1899 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
44/ 
not have been the case, under the existing weather 
conditions, had irrigation been dispensed with. 
Now for the blackcaps. The terribly hot, burning 
weather of July 4 and after for about a week, was be¬ 
ginning to make the crop look sick. They show the 
effects of it quicker, perhaps, than mmy other fruits. 
The piece spoken of consisting of Nemaha and Gregg 
had been picked over once on the morning of July 8. 
On the afternoon of that day, not having enough pipe 
to reach the piece, we hired 500 feet of 2-inch pipe 
(the only size I could get) and ran it oat to the piece 
mentioned. There being three right angles in the 
1,500 feet, which should by the way always be avoided, 
but was impossible in this case, and also running to 
the highest point on the farm, it gave a pretty severe 
test of the engine’s power. This irrigation was given 
as in the other two cases, thrown from the nozzle di¬ 
rectly over the bushes. With all these disadvantages, 
the water was thrown 50 feet from the nozzle. 
Results of Irrigation.— After a pretty thor¬ 
ough application in this way for about two hours, 
the nozzle was taken off, and the water allowed to 
flow directly from the hose and down two or three of 
the rows, there being just enough of an incline to 
carry the water nicely. The piece was picked over 
again on July 10, in the afternoon. I discovered at 
once on going through it before the pickers were set 
at work, that while there was a noticeable improve¬ 
ment all over the piece, yet on the few rows where 
the water had been run on the ground (which by the 
way was still wet while the others were dry), the ber¬ 
ries were larger, better color, and could, also, most 
easily be detected by any one on eating, by their being 
so much more juicy. The following day, the piece 
was again irrigated by allowing the water to run the 
length of the rows and soak into the ground, none 
being applied to the tops The rows were about 200 
feet long, and taking, as it did, from 7 to 10 minutes 
for the water to make its way from one end to the 
other, we calculated that pumping at as low as 100 
gallons per minute, we were giving it from 700 to 1,000 
gallons to the row. Figuring on the lowest basis 
(700) this would give us an application of nearly 1% 
inch to the acre. This gave all the water needed to 
carry out the crop, which was very fine. I stJld the 
berries at from two to three cents per quart more in 
our local market, than was being paid for blackcaps 
brought in that had not been irrigated; in fact, most 
of the berries looked as though they had been run 
through an evaporator. 
Some one may like to know about how far the ap 
plication of the water would soak into the soil. I can 
answer accurately in but one instance. I had mowed 
over an old bed of strawberries (Gandy) two years old, 
hoping that, by sufficient wetting, I could induce a 
new growth, and carry them over another year. In 
this case, I found that, in the paths where it had been 
tramped down hard by the pickers, it had wet down 
about four inches. I made an examination in the 
rows, but I should be inclined to believe it went still 
deeper there owing to the more receptive condition of 
the soil. 
A FRIEND OF BEN DAVIS. 
“the apple that pays the taxes ” 
A reader of the R N. Y., noting your persistent 
condemnation of the Ben Davis apple, would natur¬ 
ally ask : “ Why is it that those foolish fellows west 
of the Mississippi persist in raising this worthless 
fruit when there are such delicious varieties as 
Northern Spy, Jonathan, Winesap, Grimes Golden 
and numerous others ?” and perhaps ascribe it to one 
of the vagaries of Populism. 
As I have raised and handled apples many years in 
eastern Kansas, I am impelled to come to the defense 
of an old friend, and give some of the reasons why it 
is, and is likely to be, for a long time to come, the 
favorite apple of that noted region of fine fruit. 
1. It is red. No apple, though it combine all the 
good qualities of a dozen of the best varieties, can 
hope to be popular if it be not red. The public will 
have none of it. 
2. The tree comes into bearing early, is hardy, and 
rarely fails to yield a good crop. 
3. It is large, fine-looking, and if bruised, instead 
of decaying, the spot turns corky. 
A given number of Ben Davis trees in a certain period 
will give a much larger money return than any other 
variety. True, it sells for only about half what that 
queen of beauty, the Jonathan brings; but then you 
have the Ben Davis to sell nearly every year, while 
the others are uncertain quantities. So long as the 
public demands it, and ignores quality, why should 
the fruit grower try to cultivate its taste at his own 
expense ? 
I once heard a large fruit grower give this advice to 
a young lawyer : “If you want to be sure of a steady 
income in a few years, buy a piece of land, if only an 
acre, and plant Ben Davis apple trees on it, and as 
you are able, add to it and plant more trees, but al¬ 
ways be sure they are Ben Davis.” He himself had 
grown wealthy by following his own advice. 
It is only fair, perhaps, to add lhat, aside from sell¬ 
ing them to people who prefer them to any other, I 
don’t know what they are good for. In all the years 
I grew them, I never ate one, neither were they 
cooked in the house; there was no need, for we had 
an abundance of good apples, for both eating and 
cooking, the year ’round, without a break, some of 
which, no matter how large and perfect, would not 
sell at any price because they were not red. 
It may be that, when the immense acreage of or¬ 
chard which has been planted in the Missouri Valley 
during the last four or five years, and which is in¬ 
creasing each year at a tremendous rate—of which it 
is safe to say three-fourths are Ben Davis—comes into 
bearing, the consumers will have a surfeit of Ben 
Davis, and begin to demand quality. Bat until that 
time, be assured he grower is going to plant the kind 
that yields the greatest money returns. w. k. s. 
PETER M. GIDEON. 
A FOMOLOGICAL BENEFACTOR TO THE NORTHWEST. 
At Fig. 180, is shown a picture of Peter M. Gideon, 
of Excelsior, Minn., as he appeared 12 years ago. He 
says that he has not changed since, except for the loss 
of his teeth, and now in his 80th year, he feels good 
for 80 more years of work. He says that he began 
fruit culture by planting peach seeds in a drill, got a 
good stand and fine growth, dug and transplanted with 
his own hands, and ate peaches from the trees before 
PETER M. GIDEON. Fia. 180. 
he was nine years old. Ever since, he has been en¬ 
gaged in fruit culture, a period longer than the 
allotted life of man. To-day his name is a household 
word in every fruit-grower’s home in the Northwest. 
He is, probably, better known as the originator of 
the Wealthy apple, and if this were his only produc¬ 
tion of merit, it would render him a benefactor to 
the fruit growers of the Northwest. He began fruit 
culture in Minnesota about 45 years ago, by planting 
30 named varieties of apples, a good collection of 
pears, plums, cherries and quinces, a bushel of apple 
seed, and a peck of peach seed. Yearly for nine 
years, he planted more trees and seeds, but at the 
end of 10 years, all were dead except one small seed¬ 
ling crab. In spite of these discouragements, with 
meager financial resources, he persevered, and se¬ 
cured more seeds and scions from Maine. In these, 
the foundation of his future success was laid, one re¬ 
sult being the Wealthy apple. He has worked along 
the line of crossing the common apple on the crab. 
He does not believe in hand crossing of fruits, but 
in leaving the pollination largely to Nature, and 
growing a large number of seedlings from which to 
select. In this, some horticulturists think he is 
about right. 
Mr Gideon has the reputation of being a persistent, 
hard worker, and of being fearless and independent 
in his opinions. He has been misunderstood by some, 
and suffered from the jealousy of others, but those 
who have found the way to the old man’s heart say 
that he is kind-hearted. At one time he had exten¬ 
sive experiment grounds, and when these were done 
away with, he distributed freely thousands of apple 
seedlings, which were tent broadcast over the State. 
It is said that the State is now reaping the benefit of 
this in large numbers of seedlings exhibited at the 
fairs, sometimes hundreds being exhibited at a single 
State fair, most of which are the result of Mr. Gideon’s 
labors. His work has been recognized by the legisla¬ 
ture and by the State Horticultural Society, but not 
to the extent that he deserves. There is no doubt 
that his efforts have added millions of dollars to the 
wealth of the fruit growers of the Northwest. He 
says that it is only a question of time when we will 
have a succession of ironclads of best quality the 
whole year through, and thereby make the North¬ 
west the greatest apple region of the world. He be¬ 
lieves in pure American seedlings, and not in Rus ians. 
The disappointing results following the great expec¬ 
tations aroused for the latter, certainly tend to bear 
him out in this. 
It seems to be the way of the world to remember its 
benefactors most kindly after their labors are ended, 
but it is to be hoped that those who are benefiting so 
largely by the results of Mr. Gideon’s persistent work 
will not withhold due appreciation of his efforts while 
he is in a position to enjoy it. 
ONCE MORE THE CREAMERY SHARK. 
HOW HE WORKS ! HIS LITTLE GAME ! 
Cooperative Creameries Gaining —The milk 
producers who supply milk to the New York market 
are beginning to appreciate the value of the coooera- 
tive creamery as advised by The R N -Y. These 
creameries are being put in, in some instances, in com¬ 
munities where no creamery previously existed. In 
other localities, dairymen have organized and erected 
cooperative creameries. The latter are being con¬ 
ducted successfully, and the old abandoned exchange 
creameries remain as testimonials of the producers’ 
power when they once conclude to take things into 
their own hands. 
Work for the Shark. —This condition of affairs 
is again making profitable the business of the cream¬ 
ery shark. One concern operating in this State is 
charging the farmers from 30 to 40 per cent more 
than the actual value of the creamery put up. The 
methods are exactly similar to those of the old Chicago 
creamery sharks, who did such a thriving business 
several years ago. First a promoter is sent around to 
get signers for stock on a basis of paying eight per 
cent dividend. This promoter makes all kinds of 
favorable promises. He will, in fact, promise any¬ 
thing asked, provided the farmer will sign his con¬ 
tract, in which none of his promises is recorded. He 
does not require or ask that the incorporators fur¬ 
nish milk to the creamery, but baits those who are 
not farmers with eight per cent dividend promises in 
order to get subscriptions enough to guarantee him 
his extravagant price for his creamery. The contract, 
in itself, is entirely a one-sided affair. Representa¬ 
tives of this company have admitted that a creamery 
costing one-half the price would fill all the require¬ 
ments of the contract. The promoter is interested 
only in getting this contract signed. He is then sure 
of his liberal commissions from his principal, and 
after selecting his own building committee, departs 
f<H* new fields and new conquests. Those who follow 
know nothing about the promoter’s promises, and go 
entirely by the contract. 
While this particular firm does a fairly good job the 
fa r mers pay from one-third to one-half more than 
the creamery is actually worth, and that much more 
than it need cost. In other words, a creamery that 
costs the farmers $3,800 to $4,000, ought not to cost 
them to exceed $3,500. 
Wliat It Means. —This state of affairs need not 
discourage those who want a cooperative creamery. 
All they need do is to refuse to sigp for a single share 
of stock until they have a detailed estimate of just 
what the creamery is to be, and what it is to contain, 
with definite specifications. These estimates can be 
had from three or four thoroughly responsible and 
reliable creamery supply houses. If the promotor re¬ 
fuses to meet such prices, the farmers will have no 
trouble to secure the supplies from the other firms 
referred to. 
In promoting a successful cooperative creamery, the 
first thing to secure is a guarantee of a certain amount 
of milk. The creamery sharks have no interest in 
this, and important as it is, neglect it. Pains should 
be taken to see that the creamery is the proper size 
for the amount of milk guaranteed, and that it costs 
only the market price. The company should not be 
organized on a basis of eight per cent dividend. This 
is too much for the use of money. What farmer would 
agree to pay eight per cent on a mortgage or note ? 
Yet that is just what they are asked to pay by these 
creamery sharks. _ D. 
The California Fruit Grower tells of a western nur¬ 
seryman who secured a contract to set out trees along 
the streets of Garden City, Kansas. He was to re¬ 
ceive pay for the trees found growing and thrifty at 
the end of two year;?. The City attorney, at the end 
of that time, advised the City not to pay the claim. 
The nurseryman carried his case to court, and re¬ 
ceived a verdict for $33,133, the contract price of every 
tree which on his testimony was in goed condition. 
