75o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
( )cto1)(T 1 ,"i. 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS 
Peculiarities of*the Season. —It is a 
common belief that severe Winter cold 
benefits the farmer more in the long run 
by killing out fungus and insect pests than 
it harms him by injuring vegetation. 
Fruitful Summers so often follow the sus¬ 
tained cold of long and hard Winters that 
this impression seems justified. This sea¬ 
son has not been an exception. The Win¬ 
ter was distressingly cold as a whole, and 
the Summer temperature with few inter¬ 
missions has constantly kept below the 
normal. Though cool for the season there 
have been many intervals of excessive hu¬ 
midity, favoring the development of mil¬ 
dew and similar troubles. Corn, toma¬ 
toes, peppers, egg-plant, vine and other 
tropical plants have grown well and yield¬ 
ed bounteously, the ample rainfall and un¬ 
usual humidity making up for the low av¬ 
erage temperature. The various root crops 
and the Brassicas or members of the cab¬ 
bage family, as a matter of course, found 
the cool, moist season to their liking. Po¬ 
tatoes made a phenomenal growth of tops 
and gave a good general yield, which in 
some instances has been cut down by rot 
and scab. Oats grew better than for 
many years. Winter wheat and rye were 
generally well filled, but the plants were 
frozen out in many places. The yield of 
hay, even in poor fields, was a record- 
breaker, but rain interfered with the har¬ 
vest to an unfortunate degree. Fruits of 
all kinds, with the exceptions of grapes 
and blackberries, have been abundant and 
of good quality. The failure of the fruits 
mentioned is directly attributable to hard 
freezing in Winter and consequent weak 
growth during the early Summer. 
Not so Many Pests. —While leaf mil¬ 
dew and fruit rot ran rampant during the 
muggy weather of midsummer, an unex¬ 
pected freedom from Cucumber and 
.Melon blight and Asparagus rust were 
grand compensations. Asparagus rust has 
been diminishing for the last three years, 
but this is the first season since its intro¬ 
duction that plantings have been really 
free. Tbe immunity from Melon blight 
was wholly unexpected, as no practical 
means of reducing its ravages had become 
known, and it was driving vine crops out 
of cultivation in this locality. Asparagus 
rust was being controlled to a consider¬ 
able degree by intensive culture and short 
cutting seasons, but nobody expected to 
see the disease diminish to such a marked 
degree. Many fields scarcely showed a 
trace of rust in the last weeks of Septem¬ 
ber. Peach leaf-curl was more in evidence 
than any other dangerous fungus trouble 
except Monilia rot. With the exceptions 
of an extraordinary and sinister increase 
of San Jose scale, and an old-time inva¬ 
sion of Rose beetles, insect pests have been 
far less troublesome than usual. Potato 
beetles did not show up until the crop 
was generally past danger. Little damage 
was done and not m.ueh effort made to 
suppress them. The result was an enor¬ 
mous development of adults or "hard- 
shells” in the fields of ripening potatoes, 
that marched out in armies in quest of 
new pastures as the tops died down. The 
beetles swarmed over egg-plant, tomato 
and pepper fields, fairly encrusting tbe 
fruits, and did considerable local harm, 
but found little opportunity to develop a 
later brood. Thousands were observed to 
die apparently of starvation, and it is to 
be hoped that few of these migrating 
"hardshells” will survive the coming Win¬ 
ter. The scarcity of insects extends in the 
Rural Grounds to the known enemies of 
the San Jose scale. Fewer Pentileas and 
ladybirds were seen than any season since 
this scale has been with us. In the past 
it was not unusual to find several 1 wice- 
stabbed ladybirds on a small tree shuck¬ 
ing out adult scales, but scarcely an indi¬ 
vidual has been noticed this Summer. The 
ineffectiveness of the liver-of-sulphur-lime 
wash used on the trees in Spring is made 
evident by the unusual spread of the scale, 
but there is little doubt the season has 
been especially favorable for its develop¬ 
ment. We never before found such large 
and corpulent individual scales as now 
crust the new growth of our infested trees. 
Evidently a cool, rainy Summer and a suc¬ 
culent young growth suits the scale. He 
certainly is not adversely affected by a se¬ 
vere Winter. We have before noted the 
welcome absence of moles. For some ob¬ 
scure reason this annoying plague has al¬ 
most vanished from the locality. There 
is no direct evidence that the cold Winter 
reduced the above-mentioned pests, but 
there is little harm and much comfort in 
the belief. It seems obvious that many 
farm and garden pests move in cycles with 
greater or less dependence on climatic 
changes. 
A Lucky Mistake. —Last year crops as 
a rule were scanty, but prices ruled high. 
T his season they are abundant, with fre¬ 
quent gluts and a general low level of 
prices. The present conditions are not 
unusual in a fruitful year, but are accen¬ 
tuated by disturbed commercial condi¬ 
tions. The successful grower at times 
works harder and receives less in a pro¬ 
ductive season than in a bad one. The 
poor farmer or gardener fails to make a 
profit, no matter how the season runs, for 
he has little to sell in years of scarcity and 
good prices, and only moderate crops 
when the opposite conditions prevail. Us¬ 
ually an error in planning or execution 
will result in loss, rarely in a decided 
gain. An instance of the latter occurred 
when a pickle grower nearby replanted by 
mistake several acres of cucumbers tbat 
failed to germinate well with muskmelon 
seeds. The season proved so favorable 
that pickles became a drug on tbe market, 
and were unsalable most of the time, 
while the melons yielded well and readily 
sold for an average of $2 a crate. This 
lucky mistake in planting the wrong seed 
turned the scales of profit to the side of 
the grower, and prevented loss on his sea¬ 
son’s work. This instance is more re¬ 
markable as muskmelons have been noto¬ 
riously unprofitable for several years past. 
Too Many Turnips. —Last year Sum¬ 
mer turnips were in high demand. They 
succeed well in our light soils and were 
very scarce in many other localities, nota¬ 
bly in New England. Boston buyers 
scoured the country, paying as high as 
$1.50 per barrel at the station. There is 
“good money” in turnips at this price, and 
many thousand dollars were brought into 
the community by the brisk demand. This 
Spring a larger acreage than usual was 
planted, but turnips grew well everywhere, 
other vegetables and many fruits were 
abundant. The anticipated demand did 
not materialize. The price never got above 
80 cents a barrel, and at least 5,000 barrels 
remained unsold in one locality. These 
are but instances in the trucker’s common 
experiences, and make us realize that a 
productive season is not always an un¬ 
mixed blessing. w. v. F. 
Peaches ix Son.—Peaches in many places 
were ruined by the recent frost, but I visited 
a small orchard last week, 10 years old, 
which had not been plowed since it was set out, 
but top-dressed every year. The ground was 
thick with clover, and the trees looked clean 
and tine. The owner claimed by plowing and 
keeping the ground mellow the roots are kept 
nearer the top of ground and they were not 
as healthy: this was in New Ilaven County. 
The orchard 1 speak of was not touched by 
frost; they were picking peaches. w. it. w. 
Connecticut. 
An Improved Tomato.—O. N. G. asks on 
page 701 if anyone can point out a tomato 
that: has the good qualities of Chalk's Jewel 
and is, in addition, a better shipper. I have 
for the past three years been growing for 
market a tomato that has combined in the 
highest degree the qualities of color, size, 
smoothness, shape and yield, and is. more¬ 
over. the most solid and the best in point 
of shipping quality of any tomato I have ever 
seen or grown. It is a second early, coming 
about two weeks after Sparks' Earliana and 
continuing until frost. Its best and most 
practical test is in the price it brings, which 
is always above that of any other I have 
tried. The color is red. very rich and deep, 
and in growing for a fancy market I have 
found that, other qualities being equal, a 
tomato of this color will always command a 
better price than the pink varieties. 
Wyandaneh, L. I. H. o. 
HOW TO GAIN FLESH 
The life of food is the fat 
within it—the more fat the 
more real benefit from the 
food; that is why cod liver 
oil is a powerful builder of 
flesh. 
Scott’s Emulsion of pure 
cod liver oil solves the 
problem of how to take cod 
liver oil. That is one reason 
why doctors have been pre¬ 
scribing Scott’s Emulsion for 
all wasting diseases, coughs, 
colds and bronchitis for 
almost thirty years. 
We’ll send you a sample free upon request. 
SCOTT & BOWNE, 4 oq Pearl Street. New York. 
m 
It Feels Good 
and It’s as good as it feels. That’s why old 
gentlemen and young gentlemen prefer 
Williams’ 
Shaving Soap 
Reason enough: Its creamy lather softens 
the beard as no other soap does. No other 
leaves such a refreshed satisfied feeling. 
"The only Soap fit for the face.’* 
Sold Throughout the World. 
Want to try itt We will gladly mail you a 
trial tablet if you will send l.s a two cent 
stamp to pay postage.and mention this paper. 
THE J. B. WILLIAMS CO., 
Glastonbury, Conn. 
TEN DAYS’ 
FREE TRIAL 
of Mann’s Latest Model 
Bone Cutter. No pay un¬ 
til you’re satisfied that it 
cuts easier and faster than 
any other. Catalog free. _ 
F.W. Mann Co.,Box 15. Milford. Mass. 
■ i c S "MEND-A-RIP” 
Docs all kinds of Light and Heavy Stitching 
Doea kind* 
of light and 
heavy riveting 
.Favkth* Price or Itkklf 
Many Timer a Yeah. A Perfect 
l Machine and Riveter combined 
Show it Mean* a Salt*. Agent* 
• from to $15 a day. One 
i made $20 firet day and writes to hurry 
to him. Write for special agents' price. 
J.U. Foote Foundry Co., Fredericktown, O. 
The Great Agents Supply House. 
KAZOO BUFFALO ROBES 
$ 1.00 
ON APPROVAL 
For Sleighs, Buggy or 
Automobile there is 
nothing finer to he 
had at any price 
American Buffalo 
Kobes are a thing of 
the past, but we offer 
the Kuzoo Buffalo Robe* a substitute that has every ap¬ 
pearance and many advantages over the genuine Buffalo 
Skin Robe. They are pliable, soft, lined with astrakhan 
and interlined with rubber cloth,making them absolutely 
wind and water-proof and much wanner and more com-* 
fortable than any stiff skin robe. These robes are woith 
$10.00 of any man's money and you will say so when you 
see them. You could not buy a more elegant appearing 
or more serviceable robe at $25 retail. 
Wc Sell Them to You Direct at Almost Factory Cost 
54x52.. 55.50 54x62. .. 30.50 54x72.. $7.60 
Send $1.00 as a guarantee of good faith. Fay your ex¬ 
press agent the balance when you get your robe. If you 
are not absolutely satisfied, tell the express agent to re¬ 
turn it to us at our expense and we will refund you your 
91.00 and pay express charges both ways. 
CASH SUPPLY & MFC. CO. f 
18 Lawrence Square, Kalamazoo, Mich. 
I 
li 
FI FfiRAPHY ste “°fe' r »P»>y. etc., thor- 
LLLUIInl II I oughly taught. EASTMAN 
trains for practical work. Positions for all 
^graduates. Complete Home Learner's tele 
graph outfit, 86. Simplified Shorthand by mail 
8a. Catalogue free. C. C. GAINJK,S. Uox 
637, Poughkeepsie, N. V. ’ “ ox 
I CATALOGUE FREE 
5-T0N. SCALE 
ALSO PITLE5S *ND SHALLOW PIT- 
TUB AMERICAN SCALE CD., 
S2 Ain. Rank Bldg, Kansas City, Jlo. 
w 
FREE TRIAL- 
TL. U..I n_„.- - lorth.le»itinon.J,fot»n,purpo«. I 
I FIB mOST r OW6r°“‘ 1 ‘« ,arm > c “ u,MUted£romoui I 
Fearless Hallway Horse Powers. 
We make them for 1,2, Sand 4 horses, with speed 
regulators. Unequalled for Cutting and 
Grinding Feed, Sawing Wood, Thresh¬ 
ing, Pumping Water, etc. Also make j 
Threshers, Engines, Feed Cutters,Bilos 
etc. Illustrated Catalog Free. * ^ 
HARDER MFQ. CO.. 
^ Oobleftkill, N. Y. 
The Best Roof 
at the lowest 
cost—and any 
handy man 
can apply 
Arrow Brand Asphalt Ready Roofing 
The kind you see on railroad sheds and great fac¬ 
tory buildings. Outlasts shingles or metal. Sand 
or gravel surface. Write for booklet and samples. 
Asphalt Ready Roofing Co., 80 Pine Street, New York 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.” See guarantee, page 8. 
Potash Fills the 
Grain Sacks 
Potash is a necessary nourish¬ 
ment for grain and all other crops. 
Write to-day for our valuable 
books on “Fertilization”—full of 
information that every farmer should 
possess—sent free to applicants. 
GERMAN KALI WORKS 
93 Nassau Street New York 
SAN JOSE SCALE 
and other INSECTS killed by 
GOOD’S 
Caustic Potash Whale-Oil Soap No. 3 
Endorsed by U.S.Dept. of Agrl. and State Experiment 
Stations. Tbissoapisa Fertllizeras well as an Insecti¬ 
cide. 6u-lb. kegs. $2.50; 100-lb. kegs,$4.50; half barrel, 
8701b.,3^cper lb; barrel.4251b.,3)4c. Send for booklet. 
AMES GOOD, Original Maker, 
- . _ ^ £ hll - - - - 
939-41 N. Front Street. 
iladelphla, Pa. 
CARPETSonTRIAL 
Cut this ad. outand send to 
us, or on a postal card saj, 
| "Send me your Free Carpet 
' Catalogue." and you will re¬ 
ceive free by return mall, post- 
paid, lull particulars how we 
furnish anyone, free, a big 
vaiiety of large samples of In¬ 
grain. Brussels and VelvetCar- 
pets, you will get our iiig 
llook of Carpets, beautifully 
illustrated and fully drserlbed, 
over 100 beautiful color plate 
samples of Carpets reduced 
from IR-yard lengths. 
THE BIG FREE BOOK shows an almost endless 
variety of Carpets. Art Squares. Rugs. Matting. Oil 
Cloth, Linoleum. Shades, Curtains, Draperies. Uphol¬ 
stery, etc. Yard width carpet. I Ic per yard and up¬ 
wards; big rugs with fancy border and fringe to cover 
big parlors, $ 1.92 and up. We will explain why we can 
sell carpets at about one-half the price others charge. 
OUR FREE TRIAL PLAN will befully explained. How 
we cut and make carpet in any shape to litany room, our 
binding <[uality guarantee, our- pay after received 
terms, quick delivery, color scheme, very little freight 
charges, all will beexplained to you. Cut this ad outand 
send to us or on a postal card say, “Send me your Free 
Carpet Catalogue,’’and you will get all this free, and 
you will get our very latest and most astonishingly 
liberal carpet offer, a carpet proposition never 
known of before. WRITE| TODAY and see what you 
get FREE by return mail, postpaid. Address. 
SEARS, ROEBUCK & CO., CHICAGO. 
The WAGON to BUY. 
. Properly con- 
st muted. Saves 
lal>or, annoy¬ 
ance and expense of repairs. 
STEEL WHEELS 
Your address on a postal will bring you free catalog. 
The Geneva Metal Wheel Co., 
Box 17, Geneva, Ohio. 
Wage Earners 
Pay You . . . 
5 % 
825 upward, with¬ 
drawable on 30 
days’ notice. 
Investments bear 6arn 
lngs from day received 
to day withdrawn. 
Supervised bv New York 
Banking Department. 
QUK LOANS are aecured 
by mortgages on suburban 
homes owned by ambitious 
wage-earners, paving all inter¬ 
est and part principal monthly. 
You would choose such invest¬ 
ments for SAFETY, We put 
them within your reach, paying 
5 p. c. per annum on sums large 
*»r small FROM DAY OF RE¬ 
CEIPT TO DATE OF WITH¬ 
DRAWAL. Conservative in¬ 
vestors will appreciate a plan 
affording all the security ami 
profit without the annoyance 
of individual mortgage loans. 
Write for particulars. 
Assets,.$1,700,000 
Surplus and Profits, . $ 160,000 
Industrial Savings & LoanCo. 
1134 Bkoauway, New York, 
FARM WORK 
As necessary as the work in the field is the care of the' 
buildings. If they are not properly roofed their usefulness is 
impaired. Your farm buildings should be roofed with 
ffex Flint koto Roofing 
It is made of the best wool fibre, is waterproof 
fire-resisting, and costs less than shingles. It is € 
used instead of tin, tar, and galvanized iron on 
account of its superior qualities. Any one can lay it. 
Our book is filled with roofing information, and you should 
have it together with free samples if you own or use a farm / |J 
building. Send for our agent’s name in your locality. 
J, A. & W. BIRD & CO., 70 India St., Boston. 
"LOOK FORTHE BQY” E very n roil 
