496 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
July 21 
Farmers’ Club. 
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Put questions on a separate piece of paper.] 
Potato Beetles Slow to Hatch. 
On our own farm this year the Potato 
beetles were very slow in hatching out. 
The hard-shelled beetles came at the usual 
time, and laid an abundance of eggs, both 
on the potato vines and on grass and weeds. 
The ordinary time passed, and the slugs 
did not hatch out, and we had begun to 
hope that something had happened to pre¬ 
vent their hatching. However, several 
days after the ordinary time they began to 
hatch, and have kept at it ever since. Suc¬ 
cessive hatchings of the slugs have ap¬ 
peared, so that it has been necessary to 
spray several times. Other farmers tell 
me that they have experienced the same 
thing. The slugs have been slower in 
hatching than ever before. Can you give 
me some idea as to the reason for this 
strange behavior? Would a peculiarity of 
season or other condition probably affect 
the egg? 
Xes, some peculiarity of the season 
often influences the egg-stage of insects. 
Apparently many of the eggs or very 
young worms of the Green currant 
worm were killed this Spring in our 
locality by weather conditions, probably 
either cold or wet conditions. Cool 
weather would undoubtedly retard the 
hatching of the eggs of the Potato 
beetle. The influence of weather condi¬ 
tions and other natural causes is often 
felt in the insect world, but it fils usually 
difficult 'to define just when or how the 
work is done. That insects have their 
ups and downs in life is a well-known 
fact, but the whys and wherefores of 
such things are little understood. 
M. V. SLLNGERLAND. 
I have noticed a similar condition 
with several other species. The tent- 
caterpillars hatched this year much later 
than usual. It has been shown that in¬ 
sect eggs kept at a low temperature, 
about the time that they would normally 
hatch, will delay hatching indefinitely. 
I am inclined to think that the unusual 
number of cool days this Spring is prob¬ 
ably the cause of the delay in the ap¬ 
pearance of the slugs of the Potato 
beetle. There are several interesting 
points in connection with the influence 
of temperature and other weather con¬ 
ditions upon development of insecte, 
which have not yet received much atten¬ 
tion, and this is one of them. 
Geneva N. Y. v. h. lowe. 
Kerosene for Insects. 
Do you find tne mechanical mixture of 
kerosene and water equal to kerosene 
emulsion for killing plant lice and similar 
insects? Many sprayers are now made 
with these mixing devices, and many 
scientific men advocate their use. 
I have never used kerosene either as 
an emulsion or mechanically mixed 
with water. By thoroughly spraying 
rose bushes and other shrubbery early 
in the season with Bordeaux Mixture, I 
have been able to protect them from all 
kinds of insects, as well as fungous dis¬ 
eases, and have never had occasion to 
try kerosene. I know this is not in ac¬ 
cordance with the teachings of our best 
scientists, but “the proof of the pudding 
is the eating,” and so long as the plant 
lice keep away from the trees and 
bushes that I have sprayed with Bor¬ 
deaux, I will use that, because there is 
no doubt about its adding vigor and 
health to the foliage. 
Pennsylvania. Gabriel hiester. 
There are very few animals that like 
kerosene, either as a mechanical mix¬ 
ture or as an emulsion. While it does 
not kill many kinds of insects, yet it is 
so obnoxious to them that it drives them 
away. We had a rose bed this year that 
was kept entirely clean from insects of 
all kinds by two-years’ spraying of kero¬ 
sene mechanically mixed by means of a 
knapsack sprayer. We also know that 
the use of emulsion keeps nearly all 
kinds of insects away from trees and 
vines where 'its use is persisted in. For 
extensive use we advise the emulsion, 
and for places where the knapsack 
sprayer can be satisfactorily used we 
advise the mechanical mixture. It is 
impossible, we find, to mix the kerosene 
satisfactorily where you use the barrel 
sprayers, because they will use kerosene 
for a while and then they will use water, 
and in some places the stock will be 
killed, while in others the insect is not 
worried at all because there was no 
kerosene. ,For Winter use, the crude 
petroleum is all right, if used properly 
and at the right time, but it cannot be 
used in the Summer, as it stops up the 
pores in the leaves, and the leaves fall, 
and the tree most likely dies. The rea¬ 
son the mechanical mixture is advised is 
because it is so much cheaper, and easy 
to make, but it has the faults that we 
name when the barrel sprayers are used. 
Theoretically, the barrel sprayer should 
mix as effectively as the knapsack, but 
it does not by actual use. Besides the 
roses spoken of we have driven June 
bugs and Rose bugs from trees and vines 
very easily with one or two applications 
with knapsack sprayer and the kerosene 
and water, and we have also stopped the 
'Currant worm’s work, but this was all 
experiment on the small scale, and we 
use 'the emulsion entirely when we have 
large lots to spray with the barrel 
sprayer. jos. u. black, sox & co. 
New Jersey. 
To Get Rid of Caraway. 
B. H. F., St. John, N. B.—l have a field of 
about 10 acres, which is full of caraway. 
Can you give me any information which will 
help me in getting rid of It? 
■Ans. —Caraway is an annual or a bi¬ 
ennial, and reproduces from the seed. 
If it is kept from forming seed it can 
be exterminated. If in meadow land, 
cut grass before caraway produces seed. 
If In land which is under tillage, give 
such thorough tillage that no seeds can 
develop, and the plants will be de¬ 
stroyed. l. a. c. 
Tobacco Ashes; Nitrate of Soda. 
L. V. A., Bethel, Ky .—What is the fertiliz¬ 
ing quality of tobacco ashes? Are they 
equal to or better than hard wood ashes? 
A large warehouse and tobacco stock has 
just burned near me. What is your opinion 
as to the advisability of my purchasing the 
ashes and using them on my strawberry 
beds? How and when should I use nitrate 
of soda on a Spring-set bed of strawberries? 
Axs.—Pure ashes of tobacco are worth 
at least four times as much as wood 
aishes. Those you refer to are not pure, 
but they will be very good for strawber¬ 
ries. We would tise not over 150 pounds 
of nitrate of soda per acre in Spring. 
Apply it before the Spring growth starts. 
If the plants are in hills or narrow beds, 
make a little furrow six inches from the 
plants, and put the nitrate 'at the bot¬ 
tom—filling in carefully. If the plants 
are in matted rows apply broadcast. 
Tree Borers; Lime in the Garden. 
G. A. B., Germantown, Pa.— 1. I have lost a 
ten-year-old apple tree, and an Abundance 
plum. Both fruited last year, and both were 
killed by borers. Is there any way to pre¬ 
vent the ravages of these pests? 2. Last 
Fall the gardener said my vegetable garden 
was sour, and he put a barrel of lime on 
it. This year the garden is a dismal fail¬ 
ure in peas, okra and egg plant. Is this 
due to the lime, and what shall I do to 
remedy it? 
Ans. —1. The borers can generally be 
dug out of plum trees with a sharp knife 
in June or October. Do not hesitate to 
cut the wood freely in the search, as 
the knife is not likely to do as much in¬ 
jury as -the grub. Apple-tree borers 
work deeply, and are much more u..u- 
cult to find. A knitting needle, or stout, 
pliable wire is the best Instrument to 
reach them after the openings of the 
burrow have been enlarged with a knife. 
Numerous washes and other preventives 
are recommended, but none is entirely 
safe or effectual. 2. The application of 
isound lime should not affect the plants 
mentioned unfavorably. Perhaps gas 
lime, which is distinctly injurious, was 
used. At any rate, there is nothing to 
be done except to await the action of the 
weather, which will wash out injurious 
elements in time. 
When to Order Fruit Trees 
J. C., Mexico, N. Y .—We would like to get 
eight or ten apple and cherry trees, and 
w f e hardly know where to place our order, 
or when is the best time to send it. Would 
it be better to send the order in the Fall 
to insure early delivery of trees next 
Spring? 
Ans. —In western New York fruit trees 
may be set either in the Spring or Fall. 
There are plenty of good nurseries in 
that part of the State, from which it 
would be eaisy to get trees In good sea¬ 
son for planting, provided the order is 
sent in early. There is much less hurry 
and danger of delay in the Fall than in 
Spring, and it would be well to get them 
then. The first thing to do is to get the 
catalogues of several of the best nur¬ 
serymen, and after examining them, 
choose whichever seems to be the best, 
and send in the order at once. 
H. E. VAN DEMAN. 
Nitrate of Soda for Strawberries. 
of one part of well-slaked lime to two 
parts of clean, sharp sand, and the work 
should be allowed to set well before 
making a fire in the furnace. The joints 
should be well made and smoothly 
pointed, both iniside and out, the “parg- 
ing,” or plastering of the interior, being 
of little value if the joints are smooth 
and tight. Cement mortar stands the 
action of water better than that of fire, 
and lime, therefore, gives a better result 
for the work in question, though any 
flue is liable to crack sooner or later. 
For patching cracks while the flue is in 
operation, a mixture of clay and com¬ 
mon salt mixed with water to the con¬ 
sistency of soft putty will act better 
than ordinary mortar, this clay mixture 
baking almost as hard as stone. 
w. H. TAPLIN. 
Different sizes and prices. Illustrated Catalogue free. 
THE BLYMYER IKON WORKS CO., Cincinnati, O. 
VAPORATINC FRUIT 
Complete rigs for gilt-edge work and big protits. 
AMERICAN MANUFACTURING CO., 
Box 407, Waynesboro, Pa. 
CDIIIT evaporator, “the granger/ 
lHUII For family use. 13, $5 and $8. Clr. Free. 
EASTERN MFG. CO., 257 So. 5th St., PHILA., I*A. 
G. L. C., Newtonville, Mass .—On about two- 
thirds of my strawberries I broadcast this 
Spring 100 pounds nitrate of soda. The 
difference in plant and yield over plants 
that got none was surprising. In fact, the 
plants that had no nitrate did not produce 
a quart to the 100 plants, and they were 
small and every way inferior. What quan¬ 
tity of nitrate should I use in August? 
Plants are in rows three feet apart, one foot 
apart in rows, with runners kept off. Prob¬ 
ably this may not be the best way, but it 
seems to me best for my land, which is 
very weedy. 
Ans. —In dry seasons nitrate often 
gives surprising results. It probably 
pays better to use the nitrate alone 
rather than to use a complete fertilizer. 
You can use 150 pounds per acre in late 
July or early August. This will force a 
heavy growth before Fall. It will be a 
mistake to use only nitrate this Sum¬ 
mer. You will then -have fine, -thrifty 
plants, but few fruit buds. We would 
prefer a complete fertilizer for late Sum¬ 
mer and Fall. 
Best Flue for Greenhouse. 
C 
RIMSON CLOVE 
Do 
R 
not be deceived in buying 
cheap foreign seed. 
We are Headquarters for pure Delaware Seed. 
New crop. Write for prices. 
II. L. HOLMES, Seedsman, Harrisburg, Pa. 
4% I AH O f" II #1 Wb are Headquarters for 
KlWaCWu Seed & Plants. 
I V»lu»ble book about It, telling howtogrow thousandaol 
dollars worth, what used for ami wtio is growlngit.Sont forlOe 
AMERICAN GINSENG GARDENS, ROSE HILL, New York. 
Plants 
Tomato, Celery, Cabbage, Pepper, 
etc. CHEAP IN LARGE LOTS. 
J. S. LINTHICUM, Woodwardville. Md 
PCI CRY PI A NTQ— Strong field grown in eight 
ULLLn I iLHIl I 0 varieties In any quantity. 
Extra selected stocky plants. $1.50 per 1,000 cash. 
WM. 8. HERZOG. Morris Plains. N. J. 
CELERY PLANTS 
Grown by the acre on land especially adapted to 
them. With onr system of growing and Irrigating, 
each plant is strong and stocky, with a large mass of 
fibrous roots. We ship safely to all parts of the 
United States and Canada. Varieties: White Plume, 
Golden Self-Blanching and Golden Heart. 
Price: 500,75c.: 1,000, $1.25; 6,000, $5. 
WILSON BROS. & CO.. Tecumseh. Mich. 
F. II. L., Northampton, Mass .—What is the 
correct way of making a brick flue for a 
greenhouse? I have had three different 
ones built in the last three years, and every 
one burned out the mortar before the Win¬ 
ter was through. The last one we mixed 
some cement In with the lime, but it wasn’t 
durable. 
Ans. —Though a cheap method of heat¬ 
ing a greenhouse, at least in original 
cost, a brick flue is a frequent source of 
trouble, the unequal expansion and con¬ 
traction of the bricks and mortar soon 
brealdng the joints, and sometimes the 
bricks also. F. H. L. does not state the 
size of greenhouse, hut if the house is 
50 feet or more in length, it would be 
cheaper and mere satisfactory to build 
only about 20 feet of the flue at the fur¬ 
nace end of the house of brick, and the 
remainder of terra-cotta pipe, thils to be 
about 10 inches in diameter. The terra¬ 
cotta pipe will radiate the heat more 
readily than the brick, besides being less 
troublesome to build, and having a 
smaller number of joints for the possible 
leakage of gases. A brick flue for heat¬ 
ing a greenhouse should not be less 
than bight inches wide and 13 inches 
deep, the bottom being raised from the 
ground enough to permit a free circula¬ 
tion of air beneath, and the top of the 
flue should be covered with fire-brick 
tiles', or with heavy slates, the tiles 
being the more reliable material when 
exposed to strong heat. A rather rich 
brick mortar is the best for flue build¬ 
ing, and may be made in the proportion 
BUDS 
-PEACHES: 153 varieties, 
including Admit)a 1, Dkwkv 
and Victor. PLUMS: Over 
200 varieties. Buds cut by 
experienced help from Nursery Stock. Well grown, 
clean and healthy. Write for prices to-day. 
HARRISON'S NURSERIES, Box No. 29, Berlin, Md. 
10 
Peach Trees 
10 Apple, Plum or Pear 
80c.; 10 Dwarf Pear 80c.; 
10 Quince 75c.; 10 Grape, 
Gooseberry or Currant 
50c. Write Quickly. C. NURSERY AND ORCHARD 
CO., Charleston. W. Va. 
50c. 
IRk 
DREER’S 
Pot»Grown 
Strawberry Plants’ 
™ planted this Summer will produce a lull 
crop of berries next June. Our Mid- 
Summer catalogue, just out and mailed 
t free, offers plants of the best and new- 
est varieties. The “ Glad-slone,” 
finest berry known. Early, large, 
and delicious flavor. Price,75cts., 
per dozen ; $5.U0 per hundred, 
HENRY A. DKEEK, 
Philadelphia, Fa. 
Beautiful Strawberries in 1901 
We can furnish you with 
pot-grown Strawberry Plants 
?that will bear a full crop of 
Jfruit next year. Celery and 
Cabbage Plants. Full line of 
Fruit and Ornamental Stock. 
Write at once for our Summer 
land Autumn catalogue. It 
^explains all. Fruit packages 
oof all kinds for sale at low 
oprices. T. J. DWYER & SON, 
Orange County Nurseries, Box 1. Cornwall, N. Y. 
POT 
CROWN 
STRAWBERRIES 
We shall have our usual supply 
of fine plants ready about July 1 j. 
Catalogue containing correct 
KLLWANGK1 
descriptions of the best varieties with cultural directions mailed on request. 
s’GEK & BARRY. Mount Hope Nurseries. ROCHESTER, N. Y. both Year. 
-A yx I will send, by express or freight, 1 Paragon, 1 Alpha, 1 Parry’s 
7* OT JpO Giant, 1 Early Reliance, 1 English Walnut, 1 Japan Walnut 
Pecan, 1 Bismarck Apple, 1 Dwarf Rocky Mt. Cherry, worth $8.20. Full line of 
ursery Stock. Certificate. ARTHUR J. COLLINS, Moorestown, Burlington Co., N. J. 
