202 
THE RURAI 
NEW-YORKER. 
March 18 
Farmers’ Club. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the 
name and address of the writer to insure atten¬ 
tion. Before asking a question, please see 
whether it is not answered in our advertising 
columns. Ask only a few questions at one tine. 
■pi.f --••----— -• — 1 
Ants on Apple Trees 
M. B. A., Richmond, Ky .—We have a few apple 
trees planted about four or five years ago, in 
good soil. They bloom abundantly, for age, but 
are infested with small ants that seem to destroy 
the fruit in the bloom. The ant3 will locate on 
many leaves, and cause them to curl; on open¬ 
ing them I always find a number of ants. I have 
whitewashed the trees every Spring, have sown 
salt around the trunks; have, also, thrown a lot 
of tobacco around them, and last Spring, I made 
a whitewash with water in which I had boiled 
tobacco, and wrapped the trunks at the ground 
with the tobacco. After the tree and tobacco 
got dry, the ants were as bad as ever. What is 
the matter, and a remedy? Do borers bother 
peach trees in the Spring ? 
Ans—I do not know of any kind of 
ants in tbe North that do noticeable in¬ 
jury to growing fruit trees. It seems 
evident, from the description given by 
M. B. A., that his trees are infested by a 
kind of plant louse. These plant lice 
cause the leaves to curl, also secrete a 
sweet liquid called honey-dew, of which 
the ants are very fond. It is no uncom¬ 
mon sight to see many ants running up 
and down trees or bushes infested by 
plant lice. The lice are literally the 
milch cows of the ants, and the ants in 
return protect the lice from the attacks 
of their enemies. I think, if M. B. A. 
will spray his trees before the leaves get 
much curled, so that he can hit the l : ee, 
with a strong decoction of tobacco, or 
with whale-oil soap, dissolving one pound 
in five or six gallons of water, and thus 
get rid of the lice, that he will have no 
more trouble with the ants. The p?ach 
borer gets in its most destructive work 
during the Spring. Some of the borers 
get half or two-thirds grown before 
Winter sets in, but many of them pass 
Winter as very small grubs, and get nine- 
tenths of their growth in the Spring. 
M. V. 8LINGERLAND. 
Greenhouse Heating Questions. 
M. T. W., Sandy Hill, N. Y — I have a green¬ 
house 20x 100 feet, heated by hot water with a 
shake grate, Hitchings pipe boiler, closed cir¬ 
cuit. It has been in use three years, including 
this; the grates need replacing and the brick¬ 
work needs relaying. What is the natural life 
of a pipe boiler, where the pipes are exposed to 
a coal fire six months, and the water left in the 
pipes the rest of the year? Is there a better 
boiler than the Hitchings, one that will give 
more heat for the fuel consumed ? What is the 
most satisfactory method of heating a green¬ 
house 20x 100? With hard pea coal at $4 and 
larger grades at 3(5.50 per ton at yard, and dry 
hard four-foot wood, $4.50 to $5 per cord deliv¬ 
ered, which is the cheapest fuel for heating this 
greenhouse ? The temperature to be maintained 
is from 45 degrees at night, to ?0 degrees during 
the day, for growing lettuce, radishes, geran¬ 
iums and early vegetable plants. 
Ans —The term “ a shake grate, Hit:h- 
ings pipe boiler”, is not quite clear to 
me, but if the “ corrugated fire-box 
boiler” is the one in question, the only 
brickwork connected with it (excepting 
the pavement on which it should stand) 
is the fire bricks surrounding the grate, 
and these ought not to need renewing 
after only three years’ work. In fact, 
these fire bricks often endure more than 
10 seasons of firing. The shaking grates 
frequently give out after two or three 
Winters’ use, but in some instances, will 
wear for five or six years. The life of a 
. boiler depends greatly on its location 
and the care it receives, but the “corru¬ 
gated fire-box ” pattern referred to above 
may usually he depended upon for 15 
years’ service, and there are some now 
in regular work that have been in use 
for 20 years. The Hitchings boilers may 
be relied upon to fulfill the claims of the 
manufacturer, though it is probable that 
a return tubular boiler properly built 
and fired may prove somewhat more 
economical in fuel; but the latter type 
of boiler is usually more costly in the 
item of repairs. The most satisfactory 
method of heating a greenhouse 20 x 100 
feet in size is by hot water under pres¬ 
sure, and the Hitchings boiler is entirely 
satisfactory for this system, providing 
it is not exposed to a greater pressure 
than 10 pounds per square inch. With 
good anthracite coal at $5.50 per ton and 
dry hard wood at $5 per cord, the coal 
would be decidedly the most economical 
fuel, and a much steadier heat could he 
maintained by its use. It may, also, be 
of interest to state that, on a large com¬ 
mercial florist’s place, where a record 
has been kept, also reasonably system¬ 
atic methods of firing adopted, the av¬ 
erage consumption of anthracite coal 
has varied from 1% to 8 % tons per 1,000 
square feet of glass per annum, the 
night temperature in these houses rang¬ 
ing from 60 to 65 degrees, w h. taplin. 
Double Roses and Other Flowers. 
Subscriber , Jackson, Mich —1. I bought several 
Harison’s Yellow roses one year ago last Fall 
and last Spring, but they all turned out single. I 
supposed them to be double. Do roses ever turn 
out double the second year, when they were 
single the first year ? 2. What would you think 
of Spiraea Van Houttei ; 3. Variegated-leaved 
Weigela; 4. White alder, and 5. Double White 
Althaea 'for a cemetery lot ? Would they give a 
continuation of bloom from early Spring until late 
Fall ? 6 . Does Double White Achillea bloom all 
Summer ? Is it hardy ? 7. How long before 
Bechtel’s Double-flowering crab ought to bloom 
after setting out from the nursery ? 
Ans. —1. Harison’s Yellow is a semi¬ 
double rose. It is often the case that 
semi-double roses will grow single to¬ 
wards the end of the season, but if they 
are not semi-double when they first 
bloom, they are not Harison’s Yellow. 
2. Spiiaea Van Houttei is a fine variety. 
Its flowering period is in June. S. Bil- 
lardi blooms nearly through the entire 
Summer. The new Spiraea, Anthony 
Waterer, blooms from early Summer 
until frost. We should, therefore, prefer 
it to any other. 3. Probably there is no 
better Weigela than the old sort, Rosea 
(Diervilla rosea). Perhaps the best varie¬ 
gated sort is the Variegated Diervilla 
Kosteriana. 4. Instead of the White 
alder, we should much prefer for your 
purpose the Imperial Cut-leaved—Alnus 
laciniata imperialis. 5. Of Hibiscus or 
Althaea, we should prefer the pure 
white variety catalogued as Hibiscus 
totus albus, which blooms from early 
Summer to late frost. 6. The White 
Achillea, A. macrophylla, blooms during 
the Summer. There is a new Achillea 
called the Pearl which bears white flow¬ 
ers during July. 7. The next year. It 
is perfectly ha’-dy and a splendid variety. 
THE 
Here is the Record 
op ECLIPSE 
Spray Pump 
1892 to 1899 —We have 
i won first place at nearly 
every Gov’t Experiment Station 
in United States. 
1896—Won Canadian Gov’t con_ 
test. 1898—Won gold medal at co¬ 
lonial contest. Cape Town, South 
i Africa; also State fruit growers' 
contest of Colorado and Califor¬ 
nia. We have beaten every good 
I pump in the world, and have never 
been beaten. This proves our 
claim that the Eclipse is the best and cheapest 
pump in tbe world. Send for Catalogue. 
MORRILL & M0RLEY, Benton Harbor , Mich. 
TREES 
—Apple, Pear, Plum and Peach. 
First-class; from5to9c. ea. Cat. free. 
C. A. Hyatt, Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y. 
Every 
farmer, gar¬ 
dener, fruit or 
flower grower 
and poultry 
keeper should get 
a 
•’-Vi: 
Vapor 
Gem Sprayer 
Not a shadow 
' of a doubt of it. 
The only ques¬ 
tion is—what 
sprayer to use. 
But if you have a 
dozen other spray¬ 
ers you’ll find use 
for the VAI’OK 
CEBI. Not so 
large as some 
—but the han¬ 
diest of all. 
Sprays trees 
12 ft. high. 
One load¬ 
ing for 
Tank and pump of heavy 
copper. Will last 20 years. 
Regular price $2.00. First pur- 
chiurr In carl, district gets reduced 
price $1..10(express prepaid) also 
n^renry for full line of sprayers. 
Send for one now. Send for Catalog. 
Field Force Pump Co., 
2 .Market St., Lockport, N.Y. 
an 
acre 
of 
vines. 
Successful Fruit Growing. 
The Superintendent of the Lenox 
Sprayer Company, of Pittsfield, Mass., 
has delivered an address before the 
Lenox Horticultural Society at Lenox, 
Mass. The address is almost a college 
education to fruit growers, fruit dealers, 
and in fact to anybody eating fruit or 
even having but few fruit trees, or in 
anyway concerned. Had this address 
been placed on the market in-book form, 
it would no doubt have sold at a good 
price. The full address, profusely illus¬ 
trated, in pamphlet form,- can be had 
complimentary by any one enclosing ten 
cents, for postage, to tbe Lenox Sprayer 
Company, 30 West St., Pittsfield, Mass. 
with our new patent 
KEROSENE SPRAYERS 
k is simple indeed. Kerosene Emulsion 
I made while pumping. 12 varieties 
I Sprayers, Bordeaux and Vermorel 
J Nozzles, the “ World’** Bent.” 
r THE DEMING CO. SALEM,OHIO.. 
Western Agents, Hennion & HubbellA 
Chicago. Catalogue and Formulas Free. 
LEGGETT’S S R WHALE-OIL SOAP 
For Spraying Trees. Destroys all in¬ 
sect life on bark, San Jos 6 Scale and 
the like. Indorsed by authorities. 
Write for prices. Our Spray Calendar 
sent free. 
I.KGGKTT & BROTHER, 
301 Pearl Street, New York. 
ALL BRASS 
$17 outfit for $6 exp. paid. 
Will spray a 10 acre orchard per day. 
75,000 in u se. Satisfaction guaranteed or Money 
refunded Illd. catalogue free Agts. make from 85 
to $15 per day-. New improvements for ’00. 
Free Trial, p. c. LEWIS MFC. CO.. Catsklll, N.Y. 
have a 74-YR. Record. Fruit Book Free 
SJKSViPAY FREIGHT 
B ERRY PLANTS, that grow vigorous,guaranteed 
true to name, all the new & Standard s irts. None 
finer; cheap. By the dozen or 100,000. Catalogue 
free. J. W. HALL, Marion Station, Md. 
RFRRY PI ANT^ freefroulMil * er Re<1 
DLnn I rLrtll I o raspberry and Lucretla dew¬ 
berry $3.50 per 1.000. Strawberry plants $1.25 per 1.000 
up. Catalogue free. D. W. MOSLEY, Dover, Del. 
: insure Your Crops 
OF WHEAT AND OATS. ► 
’ 100 lbs. of Nitrate of Soda per ‘ 
- acre applied early in the spring 
’ does it. Promotes stooling, stimu- - 
' lates growth, increases yield. Of , 
- great value on all crops, vegeta¬ 
bles, grass, fruits, etc. Get free 
. book, “Food for Plants,” which ‘ 
- tells why. Address John A. 
’ Myers, 12—O Jolm St., New ’ 
" York. Nitrate for sale by ’ 
; BALFOUR, W ILLIAMSON, & CO., ! 
< 27 William St., New York. ► 
L -r^r~r - t v *r t ■» t » tttvv.v-V 
WV\VVVVVVVVWWVV\VVVVVVVVV\VVl/V\> 
j Profits of Farming j 
% GARDENING AND FRUIT CULTURE. £ 
depend upon Good Crops and they in £ 
J turn upon Good Fertilizers. The 5 
5 uniformly best ferti'izer for all Crops \ 
+ and all soils is made by 5 
j| The Cleveland Dryer Co.. Cleveland, O. a 
a Materials Supplied for “ Home Mixing." 5 
''.vvvwwivvwvtwvvwmwvwtvwv 
Thirty-Eight Tons 
EXCELLENT QUALITY OF ENSILAGE per 
acre, actual weight. Cost of seed only $1. Book 
telling all about it mailed free. ROS4 BROTHERS, 
No. 162 Front Street, Worcester, Miss. 
QftTJJTACQ grown especially for SEED. 
I II I 14 I Ubv 18 varieties. Prices rigbt List 
FREE. GEO. 11. COLVIN, Crest. Farm. Dalton, Pa. 
MICHIGAN SEED POTATOES. 
Admittedly the Rest. Quantity to Suit. 
MICHIGAN SEED POTATO CO. Greenville, Mich. 
Best Seed Potatoes. 
Catalogue of 70 varieties free. 
A. G. ALDRIDGE. Fishers, Ontario Co., N.Y. 
DnTATflEC~ GHANITK STATE ,$1 per pound, 
rUlHI UCw by mail, postpaid. See The R. 
N.-Y., February 25. 1S99 (No. 10), of Potato Trials for 
description • G. B. BARTON, Grantham, N. H. 
Admiral Dewey Potato T L es U lis P ounr$2 
three pounds, prepaid. Seni for circular and testi¬ 
monials. C. M. ROBINSON, Manorville. N. Y. 
Choice Seed Potatoes . 11 
GUARANTEED TRUE TO NAME. 
Bovee, $3.25; E. Ohio. Freeman, $2.50 per bbl. Sir 
Walter Raleigh. Maule E. Thoroughbred. Uncle Sam, 
Adirondack, $2.75per bbl. Carman Nos. 1 and 3, $2.25 
per bbl., f. O. b. here. Cash with order. Reference, 
Bank Holland Patent. F. II. THOMSON, Falrview 
Farm, Holland Patent, N. Y. 
SEED 
POTATACC expressly grown; none more 
rUlHI Utd vigorous or better. Seed 
quality you want: 1 have it. fir-II M TCCTCD 
Cular free. BELLVILLE, O. U* • I EC I til 
FIVE 
ACRES 
Strawberries. 
Fifteen Leading Varieties. Prices 
right. E. CHURCH. Drinkwater Farm, 
West Hanover, Mass. 
BLOODY BUTCHER 
Or Turkey Track Corn, is undoubtedly the earliest, 
large eared, long kernel corn grown. Bushel, $1 25; 
peck. 50c.: quart by mail, postpaid, 25c. 
Improved Learning, White Cap Yellow Dent. One 
Hundred Day Bristol, Cuban Giant Ensilage. Extra 
Early Huron Dent, Golden Beauty, Iowa Gold Mine, 
$1 per bushel; peck. 40c. New sacks free. These corns 
are all grown in Northern Ohio, and selected with 
great care especially for seed. Satisfaction guaran¬ 
teed. Write for prices on lots of 10 bushels. 
F. D. PIERCE, Box 43. Wakeman. Huron County, O. 
The PopularCAROLINA POPLAR. 
Just the tree for city planting—Thrives where others Tail—Resist* 
■moke and gaa as the salamander does fire. 75,000 of them, beautiful trees 
6 to 8 , 8 to 10,10 to 12 and 12 to 15 feet. Immense stock of all other Shade Trees, Shrubs and 
Roses. Hundreds of thousands of Fruit Trees, Small Fruits. Grape Vines, 
Plants, Seed*. Valuable Catalogue free. Correspondence solicited. Write us your 
wants if you would procure the best at bottom prices. 
45th YEAR. 44 CREENHOUSES. 1,000 ACRES. 
THE STORRS & HARRISON CO., Box543 PAINESVILLE, OHIO. 
Champion Sickle and Tool Grinder 
1.00 
G rm ds6-ft 
sickle in 10 min. 
to perfect bevel. With 
flat stone it grinds plow points, discs, 
axes and all 6 tiler tools. Price, 1 stone 
for sickle, $4; 2 stones for all work, $5. 
Stones made of corundum lasts 20 years. 
Shipped on Trlftl. 
$24 50 
CalumetCltcekKow 
Corn Planter. Never 
misses; drops in hills and 
drills. We challenge the 
world with this planter— 
most perfect one made. 
Will snip it on trial in 
competition with all oth¬ 
ers. If it don’t do better 
work than others return it. 
Don’t buy a back number. 
Prleea reduced. 
$225 
Buys this Steel Beam 
Cultivator, plain, with 5 
steel reversible shovels, 
spreads to 33 in. A 2-h 
Cultivator, made of best 
material, Steel Wheels, 
and all complete $10.95. 
Hiding cultivator $16.99. 
Double shovel plow $ 1.60. 
Largest line of cultivators 
ever offered. Also plows. 
$15.99 
This I>l8C Harrow 
cuts 6% ft, has 12 16-in. 
discs; price $15.99. 8 
sizes,3 kindstoselect from. 
Steel lever harrow cuts 10 
ft., $7.10. Wood frame 
harrow cuts 7*^ft. $4.20. 
Spring tooth harrows all 
bizes and prices—reduced 
this 8-ft. steel mill; guar¬ 
anteed easiest running 
a strongest made; pump¬ 
ing and power mills, 8 to 
16-ft.; also tanks,pumps, 
pipe a all pumping sup- 
pliea We furnish com- 
plet outfits. Prices all 
reduced. Catalog free. 
Don't fail to send for it. 
For steel or wood 
track hay carr’r40ft. 
outfit including car¬ 
rier, fork, pulleys, 
han’g & floor hooks, 
rafter irons, rope,&c. 
$6.70. Longer or 
shorter outfits for 
barn or field. 
for this 
one-horse 
corn, bean, pea and 
Garden Seeder. Drops 1 
in hills and drills. 12 ac. a day.'] 
Fertilizer extra. Handles ally 
kinds of seed perfectly. 
TRY IT ^ ^ * sn,fc best ma< * e and 
turn it. 
don’t work perfect, rc- 
90 styles planters & drills. 
SEND FOR and e4 ?“ pletc U ne o fii nptenients ever offered. Our line 
represents 38 year’s experience. We__ 
WE HAVE NO AGENTS. We sell for spot cash and never have a loss, therefore, 
in buying from us you receive the benefit of large quantities and all that cash will get, besides savin*; the middleman’* proiit. All goods guaranteed to be exactly as 
quantities for spot cash. 
buy the beat that money can get in enormous 
have 
represented. You can return any good** bought of us, at our expense, if not found 
perfectly ant Intact ory. Send for catalogue at once. This ad will not appear again. 
MARVIN SMITH CO. 55-57-59 N. Jefferson St. 4 IS, Chicago, III 
HOW THEY GROW ONIONS 
IN RHODE ISLAND. 
One of the most striking pietures in our new 1899 
Catalogue is a long procession of men sowing onion seed with the' ‘Planet 
Jr.” Hill-dropping Seeder, one of the greatest labor-savers in the whole list. It shows how live Yankee onion 
growers are making money with the “Planet Jr.” tools. 
This catalogue will interest your whole family. It not only describes the Seeders, Wheel-hoes, and combined hand tools, the Horse- 
hoes, the Pivot-wheel Cultivators, the wonderful Beet Cultivator that works four rows at once, and all the other horse tools, but itiu- 
cludes also Sixteen Full Pages of fine photographic views—interesting field-scenes in France, California, New Zealand, Manitoba, 
etc., showing the different crops and methods of cultivation, and the “Planet Jr.” tools at work. Write for a copy; it’s free. 
$500 in Gold Write for particulars S. L. ALLEN & CO., Box 1107 V, Philadelphia. 
$500 in Gold—$500 in Gold—$500 in Gold—$500 in Gold—$500 in Gold—$500 in Gold—$500 in Gold—$500 in Gold 
