332 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
March 2!i 
uralisms ► 
► 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS. 
Staking Tomatoes.— Much has been 
written on the advantages of staking 
tomatoes. The tomato is a rank grower 
on good soil, and the early fruits, which 
are usually the most valuable, are often 
so covered with stems and foliage when 
the plants are allowed to sprawl in the 
usual way that they decay before ripeu- 
ing, while if kept from the ground and 
exposed to the free air and sunlight they 
might mature perfectly. The difference 
was especially well marked last Sum¬ 
mer, when constant rains and unusual¬ 
ly hot weather combined caused the loss 
of a large proportion of the earlier set¬ 
tings of tomatoes grown in the ordinary 
manner. 
Charles L. Allen, in his report as 
chairman of the vegetable committee cf 
the Eastern New York Horticultural So¬ 
ciety, at the last meeting, gives an in¬ 
stance of comparative profits from 
plants supported by stakes and trellis 
and those grown in the natural way; 
550 plants of Matchless and Trophy, 
trained to a five-foot trellis, yielded 
fruits sold for $350, while 800 plants 
grown alongside and allowed to sprawl, 
hut otherwise given every advantage, 
returned less than $100. The stakes 
bore two wires like a grape trellis, and 
three stems were allowed to each plant 
and tied up as growth progressed. All 
laterals were kept off until plants were 
heavily set with tomatoes, when pinch¬ 
ing was discontinued, and the only fur¬ 
ther care was to keep the loaded 
branches securely tied. The yield and 
size of fruits were both increased, but 
the greatest gain was in saving the 
early fruits from rot and insuring bet¬ 
ter pollination by free air circulation 
about the earlier blossoms. Trellising 
and training 550 tomato plants means 
some expense and considerable labor, 
yet few will doubt in this instance that 
additional expense was a good invest¬ 
ment. In normal seasons the difference 
is less marked, yet careful growers who 
have a discriminating market may often 
find it profitable thoroughly to support 
their choice tomatoes. The difficulty of 
keeping the fruits from contact with the 
soil and affording them the needed light 
and air is much reduced by growing the 
dwarf tree like varieties, such as Quar¬ 
ter Century, Dwarf Champion, etc. They 
may be set as near as 24 inches apart, 
in rows of the usual width for horse or 
hand cultivation, and simply tied to a 
stout stake, conveniently made from a 
sharpened 2x3-inch scantling, four feet 
long, well driven in the ground. While 
very stiff and sturdy the plants are not 
able to support a heavy crop of toma¬ 
toes without lopping and splitting to 
some extent. The Quarter Century has 
bright scarlet fruits averaging much 
larger than Champion, and is wonder¬ 
fully productive when well fed. These 
dwarf tomatoes have a compact root 
system and do not wander far for plant 
food, but they are able to use it to good 
advantage when at hand. For garden 
purposes their use should be encouraged, 
it only from a sense of compactness and 
neatness, and under field conditions 
they may often prove more satisfactory 
than some of the tall kinds, as the 
plants are much easier to handle in 
droughty weather as well as planted 
considerably closer. Even without sup¬ 
port more fruits are kept from the soil 
than with the sprawling kinds. 
Plant More Shrubs. —We cannot too 
urgently commend the more general 
planting of hardy shrubs about farm 
homes, particularly those portions to 
which fowls have occasional access. 
Annuals and low-growing hardy plants 
are, of course, indispensable for the 
cheerful decoration of farm dooryards, 
and should never be omitted from the 
protected places, but they cause much 
yearly labor and close attention. Hardy 
shrubs, however, when fairly established 
only need a brief pruning to keep them 
in fair shape, and the attentions of poul¬ 
try are rather an advantage than other¬ 
wise, as they keep the soil cultivated 
and fertilized while enjoying the shel¬ 
ter thrifty shrubs quickly afford. The 
choice of varieties must largely depend 
on climatic conditions, always remem¬ 
bering that bleak winds and an exposed 
situation are more trying than low tem¬ 
peratures in sheltered situations. The 
prices asked for well-grown shrubs, 
such as will make a good show in a year 
or two, run from 25 to 50 cents each in 
the catalogues of reliable nurserymen, 
with probably an average of 35 cents 
each all through. These prices of 
course only apply to standard varieties; 
novelties and scarce kinds come much 
higher and are often less desirable. 
Some mail-order houses send out well- 
rooted pot-grown shrubs in a limited 
number of desirable varieties for about 
15 cents each. These little plants are 
quite certain to grow and make excel¬ 
lent specimens, but it takes a year or so 
longer to get them out of the way of 
fowls. They may be planted out in a 
nursery row in rich ground, placing 
them two feet or more apart, until they 
have grown to good size, and then 
moved to the permanent position. In 
the old days shrubs were more highly 
prized in many localities for dooryard 
planting than at present, and frequent 
neighborhood exchanges kept everyone 
well-stocked. Many farmhouses are re¬ 
deemed from the commonplace by their 
setting of fine old shrubs grown from 
exchanged suckers, and some grand spe¬ 
cimens are worth driving miles to see 
when in bloom. Get some of the fine 
catalogues noticed in a recent number 
of Tiie R. N.-Y. and study the hardy 
shrub offerings carefully, comparing the 
descriptions with successful local varie¬ 
ties. Unless wanted for single speci¬ 
mens most shrubs look better planted 
in beds near the boundaries of yards or 
lawns. They should be planted four to 
six feet apart, keeping the tall growing 
kinds in the background. Few small 
investments will return so much in 
pleasure and lasting effect as a fair col¬ 
lection of hardy shrubs. By beginning 
now a good assortment may be got to¬ 
gether in a few years at a trifling an¬ 
nual outlay. _ w. v. f. 
Facts About the Emma Peach. 
The Emma peach is not in our experi¬ 
ence equal to the Elberta. It is a yel¬ 
low freestone, 10 days to two weeks 
later than Elberta; the tree is a shy 
bearer, and the fruit quite variable in 
size. The trees are also poor growers, 
weak and straggling, and we do not con¬ 
sider it a variety to be compared with 
Elberta as a market peach. 
E. P. SANDSTEN. 
Maryland Agl. College. 
The Emma does not compare at all 
here with Elberta. I have about 1,000 
trees that bore a few scattering peaches 
in 1900; not enough to test its market 
value, for most of them were stung by 
curculio and were knotty and one-sided. 
The peach is lemon yellow with a blush, 
freestone, medium size, of Crawford 
type and in no way related to Elberta, 
ripens about a week later. It may be 
popular south, but unless it develops 
some good qualities later on it will not 
be here. Chairs is in every way super¬ 
ior and ripens the same time. 
Seaford, Del. oh as. wkight. 
How does sawdust act as a mulch for 
strawberries and also for gooseberries? 
I have access to hickory sawdust; how 
can it be utilized on a fruit farm? 
Missouri. l. r. J. 
If you want the best, the most im¬ 
proved and the most reliable binder iu 
the world—buy the McCormick—it is 
the unit of measure iu harvesting ma¬ 
chines.— Adv. 
Half Enough Water 
is quite enough for some people, lnit most 
people want water every day. If 
Rider or Ericsson Hot-Air Pumps 
are used, you can have water every day in 
the year, and your cook or the stable hoy 
is the only engineer needed. 25,000 in 
daily use. 
Catalogue “C4" on application to nearest store. 
RIDER-ERICSSON ENGINE CO., 
22 GortlandtSt.. NewYork 
2.'$!* Franklin St.. Boston 
6112 CialgSt.,Montreal.1 J .Q 
•10 Deal born St., Chicago 
■ION.7th St.. Philadelphia 
Teniente-Rey 71. Havana 
22a Pitt St., Sydney. N. S. VV. 
PROFI T or LOSS? 
That’s the Question 
THE ECLIPSE 
SPRA Y PUMP 
Will settle that in your 
orchard. With it you 
CAN make a profit, with¬ 
out it what do you get ? 
Send for Catalogue. 
MORRILL & M0RLEY, 
BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN. 
IT PAYS TO SPRAY 
even under ordinary conditions and in the ordinary way, but 
it pays especially well tospray when you can do the work 
perfectly and cover thirty acres a day with the 
PERFECTION IrrSver 
either hand or horse power. Pump Is positive iu action and 
never loses force. Liquid does not enter the working parte 
of the pump to corrode it. Simple, easily adjusted 
and operated. The manufacturer has spent twelve 
^ years in bringing it to its present state of perfec- 
^ tion. Sprays Bordeaux and all mixtures without 
^^trouble or waste. W rite for free catalog. W e also 
make the Improved Riggs 
Plows and Furrow era. 
TIIOSI*S PEPPLBR 
i 37 iilgktstowa 
N. J. 
(r 
with the “incomparable’ 
BORDEAUX NOZZLE* 
and our world’* beat outfit you are abac ' 
L lute master of the situation. Insects and dkrf 
lease fall before this all conquering outfit.T 
|Seo the book. It Is free. Write for It now.^ 
THE DUSTING CO., 8ALKH, OHIO. 
Western Agts., lienlon A Hubbell, Chicago. 
If you grow BERRIES, 
PEACHES, GRAPES 
nr UCI ffilC sendusyour 
Or IfitLUNd, name and 
'address on a postal, and secure a 
:opy of our latest catalogue and 
price list of Berry Boxes and Fruit Baskets. 
THE PIERCE-WILLIAMS CO. 
South Haven, Mich. 
ROUND TILE 
the'CLEVELAND 
PURIFYING 
CHAIN PUMP 
ALL STEEL AND 0ALVANIZED 
For well or Clilem IS Feel or Shallower, 
$6.00 DELIVERED. Add 12c. lor every addi- 
tlonal tool. Complete and properly lilted lo 
your well. 14 years on Ihe market. Will 
convert a clslem Into a mountain spring. 
CATALOGUE FREE 
CLEVELAND GALVANIZING WORKS 
11 - M Cooper .31 —- Cleveland , O 
How to Drain Land Profitably. 
On every farm there is probably some land 
that could be made more productive by uuder- 
drainage. Properly drained land can always 
be worked earlier, and more profitably. The 
best and" most 
economical way 
to drain is ex¬ 
plained in the 
book, “Benefits of Drainage and How to Drain,” 
which is Bent free by JOHN H. JACKSON, 
76 Third Avenue, Albany, N. Y. 
BUY OR SELL 
WIFE 
or 
any other 
FARM PRODUCT 
and not be cheated in 
weight. Protect yourself 
for $8.00 
With till 800 it). 17 X 25 
platform settle on wheels, 
steel pivots, carefully 
hardened and 
JONES, HE PAYS TH K FKKtGlIT 
Address Box 5 
•Tones of Binghamton, 
BINGHAMTON, N. Y. 
WITH TIIE 
PIRE KING. 
Tills is the only hand pump hav. 
I ing a mechanical automatic agi- 
.torwith a brush for keepingthe 
Ji suction strainer clean. This Co. 
II also make the Garth Ul Knapsack and 
I Orchard Monarch, and can furnish 
1 the New I*roccM lime, which requires im slack¬ 
ing or straining. Valuable book sent free. 
KIKI.n FORCE PUMP CO., 
2 Market8U, Loekport, N. T. 
Weigh your Craps with 
scales whose accuracy cannot be 
questioned. Avoid loss and disputes 
by weighing stock, crops, etc., with 
the scales that are standard. 
OSGOOD 
U.S. STANDARD 
SCALES 
Ask your hardware 
or Implementdealer 
for on r catalogue. , pa 
Write for our <» 
Mpccifil f**z%&*m 
oiler. 
ff'-". .'.>J7rl 
OSCOOD SCALE CO., 
1 0 B Central St. Binghamton,N. Y. 
The 
New 
VERSUS 
The Old 
the Auto-Spray 
The BUST, CHEAPEST and MOST EFFECTIVE device for 
‘ spraying Gardens, Orchards, Lawns, stables, Chicken Houses, etc. No 
continuous pumping. Compressed air drives the spray automatically. 
Can bo operated by a boy, will save its cost In a few days. Never breaks 
down or gets out of order. Nozzels, stop cocks and all llttings which 
come in contact with insecticide solutions are solid brass. The 
AUTO-SIMiAY cannot rus t, c orrode or leak. The 
Auto-Spray Torch 
is one ofourproini- 
_ nent attachments. 
It is the only torch which really kills worms, etc. It burns kero 
sene vaporized with oxygen and a single blast will dostroy attest 
of caterpillars. Ask V our Healer for the Auto-8pruy, or write 
us for free instructions, "How and When to Spray,” which will 
bo gladly sent to any address. Write us if you want agency. 
E. €. ltltOWN A CO., Bcpt. F, ltOCHKBTKlt, N. Y. 
IX L Combined S, Cultivator & Harrow 
Strong, durable, efficient, with its various advantages docs the work of half a dozen special ma¬ 
chines at the cost of one. Seat folds forward. We furnish handles, making it an ideal walk¬ 
ing cultivator. Uses either spring or eagle-claw teeth. We furnish center 
section which makes it a fallow cultivator. Wood orsteel’wheels, adjustable to 
work wide or narrow. Also liean 1 larvcster and Broadcast Secderattachmcnts. 
tur Uf 1 Hf* vniin nDHEDf now, although we know you will not [ 
ViL if Mil I 1 UUil UflUkll need the cultivator for many weeks. " 
We can sell cheaper now than later. If we can determine how many cultivators to / 
make. We make the price an object to you. We do not want your money now, \ 
but we do want your order. 500,000 Farmers will see this ad. Probably 
6,000 of them would buy this cultivator if they could see it and know how cheap we will sell it. In order 
to determine the number needed and to enable us to manufacture intelligently, we solicit advance orders, 
which will insure prompt shipment ami lower prices. < )n such advance orders we quote a price of only 
~ f ft anc * or ^ er the cultivator now. The balance to be paid when shipment is made and you receive the culti- 
. aUU vator and find it as represented. If not entirely satisfactory, ship it back; we will pay the freight both 
ways and refund you your $ 2 . 0 You risk absolutely nothing, but have the opportunity of saving fully $ 10 . 00 . We guarantee 
* ‘ J ' *' •* h’ “ id will replace, at our own cost, anything’ br< 
SEND $2. 
ways and refund „ „ . ... 
tiie cultivator against defective workmanship or material, and will replace, at our own cost, anything breaking from ihe above 
causes during tiie first season's work. livery part of this cultivator is manufactured under our personal supervision, that is why 
wc guarantee it as we do to you. We will ship whenever you desire, up to as late as May 15- 
WR1TE Tft ft AY ^ orour BpeclalI X Jj Cultivator Circular, which fully illustrates, describes and prices this 
wv 111 I II I U*UM I implement and its various attachments. We will also send free our new catalogue No. C- 82 , show¬ 
ing almost everything used on the farm for spring and summer months, also new'Vehicle and Harness Catalogue No. 15 - 81 , show¬ 
ing more than 160 styles ofbuggies, carriages, surreys, etc., and harness for every purpose. We add only one small profit to 
first factory cost ami make lowest prices on best grade of work. We have no agents, but sell direct to the consumer and save 
you money. We ship direct to responsible purchasers, on trial, no money or depo*it required. Write us to-day. 
CASH SUPPLY & MFC., CO. Department C, KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN. 
tar H t recommend Use above Jinn io vur reader a at reliable in every way. — 1‘ubliehtr, 
