1904. 
683 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
DISEASE OF EGG PLANTS. 
I saw in some book or paper a statement that putting 
kainit at rate of 1,000 or 1,500 pounds per acre in rows 
before planting egg plants, and 300 to 500 pounds more of 
same around plant before blooming, they would not “damp 
ofT’ or blight. Will you give me all the information possible 
about this; what you think best quantity to use and when? 
Also your best plan for these diseases. We have lots of 
trouble after plants are set out just before they begin to 
bear. They will all droop and die inside of three days. I 
think it is caused by “damping off" or “bliglflt.” Which do 
you think It is, and how can I tell the difference? Do you 
think kainit and nitrate of soda will do as well just simply 
put around plants and left on top of ground as when raked 
or worked in? Some here say both will do as well left on 
top; others say neither one will, and still others say kainit 
would best be worked in and nitrate of soda left on top, not 
worked in. Do you think Bordeaux Mixture would prevent 
"damping off" and “blight” as well as the kainit, or would 
you advise use of both, and if so, how often? J. s. c. 
Dade Co., Fla. 
EXPERIENCE WITH BLIGHT— I have been 
growing egg plant, or trying to, for nearly 20 years. In 
the beginning, or say 15 or 20 years ago, there was little 
trouble to grow egg plant so far as diseases were con¬ 
cerned ; as time passed we began to have trouble. Two 
diseases appeared, “damping off” and “blight,” the last 
named by far the hardest to handle, and the one doing 
so much ’damage to growers the country over to-day. 
On some farms to-day it is practically impossible to pro¬ 
duce a crop, while on nearby farms they grow fairly 
well. Why is this? I claim that it is because the soil 
becomes infested with blight germs and inoculates the 
plant through its roots as soon as set, there multiplying 
until it kills the plant, which usually occurs about time 
fruit is setting. I have known this disease to show be¬ 
fore plants were taken from the beds to the field; this 
is caused I think by growing the plant in infested soil. 
I tried to prove this by experiment the present season. 
I grew most of my plants on sterilized soil, but grew a 
few in soil not sterilized. The plants grown in unster- 
ilizcd soil did not amount to anything after being trans¬ 
ferred to the field, while those grown in sterilized soil 
grew and produced some fruit, while they did blight later. 
I think it shows that this disease comes from the soil 
rather than from the air. Supposing this to be a fact, 
what possible good can be derived from the use of Bor¬ 
deaux Mixture sprayed on the leaves? One might as 
well put a rubber hat on one’s head to keep the feet dry. 
I sprayed this whole lot of plants from the time they 
began to grow in the field till they showed blight very 
plainly. If this disease communicates from the soil and 
the soil only, we must look in that direction if we expect 
to overcome it. It has been stated that kainit used at 
the rate of 1,000 to 1,500 pounds per acre prior to setting 
plants and 300 to 500 pounds hoed in around plants, and 
also wood ashes and salt in liberal quantities, will pre¬ 
vent this disease. Who has tried it and with what 
result? How much salt will an egg plant stand and 
prosper? I am satisfied in my own mind that we must 
look to soil for this disease, and there apply our reme¬ 
dies if we expect to grow egg plant successfully. On 
some farms this crop thrives fairly well with but little 
disease. On these farms the crop has been grown a 
comparatively short time, the grower being very partic¬ 
ular to grow plants in new soil, and planting on ground 
that has not had this crop on before. 
DAMPING OFF.—The disease known as “damping 
off” is not so difficult to handle, and rarely occurs except 
to young tender plants at time of transplanting. It 
plants are properly hardened off before moving there 
need be but little fear from this source. It is easily de¬ 
tected ; the plant rots at surface of the ground and falls 
over and dies, while with the “blight” the main stalk 
stands erect and only the leaves die at first. 
APPLYING FERTILIZER.—In planting egg plants 
as well as most other truck crops I prefer using my 
phosphoric acid and potash broadcast after plowing and 
before harrowing, working all well in the soil with har¬ 
row. At time of setting plants I use some form of nitro¬ 
gen in and around hills; nitrate of soda I have used, but 
do not find it as beneficial as some forms of organic ni¬ 
trogen, preferably fish in any form; raw fish where they 
are to be had giving best results from side dressing. In 
using nitrate of soda I always work it in the soil. It 
dissolves quickly, and is then where the plant can use it 
at once if needed, but when applied on surface and no 
rain follows soon it is slow in its action. In localities 
where showers are frequent it makes no difference. In 
gathering the crop use pruning shears and cut each fruit 
clean. It does less damage to plant than any other 
method I have tried. Last, but not least, don’t let fruit 
get too large before cutting. A medium-sized fruit with 
good color always sells for more than dull colored fruits 
of larger size. 
STERILIZING THE SOIL.—This was done by hav¬ 
ing a steam coil made by a plumber. Mine was made as 
follows: five runs nine feet long made of 1%-inch pipe. 
These were drilled every five inches with 5-16 drill, turn¬ 
ing the pipe quarter way around every time drill was set. 
and drilled holes all way through. This turning of the 
pipes makes holes at right angles to each other. These 
five pipes were then threaded and screwed into cross¬ 
heads (114-inch pipes for heads) at either end, using 
right-hand nipples on one end and left-hand on the 
other; these five pipes were placed one foot apart, mak¬ 
ing the whole apparatus four feet wide and nearly 10 
feet long when finished. See Fig. 302. In the center 
at one end a connection is made with ^j-inch pipe to 
admit steam. This connection may seem small, but it 
worked all right, and will give a 10-horse power boiler 
a great hustle to keep it going for over two hours. Next 
in order is a good eight or 10 horse-power "boiler, also a 
box sufficiently large to be 10 inches clear of pipe on all 
sides and two feet deep. This should not be termed a 
TOTATO IN A POTATO. Fig. 304. 
box, although it is box-shaped. Floor should be inde¬ 
pendent, sides and ends also, so it can be removed with 
less labor. Fill half full of soil to be sterilized, lay on 
your pipe coil, and cover with strips of burlap to keep 
perforations from becoming clogged. Now fill box full 
of soil, cover with canvas or a tight board cover, and 
weight down. Make connection with good hose from 
boiler to coil, fire up till you have not less than 40 
pounds pressure, and keep it there till finished if possible. 
This operation will require nearly or quite 2hours. 
It should be kept steadily heating till all soil in the en¬ 
closure, corners, ends and every particle, is heated to 
over 200 degrees, and when this has been reached for 
a short time, say 10 or 15 minutes, I will guarantee that 
about everything in it is cooked, even to one’s finger nails, 
should you attempt to try it that way. 1 know, for I 
have been there. Soil treated to this process must be, 
and is absolutely pure; free from all foul seeds, insects 
and germs. There may be other and even better ways 
of doing this work, but this was the way I did it, and it 
works well for small operations. c. c. hulsart. 
New Jersey. 
APPLE LAND IN NEW ENGLAND. 
Many of the old abandoned farms in Massachusetts 
have as fertile soils as are found in the Valley of the 
Connecticut River, and better adapted to apple orchards.. 
Ideal soils for orchards can be found in every town, and 
good land can be bought within two to five miles of ex¬ 
cellent markets and railroad stations at reasonable 
prices. Clay soils free from stones are better adapted 
for grass. The Connecticut Valley produces apple trees 
30 feet or more in height, with fruit of the largest 
EARLY-RIPENING SEEDLING PLUMS. Fig. 305. 
See Rurallsms, Page (>SG. 
size; though not as late keeping as are grown in the hill 
towns. Such tall trees are unhandy to pick. Land on 
the hills with clay and gravel subsoil, is number one 
orchard soil. Usually there are small and large stones 
on what we call gravelly land. 
1 stood in an orchard where they were harvesting 
about 2,000 barrels of apples, and the owner, pointing 
toward the village, two miles distant, said: “That pas¬ 
ture can be bought for five dollars an acre, and if set 
to apple trees would in 10 years be worth $500.” A year 
ago the same man testified in court upon his oath, that 
in the hill town where he lived, apple orchards were 
worth from $500 to $600 an acre, when they were from 
10 to 20 years old and would last 60, 70 or SO years. I 
am not writing about orcharding, but concerning soils; 
otherwise I might counsel moderation. It is doubtful 
if this expert's opinion could be verified. That there 
is abundance of good orchard land in western Massa¬ 
chusetts need not be questioned. To find soil and 'lo¬ 
cation that would answer his purpose, (after the big 
fire in the city of Portland) a man moved his family to 
Springfield and for nearly three months looked over the 
ground; finally buying a small farm of good land, an 
extra good house and he doubts to this day if he could 
have done better. Doubtless it will pay to lake time and 
secure land and location suitable to the purpose desired. 
_ j. w. ADAMS, 
FLOWERS OR VEGETABLES UNDER GLASS. 
We sometimes hear of glass gardeners who change from 
flower culture to vegetables, or give up growing vegetables 
for flowers. There must be some good reason for such 
changes, and we would like to know why they are usually 
made. 
All such cases which have come under my observation 
almost invariably apply to men who had never had a 
proper training in gardening matters. By the word 
gardening I mean in its full sense, viz., the cultivation ot 
plants, fruits and flowers, both under glass and out¬ 
doors. It quite frequently happens that a man will make 
a start in the florist business by growing vegetables 
under glass, principally lettuce, radishes, etc., knowing 
full well that such subjects are much more easily handled 
than flowering or foliage plants. If successful with the 
first he may add another house or two for the growing 
of the latter, and if he succeeds here he may be tempted 
to go still further and attempt the growing of cut flowers, 
and this is usually the rock upon which such men either 
go to pieces or decide to return to the growing of vege¬ 
tables. With regard to the other side of the question, 
the turning from flowers to vegetables, I really cannot 
offer a satisfactory explanation, excepting that some¬ 
times the flower market is overdone in certain localities, 
and a grower sees that he can do better at growing 
vegetables. But here is a little of my own experience 
which may throw some light on the subject: 
Up to 1900 I had been growing violets successfully 
for a period of nearly 20 years, but at that time my stock 
became badly diseased with the so-called “leaf-spot,” 
and every season since it has been growing worse, until 
at last I realized that if I did not wish to lose any more 
money in violet growing I would have to grow some¬ 
thing else in the same space; consequently I have decided 
entirely to drop violets (at least for a few years) and 
to grow lettuce in the same space, for there is a good 
local demand for choice lettuce, and I feel sure it will 
pay me to cater to it. Here is another illustration: 
We have one house (without benches) which we devote 
to Chrysanthemums, and these are always followed up 
with cauliflower. Last Winter a friend here connected 
with one of the leading hotels in New York induced me 
to send to said hotel a box of three dozen heads of 
cauliflower. Immediately upon unpacking the same the 
proprietor telegraphed for more, and later by letter 
offered me $3.50 per dozen heads for all I could grow, 
a better price than I could get here at retail. Now I 
am considering the advisability of giving up Chrysanthe¬ 
mums and devoting the house to cauliflower entirely, or 
of building another house for the cauliflower crop. In 
either case you see I am pretty sure of a good market 
for the cauliflower at remunerative prices. 
Cumberland Co., Pa. jesse robbins. 
The largest grower of cut flowers in the United States, 
Peter Reinberg, of Chicago, began business under glass 
as a grower of vegetables, and it was doubtless due to 
a belief that the cut flower business promised greater 
profits that he ultimately changed to cut flowers. This 
alert man of business now owns nearly or quite one mil¬ 
lion square feet of glass, and is a shining example of 
the success that sometimes smiles upon the florist. 
Many men who now grow flowers began with vegetables 
because they needed quick returns for the investment, 
and a ready-money crop could be had in vegetables in 
less time than in flowers, but no hard and fast rule can 
be laid down for the beginner from the fact that so much 
depends upon locality and the available market. The 
latter conditions are unquestionably the chief factors in 
making a choice between these two branches of horti 
culture, though where equal opportunities are offered for 
each, it is probable that the flower end would give the 
greater orofit, but would require a larger outlay and be 
consequently a greater risk. There are some growers 
who combine the two branches profitably, for example, 
Robert Klagge, of Michigan, who grows both cucumbers 
and violets very well, but I am unable to say which end 
of his business Mr. Klagge finds most profitable in pro¬ 
portion to the space occupied. I cannot recall an exam¬ 
ple of a cut flower man who changed to vegetable grow¬ 
ing entirely, but have known of several who combined 
carnations, mushrooms and tomatoes in one establish¬ 
ment, the object being to get a quicker and larger return 
from their glass than was possible by growing one crop 
only. * W. H. TAPLIN. 
Philadelphia Co., Pa. 
