io4 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
February 14 
FARMERS’ CLUB 
[Every query must be accompanied by 
the name and address of the writer to in¬ 
sure attention. Before asking a question, 
please see whether it is not answered in 
our advertising columns. Ask only a few 
questions at one time. Put questions on a 
separate piece of paper.] 
Ostheimer Cherry. 
E. S. //., Riverton, N. J.—l have some 
Ostheimer cherries five years planted, and, 
judging by the few cherries they have 
borne, I have concluded it is a worthless 
variety. Am I right? I expect to grub 
them out, but would like first to know 
more of it. 
A NS.—While the Ostheimer is not a 
cherry of high quality it is not really 
worthless, but in view of the fact that 
much better cherries can be grown in all 
parts of New Jersey and in nearly all 
the other States it is doubtful whether 
these trees should stand. Ostheimer 
and all the other Russian cherries are 
only fit to grow in very cold regions, 
where the good varieties will not suc¬ 
ceed. It might be well to top-bud these 
trees to Richmond or Montmorency. 
This can be done next May by cutting 
scions now and putting them in cold 
storage until that time. Or it would 
also do to graft them about the first of 
April. n. e. v. d. 
Spitzenburg Apples in Massachusetts. 
H. IF. U., Concord, J/ass.—What Is th« 
value of the Spitzenburg apple for east¬ 
ern Massachusetts? Is It profitable for 
our markets? 
Ans. —The Spitzenburg (Bsopus) apple 
is of little value as grown in Massachu¬ 
setts, as for some reason it fails to reach 
the perfect form and high quality it does 
in some other localities. As generally 
found the trees make a poor growth, and 
the fruit is full of hard fibrous places. 
If it were more generally planted no 
doubt then would be discovered where 
it would grow to great perfection, espe¬ 
cially while young. It is a variety that 
reaches maturity and begins to decay at 
an early age, and to be grown at its best 
it must have the best possible conditions 
and care. There is another Spitzenburg 
known as the New York Spitzenburg or 
Vanderveer, also locally known as the 
Oyster Bay, which has some merit, es¬ 
pecially in the Connecticut Valley. 
Neither of these varieties is as desirable 
for the commercial orchard as the Bald¬ 
win, Sutton Beauty or Washington 
Royal (Palmer Greening). 
S. T. MAYNARD. 
Orchard Questions from Michigan. 
A. It. H., Buchanan, Mlch.—l. What are 
(he good qualities and faults of the fol¬ 
lowing varieties of apples for a commercial 
orchard for this section: Rome Heauty, 
York Imperial, Sutton, McIntosh, Jona¬ 
than, Stark, Wolf River, Stayman, Grimes, 
Bolken and I,awver? Which of these need 
fertilizing by other varieties? Which are 
as good on own stocks as if they were 
top-worked on some other stock. Is there 
any apple stock to top-graft on as good as 
Spy and a faster grower? 1. Would the 
Missouri apple be profitable to use here 
as a filler? 3. Which is the best pear stock 
to top-work with Bose? 4. Is I^awrence 
a more profitable market pear than Anjou? 
Ans. —1. It is my belief that Sutton is 
the most promising of all the varieties 
mentioned, as a commercial apple for 
Michigan. It is much like Baldwin in 
all respects, except that it is of better 
quality and a more constant bearer in 
the Eastern States, where they have 
been tested side by side in many places. 
Rome Beauty, Jonathan, Grimes, McIn¬ 
tosh and Boiken are likely to prove valu¬ 
able there commercially; although Mc¬ 
Intosh is not a late keeper, but is larger 
and of better quality than its parent the 
Fameuse. Boiken is a very handsome 
yellow apple and keeps well. There is 
nothing better in quality than Grimes 
and Jonathan, and Rome Beauty is very 
handsome and seems to be gaining in 
favor north of its home in Ohio. Wolf 
River is only a late Fall apple, but it is 
very large and brilliantly striped with 
red over a whitish ground. Stark Is 
good in quality and keeps well, but it is 
too dull in color to be attractive in mar¬ 
ket York Imperial is yet on trial in 
Michigan, and may not prove so good 
as farther south, where it reaches better 
development. The same is true of Stay- 
man. Lawver does not bear well enough 
in most regions to warrant its culture 
for profit I do not know that any of 
the foregoing need cross pollination to 
Insure their bearing. Rome Beauty, 
Jonathan and Grimes are better to be 
top-worked on more thrifty stocks. 
Northern Spy is one of the very best of 
all varieties for a stock to graft other 
varieties on in Michigan and other re¬ 
gions of similar character. Ben Davis is 
also good for the same purpose. 
2. It is doubtful about Missouri being 
a profitable apple in Michigan. The 
trials there do not give room for much 
hope that it will develop as it does far¬ 
ther south. Wagener is a better filler 
in Michigan. 3. Kieffer seems to be a 
good stock upon which to work the Bose. 
4. Anjou is a larger pear than Lawrence 
but the fruit drops badly because of its 
weight, short stems and rigid branches. 
There is usually more profit in Law¬ 
rence. H. E. V. D. 
How to Fertilize '‘Clark" Grass. 
O. R. B., Cooper’s Plains, N. Y.—l seedefi 
a plot of bottom land, yellow loam slightly 
gravelly, formerly White pine land, after 
the Clark method in September, 1901. I 
cut about 1'/^ ton of fine hay In July fol¬ 
lowing but a very short growth. The 
after-growth was also thick but very 
short, though rain was plenty. This plot 
brought 30 bushels of wheat previous to 
seeding. When, how much, and what 
fertilizers shall I apply? Is the theory 
right that thick seeding requires plant 
food in proportion? If so we can see how 
there could be many failures in following 
the Clark method. I feed 10 pigs in one 
pen 10 times the amount T do one. 
Ans. —Judging from our own experi¬ 
ence that grass is in greatest need of 
nitrogen. We had a field which acted 
that way the first year after seeding. The 
second year 300 pounds of nitrate of soda 
per acre gave a fine yield. We would not 
use the nitrate alone for more than one 
year. Mr. Clark uses about 800 pounds 
per acre of a fertilizer which is very 
close to a mixture of one part nitrate of 
soda, two parts of fine bone and one of 
muriate of potash. We feel sure that 
your theory is right. Many failures with 
this plan of seeding have been made be¬ 
cause farmers doubled their seed and 
used no more fertilizer than with the old 
seeding. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you will get a quick reply and 
"a square deal.” See guarantee. 14th page. 
Grown strictly by ourselves for the North, 
South, East and West, each variety in the 
section which secures its highest develop¬ 
ment. We aim to have everything the strong¬ 
est and best of its kind. 
WE PRACTICE NO DECEPTIONS 
We do not offer $1.00 worth of seeds for 10c, but we do 
g^ve the largest and best value for die 
money. Our line of 
FARM, CIIDDI ICC OAIRT, 
GAKPEX, dUrrLlCO POULTRY, 
IS large and the most complete. Write for handsome 
new Catalogue No. 12. Sent FREE. 
Griffith & Turner CO., 205 Pace St., Baltimore, Md. 
BOi 
Worth $1.25 
J SPECIAL OFFERmade to introduce 
goods. Satisfaction guaranteed or money refunded. 
20 Pkts. SEEDS 
IPkt. Diamond Flower. 
** California Sweet Peas. 
Double Cbiuese Pink. 
Carnutiou Marguerite. 
Heliotrope mixed. 
Poppy—New Shirley. 
Umbrella Plant. 
Giaut Verbena, mixed. 
Japan Morning Glory. 
Petunia Hy brid,mixed. 
1 Pkt. Rambler Rose 3 col’s mxd 
** Pansies, lOcolors mixed. 
Washington Weeping Palm. 
MarySemple Asters,4color8.' 
** Alyssum. Little Gera,mixed. 
** Bouquet Chrysanthemum. ' 
Forget-me-not Victoria. 
Hibiscus Crimson Eye. ' 
Lovely Butterfly Flower. 
Phlox Drummondii. ' 
23 BULBS 
1 New Red Calla Lily, 1 Summer Flowering Hyacinth, 
1 Double Pearl Tuberose, 2 Butterfly and 2 Hybrid 
Gladiolus, 8 Fine Mixed Oxalis, 2 Rainbow Lilies, 2 
Hardy Wind Flowers, 2 Lovely Cinnamon Vines, 2 
Splendid New Cauna Lilies—1 crimson, 1 golden. 
A Return Check Good for 25 Cents 
on iirst $1.00 order; also our 
New Floral Guide* all above postpaid, only 30c. 
THE CONARD & JOHES CO. 
Growers of the “Best Roses In America.’’ 
Box 4, WEST GROVE, PA. 
1 _ f _ are grown in virgin soil, in the 
^$1001C 9 cold North (same latitude as 
St. Paul,OttawaandMontreal) 
9660 P0tat06S and stored in our speciaUy 
constructed cold storage potato cellars. Stock kept at even 
temperature 38 % will not sprout until planting tune. All 
standard varieties and the best new ones. Clean, bright, 
smooth seed, free from disease of all kinds. Sure 
to be strong, vigorous growers and prolific producers in any 
soil or climate. Write for our illustrated catalogue. Ask also 
about our SEED OATS AND SEED CORN 
EDWARD F. DIBBLE, rtllV.'H... 
Burpee’s 
I’robably you liave heard of this 
famous motto for many years but have 
1 /ou proved for yourself that Burpee’s 
Seeds are the 
BEST that Grow? 
I f not, write to-day for Burpee's Farm Annual 
for 1903—80 well-known as “The Leading Amer- 
i can Seed Catalogue. ’’ It is an elegant book of 
184 pages, with beautiful colored plates and 
will be sent FREE to planters eyerywhere; 
—to others upon receipt of 10 cents, which is 
less than cost per copy In quarter-million 
editions. Write TO-DAY. Do not delay ! 
It is sufficient to address simply 
BURPEE, Philadelphia 
Market Prize Potato. 
The best yielding potato ever pro¬ 
duced, large, mealy and fine. 
Seeds of all kinds; clean, sure, 
sound seeds. Write for the 
new catalog. It tells the story. 
It’s free now. 
FORD SEED CO., Dept. Q,RBveaaa,0. 
Flower Facts 
FREE 
.Tust the Information needed 
by alt who wish to grow flow¬ 
ers and plants successfully, 
-atained in 
18 confc 
DREER’S 
Carden 
Calendar 
208 pages of inestimable value to flower lovers. 
Our catalogue for 1903 will also contain a new and 
valuable feature, viz: a complete index of all 
the old-fashioned, or common names of flowers. 
FKEE if you mention this magazine. 
HENRY A. DREER, 
714 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pa. 
■■■■ Our handsome Carden Annual and Seed 
LL Catalogue. Send your address on a postal 
■■ to-day, or for Ic. in stamps and the names 
I & !■ ■■ of 3 neighbors who are actual seed buyers 
Hwe will send our catalogue and packet el 
^the Clant Red, Madam Ferret PANSY 
If you write before March 15th. Address, 
COLE’S SEED STOKE, FeUa, Iowa. 
:iuaj bccu uuyer. 
SEED 
ESTABLISHED 1802. 
for over a hundred years have been universally 
recognized as the standard of excellence. 
OUK CATALOG UK—the 102d successive an¬ 
nual edition—contains a more complete assort¬ 
ment and fuller cultural directions than any other 
seed annual published. It contains 128 large-size 
pages, and in addition 16 full-page, half-tone 
plates, and is in every respect and without ex¬ 
ception the most complete, most reliable and 
most beautiful of American Garden Annuals. 
We Mail It Free. 
J. M. THORBURN & CO., 
36 Cortlandt St., New York. 
Did You Ever Oct Bit on Seed Corn? 
.Mnllirm In . 14. tW03 -'U«hA«F 
rFl«r.l thr rralt* nfrorn In condltlM. 
u-pin« to n* Ihal you 
Irntlld |•i•n of tl oikI lh« corn U 
rl>ilul\ vory Iiiif " 1VAI.LACK. 
Illnr \\ • t Armer. 
Mw* Mninra. U.. Jan. (4. 1003. "TKo 
ale of M-orl r-orn I* • dandy anti «« aP# 
irr lhal any farmer roroltinc such a •hip- 
rn( fromyuu olilberaure than 
oltli wImI hr erla " KDITitll l«>tVA IIO.MKxTKAt>. 
M Mo.. Jan. 13. lUUJ. -Thr rrala of .^rd rorn arrl»rd In «ood ahapr a«Kl 
Ihr mraar.-«U writ forinr.! ami .hoM rarvful arirrilno. \.Htri*lan nf arllliiK-arod rorn 
haa brm connurmloil by r»»ryr farmer «* hn haa aa-en the erafo In onr ofBre.- 
f.iflTMK WKwTKKN KKl IT fiKOWKK 
Ubartytlllr. la.. Jan. IB. 1003. -the erate nf areal rom laame throOKh In food ahapr 
aoMMd and virll norlli Ihe prirr aaroiwpare*! oHI» m> ei|*erlrMrr nllh other aredaiBen'a 
voTM Tha sardan arrda atr Joat all liiht. and the qiMnlltx taryr liberal Indeed.” 
1 It. CLAKKIIIUK. 
You stood M pretty u'ood chance ol'K^^ttluff bit II'you tmuicht >our 
need corn shelled. Notice u li-at Uicy say about the kind I sell. I ship 
It to you In thccar audit’s the llnostslufl joii over saw. ItCKiilar stork 
seed, trit dou’t suit you, ship It back at my expense and 1 willreriind 
your money Special prices on club orders. Ask for catalog and 
samples. I scU all kinds of gardeo seeds by weight and measure 
and guarantee them. Fanner agents wanteil. 
HENRY FIELD, ... 
For nearly 
half a century 
’terrys 
Seeds 
have been growing famous in every 
kind of soil, everywhere. Sold by 
all dealers. 1008 Seed Annual 
postpaid free to all applicants. 
». M. FEKKY A CO. 
Detroit, Mich. 
SEEDS 
THAT 
SUCCEED 
The seed house of D, Landreth & Sons, the oldest in America, has had 119 yeara' experience with 
seeds, and the results of this are placed at the service of fanners and gardeners In a finely Illus¬ 
trated catalogue. Issued free.- No grower of seeds, professional or amateur, can aflford to be 
without the valuable information contained in this catalogue. Send for it. 
AMERICa'S BED FOR 1903. 
The plants to make this attractive and showy bed are worth from 12.75 to J5.00. accoiiliiig 
to size, but you can have the Seeds to grow them, free of charge, by enclosing this advertise¬ 
ment with your cash order amounting to fl.OO or more. See large illustration and lull 
description in Landreth's Catalogue. Writetorday for the catalogue. 
Good Gardens 
Assured 
Ja 8. VICK, formerly of Rochester, 
Uankf er of Mall Order Department^ 
D. Landreth & Sons, 
Philadelphia. 
ready for the market 60 days after planting, is 
one of the many wonders you read about in 
HOKMEIS’ 1903 CATALOGUK OF TESTED 
SEEDS. Contains many other new and proflt- 
''able flower and vegetable varieties. Honestly pictured—truthfully described. A 
book that’s different from ordinary seed books. 
A book w’ell worth writing for. We send It 43“ 
HOLMES SEED CO.. Harrisburg, Pa. 
Everything for the Garden 
Is the title of Our New Catalogue for 1903—the most superb and 
instructive horticultural publication of the day—190 pages—700 
engravings—8 superb colored plates of vegetables and flowers. 
To give this Catalogue the largest possible distribution, we make the follow¬ 
ing liberal offer: 
Every Empty Envelope 
Counts as Cash. 
To every one who will state where this advertisement was seen, and who 
incloses 10 Cents (in stamps), we will mail the Catalogue, and also send 
free of charge, our famous 50-Cent “Henderson” Collection of seeds, con¬ 
taining one packet each of Sweet Peas, Large Mixed Hybrids ; Pansies, Giant Fancy Mixed ; Asters, 
Giant Victoria Mixed ; Big Boston Lettuce ; Early Kuby Tomato and Cardinal Radish, in a coupon 
envelope, which, when emptied and returned, will be accepted as a 25-cent cash payment on any 
order of goods selected from Catalogue to the amount of $i.oo and upward. 
PETER HENDERSON & CO. 
35 & 37 Cortlandt Street, New York. 
