1902 
737 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
EVERYBODY'S GARDEN. 
We raise tomatoes on a large scale for 
the market, and this year began to save 
our own seed from the finest fruits. A 
great many of the fruits saved for seed 
purposes were picked when half ripe, and 
finished ripening in the greenhouse. Do 
you believe this will injure the vitality of 
the seed? G. m. 
Johnstown, Pa. 
Selection of Seed. —Along this line 
of improvement we have but two stand¬ 
points at best, from which to work; 
first, by selecting seed from the partial¬ 
ly ripened fruits, and second, choosing 
or selecting seed from the fully ripened 
specimens that mature first. The lat¬ 
ter is the safer plan and may be carried 
on from year to year indefinitely with¬ 
out danger of impairing vitality. The 
former plan, if carried to excess, will 
impair the vigor both as to the fruit and 
its seed. While this is doubtless the 
case, the plan is resorted to to quite 
an extent, as earliness in the tomato is 
a quality much sought after. In general, 
it will be safe practice for two or three 
years, but would better not be carried 
beyond that period. Now as to your per¬ 
sonal case, it would be hard to deter¬ 
mine just what you might consider “half 
ripe.” But to define a little more clear¬ 
ly, I would have no hesitancy in picking 
as soon as any traces of red were notice¬ 
able upon the outside, or in many cases 
even before that. When they seem fully 
developed and just begin to show tinges 
of red is a good time. But I would pre¬ 
fer to remove the seeds before allowing 
them fully to ripen, and by all means 
before any signs of decay are visible. 
There will be no danger of impairing the 
vitality for two or three years, and cer¬ 
tainly not for one trial. 
Celery Questions. —The following 
letter from a subscriber under date ot 
October 13 is inserted, as there are some 
questions of interest to celery growers. 
It also indicates considerable push, as 
the writer began gardening only a year 
or two ago without any previous knowl¬ 
edge, and the conditions under which he 
has worked may be nearly or quite iden¬ 
tical with those confronting many other 
growers: 
I wish to ask some questions regarding 
celery. I grew a few plants last year, and 
now have only a small patch for our local 
market. I never saw a plant growing ex¬ 
cept what I have grown myself. I am 
using White Plume and a few plants of 
Giant Pascal. I am now marketing a 
little which is averaging me four cents per 
stock, while Kalamazoo celery is selling 
at 15 cents per dozen (both prices being 
wholesale). White Plume was sown in hot¬ 
bed February 25 and set in field May 20. 
Giant Pascal sown April 20 was set in field 
August 1. I am not acquainted with the dif¬ 
ferent varieties, but it seems to me that 
the White Plume grows too many stalks, 
and is too spreading in habit. The Pascal 
grows more erect, with fewer stalks. I 
planted on level surface, and gave loose 
culture without banking or handling until 
ready for blanching. I used boards for my 
earliest, but am now banking with earth. 
About four weeks ago I noticed small black 
spots on the outer leaves; these slowly 
spread until the leaf died, but the heart is 
still alive. The latest planting is not af¬ 
fected. I planted in rows four feet apart, 
six inches in the row. I have a book, 
“Celery for Profit,” and in handling, used 
a string as suggested in the book; but in 
gathering up the stalks a great many of 
the outside ones broke. I am the first one 
here to grow celery, but a competitor has 
a small patch this year. What is the dis¬ 
ease referred to? Is there a remedy? Will 
this string left on injure the celery? W r hat 
is the best early variety? What is the best 
late sort? Should I have handled earlier 
than I did; i. e., when I was ready to 
blanch? Shall I plant on level or in 
trenches? Will it be safe to blanch with 
earth for use September 20? In storing, do 
you strip any of the outside leaves off, or 
clip the roots? Will this breaking of the 
outside stalks injure the plants? My late 
cabbage (Ball Head) has black rotten 
spots on the leaves. What is it? g. h. 
Torrence, Ind. 
The disease may have been blight. If 
so spraying with Bordeaux Mixture 
would probably be the best treatment. 
I think, however, that your celery stood 
too long in the ground, and that was the 
chief source of your trouble. You say 
that the White Plume seed was sown in 
the hotbed February 20 and set in the 
open ground May 20. In this case it 
ought to have been ready for market by 
the latter part of July at the latest. This 
is one of the earliest varieties, and the 
date of letter (October 13) would be 
nearly five months. That was far too 
long for an early variety at least, to 
stand in the ground. I think the trou¬ 
ble was from that cause. The allusion 
to string no doubt refers to a practice 
followed by some growers, of tying tho 
stalks together to give erect habit to 
the bunches. If the inquirer means by 
this to remove it when the celery is 
stored I would do so. If the question 
refers to removing the cord when bank¬ 
ed for blanching I would do so if pos¬ 
sible to hold the stalks in upright posi¬ 
tion with the soil. Of course there are 
two ways of using the string or cord, 
first by tying up the bunches to hold 
them in shape, and leaving them perma¬ 
nently instead of banking with soil as 
the stalks attain growth. The other 
plan is simply tying up to hold them 
while they are being banked, then re¬ 
moving it. Doubtless you refer to the 
former method, and if so, I think bank¬ 
ing up as the stalks grew would have 
been a better way. 
The White Plume is a thoroughly 
tested and reliable variety. There are, 
however, two strains of it at least. One 
has larger stalks than the other, but is 
thought by some growers to be inferior 
to the shorter-stalk variety. It is about 
100 days, and being among the very 
earliest, you will hardly do better if you 
have a good strain. The Golden Yellow 
and Pink Plume, both about 10 days 
later, are also highly recommended. If 
you have thoroughly rich soil, and can 
give the best of culture, you will hardly 
do better than to continue with Giant 
Pascal. This, of course, is late; about 
120 days or perhaps a little less in your 
locality. Evans Triumph might prove 
a desirable sort, and in your southern 
location I think would give satisfaction. 
It requires a long season, but is also a 
long keeper. Set rather early and your 
later Fall there would no doubt be am¬ 
ple time for maturity. If, however, you 
desire to grow celery to some extent, ex¬ 
periment with a few sorts and see which 
is best for you. Had you handled your 
White Plume earlier I think it would 
have kept free from the trouble men¬ 
tioned. That variety blanches quickly, 
and you would certainly have been able 
to get it into the market sooner. Stor¬ 
ing depends largely on the condition of 
the ground, and how you desire to 
blanch it. If the ground was very dry, 
so that watering out would be advisable, 
it could be done more easily in trenches. 
Also, if you blanch with earth, that is 
more easily done if planted in trenches. 
If boards are used, level planting is per¬ 
haps the better way. There would be 
no danger in soil blanching at that time 
of year I think. Any diseased or unsal¬ 
able stalks would better be removed. 
The diseased ones will very likely be 
harmful to the good stalks, and there is 
no possible advantage in bothering with 
anything that would have in any event 
to be rejected later. The roots should 
not be clipped until preparing for mar¬ 
ket, and the loose soil should be re¬ 
moved in ordinary storing. If storing 
in soil with the idea of getting still more 
growth, leave whatever of the soil on 
that will adhere without injuring the 
plants; any breakage of good stalks will 
be so much loss. 
leaves and destroy them. Little beside 
this could be done to arrest the disease 
now, but gathering and destroying all 
affected heads or leaves will be helpful 
in removing the cause of much of its 
spread. Boil or burn all affected leaves 
or cabbages. Watch its progress care¬ 
fully, and further developments may de¬ 
termine the nature of the trouble. If 
caused by the wet weather no very seri¬ 
ous results will be likely to follow. 
Michigan. j. e. morse. 
Dogs and Sheep.— I have never done 
anything to keep dogs from troubling 
sheep; never lost but one that way. That 
was done by a bull pup, and I gave him a 
dose of lead. I think one cause of dogs 
killing sheep is that they are not fed well. 
In Kansas we have plenty to feed dogs. 
My sheep are not herded, but I put in yard 
every night so prairie wolves don’t get 
some. They will come up of their own 
accord. I raise fine Delaine merinos and 
have a good sale for rams. I sold last 
season in five States; j. n. gratj. 
Asheville, Kan. 
I have never been bothered with dogs. 
My sheep usually come to the barn lot for 
the night. In places where dogs bother I 
would advise those who lose any to take 
some of the sheep killed and put strych¬ 
nine in it and hang up where the dogs can 
get it and yard the flock. A neighbor of 
mine did this and caught a number of 
dogs, and has never been bothered since. 
A sheep-killing dog ought to be dead, no 
matter whose it is. a. e. burleigh. 
City “Jakes.’’ —Alva Agee, in the Na¬ 
tional Stockman and Farmer, has the fol¬ 
lowing sensible remarks about the city peo¬ 
ple who attempt to belittle farmers and 
their business: “So far as I have observed, 
it is the cheap classes of the cities and 
towns that have the greatest horror of the 
country and of country ways. With their 
chief possessions on their backs, and with¬ 
out ability to pay one dollar toward the 
expense of the education given them, the 
lights upon their streets and the books in 
their public library, they parade the pave¬ 
ments others paid for, and have a horror 
of the country where pavements are not 
provided for their use and where they must 
live less at the expense of others. So long 
as the opinion of the farm held by this 
class is not shared by others, it matters 
little; but when the press gives expression 
to it, and when the influence of it all comes 
upon our young people in the country, a 
lot of harm results. The average country 
boy cannot measure his snobbish critic at 
his true worth, and learns to believe that 
the farm is not the place for intelligent, 
progressive, cultured people. When he 
grows older he will know just how cheap 
three-fourths of our city and town popula¬ 
tion really is, but the harm is done before 
that time, and he, too often, has joined tho 
ranks of poor and snobbish critics of coun¬ 
try life.” __ _______ 
A sure specific for Whooping 
Cough is Jayne’s Expectorant.— Adv. 
^———■ ■■ i ■ ■ — i 
Seed POtatOeS“Honey.w“te 
wants. S. J. SMITH, Box B, Manchester, N. V. 
Dninn ^OOf1~^ >er ^ oct ^ y hardy in this country. 
UillUII OuCll Lb., $2.50; oz., 20c. Size and shape 
same as Portugal. BEAULIEU, Woodhaven, N. V. 
President Wilder Currant Plants 
AND 
BACCHUS GRAPE VINES. 
We have a stock of remarkably fine President 
Wilder Currant Plants and Bacchus Grape Vines. 
The President Wilder with us is the most profit¬ 
able market variety and best for home use. The 
Bacchus Grape is now in greater demand than 
any other variety. Correspondence solicited. 
W. If. BARNS & SON, 
Old Oak Fruit Farm. Middle Hope, N. Y. 
The Tree of Life 
Is one budded upon a branched root seedling, buds 
from bearing trees, dug by our root-protecting tree 
digger. Apple orchards that bear early. Also Small 
Fruits at Wholesale Prices. Pear, Plum, Cherry. 
Everything in Nursery and Greenhouse Culture 
we furnish true to name. Wo guarantee safe delivery. 
Send for Catalogue. CENTRAL MICHIGAN 
NURSERIES, Michigan's Leading Nurseries and 
Rose Growers, Kalamazoo, Mich. 
5 
umvnE 
Make Your Spare Time Count 
v by taking our 
Correspondence Course 
in Horticulture under Prof. 
Liberty II. Kuliey of Cornell 
UniverHity. Treats of Vegetable 
Gardening, Fruit Growing, Flori¬ 
culture and the Ornamentation of 
Grounds. We also ofler a course 
in Modern Agriculture under 
I > roi*. Hrookrt of Mass. Agri¬ 
cultural College. Full Commer¬ 
cial. .Nominl and Aeudcmlo 
dopartmonta. Tuition nominal. Toxt-books 
Free to our atudonts. Catalogue and 
particulars free. Write to-day. 
\Tho Homo Correspondence School* 
Dept. 18, Bpringflold, Blass. 
You Will Find 
Our Fruit Trees, Vines, Shrub3, Roses, 
Palms, etc., perfectly healthy, well- 
grown and true to name. 
Send for Catalogue. 
P. J. BERCKMANS CO. (INC.), 
Fruitland Nurseries, 
Established 1856. AUGUSTA, GA. 
Trees, Plants and Vines 
That should bo planted In October and 
November, are named In our freo 
FALL CATALOGUE. Write for 16 
to-day. 200 Acres in Fruits and 
Ornamentals. Stock flrst-class; 
prices right. Send us your list of wants 
for estimate. Call at our Nurseries, 
and mako your own selections. 
T. J . DWYER & SON, 
Orange County Nurseries, 
Box 1. CORNWALL, N. Y. 
October Purple Plum 
trees three years old. No man does his 
full duty to his family until he supplies 
this fruit. No waiting. Fruit next year. 
Let us tell you about It. Do you want 
Forest Trees? f e hav « th em. 
-- In fact the larg¬ 
est nursery in New England, fruit and 
ornamental trees of every kind. Let us 
send you our catalogue to-day. Just 
send address—no money. 
STEPHEN HOYT’S SONS, New Canaan, Conn. 
NO WONDER. 
With one of the Largest Stocks of Fine 
Northern-Grown Fruit Trees on hand, 
with prices less than half what is usually 
paid for such trees, with twenty-five 
years of experience in dealing direct with 
the farmers, with thousands of our best 
Fruit Growers recommending his Nurs¬ 
eries, and saying that the Best Fruit 
Trees they ever received came from Call’s 
Nurseries, Perry, Ohio, no wonder Call 
is having a large trade with our readers. 
Write him for price list. 
TREES 
Corrosnonrlpnnft 
acres. 
Fruit and Ornamental, 
Shrubs, Roses, Bulbs and 
Plants. 
Correspondence solicited. Valuable Cata¬ 
logue freo. 49th year. 44 greenhouses. 1,000 
THE STORKS & HARRISON CO., 
Painesville, Ohio. 
SIISGRAPE VINES 
100 Varieties. Also Small Fruit., Trees, Ac. Best Hoot¬ 
ed stock. Genuine, cheap. 2 sample vines mailed tor 10c. 
Descriptive price-list free. DKttlS UOKStii, KredunJa, ii. X. 
Clenwood Nurseries 
Most complete assortment of choice 
Ornamental Trees, Shrubs and Vines. 
Send for Descriptive Illustrated Catalogue. 
THE WM. H. MOON CO., MOHRISVILLE, PA. 
00 miles from New York; 30 miles from Philadelphia. 
BULBS 
SjaaP for the lawn 
and 
pleasure grounds. 
FOR FALL 
PLANTING 
HENRY A. DREER, Philadelphia, Pa. 
Hyacinths, Tul’ps, Crocus, Narcissus, Lilies, &c. 
Our New Bulb Catalogue is sent free. It tells all 
about the best bu bs; also seasonable seeds and 
plants, including our celebrated grass mixtures 
HEDGE 
California Privet forms the richest and handsomest 
hedges. Green all Winter. Suitable for private grounds 
or parks. Send for valuable catalogue, FREE. 
ARTHUR J. COLLINS, Moores town, N. J. 
PLANTS 
Without more definite description it 
would he hard to tell what the difficulty 
with the cabbage really is. It is pos¬ 
sible that the rotting is merely the re¬ 
sult of the excessively wet weather. It 
may be that Black rot has attacked 
them. This is a very serious disease, 
and the worst enemy of the cabbage 
with which we have to contend. It is 
hopeful that this is not the case, how¬ 
ever, but as a precautionary measure it 
would be well to pick off all diseased 
Orchardists, Attention! 
You should have it. 
There are catalogues and catalogues. 
Ours is a hustler; it will enable you to get 
closer to the vital parts of your busi¬ 
ness, and treatjltbem with good success 
WOODVIEW NURSERIES, Box lOO, Uriah, Pa. 
fnrrfl $8 tier lOO-APPLE, PEAR, PLUM and PEACH; healthy, true to name 
I KM*\ ^ " xv/xr and Fumigated. All kinds of trees and plants at low wholesale 
S ii B B ll P rlce ?- . Don’t buy until you got our catalogue, which is free, or send list of wants fo 
8 HKtoV special price. Address RELIANCE NURSERY, Box 1, Geneva, New York. 
With 
Either 
Fall Plantin g 
buy. The name on my trees means something. It doesn’t always on others. 
The Tree Breeders. ROGERS ON THE HULL, Dansville, N. Y. 
or Spring Planting 
the most important part of all 
is to get the kind of trees you 
