4oo 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
June 7 
WHA T THE PLUM CURCULIO DOES. 
I have just read the short article in 
The R. N.-Y., page 365, entitled “Spray¬ 
ing for the Plum Curculio.” I wish to 
make the following comments on the 
article: The curculio begins laying its 
eggs very soon after the calyx of the 
blossom goes off from the set fruit, but 
the curculio does not make the crescent¬ 
shaped cut and then lay its eggs in this 
cut. Before laying its eggs, the curcu- 
lic eats a little hole through the skin 
and then eats out a little pocket in the 
flesh of the fruit just underneath the 
skin. The beetle then turns around and 
pushes her egg through the little hole 
into this pocket. She then turns around 
again and cuts the crescent-shaped slit 
through the skin jusi in front of the 
egg-hole, and extends the cut by eating 
the flesh until it undermines the little 
pocket in which the egg is laid. Thus 
the egg laying is completed before the 
crescent cut is made, and the whole op¬ 
eration takes two or three minutes. 
The correspondent is also mistaken in 
thinking that he kills the curculio by 
spraying Bordeaux and Paris-green into 
the crescent-shaped slit. He may be 
able to control the insect with this spray, 
but he does not do it in the way which 
he suggests. This same notion was dis¬ 
cussed at the meeting of the Western 
New York Horticultural Society a few 
years ago, and that Spring 1 happened 
to be in a plum orchard just at the time 
when the curculio grubs were hatching 
and beginning to eat. One can readily 
determine when they hatch, for very 
soon afterward a little drop of gum 
oozes out from the point where they are 
working. Anyone can very quickly de¬ 
termine, by carefully cutting into the 
plum, that the little grub never goes in¬ 
to the crescent slit, cut by the mother 
curculio for the purpose of undermining 
the egg pocket so that the growth of the 
fruit at this point will not crush her 
very tender egg. A week or more 
elapses from the laying of the egg to its 
hatching. During this week the cres¬ 
cent cut partially heals or fills up, and 
it will be found that the little grub does 
not have to go through or into this slit 
to get into the more fleshy part of the 
fruit. Therefore there is no possible 
chance to poison the little grubs by put¬ 
ting a poison spray into these crescent¬ 
shaped slits. The satisfactory results 
which have been attained from using 
poison against this pest are due to the 
fact that the beetles feed upon the 
foliage to some extent, and they are thus 
killed with the poison, but not the little 
grubs in the fruit, m. v. slingerland. 
CAN WE DEFEND FARM PROPERTY? 
New Hampshire Gives a Chance. 
Among other things, you put this 
question: “Suppose the fruit grower 
finds that the robins come in such num¬ 
bers that they destroy his crop of 
cherries; has he not the right to shoot 
these robins and other birds to protect 
his property?” In answer, I call your 
attention to the case of Aldrich vs. 
Wright, 53 N. H. R. 398. The head note 
reads as follows: ‘‘The natural, essen¬ 
tial and inherent right to protect prop¬ 
erty, declared in article 2 of the bill of 
rights (Constitution N. H.) is the right 
to do whatever under the circumstances 
of each case apparently is reasonably 
necessary to be done in defence.” This 
case was an action brought to recover a 
penalty prescribed by the statutes of this 
State for killing fur-bearing animals be¬ 
tween May 1 and October 15. The de¬ 
fendant’s geese were attacked by minks 
while swimming upon a small pond own¬ 
ed by him, and he shot them in defence 
of his property, represented by the 
geese. In the opinion, the court says: 
“Between May 1 and October 15 the de¬ 
fendant could not lawfully kill these 
minks for their fur, or in sport or wan¬ 
tonness, or for any past pursuit or dis¬ 
turbance of his property however vexa¬ 
tious, or for any other mischief, however 
serious; but he could lawfully protect 
his property against them between May 
1 and October 15, as well as at any other 
time. If they had consumed his entire 
stock of poultry, he could not have jus¬ 
tified his shot for obtaining their skins 
as the only available redress for their 
depredation, but while one of his birds 
remained, he could lawfully defend it. 
He could have no indemnity for the past 
but he was entitled to security for the 
future. Much as the statute had abridged 
his rights of hunting and reprisal, it had 
put him under no obligation to suffer 
the minks to eat, injure or annoy his 
domestic fowls. His natural, common- 
law and constitutional right of defense 
existed in full force and vigor, not re¬ 
pealed nor in the slightest degree im¬ 
paired or modified by the statute.” I 
understand Aldrich vs. Wright is the 
law of New Hampshire in this matter. 
No action can be maintained against the 
State to recover damages occasioned by 
wild animals which are protected by the 
Statute. EDWIN G. EASTMAN. 
Attorney General. 
Must Submit in Ohio. 
The present state of the law of Ohio 
is such that persons are not at liberty 
to kill birds protected by the law. al¬ 
though they may be found destroying 
their fruit. It has now come to be quite 
generally believed that the ruthless 
slaughter of song birds has resulted in 
the destruction of a great deal more 
fruit by insects than was ever destroyed 
by these birds, hence, the Legislature 
has sought to remedy this evil by pro¬ 
tecting the birds. Those who kill the 
birds for destroying the fruit have been 
killing the “goose that laid the golden 
egg.” Who would be so cruel as to kill 
the innocent robin for the few cherries 
it might eat, when it doubly repays for 
all it gets by its early morning songs the 
season through? Nor have persons 
whose fruit has been destroyed by such 
birds any redress against the State; the 
State is a sovereign; it cannot be sued. 
The laws are made for the greatest good 
of the greatest number, and any indi¬ 
vidual whose rights seem to have been 
curtailed by the provisions of the law 
must yield to its provisions and can 
have no redress. j. m. sheets. 
Attorney General. 
Apples for Southern Maine. 
Ii. IF. R., So. Cushing, Me.—Which of th 
following varieties of apple trees would 
you advise setting: Baldwin, Ben Davis or 
Roxbury Russet? Describe life of each, 
yield, etc. The location is a north slope, 
sand loam. 
Ans. —In southern Maine either Bald¬ 
win or Ben Davis will do well. The 
former is much better in quality and is 
the best all-around variety for Maine. 
The Ben Davis is hardy, very produc¬ 
tive, and bears early. The fruit keeps 
rather longer than that of Baldwin, but 
is of inferior quality. Roxbury Russet 
does well in most localities, but can 
hardly be recommended as the leading 
variety to plant. The life and yield of 
any variety will depend wholly upon 
the conditions under which the trees are 
growing. In general, Baldwin and Rox¬ 
bury will probably prove longer-lived 
than Ben Davis, though the latter is a 
newer variety and has not proved itself, 
in this respect, in Maine. The Ben 
Davis is rather more productive than 
the others. The location is rather close 
to the ocean, but all of the varieties 
named do well a little farther north, in 
the town of Union. w. m. munson. 
Maine Exp. Station. 
For the land’s sake, use Bowker’s Fer¬ 
tilizers. They enrich the earth.— Adv. 
pri PPY PLANTS, $1 perl,000; TOcents 
Eb ki lb ■ %. ■ 500; strong, stocky plants, 
grown by irrigation and heavy fertilization; Golden 
Self-Blanching, White Plume and Giant Pascal. 
F. W. ROCHELLE, Chester, N. J. 
CELERY PLANTS 
Grown on land specially adaj 
ed to them; sown thin, ea 
plant is strong, stocky and well rooted. Price 
White Plume, 500, 75c.; 1,000, $1.25; 5,000, *5. Gold. 
Self-Blanching, 500. $1; 1,000, $1.50; 5.000. $6.26; Gla 
Paschal and Pink Plume, 500, $1.25; 1,000, $1.75; 6,01 
$7.50. Circular free. 
WILSON BROS., Tecumseli, Mich. 
Hood Farm Sale 
BY AUCTION 
WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY, 
June 11 and 12, 1902, at Lowell, Mass. 
Jerseys and Berkshires. 
1. Sophona 76101 
2. Sophie’s Lily 
3. Marna 76108 
4. Sophie Hudson 76105 
6 . Elsie Wolcott 76102 
6 . Elphio May 69306 
7. Kiggis 76106 
8 . Sophie’s Tormentor 20883 
9. Pansy’s Thoughts 69400 
10. Torono 25204 
11. Piuk Ring 69394 
The Greatest Sale 
of this Most Popu¬ 
lar Breed ever held 
in the East. Some 
great show possibil¬ 
ities to be sold. 
180 
Jerseys 
Combine Beauty 
with Utility. 
Economical 
Producers. 
Acclimated and 
Ready for Business. 
Greatest chance ever 
offered to buy at your 
own price, strong, 
healthy, American 
bred stock. 
125 
Berkshires 
Sophie’s Tormentor Family. 
The picture above shows Sophie’s 
Tormentor, No. 8, 9 of Ids daughters 
and his son Torono, No. 10. Here 
is a family bred to a type and 
noted for their show yard winnings 
and their dairy usefulness. They 
are deep, rich, persistent milkers and 
do it on a small amount of feed. 
They never take on fat. The sale 
will include Torono, Pink Ring, No. 
11, Elsie Wolcott, No. 5, Sophie 
Hudson, No. 4, 11,496 lbs. 2 oz., 
testing 716 lbs. 13 oz. butter in 10 
months, sister to Torono, and the 
great prize winning cow Figgis, No. 
7, 19 lbs. 15 oz. This strain is justly 
popular. 
Those wishing to obtain new blood 
or to start a herd of Berkshires should 
not miss this sale. Also those who 
are looking for something choice to 
take to the fairs next fall. All will 
he able to find something that will 
suit. 
Sale Catalogue ready June 2. Sent 
on application to Peter C. Kellogg, 
107 John Street, New York, or to 
Hood Farm, Lowell, Mass. 
True Dwarf Essex 
Rape Seed. 
The best Rape Seed is the cheapest. You 
get several times the crop that you get from 
poor seed. We import direct a Rape Seed 
with a record as high as 19 tons to the acre. 
Yet we buy in such quantities that we can 
sell at these remarkable prices:— 
True Dwarf Essex R_a.pe%fic 
Five Lbs. Enough for 1 Acre U 
Ten lbs. 75c.. 50 lbs. $3.25, 100 lbs. $6.00—by 
freight or express, buyer paying charges. 
Bags for 50 lbs., 15c extra. 
Packet 10c., K lb. 15c., one lb. 28c. by mail. 
You cannot buy such seed at such prices 
anywhere else in America. 
I VaAigkaov’s Seed Store, 
84 Randolph St., Chicago, 14 Barclay St., N. Y. 
1,000,000 Tomato Plants for the cancer; 
500,000 Late Cabbage and other plants. Catalogue 
free. CALEB BOGGS & SON, Cheswold.Del. 
CJ a I *%— 500 bushelB Early Black Cow 
r Ul OdlU Peas, $2 bu.; 100 bushels Early 
Black-eyed Peas $2 bushel; 500 bushels Delaware- 
grown Crimson Clover Seed $3 bushel. 
J. E. HOLLAND, Milford, Del. 
—25 
CABBAGE PLANTS 
Ea. J. Wakefield, Ka. Summer. 
cents per 100 
postpaid. 
By exp., $1 per 1,000. 
Circular free. 
Macedou, N. Y. 
Sweet Potato Plants 
Jersey Yellow, $1.25 per 1,000; Early Golden and 
Improved Kansemond, $1.50 per 1,000. Ten per cent 
discount on 20,000 or more. Plants ready now. 
JOHN CASAZZA, Vineland, N. J. 
FRUIT EVAPORATOR ”r.Fo" TE12T' 
Circulars free. B. L. Ryder Co.,Box 420, Phila., Pa 
Potted Strawberry Plants, July I. 
T. C. KEVITT, Athenla, N. J. 
C elery and Cabbage Plants, SI per 1,000 
rimson Clover Seed, S4 per bushel. 
8 LAYMAKER & SON, Dover, Del. 
Z - 'inseng under cultivation pays better than a gold 
mine. Directions for growing and price of seeds 
&plants/ree. RoyalGinsengGardens, LittleYork N.Y 
CARDERS booked now for new crop Crimson Clover 
seed ready June 15. Popular prices. Seed guar¬ 
anteed. Write JOHN J. ROSA, Milford, Del. 
ad. 
M white Crystal were Insect-proof 
■ IS last year. For price see last week's 
8 . J. Smith’s Potato Farm, Manchester, N. Y. 
Vegetable Plants. 
Asparagus—Conover’s Colossal, $3 per 1,000. Cab¬ 
bage—Danish Ballhead, from our imported seed, the 
best Cabbage from October to April or May, $1.25 per 
1,000; Wakefield and Early Summer, $1 per 1,000. 
Celery — White Plume, transplanted, strong, and 
Celeriac, $2 per 1,000. Horseradish Sets—4 to 6-incb, 
$1.50; 7 to 9-inch, $3 per 1,000. Tomato—Dwarf 
Champion, Acme, Livingston and others, trans¬ 
planted, very strong, $5 per 1,000 ; 65c. per 100. Cash 
with order. Send 5 cents In stamps for sample of 
anyone to be mailed. LUDWIG MOSB/KK, 
8500 Anthony Avenue, South Chicago, III- 
Hoyt’s Nurseries 
are the standard for reliability and first- 
clasB stock. Headquarters for the October 
Purple Plum and Green Mountain Grape. 
Also a full line of Fruit Trees, Forest and 
Ornamental Trees, Shrubs, Small Fruits, 
Roses, Asparagus, etc. 
Send for Free Catalogue. 
STEPHEN HOYT'S SONS 
New Canaan, Conn. 
The Name on My Trees Means Something 
IT DOESN’T ALWAYS ON OTHERS. 
Tree Breeders. ROGERS ON°THE HILL. Dansville, N.Y. 
