. Grosman, J. W. Gray, T. W. 
Lay. 
Ornithology—H. T. Jones, Henry Harrison, E 
W. Chapin. 
Botany—W. C. Barry, Geo. T. Fish, W. H. 
Coleman. 
Chemistry—Prof. G. C. Caldwell, C. H. Mann, 
Joseph Harris. 
Flowers and Bedding Plants—James Yick. 
F. B. Lewis, Henry B. EUwanger, E. Brou- 
on. 
There have been about 150 members the past 
year, including the leading fruit growers and 
horticulturists of the State. The Society has 
issued a report of its proceedings and papers, 
and the treasurer’s report shows a balance of 
$28,85 on hand. 
There were some notable articles on exhibi¬ 
tion-specimens of dried fruit preserved by tho 
Reynold’s Evaporator and exhibited by E. J 
Potter of Medina, attracted much attention. 
There is an evident profit in this process when¬ 
ever the fruit-market is glutted. The evapor¬ 
ated fruit is white and proserves the natural 
taste of the greon fruit. Hence it brings a 
higher prico than fruit dried by the usual pro¬ 
cess. Mr. E. Rublomau of Lockport exhibited 
a coil of tin two inches wide which he uses as a 
collar around celery plants to keep their leaves 
from spreading apart. It makos the cultivation 
of oelery a very easy process. Messrs. Ellwan- 
ger &■ Barry exhibited seventeen varieties of 
winter pears, and ton varieties of apples. Mr. 
Heath of Genessee, Co., also exhibited speci¬ 
mens of winter apples of fine quahty. 
Probably tho most practically useful article on 
exhibition, and one which attracted much atten¬ 
tion was a box containing about 150 specimens 
of insects injurious to farmers and fruit growers, 
and also the parasites which prey upon the same 
and are thus the fruit grower's friends. The in¬ 
sects are finely mounted and some of the spec¬ 
imens are very rare. This box was prepared by 
Charlos D. Zimmerman of Buffalo, and presented 
to the society. Mr. Z. promises a similar col¬ 
lection next winter, an excellent example for 
young men. 
The apple crop in Western Now York in 1871 
was not a large one, and a peculiarity of its 
growth is that tho largest crops have been 
in localities which have not heretofore pro¬ 
duced largely. Chautauqua county sells this 
year fully 200,000 bbls. of apples, at an average 
prico of $1.50 to $1.75 por barrel, a loss of at 
least two hundrod thousand dollars from lack 
of information as to the value of fruit. Surely, 
here is a waste which would pay for a good many 
agricultural and horticultural journals. 
Mr. Julius A. Kuok, of Kucksville, Orleans 
County, lias an old orchard of 140 trees, set sixty 
years ago, which has for many years been culti¬ 
vated and heavily manured without cropping. 
Tho plowing is always done in May—and the 
soil is left loose through the season. In the last 
seven years this old orchard has produced apples 
which have sold for $7,871.25, or something 
more than $1,100 per year. The manure made 
on the farm is mostly applied to this orchard. 
The discussions chiefly ranged around the sub¬ 
jects prepared by tho Business Committee. 
Quinces .—Considerable time was devoted to 
this fruit, justly considered the most profitable 
for the localities where it succeeds. It is not 
entirely hardy, especially in the roots. Hence, 
it ncedB deep planting, and is better kept in 
grass if the grass is shaven and left as a mulch, 
and the soil highly manured. No fruit will bear 
higher manuring. Halt is excellent, and should 
be applied in tbe spring at the rate of a quart per 
tree, spread under the branches as far, or a little 
farther than they extend. The quince should 
not be cultivated, as its roots are tender and 
easily injured. A heavy cool soil, and if moist 
none the worse, is best for the quince. The 
borer is less troublesome on heavy soils. In sand 
or gravel, quince trees are usually failures. The 
Orange quince, and Rea’s Mammoth were the 
two varieties most highly recommended. Quinces 
bring from $4 to $8 per barrel in the New York 
market. Dr. Sylvester sent them in bushel 
crates, and got $3 per crate for them. 
Peach Tree Worm ,—This is a new enemy 
which eats the heart from the terminal shoots of 
peach trees. It is moat destructive iu nurseries. 
Prof. J. H. Comstock, of Cornell University, de¬ 
scribed this enemy. The only known remedy is 
to cut off the twigs which appear injured and 
bum them. This should be done in June or 
July, before the worm escapes. 
The Peadi Tree Borer .—Placing leached ashes 
around the base of trees was recommended as a 
means of preventing the beetle which lays the 
eggs from depositing them. The ashes were 
first applied as a manure, and thiB effect was 
accidentally discovered. 
Peach Yellowsi —It was seriously questioned 
whether this disease had appeared iu Western 
N. Y., unless in a few trees procured from New 
Jersey. Good culture with manure, careful 
watch for tbe borers and destruction of all found 
will keep Western New York peach orchards in 
thrifty condition. Some peach trees suffered 
severely from the intense cold of the winter of 
1874. Such trees are popularly supposed to have 
tho yellows ; hut if examined it will be found 
that their roots are injured by the cold. 
A worse difficulty in growing peaches, is from 
cold in winter and frosts in spring. In level lo¬ 
calities a sheltered spot should be selected. In 
hilly regions elevated Bites are preferable. Tim¬ 
ber screens are beneficial on the east and west, 
and sometimes on the north. With a little care 
in selecting good localities peaches, may be prof¬ 
itably grown all through Western New York. 
The Canker- Worm -—This peBt of the apple 
tree may be headed off by winding strips of 
paper around the trees and coating them heav¬ 
ily with coal tar and lard, the latter to keep the 
tar from hardening. If some falls on the bark 
of the tree it scales off and does no injury. 
Another remedy suggested, is to have troughs 
around the base of the tree filled with crude pe¬ 
troleum, which will prevent the asceut of the fe¬ 
male moth. This remedy is liable to the objec¬ 
tion that the petroleum if spilled may injure the 
tree. 
the most convenient place for delegates from all 
parts of Western New York to assemble. 
Ruralist. 
- - - 
NEW FRUITS OF 1877. 
In the discussion by the W. N. Y. Hort. So¬ 
ciety on new varieties of fruits, the old new 
varieties of Peaches, Early Beatrice, Rivers’ and 
Early Louise were commended by Mr. Moody. 
President Barry said that Briggs’ Red May, a 
California peach, was at the present the earliest 
variety known. Dr. Sylvester spoke highly of 
his seedling, the Richmond, which proves on 
testing all the good qualities originally olaimed 
for it. It is hardy and productive, a little later 
than Early Crawford, and of higher quality. 
In grapes there was a large number of new 
and promising varieties named. Messrs. IIoag 
A. Clark of Lockport have a white seedling pro¬ 
duced by inbreeding Concord and Martha. It 
has all the hardiness and vigor Of the Concord, 
excels it in productiveness and is far superior to 
the Martha or any similar white grape. “As good 
as the Rebecca, and as vigorous and productive 
as Concord,” is praise which gives assurance that 
a white grape “for the million" has been se¬ 
cured. 
The Lady was considerably diseusBed. Its 
quality is superior to that of the Martha, and it 
has the advantage of being the earliest grape, 
with the possible exception of the Champion. 
This for a white grape is a novelty, and will give 
tbe lady a permanent value without regard to its 
quality. 
Messrs. Green of Clifton, Monroe, and Han¬ 
dy of OrleaDS County, described new seedlings 
in bearing, which promised to be valuable. Not 
much is known of them, and tbey require fur¬ 
ther testiug. 
Pres. Barry spoke of Moore’s Early, a Massa¬ 
chusetts variety, as of the liigber t promise. He 
also described n seedling which he had been test¬ 
ing several years—one of two selected from 
several hnndred, all tbe others being thrown 
aside as of no value. The one most promising 
is a Cross of Diana on Delaware. It is thrifty, 
productive, and of the highest quality. The 
delay in sending it out, is only because it has the 
fault of dropping its berries ; but it very rarely 
does this, and never until dead ripe, and it is 
unexceptionable in every other respect. 
The Brighton Grape was very highly spoken 
of. It is succeeding in a variety of situations 
and in quahty ranks as “ beat.” It is hardly a 
new variety. 
The difference between Worden and Concord 
is very slight ; but tbe Worden is a few days ear¬ 
lier, and of a little better quality. Its skin is 
thinner than Concord’s, and it cracks, unfitting 
it for shipping long distances. 
Ill new huspberies, Mr. Handy of Orleans Co., 
described a new red Raspberry, of Blaek-cap 
habit which promised to be valuable. Its fruit 
is firm and a very good quality- Its color is a 
dark red. and appears to be a hybrid between the 
Red and Blaek-oaps ; but differs from the Ga- 
nargua. 
Mr. Odell, of Monroe, described some wild, 
red lUsperries which grew on the plains at the 
West after being burned over. It seemed to him 
to be worthy of cultivation. The local name is 
Salmon berries. There is another kind of Rasp¬ 
berries called Sallal berries which grow on these 
Western plains. They grow in Mnsters, three to 
five in a bunch, and are as large as cherries. The 
flavor is excellent, sweet, anil somewhat pecu¬ 
liar. Undoubtedly something will come from 
these Western varieties. 
President Barry warmly commended the new 
Strawberry named Sharpless, which is now being 
disseminated. The Great American, anuParm- 
lee's Orescent Seedling were inquired about, but 
none of tho members had fruited them. 
w. J . F. 
Industrial Implements, 
Fertilizers for Fruit Trees —There is nothing 
better than stable manure, but not enough can 
be had. Muck is good if we get tho right kind, 
fibrous and not too much decomposed. It may 
be profitably composted with stable manure, six 
or seven loads to one of the latter, with ashes 
and with salt. The coarse grass which grows on 
muck swamps, if piled up with it, helps decom¬ 
position, Salt was recommeudod as a good fer¬ 
tilizer for all kinds of fruit trees. It helps to 
decompose plant food. Ashes are good, and 
leached ashes, 300 bushels per acre, are exeel- 
ont on sandy soils, helping mechanical texture, 
and furnishing needed manurial elements. 
Utilizing Surplus Fruits .—The only new answer 
to this consisted in the new processes for pre¬ 
serving them, cither by drying or in cold ice¬ 
houses. It pays to send only the very best fruit 
to market. In that way the use of fruit is en¬ 
couraged and its market extendod. 
Frauds !—A good deal of a scare was raised 
by a report of a legal decision that seedsmen 
and nurserymen are liable for damages when 
plants untrue to name are sent out. It proves, 
however, that tho decision applies only where 
there was fraudulent representation of the 
facts. Nurserymen are not liable for the results 
of their many mistakes and may go to bed with¬ 
out fear of awakening as bankrupts. The Society 
adjourned Friday noon aftor the customary 
voteB of thanks to officers and others. It will 
meet in Roohester again next year, that being 
A NEW BUTTER-WORKER. 
A new bntter-working machine has been 
recently put before the agricultural public, 
that combines some novel features that we 
think are good. The implement is a circular 
revolving table, placed on a stand of tbe neces¬ 
sary hight, widen is turned by a crank fitting 
into cogs that encircle the outside of the table. 
Attached to the crank is a grooved “worker 
of a peculiar shape, and uot to he intelligently 
described without the aid of the pictorial art. 
The axle of one end of tho “ worker ' is fitted 
into a pin that projects up through the middle 
of the circular table, so that iu operation the 
worker covers a section of tbe tabic extending 
from its center to the circumference. The 
butter is emptied on to the table, and as soon as 
the machine revolves, the poculiar shape of the 
“worker" coming in contact with the concave 
and sloping bottom of the table, gives a gentle 
downward direct stroke, pressing in its action. 
The expressed milk runs away to the center oi 
the table where it escapes through an opening 
prepared fur it. Tho worker more closely re¬ 
sembles hand treatment than any machine we 
have yet seen. It comes to pieces easily and 
mav he cleaned with the least trouble. 
There can be no reason why butter should 
not be improved when worked m this machine. 
The grain is not injured. Henderson & Co., 
Philadelphia. Pa., own the patent and make the 
machines._ _ _ 
Jones, Faulkner & Co. of Utica, N. Y.. have 
purchased the patents of tho late Wm. Ralfh 
and are now the sole manufacturers of the 
Oneida Clie^se Vat. This Vat baa long been 
§ favorably known to our readers as one of tno 
