336 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
May 7 
around the body and limbs, and in this new wood, 
are innumerable minute tubes through which the sap 
passes up to the tree. In young' or middle-aged 
trees, the new grain of wood may be one-eighth to one- 
fourth inch in thickness, and the diameter of the 
tree would be increased from one-fourth to one-half 
inch, while the bark would be expanded from 1 to 1)4 
inch by the internal strain from the growth of the 
wood. The thickness of the new grains of wood de¬ 
creases with the age of the tree, on account of the 
increasing toughness and hardening of the bark. The 
tree becomes hidebound. The grains are not thick 
enough to convey the sap collected by the roots to the 
tree, and the fruit degenerates. 
Hack in the Fifties, I visited a large orchard in the 
town of Clay, this county, and was surprised to find 
the trees, although they were very old, loaded with 
the finest of fruit of various kinds, nearly ripe for 
picking. The owner said that he was, each year, sell¬ 
ing large quantities of the choicest fruit. He stated 
that, five j'ears before, the trees, being very old, were 
nearly valueless, but by a new treatment, the whole 
orchard had been restored to the then present condition 
of the most perfect fruitage. I found his treatment 
to consist in, each year, removing three strips of old 
bark from the body of the tree, each strip about three 
inches in width, the most essential point being the 
right time of doing it. This time he found to be 
when the bark would peel easiest, and being when 
the materials for forming the new grain of wood were 
in a condition of a soft pulp under the bark. He had 
removed the strips .1 une 15 to 20. During the remainder 
of the season, the grooves made by removing the 
strips of bark were filled with new bark, the hide¬ 
bound condition of the tree was relieved, and the new 
grain of wood was doubled in thickness entirely 
around the tree. This permitted the sap to flow freely, 
and the first Autumn, the fruit was greatly improved. 
The next season, it was large and of the most perfect 
quality. The stripping had been continued five years 
—the old bark had all been replaced by a new and 
tender bark, and the farmer said that his orchard paid 
better than any other part of his farm. Spitzenberg 
trees and other kinds were restored to the finest fruit¬ 
age. One large tree that bore what he formerly 
termed pig apples, was full of large and beautiful 
Newtown Pippins. The farmer had not published his 
discovery, because he thought it could be patented. 
It is obvious that no other process can be instituted 
that will restore old bark to the tender and expansive 
condition that existed when the trees were young. 
This farmer gave his old trees each a new bark that 
enabled the roots to supply to the buds and fruit all 
the sap required for the most perfect fruitage. The 
trees being large, yielded great quantities of fruit. I 
deem this the only method of making an old orchard 
valuable. Pear trees were found to be restored in the 
same manner. 
The tree body should be scraped with a hoe, to re¬ 
move the loose bits of hard bark. Then with a sharp, 
strong knife, make two cuts for each strip through the 
bark from the top of the body down to the ground, 
holding the -knife a little slanting, so as to make the 
inner surface of the strip narrower than the outer to 
facilitate its removal. Let the cuts run together at 
the ends. They may be extended out upon the large 
limbs as far as they can be reached. From the upper 
end of each strip, extend single knife cuts through the 
bark so far as the old bark is rough and hard. This 
will relieve the hidebound condition, and enable the 
sap to flow freely. Two or three such cuts on each 
large limb would be better. Trees should be fairly 
well trimmed, not excessively. Very old trees will 
send up sap enough for a large amount of blossoms, 
but not a sufficient amount for setting the fruit, and 
most of it falls off or has a sickly growth. If the 
stripping be done when the bark will peel easiest, 
the soft pulp left on the tree body will at once com¬ 
mence the formation of new bark, and during the 
season, the groove will be filled. June 20 is, probably, 
the best time for this locality. r. f. s. 
Onondaga County, N. Y. 
BEST CULTURE FOR THE COLUMBIAN 
RASPBERRY. 
My fields are sandy loam with a clay subsoil. Any 
land that will produce good wheat or corn is suitable. 
I prepare the ground as early in the Spring as it is fit to 
work, by plowing and thoroughly pulverizing the 
soil, using about 15 loads of stable manure to the acre. 
I also use, every other year, about one-half ton of 
unleached wood ashes, and 600 pounds of ground bone 
thoroughly worked into the soil. Fertilizing must be 
governed by the condition of the soil. I mark rows 
4x8 feet, and set plants four inches deep, spreading 
the roots, and covering them with fine soil pressed 
firmly ; then add more soil, leaving that mellow and 
nearly two inches lower than the natural surface, 
which will fill up by cultivation. This enables the 
bushes to stand drought and wind better. I start the 
cultivator without delay, covering the field once a 
week, running close to the plants, but not more than 
two inches deep, leaving the ground mellow and 
smooth. I cultivate the narrow way of the rows, also, 
until the growth of bushes prevents ; this leaves but 
little work for the hoe. The foliage, as the bushes 
become large, keeps out weeds in the hills. The 
frequent stirring of the soil, and the deeply penetrat¬ 
ing roots of the Columbian, will enable it to withstand 
severe drought with little injury. 
All fruit-bearing canes, the year of setting, should 
be removed as soon as buds appear. Pinch back new 
canes when 16 inches high ; this produces a stocky 
cane, sending out vigorous branches, from which tip 
plants are obtained. The Columbian does not sucker, 
and to produce new plants, bend down the new canes, 
and bury the tips three or four inches in the ground, 
nearly perpendicular ; this is done between August 
20 and September 5, and substantially covers the first 
season's management. 
The second year, in early Spring, 1 dig the tip plants, 
preparing the best for market, and the rest are reset 
for transplants. I trim the bushes two to three feet 
high, the lateral branches about 10 inches from the 
main stem. I apply fertilizers at this time, broadcast, 
give thorough cultivation to within a few days of 
fruiting time, and follow with straw mulch at the 
rate of about two tons per acre. The expense of 
mulching I consider money well spent, as it covers 
the fine earth bed immediately after the last pulver¬ 
izing of the soil, serves to retain moisture, keeps weeds 
down, makes a fine carpet for the pickers, and pre¬ 
vents the berries being beaten into the earth by rain. 
I don’t find it necessary to use stakes by this method, 
and discarded them years ago, as too expensive, and 
destroying the beauty of the field. 
The fruiting season in this section begins near July 
8, and lasts about five weeks, at the close of which all 
the old fruit wood should be cleaned from the field, 
and the straw raked up close to the bushes and left 
there ; then start the cultivator again. A larger crop 
of berries could be produced by permitting a greater 
growth of bush. I have treated my fields for the sole 
purpose of producing plants, that being of the first 
importance to me ; but if I were growing the Colum¬ 
bian principally for fruit, I would permit a higher 
growth of cane, and not trim so closely in the Spring. 
With my method of trimming, I can confidently count 
upon 3,000 to 4,000 quarts per acre, and that amount, 
by increasing the size of the bush, could be doubled. 
Madison County, N. Y. J. t. Thompson. 
[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 paperj 
Mixing Kerosene Emulsion and Bordeaux Mixture. 
S. N ., Borneo , Mich .—Can kerosene emulsion be used (Formula, 
one-half pound hard soap dissolved in one gallon hot water, and 
two gallons kerosene added, diluted 1 to 9 or 10 parts water) in 
connection with Bordeaux Mixture (formula, four pounds B. 
vitriol, four pounds lime, slaked, and with three-quarters pound 
Paris-green to 50 gallons water) ? I have a spray tank holding 
160 gallons, and use a hydraulic pump for spraying. I wish to 
use the Bordeaux with Paris-green, and also kerosene emulsion 
for Apple aphis. Can I not combine the two mixtures, apply 
both at the same time, and have them effective, both for fungous 
diseases, Bud moth and Apple aphis ? 
ANSWERED BY M. V. 8LINGERLAND. 
A few years ago, while experimenting in the making 
of different insecticides and fungicides, I succeeded in 
forming a combination which, at the time, seemed to 
be an almost perfect panacea for all the insect and fun¬ 
gous ills that might tiouble the fruit grower. I com¬ 
bined the following well-known insecticides and 
fungicides: Paris-green (for biting or chewing in¬ 
sects), kerosene emulsion (for sucking insects, like the 
Apple aphis), and Bordeaux Mixture, the famous 
fungicide. One can readily understand what a de¬ 
structive power seemed to lurk behind the mask of 
this “ panacea ”. It has been repeatedly shown that 
Bordeaux Mixture and Paris-green are easily com¬ 
bined, and that the destructive effect of neither in¬ 
gredient is lessened ; this combination has now come 
into general use by all who spray intelligently. 
Attempts have been made to combine the insecti¬ 
cides, Paris-green and kerosene emulsion, but without 
success; the arsenite cannot be made to unite satis¬ 
factorily with the oily, lighter emulsion Recently, 
whale-oil soap has again come into prominence as an 
insecticide for sucking insects, and it is rapidly taking 
the place of kerosene emulsion ; it is easier to make, 
and just as effective, if not more so; I doubt, however, 
whether Paris-green will combine with it much more 
readily than with the emulsion. 
A combination of Bordeaux Mixture and kerosene 
emulsion strongly recommends itself to pear growers 
who have the Pear psylla and the scab fungus to fight, 
and to apple growers who find it necessary to spray 
for the Apple aphis and the scab fungus. In my ex¬ 
periments, I made the Bordeaux and the emulsion 
according to the formulas given by S. N., and by care¬ 
fully following the directions, I found that I could 
quite readily combine the two in any proportions re¬ 
quired, and the resulting mixture remained stable for 
weeks ; in fact, the Bordeaux, as a mechanical mix¬ 
ture, was improved, for the emulsion held the lime in 
suspension, so that the tendency to settle to the bot¬ 
tom was reduced to a minimum. The addition of the 
Paris-green to the Bordeaux before the emulsion was 
put in, did not visibly affect the mixture. Up to this 
point, the combination was a success, but it remained 
to be seen how it would stand a practical test by the 
ordinary fruit grower in the field. Theoretically, it 
was a perfect panacea. 
Our hopes were soon blasted, however, for further 
experimentation here at the insectary showed that, 
unless the Bordeaux was rightly made, the emulsion 
would not form a stable combination with it, and 
sometimes would scarcely mix at all. The best com¬ 
bination was obtained when the Bordeaux was exactly 
neutral chemically, that is neither too acid nor too 
alkaline. Thus, nine times out of ten. as the Bor¬ 
deaux is made by the fruit grower, the emulsion 
would not mix with it satisfactorily. The difficulty 
of making it, was thus the first obstacle to this 
“ panacea.” 
I soon saw it made and applied on a large scale. 
The making was a success, and it worked as easily 
through the sprayer and nozzle as the Bordeaux alone. 
But an examination of the trees after the sprayer had 
passed showed that the mixture had not spread so 
evenly over the tree as would either of the ingredients 
alone. Here is the weakest point in the mixture. When 
the fine spray struck the leaves, the minute particles 
seemed to be drawn together into larger oily drops, 
leaving considerable areas unwet. There is a tendency 
in the Bordeaux alone to do this, but it was increased 
by the oil in the emulsion. Thus this “panacea” 
suggested by S. N., while it can be made, cannot be 
recommended for general use, for the reasons detailed 
above. 
There still remains the equally as effective insecti¬ 
cide for sucking insects—whale-oil soap—to be thor¬ 
oughly tested in this “ panacea ” in place of the kero¬ 
sene emulsion. There is a possible chance that the 
combination can be made with the soap, for it is said 
that soap has been used with the Bordeaux to 
make it adhere better. Experiments are now in 
progress here at the experiment station with various 
combinations of Bordeaux Mixture, whale-oil soap, 
and Paris-green. I very much doubt, however, 
whether such a “bug” and fungus “ panacea ” will 
ever become a practical reality for the fruit grower. 
I think that the sucking insects can be more effectu¬ 
al^ fought by using the proper insecticide alone, 
rather than in combination. The most effective in¬ 
secticides for sucking insects are of an oily or soapy 
nature, and it is thus doubtful whether these can be 
successfully combined with the Bordeaux Mixture as 
made by the fruit grower on a large scale. 
Treatment for Old Pastures. 
P. C.. Williamson , N. Y .—I have an old pasture which has never 
been plowed, but pastured for years, too rough and stony to pay 
for tilling, and nothing but wild or native grasses grow upon it, 
no clover unless it be a little White, and no Timothy. Of course, 
this lot is sodded over. Would Sweet clover seed sown on such 
land prove a partial or total failure, and at what season of the 
year is it best to sow it ? How much seed should be sown per 
acre? Where can it be purchased, and at what price? Would 
it be policy to seed an apple orchard with it ? We live in a sec¬ 
tion where part of our soil is light and sandy, where it is difficult 
to secure a catch of our native clovers. 
Ans. —Experiments have recently been made by 
the Cornell Experiment Station to determine how old, 
moss-grown pastures can be renovated. There are 
many pastures on land which is fit for nothing else. 
The land is too rocky and hilly to be plowed, yet the 
moss and weeds have so outrun the grass that the 
pasture seems almost to have survived the period of 
its usefulness. In most such cases, the soil has be¬ 
come acid, and until this has been removed, the culti¬ 
vated grasses cannot be made to grow. I recommend 
the following treatment : Go to the drug store and 
purchase five cents’ worth of blue litmus paper. Make 
an opening in the soil with a spade, and press the 
moist soil against the litmus paper. Allow it to remain 
for five minutes, then take the paper out and examine 
it. If it turn red, the soil is sour or acid. Purchase 
fresh-burned stone lime, slake it by putting it in small 
piles and covering over with soil, and spread the 
slaked lime at the rate of about 20 bushels per acre. 
If air-slaked lime be used, spread 40 bushels per acre. 
Harrow the land with a spike-tooth harrow, and 
thoroughly scarify the surface. In this way, the moss 
