688 
THK RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
September 3() 
Farmers' Club. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the 
name and addrcem 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 tlire. 
Put questions on a separate piece of paper ] 
Van Deman’s Fruit Notes. 
AI,I. SOUTH OK QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 
The Bismarck Apple. 
What are the habits of growth and qual¬ 
ity of fruit of the Bismarck apple? I 
see It advertised by some firms as a dwarf 
that grows only five or six feet high. 
What about that, and Its earliness in 
bearing? a. c. b. 
Mnrbleton, Tenn. 
The trees of the Bismarck apple are of 
dwarfish growth, but upright in style. 
The fruit is of poor quality, according 
to the flavor of those 1 have tasted. This 
variety has been so little tested, being 
very recently introduced, that I would 
not advise any one to plant more than 
a tree or two for trial. It bears very 
early. The wise plan, to my mind, 
would be to use the welMested and re¬ 
liable apples in both orchard and house- 
lot. If dwarf apple trees are desired, get 
those that have been worked on Para¬ 
dise stock. This will be satisfactory for 
a very small place, although dwarf apple 
trees are rather high in price, and are 
seldom planted. 
Bud Variation. 
I have noticed In my fig orchard a branch 
from the New French fig which was more 
prolific than any other branch on the tree, 
bearing two figs to each leaf Instead of one. 
I. have carefully layered this branch, and 
made four trees with the expectation of 
producing fig trees which will bear more 
fruits than the others. If 1 succeed, can 
it be called a new variety? I have noticed 
this bud variation on several occasions. I 
am propagating a beautiful white and 
green variegated form of the Umbrella 
China tree which came from bud varia¬ 
tion, and so far, I am perpetuating tills 
variegated tree by budding, with success, 
Marksvllle, La. j. i,. n. 
There are a few well-established cases 
of varieties that have originated by true 
bud variation. The New Life geranium 
is one of them, which has variegated 
flowers. The ease mentioned, in which 
the Melia (Umbrella China) tree has 
shown the peculiarity of partially white 
foliage, is similar to that of a few other 
trees and plants. There is no good rea¬ 
son why such a variation from a normal 
type, if it prove constant, may not be 
properly called a new variety, whether 
it be in fruit, flower or other tree or 
plant. 
Fruits for the South. 
Will you mention some varieties of 
pears, cherries, plums, poaches, grapes, 
apricots, strawberries, raspberries and 
blackberries, that would be likely to do 
well in this latitude? The fruit Is In¬ 
tended for fancy trade in Washington, 
P, C. w. T. s. 
Alexandria, Va. 
The following varieties of fruits will 
lie found quite good for general plant¬ 
ing in northern Virginia, and wijl sell 
well in the Wr.ihington market. Of 
pears, Bartlett, Anjou, Seckel, Bose and 
Lawrence. Oi cherries, Mercer, Wind¬ 
sor, Tartarian, Black Ragle, English Mo- 
rello and Richmond. Among the host 
peaches are Mountain Rose, Elberta, 
Bishop, Walker, Oldmixon Free, Chair 
and Ringgold. There are two classes of 
plums that will pay to grow there, the 
American and Japan. Of the former, 
some of the best, are Milton, Whitaker, 
Stoddard, Cheney, Ocheeda and Amer- 
>ican Eagle, and of the latter, Abundance, 
Burbank, Wickson and Red June. Al¬ 
most all of the commonly grown grapes 
succeed there. Among these are Wor¬ 
den, Concord, Moore’s Early, Diamond, 
Niagara, Delaware and Woodruff. These 
represent all the colors. There are so 
many berries that do well near Wash¬ 
ington, provided the land is well en¬ 
riched, that it is hard to reject many 
that might be named in a list of this 
character. Among the strawberries are 
Michel, Bubach, Tennessee, William 
Belt. Clyde and Gandy; these run from 
the earliest to the latest. Of the rasp¬ 
berries, there may be mentioned Kansas, 
Palmer, Older, Loudon, Miller and Cuth- 
bert. Good blackberries are not quite 
so easily found. Among the best are El¬ 
dorado, Minnewaski, Early Harvest and 
Wilson. Apricots do not succeed in that 
region. 
Black Spots on Peaches. 
I have a friend who has about 50 peach 
trees that arc very full of nice, large 
peaches, but on one side, they arc covered 
with black spots, and crack open. lie. 
calls the variety Lovett’s White. Could 
you tell the cause, and suggest a remedy? 
Ambler, Pa. - a. b. f. 
There is scarcely a doubt of the trou¬ 
ble being what is called Black spot of 
the peach. It affects the late varieties 
more than the early ones, and accord¬ 
ing to my observation, the white kinds 
are worse injured by it than the yellow 
or red varieties. It is the result of 
disease germs which form dark, round 
spots, rarely more than an eighth of an 
inch in diameter, by their multiplication 
in colonies. When these spots run to¬ 
gether, they form almost a solid patch, 
and usually over one side of the fruit. 
The effefct upon the skin and flesh is to 
cause them to stop growing, and cracks 
often form, which sometimes reach the 
stone. The remedy is to use a very 
weak dilution of Bordeaux Mixture, with 
plenty of lime in it, as a spray. This 
should be begun when the fruit is 
scarcely half grown, and repeated about 
twice at intervals of two weeks. A 
strong solution of copper will injure the 
leaves of the peach. Late in the season, 
after the disease is seen to be making 
rapid progress, there is very little use to 
attempt to stop it. Prevention is far 
more effective than to attempt a cure. 
Trees Girdled by Mice. 
What should I dd to protect my young 
peach trees from being girdled by mice 
during the Winter? Last Winter, I lost 
about 40 trees in that way. Will coating 
them with gas-tar do it, or will that In¬ 
jure the trees? a. a. c. 
Willington, Conn. 
Mice rarely gnaw trees that are kept 
free from grass and other trash about 
their bases; therefore, the first thing to 
do is to clear away all such stuff for 
the space of two or more feet, and keep 
it so. If there is no trash of any kind 
on the ground between ,the trees, it 
would be still better, for mice usually 
live under it, and might thus be near the 
trees. In Winter, they work under the 
snow, and this should be trampled hard 
about the tree trunks as soon as it falls, 
for mice will seldom work under it ex¬ 
cept it is loose and light. A little grated 
cheese rolled in Paris-green or other 
poison will kill them if it is put in their 
runs, or sprinkled at the foot of the 
trees. This s.-ould be done only where 
there is no danger of poisoning fowls or 
other harmless animals. Wrapping with 
tarred paper is dangerous, because of 
the injurious nature of the tar, and is 
not always a protection; for the mice 
may work beneath it. Gas-tar is posi¬ 
tively injurious when used to coat the 
trees, and so are all other similar things 
that 1 have seen tried that are suffi¬ 
ciently distasteful to mice to keep them 
from eating the trees. Clean ground and 
the poisoned cheese are the best prac¬ 
tical preventives that I know. 
Raspberries and Japan Plums. 
1 . What is the best way to prepare rasp¬ 
berry bushes to protect them through the 
Winter? 2. llow does the Loudon com¬ 
pare with the Shaffer and Columbian in 
hardiness, productiveness nnd quality? :i. 
Which six varieties of the Japan plums 
are, in your judgment, most excellent? 
Tilton, N. H. o. c. w. 
1. In the northern part of the Missis¬ 
sippi Valley, it is a common practice to 
lay down and cover all kinds of bush 
fruits, the raspberry among them. 
Where the Winters are severe, this is al¬ 
ways necessary as a precaution, and 
For the land's sake—use Bowker’s 
Fertilizer.— Adv. 
generally iR essential to the safe win¬ 
tering of the tops of the plants. The 
work is done most readily by three per¬ 
sons. The first one digs away the earth 
on one side of the row with a spading 
fork or pointed shovel, being careful not 
to cut the roots more than is unavoid¬ 
able, and throwing the earth in a ridge 
near by. The second person, with a 
wide fork, presses down the bushes 
slowly, by placing it about a foot from 
their bases; at the same time pressing 
the earth and roots with the foot to¬ 
wards and on to the freshly-dug earth. 
The third person covers the tips with 
soil, and 'if there is danger of very se¬ 
vere freezing, all parts of the plants. 
Some use straw or other coarse litter; 
but this makes a harbor for mice, which 
sometimes do considerable damage. 2. 
The Loudon is as hardy a raspberry as 
the Columbian or any other variety, 
and some think, it more so. It is a very 
good bearer, and the quality is fully as 
good as either of those mentioned. 3. 
My choice of six kinds of Japan plums 
would be Abundance, Burbank, Ogon, 
Wickson, Red June and Hale. 
This dry and parching season has 
played havoc with many large forest trees. 
Some persons believe that trees never die 
of drought, but there are plenty of cases 
this year where large, strong beech trees 
have been entirely destroyed by the dry 
weather. The beech seems to be peculiarly 
sensitive to drought. 
Potash. 
T ~''ARMERS should know its 
A value and its importance 
in a fertilizer to be applied to 
their grain crops. 
Our illustrated books which 
tell what Potash is, how it 
should he used, and how much 
Potash a well-balanced fertil¬ 
izer should contain, are sent 
free to all .applicants. Send 
your address. • 
GERMAN KALI WORKS, 
93 Nassau St., New York. 
Fibre and Jadoo liquid 
£ Will give you Harly Crops and Large Crops 
£ of Vegetables or Krult. Bend for Catalogues 
e and be convinced of the merits of these 
i new Fertilisers. 
$ THK AMKUICAN JADOO CO., 
£ 815 Kalrmount Avenue, Philadelphia. Pa. 
<iw\\vwwvwuw 
If you are a farmer or want to be one, 
send for the “Western Trail.” Published 
quarterly. Full of pointers as to settling 
in Kansas, Oklahoma and Indian Terri¬ 
tory. Handsomely embellished and con¬ 
cisely written. Mailed free. 
Address l>y postal card or letter. 
John Sebastian, G.P.A., Chicago.— Adv. 
Seed Wheat 
Lending varieties. Also Heed Rye and Grass 
Seed for Fall sowing. Bulbs, etc Prices reason¬ 
able. Send for our handsome catalog free. 
HENRY A. DREER, Philadelphia, Pa. 
Grape Vines 
Descriptive and Price List free. 
Cnrrants, Gooseberries and other Small 
Fruit Plants. Extra quality. Warranted true. 
T. S. 1IUBUAKD CO., KHKDONIA, N. Y. 
D ozen .laps for Home Use—1 lied Juno, 4 Bur¬ 
bank. 2 Wickson, 2 Abundance. 3 Male. No 1 
trees, selected 1-year and 2-year. $2.25. Medium size. 
1-year, $1.60. The Rogers Nurseries, Pansvllle, N. Y. 
JNew Ked Cross 
[Currant Plants for sale 
At $12.30 per 300 
Kor early plnnilng. Or<li*r now. 
■., VT'V ..y-v. ..v... Hllml 
Npw Y ork«T RityM " Red Crohn In tin* fn-M 
«»f ail old or nvw. curmnut for rnldnvnnon.’V 
- N ’- V. Kxperlruunl Station «ity» It lit largo 
and productive. 
| UV art* hoadquartora for London re«l 
|riiM|>tMTry pluntn. Apple tree* lor 
[M»r million; ilwnrl nnd Mfiindiird 
|M»nr free* In nurplus at nncrUIn* i$rlcx*?4.| 
I'Ve offer nil mimll frultH.and everything fori 
ffie orchard, park fir garden. Send fbrouH 
(urgent nnd best /Vult book and catalogue.I 
(WEEK'S M IIHKHY CO., Korhr.trr, K.Y.I 
CRCCtrS TWCCS CROW and art Tntt to Namc l 
fl r% NEW YORK STRAWBERRY PLANTS by 
\ £. mall for $1. T. C KKV1TT, Atbenia, N. Y. 
BOO B-andy wine Htrawby Plts$l. FrnltTrco* fitoilc. 
oa. fat. free. C. A. Hyatt, Croton- n-lludson, N. Y. 
Al 
Strawberry Plants.—12 Gladstone.25 Sample 'or 
$1. by mall, P. HPEIOK, Passaic N. J 
TREES 
nt, Wholesale prices. Apple,Plum and 
Pears, $li per UHI; Peach, 3c. Cat. Free 
Reliance Nursery, Box 10, Geneva, N. V, 
The President Wilder Currant 
and other choice new fruits can bo bad at 
bottom prices of the subscriber. Send 
for descriptive list and prices to 
8 . L). WILLARD, Geneva, N. Y. 
Pedigree Strawberries 
Beoommended to all strawberry growers by RnitAi. 
Nsw-Vokkkk March 11, ".10, and praised by it July 17 
’97 and Jmy 16. 'UK. We otfe-JOK.UA Kill E HII.VKKH, 
STELLA and HE BA In pot-grown plants at 25c each, 
$2 pe- do/... $6 per 100; ar.d BOBBIE and N ETTIE, the 
usst late strawberries yet Introduced, at 25c. each. $2 
per dor. . $0 der 100. Plants to bo all pot-grown tti d to 
be delivered after July 1st. Ordsrqulck; stock limited 
JOS. H. BLACK, SON & CO , Hightstown. N. «/ 
FALL PLANTING. 
Our CATALOG HE tells all about the Trees, Plants and Vines that can bo planted with safety in the 
Fall, and explains why you should plant at this season. B tf~ It will be mailed FllKB. Send your address 
T. .1. DWYKK & HON, Rox 1, Cornwall, N Y. 
BULBS for FaM Planting„5SC£JSSy 
from the best growers in Holland. Catalogue on request, i 
ELLWANCER <Jt BARRY, Mount Hope Nurseries, Rochester, N. Y. MMh Year. 
□ 
Tree Time 
Is here. Will you let us help to make your Full 
planting!! A SUCCESS? Did you over hear about 
tree breeding 1 Our new Fall catalogue tells about It. and It will Interest you. 
It’s the drat and only one of the kind over published about trees. Don't mix* it. 
THE ROGERS MJRsKKIES, TREE BREEDERS. DANHVII I.E, N. Y 
13 
The October Purple Plum. 
Luther Burbank’s latest and best production. We are 
the introducers and can furnish first-class stock at lowest 
prices. We have 500 acres in nursery stock—shade trees, 
fruit trees, ornamental trees, shrubs and small fruit plants, in 
fact anything you can ask for. Catalogue, with colored plate 
picture of October Purple Plum, free. Write to-day. 
STI-PHHN HOYT’S SONS CO., Box 10, New Canaan, Conn. 
No finer lot of Peael» Trees in t he U. S., grown on the hank of Lake 
Erie two miles from any peach orchards, guaranteed free from scant 
boroi’H, yellowp. apbin, etc. La rtf e stock of I*ear* IMiini, Apple* 
C)lu*rry, QuLj<*«n ElCi Immense supply of Small JUruit Plaulii 
Hundred of Carloads of 
Ornamental Trees and Shrubs. 
40 Acres Hardy Hoses, none bottor grown. 44 qroenhonsos filled 
with I’alniM, Ficus, Ferur, Itosci. Ulc. Largo Importation llol- 
lnud Knit)* i-i so son. , yearn 1000 Acr'”». Correspond co and per¬ 
sonal inspection solicited. C .ta'ogu and Pr co List free. 
THE STORRS & HARR'SON CO., Painesv ? lle, Ohio. 
