April & 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
258 
Van Deman’s Fruit Notes 
All Sorts of Questions Answered. 
How to Cut Japan Plum Trees. 
I have a lot of Japan plum trees that made a growth of about 
six feet last season. How much shall I cut them back ? w. m. r. 
Mooresburgh (No State). 
It is evident that these trees have been well cared 
for, and consequently made a good growth. The new 
wood should be cut back fully one-half. Care should 
be used to cut such branches as have grown longest 
and are likely to cause the tree to become badly pro¬ 
portioned. As the young shoots begin to grow out 
the coming Summer, they should be watched and 
rubbed off or pinched back, as the case may require, 
thus preventing them from forming where they are 
not needed, or growing in such form as is not be6t for 
the tree. 
Rotting of Abundance Plums. 
I have an orchard of 60 or more young Abundance plum trees. 
Last year, most of the fruit rotted before ready to pick. The year 
before they set some fruit, but it also all rotted before it was 
ready to pick. What treatment should 1 pursue, that I may expect 
a crop in future ? a. j. n. h. 
Saddle River, N. J, 
Rotting on the tree is one of the faults of the 
Abundance and other Japan plums. The remedy, or 
rather, the preventive, is to spray with Bordeaux 
Mixture. The best plan to follow is to write to the 
State Experiment Station (New Brunswick), and ask 
for full directions for mixing and applying the liquid. 
All this will be given in detail, freely and gladly, by 
any of the stations in the respective States in which 
the readers may live. 
Exposed Situations for Plums. 
Which is the best for plums, an exposed position or a sheltered 
one? F. h. l, 
Massachusetts. 
It would be better to plant a plum orchard in a 
situation where the severity of the storms, both in 
Winter and Summer, would be at least partially 
checked. This is true of almost any kind of orchard 
or other fruit plantation. There have been cases in 
which windbreaks were a positive injury, but this 
has generally been where they kept off warm winds 
at blooming time, and caused the cold, frosty air to 
settle close to them. They have sometimes caused 
death or injury of fruit trees and bush fruits from 
excessive heat and drying out of the ground near them. 
But a windbreak is often a protection from severely 
cold winds and from strong gales which blow off the 
fruit in the Summer or Fall. 
What About the Peach Trees ? 
Last Summer, my peach trees were nice and thrifty. After the 
drought in September, it got wet; numerous buds started their 
growth, until some trees got all bushy with tender twigs, holding 
their foliage late in Fall. Some adjoining trees were entirely 
free, not affected at all. The soil is sandy with clay subsoil. 
What was the trouble, and what treatment should they receive ? 
Campbelltown, Pa. b. l. h. 
It would seem that the trouble with these trees is 
a merely local and temporary one. Good treatment 
will likely bring them all into a healthy condition. 
Whatever harm was done by the late Fall growth 
could not have been prevented, neither is it possible 
now to do more than cultivate well, and endeavor to 
cause a healthy growth this year. The Winter may 
have injured some of the tender twigs, and any 
such should be cut back beyond all sign of damage. 
It would be well at once to cut back all of the leading 
shoots at the extremities of the main branches, in 
order to keep the trees stocky. 
All About Hazelnuts. 
Is the German hazelnut superior or equal to the English filbert 
in size, productiveness, quality and hardiness? Is it used for 
ornamental purposes ? w. a. 
Hartford, Conn. 
There is some confusion regarding the scientific 
classification of the European hazels, or filberts and 
cobnuts, as they are indiscriminately called. There 
are a great many varieties of nuts that go under 
these names in Europe and America, although but 
few of them have been grown here. It is now de¬ 
cided by the best scientific experts in both botany and 
pomology that the short-husked European hazels 
should be called by the type name cobnuts, that they 
belong to the species Corylus avellana ; that the long- 
husked or beaked hazels should all be called filberts, 
and that they belong to the species C. tubulosa. Some 
varieties of the former species have husks scarcely 
more than half as long as the nuts which are shown 
at a, Fig. 105. The shape of most of the nuts of this 
species is round, like b, although some of them are 
somewhat elongated, as at c. The husks of the other 
species extend beyond the nut, and are sometimes 
tubular like the neck of a hottle. At d may be seen 
a cluster of filberts, but the husks have become much 
dried and are shriveled out of their original shape. 
The characteristic forms of the nuts are shown at « 
and f. 
In Germany, England, France, Italy, Portugal and 
Spain, both these species and very many varieties are 
growp. They vary in size, shape, thickness of shell, 
flavor of the kernel, etc., also in size, form and vigor 
of the bushes. Many of them are named. One other 
species from Turkey and Spain makes quite a tree, 
and its seedlings are often used as stocks upon which 
to graft the choicer-named kinds. There is no such 
thing as the German hazels being entirely distinct 
from the English kinds, although there are more of 
the oblong kinds or filberts grown in England. One 
often called Kentish cob, which is extensively grown 
in the county of Kent, but which is properly known 
as Lambert filbert, is one of the very best kinds. It 
is large, oblong, bears heavily, and is, perhaps, the 
most popular variety in existence. Some of the round 
or cobnuts are, also, well liked, of which Cosford and 
Bond are two of the best. Several of the purple¬ 
leaved varieties are used for ornamental purposes, for 
they are quite attractive in color, and make nice 
bushes upon the edge of the lawn. They also bear 
very good crops of nuts. I have seen them doing ex¬ 
ceedingly well on Long Island. 
Regarding the hardiness of these foreign hazels in 
America, there is some doubt. They are certainly not 
as hardy as our native hazels, which will endure the 
severest cold of the northern States, with almost no 
damage. But they are hardy in the eastern States as 
far north as Massachusetts, and are growing in Ohio 
and Michigan. A moist and rather mild but cool 
climate suits them best. That is why they do so well 
in England. In Oregon and the Puget Sound region, 
they will flourish better than anywhere else in Amer¬ 
ica. A moist but well-drained limestone soil that is 
not so rich as to cause a rank growth of wood, suits 
them best. The most serious difficulty .in growing 
the filberts and cobnuts in America is fungous dis¬ 
eases. This has been the cause of many persons be- 
FILBERTS AND COBNUTS. Fig. 105. 
coming so discouraged that, in some cases, they have 
given up their culture. Perhaps our scientists will 
find effective preventives, for they are experimenting 
to that end. 
Coal Slack Around Fruit Trees. 
I have a lot of trees planted last Fall—pear, plum, quince, 
apple, etc. I can get fine, soft coal slack in abundance. I thought 
of putting a little around each tree about 10 or 12 inches, to keep 
down weeds, and avoid hand cultivating. There is considerable 
sulphur in the coal. What effect would it have on the trees ? 
Would it help to keep down borers, etc. ? J. s. a. 
Ben Avon, Pa. 
I have never used coal slack as a mulch, but have 
no doubt that it would be good for that purpose. I 
do not think there is any danger of the sulphur in the 
coal injuring the roots of the trees, because it is in¬ 
soluble in water. When I was working on the great 
fruit farm of J. Knox, near Pittsburgh, in 1867, we 
made the experiment of planting single-eye grape cut¬ 
tings in this kind of coal slack in the propagating 
houses, and it proved to be a very good material for 
the purpose. Of course, the little plants did not re¬ 
main in it more than about two months, for they were 
taken up, potted and then set in the open ground to 
make their main growth. But the pulverized coal did 
not injure the tender roots in any degree. There is 
almost no fertility in it, anit cannot be considered 
as a manure, but merely as a mulch that will help to 
retain the moisture in the soil beneath it. It would, 
probably, keep down weeds under the trees, if the 
layer were several inches thick, and thereby prevent 
the necessity of some hand work. As a preventive of 
borers, I do not think it would be a success, for there 
is nothing offensive or poisonous in it to prevent the 
laying of the eggs, or that would kill the larvae after 
they were hatched. If it were piled up about the base 
of the trees, it would force the moth of the Peach 
borer to lay her eggs at the surface, and make the 
borers easier to dig out than if they were down nearer 
or into the roots. 
This question would logically arise: Would the 
benefits from the application of the coal slack be equal 
to, or more than, the cost of applying it is greater 
than the cost of ordinary cultivation ? It might be, 
but I doubt it. However, it would cost but little, and 
might he a very fortunate experiment. If I had the 
coal slack at hand, I would try it on a small scale, 
just to see what effect it would have. 
Virginiana Persimmons in Connecticut. 
Is the Virginlana persimmon the best to grow from seed in this 
locality ? Is it a good fruit ? A. m. 
Hartford, Conn. 
The common wild persimmon of the central and 
southern United States is a very difficult tree to trans¬ 
plant after it is several years old, but young seedlings 
will grow quite easily. Sprouts taken from about 
old trees, which are very common where the trees 
grow naturally, are very likely to die when trans¬ 
planted. The seeds grow very readily, if not too dry, 
and it would be easy to get trees by planting them. 
There are endless varieties of this fruit. They are 
round, flat and oblong, from an inch to two inches in 
diameter ; early and late, and all are very astringent 
until fully ripe ; then they are sweet and rich. Seed¬ 
lings will vary in all these respects, but most of them 
will be good enough to keep. A few will be partially 
or entirely staminate. There are some varieties which 
have been named and are now being propagated by 
grafting. Marion is one of the best. It is probable 
that the persimmon will be hardy and fruit well in 
Connecticut. The later kinds will not mature their 
fruit before cold weather, and this is true in the 
South. However, the frost does not injure them, but 
hastens their ripening. I have often gathered ripe 
persimmons from the trees after midwinter, and they 
were almost as sweet as dried dates, and not unlike 
them in appearance. 
Invigorating an Old Orchard. 
I have bought a farm with an old apple orchard on it. The 
west part consists of old trees, mostly natural fruit; the east 
part was planted later with grafted fruit, but they are all old. 
The ground has not been plowed or cultivated fora longtime. 
The trees are planted too close. What would be best to do with 
the soil ? Some advise me to put in a lot of hogs and let them 
root it up. Others say cultivate. Will you advise me ? e. j. r. 
Clinton County, Mich. 
This is the old, old story of a neglected orchard. I 
would begin improving it by taking out half, if not 
three-fourths of the trees in the newer part, and per¬ 
haps all of the old seedlings. Certainly there is no 
use in allowing seedling apple trees to stand in this 
enlightened age of really good apples. If they are not 
too old and diseased, it might pay to top-graft them 
to Sutton, York Imperial or Hubbardston. But they 
may be worth more for firewood or tool handles than 
for orchard trees. That, the owner, who knows them 
well, can tell. But the trees in the whole orchard 
must have more room. As the trees are kept for fruit 
and not for timber, they must all have more room. 
There is no use to think that pruning will thin out 
the tops of the trees sufficiently. 
Not only do the tops need plenty of room, but the 
roots are starving for lack of that as well as cultiva¬ 
tion. That is why I say cut out every alternate row 
one way, and perhaps both ways would be better. 
Let not only a little sunshine in, but plenty of it. 
Make the spaces between the trees so wide that the 
tips of the branches will be far apart, and the roots, 
too. Then cultivate. Do not depend on the lazy hogs 
to do the plowing ; or even an industrious (because 
starved) breed. Remember that hog power is costly 
to the owner. Plow at once, thoroughly but not 
deeply. Put on the harrow, and make the soil as fine 
as possible, by repeated cross harrowings. Sow noth¬ 
ing. Grass is just what that and all other orchards 
do not want. An orchard has no fertility to spare for 
pasture grass, or for any other grass. That is one of 
the sins for which the average orchardist is suffering 
the penalty of poor crops ; and so he ought, if he will 
commit the folly of trying to grow two crops where 
there is barely room for the one he Should be trying 
to grow to perfection. Clover may do after a few years 
of thorough cultivation. This may seem to some per¬ 
sons like mistaken advice, but just try the plan of 
giving the old orchards a chance to show what they 
can do under generous and rational treatment. 
Praise for Kieffer Pear.— Of about 1*4 dozen pear trees plant¬ 
ed,'there were three Kieffer. As some writers are talking the same 
about Kieffer pears as Ben Davis apples, I would say that I had 
three crops of Kieffers in succession, one of Clapp’s Favorite, 
and none of the other varieties. I began using Kieffers in 
November, used them in December, then canned a lot, and am 
eating Kieffer pears yet. I prefer them to my canned Bartlette. 
H. J. K. 
Cow Peas —I am glad to see The R. N.-Y. pushing cow peas. 
With us, they are invaluable, and we had the heaviest fallows 
last year I ever saw, and my wheat, where I had the peas, is far 
ahead of that sown earlier, on better land and with a good fer¬ 
tilizer. I used acid phosphate with the peas. I sow them wherever 
I cam, for wheat, in the corn, at the last working, in my young 
orchard, and in any vacant spots in the garden. Everything eats 
them, from ourselves to the fowls; the horses, cows, sheep and 
hogs, and what quantities of milk, beef, pork and mutton they 
will make. 0 O. g. 
Aylett, Va. 
