75o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
October 28 
colonies of bees at Berwyn, Md., several farmers in 
the vicinity say that their fruit trees yield better 
crops. Strawberry and raspberry plants, and peach 
and plum trees set out by Mr. Benton are better laden 
with fruit, he states, than such similar plantings 
which he lias observed a mile or more distant from 
his place, even though, as is the case in some in¬ 
stances, the latter are on much better soil and have 
equally as good care. He believes the bees to be the 
factor producing the difference. 
“Continued rainy or cold weather may keep the 
bees confined to their hives much of the time during 
fruit bloom, hence it 'is advisable to have them near 
at hand, and in numbers proportionate to the size of 
the orchards, so that even a few hours of sunshine 
will assure their making a thorough distribution of 
the pollen. In the absence of accurate experiments 
regarding the number of colonies of bees required to 
insure proper fertilization in the orchard, and also in 
view of the fact that surrounding conditions vary 
greatly, it is difficult to say exactly how many col¬ 
onies are positively necessary for a given number of 
trees. However, four or five well-populated hives for 
every 100 large apple trees will doubtless suffice, even 
though no other hive bees are within a mile of the 
orchard. The bees of a neighbor’s apiary are often 
quite sufficient for the orchardist’s purpose.” 
The above facts are as definite an answer to A. W. 
O.’s first question as I am able to give. The second 
question presents some psychological aspects which 
are outside our realm of experience. There are many 
valuable facts and methods which have been more 
definitely proven by the experience of many intelli¬ 
gent farmers than has the benefit to be derived from 
beekeeping, and yet thousands of our farmers do not 
practice them. How many there are who rarely cul¬ 
tivate, properly feed, or spray an orchard. We hope 
that the facts we have given above may lead some 
farmers to keep bees, and thus become an object 
lesson in their locality. m. v. slingerland. 
A CASE OF BUD VARIATION. 
I have seen to-day what is to me quite a queer thing 
in apples. A Grimes Golden tree, bearing very heavilv 
has a single limb about an inch in diameter, growing per¬ 
pendicularly from one of the main branches of the trunk 
of the tree, which produces a genuine, distinct species of 
russet fruit, interspersed now and then with a Grimes 
Golden. In one instance, a Grimes Golden and a russet 
occur on the same twig. The size and quality of the rus¬ 
set is much like the Grimes Golden, and it is superior to 
any of the russets I know, and very beautiful. Do you 
know of a like occurrence? I have given much time to 
apples, but I never saw anything like this before. I am 
sure, too, that it is not a case of graftage or budding, 
and there are no russet trees near. e. p. 
Uriah, Pa. 
The case mentioned is probably one of true bud 
variation. The variation may extend only to the 
skin of the fruit. The fact that the skin has simply 
changed from the usual smooth yellow to russet is 
an indication that the change is not very great. 
Moreover, Grimes often has russet patches, and in 
rare cases, extensive ones, over the skin. It may be 
that this peculiarity may prove constant, and that if 
the branch mentioned is propagated it might make a 
new variety. But of what benefit could this be? It 
would only be a Grimes with a russet skin, and this 
would not look so well as the original, which is a 
beautiful yellow. There are like examples of bud- 
variation in fruits. There is a sport of Red Astra- 
chan, which has very distinct red stripes, the com¬ 
mon type being red but not striped. Some of the 
oranges have changed the color of the skin in the 
same way. 
Not long since there appeared in The R. N.-Y. a 
short note about a bud variation of the New French 
fig in Louisiana. Since then I have received a sample 
branch from the part of the tree showing this pecu¬ 
liar variation. A representation of it appears in Fig. 
278. There are two figs instead of one at the axil 
of each leaf. The picture shows the leaves cut away, 
with the partially developed fruit remaining. It is 
probable that this remarkable fruitfulness will be 
maintained in the young trees which are to be grown 
from the original branch. h. e. van deman. 
page are reengraved from this bulletin, and show 
some of the simpler forms of mills. Others will be 
shown later. At Fig. 274 are shown two forms of the 
Jumbo or "go-devil” mill. As will be seen, this mill 
consists of a box, on the inside of which revolves on 
an axis, various arms carrying fans of wood or cloth. 
The Nebraska winds are strong, and mostly from the 
north or south. The box cuts them off from the lower 
part of the mill, while by blowing over the top they 
turn the fans with some power, and by means of 
suitable gearing, work a pump so as to raise consid¬ 
erable water. Sometimes these Jumbos are mounted 
on towers, as is shown in the picture. It has been 
Fig. 274. —At the right a Baby .Tumbo, which cost $3.70. The 
fans are three feet long, with arms 2 % feet. It pumps water from 
a 60-foot well. At the left is shown a device for draining off the 
dead air. This Jumbo irrigates six acres. 
found in some cases that a certain amount of “dead” 
air is produced in the box, and this is provided for 
by lowering a door at one end, so that this air drains 
away. 
At Fig. 275 is another Jumbo, in which the sails are 
made of old coffee sacks. At the right is a mill 
known as the merry-go-round, which is usually 
Fig. 275.—The Jumbo at the left cost $8, and irrigates a five-acre 
garden. The sails are made of coffee sacks. It is 9x13 feet and 
13 feet high. At the right is a “ Merry-go-round ” mill. 
mounted on a tower. The vane swings around with 
the Wind, so as to cover all but one side of the mill; 
the wind blowing on that side turns the sails around, 
while the other side is protected. At Fig. 276 is shown 
the screw Jumbo, with an enlarged picture of the 
sails. This screw Jumbo is a rare form, which is al¬ 
most as efficient in the winds which blow from east 
Fig. 276.—A “ Screw Jumbo ” with sails so as to catch the wind 
from all quarters. 
to west. The picture also shows how the arms of 
the Jumbo mill are attached to the axle. 
At Fig. 277 are two queer mills which are said to do 
fairly effective work. The one at the left is called a 
battle-ax mill. It is mounted at the top of a barn. 
Fig. 277.—At the left a “ Battle-ax ” mill of peculiar shape 
placed on top of a barn. At the right a mill made from an old 
buggy wheel and wooden blades bolted to south end of a barn. 
NEBRASKA HOMEMADE WINDMILLS. 
Three years ago we printed pictures of some of the 
curious homemade windmills of Nebraska. It seems 
that in that dry and windy country, great use is made 
of wind power for pumping water or for turning sim¬ 
ple machinery. The shopmade mills are too expen¬ 
sive for many farmers, who have been forced to use 
their Wits in order to raise the wind. By means of a 
few boards and plank, old buggy wheels, or the gear¬ 
ing from cast-off machinery, some of these men 
have produced mills that really do fair work. 
The Experiment Station of Nebraska, at Lincoln, 
has issued a bulletin on these homemade windmills, 
by Prof. E. H. Barbour. The little pictures on this 
and the two sails turn over and over when the wind 
is north or south, connected by a sprocket wheel and 
chain, with grinder and corn-sheller in the barn be¬ 
low. The diameter of this wheel is 10 feet, and the 
mill cost $11. The little picture at the right is, prob¬ 
ably, the most remarkable mill in the country. The 
axle of an old buggy wheel was bolted to the south 
side of the barn. Wooden turbine blades were at¬ 
tached to the spokes. A large spike in one edge of 
the hub serves as the crank when the wind blows 
from the south. Th'is mill actually turns and pumps 
water for the barn. It cost practically nothing, and is 
said really to give good, serviceable work. 
It may be said that these mills are not toys by any 
means. They do actual work, many of them pump¬ 
ing water for irrigation, and doing almost as effective 
work as some of the costly shopmade mills. It may 
be possible that farmers in the East, 'in certain loca¬ 
tions, may do something with these homemade con¬ 
trivances. Next week we hope to show other forms 
of mills which do even more effective service. 
GRAPES IN CALIFORNIA AND ELSEWHERE. 
The subject of resistant grape stocks, such as are 
not attacked by the phylloxera, or Grape root-louse, is 
assuming great importance in California and the 
Southwest. All the grapes of European origin, or 
those containing any appreciable amount of Vinifera 
blood, are subject to damage from this dangerous 
pest. The entire grape industry of France and south¬ 
ern Europe was threatened with extinction over 30 
years ago, by the spread of phylloxera, introduced 
from America, but after a period of frantic experi¬ 
mentation, it was found that certain of our native 
species were not 'injured appreciably by this aphide, 
to the attacks of which they have always been ac¬ 
customed. Prof. T. V. Munson, of Texas, was large¬ 
ly 'instrumental through his studies and writings, in 
inducing European vineyardists to test the grafting 
of their favorite varieties on these American stocks, 
and the result is the almost complete rehabilitation 
of this immense industry abroad. 
Now the California growers are facing the prob¬ 
lem, as their choicest Viniferas are dying by the 
acre, within three to five years after being attacked. 
The newer vineyards are being planted with various 
resistant stocks which are grafted later to the choice 
raisin, wine, and table grapes for which California 
has become so famous. The conditions seem to be 
even more exacting than in Europe, as the stocks 
must not only resist phylloxera, but also endure long 
periods of drought, and much heat. Thus, stocks of 
Riparia, though thoroughly resistant, have not 
proved satisfactory in many districts, as their roots 
grow in a horizontal direction and do not penetrate 
to the deeper and moister layers of soil. The wild 
Riparia is found growing in rich river fiats in the 
East, where there is aljvays plenty of moisture, and 
it does not abandon the habit thus acquired when 
planted on the Pacific slope, and thus suffers greatly 
from dry weather. Stocks of various hybrids of 
Rupestris seem entirely to meet the requirements, 
however, as they are not only resistant, but the roots 
grow straight downward, and get all the moisture 
there is to be found. Great improvements are to be 
expected when stocks are as carefully bred as the 
scions. Hybrids between various species may be ex¬ 
ceedingly valuable for this purpose, even though en¬ 
tirely sterile. Some hybrids between American and 
European are said to be of astonishing vigor, grow¬ 
ing in six years from the seed to be two and three 
inches in diameter. This is a new field, but sparsely 
worked as yet. 
In the East we have our own troubles, chiefly cli¬ 
matic. The Rose chafer and the various fungi were 
less in evidence the past growing season than usual, 
and the consequence is, generally, a full crop of fine 
grapes in the vineyard districts. The severe frosts 
on the nights of October 2 and 3 did immense injury 
throughout the Hudson River Valley and the Lake 
legions. The phylloxera finds our eastern vines 
too tough, but Jack Frost still gets his opportunity 
with many of the late varieties. 
Australian fruit growers are testing the use of asbes¬ 
tos as a packing material, in sending apples and pears to 
England. It is said to give excellent results, without 
cold storage, thus reducing transportation charges. The 
asbestos is finely shredded, and is sold at a profit after 
use as packing. 
The New York Commercial says that about 78 acres 
of the Almshouse Farm near York, Pa., have been sold 
tc^ a syndicate for $55,000. Objections were made to the 
sale, but the judge before whom the case was brought 
confirmed it. remarking that land worth $700 per acre was 
too valuable for farming purposes. 
A friend in Iowa closes his short letter as follows: “I 
have an ugly barb-wire cut on one of the fingers on my 
right hand, and must quit.” That man is probably in a 
condition to realize how the good old cow feels when she 
runs up against a barb-wire fence. She cannot say so 
in English, but her record at the pail will tell the same 
story. 
Fruit Inspection Law.— The State of Washington has a 
law prohibiting the importation of fruit carrying insect 
or fungus pests. Before the passage of this act the prac¬ 
tice of the southern shippers was to send to these north¬ 
ern markets only second-grade fruit, or such as would not 
be salable in the East. The measure has now been in 
force three years. Whether it will have the effect of 
warding off the Codling-moth, San Jos6 scale, and the like 
insect pests, may well be doubted, but I think there can 
be no doubt that the secondary effect of the law has been 
greatly to improve the quality of the fruit available to 
those patronizing this market. The fruit inspector of this 
city informs me that during the first year, in which the 
law was in operation, he destroyed 3,000 boxes of infected 
fruit. During the second year only 1,500 boxes were 
“dumped,” while this year the amount of condemned fruit 
will not exceed 400 boxes. e. m. s. 
Seattle. 
