120 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
February 19 
delivered to customers with the butter, with a guar¬ 
antee that they are strictly fresh, that a much better 
price could be obtained than 12% cents per dozen. As 
to the raising of poultry for market, we have never 
been thoroughly satisfied with the returns. The drop¬ 
pings from poultry, properly kept and mixed with 
land plaster, make a good fertilizer for corn. 
A few good sheep of one of the mutton breeds kept 
for the rearing of early lambs, if one lias a good, warm 
stable, will be found to work in well with mixed farm¬ 
ing. With this system, the farmer is enabled to feed 
up the most of his hay and grain, and at the same 
time, increase the fertility of his land. There is no 
question that a silo is a good investment for a farmer 
with a dairy, and especially a winter dairy. I should 
adopt some system and rotation of crops. We have 
a four-year rotation here in central New York, con¬ 
sisting of corn or potatoes, oats and peas, wheat, 
clover, using commercial fertilizer only on our wheat 
and seeding. I should try to farm it so that I could 
keep one good man the year ’round. s. l. depew. 
Cayuga County, N. Y. 
THE VALUE OF A PEACH TREE. 
A TOUGH QUESTION TO ANSWER. 
One of our readers in Sussex County, N. .T., sends us the fol¬ 
lowing question, which is too much for us: “What is your opinion 
of the value, per tree, of a peach orchard, six years old, which is 
situated on high ground, contains 1,500 trees having an excep¬ 
tionally healthy appearance, and which bore over 5,000 baskets 
and crates last season ? ” What estimate would you place on 
such a tree in your own locality ? 
The Sussex County question is too much like a ticket 
in a lottery. But under the statement made in the 
question, my answer would be that the life right of 
such an orchard should be from 25 to 75 cents per 
tree; possibly an outside figure of $1 might be reached. 
Hunterdon County, N. J. h. f. bodine. 
I have asked the opinion of several of the leading 
peach growers as to the value of peach trees six years 
old. According to your statement, the opinion of ray- 
self and those that I have asked is that they are worth 
30 cents apiece in our locality. People don't think as 
much of peach orchards about here as they did a few 
years ago. benj. van doren. 
Hunterdon County, N. J. 
It is a very hard question to answer with any de¬ 
gree of satisfaction to myself or the person making 
the inquiry, on account of the uncertainty of the crop, 
and the difference in the price on the market from 
year to year. Presuming that the trees are on as good 
land as some in this locality, I would say that they are 
worth $2 per tree, net, for the life of the tree. 
Hunterdon County, N. J. john dawes. 
This question is as hard to answer as it would be to 
say, without seeing him, what a horse 1(5 hands high, 
six years old, that had worked hard the past season, 
is worth. I do not believe that any one can give an 
answer to this question by which one would be war¬ 
ranted in selling or buying. Striking an average of 
Connecticut peach orchards, six years old, that bore 
heavily last season, I would say that the orchard is not 
worth much now. Yet if the trees are exceptionally 
healthy, as your correspondent says, they should be 
worth SI to $2 each, yet I would want to see them before 
I would give that for them, if I were to be the buyer. 
Connecticut. edwin hoyt. 
EARLY AND LATE MATURING TREES. 
ARE TIIE LATE ONES INFERIOR? 
Are the fruit trees of a given variety that reach a salable size 
latest in the nursery, provided they are healthy and not de¬ 
formed, inferior for orchard purposes to the more vigorous ones ? 
I do not believe that mere lateness of maturity in 
the nursery is any particular disadvantage to the tree. 
The question specifies that the tree shall be healthy 
and not deformed. It should, of course, not be stunt¬ 
ed. A tree of merely slow growth is often better than 
one which is making a very vigorous growth. 
New York. l. h. bailey. 
The trees which fail to grow so well as others under 
like conditions in the nursery row, have been noticed, 
according to my observation and experience, to come 
into bearing earlier than those which grow vigorously. 
If they are healthy, I would not fear to plant such in 
an orchard. I have made very large bearing trees of 
just such trees. But it is a common notion that none 
but the more thrifty trees should be planted. Slow 
growth is attributable, in many cases, to disease, but 
it is not always so. h. e. van deman. 
Virginia. 
I am not inclined to favor the selection of large, 
overgrown nursery trees, for orchard planting. My 
own experience would indicate that sound, healthy 
trees of moderately vigorous growth can be more surely 
relied on for satisfactory results. It should not, 
however, be forgotten that nursery trees are worked 
upon seedling stocks, and that seedlings are liable to 
var y greatly. If, therefore, after digging the young 
trees, any are found with scion outgrowing the stock, 
indicating a lack of vigor in the seedling ; or if there 
is enlargement at the point of union between stock 
and scion, indicating incompatibility, such trees are 
likely to prove unhealthy and short-lived, and should 
be rejected. t. t. lyon. 
Michigan. 
I do not consider the lighter stock in the nursery in¬ 
ferior. Influences which we cannot fully explain 
will cause some buds to start slower than others, but 
if they show thrift and vigor, the light stock will 
make equally as good trees. In one block of Bartlett 
pears I set, several years ago, a lot of heavy, tliree- 
year-old trees, also a lot of two-year-olds, both lots 
well grown, the lighter trees came into bearing at 
the same time that the heavy trees did. The light 
stock suffers less in the change from the nursery to 
the orchard, and seems to make the most growth for 
the first two years. I always buy medium stock. 
New York. geo. t. fowell. 
Aside from the fact that the last dug trees from a 
given variety in a nursery row are likely to be of 
smaller size than those that have been dug in the 
earlier stages of growth, I know of no reason why 
they are not equally as good. The orchards that I 
have are, in the main, made up of this class of trees 
that purchasers are not inclined to take, and as you 
have seen them you can judge whether or not we 
have been wise in our plantings. Those first dug are 
likely to be heavier at the same age, and the impres¬ 
sion often is that they are of more value ; yet, in my 
own experience, I have no proof that such is the fact. 
New York. s. D. willard. 
Before answering the above question, I would re¬ 
state it as I understand it. That is, are apple trees, 
for instance, which grow to proper size for trans¬ 
planting in two years, superior to the trees in the 
same block which require three years to reach proper 
maturity or size for planting ? If this fairly states your 
question, I will say most decidedly that the two-year- 
old stock is preferable to that which has required 
three years to reach proper size. I have not made 
accurate measurements of the growth attained by such 
trees in the orchard, neither have I any critical data 
to offer on their fruitfulness or longevity ; but my 
observation covering a period of years, is that the 
vigorous, well-grown, two-year trees transplant more 
readily, grow off with greater vigor, and produce, 
from my standpoint, finer trees. For instance, these 
vigorous young trees will stand severe pruning, both 
of the roots and tops, and throw out at once a stronger 
growth than will the older stock which has required 
a longer period to reach maturity in the nursery. This 
fact has been observed by me, both in nursery work 
done under my own control, and in the larger nur¬ 
series of the State. wm. b. alwood. 
Virginia Experiment Station. 
[Every query must be accompanied by the name and address of 
the writer to insure attention. 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.] 
A BASKET OF FRUIT QUESTIONS. 
PACKED BY II. E. VAN DEMAN. 
Woodruff and Vergennes Grapes. —Would you plant the Wood¬ 
ruff or Vergennes for a red grape for home market ? I have the 
Brighton, Agawam, aDd Lindley in bearing, but do not like the 
last two, on account of the bunches being so straggling, j. m. b. 
Liverpool, N. Y. 
Woodruff and Vergennes are both quite robust- 
growing grapes, and bear clusters that are compact. 
Where red varieties are desired for home trade in ad¬ 
dition to Brighton, they may do quite well. 
Cutting off Pear Trees. —I have two pear trees, about five 
inches in diameter; one is tall, no branches within seven feet of 
the ground, has never fruited. The other is very low and bushy, 
but bears small, hard and worthless pears. I propose sawing 
them off one foot from the ground, and grafting or budding the 
sprouts when they are large enough. Do you recommend this plan? 
Long Island. j. h. o. 
It would seem to me wise to cut off the tall-bodied 
tree about three feet from the ground, and bud the 
sprouts the first season, or graft them the next. The 
low-headed tree may be grafted the coming Spring, as 
its branches are now near enough the ground. 
Mammoth Black Twig Apple.— What do you know of the Mam¬ 
moth Black Twig apple ? Is it a good keeper and productive ? 
How does it compare with Ben Davis for profit ? n. s. mcc. 
Fort Collins, Col. 
Mammoth Black Twig is a seedling of Winesap, 
which originated in Arkansas about 40 or 50 years ago, 
but was brought to public notice at the New Orleans 
Exposition in 1884. ' In size, it is larger than Wine- 
sap, and in shape somewhat less conical. Its color is 
dull, dark red. In flavor, it is sub-acid, somewhat like 
that of its parent, but not quite so rich or spicy. It keeps 
about the same as Winesap, but not quite equal to Ben 
Davis. In point of profit, it is not up to that great 
market variety. The trees bear well. 
June Drop in Peaches. —My peach trees look robust, and de¬ 
velop the young peaches until one-fourth grown, when the 
peaches drop. What is the cause, and can anything be done to 
cure this trouble ? r. c. t. 
Cassius, La. 
This is wdiat is commonly known as June drop. 
Various causes have been assigned by scientists and 
practical fruit growers, but I do not think it is cer¬ 
tainly known why it occurs. It may be owing to cli¬ 
matic changes, or to lack of proper pollination, or to 
the devitalizing effects of a previous heavy crop. What¬ 
ever may be the cause, all that seems at present 
possible to do is to enrich the soil properly and cultivate 
thoroughly. If any one has learned how to avoid or 
cure June drop, there are many who would be glad to 
know it. 
Grafting Chestnuts. —I have some one-year-old seedling chest¬ 
nuts, also a greenhouse. Can I take up the chestnuts and graft 
them while dormant this Winter under glass, or would I do better 
to wait and collar graft in the Spring ? e. ,t. w. 
Sheridan, Ind. 
I would think it preferable to collar graft the stocks 
next Spring where they stand. It might be even bet¬ 
ter to leave them a year longer before grafting, as the 
young shoots would grow more thriftily than on the 
small, one-year seedlings, therefore make trees with 
better bodies. In either case, it would prove much 
more successful to hold back the scions in cold storage 
of some kind until after the stocks shall begin to leaf 
out before setting them than to graft at the ordinary 
time. This is one of the secrets of grafting nut trees 
and others that are difficult to graft. The splice or 
tongue method of grafting is the best for small stocks. 
Apples and Pears for Family Use.—I would like to set an apple 
orchard of about 1 [4 acre, and a pear orchard of one-half acre In 
the Spring. What are the best selections for a choice variety for 
home use ? The soil is mostly clay, with no underdrainage. I am 
about 15 miles from Lake Erie, but the climate is not much 
affected by it. a. w. s. 
Albion, Pa. 
A list of apples or pears suitable for home use in 
any section should consist of a considerable number 
of varieties, but only a very few of each. This will 
give a chance to cover the whole range of the fruit 
season. Such varieties as are of high quality should 
be selected, although some of them might not be 
heavy bearers or the most profitable for market. Ap¬ 
pearance, size and productiveness are the essential 
points in a market orchard. Here is a list of 100 ap¬ 
ple trees for family use, and one of 40 pears, the varie¬ 
ties arranged in the order of ripening. This list was 
published in The R. N.-Y. of October 17, 1896 : 
APPLES. 
f 2 Summer Rose, 
i 2 Yellow Transparent, 
"1 2 Red .Time, 
; 2 Early Harvest. 
I 2 Fanny, 
I 2 Primate, 
2 Lowell, 
2 Golden Sweet. 
1 2 Maiden Blush, 
- 4 Jefferis, 
I 2 Chenango. 
Total, 100. 
( 2 Wine, 
1 2 Mother, 
I 2 Hubbardston, 
| 5 Grimes Golden, 
J5 Jonathan, 
5 Dornine, 
[5 Akin. 
i 10 Rome Beauty, 
- 10 Stayman (instead of 
( 10 Huntsman. [Winesap). 
j 10 York Imperial, 
I 10 Stark. 
PEARS. 
j 2 Tyson, 
| 2 Madeleine. 
J 2 Howell, 
"i 2 Clapp. 
2 Flemish Beauty, 
4 Bartlett, 
- 2 Boussoek, 
2 Seckel, 
.2 Louise Bonne. 
12 Onondaga, 
- 4 Sheldon, 
I 2 Bose, 
j 2 Hovey, 
I 2 Winter Nelis. 
l 4 Lawrence, 
< 2 Diel, 
( 2 Easter. 
Total, 40. 
While they are, probably, suitable for northern Ohio, 
they will answer almost equally well for a very large 
part of the central States. 
The Wager Peach.—A bout 15 years ago, I purchased three 
Wager peach trees. The guarantee given was that the seed would 
reproduce the same fruit every time. Two of the trees died, and 
the third lived only long enough to bear several peaches, of 
which I did not plant any of the seed, and forgot all about the 
matter until the year 1893, when the same nurseryman advertised 
the same kind. I purchased again, and last year, I had more 
than a bushel from the trees. Although below medium in size, 
they were the finest peaches to eat I ever grew, and I have 
grown many for the past 30 years. The size would be against 
their sale on the market. I would like to know whether any of 
The R. N.-Y. readers has ever tested the correctness of the claim 
that the seed reproduces the same fruit every time. t. h. r. 
Maryland. 
There are several varieties of the peach that produce 
seedlings which are generally almost exactly like the 
parent. This is supposed by some scientists to be 
caused by the especial congeniality of the pistils and 
stamens of the flowers ; that is, the pollen fertilizes 
the ovules in the same flower more easily than does 
the pollen of any other variety which may happen to 
be blooming near at the same time. These are sup¬ 
posed to be cases of self-pollination. Another theory 
is that there are certain varieties or types of fruit 
that have become so fixed in their characteristics that 
they produce their like by force of heredity. Among 
the kinds of peaches that are of this character are 
Heath Cling, Smock, Hale, and Hill Chili. The Wager 
belongs to the latter type, and may be expected to 
