623 
September 5 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
FARMERS’ CLUB 
[Every query must be accompanied by 
the name and address of \he writer to in¬ 
sure attention. Before asking a question, 
please see whether it is .’-ot answered in 
our advertising columns. Ask only a few 
questions at one time. Put tpje.stions on a 
separate piece of paper.] 
RENEWING AN OLD PASTURE. 
H. H., Clymer, N. Y.—How can I renew 
the grass on an old pasture? I have about 
40 acres in pasture, rich creek bottom land, 
and in Fall and Winter it is entirely under 
water for a day or two at a time. The 
grasses have mostly run out or died out 
and their place has been filled with narrow¬ 
leaved plantain and daisies. I cannot con¬ 
veniently plow the land. Could I sow 
grass seed or clover on land and have it 
amount to anything? 
Ajvs.—O n the college farm at Cornell 
the practice has been followed for sev¬ 
eral years of sowing grass seed upon 
those portions of the pasture that seem 
to be getting thin or unproductive. We 
have found that upon steep hillsides the 
feet of the cows do considerable dam¬ 
age by cutting into the turf. It has 
been these places that have attracted 
most of our attention, and decided 
benefit has been observed by sowing a 
mioderatdi amount of grass seed each 
Spring. If the season is very dry little 
effect is seen, but if there is abundant 
moisture, continued for a considerable 
time, it results in a very noticeable 
thickening of the turf. Some farmers 
have recently come to understand that 
meadows which are too thin may be re¬ 
cuperated and renewed by sowing addi¬ 
tional seeds upon them. This is partic¬ 
ularly true of Timothy. It is not so 
well known that clover will succeed un¬ 
der these conditions. Pastures that are 
not overstocked always produce some 
seed, and experience teaches that noth¬ 
ing is ISO detrimental to pasture land as 
year after year keeping it so closely 
pastured that no seed can be produced. 
The decline of our great natural pas¬ 
tures of the western prairies has been 
very noticeable during recent years, 
and it is now coming to be understood 
that this result is chiefly brought about 
by overstocking them so that there is 
no opportunity for plants to produce 
seed. Experiments conducted in Texas 
and others of the great grazing States 
indicate that these pastures can be 
saved by sowing seeds upon them or 
keeping the stock off for a season to al¬ 
low the plants to seed. In this case the 
chief difficulty exists in connection with 
the narrow-leaved plaintain which in¬ 
fests the land. This plant is very per¬ 
sistent, and, as it is not eaten by the 
stock, produces seed without hindrance. 
The writer is not sure whether desirable 
pasture grasses will take possession of 
the soil in competition with the plan¬ 
tain, but it would be a very Interesting 
experiment to try. A portion of the 
field should be thoroughly disked, and 
a combination of desirable pasture 
grass seeds applied. Possibly July or 
early in August would be a desirable 
time to do this work as the disking of 
the plantain at this time would prob¬ 
ably weaken it more than in the Spring. 
A combination of grasses would seem to 
be desirable, including Timothy, Blue 
grass. Red-top and the clovers. If suit¬ 
able weather conditions follow there 
would be good probability of successful 
outcome, but with dry weather little 
results will be secured. j. l. stone. 
Ithaca, N. _ 
THE BIRD OR THE FRUIT, 
A Connecticut Man Demands Protec¬ 
tion. 
This season, from 11 cherry trees, sev¬ 
eral varieties, both sweet and sour, wc 
only succeeded in getting about 10 pounds 
for our own use. What were not spoiled 
by rains were eaten by countless robins, 
catbirds and cedar birds. Fortunately 
they did not bother the raspberries or 
blackberries. We have no strawberry bed 
this year. It is high time something was 
done to enable the farmer and fruit grower 
to protect himself from these thieves. It 
is all very well for some person, not de¬ 
pendent on his crops for a living, to have 
bills passed protecting this bird and that 
from destruction. It is now time for us 
to have bills passed to protect our fruits 
and berries from destruction. Let us 
unite in demanding a withdrawal of the 
protective law from these birds, or at 
least give the fruit grower power to de¬ 
fend and protect his own property. 
Bethel. Conn. c. w. h. 
Bird Destruction Societies Wanted. 
I am glad to see you speak out on the 
bird question. My experience has been 
about like yours, although perhaps not 
quite so bad. If I try to grow a few 
strawberries in my own garden, they 
practically amount to nothing because 
the birds take the greater part. In ex¬ 
perimental work we find results are likely 
to be greatly vitiated for the same reason. 
This year they destroyed many currants 
as well as strawberries, particularly on 
any plants near trees. In Nebraska we 
found it almost impossible to get any 
grapes from a vineyard containing perhaps 
half an acre to an acre, and also impos¬ 
sible to get any early red apples that were 
perfect. I think It is time horticulturists 
took a hand in the bird question. If our 
Audubon societies would reorganize into 
bird destruction societies, I think thej' 
would do more good, at least if their ac¬ 
tivities were confined to such kinds as the 
robin and the catbird. Personally I would 
much rather fight the Insects than to fight 
the birds, for I greatly hate to kill any¬ 
thing. [Prof.J FRED W. CARD. 
Rhode Island. 
" Something Doing " in Pennsylvania. 
I have read a great deal of what I can call 
by no other name than foolish nonsense 
about the beautiful birds. The great ma¬ 
jority of people have been so educated that 
while they would be horrified at the 
thought of killing a robin, they consider it 
quite the proper thing to kill on sight a 
snake, a skunk, a hawk, or an owl. 
As a friend of fruit grower or fruit, 
how can a robin be compared to one of the 
above despired four. I have 300 sweet 
cherry trees most of them small, three or 
four big old trees; the birds came In flocks, 
took them all. I did not get over three 
quarts. The larger trees had a big crop 
on. I have 50 May Dukes set in 1896; they 
bore pretty good crop. I got less than a 
bushel. Then they turned their attention 
to our other sour trees. This was most 
too much. My partner suffered a relapse, 
and there was something doing. As near 
as we can estimate 600 birds won’t eat 
any more cherries. Of course I would 
not advise killing the beautiful creatures, 
although my loss this year was several 
hundred dollars. a. r. l. 
Pennsylvania. 
I read with interest the notes from the 
Rural Grounds, Aug. 8. Here in Southern 
Pennsylvania, the catbirds and robins 
have been very destructive; more so this 
year than last. We have several Early 
Richmond cherry trees not fifty feet from 
the house, and the birds took the entire 
crop when they were about half ripe 
They also helped themselves greedily to the 
raspberries, but were more generous with 
the blackberries, leaving some for us. 
Pennsylvania. a. r. 
Sense Rather Than Sentiment. 
Rurallsms, page 566, prompts me to 
write of our experiences here at Edgewood. 
We have always been friendly to the birds 
and opposed to killing them; even spared 
the European sparrows until they became 
too great a nuisance by nesting in gpitters 
and spouting from which they had to be 
routed. Until the present year other birds 
have not seemed too abundant, but this 
year one other bird, the robin, has mult- 
plied beyond all reasonable expectation. 
Pour or five nests were built on the place 
early In Spring and must all have been 
successful. Strawberries were unmolested, 
but by the time raspberries were ripe the 
young birds had reached maturity and 
seemingly ate little but fruit. One day I 
entered the smaller raspberry planting, 
containing less than one-fourth acre, and 
27 robins, by actual count, flew out of 
the bushes on my approach. Toward the 
end of the season they took absolutely 
everything and we estimate that they took 
probably one-fourth of the crop of rasp¬ 
berries and blackberries. Cherries were 
scarce and birds took all there were. The 
Red-headed woodpecker has also been a 
prominent fruit eater with us, but the 
robin has been by far the most destructive. 
One man in the neighborhood has killed 
them in defiance of the protective law. 
Elsewhere I learn that those who were 
suffering from them consulted the local 
game warden before doing anything. He 
took it upon himself to tell them to go 
ahead and kill them, for if they were not 
kept in check it would soon be necessary 
to pay a bounty upon them for their de¬ 
struction, as in the case of the sparrow'. 
We need the protective law, beyond a 
doubt, but we also need a modification in 
it such as now applies to rabbits and 
squirrels, which will permit the farmer to 
destroy, within the limits of Iiis own farm, 
any that become a nuisance through be¬ 
coming too numerous. This would give 
protection to the fruit grower and still be 
protective of bird life in general. Senti¬ 
ment in regard to the birds Is all very 
good, but sense is better, and the sooner 
we learn that some birds are good and 
others bad, and to discriminate between 
them, the better it will be for us all. 
Ohio. J. M. s. 
WANTED. 
Eldorado Blackberry and Golden Queen 
Raspberry Plants. Address, Box 227, 
North Collins, N. Y. 
Mealy Wheat, yielded 49*^ bushels to the acre, at $1.10 
per bushel. We have also American Wonder, Fultz, 
and Dawson Golden Chaff. Write for circular. 
The Theilmann Seed Company, Erie, Pa. 
nrrn lA/UC yields. 
OLlU WriLnl 13 varieties. Save dollars ex¬ 
perimenting. Sample free of best yielding kinds, 
McKinlcv.Ked Wonder. Mealy, 20 bushels,$1 a bushel. 
SMITH'S WHEAT FARM, Route 1, Shortsville, N,y. 
Clenwood Nurseries 
Most complete assortment of choice 
Ornamental trees, Shrubs and Vines 
Bend for Descriptive Illustrated Catalogue. 
THE WM. H. MOON CO., MORRIB'VILLE, PA. 
SO miles from New York; 30 miles from Philadelphia. 
For the Fall of 1903 
We are in the market again with a large stock of 
choice Fruit, Forest, and Ornamental Trees, Shrubs. 
Vines, etc. The oldest and largest nursery in New 
England. 200 acres in trees. Satisfaction guaranteed 
to all customers. Send for catalogue. Address 
IHE STEPHEN HOYT’S SONS C0„ 
New Canaan, Conn. 
RED SEED WHEAT-y'ijr^erS 
bushel. 
Yielder. Not bearded, $1 per 
Good bags, 15 cents extra. 
S EED WHEAT.— Hand weeded, recleaned, Fultzo- 
Medlterranean and Mealy. $1.15 per bushel; bags 
free. Track, Erie, Pa. SIEGEL, The Seedsman, 
p—Prosperity Red, White Chaff. 
__J Ball-head, very hardy, insect 
proof, sure cropper, heavy ylelder,$l per bushel; sacK 
free. Cash with order. Also, Tunis Kains, fulL 
bloods and half-bloods. D. C. MCPHERSON SEED 
SEED WHEAT 
ernup A IVV Snnt.t.K-c^Ulp. Mnnroe Cmintv. N. Y. 
Our straw just sold at 
BSi KL 1 Iw ■ C. $20 per ton, carload lots. 
Send for Rye Circular with list prizes at State Fairs. 
Pan-American, and picture rye field. $1 per bushel. 
E. L. CLARKSON, Tivoli, N-Y. 
SEEDWHEATl 
eO BUSHELS PER ACRE ; product of crop 
grown from our Imported Malakolli purebred; 
grandest New variety ever Introduced. Re¬ 
quires less seed per acre: stools better; gives 
better and heavier quality of grain; not at¬ 
tacked with rust or fly; hardy as Rye. $1.60 
per bushel. Turkish Red, S1.1 0 ; Mammoth 
White Rye, $1.00. No extra charge for sacks. 
Ask for prices on Timothy, Clover and all farm 
seeds. 
RATEKINS* SEED HOUSE, Shenandoah, la. 
the heaviest yielding, 
Invincible Seed Wheat proliflc variety in culti¬ 
vation. It stands up like a wall against all storms, 
has never lodged, has never been attacked by the 
Hessian Fly,has never winter killed. Weofferyou 
the product of over two hundred acres of our own 
growing, thoroughly recleaned, as low as $1 per 
bushel. Also, the best Rye grown. Elegantly 
lithographed catalogue free. Address 
EDWARD F, DIDDLE, noneS'eTgr.fS.T. 
FARMER’S FRIEND WHEAT. 
KING OF THE WHEAT FIELD. A great 
.sensation everywhere. Fly-proof, hardy. Tests 60 to 
65 lbs. Big, hard, red berry; immense yielder. Fosters 
improved, Longberry, longest heads, biggest straw of 
liny wheat grown. Our Catalogue No. 26, tells all 
'. .lout it. and other good sorts. It’s free with samples. 
.UPLEWOOD STOCK FARM, Allegan, Mich. 
“MISSINB LINK” 
They will give you fresh apples every day in the year 
without cold storage. Write for circulars. 
B. M. STONE, Stull, Pa. 
QRAPE VINES 
Cwmubta. CtooMb«nl«Bt BlMk> 
ImixIm, RaRpbAni*^ ■tra'w 
1»«rrl«$. Price List BRKK. 
Seal t« itamp f«r lllaitratcd dMwiptlv* ••tal*|. 
I. S. HUBBARD CO. Fredonia, N. Y. 
THE 
Haifa eentary of fair dealing has givet 
our products that prominence which merit 
deserves. We still offer everything of 
the best for Orchard, Vineyard, 
Lawn, Park, StreeL Oardea 
and Greenhouse. Catalogus 
^ No. 1. 112 pages, free to pur¬ 
chasers 01 Fruit and Ornamental 
Trees. No. 3, 6i pages, free to buysrs 
of Holland Bulbs and Greenhouse 
Plants. Try us; wo guarantee 
feati.sfaction. Correspondence solicited. 
STORRS & HARRISON COn 
PAINESVILLEv OHIO. 
5 ,™. , 
^11^ Fruit Book Free. Result of 78 years’cxpcrienco 
,^/'STARK BROS, Louisiana, Mo.; Dansvilie, N. Y.; Etc 
TREES SUCCEED WHERE 
Larpest^Nursory. OTHERS FAIL 
Dest Nursery Stock—At the old reliable Milford Nurs- 
O erics. Established, 1870. Peach Trees, 4c.; Plums 
and other stock. Shade and Holly Trees for the Lawn. 
Catalogue. Milford Nurseries, Box 64. Milford. Del. 
^ I n was paid for one quart of Oom Paul Straw 
V I U berries at our field meetiDg,6 berries to a quart. 
100 potted plants for $2.50. List Free. 
KEVITT'S PLANT FARM, Athenia, N. J. 
B p Y Y9 wI?e7a KrvIKK 
■ ■ ” Full Line. Best Stock. Low Pricee. 
K GROVER NOliSEliT CO., V; 
109,000 2-YEAR APPLE 
Ofl fiflfl rURDDV B-arly Richmond, Dyehouse, 
tiU,UUU tllLllIll Large Montmorency. 
200,000 Peach,75,000 June Buds. Fumigation. This stock 
cannot be surpassed, and we can save you money. 
WOODVIBW NURSERIES, B10, Mt. Holly Springs, Pa 
A GRAND LOT OF TREES 
Grown on virgin soil in the mountains of Western 
Pennsylvania. No scale, no disease of any kind. 
None better, none cheaper. Our business is growing 
trees for the commercial orchardlst and farmer. 
Write for descriptive catalogue and price list. Address 
The River Side Nursery Company 
Confluence, Penii/ 
NORTHERN GROWN TREES. 
Best climate. Best soil. Best for the Fruit 
Grower. Best for Agent and Dealer. Best Cata¬ 
logue, Best Prices. My treatment and trees make 
permanent customers. Once tried, always wanted. 
Catalogue free. Instructive, interesting. 
MARTIN WAHL, Rochester, N Y 
2,000,000 pSes 
We offer 2,000,000 Elberta June Buds, besides large 
stock of Belle of Georgia, Mamie Ross, Hiley, Car¬ 
man, Greensboro, etc., all for Fall delivery. Big as¬ 
sortment of 2-year Apple, 1-year Pear and Cherry, 
and small fruit plants. Write for catalogue. 
Chattanooga Nurseries, Chattanooga, Tenn. 
$25,000 made from one-half acre. 
Easily grown throughout the U. S. 
and Canada. Room in your garden 
to grow thousands of dollars' 
worth. Roots and seeds for sale. Send 4c. for post- 
,ge and get our booklet C. W. telling all about it. 
MCDOWELL GINSENG GARDEN. Joplin. Mo. 
FRUIT TREES 
FOR FALL PLANTING 
We do not hesitate to say that you will get most 
excellent results from planting our Trees in Octo¬ 
ber and November. A lull line of varieties, named 
in my Catalogue, which is free. Get it to-day. 
H. JS. 
Cayuga Nurseries, Caygua, N. i. 
Free from Scale. New and Choice Varieties. 
Blackberries, Strawberries, Raspberries. 
Our FREE CATALOGUE will save you money. MYER & SON, Bridgevllle, Del. 
TREES AND PLANTS 
Honest, Reliable, Free from all Diseases 
Berries and Small Fruits. 300,000 Apples 2 years old, 6 to 
7 ft. 13c. each, 5 to 6 ft. 10c., 4 to 5 ft. 7c. Boxing and pack¬ 
ing Free. 20 per cent Discount for Club Orders. Get up 
a club among your neighbors. Fall Price List Free to all. 
Sheeriu's ■Wholesale Nurseries. Dansvilie, N. Y. 
Hyacinths, Tulips, Crocus, Narcissus, Lilies, Ac- 
Our New Bulb Catalogue is sent fi-ee. It tells 
all about the best bulbs, also seasonable seeds 
and plants, including onr celebrated gi'ass mix- 
FOR FALL 
PLANTING 
HENRY A. DREER, Philadelphia, Pa. 
TREES 
Aq nrn inn apple, pear, cherry, and peach, healthy, true to name and 
^0 iLH lUUi Fumigated. All kinds of trees and plants at low wholesale prices. 
Don’t buy until yaw get our catalogue, which is free, or send list of wants for special 
price. Address RELIANCE NURSERY, Box 10, Geneva, New York. 
ROGERS TREES EOR SAFETY 
Every tree we offer is onr own growing. No scale here, no risks, but safety and personal atten 
tion in every operation. Trees bred from selected bearing parents, labelled before dug, inspewd. 
fumigated, guarantee of purity 5 to 1—the Safest Trees and the Best Trees that money can buy. 
Our list of varieties is selected for business. We have not all the kinds you read about, hutu 
you want fruit, the best fruit, we have the kinds you need. 
Our Tree Breeder will tell you more about our trees, and onr prices. Yen ought to have a 
copy. It’s Fbbe. 
ROGERS ON THE HILL,DANSVILLE,N.Y. 
