656 
September 29 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER; 
Farmers’ Club. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the 
name and addresB 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.] 
Damsons from Seed. 
C. P. B. (No Address).—Will common Dam¬ 
sons come true from seed? 
Ans. —No, they will vary considerably 
when sc dlings are grown. The sprouts 
from the roots of trees will bear exact¬ 
ly the same fruit as the old ones, and 
they are usually quite abundant about 
those of the Damson type. 
H. E. VAN DEMAN. 
Planting Dwarf Pear Trees. 
U. L., Norwood, Pa.— How deep should 
dwarf pear trees be planted to produce 
half-standards? How far apart should 
such trees be set? 
Ans. —The proper depth to plant 
dwarf pear trees in order that they may 
send out pear roots and become half¬ 
standards is so that the junction of the 
pear and quince wood will be about 
three or four inches below the surface 
of the ground. Dwarf pear trees plant¬ 
ed in the ordinary way should be set 
about 12 feet apart, but when they are 
expected to throw out pear roots and 
increase materially in size above the 
normal type they should be at least 16 
feet apart, and 18 would not be too 
much. H. E. VAN DEMAN. 
How Prevent Splitting of Trees. 
IT. A. O., Bainbridge, N. Y.— What is the 
best way of preventing large branches from 
splitting from trees? Is it a good plan to 
put a bolt through and fasten it that w r ay, 
or is there a better way still? The tree is 
a nice one and we dislike very much to lose 
it or have it disfigured by the best part of 
it splitting off. It has just begun to split, 
and think, perhaps, it might be saved. 
Ans. —A bolt with large head and nut 
put through the split fork and screwed 
tight is the surest and quickest way that 
I know to fix the tree. If the trouble is 
just beginning on a tree that has 
healthy branches not far above the fork, 
and they are not too large to bend read¬ 
ily, two such may be wound around each 
other and left to grow together. This 
they will do if the circulation is good 
throughout the length of both; but there 
must be leaves on the parts Deyond the 
place of contact or there will not be 
sufficient circulation. After they were 
well grown together I always cut off the 
parts beyond the point of union. I have 
made many such living ties that have 
securely fastened large branches in such 
a way that they could not split apart. 
H. E. VAN DEMAN. 
San Jose Scale on Small Orchards. 
T. A. B., Brooklyn, N. Y.— Is there any 
practical way for a private residence to 
keep free from San Josfe scales? Five years 
ago I was satisfied that kerosene emulsion, 
Bordeaux Mixture or Paris-green spraying 
was of no use. The trees were full of 
bark scales, and died, branch after branch. 
I sent some branches and fruit t the 
Geneva Station, asking for Instruction. 
The answer came that the trees were in¬ 
fested with Pernicious scales. They told 
me to wash and spray the trees with three 
or five parts kerosene and one part heavy 
common soap and water. During the Fall 
the trees were scraped, brushed and 
sprayed. I was finally informed that the 
trees were full of San Jos6 scale, and the 
best thing to do was to cut and burn them 
all. Most of the trees were 12 years plant¬ 
ed. All ths trees died. In the meantime, 
I have been resetting with young nursery 
stock, mainly pears and peaches, and at 
present every tree and shrub has San Josfi 
scale. Some peach trees are crowded full 
on this year’s growth in a chicken yard. 
I have been using whale-oil soap, but I 
know now that spraying with a hand pump 
in Winter is unsuccessful and brushing the 
small stems and branches is also incom¬ 
plete. If a single side of a small branch is 
omitted the following late Summer the new 
growth of the trees is full again of young 
scales, and next Winter the same process 
goes on with no better results. I am will¬ 
ing to try once more, not whale-oil soap, 
but crude petroleum, if you will instruct 
me how to do the work. Is it practical, and 
is it worth the cost? 
Ans. —Our correspondent recites the 
difficulties of dealing with the Perni¬ 
cious scale very forcibly. It is not impos¬ 
sible to eradicate the pest, but requires 
persistent and careful work. Whether it 
will pay is a question for individual con¬ 
sideration, but it is certain that the scale 
must be checked or the culture of many 
of our choice fruit and ornamental 
trees given up. The most hopeful treat¬ 
ment at present is thoroughly to spray 
or paint every portion of the dormant 
tree in February or March with crude 
petroleum. It is doubtful whether any 
scale can survive the contact of this sub¬ 
stance. Many instances are reported of 
injury to trees from this treatment as 
the composition of natural, unrefined 
petroleum varies a good deal. Experi¬ 
ments on the Rural Grounds have so far 
been entirely successful. The scale 
seems to be entirely eradicated in the 
treated trees, and they have grown and 
fruited since in quite a normal man¬ 
ner. Write to the New Jersey Experi¬ 
ment Station, New Brunswick, N. J., for 
information and bulletins on the subject. 
Wire worms in Sod. 
E. F. Q., Wolcottville, Ind.—I have a field 
of muck land of about four acres, that has 
been in Timothy for two years. I wish to 
plant it to corn next Spring. In previous 
years the wireworms have done consider¬ 
able damage, making several plantings 
necessary. Would you recommend Fall 
plowing, or would treating the seed be 
more effective in destroying this pest? 
Ans. —We would plow that held early 
in November, and leave the furrows ex¬ 
posed to the frost. This will kill some 
of the insects, but not all. Treating the 
seed has not given very good results; 
still, we think it pays to tar the corn 
and dry it out with sulphur. 
When to Pull Onions. 
8. J. Q., Bancroft, Mich.—A neighbor of 
mine was pulling onions which I considered 
very green, and in fact I thought they 
would grow considerably if left. I asked 
him why he pulled them so green. He said: 
“They are quite green and I presume if 
left would grow some, but I have to pull 
them, or they will grow big necks, or scul¬ 
lions as we call them.” He said if not 
pulled then they would grow up and thicken 
in the center of the top, and the bottom 
would then cease to grow, and they would 
be worthless. This was an entirely new 
theory to me, as I supposed there would be 
no material enlargement of the top (the 
onion being so near mature), until the old 
growth had died down and the onion ma¬ 
tured. 
Ans. —In this section ‘‘scullions’' or 
big-necked onions are considered the 
result of weather conditions during 
growth or to seed from onions with such 
a tendency, or to some of the numerous 
occult factors which make or mar a crop 
of onions. From the same strain of 
seed in some years there are almost 
none, and in other years the green necks 
are very plenty. When pulling time 
comes the nature of the growth is al¬ 
ready determined and early or late pull¬ 
ing as related to the ripeness of the 
onion will not make any difference in 
the number of scullions. e. c. b. 
Southport, Conn. 
Seedling Dahlias ; Crossing Gladioli. 
G. A. B., Indian Orchard, Mass.—I am in¬ 
terested in growing double Dahlias from 
seed, but find that fine double sorts seldom 
make seed. How do the seedsmen manage 
to get seed? Will you give me your 
method of hybridizing Gladiolus? I have 
grown hundreds of seedlings that were 
promiscuously hybridized but, perhaps, an¬ 
other season would like to try more scien¬ 
tific methods. Is not dark wine rad a 
rather rare color in Gladiolus? I have just 
one among thousands of bulbs, and value 
it highly as I have never seen another re¬ 
sembling it. 
Ans. —Very double Dahlias seldom 
produce seeds, which seedsmen save 
from semi-double flowers, sometimes 
fertilized with pollen from double speci¬ 
mens. The Gladiolus is very easily hy¬ 
bridized on account of the size and ac¬ 
cessibility of the component part of the 
flowers. Select the blooms you wish to 
cross, and in the early morning clip out 
the three stamens from the flowers you 
wish to produce the seeds. Cover with 
fine cheesecloth or netting to prevent 
bees and insects from getting in bring¬ 
ing foreign pollen. Cover the blooms 
you wish to secure pollen irom in the 
same way, but 49 ftot cut out any of 
the parts. About noon you will notice 
the anthers at the end of the stamens 
have opened and the dusty pollen, either 
yellow or purple in the Gladiolus, is ad¬ 
hering to the under surface. Take an 
anther in a small pair of tweezers and 
apply the pollen thoroughly to the three 
divisions, called stigmas, of the end of 
the pistil in the seed-bearing bloom 
from which cue stamens have been cut. 
See that the stigmas are well dusted, 
and again cover with the netting, which 
may be left on until the flower withers. 
Plants grown from the resulting seed, 
if the operation is successful, should 
partake of the characters of both par¬ 
ents. Dark red, wine and maroon col¬ 
ors are often found among hybrids of G 
purpureo-auratus, sold in commerce as 
G. Lemoinei. 
POSSIBILITIES 
realized by thoee who plant our 
tandard Kiefer Pears. 
Our stock ia renowned for vigor and rapid 
growth and absolute freedom from disease, etc. 
This pear ia enormously productive, large aire. 
fine navor and handsome appearance. A good 
seller. Trees are free from blight; ripens Tate. 
Our stock is the best the growers’ art can produce. 
KUKSEltlES. Box Berlin, Md, 
ForestTrees, Forest Trees. 
Sugar. Norway. Sycamore, Silverleaf, 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. 
TZ'y. Blue-Grass Seed.—Present price 75c. perbu. 
Sample, 2c. J. G. Rogers, No. Middletown, Ky. 
QNION 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. 
SEED WHEAT-iS«r 
G. E. NORTON, Clinton, Oneida County, N. Y. 
Hick Ohmer, Gandy and Marshall Strawberries 
One of our readers in Pennsylvania 
wishes to know whether eastern straw¬ 
berry growers generally consider it wisest 
to plant largely to Nick Ohmer, Gandy and 
Marshall. He says he has a fine lot of 
plants of these varieties, but he has never 
fruited them, and he has an idea that the 
succession of dry seasons has about killed 
the reputation of these varieties. 
These varieties should only be plant¬ 
ed on strong, moist soil. Marshall 
color is unpopular ±n our markets. 
Connecticut. G. s. butler. 
We would consider that Nick Ohmer 
and Marshall are not extremely late 
berries as compared with Gandy, both 
of them being entirely gone last year 
before Gandy really commenced. In 
some section these two varieties may be 
excellent, but we woulu only call them 
moderately good. Gandy is in some 
sections, under some conditions, a very 
profitable and satisfactory berry to 
raise. It must have, however, rich,deep 
loamy soil mat will stay moist and 
overcome the effects of extreme drought, 
as the Gandy cannot stand the very dry 
weather, but in moist ground it cer¬ 
tainly is all right. In all of our tests 
of last year we do not consider that any¬ 
thing came anywhere near being as late 
or as fine as the Nettie and Robbie, and 
less affected by the neat and dry wea¬ 
ther. The Stella, which ripened with 
Nick Ohmer, with less care had three 
times as many berries, and tne foliage 
to-day on an old patch of tnese three 
varieties, which has had to be mowed 
twice to keep the weeds down, is as 
green as a leek and perfectly healthy. 
JOS. H. BLACK, SON & CO. 
Where Canal Boats Ride on Cars. 
No railroad in the United States offers as fine 
an opportunity for study of the old canal systems 
of the east as the Lackawanna Railroad. For 
miles its track follows the old Morris and Essex 
Canal, built before the railroad was dreamed of, 
for the purpose of bringing coal from the moun¬ 
tains to the great city of New York. A canal in 
a mountainous region is a thing of wonder, and 
the traveler has numerous opportunities of view¬ 
ing the curious machinery by which the canal 
boats are drawn up the hills on railroads to 
strike the canal at a new level, or lowered from 
the canal from a higher level, to continue further 
down the mountain. This old canal, though 
grass-covered and bordered by the most magnifi¬ 
cent shrubbery, is still used, and the traveler 
sees from time to time one of the old boats mov¬ 
ing slowly through the limpid waters, with sleepy 
mules for motive power.—Ad®. 
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. 
T~> TT~l ? —Very fine, extra 
X F. heavy, well ma¬ 
tured. Will guar¬ 
antee 99 per cent to germinate. While stock lasts 
will 1111 all orders, bags included, for 90 cents per 
bushel, or 80 cents per bushel in 10-bushel lots, or 
over. A rare chance to get good seed cheap. Quanj 
tity limited. Order quick. 
W. F. ALLEN, Salisbury, Md. 
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. 
GINSENG 
We are extensive growers, 
and make a specialty of 
Seed and Plants 
Book telling how to grow Thousands of Dollars’ 
wort h In your garden or orchard sent Free for stamp 
LAKESIDE GINSENG GARDENS, Amber, N. Y 
best by test—74YIARS. We I 
WANT MORE Salesmen 
Stark Nursery, Louisiana, Mo; liansvillp, 1.1. 
D A V CASH 
r/\I WtEKLY 
at Wholesale prices. Apple. Plum 
I "hVO and Pears at $8 per 100. Don’t buy any 
kind of stock until vou get our prices. Catalogue 
Free. RELIANCE NURSERY, Box 10, Geneva, N. Y. 
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 Beach buyers. Let us 
quote you on your want list. 
WOODVIEVV NURSERIES, Box 100, Uriah. Pa. 
Our Fruit Trees Grow 
We have thousands of all the best varie¬ 
ties of TREES and PLANTS. Full descrip¬ 
tion in our Catalogue—it’s free. Send for 
it to-day. We can save you money. 
Address 
HIGHLAND NURSERY CO., Rochesier, N. Y. 
E 
VAPORATINC FRUIT 
Complete rigs for gilt-edge work and big profits. 
AMERICAN MANUFACTURING CO., 
Box 407, Waynesboro, Pa. 
200,000 Peach Trees. 
We 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. 
The Tree Breeder 
Is the name of our own little publication, devoted to the interests of Tree Breeding. It is not large t 
but it’s clean, thrifty, and well grounded, and will grow. 
In addition to prices and impartial, truthful notes on varieties in the “breeding pen”, the issue 
for Ninth Month contains an article on the “Principles of Bud Selection”, by G. Harold Powell, of 
Delaware Agricultural Experiment Station; also photo-illustrations from Orchard Farm. 
The issue for Tenth Month will contain interesting articles and illustrations. 
If you are interested in trees—the BEST trees—trees that not only bear, but that you know 
WHAT they will bear, we would like to send you a copy. It’s Free. 
THE Tree Breeders. THE ROGERS NURSERIES, Dansville, N. Y. 
PI El DC for Fall Planting 
Also Hardy Roges and other Specialties. Catalogue on request. 
ELLWANCER & BARRY, Mount Hope Nurseries, Rochester, N. Y. 60 th Year. 
For $i I will send by express or freight, i Alpha, i Paragon 
i Numbo Chestnut Tree grafted, worth $2.20. Full line of 
Nursery StocK. Certificate. Moorettow^fuuinSonSnty, n. j. 
Choicest Fruit and Ornamental Trees. 
Shrubs, Plants, Bulbs, Seeds. 40 Acres Hardy Roses. 44 dresnhoases 
•f Palms, Everbloomlng Roses, Ficus, Paros, Etc. Corrsspoadenca 
solicited. Catalogue Free. 47 Year*, looe Acres. 
the STORRS & HARRISON CO., Painesvliie, O. 
