1902 
r • 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
189 
What Ailed the Cherry Tree. 
B. B., Sardinia, N. T.— Our old cherry trees 
have been all destroyed by black-knot, cut 
and burned. We are just beginning a new 
stand of sour red cherries; no disease ap¬ 
parent in trees. Last year while in full 
bloom trees were full of black flies, re¬ 
sembling black ants with very long wings. 
The result was a full set of fruit, which 
dropped continually until none was left to 
ripen. Were flies accountable for loss of 
crop? What is the remedy? 
Ans. —The black flies had nothing to 
do with the dropping of the fruits. They 
are Bibio flies, which developed in damp 
situations from maggots. They are often 
very numerous in orchards. What their 
object is I do not know, but they do not 
injure the trees or fruits in any way. 1 
am unable to make even a reasonable 
guess at what caused the dropping of 
the cherries. If the same thing occurs 
this year, notify the Geneva or Cornell 
Experiment Stations and the matter will 
be investigated by experts at once. 
M. V. SLINGERLAND. 
Mixing Fertilizers for Trees. 
R. H., Lake Cushman, Wash .—In what pro¬ 
portion should each of the following fer¬ 
tilizers be applied to young pear and apple 
trees just commencing to bear: Superphos¬ 
phate, muriate of potash, nitrate of soda, 
air-slaked lime? I should add that the soil 
here seems to be very sour, since moss 
grows on the lawn and sorrel flourishes 
discouragingly. 
An'S. —By weight four parts of super¬ 
phosphate and one each of muriate and 
nitrate will make a good proportion. The 
three will not mix well, but will be like¬ 
ly to “cake” if left standing. You may 
put the potash and superphosphate on at 
any time. We would use the nitrate in 
Spring. Do not try to mix the lime with 
the others. The superphosphate has 
been made available to plants by the use 
of sulphuric acid, which took part of the 
lime out of it. To put lime with it 
again will undo this work, for the lime 
will unite with the phosphoric acid or 
“revert” it so that it will not be so solu¬ 
ble. Soil as sour as that you describe 
needs at least a ton of lime to the acre. 
It should be harrowed in after plowing. 
Whitewash for 17-Year Locusts. 
G. J. T., Flora Dale, Pa.— We have about 
100 acres planted with York Imperial apple 
trees; the oldest of which have been plant¬ 
ed two years. We are dreading the coming 
of the 17-year locust and are anxious to do 
everything in our power to save the young 
trees. Do you know of any treatment by 
which we can at least lessen the damage? 
We are well fixed for spraying, and have 
wondered whether there might be some 
preparation, not injurious to the tree, that 
would be objectionable to the locusts. We 
understand that they do not eat the bark, 
so suppose that poison would be of no avail. 
Ans. —All recorded experiments with 
spraying mixtures have been more or 
less unsatisfactory when the broods 
were large. Poisons, oil or kerosene have 
not been fully effective. Spraying a 
heavy coat of whitewash on the tree* 
will keep the locust away to some ex¬ 
tent—when they have anything else to 
get at. The reason for this is that the 
insects do not like to sit on a white sur¬ 
face. The locusts will still lay their 
eggs, however, on the white if there is 
no other place for them. The whitewash 
spraying is worth a trial, and no harm 
can come from it. Spray first a day or 
two after the locusts are first heard and 
again in about three weeks. Try to 
keep the trees white. 
Grafting Apple and Peach Trees. 
A. M. S., West Simsbury, Conn.— 1. Would it 
be advisable to top-graft the Wlnesap 
apple to Baldwin? I have about 100 trees 
two inches in diameter. The trunks are 
rather slim and the roots seem weak. 
They are on well-cultivated land, and are 
growing finely, but the fruit is too small. 
2. Is it possible to cleft-graft the peach 
when three years old, and, if so, when? 
Ans. —1. Winesap is not a suitable 
apple for Connecticut, and the trees 
never should have been planted there. 
The fruit is too small in that climate, 
owing to lack of proper development. 
The root system of the trees of this va¬ 
riety is nearly always deficient In vigor 
and ill shaped. Instead of grafting 
these tree® to Baldwin, I would prefer 
Sutton, which is a better apple in qual¬ 
ity and good in every other way. 2. 
Peach trees cannot be grafted success¬ 
fully in any style or at any age. I have 
occasionally grafted one that grew, but 
far too rarely to make it pay. Budding 
can be done, but on trees three years 
old the branches should be cut back to 
stubs the coming Spring to induce a 
growth of young sprouts in which to 
insert the buds next Summer. 
H. E. V. D. 
Large Trade in Frogs. 
Several Readers.—Tine newspapers report 
that near Clyde, N. Y., thousands of frogs 
are bedded In the mud of the Erie Canal, 
and that “hunters” dig them out and ship 
large quantities. Is there any truth in 
this? 
Ans. —We asked one of our readers at 
Clyde about this and he replies as fol¬ 
lows: 
“The express agent says there have 
been shipped 2,500 pounds from Clyde 
at 30 cents a pound. They cut holes in 
the ice and raked the frogs up by the 
bushel.” 
Value and Use of Bat Manure. 
J. T. N., Mountain View, Ark.— Has bat 
manure any value as a fertilizer? If so, 
what crops are benefited by its use? 
Should it be applied alone, or in combina¬ 
tion with other fertilizers, and what others 
should enter the combination? 
Ans. —Bat manure is very valuable, 
ranking next to Peruvian guano of all 
animal manures. Eastern fertilizer mix¬ 
ers will usually pay good prices for it. 
Like all manures of this class it is rich 
in nitrogen and quite deficient in pot¬ 
ash and phosphoric acid. When used 
alone it should of course be ground 
fine, and will give best results on grass 
and grain and garden truck. We should 
mix it with muriate of potash and acid 
phosphate. The first thing to do is to 
send a fair sample to your State experi¬ 
ment station for analysis. This will 
show you how much potash and phos¬ 
phate you should use with it. 
SPRAYING FRUIT TREES. 
The question of spraying fruit trees to prevent 
the depredations of insect pests and fungous dis¬ 
eases is no longer an experiment but a necessity. 
Our readers will do well to write Win, Stahl, 
Quincy, Ill., and get his catalogue describing 
21 styles of Spraying Outfits and full treatise 
on spraying the different fruit and vegetable 
crops, which contains much valuable informa¬ 
tion, and may be had for the asking. 
64 Tons Per Acre- 
I That is what one customer produced last I 
] season from his planting of our wonderful | 
EUREKA 
ENSILAGE C0RN,1 
and the seed cost him only $i. I 
It’s the result of ij; years rigid I 
and careful selection from true I 
Southern Corn. Grows 16 to 18 I 
ft. high; ears heavily and is in I 
milk by cutting time, just right I 
for the Silo. A money maker it I 
you plant it. It ©member we I 
control entire stock of genu* [ 
ine Eureka Ensilage Corn. I 
I Writebeforeit’s all gone.Large I 
new catalog of seecis, farm and I 
garden implements free. 
i ROSS BROTHERS, WORCESTER, MASS. 
Greatest money makeron earthj grows 0 INC CM (2 
anywhere; booklet and seeds mailed uIIiulIiU 
lUc. T. R. KENNEDY, Hackensack, N. J. 
4 1 ! 1 * j* 
Vaughan’s 
Sweet Peas 
Vaughan** Seed Store lias been famous for 2 ft 
years for It, Sweet Peas. They have been our prido 
and specialty. Our collection is by lar the finest 
in America. Thin season we have 20 new kinds, 
beside u large ■■umber of older varieties. Write 
ns n postal tor catalogue containing a full des¬ 
cription of all. 
VAUGHAN’S 
PRIZE MIXTURE. 
Contains the cream of all the latest and standard 
Sweet Peas. It is made up of our finest variet es, 
carefully proportioned. It Is the best General 
Mixture that money and experience can secure. 
2-lbs., #2.00; 1-lb., *1.10; #-lb..8©CS 2-ozs., gOe; 
oz., 15o; pkt., 10c, by mail, postpaid. 
Vaughan’s Seed Store, 
84 Randolph SI., CHICAGO. 14 Barclay St„ NEW YORK. 
As the original introducer of the Miller 
Melon, Cory Corn, All Season’s Cabbage, 
tho Hubbard Squash, and a score o f other 
vegetables that are now raised all over 
the United States, I ofTer the public 
head-quarter’s seed. Send for free catalogue. 
J. J. H. GREGORY & SON, Marblehead, Mass. 
ESTABLISHED 1802 
SEEDS 
have been the standard of excellence 
for a hundred years, and were awarded 
the GOLD MEDAL both at the Paris 
Exposition of 1900 and Pan-American 
1001. Our 101st Annual Catalogue is in 
every respect the most complete, most 
reliable, and most beautiful of Ameri¬ 
can Garden Annuals. 
Write for it. We mall it free. 
J.M.TH0RBURN&C0. 
> (late of (5 John Street) 
36 C0RTLANDT STREET. NEW YORK 
Don’t let another season pass without planting 
VICK’S SEEDS. The highest quality seeds at tho 
most reasonable price. Vick’s Seeds are the most profita¬ 
ble because the most productive. 
VICK’S 
Farmer’s Handbook 
A complete, reliable and valuable reference book, 
which tells all about the culture and care of crops, prep¬ 
aration of land, fertilizing and spraying for fungas and 
insects, etc.—a 25c book, will be sent to you for 10c if I 
you mention this paper, and we will send with it, free, 
VICK’S Garden and Floral Guide* splendidly 
illustrated and full of information that will help you, 
whether you plant for pleasure or for profit. 
JAMES VICK’S SONS. 
Box 1598-- Rochester, N, Y* 
SEEDS 
Knolvn and solvn 
Ivhereber good crops 
are grolvn . 
Sold everywhere. 
1902 Annual FREE. 
D. M. FERRY &. CO. 
Detroit, 
Mloh. 
OATS 
Pure seed: best clover; Timothy; four best field 
corns. Description. One sample free; more lc. each. 
30 kinds Potatoes, Beans, Raspberries, Barred Kocks, 
Evergreen Corn mailed for 60 hills, postage 5c. 
8 . J.SMITH POTATO FARM, Box B, Manchester,N.Y 
If It’s trees you want write for free Catalogue’of 
MAUTIN WAHL, Rochester, N. Y. 
Wood’s Seeds. 
The Famous 
Forage Crop 
and Soil 
Improvers. 
Co® Peas. 
WE ARE HEADQUARTERS for these and all 
Southern specialties, including Soja Beans, 
Velvet Beans, Pearl or Cat-tail Millet, Teosinte 
Bermuda Grass, Ensilage Corn, Spanish Pea¬ 
nuts, Chufas, Sorghums, etc. 
Write for prices, and our interesting Catalogue 
giving full information about these crops. 
T. W, WOOD & SONS, - Richmond, Va.^ 
Beardlesa Barley 
la prodigally prolific, yield¬ 
ing in 1901 for Mr. Wells, 
Orleans Co., New York, 109 
bushels per acre. Does well 
everywher e. Tha t pays. 
20th Century Oats. 
The oat marvel, producing 
from 200 to 300 bus. per acre. 
Balzer’n Oats are war¬ 
ranted to produce great 
yields. The U. S. Ag. Dept, 
calls them the very best! 
That pa ys. 
Three Eared Corn. 
200 to 250 bus. per acre, is 
extremely profitable at pres¬ 
ent prices of corn. Salzer’s 
■eeda produce everywhere. 
Marvel Wheat 
yielded in 30 States last year 
over 40 bus. per aere. We also 
have the celebrated Macca- 
ronlWheat* which yielded 
ou our farms 63 but. per acre. 
That pay a. 
Speltz. 
Greatest cereal fpod on 
earth—80 bus. grain and 4 
tom magnificent hay per 
acre. Thut pays. 
Victoria Rape 
makes it possible to grow 
hogs, sheep and cattle at a 
cost of but lc a lb. Marvel¬ 
ously prolific, does well 
everywhere. That pays. 
Bromus Inermls. 
Most wonderful grass of 
the ceutury. Produces 6 tons 
of hay and lots and lots of 
pasturage besides per acre. 
Grows wherever toil is 
found. 8 ulzer’g seed is 
warrauted . Tha t pays. 
SI 0.00 for 10c. 
We wish you to try our 
great farm seeds, hence 
offer to send 10 farm teed 
' samples, containing Thousand 
Headed Kale, Teosinte, Rape, 
’ Alfalfa, Speltz, etc. (fully worth 
r $ 10 . 00 to get a start) together with 
our great catalog, for 10 c postage. 
S 
FMn for circular of the new late 
CR1I grape, MEItCERON. A 
Special Offer to It. N.-Y. readers. 
T C. FOSTER, Harrisburg, Pa. 
Success 
with Seeds 
Good seed brings good 
results. The sowing of 
ARLINGTON 
Tested Seeds 
^always results in the reaping of a Rich Harvest. 
Send for Kawson’s Seed Book for 1902—descriptive^ 
k k and pictorial— free. 
W. W. RAWSON «fc CO., 
18-18 Faneutl Hull 8q., 
Boston, Mass. 
IS KING! 
Ill Send your name and address on a Postal 
Card and I will send you sample of 
BUCKBEE’S 
Great Money-Making Corn, 
together with our Beautiful and instructive 
Seed anil IMant Kook* 'Fells all about 
the best varieties of Corn and everything 
ofintercstin seeds; how to grow them for 
profit, etc. 
CDCCV If you writ© to-day and 
intti Mention thin Paper. 
H. W. BUCKBEE, 
Rockford Seed Harms, 
ROCKFORD, ILL. 
Dept. L-71. 
John ASalzer Seed Co. LA w?s SSE 
This Marvelous Extra Early Potato originated bf 
HARRY N. HAMMOND SEED CO. Ltd 
Box 42. bay CITY, BICH. 
Largest growers of seed potatoes In America. 30 best 
varieties. Northern Grown always best. Blight proof, 
enormous yielders, highest quality. Lowest price for 
lb., bbl., or carload. Elegant 100 -page Bargain Seed 
- - | for(tt . 
Catalogue FREE. Write ; 
t today. 
BURPEE’S SEEDS 
M. W NEVER BEFORE have we introduced such SUPERB NOVELTIES of 
unusual merit. Six choicest Vegetables and five finest Flowers are shown 
painted from nature, others illustrated from photographs and all honestly described in 
BURPEE’S FARM ANNUAL for 1902 . This "leading American Seed Catalogue” is 
mailed FREE to all who intend to buy. Write to-day, a postal card will do. 
W. ATLEE BURPEE & CO., 
Seed Growers, PHILADELPHIA. 
