1898 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
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 time. 
Put questions on a separate piece of paper.] 
Ripening the Bose Pear. 
M., Salem, N. J .—I am glad to see, on pag? 
433, that some interest is being taken in 
the Bose pear. Will not some one tell us 
how to induce the fruit to ripen before it 
rots? I have two trees in full bearing. I 
have picked them early, also late; I have 
kept them cool, also warm, in sun and in 
shade, under blankets and in the open, but 
of five crops of fully-developed, plump 
pears, I have never had one fairly ripe one. 
All remained hard until they rotted. What 
is the best mode of ripening? 
This most excellent pear is not suited 
to light soil. The tree is not a vigorous 
grower, and when the soil is not right, 
the tendency of the fruit is to be dry and 
corky, and it will not ripen evenly or 
well. Most of the New Jersey soil is not 
adapted to this variety. We have an ex¬ 
cellent orchard, top-worked on Kieffer 
trees, which bears very superior fruit. 
The soil is somewhat heavy, with a clay 
loam subsoil, and muriate of potash is 
freely applied. 
The trees are pruned annually, and the 
fruit thinned. While the Bose sets its 
fruit singly rather than in clusters, it 
sets heavily, and thinning is very neces¬ 
sary. When the trees are on light soil, 
I would advise adding humus to the soil 
by plowing in Crimson clover for two 
or three years, and giving free applica¬ 
tions of hard-wood ashes. A rough 
coarse skin on the Bose indicates that 
the soil is not congenial. A clay soil is 
better for the Bose, for the reason that it 
is usually better supplied with potash, 
an essential element in the best develop¬ 
ment of all fruit. The pears should be 
picked as soon as the stems will cleave 
readily, kept in a cool place until want¬ 
ed, then brought into a warmer tempera¬ 
ture, when the finest quality should de¬ 
velop. GEO. T. l’OWELL. 
Clover in a Young Orchard. 
U. O., Helena, Arli.—I have a young or¬ 
chard set with apple, peach and plum trees 
Oats and clover are in it now, but I read 
that clover is injurious to fruit trees. Is 
this true? If it is injurious, I would plow 
the clover under. 
An orchard should never be seeded to 
oats. Clover is a good crop in an or¬ 
chard, after the trees have come to bear¬ 
ing age, provided it is not allowed to 
stand more than a year or two without 
being plowed under, and that it is not 
made into hay and hauled off the or¬ 
chard. The right way is to cut or roll it 
all down flat on the ground, and let it 
lie there and rot, if it is not plowed 
under at once. Clean cultivation is 
the best treatment for an orchard of any 
kind and age, except when it is under 
five years of age, when corn, potatoes or 
some crop that is worked often may be 
grown between the trees. A seeding of 
cow peas, Soy beans or Crimson clover 
about July is good for a bearing orchard, 
every few years, if it is allowed to rot on 
the ground or is pastured down by hogs 
in the fall. These add humus and fer¬ 
tility to the soil, making it capable of 
holding moisture, and greatly invig¬ 
orating the trees. h. e. v. r>. 
Twig Blight in Apples. 
M. B. R., Stuart, Va.— What is good for 
“fire” twig blight on apple trees? The dis¬ 
ease seems to commence at the base of the 
new wood or twig, and on the spur which 
holds the young apples. 
The blight referred to is that which 
affects the pear, apple, quince, and a few 
other related species. Its germs find en¬ 
trance to healthy parts of the trees, first 
in the Spring through the delicate floral 
organs, and later through the tender 
growing shoots. This is why the first 
outward signs of the disease are usually 
seen upon the fruiting spurs. When it is 
once inside the twigs, its spread is easy, 
rapid and stealthy. The dead and dying 
twigs and leaves are only the result of 
the damage already done, and evidence 
that the germs have long been there, 
and that they are, probably, far below 
where the branch appears diseased. 
Our very highest authorities on this 
subject tell us there is little use to fight 
the blight during the growing season, 
because there is no certainty as to how 
far the infection extends beyond where 
there are visible signs. When the trees 
are dormant, they should be looked over 
carefully, and all dead branches cut 
away, and more especially the sickly, 
half-dead twigs, for it is in the latter 
that the disease holds over the Winter. 
The branches are usually healthy below 
where dead wood may be seen at that 
time of year. However, all should be cut 
off down to the healthy wood, and burn¬ 
ed, although the latter precaution is said 
not to be necessary, the disease germs 
dying with the branch. h. e. v. d. 
Grapes for Wine Making. 
G. P. G., So. Chicago, III. —1. I have 20 acres 
of land in northern Alabama, and 9 acres 
planted to the following grapes: Ives, Lind- 
ley, Lutie, Pocklington, Agawam, Moore's 
Early and Delaware. Are they suitable for 
wine and market? 2. Where can I get in¬ 
formation on wine-making and machinery 
necessary for the same? 3. Where is the 
most reliable place to get the pear trees 
mentioned in The R. N.-Y. of April 1? 
1. Grape growing in northern Alabama 
ought to pay very well, if properly man¬ 
aged. The varieties mentioned are all 
very good for market, except, it may be, 
Pocklington, which is of poor quality. 
Ives is the best one for making wine. 
Although I do not know much about the 
wine business, I am quite sure that the 
country is already overstocked with 
wine from California. Grapes grown in 
the eastern States pay best sold in the 
fresh state, so the growers nearly all 
claim, and they practice upon that prin¬ 
ciple. 
2. Grape Growing and Wine Making, 
by Husmann, is the title of a very good 
book that covers the subjects suggested. 
It may be had through The R. N.-Y., 
price postpaid, $1.50. 
3. To procure trees of the pears men¬ 
tioned, correspond with almost any of 
the nursery firms that advertise in The 
R. N.-Y. H. E. V. D. 
Greenhouse and Boiler Questions. 
G. C. S., Massachusetts. —I have a boiler 10 
feet long, 30 inches in diameter, with 34 
2-inch tubes. The grate is 7% square feet. 
I desire to use the same for a hot-water 
system of heating a greenhouse. How 
large a greenhouse can I heat, and how 
many feet of D/fe-inch pipe are required? 
Temperature at night 55 degrees, latitude 
of Boston. What size of greenhouse, and 
length of 114-inch pipe will a boiler called 
G-horse locomotive-pattern heat, hot-water 
system; same conditions as in first named 
question? Fuel is hard coal. 
Ans. —If the boiler mentioned in the 
first question is of the horizontal return 
tubular type, and has a grate surface of 
714 square feet, it may be estimated at 
20 to 22-horse-power. Such a boiler, 
properly placed and fired with good an¬ 
thracite coal, should be capable of heat¬ 
ing 3 greenhouses 100x20 feet, to a tem¬ 
perature of 55 degrees in cold weather. 
Not less than 12 rows of 114-inch pipe 
should be placed in each house, and it 
would be well to start from the boiler 
with a 3 or 4-inch main, from which 
the 114-inch pipes may be led off as re¬ 
quired. Valves should be placed on the 
flow pipes of each house, in order that 
the heat may be regulated evenly 
throughout. 
A boiler “called 6-horse-locomotive- 
pattern” is slightly indefinite, but I 
should expect it to heat a greenhouse 100 
to 125 feet long, and 20 feet wide, the 
house to be piped on the same plan as 
those mentioned above, namely, with six 
rows of piping on each side, it being 
more economical to use a liberal amount 
of pipe than to force the boiler by the 
use of a scanty radiating surface. Two- 
inch piping is considered more satisfac¬ 
tory for hot-water heating than 114-inch, 
there being less friction to contend with 
481 
in the larger pipe. It is taken for grant¬ 
ed that the pressure system of heating is 
the one in view in this case, and it may 
be remarked that a pressure of 10 
pounds per square inch is sufficient to 
insure a rapid circulation in the pipes. 
w. H. TAPLIN. 
Test for Vinegar. 
N. B. L., Nassau, N. Y.—I saw a small cop¬ 
per vessel filled with vinegar to which was 
added a certain quantity of what I sup¬ 
posed to be ordinary baking soda, when 
immediately the fumes or gas generated 
arose in a graduated glass tube, supposed 
to show its acidity. What is that instru¬ 
ment called? Where is it made and for 
sale? 
Ans. —There are certain instruments 
manufactured which measure the gas 
given off from an acid, as from vinegar, 
when soda is added to it. There is con¬ 
nected with the process some very care¬ 
ful weighing of the materials used, and 
it requires a considerable amount of ex¬ 
perience to make the test in such a man¬ 
ner that it would stand the requirements 
of the law. Such an instrument as you 
describe can be obtained from Eimer 
and Amend, of New York. They will 
send you their catalogue upon applica¬ 
tion. If you have some vinegar you de¬ 
sire tested, your cheaper and surer way 
would be to send a sample to some 
chemist, say at Cornell University, 
where the cost of having the test made 
would not be more than 25 or 50 cents. 
l. a. c. 
Feeding Soiling Crops to Cows. 
Profits of Farming 
GARDENING AND FRUIT CULTURE. 
depend upon Good Croon and they In 
turn upon Good Fertilizers. The 
uniformly best fertilizer for all Crops 
and all soils Is made by 
The Cleveland Dryer Co., Cleveland, O. 
Materials Supplied for “ Home Mixing." 
Jadoo Fibre and Jadoo Liquid 
Will give you Early Crops and Large Crops 
of Vegetables or Fruit. 8end for Catalogues 
and be convinced of the merits of these 
new Fertilizers. 
THE AMERICAN JADOO CO., 
815 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa. 
The' 
han¬ 
diest 
sprayer 
in the 
world. Its 
small size, 
simplicity, 
effectiveness 
make it the fa¬ 
vorite for house 
plants, green¬ 
houses, flower gar¬ 
dens and poultry 
houses. Sprays 
trees 12 feet high. 
One lining enough 
for acre of plants 
Made of heavy copper 
15 Inches long, 
20 years. 
Regular price $2.00. First .v 
purchaser In each district gets ", 
reduced price $1.50 (express 
prepaid). Also agency l'or full 
line of sprayers. Send for onenuw. ‘ 
FIELD FORCE PUMP CO., 
2 Market St., l.ockport, N. Y. 
Write for 
catalogue 
Wear for 
I was much interested in a recent article 
in which allusion was made to the herd of 
cows at the New Jersey Experiment Sta¬ 
tion, and the manner of feeding them. This 
Is a subject of vital interest to thousands 
of farmers who are trying to live by keep¬ 
ing cows, and whose provender bills come 
dangerously near in size to that of their 
butter checks, if they do not mount even 
higher. The statement is made in that ar¬ 
ticle that satisfactory results are obtained 
by feeding those cows with green oats and 
peas without grain. I have had indifferent 
success in making cows eat such feed in 
sufficient quantities to obtain good results. 
At what period of growth and maturity 
should oats, peas, rye and barley be cut 
to obtain the best results. Was the barley 
the bald or the bearded variety? My cows 
refuse bearded barley after eating it a few 
days. Is such feed best given to the cows 
as soon as cut, or is it best wilted or par¬ 
tially dried? j. p. s. 
East Corinth, Vt. 
Ans. —We have had no difficulty in 
getting our cows to eat as much as 100 
pounds per day of oats and peas, barley 
and peas, Crimson clover, etc. When 
green forage is used exclusively, they 
are fed about one-third of the amount 
immediately after milking in the morn¬ 
ing, say at six o’clock, one-third at 
twelve o’clock, and the remainder imme¬ 
diately after milking at night. The har¬ 
vesting and feeding of the oats and peas 
begin just as soon as the peas are com¬ 
ing into bloom and the oats are begin¬ 
ning to run into head, and they remain 
in a good succulent condition from a 
week to ten days after this period—the 
time depending upon the season; if dry, 
they mature more rapidly; if wet, more 
slowly. The same is true in the case of 
rye and barley—the harvesting begin¬ 
ning just as they are coming in head, 
though with these crops, the maturity is 
more rapid than in the case of rye. The 
morning feed of the cows is given imme¬ 
diately after cutting, and enough is cut 
to feed throughout the day, hence the 
noon and night feeding are a little wilt¬ 
ed, but no attempt is made to wilt the 
morning feeding. It may be due to the 
A Dry Sprayer 
No Wafer or Piaster. 
Dusts Ties, Bash or Tin*. 
Two rows of potatoes as 
fast as you walk, wide or 
narrow planting. Agents 
wanted. Catalogue and 
spray calendar free. 
LEGGETT & BROTHER. 
301 Pearl St.. New York. 
D AND POWDER SPRAYERS 
c a 
On GRAPE VINES. GARDENS, FIELD CROPS, 
Etc. ONE TO THREE ACRES PER HOUR. »1.00to 
$3.00 each. These articles carry first prize in all State 
Fairs where shown. Recommended bv all State Agri¬ 
cultural Colleges, all stamped The woodasok and 
Warranted. Sold by first-class Seedsmen. CAUTION 
—Shent per cent parties are sending out bogus ar¬ 
ticles of this description. See that you get Tkr Wood¬ 
asok stamped on, and W. on bend of tacks Catalogues 
Free, TIIOS, WOODASON, 2000-02 D St„ Pbilad’a., Pa 
FumaCarbon Bisulphide 
Now Is the time for 
farmers to put 
WOODCHUCKS-”” 
IDWABD H. TAYXOB. Cleveland, Ohio, 
Is not used In my Killer of Cab¬ 
bage Worms. By mall, 25 and 50c. 
EDW. 8 WARTS. Blockton, la. 
cts 
A RUINED 
GARDEN, 
Hover bed, green house 
or lawn may be the result 
of a few hours operation 
t/T an active, energetic 
mole. The remedy is to 
catch them on first signs 
of appearance. 
Out-O-Sighf 
MOLE TRAP 
catches him every time. It’s 
guaranteed to do that. Can be 
set anywhere—under glass, in 
the hot bed, <£c. Sample trap 
__by mail, or have your dealer 
order for you. It is not like others— 
It Is better. Descriptive matter 
on traps mailed free. 
ANIMAL TRAP CO. 
10 fteek St., Abingdon, II 
£lass, in 
Me trupfl 
ealcr J 
■rs J-*» 
The Business Hen. 
fact that the cows are not pastured, but 
allowed only to exercise in a lot of three 
or four acres, that they seem more eager 
for this forage than if allowed to pas¬ 
ture, as is the case with many farmers. 
[prof.] e. b. voorhees. 
By U. w. COLLING WOOD. Price, 40c. 
This book deals with the business side of poultry¬ 
keeping, giving accurate accounts of the methods 
followed on several piotltable poultry farms. 
IT COVERS THE WHOLE GROUND. 
The Rural New-Yorker sells all farm books. 
A specialty of quoting prices on combinations. Ad¬ 
vice to readers given free. 
Buy Your fertilizers direct! ' 
Save Money! No Salesman’s Expenses: No Middleman’s Profit. Our entire produot 
goes from Factory to Farm. Write for free samples and book. 
WALKER, STRATMAN & CO., Pittsburg, Pa. 
