848 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
December 20 
FARMERS’ CLUB 
• [Kvery query must be accompanied by 
the name and address of the writer to in¬ 
sure attention. Before asking a question, 
please see whether it is not answered in 
our advertising columns. Ask only a few 
questions at one time. Put questions on a 
separate piece of paper.] 
A Fertilizing Mixture of Chemicals. 
R. M. K., Ludlow, Ky .—What quantity of 
each of the following should I get to mix 
so as to have the mixture contain four to 
six per cent nitrogen, five to seven per 
cent available phosphoric acid and seven to 
nine per cent potash, nitrate of soda, dried 
blood, dissolved bone black and sulphate 
of potash? I want 1,000 pounds in the mix¬ 
ture to use on early potatoes. Would this 
make a good mixture? Would a good po¬ 
tato fertilizer do for melons and cucum¬ 
bers if it it is well mixed in the hill? 
care—not putting it up close to the 
plants. The effect of nitrogen on plants 
is to stimulate growth, while potash 
hardens or makes this growth solid. 
When too much nitrogen is used the 
plants take on a very rich green color 
and grow “leggy” or spindling. Fruit¬ 
ing is retarded and the fruit, while 
large, is soft and watery and of poor 
color. Refuse hops have about the fol¬ 
lowing composition—compared with av¬ 
erage stable manure, pounds in one ton: 
Nitro- Pot- Phos. 
gen. ash. acid. 
Manure . 10 13 6 
Refuse hops . 12 1 2 
There is therefore little of value in 
them but nitrogen, and this is not as 
available as the nitrogen in manure. If 
we could buy them we would use them 
for mulching or to mix with other ma¬ 
Ans.—H ere is a table showing the 
composition of average samples of these 
substances. The figures show the per 
cent or pounds in 100: 
Nitro- 
Nitrate of soda. 16 
Dried blood . 11 >4 
Ground bone . 3^ 
Dissolved bone black. 
Sulphate of potash. 
Pot- Phos. 
ash. acid 
23 
16 
Now five per cent of nitrogen means 
100 pounds to the ton. To obtain this 
amount you will need 600 pounds ni¬ 
trate or 900 of dried blood or 3,000 
pounds of ground bone. The dissolved 
bone black has only 15 per cent of its 
phosphoric acid available, that is imme¬ 
diately ready for the plant, and to ob¬ 
tain six per cent or 120 pounds in your 
ton you will need 800 pounds. To ob¬ 
tain eight per cent or 160 pounds of pot¬ 
ash you will need 320 pounds of sul¬ 
phate. How shall the nitrogen be ob¬ 
tained? Here are three different forms, 
nitrate, blood and bone. The nitrate is 
available at once. Just as soon as the 
plant starts it can utilize the nitrate. 
The blood is available later when the 
ground becomes warm and the bone 
still later—at the end of the crop’s 
growth. We believe it is good policy to 
use all three forms, since the bone also 
gives another source of phosphoric acid 
in connection with the bone black. How 
much nitrate should be used? For a 
very early crop in the South we would 
use half nitrate. If this were done the 
following mixture will give what you 
want: 300 pounds nitrate of soda, 450 
pounds dried blood, 800 pounds dissolved 
bone black, 350 pounds sulphate of pot¬ 
ash. Another mixture which we would 
prefer to use for the crops mentioned 
is: 300 pounds nitrate of soda, 400 
pounds dried blood, 200 pounds ground 
bone, 750 pounds dissolved bone black 
and 350 pounds sulphate of potash. 
Potash, Nitrogen and Refuse Hops. 
A. E. II., Lancaster, Pa.—What effect will 
kainit, muriate of potash or nitrate of soda 
have on strawberry beds, and when is the 
proper time to apply either? How much 
per acre? Are hops, after the brewery is 
through with them, of any value for ma¬ 
nure? 
Ans. —Kainit and muriate of potash 
supply potash to the fruit. The effect of 
nures. 
Concords for Grape Juice. 
H. T. TV., Hood, River, Ore .—In planting 
grapes especially for the making of grape 
juice from eastern grapes, are there any 
varieties than can be specially commended 
for quality over others? Large quantities 
of the Concord are usfed for this purpose, 
but are there other grapes, plentiful bear¬ 
ers, which would give grape juice of still 
better quality? Will there not be merit in 
better quality even in grape juice as well 
as the fresh fruit? 
Ans. —In answer to the inquiry of H. 
H. W. I would say that most of the 
grape juice now on the market is ob¬ 
tained from the Concord grape. That 
variety is cheaper than any other and 
makes a juice that is acceptable to the 
public. I have sampled the juice from 
other varieties and found the quality 
very acceptable. I think introducing 
juice from other grapes than the Con¬ 
cord would be like introducing a new 
variety of fruit. To my mind the fruit 
of the Concord is not of the best flavor, 
but it seems popular with the public. I 
fancy the same rule applies in the de¬ 
mand for grape juice. j. w. s. 
Westfield, N. Y. 
Chautauqua Climbing Currant. 
H. N., Feryus Falls, Minn .—A recent issue 
of one of our western agricultural journals 
mentions a novelty in the line of currants, 
called the Chautauqua Climbing currant, 
which is said to grow to the height of 12 
feet in three or four years, and produce a 
crop of late fruit of unusual size, good 
quantity and quality. What does The R. 
iN.-Y. know of this currant? Would it be 
hardy in the rigorous climate of Minnesota, 
and who is propagating it? 
Ans. —There is a currant called the 
Chautauqua Climbing, and it is just as 
described. This variety I have seen re¬ 
peatedly for as much as 10 years past 
and it is by no means a fraud. It is as 
hardy as ordinary currants and bears 
abundantly at the regular season and in 
the Fall, too. At the Pan-American Ex¬ 
position there was a constant display of 
the fruit from June until October. It is 
large, red and of good quality. How 
well it will do in Minnesota I am not 
certain, but it is likely to succeed. If it 
proves tender it would be an easy mat¬ 
ter to lay the vines on the ground and 
cover them. h. e. y. d. 
potash is noticed in the darker color and 
thicker growth of vine and foliage, and 
in the rich color and solid character of 
the fruit. It is one of the most neces¬ 
sary fertilizing elements in fruit culture. 
Kainit averages about 13 per cent of 
potash while the muriate contains about 
50 per cent. Of the two we regard the 
muriate as cheaper. The sulphate of 
potash is better than either for straw¬ 
berries, as it gives a better flavor to the 
fruit. This is because it contains no 
salt or chlorine which is found in the 
others and which is likely to produce a 
poorer flavor. Three hundred pounds of 
sulphate per acre is a large dressing. 
We would always use potash on straw¬ 
berries, either when the plants are set 
or late in the Summer. We do not think 
it pays to use potash in the Spring for 
fruiting plants. It is different with ni¬ 
trate of soda, which is used to supply 
soluble nitrogen. It might pay to use 
250 pounds of nitrate per acre in the 
Spring. It must be used with great 
Dwarf Apples. 
H. T. TP., Hood River, Ore .—Will you give 
some information concerning dwarf apples, 
especially those on the Doucin stock? How 
large a size do they attain, and how much 
will they produce per tree? How closely 
may they be cut? At what age can they be 
expected to bear a bushel or more per tree, 
or can still more be realized if five to 10 
years of age? The standard tree requires 
too much space. Can the same quantity 
or greater be realized from dwarfs planted 
close? There is nothing in ordinary hor¬ 
ticultural literature that mentions the size 
or productiveness they reach. The French 
seem to prefer dwarfs or anything planted 
close. 
Ans. —Dwarf apple trees are very good 
for close planting in small places, and 
in France and England are very popu¬ 
lar. The Doucin makes a better stock 
than the Paradise. The trees bear 
abundantly and the fruit is as good in 
every way as that on standard trees. 
The size of the trees is less than half 
that of our common apple trees of the 
same varieties. Dwarf trees cost more 
than the common ones, and to my mind, 
are not of superior value except for 
small places, such as city or town lots. 
H. e. v. D. 
Disappointing Apple Trees. 
It. J. M., Butler, Pa .—I have a young apple 
orchard seven years from planting that is 
making very little growth. Trees are 
planted in old apple orchard; land grows 
heavy crop of clover. Plums and pears on 
same land are doing all right. What is 
the matter? 
Ans. —Why these young apple trees do 
not grow well where other trees and 
farm crops are prospering on the same 
kind of land is probably because there 
is something wrong with the trees. It 
may be that they have crown or root 
gall, which is a fungus disease that is 
becoming more and more common. 
There is no remedy for it. Possibly the 
roots are infested with Woolly aphis, 
which may be at least partially destroy¬ 
ed by an application of tobacco dust or 
stems. This may be done by digging 
away the earth for about six inches in 
small sections and putting the tobacco 
on before other earth is put on. It will 
be worth, as manure, all it costs, so 
there will be no loss. Maybe the or¬ 
chard is not well cultivated. 
H. e. v. D. 
The Value of a " Trade-Mark ." 
Several “new” varieties of fruits have 
been recently introduced under a “trade 
mark” name. Trees or vines are marked 
with this name and the sellers threaten to 
prosecute anyone who propagates and sells 
without their permission. Can they pre¬ 
vent such sale? 
Ans.—W e do not believe it. There 
ought to be some protection for the hon¬ 
est originator similar to that which 
gives an inventor a right to control his 
patent, but the courts have decided oth¬ 
erwise. Some years ago this matter was 
brought up—efforts being made by one 
nurseryman to compel another to re¬ 
spect such a trade mark and stop the 
sale of a new variety under its regis¬ 
tered name. After a long legal battle 
the judge declared among other things: 
A trade mark cannot be obtained for an 
organic article which, by the law of its 
nature is reproductive and derives its chief 
value from its innate vital powers inde¬ 
pendently of me care, management or in¬ 
genuity of man.Neither the com¬ 
mon law nor the statutes relating to trade 
marks extend the protection of trade names 
to things which are valued more for their 
natural powers of reproduction and in¬ 
crease than for any other qualities. . . . 
A man buys a grapevine to which is at¬ 
tached a metallic label stamped with the 
trade mark of the seller. In the absence 
o' a special contract between the parties, 
what is to prevent the buyer from culti¬ 
vating the vine and selling its products, 
whether of wood or of fruit under the name 
of the parent stock? Certainly not a 
trade mark. 
This seems to settle the question that 
a living vine or tree which by Its nature 
is able to reproduce itself stands out¬ 
side of our patent laws and cannot be 
fully protected by a trade mark. A 
nurseryman might demand a guarantee 
with each tree or vine sold that it was 
not to be propagated for sale, but as 
ordinarily bought and sold we do not 
believe the purchaser can be prevented 
from propagating and selling even un¬ 
der the trade-mark name. We regard 
this as in most cases an injustice to 
both originator and introducer, but the 
legal aspects of the case appear to be 
as we give them. The fact that the vine 
or tree is a living thing separates it in 
the law from a product made or put to¬ 
gether by man. 
The Metcalfe Gasoline Engine 
IStationary 
and Portable 
Admirably adapt¬ 
ed for all kinds of 
power on the farm 
as well as shop 
and factories. 
Manufactured 
under our own 
patents. Best ma¬ 
terial and work 
manship obtain 
able. 
Write for prices and catalogues to 
THE METCALFE MFG. CO.. QUINCY, FA. 
Kentucky Farmers’ Sons 
SHOULD KNOW 
that their State A. & M. College 
at Lexington offers a 
Short Winter Course in Agriculture , 
beginning January 5, and lasting nine weeks. The 
practical side emphasized. Animal Industry, Farm 
Crops, Fruit Growing, Insects and Plant Diseases. 
No Entrance Examination. No Tuition Fees. 
Small Personal Expenses. Write for Circular. 
Prof. C. TV. MATHEWS, Dean, Lexington, Ky. 
—Early Jersey Wakefield and 
■ Os Ool v Large Charleston Wakefield 
Cabbage Plants and Virginia Second-crop Potato Seed. 
Address J. B. SAVAGE, Nassawadox, Va. 
lotatoes—Bovee, Harvest, Cobbler, Carman, Empire 
State. Ohio, Hose. 85 kinds. C.W. Ford, Fisher, N.Y 
A LUXURY. 
Those “Off Years,” when the Peach 
crop is a failure, what can be more of a 
luxury than a few bushels of the A IlCTIC 
PEACH ES ? Since its origin it has never 
failed of producing a full crop of nice 
large yellow peaches of the finest quality. 
Call’s Nurseries, Perry, O., have a fine 
stock of them on hand. Also a good 
stock of the Graves, the finest early peach 
grown. Write them for prices. 
Northern-Grown FruitTrees 
Grown in the best section of northern New York. 
Hardy, thrifty and well grown. ‘‘Highest quality; 
lowest price.” Headquarters for Parking Deal¬ 
ers’ Orders. 75,0UU Peaches, large stock of Apples, 
Pears, Cherries and Plums; three grades. Send for 
my free and interesting Spring Catalogue. Valuable 
Premium with early orders. 
MARTIN WAHL, Dept. H. Rochester, N. Y. 
YORK IMPERIAL 
APPLE is the favorite wherever 
grown. We have a large stock of 
vigorous trees. Also other favorite 
varieties: Wlnesap, Gano. Bald¬ 
win, Home Beauty, etc. Write for 
Catalogue and Prices. 
HARRISON NURSERIES, 
Box 29, Berlin, Md, 
You Will Find 
Our Fruit Trees, Vines, Shrubs, 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. 
THAT 
SUCCEED 
*}? U8e of ,P> Landreth & Sons, the oldest in America, lias liad no years’ experience with 
aiid the results of this are placed at the service of farmers and gardeners in a finely illus- 
WHITE STAR CLIMBER 
^ui ocltamp8 V if ordered 0 /mmediately!° re Mid l nmmer ‘ * e ^ lar **. but offered now for 
Good Gardens 
Assured 
4AS. VICK, formerly of Rochester, 
Manager of Mail Order Department. 
D. Landreth & Sons, 
Philadelphia. 
DFJIPII TDCCC Fine, stocky, hardy, grown on the bank of Lake 
renun I nctw Erio two miles from any peach orchards and free 
from borers and all other diseases. Large stock of Fear, Plum, Apple, 
Cherry, Etc. Immense supply of small fruits. Headquarters for 
ornamental Trees, Shrubs, Plants, Vines, Bulbs. 
40 Acres Hardy lCome 14 Greenhouses of Palms. Ficus, Ferns, 
Roses, Geraniums, Etc. Mail size postpaid. Direct deal saves money. 
Try us. Valuable Catalogue Free. 49th Year. 1000 Acres. 
THE ST0ARS & HARRISON CO., Painesville. Ohio. 
TREES 
dktt fret* t OO —APPLE, PEAR. PLIJM and PEACH; healthy, true to name 
pci ILfVf and Fumlj. ’ ’ . ’ 
prices. Don’t buy 
special price. 
igated. All kinds of trees and plants at low wholesale 
until you get our catalogue, which is free, or send list of wants for 
Address RELIANCE NURSERY, Box 1, Geneva, New York. 
