1898 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
6o9 
wire is stapled, and keeping- the holes filled with strong 
brine. This will prevent rot for a long time. It will 
pay or not, according to circumstances. 
A NEW PLAN FOR COLORED LABOR. 
Some of the southern papers have described lately, 
what is called the Wade system of farming and man¬ 
ufacturing, which, carried out intelligently, does 
away with the middleman, and makes the farmer a 
manufacturer. The system is thus described : 
A tract of 640 acres is cleared, and divided into one 
central square of 160 acres, surrounded by 12 farms of 
40 acres each. The central square has 140 acres in 
woods, and a 20-acre field surrounding the farmer’s 
house. Fig. 285 shows the arrangement : 
40 
40 
40 
40 
40 
160 acres. 
40 
20 
40 
| ■ 
■ 
40 
40 
40 
40 
40 
Fig. 285. 
A family of colored people is put upon each 40-acre 
farm, each colored man farming on shares, receiving 
one-third of his crop. From each colored family, the 
farmer takes one child, boy or girl, to work in the 
factory, paying for the child’s services, one-third of 
his father’s crop. The crop is thus divided among 
the farmer, the colored tenant, and the child, each 
receiving one-tliird. 
The farmers in a community may unite to build a 
factory, all farming upon the Wade system, providing 
operatives without wages. Cotton and canning fac¬ 
tories seem especially suited to this system. Of 
course, skilled superintendents must be supplied, but 
the plan commends itself especially to the South, 
where an outlet is urgently needed for colored labor. 
The colored boys and girls are intelligent and imita¬ 
tive, and soon learn to do factory work as well as 
other operatives. 
The Farmers’ Club 
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The Shot-Hole Fungus in Plums. 
W. H. 8., Bethany, Mo .—I have a plum orchard of about 500 
trees, planted in 1806; the trees have made a good growth, every 
year since planted. Last year many of the domestic plums began 
shedding their leaves about the middle of August. This year they 
began the same thing about July 10. The edges of the leaves turn 
brown and roll up; brown spots come on the leaves, finally form¬ 
ing holes. The samples sent are German Prunes, also some Rus¬ 
sian apricots similarly affected. What is this disease, and what 
the remedy ? 
ANSWERED BY M. V. 8LINGERLAND. 
The plum leaves sent were very badly diseased by 
a fungous disease known as the Plum leaf-blight, or 
Shot-hole” disease. This is one of the most serious 
diseases with which the plum grower has to contend. 
It is quite widely distributed in Europe and America, 
not only on plums, but also on cherries and some 
other stone fruits. In the plum orchard this fungus 
makes its appearance soon after the first leaves are 
fully grown. The leaves begin to show little discolored 
spots, at first about one-sixteenth of an inch in 
diameter, with margins often tinged with purple or 
red. As the disease progresses the spots enlarge until 
they are one-eighth of an inch or more across. Larger 
spots may be formed by the coalescing of several small 
ones. The spots soon become dark brown with a pale 
center. The leaf tissues wither and, frequently, break¬ 
ing away from the healthy portion of the leaf which 
surrounds them, they drop out and leave circular holes 
in the leaf. The holes thus formed are often as clean- 
cut and clearly defined as though they had been made 
with shot, and on account of this characteristic, the 
disease is often called the “ Shot-hole ” disease. 
The infested leaves frequently turn yellow and drop 
prematurely, so that it is not uncommon in August 
(sometimes even as early as July) to see a large pro¬ 
portion of the new growth leafless, or in the case of 
very severe attacks, the tree may lose nearly all of its 
foliage before September. Without the help of the 
foliage it is unable properly to ripen its wood, and in 
such instances, especially when it has borne a heavy 
crop of fruit, it goes into Winter in an enfeebled con¬ 
dition, and is liable to be severely injured, or even 
killed, by the Winter. The disease frequently checks 
the growth of plum and cherry nursery stocks so much 
that it is difficult to bud them in August. The nature 
of the disease is such that should the loss of foliage 
not exceed 5 or 10 per cent, it may pass unnoticed, or 
attract little attention, and no precautions would be 
taken to prevent its progress. 
Experiments conducted at various experiment sta¬ 
tions during the past few years show that this dis¬ 
ease may be controlled readily by the use of the fun¬ 
gicide Bordeaux Mixture, and the practical experi¬ 
ence of many fruit growers has confirmed this con¬ 
clusion. Extensive experiments have been made at 
the Geneva Experiment Station during the past three 
years to determine the best time to spray, and the 
number of sprayings necessary to control the fungus. 
The re'ults (for the latitude of central New York) are 
thus recorded : “ When but two treatments are to be 
made during the season, let the first be given about 
10 days after the blossoms fall, that is usually about 
May 25. It should not be later than June 1. Make 
the second treatment about three weeks after the 
first. Better results may be expected from three 
treatments, and three treatments are especially recom¬ 
mended in seasons when the disease is very abundant. 
Make them as follows: First, about 10 days after the 
blossoms fall. Second, about three weeks after the 
first. Third, from three to four weeks after the sec¬ 
ond.” In one instance, the experiments showed an 
average increase in the yield of sprayed Italian 
prunes of 24 % pounds per tree, at a cost of less than 
one cent per pound. A weak Bordeaux Mixture was 
used in these experiments, and it proved entirely sat¬ 
isfactory. It contained only one pound of sulphate of 
copper to each 11 gallons of the complete mixture. 
Thus this disease which is alarmingly prevalent in 
many of the plum orchards of the country, is one 
which readily succumbs to thorough treatment with 
the Bordeaux Mixture spray. It is now too late for 
W. II. S. to do anything to prevent the appearance of 
the disease on his trees next year, except he may un¬ 
doubtedly check it somewhat by raking up and burn¬ 
ing the fallen leaves, as it is believed that the fungus 
winters over on these fallen leaves. But by thorough 
work next Spring with the Bordeaux spray the dis¬ 
ease can be readily brought under control, and the 
foliage kept on the trees until Autumn. 
Drying and Handling Night Soil. 
G. L., Macungie, Pa .—How can I dry night soil and get it in 
such a state that it can be sown in a drill the same as other fer¬ 
tilizer ? 
W. P. T., College Park, Qa .—I can procure night soil from the 
city for a very small sum. What is the best way to handle it so 
as to make it .available and counteract the disagreeable odor? 
My plan is to put into the compost heap a load of the soil, and 
apply to this a heavy coating of lime, and on this put half the 
amount of the load by weight of new woods earth, and continue 
this until the heap is finished. Would not the woods earth ab¬ 
sorb the ammonia set free by the lime ? How does such fertil¬ 
izer compare in value to stable manure ? 
Ans. —It depends much upon the condition of the 
night soil. In most vaults, it is semi-liquid, and must 
be handled with dippers and carried in a water-tight 
wagon. Probably the most satisfactory way would 
be to let it accumulate until the ground is about ready 
for working, and then haul at once and plow or har¬ 
row it in as rapidly as possible. If this is not prac¬ 
ticable, the night soil should be well mixed with 
plaster and composted with about twice its bulk of 
soil or muck. New woods earth will answer well for 
this, but you do not plan to use enough of it. Lime 
will not answer at all. It will do just what you want 
to prevent. You should use plaster instead of lime. 
It is hard to give a fair analysis of average night 
soil. It is an overrated manure, usually worth a little 
less than good horse manure. We do not advise any 
attempt to dry the night soil so that it can be drilled. 
This will cost more than it is worth. Far better use 
it as a compost. 
Mulching Strawberries in Tennessee. 
E. 0. N., Tracy City, Term .—How would cottou-seed hulls do as 
a mulch for strawberries in hill culture ? I want to put them on 
about December 15, a heavy coat around the hills of strawberries, 
with a view of fertilizing the patch with this mulch as much as 
anything. Will the hulls rot before July 1 next? 
Ans.—Y ou should read Bulletin 32 of the Georgia 
Experiment Station (Experiment), Bulletin 94 of the 
Alabama Station (Auburn), and a bulletin from your 
own station at Knoxville. Prof. Earle, of Alabama, 
says that it will certainly pay to mulch strawberries 
at the South. This is not needed so much for Winter 
protection as to keep the fruit clean. A small amount 
only of mulching material is needed, and he considers 
cotton-seed hulls or cotton seed suited to this purpose. 
Pine straw answers fairly well, though the objection 
to it is that it harbors crickets and other fruit-eating 
insects. 
Prof. II. N. Starnes, of the Georgia Station, says 
that they have used cotton-seed hulls for mulching, 
but their experience has not been altogether satisfac¬ 
tory. These hulls seem to shed water, and thus the 
ground will not be thoroughly wet by a light shower. 
On the other hand, when the ground once gets thor¬ 
oughly wet, cotton-seed hulls will hold the moisture 
better than any other material. On the whole, pine 
straw (which our readers should know, is the dead 
needles or leaves of the pine), has given excellent re¬ 
sults in many parts of the South, and Prof. Starnes 
considers it, on the whole, superior to cotton hulls. 
Lime on Grass Land. 
S., Boston , Mass .—Would it be beneficial to broadcast ordinary 
slaked lime on mowing land that shows sorrel ? If so, when and 
how much per acre ? The land was seeded a year ago. 
Ans.— Yes, generally speaking, it will help such 
land to broadcast ordinary slaked lime over it during 
the Fall. It will be much better to break the land 
and work the lime in with a harrow, and if this be 
done it will help put the lime on the surface. Mr. Geo. 
M. Clark, of Connecticut, used lime on his soil to kill 
out sorrel, broadcasting it in this way. The effect 
was beneficial and the sorrel has gradually disap¬ 
peared. 
The Value of a Fertilizer. 
0. E. L., Lizton, Ind .—I have never used commercial fertilizer, 
but expect to use some this season with wheat. From what I 
can glean from Tiie R. N.-Y., nitrogen in the form of a nitrate is 
necessary. The fertilizer circulars I see lay great stress upon 
the merits of their “ pure animal fertilizers,” guaranteed to con¬ 
tain no rock, acid, marl, etc., nothing being added to the bones 
blood, and tankage from packing-houses except potash. Here is 
what is called their guaranteed analysis of one brand: 
Ammonia. 5 to 7 per cent. 
Phosphoric acid.12 to 14 per cent. 
Potash.. 3 to 6 per cent. 
Here is one from another firm claiming the same origin of ma¬ 
terial: 
Ammonia. 4 to 4^4 per cent. 
Total phosphoric acid.10 to 12 percent. 
Available phosphoric acid. 6 to 9 percent. 
Potash. 1 to 2 percent. 
The former sells for $24 per ton delivered ; the latter at$22 per ton 
delivered. Can I depend upon either of these brands for a good 
return in wheat, or would it be better to have the nitrogen in a 
different form, or from a different source.? The field I expect to 
use it on is part heavy clay, part light sandy soil, but the greater 
part a black loam, fairly well tile-drained. This Held has not 
been sown to wheat for 18 years, having been in grass (Timothy 
and later Kentucky Blue grass) for 14 years, corn and oats the 
remaining four years. 
Ans. —There is evidently some mistake in copying 
the first analysis. It is not stated how much of the 
phosphoric acid is available. In the second analysis 
we are guaranteed 80 pounds of ammonia, 120 pounds 
of available phosphoric acid, and 20 pounds of potash. 
“ Ammonia” is nitrogen combined with hydrogen. It 
is worth less than nitrogen. The trade or comparative 
values would give 12 % cents a pound for the ammonia, 
five cents for the available phosphoric acid and 4% 
cents for the potash. The object in using nitrate of 
soda is to obtain nitrogen in an immediately available 
form. It would be a mistake to apply nitrate heavily 
in the Fall. This fertilizer should give you good 
wheat. In case the grain does not look thrifty in the 
Spring you can use nitrate of soda then. 
Japan Walnuts. 
A. E. At., Grimsby, Ontario .—Are the Japan walnuts productive 
in the United States? Are the nuts likely to have a ready mar¬ 
ket value? Would an orchard of the Sieboldiaua (which is hardy 
at our experiment farm at Ottawa) be likely to be profitable ? 
What about an orchard of the Cordiformis ? 
Ans. —There is no doubt of the productiveness of 
the Japan walnuts in America, as they are fruiting 
from New England to the Gulf of Mexico. They are 
all hardy except in the most trying climate of the 
Far North, and fully as much so as our native wal¬ 
nuts. As to their profitableness, there is doubt. The 
species, Juglans Sieboldiana, bears a rather small nut 
with a very thick shell, and one from which the kernel 
is extracted with difficulty. It is of little value except 
as a novelty, and as a shade or ornamental tree. J. 
cordiformis is smaller in nut, but the smooth shell is 
not very thick ; the kernel is almost round like that 
of a hazelnut, and comes out very easily. Both are of 
good quality. It might pay to grow the latter for 
its nuts. I think these trees would pay to grow for 
their timber, as they are of rapid and stately growth. 
They make fine trees for the park or anywhere about 
the house or farm where they can have plenty of 
room. h. e. y. d. 
Blueberries and Other Fruits. 
C. B. A., Coshocton County, O.—l. What is the blueberry like ? Is 
it hardy this far North ? Does it pay to grow it ? 2. There is a 
berry in Canada called the Gainer. What is it like ? Does it pay 
to grow it? Where can I get the above two berries, and when 
should they be planted and how far apart ? 3. Where can I get 
Balm of Gilead sprouts? 4. Would a grove of them pay in pick¬ 
ing the buds ? 
Ans. —1. There are several kinds of blueberries 
Vaccinium Pennsylvanicum is the earliest, ripening 
its huckleberries early in July. The bushes grow 
about 15 inches high. The other is Vaccinium corym- 
bosum. This is the common or Swamp blueberry, 
growing from five to ten feet high. This gives us the 
common blue or huckleberry late in the season. We 
dare say that either kind would prove hardy with 
you. We fancy that you may find either of these 
kinds in your woods. We have never heard of any in¬ 
stance of their being cultivated profitably. 2. There 
is a Gaynor blackberry. We received plants of it from 
Morris, Stone & Wellington, of Welland, Ont., Canada, 
in 1883. The plants are hardy and productive of ber¬ 
ries of medium size and fine quality. Blackberries 
should be planted from four to six feet apart each way 
in the early Spring or late Fall. 3. Of any of the nur¬ 
series. Its botanical name is Populus balsamifera 
var. candicans. 4. We think not. 
