382 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
May 20 
THE POTATO BEETLE. 
IS EE TAKING A VACATION ? 
Some of our correspondents from western New 
York declare that, for the first time in many 
years, they are unable this year to find any evi¬ 
dence of Potato beetles. They seem to think that 
this insect is “playing out” in some way, and 
that we are not likely to be troubled with it for 
some time to come. Do you think there is likely 
to be any decrease In the numbers and ravages 
of this insect? 
I have not seen any Potato beetles as 
yet. Last year, they were not so bad as 
in former years. c. m. iiobinson. 
Long Island. 
The Potato beetle was less trouble¬ 
some last year. We sprinkled them with 
poison twice. Our potatoes are now 
planted, but we did not notice ary 
beetles. o n Alexander. 
Vermont. 
While we find evidence of the presence 
of the Potato beetle, we are inclined to 
believe that they will not be such a peBt 
as in the past two seasons. Farmers in 
this section have done their utmost to 
destroy them, and we think this will do 
more toward reducing their numbers 
than any natural cause. 
Ontario Co , N. Y. chas w. ford & oo. 
Wk have not seen a Potato beetle yet 
this season, but do not think they will 
fail to put in an appearance as usual, as 
they were as numerous here last year as 
ever. We have noticed that, sometimes, 
they seem to come slowly, only a few ap¬ 
pearing at a time, and again they come 
in swarms so thick as almost to destroy 
potato vines. They came in this man¬ 
ner four or five years ago, but have not 
been as numerous since. 
Greene Co., N. Y. c. a. inoalls & son. 
There are so few Potato beetles here 
this Spring, that it is the cause of con¬ 
siderable comment. We earnestly hope 
that they are through with their miser¬ 
able work, but this may not be the case. 
One year ago, at this time, many of them 
were moving about looking for work. 
They were not so troublesome here last 
year as the year before. Some think 
t v at the extreme cold Winter destroyed 
a great many A. G. Aldridge. 
Ontario County, N. Y. 
It is a little early in the season to de¬ 
cide how large a crop of beetles we will 
have this year. My men in plowing a 
20-acre field of last year’s potato ground, 
this week, found only one beetle. Last 
Fall at digging time, there was hardly a 
beetle to be found, which is different 
from other years. Every year seems to 
add to their natural enemies, but their 
worst enemies are the little hand spray¬ 
ers, for with them a lazy man can get over 
quite a large patch in a day. If every 
potato grower would plant a patch very 
early, the beetles would get located on 
it, and if these were all destroyed, 
the main crop would go free. Potatoes 
that we plant in June, as a general 
thing, go free of bugs. They are located 
on the earlier planted, and stay there as 
long as the pasture suits them. I think 
we have had less of them each year for the 
last five years, and if we only keep up 
the fight, they can be kept down so as to 
do no harm geo a bonnkll. 
Seneca Countv. N. Y. 
Why and How to Soak Seeds. 
F. T. M., Boulder . Col —Hay we not have an 
article some time on seed soaking, the subject to 
be considered with regard to varieties soaked to 
best advantage, the per cent of gain in stand 
and in time (rapidity of germination), the prac¬ 
tical value, if any, when there is no special rush, 
possible interference with planting by seed drill, 
etc. ? 
Ans —A seed must be saturated with 
water before it can sprout, so it would 
seem that a preliminary soaking would 
hasten germination, and thus give an 
earlier start. But the apparent gain in 
time from soaking seeds is often decep¬ 
tive, for the seeds are really Eown in 
water instead of soil, and are usually not 
much ahead of sowings out-of-doors at 
the same time. Seed-soaking is best 
practiced when the soil is very dry, or 
is cold and uncongenial. Since warmth 
is essential to germination, the water 
should preferably be heated to not over 
120 degrees F. Certain seeds with rather 
impervious coverings, as the Canna, 
locust, apple and Crataegus, require a 
higher temperature. Some gardeners 
throw the seeds of leguminous plants 
into boiling water, and let the water cool 
with the seeds in it, but this treatment 
is not to be recommended. 
For most garden vegetables, soaking 
from 12 to 24 hours has given the best 
results. Usually, the seeds will be suffi¬ 
ciently swollen in 12 hours. It may be 
stated, as a general rule, that the older 
and weaker the seeds are, the less they 
should be soaked. Very weak seeds 
should never be soaked. These must ab¬ 
sorb moisture slowly, or they will rot. 
A good method of germinating weak 
seeds is to lay them between strips of 
muslin in damp loam, renewing the loam 
every day. 
It will pay to soak fresh, strong 
seeds in warm water when soil condi¬ 
tions are unfavorable or time is an ob¬ 
ject. A better stand may be expected 
from soaked seeds than from unsoaked 
seeds. Soaked seeds should be sown 
while yet wet and swollen, which would 
prevent the use of a seed drill. In gen¬ 
eral, seed-soaking is a practice for the 
amateur rather than for the commercial 
gardener, although many large growers 
of sweet corn find it profitable, s w. F. 
Shipping Georgia Plums. 
T. M. A 7 ., Albany , (Ja.—l have five acres of Bur¬ 
bank plums in full bearing, but have bad no ex¬ 
perience In shipping. Who are reliable handlers? 
What cities will be the best markets? What is 
the best package, and where obtained ? 
Ans —Your best method is to visit 
other shippers in your neighborhood, 
and learn from them all about their 
methods, packages, places of shipping, 
etc. Such a visit will give you more 
practical help than pages of printed in¬ 
struction. The growers should all com¬ 
bine, and confine their shipments to a 
few reliable merchants in each city in¬ 
stead of scattering them among so many. 
The commission merchants advertising 
in our columns are reliable. The best 
markets are those which are often 
slighted and do not receive such large 
consignments. Here comes in the need 
of organization and cooperation, that 
shippers may keep posted as to the sup¬ 
plies at different points, and the require¬ 
ments of different markets. New York 
City is usually a good market for choice 
fruits, but the market is often over¬ 
stocked. The same is true of other mar¬ 
kets, and it is much like a lottery to ship 
to them unless one is thoroughly posted 
as to their requirements. The best pack¬ 
ages seen so far are the six-till carriers, 
which may be found in every fruit-ship¬ 
ping district. 
Various Bugs. 
H. K. S., Lowell , Ark. — 1. I was troubled 
last year with small yellow and black striped 
bugs on sweet potato vines. What can I spray 
with to destroy them ? 2. Wife was bothered 
badly last season with brown and tan cutworms 
on her geraniums. They first cut out the flowers, 
then the foliage buds. What will kill them ? 
Ans.— 1. Without seeing a specimen of 
the “ striped bug ” which troubled H. K. 
S’s sweet potatoes, I cannot tell its 
name, but it was, possibly, one of the 
tortoise beetles. I think it could be con¬ 
trolled by spraying the vines with Parit- 
green or some similar poison. 2. H K 
S.’s wife I think could have, doubtless, 
found most of the cutworms which ate 
her geraniums if at any time during the 
day she had simply dug into the soil an 
inch or so around the base of the plants. 
The cutworms feed only at night, and 
hide in the soil near the plant during the 
day. She might have supplemented this 
hand-picking of the worms with a poi¬ 
soned bran mash. Simply mix enough 
Paris-green with some dry bran to give 
the whole a distinct greenish appear¬ 
ance. Scatter this around on the ground 
near the plants, and the worms will eat 
it greedily, thereby getting a deadly dose 
of poison. This poisoned bran is one of 
the most successful methods of fighting 
cutworms yet devised. M. v. 6. 
A Silo on Rock Foundation. 
C. B. B , Cro88ville, Tenn.—l tbink of buildiEg 
a silo in my barn, and have a solid sandstone for 
foundation. Will that be right for the bottom 
without other preparation ? But there Is a de¬ 
pression through the center, and in wet weather, 
a stream of water runs through. Will it inter¬ 
fere with the keeping of the ensilage to put a 
drain pipe there so the water can run through? 
Ans. —The solid sandstone will make 
a perfect foundation for the silo. The 
drain pipe may be put through the de¬ 
pression in the center, but it should be 
covered over with mortar or cement. 
Should the drain be put through with¬ 
out any covering, the air would be likely 
to follow up the file in a dry time, and 
cause loss of ensilage. If I understand 
the situation, there is simply needed a 
conduit through which the water can 
flow. If desired, a rock drain could be 
put through the depression, and then 
the rocks should be covered over with 
gravel, and the gravel covered over with 
a layer of cement. This will provide 
for the flow of the water, l a. Clinton. 
The Lansingburg Apple. 
(1. \V. S., Cambria County , Pa.— I have an old 
variety of apple on this farm, of which I have 
been unable to learn the correct name. The va¬ 
riety has no superior as a long keeper in this 
vicinity, and is quite productive, yet not inclined 
to overbear; the fruit is usually more uniform in 
size than most other varieties. Our trees are 
top-grafted and are quite hardy, do not make 
an excessive wood growth, need but little prun¬ 
ing, and stand more neglect than any other vari¬ 
ety I know. The fruit is usually free from scab 
and other defects, does not bruise easily, but is 
liable to split apart in falling from the tree. The 
quality varies in specimens from the same tree. 
I am located 12 miles from the summit of the Al¬ 
leghany Mountains, and 10 miles west of Cresson 
Springs, on the main line of the Pennsylvania 
Railroad. The only long-keeping varieties of 
apples I know of here are the one indicated 
above and Fallawater and Roxbury Russet. 
We desire something better than these. 
Ans —The apple is Lansingburg, an 
old variety. It is, indeed, a long keeper, 
but not good in quality, being coarse in 
texture and poor in flavor. It is sweet¬ 
ish to the taste. The color is rather dull 
green with a faint bronze striping on 
the sunny side. There are many better 
apples and some poorer ones. One good 
point about it is its reliable bearing 
qualities. It would be well for you to 
plant York Imperial, Smokehouse and 
Hubbardston, all being good apples in 
all respects. h. k. v. d 
Our prospect for fruit is excellent, peaches in 
this section showing up well. Nothing was in¬ 
jured by the cold weather, as far as we can see 
now. In regard to making arsenite of lime, we 
cannot get white arsenic for less than 12>4 cents 
here, so we might as well buy Paris-green. 
Waterdown, Ont. 3. w. M. m. 
The London Spectator, in discussing the evils 
of large towns, says that the care of the chil¬ 
dren is the most serious matter connected 
with them. It is essential that a child, to be 
healthy in body and mind, should spend the 
larger part of hia life in the fresh air, amid 
greenery and the songs of birds. It is suggested 
that the schools of large cities should be built 
in country districts, the children being trans¬ 
ported thither by special trains. Perhaps this 
will be one of the reforms of the Twentieth Cen¬ 
tury. 
Nature makes the cures 
after all. 
Now and then she gets 
into a tight place and needs 
helping out. 
Things get started in the 
wrong direction. 
Something is needed to 
check disease and start the 
system in the right direction 
toward health. 
Scott’s Emulsion of Cod- 
liver Oil with hypophos- 
phites can do just this. 
It strengthens the nerves, 
feeds famished tissues, and 
makes rich blood. 
50 c. and ?i.oo ; ail druggists. 
SCOTT & BOWNE, Chemists, New York. 
DON’T EXPERIMENT 
Buy the Pit tubiiru Woven Wire Fence and avoid all 
mistakes. It’s a good long-lived fence at a reasonable 
price. Takes up all expansion and contraction and never 
saps. It’s close enough and strong enough to turn all live stock. Keeps 
voure in and your neighbor’s out. We want good agents in every 
locality. First order secures townshln agency. Circulars free. 
Pittsburg Woven Wire FenceCo.,15 Penn. Av.,Pittsburg,Pa. 
A Farm Fence ot Special Merit 
The cut shown herewith is that of the Advance 
Woven Wire Fence, manufactured hy the Company 
of the same name, at Peoria, III. It combines in a 
high degree all the qualities of a good farm fence. 
It is strong, handsome, harmless and the way in 
which it is sold makes it reasonable in price. These 
people sell direct from the factory to the farmer 
at practically wholesale prices. They do not allow 
the dealer to handle it at all, but give you a>l the 
profit he would make on its sale. If you need fenc¬ 
ing, write them for prices, circulars, etc Ad tress 
as follows: ADVANCE FENCE CO, 
5305 Old Street. Peoria, III 
[ADAM, 
THE FENCE MAN. 
Makes Woven Wire 
Fence that "Standa 
Up." Cannot8ag. 
i Getblansweatalogue. It 
[ tells alt about The Best 
) Farm Fence Made. , 
W. J. ADAM. Jol 
-4-- .-1-1-4 .ill 
11 
11 
-jPACEt t r ; r : i g 
REPAIRING NEATLY DONE 
is an obsolete phrase on llie farm where Page 
Fence is exclusively used. It takes care of 
itself “while you wait.” 
PACK WOVEN WIRE FENCE CO., ADRIAN,MICII. 
THE 
DOUBLE STRAND 
in this fence means double strength- 
greater durability. The tie wires of 
the liiindail Double Strand 
Woven Steel Wire Fence are braid¬ 
ed in and can never slip. The braid 
allows expansion and contraction 
keeps the fence always taut. A perfect, 
lasting fence at moderate cost. All widths 
for all purposes. Write for illn-. circular. 
RANDALL FENCE CO., LE ROY, N.Y. 
i* 1 
.... 'ia.Li. , n ,“*i, * 
■.id#** 
-r—? t — 5 —f—»—t—H 
CYCLONE 
FENCE machine; 
Builds 100 ROD8 of strongest fence % day, 27 U 
60 iuches high. 7 to 12 cables. TEwy to Build 
and Cheap. J Thousands in use. Fence material 
at wholesale prloes. Write for catalog- 
CYCLONE FENCE CO., HOLLY, MICH. 
iiMneWf Waukegan, Ill., Cleveland, Ohio- 
Branches. { Toronto.Can. Melbourne,Australia- 
Your Attention for a Moment! 
TO OUR 
M. M. S. POULTRY FENCING 
Is stronger, yet the completed fence is 50 per cent 
cheaper than the old-fashioned poultry netting; it 
requires only one-fourth as many posts, and neither 
top nor bottom rail. Will not sag or buckle; neat, 
elastic, durable, cheap. Easily and rapidly erected. 
Price-list FREE. JAMES S. CASE, 
Colchester, Ct. 
WIRE FENCE I FAILURE 
( When the Poets Give Out.) 
Brick houses are not built on wooden blocks. No 
matter what style of wire fence you build. 
Use Durable Posts. 
We can give you valuable Information on the use of 
Steel for this purpose. 
BOND STEEL POST CO., Adrian, Mich. 
1,000 SAMPLES FREE 
of our new Success Fence Ratchet 
which tightens any wire fence. Grips 
automatically as wire is wound on. 
No holes to bore In posts; attaohes 
midway of the fence. We will mall you a sample 
free if you will send us 10 cents to oover postage 
only. Circulars free. 
W. H. MASON & CO., BOX 67, LEESBURG, OHIO. 
Popular Errors About Plants. 
A. A. Crozier. A collection of errors and 
superstitions entertained by farmers, garden¬ 
ers and others, together with brief scientific 
refutations. Valuable to practical cultiva¬ 
tors who want to know the truth about their 
work. Cloth. 
The Rural New-Yorxer, New York. 
