1902 
373 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
EVENTS OF THE WEEK. 
DOMESTIC.— May 10 snow fell in Michigan, Wisconsin, 
Ohio and New York. The mercury dropped as low as 22, 
causing serious damage to fruit. . . . By the explo¬ 
sion of two cars of naphtha in the yards of the Ban 
Handle Railroad near Pittsburg, May 12, 21 people were 
burned to death and 300 more injured, 50 of whom are ex¬ 
pected to die. The burning oil was thrown high in the 
air, deluging all within reach as it came down, and set¬ 
ting lire to cars and buildings. The trouble was caused 
hy concussion in switching the tank cars. One sprung a 
leak and the oil was set on tire by a broken switch lan¬ 
tern. . • • The President has issued a proclamation 
opening to settlement the Fort Hall Indian Reservation 
in Idaho. All of the land within live miles of Pocatello 
will be sold at public auction at noon on July 17, at a 
minimum of $10 an acre. 
CONGRESS.—May 9 the House passed the bill to admit 
Oklahoma, Arizona and New Mexico to statehood. . . 
. May 12 the President sent a special message, 
recommending that an appropriation be made for the 
relief of the sufferers from the Martinique disaster. A 
bill providing that $200,000 be at once made available for 
this purpose passed both houses. 
WEST INDIES.—Further details of the disaster on the 
island of Martinique show it to have been one of the 
most awful of recent years. On May 3 the volcanic 
Mount Pelee began to throw out dense clouds of smoke; 
then followed flames, showers of ashes and stones, ex¬ 
plosions, heard hundreds of miles away, and streams of 
liery lava. It is believed that 40,000 persons perished, 
and that 100,000 are homeless and destitute of food. 
There were 15 vessels in the harbor of St. Pierre, all but 
one of which were overwhelmed in the whirlwind of 
steam, boiling mud and lire. The steamer Roddam es¬ 
caped, although the captain was badly burned while try¬ 
ing to handle his vessel, and ten of the crew were burned 
to death before they could get under cover by the shower 
of fire. The refugees from the volcanic district are in a 
terrible plight, and relief parties are reaching them as 
rapidly as possible with food and other necessities. 
Large public and private gifts from this country and 
Europe, for relief purposes, are being received. The 
work of cremating the bodies at St. Pierre is being car¬ 
ried on as rapidly as possible in order to avoid pesti¬ 
lence. The streams on the island are polluted or dried 
up, and cattle are dying. A sympathetic eruption has 
occurred in the island of St. Vincent, 100 miles north of 
Martinique. About 2,000, mostly Carib Indians, have 
been killed by earthquake and showers of lire. The 
inhabitants of all neighboring islands are in a state af 
panic, fearing further disturbances. 
CROP AND WEATHER NOTES. 
MAY 7.—On the plateau lands of Kentucky we shall 
have no peaches except the fence corner seedlings. 
There was a poor apple bloom: no Ben Davis; Winesap 
and Rome Beauty promise well. Many other varieties 
not blooming at all. The Japan pears did not bloom, 
while the Japan plums have set full, like all varieties 
of plums. The sour cherries promise a full crop while 
there is but a sparse setting on the sweet varieties. 
Grapes promise a full yield, strawberries only medium 
and will be late in ripening. Fruit generally is weak¬ 
ened by overbearing last year and extreme dry weather 
in the Fall. It was much injured by the first cold night 
of the Winter early in December, when the mercury 
went down to eight degrees below zero. Usually it takes 
10 and 12 degress below to kill the peach buds in our 
State. J- a. m’k. 
Kingsville, Ky. 
MAY 8.—Strawberries and all other fruit are looking 
very promising here this Spring. Some strawberries will 
be ripe next week. Very many have Lucretia dewber¬ 
ries this year, all staked and tied up—lots of work, but 
they are wonderfully productive and paid big last year. 
Vineland, N. J. f. s. n. 
MAY 12.—We are discouraged since two nights and one 
day of hard freezing. I have no memory of its like. 
Leaves are dropping from the trees as I write. Such a 
splendid stand of clover as we never had before is to-day 
black. I am not sure whether apples are far enough 
advanced to be ruined. From reports last night the low 
temperature area seems large. H. e. c. 
Lewis County, N. Y. 
MAY 12.—Sunday morning, Ma,. 11, after the two pre¬ 
ceding nights of heavy freezing and Friday night’s wind 
accompaniment, finds us with the finest outlook for 
fruit in years entirely ruined, except apples. Most of 
these were not out yet, but those out and some not out 
are killed to the extent of perhaps 30 per cent, of blos¬ 
soms. Every strawberry and raspberry that budded is 
killed, every peach of any acount and most of the plums 
and cherries are entirely killed. Ice one-half inch thick 
was found Sunday morning. Foliage of nearly all trees is 
injured somewhat. J. Q- w. 
MAY 12.—Apples are showing full bloom, also peaches. 
Our Burbank plums which bore heavily last year have no 
blossoms this Spring. Our Abundance trees bore last 
year and give promise of a good crop this year. The 
pear bloom is light. Our raspberries winterkilled quite 
badly. Strawberries and blackberries are looking well, 
and asparagus is doing a little better than last Spring. 
The cold snap of May 10 may cause some damage, but 
we think no serious loss will occur as it was windy all 
that night. Currants promise a large crop. a. n. s. 
Hudson, Mass. 
MAY 12.—The present outlook for fruit in this section 
is quite promising, except peaches. I have not seen a 
peach blossom this season. I understand that there 
will be few if any peaches this side of Centralia, which 
is about 100 miles south of us. Peach buds were killed 
in December, 1901. Apples have blossomed freely and 
the fruit seems to be setting pretty well; but it is 
rather early to say how much of a crop we may expect. 
Cherry and plum trees are setting nicely. Pears did not 
bloom so freely as some seasons, yet there may be a 
fair crop. Strawberries are white with blossoms at this 
time and the outlook is most encouraging. Raspberries 
and blackberries, where the bushes went into Winter 
quarters in good condition, will have a fine crop, I think. 
There were many old patches, however, that were badly 
injured by the exceeding hot, dry weather of last Sum¬ 
mer, and these are practically worthless, so that the 
acreage and crops will be less. The demand for the 
early fruit from the South now coming daily is good, and 
we expect fair prices for the fruit grown here soon as it 
is ready to market. Q. J. f. 
Normal, 111. 
MAY' 12.—Peaches blossomed full; fruit set on most 
trees. Last night was cold. Ice formed as thick as window 
glass, but I do not think any damage was done. Apple 
trees also full of blossom, with every indication at this 
writing of a good crop. A crop report will be of value, 
as it is of much importance if we have a full crop to 
know what other people have, though there has been 
a great change in last few years, and transportation is 
now so cheap that we can send a crop where a few years 
ago it would be out of the question. J. e. 
Sherborn, Mass. 
MAY 12.—We had a cold snap lasting two days with 
heavy north wind last night (May 11). Ice three-eights 
inch thick froze in chicken yard, and all of our straw- 
beries are gone. Some apple blossoms got caught, early 
cherries are gone, late ones slightly damaged, but most 
small fruit killed by late frost. Greening trees are 
blooming very full and Baldwin’s only about one-third 
as much. Plums and cherries promise a full crop; 
peaches about two-thirds. I just have a letter from 
Waynesboro, Va., saying that apples are all set with 
prospects of a fair crop. c. v. 
Lyons, N. Y. 
MAY 12.—Two years ago we had a moderate peach 
crop, last year a heavy yield. The trees are now in full 
bloom and prospects are excellent. Plums, sour and 
sweet cherries, have bloomed full. Apples now coming 
into bloom and are extra heavy. Strawberries and bush 
fruits show up well. Winter was very easy on fruit of 
all kinds. The early blooms of strawberries got nipped 
on the night of May 10 and 11, so first berries will be 
few days later. I do not think currants and gooseberries 
were much injured. Weather Bureau telegraphed us to 
look out for killing freeze night of May 9, but old Lake 
Erie gave us a good stiff breeze all night, so we had 
only a light frost. Same thing happened the next night. 
Now we hope we are safe. a. i. l. 
North East, Pa. 
MAY 12.—The splendid promise for fruits in Niagara 
County has been materially injured by the unprecedented 
frosts of May 9, 10 and 11. The temperature at six 
o'clock on the evening of May 10 was seven degrees be¬ 
low freezing. The young growth on many fruit trees 
has been blackened. Plum and cherry trees were in full 
bloom, about half the buds of peach and pear were 
open, and apple blossoms were beginning to appeart 
Under these circumstances it is surprising that the 
destruction was not complete, but at the present writing 
the prospects are still favorable for some of our leading 
fruits. It is impossible to determine to what extent, if 
any, the seemingly bright buds and blossoms have been 
injured so as to be incapable of fertilization. 1 would 
estimate the apple crop as uninjured, though the few 
blossoms that were open were mostly destroyed. Proba^ 
bly 50 per cent, of pear bloom is destroyed, but there is 
enough left on most trees for a full crop. The Japan 
plums have suffered seriously, and the crop will probably 
be light, but the domestic varieties seem to have suffered 
but little. Cherries are greatly injured, and the crop 
will be nearly or quite a total failure. One peach 
orchard I examined showed at least 50 per cent, of the 
Crawford buds and blossoms killed. In another orchard 
they were practically all gone. Elbertas were in rather 
better condition and may possibly give a half crop. 
Barker, N. Y. w. t. mann. 
MAY 13.—We had a fine prospect for a full crop of 
everything, but on the nights of May 10 and 11 we had a 
very hard freeze which has probably destroyed most of 
the earlier fruits. It is difficult at present to tell to what 
extent the fruit has been killed. d. r. p. 
Trumansburg, N. Y. 
MAY 14.—I do not remember ever seeing a better prom¬ 
ise for orchard fruits. The bloom is full and the weather 
is ideal for fertilization. The cool weather has caused 
blossoms to linger and give time for pollination." There 
has been no heavy rain to wash away the pollen, ai. m. 
Medway, Mass. 
MAY 14.—I am sorry to say that we are considerably 
injured with the frost. Last year’s seeding of clover is 
looking very bad. Apples, which were set well with the 
exception of the Baldwin, are all damaged, but just how 
badly it is too early to state. 1 think 20 per cent are 
gone. Sweet cherries are nearly all gone. Quinces and 
Bartlett pears are badly injured. Strange to say, some 
of the peaches and apricots are left; I think the shuck 
protected them. t. b. wilson. 
Halls Corners, N. Y. 
MAY 14.—Pears, cherries, plums and peaches were 
caught while in full bloom by the recent cold weather, 
when the thermometer dropped to 28 degrees. The dam¬ 
age cannot be estimated at present. A peach orchard on 
my place, which is somewhat protected, does not show 
much damage. Cherries, plums and pears are badly in¬ 
jured. Winter apples I do not think were far enough 
advanced to suffer much. Enough blooms were left on 
pear and plum trees apparently uninjured to produce a 
good crop. The blooms on apple trees will be large, and 
insect pests are unusually plentiful. a. e. b. 
Brighton, N. Y. 
MAY 14.—The fruit prospects in Massachusetts are a 
full average. If the freeze on the morning of May 9 
and the sharp frost of May 11 did not reduce the peach 
crop, there will be the largest yield of peaches in Massa- 
chussetts ever known. A great many peach buds were 
injured by the cold winds of May 8, 9 and 10, but proba¬ 
bly not more than 50 per cent, a number which we can 
well afford to lose. Pear prospects are very poor for 
most kinds, Sheldon showing a little better than other 
kinds. Plums, both European and Japan, gave a full 
bloom, also cherries. Apples promise at this time a full 
average crop, although many Baldwin trees failed to 
bloom. The acreage of strawberries fn this section is 
largely reduced from last year, but the yield promises 
far above an average. All fields as far as I know win¬ 
tered well and made a very vigorous growth early 
in Spring. The best fields that 1 know of were grown on 
nothing but high grade commercial fertilizer. Black¬ 
berries winterkilled to some extent and are not making 
satisfactory growth. Raspberries have winterkilled in 
Northeastern Massachussetts so badly for the last few 
Winters that many are giving up growing them. More 
appie trees are being planted in Massachussetts than for 
a great many years. s. r. w. 
Leominster. Mass. 
MAY 14.— Apples will probably be a full crop. Most 
varieties have a very heavy setting. Pears are rather 
light, except Keiffers; they are full and will have to be 
thinned. Quinces are just in bloom, and very fuil. 
Peaches are very full. Many varieties will have to be 
severely thinned to get the best or even good results; 
this is unexpected, as crop was very heavy last year. 
European and Native plums have set very light. How¬ 
ever, this is of little account, as these strains of plums 
are practically a failure, every year on account of the 
rot. Of the Japan strain some varieties are full, but those 
which bore a heavy crop last year have an extremely 
light setting now. Young trees just coming into bearing 
promise a crop and some thinning will be needed. The 
Wickson will again prove itself to be a heavy bearer 
with me, notwithstanding all that has been said to the 
contrary. Cherries and smaller fruit promise to give full 
crop. Grapes will bloom freely. Two or three varieties 
were badly injured by the Winter; among these is the 
Green Mountain, which heretofore 1 always thought 
as immune to Winter as an oak tree. Raspberries and 
blackberries will probably be a fair crop; some varieties 
had canes partially killed and snow and ice broke the 
canes somewhat, but the injury from all causes will not 
prevent a fair setting of fruit. Strawberries will only 
be a fair crop, as some varieties were badly killed by 
the Winter. Very few if any varieties made the usual 
amount of plants last year. Wheat will not yield over 
25 per cent, of a crop. Rye is very badly injured. Grass 
is backward and badly in need of rain and warm 
weather. w. h. s. 
Rocky Hill. N. J. 
FARMING IN THE RED RIVER VALLEY. 
PART III. 
Potato planting begins here about the 12th of May; 
our potatoes keep in fine condition, not an eye having 
started on May 5. In the Fall the outdoor cellars, one- 
12 x GO and the other 18 x 120, holding 10,000 bushels, are 
covered with a layer of Hax straw about a foot deep, 
and on this manure about six inches deep is placed. 
During the Winter light snows filled in with this cover¬ 
ing and kept the temperature above the freezing point, 
except during very cold snaps, when oil stoves were 
placed in them. In the Spring this covering is left on 
as late as possible, thus preventing the ground from 
thawing around the sides and turning it into a tem¬ 
porary refrigerator. This covering will be left on until 
planting time this year, when the doors and scuttles will 
be opened in order that the cellars may warm up and the 
potato eyes start somewhat before planting. We aim 
to keep the temperature of our cellars as near 34 degrees 
as possible, and it has not risen above 40 degrees up to 
this date. This was accomplished by opening the doors 
on cool nights and closing them during the daytime. 
Last year part of our stock was slightly scabby and it 
will accordingly all be treated with a solution of one 
pound of formaldehyde to 50 gallons of water. They 
have to be soaked in this solution two hours. All our 
potato land will have to be plowed this Spring. We 
wish we had some Fall-plowed land in order to get part 
of them in early. 
Sixty acres of land were seeded <to oats the first week 
in May. Part of it will be cut green for hay and the 
remainder allowed to ripen. Wheat seeding is not yet 
completed owing to heavy rains during the week. Over 
400 acres have been sown, however. Not over one-half 
of the wheat is seeded here yet, and it is estimated by 
grain men that the wheat acreage of Minnesota and 
South Dakota will be cut down 20 per cent. The high 
prices of corn, oats and barley at present are prompting 
many farmers to raise more of them than usual. Corn 
is now worth 75 cents, oats 40 cents, and barley 50 cents 
per bushel. The potato acreage will be materially in¬ 
creased this year owing to the prevailing high prices 
for our seed stock; none being sold for eating. One 
potato king near here will plant 300 acres this year. 
A small shop well supplied with tools for wood and 
light iron work, including a small anvil and vise, Is 
where most of my rainy days are spent, repairing har¬ 
ness and machinery. Each set of machinery before be¬ 
ing used is carefully gone over, cleaned, repaired if 
necessary, and oiled before being taken to the field. 
This precaution saves many costly delays and repair 
bills. The hired men usually spend rainy days in the 
house provided for them unless some inside work can be 
found, which is seldom. They have comfortable quar¬ 
ters, and are provided with beds, blankets and a stove. 
No washing is done for them and they make their own 
beds. Day men are paid at present $1 per day with 
board; month men $25 and $26 per month for the season 
of eight months beginning April 1. First sown wheat 
is up in fine shape, that on potato and corn ground com¬ 
ing up first. J. D. B. 
Wolverton, Minn._ 
ROOT-PRUNED VINES AND TREES.—The Hope 
Farm man says he had thought of stopping the 
Hope Farm Notes. My wife says don’t do it, 
for it is the best part of the paper. I have 
to do the Hope Farm way around the house, 
at least. And it affects the older ones, too, for 
Grandpa was heard to call his granddaughter “the 
sprout’’—after Hope Farm ways, I suppose. We have 
set three acres of grapes on the Stringfellow plan, using 
a crowbar to punch the holes and a buggy spoke to ram 
the fine dirt firmly around the root. We were careful to 
fill the bottom of the hole first before putting in the 
root, not leaving any air space below the little stubbed 
roots. Then we put in the roots and rammed in the 
dirt, leaving only two buds just at the top of the ground. 
We set 100 apple trees stub-pruned, using a V-pointed 
spade to open a place for them. All are fresh ana green 
and growing out nicely. We had some big five-year-old 
Burbank plum trees to clean out of a nursery row. We 
set out 20, cutting off all the roots to stubs three 
to five Inches long, and leaving scarcely more than a 
bare trunk. They are pushing leaves out all along the 
trunk and from every little spur. h. e. m. 
Penn Yan, N. Y. 
