2o6 
March 21 
TME RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
explain on the fungus theory. Immediate replanling 
is an experiment scarcely to be recommended. 
A RAPID SPREAD.—A strange thing about it is 
the way it spreads. Orchards in which careful in¬ 
spection failed to show any signs of disease last year, 
and which were far away from any diseased trees, 
this year have suffered quite severely. If the “little 
peach” is caused by a fungus on the roots I do not see 
how it can spread so rapidly and jump so far at once. 
By promptly removing diseased trees the yellows has 
been held in check for many years, but it is yet a dis¬ 
puted point whether “little peach” can be thus con¬ 
trolled. Thus far the orchards attacked have been 
largely ruined, but in talking with the owners I often 
find that they kept the first trees thinking that they 
could cure them in some way. As to cure, we know' 
of none but the ax, and that often means utter de¬ 
struction of the orchard. Thus far the “little peach” 
has been far more destructive than the yellows ever 
was. A few years more like this and we shall be out 
of the peach business, so you see that even in Michi¬ 
gan, the horticulturist does not live on “flowery beds 
of ease.” alvin batthahn. 
Allegan Co., Mich. 
BRIEF TALKS ABOUT FERTILIZERS. 
The Va/ue of a Fertilizer. 
Is this feitilizer, guaranteed analysis, worth the price 
asked for it on car here, which is $25 per ton? Nitrogen, 
per cent, 1.03 to 1.85; equal to ammonia, per cent, 1.25 to 
2.25; soluble phosphoric acid, per cent, 6 to 7; reverted, 
per cent, 2 to 3; available, per cent, 8 to 10; insoluble, per 
cent, 1 to 2; total, per cent, 9 to 11; potash, actual, 2 to 
3, equal to sulphate of potash, per cent, 3.70 to 5.55? D(j 
you think it will pay me to buy it, say one-half ton to the 
acre, to use on potatoes where I have spread several 
loads of ashes? It is clay soil with hardpan. t. s. n. 
Oquaga I/ake, N. Y. 
You should pay no attention to anything except the 
guarantee of nitrogen, available phosphoric acid and 
potash. This is what you have; 
21 pounds nitrogen at 15 cents. $3.15 
160 pounds phosphoric acid at 414 cents. 
40 pounds potash at 4>4 cents. 
$12.15 
Let us understand just what these figures mean. The 
“valuation” of a fertilizer is based on the average 
prices for the chemicals in the New' York market. 
Taking the average for a year a man buying fair¬ 
sized lots could buy phosphoric acid at iVz cents a 
pound and potash for the same. As a matter of fact 
the price is lower now, for many of our readers aie 
quoted muriate of potash at $39 per ton, which means 
less than four cents a pound. The above-mentioned 
prices arc more than liberal, and we ventuie to say 
that the actual plant food in that mixture never cost 
the manufacturer over $10. To that may fairly be 
added the cost of mixing and bagging and the freight, 
and still leave nearly 50 per cent of the selling price 
as profit. This is a good illustration of what we call 
a low-grade fertilizer, and we would not buy it under 
any circumstances. It is probably a mixture of acid 
phosphate and kainit, and some cheap and slow-acting 
form of nitrogen. This is not a suitable fertilizer for 
I)otatoes. The w'ood ashes supply needed potash, but 
the lime-which they contain will cause trouble from 
scab, and more nitrogen must be added in some form. 
.\s a mixture to use on clover or on a sod for corn this 
w'ould be a fair bargain at $15. 
The Effect of Leached Ashes. 
We use a great quantity of ashes here, at least some 
of the farmers do. and obtain good results. Most of then, 
are leached of all that water can lake out. yet applied 
to our clay soils they usually insure six or more good 
crops of hay following one of grain, which latter often 
pays quite well for the application. We apply them with 
a shovel, say 160 bushels per acre, spreading on land 
newly plowed, or harrowed, and w'ell harrowed in. They 
cost us 12 to 15 cents per bushel, and are probably one- 
fifth or so coals, cinders, nails and other refuse, as we 
never screen them unless we are applying dry or un- 
leachod ashes in a planter. The unleached ashes cost 
much more, and do not seem so good for the money in¬ 
vested still 1 have known them sown by hand on gras.s 
-round and not very thickly, to show good results in the 
crop for many vears. Used on sandy or loamy land, their 
effects are good but not so lasting, whether dry or leach¬ 
ed but the same is true of manure. I have raised beans 
on’ a small amount of fertilizer, then dressed the land 
with leached ashes as above and obtained 27 bushels of 
fine wheat, and good crops of hay after; this on badly 
run-out land. As compared with manure the labor of ap- 
plving is small. It is a good plan to run a clod crusher 
over the land to smooth it, so the ashes can be spread 
evenly, and it can then be marked out into narrow lands 
to be easilv covered by the men who spread it. Ashes 
appear to respond better where the land is in crop one 
year, to break up the sod, then turned back and ashes 
well worked in, preferably for us in the Fall, as our soil 
is securely locked up for three or four months, and sel- 
“ G S 
dom washes. 
Winslow', Me. 
This testimony indicates that the lime in the leach¬ 
ed ashes is responsible for most of the good results. 
As all know “leaching” consists in pouring water on 
the ashes, so that it soaks down through the mass and 
carries out the potash which is used for soap making. 
A fair sample of leached ashes will contain in one ton 
12 pounds of potash, 200 of phosphoric acid and 400 
of lime. In some cases practically all the potash is 
leached out. The use of IfiO bushels will mean four 
tons or more per acre, or nearly one ton of lime, prob¬ 
ably as much potash as there is in 100 pounds of mu¬ 
riate and as much phosphoric acid as 500 pounds of 
acid phosphate will supply. At 15 cents a bushel this 
w'ill cost $23 per acre. We think that a ton of stone 
lime bought at the regular price and the remainder 
of the $23 invested in nitrate of soda, tankage and 
acid phosphate will give better crops than the 160 
bushels of leached ashes. On this heavy soil we think 
the lime in the ashes makes plant food already there 
available instead of adding actual fertility. 
The Various Forms of Nitrogen. 
Tell us the time required in Summer to make available 
for absorption of plant the chemical fertilizer constitu¬ 
ents of ammonia, phosphoric acid and potash in the forms 
of nitrate of soda, acid phosphate, kainit, sulphate of 
ammonia, bone meal, sulphate of potash, dried blood, 
muriate of potash, fish scrap, cotton-seed meal and to¬ 
bacco stems. The object is to enlighten us on what class 
of food to give plants so as to have a continuous supply 
as one gives out. w. h. m. 
Anniston, Ala. 
The potash question is easily settled. All forms of 
the jiotash salts arc available. The muriate is cheap¬ 
est, but the sulphate will give better quality where 
that is an object—as in growing sugar beets, sweet 
corn or fruit. The phosphoric acid in acid phosphate 
is at once available for plants—except a small pro¬ 
portion known as “insoluble.” The availability of 
ground bone depends much upon the fineness with 
w'hich it is ground. A very fine, powdery bone is 
quickly available—the coarser pieces much more slow¬ 
ly. Nitrate of soda will feed the plant at once—I’e- 
quiring no chemical change. Sulphate of ammonia is 
soluble, but requires a slight change to fit it for plant 
food. Dried blood and cotton-seed meal contain or¬ 
ganic nitrogen, but are more quickly made available 
than other organic forms. Fish scrap and tobacco 
stems require a longer period. It is doubtful whether 
MODIFIED KING VEN'ITLATING SYSTEM. Fig. SO. 
in the Gulf States sulphate of ammonia would be 
needed in a forcing fertilizer. In the North, where 
the soil is colder and Spring does not come so rapidly, 
some form of nitrogen to fill in between nitrate of 
soda and dried blood is often needed for quick-grow¬ 
ing crops. In the South, however, a mixture of ni¬ 
trate and either cotton-seed meal or dried blood would 
doubtless answer.^_ 
Potatoes have not been below 20 cents per bushel this 
season in this section. They are 35 now from here to Elk 
Rapids; about half of the crop is saved for Spring sales. 
They are fine but not much over half a crop for the State. 
Manistee Co., Mich. Q- 
THE LOOP COMPRESSED AIR SPRAYER. 
This spraying outfit employs compressed air as a 
force with which to do its work. It consists of a cen¬ 
tral station and the part which is taken into the or¬ 
chard. At the central station, which is located with 
reference to its convenience to water supply, are all 
the necessary tanks and barrels for preparing mix¬ 
tures, and a steam engine and boiler and air com¬ 
pressor. The part taken into the orchard consists of 
two or more light low two-wheeled carts, each carry¬ 
ing two 50-gallon galvanized steel tanks, one for com¬ 
pressed air and one for the spraying mixture. The 
operation of this outfit is very simple. At the central 
station connection is made between the compressor 
and the air tank, and while pressure is being pumped 
up in this tank the operator fills the other with the 
liquid, the whole time consumed being about 10 min¬ 
utes. The tanks on each cart are connected with pipes 
and valves, and are fitted with pressure gauges so the 
nozzle-man can regulate pressure in mixture tank 
and keep it always at any desired point. The mix¬ 
ture tank has connections for one or as many lines of 
hose as may in the opinion of the operator be needed, 
and each line uses three to 12 nozzles, the number 
of lines of hose or number of nozzles per line having 
no bearing upon quality of work done, economy of 
distribution governing this point. The power is ready 
and is equally efficient whether it is used in five min¬ 
utes or 30 minutes. 
The object of having more than one cart is to avoid 
delay and make the operation continuous; when the 
supply of one cart is exhausted another is ready to 
take its place. The outfit can be used equally well in 
narrow rows, on steep hillsides, under and between 
low-branched trees, on very soft, muddy or uneven 
ground, or in parks or on lawns, where a heavy ma¬ 
chine could not be admitted. Its capacity is practical¬ 
ly unlimited, depending only on size of central sta¬ 
tion and number of carts. Fig. 77 shows central sta¬ 
tion, Fig. 78 one of the carts at work in a peach or¬ 
chard using 12 Niagara nozzles. This outfit has been 
in use three or four years, and has put out 40 tanks a 
day with one line of hose, one nozzle-man and three 
carts. The spraying material does not come in con¬ 
tact v/ith any working part. No machinery is taken 
into the field, and there is no delicate machinery at 
the central station. Agitation of the mixture is se¬ 
cured by a system of air jets. When land is level and 
hard it might be advisable to use 75 or 100-gallon 
tanks, but on soft ground or steep hillsides the weight 
would probably more than offset the adantages of 
using larger tanks. a. i. i.ooi*. 
Erie Co., Pa. _ 
THE IDEAL APPLE. 
A correspondent in the West asks whether the new 
apple called Ideal is really equal to the description 
of it by those who are pushing it. They say it is “as 
hardy as Duchess (Oldenburg), as good a bearer as 
the Ben Davis, as good a keeper as the Willow, and 
better in quality than Jonathan'.” I sent to the in¬ 
troducers in Iowa and got two specimens, a drawing 
of one of which is shown at Fig. 79. The original 
tree of the variety is said to be standing Id miles east 
of DesMoines, Iowa, and is now 20 or more years old. 
As to its hardiness I know nothing beyond the state¬ 
ments of the introducers. If it is as hardy as Olden¬ 
burg it will surely be a great boon to the apple grow¬ 
ers of the cold Northwest; and if it bears as well as 
Ben Davis, that is surely a great point in its favor. 
From the condition of the specimens I would judge 
that it is not so good a keeper as Willow, for they 
were very mellow the last of January, but as they 
were sound it is possible that they would have kept 
much longer; and the sender said that others “kept 
in an ordinary cellar can be sent in April.” Willow 
will keep until June, and is one of the very latest of 
all apples. In size it is small to medium, and the 
shape is obconic. The color is pale yellowish, a little 
over half covered with dull mixed red and with some 
darker stripes. It is by no means brilliant or attrac¬ 
tive, and reminds me of Genet in general appearance. 
As to the quality it is very good, but I do not call it 
best; as it is very mild subacid and pleasant, but not 
rich or sprightly in flavor. It does not, in my judg¬ 
ment, equal Jonathan in high quality. It is probably 
a good dessert Winter apple, but I do not call it idcul 
in size, color or flavor. However, it would be well to 
try a tree or two of it. n. e. van ueaian. 
GOOD FRUIT.—The picture shown at Fig. 81 is 
taken from the annual catalogue of H. S. Wiley, 
Cayuga, N. Y. “Have a Sutton Beauty?” was the text 
he put under it, but we have changed the question in¬ 
to a statement of fact. Mr. Wiley is President of the 
American Apple Consumers’ League, and he knows a 
good apple when he sees—or tastes It. If there is any 
more hopeful way of starting a boy than that of get¬ 
ting him interested in good apples we do not know 
what it is. 
