64o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
September 22 
Farmers’ Club. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the 
name and addreaB of the writer to insure atten¬ 
tion. Before asking a question, please see 
whether it is not answered in our advertising 
columns. Ask only a few questions at one time. 
Put questions on a separate piece of paper.] 
Starting and Cleaning a Lawn. 
F. P. M., Philadelphia, Pa .—Will you give 
us some advice in regard to preparing the 
ground for a lawn, so to avoid getting any 
Fall grass? Also, how Is it possible to get 
rid of Fall grass, after it has taken pos¬ 
session of a lawn? 
Ans. —We suppose Crab, Velvet and 
other annual grasses are meant by the 
term “Fall grass,” and hasten to say 
that the only practical way to avoid 
Ihem is to grade and prepare the ground 
before midsummer, and then harrow ol 
cultivate thoroughly after every rain to 
destroy the seedlings as they germinate. 
About the middle of September or sooner 
if the ground is moist equal parts by 
weight of Kentucky Blue grass and Red- 
top, at the rate of five bushels or 100 
pounds of the combined grasses should 
be sown per acre, followed by about 10 
pounds of White clover to the same 
area. Rake or harrow the seeds in thor¬ 
oughly and roll until the surface is well 
compacted. Many seeds of the undesired 
grasses will doubtless find their way in 
from other sources, even if they are not 
already mixed with the purchased grass 
seed, but close and frequent mowing 
will keep them down on any properly- 
made and well-fertilized lawn. 
Cultivating “Berries in the Dust." 
J. L. R., Pennsylvania .—Concerning your 
article “Berries Out of the Dust,” will you 
state how Mr. Siddons prevents his berries 
from becoming sanded? Does he use no 
straw mulch at all? With us the berries 
would be badly damaged by the dust, and 
especially so in case of a dashing rain, in 
case the soil was stirred ever so lightly, 
and not shielded by a heavy straw mulch. 
With raspberries and blackberries, if short¬ 
ened or nipped back close, we can see how 
the dust mulch would be practical, but with 
strawberries, while we believe it would 
prove beneficial, yet on our clay loam, we 
are satisfied that considerable damage 
would be done to the ripening berries. 
Does Mr. Siddons use a straw mulch at any 
time? In this section cucumbers soon 
cover the entire surface, and running the 
cultivator is out of the question after the 
“cukes” begin to form. Please state how 
he manages to run through them without 
damage after the vines have spread. 
Ans. —We start cultivator on Friday 
afternoon and keep it going all day Sat¬ 
urday, as we do not pick on that day. 
If we should be lucky enough to have 
a shower it is very easy for a picker to 
take two or three berries in his hand, 
give them a little shake and the sand 
will all fall off. To prove this just pick 
up an apple after a rain and try it. As 
for raspberries and blackberries the 
wind has always blown it off. We plant 
our cucumbers 3%x7 feet; as soon as 
they begin to run we go along and turn 
the runners, and by so doing can culti¬ 
vate two or three weeks longer. We 
have cultivated after we have been pick¬ 
ing three weeks. I would not use straw 
for a mulch under any consideration. 
CHA8. SIDDONS. 
A Sled Corn Cutter. 
A. F. M„ Qalesbury, III .—Will C. P. Rey¬ 
nolds further explain his corn-cutting sled 
described and illustrated in a recent issue? 
What supports the rear end of the large 
platform box as shown in drawing? Does 
fodder fall on the ground, and if so, 
straight or tangled? Why do two men 
ride? Do you bolt blades on the upper or 
under side of platform? I don’t understand 
the guide irons. 
Ans. —There is only one platform and 
if A. F. M. means this then the only 
supports are the two runners. These are 
entirely sufficient. Anything more would 
be a bother. These runners extend out 
to the rear about a foot on our sled and 
are convenient handles in raising sled 
to turn in close places. The fodder does 
not fall to the ground at all. The two 
men ride the sled on either side, catch¬ 
ing each hill as they come to it with 
one arm and hold with the other until 
they have an armful. Sled works in 
either hilled or drilled corn, though best 
in the former. We cut six rows of corn 
into one row of shocks. Start horse 
down the two middle of the six. Each 
man collects all stocks cut on his side. 
When both have an armful they stop and 
lean both armsful together just behind 
sled and tie. This is repeated until end 
of rows, They then cut another row 
back, each man placing his armful on 
the small shocks, but opposite. If care 
be taken -very little trouble will be had 
in falling down. When this double row 
is cut the last two rows of the six are 
taken, placed in the shock and then it 
is bound. Although only six armfuls in 
a shock they will be found to be entirely 
large enough. We have found from ex¬ 
perience with our homemade sled, which 
by tests side by side we would just as 
soon have as a purchased one, that three 
men can cut just as much corn with 
comparative ease as four men can with 
hand cutters with hard work. Two men 
can work sled without trouble, but three 
will work to better advantage. Blades 
are bolted to under side of platform, and 
are filed from the under side. Bolt se¬ 
curely. If blade springs at all it will cut 
very poorly. Use bolts every five or six 
inches. Guide irons are not necessary 
but convenient. Place on outside of run¬ 
ners on front end to prevent front end 
of sled striking against a hill and break¬ 
ing it over if horse crowds either side 
of row. If platform rounds off at the 
front end the result will be the same. 
C. P. REYNOLDS. 
Fruits for Michigan. 
A. M. J., Chicago, III.—I have just pur¬ 
chased 60 acres of fruit land in Van Buren 
County, Mich., and we are in a quandary 
as to what varieties to set out. It is my 
intention to set about 45 acres in grapes 
and about 10 more in other fruits. The soil 
is a dark sandy loam, and as a rule gently 
rolling. There are four or five holes or 
basins in it that will average 30 feet deep, 
and 25 rods across, but water never stands 
in the bottom of these basins. Would it 
not be best to plant pear trees in these 
basins, possibly late cherries or apricots? 
What do you think of German prunes? 
Ans. —Grapes do very well in Van 
Buren county, Mich. Concord is one of 
the best kinds to plant. Some like Wor¬ 
den better, because it is a little earlier 
and larger than Concord, and others do 
not like it so well. I have seen the 
Worden vines loaded with grapes not 
far from there, but they were inclined 
to crack open in some seasons. Camp¬ 
bell might pay well to set, if the vines 
can be bought cheap enough. It is so 
very early tnat it will surely be profit¬ 
able. These are the kinds I would plant, 
and are all black. Red and white grapes 
sometimes pay, but are not so generally 
acceptable as the black ones. Give the 
public what they wish to buy. The 
basins would be better for apples or 
quinces than for pears. The pear loves 
a higher and drier location. The low 
position might also cause late frosts to 
kill the pear bloom, which is always 
earlier than that of the apple and quince. 
The same is true of cherries and plums, 
and apricots are remarkably early in 
blooming. The latter is entirely the 
least likely of all to make returns, and 
not only because of early blooming; for 
the curculio usually gets about every 
fruit that sets, unless the most thorough 
jarring is practiced. Quinces would be 
my choice, judging from what I now 
understand to be the facts. The mar¬ 
ket for this fruit is usually good and 
not overdone. The Orange quince is 
about the best of the varieties. Mis¬ 
souri is also good. h. e. van deman. 
Will Potash Cause Blight? 
A. L. B., Boston, Mass.—I have an orchard 
two years old. The past Spring I gave 
each tree a dressing of three pounds muri¬ 
ate of potash and five pounds dissolved 
bone. The trees have grown very well, but 
the leaves seem to have a sort of a blight. 
I wish to know whether the potash caused 
the blight, and if so, how old should the 
trees be before using the above quantity of 
potash upon them? I enclose a few leaves 
to show their condition. 
Ans. —Without knowing the state of 
fertility of the soil before the fertilizers 
were applied It would be impossible to 
make a sensible guess as to whether or 
not the application was needed. Of one 
thing I feel very certain, however, that 
the potash and phosphoric acid did not 
cause the blight. Nitrogen may have 
such an effect, indirectly, but potash and 
phosphoric acid never, so far as my 
knowledge extends. The fundamental 
principles of soil fertility and manuring 
clearly point to the conclusions that 
potash and phosphoric acid induce a 
rugged and healthy growth of tree and 
plant, and are especially suited to fruit 
and grain production, while nitrogen 
stimulates growth of leaf and stalk en¬ 
tirely. This sometimes causes too suc¬ 
culent a growth in fruits, and affords 
easy lodgment for the spores of the 
blight and other fungoid and bacterial 
diseases. The more tender the tissues 
the more easily can these enemies get 
a foothold within them. That is why 
blight is worse in the flush of the grow¬ 
ing season and during hot, moist wea¬ 
ther. The more nitrogen in the 3oil the 
more thrifty and succulent will be the 
growth. Pear, apple and quince trees 
are peculiarly subject to such affection. 
The diseased leaves referred to are not 
from the above cause, but there are spots 
caused by the germs of one of the leaf 
rusts. Let the applications of potash 
and phosphoric acid be liberal and made 
without fear of injury on the fruit farm, 
but beware of using nitrogenous fertil¬ 
izers without judicious care. They are 
very good in intelligent hands. 
H. E. VAN DEMAN. 
For the land’s sake, use Bowker’s Fer¬ 
tilizers. They enrich the earth.— Adv. 
BULBS 
for Fall Planting' 
Hyacinths, Tulips, 
Daffodils, Crocus, etc. 
Also Hardy Roses and other Specialties. Catalogue on request. 
ELLWANCER & BARRY, Mount Hope Nurseries, Rochester. N. Y. 60 th Year. 
bred from finest bearing strains. They not 
only bear, but you know what they will bear. 
You like a well-bred horse or cow, the same 
principle applies to trees. That's our business, and our booklet, The Tree Breeder , will tell you more 
about it. No secret, fake or patent methods, but common sense business talks for business people. 
THE ROCERS NURSERIES, Tree Breeders, Dansville, N. Y. 
THOROUGHBRED TREES 
I will send, by express or freight, 1 Paragon, 1 Alpha, 1 Parry’s 
Giant, 1 Early Reliance, 1 English Walnut, 1 Japan Walnut 
For $5 
1 Pecan, 1 Bismarck Apple, 1 Dwarf Rocky Mt. Cherry, worth 88.20. Full line of 
Nursery Stock. Certificate. ARTHUR J. COLLINS, Moorestown, Burlington Co., N. J. 
Choicest Fruit and Ornamental Trees. 
Shrubs, Plants, Bulbs, Seeds. 40 Acres Hardy Roses. 44 Greenhouses 
ef Palms, Bverbloomlng Roses, Ficus, Ferns, Btc. Correspondence 
solicited. Catalogue Free. 47 Years. 1000 Acres. 
the STORRS & HARRISON CO.. Painesvllle. O. 
ForestTrees. ForestTrees. 
Choice Gold Coin Seed Wheat, SI per 
bushel. GEORGE SISSON, La Plume, Pa. 
Sugar. Norway. Sycamore, Sllverleaf, and other 
Maples by the 1,000 or 10,000. Also Lindens, Poplars, 
Elms, Willows, Mountain Ash, Birch, etc., in large 
quantities, and Shrubbery by the acre. We can fur¬ 
nish trees from one to three inches in diameter. 
Address STEPHEN HOYT'S SONS, New Canaan, Ct. 
200,000 Peach 
HEADQUARTERS FOR 
YORK IMPERIAL and KIEFFER. 
One tree to a carload. 
Business trees at business prices. (They are bear¬ 
ers.) Inducements to Peach buyers. Let us 
quote you on your want list. 
WOODVIKW NURSERIES, Box 100, Uriah, Pa. 
Oiir Fruit Trees Grow 
We have thousands of all the best varie¬ 
ties of TREES and PLANTS. Full descrip¬ 
tion in our Catalogue—It’, free. Send for 
it to-day. We can lave you money. 
Address 
HIGHLAND NURSERY CO., Rochester, N. Y. 
Trees. Plants. 
We have all kinds of Nursery Stock. 
Catalogue Free. 
JOS. H. BLACK, SON & CO., 
HIGHTSTOWN, N. J. 
TDCCC at Wholesale prices. Apple, Plum 
| and Pears at $8 per 100. Don’t buy any 
kind of stock until you get our prices. Catalogue 
Free. RELIANCE NURSERY, Box 10, Geneva, N. Y. 
Seed Wheats 
»—Yields of 17 varieties, 
free (to our readers). 
SMITH’S POTATO FARM, Manchester, 
Sample 
N. Y 
SEED WHEAT-S; C h°aSfoc per 
G. E. NORTON, Clinton, Oneida County, N. Y. 
SEED WHEAT 
We are headquart¬ 
ers for choice new 
wheat. Varieties: 
Harvest King, Economy, Winter King and others. 
Descriptive Circular and Price-List free. 
GEO. W. MACE, Box F, Greenville, Ohio. 
Golden Straw Seed Wheat 
has proved the most valuable and productive variety 
of Winter Wheat ever introduced in this State. It 
has long, well- filled heads, and is an immense yielder. 
A 10-acre field this season averaged 40 bushels per 
acre. It has a bright, still straw that stands up 
against storms like a reed, thus it never lodges. It 
has never been affected with rust and very little with 
the fly. It has excellent milling qualities, and gives 
general satisfaction. My seed is absolutely pure 
and clean. Price, $1.25 per bushel; in lots of 10 and 
20 bushels, $1.10. Bags, 15c. each, extra. Sample 
package mailed for two stamps. Send money by draft, 
post-office order or express money order. Address 
HERBERT E. CHILDS, 
Niagara Falls, N. Y. 
T~Y •yr-r^-Very tine, extra 
jl I* 1 , heavy, well ma¬ 
tured. Will guar¬ 
antee 99 per cent to germinate. While stock lasts 
will fill all orders, bags Included, for 90 cents per 
bushel, or 80 cents per buBhel in 10-bushel lots, or 
over. A rare chance to get good seed cheap. Quana 
tity limited. Order quick. 
\V. F. ALLEN, Salisbury, Md. 
m 
if T REES succeed where 
Largest Nursery. OTHERS FAIL. 
Fruit Book Free. Result of 76 years’ experience. 
Illustrated Catalogue 
of 4 holce Evergreens, 
_ Shrubs, Fruit and other 
Water Lillies, ete. Prices 
low. Beautify vour home at small expense. 
S. PETERSON fc SONS'. Box 15, Montrose, New York. 
October Purple Plum Trees. 
The best of all of Mr. Burbank’s Plums. We offer 
a large stock of fine trees, one and two years old 
Address STEPHEN HOYT’S SONS, New Canaan. Ct. 
OIIKFNfi- Book about it 4c. Tells howto 
IjllldkllU grow this great money maker. Write to- 
wflday. American Ginseng Gardens, RoseHill.N.Y 
The Counter Edition of our 
Garden and Farm Manual 
contains besides the very complete line 
of GARDEN AND FLOWER SEEDS a 
Great Variety of GARDEN AND FARM 
TOOLS and SPRAYING OUTFITS. Send 
for it. Send also for our Poultry Supply 
Catalogue. 
JOHNSON & STOKES, 111 SSSiSffiffiST' 
C rimson 
Clover. 
•enuine Delaware Reed, also other seeds for Raataser 
80 wing. Write fsr sur Midsummer Catalogue. Ws 
send it Free. Henry A, Dreer, Philadelphia. 
GINSENG 
We are extensive growers, 
and make a specialty of 
Seed and Plants 
Book telling how to grow Thousands of Dollars’ 
worth In your garden or orchard sent Free for stamp 
LAKESIDE GINSENG FARM, Amber, N. Y. 
K 
y. Blue-Grass Seed.—Present price 75c. per bu. 
Sample, 2c. J. G. Bogers, No. Middletown, Ky. 
fYNION SEED.—Perfectly hardy in this country 
^ Lb., $2.50: oz., 20c. Size and shape same as Portu¬ 
gal. Sow it now. BEAULIEU, Woodhaven, N. Y. 
E vaporating fruit 
Complete rigs for gilt-edge work and big profits. 
AMERICAN MANUFACTURING CO., 
Box 407, Waynesboro, Pa. 
200,000 Peach Trees. 
W* offer a choice lot of Peach trees, grown from 
Tennessee pits. These trees are healthy and fine. 
Address STEPHEN HOYT'S SONS, New Canaan, Ct. 
