i6o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
March r» 
[Every query nmnl be accompanied by the name and address of 
the writer to Insure attention. Before asking a question please 
see whether it Ik not answered In our advertising columns. Asl< 
only a few questions at one time. Put questions on a separate 
piece of paper.] 
THE BUG DOCTOR'S PRESCRIPTIONS. 
HOME INSECT PEHT8 DISPOSED OK. 
Galls on Thick Hoots. Visiting a nursery establishment some 
time ago, my attention was attracted by the large number of 
galls that were on the roots of peach, plum, apple, pear, Japan 
chestnuts, and other stock. These galls varied In size from that 
of a marble to a duck’s egg. It was claimed that they would not 
Injure the trees for any future time. Would you advise any one 
to plant such trees? What Is the cause, and Is there any remedy? 
Queens County, N. Y. c. k. i*. 
No one has yet satisfactorily explained the cause of 
these curious root-galls which have become quite com¬ 
mon, and lot ve attracted much notice <>f late years. 
Experts are now at work upon the mysterious disease 
in various parts of the country, and we may get some 
definite knowledge in a few years. Several theories 
are now afloat to account for them, but none is based 
upon careful experiments. Not knowing the cause of 
the disease, one cannot d<> more than guess at a remedy. 
About all that can be said at present is to cut off and 
pare off the knots, and paint the wounds with Bor¬ 
deaux Mixture. No, I would certainly not advise any 
one to plant trees bearing the galls. Peach trees are 
often so weakened by them aN to become worthless in 
a few years, while others may revive and become pay¬ 
ing plants. M. v. s. 
Hpiiayino Trees With Muriate ok Potash. —Can l uhc muriate 
of potash (SO to H5 per cent) to make a solution to spray on to the 
trunks and limbs of old apple trees? Would It Injure them If ap¬ 
plied very early before the buds begin to expand ? Would It be 
elTeetlve to kill Houle inserts, moss, fungus, etc.? If not, what 
ran 1 add to it, or use Instead, that would be cheap and better 
for the purpose ? The muriate of potash would not be wasted, as 
It would be, also, a good fertilizer for the trees. * i„ b. 
Rockland County, N. Y. 
Yes. you can spray a solution of muriate of potash 
on to the trunks and limbs of old apple trees, and un¬ 
doubtedly, without injury to dormant buds. But, in 
answer to the second question, 1 would notexpect such 
a solution to kill any of the insect or fungous life 
which might exist on the bark. Thus, while it is true 
that the fertilizer would not be entirely wasted if 
sprayed upon the tree, it would be a waste of time and 
money to apply the fertilizer to the tree in that man¬ 
ner. It would lie much more profitable to the tree 
and yourself to scatter the muriate on the soil. One 
must not expect any noticeable insecticidal effects 
from the commercial fertilizers when applied in fer¬ 
tilizing quantities. A solution of whale-oil soap, one 
pound in from two to five gallons of water, would have 
a much more destructive effect upon insect life upon 
the bark, and Bordeaux Mixture would exert most 
deleterious influence upon its fungi. A careful scrap¬ 
ing off of the old, loose bark from the trunks and 
larger limbs would do much to remove insect and 
fungous life, more than a spraying of muriate of 
potash would. Ik* sure that there are scales or some 
other enemies on the trunks before you waste any¬ 
thing on washes for the bark after you have thor¬ 
oughly, yet carefully, scraped the trees. m. v. h. 
TRAPPING Tint Coiilino Morn. In the California Fruit Grower, 
I IVtnl the following note. Ih there anything In It? 
“The Germans have a trap for the Codling moth which Ih Him- 
pie and claimed to he efflcaclouH. Glass Joth are lined, suspended 
by wires In the treeH. They are hung at an angle, being partly 
filled with a thick nyrup of sugar and water In which a tcaspoun- 
ful of apple Jelly has been mixed. The ncent of the Jelly attracts 
the moths, and among other varieties of Insects, an many as 20 or 
80 Codling moths have been caught In one Jar In a night." 
SUBSCRIBER. 
In 181)5, one of the German horticultural papers, 
Her I’raktische Ratgeber, recorded some experiments 
with glasses of apple jelly hung up in the trees to at¬ 
tract Codling moths. I have referred to this in a foot 
note in my recent bulletin on this insect (Bulletin 143 of 
Cornell Experiment Station), but I did not glean from 
the reports that any such number as this correspondent 
mentions were caught in a single trap in one night. 
The reports leave little doubt that genuine Codling 
moths were thus trapped, but it required hundreds of 
the little glasses of jelly hung in various parts of a 
comparatively few trees to attract relatively few of 
the moths, and half of these were males. The labor 
and expense involved in placing these traps is far 
greater than our present spraying method of combat¬ 
ing the insect, and the traps are far less effective in 
reducing the numbers of the wormy apples produced. 
Many experiments have been tried with all sorts of 
traps of this kind in this country by such reliable ob¬ 
servers as Riley, Cook and Atkins, and so few Codling 
moths were captured as to show conclusively the en¬ 
tire futility of attempting to check the pest in this 
way. Most of the reported captures of the insect in 
large numbers at baits or traps are the results of mis¬ 
taken identity. m. v. s. 
Headino Out Cmmbino Insects. What Ih the bent way to pre¬ 
vent Insects from am-ending fruit trees In the Spring? If wide 
bands of common Hheathlng paper were Hecurely tied on near 
the ground, what Hiibstancc, nr mixture, would be good to uhc on 
them for that purpose ? Would Dendrolene do if two applications 
were made, one early In Spring, and another during the Hummer? 
If ho, where can It be obtained ? l. n. 
Rockland County, N. Y. 
I do not know what is the hext. way to prevent in¬ 
sects from ascending fruit trees. Dozens of devices 
are recommended to'do this. Various sorts of wire- 
traps, etc., are being devised and tested. I think 
E. B.’.s scheme of using a paper band smeared with 
some substance will work as well as anything, pro¬ 
viding the proper substance can be found to put on the 
band. I have doubts about Dendrolene being tin* 
best substance for this purpose. I have seen insects 
walking over bands of Dendrolene smeared on trees. 
To tie on the paper bands properly, it will be neces¬ 
sary first to scrape off the rough bark, and then use a 
little oakum or cotton batting to fill up any crack or 
crevice underneath the band through which the insect, 
might crawl. One correspondent has just written me 
that he caught hundreds of the wingless females of 
the Canker worms by smearing a band thus put on 
with Morrill’s Tree Ink; I do not know what this 
substance is. Anything which will remain very sticky 
for some time, will answer the purpose. I have an 
idea that ordinary coal tar, to which a little oil 
or grease has been added, would prove quite effectual. 
Certainly, coal tar and printer’s ink have been ex¬ 
tensively and, in many cases, successfully used for 
this purpose. If there is anything better than such 
a paper band smeared with cither of the two sub¬ 
stances just mentioned, I am not aware of it. There 
is a chance for some careful experiments with these 
different substances so that it may be known which 
is the best. Do not apply Dendrolene to the bark of 
young trees, as it lias killed hundreds of trees when 
thus applied. M . v , s. 
Quality of Certain Peas. 
A. (!. //., (!alain, VL Considering the quality alone, wlilrli of 
the two peas Amerlean Wonder and Nott’H JCxedHlor will the 
most nearly approach the Champion of England ? 
Ann. In qutiiUu, there is so little difference that we 
can make no distinction. 
Bottom Land for Barley. 
H. //., Waterloo, Inil. I have eight acres of bottom land that I 
am thinking of Mowing to barley. The noil Ih of a reddInh color 
and quite Btlclty. Few plow* will Hcour in It. Will barley he 
likely to do well ? Ilmv much should 1 how to the acre ? I have 
had three crops of good corn on it. The object Is to get the 
Held needed to Timothy or some other pasture grass. 
Ann.- The land mentioned should raise barley. If 
B. B. keeps stock, and desires to increase the amount 
of stock food, I would suggest raising oats instead of 
barley. Unless the land is so rich that the oats will 
go down, a large crop should be produced. If barley 
is to be grown, prepare the. land as early as condi¬ 
tions will permit in the Spring, and sow barley at the 
rate of 2 to 2'4 bushels per acre. For the grass seed¬ 
ing, use four quarts of Timothy, one-half bushel of Red- 
top and two quarts of Red clover seed per acre. i,. a. c. 
Locust Seeds and How to Plant Them. 
(). A., Holley, N. K. I. Where can locust seeds he bought? 2. 
Which kind Is the most desirable, considering rapid growth, and 
the most useful for posts and fence slakes ? 3. How should the 
seeds be prepared for planting? 4. How deep planted ? 5. Do 
the plants make as rapid growth the first year as other trees ? 
(I. How much seed per acre should be planted ? 7. Would they 
grow oil land on which water stands through the winter? H. 
How far apart should they lie planted ? 
A ns. —1. Black or Yellow locust seed can be pur¬ 
chased of seedsmen dealing in tree seeds. .). M. Tlior- 
burn & Co., N. Y., or I). M. Ferry & Co., Detroit, Mich. 
It retails at from 50 cents to $1 per pound. Honey or 
Three-I,horned locust is handled by but few seedsmen, 
as there is little call for it. 3. The Robinia 1‘seudaeaeia, 
Black or Yellow locust, is the most desirable for tim¬ 
ber, being a more rapid grower, making a larger tree, 
and the wood is more durable. It grows on any kind 
of soil, not under water in winter, and is easily trans¬ 
planted. :i. 'I’lie. sei'.d should lit*, soaked in boiling 
water before sowing, otherwise it may lie in the 
ground for one or more years, coming up very irregu¬ 
larly, hence making a poor stand. 4. Now in two-foot 
rows, and cover lightly from one-eighth to one-fourth 
inch. 5. It is one of the. most rapid growing seedlings, 
making from one foot in a very dry year, to four and 
even five feet in it wet season. (5. They should be 
sown in drills two feet apart, so that they can be 
cultivated with a horse cultivator. Sowing them 
broadcast would, undoubtedly, be a waste of time and 
seed; unless the ground were well worked up, and 
free from weeds, the plants would likely be smothered 
by them. They could not be cultivated, and would be 
much more expensive to dig. One pound of seed should 
raise from 500 to 700 plants. 7. Honey locust would 
lie better than Black "locust where the water stands 
during the winter, and I doubt very much whether 
they would stand it. Very few trees will grow under 
such conditions, Willows and Cottonwoods might do 
so. The Black locust would do well if only occasion¬ 
ally under water, but no bard-wooded tree will stand 
it long. 8. I f for timber, plant 4 x 4 or 6 x (5 feet, every 
other one being cut out as soon as large enough for 
hop poles or fence posts, leaving the others to grow to 
a larger size. At the above distances, they will grow 
upright, and very soon shade the ground so that they 
will need no further cultivation. As they grow until 
frost the first year, they are occasionally killed back 
part way. Two years ago, this was the case with 
locust. Box elder, Catalpa and Black walnut, but they 
all made a larger growth than usual tin* next season. 
The young trees can be taken up in the fall and heeled 
in on high or sloping ground, and a light covering of 
leaves thrown over the tops, or they can be planted 
permanently in the fall, but notin as wet a place as 
O. A. mentions. As they are very late to begin growth 
in the Spring, I would prefer keeping them over. 
Illinois. TIIOH. II. DOUGLAS. 
What Fertilizers for Onions ? 
A. //..S’.. Chaplin, Conn. I have one-fourth aero of land which I 
wish to sow to onions. How shall I prepare the land ? It was 
Pfroen sod, plowed last Fall, a heavy, sandy loam, very (food grass 
land. I have raised onions on a small plot of ground In the same 
field, but they did not eoine lip to the standard. What kind of 
seed should I use ? What about transplanting ? What kind or 
fertilizer should I use ? 
Anh.—A. H. N. does not tell how his plot, which was 
plowed last Fall, is manured. I will, therefore, go on 
the theory that it is not manured, and in the condi¬ 
tion of a partially run out sod, but naturally strong. 
If the ground was well plowed last Fall, as I suppose, 
it should not be replowed, as would be the case for 
potatoes, as onions like a solid seed-bed. In the Spring, 
as soon as the ground is dry enough, that is, when it 
will dry and crumble behind the harrow, let him sow 
sit the rate of 75 bushels of good unleached ashes, and 
one ton of ground bone per acre or, what would per¬ 
haps, give him more nitrogen, one ton of special mar¬ 
ket garden fertilizer, put up by some reputable maker. 
If the ground has had a good coat of stable manure, 
say 15 two-horse loads per acre of manure not leached 
by outdoor exposure, three-quarters of a ton per acre 
of some good superphosphate will do without the 
ashes. Then harrow. When lie thinks it is harrowed 
enough, harrow some more. Thoroughly mix and 
thoroughly pulverize the top three or four inches of 
soil and fertilizer. Rake over thoroughly to level the 
surface and remove all stones, coarse manure, etc. 
Whether he should raise red, white or yellow onions 
depends upon the demand of his local market. The 
seed should be.sown in drills one foot apart, with 12 
or 14 seeds to the running foot, which is at the rate of 
about four pounds per acre. Following this plan, lie 
will have no need of transplanting or thinning. 
K 0. in l«l K. 
Don't Drain the Barnyard. 
I. F. //., Newark, N. Y. How can I drain my barnyard ? It Is 
ItnpoHHlble to have a cistern in the yard, bull might have one 
outside. There is no other way for the water to run oil, only to 
paBS under one of two buildings. Will common drainage tile do 
it? Is there any way to prevent the tile clogging with fine 
manure ? 
Anh. You will need, at least, a six-inch pipe with 
it heavy fall to drain such a yard. The sediment will 
clog a smaller pipe. Why drain the yard at all ? Better 
use muck, sods, straw or other trash to absorb the 
water. Scrape the yard into a saucer shape, and keep 
it well filled, even if you have to haul in sand or 
gravel. It will pay you better to hold the water in tin- 
yard than it will to drain it out. 
Fertilizing Value of Corn Cobs. 
II. A. ()., Colutnbus, N. •/. What, are corn cobs worth as a fer¬ 
tilizer, either to burn or spread on the ground? I can get them 
from the mills for 50 cents a load of sa.v (If) bushels. 
Anh.— The way to utilize corn cobs as a fertilizer is 
to burn them and use the ashes as you would lin- 
lcached wood ashes. A ton of corn cobs will make, 
when thoroughly burned, about 37 pounds of ashes 
containing less than 15 cents’ worth of plant food. 
Unless you can burn them and utilize the beat to save 
other fuel, they are not worth 50 cents a load. 
Some Fertilizer Questions. 
I. (/., Schade, Tmn. What Is the composition of boot! meal, and 
what is necessary to add to It to make It a complete fertilizer? 
What percentage of available phosphoric acid, nitrogen anil pot¬ 
ash should a complete fertilizer contain as near iih can be given 
without knowing the kind of soil or the crop to lm raised? I 
merely want something to help form my Judgment. Will muriate 
of potash or kalnlt make potatoes waxy instead of mealy, when 
cooked? If bo, what form of potash Is most easily obtained In 
Its Htead, and what amount (per cent In above analysis) Hhould 
lie used ? How much more potash is required for potatoes and 
fruit trees than for farm crops, speaking generally ? 
Ann.—A il average sample of bone meal contains 3 % 
per cent of nitrogen and 34 per cent of phosphoric 
acid. A fairly good fertilizer for fruits can be made 
by mixing three parts of bone meal with one part by 
weight of muriate of potash. For potatoes or vege¬ 
table*, some more quickly available form of nitrogen 
would be-needed in addition to the bone. On average 
