1903 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
261 
THE STRINCFELLOW METHOD OF 
PLANTING TREES. 
My experience with the Stringfellow 
method should convince any reasonable 
man that the method is all right, not 
only in southern Texas, but wherever it 
has a fair trial. I believe that every 
failure has been the result of not pack¬ 
ing the earth about the roots or planting 
too late in the Spring. When a tree with 
but a few inches of root is planted in 
loose soil it is unable to take up suffi¬ 
cient moisture to supply its needs, and 
it must perish. If planted too late there 
is not sufficient time for a callus and 
new roots to be developed before growth 
commences, and the tree is unable to 
meet the demands that are being made 
upon it. When I first heard of close 
root-pruning, about seven years ago, I 
was prepared to have some faith in it, 
for I had been cutting off the roots of 
strawberry plants in transplanting for 
over 20 years. Over 30 years ago I had 
learned that shortening the roots of a 
grapevine to an inch made little or no 
difference with its growth. In the 
Spring of 1896 I planted about a dozen 
trees, apple, peach and plum, with the 
roots pruned very close, and every one 
grew, some making over 60 feet of new 
wood. The next year I grubbed up 70 
plum trees, suckers, from one to three 
or six years old, and planted them 
again. Most of them had very poor 
roots, and were cut to a very few inches, 
and the tops to 18 inches. Every one 
grew, and most of them made branches 
from three to four feet long. The same 
year I planted 25 quince trees and about 
60 plums, two years old, cutting the tops 
to a foot and the roots according to the 
Stringfellow method. 
These trees came from Missouri, and 
were long on the way. All made a fine 
growth. Root-grafting has been prac¬ 
ticed nearly 100 years. During the Win¬ 
ter a scion six inches in length is graft¬ 
ed into a piece of root three inches in 
length, and laid away in a cellar until 
Spring. During this time the scion and 
root become united to a certain extent, 
and if carefully planted the little tree 
will grow. Before the end of the grow¬ 
ing season the union is perfect and the 
scion and root are one, just as much as 
if they had grown from a single seed. 
The root and top are perhaps a thousand 
times better united than they were when 
they were first planted as a root-graft. 
Every fruit grower knows all this, and 
we have ceased to wonder at it, although 
it is wonderful. Now, we will take this 
little tree with its three feet of wood 
and a good root system, cut the top back 
to 18 inches and shorten the main root 
to four inches and the side roots to one- 
fourth of an inch. It is almost a root- 
graft again, but larger, and the root and 
top are one. If carefully planted will it 
grow? Why not? It has a hundred 
times better chance than it had when a 
root-graft. Mr. Stringfellow was the 
first to discover that it would grow. 
Quite a number of people all over the 
country who have tested the matter say 
that it will grow. But what say the au¬ 
thorities? Some of them now, seven 
years after the method was published, 
are willing to concede that Mr. String¬ 
fellow is right; some say it may succeed 
near the Gulf where the water is always 
within a short distance of the surface; 
but most of them want to bring the 
method into disrepute. Only last year 
the horticultural editor of one of our 
gieat agricultural papers, and a pro¬ 
fessor, too, said the Stringfellow method 
'vas like cutting off the roots and top 
and planting the label. In due time he 
will be convinced. It makes me tired to 
think of the hard work I did when I 
v/as a young man working in the nur¬ 
sery. It was my ambition to save all 
the roots possible. It pleased the cus¬ 
tomers, and that was worth the effort; 
but so far as the trees were concerned, 
they would have done far better with 
nine-tenths of the roots left in the 
ground. 
Close root-pruning is not all there is 
In the Stringfellow method. It is em¬ 
bodied in these four propositions; There 
must be no deep loosening of the soil 
previous to planting the trees. At the 
time of planting, the top and roots 
should be cut back, reducing the tree al¬ 
most to a cutting. All stirring of the 
surface must be discontinued after the 
first two or three years. Instead, the 
orchard is to be seeded down and the 
grass frequently clipped with a mowing 
machine. All pruning is to be done in 
the growing season. These propositions 
are directly opposite to what we have 
considered orthodox heretofore, but they 
are surely true, nevertheless. Fifty 
years ago physicians bled their patients 
for nearly every complaint. This was 
orthodox for more than 200 years. Fifty 
years ago, when the preacher in my 
neighborhood made a pastoral visit, he 
first received a glass of whisky, then 
prayed with the family and then cate¬ 
chised the children. In those days chil¬ 
dren of unbelievers and all children who 
died without baptism were lost. If the 
“new horticulture” is sound, and it sure¬ 
ly is, the sooner fruit growers find it 
out the better. I hope that we may hear 
much on the subject m. ckawfoed. 
Ohio. 
Lime-Sulphur Wash.— The lime-sulphur- 
salt mixture is the best spray solutien 
known on this coast; known as such by 
practical experience; best to use against 
insects, and best as a fungicide. The idea 
that it is only valuable in a dry climate is 
all nonsense, but will it soon wash off from 
the effect of rains? It rains some here on 
Puget Sound—one season for 50 days with¬ 
out letting up, and beating the Noachian 
record—but one good application of the 
lime, sulphur and salt solution will stay 
on the trees for two years. Nearly every¬ 
one knows that salt in a lime wash makes 
it stick almost like oil paint. It is the only 
spray that seems to be of much benefit as 
a fungicide here. My experience, and that 
of my neighbors, is that the Bordeaux 
Mixture is comparatively worthless, if not 
entirely so, for that purpose; and it is but 
little used now. j. f. c. 
Skagit, Wash. 
WELL 
DRILLING 
MACHINES 
Over VO sizes and styles, for drilling either deep or 
shallow wells in any kind of soil or rock. Mounted 
on wheels or on sills. With engines or horse powers 
Strong, simple and durable. Any mechanic can 
operate them easily. Send for catalog. 
WILLIAMS BROS., Ithaca, N. V, 
AGRICULTURALSALT 
pays for itself first year. Benefit 
lasts for several seasons. Write 
for information and prices. 
THE EMPIRE STATE SALT CO., 
Le Roy, N. Y, 
Two Million Tons of 
BASIC SLAG FERTILIZER 
Sold in 1902. 
Send all Orders to 
400 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pa. 
FOUR 
FREE 
FRIENDS 
' FOR 
Our money winning books, 
written by men who know, tell 
you all about 
Potai.sK 
They are needed by every man 
who owns a field and a plow, and 
who desires to get the most out 
of them. 
They are free. Send postal card, 
GERMAN KALI WORKS 
98 Nossau street. New York 
Hubbard’s Fertilizers do not rest until the work is done; when the ground 
freezes, they rest, but only then. In connection with this statement, kindly read 
the following from the Past Master of the Massachusetts State Grange: 
The Rogers & Hubbard Co., Middletown Conn. Marboro, Mass., Oct. 6,1902. 
Gentlemen—I used about nine tons of Hubbard’ Fertilizer this season and am satisfled that it paid. This 
was particularly true of the Hubbard’sOats and Top Dressing. Its use enabled us to cut the first crop before 
after which date there came on a long spell of wet weather, and while most farmers were com¬ 
plaining because their hay was spoiling or getting over-ripe, we were growing a fine rowen crop which cut 
over a ton per acre by the middle of August, and at this writing there Is a third crop almost heavy enough 
to cut. Yours truly, B. D. HOWK, Past Master, Massachusetts State Grange. 
The letter speaks for itself—comment seems unnecessary. We hope you will 
decide to use the Hubbard Fertilizers. Our book, “ Hubbard’s Fertilizers for 1903,” 
giving full description of our different brands, sent free to any address. Apply 
to our “ Local Agents” or direct to 
THE ROGERS & HUBBARD CO., 
Of 
MIDDLETOWM, CONN. 
Bowke 
Fertilizers. 
SALES DOUBLED EVERY TEN YEARS. 
The sales of Bowker’s Fertilizers in 1882 were . 15,000 tons. 
10 years later (1892) they had doubled . . 30,000 “ 
10 years later (1902) they had doubled again, 60,000 “ 
This Marvelous Exhibit shows conclusively that Bowker’s 
Fertilizers must have proven as represented; must have given 
good results in the field; and must have been sold reasonably; 
otherwise such an increase could never have been made. It also 
shows that our customers have confidence in our goods and 
recommend them to their friends. As the old, reliable ''Cotmtry 
Gentleman" says: “The Bowker goods may be bought and 
USED WITH CONFIDENCE;” 
and confidence after all is the main thing in buying any kind of 
merchandise. 
It <wiU pay you to see our Local Agents or correspond with us before purchasing your 
Fertilizers this season. The purchaser of Bowker's Fertilizer takes no risk. You can 
continue to defend upon them,for they are made and sold now as heretofore—'■'■on honor." 
BOWKER fertilizer company 
Boston. New York. Cincinnati. 
