1889 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
7o7 
their parents than the average; but there 
are others feeble and crooked-growing like 
the Winter Nelis and Giffard, which would 
be better grafted on some other vigorous 
seedlings. Cultivators who are noted for 
the fine specimens of their fruits, are not 
indebted for their success to the seedlings 
they have used, but to rich soil and skill¬ 
ful culture. 
2. Trees which mature their fruit early 
are not distinguished for any uniform 
characteristic of growth. Some are strong 
growers and others feeble, and in selecting 
the seed for the growth of stocks, the best 
growers should be chosen—not early or 
late ones. 
3. Common paint does well for covering 
wounds from pruning or accidents; but 
some composition of the nature of grafting- 
wax is less liable to scale off, especially 
near the ground. Either will do well. 
4. As a general rule, fruit trees do better 
on clay soils or strong loams than on light 
or sandy soils; and a list of such varieties 
as succeed well on light soils could be made 
from extensive trials in different localities. 
FROM J. S. HARRIS. 
1. My experience and observation indicate 
that a perfect union between graft and 
stock is essential for the health, vigor and 
long life of the tree, and that this can be in¬ 
sured only between varieties of any species, 
that are very nearly allied. Therefore seed¬ 
lings of a variety would make the most 
reliable stocks for the variety. Earlier 
fruiting is often induced where the union is 
not so perfect. 
2. If the varieties are nearly enough 
allied to make a perfect union, there would 
be no perceptible difference in the tree or 
fruit of an early variety grafted upon a late 
one, and the top would govern the period 
of activity in the root. 
3. Common paint is a protection against 
insects, but the oil with which it is mixed 
frequently causes the death of the tree. 
4. Some varieties of fruits are adapted to 
heavy clay, others to loam and others to 
sandy soils, and those that will succeed on 
one kind of soil will not do equally well 
upon any of the others. 
Houston County, Minn. 
1)0 rs cman. 
HUNTER BROOD-MARE, FLORIMEL. 
Figure 262 is a re-production from the 
Live Stock Journal, London, of the Hunter 
brood-mare Florimel and foal, owned by 
John Cooper, Brook Hill, East Haddon. 
She was bred in Ireland, was never exhibit¬ 
ed until last year when she won first prizes 
wherever shown. She won the first and 
champion prizes at the Royal Show at 
Windsor the past summer. 
farm (I'cuiiomi). 
WHEN, HOW 1ND WHERE 
SOME INTERESTING NOTES. 
Selling is just as important as produc¬ 
ing. The business farmer takes advantage 
of every extra price; his goods are sold at 
the right time and in just the right condi¬ 
tion. We are always interested in knowing 
how our friends conduct their business, 
what they have to sell, when and where 
they sell it, what would induce them to 
hold their product for a better price, and 
what they depend on for reports concerning 
the markets. It is believed that fanners 
can very profitably compare notes on these 
matters, so we begin this week the publica¬ 
tion of short notes from some of our 
friends. The present notes refer mainly to 
farming at the East. Later on we shall 
have something in the same line to say of 
Western marketing. 
CONNECTICUT. 
Of late I have been more of a market- 
gardener and dairyman than general 
farmer, so that my large hay and grain 
crops have been disposed of on the 
farm, and I find a local market for my gar¬ 
den truck and dairy products. When I for¬ 
merly sold hay in the New York market, I 
found October and November to be the best 
months to sell, there then being a large de¬ 
mand while the market was not crowded. 
Apples and potatoes I market early if prices 
are good ; for by holding them I find the 
loss by rot and shrinkage and the cost of 
rehandling, is not compensated for by the 
extra price. I depend on the RURAL crop 
reports to keep me informed regarding the 
condition of crops in the different parts of 
the country that rule the New’ York mar¬ 
kets. If there be a surplus and I know that 
prices will be low f when my products would 
ordinarily get to market I hold them until 
better prices can be obtained. My daily 
paper quotes market prices and I am some¬ 
what governed by them. H. D. 
Greenwich. 
MASSACHUSETTS. 
My chief crops are onions and potatoes 
with some garden truck, all of which are 
sold at the village one mile distant. The 
Re-engraved from the London 
vegetables are sold at whatever time I can 
best attend to the business. I find market re¬ 
ports in several papers; but rely chiefly on 
those in the R. N.-Y. aud the New England 
Homestead. In the “agricultural news ” 
and reports of the former, I get a good idea 
of the prices and condition of crops t hrough 
the country; aud in the latter a thorough 
knowledge of the amount of crops, and con¬ 
dition of the markets in New England. The 
prices at Boston to a certain extent control 
prices here, as our dealers go there for vege 
tables of all kinds, if the local production 
is short. Through the summer and fall I 
read carefully and watch closely all that 
relates to my chief crops in all parts of the 
country, and pick up what I can in regard 
to foreign markets, and if crops seem to be 
good at home and abroad I sell as soon as I 
can, as prices here are usually better then 
than later on when all wish to get rid of 
perishable crops. If crops are short I hold 
till mid-winter or spring, for prices advance 
as the supply grows short. F. L. A. 
East Pepperell. 
MICHIGAN. 
As wool comes first, 1 generally hold till 
towards the latter part of the market, as, 
nine times out of 10, the wind-up of the 
wool market is the best. Very few around 
here hold their wool over, as the practice 
has not been considered very profitable all 
things considered. Butter we pack through 
the summer. We set our milk in deep cans 
and churn our cream sweet and make sweet 
butter and keep it sweet till fall. When 
the price suits we sell. When I was in 
debt I sold my wheat as soon after thrash¬ 
ing as possible, as it immediately saved 
paying interest. I generally watch the 
European markets and also the state of 
the crops in those countries, as wet weath¬ 
er on the European continent lessens the 
hard-wheat supply there, and half of the 
wheat grown there cannot be ground with¬ 
out an equal bulk of hard wheat, so if they 
have not got it there, they must get it 
where it does grow, which means from us. I 
do not want to delude any one, but I am 
looking for a healthy rise in wheat soon. 
In regard to the pork product, the Chica¬ 
go Pork-Packers’ Monthly Price Bulletins 
are a good guide. For instance, this year 
the prices on all salt and smoked meats are 
quoted considerably lower than last year, 
showing that the supply is greater than 
the demand. Last year the prices for these 
goods kept advancing; those who sold early 
this year, I think, hit it. About beef cat¬ 
tle : I have been in the meat business some 
time myself and I would say, when you get 
your beef “ critter ” fat, sell him if you can 
get a fair price. Be specially careful to get 
your beef ready in the spring and sell it. 
Don’t “summer” it; if you do, you will 
get only a small return for the trouble. 
One thing I have always endeavored to 
do—when any one product is bringing a 
good price I sell; when it is cheap there is 
no danger in holding; on the contrary, 
doing so is often a benefit. c. F. 
Bancroft. 
I MAKE it a point to sell wheat in the fall 
as soon as thrashed. Potatoes are sold as 
Live-Stock Journal. Fig. 262. 
soon as dug when people are buying their 
winter supplies, unless the prospects are 
good for a considerable advance in price 
(say at least 20 per cent.) which I deter¬ 
mine by statistics from the Agricultural 
Department and agricultural papers of dif¬ 
ferent States. Apples I sell in the winter 
after the inferior fall fruit has been dis¬ 
posed of—from the first of December to mid¬ 
dle of February. E. H. P. 
Warren County. 
I take three agricultural papers, two 
county, one State and the World. In these 
I get home aud foreign markets. My princi¬ 
pal crop is wheat and from close observa¬ 
tion of the markets at home and abroad, I 
have come to the conclusion that prices have 
about touched bottom, so I have decided to 
hold on to my crop and run the risk of get¬ 
ting less for it, for the chance of an advance 
in price. Last year I sold 100 bushels at 76 
cents in September and four months later I 
sold 800 bushels for §1 per bushel. 
The Rural encouraged me to hold to a 
certain extent. Last Saturday I sold 50 
bushels at 70 cent per bushel; 800 bushels 
more I am holding in hopes of an advance. 
A short time ago I saw in the R. N.-Y. that 
apples were scarce and bringing a good 
price East, so I didn’t sell. Lots of my 
neighbors sold theirs for $1. per barrel; but 
I held ou aud have just sold miue for $1.50 
per barrel. I rather think it paid to take the 
R. N.-Y. Also I saw in the same paper 
that potatoes were short in a good many 
places and rotting badly, and that they are 
worth $1.50 a barrel so that I have concluded 
not to take 25 to 30 cents per bushel at pres¬ 
ent. Perhaps I may lose; but the future 
will tell. R. F. B. 
Benton. 
By reading the agricultural papers—I take 
five weeklies—and also the reports of the 
Department of Agriculture, I obtain some 
idea of what prices will be; but I find that 
to sell in the fall is the best, as the extra 
prices received in the spring will not cover 
the shrinkage in bulk or loss of weight of 
the majority of farm products. M. N. 
Menominee. 
NEW HAMPSHIRE. 
I RAISE no crops excepting winter apples, 
small fruits, poultry and eggs. For many 
years I have shipped all of my apples to 
Liverpool and London, assorting and pack¬ 
ing them in the orchard as soon as picked, 
and shipping at once. I always get good 
prices. My small fruits, of course, I have 
to sell as soon as picked. I keep 2,000 hens. 
I raised 4,000 Plymouth Rock chickens this 
year. I dress off the cockerels, usually in 
January, February and March, and never 
keep hens more than one year as they are 
not so profitable after that time. 
Hancock. C. E. L. H. 
I USUALLY sell crops, like potatoes and 
apples, soon after harvesting them, and I 
think that for a term of years it averages 
as well as to store them and bear the loss 
from decay and shrinkage; besides,I have the 
use of money sooner. As regards live stock 
and wool, I consult reports of the Boston 
and Brighton markets. M. A. N. 
Sullivan. 
NEW JERSEY. 
The chief crops I grow for sale are sweet 
potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, wheat, 
and early white potatoes, ranking in im¬ 
portance in the order named. The major 
part of my sweet potato crop I store in a 
specially constructed house till winter. I 
am then governed in selling by the size of 
the year’s crop and the quantity of it 
housed in this locality as nearly as I can 
learn. If I consider the amount housed is 
sufficient to meet the demands of the mar 
ket with little increase in price, I sell the 
larger part at Christmas and New Year’s, 
as there is usually a larger demand for 
them at that time, and I escape the larger 
loss of shrinkage and decay incident to a 
longer holding. If I consider the amount 
stored to be inadequate to the demands of 
the market, I hold till nearer spring. The 
tomatoes are grown for a local canning 
house at a stated rate per ton. The water¬ 
melons of course must be shipped as they 
ripen, the grower being allowed no “ say ” 
in the time of their sale. What wheat I 
grow—a moderate amount only—is sold 
about December 1, unless by the market 
reports of the daily and weekly papers I 
consider a rise in price imminent in the 
near future. My early white potatoes are 
sold as soon as they are fit to dig. 
In the matter of the correct time for the 
sale of our farm crops it is certain we all 
cannot hit on just the best time, and if 
farmers would not get wild, as they seem 
to do at times, and rush large quantities of 
produce on an already falling market, to 
the detriment of themselves and the ben¬ 
efit of the buyers, they might come nearer 
to dictating the prices their labor should 
bring, and may we all hail the day when 
by organization or otherwise, farmers may 
know when to sell so there shall be no 
gluts, and all crops shall be sold at the best 
time. e. g. b. 
Penn’s Grove. 
Our money crops are chiefly citron 
melons, sweet corn, berries, asparagus, 
grapes, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. The 
above we cannot hold, so we are compelled 
to ship them whenever they are fit, regard¬ 
less of market prices ; otherwise they go to 
waste, and this is somet imes the case, as the 
market pi-ices now and then get below the 
cost of shipment. Sweet potatoes are grown 
quite extensively, but they are not held, 
as a rule, later than it is safe to leave them 
in the ground without injury from freezing. 
White potatoes are grown moreabuixdantly 
back a few miles in heavy soil, and when 
the bugs first made their appearance it was 
said that this county (Monmouth) was 
growing more potatoes than all the rest of 
the State. To learn the market, we consult 
our commission salesmen, and also refer to 
the market reports in our papers for a gen¬ 
eral idea of the condition of crops and 
prices in all parts of the country. 
Point Monmouth. j. s. C. 
WE labor under diffei-ent circumstances 
from those that influence the Western 
