1900 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
677 
Events of the Week. 
DOMESTIC.—Revenue officers seized 154 cases of rare 
Oriental goods on the hospital ship Solace, which arrived 
at San Francisco September 19. The duty on these goods 
is nearly 60 per cent, and it is likely that most of the 
stuff, which includes loot from Tientsin, will be aban¬ 
doned to the Government.Four negroes were 
taken from jail at Pontchatoula, La., September 20, and 
lynched. The town has recently been infested with negro 
burglars, and the four victims were under arrest, charged 
with robbery.September 21, trains again began 
running Into Galveston, Tex. The building of the tem¬ 
porary bridge, 2 % miles long, was a remarkable piece of 
engineering. The general health of the city is good. 
.... A Burlington train was held up and robbed near 
Lincoln, Neb., September 22. The robbers were unable 
to force open the express safe, and only secured about 
$200. The same day a single robber succeeded in holding 
up a Northern Pacific train near Athol, Idaho, the man 
securing about $500 in cash, and some jewelry. 
Violence began In the coal strike September 21, at Shen¬ 
andoah, Pa. An armed mob clashed with officers, and 
300 shots were fired. One non-union man was killed. The 
strike has demoralized the lake coal-carrying trade, and 
the season has come to a premature close. Troops have 
been called out to preserve order in the Schuylkill region. 
In the vicinity of Shenandoah all the mines are tied up. 
The employees of the Markle mines at Jeddo did not join 
the other strikers, but agreed to five of the firm's propo¬ 
sitions, and referred five other disputed points to arbitra¬ 
tion. The State has commissioned 400 coal and iron po¬ 
lice for service in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties. 
.... A tornado struck the village of Morristown, 
Minn., September 24. The storm only lasted five minutes, 
but 18 persons were killed.Heavy rains in the 
Brazos Valley and other sections of Texas, have caused 
floods, which have damaged property to the extent of 
$1,000,000.More than 50 French fishing vessels 
from Newfoundland have been missing since the great 
storm, and much alarm is felt for their safety. 
The business portion of Omer, Mich., was destroyed by 
fire September 24; loss $50,000. The town had no fire pro¬ 
tection.September 22, the steel steamer Yuma 
cut in two the barge John Martin, sinking it, near Port 
Huron, Mich., and six persons were drowned. 
Two Mississippi River steamboats, the Carrier and the 
War Eagle, were burned at St. Louis September 21; two 
persons killed. Loss $100,000.Extensive frauds, 
involving the Traders’ Fire Insurance Company, have 
been confessed in New York City by the dying cashier. 
All the statements made to the State Fire Insurance De¬ 
partment have, it is said, been fraudulent since the or¬ 
ganization of the company, and the frauds include a 
number of men standing high in the financial world. 
.... Ferguson, Iowa, was visited by a waterspout 
and tornado September 25; three persons were killed, and 
a number of buildings wrecked.James Howard, 
charged with being the principal in the assassination of 
Gov. Goebel of Kentucky, has been found guilty, his 
alibi being destroyed.Chicago city officials are 
looking for thieves who steal electricity from the city 
and street-car wires.The Wisconsin State Board 
of Medical Examiners has decided to prosecute every 
doctor of osteopathy in Milwaukee, and probably every 
one in the State, on charges of unlawfully using the title 
of doctor, and of holding themselves out as physicians 
without recognized licenses. 
CUBA.—September 23, there were nearly 100 cases of 
yellow fever under treatment at Havana.Sep¬ 
tember 22, 1,400 kilos of opium, which was being smuggled 
into Havana in tins labeled sausages, was seized by the 
authorities. It was worth $20,000. 
PHILIPPINES.—The renewal of active hostilities has 
caused Gen. Young to call for reenforcements. Aguin- 
aldo has refused peace proposals submitted to him by 
Senor Buencamino. During the two weeks ending Sep¬ 
tember 23, the casualties are put at 85. The time set for 
granting amnesty to the insiy;gents has expired, without 
altering the situation. 
GENERAL FOREIGN NEWS.—The State Department 
has made public the full text of the international cor¬ 
respondence touching Chinese affairs. The German pro¬ 
posal has been declined; the Peace Commissioners of 
China are recognized, and preparations are being made 
to materially reduce the military forces in the Chinese 
Empire. The German press is criticising the American 
attitude severely. Great Britain supports the United 
States in refusing to agree to the German propositions. 
Russia and Japan appear to support Germany. .The mili¬ 
tary force under Gen. Chaffee will be reduced to about 
1,500 men, and will be considered a legation guard, sub¬ 
ject only to the orders of the American Minister. .1 . . 
The drought in British India has been broken by exces¬ 
sive rains, and floods are devastating property in many 
places. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—John G. Springer, secretary of 
the American Southdown Breeders’ Association, died at 
Springfield, Ill., September 19, of apoplexy. He was 56 
years old. 
Secretary W. H. Barnes, of the Kansas State Horti¬ 
cultural Society at Topeka, Kan., has compiled and is¬ 
sued a valuable pamphlet on the “Plum in Kansas,’’ with 
a chapter on the prune. Descriptive lists, cultural and 
cooking directions, are supplied, in addition to a host of 
useful information on the subject. 
Fire broke out in a number of bales of excelsior at the 
packing house of Brown Brothers’ nursery, Brighton, N. 
Y., September 13, and for a time the buildings of the 
company, valued at $25,000, were threatened with destruc¬ 
tion. The fire was finally extinguished by the Brighton 
fire department, a bucket brigade of employees of the 
company and three companies of the Rochester fire de¬ 
partment. The damage caused by the fire will amount 
to several hundreds of dollars. 
The price of broom corn is again going up, jumping 
from $80 to $100 September 18. There is a decided short¬ 
age in central Illinois, the farmers only securing a ton 
from five or six acres, instead of a ton to 2^ acres, as 
last year. Growers are standing out firmly for advanced 
prices. 
The County Commissioners of Cook County, Ill., have 
appointed three delegates to a convention, which will 
elect the president and six vice-presidents of the State 
Board of Agriculture at Springfield during the State Fair. 
They will contest the seats claimed by appointees of the 
northern and the southern agricultural societies. The 
State law provides that the delegates shall be appointed 
by the agricultural societies of each county, and in the 
absence of these the commissioners make the appoint¬ 
ment. It is claimed that heretofore politics has been con¬ 
sulted too freely in these appointments. 
APPLE PRICES IN NEW YORK. 
Results of the Windstorm. 
About 50 per cent of fruit on trees was taken off by 
windstorm. The market on both green and dried has a 
firm undertone; $1.35 to $1.50 offered for Winter fruit. 
Evaporators are temporarily overstocked with windfalls. 
N. Rose. e. "w. c. 
The outlook for barreled apples is higher since the 
blow. Kings and Twenty Ounce are selling at $1.50 per 
barrel. No prices heard of yet for Winter fruit. In this 
section I think 75 per cent remain on the trees after the 
wind. Dry-house men take advantage of those blown 
off, paying from 10 to 20 cents per 100 pounds, and get all 
they can handle. Many apples yet cover the ground. 
Lakeside. l. r. b. 
The market for apples is ruling a little better; orchards 
right through would bring $1.40 per barrel for Winter 
fruit. Fall fruit is bringing from $1.50 to $2 per barrel. I 
believe that the high winds we have had were a benefit 
in most orchards rather than damage. The shrinkage 
from the wind will be small; most growers are looking 
for better prices on apples and the tendency is that way 
just now. j. b. 
Albion. 
The recent winds did much damage to orchards about 
here. Not more than half the fruit is left on the trees. 
Some orchards suffered more than others, and there are 
not many apples left on them, while others did not suffer 
as much. Growers are looking about for buyers of wind¬ 
falls, but so far hear of no sales. Good Winter apples 
are being held at $2 per barrel, but buyers are holding 
back. x. s. h. 
Fredonia. 
Before the wind there had been no buyers for our apples. 
Since then some buyers have been here and offered to 
buy at prices ranging from $1.25 to $1.50 per barrel for 
good Winter fruit. I think the storm took 50 per cent 
of the crop. Evaporators are taking the windfalls at 20 
cents per 100, but they insist upon apples large enough 
to peel and free from rot. The drought still continues; 
very little wheat sown in the town. t. m. c. 
Eddytown. 
Since the heavy wind and the advent of cool weather, 
and on the eve of picking Winter fruit, the feeling about 
it is much better than it has been at any time. At one 
time it looked as though Winter apples would be sold 
at $1 per barrel; at present dealers are ready to take 
different varieties at about $1.15 to $1.40 per barrel. We 
think about two-thirds of the apples on the trees were 
left, but the great difficulty is with Baldwins; there will 
be a great many too small to market except for cider and 
evaporating. s. c. b. 
Medina. 
APPLE GROWING IN NORTH CAROLINA. 
“THE LAND OF THE SKY.” 
The Country, llarieties and Culture. 
Part II. 
THE YORK IMPERIAL is a very promising var¬ 
iety for this region, but a rather large proportion of 
the apples are “culls,” and although rated as a good 
keeper, a considerable percentage is inclined to rot 
shortly after being gathered. Notwithstanding these 
defects, however, it is an apple of great value, and 
well suited to the mountain region. I believe that I 
was one of the first to bring the York Imperial and 
the Rome Beauty into this region. The latter is a 
beautiful dark-red apple. It is large and quite uni¬ 
form in size; the quality is good; in fact, it is much 
better than the Ben Davis. The tree is a slow grower, 
but an early and good bearer. It blooms very late, 
and is rarely injured by late frosts. This fact is one 
of its best characteristics, and makes it especially 
valuable in our region. It is a late Fall or early Win¬ 
ter apple. 1 sent some specimens to Col. G. R. Brack¬ 
ett, U. S. Pomologist, last Fall. He wrote me, “These 
are the finest specimens of this variety ever received 
by this Department. It should be extensively grown 
in your region. All the specimens of apples you have 
sent us are very fine. Your region is certainly well 
suited to the production of fine apples.” 
THE YELLOW NEWTOWN or Albemarle Pippin, 
the most famous apple in the world, and can be grown 
in perfection only in rich, dark, loamy land, rather 
moist, but not in the least wet. The best “cove” land 
is well suited to it. In such locations it makes a 
large tree, which comes into bearing late, but is ex¬ 
ceedingly productive when fully established. Three 
of the largest trees in my young orchard are of this 
variety, yet although 15 years old they have borne 
but little. The trees should be carefully trimmed, so 
as to let in air and light, and well sprayed to prevent 
any fungus diseases. When of the finest quality it 
brings the'highest prices—sometimes exceeding that 
of any other variety by as much as 50, or even 100 per 
cent. The best market can be secured for it 
only in Europe, or in some of the large northern 
cities. It should be grown only by specialists, or 
those who make fruit-growing a business by giving it 
intelligent and thorough attention. Whether trees 
one or two years old should be planted, is a contro¬ 
verted point. When planting my orchard I used 
mainly one-year-olds—the latter as a test. I believe 
the one-year trees are a little the best—certain it is 
that the four largest trees in my orchard were but 
one year old when planted. The three-year-olds have 
been completely distanced. Subsequently I planted 
some one-year-old trees in rough mountain land. So 
many of them were much injured by careless laborers 
and had to be replaced that I believe that on rough 
land, and with average labor to care for them, two- 
year-old trees should be planted. They should be 
stocky and heavy, rather than tall—a fault which 
sometimes results from too much crowding in the 
nursery. The trees should be placed 35 feet apart 
and in the rows between these trees temporary trees 
or fillers may be planted. These fillers can be per¬ 
mitted to remain for a number of years before the 
whole space is needed for your permanent trees; they 
will yield a good deal of fruit, provided you select 
the early-bearing and productive kinds. For this 
purpose the Hoover is suitable, for though of slow 
growth it is an abundant bearer and blooms late. The 
fact of being a short-lived tree does not interfere with 
this use of it, and the fruit is handsome enough to 
sell readily. The Rome Beauty is well suited for fill¬ 
ers, and the Ben Davis also. 
CARE OF THE TREES.—This should be consid¬ 
ered under two heads—cai’e of tne land and care of 
the trees. When an orchara is planted the land should 
ue set apart for the use of the trees. Not only should 
nothing be done to lessen its fertility, but everything 
practicable to increase it. It will all be neeued when 
the trees come into bearing. If crops are grown and 
removed, then more than the fertility thus withdrawn 
should be replaced. There is a good deal of discus¬ 
sion as to the extent to which orchards should be 
cultivated, but all intelligent horticulturists are 
agreed that young trees should be cultivated until 
well established; that is, until at least six or eight 
years old. After this the amount of cultivation must 
depend on circumstances. It may be granted that 
continued culture is the ideal system; but since this 
is with many of us impracticable because of the ex¬ 
pense, it is very gratifying to know that with vigi¬ 
lance and good management, excellent results can be 
attained without constant culture. Land that is suffi¬ 
ciently level and smooth to be cultivated with the use 
of labor-saving implements and without the danger 
of washing, should be cultivated frequently, if not 
continuously. Leguminous crops, such as peas in 
Summer and Crimson clover in Winter, should be 
grown and plowed under to add fertility to the soil. 
If peas are plowed under in the latter part of the 
Summer or early Fall, a catch crop of Crimson clover 
or rye shouiu be planted to take up and hold the ni¬ 
trates of the soil for the prevention of leaching dur¬ 
ing the Winter rains. Such catch crops should be 
plowed under very early in the Spring, say, as soon 
as growth begins in the trees. The leguminous plants 
are the best for growing in the orchard, whether the 
trees are young or old, because they gather nitrogen 
from the air, thus adding greatly to fertility. The 
vegetable mold with which they furnish the soil not 
only protects the trees against the vicissitudes of the 
season—especially against drought—but by its decay 
helps to dissolve other elements in the soil, and to 
render them more available for plant food. 
CULTIVATING THE ORCHARD—If the ground 
is so steep as to wash badly while cultivating the 
young trees to get them well-established, stir the soil 
near the trees, gradually extending the area of cul¬ 
ture as the roots extend, and leaving a strip of land 
between the rows uncultivated in order to hold the 
land. Fairly deep culture about the trees for sev¬ 
eral years is important, as the roots will instinctive¬ 
ly avoid me plow and be driven into the ground; the 
trees will thus be established more firmly. If the land 
is very fertile, but too rough to be plowed, good trees 
may be grown with a diligent use of mattocks and 
hoes. Dig the ground around them at least twice a 
year thoroughly with a mattock. This will in a mea¬ 
sure take the place of plowing. Light hoes can be 
used to keep down the growth of grass and weeds. I 
have some fine young trees now seven years old which 
have been cultivated in this way. When the orchard 
is not cultivated, how shall we prevent such a rank 
growth oi. vegetation as will injure the trees by tak¬ 
ing up moisture and available fertility? We should 
ever bear in mind that there is a certain amount of 
fertility in the soil for use each year, and if it is 
taken up by plants, what is thus removed will not be 
again available until the plants decay. Some advo¬ 
cate mowing the orchard frequently and leaving the 
vegetation to rot on the land. Others advocate pas¬ 
turing it. I prefer the latter, because properly man¬ 
aged it steadily increases the fertility of the land; 
and it is not only less expensive, but may be even 
made a source of moderate revenue. But more than 
tnis, in a great deal of our steep, rough land, mowing 
is impracticable, for labor-saving machinery cannot 
be used. Hogs with rings in their noses, or better 
still with their noses split so as to prevent rooting, 
can be used to a moderate extent. But sheep must be 
mainly relied on, as they crop the vegetation more 
closely, and prevent the growth of weeds. Thus by 
proper management you can in a measure accomplish 
the impossible feat of “eating your cake and keeping 
it, too.” You should pasture your land so closely as 
to require considerable feed to be given to the stock 
even in Summer, for the close pasturing is best for 
the trees; and, by feeding bran and shorts with a 
moderate amount of cotton-seed meal to the sheep, 
you steadily add to the fertility of the land, these 
foods being worth two-thirds their cost as plant food 
after being used by the stock. geo. e. boggs. 
Haywood Co., N. C. 
