84 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
February 5 
about in a curious way, forming - a distorted and con¬ 
spicuous tip of the canes. The little psyllas can be 
found in the curled leaves, where they suck out the 
sap, and cause the curling - . The only practicable 
method of checking this kind of blackberry curl is to 
cut off and burn the curled tips with their inhabit¬ 
ants. M. v. s. 
What to do for Woolly Aphis. 
J ../. //., Roanoke. W. Va. —I have about 150 apple trees of two 
to four years’ growth, which are badly infested with Woolly 
aphis, which are very destructive to my trees. What is a speedy 
and effective remedy ? I noticed them first on some scattered 
seedling trees, and they are becoming numerous, the most so 
around the roots of my trees; they are also in the small branches. 
I have already used unslaked lime about the roots. 
ANSWERED BY M. V. SDINGEREAND. 
The well-known Woolly aphis of the apple works 
both on the branches and underground upon the roots. 
Those lice which work above ground rarely do very 
serious injury, but in the West and South, especially, 
the root-inhabiting form often works great injury to 
young orchards. Those lice on the branches will 
readily succumb to two or three thorough applications 
of kerosene emulsion, or a strong whale-oil soap wash. 
Until recently, few, if .any, careful experiments 
have been conducted against the Woolly aphids work¬ 
ing on the roots. The Missouri Experiment Station 
has recently published some valuable and successful 
experiments in combating the pest, both on nursery 
stock and on bearing trees. The conclusions are that, 
in all cases, it is advisable thoroughly to drench the 
roots of apple stock bearing any suspicious, knotty 
swellings on the roots, in a strong kerosene emulsion, 
by placing them in the mixture for. at least, a minute 
in order to kill what lice may be on the roots before 
setting the trees. It would be a good scheme to dip 
the whole tree so as to kill any of the lice that might 
occur on the branches. It has been demonstrated that 
the branch-form may migrate to the roots, where it 
then becomes the root-form, the two forms thus being 
identical, and migrating from root to branch and vice 
versa. When it is being planted, each young tree 
should have a liberal supply (a pound) of tobacco dust 
placed about and over the roots and close up to the 
body, and a little earth covered over this tobacco. 
Then every Spring, just as soon as settled warm 
weather appears, each tree should receive a pound or 
two of the dust, applied by first removing the earth 
from around the trunk of the tree for a distance of 
about two feet, and to a depth of four to six inches ; 
distribute the tobacco evenly over this area, and re¬ 
place the earth. The tobacco dust will leach down 
with every rain, and more or less saturate the earth 
about the apple tree with nicotine, which will not 
only kill every aphis that may be there, but it will 
prevent others from entering and, at the same time, 
act as a good fertilizer to the tree. 
In the Missouri experiments, badly infested 10-year- 
old bearing apple trees were, apparently, freed from 
all the root lice by applying, as described above, from 
214 to 5 pounds of tobacco dust twice in one season 
(June 29 and August 15). As the dust can be obtained 
for about one cent a pound in large quantities, the 
cost of the treatment is comparatively small. Only 
the dust will answer; the stems will not do. It is to 
be hoped that this simple treatment will prove equally 
effectual in other parts of the country. Give the dust 
a thorough trial. 
Carbon bisulphide was, also, used in the Missouri 
experiments, and with much success. A McGowen in¬ 
jector, modified for use in an orchard, was used, and 
a fluid ounce of the liquid was injected to a depth of 
six inches to a foot into each of two or three holes 
made two feet away from the trunk on different sides 
of the tree. This amount applied in this way, ap¬ 
parently killed all the root-lice on young bearing 
trees, and did not injure the trees ; when applied close 
to the trunk of the tree, in many cases the trees 
were badly injured or killed. The liquid must not be 
allowed to come into contact with the roots ; after it 
vaporizes, which takes place very quickly, it will 
not injure the roots. The liquid can be used only 
when the soil is dry, for when wet, the fumes will not 
penetrate far. 
The tobacco dust is recommended in preference to 
the bisulphide, because the former is more lasting in 
its effects. While the bisulphide kills the lice in a 
shorter time, it remains in the soil for only a short 
time, and thus would not prevent the re-stocking of 
the roots from the branch-form of the pest. The to¬ 
bacco dust works slower, but kills, and remains in the 
soil to prevent other colonies of the lice from fonjiing 
on the roots. In extreme cases, where bearing trees 
are badly infested, it may be well to kill the lice im¬ 
mediately with the bisulphide, and then apply the to¬ 
bacco dust a little later to prevent the insect from 
getting a foothold on the roots for a long time. 
Wherever the branch form occurs in conspicuous 
woolly patches on the branches, it should be destroyed 
with kerosene emulsion or whale-oil soap, for indi¬ 
viduals of this form may migrate at any time to the 
roots, and start colonies there. 
Fruits for Tennessee. 
J. M. G.. Bradford. Term. —1. I notice in the market reports that 
the Newtown Pippin is a fine seller. Will yon give a brief de¬ 
scription of it ? Would it succeed in this locality? 2. Are there 
two Montmorency cherries ? If so, which is better ? 3. Would 
you advise planting Abundance and Burbank plums in this 
country ? 
Ans. —1. The Newtown Pippin originated at New¬ 
town, Long Island, about a century ago, and has been 
tested in about all sections of this country, and in 
some foreign countries. It has not done well gener¬ 
ally, because of its failure to bear well and to attain 
its best flavor and size. It is of medium size, greenish- 
yellow color with a slight blush in rare cases, and of 
good quality. The English became prejudiced in its 
favor many decades ago, and hold to it. In the Pied¬ 
mont sections of Virginia and North Carolina, it has 
done well from the time it was first introduced there, 
soon after it was brought to notice in New York. In 
Albemarle County, Va., it became quite famous, and 
as it seemed to do better there than in its original 
home, it was, after a time, thought to be a different 
variety, and this view is now held by some, and 
it is by them called “ Albemarle Pippin.’’ Indeed, 
some who live in those regions denounce as ignorant 
or dishonest those who do not believe as they do. It 
would be of much value to pomology, and fair to all 
parties, to have a series of experiments made with 
scions of the Yellow Newtown from the North, the 
Green Newtown from the same region, and the so- 
called Albemarle from the South, by grafting all of 
them in bearing trees in several localities. This might 
settle the dispute, and enable all of us to reach con¬ 
clusions that would be of real value. If there is a 
mistake as to the original transfer of the Yellow New¬ 
town to Virginia, or if the climate there has made a 
positive and fixed change in its character, then it 
should have the full credit of it all. 
That climate does make remarkable changes in the 
characteristics of fruits is well known by all observ¬ 
ing peojile, and that, too, in this particular apple 
under discussion. In California, Oregon and Washing¬ 
ton, it has a much longer axial diameter in proportion 
to its transverse diameter, than in the eastern States. 
It is there, also, much more corrugated about its 
calyx. In Australia, and Tasmania particularly, this 
peculiarity is so remarkably developed that the variety 
is called Five-Crowned Pippin, as there are usually 
five distinct ridges and sutures. There is another 
variety, or perhaps, a sub-variety, which is called 
Green Newtown. I have known it for more than 30 
years, and even now, I am not satisfied that it is more 
than a variation of the Yellow Newtown, owing to the 
situation or condition of the trees. But the apples 
seem to me to be smaller,, greener, and when fully 
ripe, better in quality than those under the name 
Yellow Newtown. This uncertainty among fruit 
growers and pomologists ought to be changed to a cer¬ 
tainty by a series of experiments. 
Just how the variety which brings such a high price 
in the markets will do in Tennessee, I do not know. 
It is certain that it does well in the mountain regions 
of Virginia and North Carolina, where the soil is 
good, and especially on the darker granitic soils, with 
a south or southeast exposure. Some of the best 
orchards l have seen there were at an altitude of from 
2,500 to 3,500 feet, but not above the line of perpetual 
springs. The land was in some cases very rocky and 
exceedingly rough. I would advise the testing of this 
famous apple from scions or trees direct from the Vir¬ 
ginia or North Carolina stock. Then, there can be no 
doubt as to having the identical variety which has 
brought the high prices in the English markets. But 
it is a matter of history that the Yellow Newtown 
apple first attained a reputation in England as the 
best American apple, about a century ago, and large 
orchards of it were set in New York especially for 
the export trade. One in the Hudson River Valley 
consisted of 20,000 trees. 
2. There are two cherries bearing the name Mont¬ 
morency, one having the affix Ordinaire, and the 
other Large Fruited. The former is so much the bet¬ 
ter that it has about monopolized the name Mont¬ 
morency in America, and I believe that it might as 
well do so. It is red, sour and later than Early Rich¬ 
mond. It bears well, and is really a very good cherry. 
3. Yes, I would expect to succeed with Burbank and 
Abundance plums in East Tennessee. However, they 
will be caught by the Spring frosts sometimes, and 
rot some. n. e. van deman. 
An Apple Orchard for New York. 
If. C. K., Buel, N. Y .—I wish to set an apple orchard of 144 trees. 
What varieties would you advise for central New York ? I wish 
four kinds of Summer, four of Autumn, and the rest (96) Winter 
varieties. Or would you advise more of the Winter varieties? 
In the Autumn varieties, I wish to include Stump, Oldenburg, and 
Fameuse, as I know they do well here. 
Ans. —As W. C. K. does not say for what purpose he 
wishes to set his apple trees, it is impossible to give 
any definite advice. If he wishes them for market 
purposes, then he might better be guided by his own 
experience or that of his most}successful neighbors. 
Possibly he might try York Imperial, Sutton and 
Jonathan, which are now giving promise of proving 
valuable Winter kinds. Usually, too many Summer 
and Fall varieties are grown for market. If family 
use is his object, and he has no apple orchard at pres¬ 
ent. then he may, probably, do well to set two trees 
each of Early Harves*, Fanny, Benoni, Jefferis, 
Gravenstein. Oldenburg, Stump and Fameuse. The 
last three are the kinds he desires to set, at any rate, 
and are fairly good ones. The rest should be Winter 
kinds, and I would include Grimes Golden, which is 
the best apple I ever ate, and the three first named, 
but only in limited numbers, and fill out with Bald¬ 
win, Northern Spy and Golden Russet. n. E. V. I). 
The Van Deman Quince; Chestnuts 
II. C. S., Nashville. Term. —Will Mr. Van Deman tell what he 
knows about the Van Deman quince ? Will the Paragon aiul 
Spanish chestnuts thrive with me? I have two rich hillsides a 
little steep for cultivation. I was thinking of setting out 1,000 or 
2,000 Spanish or Paragon chestnuts, and seeding to grass to pre¬ 
vent washing. Will these trees have to be cultivated like apples 
and peaches? If so, the grass won’t do. The soil raises fine crops 
of corn, is gravelly and rich. 
Ans.—T he Van Deman quince is a seedling origin¬ 
ated by the most noted of horticultural hybridizers, 
Mr. Luther Burbank, of Santa Rosa, Cal. It is one of 
a lot of 11 new kinds which he showed to the public 
first in 1891, and was thought by him to be the best of 
them. It is now fruiting in a few localities, and seems 
to be a hardy and vahiable variety. WJiat time will 
prove may or may not sustain this opinion. The wise 
plan would be, for H. C. S. and all others, to try a few 
trees only at first, then plant more largely, should it 
be known to be worthy. As to the Paragon and other 
chestnuts of the Spanish type, they will succeed in 
the climate and soil of the mountain regions of East 
Tennessee. It seems to me quite feasible to plant the 
hillsides mentioned to trees of this kind. But they 
should be cultivated, or at least, well mulched until 
they are firmly established and vigorously growing in 
their new places. If the land is rocky, it might be 
well to pile a few rocks about their bases, which will 
act as a mulch and further their growth. But it is 
quite well proved that grass will check or retard the 
growth of chestnut trees as well as of others. 
II. E. V. I>. 
The Best Summer Lettuce. 
F. 8. (No address). —What is the best head lettuce to grow for 
July and August markets? 
Ans. —Salamander, Champion Spring and Summer, 
Black-seeded Simpson and Silver Ball tire standard 
varieties for the summer market. 
Starting Cucumbers. 
F. C. C., Bath, Me.—Vie wish to start cucumber plants in the 
greenhouse to have ready to plant out in cold frames as soon as 
the weather will permit, using board shutters cool nights. When 
should we start the seed to have it out by, say April ? How many 
plants can we place under a sash 3 x 6 feet, there being about 100 
feet in length of the sashes ? 
Ans.—S ow the seeds on an inverted sod March 1 to 
March 15. It would be wise to make two plantings, in 
case unfavorable weather cause some miscalculation. 
The seed should be started in a temperature of 70 de¬ 
grees. The young plants may be put in the frames 
2x2 feet apart. 
Hardiness of Prizetaker Onions. 
J. S. II.. Alton. 111. —How early is it safe to plant Prizetaker 
onions out in the open ground ? Will they stand a few degrees of 
frost, say 28 F., after they have been out a few days, without in¬ 
jury ? 
Ans. —They may be planted as early as the ground 
is fit to work. They will not suffer from the tempera¬ 
ture given, or a few degrees lower. Around Phila¬ 
delphia, onions are planted in the Fall for scullions, 
being wintered outside without any difficulty. 
Gathering and Storing Onion Sets. 
J. P. J).. Madison, hid. —1. What is the most practical way to 
gather onion sets ? 2. What is the most practical way to store 
sets and onions; if stored on shelves, how deep, and is stirring 
necessary? If stored in crates, how deep should the crates be? 
3. Does a closed house hasten sprouting? 
Ans. —1. Onion sets must be gathered by hand labor. 
The operator runs a trowel or broad • knife under 
the row to loosen them, being careful that the root- 
crown is not cut; they are then gathered up, the tops 
twisted off, and the onions left lying long enough to 
dry well. There is no machine to do this work, and 
it is necessarily expensive. 2. Onion sets are best stored 
in crates 4x4 feet; the sides are about four inches 
deep (fence-pickets are used for this), the bottom be¬ 
ing made of laths set one-half inch apart. The sets 
are about three inches deep, and free circulation is 
provided by placing small wooden blocks across the 
corners, which hold the crates about two inches apart 
when piled one on top of the other. A free circula¬ 
tion of air is very necessary. These crates are much 
more convenient than shelves. Freezing will not hurt 
the sets unless they are stirred while frozen; this 
would injure them seriously, as they will bruise very 
readily while in that condition. In the East, sets are 
always stored in unheated, airy houses. In very cold 
weather, the piles of crates are sometimes protected 
slightly by hay upon the top crate, and bagging o r 
