898 
JUNE {8 
some time after the injury. Sometimes pota¬ 
toes overcome these injuries and produce a 
nearly perfect peel, there being no conditions 
for scab forming. The habits of this class of 
wire-worms—there are many species—are 
such that they feed on semi-decayed vegetation 
and moulds, but even more frequently on etio¬ 
lated or tender growths of plants and their 
fruits, as leaves and trailing vines lying close 
on the ground, and also pumpkins, cucumbers, 
tomatoes, lying partly underground, or at 
least closely imbedded. Celery, many garden 
vegetables and the potato improved and culti¬ 
vated to grow underground with a tender 
etiolated surface while young, are found to be 
chosen by these worms, and where they 
abound in potato ground some scabby tubers 
are nearly always found in every hill; yet I 
find that scabby potatoes are just as abundant 
in ground where wire-worms of all descrip¬ 
tions are entirely absent. Many reports to 
the Rural in past years stated the same facts, 
all of which pointed to another, or to many 
similar feeders on growing tubers. My atten¬ 
tion was first directed to another class of in¬ 
sects feeding on the tubers by observing the 
actions of Say’s “Streaked-wing” Beetle (Pter- 
ostichus Sayi) Fig. 207, p. 398, at time of plant¬ 
ing potatoes. In the drill where potatoes cut in 
pieces were dropped, these beetles were seen 
eating at the sides of the pieces where freshly 
cut. Whenever they were frightened in such 
a way as not to start them running a great 
distance, that is, clear out of the furrow, but 
only a little way from the potato, they imme¬ 
diately returned to it, eating greedily, and 
abrading a depression or shallow pit in the 
tuber. Subsequent observation has proven to 
me that they do not attempt to bite through 
the peel of a fully ripened tuber, but take ad¬ 
vantage of the potato being cut open as in the 
case cited, or attack the young and tender 
growing tubers, and it is to be noticed that 
they generally select the seed end, the delicate 
growing end—that part which in other roots 
is provided with a shielding root cap. This 
part of a growing tuber is scarcely covered 
with peel at all, and hence from the anterior 
half of the new potato the minute morsels can 
be nibbled out for food by these beetles almost 
as easily as from a freshly peeled potato. But 
do the numerous species of carnivorous ground 
beetles also eat vegetable matter, such as 
roots, blades and seeds? 
(To be continued.) 
EGG IMPREGNATION. 
Last week we noted the fact that from 26 
eggs from our white Dorking hens seven black 
spotted chickens were produced. This we 
consider a clear refutation of the theory that 
but one egg can be impregnated at one 
time. The following notes corroborate this 
experiment and show clearly the folly of set¬ 
ting eggs from a breeding pen in which the 
cocks have been recently changed. 
FROM J. H. DREVENSTEAD. 
I believe that nearly the whole litter of eggs 
are impregnated at once by the male, although 
I have never made any really reliable tests; 
but observation extending over a number of 
years leads me to the above conclusion. W hen 
hens are changed from one male to another, it 
takes from four days to two weeks before the 
progeny will be affected, and a series of exper¬ 
iments extending over several years under all 
possible conditions, would be necessary to de¬ 
termine the exact time, and even then the con¬ 
dition and breed of fowls would vary contin¬ 
uously in this respect. Last year a friend of 
mine turned his Hamburgs out of the pens 
in June to run with Langshans. Eggs from 
the fourth day showed the Langshan cross. 
But if one breed, say Asiatics, is turned with a 
male of a totally different blood, it is a ques¬ 
tion how long it will take. I put two Brah¬ 
mas in with a White Wyandotte cockerel, 
waited five days and began setting the eggs 
the next ten days. None were fertile, but af¬ 
ter that time they were all fertile. I took out 
a male Andalusian on February 27, replaced 
him with another Andalusian, then eight eggs 
were set March 23 and none proved fertile. 
Eggs set after that date proved fertile. It 
would seem advisable not to use or sell eggs 
from a newly- mated pen until the cock and 
hens have been together at least three weeks, 
although much depends on the breed and the 
beginning or ending of a hen’s litter of eggs. 
Mr. Felch, who has experimented in this 
matter, says: “There are in the egg passage, 
while a hen is in a healthy laying condition, 
from four to six eggs in their different stages 
of development, the last two nearest the vent 
being beyond the influence of the male, if the 
hen has not been previously exposed. The 
following experiments seem to prove that the 
spermatozoa will live, doing the work of im¬ 
pregnation in this egg passage, only about 10 
THE BUBAL WEW“¥©BM£i. 
days, and we may say the dam is pregnant for 
that length of time. We placed a hen that 
had hatched and reared a brood of chicks, 
without exposure, with a cock for three hours, 
then isolated her in a coop by herself. The 
first two eggs she laid in the next 48 hours 
were not fertile; eight of the nine laid in the 
10 days thereafter were fertile. Those laid after 
that time were not fertile. We placed a hen by 
herself, that had been exposed while rearing 
her brood, and seven out of the eight eggs 
laid during the 10 days afterward were fertile; 
—but all eggs laid after that time were not. 
We took a hen that had just finished her litter, 
wanting to incubate, and exposed her to the 
male for three pays, then cooped her by her¬ 
self. None of her eggs were fertile. In this 
case we take it for granted that the incubat¬ 
ing fever had not abated so as to admit of ef¬ 
fective copulation. These experiments which 
we can vouch for, seem to indicate that if fe¬ 
males are cooped 10 days before saving the 
eggs, it will protect the breeder in the purity 
of the blood of the chickens. But as some be¬ 
lieve that the whole litter of eggs is affected 
it is a better plan, in changing hens from one 
male to another, to do it at the close of a lit¬ 
ter of eggs; but we are satisfied that after the 
fifth egg, after the change is made, the chicks 
would, in 19 cases out of 20, be the progeny of 
the associate sire.” 
FROM PROF. A. J. COOK. 
By careful experimentation I found in rear¬ 
ing about 100 chickens, that sperm cells all 
died in about three weeks. This was deter¬ 
mined in two ways: hens three weeks from 
the rooster laid only sterile eggs. Again, 
hens impurely mated showed no signs of the 
mismating three weeks after they were taken 
from the cock. That is, pullets from a Light 
Brahma which had run freely with Leghorn 
cocks, and freely mated all winter with Brown 
Leghorn cocks were taken away and kept only 
with Brahma cocks. Three weeks afterwards 
eggs were set and gave Brahmas true to 
standard. Those set in one week showed 
cross-blood. Those set two weeks did so like¬ 
wise, but far less. Without doubt the active 
sperm cells push up through the oviduct and 
swarm on the ovaries. As soon as an egg 
bursts its follicle, the sperm cells push into the 
egg, become incorporated in its substance and 
the egg is impregnated. Now, any egg may 
be impregnated by any sperm cells that are 
active at the ovaries, whether laid that day 
or days before. I do not believe that fowls or 
bees are the least tarnished by impure mating. 
I would value just as highly a pure hen that 
had run with even a mongrel rooster; but I 
would wish to wait three weeks after the 
removal of the impure cock before I used her 
eggs for breeding. 
FROM PHILANDER WILLIAMS. 
If the hen is in just the right condition, 
neither too fat nor too lean, a cock will impreg¬ 
nate more eggs than if she was over-fat. I 
have known the tenth egg a hen laid after 
the cock was removed from the pen, to hatch, 
which proves that a cock will impregnate ten 
eggs. It is not safe to set eggs until a new 
cock has been two weeks with the hens. 
FROM HENRY HALES. 
From many experiments which I have seen 
reported, and from my own experience, it 
seems that if a hen is with the male at the 
right time a whole clutch of eggs is impreg¬ 
nated, for the eggs will show the effects of a 
certain bird from two to three weeks after 
separation, so that before that time it would 
not be safe to calculate on the eggs from an¬ 
other cock. ___ 
from p. h. JACOBS. 
The subject is one upon which no conclu¬ 
sion has been reached. A single mating of a 
male and female turkey is known to be suf¬ 
ficient for the impregnation of all the eggs 
the female may lay until she begins to incu¬ 
bate, whether they are few or many. To give 
my experience with hens, I will state that I 
once removed a male from the flock, and kept 
the eggs for hatching after he was gone, and 
although no male had been with the hens for 
ten days, yet the eggs laid on the tenth day 
hatched. When changing cocks (using a Hou- 
dan in place of a Plymouth Rock) the eggs 
showed the Houdan blood on the fifth day 
after the Plymouth Rock had been removed. 
I conclude that the whole matter depends on 
the stage of progress of the eggs toward de¬ 
velopment, and that there are periods, de¬ 
pendent upon condition, when only one or 
two eggs are fertilized, while at some stages 
quite a number may be impregnated. I be¬ 
lieve the influence of the male extends to at 
least five days after his removal, and at some 
periods longer. It is a problem I intend to 
solve. __ 
FROM H. S. BABCOCK. 
I am in doubt whether each egg is separ¬ 
ately impregnated. I think that several may 
be impregnated at once. In my opinion, how¬ 
ever, after a week, eggs will come true to the 
cock which has been running with the hen, 
provided he performs his part and is not 
sterile. Cocks are very rarely sterile, but I 
have heard of such cases, though I never have 
had such a fowl. 
PLEASANT HOMES FOR OUR BEES. 
Who is there who has handled bees and 
made them his associates who will doubt for a 
moment that these industrious little misers 
will appreciate any improvement in their 
home and plantation and doubly repay any 
judicious outlay toward supplying them with 
any suitable plants, from which to extract 
the honey. 
I believe a bee is not happy except when em¬ 
ployed gathering the sweets that nature stores 
in certain plants, Now is the time to lay the 
foundation for an abundant honey harvest. 
If you have no bee willow near your apiary, 
procure a few roots or cuttings and plant them 
in low land near the apiary. These will bring 
the earliest pollen which is the most useful. 
The bark will crack late in the fall and furnish 
a harvest of honey after frost has killed all 
flowers. Also plant a few Soft and Hard Ma¬ 
ples and tap them lightly in two or three places 
early in spring. These trees should be near 
the house, as many bees are chilled and lost in 
rambling for these early sweets. Be sure to 
save all the basswood on your farm and plant 
a few more in old pastures for shade. Plant 
catnip, the more the better, near the apiary. 
This is fine for the young bees. Spare all the 
golden rods when mowing the fence corners, 
also all asters. The bees will tell you what 
they are when in bloom if you do not recog¬ 
nize your friends. Sow a patch of buckwheat 
July 1st and 20tb, Aug. 10 and Sept. 1st. Last, 
but not least, procure at once a supply of 
Simpson’s Honey Plant from some reliable 
apiarist or seedsman. It can be sown in a 
hot-bed and transplanted the same as cabbage, 
or sow it in the open ground. It will grow 
anywhere, in fence coiners or waste grouud, 
in shade or cultivated fields planted 2% feet 
apart. It can be sown in your woods pasture. 
It is a certain grower and will “get there” 
whether cultivated or not. This is beyond 
doubt, by far the best honey plant of all, giv¬ 
ing a steady flow of good honey from the 
middle of July until killed by frost. The hon¬ 
ey accumulates in the cup shaped flowers and 
if all is removed, they will almost immediately 
fill up again, thus affording an inexhaustible 
supply faster than the busy workers can re¬ 
move and store it. I have noticed no disease 
in my apiary since I have raised this honey 
plant. I think the secret is that it keeps the 
bees employed gathering good healthy honey 
instead of trying to extract it from decaying 
fruits and vegetables in the fall months, which 
they are sure to do unless they can work on 
something better. It is a medicinal plant, but 
is not eaten or disturbed by stock of any kind 
and will take care of itself after the first year. 
It is not a noxious weed that will take possess¬ 
ion of your farm, but is easily exterminated., 
Brother apiarists, I can imagine no lovelier 
stroll than one through my woods in August and 
September. The honey plants are in full bloom 
and the beautiful Italians make the woods mus¬ 
ical from daylight till dark. I will not speak 
of the merits of the different varieties of clover, 
as of necessity they will be sown and held to 
round out a full season for the most industri¬ 
ous creature of God’s creation. 
R S. RUSSELL. 
| 30 iii 0 logic at. 
FRUIT GROWING IN SALT RIVER 
VALLEY, ARIZONA. 
The Salt River Valley lies near the center 
of this Territory of Arizona, and is one of the 
largest and most fertile tracts of land suscep¬ 
tible of irrigation on this Continent. This is 
a desert country and nothing of value will 
grow except by irrigation. Salt River is the 
source of supply, furnishing more water than 
all the streams of Southern California. The 
Salt River is the main tributary of the Gila 
(Hela), and the latter empties into the Colo¬ 
rado River at Yuma. Along both the Salt 
and Gila Rivers large numbers of canals are 
being taken out, which will irrigate many 
hundreds of thousands of acres, especially 
adapted to the growing of all kinds of choice 
fruits, early fruits, citron fruits, semi-tropic 
fruits and grapes, to perfection. 
That this whole country is destined to be¬ 
come a rich and densely populated fruit-grow¬ 
ing region, there can be no doubt in the mind 
of any one at all familiar with its resources—-a 
fertile soil, an abundance of water and a cli¬ 
mate as perfect and charming as nature can 
make. 
The Salt River Valley was the first to be 
brought under cultivation, and hence is the 
most fully and extensively developed. Fruit¬ 
growing has only just begun to be developed, 
although some orchards were planted 8 to 12 
years ago. Wheat and barley are largely 
grown—whole fields, hundreds of acres in ex¬ 
tent, standing nearly shoulder-high, and ready 
to harvest. I never saw such magnificent 
fields of grain anywhere. There is no such 
thing as “failuie” of a crop here, the small 
sum that a farmer pays annually for the use 
of water insures his crop against drought. 
He is absolutely sure of getting a crop—and a 
full maximum crop at that. He is independ¬ 
ent of the weather wet or dry. Hence, farm¬ 
ing here is no lottery—the farmer takes no 
chances, bis crops are certain, provided, of 
course, he does his own part well. 
But Alfalfa! Oh! the luxuriant fields of it 
must be seen to be apppreciated, Once sown, 
it lives for generations, and annually rewards 
its owner with four or five cuttings of two 
tons each per acre of the richest hay. It is 
the only pasture and hay plant grown here. 
In the East farmers are advised to go “cau¬ 
tiously with Alfalfa;” here it covers whole 
farms, and yields an annual income of $30 to 
$40 per acre. How can such things be? 
Come and see. 
Salt River Valley lies in Maricopa County, 
of which Phoenix is the county-seat, and the 
largest city in the Territory, with a popula¬ 
tion of nearly 6,000. Phoenix has a steam 
flour mill, a planing mill, and two ice-facto¬ 
ries; gas and electric'lights; streetcars and a 
branch railway connecting it with the South¬ 
ern Pacific Railroad at Maricopa Junction; 
three hotels, three banks and three daily and 
weekly newspapers; also an Immigration 
Union, supported by the enterprising people. 
Wishing to learn from those who have had 
the longest experience with fruit growing in 
this valley, I called at the home of Mr. II. H. 
Linville, adjoining Phoenix, who planted the 
first orchard in the Salt River Valley, though 
there is one several years its senior, outside 
of this valley. Mr. Linville arrived in this 
valley from California 12 years ago, and lo¬ 
cated his present homstead adjoining the city 
of Phoenix. He went back to Los Angeles 
with his team (no railways then) that same 
winter for a load of fruit trees and household 
goods, enduring many hardships incident to 
such pioneer life, but his present fine orchard 
stands as a fitting and profitable mon¬ 
ument to his faith in fruit-growing in this 
valley. It is of this, the first orchard planted 
in Salt River Valley, that I wish to give a few 
notes. 
Grapes never fail. The Mission and the 
Muscat of Alexandria are the best varieties 
and do as well here as in California. 
Peach trees are now well filled with young 
fruit—have had two partial failures in 12 
years. Early peaches, apricots and pears will 
be ripe by June 1st to 10th. Peach trees are 
all sound and healthy. 
Apricots are very full—a failure last year 
for the first, due to an untimely frost. Apri¬ 
cots ripen here three weeks earlier than any¬ 
where in California. Some are ripe now, 
May 10. 
Pears are this year a partial failure. Winter 
Nelis is the best variety—that and Beurrd Diel 
are full, all others short. Winter Nelis has 
ripened four crops since planted six years ago. 
Vicar of Winkfield planted 11 years ago has 
fruited nine years. Last year one tree bore 
250 pounds of fruit, yet it bloomed as fully this 
spring, only to be set back by a frost; but as if 
determined to bear fruit it bloomed out the 
second time. So with all the pear trees I saw. 
Some third grown fruit and blossoms on every 
tree, and this after bearing so heavy a crop as 
to bend the limbs out of shape. 
Among apples the White Winter Pearmain 
is the best, being a vigorous grower, a profuse 
and persistent bearer of good apples. Mr. L. 
has about 100 trees of this variety, every tree 
of which has borne fruit every year for nine 
years—planted 11 years ago. They yielded 
last year three to eight bushels of sound ap¬ 
ples to the tree and were sold at not less than 
five cents per pound. Thus the best and larg¬ 
est trees brought an income of $20 per tree and 
over, while the average was about $12 50 per 
tree, making the yield per acre of 100 trees, 
the sum of $1,250. 
Mr. L. recommends planting all fruit trees 
close—apple trees 20 feet, and peaches, 12 
feet in this warm climate, so they may shade 
each other and the ground. 
In all cases those trees that had the most 
shade, grew the most thiftily, and bore the 
most and best fruit. 
At least half a dozen W. W. Pearmain 
trees 11 years old measured 11 inches in diam¬ 
eter of trunk, a foot high from the ground. 
All the trees, apple, pear, peach andaprico, 
