190<f. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
EVENTS OF THE WEEK. 
DOMESTIC.—South Lima, N. Y., was almost swept out of 
existence hy fire August 10. Soon after midnight flames 
were discovered issuing from a barn owned by Frank Ityers. 
A heavy wind was blowing and the flames quickly spread to 
Mr. lteyers's home. The general store was next in flames, 
and then the fire was communicated to the great cold storage 
plant for which South Lima is famous. These buildings 
and four other homes and barns were destroyed. The loss 
is $50,000, about half of which is covered by insurance. 
South Lima is three miles south of Livonia, and is one of 
the greatest onion and celery regions in the "United States. 
. . . The Jim Crow law in Maryland is not working out 
quite as well as its autnors expected. Orders have been 
issued on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to conductors to 
allow negro passengers holding through tickets from Hagers¬ 
town, Frederick, Cumberland and Philadelphia to sit in the 
cars with white passengers. Only way passengers are to be 
compelled to sit in the cars provided for negroes. Tha 
holder of an interstate ticket is thus protected from the 
operation of the law in Maryland. The negro passengers 
may elect to sit where they please. The Baltimore and Ohio 
authorities construe the new law as not compelling them to 
provide separate compartments for negro people on through 
trains from Washington to Philadelphia or New York. On 
trains between Washington and Baltimore separate compart 
ments are provided, although the interstate principle is con¬ 
ceded to obtain in this case. ... Of the 153 passengers 
known to have been on the Missouri Pacific flyer which went 
through a washed-out trestle into a flooded stream at Eden, 
Col., August 7, 80 dead have been identified, two are uniden¬ 
tified, 32 known are missing and one is reported missing. 
The search for victims of the wreck was resumed August 10, 
but the chances of further recovery of dead grow fainter as 
time passes, although many persons supposed to be victims 
are yet unaccounted for. It has been learned that several 
men have been driven away from bodies they were about to 
rob. Holding of bodies for ransom has also been reported. 
The Barringer gold mine, near Gold Hill, Rowan 
County, N. C., was flooded August 11, causing the death of 
eight men employed in the mine. Nine men were in the main 
shaft when a large pond near the entrance to the mine 
broke loose through excessive rains. The water rushed in 
to a depth of about 100 feet upon the men. Thomas Moyle, 
manager of the plant, was the only one to escape death. 
. . . Eire in a wagon factory at Paterson, N. .T., August 
11, caused a loss of $50,000. Within a few hundred yards 
of the fire stand the ruins of property destroyed by fire with¬ 
in the past four months which represent a loss of $580,000. 
This loss is responsible for the raise of not less than 15 
per cent on all insurance policies in the city. . . . Ten 
persons were drowned as the result of the capsizing of a 
naphtha launch on the Potomac River, off Georgetown, D. C., 
during the annual Potomac regatta August 13. Four others 
who were on the launch escaped. . . . Two persons were 
killed and 10 injured by an elevator accident in a New York 
business building August*15. More than 500 pounds of cast 
iron weights—counterweights used in operating tlie elevator 
—broke loose from the guards in the shaft and, falling almost 
the entire length of the building, crushed through the thin 
network of wire covering the elevator, on the heads of the 
passengers. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—The National Nut Growers’ Asso 
ciation will meet at St. Louis, Mo., October 26-28; secretary, 
Dr. J. F. Wilson, Poulan, Ga. 
The Society of American Florists met in annual convention 
at St. Louis, Mo., August 16-19. 
OUTLOOK FOR THE APPLE CROP. 
There will be in this section nearly as many apples a9 
last year. Quality of fruit excellent, clear, bright and large 
for time of year. Pears very light crop. Nearly all growers 
put in barrels early at 37 cents ; price now 38 cents, delivered. 
West Coxsackie, N. Y. c. J. l. 
No apples in this county, Warrick. Some counties east, 
bordering on the Ohio River, have average crops. Dry 
weather in this county is hurting the corn crop, which was 
the finest for many years. Wheat thrashing is complete and 
a good average crop. e. t. j. 
Chandler, Ind. 
Apples in this section will he about one-third of a crop. 
Barrels are about the same price as last season, 35 cents 
for cash or 35% on time. All of the largest growers have 
ordered their barrels and are now having them delivered. 
We expect 1,000 barrels of apples this Fall, which are very 
fine in quality. ” N. T. 
Hamlin, N. Y. 
Apples are a fuller crop and fairer than for many years 
about here, although complaint of sca'b reaches us from 
farther north near Imke Ontario. Barrels are offered now in 
fair quantities at 38 cents, against 50 cents last year. Indi¬ 
viduals are not buying barrels as they once did, depending 
on apple buyers to furnish apple barrels and pack the stock, 
Weedsport, N. Y. J. G. 
I believe there are not as many apples in tills section as 
there were last year by at least one-third. The quality at 
this time shows very fine. Three-fourths of the growers 
have made some arrangement for their barrels at from 35 
to 40 cents, and it is predicted that such preparations have 
been made beforehand by so many that the price will not 
advance. t. b. wilson. 
Ontario Co., N. Y. 
There is a full apple crop in this section of good quality; 
no worms or fungus where not sprayed. Barrels are worth 
40 cents now; farmers are not buying any yet. The dealers 
ship a good many pickeu apples in bulk. No bushel boxes 
have been used here yet. Two evaporators are being built 
near here to use natural gas to dry with. It is early yet 
and help is very scarce, but if the price of barrel apples is 
low all but the best will be sold to the evaporator. 
Ionia, N. Y. a. l. b. 
This year’s apple crop in Seneca County, N. Y., will be 
fully up to that of 1903 in quantity, but not, I think, in 
quality. Less spraying was done this year than usual, and 
there is some appearance of scab. Hail also injured a num¬ 
ber of orchards. Local coopers are asking 40 cents per bar¬ 
rel, although we have had them quoted to us from away for 
34 cents. Fruit growers are already laying in their barrels, 
taking warning from last season. w. A. bassett. 
Seneca Co., N. Y. 
The fungus is increasing much more on unsprayed than on 
well sprayed apples, and it reminds me of conditions two 
years ago. The quantity of good apples is less than a 
year ago. There will not be a barrel famine here this 
season. The barrels cost 35 cents each, and they are extra 
strong, being made by machinery at Hilton. The peach and 
quince crops are very heavy; plums light. Western New 
York will need outside help to gather the peaches and apples 
this Fall. J. B. COLLAMER. 
Monroe Co., N. Y. 
Apples are very smooth and free from fungus in orchards 
which have been properly sprayed. Barrels seem to be plen¬ 
tiful, but more expensive than last year, there evidently 
being an understanding among the coopers to preserve an 
even schedule of prices. I have heard of some growers pur¬ 
chasing barrel stock knocked down and then hiring coopers 
and setting them up. My opinion is that first-class western 
New York apples will be wanted, although it may be neces¬ 
sary to store in order to secure a good price. The past 
Winter did not. damage our orchards to speak of. Along 
the lake the loss is immense. Peaches are a good crop here. 
Pears light, especially Bartlett. Plums and prunes are a 
light crop. A. E. B. 
Brighton, N. Y. 
Apples are looking better than they did three weeks ago. 
The dry weather has given the fruit a bright glossy color. 
The crop compared with last year is 75 per cent. The price 
of barrels starts off about the same as last year, from 35 to 
35 cents. Farmers are buying earlier than usual, but stock 
is high and those who wait for barrels until October will 
hay.e to pay 45 cents. One orchard of 25 acres has been sold 
for 40 cents per 100, fruit to be picked and drawn to the 
cars; buyer takes everything, cider apples included, at that 
price. Many apples will be sold in bulk : it saves a great 
amount of high-priced labor. It is the opinion of many that 
barrels will be as high and hard to obtain as last year. 
Farmers are looking for $2 per barrel when put. up and 
delivered at cars; considering the high price of labor that 
will only pay the farmer a fair price for his fruit. 
Rushville, N. Y. w. it. f. 
Our apple crop bids fair to be as large as last year. The 
orchards that were thoroughly sprayed have a fine lot ot 
apples, free from the fungus, but those that were not sprayed 
have some fungus; some more than others. The crop is 
principally Baldwins and Greenings. I have not heard ot 
any price being offered. The prospects are that apple bar¬ 
rels will be more plentiful this year, as the coopers have 
been to work about six weeks, and a great many farmers 
have their supply of barrels already on hand. They are 
delivering barrels every day, and the coopers have a largs 
amount of stock on hand. The chances are that barrels will 
be cheapei later in the season. A cooper told me the middle 
of July that he had more barrels contracted then than than 
he had last year the first of September. Barrels have sold 
37 to 38 cents apiece for most of them. The final outcome 
will depend on the weather we have from now until picking 
time. w. p. k. 
Williamson, N. Y. 
The apple crop in this vicinity, and I think in Niagara 
County as a whole, will about equal last year In quantity, 
and in sprayed orchards the fruit is of high quality. But in 
unsprayed orchards, which are more numerous than usual, 
the quality is inferior. Those that I have seen were very 
scabby, and not to exceed 25 per cent would grade No. 1. 
This fact will reduce the amount of first grade probably 
below that of last year. There will probably be no shortage 
of barrels in this section, as coopers began making early in 
June, and shops have been fully manned. The prevailing 
price has been 35 cents, and growers have ordered freelj 
and are storing in many cases to the full amount of the 
expected crop. Beaches will about equal last year's crop, 
notwithstanding the fact that thousands of trees were 
winter-killed, and some of the best orchards near the lake 
are light. The shortage will be made up by young orchards 
and an increased production in the older orchards back from 
the lake. The pear crop is very light, probably not more 
than half, but the quality is unusually fine, owing to the 
almost complete absence of the psylla. Blums are also very 
light; in many orchards nearly a failure. Quinces are a 
full Crop. W. T. MANN. 
Niagara Co., N. Y. 
The apple situation is peculiar. From what I can see and 
hear from 20 men in different directions I cannot think that 
there are as many apples this year as last in this county. 
Last year the apples were so fine that the culls would be 
from four quarts to half a bushel from each barrel, very 
few sorting more than that. This year a great many apples 
have a little to a good deal of scab. The owner of an 
orchard I was through recently has bought 1,000 barrels foi 
the crop. I would not take it to-day and expect to fill 400 
of salable fruit; think of whole trees having apples from 
three-fourths to 1% inch, looking at 40 trees and finding 
nothing better. Orchard was plowed two years ago, weeds 
cut last year, grass and weeds this year; ground 10 feet 
above creek alongside, sprayed last year and this. Foliage 
poor; can see through the tree tops. It had some manure 
last year. Another orchard (he other side of the creek, same 
elevation, same age, same treatment, plowed two years ago, 
“Let’s shake, old lady. I see by the papers beef eating is 
getting to be a luxury and cow’s milk causes tuberculosis. 
Maybe now, we can enjoy a little vacation.”—Chicago 
Record-IIerald. 
sprayed this year, foliage fine, leaves twice size of first 
orchard; no fungus on leaves at spraying time and none 
since. First orchard leaves with 10 to 20 spots on each 
before spraying time, scab remains; very little or no scab 
on apples in either orchard, in second orchard trees pre¬ 
sent as fine an appearance at a distance or on close inspec¬ 
tion as one could desire to see, and are loaded with splendid 
fruit. It looks as though many nmbs would break before 
Fall. This orchard is underlaid with gravel, in places 10 
feet thick : both in sight of my own, which in appearance is 
between the two. I sprayed all three this Spring, using 
same amount of vitriol and lime on each. My apples are 
nice; have none of the little stuff in first named; leaves on 
mine covered with 10 to 20 spots of scab at time of spray¬ 
ing; same age, elevation ana time oi plowing. Mine has 
had one to two cords of manure in last two years. I cannot 
account for the difference unless the soil on second orchard 
did not retain the great amount of water we have had this 
Summer like the first and mine. I was in a large orchard 
10 miles from here first of this week in same condition. A 
good many trees have apples so small and covered with scab. 
I would not pick them. Some of the finest orchards of fruit 
are in grass for years, some carefully cultivated, some not 
plowed for two or three years One of the worst looking 
orchards I have seen this Summer had a couple of thousand 
barrels last year; well sprayed last and this year and now 
under nice tillage. A great many orchards have shed 10 to 
30 or 40 per cent of their leaves during the last two weeks 
with yellow leaf: the yellow leaf has not appeared in any 
unsprayed orchard so far as I can learn. This wonderful 
difference in condition is something I cannot understand; 
every theory I have heard of is upset in some place or other, 
A couple of months ago the coopers agreed to sell and 
deliver apple ^barrels before August 15 for 35 cents cash; 
barrel stock has advanced a couple of cents each and now 
cannot be bought less than 36, 37 or 38 cents. One man who 
is delivering for one cooper a week ago told me lie had 
delivered then 10,500 barrels. I hear that the workmen are 
feeling blue because so many have been made early in the 
season. They get five cents for making. Last Fall they de¬ 
manded nine cents. Beach crop good; pears nearly full crop. 
Orleans Co., N. Y._ r. 
NOTES ON SEED PEA GROWING. 
For the past two months 1 have been almost constantly 
in Michigan pea and bean fields, and have enjoyed excep¬ 
tional opportunities for comparing many varieties at various 
stages of growth and upon all kinds of soil. On the whole 
the season has been less favorable for these crops than that 
of 1903. In some sections very heavy rains in early June 
washed oi drowned out hundreds of acres, while in others 
the month of July was very dry. Beans are fairly well 
podded, but the stand is far from good, while at this critical 
period most parts of the State are suffering from drought. 
Generally speaking, peas have made a shorter vine growth 
and are ripening earlier than usual. I have again visited 
many fields of Gradus (Prosperity or Ideal, if you wish) 
peas; but have seen nothing to change my views with regard 
to it. I have grown it as a field and garden crop since its 
introduction in the United States, but have never grown a 
pea with so weak a constitution, nor one that gave such uni¬ 
formly poor yields. In conversation with farmers who have 
been pea growers all their lives. I have heard only condem¬ 
nation for this variety. Still, it will continue to be a pop¬ 
ular pea with novices and those who cau afford to pay the 
price asked for the seed, for the sake of having large-podded 
peas early. If it were not for its poor yielding there is no 
reason on earth why it should continue to command the 
price it does. I notice that the acreage of Alaska is con¬ 
641 
siderably less than during recent years, probably owing to a 
large surplus carried over from 1903. These, with Extra 
Early, are a fair crop, though in some instances rather short 
in vine. Of the dwarf wrinkled sorts Nott's, Surprise and 
\Ym. Hurst have done well. I noticed one peculiar thing 
on an Arenac County farm. There were two fields of Nott's 
Excelsior, one almost uniformly 12 inches in height, the 
other nearly 2% feet. Had I not known that the stock was 
perfectly pure and came from a single field last year, it 
would have been difficult to believe that they were the same 
variety. The difference was caused solely by the character 
of the soil. One field was a rather light gravel, long under 
cultivation. Here the peas were short. The other field 
was a mixture of black loam and clay, rather low and had 
grown but one other crop. These conditions were a trifle 
too favorable for the production of dwarf peas. The old 
Champion of England seems to hang on to popularity, though 
there are certainly better peas to-day. An Englishman, who 
grew this variety in England many years ago, tells me that 
it has changed very much in quality since he first knew it. 
I wonder how many of the seed pea growers actually 
“rogue” their crops. [By “rogueing” is meant going through 
the field and pulling out' all plants that are not true to the 
desired type.—E ds.J They all claim to do so. I see hun¬ 
dreds of fields of peas annually that are not “rogued,” and 
never an acre of them but needs it. I know of hundreds of 
acres of garden peas this season that contained two to 10 
per cent of peas that were out of place. I remember one 
lot of Tom Thumb that was fully a third Extra Early. A 
man in one of the New England States recently informed me 
that some of his Nott's Excelsior produced vines three feet 
in length, while others did not exceed six inches. Is it any 
wonder? In the growing contracts of many seedsmen there 
is a provision for “rogueing,” but from personal observation 
I could not say that the provision is carried out. In my 
home county I know that the practice exists in imagination 
only. Many companies have been represented here, but the 
only crops rogued were those under my personal charge. 1 
have placed contracts for houses which not only would not 
pay for “rogueing,” but which cleaned their stock seed with 
a mill and never picked. I call to mind one house in partic¬ 
ular, which bought the bulk of its stock seed every year. 
Its crops were never rogued, seldom inspected, yet its stock 
was always “the best on earth” when put on the market. 
Small wonder that the same quart of seed produces vines 
from six to 36 inches in length. edw. e. evans. 
Michigan. 
R. N.-Y".—The Gradus pea is popular locally because it 
yields the earliest large peas of high quality. A nearby 
trucker secured a bushel of the true stock last Spring by 
means of an advance order at a cost of $12. He planted 
them early in good soil and gave them careful attention. 
There was a very tolerable yield of fine peas, selling rapidly 
in the vicinity for $1.50 per bushel, while the smooth earlies 
would only bring 80 cents to $1 a bushel. The day the last 
bushel of Gradus was marketed other wrinkled peas came in 
and the price broke to $1 a bushel. The trucker figures out 
that he made several hundred per cent on the difference be¬ 
tween the cost price of his Gradus seeds and that of other 
large-podded varieties in the outcome. A difference of a 
very few days in earliness in favor of Gradus made the 
profit. He will continue to plant Gradus if he can get seed 
at any price within reason until a more productive variety 
at least as early and having [lie same characteristics is pro¬ 
duced. 
SAN JOSE SCALE IN MARYLAND. 
Along about 1893 to 1895, and while Brof. W. G. Johnston 
was entomologist of Maryland Agricultural College, I was 
starting a small nursery, and in order to expedite matters 
purchased a_ lot of transplanting stock from a prominent 
Geneva, N. Y., nursery. It grew well and the second season, 
when Brof. Johnston was up to examine the stock, he dis¬ 
covered two trees with the remnants of some scale on them, 
lie was surprised that he could find no more nor any live 
scales, for with no other to be found in the county he was 
satisfied it had come in with the stock. In his annual 
report next following he remarked that evidently the altitude 
of Garrett as well as natural insects of prey were all against 
the rapid spread of the San Josd scale in that section. The 
next season, while going over my orchards with the Professor 
I drew the latter's attention to a pear tree which was be- 
coming pretty well plastered over with Blum scale. After 
a little explanation the Professor remarked that all the old 
scales seemed to have some disease, and advised me to watch 
the case and report. By Fall not a live scale could be found 
on the tree, and none have been noticed on it since. The 
matter was duly reported to the entomologist who followed 
Mr. Johnston the next season, and having frequently seen 
what I took to be Blum scale on bushes in the woods, both 
myself and the State Entomologist spent several hours in 
search of scale in the woods, but though there were plenty of 
marks where scale had been no live scale could be found. 
A number of years ago a neighbor of mine had several 
trees affected with the San Jose scale so badlv that one of 
the trees finally died. Mistrusting what was the matter, he 
took a specimen to the farmers’ institute, where the State 
officials quickly told him ttiat he had a genuine case of 
San Jos€ scale. He watched it very closely, but that is all 
he ever did. It got on to three trees. As before stated, one 
died, one got over it with no apparent trouble, while the 
third shows the effect of it in a roughened bark and a con¬ 
stricted portion where it was the worst, but otherwise is 
now as vigorous as could be wished. These trees were three 
or four years old when it was first noticed. Oyster shell 
bark louse is not common; in fact, I remember seeing it oh 
but one of my trees in the last 18 years, and that for only 
one season. I would hardly say that my section is immune 
from San Jose : most emphatically I do not want to exper¬ 
iment with it in my orchards. I simply give the above facts, 
and hope the men of science will tell us if we have found a 
disease or insects too much for our foreign visitor. 
Maryland. _ c. t. sweet. 
FLORIDA NOTES.—The corn crop is about ready to 
gather; oats were harvested in May, rye also. The Irish 
potato crop was dug in April and early May. and shipped 
North; some of it sold as high as $10 per bushel. Niagara 
grapes ripened in June; Scuppernong, black and white 
are now ripening. The Sumatra tobacco crop grown under 
half shade is a fine crop, and it is nearly all housed; it 
yields 1.000 pounds per acre, and brings 30 to 40 cents per 
pound loose packed in dry goods boxes, unassorted and in 
big bundles. Melons were fine and shipped in May and June 
at $50 to $150 per car. Now is the time to come' to Florida 
to grow Winter vegetables and berries. w. e. e. 
Dade City, Fla. 
BUSINESS BITS. 
The pulverizer and harrow made by the Peterson Mfg. 
Co., Kent, O., is well adapted for lumpy or baked soil, and 
will put such soil in a perfect condition for a seed bed. 
It is a puherizer and roller combined. All, interested should 
send for full information to above address*. 
All the good qualities and advantages in a farm wagon 
are embodied in a high degree in the Electric Handy wagon. 
It is very easy to load, saving more than half the lift. 
This advantage will be appreciated in hauling manure, 
stumps, logs, bowlders and green corn for filling the silo. 
The whole story of its worth as well as details of con¬ 
struction, etc., will be found in the large illustrated cata¬ 
logue of the Electric Wheel Co., of Quincy. Ill. Write for 
the book. They mail it free to all our readers. 
It’s the farmer who protects his cows from flies during 
the hot days who gets in return a larger quantity of milk. 
There is one stock protector that has stood every test ap¬ 
plied to it. About 20 years ago there was first offered for 
sale a simple remedy for flies called “Shoo-Fly.” Year after 
year this protector has done what has been claimed for it. 
This wonderful protector of cattle in fly-time is a harmless 
liquid that not only keeps flies away, but kills all that it 
strikes when sprayer is used, and is also a preventive of 
contagious abortion and other diseases. Cures all sores, 
scratches, skin diseases, hoof ailments, etc. “Slioo-FIy” is 
for sale by mostly all dealers, but if for any reason it cannot 
be obtained, send $1 to the Shoo-Fly Mfg. Co., 1005 Fair- 
mount avenue, Philadelphia, Pa., and get in return the 
latest improved three-tube sprayer and enough “Shoo-Fly” 
to protect 200 cows. If it does not do what is claimed for 
it, money will be cheerfully returned. 
