286 
April 21 
The New York Fruit Package Law. 
Several Readers: Are the basket manufac¬ 
turers generally complying with the new 
law, or are they making the “short” pack¬ 
ages? Will the law be enforced, and who 
is to enforce it? 
I was up among the Ulster fruit grow¬ 
ers recently. The two manufacturers I 
saw are complying with the law, and 
making full-measure boxes. Several 
growers I talked with say, “All right, 
we are glad of such a law.” I have seen 
some berries in the market from the 
South, marked “short,” so there seems 
a readiness to comply with the law, 
though there may be shorts not so 
marked. I have not investigated close¬ 
ly enough to be sure. I think our State 
growers of the Hudson Valley will com¬ 
ply. n. H. 
Nothing at all has been done here as 
yet; there is only one firm making bas¬ 
kets, and they are standard. This firm 
had a call for “shorts” from Syracuse, 
but declined the order. There is a large 
quantity of shorts on hand here from 
last year, but no sales as yet. I think 
the law will be a dead letter, as there 
seems to be no provision for its execu¬ 
tion, as there is no reward for putting 
the law in force, and people will not 
work for nothing. f. g. t. 
Oswego, N. Y. 
The law relative to the size of straw¬ 
berry baskets was not changed by the 
last Legislature. We know of nothing 
that is being done relative to the en¬ 
forcement of this law. It was so drawn 
by the representatives of the horticul¬ 
tural interests that it gave the enforce¬ 
ment of it to no one in particular. This 
department could not in any sense what¬ 
ever enforce it unless it could show to 
the court that it was a so-called agricul¬ 
tural law. As it has reference to bas¬ 
kets, which are a manufactured product, 
it is not clear that this department 
would have a right to enforce it. We 
are of the opinion that we would be 
thrown out of court in the first case. 
The District-Attorney, however, of each 
county would, in our judgment, be the 
proper person to take this matter up, if 
complaint were made to him that the 
law was being violated. 
C. A. WIETING, 
Commissioner of Agriculture. 
The essential features of the law are 
given below: 
SECTION 1, SMALL FRUIT PACK¬ 
AGES.—The standard of measures for buy¬ 
ing and selling strawberries, raspberries, 
blackberries, currants, gooseberries and 
other small fruits shall be the quart, 
which shall contain when even full sixty- 
seven cubic inches; the pint when even full 
shall contain thirty-three and one-half 
cubic inches; the half pint, which, when 
even full, shall contain sixteen and three- 
quarters cubic inches.. 
2. MARKS ON BASKETS.—All. manufac¬ 
turers of small fruit packages such as 
quarts, pints and half pints, that make oi 
cause to be made such packages that are 
of less size or capacity than the standard 
sizes as defined in section one of this act, 
shall mark each such quart, pint or half 
pint with the -word “short” on the out¬ 
side in letters not less than one-half inch 
in height. 
3. PENALTY.—Any person in this State 
who sells or offers for sale fruit packages 
that are of less than the standard sizes 
and capacity as defined in section one, or 
any person who sells or offers for sale 
fruit in packages that are of less size or 
capacity than those defined in section one, 
that are not marked with the word “short” 
as directed in section two, shall be deemed 
guilty of a misdemeanor and upon con¬ 
viction thereof in any court of competent 
jurisdiction shall be fined not less than 
five dollars and not more than twenty-five 
dollars, and shall stand committed to the 
county jail until such fine and costs are 
paid. 
Fertilizers for Fruits. 
P. G. M., Hingham, Mass.— What mixture 
of fertilizer can I use on fruit and expect 
good results? Should I use it this year? 
I was told last year of a fertilizer for 
rhubarb which contained nitrate of soda, 
acid phosphate and something else, which 
I cannot remember. 
Ans. —A mixture of chemicals that 
will give you fair satisfaction can be 
jnade as follows: One part of nitrate of 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER] 
soda, one part of muriate of potash, two 
parts dissolved phosphate rock, and one 
part of the fine, ground bone to the ton. 
This would give 800 pounds of the rock 
and 400 pounds each of the others. We 
do not advise the use of fertilizer for 
strawberries in the Spring. The plant 
food is needed most the season ahead of 
fruiting. When the strawberries are set 
out, it is well to use about half the mix¬ 
ture in a space about two feet wide over 
the drill, the other half to be applied 
about August, and well cultivated into 
the ground. For beds that have been 
fruited one year, and are to be kept over, 
we would plow the furrows each way, 
so as to leave a row about one foot wide. 
Then scatter the fertilizer in these fur¬ 
rows close down to the roots of the 
plants, and cultivate the middles until 
the old plants are killed out, and the 
ground well leveled. The fertilizer you 
speak of probably contains muriate of 
potash, in addition to the nitrate of soda 
and acid phosphate. 
Using the Bordeaux Mixture. 
A. G. TV., Binghamton, N. Y.—I make Bor¬ 
deaux Mixture as follows: Dissolve six 
pounds of copper sulphate by putting it in 
an old gunny sack and hanging it in water; 
when dissolved, dilute to 22 gallons. Slake 
four pounds of fresh lime and dilute to 22 
gallons and strain the lime into the copper 
sulphate. Is this correct? Will one such 
mixture last and be good to make three 
sprayings for apple, cherry and peach 
trees, or should it be made fresh at each 
spraying? At what time should I make 
each spraying? 
Ans—A. G. W. should make a very 
fine article of Bordeaux by his process. 
There is lime and sulphate enough, how¬ 
ever, for 50 instead of 44 gallons. It 
would be much better to mix a fresh 
batch at each spraying, as Bordeaux’ 
Mixture deteriorates in standing even 48 
hours. For apple trees, I would make 
three applications, the first just before 
the blossoms open; second, just after the 
petals fall, and a third, about a week or 
10 days later. It would be best also to 
add Paris-green at the rate of one pound 
to each 100 to 150 gallons of Bordeaux 
at each spraying, so as to hit the stand¬ 
ard insect pests of the apple. Two 
sprayings after the blossoms fall are 
usually sufficient for the cherry unless 
the fruit rots badly; use same mixtures. 
The peach is very susceptible to sprays, 
and the mixture would better be diluted 
about one-fourth. Apply first when the 
peach buds are just showing signs of 
swelling, to hit the Leaf-curl fungus. 
One or two sprayings after the blossoms 
are off may sometimes be necessary on 
peach. m. v. si.ingeri.and. 
Driven Wells; Creosote Finish. 
G. W. 8., Wilmore, Pa.— 1. Would you dig a 
well in loose creek-bottom gravel, or use 
the driven well to a depth of 25 or 30 feet? 
Is the driven well durable and satisfactory, 
and where can the complete pump and 
appliances be had? 2. Will the application 
of Cabot’s creosote shingle stain to a 
new red-cedar shingle roof add to the du¬ 
rability sufficiently to pay for the cost? 
1. A driven well may be made in any 
kind of soil, sand, or even through mud, 
as it is piped, and there is no possibility 
of the well caving. An iron pipe of any 
desired diameter (two inches is the kind 
for common use), has a point attached 
to the bottom end, so fixed that it stays 
in its place while the pipe is being 
driven, but when water is reached the 
pipe may be lifted a few inches to per¬ 
mit the water to enter the pipe, or the 
bottom of the pipe is bored with a num¬ 
ber of holes, through which the water 
enters. By a little pumping, when water 
is reached a sort of cave is made, in 
which water gathers, and thus forms a 
reservoir. These wells are extensively 
used in warfare, as with a supply of 
pipes ready for use it is a small matter 
to procure water in a very Short time, 
and the water is generally pure.. But as 
water cannot be pumped by suction 
more than 24 feet or so, this kind of well 
is only practicable for a shallow supply 
of water. Nevertheless, it is quite pos¬ 
sible when a gopd supply of water is 
found in a convenient location, to dig 
around the pipe, making a dry ■well, in 
which the pipe may be cut off, and the 
pump attached at a point at which the 
water may be drawn. Then if a for e 
pump is fitted in this way, one may have 
the best possible supply of water for do¬ 
mestic purposes. By putting down a 
number of these wells near together, a 
large supply may be procured, if the 
'tops of all the pipes ax - e attached to¬ 
gether by angle joints to one large 
pipe. Any dealer in ironware or a 
plumber will be able to supply the who 1 e 
outfit. 2. Cabot’s creosote wood stain 
will act as an antiseptic preservative to 
shingles, but it must be applied to both 
sides of the wood; the shingles, in fact, 
must be dipped in tne liquid, so as to 
saturate both sides; otherwise the un¬ 
der side of a shingle may decay prema¬ 
turely. To discover the saving of cost, 
estimate the cost of the new roof, and 
if the stain doubles the life of it at the 
doubled cost, the cost is just repaid, and 
if the roof lasts longer, there is a gain. 
One thing is to be estimated, which is 
rtJhe extra value of the roof on account 
of its improved appearance. n. s. 
Wormy Apples 
never made money for anybody. Only sound 
apples are salable and profitable. Have sound 
apples, pears, plums, peaches, cherries, cur¬ 
rants, berries, etc., by using 
SWIFT’S ^1 e e n a a d te 
as an insecticide. It’s the latest and best. Kills 
codling moth, hud moth, tent caterpillar, canker 
worm, pear and cherry slug and Might, gypsy moth, 
and ail hugs, beetles, worms, insects, etc. It’s white, 
easily seen, sticks to the lea ves and never scalds 
or burns the foliage. Endorsed by leading State En¬ 
tomologists. Used by Gypsy Moth Cwnmission of Moss. Send 
for free booklet “Injurious /wrreia.” Made and sold only by 
Wm. H SWIFT & CO., 05 Broad Street, BOSTON, MASS. 
Hie Dew=ey Sprayer. 
Sprays Kerosene Oil and Water by 
simply working the pump. Write for 
cirrui'r. /'nnpts wnted. 
Sent exp. paid east of Miss. River on receipt of $1.50. 
LEGGETT & BROTHER, 301 Pearl St, New York 
our new patent 
SPRAYERS 
indeed. Kerosene Emul- 
nade while pumping. 12 var- 
sprayers. Bordeaux and Ver- 
morel Nozzles, the World’s Best* 
THE DEMINQ CO. Salem, 0. 
Western Agents. Henion& Hub- A 
Chicago. Catalog, formulas free ' 
No Scorched Foliage 
if you use the unexcelled 
EMPIRE KING 
BARREL 
,, _ _ SPRAYER 
because it has a brush on the agitator 
which keeps the suction strainer free from 
the thick, raw poison. Bra** valves, 
without leather or rubber. We want good 
agents. Send for our free book on spraying. 
FIELD FORCE PUMP COMPANY* 
52 Market St., Lockport, N. Y. 
your Fruit Trees and 
24 styles spraying outfits. Best 
and cheapest. For prices and 
full treatise on spraying all Fruit andVegetable crops 
address WILLIAM STAHL, Quincy, Illinois. 
LEGGETT S CHAMPION 
DRY POWDER DUSTER. 
Dusts two rows of po¬ 
tatoes, tobacco, etc., 
as fast as you walk. 
Also a full line of Hand Sprayers. Write for circu¬ 
lar. Agents wanted. 
LEGGETT & BROTHER, 301 Pearl St., NEW YORK. 
Eureka Harness Oil Is the best 
preservative of new leather 
and the best renovator of old 
leather. It oils, softens, black¬ 
ens and protects. Use 
Eureka 
Harness 
on your best harness, your old har¬ 
ness, and your carriage top, and they 
will not only look better but wear 
longer. Sold everywhere in cans—all 
sizes from half pints to five gallons. 
Mad* by STANDARD OIL CO. 
dUUu ddfbb 11$ bUSI 
A Labor Bassar. 
iz-iear 
Old Boy 
can do more and better work, either 
in the field or garden, with th 
HAND CULTIVATOR 
than three men can do with common hoes. 
Plows, hoes, cultivates —sstrlde or between rows. Tfnoagent 
in voor town Rend 11.35 fot sample delivered end tern™ to agents. 
Ulrich Mfg.Co.,20Rlver St.,Rock Falls,III. 
BERRY BOXES and BASKETS 
Peach Packages— 
Grape Baskets— 
Fruit and Vegetable 
Packages Of every kind 
Seud for catalogue. 
NEW ALBANY BOX & BASKET CO., 
New Albany, Ind 
1900 
THE SOUTH SIDE 
FRUIT CARRIERS AND BASKETS 
PETERSBURG, VA. 
Write for Catalogue and Prices 
YOUR TROUBLES 
when yon get the 
grain drill that wing in competition with all 
others, the only one that sows fertilizer surely 
all t he time, even when it’s in bad condition, 
lumpy and full of trash. Get the 
IMPROVED LOW DOWN PENNSYLVANIA 
Force Feed Fertilizer 
Grain Drill 
log and will not bunch. Force feed in 
fact as well as in name. Simplest, most accu¬ 
rate and lightest running. Drill 
bows all kinds of grain, corn and 
peas with absolute regularity. 
FARQUHAR 
KEYSTONE 
CORN PLANTER 
Planting is pleasant when you watch the com 
drop in the rear of a Keystone Corn Planter. 
Its beautiful work, covering ten or twelve acres 
a day, is a constant pleasure to farmers who 
enjoy seeing work well done. The phosphate 
attachment is a perfect piece of mechanism. It 
sows any kind of pulverized fertilizer. The 
planter drops kernels in drills or hills with any 
desired spacing; works well even in rocky land. 
Plants ensilage, beaus, peas, etc. 
Send for complete Illustrated catalogue 
of farm Implements and machinery. 
A.B.FARQ.UHAH CO., Ltd.,York,Pa. 
Poultry-House Roofing 
must be cheap, durable and entirely 
airtight and waterproof. 
P & B Ruberoid Roofing 
is what you want. Invaluable for siding and for 
keeping floors dry and warm. 
Write ns for samples and juices. 
THE STANDARD PAINT COMPANY, 
Sole Manufacturers, 
Nos. 81 and 83 John Street, New York. 
