1899 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
569 
Among: the Marketmen. 
WHAT / SEE AND HEAR. 
“SUMMER SECKEL” PEARS—This 
was the name on some half-barrels con¬ 
taining some fairly good looking pears, 
though they resembled Seckel very re¬ 
motely. It was, evidently, an attempt 
to make the name of a well-known pear 
of excellent quality help to sell another 
variety. No one at all familiar with 
fruit, however, would be deceived in the 
least. 
“EGGS LAID TO ORDER.’’—This was 
the sign in the window of a provision 
store in a seaside town. The store win¬ 
dow also contained the announcement 
that poultry would be dressed to order. 
Whether the proprietor has a new breed 
of poultry, which will supply him on de¬ 
mand with eggs to fill each customer’s 
order, is uncertain. If so, the hens must 
be some relation to the flock which were 
reported as stamping the date on each 
egg when it was laid. 
KAW VALLEY POTATOES.—Several 
car-loads of these have been received in 
New York from Kansas, and have 
created a very good impression. They 
were shipped by the Kansas Valley Pro¬ 
ducers, Growers and Dealers’ Associa¬ 
tion, of Linwood, Kansas, and were in 
charge of an agent, who was sent with 
them to dispose of them. They were 
shipped in ventilated cars, and arrived 
in excellent condition. They are a new 
feature in this market, and we shall 
have more to say about them later. 
BUTTER FOR EUROPE. — Large 
quantities of butter have been going 
abroad recently. One factor that con¬ 
tributes to these extraordinary ship¬ 
ments, is the fact that the dressed-beef 
companies are not sending so much beef 
abroad in refrigerators as formerly. On 
account of the strike in the slaughter 
houses, they are unable to fill the space 
for which they have contracted on the 
ocean steamers, and for which they 
must pay. They are, therefore, sublet¬ 
ting it for other purposes at a low rate, 
and butter exporters are taking advan¬ 
tage of this low rate, and are shipping 
large quantities of butter. The freight 
rate is, probably, not,more than half 
what it ordinarily is on butter. This is 
a good thing, as it relieves the market 
here at a time when there is likely to be 
an accumulation, and puts the butter 
into the English market at a price at 
which it can compete with other coun¬ 
tries. 
PERISHABLE PRODUCTS—A large 
part of the fruits and vegetables shipped 
to the city come under this head, and are 
supposed to be forwarded as expeditious¬ 
ly as possible. I asked one commission 
man how many cdr-loads of this stuff 
from the South had, probably, been de¬ 
stroyed during the recent strike on the 
Pennsylvania Railroad pier. He said 
that it would amount to hundreds of car¬ 
loads. I asked him then why, in all 
reason, the railroad company should not 
be responsible for the value of this stuff 
to the shippers, if they did not deliver it 
according to their agreement. He said 
that they should, but that it would be 
impossible to make them responsible, 
because if any such attempt were made, 
they simply would refuse to receive fur¬ 
ther shipments, unless the freight were 
prepaid. Shippers are, evidently, at the 
mercy of the railroads. He said his 
firm had received one car of water¬ 
melons, which had, through the com¬ 
pany’s carelessness, been laid over in the 
yards for more than two weeks before 
they were able to get it. Still, nothing 
could be done about it, more than to re¬ 
fuse the goods, which would compel the 
railroad to sell it for what it would 
bring to pay freight. The receivers here 
have a great deal of trouble with the 
railroads over settlements for freight, 
and are, evidently, as much a.i their 
mercy in some ways, as. are the shippers. 
This merchant told about receiving a 
car-load of apples. The shipping bill 
called for a certain number of barrels, 
and on unloading the car, the actual 
number was considerably less. He had 
already paid freight on the number 
called for by the bill, and made a re¬ 
quest for a corrected bill. The shipper 
acknowledged the mistake, and forward¬ 
ed the corrected bill, but he says that he 
is still trying to get the freight returned 
on the extra barrels on which he paid 
freight but did not receive. On the 
other hand, on a car-load of stuff which 
had been billed at a certain weight, but 
which was slightly overweight, and 
which was charged up, he was com¬ 
pelled to pay the extra freight. In¬ 
numerable instances of this kind can be 
heard from receivers of all kinds of 
products. There should be a combina¬ 
tion between shippers and receivers, but 
it is difficult to see how a combination 
powerful enough to overcome the unjust 
charges and discriminations of the rail¬ 
road can be formed. 
SHORT BARRELS.—In spite of the 
law against these, they still continue to 
come, and many of them, in plain viola¬ 
tion of the law are unmarked. The 
dealers here are taking up the matter, 
and will try to see whether something 
cannot be done to relieve commission 
merchants of the responsibility of hav¬ 
ing these barrels in their possession. 
Some say that they will refuse to re¬ 
ceive consignments in these illegal bar¬ 
rels. An apple barrel, to comply with 
the law, should have a head diameter of 
17% inches, length of stave 21% inches, 
bulge not less than 64 inches, outside 
measurement. It is to be hoped that 
producers will see that it is to their in¬ 
terest to comply with the law in this 
respect, and to use full-sized barrels. 
The law requires that any barrel of less 
than the legal size shall be plainly 
marked, “Short Barrel,” in letters not 
less than one inch in height. The pen¬ 
alty is $5 for every barrel used in vio¬ 
lation of the law. 
HERE AND THERE. 
The May frost killed nearly three-fourths 
of my strawberries, so that part of the 
field did not have any fruit at all. We have 
a light crop of blackberries. The hay crop 
was fair. I cut 16 loads from a little over 
eight acres. There was too much rain in 
wheat harvest. Oats were fair; potatoes 
and corn looking well. This country bor¬ 
dering on the canal is not likely to be so 
dry as farms farther back on the hills. 
Memphis, N. Y. l. j. c. 
The raspberry crop has been greatly dam¬ 
aged by the drought in this section. While 
we have had fine showers since July 1, the 
rains did not come soon enough to relieve 
the condition of the raspberry crop owing 
to the drought prevailing previous to that 
time. The low prices for evaporated fruit 
have been the cause of a diminished plant¬ 
ing of raspberries in our section for the 
past few years, and this year, I doubt there 
being more than one-third or one-half the 
usual amount of dried fruit. c. w. s. 
Newark, N. Y. 
Michigan Peaches. —The early peach crop 
in Michigan is very light, only six per cent 
of a full crop. A. few square miles about 
the mouth of the St. Joe River here have 
about half a crop of peaches, with no dead 
trees. The new sugar factory is well under 
way; 4,000 acres in beets, stand irregular; 
wet weather and too deep planting respon¬ 
sible. Not much peach land will be plant¬ 
ed with beets, as some farmers have sold 
this year’s crop on the trees at $100 per 
acre. Milo Jennings, of Sodus, sold the 
crop on 30 acres for $3,000, $1,000 paid in April 
last. My neighbor, Wm. Hicks, last year 
sold his crop of Elbertas on five acres for 
$2,200 cash. We have not missed a crop of 
peaches for 12 years. j. h. l. 
Benton Harbor, Mich. 
Western Fertility.— I believe our or- 
chardists are not yet very deeply interest¬ 
ed as to what elements are needed in our 
soils, to secure the best results. As a rule, 
our fruit trees are yet in their youth, and 
have not exhausted the plant food that Na¬ 
ture has bountifully iirovided on our 
prairies. But the time is soon coming, if 
not already here, when more ingredients 
must be supplied. I have no doubt that 
an analysis of the soils in our older or¬ 
chards will reveal the fact that many 
necessary elements are wanting. Barn¬ 
yard manures and wood ashes are about- 
the only fertilizers used at this date, and 
these, perhaps, in most cases, are used, not 
because they are believed to be necessary, 
but because you Eastern teachers have so 
long and persistenly advocated their use. 
As for myself, I am satisfied that we have 
delayed the fertilization of our old or¬ 
chards too long already. c. w. burton. 
Sec. S. E. Iowa Horticultural Society. 
The Western Association of Wholesale 
Nurserymen met at Kansas City, Mo., July 
11. An interchange of views was given on 
the condition of nursery stock and the sup¬ 
ply. The supply of stock was found to be 
light, which naturally had a tendency to 
advance prices. From reliable sources, it 
was learned that the same conditions exist 
throughout the United States. Some of the 
leading varieties of apple trees It is im¬ 
possible to supply the demand for. Stock 
in general is in fair condition, but the 
growth had been somewhat retarded until 
July 1. The principal topic under discus¬ 
sion was freight rates. As a result of the 
discussion, the Association appointed the 
following committee on transportation: A. 
L. Brook, of North Topeka; Peter Younger, 
of Geneva, Neb.; F. L. Schutte, of St. 
Louis. The transportation committee will 
endeavor to get some relief or modification 
of certain rules now in force in the West¬ 
ern Freight Association, which the nursery¬ 
men claim are operating injuriously to 
them. 
Western N. Y. Apple Crop.—T he apple 
crop will be shorter than in several years; 
after careful inspection, I believe that there 
will not be over 30 per cent of an average 
crop through this section. Many claim 
they will not have enough for home use. 
As a rule, Greenings are making a better 
showing than Baldwins. Spys, Kings and 
Maiden Blush prove to be quite regular in 
fruiting, especially Blush, and perhaps 
carry 50 per cent, of a full crop. Fruit will, 
probably, be of average quality, farmers 
spraying more than common, as the tent 
caterpillar • and canker worm have been 
worse than ever before, many orchards 
looking as though swept by fire. I wish to 
speak another good word for the Maiden 
Blush; out of 40 varieties of apples, I be¬ 
lieve it the best paying apple, in my or¬ 
chard. Pears, I think, are carrying about 
80 per cent of an average crop; out of a 
dozen varieties, Bartlett still holds first 
place as a money getter. Plums are a full 
crop, peaches fair. g. s. r. 
Marion, N. Y. 
Central Ohio Notes.— The white grub 
has proved a perfect nuisance in this neigh¬ 
borhood the past season. Thousands of 
strawberry, raspberry, and dewberry plants 
have been destroyed. Strange to say, the 
corn crop almost entirely escaped their rav¬ 
ages, although planted on old sod. Our 
corn looks the best of any field in the neigh¬ 
borhood. Whole fields in this vicinity have 
been almost totally destroyed. Raspberries 
were only about one-fourth of a crop owing 
to the freeze last Winter. Apples of all 
kinds are a good crop; our young orchards 
are particularly good. 1 sprayed four times, 
and shall reap the reward for doing so. 
All of these young trees are Ben Davis. 
Other Winter varieties have quit their job 
this season. The heavy rains have done 
serious damage in washing our steep slopes 
which are under cultivation. This water 
carried tons of soil down the slopes, and 
landed it against the fence at the lower 
side of the field. We conclude that con¬ 
tinual cultivation works first-rate at all 
times and under all circumstances—on 
paper, but it does not do to advocate it on 
steep hillsides in a rainy season. Our straw¬ 
berries grown on top of a mat of Crimson 
clover were magnificent; Clydes picked at 
the rate of 50 bushels per acre at a single 
picking, for three pickings, at the last of 
the season. We do not fancy Clyde, how¬ 
ever, as it is too short-lived in fruit when 
placed in the market, and runs small at the 
last of the season. f. h. b. 
Licking County, Ohio. 
BULLETINS BOILED DOWN. 
The Chinch Bug.—Experiments with 
insecticides.— Bulletin 106, of the Ohio Ex¬ 
periment Station (Wooster) first discusses 
the destruction of the Chinch bug in its 
long and short-winged form. The short¬ 
winged form of this insect appears to dep¬ 
redate chiefly upon Timothy, while the 
long-winged bug is found more upon grain 
crops. It is suggested that, in localities 
where the insect occurs, farmers watch 
their meadows closely and, on observing 
large patches of Timothy dying out after 
haying is over, examine closely for the 
cause. If Chinch bugs are found in large 
quantities, plow as deeply as possible, turn¬ 
ing all vegetation entirely out of sight; 
then promptly harrow and roll the surface, 
to prevent the escape of any insects. 
In the insecticide experiments, kainit 
was used as an application for Grape-root 
worm, but without any effect. Tobacco 
dust appeared ineffectual with the same 
insect. Whale-oil soap and tobacco decoc¬ 
tion, applied to the roots of peach trees, 
for the Black peach apis, also appeared 
ineffectual. Ants appear to be, in a large 
measure, responsible for the spread of these 
root lice, and their presence in the orchard 
should be discouraged. 
Gravity or Dilution Separators.— Bul¬ 
letin 171, issued by the Cornell Experiment 
Station (Ithaca, N. Y.), concerns patents on 
these. About a year ago, a bulletin was 
issued by this Station relating to such 
creaming devices, which was not favorable 
to them. The conclusions then reached 
have since been abundantly confirmed. 
These cans are not separators, and the use 
ol this term is misleading. This process 
does not compare in efficiency with the 
centrifugal separators. While it may noL 
be all humbug, there is a great deal of 
humbug about it. Many patents have been 
issued by the Patent Office on various 
forms of gravity separators and creaming 
cans. Numerous persons are going about 
the country trying to frighten people into 
the idea that they are liable to prosecution 
if they use any other form of separator 
than the one represented by the agent, or 
do not pay the latter a royalty. This Bul¬ 
letin illustrates and describes all these so- 
called separators. In all of these, the pat¬ 
ent seems to have been granted because of 
some peculiarity in the construction of the 
can used, and not on the process of dilu¬ 
tion. The process of dilution itself is not a 
new thing, and is unpatentable, so no one 
need fear prosecution. The Cornell Station 
would like to be put into communication 
with any one demanding a royalty from 
persons who are diluting their milk in order 
to facilitate the raising of the cream. All 
interested should get this Bulletin. 
In order to determine how much water 
the herd of 13 calves at the Kansas Agri¬ 
cultural College would drink, the water 
given them for a week was weighed, and 
put in a barrel with an attachment for 
letting it out as fast as needed. In the 
seven days, the 13 calves drank 868 pounds 
of water, or an average of eight pounds a 
day. The weather during this time was 
warm for the first three days, and cooler 
the last four days. In addition, the calves 
got an average of 14 pounds of skim-milk 
besides grain and hay. This experiment, 
shows how young growing things need 
water. We irrigated some large straw¬ 
berry plants this year, and found that, 
during dry weather, they utilized six quarts 
of water daily as ordinarily applied to the 
soil. 
RETURNING YOUTH. 
“ I am seventy years 
young,” said Oliver 
Wendel Holmes when they 
asked his age. 
True enough. 
He was young 
because h i s 
heart was 
young; his 
step was firm; 
his eye was 
bright; his 
laugh was 
clear and 
merry; his 
appetite was 
good, and above all — so was his 
digestion. 
No man should be old before his time 
because of a weak stomach, sluggish 
liver, shaky nerves and flabby muscles. 
There is no need of it. Dr. Pierce’s 
Golden Medical Discovery cures these 
things. It brings back youth to the 
feeble because it brings back keen appe¬ 
tite and good digestion. It tones up the 
liver, puts oxygen and life into the 
blood, and solid strength into the flesh 
and muscles. It contains no alcohol to 
inebriate or create a morbid appetite or 
craving for stimulants. 
“ I have never felt better in my life than I do 
now,” says Charles Hun wick, of Lenox. Macomb 
Co., Mich., in a remarkable letter to Dr. R. V. 
1’jerce, of Buffalo, N. Y. I have taken Dr. 
Pierce’s Golden Medical Discovery right along. 
I can now walk quite well with a cane and hope 
to throw even that away before long, and as I 
have had to use crutches for nearly two years, I 
think I am doing fine. I do not cough now and 
I can eat and sleep like a school boy. I think I 
will have to change my mind about ‘Patent 
Medicines,’ as I never had much faith in them; 
but you must know that I have been treated in 
two hospitals and by three doctors besides, and 
received no benefit; so I think your medicine is 
the only medicine for me.” 
There is nothing in the world for 
constipation like Dr. Pierce’s Pleasant 
Pellets. They should be taken in con¬ 
junction with the “Discovery,” when¬ 
ever any disease is complicated with that 
dangerous condition. Nothing else that 
may be offered in their place will ac¬ 
complish what they will. And their re¬ 
lief is permanent. Write to Dr. Pierce 
for free advice. 
Why do you break your back 
Cutting Corn? 
Standard Corn Harvester. 
Has steel frame and safety guards—and everything 
else a good harvester should have. Full catalogue free. 
THE STANDARD HARROW CO., Utica, N. Y. 
